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xiiithhazard · 2 months ago

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Acceptance

Word Prompt 14 – Best Boy

@year-of-the-echdina

…

The Wachowski family siblings were all gathered in the living room, huddled around the coffee table, attempting to play a friendly board game. However, between three alien children with various levels of world ending powers, it had not taken long for rules to be questioned, alliances to be shattered, and someone (we all know who) ‘accidentally’ knocking over pieces.

The banker started embezzling. Dice became projectiles. Strategies turned into full-blown psychological warfare. By the time the dust settled, friendships were in tatters, someone had flipped the board, and an innocent game of Candy Land had somehow ended with a need for a restraining order.

Even so, everyone stopped what they were doing when Tom burst through the doors, panting like he’d just run a marathon. And looking around wildly until he found them.

“Tom.” Maddie proclaimed, quickly setting her book aside and jumped to her feet, reaching for her husband. “What’s wrong?”

“The mine.” He whispered and her eyes widened at the horror in his tone. However, she immediately had the same plan that he did and turned to their children. “Guys, we have a problem.” The man announced, rushing forward to get their attention. “The coal mine collapsed, there are people trapped inside.”

Without hesitation, the siblings sprang into action, their earlier rivalry replaced by a determined cooperation. Sonic disappeared and reappeared within a second, a ring in hand, which he let Tom use, as he was the only one that knew where they were going.

Tails grabbed his backpack of gadgets and Maddie the first aid kit, while Knuckles just waited for the team to reassemble. Prompting Tom to take a moment with him, knowing the echidna had some bad blood in his past, when he had been forced to push something called a wheel in an illegal mining operation.

The fact that he still didn’t want to talk about it, despite having been with them for nearly a year now, was proof of just how sensitive that memory was.

“Hey.” Tom whispered, kneeling down to lay a hand on his eldest son’s shoulder. “If you wanna stay behind, you –”

“I likely have the most experience with this kind of situation.” Knuckles countered before he could finish. Unfortunately, Tom couldn’t argue with that logic. “And I am the most qualified to dig.” He insisted, raising his fists to show off his shovel like hands, evolutionarily designed for just such a thing.

“Yes, but –”

“There are lives at stake.” He proclaimed and the man couldn’t help but smile, almost crying he was so proud, as his son’s shoulders squared with defiance. “I am coming.”

…

“Tom?” The mine foreman declared with confusion, as the police officer, his wife and their three adopted alien children stepped through a golden portal that had magically appeared in the middle of everything.

“Chris. Tell me what’s going on. Where are they trapped.” Tom insisted, rushing to the man’s side, with Tails right next to him, ready to take down all available information, as he began a scan of the area with his handheld computer.

“What – why –” Chris stuttered, still trying to figure out what was happening and why his rescue coordination had just been overtaken by the strangest family in human history. But Tom calmly reached over to grip his shoulder, meeting the man’s eyes.

“Chris, they can help.” He promised and the foreman nearly stopped breathing for a second. Before buckling down into action.

“They’re in the stope. About 3,000 feet.”

“Here?” Tails pipped up, showing the screen of his computer and the man knelt to look at the little image of green lines, which displayed a vague shape of his mine. At a seemingly random point, the gadget had picked up several life signs, all clustered together.

“They’re alive.” Chris whispered in relief. Before shaking the shock away again. “Yes, that’s them.”

“Alright then, take us to the collapse, we’ll –” Sonic spoke up, ready to head down into the mine, only for Knuckles to reach out and stop him.

“No.” He insisted, his eyes locked onto something that they couldn’t see, as he tuned his ears to the earth around him. “It is unstable. If we try to dig, it will collapse.”

“He’s right.” Chris agreed. “We can’t get our machines down to it. And only a few men with shovels can fit.”

“Then we will go straight down.” Knuckles proclaimed, walked over to a seemingly random point of earth, causing the miners all around them to get out of his way, as he cautiously examined the ground.

“Is he serious?” One of the men asked, completely flabbergasted by that idea.

“Fox.” Knuckles called out and Tails ran to his side, still holding his computer and pinpointing the exact location of the trapped miners. Giving the echidna a better idea of where he had to go to reach them, until he finally picked a point of contact and marked the spot with a punch, that left a nice big starting hole. “I will need a rope.” He declared to the humans, using his teeth to remove his gloves, revealing his thick claws that would allow him to control his digging.

“We have a pulley.” Someone yelled and a few people ran off to get the device, while Knuckles called for Sonic’s assistance.

“Here.” The hedgehog announced, immediately at his side.

“I will need you to keep the hole clear of dirt.”

Sonic promptly saluted him, a grin plastered on his face. “You got it, boss.” With that he ran off to find some buckets and a thicker pair of gloves. While Chris and Tom helped set up the winch, before getting Knuckles into the harness.

With everything prepared, the echidna finally turned his attention to the earth again and threw his claws into the dirt, ripping away whole chunks of rock and debris that would have taken a normal man ages to get through. Even most of their heavy machinery didn’t stand a chance against this force of nature.

The miners watched in awe as Knuckles relentlessly carved the hole and disappeared inside, with Tails right behind him, staying out of the way, while making sure that he remained on the correct trajectory. Sonic, true to his word, worked tirelessly to keep the hole clear, his speed a blur as he darted back and forth with buckets of dirt. Their movements soon linking up and turning into one precise motion, all three driven by a determination that seemed to defy human limits.

As the minutes ticked by, tension mounted among the onlookers. The rhythmic sound of his claws tearing through the earth echoed through mine, a beacon of hope amidst the chaos. The relentless pace of their efforts was both inspiring and harrowing.

Meanwhile, deep inside the mine, Knuckles and Tails continued their descent, the darkness engulfing them as they tunneled further. Every now and then, the echidna would pause, listening intently for the faintest sounds, while Tails' technological prowess ensured that they stayed on course, his flashlight sparking life amidst the encroaching gloom.

Above ground, the tension was palpable as Sonic maintained his relentless pace, ensuring the passage remained unobstructed. But, whenever he found himself in need of a break, the humans jumped in. Doing what they could to keep up. Offering to take Knuckles’ place as well, if he needed to stop. But he never did.

Soon, everyone’s efforts were synchronized perfectly with Knuckles' ferocity below. The miners, initially skeptical, now worked with growing admiration and hope, recognizing the extraordinary resolve driving this rescue mission.

The ground began to feel less obstinate, and Knuckles picked up the pace. Each strike of his claws brought them nearer to the trapped miners, whose faint cries for help spurred them on. Tails' device beeped urgently, indicating they were on the brink of a breakthrough.

And just as another chunk of earth gave way, the cries became clear and unmistakable. Relief and determination surged through everyone as they were now moments away from saving lives.

With a call to back away from the wall, Knuckles threw his first through the last few feet, and the faint glow of a dozen headlamps flooded their tunnel. As the dust cleared, the echidna calmly stepped inside, calling forth just a tiny bit of his chaos power to light the space.

“What in the?” A voice proclaimed from the darkness.

“See – told you there were cave monsters down here.” Another joked, though that voice sounded like it was in some serious pain and attempting to use humor to distract themselves from it. Even so, Tails stepped up to dismiss the charges that they were said monsters.

“It’s okay.” He said, raising his hands and flicking his tails in a way that seemed to make most humans think that he was cute. “We’re the Wachowskis.”

“Oh – yeah, I’ve heard of you.” Another man stepped up, his face so caked in dirt and grime they couldn’t actually identify him. “I thought you were blue though?”

“No, that’s me.” Sonic pipped up, as he slid down Knuckles safety line to join them. Following the echidna’s example and turn on his power to provide more light. “Don’t worry, we’re here to get you all out.” He declared, before handing a phone-looking thing to someone that looked like they might be in charge and the man quickly took it.

“Chris.” He announced and everyone perked up. “Good god man, is it good to hear your voice.” He listened for another second, before turning to the rest of the trapped miners. “We have a few injures, nothing serious – but –” He seemed to be interrupted, as Chris stated that he was sending down a doctor to ensure that everyone could be safely moved. And Sonic disappeared back up to the surface to provide a quick method to do that.

“So – is this everyone?” Tails added, looking to one of the other miners and the man nodded.

“Everyone that we know of.” The fox lit up at that and turned to his oldest brother with excitement.

“We found them, Knuckles. We did it.” He proclaimed, only for his smile to falter, as he noticed the echidna was unusually quiet and appeared to be doing some form of meditation to relax his heavy breathing. “Are you okay?” He asked, stepping forward to touch the echidna’s shoulder, only to get an odd reaction – he jumped.

But he recovered quickly and looked down at the fox. “Yes.” He lied, which only made Tails worry more. His brother never lied.

“Claustrophobic, are you?” One of the other miners stepped forward to help and knelt to be level with the echidna. “That happens a lot down here. Try not to focus on the walls.”

Doing as he was told Knuckles instead turned his attention to the ground and continued to work to keep himself calm. Though Tails knew the true reason for this intense reaction. He’d never told his family, as it wasn’t his place to do so, but he’d done some research on Knuckles, when they had briefly been enemies. He knew his brother had faced horrors that those miners would simply never understand.

The thing that Knuckles had referred to as ‘The Wheel’, was nothing short of Hell, in physical form. And it had been a mine. Probably not too dissimilar from this one. The fact that he had willingly come down there and was now going to stay until the job was done was a testament to his brother’s true strength.

Even so, he would do everything in his power to make the process an easier one. So, when Sonic returned with a human doctor, the fox jumped into action to help the man as much as he possibly could. While his brothers worked out a way to get everyone else out in the meantime.

Of course, the well-trained miners were looking pretty skeptical of the small, sharply ascending hole leading back to the surface, that would prove more than a little treacherous to anyone being hauled up on a cable. Especially if that person happened to be injured and tired, as they all were, and therefore unable to assist with the climbing.

“You will not have to.” Knuckles informed the man that pointed this out and everyone gave him their attention, as he lifted his hand to show off his spikes. “I will carry you.”

Everyone blinked at that, but Sonic and Tails were quick to get on board, encouraging the humans to trust them, and ensuring that their brother knew what he was doing. Even Chris announced over the phone that this was indeed the plan.

So, with that agreed upon, their first volunteer stepped forward into the tunnel and Knuckles allowed him to cling to his back, before setting his fists into the wall and had Tails inform the surface that they could begin reclaiming the line.

After a second, the steal cable started disappearing back to the surface and Knuckles started to follow it up. Taking it slowly and being extra careful of the life that now depended on him, he scaled the 3,000 feet back to daylight within several minutes and was soon greeted by an eruption of cheers, as the man was helped out and tended to. He didn’t stay to celebrate though, instead asking for the slack in his safety line to be returned, as he swiftly descended back into the darkness to retrieve the next miner.

