#well. getting beaten up by anyone is a better way to put it. with where my skills are at.

[pussyhoundspock]

the way i fully cannot move my arms above my head right now. #mma

[wow-thisismylifeiguess]

AU where Bruce isn’t Batman and the ‘Brucie’ persona is mostly real, but he’s also not an idiot and well aware that his kids are vigilantes

Bruce, “I just wish Dickie chose a better costume than that. I mean, look at him! He’s like a traffic light.”

Alfred, “I believe it’s a similar outfit to one his mother designed for him when he was younger.”

Bruce, “….nevermind, I take it back. He’s my beautiful baby boy and his outfit choices are definitely not atrocious.”

—

Bruce, “Jay…mind explaining the bruises on your wrists?”

Jason, “Oh…yunno how it is.”

Bruce, stares

Bruce, “If your partner is hurting you-”

Jason, “NO, it’s nothing like that! I promise, it was….consensual?”

Bruce, “Is that a question or statement, kiddo?”

Jason, “Statement.”

Jason, later, grumbling to Dick, “Sometimes I feel like he’s onto us…”

Dick, “No way. We cover our tracks super well. You just need to come up with better excuses for your bruises. I mean, BDSM? You?”

Bruce, upstairs, listening through a bug he planted, “Dumbasses.”

—

Bruce, “Why is the Drake child in my home?”

Jason, “He’s a friend.”

Dick, “I think you’re choking him a little, B.”

Bruce, who has Tim in a bear hug, “Am I choking you, buddy?”

Tim, muffled, “Not at all.”

—

Bruce, “TALIA! YOU’RE HERE! Why are you here.”

Damian, “Why am I here?”

Talia, “We have a son. Here. Take care of him.”

Damian, “I will not stay w a man like…like him.”

Bruce, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Damian, “You’re pathetically human and weak. I have nothing to learn here, Mother.”

Talia, “He’s beaten me before.”

Damian, “What?”

Dick, “What?”

Jason, “What?”

Bruce, smiling dreamily, “Such good memories.”

—

The kids find out he knew everything from the start when Dick has to pick up a drunk Bruce from a party. They arrive back at the Manor and Bruce won’t stop clinging to Dick.

Bruce, “Noooooooo! Don’t leave me! Don’t put on that ugly costume!”

Dick, “W-what?”

Bruce, sniffles, “It’s better than the Robin one, but come on, chum. You can do so much better than that.”

Dick, “You…know?”

Bruce, still crying, “Of course I knew! Good at covering your tracks my ass!”

Dick, “Do you know everything?”

Bruce, wiping his face because his vision is blurring and there’s two Dicks standing in front of him. Fuck, he’s dizzy, “Jason’s outfit is better. Tim’s is atrocious. But at least you gave Dami pants.”

Dick, “BRUCE!?”

Bruce, “Nooooo, don’t yell. My head hurts.”

—

Sitting in what Bruce has decided to call the Bat Cave because, helloooo, the bats?

Dick, "How long have you known?"

Bruce, "Oh, you know."

Jason, "From the beginning???"

Bruce, "I'm not stupid. Alfred, why does everyone think I'm stupid? My own kids think I'm stupid."

Tim, "Mr Wayne-"

Bruce, stares at him

Tim, "....Bruce. We don't think you're stupid. We just thought we were being...sneaky."

Damian, "Hmph. All of you lack training in stealth. Unlike me."

Bruce, "Dickie, how am I supposed to not know when I adopted a child acrobat and 'oh, look! a pint sized vigilante who can do flips off of buildings!'"

Jason, snorts, "Pint sized."

Bruce, "Jaylad, you started using guns a week after I signed you up for a firearms class."

Tim, tries very hard to hide a laugh

Bruce, "Timmy, your bedroom is covered in pictures of Gotham you'd only get from being on top of buildings."

Damian, scoffs

Bruce, "Dami, you trained as an assassin. Of fucking course you're a vigilante."

The kids, "....fuck. We suck at this."

Bruce, waves his hands in the air, "Don't worry about it. You're all bad at covering for yourselves, but me and Alfred handled it. Anyone who might've even got an inkling of who you might be have been...dealt with."

Jason, "Did you kill them?!"

Bruce, "What? No. Of course not. Right, Alfie?"

Alfred, "....of course not."

[730architect]

picture your face - L4B (1.2)

part 1

part 2 yay!! i started writing parts of this all the way back in february and finally got around to fixing it up into a completed work. This takes place the night of the october 11, 2024 episode of smackdown for context :) this will be the final part of picture your face but i will def write more l4b because i miss them dearly </3 enjoy my sweets 

── •✧• ──

wc: 7.8k

tags: 18+ MDNI!! liv4brutality, hatred, conflicted feelings, past liv morgan/rhea ripley, angst, cunnilingus, face sitting, light dom/sub, strap-on sex, dirty talk, multiple orgasms, nipple play, it's sweet at the end, lmk if i forgot anything

── •✧• ──

It had been exactly one week since Rhea had been laid out on her hotel bed, scrolling on her phone mindlessly when she got a notification alerting her that “yaonlylivvonce and 82,385 others liked your photo.” Rhea blinked hard, rubbing any sleep from her eyes that had collected from the long day she’d had. She couldn’t register what she was feeling. Disbelief would be an understatement, but so would confusion. Was this another one of Liv’s pranks that she had pulled with the encouragement of the rest of the Judgment Day?

Well.. if she wants to play games, let's play. Rhea thought to herself as she opened up her contacts. She scrolled until she found the one she was looking for and pressed “message”. Rhea pondered her options. What should she send? Eventually she decided on something simple. A smirk formed on her face as she finished typing out her message.

 “I guess you really were watching me.” Perfect. 

Rhea hits send and turns her phone off for the night, images of another plan brewing in the back of her mind before her body finally allows sleep to overtake it. 

── •✧• ──

Rhea stormed from the ring back to the backstage area after finally getting her hands on Liv and her pathetic posse of sorts with several referees following after her, ensuring that she would leave the premise. Fading fan chants and the enraged yells from the referees fell on deaf ears as she navigated the maze that was the Bon Secours Wellness Arena to where she had hastily parked her rental car. Her body was hot from the adrenaline but her attack wasn't enough to satisfy her ever-increasing lust for revenge. She wasn’t sure what she wanted more, her title or to make Liv suffer under her hand. 

Rhea knew better than anyone that the odds were stacked against her, especially now that Raquel has aligned herself with the one woman she hates the most in this lifetime. She needed to think smarter. All this hostility and aggressiveness hadn’t done her much good and her patience was running thin. She may have Liv beaten physically, but psychologically? That was a whole different playing field. 

She ponders her options to herself as she makes her way to the parking lot after narrowly escaping a scolding from Nick Aldis for her invasion of his show. She gets into her rental car and lays her head back onto the headrest, drumming her fingers on her thigh while taking a couple deep breaths to calm down before she drives back to her hotel. 

She eventually buckles up and goes to put the car into drive but stops abruptly when she sees the top of a familiar blonde head hurrying from between the cars in the parking lot just a few rows in front of her, followed by two taller brunettes. 

Rhea watches as Liv and Dominik are ushered into a large black SUV by the latest addition to their group, Raquel, who has been serving as a bodyguard and now apparently a chauffeur of sorts to Liv since her interference during Rhea’s match at Bad Blood. Rhea’s heart rate increases, blood rushing in her ears. She can feel herself growing more belligerent at their fright. 

She observes as Raquel climbs into the driver's seat and reverses out of the parking spot. Rhea ducks her head a bit in an effort to remain hidden from them as she debates on whether or not she should follow them to wherever it is they’re staying, thankful for the tint on her windows. She debates for a solid 15 seconds until finally putting her car in drive and peeling out behind them, making sure to keep a healthy distance in order to not blow her cover. 

Rhea discreetly followed the trio all the way back to their hotel and watches as they give up their car to the valet service as quickly as they can before they rush inside. She decides to call it a night, not in any mood to hunt them down all the way to their hotel rooms, at least not at the moment. She circles back and merges back onto the highway leading to her hotel, mind still racing. She spends the rest of the drive lost in her thoughts, in a trance over all the ways she can make Liv pay for all she’s put her through over the past 7 months. 

Rhea wanted her to suffer. She wanted to make Liv feel the same hurt and betrayal she felt while she was sitting at home, icing her shoulder for hours on end until her skin was blue and numb to the touch. The thought of Liv on her knees, begging for mercy as she looks up at her, blue eyes glassy with tears and terror has Rhea shifting in her seat; searching for at least a little bit of friction to relieve the familiar ache she felt in her gut whenever she thought about her. Rhea pulls up to the front of her hotel sloppily, tossing the keys to the attendant hurriedly before rushing inside. 

── •✧• ──

Rhea makes it to her hotel suite, deadbolting the door behind her before making a beeline for the bathroom. She tears her clothes off of her body hastily and jumps into the shower, letting the cold water run through her hair and down her back as she takes some much needed deep breaths. Rhea runs her tattooed fingers through her hair, trying to focus on the chill of the water on her skin, or anything else really. Anything to get her mind off of the women’s world champion. But despite being doused in cold water, it does nothing to cool the heat building in her core that she's been fighting since she left the arena. 

She runs her right hand down her body, her left still running through her dark hair. Tattooed fingers dancing lightly over flushed skin, feeling the groves of the goosebumps that formed beneath them. Her fingers make their way to her breast as she thumbs over her nipple piercing, feeling the sensation shoot straight to her aching cunt. Low whimpers spill from her lips as she lightly pinches and twists at the piercing, the sensation making her delirious. 

Rhea allows her head to fall back against the glass walls of the shower while her fingers trickle down her figure, allowing them to ghost over her most sensitive parts. Visions of Liv dance behind her eyelids as she slips a finger inside of herself, moaning quietly at the intrusion. Rhea shifts her hips forward slightly, jaw going slack at the feeling of her fingers curling up inside of her due to the adjustment. 

Rhea cries out Liv’s name. She imagines Liv seeing her like this, getting off at the mere thought of her. How she would drop to her knees just before Rhea could reach her climax to finish her off. Rhea lets out one last pathetic whimper as she gushes around her fingers, heart hammering in her chest while she rides out her orgasm. This wouldn’t be the first time she’s pictured Liv while touching herself and she was positive it wouldn’t be the last. Rhea finally pulls her spent fingers out of her cunt and brings them up to her lips, sucking them clean. She sighs contentedly around them as she sinks back against the glass propping her up. 

Once her heart rate had returned to normal, Rhea reached for the soap and finally began to wash her body, getting lost in the scent of tea tree and steam. She washes her hair and turns the shower off when she finishes, stepping out and grabbing a towel to dry herself off with. She hums to herself as she dries off and pumps lotion into her hands to massage into her skin. 

She had changed into sweatpants and an old band tee she wore religiously back in Australia. The fabric was soft and worn from years of use and had a bleach stain on the collar. Rhea was drying her hair with the complementary hair dryer the hotel provided when she heard a pounding on the door. She turned off the hair dryer and unplugged it, storing it away before going to answer the door. She assumed that it was just housekeeping making their rounds and asking if she wanted any clean towels. 

Rhea turned on a lamp to provide some more lighting before swinging the door open. She hadn’t checked through the peephole of who it might be, face going blank when she sees a blonde at her door. It was Liv.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Rhea demands, glancing around in case Dominik or Raquel had been hiding around somewhere ready to attack. 

Liv rolled her eyes at the hostility. She knew Rhea would be borderline impossible to talk to, she had spent at least half of their former partnership trying to get her to just make small talk with her until they had finally warmed up to each other. A whole lot of good that did her. “I’m just here to talk.” Liv replies calmly.

“‘Talk’ my ass. Do you think I’m stupid?” Rhea scoffs, still wary of a potential attack. “Why are you here? How did you even find where I was staying?”

“I asked around. Not like it was all that hard. Now are you gonna invite me in so we can talk or are you going to force me to stand out here like an idiot?” Liv retorts.

Rhea narrows her eyes at her. “How do I know that this isn’t an ambush?” 

“Rhea, if I wanted to attack you I would’ve done it already. Now suck it up and let me in.” Liv snaps, fed up with their banter. 

Rhea takes one final look around and sighs, stepping aside and granting Liv entry into her hotel. “Don’t mind the mess, I just finished showering.” Rhea comments, suddenly confused as to why she was asking her rival to disregard her mess. This was her hotel, she could do whatever she wanted. And she definitely didn’t owe Liv of all people an explanation. 

Liv disregards her statement, looking around and takes a seat on the edge of the bed, facing Rhea. She’s dressed in a sweatshirt, shorts, and tennis shoes. All neutral colors. It seems that joining the Judgment Day had stripped her of her usual fun and flirty color palette. Her blonde hair spilled over her shoulders and down her back and her tortoise Prada frames were perched on the bridge of her nose. She watches as Rhea shuts the door behind her, locking them both inside. 

The silence is deafening. It’s been over 2 years since they’ve been in the same room as one another without ripping each other’s throats out. Rhea stands in front of Liv, looking down at her with her arms crossed over her chest, making her muscular 5’10 frame look even larger. Liv swallowed hard as she looked up at her, trying to look as unfazed as possible. 

