#he would die for them. go to war for them. but for now he'll serve as a warm place to rest their heads

[dirtytransmasc]

Stop cause the image of Criston helping Alicent with soothing Aegon down because he’s crying. She’s so young and she’s already pregnant with Helaena and its just all so much. So Criston picks up Aegon and rocks Aegon back and forth until he falls asleep

Oh my god…

Criston always be the father that her children needed. He’s there for it all. When they’re born and when they have their first day of school and are nervous. He’s THEIR dad!

Got carried away lol!!!

he would have this kind, soft voice, no malice or ill held in it, no sickly sweet pity, just a clear want to help, and she's just so tired that she hands over her firstborn without thinking twice about it.

he takes the little thing in his arms with such care and delicacy, the boys head gently cradled in one hand, making it look oh so tiny, his body tucked carefully to his chest. he's smiling and cooing at him the instant they touch, gently rocking him, making him soothe a bit.

he looks at Alicent like a dad reacting to meeting their baby for the first time, his eyes full of pride and love and adoration. he's met the baby before, but this is the first time he's held him, the first time he's truly understood just how perfect he is. Alicent made this little thing, and he loves her for it, for being so strong for so long. he's worried all this time, wanted to help her, to take on the little tike and give her a much needed break, and now he has to make her understand the very honor it is to even hold the babe.

he'll use a gentle hand to wipe away Aegon's tears, the soft touch soothing his crying until it stops completely. only then does he sit down, not too close but not too far from Alicent, knowing she needs a break and some space to calm herself, but that moving the babe too far away would only stress her more. he rock's the wee thing back and forth, back and forth, smoothing his hair and tracing over his teeny tiny little features with his thumb. just as the baby starts to fall asleep, he wraps him in his white cloak, his heart nearly melting when Aegon nuzzles his face into his armor, huffing softly at the warmth that radiates from it.

he'd spend hours holding the little thing, watching over his queen as she too slept, pulling her down against his shoulder, an arm around her to spare her from the rooms chill. both of his loves would be safe and well rested if he had any say in it.

he had sworn his heart to his queen the second she spared his life, a debt he could never repay, but now? now he swore himself to her and her children, he just had to, something in her heart decided it, and no amount of logic could sway it. he would always protect these two, from anything and everything.

just before he too could start to doze into that familiar space any warrior would know, resting but alert and on guard, he felt Alicent take his hand, pressing it to her belly, letting him feel the kick of the little babe inside. make that three, he would protect all three of them, and any more kids that would follow.

#he'd do anything to take the fear and tiredness from Alicent's eyes #anything to protect Aegon #to protect the babe in Alicent's belly #they're his family. he loves them more than they can ever know #he would die for them. go to war for them. but for now he'll serve as a warm place to rest their heads #he lets Aegon chew his fingers. I couldn't find a place to put it into my response. but I feel it very important to mention #alicent hightower #criston cole #pro alicent hightower #pro criston cole #pro team green #aegon ii #aegon ii targaryen #aegon targaryen #hotd #house of the dragon #this concept is going to melt me into goop someone needs to scrape off the concrete. like gum melted onto asphalt in mid july. #I loved writing this #after the first time he gets to touch her belly he takes any and all opportunities she gives him #he's addicted #he would talk to the baby everyday #wishing them a good morning and a good night #telling them they were already so loved #he tells alicent that too. everyday. he makes sure his queen feels just as cherished as their kids do #its his sworn duty

[crimswnred]

these hc are so cute ! maybe what halloween costume the Li would wear individually and in a couples costume 💓💓💓

HI YES YES YES I LOVE THIS QUESTION

I'm so excited!! ok, ok, without any further ado:

what the season 2 lis would wear for halloween (individually and in a couple)

bobby.

individually: look me in the eye right now and tell me he wouldn't dress up as spider-man. especially now with the spider-verse movies.

couple: he's a silly guy so I'm thinking he could wear literally anything after a little convincing, but ultimately, I'm saying:

beast boy & raven or robin & starfire (teen titans)

scott pilgrim and ramona flowers (scott pilgrim vs the world)

shark boy and lava girl

this has gotten way too long!! pls check out more under the cut 👇

gary.

individually: most likely a star war reference. or something funny. definitely something tight

couple: again, another silly guy who would wear anything you ask him, but here are my picks:

han solo and princess leia (and he absolutely loves it)

bowser and peach, not mario tho because that's too basic

bob and helen parr (the incredibles)

ibrahim.

individually: violet man. ok, let's say violet man isn't a real thing (like, well, it isn't). he's DEFINITELY dressing as another superhero. my guess? either superman or batman.

couple: he's gonna rock the best geek couple costumes ever and he'll show off. together, you guys will either serve cunt or die trying. here are some ideas:

batman and catwoman (the batman)

wanda maximoff and vision (wandavison)

jean gray and scott summers (the x-men)

noah.

individually: he would probably wear something that's more halloween than costume party, if you get what i mean? he prolly loves the holiday 'cause of his siblings and REALLY commits to the bit. fred krueger, jason, chuck, ghost face...