The process took a couple of hours, during which time night had completely come upon them and massive flood lights were brought out to provide as much light as possible. Though, after a few trips, they started to periodically dim them when Knuckles returned to the surface. Having noticed, without even being told, that his eyes were unusually sensitive to the light.

Eventually, no less than 30 miners were extracted from the cave. Injured and all, until finally Knuckles went back for the last one and both Tails and Sonic followed him out. Upon reaching the surface for the last time, the sound was positively deafening, as they were scooped up and held aloft like the hero’s they had already established themselves as.

But now they were more than that. No longer were they just the three alien beings that for whatever reason had taken shelter in their tiny little town of Green Hills. They had been truly accepted by the people they’d sworn to protect.

They were friends – they were family.

…

The End

#knuckles the echidna #knuckles wachowski #miles tails prower #tails wachowski #sonic the hedgehog #Sonic wachowski #tom wachowski #maddie wachowski #sonic movie universe #year of the echidna #word prompt #Best Boy

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inphront · 2 months ago

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y’know s2e8 really brings you back around to the whole appeal of severance to some extent. throughout the show we’ve watched the procedure used to further corporate greed under the assumption that corporate greed was always the point, that it was created by a shitty ceo so that a shitty company could hide its shitty labor practices. and of course the ceo didn’t invent anything, and what do you know the real inventor had been working ten hour days in a factory since she was a child and watching everyone she knew get high off their asses huffing fumes in order to forget about their jobs. she saw her entire hometown go to shit because everybody was high off their asses huffing fumes in order to forget about their jobs. sure, she was groomed by this company on a level that permeates every aspect of her entire identity, so you could say she had a goal of corporate greed when she came up with it, but even if you take away all of the manipulation and psychological horror lumon was putting her through, the physical circumstances of her life were enough to warrant the invention of severance. she had a perfectly altruistic reason to come up with a non-addictive way of getting people to forget about their jobs.

and it *worked,* and she *saw* it work. she lived right next to mark scout and watched him get home every night and suffer through grief without ever turning to drugs or falling behind on bill payments or generally having that grief compounded by the nightmare that is working for lumon. even as lumon twisted the hell out of her design and sidelined her completely, her vision for people who could at least have a part of themselves, any part, untouched by that company did prevail on some level. notwithstanding the fact she was mark’s next door neighbor and thus lumon did follow him into his home, there was some element of him that was free from them in a way that no part of harmony cobel ever would or will be. his life on the outside is proof that maybe, in spite of everything, she did something good. drinking the kool-aid really hard about innies not being people would make that doubly believable, and what other choice does she have anyhow?

we knew from the second milchick said it that the line about the erotic fixation was total bullshit (another post is coming about THAT believe you me), but i figure she *did* have a level of obsession with him just by virtue of the fact he was a severed worker whose outie genuinely considered severance to have improved his life and who had no concept of what his innie was going through. she likely got some moral reprieve from that, too: look, he *trusts* her. he *likes* her. she’s not hurting him, not really, she’s not making his life a literal hell in the name of a corporate god who took away her childhood, her family, her genius, her potential, her morals, and everything else that ever mattered to her. she’s a sweet old lady who brings him cookies. because his outie did not know her, she got a small vicarious taste of what it’s like to have a life outside the company, and a way to placate herself about what she lost on her way to her management position.

also also ALSO i know that we saw on screen a lot of the factors that led to management getting stricter and harsher in s1. we saw the rebellion we saw the bullshit with petey reintegrating we saw several very good reasons for them to start going even harder than usual with the torturing. but it did also line up pretty perfectly with cobel having *helena eagan* under her employ. and i feel like she just maybe had a little bit of shit to vent onto the eagan name once she was given a situation where that would be allowed. just saying.

anyway this post is getting out of hand time to go immediately make another one about the erotic fixation thing because i am positively MICROWAVING this woman. harmony cobel i am biting your whole everything with the force of a hydraulic press

#severance #severance spoilers #harmony cobel #phron speaks #god am i gonna have to start a non tlt infodump tag #cause like. this is only the beginning of the thoughts i have to offer

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nanamineedstherapy · 3 months ago

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Mouth to Meat

Cannibal Yakuza Sukuna X [Retracted] F!Reader

Summary: Dr. Y/N L/N is tasked with profiling Ryomen Sukuna, a feared yakuza boss known for his violent tendencies and taste for human flesh. Through a series of therapy sessions, she gains his trust—or so it seems. But Sukuna isn’t the only predator in the room. Behind Y/N’s professional demeanor hides a secret far darker than even Sukuna’s sins. When the masks drop, it’s clear: monsters don’t always look like him.

Trigger Warnings: This chapter contains themes of manipulation, torture, obsessive behavior, and violence (murder), twisted relationships, blood & gore, talks of cannibalism but none actually happening, sadistic behavior, manipulative characters, psychological horror, smut between aged-up characters who are a little OC (maybe idk.) If any of these subjects are sensitive for you, please proceed with caution or consider skipping this chapter.

A/N: I had to write this chapter because I couldn't let the bitch walk into the sunset with Sukuna without consequences. If you came here looking for sanity—you’re in the wrong place. If you came for blood, mind games, and a couple so unhinged they’d make Bonnie and Clyde look like amateurs—welcome home.

Previous Chapter 3 - Unravelling the first Red Threads (Tumblr/Ao3)

Chapter 4 - Love Like a Blade to the Throat (Final Chapter)

20 years later - Prague, Czech Republic

Somewhere within a palace of glass and grandeur.

The scent of roasting flesh wove through the corridors like a lover’s whisper, curling into the opulent sitting room where she sat, framed by floor-to-ceiling windows that bled light from the cloudy day onto the polished parquet.

Outside, the city stretched like a breathing tapestry—cobblestone veins pulsing with life, gothic spires cutting against the deep violet sky—a place of history, of culture, of meat .

She sipped her tea, an exquisite Darjeeling that Uraume had steeped to perfection, the delicate tannins swirling on her tongue, mixing with the ghost of her last meal.

A violinist played in the streets below, a haunting melody rising through the cold air, as if mourning something that hadn't yet died.

Sukuna was away, wrapped up in his Yakuza affairs—uninteresting, irrelevant. His business did not concern her unless it bled into her pleasures. And at this moment, her pleasure was solitude. The slow, methodical unraveling of the next course.

She ran a gloved finger along the gilded rim of her cup, watching the city breathe. The people—faceless, nameless, meaningless—walked beneath her like ants in a glass colony, unaware of their place in the food chain. She could already tell which ones would be worth her time. The elderly, too chewy. The sick, too bitter. The common, too dull.

Then there were the rarities. The ones who smelled of something divine.

She never discriminated. Child, woman, man—if they met her standard, they were meat. She appreciated the fine subtleties: the tender sweetness of youth, the complexity of a well-lived life, the marbled richness of one who indulged in excess. A trained palate could tell everything from scent alone—stress, diet, fear.

The best ones always had a touch of regret, like a delicate aging wine just before its peak.

From the lower levels of the palace, Uraume’s voice murmured instructions to the kitchen staff, knives gliding, bones cracking—the rhythmic symphony of preparation. The air carried the aroma of caramelizing fat, slow-roasted, methodically seasoned. A new acquisition.

A former artist, if she recalled correctly. He had smelled of oil paints and ambition—an excellent vintage.

A faint smile touched her lips as she traced patterns in the condensation on the windowpane.

The Japanese government had been searching for her and Sukuna for years, their relentless pursuit as amusing as it was futile. They had no face to chase and no name to whisper in their war rooms. She was a chameleon, slipping through their fingers like smoke, shifting personas like silk dresses.

She had once been a respected scientist, a leading mind in psychiatric evaluation. They had placed criminals before her, monsters they could not comprehend, and she had dissected them with words sharper than any scalpel.

But none had fascinated her. None had been worthy.

Not until him.

Sukuna.

Now how useful he’d been.

Nanami Kento had smelled of regret, of burnt-out ideals, of controlled rage masked beneath a meticulous routine. It had made his flesh all the more exquisite, the tension of his being seared into every bite.

Gojo Satoru had been more of a curiosity than a meal. A man who reeked of arrogance and saccharine defiance, the taste of him was almost overwhelming—too bright, too indulgent, like a dessert meant to be consumed in small, rare portions. And yet she had devoured him.

Together, they formed a rare combination of different types of meat that complemented each other beautifully. In fact, one could argue that they worked better in tandem than they did alone. The scent of sandalwood and petrichor still overwhelmed her senses whenever she thought of them. They were the only pair she had Sukuna personally age and dry, allowing them to indulge in small, exquisite quantities from time to time.

Their deaths had been art, a composition of pain and revelation. The moment they had realized what she was, what she had always been, had been sublime.

A deep, satisfied breath filled her lungs.

The violinist below finished her song.

A pause.

Then the next piece began—something somber, something hungry.

She smiled, taking another sip of her tea.

One day she’d invite her in for tea, and she’d never breathe again.

Suddenly, the cold kiss of metal pressed against her throat. A whisper of steel, a lover’s caress. The sharp edge bit in, precise, shallow—just enough to let warmth bloom against her skin. The scent of iron curled into the air, mingling with the fading notes of her tea.

She did not flinch.

Instead, she exhaled slowly, setting the cup down with a masterful grace. The porcelain barely whispered against the saucer. Outside, the city droned on, oblivious.

“Who are you?” She mused, voice carrying the weight of detached amusement.

“Doesn’t matter.”

The voice behind her was young. Rough with amusement, tinged with something manic, something starving. Close—too close. His breath skimmed the shell of her ear, warm and cloying with the scent of strawberry candy. That scent—familiar but off, like a memory half-rotted in the recess of her mind.

“All that matters is you are dying.”

A chuckle rumbled low in his throat, the kind that belonged to men who enjoyed carving smiles into others.

Her fingers traced the condensation on the windowpane. “At the very least,” she murmured, unbothered, “I should know who gets the privilege of killing me.”

He laughed, the sound sharp and wild, like the crackle of a fire before it swallowed a home.

“I don’t fulfill my food’s desires.”

So naive. So green.

Whoever this child was, he did not know her.

Did not recognize the years of artistry, the refinement of her craft.

But he would learn.

Her eyes flicked to his hand’s reflection in the glass, catching the faintest silhouette—a shadow barely restrained by flesh. Young. Vibrant. Pulsing with a thrill he did not yet understand.

“And Uraume?” She asked lightly, tilting her head just so. A calculated distraction. “They don’t fit your palate?”

The knife remained against her throat, but the air shifted.

“I don’t like pet meat,” he said with a rumbling laugh, something unhinged curling in his voice.

Her tongue pressed against the back of her teeth. That was when she noticed it. The stillness.

Beneath her, the kitchen, once alive with the symphony of knives and fire, was silent. The staff—silent.

Not even the fire crackled anymore.

The palace was dead.

Her lips curled, amusement flickering beneath her growing hunger.

He had cleaned her table before she could even taste his work.