It had been one week since Rhea had posted that photo on Instagram that had her in complete shambles. Liv had spent the past seven days trying to forget it even happened, so much so that she had even deleted Rhea’s unopened text message from her phone. And she had to admit, she was doing a pretty damn good job at distracting herself. That was, until today. After Rhea’s attack, Liv found herself consumed by her yet again, this time even more. The fact that Rhea was willing to do everything in her power to find a way to get her hands on her, even if it meant crossing over to another brand for a night, it all just made Liv so lightheaded. Well, that along with the repeated blows to the head she had taken in the ring.

“So… what was so important that you needed to come to my hotel to talk to me?” Rhea questions, her glare never wavering. 

Liv looks down at her sleeve and picks at a loose thread in the fabric. “I wanted to talk to you about…” her words trail off. Rhea cocks an eyebrow at her, impatient. Liv peeks up at her through her glasses and sees her visible irritation before taking a deep breath and blurting out, “I wanted to talk to you about what happened last week.” She says the sentence so fast it almost sounds like one long word. 

Rhea’s face doesn’t change at the admission, remaining frozen in permanent annoyance. “What about last week?” she asks despite knowing exactly what Liv is referring to. She wanted to hear whatever pathetic explanation she had to offer up. 

“Listen, what happened was a complete accident. I didn’t mean to press any wrong buttons or anything, in fact that would be the last thing I would want to do.” Liv explains, eventually looking up at Rhea as she twists her hands. She seems genuinely agonized over the whole situation which Rhea finds hilarious considering it wasn’t even that big of a deal anyways. Maybe Rhea had finally knocked some sense into her during her attack earlier that day. 

“Yeah, I figured it wasn’t on purpose. I posted that caption in order to get a reaction out of you, which I knew I would and I did. So why come all the way over here to plead your case? Was it the beating I gave you earlier?” Rhea chuckles, honestly humored by the circumstances. 

Liv huffs in annoyance. “No, it was not the beating. Fuck you for that, by the way. It was the text you sent afterwards.” she admits.

Rhea nods in understanding, uncrossing her arms and sticking her hands in her pockets. “So you came all this way because I confronted you? That’s a new one.” she replies. “I still don’t understand why you’re here though. You could’ve just responded to my message. Hell, you could’ve even attacked me on RAW. So, why here? Why now?” Rhea presses, determined to get an answer.

Liv seems at a bit of a loss for words. She didn’t imagine their conversation lasting this long while still somehow remaining civil. “I don’t know. I guess I just thought it would be better to talk in person about it.” she shrugs lamely.

Rhea lets out a harsh laugh. “Talk? All of a sudden you’re focused on talking after over 2 years of hating each other? I knew you were dumb but not this dumb, Liv.” she smiles, canines flashing. She shakes her head in amusement. “Why even stalk me on social media? We beat the shit of each other every single week.”

“Since when do you regulate what I can and can’t do on my phone? Your account is public, people are going to check it. If you don't want that, maybe consider hitting the private button.” Liv snaps, her usual sharp attitude returning. 

“Oh, Liv, obviously people are going to look at my account. I just didn’t expect someone who had successfully taken quite literally everything away from me to be so obsessive.” Rhea replies, leaning down so she and Liv are eye to eye. 

Liv pushes herself off of the bed, standing before Rhea in defiance. “I think that’s really fucking rich coming from you, Rhea. Especially considering you haven’t left me or my family alone for months. But sure, I’m the one who’s obsessed.” She challenges.

“Here you go with this ‘family’ bullshit again. You know just as well as I do that they’ll never really be your family. You’ll come to learn just as I have that they’re all a bunch of conniving, selfish lowlifes who don’t care about anyone but themselves-” Rhea begins to taunt her but is cut off by a hard shove to the chest that pushes her back a mere couple of inches. Liv is nowhere near as strong as her but Rhea appreciated the effort regardless. The woman had guts, that was for sure. 

“Don’t talk about them.” Liv hisses. “You’re just jealous that they love me and not you.”

“And what have they done for you? Besides occasionally hold your hand up after a victory? That’s not love, Liv.” Rhea argues.

“Oh, but you know what is? You have pushed away and betrayed every single person who has ever loved you and you can’t even bring yourself to own up to it.” she retorts.

“Very few people have loved me, Liv.” Rhea dismisses, not allowing the harsh honesty to penetrate her heart.

“I did.” Liv professes, her eyes overtaken by sorrow and hatred after her confession. “I loved you more than anyone else in this business and what did you do? You ruined my fucking life in front of the whole world. So excuse me for wanting to rub my victories in your face.” Liv laughs harshly, despite finding nothing funny about the circumstances. She had spent so long convincing herself that she had moved on from what Rhea had done to her that she couldn’t realize that with each passing day she cared more than she ever did. 

“Do you have any idea how hard it was for me? Sitting at home, barely able to move my arm at all, being forced to watch you and Dominik every single week?” Tears brim Liv’s eyes, a sight that makes Rhea’s heart ache horribly. “Did I really mean that little to you?” she whispers, unable to stop the tears from falling down her cheeks. 

The sight in front of her makes Rhea’s chest hurt. She had always imagined having Liv a crying mess at her feet but not like this. “Please don’t cry.” she says while reaching out to brush away the fallen tear but is stopped by Liv’s hand pushing hers away. 

“Don’t touch me. You don't get to comfort me after what you’ve put me through.” Liv asserts softly, wiping away the tears herself. 

Rhea nods in defeat. She may not like Liv but she understands where she fucked up, regardless of not being able to admit it. God, why couldn’t she just fucking apologize? Maybe it really was too late. 

“If it hurt you so bad to see me with him, why even choose Dominik?” Rhea asked quietly.

Liv smiles softly before answering. “Because I wanted to hurt you, why else? Hurting you will always give me a satisfaction that no championship ever could. Yours was just a bonus.” she winks. 

“You sure you’re still not obsessed?” Rhea cocks her head to the side, looking at Liv with a smirk. 

Liv leans in even closer. “So what if I am?” she questions defiantly.

Rhea decided that she’d heard more than enough. Throwing caution to the wind, she snaked her hands behind Liv’s head and entangled them into her hair before swallowing her words into a heavenly kiss. Her movements caught Liv so off guard but she managed to move perfectly with her, melting into her touch. Liv couldn’t ignore how fucking good Rhea felt against her mouth. With Rhea’s hand behind Liv’s head, she tilted her face up so she could deepen the kiss. Liv kissed her back with the same feverish passion, gently coaxing Rhea’s mouth open with her tongue, further intensifying the kiss. Rhea groaned against Liv’s mouth, feeling the other woman’s plush lips smile against hers at the sound. 

 Liv felt an unmistakable heat flicker between her legs as Rhea’s large, calloused hands explored her lithe body. She let out a blissful sigh into Rhea’s mouth, which only increased her frantic desire even more. Rhea redirected her lips to Liv’s neck, kissing and sucking like there was no tomorrow. Liv knew that there would be marks left in the morning but she couldn’t care less, not when she had finally gotten what she had been craving for years on end. 

Rhea clumsily guided them back a few feet to the bed, refusing to part lips with Liv even after they almost tripped over each other. Rhea gently eased Liv down onto the bed, her mouth never leaving her neck. Liv’s hands had found their way under the hem of Rhea’s t-shirt and softly scratched her perfectly manicured fingers against Rhea’s muscled figure, enticing a soft groan from her. 

“Fuck, Liv…” Rhea whispered, her breath hot on Liv’s skin. 

Liv let out a soft giggle and tugged at Rhea’s top, a silent plea for her to take it off. Rhea paused her movements for a moment and complied, pulling the fabric up and over her body agonizingly slowly. Liv sat up on her elbows, making out the soft imprints of Rhea’s nipple piercings through the fabric of her bra.

Liv found herself rendered speechless, staring up at the mountain of a woman standing in front of her. Her eyes followed the lines of black ink that were embedded onto Rhea’s torso, imagining how they would taste on her tongue. Her breath quickens as watches Rhea run her tattooed fingers over the material of her bra strap before hooking onto them and pulling them off of her shoulder. Rhea tugs at her bra with one hand while the other unhooks the clasps behind her back. Rhea allows it to fall off of her figure, exposing the top half of her body to Liv like she once did in the locker room all those years ago. A moment Liv finds herself replaying in her head more often than she’d like to admit. 

“Holy shit.” Liv whispers, feeling almost lightheaded at the situation she had found herself in. She feels her face heat as Rhea chuckles at her reaction. 

“You gonna keep staring or are you gonna get to work?” Rhea teases, hands reaching up to palm at her tits, thumbs grazing over her piercings. Rhea hisses softly at the sensation and rolls her head back. 

Liv’s mouth immediately waters at the sight before her. She takes Rhea’s words as a challenge, pushing herself off of the bed and standing before her once again. She takes off her glasses and places them on the bedside table before kissing her lips softly once more as her hands find themselves gripping the flesh of her breasts. She feels the cool barbells of her piercings under her fingertips. Rhea’s breath caught in her throat at the the sensation of Liv’s hands roaming her body, her own hands gripping the blonde’s hips tightly. Her breathing grows ragged as she watches Liv trail her lips from her lips to her collarbone to finally her sternum and the flesh surrounding it. 

Rhea watches wide-eyed as Liv’s tongue laves at her breast, her fingers toying with the other in order to stimulate her as much as possible. She fights as hard as she can from allowing any noise to escape her throat, knowing that it would do nothing but inflate Liv’s ego even more but she can’t help the mewl that slips past her lips. Liv glances up at her, releasing her now swollen nipple with a pop. Her mouth forms into a satisfied smirk, kissing where her mouth just was before before asking a satisfied “you like that?” 

Rhea rolls her eyes, that same familiar annoyance she usually felt around Liv sinking back in. “Shut the fuck up and put your mouth back on me.” she says irritatedly.

 Liv cocks her eyebrow at her, the mischievous glint never leaving her eye. “I think you could ask a little nicer, don't you? Especially after all you’ve put me through?” Liv taunts with a pout, her fingers tracing hearts on Rhea’s skin. 

Rhea huffs before letting out an exasperated “please.” She lets out a groan when Liv shakes her head stubbornly, not impressed by her lack of enthusiasm. 

“Please what?” Liv doubles down on her stubbornness. 

Rhea eventually swallows her pride, which she almost chokes on before finally pleading with the blonde.

“Fine, fuck, please just touch me.” Rhea borderline begs, looking down at Liv through her eyelashes with an anguished look painted across her sharp features. 

A dangerous smile appears on Liv’s face at the sound of Rhea’s desperation. “Much better.” she hums in approval. She palms at Rhea’s breasts a bit more, feeling her skin heat beneath her hands before sliding them down her body. “This what you wanted?” Liv asked, unable to conceal her wicked smile. 

Dominance was not something Rhea was willing to give up easily and she knew that. Liv didn’t know how long she had until Rhea could regain her composure and slip back into that commanding persona she never seemed to step down from, so she knew had to make the most of the time she had. Rhea nods hopelessly. She was usually such a giver but she wanted nothing more but to be taken care of at the moment. She was positive she would return the favor later on but right now, she craved the opportunity to forfeit her ability to think for the time being. 

Liv gently lays Rhea down onto the bed, her raven hair fanning out around her head. Liv’s nimble fingers make their way to the waistband of Rhea’s sweatpants, fumbling with the waistband for a moment until she successfully unties it. Rhea lifts her hips off of the mattress so Liv can pull her pants out from under her and down her legs as she inhales the scent of the cashmere lotion Rhea had massaged into her skin earlier. Liv runs her hands up and down Rhea’s thighs, each caress creeping closer and closer to the waistband of her gray boxers. Liv allows her fingers to creep between Rhea’s legs and run along the small wet spot that had formed there. 

Rhea whimpers and shifts at the contact, causing Liv to tut at her, feigning disapproval at her squirming. Liv hooks her fingers into Rhea’s waistband and pulls them down and off of her figure, exposing her dripping cunt to the soft light of the room. Rhea’s clit peeked through her swollen folds coated in her arousal along with the piercing that adorned it. Liv grows hungry at the sight, heat beginning to pool below her hips as well. However something catches her eye. 

Liv squints in the dim lighting, her eyes taking a moment to focus since she didn’t have her glasses on anymore. She is able to make out a tattoo, no smaller than half of her thumb. The black ink had been manipulated in the shape of an eye with three dots below it. Her logo. Memories from years ago flood her brain like a tsunami. When she and Rhea had gotten so stupidly drunk together after a show that they had somehow stumbled into a shitty tattoo parlor and demanded matching tattoos. They decided on each other's logos on their bikini lines. They were so drunk that they didn't even feel the needle of the tattoo gun penetrate their skin, holding each other's hands as they got them. The exact details of that night were still hazy even now, as the Don Julio had gotten the best of them both that night but one thing remained: the tattoos served as an unspoken promise. No matter what happened, whether they loved or hated each other in the future, they would always be linked to one another. For better or for worse. Like wedding vows, almost. 

Liv traces the tattoo lightly. “You kept it?” she whispers, eyes finally meeting Rhea’s.

Rhea smiled softly, immediately understanding what she meant. “Of course I did. Why wouldn't I?” 

Liv attempts to smile but can't quite bring herself to do so. “I don’t know… I figured you would’ve had it removed or covered up or something. You know, after everything that happened.” she confesses, her eyes falling back to the tattoo. 