couple: like I said, he commits to the bit and goes all the way but he's sticking to the horror pattern because that's how it should go. some ideas include:

emily and victor (corpse bride)

other mother and other father (coraline)

beetlejuice and lydia (yes, the red wedding dress)

lucas.

individually: something sexy but that he doesn't need to put much effort in, like a vampire or something. i can't see him going all out for halloween, i'm sorry 😭

couple: now, when in a couple, it's a tad different... he's making sure you look good together and when i say good, i mean GOOD. you guys would probably be the hottest couple at any halloween party, here are some ideas:

gomez and morticia addams (let's put that stache to use, shall we?)

mr and mrs smith

tony montana and elvira hancock (scarface)

henrik.

individually: TARZAN. and he loves wearing nothing but a thong the whole night.

couple: I bet on something fun and easy, but also cute! he just wanna have fun with you and party for a bit, so I don't think he would propose something super complex. some ideas:

johnny and mavis (hotel transylvania)

daphne and fred (scooby-doo)

lola and bugs bunny (space jam)

kassam.

individually: I'm thinking classic and boring. doesn't care much when he's on his own. classic halloween stuff.

couple: HEAR ME OUT — iconic moments from pop culture. what do I mean by that? well, I mean:

britney spears and justin timberlake in matching jeans outfits

xtina and eminem (at the ICONIC vmas)

sony and cher (like halsey did!)

carl.

individually: spock! a little on the nose for him but COME ON. he's always dressing up as a star trek character, switching up every year. I can see him wearing something marvel related too.

couple: yeah, some star trek reference for sure but since that's not my breed of nerd (sorry not sorry), I'm saying:

jessie and james (pokemon)

loki and sylvie (loki series)

link and zelda (the legend of zelda)

ahh!! this was so much fun to do!! thanks for asking, anon 💝 I had a blast with your question!!

(!) I don't know enough about the missing LIs to add them to this list. if you'd like to ask for a specific islander that didn't make the list, don't be afraid to drop your request in my inbox.

more headcanons.

#love island the game #litg #litg season 2 #litg s2 #litg headcanons #litg bobby #litg gary #litg noah #litg ibrahim #litg lucas #litg henrik #litg carl #litg kassam #askask #anon #this was sooo fun #thanks for asking!!!

[phantom-fleetways]

oh for your cotl au

do you have info on any other characters?

im really interested! especially about what kind of peole he gets to join

I'm so sorry it took so long for me to answer this. Originally I was gonna respond with some nice and well polished digital art. But seeing as I can't seem to find a sense of motivation to draw but I CAN to write, I shall explain more below the cut!

I know I know, I answer a lot of stuff below a cut. This is for my sake frankly. Especially since no answer I give will be short.

So: Silver's Cult!

Frankly speaking, the building of his cult is hard. Especially when his very first crusade (and escape from Infinite's Domain) is sort of a bust when it comes to finding sacrifices.

Infinite's Domain, Rubyharth, is a vast desert torn to sunder by war. The Bishop who rules over is our funky little jackal man. And while he sends his Phantoms to hunt and kill off Silver who just... Resurrected himself (or at least appeared to). Silver stumbles onto his VERY first friend in all of this mess.

Mighty!

(look I know the art doesn't look great, just bare with me. This is the best you're getting for some of them.)

Mighty the Armadillo is a kind soul and former bearer of the Red Crown. He helps direct Silver out of Rubyharth and into the safety of a mysterious portal inside of a patchwork of temple ruins. On their way to this way out, Silver stumbles (a bit literally unfortunately) onto a young bee child.

Charmy!

Now... I'm not going to lie. Silver's original reaction to finding Charmy was to... Avoid. Not because the child was secretly a phantom or something stupid. Merely... Silver (reasonably so) felt a bit off about indoctrinating a literal child. But, Mighty urged him to bring the young child with them so that Silver could have an easy ticket for more suitable followers.

And this... Is how it is for a few weeks once they escape Rubyharth. Ending up in a nice grove seemingly leagues away from the harsh desert sun, yet not too far away from a nearby river. It's just Silver, Mighty, and Charmy.

Despite Charmy's age, Silver does task him with "chores" around the commune. Mostly on making simple and safe meals or keeping his sleeping quarters safe. Mighty helps with the more labor intensive stuff. Despite being blinded in one eye and lacking depth Perception, Mighty is *very* handy with an axe.

Later on though, when Silver starts to actually crusade and gather more followers. He learns to be picky. Only taking in those he seems fit to follow him and learn of his god.

Outside of Charmy, Silver only takes in full-fledged adults. Gathering about 6 people before Mighty decides to take his leave.

All 6 are just going to be a grab bag of whoever I want. So they aren't set in stone. But all the people Silver is inclined to bring into his fold are people who have these traits:

Naturally Obedient

Faithful

Zealous

Gullible

Industrious

Hedonist

Although, if a follower requests it, he will bring in those who lack any of these traits. (Silver dislikes this, but he'll do anything to keep Mephiles happy.)

