#this would be one HELL of a callback

[guardianspirits13]

It's been 7 long years.

The final season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians has just begun to release.

The Ares and Apollo cabins are in a dispute over ownership for the flying chariot.

The counselors sit around a table in the Big House.

Percy has just learned that he's (probably) gonna die in the next month, when Clarisse and Michael begin to bicker. Percy has had it up to here.

He starts clapping rhythmically. There is a lull in the room as they stare at him.

He claps faster.

"Oh golly, the road's getting bumpy, cause I've got me some friends who just can't get along-"

[umblrspectrum]

i love this brand of image so much

[ceaselesswatchersspecialboy]

Unlikely but what if in TMAGP at some point they hear the last tape of TMA and specifically Basira’s ‘I’m sorry, and good luck’. I think that would send me to the shadow realm.

[taketheringtolohac]

like on the one hand I feel bad for the guy who was complaining to his friends that everything out of peoples mouth was something about sex or cock or penis (which, not even true! but whatever) bc clearly someone did not warn him that people were going to be saying shut during the movie (as evident by him saying to them “just watch the fucking movie”) on the other hand like. fuck you man you’re going to this whole thing and that’s part of it???? sorry that you didn’t like it some of us were having a good time and like, doing our thing. which is again, the thing you do when you watch the movie, generally speaking. sorry you didn’t know but also man at least get a few blocks away from the theater

[sayangrafayel]

LADS react you knocking someone out for insulting your man and firmly saying "That's what you get for insulting my husband!"

A fun request and also a callback to my old post HAHAHA. How would they react to this? And the fact that you guys are not even married yet?

Sylus, Xavier, Rafayel, Zayne, Caleb.

Sylus

Are you joking. This man would be so proud of you. He wasn't even bothered by the insult, he even secretly thanks the stranger because he loves this badass ruthless side of you.

And also, you firmly saying he's your husband? He's already thinking of which ring he should get you because he loves the idea of him being "husband" all the time.

The next day you see him browsing for rings, "What.. are you doing?" "Well, you called me your husband so I thought I should really get you a ring. If it happens again, the ring would hurt them even more."

Xavier

Was so confused because it happened so fast. I mean, yes, he is fast too but he always brushed it off if someone somehow insults him.

So to see you stand up for him like that was a bit surprising.. but in a good way, because you know he would do the same to you too, right?

"Did you call me your husband?" "Sorry, I was-" "No, I liked it. A lot. We should go to HR and update our relationship status." "Xavier, that's not how this works!!"

Rafayel

After seeing the knock out punch he smiled happily "That's what you get for messing with my bodyguard!" He didn't register the word "husband" at first.

"Oh, so I'm just your bodyguard now? Not bride? I called you my-" He finally registers it "YOU CALLED ME YOUR- WAIT, MY POOR FISHIE BRAIN NEED TO PROCESS THIS."

He calls you his bride quite often but you always act like it wasn't a big deal, while in fact, it was a big deal and you get so giddy hearing it. So this is a form of revenge on him too, in a way.

Zayne

He also didn't care about the insult. Being a doctor, he's used to getting cussed out by upset patients or family of patients, some people grief differently and sometimes they lash out at the doctors and nurses.

So seeing you knock someone out in a single punch and hearing your words made him feel... he actually has someone who stands up for him now. Still, as a doctor, he has to check on the poor (and rude) stranger first. And of course your knuckles!

While applying first aid kit to your knuckles he remembers your words, "Thank you." "Hmm?" "For standing up for me, and for calling me your husband." You start to blush because.. did you really call him that!? You didn't mean to say it out loud! "We should make it official soon, what do you think?"

Caleb

HEAR ME OUT. I would love to have reader knock the stranger out in one punch but what IF- you didn't and they tried to punch back but Caleb stopped it with his evol, making them kneel in front of you?

"Did you really think I'd let you land a punch on my wife?" After making the man apologize to you, the rest went by a blur because it happened so fast and Caleb wouldn't let you see it. (I mean you remember what happened to Viper right?)

He came back to you with that familiar smile that you love so much, "You called me your husband!!!" "Caleb, what the hell happened-" "Can you call me that again? Your husband? Say it again, please!"

[iicaru2]

astarion’s character development is incredible to me because of the sheer amount of detail and accuracy. he doesn’t change entirely as a person after he kills cazador— he mentions himself that he keeps thinking about it, even though it’s all over. which makes sense, since 200+ years of trauma isn’t going to go away after a night.

but after killing cazador, and giving up ascension, he’s so much lighter. the usual harshness he has in his tone of voice is dulled, if not entirely absent in certain dialogues. he still has a long way to go in terms of healing, but he’s finally secure enough to start that process. he’s still him, but a weight has been taken off his shoulders, so he’s finally able to live without constant hyper-vigilance, looking over his shoulder for danger.

even the way that he refers to cazador changes: in almost every instance prior to completing his personal quest, he speaks cazador’s name with hatred. viciously. afterwards, he says his name like it’s just that. a name. someone that’s gone, and inconsequential, who can’t hurt him anymore.

i think my favorite callback is that, in the conversation you have with him after long resting, whether you romanced him or not, he thanks you for talking him out of it. now that he’s out of that hell, he’s able to see just how much continuing down that pattern of abuse would have changed and ruined him. specifically, the last line he says is “this is a gift, you know. thank you - i won’t forget it.” which is the exact same line he says after you allow him to drink your blood way back in act one.

as someone with ptsd and some pretty specific trauma, astarion means quite a lot to me as a character, so i’ll always admire just how much love was put into the way he grows over the course of the game. and, of course, this is a huge reason i can never bring myself to ascend him. he’s easily earned a spot amongst my favorite fictional characters ever and i cannot stress enough how glad i am that a story like his exists.

[princedetectives]

ok but really even without all the dramatic au stuff i like doing to them, i really think atlus accidently made one of the most interesting dynamics from what was definitely just supposed to be a cameo. the second coming of the detective prince and he's so different from the first. from how he is you'd maybe expect akechi to not really care about the title or even be kind of bitter about being placed in the shadow of someone else he hasn't even met, but no,

he actively mirrors naoto. this sweater is the only canonically confirmed callback but i've sniffed out others, even down to the way they hold themselves.

like, clothing is one thing that could just be for the public image, but come on. it's part of his SELF image. his status as the second detective prince is vital to his view of himself.

and q2 all but proves he respects naoto deeply. and it all makes sense because he really is proud of being a detective, of course he'd be a fanboy of one of the most well-known young detectives out there. i can imagine he relates to the image he has of naoto a lot.

and it's not like it places him to live up to the achievements of naoto or anything, to a degree maybe yes, but not enough to the point that it's a burden. because he's piggybacking off of his legacy and blowing it out of the water. akechi is FAMOUS, much more than naoto was, i imagine. people would hear about the first detective prince and go, "who? i only know akechi." the title only benefits him, publicly and personally.

and it'd be so interesting if they met, because it's not like one is living in the others' shadow. akechi has to live up to naoto's reputation because he's the successor to naoto's legacy, placed on his shoulders by the force of the public. naoto has to live up to akechi's reputation because he's the new big thing, he's what everyone is interested now, he's who was chosen to succeed him. they live in each others' shadows. it's an ouroboros of reputation.

i just think they're neat. they'd get along too, i bet. they definitely got along in q2! they're the only ones in the whole world who can relate to each others' experiences of growing up as a detective prince. they're both big nerds. they're both competitive. PLEASE imagine placing these two in the same room together. it would be so INTERESTING.

