#the world is shit and i have lost faith in humanity but at least i have them

[castle-rook]

He really went

[lazycats-stuff]

Hello I hope you are well I wanted to make a request about a little male reader that he is a Green Lantern who ends up in Gotham for something related to space drug trafficking but for unspecified reasons he ends up being very attached to Batman a lot as if he were his son small and the bat family ends up making fun of him for this.

I really apologize if there are any spelling mistakes, English is not my first language and I hope I don't bother you with this request.

Hey, English isn't my first language too, so no worries. Of course I can make this, sorry that this took so long though...

Summary: (Y/N) gets attached to Batman.

Warnings: is the ending rushed? Maybe, nothing major, minor cursing here and there, but only one or two

(Y/N) never knew that if he ever took that ring that he would be a Green Lantern and that it would catapult him into this world of justice, injustice and a gray area of the world of criminals. While it is an incredible experience that most people will never experience, such as flying and having powers, but of course, everything has a bad side.

Such as trauma, PTSD, lack of trust towards people and more so towards humanity as a whole. And (Y/N) lost faith in all creatures as it is, since he is responsible for space as well. More often than not, he would travel to space and he would have to investigate there. More people would think that alien species would be more above of human crimes.

Think again.

They were just as bad, if not more worse. (Y/N) had difficult bumps in his hero life. Being a young hero, all alone, with no one to fall back on is rather difficult. Seeing the awful things in this line of work is hard enough, but not having anyone to fall back onto, it makes it even more harder.

But seeing justice being handed to those who deserve it, seeing the victims being empowered... That's something that keeps him going. And is justice always perfect like people would like to think so?

No. But (Y/N) saw that justice takes care of the innocent. Late or early, it always comes when you least expect it.

And that's what kept him going, to keep helping everyone he could. Through all the hardships... It kept him going.

Soon enough, he was introduced into the Justice League and to Flash, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and of course, the infamous Batman. He soon became a member as well and that came with a shit ton of help.

Better equipment, communication and more information that he previously couldn't get or didn't have access to. It made his life much more easier and the cases moved quicker due to the before mentioned information. (Y/N) was on cloud 9 as it is.

However, there was a slight problem called Batman.

(Y/N) was slightly afraid of the man, but in awe at the same time. Batman was a detective known all over the world. His detective skills are impressive, almost like Sherlock Holmes', which is impressive. And with today's technology, Batman is nothing short of a great detective.

But then again, there is a problem with the man's demeanor. He is scary as hell. The man just pops out out of thin air and makes your blood pressure rise to the moon itself. But he is a good mentor when he needs to be and when someone needs guidance. It's something that fascinates (Y/N) about the duality of the man.

And, (Y/N) doesn't have a father so he may or may not get attached. Either way, (Y/N) has some sort of respect for Batman, but more out of fear.

As of now, (Y/N) was going to kill someone. He was on this drug trafficking case for a long while, bouncing from one point A to a point A,1. He couldn't get to point A to point B directly as it should have been. Oh no. Oh God no. Why would (Y/N) get it so easily?

At last, (Y/N) has made it to the almost point B. That almost point B came down to Earth. More specifically, to Gotham city. To Batman's domain, so to speak. Sure, saying domain is rather dramatic, but everyone knows that Gotham City is off limits for anyone who is not Batman.

So, (Y/N) threaded carefully in the city, looking for the people who were needed in his case. He tried to be as covert as possible. That, everyone, went to shit rather quickly.

" What are you doing here? " Batman asked from behind him in his gravelly voice, making (Y/N) jump into the air like a scared cat, grabbing his chest like an old lady.

" Jesus! What the hell?! " (Y/N) exclaimed, leaning down onto his knees.

" What are you doing here? " Batman asked again in his deep and gravelly voice.

" I'm here on a lead of my drug trafficking case. And before you say something, I'm not leaving until I solve it. I led me everywhere and the last stop is here. " (Y/N) said with determination in his voice, however, inwardly, he was shaking in his boots. Batman is scary, can you blame him?

" There has been a new drug on the streets that has been causing problems here... " Batman noted and then looked at (Y/N) and it took everything in him that he doesn't buckle at this very moment. His glare was piercing.

" It seems we are going to work together. " (Y/N) said and Batman simply called someone and (Y/N) wasn't sure what to make of that. Why is the man so cold?

" We will work together, but I'm taking charge since it's my city here. What do you know about the drug and it's distributers? "

And that's how their chaotic friendship and paternal looking up started. (Y/N) has learnt a few tricks from Batman who has years under his belt as a detective really taught (Y/N) some things that will help him in his investigations later on. (Y/N) didn't think that Batman would be such a great mentor, but he was.

Tough and firm when he needed to be, when (Y/N) felt weak and hopeless in this case. And when (Y/N) was clueless, he would be pointed into the right direction and was allowed to learn on his own, with subtle hints. And reassuring when he felt insecure about his powers.

And in the meantime, he met the entire family, starting with the oldest Dick and ending with Damian, the youngest one in the family and the only biological one in the family.

Everything would have been normal if (Y/N) didn't bond with Bruce so out of nowhere. Almost like he would have been his son. Bruce had absolutely no explanation for this. And neither did (Y/N).

But did either of them complain? No.

Did the boys decide to absolutely make fun of the situation? Hell yes.

Dick would often joke that Bruce has a radar for the orphans, regardless of the region where they lived.

Jason would often compare Bruce to a solitary creature that comes out of its lair to seek them and bring them to the lair. Bruce more often then not rolls his eyes at the remark.

Tim simply calls him a new brother and Damian has often joked that (Y/N) is a long lost son of Bruce.

Of course, all of this was in good nature, no malice behind any of those words. Boys liked (Y/N), not minding it all, but they are still allowed to have fun with the situation.

[melancholia00]

I’ll always be a Mizrak defender when Olrox saved him in the abbey. Yes it was sweet and romantic but wholly selfish on Olrox’s part because people forget that Olrox left Richter, Annette, Maria, and Tera to die in the abbey with an omnipotent vampire cat goddess. When they were yards away from the abbey Mizrak was still trying to save the others and struggling to break free from Olrox.

Olrox was manhandling him and Olrox being a vampire, Mizrak was in a huge disadvantage of strength and no matter how much he struggle Olrox would not let him go if Olrox didn’t want to. Even though Olrox saved Mizrak he is keeping Mizrak detained against his will. The first thing on Mizrak’s mind was the others that Maria and Richter are trapped and are in danger. Richter and Maria seem to be pretty familiar with Mizrak. They were causal acquaintances or even friends to say the least— especially the winky face Richter gave Mizrak after visiting the Abbot in ep 1.

Mizrak just has a guarded exterior, he’s like that with everyone else and with Olrox. It’s not personal. Though we do see him falter just a tiny bit in most intimate scenes with them together. It’s nothing personal with Olrox, it’s just Mizrak’s character.🗿 Mizrak is just a tough cookie to crack and Olrox is his glass of milk and he’s the only one that can soften him up and make him ooey gooey. 🍪🥛

Despite the harden exterior he cares for Richter and Maria and when he learned the truth about the Abbot he went against him and tried to save Maria from getting sacrificed! After Mizrak alerted the others he KILLED all the knight brothers because they were in his way to save Maria!

After Richter gets tossed around by the force field magic shit from Erzsebet, Mizrak charges up to avenge Richter but Olrox scoops him up and leaves everyone in the abbey to die.

What did people expect Mizrak to do? Should Mizrak twirl his hair? Kick his feet in the air because Prince Charming swooped down and saved him from certain peril? Olrox saved Mizrak but left everyone else to die! Mizrak felt he was the only one who can could protect Richter, Maria, and Tera from Erzsebet! Even thought he’s the only normal human with no magic he still throws himself into the fray. But Olrox took Mizrak away his first thought is who is going to protect them now?

Olrox now wants to talk about feelings and confess to each other while the world is ending? Time and place Olrox, time and place! The world is at peril and the people Mizrak cares about are getting brutalized! Mizrak called him “animal who lost his soul centuries ago.”

