#you can look at them and say 'that could be me!' and the powers don't change that

[bluerosefox]

So... This was inspired by listening to EPIC (FREAKING LOVE ALL THE ALBUMS, SO GOOD) and by @noxcheshire post of Tim being Odysseus reincarnated and Danny (maybe also reincarnated) being his Penelope (Here) so I had to turn it into a Dead Tired idea.

The song The Challenge is the main one here. (Cause I LOVE that song... along with Would You Fall In Love With Me Again)

So WHAT IF Danny IS the reincarnated Penelope, after becoming the Ghost King Danny's memories of his past life as Penelope returns and remembers how before dying/ or being reincarnated both Penelope and Odysseus promised to find each other in their new lives, no matter who they are, what new form they take, they will find each other.

So Danny/Penelope, just like before waits for their Odysseus to return to them, but also tries to find him in their new life (CW is laughing whenever Danny asks for hints and gets a 'In due time, just wait' answer, ugh Danny wants to smack CW for that)

However just like in his previous life with being in a high position of power, Danny is being pressured to marry/take a spouse (now its not just men/males though so its a huge headache, I head canon Ghosts don't care much for gender preference) mostly by the dang eyeballs that Danny is still trying to find a way to get rid of without upsetting the Infinite Realms dedicate (but slowly healing) balance even if Danny wanted nothing more than to punch all of the suitors out.

So Danny decides to play the long game again.

And waits for their Odysseus return.

Danny's wait is over when they suddenly feel the Realms shift one day, as if welcoming someone familiar home, and the same feeling Danny had when he had been Penelope and saw the storm that was sign of Odysseus coming home, Danny decides its time to bring out The Challenge once again. (CW gifted Danny a few things from his past as Penelope as a coronation gift, like Odysseus's bow (now enchanted to be unbreakable), a painting of when he was Penelope, with Telemchus, and Odysseus, and the Marriage Bed/Olive Tree, AND the Palace Odysseus made that Danny takes to being in over being at Pariah's Keep)

-x-x-

Meanwhile

Tim Drake, aka Red Robin, always had strange dreams as a child.

War, Death, Monsters, Gods, Goddesses.

His dreams were more like nightmares, haunting him and he sometimes woke up in cold sweat.

He hated storms. Hated being in the water for to long. Hated how he felt both tense but also at home when around Greek heroes, as if he was afraid to 'disrespect' them (Cassie was the only one he didn't feel that way around, mostly cause they had been somewhat friends before their heroing since their parents knew each other) but also knew how to appease them should he insult them. He also had a strange hatred for the CoO with a burning passion because he felt like they were mocking real Owls.

The worst part of nightmares that always pop up are of what feels like should be his home is being invaded by unwanted guests (they aren't guests), how they are angry over trying to string a bow and shot an arrow through axes, of the terrible terrible things he hear them saying they were going to do to his loved ones (two names that keep getting muted out).

How it ends in bloodshed with echoing of begging, pleading, mercy, and screams.

However in those nightmares at the end. He also finds himself looking for something in them.

Or rather he always found someone waiting for him at the end of the nightmares. Calling him by the wrong name but it sounds just right coming from them.

The dream always ends with the person asking 'How long has it been?' and before he can answer he wakes up.

So yeah Tim has horrifying nightmares/dreams he could never explain.

And the urge to find someone. To go home to them.

It isn't until he and his friends from Young Justice are hit by a spell from Klarion (who may or may not had a visit from a certain chaos encouraging Time Keeper) and sent to a place called the Infinite Realms in the middle of their fight, that Tim is hit hard with déjà vu when he spots a certain Palace in the distance and overhears some of the 'people?' (they glow and float and some don't even look human?! where are they?) talk about how the 'King' has issued a new 'Challenge' for his 'suitors'.

A Challenge involving a bow, and axes.

And Tim, feels like he knows this all too well and needs to do it.

[deathlygristly]

For some reason I decided to read a Reddit thread on When The Phone Rings. Yes, I know, that's on me. But I've seen the sentiment on here too.

I guess it's what the kids call "antis"? Like this is a fictional show, none of it is real, and I seriously doubt any of the people watching will ever get switched for their older step-sister in an arranged marriage to the presidential spokesperson, who is the son of another chaebol family that's into politics. But then it turns out that the original son of the political family was a serial killer and the grandfather tried to drown him when he was a kid and then replaced him with the orphan who grew up to be the spokesperson. But the serial killer son survived the drowning attempt, and now the grown up serial killer son and also possibly the twin of one of the serial killer's victims is coming after the adopted son.

Like y'all are not going to be in this situation IRL, okay? You are not going to be in an arranged marriage with a man who is severely traumatized by seeing the drowning attempt, being taken from the man who had taken him in and raised him, and forced to live with people who did not like him and who controlled and abused him and who only wanted to use him to appear "normal" and "likable" so they could win elections and get political power.

And if you ever are in that situation for some reason, it's extremely unlikely that after three years of not communicating at all and pretty much being strangers you'll be targeted by a kidnapper, steal the kidnapper's phone, use the phone to finally communicate a bit, and end up with your husband revealing that he's obsessively loved you all along.

This is fiction. Maybe the female lead falling down a cliff and being fine and the male lead being in two explosions and being fine would clue you in on that? I don't know. Like someone said in the thread, these people must be why dramas all have a disclaimer now at the beginning saying that the drama is fiction and the events aren't real or based on anything real. Not that it helps.

It's just....it's weird and kind of conservative Christian culty how they're all "oh noes but young girls will think that it's okay if their husband doesn't talk to them for three years and is a bit mean!" If you're really worried about that then maybe you should be teaching your daughters or younger sisters or young female friends or students or whatever about boundaries and abuse and emotional awareness instead of not communicating with them at all, like how you say it's so bad that the characters are doing in the beginning of the show?

Also, okay, I've been married for 22 years and we started dating 25 years ago. I can assure you that the spousal person is awesome and our relationship is fine and healthy and the people at our favorite restaurant exclaim over us every time we come in and when I was in the hospital after gallbladder surgery the doctors called us "lovebirds." It's very easy to separate reality from fiction and to enjoy watching characters and stories that aren't your personal perfect ideal template of whatever and still have a healthy and enjoyable life.

If it's not easy for you, I think that's more a personal matter that you need to investigate and work on in your own life instead of judging and hating strangers online about it? Maybe you could look into resources for recovery from high control groups?

[dilf-docs]

A Pillar I Am Of Pride

vander x younger!fem reader

summary: you're too young, that's what he tells himself; that you could be one of his kids. but of course you have spent too much time with vi, and unfortunately for him, stubborn rhymes with your name: you just don't know when to quit.

warnings: 18+ (minors dni), age gap (25ish/45ish), smut, p. in v., ofc there is SIZE KINK who do u think i am (he can choke me with those huge arms idcidc), manhandling, thigh riding, dirty talk, virgin!reader, public sex (they violating every health code on the last drop), belly bulge, cream pie, breeding kink if u squint, this is basically pwp also with happy ending (no one blows up or dies yet THIS IS my story and i say they're all happy as a big family SHUT UP)

word count: 3,142 words

side note: hope the arcane community hasn't died yet, looking at the amount of votes i received on the poll where i asked if y'all wanted stuff from the show. I LOVE VANDER!!! saw the drawing and went insane like A PRIMAL NEED TO WRITE SMTH abt one of zaun dilfs I MEAN who do u think i am???? ++based this little filthy 2D piece on the hozier song dinner and diatribes.

You just don't know when to quit.

Vander isn't dumb. He's lived enough and seen enough. He's lived enough to tell when the admiration became adoration on those big eyes of yours, that looked up to him first but now down without an ounce of shame through his sturdy built whenever you think he isn't looking.

He isn't dumb, so he knows he shouldn't encourage it. Yet, Vander also thinks there is something different about you.

There is this desire to protect you, love you like one of his kids, but there is something unique about you he can't quite tell, enough to differentiate you from viewing you as part of them, even if there's a bed belonging to you next to theirs.

He is a fool, for thinking you wouldn't end up adopting at least one of his or the kids' traits. And of course, lucky him, it had to be Violet's headstrong nature.

"Vander" you call out his name, and he's brought back to the red and the bridge.

He can still see you, eighteen, fighting against an enforcer twice your size: because he took the life of your parents, faces Vander had seen in the mines and then at their meetings, ready to fight in the name of the undercity, for a change and a future: for their daughter.

That is what Vander wants for his kids in Zaun. For you.

So he negotiates with them, even if your eyes fall when you learn the truth one evening, eavesdropping. He pleaded you not to tell the rest, afraid they'll see him differently, just like you. Still, you keep calling his name like you did at the bridge: like a hero; savior. He saved you from death, but you'd die for him.

He keeps his eyes trained on the glass he's wiping as you take a seat in the stools infront of him, unable to look you in the eyes. It kills him; gets harder each passing day. He can't keep lying to himself, but he can lie to you. Protect you, he swore he would do that when he saved you and took Powder and Vi. So, yes, he'll lie his ass off, that his heart too hasn't changed after the years; that it doesn't beat for you and only you.

"Hey, y/n" he forces out, but even saying your name brings him pain.

When did you go from a kid leaving the last remains of hope and naive kids in Zaun drop sooner than others, to a woman equally dangerous in heart and beauty? When did you stop looking like a big sister or a babysitter, to more as a mother to Mylo, Claggor, Powder and Vi?

"Vander" you call again, touching his arm softly, but it burns. It burns.

He stops what he's doing, still without sparing a glance your way.

"C'mon, V." he hates the way such a silly nickname, a monosyllable on top of that, makes him feel. "Look at me, will you?"

He does so, because he can't deny you anything.

"There you go" you laugh easily, as if you didn't know the power you held over him. "Easy, isn't it?"

"You better let me finish" stern, but a smile betrays him.

"No one is stopping you" you huff, "or bothering you"

He finishes the glass, picking up another. "You are"

"Me?" you laugh the accusation off. Then it dies down, and all that's left is the neon hues of outside, reflecting something more mellow, akin to sincerity in your face. "You're right, it's always me"

He doesn't know what to say, all words lost. Silco used to say he knew how to move the people, that masses would follow just by looking at him: Vander always knew what to say.

But as of late, during the end of the day, when it's just you and the dirty glasses he cleans away, Vander finds it hard to speak even, like you're trying to talk in a language he doesn't know, or worst, used to, yet is too old for that now.

"Where is everyone?" he asks, and when you laugh, he knows he's said something stupid. But there are more stupid things to say, like I love you, so he's safe. For now.

"Might be because we're closed" you mock. "The kids are asleep, if that's what you truly wanted to ask. Made sure of it"

The last part, whispered like a secret. He can see the dare laced in between your words, the desire that pours like the drink he's serving you right now, but he's too old to play games.

"Good" then pushes the glass to where you sit. "Drink"

"Is it new?" you inspect the glass. "I hope you're not trying to poison me"

He laughs, "You know I couldn't hurt you, y/n"

There goes that expression again, and he hates to realize he's playing along.

"I know, Vander" you take a full sip, as if showing him just how much you'd trust him. Like he could have a gun put to your head and you'd understand; like he could have a hand around your neck and you'd breath the last huffs of oxygen in his name.

Silence settles in, until you decide to break it by saying:

"You know, if you wanted to get me drunk" the drink dissapears in a rough gulp, the liquid smooth while it burns and slides down your throat, "you could've just asked"

"And for what would I want to do that?" he bites right into the bait.

The stool creaks as you get up, and he finds your face closer than the smoke and ashes of when he takes a drag.

"Because I know you too want this" you whisper, dangerously low.

His breath hitches, heart beating fast. He could break you in two, if he wanted to, but now trembles like a leaf in the wind with just your perfume and eyes piercing through his.

"Want what?" he dares to ask, duties forgotten long ago.

You click your tongue, maybe in dissapointment.

You just don't know when to quit.

"The evening's slow" now sweet, tempting. "About to end"

He feels drunk, even if he hasn't had a drop. You're lulling him right into your trap. It doesn't matter if he has stopped you before: ignoring the bat of your eyelashes, the lingering touches and the sweet words that seemed reserved for him only.

"What would you do?" he gulps, Adam's apple bobbing. To me, too coward to voice out loud; to stop this nonsense.

You walk over to him, standing still, almost defiant, even if he doubles your size; the thought only makes heat pool in your stomach. The ember of the moonlight shines over your corageous eyes, and Vander thinks he really needs to shorten your quality time with Vi. A hand traces over his defined pecs: hands he's seen before hold a gun, now touching him with a softness that doesn't belong in the undercity.

"Don't you think knowing it's late makes it easier know what I have in mind?" you laugh, and it tickles parts in his body he isn't ready to say yet. "Just give in"

You should've know when to quit.

His eyes darken, and this isn't the Vander you know. If anything, you should be scared, but you rub your thighs together, spot already wet.

"If anyone's about to give in, it's you"

Before you can register, his lips smack together with yours as he takes the lead. His big hands cup your face, traveling down until they reach your hips, and the pressure of his size feels so much better than you imagined.

"Tell your man what would yo do tonight?" huskily whispered your way. His knee finds it's way between your thighs as he applies pressure to your already slick cunt, making you yelp. "Or cat got your tongue?"

