#they are Capable of working together well

[dreamsteddie]

Nancy knows what people think when they see her and Steve together these days. People mostly include Robin Buckley who, despite what they both say, Nancy doesn't completely believe isn't carrying some kind of torch for the man.

They aren't dating, but it's obvious to anyone who knows them that's what Nancy is angling for. She's not subtle, and she's not trying to be. Doesn't see any reason why she should be. But she knows what it looks like. Nancy Wheeler, fresh off an amicable but heartbreaking end to her relationship with Johnathan Byers has turned tail for a rebound with former boyfriend Steve Harrington. She's using him. She's leading him on. She's going to break his heart, again.

The truth is that Nancy has always liked Steve, was in love with Steve for a fleeting moment when they were both young and stupid and full of mistakes waiting to be made and in the end they had hurt each other, misunderstood each other, too many times to last through their tumultuous teenage years.

The Nancy and Steve of 1984 couldn't have loved each other right, but Nancy knows in her heart that the Nancy and Steve of 1987 could make something beautiful.

Steve is so different from who he used to be. There's a steadiness in him that he always tried to emulate but never fully embodied until the summer of 1985. He always knew how to make her laugh, how to get her to tap into that adventurous spirit within her and live life, but now he also makes her feel safe.

She wants to hold him the way he used to hold her. Wants to whisk him away to New York and build a life perfectly balanced between her ambition and his steadfastness. So she's putting everything she has into rekindling those embers that have always smoldered between them into a steady fire.

She just has to convince Robin that she's in it for the long haul this time.

------

Robin thinks that before she met Steve Harrington her life was never so much like a soap opera.

Her best friend seems to attract danger, betrayal, and romance to him like the world is full of moths and he's the only flame for miles. It would be funnier if it wasn't so god damn annoying sometimes.

Steve doesn't know it, despite how much he insists on being some kind of love expert, but he's got two very eligible bachelors vying for his hand at the moment. She's pretty sure they both see themselves as tragic heroes in this tale of romance, but from her vantage point, it's more like two ornery cats fighting for the prized spot of their owner's lap.

Nancy and Eddie have made themselves both near-permanent fixtures at the Family Video. Ostensibly, they come in because Hawkins is still in the process of rebuilding and there isn't much to do at the moment outside of wandering the woods, loitering at the convenience store, and watching movies at home. In actuality they're both trying to monopolize as much of Steve's time as possible, each trying to lock down his weekend plans before the other.

The first couple of weeks it was funny just to watch, now the only enjoyment she gets out of the whole circus is ruining their plans. She relishes the pissed-off-priss look she gets from Nancy when she asks Steve to go to the drive-in the next town over and Robin turns it into a group outing instead. It's equally funny to watch Eddie's puffed-up shoulders droop when he can't figure out a way to say no to Robin enthusiastically asking if she can join them at the trailer to smoke up on a Saturday night.

In truth, as much as she enjoys messing with them, Robin knows who she wants to win this war. She knows too much about Steve and Nancy's past and all the ways they weren't good for each other to trust her deceptively fragile best friend in Nancy's capable hands.

Eddie, on the other hand...well she's still going to make him work for it before she throws him a bone.

------

Eddie's never been one to fall in love.

He's had crushes, shared a few kisses with girls and boys alike, and lost his virginity in the same fumbling but meaningful way most teens do.

But love? He's never had that before, wasn't sure what it would even feel like.

It turns out that for Eddie, being in love feels a lot like being an overgrown house plant that's finally been moved into suitably a larger pot.

You see, Eddie knows a lot about growing up on his own. Raising himself and finding ways to survive, if not thrive, with a distinct lack of nurturing. He knows how to grow under someone, to grow under the clumsy guidance of his uncle Wayne who never intended to become a parent. And most of all he knows a hell of a lot about growing despite. Growing under the harsh boot forever trying to push him back into the hard dirt he came from.

It's something else entirely to grow with someone in the way he's been growing with Steve.

Steve who was there when he woke up, almost equally as injured as Eddie himself after a second, world saving round with Vecna. Steve who let Eddie lean on him in the difficult month of physical and emotional recovery that came next. Who helped Eddie come to terms with the new reality he was living under the way Steve wished someone had been there for him after his first encounter with the Upsidedown. Steve, who on paper should have been one of the people pushing him down, always gave Eddie the space to be himself and never tried to force either of them into a box they didn't fit.

Eddie knows he's not The Girl. He's not the one who got away, he's not the stalwart princess in one of his campaigns who saves the day herself but still gets the guy. He's not Nancy Wheeler.

But he's also not a quitter, and even if everything about the world and the narrative arc of their lives says that Steve will never end up with him, Eddie knows he would regret it for the rest of his life if he didn't put his hat in the ring for the hand of the fair Sir Steve.

------

Steve's not stupid.

He knows that there's something happening between Nancy, Eddie, and himself. Knows that if he chooses to look a little closer, to examine why exactly all his weekends are suddenly booked up and Robin has taken to stealing the Recese's Pieces off the shelf whenever either one of them comes into the store like she's settling in for a show, he would come to the conclusion that two of his best friends are essentially courting him in competition with each other.

But Steve isn't looking closer.

His mom always said that he was just like his father, too stubborn for his own good.

Robin says he's a control freak, pushing non-life-threatening problems off until he knows how to deal with them on his own terms.

The truth is Steve already knows how this will end, and he knows how this should end.

Because in the eyes of society, in the arc of the narrative, Steve and Nancy should already be making plans to move out to New York and start a life together. Steve should be looking at apartments while Nancy finalizes her class schedule. He should be looking into getting a job at his dad's New York office to support his future wife through her college education where they both know she'll breeze through her classes and move onto the world-changing career she was always meant to have, while Steve stays home with their children like a perfect little modern family.

And the thing is, if the story had gone like it was supposed to, if the world had been saved the fourth time around and Eddie Munson had died on the cold, hard ground of the Upsidown, that's probably exactly the future that would have happened and Steve would have never known to not be content with it. But Eddie did make it, and while Steve mourns the future he could have had, he knows it's not the one he's going to choose in the end.

Even though Steve knows exactly what will happen when he allows himself to face the ever-mounting tension between the three of them, it's scary to take that plunge.

Everything about Steve's world up until Robin has told him that what he's going to choose will damn him forever, and even if he's never put much stock into God and the church, he knows that the future in front of them will never be easy. There's a part of him that wants to take the easy way out. He's never been attracted to a man before Eddie, never had to imagine himself loving someone discreetly, and the thought of it makes his heart hurt prematurely. It would be simpler, he knows, to choose the path most taken.

But Steve has always thought more with his heart than his brain, and he knows that after everything they've been through, after all the time they've spent healing together and growing as one that he could never choose anyone but Eddie.

The time is coming for him to make his final decision, he can feel it, but for now he'll let them sit in this liminal space a little longer.

[ariicandy]

Igual Que Un Ángel / Like An Angel

About: Being affectionate with Sunday to the point of him being flustered & covering his face with his wings and tries to look away

Includes: Petnames(beloved , my love, dear, dearest), you boop Sunday, 480 words

Notes: Might be ooc as I haven’t fully started the quest, grammar errors,

Making your way with a plan, a purpose in mind, to make your way to see your beloved Sunday on where he currently resides. Happily walking until you spot the halovian man sitting, reading something that looked like it was borrowed from Dan Heng’s room. Smiling to now put focus into your silly plan as you see who you were looking for in the Astral Express!

Sunday notices your approaching figure from the corner of his eye and looks up to fully see you. Subconsciously laying the things he was reading to drive his full attention to you, he would do this realizing or not, he still wanted to show you he would only focus on you whenever he sees you. A small smile starts to form on his face seeing you going up to him.

“There you are Sunday! What do you have there?” Curiosity got to you seeing Sunday read some small documents on something you wanted him to say. “Ah I was just reading the Astral Express’ previous journeys to see if I’m well capable of going along with you guys.” With a now small doubtful smile on Sunday’s face, you almost feel a bit bad for what you will do to tease him. “It’s no worries my love! The fun we have from our journeys is spending it with others even if some causalities come here and there, as long as we stick to together we will be fine.” You then take a seat next to your dear and spoke, “Stick close to me and we will be invincible to anything on our journey!” Booping Sunday on the nose, earning you a small surprise look from the halovian causing you to have a small giggle from the surprise look.

Sunday darted somewhere else in the room away from your eyes to contain his flustered state. He was even more shocked and flustered when you out of nowhere, placed a kiss on his cheek, then you began to place kisses on Sunday even more! Sunday then faced his hands onto your face midway when you were gonna kiss him on the lips. “[Name], dear, what is this silly scheme you are trying to do?” Looking at your dear with sweet little innocent eyes, you spoke, “You’re too cute to not kiss whenever you doubt yourself on new things.” Leading a bit more forward, you actually placed a kiss on his lips with another small peck with a small “mwah” and a smile. Your now dear Sunday, flustered, uses his wings to shield his face from you to not see him in this flustered state from your words and seeing your silly scheme plan work.

