#the fact that he actually caught the thieves

[justc2world]

Job positions added to Carlos' resume this week:

Monza pole sitter, driver of the week, minister of defence, runner/trackstar, police officer

And promotion for Rupert as bodyguard

[thebrightsilverlining]

How Secret Are the Phantom Thieves' Secret Identities?

Joker

Police: Know exactly who he is due to his arrests and even send people to spy on him from time to time.

Public: Have enough information to find out but not explicitly stated.

When the police revealed that they had caught the leader of the Phantom Thieves on November 20th (and later revealed his death), they did not mention his name. Instead, Joker is described as a teenager on probation for assault who was sent to Tokyo for the year. 

Though his school was not directly mentioned, the fact that the first incident occurred at Shujin Academy makes it relatively clear that that is the school he went to. Later, after his second arrest as leader of the Thieves, Shujin admits that he was a student of their school when pushing for his release.

Though they never mention his name, anyone who wanted to could easily do some digging on Shujin Academy, find out there was a transfer student in the second year who had a criminal record, and put the pieces together. So, though his identity was technically never leaked to the public, it appears as if it is more of an open secret.

Interestingly enough, Akane from Strikers does not know Joker’s identity. Despite being a superfan (to the point of running a Phantom Thief news livestream) she can only wonder who he might be. This implies one of three things. Either

A: Despite his identity being easy to find if one did some digging, no one has bothered to actually do the digging and thus he remains anonymous.

B: Hacker extraordinaire Futaba Sakura hid or obfuscated any evidence that could reveal the identity of the leader of the Phantom Thieves based on the information the police gave.

C: Due to the fact that it was the police who leaked most of that info, it is considered poor form to use that information to figure out the leader’s identity. 

Option C relies on social etiquette. After all, the Phantom Thieves are very anti-police, and their fans are likely too. The leader of the Phantom Thieves had no say over that information about himself being leaked to the public by the people who literally tried to kill him, so using that information could be considered wrong by his fans. Thus, even though most have a general idea that the leader of the Phantom Thieves is the transfer student from Shujin Academy, actually looking into who that is could be considered rude by Phans and PhantomFreaks.

The Phantom Thieves

Police: Have a hunch but ultimately no proof.

Public: No clue, but maybe some theories based on knowledge of the leader’s identity.

Because Joker never reveals who the rest of the Phantom Thieves are both of the times he is arrested as a Thief, the police do not have definitive proof regarding the other members identities. They likely have hunches, as based on the list Sae reads off during the November 20th interrogation, but any and all evidence is circumstantial at best and largely tied to the simple fact that they know the leader. And every single thief has plausible deniability. That being, they can say that they may have been friends with the leader, but they had no knowledge of his identity and were not part of the operation.

Without more evidence or a confession, there is really know way to prove otherwise, so all of the thieves’ identities remain safe. This is doubled due to the fact that, because there is little to no evidence implicating them and Joker adamantly denied their involvement, there is the very real possibility (at least to the police) that they may not actually be part of the Thieves. 

Joker had a lot of associates during his time in Tokyo, and figuring out which are Thieves and which are not runs the risk of the police arresting the wrong person based on little evidence, and landing themselves in hot water afterward. Especially with how popular the Thieves are. So there is really nothing they can do about the rest of the Thieves.

As for the public, because the police have so little to go about regarding the rest of the Thieves identities, the public knows even less. There’s likely speculation, based on the info regarding Joker’s identity that was leaked, but nothing even remotely close to concrete. At the very least, they have some silhouettes and the knowledge that one must be a hacker in order to have stopped Medjed and broadcasted Shido’s calling card.

Akechi

Police & Public: Know he infiltrated the Phantom Thieves in order to orchestrate their arrest before mysteriously disappearing.

Akechi is in an interesting position. After Joker was captured, he went on television and explained to the public how he infiltrated the Thieves in order to get them arrested. Him being a double agent Phantom Thief is public knowledge, no leaking or digging required.

The tricky part is figuring out what people know about everything else. Shido being his father, him being the perpetrator of mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns, and all that. Sae is aware of his role regarding the deaths, but it is left unclear if it is just her or if that knowledge was shared with the justice system as a whole. Considering he went missing, bringing up his role in it all might have been considered unnecessary. There is an argument to be made for them knowing and them not knowing.

Similarly with the public, it is unclear whether or not his involvement would be brought up. In any court hearings regarding Shido’s case, they could have easily referred to Akechi as simply “Shido’s metaverse assassin.” Naming him directly is possible, but not necessary, so it is unclear what the public knows.

Confidants

Police: Runs the gambit of No Evidence of Connection to Plausible Deniability is King.

Public: Varies based on public presence.

The confidants find themselves in a variety of interesting situations, based on how much they revealed when trying to get Joker out of jail at the end of the game. Regardless, all of them have plausible deniability. Which is to say that, even if they revealed that they knew the leader of the Phantom Thieves when making their case for his release, they can all say that they did not know until after his arrests, and there is no way for the police to prove otherwise. As such, none of them are actually in danger of any legal retaliation.

Overall, things are on a more case-by-case basis for the confidants, so I’ll go through them one-by-one.

Sojiro

Guardian of the leader of the Phantom Thieves. Police know, but claims plausible deniability (didn’t know Joker was a Thief).

Public could find him out by looking into Joker’s identity.

Chihaya

Claims the Phantom Thieves changed the ADP Chairman’s heart and freed them all from the cult.

Does not need to claim a personal connection to Joker to convince her people to protest his arrest. 

As such, police and public likely have no knowledge of her connection.

Iwai

Uses his connections to make certain that Joker is not harmed while in prison.

Under the table - police and public have no knowledge of connection.

Note - Police could technically attempt to trace Joker’s purchases to connect him to Iwai, but Iwai still has plausible deniability (didn’t know what he was buying them for; didn’t care). 

That is, assuming Joker didn’t make all his purchases in cash. And that the police were able to get ahold of one of the Thieves’ weapons.

Takemi

Reveals that Joker was the main participant in the test trials for her new drug in order to bolster his positive public image.

Plausible deniability. Had no idea he was a Thief when they were doing the trials.

Kawakami

Acts as part of Shujin in general when pushing for Joker’s release. Public already had a hunch that Shujin was the leader’s school, and this just confirms it.

All teachers have plausible deniability.

By looking into Joker’s identity, public could find out that Kawakami was Joker’s homeroom teacher, but not much else.

Ohya

Finds the lady from the first case and convinces her to admit to the police what truly happened. Also writes a special article about the leader of the Phantom Thieves.

Has no need to reveal a personal connection. She’s simply a reporter doing her job. Police and public have no clue.

Shinya

Rallies the gaming community to protest Joker’s arrest online.

Does not reveal a personal connection. Simply says that Joker is the number 1 ranked player on Gun About (makes sense considering their minor takeover of the website for the start of Shinya’s route) and that he wants to play against him. Police and public have no clue.

Hifumi

Admits publicly on television her personal connection to Joker when pushing for his release.

Plausible deniability. Had no idea that he was a Thief prior to his arrest.

Mishima

Admits publicly his personal connection to Joker when collecting signatures pushing for his release.

Plausible deniability. Had no idea that he was a Thief prior to his arrest.

Yoshida

Protests Joker’s arrest and pushes for his release. Rallies his base and fellow politicians.

Has no need to reveal a personal connection. Simply a politician taking a stance on an important public issue. Police and public have no clue.

Sae

The prosecutor for the Phantom Thief case and Shido’s case.

Public and police know that she is aware of his true identity, as she actively met him.

Public not aware of any personal connection between her and Joker, just the professional connection.

So what’s the most the public could know about the Phantom Thieves?

The average person could know:

Joker’s true identity.

His parents’ names.

His hometown.

The jobs he worked.

His record.

etc.

His guardian in Tokyo was Sojiro Sakura, owner of Cafe Leblanc.

Sojiro has an adopted daughter named Futaba.

He went to Shujin Academy and had Kawakami, Ushimaru, Hiruta, Inui, Chouno, and Usami as teachers.

While at Shujin, he became friends with Yuuki Mishima.

He participated in drug trials run by Tae Takemi.

At some point, he became friends with Hifumi Togo.

One of his friends and possibly fellow Thief is a hacker.

There are seven Phantom Thieves (excluding Akechi), plus the cat mascot.

He played Gun About and was top of the leaderboard.

To get the Thieves arrested, Goro Akechi briefly pretended to be his friend and joined the Thieves.

When arrested, he was interrogated by Sae Nijima. Later on, he interacted with her when testifying against Shido.

Someone who did some digging could also know:

While at Shujin, he also became friends with…

Ryuji Sakamoto

Ann Takamaki

Makoto Nijima

Haru Okumura

Besides Hifumi Togo, he was also friends with Yusuke Kitagawa from Kosei.

Yuuki Mishima runs the Phansite.

He got extra tutoring from Kawakami after school (not what actually happened but what Kawakami’s confidant route was passed off as to Chuono).

Some theories might be:

The “cat mascot” is the Alibaba cat icon.

Both are cats connected to the thieves, and they only see the silhouette of Mona, so it is likely assumed that Mona has the blue crescent eyes, slasher grin, and bomb tail of the Alibaba cat icon.

Tae Takemi is the Thieve’s doctor.

The protag participated in her drug trials. Even if just after the interrogation, he likely needed medical attention. So, though she claims plausible deniability, people likely assume she knew who he was.

Makoto is NOT a Thief and DID NOT KNOW about Joker’s identity until after his arrest.

Her sister was literally the one leading the prosecution. Sae is shown to be a competent prosecutor. Wouldn’t she have realized her sister was one of the people she was trying to catch? Plus, what about conflict of interest?

Likely theories that Joker becoming friends with Makoto helped win Sae over to his side.

Shujin students likely state online that Makoto was spying on him for the principal because of his record, but then seemingly became his friend overtime.

Joker proved he was a good and just person despite his record, so they became friends, but she never suspected his secret identity.

(Maybe even dating?! There’s definitely arguments online on if Joker is in a relationship and some are ride or die for Makoto. Everyone knows the most common love interest is the one outside of the loop that you can’t reveal your secret identity to for fear of them getting hurt!)

Hifumi Togo is a Phantom Thief.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Why would she reveal her connection to him if she was a Thief? Isn’t that stupid?

But that’s just what she WANTS you to think! STRATEGY!!

Because people think she would never do it, she did it! Perfect. Alibi.

Likely argued to be Futaba’s silhouette.

(Probably a very contentious theory. Lots of arguing on the forums.)

Yusuke is a Phantom Thief.

Most of the Phantom Thief cases (that are not minor Phansite requests) seem to have a personal focus.