and don't even get me STARTED on how Crow looks a hell of a lot like naoto's persona

[nogoodmox]

i still have lots of catching up to do re: mox’s current characterization so i might be way off base, but ever since swerve called mox out for carrying his title around in a briefcase last week i haven’t been able to stop thinking abt it

it reminded me of an old mox promo, the one he cut after winning the ipw championship in 2009. in it, he says that this belt he just fought like hell for on the most important night of his career actually doesn’t mean shit to him, because ultimately, it’s just a possession, and “possessions make you a target"

his past self tossed the ipw belt aside like it was worthless, claiming that he himself, jon moxley’s very essence, would become the iwp championship. that way, it wouldn't be a mere possession that could be stolen from him anymore, but a part of him. to me, mox’s character has always been heavily centered around not just being a wrestler, but a fighter. a survivor who pushes through no matter what hardships or impossible odds he’s faced with. nothing in life was ever handed to him, he had to struggle for it & challenge authoritative figures that did everything in their power to keep him from succeeding bc he didn’t fit their idea of what a champion should be. now over a decade later in aew, with mox having been champion 4 times, one of the biggest stars on the roster, and even a corrupt authority figure in his own right with the death riders, it’s like he’s become a warped version of his old self. all the same attitude without the same struggle

he still retains the mindset that was beaten into him all his life; that the odds are stacked against him by a world that sees him as unworthy, that he’s a wrench in a corporate machine that tries to crush authenticity like his. but he’s not the underdog he once was and, in some ways, he’s become similar to the kind of people he used to rebel against. he’s no longer a hunter fighting for scraps to stay alive, but a king who's grown complacent in his position of power

yet the belief from all those years ago that possessions make him a target still weighs on his mind, so he hides the belt from sight. and just like how he vowed to embody the championship with or without the physical belt back in 2009, mox claims that no one needs to see the aew world championship because he is it. no one else deserves to see it unless they struggle for it like he did. but this feels less like the earnest promise to embody a champion that it once was and more like a cowardly excuse, now. he clings to the title, locking it in a briefcase where no one can steal it from him, and he has the death riders to ensure that no one can pose a real threat to his power. it’s his own messed up way of protecting his reign & his status, all the while deluding himself into thinking he’s still the same mox as before

besides it being a callback to what dean said to cena in 2016, i think this may be what swerve meant last week when he said mox was “playing jon moxley on tv.” without the raw authenticity mox harbored before, it’s all become nothing more than a television act

[thenightling]

Dead boy Detectives review

I've watched all eight episodes of Dead Boy Detectives and it was a decent show. It's not something I may obsess over like The Sandman, or The Witcher, but it was decent.

Dead Boy Detectives is the story of Edwin Payne and Charles Rowland. Edwin was killed during a Satanic ritual in 1916. Charles died from hypothermia and internal bleeding after some bullies drove him into an ice-cold lake while throwing rocks at him.

(Note: That was not how Charles actually died in the source material. In the comics, Lucifer had quit and shut down Hell (the basis for the TV show Lucifer) so many evil souls returned to Earth, including the boys that sacrificed poor Edwin. They badly burnt Charles' back on a hot stove and Charles died from his injuries.)

The two ghosts decided to dedicate their afterlife solving mysteries to help other ghosts find peace. They are aided by psychic, Crystal Palace, who is haunted by her abusive ex-boyfriend who happens to be a demon.

Both Edwin Payne and Charles Rowland originated in Neil Gaiman's The Sandman: Season of Mists, The Sandman: Volume 4. Issue 25 of The Sandman comics, and within Act 2 of The Sandman audio drama.

The Dead Boy Detectives made their TV first appearance in Doom Patrol for HBO Max (now Max). During a shakeup at Max the show was moved over to Netflix as to better connect it with The Sandman since that is where they originated.

The show features different actors from the ones that played Charles and Edwin on Doom Patrol.

The Dead Boy Detectives is a decent show but ...it feels a bit like a CW teen drama. I had been told that some of the show's writers were originally writers for the CW... and it shows.

There are some deliberately surreal elements of the show that I think are a callback to their appearance in Doom Patrol.

I love the variety of supernatural entities in the show, including the appearance of two of Morpheus's siblings. Death and Despair. The things I don't like about the show can be considered CW tropes or cliches. The angsty romances and unrequited love. The ham-fisted abusive ex metaphor between Crystal and David The Demon.

And of course the most tedious of CW tropes, the end of the episode pining and angst while a sad pop song plays in the background.

If you look past the CW-ness of it, the show is enjoyable.

The only other things I can complain about is the "connecting thread" subplot of The Afterlife: Lost and Found feels like unnecessary filler. And I wish they would openly establish that Edwin, being an innocent, would NOT return to Hell if collected by Death now. I don't think that should be left hanging over his head. Especially since we're supposed to see Death as a kind entity. Also I think Charles says "Aces" a little too much. It's very distracting and makes me feel like the writers didn't know much late 80s English slang. It would be like if he was an American and they had him say "Radical" all the time. I get that it's kind of his catchphrase but it also got a bit annoying.

The parts I don't like are CW tropes and what I'd consider to be late 90s Vertigo edginess.

The thing I liked were plentiful though. The protagonists were and are likable. The ending is satisfying enough so that if there is only one season this was still good. I liked that it appears that one can ascend out of Hell after some self-reflection as is indicated by the boy Edwin confronted in Hell. The blue light was established to mean ascension, a good afterlife.

I also LOVE the opening credits theme music and animated sequence. It reminds me of the intro to Showtime's Creature Feature movies. (See the trailer for 2001's She Creature, not the 50s version. Watch the trailer at thirteen seconds in, on Youtube, and you'll see what I mean).

That's two Gothic themed shows from Netflix in the last two years with great opening credits sequences. The first being Wednesday. That one won Danny Elfman an Emmy.

It's funny, Wednesday and Dead Boy Detectives (which is a spin-off of The Sandman) have great opening credit intro sequences but The Sandman does not. Apparently Neil Gaiman was told people don't watch the opening credits anymore so The Sandman doesn't have them.

I feel we were cheated out of what could have been a great opening sequence for The Sandman.

Episodes 7 and 8 of Dead Boy Detectives were probably the best of the series. I liked it well enough that if Dead Boy Detectives gets renewed I'll happily watch season 2.

[midnight1nk]

So, this week's episode...

[spoilers below cut]

Well, it looks like I got it right. It was a silly episode, though nothing related to the teaser we got. That's a shame. I suppose it's just to hype us up for the future. Either way, let's see what this is about!

(the following is my live reaction:)

shoes, huh? ......spaghetwhat now?

oof, yeah man you're gonna need a new pair

ooh damn. well, it is Bob after all. ofc he would say that 😌↕️

nah it's still bullshit, idc what anyone says

why, this doesn't look suspicious at all. a mirror shop conviently placed here on an alleyway

"🤨?" what? I gotta be on high alert every episode! Last time, the Team dropped a callback to IGBP out of nowhere, who knows what they drop on us next

uh, wha? how did.....? I shouldn't be questioning the logic of the SMG4 universe, this isn't what's surprising. It's a fact that mirrors were also used in WOTFI 2025 hmmmm

(you guys are gonna have to drag me away from this scene or I'll start thinking too hard on this)

c'mon dude, there's no need to prove yourself of anything

oh hey Swag! how's Chris— *record scratch* ......i'm sorry wha?

