#the focus however is not on the act of violence which opens the play‚ but on the reactions of the local populace: Dunbar's journo decides

[mariocki]

Play for Today: The Cry (BBC, 1984)

"It's best forgotten about."

"You're not gonna be making a complaint?"

"Complaints? We're not making any complaints! We don't want to know about any complaints."

"Complaints against who?"

"Well, the police."

"Who should I complain to about the police?"

"Well, the police, I suppose."

"What good would that do me?"

[arlana-likes-to-write]

Family

This story may contain themes that could be triggering.

Summary: When you save the life of the son of the Scarlett Witch and the Black Widow, your life is changed forever. For the first time in a long time you are given a family. 

Warning: domestic violence, age difference relationship, rape, gun violence, injuries, miscarriage, manipulation, mention of suicide, DNI unless 18+ 

Word count: 5.6k 

Sometimes you just acted. You didn’t think you just did. So when you were walking on your way to work you saw a young boy run out into the middle of the road, chasing after a ball and the car coming right for him wasn’t stopping, you acted. “Tommy,” You heard a woman yell. You ran to the boy, picking him up in your arms and changing your molecular makeup. The car passed through you and him You brought him back to the sidewalk and as soon as you set him down he became solid. 

“Are you okay?” You asked. His eyes grew wide as he stared at you. 

“Tommy,” you moved out of the way as a woman with auburn hair pulled him into a hug. “What did I say about not leaving the sidewalk?” You assumed the woman was his mother. 

“Sorry Mom,” he said. “I dropped the toy Uncle Tony got me.” A redhead and another young boy joined the duo. You recognized the redhead right away. Natasha Romanoff. The Black Widow. 

“Are you okay, kid?” She asked Tommy. He nodded and hugged the redhead. You looked at the other woman and you were staring into the green eyes of Wanda Maximoff. 

“Thank you,” she said to you. “I don’t think we could ever repay you.” You blushed at the compliment, scratching the back of your head. 

“Don’t worry about it,” you said. “I was at the right place at the right time.” You knelt in front of the two boys. “Now don’t go playing in the road anymore, okay?” You ruffled their hair. “I won’t be there to save you.” Tommy smiled. 

“Thank you,” he said. You smiled, straightening up. 

“Wait,” Natasha said, stopping you before you walked away. “At least tell us your name.” You introduced yourself. 

“Bye,” you waved, continuing on your way to work. 

*

“You're famous!” Your co-worker, Emilia, said as soon as you walked into the back room. You clocked in and put on your apron. You worked at a 24hr diner. It paid decently and the hours were flexible so you could still go to school. 

“What are you talking about?” You asked. She rushed over to you, her phone open to Twitter. Someone took a video of you saving Tommy and put it on social media. Needless to say, the video blew up. You groaned, placing your face in your hands. 

“You should read some of these comments,” Emilia said, scrolling through her phone. “I could break a lot of people’s hearts and tell them your 16.” 

“Gross,” you mumbled, walking into the kitchen. You heard Emilia close behind as you made yourself a coffee. 

“How does it feel saving the kid of the Black Widow and Scarlet Witch?” You didn’t answer. “Were they hot?” 

“You know I wasn’t looking,” you said, blowing on the cup before taking a much-needed sip. “I was a little focused on not making sure their son didn’t get killed.” You rolled your eyes. 

“I bet they have a Mommy and Daddy kink,” you scrunch your nose.

“You are just as bad as half the people online,” you said. “Come on, we have work to do.” You tried to focus on your duties at the diner; cleaning tables, taking orders, and helping in the kitchen when needed, instead of what happened today. But the universe had other plans. Someone online found where you worked and shared it with the entire world. The diner was packed which was a blessing and a curse. The day flew by and you were leaving with a lot of tips in your pocket. However, you were exhausted since everyone that stepped through the diner wanted to meet and talk to you. They asked you questions about your powers, if you received something for saving him, were your parents proud, did they offer you a spot on the Avenger team. By the end of the day, you collapsed onto your bed thankfully you had the day off tomorrow. 

*

It wasn’t as busy when you came in but you immediately saw the Romanoff-Maximoff family with 2 Avengers you didn’t recognize. You smiled as you walked up to the table. “Staying out of trouble?” You asked the boys. They gasped, turning around in their chairs. 

“I don’t know you worked here,” Tommy said, standing up to hug you. You were surprised by that. But you gave him a quick hug back. 

“That’s probably because I didn’t tell you,” you tapped his nose which caused him to scrunch it. Natasha introduced you to her sister, Yelena, and her girlfriend, Kate. 

“You're the one that saved my nephew,” Yelena said. Her deep Russian accent surprised you. You nodded. “That’s pretty cool.”

“Thank you?” You didn’t mean for it to sound like a question. Wanda chuckled. “Anyways, can I get you guys started with drinks?” You didn’t mean to hover around their table and it wasn’t 100% your fault. Tommy and his brother, Billy, liked to talk your ear off no matter how many times Wanda told them you had other tables to attend to. But you waved her off, saying it was fine. Besides, their colorful imagination was making your shift fly by. 

Until the bell went off signaling another customer entered the diner. You looked up out of instinct and almost dropped Kate’s pancakes. It was Jason, your on-again-off-again boyfriend, and housemate. He held the door open for an older couple as his eyes looked for you. It wasn’t hard to find you but you didn’t like the way his eyes screamed that he was upset with you. When he came in he liked you to only have him as your only table. He was best friends with the owner so he could get away with anything. Natasha said your name and you were surprised to see real concern in her green eyes. “Are you okay?” She asked. 

“Yeah,” you put on your best customer service smile but she didn’t seem convinced. “Does everything look good?” A chorus of ‘yes’ and ‘looks good’ echoed from the table. “Perfect! I’ll leave you to it. Let me know if you need anything. Enjoy!” You brought back the empty tray to the kitchen before making your way to Jason’s usual spot, trying to calm your raising heartbeat. 

*

It didn’t take a Black Widow spy or an Avenger to notice the change in your demeanor. Natasha watched as you walked over to a man, who had to be twice your age. You were blocking his face but Natasha didn’t like the way he was talking to you. She couldn’t hear the conversation but your shoulders were hunched over, drawing more into yourself. ‘Don’t cause a scene,’ Wanda said, placing a hand on her leg. ‘I don’t like it either.’ Natasha began to eat. The food was always good here but now it tasted bitter. 

‘What do we do?’ The Black Widow asked. It took a minute for Wanda to reply as you came back to ask how the food was and if they needed anything. Yelena asked for more hot sauce. You were smiling, laughing at a joke Tommy said but it wasn’t as light. Natasha stole a glance at the man and he was staring at you as if he owned you like you were a possession. It made Natasha’s blood boil. He caught her eyes and quickly looked away. 

‘We’ll leave her our number,’ Wanda said. ‘If she needs help she can call us.’ Natasha didn’t like it. She wanted to do more but what else could they do when they had no idea what was going on?    

*

“Here you go,” Natasha passed you the check. “Food and service were amazing as always,” you felt your cheeks heat up at the compliment. 

“Feel free to relax here there is no need to rush out but it was nice seeing you all again,” you said your goodbyes, not leaving the table without getting a hug from the twins. You went to finish cashing them out and you stopped in your tracks. Not because of the very large tip they left you but there was a note. 

‘We are a phone call away if you need anything and I mean anything. -Natasha. Her phone number was at the end. You put that copy in your pocket and continued as you normally would, ignoring Jason’s eyes burning a hole in your back. 

*

“You disgust me,” Jason said, throwing you against the wall. You whimpered as you hit your head. Stars formed across your vision. “After everything I’ve done for you, this is how you repay me.”

“Baby,” you pleaded with him. “It wasn’t like that.” He twisted his hand in your hair, pulling you close. 

“Flirting with a married woman twice your age,” he pulled your hair. Another whimper left your lips. “You are a slut.” He threw you against the wooden table. It broke underneath your weight and the force he threw you. “You think you're a big-time hero, now. That you're better than all of us.” You shook your head, tears falling down your cheeks. He kicked you in the stomach so hard you were pushed against the couch. 

“Jason, stop, please,” you pleaded with him grabbing onto his leg. 

“You don’t get to tell me to stop,” he yelled. “You are mine. I own you.” 

*

You woke up in the apartment alone and with your pants off. Everything ached and there was a light pounding in your skull. Jason was no doubt at a bar. You needed to get out of here. Finding your pants was easy but a sharp cramp in your stomach made you crumble to the ground. Finding some strength, you redressed yourself, found your phone, and walked out of the apartment. You weren’t sure where you were walking to. Your feet moved as your mind was in a haze. There was no place you could go. You were an only child whose parents died during the Blip. The friends you did have moved out of the city or were your co-workers from the dinner but you didn’t want them to see you like this. You sat down on a nearby bench. The pain was becoming all-consuming. You needed help. You unlocked your phone and stared at the recent contact added - Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, an Avenger. Did you want to drag them into this mess? Another shooting pain passed through your stomach as you listened to the phone ring. Maybe she wouldn’t answer and you would have to find a place to sleep tonight. “Hello? Who is this?” She answered on the third ring. 

“N-Natasha,” you stuttered out. 

“Y/n? Is that you?” You nodded, knowing well she couldn’t see you. “What’s wrong?”

“I need help,” you cried. “I-I d-don’t have anyone else to call. I’m sorry. I-” Your lungs began to hurt, you couldn’t get enough air. 

“Hey, sh dorogoy,” Natasha whispered. “Where are you? Wanda and I will come to get you.” You heard rustling on her side of the phone.

“I don’t know,” you told her. “I left my apartment and just walked.” A sharp pain ran through you and gasped. “Everything hurts, Nat,” you cried. 

“We will be right there, okay? Just stay right there and use your powers to keep yourself safe.” She told you. “I’m going to stay on the phone with you.” 

“Okay,” your voice was slurred. “I’m sleepy.” You found yourself laying down on the bench. 

“I know you are but you have to stay awake for me. Can you do that?” She asked. “Talk to me. Tell me about yourself.” You hummed. 

