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[setitallaflame]

Yes, there is a place / where someone loves you both before / and after they learn what you are.

Neil Hilborn, "Lake", The Future

#;Tristan musings; #but also #;Clarice musings;

[setitallaflame]

#;the hidden nightmare;

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Pro-Humans. Lucan had never heard an official name given to the many hate groups that were after them aside from the Purifiers, but in the long run it really didn’t matter, and right now in particular he really didn’t care. He needed to protect Molly. He moved to push her behind him, preparing for yet another fight seeing as he didn’t know this woman or what side she was really on. Because kind words, a nice smile, none of it meant anything to him. Frankly, even if it was genuine, it rarely meant anything to him. He bounced between stations, going wherever he was needed, doing whatever tasks needed to be done, leaving emotions - good, bad, or in-between - to be dealt with by those who were better qualified. Regardless, she was an unknown factor, which was why he simply reiterated, “As I said, she doesn’t need help, I can take care of her. And if the streets aren’t safe, then it’s probably best for all of us to get out of here, go our separate ways...”

Skye had been monitoring a group of pro-human activists as they liked to call themselves, but groups that went around attacking mutants, Inhumans and enhanced could hardly be called activists. She had seen the results of their attacks and how they liked to go for those without offensive abilities and you numbers and brutality. So she hadn't been far when they had attacked a man and woman. Coming up on them to offer her assistance she had seen the wounds to the woman. "Its okay, we don't have to, but the street isn't exactly the safest for those who need to worry about Pro-Humans." Skye gave a pointed look, but didn't out right say that they clearly couldn't be human for them to be attacked. "My cars just round the corner, I have a first aid kit." She smiled softly, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible."

#inhumanhacker #Lucan: Marvel Verse

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“Thank you,” Annie breathed - so to speak - with a sigh of relief. They’d all spent so much time focusing on the possibility of the other shoe dropping, of retaliation for what was done to Herrick, that they hadn’t really stopped to think about how what had happened had affected all of them. Yeah, they’d agreed to keep an eye on George, but what about Nina? What about Mitchell? Annie decided then and there that her focus truly needed to be on bringing them back together instead of leaving them all to just be ships passing in the night. She shook her head at Mitchell’s words, insisting, “It’s a silly idea, and even if it isn’t, even if we can find a way to get papers - to get me a job, it can wait for now. What we need is to have a proper dinner. I could cook. Or we could ask George to do it, get him back in the kitchen and have everyone sitting around the table again. What do you think?”

Annie slowly wrapped her arms around him in return, her head against his chest as she responded, “Do you remember what you said to me when we thought that George - that he was going to abandon you, that he was going to abandon us after setting up the meeting with Herrick? You told me you were a coward. You told me that it wasn’t the cravings that made vampires go back to feeding on humans, it was the memories that haunted them when the cravings subsided. It was recalling every little detail of every death... That’s why you wanted to face off against Herrick. One way or another, you wanted it to stop.” A beat. “But George fought him off, and you’re still here. And once the cravings subside - if they haven’t already... You think you’re alone with your memories. You think you’re alone with what you’ve done, but if everything that happened with Herrick has proven anything, it’s that you’re not. You have George. You have me. We fight for each other, we protect each other. We are helping each other to do what we set out to do from the beginning, remember? To lead human lives. But if you go back to them...” Who would ground him? Who would stand beside him? Who would keep him in the present instead of letting him get lost in the past? She looked up to meet his gaze, shaking her head, “It was a silly idea. We should just focus on George and Nina, okay? Picking up the pieces, putting our lives back together.”

#adsagsona #Annie: After S1 Verse

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Closed starter for @inhumanhacker

Lucan had been on a supply run with another mutant from the station named Molly when they’d been attacked by what essentially were a handful of mutant-hating thugs. He and Molly managed to fight them off, but not before a knife slashed at both her face and her arm. Lucan was just about to take the wounds from her when a random passerby approached them, seemingly out of concern. He put his hand up as he tried to tell her, “It’s okay, she’ll be all right. I can take care of her. You don’t need to call 911, we don’t need any help.”

#inhumanhacker #Lucan: Marvel Verse

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“If you expect nothing from somebody you are never disappointed.”

— Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

#;Lucan musings; #but also #;Clarice musings;

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THEO JAMES at the Dolce&Gabbana 40th Anniversary party (April 06, 2024)

#He knows exactly what he is doing. #;the survivor;

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“I’m sorry to hear that,” Tristan genuinely replied. “You deserve better than that. But know, in the future, you always have a place here. You always have a place with me, and with my crazy family. You are always welcome.” He then nodded in confirmation, explaining, “I don’t trust people easily. Which means, I don’t spend a lot of time with people outside of my family or my boss. You’re the first to really change that, the first I... want to share more of who I am with.” Which he knew sounded odd, but she would understand what he meant shortly. “I’m fine, I’m good, I’m comfortable. Promise. Go on. Get some sleep.” The connection between them had been formed, but his powers wouldn’t really kick into action until she was asleep.

@setitallaflame

“I do. It’s not all that often that someone is kind, let alone being this accommodating,” Wanda replied, her arms moving to wrap around herself. Too often, she had people not wanting to associate with her because of what she was. Or if they did, they would keep her at arms length. “I have? Really?” She’d never heard anyone say that either, “how have I brought good into your life? If you don’t mind me asking of course.” Raising a brow at the reaction her comment about him taking the bed got, she shrugged. “Siblings are different I suppose. I just… I don’t feel right making you sleep on the floor Tristan.”

#illbringthechaosmagic #Tristan: Marvel Verse

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Reagan pressed a hand to her chest, smirking, “We both know, no one can pop in here like I can...” She trailed off, her smirk disappearing at his questions about her powers, and she shook her head as she responded, “You don’t get ‘better’ powers, you can’t swap them out, but... A lot has changed since we last saw one another. I’ve changed. I’m stronger. In total and complete control. And I’ll use my abilities to do what I have to in order to escape, but beyond that, I just keep moving.” She then shook her head again, a soft smile appearing on her face, “Are you kidding? Dull is great. Dull is wonderful. You deserve this. You were - you are the one person... After all this time, yes, I wanted to thank you, but I just... I wanted to see you. I missed you.”

She must've done her homework. James wasn't often the only person here. Either Mike or Shira was usually here, or at least one of the student instructors or people they sometimes hired to run the desk would be here. James typically stayed late on Tuesday nights.

"Well, ain't too often someone just pops in here like you did. Not in the last couple of weeks" he deadpanned. "What do you mean? You got better powers, or stronger powers? If you need other ways to defend yourself, you did come to the right place" he said. "But really, I'm sorry. My life has slowed down. It's almost...dull. But I kind of like it" he said. "I know how much it sucks to be constantly on the run, maybe not in the same way as you though."

#backedagainstthewall #Reagan: Power Unbound

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Once again, Thomas considered his response for a beat. A beat that probably went on for too long, but he was doing his best to organize his thoughts before he replied, “I don’t know what it’s like to be a vampire. And I don’t know anything about your society - if there is a society for vampires, if it comes with rules. One would assume, given the general public’s lack of knowledge about you, that there must be some sort of system in place. Regardless, right now, you are learning control, and it seems as if you are taking to learning it quickly. So if you master it, why can’t you go back? I understand it can’t be forever, especially if you don’t age as humans do. But a chance to spend as much time with them as you can, to say good-bye in your own way... You don’t have to. If it’s too hard, I understand. However, if you desire that closure, I understand that as well. All I’m saying is, you don’t have to take it off the table right away.” As for him half-joking about blackmail, Thomas shook his head, “Not sure that’s the best idea. Not when you’re trying to keep your cravings at bay. I, on the other hand, had to run out on dinner. And work had us all on a tight schedule today - I think most of us missed out on lunch...” Evie was the one turning her head to meet his gaze in the mirror now, her face all scrunched up in annoyance and frustration at the two of them ganging up on her.

Thomas was by no means like his twin. He wasn’t as empathetic, he wasn’t as willing to reach out and help, and she always seemed to know what to say. He liked to think his words through, to pick them out precisely, and even then he still never felt like he was saying what he was supposed to say or how he was supposed to say it. So when the scent of sadness permeated the air, he looked in the mirror, and saw Evelyn instinctively nuzzle against Tommy in an effort to comfort him. Whereas he was quiet for a long, uncomfortable beat before finally saying, “What’s wrong?” Very empathetic. Very helpful. “...Your scent is off because you’re different from us, and from humans, but some things are - apparently - universal. Something upset you and... I know I’m not my sister, I know I’m not the best conversationalist, but if you want to tell me, I am a good listener.” As for his question about what he could do to help, he replied - only half-joking, “Blackmail?”