That was a shame.

And yet, this boy—this laughing, overgrown child—had gotten inside. Past Sukuna’s guards. Past Uraume. That in itself was... commendable .

He would taste divine.

He would taste even better if she hunted him for Sukuna before he came back.

She started her plan. The one that had never failed her before because ‘men always led with their dicks.’

Not that anyone had dared to come after her before this, so the situation would be… unique .

“I know I’m a few years older than you,” she mused, voice as smooth as the tea she had been sipping. “But I’d really like to taste you before I die.”

The blade didn’t waver.

She leaned ever so slightly into it—a delicate pressure, a dance of power.

His grip tensed.

“I can show you things you haven’t even imagined.” She let the words drip like honey, her voice lilting with something dangerous. “Might even ruin you for the rest of your life. Make you compare every woman you meet to me. And if you’ve gotten past the homeowner’s guards, then..." A small, sultry pause. “You must be worthy of a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

His laughter came abruptly, sharp and sudden, like the crack of a gunshot in an empty hall.

“Ahh, sorry, lady.”

He pulled away, hand gripping her jaw instead, forcing her gaze toward the figure—she hadn't noticed—standing in the corner.

Unmoving. Watching.

A man, twenties. Tall. Dark hair unruly, eyes shadowed with something that did not belong in the face of someone young.

Her brain flicked between them. The one behind her—grinning, feral—and the other, silent, still, with the patience of a predator that knew it would eat eventually.

“My boyfriend over there wouldn’t like that very much.”

A slow, teasing drawl.

“And I’m very loyal.”

The boy behind her—her would-be killer—let go of her jaw and took a step in front of her and crouched his gladiator form before her like a child observing a caged bird.

Close enough that the scent of him filled her lungs again—sweet, nostalgic. He reminded her of someone, but not enough. The base notes were there but not the full body of the scent.

Something was wrong.

Something was off .

“Besides,” he continued, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips beneath the large hood, the only part that was visible, “even if I wasn’t loyal and into women…” A pause, like he was savoring it. “I don’t think old hags with sloppy trail would appeal to me.”

Her blood boiled .

She was not old . Just… forties .

She was refined .

At worst, a cougar .

Her grip flexed against the armrest of her chair, nails pressing into the fabric. Her eyes flicked to the silent one in the corner again, his gaze steady, unreadable.

The boy in front of her smirked wider, tilting his head as if he could hear the rage simmering in her bones.

“Besides—” he drawled, a teasing lilt in his voice. “We’re related, Auntie .”

The room went still.

Something curdled in her stomach as he lifted a hand to his hood, peeling it back to reveal—

No.

The hair.

The shape of the jaw.

The way the light caught his features, so damnably familiar but younger, softer, unweathered by the years—

Yuji.

And yet—no.

This was something else entirely.

His grin sharpened, bright and bloodthirsty.

“Long time no see, Aunt.”

She did not let her expression waver.

“I thought you died in childbirth.”

Her voice was smooth, measured, revealing nothing. The wound at her throat was still bleeding, staining the delicate fabric of her dress, but she did not falter.

A lesser creature would have trembled. Would have broken under the weight of inevitability.

But she was not lesser.

Yuji grinned at her, bright and sharp, all teeth and madness. “Aww, well, we can’t all be lucky now, Aunt, can we?” He finished by booping her nose as he stood up to his full mountain height.

There was nothing human in his eyes.

No warmth. No mercy.

Not the kind of insanity she had known in her past lovers, in the men who thought themselves monsters but were simply misguided.

No, this was something else entirely.

This was a creature who would kill her, carve out her ribs, and dance inside the hollow of her corpse, laughing all the while.

He was like her, but tactless.

Her mind turned, cold and quick.

This was bad.

Sukuna’s relationship with Yuji’s family had never been cordial. This would not end well for her.

Not unless she could find an opening.

She refused to die on her knees. She refused to die, caught off-guard.

But before she could move, the other one—the silent one—shifted.

The dark-haired man stepped forward to say something, but Yuji grabbed him by the waist, pulling him flush against his chest in one fluid motion.

She watched as Yuji’s grip tightened possessively before he devoured the other man’s mouth. A hungry, desperate kiss, all sharp edges and insanity.

The raven-haired one stiffened, then let out a low chuckle against Yuji’s lips, something quiet and knowing, something that sent a ripple of unease down her spine. He blushed when Yuji grabbed his ass, his arms tightening around Yuji as he whispered something low, something only for Yuji to hear.

Yuji’s eyes lit up.

“Really?” His voice was laced with anticipation. He dragged his teeth along Megumi’s jaw, breathless. “Ah, Megumi, I can’t wait. I’ll give you anything you want. Whenever and wherever you want it.”

The—Megumi, apparently—blushed deeper.

Yuji kissed him again, slow and lingering, as if he’d just offered Yuji something of value.

It didn’t matter.

None of this did.

Sukuna would be here soon, and these two would be dead.

She pressed the hidden emergency button beneath the window, her fingers barely brushing the smooth surface before retracting.

She cleared her throat, hoping to stall them with empty words.

But then—

The glint of steel.

A flash of silver.

The butcher’s knife buried deep in her throat.

The impact stole her breath. A vicious, grotesque intrusion that sent a violent shudder through her body as the blade tore into her carotid artery.

Her hand flew to the wound instinctively, fingers pressing against the gaping, bleeding maw at her neck, but it was already over.

Yuji’s voice ripped through the room.

“Don’t interrupt me when I’m talking to Megumi!”

His face was painted in her blood, crimson streaks dripping from his chin, spattered across his cheekbones like a masterpiece of slaughter.

And he still hadn’t moved his other hand from Megumi’s waist.

Still hadn’t looked at her when he plunged the blade in deeper, twisting it viciously, backhanded, with the same ease as one might swat away an insect.

Her vision blurred.

She felt the warmth of her own life spilling down her chest, soaking into the fabric of her dress, pooling at her feet.

No.

No, this wasn’t how it was supposed to end.

Her breath hitched, gurgling as blood filled her lungs, drowning her from the inside out. Her body convulsed, her fingers trembling as they clutched at her own throat, her own wound, desperate and useless.

Yuji barely spared her another glance, his attention already back on Megumi, his lips curling in delight as if she were nothing more than an afterthought.

Nothing more than meat.

Her body sagged forward, her consciousness slipping—

And the last thing she saw before the darkness swallowed her whole was the way Megumi smirked against Yuji’s lips, eyes glinting with something ancient, something feral, something that whispered—

‘You never stood a chance.’

She was dead.

Should have been dead.

Should have succumbed to the darkness seeping into her veins, to the heat of her own blood pooling beneath her like a grotesque lover’s embrace.

But she wasn’t… dead .

Not yet.

With the last remnants of her strength, she moved.

Ripped the blade from her throat, lunged—

Yuji caught her effortlessly.

Like she was nothing.

Like she was a toy whose final act of defiance only amused him.

With an almost bored flick of his wrist, he sent her sprawling onto the cold marble, her body smacking against the ground with a wet, sickening sound. Before she could recover, before she could even breathe, he was on top of her, straddling her hips, his full weight pressing into her lungs, into her ribs, into her very existence.

She gasped. The world narrowed to the warmth of his breath, the press of his steel thighs caging her in, the sickly-sweet scent of strawberry candy, thick and artificial, tainting the coppery tang of her own blood.

Yuji leaned in close, his lips ghosting over her throat where she bled out, inhaling deeply.

“Aww, the hag fights.”

His voice was honeyed mockery, dripping with amusement.

She glared at him.

He grinned, sharp and wolfish, his nose grazing the sticky, open wound at her throat.

“Ahh, you smell nice.” He exhaled, letting the warmth of his breath trail down her skin. “But I’m not sophisticated like you, Aunt. I can’t even point out what you smell like.”

She clenched her teeth, fury crackling through her veins.

“Aww, are you mad because you’re going to be eaten?” he murmured, tilting his head, “or because you’ll be eaten by someone so uncultured?”

She wanted to spit at him, to carve her rage into his flesh, but her body was no longer hers to control.

The corners of his lips curled, delighting in her weakening form.

The edges of her vision blurred. Her limbs felt leaden. The air, thick with blood, became harder and harder to pull into her failing lungs.

Yuji tsked, shaking his head as he sat back, still straddling her, still watching the light fade from her eyes.

“I guess the mystery dies with you.” He pouted, disappointed. “Such a shame. I thought you’d put up more of a fight.”

His fingers brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, almost tender if not for the cruelty in his touch.

“You were my hero once,” he murmured, voice softer now, as if he were speaking to a childhood ghost. Then, with a sneer, he added, “And yet, you die like everyone else—pathetic. Gasping for air.”

He stood, her body already cooling beneath him.

Her vision darkened. The last thing she saw was Megumi, silent and watchful, stepping forward to press a bottle of bleach into Yuji’s waiting hand.

Yuji grinned, kissed Megumi’s cheek, and then—

The stench of chemicals flooded her senses.

The burn was instant. It set her nerves ablaze.

She screamed.

And he laughed.

She screamed again, her body thrashing weakly against the inevitable, her own agony peeling her mind apart like a scalpel to flesh—

And he laughed louder, tilting his head.

The last thing she felt was fire.

The last thing she heard was Megumi’s low, amused chuckle as Yuji whispered something against his lips.

Then—nothing.

The body was still warm when Yuji whipped his face of her blood and shoved Megumi onto the nearest table.

The same table she had sat at just moments ago, sipping her tea, watching the city below like some untouchable queen.

Now, she was nothing more than a stain on the floor.

With a smooth motion from one hand, Yuji’s hoodie hit the ground, revealing the broad expanse of his chest, the play of muscles shifting as he rolled his shoulders. His breath was heavy, the scent of blood and bleach clinging to his skin like perfume.

Megumi barely had time to react before Yuji’s hands were on him— grabbing, pulling, owning .

He smirked against his boyfriend’s lips.

They fucked right next to her body.

Yuji bit his neck in return, hard enough to bruise, hard enough to leave a mark that would linger.

Megumi’s head tipped back, his voice breaking into something raw, something real.

The palace walls swallowed his cries, but the floors beneath them carried the sound two stories down.

They didn’t care.

Not when Yuji’s fingers dug into Megumi’s thighs, gripping tight, possessive, worshipping in a way only a monster could.

Not when Megumi's nails raked over Yuji’s shoulders, down his spine, carving half-moons into muscle until he, unknowingly, drew bits of blood as he shuddered under him.

Not when Yuji leaned down, peppering lazy kisses along Megumi’s jaw, down his throat, whispering, “You drive me insane, babe. I love you, so… so so much.” Each word punctuated by a deep thursts that had Megumi ascending.

And Megumi—Megumi, who never surrendered, who fought against every chain the world tried to place on him—simply whispered back, breathless, ruined, “I... I love you.”