😦

RADIATION?

oh i did not like the realistic mouth ADKL;JK

wait hold up! enhance... ENHANCE....

....is that who I think it is? there's no way, right?

IS THAT STEVE? omg HI it's been so long

FM?! it's really you? omg ^^ it's been.... oh wow, it has been years, hasn't it? anyway damn, it's been SO long

like I know FM and X aren't gonna come back but it is heartwarming to see them again after a few years. We mostly seen Cube walking around

she was a fairy 🧚✨

see? I told yall Mario would totally be a disney princess (that crowd's just being a much of haters)

I ain't trusting that, hell no

AY back to the clubhouse!

Oh, Depresso, I didn't expect you to come back from Karen's arc

....😶 "what?" well, I was gonna say that I hated that heavy breathing like. Mario, what the hell did you do? But for some reason, this starting to remind me of something. I'll talk about it later if this is going where I think is going

ofc the meme guardians would be the ones who enjoy this lol

well, 4 would be the one doing the redesigns. this tho.....

and now Swag's glowing green smh, told yall I don't trust it

Well, it was mostly 3 that made fun of you, Mario, but that's bc it's 3 we're talking about. I suppose from how you feel, you might remember it things differently

MORE?!

Mario, telling you rn, it ain't worth it

yeah, I knew Swag was gonna say "CHUG"

😨 oh i don't like that..... I think my hunch may be correct

(also don't

what is up with his hand? he destroyed a nokia, and yall know those are practically indestructible

guys, i don't like this

😨😨😨

MIYAMOTO NOOO

the cutaway from that fight scene tho LMAO

JAMES?!

why did I have a feeling 3 would like this new look? lol (it actually makes me think)

killer fish from san diego.... (FISH MENTION?!)

well, 4, what else did you expect? This seems like a normal SMG4 plot honesty, it just feels.... a bit strange if that's how I would describe it

*points at 3* Can we talk about the fit tho? the puzzles hoodie and the silly pants..... that's a Fit (with a capital F) if I ever seen one 😎

perhaps one day we get James to do a 3 cosplay like Luke did? maybe???

and that's a fire bound to happen

....omg, Bob? Was this from the explosion?

it'll never be enough, right? but also this is Bob, he's got a whole set of standards

oh yea, this is VERY similar to the thing I'm going to talk about

Mario: "I WILL be pretty" :( aw but you were

EXACTLY, you really did have a point from the start

TIME TO SHUT THIS DOWN

Do the thing, Mario! YEAH

It's bad enough as it is that people were already mad about the switch 2 (and by extension the new mario kart) would be expensive

Well, at least Miyamoto listened

Wow, 3 was really happy with this new form until he was changed back. huh.

Look, I know it's supposed to be funny and all, but something's telling me it goes deeper than that. And I'm gonna talk about it OBVIOUSLY. You are talking to a theorist here, ofc I would overanalyze stuff

At least, things are back to normal

and THERE! Right there is all I need, thanks Team!

Such a tease to have the cafe right there and Swag coming out of it, but we don't get to be in it (*head in hands* /lh) one day tho....

*explodes* <- that is probably the second episode in a row that ended with an explosion

Congrats to Michelle940607 for your art being featured in the end credits! 🎉 seriously some of the art I've seen from you guy look like they belong in a museum omg

.・-: ✧ :--: ✧ :-・.

This certainly was an episode and I'm not quite sure what to think of it /gen. It did start off and very similar to a classic SMG4 plot, I noticed we got a lot more of Mario's 64 version in this one. But for some reason I can't point my finger on it, hmm.

I'll be real, it did feel a bit uncomfortable of the whole "true beauty" thing and all that jazz, but it was a nice message at the end with Mario accepting himself. As someone who has dealt with self-image issues before, it hits closer to home more than anything. The good thing is that we got our silly goofball back.

"So, what's the big deal about your hunch?" Well, I'm glad you asked, chat. For most of the episode, I couldn't shake this feeling of familiarity until I remembered what it was when Mario transformed the second time.

You see, there is a body-horror film called "The Substance". I do wanna warn that there is a bunch of gore and things that make want to look away, I know not all of you have the stomach to look it up so I might as well warn you now. It's also the whole point of the film to make you feel uncomfortable and unsettled, perhaps even grossed out. Basically, the film brings up the topic of perfection and societal beauty standards, more specifically in Hollywood. Truly, the victim of the film is an older actress desperately wanting to bring her perfect self while at the same time hating herself for how she looks now, despite being beautiful anyway. She took a serum (that was a radioactive-green color) and it worked, only later to abuse it bc of the perfection mindset Hollywood put on her.

Perfectionism, it really leads someone to their downfall....

There's a reason I brought this film up. Throughout the whole episode, it felt off. Sure, I was uncomfortable about "fixing" one's self image, but there was another thing. The close-up to Swag's realistic mouth, the mirror. The radiation given to Mario, the heavy breathing and distortion of his body. Hell, even the way Mario feel against the table and knocked the book off from it. This is practically a PG-13 version of the film, except y'know with Mario and in the SMG4 universe. Heh, and wouldn't you know it, pink being used in the two medias to represent perfection. (you're gonna have to trust me on this for those who don't know)

Now, can we talk about 3? We GOTTA talk about 3.

On hindsight, it's part of the joke that someone would like their new look and get sad when everything turns back to normal, which in this case was 3. And it indeed caught me so off-guard to see James just there, it did get a laugh out of me. BUT if you put this context of the film in mind, this bit adds on to the topic of 3's insecurities. He already feels like the "worst version of 4" and still getting used to having friends. Then, to have this radioactive solution that supposedly makes you look perfect and become "true beauty" on him, 3 looks really happy about it. Sure, he goes on to say how he's handsome and is "The Rizzler", but that might be him trying to put up a front of his own self-image to others. And maybe to himself. Ofc everything reverts back to the way it was and 3 is upset about it. Back to being the "worst version of 4". Not to mention 3 wearing a Puzzles hoodie, y'know the one always in pursuit for perfection.

The more you think about, it really is sad.

Speaking of 4, he was the completely opposite. 4 was the first one to ask Mario what the hell did he do to them and was dumbfounded to know the reason why, for shoes. Until the very end, you can see 4 being unhappy until he's back to his old silly self. He didn't want this "perfection". Now, this is not me trying to connect it to goop!4, really I'm not. But it is just interesting that 4 didn't accept the unexpected "perfection" and rejected it.

Maybe I'm looking too much into thing and likely that the Team didn't plan all this, but these are my thoughts. Personally, it was an ok episode, all things considered, but I know some people aren't happy about it which that's fair. I just hope some people *cough cough* reddit *cough* don't take things too far and start blaming our new writer. We're just getting started and I did get a catch on some of their work, so I can put in a good word. Please do give them a chance, looking at you reddit. Not all episodes are going to be heavy-hitters and that's okay. There's always another week.

It's valid if you don't like the episode or you're unsure what to feel, just don't go looking for someone/something to blame on. Perhaps it's me being too optimistic, who can say? Besides, I know the Team's cooking, I got a hunch

I still can't believe Evan from the Team actually followed me omg

Anyway, it is an interesting direction the Team went with this episode and I do hope we get more of 3's inner turmoil of being "4's worst copy" like the "Trash Friends" episode. Oh, and they follow-up on the Puzzles and WPNZ teaser somehow, a prison escape perhaps?? Who knows!