Of course, a trait he hammers into his followers is belief in sacrifice and the belief that the good die young. Mostly since, Silver is just a bit weird and doesn't wish to send Mephiles any followers who are too old to serve him.

Over all! Silver's Cult is well behaved. Very obedient too! Oh and Charmy is definitely Silver's first disciple. When he's an adult of course, since it would be weird to make a kid a disciple.

#storytime #museum #!!! #anon ask #Cult of the Hoglet #frankly i know this is a bit rambly #i have been working on this AU on and off a lot as of late since I needed a mental break from some irl stuff #i have the Bishop ironed out more or less #if you want to know more about them i would gladly explain! #i love answering asks for my aus tbh

[pettyeti]

vrai lore (kinda).

unscripted. this is mostly a joke, but there are some serious bits.

i will preface this by saying he changes a lot after meeting Etienne, so take this as Before Eti Era (B.E.E)

real lore page coming soon. for now take this shitpost.

Name: Asmodeus. Real name is Vrai. Do not call him by his real name otherwise he will k*ll you. Vrai does not remember his last name.

Age: OLD. Too old tbh (935 years old). Don't call him old otherwise he will k*ll you. He was 37 when he became a voidsent.

I don't know when the Flood of Darkness happened. I bend canon and say that it occured 1000~ years before canon.

Gender: Cisgender man.

Sexuality: GAY.

Personality: Very charming and suave. Will call you "my dear" and "my girl" like Howl (you know what scene I am referring to.) Makes you feel like you're the most important person in the room.

Unfortunately, this is just a front. Vrai holds no love for mortals and throws people away when they stop being interesting to him. Vrai is very selfish. Vrai does not care about you. Vrai wants you to suffer because it is interesting to him. He will just be very polite while he watches you die.

Secretly, Vrai longs for the bygone days before he became a voidsent. He misses the sun on his face. He misses the love he once felt. He misses adventuring. He looks at the heroes of other worlds who have not lost their souls to the darkness with extreme intrigue and extreme jealousy.

Vibe: The vibes that emanate from this dude are MAD rancid.

Smell: Oh he smells so good. Like a moonlit path in the forest. Like old books in a well loved library. He also has a bit of a rosy scent when you get close.

Wisdom: 100000/10. Extremely smart. He is a walking encyclopedia. Knows a bit about everything, but has special interests in astronomy, aetherology, and biology.

Job?: This binch unemployed!!

Um? Where does he live??: He has a giant castle on the Thirteenth. It's located on the northern continent so it's cold as fuck! Vrai sits on a throne usually because he is melodramatic. Much like Zero's place, Vrai's castle serves as a domain for weaker voidsent who have pledged their loyalty to him. In return for keeping his castle pretty, Vrai protects them.... kinda.

What does he do all day?: Vrai lounges in his castle and watches people on the Source using a magic mirror he crafted himself. Vrai's been watching heroes and other interesting people for centuries, occasionally going to the Source himself to spook people. When he's bored, he'll spark conflicts. Think Eris and the Trojan War.

Likes: Reading. CHAOS. Collecting books, rare crystals, and other expensive junk. Intelligent people. Wine (hates all other alcohols.) Fighting. Learning about new topics.

Dislikes: Liars. Being outsmarted. Cockroaches. Weak willed people. Being reminded that he was once mortal.

Parents: Vrai had two moms. One was a witch who had a keen interest in herbs and horticulture. The other was a shepherd who liked her solitude and lived in the mountains. They did not survive the Flood. Vrai loved them very much and had a good childhood <3

Combat: Expert caster. Uses a scythe to channel devastating black magic. The scythe isn't just for show either.

What about G*lbez?: Vrai doesn't fuck with Golbez and Golbez doesn't fuck with Vrai. It's an uneasy cold war situation going on between them because Vrai don't care Golbez's plan. He's here for a good time.

Golbez doesn't fuck with him because it would be a waste of time and resources. Golbez is stronger than Vrai and would win in a fight if it came down to it, but it wouldn't be worth it because Vrai would destroy everything Golbez has worked for before kicking the bucket. Still, Vrai let's Golbez do his thing because uhhh. He don't give a fuck. Just leave him alone and let him play with his heroes and they'll be Gucci.

#lore.txt #vrai.

[containatrocity]

THE DESPERADO: VICTOR "ZIGGY" CALHOUN

Outrunning karma, that boy He's such a charmer. All the bugs and their larva, follow him out to Colorado. Ten dozen hearts in a bag Their bodies lying, he'll drag them down to Colorado- A modern desperado.

"Victor Calhoun- most everybody just calls me Ziggy. I'm 40 years old, and Huntsville born and raised. Up til about 12 years ago, I called Huntsville home, and as an enforcer for the local biker gang I made certain our crew was paid out to on time- through any means necessary. In April of 2012, I was arrested as an accessory to murder, And served a 10 year sentence in state prison. I've been a free man for the last eight months, and have taken a job as a long haul truck driver. But I guess that's then, and this is now. I live in town, with no job to speak of. My greatest vice has always been my Haste to act out in violence when the going gets tough."