“That doesn’t change what we had together. I was a dick, I know that. Removing it would’ve only further cemented that.” Rhea replies, slightly ashamed to look at Liv as she says this. “Do you… do you still have yours?” she asks timidly, afraid to hear the answer.

Liv’s eyes brighten at the question as she nods. She slides her shorts and underwear off before crawling onto the bed next to Rhea. Rhea’s eyes soften at the sight of the two R’s embedded onto Liv’s skin, leaning in to kiss it softly. Her strong hands grip Liv’s hips as she distributes kisses all over her stomach. 

“I want you on my face.” Rhea professes, accent taken over with a soft rasp. 

Liv clenches at her words as her hands cup Rhea’s face. “But I wanted to take care of you.” 

“You can take care of me by shutting up and getting on my face.” Rhea grins. She doesn’t allow Liv to protest, using her strength to place her right above her face so Liv was hovering right above her mouth, just centimeters away from her lips.

Rhea flits her tongue over Liv’s now aching clit, almost in a lazy manner it was so slow. Liv let out the breath she had been holding and laced her fingers into Rhea’s hair, desperately fighting the urge to just shove her face into her dripping cunt. Luckily, Rhea understood Liv’s anticipation and began to dip her tongue into Liv’s sweet folds, the ball of her tongue piercing catching on her clit. Rhea began to use a finger to gently stretch her out. Liv’s chest heaved and her heart raced as Rhea flattened her tongue and ran it along her clit before gently enveloping it into her mouth and beginning to suck.

“Mmf- fuck.” Liv whined above the dark haired woman, tossing her head back in bliss. She felt the familiar warmth in her stomach begin to ignite and grow and spread all over her body, touching each of her nerves and setting them ablaze. Liv gripped onto her hair tighter and pushed Rhea’s face even deeper into her heat, ultimately giving in to her desires. 

Rhea let out a muffled moan both at Liv’s actions and at the taste of her, sending vibrations through Liv’s already trembling body. The sensation caused Liv to let out a choked moan as she began to babble praises that she couldn’t even verbally finish. She was a mess. She felt Rhea’s piercing swirl around her clit, enticing desperate moans from the depths of her soul to rip from her throat. Liv could feel her orgasm approaching quickly, her legs beginning to shake around Rhea’s head as a result. 

“You gonna cum for me, sweetheart?” Rhea hummed into Liv’s folds as she continued the assault with her mouth, drunk off of the taste of her. 

Liv nodded dumbly, unable to even form a coherent thought. “Yes- yeah… oh fuck, Rhea.” she babbles, hips stuttering with every grind. 

“Go ahead, baby. All on my face… every last fuckin’ drop.” Rhea slurs, her words melting into one another. She gripped the flesh of Liv’s ass tighter while holding her against her face as she intensified the motions of her mouth, determined to make her cum in ways Dominik could only dream of. 

Liv does exactly as Rhea asks, eyes rolling back into her head and jaw going slack as she cums. One of her hands released Rhea’s hair and began to strangle the bed sheets surrounding her, twisting and wrinkling them in her vice-like grip. Rhea continued to lap at Liv’s clit as she re-inserted a finger into her, pumping at a steady pace. Liv could barely think as her legs spasmed from the aftershocks of her orgasm. She clenched around Rhea’s finger, hot white lights beginning to blind her vision as Rhea continued to stimulate her. 

Rhea finally removed her fingers from her still leaking hole before Liv rolled off of her and sank into the plush pillows of the mattress. She looked over to Rhea who had brought her fingers up to Liv’s lips which of course she opened welcomingly. Rhea watched in admiration as Liv sucked her juices off of her fingers with closed eyes. She had entered a euphoric state as her mind began to settle. Liv opened her eyes after hearing the soft groan Rhea had let out at the sight of her fingers down Liv’s throat as she continued to clean her up, not wasting a single drop.  Liv nearly orgasmed again when she saw the entire lower half of Rhea's face absolutely soaked with her sweet juices. 

Rhea leans in to kiss her deeply, allowing Liv to taste herself one last time before pulling back with a smile. “Stay here.” she says, mischief blooming in her eyes. Liv nods obediently, she would probably do anything Rhea asked after an orgasm like that. She watches Rhea roll off the bed and walk into the bathroom, enjoying the view as she walks out of the room. Liv hears Rhea rummaging around her belongings softly and wonders what she may be searching for. She had almost fully recovered from her orgasm when Rhea walked back in. Liv turns to face her and feels her jaw drop when she sees what sits on her hips. 

Rhea walks in with a purple silicone strap-on attached to a black harness strapped to her hips. She pauses at the foot of the bed and nods her head at Liv, a silent is this okay? Liv’s face breaks out into a smile and nods back eagerly. 

Rhea grabs her legs and pulls her closer to the edge of the bed before climbing on. She kneels between Liv’s legs and spreads them wide, positioning the tip of her strap to just barely tease her entrance. She runs her cock up and down Liv’s slit, collecting her essence. Rhea leans down and spits right where she and Liv meet. Liv’s breath hitches when she feels it hit her pussy and looks up at Rhea with pleading eyes. 

“Please.” Liv  begs. She almost sounds like she’s on the verge of tears with how desperate she is. Rhea feels her pride swell seeing her like this.

“Please what?” she asks cockily, throwing Liv’s earlier question back at her. Her thumb slides up Liv’s thigh and settles on her clit and begins to rub slow circles, almost in an attempt to coax the answer out of her. 

Liv’s chest heaves at Rhea's ministrations, her mouth falling open slowly and her eyes glued to where Rhea stimulates her. “Fuck me. Please just fuck me… I’ll do anything.” she pleads as she rips her eyes from Rhea’s fingers and returns them to her piercing blue eyes. 

Rhea smirks in satisfaction. She removes her fingers and Liv whimpers at the loss of contact. Rhea decides to compensate by slowly pushing her cock into Liv’s aching cunt, letting out a strained exhale as she does. It takes all of Rhea’s willpower not to fuck into her like an animal at the sound of the prolonged whine Liv lets out as Rhea’s strap stretches her out. Rhea thrusts into her at a slow pace, allowing Liv to adjust to the feeling of having herself filled to the brim over and over again. 

“Faster, please.” Liv breathes. Her nails dig into the skin of Rhea’s biceps in almost painful anticipation. The arousal Rhea felt while seeing her like this couldn’t be compared to any other sentiment on the planet. The way her blonde hair unfurled around her hair like a halo, she looked like an angel. An angel that Rhea couldn’t wait to ruin. 

Rhea increases the speed of her thrusts, bottoming out in Liv’s cunt with each one. Liv’s eyes rolled into the back of her head, mouth agape with the most sinful noises spilling from her parted lips. The backs of her thighs began to ache with the constant slapping of Rhea’s skin against hers, her speed never slowing except to torture the poor woman. The squelches of Liv’s juices dripping from her weeping hole from each thrust made her head spin as they stained the sheets below her trembling body. A sheer creamy ring of white forms at the base of Rhea’s strap. How long has it been? It felt like an eternity, the way the pleasure seemed never-ending as Rhea continued to ravage her body like a woman possessed. 

Liv couldn't do anything but moan Rhea’s name and make pitiful attempts at forming sentences, her words dissolving into whimpers in a matter of seconds. It should be embarrassing, really. And part of her was embarrassed. Embarrassed that she had let mortal enemy have her like this after 2 years of denying herself what she knew would be a destructive paradise. 

“This was what you wanted, wasn’t it?” Rhea sneered down at the blonde, her voice dripping with malice yet adoration. Her thick accent overtaken by a harsh rasp, sweat forming on her brow and dampening her hair slightly. “You came all the way over here with your stupid little fucking apology prepared just to end up like this, didn’t you?” she pants. Her muscles bulged and glistened with sweat, her back adorned in angry red scratch marks, courtesy of the woman underneath her, to accompany the ink on her skin. 

Liv made another measly attempt at responding to yet another one of her degrading comments but her mind seemed to short circuit as Rhea pressed into her even more, nearly folding her in half the same way she pinned her opponents in the ring. Liv cried out in pleasure, causing Rhea to laugh at her. Her sharp canines were on display, looking as happy as ever knowing that she was the only person who could get Liv like this. Liv could lie and pretend all she wanted with Dominik but they both knew that he couldn’t hold a candle to how Rhea made her feel.

Liv looked over at the mirror beside the bed, seeing exactly how fucked out she was folded up beneath the very woman she swore that she hated, watching as she let her do whatever she wanted to her. Rhea grabbed her face with a heavily inked hand, forcing Liv’s face in the direction of the mirror. 

“My god, look at you… look at how much of a slut you are. Just a stupid, needy fucktoy for Mami to use whenever she wants, aren't you baby?” she cooed, leaning down to kiss and lick at Liv’s neck. She’ll never get over the taste of her. Sweet, tangy, carnal, hers. All hers. 

Liv’s eyes meet Rhea’s piercing blue ones in the mirror, her body aching with pleasure and fatigue but still managed to nod along pathetically to her words. “M’all yours, Mami… all yours.” she whimpered. 

Liv watches Rhea’s eyes light up at her confession. “That's right babe… this is all for you, I’m doing this all for you. Fuckin’ love this body… this pussy… this face.” Rhea says, her words slightly slurred. Her thrusts began to stutter, the piston of her hips becoming erratic as she chased her high the same as Liv did. Her strap fills Liv to the brim and stretches her out until she's delirious while the back of it hits Rhea’s clit just right with every stroke, her moans and pants mingled with hers. 

“Fuck m’gonna cum…” she whispers, not trusting her voice because she knew that it would come out as a whimper pathetic enough to rival Liv’s as she replies with a strangled “me too”, gripping onto Rhea’s shoulders for stability, biceps flexing as she holds herself up. 

“Wanna ride you.” Liv mumbles. Her words are almost impossible to understand with the way her moans overpowered them but Rhea was still able to somehow comprehend her. She nods and pulls out before being quickly shoved back against the pillows. Liv mounts her lap and sinks back down onto her cock in a frenzy, a mix of whimpers and Rhea’s name spilling from her lips uncontrollably. 

“Shit, baby… look at you. So fuckin’ worked up over me, aren’t you? Taking my cock so fucking good… like you were made for it.” Rhea praises, looking up at Liv in awe. Liv’s head was tossed back, tits bouncing as she rode Rhea fiercely. She slows her movements to grind down on Rhea’s hips. The back of the toy rubbed against Rhea’s piercing, making her almost incoherent. Rhea grips Liv’s hips and fucks up into her, matching her movements. 

“That's it baby, give it to me. Come on… show me how fucking bad you want it.” Rhea grits, kissing at Liv’s neck as she does. Liv intensifies her movements at Rhea’s words, her face contorting in pleasure. 

“Fuck, Rhea, right there… god, I’m so close.” Liv whines. Her thighs ached but she deemed it worth it with the amount of pleasure she was experiencing. 

“I know you are, baby, I know. You’re being so fucking good for me, angel. C’mon, give it to me… cum all over my cock.” Rhea purrs, her accent like velvet. 

Liv’s eyes roll back as she feels heat bloom in the pit of her belly. Her second orgasm hits her like a freight train. She cums with a loud cry, her body spasming as she curls herself into Rhea’s arms, burying her face into her neck. Rhea strokes her back and smooths her hair, kissing her shoulder softly until Liv finally stops shaking. Rhea gently lifts Liv up off of her lap just enough to pull the strap out of her and returns her to her previous position. 

They sit there for a moment, holding each other. The silence around them isn’t deafening like it once was, but is now tranquil. It lulls their racing heartbeats and sharp breaths as they melt into each other’s embrace. Liv pushes herself off of Rhea’s body, eyes heavy with fatigue and something else Rhea can’t identify. 

“You okay?” Rhea asks softly, hoping she wasn’t too rough. 

Liv nods with a gentle smile. She was more than just okay, really. She tilts her head slightly and gazes at Rhea, a realization having hit her. “You didn’t get to finish.” she points out. 

Rhea smiles, touched by her thoughtfulness. “That’s alright. I’m more than satisfied.” she reassures her. Sure, she was very close earlier but the contented bliss she felt at the moment made up for the lack of orgasm in her mind.

Liv shook her head in protest. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she actually owed Rhea something. “Please let me.” she says in a soft voice, her index finger following the tattooed lines on Rhea’s forearm. She doesn’t need to specify what she wants to do. Unspoken communication had been one of the things she and Rhea had been the best at back when they were a team.  

Rhea sees the genuine tenderness painted across Liv’s features and agrees. Liv rolls off of her before Rhea attempts to undo the harness around her hips before she’s stopped by Liv’s hands. Liv motions for her to shift down the bed and lay back completely before she unfastens the harness with ease, sliding it down Rhea’s legs and tossing it to the side of the bed. She positions herself on her stomach between Rhea’s legs, bringing them over her shoulders so they could rest there. Rhea’s cunt is coated in her own arousal accumulated from being inside of Liv for so long. Liv plants a sweet kiss right on Rhea’s clit before beginning to devour her. 