Joker is a student at Shujin and both Kamoshida and Kaneshiro had some connection to the school. Shido attempted to kill Joker, and was also the reason he was on probation in the first place. Medjed actively targeted the Thieves and Okumura was at the top of the Phansite’s poll.

Which leaves Madarame as the odd one out. So, clearly, there must be some personal connection. And with Joker having been seen hanging out with Yusuke, that must mean he’s a Phantom Thief!

Argued to be Makoto’s silhouette.

Yuuki Mishima is the Phantom Thieves’ hacker.

He runs the Phansite, after all. He’s already involved in their tech stuff.

Now, whether he IS a Phantom Thief or just works for them is likely a big debate.

Some think he’s their “guy in the chair” who doesn’t directly participate but relays missions, hacks websites, and acts as mission control. 

Others think he’s the cat, controlling it as a remote control robot.

Ryuji and Ann are Phantom Thieves.

Plausible deniability or not, their silhouettes are just too distinct. Especially Ann.

Plus they were so close at the start of the year. Clearly, it’s suspicious.

Mika is a Phantom Thief.

Hear me out. Fox’s mask and high collar makes it so that you can’t actually see his hair length. She could totally be hiding her long hair in her jacket!

Plus, everyone knows that Mika and Ann are fashion rivals! And what's a vigilante crack team without some rivalries in the group? Joker was even seen with the two of them a few times!

This came to be purely because of the cross of fashionistas and Phans. Mika milks the theory for all the publicity it is worth.

Haru is a Phantom Thief.

There was BIG debate over Haru and her status. After all, are you really gonna say this sweet, lovely girl killed her father?

But, then again, the Phantom Thieves were proven innocent in the murder of Okumura. So the question changes. Not: Did she want to kill him? Instead: Did she want to change his heart?

BUT THEN AGAIN her father was a member of the Conspiracy, wasn’t he? Who’s to say she didn’t know about that already? Hell, who’s to say she wasn’t INVOLVED?

The fight tends to break into three separate groups. Group one says she got involved to change her father’s heart. Group two says she got involved after her father’s death, to find out what actually happened and catch the person who actually killed her father. And group three says she was part of the Conspiracy herself and joined to take the Thieves down, only to get attached and do a heel-face-turn redemption.

Group three also tends to make her friends with Akechi, as he also infiltrated to take the Thieves down. His awareness of the Conspiracy is unclear, but regardless those in group three tend to have Haru and Akechi turn on the police and Conspiracy to try and save the Thieves, only for Akechi to die or disappear so that Haru can escape.

Akechi cared about the Thieves/Had SOMETHING going on with Joker.

I mean, you don’t reference romance tropes during an interview regarding his time with the Thieves for nothing. The double agent can’t just be a double agent.

See the above dying for Haru theory. But also there are a lot of people that think Akechi and Joker were dating.

Suffice it to say, they don’t get along very well with the people who ship Joker/Makoto.

[apomaro-mellow]

Hospitals still weren't Eddie most favorite place to be, even though they had technically saved his life once. He didn't give doctors the credit though. No, he reserved that praise for his husband who had literally carried him through hell, holding his guts together.

But alas, he was still only human. And thus prone to human ailments. Which was why he was currently in a hospital bed, preparing for a tonsillectomy.

"Steve, my love, my muse", Eddie took his hand and kissed it. "Should I not return from this-"

"Oh shut up. It's a routine operation." Steve could tell he was being dramatic to cover up the fact that he was actually scared. "You'll be fine. In fact, I'm going down to the cafeteria right now. You're not getting just any ice cream. I'm gonna bring you back a whole sundae."

Steve looked to the rest of the band, who had come for moral support. "Watch him please. And don't let him fall to hysterics." He left out, really hoping he wouldn't come back to an Eddie in tears.

"Sooo", Grant started. "If you don't make it, who gets your house?"

Eddie's brow furrowed. "Uh, my husband, duh?"

"Okay, who gets your husband?", Gareth asked.

Eddie saw the cavalry arrive in the form of Steve's true soulmate. "Robiiiiin", he whined. "You have to protect Steve from these vultures", he hissed the last word.

"We're just trying to hash out who has dibs on Eddie's hot husband", Jeff said.

Robin pointed to herself. "I made it clear to Eddie when he proposed that should the marriage end, either naturally or by divorce, custody of Steve would revert back to me."

"Not exactly the answer I was looking for Bucks, but as long as you keep Steve out of another man's clutches, I won't haunt you from the grave."

"Actually, I plan on setting him up with the first wealthy guy he meets", Robin said. "Thanks to your fame, I've become accustomed to a certain lifestyle. And also, Steve doesn't know how to be single."

The other CC boys nodded sagely.

"All the more reason one of us should get him. We can take care of him", Grant said.

"I can't believe this. This is a goddamn coup!", Eddie shouted.

Steve returned, none the wiser to their conversation. "You won't believe this. The cafeteria has chocolate syrup AND nuts? Isn't that wild? You're gonna have the best sundae of your life, babe."

He took his seat right next to Eddie's bedside and kissed his forehead.

"Angel, we're surrounded by snakes and thieves", Eddie said deliriously.

"What are you talking about?", Steve asked.

Having only Eddie in his line of sight, he couldn't see the others behind him. So he didn't see Jeff making kissy faces, Gareth making a circle with his hand and sticking a finger through it repeatedly, or Grant making a V with his fingers and flapping his tongue between them.

"Those traitorous lechers covet what is mine. And not even Robin seeks to protect your virtue!", Eddie said, desperately reaching out for Steve.

Steve kept his voice even and calm, trying to soothe his husband from whatever delusion he was having when the doctor came in. This guy looked like he played a doctor on tv. Chiseled jaw with perfectly manicured facial hair.

"Good evening", he greeted.

"Hi", Steve said, voice a little breathy.

"Oh he's perfect", Robin said, reading her friend perfectly.

"I'm Dr. Morip, I'll be performing your operation today."

"Morip?", Eddie tilted his head.

"Yes, as in 'more ripped than you'." Then he flexed and busted out of his scrubs and swept Steve off his feet, ignoring the cries of the invalid on the bed.

Eddie was tossing and turning even as Steve shook his shoulders to wake him up.

"You were having a nightmare", Steve spoke softly in the dim lamp light of the hospital room. "Was it 86 again?"

"Steve!", Eddie clung to him as best as he could. "You didn't leave me for Dr. Morip!"

"Dr. Morip? Eddie, her name is Dr. Hudson. And she's married and in her sixties."

Everything caught up with Eddie as his brain became more lucid. He'd already had the operation. That had all been a dream. The tension released instantly as he realized he wasn't about to die on the table and Steve would be scooped up by opportunistic friends.

"You're mine, you know that?"

"Really? Is that why I'm hand-feeding you ice cream?", Steve teased, holding up a spoonful to Eddie's lips.

"I love you", Eddie said, voice muffled from the food and a little watery too.

"I know, you dope. Love you too."

[bitterchocoo]

A Red Herring

Scar | M. Reader as Sparkle [Honkai Star Rail]

----------

"A thousand faces in a thousand places... can you find the answer?"

----------

The cosmos is a vast place where many planets resigns. How fun~ So many worlds, so many universes, so many planets. What better way to spend time traveling the universe and spreading elation~? And this world.. one that has something called Tacet Discords? Oh how fun~

Walking through the extreme terrains the man merely smiles, humming a song and skipping along with no care whatsoever. Those.. Tacet Discords were certainly something but they're no match for someone of his.. expertise. It's bound for him to wreaked havoc upon this world. Because why not? It's be fun!

But it seems that his presence.. had caught the attention of someone...

"Hey, let me ask you something..." He stopped in his tracks, turning his head to glance at the stranger who decided to be oh so interested in him. "Is following me around like a lost puppy your way of getting my attention? You've been doing this for nearly half a system hour."

"Really now? I didn't notice! Time sure flies when you're having fun, doesn't it?" The stranger chuckles as he slowly approach the other with a huge grin on his face. This individual is quite.. entertaining.. playing the Tacet Discords like a fiddle.. it's rare to find such a person. How could he resist himself from following an entertaining man in red?

"Spare me." The man groans in response as he turns around to meet him face to face, he was about to say something before noticing a certain feature on him. "Beautiful eyes though." He may not be in the mood to deal with him, but he knows a beauty when he saw one. Such pretty heterochromia eyes..

"Why thank you~" His grin seems to widen at the compliment, stopping in his tracks, a few feet away from the man in red. "I'm Scar, it's a pleasure to meet a person like you~" Such an interesting man. One that's... foolish enough.. to play with Tacet Discords as if they are mere stray animals.. it's truly is such a pleasure to meet a man of his caliber. A man who uses the line between being a genius and being foolish like a jump rope.

"My eyes might not be as pretty as yours, but there's no problem with my vision..." The other began slowly. "The Fractsidus are quite notorious throughout the galaxy.. liars, thieves, social manipulators, wolves in sheep's clothing..." He stated with clear annoyance in his tone.

"Takes one to know one, dear."

Oh ho. He's playing that card huh? "Cut it out and go home, you slick talker. We are Fools, but we aren't stupid." Fools? Ah! So that's why this man in red is so interesting.. "Ah! So you're one of those elusive Masked Fools! No wonder you're so fascinating." Scar commented with a chuckle. Now this had just gotten far more entertainingentertaining. Never would he thought he'll ever meet such an elusive figure.

"Why don't you join me? I'd say the Fractsidus suits you more."

He sighs at Scar words. "Listen, little fishy. If you want the Masked Fools to get onboard, you need to figure out what it is The Laughter wants."

"The Masked Fools? Oh no no no no… my dear, I want you." Scar laughs. It doesn't matter that the other is a Masked Fool, the fact that there's someone out there who willingly toys with the Tacet Discords like how he does? Now that's a find. A rare find. And no way is he going to let this one go.

That bold statement results in a laugh coming from the Fool. Oh how flattering. Someone actually wanted him? Just like that? Well he's on a ride for the unexpected. "Scar was it? Then you can call me [Name]."

----------

A Fool and a Fractsidus.. what's the worst that could happen?

[tojisbestslut]

[ Curiosity killed the cat ]

summery: having to explore an abandoned mansion because of a dare with your friend, what could go wrong?

characters: Toji Fushiguro, Geto Suguru, Gojo Saturo

warnings: DARK, NON-CON, waterboarding (somehow), getting caught, escape attempt, bone breaking, screaming, no smut.

word count: 1132

part 2

"it's not even an scary dare I'd say, the house has been empty for years." your friend complained as she was trying to crack the lock with a crocked hair pin. you held the camera up for her taping the whole process, to have a proof of actually doing the dare to your friend group.