“Sunday!! Let me see your face you looked so cute when you were holding my face!” And your dear is not looking at you to not have that satisfied smile on your face.

[honey-tongued-devil]

↠The last drop tour

| Part 1 | | Part 2 | | Part 3 |

Alright, alright, I know I’ve already shown you the Last Drop, so here we’re looking at the one from the alternate timeline, as seen in Episode 7. The elements and layout don’t change too much, but there are variations, and since my story is set in this universe, I imagine this version is the most helpful for anyone wanting to explore the universe I write about. The link to the story is HERE, but I hope this can also be useful for anyone writing or reading their own work.

Here we are once again! This tour might be a bit challenging, but don’t worry—your guide has got you covered! This time, we need to start outside.

I know we all recognize the exterior of the bar, which hasn’t changed, but I ask you to take a closer look at the streets. They’re clean and bathed in sunlight. (The Last Drop is in the Entresol, the middle level of Zaun’s three depth levels.) While it may seem almost normal or expected, the smog that used to accumulate made it impossible for light to filter through the thick air, even during the day. As a result, the underground city never got to see this much light. This is the first time.

In Heimerdinger’s sequence where he’s seen playing "Spin the Wheel," we can catch glimpses of glass greenhouses protecting plants, and people in wheelchairs, hinting that the city is now more accessible.

This is the third post where I’ve mentioned this damn ceiling, so I went back just to show it to you, because it was necessary at this point. Let’s start with the fact that the Last Drop has been renovated. The fact that Ekko is wearing a gold earring and is so well-dressed suggests that their profits have increased, and the first thing they did was fix up the place. But enough talk—let’s get to the proof. Now that natural light reaches Zaun, the LED lights on the ceiling aren’t needed anymore. What is needed? Glass, to let the light in.

And so, we move on to another small but significant difference. Scattered throughout the Last Drop, but especially at the bar counter, there are terrariums with plants. Claggor and Mylo are even working on plants capable of converting the dense air of the Sump into clean oxygen. But why do plants have such prominence here? In Season 1, we’re shown that in Zaun, only one place had plants: the Chembarons' meeting room. It was so high up and so clean, thanks to the ventilation on the ceiling, that plants were a privilege of the oligarchy, not something for everyone. But here, even ordinary people in Zaun have plants around, and they thrive.

The bar counter remains the same, the barrels behind Vander are still protected by the same glass partitions as always. The difference now is that everything is adorned with what used to be a symbol of luxury.

Did you recognize these booths? Now, instead of the Chembarons' photos, there are sheets with dart game scores written on them—both for the kids and the three older men. To be honest, the one I’m showing you in the photo from Zaun’s original timeline is actually the first booth on the left from the entrance. Meanwhile, the one shown where the kids are sitting is the second booth, a bit closer to both the bar counter and the narrow hallway that leads to the arcade area and the pool table.

Which ones? These. Actually... this photo was taken in front of the first booth, and we can see Powder's drawings hanging there. Basically, we understand that they’re portraits of all of them together, happy. Maybe some are solo portraits, but they’re definitely very different from how things are now. (the comparison)

I imagine that the basement where Vander and his children used to live is now the place where they store alcohol and reserve drinks, or maybe it has become a boiler room. We don’t have photos of the lower area (which, I remind you, can be accessed by taking the door to the right of the bar counter and going down a long staircase) nor of the upper area, which is reached by climbing the stairs to the left. So, I can’t show you more parts of our beloved bar, but I can tell you that according to what we’re told in episode 7, they now offer both live music and events. So, the Last Drop has continued both Vander’s family-oriented, rustic management and Silco’s vision of a nightlife hub and heart of the city.

As for the rest—how we got to this point, what brought the change, how Silco's eye healed, how they managed to reach such an economic development to renovate the bar in that way—I can only speculate. But, I won’t do that here.

The theme of the universe’s development from episode 7, starting with Vi’s death, is what I talk about in my fanfiction. So, I’ll take a moment to advertise myself during this tour and let you know that if, in addition to the objective facts, you'd like to hear my opinion, I address it HERE (Everytime it rains).

From these three tours, I think you've gathered that I’m someone who pays a lot of attention to details, which is why a superficial analysis of the differences wasn't enough for me. I needed a bigger space to narrate (and analyze) the politics and the domino effect of events. So, I don't know, I hope to see you again at the bar.

Sincerely, your guide, provided by...

-Kiramman's chronocare

[hwnglx]

dating jungkook - q&a

physical ideal type, how to catch his attention, as a boyfriend, love languages (give and receive), favorite type of dates, jealousy, etc.

based on tarot. i do not know these idols personally. energies are always changing. what i say is NOT straight fact. pls take it with a grain of salt!

what physical traits in a person is jungkook most attracted to?

well-balanced features

humble, effortless and natural beauty (i keep seeing bare faces in my mind's eye)

sophisticated, well-groomed and clean

takes good care of their appearance

curves! (especially the top area)

graceful movement

soft and pretty hands

elegance

❥ more specific traits could include:

red lips

baby face

sharp face

black hair

light hair

long hair

straight hair

white clothing

beauty marks

i keep seeing iu in my mind's eye, dressed in this long and beautiful white dress.

she sums up his physical ideal type in many ways. i can see him feeling drawn to people who have this fairy-like aesthetic.

however! i do have to say, i can see him feeling attracted to several types of looks. he's not as specific in his preferences as others; more open-minded in that regard.

for example, i absolutely see him liking girls whose aesthetics are on the “baddie” side as well. someone with tattoos or piercings, and more casual but edgy clothing. he for sure really likes it when someone just has a lot of sex-appeal.

one thing i keep getting though, is that he likes people who are well-put together and look after themselves. he definitely likes people who put effort into maintaining their looks, but don't look like they try too hard; let's say someone who works out regulary, eats healthy, takes care of their skin. things like that.

he seems like the type to like it when his partner can do both; glamorous and fancy on special occasions (like going to the red carpet together all dolled and dressed up), and more casual, laidback and natural when alone with him.

❥ possible rising signs he could feel attracted to:

capricorn

scorpio

libra

leo

what does it take to catch jungkook's attention?

he finds it intriguing when a person is intelligent, bold and wellspoken. lets say both of you are in a group of people; if all of you get into a discussion, and you're the one standing out by the way you express yourself in an eloquent, impactful and strong manner, that can very much intrigue him. people whose words have depth; a voice that doesn't raise often but once it does, it makes everyone in the room shut up and listen.

he feels drawn to individuals who are independent, knowledgeable, fair-minded and self-sufficient. i also keep hearing “frank” .. someone who's direct and honest with him. jungkook likes it when people aren't too shy or afraid to talk back at him, and humble him. he definitely enjoys a challenge and feeling like he needs to prove himself to someone first.

he also likes it when someone doesn't put him on a pedestal due to his status, and doesn't approach him with starstruck eyes, and unrealistic expectations he can't reach. he likes it when a person isn't intimidated or burdened by his presence, and is capable of simply putting his fame to the side; just see him as a human being.

how does jungkook act when someone catches his attention?

basically, man loses all focus. once someone actually catches his eye, that person can quickly become all he sees. like tunnel vision, forget about everything and everyone else, you're all i see. he can lose his inner composure, and get kinda obsessive of the thought of them. it's likely he'll struggle looking away and find himself naturally observing them a lot.

i'm in his energy, and i keep feeling like.. “oh wow, i need to be with them and approach them before anyone else can”

i can feel his possessive vein coming out quite fast, and him being worried the person might possibly be snatched away by someone else. so, it's likely for him to act quickly.

if there's an opportunity for him to get to them, he will for sure take it. though i have to say, he's definitely the self-conscious type to overanalyse things; like the way they reacted, and worry about the things he said in the heat of the moment.

how does jungkook act in the beginning of a relationship?

okay, this went deeper than i expected. i will try to keep it as understandable as i can.

as i mentioned before, and i keep getting this (the four of cups comes up without fail), this man can feel empty, lacking and apathetic a lot.. big part of the reason as to why he can get so attached to his s/o, is because he naturally puts the entirety of himself into his romantic partners.

jungkook's lovers can quickly become his safe space; his main source of comfort. the first place he seeks if he needs some peace. once he feels like he finally (this can take a while!) found a person he can comfortably pour his heart and soul out to, he can have the tendency to overdo it a little.

i just see him latching onto the person he's with, in hopes of them being able to fill this emotional void he can experience when on his own. he naturally expects a lot from them for this reason. like “i need you to fill the things i lack.”

i keep seeing an image of a diamond in my hand. imagine you found this diamond made out glass. you feel like it's so precious, because it gives you everything you asked for in life. it makes things seem brighter, more beautiful, enriches you. you will hold onto it for dear life, not ever letting it go anywhere else, out of fear of it slipping out of your grip; but this could potentially lead to the diamond breaking in your hands, since you just can't expect glass to be as hard as steel.

this reflects his dynamic with his lovers quite well; he can often make his partners the centers of his life, “dump” a lot of his expectations on to them, be immensely and obsessively protective over them out of fear of them being damaged, or taken away from him. however, this has the potential to put a lot of weight on their shoulders, which some people might have problems dealing with.

he can be contradictory in a sense, because make no mistake; jungkook will want to do all the work for you in a physical realm. it's almost like he overcompensates in the areas he's comfortable with. (especially acts of service)

he's the type to be like “don't work, i will work, you shouldn't tire yourself out. don't carry that upstairs, i will do it for you. are you exhausted? is one pillow not enough? don't worry, i will buy you two.” i can sense this genuine desire to make his lovers feel good in their relationship, and take care of them.

but, he's this case of.. you can't love anyone else in a healthy manner, if you don't learn to love yourself first.

he wants to give his lovers everything they deserve, and to an extent he does; but he still has his emotionally needy tendencies, since a lot of his inner issues remain unresolved. this as a result, can lead to jk naturally putting a lot of the relationship on his partner's back, without even intending to.

what is jungkook's love language? how does he like to receive and give?

