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izxz-is-deranged · 2 months ago

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Half Agony, Half Hope

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Reader (Regency AU)

Word Count: 4.7k

Summary: You do not care for men. Most pursue you for the fortune they will inherit if you marry. But there was one, selfless Devil who saved you, and you could not easily forget his charms. Your Aunt and Uncle Ellison, however, beg for your realism in finding a suitable partner. At a Ball one evening, you cross paths with a Mr. Murdock. Could he be the fix for your situation? Or, perhaps, another devilish trick?

regency specific yearning | limited series

< ao3 link > < masterlist >

A/N: Spring is turning to summer and I have been re-reading Jane Austen Novels. Please enjoy this limited series, 5 installments are planned and written and will be uploaded as they are edited and polished!The name is also a reference to Persuasion, and there are references littered all through from various Austen novels. <3

1: The Happenstance of a Ball

To be the talk of the town was never a good thing.

No matter the subject, venomous women shared quick whispers in the shadowed corners of parties, and those would go on to spread to the loud, air-headed men downing their drinks, without such a care for the damage a reputation can give. And though a fortnight had come and gone since your rescue from the robber, people had not let matter come to rest. The tales of the encounter followed you wherever you dare set foot, and to all their respect, you had not yet had the fortune to dispel your own memories of the event.

Or, perhaps, the memories of a certain masked man.

You’ve lain in your bed awake, staring through the window into the deep night, simply replaying the scene. The ruffian who grabbed you, who tried to pull you to the alley. The fear you felt rip through you when you couldn’t escape, but then, like a spitfire of divine justice, a man clad in black tore him off you. You barely had time to register what had happened before your assailant was sprawled unconscious against the cobblestone.

“Can you stand?” The masked man asked, voice low.

He offered a hand wrapped in dark fabric towards you, gently, juxtaposed to how that same hand drew blood from the nose of the wicked. You worried he was some other highwayman, or some gentleman thief who was here to claim the other man’s bounty as his own, but that seemed to not be the case. Your heartbeat drowned out the noise of the town at night, as your eyes took in the broad figure of the masked man above you. By all accounts he was scandalously dressed without the wrapped black of the mask that was pulled taught over the top half of his face. Tall boots, tight pants, and a loose, black shirt with no waistcoat nor jacket to cover it, instead only a sash across his hips securing two wooden batons.

Despite yourself, and the strangeness of your rescuer, you took his hand. He hoisted you from the floor, swifter than you had fallen. You can’t help but gasp at motion, but it settled as a single, nervous laugh. In the dim light of the alley, you swear you see him smile.

“ Find the constable, tell him what has happened here ,” he commanded, as he began to disappear into the night.

“ Wait, sir! Am I not to know the name or see the face of the man that has saved my life and honor? ” you blurted out, your words folding over themselves before you can think.

He paused, head tilted over his shoulder. “ I’m afraid I’ll have to leave that to your fantasies .”

Oh, if only you could tell him how apt that comment turned out to be.

Word spread quick of the story, and the rumor of your hero moreso. Inkings in the paper only tried to capture the likeness of the masked man terrorizing the underbelly of the city. You’d analyzed them carefully, but found that they didn’t quite paint him in the same light you remember, even still, you had taken to tucking them into the drawer of your bed stand. They had begun to refer to him as a “Devil Amongst Men”, on account of his damning punishments of criminals and thieves, yet none had been killed. It puzzled the media, and the men around, as they were both quick to draw on their prey.

“It is strange they refer to him as a Devil. He would not be called but an Angel if I had anything to say about it,” You said, eyes glancing over the latest paper.

You were sat down for tea in the drawing room with your Aunt Lily. Your parents had passed while you were still a babe and you were sent to be raised by your cousins, The Ellisons. Their own son had been married and gone 3 years since, and while they treated you as their own (You even had their last name at this point), you couldn’t inherit your family’s fortune until you were married. A problem your Aunt Lily made it her mission to solve. By some manner of coincidence, your Uncle, Mitchell Ellison, was the owner of the Bulletin, the daily local paper. After the attack, he’d printed the story the very next morning, but hadn’t taken your heroic perspective into account, just the fact a masked man had you cornered in an alley.

“Perhaps you should recount the tale again to your Uncle. I’m sure he would be swayed this time,” Aunt Lily teased, smiling as she occupied her fingers with the needle point.

“He won’t hear of it,” you muttered as annoyance creeped in.

“Well, I have an excellent distraction, if you’d allow me to take your mind off it.” Her voice quirked upwards. A glance that could not be more mischievous was sent your way and you found yourself raising an eyebrow.

“What are you scheming?”

“Not me, my dear, the Wesleys. Apparently, they are holding a last minute Ball to announce the marriage of some family friend of theirs. Their estate is quite large and the fanfare might attract more… suitable men, instead of your vigilante.”

“By suitable men you mean rich?” You knowingly smiled at your Aunt and her predictability. “Even should I go, the shadow of him would follow me. Polite society is quite taken with him at the moment and I’d be a spectacle… again. The Damsel saved by the Devil, they call me.”

“But you will go, will you not?” She leaned forward, setting her needle point down just long enough to push the matter as she waited for your answer.

You deeply sigh. “Yes, yes, of course. Perhaps he’ll arrive to whisk me out of the madness.”

But your words are filled with a false annoyance, you loved the happenstance of a Ball. The dresses, the wine and revelry, the music and dancing. Being out in society gave you the opportunity to dance with many men, but none had caught your eye for any special attention. You’d sworn off marriage unless it was a match born out of only the deepest love, but your Aunt and Uncle begged for your realism. A part of you was beginning to believe that you should listen to them, but the thoughts were quelled by your love of the Devil. Though your infatuation wasn’t really love, was it? Gratefulness? Sure. A childlike crush on the dashing hero? Possibly. However, a distraction by the unattainable? Most definitely.

The coming days were spent preparing yourself– Your dress, planning your desired hair style. Your Uncle had gifted you a gorgeous white gown with golden trimmings and matching ribbon to tie around it. You knew it cost a smidge more than he would normally spend, so you were quite aware how much they believed in you to find a suiter at this Ball.

When the day arrived, your friend, Miss Marci Stahl, nearly paraded herself through your house with fever. The earth might have shaken the day she found out you were both attending. Her dress was an almost garish spring green, and not your taste in the slightest, but it did flatter her bold personality. She stood behind you, styling your hair and weaving in baby’s breath flowers as you sat in front of the vanity. Marci had been telling you all about a gentleman she had met who she was expecting to see again tonight.

“Oh, but he was quite clever, and had such boisterous humor! With one of those sweet faces, quite like an excited dog.” Marci laughed at her own words.

“That cannot be a compliment, Marci,” you mused, fiddling with the edge of the vanity.

“But it is– When you meet him, you’ll understand me perfectly.”

“What was his name again?”

“Mr. Franklin Nelson. Though his friend referred to him without break as ‘Foggy’; It seemed to be some nickname of sorts,” she explained.

“ Foggy…, ” you repeat. “Odd. I wonder how it came about.”

“Who are we to speculate? But if your curiosity is too strong, you can ask him tonight. I tell you to keep in mind that I am the one seeking his favor, so save your charms.”

You laughed wildly, eyes sparkling. “Keep your gentleman! I have no intention of undermining your efforts, Marci. I wouldn’t dare betray your confidence like that.”