As for all of you, if you are dealing with self-image/body issues, just know that you're a wonderful person inside and out. It might not feel like it bc we're talking behind a screen, but seriously you don't have to change to be loved. You already are, and very much friend-shaped to give you a virtual hug 🫂💙 If you want, talk to somebody about it and try to handle it in a healthy and respectful way to yourself. For example, instead of the usual black hoodies I wore in high school, I dress and doll myself up with some nice and comfy clothes. Even if I'm not going out, I still do it and that helped me rebuild some confidence in myself. You can always do what you can for yourself, however you can :)

Well, that's all from me folks! I do apologize taking a while to post this out there. Just putting out fires in my production job, y'know the usual. I'll see yall in the next one, and remember: numbers always go first!

...wow, I can't believe we got to see FM after so long. That's wild. I do wonder how Chris is doing tho

[wafflesandd1ck]

GO3 better have crippling longing.

I mean, I wanna see Crowley and Azeraphile both crack under their respective weight of Azeraphiles' choice to go to heaven.

I wanna see almost touches, almost hugs, I wanna see Azeraphiles face drop every time Crowley moves out of his reach.

I wanna see Crowley make ENDLESS petty jabs about how Azeraphile abandoned him and doesn't care about him for who he truly is. (IE: not an angel/not perfect) we all know how he talks to his plants is the internal dialog he talks to himself in, every waking minute of every day.

Give me that PROJECTION!!

Give me Crowley being disgustingly formal with Azeraphile. Always calling him "your Grace," "Supreme Arch angel," with a little smart-ass bow.

I want Azeraphile to be getting more and more cunty and bitchy in his..well everything. Basically, make him hold THIS energy for the entire first half of the film.

Make our favorite marshmallow man, match that goth boy energy to a 'T'!!

I picture the gang in the bookshop with Muriel, Maggy, and Nina. They are trying to work out a plan. Crowley hunched over Azeraphiles desk, and as they talked, the double meanings were so sharp that it's making the room tense AF. (Think kids watching their parents fight.)

Nina gets uncomfortable and is like, "I'm gonna make coco. Muriel and maggy! Come help me!"

I want a slow, tense moment of Crowley just

And then BOOM!

"Why didn't you go with me to heaven!?"

"Why didn't didn't you go with me to Alpha centauri!?"

"Why didn't you tell me when you hired the witch hunters to find the anti christ!?"

"Why didn't you tell me you already knew where the anti christ was!?"

They're breathing hard and circling each other. Getting it all out in the open: why? Why? Why!? Every miscommunication. Every missed signal. Voices rising louder and louder

Until FINALLY

"..Why did you kiss me!?"

Silence.

Crowley is visibly uncomfortable. Azeraphile has him cornered, physically and emotionally.

Crowley huffs a hard, angry breath and goes to put his sunglasses on. Azeraphile, in a moment of pure upset, rips them out of his hands and breaks them. I picture him just snapping them in half and grabbing Crowley by the lapels and slamming him into the nearest bookshelf. A callback to this moment.

"You will answer me this one question." Azeraphile huffs through his teeth. "If it is the last thing you ever say to me, then so be it."

Pause again on Crowleys face. Pained, angry as hell (ha ha pun) flustered, and definitely wanting to lean in, eyes flickering to Azeraphiles lips.

they just hold there in that pause.

Azeraphiles fingers find their way up slowly. Finger tips oh so gently dancing on Crowleys jawline. Eyes scanning one another.

They've been apart for so long. Just one little touch. That's enough. It's enough. Please, someone, let it be enough.

"I think you know exactly why, Angel."

I would also love it if this was the first "angel" drop since they were reunited.

If they don't make Azeraphile absolutely ravenous and completely starved for Crowley and Crowley knows it but keeps riding that line between "admit you love me" and "fuck you I'm so angry at you".

[redsugarx]

青白之魅 6: Conclusion

1 Introduction & Presentation // 2 Background & Influences // 3 Hair & Makeup // 4 Set Design // 5 Clothes & Accessories // 6 Conclusion

If you’ve followed this series all the way to the end, thank you for your support! A lot more people saw it than I thought would, and I’m really happy that I got to share my process and thoughts with you :) I read all your replies/tags and they make me super happy! There are just a few more things I want to address to wrap things up now.

behind the scenes vid of me with Dragun that Bloomin Studio recorded for us :)

Things That Went Wrong

I am a strong believer in the scientific method and the scientific method involves error analysis!!!!! Also I don’t want it to look like all of this went off without a hitch. That wouldn’t be fair to the complexity of this project and all the people who helped me work through and solve the problems. So here are some of the ways in which We Fucked Up.

Embroidery positioning: The bottoms of the sleeves were accidentally sewn together before the pieces were sent to the embroidery workshop. If you put the whole sleeve into the machine the embroidery would go through both the front and back of the sleeve, making it unwearable. To solve this, we had to pull the stitches out from the bottom of the sleeve, have it embroidered, and then have it sent back to a tailor's shop to repair the seam. 

Tear in fabric: Lily organza/crystal organza admittedly is a very fragile fabric, especially for machine embroidering. It’s extremely thin, and the surface is very smooth and slippery, which looks phenomenal but makes embroidering it really hard. I covered this in the last post, but long story short, in the process of embroidering one sleeve on the green set, the fabric got snagged in the machinery and tore a hole in the bottom of the sleeve.

At first the plan was to remake the entire sleeve piece, but because the color of the fabric was custom-printed, when I had a new piece of fabric printed for the new sleeve, the color didn’t match exactly, so we had to make do with the existing fabric. In the end we shortened the width of the sleeve so that it cut off above the hole, moving the seam up. Thankfully it didn’t really show up in the pictures, but you can see when it’d laid flat how the ‘margin’ under the snake embroidery for this garment is unusually small, because it got cut off.

Lateness: We ran like a full hour or two overtime with our hair & makeup. This is unfortunately not at all unusual for fashion projects like this, but as a result we lost like a third of our photography time, so there were some shots that I would’ve loved to get that we didn’t have time for. 

Forgotten items: There were a number of things we forgot to bring down to SoCal with us. The biggest thing was probably our steamer. Fortunately, because this set is mostly polyester, it didn’t get too too wrinkled, but there are still some creases and folds that we would’ve steamed out had we gotten the chance.

Fav Shots

Shh not all of these are published anywhere else.

Things I Would've Done (if I had infinite time and money)

Lingzhi - I don't have any photos of it but I bought a replica lingzhi herb (the magic fungus that Bai Suzhen steals to revive Xu Xian after her dies of shock from seeing her snake form) prop. We didn't get around to using it but it would've been a really nice major callback to the story. Also I would've gotten to talk about how I think it's highly possible people thought the lingzhi was magic because they ate it and started tripping balls

Willow branches - Willow branches by the West Lake feature heavily in the opera. I wanted to get willow branches to hang from the backdrop but unfortunately wasn't able to find ones that were realistic enough. They were replaced with dried water reeds, but most of the pictures weren't shot high enough to get them in frame.

Swords - In the opera, Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing both carry swords. Also, swords are also just cool as hell. I do own one prop sword, but it was too big to fit in my suitcase even diagonally, and also I really didn't want to deal with TSA side-eyeing me about it (even though it technically counts as a prop or sports equipment), so we did not get any swords in the photoshoot.