Rhea’s back arches up off the bed when she feels Liv’s tongue swirl over her swollen clit and the jewelry that embellished it. Her fingers found themselves gripping Liv’s hair, pulling lightly as she moaned her name sweetly. Liv inserts a finger into her hole and pistons in and out of her gently while sucking on her pearl. Every move she makes is meticulous. Every lick, every suck, every penetration isn’t without intention. Liv isn’t in any rush to make Rhea cum, in fact she wants her to savor it for as long as possible. However, she isn’t surprised when she does in only a matter of moments. Rhea mewls Liv’s name and nothing else as she climaxes around her fingers, like her name is the only thing she can think of when finally arriving to a state of everlasting ecstasy. She’s far quieter than Liv but Liv feels that her noises mean so much more than her own do. 

Liv remains between Rhea’s thighs, placing small kisses here and there until Rhea finally catches her breath. She crawls back up to join her where she lay and places her head on Rhea’s chest, kissing it when she does. Liv listens to Rhea’s heartbeat slowly return to its normal steady pace. This all feels so intimate. 

“You wanna spend the night?” Rhea asks quietly, her voice almost a whisper. She doesn’t really even fully understand why she’s asking, considering she and Liv technically still hate each other. But she would be an even bigger asshole if she made her cry, fucked the everloving shit out of her, and then kicked her out. The last thing she needed was to give Liv yet another reason to want her dead. 

“Sure.” Liv replies, equally surprised at both the question and her answer. She rolls off the bed and follows Rhea into her hotel bathroom, unable to ignore he dull ache in her thighs from the vigor which Rhea fucked her with. 

Inside the shower, they take turns washing each other. Nothing else in the world seemed to matter besides them in that very moment together. The warm water washed away the soap on their bodies and any residue the kisses they were unable to stop giving each other had left behind. After they had dried off, Rhea let Liv borrow another one of her shirts for the night before climbing into bed together. 

Liv nestles herself into Rhea, inhaling the smell of laundry detergent and body wash as she did so. Rhea wraps her arms around her as well and holds her close. They lay in the dark room quietly for a few minutes before Rhea breaks the silence. 

“So… are we ever going to talk about this?” she asks, a bit apprehensive of what this would mean for not only their relationship but Liv’s relationship with Dominik as well.

Liv thinks to herself for a moment, unsure of how to go about things as well. “I’m not sure, to be honest. But don’t think this means that I forgive you for everything you’ve done.” she says.

Rhea chuckles, and the sound warms Liv’s heart more than she’d like to admit. “I know. And I still want my title back.” she responds, unable to hide the smile in her voice.

“Oh, I’m sure you do.” Liv giggles. 

They sigh, feeling satisfied and fulfilled. They both knew that this was only a matter of time coming. It was honestly a miracle they were able to hold off for as long as they did because one thing was for sure: they would never stop coming back to each other. 

── •✧• ──

[srslylini]

I have some thoughts about the idea of forgiveness and moving on we see in media and fans. The thoughts mostly come from being in therapy and spending time with people who specialize in those fields and helped me come to terms with my own pain.

This can very well be taken in general but is mostly about Vi.

Right. So.

Vi is a genuinely interesting character, who has gone through hell and back to put it lightly. She lives in conditions in the undercity that has people who don't live in them wear masks to handle them. She grew up and saw her parents die, which means she had to step up. Vander did adopt her, her sister, Mylo and Claggor but Vander still put a lot of responsibilities on Vi. She was told she cannot be selfish when people look up to her.

Then, of course, the entire act 1 of season 1 happens, which in itself is already very much and not something that should have ever happened to anyone, let alone a kid/teenager. She then, on TOP of all of this, got thrown into Stillwater after seeing her entire family die (and presumed Powder also as dead, although she continued to hope), where she was canonically beaten, starved, put into isolation and... the rest is up to interpretation because I guess the writers did not care. But that interpretation is not a good one.

What I am trying to say with all of this is that Vi has been put through so much by the system and by people (Enforcers get a special mention here) all around her.

This gets me to the point. I see a lot of people, the writers themself even, talk about how Vi needs to (or already did) forgive and move on. And I just wonder where this idea comes from?

In all my time in therapy, no matter what and who I talked about, you know what I have never heard? That I need to forgive.

What I heard instead was rather close to this:

"What happened was not your fault. It happened and can't be changed. But there is still something you can do, because you stand here now. You can imagine yourself back then and guide yourself. Hold yourself and tell the younger version of you that what happened isn't ever going to be fine but that you are still here and that you need to be kind to yourself." She told me "take the hand of your younger version and walk her through it because in the end it will have always happened but you can choose to help yourself"

There is a lot more she told me, but that is between her and me. What I am trying to say with this is that not once did I ever get told that I need to forgive the people involved. I am also not trying to say that doing this works for everyone, because health does not work this way. The point I am making is that I find it incredibly weird that we came to the point of saying that the only way to let go is to forgive, when that could not be further from the truth.

I would say understanding it happened and being kind to yourself does a lot more than trying to forgive people who hurt you so much that it ends in you being broken to what seems beyond repair (it isn't I have learned that much, lol). That's what my therapist taught me.

Which brings me back to Vi and why I find the notion of "she needs to forgive and move on to get better" or the writers writing "she forgave and moved on" so weird.

What happened to her is not something that can be forgiven. And... that is okay. Or it should be okay. But for some reason it isn't?

I mean if you can and want to forgive that is for you to do but to say that it is a (or even THE) way to move on does not sit right with me. At all.

[alittlebitofloveliness]

Why wouldn’t Dally die if only Ponyboy had died, as you mentioned in one of your previous posts?

(Not in a “you’re incorrect” way but in a “I like reading your exposition pieces and this intrigued me, also I wholeheartedly agree but don’t have the words to explain it myself” way)

Hehehehe thank you for this ask anon! Anyone who wants context can find the post that anon is referring to here.

Let's get right into it. Why wouldn't Dally die if only Ponyboy died? Well, quite simply, because Ponyboy isn't Johnny, and thus is not put on a pedestal by Dallas the way Johnny is.

That isn’t to say Dally doesn’t care about Ponyboy. He very clearly does, Ponyboy just doesn’t notice it much, probably because Dally’s care for Ponyboy manifests in the complete opposite manner of his care for Johnny. 

Dally’s soft side is reserved for Johnny and Johnny alone, as we’re shown over and over throughout the book. In moments when they’re alone or almost alone we get glimpses of this, from letting Johnny sleep in his room at Bucks, to hiding Johnny without question, to speaking to him in a ‘low pleading voice’ when he’s trying to reason with him. He drags Johnny out of a burning building, and cries over his death 1. Dally knows Johnny is already well aware of all the worst brutalities of the world- he doesn’t need to toughen up or get wise because he already is. What Johnny needs is a reason to live, and to experience some good in the world so he doesn’t forget good things exist and end up cold and mean and jaded like Dallas. To Dally, Johnny’s whole existence is his last true belief that goodness exists in the world, more specifically that good exists in humanity. Poor little beat up tough greaser Johnny Cade is proof that the entirety of the world isn’t evil 100% of the time, because he has every reason to be horrible at every minute of every day and he isn't. Johnny is Dally’s reason to live, because he gives him hope. Johnny has nothing, has grown up being nothing, lives life being looked down on and beaten and he is still not a monster. To Dally, I think this makes Johnny the most important thing in the world. He loves him immensely. Keeping Johnny Johnny is probably the thing he strives to ensure the most. In his own way, Dally is trying to keep Johnny 'gold'. When Johnny dies and Dally starts to unravel, this outlook is the first thing he starts to question and lament. 2.  Before, Dally thought the worst thing in the world would be Johnny turning hard and mean. Then Johnny dies, and he realises THIS is the worst thing in the world, because his world is no longer his world anymore. It would have been better, Dallas thinks, for the goodness in Johnny to be snuffed out but Johnny himself to still be here, instead of Johnny being gone altogether, but by then it’s too late. Johnny is gone, the last of Dally’s faith in humanity is gone, and he has no illusions about the world and nothing left to live for. Without Johnny, Dally literally can’t exist.

Dally’s relationship with Ponyboy is very different. He’s protective sure- he gives Pony his jacket, something I’ve written about as a symbol of Dally’s protectiveness before. He doesn't tell Soda where Pony is hiding out, and part of that was because Pony asked him not to. He looks out for Pony, would back him in a rumble like he would any of the gang, and probably threaten a soc or two on his behalf. But Dally does not view Ponyboy a symbol of goodness and humanity the way he views Johnny, so he has no reason to be soft with him in the same way. In fact, I think Dally probably views Pony as somewhat coddled. Ponyboy has Soda to be soft with him and Darry to parent him. Dally doesn’t need to be soft with Ponyboy, because there are others who are, and because Pony’s home life is so much easier than Johnny’s has ever been. I think in Dally’s mind, the best way for him to protect Ponyboy IS to get him to toughen up, get him to learn to look out for himself and get his head out of the clouds. Ponyboy mentions at the drive in, when Johnny tells Dally to leave Cherry alone, that Dally would have hit alone else in the gang who said that- including Pony himself. 3. I don’t think he was wrong. I think Dally might have absolutely taken a swing at Ponyboy if he’d mouthed off instead of Johnny, and if he didn’t it would probably only be because Dally is wary of Darry. Dally couldn’t ever hit Johnny and not only because he’s the pet, but Dally absolutely could and would hit Ponyboy. Probably not hard, not a lot, and probably not often, but Dally was a hood in the 60s. He canonically jumps children, and him and his friend Tim Shepard break each others ribs and grin about it. The gang play fight and tussle. Darry almost broke Steve’s jaw after the all brawn and no brain comment- that was no play fight, it was getting even. If Dally ever felt the need to get even with Ponyboy, I think he’d absolutely hit him. It’s how the gang settles conflicts, physical violence as a punishment was way more common and even acceptable in the 60s, and is simply a normal part of the world Pony and Dally exist in.  Point is, Dally cares for Ponyboy, and he’s protective over him because he's incredibly loyal and because Pony is the baby of the gang, but he doesn’t represent humanity or goodness to him the way Johnny does. He’s not Dally’s reason to keep living. To Dally, Ponyboy represent childish naivety, the kind that gets you killed or gets beat out of you at an early age. Since he doesn’t want Pony to die, he’s basically doing his best to beat said naivety out of him without completely driving Pony away. 

All this to say, if Pony died instead of Johnny, Dallas would be able to handle it. I think he’d almost expect it in a way. Sure, he’d be devastated, as would the rest of the gang, but Dally is resilient. We don’t get much of his backstory, but clearly he has survived more than a few hardships in his short life. If Pony died he might get harsher, meaner, and colder than ever, but he would survive. He’d try and support Darry and Soda in their grief, would probably jump a few innocents to vent his feelings, but if it was just Pony that had died, Dally could and would theoretically survive the novel.

Of course, based on my last post, we know that had Pony died, JOHNNY would have broken down and completed a version of Dally’s final arc, and thus whether Johnny or Pony die in the fire Dally is doomed, because in both scenarios Johnny dies, and Dally loses his reason to keep living. 

It’s kind of the hallmark of him as a character: like Johnny, he’s been dead since the beginning, doomed from the first page. If Dally doesn't die, there's no story in the first place.

It's always going to be a tragedy.

Whirling suddenly, he slammed back against the wall. His face contracted in agony, and sweat streamed down his face. "Damnit, Johnny…" he begged, slamming one fist against the wall, hammering it to make it obey his will. "Oh, damnit, Johnny, don't die, please don't die…"

"I was crazy, you know that, kid? Crazy for wantin' Johnny to stay outa trouble, for not wantin' him to get hard. If he'd been like me he'd never have been in this mess. If he'd got smart like me he'd never have run into that church. That's what you get for helpin' people. Editorials in the paper and a lot of trouble.... You'd better wise up, Pony... you get tough like me and you don't get hurt. You look out for yourself and nothin' can touch you..."

“Dallas scowled for a second. If it had been me, or Two-Bit, or Soda or Steve, or anyone but Johnny, Dally would have flattened him without a moment's hesitation. You just didn't tell Dally Winston what to do. One time, in a dime store, a guy told him to move over at the candy counter. Dally had turned around and belted him so hard it knocked a tooth loose. A complete stranger, too. But Johnny was the gang's pet, and Dally just couldn't hit him.”

[romirola]

Headcanons for the Shaw Pack's Ideal Vacations

Inspired by Asher's excitement over the honeymoon cruise. (Oh, best beta boi. I am so happy you are having lots of fun, but I do not understand how anyone tolerates, let alone enjoys, a cruise.)

David: A week away with Angel at the pack cabin. It's far enough away to disconnect from the real world, but close enough so David wouldn't feel completely isolated or unable to reach a pack member if there were an emergency. David likes an active vacation: hikes, swims, etc. Spending uninterrupted, quality time together with his mate is difficult. David adores the chance to put his responsibilities on pause (he struggles with that, but he'd getting better) and focus solely on Angel.

Angel: An adventure to somewhere they've never been. Angel is all about the expierience, especially when it comes to new places. They love trekking their own path, exploring all a new region has to offer, whether it be a cozy cafe, a historic landmark, a little-known cottage off the beaten path, or whatever else they might find along the way with David.

Asher: A cruise, for the reasons listed in his latest video. Look, I don't get it in the slightest, but Asher loves it and that's what's important. All aboard!