Name: Victor Robert Calhoun

Aliases: Vic, Bear (Among the Devil Dogs), Ziggy (From the other truckers at his company.)

Age: 40 (January 22nd.)

Sexuality/Gender: Bisexual Cis Man

Personality: while previously a violent, unkind young man with a propensity for bullying, harassment, and a full-willingness to get involved in a physical altercation as a way to pass time- it was the murder he'd be sent to prison for involvement in that would change him entirely. After ten years serving a sentence and doing his level best to keep his head down, he's come out the other side largely repentant, desperately trying to flip the karmic scales back into balance with what he believes is very little time remaining- Huntsville being an inescapable Hell containing the people he'd spent his early life making miserable, however, seems to have kicked the sympathetic engine into overdrive- He's desperately clinging to a measured, calmer temperament, but old habits die hard, and he has a tendency to flick to violence if a conversation becomes too difficult to solve with words and he can't beat a hasty escape.

Occupation: Unemployed handyman, largely living off what he's made trading and helping distribute the supplies he arrived with to the townspeople, former long-haul trucker.

Affiliations: Ex-Devil Dog Enforcer.

Scent Profile: He smells of cigarette smoke and leather, the still-present smell of mass produced cologne and soap he's not yet run out of given the recentness of his arrival. Vaguely of dog, thanks to Cash, as well as wood-shavings and motor oil, always somewhat dirty with one or the other thanks to the much lower supply of things like clothes he'd had with him for the drive he was making.

Aesthetic: A perfectly lacquered guitar and a baseball bat cracked and splintered, the rumble of a Harley's engine and the low din of a biker bar, the stale smell of liquor lingering. Blood and busted knuckles, bite marks and scars earned in love and war- the devil's right hand, the muscle. The bite of metal handcuffs and the murmur of a courtroom- the foreman's verdict as good as a guillotine for your freedom. Something you can't shake, about the incident that put you here. A decade of bars, a bird in a cage with a cracked and broken beak. when the door's finally slipped open, you fly free- not for long, Karma circles back- a Hell tailored to you. New names don't destroy what you damaged to start anew.

He's never gonna make it, all the poor people he's forsaken, karma Is always gonna chase him for his lies. It's just a game of waiting, from the church steeple down to Satan, karma. There's really no escaping 'til he dies.

CHAPTER ONE: LIFE IN HUNTSVILLE POST PARADOX

An incredibly recent arrival to Huntsville, Victor Calhoun- better known now by his call-sign for the trucking company that employs him, "Ziggy," Has only been free on parole for a short time, not even a full year of freedom before winding up in Huntsville once again- a place he'd called home until his sentencing in early 2012. it's a momentary detour- intending to just drive through town and see what had changed in his absence while making a long haul trip in the area to deliver the first stock truck for a CVS opening in West Virginia- he found himself circling town in the dim light of the evening- Cash growing more and more uneasy alongside him in the cab, ears pinned back and gaze set on the forest beyond.

It's on loop 3 he begins to feel as if he might be going crazy- a mental break brought on by returning home- a HAM radio no longer pinging the dispatch for his trucking company- faces starting to appear out of houses and businesses, at the heady rumble of the truck's engine. It's only when he's waved to stop that he grabs the shotgun from under his seat and disembarks the truck- demands to know what's going on- and why everyone's staring at him. It's a former classmate who barks his name first. Oh fuck me, it's Vic Calhoun. Just leave him to the ghosts, Mayor. It's disbelief, as the sheriff explains what's going on and people who's faces he somewhat remembers eye the truck like a flock of vultures.

He plants the butt of the gun in the chest of one of the approaching townspeople headed for the truck's back hatch hisses at them to fuck off- listens to whispers, murmurs of interest- of concern, about a commune, about the town- about the mayor. His head spins- He listens to Nat.

It's been only a small handful of days, now, and he's settled in his childhood home- parents long dead, brother just the same- he supposed it explains why they never wrote. His ownership over the keys to the freighter and the shipping manifest remains his only real leverage, for now, and while he's happy to help- He's made it clear that he's not about to let himself be screwed over- insisting Nat and Sunflower "work their shit out" and come to an agreement for the supplies split before a war breaks out over something only he can open...

and he wants first dip, of the townsfolk, of course.

#v.threads #v.aesthetic #v.headcanons #v.music #v.bio #huntsvilleintro #Karmic Retribution;

[bluebunnyspy]

So, given the chance to leave the hellish life of war, the spearhead survivors choose to go back to it due what I interpreted as a sense of duty. Or something like since they've been in it for this long they CAN ONLY see it through to the end. It's because their minds will never rest or focus on their "peaceful lives" as long as the threat they're scarcely aware of still lurks. They will never be able to commit to it unless that threat doesn't exist anymore and their minds can ONLY think about what's next without the existence of a worry pulling them back. For them to live in peace, the Legion war life has to completely disappear so that it's not an option anymore and their minds and bodies have no choice but get used to the life of peace.

