#tw: fire mentions

[griim]

DEAD BY DAYLIGHT VERSE

Even from her birth, Gemma's father made it clear that her mother was a nobody, much like she was. Gemma had believed that her mother was dead or something worse. Through paperwork, many years later, Gemma found she was alive but knew nothing of them because of the machine used by the Rossum Corporation. Meaning that to Alexandria, Gemma did not exist, something Gemma had become used to knowing. The young girl knew that she could never have a ‘normal’ family life. But Gemma made sure that Alexandria would not know of her or her Christian's existence, even if this would be possibly the only chance at having a family she would ever have.

During one of the many nights she began stockpiling evidence against her family, Gemma found a secret file. This file contained information about her and what they had been doing to her. Opening it, Gemma was horrified to find out that they had been experimenting on her, using the chair in hopes to remake it and break her in the process. They were hoping to make her a weapon, for the highest bidder. And reading through the files, each line got worse. These things done to Gemma should never happen to anyone. Let alone a child. That was when the voice started, ‘Take revenge, you know you want to.’ A voice that seemed to come from nowhere. However, the thought did cross her mind. Having enough, she would not be their test subject anymore. Grabbing what she could, Gemma stuffed it in her backpack and ran away at seventeen. 

Years passed, and Gemma joined the military, slowly amassing kills, almost as if something else lived within her. Something dark. Some soldiers even rumored she e n j o y e d the killing. Whispers began, calling her The Reaper. During this time, she met Jordan, someone who looked past this ‘darkness’ within her. Showed her the gentle touch she had wanted all along. However, that gentleness and peace ripped from her. 

Gemma remembers it as such; 

“We were out on a typical mission, going in when no one else could or would. You know, because we are the ballsy type. As we approached a small village, things seemed fine and quiet, but we were used to that. So, in that time, we made jokes and, you know, shoot the shit, as you do with people you consider family. That didn’t last long. Nicole, our unit's dog, alerted us to something. So, in typical fashion, we started to scope out the area. But it was too late. We had been ambushed.” Her heart began to race, even when she swore she felt nothing. Gulping, she remained stone-faced, not needing to show them any emotions. 

‘Take cover’, ‘coming from the east’, ‘hold your ground.’ The commands sounded clear as day in her mind. If she had done a better job at giving commands, Jordan would still have been here, or if she had not decided to go into the town, he'd be alive. 

“So, we took cover and began to return fire, something we were used to dealing with, most of us being seasoned members. Jordan, being my partner in the front. We had been behind cover together, taking turns shooting and reloading. Covering for the other. Stuff we both had done hundreds of times before,” this was where the guilt set in, a survivor who believed it should have been t h e m. “As I reloaded, it jammed for a split second, and that second cost Jordan his life…” Pausing, she struggled internally with speaking the words. “He had been shot. Pretty badly, you get used to seeing gunshot wounds. But because it was him, it felt different… After he fell behind cover,” once again, those screamed commands echoed in her mind.

‘Man down’, ‘Man fucking down’, ‘we need a medevac.’ However, now knowing that there never was one.

“I assessed the situation and called for help, but nothing came. Jordan was dying, and I had to hold off the enemy until my unit made its way to me. I could not cry. Because that would not have done shit at that moment. I was a soldier, damn it. One of our operatives told me we needed to move a bomb was set to go, it was all a trap. And, me being me, I wanted to save him, not just because I loved him, but because he was part of our unit, we do not leave men behind.” The tears fought desperately to fall from her eyes, but Gemma held them back. "Jordan knew he would not make it, so he told the team and me to go. I fought like hell to bring him with us, and when they attempted to grab me, that voice from my childhood. When I felt so much rage returned, telling me to fight back if he meant so much to you. Then something snapped in Gemma, she turned on her men, and in what seemed like a blur, she saw nothing but red, and then, she felt p e a c e. 