You're at loss for words, for the very first time in a while. All that time spent provoking him, edging and pushing for a reaction, so sure of the hidden flame sparking behind the curtain of smoke of his pipe, to know surrender so easily, like your body is unable to react at all.

So instead, you entangle your fingers through his greying hair, a small whine escaping your lips, the sleeping fierce need of battle now translated in the fight for dominance, his mouth growing more demanding.

Vander pushes your body against the bar, making the wood creak. He applies more pressure with his knees, making you whimper again, his tongue reaching every spot inside your sweet mouth.

"God, you're so sweet" he mumbles.

"Then why did you stop yourself all this time?" you breath out, as tempting as the shadows that walk through the streets.

Hi smiles devishly, biting your lip. "Ain't nothing stopping me no more"

He uses your body as he pleases, handling it to his complete and utter advantage, thumbs now digging into your hipbones before he feels you grinding against his knee.

"Greedy little thing. Haven't I taught you manners, ey?" but the way he looks at you, like a starved man who's been denied a meal for years, encourages you to keep rolling your hips. Once you find a steady rhythm, he releases your hips and moves to grab your wrists, pinning you down in the free bar. You whine, the pain of the hard wood on your back digging on your skin.

"Vander" you gasp, but he shuts up the pain by forcing his lips right back. His handsgrab back ahold of your thighs so you keep up the rhythm. He can feel a spot over his clothes start to dampen, doing nothing but augmenting the hunger. God, he can even feel the smell of your arousal.

You moan, head leaning back.

"Feels good?" he asks, and you mumble a nonsensical myriad of words that sound like yes. He nips your neck, making you squirm under his touch.

"C'mon, baby. I ain't deaf but I didn't hear you" Vander taunts, biting still. Now he travels to your collarbone and then tits, removing your shirt to reveal no bra under. Of course, you little vixen had planned it all and he fell like a fool. Not that he's complaining, of course, giving a lick to the soft rosy skin around your nipples.

"M-more, please!" you whimper out loud, mind numb.

"You wanted it so bad, yet can't even speak" he murmurs, sucking a spot dangerously near to your nipple. Your movements against his knee come to a halt, but he makes sure to keep you and your puffy core grinding against his thigh. "Talk"

He should know that you wouldn't give up that easily, prideful as he was, no matter if this is what you've always wanted.

"I said talk" your legs tremble around his when he forces you down harder. "I wanna hear you ask for what you say you wanted so bad, don't think I didn't notice all your traps, taunts and plays, little vixen"

The nickname makes you moan, inciting you to pour the words out.

"Ruin me, Vander" and he barely has time to react, knowing that no man has ever touched you before, your untainted territories dripping for him. "Please- take me and make me yours"

"You know I've never denied you anything" he breaths against your neck, "how could I ever say no to you if you ask so nicely, huh? I see you remembered those manners"

It's now his hand what touches between your thighs, leg long gone. His fingers rub firm circles around your clit through the cloth, making you shiver.

"Let's start small, yeah?" he encourages, "I know you're my brave girl, but I would like you to come on my fingers first"

Vander strips you down, eyes going dark when he sees your needy cunt on display. He shuffles himself down between your legs, and the pressure is new and much, you feel you could come with just the touch of his hand.

"You're so pretty. Can't believe you're giving all of this to an old man like me" he kneels down as you sit legs opened up on the bar, dragging his tongue through your wet folds.

"Sit still, yeah? Let me take care of you" he licks again, gently sucking on it as well. He can't help but wonder why he folded so easy, as if he hadn't put a stop or ignored all of your previous attempts at having him. Now he has you, under him, saying his name in a way he hadn't before, as he makes out with your puffy clit.

"Fuck" you gasp, head falling against the wood. Your hands and toes curl, waves of sensations never felt before washing over you, as Vander continues giving your pussy ministrations.

The energy is electric, your arousal flowing like a river, making wet slurping sounds come out of his lips, feeling up the empty bar, your moans as back track filling his ears. Vander's beard is covered in your juices, making all of this the more obscene.

"I see you liking it" he jokes, licking some of it off his mouth. He adjusts your legs over his broad shoulders, barely noticing the added weight. Your thighs are so close, he can feel them tremble as he slips a finger inside of you, pumping in and out.

"V-Vander" you whine in ecstasy. He loves the little sounds coming out of your mouth; obscene symphony. He adds another finger, now curling them upwards, making your walls drip more while clenching around them, loving the sensation. Your nails dig so deep, you can feel blisters inside of them, holding yourself for as what would be your first orgasm.

"I-I think I'm going to-" he can sense it, years of experience ahead from you. So now he gives his fingers a break, kneeling to let his tongue enter the game again. It swirls around the tight walls, making you squirm.

"Fingers. Now" you demand, and he's carrying your legs again on his shoulders, thrusting them inside of you aggresively. You feel your folds clench around them, your very first orgasm washing over you.

"You behaved well" he praises while kissing your puffy cunt, skin glistening and still sensible. "That's my brave girl"

He uses the cloth he's cleaned the glasses with to wipe off himself. You gasp, laughing even if your eyelids feel heavy.

"What? Think I'm gonna be dirty when I fuck the shit out of you?"

You didn't think his mouth could be so filthy, used to his fatherly side, but oh, you're not complaining. He removes his belt, pulling his pants down. Of course he's huge down there, you think, as the tent behind his underwear marks a reasonably large silhoutte.

"Now, will you be brave one last time? I don't want to scare you, or hurt you?" his boxer falls to his knees, dick hard. You gulp, but can't back off now. He, however, can sense your doubt. "Just say it, and we'll stop"

"No" even you are surprised by the conviction in your voice. "I want you, Vander. Always will"

You open up your legs, closer to the edge of the furniture. He walks over until his dick brushes your cunt, pulling up your legs once again, a position you've discovered as of today, might be your favorite.

"See, there is a reason I didn't clean you up. Don't think I don't know my manners as well"

He lubes with your still wet pussy, wasting no time to rub his dick against your glistening folds.

"We're alone, but don't want to wake up the kids, ey" you nod. "So, you'll behave?" you nod again. "Good girl"

"Now, if it hurts, tell me and I'll stop"

Vander aligns himself up with your entrance, and with one deep motion, buries himself all the way to the hilt. It's almost as if he's forgotten his gentle side.

"Mphm-" you're about to scream, but his big hands cover your mouth.

"Bad girl" he tuts, "you promised"

Your back hurts, arching itself from the wood as you take all of his girth, walls squeezing him perfectly.

"Don't worry, the pain doesn't last long" he assures you, hips going back and forth softly. He picks up the pace, slowly but determined, seeing you have adjusted to his size already. "There. Take it, my girl"

He buries himself inside of you, body numb at his size and strident movements of his hips against you.

"Y-you're so b-big" you speak up for the first time in minutes, letting out another moan. "I can even feel you-"

You don't finish the sentence but the image is there, right infront of him. That only encourages him to fuck you harder, the thrusts now more brutal and violent.

"Tell me, where you feeling me?" you can't speak, so you point to your stomach. "Yeah? Filling you up so good you can't even speak?" then pounds you even harder. The pain is intense, but so is the pleasure, making you mumble more incoherences while even tears begin to well up in your eyes.

There is pressure on your lower belly, and it's not his bulge. No, you recognize it, despite having only felt it once: your orgasm is building up again. The furniture squeaks, looking like it will break under both of your weights combined, his thrusts now sloppier and messier. He was also close, grunting when your walls begin clenching around his dick.

"Fuck, Vander" you whimper out. "I think I love you"

Before he can register the weight of your words, thick ropes of cum fill up your pussy, his whole body shaking and finally succumbing to his age. He empties himself inside of you, your greedy cunt taking every drop. It's a fleeting second, but he remember Felicia, and the news she dropped that day. He thinks of a child with your eyes and his hair, the cruel world that awaits them but still can't let you waste any of his seed.

The room goes quiet as both of you try to even your breaths. After a while, your confession settles in.

"I don't think I love you" he gets down, kissing your nose gently. "I know I do. Can't deny that anymore"

The adoration on his eyes is so pure, you feel like crying again. The feelings you kept to yourself and left like crumbs for him to pick up through out this past days have finally transformed into something real. So real, your pussy still feels warm, just as your heart.

He easily carries your body on his strong arms, up to his room. You had never slept there before, and despite the numbness, you keep your eyes open, excited as a child.

"Good" you laugh, "because I was running out of ideas"

[midnight-mourning]

Snowy Snuggles

❄️❄️Midnight's DCA December Day 19❄️❄️

ahem, i saw the phrase cuddles and kisses and went ham, I would apologize but I think we all know that you people are going to eat it up, so enjoy!

Prompt: sun/moon’s systems freezing up because of the cold so reader decides ah… cuddles and kisses to the boyfriend(s) to warm them… sun and moon try to make it as unobvious as they can that theyre warmed up because they love love love reader’s cuddles but they are steeeadily starting to overheat because ohhh they love reader so much

Word Count: 1234

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You bend down and light the last candle, snuffing out the match a moment later and discarding it. The entire room is enveloped in a soft, warm light with the amount of candles you have in here. They're pretty, but they provide no heat. That, was something you were going to have to figure out yourself. 

There's an old wood stove still set up in the basement, but you only have a little bit of wood for it currently, you'd need to go out back tomorrow and chop some. For now, you'd just have to hope the house won't get too cold on you. 

It wasn't you that you were worried about, and this power outage wouldn't have been a big deal, if you and the boys hadn't just spent all day out in the snow, and had come inside expecting to warm up significantly. 

You spare them a glance, the light's just enough for Sun to be out, as he huddles under the pile of blankets you'd provided. Your heart twists with concern as you see him tremble. You're sure they'll be okay, it's just, not a great situation currently. 

"Hey." You softly call out. "Doing alright over there?"

Sun perks up, looking over to you. Tone more cheery than you think he actually is. "Of course, Sunshine! We're okay, I promise."

"You don't look okay to me." You walk over, cupping your hands around his faceplate. "This is all my fault, if I'd noticed the outage sooner I could have planned better. I'm so sorry."

Sun's rays flutter, not having the energy for his usual spinning. "Don't say that! We insisted on staying outside so long. It was a complete and total fluke that the power went out. Nothing you should be blaming yourself for, alright?" His hand reaches up for your wrist, leaning into your touch. 

"Okay,"—you sigh, then giggle as he kisses your wrist, you take a step back—"I'm gonna go grab my dinner, and then I'll be back."

Sun nods, and lets you go. 

You give him once last look, and hurry off into the kitchen. By the light of your phone's flashlight, you make yourself a sandwich or two, and pour a cup of cold coco. You check to see if there's any updates on when the electricity will be back, but you still have no signal. 

Deciding that that's not good enough, you search the cupboards and find your old storm radio, along with your regular one, and bring them and your food back with you from the kitchen. 

When you get back, you don't miss how Sun scrambles back from holding his hands over the candles on the coffee table. He feigns innocence, sinking back into the blanket as your frown deepens. There's got to be something you can do to help, and you have an idea in mind. 

You set everything down on the end table, turning on both radios. The storm radio doesn't have any updates, but the other softly plays holiday music, bringing some life to the living room. Then, you turn your focus to Sun, hands clasped. 

"Yes, Starshine?" He asks, a little on edge at the look on your face.

You wave your hand. "Open up that blanket, that's my spot."

It takes him a moment, then it clicks. "O-oh! Of course." He opens the blanket, and his arms. 

You all but hop into his lap, snuggling close as you wrap your arms around his neck. Then, you pull back and kiss him once, grinning. "Thought I'd provide the best heat I could think of. If that's alright?"

Sun's stare is blank, unmoving. Then, his rays spin rapidly and he nods several times. It makes you laugh as you reach over for your sandwich, snuggling further into his lap as he brings the blanket back around the two of you. 

"Sorry in advance for any crumbs, but after getting pelted with snowballs all day I'm kind of hungry." You take a bite, reveling in it for a second. For a cold sandwich, this slapped.

Sun chuckles, arms coming to rest around you. "I suppose just this once it's alright, special circumstances and all that."

"Good, because I wasn't asking." You snicker as he huffs. 

After finishing your sandwich, you get even cozier, entwining your fingers with Sun's and snuggling your head against his neck. 

Bored, and also feeling cheeky, you place a kiss to his neck, followed by another, and another. 

He stiffens and you grin to yourself, continuing with a squeeze to his hand. Eventually the position starts to ache, so you decide to turn around so you're straddling him. When you do so, you make eye contact and smirk. 

"Hi." You say. 

"Hi."

You interlock both your hands with his, leaning back in so that you're only inches apart. "Mind if I get back to work?"

"Wo-work?" Sun asks. 

You giggle. "Mmmhmm. I've got nothing better to do than sleep, and to be honest, I'm not really in the mood for that." You kiss the edge of his smile. "So, want to help me with that?"

Sun's hands squeeze yours, tight. For a moment, you swear you hear a low humming sound, but it's hard to tell with all the blankets and the radio. 

"Very much so, yes."

You grin again, closing the remaining small gap between the two of you. "Let's get to it then."