What he’s saying is that Olrox is selfish. He doesn’t have people he cares about or risks his life for but Mizrak does. Essentially calling him heartless because Olrox only saved him and deep down Mizrak feels like he isn’t even worth saving. But he’s able to save other people at least. Try to save the world or die trying.

People intrepid Mizrak being a racist to Olrox because he’s an indigenous man and indigenous people were called animals back then and think Mizrak is a white man. Which I don’t think that’s what Mizrak means that in any capacity.

Also, Mizrak is not white. He’s Middle Eastern/North African, and was probably called an animal too by the Christians since Christians or anyone who doesn’t follow the Abrahamic faith that was specifically theirs called anyone animals. Especially pagans. Yikes!

Not to mention Mizrak’s origin is Maltese and this is the time of Knights of St. John: 1530-1798 during the Knights Hospitaller. Where thousands of Muslim slaves were captured and taken to Malta. In mid-18th century there were around 9,000 Muslim slaves in Hospitaller-ruled Malta. So yea, Mizrak was most likely enslaved during sometime in his childhood and converted to Catholicism when he joined the Clergy of Knights.

So no, Mizrak is a not racist Christian calling Olrox an animal. Mizrak has also been effected by colonialism too. Just how Olrox spoke how he lost his people to due to colonialism kinda made Mizrak be beside himself too.

Almost forgetting about his own home and how he was enslaved to by the very same faith he fights with and that had also caused so much devastation to other parts of the world. Olrox and Mizrak are the same except Mizrak assimilated while Olrox resisted it.

Mizrak was probably a child when he was enslaved while Olrox was a grown adult man when the Europeans came on to his shores. Olrox was able to resist and fight back while Mizrak a child was impressionable and was converted. They have the same backstories but different circumstances.

I went on a tangent here, but Mizrak calling Olrox an animal is because animals are easily spooked and run away from danger and to him he views animals as heartless and only caring for their own survival.

Mizrak chews Olrox out of anger the same way Annette called Richter a “useless fuck,” because he ran away from the cellar.

Mizrak and Annette are very much alike. Both are hot headed and stubborn and not afraid to charge into danger, idealistic and not afraid to get killed. They both share the same philosophy of Anti-Running Away From A Fight

Olrox and Richter are alike in many ways too. They are both are cautious planners and are a more grounded than their partners. They take time to think before they make up a plan— not charge headfirst. And also they both retreated. Richter when he had a panic attack when Olrox spooks him. Olrox pulling Mizrak away from a fight and leaving everyone behind.

Mizrak has every right to be pissed and angry. To put it bluntly he doesn’t have time to deal with whatever this is going on between Olrox and Mizrak right now! This isn’t the time for confessions— they aren’t in the safety of the inn when they are the only two people that matter inside the walls. They are in a middle of a battle and the people Mizrak cares about are trapped with a malicious cat GOD bringing in the destruction of humanity. He doesn’t have time to think of this right now and what he said was out of anger, hurt, and the heat of the moment. He lashed out at Olrox, nothing more.

After he leaves Olrox he runs back to battle yards away to find his friends to see if they survived.

Olrox remains behind because he doesn’t have attachment to those people but Mizrak does he has people he cares about.

Back at the inn Mizrak asked if Olrox was going to turn Mizrak into a vampire he said no because he doesn’t love him. Olrox turned his lover into a vampire because he wanted him to be with him forever. Mizrak was wondering if this— one night stand or anything was something Olrox had planned to do or this is what vampires do when they fancy somebody. When Olrox coldly says he doesn’t love him, and Mizrak thinks Olrox doesn't even care about him . Remember Olrox rejected Mizrak first when he said he didn’t love him.

It’s way too early if Olrox and Mizrak love each other or not. It started out as a one night stand and slowly began to catch feelings for each other. Who knows what we are going to see in season 2 and I don’t think Mizrak hates Olrox he’s just pissed and felt betrayed at the moment. I hope these two can reconcile and worked together to defeat Erzsebet!

[zeebreezin]

hiii its @neathyingenue!! just gonna go ahead and admit i am hazy on some of harb's details. this is an au for beverley yeah? or is it him in the future

Hello my good friend MJ Neathyingenue!! Dw about it I’ve actually been meaning to make a semi-formal summary on him so!

The Scintillating Harbinger is the Sunless Skies AU of Beverley, so yeah technically it’s him in the future (the wonderful year of 1906), but also it’s not the only possibility of him in the futures. Thankfully.

In the Sunless Skies AU, Beverley’s search in London failed due to Shaw’s machinations (and boy howdy did he do some shit). He never found his Dawnlight suitcase bomb - but more importantly, he never found out that B survived the shipwreck they disappeared in. He left London assuming his life’s work and his best friend were both lost to the waves, and threw himself into his work as a means to cope. It helps up until it doesn’t, and then he gets weird about the New Sun to cope.

Fast forward a couple years, and he’s risen through the ranks enough to be working on the Clockwork Sun personally, and rises to the Skies with the rest of the New Sequence. Surprisingly (or maybe unsurprisingly) leaving his home and the only world he’s ever known Doesn’t help Beverley’s mental health. So he doubles down on his love for the sun - this is when the idea that he’s given up everything for it really becomes mission critical.

And then the Clockwork Sun starts glassing/Dazzling the senior engineers. By the time it’s Bev’s turn he’s kind of a mess. Insert the fic I just wrote here, where he manages to stall out his own death with a combination of blind faith and mastery of the Correspondance, binding bits of metal to his glassy side to make it usable. However this has horrible effects on his sanity and overall health, he’s in constant pain and isn’t even really aware of that fact anymore due to being high on that sunny supply.

In my mind, Beverley’s become to the Logoi as the Clockwork Sun is to a Judgement. He’s just stuck in a (somewhat) human body. Right now at least. That’s part of why everything on his ship is - effectively - bound to live in time with his machinery.

Now with insane levels of… everything, he doubles down into his work of making Judgement Light powered weaponry, a speciality that gets him Victoria’s attention. Bev even starts bending the trapping of Other Judgements to make his weapons of mass destruction like the Icarus looking ass he is. For stellar service during the Winchester War (read: war crimes), he was awarded both the Victoria Cross and a dubious position of importance. Legally he’s a captain (despite having way more functional power) of a research Locomotive, the Deliverance, not a war engine. He just… has permission to test the creations on board on enemies of the empire! That’s all!

He’s also still dying due to the damage to his body, but he doesn’t really care he’s got other things to worry about :)

The actual story of him involves his encounters with Shaw’s son, Everett, who he… really doesn’t like, considering his history with Shaw in this AU.

That’s the TL;DR!

[jaredthebc]

The timeline of events for the Yokai Watch series will always be the funniest thing to me at least anime wise cause like

Okay first off we got the basics. Kid ends up with magical maguffin which lets him talk to Yokai, he ends up also freeing a Yokai trapped for centuries who feels in debt to him so he’s got a “butler” following him who tells him all about Yokai, and his sidekick is a cat Yokai who is also the mascot. Monster of the week deal where they befriend a majority of the Yokai they face, or at the very least stop them from being mischievous enough to not be a conflict. Yokai are generally just pranksters and at most will cause a huge inconvenience. Very simple and goofy in tone, yet understandable and fun while also not being afraid to show moments of genuine heart

Then we got Shadowside, a timeskip where the main protag lost his memories of the Yokai world, but his daughter ended up with a maguffin of her own along with her friends. The Yokai are more faithful to how they were in myth, posing actual threats and not being something you can beat in one episode. Its a mystery type of series that has full plot threads that get resolved. Also the cat mascot is there helping the daughter and has a basically werehog forum, as do all the Yokai in this series. The butler is also there and is the only one to remember the previous series, but can’t interact with the previous protagonist anymore so he has to accept knowing he can never speaking to his old friend again. A pretty natural evolution from the routes of the series.