Blood soaked the ground around Gemma, and the bodies of her team littered the ground at her feet. A laugh escaped her lips as a voice from the darkness beckoned her from over Jordan's body, whispering. 'It is a very mean and nasty place, the world. And it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently. But not you. You became that mean and nasty thing.' Smiling, the woman stumbled over to her lover's body, laying herself over him, blood covering her. As the final ticks of the bomb sounded, she looked up. Face met with a blast of flame. The flame consumed nearly all of her face, and as Gemma thought it was over, something engulfed her, The Red Forest. 

A surviving Unit member swears he heard a laugh, something evil coming from her, and a mask. A skull mask shrouded in a cover, then she was gone.  Who knows, maybe you will find yourself facing The Reaper. 

[ahllohehn]

can life series mumbo k jumbo stop seeking for grian everytime he starts burning im gonna start having delusions again

[teaboot]

When I was a kid, I regularly lost reading privileges for "having an attitude" and "acting out".

It wasn't as simple as being told not to read during other activities- one of the first times it happened, I remember being six years old, watching my stepfather pull fistfuls of books off my bookshelf and throw them to the floor in a heaping mess while I cried and asked him to stop.

It was weird. Every other adult I knew described me as exceptionally well-behaved, but at home, it was the opposite, and it was blamed on "learning bad habits from that shit you're reading".

Because I couldn't read at home, I spent all my free time at school in the library, reading with my friends.

When I grew up and moved away, I realized that my family life was toxic and abusive, and the "attitudes" I was being punished for were standing up for myself, standing up for my younger siblings, and resisting actual, real-life psychological abuse. Because I'd learned from what I'd read that my family wasn't normal, not like my parents said it was, and in my stories, the heroes were the people who spoke out when it was hard to.

It is insane to me that there are students right now who can't access books. It is insane that books are being outlawed. It is perverse that we are stealing away an entire generation's ability to contextualize their lives, to learn about the world around them, to develop critical thinking skills and express themselves and feel connected to the world or escape from it, whatever and whenever and however they need.

That is not how you raise a compassionate, thoughtful, powerful society.

That's how you process cattle.

It's fucking disgusting.

[spookywaffledio]

not too fond of nightwings

[incorrectbatfam]

Jason: Arson? Oh, you mean crime brûlée.

[audliminal]

Survivability Bias Pt 3

Masterpost

Content warning: This chapter involves depiction of a train derailment and subsequent fire throughout. There is also brief mention of death. I will be putting a brief summary in the description if you prefer not to read this part.

Danny jolts up from his fitful sleep. He’s intangible and invisible before he’s even fully sitting up and he’s in the air before he registers the loud boom that woke him. Any concerns about his bright transformation are made totally irrelevant by the warning sirens blaring in his head.

Wait, no. Those are real sirens.

In the distance, lights are now accompanying the sirens; flashing as they speed down what looks like main street. It’s pretty clear where they’re going too, from the violent orange glow cascading over the tops of the nearby buildings.

I knew it, Danny thinks, flying towards whatever disaster is unfolding. probably it’s stupid to get involved, when he still knows so little about this place, but- well, old habits die hard. It doesn’t take long for the problem to become obvious, and Danny freezes as he struggles to process the scene before him.

The metal carnage is nothing like Danny’s ever seen before; what looks to be a freight train has derailed at the worst possible location, sending its cars careening into the various apartment buildings and stores on the east side of town, and to make matters worse, one of them has clearly crashed straight into the gas station by the freeway, and fire is spreading faster than Danny could have imagined.

Danny can already see two buildings blazing, but he quickly focuses his attention towards the carnage of the train itself. Luckily it’s fairly obvious what direction it was headed, and Danny moves fast, looking for the engine. In ghost form, physical sensations always feel a little more distant but even through that, Danny can feel his heart rabbiting in his chest. Luckily it takes less than a minute to find the engine, but as he approaches it, the presence of death catches in his throat, and he immediately knows it’s a lost cause.

He can’t sense any actual ghosts, though, so instead Danny whips around to stare at the derailed cars. He’s far more used to fighting than he is rescues, but he can hardly just ignore the possibility of people trapped, so he carefully begins phasing through the wreckage, searching and listening for signs of anyone. Already, people are starting to gather outside; both those who were nearby and those who have managed to escape on their own, and Danny is careful to maintain his invisibility as he works. 