Extremely specific shot with snakes on the floor - I have this concept of a shot: the empty set, without me or my sister in it, with both Dragun and Spirit on the floor. It would be so cool to do like a snake form -> human form diptych concept! We didn't have time to get both the snakes out at the same time unfortunately. Artistic rendition below LOL

artist's rendition

Credits & Thanks

Credit should be served where credit is due!!! I probably mentioned most of them somewhere but I want to reiterate that a whole lot of people helped make this happen and I appreciate them a lot.

Day Of:

Yulan, as the White Snake (ig @/chlobaltblue), especially for all the Talking To People Thing parts (that I hate doing)

Bloomin Studio (ig @/bloominstudioofficial), photographer

Cujo from Art of Scales (ig @/art_of_scales), for providing us with Spirit & Dragun as well as the space

Kevin (ig/@k.evinzhao), for driving and getting us stuff

Cloud9 Hanfu (ig @/cloud9hanfu), which is me and Yulan but it feels weird not to link the brand somewhere

Preparation:

Jinerjia（cutting & sewing）

Xishi Pavilion (cutting & sewing）

Chenxi Workshop (cutting & sewing + alteration)

Hantangfengshang（cutting & sewing）

Changxin Embroidery (digitizing & machine embroidering + alteration)

Hanyiren (patternmaking + CAD)

Xingluzhe (fabric printing + laser cutting)

Final Thoughts

In the introduction I talked a little bit about our intentions with this project and the cultural elements that I attempted to adapt and interact with. The Legend of the White Snake is one of the most well-known Chinese folktales out there, and yet there are so many wonderfully intricate details within it that people don't know about.

Snakes have a bad reputation in a lot of cultures. Evil, dangerous, and malicious, they're often cast as the scheming villains of the story, sly and sneaky characters whose goal is to do you harm. They are not the only victims of a bad reputation—every great dynasty always has some beautiful woman to blame for its eventual downfall. People have been arguing over the game of fault and intention for centuries. Even in the hanfu community, there is an unprecedented amount of infighting over what should or should not count as hanfu, who is 'allowed' to appreciate it, or who can take 'ownership' of it.

I think that's the last thing we need in this day and age. I'm reflecting on this project at a time that is uniquely terrifying for many minorities, especially in the US, who seem to be being persecuted for the crime of simply existing. I don't claim to be fighting for justice, I'm just a student in a world that is far too large for anyone to comprehend. But I hope that I helped make something beautiful happen, and I hope that we shared that with someone else, even if it's just a few people, who are reminded that it's not all for nothing :)

-

Okay, we're pretty much done here. I really enjoyed this process and documenting the whole thing, and I definitely want to do something like this again someday, but I definitely don't have the energy to do this kind of thing very often! If a big project does come up again I'll probably document it in a similar way, but it probably won't be for several months/even years. I'll keep posting hanfu articles and maybe document some smaller single-post projects on here at some point :)

Thank you for letting me share this process with you, and feel free to reply/reblog/send asks/whatever with thoughts, questions or concerns! Please interact with me it brings me joy.

1 Introduction & Presentation // 2 Background & Influences // 3 Hair & Makeup // 4 Set Design // 5 Clothes & Accessories // 6 Conclusion

Here's a picture of my snake to close out (his name is Porcupine/Porky for short/滷肉飯 and he's the dumbest animal I've ever met)

[blunt-force-karma]

I think we, the people, should talk about Barry the Butcher more. For real, I think we should, both in the grand scheme of things of the narrative of Disco Elysium and just cus it'd be a bit funny to. Think about it, how many people even really KNOW who Barry the Butcher is, or who remember Barry the Butcher? Do you, human reading this possible unhinged post remember Barry the Butcher? Do you recognize this man? Hell, do you think he could even be real? Well, those are all valid questions, dear reader! For one, he's named, yes, but all we really know about him is that he's friends with the man on the water lock (said by the Man on the Water Lock so who knows if they really ARE friends from what we see but let's just assume they are), he's stuck on the other side of the water lock, wears overalls, and looks disappointed that the water lock is broken and about about his salami being eaten by his friend. We can also assume that yes, he is a butcher. His name is Barry. He can make salami. Very astute observations.

This is the only bit we got of him too. Again, no portrait, no looking into the window of his soul. No can-opening. Nope. Nothing. Nada. All this man does is wave and look sad. You know this guy's irrelevant to the plot when we get more information from corpses. And sure, maybe that's not fair to Barry. The main corpse is related to the case and the other is related to a side case you can chose to do that has it's own emotional core to it. Only in Disco Elysium.

You never see the Man on the Water Lock or Barry the Butcher ever again by the way. After you interact with the Man on the Water Lock and MAYBE go back to talk with him again, once you enter a building and come back, he's gone, alongside Barry the Butcher. Day 1 exclusive guy's too. I am pretty sure if you never interact with the Man on the Water Lock, you can just never see him in the game after Day 1. Hell, I would not be surprised if you were to go into the game and the minute you're done talking to the Man on the Water Lock, Barry just despawns. Barry the Butcher doesn't get mentioned ever again to my knowledge, neither his salami eating friend though that makes sense. We never get to learn more about Barry the Butcher or get a callback about him. Nothing! And that's just so fucking FUNNY to me. On a game level, Barry the Butcher is probably one of the rare characters we meet that has a name, has his name in the dialogue box AND never gets a portrait while also never having any speaking lines either or just more than one paragraph of text related to him. He is probably actively one of the most irrelevant characters in this game which is definitely an interesting achievement to have as a character specifically in Disco Elysium of all games. On a meta level too, it's just funny. Like, Barry the Butcher was made and he was put in the game and he was given a MODEL! He has a MODEL! Like, some characters WITH portraits have no models. Barry the Butcher is so fucking SPECIAL in his mediocrity and that needs to be acknowledged. He doesn't matter at all but is so fascinating in how little he matters and the unique circumstances of his existence. Then, on a story level, it's fascinating to me. In the grand scheme of it all, Barry the Butcher is just a guy. He really is. He's not relevant to the story cus he's not relevant to the case. So, we simply never hear from him again. He's not even relevant in terms of thoughts cus he's just not that impactful to either the player OR Harry. None of Harry's skills can even chime in and give commentary on what they see about this man either. Barry the Butcher isn't even like those few people you can interact with who have stuff to say but you can never TALK to them cus they're just talking to themselves. Plus, they never get named cus Harry just never thinks about them ever again. They don't impact him. Barry the Butcher to me is fascinating on the fact that he IS named though. That he's given a model and not a portrait and never speaks and who knows. Maybe he just doesn't speak. We don't know that as the player or as Harry. And we'll NEVER know simply cus we're not meant to. Our story does not collide with Barry the Butchers. It barely even grazes whatever life Barry has going on. And, I think that's just beautiful. It's beautiful that a game like Disco Elysium can fascinate me on the fact that a character like Barry the Butcher exists. This game is in a world where people can just have different lives going on and not everyone in the plot "matters" plot wise. Yet, the fact that they're here and exist makes the world feel more alive. And not even in that way of filling the area with character models which I mean, not that there isn't characters like that in DE. There are. There's a good chunk of people you just can't talk to in the Whirling-In-Rags. Barry the Butcher is just like, so crazy to me though. He's so close to just being like one of those characters who just exist to fill space but it doesn't feel that way cus we're in DE and cus he at least gets the opportunity to be named and shown on screen to any extent. So, what I'm saying here is that we, the people, should come together on this. We should come together and unite for Barry the Butcher. I dunno how and I have no clue if this dumbass post will have any impact. I just needed to let this all out. Do it for Barry the Butcher. DO IT FOR BARRY!