❥ give:

acts of service

whatever he can get done for you, he will. the type to try and cook your favourite meal because you said you craved it the other day, even if he's not the best chef in his eyes. he'd probably end up embarrassed, overanalyze your reaction and tell you he's sorry about the dish being so bad. the type to love helping you out with anything; e.g. give him the task of building a new shelf you bought, he will do it and put the entirety of his effort in. i can also see him loving to drive you around, or carry your heavy shopping bags.

physical touch

he'll love to just have you close to him. it's almost like everything's okay once you're near him and he can physically feel you with him. a lot of possessive hand holding, sneaky and subtle but electrifying touches. the type to beg for a kiss over and over because he can't get enough, even if you get annoyed at some point; that'd just rile him up even more. (he'd grin all smug and amused) also random insight i got, but he seems like the type to love carrying his partners around. whether that's in a playful manner, or during e.g. the foreplay of more intimate intercourses. (like carrying you upstairs)

quality time/physical intercourse

he has a very powerful drive, and is the type to bond and connect a lot over physical intercourse. confident, incredibly sensual, intense and passionate lover in bed. i do see him letting off steam this way as well.

❥ receive:

words of affirmation

i got the empress card, which is the mother figure.

jk likes receiving comfort, support and reassurance from his lovers. he wants them to give him this feeling of “this person accepts, and loves me for everything i am.”

think of a mothers love; it's pure, unconditional and forgiving.

he's someone who desires an intuitive, and emotionally intelligent person who can give him both; tough, and soft love.

someone who's tough and honest when he needs a reality check or fist on the table, as well as a sweet nurturer, who's able to attune themselves to him emotionally, and reassure him in a gently supportive manner when he's in need of it.

he just wants someone he can have that subconscious connection and natural understanding with; a person who can almost read his mind by just one look at his face.

what kind of dates does jungkook enjoy the most?

first of all, when it comes to dates; jk likes being the initiator. the one who plans it all and has the ideas. this seems to be another way in which he likes to flex and display his affection. planning romantic and beautiful dates. let me give you a few examples that popped into my head.

romantic dinner

high-end restaurant, roses, wine, live jazz music, candlelit, dim and warm lighting, kinda like the first scene in seven -> i can also see him liking to reserve the entire restaurant out in advance, so that you're the only people in there. or planning the dinner to be on a rooftop while the sun is setting. it just needs to feel intimate.. like there's no one, but the two of you.

night walks

i can see him loving to be in a calm and serene atmosphere with his partners. he's someone who would love sneaking out at night after a long stressful day, to unwind and comfortably walk along the hangkang together with his lover, and the beautiful night scenery surrounding them. just having deep conversations and enjoying each other's presence.

educating yourselves together

he'd love to learn something together. maybe take on a new hobby with his partner; like a cooking course, or learning a new language. engaging in some kind of sport, or gym dates.

one thing that keeps coming through, is him genuinely wanting to feel like they're a “normal” couple.

he's incredibly adamant on fiercely protecting his lover from all the negative attention or haters, and escaping crazy people who try to dig their nose into their business. but at the same time, he doesn't want the relationship or his partner to feel uncomfortable. he can often seek normalcy in his private life.

how does jungkook act when he's jealous?

cold. he distances himself. if not physically, emotionally. leaves you to figure out what's wrong on your own for a while. let's say jk caught you talking to some other guy across the room; he will hate the sight and it will trigger a switch in him.

he'll feel threatened by the guy. he just taps out of sweet and accommodating boyfriend mode, into his darker and resentful energy. jealousy is something which can trigger many of his inner fears and insecurities. he might silently take deep breaths to press down his frustration and try his best not to make it obvious in his facial expression, but his face can easily drop and grow increasingly serious.

i don't see him as the type to impulsively confront his partner or be very vocal about how he feels, but moreso internalize his negative emotions and try to process them by distracting himself with other things or withdrawing into his own space. a lot of that comes from him not wanting to explode in your face, honestly. you'll have to dig slowly and approach him in a very patient way for him to open up.

he will feel left alone, there's some sadness here. he'll feel wronged, and like his fears were validated. his judgement is likely to be very clouded in that moment; even if you want to explain it as a misunderstanding, it's likely he won't wanna hear any of it for a while. he might collect information on the guy you talked to though, like asking his friends who he is, etc.

[catherine-sketches]

I know in the original concept the creators imagined Viktor having both of his parents

But I can’t shake the image of a single mother from my mind (perhaps because there is so many single parents over here. Vander, Silco, Singed, Ximena, Jinx and Sevika to some extent)

Have you guys ever thought about Viktor’s mom?

Who was this woman? What was she like?

Who was this woman whose response to her baby coming to her saying that he wanted to go to the academy to learn is ��say less baby” and make/buy him a academy uniform and probably instructed him to “fake it until he made it”?

Did she cross the bridge with him, fixed his brand new tie and, after kissing him in his forehead, in an accent thicker than his, reassured him by saying:

“When you’re going to change the world, don’t ask for permission”

She clearly had fate in his intelligence to send him there with only his cane, an uniform, a thought and a prayer

How much of her son is her doing? He is confident about his intelligence, sure in his capabilities as an scientist and engineer.

Was it her doing? Did she look at her very tiny boy with his twisted leg and think to herself “I’m going to encourage this passion! My baby will never doubt how smart he is even if he has none of the resources of topside!”

Were those same encouragements that backfired later as Viktor’s internalized ableism? After all, even his mother only valued his intelligence, so maybe…

Did she die before she could notice? Before she could grab him by his bony shoulders so much like her own and shake sense in to him? “My idiot boy, you are as precious to me as you always where. With or without your smarts I would love you regardless with all my heart”

Would she even say that? Or was the internalized ableism that Viktor displayed also present in his mother? Perhaps a even more explicit form of it maybe.

Was their condition genetic? Did Viktor learn to walk with a cane by copying what his mother did with hers?

Did she have a mind like his but never had the resources to chase her aspirations?

Did she want to be a scientist as well? An engineer? Perhaps a doctor even

Did she craft Viktor’s very first cane with half ass knowledge, some drift wood, blood, tears and all the love she could give since she could not afford the cane much less a doctor for her baby?

Did she know about Singed?

Did he tell her about the strange man he meet at the caves?

Viktor, does your mother know that you are creating drugs with a strange man in the fissures?

Where was your mom? Why were you all alone?

Her baby was alone, playing by himself with a tiny boat he made.

Was she at work? Did Viktor had to spend long periods of time alone as his mom was out trying to make the ends meet?

Was this job, possibly the mines, that made her prioritize encouraging his intellect instead of reaffirming to him that he is already enough? Something not out of malice but out of limited time together?

If you only see your baby every morning before work and every night after it how would you know that he is starting to believe himself broken and imperfect?

Did she get to know Singed? Did she approve of her son being his apprentice for a while? If she did what is wrong with her????

Was she like “any knowledge is good knowledge! Go and make some illegal drugs honey. Just come back home in time for dinner.” ?

Were she in another timeline, in another possibility, the Herald to Ximena’s Defender?

Is there a reality were she is the one to rise as machine infused in flesh because she expected the Talis boy to help save her son only to watch his face get plastered everywhere while her baby rotted in his shadow?

Did this version of you, mother of Viktor, become infuriated when that same Talis boy came to you with condolences in his lips and a clear broken heart with the weight of “if onlys” on his large shoulders when your baby succumbed to his illness?

Did that enrage you?