Danny’s made it through about half the wreck by the time he spots the firetrucks arriving, he’s pretty certain that nobody’s trapped under any of the cars, and he’s also thinking more clearly. The fire has also gotten worse now, and Danny watches as fully equipped firefighters spill out onto the street, already jumping to work as the fire chief shouts out orders. Some rush to start battling the flames, but others head towards the crowd.

They’re getting headcounts, Danny realizes. It seems so obvious in retrospect, but of course, Danny would have to be visible to check with anyone. And now that they’re here, anything he tries to do in secret would probably just make things harder. There is, of course, an easy solution to that, but- Danny has yet to find any evidence that all the meta stuff is anything but propaganda.

Even as Danny considers the dilemma, he knows what he’s going to do. He’s survived danger before, after all, and if he can keep people from assuming ghost, then he’ll have an advantage on them even if it comes to the worst. Besides, there’s that whole great powers-great responsibility thing, so in a way, it’s kind of his responsibility...

Danny floats out of the wreckage before shifting into visibility, figuring it’s probably polite to approach in their field of sight.

“What can I do to help?” Danny asks, causing most of the crowd to stare in shock. Belatedly he realizes he’s still floating, but actually that’s probably a good thing. Makes it clear he’s a meta right off the bat, at least

“New hero, huh? Powerset?” The man responds promptly, leveling Danny with an even gaze. Probably the lack of shock is a good thing. Probably.

“Uh, flight obviously, enhanced strength as well, and um... The ability to turn people and things intangible?” Danny responds promptly. It’s far from his full set, but he figures those are the most relevant, and keeping most of his tricks under his sleeve makes him feel better about what he’s doing.

“Is the fire gonna hurt you? I’m not sending some kid in there to die of third degree burns or smoke inhalation.” The man frowns, giving Danny the distinct feeling he’s not particularly impressed with Danny’s answer.

“Oh! Yeah, no, I’ll be fine! I like, don’t exactly need to breathe? And I’m fine in extreme heat too, so it shouldn’t be a problem...” Danny trails off and the head firefighter narrows his eyes as he tries not to flinch at the assessing look. To Danny’s right, someone shouts and when he turns to look, he sees a firefighter wave their arm and plant some kind of flag before moving on. No longer paying attention to Danny, the chief walks over and speaks to another firefighter. Danny wonders if he’s been dismissed, but before he can do anything, the chief calls out to him.

“Alright kid, you’re up, I guess,” he says, when Danny walks over. “We don’t know how injured he is, so do not move him, but if you’re strong enough to move this stuff fast and safe, that’ll be a damn good help.” He gestures to the twisted mess that Danny’s pretty sure was the edge of a building. 

Danny nods, stepping forward to examine the rubble. The firefighter that spotted the man points to a couple beams.

“Those beams are protecting him from the worst of it right now, but we’ll need to move them in order to get him out, so you gotta make sure that there’s nothing that’ll fall on him him when you move them.” 

“Righty-o,” Danny says, stepping forward to grab the two support beams he’d pointed too. He carefully examines the rubble collapsed around and over it. It’s sort of like a puzzle, he realizes - not quite the same as fixing his parents tech; certainly nothing here is supposed to be smashed together like that, but-

Danny blinks and refocuses. If he  just moves a few things first, he thinks he can get enough cleared away and just intange the beams. He tries to be fast as he does, without forgetting the emphasis the chief had put on safety, and after a few moments, he’s ready to move the beams. He gets into a good position, and then carefully makes them intangible, ready to react if anything bad happens. When nothing does, he carefully pulls them up and away, watching as the waiting firefighters rush in and start to work on actually extracting the guy.

He watches for a bit as a backboard appears and they begin a very slow and careful process of getting the guy onto it.

“Kid,” the chief calls, pulling Danny’s attention away.The chief guides him towards one of the buildings that’s on fire. “Got two people trapped on the third floor here. The stairs are unsafe, so if you can, get yourself up there, locate them, and get them out.”

