#that's why she looked so sad at the mention of the hero who carries the sword

[bibibbon]

I think even the "its realistic!" excuse doesnt work on its own terms - cause yeah, for everyone of the 20 people to allways meet up isnt real life, but to atleast have one good friend from school, especially after going through live and die situations?

like Deku and Kachan were astranged childhood friends, who after all that made up, and also Kachan felt a lot of guilt about being a piece of shit and that Deku lost his quirk - it seems atleast those two should meet up, even do to guilt/pity Kachan now feels.

Or Ida, who is charachterised as cartoonishly proper and robotic - even he would probably see it as his duty to not abandon a friend and check on him every few months.

And Tsuy was charachterised as super caring, so after all the bonding and the fact Deku saved her from death at the start at the series, would make it seem that she would want to stay in contact - especially when she was shown to connect quickly to people.

Guess the one realistic one could be Ochako, if they did kinda try dating in highschool and it didnt work out, so it could feel awkard to then try to stay friends and all - yet then the fairytale reunion of 20 top heroes all saving some minor landslide again looks awkard.

And also its unrealistc that everyone besides Deku stayed in the hero life - especially when Jiro had the whole conflict of maybe wanting to do music instead, or the fact nobody moved overseas or did change their outfits enough to not be recognizable, etc

The real truth is that Hori feels depressed about his life and projected it, hence why the awkward happy ending that framed everything came at the last pages - a power fantasy.

It just shows how Hori, like Deku, didnt ever evolve his mindset, and stayed at the childish level of "I wanna be cool like spiderman!!" - cause if he didnt he would show Deku fulfilled as a teacher, giving the next gen the skills to actually change shit, and not see it as "setteling", with a sad expression of "alas, my dream of wearing goofy spandex suits and screaming attack names is dead😔"

The "it's realistic" excuse can work depending on the context. However, there's nothing normal or realistic about 1A and what happend in 430 (surrounding Izuku and 1A that is). It's incredibly understandable that not all 20 members of 1A were going to keep in contact and be incredibly close to eachother. Heck even in UA some 1A members weren't close to eachother and it's even stated by denki that he was never close to izuku in the vigilante arc but that he wanted to help him.

However, I have mentioned this multiple times (and you even brought it up) it's annoying that we don't see izuku hanging out with his close friends outside of hero costumes or UA uniforms. Them not doing so literally paints a picture that they aren't close at all and the whole theme of WE are heroes and power of friendship ends up failing due to this.

Look I know Iam not a huge bakugo fan but taking this into the perspective that bakugo got a satisfactory redemption arc him and izuku should keep in contact from time to time. Something that's bugged me is that after Izuku loses his quirk it seems like his interactions with bakugo are non existent, almost like izuku being a hero and having a quirk is all that their relationship is: a rivalry between who would be the best hero (kind of contradicting bakugo supposed development).

Or take for example shoto todoroki who izuku was close to but they don't seem to interact at all. Or asui. Or iida who very much helped izuku and truly cared for him. Heck tokoyami has also voiced his care for izuku multiple times and so has yuuga but we don't see any of them hang out outside of UA or heroics. Heck this chapter doesn't even give us a glimpse of maybe Izuku texting his friends in a group chat or anything. To me this all seems too bleak. What do you mean the kids who went through trauma together and had an entire theme of helping eachother and sticking together (a theme that carried the final act and fight) somehow not even hang out with eachother outside of heroics or school?

Lastly, I have no intention of making any comment about horis life unless it was stated by a credible source but it does seem like hori might of just got burnt out and he went too far with the story to give it a good ending (a well written one).

Alas, the ending was horrible.

[birdmitosis]

alright kit one voice of the paranoid pretty please with cherry on top 🥺

[ask game here]

(Thank you for re-sending this ask, IDK why Tumblr hated my last attempt so much-- 🥺💕)

HELL YEAH MY #1 BLORBINA!!!!!

First impression

Haha, okay, that vocal delivery is great and I love that paranoia of the "what if He hears us?" followed by "shit!" Paranoid characters can be really hit-or-miss, though, and this particular shtick could get old really fast; I hope it doesn't.

Impression now

My favorite darling who I love and adore, my most beloved of current blorbos, the reason my STP hyperfixation is so so strong, bird of my heart 💖

Favorite moment

This is such a hard call! I'm especially torn between two moments: Of course the initial "Heart. Lungs. Liver. Nerves." is amazing and holds a special place in my heart because it's the moment I knew I absolutely adored her. But also, despite loving absolutely everything about both the Wraith and the Moment of Clarity and the transitions into both of them… "Oh right, yeah, fuck this guy. Don't trust Him." all by itself makes me love freeing the Nightmare in her Chapter II just as much. (Not that there aren't other great lines in that path, like the delivery of "I thought you needed me to run the autonomic nervous system?" which is just hysterical to me! But that line… It just won me over even more.)

As an honorable mention, let me pour one out for the cut Paranoid moment in Apotheosis:

I carry this moment, and Paranoid's thoughts about listening to others' lies having value, in my heart forever. It's just such an interesting touch and I'm incredibly sad it's gone!

Idea for a story

I have so many unbaked, half-formed idea snippets and NO details to go with them:

Paranoid running into trouble when her overpreening habits leave her without the ability to fly in a key situation, when she'd been able to (with increasing difficulty) up to that point since getting out of the Construct.

The world outside the Construct being some post- or mid-apocalypse survival horror situation and somehow Paranoid's body winds up warping in ways that remind her unpleasantly of Nightmare, primarily a bunch of eyes beginning to open up all over her body, especially her wings.

Either post-Construct or a mundane AU, bird-people or human or just human-looking, where Paranoid figures out she's trans (and slowly gains in confidence) due to drag.

Something that explores the idea of the beta voices actually turning into some of the current voices (Doubting becoming Skeptic, Flinching becoming Cheated, Meek becoming Paranoid, and Obsessed becoming either Stubborn or both Hunted and Stubborn -- and Smitten splitting off from the beta's Hero too actually!). I actually do really like the idea of the beta voices being their own individual people out there somewhere, but Paranoid reverting to Meek for a while under some circumstance could be fun to play with! And only Hero, Broken, Cold, and Contrarian would even possibly remember Meek…

Unpopular opinion

Paranoid really is not helpless and I think some people forget that sometimes! She's also got wonky morals. I'd argue that the voices you can get in other voices' Chapter IIIs often says something about them; while getting Paranoid in Apotheosis is more her going "That's Enough" and getting Skeptic in both Eye of the Needle and Den is kind of the same, the way Cold and Opportunist both show up in Wraith-from-Nightmare feels more… simpatico with how Paranoid operates? Paranoid can be fucking ruthless and also seize any opportunity she spots, especially if she doesn't trust a person (and the only people she trusts are the Long Quiet and the other voices).

She is also totally willing to abandon or murder a woman and the only one she seems to feel at all bad about at any point to any degree is the Wounded Wild. She's also also super dedicated to coming out unharmed and surviving, but she will do things like advise slitting our own throat when she thinks it's a good idea, and she is prone to panic but also remarkably self-aware about it and knows her own paranoid tendencies aren't always good, and both of those things can be easy to forget but I love them!

Finally, I want to note that people sometimes seem to forget that she doesn't actually get along as badly with Opportunist as you'd think she might! Maybe it's because when you get Opportunist in Wraith, it's specifically via doing exactly what Paranoid is advising (or would advise) you to do in that situation. Cheated and even Hero are more snippy with and disparaging of Opportunist -- even Smitten is to some degree -- and Paranoid is more snippy with Hero and Broken, and Skeptic is the one who seems most disparaging of her. The dynamics being different from what you might think fascinates me, really, and I'm curious about how both new and old dynamics might end up looking in the Pristine Cut.

Favorite relationship

I MEAN…

Much like last time, romantically speaking I love her dynamic with Cold. But platonically, I'm fascinated by her dynamics with Broken, Opportunist, and the Narrator, love her dynamic with Hero, and would be interested to see more (or any) of her dynamic with Hunted, Skeptic, and/or Smitten in the Pristine Cut.

Among the vessels, I also think she'd have interesting dynamics with Damsel, Prisoner, Spectre, Stranger, and Thorn, and would actually love to see more of her dynamic with Nightmare, Wild, and Wraith. (Looking forward to those new Chapter IIIs, too, and I'm very curious about the expanded Apotheosis chapter!)

Favorite headcanon

Well, hands down my favorite headcanon is transfem Paranoid!

But I am also super attached to her having major difficulties with getting her own body: She overpreens to the point of not being able to fly, she has all sorts of trouble sleeping (nightmares, night terrors, insomnia, even sleepwalking), and worst of all she has a harder time trusting the others to the same extent that she used to, at least at first. They're still parsing as us but they're also parsing as other and it fucks with her a bit. She also can panic due to not being able to protect the others or sense the pain/injury/illness/etc. of the others the way she'd have been able to if they still shared a body...

Like, overall she does like having her own body, it's quieter and she has more control over herself, but there's a lot that's difficult about it for her too.

[eadrey-the-iptscray]

Last Days of War - Day 6

Missed the last four days, oops. In other news, I'll post all these fics to AO3 at the end of the month.

Prompts: dress blues, consequences, jaeger flies

Warnings: grief-related angst, canonical character death

Wordcount: 759

Main characters: Stacker Pentecost, Tamsin Sevier, mention of Luna Pentecost (references to Tamsin/Luna, idk the ship name)

It was no secret that every pilot had a few jaeger flies following them around. Theoretically, Stacker understood the appeal of the hero image that they presented. Jaeger pilots were practically superheroes, even if they didn't wear capes or have individual superpowers. But even when they hadn't recently saved the world, he and Tamsin couldn't go anywhere without being surrounded.

Tamsin regularly teased him about this—being too ace to get it. Apparently "we're hot" wasn't a satisfactory answer.

This was another one of those moments that confused Stacker. He and Tamsin were heading to a press conference, and the venue was lined with people. Hundreds of onlookers thronged the sidewalk leading to the venue, and dozens crowded around the line of local police that had created a barricade on both sides of the walkway.

Knowing exactly what he was thinking (one of the perks of being in each other's heads), Tamsin patted him on the back. Coyote Tango had taken down another beast from the abyss, the world had been saved, and their fans were eager to get a glimpse of the jaeger pilots in their dress blues. Most of the onlookers seemed content to stand behind the barricade. But as always, there were a few who would stop at nothing to get up close and personal to their favorite celebrities.

Stacker put a protective arm in front of Tamsin as a couple of fans surged forward. She tensed. Then, anger surged through her.

Tam, he warned.

I know, 'you can starve anything if you don't feed it.' She took a deep breath; her next thoughts were calmer. Thanks. I'm OK.

We can talk about it when we get a minute alone.

Carrying on full conversations wasn't a skill that all jaeger pilots had. Stacker attributed it to being friends with Tamsin before they drifted. She was his sister-in-law, and because she and Luna lived close by, they all spent a lot of time together. And when Luna died, Tamsin moved in with Stacker. He didn't blame her for asking, and she was grateful for the company. For someone to grieve with her.

They didn't get a moment alone until after the press conference. By then, the encounter with those inconsiderate fans was all but forgotten. Stacker asked about it, anyway.

Tamsin clenched her jaw as she recalled the incident from her perspective: two women about her age, definitely her type, both screaming her name. One of them held a sign that said, "now that you're single, why don't you date me?"

"You were upset that they asked you out?" Stacker said.

Tamsin laughed slightly. "You're adorable."

"I'm being 'too ace' again, aren't I?"

She nodded but then grew somber again. "What got me was the reminder that I'm single. That Luna's... gone. And the implication that I'm just looking for someone to fill that void by my side."

"Ah."

This topic. Tamsin had felt similarly angry and sad when reporters would ask about her relationship with him. No one knew what drifting was like; everyone who knew the basic premise automatically assumed that because they shared their innermost thoughts, they were together. And when they both shot those accusations down, they would get condescending comments about being in denial.

Tamsin gripped Stacker's arm, letting him know she'd been following his train of thought. "How do you deal with it?" She asked.

"With what?"

"Everyone assuming you don't know what you want. You've been dealing with this for years."

He nodded, thinking of a response. "Assuming ignorance has helped me be more compassionate toward the average person. These reporters and fans—"

"Jaeger flies," she corrected. "If they can be rude, so can we."

He grimaced. "They don't know us. And they don't care to know us. They ask personal questions because we're their connection to fame, not because we're people with complex thoughts, feelings, and relationships. The less we engage, the sooner they stop prying."

"Or they get more personal," Tamsin muttered.

"And we handle ourselves with professionalism regardless." Stacker pulled her into a hug. "They may not face direct consequences for their insensitive questions, but we're in charge of our narrative."

Tamsin leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed. He didn't need her to voice what was on her mind: thoughts of Luna, grief-tinted memories of those first few months after K-Day, and the underlying anger at the situation.

Stacker kissed the top of her head. "Just a few more of these and we can return to the relative privacy of the Shatterdome."

"Can't wait," she muttered.

[gale-gentlepenguin]

Gale’s Top 10: Best Episodes of Miraculous Ladybug (as of season 5)

Rules:

1. This is my opinion, and not absolute rankings. I do hold these episodes in high esteem though.

2. I would love to hear your thoughts on these episodes and what your thoughts on them are in comments or making your own list.

____________________________________________

10. Stoneheart (origins part 2)

Can an episode be carried by a really good scene? The answer is yes. In truth, without the umbrella scene I would put origins part 2 more in the 8/10 category. It has solid characterization, a great look into Marinette and Adrien as characters. It’s a wonderful episode

Then the umbrella scene hits you in the back of the head. It is still to this day one of the most iconic scenes in the show. It only gets better with age. It shows how connected they are and it is a perfect scene. From the musical score to the subtle expressions. This scene alone makes this episode a contender for the best.

9.Elation

It took a while for me to process this episode and evaluate it fairly… that being said it is easily one of the most emotional episodes of season 5.

It shows the emotional turmoil Marinette and Adrien are going through, as Marinette feels she is in love with Chat noir, while Adrien has fully fallen for Marinette.

The discussion of if Marinette’s love for chat noir is an escape, or if she truly loves him becomes a contentious argument between her and Alya.

Meanwhile Adrien is trying to reach Marinette who is keeping him at arms length now.

The dorky and cute interactions of Marinette and chat noir. Both are just so happy only to have reality crush them.

We see how much Chat noir wants Marinette to love him but doesn’t want to take advantage, and we see Marinette on her wits end, just wanting to be happy and nearly getting akumatized. This emotional peak is something to behold, and it ends with some sorrow. It hurts it’s not a happy end.