After, a plethora of kisses is exchanged between the two of you, and you think Sun has melted into the couch, you decide it's Moon's turn. 

"You ruined him, you know." Moon snickers, forehead against yours. "He's comatose in here."

You chuckle. "That was the intention."

"I hope you don't think it's going to work twice, Star."

Your hands wrap around his neck, fingers slinking between the wires there. When he shudders you pull one back, using it to grip his chin while you pout. "Are you sure? I'm gonna be real sad if it doesn't."

"Brat." Moon mutters, but with how he's avoiding eye contact you'd say you've already won. 

You lean in to kiss him only to hesitate, when he puts his hand up between you. 

"Oh, sorry, I wasn't—" He takes your head, and places it against his chest. 

Now closer, you can hear the noise from earlier, which you now understand was their internal fans. And it clicks what's happened. 

Your face starts to burn. "I see."

"We tried to hide it." Moon coughs. "But now it's becoming a problem."

You pause, then shift back to gape at him. "You're overheating? Are kidding me?"

Moon ducks his head and you can't help the astonished laugh you let out. Then, you hug him, shaking your head in disbelief. 

"Guess we don't have worry about freezing up after all, huh?"

"Don't start." He warns, but it's half-hearted, weak. 

You laugh again. "Okay, okay. No kissing for a bit then."

Quiet. 

"I can always go back out in the snow for a few minutes if you want..."

You scoff, baffled. "If I want? Excuse me, I think tha—"

Moon interrupts you by pulling you further into him, muttering something you can barely make out. 

And if you weren't so incredibly offended, you might have taken him up on that offer.

Emphasis on might. You are pretty cozy right now, regardless of being able to kiss them or not.

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

Thank you for the request @vypridae!! I very much enjoyed writing more cuddly kissy fluffy things, and flustering the boys that too :)

Masterpost link

Tag list (if you would like added, see this post for more info):

@scarletcowboy @beemyhuneybee @fishm0ther @deviouscrackers @elsajoyagent8

@luckyyyduckyyy @zenkaiankoku @jogimote @local-shrub @amarynthian-chronicles

@robinette-green @everlightreader @sinister-sincerely @starredeclipse @dangerva

@juukai @crystalmagpie447 @mothgutz236 @lizyxml @divinit3a

[yuujispinkhair]

Separation Anxiety (Chapter 15 - Epilogue)

Put your lips on my scars and teach me to love

When a ritual separates Sukuna from Yuuji, Sukuna is delighted to find that besides having his own body, there is also another gift handed to him: The brat has lost all his memories and is now the perfect little plaything to take home and manipulate. At least, that's the plan. But the King of Curses isn't prepared for the feelings that come along with being human again. And another complication is how cute the brat is when he has no idea who Sukuna is and, instead of hating him, treats him with genuine love and affection. So, without realizing it, Sukuna suddenly finds himself on a journey of learning how to be loved and how to love.

++ Masterpost ++

Pairing: Sukuna x Yuuji Genre: Memory Loss AU, fluff, smut, light angst Word Count: 2.8k Playlist: Separation Anxiety Warnings: 18+, smut, mentions of violence, dub-con (Yuuji has lost his memories, and Sukuna lies to him about being boyfriends). All characters are of age. This story is 18+. Minors don't interact.

Chapter 15 - Epilogue

We can meet in the middle, bodies and souls collide. Dance in the moonlight when all the stars align for you and I. (You and I - Stripped by PVRIS)

Sukuna's hand is clutched tightly in Yuuji's as they enter the small park in front of their apartment. Not for their daily morning run this time but for a stroll in the evening. Yuuji wants to see the fairy lights and LED decorations that have been put up all over the park for Christmas. And, of course, Sukuna can't say no to him, and so he lets Yuuji pull him excitedly along.

Yuuji is marveling at the pretty lights, and Sukuna has to admit that it looks pretty the way all those colorful lights turn the park into a magical-looking winter wonderland. Though Sukuna's gaze, more often than not, strays from the decorations along the path to the young man beside him.

He smiles softly as he watches Yuuji and sees the childlike happiness on his face as Yuuji takes in all the decorations. No matter how many terrible things have happened to Yuuji over the years, he is still able to find genuine joy in these simple things. An admirable trait, Sukuna thinks. Something he used to see as naivety, but now he knows it is part of the immense strength that Yuuji has.

Yuuji catches Sukuna staring at him and grins broadly, giving Sukuna's hand a squeeze as he jerks his chin towards the decorated park,

"Do you like it? It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. Just like you, my love."

Sukuna smiles at Yuuji, and Yuuji throws his head back, laughing that delighted laughter that lights up his whole face, before he bumps into Sukuna's side and presses a firm kiss onto Sukuna's cheek,

"Aww baby, you are making me blush!"

He keeps peppering little kisses all over Sukuna's cheek, making Sukuna laugh and call him a huge brat affectionately, gently pushing at Yuuji's shoulders until the boy stops and smiles at him, big golden eyes gazing pensively at Sukuna as Yuuji adds in a much softer voice,

"I am so happy to be here with you. I'm so happy we are together."

He is still standing so close to Sukuna, and his golden eyes gaze deeply into Sukuna's, holding absolute sincerity and that unwavering conviction that only Itadori Yuuji has.

Sukuna's breath catches in his throat. A few weeks ago, he thought he had lost Yuuji and everything that had been between them. He thought he didn't deserve Yuuji's kindness and love. And yet, now they are here together again, and no words could ever be powerful enough to convey how grateful Sukuna is for that. But he tries anyway,

"Yuuji?"

"Yes?"

Those golden eyes look at him with so much love, and Sukuna feels himself falling even deeper into the warmth and safety that Itadori Yuuji has become to him. All the people around them disappear. There is only Yuuji standing in front of Sukuna in the middle of their park, the place they have made so many memories in, and the words tumble so easily from Sukuna's mouth all of a sudden, so honest, so raw but unafraid because he knows Yuuji will always be gentle with Sukuna's heart.

"Thank you for wanting to stay by my side even after you discovered the truth. Thank you for giving me a chance to learn how beautiful it can be just to exist as a human being. For a thousand years, I thought the moment I would be reincarnated, I would bring a reign of terror over humanity and gradually destroy this world. But now I don't want that anymore. How could I destroy this world when you live in it and when I can find so much happiness in it with you? You taught me love and how to enjoy all these little human things, like this Christmas garden with those fairy lights.

There is a red string of fate tying us together. I didn't realize it initially, but it was always meant to be. You were made for me. And I was meant to find you in this life. Even when I forcibly separated us, I couldn't walk away from you because something bound me to you. Do you know that I felt a phantom pain in my chest because we weren't sharing a body anymore? I needed you near me to make it stop.

My first life wasn't a good one. But I am one of the few blessed ones who got a second chance, and I want to do it better this time. I want to walk a different path, and I think with you by my side, I can do it. Will you stay with me, Yuuji? Will you walk on this new path with me? Will you help me live a better life? Will you help me be a human man instead of a monster?"

Sukuna's breath comes out as little foggy clouds in the freezing night air, adding to the magical atmosphere the park has tonight. And Yuuji is smiling at him while tears glitter in his beautiful eyes.

"Of course I will. I will always stay with you. And as I said before, you aren't a monster to me, Sukuna. Let's try our best to live a happy life and be as human as possible."

A pair of strong arms wraps around Sukuna's waist, comforting him, anchoring him to this world, to this life.

Sukuna wraps his arms around Yuuji, too, holding him while he tells him,

"I used to think the only things that mattered were power and strength. But you showed me other things. These things that I have with you... going to the park, watching movies, cooking together, and all those other small things that bring so much joy and peace. I want this. I want what we have. I want this quiet, happy life with you."

Sukuna cups Yuuji's cheek, caressing it gently with his thumb. And he adds after a moment, with a soft voice full of tenderness,

"I want this until my last dying breath. You and me. Yuuji and Sukuna. I want us to be together in this life and every other life that comes after it."

He knows it will happen because he knows their souls will always find each other again in every life in every alternate universe. Their connection has been woven into what holds this universe together. There is no doubt about it.

And Yuuji seems to know it, too, with the way he beams at Sukuna and smiles that sweet, happy smile. He leans into Sukuna's touch and reaches out to mimic Sukuna's gesture, cupping Sukuna's cheek with his hand and cradling Sukuna's face gently in his palm,

"I want that, too. You and I, that's how it's supposed to be. You're my home, and I am yours. Forever. I promise you, Kuna."

Sukuna smiles softly. The phantom pain in his chest is gone completely, replaced by a comforting warmth. He closes the remaining distance between them by pressing his lips to Yuuji's in a slow, tender kiss.

Sukuna doesn't know how long they stand there in the park in front of their shrine, just kissing and holding each other while the world moves on around them. But Sukuna becomes aware of a cold sensation on his forehead, and at the same moment, Yuuji pulls slightly away to look up at the sky and exclaim loudly,

"It's snowing! Look how pretty!"

Of course, Sukuna is used to snow. There was a lot more of it back in Heian times than there is nowadays. Back then, it was a nuisance. Too cold, too wet, turning the paths that lead to Sukuna's temple into mud that stuck uncomfortably to his feet. But right now, here with Yuuji, Sukuna can appreciate the beauty of the thick white snowflakes that slowly fall down around them, as if time has slowed down and everything happens in slow motion. It's peaceful. Beautiful.

Yuuji laughs and takes a step back, grabbing Sukuna's hands and giving them a squeeze as his eyes sparkle happily,

"Come on, dance with me in the snow! I always wanted to do that!"

Sukuna huffs and laughs, but he reaches out immediately when Yuuji slips on some snow-covered leaves on the ground, catching him before he can fall, and it only makes Yuuji laugh louder.

One of Sukuna's arms is wrapped around Yuuji's waist, holding him, and their eyes lock. For a long moment, they just look at each other, two people lost in each other's eyes. Two people who are each other's world. And suddenly, Sukuna knows that, yes, he will dance with Yuuji in the snow. Because why not? In this life, he can have all those little joys. The boy he loves wants to dance in the snow with him, and Sukuna would be a fool to say no.

He grins at Yuuji and tightens his arm around Yuuji's waist, pulling him closer. Sukuna is leading the dance, steering Yuuji in the right direction, spinning him slowly around while the snowflakes fall down around them, joining in on Sukuna's and Yuuji's slow dance.

Yuuji is laughing unrestrainedly, loud and happy while Sukuna tries to keep an aloof expression, but he fails and instead begins laughing too, as he continues to spin Yuuji around, careful not to let him fall, a strong arm wrapped safely around Yuuji's waist, the fingers of his other hand gently interlaced with Yuuji's. Sukuna dips Yuuji down, causing Yuuji to laugh even louder as the snowflakes tumble down around him and land on his pink hair like a crown. Sukuna can't stop staring at him, mesmerized by Yuuji's beauty, not just by the beauty of his face but also by the beauty of his soul.

5 years later

Sukuna wakes up to the feeling of a warm, heavy body lying half on top of him and soft hair lightly tickling his chin. The feeling of Yuuji wrapped around him like a lazy cat. And Sukuna smiles softly to himself as he runs a large hand through the soft pink hair, caressing it in a gesture so tender it still manages to surprise him even so many years later.

Yuuji never got his memories back, but he told Sukuna he doesn't mind. We are creating new memories every day, and that's all that counts. That's what Yuuji said to Sukuna, smiling that sweet sunshine smile at him, a typical display of his optimistic nature. And Sukuna smiled back and kissed him.

Yes, that is all they need. Yuuji is happy with his life, with the here and now and the future that lies ahead of them. And Sukuna plans to make it a bright future for them both. Another thing Yuuji taught him. Seeking happiness and peace instead of war. Creating a life that is beautiful because of its ordinary nature, a peaceful life filled with little joys like eating your favorite dinner, watching a movie or reading a book you enjoy, taking a walk in the park with the man you love by your side, or making love to him on your shared bed while you look deeply into each other's eyes.

Sukuna hums softly in the depths of his chest as Yuuji stirs lightly, but only to cuddle even closer to Sukuna.

"I know you are awake, darling."

Sukuna says, his low voice full of affection. Yuuji whines and hugs him tighter, mumbling sleepily against Sukuna's chest,

"Just a few more minutes, baby."

And, of course, Sukuna gives him those few more minutes. They still have all day to celebrate their anniversary. Five years of being married to each other. Sukuna booked a table at their favorite restaurant, and hidden in his nightstand is another gift. A poem. Just like people used to write them in Heian times to court their beloved. Sukuna had been an enjoyer of poetry back then but never wrote a poem on his own. The themes of those poems, love and beauty, had seemed too far away from him. Unreachable for a monster like him.

Now, Sukuna can't seem to stop the words flowing from his pen anytime he sits down to write. Poems about golden eyes and warm smiles. Poems about the person who became his home. Poems about true love.

Love.

It used to be something Sukuna thought he'd never be able to feel. Something he didn't even want to feel because it terrified him. But things have changed. Sukuna has changed. But he knows that he would have never been able to learn love by himself. He needed Yuuji to teach him. Sukuna needed the man who is the other half of his soul.

That's why Sukuna was never able to love before. Because no one else was Yuuji.

- The end -

OMGGGG THIS WAS IT 😭 Thank you so much for staying until the end!