“YOU DONT GET TO MOUR MY VIKTOR! YOU WERE THE ONE THAT LET HIM DIE! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO HELP HIM, MAN OF PROGRESS, BUT INSTEAD YOU LET YOUR EGO INFLATE TO THE SIZE OF A ZEPPELIN WHILE MY BABY STRUGGLED TO BREATH ! ALL IN THE NAME OF THE PROFITS OF THE CITY THAT STOLE HIS BREATHE IN THE FIRST PLACE”

Did you rip your own heart of your ribs so you couldn’t feel this heart break no more? So you could have a clear mind as you vowed that your Glorious Evolution would make damn sure that no mother from Zaun would suffer the same fate?

Would you have loved Jayce as your son in law in any other circumstance?

Who were you mother of Heralds?

What’s your name?

[studiogrimm810]

Speak of the Devil

pairings/characters: sam winchester x gn!you, dean is also there

summary: you are taken by lucifer for over a week and sam damn near looses his head. when you are finally rescued, the trauma of what was inflicted on you has left it's mark and it's up to sam and dean to keep you put together

warnings: torture, ptsd, flashbacks, abduction, graphic depictions of said torture

word count: 4,571

A/N: soooo, i had this idea come to me in a dream but also i'm just obsessed with trauma bonding lolol,,i've realized that this idea is too complex (and comforting) to just do once/one part so i think i'm going maybe work on a part 2 or maybe even a part 3 (eventually) for this one as well...okay, thats all, thanks for reading my rambles!!! <3

———————

The nights were the hardest for Sam, everything so still, calm, settled- it made him itch. He ached for you, but there was only so much he could do.

Dean was in auto-pilot, trying his damnedest to get any info on your whereabouts but he always came up short.

All either of them knew was that Lucifer had you and that was enough to make Sam sick to his core. He knew damn-well what the devil was capable of, he spent over a century learning of just that, so to think of the person he loved succumbed to even a fraction of that made him irrational.

It has now been over a week since you were taken and the boys are finally following up on their most helpful lead at the moment, pulling up to an empty hospital in a desolate neighborhood of Denver.

The building was a classically looking rundown hospital- windows shattered, paint chipped, doors broken in. The sight made Sam’s skin crawl. Usually, he wouldn’t be so affected by the sight of an eerie building but to think this is where you’ve been all this time rots his insides.

Sam takes the lead on this one, wasting no time to break through the front doors and let his eyes scan through the halls. Dean doesn’t say a word as he just lets his little brother storm the halls. He does make sure to be extra vigilant, hoping to catch anything Sam might miss on accident.

They make their way through halls and up staircases, ducking into every room for any hint of you.

The maze of halls inevitably makes Sam’s internal compass spin haphazardly as he starts to lose his placing. Standing at the end of one hallway that spans out into two new hallways, he’s frozen. Dean almost bumps into him as Sam stands still, his hands shaking but body stiff.

“Sammy?” Dean tests, trying to peek around him to get a read on Sam’s face. “Hey,” he calls more sternly this time, placing a firm hand on Sam’s shoulder to spin him towards Dean. “Talk to me.”

Sam turns to face his brother, his features melted into complete helplessness and loss.

Dean knows this look all too well.

His baby brother needs him.

“I don’t know where to go- I don’t-,” Sam shakes his head, his glossy eyes darting between Dean’s own. Dean’s features remain stiff as he takes in his brother's pain, clenching his jaw.

“They’re here, they have to be, and we’ll find them,” Dean states, commanding it to be true. Sam’s heartbreaking contort of painful fear makes Dean’s fury build, to think that not only did someone mess with you, but also his baby brother. It was enough to fuel out just enough confidence to not break down for Sam. “C’mon, pull yourself together,” Dean barks after a reassuring squeeze to Sam’s shoulder, his support being physical and not vocal.

Dean now takes the lead, choosing to go to the right. Sam follows close behind, his breaths so shallow that he doesn’t think his lungs are getting the proper amount of oxygen, but it doesn't seem to matter to him right now.

Another series of halls and rooms digs a deeper pit of dread between the brothers, but Dean refuses to quit for his brother.

They make their way to a staircase that leads to the top and final floor of the building. This has to be it.

Dean sneaks up the stairs carefully, looking up the hall to see a beam of light coming from a room on the far end. Dean turns his head to look down the other side to see nothing out of the ordinary. He quietly steps into the hall and motions for Sam to follow and stay quiet and close to the wall.

When Sam sees the beam of cool light his stomach flips with hope. He could almost feel that it was you in that room.

Halfway there, the brothers hear voices and Dean immediately signals for them to stop.

“He’ll kill ya, I’m tellin’ ya,” a masculine voice warned, which was followed by a more feminine groan of annoyance.

“He would never notice,” the second voice counters, seemingly as a whine.

“Just shut up,” the first voice sounds completely annoyed and down with their partner.

Dean inches closer, step by step, until he reaches the doorway and leans in just enough to see two figures that the voices are coming from. One is sitting in a chair in the far right corner and the other is standing next to a bed while fiddling with a small dagger.

That’s when Dean sees you.

You’re neatly tucked into the bed, a clean and tidy hospital bed with icy white sheets draped over most of your body. Your arms are laid out on top of the blanket, one having a drip of some liquid stuck in your arm. Your face is completely peaceful and devoid from any discomfort.

Dean presses back into the wall and looks at Sam, giving him a curt nod and signaling to get ready. Once Dean gets out his demon blade, he checks to make sure Sam is ready and then he attacks. Storming in and grabbing the farther guard, pressing the blade to its throat and scowling up at him.

“Why did you take them? Who are you!?” Dean roars, keeping his face a stone of anger as he seethes. The man with the masculine voice under Dean’s hold just scoffs with a cocky smile.

“I’m just workin’ a job, bitch means nothin’ ta’ me,” he licks his teeth, sizing up Dean.

“Who do you work for?” Dean emphasized with a mocking sneer. Both him and Sam needed confirmation that it was actually Lucifer who took you.

“I’m not at service to tell,” the man exaggerates with a sarcastically snooty eyebrow raise, trying to sound smart and ‘proper’.

“Too fuckin’ bad,” Dean wastes not time stabbing the man deep through his chest and watching as the skeleton underneath flickers like an electric surge of burnt orange and yellow.

Sam is quick to pin the demon he has to his chest so that Dean has a clean shot to her chest as well, killing her in the same fashion.

The body’s slumped to the ground with smoke rolling out of their mouths and eyes as their corpses are now just an empty shell. Neither brother cares to give a second glance since you’re still hooked up to some IV drip and completely unconscious.

“Hey, hey,” Sam coos, gently cupping your face in his hands, already shedding a few free tears. “C’mon, baby, can you hear me?” Dean grabs the bag to examine it but can only tell that it’s a clear liquid with no labels or indicator. Dean reaches down and carefully pulls the needle out of your arm and presses a piece of the blanket underneath you to the small bead of blood that follows.

The most bizzare thing about this whole setup is the lack of physical evidence of anyone hurting you. The only blemish they could see was the small bruise that surrounded the mark of the needle that Dean just removed. Both of them thought that after you had been gone for so long you’d at least be somewhat damaged, but why would someone take you just to keep you asleep in some abandoned hospital?

What was the purpose?

Somehow this was more terrifying to Dean.

Sam still hadn’t really taken the time to look you over or assess your situation, he was too busy with trying to wake you up.

“Sammy, they’ve been drugged, they’re not gonna wake up just yet,” Dean said softly, realizing Sam needs this moment, “we need to get them out of here.”

Sam sniffles and nods softly, not taking his eyes away from your closed lids.

“Can you carry, ‘em?” Dean asks, looking over his shoulder to make sure they’re still alone.

“Yeah,” Sam’s voice comes out hoarse, his shoulders burdened with worry and ache deep in his chest.

“C’mon,” Dean urges, turning to keep a lookout while Sam gets you situated. Thankfully, you’re fully clothed underneath but Dean avoids you both to preserve your privacy.

As Sam peels back the blanket he’s especially relieved that you’re still in the same clothes he last saw you in, somehow you looked even neater though. The shirt you wore had always had a small tear at the bottom hem but you refused to stop wearing it- now that tear was gone. So were the scuff marks on the knees of your jeans and even your hair looks silkier than usual.

He tries to push away any reasoning of why you seemed pristine.

He instead scoops you up and tucks you close to his chest the best he can, placing a soft kiss to your forehead and following Dean out. He murmurs soft reassurances and praises to you even if he knows that you can’t hear him, he still hopes that you can.

“You’re okay now, I’ve got you, sweetheart,” he kisses you again, keeping his eyes ahead of him and darting around to make sure there are no immediate threats to you.

Sam doesn’t let go of you even when they get to the Impala, even when he and Dean settle on making it a straight shot back to the bunker. Sam doesn’t care if he gets uncomfortable or too stiff because he cannot let go of you, even if he wanted to.

He settled in the car to still have you placed in his lap, arm still cradling your back and other drapes over your legs, holding you close and keeping you secure.