That's what brought Raiden, Theo, Anju & Kurena back. But Shin is quite different. The hell he lived was just far greater than theirs that a life of peace isn't even an option at all. All he knows about the world is hell, and now the one string he was holding on to and distracting himself from said hell with(killing Rei) is gone. Forcing him to face the hell in front of him mindfully without any distractions. The screams of his lingering comrades still out there which he feels responsible for, the screams themselves, the feeling that he's just destined to have all loved ones die before him and will always be the one who still lives and the fear of that happening to Raiden and the others again. Ofc he just wants to die at this point. There's nothing like that string that goal that kept his thoughts distracted from this hellish world like killing Rei. Even if killing Kiri served as a slight distraction too, it was something temporary that would still come to end much like it was with Rei too.

The only possible way he can live in this world he sees as hell is if he has a goal or something to live for that ISN'T temporary like that. And we all know what that turned out to be.

That's why "You are the only thing I still care about" is my favorite line in any of the masterful songs of this anime.

That's the first part. As of meeting Lena, he feels he has the will to live in this hell all his life even if he still sees it as hell. But that doesn't mean he believes he can live in happiness. He has the most important reason he'll ever have to keep him alive, yes, but how can he be happy if the world is still hell. That's what pains Lena in vols4-6 and that's when that gets tackled but I'll focus on rereading vols2&3 for now.

#Literally just bedtime ramblings please don't mind me and keep scrolling #eighty six #86 eighty six #vladilena milize #shinei nouzen #shinlena #Eighty-Six Reread vol2 #Not usually that I feel inclined to ramble like this about something even if I love it so 86 power ig🔥 #86

[walkingstackofbooks]

DS9 2x13 Armageddon Game thoughts (rewatching, so possible future spoilers)

Julian does seem to like monologuing XD

Miles giving Julian all the credit and Julian being so reluctant to accept it - my heart, I cannot!

"I suppose another day won't kill me" ...but it almost will! Foreshadowing!

Miles saving Julian when he had been well-hidden and Julian very much wasn't!

These officials are very good at lying, I'll give them that

Callback to Miles' defence of rations earlier in the season XD

Oh, he's ever the doctor and I love how consistently that shows

And I love it how Miles' experience is coming out with him knowing that the best thing is not to move

Aw, Julian biting his lip after offering to help: knowing he's an augment, this can definitely be seen as him deciding to put a more unusual skill he shouldn't have out there, possibly rising exposure, for it be dismissed

I'm glad we're shown how upset and shaken the crew are at the news of death. Their faces in Sisko's office are just... <3

This whole conversation Julian and Miles are having about women isn't quite banter, but it would be if they were friends. I really don't know if Julian is winding Miles up on purpose to get his mind off the situation, knowing what he's doing, or if he is just an idiot.

( Though ngl, my Julian/Miles addled mind is reading this as Julian totally overcompensating to cover up his massive crush on Miles by going on about women.)

Doctor Julian is best Julian

KEIKO MY BELOVED I wish you didn't have to feel this way

I am SO curious what is in Julian's diary. I suppose even in a diary - especially presumably one on a PADD - he wouldn't even hint at his augmentations, given the risk of discovery.

"I suppose I should send them to his parents..." - No, you reallly shouldn't.

I love how proud Jadzia is whenever Quark is thoughtful. That expression definitely feels like she's showing off to Kira: "See, Ferengi are actually good too!"

Also I'm noticing far more snippets of Jadzia and Kira just hanging out and supporting each other and being friends <3 Not sure why I didn't see this ship before but it has my entire heart now.

Keiko persuading them the footage is suspicious is all so much funnier knowing she's wrong about the coffee. Although WHAT a good job she was!

Huh, initially Miles was describing the components to Julian (dark blue coil beside the green cylinder), but now he's moved fto calling them by name (subprocessor, RFoscillators). Either Julian has faked learning quickly otr let on how much he knows about electronics.

Julian really doesn't want to listen to Miles' thinking he'll die - but even less to Miles talking about Keiko...

Oh, I've just remembered why they tried to kill them!

"The T'Lani and Kellerun have finally made peace" - and boy, what a way to ensuring it survives, iirc....

Julian's complete bafflement at the lengths they were willing to go. He cannot understand killing innocent people at all!

"I'm sorry I didn't get us home, Chief." And he probably feels responsible, too, seeing that he ended up being the one to make the radio and contact the T'Lani.

"You did your best. It's been an honour serving with you." MY HEART.

Oooh, not home and dry yet, a space race!

I can't believe they'd risk a BIGGER war against the Federation to protect their peace?! They're not thinking this through very thoroughly, are they.

Idk why, but this fight scene has very TOS energy to me

Clever clever clever! Took me a second to figure out after the runabout exploded, but I got there before the T'Lani did so I'm pleased with that :P

Oh, Julian's so genuine and sweet, he just wants to be friends and have Miles like him

I can understand your time alone with him being hell seeing as you were dying, but you're definitely overexaggerating how bad Julian was, Miles

That reveal is still a favourite. What a twist XD

O'BRIEN: You know, I wouldn't mind a cup of coffee right now. KEIKO: Miles, you never drink coffee in the afternoon. O'BRIEN: Sure I do. KEIKO: You do?

