#first time by himself. pre-campaign. but still.

[orderofthedyingstar]

And here's a post w just the new profile pics all together!

#dndas #dnd another sunrise #dndas pcs #dndas npcs #art #also some further design notes: #jun's got magic eye scars from getting knocked unconscious TWICE by feeblemind #first time by himself. pre-campaign. but still. #inigo's got a short beard vs a longer one bc i have seen the consequences of working w blood and guts + long facial hair up close #braid crown raz bc they simply do not have the CHA for cool cult leader hair and danny convinced me mormon hair was a hate crime lmao #morel grows her mushies on wood pieces of armor! #donny got two more piercings :) #marlee definitely incorporates more pink in general into her looks and bought the biggest hair ribbon possible #was gonna include gold makeup for her but i think w everything going on she only rly does that on downtime days #it's taino symbol on inigo's chest but a tatak sleeve on his arm - it should b all taino stuff but i rly love tatak designs #honestly w all the changes I wanted to include more cultural insp versus the typical dnd Generic European Medieval Fantasy stuff

[mxtxfanatic]

Hm, I know I said at least in my first reading of mdzs that I felt like Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng were actually friends as kids, I would like to remind folks that the catastrophic breakdown of their friendship was not because of some misplaced care but because Jiang Cheng is a stagnant character whose whole role in the story is to be the one who never learns, changes, and grows past his insecurities and resentments. They were always going to fall out with each other, even if the Sunshot Campaign never happened, even if the Wen Clan didn’t exist as a subjugating force terrorizing the other clans, because no matter how much Jiang Cheng cares about anyone, he will always place his personal resentments first.

I’m so serious: reread the pre-fall of Lotus Pier parts of the novel (flashback extras included), and tell me how many times Jiang Cheng says something genuinely nice about or to the benefit of Wei Wuxian without prompting. Point to me places where Jiang Cheng puts himself on the line for Wei Wuxian that is not him distracting the Wen. Compare the number of unambiguously positive interactions they have to the number of interactions they have in total, and I bet you’ll see that the positives are laughingly scant. Most every interaction they have together, Jiang Cheng is being a negative nancy. He’s the type of friend who, if you said “Today is a good day!” would snidely respond back, “What’s so good about?” before loudly complaining about what a nuisance your happiness is. Jiang Cheng is the type of friend that tells you that everyone else hates you because you’re so annoying, and you need to do something about that because he also finds you annoying so you should be lucky he “puts up with” you. And all of this negativity can be directly traced back to the resentment Jiang Cheng feels caused by his own mother projecting her insecurities onto him. Jiang Cheng, who cannot grow, learn, or change, is unable to extract his own self from his mother’s insecurities, ending up inheriting them as his own, instead.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like teen!Jiang Cheng is some irredeemable monster (that is reserved for his adult self), but Wei Wuxian already shows signs of being tired of his attitude as kids. He snaps at Jiang Cheng rudeness in the lotus pod seeds extra. He constantly admonishes Jiang Cheng about his blatant disregard for the lives and safety of other people. Most of the time, Wei Wuxian won’t even engage in the petty little remarks that Jiang Cheng makes, just treating it like nobody had spoken at all. The only times Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian move as a unit is when they have a common enemy—like Jin Zixuan—but without that, they are only held together by the fact that…they’ve been friends for a long time.

And this kinda leads me back to the point about the yunmeng friendship not being able to withstand the test of time even without an outside conflict: I would place the point of no return for their relationship at Wei Wuxian killing the xuanwu of slaughter, not at the fall of Lotus Pier. Wei Wuxian is one of two individuals that killed a mythological bloodthirsty creature responsible for hundreds of deaths, spent a week in a coma from his injuries and lack of immediate care, and what does he get for it? Jiang Cheng shows up with soup gifted to Wei Wuxian by Jiang Yanli, except he’s eaten all the meat out of it. Jiang Fengmian gives the most lukewarm praise to Wei Wuxian for his achievements—which Wei Wuxian neither complained about nor called him out for—because they were both trying to be mindful of Jing Cheng’s insecurities, and Jiang Cheng still made it about himself. When Madam Yu storms in to yell about how Wei Wuxian is a “bastard child” and he’s just trying to show off, Jiang Cheng consciously and unambiguously sides with his mother. Wei Wuxian had to drag his feverish body out of bed—after just awakening from a week-long coma—to placate pity-party Jiang Cheng, and the only thing that makes him feel better is not promises of continued friendship but of servitude. Even if at this point Wei Wuxian was still viewing Jiang Cheng as a—admittedly caustic—friend, Jiang Cheng’s view had fully transitioned from “annoying friend my mother hates” to “the servant I need to keep in line lest he overshadows me.” If anything, the fall of Lotus Pier, the debt placed on Wei Wuxian by the Jiang leaders, and the subsequent war probably allowed their friendship to last longer than it naturally would have (remember, they are only united against outside forces).

All this to say that while Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian may have started out as genuine friends in their childhood, their transition to enemies has absolutely nothing to do with that care. Sometimes we fall out with people because we just do not like them as people. Jiang Cheng’s resentment prevented him from appreciating Wei Wuxian as a person, leading to the end of their friendship and their descent into eventual enemies. Not misplaced or warped care, just pure, undeniable resentment.

#human metas mxtx #mdzs #idk i think the mdzs fandom can stand to analyze #why they feel so uncomfortable with people genuinely disliking each other #why every conflict has to be about ‘but deep down x really cared!’ #when we are told and shown over and over again in a variety of different scenes and narrations #that the ‘care’ literally does not exist #mxtx does not fault genuine love or care for why shit goes south #and it’s weird to push the idea that positive feelings towards people is what leads to negative relationship outcomes #it was always jc’s resentment that did him in #his care or capacity for it is not even in the equation #because the resentment has pushed it out

[mostlysignssomeportents]

How America's oligarchs lull us with the be-your-own-boss fairy tale

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/16/narrative-capitalism/#sell-job

Capitalism is a vibes-based system. Sure, we all know about Keynes's "Animal Spirits" that see "bulls" and "bears" vying to set the market's future, but beyond that, there's just a hell of a lot of narrative.

Writing for The American Prospect, Adam M Lowenstein reviews two books that tell the histories of the stories that are used to sell American capitalism to the American people – the stories that turn workers into "temporarily embarrassed millionaires":

https://prospect.org/culture/books/2024-02-16-stories-corporations-tell-williams-waterhouse-review/

The first of these books is Taming the Octopus: The Long Battle for the Soul of the Corporation, by Kyle Edward Williams, a kind of pre-history of "woke capitalism":

https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393867237

Taming is a history of the low-water marks for Big Business's reputation in America, and how each was overcome through PR campaigns that declared a turning point in which business leaders would pursue the common good, even at the expense of their shareholders' interests.

The story starts in the 1950s, when DuPont and other massive firms had gained a well-deserved reputation as rapacious profit-generation machines that "alienated workers and pushed around small businessmen, investors, and consumers." This prompted DuPont's PR chief, Harold Brayman, to write a memo called "The Attack on Bigness," where he set out a plan to sell America on a new cuddly image for corporate giants.

For Brayman, the problem was that corporate execs were too shy about telling their social inferiors about all the good that businesses did for them: "The businessman is normally reluctant to talk out loud. He frequently shuns the spotlight and is content with plugging his wares, not himself."

This was the starting gun for a charm offensive by American big business that included IBM president Thomas Watson Jr ("I think there is a world market for about five computers") going on a speaking tour organized by McKinsey & Co, where he told audiences that his company's billion dollar annual profits had convinced it to assume "responsibilities for the broader public welfare."

This set the template for a nationwide mania of "business statesmanship" that Fortune celebrated with an editorial announcing "a great transformation, of which the world as a whole is as yet unaware" that put the "profit motive…on its last leg."

Fortune then spent the next seventy years recycling this announcement, every time the tide went out on business's popularity. In 2019, Fortune platformed IBM president Ginni Rometty for an announcement that the company was orienting its priorities to the public good: "It’s a question of whether society trusts you or not. We need society to accept what it is that we do."

The occasion for Rometty's quote was a special package on the Trump tax-cuts, a trillion-dollar gift to American big business, which lobbyists for the Business Roundtable celebrated with an announcement that American capitalism would now serve "stakeholders" (not just shareholders). Fortune celebrated this "change" as "fundamental and profound."

Fast forward five years and corporate leaders are still telling stories, this time about "stakeholder capitalism" and "ESG" – the dread "woke capitalism" that has right-wing swivel-eyed loons running around, hair afire, declaring the end of capitalism.

For Williams and Lowenstein (and me), all this ESG, DEI, and responsible capitalism is just window dressing, a distraction to keep the pitchforks and torches in people's closets, and to keep the guillotines in their packaging. The right-wing is doing a mirror-world version of liberals who freak out when OpenAI claims to have built a machine that will pauperize every worker – assuming that a PR pitch is the gospel truth, and then repeating it in criticism. Criti-hype, in other words:

https://sts-news.medium.com/youre-doing-it-wrong-notes-on-criticism-and-technology-hype-18b08b4307e5

Think of ESG: the right is freaking out that ESG is harming shareholders by leaving hydrocarbons in the ground to appease climate-addled greenies. The reality is that ESG is barely disguised greenwashing, and it's fully compatible with burning every critter that died in the Mesozoic, Cenozoic, and lo, even the Paleozoic:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/03/15/sanctions-financing/#profiteers

The reason this tactic is so successful is that Americans have also been sold another narrative: that American problems are solved by American individuals as entrepreneurs and businesspeople, not as polities or as members of a union (let alone the working class!).

This is the subject of the second book Lowenstein reviews, One Day I’ll Work for Myself: The Dream and Delusion That Conquered America, by Benjamin Waterhouse:

https://wwnorton.com/books/one-day-ill-work-for-myself/

A keystone of American narrative capitalism is the idea that the USA is a nation of small businesspeople, Jeffersonian yeoman farmsteaders of the US economy. But even a cursory examination shows that the country is ruled – economically and politically – by very large firms.

Uber sells itself as a way to be your own boss ("No shifts. No boss. No limits.") – even though it's a system where the app is your boss, and thanks to that layer of misdirection, Uber gets to be the worst conceivable boss, while its workers have no recourse in labor law:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/12/algorithmic-wage-discrimination/#fishers-of-men

In labor fights, Uber represents itself as the champion of innumerable "small businesspeople" who drive its unlicensed taxis. In consumer protection fights, Amazon claims to be fighting for "small businesspeople" who sell on its platform. In privacy fights, Facebook claims to represent "small businesspeople" who buy its surveillance advertising.

But large firms are actively hostile to small firms, seeing them as small-fry to be rooked or destroyed (recall that when Amazon targeted small publishers for bankruptcy-level discounts, they called the program "The Gazelle Project" and Bezos told his executives to tackle these firms "the way a cheetah pursues a sickly gazelle").

Decades of this tale have produced "a profound shift from a shared belief that individuals might come together to solve problems, into a collective faith in individual effort." America's long love-affair with rugged individualism was weaponized in the 1970s by corporations seeking to shed their regulatory obligation to workers, customers, and the environment.

As with Big Tech today, the big business lobby held up mom-and-pop businesses as the true beneficiaries of deregulation, even as they knifed these firms. A telling anecdote comes from someone who worked for the Chamber of Commerce's magazine Nation's Business: when this editor pointed out that many of the magazine's subscribers were small businesspeople and asked if they could start including articles relevant to mom-and-pops, the editor in chief said, "Over my dead body."

The neoliberal era has been an unbroken string of platitudes celebrating the small business and policies that annihilate their chances against large firms. Ronald Reagan's dewy-eyed hymns to American entrepreneurship sounded nice, but what matters is that he attempted to abolish the Small Business Administration and refused to address the 20,000 attendee "White House Conference on Small Business."

In the years since, American has sacrificed its small businesses while pulling out all the stops – bailouts and tax cuts and elite bankruptcy – to keep its largest firms growing. New regulations like Dodd-Frank were neutered in the name of saving mom-and-pop shops, even though the provisions that were cut already exempted small businesses.

Today, millions of Americans are treading water in a fetid stew of LLC-poisoning, rise-and-grind, multi-level-marketing, dropshipping and gig-work, convinced that the only way to get a better life is to pull themselves up by their bootstraps:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/10/declaration-of-interdependence/

Narrative does a lot of work here. The American economy runs on bubbles, another form of narrative capitalism. Take AI, a subject I sincerely wish I could stop hearing about, not least because I'm certain that 99% of that thinking is being wasted on whatever residue remains after the bubble pops:

https://locusmag.com/2023/12/commentary-cory-doctorow-what-kind-of-bubble-is-ai/

AI isn't going to do your job, but its narrative may convince your boss to fire you and replace you with a bot that can't do your job. Like what happened when Air Canada hired a chatbot to answer customer inquiries and it started making shit up about bereavement discounts that the company later claimed it didn't have to honor:

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/air-canada-s-chatbot-gave-a-b-c-man-the-wrong-information-now-the-airline-has-to-pay-for-the-mistake-1.6769454

This story's been all over the news for the past couple of days, but so far as I've seen, no one has pointed out the seemingly obvious inference that this chatbot probably ripped off lots of people. The victim here was extraordinarily persistent, chasing a refund for 10 weeks and then going to the regulator. This guy is a six-sigma self-advocate – which implies a whole bell-curve's worth of comparatively normal people who just ate the shit-sandwich Air Canada fed them.

The reason AI is a winning proposition for Air Canada isn't that it can do a customer service rep's job – it can't. But the AI is a layer of indirection – like the app that is the true boss of Uber drivers – that lets Air Canada demoralize the customers it steals from into walking away from their losses.

Nevertheless, the narrative that AI Will Change Everything Forever is powerful – more powerful than AI itself, that's for sure. Take this Bloomberg headline: "Nearly all wealth gained by world's rich this year comes from AI":

https://www.business-standard.com/world-news/nearly-all-wealth-gained-by-world-s-rich-this-year-comes-from-ai-124021600006_1.html

Dig in and you find even more narrative. The single largest beneficiary of AI stock gains last year was Mark Zuckerberg ($161B!). Zuck is American Narrative Capitalism's greatest practitioner: the guy who made billions peddling a series of lies, from "pivot to video" to "metaverse," leaping from one lie to the next just ahead of the mass stock-selloffs that wiped out lesser predators.

The Narrative Capitalism Cinematic Universe has a lot of side-plots like AI and entrepreneurship and woke capitalism, but its main narrative arc was articulated, ad nauseum, by Margaret Thatcher: "There is no alternative." This is the most important part of the story, the part that says it literally can't be otherwise. The only way to organize society is through markets, and the only way to organize markets is to leave them alone, no matter how much suffering they cause.

This is a baffling story, because it's so easily disproved. Zuck says the only way to have friends is to let him surveil you from asshole to appetite, even though he once ran Facebook as the privacy-forward alternative to MySpace, and promised never to spy on you:

https://lawcat.berkeley.edu/record/1128876

Likewise, the business leaders – and their chorus of dutiful Renfields – who insist that monopoly is the natural and inevitable outcome of any market economy just handwave away the decades during which anti-monopoly enforcement actually kept most businesses from getting too big to fail and too big to jail.

I'm no champion of market efficiency – especially not as the best and final arbiter of social and economic questions – but when I hear my comrades repeating the Thatcherite claims that all forms of capitalism necessarily degrade into monopolistic quagmires, that there is no alternative, it sounds like more criti-hype.

This is a frequent point of departure during discussions of enshittification: some people dismiss the whole idea of enshittification as "just capitalism." But we had decades of digital services that either didn't degrade, or, when they did, were replaced by superior competitors with a minimum of switching costs for users who migrated from the decaying incumbent to greener pastures.

The reality is that while there are problems with all forms of capitalism, there are different kinds of capitalist problems, and some forms of capitalism are less harmful to working people and more capable of enacting and enforcing sound policy than others.

Enshittification is what happens when the constraints on the worst impulses of companies and their investors and managers are removed. When a company doesn't have competitors, when it can capture its regulators to trample our rights with impunity, when it can enlist those regulators to shut down would-be competitors who might free us from its "walled garden," and when it can fire any worker who refuses to enact harm upon the users they serve, then that company will enshittify:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/30/go-nuts-meine-kerle/#ich-bin-ein-bratapfel

A company can be made to treat you well, even if it is run by a wicked person who sees you as a mark to be fleeced – that mustache twirler just has to be constrained – by competition, regulation, self-help and labor. He may still hate you and wish you harm, but he won't be able to act on it.

As MLK said:

It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, religion and education will have to do that, but it can restrain him from lynching me. And I think that's pretty important also. And so that while legislation may not change the hearts of men, it does change the habits of men. And we see this every day.

#pluralistic #narrative capitalism #oligarchy #temporarily embarrassed millionaires #late-stage capitalism #enshittification #disenshittification #vocational awe #fobazi ettarh #ai #bubbles #bubblenomics #rise and grind #Benjamin C. Waterhouse #One Day I’ll Work for Myself #Kyle Edward Williams #Taming the Octopus #woke capitalism #llcs with mfas

[teecupangel]

Yes public answering is allowed.

Take your time, I know I am not the only one with asks.

Desmond Miles, Malik Al-Sayf, Kadar Al-Sayf, Altaïr ibn-La'Ahad, Leonardo Da Vinci and Ezio Auditore all playing Dungeons and Dragons pre canon (pre AC.) Desmond has no idea who his friends are cause he didn't pay attention to history lessons and drowned out his father after awhile of his bloodline importance speeches. Kadar is the Dungeon Master/Storyteller. Malik and Altaïr play Paladin and Cleric respectively. Ezio pretty much plays himself, charming flirt. Leonardo, plays powerful characters since he feels powerless often. His friends enjoy Desmond's company that when he goes missing they step up to find him. And Desmond's mind is blown after viewing Altaïr's memories that he figures out who the other two are.