“I’m an only child. My parents are dead and I have a tattoo on my spine. I-”

*

Natasha was listening as she paced her kitchen waiting for FRIDAY to trace the call. She heard three sets of footsteps coming down the stairs, one set much quicker than the other two. “Anything?” Wanda asked. The Black Widow shook her head. 

“FRIDAY is still looking for her,” she heard Yelena yawn behind Wanda. 

“Why did you wake us up?” Her sister asked. 

“You can go back to bed but we need to watch the boys if they wake up,” Wanda explained. 

“Is this about the girl who saved Tommy?” Kate asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Natasha nodded. 

“I found her,” the AI said. “The location has been sent to your car’s GPS. She is 30 minutes.” 

“Sweetheart,” Natasha said to you. “We will be there in 30 minutes.” You hummed. 

“Nat,” Yelena said. The redhead looked back at her sister. “Keep us updated.” She nodded and followed her wife to the car. Wanda was already in the driver's seat. It was Natasha’s idea to get their place, close enough to the new Avenger tower but in a nice neighborhood for the twins to grow up in. The only thing Wanda wanted was a big kitchen, the rest was up to the Black Widow. Buying a house cemented the fact this was real to Natasha. She was married, raising two brilliant boys, and retired from active missions. Wanda grabbed her hand, squeezing it. She squeezed it back. She hoped they made it to you in time. 

*  

Natasha saw your still body laying on the bench and she was out of the car before Wanda could put the car in park. She hung up and ran over to you, kneeling next to you. “Hey sweetie,” she whispered. Wanda moved next to her. Your eyes fluttered open. A smile on your face. 

“You came,” you whispered. Natasha’s heart shattered. 

“Yeah, we did,” Wanda smiled. “Let’s get you someplace safe.” You nodded, sitting up and Natasha watched you try to hide the wince. “Can you stand?” You nodded again but when you stood up you collapsed, a pained cry leaving your lips. Natasha caught you in her arms. 

“I got you,” your head fell on her shoulder, whimpering as you squeezed your eyes closed. Natasha didn’t miss the red flash in Wanda’s eyes. She only imagined what was going on inside your head. 

“I’m sorry,” you mumbled. “So sorry.” 

“You do not need to apologize,” the Black Widow said. “I’m going to lift you, okay?” She felt you nod against her skin. She was surprised at how light you were in her arms. 

“Nat,” Wanda whispered as they walked back to the car. The witch opened the backseat and the redhead gently lay you down. She closed the door. “She’s bleeding.” Natasha looked at her hands and they were tainted red with your blood. 

“We’ll bring her to the tower,” Natasha ran to the other side of the car and got in next to you. She shifted so your head could rest in her lap. 

“FRIDAY,” Wanda said to the AI. “Inform Cho we are headed to the tower with a civilian that needs immediate medical attention.” You whimpered. 

“You're going to be okay,” the Black Widow whispered. You shook your head. 

“I’m sorry,” Natasha watched your eyes flutter close, frowning. You kept muttering apologies as you succumbed to the darkness. 

*

It took a lot for Natasha to let go of you to hand over to Helen and the medical team. She quickly went to the hallway bathroom to wash the blood off. The water turned a light pink. It was part of her job to be surrounded by blood but the sight of your blood on her hands caused her body to heat up with anger. She left the bathroom and found her wife sitting in the empty chairs in the hallway. “The boys are still asleep,” she said as the redhead sat down. “Yelena said she’ll get them ready for school so we can stay.” Natasha nodded, resting her head on the wall. She felt Wanda move her fingers through hers. “It had to be the man from the diner, right?” 

“Maybe,” she whispered. They knew nothing about you. The internet seemed to be in love with you for saving Tommy but they didn’t know who you were or what you were a part of. 

“I’ll kill him,” Wanda threatened. Natasha saw the tips of her fingers glow red. 

“Easy little witch,” She mumbled, kissing the side of her head. “Let’s find out what happened first.” The glow died down. It felt like an eternity before Helen walked out of your room and towards the couple. “Is she okay?” Natasha asked, standing up. 

“She will be,” Helen said. “She has 2 broken ribs, a possible concussion, and wood splinters that we had to remove from her arm. She was raped too we did a test,” she sighed, resting her hand on her chin. “Do you know how old she is?” The couple looked at each other shaking their heads. You were a few years older than the twins but not at Kate’s age. That meant you were between 14-18. 

“Helen, what’s going on?” The doctor bit her lip. 

“She was pregnant,” Natasha’s blood ran cold. “Whatever happened to her caused her to miscarriage.” 

“How-how far along was she?” Wanda asked. 

“I’m guessing 2 months,” Helen answered. “She’s asleep now. You can go see her and let me know if she needs anything.” They said their thank yous to the doctor and ventured into your room. It was quiet besides the gentle beeping of the heart monitor you were attached to. Natasha didn’t like how still you were beside the gentle rise and fall of your chest. They sat on either side of the bed. 

“She’s just a kid, Tash,” Wanda said, brushing some hair out of your face. You didn’t move. 

“I know, baby,” Natasha remembered you telling her that your parents were dead. Did you have anyone else? “We’ll be here for her.” 

*

You woke up slowly. The bright lights overhead caused you to groan. “Sweetheart,” you turned your head towards Natasha’s voice. There was a smile on her face, almost motherly. “Hi, how are you feeling?” 

“Water,” you whispered. Your throat felt raw and uncomfortable. Natasha brought a cup of water to your lips. You drank all of the water finding relief. “Thank you,” she put the cup down. 

“Of course,” you sat up, wincing as you moved but you couldn’t look at Natasha. 

“I don’t want to talk about it,” you saw her nod her head out of the corner of your eye. 

“That’s fine,” she said. “But there are some things we need to talk about regarding your health. We can wait for Wanda if you want,” you nodded.“Hey,” you felt her fingers on your arm. “We are here for you, okay? And whatever happened is not your fault.”

“Okay,” you whispered but you didn’t believe her. It wasn’t long before Wanda returned with a doctor behind her. She introduced herself as Helen and she went over the list of your injuries; broken ribs, a mild concussion, and wood splinters in your arms. 

“Now, I have to tell you something that may be hard to hear,” you didn’t like her tone. “You were pregnant for about 2 months but due to the nature of your injuries you had a miscarriage.” You felt the color drain from your face. Pregnant. You were pregnant. You moved your hand over your stomach. Your periods were always irregular so nothing seemed wrong. You weren’t sure what was happening around you. The world around you turned to white noise. You were pregnant, probably with Jason’s child but you made him angry. 

“Sweetheart,” you snapped to look at Wanda. She looked worried. “You're safe here. Do you know who the father was?” She asked. You hesitated but nodded. You weren’t 100% sure if it was Jason’s. 

“Was he the one that did this to you?” Natasha hesitantly asked. 

“It was my fault,” you defended him. “He loves me. He didn’t mean to hurt me.” Wanda whispered your name but you couldn’t look at her. Tears were blurring your vision. 

“This isn’t love.” 

“Yes it is,” you said. “He loves me and it was my fault -” 

“Sweetheart,” Natasha touched your arm but you flinched from her. Her face fell. 

“I think I want to be alone,” you told them. The couple glanced at each other, having a silent conversation. “Please.”

“Okay, we know this is a lot,” Wanda said, standing up. “We’ll come back later.” You didn’t acknowledge them as they left your room. You felt cold, so immensely cold, as your fingers danced around your stomach and each injury he gave you. Oh, how you wished your mom and dad were here. You missed your mom’s hugs and the scent that always seemed to calm you down or your dad’s corny jokes that brought a smile to your face. You angrily whipped the tears that fell. The worst part of them being gone, you didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. 

*

To your surprise, Wanda and Natasha kept their promise and visited when they could. Their visits ended up being one-sided conversations - mostly them trying to get information on what happened. They asked for your age, Jason’s name and age, and if he worked at the diner. But you remained quiet. Too ashamed to tell them the truth about him. They weren’t deterred by your stand-offish behavior, it somehow made them more determined to make you feel comfortable around them. Rather it was Wanda, Natasha, or both of them, they brought you something. A blanket to keep you warm, books and magazines for you to read, and Tommy’s old DS to keep you entertained. They even contacted your school to explain your situation and collect your missing schoolwork. 

It was odd, you had to admit, having people care about you. It didn’t make sense. What did you do to deserve their kindness? You were nobody compared to them. So why were they being so nice?  

On a sunny afternoon, the couple snuck in a milkshake and french fries for you to snack on. You were sipping on the chocolate milkshake while Wanda was reading and Natasha looked over a mission report. “I’m 16,” you said to them, breaking the silence. “Technically speaking I was a part of the population that was blipped so I don’t know how that affects my age,” you put your drink down. “During those 5 years, my parents died; my mom from cancer and my dad from suicide. Jason gave me a place to live and food and loved me when I was alone.” 

“How old were you when you met Jason?” Natasha asked. 

“15,” your voice was barely above a whisper. “He was 25.” You began to play with the loose threads of the blanket they brought you. 

“Is this the first time he’s hit you?” Your instinct was to lie like you did with Emilia and everyone else at the diner but it seemed like it was a bad idea to lie to two Avengers. 

“No,” you whispered. “But this was the worst. He was mad at me and kept saying it was my fault.”

“What did he say that you did?” You felt your face burn as you remembered why he was upset. “You don’t have to tell us,” Natasha added quickly. 

“He was..” Protective. Jealous. “Territorial,” you said. “He didn’t like me talking or flirting with other people. That was a lot of our fights and I stayed because I have nowhere else to go,” you sighed. “I bet you think I’m so stupid.” 

“No,” Wanda took your hand in hers. “You are not stupid. He took advantage of you,” you whipped away the tears that fell with your free hand. “You are not alone. We are here.” 

“And we aren’t going anywhere.”

*

When Helen cleared you Natasha and Wanda offered you a room with them. It took a lot of convincing but you moved in with them. Jason all but disappeared. He wasn’t there when you got the few possessions from the apartment and you overheard Natasha and Wanda in the kitchen one night that they still couldn’t find him. As you lived in the Romanoff-Maximoff household you all forgot about him. You forgot what this type of love felt like not having it since you were taken from your family. Wanda made sure all of your homework was done by the time dinner was ready. Natasha seemed to have food on her and she would pass you snacks. She even got you to join her on some of your runs. 