Yuji tugged his hair, making space for himself so that he could leave his marks undisturbed. Biting and licking while his movements never slowed down.

The doors slammed open, the room shaking with Sukuna’s presence before he even spoke.

“What the fuck are you doing here, brat?” His voice was a growl, venomous and sharp. His crimson eyes flared, scanning the room— blood, bleach, a corpse.

Then his gaze snapped to Megumi.

His eyes darkened.

“And why the hell is your whore here?”

Megumi flinched, his dazed mind barely processing the insult.

Instinctively, his head dipped, pressing against Yuji’s chest, letting Yuji’s larger frame shield him from Sukuna’s line of sight.

Yuji, however—oh, Yuji did not pause.

Did not falter.

Did not even acknowledge the shift in atmosphere.

Instead, he turned his head, growling over his shoulder, voice thick with warning, dripping with something feral.

“Don’t fucking call him a whore.”

No threat. No bravado. No posturing.

Just a statement of fact.

Sukuna’s expression twitched.

Something flickered in those crimson eyes.

But whatever rage threatened to boil over, whatever punishment he had prepared, was forgotten when Yuji turned back to Megumi and continued—as Yuji felt him clench around him.

The sex was always good with Yuji, but the moments like these were what made Megumi turned on for Yuji impossibly more.

Not the voyeurism, definitely not.

Not the power.

But the devotions.

Megumi trembled, overwhelmed, undone, his entire body wrecked from the sheer force of it.

The last push, the final claim, and Megumi’s entire body shattered.

His teeth sank into Yuji’s shoulder to stifle his voice, his breath stuttering, drowning in sensation.

Yuji—strong, brutal, relentless—pressed kisses over Megumi’s hair, whispering low praises against his damp skin.

He followed soon after, burying himself deep, his fingers gripping Megumi’s waist just rough enough to hold him still, but never enough to bruise.

Even in pleasure, Yuji never hurt him.

A moment passed.

Then another.

The world slowed, settled, the tension shifting from chaos to something intimate.

Still covering him, still inside, Yuji reached for the throw blanket on the couch and draped it over Megumi’s body before pressing a soft kiss and pulling out.

Megumi, oversensitive and in love, almost whined at the loss.

Yuji kissed his nose to shush him.

Megumi, still dazed, still shaking, flushed at the warmth of it.

Yuji smirked, his voice dropping low, intimate, teasing.

“We’ll continue this in a bit.”

Megumi shivered.

He simply nodded, weakly tugging his hoodie over his head.

Yuji once dressed turned to face Sukuna, who had long since given up trying to understand whatever the hell this was. He was busy thinking.

The scent of bleach clung to the air, thick and suffocating.

His eyes flickered between the cooling corpse on the floor and the empty space where his most trusted guards should have been.

Uraume was still missing.

His staff—missing.

His castle—silent.

And standing before him now, with all the arrogance of a cat that had just torn open a bird’s throat and left it twitching in the dirt, was Yuji.

The brat yawned, stretching as if this were a casual visit. He tugged his hoodie into place, nonchalant, unbothered, unshaken.

“I came to talk retirement plans, Unc.”

Sukuna’s eyes darkened.

The casualness. The audacity.

“I will kill you,” Sukuna growled, voice low, filled with venom. Then, with a wicked sneer, he added, “Then I’ll rape your whore.”

The words were designed to provoke.

Yuji’s brows twitched, but instead of the usual explosion—the feral, bloodthirsty rage Sukuna had come to expect from him ever since learning of his existence a few months ago—Yuji smirked.

Because Yuji knew.

Knew that not reacting would send Sukuna spiraling faster than any violent outburst ever could.

“How, though?” Yuji tilted his head, voice mockingly curious. “It’s not like you’ll live long enough for that.”

Sukuna’s scowl deepened. “Threats don’t work on me.”

"Ahh, but don’t you wanna know where she went?” Yuji asked lazily. Like he didn’t really care.

Sukuna had gotten an emergency pop-up; he didn’t think it was serious; he thought she was misusing it again because she just wanted some dick in the middle of the day.

Then realization slithered into his veins like ice water.

His gaze darted to the corner by the windows.

The corner where she always sat.

The dress—the dress he had bought her a few days ago, flickred to recognition—now just another piece of ruined fabric, clinging to a lifeless body.

Bleached.

Burned.

Destroyed beyond recognition.

A sound tore from Sukuna’s throat, something raw, something he didn’t recognize.

Rage?

No.

No, it was something worse.

Yuji barely gave him a moment to process before he moved.

Fast.

Effortless.

Like he was born to kill kings.

The same massive knife drove straight into Sukuna’s skull.

Sukuna fell to his knees.

Blood poured, thick and hot, down his face, into his mouth. His body screamed at him to fight, to consume the brat and spit his bones out across the marble floor—

But he couldn’t.

His limbs refused to obey.

Yuji crouched beside him on all fours, watching with the fascination of a child pulling the wings off an insect.

Sukuna growled, lips parting to curse him, to end him—

But his tongue was useless.

His voice was gone.

The knife in his skull was cutting through everything.

He knew.

He was dying.

“Damn, Unc,” Yuji mused, tapping the handle of the knife like it was nothing more than a misplaced ornament. “I expected more.”

Sukuna’s fingers twitched, reaching, reaching—

Yuji tsked, shaking his head.

“Pathetic,” he sighed. “You know, I was gonna eat you fancy-like. High fashion. Cannibal couture.” He grinned, teeth flashing, eyes glinting with unhinged amusement. “But now? Nah. I think I’ll deep fry your ass. Serve you up with ketchup. Maybe even wrap you in a burrito with some gas station nacho cheese.”

Sukuna’s vision blurred.

His limbs weakened.

He was crawling now.

Dragging himself across the floor, inch by inch, toward her.

Yuji let him.

Watched, entertained, before lazily kicking away the furniture Sukuna tried to use for support.

“Oops.”

Sukuna barely heard it.

Barely cared.

His fingers brushed against hers.

Cold.

Lifeless.

She had gone before him.

And now—he was following.

His vision blackened.

The last thing he heard was Yuji’s voice, light, teasing, victorious.

“You know, Uncle, it’s kinda funny,” he hummed. “I did in a day what the Japanese spies couldn’t do in years.”

And then—

Darkness.

---

Japan

The scent of burnt flesh still lingered in Megumi’s nostrils as he stood by the Mustang GT , eyes hidden behind sunglasses, hands in his pockets, waiting.

The city was alive behind him—the murmur of passing cars, the distant wail of sirens. Tokyo never stopped.

Neither did they.

He could still recall how they had to tie Sukuna along with his woman to a boulder and sink him in the ocean. Being cannibals sounded absolutely disgusting to both him and Yuji; it was more to piss her and Sukuna off in there final moments.

A woman and her son approaching broke him out of his thoughts.

The woman—blonde, aged by grief rather than years—moved stiffly, as if the weight of her own bones was too much to bear. Her son, broad-shouldered, protective, walked beside her like a silent bodyguard, one hand resting on her shoulder as if that could shield her from reality. He had to grow up too quickly when his older brother, some long white-haired idiot, got kidnapped by Y/N years ago, and they serched but found absolutely nothing until he met Megumi in college.

Megumi didn’t acknowledge them beyond extending his hand. The woman pressed a thick envelope of cash into his palm, fingers trembling.

He took it without looking.

In exchange, he handed her his envelope.

Inside was—photographs.

The last remnants of the woman she had spent decades searching for.

The last proof that her nightmare had an ending.

Her breath hitched as she flipped through them, her shoulders sagging with a relief that was almost indistinguishable from sorrow. Tears rolled down her cheeks, silent, exhausted.

Megumi turned to the son, offering him the envelope of cash back.

“Take this,” he said, voice as flat as dead air. “Leave the country. Never return.”

The son hesitated and looked at Megumi like he wanted to say something. But in the end, he took the money.

And they left.

Megumi watched Todo and his mother, Yuki Tsukumo, disappear into the Tokyo sunlight.

It had been years since Megumi first realized the world wasn’t made of heroes and villains—just predators and prey.

When he was a child, someone had killed his father’s best friend, his godfather, Gojo Satoru, Japan’s former defense minister. The same person had slaughtered Gojo’s husband, Nanami Kento, the nation’s most renowned psychiatric scientist for the criminally insane.

The murderer was never caught.

Not because there was no evidence. Not because there were no suspects.

But because no one ever saw the culprits again.

The perfect crime.

Or so they thought.

When Megumi entered university, he found him.

Itadori Yuji.

Shy, socially awkward, nerdy Yuji.

Yuji, who stuttered when Megumi looked at him too long.

Yuji, who was too eager to please, too quick to latch onto Megumi’s words like they were commandments from God.

Yuji, whose hands twitched when he thought no one was looking.

Yuji, who would do anything for him.

That was when Megumi knew.

Someone had to replace Geto Suguru after his unfortunate suicide.

And who better than Megumi himself.

The plan he had crafted with Higuruma would succeed. And it did.

Yuji wasn’t just insane.

He was Megumi’s brand of insane.

The problem was his family.

Toji and his sisters Maki and Mai were now breathing down his neck to let them ‘protect’ Megumi from Yuji.

He wasn’t supposed to become this insane.

They were watching, waiting for proof that Yuji had rotted beyond repair.

That he was too far gone.

For Megumi to kill him and clear his own name, forever.

They didn’t understand.

Yuji wasn’t a mistake.

Yuji was in love.

And Megumi didn’t want a love that came with boundaries wrapped in ‘unconditional’ packaging.

Megumi didn’t want a love who wouldn’t kill for him

Once he knew what he could have, he didn’t want to get back to dating a partner who would turn into just another ordinary 9-to-5 nobody—some lifeless, gutless thing that spent years chasing him only to grow fat and complacent the second he confessed.

Someone who’d let their body and mind wither, who would suck the life from him, siphon his ideas, drain his passion until he was nothing but a husk.

Sucking up his energy and drive and keep taking and taking until there is nothing left to take, then one day wake up and tell Megumi he’s changed. He’s not socially acceptable in one way or the other; he isn’t this or that when they never look at themselves.

No.

Megumi didn’t want it at any cost.

He wanted Yuji.

Because Yuji would never stop chasing him.

Yuji would never stop seeing him, loving him, prioritizing him over everything and everyone—even his own blood.

Yuji would never become complacent in any way that hurts Megumi.

Megumi wanted a love that could burn the world down for him all the while smiling about it.

And Yuji gave him that.

For seven years now, Yuji had proven it, time and time again.

He had slit throats and burned bodies and erased entire bloodlines for him.

He had made Megumi the center of his universe.

And Megumi would never settle for less.

So he decided.

He opened the car door with a click and slid inside.

Warm arms wrapped around him immediately.

Yuji’s lips ghosted over his temple, lingering, slow.