Marci stilled your head, positioning you to look at yourself in the mirror. “Oh, but you wouldn’t have to do so much but look at a man the right way and he’d be moon-eyed. The most eligible gentlemen seek you out at every event. It–”

“– It is no secret that they are to receive a good fortune if they marry me. That is why they insist upon the chase,” you interrupted as you met her eyes in the mirror, “I do not trust the heart of any man I meet. I fear that is my folly and why I will end up a penniless spinster.”

Marci scrunched her face in disapproval, but there is no malice behind the action. She leaned down and whispers, “ Yet, you are infatuated by the Devil you don’t know. ”

You lit up in flustered amusement and you waved her back vigorously. “Dear Marci, please! I cannot take teasing over it.”

“How can I not?” Marci questioned. She finished your hair and retrieved her gloves from where they were laid out across a chair. Her own silver blonde hair in delicate ringlets dropped around her face. They bounced as she began to speak again. “I fear you are in love with an idea.”

“I am in love with the fact that he was the only man not to disappoint me. He did nothing short of save my life. I do not know 100 men as brave as he was at that moment, and he did it without witness or reward.” You found yourself explaining as you fixed your drop-pearl earrings.

A deep sigh escapes her and she places her hands on her hips. “You have not considered the other possibility.”

“Which is?” you ask, turning around to face her.

“That he did it not out of the goodness of his heart– But a want for violence.”

Ever the one for deep insight, Marci’s words echoed your entire journey to the Wesley Estate. You'd been so starry eyed you hadn’t entertained the idea of your hero having any ulterior motive. It felt all too possible, especially with the other encounters documented in the papers. What did it matter though? What was your real possibility of seeing him ever again? Your thoughts swirled, keeping you preoccupied from your family in the carriage. Marci had accompanied you all, and she sat pristine beside you with your Aunt and Uncle across from you, who had taken notice of your mental absence.

“Is your head with you?” he asked, squinting at you over the half-moon glasses set on his nose. While his tone may be cold to others, you knew him well enough that it was his concern bleeding through. “You seem lost. Are you quite well?”

“Hm? Oh, yes. Sorry, Uncle,” you muttered in reply.

“Now, now, Mr. Ellison. I’m sure she’s just dreaming of the splendor we’ll encounter tonight, correct?” Aunt Lily posed. She gently rocked back and forth with the sway of the carriage, her eyes watching you intently, as if she could read and judge your thoughts for her own.

“I was just–”

Marci injected– “My! I’d never seen such a handsome house!”

A large brick and stone building grew in size as you approached in the carriage. Yours was one of many pulling into the property, signified by the gentle displacement of gravel and the woody hooves of horses. A long, green yard with a gorgeous lake sprawls out in front of it, the starlight dancing on the soft ripples created by the night wind. Men and women dressed in their very best poured into the building like pinpricks of color against golden fabric. Voices and music rose through the air, muffled only by the walls of the estate, but the excitement seeped out of the doors and windows and any other cracks it could find.

Your carriage came to a halt, and you and your family exited. Marci strided forward, and your Aunt and Uncle took each other's arms to walk in together. You trailed behind, but only by a few paces, eyes consuming the scene in your wake. As soon as you were through the doors, you were enamored by the people, laughing and delicately speaking to round out the familial mood. Your smile grew wider as you let the music seep to your ears. The ceilings stretched above you, detailed with pastels and gold filigree. You’d already lost Marci amongst the crowd, and you surged forward to catch your Aunt and Uncle before they disappeared as well.

You caught Aunt Lily’s shoulder. “I definitely believe I’ve encountered the splendor! Who heads this estate again?”

“Sir James Wesley, a Baronet. Though, I don’t believe he will make an appearance tonight. Word is that he is the private type and only tolerates the company of a few,” she replied by dropping her voice to a hushed whisper so that the people beside did not hear.

“A spectacularly rich man who does not bother to attend his own engagements? Is he eligible?” You joked.

“I’m afraid you’ll find Mr. Wesley to be a permanent bachelor.” Your Uncle comments and you understand immediately. The constant reward of being in the newspaper industry was that your uncle always had information about everyone. Well, almost everyone. “Where has Miss Stahl run to?”

You glance around. Even in her bright green, she could not be seen in this room and must’ve been deeper into the house. “I’m not sure. Probably seeking out her Mr. Nelson.”

“ There’s a Mr. Nelson? ” A gasp escapes Aunt Lily’s face brightens at the prospect.

You laughed. “As far as I am aware. I ought to find her before she loses all propriety in her pursuit of him.”

And with that you broke off into the party. You weaved in and out of the figures, not paying at all to the turning of heads when you passed certain men. Your mind was one tracked, and room after room, you did not see your mission.

Until she found you, grabbing your arm with more force than necessary.

“There you are!” Marci exclaimed. “He’s here! You have to come meet him– Quick!”

Marci dragged you towards the other side of the ballroom, keeping close to the wall as dancers took up most of the floor space. They braided around one another to the flowing violin, women smiling broadly and men’s eyes twinkling at the ribbons trailing after their movements.

A gentleman was revealed standing next to one of the columns of the room. Marci pulled you into his direction and you stared ahead as he came into view. You almost understood the dog comment now. It truly wasn’t a critique as even from this distance you saw his round, pleasant face break open into laughter. His hair was golden and fine, twirling back over his ears and sideburns, giving him much the presence of the cocker spaniel your family had when you were young. Once he spotted Marci waltzing back over, he tilted his head up as a wide, inviting smile was thrown your way.

As the people in front of you parted, your eyes found the man accompanying him, and the room slowed to a stop.

He wasn’t much taller than Mr. Nelson, but he had wide shoulders that even his near black tailcoat could not mask. His dark hair was neatly combed to the side and fell over his forehead in a gentle arch. His mouth was quirked up in a subtle amusement, with the whisperings of his dark stubble beginning to shade his smile. None of this compared to the small set of wine-red lenses that hid his eyes and sat perched on the slight curve of his nose. He stood still, poised, with his hand wrapped around a cane. Reality around him seemed to bend as your heart began to stutter.

You blinked a few times, in a deep surprise at yourself. Typically, even the most objectively handsome men you could wave off, but there was something almost familiar about his good looks you couldn’t put your finger on. Perhaps your masked Devil has warped your sense of attraction so innately that any man who hid his eyes was now in danger of being fawned over.

“Ah! Miss Stahl! You have returned to us after all. I feared I had finally scared you away!” Mr. Nelson said through a smile, voice rounded and humorous. “And who is this you have with you?”

Marci says your full name and you courtesy ever so slightly.

“Miss Ellison just curtsied for us!” Mr. Nelson comments to his friend. “It is a pleasure to meet you. I have heard nothing but praise from your dear Miss Stahl.”

“Of course, Mr. Nelson, and I of you.” Your voice is distant and your gaze flitted back to the other man. “And… Who might you be?”

His head tilts at you, eyebrows raising high onto his forehead. “Are you addressing me?”

Your face flickers with confusion. “Well, who else–”

“–My partner here, Mr. Murdock, lacks vision in his eyes. You’ll have to excuse him,” Mr. Nelson interjects.

A bone-seated embarrassment flushed through you. “Oh! Oh . My mistake I assure you, Mr. Murdock. I apologize for my impertinence.” The words fell out of your mouth as quickly as you could form them.

He just nodded in response.

Marci spoke up to break the tension as the music shifted. “...This is my favorite dance they have begun!”