It had been 4 months since you moved in with them. “Do you want us to see if Yelena or Kate can come over?” Wanda asked. The twins were playing video games in the living room and you were making a small snack for you and the boys. The couple had to go to the tower for a quick meeting. Although they were retired from active meetings they still help to provide insight. They didn’t like leaving you at home. 

“We’ll be fine,” Tommy said. 

“Besides Y/n is here,” Billy added. You rolled your eyes as Natasha walked over to you, stealing a grape from the plate. You glared at her. 

“Are you sure you’ll be fine?” She asked you. You nodded. 

“Yes, you said it will be a quick meeting,” you put the extra fruit back in the fridge. “And when you get back you can bitch about how the meeting should have been an email.” Natasha gasped. 

“Language,” you smiled, bringing the fruit plate into the living room. 

“We know the rules. Don’t worry about us,” you sat on the couch, your feet tucked underneath you, and opened the book you were currently reading. 

“Text us if anything happens,” Wanda kissed the twins’ forehead and you were surprised as she kissed yours. 

“Bye Mom,” the boys said. You smiled as they left the house. As the door closed Tommy let out a heavy sigh. 

“They worry so much.” He said. 

“They just care about you,” you defended, not looking up from your book. 

“They care about you too,” Billy said. You glanced at the boy and he was looking at you with a smile. You smiled back and went back to reading. 

*

You weren’t sure how long it was but Natasha and Wanda were still not home when the doorbell rang. You looked at the twins but they were engrossed with their video game. “Hey, are your moms expecting someone?” Billy shrugged. 

“No clue,” the doorbell rang again. You sighed, closing your book. As you stood up a voice behind the door caused you to freeze. 

“I know you're in there, little shadow. Come out to play.”

“Billy, Tommy, go upstairs and call your moms.” Jason started to giggle at the door handle. 

“We can help,” Tommy said. They were training powers but they were still unpredictable. 

“Go!” You ordered as the front door burst open. Tommy grabbed Billy’s hand and used his super speed to bring them both upstairs. Jason stood there, a pistol in his hand and he looked like he hadn’t bathed or slept in months. You just had to keep him away from the twins and wait till Wanda and Natasha got here. 

“Hello beautiful,” he stalked over to you. “You got me in a lot of trouble.” 

“Trouble?” You questioned, taking a few steps back with your hands in the air. You wanted to keep some distance from him. “Who are you in trouble with?” He laughed, pointing the gun at you. 

“My employers,” his smile still seemed to send a chill down your spine. “Did you think I could ever willingly love you?” He asked. “You were a job, an assignment.” Your heart began to pound against your ribs. Could he hear it? You were backing up into the dining room. 

“Who wants me?” You found yourself asking. 

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “You’ll be dead and I’ll crave up those little brats for good measure,” you let out a shaky breath and lowered your hands. 

“You aren’t getting to them,” you said. “You’ll have to get through me first.”   

*

Natasha was pouring a cup of coffee for her and Wanda. They were taking a short break before finishing up. She felt arms wrap around her waist and the warmth of her wife pressed against her back. “I wanna go home.” She whined. Natasha chuckled, turning around to see Wanda’s noise pinched. She kissed it. 

“We are almost done, baby,” she handed Wanda her coffee. “I’m thinking of pizza and movie night?” Her phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and saw it was Billy. Showing Wanda the caller ID before putting the call on speaker. “Hi, bud.” 

“Mom,” he was whispering and his voice was shaky. 

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Wanda asked. 

“The bad man is here,” he whispered. They weren’t sure what he was talking about. “The bad man that hurt Y/n.” The couple dropped their coffee on the floor and sprinted towards their car. “Please hurry.” A gunshot went off and both of the boys let out a quick squeak. 

“Boys, I need you to stay right there,” Natasha said. 

“But what if she’s hurt? We can help.”

“Stay hidden. We are on our way.” 

*

Natasha felt her heart beating against her ribs as she saw their door broken down. They called out your name but you didn’t respond. The Black Widow had her gun out as she searched the bottom floor. They made it to their dining room and found a man laying on top of you. Natasha ran over, kicking the man off of you and his body slumped to the side with a bullet wound in his stomach. Your eyes were wide, hands shaking as you held the gun in your hand. “Hey sweetheart,” Natasha put her gun away. “Can I have that?” You nodded, handing her the gun. Natasha removed the magazine from the gun and put it on the ground next to her. Wanda knelt next to you and helped you sit up. Your eyes kept glancing at this still form but Wanda brought you into her arms, sliding you from the body. You were shaking in her arms. Natasha walked over to him and checked for a pulse but she shook her head when she found none. Wanda held you tighter. 

“Billy and Tommy,” you whispered. “Are they okay?” Wanda. 

“Do you want to go find them?” You nodded. Natasha sent a quick text to Sam and met her wife upstairs. You were waiting for her to emerge from their bedroom and didn’t take long for Wanda to bring out a new shirt for you. Yours had blood on it. You changed quickly, leaving the bloody shirt on the floor, and continued to the guest room. “Billy, Tommy, it’s safe.” The twins didn’t need to be told twice before they ran out of the closet and straight into you. The force knocked you to the ground. 

“You can’t do that,” Tommy said, hitting your chest. “Why do you always have to be the hero?” He cried. “We could have helped.” He kept hitting you but his hits got softer while he cried against you. 

“Hey,” Natasha said, kneeling and placing a gentle hand on his back. “I know you are feeling a lot but we need to stop hitting her.” You overcame your shock and hugged the twins tight.  

“I didn’t want you to get hurt.” You said. 

“But you're our sister,” Billy said. “We can’t lose you.” You looked at Natasha and Wanda at the term Billy called you. The couple smiled at you. They tried to convey all the emotions they were 

“I’m right here,” you said. “I’m not going anywhere, I promise.”  

*

Wanda walked out of the bathroom with a smile on her face. Her bed was full of Natasha, the twins, and you. The boys were fast asleep, cuddling against you. There was just enough space next to Natasha for her to squeeze in. “We are going to need a bigger bed if this continues to be a thing,” Wanda climbed into bed. Natasha was running her fingers through your hair. “How are you doing, sweetheart?” You shrugged. 

“I know he was bad and he would have hurt me or worse the twins but I didn’t want to kill him.” You whispered. Natasha sighed. 

“I’m sorry you had to be put in that position,” Natasha said. You nodded, closing your eyes as you enjoyed the feeling of her hand. Wanda gently nudged her wife’s shoulder, nodding her head. “About what Billy said.” Your eyes shut open. 

“Like you said there were a lot of emotions,” you shrugged again. Wanda tried to keep her powers at bay but she could feel loneliness washing over you. 

“Well, Natasha and I want to make what Billy said official.”

“I’m sorry. What?” You questioned. 

“We want to adopt you,” your jaw dropped and Wanda giggled, using her pointer finger to close your mouth. 

“Are you serious?” You asked. The couple nodded. Tears swelled in your eyes and without hesitation you jumped up and brought them into a hug. 

“Ah,” Billy gasped. 

“Is there an Earthquake?” Tommy asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. “Hey, what’s wrong?” You ended the hug and whipping the tears out of your eyes. 

“Nothing,” you said. “Just happy.” 

“Alright,” Wanda said. “We need to readjust so I don’t fall off the bed.” It was you in the middle with Tommy and Billy on either side and Natasha and Wanda still on the edge of the bed. 

“Thank you,” you whispered, eyes closed as the exhaustion of the day caught up to you. 

“No need to thank us,” Natasha whispered. 

“We are a family,” Wanda said. “We’ll keep you safe.” 

_

Part 2

[violetasteracademic]

On Mate Behavior: Elriel

So, when it comes to Azriel's mate behavior, I would say the most commonly discussed point (which I definitely agree with) to *disprove* that Azriel displays any mate behavior towards Gwyn is his overall calm demeanor and focus on Eris when the Valkyrie are kidnapped in the middle of the night and dropped into the Blood Rite.

However, there is another example that additionally highlights the lack of "mate behavior" in the bonus chapter, and I truly don't see it come up that often, though I think it is even more telling!

When he meets Gwyn's gaze, and that bloody memory of when he first "met" her (if you would like to call that their meeting) flashes, he is otherwise completely unruffled. He simply reflects on Gwyn's growth, and two seconds later, is snorting and having an easy, playful conversation.

While this certainly points to their comfortability and fun banter that they share, it does not scream *mate behavior.*

ToG and CC spoilers ahead

I think about Rowan seeing Aelin's ruined back for the first time, and being so overcome with anger at discovering the violence that had been enacted on her that he took to the skies to get control of his violent instincts:

I think of Cassian in his bonus chapter with Nesta- going into a rage as he smelled Nesta's fear while she recalled Tomas's attempted assault. He would have gone to kill him right then, I have no doubt:

I think of Ruhn hating Lidia, being sick over discovering the female he had fallen for was The Hind. And yet, when Pollux lays a hand on her, he was ready to rip out his throat for hurting Lidia. He couldn't understand how he could hate her and need her and want to kill for her at the same time:

So I do think it's interesting that in comparison to the to the other mated males who get a POV and an inside look into their heads while they reflect on trauma their mates have been through (even before knowing they are mates, which is the case in all three of these examples) they are completely unhinged. And yet we get this pointed moment where Azriel actively reflects on Gwyn's trauma, the absolute horrors that had been done to her and... nothing. A snort, and a little bit of form correction and teasing.

Meanwhile in this same book, Elain gets called boring and Azriel's shadows are like hoe who do we need to mf-ing end right tf now:

Azriel has already established that he believes the Cauldron could be wrong. While I personally disagree that there is foreshadowing to Azriel and Gwyn being mates, even in trying to give it a fair and unbiased look and say okay- could they be mates? I still wind up drawing the conclusion that even if they are, it would mean as little to Azriel as Elain's mating bond currently means to her.