"I'm telling you right now, I'll be leaving the first moment i don't feel safe" you mumbled under your lips as she was scolding you to get the angels right. "such a kid you are" she mocked and ding, the door was open. you anxiously licked your lips and took a step inside the to be supposed empty house. it was full of luxury and expensive furniture all over the place and the face that none has been stolen by random thieves or troublesome teenagers sent a shiver down your spine. why'd people ignore this house?

you took small steps following your friend behind as she was curiously exploring every drawer freely. something didn't feel right, you had no idea what, but something was so fucking off. "hey um, I'll be waiting for you outside alright?" you tell your friend as you hand her the camera. she chuckled at how you were being a chicken and shrugged her shoulder, continuing to look around the house. you turned around and head to the exit, biting your lower lip from the sudden anxiety rushing over your body. what was this fuckin feeling, you kept wondering. as you arrived at the front door, the basement door that was stuck on the floor caught your attention. it was fucking open. you frowned and your heart beat started rising, were you not alone? you could swear it was closed the moment you entered. your body kept drowning in fear as you leaned slightly to look inside, only to suddenly get snatched by your ankles and being pulled in the basement, someone covering your mouth and the door getting closed before you even got the chance to scream for help.

fear, all you could feel was fear. fear of the unknown man covering your whole face with the palm of his hand as you could feel the coldness of the huge metal rings he was wearing. you kept trying to wiggle around and free yourself but it was no use from how strong the grip from his other hand was on your stomach, holding you to him. you tried to take deep breaths but it was hard to do from how tight he was covering your face. tears began to slowly run from your eyes as you realized there was nothing you could do in that situation, only being in the grip of a man you didn't even know, slowly crying.

"bruh, did you really leave?" you hear your friend yell looking for you as she was laughing at your scared ass leaving so soon. hope started to rise up again in your heart after hearing her voice calling you out, you started to struggle and kick around and tried to make some noise, but it all came out as muffled crying. you still couldn't see anything from the man covering your face, and your friend was really starting to think that you just left. your body goes limp as you hear her car engine start off and she starts driving away, the sound of the tires fading away as a drop of sweat drips on your back from the fact that you're now completely alone at the unknown man's mercy.

"stop it Fushiguro, no need to silence her now"

a second man speaks with a happy tone, you could tell he had a big smile on his face. the Fushiguro named man drops you on the ground at his legs, making your head hit it hard. you whince from pain and squint your eyes from the light suddenly hitting them, but it was soon taken away by 2 other figures standing right above you and covering the light, creating a shadow on your lying figure on the ground. Fushiguro sits on his knees right above your head, his tights and crotch covering your view of the ceiling. you instantly attempt to crawl back out of between their legs but the white haired men immediately steps on both of your hands, not bothering himself by trying to lower the pressure of his legs whatsoever.

the other man, having long black hair thrown magically around his shoulders, spills the drink he was holding right at your face in a slow pace, immediately silencing you as you tried to talk your way out of the situation. you coughed and gagged as you tried to move your head to get out of the direction the drink was flowing, but Fushiguro kept your head in place by putting one of his hands on your forehead, forcing you fo fight for your breath while the other man was pouring the liquid at you in the slowest pace possible known to man.

after what felt like eternity, the drink was finally finished. you coughed violently and tried to get the drink out of your nose as Fushiguro still held your head in place. your whole face was wet and sticky, as tears were running down on your cheeks. Fushiguro was looking at you with lust, like he wanted to devour you but the white haired, the way he was looking at you with no emotion in his eyes as he was putting all the pressure in his legs on your hands, looked like he just wanted to genuinely hurt you. the long haired man was just smiling with his eyes, looking the most trustable men among the 3.

"h-hey im- im s-sorry, i di- didn't wan-"

you tried to apologize, to do something for yourself, with the last bit of hope you still had. but your mumbling turned into a scream as the white haired man puts the last bit of pressure, breaking a bone in your palm. you screamed bloody as your shoulders were shaking from pain and fear, while Fushiguro was still holding your head. the sound of your bone breaking got lost between your screaming and you couldn't sense your palm anymore.

after a good amount of crying, he backs off and finally leaves your palm alone, as the two other start to get away too. the light is into your eyes again and you turn around, putting your knees in your stomach and hugging yourself, the trail of your bloody palm creating a pattern on the ground. you sobbed as you heard noises from the background. turning your head around, you saw the white haired man holding a chain in his hands with the biggest smile, his blue eyes glowing in the most terrifying way.

TAGS:

[rayroseu]

Now that I think about it, maybe the reason why Malleus' Magic is so powerful, because before he was born he was copiously sustained with powerful magicians like Meleanor, Maleficia, and Lilia.

The egg is born through love but only through magic can that egg finally hatch (that's where Lilia exhausted his magic). Maybe a fae's power is determined to how much magic can their parents "exhaust" in making them born(?).

So, essentially, His magic consists of the magic of powerful mages.

1) Meleanor (as his biological mother),

2) Maleficia (her magic was life support while he was incubated),

and 3) Lilia (who hatched him).

So when we fight Malleus, we are not just simply fighting "Malleus" himself, but rather a lethal culmination of Meleanor, Maleficia, and Lilia's raw power.

That's why it feels so impossible to defeat him because we're essentially fighting three powerful magicians at once, it's just in the form of "Malleus Draconia."

All these magicians have high-profile powerful magic, and all of them are faes too. I often assumed that Malleus was rich in magic because he's a Draconia but no, Meleanor used her full magical strength as well but the story didn't showcase her casting some world altering magic like stopping time and encasing human souls inside a magical barrier— Only Malleus did...

Maybe there's really no person who can defeat him as STYX theorizes... Not even Maleficia. While its true she's powerful, but based on this interpretation, she can fight Malleus, but fighting Malleus is also the same as fighting her magic, mixed with Meleanor's and Lilia's (and Levan's even though we don't know how powerful he is).

Levan is Malleus' father but so far the story doesn't imply nor mention any significant magical contribution he did to Malleus. The only thing mentioned in the story about Levan's influence was that Malleus is a kind/gentle person because of him.

I like to interpret he's powerful too! So maybe, its not just Meleanor, Maleficia, Lilia, but also Levan.... if he got the chance to bless Eggmalleus some magic before he lost. So its actually FIVE HIGH CLASS MAGICIANS were fighting against if we fight Malleus ☠️☠️ That's why he's truly "god-like".

I really like the fact that Malleus is undefeatable even by raw power or raw cleverness (like using technology). I know that's still going to be a big part, but its more intriguing for me to how TWST will handle stopping Malleus without obvious offense.

They'll only need to rely on one thing that humans are really great of practicing (more than faes): communication. Maybe the solution may be as simple as talking to Malleus that he needs to stop lol Because really, at this point, thats the most staple choice we have, anything else takes too much time💔😔

Not in the accusing way, but in a kind and understanding way. But, I know that's unlikely to happen knowing how "cringed" NRC is towards displaying kindness (which is often their downfall lol). But remember, the resolution at the fairy gala event? Where everyone was antagonizing the Diurnal Fairies, assuming they'll be stubborn and that they're thieves so they should take the stone without asking them, but then it turns out once they got caught and Silver talked with them apologetically and with understandingly, the Queen understood it and let the stone go...

Maybe Malleus would act like that Queen too?? After all, no one still talks with him about how "indeed, it is painful to suffer and lost, but there's merit in their existence, so we don't need to cut them out of our lives, because even those painful experiences helps us achieve our true dreams." or just a simple "You won't be alone even if Lilia passes away. I'm sure Lilia will be more happy to live his life and live it longer because he'll be remembered by Malleus even if he's just a memory now." or maybe a blunt "The world doesn't revolve around anyone, so Malleus has no rights to dictate how we should live our lives" lol

I feel like Malleus is just a person who never really thinks about other interpretations unless its been said to him... That's why I'm wishing that Book 7 resolves his overblot by not fully painting him as a "catastrophic dark fae" (like what the humans viewed Meleanor), like there'll be a balance between depicting him as a villain but also as a flawed person.

But yes I do agree that the biggest hurdle in defeating Malleus, may not just be his overpowered magic, but also his defiance in believing that he can understand humanity and humanity will understand him 😭😭

[nynyhaha]

Thinking about the way Chrollo represents apathy and passion.

When I first saw him,he gave the impression of someone who is both very serious about his occupation and on some kind of mission,and someone who just lets things happen.

The reason he seemed so enigmatic compared to other troupe members is because we couldn’t grasp what he actually values, besides obviously the spider.This whole line of his about not caring for money,glory or fame.The fact that he sells the loot soon after stealing it.

It doesn’t make sense for a thief to be this indifferent towards the treasures he steals.And while the troupe risked their lives trying to steal from the auction,when things went wrong the loot was the last thing they considered.I always wondered what happened to all the boxes at their hideout.I hope they didn’t just leave it there??But it was never the main focus,

I think he occasionally finds something that fascinates him,just to discard it afterwards.It’s almost like he tries very hard to,excuse me, “fill the emptiness inside him”,with material possessions but is painfully aware that it’s not possible.The troupe are primarily known as thieves but it seems obtaining stuff can’t be that satisfying,at least not to Chrollo. Even if he tells everyone to “just steal” in his character song.

The scarlet eyes might’ve caught his attention at some point but again,he’s very dismissive of the whole kurta theme even when Kurapika demands some response.

So I don’t believe it’s greed that drives him.In fact,he doesn’t know what drives him.

And the reason he’s able to commit all those horrible deeds is because of his disconnection with PEOPLE. Being the leader,he’s somewhat set apart from the rest of the spiders.And there are rules that put the good of the organisation before the well-being of the members.That’s supposed to prevent members from caring as much for one another.Which is tragic.

It all only started because they all cared.

How are characters humanised in hunter x hunter? Trough forming bonds with other characters.

Killua and meruem are excellent examples.Both of them grew to care more about humans in general trough meeting a particular person.

Chrollo lost someone important and that very personal grief lead him to stop caring about human lives.Not just his own,but the ones of his fellow troupe members.

Obviously it didn’t work and they still feel very strongly for each other.The whole yorknew arc focuses on those repressed feelings of camaraderie that aren’t allowed to be experienced fully as that would interfere with the Spider.Pakunoda has to break the rules if she wants to save the life of her friend.

Chrollo can’t do that because the Spider with its rules is all he has.He’s very good at “severing ties” with things like living a save life,the authorities,possibly religion,connections with other people,seeing dead bodies as something to be respected and not as objects.He’s willing to give up everything that made him who he was,but what does he have in turn? Nothing.