And I will say the two parter that results from it isn’t the best and that detracts. It’s hard for me to say that season 5 ever hits such an emotional peak again… at least not until much later.

8. Darkowl

People really fail to grasp why this episode is the best episode of season 2.

It has a genuinely heartfelt and sad man wanting to do better, be better and help others. Seeing how Mr. Damocles character arc grows in later seasons actually helps this age better.

The principal has always had to make compromise after compromise just to keep his job and keep the school in some sort of shape. But deep down he wants to help others and be better.

We get heroes taking pity on him and a humiliation that is still one of the most understandable akumatizations to this day.

Not to mention the genius akuma plan and counter.

Darkowl even almost gets the miraculous not once but twice.

It also has Tikki and Plagg find out who the other holder is, making it an important episode.

In terms of writing and emotional payoff it’s one of the best.

7. Stormy weather

There really isn’t much to say that hasn’t been said. I think the best way to describe it is this.

Best intro episode to Miraculous ladybug.

Solid animation, solid characterization and a good flow.

It stands the test of time and just works

6. Protection

Remember how I said emotional highs in season 5?

Well here it is.

Protection is simply Adrien and Marinette exploring their dynamic. They both know they like eachother and everyone wants them to finally kiss. But both of them are just not there yet.

It shows how other people can impact the view of one’s own relationship.

But what really stands out is Kagami. Kagami is doing her best to be supportive of her friends but a moment of weakness and manipulation by Lila and monarch we get a heartbreaking fight.

The moment that really sells it for me is after Kagami is deakumatized. Adrien and Marinette check on Kagami who breaks down, poor girl was gaslit and loves them both so much. My heart broke for her.

It is such an emotional episode that explores Kagami’s nature and peak Adrinette energy. It’s truly a marvel of an episode.

5. Evillustrator

Once he was my favorite akuma, this episode is one that still holds weight for me.

It’s the first time we see a character not actively after the miraculous. He only wanted payback for Chloé and even then was ready to abandon it to date Marinette. It showed potential and I love how Marinette shows her guts facing an akuma even without her miraculous.

It’s cheesy in some places, but also helps explore characters, including chat noir.

Also Nathanael’s English dub VA was awesome. To bad after this Nathanael gets relegated immediately to the back.

What really sold me on this was how it showed Hawkmoth as intimidating. Hawkmoth never felt as terrifying as he did in this episode.

4. Chat Blanc

This is another episode I’ve talked to death about. Arguably one of the most impactful episodes in the entire series.

Chat blanc illustrated why knowing eachother’s identities was dangerous, how things could go wrong.

We see the Worst Case Scenario.

This is the first time we see Bunnnyx show up trying to PREVENT an event from happening. We see how loving the two can be when together.

But above all we see how far Gabriel is willing to go, seeing the levels of depravity he would go for his wish.

I’ve gone on in detail on why it’s a phenomenal episode. But the reason it’s number four is because whiles it’s impactful it does fizzle in some places. With some touch ups it could be my favorite episode. But being 4th isn’t a bad spot.

3. Passion

This episode sold me on Nathalie’s redemption. But above all, this episode speaks to me because it fixed the kwami swap in my eyes.

The episode explored the shifting lovesquare dynamic and showed important development for Adrien and Nathalie.

We learn Nathalie’s past and this works sort of as Her final hurrah before just using the time she has left to help Adrien. Her getting the miraculous to get a wish to help the boy. That’s what she wanted. It’s touching and heartbreaking, because we see Nathalie truly does want Adrien to be happy.

Also seeing Misterbug redeem himself and figure out the lucky charm. It needed to happen and I’m glad. We also got feral Lady noire which was chef’s kiss.

I think it’s the best we get of Nathalie’s character and it really shows how the show can write a redemption if they want to.

2. Oblivio

This episode is easily the most rewatchable, as it shows the core of both Adrien and Marinette’s characters. It gives us how they would be without their hang ups, their insecurities. It shows how even without their memories, they are heroes at their core.

I’ve talked about this episode in length and in my opinion is the episode that understands the two heroes the best. Also just ALL the lovesquare. It’s beautiful.

1. Strikeback,

This is the best episode of Miraculous ladybug. It’s a bold claim. I took away recency bias and in truth, the episode holds up.

It brings forth all the development and themes from season four and brings it to a crescendo of highs and lows.

Felix gets the peacock in exchange for a all the miraculous he stole from Ladybug.

This is probably the lowest point we ever see Marinette/ladybug.

Her supposed victory was snatched by the one she trusted. She lost ALL the miraculous but hers and chat noir’s. She felt that she deserved to be hated.

But Chat noir was there to pull her back up. He was there to show her hope wasn’t lost, that they could fight against monarch, and that Paris believed in them.

It showed us why they were heroes.

With a scene that is ON PAR with the umbrella scene, it truly has an emotional punch that needs to be addressed. And when Astruc said that each episode of season 4 would hit like chat blanc. This episode ended up hitting EVEN HARDER.

It is the best season finale to date, and in my opinion the best episode in the entire series

[driftwithme]

There's a good chance Chuck took Raleigh leaving the jaeger program as something personal??? And he carries that wound with him even when he knows it's childish to hold a grudge with his teenage hero for leaving the program behind after what happened???

Raleigh clocks childish behavior like no one else which leads to a situation when he asks Chuck if he (Chuck) hates him for stop being a ranger. And Chuck knows Raleigh is onto him, he knows Raleigh's beautifully annoying mind has analyzed the Hansens relationship and now he's reaching his conclussions, so Chuck gets defensive (as he does best) and angry (becuase he's in danger) and somehow walks away having answered Raleigh's stupid question with his fury.

It makes no sense he feels like that. Raleigh didn't know him, he had no relationship with him, didn't even know Chuck existed. Okay, maybe he knew him as a fellow ranger but that was it!!!! After Operation Pitfall Chuck is beginning to understand why Raleigh took the mature decision by walking away and he hates it. Part of him still hates Raleigh for leaving like a coward and part of him cannot see him but as the bravest yet dumbest most handsome infuriating man to ever be alive. He'd die before admitting he thinks Raleigh will go down in history as the best jaeger pilot and that he deserves it.

Chuck wishes he could disappear for a while to process it all and hates himself because he promised himself he'd never be one of those who run away when times get tough but holy shit.

Raleigh starts by hunting him and ends up haunting him. First the ranger would try to corner Chuck when he's alone so they can talk and when it is evident Chuck would not lose on that chase, Raleigh leaves him alone. He's still there in the periphery. Chuck sees him every day. Raleigh smalls at him for a second and then it's gone, like he's smoke and not flesh. People on the Shatterdome stops talking about Raleigh with Chuck or when Chuck's around and he's going insane. Of course they don't do it in purpose, they think that's the right thing to do 'cause he gets upset whenever they mention Raleigh.

Chuck misses the friendship that bloomed between them after pitfall. He hates the fact he can ask Mako for more time now that she is his co-pilot, because that means Mako has to choose between spending time with him or Raleigh and fuck. Herc tries and tries to figure out what has Chuck so drained and he finally gets his answer on a meeting where Raleigh puts a hand on Chuck's shoulder and Chuck flinches so hard he leaves the meeting knowing everyone saw it.

Mako goes after him and Herc sits Raleigh down to explain what just happened and that is when it all clicks to him. Raleigh says he tried to reach Chuck at first and upon seeing how he stressed Chuck by that, kept some space. Of course, no one thought about how Raleigh is just as traumatized post pitfall as Chuck because Raleigh makes it look like he's fine on the outside, okay? Later Mako would explain to Herc that she's been dragging her co-pilot around to interact with people since he's been isolating himself without realizing what he's doing. When they ask Raleigh what was their last conversation and he tells them, Mako goes impossibly sad in a second and goes oh Chuck.

Herc is angry but he knows Raleigh didn't mean to hurt Chuck and that both of them are victims of their trauma right now. Still, they ask Raleigh to leave the room but don't go to Chuck yet. Once alone, Herc says out loud what they're both thinking.

Chuck thinks he pushed Raleigh away and he is ready to abandon him again.

Herc is like of course they have been friends for a while and Chuck has always admired Raleigh and he saw him as a role model and he has that silly crush from when he was a teenager... until he sees the pain on Mako's face and he stops. Apparently everyone else was too busy with the world ending and then not to really pay attention to Chuck but he's not just upset because of that. Chuck likes to forget sometimes they grew up together and where each other teenage best friends for years. It makes him feel vulnerable, weak. It makes him feel seen. And yet, Mako Mori is the only person who appears to has noticed Chuck's little crush evolving into full swing romantic feelings for Raleigh.

Chuck longs for his respect and acceptance. That's the core of why he acted as a petulant child when Raleigh arrived. He wants Raleigh to see him, to acknowledge him. Wants his praise and attention, has wanted his touch since he allowed himself some teenage lust fantasies. But now? He craves his presence, his friendship and laughs and ridiculous jokes and stories. Chuck is terrified because he felt like Raleigh saw right through him, didn't like what he found and wanted an explanation, and when Chuck didn't give one, he walked away.

It makes Chuck feel small. A child again. He's feeling helpless as loves makes you feel, but the paranoia is making it all twisted.

Chuck kept his silence not knowing that he was playing a game Raleigh never planned. Becket has been sincerely spacing out and avoiding everyone by accident, the leftover of the traumatic response he had when his brother died. It's not dangerous, but Chuck doesn't know what is truly happening.

He thinks Raleigh is playing with his mind.

He feels used and rejected, a fool.

At that point both Mako and Herc are so sad and angry. Chuck and Raleigh have suffered enough. They know how it is for veterans, it's not like Herc and Mako are an exception to the rule. They're battling their own ghost and working on their mental health, hence why they didn't notice before how bad was the situation between Raleigh and Chuck.

It feels horrendous to tell the truth to Raleigh once they ask him to come inside again. His face goes pale and his eyes shine with rage and Herc thinks he could never be angry with him for too long. He is probably the best man Chuck could had fallen in love with. He also thinks there's a chance in there, if Raleigh's determination speaks of some feeling he hasn't admit. Mako and Raleigh hold firm mental shields that they wouldn't cross even if they had the chance. If she knows what Raleigh truly feels, she'll never tell. It's the same for Herc and Chuck. The best duos with drift compatibility are those who know when to stop and how to respect boundaries.

The whole conversation lasts a few hours that are full of agony to Chuck as he waits in his room as Mako asked him to do when she went after him earlier that day. Oh, he knows Raleigh got him figured out by now. Even if he missed it (there's no chance but okay), there's no way Mako or Herc would. It's over.

He doesn't know what he wishes to happen next. If Raleigh leaves because of him, he'd never be able to look Mako to the face again. He would rather leave himself. As much as he hates the idea of leaving, he'd do it. If there's something he learned from Raleigh on those last few months is that sometimes leaving is the bravest choice.

But what if Raleigh wants to talk to him.

No. No way. If Raleigh Becket tries to let him down gently, it'd finally kill him. To be treated like an infant. But Raleigh wouldn't right? It's not like Chuck deserves to be treated like an adult after all he did. No, if Raleigh so much as try that, he'd beat the shit out of him. It's wrong, immature, but Chuck doesn't care. He can't take it. Raleigh disappointment. Worst, his pity.

When Raleigh finally appears, Chuck doesn't expect him to pound the door fiercely and looking like he's ready for a fight, just to take Chuck by the collar (once Chuck has already told him in rather colorful terms to get out of there) and ask him why the fuck does Chuck think Raleigh would run away.

Mako is one step behind and Chuck is about to tell them both something he knows would regret, but Raleigh pushes him inside at once and closes the door. Chuck doesn't know what's going on but he can faintly hear Mako walking away (or around?) the hall (she's making sure no one interrupts them until the conversation is over) and stares at Raleigh.

What follows is almost?? a screming match where they are way too sincere and way too angry and it makes Chuck shake under the full force of Raleigh's unwavering attention. The way Raleigh is looking at him is new and it scares him to no end. He thinks he's again admitting more with his behavior than with his words and Raleigh is so careful to guide the situation. He's still processing what the hell is going on when Raleigh starts to leave him to sleep with the threat (there's not way that was a promise with how Raleigh said it) of waiting on the kwoon for him tommorow.

It takes a few seconds for him to realize that Raleigh is looking at him like that again cause Chuck took his arm and asked him to stay.

To his surprises, Raleigh huffs a laugh and tells him to wait for him. He needs to talk to Mako and change his clothes and pick some food for them. Chuck lets him go and sits on his bed and really, facing kaijus is easier than whatever they're doing.

When Raleigh comes back to Chuck's room, he doesn't mention he now knows Chuck has feeling for him. He doesn't mention he knows Chuck was about to cry so he left for a while. He doesn't mention he was hurt too, because he thought Chuck was ready to move on and it meant Raleigh time in his life was over, so he waited for whatever Chuck was willing to give him. Instead, he puts some movie and brings their dinner to the room and sits on the floor as a confused Chucks eyes him suspiciously from the bed. Later, when the movie is almost over, he tests the waters by resting his cheek on Chuck's knee. He asks Chuck if he wants to watch other movie. He lets Chuck insult him and they argue a bit more and when the other movie is on, when Raleigh is battling to stay awake, he accepts Chuck offer to sleep on the top of the bunk bed. He has no partner in that room anyway.

Day by day, Raleigh doesn't admit how much he missed the brat. He shows him the moves he created to kick Chuck's ass on the kwoon, he appears with more movies commenting how he wanted Chuck's opinions on them, he walks Max with him, shares notes with him, eats next to him, sides with him often against Mako and Herc on boardgames nights.

Only once Chuck told Raleigh he knew what he was doing. Only once Raleigh asked him if it was easier to live thinking Raleigh would abandon him anytime than accept he was not going anywhere. The words, combined with Raleigh's stupid smile were what drove Chuck to kiss him for the first time.

The rest? Mako and Herc promising a painful death to anyone and everyone that would listen on the Shatterdome if they so much as made Chuck or Raleigh feel a bit inadequate. It's not that they couldn't take it, it's that they didn't deserve to feel so.

Happy ever after, I guess!

[justagirlwhowritess]

This was asked for, I hope I did him justice, it was too long for tumblr, i got a little carried away but here's a snippet. Idk why soft mha as dads is ruining my life rn.

Pairing: Hizashi Yamada (Present Mic) x Fem! Reader

Genre: Fluffy/ a little sad

Warnings: Season 6 of the Anime Spoilers, slight mention of insecurities.