AND THEN THEY JUST GO OFF THE RAILS WITH Y ACADEMY

Everything you knew before changed. Aliens came to earth several decades post Shadowside and fucked everything over by changing Yokai and Human dynamics. Humans can all see and interact with Yokai without the maggufin now, and can FUCKING FUSE WITH THEM TO HAVE HERO FOURMS. This is all regulated via a hero school run by a reincarnated version of the butler guy from the previous series’s. The main protagonist is a reincarnated version of the cat mascot and every main character is also reincarnated Yokai, with no memories of their past lives. Also most characters get at most 2 transformations. The cat mascot stand in has FUCKING SEVEN over the course of a two season show. They fight villains and eventually aliens. Its fucking WILD

I’ve never seen a series jump the shark so hard while also being so glorious in the process. This is the kind of shit I live for

[curried-mermaid]

A Review: Black Butler Vol. 1

Author: Yana Toboso Illustrator: Yana Toboso Publishers: Yen Press Age Group: Older Teen Genre: Shonen, Josei, Dark Fantasy, Occult Type: Manga

Content Warnings: Violence, Demons

Spoilers ahead

Plot

Just a stone’s throw from London lies the manor house of the illustrious Phantomhive earldom and its master, one Ciel Phantomhive. Earl Phantomhive is a giant in the world of commerce e, Queen Victoria’s faithful servant…and a slip of a twelve-year-old boy. Fortunately, his loyal butler, Sebastian, is ever at his side, ready to carry out the young master’s wishes. And whether Sebastian is called to save a dinner party gone awry or probe the dark secrets of London’s underbelly, there is apparently nothing Sebastian cannot do. In fact, one might even say that Sebastian is too good to be true…or at least, too good to be human…

Character Development

Ciel Phantomhive is an overly serious twelve-year-old in charge of a vast toy and sweets commerce empire. Not only that, but he’s the guard dog to England’s underbelly. If the Queen needs a problem fixed, he’s there. He enjoys games, but won’t allow anyone to outwit him. He cannot afford it. Having lost his family and home once already, he’ll do anything to get revenge. 

Sebastian Michaelis is one hell of a butler (kudos to A-1 pictures for that line). He doesn’t complain…not outwardly anyways. He’s good at everything including throwing forks and knives at enemies, fighting Reapers, and gathering information in the blink of an eye. He’s also a demon in service to Ciel until Ciel’s revenge is accomplished. 

There are a variety of other kooky characters surrounding Ciel that makes the story interesting. Everyone from his sniper maid, Mey-Rin, to his tea enthusiast butler, Tanaka. Did I mention the Reapers and his fiance, Elizabeth? Each have their roles to play in Ciel’s life but also add color to the world around him. 

World-building

Victorian England is our setting with the occult mixed in like it’s always been there. The illustrations work fabulously to bring that air of sophistication and backdrop color to the world. The outfits and speech stylings create the world around the audience. 

Themes

Always trust your butler (unless you’re playing Clue). 

Observations & Predictions

While I’ve seen the TV series, my hope is to get context on when everything happens as the series doesn’t put most of the storylines in order. 

I hope to see more of Ciel’s personality and how he handles his trauma. The banter between Sebastian and Ciel is not to be underestimated as well. I hope to see more of Elizabeth growing out of her “everything must be cute” phase so she can Ciel can start a truly deep connection. 

And of course, I want to see Sebastian beat the shit out of everything that comes at Ciel. 

Recommendations

Pandora Hearts By: Jun Mochizuki

D.Gray-Man By: Katsura Hoshino

The Case Study of Vanitas By: Jun Mochizuki

Monochrome Kitan By: Rinka Kusunoki

Moriarty the Patriot By: Ryousuke Takeuchi

[toldbytendo]

𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑑

As the general election comes up, I thought to write about how I've been feeling so politically disillusioned as of late. I've gained such a deep sense of apathy towards it and completely lost faith that the UK, matter fact, the entire world, will ever see better days. Absolutely no party in the government has any true desire to inflict real change and progress.

The global political landscape has one hundred percent magnified this feeling. Palestine, Sudan, and Congo are actually bleeding right now. The conflict feels never-ending, with countless innocent lives lost and a relentless cycle of violence and oppression that seems to be getting even more malicious as time goes on.

Absolutely nothing will come close to the rage and heartache that I felt hearing that innocent Palestinians were murdered by Israelis disguised as *HUMANITARIAN AID* in a place that promised refuge and safety, and yet the West continues to turn a blind eye. The international community watches, with empty words and zero meaningful action. Meanwhile, Sudan is facing catastrophic levels of starvation, a crisis that will have an impact on approximately 8.5 million people, and Keir Starmer’s biggest concern is stripping trans people of their basic human rights, protected under the Equality Act 2020? Are you taking the fucking piss?

I feel as though this all adds to my sense of political disillusionment. I genuinely don’t have anything else to say about it, my heart won’t allow me to sit back and not do what I can; donate, share, pray, write emails and letters to MP’s, *as if they give a shit* but there’s a piece of me that used to believe in humanity and hold onto the idea that activism can produce actual change that’s dying, and while I haven’t completely lost that idea, I’m holding onto it less and less, with every post I see about the genocide in Palestine and the stories of innocent people suffering in Congo, my heart aches and my rage and disgust in humanity worsens.

It’s obviously no secret that we’re part of an intricate system designed to keep the poor poorer and the rich richer, that economists rule the world, and that ‘war’ equals money, but God, I really fucking hate it here. Sometimes, I really wish God would send an asteroid and take us all out right now so humanity could stop its evils upon this world, upon each other.

As I’m writing this, I’m realising how desperate I am to simply focus on my own corner of the world, finding small ways to make a difference in my communities. But even then, it's so *so* hard not to feel overwhelmed by the bigger picture. How can anyone feel excited about the future when it appears bleak at best, right now, we’re witnessing the very worst of humanity and there’s absolutely no promise of improvement, at least politically. It’s time for the revolution, we need to take some tips from the French at this point because it’s insane. Get me off this planet! 🪐🤦🏾‍♀️

[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers LOST EDEN ー Yuma Dark [Prologue]

ー The scene starts in the living room of the Mukami manor

Kou: Hey, hey, Ruki-kun? Can I bring this with me?

Ruki: Kou...Just how many bags are you packing? We’re not going there on holiday. 

Kou: Ehー? But what if it gets stolen while we’re away?

Azusa: Don’t worry, we’ll make sure the place is locked up...

Ruki: Azusa’s right. Perhaps you should go and check whether all doors are properly locked before you get to packing.

Yui: ( ...We’re actually going to the Demon World. )

( I wonder if it’s okay for a human such as myself to tag along...? I’d lie if I said I wasn’t at least a little worried, but my decision was clear from the start. )

( I’ve long decided that I won’t leave Yuma-kun’s side after all. )

Yuma: ...Oi, Yui. Lend me yer ear for a sec.

Yui: What’s wrong?

ー They move closer

On certain CGs, little black roses will appear on the screen. If you click on them, you get an extra line of dialogue.

“When ya say that...It kind of makes me look lame. Like usually the guys says it first, no?”

“Ya really are unbelievable...But well, I guess I don’t dislike that side of yers.”

Yuma: You’ve been keepin’ quiet but...Are ya sure?

Yui: Eh? 

Yuma: You’re actin’ like it’s the most normal thing in the world, but I wanna know if you’re serious ‘bout going to the Demon World.

Sure, Eden might be important to us four but...It’s different for ya.

Yui: ...No, that’s not true. If it’s important to you guys, then it is to me as well. 

Besides, I’ll follow along anywhere. I want to be with you after all. 

Yuma: ...I mean, I figured you’d say somethin’ like that.

But I want ya to properly think this true. The Demon World has never been the safest place ‘round and now shit has really hit the fan.

I honestly have no idea what dangers might be lurkin’ ahead either. To take ya to such a place... 

Yui: You’re worried?

Yuma: ...Ya bet I am. I wouldn’t want anythin’ to happen to ya.

Yui: Thanks, Yuma-kun. But I’ll be okay.

I’ve made up my resolve...And besides, I think that you’ll keep me safe no matter what.

Yuma: ...

Yui: Am I wrong...?

Yuma: ...You’re not.

You’re not but it kind of pisses me off regardless!