I am personally super open minded about whether or not Azriel and Elain are true mates. I think a reveal that they are could be lovely. I also think them choosing each other above all, even fate, would be lovely.

But there is simply no denying that these two already have a set up plotline of questioning the Cauldron, and the only two characters *acting* like mates in this scenario are Az and Elain.

As always, I am Lucien and Gwyn positive even though I ship Elriel, so be kind in the comments! But I just really don't see how this could possibly play out any other way. Azriel has had too many on page opportunities, even from his personal POV, to display mate behavior towards Gwyn and there is nary a lick. It's just... not how a lead up to a mate reveal typically goes. So the pure, undiluted facts are that even if you think Sarah is a "fated mate" author above all, she is not treating these characters as she usually does. And that is noteworthy.

Thank you for joining me on this dissertation!

[ccspostagebox]

Okay I'm just going to dump my thoughts here on Spooky Month 6 and it's ending.

SPOILERS BELOW.

Alrighty. So. From what I can tell and what others have already said, it was implied that Father Gregor had become a sacrifice for The Eyes after the cult practically threw him to the wolves.

However, I feel like there might be one of possibly two ways this goes.

1. He's actually been killed off. (And why I think that might not be likely. I am a death denier at heart </3)

* Since Father Gregor is starting to uncover aspects of the town that may begin to unnerve some of the residents there, it would be wise of them to get rid of him to prevent backstabbing and to prevent suspicions of what's really going on behind the scenes.

* Nobody seems to really trust Father Gregor except Skid and Pump (even though they do seem rather hesitant to trust him as well, said trust likely majorly broken when Moloch was turned to stone/dust.). And, well, nobody is going to bat an eye about a guy they barely know, right? However, this can create issues as the residents may be suspicious of where the "random guy" has gone.

*I suspect The Eyes may have a bigger part for Father Gregor to play in the cult or in the town, yet I cannot begin to speculate what that role may be yet.

2. He has been...changed.

*I personally feel like some people focus on the more physical aspects of being "sacrificed" when it comes to this scene near the end. While being a sacrifice can mean being physically slaughtered or killed, it can also mean giving up something of extreme value to you or surrendering, which is more on the mental or emotional side of things. I feel like Father Gregor may have been harmed partially physically, yet had the most damage done with "sacrificing" his own faith to surrender to The Eyes. This would be evident in his expression and body language. He is looking into the face of what is practically a god himself. If you were in his position and saw a being in much higher power and control than you, tell me you would not be scared shitless. I guarantee most of us cannot claim as such.

* In his body language, he doesn't really appear to me as if he is offering himself up to be killed. It seems more like an act of peace. He knows he cannot win with any use of protest or violence like he did with the demonic possessions of Moloch using the residents. He is getting on his knees and opening his arms as a sign of peace, a sign of surrender. This man has seen the face of God, and is not going to risk anything by a simple wrong move or action. It looks to me more like a plea for mercy, a plea for The Eyes to have a speck of pity for him. Dude is fucking terrified, and he knows that his plea may go fully unanswered as he is left to be lamb to the slaughter.

*In this absolutely beautiful credits art in the ending, it depicts Father Gregor clearly reaching towards The Eyes, as if seeking for help or assistance before he is possibly brought to Moloch's underworld. The contrast of the cult being a "heaven" vs Moloch's underworld being clearly "hell" makes me wonder if The Eyes may actually decide to have mercy on Father Gregor. He has clearly been shown to have mercy on the misguided and naive (E.g. Skid and Pump.), yet also displays traits of being poor on judgement of whom to "save" (e.g. Bob Velseb), making them practically insane by the end of their run or course. The way Father Gregor has wings and reaches for The Eyes makes me think that perhaps The Eyes plans to make him a secondary leader or main spokesperson for the cult. After all, even though nobody knows him that much, would you not take a highly respected man of a God's word as the truth? Many people, especially the residents of the town, may be much more likely to give into the cult's demands after its been "approved" by a man of faith.

Of course, these are just my thoughts, nothing is concrete. We can only go off of the tidbits we are given so far.

[halastar05]

ALRIGHT JUST PLAYED ROT IN PARADISE WITH A FRIEND

So! Me and @xinnamonbun just finished playing Rot in Paradise! And obviously I have thoughts.

So spoilers/rant under cut:

…

OKAY SO EXPECTANTLY I LOVED THIS GAME!

As always with Studio Investigrave games the characters and their interactions definitely did not disappoint, there were so many funny scenes and lines of dialogue here! I love just seeing friend group shenanigans, each of the individual characters were amazing too! I especially loved June and Vonnie! All in all very fun characters I wanna learn more about (NEED TO KNOW HOW THEY MET, I feel like it was Highschool…)! I also like the way the characters get twisted by whatever curse is taking place on the island. It feels like it’s specifically turning a trait of theirs inside out. First of all, Macoy brings up early on how he really doesn’t like violence or resorting to it, however once the rot takes effect, he slaps June (And we can tell the curse is only just starting here since he does apologize and seems surprised at his own actions). The game brings up a few times how open Carmen usually is, however once the rot takes effect she becomes very closed off and refuses any help while also verbally lashing out a few times. Vonnie is admittedly a little harder to pin point, but I wanna say it’s how orderly she usually is, which then gets tossed out the window once the rot takes effect, making her much more messy and sloppy (not to mention getting a midnight snack does not seem in character for her). The rot completely twists them, making them almost unrecognizable to June.

Like always I loved the art, however it was a different style (to me it seemed closer to Rix’s art style, aka the co developer for the SIG games, but that might just be me). Trust me I still LOVED the art, especially how well the creepy scenes were done, and how goofy some of the sillier scenes were! Also was in LOVE with all the colors, especially since they could get dreary so quickly to emphasize the tone, the art at the end of the game with June specifically BROKE ME.

I did really like the story! However it admittedly was a tad confusing. I really like the metaphor of knowing when to hold on and let go of friends. I personally do think that it was mostly the rot that made them toxic, but it definitely still makes the metaphor work pretty well and really makes you feel for June. The desperation at the end, she just wants to hold on to them even if they hurt her, before having to make the horrible decision of letting go. It’s a lost cause, the survival ending is realizing that, while the death ending is holding on so hard in an attempt to salvage it that you simply drown with them. In one ending you die together, in the other you survive alone. The only thing that confuses me it the curse itself. Even though I agree that it’s not the true focus of the story and the mystery does make things a lot more tense and scary, more or so for the sake of an AU though I kinda wish I knew more TvT

But overall I did LOVE this game. Absolutely in love with this friend group as well. Also loved being able to actually play the game instead of having to use a play through for once! It was a pain to set up but god it was so much fun to play through and voice act, especially with a friend!

Alright I think that’s it now, got aus to work on-

[luckiestb]

Luckiest on Earth- Doomslayer x reader

Chapter 3: Watching from afar

Content Warnings: Canon-typical violence, the reader is kind of a stalker

You couldn’t believe it. Some enormous, armoured behemoth had just flown through the air above you. Was it a demon? It didn’t seem like a demon, since you could only assume that it was the unstoppable force that had slaughtered all the demons from before. But you couldn’t be certain, maybe it was wiping out all of the weaklings to pave the way for something more powerful?

No, that couldn’t be it. What sort of strategy was that? ‘Stupid.’ You chastised yourself, ‘If you’re that curious, why don’t you just follow it?’

That didn’t seem like a bad idea, if you weren’t already striving towards finding human life again. However, this entity has already captured your attention. Maybe this solid wall of a being was working with the rumoured camps? Even so, that’s all the camps were— rumoured. And the enigma that had already started causing carnage (in the building it had messily landed on) was right there. You could afford to make a detour: you had all the time in the world since the downfall of society.

If you were going to play detective, you had to act fast. It sounded like the demon-obliterator was already two rooms in to its spree.

You took a deep breath, adjusting your sweaty hands around your pistol and lugging your bag over your shoulders before running towards the door on the ground floor of the skyscraper. What’s the worst that could happen?

The worst was the mess. This being that you were following may have been a hellish decorator, given how it so effortlessly painted the walls with viscera. Your boots squelched and slipped over the scarlet puddles, making it difficult for you to follow the enigma silently. It didn’t seem much of an issue, though: this thing was hellbent on destroying all life in its path— and it didn’t care about being discreet. Thankfully it was easy to follow, you could hear its rampage even when it was out of your sight. Not to mention that you could focus entirely on following this enigma. You didn’t have to worry about demons when they were all turned into paste.

You noticed quite early on into your investigation that this creature didn’t look like any of the demons you had previously encountered. Its closest lookalike were the undead soldiers: it had the same tall stature (even if the soldiers were dwarfed by it); and the same capable, muscular arms that were covered by remarkably maintained, forest green armour… You weren’t checking it out, of course. You were just evaluating the potential adversary. It was what a good survivor would do.

You would have thought that it was human, if not for its insane skill. Its speed and strength were unparalleled by anything that it speedily subdued, and it showed no emotion— other than maybe rage.

It had an impressive arsenal, an array of guns and explosives that could make Swiss cheese of anything that stood in the behemoth’s way. Not that it needed it, the creature was perfectly capable of tearing demons apart with its bear hands: but if you had the opportunity, you would probably use a chainsaw, too. It added an element of fun to it— as Mary Poppins would say, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. In this case, the medicine was extreme violence and the sugar was cool weaponry.

As you wondered whether Mary Poppins would thrive in the apocalypse, the enigma had finished its clearance of the building. You halted just around the corner, watching as it pressed some buttons on its suit with routine precision. If it was a demon, which you weren’t sure anymore, it was definitely higher up in the rankings due to its use of advanced technology outside of impressive guns. A portal- a portal- opened before it, and you wouldn’t have noticed its next move if you weren’t so numbed to the impossible happening. You ducked behind the wall as it turned to glance over its shoulder, checking its work. You watch its visor scan the landscape, and you swear that you can see a pair of eyes behind the tinted glass. Beautiful, human eyes. It steps through, and you’re left with a flaming burst of hope rising in your chest.