[delta-lethonomia]

again, browsing through the Szarr palace (I'm sorry Astarion, I actually really like all the "tasteless" art lol), may I present to you:

potentially, Amanita?

I mention this purely because she looks a bit like Cazador, young, and the description of looking "attentive, or ready to voice some secret" makes me think of Amanita's writings in the attic. There's a fair amount of generic 16th century old white male aristocrat paintings, so it could very well be coincidence, but the paintings are picked for a reason and very much convey a certain ~vibe~. Off the top of my head (sorry didn't take more screenshots, not making a huge art post):

lots of skulls and flowers, dichotomy of life and death. However, cut flowers die quickly - they are already dying too

goat-headed women (the description notes "someone is being condemned, but who?" and for some reason I want to tie this to Donella)

Two sisters dancing, one a ballerina and the other her twin who died in the crib and has a skull face, depicted as a full grown woman as well (dance of life and death? reaching potential (ballerina) vs what could have been?) ugh I could have done so much with this if only I'd plotted out my fic way earlier!!!!

The Lay of Larethian (dark haired woman as Larethian instead of male golden haired elf as usual - what is up with that, Caz????) Other partner is just a faceless pale body, laying almost like a corpse

A few pastoral landscapes that "seem as if they're moving, even though nothing is changing" and are "unsettling"? Again, I'm thinking, is the point decay? Callback to the Szarr's having orchards, and presumably wealth through farmland? A slowly-rotting homestead, now inaccessible due to the nature of vampire territoriality and the sun?

There's also the GIANT FALL OF ELTUREL painting but that's in a couple of places so yeah. Still, a deal with the devil lead to the descent into the hells, hmm

A hamlet reference (lol) "Here the famous elven poet unveils the first review for his theatrical product 'Porklet', about a vacillating man who can't bloody make up his bloody mind to just bloody kill his evil uncle (or so spoke the review)." agreed, Caz, solve your problems with murder. Relatable, 10/10, I 100% believe he found this funny

anyway this all matches with some old Caz thoughts I had so pretty gratified with that, but now I'm convinced he's definitely a boob man/enjoys a low neckline and heaving bosom as any self-respecting vampire would, plus Astarion and white hair, obviously

Anyway, more Szarr mansion anecdotes:

Dufay is actually a spawn as well? He knows the other spawn will be sacrificed, but he's not human like I thought. He IS a spawn, he's just a "manage the household" spawn, not a "lure victims" spawn. He also has access to Cazador's office, as he updates Caz's "invited guests" party planner and keeps track of the.... extended stay... guests as well. Dufay knows the 7 spawn will be killed - he very possibly might know about the 7000 - that's why he takes the poison - his goal is to avoid being sacrificed and he also thinks Cazador might die for some reason??? He's hoping to inherit the house afterwards.

Dufay also mouths off at Godey which implies he's higher on the hierarchy, and presumably he doesn't get sent to the kennels. Godey writes him a note in which he says "please", and Dufay basically calls him lazy and to get his shit together. So, presumably, I think Dufay doesn't get tortured. He seems to have a great deal of freedom. He's also a smug piece of shit, because not only does he forget the right potion in his desk, he deliberately doesn't tell his gf because he thinks she's too dumb and will reveal his deception.

so, two hypothesis: Either Dufay was Chamberlain while mortal and very good at it, so Cazador then turned him into a spawn, but he's so removed from the others Astarion doesn't think about him potentially being sacrificed bc he's clearly just different, or Dufay is a spawn created by someone else (Donella? Vellioth? another Szarr?) and he got to stick around because he's too useful to get rid of. Very "family accountant" vibes. I can't imagine Cazador keeping anyone around who knew him when he was a spawn, so I wonder if he inherited Dufay after (maybe?) murdering a family member.

Although Astarion has no memory of the ballroom door being closed, it must be on occasion, as Godey has the dictionary and the ring (usually). His note to Dufay is that he lost the dictionary, which is Leon's doing, as he stole the book so Victoria could study the words. Regular servants do learn the passphrases to interact with it which is why Dufay is pissed. Astarion (and other spawn) however were banned from learning it.

It's not just Kozakuran. It's archaic Kozakuran, because Caz (again) is a dramatic bitch. Yes he's 300ish, maybe older, but that's not old enough for a language to be archaic, at least not in a world where elves/wizards/druids etc live to be 750+. He's just a nerd. IRL he'd be the guy whose passwords/wifi name would be in Latin.

Servant etiquette is don't look at Caz, don't speak to Caz, don't be lazy and make yourself busy (basically be an anxious wreck, the mortal servants certainly are), and NO WHISTLING. lol

For all that Caz gives clean freak vibes his rugs are a mess. They're like.... cloth floor runners? and they are crumpled. Get it together, geeze. why aren't your servants ironing the floor runners Caz this is pathetic

although the servants are a wreck they don't say what exactly "must be perfect"? I'm very curious what Cazador's plans were post-Ascension. Take over Baldur's Gate, yes, but..... how? You and what army babe

Also there are actual bats everywhere. why???? Half the servants just get to scrub bat guano all day I guess wtf

because of said bats and werewolves and the ridiculous amount of bleach they apparently have to order I cannot accept Caz as a clean freak. Instead, he's just a freak who indulges in vices on occasion and bullies the staff to make them work twice as hard. It's giving "cat knocks your drink to the floor just to fuck with you" vibes.

fixation on the number 17 (????) also Victoria's note is in the front room, so she's not confined to the favored spawn room and must have spent at least one year living in the spawn dormitories as well. Violet fantasizes about eating her, Dalyria succeeded. Low key love the fact that it's the women who want to kill the kid. So yes, Astarion must know who Victoria is, though it might have been a while and she might have aged/doubled in size since he was forced to interact with her.

They cut the "speak to dead" lines on Victoria's corpse which makes me think she's actually dead and not smuggled out like Leon intended. That does make more sense, but still, sad :(

Cazador told Sebastian that he was "bound to his Ascension" so again, we confirm Caz enjoys a little villain monologue even though Sebastian doesn't even realize he's a vampire spawn now.

Speak to Caz without Astarion and he goes from shouting to a sweet "I trust we understand each other" (◕ᴗ◕✿) in an instant lol he is, indeed, a dramatic bitch. I 10000% believe Astarion tuned him out all the time once he started shouting, it's just inevitable

Sebastian knows the staff controls things and that Caz never sets it down, so he has seen Caz walk by and open/close doors etc. Caz never feeds them, but there are rats scurrying about that they could theoretically catch, though Chessa says rat tastes like "moldy bread"

The caged spawn are invulnerable to damage description says "Cazador will not let this spawn die." I assume this means vampire lords can prevent their spawn from dying no matter what if they care enough to do so, which is how he still gets a hold of Astarion's soul for the Ascension even if you staked him or the Gur got him. He's just not gonna make him "invulnerable to damage," which arguably could just be hand-waved away as a necessary game mechanic. Conversely, Dufay and any of the 6 spawn can die, so

anyway tumblr was spazzing out while I was typing this so forgive any weird spelling errors it kept moving my curser for no damned reason smh

[nightdivinity]

Drink Responsibly: Chapter 1

ABO!Vampire!Batfam x reader

Minors! Do! Not! Engage! +18 only!

Platonic!Alfred, Bruce x reader, Possessive! Batboys x reader

Warnings: Bad life choices, possessive behavior, a/b/o, they're vampires, loooong age gaps, no proofreading, reverse harem.