“You look like a hot celebrity in sunglasses, Megumi,” Yuji murmured in his ear, voice husky. “Keep wearing those.”

Megumi grumbled, but his face betrayed him, the blush creeping up his neck.

Yuji grinned, turned the ignition and shifted gears.

The Mustang GT roared to life, leaving the past in flames behind them.

A/N: And that concludes this love story—if you can even call it that. A relationship built on devotion, manipulation and an unholy amount of meat.

All Works Masterlist

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brainddeadd · 7 months ago

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Popcorn and Panic

You knew agreeing to a horror movie marathon with the New Jersey Devils was a bad idea. It was bad enough when they dragged you to a haunted house last week. But tonight? Tonight is shaping up to be another level of chaos.

Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Luke Hughes, and Dawson Mercer are sprawled across the couches and bean bags in Jack and Luke’s apartment. You’re squished in between Jack and Nico on the couch—your unofficial "designated protector" seats—because apparently, you’re still the team’s baby.

“Okay, first movie is The Conjuring,” Luke announces, aiming the remote at the TV with a grin. “Everyone good with that?”

“Nope,” you say instantly.

Jack laughs, pulling the popcorn bowl onto his lap. “Too bad, Y/N. You’re in this with us now.”

You glare at him half-heartedly. “When did I lose veto power?”

“When you joined the team,” Dawson replies, already stuffing his face with candy.

Nico pats your shoulder sympathetically. “Don’t worry. If it gets too scary, you can hide behind me.” He says it with such sincerity that it makes everyone burst out laughing.

The lights go out, the movie begins, and you feel the first tendrils of dread settle over the room. Five minutes in, and it’s already too quiet, the suspense building like a ticking bomb.

Suddenly, a loud knock from the movie makes everyone jump.

“Holy shit!” Jack exclaims, nearly dumping the popcorn everywhere. “This was a mistake.”

You snort. “Told you.”

As the movie progresses, the tension in the room is palpable. Jack keeps glancing at you, clearly waiting for you to freak out, but you remain composed—mostly to spite him. Luke, on the other hand, is gripping a throw pillow like it’s a lifeline.

Then, the first jump scare hits—a ghost appearing out of nowhere.

“Nope!” Dawson yelps, pulling his hoodie over his head like it will somehow shield him. “I hate this. I hate everything about this.”

You bite your lip to keep from laughing. “Dawson, it’s just a movie.”

“Just a movie?” he gasps dramatically. “This is psychological torture.”

Halfway through the film, the room smells like a mix of buttered popcorn, candy, and pure panic. Nico has gone into full “dad mode,” sitting up straight like he’s ready to protect everyone if a demon somehow comes through the screen. You find it adorable.

Another jump scare makes Jack fling the popcorn bowl in the air, sending kernels flying everywhere.

“Jack!” Luke groans, brushing popcorn out of his hair.

“I panicked!” Jack defends himself, though he’s clearly more amused than sorry.

You laugh so hard you nearly fall off the couch. “I thought I was supposed to be the scared one?”

“We’re switching roles tonight,” Jack says with a grin, kicking your foot playfully.

When the movie finally ends, everyone lets out a collective sigh of relief.

“One down, three to go,” Luke announces cheerfully.

“Three?” Dawson looks horrified. “I thought this was just a one movie thing!”

Nico shrugs with a small smile. “We said marathon. That’s kind of the point.”

Dawson groans dramatically, collapsing into his bean bag like a defeated warrior. “I’m not gonna survive this.”

The next film on the list is Hereditary—which, as it turns out, is an even worse idea. Less than ten minutes in, the eerie music alone is enough to send everyone spiraling into full-blown panic mode.

At one point, Luke throws his blanket over his head. “Tell me when it’s over!” he whimpers.

Jack is practically curled into a ball beside you, clutching your arm. “Y/N, why aren’t you freaking out?”

You smirk, loving every second of this. “Because this is way more entertaining than the actual movie.”

By the time Hereditary ends, everyone is thoroughly traumatized.

“Who the hell chose that one?” Dawson demands, glaring at Luke.

“It was highly rated!” Luke protests, though even he looks like he regrets it.

Nico shakes his head, standing up and stretching. “We’re taking a snack break. I need to walk this off.”

In the kitchen, Jack leans against the counter, arms folded across his chest as he watches you with an amused expression. “You’re a lot tougher than I thought.”

You raise an eyebrow. “Why? Because I didn’t scream at a movie?”

He grins. “Nah, because you’re still here.”

Back in the living room, Luke puts on Scream—a classic, but at least a bit less traumatizing than the previous choices. Or so you thought.

The phone rings in the movie, and as if on cue, Jack’s phone buzzes in his pocket. He jumps a solid foot off the couch, nearly dropping it.

“Jesus Christ!” he exclaims, glaring at the screen.

You and Dawson dissolve into laughter, tears streaming down your face. “You’re hopeless, Jack.”

By the end of the marathon, everyone is half-asleep, sprawled out across the furniture. Luke is snoring lightly from his bean bag, and Dawson is draped over the arm of the couch like a ragdoll.

Jack nudges you with his elbow. “So, what’d you think? Best team bonding night ever?”

You smile, glancing around at your chaotic, overprotective teammates. “Absolutely.”

And honestly? You wouldn’t trade nights like this for anything.

#° braindead writes #nico hischier x reader #nico hischier fanfic #nico hischier imagines #luke hughes x reader #luke hughes imagines #luke hughes fanfic #jack hughes x reader #jack hughes imagines #jack hughes fanfic #dawson mercer x reader #dawson mercer imagines #dawson mercer fanfic #new jersey devils x reader #fic: baby devil

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pruneunfair · 8 months ago

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"My feelings on" part 5. How to get my husband on my side and how it properly tackles abuse, eating disorders, and relationships.

Another super popular manhwa that I can understand why it's so beloved. The Borgias were actual people in history that inspired characters like the protagonist Ruby, and the title itself already feels different since the world of OI is all about being a perfect badass woman, funnily enough, HTGMHOMS does this better than most.

Rudbeckia/Ruby starts off with the behavior of the og fls that a lot of OI make fun of. She is surrounded by what appears to be loving family members and is already being prepped to be married of to Izek, she looks excited and ready to do whatever her family wants until her inner monolog reveals how she really feels about them especially her older brother Cezar. She hates almost all of them and her real reason for being excited for marriage is so she can get away from her abusive household and avoid death which shouldn't be hard since the transmigrator doesn't plan on poisoning her sister in law like og Ruby did. She's a master of hiding her feelings already which is attributed to her past life in a similarly abusive adoptive household.

Right off bat, Ruby is shown to be strong in the mental sense. Not only is she walking on eggshells she also suffers from an ED (likely bulimia), there a quite a few scenes where she's throwing up, refusing to eat a lot, or in later chapters, eating a lot more out of stress. Her family too is whole new level of psychological horror. They aren't cartoonist evil, for example Pope Borgia is usually kind to his daughter and treats her with respect until he feels like she's defying him, all of a sudden that kind caring nature is gone, then he becomes threatening, or her older brother Cezar who has been abusing her for years both physically and sexually, he keeps her in place through fear, intimidation, and attacking her on occasion which is only enhanced after he kills Rubys bird and feeds it to his turtle which gives Ruby a phobia of turtles. It's actually heartbreaking with how eerily realistic it is when these types of people are easily placed like normal family members in certain scenes, because that's often how abusive family members blend in, almost no one knows what they are really like and if you looked at a first glance without context, you'd think "Ah yes, that's just a brother next to his siblings." They're never truly gone, they just know how to hide their true colors so well.

This is why Ruby is so much stronger than a lot of people give her credit for, she's dealing with all of this at the same time and her only hope of respite is being as far as possible from her home country. It's easy to jump to the conclusion that Ruby is just a weak stereotypical protagonist everytime you see her pretend to fawn over Izeks presence but if you read further, you'd know that Ruby doesn't like it any better but she thinks she's doing what's right to avoid Izeks Wrath since she's the only one who knows what he is the one who kills the og Ruby in the novel.

Speaking of which, while Izek isn't my favorite ML ever, I still was shocked to find that I liked the typical cold nobleman persona on him. Unlike a lot of ML's Izek is allowed to be flawed and his negative traits and moments aren't brushed aside, they cause some issues like Ruby going out of her way to appear dainty and sweet so Izek won't kill her. He acknowledges how he has hurt her and grows from it and doesn't push her boundaries. It's possible for the cold Duke archetype to work but a lot of the time, the whole war hero past gets thrown to the side for baseless fan service or they're just unapologetically abusive. Izek however is in the in between. His cold and dangerous persona stays consistent but that doesn't make him one note and he gets to have geninue moments of care for those in his life rendering Izek to still be likeable.

Ive noticed that the narrative also makes sense instead of twisting itself for a stupid chance at a fan service plot. An example is Ellen and Freya.

An unfortunate sideffects from the fandom was on and off hatred of Ellen for considering what Freya had to say, taking her side or not even choosing a side at all. The readers know that Freya tried to get Ruby killed by tricking her into going into a monster infested forest or when she tried to frame Ruby for poisoning her, but does Ellen know that? Realistically she's not going to immediately turn her back on Freya since they were childhood friends along eith Izek but that doesn't mean she screams at Ruby either. Ellen does care about Ruby but she knew Freya longer than she knew Ruby. From her perspective, it' makes sense that Freya would be innocent.

But perhaps the best part about Ellen that makes her my favorite character is how she notices the little details on others. She's the first to find out that Ruby has an eating disorder and it's not out of nowhere either, Ellen and Izeks late mother also suffered from a eating disorder that Ellen witnessed more than once so it gives an explanation on how she can tell what Ruby is going through.

Side characters are treated just as well as the main cast too. From the other guards to the friendly monsters to minor antagonist and even the children are all given attention to be their own beings, it doesn't have to be a lot since most of what I mentioned are minor characters but then you got characters like Ivan who has a life outside of just being by Izeks side.

Out of all the side characters I gotta say the monsters are my favorites. It makes me wish there was a side story where Ruby successfully runs away forever and lives as a little witch with monster companions.

Of course like all media, HTGMHOMS has its flaws but I think I'll chill on this one since the flaws aren't large enough to ruin it and I want to stay positive on something I like for once.

Conclusion: This is a story that does such an amazing job with its commentary. Instead of just saying "Cezar abused Ruby in the past! Feel bad for her now!" For example, we are given actual flashbacks to respect the show don't tell rule. Other characters besides Ruby suffer from their own traumas and they get their own arcs on their hardships and how they recover from it, it handles eating disorders and trauma responses in a respectful way that has an actual effect on the plot. Most of all, it does all of this with the type of protagonist that has been deemed as "weak" before in the manhwa community. Ruby isn't a boss girl who is always successful and smart. She makes reckless decisions, she cries, she isn't always able to one-up her enemies like Freya. She's a human woman stuck in a world that's not her own but she still rises to the task at hand even with all her blunders. Ironically making her more feminist then many of the female leads before her.