Additional Notes: N/A “He’s married?? But he’s sooo loud! His poor wife” you heard two girls in the hallway start giggling while they were talking about what you could only assume was your husband, pro hero and teacher who went by Present Mic. You worked for the biggest support company in Japan as one of the lead designers, always on the forefront of new hero technology. When it came to Hizashi, however, you met him during your time at UA. You adjusted your daughter on your hip as you continued to move down the hallway to Hizashi’s classroom. “Y/n? What are you doing here?” Aizawa asked, looking at you confused. “Shouta, lovely to see you. Hizashi asked me to come, and said something was happening and I needed to bring Kiki with me.” you told him truthfully. A scowl was now present on his face. Hizashi didn’t go into detail but you could sense his worry. The way he cared for you was unmatched. “Oh. That. Yeah, it’s probably going to be better coming from him." His words struck you as odd. “What does that mean?” you asked, tightening your grip on Kiki. “Danger is coming. Things are starting to get bad.” your eyes widen. Hairs start to stand on the back of your neck as you think about what he could possibly mean. “You should talk to him.” Aizawa states. “Talk to who about what?” you feel relieved at hearing Hizashi come up beside you. “Just the man I was looking for.” You hummed. His eyes perk up as he turns to you. “Oh really, for what?” he smirks. You laugh and hand him your restless child. “She has been driving me crazy, your turn. Also you asked me to come.” You spoke as he took his tired child in his arms. “Dada” she mumbled quietly as he got her situated. “Yeah, come on.” he mumbled, placing a hand on your back leading you to his now empty classroom. The kids must be at lunch, you think to yourself as you sit on the corner of his desk. “So, what is it?” you asked, trying not to grow impatient, today was your day off and you didn’t really want to spend it at UA. too many not so great memories. “You know the villain presence is getting stronger since the situation with all might. The liberation front is beginning to cause chaos. Nezu has decided to open the campus as a shelter. It will be safer for you and Kiki to stay here.” His words shook you to your core. You didn’t want to live here, even if it was temporary. “Hizashi I-I don’t want to stay here.” you told him as you rubbed your arm. He sighs. “Y/n don’t do this. You know this place is a fortress. You both will be safe here. If anything happens to either of you because of this I will never forgive myself.” You know he’s telling you the truth. You take your face in your hands and rub it lightly. “When?” you asked. “Tonight preferably.” his response elicits a groan from you. “How long have you known about this?” You asked, growing annoyed. “A few weeks.” He admitted. You cross your arms over your chest. “Why did you wait to tell me?” He sighs “Because you were so busy, and I didn’t think things were going to get this bad.” He shifts slightly, your daughter now asleep in his hold. “How bad have they gotten?” you ask cautiously. He wasn’t a private person, at least not with you. You watched the news, more so recently, but with how the media is you know there are things they are hiding. You know a lot about his students, Aizawa’s, even helped Mae Hatsume tweak some of her work for class 1-A. She is a brilliant child and you were trying to convince your company to snag her once she was closer to graduating. “Midoriya left, the kids want to go after him.” He admits. Your eyes widen “Wh-what? There are children fighting in this war?” You felt tears well in your eyes, you became slightly softer after the birth of Kiki, imagining children in this scenario would rattle even the strongest of wills. “Y/n, please, I am begging you, you need to be here.” He redirects the conversation back. “Fine. Gonna have to let my job know I'll be remote for a while. UA is a decent hike.”

The rest is on my A03! Link attached :D.

[maryamsweb]

HOLY GROUND, miles morales

"like a girl in a brand new dress

we had this big wide city all to ourselves

we blocked the noise with the sound of 'i need you'

and for the first time I had something to lose"

pairing: felicia hardy × miles morales

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

felicia hardy found herself standing in mary jane's home, having snuck in through the window with a mix of curiosity and trepidation. she cautiously stepped into the living room, her eyes scanning the surroundings. as she looked around, her gaze fell upon a picture frame on a nearby table. she picked it up and saw a photograph of peter parker and mary jane, their smiles capturing a moment of joy and love.

just as felicia was lost in her thoughts, mary jane unexpectedly walked into the room and spotted the intruder. their eyes met, and there was a brief moment of silence before felicia mustered the courage to speak.

"hi," felicia said softly, placing the picture frame back on the table. "i'm felicia hardy. i'm not sure if he ever mentioned me, but—"

mary jane interrupted her, a warm smile forming on her face. "felicia, yeah, he did mention you. a lot, actually," she said, her voice filled with a mix of sadness and affection.

both women shared a mutual understanding, the connection between them growing in that moment. felicia felt a wave of relief wash over her, knowing that peter had spoken about her to the woman he loved so deeply.

as tears welled up in felicia's eyes, she whispered, "his death... it was my fault."

mary jane immediately stopped her, her voice filled with reassurance. "no, felicia. peter never did anything he didn't want to do. he made his own choices, and he chose to be a hero. it wasn't your fault."

felicia struggled to hold back her emotions, her voice trembling as she responded, "but he didn't want to die."

mary jane took a step closer, gently reaching out and taking felicia's hands in hers. their eyes met once again, and there was a profound understanding between them. "you're a good person, felicia. he cared about you so much. we never got around to having kids, but if we did, i'm sure he would've wanted them to be like you."

felicia's tears began to flow freely now, her emotions overwhelming her. a small sob escaped her throat as she embraced mary jane, seeking solace and forgiveness. the two women held each other tightly, their shared grief and love for peter forging an unexpected bond.

miles stood at the edge of the rooftop, watching felicia as she walked along the narrow ledge. he took a deep breath, gathering his courage before calling out to her.

"you disappeared after the battle. you do that a lot," miles said, his voice filled with a mix of concern and frustration.

felicia glanced back at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "why are you here, red?" she asked, her tone guarded.

miles took a step forward. "i just wanted to talk to you," he replied, his voice gentle.

felicia scoffed, her lips curling into a smirk. "if you want to talk to me, you have to come up here," she challenged, her words laced with a hint of playfulness.

miles hesitated for a moment, considering his options. finally, he made his way to the edge of the roof and joined felicia, balancing carefully on the narrow ledge beside her.

"i don't see you differently, you know," miles began, his voice earnest.

felicia hummed, her eyes fixed on the cityscape before them. miles pressed on, his words filled with conviction.

"what you did—"

felicia cut him off, her voice firm. "i did what i always do: what i had to. no matter who it hurts."

miles looked at her, his gaze steady and unwavering. "felicia, you're a hero," he said, his words carrying a weight of truth.

she shook her head, a bitter smile forming on her lips. "i'm no hero. i'm a thief. born a thief, raised a thief. die a thief."

miles smiled softly, reaching out to gently touch her arm. "maybe i can change that," he offered, his voice filled with hope.

there was a comforting silence between them, the night air whispering around them. felicia finally broke the stillness, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness.

"i'm gonna be gone for a while. visiting my dad," she revealed.

miles looked visibly saddened. "how long is a while?" he asked, his concern evident.

felicia smirked, stepping closer to him, her gaze fixed on his eyes. "why? you gonna miss me?" she teased, her voice laced with a mix of playfulness and vulnerability.

miles felt his heart skip a beat, his breath caught in his chest. he stammered, "what if i said i would?"

felicia smiled at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of warmth and mischief. she placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss on his cheek. miles was left stunned, his mind racing, and his heart pounding.

"i'll see you around, spider," she whispered, her voice carrying a hint of longing.

and with that, felicia leaped off the building, leaving miles standing there in a state of shock and disbelief.

"oh my god... oh my god... oh my god," he muttered to himself, his mind buzzing with a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts.

felicia sat on the train, her mind consumed with thoughts of miles. as the train rattled along the tracks, she couldn't shake off the worry that clung to her heart. she knew deep down that she would see him again, but the fear of losing someone else weighed heavily on her.

her mind kept replaying their encounters, his words echoing in her ears. as she reached into her pocket, her fingers brushed her latest theft. she had taken miles' phone and headphones with her.

a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she looked at the device. she couldn't help but recall the song he couldn't stop singing, the one that seemed to follow him wherever he went. curiosity got the best of her, and she decided to indulge in a moment of connection with him, even in his absence.

carefully, she plugged in the headphones and unlocked his phone. scrolling through the playlist, she found the song he held dear. as the first notes filled her ears, she closed her eyes and let the music wash over her.

the familiar tune enveloped her, and in that moment, she felt an invisible thread connecting her to miles. she could almost hear his voice singing along, his enthusiasm and joy seeping through the melodies. the song became a bridge between their worlds, allowing her to experience a piece of him when he couldn't be there.

and as the song came to an end, she carefully unplugged the headphones, returning the phone to her pocket. the melodies lingered in her mind, a reminder of the moments they had shared.

in that train compartment, felicia found solace in the music and the connection it brought. It fueled her resolve and kept the flame of hope alive. and as she looked out the window, she knew that their paths were bound to intersect once more, and she eagerly awaited that day.

[co-mixed]

Let's Chat About those Guardians

It’s mind-boggling to think how long has it been since we first met the MCU guardians. It’s been 9 years and this third part is meant to be the conclusion. So let’s gush. No reviewing, no goods or bads, let’s just chat about the movie.

I was supposed to watch it on May 3 but a tragic event forced the theaters to postpone the premiere. So it took a week of dodging the spoilers. And you know what? That was incredibly easy this time, despite my following a bunch of comic book accounts and casually browsing Tumblr and Reddit. Nothing was spoiled but everyone warned me I’ll be crying. I didn’t, I sobbed but I didn’t cry.

Like many millennials (so it seems), I don’t take animal abuse lightly and gotg goes out of its way to show you how sweet and trusting they are. Which makes the story of Rocket and his friends so much more heartbreaking. It’s hard to watch and it’s impossible to look away. So before I go into detail about everything else I loved, I have to mention that this was tough. The flashbacks, while impeccably done and masterfully sprinkled all over the movie, kept hitting over and over. It really made me wanna hug my cats tight (which I of course did when I returned from the theater.)

Now to the rest of it. 

We got a new villain. He’s not a galactic threat, he does his own thing an would’ve been easily ignored had it not been for his personal ties to Rocket. But this is exactly what I keep saying I love about comics and what I miss dearly when heroes are facing off a huge mega villain. It works best when it’s personal and you can get away with that easily whenever you put in time to develop your characters. 

Characters

Guardians have no lack in development: if you look at them, each one has made a journey from a little-known and almost discarded 616 c-lister to a highly recognized hero. And from a misfit to a family member.

But despite this being very much a Rocket story, I see this found family narrative brought home mostly by Gamora. We don’t see her story, not this Gamora’s anyway. But we see her having found her place among the ravagers. And it’s so heartwarming. She’s not the same Gamora who died on Vormir and it’s being mentioned over and over again. She even gets falsely nostalgic over the possibility of being with the guardians but her home is not there. And I appreciate her being a little closer to her comics counterpart- the deadliest woman in the galaxy.

It’s beautiful that she keeps in touch with her sister. And it’s beautiful that Nebula, initially a side character, in the best traditions of writing, makes the longest and the most complex journey from a maniac at Thanos’s side to a caring family member and the leader of Knowhere. This reminds you that several appearances if done right, can build an arc. Sort of like Anne in the Buffyverse.

Quill works through his issues, and he has a lot of those. I honestly don’t know when and why he will return but it sure will be nice to watch him in a fresh new team-up. Previous movies always focused on him more, and it made sense at the time (comics tend to do the same) but him returning to Earth is definitely a twist. Not exactly unexpected, just interesting. He managed to avoid it and he seemed to have made peace with never going back there but I suppose to face his issues he had to return. This could’ve been overlooked but I love that it isn’t. 

Drax and Mantis- what a fun friendship they’ve built. I’m so glad we saw tons of it in the Christmas special and it built the way for the touching arc and finale here in gotg 3. I don’t see any good reason for them to part, really. So this is just sad. I hope they at least keep in touch. But honestly, Mantis definitely has room for more stories (so does Drax, I mean we gotta see Moondragon eventually, especially with Phyla showing up, and even with retcons in mind, she could still be his kid). 

But all in all, these are the two characters that pretty much carry the comedy with each interaction. And in vol.3 they literally never fail to deliver. And notice how comedy mostly comes from phrases and interactions amid tragic and serious events.

This movie has a lot going on and Adam Warlock could’ve easily been too much. But I like how they managed to make him a reasonable part of the story and he even got his own little arc. I mean, he is an amazing character in the comics and brings some quality stories to be told. 

The new Guardians lineup has potential and so far, that’s the only thing I can say because I’m not a fan of theorizing. And we don’t really know if they will return but they may. I mean anything is possible right? But even if they don’t, I like knowing they’re all out there somewhere. 

Is it too naive to still hope to see Nova/Gamora romance? I’m a sucker for a good ship and theirs was in my opinion the best one as far as Gamora’s concerned. So here’s still hoping. 

Story

Yeah, the story overall. Like I said, a lot is going on and somehow it all still works. Because every little story and side quest actually builds the whole bigger picture. Even though it was so easy to fall into the same trap TRoS did (I’ll never get over how bad that movie is.) 

But in this case, every story is given enough time to matter and not a single minute is wasted on an irrelevant cameo or fam service. In fact, there aren’t that many references to the bigger 199999 (oh yeah that’s never gonna be 616.) It feels like its own thing, even though it’s tied heavily to Infinity War and Endgame. Still, you experience it as part 3. With the logical conclusion to every character. It also doesn’t set up anything, so if you don’t like movies that serve as building blocks for the MCU, this one is right up your alley. It’s very much its own thing. Although you have to come from the house that is the Infinity Saga. 

It’s funny as hell, it makes you tear up, and it leaves you happy and excited. This is all you can possibly want from a movie. As long as you don’t forget that this isn’t a retelling of the comics, but really its own reality. 

[diskaywrites]

KINKTOBER 2024

𝟏𝟖+ 𝑴𝑫𝑵𝑰 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒕 #𝟔: 𝑺𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒎/𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒎 𝑷𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈: 𝑱𝑰𝒎𝒎𝒚 𝑱𝒂𝒄𝒐𝒃𝒔 𝒙 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑳𝒆𝒆 (𝒐𝒄) 𝑴𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝑶𝒇: 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝒆, 𝑨𝒍𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒍𝒔, 𝑨𝒖𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒂 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆, 𝑽𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒕 𝑻𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏, 𝑴𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒕 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆: 𝑴𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒂𝒍 𝑪𝑾: 𝒏𝒐𝒏-𝒄𝒐𝒏, 𝒅𝒖𝒃-𝒄𝒐𝒏, 𝒔𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒎, 𝒃𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒈𝒆, 𝒄𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚, 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒆𝒙𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆

.✽✦✽.◦.✽✦✽..✽✦✽.◦.✽✦✽..✽✦✽.◦.✽✦✽..✽✦✽.◦.✽✦✽..✽✦✽.◦.✽

Tears filled the emerald green eyes of Mary Lee as she stood in the darkness of the dungeon, thick collar around her neck and naked to their whims. She didn't want to be here. The Keep, the home she had known all of her life, had fallen. The small order of warriors who had once served her father, had been ill equipped to stand against the forces of a sorcerer as powerful as King Jacobs. Now she didn't even know where the men who served the Order were, including her husband Alan. Still, she was the pride and joy of her father and even in a hopeless situation, she would show no fear.