Dean steals glances back at his brother, Sam has barely looked up from you. Occasionally, a few tears fall and Sam will start sniffling, but then it fizzles out until he’s completely silent again.

Hours of driving and you’re still not even responsive and that continues to make Sam sick but he shoves those feelings down because he has to focus on getting you back in your bed at the bunker.

That’s his next step, getting you set back up in your own bed.

That’s all that matters right now.

He doesn’t remember falling asleep, but he’ll always remember the way that Dean beckons him awake- his voice softer than Sam has ever heard him before.

And that makes him feel a little worse, if he’s being honest.

Sam settles you back up in his arms and cradles your stiff body out of the Impala. He blindly follows Dean, now keeping his eyes down on you, silently praying that you’ll just wake up already.

Once he gets you completely settled in yours and his shared bed, an overwhelming sense of dread washes over him.

“Please, baby,” his words interrupted by a stifled sob and he reaches a hand up to cover his mouth, “just wake up,” he begs softly, pushing some hair out of your face and running his thumb over your cheekbone.

He would wait by your side until you finally did just that.

———

White hot. A rod of white hot pierced your stomach for what felt like the hundredth time. It twisted, wrapping your intestines up like a fork in spaghetti. You scream out in pure agony, your eyes lolling open to look down at the rusted pipe that’s lodged in your abdomen. You cry out, biting your lip and sobbing at the sight of your blood dripping out of the end of the hollow cylinder.

Your stomach looked like a pile of ground meat, flooded with blood and singed skin, the stench flaring your nostrils.

You see a hand wrapped around the exposed end and you follow it up to see burning red eyes staring back at you with a hungry smile.

Lucifer himself had subjected you to his torture for what felt like weeks and you were starting to give up any hope at being rescued.

He pulls out the pipe and flicks your blood off the pipe with a laugh that ripples up your spine like clawing bites. He spins his other wrist and just like that the pain is gone- your stomach completely patched over with fresh, unharmed skin.

He pulls back the pipe to hover it over an open flame and then he moves it to leave rings of burns along your exposed skin.

The pain- it’s too much, it’s too much.

You tug against your chains, hoping it’ll just come loose and unravel you out of this nightmare.

As you look back into the Devil's eyes, everything seemed to fade around the glowing red, like a light at the end of a tunnel. The eyes merge into one beam and they slowly dissolve into bright white.

The sounds of his laughter echo and the hold of the chains wrapped around you loosens.

You feel heavier.

You feel… awake.

Your head is strictly iron weight, keeping your body pressed into the soft cushion beneath you.

Soft.

It’s actually soft and you could cry.

Warm.

Oh, it’s warm too. Your fingers instinctively curl into the sheets under you, holding on tight so that you don’t float away from this sliver of paradise that Lucifer has seemed to slip you in.

You refused to question his methods because the peace you felt- no, the bliss was definitely something you’d take advantage of.

You hear your name being called and the sound spikes you out of your trance and sends your heart out of your chest.

There’s some rustling sounds and your name is called again and you feel absolutely hopeless. You can’t go back, please- please. You just got here, you just started to feel okay.

A large hand cups your face and you snap your head away with a sharp inhale, pushing past the heavy weight in your bones and letting your adrenaline surge your movement.

“Woah- hey, okay,” the voice says softly but you don’t even entertain it with patience. You get your eyes open and look around the room quickly. Upon realizing your hands are free from chains, you sit up and hold them to your chest, wrapping your wrists with your own fingers to bind them protectively. Your hair falls in front of your eyes and you refuse to move your hands away from where they feel safe so instead you try to flick away the stands so that you can see.

Your heart is racing and ears ringing, disorienting you further. You barely recognize the eyes staring you down- Sam?

Your chest heaves with frantic breaths as you stare up at him, back pressed to the bed frame behind you. You look around and see that you’re in your room at the bunker.

What? Is this real?

Sam freezes at your reaction, holding his hands out trying to reassure you that he’s not a threat.

“H-hey, it’s okay, you’re okay,” Sam nods, keeping his eyes glued to yours. You make no effort to move, this all just feels wrong.

You look around the room to find you’re both alone. Where’s Dean? If this were real, wouldn’t he be here too?

The door creaks open.

Speak of the… too soon.

Dean's head peeks in to check on Sam but he becomes fully alert when seeing the urgency of Sam’s stance.

“You’re awake,” Dean breathes out relieved, wanting to progress further and hug you but as he takes one step too close your back presses further into the wall behind you with a small whimper.

Your whimper cracks away at Sam’s chest.

“What-?” Dean starts to say but he can’t finish the thought.

“Honey, it’s just us, we’re not gonna hurt you,” Sam shakes his head, letting his eyes look over you for any signs of physical distress.

You swallow thickly as you look between them, a lump building in your throat as you try to choke back a sob. You continue to look around, unable to comprehend where you just woke up from, was it all just a dream?

“A-Am I dreaming?,” you breathe out, your voice unsteady and wavering. Sam and Dean share a quick glance but Sam returns back to you with a frim shake of his head.

“No, sweetheart, you’re awake, this is real,” Sam assures, tilting his head down to keep his eyes level with your unsure ones.

“Awake?” You echo, letting your eyes flick down a bit as you try to gather your thoughts. You look back up at him.

Him.

“S-Sam-.”

“Yeah, baby, it’s me,” he nods, wanting to inch further but too afraid that he’s going to scare you further, but the way you break down- slumping against the wall- he can’t help himself. He reaches out for you and wraps his arms around you, pulling you in close.

You unhook your binding hold on your own wrists to wrap around his neck. He just lets you cry as he rubs a free hand up your back.

“You’re okay, sweetheart, you’re okay,” he murmurs into your ear. You pull away to look at him again and let out another sob- this one of pure relief. You smile up at him, barely believing this is real but know that deep down it really is.

“Sam,” you exhale, holding his face in your hands so you can really feel him. “H-how did you find me? Where even was I?” You question, wanting to know why the transition from Lucifer’s torture to this felt like waking up from a bad bad dream. 

“Denver, we found you in Denver,” Sam explained, smoothing down some of your hair and appreciating your waking form with every flicker of his senses. “You were kept in some room and had been given medication to keep you asleep, I don’t know how long you’ve been out but we found you almost 20 hours ago,” Sam’s face saddened at the memories but forced those away to focus on how you’re right in front of him now.

“What? I’ve been here for almost a day?” You ask, brow pinched in confusion. Sam nodded.

It didn’t make any sense, you JUST saw Lucifer.

“What about… Lucifer.?” You ask, almost whispering, “where is he?” You asked, starting to feel on edge. You push away from Sam enough to look behind you and all around.

“Woah- okay, you’re safe. Lucifer isn’t here,” Sam says, startled by your sudden shift.

“N-no, he’s here- he has to be,” you stutter, your hands starting to shake and you instinctively bind your wrists to your palms again.

Sam swallows but keeps a firm hold on you, his own past trauma bubbling back up from its hidden pot that he keeps stashed miles away from his regular train of thought. His mind raced through the thousands of scenarios that the Devil put him through and to think of you experiencing just one of them made his heart ache.

“Hey, no one but us is in this bunker,” Dean steps in, trying to be the face of reason for the two under his care.

“What happened?” Sam asked, not acknowledging Dean but just wanting to hear from you. You look up at him, trying to organize your thoughts.

“No,” you shook your head, backed away and rubbed your forehead with your hands, “No, he- I just saw him, he has to be here-.”

“Honey, I promise you that you’ve been here for almost a day and no one else has come through. It’s just us,” Sam explains, his hands on your thighs as he tries to continue to assure you that you’re safe.

“But I just saw him,” you whisper as if you can’t believe it, your eyes drift as you try to shuffle through your thoughts and memories of the past few weeks.

“You’re okay, I promise,” Sam says, keeping his eyes locked on you, “Are you hungry? Thirsty?” At the mention of food, your stomach growls.

You nod softly and Dean offers to get some food for you three, hoping that giving you two some privacy will help calm you down a bit.

“Thanks, Dean,” Sam nods at his brother, simply sparing him a momentary glance so that he can keep his focus on you. After Dean leaves, closing the door behind him, Sam asks you another question, “what happened during that week?”

Your confusion is evident as you bring your eyes back up to his, “week? Have I been gone only a week?”

“Yeah, well 9 days technically, but we found you without a scratch,” Sam explained. You could see the dormant fear of what the hell happened to you during that time, “the way we found you was as if you were being preserved.”

You shake your head, not completely understanding.

“No, Sam, he’s been torturing me- constantly,” your words tremble and you continue to rub your own wrists to keep yourself grounded. “H-he would hurt me and hurt me until he needed to erase it all to start over again, h-he wouldn’t stop,” you shake your head, your words spewing out like a fire hydrant cracked open by the ram truck of emotions that went at it full force, “a-and it was weeks, Sam, it felt like weeks and he wouldn’t stop,” you choke out, rubbing your wrists raw.