Babe: A staycation. As up for travel as Babe is, being able to curl up in their home, turn off their work devices, and enjoy their time is the epitome of relaxation and vacation. Dahlia has a lot to offer, but Babe often finds themselves so busy with work, they don't get to take advantage of the area. On a staycation, however, Babe gets the opportunity to be a tourist in their own home, and it's glorious. They and Asher get to hit all the fun spots, but have the added bonus of knowing exactly where they are, what to do to get the most out of the day, and know that their own bed (as well as their husband) will be waiting for them at the end of the day.

Milo: International tour. As a child, Milo always dreamt of seeing the world and getting to expierience a variety of cultures, so taking a few weeks to tour a handful of countries would be the perfect getaway for him. He studies up on the history and language before departing so he can get the most out of the trip, making sure to hit all the cultural hotspots, sampling all the quintessential food, and taking a billion pictures of everything (including Sweetheart) that he can show Marie when he returns home.

Sweetheart: A long, luxurious weekend in a different city. Although at home Sweetheart resists even the most basic of indulgences out of dedication and practicality, once they are on a (rare) vacation, they transform into someone who craves pampering and luxury of all kinds. They explore a good mix of touristy sights (museums! theatre! zoo! etc!) as well as having some free time to wander around with Milo and see what they find together.

Darling and Sam: Camping in a remote area in the woods. Darling loves getting in touch with their wild side. Spending some time off the grid helps them reset and recharge. They love being able to forget about covert, shifting into and out of their wolf form with ease. The dense forest also acts as a great coverage from the sun for Sam, which makes their trip even better. Sam enjoys the isolation and peace that comes with being in nature with his mate and no one else. He digs into the vampire side of himself, unencumbered by social strictures or vampire politics. At night, after a hunt or run, they lay on the ground and stargaze together.

[gg-neptune]

Sevy Helping with a Flare Up

A/N: So, this is based off my struggle with the illness' I have. I have a few that they just make it hard to function sometimes and life all around painful. I usually have to just push through, but I hope this can bring comfort to anyone else who struggles with chronic illness as well or if your just tired. I know this can't be specific to everyone so I based it off mine and my struggles I am sorry if you cannot relate. This is more of what I wish someone would do to me when I wake up and feel like ughhhhhhhhhhh. I hope you enjoy <3333. Thank you for all the support feedback is welcome :))

Word: 1.0k

He would do everything he could think of for you

Acts of Service king

He wants to lighten your load and make things easier for you in general

When you have a flare up or it’s just a bad day, he’s all over trying to do everything he can to help you

Want a bath? He’s already got it run. Want a massage? He’s got a massage bed, don't ask where from? Want food? Five course meals eat as much or as little as you want. Want to complain? He’s a licensed therapist.

You simply want to lay in bed and let tears slowly drip down your face as you contemplate the point of continuing life if this is what your life will be like? He will be there holding you in his arms wiping away your tears pressing a kiss or two to your face reassuring you that this is going to pass.

He always is on you about taking your meds too

He always remembers

And any potion he can possibly think of that will help you he will brew immediately and have a stock of it at all times if it proves to be helpful

If you have headaches, he will be quieter than you knew a human could

His chest is always open to you, and you are always welcome to come rest your head upon it when music it too loud, but you need some noise

Recently it seemed as if your body had been slowing down

Every movement took so much out of you it was a struggle to move your limbs not to mention the pain shooting through your body when you would make a bigger movement than usual

The overwhelming feeling of fatigue was taking over your body as well after being in so much pain for almost 2 weeks by now with no sign of it getting better your body was giving out

So, when you awoke on that warm Monday morning attempting to sit up and immediately feeling a pain shoot through your lower back up to your shoulder through your elbow you knew you were screwed

Whining at the feeling you try to stretch a bit to alleviate the pain to no avail

Severus moves at the sound of you being in pain, immediately being awoken

“Are you ok?” He asks gently, bringing his hand up to rub circles over your shoulders

“Do I sound ok to you?” you respond in a snippy voice. The immediate pain first thing in the morning putting you in a foul mood

He winced at the sound of your voice, “What hurts?”

“Everything,” you groan out before easing your way back down into the bed resting your head on the pillow, pulling the covers over your head. “I just don’t feel good, sorry I’m being pissy.”

“It’s ok, I understand It’s not your fault.”

“It’s no excuse.”

The man leans down over you putting part of his weight on you hoping to help you, “I forgive you it’s ok.” He gently whispers in your ear his warm breath casting over your ear tickling you slightly

You simply hum in response not having the energy to respond to him fully, your head was aching dully it was like your body had been beaten and was now bruised and recovering, but it would forever be recovering, never healing

“Do you want some breakfast,” his deep voice asked you gently, his hands now running lightly through your hair which in response you swatted him away not wanting your tender head to be touched

“No, I feel like I’m going to be sick,” the thought of any type of food getting anywhere near you immediately making bile raise in your throat luckily you were able to swallow it back down

“Do you want me to just leave you alone and let you sleep,” he asked sarcastically a hint of knowing in his voice though already aware what your response would be

“I have classes to teach today.”

“I’ll tell Albus he’ll find someone to cover just go back to sleep alright? Let me take care of it I’ll be back in a moment,” he whispers to you before pressing a gentle kiss to your lips savoring every second and then carefully removing himself from on top of you, tucking you in making sure the blankets fully covered you

You stare into the abyss for a while not being able to fall asleep for quite a while, despite your exhaustion and desperation to sleep and to rest your body would not go to sleep, so instead you opt for staring into the wall

Music would be too loud right now, but the silence is deafening

Finally, you hear Severus enter quietly, his footsteps light and soft in case you were asleep

He carefully peeks into your shared bedroom to see if you were asleep

“Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“Can’t,” you grumble out irritably before rising up slowly, some of the pain having subsided by now allowing you to get out of bed

Almost until you stand and suddenly all of the blood in your head rushes out of your head and you immediately start to sway, this has happened so many times however you are used to locking up and steadying yourself

Severus will quickly realize this and rush to your size placing his hand on your power back to steady you and his other hand on your shoulder. He supported you until you were able to stand on your own still helping you to the couch borderline carrying

You make your way to the couch (with his help) and tuck your legs underneath you, trying to retain heat in the cold room

“Would you like me to run you a bath,” he asks still talking quietly not wanting to hurt your head

You nod the thought of the warmth of the water enveloping being very comforting and soothing right now

He has one of his fists clenched as he walks over to you, he holds it out to you

"What is that?"

"Your pills," he states. You had forgotten about them completely. Dropping them in your hand before going to run your bath.

Situating yourself in the water allowing it to wash away some of the dull aching all over, Severus say crisscrossed right outside leaning his head against his hand

“I wish there was more I could do for you,” he said quietly his voice laced with empathy the thought of you being in pain and him not doing enough not being a comforting idea for him

“You do more for me than I would’ve ever done for me.”

[tokyo-daaaamn-ji-gang]

whatr would kazutora do if draken mugged/jumped him and took him to the toman?

(Ok this got very long and is basically a whole au on the rest of the valhalla arc so be warned before reading)

Well Kazutora would definitely be fighting against Draken the whole time, he wouldn't want to go wherever Draken is taking him and would likely assume he's bringing him straight to Mikey so Mikey can kill Kazutora or something. (Even though Kazutora does seem to have at least a bit of trust in Draken, enough to agree to meet him alone and listen to him. This would go as soon as Draken grabbed him). However I think Draken would avoid taking him to Mikey, instead realising that could go very wrong and so would probably take him to one of the toman hideouts we see. Kazutora would still be fighting to try and get away but would also be suspicious, if this was a plot to kill him then why bring him here? Why not get it over with?

Draken's plan would probably involve keeping Kazutora there so that he misses the fight, a way of avoiding Kazutora and Mikey clashing and a way to keep Draken's two friends safe from each other. He'd likely use this time to talk to Kazutora more and would treat him well (aside from the whole he can't leave thing). He'd likely also have Mitsuya and Peh there to talk to Kazutora too. With Baji also being part of the plot and talking a lot with Kazutora too during this time. I also think it would be cool if Emma also spoke with Kazutora during this time (we never hear her feelings on Kazutora but I'm sure she forgave him for the mistake). Kazutora getting to hear that Emma forgives him would probably do a lot for him. But of course Draken and the others would have to leave when it's time for the fight, even with Kazutora gone toman would still need all it's strongest guys to go up against valhalla (who would be very confused as to where their no3 is). Kazutora gets locked in during the fight, Baji doesn't die, Kisaki gets very injured but Baji doesn't kill him and valhalla loses.

After all that toman's main goal is to fix things between Kazutora and Mikey. Kazutora's already had a lot of time to think and has been surrounded by positive influences telling him that Mikey isn't his enemy and how much they care for him. Meanwhile Baji shows Mikey the toman charm and reminds him of what this gang is for (this may work a bit better if Baji was injured during the fight). Both Mikey and Kazutora are having doubts and changing the way they think but it's not enough yet. They do let Kazutora leave though since they couldn't keep him that long and he isn't a threat anymore, not enough to attack Mikey anyway.

Meanwhile Hanma and what's left of valhalla are angry and most of this anger is directed at Kazutora since he 'abandoned' them. Hanma himself did say that anyone getting scared and running off wouldn't be tolerated and that seems like what Kazutora did... Hanma even know where Kazutora lives (we see this in Kazutora's birthday art). So it's easy for valhalla to target Kazutora and go after him and unfortunately Kazutora can't fight all those guys at once. But at the same time Mikey decided he needs to talk to Kazutora himself, to figure out I things really have changed with him and to find out why he wasn't at the fight. Mikey finds Kazutora being beaten up by a bunch of valhalla guys and loses it, taking every one of them out then waiting for Kazutora to wake up. When he does they both realise how familiar this scene is, it's like when they first bonded with each other. And it makes them realise that they're still the same kids both of them made friends with. This doesn't magically fix everything but they're both willing to put the work in now. Kazutora still agrees to attend therapy, Mikey is still a bit unsure but does invite Kazutora back to toman (Kisaki's 3rd division role is now open and Pah would be more then happen for Kazutora to take over, Peh enthusiastically tells them this). And everything goes well for toman.....at least until the black dragons mess with Takemichi and a whole new war starts (plus Kisaki gets out of hospital and starts scheming again).

[potofsoup]

So.... I kind of accidentally fell into a Batfam fic hole for the past 3+ months and ... ::checks:: read >1000 fics??? Ooops?

Anyway, a fic rec list below the cut -- don't think anything is particularly surprising for anyone who is actually in the batfam fandom, since I stuck to the greatest hits, but in case you're like "Soup, how did you fall into a hole this deep for this long", under the cut are ~20 fics, organized by length. Mostly Tim-centric hurt/comfort because I'm basic like that. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

- Hot Cat on a Tin Roof by Arsenic (4k) This one is super cute -- basically Tim is an omega who has been hiding his heats because his parents were shit and never taught him otherwise, but then Jason finds out and of course mother-hens aggressively.

- phantom pain by envysparkler (5k) A great entry in the category of "Jason finds out that Tim's home life is miserable" -- in this case, he finds out that Tim's dad beats him through an accidental pain transference spell. Tim's dad gets his comeuppance.

- transaction by envysparkler (7k) The one where kid!Tim is touch-starved and goes to pay prostitute!Jason for hugs.

- The Second Stage by nightwalker (8k) Short and full of feels: basically Tim is touch-starved and determined not to bleed on anyone. Unfortunately his family finds out and he gets lots of cuddles.

- Brother Wanted by Vamillepudding (11k) Hilarious one where Tim puts out an ad for a brother and Jason accidentally answers. I love the little!Tim characterization here.

- 1-800-ROBIN by spqr (12k) A great entry in the "Jason Todd finds out and forcibly adopts Tim into the Batfam" category, all told through a series of phone calls. Great Jason Todd voice.

- Our Bodies & Other Fine Machines by SilverSkiesAtMidnight (13k) Tim's parents remain horrible! In this one, they make Tim food-insecure by cutting his food-buying budget and Tim, of course, tries to solve the problem himself. Eventually people figure it out and Tim ends up in a much better place.

- Tell Me I Am by potofrogs (15k) Basically trans!Tim gets kidnapped by Ras and made his "queen", saves himself and comes back to Gotham, and ... manages to recover, confront the Bats and stake out his own life in a generally healthy manner?!! I like that in this one, he doesn't immediately fall back into the Batfam gravity well and instead figures out what he actually wants.

- A Meditation on Railroading by eggmacguffin (25k) Wow this is an amazing fic about gaslighting. It's about Tim being abandoned in Atlanta by his shitty dad and deciding to train-hop his way home. I feel like I understand gaslighting better now.

- The Lone Ranger Never Had to Deal with Bruce Wayne by theskeptileptic (25k) This is a fic where Tim plans to fake his own death and run away to Canada to start a new life. Features hilarious little!Tim logic -- I love how his plans are both very smart but also very stupid at the same time, because he's 11.

- Missed Calls by nightwalker (26k) 5 times that Tim's dad didn't pick up the phone and one time he did. A particularly good rendition of the "Tim's parents are neglectful" trope. A good 5+1 really explores the range of the premise, and this fic delivers.