“Well, then we must away to dance it!” Mr. Nelson cried. “Miss Ellison, will you do the honor of keeping Mr. Murdock company until we return?”

Your heart stopped at the idea, but you watched as Mr. Murdock’s jaw tightened. You’re unsure if he’d enjoy your presence much. Marci nudged you discreetly and you realized you hadn’t yet answered. “...If only that’s agreeable by him,” you replied slowly.

Mr. Murdock swallowed, then spoke, voice even. “It’s fine. Enjoy your dances, Foggy.”

Mr. Nelson and Marci disappeared together, and you’re left with the new Mr. Murdock.

There was a long pause of silence, filled only by the other voices and the music of the ball. You considered abandoning your post, but the mystery of him intrigued you… and it was definitely not your inclined fancy or your want at redemption from your earlier misstep.

“I dare say, you seem rather familiar. Have we met before?” you asked.

“Not that I am aware of,” Mr. Murdock replies simply.

“Then I must’ve seen you around town at some point,” you guess, though you weren’t half convinced by it.

“Well, I wouldn’t have seen you, so perhaps that is our explanation.”

He flashed a smile and you let out a laugh at the joke, testing the waters. The tension in his shoulders lessened at your laughter, and you realized he wasn’t as intimidating as you thought initially. There was a good chance his good looks just made you nervous.

“Do you dance, Mr. Murdock?”

He rocks his head. “Not particularly. I find that partners are less willing when you're…” He gestures up to the glasses with a wave of his hand.

“But you do know the dances, do you not? Certainly you are able to count steps. They are all practiced movements, and require not the ability of sight but the lightness of foot! There must be a way to accommodate you,” you respond, tone bordering on incredulous. It bothered you that he might miss out on such a novel pastime due to something he couldn’t control, and that you may miss out on the pleasure of dancing with him.

A distant hint of warmth crept into his expression, and you caught a glimpse of your own reflection in his glasses. “I appreciate the concern, Miss Ellison, but I’d have more desire to dance if I was in a private setting.”

The conversation stilled there and another quiet moment passed by. You scanned for Mr. Nelson and Marci amongst the dancers and spotted them joyously twirling together. You smiled to yourself at your friend’s happiness. They seemed a good match for each other, you dared to say.

“Marci’s attentions drift so easily… it’s a wonder to see her so devoted to your friend.” You finally said, almost lost in thought.

“I assume your attentions are quite different then, by your severity,” Mr. Murdock turned himself more toward you as he spoke.

You watch him out of the corner of your eye. “Well… Mine are not so easy to capture.”

He inhales. “Then how would one–”

“Mr. Murdock!” A deceivingly stern voice nearly makes you jump out of your skin. A man you knew as Constable Mahoney began to stride over towards you… and you realized you hadn’t seen him since the night you were attacked. “And Miss Ellison! I had not inquired after your health after the event of weeks prior. You must forgive me, but you seem to have recovered well.” He took a deep bow.

“Were you hurt?” Mr. Murdock then asked, his brow knitted above his head.

You are about to answer when Constable Mahoney takes the lead. “Miss Ellison survived an encounter with the Devil of our County!” He said, much louder than necessary, which turns heads your way.

“The lady encountered the Devil?” A bright, posh voice perked up from a seating area somewhere behind you. You turned to look and the most elegantly dressed woman you’d ever seen, with graying hair pinned away from her regal features, looked over her shoulder at you. “I would quite like to hear that tale.”

The party she was sat with was, for lack of better phrasing, the richest at the ball. This is how they made their fun, absorbing the county’s gossip. It’s as if this particular type of woman had ears in every corner of the room, for that is where they find their entertainment. They all murmured agreements with each other and watched you, expecting and hungry.

“Well?” She asked, gesturing in front of her, “Come, come! Do not be so shy. You are among friends here.”

Glancing out of the corner of your eye at Mr. Murdock, whose face was nothing but puzzled, you tried to decide what to do. This was exactly what you expected, and while you were not poor, this level of wealth radiating off of this side of the party felt particularly intimidating.

“ It would be better to comply. This is Lady Diana Wesley– Mother of the head of the estate. Not a woman to cross ,” Constable Mahoney muttered to you subtly. He didn’t wait for your response before he took your arm and gently guided you forward.

“Oh, no, no, no. I promise you have all read the tale in the papers! I will only bore you!” You begged as Mahoney showed you to the center of the seating area, where you now stood in the cradle of the crescent. “I have told this many times–”

“Nonsense! Nonsense! I have not heard of it! As well, I’m sure your gentleman can spare you, isn’t that correct? Or better yet, I am sure he would be interested in listening in!”

She looked back at Mr. Murdock, who had stepped over to stand behind the couch. He tilted his head up in your direction, which surprised you. For someone who could not see, he had an uncanny ability to know where you were. He spoke. “Perhaps… you should tell it once more. And then I will personally make sure not a word is breathed about it again.”

Lady Diana Wesley smiled at this, the action deepening the lines in her face. “How honorable. Certainly you cannot object to that offer, Miss…?”

“Miss Ellison,” Constable Mahoney finished.

“ Miss Ellison ,” she repeated, voice elated.

Your eyes flicked to Mr. Murdock. Even though he had no realistic way of preventing the story from being told, his conviction convinced you. “Of course… I daresay I cannot.”

With all eyes on you, you told the story once more. Eventually, Marci and Mr. Nelson had returned and sat to listen in, Marci casting devious glances at you all the while. The Lady seemed pleased by your tale and when you finished, the group delivered a polite clap.

“You are a gifted storyteller, Miss Ellison, I do say! I almost feel as though the Devil was in the room with us now!” Lady Diana Wesley said.

Mr. Nelson laughed loudly and shared a look with Mr. Murdock, who did not seem as pleased.

Marci speaks up, much to your fear. “If he were, I am sure she would have danced thrice over as his partner.”

“ Marci, ” You called, shaking your head almost imperceptibly, but it was too late.

“Harboring a fancy for him, is she? Now that is quite the morsel.” Lady Diana Wesley just laughed once more. Her tone was conspiratorial and her eyes trailed up and down your persons. “But I cannot persecute you over being a woman, for who could resist such a dashing hero? And you are a gem , I must say. A true beauty. Any man could be so lucky.”

You took a politely small bow at the compliment, when you looked up, both Mr. Nelson and Mr. Murdock had disappeared. Your face fell with disappointment. Marci was gesturing for you to follow her, and you made your excuses to the group and the Lady.

Diving back into the organized chaos of the ball, Marci once more had a hold of you. She pulled you through until you were both hidden in the shadows behind a wall, where no one else could see or hear you.

“Oh, wasn’t he a dream?” Marci fawned, holding both your arms.

“He seems a good match for your boldness, I say,” You commented, peeking around the corner into the crowds, looking for the disappeared gentlemen.

“Who are you searching for?” Marci asked, before a gasp escaped her lips, “I knew it! I thought you were giving him eyes!”

“Who?” Your voice was distracted by your efforts.

“Mr. Murdock!” Marci chirped, her smile wide.

You snapped back towards her. “What? No! No, don’t start your teasing again! You are mistaken!”

“Mhmhm…”

Marci begun to blather on about more about his Mr. Nelson, and you were still distracted by searching for his partner. Men in similar coats made your heart skip then fall, and you were about to give up hope, when you spotted his silhouette. Your excitement was short lived however, as you saw him talking with a gorgeous blonde woman in a soft pink gown. His grin was wide and he looked 10 times more comfortable with her than he did for even a second with you. You would be blind to discount the possibility his heart already belonged to another.