Separation Anxiety was my biggest project. I started writing it in 2021. But at that time, I knew I couldn't do this idea justice because it was a very complex story to write, and I feared I wasn't skilled enough to write about the gradually changing emotions in a convincing way. So I kept it in the drafts and occasionally added something to the story. And then, as I grew as a writer, I finally decided it was time to start editing and posting this fic.

I had wanted to finish it for months but never got into the right headspace to put the finishing touches to the final chapter. And then Gege dropped those amazing epilogues and that beautiful art of Sukuna and Yuuji dancing in the snow, and it gave me the motivation to finally finish this story!

I have been crying for days over the new content Gege gave us 😭😭 I wrote the first draft of the final chapter after going to a Christmas Garden three years ago, and now everything has come full circle after Gege finished JJK with an epilogue about snow and that picture of Sukuna and Yuuji dancing in the snow. It just feels so right. The ending for Separation Anxiety was always planned to happen during Christmas time. And now I decided to also add the dancing scene after Gege blessed us with that picture 💗

I hope you enjoyed the ending. Separation Anxiety is a work of love, and I hope you can feel this love when you read it. No other characters have ever touched me as much as Yuuji and Sukuna, and I am so happy that I could explore them and their relationship in this story.

Thank you again for sticking with this story until the end and for all the sweet comments and patience. I am so sorry that I wasn't able to respond to all of your comments, but I read all of them, and I cried so many happy tears about them. I will always be grateful for all your love and support!

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO WENT ON THIS JOURNEY WITH SUKUNA, YUUJI AND ME 😭😭💗

[projectjasper]

new siwaj is genuinely so good at the romcom genre (with a dash of something like slice of life here and there), so good at showing humour and domesticity and intimacy and cute fluffy romance. fully unparalleled in those departments. and i think so far perfect 10 liners manages to stay within the bounds of the genre the best.

putting aside some of new's earlier works and focusing on two generally amazing romcoms that he has made in recent years that i absolutely adore - 'a boss and a babe' and 'we are' - there was pretty much only one issue with both of them: they tried to bite off more (complicated and heavy topics) than they (as romcom series) could chew. the way abaab handled the abuse storyline was just bad and it might as well not have brought up the question of the relationship's power dynamic cause it didn't have anything substantial to say about it. don't get me started on the way child abandonment is waved off in 'we are'. and i honestly think these more serious topics were eventually dealt with so flippantly not because new is incapable of handling such serious topics at all (see: until we meet again) but because seriously handling them in this case would take us too far away from the romcom genre. they are simply something it is inherently unequipped to deal with.

meanwhile, perfect 10 liners (at least, so far - fingers crossed for the rest of the series) has been really good at presenting human characters with a backstory that is significant and effective in establishing conflict but also pretty normal, not entirely world-shattering, or uniquely heavy. having a shitty ex or divorced parents are things that do absolutely have a serious negative impact on people, but they are also very common and it is exactly because of how ordinary and easily digestible they are that they can be dealt with fairly quickly and painlessly, not requiring too much nuance and in-depth discussion. what i'm saying is they are not like your first love being a survivor who killed herself or your boyfriend being sent away and abandoned at age five. you know what i mean? they are perfect conflict set-ups but are also not too much for a romcom to handle.

because at the end of the day the romcom genre is like the dessert of media. it's awesome, it gives us a sugar rush and, to some (me, it's me, i'm talking about myself), it is the best part of the meal. but it cannot handle the same amount of density the main course can. it is mostly lighthearted and largely uncomplicated by definition and it should stay that way. (part of the reason why i think romcoms have been struggling with this is because there has been a trend of people wishing to feel constantly intellectual just for the sake of it and thinking complexity and heavy themes are the only acceptable things in media, but that's like... a whole other essay).

and, although i know a lot also depends on the screenwriter(s) and the source material, with the way conflict has been presented and wielded in perfect 10 liners, i really think new is finally fully getting to that point where he knows exactly what this kind of series should look like, what his own strengths are, and how to mix the two.

at this point, at least to me, new siwaj is the king of the bl romcom genre. and, as someone who has been watching straight romcoms his whole life and has always loved the genre but yearned to see himself in it, i am eternally grateful to new for finally making that dream come true.

[pseudowho]

How did you know that you wanted to be a mother? I know I’m young but the idea of having kids fluctuates for me and I was wondering what made you decide to have them.

This is one thing I reflect on a lot as an adult;

That I believe I only 'wanted' to be a mother, because I was never aware, from the earliest age, that I could be anything different.

I come from the kind of family where in the generations before me, the women were mothers; often, at a very young age.

I tend to look after these young girls/women a lot, too, as their midwife-- those who become mothers because they don't think anything else is on the cards for them. They don't think that education, or a powerful career, or a child free relationship, or simply being alone with oneself, is on the cards for them.

I send a lot of babies home with new mothers who might have chosen differently for themselves if they really knew what raising children was. It's sad to know that this anger, disappointment, frustration and loneliness can then be projected onto those children.

That's not to say I don't love my children; I do. But I wish I had known the amount of myself that I would have to put aside, deprioritise, or simply snuff out, to meet the constant needs of another little person.

If I had truly known what it would take to be a mother, and to try my absolute damnedest to be a good one who breaks the cyclical damaging patterns of the previous generations, I think there is a very good chance I would have decided not to have children.

I would say this: if you are anything less than 100% into the idea of having children, with open eyes as to what it takes to do it well, don't have children.

I view it very realistically, with no bias towards having children or not. I'm very much an advocate of womens' choices. I think I went into motherhood with a realistic idea of what to expect, and it's still a fucking challenge.

Love,

-- Haitch xxx

[ordinaryschmuck]

What I Quickly Thought About What If...? Season Three

Salutations, random people of the internet who are already scrolling past this! I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and comics and cartoons.

You know, it’s a LITTLE crazy to me that What If…? is one of the most hated MCU shows…and yet not that crazy at all. I kind of get it, this is a show that’s basically dumb fun where the writers play with the heroes and villains in the MCU like they’re action figures. If you’re looking for interesting ideas and concepts, you’ll SOMETIMES get it like with Doctor Strange destroying his universe to save his true love or Hela trying to figure out who she is other than a Goddess of Death..but the majority of the time, you’ll just get Thor being a party dude, Nebula going full Bladerunner, and a big buff lady punching a demon wizard in the face with the power of infinity–I will keep saying that until it stops sounding awesome.

What If…? is not a show for everyone. You need to be in the right mindset and the right kind of person to enjoy a show like this. Dumb fun only works if it matches what YOU consider to be dumb fun. As for me, though? I loved it. I enjoyed the hell out of Season One, I found Season Two to be a HUGE improvement, and I really looked forward to Season Three. It’s just a shame, though, that Season Three is the FINAL season…which makes no sense to me.

What If…? is a concept that could go on for MULTIPLE seasons, at least EIGHT for sure. I get that maybe animation is expensive or maybe we’re wrapping up this multiverse shit next year so we can move onto the X-Men, but COME ON! You can’t make a show about showing all the different possibilities in infinity and then just say, “That’s it. We only get three seasons.” It also puts a lot of unnecessary pressure in these last eight episodes. If this is a final season, then these need to be the best, brightest, most EPIC final What Ifs in the SERIES. The question is…are they? Well, let’s run through them. Though, keep in mind, we ARE gonna have to talk about spoilers. I'll TRY to keep the big things secret, but what's considered big anymore on the internet. I could say two characters kiss (They don't in this) and that'll be enough to drive people up the wall. So, to keep things safe...

Spoilers Ahead.

What If…The Hulk Fought The Mech Avengers?: Alright, so we have Avengers fighting giant Hulks in giant mech suits. I would definitely say we’re off to a good start…if not for the fact that it has pacing problems out the wazoo.

Yeah, poor pacing has ALWAYS been What If’s…? main issue. The show was originally intended to have forty-minute episodes, but got shaved down so the MCU needed to fill their quota for Disney and the company’s shoddy streaming service. The writers never got used to that and, in episodes like this one, you can really feel it. I mean, this is an episode of MECH AVENGERS fighting GIANT HULKS. It should easily be epic, but there’s too much time fast-forwarding through the epicness so we can get to the next cool thing or the next heart-to-heart. The final fight as the team pulls a Voltron (RIP Netflix show) feels more like a montage instead of a big, epic battle, with most of the team practically being non-existent. I mean, this is the first time we’re seeing characters like Moon Knight and Shang-Chi since their debuts, and they do basically NOTHING. The most memorable thing Moon Knight does is press a button. THAT’S IT. The majority of the time isn’t on this team of Mech Avengers, but instead on Sam Wilson and Bruce Banner…Which, to be fair, is actually the part of the story I liked. The relationship these two have makes a lot of sense when you think on it and it really sells the tragedy of a character like Bruce far better than recent MCU entries have. But, just like everything else in this episode, we rush past this friendship. We’ve got great moments like Sam consulting Bruce about being The Hulk and that final heart-to-heart feels like it SHOULD mean something, but there wasn’t enough time to build up this relationship or to show how good it was for them. We’re constantly TOLD they were friends because the episode didn’t have enough time to SHOW us. I don’t know, this SHOULD have been a SMASH, but with so much going on and not enough time to let it flow naturally, it all feels more like an episode you can PASS.

What If…Agatha Went to Hollywood?: Huh. So, for the first time ever, the MCU is acknowledging certain stories I’d figured they’d sooner let audiences forget. For one, we have The Eternals, a movie not many people liked, myself included. On top of that, we have acknowledgment to Agent Carter Season Two of all things, taking the plotline of Howard Stark making movies and using it as the main crux of this story. It shouldn’t surprise me, these writers are CLEARLY Agent Carter fans given how they shoved Peggy Carter into the spotlight again, but it still amazes me that the MCU is FINALLY giving some form of nod to what is really an underrated series…In Season One. Season Two’s not as good.

Now, outside of those acknowledgements…I feel like this story is a LITTLE hindered by the fact that the writers of What If…? didn’t get a chance to know what would happen in Agatha All Along. The plot of this story is that Agatha’s trying to gain the power of a celestial, and knowing what her life was like in Agatha All Along and what she lost, it would be interesting to consider WHY she would want the powers of a god. There would have been such a fascinating angle to go with that, but because animation is a lengthy process and you can’t edit an episode to fit a story that wrapped up two months ago, there’s no way they could have fit in what happened THERE into HERE. They barely had time to explain what happened to the other Eternals, saying they were taken care of off screen so we can rush through parts of this story. Again.

That being said…I still had some fun with this one. Seeing Agatha ham it up was a lot more entertaining in animation than live-action, with animators looking like they’re having the time of their lives making her move around and have facial expressions like an over the top Disney villain. She may not be AS compelling of a character like she was in her own show (Which had NO right to be as good as it was), but again, the writers probably didn’t have enough time to factor that in. All the information they had was from WandaVision, and ran with it by making Agatha more of an outrageous villain than before. And her interactions with Kingo, the one of the few characters I kind of liked in The Eternals, was surprisingly enjoyable. It’s two egotistical immortals trying to outperform the other, with the chemistry shooting sparks through the roof. Not ROMANTIC chemistry, mind you. That “Not my type” line is just…hilarious. Regardless, they’re what makes this episode fun, taking elements from the weaker side of the MCU and creating a bigger story out of it. Would it have benefited if this season had more material to work with in regards to Agatha All Along? Most definitely, yes. But for what they had, it still shined bright.

What If…The Red Guardian Stopped The Winter Soldier?: I really want to like this one. I REALLY do. It’s the loud and boisterous Red Guardian teaming up with the quiet and professional Winter Soldier. There should be comedy GOLD with their interactions, and while there ARE…there’s not enough to make this episode more than “Okay.” The execution is really what holds it back, as David Harbour’s performance often makes the Red Guardian more ANNOYING than endearing a lot of the time, aside from a few bits with Bucky. Speaking of, it’s weird how Bucky isn’t…the same, cold killer he was in Winter Soldier and the opening of Civil War. There, he often acted robotically, matching the arm that Hydra and the Soviets gave him. Here though? He’s biting Alexi’s leg, quipping, and acting just as jovial as Alexi does sometimes. The only time it makes sense that he acts more human was when he flirts with a cashier and explains it away with him saying his “Deep-Cover Mode” activated. That’s not the BEST excuse, but it works enough. I get that this hypnotized assassin would have been hard to write around and explain why he’d team up with  Alexi, but I also feel like there would have been MORE comedic opportunity to have Alexi try and interact with someone who doesn’t talk much or barely acknowledges his presence. Treat it like a kid trying to befriend a killing machine, there’s comedic potential there. It’s definitely more digestible than Alexi being the one to break Bucky’s conditioning.

Yeah, that’s a thing that doesn’t sit right with me. You can argue it was the power of friendship that broke through to Bucky in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but it’s not just that. It’s the POWERFUL friendship between Bucky and Steve that no time nor conditioning could have broken, making something kind of beautiful in a movie about spies and espionage. So to have a guy Bucky barely knew in a DAY AND A HALF to be the one to free him spits in the face of Bucky’s story, his relationship with Cap, and his entire character development. It’s what stops me from really ENJOYING this episode, as it takes leaps and bounds of logic that feel greater than any other What If. Especially since there’s a way to help that. You have this guy dressed up as a red version of Bucky’s best friend. You can find a way to write that into why he changed gradually, even if it means having Red Guardian SUBTLY act like Steve. Definitely better than how he USUALLY acts.