- His Head is Bloody, but Unbowed by gunpowder_and_pearls (26k) A great Jason POV fic! I love the way this fic captures what Jason's life would be like if he didn't end up getting adopted by Bruce -- the precariousness of trying to hold down two jobs as a 16-year-old and also dealing with a not-healthy home life. (It's okay, he befriends Nightwing and Robin)

- exception by cassiopeia721 (27k) A good character piece where Tim is taught that he's the "exception" -- exceptionally bright and mature, and therefore "kid" rules don't apply to him. Which doesn't do well for his emotional development, of course, as he deals with family neglect and also getting beaten up by Jason Todd.

- a Robin by any other name by redrobin1989 (33k) I love me some identity porn, and in this one, Tim still becomes Robin but refuses to tell Batman who he is. It really does some fun stuff with the "Batman and Tim!Robin is just a professional relationship" premise. (They figure it out in the end)

- Red Letter Day by silverwhittlingknife (41k, 9/? chapters) This is a wip, but deffo worth reading! Basically Dick is trying to be single-parent to Damian and barely keeping all the balls in the air. There's a mysterious calendar date that's marked as super important but he can't remember what it is. He thinks it's for Damian (but it's pretty clear by chapter 2 that it's for Tim). It's got an interesting Dick & Tim dynamic in that they hang out and obviously care about each other, but also there's too many things left unsaid (but Dick is really trying his best!)

- Banshee In A Well by liverobinreaction (bugbee) (43k) In this one, Tim keeps dying and coming back to life. It doesn't leave any emotional trauma around self-worth at all, no sirree. Nor does it feed into Tim's self-sacrifice tendencies at all, either, of course not.

- Dead Boys Don't Scream by Year_of_Summer (49k, 15/26 chapters) Wow I love this fic. Tim feeling neglected by Batfam? check. Tim running off and trying to solve problems himself with an overly-convoluted plan and zero survival instinct? check. Tim making friends despite himself? check. Super cool siren/merpeople mythology? check. All the angst upon Tim's return? check. This fic hasn't hit the comfort part of hurt/comfort, but it's expertly written and I definitely trust the author to deliver! Definitely worth a subscribe.

- The Return by lurkinglurkerwholurks (52k) So lots of fics have this arc of "Tim feels shut out from the Batfam and eventually does something so drastic that the Batfam is forced confront their issues." Which I love! But sometimes I want the Batfam to notice earlier, for them to try to fix things but it's hard and rocky because they're different people with different traumas and hangups. This fic delivers beautifully.

- buy back the secrets by sundiscus (71k, 5/6 chapters) I love the characterizations in this one, particularly Kon! It's a super cute Tim/Kon fic where Kon doesn't know that Tim is Red Robin. Great plotting, too! It only has 1 more chapter to go, so you know things are going to be resolved and okay :)

- Northern Attitude (I Was Raised on Little Light) by theskeptileptic (79k, 16/18 chapters) I absolutely love this writer. Tim is, of course, miserable in this fic (because he wants to be part of the Batfam but his parents basically blackmailed Tim into staying with them and continuing all the child abuse), but everything eventually works out! Tim is a great self-rescuing princess, and my heart of hearts goes out to the AMAZING Jason POV in chapter 20 (which works as a standalone, though it slightly spoils a bit of the plot), where you really FEEL how much Jason loves literature and uses that to guide his life.

[and two bonus super long ones:]

- Liminal Space by Calamityjim (77k) Oh man this fic series has such great comics-style plot! There's inter-dimensional travel, time travel, an utterly manic!Tim who comes up with the best/worst plans. I also ~love~ the YJ!Bart from a dystopian future who uses "crash" and "mode". Oh, and Tim is deeply flawed (and should not be allowed to do dimensional travel), but he still finds a loving, supportive family. (Warning: if you do go further in this fic series, the last fic of the series, "Collapse", is aggressively NOT kind to Clark Kent.)

- Finding the Line by Miss_Lazy_Tuesday (130k) In this one, Dick actually catches Damian trying to kill Tim, and as a result, actually gets Damian and Tim to reconcile before Tim runs off. Then the Batkids basically work together to bring Bruce back, find a magical macguffin, defeat the League of Assassins, and stop a complete re-write of reality. Great characterization and a fun comic plot.

[wordsandrobots]

So I've never seen anyone badmouth Gaelio as often as you, besides the ones that rightfully complain that he shouldn't have come back. Not that I wholly disagree, but what are your reasons?

Oh, anon. No, no, no. No, you have to understand, I *adore* Gaelio. He's perfect, vengeance arc and all. He is my absolute favourite chew toy. I wouldn't have spent so long writing fanfic focused on what happens to him, mentally speaking, post-canon if I didn't love the obnoxious lavender-tousled prick to death.

Gaelio Bauduin is a man fucked over by his social position, a sweet kid scarred by having been born into an aristocracy, who nevertheless retains enough of a moral compass to change for the better. He learns. He grows. He cares for those closest to him with an earnestness that belies his snobbish, flippant attitude. He genuinely, uncomplicatedly commits to justice and loyalty in ways his upbringing ought by rights to have beaten out of him.

He is additionally the single biggest reason the story ends as badly as it does, on account of being the most hideously self-absorbed dipstick on the face of the solar system.

(Second most hideously self-absorbed, we do have to factor in Iok.)

In another story, Gaelio's gradual dawning realisation that the attitudes he was taught are bullshit would be a process of redemption. His experiences with Ein, his compassion towards Carta, his vitriolic semi-mentor/semi-friend relationship with Julieta, his apology to Mikazuki -- these are the markers of someone learning to be a better person. In another story, he'd be learning to be a hero.

But in this story, his slow personal journey isn't what's important. What matters is how it interacts with a world too cynical to run on heroic narratives. Elion uses him as a political wedge. Tekkadan do not give a rat's arse about what he thinks. McGillis allows no room for an epiphany concerning their friendship until it is far, far too late. In imagining the scales had fallen from his eyes, he railroaded himself into the biggest screw-up of his life.

It's not completely his fault. As I said, he's used and rejected by others, and McGillis did have a damn good go at murdering him. But if he had been slightly more open-minded, slightly more willing to put his money where his mouth was when it came to his disapproval of Gjallarhorn's actions, and slightly less prone to making everything about his feelings -- well maybe he wouldn't have ended a broken, wistful shell of his former self, voluntarily disabling himself and regretting everything he didn't understand.

It's *beautiful*. Seriously. The tenor of your question leads me to believe I should restate my opinion that Iron-Blooded Orphans is a near-perfectly executed tragedy. When I say Gaelio is 'Always Wrong (TM)', I mean that is the part he plays in the tale. The man who makes every possible mistake he could in the course of getting exactly what he thought he wanted. It's a narrative role and he is a fantastic way of filling it because unlike Iok (who exists entirely as a hate-sink), Gaelio *does* have redeeming characteristics. He's loyal and principled. Passionate and determined. Able to adjust his world-view based on his experiences. Ultimately capable of swallowing his pride and admitting he was wrong.

And it doesn't matter one single jot. Things still end in flames, not just in spite of his attempts to do right by those he accidentally doomed but because of those actions.

Also he's a melodramatic brat who canonically used to flirt using Norse mythology, repeatedly injured people on his own side by mistake, got his arse handed to him by children (again, repeatedly), adopted the most on-theme moniker he could while wearing a doofy mask for months on end, and spent Season 1 with a crush on the world's least-hinged cop-brained class-traitor. I denigrate his character in precise proportion to which it is presented as lamentable.

Anyway, to lay off the verbosity for a minute, please also understand that if my opinion on a character is negative in the sense of 'I think the writers fucked this up', I'm unlikely to spend much time creatively cussing them out. For instance, to pick another Gundam example, I don't enjoy Shinn from SEED:Destiny. I get what the writing is going for with him and I think it's a neat plot concept, but I find the actual result grating. It's the same for a lot of the cast. Overall, I just don't rate that show very highly. So I don't talk about it, and I don't expend effort to dig into narrative roles, how characters come across, what that means for other parts of the story, etc. To put it bluntly, it's not worth my time, especially when there are people who *do* like SEED and don't need me raining on their parade.

But I enjoy watching Gaelio and that's exactly why I bad-mouth him. It's more than a passing joke; it's part and parcel of what I love about how Gaelio is implemented, that he's that much of an aristocratic nitwit, and that even when he's making moves towards the broadly 'good' end of the moral spectrum, he's still got a deeply hierarchical attitude. This is a man who, in the middle of quite understandably wanting to get back at somebody who tried to assassinate him, reflects on enjoying being in the heat of battle again after having just beaten-up/killed a bunch of workers trying to break free of colonial rule. There is a *lot* you can dig into about what (and who) Gaelio sees as important and how his attitudes are a perpetual work-in-progress, constrained both by his assumptions and by the alliances he has to make in order to pursue his revenge.

It's well executed, as I said, and I happen to find it extremely compelling. Certainly more so than if he hadn't been resurrected because the show-runners liked his voice actor's performance.

[rustonyourfingers]

Rambling about Vi

ARCANE S2 SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT

I've been going through arcane s2 tag but I haven't seen anyone mention this so far, and I really need to talk about it.

This post is about Vi, but more specifically -- Claggor's goggles and their symbolism. We know that Claggor's goggles were one of the things that Jinx kept after her bomb worked, and we know she used them frequently -- we see her wear them every time she works on something both in season 1 and in season 2 as well. Ever since season 1 the goggles were set up as a symbol -- of a life and identity lost, of Jinx's insanity and hallucinations becoming stronger and stronger, of lost innocence and fall into maddness and violence. And I love how now this symbol was passed onto Vi -- in such a vital moment of her journey as well.

Just moments before the group enters that hangout place (also, the way we keep coming back here, after all these years that passed between s1 arc 1 and s2 -- brilliant!) Vi decided to join the Enforcers -- the very people who for decades (at least!!) oppressed people of Zaun and treated them like animals, like dirt on the soles of their shoes that didn't deserve so much as to breathe. In that moment she's besically deciding to betray her people, but most importantly, herself -- the little girl who walked across that bridge and witnessed all the death and destruction the Enforcers sown, saw her own parents' dead bodies laying broken on the ground. She betrayed the older Vi, the one taken by Vander that followed him around, one that dreamt of getting the boot the Enforcers kept on their necks off and ripping it apart, so Zaun would finally be free of their brutality. She betrayed the Vi that was locked in Stillwater, beaten by the Enforcers for the simple crime of existing, to the point when anytime someone approached her cell, that's what she expected -- another beating. Young Vi saw the imbalance of power between the Enforcers and people of Zaun -- and she hated it. The Enforcers always had better weaponry, training, every advantage possible, and they used it in the most vicious way possible -- to oppress, to hurt, to make sure that people of the Undercity would never be recognized as human, as deserving to live and to have rights.

And now, Vi's putting on the badge herself. Now, she's the one with the advantage -- hextech weapons and bioweapons, things that even with the use of shimmer would be extremely hard to fight against. With that one action, Vi became the oppressor -- and while we see her refuse to acknowledge that until the very end of episode 3, to me her picking up those goggles was the first sign of her facing that reality.

Because Clagger's goggles are a symbol of the past -- the past where Vi was fighting for the right cause, to make her family's life better, to make sure there would be no more orphans in the Undercity. Vi is no longer fighting for the right cause -- she is now part of the causeless violence released onto the people of Zaun, onto the civillians, onto the kids. She not only stops to examine the goggles -- no, she picks them up and puts them on her head immediately, as a reminder of who she was, as a reminder of why she was fighting in the first place, as comfort because she no longer is who she was, she no longer fights for what she faught for in the past and she needs to belive that she's making the right choice in following Cait's lead, because if she faces the fact that she became everything she hated, the very thing that made her into the person she was in season 1, that'll break her. And Vi cannot allow herself to break. Not in the past, not now, not ever.

To me, the goggles are such a wonderful and important part leading to a) Vi's breakdown with Cait when she asks Cait to never change, and b) when she sees Isha protect Jinx with her body and aim a gun at her head, and realizing the fact that she's becoming to Isha what the Enforcers were to young Vi and Powder on that bridge, and that she was no longer fighting for the right cause.

Anyway, this is super chaotic, but I love how Clagger and Milo's memory lives on and still haunts the narrative for both Jinx and Vi. Just chef's kiss all around, what a wonderful show.

Also, English isn't my first language so hopefully this all makes sense lol.

[lovelizards]

"Hey pretty lady, what's wrong? Never seen a dyke bleeding out in an alley before?"

Jazz couldn't have walked more than five minutes from the entrance of the hospital to the alley. It was her usual path, behind the hospital and not too crowded.

She stood frozen for half a second, not quite processing the situation.

The young woman was badly beaten, with bruises on ever inch of her tanned skin, a swollen eye. and dried blood around her nostrils. Fresh blood oozed from what seemed like a deep wound in her side.

Jazz wasn't a doctor, she hadn't even passed her nursing exam yet! But this wouldn't be the first or last time she'd see someone bleeding heavily in an emergency.

"O -okay, okay now - " she rushed into the alley, kneeling down and pulling her scarf from her bag, "- are you with me here? What's your name?"

"Eun..." the young woman said, with a bloody grin.