#adsagsona

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#;Reagan musings;

[setitallaflame]

it's been a while, so behold! a gift! (I'm sorry if it's too bright) original images reagan: [x] background: [x] | [x]

#submission

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“But you had these ‘occult-based’ abilities before, right? You could light a match with your finger? Mess with technology? I mean the way you did it, and the way you explained it, it doesn’t come as a surprise to you. The people that could arrest you for those abilities - or a whole lot worse - that’s what you don’t remember,” Clarice thought aloud before he told her the last thing he did remember was going to the corner store to get cigarettes, that it was near the place he’d been staying. She gestured to the cigarette he was smoking, “Well, you obviously made it to the store. Did you just get turned around? Does any of this look familiar to you?”

“Let me get this straight,” Clarice replied, lime green eyes narrowing in disbelief, “You’re not a mutant. You have amnesia. But you do remember enough to know that you’re a ‘run-of-the-mill practitioner of the occult?’ Which gives you the ability to create fire with your hands, and to screw with technology, but apparently you abracadabra-ed a little too hard, and... what? Lost your mind?” Because she wasn’t buying it. She’d seen a lot of mutants in denial, but usually it was the younger ones who took it this far, the ones who had just manifested their powers that created scenarios like this to make themselves feel better. Not grown men. Still, maybe he’d escaped from somewhere. Maybe they’d experimented on him. Maybe he really didn’t know. He wasn’t the first mutant taken apart, and he wouldn’t be the last. So her tone softened as she added, “What’s the last thing you remember before walking down this street?”

#familiaanteomnia #On the Streets Verse

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[ 🌼 ] what kind of first impression does your muse leave? +clarice

Clarice’s way of protecting herself - especially after having so many people in her life hurt her or abandon her or make her feel like she needs to be hidden away simply for being a visible mutant - is to come off as snarky and tough.* It’s her way of pushing people away, of not allowing herself to connect with anyone, and it works a lot of the time. So it’s the people that see past that facade, who ignore it or refuse to be fazed by it that she ends up forming relationships with. And those people get to see the kind, caring Clarice, the woman who administers first aid and takes on dangerous missions and is constantly checking on other people after a traumatic event (regardless of her own trauma). Those people get to see the real Clarice.

*This does not apply to animals or kids or people who are in immediate danger that she’s trying to help. She gets along well with the former two, and as for the latter, she needs them to trust her so her facade tends to get thrown out the window.

#mockingjaybroken #;meme; #;Clarice headcanon;

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“Hey, I don’t have a lot going for me except for my amazing taste in music and my ability to scare the shit out of you. Just let me enjoy it,” Reagan replied with a smirk which faded as Finan admitted that he was no good with sleep. That it wasn’t his job, but his past experiences that wouldn’t allow him to rest, which she assumed were connected to his time as a soldier. That they were causing his nightmares. She was silent for a beat, trying not to make a complete and total idiot out of herself as was her way. Finally, she responded, “I can help, you know. You don’t have to go through this alone. I mean, obviously, if I know I’ve got the police or government agents or Purifiers on my tail, I’m not going to lead them to you. But aside from that... I’m happy to sit here with you at any time. And if you - if you trust me now, or if you eventually get to a point where you can trust me later...” She trailed off, tapping the side of her head. “...If I see you’re struggling, I can join you. Calm you. Change the narrative, so to speak, so that you can get some sleep. Maybe even after a while, your body and your mind will learn to do it on its own...”

Reagan laughed seeing the grin on Finan’s face, “Okay, I was going to say that no one likes a show-off when it comes to their powers, but A. That would be the opposite of what I just told you - show off because I’m the one reaping the benefits - and B. I show off all the time. Mostly to scare the ever-living shit out of you, which never gets old.” And while she was still new to having someone in her life like this, the way he talked about even being too tired to stay awake during a good movie... It had her carefully asking, “Are you putting in too many hours at the club? I mean, I know you have to work, I know you have to have enough to pay for this place and to put food on the table, but... Is sleep an issue a lot?” She then shook her head, “No, your powers are not going to work this time, it’s not happening. I am happy to help you grab ingredients, and eat some of those ingredients, and to set the table, and to stare at your butt while you work, but that’s as far as I’m willing to go when it comes to cooking.”

#Reagan: Power Unbound #adsagsona

[setitallaflame]

Strawberry jelly donut (via Instagram)

#;to be Clarice;

[setitallaflame]

Jamie Chung photographed for Haute Living (2017)

#😲 #;not a freaking wizard;