It really is the characterization that stops me from enjoying this episode. Alexi and Bucky feel more like they’re in a Lego parody instead of an alternate timeline in the MCU, and it holds back the enjoyment a LOT…That being said, there are SOME things that I do enjoy. While the characterization isn’t the best, there are the occasional fun and somewhat endearing moments the two share. It’s also kind of cool to see Bill Foster’s Goliath again as he chases after these two idiots across the country, and his interactions with Ranger Morales (Not THAT Morales…Maybe) are surprisingly adorable. Speaking of which, Ranger Morales might be the best character in this entire thing, with her being the only one who benefits from the screwball comedy because, you know, she’s a new character. She’s allowed to say she wrestled a bear with her bare hands or collected slot machine tokens in her hat because she’s not someone with far more interesting and compelling stories being ruined for a comedic episode. And, to this story’s credit, there IS something interesting and compelling as it reveals WHO gave up information that got the Starks killed. I’m not gonna give it away, but it’s a great detail that offers more lore than I could expect from a series that isn’t really canon but CAN offer plausible information that COULD be canon. And, yeah, it makes me enjoy a certain MCU villain a LITTLE bit more because of how despicable his actions are.

In the end, there are SOME good stuff that makes this a fun experience, but if you’re not a fan of the Red Guardian’s characterization or ESPECIALLY the Winter Soldier’s, then you’re going to likely wish someone wiped YOUR memory of this adventure.

What If…Howard the Duck Got Hitched?: Darcy laid an egg in this one…I wouldn’t expect crazier from an episode about Howard the gosh dang DUCK.

Despite all its flaws, What If…? really was the best way to adapt an insane character like Howard the Duck into the MCU. His wackadoodle adventures and storylines work fine in a comic universe where characters are allowed to get as silly as they want, but I feel like She-Hulk proves that MCU fans aren’t ready for goofy nonsense that suits the character. So to have him go on an occasional oddball adventure within a non-canon series, it works so that the writers can get as weird as they want with it. And holy shit-knuckles, do things get fuckin’ WEIRD.

Aside from Darcy laying a FUCKING EGG (How the hell is that even possible?), you have every powerful person in the universe chasing after the damn thing because it is, inexplicably, the most powerful thing in all of infinity and they all want it for different reasons. Dormamu’s cult wants it to host his body, SHIELD wants to keep it out of the hands of everyone, and the Grandmaster…just wants to eat the damn thing. Now, HOW is it possible that Howard and Darcy’s egg turned out to be the most powerful thing in existence? Fuck if I know, but it is BONKERS and I love it. It’s just so funny seeing all of the mightiest and most threatening beings in the MCU all chasing down an egg of all things. And I don’t know about you, but something about seeing the two most boring MCU villains slapping each other so they can get to it first is…It…It just tickles me, okay?

And I know I complained about characterization in the last episode, and that still applies…unless the story is about Howard the mother fucking DUCK. Characters can get as weird as they want because that’s just how things work with him. But even then, there’s some genuine heart there as Howard and Darcy try their best to be good parents for their precious little egg. I would never think that a story where Howard and Darcy start a family together could turn out so wholesome, but gosh dang it, these writers are really trying to sell it. Their personalities work off each other better than I could have imagined, with Howard being an angry but good-hearted doof while Darcy perfectly toes the line between being the only sane person there and just as insane as everyone else. It works far better than I thought it could, really endearing me to the comedy as I watch the insane lengths these two would go to protect their child. I wouldn’t expect an episode about Howard the Duck to be one of the best in the season, possibly the series, but I guess it’s true what they say. When you’re outta luck, go duck…Or someone says that. I don’t know.

What If…The Emergence Destroyed the Earth: Hey, look! An actual DARK episode of What If…?! Are you fuckers HAPPY NOW?!

I say that as if it’s not something I wanted either, but I will admit that I would love just a BIT more dramatic stories in this show. Strange Supreme’s origins and Ultron’s victory are the best episodes of the series for a reason, even if I still wildly enjoy the goofy antics we usually get. It allows the writers to tell a tragic ending to a universe while, occasionally, showing the true strengths of our heroes. Something about Black Widow and Hawkeye still trying to stop Ultron despite living in a dead world–A dead UNIVERSE–shows that you can kill anything and everything, but you can’t completely kill a hero’s spirit. Something similar happens in this episode, though going for a different tactic to tell this tragedy.

It opens right away with The Watcher telling us that this story doesn’t have a happy ending. So, with every tense situation Riri is in, it makes you think that THIS is the moment when the worst happens. Yet the episode does a good job at always giving just the TINIEST bit of hope, making you think that The Watcher might be wrong and that she could maybe save the day. Although, it may have played its hand a little TOO much that The Watcher might do a certain something, but even then it plays with expectations a little, making you wonder if he’ll even do what you expect him to. It’s a decent attempt at playing with emotions, all while fitting into this extra dark world.

Speaking of, this is definitely the most intriguing universe that The Watcher presented. The idea that life still exists despite the Earth cracking apart is such a cool sci-fi concept that works best in a superhero world. Science will likely call bullshit, but I for one love seeing this literally broken world, watching debris and parts of people’s old lives float around the Earth’s messed up gravity. Things get more interesting as we get to see who the big bad of this story is, and I’m pleasantly surprised to see that it’s Mysterio. I don’t hate him as a villain, but I wouldn’t have expected him of all characters to control what’s left of Earth. Yet the writers go all the way that they could with a concept like this, showing us a much darker version of this villain and going further with what his abilities are capable of. The episode does a good job of showing us how Mysterio’s illusions were capable of taking over the planet, and I applaud the attempt.

I also love how much this episode endears me to Riri Williams. I wasn’t a huge fan of Ironheart in Wakanda Forever, feeling like she was the weakest part of that excellent movie. Here, though, I’m starting to see how a character like her could be fun to watch. Her determination to try and fix what’s left of the world and to keep fighting back no matter what it might do to her is the right kind of motivation to make me enjoy ANY hero. It’s simple, but effective enough to know that Riri is capable of such inner strength. I will admit, though, that I don’t really care for her supporting cast. In this episode in particular, it really feels like the writers just picked random names out of a hat and just inserted those characters into the story. No one other than Riri feels like they’re meant to be there as none of their unique personalities are allowed to shine through like hers. You could have replaced them with anybody, and the effect would still feel more or less the same.

That being said, I still think this is a winner here. It’s the exact type of dark story that fans have been demanding, all with a little hope shining in that darkness. Maybe it’ll make fans happy, maybe it won’t, but nothing in What If...? rarely does. I had my fun, and I’ll continue to have it no matter what Twitter says.

What If…1872: An episode where Shang-Chi and Kate Bishop are local heroes in the wild west? Sure, why not. This show’s done weirder…In fact, it’s kind of why I have some objections with a part of The Watcher’s opening narration. “Think less of ‘What if’ and more ‘What the hell,’” has basically been this show’s motto for a while. This is just putting two heroes in a different time period without some nonsense with Captain America smacking a time stone. Meanwhile, two episodes ago, we had Darcy lay an egg. I think it’s safe to say that this isn’t the first time we said “What the Hell?”

With that said…this is another good one. And it’s easy to see why. It’s a wild west story featuring two characters that have NOT made that big of an appearance since their introductions. AGAIN. As someone who absolutely LOVES Shang-Chi’s movie, it’s actually nice to see him kicking ass like he used to while the animation is allowed to have him fight with crazier moves. And Kate Bishop was a lot more entertaining to me this time around, acting as a cold and stern markswoman with actual skills instead of the bubbling and awkward character like most of the Young Avengers the MCU portrayed. She felt more like a unique character, and a badass one at that. Even the villains are pretty awesome in this, with Sonny Burch being a great, twisted fuck and The Hood being an ominous mystery even if the twist became a BIT predictable.

Speaking of, I have…mixed feelings towards that twist. Because I do kind of like the tragedy and internal conflict that Shang-Chi faces when met with who The Hood is. It feels like a taste of what COULD happen in a Shang-Chi sequel, whenever the fucking hell that will happen. But, at the same time, the episode started off as if it was about tackling AmerIica’s dark history in how we abused the immigrant workers to make it the country that it is. I was SO ready to give the MCU brownie points for tackling subject matter that isn’t easy to discuss…and then immediately ripped those points away once it revealed that the culprit is an immigrant too. Now, it’s not a COMPLETE loss. There’s this implication that the twist character is under some kind of control from The Hood itself and we’ve still got white boy Sunny being all kinds of okay with the enslavement of Chinese immigrants. BUUUUUUUUUT I still feel like this is the MCU starting off with an interesting, dark story to tell but pulling back because…reasons. Believe it or not, that happens more times than you think

Regardless of my thoughts on the twist, though, I enjoyed this one enough. It’s a decent wild west story that finally utilizes characters that the MCU refuses to touch despite throwing so much money into bringing them into the spotlight IN THE FIRST PLACE! Here’s hoping to seeing more Shang-Chi and even Kate Bishop in the future…

What If…The Watcher Disappeared/What If…What If: Might as well lump these two together as they’re more of a two-parter than any other finale. Even the Ultron episode of the first season still felt more like its own thing even though it set up the first big crossover. Here, though, both episodes are definitely part of the same story, one that a buddy of mine actually predicted we’d get: “What If The Watcher Was Put On Trial?”

Through this final story, we learn more about The Watchers, especially the one we’ve been following throughout the series. We get more of an idea about their oath and WHY The Watcher would want to break it. My favorite part is that he doesn’t hate his role in the multiverse. He loves his job as a Watcher and he doesn’t resent his higher ups for trying to take the job away from him or kill him and the ones he loves. He only gained a new perspective of what it means to watch and wants to share the lessons he’s learned, with the crux of the conflict coming from the fact that the other Watchers believes he’s going too far in protecting “lesser beings.” Speaking of, I liked the group of “lesser beings” formed in this two-parter. Byrdie is a kind of fun little tinkerer, it was GREAT to see Kahhori again despite her being a little TOO quippy, Storm as the Goddess of Thunder was AWESOME, and, of course, the big buff lady named Captain Carter proved just why I love her so much. I mean, she took a Watcher and fuckin’ body-slammed him into the dirt over and over again. Why the FUCK should I hate someone that awesome?

Speaking of, I’m…torn about my feelings towards the final battle. On the one hand, it was VERY epic and my monkey brain clapped at all the punching, kicking, and laser blasts that happened. On the other hand, I feel like the strongest parts of both episodes where the slow, character moments. The Watcher defending himself, Captain Carter voicing how she feels out of place in the entire multiverse, and even ULTRON going through a sort of redemption that works far better than I could have expected. That last part is the most fascinating of all, as we get to see what happens when a machine completes its objective, but his human mind allows him to reevaluate everything and change because his universe was allowed to exist. I feel like, as awesome as the final battle is, it would have been a more fascinating finale if we got MORE of that from other beings in the multiverse. Like, maybe if we got others that The Watcher helped or interfered with coming to his trial, defending him or going against him in some way, bringing the whole series together in a close. BUT, at the same time, I get why they didn’t do that. If this is the final episode, you gotta end it with a bang. And a big flashy fight is PERFECT for the kind of show that this is…but it could have been flashier.

We went from the starring characters in every episode teaming up to fight Ultron, to Captain Carter and Kahhori fighting against the most powerful beings of the multiverse, to…a random assortment of heroes plus The Watcher fighting three other Watchers. If this is the series finale, then bring in EVERYBODY for this one, big epic showdown as they defend the being that gave them importance. Instead, we have four heroes with one of them being introduced in THIS two-parter. As cool as Storm is, we know NOTHING of her or how she got that hammer. She just…does so the finale can have that extra cool factor. Even though I feel like it was on the right track when it brought back Infinity Ultron to join the team. It’s actually BRILLIANT to find a way to bring the first big bad in the series and make him an ally…Only to kill him off within the first few minutes of the final episode. You see what I mean? There’s a good idea to tie this series all together into one epic finale and what they do is…good enough, but not perfect.

With that said, I still find this a fitting enough end. Captain Carter gets to go out swinging to protect those she cares for and for all of infinity, while The Watcher realizes he’s more than just a voice or a faceless narrator who observes the fragments of the multiverse. He’s Uatu, and he’s the protector of infinity to make grander universes to observe, with brief flashes of the multiverse him and the others saved to prove. And…it’s really too bad we won’t get to see any of those.

Were these the best stories What If…? had to offer? Well…Not really, no. Aside from maybe one or two, it is, admittedly, not the BEST the show could make. Or the best stories they could have possibly made. It’s still enjoyable, but, once again, I can see why it’s not best for everyone.