#how to get my husband on my side #rudbeckia de borgia #izek van omerta #manhwa recommendation #Manhwa #how to win my husband over #Ellen van omerta #Rec #book recommendations

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hunters-vigil · 3 months ago

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The Archon's Baby - Chapter 22 - Aftermath

First Chapter Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Warnings: pregnant!reader, Mavuika's impending death, Chuychu healing from losing a limb, R and Xilonen are both scheming for different reasons, R struggling with the idea of being bereaved soon, brief mention of nausea/queasiness.

Fic under the cut, don't repost my stuff on other platforms, i have ao3. Reader is not the traveller. Reader's adoptive sisters are Chasca and Chuychu.

Mavuika was constantly preparing now that the abyss had been driven into the depths of the Night Kingdom. But she wasn't the only one preparing.

You were stuck on bed rest and regular monitoring, while Chuychu was on bed rest as she adjusted to her lack of a limb, and overuse of her vision trying to heal you both. Her recovery having been… the fatal injury was healed by the ode of resurrection, her other physical injuries healed by her vision at the expense of her energy levels, but psychological effects of losing a limb were still there. Those couldn't be healed by elemental power.

Chasca went between the two of you, guarding you both at the stadium, until you distracted her with a request. Find Xilonen and bring her to you.

"Are you going to talk to me?" you whispered, but Chuychu refused to even look at you, her green eyes focussed on glaring at the floor, fighting against the rage inside of her, "I'm sorry."

She whipped around to frown at you, noticing your crumpled eyebrows, how your fingers bundled the blanket together between your fingers, and the deadness in your eyes.

"What?"

"I'm sorry you lost your leg saving me." You tugged at the blanket, trying to cover your bump as Chuychu's frown turned into a glare.

"Do not say that. Do you really think I could let you die? We were both so close to that- You're my baby sister, I love you. I just… have no idea how to do anything now. I feel like a flightless qucusaur." Chuychu seethed, eventually her anger melting into vulnerability, avoiding your gaze.

"You're recuperating on the ground until you can fly again… if you want, you can ask Xilonen about prosthetics or something. That's not why I asked Chasca to bring her though! Before you bite my head off… it's your choice. I just need to ask her about help for a nursery, before it's too late."

"Are you having it built here?" Chuychu caught her words, but not before they slipped out, watching you shift slightly in bed, pushing the body pillow away.

"After Mavuika is gone, everything here will be for the next Pyro Archon. Depending on who that is… the twins might not even be safe within any of the tribes. The abyss will be gone, but I don't know what will happen. They're not even born yet, but people are giving me looks, talking to Mavuika and pretending I don't exist… Mavuika's roots are with the Scions of the Canopy, and I know mama and papa would want me with the Flower-Feather Clan, but can Chief Mutota guarantee our family's safety? Can anyone?" a sigh escaped your lips, directing your gaze to the ceiling, "I can't exactly go raise them on some outskirts with their granny Citlali and uncle Ororon…"

"What about Chasca and I? Do we get to help at all?" Chuychu raised an eyebrow, looking at her her amputation before tugging the blanket over it.

"Have you seen Chasca with babies? She's good with children having conflicts, yes, but I've never seen her near a baby, or hold one. Chuychu, I trust you with all of me, but you have the stress of everything else going on too." You admitted, hearing a scoff.

"And you call me a stubborn butt, stubborn butt." Chuychu folded her arms, about to say more when Chasca returned, with Xilonen behind her.

"I brought her like you asked-" Chasca froze, looking over her two younger sisters, "what happened? You two seem off…"

"Hi Xilonen." You gave the geo vision holder a weak smile, moving to get up, much to your sisters' horror. The little iktomisaur began to stir as the blanket that had been covering her shifted due to your movements, but she only cooed as you picked her up, placing her in a reluctant Chasca's arms.

"You're supposed to be on bed rest!"

"I want to talk to Xilonen without you two eavesdropping. Also, to no one's surprise, I have to use the bathroom." You brushed them off, giving Xilonen a minute of peace as you left the room. Well, as much peace as she could get, as Chasca fawned over Chuychu, who puffed up her cheeks, folded her arms and ignored her older sister, and the sleepy iktomisaur she was holding.

"So… that was kinda tense, did you three fight again or something?" Xilonen asked, Chasca shaking her head to answer but Chuychu spoke first.

"No. I just… need more time with my injury, before any talk of prosthetics. I need to process this in my head, even though it's 'healed', okay?" If the ode hadn't healed her fatal injury when resurrecting her, things would have been a lot more complicated. The risk of infection, the healing process, whether the residual limb would be enough for a prosthetic. "So, our little sister's issues, she just wants to ask you some questions, but she'll avoid actually asking you to do anything because she thinks you're busy enough without adding to your plate. Her time with Mavuika is limited… she's going to need all the help she can with the twins."

"Limited? Wait you said-" Chasca frowned, but Xilonen nodded in understanding, looking up as you returned from the bathroom, gesturing to go for a walk, "limited how, Chuychu? You said before, Mavuika's going to die before the twins are born?"

But it was not Chuychu's place to explain… and you were in no state to, closing your eyes and ignoring Chasca's outcry.

///

"Is there something bothering you? You're all…" Xilonen enquired, gesturing to you as her eyes looking over you for whatever was causing you such a discomfort.

"You're one of the chosen heroes, so you know her plan. Did she ask you about help for the nursery or… is that something else I need to figure out on my own?" dragging your hands down your face, you let out a huff as you continued to wander around with Xilonen, ignoring how people watched you everywhere you went.

"She mentioned something briefly, but with it being… double the expectancy, I'll get to work-"

"You have our Golden Outlander's ancient name to sort out, and a long backlogs of commissions already, including my weapon eventually. I just need… to figure something out. I need to ask Ororon to check on my house, see if it's still intact. I don't know how safe it'll be there, but I won't be staying here after she's gone. I can't. I just…" fighting back tears, you froze as Xilonen reached for your hand, gently guiding you out of your pacing.

"How about we sit down, take a breath, and I point out that you're not alone in this. You will never be alone in this." Xilonen encouraged you, letting you rest your head on her shoulder as you stared into space, processing.

"I hope they look like her… I'll see her in them anyway, but…"

"Sun eyes and all? Two baby Mavuikas… ha, look out Natlan." Xilonen chuckled, the vibrations calming you as you hummed.

"Her eyes weren't always like the sun… they changed when she ascended to Archonhood, back then. You're good at naming things, can you persuade Mavuika to pick some names? My sisters don't like my naming choices, and honestly… I have no ideas anymore." You perked up, much to Xilonen's shock as she looked at you with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh, wha-why me?"

"You and Chasca have that… weirdness, chemistry that you're both denying, but I see the way you two look at each other. Also, after everything you've done for my family, if it's okay with you… you'd be Auntie Xilonen?" you played with your fingers, giving the name engraver a knowing look as she avoided your eyes, her cheeks warming up at what you were suggesting about her and your sister.

"I… wow, I can see how Mavuika got wrapped around your finger. So, do you tease your Archon like this too?" Xilonen changed the subject, but she soon began to regret it with the smirk on your face, "okay, maybedon't answer that, I don't need the dirty details you've got in your mind right now. There's evidence enough with your pregnancy… honestly, how have your sisters not chewed her out yet?"

"Chuychu stopped Chasca from storming the Speaker's Chamber when they found out she was the one who, uh, got me pregnant… but then the twins, we kept quiet until, um…" a shaky breath escaped your lips, closing your eyes momentarily before you continued to explain, "Chuychu died then got resurrected, but before that, she revealed she has a vision, figured out how to heal me, and herself I think, but she lost her foot. It was when she was healing me that she found that I'm growing two babies…" Your voice growing quieter the more you spoke had Xilonen straining her ears to hear you. Her gaze however locked onto something you were fiddling with.

"Something else has been bothering me too… if my babies died when the ode was active and protecting all life, would it have resurrected them? If I died, would it…" Your questions were rhetorical, Xilonen watching your fingers as you let out a sigh. "I'm not supposed to have this, the elemental energy could be a risk, so… can you keep it safe for me? My sisters suck at hiding things since I know all their hiding spots, so please, keep it safe. I need to return Atea's to the People of the Springs soon too…" You held out your pyro vision for Xilonen to take, watching her carefully hold it in her hand, with a look on your face that you couldn't describe.

"Hmm, how about an exchange? I look after this, and you give me some advice about a book. It's Nechca's birthday soon and she wrote a letter to me, asking for a copy of Tequil the Brave. I have a couple of copies of the older one in my collection, but since I'm not sure which one she'll have read, I wondered about the new version too."

"The newer one is more child friendly, but massively unpopular, but you'd know the story and it's changes well already?" you raised an eyebrow as Xilonen let out a sigh.

"Fine, you got me. I just, the new version was so poorly received, but it took forever for me to find the older one in a warehouse. Plus, this type of stuff is your thing, preservation of stories and history. Your eyes light up just at talking about this stuff… but you don't smile that much anymore, I think I've only seen you happy when you're with Mavuika, or your sisters… but uh, that's when you three aren't squabbling, anyway."

"You should come for dinner sometime, with my sisters, mama, papa… I might be able to get Mavuika to come, if it's not before…" you trailed off, avoiding Xilonen's eyes as they narrowed, realising what you were implying.

"Right… well, I'd like that. Oh, as long as Mavuika doesn't try make me listen to any more of her ridiculous ideas, I mean… seriously? How does she come up with this stuff?" she tried to make a joke, but you folded in on yourself, the prospect of Mavuika no longer being around making you feel queasy, "although that makes me wonder who would be cooking. I'll bring enough xocoatl though, how does that sound?" Xilonen offered, nudging your shoulder with hers as she changed the subject.

"Probably just make a list of dishes closer to the time. I can ask Chasca for your favourite foods if I can't ask you myself, I'm sure Chasca would love to have you at our dinner table. So would I, but in a different sense to my sister… also, Chasca likes wine…" You smirked, watching the name engraver stare at you with a look.

"You…"

A giggle escaped your lips before you cleared your throat to change the subject, "about the book, give Nechca both copies. That's what Mavuika did as a gift for me. I lost my copy of Tequil the Brave in Ochkanatlan, so I didn't have it in my archives. She noticed, and got me a copy of both versions as an anniversary present."

Xilonen raised an eyebrow at your chosen topic. "Anniversary? Just how long have you and Mavuika been together? Wait, Mavuika asked for a second helmet to be made for Flamestrider. I just thought she broke the first one somehow, but it was for you, wasn't it?"

"Longer than you think, longer than anyone thinks… and yes. That's why she brought it back to you to be adjusted." You winked, standing up to stretch, "I should head back before my sisters, or my beloved, send a search party looking for us. Take care, Xilonen. I mean it, please, take care of yourself."