It’s human— they are human. That motion confirmed it. No demon would take one final glance of what it had done. No demon of a high rank, anyways. Demons were all hellhounds, no matter their form. The ones of importance were trained the best, taught to only do their job and follow commands. Their minds were filled with nothing but commands, and they certainly wouldn’t look upon what they had done longer than necessary. That moment of triumph, the small moment to appreciate oneself assured you that this enigma was like you.

They were like you.

[ametrictonofaudacity]

Can you write a part 2 to your yandere joker fic?

Absolutely! Also I am so insanely flattered, I’ve never had someone ask for a part 2 before eeee

Yandere Platonic Joker x GN! reader!

Warnings: This is a yandere work, and as such contains themes of violence, abuse, manipulation and drugging. As this is the Joker, it will most likely be darker than my usual works!! Enjoy!!

You wake up with a leg that practically burns, and when you glance down, you see that your thigh had been wrapped in white gauze, which had been stained red by your own blood. It was weirdly well done for a madman. You wondered if Joker had made one of his henchmen do it.

Moving your leg makes it hurt, so much so that you gasp when the burning pain arches up your leg. You hadn’t been given any painkillers. Which wasn’t great when you had a stab wound, in an area with already existing nerve damage. You hope there isn’t any long term nerve damage, or damage to the muscles, or tendons.

“Okay. Okay just.. focus. You’ve been kidnapped by a madman who thinks you’re obsessed with him. Things could be worse.” Your voice cracks with hysteria, and you wince, shaking your head. You had to get your act together. You would prefer not to be another of the Joker’s long list of victims.

You glance around, and your stomach drops. The room is.. a room? It had clearly been outfitted from some sort of warehouse, with high ceilings and beams that crisscrossed, which made sense, you guess. Not a lot of people in Gotham would be willing to rent an apartment to the Joker.

The most damning thing, however, is the paintings, everywhere. Piled in the corner, leaned against the wall, some handing crookedly from nails. All with acidic green eyes or pale skin or a suit with the wrong colors. All yours.

You think you’re going to throw up. You don’t.

Your head snaps to the sound of a door handle, and you watch as it’s pushed open, heart racing. The old hinges shriek and groan.

“Hey! So.. what do ya think? Neat, right! Got all your paintings, right here, in a fun little gallery! Isn’t it great?!” Joker’s eyes never leave your face. You aren’t sure what it looks like, with how much pain you were in and your brain struggling to process much of anything but you feel your expression twist.

“Five out of five stars.” Your voice drips with sarcasm, and Joker laughs, a high pitched maniacal giggle that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. You two were playing a game now, you knew, and Joker knew all the rules and could change them as he pleased. “Where are we?”

“Ah, ah, ah! No trying to pry any information out of me, I learned aalll the tricks from Batsy.” He chides, practically skipping to your bedside. You want to jerk away, but moving your leg sends a rush of pain so harsh it makes your vision go white.

“I don’t think I know nearly as many tricks as Batman.” You deadpan.

“It’s okay! You’re interesting in a different way.” Joker snorts, glancing at your damaged leg to the paintings to your face. You aren’t sure what he sees. “Although I don’t know why you would be talking to Batsy.”

He sounds almost.. jealous? Giddy? You can’t place it, and you don’t want to, and you measure your words carefully before you speak. Joker was a time bomb, almost literally, and any little thing could set him off.

“I never actually talked to him. He and the baby bats just stalked me for a while when you broke out of Arkham.”

“Hmph. Wants to keep you all to himself, now that not fair.” He huffs, and he slings an arm around you, pulling you close. The sudden movement jolts your leg, and the ragged gasp it tears from you practically echoes in the air.

You try not to freeze when you see the unhinged light in his eyes. You don’t think you manage.

“Did you ever talk to Batsy?” The sudden change in topic is.. discomforting, and you shake your head. You can’t think of anything to say.

“He showed up in your sketchbook a lot. All heroic poses and big shadows, it was so boring, really. I’m a much better subject to draw, don’t you think?”

His hand lands on the white bandages, and then he presses down.

You howl in pain, going to twist away, but he is deceptively strong, and keeps you there, even as you kick at him and try to pry his hand off your wound.

“Yes! You’re better to draw!” You gasp out, and he stops, grinning. You’d think that the bandage would be redder, or damaged. It isn’t.

“Good! I don’t like sharing my besties.” He laughs, and hums, glancing at your face. You’re shaking, and pale, you know. “It does suck your hurt though. We can’t do anything fun until you’re healed.” He huffs, sprawling back and dragging you with him.

“APPARENTLY we’re going to have postpone the trip to Ace Chemicals.” He huffs. “I was so looking forward to it, too.”

Your heart drops into your stomach, leaden. Ace Chemicals. Birthplace of the Joker, of Harley Quinn. A toxic cesspit of chemical waste and madness.

“I’m sure we can find something to pass the time. Now! Why don’t we get to painting, yeah? You’ve got a whole studio!”

Joker hops up, and when you take the paint brush from him, it’s already dripping with a toxic green. You paint, numbly, not really paying attention.

You would have to escape before your leg healed. Or Joker won his game.

[dontyouworrydaddy]

Burn the world for you

Ellie Williams x f! reader

summary: You and Ellie had an argument before you left for a mission. But you never return which causes Ellie to worry…

warning: violence, kidnapping, blood/gore, injuries

Part 2

“Look at me Ellie!” you scream at her. You don’t get it. Why is she acting so difficult lately? She doesn’t look at you. You’re about to leave and try to find some supplies. And Ellie is causing so much drama.

“Y/N I told you to stay! ” she finally answers looking frustrated. You see her hand playing with the bracelet you made her. You look down at your watch sitting on your wrist. 10 minutes before you have to leave “I have to go. I‘ll be back in 3 hours. Then we can talk about whatever is worrying you so much.” you tell her calmly. Before she even gets the chance to respond, you already left. You still don’t understand why she is so overprotective all of a sudden.

It’s not like you‘re doing this for the first time. And it’s not like you’re weak. Quite the opposite. You’re one of the best haunters and fighter. Your fighting skills are beyond awesome but your hearing is getting weak. After standing near a bomb you lost 20 percent of your hearing. It definitely got difficult especially when you’re alone. Sometimes you hear a clicker too late but your reaction time always saves your ass. You never tell Ellie about this. She would never let you go on your own ever again. She is too afraid to loose you too. And you understand her. But she also needs to understand that you’re used to working alone and it’s difficult to focus on a mission and some else.

However, you get everything you need ready and leave the town. The storm is picking up causing you to see less than you expected.

As you arrive at your destination you take your horse inside of the building and close the huge doors behind you. You take out your torch and your gear and start your adventure.

But everything is too quiet which is a bit too unusual. I mean lucky you but you don’t really believe in luck. All your life, you have been unlucky. Life don’t want you to be happy.

You carefully go down the hallway of the building and to your luck there really wasn’t anything. As you enter the room to your left you see a man sitting on a chair and he doesn’t look any familiar.

“Good night, Y/N” this man says and before you can react you feel something hit the back of your head and you fall down.

The last thing you see is many people gathering above you before everything turns black.

˚ ༘✶ ⋆｡˚ ⁀➷

ELLIE‘S POV

“What do you mean she didn’t return? It’s been 7 fucking hours! She would leave a message or something” I can’t believe it. I knew something like this would happen. I fucking knew it.

The gates suddenly open and we can see 2 of our men riding inside with one horse. Y/N‘s horse. And they don’t look happy.

I jog over to them and wait for them to talk.

“No sign of Y/N” they look afraid. “There was blood. We found her gun but she wasn’t there”

There is no way. I don’t waste any more time and grab my gear before Maria stops me. “Ellie, we don’t know where she is. She might be de-”

I interrupt her immediately. “Don’t you dare… finish that sentence. She is alive and waiting for me to come and get her.” I take a big breath “And I will find her”

˚ ༘✶ ⋆｡˚ ⁀➷

3RD PERSON

As you slowly wake up you immediately taste the metal taste in your mouth. And soon feel your head hurt like a bitch.

You open your eyes slowly and see that you’re in a basement. It‘s cold. Very cold. You try to move but soon stop because of the pain on your leg. You look down and see your leg covered in blood. It’s very dark and you definitely can’t move it due to the pain. You let out a quiet sob and hold your leg.

“Ellie” you whisper. You should‘ve listened to her.

The door breaks open and unknown people walk in.

“What do you want from me” your angry voice shouts at them. They all stand in front of you and you see one of them with a baseball bat. Fuck.

“We don’t want to hurt you pretty girl” the man with the baseball bat speaks up. You look at him with disgust and try to stand but you fail.

“Tell us where Ellie Williams is” he bends down and whispers loud enough for you to hear.

You chuckle. And spit at him. “Over my dead fucking body” you respond. He wipes his face and smirks. “I warned you” and he lifts his baseball bat and smashes it against your body. You whine and let out a cry. He continues with his torture and you lay there defenseless.

“Tell me where the fuck she is” you barely breath but still manage to laugh like a psychopath. “Fuck you” you tell him and make yourself ready for the final hit where you might die.

Your body is unrecognizable and every single move hurts.

“Do you think I‘m gonna give you a quick death?” he whispers into your face. “Guess. Fucking. What. That won’t happen” you feel tears leaving the corner of your eyes.

He grabs your arm and drags you along with him and your sobs are uncontrollable now.

“You guys stay here and clean up this mess” he orders and continues draging you. You try to fight but your body is screaming at you to rest. You feel your chest tightening and you whisper quiet no‘s to yourself.

He drags you to another room and picks you up just to let you fall on a table.

Now you’re scared because he is gone getting something.

This is your end you think

And you gave up all your hopes.

That was before you heard gunshots in the other rooms.

That guy comes back with a gun holding to your temple and you close your eyes knowing that every single help is too late now.

You hear her voice speaking. The voice you fell in love with and the voice you enjoy listening to.

“You better give her to me. Now!” Ellie tries to stay calm but obviously fails.

“Stay there. One more step and she gets it.” You can feel Ellie hesitate.

“Finally got the chance to meet the Ellie Williams. What a pleasure.”

“What do you want?” she asks clearly about about to lose her shit.