"Okay Eun. My name is Jasmine, and I'm - er - well, I'm a nurse-in-training. Move your hand, we need to put pressure on this. Th- then, I'll help you to the hospital, it's right around the -"

"No hospitals," Eun muttered, gingerly pulling a trembling hand away from what was a nasty-looking gash in her hip. It didn't look as deep as all the blood made it seem, but it was the worst of the knife wounds.

Jazz sighed, then balled up her scarf and pressed hard on the wound, which caused the young woman to groan in pain, and then give her a weary, tired sort of grin; "Ouch. Good thing I like it rough -"

"That's good, cause it's gonna get rougher," Jazz joked, brushing a nervous sweat from her forehead and holding the scarf steady, "You have to go to the hospital, or -"

"No hospitals!" Eun repeated, her voice strained and desperate.

Jazz flinched. Why in the world was Eun so insistent? She looked maybe a few years younger, probably still in college - was it something illegal?

"You'd better save your breath. Look, doctors don't care what sort of trouble you're in, okay? They won't tell anyone anything, so -"

"- you trust too easy, huh?" Eun interruped, grimacing.

"Are you trying to die right here next to the trash cans?" Jazz asked, panicking slightly.

"I had a good run." Eun shrugged, her smile was pained. "Will you give me a kiss to send me off?"

"Hah, do you flirt with all of your nurses?" Jazz asked with a frustrated smile, rummaging in her bag for her first aid kit.

Why today of all days had she cleaned her bag out? How many gauze pads would it take to dress a wound like this? Was it even possible to stem the bleeding without stitching it up?

"Yeah," Eun admitted, "I like nurses."

"Well, I don't give kisses out so easy. Okay, stay just like this, I'll be right back -."

"Please don't."

Eun put her cold and blood-stained hand over Jazz's, so that both of them were pressing down on the wound.

"I don't want to be alone when I die," Eun mumbled, her eyes fluttering dangerously closed.

"Hey, you're not gonna die, okay? But I need to sew you up, and unless you want to come with me back to the hospital, I've gotta go get some things. So stay here, and don't you dare die."

Jazz moved both of Eun's hands to press down on the scarf, which was now thoroughly soaked through with blood.

"Heh, yes ma'am." Eun said, as Jazz took off at a sprint back to the hospital.

She knew where the supplies for training nurses were kept, all she needed was a practice suture kit, a bottle of antiseptic, and gauze.

No one would miss it, right? It was things she was allowed to take...with prior permission...but it was an emergency!

Inside the hospital she walked fast, but tried to stay as calm as possible and keep her hands - stained red with Eun's blood - in her pockets.

Mercifully, the supply closet was close to the front, and her fellow nurses in training recognized her with a friendly nod but didn't stop to make conversation. It wasn't until she'd ransacked the supplies, and was on her way out of the building that someone stopped her.

"Heyyy, miss Jazzy!"

Great, just the old creep she didn't want to see.

"Oh! Dr. Henry!" Jazz folded her hands behind her back, hiding the blood stains. She must have looked suspicious, even if she didn't have a bag packed full of technically stolen goods.

"Thought you were headed home! Did you miss me that much?"

"Good one, Dr. Henry. I just, uh, forgot something in the break room. But I got it now, so I'm headed out! See you later!"

"Oh, okay well -!"

But Jazz didn't hear the end of his sentence, she rushed back out of the hospital and flew down the stairs to the path back to where Eun was - thankfully - still conscious.

"You came back..." Eun muttered, her posture had sunk back against the wall, and her breathing was heavy, "I missed you."

Jazz gave her a brief smile, and then pulled the ruined scarf away from her hip. The bleeding had slowed, but not stopped.

"This'll hurt," was all Jazz said, before she uncapped the antiseptic and poured it out over the wound.

Eun sucked in a breath through her teeth, and her tired eyes snapped open in an instant. It was impressive, and yet somehow sad, that she managed not to scream in pain.

"D...didn't feel a thing..." the girl wheezed, her body tensing.

"I'm gonna sew you up now. It - it'll be a little messy, but it'll stop you bleeding, so just hold on, okay?"

Jazz's fingers fumbled with the suture kit, but once she got the needle threaded and set into the driver, she found the stitching wasn't as difficult as she worried it would be - despite her hands trembling almost as much as Eun was.

Working with actual human skin instead of a silicone mold didn't bother her as much as she thought it might, and Eun didn't squirm as she was sewed up, but her breathing did hitch every few seconds.

"Look at you," Jazz said once she was about halfway through, "beaten to a pulp and you're joking around like we're at a picnic, but once I get a needle into you, you've got nothing to say."

"I'm being good, right?" Eun breathed through weak laugh.

"Yeah, you're doing great. You'll earn that kiss yet."

It was another few minutes, at least, of quiet work until Jazz tied the last stitch, being careful - like she'd been taught - not to tie it too tight. And then it was done, a messy stitch job, but enough.

She put a little more antiseptic on the wound for good measure, then pressed a thick pad of gauze onto it and taped it down with probably a little too much tape, just for good measure.

Then, finally, Jazz sat back. She wiped her forehead and glanced up, startled to see Eun already staring at her, with a smile that - even despite the blood and bruises - was warm, and set her heart to racing.

"Well, you won't die." Jazz said, feeling a heat rush into her cheeks.

"Guess I'll have to keep living," Eun said, "are you busy later? I know a nice wine bar."

"As if you could go anywhere right now looking the way you do," Jazz laughed, "Or me, for that matter - I knew I shouldn't have worn this sweater."

The white fabric was stained dark with blood now, anyone would think it was her who'd gotten beat up.

"You look good in it," Eun said, sitting up slowly with a weak groan, "you'd look better out of it."

"Easy, tiger. You lost a lot of blood."

"Sure, my body's all banged up. But my mouth still works."

Jazz, for the first time in a while, felt hot and flustered. She hadn't been so aggressively flirted with since a messy break-up with her ex three years past.

"And let me guess, you have no way to get home?" Jazz asked.

"I'd invite you over to mine, but yours is probably nicer."

This wasn't a smart idea. It wasn't anywhere close to a good idea. Jazz had never been the type to do things on a whim, to throw caution to the wind...

"Come on," she sighed, "I'll give you a ride, you can get cleaned up at my place. But don't get any funny ideas."

"Heh, yes, ma'am."

[heartsofminds]

and the songbirds are singing like they know the score - sneak peek

"Because doing what’s best for her is hard, and he realizes that when he can feel his friend wanting to put him through a wall over the phone." or Jake calls the landline at 11 PM on a Thursday because his goddaughter is wasted and Bradley is less than thrilled.

A/N: in light of me finishing my second to last semester of undergrad and my undying love for Bradley's precocious daughter from the halloween fic, i thought i would post a little preview of what i'm working on for them! love these characters more than life and def so excited for y'all to get to know them better soon.

No one ever calls the landline. Very few people even have the phone number for the landline outside of Maverick and a few close family friends. Besides, anyone who would need to reach you had your cell phone numbers anyway. 

So who the actual fuck is calling your landline at 11 PM on a Thursday night? 

You hear Bradley yank the phone from its place on the wall and exhale with a huff. After sixteen years of being together, you know that huff is his tell of being annoyed. 

“Hello?” he gruffly answers. His irritation makes the questions sound more like a monotonous statement. 

“Bradshaw –” 

Jake Seresin is on the other end of the line. You can recognize his voice from the other room with his cadence even though you’re not the one on the phone with him. Having “mom ears” does that to a person, you suppose. 

“Why the fuck are you calling my house at 11 PM?” Bradley snaps. 

You’re wondering the same thing, but you’ll have to talk to him about being so rude and huffy. Jake may actually need something, after all. 

“Well you weren’t answering your fucking cell and neither was your wife so I had to do something.” 

Bradley rolls his eyes and looks back into the darkened living room. He’s been more on edge about you lately. 

“You can’t miss me that fucking much to be spamming my phone with calls,” he sighs and leans his back up agaisnt the wall. He notices the open blinds on the back door and starts to walk to close them before he’s yanked back by the phone cord. 

“Don’t cream your pants. I don’t like you that much.” 

Bradley lets out a soft snort in amusement before he remembers that he’s supposed to be annoyed. He opens his mouth to ask Jake what exactly it is that’s so damn important and can’t wait until tomorrow morning when he’s beaten to it. 

“I have Quincy here in the passenger seat and she’s beyond unwell.” 

The statement sends Bradley into panic mode instantly. His voice catches in his throat and he can’t recall a moment he’s had where he’s felt like he’s had to force the breath out of himself like this. 

He lets out something between a huff, a cough, and a wheeze before remembering he can’t make a huge show of himself right now because it’ll also throw you into panic mode. 

“What the fuck do you mean she’s not well? Jake, where the fuck are you?” he whispers into the phone, trying to cover his mouth as much as possible so you can’t even read his lips if you tried. “Is she okay? What’s –” 

It doesn’t take a genius to know that Bradley is panicking. Even Bradley’s beyond intoxicated and passed out seventeen-year-old daughter sitting in the passenger seat of Jake’s truck could piece together that her father is nothing but a raging ball of anxiety at the moment, and Jake is positive that his friend is growing another patch of gray hair as the seconds pass. 

“Oh. . . fuck, I guess I should’ve phrased that better,” Jake admits. His truck comes to a halt at a spotlight and he glances over at his goddaughter. “She’s fine. She’s definitely drunk as shit right now, but I’m on the way to drop her at yours.”

Bradley can feel the obnoxious orange ball of anxiety inside of him shift to a tumultuous rage induced scarlett. His hand tightens around the cord of the phone and he has to stop himself before he yanks it out of the wall. He’s gotten angry like this before, but it never was angled toward his daughter. 

Never toward his sweet, precious girl. Never toward his amazing Quincy. 

But she knows the rules (and she chose to break them) and she knows what was told to her (and she snuck out anyway) and she knows that it’s dangerous to be that drunk (but yet she’s passed out in Jake’s truck). 

And if that isn’t both nerve-wracking and frustrating, Bradley doesn’t know what is. 

“Put her on the phone,” he speaks lowly. 

Jake gulps, knowing that he’s in one of those moods. Bradley doesn’t express anger as often as he expresses annoyance, but an angry Bradley is never someone he wants to be around. And from the way that Quincy made it sound when she called him to come get her from some random party in the middle of nowhere thirty five minutes away from her house at 11 PM on a school night, he knows her ass is being had tomorrow morning by both you and Bradley. 

There’s absolutely no way his goddaughter is coming out of this unscathed. 

“Dude, she’s obliterated right now and I think you talking to her is just gonna make it worse.” 

“And I don’t give a fuck. I said, put her on the fucking phone now.” 

Jake shakes his head and rolls his eyes as Quincy begins to stir next to him in her seat. He’s always been the person she’s called whenever she was in trouble. He always got the first hug whenever she was brought around. He’s always been her source of comfort outside of her parents and he’s never minded it because being around her is easy. 

It was easy to carry her around whenever she asked when she was little. It was easy to give in and let her sit in the cockpit of his grounded aircraft with him and let her play with the buttons when her dad and Papa Mav refused. It was easy to pick her up from school mid-day and take her to lunch. It was easy to bring her back gifts from whenever he was deployed and even easier picking them out because she’s a sucker for meaningless trinkets. 

It was easy to be her godfather and she’s a smart and relatively easy kid, but Jake has never been prepared for this part. 

Because doing what’s best for her is hard, and he realizes that when he can feel his friend wanting to put him through a wall over the phone. 

“No,” he speaks and he can hear Bradley let out a small gasp at the denial of his request, “She fucked up bad, Bradley. I’m sure she knows and you can have it out with her tomorrow morning, but right now, she’s not in any place to be screamed at and made to feel worse. You’re her dad and m’not tryin’ to take that away from you –” 

Bradley scoffs, “What exactly do you fuckin’ know about raising kids, Jake? Huh?” 

Jake grimaces and decides to take the brute of Bradley’s anger. Better him than Quincy, he figures. Besides, he knows Bradley doesn’t mean any of it. . . At least he hopes he doesn’t. 

“You obviously can’t be a dad because you just wanna have fun and dick around all the fucking time. Buying them fuckin’ candy and letting them off scott-free doesn’t do shit. You don’t have what it takes to raise a fucking person.” 

Jake doesn’t know why, but part of him starts to get that prickly feeling in his chest. Usually, every insult rolls off his shoulders into oblivion and he gets off on making people angry and being able to put on the facade that he really couldn’t give a damn if he tried.

But this one hurts because he knows that Bradley is right in some regard. 

He’s a runner and he lets people down. He’s nearing fifty (and God, he never thought he ever would) and has never even bothered to settle down. And he’s made the peace with himself a long time ago that he doesn’t deserve a wife or a family or kids because he would never be able to love them more than he loves himself; more than he loves his career. 

To hear one of your closest friends admit that to you openly, to know that someone outside of you sees it too, makes his heart stop momentarily and forces him to feel the ache of the words meant to stab him in the chest. 

“I understand,” he swallows. He knows arguing with Bradley isn’t the right thing to do at the moment and never will be. “I’m still not putting her on the phone. We will be at your house shortly.” 

The line goes dead and Bradley is overcome with a wave of anger that drowns him like a tsunami. He knows what he said was shitty and that he has no right to do that to someone who he considers a close friend, but he just can’t help himself. 