Once again take your time.

Okay.

What if Altaïr is in a forced sabbatical?

Maybe it’s similar to what happened in 1191 where Altaïr’s actions led to the death of someone. Maybe it’s because he deliberately got between their team and the Brotherhood under William Miles.

If you want to keep Clay alive, maybe he saved Clay and that led the Templars and the Assassins into almost recognizing him so they’re all lying low.

Altaïr being not allowed to leave the house is his punishment XD

Malik is an inch away from actually strangling the man with the lan cable for his computer because a bored Altaïr is an annoying one and Kadar took a part time job because he’s that bored.

Kadar met Desmond because his part time job is a delivery man for a specific brand of alcohol that Bad Weather keeps on stock.

Kadar recognized him immediately as William miles’ runaway son and befriended him because he’s curious.

Their friendship leads to Desmond admitting he’s curious about DnD but doesn’t have friends to play with. Kadar invites him because he has online friends that he actually plays DnD with (one of those friends being Rebecca and, if you want a watch_dog reference, Wrench) so he gets the others to play DnD as well because they’re all varying degrees of noobs.

Also, this way, Altaïr would actually have something to do XD

Before Desmond gets there, Kadar makes them promise not to talk about anything Assassin related because Desmond is the first actual offline friend Kadar has made that wasn’t part of the whole ‘we sorta got reincarnated/transmigrated into the future but we’re not gonna talk about that I guess’ thing.

(I’m using http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/ for character info and I am absolutely not sure if they’re already available by 4e XD)

Unorganized Notes:

Kadar uses 4e rules but is fast and loose with them (because I wish to give them 5e but 5e was relased in 2014 TTATT). Leonardo makes the minis but Kadar makes the maps (he does check online for references). It’s his own campaign but his online DnD group helps him (he actually plays a Rogue online named ‘Altair’ without the ‘ï’ because he’s still a fanboy)

Everyone agreed Rogue is off-limits because they might all choose Rogue and also to not tip Desmond off so no one is a Rogue. Desmond screws this up by actually picking Rogue. Desmond actually goes for Assassin Rogue because he loves irony XD His backstory is that he left a cult of assassins as a child and is trying the adventurer life. Everyone just feels a bit awkward when he told them that backstory but Desmond just breezed through that so it was just for a moment XD

Malik is an Oath of Vengeance Paladin who share the same deity as Altaïr. In-game, this is because Altaïr is a Cleric on a mission to appease their god and Malik is there to keep him in check. Out of game, Malik wants to be the one to finally annoy Altaïr this time around and this backstory gives him an excuse to do it.

Altaïr is an Arcana Domain Cleric who is on a mission of redemption as ordered by his deity. The reason why he’s in a road of redemption is unclear and it’s clear that Altaïr has no respect for his deity. In-game, everyone who worship the same deity call him their god’s ‘Chosen’ and he hates it (Kadar absolutely loves to ham out the worshipping of the 'Chosen' XD). Out of everyone, he’s the player who is absolutely min-maxing his character.

Let’s be honest, we’re all expecting Ezio to be the Bard and he is. He even plays the guitar because, according to him, it’s better than a minstrel's lute, whatever that means. Absolutely a School of Swords Bard that has the highest Charisma stat among all of them. He’s the designated leader and the one who pulled everyone together into this weird group of adventurers. He may or may not be a noble who ran away from home.

Leonardo is an Artificer. While Artificers are already available as a class in 4e, their specialties were officially created for 5e but fuck it, let’s say it’s a modified Artificer class because Leonardo should be an Artillerist Artificer. If you don’t want the Artificer class because of how questionable it is possible for 4e, my alternate suggestion is Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer for pure magic destruction or Great Old One Warlock (unli Eldritch Blast). He plays Ezio’s character’s long suffering childhood best friend who joined the group because Ezio ‘begged’.

The campaign may or may not be a chosen one absolutely not wanting to do his mission as said chosen one and being dragged along by his god approved babysitter and a misfit company (the twist is Altaïr's mission is to actually find their god's child that is supposed to save the world... it's Desmond. Desmond's the god's child. The cult he's from is worshipping the same god as Altaïr but Desmond, Altaïr and Malik don't know it. Kadar thinks he's made such a good plot twist XD)

(I left their races ambiguous for you to play with. I personally would suggest making Altaïr a kenku for the lols XD)

#i’m just imaging them being as chaotic as the oxventure #damn i focused on the dnd aspect #sorry #ac characters play dnd #assassin's creed #ask and answer #teecup writes/has a plot #fic idea: assassin's creed #desmond miles #altaïr ibn la'ahad #ezio auditore #kadar al sayf #malik al sayf #leonardo da vinci

[utilitycaster]

I’ve always been very interested in what you think about Caleb and Veth’s relationship. They’re not romantic, but not platonic, but not familial, but at the same time they are, but it’s different? I’m rambling. I find their relationship very interesting and I wanted to see what your take was on them :)

Also have a good day if you’re not having one already and if you are, have an even greater day

Hi anon, thanks! I assume you are asking specifically for my take but I follow a lot of people who have like, 20 times more thoughts on them than I do so I feel a little ill-equipped.

With that said: I personally did not seriously ship it romantically, but that was purely a matter of what I'm specifically into. I do think that a romantic reading of their relationship is an extremely valid one and there was, undeniably, a romantic element, which is why it's not clearly platonic. It reads as familial but in my opinion it is genuinely a relationship that only makes sense within a found family framework, ie, while early on Veth attempts to frame it as a mother and child, it really isn't that, either; that's just how she can best put what they are to each other into words because more apt ones don't exist. They care about each other and they care for each other and they did so at a time when each of them thought they had no future, even before they could admit that's what they were doing. I think that's the best way to describe it.

Something that has struck me - and that is one of the things I want to keep an eye out for when I finally one day have time to rewatch Campaign 2 - is how despite their relationship being one of convenience and coincidence (ended up in jail together, broke out, found it easier to travel together) and some degree of self-interest (Caleb benefited from having someone who could steal and who would remind him to take care of himself; Veth benefited from someone who wouldn't be chased out of shops and was interested in what a wizard could do for her; both did better with a partner for scams) it still lasted for months with no plans of separating. It didn't matter that Caleb wasn't telling Veth most of his past nor Veth telling him hers - or even her real name. They were lonely and it was better to travel with someone else, and they felt better for doing so, even if they told themselves (not even incorrectly) that it was purely a pragmatic matter.

My favorite early scenes between them are first, Caleb asking Veth if she'll leave with him should his reveal of his past to Beau go badly; and secondly and more importantly Veth saying she loves the rest of the party and that this isn't just pragmatism that's leading them to rescue the others. She's talking about the kidnapped party members; but again, because Veth and Caleb have never really defined what they have as anything but a partnership of convenience it feels like she is obliquely telling him how she feels as well.

I also of course love their scene in Felderwin - when Sam goes fully serious it's nearly always going to be a great time, and Veth's anger and drunken accusation and Caleb's intense guilt is a highlight, as is the way they are both able to move past it soon after due to the strength of their relationship.

I also think Liam and Sam did a fantastic job of laying the groundwork. Everyone did so beautifully for their Mighty Nein characters but I think Veth and Caleb's uneasy six months together feels incredibly vivid and real and are a standout among the pre-existing relationships. That might just be because Fjord and Jester had only been traveling together for a very brief amount of time, and because between Molly's death and Yasha not being around much we couldn't see as much of their friendship, but I still think about the list of grifts Caleb and Nott had together and how they were still running them mid-campaign. It was a level of work I think all players should aspire to when playing characters who knew each other in advance. There need to be inside jokes and a history and plans they've made together to breathe life into a pre-existing relationship that's more than a month long (give or take), otherwise it will fall flat and feel forced.

I think this focuses pretty heavily on their earlier relationship and that's because as time goes on they build stronger relationships with the rest of the party and develop a bit more distance. I think this is healthy! Again, a lot of their relationship - particularly on Caleb's side - came from a belief that this was the best they could hope for, and so it necessarily evolves, particularly once Veth and Yeza are reunited. I think Xhorhas/Angel of Irons arc Caleb isn't sure how to approach the relationship for a while until he finds a means of giving Veth her body back; Caleb is always someone who shows affection more through action than words. But I think that even as they build separate lives, Veth returning to a renewed version of the one she thought she lost and Caleb making something entirely different, they still mean a lot to each other and later in the campaign they are able to adjust and adapt their relationship with each other as well.

#answered #Anonymous #no one has ever blurred the platonic/romantic line like them thus far #like while that tends not to be my personal bag for romance (I tend to fall on the platonic side for those types of relationships) #i respect when one is done well bc it's hard to do and it can often feel really forced and caleb and veth NEVER do #caleb widogast #veth brenatto

[captainofthetidesbreath]

There's something interesting in the Fjord comic where, after he files his tusks, there's precisely one panel set pre-campaign where Fjord's tusks peek above his lip / are visible when his other teeth are not:

He isn't growing his tusks out here; this is while he is still aboard the Tide's Breath. Fjord's tusks do not peek above his lip ever again in the pre-campaign sequences. After he shortens them, his tusks are only visible or suggested when you can see his other teeth or his mouth is open or his expression is toothy.

This panel is in a sequence where Vandran has been teaching Fjord swordsmanship for several months now. It is at the beginning of their final lesson—and their final spar. Fjord's narration over the beginning of this is as follows, italicized is text over this particular panel, to the left of the sword hilt just outside of the crop:

But I had never felt more alive. Every night, for several months, no matter how hard I tried, Vandran would best me yet again. But this night, I was determined to change that.

This panel is also the most focused and determined he is the entire comic. Through the years of his life covered, he is anxious, unsteady, and hesitant. (It's very understandable.) Here, in a way he hasn't been before, he is entirely focused, he feels spirited and lively, and he is confident and certain of himself and what he wants to accomplish right now. (And he does! At least, by the rules of the engagement.)

This moment where he resolves to best Vandran, the only panel of his pre-campaign adulthood where he is illustrated with tusks peeking above his lip, is also where Fjord looks, well, most like himself. That is: he is most like the person we watch him grow comfortable being.

Here, Fjord is at the precipice of something. He is mere hours from drowning, but the panel feels like he was on the cusp of a becoming even before that. He draws his sword and resolves to do something simple and comparatively small (yet still important to him and his journey), and with that, it feels he is for the first time the person that he really is and should be and will become—someone who carries his tusks openly and visibly, yes, but more importantly someone who carries himself with intense focus, confident resolve, and unyielding certainty.

It's a panel I like and feel drawn to because it's unusual how his tusks peek out in a way they do not otherwise in his pre-campaign adulthood, but also because of where this happens and everything else about how he is depicted here. There is... a recognition.

Ah, there he is, that's the Fjord we know.

#also he's hot and his freckles (on his arms and shoulders too!) are so fucking adorable #I have many thoughts and feelings about this panel okay #Fjord #Fjord CR #Fjord Stone #Critical Role #Mighty Nein Origins #The Mighty Nein Origins: Fjord Stone #cr meta

[flashfuture]

Since I've been on it I wanna talk about Hal's parents. Cause I've seen some dislike for Geoff Johns take on them. But they didn't really, Jessica especially, exist before then. I feel like some people read the comic where Hal in hysterical grief over Coast City made a construct of his parents and then went off to kill all the Lanterns and Guardians and said yep that is exactly how his parents were.

But let's get into it. Martin and Jessica Jordan. For further context, the sibling order is Jack, Hal, Jim Jordan. Three boys. And it was sort of implied for years that they were Jewish and got confirmed not too long ago that Jessica is Jewish and Martin is Catholic. Hal was a grown man in the 80s. His childhood took place in the 50/60s. And before that he was a grown man in the 60s meaning his childhood was the 40s/50s. That absolutely influenced the type of life he had. Vs the further in time we drag this out the less natural it becomes to have super strict parents.

So to begin the first physical appearance of Martin Jordan comes in 1989 in Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn #1. This is a post crisis pre zero hour story so any events in this particular time window are wildly subject to change

Martin is a test flight pilot. He's Hal's hero. His plane goes down. Hal watches. This sequence of events stays consistent across every time line including Flashpoint which is you know fascinating.

"Hal got fired today-- and he got his mom to call up and beg for him."

"Talk about my father again Biff and I'll rip your lungs out."

In this version of events, we get a mention of Jessica. She's not named and doesn't appear. So you can tell she was brought up purely for a 'Hal is so irresponsible he needs his mommy's help' bit. Hal and Jack get along though and are violently defensive of their father. Hal also catches a drunk driving charge after this.

Speaking of drunk I know there's a comic out there where Martin is described as a drunk which I could not for the life of me dig up again but that's mentioned all of once so I just ignore it. What's with making test pilots drunks???

Anyways Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn is definitely not my favorite Hal Jordan story and I'm glad it's been mostly retconned out minus the very beginning parts with Martin.

(Green Lantern vol 3 #36)

"So you're back to flying planes, huh?"

"Dad's blood still runs through my veins, I guess."

This Christmas special in 1993 took place before Coast City exploded. Hal took Carol out to Jack's house to spend the holiday with the Jordan family. Hal directly attributes flying to his dad's influence.

Now Green Lantern vol 3 #48. Hal is standing in the ruins of Coast City not a soul left and he conjures an image of his parents. Reminder they are entirely Hal's imagination and again he is just about hysterical right now.

"I looked up to you. I worshipped the ground you walked on, or flew over. I wanted to grow up and be you... which probably has a lot to do with who I am now. Growing up, though, I never felt like you... I don't know thought that much of me."

As we saw Hal's dad died when he was Maybe ten. His little brother and older brother didn't have real accomplishments in elementary school. Jack the DA and Jim helping the campaign and having a family that's all modern. Stuff Martin would have never known about. Martin the pilot getting on Hal's case for having his head in the clouds? Really seems like Hal is the one he could have related to the most. Martin getting on Hal about not saving the city just proves Hal is projecting his worries about disappointing his dad onto his dad and then because he's so hysterical with grief forces himself to rewatch his dad dying.

Absolutely completely irrational state of mind he's in right now. At the end of this issue, he's going to fly off into space to kill all the Lanterns and the Guardians.

And then he summons Jessica. Calling her mother instead of mom is just really funny to me like informal with his strict dad formal with his chill mom. Lmao? Jessica only speaks on Martin. Reminding Hal of the good times they had. She's Hal's memory which which means Hal heard the story of dressing up as Santa he remembers his dad's aftershave. Summoning your mom just to talk about your dad is crazy work btw

Again Hal was so young when his dad died. Not a teenager not even close. What was Martin disappointed about? Maybe Hal who can't keep a job a girl or half his friends (Barry died and all super friends ditched him basically) is projecting backwards into time. And assumes his Dad would be disappointed in him.

"Personal gain? This is about personal loss!"

Personal loss and Hal's spent most of his time summoning his long dead father. He really never got over Martin dying and that's so apparent. Anyways this is where Hal decides to go into space and kill everybody. Seeing his dad taken from him one more time made him snap.

Hal is enamored with his father. Whether their relationship was tough or easy it wasn't necessarily the point. The point is Hal Jordan loves his father to Oa and back more than the rest of his family probably understood. He didn't just want to impress his father he wants to be him.

And Zero Hour royally fucked up Hal's family but like idk let's just say Infinite Crisis fixed it. That's two reality shattering events. Why not give Hal a little treat of being his dad's favorite. No one seems to miss when Jack, Jim, and Hal all went to the same college and the same fraternity and were besties

#dc comics #hal jordan #green lantern #martin jordan #long post

[wangxianficfinder]

In the mood for a Fic...

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1. hii for the next itmf do you have any recommendations for fics in which sizhui is wangxian biological son? any au or length is fine thx <3

you can have the best of me, baby by stiltonbasket (Not Rated, 9k, WIP, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Pre-Relationship, Dual Cultivation, Accidental Baby Acquisition, Sunshot Campaign, Getting Together, a-yuan is wangxian’s baby, Happy Ending)

five years gone by quillifer (E, 14k, WangXian, Mpreg, a/b/o dynamics, Alpha WWX, Omega LWJ, Breakup/makeup, Miscommunication, Pregnant Sex, consent is king, soft sad and horny, Happy Ending, Bottom LWJ, Top WWX, Hurt/Comfort, Modern AU, Unplanned Pregnancy)

🧡 Many Lan babies Series by LuckyMoonly (Varied, 414k, WIP, WangXian, Story collection, Mpreg, Pregnant WWX only, Family Fluff, Found Family, Kid fics) has several where A-Yuan is Wangxian's biological son

Nothing but your heart by airinshaw (E, 21k, WangXian, Modern AU, A/B/O Dynamics, Implied Mpreg, First Time, Getting Together, Angst and Drama, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anal Sex, Whump, Breeding Kink)

Until The End by abCEE (M, 365k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, war changes people, resulting to OOC, no pinning, Established Relationship, Mpreg, Good Uncle LQR, a little grey LWJ, a bit of JC bashing from LWJ, BAMF JYL, 16 years of yearning, mainly CQL verse but has scenes from the novel as well, LSZ is WangXian's Child, WWX Has a New Golden Core, Canon Rewrite, Happy Ending, Fix-It of Sorts)

My Pride and My Prejudices by Erbyrose, TitanPandora (T, 122k, WangXian, ZhuiYi, Father-Son Relationship, Canon Compliant, Misunderstandings, Bonding Over Dead Parents, Character Study, Sizhui calling WWX Mom, Family Drama, Survivor Guilt, Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Mpreg, Suicide Attempt, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, Grief/Mourning, Major Character Injury, Male Lactation, but it's not sexual, REALLY LONG CHAPTERS, Attempt at Humor)

Transcendent by AkatsukiShin (M, 162k, wangxian, fantasy au, demons, half-demon WWX, pining WWX, mpreg, childhood memories, angst w happy ending, fluff, hurt/comfort, mystery, action/adventure)

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2. Hiiii! Lovely blog, you’re a godsend truly!! Anyways I was hoping that for the next itmf you’d rec some fics with identity shenanigans?