The Spider needs to have a purpose but it seems that purpose is lost.Chrollo is lost,all his sacrifices lead to nothing.

He doesn’t even feel hate or anger at the world.He rarely takes things personally.

I think there was some revenge based reason for murdering the kurta clan.The troupe seem like they’d have some reason,even tho it could never be good enough.

But my thesis is that Chrollo’s biggest sin isn’t greed,pride,anger or whatever.It’s apathy.

Nothing prevents him from hurting people who have nothing to do with him,therefore he does.

He’s afraid that things will start mattering again,but at the same time we see him constantly searching for that something.He is scared of it,but he really strives to strive for something so that he can break out of this indifference he feels for everything.

So maybe Hisoka will awake some of this rage buried inside and with it make Chrollo once again seem like a very distressed human.

[existentialcrisistime]

D&D: Honor Among Thieves (Xenk/Edgin) fic rec list:

These are just based on those I've read and loved so far. There are so many incredible works coming out of this new fandom that I'm sure I'll have enough recs for a second post in another month or so.

Because this turned onto a bit of a long post, the recs are below the cut.

I've marked the rating by each fic, but please do mind the tags!

Curse of the Green Hag by @moorishflower (E, 16k)

Xenk contracts a fuck-or-die curse and turns up on Edgin's doorstep for the first time since Neverwinter. Also contains an excellent cameo from Holga, a bit of bondage, Xenk's first time, and A Lot of emotions. And of course the actual smut is top tier. Already wanting to read this one again.

High Praise Indeed by enchantedsleeper (T, 3k)

Xenk stops by Holga and Edgin's cottage to find Edgin in the throes of a breakup. In the process of trying to persuade Edgin of his many worthy qualities, he accidentally reveals a little too much. Short and very sweet, with cameos from Holga and Kira. Would recommend for fans of pining idiots.

in the absence of truth by @floralprintshark (E, 13k)

Five times Ed says that he hates Xenk and one time he doesn't. Yes, a 5+1 things, but oh it's so much more than that! There are heists and hijinks, accidental asshole Edgin, uncertain and inexperienced Xenk, and a hint of polyamory between Simon and Doric, but the whole party are featured and written perfectly here. Also contains Many emotions. I sent this one to the group chat, and we were ALL screaming about it (in the best way)

Universal Glue by Korwwa (E, 10k)

A rescue mission goes wrong, and Xenk and Edgin get caught in, yes, a glue trap. The premise may sound like a crack fic, but it's definitely taken seriously, whilst still being very fun. Plus a wee bit of angst for (delicious) seasoning.

Scraping the Moss Off the Standing Stones by @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (E, 4k)

Established relationship, Xenk comes home after a long time away and Edgin takes care of him. Oh boy, this fic sure packs a lot into just 4k words, and I feel like the author just Gets how I imagine Xenk - always seen as holy or evil, but just wanting to be treated like a person. Also very hot - I'm weak for some well-written dirty talk and this is perfect.

When the well runs dry by demon_faith (G, 2k)

Part one of the Time Heals All Wounds series, which can either be read as a series or as stand-alone fics. Established relationship, Edgin is badly injured, and Xenk is unable to heal him. A classic hurt/comfort with a good bit of Edgin whump, and Xenk struggling with the reality of that.

On the edge of a blade by demon_faith (T, 3k)

Part two of the series, again established relationship. This time, Xenk gets badly hurt, and it's up to Edgin to take care of him. Heavy on both the hurt and the comfort.

lay on hands by @hauntedfalcon (E, 2k)

A getting-together/first-time fic, with a healthy dose of body worship. Xenk gets off on Edgin's metaphors. Beautifully written, and also my initial thoughts were - this is an author who sure is clued up on the names of medieval clothing/armor.

half your life (you've been hooked on death) by roundtriptojupiter (T, 2.5k)

Edgin struggles to process the events of the past six months, when Xenk turns up at his doorstep. Or, Edgin and Xenk process grief together, then kiss about it. A great exploration of Edgin's emotions, not only regarding Zia and Holga, but of the other people he may have harmed along the way.

We can burn much brighter (if we don't look back) by enchantedsleeper (T, 6k)

Xenk apprehends Forge and learns of the events that transpired at Neverwinter. Grappling with the fact that his past almost repeated itself while he was too far away to help, he encounters Edgin. Such a lovely post-movie fic, exploring just how Edgin and Xenk are processing their feelings in the wake of it.

Do you know you'll never fly alone? by MayGlenn (T, 1.2k)

Something a bit more light-hearted to end the recs list on: a fix-it of sorts, but for the poor undead guy in the post-credits scene. Xenk takes Edgin on a late night ride, to fix an issue he'd left behind, but maybe for something more also...

And that's that for now! Please do feel free to recommend your favourite D&D: Honor Among Thieves fics in return, or yell about which of these you loved the most. My comments and inbox are always open :))

And to the fic writers (and all fic writers out there), thank you so much for sharing these stories with us! You're all absolutely wonderful, talented people <3

[lockandkeyhyena]

SadboyCats Masterpost

What is SadboyCats?

SadboyCats is my main oc universe! It’s basically just me having fun with anthropomorphic cats :) there’s no set main story yet but characters all have backstories and exist in the same world/timeline.

What is this masterpost for?

To help keep people keep track of the lore and story!! SbC is my most disorganised story so here’s a way for you guys to actually know whats going on lol. This won’t be completely comprehensive of every single post i’ve ever made, but will cover the broad strokes so you can understand the characters and timeline before diving into the tag if you’re further interested!

Main Characters

Fly

Angry, sad, apathetic and kind of a dickhead, Fly is content to exist scraping by with petty thievery trying to cover his monthly rent in his shitty apartment. That is, until he thieves from the mob and is caught red-handed. Instead of killing him outright, the one in charge decides to utilise his unique talents for their own ends. Now, stuck forced to commit illegal actions for a group of cats he couldn’t give less of a shit about, all Fly cares about is not dying or going to jail.

Hercules Beetle

Self-assured, aloof, intelligent and polite, this blind mob boss is in charge of the mafia. Having inherited his position from his mother when she went to prison, Hercules believes he is wholly content with his life despite having to deal with the occasional nuisance. When he comes across Fly, he sees a unique opportunity to fix a thorn in his side and forcefully enlists his talents to the mafia.

Leroy

Relaxed, jolly and ever-vigilant, this cheerful mobster is Hercules’ second in hand. Despite outward appearances, Leroy hardly ever lets anything slip about his past and very little is known about him to those he is not close to. All that you need to know, he says, is to not get on Herc’s bad side.

Fulgur

Eccentric, impulsive, fickle and vivacious, this chaotic master thief has been a thorn in Hercules’ side for a decade, constantly stealing from him and setting his assets on fire, it seems all he wants is the blind cats’ attention. Leader of a gang of thieves, he’s always on the lookout for new recruits.

Important Side Characters

Titan Beetle

Hercules Beetle’s mother and Goliath Beetle’s widow, she has been in jail for tax evasion for the past decade and is almost ready for release.

Goliath Beetle

Hercules Beetle’s late father and former head of the mob, Goliath tragically died when he was shot in the head five times by an unknown assailant.

Ruth Martha

Freelance detective and close personal friend of Titan Beetle, Ruth was the detective first assigned to the Goliath Beetle case back in the day.

Heather Martha

Cheeky, optimistic and friendly, Heather may not approve of her best friend Hercules’ lifestyle, but that doesn’t stop her from caring about him.

All Other Characters

Main Story

Fly, having been caught thieving from the mob, is thrown into a new dangerous lifestyle and enlisted by Hercules and Leroy as a double agent to try and take down Fulgur’s gang of thieves from the inside.

Hercules, dealing with the fact that his mother has just been released from prison and back into his life, tries to distract himself from painful memories by investing in a new project- a way to take down his arch nemesis Fulgur for good.

Curious about my characters? Feel free to go through their tag or shoot me an ask about them! I’m always happy to talk!

[kiss-theggoat]

(Shuffles up to you nervously) hi I was wondering if it would be ok to request a billy Lenz fix where the reader actually has a pet pig, also your my favorite writer 🙂

A/N: Two things! One, sorry for my inactivity! I was away on a trip. Two! Thanks so much for the suggestion and thank you so much for the kind words. I decided to expand your request and do different slashers with different kinds of pets!! I hope that’s okay and I really hope you like it!

Slashers With Your Pets

Slashers Included: Billy Lenz, Michael Meyers, Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger

Billy Lenz:

If you have a….

Cat, Billy is a cat man. He loooves cats, they’re so warm and cuddly, but they also understand boundaries and the need to be alone sometimes. The only thing he might not enjoy about cats is the fact that some can be timid around loud noises, which immediately means they’re timid around Billy.

Dog, Billy is less of a dog person. He thinks that dogs can be overwhelming in their attention, especially if one jumps on him or barks at him. He likes the gentle giant dogs, golden retrievers that just lay down and don’t do anything. But, if you have a little dog that barks at everything that moves, expect Billy to be very unhappy.

Reptile or Invert, BILLY HATES SNAKES. If you bring a snake or tarantula or lizard or scorpion into the house, Billy is not going to want you near him. The only reptile or invert I could see him being okay with would be a leopard gecko type. Something smaller and less active.

Farm Animal, if you had pigs, horses, or cows, something like that, Billy would probably be vulgar about how they smelled. Of course, if you owned a pig, he’d call it is little piggy. You could definitely convince him to help out with the animals, especially the pigs or cows. He thinks the cows are cute, and wants to spend time with the little piggies.

Michael Meyers

If you have a….

Cat, Michael likes cats. He understands them, they understand him. He likes to be left alone, they like to be left alone. They get along great. But, if you catch him petting your cat on the couch or inviting it up into his lap, don’t mention anything. He’ll be embarrassed that you caught him in a vulnerable time. He’ll never admit to liking your furry friend.

Dog, Michael actually really likes dogs. He likes big scary looking dogs, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Cane corsos, those types. Because even though they’re scary, they’re well trained and methodical, just like him. If you have a big dog, expect to peel around the corner and catch Michael giving it a pat on the head or a belly rub every once in a while.

Reptile or Invert, Michael could care less. They don’t do anything, so he doesn’t feel the need to pay attention to them. If you have a big lizard or something, he might be a little hesitant to touch it or go near it, but other than that, he walks by the tank without a second thought.

Farm Animal, Michael really doesn’t enjoy farm animals. They smell, require a lot of care, and make a lot of noise. They sort of cramp his style, and he doesn’t understand why the hell you’d want to take care of them.