The rest of the night was a blur of trying to distract yourself from how quickly you built up Mr. Murdock in your mind. You danced with a few good men, sipped your wine, and enjoyed more words with the Lady Diana Wesley. You didn't understand why she took such a liking to you, but you couldn’t complain as she was quite a formidable connection to make. You found out the blonde woman talking with Mr. Murdock was a woman named Karen Page, after your Uncle introduced you to her as she was a writer for the paper.

You couldn’t help but think she was twice your beauty, with a mind to match. No wonder Mr. Murdock’s attentions had been trained on her. By the time you were back home after the ball, you had nearly dispelled all feelings for the strange Mr. Murdock. Now, you were sitting at your window, watching the streets below you. You swore you watched a figure shift on the rooftop across from you, but you waved it off as a trick of the light. You blew out your candle, going to finally sleep off the day. But, what you didn’t know was that it wasn’t tired eyes playing tricks. The Devil sat perched across the way, listening to your heartbeat as you were lulled to sleep, because despite his one masked meeting with you, and his avoiding you at the ball, he felt just as strongly pulled to you as you were to him, and that scared him half to death.

Taglist: @vioplay19

#daredevil #matt murdock #matt murdock x reader #matt murdock x you #regency au #izxz writes

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portraitsofsaints · 4 months ago

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St. Dismas

Feast day: March 25

Patronage: repentant thieves, prisoners, undertakers

Saint Dismas was the good thief crucified with Jesus on Calvary. This is what St. Luke writes about him: 39 And one of those robbers who was hanged blasphemed him, saying: If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing; thou art under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly: for we receive the due reward of our deeds. But this man hath done no evil. 42 And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee: This day thou shalt be with me in paradise. Luke 23:39-43

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

#St. Dismas #Repentant prisoners #catholic art #catholic faith #portraitsofsaints

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multiheadcanons · 2 months ago

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THIEVING ASS MERCS

scout: depending on who you like more, scout is the best crook on the team. and there is a difference. scout is talented in many ways of crime, particularly of the thieving ass hoe department. the same way he can put his ski mask on and load his gun and rob a place blind is the same way he can slip in and out of a crowd, digging hands in pockets is the same way he can be a vital and key member of a heist is the same way he’ll drug you at a bar, get you home safely and take every single thing you own in the process except the mattress and sheets he put you down on. scout truly can do it all in the world of crime. the only issue is scout’s mouthy. but his ultimate strategy of “don’t get caught” usually works out for him!

soldier: the worst. don’t ask this man to sneak, creep, snag, steal, or anything else that may require a volume level lower than four. he makes big noises and big movements. if you’re gonna put him in a heist, he is distraction. bait, even. but subtleties are indeed something soldier lacks in copious amounts. he takes things by force. he is more a robber who is armed and dangerous and attacks without warning than he is a slippery little thief. he’s good at hotwiring cars though. give him sixty seconds to cover his ass from police and he can rack up quite the tab and quite the list of charges.

pyro: the second worst. pyro is one of the most baffling criminals to exist. it’s like the joker but actually funny. nobody knows why pyro does the things they do or how they get away with it until you are relaxing in your room with an item you particularly covet and out of the corner of your eye you see a rubber glove reach for it. and you tell them no and it slinks away. then it tries again. and you say, sternly, “pyro, stop.” and it slinks away again. then it just strikes and snatches the item. and when you sit there, pondering whether or not attempting to engage pyro in what could potentially flare and become a volatile situation is worth the item, you realize exactly how pyro gets away with it. nobody wants to be burned to a crisp. and pyro has shown time and time again that there is genuinely no telling what measures they’re willing to take to get what they want.

demo: the third worst, but for a very specific reason. demo doesn’t steal things. demo asks to borrow them and then never gives it back. and that’s his biggest tell. if you have an item demo particularly wants, he will ask, beg, and urge you to allow him to use it. and demo, a man of general good faith and reliability, is generally allowed to borrow what he needs. because he does normally give it back! it’s when he’s insisting that he’s going to return it as soon as he’s done with it. once he gets to the third time of saying “i’m going to give this back”; if it’s already in his hands, you’re not getting that item back. so all of that to say, technically, yes he is a thief. but at least he’s nice enough to lie to you about it.

heavy: contrary to his staggering size, heavy is proficient in most tasks that require subtlety and sleight of hand. his biggest issue is heavy is an easy man to realize is gone. he’s better with a partner to distract while he slinks away. another man with a penchant of playing dumb, and a prominently trustworthy man on the team, most would never suspect him. and they don’t because they feel as though they would’ve… caught him, if he stole something, right? he’s just too large to miss. and heavy wouldn’t dirty his hands like that, right? these assumptions (along with pockets big enough to fit a human head into) allow heavy to fly under the radar when it comes to his thievery.

engineer: engineer has had his fair share of thievery, and he’s rung up quite the price tag in his youth. it’s not really something he has to do anymore, but the skill never left. a particularly talented pickpocket, it is always a good idea to pat yourself down when the texan “accidentally bumps you”. it’s an almost shameful practice he indulges in, and he’ll chuckle and return what he took with a charming smile. you’ll be so flattered you won’t notice your card is missing. so what, he’s privy to stealing a wallet here and there! he’s resolved himself to only stealing big ticket items when he’s in desperate need. he is almost never in desperate need anymore, so he gets an itch to snag a couple small things here and there. he wouldn’t call himself a kleptomaniac or anything, it’s just been one of his harder habits to break.

medic: medic is not a good thief because he’s technically not a thief. like demoman, our belemoman, the doctor will “ask to borrow” an item he’s particularly coveting. what sets them apart is while demo at least asks, the doctor will tell you what is going to happen. he’s going to try this on. he’s going to take this. he needs that item for a moment, you may get it back. note how much heavy lifting the word “may” is doing in that sentence. and he’s a blur with it. he’s in and out of the room in seconds, to the point you barely notice what’s occurring until he’s already gone with the item he wanted. then you have to go track him down. and if he’s really banking on keeping that item, he’s going to play dumb, but his stare is icy. he’s daring you to push the topic. and the doctor, a man of general bad faith and mediocre social reliability, is hard to take at his word. but most aren’t willing to push him more than he’s willing to push back.

sniper: a solid contender for third best, you won’t notice the thing is missing until you go to hunt for it. sniper is very proficient at picking targets, at formulating plans, and then executing them. he’s got an eye for victims and good quality items. and he’s quite successful in talking people out of their things. he can only do this if he’s not thinking about it. the moment he starts trying to actually use his brain most people see through what he’s doing. snipes is quite a personable guy. most people get along with the australian unless you’re on the wrong end of the rifle. he’s a trustworthy guy! so if he slips into your apartment while you’re gone because you happened to give him a key to house sit about five years back and you meet him at the wrong stage of his life… you might come back to some missing valuables and a broken window. and he will be right there to help you find the culprit! as soon as he’s done at the pawn shop. snipes doesn’t do this much anymore. but if he’s in tight straits he’s gonna do what he has to. sorry about it.

spy: depending on who you like more, spy is unarguably the best criminal on the team. and there is a difference. spy is a phenomenal criminal. but he’s more white collar crimes than he is truly a dirty handed crook. spy can embezzle with the best of them. spy hasn’t filed an honest day’s worth of taxes in his life. spy is collecting a minimum of five checks from five different countries and storing them in offshore accounts in different countries. the man is slick, and cold with it. and he has no mercy for the people who fall for it. get smarter. be better. and spy has never gone down for a single crime he’s ever committed. it’s almost sickening. people want to see him fry and they never will. he laughs about it to himself when he thinks he can be nasty without consequence.