*Rustle* 

Yui: Eeh!? W-Why?

Yuma: Ya sound so damn confident. Makes it look like I’m the only shy one.

Yui: ...You’re shy?

Yuma: ...See! Don’t ask me straight to my face like that!

Besides, why ‘you think’? I’ll protect ya for sure!

Yui: ...Fufu, right.

Yuma: Hmph. ...Good.

I’ll keep ya safe. Don’t forget that, no matter what happens.

Yui: Yeah!

( Yuma-kun is always there to protect me. He always has been...and I’m sure he always will be. )

( I can blindly follow him, because I have faith in him. )

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the entrance hall of the Mukami manor

Ruki: Everyone’s ready?

Kou: All goodー

Azusa: I’ve got everything...

Yuma: How ‘bout ya?

Yui: Yeah, I’m good.

Ruki: Let’s go then. ーー To Eden.

ー The scene shifts to the underground waterway

Yui: Hey, can I ask something? What was it like to live at Eden?

Yuma: What is was like? ...Ya know?

Kou: It wasn’t all that unusual. A normal human could comfortably live there as well. 

Ruki: Karlheinz-sama set it up that way.

Yui: Karlheinz-san did...

Ruki: Even though we were not his real sons, he always took us into consideration...

His home...that was Eden. 

Yuma: I mean, obviously it’s gonna be important to us.

Yui: ( Both Yuma-kun and the others truly respect Karlheinz-san. )

( He was a Father figure to them, someone very important. ...But they’ve lost him. )

Ruki: Oi, don’t look so sad just from listening to us. Then you better prepare yourself for what’s to come when you actually come face-to-face with Eden. 

Yui: It’s that bad...? 

Ruki: ...You’ll see when we get there. 

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the outside of Eden

Yui: ...This is...Eden...?

Ruki: ...Exactly.

Kou: It’s completely worn-down. It wasn’t like this at all in the past...

Azusa: The water has become stagnant and the air feels stale as well...

Yuma: The grass and flowers have all withered too. ...Damnit!

Ruki: This Castle shares its soul with its owner. When abandoned by said owner, it is only natural it would fall into ruin like this.

Yuma: ...So it’s that bastard’s fault?

Yui: ( He’s talking about Shuu-san...right? )

( After Karlheinz-san’s passing, Shuu-san was chosen as his successor. So naturally this Castle’s current owner is... )

Yuma: ...He won’t get away with this!

ー Yuma runs off

Yui: Yuma-kun!? Where are you going!? 

Yuma: Isn’t that obvious!? I’m gonna go give him a taste of my fists!

We gotta make sure he gets his shit together or this place will stay like this, right!?

Ruki: Calm down, Yuma. Try to think about it logically. Do you really think things would have gotten this bad if all he needed to motivate him was a hit on the head?

Yuma: ...I mean, ya might not be wrong but...! Ya want to just ignore it then!? 

ー Yuma walks away

Yui: Yuma-kun!

Azusa: Yuma...lost his temper...

Yui: I’ll go after him, okay?

Kou: Hmー.... I think it might be best to leave him alone for now?

Yui: Maybe but...I can’t help but be worried. I’ll go take a quick look.

ー Yui goes after him

Ruki: ...I’d rather she wouldn’t spoil him too much though.

Azusa: Eve is so kind...

ー The scene shifts to the inner courtyard

Yui: ( I’m pretty sure he went this way...Ah, there he is. ...He’s looking after the flowers? )

ー Yui walks up to Yuma

Yui: Yuma-kun.

Yuma: ...What? Did ya come here ‘cause Ruki told ya to? 

Yui: No, I wanted to come, that’s all. Hey, can I help you?

Yuma: ...Do as ya please. 

*Rustle rustle* 

Yui: I didn’t know there was a garden here as well. It really isn’t all that different from the world I know.

Yuma: Guess so. What did ya think it looked like anyway? 

There’s trees and grass in the Demon World as well and we’ve got flowers growin’ here too.

Yuma: ...But look. The soil’s dead over here.

Yui: It was different in the past, right...?

Yuma: Yeah. When we were livin’ here, seeds sprouted overnight and flowers or fruits would grow in no time.

I was shocked at how amazin’ the soil over here is. ...Yet.

Yui: ( I’m sure this garden holds many memories for him. )

( He must be sad to see it completely withered like this...Still. )

Yuma: That fuckin’ NEET...Does he not realize the position he’s in right now!?

Yui: ( I’m also a little sad...that Yuma-kun and Shuu-san are on bad terms. )

( I know the two of them have a long history together. But that’s exactly why I want them to get along. )

Hey, Yuma-kun...Perhaps you should have a proper heart-to-heart with Shuu-san?

Yuma: Aah? 

Yui: It might be Shuu-san’s fault that this place has become like this, but he hasn’t been the heir to the throne for very long.

He might have a lot of things he’s still uncertain about...So maybe we shouldn’t assume he’s been knowingly neglecting his responsibilities. 

Yuma: ...You’re takin’ his side?

Yui: I-I’m not! I just think that maybe Shuu-san has a reasoning of his own...

Yuma: To me that’s basically takin’ his side! Even ya, seriously...!? 

???: What’s this? Fighting all the way over here?

ー A random stranger shows up

Yui: ( A person!? Where did he come from...!? )

*Caw caw caw* 

Yui: ( Also look at all these crows...I’ve never seen this guy before, but could he be an acquaintance of Yuma-kun...? )

Yuma: ...Yui. Hide behind me.

Yui: Eh? Yuma-kun, you don’t know this guy...?

Yuma: I don’t. I can tell that he’s probably a Vampire but...I’ve never seen this guy before. 

Kino: Fufu. Oh come on, no need to be so alert. I’m Kino. Nice to meet you.

Yuma: I don’t give a damn ‘bout yer name! Why are you here at Eden? Do ya have any idea what this place is?

Kino: Of course I do. But I have all the right to be here, don’t you think? I’m also Karlheinz’ son after all.

Yuma: Haah!?

Yui: ( Karlheinz-san’s son!? So he’s the Sakamaki brothers’ sibling then...? )

Yuma: Cut the crap! I’ve never heard a thing ‘bout ya! Stop spoutin’ bullshit lies!

Kino: How rude. It’s not a lie. ...I mean, I guess I can’t blame you for not knowing me. I was never made public after all.

Yuma: Aah? What do ya mean?

Kino: I may be his son, but I am what you’d call an illegitimate child.

Yui: An illegitimate child!?

Kino: Yup. In other words, I’m Prince Zero.

That being said, I don’t recall my Father ever being involved in my upbringing and I have yet to meet my other brothers in person.

I’ve been living in Rotigenberg my whole life. That’s where I was raised amidst the Ghouls.

Yuma: Ghouls, ya say...?

Yui: Yuma-kun, what are Ghouls?

Yuma: That’s what we call creatures who are neither Demon nor human.

Apparently they live at an area up in the North known as Rotigenberg. 

Kino: Fufu, you’re surprisingly nice for a Vampire. Why not just tell her straight up?

To put it simply, Ghouls are not who aren’t qualified to be considered Demons.

They are Demons born without any kind of magic...In other words, faulty goods. That’s what Ghouls are.

Yui: ( Demons without any magic...I had no idea those existed. )

Kino: Well, there’s cases of humans turning into Ghouls after being exposed to the polluted air of the Demon World.

Yuma: Fuck that shit!

If you’re seriously Karlheinz-sama’s son...Then what are ya here for?

Ya came here all the way from Rotigenberg, right? So ya must have had a damn good reason.

Kino: Oh come on, don’t glare at me. I feel like I’ll get hit if I keep on beating around the bush, so I’ll get straight to the point. 

Mukami Yuma. You have a problem with the current Vampire King. Correct?

Yuma: ...So what?

Kino: I’ll fix your problem. So let’s work together?

Yuma: ...Hah?

Kino: I wouldn’t be a bad alley to have, if I may say so myself? After all, I’m pretty strong being a purebred Vampire unlike yourself.