Writer's Note: I am so tired. I exist only because of caffeine and spite. So here you go, Chapter 2 is done as well. It will come out Friday hopefully.

Grey eyes stare into yours as you try your hardest to not squirm under the intensity. How did you get to be where you are? You have no clue. Honestly, there shouldn’t have been a callback. You should not have landed this opportunity for the second interview. The initial screening process should have weened you out in the first place.

From what you had gathered from the chatty chauffeur in the town car, (the town car! They knew you had no car to get to Wayne Manor, let alone to your job. Yet they still sent you someone to go pick you up from your ratty apartment.) This was all ordained by someone much higher than Mr. Pennyworth in front of you. The talk with the chauffeur had almost put you at ease until you looked out the window and saw the heavy iron gate open to Wayne Manor’s winding driveway. There’s no doubt in your mind. You shouldn’t be here. In more ways than one.

It made your bandages itch the more you thought about it. You couldn't scratch them like the feral animal you were deep down inside. At least, not when you're being as heavily scrutinized as you are now.

“I’m not sure you know what you’re getting yourself into my dear.”, the butler says.

“I want this job.”

He sighs then and reaches for the cup of tea sitting on the table next to him. When you got to the Manor, Mr. Pennyworth had met you at the front step. He still ushered you through a side entrance and a winding set of narrow hallways until you reached the sitting room you were now in. Not that you were complaining about being treated like a servant when you were trying to like hell to land the job.

If ever there was an excellent place to kill someone, this was it. You find yourself thinking as you look away from him and study the art on the walls. The manor itself was far removed from society and the small windowless study with the ornate crackling fireplace was oppressive as much as it was impressive. No one would ever hear you scream.

“The issue is not a matter of want. The issue is a matter of need.”, he says.

You watch him take a sip as a bead of sweat collects at the back of your neck. It was getting too hot in here, and the bandage around your wrist was itching.

“I need it. No one wants to hire me”, You reply.

You’re not sure what you expect after you say that. Half of you were expecting him to start grilling you like he did during your interview two days ago. That one had taken place in daylight, in an ostentatious conference room at Wayne Enterprise's.

You were still waiting for him to pick you to the bone and say, “Why is that?”. The other half feels like the admittance makes you guilty. Guilty of going out that night. Guilty of getting caught in a crowd surge while blackout drunk. Guilty of the infected thralls that were unleashed by the Scarecrow goons. Guilty of killing the infected that had started ripping you to pieces. Not that you remember any of it, frustratingly enough. No one, not even the news, gave enough information on that night. Why was I there?

“How are you doing dear?” Pennyworth asks.

You blink. No one has asked that yet. Not by anyone that you feel genuinely wants to know the answer.

“Good. Sore, and I believe honesty is the best policy. I can’t dance like I used to.”, you joke.

It falls flat in the cramped space as you give him a tight grin. His grey eyes dart momentarily to the crutch that was resting next to the chair, and to the cast going slightly above your knee.

“Yes, honesty is such an important quality nowadays. Might I say, it is fortunate that you survived.”

“No one else thinks that. I’m just thankful that Duke was there. I was told he was the one that got me to the hospital. Now he’s gone and got me this interview.”

It’s funny. Time from that night seems disjointed. While you were black-out drunk, you do feel as though you were only in the club for five minutes. The attack happened at 12:45 am. You remember waking up in the hospital and finding your chart on your way to the bathroom. It said you were admitted at 2 am. The next time you managed to grab it, it had said 12:59 am. Not to mention your wounds were healing at a faster rate than most Omegas. Something was picking deep inside your skull.  

 “Luckily this job is not strenuous if you are up to the task.”

You nod at him. You need this.

“Well, there are rather strict rules. Breaking them is a breach of contract that will be handled severely. This isn’t like a regular job out there. Any problems that arise will not result in a simple firing.”, he pauses before continuing, “For example, personal electronic devices are prohibited in the Manor. Your bags will be thoroughly checked by me upon arrival. You will be allowed devices that are monitored by security.”

“I can’t just be cut off from my family”, you protest.

“We don’t want you to. You may make phone calls during your allotted time off. They will happen here, or in Master Bruce’s office with either him or me in the room. Your predecessor was fond of skirting her duties and we have found the need for such restrictions.”

“While excursions are discouraged, they are not prohibited. We will go over those security measures at a later time. You are to be readily available when called upon at any time they require something. While day workers are employed here, at no point are you allowed to interact with them.”

You can’t help the way your brows furrow. This was going to be a long year if you were to take this opportunity. With each rule, you wondered if this was why the position was empty for so long.

“I tend to the bedrooms, and at no point should you enter them unless invited by the occupant. You will be given a room as well, and I would appreciate cleanliness. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all served at the same time, tardiness is prohibited.”

“Will I be helping in the kitchen?”, you ask.

“No. Not unless you want to, if you are going to cook, please notify me accordingly.”

“So, wait. I’m confused. Just what is my job here?”

Alfred sighs and for the first time since you’ve met the prim and proper gentleman, he seems a bit haggard. Which did not make you feel good.

“It gets awful lonely here in the manor. As I’m sure you are aware, Alphas live for a long time. Particularly ones infected such as those in Wayne Manor. Now and then it is refreshing to have something that brings more life into such a place. The children have taken an interest in you, and that is enough for Master Bruce.”

“I’m not a toy.”

“No. You’re fortunately not. What you are being offered is room and board, all you have to do is adhere to the rules. In exchange, you have to be a friend. Surely you know how to do that”?

If he had asked your friend, he’d have been met with a resounding no. After that night you had found yourself crippled in the hospital with no friends to speak of. Your friend had been peeved, rightfully so, that you had just packed their wasted butt into a car with a stranger. You had been miffed because hello?? They weren’t the ones chomped on by a deranged rabid Beta. They had made it home in one piece, even getting past the front door and into their bed. Both of you had been wasted, so why act like it was all your fault? You were getting tired of the world treating you like you were the root cause of life’s issues.

“I won’t be doing any of that”, you ask.

Now he just looked downright uncomfortable. You were almost embarrassed, but the question needed to be asked. Being hired to be a friend to Alphas that were at least a century old likely resulted in you waking up in a bed that’s not yours.

“Only if you consent to it. You won’t be reprimanded for not doing it, or if you do find yourself in that position.”, he clears his throat, “Healthcare and dental is provided. Due to your circumstances as an Omega, blockers will be provided along with your daily vitamins. Your health and safety is paramount to us.”

You had nothing more to say. Silently you sat there, running through any alternative options, and yet you kept hitting a wall. There was no denying it, this was the best option you could be given. All you had to do was smile and nod and make it a year. By then you should be able to get your feet back underneath you and be able to reassess your situation. Who knows? You might just like it.

“I’m going to say, you have a deal”, you smile at him.

“Then please, call me Alfred.”

He gets up then and holds a hand out to you to help you out of your chair. His smile back is warm, creases folding up from his eyes, a drastic change from the cold persona that you had started becoming accustomed to.

“Shall I call for the town car Ms. (L/N)?”

This was the start of a beautiful friendship, you decided. You nod your head as he pulls you up and gives you a brisk but friendly pat on the shoulder.

“Duke, you don’t have to do this”, you protest.

It was the thirteen-hundredth time you’ve said it. When Alfred closed the interview, he had taken the time to walk you to the front door, pointing out so many rooms that it all went over your head. You almost made it to the front. Then Duke saw you and took over from there.