I really love this episode. What a banger.

#ds9 #andi watches ds9 #ds9 2x13 #ds9 armageddon game #julian bashir #miles obrien #jiles #WSB

[wallflowrence]

I am Manifesting the nahida and wanderer found family dynamic

THERE'S SO MUCH art of it it'd be sort of amusing if their relationship is reallt different in canon. though to be honest it would probably make more sense that way considering that (3.2 archon quest spoilers) [cont.]

part of nahida's character development is standing up for herself and not being tolerant to mistreatment. so considering the incidents scaramouche was involved in/his fight with buer (+ the traveller) - he even calls their battle a "re-enactment of the archon war" so ??? it would be a bit odd if (at least, immediately) they had that sort of dynamic

I do hope it develops into something more positive though . I think. nahida is a very benevolent god and she definitely pities scara. his upbringing has contributed to him having a very skewed sense of the world and self so I feel that in later parts of the story he'll end up developing his own identity and realising his past mistakes

ALSO I think it's interesting how scara has a track record of trying to determine his own identity/fate (naming himself kunikuzushi, joining the fatui, participating in the god creation project) when in reality he isn't at all. he's obsessed with becoming a god - even now he's attempting to realise Ei's ideals, despite the fact that it's been. so long???

dottore doesn't care about scaramouche. his involvement with the project was one that, in how i interpreted it, was just out of grand fun and curiosity. i remember it being said somewhere that he's not so much for the results of an experiment compared to the process --> he does things for the sake of doing them. conclusions r a 2nd priority

in childe's story quest (iirc) dottore was the one that opened and monitored the ruin guard factory and he just left it because he'd gotten bored. he declares himself a scholar at core, so of course he likes learning about things, but I dont think he's inherently fueled by a desire for knowledge... it's more of a secondary motivation but that's just what I am inferring based on what we know

I feel like this is the best way I can put it: dottore was the kid that put salt on slugs not really because he was curious in observing the reason for the reaction but because he enjoys seeing them suffer LMAO

if you don't know what happens when u put salt on slugs or snails basically they dry up and die. because osmosis !! funky. it's very painful for them If my memory serves right

even the akedemiya didn't care about who their god was so long as they felt it represented their ideals for humanity: scara was their optimum of human wisdom. and scaramouche KNOWS this; we even see the traveller confront him about it but he deflects after they ask him. perhaps he was just that desperate

I pulled these from a random YouTube video shh but anyways.

that's why he cares so much about haypasia !! because she recognises him. I saw a post on twitter or on here a while ago and I can't find it but some1 said something like "scara (in the current archon quest) feels like a child who never got much attention growing up and is just doing things to get his mother to notice him" and yeah I feel like it really does come off like that

Ei set him off and gave him the freedom to be his own person and go live as he wished but he's always been shackled to other people's expectations. he's never actually been his own person. I think a part of him *knows* that, but hasnt yet come to terms with it and moved on from his past . I think that's the next step he'll take

considering the fact that he's in nahida's possession at the moment I think she'll be a key figure to the development of his character. her as well as the traveller (big surprise !!!) Even if she doesn't see redemption in him I think she'll help him come to some realisations about himself

this is so messy srry

#scaramouche #wanderer #genshin impact #nahida #his character is so interestinf #IM SO SURE that's the direction his character will take he gets an anemo vision afterall #kunikuzushi #character study #not really but . just some thoughts

[a-pale-azure-moon]

Midnight Plays Azure Gleam: Chapter 6

Oh boy. A lot of stuff happened in this chapter and some of it left a very bad taste in my mouth. Of all the characters the writers could've assassinated, I can't believe it was this one.

The ending of the last chapter heavily implied that Arianrhod was going to be our next stop, but the opening narration for this chapter says that Count Rowe surrendered to Faerghus (in fairness, he did indicate he would do this in last chapter's interlude cutscene, but it's still a bit sloppy to write it this way). So the Empire's forces have retreated to former Arundel territory to regroup, and the Kingdom is going to make an offensive strike before they can attack again.

A soldier interrupts the meeting to say that the convoy transporting Count Rowe to Fhirdiad was attacked. Count Rowe has now gone missing. Dimitri speculates that Cornelia could be behind it, and at Dedue's suggestion, sends a separate unit to investigate the attack further.

Camp (Arianrhod)

Mercedes feels conflicted about recruiting former friends, since we're basically forcing them to turn traitor or die. Yup, exactly.

Relatedly, Dorothea says she doesn't really want to fight for Faerghus. Or at all, since she was only in the Empire's army for "Edie."

Miklan's here in camp, which is very weird to see. He's certainly a friendly individual. /s

An NPC soldier says she has orders to execute Miklan if he does anything suspect. So yeah, he wasn't lying about being watched.

Ingrid says when they were kids, Sylvain would sometimes show up with bruises or other injuries, and he'd say it was a "training accident" or something. But Ingrid says she knew what was really going on, and she wonders if Miklan is capable of redeeming himself.