#team fortress 2 #team fortress two #tf2 medic #tf2 heavy #tf2 pyro #tf2 sniper #tf2 engineer #tf2 scout #tf2 spy #tf2 soldier #tf2 demoman #tf2 demo #holy shit… yall the queue is growing again… omg….#i love remembering the mercs are actual criminals it makes writing about them so much fun #let us all remember these men are criminals

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00-jammy-00 · 2 years ago

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Hii jammy!! Dunno if You could do hcs of a yandere! Lovesick! Detective?

Bonus points if he is plainly intimidating, like scary dog privilages of smth, and has already planned to kidnap the reader, also he is strong and buff and hell

Bye bye pooks! <3

Oh and also, can I be 😾 anon?

Yan!Detective HC’s

Yan!Detective x GN! Reader

Content warning - Yandere themes, obsession, murder, isolation, gaslighting, nsfw mentions

——————————————————————————————————

Yan!Detective who was assigned to help you for his new case. Your house was broken into? They only took your valuables and didn’t even touch you?? What a wasted opportunity.

Yan!Detective who promises you he’ll find your robber, using the pad of his thumb to brush away those pretty tears. His coworkers sit behind you both with a shocked look on their faces. Last time someone cried in front of him, he had rolled his eyes and scoffed.

Yan!Detective who starts to get to know you, this is a simple case, the robber was clumsy and left his fingerprints everywhere but he can’t let you go so soon.

Yan!Detective who offers to let you stay with him until he catches the thief. You’re not bothering him, don’t worry. He offers to sleep on the couch, desperate for you to sleep in his bed so when you’re gone he can hump the pillows but you offer him something even better.

Yan!Detective whose jaw physically drops when you offer to just sleep in the same bed as him and just stick to each other’s side. He knows what you’re doing, he can see the little blush on your face you naughty thing.

Yan!Detective who holds you tight when you get closer, burying his nose in your hair, inhaling the scent of your shampoo, just the smell had his cock aching.

Yan!Detective who has already killed your robber yet he still pretends to work the case, just so he can see you in his kitchen, in his shirt, sipping coffee from one of his coffee mugs. He doesn’t care if you’re a guy or not, he’s going to make you his pretty little housewife.

Yan!Detective who started isolating you from everyone after he finally closed the case, pretending to get in a brawl with the robber. Who’s that? Your friend? No she’s not? What if she was working with that thief?

Yan!Detective who doesn’t feel a single bit of guilt, not for isolating you, not for practically keeping you locked in his house and especially not for fucking you into the mattress. He’s gentle, sometimes, he knows you prefer it rough anyway.

Yan!Detective who refuses to buy you clothes, you can wear his clothes, no underwear though, it only gets in the way, especially when you’re in the kitchen and he’s got you bent over the counter where you had been doing the dishes. Fuck, you’re just the perfect housewife for him aren’t you? ——————————————————————————————————

Likes, reblogs and comments are greatly appreciated, requests are open <3

please do not copy, repost or translate any of my works on other platforms without my permission.

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theconstitutionisgayculture · 5 months ago

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I saw a picture of the Bible verse "I was a stranger and you welcomed me" spray painted on the border wall", and someone replied to it with a wonderful response:

"Well, since we're taking Bible verses out of context....

"'Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.'"

I swear, "liberal Christian" is an oxymoron.

The fun thing about the Bible is if you take tiny passages completely out of context you can use them to justify almost anything. Same with most moral texts or quotes. That's how you have idiots using MLK's words to justify violence when he was a major proponent of non-violent resistance. You could probably find a Ghandi quote that "justifies" concentration camps if you look hard enough.

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moonbeamlightning · 2 months ago

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“But Heathcliff was just tanned!” Refuted

“Heathcliff had dark hair and eyes and tanned easily, which is exotic for English people, he was still white”.

Elder Catherine and Hareton also had brown hair and very dark eyes. (Younger Catherine’s eyes are described as “black” and she has the exact same eyes as her mother and Hareton). Elder Catherine and Hareton also tanned in the sun:

Hareton:

“I began to doubt whether he were a servant or not: his dress and speech were both rude, entirely devoid of the superiority observable in Mr. and Mrs. Heathcliff; his thick brown curls were rough and uncultivated, his whiskers encroached bearishly over his cheeks, and his hands were embrowned like those of a common labourer”.

(Chapter 2) (italics mine)

Elder Catherine:

“‘Is Heathcliff not here?’ she demanded, pulling off her gloves, and displaying fingers wonderfully whitened with doing nothing and staying indoors.”

(Chapter 7) (italics mine)

Elder Catherine is even jealous of the whiteness of Isabella’s skin!

“‘I’m not envious: I never feel hurt at the brightness of Isabella’s yellow hair and the whiteness of her skin, at her dainty elegance, and the fondness all the family exhibit for her.”

(Chapter 10) (italics mine)

Yet Mr. Earnshaw, Elder Catherine’s father and Hareton’s grandfather, is so perturbed by how dark Heathcliff is that he says:

“‘See here, wife! I was never so beaten with anything in my life: but you must e’en take it as a gift of God; though it’s as dark almost as if it came from the devil.’”

(Chapter 4) (italics mine)

Lintons immediately clock Heathcliff as foreign and possibly Romani, and remark on this while not ever remarking on Catherine as ethnically different even before realizing that she is “Catherine Earnshaw”:

““What prey, Robert?” hallooed Linton from the entrance. “Skulker has caught a little girl, sir,” he replied; “and there’s a lad here,” he added, making a clutch at me, “who looks an out-and-outer! Very like the robbers were for putting them through the window to open the doors to the gang after all were asleep, that they might murder us at their ease. Hold your tongue, you foul-mouthed thief, you! you shall go to the gallows for this. Mr. Linton, sir, don’t lay by your gun.” “No, no, Robert,” said the old fool. “The rascals knew that yesterday was my rent-day: they thought to have me cleverly. Come in; I’ll furnish them a reception. There, John, fasten the chain. Give Skulker some water, Jenny. To beard a magistrate in his stronghold, and on the Sabbath, too! Where will their insolence stop? Oh, my dear Mary, look here! Don’t be afraid, it is but a boy—yet the villain scowls so plainly in his face; would it not be a kindness to the country to hang him at once, before he shows his nature in acts as well as features?” He pulled me under the chandelier, and Mrs. Linton placed her spectacles on her nose and raised her hands in horror. The cowardly children crept nearer also, Isabella lisping “Frightful thing! Put him in the cellar, papa. He’s exactly like the son of the fortune-teller that stole my tame pheasant. Isn’t he, Edgar?”

‘While they examined me, Cathy came round; she heard the last speech, and laughed. Edgar Linton, after an inquisitive stare, collected sufficient wit to recognise her. They see us at church, you know, though we seldom meet them elsewhere. “That’s Miss Earnshaw?” he whispered to his mother, “and look how Skulker has bitten her—how her foot bleeds!”