Jason Voorhees:

If you have a…

Cat, Jason likes your cat because you like your cat, but overall, he’d really prefer an animal that shows him more affection. He wants something that wants to be near him all the time, not something he has to force to be near him.

Dog, Jason would love your dog. He would probably be a little timid at first, but after him and your dog got close, they’d be thick as thieves. They’d go out in the woods and play fetch together, Jason would carry the pup around no matter how big or small. He would adore your dog, and your dog would adore him.

Reptile or Invert, Jason would be a little scared of a tarantula or a lizard or a snake. He would probably be interested in them and try to like them because you liked them, but when it came to handling or feeding, that would definitely be your job.

Farm animal, if you had some farm animals, Jason would welcome them with open arms on his camp. He’d probably be the most open to horses or cows, but would like to see you so caring. Seeing you put in the work to take care of something so time consuming would be a really endearing trait.

Freddy Krueger

If you had a…

Cat, Freddy doesn’t like. Freddy isn’t a cat guy, he’s not into all the cuddling and the meowing and the fur. Heaven forbid your cat tear a thread from his sweater, he might just bust a vein in his forehead from holding in his angry yells. His kind of cat would be the one in the corner that hisses at everyone.

Dog, he only likes very certain dogs. He’s okay with dogs that mind their own business. Ones that just hang out in the other room and don’t bug him. If you had a dog that jumped up on him or barked at him, he would hate it. Or, his least favorite kind, tiny dogs with high pitched barks. Don’t even get him started.

Reptile or Invert, Freddy thinks they’re cool. I think he’d like lizards the most, like if you had an iguana or a bearded dragon, he’d hang out with it next to him, just chilling. If you owned a tarantula or a scorpion or any other invert, he’d be interested in it, often asking to feed it and handle it if possible.

Farm animal, no. Don’t ask. Don’t even propose the idea. Stinky, loud, annoying. He hates farm animals unless they are on his plate as a juicy steak or a nice burger. He might be able to tolerate it if you ride or own horses, but other than that, he’s really not into it.

[gooddaykate]

My Heart Seeks Yours

Poe Dameron x fem! reader

Summary: You and Poe were best friends. You confessed your feelings for him and he rejected you. After running away and spending years apart, you are reunited when he joins the Resistance.

Author's Note: Nothing, really... it's angsty. Actually I lied, there is one warning, and that's the fact that this may never be finished. So it may be an angsty cliffhanger forever, sorry. Also? Bless @its-the-darkest-timeline for liking my question of if this was even wanted- thanks bb

cross-posted on ao3

not my GIF

Growing up on Yavin 4 with Poe Dameron had made you wild.

Running spice on Kajimi with Poe Dameron had made you reckless.

Working your way up to Colonel in the Resistance without Poe Dameron had made you disciplined. And you had done it all on your own. You had left Poe in the Thieves’ Quarter one night without a word and hadn’t looked back. If your heart yearned for someone you knew you couldn’t have, well, that was nobody’s business.

It had been years since you had seen or even heard about Poe. And frankly, that was fine by you.  It didn’t mean you thought about him any less, but one could dream.

Someone cleared their throat and broke you out of your  thoughts. You looked up from your datapad to see Lieutenant Connix. “Colonel, the General has requested an audience. There is a new squadron of recruits from the New Republic.”

“Pilots?” you asked her with a sigh.

Kaydel smirked back at you. “Pilots.”

The General looked up from the reports she was focused on when you entered high command.

“Oh, good, I’m glad you’re here. I’m sure the Lieutenant filled you in on the new squadron. I want you to take them under your wing. Particularly their leader. He is rash, but passionate. We could certainly use some passion.”

“Yes, General.”

She sent a soft  smile your way. “How many times do I have to tell you to call me Leia, dear?”

“One more time, ma’am.”

Her eyebrows raised, but she continued with another soft smile and a shake of her head. “The commander is a phenomenal pilot. I’ve heard he might even be better than you, Colonel.”

You huffed out a laugh, “We’ll see about that, ma’am.”

She hummed and reached out to pat your arm. “I’m sure you will. He’s the son of Shara Bey.”

Dread settled in your stomach. “Shara Bey? Really.” Your voice cracked in the middle of her name, but Leia didn’t mention it.

“Oh, yes. I’m sure you know she led the defense on Naboo and helped my brother with a Jedi errand before she retired. I think she actually settled on your home planet.”

“Ah, yes ma’am. Yavin 4. I knew Mrs. Dameron before… you know. We were neighbors. She’s who taught me to fly.”

Leia’s eyes lit up. “Then you know Poe already. Sometimes the galaxy feels much smaller than it is, doesn’t it?”

“It certainly can.” 

“Well, enjoy this little reunion.” With a wave of her hand, she dismissed you to the flight deck.

Faced with seeing the man who once knew you best, your mind was in a panic. The memories of the night you left had been on a constant loop since Leia had said he was here.

He had come into your room gushing about one of the other runners- the leader’s daughter. 

“She’s incredible. She really is. I think I could probably love her.”

Any time Poe would speak to you about Zorii, your stomach tied up in knots, and this time was no exception. You had come to terms that he might mean more to you than friends, but in that moment, you actually felt your heart break.

You plastered on your best smile, even though you knew he’d be able to see right through it.

“Good for you, bud. Do you know how she feels?”

His eyes were narrowed and he gave you a skeptical look. “I know she likes me.”

Your breath caught in your throat but you powered through. You gave his arm a light punch. “How could she not? You’re Poe kriffing Dameron!”

“What’s wrong?”

With your best noncommittal shrug, you got up from your bed that the two of you were sitting on. “Why would something be wrong, Poe?”

“I don’t know, why would something be wrong?”

You scoffed, but refused to turn around and met his eyes. “I don’t know what you’re getting at, Poe.”

Poe was quiet for a moment longer. It made you startle when he put his hand on your shoulder because you hadn’t heard him get up. “You can talk to me about whatever’s going on, Bug. I can help you with whatever it is.”

A sad smile crossed your face, and Poe’s eyes became concerned. “Not with this, bud. You can’t help with this.”

“Bug, come on. You’re worrying me. You know I can fix anything.”

“Well, don’t worry.” You shrugged his hand off your shoulder and still hadn’t met his eyes. “What makes you so sure I even want you to help, Poe? There’s a reason I haven’t told you about it.”

“I- We tell each other everything, though. Are you- are you in some sort of trouble? Is it Zeva?”

“Maker, alive. No, Poe, I am not in any sort of trouble with Zeva or anyone else. I just don’t want to talk about it.”

He ducked his head enough that you were forced to make eye contact with him. “Bug, I’m worried because I care. Please, just talk to me.”

“You care,” you scoffed back at him.

“Of course I care!” Poe was pleading with you, now, his dark eyes vulnerable.  “You’ve been my best friend since we were kids.”

He put his hands on your shoulders and dragged you forward so that he could rest his forehead on yours. He stood there quiet for a moment with his eyes closed. “You mean everything to me.”

“You’ll look at me differently, Poe. I know you will. And I never want that to happen,” you whispered back.

A single tear fell down your cheek as he pulled his face away from yours. “Talk to me, sweetheart. Nothing could ever come between the two of us.” He swiped the tear away with his thumb and said your name, your real name, with such tenderness that your resolve broke.

“You aren’t mine… but sometimes I pretend you wish you were. I pretend that you secretly want me, too. I regularly forget that it’s something I’ve made up, that you don’t want me. That you aren’t mine.”

“I don’t-”

“I’m in love with you, Poe,” you said plainly. “I have been since we were kids.” More tears were falling, now, and you were helpless to stop them. “Maker, why do you think I followed you to Kajimi? Do you really think I want to be here? That I want to be a criminal?”

Poe dropped his hands and took a step back. “But I thought-”

“But it’s never me. You never see me.”

“Bug, that’s not- I can’t just- I have to- because Zorii-”

He looked panicked, and you turned so you wouldn’t have to face him anymore.

When Poe still didn’t say anything, your shoulders fell even more. “I think maybe you should leave, Poe,” you whispered.

You heard him take a step forward, and you knew that if you turned around, he’d have a hand out reaching for you. “Can I-”

“Please go.”

“Bug, please.”

Poe’s voice sounded as tortured as you felt, but you just wanted to cry in peace. Maybe his rejection would feel less painful, then. “Poe, please leave.”

You heard his hand drop and he sighed. “Okay.” Your door opened and it was quiet again. “Promise me something?”

And because it was Poe asking, you couldn’t help but oblige. You turned your head so he knew you were listening.

“Promise me the next time I see you, we’ll talk about this. There are… things to say. Things you need to know.”

“Sure, Poe.”

“I’m going to hold you to that. You mean everything to me. That will never change.”

“Okay, Poe.”

The room was quiet for a moment longer and you could feel his eyes on the back of your neck. Only when he closed the door behind him did you collapse in on yourself. You curled yourself into a ball and cried for what felt like a lifetime. When you couldn’t cry anymore, you straightened yourself out and got to work packing the small amount of personal belongings you had brought with you from home. If you were gone come morning, there wouldn’t be anything to talk about.

With another cursory glance around the quarters you tried to pretend were home, you headed into the frigid Kajimi weather to catch a transport shuttle to anywhere.

On the third (or maybe fourth- you don’t remember, now) transport you hopped on to disperse any trail you left behind, you met Snap. He was on his way to reunite with his mother after having been separated from her for a number of years. You didn’t want to speak to anyone, but Snap didn’t care; he did all the talking anyway. He told you about his battle droid, Mister Bones. He told you about how his parents were taken from him, and how he was going to join the rebels with her. Then his voice fell to a hush and he asked if you’d like to come with him

Just like that, you had a new home and a new best friend.

You kept your head down, for the most part, but then you did something equally brave and stupid. You got noticed. You’d noticed an anomaly in a report. And when you looked into it, you noticed it again and again, going back for several months. The closer you looked, the more malicious it seemed.

As quietly as possible, you had requested an audience with the General. Even if it ended up being nothing, you didn’t want to trust anyone else with it.

When the General promoted you all the way to major, she explained it away with a shrug of her shoulders and a “that’s what ousting a First Order spy will get you”. When she promoted you to commander and then to colonel, she only had proud tears shining in her eyes. Leia wasn’t without her moments of mischief, though, and you had a sinking feeling that she’d already known at least some of your history with Shara Bey’s son.

You were just going to have to hope he didn’t recognize you- or better yet, not even remember you.

The flight deck was a mess of bodies when you finally willed yourself down there. Snap had inserted himself somewhere in the chaos- you could hear him, but not see him. When the resistance pilots noticed your presence, it was with immediate attention. You had earned your place and their respect, and they knew it.