Like, it could be wwx in mxy’s body but only lwj knows so everyone else is all confused because ? Hanguanjun moved on form wwx? Impossible! Or maybe a fic where they mix it up a bit and it’s lwj that’s disguised or something like that! Basically a good old fashioned identity porn fic. Wangxian please! Thank you so muchhh

By Any Other Name by ShanaStoryteller (Not Rated, 31k, Wangxian, Canon Divergence, Crossdressing, Misunderstandings, Identity Porn, Identity reveal)

🧡 a paper friend by soft_wanning (G, 4k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Fluff, Paperman!WWX, Identity Porn, Meet-Cute, Different First Meeting)

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3. Hi! This is my first time doing this, sorry ^^. Itmf lwj kind of repeating his parents story, by marrying wxx and hiding him in cloud recesses (before he dies) and maybe putting himself in seclusion? The more angst the better, but preferably one where lwj isn't toxic, just really really worried. Idk if i should ask for more or less specific things, but thanks either way! I feel like I've read every fanfic like this (I've found like, 3) and I crave blood and tears. Thanks for the opportunity ^^

it's a webcomic and it's still ongoing, but House of Gentians by Pakhnokh on tumblr is amazing

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4. Hi! First of all I want to thank you for your hard work, I have found so many great fics through this blog. <3 And now I’m in a mood for a (preferably) established relationship wangxian fic where WWX is the one taking care of LWJ. Maybe some hurt/comfort and protective/possessive WWX? That would be my jam if any fics come to your mind~

hello my old heart, how have you been? by ravenditefairylights (M, 10k, WangXian, Post-Canon, Temporary Amnesia, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Domestic Fluff, Trauma, Unreliable Narrator, Pining, Hair Washing, Hair Brushing, Hair Braiding, Soft WangXian, A lot of prose, wangxian are MARRIED and they have a SON, LWJ Needs a Hug, Sleepy Cuddles)

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5. Hi! I was hit with the unexplainable need for some fics with ghost WWX who's searching for something (a family member or he's connected to one of his things and people don't realize it maybe), like looking for one of his siblings or for A-Yuan or one of the Wens and just like haunting everyone everywhere (or just one place), I don't know if there's even fics like that, there should cause it's a good plot in my humble opinion lol. Thank you mods! @jiangclaritybell

scatter and sunder by silversshadow (T, 15k, XuanLi, WangXian, Temporary Character Death, Canon Divergence)

💖 Ghosts Shouldn't by ShanaStoryteller (Not rated, 15k, wangxian, canon divergence, grief/mourning, angst w happy ending)

asymptotic by chinxe (T, 26k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Slow Burn, Misunderstandings, Pining)

The Ghost of Lotus Pier by daiki (G, 3k, JL & WWX, JC & WWX, ghost WWX) Its ghost wwx but for me he is more guardian angel than ghost

~*~

6. If possible, could I also get fics with NMJ and NHS being involved in the płot or fics taking place in the Unclean Realm for one of the IITMFs? I dont wanna swamp you guys with request messages so I wanted to combine them, hope that is fine. (rest of ask in a FF)

1PB2PB3PB4 is a good author for NHS and NMJ-centric fics

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7. Hello, I hope you're doing well. This request is for the IITMF.

Fic(s) where WWX is politically powerful in the cultivation world; but not as a sect leader. I mean

He's a sect heir;

Or a head disciple, but with power and authority of the same, not as how he was canon, with only responsibility but no authority.

Only canon era please.

Please only rec fics where he's a cultivator as I've read a few where he was a non-cultivator but politically powerful.

Thank you for your time 🌼🌼 @utxqia

All Things Belong by kuroi_atropos (M, 64k, WIP, WRH & WWX, WangXian, WWX is a Wēn, Abuse, Whipping, Manipulations, Warning: WRH, Smart WWX, Possessive Behavior, Warning: JGS, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Past Rape/Non-con)

Lynchpin by ShanaStoryteller (Not Rated, 103k, WangXian, JC & WWX, Time Travel, Fix-It, Lynchpin [PODFIC] by Opalsong, [PODFIC] Lynchpin by Gwogobo)

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8. Hello everyone can you recommend wangxian or quartet time travel fic

❤️ Tragedy is Not the End by Hobbsy3 (T, 358k, wangxian, Time Travel, Torture, Hurt/Comfort, Golden Core Reveal, Canon Divergence from Qiongqi Pass, Angst with a Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Yunmeng sibling bonding, good dad wwx, good dad lwj, JZX Lives, JYL Lives, Junior Quartet Dynamics)

does the requestor know about the time travel comp? that way I don't rec stuff on it already

How Much Love Has the Inch Long Grass by Vainwyrm (M, 12k, WIP, WangXian, ZhuiLingYi, XuanLi, Time Travel Fix-It, Permanent Injury, Disability, Canon Disabled Character, Physical Disability, Non-canon disabled character, Self-Worth Issues) if the requestor is okay with ‘triplet’ instead of ‘quartet’ then How Much Love Has the Inch Long Grass by Vainwyrm has a lot of interesting things going on in it for a time-travel AU

parent trap by tongzhi (T, 23k, JL & LJY & LSZ & OYZZ, wangxian, JYL/JZX, time travel, cloud recesses study arc, humor, matchmaking)

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9. Do you know any fanfic where Lan Zhan is kind of rude to Wei Ying (or like, he rebukes all of WY's attempts to befriend him) only to end up regretting it when WY finally leaves him alone?

the earthquake in the room by phnelt (E, 39k, WangXian, College/University, Modern: No Powers, Canada, Getting Together, Mentions of lwj/others, inter-faculty romance, strangers to lovers to frenemies to lovers, mostly book characterisation)

Of Bunnies and Sleeves and All Happy Things by moonwaif (G, 3k, WangXian, two dorks, failed attempts at flirting, Lan Zhan is jealous, but he doesn't know it, unresolved romantic and sexual tension, Mutual Pining)

~*~

10. Hello! Idk if this is the way but I’m looking for fics where lz of the past time travels to the future and finds himself married to post canon wwx. I love those type of fics but I can’t seem to find them now :’(

An Arrow Through Time by syrus_jones (M, 166k, WIP, WangXian, Crack Treated Seriously, Time Travel, Reverse time travel, into the future, Potentially a Fix-it-fic?, Mistaken Identity, WWX is a Little Shit, POV LWJ, Angst, Gay Panic, Falling In Love Humor, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Canon Divergence, Post-Canon)

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11. I’ve been playing “I say no” from heathers the musical on loop for a few Days now and now ITMF xiyao heathers-inspired? I hope someone knows one, thanks!

~*~

12. Hello! Itmf WWX being a badass swordsman? People being in awe of how well he fights: twining through enemies, sword flashing, people stopping in awe at his capabilities (like "oh, he isn't just a badass with talismans and dark energy, he was head disciple of Yunmeng Jiang for a reason!"). Thank you! (Bonus points: him wielding other cool weapons like daggers or a whip!)

A Glimpse of Past Glory by masked (T, 1k, WangXian, Post-Canon, Swordfighting, BAMF WWX)

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13. Hi do you know any fics where Lan Xichen is called out for his hatred of Wwx because he thinks Wei Ying ruined both his and Wangji's life. Like it can be anyone calling him out, i just want to see him feel guilty about it.

When has silence saved anyone? by Vrishchika (T, 6k, WangXian, Post-Canon, LXC Critical, Gūsū Lán Sect, Not for LXC Fans, novel canon, Salt, Angry LWJ, Angry LSZ, Family Feels, WWX Protection Squad, LXC Gets Scolded, Based on Chapter 99 the Novel)

break by justdoityoufucker (T, 3k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, LXC Critical, JC Critical, Canonical Character Death, Guānyīn Temple Scene, BAMF WN, Protective WN)

💖After Truth Lies the Honest Path by Vrishchika (M, 10k, wangxian, canon divergence, truth serum, WIP)

aftereffect by justdoityoufucker (T, 3k, wangxian, LXC & LQR & LWJ, LWJ & LXC, post-canon, canon divergence, politics, LXC critical, JGY survives a bit longer)

Bitter Recompense by mondengel (M, 1k, LXC & LWJ, Angst)

Wasting Time, Asking Why by mondengel (Not Rated, 1k, LXC & LWJ, LXC & JGY, WangXian, Angst, Character Study)

~*~

14. ITMF for something really intense and intimate. Like the fic is written so well and intense the you get overwhelmed. Preferably canonverse, but i don't mind otherwise. Please let it really be intense and intimate. @whateverweilanlovechild

Damn I wish The Roots Grow Riotous was still on ao3 for #14. Really intense and strange but beautiful with a hopeful but not typical ending. I have it if op wants to try but mind the tags. Modern au. The Roots Grow Riotous by hansbekhart (E, 104k, wangxian, modern, fashion au, garment company, casual sex, group sex, implied/referenced cheating, switching, recreational drug use, angst w/ happy ending, single dad WWX, panic attacks, implied/referenced self-harm, grief/mourning, catharsis, body horror, floral horror)

Tempo Rubato by Spodumene (E, 107k, WangXian, Modern AU, Angst with a Happy Ending, Romance, persuasion au, Separations, Mutual Pining, Depression, Miscommunication, Emotional Roller Coaster, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Reconciliation, Eventual Smut, Jane Austen Fusion, Underage Kissing)

💖 love, in fire and blood by cicer (E, 360k, wangxian, immortal WWX, slow burn, pining, arranged marriages)

Vagabond by xantissa (E, 65k, WangXian, Slow Burn, Mystery, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Frottage, Case Fic, murders, Supernatural, Angst, Fluff, Happy Ending, extreme fluff, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, badass!LXC, top!LWJ, Bottom!LWJ)

i don't love you (but i always will) by sixstepsaway (E, 71k, WangXian, XianQing, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmate AU, wangxian endgame!!, handjobs, this ends wangxian and happy i promise, Angst with a Happy Ending, i had to give lwj an oc soulmate, Blanket Permission, Infidelity, Emotional Infidelity, Cheating, Pegging, Bottom!LWJ, top!WWX, Bottom!WWX, slight femdom!wq, Implied Consensual Somnophilia, Cockwarming, implications of consensual polyamory, undernegotiated polyamory, internalized ableism, Grief, Pining while fucking)

simple love | 簡單愛 by auberjing (E, 19k, WangXian, Modern AU, Hurt/Comfort, Slice of Life, Getting Together, Falling In Love, Strangers to Lovers, Caretaking, Angst and Feels, Grief/Mourning, Eventual Smut, Happy Ending, Hopeful Ending, Nude Photos, Nude Modeling)

lotus flowers rising from the dark mud by nu_breed (E, 122k, WIP, WangXian, WWX/Others, MingXian, LWJ/Others, JGS/LWJ, JGS/WWX, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Courtesan WWX, Courtesan LWJ, Pining while fucking, Palace Intrigue, Rape/Non-con Elements, Dubious Consent, Non-Consensual Sex Work, Top/Bottom Versatile WangXian, Minor Original Character(s), Light Dom/sub, Exhibitionism, Voyeurism, Light Bondage, Hurt/Comfort, Warprize WWX, Period Typical Attitudes, Values Dissonance)

The Murder of Crows by cerbykerby (M, 101k, wangxian, slow burn, pining, yiling wei sect au, fluff & angst, dark, romance, WIP)

Turn Left by kianspo (M, 186k, WIP, WangXian, NieLan, Canon Divergence, Fix-It of Sorts, Friends to Lovers, eventually, references to child sexual abuse, not main characters, Neurodivergent LWJ, Slow Build, Lán Family Feels, specifically, Twin Jades of Lán Feels, lwj-centric, Twin Jades of Lán Dynamics, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies)

If I Could Go Back in Time by Runningbarefoot (M, 122k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Role Reversal, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Pining, Angst with a Happy Ending, Grief/Mourning, YLLZ WWX, Eventual Happy Ending, The Twin Jade Brotherhood, Hurt/Comfort, Healing, Character Study, Twin Prides of Yúnmèng Dynamics, Slow Burn)

And I Will Call You Home by Spodumene (E, 42k, WangXian, Case Fic, Post-Canon, Getting Together, Pining, Angst with a Happy Ending, Love Confessions, Canon-Typical Violence, Blood, Ghosts, Suicide, Explicit Sexual Content, Attempted Sexual Assault, LWJ whump, Original Character Death(s))

crossed the world with these empty hands by spookykingdomstarlight (E, 166k, WangXian, Modern AU, Artists, Non-Linear Narrative, POV LWJ, Established Relationship, Pre-Relationship, Getting Together, Demisexual WWX, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Happy Ending, Weddings, Separation Anxiety, Family Drama, Dysfunctional Family, Self-Worth Issues, Casual Sex, College/University, Temporary Long Distance Relationships, Relationship Pressures and Stresses, Insecurity)

The Vessel by Solmae (M, 54k, WIP, WangXian, XiCheng, Drama & Romance, Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers)

A Life Without Regrets by naqaashi (M, 74k, WIP, WangXian, Time Travel Fix-It, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Crack Treated Seriously, musical cultivation, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Rogue Cultivator WWX, Murder Husbands, Happy Ending, PTSD, BAMF WWX, Cultivation Sect Politics, Worldbuilding, Módào Zǔshī & The Untamed Combination, No Yīn Iron, Genius WWX, Inventor WWX, Artist WWX, Musician WWX, Bad Parent JFM, Bad Parent YZY, Cultivation Theory, Sentient Burial Mounds, Dysfunctional Family, Grief/Mourning, Parent-Child Relationship, Angry WWX, Angst, No Golden Core Transfer, BAMF LWJ, Idiots in Love)

every love story is a ghost story by aisthuu (M, 59k, WangXian, Modern AU, Reincarnation, Character Turned Into a Ghost, Post-Canon, Angst with a Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Mixed Canon)

Alter by Solmae (E, 162k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Drama & Romance, Slow Burn, Rape/Non-con Elements, Gang Rape, Forced Prostitution, PTSD, Bottom LWJ, Top/Bottom Versatile | Switch WangXian, Explicit Sexual Content, Sexual Slavery, Angst with a Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Torture)

We can fix that by Spindoctor (E, 35k, WangXianJue, NMJ Lives, Arranged Marriage, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Cock Warming, Caretaking, Light BDSM, Thigh jobs, Everyone Loves WWX, Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Frottage, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Starvation, Starvation recovery, PTSD, PTSD RECOVERY, Suicidal Ideation, Scars, Discussion of Surgery,mild body horror, discussion of starvation, body talk, cnc fantasies, Light Bondage, tender fucking, Slow Burn, JYL Lives, BAMF JYL, Erectile Dysfunction, Weight Gain, Chapter Specific Tags in Beginning Notes)

Something at the Door by Pip (Moirail) (E, 50k, WangXian, Modern with Magic, Modern Cultivation, Intrusive Thoughts, Horror, Suicidal Thoughts, Temporary Character Death, Blood, Explicit Sexual Content, Mutual Pining, Angst with a Happy Ending, Mystery, Urban Fantasy)

爱不释手; never let me go by yiqie (E, 68k, WangXian, Case Fic, Blood and Injury, Demons, Body Horror)

a small change Series by celialoveslwj (T, 92k, JC & WWX, Background WangXian, JC Centric, Angst, Sickfic, yunmeng trio, Canon Divergence, Break-off before Qiongqi Path incident, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Dealing with sickness, Golden Core Transfer Failure?, Bittersweet Ending, BAMF JYL, Hurt/Comfort, PTSD, Grief/Mourning, Fix-It of Sorts)

~*~

15. Do you guys have a rec list for outsider point of view stories? People reacting to the nonsense WangXian get up to is always great fun!

My chain hits my chest/When I'm bangin' on the radio by x_los (T, 2k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, case fic, competence kink, YLLZ WWX)

boom clap the sound of—Public Displays of Affection by Whispering_Sumire (E, 13k, wangxian, modern, reincarnation au, temporary character death, heartfelt conversations, crack treated seriously, outsider pov, accidental voyeurism, scheming NHS, redemption, angst & feels, family drama, panic attacks, hugging, crying, love, grief/mourning, hopeful ending)

❤️ Attempting the Impossible by Ariaste for williedustice (T, 36k, WangXian, JC & WWX, Post-Canon, Yunmeng Bros Reconciliation, Adoption, Family Fluff, Kid fic, Family drama, Fluff, [PODFIC] Attempting the Impossible by Ariaste by lunatique)

Six in one hand by deliciousblizzardshark (T, 2k, WangXian, JC & WWX, Modern: No Powers, Crack Treated Seriously, Compulsory Heterosexuality, POV JC)

~*~

16. hey do you by any chance know ff where lwj is injured and wei ying gets in his protective husband mode? angst and gore would be preferred

silk threads and precious metal by Sevidri (M, 4k, WangXian, Canon-Typical Violence, Sunshot Campaign, Whump, Blood and Injury, WWX' Canonical Vengeful Streak, LWJ Makes A Beautiful Damsel in Distress, Non-Consensual Ribbon Touching, Protective wwx, Hurt LWJ)

~*~

17. Hi!! I'm in the mood for a fic where jgy is put through torture (preferably at the hands of jgs or jin-furen and preferably psycological) and tossed to either nmj or lxc (or both). @halfwizardprincess

~*~

If you didn’t get an answer to your ask here, don’t forget to make use of @mdzs-kinkmeme and MDZS KINK MEME on Dreamwidth. Authors actually do use them for ideas. You may get what you order!***Your prompt doesn’t have to be kink! Fluff, crack, whatever - it’s all good!***

#wangxian #mdzs #wangxian fic recs #i'm in the mood for a fic #the untamed #wangxian fic search #wangxianficfinder #long post

[canarydraws]

Darkness Falls

Recently Lucéena got a bit of a rejuvenation in the form of dying. Yea I know how that sounds, let me explain. Looong story under the cut

After some adventures, the party had been given a week’s worth of free time to do a bit of shopping and get some much needed rest. So we all split up. We all had errands we wanted to run, including Lucéena. At first she’d gone shopping you know, nothing exciting. But then she decided to go back to the Shadowfell portal we’d discovered earlier in the campaign, and after a bit more deliberation, she decided to jump through alone. Not the smartest move on her end lmao.