As his son, I’ve also inherited my Father’s ーー Karlheinz’ powers. I don’t see how having me on your side could be a disadvantage. 

Yuma: Hah, ridiculous. I don’t gain anythin’ from it either, do I?

Kino: You think so? But if I were to steal those powers from Shuu and become the successor to the throne, Eden would return to normal?

Yuma: ...!

Yui: ( Steal his powers, don’t tell me he wants to...!? )

Kino: I wouldn’t simply turn a blind eye to it. I’d take my full responsibilities as a King.

You still think my deal doesn’t have any merits? 

Yuma: ...

...I get what you’re tryin’ to say. But listen, ya smell way too fishy, mate. 

Ya really think I’m gonna believe ya just pop out of nowhere as Karlheinz-sama’s hidden love child to form an alliance? 

Kino: Hmm. You’re surprisingly cautious, huh? 

Yuma: Sorry to break it to ya bud, but I only believe the things I see with my very own eyes or what I’m told by my pals whom I can trust.

Kino: ...I see.

Ruki: Yuma!

ー The other Mukamis run up to them

Kino: Oh, this isn’t good.

Azusa: ...? Who’s that...?

Kino: I’ll get going now. See you later, Yuma...Yui.

*Flap flap flap* 

Yuma: ...Che. Creepy fucker. I’m not gonna change my mind no matter how many times he shows up.

Yui: ...?

Crow: ...

Yui: ( There’s a single crow left...It’s staring intently at Yuma? )

Yuma: Whatcha lookin’ at!? Scram already!

*Flap flap flap* 

Yui: Yuma-kun! You’re going to scare it away with your shouting!

Yuma: It’s fine. That wasn’t just a regular old crow.

Yui: Eh? 

Yuma: Ghouls can change into crows. So that one just now was a Ghoul as well. 

Yui: Ghouls...

Ruki: Oi, Yuma. What happened?

Kou: Who was that guy just now? He didn’t struck me as familiar.

Yuma: ...He’sーー

ー Yuma explains to them

Azusa: Karlheinz-sama’s son...?

Kou: A hidden love child, on top of that. You don’t actually believe him, do you, Yuma-kun?

Yuma: Hell nah! I’m not that stupid! ...It’s just.

Ruki: He gave off bad vibes.

Yuma: Yeah. Seems like he’s got connections with the Ghouls as well. ...We’ve got a weird fella on our hands. 

Ruki: ...By the way, how do you feel now?

Yuma: Ah? 

Kou: You stomped off in a fury, remember? Do you feel a bit better now after M-neko-chan comforted you? 

Yuma: Haah!? She didn’t comfort me or anythin’!

Azusa: ...Is that true, Eve?

Yui: I-I’m not sure. I don’t think I did anything special...

Kou: In other words, she doesn’t need to do anything special because just being together is enough to lift your spirits. You’re so simple-minded, Yuma-kun~!

Yuma: Fuck off! Leave me alone!!

ー Yuma walks away

Yui: Ah, again...!

Azusa: This time it’s fine. He’s just trying to hide his embarrassment...

Ruki: We should head back to the Castle as well. With Eden in this state, it’s possible that some weird people like that guy from before could get inside.

Even while here at Eden, it’s dangerous to wander around unprepared. 

Kou: Rogerー Let’s go, M-neko-chan.

Yui: Yeah...

( In the end...What did that Kino guy even want? )

ー She recalls his words

Kino: I wouldn’t simply turn a blind eye to it. I’d take my full responsibilities as a King.

You still think my deal doesn’t have any merits?

Yuma: ...

ー The flashback ends

Yui: ( ...Yuma-kun seemed to hesitate just a bit back then. )

( Of course, I want this place which is important to everyone to go back to normal as well. )

( But I can’t choose that path...if it means Shuu-san needs to die and have his powers taken away from him... )

( Yuma-kun should feel the same way, right? He isn’t the type of guy who’d wish death upon someone else, regardless of how he personally feels about this person. )

( Yeah, I’m sure Yuma-kun will be fine. I believe Shuu-san will eventually get it together as well, even if he’s struggling right now. )

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

[moonfurthetemmie]

Hiii I survived the hurricane

We actually got really lucky and the worst part was just power going out for a hot while. But we had enough gas for the backup generator to last us until the power came back, so we were able to plug the main fridge in and some of our window AC units.

In the 21 hours without power or internet I spun some more ideas for the Horror Theater Kid AU

In normal JMV and the normal Theater Kid AU, Obsidian is delighted that the people in Silver’s AU think he’s a god and is like “hell yeah I am! Bring me human sacrifices!!”

or some variation of that. In the theater kid AU Puck helps Lear make a big show about it

In the Horror Theater Kid AU, Gonzalo and Petruccio deny that Gonzalo is a god, but instead insist that they serve a much higher power. They are then called spiritual messengers, and the people gladly give them human sacrifices. Lodovico was not the first, and far from the last. But Gonzalo and Petruccio wanted to see if there was anyone there they could recruit somehow, or try to use to bring even a small bit Yighraru’s essence to their world, so the first few sacrifices were brought to them alive.

Lodovico is the only one who survived. While everyone from their home universe thinks they’re dead, it’s treated more like they were raised to sainthood. A great honor was bestowed upon them. They were taken away alive. They must’ve had something special in them.

So, Lodovico knows about this god shit, but they think it’s just an excuse to do satiate their bloodlust. At most, Gonzalo and Petruccio are completely insane. Their lack of faith is probably one of the reasons they were sacrificed so early on.

Antonio watched his family die. Gonzalo and Petruccio were going to sacrifice him, too, but they saw how much he cared for them while figuring out their plan of attack and decided it would be very entertaining to let him come home just in time for his spouse and child to see him ooonne last time.

He lost his shit. Understandably.

Unlike in normal JMV, Gonzalo and Petruccio weren’t wanting to cause a huge commotion. They didn’t have the resources (namely people) for the kind of display they really wanted to do.

So most of Antonio’s neighbors, who didn’t see Gonzalo and Petruccio and didn’t hear his family scream for help (because they couldn’t. Petruccio made sure of that very quickly), think that Antonio either just fucking snapped, or pissed off someone who was deeply unstable. The fact that Antonio was never seen again isn’t encouraging.

Antonio stays with them because he has nowhere else to go, and is terrified of what they’ll do if he tries to desert. He’s absolutely convinced his neighbors think he killed his family and the thought of trying to go back scared him even more. At least there are some people here who understand, and who are friendly.

Beatrice’s version of Ruby is still dead, but the pair were lured into the woods before Gonzalo and Petruccio tried to kill them. Ruby was caught off-guard, but Bea had a split second warning and managed to defend herself so well that Gonzalo and Petruccio thought she needed to join them. Much like in normal JMV, she wasn’t actually given a choice.

Isabella’s story is mostly the same as the normal theater kid AU. Including the part where only Gonzalo found her. There was a little portal mishap. Petruccio freaked. Gonzalo would’ve freaked but he was too busy being really fucking confused

He would’ve told Bella that she was a friend of his before, but in his distress and confusion he started with a “where the hell am I and who are you”, so. Kinda botched that one. But he still offered a way out of the anti-void, under the condition that she helps him and Petruccio with something. Bella tried to ask what, but she was too anxious to get out of there to really question why Gonzalo was being dodgy about it.

Probably she pissed Petruccio off by calling him a nerd (derogatory) for all the theater stuff and the plays he’s been writing. You do not insult his art. He will fucking get you. Gonzalo wasn’t too happy either.

The fact that Petruccio now asks her for her opinion and to proofread and stuff shows just how much he’s come to trust her now. Or perhaps he’s simply forgotten why they broke her mind. It’s hard to say. Bella certainly doesn’t remember anything about it.

[the-starry-seas]

oc ask game part 1: 🏷️ 🎨 🤝 

oc ask game part 2: 🎶 🫶 💫 🃏

I'm going to ramble about Ember he's everything to me actually

🏷️ - How did they get their name?

His older brother and squad sergeant Blue named him! No matter what came their way, he was gentle and kind and thought about a better future. He was a little spark of hope in a cold galaxy that didn't give a shit about clones. He was their ember of life. The heart of their squad. He was named after why they loved him.