There were only a few voices still heard, one of which you knew to be the man you still pined after, all these years later. They caught on to the quiet relatively quickly, and when Snap saw you, he beamed.

It was like time slowed down. He was turning and any moment, your eyes would meet for the first time in years. The building smile froze on his face and his helmet clattered to the floor as soon as he saw who was standing in front of him. The two of you just looked at each other, and you could see the anger settling in his features. The rest of the people on the flight deck were watching the two of you, waiting to see what would happen. You would never put it past him to make a scene, so you opted to address the deck before he could.

You gave the new pilots your name. “I am your colonel. I have earned that rank here, so you will address me as such. The General and I may see fit to disband your current squadron and place you as individuals on other teams. Captains Pava and Wexley are your current commanding officers. We need good pilots, that is irrefutably true. We also need good people. I hope each and every one of you finds your place here,” your eyes roamed the faces in front of you, and you purposely skipped over Poe. “If you need anything, the captains or I can answer any questions you may have, as well as Vice Admiral Holdo.”

“The colonel’s really not as much of a hard-ass as she sounds,” Snap piped up from his spot near the back of the group.

Despite yourself, Snap’s joke had the beginnings of a grin starting on your face. “Thank you for that addition, Captain Wexley.” With a small shake of your head, you straightened yourself back to your rank. “Your training starts at 0500 tomorrow morning. In the meantime, the captains will show you to your new bunks,” you nodded in farewell. “Until tomorrow, everyone. May the Force be with you.”

Again, you refused to meet Poe’s eyes. You’d made it most of the way down the corridor while he called out both your name and his nickname for you, and when you still didn’t stop for him, he yelled out, “Colonel!” Your body stopped and your heart clenched. But you could do this. You were a colonel in the resistance, for maker’s sake. You could face the man you… 

You turned toward him jogging to reach you. “How can I help you?”

Poe’s eyes were dark with emotion. “Really? That’s all you have to say to me? You owe me a conversation and you know it.”

“I’m a busy woman, so by all means, say what you need to say.”

“You left. You promised me- but then you just left. I was going to- You deserved to know. But you left me. I didn’t even know you were alive.”

“You could have asked Kes. I’m sure he knew. Our fathers never could keep secrets from each other.”

There were tears gathering in Poe’s eyes, and you made yourself look anywhere but at him so you wouldn’t give away your own heart.

“Why did you leave me behind, Bug?” he whispered.

“I didn’t belong there. We both knew that.”

“If you weren’t happy, you should have told me!” his voice rose in volume until it echoed around the deck. You took a step toward him with your hand raised, trying to get him to keep his tone lowered.

“Oh, yes, and we would have gone home and you would have resented me for taking away your adventure!” you hissed.

Poe’s eyes were sad when you looked back up at him. “I never would have resented you. You meant everything to me,” he shifted on his feet and looked down. “You still do.”

“Maybe so, but I couldn’t stay. And I’m not really sure you wanted me there, either, seeing as you had your budding romance.”

He scoffed and looked away from you, his jaw shifting. “Zorii had nothing to do with anything. If you’d’ve stayed, you would have known that.” He sighed your name and reached for you, like no time had passed between you. You let him hold your hand, his fingers tracing the lines of your palm. His voice was quiet when he spoke again. “Did you ever- did you think of me?”

Your body shuttered out a sob, not able to hold it in anymore, and he continued. “I thought of you- every moment of every day. I prayed to every god I knew of that you were safe. That you were alive. Maker, I died that day, knowing you’d left me. And that I was the reason you’d gone.” His eyes were misty when he looked up from where his fingers still traced your hand. “I’ve missed you. I missed you like my soul was ripped from my body. Like I’ve lost you in every single lifetime. And knowing it was because you didn’t know, because I had never thought to hope. It was torture, Bug.”

When he reached up to brush a tear from your face, another sob tore from you.

“Please,” you whispered. “Please just let me be. I wouldn’t survive a second time.”

Poe’s hand was still holding yours and his eyes were pleading with you to listen and understand him. “There is no pretending. I love you. I loved you then and I love you now. I will love you until I die, and if there is life after that, I will love you then, too.”

Your breath was coming out in short gasps, unable to find purchase in your lungs. Everything you’d ever desperately dreamed of hearing from him, all the hope you’d ever poured into the unrequited love for your best friend. But you couldn’t do this again. You had snuffed out the hope in yourself, and you wouldn’t let yourself be dragged back in.

So when he asked, with all the love you’d ever hoped to be returned to you shining in his eyes, “do you think you could ever love me again?”, you would never forget the pain, the heartbreak clear as day on his face as you responded. “Of course I could, and I hate myself for it."

[bookishbrewer]

Jax & the Tumblr Sexyman phenomenon - an opinion piece:

This is just my opinion. I may be misremembering, misunderstanding things. I'd love to have a civil discussion + be corrected if necessary.

So, The Amazing Digital Circus released it's 2nd episode and the reception was overall very positive. The episode was written very well and tackled sensitive subject matter such as existentialism, friendship, guilt, denial & abandonment with as much grace as possible within the limits of the story.

All of that being said, there was a new controversy in the horizon: the portrayal & arc of Jax.

In the pilot, Jax is portrayed as, well - a douchebag:

When Pomni first arrived, he essentially encouraged her existential crisis, mocked her for freaking out & made fun of her (in addition to making fun of the rest of the gang).

He broke Gangle's comedy mask, as she was crying over it being broken.

He uses Zooble's arm as a scratching stick (& gets choked for it, good for Zoobie).

He disregards Zooble being dismembered & taken away by the gloinks (even as they're literally screaming in agony as they're being taken away by hostile NPCs).

He (maybe) put centepides in Ragatha's room, even though it is "literally her only fear".

He deserts both Pomni & Ragatha immediately as they find out Kaufmo has been abstracted (Pomni is new & still horrified & he may know about the pain that glitching can cause to Ragatha if she's caught by Abstracted!Kaufmo).

He throws a bowling ball at Kinger after he lies to him about Kaufmo's mental state (which may especially worry him both because he is losing his own mind & because he may have lost someone to abstraction before, namely Queenie). Causing the 3 of them to fall down the "Zooble hole".

Allows & disregards Zooble being consumed by the Gloink Queen (right after refusing to help them because they were "rude").

He pushes Gangle after mockingly suggesting that she goes first.

He tells Zooble to shut up. For really no reason (after being rude & dismissive of them the entire day).

Mocks Kinger for not "even being relied on to abstract".

Moving on to episode 2:

After one of the mannequins gets run over by a truck Jax exclaims: "oh, violence!".

Jax wants to shoot the thief!NPCs "until they're unrecognizable" and shouts at Gangle for being uncomfortable with the idea.

He throws Pomni (who's on her first out-of-circus adventure) out of the truck.

He calls Gangle "submissive & agreeable" (I mean, it's funny. But still kind of a douche move, given how sensitive she is).

He blackmails Gangle over "the figurine thing" so she does what he wants (ram into the thieves' trunk because "it'll be epic").

He hints that Ragatha's hair looks like licorice in front of a candy-eating fudge monster.

Jax is later seem distraught over the fact that there was no "big final battle, bloodshed, chaos".

He left the kingdom's gates open so that there will be carnage in the candy kingdom anyway (even though he won't even be there to witness it. Sadistic a-hole xD).

He doesn't attend Kaufmo's funeral

So, in conclusion: Jax is an a-hole (to quote Pomni).

But, the fandom was incredibly, well, surprised. A lot of fans immediately latched onto Jax, shoving him into the "bad boy" in need of "fixing" archetype. Obviously, tons of ships started (FunnyBunny, RibBun, Jagatha, KingRabbit, ClownBunny etc), headcanons about him "actually being a sweetheart", Human!Fanart and much more.

Now, I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with being huge fans of barely developed characters & creating headcanons while waiting for more canon appearances, but that isn't the only thing that happened.

Besides comments like these:

There was also outright backlash against Gooseworx, including alledging she "retconned" Jax in accordance to the fandom's reaction to him (when in reality she predicted the backlash & divide over Jax over a half a year ago):

in addition to essentially blaming her for "Sexyman-bait".

Now yes, Jax does fit the bill of a "Tumblr Sexyman": tall, thin, douchebag, chaotic, sarcastic, cynical, implied to have deeper lore, shipped with just about anyone (well, maybe besides Bubble, wait... WAI-) & I'm sure there's other stuff that I missed. He even has his own Sexypedia page (which I didn't even know was it's own website but hurray! Research!).

He can definitely join the ranks of (reads from scrapped paper): The Ouncler, Bill Cypher, Sans Undertale, a lotta vivziepop characters (no shade!) & others.

But honestly, I think fans need to ACTIVELY try to pretend Jax was portrayed as anything else but a meanspirited jerk.

One of the most popular theories I saw is that Jax was in Kaufmo's funeral, but out of sight, even though we had 2 outward shots of the funeral, and Jax was nowhere to be seen:

Their basis for this theory? This:

That's right. A 2 second snap shot of Jax (still) looking salty & then leaving. You remember how this happened before? RIGHT BEFORE THE VERY SAME EPISODE?? Fans thought that this:

Was going to be some sort of "angsty" or "character development" scene, and even went so far as to theorize that this episode may be a "Jax Episode".

But then we found out the reason:

Not enough violence.

Jax's character essentially reminds me of a 13 year old with a copy of any GTA game, enjoying the freedom to destroy property & NPCs as he pleases through the limitlessness of a sandbox high-quality game. That's who he's actually meant to be, at least from my understanding of it.

I think Jax is a great SUBVERSION of the Tumblr Sexyman trope: he isn't some "bad boy" (shoo, Nifty, SHOO!), he's just, well. An a-hole. If my memory serves me right, Gooseworx did refer to Jax as "chaotic evil". Meaning: characters who are driven by their own desires and will do anything to achieve their goals, often disregarding laws, ethics, and the rights of others. They revel in chaos and destruction for their own sake. Though, granted, he was also discribed as a "troubled individual" about which the audience will learn more of. Also, he's 22. While technically an adult, he's still very young.

To conclude, I think fans of the "Tumblr Sexyman" trope/characters are really reaching with Jax, and it sometimes escalates way too much (to the point both the creator & VA are involved). I don't think Jax was written to be another "bad but sad boy" (if you'd pardon the Owl House reference), but I do think he's going to be interesting to watch unfold.

I understand that some people love their tropes, but let us all be mindful of each other as fans & casual viewers, and of the creator & team.

Thank you for reading 🙏

[aikoiya]

LoZ - The Gerudo's Dark Past

I wonder if the theory that the Gerudo stole away Hylian men might actually have some degree of truth to it. After all, if the Hylians really were as bad as a lot of fans seem to think, then it's unlikely that many Hylian men would've actually consented to sexual relations with a Gerudo. (Like, I'm sure that there were some, but not so many as to be sustainable.)