…IT IS NOT THE WORST MCU SHOW, HOLY SHIT! The amount of people who bitch and moan about how awful the show is…makes me question reality, I’ll say that much. I genuinely wonder if there’s something wrong with ME or there’s something wrong with THEM with how VENOMOUS they get towards this show, especially with Captain Carter. I mean…what is with the hatred towards Captain Carter? They’re acting like the writers are FORCING fans to like her when…people like me just like her. And you wanna know WHY I like her? In fact, you wanna know WHY I liked What If…? Especially in this season? Because the writers give more of a shit about these characters than the MCU does.

Villains are allowed to come back and be better threats than they were in the movies.

Tony Stark can go on an intergalactic adventure instead of fighting evil billionaires.

Hela can look into who she is beyond a goddess of death.

Riri Williams can be an actual hero instead of a side character that’s forced into a spin-off.

Howard the Duck can be an actual character.

And Peggy Carter? She’s not someone who has boys fighting over or for Steve Rogers to win as a trophy. She’s not carefully tip-toeing through situations and appealing to men for the sake of getting THEM to get shit done. She’s a big, buff, BADASS woman who will do whatever she wants and wins like a fuckin’ CHAMPION because she is CAPTAIN GOSH DANG PEGGY CARTER! I don’t give two shits if you think she’s an industry plant. Ninety-percent of the heroes you LOVE are industry plants. THE FUCKING AVENGERS WERE INDUSTRY PLANTS! It was a collection of superheroes that weren’t doing well on their own, so Marvel just lumped them all together into a team, labeling them as “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.” AND YOU CALL THEM THAT TO THIS DAY! Just admit that it’s sexism that makes you hate her. You’re still annoying, but at least you’re honest about it.

Like What If…? or not, it’s at least USING these characters for more than what the MCU offered, especially the ones that the franchise refuses to touch because Kevin Fiege didn’t think ahead about how to use characters he spent millions to produce for the big and small screens. And I’m going to genuinely miss it for that reason alone. I had so much fun with this show because I got to see these characters I love go on more adventures they couldn’t in the main timeline. If it’s not your cup of tea, that’s fine. I can live with that. But don’t act like it’s a STAIN on the MCU when the MCU HAS GONE LOWER! It’s not the writers fault that they wanted to have fun instead of making YOUR fan fics come true. You want to see what happens if the other half got dusted? Write your own fan fic about it. Because if you don’t think What If…? has good writing, what makes you think it’ll deliver those high expectations to you. YOU are not the person this show is catering to. Deal with it.

As for me, I’ll miss this show. I genuinely will. It was fun while it lasted, but I guess fun can’t last forever. The only question now is…What’s next?

[slay00ryu]

Save The Angel's Queen. - Thernin.

Summary: Ther x Ronin Fake Dating AU! Ther needs to escape their fate of marrying Craig, they ask Ave and Casia for help. Why the hell would they recommend Ave's brother who is Ther's biggest enemy? Who knows. But they are desperate enough to take that chance. And Ronin? Oh. Ronin just wants to cure his boredom.

Trigger Warnings: Craig fucking Doughton, slight spoilers for gluttony gods, murder (blood and slight gore), swearing.

No Ther died in making of this fic <3

Ther was sitting in their room, face hid in their hands after what they just heard.

"You will marry Craig sweetie, he's such a nice young man." Their mother's words still rang in their mind, loud and painful.

Why? Why them? Why now? Why did no one see how Craig truly was? How he used girls, abused them, sometimes drugged them. Why did no one see that?

They felt disgusted, disgusted and afraid. It was one of the rare times when Ther Estridge, the ice cold queen, was actually afraid. They felt hopeless, they couldn't use anything as a way to escape Craig, nothing would change their parents' opinion, well unless Ther showed up with a boyfriend, but choosing one that wasn't a blind fool following the jock was a taught challenge.

They picked up their phone and entered a group chat with their two friends; Ave Beaufort and Casia Auclair.

the angels™ (Ther, Ave, Casia)

angelqueenreigning: fuck This Shit my parents want to Set Me Up with doughton. . .

dumbfuckdeviant: WHAT oh hell no not with that motherfucker

sunshinefencing: oh this is bad pls ther help ave is so pissed rn

dumbfuckdeviant: for fucks sake okay OKAY i have an idea!

sunshinefencing: a really stupid idea at that . . .

dumbfuckdeviant: STFU we need to save the angel queen i didn't spend weeks on these stupid voting banners for them to end up with that asshole

angelqueenreigning: so what's That Geniusly-Bad idea?

dumbfuckdeviant: date that asshole

sunshinefencing: ^ she means ronin

angelqueenreigning: ronin As In your own brother ava? the same beaufort That Hates my guts?

dumbfuckdeviant: yeah unless you have better ideas ethy

sunshinefencing: i think that you should try it out having a boyfriend will make the marriage impossible your parents wouldn't like to look bad by breaking your heart

angelqueenreigning: it will ruin my Prom Queen Campaign but sure i'll Talk To Him

Now, Ther is sitting on a swing not too far from their house. Even in a lazy outfit, with no make up and seated on a swing, Ther still looked like a true stone cold queen, true queen of Angelwood.

They didn't have to wait long, a creak coming from the other swing announced Ronin joining them.

"So, a little birdie told me the ice queen is in need of a boyfriend." There was clear mock in his voice. What else did they expect anyway?

Ronin wasn't their biggest fan, he wasn't foaming over them like the rest of Angelwood did, he glared at them more than he looked at them with admiration. Ava said that Ther should just ignore him, so they did, at least until now.

"Unfortunately. Ave said that you'd be good and willing for that." They replied, crossing their arms over their chest with a stern expression.

Don't show your weakness, don't show how desperate you actually are.

They had to remind themselves. They couldn't just break the character they were building up their whole life in front of one guy who could potentially save them.

Ronin didn't say anything for a second, he just looked deeply into their eyes. It was one of the stares that'd make people uncomfortable with how it felt like he was plainly reading them.

"Hah, fuck yeah, I can indulge you. Anything to see that bastard Craig shut his mouth." His response surprised them, they never mentioned Craig then how did he know? "Oh right, he talks about your little engagement, how you'd be his or some other big powerful men bullshit."

That disgusted Ther. So Craig already made Ther a reward, something he claimed. They wanted to throw up at the thought, but they kept it together, somehow.

"So, do you even know what a boyfriend should act like?" Ther asked to change the topic.

They didn't trust Beaufort and his abilities to be anything but trouble. Their worries weren't baseless, Beaufort really did his best when it came to be a troublemaker, getting in fights, sitting in detention, he almost got suspended once. Yet, these things also made him the perfect fake boyfriend for them, Craig wouldn't try to fight with him, no one even thought about fighting Beaufort if they valued their life.

"Oh don't worry your little head with that darling, I can be a picture perfect boyfriend, just wait and see." His response caused Ther to scoff.

"I hope you're not just full of yourself. Oh wait, you're only able to be oh so confident." Ther said with a sarcastically sweet smile. Oh that relationship would be full of bickering behind closed doors, that's for sure.

Ronin clicked his tongue. "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say your highness. What's your plan?" He finally asked the most important question.

"Well." Ther started, now looking at him with a completely serious face. "We should behave like a couple would, go out on dates, spend time together, shit like that. We need the whole town to believe our lie."

"So, hugs, kisses and all that sappy bullshit? That's boring, but seeing your displeased face whenever you'd have to deal with me is worth it." He chuckled and stood up from the swing.

Ther rolled their eyes, their gaze never leaving Ronin, they watched his movements very carefully.

"I have to introduce you to my parents, as my boyfriend you have to meet them at least once." That caused Ronin to stop in his tracks.

"Hah, so I will meet the Estridges officially now? Well, that'll be interesting."

"Yeah... And wear something different, you look like a rat." Ther's eyes stopped at Ronin's hair, it really looked like a mop, or a birds nest at best.

"Oh? And here I thought you would love your dear boyfriend no matter what." Beaufort laughed mockingly. "I'll see what I can do doll." He said and looked directly into their eyes. "So, see ya tomorrow Estridge, my love."

His farewell, followed by mocking laughter, Ronin walked away, leaving Ther alone with their thoughts.

They weren't even sure if it was a good idea, but anyone would be better than Craig, even someone like Beaufort.

They could only pray that Ave and Casia were right about their parents leaving dropping the marriage...

The Lovers (Ther and Ronin)

IceQueen: beaufort where The Fuck are you??? my Parents are Waiting for you

Ther typed the messages out angrily. Nerves, frustration and stress turning them into a wreck. Ronin was late, maybe it were just three minutes, but Mr. and Mrs. Estridge were getting more annoyed by every second the sudden guest Ther invited over wasn't showing up.

Suddenly a loud knock came form the front door, Ther rushed over and opened them. On the other side stood Ronin, his appearance neater than they ever seen before, black shirt instead of the regular rock bands t-shirts, hair actually brushed, without a beanie keeping them hidden, the only things that didn't really change were his pants and shoes, but Ther could live with that.

He even brought flowers, ones obviously bought a few seconds ago, and very cheap, but it's the effort that matters, right?

"Hey there, pretty princess." Ronin said, a cocky grin glued to his face.

Ther huffed in annoyance. "Just shut up and come in, I want to get this over with." They whispered to him and took his hand so he would have to follow them.

The two of them entered the living room, Ther's parents looked at them, their eyes narrowing when they recognised who was the guy holding their precious child's hand. Ther could practically hear their thoughts; what is this hooligan doing here?

Luckily, they left their thoughts to themselves.

"Mom, dad." Ther started, smiling at their parents, smiling through gritted teeth. "This is Ronin Beaufort, my boyfriend." They let go of his hand.

Ronin didn't give Ther's parents time to react, he immediately walked up to their mother and took her hand in his, placing a small kiss on the back of her hand, it was a mocking gesture if anyone looked closely at Ronin's body language and eyes.

"Good evening mrs. Estridge, I can see where is Ethy's beauty coming from." He said, like a good guy would to please his partner's mother. He straightened himself and gave her the flower bouquet. He saw how the woman forced a smile to her lips when she accepted the flowers.

Then he approached the father, he shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you mr. Estridge, I promise to take a good care of your daughter." What a confident bastard Ronin Beaufort was.

Ther watched the scene in front of them unfold in awe, they never seen anyone so relaxed in their parents' presence.

Soon Ronin stood next to them again, taking their hand in his. He really played the role quite nicely.

Finally their parents somehow broke their shock, looking at each other and then back at the teenagers in front of them, their thoughts clear in their gazes. They were confused, and angry, but refused to show it.

"Oh Ronin Beaufort? You seem like a really nice boy, I suppose the rumours about you were wrong then?" Ther's mother said. She tried to bring Ronin down by calling out his negative reputation, but she didn't know that she was talking with the master of manipulation and deception.

"Oh, unfortunately, it's all true, but my Ethy makes me a better man, I want to stop using violence thanks to her." Lie. And what a lie it was!

It was obvious that Beaufort would never change, not for the better at least. But somehow Ther's mother was either that stupid, or extremely hopeful, because she didn't ask any more question.

Ther's father was much quieter than Ther had expected, but they were sure that they would have a whole argument going on after Ronin leaves their house.

For now, they could only take him to their room with them and try to ignore the tension in their house.

"So, how was my performance?" Ronin asked, sitting down on Ther's bed like he's the ruler of their bedroom.

Ther sighed heavily, sitting next to him, leaving some space in between. "You did better than I thought, we'll see how good you'll do with more people around."

"Oh? So you already want to show me off around school huh?" Ronin and his never leaving shit eating grin were getting on Ther's nerves, but they had to keep themselves at bay.

"Yes. I need Craig to see that he has no way to get his hands on me." Anger and disgust was taking them over whenever the jock was on their mind, they just wanted to... no Ther, that's a crazy thought, you shouldn't think like that.

"Awh don't worry, I'll make sure that bastard never looks at you again." There was something sinister in Ronin's eyes, something dangerous. Ther didn't give it much thought, it was probably just some edgy guy shit that he shown everyone.

"Yeah, no shit." They mumbled in answer, a little too scared of the conversation with their parents.

This was the day.

The day where the whole school would see that Estridge and Beaufort are in fact together. Ther was standing in front of their locker, fixing their lipstick to keep their attention on something else than the thoughts of how tarnished their reputation would become.

"Hey there, darling."

A whisper reached their ear. Someone threw a leather jacket over their shoulders and leaned on the lockers next to theirs.

With a smile as sweet as ever they turned to look at Ronin.

"Oh hi Ro, thank you for the jacket, I was cold." They said, putting the jacket on properly.

They felt everyone's eyes on them, whispers from shocked students filling the hallways. Ther had to grit their teeth so they would ignore every little sound reaching their ears.

Ronin scoffed, putting his arm around Ther's shoulder. "Ready to make the fools covet under your feet, prom queen?" He whispered into their ear.

His words boosted Ther's confidence somehow, reaching some part of their mind that told them that they are the true ruler of the school, that they deserve the throne.

They smirked, looking directly into the devil's eyes. "Yes, yes I am, love."

Lunch break was the moment they were confronted by Craig, he looked upset to say the least, he was ready to attack Ther, the only thing stopping him was probably Ronin's presence.

"So. You're dating the freak show huh?" Craig scoffed, spitting at the ground and crossing his arms over his chest. "I always knew you were a whore Estridge." His words were followed by his friends' laughter.