"I will not submit to you, tyrant."

The sight that left the crimson painted lips of the woman who stood across from her, Queen Audrina Colette, was almost one of sadness. Audrina was every bit as dangerous as her husband, and every bit as beautiful. Bright red hair, more vibrant than that of Mary's own, laid curled around her face, skin as perfect as porcelain. Her dress was vibrant in the filth of the dungeons, a green that matched her eyes. Had she not currently been a prisoner, Mary would have admired a woman of such beauty. "Do not be afraid, darling. Your father was once one of our ranks, you are simply meant to uphold his legacy within the Honored Ones."

Mary felt what little bravery remained leave her as soon as the name of the Honored Ones was mentioned. Every mother whispered stories to their children of the band of warriors who served the shadow king. Each had once been a hero in their own right until like took and took from them, leaving their hearts blackened and their actions cruel. Her father never spoke of the actions that he had committed as one of King Jacobs most trusted, only that he had overcome that darkness to be the benevolent leader he was known as. "I...you cannot..."

"My dear, why do you believe my husband took The Keep as his own," Audrina laughed, a hand pressed to her ample chest. "Now...Vincent...why don't you lay our lovely legacy out for our king to enjoy when he arrives."

The dark-haired man who stood next to Audrina, black hair as thick as his wild beard, moved forward, slinging Mary over one of his broad shoulders with a surprising grace. In the center of the dungeon, amidst various devices for torture was a large four poster bed. He carried Mary to the bed, throwing her upon it and spreading her arms and legs out on either side of her. The iron shackles held her splayed open, womanhood revealed to the four who occupied the room. "You will be given no choice, girl. You are ours now."

Mary let out a small sob as she struggled to get her arms free, "Stop! You...you cannot treat me like this!"

The handsome man clad in a purple tunic with the golden antlers of a deer embroidered above his heart who stood next to Audrina gave a chuckle, "Don't break her, Vincent. She's so...fragile."

From the floor where he knelt next to Audrina, the fourth man spoke up, his voice full of pity as he looked up at his queen, "She's barely old enough to be a woman. We should not hand her to Vincent or Matthew..."

"She will be given to a former member of the Age," Matthew corrected, sitting on one of the nearby benches, rolling his eyes.

"She is a woman and she is one of us," Audrina ran a hand through the kneeling man's short cropped hair, "Our king wishes to welcome her into our fold, Michael."

Mary clenched her eyes closed, praying to any deity who would listen for air. She wanted to be safe in The Keep, in the arms of her husband. She held her position until the too cold dungeon seemed to grow even colder. When she opened her eyes, a fifth man had joined the others. He was well-dressed in a flowing black robe decorated with purple filigree. His dark eyes seemed outlined with the same makeups she often wore, nails decorated in a lovely black as well. He appraised her with a soft sneer as he seemed to glide towards the bed, "You are her? The progeny of my brilliant Brodie? You do not look like him."

"She looks like her mother, the Wyatt Witch," Audrina rubbed her husbands shoulder, her voice a light purr. She pressed a kiss to his neck, "We have secured your legacy, my husband."

Audrina was the first to sit on the bed next to Mary, the younger woman trying to shrink away from the queen, "Please...I...he is not my Alan..."

Audrina ran a comforting hand through Mary's hair, one of her pink nails raking the younger girls forehead. The nails themselves were imbued with magic, a spell that incited lust in those who were scratched, "You will understand in due time."

It was as if a new rush of feelings hit Mary all at once. Her body seemed to be on fire and a gentle blush took her cheeks, "Yes mistress..."

"I see my Audrina has helped you to relax," Jacobs chuckled as he approached the bed, his long black cloak dragging behind him, "How are you feeling, sweet one? Prepared to share your honor with me?"

Her rosy nipples stiffened in the cold, the magic working its way through her, "I...I am here to honor my king."

The smirk that came to Jacobs face was sinister as he pinched at her pale skin. One hand rolled its palm against her womanhood. "The girl is learning her place. We'll have to teach her the deeper...vulgarities."

With no warning, Jimmy slid two fingers inside of her. They moved at a ruthless pace, not caring for her pleasure as much as he was treating Mary like a piece of meat. He watched as she squirmed, trying to adjust to such rough treatment. Just because the magic made her lustful did not mean that it made her prepared for such painful movements. While his hand moved between her legs, Audrina's cupped and fondled at her breasts. "Is she tight?" Audrina questioned gently, looking down at her husband.

"If not viriginal," Jimmy gave a nod, three fingers inside of Mary at this point.

Mary let out a soft sound, laying her head against the threadbare pillow behind her. As Jimmy's movements increased their speed, she gritted her teeth in an attempt to stop herself from crying out to the entire room, but she felt her hips rising and falling in time with the forward thrust of Jimmy's hand, "Please...I..."

"You're holding back, darling. Do not hold back. Let yourself be free," Audrina urged, rolling one of Mary's nipples between slender fingers. "Use your words, they will come to you."

Mary closed her emerald green eyes again. The feeling that was building inside of her reminded her of the first time she and Alan had made love, the white hot fire in the pit of her stomach. What had he called it? "I...I think I need to...I need my release..."

"We'll need to teach the girl her words, but I am going to take her straight through her second release," Jacobs spoke to Audrina in a clinical manner, "Go on, darling."

Mary let out a loud cry as she felt herself release against the other man's fingers. Tears dotted her cheeks, but her head was in a lazy haze. Her own hands dug into the bare mattress, "Master...master I cannot..."

"Relax, my sweetling," Jimmy crooned, "You are soft enough and eager to please. You will be a fine addition to my coterie. My new exalted one."

"I want my husband," she pleaded, tears streaming down her face. It seemed to do nothing but excite the king whose fingers moved faster into her dripping core. While his right hand moved, he reached into the folds of his cloak and produced a long, thin, metal spike.

"Jacobs...she..."

"Must learn what will happen if she displeases me," he sneered at his wife, tone saying that she should stop. He brought the spike to lay between Mary's breasts, the cold metal causing her to shiver from both the feeling of the metal and the fear, "You will fall in line or I will place this inside of you. I will make sure you feel it."

Mary let out another sob as a second release wracked her body. She could barely breathe from the force of it, head rolling to the side. Audrina pushed her hair from her eyes, almost motherly, "Rest. In the morning, your training begins."

[wh3r3sth3l0ve]

Sora x Tifa

Part 11

Part 10 below

Sora went through and heard the gate being instantly closed. He went straight and after 5 or so minutes of walking he found something looking like a seahorse but straight from the nightmare, as tall as himself, floating above the ground.

He whistled to get the attention of the creature and once it was near enough, he used a fire spell. It didn't work out very well, so he chose the traditional way. His keyblade swung from one direction to another and in no time the beast was dead. “I'll come back for you.” he thought looking at the carcass.

Three similar creatures and two giant sharp-toothed rats later Sora was back at the gate, carrying the evidence. The Guardian stared at him clearly impressed. He gave Sora some directions where to go and went back to his job.

15 minutes later Sora was at the gym asking about the Boss of the Guard.

- What do we have here? A new hero? - the man smiled. - Name’s Terion.

- Rose. - they shook hands. - What can I get for that?

Sora wasn’t really convinced about telling his true name to a complete stranger.

- Let’s see. 50 for each of those terpiscolts and 10 for each wererat. 220 gil in total. We’ll make it 250 to encourage you to hunt more of these.

- Not much but I’ll take it.

He took the money and went back to the bar to get some food.

Seventh Heaven was crowded but Sora found the last empty table in the corner and sat there, looking around. People here looked happy, they were drinking, eating and chatting. “No one noticed me. Good.” His face was serious as he got lost in his thoughts. “The only thing I can do is fight. Miserable.” He was deep down in sadness, looking at his hands laid on the table. He didn’t notice Tifa walking to him with a plate full of food.

- Here, it’s on the house for our Sector 7 Slums hero. - she smiled at him.

- Thank you. - Sora answered ripped out of his thoughts. - What’s that?

Something full of proteins to rebuild your energy after a fight.

He took the first bite and closed his eyes with pleasure, it was amazing. A memory flashed before his eyes: he was in the kitchen, giving a high five to a small rat smiling at him. “Little Chef!” the name of his friend came to his mind. As he opened his eyes again, he noticed Tifa still standing by his table, looking at him with curiosity.

- You like it?

- It’s delicious, thank you. And I’m still paying for that.

Tifa giggled quietly.

- Of course you are. - she winked.

- Why did you call me a hero?

- Here, in Slums, news is faster than your walk. - she smiled. - I have to go back to work.

She turned around and jogged behind the bar top. “It’s way too short.” Sora commented on Tifa's skirt in his mind when he eventually was able to think again. He finished his meal and relaxed on his chair.

Someone really big came inside. He was wearing sunglasses and a beard, his tank top was revealing incredible muscularity, right arm was replaced by an impressive machine gun. “This must be Barrett.” Sora reminded himself of Tifa's words from the day before. Barrett walked straight to the bar and nodded his head to Tifa with a welcome. A young girl ran out from the background and hugged him tightly. Barrett smiled and hugged her back, they talked for a bit. “Father to… What was the girl’s name?”

Sora noticed Tifa pointing him with a chin and Barrett looked in his direction.

A second later he was approaching Sora’s table, who stood up to say hi.

- New merc, huh? - Barrett reached out his left hand.

- You can call it like that. - Sora shook his hand.

- You mind me joining?

- Not at all.

They both sat down.

- What’s your name?

Sora wasn’t sure if Tifa revealed his true name and it was a test or if she really hadn't mentioned a thing. “He’s a friend of hers. I’ll take this chance”.

- Sora but officially I introduce myself as Rose.

- Sora works for me, uh. I'm Barrett. What’cha doin’ here?

- Looking for jobs. I don’t think I’ll stay here for long.

- Well, usually if Tifa tells me to meet someone, that someone stays, y’know? - he looked back at the bar and shouted. - Hey, Marlene! Get daddy and this gentleman somethin’ to drink, will ya?

Marlene nodded, smiling and poured two glasses of beer. She then carefully brought it to the table.

- That’s Marlene, my lil’ girl. - Barrett introduced his daughter with pride.

- Daddy, I’m 13, I’m not little. - she gave him an outraged look, smiled at Sora and curtsied politely. - Good morning.

- For me you’ll always be. Now go back and ask Tifa if she needs help, huh?

Marlene went back to the bar and took care of dirty plates and glasses.

- Beautiful, isn’t she? - Barrett asked, looking at the bar top.

- Yeah, she is. - Sora answered automatically, staring at Tifa bustling.

Barrett looked at him, then at Tifa, and again at him.

- I dunno if we’re talking ‘bout the same girl, huh?

Sora shuddered and looked at Barrett’s smirking face.

- Ya hav’ to be really tough and careful ‘bout that one. - He pointed Tifa with his thumb. - She’s some woman. And a whole lotta guys want her. The same lotta guys were sent off. - he laughed.

- I’ll remember that.

Barrett tilted his glass and drank everything in one shot.

- Well, gotta go. That one’s on me, you’ll repay someday.

- Sure, thanks.

Barrett walked out the bar and Sora dived into his thoughts about Tifa and what he just heard about her.

[i-cant-sing]

I am very interested in the platonic yandere step dad due to my ✨daddy issues ✨.

Also the Bakugo making you do everything he does I you. Lol.

I had Hawks in mind for that platonic yandere step dad idea.

Like imagine just coming under his radar one day, probably because he thought he saw his younger self in you- the scared child. You might have came under his radar when he saved you from a villain, and the image of you cowering away, eyes full of fear, struggling to breathe- that was something he'd never forget.

Then he started following you around, just to make sure you were safe. But then that wasn't enough, so he tried to befriend you. He'd walk you to and from school, treating you to lunch and snacks often, even carrying your bag and flying you back home. It was weird having him ruffle your hair and tell you to stay out of trouble.

Soon that wasn't enough for Keigo, and so he began snooping around to find ways to be a part of your life permanently. He found out you lived with your single mother, who was usually busy with work so she rarely ever had time for you. But that didn't mean your mother didn't live you. No, she may have not been around a lot, but she made sure all your needs were met.

It shocked you when you woke up to your mom and Pro Hero Hawks kissing in the kitchen. Hearing your gasp, they pulled away, smiling sheepishly.

Your mom would explain how she and Hawks have been dating for a while (just a month or two) and are soon planning on getting married. Your eyes widen but with Keigo around, you don't tell your mother how bad of an idea that is until he leaves for work.

Of course, your mother doesn't listen, saying something along the lines of "I'm the adult here, I deserve love too. I wouldn't do something stupid or something that would put us in danger." And so, a few weeks later and you were walking down the aisle as your mother's flower girl, Hawks gifted you a pair of diamond earrings, saying how glad he was to have a daughter like you.

It unnerved you how desperately Keigo was trying to become a father to you. Part of you felt bad because he was just trying to become a part of your life, but a bigger part of you was always on alert whenever he was around. Perhaps it was how fast he was rushing into this whole "bonding" with you thing. If he cared that much about being close to you, then he should've tried doing that before marrying your mother. Not to mention, it didn't feel like it was a mutually loving relationship. Sure, your mother loved Keigo- you could see that clearly with how much she blushed and giggled around him. But Keigo? He didn't look genuine with his reactions. His smile never reached his eyes, and you caught him a couple of times wiping your mom's kisses away, even purposely turning his head away from her lips.

It didn't make sense. If he hated or disliked your mother so much, then why did he rush in to marry her? It's not like you guys are rich or something. And you highly doubt your mother has something on him or manipulated him.

At least you got back at him in some ways for this alleged "hate" he has towards your mother. While he was reluctant to be physically close to your mother, you on the other hand were being drowned in his physical affection. Hugs, cuddles, head pats, hair ruffles- all of the things that you don't like receiving from him. However, it didn't matter if you told him to stop it or flinched away from his touch, even going as far as to leaving the room when he walked in, he still managed to get his way. And God did that infuriate you. Especially when he decided to go and talk shit about you to your mom, which then lead to her giving you a lecture about how "rude and inconsiderate" you're being.