I mean, a Sheikah Stone says that the Gerudo sometimes come to Castle Town in search of boyfriends, but it never says if they manage to succeed.

Which could've resulted in drastic measures needing to be made for the sake of their own continued existence as a people. Which would likely only further perpetuate Gerudo hate amongst the Hylians.

And in the Japanese text, the wording used was that they go to Castle Town to "go hunting for boys."

This is supported by the fact that a number of men in OoT's Castle Town reacted with open, visceral terror at the mere sight of the Gerudo Mask rather than the expected derision of basic racism. And this was before Ganondorf made his move.

This suggests a more clinical case of Gerudophobia, which would suggest Categorism as a Phobia. And while the game seemed to specifically Play it for Laughs (if only to avoid crossing more over into an R rating), as a fan, I don't have to follow those same restraints & am free to deconstruct the tropes, thus Playing them for Drama & Horror by examining how someone could reasonably develop such a phobia.

Hell, unexpectedly, Darunia literally yells out that he hates Gerudo despite the Gorons likely being almost entirely unaffected by the Gerudo. And the Zora King said that the sight of a Gerudo gave him chills. This implies that the Gerudo might've actually done something very bad, to the point where even the leaders of races unthreatened by them have a negative view of them. However, the fact that the common Gorons & Zoras don't seem to react at all beyond simple recognition implies that whatever it was they might've done wasn't something that affected the Gorons & Zoras directly.

And it can't simply be thievery either unless that thievery was more so burglary or mugging, possibly even resulting in death, & even then, I can't help but think that this would more so result in wariness & avoidance.

However, the Gerudo were also canonically regarded as noble thieves that only steal to maintain their lifestyle. Which suggests that whatever they did, they likely saw it as a necessity. However, this isn't as clear of an indication of them being as blameless as some might want to believe because you can excuse a lot by putting it under the umbrella of "necessary." And there really isn't a lot more necessary for a tribe of all women than having access to men to reproduce with. By whatever means necessary in fact.

There's also the fact that when Kid Link is caught by the Gerudo, they throw him off a sheer cliff into a fast-moving river. Yet, when they catch Teen Link, they instead throw him down a hole, into a cell. Then there's the fact that the Gerudo Fortress had 6 rather large cells at least. Why would the Gerudo need so many large cells if they didn't use them?

I just think there's more to the hostilities between the Gerudo & Hylians of past games than simple "Oooh, the Hylians were racist oppressors." Like, I'm not saying that they weren't racist (Heaven knows that there's a lot of evidence of Hyrule having done a lot of bad things), just that I think that there was more too it. Because just simplifying it down to simple racism on the part of the Hylians & that the Gerudo were completely innocent/did nothing wrong or that Hyrule's oppression made anything that the Gerudo did automatically justified feels… one-sided. Too straightforward. Way too binary.

Especially when you consider how frankly misandristic the Gerudo are even today. Ya'll, they have an entire sexually segregated settlement where men aren't allowed.

The fuck is that fair? Let alone necessary. I mean, if the Gerudo are as boss-ass bitch as the fandom thinks, then they should have nothing to fear from Hylian men.

This suggests that it isn't for their own protection. If anything, there's evidence to suggest that it might be based almost entirely on a mix of superstition & tradition.

Further, it appears that any young Vai that's born outside of Gerudo Town is expected to move to Gerudo Town at 3-5 & not interact with males at all until 18. This includes cutting off ties with their own fathers.

We don't even know what would happen if a family refused to send their daughter away or if that daughter refused to leave. Whether due to not wanting to leave her family or her best friend who happens to be a boy.

In fact, their misandry goes so far that they'll automatically jail any man that enters Gerudo Town without allowing them a chance to explain themselves. And it is unclear if the knowledge that said man is married to or the father of a resident Gerudo would give him any leeway.

However, the fact that they didn't even think to ask suggests that maybe they wouldn't. Like, you'd think that'd be the sort of thing you'd ask a man in this situation. "State your name, whether or not you're here visiting family, & if so, their names." How hard is that? So, either the guards on duty that day were new, had forgotten protocol, male family members visiting wasn't something that typically happened, or there wasn't a protocol for that they. And even in the case of the last one, whether or not the reason was that this didn't happen often enough for there to be a protocol or because they didn't trust men enough to give them that courtesy.

And even then, that just leads to more questions because if it's that male family members didn't visit often enough for there to be a precedent for a protocol like that, then that suggests either 1) shitty, negligent dads, 2) dad had been told not to come & for whatever reason, Wabbin's the only one who cared enough/put in the effort to disobey, meaning all the other ones are either spineless betas or don't give a fuck, 3) the Gerudo often have one-night stands & none of the sires care enough about their own daughters to put in the effort, ergo shitty dads again, 4) one-night stands again, but this time, the Gerudo don't even have the decency to even tell the man that she's pregnant with his daughter, 5) the father's dead & can't come, & I'm sure that there's more but I can't think of them off the top of my head right now. And regardless of the particulars, it seems to suggest that one side of the equation is either absentee, a coward, unaware, or dead, or the other just doesn't want their man there or never told him.

Either way, someone's not walking out of this situation looking good.

Which, I'm not sure which answer I'd prefer.

And that's not even getting into just how very badly this sort of tradition must be for the Gerudo as a people. They are likely extremely developmentally & socially stunted. As shown here:

There's also evidence to suggest that these prejudices may have existed even all-the-way back in OoT.

Which shows that, even if it's been over 10,000 years since OoT, some things might still be lingering.

Not to mention how badly this sort of tradition must've screwed up Ganondorf & every other Gerudo male in the past. Like, holy cow, just think about that for a minute. How that would've actually felt like if you were in his situation growing up.

I just... to me, that sounds like a very special kinda hell...

Not to mention the fact that in OoT, a Sheikah Stone said this.

Which... yeah, that worries me... Like, a lot...

All I'm saying is, please acknowledge that the Gerudo are a people. Which means that they are going to have prejudices & they are going to have cultural practices that aren't going to be okay. They might do things that are bad or even downright evil.

But this doesn't make them all evil by default, just a work-in-progress just like every other culture.

But, honestly, if they were to, say, build up Kara Kara Bazaar into a full-on market town where the Gerudo's husbands lived & worked. Then, allowed the little vai to go on day trips there to interact with their fathers, brothers (step, half, or adopted), male cousins, male friends that lived there, or even just allowed correspondence (which I'm not sure if we know they allow), then I'd have much fewer issues with the Gerudo having a female-only town for themselves.

LoZ Cultural Masterlist 2

[lanawinterscigarettes]

Greetings, I hope you're having a great day. If it's okay I'd like to request a Whittaker!master x reader. Where the reader is travelling with the Doctor and while wondering the reader catches the master trying to steal a Red Crystal from the leader of the planet. The reader tries to stop them but the master takes the crystal and talks about the power it holds and how it can make the target fall in love with the holder. They then begin to say "Losing you is blue, like I'd never known. Missing you was dark gray, all alone.Forget the doctor, Somebody you never met. Loving me is red, Loving me is red Oh, red Burning red" and the reader just sees Burning red in their their head as the power takes over their mind.. (Another Taylor swift reference)

Have an amazing day.

okay believe it or not this actually tops the lavender haze idea imo, it's so amazing! I hope you enjoy what I was able to come up with ❤

Burning Red (Whittaker! Master x reader)

Warnings: the Master makes someone tiny with her TCE (effectively killing them), drugging/temporary blindness via a magic crystal, mild swearing

The Doctor always told you not to wander off whenever you and him landed on some sort of alien planet, but you very rarely listened. Take now, for example, when you decided to explore the exact same place he'd told you not to.

"What's in that building over there?" You'd asked him curiously as you studied it, figuring it to be a temple of sorts.

"It's where the planet's leader lives. It also houses a very ancient piece of crystal native to the cave systems around here," he explained while looking around. "It'd be best not to go in. The people here can be very protective to what belongs to them, and they don't take kindly to those they assume to be thieves."

Nodding in understanding, you made it seem like you were listening when in fact you weren't. The second his back was turned, you slipped away, making a beeline for the building that lie up ahead.

If you thought the architecture was gorgeous on the outside, it was even more incredible within. You were so caught up gazing at the interior in wonder you almost didn't catch the conversation that was being held in a room down the hall.

The voices got louder the farther you crept down the hall. The closer you got, the more you realized you recognized one of them.

"I- I can give you money! However much you want!" The first voice cried, presumably belonging to the planet's leader.

"I don't care how much it's worth," the Master snapped as she pointed her TCE at the leader of the planet. "If I cared about money, I'd just collapse your economic system and set up a new one that made me rich."

The leader trembled in fear as they watched her. "Please, you don't understand just how important it is-" Their words were cut short as the sight of you standing in the doorway caught their eye.

The Master turned to see what they were staring at, her scowl transforming into a flirtatious smile. "Why, hello, my dear," she purred as her eyes looked you up and down. "What a coincidence meeting you here."

"Leave them alone, Master. They didn't do anything to you," you spoke in the firmest tone you could muster, something that caused her to laugh.

"Oh, how cute. No." You noticed she was clutching a bright red crystal in her other hand, the same one the leader was begging her not to take. "I'm leaving with this crystal, and neither one of you is going to stop me."

The leader went to lunge at her suddenly, trying to catch her off guard, but she merely sighed and shot a blast from her TCE at them. You let out a gasp in horror as you watched at how they were shrunken down, being killed instantly.

"Don't think I won't do the same thing to you," the Master warned lowly, her words clearly meant to be taken as a warning (even if she was bluffing).

"You didn't have to do that, Master. They didn't have to die." She scoffed at you in annoyance, prompting you to try again. "What do you need that stupid crystal for so badly that it caused you to kill an innocent person for it?"

"This, my dear, is no ordinary crystal," she sneered at you. "It holds quite a bit of power within it. In fact, it can make whoever's in possession of it fall in love with them, just like that." She looked pretty smug, though the sound of your mocking laughter wiped the smirk off her face.

"That itty bitty thing can make someone fall in love with whoever's holding it? Yeah, right." You said with an eye roll, clearly unimpressed.

The Master glared at you. "Laugh all you want, my dear, but soon you'll see for yourself just how incredible this crystal is."

You watched as she pulled out an old, weathered looking scroll from her pocket and unraveled it, reading from it while holding the crystal. "Losing you is blue, like I've never known. Missing you was dark gray, all alone. Forget the Doctor, somebody you never met-"

Narrowing your eyes in suspicion, a frown formed on your face as you asked, "What are you doing?" A strange feeling overcame you as she ignored you, continuing to read.