“I want-” he doesn’t get to continue with his sentence before a gunshot echos in the room and soon feel her presence next to you.

“Oh baby…” she whispers while stroking your hair. You cry because the pain is taking over your body.

“It’s okay. Let’s go home.” she whispers and you feel yourself being lifted.

"How did you find me?” you‘re curious.

“I was dreaming about this event. That’s why I didn’t want you to leave” she confesses and know you know why she was so overprotective.

“I would loose myself if I lost you today. Never scare me like this ever again” she says and you rest against her arms. She leaves the building with you in her arms and sets the building on fire.

And you close your eyes. Because now you know that you’re safe.

[fizzyxcustard]

Jealousy.

Masterlist of this series

Comments/Notes/Housekeeping: Thank you to everyone who reblogged and commented on my last of the RA Character Headcanon Series. I appreciate it very much. I know I sound like a broken record, but please do consider a reblog if you like a post, and if you wish to be added on to my tag lists, please let me know. You are also very welcome to request head canons as well, so I can continue on with this series and open it up to a lot more scenarios.

This head canon post was requested by @sunflwrnsunnieshine Thank you very much, hun. You're very welcome to request head canons with these 9 characters. Just send the request via my ask box, please. This instalment will focus on how all the characters handle jealousy, more precisely, jealousy which involves you, the reader. Enjoy!

GUY OF GISBORNE: Guy does not handle jealousy at all well when it comes to other men flirting with you. He makes his complete and utter distain known to the other man, and even becomes threatening. Most people are scared of Guy, so the men back off as soon as they see his icy glare from across a room. You know that Guy's jealousy comes from a place of insecurity, so you need to remind him regularly that you only have eyes for him.

RAY LEVINE: Ray Levine holds a lot of his emotions inward and will become distant with you if he feels there may be any kind of hint of another man sniffing around you. His answers become clipped and short, and it's up to you to question him thoroughly to see exactly why his mood has changed. However, when you reassure him that you're his, he apologises profusely.

FATHER LORENZO QUART: Father Quart is not a jealous man, but when it comes to you, jealousy is not something he is immune to. He holds it inward and tries his best to push the thoughts away as to not fall into bitterness. You notice his behaviour (of extra glances and sighs when the other man is in the room) and bring it up with him, and he admits that he did feel jealous and apologises, knowing he trusts you implicitly.

THORIN OAKENSHIELD: If Thorin sees another man making advances towards you, you immediately see a change in the Dwarf's demeanour. He becomes quite passive aggressive, giving short answers and appearing a little hostile. But when you get to the bottom of his negative feelings and reassure him with plenty of touch and love-filled words, he apologises to you. He is scared to lose you.

FRANCIS DOLARHYDE: Francis will watch you and the other man, not acting physically on his jealousy. However, he begins mentally plotting ways to harm the man, enjoying the thought of causing pain to him. Francis even admits to you that he had bad thoughts and considered violence, but then begs you to forgive him.

JOHN THORNTON: John Thornton becomes quiet and distant, backing off as soon as he feels in any way threatened by another man sniffing around you. The normally brooding man becomes even more cold toward you, hinting at his jealousy through hints in his words, mentioning the man in conversation. Eventually you sit him down and talk it through with him that nothing will ever happen between you and the other man.

RAYMOND DE MERVILLE: Raymond will not entertain the idea of another man serenading you. In fact, he is quite happy to threaten men and even become violent. Any man who only looks at you for a few seconds too long and they're immediately found on the sharp end of Raymond's sword.

JOHN PORTER: John tries to down play his jealousy and won't talk about it, until you bring it up to him. If he notices you interacting with another man, he will distance himself a little, but you notice him still sneaking glances to see what's going on. Eventually you have to confront John and tell him that he's stupid to think you'd even consider any other man but him as you've fancied him for as long as you've known him.

LUCAS NORTH: Lucas doesn't like to show vulnerability at first, so his jealous behaviour will depend on how long you've been with him and the stage you're at in your relationship. Any initial stage, weeks to a couple of months, and Lucas will try his hardest to not think too much about it. However, the longer you are with him, then the more his jealousy will show. It becomes clipped words, the cold shoulder and icy stares at you and the other man from across a busy room.

***

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[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Shortly after news broke Monday of a fatal shooting at a private Christian Nashville elementary school, police said the suspect was transgender. This detail, according to trans people in the state, has poured fuel on an already combustive environment that has led many of them to fear for their safety.

Police say Audrey Hale, who was killed by responding officers, fatally shot three 9-year-old students and three staffers at The Covenant School. Though police have said there is no known motive for the shooting, some conservatives have blamed the shooting on the suspect’s gender identity.

Within 10 minutes of police saying that the suspect was transgender, the hashtag #TransTerrorism trended on Twitter. Around the same time, Republican lawmakers — including Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and conservative firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. — insinuated in social media posts that the shooter’s gender identity played a role in the shooting. And by Tuesday morning, the cover of the Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post read: “Transgender killer targets Christian school.”

“We are terrified for the LGBTQ community here,” Kim Spoon, a trans activist based in Knoxville, Tennessee, said. “More blood’s going to be shed, and it’s not going to be shed in a school.”

Denise Sadler, a drag performer who is transgender, said she had already hired four armed guards before Monday’s shooting to secure a drag show she is hosting at a gay bar in Nashville this weekend. Following the anti-trans rhetoric spawned by the shooting, Sadler said she is now planning to hire eight.

“You don’t know if [the shooter’s gender identity] is going to trigger a community of people who already hated us to come and try to shoot us to prove a point,” Sadler said. “At the end of the day, there’s a lot of hurt going on, there’s a lot of anger going on, there’s a lot of confusion going on.”

During a press conference Tuesday, Nashville Police Chief John Drake said a motive for the shooting was still unknown. The day prior, however, his response when asked if Hale’s identity was connected to the motive left the door open to speculation.

“There is some theory to that,” Drake said. “We’re investigating all the leads.”

It is also unclear how police knew that the suspect was transgender.

Trans men are assigned female at birth and identify as men, while trans women are assigned male at birth and identify as women. When asked Monday whether Hale was a trans man or trans woman, Drake said “woman,” though Hale’s LinkedIn account and interviews with those who knew Hale indicate otherwise.

Bill Campbell, the headmaster of The Covenant School from 2004 to 2008, said Hale attended the school as a child in 2005 and 2006 and identified as female during that time. As an adult, though, it appears Hale may not have identified as female. Hale’s LinkedIn page, which has since been removed, states that Hale used “he” and “him” pronouns. And a friend of Hale’s, Averianna Patton, who said Hale messaged her shortly before the shooting, said Hale signed the message “Aubrey (Aiden),” using Hale’s given name along with a traditionally male name.

Aislinn Bailey, the acting president of Tri-Cities Transgender, a trans-led support and advocacy group based in Johnson City, Tennessee, said her initial reaction to news that the suspect was transgender was fear.

“I knew that as soon as anyone mentioned that, it was immediately going to become the center focus instead of what should be the focus, and that’s gun violence in this country,” Bailey said.

She condemned the choice by police to release information about the suspect’s gender identity when they did not appear certain about it.

“I think it was unethical and highly suspect that information like that, which they had to have known could cause backlash on the trans community — releasing information like that without it being verified, that’s unconscionable as far as I’m concerned,” Bailey said.

She added, “We were already fearing for our lives. Now, it’s even worse.”

Over the last several years, historic numbers of bills targeting LGBTQ people have been introduced in state legislatures across the country, including in Tennessee’s. This year, state lawmakers filed more than 400 such bills — more than half of them targeting trans people specifically — according to the American Civil Liberties Union and a separate group of researchers who are tracking the flow of legislation.

So far this year, Tennessee lawmakers passed two bills targeting LGBTQ people: A first-of-its-kind law that will criminalize some drag performances takes effect Saturday, and another that will ban gender-affirming care for the state’s minors becomes effective July 1.

Nathan Higdon, the chief financial officer of Knoxville Pride Center, is helping organize protests against the new drag law in Nashville and Knoxville this upcoming weekend. Higdon said that while he and other organizers are “scared shitless” that the conservative backlash over the shooter’s suspected gender identity will prompt violence, they’re going forward with the events as planned.

“The people who hate us are always going to hate us,” Higdon said. “We can’t not do these things. We just can’t not show up.”

Threats and attacks of violence directed at the LGBTQ community have spiked recently, with drag performances becoming a particularly popular target.

Last year, there were at least 140 incidents of protests and threats directed at drag events, which have deep roots in the queer community, according to the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD.

Just last week, one man was arrested and another was left bloodied as dozens of people protested a Drag Story Hour event in New York City, and on Sunday, an Ohio church alleged on its Instagram account that it had been vandalized with Molotov cocktails after advertising that it would be hosting a Drag Story Hour event in April.

Jace Wilder, the education director for the Tennessee Equality Project, a Nashville-based LGBTQ advocacy group, said the suspect’s gender identity “does not change the horror of what they did no matter their reasoning.”

“It is unfair and inappropriate to ask trans people to speak on this person and the lives they took,” Wilder said in a message to NBC News. “We, just like all other Tennesseans, are mourning. There is no politics I could possibly care about right now when children are dead. End of story. I pray and will stand with the families of all the victims and for peace for our community and I hope we can all show up for them and each other in this time.”