“Miss Earnshaw? Nonsense!” cried the dame; “Miss Earnshaw scouring the country with a gipsy! And yet, my dear, the child is in mourning—surely it is—and she may be lamed for life!”

(Chapter 6) (italics mine)

Heathcliff is immediately clocked as a “gipsy”, as an “out-and-outer”, as someone who can be hanged on the basis of his looks alone, in a way the little girl besides him isn’t.

Catherine too has dark hair and eyes, Catherine too can tan, yet she is never remarked upon for her darkness. Heathcliff is, because Heathcliff is dark-skinned and probably not white.

And no it is not “him being dirty” either. Lockwood first meets him when he is “in dress and manners a gentleman” and he still remarks on his dark-skin.

At this point anyone who doesn’t want to believe that Heathcliff is dark-skinned is willfully blind.

#repost my blog got deleted #wuthering heights #heathcliff #catherine earnshaw #hareton earnshaw #wuthering meta

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jakeperalta · 1 year ago

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knew i was a ROBBER first time that he SAW ME stealinheartsandrunninoffandneversayin SORRY but if i'm a THIEF then he can join the HEIST and we'll move to an island and and he can be my JAILer burton to this TAYLor everyloveiveknownincomparisonisa FAILure i forget their NAMES now I'm so very TAME now never be the SAME now

#she really went off with this verse #taylor swift #lyric posting

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deadmentellnotalesif · 2 months ago

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Welcome to Salvation Outlaw. Here's Some Word of Advice From an Old Friend.

When The Dead Speak, Listen.

The Rot Starts With a Lie; It's the Silence That Feeds It.

Not you, no. You were rotten from the womb.

You have arrived in the small town of Salvation on the bayous of Louisiana, chasin' after a ghost. Instead of finding 'em dead, you find 'em quite alive, but different. Changed. Hungry.

Now you must navigate and escape this decaying town, which consumes all things that enter. Shame, guilt, and hatred spreadin' like fire, infecting everything and one upon whom it lays its grasp.

Alva (Your Partner In Crime):

You and Alva have been a pair since as long as you've been an outlaw, or close enough to it at least. Gangs might have changed, missions might have failed, but Alva ain't ever changed. Except they went missin' and now you are looking for 'em, whether it be their bones or their flesh, you need to know what happened.

(will always be same gender as MC and romanceable by all MCs)

Abel (Bounty Hunter):

They are hunting you, and some claim they are using the spirits to do it, yet for some reason, they seem hesitant to follow your tracks into this isolated town of Salvation. That hesitation doesn’t stop them, however, and you are starting to believe nothing will.

(Gender Selectable and romanceable by all MCs)

Fetch (Local Grave Robber):

The people of salvation would crucify this beast if possible yet the grave robber always seems to slip from their grasp as soon as they trap em’, You have been encouraged to stay away from them less you catch whatever disease they got but you have caught the grave robbers attention, and once that morbid thief sees a shiny new thing, well, they just can’t let it go.

(Genderlocked M and can be romanced by any MC)

Sybill (The Barkeep):

They don’t seem like a whole lot of help at first, but they know their way around a foe, both alive and undead. From what you can gather, they are from Kentucky and moved down to Salvation to escape their family and start a new, peaceful life. Yeah, well, they now know Salvation wasn't their best bet for peace, and though they fight against their genes, some things are just ingrained in ya, no matter how much you wish they weren’t.

(Genderlocked F and can be romanced by any MC; however, MC's gender does affect their relationship with Sybill IMMENSELY)

Here are the links to my other WIP and any other information, such as FAQ or Character Pinterest Boards/Playlist/Descriptions, will be linked here once I have the time to update.

@forsworn-interactive-fiction

#interactive fiction #if wip #twine if #twine story #midwestern gothic #southern gothic #dmtntIF

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hunting-songs · 4 months ago

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CHARACTER SOUNDTRACK List some songs that give off the Vibes™️ of your character, whether it’s something they would listen to or just gives that delicious writing and muse inspo! Tagged By: @skarletchains & @bewitchingbaker Tagging: @kiigan @saiakv @kylo-wrecked @muddsludge @thebrokendollassassin @zoldcks @distortedkilling @lightfaithed @yeonban @soulfulempathy ...and YOU

Inspiration music for writing!

Subway to Sally- Julia und die Räuber

"Blut, Blut Räuber saufen Blut Raub und Mord und Überfall sind gut Hoch vom Galgen klingt es, Hoch vom Galgen klingt es, Raub und Mord und Überfall sind gut" Translation: "Blood,blood, Robbers drink blood. Robbery and murder and muggery are good. High from the Gallows (they,the hanged robbers) sing, High from the Gallows (they,the hanged robbers) sing: Robbery and Murder and muggery are good!" While Senritsu is a Hunter and nolonger has contact to her family (for other reasons), she is still very much from a group of graverobbers, scammers, thiefs, robbers, conartists, prostitutes,criminals and everyone else that people did not wanted to have around in villages and cities and therefor banned to live always traveling from place to place. She was influenced by that pragmatic worldview of the Traveling People and while she would say she had a very good, happy childhood if asked, she is also very aware that her moral compass might not be the most honourful or morally-correct in the first place. Senritsu very much has her crookish side and knows every trick under the sun with which a scammer from traveling folk wants to get peoples money and is not afraid to use them or protect herself from them. Also the little girl singing the songtext was one of the band-members daughter, which by all means, definitive fits Senritsus musical inclined father who would have definitive sung the most unfitting drinking-songs with his little children singing along all loud and happy. Senritsu knows her roots and she still uses what she had been teached by her people (including using their connections to start her work in the mafia), but she is also very aware that most people following that way of life will end up like the corpses hanging on the gallows in the song praising their way of life.

Karliene - Siren Song

Senritsus best friend had been tricked by a Nokken when he had been a child. She loves music, but Senritsu had through her friend always known that there is a certaine danger to it. Beeing lured into her death by a siren singing is still a very possible outcome of her work.

Karliene - The Unquiet Grave

Music and Death, specifically giving the dead a voice or bringing back the dead to life through music, are very neatly connected in fairytales. Senritsu had after all build her flute out of bones.

Saltatio Mortis - Orpheus

The same as above.

Subway to Sally- Henkersbraut

The textwriter of the song mentioned that he had rad a book about a woman escaping beeing hanged by marrying the hangman. Which very much fits Senritsus story, because she left the Traveling People (working as graverobbers to build music instruments for bodypart collectors colelctions on comission) because she wanted to only focus on her music only to join the Mafia (specifically a Bodypart collector) to find a chance to save herself.

Senritsus's personal playlist! Senritsu likes many songs, but beside the many, many ,many 1920's Jazz and her (utterly) beloved Milongas she has a certaine... waggish humor shown in the songs she regulary listens to very obviously seen in a song about kissing asses. Senritsu keeps her very old walkman close to her heart and will not give it away.

Für Elise - Beethoven

El Choclo- angel Villoldo

Darktown Strutters’ Ball - Shelton Brooks

Tiger Rad - the Mills Brothers

K 231 - Mozart

Pennyroyal Tea- Nirvana

A media luz- Edgardo Donato

Swing it, sister- The Mills Brothers

Wellerman- Santiano, obligatory sea-shanty, because Senritsus father was from Lübeck and sometimes you just gotta headbang to seashanties.