Quick little recap, the last time the party had been in the Shadowfell was when we’d been hired to steal two magical simulacrum (that weirdly looked like our warlock of the party) from the Queen of Shadows, accidentally drove her insane in the process, and left with guards on our tails. We’d also learned the realm was suffering from a curse that was turning it’s inhabitants into stone and Lucéena had also met her biological dad in the castle. While her feelings on him are… mixed at best she was still concerned enough about his well being that she wanted to check in on him. Time doesn’t run at the same rate between realms. Every hour in the Shadowfell is roughly 4 in the material plane and the party kind of had their hands full with other things. We haven’t had the chance to return since we made that huge mess and time in the Shadowfell was juuuust starting to reach a point where Lucéena was concerned with what was happening. She though this bit of down time would be the perfect opportunity to go in, send a messenger to him and leave without going to the most dangerous parts of the Shadowfell or endangering/inconveniencing her friends.

Unfortunately… she hadn’t predicted the Shadowfell queen to be waiting on the other end with warriors by her side. After a brief exchange of words combat started and it became painfully obvious Lucéena was outnumbered and outclassed. She was chased up the tower this side of the portal was housed within and after fucking up her attempt to hide, the queen found her and used command to make her fall out of the highest window, straight to her death.

Cutting back to the material plane, the others had realized Lucéena was missing and after sending spells not going through and asking for guidance from a powerful wizard friend, they eventual did figure out where she’d gone.

Once through the portal they saw signs of a struggle but no one was around. They eventually climbed all the way up the tower and then looked out the same window Lucéena had fallen out of and saw her laying there, dead. They quickly ran to her, but by now it was long past due for a typical revivification to work. And then just as they were beginning to discuss next steps, the queen showed up and she started puppetting her body into fighting them D:

While this was happening the dm and I had an aside and to help the part out we’d agreed that I’d come back as my last campaign’s character: my stupid beloved cleric/ranger, Zachriel. I’m not sure how helpful it was, but it was fun interacting with everyone as the dumb guy they got to play with before! After the queen was defeated I even had the weird opportunity to try and resurrect my own character with raise dead! Only it didn’t work.

There was a presence blocking the magic. One that was celestial in nature. That was all Zachriel was able to tell about it and Eclipse, our main cleric, was all out of spells. At this point, our warlock Fenix pulled himself aside, and reached out to his patron. He ask them to heal her, to “put her back” and he would pay any price. His patron heard him. Upon that request, Fenix cast true resurrection on Lucéena and disappeared in a flash of white-hot light…

…and Lucéena opens her eyes. Both of them. As part of true resurrection, the target of the spell receives outstanding rejuvenation. Any missing limbs/organs are restored and any disease present at the time of their death is cured. So upon the spell being cast Lucéena’s scarring was healed and her damaged eye was replaced with an orange-pupiled one, just like Fenix’s.

Fenix’s spell not only brought back Lucéena. All of the people that had been turned to stone were bright back as well! We could hear people down the halls, confused, wanting to know what was going on. And for the first ever time in the Shadowfell we could hear a full city of people outside.

#art #dnd #dungeons and dragons #elf #fighter #shadar kai #Lucéena #gosh #now I know why leaving the party is a bad thing I guess I had to learn the hard way #I tried it keep that breif but that’s really hard to do when so match happened #this all happens over the course of 2 games #and it was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made in dnd lmao #at least my mistake came at a semi-convenient time. #the warlock’s player couldn’t keep playing with us and was going to leave one way or another #so at least they got to go out ina very cool and worthy way #still feel bad that my one impulse decision caused all that mayhem #oof

[dreamlandforever]

Welcome? To Hellfire Club - Part 3

Here's part 3! It is a lot more introspection into Jeff than anything else, but I have had this in mind for a bit. Hope you like it!

Part 1 Part 2

Part 3 - Hellfire Club

Even though Jeff was really invested in the game, he had also kept his attention on his surroundings all evening, and unlike Gareth, Jeff doesn’t really have anything against Steve, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t still make him feel a little nervous. Jeff, and he is almost certain Freak as well, believe that Steve deserves a chance, especially because he is sure that whenever Eddie talks about “some dude” who saved him from the Earthquake, and “just a friend” that is driving him to and from his physical therapy, and “my buddy” who has his fridge full of Tupperware with food ready to just be re-heated, he is always referring to Steve Harrington. He has no proof, but he also doesn’t have any doubts, because pretty much every other friend Eddie has is sitting around the table.

He is almost certain that Gareth’s hatred towards Steve doesn’t have anything to do with Steve himself, but more with what he represents. Jeff is aware that Gareth is younger than he is, by about two years, which means he doesn’t really know Steve, but he certainly has heard the rumors. Tommy Hagan. Billy Hargrove. The King. He wasn’t there to see Steve’s fall or to know that no violence ever truly came to them freaks during his reign. But he was there for all of Carver’s ruling. 

Jeff remembers his Freshman Year, and how the worst bullying he got was a few taunting words here and then. Whenever Tommy would get violent, Steve was there to divert his attention. If anything, Steve could be considered a lot more of a mean girl than a bully. He knew exactly what to say to make you feel like trash, but he never once raised a fist against anyone. Until Jeff saw him come in with a black eye and a lot of bruises, but he still didn’t know what that was about. And, honestly, he seemed much too busy dating to really give them the time of day. Jason Carver was in no way the new Steve Harrington, and while Jeff hadn’t really given it much thought before now, he was realizing that Gareth didn’t know that. Carver had been his entire high school experience. 

Still, it feels like a betrayal to just be friendly to Steve. 

But here he was, taking care of the children Eddie had adopted, who all seemed to consider him more like a brother rather than a babysitter. And there was Eddie himself, who spoke like the guy was heaven sent. Jeff still didn’t buy the idea of his mysterious friend, it simply had to be Harrington, even if it didn’t exactly match Jeff’s pre-conceived idea of the man. 

Looking around the dining room as inconspicuous as possible, and Jeff has gotten really good at blending with the background as a way of survival ever since his first year of high school, he noticed that the only people who seemed tense were Gareth, Eddie Freak, and himself. Steve had appeared to be anxious about having them over when they first got there, and that had set off Jeff’s alarms. What had the man been expecting? But now, looking at everything Steve had done to ensure everyone was comfortable, and how he was now nodding off next to Robin, but still grasping the napkins where he kept the notes of the campaign, he was pretty sure he was actually nervous, and not anxious about them being there. 

In a way, it made sense. It also made absolutely no sense at all. Steve Harrington at his own home, and all they were, were the freaks of their high school, who had been hunted for murder in the spring. 

Somewhere between Jeff trying to decipher his feelings towards Harrington and following Eddie’s rather complex story line, Steve had woken up again. Standing next to the loveseat, instead of sitting on it, cracking his spine in a way that seemed absolutely horrifying to Jeff, but Harrington seemed to find lovely. 

“It’s already 8 pm, guys. I am making some sandwiches for a late dinner. You cannot go to bed with only sugar in your systems, your parents will kill me.” Steve said, breaking the silence that had fallen after Eddie had informed them that the corridor they had chosen was a dead-end, and they hadn’t figured a way out yet.  

“Don’t you guys have a curfew?” Jeff asked, before he had realized he was even speaking. 

Steve let out a nice laugh, “Yes, they do. But they are having a sleepover at Will’s, so I talked Joyce into letting them arrive a little later today. A little.” He responded, the last sentence an obvious threat directed at Dustin. Jeff wasn’t sure why Dustin, if Eddie was the one that called the shots here, but he ignored it, deciding to focus more on if they would also get sandwiches or just the kids. 

“I will help you.” Robin said, standing up slowly and yawning loudly. 

Steve shook his head again. “No, I can handle it, Bobby. Make sure I don’t miss anything?” She sat down with a nod, looking for the pen that had fallen while Steve and her had nodded off a few minutes ago.

“So, requests?” Steve asked, making his way to the kitchen. The kids started to scream so loud and so fast that Jeff couldn’t understand a thing, but Steve nodded along like he understood what they were saying, and then they shut up. Just like that. He saw Gareth’s impressed face as well, but it soon slipped back into a mask of indifference. Jeff wasn’t that in control of his own face, how the fuck did Harrington got them to shut up? Eddie always has to threaten them to achieve that. Jeff noticed that Steve was looking at them, still standing in the dining room.

“Guys?” He asked, prompting them to speak.

“Yes?” This time the question came from Freak, who seemed just as confused as Jeff.

“Sandwiches?” Steve repeated himself, as if that explained everything. When it didn’t elicit a response, he clarified. “What can I get for you? I know Eddie’s, but I don’t know yours, Kevin.” 

Freak almost jumped out of his seat in surprise. “I…uh, like cheese?” He said, stumbling over his own words. Jeff wasn’t sure anyone had called Freak by his government name in months.

Steve just nodded, unaware of any of this. “Is grilled cheese okay?” 

Freak nodded back. “You can…no one calls me Kevin” He said finally, and that seemed to make Steve nervous again.

“Oh, I am sorry. Did I get your name wrong?” 

“No, no. My name is Kevin. I just…I go by Freak.” He explained. “Please?” He added at the end, his voice a mixture of confusion and frustration. 

“I will have whatever Eddie is having.” Jeff said, as soon as Freak was done talking, to break the tension before it had any time to settle.

“Alright, grilled cheese for Freak, bologna for Jeff and Eddie, Gareth?” Steve asked, without missing a beat. Jeff wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but he knew Freak was a little sensitive about being called Kevin, so he Steve got some brownie points for that smooth move. 

“Nothing from you, Harrington. You are not our babysitter.” Gareth answered venomously.

Jeff expected Eddie to say something at that moment, but instead it was the kids who came to the man’s defense.

“No need for that!” Lucas half-yelled at Gareth.

“Not cool, man!” Dustin.

“He is not my babysitter!” Mike.

“I don’t think there’s any need to be rude.” came Will’s much calmer response. Jeff liked him, he had a good head on his shoulders.

Steve just raised his hand, making the kids fall silent again. He nodded once again and went into the kitchen, patting the wall he was leaning against twice before going. Jeff had always thought it was a weird thing for jocks to do, just pat or slap things around them.

Jeff forgot about the sandwiches about five minutes later, because Lucas just led them to a trap, and they are now head-to-head with a hoard of fucking Mephitis, until Steve comes out again with great smelling food.

“Okay, first up, Mike, Will, and Freak.” He informed everyone, waiting for them to open enough space on the table for him to set the plates in front of them. 

“Thank you, Steve!” Will says, taking his own plate. Mike just nods, and Freak looks at a loss, so he just nods too after a few seconds. 

Mike had what seemed like grilled cheese with tomato, Will had half a grilled cheese and half a peanut butter and jelly, and Freak had a regular grilled cheese. Steve must have noticed him looking because he quickly told him “It’s blueberry jam. I don’t know how bad the allergy is, but no strawberry anywhere in the kitchen, man.” Jeff nodded; he honestly hadn’t even thought about that.

“Thanks, man” Jeff calls after him, as Steve was almost out of sight back to the kitchen, but he saw him raise his hand up in acknowledgment. 

Steve re-appears once again with three more sandwiches, now one of them Jeff’s, the other one Eddie’s and the last one for Dustin. Jeff can see he has a bologna sandwich, with mustard and pickles. Eddie loves that shit, and Jeff is okay with that. Dustin has half a ham and cheese sandwich, and the other half of the peanut butter and jam that Will had. 

Steve comes out once again, but instead of handing out sandwiches, he sets two big plates on the table, one with an array of chopped up vegetables and another one with different chips. Instead of immediately going back to the kitchen, though, this time he clears his throat loudly. The kids immediately start complaining but started grabbing different vegetables to add to their sandwiches.  Eddie does too, after Robin starts lecturing him on iron deficiency. Jeff decides to do so as well in case anyone starts nagging at him as well. 

In his last run, Steve places what seems to be a ham and cheese right next to Gareth without a word, and goes to sit with Robin with their sandwiches. “Disgusting gilled cheese with bacon and apple for you” he announced, while Robin makes grabby hands at him excitedly. 

Will is rolling his dice in between bites of his sandwich, and Steve looks at Eddie meaningfully, Jeff sees his eyebrows almost reach his hairline. Eddie lets out a sigh, before announcing they were all taking a 15 minute break for dinner, and makes everyone put their dice away. That takes Jeff by surprise. They were always supposed to eat once the session was over, or make do with easy snacks they can eat while playing. 

And here they were, with a full 15 minute break, warm sandwiches in their plates, a big plate in the middle with different veggies and chips in case they wanted to add them, and drinks. 

___________________________________________

Steve knows that the Harrington charm will not work this time. It might actually work against him. So, after Robin shoots him a weird look for the umpteenth time to get him to relax, he decides to do that and act as he normally would, just Steve. He is trying to make them like him without having to be someone else, anyway. 

However, if he can force feed Max after physical therapy, he can make a sandwich for Gareth even if he won’t eat it. So he places the plate besides the man and goes to sit himself, without saying a word. He can be angry if he wants, but Steve is not going to sink to that level. He doesn’t feel like he has to.

And that’s when he notices that Will is eating with one hand, to be able to hold his dice with the other. Steve shoots Eddie a look, which the man ignores. Steve doesn’t move, though, so eventually after a few seconds, Eddie just groans and, after letting out a sigh tells everyone to take 15, as he himself gets to eating. 

Eddie usually gives them 10-30 minutes to eat whenever the game went long enough to clash with lunch or dinner time, depending on how hard Steve was willing to fight him on that, but considering that he had just made them sandwiches, the 15 minutes were enough. 

 “Dustin, chew better before swallowing you are going to choke” Steve scolds, after the boy has to drink half a juice box to be able to swallow for the second time. Dustin rolls his eyes at him, but does start to take smaller bites. Steves ignores him, in favor of continuing to eat his own sandwich, already loaded with vegetables and mayonnaise. 

Mike reaches over the table for more chips for his sandwich, while Will places half of his peanut butter and jam on his plate. Mike smiles at him, placing a fourth of his already cut sandwich in Will’s plate. 

Jeff finds that interesting. He had heard a lot about Will, the missing member of the kid’s group, but he never really thought he would fit it that easily in Hellfire in general. 

___________________________________________

Eddie calls it a night at 9:30, since Steve had been shooting him looks since 9 pm and Eddie figured the most he can stretch that out was half an hour without really getting in trouble with the man. While he is marking where everyone was and the last actions they took in his notebook, he tells them he will let them know when and where the next session is.

“I thought we were now playing here?” Mike asks, looking at Steve instead of at Eddie. 

Steve nods without missing a beat.  “I thought so, too. You know you can keep coming here, Eddie. No need to move anything, either. I rarely use the table, you can just continue instead of taking a bunch of notes.” He said simply, continuing to clean up the snack table with Robin’s help. They were probably going to sleep over at Jonathan’s as well, since they were going to be driving over so late and the movie was at least an hour and a half long, so they had to finish before leaving. 

Mike nodded, going back to his conversation with Will, shouldering his backpack without moving anything on the actual table. Jeff stared at that interaction. 

“We don’t fit in the car, so you guys are going to have to squeeze together in the back” Steve informed them, before disappearing inside the kitchen.

Just like that, the decision seemed to be made, because all the kids stopped taking notes and just grabbed their bags. 

Dustin was about to complain, when Robin stuck her tongue out at him. “I am older, I have shotgun privileges.”

“I have known him longer, I have seniority!” He fought back, sticking his tongue back at her. 

“You are fifteen, Dusty-buns, you do not get seniority.”

“She’s right, man, she gets shotgun tonight. You can ride shotgun tomorrow on our way to your house.” Steve said, coming back into the dining room. 

Now it was Robin’s turn to complain, if her outraged expression was anything to go by, but before she could utter a word, Steve interrupted.

“We are just dropping him off, Robin, you can ride shotgun again when we pick Max up for her appointment tomorrow morning.” Robin nodded at that.  

“We are taking her to the mall afterwards, don’t forget.” Robin reminded him.

“Oh, you are right. I need to get jeans, then.” He said, running upstairs. 

“Bring me one of your swim team shirts!” She called after him. 

When Steve came back, he had a bag thrown over his shoulder, and he handed a shirt that was probably too big for Robin at her, which she stuffed in her own backpack. 

“We are going to Jonathan’s to watch movies, if you want to join us?” Steve invites the older members of the club. “We are watching Friday the 13th or The Evil Dead, I am not sure, if you want to join us.” 

Gareth refuses with a snort, and the rest of the guys turn down the invitation following his lead. Although Jeff seems to consider it, he ultimately sides with Gareth. 

Jeff looked back the kids, trying to come to some sort of conclusion. They seemed to trust Steve completely, even Mike Wheeler, who seemed to be angry at life. He seemed to give Steve a hard time, fighting back on everything the man said, but he never once said anything against Steve himself. And when the question of where they were playing next had come, he had immediately looked at Steve, like he was sure the man would let them continue coming to his place. Like he was used to Steve making decisions.

The most surprising part was that the man had agreed easily, and Mike had nodded like he knew that was the answer before he said it and had only spoken it out loud for the rest of the people in the room.