The first time she scolded you after believing Keigo's lies, you were sad. How could your own mother not believe you? But you weren't even allowed to be comforted by your own tears as you suddenly felt a feather tickle your nose. You turned around to see Keigo standing at your door, his face holding concern. "Y/n, oh dove, why are you crying- what's wrong?" He asked, reaching out to wipe your tears away but you swatted his hand away before leaving the room.

Keigo sighed. He doesn't understand what he's doing wrong. What does he need to do to make you like him? To make you accept him as a parent?

The next few days went smoothly. Mostly because you spent most of the day out with your friends and often came at night when your mother would be at work while Keigo would be eating dinner or going to bed. You preferred it when he was asleep though, that way you wouldn't have to face him. But tonight, luck was not on your side. No, because when you walked in through the door, Keigo was sitting on a chair waiting for you.

"Y/n, you're late."

"To what?"

"There's a curfew-"

"Stop pretending to be my dad. You're not-" Keigo was in front of you in an instant, his hand gripping your jaw firmly.

"I. Am. Not. Pretending." He growled, eyes furious as you realised you had finally reached his limit. "I am your father. And I'm so sick of you throwing around a tantrum and not respecting me. I have been kind to you from the beginning, so I don't understand what I did to justify your insults." You glared at him all while trying to pry his hands off your chin, but he only shook it harder. "Nevertheless, my patience has run thin. I will not have you putting yourself in danger all because you want to be away from me. Now, you will go upstairs and stay in your nest until I say so. Do I make myself clear?" He asked, finally letting go.

Nest? What the hell-

You rubbed your chin, backing away from him. "What are you talking about-? Doesn't matter, I dont care. I'm leaving." Before you could take another step towards the exit, Keigo grabbed your arm and began dragging you up the stairs towards your room. While slapping at his hand, you managed to notice him punching in a passcode to your door, a digital lock that was never there in the first place.

You couldn't even question it as he swung the door open and pulled you and pushed you towards your bed, that was littered with his merch and plushies. You were still trying to comprehend what was going on when he snapped his fingers to get your attention. He made you sit on the bed and crossed his arms and puffed his chest, towering over you. "Now, you are to stay in your nest and think about your reckless behaviour. I already got your phone and I'm gonna take your other electronics away for now too. I don't like punishing you but you have really disappointed your father, Y/n."

You narrowed your eyes at him. "You have no right to punish me. I'm gonna tell mom-"

"She's not coming."

You blanked. "What?"

"She... is not coming." He said, his face turning grim. "Your mother was in an accident. She's in coma right now, but the doctors don't think she'll make it."

"W-what? No- I- when did this happen?" Your throat was closing up, heart sinking.

"Yesterday."

Your eyes filled with rage. "AND YOU'RE JUST TELLING ME THIS NOW!?"

"I would've told you if you came home earlier. I was at the hospital all day." You knew that was a petty excuse but you didn't want to waste more time arguing with him.

You got up. "I'm going to the hospital-" You were pushed back down on the bed. "No. Its not safe." Your confused face made him explain. "Look, I saw the CCTV footage and it looks like someone deliberately crashed into your mother's car. I think its a villains work- maybe someone is using her to get to me." He sighed, his hand cupping your cheek gently. "That's why I cant let you out of the house right now. Its too dangerous. If something were to happen to you, I'd- I'd never forgive myself."

You began crying, the world finally crashing down on you. Keigo immediately hugged you, pressing a kiss to the crown of your head as he rubbed your back. "Oh baby bird, don't cry. I promise, I will keep you safe. I will find out who was behind this. You don't need to worry about a thing. I will take care of everything. You just- you just stay in your nest, okay? Good girl." He said, hushing you before leaving the room, making sure to lock it from the outside.

Keigo didn't lie. Not one bit. He did mean every word he said. He was your father, maybe not biologically, but he was. He was going to keep you safe. Your mother was in an accident and that was all true. Sure, he was the one who caused it after he realised that the only for you to bond with him would be to make you rely solely on one parent.

You're his baby bird. And the sooner you accept that, the better it will be for you.

It sure took Hawks by surprise when he came to get you for dinner and you asked him for your phone to call someone.

"Who?"

"My dad- Dabi. Didn't mom mention him?"

Say what now?

[violetlunette]

Okay, so if you've been following me for a while and have seen my posts on the league of victim mentality—I mean villains, you may have gotten the idea that I hate “tragic” villains. This is not the case, believe it or not. I actually find villains with tragic pasts interesting. What I hate is when the “tragic” backstory is used to justify or overlook their crimes.

Warnings:

*LONG post

*Images

*Anti-Himiko Toga

*Anti-Dabi

*Anti-League of Villains

Spoiler Warnings for:

*Demon Slayer

*Bojack Horseman

*My Hero Academia

*Once Upon a Time (line or two)

*Wanda Vision (one line)

*HP (one line)

TRIGGER WARNINGS:

*Mentions murder, rape, and terrorism

Before reading, keep in mind this is an opinion piece and therefore may be a mistake or two. In other words, take it with a grain of salt.

So, to start this—basically what I said above. While my past posts suggest, otherwise I like villains with sympathetic backgrounds. The villains in Demon Slayer are among my favorites. They’re interesting as characters well as sympathetic. See, when written properly a sympathetic villain could be very entertaining. When written poorly, however, it comes off as them saying, “Look I know they’re responsible for killing a bunch of people, but you have to understand; they were sad once.”

Look, I am a person with a strong sense of justice and morals, and this tends to carry into the fiction I read. (Unless the tone prepares me, but that’s another post.) So when someone does something wrong, I expect the narrative to treat it as such. Now, of course, I’m not rigid, and I’ll have some flexibility on most things, even killing depending on the circumstances. However, I still want characters to be held to some accountability. I guess what I want is for writers to take the Bojack Horseman approach.

Whether or not Bojack is a villain is debatable, but what isn’t is that Bojack did many bad things and hurt a LOT of people. Now he has a sad backstory with abusive parents who abused him in every way but sexually. And the show never glosses over it. It states quite clearly that Bojack was hurt and uses his past to explain how he came to be the way he was so we can understand Bojack. It also makes it very clear that Bojack didn’t deserve the abuse he went through.

HOWEVER!

The creators of the show went out of their way to show and state multiple times that just because Bojack had a shitty attitude doesn’t mean it was okay for him to hurt the people he did. And more importantly, it shows that the people he hurt were people.

Princess Carolyn is a person whose feelings he took advantage of. Todd is a person who he used to make himself feel better and whose friendship he didn’t appreciate till later. Diane is a person who he hurt multiple times. Herb was a person who he betrayed and abandoned. Penny is a person he took advantage of and mentally damaged. Gina is a person he hurt and mentally scarred to the point she suffers from PTSD. Sarah Lynn was a person whose life was lost because of him.

These weren’t perfect people and, in their own way, they contributed to the situations that hurt them.Even so, in nearly all these cases they were victims of Bojack’s actions, and the show never denies or softens the blow. With Bojack, we see who he hurts, why he hurt them, and the results of his actions, most of which came from a choice HE made. Often in stories, these people would just be background filler for the villain to make them look evil, but here they’re people. Bojack Horseman also provides CONSEQUENCES for the title character. Again, Bojack hurt people and he’s held accountable. The League of Villains won’t be. Just watch. Hori has shown us in his other stories that he’ll let a villain walk after a beat down, and all will be forgiven. “But wait, Looney! Bojack Horseman is a TV Show for adults. It’s targeted at a completely different demographic! Plus, it’s a different medium altogether. It’s absolutely not fair to compare the two.” Quite right. There is quite a difference. So, let’s look at something closer to the medium, shall we? Let’s look at another anime of the same genre targeted at the same demographic; Demon Slayer.

In Demon slayer, Demons are humans transformed by a demon named Muten. Once they become demons, they often lose control of themselves and their humanity and turn into beasts that eat demons.

I’m going to use the Spider Demon arc as an example, particularly the Spider Mother.

Now, here's why Demon Slayer works for me and BNHA doesn't;

First, we see the people that the spider demon hurts and how she hurts them;

They’re not just waved off or mentioned in a line or two. We see these people frightened and hurt, begging for help before they are killed. Deaths we also get to see;

True, they weren’t main characters or even people Tanjiro and the others knew, but they were people.

Remind me, who did Dabe kill again? Can you think of any faces? Their voice? Do you know how they died? Did Dabi corner them? Or did he kill them in a burst of hellfire? Were they even aware they were going to die or surprised? We don’t know any of that. The only hint we got that Dabe’s actions hurt anyone was a reporter, but that’s it. The manga doesn’t want to focus on the people that were hurt because they want Dabe to remain sympathetic. Ultimately, his victims mean nothing.

And yet, Demon Slayer did better in making the villain sympathetic;

The Spider Demon Mother was once a human turned demon who joined Rui for protection. She was then forced to change her face and become a “mother” despite being younger than the rest.

We see that she was abused, hurt, and scared--

--So much that she longed for death.

So much so that we pitied her along with Tanjiro.

However, we knew she had to die to atone for the people she killed. There’s no cushion to her crimes; we saw her torture and kill teenagers who were just as terrified as she was. And also know that because she was a demon she had killed and eaten innocent humans regularly.

Shinobu put it best herself when facing Spider Sister; "Bitch you killed a bunch of people and expect that to be okay?" Okay, she didn’t say that. Here’s what she actually said;

Shinobu is pretty merciless here to this demon begging for help but  it’s not unwarranted. Like it or not, she has a point; 

The spider demon here killed many people over the years quite mercilessly. Nature or not, she still did it, and even if Shinobu did show mercy, there’s no evidence that the demon girl wouldn’t just eat more people when she was safe.

However, there’s the fact that the demon here really can’t help it. She was turned into a demon against her will, and her mind is clouded by demon instincts. It’s like getting mad at a cat for killing a bird. It’s sad, but it's nature.

The compromise comes from our hero. Tanjiro knows that he has to kill the demons because they’ve hurt people and will continue to hurt others. However, he still remembers that these demons are people too. So when he kills them, Tanjiro isn’t cruel, or merciless.

Tanjiro made her death as swift and painless as possible. He took no joy in it it, but did what he had to do. Because she wouldn’t stop and those kids that were killed right in front of him deserved justice. The Spider Demons were were victims but they were also killers. THAT’S why they were villains. And so, Tanjiro and Shinobu held them accountable.

Speaking of which--and lacking a better transition--One of the things I love about Tanjiro is that he never allows the villains to use the victim mentality on him. One actually tries it once;

During the sword village arc, they accuse Tanjiro of bullying the meek when said meek is a fiendish killer who spent both his human and demon life blaming his failures on others.

(Picture says it all, doesn’t it?)

How does Tanjiro respond? He calls them the fuck out.

He all but states they’re not victims but attackers. They’re the ones killing innocent people without care and refusing to take responsibility.

Tago reminds me of the meek demon. She is responsible for killing thirteen boys and several thousand people when Shiggy destroyed a city. Yet all she’s thinking about is herself.

During her entire fight with Ochako Tago is thinking of ONE person; herself. Even though thousands are dead and dying because of her. But oh, Ochako’s at fault here for not listening, boohoo! Fuck off. And before you say it, the fact that she’s a teenager only gives her so much leeway.

Ochako calls her out for this and tells her the same thing Tanjiro did.

Unlike Tanjiro, Ochako is treated like she was in the wrong, and it becomes all about poor Tago, who by the way, killed an old lady just to trick her.

See, the difference? Demon Slayer makes its villains sympathetic and accountable, My Hero Academia—like a lot of shows—doesn’t. From here on out Ochako is treated like she did wrong for not “listening” to Tago. (I’m gonna have to make a vent post about this chapter eventually.) But for now, I digress.

And while I tend to give Hori a lot of leeway in BNHA, as I know that the story is heavily influenced by editors and publishers, I know this on him. Why? Because he did it in his other story. I’m going to use the Aquarium arc as an example. Here, whale man abused the animals whom he gave human form and even killed them.

Yet in the end, it’s hinted that he’s going to be welcomed back and given another chance.

But here’s a surprise; Hori could get away with that shit here because most of the main characters are animals. Cruel, but killing is different in the animal kingdom because—as sad as it is to say—there’s a law of survival of the fittest. The animal mentality is different from a human's in a blue and orange way.

In BNHA the people being killed and doing the killing are human. There’s no blue and orange, it’s black and white. Hori can try to say it’s gray all he likes but it's not. He says the heroes are just as bad as the villains but when have we ever seen that? Have we ever seen a hero hurt an innocent? Refuse to save a person? Demand they be paid before doing their job? Nope. The worst we see is Endeavor as an abusive father, and that’s a different can of worms.

So, in conclusion;

Sympathetic villains are great when done right. It makes them engaging and can create empathy for others while showing a different POV. However, most writers refuse to hold them accountable, which can be even more dangerous than creating a villain like Maleficent or even All for One. Why? Because then the audience will use it to justify their own shitty behavior, a fear the creators of Bojack had, especially after an incident with the Rick and Morty fandom and the Mulan sauce.

The show runners of Bojack even had a character in their show flat out state,

“You know that’s not the point of the [show]--for guys to watch it and feel okay.”

“I don’t want you, or anyone else, justifying their shitty behavior because of the show.”

--Diane, Bojack Horseman, Head in the Clouds

And personally, I hate the victim mentality more than anything, especially when the characters exhibiting it have done some truly awful things.

OUAT Regina: "You’re the one who added evil to my name!"

Me: Uh, yeah! After you spent years murdering, raping, and slaughtering villages, then cast a spell that kidnapped hundreds of people and mind raped them. All because your mother—who you KNEW was a manipulative bitch—tricked an eight-year-old into telling a secret!

OUAT Rumpelstiltskin: "Why can’t I have a happy ending?" (Paraphrasing)

Me: Because you caused nearly everything that went wrong in the show and emotionally manipulative and abusive, controlling bastard.

OUAT Zelena: "Sister, why can’t we be BFFs?" (Paraphrasing)

Me: Many reasons, but the biggie is that you raped her boyfriend and eventually got him killed.

OUAT Mary-Margret and David: "Oh, our daughter hates us because we lied."

Me: Uh, there's also the fact you kidnapped an unborn baby from her mother. Then filled her with "darkness" that made it so every choice she made would result badly for her, then sent her to another dimension to die. Oh, and you did that just so you could manipulate your daughter's future instead of letting her have free will! (And how did that work out, btw? Oh, right. She became a thief and went to jail, all “without” darkness in her.)

(Note: Please don't misunderstand, the OUAT actors did a great job, but the writing failed the characters.)

WandaVision Monica to Wanda: “They’ll never know what you gave up.”