He knows no allies when it comes to his daughter. 

[imagine-silk]

Yandere Fallout Guys with a darling having been Kidnapped by Raiders, please?

》There is no better header than this one for this.

【Codsworth】 "This is unacceptable! How could this happen under your watch?"

What he means is his watch. As much as he's projecting he is the main force and advocate for your rescue. He goes to the current authority to demand ask for help. He tells them everything he knows, which is very helpful. What the attackers looked like, how they got in, what they said while they were there, etc. As soon as your back he, carefully and tearfully, hugs you. He takes you home after thanking everyone involved in your rescue personally and draws you a bath. You'll be treated like a king for the next few days, minus the fact he doesn't let you leave the house.

【Danse】 "This place really is unsalvageable."

All the Wasteland does is take and take until you have nothing. But he doesn't have the Brotherhood to back him to this mission. Not that the Brotherhood would go for that, being captured is weak. He goes on a rampage, killing everything in his path. He has no idea where you are but every mutant or person in his way gets shot. No one can contest him when he's like this because he took power armor.

【Deacon】 "Boss told me to let this one go. Ransom went through."

Of course he sneaks in and just gets you out. Was that ever in doubt. He dresses as one of them and lies his way out. Before anyone can verify your both already gone. That's as far as it goes... that's what you think. The food and water they have is suddenly making everyone sick and a lock underneath the compound is busted. None of them are fast enough to react when ghouls flood in through the busted lock.

【Hancock】 "I'm feelin' pretty merciful so I'm just gonna kill you. Not you though. This was your idea after all."

There are a lot of things that describe him, vindictive is one of them. He constantly parades you around and won't go more than an hour to mention you, everyone knows you aren't up for grabs. The only reason he didn't torture everyone involved in taking you is the fact it would take time and he didn't want to use that time to be away from you. So he has his town take you home and he follows soon after. There's still blood on him when he kisses you.

【MacCready】 "You took the wrong person."

There are exactly two people he cares about; his son and you. Everyone else isn't his problem. The second they took you they might as well have put a target on their foreheads and stood in front of him. You'll be there for about a week while he watches them, learning how they operate, then he takes them out one by one quickly and quietly at the end of the week. However, if you are beaten during the time he's watching he will mark whoever participated in his mind and they will die slow.

【Nick】 "Sorry about this."

It takes him no time to find out where you are and negotiate a ransom. He does know who half of them are. That doesn't save them however. He gives them the payment and takes you but the second they open the container of caps it sets off a chain reactions and the compound is destroyed. Of course it's not ideal to kill that many people but sometimes he needs to make a point.

【Preston】 "All settlements that can spare people send them to the Castle."

He was never one for war but if the raiders thought they could get away with kidnapping the General's spouse and hold them ransom he needed to march on the Commonwealth. He didn't care about the message farther than 'do not touch them'. After years of serving the Commonwealth most simply thought this was a natural progression and he was justified in doing it. The overwhelming support he got was enough to move a mountain. And when you got back he doted on you like nothing changed.

【Travis Miles】 "The radio is down for the time being. Until the safe rescue of [Name]."

He tried to rally the city for you but that didn't work so he decided to hold the radio hostage until the authorities did something. It wasn't his idea, the Bobrov brothers gave that to him, but he followed through. Last time he tried to be the hero he had your help but he decided he would come to your rescue with the others. The sight of Travis covered in blood is something you thought you'd never see.

【X6】 "I failed to keep our promise. I would apologize if I felt it was necessary."

After the Institute was taken down you told him he didn't need to kill people anymore. He didn't agree, seeing as people are killed in the Wasteland everyday, but he promised he wouldn't hurt anyone. When you were taken he couldn't stop it because he wasn't armed. He couldn't get to you fast enough while trying to focus on nonlethal means. To remedy this injustice he armed himself and killed every single raider in his path to get you back. There is a silent 'I told you so' while he walks you back.

【Vadim & Yefim】 "I told you not to rush in, Vadim. Let's get you two out of here."

Vadim rushed in immediately after he learned where you were from a patron who told him. Yefim tried to stop him but he didn't listen. He was captured along side you. Yefim was able to rally the city and save the both of you. Don't ask how he was able to convince the new mayor, he won't give you an answer. Vadim also tells you not to worry about it so he knows. At the end of the day they don't let you out of their sight for more than ten minutes. Vadim will also play up his injuries to guilt you into doting on him. Yefim however will ask you to stay close to him because he's too tired to chase after you again, do this favor for him, you owe him that at least.

[what-have-i-unleashed]

[for silly anon :3]

right after school, dust drags killer to the bike parking lot as quick as possible, without even waving goodbye to horror who is still packing his bag.

"owie, owie, dust-chan!!" killer whines as dust grips his arm and drags him through the campus. "be gentle! i'm delicate!"

"shut up, killer," dust grumbles. "the only thing delicate about you is your ego."

when they arrive at the meeting place, epic is already there, playing on his nintendo ds. upon seeing them, he waves.

"oh hey there!" he says. "i didn't expect you to bring a friend. if i knew, i would have had delta with me also."

"dust-chan couldn't resist coming with me, that's all," killer says cheekily, which earns him a stomp of his shoe, to which he doesn't react, much to dust's annoyance.

"is that so..." epic hums.

"yep! so what do you want to talk to me about, epic-senpai?"

"well," epic puts his ds away, "a little bruh told me that you probably know where my good pal color is. i think i'd have much better chance to ask you about him than others before me."

"what made you think that?" killer tilts his head, amused despite himself.

"well, for once, i know people like you, killer-kun. you don't speak unless it's with violence, so i'm challenging you..." epic winks at killer, "... for color-chan's hand."

without even thinking, killer charges at epic, his penknife slipping from under his sleeve into his hand as he swishes it open and takes a stab at epic. what he doesn't expect is dust throwing his schoolbag in the way, as killer's knife punctures into the bag instead of epic's face. slowly, he turns to his friend, his face losing his signature grin.

"... dust-chan, what do you think you're doing?" he asks with an eerie calmness that would spook anyone, but not his friend.

"i should ask you that instead," dust hisses back. "what the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"eliminating a love rival, what else?"

"you're not doing that to him, with me around here."

"feel free to jump in then. i'll stab you too."

"wow," epic whistles, pulling out his weapon, his trusted rubber chicken. "you're serious about color, aren't you? guess i have to get serious too."

meanwhile...

horror walks home alone today, but he feels more relieved than anything. without the other two constantly moaning about their problems, his walk is serenely quiet. he gets to the bustling commercial area for his job again. browsing his phone, he checks to make sure he's at the right place.

it's hard to be a gang leader, that's what horror concludes. especially a shadow leader where no one knows who you are.

it's not that horror intended to create a gang - he thought it would be just an inconsequential online group of people back when he was in middle school, but "the unlucky" has quickly grown to be a sizeable opponent gang to queenie's reign of terror. the infamous group chat that started the unlucky has been wiped, and horror kinda misses it - it's where he met killer and dust after all.

but now, back to his job, he has a tip that some of queenie's gang has terrorized an arcade in the local area, encroaching upon his own gang's territory, and that can't be excused of course.

he would prefer if killer has joined him for this job, but whatever. he can deal with these third-grade hooligans on his own.

entering the arcade, the first thing horror notices, with much mortification, is that delta-senpai is also here, and it seems that he has beaten up a large swathe of gang members already. unfortunately, he seems to be in some kind of a pickle, seeing that he is currently tied up in a chair with a lot of others circling around him, ready to descend like a pack of hyenas.

seeing that, horror calls out, "hey, what do we have here?"

one of the gang members turn to him, suspicious. "who the fuck are you?"

"i'm the new recruit?" horror says, nonchalant. "sorry i'm late."

"new recruit?" they look up and down at his uniform. "you're from the same school as that little shit?"

"yup, st. omega," horror shrugs. "boss wants to expand, i guess."

the guy stares at him for a moment before nodding and letting him inside the circle. they're too easy, horror thinks, as he carefully observes each one in the circle. there are around eight people.

"new recruit?" one asks.

"yeah, seems like it," the one leading him says.

horror comes close to delta to take a closer look. he doesn't look very good, all bruised and bloody. upon seeing horror, delta narrows his eyes.

"oh you," he hisses. "i remember you. you're with killer," he spats. "i'm not surprised that you're into things like this."

"you know him?" one asks horror.

"enemy of my friend," horror replies, which is not a lie per se. "let's say we're... badly-acquainted, heh."

"how lucky of you then," laughter ensues around the circle. "you must be itching to hurt him then."

"yeah," horror says, lightly tapping delta on the cheek. "can one of you come help me tighten the ropes? i have to take my tools out of my bag first."

"sure thing."

one gang member comes closer to him and delta and proceeds to lean down. horror swings his bag at their face, sending them skidding on the floor and lying unconscious. the others gape, as horror grins manically.

"who wants another beat-down?"

[brawngp2009]

Mitski lyrics that, i think, are borcedes coded.

If you need to be mean Be mean to me I can take it and put it inside of me If your hands need to break More than trinkets in your room You can lean on my arm As you break my heart

— "I don't smoke"

Did you go and make promises you can't keep? Well, when you break them They break you right back Amateur mistake You can take it from me They break you right back Break you right back

— "Bug like an angel"

But here in our place We have for the day Can we stay awhile and listen for Heaven

— "Heaven"

And it may be a few years, but you can bet it's there, waiting still For me to be left alone in a room full of things that I've done

— "I don't like my mind"

You're my best friend Now I've no one to tell How I lost my best friend

— "The frost"

No matter that love's gone We just see it shining We've traveled very far, I'll Keep a leftover light burning So you can keep looking up Isn't that worth holding on

— "Star"

I can feel it getting near Like flashlights coming down the way One day you'll figure me out I'll meet judgement by the hounds People always gave me love Others were never to blame after all You believe me like a God I betray you like a man

— "I'm your man"

Open up your heart Like the gates of hell You stay soft, get beaten Only natural to harden up You stay soft, get eaten Only natural to harden up

— "Stay soft"

And I opened my arms wide to the dark I said take it all, whatever you want I didn't know that I was young I didn't know what it would take

— "Everyone"

And there's nothing I can do Not much I can change So, I give it up to you I hope that's okay There's nothing I can do Not much I can change I give it up to you I surrender

— "Heat lightning"

So I'll be the loser in this game I'll be the bad guy in the play I'll be the water main that's burst and flooding You'll be by the window, only watching

— "The only heartbreaker"

It's been you and me Since before I was me Without you I don't yet know Quite how to live

— "I guess"

You know me better than I do So why didn't you stop me?

— "Why didn't you stop me?"

I haven't told anyone Just like we promised Have you? Every time I drive through the city where you're from I squeeze a little

— "Old friend"

And you say, "Hello" And I lose 'Cause nobody butters me up like you, and Nobody fucks me like me

— "Lonesome Love"

I didn't know I had a dream I didn't know until I saw you

— "Come into the water"

I could stare at your back all day

— "Pink in the night"

And the ground has been slowly pulling us back down You see it on both our skin We get a few years and then it wants us back It would be a hundred times easier If we were young again

— "Two slow dancers"

If you would let me give you pinky-promise kisses Then I wouldn't have to scream your name atop of every roof in the city of my heart If I could see you Once more to see you

— "Once more to see you"

I will go jogging routinely Calmly and rhythmically run And when I find that a knife's sticking out of my side I'll pull it out without questioning why

— "Fireworks"

You're the sun, you've never seen the night But you hear its song from the morning birds Well, I'm not the moon, I'm not even a star But awake at night I'll be singing to the birds

— "Your best American girl"

I bet on losing dogs I know they're losing and I pay for my place By the ring Where I'll be looking in their eyes when they're down I'll be there on their side I'm losing by their side

— "I bet on losing dogs"

It's been a long, hard, twenty-year summer vacation All these twenty years trying to fill the void

— "Crack baby"

And I am the fire, and I am the forest And I am a witness watching it I stand in a valley watching it And you are not there at all

— "Burning hill"

One word from you and I would Jump off of this ledge I'm on, baby Tell me, "Don't," so I can crawl back in

— "First love/late spring"

I don't need the world to see That I've been the best I can be, but I don't think I could stand to be Where you don't see me

— "Francis forever"

They'll never know how I'd stared at the dark in that room With no thoughts Like a blood-sniffing shark And while my dreams made music in the night Carefully I was going to live

— "Last words of a shooting star"

And I don't mean to make your heart blue But could we be what we're meant to be?

— "Goodbye my Danish sweetheart"

Don't dare regret anything Remember what you're here for

— "Because dreaming costs money"

I broke what you gave me But you kept giving more And I'm sorry for taking But I keep wanting more, more, more

— "Humpty"

I just need a quiet place Where I can scream How I love you

— "i want you"

Look at you, strawberry blond Fields rolling on I love it when you call my name Can you hear the bumblebees swarm? Watching your arm I love it when you look my way

— "Strawberry blond"

I think my fate is losing its patience I think the ground is pulling me down I think my life is losing momentum I think my ways are wearing me down

— "Brand New City"

There is a light, I feel it in me But only, it seems, when the dark surrounds me There is a dream and it sleeps in me Keeps me awake in the night, crying, "Set me free!" And I wake every night, crying, "Set me free!"

— "Abbey"