Dustin had nothing but praise to sing about the man. Lucas too, when given the chance. If you got that kid started on sports, he was off on basketball and Steve. It’s just that Jeff never thought he actually meant Steve Harrington. They all just used his first name. 

Eddie refuses, too, but Jeff sees he seems even more hesitant to refuse than he did. Steve looks at Eddie weirdly, like he was expecting him to accept, but nods, saying goodbye to everyone, agreeing to meet back at his place next Thursday. Steve says they can start earlier this time, if they want, because this Thursday is his and Robin’s day off. Steve Harrington is hosting them on his fucking day off. 

And wait, did he say he works with Robin Buckley? Doesn’t she work in retail or something like that? Is that what The King is doing now?

Jeff decides that he will give Steve Harrington a chance. Most of his uncertainty comes from Eddie’s very telling silence. He is the one who brought them here, but has yet to say anything about Gareth’s comments or behavior. If by the end of the campaign, which may or may not be next session, the former king does anything that seems like a threat to him or any of his friends, anything that lets him know that Steve is anything but genuine, Jeff will side with Gareth and they can all find somewhere else to hold Hellfire Club. But if he keeps behaving the way he has been so far, he himself will call a Corroded Coffin meeting and speak on the man’s behalf, because Jeff believes in autonomy and earning your respect, not letting society determine every one’s role. 

taglist: @steddie-as-they-go@cinnamon-mushroomabomination@queerdeerling@space-invading-pigeon@starman-jpg@swimmingbirdrunningrock @sofadofax @lessqn @hyperfixationgoddess

#stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #steve x eddie #steddie #platonic stobin #robin buckley #jwritessometimes

[blurredcolour]

More Than Words

Summary: The universe has granted humankind with The Great Gift – At age sixteen, the first words spoken by everyone’s soulmate appear on the inside of their forearm. Well…not everyone. Austin Butler is one of the few with an expanse of blank skin, and a hollow heart. Until a chance meeting with an accident-prone person changes everything.

Pairing: Austin Butler x Gender Neutral Reader – Soulmate AU

Warnings: Language, Angst, Alcohol Consumption, Discussion of The Power of the Universe, Mention of Surgery, Mention of Scars, Reader With A Disability, Minor Reader Injury, Eventual Fluff, No Mature/Explicit Details – Rating: T.

Author’s Note: After reading this incredible Top Gun Maverick - Hangman fic No Words by @a-reader-and-a-writer, I have been unable to move on from the incredible concept. All credit for concept and basis for the plot goes to them. Thank you @elvisabutler for your help with this one…and for making me actually write it for Austin Butler.

Full disclosure I am a non-disabled person and part of this is written from the point-of-view of a person with a disability. I do not share this life experience but have done my best to use neutral terms and to portray a human being who struggles with a negative inner voice – something I think is common across the spectrum of humanity. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you find any aspect concerning, I am happy to adjust as needed. Thank you for reading!

Word Count: 2256

Song Suggestion: More Than Words - Extreme

Unworthy.

Austin Butler had known that he was unworthy of a soulmate since the date of his sixteenth birthday. While all his peers had experienced a moment of pure magic as the universe scribed the first words their soulmate would say to them upon the inside of their forearm, all he had felt was a mere fizzle and his own skin had remained obstinately bare.

It was a fact that had been difficult for his mother to accept initially, resulting in numerous visits to doctors and knowledge keepers. As a child of divorced parents, it had almost felt inevitable to him when he was informed that this did indeed happen from time to time. The universe, in its infinite wisdom, had decided that he was not meant for anyone…nor was anyone meant for him.

Through his teens and twenties, it had not been much of an issue. The young, rebellious spirit lent itself to buck the traditions of older generations and the dictates of the universe. The desire to exercise one’s free will burned bright in age group. There were even a few years where thought he and Vanessa might truly make it, despite the words ‘Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes’ scrawled across her skin.

But as his twenties wore on, perspective changed. For one, his adolescent brain fully developed at the age of twenty-five, bringing with it reason, foresight, and a full understanding of consequences. As gradually his friends and colleagues had found their person, falling into their eyes in an unearthly stupor as their connections were made, the ‘great gift’, as it was called, became for him a great curse. It had become increasingly difficult to deny that the universe truly had the upper hand in all things, and his relationship with Vanessa had come to an end as she had decided it was time to find her person and stop playing house with him.

He had done his best to make connections with other people…trending towards those younger than him, those still in the throes of hormones and revolt against the pre-ordained. But these relationships all came to their inevitable end and more and more he found himself alone.

And so, work had become him most consistent companion. He dedicated all his efforts to flying all over the globe on job after job, filming part after part. With Bikeriders wrapped, he now found himself pulled in all directions in the heat of an Oscar campaign. At yet another party with another crowd of people fawning all over him. He managed to seize a lull in conversation to escape, finding his way to the bar and procuring a whiskey on the rocks.

He took a deep, soothing sip. The heat of the liquid scorching its way down his esophagus to briefly fill the space beneath his sternum. A space that was as empty as the skin of his arm.  He tilted the glass back to finish the last mouthful and set it back on the bar. Turning to survey the room, looking for Baz, his eyes came to rest on the form of someone he had never seen before. So, it was bewildering when his eyes seemed to snag upon them, refusing to be torn away.

He chalked up the fluttering of his heart, and tiny, sipping breaths, to the after-effects of the sudden influx of alcohol on an empty stomach. Yet he continued to watch as they took a step into the walkway just as a server was flying from the kitchen with a heavily laden tray of champagne for the toast Baz was supposed to deliver in a few minutes. He strode forward, trying to call out and warn them. But it was in vain.

With a dramatic clash, two people and twenty glasses of champagne were splayed on the floor. He hurried forward, inexplicably draw towards them.

“Are you ok?” He asked quickly.

Damaged goods.

Born with laryngeal atresia, a closed trachea and voice box, doctors had immediately made an incision in your throat and input a tracheal tube just to keep you alive. Your family was not particularly wealthy, and the surgeries needed to save your life had been an overwhelming financial burden that left no surplus to dedicate to giving you the ability to speak.

As a small child, aside from the constant surgeries, you had no concept that you were different than anyone else. But the cruelty of the school yard had been very effective at outlining that no one else was non-speaking. It was just you. It was impossible to not internalize at least a fraction of the prejudice directed your way.

A defective product for which there was no refund process.

For the most part, you had a normal life and high self-worth. The advances in technology made it easy for you to communicate in other ways. There was always pen and paper, and then with the advent of the smartphone and screen readers your options has only increased. But, in a world where everyone was eagerly searching for their soulmate, ordained by the powers of the universe, the idea of being found filled you with dread. Brought out the darkest thoughts you struggled to overcome, filled you with concern for what their reaction might be.

Perhaps if there had been an element of free choice about it, like before the granting of the ‘great gift’, then maybe you would have felt less trepidation. Less of a burden, one that was first foisted on your parents, and now waiting to be foisted onto your preordained person.

The words that had appeared on the inside of your forearm on your sixteenth birthday did nothing to quell your fears.

‘Are you ok?’

As if your soulmate finding out you could not speak was not intimidating enough – something bad was going to precede it. Bad enough for them to show concern.

You endeavoured to set it out of your mind. To get on with living your life, building your career, discovering and solidifying who you were as a person. Brilliant, successful, thriving. Fiercely proud of what you had accomplished in this ableist society.

You were also, unfortunately a bit of a klutz, able to trip over the pattern of a linoleum floor, and prone to misfortune. Aside from a plethora of bruises, fifty percent of an unknown origin, it had the unpleasant consequence of presenting you with those three words on your skin delivered by countless lips. A constant reminder.

And while your friends and family, as they found their soulmates over the years, assured you that it was more than words – it was a feeling – that tiny, cruel voice inside you continued to insist ‘or they just ran when they found out who you are.’

So, as you stood in the midst of this party in LA, armed with an alcoholic beverage in hand, you could not help the agonizing feeling that you did not belong here. In town to visit family, you had done your best to protest against your cousin’s insistence that you attend. But the entire extended family had insisted and provided you with an outfit to meet the cocktail attire dress code. Despite their pledge to stay with you, your cousin had been dragged off by friends promptly on arrival, and you had found yourself quite alone in a sea of stunningly attractive people.

After securing said fortifying beverage, you had found a supportive column to put your back against, not unlike prey in an exposed space needing any sliver of cover possible. It worked for the most part, and the few people who happened your way, trying to strike up a conversation, all turned to leave after you placed your fingertips against your throat and shook your head. Not even waiting for you to type out a reply on your phone. Quickly moving on to someone else.

Frustrated and more than ready to leave, you turned to take your now empty glass back to the bar when the blunt edge of something collided with the side of your upper arm. There was a string of curses, the chilly drench of freshly poured champagne, and the bulk of a body that followed, sending you into a dripping puddle on the floor. A minefield of shattered champagne flutes littered the ground around you, and the buzz that had filled the room was completely snuffed out as it fell utterly silent.

Aside from wet and cold, you felt mortified. The server began struggling to their feet, a flurry of apologies pouring from their lips as they frantically tried to clear the glass to prevent further injury to you. You turned onto your hands and knees, careful to plant your skin on the glass-free area of the floor that had been shielded by your body, before a pair of polished, leather boots stepped into view. You looked up and were stunned by the intensity of the brilliant cerulean blue eyes shining down at you in concern as their very lanky owner crouched down and outstretched a hand to help you up.

“Are you ok?” His honeyed Tennessee twang made you shiver as you somehow managed a nod.

Acutely aware of the fact that all eyes in the room were now gazing down at you, reveling in your misfortune, you quickly set your hand in his proffered one and gasped sharply at the feeling. A rather absurd image of a Christmas pudding, soaked in brandy, and lit afire came to mind. The way the luminous blue flame caressed the surface, without harming the dessert itself, was precisely how you would have described the feeling that erupted across your skin.

As his firm hand helped you to your feet, you straightened to see him staring at you in hushed awe. Goosebumps erupted across your skin as it felt like his fingertips were tracing along the words on the inside of your forearm, and you had to fight against the fluttering of your eyelashes to maintain eye contact.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” He murmured, looking you over and tsking as he found blood pooling your palm. “Let’s get you cleaned up.” He placed a hand on your lower back and guided you smoothly through the crowd to one of the single-stall washrooms. Leading you to the sink to rinse off your hand before he carefully inspected the cut to be sure there was no glass imbedded.

“Who are you…” He breathed in confusion, eyes frantically tracing the curves of your face, before shaking his head. “I’m Austin Butler, it’s nice to meet you.”

You offered a tremulous smile before fumbling to pull out your phone and quickly type your name before holding it out to him to read.

His brows furrowed and he looked at you slowly. “Can you not…speak?” His eyes suddenly widened as all the implications of that crashed into his consciousness.

Your fingertips landed on the scar on your throat, and you shook your head. You hesitated a moment before slowly stretching out your arm to expose the words imprinted there.

You noted how his fingers shook as they reached out to brush against the question, looking to you sharply as the air shuddered from your lungs.

“But I’m not worthy, I don’t get a soulmate I…” He rambled, quickly rucking up the sleeves of his suit jacket and button-up shirt simultaneously to bunch at his elbow, revealing a blank, tanned space where the words should be…

You shook your head stubbornly and grasped his wrist, pulling his hand to lay against your throat before you mouthed the words ‘I’m right here.’ There was, of course, no sound, no vibration. But you did a very good job of forming the shapes of the vowels and consonants, making yourself clear with the addition of hand gestures.

“I’m right here…” He gave voice to your words in a hushed whisper before his fingers twitched around your throat, fingers tracing the edges of your surgical scars before holding you in place as he dove in to press his trembling lips against yours.

The sensation of shimmering flame flowed across your skin once more, and you quickly gripped his bare forearm for balance. You heard him inhale sharply through his nose before he pulled back to look you over intensely. Licking your lips as you eyed him thoughtfully, it was your turn to surge forward and kiss him fiercely.

He tasted of the whiskey he’d been drinking, with perhaps a hint of tobacco, and pure electricity. The salty tang of the tears stealing down both of your cheeks mingled into the kiss as his slid his arms around you to pull you closer. With the last functioning portion of your brain, you managed to recall the state of your clothing and you quickly planted your hands on his chest, locking your elbows to keep your distance.

You felt him tense and pull back to look you over quickly, sniffing. You smiled reassuringly, if a bit tearfully, and gestured at your clothes before collecting a bit of the fabric between your fingers and wringing out some champagne onto the floor. He immediately relaxed as the droplets sounded against the tile floor and kissed your forehead tenderly.

“Let’s get you some clean clothes. Then we have a lot of catching up to do. And I, I need to get a tattoo.”

You tilted your head, eyeing him curiously.

“I’m right here.” He murmured tenderly, trailing his forefinger along his, for now, blank skin.

Post-script: If the spelling of ‘whiskey’ gave you pause, you’re not alone! Whiskey is the spelling for grain spirits distilled in the United States and Ireland. Whisky is the spelling for grain spirits distilled in Canada, Scotland, and Japan. Because the top grain spirit for 2022 is an Irish Whiskey, I have chosen this spelling for Austin’s beverage. Thank you for coming to my alcohol nerd talk.

#austin butler x reader #austin butler x you #austin butler x y/n #austin butler x gn!reader #austin butler imagine #austin butler fanfic #austin butler fic #soulmate au #gender neutral insert #austin butler #blurredcolour

[connectionterminated13]

What was Jeremy’s and Mikes first interaction like in the fallout AU ? Did Jeremy know what ghouls were or was he in for a bit of a shock lol

I've been waiting to talk about this!! I hope you don't mind if I write out their whole interaction :)

Jeremy wakes up pulling out his gun to see some kind of man rooting through his bag, He can't see the Man in the dim light of the dying fire but the man is thin and sickly looking.

Jeremy: Stealing isn't nice you know?

Michael immediately stops trying to rob Jeremy and puts his hands up, He's very used to people try to shoot at him after all so he knows what to do in this situation.

Jeremy: Now let's start with names I'm Jeremy! And you are?

Michael: Michael, I'm not Ferrell don't shoot! I was just hungry I'm a night guard and I thought you were dead and I'm sorry!

Jeremy: Oh well if you were hungry you could have just asked! Don't you surface people know sharing and is Caring?

Michael is confused. There's something very wrong about this man. He doesn't talk like Any person Michael has known in the past 200 years...

Jeremy: Speaking of I'm from a vault! vau-

Michael's eyes widen, Instinctively he steps forward slightly meaning he is now in the light of the fire

Michael: You're from a vault! I didn't know you guys were still-

Jeremy screams stepping back the gun shaking in his hand, He looks Michael up-and-down noticing his Rotting purple skin, expose teeth/mouth And the stink of rot emanating from him

Jeremy: AcH!!

Michael: It's OK! I'm not a monster! I just I'd just would people look like up here now so you don't need to shoot me!! please don't shoot me..

Michael tries to put his hands up further as a show of surrender, He tries to smile but knows it probably comes off more threatening

Jeremy: My-y mom warned me about people like you! Are we taking what does it belong to you consuming people were fun!

Jeremy is shaking in terror, Mike praise to any God that might exist that this scared dweller doesn't shoot him in the face

Jeremy: You are bloody communist!!

Michael: Yes! I'm a ghoul but I'm not- what

Michael is incredibly confused

Jeremy: My mom told me bedtime stores about how you people destroyed the world! I should have known when you talked in your weird funny voice!

Michael realizes that the vault Jeremy must have came from is incredibly sheltered/very very stupid

Michael: Hey I'm not a communist I'm open red-blooded American just like you! And that is just vocal cord decay and an accent..

Jeremy Is clearly still frightened but pulled himself together

Jeremy: Well if you're not then you're gonna tell me where Mother flipping Yellow rabbit guy went With my little brother..

Michael's eyes light up slightly

Michael: I don't know where he is but I know we're looking for the same guy! And I could help you! I know the wasteland I'm a friend-I promise!

Jeremy considers this for a moment

Jeremy: I'm sorry

Jeremy lowers his gun, Michael is very confused by this, this is a confusing evening for him

Jeremy: No Communist would ever try to help me.. Plus it was mean for me to scream at you it's not your fault you're a Strange mutant.

Michael lets out a confused laugh

Michael: Thank you I guess?

Michael has never had anyone who he's tried to rob be this kind to him hell Michael hasn't experienced this level of kindness since pre-war times

Jeremy: No if you say sorry for stealing, I'll give you some of the Sam which my mom packed and We can become real friends

Michael: Extremely sorry for stealing!

Jeremy smiled walking over to Michael and holding out his hand for a handshake

Jeremy: Jeremy Fitzgerald at your service! I'm sorry I'm first meeting with Mike that I look forward to being friends and campaigns in our shared goal to defeat the dastardly rabbit that stole my younger brother!

Michael stared down at the hand before hesitantly shaking it

There you go love it first sight for real❤ Sorry for this being so long and writing a whole chat I'm just goofy like that :3

#Fallout x fnaf au #michael afton #jeremy fitzgerald

[popculturebuffet]

Supermay!: President Luthor Review (Comission by WeirdKev27)

Hello all you happy people and welcome back to SUPERMAY, a month long celebration of all things superman.

Today we spotlight one of the greatest villians of all time. Not even going to undersell it I LOVE Lex Luthor, in large thanks to Clancy Brown's performance as the man the myth the legend in Superman the Animated Series and Justice League. Wether he's a super scientest, a super buisness man or some combo of the three, Lex is a fascinating character.