Me: Oh poor baby, Wanda had to give up a fantasy family that she literally made up and could create literally anywhere else to set a town free that she mentally enslaved to play out her TV fantasies. Something she knew she did because the government told her so when they came to save them! Wanda mentally tortured a town of innocent people for a year just so she could have her fantasy family life. And no! Her past doesn’t make shit like that okay.

HP Snape: "Why didn’t Lily love me?"

Me: Because you never viewed her as a person but as your dream girl. Also, Lily knew that you looked down on anyone with muggle blood to the point you joined the magical Koopa Klan. (You all know what I mean.) And Lily told you that to your face!

Do you see my point? I could come up with more examples but this post is long enough. The sad backstories of villains are supposed to help the audience understand so we can prevent ourselves and others from ending up like them. They are NOT supposed to be an excuse for their actions or a justification to wipe the slate clean. But that’s what most writers tend to do nowadays, which is why I prefer my evil for the luz villains. They’re fun, entertaining, and interesting, and they don’t waste time making excuses.

Does this mean I want the BNHA villains to die? No. I mean, I won’t cry or anything, but I’ll call it even if they go to jail for a couple of years and spend their lives repenting afterward.

And you know what? I can live with it when fans do stuff like this because that’s what fandoms do. It’s a whole different story when the creators do it as they should know better.

It’s like when a kid says, “fuck you” and when an adult says it. Sure, it’s insulting and infuriating but it's just kids being kids, so you blow it off. If an adult does it, that’s a whole different story as they know the meaning and ramifications of that word.

Anyway, this is long enough, so I’ll end this here.

[ninjastormhawkkat]

“Okay look let’s get back to the point of the matter.” Dr. Two Brains spoke as he tried to gather everyone’s attention. He then turned towards Granny May. “Look Granny May, this is the exact reason I didn’t tell anyone at the EVA that Maddrix was back. I know that all of the villains who knew who Maddrix was would freak out and either flee or accidentally spread the news which would cause massive panic in Fair City that we don’t need right now, or others like you would try to fight him again while we still need him around for Becky’s sake. So I’m asking you to please keep this quiet for now. Okay?” Granny May gave an annoyed look at Dr. Two Brains please. “Of course I’m not going to say anything about Maddrix. I know very well people won’t have positive happy reactions when they find out the hero killer is back.” Granny spoke as she gave one more hardened look at the man. Two Brains smiled gratefully. “Thank you.” Granny May gave a warm smile towards the villain. “No problem. Just let the rest of us know if you need anything. Villains stick together in tough times.” With that Granny May flew off back to her home. Dr. Two Brains then turned back to Matthew who was still tied up in the yarn. “I figure we should probably help you break out of that now.” Two Brains exclaimed. Mainly because he didn’t want to carry the man back to the living room. Mathew just shrugged. “It’s fine really. Just more of annoyance being tied up than the trap itself. Surprisingly it is very comfortable material. I could have easily broken out if I wanted too but I didn’t want to give Granny May any more reason to strike back at me.” Carl let out an amused smile. He and his husband both had egos unfortunately. Instead of clashing, they blended so well when they were together that it became a problem for others. ‘I really missed those times.’ Carl frowned as he reminisced on the past. Matthew stood up and stretched his limbs, he flinched a bit as he still felt the soreness from Becky’s frightened vice grip hug earlier but he could walk it off. “So if you guys are finished with whatever you had to talk about before Granny May showed up. how about we go inside so I can hand out the blankets and sweaters.” Victor was about to respond but Matthew interrupted him. “Actually since we are all still out here in a private setting, I think this is the best time to talk about Eris’s sister. The woman who you hate more than me.” Matthew didn’t want to press things to quickly, but he had to know what made Becky freak out like that earlier or why Gene had such a dark look similar to his own when he mentioned the woman. Dr. Two Brains once again had that dark look coupled with a glare towards Matthew for bringing it up again. Matthew was surprised to see how Eris also had an angry look but a sad one as well. Victor had a dark look too but gave a sympathetic look towards Eris. Carl and Steven were both confused at the mention of the sister but became very concerned. "I'm sorry but what does Eris's sister have to do with how Becky reacted earlier to him?" Carl asked in confusion. Dr. Two Brains sighed. He gazed towards Eris as if asking the man should he be the one to tell them. Eris gave Two Brains a sad smile and nodded. He would fill in the details about Athena that Two Brains would miss. Dr. Two Brains nodded and turned back to his dads and cousin. "I want to start off by saying that what you saw with what happened to Becky,it wasn't the first time she had been kidnapped by crazed scientists who wanted to experiment on her for their own twisted reasons. The woman I mentioned to Matthew, Eris's fraternal twin sister, her name is Athena Cartwright. I used to work with her and three other scientists way back before my accident. There was Athena, her cousin Calvin Barriton who is a narcissus prick and a whole other story, Doohickey who you all just met, and Robert Tubing who was lucky to not have experienced anything bad like the rest of us did. Our group was called the Testubular Five." @dualnaturedscientist

Everyone was exhausted from the eventful day. Dr.Two-Brains had put the mice pups on a makeshift little bed for them to sleep on. They seemed to have grown attached to both Becky and the mad scientist in the short amount of time they were taking care of them. When they put the mice pups down they squeaked to be picked up again. When they finally fell asleep, full from their dinner, Becky and Dr.Two-Brains quietly left. Though Becky didn't want to leave the pinkies alone. The villain spoke softly. "They will be okay there. I promise. Let's be quiet and let them sleep." Becky stared at her father for a moment. She had a thoughtful expression, following after him. Dr.Two-Brains had put his kid to bed. Once she was tucked in. Bob too. He kissed her forehead goodnight. "Goodnight my little ray of hope. Rest well. I'll never let anyone hurt you anymore. I promise. You'll be safe from now on. I'll never let you out of my sight again." He mumbled this, his eyelids feeling so heavy now. He drifted off to sleep, head on the bed. Becky untucked herself and made herself comfortable near her dad. Bob made himself comfortable as well on the opposite side. Both of them curled up next to him. The others had already left for their own home. Leaving Carl, Steven and Matthew with them. Carl and Steven had been taken to the spare rooms while Matthew had only the couch to sleep on. If he was going to be honest it was still much better than the poor excuse of a bed they forced him to sleep on during his time in Maximum prison. The facility where he was transferred was so much worse. He was going to take what they gave. As his son in law wished, he was on his best behavior. It would stay that way until they didn't need him anymore. The truth was, he wants his kids to be happy. Just like any other parent would. Once he was of no use anymore, he will make sure they never see him again. He'll be far away. Just like they wanted. Despite what happened, Gene was still his favorite. He was so proud that his son turned out to be so brilliant, kind from what he saw. He was still all that despite the mouse brain. His son was strong. Maybe even more than him. He gave in, Dr.Two-Brains didn't give into it for the sake of his daughter. Matthew finally allowed himself to drift to sleep.

The next morning, Matthew was woken up by his son cooking breakfast for everyone. Well everyone but him. He assumed that Gene would want to feed the man he hates. Matthew felt guilt. Over hurting his son like that. Everyone else woke up soon, gathering around the table. Once it was set up, everyone helped themself to the delicious and cheesy meal. Matthew stayed in the living room though. Becky glanced over at him, puzzled why he wasn't joining them. Dr.Two-Brains felt his insides twist. As much as he hates Matthew he couldn't let his little girl panic like that. If he's staying here, he must eat as well. He spoke in a less than enthused tone. "You want your plate over there or are you going to join us?" Matthew blinked owlishly. He saw that the table seemed a bit crowded and he doubted they wanted him to sit with them. "I'll fix up my plate and eat on the couch. Thank you." There was no sarcasm in his tone. He was genuinely thanking his son. After they ate, Matthew and Dr.Two-Brains were alone in the living room. It was tense. Matthew wasn't looking at his son, not wanting to make the situation worse. He didn't see the expression Dr.Two-Brains was wearing. Grim. He wanted answers. He was finally able to ask this question he had been dying to ask for years. "Why did you do it? Why did you massacre all those heroes? Rebecca?" Two-Brains found himself even more emotional, bringing up his late best friend. There was anger in his eyes. Sadness. Hurt. Matthew only felt guilty when it came to his family. He hated seeing them hurt. A thought he always had. If he hadn't massacred the heroes, maybe he could've done something to prevent Carl and Steven from being kidnapped. Prevent Gene from going through all that. "You wish to know? I'll tell you. Just a heads up. I'm telling you why and it's not an excuse for what I did. I'm simply telling you what happened." Matthew paused for a second, frowning at the memory. "A good man died so many years ago. Not one hero shed a tear for someone whose intentions were good. Despite his less than legal ways of achieving his goals, he was on their side. They never saw it that way. It didn't affect him in the least. He still fought for what was good. They said horrible things about him. Yet he never retaliated. Never spoke against them in anger. My uncle. He hated this vigilante just as much. Hated that he was teaching me just as much. I didn't realize it at the time but this vigilante was more of a hero than the others were. Not one of them, including my uncle, mourned for him. They never even mentioned his passing once. The one who killed him, he wasn't going to stop. I had to make him stop. The anger I felt. I wiped him out. With his goons. They didn't care how many lives were lost. That added so much fuel to my hatred of heroes. So much so. It blinded me. Making me no better. I became the malicious monster that my uncle said I was. The rage grew in me. He disowned me. So did my mother. When the rage grew, I only had one thought. One goal. I was unfortunately blinded by this. Not seeing the damage I've done after I executed my plan. All of my rage was released. I don't remember killing most of them. But I know I did. I truly love you and your siblings. Your father, I never stopped loving him. Yet my hatred was stronger. I gave into it. I know this is the consequence of my actions and I accept it. If you wish to get revenge, I won't fight back. Do as you please. I'm truly sorry. I know it doesn't mean anything to you since it's from me. But my apology is genuine. I am sorry. I don't expect forgiveness. But I thought you deserved an apology."

Dr. Two Brains sat stunned at Maddrix's explanation. He had no idea Matthew used to be a hero. None of them did. He didn't know how to react to his apology either. It was a little too late to say sorry. Yet on the other hand, Two Brains could tell he was being serious and genuine. Maddrix's explanation though, it opened up more questions for him as he reflected on his past before the massacre, analyzing Matthew's actions and comparing it to what he knows now. "Is that why you raised me to be a villain? So I wouldn't end up like the heroes you hated so much?" Two Brains asked. Matthew shook his head. "I had that hatred festering, but it wasn't the main reason I raised you to be a villain. I genuinely saw the natural spark and flare you had for villainy at an early age. When you acted sweet and innocent as a cover to get what you want or to get away with biting people that made you mad." Matthew paused a bit as he chuckled a little at the memories. "I honestly lost count of how many people you bit." Two Brains couldn't help but smirk at that. "It was the only way I could get back at those who made me upset. Neither you nor dad would let me gain access to tech until I was 13." Two Brains quipped. Matthew nodded with a bittersweet smile. "True. We were both slightly afraid what you mind would do if we gave you access to tools and tech before you were mature enough to use them." Matthew then frowned. "The true reason was I didn't want you to end up like me. I had a lot of anger and aggression issues when I was growing up. I don't exactly know where they came from. I just know that my uncle nor my mother never gave me the help I needed. My uncle saw me nothing more than a weapon that made him look good until I didn't. My mother was a spineless fool who went along with anything my uncle told her. I wanted to help channel your villainous impulses into something productive. I wanted to give you the helping guidance I never got. Even after you got me arrested. I was miffed yeah but I was never truly mad at you. I'm proud of the person you grown up into. Not because of the villain part. It's because you have a lot more control over your priorities and better restraints over your impulses than I ever did." "So that's why you told dad you were an orphan." Two Brains muttered as he processed what Matthew told him. Maddrix just shrugged. "Well your biological grandfather walked out when I was a toddler and the only true parental figure I had died when I was teenager. It was easier to say I was an orphan than to go into the nitty gritty." Dr. Two Brains leveled Matthew a hardened look. "You kept a lot of secrets from dad, including the part about you and me being villains. I remember you said it was best that no one else in our family knew the truth about our villain work. Even though they wouldn't be bothered about it, you still didn't want them to know. Why was that? Were you afraid of them getting hurt if they knew?" Dr. Two Brains interrogated. Matthew's expression became pale before he turned his gaze away Dr. Two Brains looked at the man with annoyance and confusion for not answering his question in a rude manner. A thought then struck his head. That evasive and somewhat rude reaction. He knew it all too well. "You were afraid dad would hate your for being a villain and kick you out like your mom and uncle did. That was why?" Two Brains muttered quietly. Maddrix didn't reply. He didn't have too. Dr. Two Brains could see clear as day the prickling tears the villain was trying to blink away. Two Brains gave a bitter chuckle. "I guess I did take more after you than I realized." Two Brains mumbled. Both he and Matthew never wanted their loved ones to see the true them, consumed by their fear of being hated and alone by those they cared the most. The difference here, while Two Brains found a better way to cope with his fears and learn to be more open to others, Matthew didn't. @dualnaturedscientist

[tragicvictoriantears2]

✞ To never underestimate the passage of time! ✞

Ferid Bathory X FemReader!

✞ angst.

✞ TW: Ferid is the biggest tw. Mentions of death.

I wish that my first post is for my dear best friend @theorphanprince . I love you, thank you for everything! You are an ocean of inspiration, truly splendid by its own nature, your soul never fails to amaze me! De asemenea, ești o gagică mișto, hai te pup șmecherio!;)

He held her tightly in his arms, too bad it almost hurts so much, as if her skeleton was going to snap - not even the smallest bone would escape from such a lovely well-made trap! Ah, how nice it would pop though! I like to imagine that everything would break to the rhythm of the piano keys, when "Moon Sonata" is sung with pathos — for only the moon can offer beauty to such scenes or even morbid thoughts. Even my terrifying descriptions, in the sunlight, they would become ridiculous. Too much would be seen ( to my shame as an amateur and lazy author )! Ah, alas, I did it again! I distracted you from the real story! I don't think I was made to read children bedtime stories. Lucky for me, this one is for adults — and lucky for you, it’s a short one!

Ferid, Ferid, Ferid and again, Ferid! Ferid Bathory!! Applause for him! To this splendid prince! So charming and mysterious, a good girl’s dream of a bad boy! He is rarely seen without his role as a clown in Shakespeare's plays. But now I would describe him as a protagonist, a sad and old hero, in a tragic love story! Italians shall cry at the table with their pasta and with Romeo and Juliet.

Oh, Ferid. Alas, so long he insists on holding her in his cold arms, as if… as if she was going to turn into sand!! He must — for the sake of his own desperation — catch every strand. Before the tide steals a part of her figure forever, or even before it takes everything away from him. As you can see, we are talking about waves. Waves from great storms, with drowned pirates and hungry mermaids, followed by the cries of orphans as they watch how their father figures never return home.