They clenched their hands into fists. Luckily, before they said something that could make their chances for being prom queen even smaller, Ronin stepped in.

"Whore huh? Never knew Ethy here was a mirror Craig. After all, you have such a big body count. Almost like a brothel, don't cha think?" He titled his head to the side, a mocking smirk pressed to his lips.

"You little-" Craig wanted to throw a punch, but his friends stopped him, whispering something about Beaufort being a crazy motherfucker. "Fuck it, take Estridge if you want, her body is the only thing good about her anyway." And with the last drop of spit reaching the ground, the jocks walked away.

"Damn, and I hoped I could break that bastard's neck." Ronin sighed in disappointment. "So, where to now love? Are ya hungry for some disgusting cafeteria food?" He turned to look ad Ther again.

"Have a better place for lunch in mind?" They asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Actually? Yeah. C'mon your highness, I'll take ya to heaven in hell, or how us mortals would call it, a cafe." Taking Ther's hand in his, Ronin went towards the school's exist.

the angels™ + devil loser (Ther, Ave, Casia, Ronin)

dumbfuckdeviant: ethy babe where the fuck are you two?

queenheadasshigh: your Brother Took me to a cafe a cafe i Never Heard Of Before

shoulderdevil: y'all don't know what's bearable in this town this cafe is the only reason i still didn't hang

dumbfuckdeviant: a cafe is the only reason i still don't have your room? fuck that place i hope it closes soon

shoulderdevil: wow sis you're so sweet yeah anyway idk where i'll bring y'all's ice queen back maybe never

sunshinefencing: please don't steal ethy

shoulderdevil: sure sure golden retriever kid i'll see

- - -

"So, how do ya like the coffee Ethy?" Ronin asked, putting his phone down and taking a piece of his apple pie on his fork.

"Not bad, doesn't taste cheap which makes the trip worth it, I suppose." They replied, finding it amusing how the edgy guy is s happy while he eats apple pie.

"Mhm, you probably expected a shabby place right?"

"More like a dark alley full of gore and limps splattered all over, although it would be too romantic for you." They said with a sarcastic smile.

In a way, Ronin's company gave Ther comfort, maybe it was how weird and unfiltered he was? How he wasn't scared to be who he was. He and his devil-may-care attitude were always making him so different amongst other student. Now, when Ther was supposed to spend more time with him, maybe they could feed off of his confidence, maybe it could make them feel better about their own dark secrets?

Time flew by. Days turned into week, weeks into months.

Ther and Ronin were together for four months now, the whole school feeding into their lie perfectly. This relationship actually worked wonders for Ther, at least when it came to their popularity. People loved them, they were in awe with how they "tamed" the bad boyish delinquent Beaufort.

Yet, something changed for Ther. They didn't want this relationship to be fake anymore, and they knew that Ronin wanted something more out of it too. It's just, none of them was able to speak about it. Maybe they're too stubborn for this, or maybe they thought that they didn't need to announce it being real. Hard to say, but none of them worried about this.

Ther had bigger worries, or a certain worry right in front of them.

"Estridge, we need to have a lil' chat." Craig said, he was alone, so was Ther.

"No Craig, I won't talk to you." They said, their eyes narrowed as they looked at him cautiously.

"Then I'll take your friend Casia for a chat, do ya think he would handle it? Your precious little lapdog."

"Leave Casia out of this." They said through gritted teeth.

"Great, you understand it. C'mon then Ethy, before your 'boyfriend' comes around." Craig pulled Ther towards the swings close to their house, the same swings Ther and Ronin plotted their relationship.

Were they afraid? Yeah. They were unarmed, alone with Craig who could do god knows what to them now.

The jock practically pushed Ther towards a tree, their back hitting it hard, they winced in pain.

"Finally Ethereality, you will be where you are meant to be, under me you little slut." Craig was truly disgusting. He licked his lower lip, pinned Ther to the tree, and he leaned in, his face barely inches from theirs.

And when Ther thought that it was the end for them...

"A-argh." Craig made a pained sound, something was sticking out of his opened chest, a crowbar. The weapon quickly pulled out, a wet sound as it slid out, blood dropped to the ground. "What... what the fuck." He practically breathed out, fear painted all over his face.

Craig fell to his knees, revealing who was behind him. Ronin.

Ronin fucking Beaufort. Bathed in the moon light, bloody crowbar in his hands and a sick, twisted smile on his face.

"Well, well, Doughton. Who would have thought you would try to steal my date." He crackled, crouching, the crowbar used as a cane now. "Sorry man, they're not your to toy with, nor is any other girl or afab person who you'd want to lay your disgusting hands on. And-" He paused, leaning in closer to Craig's face.

"Since you decided to lay your hands on my lover, you will pay for your sins, right here, right now." Ronin stood up, raising the crowbar. "Ther babe, move aside, or you'd dirty your dress."

Ther, a little in shock, and awe, moved aside.

"Wait! Ro...Ronin, we're buddies right- Stop! You fucking fa- ack.... stop, you disgusting psycho." Craig tried to scream, but the wound in his body made it hard.

Ronin rolled his eyes.

"Oh shut the fuck up already." And with one quick swing of his weapon, Craig's body was pushed onto the ground, his ribs breaking under the pressure of the hit. Ronin wanted to keep the jock's head perfect, it would be used as a statement piece.

Ther watched the scene unfold. They watched as the jock's body was smashed, crashed with the weapon. They felt so... in love. Ronin was making all this mess, and it was just for them. He even cared enough to tell them that he would make a mess. Their chest felt warm, their face was hot. And their mouth, oh the smile on them as twisted as the one their boyfriend was wearing.

This death.

This was like an offering, offering from Ronin to prove his forever undying love toward Ther.

Ronin, he was the devil ready to do anything to make his 'fake' lover's life easier.

And Ther.

Ther accepted this devotion and worship like the highest praise they could ever receive.

Their love truly was God.

Hiiiiiiiiiiiii time to advert!!!

Please please please

commission me to write something >o<

everything is pinned in masterlist and kofi is pinned i bio >w<

bye

[curapicas]

well, you DID say "give me more", sooo

I can safely make these comparisons bc link click has always been very good at linking (hah!) the main trio with the stories of their clients. But Lu Guang had been a mystery for so long, so it mostly centered on parallels with Cheng Xiaoshi or in their relationship as a duo;

Emma is a lonely person who has to deal with being looked down on and misses her parents;

the "lesbian noodles" are partners for life who had a falling out, foreshadowing the main duo's hurdle in the next arc - and now that we now more, likely LG's constant fear of his secret being found out. (So I think it's worth noting that the lesbian duo made out bc their fight was about an ingredient that was important to both of them);

Chen Xiao is the odd one out, the person who decided to live with his grief while everyone else is very much Not Doing That;

The old couple could be a parallel to the main duo as everything seemed against them and they never gave up, indicating it's what it takes to survive life in general (or survive at all, now that the stakes in LC got preeetty high). By the end LG even poses a question to the Dad, "why didn't you give in?". Oh well, I wonder what LG thinks so much about that he can't give up on;

Doudou is a lost child (like CXS) whose father never gave up hope on (also like CXS);

Qian Jin is a straight up evil guy who couldn't face his own guilt so he blamed it all on his wife. It doesn't really sound like any of our main characters, except that it's a constant in this show that people can't accept their pasts as it is, and as CXS lampshades in Yingdu's first episode, that's... normal. So LG isn't specially evil bc he had this power in hands and couldn't keep himself from not using it. killing your wife is evil tho, Qian Jin is gonna rot;

even the twins have parallels with the main two, but it's a bit of a misdirection in their cases: at first it seems Li Tianchen's "gallant" attitude and loneliness where a straight parallel to CXS, meanwhile Li Tianxi's more passive role seemed closer to Lu Guang's. But not to promote myself nor anything, I don't think that's all there is to it.

Also I made a continuation of the original post if you're interested

Yingdu ep01 spoilers

So let me get this straight:

- The first story is focused on a repressed girl who found an idol to aspire to and when they finally met, she was encouraged to keep on her path, even though it's hard and almost impossible;

- And the second story is based on a scammer with traumatic past, who's deep down a moral person but was forced to do outright criminal things, who's got a soft spot for a lonely, caring man - and ends up dreaming about a better self, a better timeline?

What's more: Lu Guang has a clear idea of their path, but he still lets it happen because time and time again Cheng Xiaoshi makes him believe it's the right path*,

And he is very clear with CXS to have no sympathy with people who commit heinous acts, like... changing the timeline. LG may be a bit of a masochist and has a very heavy conscience

*alternatively: man is very bad at saying no to CXS

[shannonsketches]

something something foils moving in opposite directions Goku's always happy to seek and fight stronger opponents because he spent most of his life being the strongest guy in the room and Vegeta wants to be the strongest/is always exhausted to find stronger opponents because he spent most of his life having to navigate his survival around the whims of the strongest guy in the universe room and so Goku has a foundation of safety and stability and so spends his time craving challenge and adventure and Vegeta has a foundation of challenge and adventure and spends his time craving safety and stability and the overlaid section of their venn diagram is that the only way they know how acquire and maintain those things is through battle

[longagoitwastuesday]

Every day I am haunted by the fact JJK could be amazing but it will be just idk Bleach or something

[imminent-danger-came]

MK: "No way! I may not understand your irrational love of noodles, or working hard, or being angry all the time—but you are always there when I need you, so it's time for me to return the favor! Because Pigsy's Noodles, are noodles worth fighting for!"

(2x04 Sweet'n Sour)

-

Subodhi: "Zhu Bajie was a stubborn one too." Pigsy: "Oh! So you think we're the same just cause we're pigs huh, bet you think I'm just a disgusting little monster too." Subodhi: "Zhu Bajie had his vices, however, like all the companions he grew up. He struggled the most, but he worked hard, not unlike yourself. Although he didn't start out this way, in time he became a deeply caring and protective creature, and a powerful ally—one of the best in fact. The heart you have in abundance, the power? Why, you've barely scratched the surface of your potential! And that's saying something."

(4x09 Roast of the Monkie Kids)

-

Gettin' emotional over my favorite hard working Pig man.

[beef-brisket]

((That was fucking sick. I love it 😫))

The tv clicked off, and everyone at the hotel sat wide-eyed on the lobby couch. Charlie was crying, and Vaggie didn't know what to think.

Vaggie: T-That... t-that was Adam...

Lucifer sat on the stairs. He couldn't bear to watch he tv, Hearing it was bad enough.

No one had ever seen Alastor so quiet. He was fighting so hard against his forced smile that his face and neck were tense and twitching.

Angel was the first to stand and leave. With all three sets of arms wrapped tightly around himself. He quickly ran up the stairs, not giving the king even a glance. Not that Lucifer was looking.

It felt like time passed in silence. It wasn't that anyone was mourning Valentino. It was more the look Adam had when he was finished. Everyone knew the Commander of the Exorcists enjoyed what he did, but to see it up close.

It made them sick.

With a shaking hand, Charlie wiped her tears, and pulled Vaggie into her chest.

Charlie: D-Dad...?

His daughters voice snapped Lucifer out of his daze. He's never heard her sound so terrified, not since she accidentally saw an extermination.

Lucifer cleared his throat: Y-Yeah, sweetie?

Charlie: That was Adam- was it A-Adam who... h-hurt you?

Lucifer tensed. He didn't know what to say. It was completely barbaric that Adam of people would even be able to land a finger of him. But he did.

Lucifer: ...I can't lie to you, hun... as much as I want to.

Charlie nods, and leans her head on top of Vaggie.

Charlie: He'll come for us... won't he...?

Lucifer quickly stood and made his way over to his daughter, taking both her and Vaggie into his arms.

Lucifer: Hun, I-.

Charlie pushed him and Vaggie away. Her breathing was quick and uneven, and she started to pace the lobby.

Charlie: H-He hurt you! You're the only one who could have protected us, dad! And you can't! He's... he's... I don't know what he is!

Vaggie covered her ears and buried her head between her knees.

Husk was already on his third drink, and Alastor hasn't said a thing. Just stood in front of the television like a statue.

Lucifer tried to reach for his daughter: H-Hun, Charlie, please, I'll do my best- h-he just got the better of me, that's all- I can't take him, I swear! I can protect you!

Charlie: You can't, dad! He beat you! You can't do anything!

Lucifer pulled Charlie into a hug, and she collapsed to the floor, her arms around her father.

Lucifer: He won't come after us, Charlie. I promise.

Lucifer has never felt so uncertain about something in all of his existence. He's been so confident about everything. But this? This he could feel his pride thinning. He hated lying to his daughter.

Charlie nods and levels her breathing: Room 188.

Vaggie looks up: W-What love?

Charlie: We're staying together. Sleeping in the same room. Room 188. No one leaves, and no one enters. We stick together.

Vaggie: Love, Angel went upstairs. Alone.

Charlie tried not to panic: Okay- okay, we all go up and get him, okay? Anything suspicious or strange- or... anything, please say something. We... we need to be on guard.

Everyone nodded, but Alastor, he's fighting with his instinct to run and hide, but he couldn't risk being alone. If he loses his powers, he's useless.

Everyone arrived at Angel's door. It was slightly open and hushed sobs could be heard.

Charlie: Wait here everyone-.