[d3vilh0rn2]

fanfic rec: through the floor above the ceiling

kiribaku (omg mha/bnha? eeeww/j) (confession never watched the show or read the manga just clips bby) (but even without the show this book is still gutwrenching)(i need ppl to understand it was completed it 2022 but I'm STILL THINKING ABOUT IT)

big tw: the main focus of this fic is abuse, so please be careful and stay safe. totally skip reading this if you're not in the headspace

I'm not promising no spoilers but honestly the fic goes so hard. realistically, you could ignore the ships/read it as platonic because

1. the bakudeku is abusive/domestic violence so it's really not love

2. the kiribaku is subtle and only is introduced in the very end

so it's abuse, which isn't really a new thing in this relationship (bakudeku), for better or for worst-

(some people romanticize it [worst], some people do interesting analysis and stories regarding their past and growth [better], you can argue both sides on whether this ship should exist or not, not the focus)

-but it's different in the sense that for once, Bakugou isn't the piece of shit abuser (I feel really weird about the statement like I feel like I'm not letting you know the true gravity of what I mean by this) and Izuku is (this is far from the main point) and the reason why I say this is because it manages to keep characterizations consistent despite the Fandom viewing bakugou=aggressive and izuku=docile.

to get into the meat of why I love it so much. we're, for most of the time, following Kirishima, an EMT who's just moved into the apartment below Bakugou and Izuku,. The entire building knows about Bakugou and Izuku's violent "relationship", and everyone dislikes Bakugou, because he an abusive pos, and he's all standoffish and rude, while Izuku is so sweet. Izuku actually visits Kiri after a fight to apologize, getting bandaged up a little bit and kinda "explaining" everything (Bakugou ran out to god knows where, all I wanted was to talk, blah blah blah), solidifying Kiri's diagust for Bakugou. however, after a few incidences (is it eavesdropping if they're fighting near an open window? it's odd how alone the perpetrator is and how supported the victim is...+ laundry room AITA) Kirishima is forced to reconsider his previous conclusion, and take the risk of "changing sides"/ supporting bakugou even though bakugou himself doesn't want the help

if you didn't realize, Izuku is kind of manipulating the entire building- he's actually the abuser but since bakugou is forced to rely so much on him, he can't really do or say anything. during escalating fights, he (bakugou) runs out the building, but because he has no where to go, he loiters around the trash before making his way back up. he's a model, so these fights, Izuku is assaulting him ormanipulating or quilting him is making it impossible for him to find a gig, etc etc. in the last few chaptersyou're in bakugou pov in the apartment and around izuku and God does it make me wanna die.

I just love the fic so much, because it spends time laying the groundwork and make it so believable- bakugou in this situation, would act like that, becoming a more subdued version of himself, being standoffish, but as a defense mechanism. izuku, in this situation, would behave like that, playing into everyone's perception of him, typically relying on guilt to control bakugou

I have it downloaded to my phone, I'm just so obsessed- I don't know if I'm weird or something, but everyone needs to read this

[stacymikixo]

Peaceful: Embracing Calm in a Chaotic World

Peaceful moments are like precious gems in the busy rhythm of life. They offer a sense of calm, a pause from the constant demands and noise surrounding us. Whether it's a quiet morning with a cup of tea, the soft rustling of leaves in a gentle breeze, or the stillness of a sunset, peaceful moments have the power to restore our inner balance. But what exactly makes something peaceful, and how can we find more of it in our lives?

Imagine yourself sitting by a lake. The water is perfectly still, reflecting the sky like a mirror. Birds sing in the distance, and there's a cool breeze on your face. You take a deep breath, and in that moment, everything feels right. This is peace. It’s the absence of worry and stress, a space where you can simply exist without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. Peaceful moments like these remind us of the beauty of simplicity, of the quiet joys that life has to offer.

But peace doesn’t always come naturally. In a world that often feels chaotic, finding peace can sometimes be a challenge. We are constantly bombarded by information, deadlines, and responsibilities. Our minds are busy, always thinking about the next task, the next worry. Yet, even in the midst of all this, peace can be found. It’s often about making a conscious choice to pause and focus on the present moment. By slowing down and appreciating the little things—a warm breeze, the sound of rain, or even the simple act of breathing—we can create peaceful spaces for ourselves.

Interestingly, peace isn’t just about quiet surroundings. Peace can also be an inner state of mind. Some people find peace in meditation, where they focus on their breath and let go of distracting thoughts. Others find peace in creative activities, like painting, writing, or playing music. When we engage in something that fully absorbs our attention, we enter a state of flow, where time seems to disappear, and our minds are free from the usual chatter. This is a form of peace, too—one that comes from being fully present in the moment.

Nature is a powerful source of peace. Whether it's a walk in the forest, a day spent by the ocean, or simply sitting in a park, being surrounded by nature has a calming effect on both our minds and bodies. Studies have shown that spending time in natural environments can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve overall well-being. The sounds of birds chirping, water flowing, or wind blowing through trees all contribute to a sense of serenity. Nature reminds us that peace is all around us if we take the time to connect with it.

Peaceful moments can also be found in human connections. Think of the comfort of a warm hug, the quiet joy of a meaningful conversation, or the simple act of sitting with a loved one in silence. These moments of togetherness, where words aren't needed, can be deeply peaceful. They offer a sense of security, love, and understanding—qualities that are essential for a peaceful life. Building peaceful relationships means listening without judgment, showing kindness, and being present for each other.

Of course, peace isn’t always easy to maintain. Life throws challenges our way, and sometimes conflict or stress feels unavoidable. However, peace doesn’t mean avoiding all conflict. It means approaching situations with a calm and open heart, seeking understanding rather than reaction. When we respond to life’s difficulties with patience and compassion, we invite peace into even the most challenging situations. Peaceful living is about cultivating a mindset of acceptance and grace, no matter what circumstances we face.

Did you know that "peace" comes from the Latin word "pax," which means "freedom from civil disorder"? Historically, peace was often seen as the absence of war or violence, but in modern times, the concept of peace has expanded to include inner tranquility and harmony. This shift reflects the growing understanding that peace is not just a collective state of being, but also a personal journey. Peace begins within each of us, and when we find it in ourselves, we are better able to share it with others.

In our personal lives, creating peace can be as simple as setting aside time for self-care. Whether it’s a quiet moment in the morning before the day begins, a relaxing bath at the end of a long day, or a few minutes of deep breathing, these small practices can make a big difference. When we take care of our minds and bodies, we create the foundation for a peaceful life. We learn to let go of unnecessary stress and focus on what truly matters.

In conclusion, peace is not something that exists outside of us—it’s something we create within ourselves. Whether through nature, mindfulness, or connection with others, peace is available to us in many forms. It’s about finding calm in the storm, balance in the chaos, and joy in the simple moments. Peaceful living is not about escaping the world, but about approaching it with a calm heart and a clear mind. So, next time you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, remember that peace is just a breath away. It’s always there, waiting for you to embrace it.

[themovieblogonline]

Crescent City Review: A Disjointed and Derivative Crime Thriller

Crescent City, directed by RJ Collins and written by Rich Ronat, is a crime thriller that promises to weave a tale of suspense, intrigue, and psychological torment. Unfortunately, what it delivers instead is a muddled narrative, underdeveloped characters, and a plot that is both predictable and uninspired. Despite a seasoned cast, including Alec Baldwin, Esai Morales, Terrence Howard, and Nicky Whelan, the film fails to rise above its clichés and ultimately becomes a forgettable addition to the genre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrI-8ScanDQ A Promising Premise Squandered The film is set in a small Southern town that becomes the hunting ground for a ruthless serial killer. The killer’s heinous acts quickly unsettle the town's peace, and as the body count rises, paranoia takes hold. The premise, on paper, is compelling. A community gripped by fear, where everyone could be the killer, has the potential to create an atmosphere of dread and uncertainty. However, Crescent City squanders this potential by failing to execute its premise in a way that feels fresh or engaging. From the outset, the film struggles to find its footing. The pacing is erratic, with scenes that drag on unnecessarily, interspersed with moments that feel rushed and underdeveloped. The film’s opening sequence, meant to establish the killer’s brutality, is more confusing than terrifying, setting the tone for the disjointed storytelling that follows. A narrative lacking cohesion throws the audience into disarray, making it hard for them to invest in the mystery or the characters' fates. Underdeveloped Characters and Half-Hearted Performances The cast of Crescent City is undoubtedly talented, but they’re given little to work with in terms of character development. Alec Baldwin plays Captain Howell, the chief detective tasked with solving the murders. Unfortunately, Baldwin’s performance feels half-hearted and uninspired. Known for his ability to portray complex characters, Baldwin is hindered by a script that renders Howell a one-dimensional figure haunted by a past that’s alluded to but never fully explored. This lack of depth makes it difficult to empathize with him or understand his motivations, reducing him to little more than a plot device. Esai Morales, as the local police officer Luke, and Terrence Howard, as Brian, a journalist covering the murders, fare no better. Despite their professionalism, both characters are so thinly written that they become nearly indistinguishable. Luke is the archetypal disillusioned cop weary of violence, while Brian is the determined reporter chasing the truth—roles that have been done countless times before without Crescent City offering anything new. Nicky Whelan’s character, Jaclyn, a local resident with a mysterious connection to the killer, is the most intriguing among the main cast but is sadly underutilized. Whelan brings a sense of vulnerability and intrigue to the role, yet her character is relegated to the background, appearing only in scenes that advance the plot rather than developing her as a person. This treatment reflects the film’s overall focus on plot progression at the expense of character development. Predictable Plot and Technical Shortcomings One of the most disappointing aspects of the film is its predictability. The film is highly predictable due to its adherence to crime thriller conventions. The film also suffers from a lack of originality. It borrows heavily from other, more successful thrillers but fails to bring anything new to the table. The trope of a detective haunted by his past is a staple, but Crescent City does nothing to subvert this. The film's plot and Captain Howell's backstory share clichéd elements. The film’s climax, which should be a culmination of the tension that has been building throughout, falls flat. The final confrontation lacks intensity and feels rushed. It's as if the filmmakers were eager to wrap things up as quickly as possible. This hurried resolution leaves several plot threads dangling and fails to provide a satisfying conclusion to the story. From a technical standpoint, Crescent City is equally underwhelming. The cinematographer produces uninspired visuals, bland and washed-out. It fails to capture the eerie atmosphere the film is clearly aiming for. The Southern town should have its own character, rich in history and mystery. But the film’s lackluster production design and poor use of location prevent it from ever coming to life. The editing is another major issue. The film jumps between scenes and timelines in a way that feels haphazard. This makes it difficult to follow the narrative or understand the relationships between characters. The killer's moments meant to build tension or provide insight are frequently interrupted. Or, sometimes, they're placed awkwardly within the sequence of events, further contributing to the film’s disjointed feel. Overall: Crescent City is a film that fails to deliver on its potential. What could have been a gripping and atmospheric crime thriller is instead a derivative and forgettable entry into the genre. Thinly written characters, a predictable plot riddled with clichés, and subpar technical execution waste the talents of the cast. While fans of crime thrillers might find some small enjoyment, Crescent City is ultimately a disappointing and lackluster experience.