Sam doesn’t know what to say but he’s worried about the burn you’re giving yourself on your wrists so he reaches out to gently hold your forearms, hoping to separate your hands.

“Y-you’re okay, now, baby, you’re safe,” Sam tries to keep his composure, trying to be strong for you.

“Sa-Sam, the things he-,” you couldn’t even get the words out but Sam practically read your mind. He quickly pulled you into a tight hug, keeping his arms around you protectively. His insides tremble with a whirlpool of fear, regret, trauma, pain, love, and god- so much more that he can’t even focus on right now. But his bones refuse to let him shake, keeping a sturdy hold on the love of his life and hoping that it offers some sense of security or comfort.

“I know, baby, I know,” he spans his hands out as wide as he can to cover every possible inch of your back. “You’re okay, he’s not here anymore, you’re safe,” he lets his palm run up and down the top of your back, right over your spine, and usually this would calm you but once he got too close the nape of your neck you recoiled away, tensing up and refusing to let his hand meet the skin.

He has to force bile back down his throat because he immediately knows why you had that reaction. Something that Lucifer would do to Sam in the pit was grabbing the back of his neck and piercing the scruff to a hook in the cage. Lucifer would often tease the method by tickling up Sam’s neck and digging his nails into the skin, just the thought makes Sam dizzy again. Has Lucifer done the same to you? Sam thinks, forcing his hand back down the span of your back to hold the spots where he only felt safe being touched after his time with Lucifer.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” he murmurs, pressing a soft kiss to your head. You continue to shake in his arms, trying to piece together why you and Sam have different explanations for your time missing.

You both stay like this for a while, Sam not wanting to let go and you not wanting him to. You end up tangled together on the bed in a peaceful silence. You really didn’t want to talk about what happened or really even think about why or how it did. You were more than content to be in Sam’s arms again, pressed to his chest.

The sound of the bunker door opening made you flinch, worried that it could be anyone or anything. Sam’s hold on you tightens softly, letting his fingers grip your hip a bit deeper.

“It’s okay, honey, it’s just Dean back with the food,” Sam's voice low and sweet. “Let’s go eat, hmm?” He pulls back his head to look at you better. You’re hesitant to leave the safety of your room but you’re crazy hungry so you nod and sit up. Sam keeps his eyes on you as you push up and go to stand. He feels like he needs to constantly keep an eye on you, afraid of what will trigger you out of nowhere.

The two of you meet Dean in the kitchen, Sam keeping his hand on your lower back to guide you through the halls of the bunker.

“Got you a bacon burger with all its greasy goodness,” Dean smiles, hoping his attitude can help lighten up the tension a bit. The small smile that blesses your lips rewards him of that.

Sam pulls out a chair for you, the side of the table that is closest to the corner of the room so you don’t have too much free space behind you.

Despite the hunger gnawing at your gut, you can only pick at your food. You eat a few fries and tear off pieces of your burger. Sam worries when he sees this, but he understands how difficult it must be for you right now so he doesn’t comment on it.

Dean has just polished off his food and Sam made it halfway through his before calling it quits but you’ve barely made much of a dent. Dean gives Sam a silent question, asking if they need to discuss anything now or if it should wait. Sam doesn’t honestly know, but due to how tired you already seem he thinks he’ll just help you to bed and talk with Dean later. That way they can come up with a course of action and recovery for you.

“Are you tired, honey?” Sam asks after wiping his hands with his napkin and setting everything aside. You nod, pulling your eyes up from where they’ve been planted to your plate while you ate. Your eyes plan to go to him but they land on a messy figure across the room with glowing red eyes and that same awful smile that’s burned into the backs of your eyelids. You jump back, your chair scraping the tile on its way to the wall behind you, you take a quick gasp of air and your fear fuels hot tears to your eyes.

Dean instantly looks back to where your eyes lead and so does Sam, standing to guard you from whatever threat it is you see, but they only see the far end of the kitchen where the stove clock flashes the time and nothing seems out of the ordinary. Sam snaps back to you to see you frozen in fear.

“Baby? What is it?” He asks, crouching down to your level and reaching out for your hands.

“H-he’s here, it’s him,” you stutter, gripping your wrists tightly again. Sam looks back out into the room to see absolutely nothing out of the ordinary.

“Who? Honey, there’s no one there,” Sam shakes his head, scanning over your face for any hint of what’s going on.

No, that can’t be right. You see him. You can actually see him. You drag your shaken eyes to look up over at Sam, mouth slightly agape and tears dripping down your cheeks, “y-you can’t see him?”

———————

thank you so much for reading!! <3

>pictures are not my own, i have the originals linked here (pinterest) >>check out my other works here

[masorciereviolette]

An Unexpected Bonding Ch.2

Pairing: Agatha Harkness x Reader

Warnings: None yet

Word Count: 1,003

A/N: I wanted to further the story a bit cause I had an idea but I need more plot ground to work with……

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She hadn’t spoken much about her power since that night. It hung between you like an unspoken truth, a dark and dangerous thing she couldn’t fully control. But you didn’t press her. You knew she needed time.

Instead, you offered her small gestures of comfort within the passing weeks together—a quiet presence when her nightmares woke her in the dead of night, a reassuring word when doubt flickered in her eyes. Slowly, she began to let you in.

It wasn’t easy. There were days when she pushed you away, her temper flaring as she lashed out in frustration. “Why do you stay?” she demanded one night, her voice raw with anger. “Why do you keep trying to help me when I’m not worth it?”

“Because I see you,” you replied, your voice steady. “Not the power. Not the fear. You. You’re worth more that you know and I sorry that you weren’t taught that to begin with.”

Her anger dissolved into silence, her gaze dropping to the ground as she struggled to process your words. She didn’t respond, but later that night, when the fire burned low and the world was quiet, she sat closer to you than she ever had before.

It was progress.

But even as Agatha began to willingly trust you, the bond between you continued to deepen, pulling you closer in ways neither of you fully understood. There were moments when her emotions bled into yours so strongly that you couldn’t tell where she ended and you began. And sometimes, when her magic flared uncontrollably, you felt it too—a wild, untamed force that surged through the bond like a living thing.

You knew she was afraid of it. Afraid of what she might do if she lost control. But you weren’t afraid. You trusted her, even if she couldn’t trust herself.

With your encouragement, she began to test its limits, experimenting with small, controlled bursts or illusions. At first, it was difficult—every spell felt like a gamble but you were always there, steady and unyielding, grounding her when the fear threatened to overwhelm her.

One evening, as the two of you practiced in a secluded glade, Agatha managed to channel her magic, eyes sparking vibrantly. The spell a simple mind control on a small bug she’d caught. Her palm glowing a steady and warm violet light, she watched the insect crawl around in aimless patterns before completely stilling. The insect began circling the palm of her hand following the trail of Agatha’s gaze before taking flight to land on her opposite palm to repeat its given instructions

She stared at it, her eyes wide with disbelief. “I… I did it,” she whispered.

“You did,” you said, beaming with pride.

Her gaze flickered to yours, and for the first time in what felt like forever, a genuine smile spread across her face. “It’s because of you- ” she said softly.

“No,” you replied. “It’s because of you. I’m just here to remind you of what you’re capable of”

Her smile faltered slightly, replaced by an expression of vulnerability. She let her palm fall flat against her side, releasing the insect from her mental hold“What if it doesn’t last? Sure I have the semblance of control now but-“

“Then we’ll face it together,” you said firmly. “You’re stronger than you think, Agatha. And I’ll be here every step of the way.”

As Agatha grew more confident in her magic, the trust between you did as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There were moments when the connection felt almost physical, as if your very souls were intertwined. You could sense her emotions with startling clarity, her joy, her fear, her love—and she could now sense yours. It was both exhilarating and terrifying, a reminder of just how deeply you were becoming tied to one another.

One night, as you sat together beneath a canopy of stars, Agatha broke the silence. “This bond-” she said, her voice contemplative. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. There was no craft work, no incantation. I don’t even really know much about you-”

You nodded exhaling, your fingers brushing against hers timidly. “There’s not much to tell, nothing that I wish to subject you to that’s is. Im the only one of my familial bloodline left, the rest murdered…..” you told her softly. “When I managed to escape I kept running and simply never looked back. It was just safer that way-“

She glanced at you, her expression softening as she interlaced her fingers with your own. After a few moments of silence she spoke again “Do you ever wonder why it happened? Why we were bound like this?”

“Sometimes,” you admitted. “But maybe it doesn’t matter.…..I wasn’t supposed to stay here for long, passing through for supplies actually. Yet I felt this pull, why i decided to follow it i couldn’t explain but it led me to you. So call it what you must, accident, fate. I don’t care, I’m glad it happened”

Her lips curved into a faint smile. “You’re always so certain.”