"You too, ki- well, calling you kiddo is a bit silly now, isn't it?" Xilonen dryly joked, but you only shrugged in reponse.

"Doesn't stop my sisters from calling me that, or 'little one'… why does nobody ever call me by my actual name? Whatever… see you around, Xilonen!" you waved, heading back to the Speaker's Chamber, glad that the people were too busy with the rebuild to notice you.

#genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #mavuika x reader #chasca x sister!reader #chuychu x sister!reader #requested fic #turned into a series

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justhereformilgram · 6 months ago

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WARNING: Mouthwashing spoilers ahead?? it is a psychological horror game so there is a bit of blood and gore, themes of suicide, cannibalism, all that. So be sure to read the content warnings if you haven’t heard of it before but decide to check it out!

Anyways. I introduce milgramwashing. because I fell down the rabbit hole and loved the complex storytelling and horrific situations of the original game. HOWEVER, for this AU, it definitely will be a different sort of storyline because while I appreciate the hard subject matter Mouthwashing tackles, I don’t feel comfortable putting any of the milgram cast in those positions.. I do love to point out parallels, though, and things will definitely still go terribly wrong.

Just imagine they’re a different branch, a different ship, on the Pony Express— or should I say, the Jackalope Express?

(1) I was torn between making the MILGRAM (replacing Tulpar) just a delivery crew like the OG, or a ship carrying prisoners, closer to MILGRAM. Or prisoners who become a crew after an emergency happens and Es can’t handle it on their own. 🤷 None of this explains putting Es, a 15 year old in charge. Were they a child pilot prodigy? A nepo baby? Who knows. But they are Captain Es.

(2) Next is Yuno, the first one I drew so she’s in color! She’s a psychology intern, just learning the ropes, tagging along because she needs money to provide for her parent and little bro. Also she’s under a false name since idk how legal her side job was in the mouthwashing universe. The Anya parallels are… quite real, though in this case she would’ve gotten pregnant from her clients like in MILGRAM but before she got on the ship, and only realizing later, and then it becomes a whole situation. She becomes an assistant nurse to Shidou after the crash happens.

(3) Fuuta! I think he shares in Swansea’s grumpiness, and it does make sense for him to be an electric engineer or hacker due to his focus in tech. cough. not always for noble means. Haruka will be his intern he has to deal with—though he isn’t middle aged, I think a mentor/older brother and younger brother dynamic mirroring Swansea and Daisuke could be fun and tragic for them. Also Kotoko definitely slices him in the eye. I don’t know why or how, I just feel like it fits pretty well.

(4) As said before, Haruka is another intern without much experience, sent into space because his mother didn’t want to deal with him anymore. Harsh. Meanwhile, after her incident at her school, Muu’s parents paid big money to cover it up then shoehorn her into an “internship” where the authorities can’t get her. She gets the nicest room on the spaceship.

(5) Kazui! The muscle of the group, originally I gave him captain or pilot since he really does give Curly vibes (means well, hurts the women in his life anyways through inaction/telling the truth/lying) and he also has a mid life crisis. then all this happens. I’d imagine he’s fairly level headed and would’ve intervened in the Kotoko incident and the Crash. (Related somehow? I don’t know, I didn’t think the lore all the way through) Not fast enough to spare Mahiru, though… Mikoto is not an intern, but a very stressed mouthwashing sales representative part of the advertising sector. His job still sucks. He’s due for a breakdown at any moment. John was always there, but he probably comes out more during great times of stress, like the Crash. Maybe he’s partly responsible, trying to defend from Kotoko or something. In no way people are letting Amane onto the ship willingly so I made her a stowaway fleeing her conditions under the religious organization after she murdered her mom. She sneaks into a shipment of mouthwash or something idk. Shidou is doctor but in space. I imagine his family passed in a terrible, terrible accident and he did lots of medicine malpractice still.

(6) Finally, Kotoko and Mahiru. Kotoko needs to use that axe, it fits too well.. I do think the Crash, just like Trial 2, is a turning point, so she probably has some hand in the Crash as well, if not purposely then it might be from swinging that around recklessly. She still looks cool doing it, though! And Mahiru. I imagine she pulled a legally blonde and followed in her boyfriend’s footsteps to become a pilot. After he passed, she continued her schooling and ended up as co-pilot on MILGRAM. Tried to stop the ship from crashing from the asteroid, and got caught in the blast zone… I’m sorry Mahiru it’s just you’re the only one with many bandages as a character design element 😭 and it made too much sense 😭😖 I think she’s still cute though. I gave her Daisuke’s hibiscuses since I like that imagery

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witchering10123 · 11 months ago

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blood and cheese

ok, so for me this one's about fifty-fifty

i do think that we need to bear in mind that this needs to actually be filmed and give the child actors as little trauma as possible, so the psychological trauma of the children??? yeah, glad they didn't go down that route tbh

while maelor was an important part of b&c in the book, that would again have required a LOT from the child actors and I very much appreciate that they didn't traumatised the child actors

the change they made to make helaena choose between her son and daughter would have been just as emotionally torturous as making her choose between her two sons, and i thought that the actors did that really well

I did like that rhaenyra told daemon that she wanted aemond specifically, and he then went forward and added the whole "if you can't find him kill jaehaerys", it really adds to him grasping for more and more power and acting against rhaenyra's interests, it's going to make the rest of the season incredibly interesting

I also like how they're showing the bad and the good on both team black and green (after all the trouble to divide the fanbase lmao)

I think we should have gotten more scenes with jaehaerys and jaehaera - I thought that b&c was going to happen like next episode and it would build up the children and their relationship with helaena and aegon a bit more so we could be really gut punched during b&c. while it was horrific... we didn't get the chance to meet the family

i thought that cheese not knowing how to get to the upper levels and that they accidentally happened upon them was... not very good writing. the whole point was that b&c knew exactly what they were doing and they were very effective at what they did. it added to the horror that people could use the red keep against its inhabitants and do such an atrocity as b&c

this could be attributed to shock on helaena's part but I feel it was more a bad writing decision that they changed helaena offering her life to helaena offering her necklace??? like idk, obviously she has grasped the situation and maybe she did think that she could persuade them with money but surely when that failed she could have offered her life - obvi not wanting helaena dead I love her to pieces but it would have made the situation seem so much more horrible if helaena had been pleading for them to kill her instead only for them to wait for her to choose between her children

helaena walking in on alicent and criston felt like it was for shock value, and the fact that alicent and criston had sex earlier in the episode completely cancelled out the shock imo. I think it would have been far more effective to find aegon (as jaehaerys' father), aemond (as the initial target), or ser arryk (because I'm sorry where exactly were all the guards??? how the everlasting fuck did b&c walk through the castle without using the tunnels and only encounter a handmaiden???)

soooo on the whole, it was good??? the aftermath of b&c is really what's going to make it either be brilliant or not

#someone get helaena some therapy #thank goodness hbo didnt traumatise the child actors #having said that #hotd #house of the dragon #hotd season 2 #helaena targaryen #aegon ii targaryen #jaehaera targaryen #jaehaerys targaryen #rhaenyra targaryen #daemon targaryen #mysaria #blood and cheese #b&c

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oh-biwan · 1 year ago

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[rattling cage] Do you have any Obikin fics that you've enjoyed? Your beautiful art made me slip right down the ship rabbit hole and now I need recs, any rating/theme.

-blushes, clears throat- Hi!

I like a lot of different flavors but, to keep it simple, I'll try to match my recommendations to the theme I'm cultivating on this blog so far.

First of all, I have to mention skyl_tales, they wrote some of the absolute Obikin classics and I love their work, it's very dear to me. If you haven't read anything from them yet, I strongly recommend taking a look at their works and going for anything that captures your attention!

Alright, now my conscience is clear and we can move on:

Armageddon Game by posthumous_vigor

One of my more recent obsessions. Basically, padawan Obi-Wan gets captured by Sith Anakin and then groomed to the Dark Side. What I enjoy about this one is how, even despite the unfavorable cards that Obi-Wan has been dealt, he cleverly chases down his goals... but not without twisting himself in the pursuit as well. He is an active actor in this play and ultimately it is not Anakin who Obi-Wan plays against. And by recommending this I'm recommending the whole series :).

Untouched by objectlesson

This fic has one the most predatory padawan Anakin I've ever seen. This child is just so deliciously fucked up in the head. I... I think I'll just let the author's summary speak for itself: In his darkest moments, Anakin began to think of it as his right. To control Obi-Wan’s sleeping mind, force it into a box, shut it up so he could take what he deserved. Warm skin, slack face, soft snores. And then—then—more.

pleasure, little treasure by objectlesson

A guilty pleasure of mine. And probably a very hard pill to swallow, so careful there. In this one, Vader goes back in time, kidnaps Jedi initiate Obi-Wan, and makes him his apprentice. Yes, it's very dark, a psychological horror, but this author writes with such skill and poetry that I trusted they could make me enjoy reading stuff I'd normally avoid... And I was right. The beauty in the abominable. That's why I love this author, the things they write are so refreshingly daring and so deeply fucked up on so many levels, but served in a way that makes me swallow it all up without question. (oh, I should probably mention that as of now this fic is unfinished, I seldomly pick up unfinished works, but with this one, I have no regrets :))

hold my heart more gently than you do my throat by tennessoui

This is a role reversal omegaverse AU. Master Skywalker has been captured by the Separatists, and behind the Council's back, his omega Padawan sets out to save the master in distress. It is debatable if the master in question needs the saving -noises of massacre in the background- (he did need the saving, in my opinion :)). What I really love about this fic are the horror vibes of little Padawan getting chased down the hallways of the enemy base full of dead bodies, and an unknown monster breathing down his neck, but the only thing on his mind is how to find his master and rescue him. Also, I enjoyed the final twist and how the story unfolded in the end. Satisfying. If omegaverse is your thing I definitely recommend this one.

game plan by treescape

Out of all the recommendations, I consider this to be the tame one. If all of the above made you hesitant to try, this is the one to go with. The summary: Vader keeps capturing Obi-Wan during the Wars. Obi-Wan keeps escaping. It's kind of a thing. I'm recommending this one for the banter. Some of it is just next level. Very amusing to read. Chef's kiss.

#I wanted to answer this one as soon as possible but I was too excited about getting an ask and then started overthinking a little bit :))#thank you for the ask!#I hope at least one of the recommendations will sound interesting to you but if not... oh well. I'm aware that most of it is... a lot.#to put it mildly XD. So it's obvious but for my peace of mind I have to put down the warning - please read the tags carefully :)#fic rec #obikin #vaderwan #oh.asks #oh.talk

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homosexualgirlandbags · 3 months ago

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I personally feel like Gaz is the one with the old ass grandma games. Don't get me wrong, the rest of the 141 are old, but Price is more of a cards game guy and both Johnny and Simon love seeing each other arch far too much while playing pool.