“No, no, and for the last time, stop. I want to do it”, Duke grins up at you.

He was on the floor, taping up the last of your boxes. You hate to admit it, but you’re not sorry in the slightest as he does all the heavy lifting. The best part about it was getting to see all the muscles in his back when he turned around. Yum. Hey, you were a red-blooded Omega. There were just some things you couldn’t fight.

“Be careful not to break that”, you warn.

“Right, because what will the world do without these little tchotchkes?”, Duke laughs.

Somehow, not surprisingly, he dodges the stray crutch that you toss half-heartedly in his direction. At this point, he was used to you trying to weaponize your “mobility aide”.

It all started when he helped you get back to your apartment, in a wheelchair that he bought. Then he abandoned said wheelchair and carried you bridal style up several flights of stairs. Citing that the elevator was too dangerous because it hadn’t been inspected in the past decade. Even ignoring you when you told him that it would be far more likely for both of you to fall to your death in the stairwell. This was all two weeks ago, and he still refuses to use the elevator.

He was on the floor now, humming and throwing your shit in boxes. You weren’t sure how he did it. When you agreed to the move, you had been internally wincing and panicking. Thinking it was just going to be you, hopping pitifully around the room. Probably taking breaks and reminiscing over the stray artifacts of your life. You would’ve needed at least three days max to get packed. Duke cut it down to two hours.

“Sooooooooo”, you draw out, “Tell me about the others.”

 “There’s not much to say, not a lot that I can either way. What do you want to know?”

Your eyes narrow as he turns weirdly evasive. He always got a little cagey when you brought up his adoptive family. Never quite answering the question.

“What are they like? Are they nice?”, you ask.

He pauses and stands, turning his back to you so he can put a box on the trolley. We’re going to take the elevator. You thought with a smug sort of glee at the realization. That means you’ll be in your wheelchair. See, you’re slowly reclaiming your independence. Sort of.

“Um. Cass is really nice, but you won’t see her often. Same with Steph. They both kind of do their own thing and no one lives at home besides Alfred, Bruce, and me. Though that might change.”

He pauses again. You stick your tongue out at his back only for him to whirl around to face you. Quickly you snap it back in and try to appear innocent as you stare up. Ew. Popcorn ceiling. You wonder for a second if you could have asbestos in your lungs from that.

“Dick, I mean Grayson, he oversees the training of the Alpha taskforce in Bludhaven. Jason avoids Bruce like the plague while doing the most to get his attention, and I can't really get into what he does for a living. You don't want to know. Tim lives and breathes at Wayne Enterprise’s various global sectors, some of the time, he’s the hardest to track. Damian has been somewhere in Pakistan. Where? I don’t know. I would avoid him and Jason if at all possible. Not that you'll likely see them."

You had to smother your cry of relief. This was going to be a lot easier than you thought. There were only going to be three people that you had to worry about. Maybe you were going to finally complete a New Year’s resolution now that you had time. The world was looking up for you.

“I think that’s it, are you ready?”

His question breaks off your train of thought. You can’t help but groan when he gets near you, arms outstretched, ready for a hug and humiliating you. To make matters worse, he says the worst thing possible.

“Up you go!”, Duke crows.

“No! To the chair! Put me down you overgrown bat!”, you say.

Thankfully he does, gently plopping you down in the cushy seat and stooping to ruffle your hair. You were hissing mad. Not that he cared. Just to goad you further, he reached over to the handles behind your back and rang the obnoxious little bike bell he attached to it.

“Run”, you warn him.

He laughs while sprinting with the dolly all the way to the elevator as you try like hell to mow him down. Both of you completely missed the way his phone kept blowing up with notifications, the small dings being mistaken for a bike bell.

[galadrieljones]

Tav/Astarion "emotional hurt/comfort" trope.

Because Astarion is majorly freaked out by the circus in Rivington. To be fair, Astarion would be freaked out by the cringe, uncanny valley "fun" of the circus, because to him it calls to mind the bovine nature of human boredom, and its pantomime equivalent to "real life," which horrifies him. It's essentially a cage full of masks, too many people who can't leave, walls on all sides as they all clap and nod in eerie unison. This reminds him of his own mask, his own cage, his own compulsions for performance, and it makes him feel unhinged. He is on the razor's edge. He would like to fight or flight immediately.

So his girlfriend Sansara the Rose, the elusive bard from Baldur's Gate, another high elf who loves him unconditionally, holds his hand and takes him behind the stage to show him the face paint. He is unnerved by the face paint. He tells her it reminds him of home in terrible ways. Part of what he always liked about her is that she doesn't "put on her face" in the morning. She just gets up and goes. She is like a sticky bun. She is a sun-kissed squeeze of citrus. She kisses his chainmailed shoulder, because it's all going to be okay, but she doesn't tell him that, not today, because he is occasionally stressed by her positive nature, which he can't help but view as naive. It's just fine, she thinks. He's doing just fine. He still wants to kill the clown.

On their way back to the crowd, San plays a little song on her lyre, just for fun, usurping the audience of another bard nearby. The bard starts an argument with her, insulting her needlessly and accusing her of trying to "steal his thunder." San outwits him, of course. The crowd claps. Her sharp tongue always amuses Astarion who is grateful for her patience with him at this haunted circus.

When they walk away, San tells him that she is glad he likes music, even if he doesn't like clowns.

"Music is not pantomime," he says to her. "Music comes from the heart. It cannot wear a mask." It's one of his rare earnest moments, out in the open, where others can see. They kiss next to the little guy who loves his wife and sells huge sculptures. The little guy says, "I like it!"

Back with Wyll and Karlach, San gets called up to the stage by Dribbles, who likes her singsong charm. Wyll is jealous because he LOVES Dribbles, a callback to his more innocent childhood. But then it turns out: that's not Dribbles at all! That's a fake. There's a fight. The impersonator bonks Sansara with a comically large hammer. She takes a stumble on the stage, and that really pisses Astarion off.

Finally! He gets to kill the clown. Which he does. With his sword. When it's over, Astarion feels a little better about the circus as he cleans the clown blood off his sword with a crisp linen handkerchief. It turns out they can just steal and stab their way through this place. It's no different from anywhere else they've almost died!

"Darling, let's go to the cemetery," he says. "There's a nice view of the canyon."

"That sounds pretty fucking good to me," says Karlach.

"I think I'd also prefer the company of the dead about now," says Wyll, picking the Displacer Beast out of Karlach's hair. "Can't say I like clowns anymore after all that."

So they go to the cemetery. Astarion picks the lock on the gate. As they stand near the fence and admire the canyon in the gentle light of the overcast afternoon, San says, "I didn't know you'd spent any time in Rivington. It's such a cow town."

"I've been everywhere in this hells forsaken place, love," he says. "It's like an anthill. I can't escape. I keep marching back. Like some fucking idiot."

"At least you're not alone this time," she says.

She's right, of course.

Karlach and Wyll, meanwhile, pretend not to watch them from under a nearby apple tree. Karlach eats her apple out of hand while Wyll cuts his into pieces with a knife. "You know I didn't like them together at first," says Wyll. "Thought he would break her heart. But now I see, his was already the broken one. She's like the sutures that hold the pieces together."

"That's a nice metaphor, Ravengard."

"Thanks, Karlach."

In a little while, it starts to rain. They decide to head back to camp. A priest is dead, they've learned, but they're all pretty much dead already. In their way. It can wait one night.