“Not always,” you said. “But when it comes to you, I can be”

Agatha’s gaze lingered on yours, and for a moment, the world seemed to fall away. She leaned closer, her breath warm against your skin as she whispered, “I don’t know that I deserve you.”

“You don’t have to,” you replied, your voice barely audible. “Just let me care for you.”

Agathas breath hitched as her eyes glistened with unshed tears. She slowly closed the distance between you her lips capturing yours in a kiss that was both tender and fierce. It was a promise, unspoken but deeply felt—a vow to face whatever came next, together.

[angelsndragons]

so i've heard some people arguing against saving minrathous because 'well it just gets blighted at the endgame anyway' like besties let me tell you something -

endgame minrathous is blighted with what remains of ghilly's blight, not the blight at full strength. it doesn't have her creative/regenerative power because she's dead. we see this with the taken companion whose blight is removed after we defeat elgar'nan, the one thing keeping that blight stable and viable.

we see that the only things left are the tendrils, which are gonna need some hacking, slashing, and burning to remove but overall minrathous gets off light here.

especially since it's mostly high town/rich areas that get blighted in the endgame where the poor districts are blighted earlier. just saying, they'll make blight removal a priority there.

which brings me to my other point: 'oh they have a big fuck off laser, they'll be fine' besties did you forget all the demons you had to kill at the dock town level in the prologue??? no fuck off laser in sight

did you also forget that said fuck off laser is powered by the national government?

ya know, the government that's failing people because of the backstabbing, infighting, corruption, and literal assassination of rivals? the people spending their time destroying the lucerni party instead of doing literally anything useful??

yeah, you know that thing, the thing the venatori actively coups and takes over during the attack? the people with the fuck off laser were too busy dealing with the people using the dragon attack as cover for their literal coup. neve tells you this is what is going on.

aka big fuck off laser is off the board and the game tells you this.

'oh but it doesn't seem as bad-' you're handing the military and magical might of the one country capable of fighting the antaam (which it is currently doing, i might add) over to the antaam's allies and the gods which began the whole blood magic mess.

if edgar and ghilly were any kinds of smart, the tevinter+antaam alliances plus their blight should have overrun the continent in weeks. these are highly trained militaries with tech and power the rest of thedas cannot match (nevarra, you're the ones who give them a shot).

sure a lot of venatori are killed by the end of the game. but not all of them. and certainly not their families who automatically claim their seats upon said deaths. and there's no mechanism to keep them out. that's part of the problem!

that's why mae wants to go public with all the shit recovered from lenos- because while it's a long shot, that's the way you throw the venatori and their supporting family members out of the magisterium for good.

if you save treviso, you are dooming minrathous and tevinter to another two, three generations minimum of magisterium backstabbing, infighting, and assassinations while the people go unserved. dorian might be able to hold things together while he's alive, what's going to happen when he dies? when the only system of change that's ever worked is assassination, blackmail, and mutual destruction?

[dorminchu]

a warm place

fandom: mouthwashing genre: hurt/comfort characters: anya, curly rating: T summary: If not for the risk of opening another hole in the Tulpar she wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet through his head. Jettisoning Jimmy from the airlock would mean they're down a copilot. No one else can take Curly's place.

a/n: Sort of a sequel to my first ficlet orinoco flow. I never posted it on tumblr so here ya go!

Another endless shift in the medbay. Anya works and sleeps in the same place, only leaving to feed or relieve herself. There is no approximation of day or night aboard the ship.

Curly rarely sleeps. He squirms and whimpers, bandages rasping against the sheets, haunting the walls of the Tulpar while he clings to consciousness. Helpless, if not for his crew.

She's never thrown up on the job. Not sewing up Daisuke's open wounds or when she had to amputate Curly's hands and feet and cauterize the stump via the flickering light of the medbay.

For the past few weeks it's been difficult. She can scarcely stand to be in the room when it's feeding time.

Jimmy has taken on this duty in her stead. He's stopped complaining, at least to her face. The circles under his eyes grow more pronounced and that arrogant scowl has an ugly twist. He's a ticking time bomb. Whatever impulse possessed him to act before in the cockpit hasn't abandoned him. If it wasn't for Curly, she wouldn't be alive right now.

She could tell herself she's been going along with this charade out of fear for what Jimmy might do. That some misplaced sense of guilt compels her hand. It's not untrue. He has kept his distance thus far, but he'll grow tired of being patient sooner or later.

If not for the risk of opening another hole in the Tulpar she wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet through his head. Jettisoning Jimmy from the airlock would mean they're down a copilot. No one else can take Curly's place.

Besides, it's not just the three of them. Anya has the others to think about. Daisuke is too sweet to grasp the bigger picture. He doesn't deserve that burden. Swansea has only held his tongue for his sake, perhaps hers, if she is self-indulgent enough to allow herself this notion. Once she goes, Swansea will not hesitate to do what he deems right. It'll be easier to stomach if Curly does not witness the mutiny's barbaric resolution. The seeds of it have blossomed under his inaction. He's a sensible man. He must have guessed this was inevitable, the four of them picking at one another for wont of anything better to do—and Jimmy, the aggrieved ringleader, slave to his own impulses.

Before they ran out of rations, she and Curly were making steady progress. Curly's been well enough to write. Despite his condition his cognition is mostly intact. Even under the haze of painkillers he could use a pen with her guidance and his stump of an arm. Monosyllabic answers, jagged penmanship, but it's more than she expected. His reliance on stoicism is becoming his own detriment. Does he reflect on the universe's cruel sense of irony as often as she does? Did he ever stop to try before the accident? What kind of nurse would demand an answer, even if it's untrue?

Whatever conflict rages inside of him, she won't live to make sense of it. From their prior psychiatric evaluations he does not strike her as a man prone to holding grudges. It's a matter of pride. The type to keep quiet about his true feelings and simply go down with the ship as a last resort. If she were Jimmy, perhaps, he'd let the mask slip.

The more optimistic side of her assumes Curly would have put them all in cryostasis, given the opportunity. But that would mean acknowledging Jimmy as a loose cannon. Capable of harm. To go against the wishes of their employers in the face of a crumbling company would certainly put a damper on his chances at a promotion. That's Jimmy's influence talking. The sleep deprivation. The hunger and the months of isolation bleeding together until the line between paranoia and pragmatism is indistinguishable.

Curly was caught off guard. An honorable man disarmed by an act of senseless incongruity. His better nature has damned them all. Her silence and Jimmy's desperation have damned them all. Jimmy's been itching to finish what was cemented before he entered that cockpit. Jimmy is too simple and narcissistic to analyze himself beyond his own self-satisfaction. Eager to latch onto a man like Curly, honorable and falliable, the perfect patsy. Jimmy is an ideal co-pilot, not for his charm and qualifications on-paper, but because no captain in his right mind would grant him their seat.

Of course, Pony Express makes no distinction between remorse and culpability. The painkillers are going to run out before the rations. Or she'll make a mistake, and then Jimmy will have his final say. If she survives that long.

The portable safe under the spare bed is her trusty companion. Anya doesn't manage to sleep without it. Out of habit, she opens the lid. The revolver glints in the warmth of a synthetic sunset, safe in its mould. Her stomach clenches on itself, restless.

The sound of his breathing, shallow and wheezy, offers little comfort. As long as he clings to life, they're safe. Judging by the amount of painkillers left, she can buy him a few more weeks. It'll have to be enough.

[hurtspideyparker]

I LOVE ultimate Spidey. I like how in the animated series we see his humour and sass more, plus the struggle of trying to balance Peter Parker with Spider-Man at the same time.

The first couple seasons were really amazing, I still liked the later ones but the dynamic changed a lot and I missed Peter being with his team :( like butting heads with Nova, Danny's oddness, just being a Bro with Luke, Ava being so done with all these boys. Peter trying to be a leader while also still learning how to be a hero himself. Like I loved seeing him grow into his leadership at the SHIELD academy but him being with his smaller team was peak, especially when they all lived together at May's <3

and the relationship he has with the Avengers in Ultimate is INCREDIBLE. We don't get that in ANY live action movies. We not only saw him fanboy over them, but also build friendships and a good working relationship. Like him and Hulk's friendship was so heartwarming. When he teams up with Captain America AH so exciting !!! He really gets to shine as a hero and all these adults respect him and his potential. And don't even get me started on the Irondad cuz heck yeah!!! Ultimate Peter is so sassy and capable. I feel like the fandom infantalizes MCU Peter and treats him like a cute little angel, so it's refreshing to watch the animated shows and see him act as the irresponsible, annoying, funny guy he is lol. Cracking jokes constantly and everyone getting fed up with him never being serious.

The movies play a lot into the darker aspects of being Spider-Man, which is great for film, but that means his humour and arrogance from the comics gets left behind. Animated shows are more light-hearted so we get to see Peter act like a total doofus <3

Also him and Clint are really underrated as a pair. I love how their personalities clash. Same with him and Wolverine, the body swap was one of the best episodes imo and I love the running joke that Spider-Man can smell how bad Logan smells all the time lmao.