[nurmalaevi]

Denny Ja: Maintaining Cultural Wealth: Religions as an inspiring tradition

Indonesia, a country rich in culture, has become home to various different religions throughout its history. These religions are not only part of the spiritual life of society, but are also important pillars in maintaining the nation's cultural wealth. In this article, we will explore the role of religions as inspiring traditions, with a focus on Denny JA's thoughts and views. Denny JA, an intellectual, writer and social activist of Indonesia, has long been fighting for the importance of maintaining the richness of Indonesian culture related to religion. For him, religions are a source of local wisdom that must be maintained and developed. According to him, religions are not only about personal beliefs, but also about values that can inspire and shape national identity. One example of cultural wealth inspired by religion is traditional Indonesian art. Through religions such as Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism, traditional Indonesian art has developed and is an inseparable part of the nation's identity. This traditional art reflects religious values which include beauty, harmony, and connectedness with nature. An example is a traditional dance that describes religious stories or carving arts that adorn religious buildings. In addition, religions also provide inspiration in building an inclusive and tolerant society. In the Indonesian context, which has a diversity of religions and beliefs, religions have played an important role in shaping mutual respect and cooperation between religious communities. An understanding of the importance of respecting differences and creating inter-religious harmony is a teaching inherited by religions. However, Denny JA also underlined that maintaining the cultural wealth inspired by religion should not be associated with fanaticism or injustice. He believes that religions must be a source of inspiration to create a just, inclusive and just society. Religions should not be used as a tool to justify acts of discrimination or violence, but must be a foundation for promoting peace and unity. In order to maintain cultural wealth related to religion, Denny Ja stressed the importance of inclusive education. Education that includes understanding of religions as an integral part of the curriculum can help foster a sense of mutual respect and understand religious differences. Denny Ja also encourages the government and the community to support initiatives that promote inter-religious dialogue, such as forums to increase religious awareness. In addition, Denny Ja also argues that religions must adapt to the changing times. Although religious values must remain intact, the way the delivery and interpretation of religious teachings must keep up with the times. Denny Ja views that flexible and open religions to social change can continue to be relevant and remain a source of inspiration for society. In the conclusion, maintaining the richness of Indonesian culture inspired by religions is the responsibility of all of us. As revealed by Denny Ja, religions are not only a means to meet individual spiritual needs, but also as a tradition that inspires and forms the nation's identity.

Check more: Denny Ja: Maintaining Cultural Wealth: Religions as an inspiring tradition

[the-sassy-composer]

I’m just realizing I posted this a few days ago and never posted media that gave me inspiration for my own show. No time like the present!

I created “Liars & Leeches” @liarsandleechespod​, a supernatural horror audio drama about grief, terror, and the overwhelming power of both. It follows the story of Tonya, who’s sister and brother in law are unexpectedly killed in an act of gun violence. Tonya inherits their house and moves in, struggling to process her grief. She soon realizes someone, or something, has followed her there, drawn to her fear.

The show was heavily influenced by personal experiences with gun violence, as well as the feelings that follow (fear, anxiety, survivor’s guilt, etc). I’ve always believed that some of the best horror media is based on real life experiences or situations that have been abstracted into the supernatural (ie “Nope” being a metaphor for an entertainment industry that chews up and spits people out when they aren’t seen as useful anymore). I wanted to create something similar, with season 1 of Liars & Leeches being focused on violence, grief, and fear (and different feelings being the focus of following upcoming seasons).

In terms of the plot and sound design, there were three pieces of media that were incredibly influential- “The Outsider” on HBO, the “Flesh and Blood” episode from “Into the Dark,” and “A Quiet Place.” Details below cause this is going to be a long one (with slight “Liars & Leeches” spoilers):

“The Outsider” focuses on similar themes of grief, loss, and fear after the murder of a young boy in a small town and the unexplainable circumstances around it. There is a supernatural element at play in "The Outsider’s” story too, and while the entity in this show is different from The Man in “Liars & Leeches,” they are initially presented in a very similar way. They both make their presence well know, while at the same time making those around them question their reality and how their existence can be possible. They are also both malevolent beings that like inflicting as much damage as they possibly can, while seemingly enjoying it too. I also really love media like this show or others like Jaws where the main antagonist makes themselves scarce for the majority of the story, revealing themselves at the very end in terrifying and chaotic ways, which was inspiration for the last three episodes of “Liars & Leeches.”

“Into The Dark: Flesh and Blood” was the main inspiration for how “Liars & Leeches” demonstrated Tonya’s anxiety around leaving her house. Without spoiling “Flesh and Blood” too much, the main character suffers from agoraphobia and is terrified of leaving her home. However, she eventually realizes that her fears are both extremely real and in the house with her. She struggles between her fear of what’s in the house vs her fear of the outside in her struggle for survival. Tonya experiences something similar in “Liars & Leeches,” realizing she has to fight so survive within the confines of her home. The tension building and sound design is great in “Flesh and Blood” and was a huge inspiration for later episodes of “Liars & Leeches.”

The last big inspiration was “A Quiet Place.” This movie had incredible sound design and tension building in quiet moments. A large portion of “Liars & Leeches” takes place in Tonya’s home, in scenes with only Tonya and maybe one other character. “A Quiet Place” provided inspiration for the show’s sound design plan in Tonya’s home, with quieter sounds like doors opening, footsteps, stairs creaking, and heartbeats intentionally being mixed more loudly than usual to increase tension on the listener’s end. Specifically with the heartbeats, they were placed in scenes designed to raise tension, getting progressively louder and faster as time goes on in a way that will increase the listener’s heartbeat too.

“A Quiet Place” was also a massive inspiration for creature sound design. This specific clip was used as a reference for “Liars & Leeches’” creature sound designs and transformations. The sound designers for “A Quiet Place” used celery to make this creatures movement sounds, and “Liars & Leeches” did something similar for The Man’s movements (we used crab legs). 

Also just for fun, here’s a video of the sound designers working on the scene above:

There were so many other pieces of media that inspired me when I was making “Liars & Leeches,” but these were definitely the big three!

Been thinking a lot about what inspires writers and creators to make what they do, so I'm curious- if you're an audio drama creator, what is your show about and what are three pieces of media that helped give you inspiration?

[bccketts]

FARMER'S CODE

I. AFFILIATION

This is an Independent Original Character rp blog. The only things I own on this blog are my character & art I may or may not post unless stated otherwise. This is my OC. Keep in mind, he can be mean and aggressive. This oc does has some dark themes such as blood horror. Tagged for the most part, writing might not be but images always will be. I do not condone his acts. Do not confuse mun with muse. If he is not your cup of tea the unfollow button is at the top.

II. BASIC RULES

✰ NO GODMODDING! That one is pretty self explanatory and obvious. Just don’t do it. It isn’t fun for anyone. ✰ Multiple threads with one person are welcomed. ✰ Tag your content, as I tag mine! ✰ Don’t send hate/anon hate. You’re just wasting your own time and I simply just ignore and block anyways. I am always open to constructive criticism. ✰ Racist, sexist, Transphobic & homphobic muns are not welcome here. ✰ Please cut your posts & do not reblog memes from me please! ✰ Yes, I interact with OCS, I am one myself and am open to shipping with them too but I will not follow everyone. I only follow the ones I interact with. I do not like Gary Stu, Mary Stu, Cat girl anime types and Forced ship/Forced child ocs! ✰ Do not take advantage of my kindness and non selectivity. ✰ This blog is 18+ meaning no minors. Sorry but I am an adult and at times I do rp and reblog adult content. ✰ I have dyslexia and sometimes i have trouble reading and understanding and this may come out in my role playing. I try to catch my mistakes before I complete a response but I’m not perfect. ✰This blog has themes consisting of foul language, trauma, violence. ✰ If I follow you, I most likely want to write, or if our muses don’t make sense maybe i just want to read your awesome role plays! But I am open to rping with any muse from anywhere, ask the fandoms i’m into if you want to! I just struggle to break out of my shyness at first!

III. REPLIES

Replies can take a long time as Tumblr is not my main focus. A nudge or poke about our rp is a-ok! I’m so scatterbrained. However, nagging will earn you a block if my warning is ignored. I usually try to respond to my threads equally, but if I am enjoying a role play thread a lot more I may prioritize it. Do not come at me complaining, I will get to your response when I get time. Remember, Role Play is a hobby.

III. INTERACTIONS

I am non-selective, this means I interact with anyone and everyone this includes Ocs, & other fandoms. However if your oc has no bio or is just a “big tiddy anime cat girl” I may not interact. the fandoms i refuse to interact with and block are; mha, homestuck, killing stalking, ybc, mcyt, & danganronpa. Respect this or leave, experience with those rpcs have made me very uncomfortable. If you like it that is okay, just keep it away from me :)

V. SHIPPING

I’m a complete shipping whore! Feel free to hit up Reevur I ship him with pretty much anyone! I love the idea of crack and new ships too. The only things I won’t ship with him are underage muses. Gross.

VI. VERSES

Currently a wip but plan on verses for Jojo, & Overwatch for now! Check my verses page for more info!

VII. TAGS

For aesthetic reasons in my tags of posts I have special tags with special text. More tags can be added any time! I tag my with nsfw and sinday, but if you want you can also block my special nsfw tag which is; 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬. ( nsfw )

VIII. NSFW

NSFW is welcomed, this can include sexual themes, gore and violence which all will be appropriately tagged. Any smut I might write will be under a read more. He will not just jump into sex with you, that’s where ship chemistry comes into play. I will not engage in any sexual stuff with muns & muses -18. Other nsfw regarding violence, Reevur can and will hurt you if you provoke him. You have been warned. More in depth violence can be role played upon request, tagged appropriately. I will not control or kill off your muse without permission. I ask you do the same