Danny nods, not waiting for further instruction. He flies up two floors, and goes straight through the wall with his intangibility. The majority of this building isn’t terribly damaged, but one side has collapsed in on itself so if that’s where the stairs were, he can understand the difficulty. The air inside is already thick with smoke, and he quickly stops breathing, belatedly remembering that he’s supposed to not get smoke inhalation. Luckily, it doesn’t take long to catch the sound of voices, and Danny follows it to a room where two people are huddled next to an open window. Right, that’s a smart way to limit the danger of the smoke.

“Rides here!” Danny announces cheerfully, dropping his intangibility. Both people startle as they spot him, but one recovers relatively quickly.

“Him first,” they say, nodding towards their companion, who definitely looks more dazed.

“Right, here we go!” Danny says, stepping forward, and scooping the person up, and wasting no time flying directly through the building, and down to the waiting paramedics. There’s no stretcher currently available, so Danny gently sets them on the ground away from the worst of the smoke, before flying back to get the other person. They’re already standing up, and waste no time in wrapping their arms around his neck as he picks them up and flies them out to the medics as well.

Danny hardly has time to set the person down, before the chief is pulling him away again. They send him in to save a couple other trapped people, but after that, it sounds like everybody is accounted for, because the chief starts focusing all their energy on putting out the fire, rather than just containing it.

Danny is surprised to find himself pulled into helping with this part too. He gets assigned to a fire attack team, and Danny trails along after the two firefighters as the enter the building and begin to fight the fire from the inside.Occasionally, one of them will point at some piece of wall or ceiling and ask him to check what’s on the other side. He goes where they say, looking for signs of the fire, and when he does spot flames, occasionally tearing stuff down so they can get to it with their fire hose. It’s honestly a fascinating process. Danny’s never been anywhere near a major fire and the fact that the firefighters actually do more damage to the building as they work echoes in Danny’s brain as a morbid refrain.

What they’re doing is clearly working though, because he can actually feel the ambient temperature going down as time goes on. He briefly wonders if he should be trying to use his ice powers when one of his teammates complains about how hot it is, but they have protection, and he doesn’t want to risk any more info on him getting out. And anyways, he’s busy enough just doing his job. By the time they leave the building, Danny is exhausted. The interrupted night’s sleep is making itself known, alongside the surprising realization that Danny has actually worked harder tonight than he ever has before.

He lets himself half-collapse against a wall beside one of the fire trucks, once they finish their work putting out the fire. Beside him, his teammates are divesting themselves of their gear. it’s funny, Danny was anxious about revealing himself at first, but this whole night - and Danny belatedly realizes the sun is beginning to drift above the horizon now - he’s not been scared at all. Sure he’s been worried; with people in danger he’s hardly going to feel good, but in the last few hours he’s both worked harder than he has in any of his fights, and he’s done it without feeling terrible. Now, with just everyone accounted for and just about all of them either fine or in the hands of doctors, he feels odd.

It’s not a bad feeling or anything, kind of like when he successfully beats a hard level in a video game, or how he used to feel when he finished science projects in middle school.

Satisfaction, he realizes. And that’s what it is, though it’s far stronger than any version of it that he’s ever felt before. He does have a lot to feel proud of too. He  helped, even though he wasn’t sure it was safe to, and he might’ve actually saved somebody’s life tonight.

“You did good, kid.” One of his teammates says, echoing Danny’s thoughts. He startles a bit, feels himself flushing, and then in his embarrassment, he feels himself tumble over into a full blush. It’s always felt more embarrassing blushing in his ghost form. The way his skin actually glows with the green tinge is just so obviously inhuman, and he tries to avoid, tries his best to seem normal and alive, even when he’s a ghost.

Of course, these people don’t know he’s a ghost, but from what he’s seen, most of the heroes out there at least look functionally human, and he waits for the firefighters around him to freak out at the reminder that he isn’t even remotely one of them.