Lex is a perfect mirror to clark: Clark had two loving wonderful parents, Luthor's were abusive. Clark has incredible power, but uses it to help people, while Luthor has incredible intellgence but uses it to crush others under his heel metaphorically or quite literally depending on the day. Clark is empathetic and belivies in everyone, while Lex belivies in no one but himself. They don't just come into conflict because Luthor is a terrible person.. they come into conflict because it's hard for these two to coexist: Superman wants Luthor held acountable and as a rich white man in america, that's a tall order, and Luthor simply can't STAND that all these people love Superman and not him.

So that lead's us to today's comic, an intresting chapter in Lex's history borne ENTIRELY out of that egocentric spite: In 2000 Lex Luthor ran for president.. and he WON. Most of you are likely aware this happened as it's been adapted a few times, the movie superman/batman: public enemies adapting the end of his presdiency, Justice League Unlimited featuring him doing said campaign (if JUST to piss superman off/further his evil plans), and Smallville has that happen somewhere.

It's an iconic storyline.. that's sadly undercollected. Yeah today's review covers trade released after an even less subtle evil billionare won the presdiency.. and the probelm is Luthor's campaign was less a storyline and more a big status quo change. As such this collection covers a handful of stories, dosen't really feel like an actual storyline, and only covers up till just after Lex is elected.

There IS a decent reason as this trade was likely reconfigured from the original trade released around the time the storyline happened, and the year after this they began reprinting the era these stories come from in "Superman: The City of Tommorow"... which stopped after two volumes. DC.. isn't great at collecting it's own history, though marvel's only a smidge ahead thanks to their Epic Collection line. They have a bad tendency to stop halfway through and this was a casuality.

Still this trade does at least provide a peak into the election of lex luthor, why he ran, who his running mate was, and how Clark took his greatest enemy WINNING. So join me under the cut for all that and more!

Our first of many stories, and pieces of stories, is The Why. And it's easily my faviorite collected here as it's simple yet brilliant. It's a story with no dialouge till the final panel, with muted colors around, that follows a day in the life of Lex Luthor.. and how no matter what he does or where he goes he can't escape superman: He sees him on a news, at newstands, an employee having a superman action figure (who he naturally gestures his assitant to fire), even a tatoo on a woman he was going to flirt with and maybe unsatisfygly do sex with. I mean lex CAN be hot but let's face it: there is no way in hells someone that egocentric is not selfish in bed.

So we get to the final page.. where he sees a headline with superman and gets an idea. A wonderful awful idea

It's a true masterpiece and while some would say "would luthor REALLY be so petty as to run for president just to spite superman", I say "Early into this post crisis version of the character the man spent billions of dollars and had a woman kidnapped to find out his secret identity and later created a temporary cure to Lois Lane's mother's terminal illness just so she'd date him". Pre-Crisis he was sore superman made him bald and dedicated his life to destroying him. Lex Luthor is a petty bitch and always has been.

This brilliant story was by Greg Rucka, who if you haven't heard of him, you rmissing out. Rucka has done a ton of work at DC with the two standouts to me being his sadly short lived run on Wonder Woman, redefening the character, givnig her her own lex luthor and really just killing it. THen eh did it AGAIN for rebirth. The other is his run on Catwoman, which took Frank Miller's edgelord riffic Year One retcon of Catwoman having been a sex worker.. and recontexualizes it, making Selina's rough background part of her and making her a champion for sex workers and others who simply dont' have one, taking what was meant as stupid fanservice and giving it depth and weight. What i'ms aying is he's really awesome so it's not a shock some of the best stories here are him.

So we then go to part of a story called Adversaries, by JM Demattis, one half of the masterful team behind Justice League International. As Superman is having his morning meditation and thinking "golly gee nothing could ruin this gorgeous day"... Lex Luthor announces he's running for president.

Now you may be asking "Jake how in the flying fuck is lex luthor running for president. " And while 2000's superman is one of the gaps in my comics knowledge I know enough about the time period to know what's going on here and thus why Lex has a shot, with the various storeis themselves filling in a gap or two.

Okay so a while back, Lex Luthor was dying. This was the famous "Kryptonite gave him cancer" story, which I know thanks to the Justice League cartoon. Like the cartoon he eventually escaped it, but rather than Braniac curing it he found another way out: Cloning.

Yes folks Lex Luthor cloned himself, and then pretended to be his own illgitamte child for a while. I mostly know about THIS because I did read the death of superman, reign of the supermen and return of superman all of which happen while Lex is pretending to be his own son and also romancing supergirl who was a shapeshifted alien blob who trusted him for something at the time rather than a teenage girl, which still dosen't make it less creepy as it's still lex luthor grinding up against a member of superman's family. He's also the reason she didn't intervene in said death, telling her to back off clearly hoping superman would die. Granted he ALWAYS hopes superman will die this time he just happened to be correct.

The clone eventually degraded, Luthor blew up metropolis, and he made a deal with the demon neron for a new body. He later pinned all his crimes on a "failed clone" and thus was scott free for any overt supervillany. So as far as anyone knows Luthor's record is clean.

Helping this are two factors: one is that while Luthor was shady as fuck, like most buisnessmen in the 80's and 90's he didn't go around announcing it or hoping he can get courts to ignore his crimes and put them down to "politics". He kept his hands clean like any shady billionare so superman could stop his nonsense, but couldn't really stop HIM, with superman the animated series keeping with this line of thought.

The other is that any shady stuff left tha tcould be dug up.. was erased. See something very weird I haven't read the storyline for happened right before this: at the dawn of the millnieum, braniac attacked and converted metropolis into a literal city of tommorow, a futurestic city packed with fancy tech, robots and other stuff. Braniac was beat but Luthor barganed with him: His baby daughter for the knowledge of how to work all this. Thus Lex was able to make everything run well and had the popular vote.

Finally we have the climax of the year long Batman epic No Man's Land, a story that like president luthor has been adapted a few times because it's that good an idea. Now what it was was a bit nuts.. after a massive earthquake and a plauge, the goverment, backed by some shady folks hoping to profit off the situation, decided Gotham just.. wasn't part of america anymore.

Yeah they just.. set up guards so no one got in or out, and it was declared a no man's land, hence the title. Many evacuated but some coudln't and some like Batman, the GCPD and most of Batman's partners stayed behind to try and save the city. It introduced Cassandra Cain Batgirl, and was where Nightwing and Oracle finally hooked up.

The important part to this is towards the end, as the goverment was finally shamed into doing the right thing Luthor stepped up to help rebuild the city. Naturally this being Lex Luthor he can't do a nice thing unless it either benefits him or pisses off superman somehow, and so he tried to steal the city out from under it's citizens, foiled naturally by batman. So while Batman stopped his shit, the public at large just sees this as a huge humanitarian boost and a bane against the incumbent who you know, signed off on no mans land in the first place. Granted any presidency would struggle after electing to abandon a city and let the joker sort it out, but Luthor being the guy who went in and cleaned up the mess only makes it worse.

It's also here I want to stop and point out the obvious parallel: Lex Luthor is a buisnessman, with a reputation for putting his names on things, having heavy ties to one of america's big cities, flaunting his wealth and being pettily vengful at everyone who so much as sneezed at him wrong. As much as I don't want to talk about him, we really can't talk about this arc anymore without talking about Donald Trump.

Luthor getting elected got comparisons to Trump, to the point they threw in the story Luthor the Unauthroized Biography in here despite having happened long before this arc , simply so they could use this cover

The thing is though while the two have SOME similarities, Luthor's campaign was done long before Trumps.. and thus Luthor presents himself as an actual human being instead of some shouty sack of skin and hair plugs who dosen't understand how anything works. Luthor may be evil.. but part of what makes him an intresting villian is the presentation: Luthor wants to be seen as a good man, to be praised. His reputation and power is everything. Thus luthor packages two evil schemes as him trying to help people, packages everything he does carefully.

Trump DOES have a carefully cultivated brand.. but also has zero filter. He never has. He flat out admitted a few months ago he'll be a dictator on day one.. and day 1001 but he didn't say that part, but he sure is thinking it. Trump is a bafoon who got into office preying on people's need for some sort of economic upturn, pandering to racists and other anti-change bigots, and getting a loyal army of fellow dumbasses to back him and whatever he does, to the point his loyalists held the senate hostage and that he's been able to use them to get away with formenting an insurrection. Would lex luthor storm the captial? yes. Would he do it in a way that couldn't possibly be linked to him? Yes.

Again i'm not saying Lex is a good person: he gave his daughter to an alien robot man. Lex Luthor is a monster. I'm saying that he dosen't really resemble trump.. because he's a FUNCTIONAL monster. Part of why this arc works is that you can see WHY lex can sell america on this as he uses a mostly pristine image. Trump had a combination of luck and racisim. Luthor actually worked at it.

Anyways one of Superman's foes The Adversary, a guy I know nothing about and whose unrelated to the trickster god from marvel far as I know, kidnaps luthor, superman rescues him.. and superman is all too happy to give him a haughty "your welcome" after luthor is a dick about it saying his people could've handled the giant flying man as strong as superman.

Our next story is another Greg Rucka banger, The Most Suitable person and is another tie to Batman. Lex knows he can't keep his company and since he gave away his only children to use as a puppet king, he instead courts the best woman for the job: Talia, daughter of Batman superfoe Ra's Al Ghul. It's an intresting pull and makes sense: He could have his right hand woman mercy run it.... but he needs her at his side for his evil schemes and it'd still look like he was running it. He needs someone he can trust to run it and not take it from him, but also not make it less evil.

Talia at the time was on the outs from her dad and not really in a mood to accept given the centruies old head of a large terrioist group kinda wants her dead. Lex naturally takes her no.. by having a bunch of mercnaries pretending to be her dad's men. It IS left ambigious if it was really them.. but like Talia I fully think Lex set this up and despite his refusals he WOULD blow up a building and get 17 mercs killed just to get what he wants. She agrees to here him out if only because it's clear he won't take no for an answer... and there's no telling what he'd do for an encore.

Next is the great debate, a fun short story and another likely backup. This time it's from my boy Peter David, writer of X-Factor over at marvel, and Young Justice and Supergirl here at dc among a LOT more. It's a fun three pager where Luthor has a nightmare of a debate.. with two face.

Next is some forward movement with the concept, the american way by Jeph Loeb, who'd not only write superman for the luthor presidency as a whole, but would also write it's end with Public Enemies.

Lois and Clark get an ugly suprise that morning: Luthor's picked his running mate..and it's Clark's childhod friend Pete Ross, a former senator and clear pick to get the vote of midwesteners. And living in the mid west I can tell you this ploy probably woudl've worked.

Clark heads down there to find out what the hell and after LUthor exploits his sudden apperance for press, Clark asks pete what the fuck. Pete explains he's given up on dreaming: he wants to be a winner dammit and Luthor is going to win.

Clark confides in his parents, with Pa not knowing what the hell got into Pete.. I mean he was apparently always a moron but my god. Clark considers talking to his wife Lana, Clark's childhood sweetheart, and Ma tells him he should but that she's suffered enough and he shoudlnt' write a piece against pete.. even though pete did this dumbass thing himself and it's clark's job as a reporter, not to mention pete FLAT OUT ADMITTED he's only doing this because he wants to win.

Lois goes to work where Perry, SHOCKINGLY isn't happy. Also she ignores Jimmy, expect that to be a theme here. At any rate, Perry is pissed, but Lois is more concerned about a ticking time bomb: she agreed to kill any one story luthor asked and is afraid the bill will come due. This.. dosen't come up strangely. I THINK it plays into the arc, but I can't be sure as it's missing here.

Superman decides to deal with his own issues with this whole situation the way he does.. by battling a giant monster in the atlantic. He wins.. but finds a bigger problem, Aquaman, whose still in his angry phase but is ANGRIER than even usual: turns out it's Lexcorp that's been causing creatures like the giant monster thing to go nuts, and he's going to do something about it even as Clark TRIES To get him to calm the hell down. Thankfully this isn't bad character writing as there's a reason for Arthur being mopeier than usaul.

For now Clark swoops into an event for Lex, but before he can talk to Lana, Aquaman shows up with a giant net to kidnap lex luthor

Superman naturally goes after him only to find THE ARMIES OF ATLANTIS led by former aqualad and current tempest garth, who orders superman to stand down or he'll flood the city

Garth is the key indicator somethin'gs up: arthur does have a tendency to be a grumpus in this era, him doing this isn't SUPER out of character.. but declaring war and Garth participating in it and activating a giant wave machine? Something's fucked.

Superman may be faster than a speeding bullet.. but he isn't fast enough to stop garth.

Thankfully he gets some help from the boys YOUNG JUSTICE IS HERE! Specifically the comics version, which I love dearly and which is nothing like what got on screen. Nothing against the cartoon, Weisman did a great job, it's just based more on the teen titans with bits of greg's own ideas. Young Justice is more like the teen titans cartoon , which was intended to be a YJ adaptation but they coudln't get the rights to some of the cast.

The lineup for this crossover is the core of the team: Robin (Tim Drake), Superboy (conner king) Impulse, and Wonder Girl (Cassie Sandmark), along with their mentor and advisor and babysitter my boy red Tornado. Clark is.. less than enthused, but takes the help as they hit the streets. Naturally things don't go on too long before robin and cassie get eaten by that big thing from earlier.

This is on purpose though: Tim revs up the super cycle, had cord attached to it and superboy and later superman PULLL PULLL while he revs up, allowing them to pull the thing back into the ocean. Superman sincerly compliments them, which is nice: clark may be mildly frustrated with them.. but he's still superman. He's not a dick and as weird as the plan was, it worked. He quickly saves lois , as he do then goes to rescue Luthor.

This being Luthor though.. he spins it in his favor. He claims he had no idea the braniac tech he was using was turning sea life mad.. including the atlantians, explaning why Arthur done did a war crime, and vows to actually fix it, spinning this pr disaster into a win.

Then he gets another PR win.. the hard way. He gets shot. The culprit is Jenny Hubbard, a minor character I had to look up, a waitress he once offered a million dollars to spend a month with him... then left long before she could accept the offer, it being a cruel prank he does to fuck with people. Naturally the media spins it as her being delusional... it also uses the same shot for an entire page but i'll only show you 4 panels

Also for some reason they didn't think to not have a shot wher eluthor looks like a preist getting down instead of having just taken a bullet... he smiles in his hotel room. It's as if he planned it.

The next story is another Loeb story, and another backup, tales from the Bizzaro World. Batman shows up and he's understandably nettled: As I mentioned, and learned from this story, the braniac 13 thing wiped Luthor's records. That means there's no dirt to dig up, the planets records also wiped and Batman wants to know if Clark personally has anything.

Clark dosen't.. but is pissed Bruce would even ask, pointing out this isn't the usual try to take down luthor thing: their talking about a political canditate running for office and this isn't something they should be doing.

I see both points: Luthor should be stopped and Batman is right ot question the american people's judgement when they let no man's land happen. But Clark is right: he can't just suddenly DECIDE who can be president or can't. He's not king superman. He put away the pope hat ages ago. He can vote, he can use his power at the planet to TRY and stop this.. but they can't just start deciding who runs america. Even if the people choose wrong they should be allowed to choose. Granted i've now seen how bad the people choosing wrong can go.. but the whole point of elections is to prevent a dictator ship, just like this one and likely others after it given the way the republican party is going. If someone else is sinking canditates ;using their billions and connections and bat skills, that's not freedom and clark is aware of it.

We move on to election night as everyone prepares.. and we get a really nice moment with Clark and Jonn

A reminder the leauge isn't thrilled about this either. More on that in a minute

In the office Pete White considers two headlines: Luthor Loooses.. or Luthor wins.

We then get Triumph Over Tragedy, a heavily doctored detaling of luthor's past, leaving out that he killed his dad, that the evil clone was him, etc. It's a neat piece that goes over his history and shows just how mnuch he's buried..a nd he buries it again as he asks cat to cut out the piece. This ending is chilling.. especially now as we have full channels like fox news dedicated to telling blatant lies and propping up people like luthor.

We then get the results as Jimmy is assigned to do a story on where they were when they heard about his announcment.. only for him to be interuppted. Perry announces, comparing it to other disasters.. that luthor has won. They have to press on because shit is going to get bad.. but they ahve to. While the Luthor trump comparssions don't really work for the most part.. this part hits as it's the reality most of us faced that day: that someone truly bad won.

Next up is another greg rucka story. Batman shows up , wanting the kryptonite ring. Luthor can have it or the presdency. Luthor says nah he can have both.. and shows just how bad things are now. While he said in the cartoon "you know how much power i'd have to give up to be president" this shows how much he GAINS: every wet works orginzation in the us now responds to him and he threatens batman: come after him again and he can track him and his allies 24/7 and he will. Bruce says he'll be back.. but it's an empty threat. Luthor.. has once again won. It's a great shor tlittle story, showing WHY Batman was so afraid of this and how even Superman's equal... can't lay a finger on him. Luthor.. has won.

We get a jeph loeb short story next: have you heard the news. it's a fun short three pager as Superman goes into an absolute RAGE on saturn's moon. He's.. not happy and luthor can see that. I also would like to take a minute to praise Ed McGuinnes, who did the art on Jeph Loeb's story. He has this nice bombastic cartoony style i REALLY love and it's always a pleasure to see him when he pops up and we'll be seeing him again when we cover public enemies at some point.

Next is the confrontation with Lana. Turns out part of Superman's understandable bafflement is that he kidnapped her like I mentioned.. and she never told pete as she couldn't without compromising clark's identity and admits they have NOTHING on luthor and that maybe pete will make it better and her marriage has to be mor eimportant. In other words.. it's all justifications: while Lana COULD have told Pete what happened and it's on her to not trust her husband enough. Clark would've let her. The truth is she just didn't want to and cries as she hopes he won't be president. Unsuprisingly this marriage did not last.

We get one final piece of election night: Superman storming in.. and admitting defeat

I love this image as it just convey's both how little clark wants to do this.. and how much he has to. To show america he won't undercut the president even if that president has cameras on saturn just to see if superman has a venting session.