But who was that wave? Maybe the past that still thinks about haunting, like a bored ghost in the cemetery, fed up with the silence of others. It can't be, it can't be! But wait! Who was he to fight the inevitable?

However, let's see some other possibilities! It must be searched with great patience if you really want to find the answer burning in our throats. What could go wrong for Ferid? Well, many things made him miserable in his life... alas, he lived badly. As both human and vampire. Has he ever kept up with all his misfortunes? I mean, at one point, they kept coming and coming, I’m sure he started to not pay attention to them anymore. Until now… .

I know! I found it! Everyone's feared weapon when they get their hands on something ephemeral: time. Like a little girl who fears that her rose is dying, like a woman who worries that she is getting older. Time takes everything, my dear readers. There is nothing time can’t take. We all have debts. We all owe time. Even when it comes to immortals, time manages to steal a few things. Maybe it doesn't really take everything, there remains a bitterness on this earth - that's why they are immortal. But time, to them, is like a seagull flying towards your food.

Y/n, oh, precious she! It reminded him of the humanity he didn't get to enjoy, but he enjoyed it through her. Sleeping, skin care, needing to go to the bathroom or eat a well-prepared meal. Things that no longer had meaning for him, look, through her, they’ve gotten one! Isn't this a beautiful gift for mortals? To enjoy simple things? I say it's very beautiful and Ferid totally agrees with me. He began to feel alive through her, to get rid of that boredom and that hatred held deep for time, which at one moment seemed to spite him. He didn't need much, really. Although his exterior is as extravagant as can be, I assure you that this bloody nobleman, carries a simple heart in his chest. Like most of us, too.

Here comes the bug. It would be such a shame, if not even terrible, for Ferid to subject y/n to a life like his. Immortality drains you. It's true, you stay young and beautiful, that can be attractive at first. However, let's not jump into such a dangerous offer, just… just look at the price! Internal rot is not worth it!! You will begin to have serious breakdowns from not being able to identify yourself properly. The best advice is to not dare become immune to time and death, you pay dearly! Ah, ... but Ferid never wanted to pay dearly, to have eternal beauty and youth — he was so small and unhappy from the beginning. His childhood was so bad, I swear, you could say he had already tasted immortality, right from the start! But enough, that's enough! I better stop with these descriptions. Everyone will be very sad if I continue! And Ferid is tired of being stuck in those memories anyway, that's why he adored his lover. With her, he is slowly moving on like a mortal, over all those terrible episodes. To live in the present! It is something, as a vampire, to be able to enjoy the present once in a while. Without thinking about the expensive payment… .

Wait! He realizes that he may be paying right now! It sounds crazy but it's completely normal for somebody like him to experience this! Just as we are surprised that a bitter week has passed like lightning, for them it is years, decades—centuries! Oh my! It is natural for him to think that at this moment, it’s happening, again! Maybe if he stops the hug, oblivious to the passing of minutes and hours, he'll wake up with Y/N ​​already dead. Oh, sweet Juliet, held all her life in the arms of a terrible bastard! We shall cry rivers together, for her tormented soul!

And with an extraordinarily agitated movement, he breaks the loving embrace to gaze in horror at her face. His eyes and hands were shaking terribly, if he wasn't a vampire, I would dare say his forehead was also sweating from the whirlwind of emotions.

And if he wasn’t a vampire, I would also dare to say that he breathed a sigh of relief. That horrific image didn't happen.

,, You act like you are cutting your first tree! What have gotten into you again? Who holds the sword over your head? " she decides to tease him innocently, the goal being obviously to calm him down. Ferid of course doing the same at the times when y/n is tense.

“I'm afraid the sword is pointed at you, my dove. "

,, Although I like to see that you are capable of concern, I would prefer that you no longer have any reason when it comes to me. " her hands reach for his neck, looking at him with curious eyes, eager to discover more. What a beautiful and confident smile she has! Ferid, maybe out of embarrassment, looks away, a gesture that makes y/n giggle.

"This is hard! You know it too! I’m not ready to let you go. Not now… maybe not ever! " and his face gets scrunched up. The opposite cheek is poked by her finger, specifically to turn his gaze and look at her straight in the eyes.

" But you are ready. You don’t need to be dependent on me! “

“ Maybe… I need to. I don’t know any other way to live! “ delicately, he ends up holding her face in his still shaking hands.

“ Ferid, blink now, I promise I'm not going anywhere." her hand touches his cheek as she makes him do this calming exercise again. So he closes them, relishing the warmth of her skin against his, his glacier cheek.

He opens them. The waves are calmer, although there is still a little wind. In front is a sandcastle knocked down by the water, and her hand is gone. It's quiet, no sign of any playful giggles. She died decades ago.

This is what happens when you underestimate the passage of time.

[ssahotstuff]

Hotch x Reader Playlist Collection 💕

These are stand-alone and do not go with any series!

Based off Hero/Heroine by Boys Like Girls

This one was a bit of therapy for me; if you’ve read my series Home then you’ll understand why.

Reader is a member of the BAU, and for story’s sake, has an estranged brother. Wild ride. You’re welcome. So sorry. I just pumped this out in a couple of hours and it was really therapeutic but enjoy I guess

Word count: 3.1k

Warnings: mentions of drug addiction, upset reader, no death but a bit of sadness, comfort, smut, penetration, oral/male receiving

Office parties weren’t particularly your favorite, and after the day you’d had, the last thing you wanted to do was celebrate with your coworkers. But Garcia had insisted on having a small party for your birthday, which meant you had to attend.

You spent your birthday the same way every year; down at Fulton Park, looking for your estranged brother. You hadn’t seen him in years, and you doubted he would remember you if he did, and your fears were confirmed today when you had lunch with a stranger that had no clue who you were. He thought you were a nice lady from the church who came to feed the less fortunate; his brain hadn’t worked right in a long time, riddled with the disease that crippled so many people: addiction.

You were doing good at hiding the pain you were in; great, even. The only person who knew why your mood was so out of sorts was Reid, and thankfully he was the only other person around so you could talk before the dreaded party started. You motioned for him to join you in the round table room and you closed the door behind you, choking back a sob as you broke down to your best friend. He tried to comfort you as best as he could, which was a hand on your shoulder and logical statistics about memory loss linked to drug use, but you tuned him out. You didn’t need his brains; you’d just needed to tell another person so you weren’t alone in your mental turmoil.

“I’ve got to get my shit together so I can enjoy this party for Penelope,” you dabbed furiously at your face with a tissue, turning abruptly when the door to the round table room opened and your Unit Chief was staring you down, concern plastered all over his face. He looked between you and Spencer, who simply shrugged because it wasn’t his place to explain what was taking place.

“I’m sorry, sir. I just had a really bad morning,” you choked, unable to meet his eyes. If anyone could get the full truth from you, it was Hotch, but that wasn’t a portion of your life you were willing to share with everyone just yet.

“You—You don’t have to apologize. Are you alright?” You were so used to hearing him barking orders that to hear his voice soften sounded foreign to you; you imagined he was this way with his child, but you never expected warmth from the man who so ruthlessly ran your team.

“I’m fine.”

He didn’t push further, he let you leave the room. You ran straight to the restroom to clean up your smudged makeup and hoped Spencer wouldn’t tell Hotch why you were so upset. As the newest member of the team, you were still getting to know everyone, and sharing something so personal wasn’t on your list of things to do.

You got most of the mascara and fixed your lip gloss, sighing to yourself in the mirror before you shoved open the door and painted a smile on your face. It was your birthday, and you deserved to have a good time.

✨✨✨

I couldn’t get the image of her crying out of my head, and it only got worse when she joined everyone and acted perfectly fine. Spencer was quick at her side to check on her, but she nodded her head and shot him a more than fake smile, and carried on with her morning. It was a paperwork day, but we were mostly just in the office to celebrate Y/n’s birthday. I’d given everyone the OK to leave after the party since they put in so many hours anyway.

It was already noon and we were all gathering in the small kitchenette we used as a break room, everyone was excited to be having cake and partying rather than chasing down criminals, even me. But it was hard to focus on anything other than the sadness of the birthday girl, and what could possibly be done to cheer her up.

“Open this one first, mama!” Derek’s voice cut through my thoughts as he handed her a box, heavy enough to need both hands. She quickly unwrapped it and was dumbfounded at the giant box set of her favorite show on DVD.

“How did you know? This is my biggest guilty pleasure,” she raved, thanking him for his excellent choice. Everyone had chosen well for her; it was only her second birthday spent with us, but we’d all grown to know and care for her in the last two years. I’d bought her two tickets to a show at a local playhouse and secretly hoped she’d invite me to tag along with her, but they were tucked away in my office for a reason. When everyone was finished and the cake was cut, people started to scatter and dissipate, leaving myself, Spencer and the birthday girl.

“Do you have plans tonight?” She hadn’t expected my question, but she answered it anyway, telling me she was planning to spend the evening at home.

“I have your gift in my office if you want to come up and grab it,” I called from the stairs, so she told Spencer goodnight and followed me up, shutting the door behind her.

“I hope you had a good time,” she nodded, taking the chair across from mine as I sat down at my desk.

“It was nice, yeah. I’ve just felt off today. I’m sorry,” she thought I was upset with her, and that couldn’t have been further from the truth.

“You don’t need to apologize. But if you want, I don’t have any plans today, and we can talk about it somewhere that isn’t here,” I offered, shocked when she almost immediately agreed. It would be refreshing to get to know her somewhere that wasn’t the office.

“My place isn’t far,” she told me, so I offered to drive, but halfway there she asked me to make a pit stop at a local sandwich shop.

“Whatever you want,” we pulled in and she ordered a single meal before turning to me, explaining what she was doing.

“My brother lives down here,” she looked around, pointing to an old abandoned building near the opposite corner.

“Today was the first time I’ve actually been able to find him and he didn’t remember me.”

I followed her to the empty storefront she’d pointed out, where a man maybe three years older than her emerged, smiling happily to see her. You’d think he knew exactly who she was, until he spoke.

“Miss, I’m sorry, I forgot your name this morning! I didn’t think I’d see you again!”

“It’s okay, honey. I brought you some dinner, okay? I’ll be back in the morning to check on you,” she told him, and I could only stand and watch the interaction take place, completely dumbfounded. She did it despite the fact that he had no clue they were even related; she did this and then came to work everyday, like it wasn’t one of the heaviest loads a person could carry.

When she was done we walked back to my car, and she waited to break down until we were behind the comfort of the doors closing. I lifted the console and let her climb into my arms, and she did without any hesitation. I didn’t know how she found the strength to do it everyday; surely it was driving her insane, and she’d had no one to turn to.

“I’ve got you. You’re okay,” her arms only hugged me tighter, keeping me close whether I liked it or not. She smelled like honey, like something sweet and delicious, and I took a moment to breathe her in; I didn’t know when I’d have her like this again and I wanted to map it out in my memory forever.

“Thank you,” was all she said, her lips on my collar and her head buried in my neck. Her mouth radiated heat all over my body unintentionally, but it had been a long time since I’d had let anyone get close to me, but she needed me, and I wasn’t going to let her feel alone at a time like this.

“I’m so sorry. I wish I knew what to say,” I knew nothing I could say would help the situation, so I offered her a distraction instead.

“I know your place is closer, but if you’d rather, we can go to my house and watch the first season of that show Morgan bought you,” I suggested, and her eyes met mine briefly before her hand gently touched my face.

“I think that sounds like a good idea,” she whispered, so I let her situate in the middle so she could keep her arm wrapped around mine, and we drove off to my place so I could keep her safe from the horrors of the world for just a little while longer. I invited her in, gave her a t-shirt to change into, and set to work on putting in the first disc of her show while she cozied in on the couch.

“Thank you for this,” she said softly when I joined her, unsure of how close was too close. As if she sensed my indecision, she patted the space next to her, so I let my arm rest on her shoulders. The wind was picking up quickly outside, storms blowing the trees through the window. I was thankful for a short day at the office, and even more so for the opportunity that I had to spend time with Y/n.

“I should be thanking you. I’d be working if you weren’t here,” I hadn’t taken the time to watch a show that wasn’t a cartoon in ages; it was nice to experience the more mundane side of things with someone else.

“I know you would be. Don’t let me distract you too much,” she joked, but that was exactly what I was hoping for: a sweet distraction.

“This evening is all about you, birthday girl. So you can distract me all you want,” she let her hand wander into mine, her dainty fingers lacing together like my hand was where hers had always belonged. Neither of us dared to say anything and ruin such s sweet moment, because all that mattered to me was that she was seeing me as more than her boss. It was evident that she saw me as something greater, and the intensity was electrifying. She’d been running through my brain for months now; I wasn’t sure whether it was her generally sweet disposition or her caring nature, but I’d grown more than fond of her over the time she’d been at the BAU.

I wasn’t sure how to proceed. It seemed innocent at first in the car, but now she was still holding me, and her face was just inches from mine. She was impossible to read, and I didn’t want to make her upset by making an unwanted move on her, so I was torn, waiting for a signal that she wanted me.

“I’m glad we’re doing this,” she said finally, her heading turning up slightly so I could meet her gaze.

“I’m just really glad I’m with you and not at home alone,” she finished, leaning forward the tiniest bit. It was the moment of truth, so I leaned down and kissed her without thinking of the consequences, grateful to be met by her eager mouth kissing me back. Her tongue slipped into my mouth, tasting me, enjoying me, and her hands set to work on the buttons of my shirt. She slipped it off my shoulders and climbed into my lap, her hips grinding into mine for friction as her mouth was feverish against my own.

“You want this, right?” It was her voice that stopped me in my tracks, my hands freezing on her hips just below her shirt.

“Of course I do. Is this what you want for your birthday?” I teased, and she rolled her eyes playfully before pulling her shirt over her head, leaving her in just her underwear.

“This is it,” she breathed, dragging my shirt over my head so she could splay kisses across my chest and neck, her tongue blazing a hot trail across my skin. My hands fumbled with the clasp on my belt so she took over for me, unbuttoning my pants and undoing my zipper in one fluid motion. Once she had me in my boxers, she was scrambling to her knees in front of me, shimmying my boxers down so she could take my cock in her mouth. I was helpless as she spat on my length, using her spit as lube so she could pump me in her small hands. Her hands continued to work my length but her mouth took the rest of me in, opening wide to accommodate all of me. She choked back a whimper as she swirled her tongue around the tip, bobbing and gagging like there was no place she’d rather be.