🎨 - What battalion are they in?

The way I had to look this up- They were deployed as part of the 714th! And they really liked their general, a Wookiee named Osstowla, since she was always kind to them. Unfortunately she was replaced in 19 BBY by a human named Stusalv who shall we say caused a lot of problems. He wanted to decommission Ember so the squad had to kill him to protect their boy whoops.

🤝 - Which canon clone trooper would they get along with the best?

No cause literally I have a WIP where Ember's squad finds Kix in stasis after however many years that was, and they're best friends. They're very alike and Ember is the most patient one in the squad to help Kix adjust to the whole new world he finds himself in. If they met in the war era, they would have been even better friends and helped each other a lot with their medic work.

🎶 - What kind of music would/do they listen to?

He used to like listening to instrumental music! And then alas he lost his hearing and now he doesn't listen to music any more. Though he does still like Dha Werda Verda! Tapping the beat on their chestplates is the closest he can come to hearing music, and he knows they'll match his singing so he's not out of tempo/tune with them.

🫶 - Who is their best friend(s)?

His squad, his beloved! They're everything to him. And in the war, he was pretty close to their battalion medic, Tab, who looked out for all of them. Out of everyone... it's hard to tell who his favourite is. Blue or Fury, I think.

💫 - What are/were their plans for “after the War”?

Alas, he lost faith in surviving the war after he lost his hearing. Before that, though, he had all sorts of ideas about how he could help his squad adjust to civilian life! He was so sure that they could all make it! But he wasn't prepared for how much the galaxy changed while they were in stasis for thirty years, and he wasn't sure how to keep to those plans when they got their independence back. It all got itself worked out eventually.

🃏 - How good are they at sabacc and/or dejarik?

Hmmm. I think he's pretty decent at sabacc because at its heart it's just a numbers game. But he needs a player's guide to constantly consult through a game of dejarik because he can never remember all the different attributes of the pieces. At least he can always play against Racer, who doesn't know shit about dejarik and can't play at all.

[taxfraudhousewife]

hey toga

getting a job didn’t cure the depression

the new kind of depression

at least it’s not personal anymore

at least everyone doesn’t hate me for reasons no one can place but everyone can see

i don’t know what to do now

i have so many questions

i wish it didn’t take me so long to think of them

i’m sorry i took so long

i really wish you were here

my friends don’t want to do illegal shit

my mom thinks i’m brainwashed

maybe you are too

i can’t decide if it’s better or worse than regular brainwashing

what the fuck did you do

i haven’t even internalized your actual death how am i supposed to internalize the fucking concept of socialism without tearing myself inside out

how did you hold your outsides out

what kind of outside did you even have to grow

i think mine is bad

i know yours is worse

how did you just sit inside your own outside

i can’t keep it separate

maybe we’re not supposed to

but everyone else can

i can’t tell if you did

i assume not if you were abusing that many substances

but you weren’t as insufferable as i am

that extremely likeable disposition

i know it’s wrong to be jealous of you

it’ll never stop until i am you

i wouldn’t have to be become you if you were still here

if you took me with you or not i could’ve been something else

someone whose muslim jesus is alive and well

im so desperate to be the person you might’ve turned me into

but there is no one to do the turning

except for me

who still really misses you

me who can’t just let you go

maybe i’m just a woman who needs a man to follow and serve

so ready to throw the second brick that the first no longer crosses my mind

and boy have i seen my beloved men be strong and brave

but maybe that’s why i put too much faith in them

it could’ve been you

i will never get over that

a god i would fight to my death for

isn’t that dramatic from me of all people

id probably get you killed a lot sooner

you’d never let me come in the first place

you’d talk me out of it and i’d obey because that’s what religious freaks do

who knows how long i’d spend believing im meant to follow the rules

because you’d say what you need to say to keep me from becoming you

i’m not anything like you tho

i’m too scared to do anything alone

and jesus louisis i am so alone without you

and i’m so fuckin lost and i miss you

my friends say let it eat itself

but that would make you an accelerationist

and i have that same accelerationist demon inside

but he’s just as afraid to act alone as i am

it’s so lonely

that’s the point

and i could get over myself for the sake of actual human connection

i could let the world eat itself

maybe even be happy

and you wouldn’t blame me

you’d probably encourage it

i know you wouldn’t want me to throw away my undeserved place in the machine for ideologies and promises

i know you wouldn’t want me under the fireworks and orchestras

it must’ve been hard

the balance between keeping the teenagers safe and radicalizing them too far

teaching revolution without violence

when you know it’s not possible

i assume they weren’t as hardcore loyalist as me

i assume they know better than me that nothing is possible without violence

i imagine you desperately wrangling angry nineteen year olds

your incantations are only half as effective on them

i keep wondering if you were afraid that you’d set them up for death so young

wish you’d wrangle me

or choose not to

but an active choice rather than dead omission is all i really want

i could hate myself less if you carved away what you deemed excess

if i could keep everything in me that i learned from you

if the reactionary anger slathered over the grief could melt away in your light

if everything in me had your seal of approval

come on muslim jesus

you’re the closest thing i’ll have to a real prophet

i’m sorry i thought you were too smart for your religion

i get it now (in a way)

you showed me where to find fundamental truths about the universe

maybe in a way you were too smart for your religion

but your golden light didn’t come from your smarts

your light was fever hot and smelled like ketosis breath

damp like my gong gongs jungle and dehydrated like my grandmas sand storms

scaled like a dragon and sweetly sung like a bird

i felt like a cat laid in the sun

is it crazy how bad i wish i could curl up with you again

i used to fantasize about your angry nineteen year olds busting you out and sending you here

sometimes i still do

they were strong and able to pull it off because of what you gave them

sent you here swollen and bruised but with your organs intact

and you just needed to rest for a week and you voluntarily rested

because you believed those angry nineteen year olds had east turkistan in the bag

and i doted on you like you did me when we were both younger and more functional

and between the doting i curled up beside you and watched you write and after every word i’d ask

what’s that say

you’d respond in perfect russian

and i would say naxui and roll my eyes at you

and you would roll your eyes at me

and i would press my brow to yours and try not to cry

cause at this point in the maladaptive daydream i’ve remembered it’s not real

if i could cradle that giant asian head and just hold on for five more seconds

i don’t need enough time to confess my undying religious devotion

but enough for you to know that even tho i can’t say it to anybody i love you

and i believe you

[azriel-delacroix]

Humans. They were versatile and complex while simultaneously being completely barbaric and acting on impulses alone instead of rationally thinking out their choices. Azriel remembered what it was like to undergo the exorcism. The cold, unable to move, not understanding why his parents stood by while he screamed and didn't move to help him. The witch was being honest when he said that he lost his family and faith all at once, especially when his pleas were met with silence in his head. No reassurance from the higher power he grew up believing. No signs that He was there, at least waiting for him if he were to perish from the trials. He was alone. Something a young child, not even an adult, should go through. Azriel blinked, unable to peel his gaze away from the scenario as it unfolded around him when he felt Lust's gentle touches on him, his hand encapsulated by the Prince's. His eyes moved to look at the demon, nodding sadly in response. "I know they don't deserve anything when it comes to me, but they're my parents," the witch whispered, a vulnerability enveloping him that he never liked to show. Azriel was always the level-headed one, the one that thought before he acted– cool in the face of adversary except for in the recesses of his own mind when he was still the scared little boy who was traumatized by the people that were supposed to love him. "I don't know how to... not care for them. I tried to go back to them several times. I had hoped at some point that they would change their mind, but they never did, and then they disappeared– leaving me behind for good." It wasn't something he was proud of, something not even Kai knew. It was how he found the farmhouse, how his despair led him to his safe haven that he was now trapped in. Azriel understood why Lust did what he did, knew he was on the Devil's shit list, but it didn't make him feel better.