I adore Spectacular Spider-Man and I wish it got more seasons, it characterized Peter so well, but Ultimate has my heart because of all the other amazing heroes we see Peter interact with.

Also Clark Gregg (Coulson actor) voiced Agent Coulson for the show too, which automatically makes it a 10/10 I love Coulson sm

You know I realised something today. There’s a stark contrast between the animated versions of Spider-Man/ Peter Parker and the movie versions

Like we know Peter is hella awkward and he is kind. With or without the suit, his personality is mixed with confident and awkward. But ultimate Spider-Man is a completely different breed. Most of the time rude and hella arrogant. Ultimate Peter was so spiteful it’s hilarious. Spectacular Spider-Man wasn’t quite like Ultimate Spider-Man but there are some parts worth noting.

Peter in the movies is devoted to one girl. MJ or Gwen. Spectacular Peter?? Man had four women. MJ, Gwen, that one cheerleader and mf black cat. Ultimate Peter tho was hella gay for Harry. He rather spent time with him than the gang.

Spider-Man in the movies was quite humble. They knew not to push it. Just stay as Friendly Neighbourhood Spiderman. Minus Tom. He was pulled into the big leagues. He didn’t want it at first. Tom’s Spidey was hella awkward with Tony too at first. He acknowledges him as someone with high authority. Hell, he wouldn’t even think of himself standing next to Tony when suddenly the man himself appears in his apartment

Ultimate Spidey? Every time he sees Tony Stark, he is imagining himself as a higher ranked person if he is alongside Tony. But the fanboying stays atleast. You can tell he’s quite arrogant here.

Not to mention, he’s a spiteful man. I remember there was one scene he’s talking to Fury and Fury tells him not to be late. Then he’s all like “You don’t have to teach me something I already know!” or something like that. Then he storms out like a kid with a tantrum and the door closes after he leaves. Then Fury just says “Teenagers” and Peter with his enhanced hearing obviously heard that. The man opens the door, webs both sides and pulls it, smashing the door, just to prove Fury’s point of ‘Yes I’m the average teenager full of spite’

It’s hilarious.

(I just love ultimate Spider-Man. He’s so overhated.)

[waitineedaname]

I think the funniest way to spin Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng's dynamic is if they work really well together, but they fucking hate it the whole time. these are two guys who know how to Get Down To Business when the situation calls for it, and when they have a common goal, they can work towards it efficiently. they just can't stand it the whole time

[iwoulddieforienzo]

Something really great about the persona 2 cast is that they all individually fucking SUCK to talk to casually. Every single one of them. They are all infuriating. We have:

Tatsuya, who will stare at you blankly if you try to initiate conversation (IS) and will dip without saying a word afterward (EP)

Batsuya, who will scoff and brush you off/otherwise act dismissive

Eikichi, who might honestly be the best to talk to in the IS crew and that is not saying much, who WILL talk extremely loudly over you (probably not on purpose?) and will not be paying particularly close attention to the conversation beyond whatever he wants to say (gets points for talking about his gf. gets points taken away for constantly talking about his gf)

Lisa, who will automatically assume bad faith and will be rude to you the entire conversation unless you manage to defuse her temper (good luck)

Jun, who is uncommunicative at BEST and requires an encyclopedic knowledge of flowers, metaphor and body language just to get a HINT on what he’s thinking, and who will be extremely polite but completely unhelpful. If you tried asking him what he wants for dinner I guarantee it will be the longest 30 minutes of your life as he goes “oh I have no opinion :) whatever you want. :))” EXCEPT HE DOES HAVE OPINIONS. He has SO MANY OPINIONS. He is Expecting you to be able to pick up on his “obvious” clues. He will be passive aggressive if you don’t. (Jun babygirl you suck so bad I love u)

Maya, who is a delight but will very quickly become grating if you try to talk to her about anything serious as she hits you with the white suburban mom's "how to live a happy, healthy life" lifecoach slogans. You can’t even mention, like, stepping in a puddle or something without her hitting you with the positivity beam.

Yukino is great actually. 10/10. She’s fabulous we love her. Incredible conversationalist, chill and fun and easy to get along with. But she’s from Persona One, she doesn’t Count.

Ulala, who WILL bring up her relationship problems in every conversation within 10 minutes at least once. Any longer and she will start talking about Maya.

Do I even need to explain Baofu. Have you seen him.

And finally, Katsuya, who is a cop and a kiss ass and Very Obvious about these things. Also he can't talk to women. He can barely talk to men. Help Him.

And yet they all work wonderfully as a group. They are so annoying I love them

[sluttymothman]

Valentino enjoyed the delicious denial that lingered within Stolas’ words. It didn’t serve the moth sinner to shatter his fragile delusions. It was a simple fact that people were so much easier manipulated when they weren’t thinking clearly, so why bother trying to drag him towards clarity?

“The company of plants?~” he mirrored the words with a hint of amusement dripping from his tone, “Dios mío, Baby~ You are so funny. You talk about your plants as though they are alive…” The words were snorted out as though the thought was hilarious — entirely missing the point that plants were, in fact, living things. Other than making his living space a little less dull and providing a nice fragrance to the room, he cared little for the things. Valentino didn’t seek ‘company’ from anything that couldn’t serve him in some way and plants? well, they just kind of sat there shedding leaves attracting insects.

A sympathetic hum slipped from the sinners lips as he shifted almost imperceptibly closer to Stolas upon the couch. A delicate hand came to rest atop his knee in what was delivered as an innocent and reassuring touch, “Oh, Cariño~ you deserve so much. You’re better than bein’ somebody’s emotional punching bag. Take it from me, doll—you did the right thing demanding a divorce from that soul-sucking bitch.” Marriage was a fucking joke anyway~ Valentino had worked in the sex industry long enough to know that married men were some of his most enthusiastic clients.

Valentino seemed to idly trace finger in circles across the expanse of Stolas’ knee as he mused his words, bringing his cigarette once more towards his lips and taking a slow inhale. This time, however, as he inhaled he directed the smoke towards the owl. It was purposeful in intent but masked behind the simple fact that he was parting his lips to speak to the owl. “I sell a fantasy,” he shrugged his shoulders loosely as he sunk back into the couch, gazing across at Stolas, “if the pieces fit together and the visual is enticing then that’s all the matters. My who—…my talented performers…are capable of selling the fantasy. It’s all acting, after all…just sexier.”

Valentino truly found Stolas to be a fascinating specimen — the more he opened up, the more enthralled the moth sinner became. “Mhmm. Maybe so, but even fictional stories have their interest, wouldn’t you say?” he spoke out simply as he took another slow drag from the cigarette resting between his fingers, the wisp of cerise smoke that escaped his lips swirled into a heart as it dissipated, “…after all, you can tell an awful lot about someone from the lies they tell~”

“Perhaps just an encyclopaedia on plants then, hm?” Valentino wasn’t sure whether the owl was merely playing coy or if he were truly that humble — his intellect was evident, but he seemed unwilling to take any kind of genuine credit for being a smarty-bird. “Your eyes seemed to light up the moment you saw them…I take it you’re a fan?” Valentino had quite a few plants. They really kept the place feeling alive.

The grin on Valentino’s lips was wide and sharp at the fallen prince’s dismissive words regarding his drink, “You’re on your third glass, Cariño~” he purred out, “There is no shame here, baby. You don’t need to hide yourself from me.” There was an assurance that seeped into the calculated words. It was clear that Val was, perhaps, more observant that his air-headed persona would allow you to think.

Indifference? Valentino blinked a couple of times as he processed the words. BDSM? That would have been a pretty standard answer. Cocaine? Sure, why not, who doesn’t love to feel good. Hell, Val would’ve even accepted gambling! Indifference was one he’d certainly not heard before. “My, my. Aren’t you just fascinating?~” he hummed out in a light-hearted amusement, “‘suppose it does count…after all, at it’s core, what is sloth but indifference?” What a boring answer. The spicy wife was an interesting little topic though. “It was arranged though, no?” he swore he recalled reading that in the press, “…there’s no passion in that.”

[wildstar25]

What physical part(s) of Arsay does her partners find the most attractive! Is it the same for all partners or does it differ between them?

(also optional bonus ask of what part(s) of/about Arsay generally do they love the most, physical or not!)

Meanwhile, if you were to ask the same of Arsay:

[alleycatchitchat]

wow sonadow fans feeling very validated right now

[teabiscs]

Third Sapphic Sunday: Emily/Mao

Another Pink&Orange wlw ship. These two were the first wlw ship i ever drew for the fandom over a year ago in november. (I need to do a redraw of that. i drew that piece traditionally scanned it and then manually lined it with a mouse in Sai. and my art is better now)