#senritsu listens to rock? Senritsu has listened to more rock and heavy metal than your Muse knows of. just because she has o keep up a #proessional image DOES NOT MEAN SHE IS NOT A PUNK AT HEART #hunting-songs: headcanon #hunting-songs #thanks for the tag <3

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jacepi-time · 11 months ago

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Our glorious Miku is a beacon for human creativity and musical composition

Their traitorous Ai music is a soulless thief and a robber with no human creativity they are not the same

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portraitsofsaints · 1 year ago

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St. Dismas

Feast day: March 25

Patronage: repentant thieves, prisoners, undertakers

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

#SaintDismas #thegoodthief #goodthief #HolyWeek #catholic saint

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ai-the-broccoli · 9 months ago

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lawlight, told through taylor swift songs: a non-exhaustive list

no really, why do so many taylor swift songs fit Death Note (and sometimes especially Light and lawlight) so perfectly?

many others have already made pretty good posts on this topic before, but the parallels are truly kinda crazy, so here's my take on it. the rankings within each tier are not super fixed or meaningful, like honestly everything within each tier is pretty much the same degree of fitting to me.

(yes, I double-checked basically her entire discography for this. no, I still don't think this is a fully comprehensive list.)

Tier S - every single line is a fit

1. my tears ricochet (<- category C: "I Knew You'd Miss Me Once The Thrill Expired")

post L's death lawlight, from L's perspective: the song. nearly every line fits what the hell man. one of my favourites here

-> Full Lyrics

2. hoax (<- category C: "I Knew You'd Miss Me Once The Thrill Expired")

@kiyomitakada pointed this out and... yeah, every single line does fit! it's very lawlight from Light's perspective.

-> Full Lyrics

Tier A - the whole song fits well

3. Blank Space (<- category A: "Let the Games Begin")

we probably all know this one lol. while the idea that it was actually written as inspired by DN is a myth, it very much does fit.

-> Full Lyrics

and GOD did the MV imagery not help. like, I mean...

the MV uses a colour scheme of red/blue/black/white/green-ish, I think, which doesn't NOT look like the first OP of Death Note anime to say the least.

apple imagery. yeah. the above is literally something Light does in said OP. both song videos have close-up shot of biting a very red apple.

the character Taylor Swift plays in this video (who is supposed to be a satirical caricature based on media perception of her as a crazy obsessive jealous 'serial dater' women iirc) is depicted doing a lot of voodoo to torture her lover.

in one scene she seems to be in a great and dramatic frenzy with mixed emotions (sadness, desperation, manic, anger, hate, etc.) over the boyfriend character's... unconscious body? I'm not super sure if it's supposed to be unconscious. but it's like this:

and then after a while of this, we see a shot of her sneakily winking at the camera. but anyway so yeah this entire part weirdly actually reminded me of L's death scene for some reason lol

at the end of the MV there's a short B-T-S trivia clip. there's a freaking black notebook there:

it's titled "My True Loves" and the content has nothing to do with lawlight, because it just contains pictures of her cats... is what I'd say, but actually, if you stretch it a bit, there's a comparison to be made about the fact that J-Drama Light Yagami's actor is a cat lover who actually has a cat named L

anyway this isn't exactly a T-pose but it's not too far from one either

I think I've made my point.

4. Getaway Car (<- category B: ''Now This is An Open/Shut Case")

this is very the end of the Yotsuba arc to me, specifically from while they are catching Higuchi to after they catch him and Light regains his memories. man...

-> Full Lyrics

Tier B - largely/mostly fitting

category A: "Let the Games Begin"

the mind games begin.

1. Ready For It

Knew he was a killer first time that I saw him Wondered how many girls he had loved and left haunted But if he's a ghost, then I can be a phantom Holdin' him for ransom, some Some boys are tryin' too hard, he don't try at all though Younger than my exes, but he act like such a man, so I see nothing better, I keep him forever Like a vendetta-ta

and

Knew I was a robber first time that he saw me Stealing hearts and running off and never sayin' sorry But if I'm a thief, then he can join the heist, and We'll move to an island, and And he can be my jailer, Burton to this Taylor Every love I've known in comparison is a failure I forget their names now, I'm so very tame now Never be the same now, now

+ the repetition of "Let the games begin". pretty self-explanatory

2. LWYMMD

I've got a list of names and yours is in red, underlined I check it once, then I check it twice, oh!

...and more. also you know how she T-poses at the end of the bridge in the MV, as she stands over many many other past version of herself?

very lightcore pose. (and this isn't even to mention how she kicks off other, "weaker" versions of herself off the giant T in the same scene, which is... arguably also a symbolic parallel to when Light screams in the helicopter as he regains his memory, if you see it that way.)

3. cowboy like me

And the tennis court was covered up With some tent-like thing And you asked me to dance But I said, "Dancin' is a dangerous game."

Oh, I thought This is gonna be one of those things Now I know I'm never gonna love again

I've got some tricks up my sleeve Takes one to know one You're a cowboy like me

this one even has the freaking tennis mention of all things it could've included

4. Mastermind

So I told you none of it was accidental And the first night that you saw me, nothing was gonna stop me I laid the groundwork and then saw a wide smirk On your face, you knew the entire time You knew that I'm a mastermind And now you're mine Yeah, all you did was smile 'Cause I'm a mastermind

honestly though, this one is more like the perfect Kaguya-sama Love is War Kaguya/Miyuki song. every single line fits them perfectly. but since lawlight also do mind games and all, the song also can be seen through a lawlight lens, although I maintain that it is still the perfect kaguprez song instead of a fully lawlight one.

5. Suburban Legends

I had the fantasy that maybe our mismatched star signs Would surprise the whole school When I ended up back at our class reunion Walking in with you You'd be more than a chapter in my old diaries With the pages ripped out I am standing in a 1950s gymnasium And I can still see you now

I didn't come here to make friends We were born to be suburban legends When you hold me, it holds me together And you kiss me in a way that's gonna screw me up forever

I know that you still remember We were born to be national treasures When you told me we'd get back together And you kissed me in a way that's gonna screw me up forever

idk the vibes here kind of make me think of the entrance ceremony scene lol

category B: ''Now This is An Open/Shut Case"

the Kira investigation.

1. I Can See You

I can see you in your suit and your necktie Passed me a note saying, "Meet me tonight" Then we kissed and you know I won't ever tell, yeah And I could see you being my addiction You can see me as a secret mission Hide away and I will start behaving myself

the MV is important context here again, because actually, the official video for this love song depicts one person watching/"seeing" another person through - guess what - surveillance cameras. in reference to the title which is also a line repeated in the chorus. so that explains it I think. also it's implied to be about a workplace relationship

2. I Think He Knows

He got that boyish look that I like in a man I am an architect, I'm drawing up the plans It's like I'm 17, nobody understands No one understands

[...]

He got that boyish look that I like in a man I am an architect, I'm drawing up the plans He's so obsessed with me and, boy, I understand Boy, I understand

Light's pov. the title line "I think he knows" keeps getting repeated in the song which if you view it through a lawlight lens that might be about Kira lol

3. willow

Now this is an open/shut case I guess I should've known from the look on your face Every bait-and-switch was a work of art

The more that you say, the less I know Wherever you stray, I follow I'm begging for you to take my hand Wreck my plans, that's my man You know that my train could take you home Anywhere else is hollow I'm begging for you to take my hand Wreck my plans, that's my man

L pov-ish.