Sylvain himself admits Miklan's put him through a lot, but he thinks his brother can be useful. He also says that if even someone like Miklan can redeem himself, he'll serve as a necessary symbol for Faerghus, both as a former bandit and as someone without a Crest.

Felix is still hissing like a cat over the Miklan situation. He mostly sounds mad about Dimitri not telling him his plans.

An NPC Knight of Seiros mentions Count Rowe's adopted son, who caused trouble at the Officer's Academy and was cut off/disowned. So can I expect to be seeing Yuri soon? (Please yes)

Seteth laments that Jeralt's working for the Empire. Hmm...

Ashe talks about Lonato. And still needs a hug.

Battle

Dimitri's intel confirms Byleth is working for the Empire (sob), and he wants Shez to handle them, given their history. Shez appreciates the gesture but says that a rivalry isn't worth losing a war over. Dimitri asks if Shez wants revenge for their fallen companions, and Shez says seeking vengeance for every fallen comrade would consume their life.

And....Dimitri.exe has stopped working. Our king needs a reboot. Perhaps even a full kernel re-installation.

Dimitri then suggests hiring Jeralt's mercenaries, if they can make a more appealing offer than the Empire. YES YES absolutely you should hire Byleth and then you can fall in love in this timeline too!

Arval thinks Dimitri has funny ideas. (Shut up Arval)

The mission objective is to defeat Byleth and the Death Knight. This is going to be fun. /s There's also a recruitment option for Bernadetta, which I guess I'm obliged to do for completion's sake.

(No offense to Bernadetta fans, but I personally don't like her.)

Byleth and the Death Knight appear after defeating the vanguard. Meanwhile, Bernadetta screams and locks herself in the center of the map, because that's what competent army commanders do. [Eyeroll]

Thankfully, there are some steps to make it easier to take on the Death Knight and Byleth, because attacking either of them immediately is a very bad idea (I found this out the hard way; my Leeroy Jenkins moment resulted in a game over). Unfortunately, these steps take awhile and are tricky to do because the map is big and there's only a few open paths to the areas you need to seize.

Byleth wants a rematch, almost sounding eager.

Once the outer strongholds are seized, you have to claim the inner ones. The Death Knight is lurking around the path to the inner strongholds, and catapults start firing at you too, making things even more chaotic and dangerous!

Now we can reach Bernadetta and "persuade" her, and in doing so, gain control of the center-most area. The next step is to lure the Death Knight to this area and trap him there and fire our captured catapults at him.

...Except Jeralt, Alois and a few randos appear to take out the green units guarding the Death Knight. Argh, of course. Luckily, my units were spread fairly well across the map and I was able to take out Jeralt's forces without too much trouble.

(Why is Alois here?)

But the Death Knight gets to break free anyway for "reasons." Seriously, what was the point of all of that beyond padding out the length of this mission? The Death Knight barely lost any health.

And just as I've got his health lowered, some enemy Priests show up and I'm unable to kill them before they can heal the Death Knight. I hate everything right now.

Finally, he's defeated and retreats. Time to deal with Byleth. Jeralt sends in some brigands for more backup, because this battle hasn't lasted long enough already.

Byleth hits so damn hard! All of my units are at low health, and even with ganging everyone up on her, this fight takes awhile.

Victory at last! And we go to a cutscene and...

Very cool shot of Divine Pulse activating, and a suddenly green-haired Byleth then delivering a megaton punch to Shez.

What. The. Hell.

Sothis is possessing Byleth?! What is going on?!

It's admittedly cool seeing Byleth's time powers activating from this angle. Shez stands no chance. Arval tells Shez to escape, and Byleth apparently takes back control of their body.

What is going on??

(This scene must be unintentionally hilarious with male Byleth. Just trying to imagine Sothis' voice coming out of his mouth is making me laugh.)

But I repeat: WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!

Shez wonders what they're really up against. Arval doesn't sound deterred. Shez mentions that they might be allies with Byleth before long, if Dimitri gets them to come work for the Kingdom. Arval sounds incredulous at the idea of allying with that "fiend," and basically calls Shez a coward while saying some vaguely sinister things. Jerk.

I got an A rank, surprisingly not due to going over time, even with that screw up with the priests. It was because I "only" got 1419 kills, when I needed 1500 for S-Rank. Grr. Dimitri got MVP honors again.

Post-Battle

Byleth called Sothis by name in the last scene, yet Sothis introduces herself here. Have Byleth and Sothis spoken prior to now or not? Which is it, writers?

HOLY CRAP THEY BROKE SOTHIS! HOW COULD THEY DO THIS TO OUR GREMLIN GODDESS?!

Seriously, she sounds almost cruel here. Sothis was definitely sassy and snarky in 3H, but she was never outright hostile to Byleth. At worst, she sounded like an angry mom when Byleth screwed up, but she never, ever referred to Byleth as her "vessel," nor threatened to take over Byleth's body. Sothis literally gave up her limited existence to give Byleth her power to save their life!

Byleth is understandably very confused and Sothis gives them no answers.