“Sweet girl, your mouth feels so good,” I nearly saw spots when she hollowed her cheeks out and began sucking faster, my hands securing her hair away from her face. She finally came up for a breath, my cock slick with spit as she ghosted her hand around my length once more, stroking me with a feather light touch. My hips had a mind of their own as I thrusted into her hand, needy, desperate for her touch any way she’d give it to me.

“You’re so sexy, Aaron. I can’t believe I have you like this,” her took all of me back into her mouth before I could reply, a moan coming out instead. She was the sexiest woman I’d ever seen, going out of her way to give me more pleasure than I’d ever had.

“Any time you want,” I promised her, and I meant it. I’d always be around for her to use as a distraction; she could use me however she wanted and I wouldn’t mind at all.

She was tugging her panties past her hips, slipping them off so she could climb back onto my lap. I could only blink at her as she hovered over me, preparing to lower herself onto my cock.

“Can I ride you?” She stopped her hips and waited on my answer, so I tugged her down to bridge the distance between us, the tip of my cock teasing her slit. She groaned, sliding against my member for relief, shivering at the contact.

“Please, don’t be a tease,” I begged, my eyes fluttering shut as she drug herself down on me, grinding her hips until she’d filled herself up with me, lightly bouncing at first, but then her rhythm changed and she was speeding up, making things more intense for the both of us. I gave her ass an encouraging squeeze, watching in awe as she grounded her hips perfectly so I wouldn’t slip out of her. It was mesmerizing, watching my cock disappear inside of her as she clenched and squeezed around me, slowly letting me slip out until only the tip remained inside of her. Then suddenly her hips slammed against mine, and I bit back a yell at how she constricted around my cock, finding her release as she rode out her high.

“That was good, but I think you can do better,” I held her tightly before I flipped her over, putting her on her back, her legs spread wide.

“Let’s see how well you can take it when I’m in control.”

✨✨✨

You were seeing stars as he pounded into you, your legs in the air and his hips slamming melodiously against yours in a frenzy of sweat and arousal. You were holding onto his arms for dear life, his hands holding your ankles steady as he rocked back and forth into you. It was nearly too much; the feeling of his dick pulsing inside of you and the way he never seemed to get enough of you, it was driving you mad.

“I need more,” you cried, his arms picking you up as he told you to hold on. He was navigating his way to the bedroom all while still inside you; his main focus was keeping you in place. When he got to the bedroom, he laid you down on the edge of the bed, your legs dangling off the side as he remade his home in you, his eyes trained on his cock sliding into your soaked center. You couldn’t help but watch too, captivated by the man between your legs.

“You like to watch?” It was a genuine question, because his eyes were glued to your core, his fingers reaching between your thighs to toy with your clit. You watched as he spread your arousal along your slit and then rubbed small, delicate circles on your aching clit, your legs shaking as he started to slowly thrust into you.

“I’d watch anything that involves you between my legs,” you shot back, earning a cocky grin from him in response. He hooked his arms under your knees and pulled you further into him, burying himself as deep as he could inside of you. It sent you over the edge, gripping the sheets tightly as you moaned his name.

“I’ll never get tired of hearing that. I love the noises you make,” he told you, one final thrust and he was finishing in you, sputtering and groaning as he connected his lips to yours. He stayed inside of you for a moment, his cock twitching as he tried to steady his breathing.

“Can I expect this every year for my birthday?” You chuckled, his nose brushing yours lightly as he laid down next to you.

“Any time you want me, I’m yours,” he assured you, his arm wrapping snugly around your waist. The wind was blowing ferociously outside, a storm brewing on the rainy city streets.

“Will you stay tonight? I don’t want you to go,” he admitted, and there was no way you’d leave in the current weather conditions anyway, but you’d never say no when he’d asked so nicely.

“Of course I’ll stay. You kind of saved my whole birthday, why would I want to leave?”

His fingers caressed your cheek while you spoke, his head resting on the crook of your neck.

“I have an actual gift for you in my jacket. Tickets to that Playhouse you wanted to go to,” he whispered in your ear, making you shiver.

“You really do know how to make a girl feel better,” you giggled, rolling on your side so you could pull him in for a hug. He held you tightly, making sure you knew he’d always be there, even on the darkest of days. You knew he would always be there to come through for you.

[husbandohunter]

Moments of Despair #1 [Genshin Impact/Diluc x Reader]

Synopsis: “The man who was on fire and realized it too late.”

(A series of works where the boys deal with the passing of their beloved).

Albedo's despair

Warnings: angst, tragedy, major character death, graphic depictions of violence perhaps

(A/n): Had these ideas for a while after reading @/serensama To Mourn series of another fandom. So much sorrow and feeling I just was inspired to write 😫

_______________________________________________

The moment you fell lifeless in Diluc's arms, he wanted to disappear.

It was raining again, he had always despised the rain. How it trickles down the slope of your cheek, like tears falling from the heavens. The sight of it mixing with your blood creating a thin stream of red rivers flowing beside him. They patter down obnoxiously because time didn't care, the gods don't care, the world didn't care. You were just a small fragile person to their eyes but to him you were his light. A candle that used to shine in his dark world was now dissipitated by the waters of reality.

Many droplets have passed and he was still holding you. Diluc could do nothing but stare. He hadn't shed any tears nor could he make a coherent sound. Perhaps it was because his tears have long run out when his father was held in the very same way. Or it was because he was heartless. He's usually told for being cold and indifferent. But the pain clenching in his chest was proof that he still had one (proof that it was still beating), much to his dismay. It would be better if he didn't.

So why can't he just look away? Your wounds, your bruised features, everything now etched so deep into the back of his conciousness that is was starting to awaken his worst nightmares. They were the source of the bile growing in his stomach. The irony stench filling up his nostrils felt so sickening. He couldn't turn away. You're dead. You're dead. You're dead. As if reality had yet to register, or maybe he refused to accept it, Diluc helplessly gazed down your body with blank and empty eyes.

"Master Diluc..."

Jean's voice called out to him pitifully. He rises up with his back turned, ignoring the stares given to him, "Leave. The knights of favonius are not needed here."

"But she's a Mondstadt citizen," The anemo user retorts, slightly taken aback by his impassive reaction, "It's my responsibility to ensure this case doesn't go unnoticed."

Unnoticed. Diluc scoffs in his mind, what a tasteless joke.

"It seems you weren't listening," he announces as his head was turned ajar so they could see the deep hatred glowing red in his eyes, "Leave. Now."

Jean's lips trembled before barely being able to say, "Alright" and retreating her knights back to the city. Kaeya narrows his gaze at his bother, the sorrow was evident through his pupils. He steps forward until he was arms length away from his brother. Too little too late, another failure was added to the belt.

Kaeya was a man of many words but for once he was at loss of what to say. No underhanded suggestions, no ideas taunting him to spill his thoughts, he simply asks Diluc, "What are you planning to do now?"

Silence. Kaeya couldn't predict what sort of expression his brother was making as he looks at your corpse. It brought a heavy weight of unsettlement upon him and here he thought he had already grown used to his brother's quietness.

Slowly, he turns around while letting the water pour down his face. Kaeya tightens his jaw as Diluc drags his feet towards him, stopping when their shoulders were parallel, "It's none of your concern."

"You're just going to leave her here?"

There was a slight pause which was enough of an answer. The Cavalry Captain sighs when he watched him walk away, what was the point of asking when Kaeya knew Diluc so well? He glances at your form before swiftly shutting his eyes.

It was his concern.

-------

A week later, the staff of the Ragnvindr household could hardly recognize their Master's appearance. They knew not to bother him when he decides to lock himself in his chambers. Diluc drowns himself with work from hours to no end as he connects the findings of the person that took your life. As expected, it was one of his enemies- a fatui member. The question was, which one?

"Master Diluc, I beg of you, please take care of yourself," Elzer pleads.

The pyro user didn't bother to spare him a glance or look at the tray of food he carried.

Food...you always brought them whenever he had to work overtime.

"I do not remember specifiying anyone to be allowed in my office," he voices aloud, "If it's related to business affairs simply leave that with Adelinde and I'll take a look at it tomorrow."

"I understand. But you've been working all day and night yet refusing to take any breaks in between. At this rate, you'll harm your health."

The feather pen in his grip kept dragging it's course, "This is beyond the duties assigned to you Elzer."

"That's because it was a request sent by your father," he adds, knowing that stepping over his boundaries may cost him, "If Master Crepus was still here, I'm sure he would have said the same thing."

Taking a deep breath, Elzer lays out his last card, "And also your wife."

The pen slows into a halt.

No one had brought you up until now. Elzer anxiously watches his Master shifting in his seat, his red bangs covering half of his face but he could still see the frown pressing firmly on his lips. It wouldn't be a surprise if Diluc suddenly bursted at him for mentioning such a sensitive topic, all that matters was his master's well being and Elzer was willing to risk everything for it. But nothing. Diluc turns his attention ever so slightly at the tray he carried.

"Fine, but I'm not eating that."

"What? Wasn't this was her favourite-"

"Do I need to repeat myself?"

Elzer furrows his brows before sighing, "...No, Master Diluc."

He exits the room while carrying the fresh dish of Once Upon A Mondstadt that you loved so much. The door closes with a soft click and he was alone again.

People found it strange how Diluc seemed so vacant to your passing. He didn't even show up at your funeral. Instead, he continues his duties as a Mondstadt nobleman like usual while taking care of business matters associated with the winery. Except those who were close to him could see the difference in his actions. Apathy, he was so mechanical in every task he did. Like a marionette attatched on strings, a doll without a soul. After all, his soul died the moment when yours did too. What remains was a shadow of Diluc and a being existing solely for revenge and duty. He was nothing but a remnant.

Fatigue begins to wash over him and he fights to stay awake. Because once he gives in it will all be over. Once he closes his eyes, he would see your face with a multitude of images from the past. He would hear your voice calling out his name from a distant space as it echoes off the walls of his mind. He would fall into a dream where you were still with him and as always, waking up to see that it was never real.

I should have pushed you away.

Because what hurt Diluc the most wasn't that you were gone, rather, it was how you were still here.

Then you'd still be-

Something breaks and it turned out to be the pen he was holding so tightly. Only now Diluc realized how fast his heart was thrumming as beads of sweat began rolling down his forehead. Focus. Don't waste time. He won't grant himself the liberty of anything when your murderer was still on the run. Every wound they inflicted on you was going to be returned in tenfold. He'll make sure of it. That's why, he refuses to think about you at all. Diluc occupies his mind with other matters since at this point, work was the only efficient method of keeping his sanity in tact.

She needs you to focus.

The door opens and Kaeya enters the room while holding a document, "We found the guy."

His reaction was immediate, "Where?"

"Hm, now that we meet, it's actually quite debateable," The captain notes wryly, "When was the last time you've gotten proper rest?"

"I don't have time for this, either you tell me or I'll do it by force."

Kaeya couldn't help but sigh, "Apologies but you don't seem to be in any state for a fight. I'm sure you know how it would end up if you were to face your enemy right now."

"..."

"Diluc, this isn't healthy," Kaeya asserts, it's been a while since he sounded so sincere, "I'm not here to prevent you from doing what's necessary however, perhaps it would be better if I finished it in your stead."

"No," Diluc stubbornly answers, "Hand that over."

"...Heh, then there's really nothing I can do to stop you it seems," he whispers with a sad smile, "At the very least, be careful."

"I intend to," The pyro user snatches the paper parchment out of Kaeya's hands before opening the window, "Also, if Elzer returns, tell him there's a few errands I have to take care of."

The night was a full moon and the sky was empty, Diluc leaps off the edge and disappears into the darkness. There was no telling of what could happen next. Since you weren't here, it was up to Kaeya to watch over him.

-------

The claymore dropped to the ground with a clang as it soaks up the blood of the fatui he just killed.

Diluc was tired, so tired.

He slumps down against the wall from pure exhaustion, all that adrenaline and hatred went up in fumes, leaving behind whatever was left in his heart: nothing. Two hours, not even that far from Mondstadt, the fatui hid in an abandoned building as he cowarded for his life. When Diluc arrived, he never expected this monster to be so weak. This was the person who murdered you? A pathetic nobody that was simply following orders? This was the reason why he lost you forever?

In the end, the only one to blame was himself, for being weak and unable to protect you. He was supposed to be your hero ("Darknight hero," you'd always tease), the rock that shields you just as you had been the warmth he longed for many years, did he give you enough? Was this enough? He thought avenging your death would grant him a peace of mind and the justice you deserved but deep down, he knew it will never be enough when it comes to his love for you.

"Diluc."

He closes his eyes, he hears your voice. He was so tired, it wouldn't be a surprise if he started hallucinating.

"Diluc."

"I'm sorry..."

The man lets out a trembled breath as he apologized to the image of you in his mind. I'm sorry I failed you. They were repeated like a mantra in hopes to reach you somehow. Of course that was impossible, his feelings, his emotions, love and sorrow altogether will never reach you again. And your arms that once comforted him and brushed his hair with a soothing voice, saying everything will be okay, where are they now?

"Diluc."

"Stop," he didn't want to hear your voice.

"Diluc, I'm here."

"Stop..."

"Diluc..."

He jolts his eyes open and lets out a yell, what was he saying? He doesn't know. All he needed now was to drown out the fake voices mocking in his head. Diluc grabs the nearest object and shatters it against the floor, the dam was broken and it flooded uncontrollably, breaking everything in it's way. The abandoned house was filled with loud cries of a man sobbing with agony like a broken-hearted child. He crumbles to his knees and falls to his side, lifting his forearms while clutching his face.

And screamed.

Archons, what did he do to deserve this? Why do the people he cherish get taken away from him? Diluc never wanted to be the Darknight hero if it meant having his father perish in his arms. He didn't want the feeling of stabs against his chest with every breath he took. He didn't want to feel cold while knowing it was because you weren't here to hold him. He didn't want your voice, your pictures or your memory.

He wanted you.

"(Y/n)..." he chokes. Rolling to his back, Diluc moves his arms to cover his eyes, letting the tears run down to his ears, "(Y/n)..."

For who knows how long, he lays there in the abandoned building and mourns. Diluc doesn't have the strength to move from his position, he found himself staring mindlessly through the cracks of the roof when his voice had gone hoarse. The corners of his eyes still burned and his head was throbbing with so much pain. Maybe he should just stay here but the thought of being in the same room as your murderer was unfathomable.

Picking up his claymore once again, Diluc drags himself out of the door. Where would he go? It's not like he had a home to return to because home was when he was with you. A doll without a soul, the marionette moves as if the strings have commanded him to do so. Where ever it takes him, he didn't care. He just knew he had to go.