4. The Tortured Poets Department

You're in self-sabotage mode, throwing spikes down on the road But I've seen this episode and still loved the show Who else decodes you?

And who's gonna hold you like me? And who's gonna know you, if not me?

and also:

Everyone we know understands why it's meant to be 'Cause we're crazy So tell me Who else is gonna know me?

...as well as more lines in the song that expresses the same sentiments, like: Who's gonna hold you? Gonna know you? Gonna troll you?

in any case, "who else decodes you?" is definitely a lawlight thesis. imo. in fact I may have even actually started an essay on it in fic format with that thesis. or not? who knows! maybe one day you'll see...

anyway, this song is post-Yotsuba arc-ish to me, sort of.

category C: "I Knew You'd Miss Me Once The Thrill Expired"

L's death and Light's grieving, eventually.

5. Haunted

from Light's pov, especially in anime canon probably.

12. My Boy Only Breaks His Favourite Toys

My boy only breaks his favorite toys, toys, oh I'm queen of sand castles he destroys, oh, oh 'Cause it fit too right Puzzle pieces in the dead of night I should've known it was a matter of time Oh, oh, my boy only breaks his favorite toys, oh, oh-oh-oh

[...]

My boy only breaks his favorite toys, toys, oh I'm queen of sand castles he destroys, oh, oh 'Cause I knew too much There was danger in the heat of my touch He saw forever so he smashed it up Oh, oh, my boy only breaks his favorite toys, oh, oh-oh-oh

which is quite fitting. moreover, there's this...

He was my best friend Down at the sandlot I felt more when we played pretend Than with all the Kens

...as well as the the original version below:

He was my best friend and that was the worst part I felt more then, in brief moments Than with all the Kens

L's pov. the "Kens" mention here is kinda like Light apparently having like 6 girlfriends in college and not caring about any of them despite being significantly bad at getting over L etc etc I think

8. Hits Different

I actually didn't think of this song in association with lawlight at all before I saw @selfdigestion bringing up the connection, and.... YEAH this is pretty lawlight-coded as well

I trace the evidence, make it make some sense Why the wound is still bleedin' You were the one that I loved Don't need another metaphor, it's simple enough A wrinkle in time like the crease by your eyes This is why they shouldn't kill off the main guy Dreams of your hair and your stare and sense of belief In the good in the world, you once believed in me And I felt you and I held you for a while Bet I could still melt your world Argumentative, antithetical dream girl

and also:

I used to switch out these Kens, I'd just ghost Rip the band-aid off and skip town like an asshole outlaw Freedom felt like summer then on the coast Now the sun burns my heart and the sand hurts my feelings

which is what the song is overall about. (there sure are a lot of Light pov songs in this category man)

and on the topic of "Kens", as it is with the previous time song, in Light's case it makes me again think of all his college girlfriends that he doesn't care about. I'm not going to comment too much on the gender-reverse implications this has for the narrator "I" in the song, but I would think that the original lyrics "bet I could still melt your world / argumentative, antithetical dream girl" with echoing repetitions on the phrase "dream girl" should've already done it for me. anyway. moving on.

10. Would've, Could've, Should've

If you never touched me I would've Gone along with the righteous If I never blushed then they could've Never whispered about this And if you never saved me from boredom I could've gone on as I was

[...]

God rest my soul I miss who I used to be The tomb won't close Stained glass windows in my mind I regret you all the time I can't let this go I fight with you in my sleep The wound won't close I keep on waiting for a sign I regret you all the time

I don't know how to explain this one, but it's... something. I think it only makes more sense as a lawlight song if you want to place emphasis on the age/maturity difference angle, although even without that it would still partly fit.

17. Guilty as Sin?

My boredom's bone-deep This cage was once just fine Am I allowed to cry?

I dream of cracking locks Throwing my life to the wolves or the ocean rocks Crashing into him tonight, he's a paradox I'm seeing visions, am I bad? Or mad? Or wise?

This, plus the fact that it uses similar imagery (dying in a hedge maze, crashing over graves, etc.) as Saltburn (2023), which... has that infamous grave scene that reminded every Death Note fan watching it of Light Yagami on L's grave.

13. cardigan

A friend to all is a friend to none Chase two girls, lose the one When you are young, they assume you know nothing

[...]

But I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss I knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs The smell of smoke would hang around this long 'Cause I knew everything when I was young I knew I'd curse you for the longest time Chasing shadows in the grocery line I knew you'd miss me once the thrill expired And you'd be standing in my front porch light And I knew you'd come back to me You'd come back to me And you'd come back to me And you'd come back

yet another post-L's death lawlight song, this time with L+Light switching povs. with the final line I think of the anime scene when Light sees a vision/ghost/whatever it is of L on the stairs:

And when I felt like I was an old cardigan under someone's bed You put me on and said I was your favorite

Tier D - honourable mentions

The Prophecy

I got cursed like Eve got bitten Oh, was it punishment?

lightcoreTM

False God

self-explanatory title

You Are In Love

You kiss on sidewalks, you fight then you talk One night, he wakes, strange look on his face Pauses, then says, "You're my best friend" And you knew what it was, he is in love

Mr. Perfectly Fine

So dignified in your well-pressed suit So strategized, all the eyes on you Sashay away to your seat It's the best seat, in the best room Oh, he's so smug, Mr. "Always wins" So far above me in every sense So far above feeling anything

lightcore #2

You're Losing Me

doesn't fit that well lyric-wise, but it sure has got a heartbeat sound effect (sampled with her own I believe) in it referencing the stopping of a heart that sounds a lot like the one used to signal cardiac arrest in Death Note anime.

The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived

Were you sent by someone Who wanted me dead? Did you sleep with a gun underneath our bed? Were you writing a book? Were you a sleeper cell spy? In fifty years will all this be declassified? And you'll confess why you did it And I'll say, "Good riddance" 'Cause it wasn't sexy once it wasn't forbidden I would've died for your sins Instead I just died inside And you deserve prison, but you won't get time You'll slide into inboxes and slip through the bars You crashed my party and your rental car You said normal girls were "boring" But you were gone by the morning You kicked out the stage lights, but you're still performing And in plain sight you hid But you are what you did And I'll forget you, but I'll never forgive The smallest man who ever lived

lightcore #3

Anti-Hero

I'll stare directly at the sun, but never in the mirror

lightcore #4

Clara Bow

"The crown is stained, but you're the real queen Flesh and blood amongst war machines You're the new God we're worshipping Promise to be dazzling"

there is a joke I can make here about how "dazzling" is "kira-kira" in Japanese

lightcore #5

(man that's a lot of lightcore songs)

Other songs

...that grieve the loss of a lover,

or mentions a lover being a friend/not a friend;

songs with ghost/death/grave/tomb/cemetery imagery,

songs where the self or the lover is compared to God or a god,

songs that mention a difference in age or has the lover looking down on the narrator's maturity (e.g. illicit affairs, All Too Well),

songs where love is characterized as a game of cat and mouse;

and so on.

taylor swift seems to write about those motifs a lot, so there really are a lot of other examples to pull.

and that concludes my list, I think. there may actually be even more comparisons if you look into her album liner notes and such, but this is what I've got for now

#whew it's a long post #I spent a lot of time on it honestly. both listening and searching through her discography. and compiling and formatting this post #so I do hope this has been of interest to you lol #death note #light yagami #lawlight #l lawliet #i (ai)#analysis #...? tangentially. maybe.

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