“Damn,” one whistles. Green glow is a new one. Makes your freckles real cute though.” The others laugh, and the other of his teammates steps forward to pat him gently on the back.

“Stop embarrassing my new favorite hero,” the chief says, walking up to join them. “You gotta name?” 

“Oh, yeah!” Danny answers, desperate for a distraction from this line of conversation. “I’m Danny!”

“Danny,” the chief responds flatly. he almost sounds exasperated, though Danny can’t imagine why, unless...

Unless that absolutely sounds like he just introduced himself normal and they think he’s a hero and he sounds like a dumbass without a secret identity, which- technically isn’t exactly wrong. 

“Yup!” Danny says, trying to make it sound intentional. “Danny Phantom at your service! Y’know cause of the intangibility and like. It just sounded good?” There. That sounds plausible. If he actually does end up having to be a hero, though, he’ll probably need a different first name. If he gets a civilian identity, that is.

“Well, Phantom,” the chief grins, that same assessing look from before back, but noticeably more relaxed now that there’s no immediate danger. “We’re damn grateful for all your help, and if you need anything you come let us know, alright?”

“Yeah, one of his teammates echoes. “You’re an honorary firefighter now, you should come hang out at the station sometime!” A couple of the others echo the sentiment. It’s surprisingly kind, and Danny smiles at the unrelenting wave of welcome.

“I’ll think about it,” he offers uncertainly. “For now, I think I ought to go back to sleep for a few more hours.”

“That sounds like a good idea, Danny,” the chief says. “Just make sure to get something to eat first. You’ve burned a lot of calories today.”

“Yeah, will do,” Danny offers an awkward salute to the man, and then, before he can actually fall asleep standing up, he takes off to hunt down a good spot for a nap.

[kyuhudraws]

Strong bird prince!

[dykedvonte]

Curly not immediately punishing Jimmy for assaulting Anya is something I don’t think a lot of people are viewing in the complex context for Curly as the superior to both of them and closest confidante they had.

Like I am in no way saying he didn’t under react or fail Anya by not being harsh or direct with Jimmy but it really is the case that he really couldn’t. Imagine being stuck in such a confined space with very little areas to genuinely hold someone if they commit a crime. It’s not like this was an event that occurred before they departed or that they have easy communication with The Pony Express to ask for how to proceed when something like this arises. Not to mention, Jimmy’s relative power in relation to Anya as the co-pilot and second in command, he has the knowledge and access to do something to her had Curly directly punished him in this setting.

They were also Curly’s friends. It’s not just the case of him mediating something between his subordinates but people he is personally invested in don’t want to see spiral further in Anya’s case while also not wanting believe his friend go that bad in Jimmy’s actions. They were both suicidal and Curly putting Jimmy’s stability first is both out of bias but also the fact he’s aware at some level Jimmy is a danger to himself and others if not constantly placated. Combined with the fact he was in denial or just not piecing together what Anya said it’s hard to say what he buying time for and what he had treat as urgent. This isn’t even saying he doesn’t care about Anya but he’s not going jump to the worst conclusions about his friends even if part of him acknowledges the evidence saying so. It’s a complicated thing but he’s still human and needed to process it on top of trying to keep a ship that already took on a lot of water from further sinking, metaphorically.

I just personally think that while Curly failed Anya, it was a scenario where there wasn’t much he could do to the best thing by her safely and like Jimmy, we are underestimating what a good leader would do in a very fragile and tense situation like he was in. By the time he may have been ready and had a plan, things were much too late.