Which leaves Gaz. With himself and his phone at three in the morning, eyes red and bleary from hours of unrest, and yet he keeps replaying that one level- Desperately trying to meet his quota for the game. The rest of the 141 are off somewhere in a ditch, half drunk and high off of their minds from the bar crawl earlier. And yet Gaz is still tucked under his pillows, hands swiping around his screen, the merry background music of Candy Crush continues looping around the room, occasionally interrupted by words of praise.

The poor sergeant sharing his room spent the rest of the night in some form of psychological torture, unable to sleep from the lights and sounds, and yet afraid to interrupt Gaz, terrified that the Brit will crash out once more.

Price stumbles into Gaz's room the next day, just to check if the kid was doing alright. He wasn't expecting the kid to be tucked onto his pillow, his phone still looping the theme song as the sergeant in the next bunk stared into space, horrors unknown to humanity stuck in his eyes.

The rest of the 141 never stops teasing him about it.

#cod #call of duty #call of duty price #cod price #cod kyle gaz garrick #cod gaz #kyle gaz garrick #call of duty gaz #Im so bored and this happened #He definitely have block blast somewhere on his phone too #not proofred like all of my other fics

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bl4z1ngsp4rr0w · 3 months ago

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Right..

Trying this out here.

TADC X WonderEnd 0 "AU" = WonderEnd Circus

Basically if they were bosses in the game WonderEnd 0! Spoopy, oOoOoOoOo

1. Ragatha

2. Jax

3. Pomni

4. Gangle (1st / second stage)

5. Gangle? (3rd stage)

6. Kinger (I couldn't make him angry at the player I JUST COULDN'T 😭 also I really like his glowing form)

7. Caine?

8. Zooble (I couldn't think of anything for Zooble that might not accidentally hit close to home for their VA so I played it safe so for their level the player just pissed em off lmao)

I might draw Bubble as a bonus, but I'm not sure if I should lmao

@justtheclippy I heard you want all the AUs so here's my 2nd one :] akfhskf I'll draw something wholesome of Ragatha next I promise I keep making her sad😭

Also I'm nervous to tag any of the other VAs so if you wanna show them go ahead lol

To summarize WonderEnd 0:

(I took this directly from Google)

WonderEnd 0 is a psychological survival game released by Lunime. It is a prequel of WonderEnd, another upcoming RPG Gacha turn-based horror game. In WonderEnd 0, the player takes the role of Alan, a high-school student with a passion for fashion, following down the path of his memories and finding out a disturbing truth.

(This part, I typed)

There are bosses in WonderEnd 0 you gotta fight, so this AU is basically if the main TADC cast were bosses in the game! These are their Game Over screens!

OK BYE Y'ALL ARE AWESOME!! <3

#gangle tadc #tadc fanart #tadc jax #tadc kinger #tadc #tadc pomni #zooble #tadc ragatha #tadc au #WonderEnd Circus AU

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xxscarletxrosexx · 11 months ago

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Spy x Family Ch. 99 Thoughts + Analyses

God, this entire chapter has been an extreme roller coaster from feeling excitement to sobbing--I'm terribly emotional when it comes to reading war stories must be from all the times I was forced to read war stories throughout my English education program to anger to resignation.

... but this is why I love Spy x Family and the brilliant storywriting of Tatsuya Endo.

Ch. 99 Spoilers ahead.

There's a level of depth and care put into these characters that make them feel so real. If you have someone who has family serving in the army or if you are someone who has read countless accounts of war, then surely you are affected emotionally by the horrors of war. In my case, war stories are what made me look at life and identify the meaning of it. Although I won't go into too much detail about my findings, I did walk away having a deeper appreciation for literature and for humanity itself, in other words, I cry easily to war stories. Hence the case of this chapter.

I was already prepared that Ch. 99 would be a devastating chapter considering that Ch. 98 ends with a cliffhanger in which the alarms go off just as Martha was going to confess her feelings for Henry, and that this 'side mission' story is expected to conclude before Ch. 100. And it truly did not disappoint.

As mentioned earlier, this chapter is a jam-packed rollercoaster ride with previous expectations motivating my excitement as well as my dread for the inevitable.

First, I'd like to address a part that excited me: parallelism.

What quickly striked me was how similar Henry was drawn to Twilight after departing his jail cell. Even the context of the chapter leading up to this physical change indicates that sacrificing oneself for the best outcome/greater good was a theme echoed by these similar character designs.

There is also a third "similar character design" which has become a popularized theory in a possible relationship between the Captain and Twilight. However, I'm starting to see that these similar drawing styles don't identify relationships, but alignment in sacrificing oneself.

I see this as an alignment amongst the three because we now have two lores that shared the impact of war and the injuries sustained, whereas the Captain/First Lieutenant has yet to have his lore addressed. We can surmise based off Twilight and Henry's background that their experiences from war is what continues to drive them in their chosen field/occupation. I'm excited for the day that we learn the Lieutenant's real name and his POV from war. It is then that we will finally get three POV's:

The West / WISE - [Redacted]/Twilight/Loid

The Neutral Civilian - Henry

The Ostanian / SSS - Lieutenant

This is the perfect time to segway to my next excitement: symbolism.

Even though the lore on the unnamed First Lieutenant/Captain has not yet been addressed, his scars tell me that he's experienced a similar outcome. Tell me, have you guys noticed that all 3 men had experienced the same injury found on the left side of his face?

When I looked into the symbolism behind it, I found that the left side of our brain is responsible for processing emotions. The injury to the left side of the face signifies an emotional trauma in which their emotional side had to be silenced. Given what we've already learned about Twilight and Henry's backstories, their personalities and thinking are often stemming from an analytical/logical approach.

Of course, old wives' tales are not always scientifically supported, so I was prompted to research more, and I stumbled across an interesting one regarding emotions found in different parts of the brain:

Since this is a theory, it should not be taken as a fact without repeated research and evidence to support the claim. I, myself, do not claim to be an expert when it comes to neurology or psychology. But this information, when taken from a creative writing/literary analytical stance, can support that the left-face injuries had essentially damaged the positive facial expressions--which can support Twilight and Henry's experience. Thus, we can also surmise that the Captain had experienced a similar fate.

Another thing that we can learn from these injuries (at the time that they were present) is that the character is currently experiencing a time of vulnerability--[Redcated] after returning from battle and Henry, who is still in mourning, is still a bit withdrawn from his students.

Another symbolism that I got excited about is the dichotomy between Henry and his father in character design.

Notice Henry's hair is straight and tied up in contrast to his father who has his hair wavy and loose. Although subtle, I found this character design beautiful for its ability to show a dichotomy in their social/political views.

Wavy hair can be perceived as something flowy, as in going with the flow. Because it isn't tied up, I see that Henry's father doesn't need to hold himself back, and is free to express himself and his views. In contrast, Henry's hair is straight and tied back. Straight hair can be perceived to support Henry's straightforward nature (which is also one of his weaknesses as well as covered in the previous chapters). When his hair is tied up, he gives an air of elegance and looks like he's got everything together. However, his hair tied back could also illustrate imprisonment of the mind, where his views cannot be vocalized at a time when tensions were high during the first war. Furthermore, his "rebellious" behavior resulted in him ultimately being tied down to what was imposed on him (marrying the person his father picked).

I love the detail in which Henry is drawn with his hair untied and unshaven. He's broken at this point, and as we all witnessed at the assembly, he loses control of himself over this grief that he's taken into custody and slandered a traitor. The next time we do see him is when his long hair is chopped off and traded for an undercut--a telltale sign that he was starting anew, and looking awfully like Twilight.

During this social climate, Henry was perceived as the 'villain' in the Henderson family due to his 'bad' behavior. But let me, just say that Endo-san loves to remind us through character design just who is the true villain. Did you notice it, too? It's the nose. Henry's father has a pointy nose, reminiscent of a witch, whereas he inherited his mother's round nose. Another small detail, but it made me laugh. This is why I love Endo-san.

Above, I have addressed what made me happy. Now, I will address what brought me to tears, that being Martha and Henry.

I mean, it's no surprise that they wouldn't have a happy ending. I was well prepared with the knowledge I know about them from present-day story that mentions of Henry's daughter, cameos of his wedding ring, and Martha working with the Blackbells, and recently reveals that she had an old crush on Henry. The absence of their love being pursued led us to believe that Martha may have had a one-sided romance. But ch. 99 confirms that Henry reciprocated his feelings for her due to yearning her letters.

It wasn't until news of Martha's life-threatening decision did it impact Henry significantly, and then his breaking point to realization that he loved her too late was when Martha showed her vulnerable side in her letter with the following:

I practically balled right here. I was teary-eyed leading up to it because war stories are always so heartbreaking, especially to those who sacrifice or don't make it home alive.

We now learn why Henry ended up marrying someone else is due to Martha's "inevitable" death--unbeknownst that her decision not to volunteer would also result in death. From what we read, Martha was too emotional to vocalize her situation clearly, and even if she did, her message would be blacked out, unfortunately. So it is evident that Martha was trapped and had no way out other than choosing to volunteer and ultimately "die" in battle.

Henry, on the other hand, could not fight the system, despite that he became a History teacher just to do that. He failed because his countrymen and the system failed him. He lost his beloved and if he were to continue holding onto his belief, he'd lose his ability to teach. Essentially, he lost the fight (to change history/improve the situation through education during that social climate), but not the war (in which there is still hope for history to change). Heny, ultimately, shared a similar fate as Martha through self sacrifice of his livelihood.

I was and still am completely discombobulated by the war and its impact on Martha and Henry that, to be honest, I completely disregarded Donovan Desmond.

I know I won't be able to capture the importance of his lines as eloquently and moving as I did with Martha and Henry, the former pair leaving a moving impact on me during this chapter, so I'd like to recommend my dear friend, @yumeka-sxf 's, analysis which covers more of Endo's brilliant story writing and character development decisions.

After rereading the chapter as well as her analysis, I agree with her point that Donovan Desmond was made to be the antagonist of the story. I believe Donovan's view of liars and holding absolutely no hope for them is a necessity for readers to continue perceiving him as a villain in the series. This is because we cannot perceive good and evil as simply black and white in the series when we have both Yor and Loid dirtying their hands in the name of protecting their countries/loved ones. We hold love for the characters in this series because of their personalities, values, and moral compasses amidst taking life after life. In their social climate they must always choose to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, which is why their tainted actions can be perceived as forgiven. Donovan Desmond, on the other hand, cannot share that 'exception' because an action/drama story needs a villain.

If you made it to the end, thank you so much for your time! I hope you enjoyed my analyses and thoughts on Ch. 99! What do you guys think about the chapter and my analyses? I'd love to hear more from you! :3

#Spy x Family #Spy x Family 99 #Spy x Family Ch. 99 #Spoilers #spy x family analysis

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