Next up is a snippet of an issue, where Luthor has his big innaugration parade. He even hired an old friend to help celebrate

Trust. It's interuppted by some protesters from the Suicide Slum, a poorer area of Metropolis that got left behind by the Braniac updgrades to the rest of the city. Luthor dances a little sidestep saying he's not in charge of Lexcorp, he'll look into this, bullshit bullshit.

Clark and Lois go to talk to John Henry Irons, aka Steel aka Lana's next better husband. Then we cut off but we'll be seeing my boy here soon

For now we have my other faviorite story in this collection, a very close second to our first: Help.

Help is set at christmas and follows Clark as he talks with the other members of the Justice League about the shit that just went down, clearly stressed to hell given the people he protets and tries to inspire.. just willingly choose an egomaniac with a shady history to be their new leader. We also get a murder's row of artists for each vingette, written again by Jeph Loeb.

The first is the Martian Manhunter.. and Plastic Man as he was the only member of the expanded league from Morrison's run to stick around because he's awesome. Fun fact; Ben Schwartz has apparently campaigned to play him. James Gunn.. get.. get on that buddy.

Jonn is TRYING to help Clark relax but he can't because he's a boinger. And again a sociopath is in the white house. Clark wonders if he shoudl've done more to stop this.. but Jonn helps put it into perspective: Clark is integrated into this world a bit better than Jonn is, something he envies... especiallys ince what happened made no sense. But he assures clark the second Lex does something illegal, he's there... which also feels like his way of assuring his friend he did the right thing. We also get a sweet moment as plastic man makes him smile. Clark gives the two a gift: rubber bands fo rplastic man, choco's, jonn's faviorite oreo stand in, for .. well guess. It's a fun runner as I love the idea Clark gives his friends each a cheesy gag gift.

Next up is aquaman, by rob liefeld, which is shockingly passable. Clark and Arthur both look pissed off and dead at the same time but at least their spines are in tact. Arthur is actaully on lex's side since he's the first world leader to both promise trade with atlantis and offer commuincation and while Clark admits those are probably lies, Arthur warns they better not be, implying Luthor would be kinda stupid to do anything. Arthur then gets his gift a snowglobe and cracks the closest thing he can to a smile.

Next is a talk with green lantern drawn by Mike Wirnego, who i'm less familiar with but whose art looks sensational and expressive here. Granted anything is expressive after Rob Liefield but still, it's good stuff.

The League's green lantern is Kyle Rayner, imaginative boy and 90's guy. So naturally his stance is Luthor is crooked.. but so was the last guy and so will likely be the next guy. Things really don't change. Kyle still votes though as he has to hope things will be better. It shows Kyles' character off well: he's flip and easy to crack a joke.. but he's an optimsit at heart. His stance here is honestly mine: the system is broken, our vote only pivots thing slightly in elections where a known criminal and tyranical narcsist isn't running.. but it's worth voting just to TRY and make things better. There's no reason not to vote even if sometimes it's the lesser of two evils. Kyle's gift is ring polish, which he cracks up about.

Next up is Wally West, the flash by art motherfucking adams, an artistic legend and a genius at the pen. Truly fantastic stuff as always. Wally is picking up some chcoclates linda wanted, last minute of course since when your the fastest man alive you can do that cliche without coming off like a douche. Also when you have undiagnosed ADHD. Wally's stance is voting early and often, as that's the american way and admits he'd drag luthor out if Clark asked.. but he won't ask that because that's not the american way. The American way is putting your faith in something and hoping it works out. Wally gets tube socks for some reason.

Next is Diana, Wonder Woman and it's by Ian Churchill who i'm less familiar with.. but i'ts not drawn great. Diana also has large fake nails for some reason. It's this weird tendency i've noticed: artists tend to give long painted nails to women even if it didn't fit the character back in the 80's through the 2000's. I don't mind it if It fits and I could see diana doing it for a fancy occasion or fun, but not for a sparring session.

Diana dosen't care about the electoin and while she probably did vote she's more worried Clark is slipping and has already let Luthor win mentally. He hasn't but it's good of her to worry. She does have a valid suggestion that comes off as more in character though: take some time off. Granted i'ts written as "as a woman and as your only friend whose a woman " which just tells you a 2000's man wrote this. He gives her a tiny mjonr, which I again don't get but gets him a hug. Awww.

We end on Batman whose still pissed at Clark, rubbing the whole "letting humans have free will thing' in his face and saying when the time is right we will take down luthor. In other words prime bat dick behavior, not suprising for the era wher Batman was extra dickish at times.

So Clark takes the advice of a friend who didn't want him to interfere with free choice and takes a few days off in kandor with lois, content for now to accep tthe situation

We then get World without Superman by Mark Schultz... and this story is just..

The IDEA for the story is good: Around christmas time we see Clark depressed that Luthor won. Granted it dosen't jibe well with the previous story: Luthor won, but clark at least tried to take some time away from. I can still allow it though thanks to personal experince. Like with Perry's line before CLark depressedly watching the tv as Luthor makes good, butters up to the league and geninely seems to have america's approval hits harder after the 2016 election. Anyone on the left.. was left dismayed and shocked this actually happened, that this openly racist, sexist, homphobic pile of hair and spray tan won. I can sympathize with Clark having GENUINELY belivied in the people.. and them having let him down. I can buy that Superman, one of the most hopeful and hope inspiring characters in all of fiction.. could be laid low by this.

So the followup, Lori Lee of the time traveling Linear Men who i'd only vaugely heard of before this, shows up because things are going VERY bad thanks to decisions clark makes soon, that he quits being superman and gives up.. and the world goes to hell as a result. This idea.. is brilliant. While the it's a wonderful life riff is common, I like merging it with the future segment of a christmas carol here.

The problem is that they go WAY too far in this distoypian future to the point that it defies logic and sense. A good bad future has to have some sort of logic to it. To use an X-Men example because I got x-men on the brain now and always, Days of Future Past was effective because it was so simple how things went wrong: a mutant killed an anti-mutant senator, that ramped up anti mutant tensions, and things slowly escalated to the regestration act and the sentinel program going public. It took TIME for the world to go to hell in a realistic fashion.

This story does try to do that, it's 15 years later, Lexcorp runs the world. A large part of this is due to Our Worlds at War, a massive crossover and interstellar war that happened next year. During that war a powerful being named impereix decided to unmake reality due to a percieved imperfection in the cosmos and given his drones were incredibly powerful and if defeated detonated like nuclear bombs it took ALL of earth's superheroes as a united front, along with a few villians of course, to fight it back. Luthor proved his presidential chops by directing the conflict. The idea that this war goes badly without supes is a good one.

The problem is it dosen't really make sense with the storyline next year or even objectviely: Luthor apparently spent through a bunch of heroes with costly battle strategies.. but while Clark being gone DOES impact the superhero community severely and his clear replacement, Wonder Woman, was also gone, replaced by her mom, they still have the rest of the league, and if they coudln't inspire hope, there's the justice society of america, who the whole superhero community looks up to and who have vetran clout. Sure Lex could TRY and send them on a suicide run and did send them on a risky mission in the actual war, but the fact of the matter is it'd be a bit hard to both overtalk and cover up the deaths of world war II vetrans. Heroes who as far as I can tell have a unviersally good reputation. It's also overlooking the younger generation like DIck Grayson or Wally West, both of whom have enough collections across the various dc heroes to rally them.. and rally tem against luthor if he went to far.

Even putting that aside.. the second step, putting in laws to fuck with all them, is more plausable.. but the fact their ALL gone but batman and co by this point dosen't make any sense to me. Only one league member wasn't against luthor's election on some level, Arthur, and even his terms were VERY conditional. Luthor would have to do a lot of state sec killing to get the heroes down to a point where they couldn't just overthrow him and while he has the b13 tech, the heroes have geniuses like Oracle, Steel, and Batman on their side to help reverse engineer things. I also don't think bruce would remotely wait to go commando on Luthor and is smart enough. I'm not saying batman's a god : many a weak story has made batman a gary stu by forgetting he's a flawed man.. but he CAN beat lex luthor even with the world against him and wouldn't let Luthor get this far.

With days of future past the X-Men are a bunch of average people, with only charles having any political pull at the time. Batman.. is a billionaire. Wonder Woman and Aquaman both rep whole nations. Kyle and Wally while average joes are both gods. The only reason the justice league didn't say, remove Luthor the second he got elected.. is he was rightfully elected and they respect that. Even Batman, as pissy as he's been, knows better than to do that. But if things got bad enough they would and would let america hopefully pick someone better. Even if they ended up jailed.. they'd expose luthor if it killed them. Maybe i'm just an optimist, maybe the world would beat them all down.. but i've read enough dc comics of all kinds to know these characters.. don't give up and would fight their hardest for a better world even if it killed them. So it feels reductive to say superman being gone instantly means their all fucked. It'd mean they'd be more depressed, might go to darker places without clark, and some MIGHT give up.. but I can't imagine everyone giving up because superman decided.

And yes folks.. THAT'S what they went with. Superman just GAVE UP ON earth. I could buy Clark giving up on being superman if pushed enough: the world is full of heroes and as seen with the later storyline up up and away, which I hope to cover one day and might save for the next supermay, the dcu.. didn't burn down because he was gone a year after being depowered. He can still do good as Clark Kent. I can't buy Clark being SO fed up he'd leave. Retire maybe, and even then that's hard to buy.. but it's PLAUSABLE. Superman abandning his parents, wife and friends to fend for themselves and NEVER coming back is ludcirious, especially since the imperix war ended up spreading wide enough hat there's no way he wouldn't speed back to help. Darkseid pitched in for fucks sake: you think he'd let Superman sit out a war he had to humble himself to get help for? No. Darkseid is. Darkseid would be PISSED superman gave up and demand he come help or he'll kill his ass. I get the writer probably didn't have all the pieces, but said pieces really hurt htis series longetivity

What also hurts it is the present day part: Lois, Jimy and Perry try one last hail mary to save journalism.. and fail, as Luthor saw it coming a mile away and has his personal hit squad kill them. and some tigers. I don't buy Lois being this dump or thinking cozying up to luthor would remotely work. He took satstifaction in Lois, Jimmy and Perry joining his propoganda.. but he never forgot.

We also get another insult with that.. see some heroes.. sold out to luthor.. and who they choose...

Yeah normally on this blog I try to be positive. I will point out when a work is bad or not great.. but I try to be constructive. Explain why it is or at least thrown in a joke. I try to avoid nerd raging.. but my GOD does the choice of having Plastic Man, Booster Gold and Huntress honk me off. Part of it is i'm a big fan of the latter two thanks to JLI and Birds of Prey, respectively. So I admit to a little bias. That being said, said bias is from having actually read the characters apperances and not just picked who would make a good edgy shocking luthor justice league out of a hat.

I get WHY each one was picked: Plastic Man comes off a tad shady and entirely unserious, Booster is both not all that serious and was introduced as a willing corprate shill: he had standards but DID it for the fame and to escape his criminal past and once bought an island with justice league money, while Helena often clashed with the bat fam at the time due to her more violent methods and bruce being a tad dickish.

The problem is NONE OF THIS MEANS THEY'D SIGN UP WITH LUTHOR. Plastic Man is loosey goosey.. but he's not so loosey goosey he'd agree to work for luthor to opress people. Booster sold out.. but he both grew past that and already fueded with Luthor in his solo: he knows he can't trust him and if he's going to make money, he'll do it on his own and if things are going THIS bad he'd either go back to fix them.. or just go back entirely to avoid this crap if the's that cynical. He also wouldn't blow up a building full of people under any circumstances that aren't accidental, and even the latter is a bit much for Booster. he may be a fuckup.. but he's not a "murder a bunch of people fuckup" and is a good guy, i'ts just buried under layers of self intrest.

Finally Helena.. has a super strong sense of justice: she DID start her career killing and went after the mob because they murdered her family. She'll do things Batman won't , or at least would at this point in her career.. but I can't remotely buy her selling out to luthor and not trying to put a bolt in his head, even if he is the law. She went outside of the law in the first place, why would she trust it enough to work under lex? This feels like the writer picked three characters he thought might do it and didn't bother to think thorugh how their fans would feel, which happens a LOT and always feels cheap and has only gotten worse since booster and helena got furhter fleshing out in the later 2000's that makes this somehow dumber.

Our last few stories cover his actual swearing in and right after and i'm going to rapid fire them as they aren't BAD stories, but mostly either small one offs clearly designed to set something up later.

The first is the actual innugaration which is a full story.. but I simply don't have much to say about it. It's by the same guy who did the previous dumbassery, but he does a good job here. I'ts innaguration day and Steel and his niece and future steel herself Natsha plan a protest. They even run into some othe rheroes: Pat Duggan, formerly Stripsey sidekick to the star spangled kid.

His daughter courtney, bitter about having to move when her mom married pat and being a bit of a brat at the time found the equipment and became a costumed hero just to piss him off. Pat used some powered armor he was making to become S.T.R.I.P.E. to keep an eye on her. That's where we are here, with Courtney and Pat having bonded but still not being on the same page a lot of the time. This would soon change as Courntey realized her bio dad was a piece of shit, and accepted pat as her dad, becoming Stargirl and taking up that legacy.

For now though their just at the inagguration because history and all that, but naturally superhero stuff breaks out as Steel's protest was leaked to team luthor. HIs bodyguards mercy and hope attack, but with an assitn from Courtney Steel wins the day.. and asks how they knew. He figures out itw as a setup.. just in time for someone else.

A supervillian attacks, having been created by the same circumstances that John Henry and co were protesting: luthor's devistation of the suicide slum. Naturally superman sweeps in as he planned not to attend, a silent protest but WAS nearbye just in case. He, Steel, Stargirl and Stripsey win of course, and Luthor also wins of course, getting a photo op with superman as "you wouldn't deny your president would you". A masterful dick move sir.

The next one is cleaning up a loose end, courtsey of Karl Kessel, long time superman writer and superboy co-creator and writer.. the connor kent one. Luthor was actually married once to the Contessa, an immortal buisness woman he secretley married who is the mother of his child and once took over his company. Luthor blows her up with missles as you'd expect.

The last two are setups for later... that i'm baffled are in here. The first one I get a little. Cerce, wondy's arch enemy I mentioned (one of them anyway, she has a few contenders) waltzes up planning a partnership but Luthor shoots her down and is naturally a dick abou tit. Some shady man offers her his help and.. that's about it. It's a decent story showing that Luthor's old criminal buddies aren't getting any free rides by this administration, it just baffles me it's in here. You could've used the pages to finish one of the other stories from earlier or put in a story from his adminstration. We also get one setting up his bumbling assitant Mercy is bitter about. That's.. really it. That's how it ends.

So overall this trade.. was a bit better on the second go round. The first act, while pieced together, does tell a cohesive story.. they just felt for osme reason the need to include the innguration and some other stories to pad it out at the end. It would've been better to end at luthor becoming president, maybe at the justice league story dealing with it. We really didn't NEED the terrible future story or the innaguration and tales. The rest tells a good story of how luthor GOT here, how he won, and how Clark feels about it. Throw in the unathorized biography and it would've been enough. Still if you have a few bucks the trade IS worth picking up, and did the best it could with the space it had. IT's an intresting look at an intresting storyline and has some real gems: like I said "The Why" and "Help" are really great stories and worth the price of the trade alone. Thanks for reading

Next time: We get super serial as we look into "The Clan of the Firey Cross"

#superman #clark kent #lex luthor #us elections #lois lane #steel #john henry irons #lana lang #perry white #dc comics #aquaman #martian manhunter #wally west #kyle rayner #batman #wonder woman #plastic man

[ser-rctslcyer]

Jump Scare || Eddie Munson

Pairing:  Eddie Munson x GN! Werewolf! Reader Word Count: 1.7k Synopsis: When Eddie doesn’t listen, you decide to scare him.  Warnings: Fluff, Banter, Halloween, Pre-Stranger Things 4, Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters  A/N: Arises from my months-long writing slumber to end off spooky season with a little late halloween treat. 

It was normal for the two of you to be like this. 

Eddie and you pressed together, a shared blanket thrown over you both as your eyes were glued to the screen. The popcorn bowl had always remained in your lap, your drinks on the coffee table as you two enjoyed your favorite shows and movies. Countless “sleepovers” were spent just like this; by the first summer before high school, were filled with plenty of kisses. These moments were so normal, that your parents had often joked about giving him a spare key. The two of you were two peas in a pod; no matter what either of you were doing, you always made time to hang out with each other. 

Halloween night always being one of them. 

It became a tradition sorely because no one wanted to run a short little horror campaign; partially because Eddie always had a habit of making it too scary. The two of you had decided to put on your own horror pageantry, finding horror flicks from all over to enjoy all the terror among them. Tonight was no exception, other than that your limbs still ached and drummed for the night. Yet you kept yourself inside, satiating your need with buttery popcorn and your own stash of candy, Eddie had graciously helped himself too. The night was going off without too much of a hassle, besides your boyfriend being far too into the trick of this Halloween. 

Ding-dong.

“Eddie.”

“I got it,” he waved for you to settle down and you sat back, keeping him in the corner of your eye. You watched as he grabbed the bowl of candy before slyly making his way to the dining room table and rushing toward the backdoor. 

“Eddie, please just pass the candy out,” you pleaded; resigned as you dropped your head to your arm. You watched as his eyes flickered over you, giving you that same typical look certain predators gave to you every month. Gauging just how far he could go before you got upset. 

“Or, I could do something–” he backed slowly away from the couch, placing the mask on top of his head. 

“Munson.”