Azriel could have shown him more memories. Could have shown Lust the hell he went through in the coven growing up with the Foxwood's as his new family and with peers that sneered at him and bullied him just because he wasn't born in the coven like the others. There was no point, though. Not when he could feel the despair that cascaded down the bonds. If anyone understood the bond of siblings, even though there was no blood relation, it was Lust. He was always curious about why the princes called each other 'brothers', yet they were the furthest from the definition. All except Lust and Gluttony. He knew it was just as hard for Lust to leave his brother behind as it was for the witch to leave his own siblings behind. "Once I stopped running away and accepted my identity, my siblings became my world. My one true reason for living at the time– life without them was meaningless." Azriel didn't know how or when the demon Prince was added to the short list of people that the witch would do anything for… that gave his life meaning, but Lust's name was etched right next to his siblings. Azriel turned to face Lust, a gentle smile on his face at the Prince's vow before his lips fell to neutrality once more, brows furrowing. "I know you miss Gluttony, but... maybe there's something I can do to put your mind to ease," the witch offered with a gentle wave of his hand, the memories around him fading to the stark white of his mind before pushing Lust back into his own mind; ending the connection and opening his eyes to the farmhouse. Az still held Lust's hands in his own, "on my own, I've only been able to astral project by myself. With a crown? I might be able to take you since we're bonded. I could take you to see your brother and no one would be able to detect us."

This was already starting to become too much for Lust to bare, but that did not matter when he wasn't the one who lived through the torment. He pondered how a meeting between himself and Azriel's parents will play out if the opportunity arose where they came face-to-face with the demon Prince who proved their son isn't the abomination those religious fanatics thought he was. Well, if they expected a witch to become a monster, then Lust will be the only one showing them what a real monster looked like. A true Prince of Hell who did not tolerate such travesties against anybody he cared about. Perhaps, slicing them to pieces with his dagger would have sufficed, including the priest who performed the exorcism never hurting the cause, but Lust wouldn't rid the world of their hateful kind unless given the word. Families were complicated and despite what the Delacroix's did, he cannot blame Azriel for still loving them in some way. "Everyone, no matter how pure and kind-hearted one claims they are, are still capable of evil when the conditions are right. You don't expect that kind of thing from family, Az, but that kind of violence is always enacted by your own loved ones from my understanding of humans." Lust dragged his attention away from the male and glanced around him in wonderment, almost as if the scene could not decide where the memory wanted or needed to land in order to play the next horror show he knew was coming. Flashes of various images floated in and out, however unlike the previous memories, the fact it was as if someone turned the knob of the sound's volume practically to mute spelled a clear message that Az blocked out the sounds of his own screams. Lust knew hearing any of it or the begging would have broken him right then and there, more than he already was in the moment. He was still angry, still accepting to spill blood if needed when his eyes found Az's parents tying him to the bed with binds that were far too tight, but his melancholy for Azriel replaced the hate briefly. "I will never understand how anybody can place a child who they once claimed to care for more than anything under physical torture based on their beliefs that they can change what they think is wrong with you." Lust reached out a hand and brushed his fingers against Azriel's before it completely encapsulated the witch's, silently conveying that Az did not deserve the treatment nor did he himself believe his Prince was a demon in witch's clothing. "Your parents do not deserve any thought you have ever spared on them and they don't deserve any tears you've shed." Picture after picture flickered, representing the priest spitting nonsense, Az's mother and father physically holding down a young boy and ignoring his pleading, Lust imagining the feeling of those ropes clinging tighter and tighter as if they were wrapped around his own wrists. "I'm sorry, Az, I just-...I can't imagine..."

This was heartbreak at its finest, Lust could feel something within himself shatter the moment his eyes found the spot where Azriel's arm was now missing, taken from him just as his younger brother had been. The younger Azriel awoke once again, changing the scenery with it, before Lust's attention fell upon a brunette young woman that he swore he knew tending to the injured male. it wasn't until the witch beside him confirmed the identity did it really click for the demon prince. Of course. Isabel's training as the coven healer, why was not Lust surprised? "That's my sister for you." Lust finally released the other's hand and fully turned toward him, nodding in total understanding. Glancing over Azriel with a clarity like he was seeing the real him for the first time. Beautifully tragic, beautiful in every way, needing to grant him every scrap of happiness that he was so deprived of. "I understand now the protectiveness you and your siblings have for each other. Losing them is losing Asa all over again. It reminds me of me and Gluttony." God, how he missed his brother, a yearning pang he knew the other would sense through the bond, but Lust knew this wasn't about himself. "I promise, you will never be alone the way you were back then."

[actually-eldritch]

Sometimes someone will type a comment that sends me in to a bit of a rage.

Ultimately whatever violence they committed was in passing: they didn't realise how fucking obtuse they were being by parroting 2D social analysis and mental health advice they don't fully comprehend on someone's cope post. They were treating it like the world stage in a fantasy AU where inconsequential tumblr user #4848594848263 vent blogging is a catalyst of unfortunate normalisation instead of a consequence of it, and offering unsolicited advisory that over-all sucks shit despite it's well meaning as people on Tumblr and The Internet At Large and also The Great Outdoors are prone to do.

That's not unusual, it's frankly a pretty comprehensible web of human tendency, at least to me.

It's borne of the fact that they don't actually comprehend the sociological analysis they're regurgitating—so much important information about a situation gets lost this way, when people keep just kind of forcibly clicking together puzzle pieces that are definitely nearby in the picture but also not quite adjacent, creating a low-res version nobody asked for and the OP has almost definitely seen before in order for them to be in interaction proximity in the first place.

Anyway.

So I'll come across this obtuse comment and instead of sending an ask I'll type my long-winded response, getting it out of my system, because historically I know people have a tendency to jump through hoops in order to believe what I have to say is incoherent or in bad faith.

This may be subconscious and totally beyond their control at least within the moment, but the point is that they probably won't be listening anyway, because they don't even see the ecosystem of behaviour they're a part of and I don't have the sanity to spend to be the one trying to tell them.

Do you know what I am in control of though?

Deleting that essay after my typing-it-at-all catharsis and blocking them since they annoyed me so fucking bad.

If the arguments were good, they'll remain rattling somewhere in my head whenever relevant discussions come up. And if it's REALLY good I can change it over the course of a few drafts to be a nice little essay that's competent instead of blind and frothing with rage. And when it's not so fucking accusatory anymore it'll actually have a chance of helping someone grasp something they couldn't comprehend and may be somewhat averse to learning, which was my real desire when I was nearly compelled to reprimand someone for their shitty fucking comment.

Isn't that just nifty?

[tallochar]

Can’t recall if I already sent you an ask for the ask game, but: 8, 13, 17

8 - Is there anything about post-Flashpoint canon you prefer to pre-Flashpoint canon? Be honest.

I have only read a handful of issues of post Flashpoint canon and it was pretty much N52 stuff so... the art?

Some of the art I have seen for post Flashpoint comics looks genuinely amazing and while pre Flashpoint had a lot of very solid and stunning art too, I really like some of the stuff I have seen coming out better, purely on artistic preferences level.

(The New52 Batwoman run, Jimenez's Tim, Bruce looking older and haggard with electric blue eyes and that five o'clock shadow etc.)

13 - Is it okay to make detailed contigency plans to take down your teammates? (See: Tower of Babel and a million other storylines) Why or why not?

Yeah, it is (dunno if this is going to be a controversial opinion or not, this is just my own take about things).

I think it is very human to want to or feel the need to, especially in a world where super powered beings are a reality and it has been proven again and again that their will can be suborned or that they can be forced to turn against colleagues, friends and family.

I have really bad anxiety, and I also rely a lot on scripts to get things done. Part of me needs to be prepared for things, hence why I like large bags that are always inevitably cluttered with things I might never use, but I might need at some point so I have them.

I think that in a world like that of DC, when you are in a position like that of Bruce or Tim in Red Robin, it is okay to want to make (and actually go through with plotting out) plans to take down and / or contain the people around you that might need stopping and will not be stopped if you are not ready to.

I know I sure as fuck would look at people and at the very lost idly wonder about it, maybe plot it out as a thought exercise, maybe plot it out as a serious thing if that person set off my "something is wrong here" meter, because those are the lanes my brain goes down.