[legendary-cookies]

(Source)

BITING THE BARS OF MY ENCLOSURE

[edelweiss-maiden]

‘‘how romantic it must be to be imprisoned in a castle and made to squeeze out heirs’’ (1x04)

til death do us part by edmund blair leighton (1878, detail) / zella day - jerome / susanna and the elders by bernardino luini (c. 1521-1525, detail) / halsey - the tradition (inspo) / the french lieutenant’s woman by john fowles (1969) / lear and cordelia by ford madox brown (c.1849-1854, detail) / the penitent magdalen by unknown follower of giacinto brandi (c.1623-1691, detail) / death and the maiden by hans schwarz (c.1520) / fire and blood by george r.r. martin / ganymede by jericho brown

[bjorkncaddel]

𝐀𝐒 𝐀𝐋𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 a routine, sometimes Neva hits the bar after work, it depends on how she feels on the day… If she felt so socially overwhelmed she fades into the darkness of her room. If she feels a bit social then she would hit the bar and just stay for a little time before vanishing, she never stays too long. Today was one of these days, she planned on having one drink before going home. She was considering taking a vacation because she was exhausted lately and felt like she needed to recharge her energies somehow.

The Swedish blonde asked for the bartender to adventure in making their own cocktail, something to impress her that wasn't on the menu. Last time, her friend was impressed with their creation, and perhaps she had high hopes that she would be impressed, again. Either way, the last cocktail had unicorn flavor… And was pink, a weakness of hers. Any sweet or pink drink, she simply wants to have them. The drink, however, wasn't visually pleasant. She took a sip on it, and well… She liked it but didn't enjoy it as the last cocktail.

Once she finished her drink, she paid it was about to head home. Upon his voice, she looked at him, noticing he was talking to her… ⏤ ❛ I do! ❜ Neva was a little excited to answer that question. Mostly because she carries matches but she, herself isn't a smoker, she just wanted to mimic those movie scenes where somebody asks for a lighter and she lights it in the matches. Pathetic, really… But he does not need to know she isn't exactly a smoker. ❛ Just hold for a second. ❜ She picked up her Chanel backpack, and after a second or two rummages her purse, she found the matchbox and lit up the first match but easily erased the fire, and tried again holding it to give it to Teddy.

Status: open @bhqextras where: a speakeasy in Manhattan

He was struggling through his drink, which in all actuality was not only a bit pathetic for a man of his age but also made him feel like a bit of a prick, considering how well made the dammed thing was, all crystal-clear ice molded into a perfect sphere and carefully styled orange peel. Even the smooth, caramelly, oaky finish to the whiskey would be something of a delight if he were a different type of man, however, he wasn't that type of man. He was the type of man who ordered a cosmopolitan with a heavy dash of bitters or an aviation; something that came in a fancy little glass and had more than two ingredients and would most definitely be the subject of harsh ridicule from the lads back home, were he back home, though he wasn't home- not even close- and so even that thought did nothing but bring an even larger displeased sigh tumbling from his lips.

Still, it was too late to do anything about his painfully wrong rink order now, after all, who sent back a drink they had already put their lips on? Not him, even if he did grimace with every compulsory sip. It was entirely his fault, anyway. Had he not been so absorbed in his book he would have noticed that he had been given another patron's order and now they would both need to suffer for it. It was what he got for reading inside a speakeasy rather than interacting with others like a normal person.

He set down his paperback and ran a hand over his face before he reached for his pack of cigarettes and lighter, throwing a fifty on the bar top with a nod toward the bartender to save his seat when he realized his lighter was nowhere to be found in the pockets of his coat. "Sorry," he said, turning to the person closest to him, "have you got a light? I'll get your next round as a thank you."

[shmorp-mcdurgen]

gee wiz, it sure is cool that Gordon survived the resonance cascade, I sure hope he's doing well

Finally decided to give Gordon a ref for my au Aftermath (which i've talked about here. Once.)

Also bonus:

[inezrable]

I strongly think Crowley and Aziraphale are very much asexual, and we don't need a sex scene in season 3.

That being said if there was one to the song Don't Stop Me Now I wouldn't even be annoyed

[shittyvampire]

get this dude a therapist!!!

[snowe-zolynn-rogers]

Eclipse: Shit! Moon is going to kill us!

Jack: No he wont just follow my lead.

*later*

Moon: WHAT TH-

Jack: Sorry dad.

Eclipse: Yeah, sorry dad.

Moon: …

Moon, staring at the burning daycare: It's fine.

[some-pers0n]

You can just say it's a mistake. It's so much worse to try and excuse it