"-loving me is red, loving me is red. Oh, burning red-" The Master had an evil grin on her face as she watched how disoriented you were becoming from the effects of the crystal.

"What... what did you do to me?..." You slurred out in frustration, stumbling around while your vision began to blur.

"I'm just showing you the full effects of the crystal, dear. That's all," she explained casually with a slight shrug as though it were obvious, pocketing both the crystal and the scroll.

"You wanted to drug me, that's why you needed that damn crystal so bad," you accused while shooting her a dirty look. "Because you knew I'd never betray the Doctor for you. You had to use magic to cheat because you knew I'd never love you otherwise."

Her face hardened at your words. It was true, but she'd never openly admit that. "Well, it doesn't matter my reasoning for it now, does it? You're already doomed to succumb to the powers of a shiny rock because of the spell I used to activate it. I came up with it myself, you know."

As much as you wanted to tackle her and wipe that smug look off her face, you couldn't, as it was becoming more and more difficult for you to see due to a bright red color overtaking your sight. "I- I can't see-" You said in a panic, trying to feel around for something to grab onto.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic." You felt the Master's hands grab you and pull you in close. Despite your best attempts to wiggle free, it wasn't easy when you couldn't see anything. Still, that didn't mean you were going to give up just like that.

"I have to get back to the Doctor" seemed to be your last coherent thought before you passed out in her arms. When you woke back up, you were on the Master's TARDIS. Your vision was still tinted red, but it wasn't nearly as bad as before.

"Hello, my dear," she greeted warmly while sitting in an armchair beside the bed you'd been placed in. "How are you feeling?"

The only thing you had on your mind now was her, any thoughts regarding the Doctor long gone. You reached your hands out towards her, mumbling out tiredly, "Master... I love you, Master. I love you."

She chuckled at the sudden display of affection, rising from her seat and making her way over to you. "You're adorable," she cooed in an almost condescending manner as she sat down next to you, allowing you to cling to her. "You love me? Wonderful. I'm so glad."

Likes < reblogs | comments are greatly appreciated <3

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[blueberrypancakesworld]

Jasper - The first encounter

Jasper x fem!reader

warning : angst, some comfort, blood

Summary : A major in the army, a celebrated hero for his young age. Actually long since retired and moving from town to town, he meets a young woman in distress in the dark of night. But he is not a shining hero when blood stains his unofrom.

masterlist

~~~~~~~~~~

°The civil war that divided sides and left hundreds of thousands dead by gunfire. A war that left an entire nation in fear for the future. Not knowing if they would survive

°In every town, no matter how small or large, people spoke of it as the result of politics and strife. But in such chaos there was also something else. It was the remnant of horror.

°It was not the horror of war, nor was it politics or nightmares. It was the accumulation of a spread in the landscape that only showed itself after. A plague that also struck a young man, a young soldier who had served in the army to defend his country.

°The wanderer after the war who tried to come to terms with what he had experienced. In the desolate and barren landscape that surrounded him. Which was always too around him until he reached the next town. The towns that always welcomed a war hero until he moved on.

°But he was always friendly and full of charm, almost like a helper in need. She, the simple daughter of the town's corn farmer, knew that too. She still remembered the blond well. His typical accent, the clean and neat uniform. The curly hair and the small smile on his lips.

°He had been the saviour of their family, had caught the thieves and brought them to justice. In return, they had had him with them for a few days, but that had been weeks ago. Weeks in which these creatures of the night appeared and disappeared more and more in the surrounding area. Even the prostitutes remained in the light of the lanterns.

°No one seemed to know what was happening and yet, despite all the resentment, they were still outside the city. The goods delivery had taken longer and although she could have slept in a hotel, she wanted to get home quickly. As she knew, there was always a lot to do on the farm and with a sickly father and a dead mother, work was always difficult.

°A fact that, however, at such a late hour as she herself found out, slowly became her undoing. The further she drove her horse with the empty trailer behind her, the darker it seemed to get. The sun seemed to disappear with every gallop of the horse. Seemed to flee from her.

°,,Come on, old boy," she murmured to the horse which only snorted as she rode it on towards her town. Knowing the dangers of darkness, fear of something happening appeared in her eyes. Because enough people from her village had already disappeared.

°Just as she was about to turn at a fork in the road to reach her destination, she heard the crack of an old branch. The horse jerked back and its rider also looked around worriedly. An animal, perhaps she thought to herself and was about to drive her horse further when it whinnied. Suddenly a young woman was standing in the middle of the clearing.

°She seemed to be almost a child because of the light she couldn't quite tell. ,,Everything all right?" she dared to ask and gripped the reins of her horse tighter. She knew about the dangers of the night and the danger of robbers on the prowl. But the younger one did not answer, instead looking at her with red eyes. Red demonic-looking eyes.

°Eyes that were not normal and she knew they came from these creatures. The creatures that left their victims bloodless or sometimes tore them apart. She was about to give her horse its ears and ride full speed ahead of the woman when a frightened whinny came from her horse.

°Before she could react, she was lying with her horse on the hard ground and felt something warm and sticky wetting her feet. Shocked and terrified, she realised that the girl had torn her horse to shreds. With an inhuman force.

°The blood that clung to her was that of the animal and she seemed to be stuck under the pile of blood, intestines and flesh. As she tried to break free, fearful pleading sounds escaped her lips and became a scream as she gripped her pistol and fired. At the moment of firing, the girl lunged at her.

°The bullet hit her but she did not mind. She did not bleed and was completely unharmed. The moment seemed to be in slow motion. The girl rushed at her, the shot and the bullet did nothing and the red of her eyes continued to fix her.

°,,That's enough," she heard a familiar voice just a blink of an eye later. The voice of a young man she knew. Before the girl was torn away from her, a breeze whizzed past her, seemingly slower than the blonde. She saw Jasper put the girl in a stranglehold before snapping her neck with a loud crack. Before he severed her head in one move.

°An action that made the human woman cringe. Would he do the same to her now? It was clear that he was not human, at least not any more. The eyes too golden to be normal. ,,Ma'm...all is well...you are safe" she heard him say quietly almost too quietly as he slowly made his way towards her.

°The gold in his eyes seemed to flash in the moonlight as he caught the scent of the animal's blood before suddenly the heavy shreds of flesh were lifted from her. Blood now stained his perfect unifrom as he looked at the blood as if possessed. Before he turned his golden eyes on her again and held his bloodied hand out to her. Did it make a difference? Her own was bloodstained and nothing else would. Because at that moment there seemed to be only him and her. Just the two of them.

°,,Thank you...Jasper" she murmured and felt his deathly cold hand lightly squeeze hers and pull her up. ,,Always," he murmured and the two stood facing each other for a moment before he seemed to feel something. Gripping her hand tighter he looked around.

°He seemed to be looking for something before he said, ,,Stay with me, I promise they won't hurt you," and gave her a gentle but ice-cold death kiss on the back of her hand. Before the two were swallowed up by the seemingly eternal steppe and the night blurred their tracks.

°Everything that had happened seemed completely irrelevant to her - her previous life was completely insignificant. After the first kiss of death, it was the bite that made her no longer a victim of the creatures but an enemy. The two of them would make this century one of the bloodiest ever. Because they had each other. They had a purpose. They had finally found love in death.

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@lucansmina , @paranormalfool ,@palomam18 ,@kedamonomonoligh ,@iloveslasher

[unrinconmas]

Skyrim's intro is perhaps the most misunderstood and confusing intro to any video game. Ten years later, a lot of players are still trying to figure out why the game starts with you heading north from Cyrodiil into Skyrim with a prisoner that should have been heading south out of Skyrim. Well, here are the facts and hopefully this will make things clearer! Ulfric was ambushed in Darkwater Crossing which is near Windhelm. He was then transported to Cyrodiil, likely for a trial in the Imperial City, the road south of Helgen is the only border crossing to Cyrodiil. A couple of letters during the Civil War questline reveal that the Pale Pass is closed and inaccessible due to an avalanche, this is also the excuse Bethesda uses to explain why the Stormcloaks are able to hold off the Empire, the Empire can't get reinforcements as the letters state. So Tullius makes the decision to return to Helgen which is an imperial outpost, he knows the Stormcloaks are coming for Ulfric so the safest solution is to kill him while they can to end the war swiftly. The Dragonborn gets caught sneaking past a closed border into a war zone, the decision to execute the Dragonborn isn't very surprising, you can hear the imperial captain trying to act quickly. Alduin appears in Helgen because of the time wound on top of High Hrothgar which is very close by, he is not summoned by the Dragonborn or by Lokir's stupid prayer, he is actually summoned because Ulfric fulfilled the prophecy of the Dragonborn when he murdered the king. Bethesda tried to make this clear by giving you the Book of the Dragonborn in the torture chamber in Helgen so that should be the very first book you find and hopefully read. "When misrule takes its place at the eight corners of the world When the Brass Tower walks and Time is reshaped When the thrice-blessed fail and the Red Tower trembles When the Dragonborn Ruler loses his throne, and the White Tower falls When the Snow Tower lies sundered, kingless, bleeding The World-Eater wakes, and the Wheel turns upon the Last Dragonborn." This prophecy is brilliant as it ties together the previous Elder Scrolls games. Misrule: imperial battle mage Jagar Tharn used illusion magic to disguise himself as the imprisoned Uriel Septim VII. Several wars followed due to this. Brass tower: represents Numidium and the genocide of Altmer as the Aldmeri Dominion was brought down in the second era. Thrice blessed: was the tribunal, Almalexia, Sotha Sil and Vivec, Red Tower of course is the Red Mountain, the giant volcano you see from Solstheim. Dragonborn Ruler: the end of the Septim bloodline (play Oblivion), White tower represents the White Gold Tower in the imperial city Snow Tower: represents the throat of the world where the time wound is, but also the center of Skyrim which now lies “sundered, kingless, bleeding” why? Because of Ulfric, why did Ulfric kill the high king and fulfill the prophecy? Because of the Talos ban, and why did that happen? Look back to the Brass Tower. All the pieces fall into place! World eater of course is Alduin, the Wheel is Aurbis and the Last Dragonborn is some cat that leads a bunch of thieves and is married to a lizard, or whatever you make of your Dragonborn. Finally, the reason the Seal of Akatosh (or as some people call it, Empire logo or even Skyrim logo) has a missing piece of the wing, is to illustrate that it is an old book. Yes, Skyrim's main cover is the Book of the Dragonborn, you really should have read it your first time around. I hope this clarifies things.

The Drunken Orc