Sure, Kon was so angry after he thought Tim might have had plans like Bruce's had at the time, when YJ were conscripted as extraction and relief personnel for thaf galactic war, but give it a few years, Geoff Johns and Lex being a dick and then Tim ended up with a broken arm courtesy of Kon and needing to take him down and Kon felt like shit it even went as far as the broken arm. A contigency plan was useful then.

I do not see it as a betrayal of friendship or a lack of faith in people, I see it as a coping mechanism and a necessity of the world. It's like going out with mace in your pocket or something heavy in your bag for your safety when you go in places that are dangerous.

Personally, if I had that level of superhuman powers, I would actively want my friends to have plans and ideas on how to take me down if it ever turned out to be necessary and not share them with me, so I could not counter plan for them.

For their own safety and my peace of mind.

How that is done is a whole other thing, though, and when that should be done is an even more complicated question.

I do not think my rule should be everybody's rule, though. It would just apply to me.

Everybody has free will and I am honestly feeling pretty sure my answer might not go down well with a lot of people.

17 - Who is the best civilian love interest, and why?

Ariana Dzerchenko.

She felt REAL to me, a person with her own life and things going on, an actual teenager that I wished had gotten a better deal, and that is why she was the best to me.

They did love each other, or at least cared very deeply for each other, and it was not enough to stop the real world to get in the way and that sometimes happens.

It is important to let go rather than cling to might have beens and were not, and while I wanted so much more of her and for her to come back on in an Ex Who I Am Good Friends With position (a pipe dream I know), I think what makes me like her best is that her relationship with Tim felt, in a way, complete.

It had a beginning and an end, and it was very teenagers-crushing-on-each-other, and it was not devoid of drama, but it was not nasty relationship drama.

They were sweet, it was sweet and it was not dragged into a forever Will They Won't They status were the fans will never know peace or be allowed the space to let go of it and grow out of it too and remain fond of it without needing it to come back in a romantic way.

I was sorry to see her go, but I also would not have wanted her to stay and be warped out of the person she was and into a source of nasty drama.

Best civilian love interest, hands down.

(Wish she had gotten to be a vigilante trained and raised by Helena, tho, and to stick around as a good friend of Tim post break-up, that would have made things even better)

[bruciemilf]

Can you elaborate on that point (I agree btw) that female characters are disliked when they are sweet?

I feel like it's such a nuanced problem, but ESPECIALLY in the superhero medium.

I can't explain how intolerable people are to women when they're being snarky.

We can't really be the first ones in the room who can make a mean joke, or God forbid, simply have moments when we act like assholes. Which is one of the default human settings.

And I'm not trying to absorb consequence from assholeish behavior, either! Being mean doesn't make someone interesting, or funny, or slightly more unique than the next mean person.

Not if it's hallow meanness and that's their whole trait.

But with women? Being mean is, majorly to men, the worst thing you can possibly be. Being sweet and docile is what was expected of us. What was demanded of us, really.

And I feel like making our female characters, and making OURSELVES into the meanest version we can possibly be, started out as a sign of defiance. And defiance will never, ever, EVER be a bad thing.

But to me? The moment you villainize sweetness and kindness is the moment it becomes an issue. There's a very specific kind of hatred rooted in despising kindness within female characters.

" She's not interesting" " she's a dormant " " she's weak"

And then you look at that female character, and realize there's a complexity to her that no one wants to explore because she's " not mean enough."

It's especially jarring to me when we label a female character as weak simply for not...Acting like an asshole. There's also the misconception that the more brutal a female character gets, the more interesting she is.

I don't think that. If there's no foundation, there's nothing to build. You didn't make her interesting. You just made her violent.

Take Starfire for example. Bullied by her sister her whole life. Used as a political pawn by said sister who sold her into slavery. Home planet destroyed. Lost her family.

And what does she do with that? She chooses to stay kind.

Holy shit. Holy shit. The amount of strength it takes to protect your humanity. The amount of strength it takes to refuse to have your faith shaken. And she's powerful as fuck.

It's not only because she's a woman, but because we associate hardening yourself and abandoning kindness and warmth as strength. We associate brutality with power.

Is it a golden standard to expect from individuals with trauma? Of course not.

But it's also not an impossible standard to meet. Being sweet and decent isn't a golden goal. It's literally just the bear minimum.

I'll give Bruce as an example next. He deals with trauma in an unhealthy manner. He's violent. He's aggressive. He's judgemental. He's paranoid. He doesn't trust anyone.

And he's unbelievably kind.

He's literally DC's most compassionate character.

The world wanted him to be a hardened, pain fueled abuser who practices cruelty. And he told it no.

To me at least, that's always, always, ALWAYS going to be more meaningful and powerful than just creating another superpowered asshole.

Before you write superheroes, write people first.

[hero-hoe]

First, I would like to acknowledge a few things. Gojo would, absolutely, make for a shit partner (at least in the beginning). His own creator has stated that he would likely not be faithful. However, I can fix him, so:

His design is very Kakashi-esque, a lean, spotlessly pale, light haired psuedo-father figure of a teacher with magic eye(s) and is (one of) the strongest of his entire generation. From birth he was pressured and expected to be perfect, so that's what he became. Satoru Gojo is a man who holds the weight of the entire human world on his shoulders, most of whom don't even know. His whole life, there was only one person close to being his equal, and he lost him to the wrong side of power. (I will defend him later).

Gojo, despite being a near God-like figure in his community, despite being so powerful that he rarely, if ever, has to listen to the "higher-ups", still chooses to do the right thing. He cares so deeply for his friends and students, regardless of what the carefree persona he adopts would suggest. He managed to revert himself from death's door and immediately perfect a clan-secret technique to seek justice and avenge his charge, and protect his friend. He spiraled into mania and apathy and still did everything he could as a sorcerer.

Yes, he's insane rich, and would likely search for a sugar baby, but I think that's part of his appeal. It's obvious that he doesn't care for the money he has, he'll never be able to spend it all on anything meaningful. Why would he not want someone to spoil and take care of? He's has something to prove, to himself, that not everyone around him has to suffer, even if that means taking care of someone financially. I could 100% see him as a young sugar daddy putting his baby through college to do what they want, not what they were pressured into.

On just a psychical level? He's so fucking hot. He doesn't have the same dark-haired, soft-eye suave nature that Geto does, or Toji's absolutely inhuman physique, no. But he's tall, roughly 6'3, with flawless skin, a smooth, deep voice, eyes brighter and bluer than the sky, and stunning silver hair. He's strong enough without Cursed Energy to, at least, carry a full human being one handed, evident in the way he carried Yuji around like a wet kitten.

It's a silly, to me, to think fans aren't going to thirst after a man strong enough to toss them around in bed and say dirty shit to them in a voice so hot it could melt the icecaps. To be chosen by a man who could have anyone he wanted.

On the other end of the spectrum, there's the appeal of taking care of him. Letting him rest after years of the world's burdens and spoiling him with love, not money. The idea that you could be the one to sit him down and take care of his needs for the first time in his life, with no expectation of anything in return.

For Defend your Blorbo, please

Okay, can someone explain the dichotomy of Gojo? On Twitter and Instagram, the things the fans say about him honestly scare me because they talk about him like he's the hottest anime guy ever to exist and would be the perfect anime boyfriend and husband. However, on Tumblr, you guys like to talk crap about the guy so much. I think the design is a bit basic, personality-wise. He's going to be a selfish prick and treat you poorly because you will never be as good as his first love, the one who got away and betrayed him. So unless you're willing to be a sugar baby or a one-night stand, I don't see this working out.

But again, I also don't see why some people act like he's the hottest anime boy ever. So I would like someone to explain.

Defend Your Blurbo #35

Please remember this post is about curiosity and genuine fandom discourse. Be kind with your answers because this is not a debate essay, this is a discussion between fans

Unless you're living under a rock, I'm pretty sure everyone knows who Satoru Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen is. But just in case, here he is.

I have a feeling this one's going to get contentious and interesting. So Jujutsu Kaisen Fandom Defend your Blorbo