Lucifer: Sweetie, you said we need to stick together-.

Charlie: I'm only going into the room, dad. It'll be okay. Angel doesn't need all of us crowding him.

After a few minutes, Charlie walked out with Angel, who was carrying Fat Nuggets and a few blankets.

Angel: So, sleep over, huh?

Vaggie: This isn't funny, Angel. Adam- he hurt Lucifer, no can stand against him-.

Angel: You're so dramatic toots. Fucking good on him. Alright, some of it sucks, but at the same time, he's helping people. I'm... I'm fucking free.

Charlie gave him a soft, fake smile. She's happy for Angel, but at the same time, she knew this was only the start.

At first, no one could sleep. The floor was covered in mattresses, and Charlie out a movie on.

Lucifer was the last to sleep. He kept his eyes on the dark. He felt so uneasy.

He never thought he'd be so scared of anything. And to think it was Adam, was soul crushing. Lucifer remembered the day the man first opened his eyes, Lucifer had never seen such green eyes before.

How could someone so innocent and sweet become this? Take joy in ending life, when he valued it so much in Eden?

Lucifer shot up and stared into a dark corner of the room. Started shaking. He wasn't even certain anything was there, but his body was already afraid.

He quickly looked behind him as he felt the air itself bend and distort, but there was nothing there.

Lucifer quickly and quietly made his way out of the room. He felt so suffocated and isolated at the same time.

Leaning against the wall in the darker than black hallway, Lucifer ran his hands down his face. He felt like he was slowly losing his mind.

Just as he was about to head in, he planned down the hall, and his eyes widened. His body froze. And his heart stopped.

He saw two golden dots, close to the ceiling.

Lucifer: ...a-adam...?

He hated how broken he sounded, how afraid. His muscles locked and refused to move. His eyes never left those golden dots.

Lucifer chuckled awkwardly. They didn't move, and no one answered him. It was probably one of the decorations catching the light.

Lucifer: S-Stupid... of course, it's not you...

Soft thumps could be heard from the end of the hallway. They were so quiet that Lucifer didn't even register them for a moment. But them, they got louder. And those golden dots started to move towards him.

Lucifer: N-No- you c-cant be here...

Lucifer started shaking but willed his arm up. His fear got worse the closer those thumps became.

By the time they were a few feet in front of him, Lucifer summoned hellfire to illustrate the hallway. He screamed when he saw Adam, and stumbled back. He had that sick smile on his face, his eyes focused on Lucifer.

Lucifer: No! N-No- Adam!

Adam said nothing and continued to walk towards him. Lucifer's eyes widened as he noticed the changes in his old friend and the hellfire didn't help.

He was definitely taller, his teeth sharper, and he had claws. He's so human, yet so monstrous.

Lucifer: L-Leave, Adam. P-please- m-my daughter- don't h-hurt her!

Adam: I love it when you're scared, Lucifer. You should be~.

Lucifer's blood ran cold, and the hellfire in his hand went out, leaving him and Adam in darkness. But Lucifer cod still see the golden eyes above him.

Then, they were gone. Lucifer was left with nothing but the deafening beating of his heart.

Lucifer: W-Where...? Adam-?!

He gasps as he feels a sharp sting corse through his head and down his neck. He reaches up and feels claws digging into his hair and start to drag him down the hallway.

Tormentor of souls au

Darkness surrounded him like a blanket. Only he was no way comfortable or felt safe. He felt fear grip him like iron as he tried to make even a sliver sense of his situation. He could barely a muscle, if he had any muscle to pull. It felt like he had nothing to move, was this what happened to the souls he exorcised? 

Were they to end up here for eternity, slowly being drove insane with nothing but your thoughts to keep you company? Adam couldn’t even try to open his mouth to speak, well he did try, but the only words that would escape from him were from within his mind. In his mind he sighed, he was just so tired, he didn’t have any strength to fight, to argue that he shouldn’t be here. Yet what exactly was the point? He’d only tire himself further out. 

He had to admit it, he was stuck here, for all eternity. Much the same as a sinner. 

That was when he saw it a flicker of light. Not just any light, a pure white light. A light that was so familiar, one that brought him joy when it spoke to him in his booming voice.

His creator 

“GREETINGS MY SON. IT HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE I HAVE LAST SPOKE TO YOU AND FOR THAT I APOLOGIZE”

Adam didn’t care he was just so thankful to be in his creator’s presence.

“MY SON I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE LIVED A LIFE OF HARDSHIP AND THAT IT DID NOT STOP EVEN WHEN YOU PERISHED.” 

He tried to not flinch at that. Thinking about his first life brought too many unpleasant memories.

“THAT IS WHY IT BRINGS ME PAIN TO ASK YOU OF THIS, BUT I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE ONCE MORE. I KNOW OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE THESE PAST FEW CENTURIES, AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT IT WAS NOT THE SOLUTION”

Adam could not believe what he was hearing. His own creator believed that they, the murderers and rapists, deserved to be redeemed!?

“HELL IS MEANT TO BE A PUNISHMENT, ETERNAL TORMENT OF THE SINS LUCIFER CORRUPTED WITH HIS WAY OF FREE WILL. HOWEVER MANY OF THEM DON’T SEE IT THAT WAY. TO THEM HELL IS MERELY A PLAYGROUND WHERE RULES NO LONGER MATTER. I HAVE SEEN TRUE MONSTROUS ACTS THE WICKED HAVE BROUGHT WITH THEM FROM LIFE. THEY CARRY IT MOST OUT ON THE TRUE CITIZENS OF HELL, THE ONES THAT HAD NO SAY IN BEING THERE OR NOT.”

The hell born, Adam thought taking in the Lord’s words

“I KNOW I AM NOT THEIR CREATOR, NOR DO THEY CALL ME FATHER, BUT I HAVE HEARD THEIR PLEAS FOR HELP TO BE SAVED FROM THE ACTS OF THE WICKED, OF ALL WICKED. UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE BORN DOWN THERE, BUT I CAN STOP THE SINNERS FROM HURTING THEM AND THAT IS WHERE I NEED YOUR HELP”

Adam had never put much thought into the hellborn. To him they were simply there and as long as they got in his way during the exterminations they weren’t a problem. There was the princess, but he didn’t really count her. He was curious however as to what the Lord wanted him to do.

“THE SINNERS NEED PUNISHMENT, AND THE HELL BORN NEED PROTECTION. YOU CAN BE THEIR PROTECTOR BY BECOMING THE PUNISHER.”

 With a simple snap of his creator’s fingers Adam felt something shift within him, in his very essence he changed. A warm feeling engulfed him whole and then he knew no more.

((Oh shit- I love everything about this! God needs to fuck off and let our boy rest!

Sorry this took me a hot second to get to- and I hope my reply does yours justice 😝))

Charlie is in full work mode and has been since the failed extermination ended. Since finding out Sir Pentious ended up in Heaven.

For months, she had been working hard. It was so hard that she somehow missed the latest gossip going around the Pride Ring.

Sinners ending up missing, only to resurface months later completely different. Scared. Traumatized.

Many didn't think much of it. This is Hell. There's always some crazy bastard out there doing shit.

But, it was when they became too scared to even function, too scared to ever be normal again, too scared that they would rather turn an angelic blade on themselves than to live with the possibility of going through whatever it is they've gone through.

Charlie was actually getting quite concerned. Especially when she heard Angel talking about it one night at Husks bar.

Angel: I fucking tell ya, kitty. People a shit scared. I've never seen the clubs so empty!

Husk shook his head: Must be the worst of the worst, huh?

Angel scoffed, downing his drink: Nah, babe. It's something else. It ain't no sinner.

Husk: Hellborn?

Angel: Those guys are freaky. Don't get me wrong, but their not THAT freaky. I had a client who said he was taken for three months. Three. That's fucking child's play. But the shit he said happened to him... fucking skinning, to pouring acid down his throat. Fuck mam, the sick ficker even dug around I'm his muscle and tendons!

Angel shook his head: There's something going on... even Val has lowered the workload.

Husk: Pft. Fuck. That's how you know it's serious.

Angel: Damn fucking right.

Charlie stood at the top of the stairs, listening to Angel's story. She was shocked but not surprised. She wasn't sure why this person has the sinners so scared, but sury it's nothing new.

She probably should make sure Al isn't behind this. She's only heard a few tales of his exploits so she wouldn't put it past him.

-

Alastor: Hm. So you've heard the rumors, too. While I'm flattered, I don't appreciate being confronted in such a way.

Vaggie: Just- fucking answer her, Alastor.

Alastor sighed, leaning on his cane: No, it's not me. I've been too busy here! And my kills stay dead when I'm finishing them~.

Charlie wasn't sure if she liked that answer, but it was good enough.

She apologized to Alastor, ams watched him leave.

Vaggie: ...I don't know, Charlie.

Charlie: I don't know either...

Vaggie: I'm sure it's nothing. Besides, you have more important things to deal with here, hun. You shouldn't get mixed up in sinner issues.

Charlie sighed: I know. I just... surely, it's a coincidence that this starts after the failed extermination... that was my fault. Simmered died because of me- I put my friends in danger! I feel like I owe it to everyone to at least try and solve it.

Vaggie smiled and pulled her girlfriend onto a soft hug.

Vaggie: I know you feel like that, hun. But you don't owe anyone anything... besides, if it's that bad, you could just ask Lucifer. He said he was looking for something to do.

Charlie: Hm... that's... a good idea, actually! I'll get dad on the case!

-

Lucifer: Me on the what now? Charlie, why should I care about whatever is going on with those sinners? Their... you know... sinners.

Charlie: Dad, please? Our guests are sinners. We need them to be safe. So please. Look into this for me? Even just a little bit?

Lucifer sighed. He really didn't want to do this. But, seeing the hopeful, pleading look on his daughters face, eventually changed his mind.

Charlie: Oh- thank you, dad, thank you!

Lucifer smiled as Charlie pulled into a hug. But when she felt and heard his back crack, she slowly put him down.

Charlie: S-Sorry dad!

Lucifer laughed through the pain: It's okay, Charlie - nothing I can't handle! I-I better start hunting a... whatever the fuck this is!

[doux-amer]

One thing that has deeply annoyed me about the response from Americans/Westerners about this week's events in Korea is that a lot of them, including people I like and respect, are like, "The protesting civilians and lawmakers who barged into the National Assembly would've been shot if this were the U.S./this would've never happened in the U.S. because people are too afraid of being shot." There's some truth to that, at least with regard to state violence, but I'm fed up because it doesn't account for how frightening this could have turned out to be had it not been for how much of an inept flop dunce Yoon Sukyeol is. It minimizes the courage of those who showed up.

Sure, it was likely that the military and riot police wouldn't have done much (again, YSY's self-coup wasn't thought out well, and there's more evidence of that as military officials and soldiers are speaking up about the lack of information they received, but I'll refrain from talking about that to avoid making this even longer than it inevitably will be, knowing myself), but let's not pretend there haven't been issues with them in recent years. They pepper sprayed and used water cannons during an anniversary rally for the Sewol ferry victims (x) (x) (if you don't understand how unbelievably cruel that is, look into the horrific Sewol ferry sinking). They tear gassed crowds (Korea has a gruesome history of this) and sprayed water cannons, and citizens have been injured and killed during the 2015 protests and 2016-17 Park Geunhye impeachment protests, notably Baek Namgi, an elderly activist whose death caused global outrage (x) (x). Park Geunhye was going to enforce martial law during those protests according to a leaked document, with hundreds of tanks, thousands of soldiers and special force troops! (x)

Not to mention, there are decades of extreme state violence that have scarred an entire country and are still super fresh for a huge percentage of the population. Again, check out that tear gas history piece. Look up the April Revolution, Gwangju massacre, and June uprising and see just how bloody they were. Thousands of civilians were tortured and killed. Look at how many protests were going on year after year during the 1980s. That isn't that long ago! All those older people who ran to the National Assembly to stop the coup? You bet a lot of them were college students who protested during that time or knew people who did. All the younger people? They may not have experienced what it was like living under martial law, but as I said, state violence still occurs, however much it's dwindled over the years, and you have to account for generational trauma. I don't think I'll ever forget the way I felt when I saw the breaking news alert about the martial law declaration on December 3. I've never experienced that, at least to that degree.

Instead of viewing the response from civilians and elected officials through the framework of police brutality in the U.S., it should be contextualized using Korea's own history. Thankfully most of the serious discussions are doing this, but like I said, even people who are smart about reading up on things have reflected on how this wouldn't fly in the U.S., not because of the difference in protest history, civil movements, and public engagement with both in the two countries but because of the military/police response. There's an insinuation there that Koreans would be more reluctant to do what they did if they knew what it's like to live in fear of violence instead of living in such a safe country like Korea...and I want to yell.

It was monumentally brave of everyone to do what they did to stop the coup. We're all laughing at how stupid the coup was and there's a reason why people were more furious than scared because of the political history of Korea and the laws set in place to protect the democracy and neutralize coup attempts, but this could have easily become a disaster. It's not alarmist of me to say so because there was no way for anyone to be 100% sure of how the military would react—especially when no one knew what the hell was going on.

[iniziare]

Tag drop: Dorian Pavus