“A little more exciting!” he finished, rushing out the back door as the doorbell rang again. You counted 10 terrible seconds before you heard the shrieks of children, followed by the rowdy laughter of your boyfriend. Your ears perked as you heard the children’s complaints before Eddie held the threat of not receiving candy and they quieted down. You set the bowl of popcorn down on the coffee table, stretching your arms as you heard him say “Happy Halloween”, and the kids left hastily. You set your eyes on the back door as you overheard his snicker from the side of the house; greeting him glare to which he gave a sheepish smile. 

“Why must you be like this?” you raised your eyebrow as he returned the candy bowl near the front door. 

“Tis the night of terror, sweetheart! Who else will give the children their sense of fear, if not me?” he pointed to the mask, tossing it back onto the table. 

“Their parents, who take half their candy by the end of the night.”

“C’mon, it’s just a little fun for tonight; the one night out of 364 other ones,” he argued, sitting back down beside you. 

“As much as I’m okay with you having a little fun, you are ruining my parents' reputation as ‘the good candy’ house.”

“Hey, I still give them the candy!” he pointed to himself and you stared at him blankly. 

“After scarring them terribly.”

“Agree to disagree,” he pouted and you rolled your eyes. 

“You can scare a few more, and by a few, I mean two, Munson.” you poked him hard in the chest, emphasizing your point as he always had a thing for arguing semantics. “And then no more.”

“Fine,” he relented, throwing his arm over you and kissing your cheek. Trying to remain annoyed, you turned your head only for Eddie to grab your face, steering you back to him. He pressed his lips to your cheek in rapid succession over and over again.  

“Okay, okay, watch the damn movie!” you huffed; using the bare minimum of your strength to shove his face away. He cackled as he said ‘Okay’ and you put your hand down. His head dropped against yours as he pulled himself closer and focused back on the movie. 

By the time you had put in the third tape, there were already two more unsuspecting victims of Eddie’s reign of chaos. A little after that there was one more and your boyfriend followed your directions, greeting them at the front door instead. All went well for almost another half hour until there was another knock on the door, and he got up without a word. You were almost too focused on the movie to notice but you could hear him trying to make his footsteps lighter, and you knew something was up. 

“Eddie,” you warned, turning to him as he stopped like a deer in headlights. From where you sat, you caught a corner of the mask in the bowl and looked at him with brows raised. He grabbed it staring between you and the table before he gave a nervous smile. 

“Ed–”

“One last one, I swear!” he whispered loudly, tugging the mask down over his head as he ducked out to the backyard. A part of you that wanted you to chase him and scold him yet again, but it probably would end up backfiring; scaring the kids in the process. You sighed ready to give him an earful when an idea popped into your head. 

‘Two can play the unfair game,’ you grinned as put the popcorn bowl down. Silently, you crept up and unplugged the lamp and lights in the kitchen when you heard the scream. Glancing around you figured it would be dark enough for him and crept carefully into the darkest part of the house and waited. As the children hurriedly ran away, you got into position; remaining as inhumanly still as you possibly could as the door opened. 

“Baby?” the confusion in his voice brought a smug smile to your face. He took a few steps into the house, scanning around but of course, he saw nothing but a few feet of light from the TV. 

“I’m not going to say ‘hello’... that’s what usually gets people murdered,” he called facetiously; clearly hoping to get a noise out of you but it wouldn’t work. He grumbled out a quiet ‘fuck it’ before he closed the door; setting down the bowl of candy so he could feel around for the light. Bemused, you gave him a couple of extra steps before shaking one of the kitchen drawers and darting away. 

“Holy shit!” he yelped, backing himself up to the couch.

“This is not funny anymore!” he felt over the top of the couch, carefully scooching closer and closer toward the light. Keeping your steps light, you crept closer until he was in range, and then you pounced. 

“Motherfucker!” he screamed, putting his hands up in defense 

“Gotcha,” you winked as Eddie scanned over you in panic before it turned disgruntled. 

“You talk about me scaring the kids; you nearly made me have a heart attack,” his head dropped back to the floor as he cupped his face in embarrassment. 

“What did you think you were going to get mauled?”

“Haha, very funny,” he sat up, sorting some of the wild strands out of his face, “and yes, for your information.”

“Well, you’re in luck because the full moon was a couple days ago.” 

“Jokes on you, I’m not terrified of wolf you,” he huffed, crossing his arms. 

“You should be,” you focused and let your eyes switch to two endless golden orbs for a few seconds before returning to normal. 

“Nah, you’d never hurt me unless I asked. Wouldn’t want to lose this chunk of meat to another were-person,” he spoke smugly, placing his hand over his chest. 

“Another, huh? I’m the best and only were-partner you’ll ever have,” you exclaimed and Eddie’s brows raised.  

“And only?” he inquired, and you could hear his heart thrumming in delight.

“Of course, unless you seek out any others in the future; that just means you have a type– or more probably a fetish, Munson,” you try playing it off only to be met with a playful eye roll. 

“You little shit, you know what I mean.” he grinned, cupping your face before softly stroking his thumbs over your cheek. It was your turn to be flustered, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks before you answered. 

“Well, I just think by the time you graduate, and we’re still doing this,” you gesture between the two of you, “it might be nice to go out and see the world together.”

“Are you proposing we move in together?”

“I mean that will be later on, but yes. Only if you want to.”

“Of course, I would! Where else do I have to be?” he leaned in, brushing his nose against yours. 

“Alright then, smooth talker. Sounds like we have a plan,” the words barely finish leaving you before he nips at your lips and kisses you eagerly. You happily return his excitement, resting your hands on the front of his shirt. It was a bit sloppy, the usual for him, as his tongue swept across the inside of your mouth. He trailed his kisses to the corner of your mouth and down to your jaw before he spoke again. 

“I’m happy to be a part of your little wolf pack,” he joked and shook your head in disapproval of his joke. 

“You know I can think of doing a few other things instead of handing out candy,” he whispered

“I can too,” you smiled before standing up quickly, “but we still have at least a couple more hours of trick-or-treaters,” you began to walk away. 

“Sweetheart, wait, please don’t–” 

“Punishment, Munson. For not listening.” you sang, prancing your way back into the kitchen to turn on the light and then plugging the lamp back in.

“I take it back! Please!” he pleaded as you plopped back down, returning the bowl of popcorn to your lap. 

“C’mon, you’ll miss the best parts of the movie,” you smirk to yourself, focusing back on the screen in front of you. You popped a couple of pieces into your mouth, chuckling as you heard his defeated sigh.

#rct fic #stanger things fic #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x gn!reader

[justabitscrewy]

Just want to say I adore your OC Izen! I don't know his whole story but the snippets I've seen are tantalizing and I really enjoy him. Also his design is so cool like, I'm a tiny bit afraid of spiders but he is adorable and epic and utterly amazing.

Thank you for sharing him and your art!

THANK YOU SO MUCH. i know i should've just answered this ask when i received it, but i was so excited at your words that i spent like,,, two weeks drafting a primer? just so that way you'd have more context?? Theres a LOT of lore that provides the foundation for Izen's backstory, so writing a primer of any kind was DIFFICULT. I've parsed it down substantially. The vibes are there, and i think it all tracks, but I haven't broken down any specific timeline or events, because a) it would be way too long, and b) some of those events haven't come up at the table yet.

Summary:

Izen fled the Monks of Mercy after becoming a drider, and found sanctuary with a formless voice that lives deep in the underdark, a voice lingering on the boundary between life and death. This voice would become Izen's undead patron and friend, and provided Izen with magic and means of defending himself. The patron is missing pieces of himself (ancient relics that were scattered to the surface) and Izen has made it his mission to leave the underdark in order to find his friend's missing pieces.

On the surface, Izen first met Phaela -- who would quickly become the greatest friend he ever had. She would offer him safety and transportation (in the form of her truck) and more importantly, a kind hand and an eagerness to show him how beautiful and wonderful the world can be.

Now, Izen and Phaela are traveling with three more people -- and the more people Izen meets the safer he feels. The world is a kinder place, and these people are good. He believes in them, he trusts them, and he wants to help them.

Breakdown of Themes and Lore are under the readmore!

THE THEMES BABY:

Pre-Campaign:

Izen sees his drider transformation as a victory over death — society told him that he was cursed, condemned, and in need of redemption. He refused to internalize the guilt and blame and fought tooth and nail to separate himself from anyone who would manipulate him.

Izen is driven by equal parts hope and fear. Fear of death, fear of captivity, fear of pain — but an unwavering hope and raw belief that life has to be good, that freedom is obtainable, that there must be a kinder and softer place for him out there somewhere.

Now:

Izen is trying so hard to embrace the second chance at life and freedom that the surface has provided him. He has a best friend in Phaela, someone who has proven to him that he was right all along. He was right to never give up, never give in, that the world could be better and kinder than what he was raised in.

Izen is absolutely enthralled by what he finds on the surface. The moon, the stars, the changing of seasons. And he’s torn between being fully enamored with the people he meets while still harboring a paranoia at being found out and returned to the drow. But every person he’s met, from Phaela, to the party, to strangers along the way, has only reaffirmed that the cruelty he experienced in his past was the outlier.

He loves bright colors, clashing patterns, soft blankets, scented soaps, and beautiful candles. Simple and beautiful things that brings such small but profound comfort and vibrancy

AAAAHHHHH Lore Notes:

Enlightenment: The Drow are a culture that lives in division. There are the days of Enlightenment — the days of now, where they have agriculture, cities, infrastructure, mining, industry — and the days of Descent — the days of a previous age, where they were nothing more than primitive warriors who had to fight to survive in a savage time, barely more enlightened than the monsters and beasts they fought against.

Death: The Drow believe that the moment of death is the most important time in a drow’s life. Death is when they return to Lolth, death is when Lolth sees how far the drow have come. For every drow returned to Lolth, her judgement of their entire progress shifts. This is why the Drow believe that it is imperative for each individual to die with pride and dignity — to never fear death and always welcome its embrace. Only animals fears death, and the Drow are not animals. And the individual will be held against the whole.

Drider: The Drow believe the drider transformation is a divine punishment from Lolth. And given that Lolth has not spoken to the drow in generations, it’s the only form of contact she has with them in this age. The Drow believe that the Drider are a lingering scar of the Descent — a time when they had to become monsters themselves in order to survive. When Lolth turns a beautiful drow into a hideous drider, she’s revoking their progress — reminding them that they haven’t grown at all. It’s a warning that they are still no better than their primitive ancestors that crawled in the dirt of the under dark. And worse of all — given that ever drider transformation is given to a drow near death — its a rejection. Lolth only wants to receive the brave and the enlightened. For Lolth to seeing a dying Drow and instead of ending their misery and welcoming them into her embrace — she prolongs their life by twisting them into a monster that isn’t even a drow anymore. It’s a rejection. A guilty verdict. That drow was so fallen that she spit them out and left them to be an example and warning so that others might learn from their mistakes. This is what they believe.

#THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE ASK sorry about the infodump slakdfslkjfsdf #planar pringles #dnd #pp lore #jabbering #asks #izen #drider #drow #lolth #dnd oc #oc lore

[thebiscuiteternal]

For the writing jam: perhaps Nie Mingjue interacting with post-canon Lan Xichen or Nie Huaisang? Could be some time travel fuckery or like a scenario where they meet in a sort of state like dream. How would he react? Would NMJ know how different they are while they pretend as if they're still fine? Do they tell them about JGY?Depending on if this NMJ was before or after the Sunshot Campaign, it'd be a really interesting to see you write it!

So... you might regret this, because you've given me the perfect opportunity to resurrect a very old, very evil idea.

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He can tell something is off as soon as he opens his eyes.

When he sits up, the sheets feel... older than he can remember. Stiff, as if the bed had been made and then left for a very long time.

Like they were the first time he'd forced himself to move into the room after Fuqin's death.

But this is his room, with the desk he'd moved from his old one, and Baxia's stand beside the-

Wait.

Baxia isn't there.

Where-

This better not be some prank by his brother, he thinks as he gets out of bed. He's been in even less of a mood for putting up with Huaisang's childish nonsense since the war ended than he had been before.

As he walks into the hall, he registers that it's... oddly quiet.

They'd been busy with sending out building crews to damaged villages and re-stocking supplies for winter and a thousand other things-

-so why is it so quiet?

He opens the door to one of the porch hallways, but what he sees only adds to his confusion.

There are people bustling about, going about their tasks, but not only can he not hear anything that's going on, he has never seen a good number of them before, even though they wear the colors of the sect and he had been the one to initiate the new members and staff.

Shaking his head, he spots a face he does recognize when their sect's resident pharmacist approaches, but she never so much as looks up from her lists in response to his call.

As she walks past, he sees the silver streak in her hair.

What is going on?

He decides he should find his brother. Even if Huaisang doesn't know what's happening either, it's better that they not be separated until they do.

He turns to head for the aviary that he constantly has to drag Huaisang out of, but doesn't make it more than a few steps before a prickling chill goes up his spine.

No... not there.

His instincts, for some reason, instead pull him towards the main hall.

Crossing the open main grounds, he notices other things that are... different. Things that could easily be chalked up to just the repairs that had to be made because of the war, but...

When he shoves open one of the great doors, he's hit with a blast of air that's positively frigid, cutting through his summer clothing like the worst of their winter gales. It passes with the same speed, leaving a chill settled in the air that only ratchets up his unease.

For a moment, he's relieved to see a familiar white-robed back, but as he gets closer, he pauses.

Xichen looks... old.

His face is still smooth and unlined, his hair still full and black, but his eyes...

Guilt and pain and weariness make him look aged in ways that aren't showing in the rest of him. He doesn't stand as straight as he did the last time they'd been in the same room, as if the weight of those same emotions is bowing him a little. His mouth is pressed into a thin line as if he's holding back tears.

Why is he-? What could possibly make him look like this, when just days before, he'd been almost radiant as a result of the sworn brotherhood ceremony?

For the first time since he woke up, he hears the click of footsteps on stone, and when he turns around-

"Huaisang?" he asks, stunned and disbelieving at the sight of the man in front of him.

Because it is Huaisang, and yet he has changed even more than Xichen has. Gone is his bright-eyed and round-cheeked brother in robes with ink and paint-stained sleeves, and instead-

Like Zhang Min before, Huaisang never even notices his presence, and when his brother stalks right through him, he suddenly gets it.

He's dead.

He's... he's dead and it's been long enough that-

The oppressively silent argument makes his insides twist to watch, Xichen's aching pleading and Huaisang's icy venom -the source of the chill in the room, he is now sure- making him feel like he might drop to his knees to vomit.

Never... Never has he seen Huaisang like this, thin and pale, practically gaunt, spitting words like needles held behind his tongue until they're at the perfect angle to wound.

He was wrong.

He has to be.

That can't be his brother.

That can't be his brother.

He stares numbly at the guan and ribbon in his hair, at the clothing that more resembles his own than that Huaisang had always preferred, and he wonders...

He wonders...

His health problems have been increasing exponentially since the war had begun, but especially since what had happened in the throne room of the Nightless City. He knows he doesn't have much more than a decade at the absolute most before he will completely lose himself to Baxia.

Had his health been worse than he'd believed? Had Huaisang become like this as a result of having the sect dumped on him before he was ready?

Or... worse... had... had he made his brother this way, the saber spirit driving him to similarly drive Huaisang too hard to be prepared?

He doesn't know.

He doesn't know-

He snaps awake.

He is back in his room again, but now it's... right.

It's the way it should be.

It's the room he fell asleep in the night before, rather than the aged, musty, almost grave-like room he'd been in. He can feel Baxia thrumming in her stand, just where he always puts her at night.

He remembers having woken up from that same nightmare before.

Once... three times... maybe more.

Always that same chill, that same argument he can't hear, that same-

He sits up and rakes a hand through his hair to ground himself and fight back a wave of nausea as it all floods back to him.

"Zongzhu?"

He jolts in surprise, then blinks at the servant who was standing just inside the door.

"Yes?" he asks, then has to clear the roughness out of his throat with a cough before adding "What is it?"

"Lan-zongzhu has arrived for your lunch meeting, as scheduled."

"Lunch?" He looks over at the window and sees that the sun is indeed high. How long had he been stuck in that nightmare, to have slept this late?

Rubbing his eyes, then his temples, he pulls back the bedding and gets up. "Please give him my apologies for not being ready. I will be there shortly."

"Of course," the man says as he bows, then leaves.

He makes short work of getting ready, not bothering to go with the elaborate sect leader braids since this is mostly an informal meeting.

As he heads towards the hall he usually recieves his- oldest friend in, he can't help himself from looking through one of the aviary windows.

His brother, as usual, is there, this time tending to an injury on one of their small falcons under the curious observation of its handler.

Huaisang laughs at something the handler says, and he feels his heart clench as his mind involuntarily overlays that happy image with the memory of the Huaisang with his metaphorical claws and fangs bared.

He keeps walking.

"There you are!" Xichen says, smile warm and eyes sparkling with amusement as he enters the hall. "I hear you actually slept in for once in your life."

He suddenly sees those eyes go dim, that smile vanish- then he shakes his head slightly and suddenly Xichen is himself again. "I suppose it had to happen eventually," he says as he sits down. "What was it you wanted to talk about?"

"I hope it wasn't an imposition, but I discussed a little bit of your condition with Shufu. Not the matter of the saber spirits," Xichen quickly clarifies. "Just that you'd been having some troubles with qi regulation as a result of all the fighting. He agrees with me that we might be able to ease the worst of it with spiritual music."

He frowns. He has never been a fan of "borrowing" from other sects, and if this is something that would have to be done on a repeated basis, then he would be the one imposing.

Then the image of the Huaisang from his nightmare flickers through his mind again. If spiritual music really could help-

"Mingjue-xiong?"

He shudders, then swallows. "Sorry. Would you mind telling me more about it?"

#mdzs #fanfic #nie mingjue #nie huaisang #lan xichen #time for PAIN