(I'm guessing from the context of this conversation, Sothis doesn't have complete amnesia, unlike in 3H. I am not opposed to Sothis having a vengeful side, given that Arval is definitely connected to the Argathans, but it needs to be contextualized much better than this garbage. And it needs to be done in a way that doesn't completely destroy Sothis' character! I'm am just stunned at how bad this whole scenario is. Absolutely stunned.)

Jeralt interrupts the scene, as Byleth "wakes up." He seems strangely chill with Byleth's hair and eyes changing color.

I want to hug Byleth so bad right now. Even with the "Ashen Demon" stoicism, you can tell they're troubled. With good reason!

Alois says he won't pull punches even against the Knights of Seiros. God. I'm more angry about what they've done to Sothis, but I am still unhappy with how they've reduced Alois to a Jeralt fanboy. I'm sure his wife and daughter were happy he gave up a steady job with the church to go wander they world as a mercenary. /s

Jeralt makes a vague allusion to Rhea. Just talk to your kid about your past already, damn you! Argh.

Back to the Lions, which is a relief except that Dimitri's leaving us to go back to Fhirdiad. Soldiers from Sreng have crossed into Gautier territory and are heading to the capital, and Duke Ifan's been captured. They also haven't been able to contact Matthias to confirm these reports.

Sylvain doubts his father could've gone down easily, but still knows something must be up since they haven't been able to reach him. Rodrigue notes that the situation is serious if they can't contact either Duke Ifan or Matthias, so Dimitri doesn't have much choice but to go.

(In light of the news about Count Rowe from the start of the chapter, this definitely smells fishy. A trap, perhaps?)

Shez (and Flayn) wants to tag along, but the bulk of our forces need to remain in Arianrhod. Dedue and Rodrigue will be leaving with Dimitri though, and Felix is given command of the army. He sounds very unenthused about this new responsibility.

And that's the end of the chapter. Honestly, the battle was more annoying than fun with all the running around, and the stuff with Sothis just put a huge damper on the enthusiasm I was starting to feel about the story. What a disappointment.

#few3h #fe3hopes #blue lions #azure gleam #midnight plays azure gleam

[weirdlyfitting]

Okay so yesterday i watched love and thunder and i think it's okay (and yes definitely way better than mom)

Spoilers btw

I think it has a tone problem tho, i like the comedy stuff there should be less jokes in this one

Gorr is amazing as a villain holy shit, the time he appears when he's already corrupted i got chills down my spine! The camera works are *chef kiss

But....

With him being the villain, back to the tone problem i think that's what made this story didn't turn well. Gorr literally wanted to eradicate ALL GODS, that's probably the highest stake in every thor movie ever had.

And gotta admit, i'm thinking a lot to moon knight's story. As in i tried to search for the connections yk but i'll talk abt this later

I feel like there should be some infinity war element kind of tone in here, it's not that in the end the gang's supposed to loose tho but make it as if they're actually going to loose

When gorr almost got to the eternity i feel a bit dissapointed cause yea i knew he'll change his mind/heart or prob not succeeded

Compare this in ragnarok tho, i feel like the stakes with hela was much bigger/higher cause ragnarok pretty much showed a lot of the damages hela has done to the gang from act 1

The screaming goats ruined the scene when the gang just arrived in shadow-realm-planet(???) sorry i forgot the name lmao, anyway i love the goats in other scenes but i hate them in here only, cause seriously it didn't match the gloomy, dark, corrupted tone of the place itself

And i miss loki being in here, i get that the loki that thor knew is gone-actually-gone but i wish there's more of him talking about his bro :(

Aight moving on to stuff that i liked about the movie :

MOON KNIGHT IN THE MARVEL INTRO. I REPEAT MOON KNIGHT IN THE MARVEL INTRO AAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! This is the actual reason i want to watch love and thunder lmao, i'm afraid if this is the first yet last time i'm able to see mk in the big screen of this year so yeah

i love the dynamic between the gang tho, and the shenanigans between thor and guardians aweee!!

the kids getting thor's power just pure awesomeness aaaaaaaa!!!!

Val and jane being such awesome sisters in here hehe, i love their energy 🥺

The battle in shadow-realm-planet. JUST LOOK AT THOSE CINEMATOGRAPHY HOLY SHIT!!!

Gorr. Yea only gorr because he's that cool as villain seriously, no other words can explain how i love his character so much

The "just look at the eyes of people that you loved" line aweee, peter's looking at the other guardians and my heart really melted

Mjolnir and stormbreaker lmaooooo, i feel like strombreaker should meet dr strange's cloak???? The chaos from these two omg

Okay now that's sorta everything now i wanna talk about the moon knight connections

When gorr said he'll kill all the gods OH SHIT I'M WORRIED FOR KHONSHU 😔😭

He's a bad as a god and just a pigeon w angry issue yeah but- BUT goddamn i'm actually worried????? Not to mention with jake now serving him so.....the moon bois are technically not safe either SHIT-

Okay maybe they are safe actually? Cause khonshu's the one that'll die

Anyway anyway

Does this makes the whole ammit & harrow trying to eradicate the bad ones POINTLESS in moon knight? Maybe???

Like imagine gorr arrives on earth while ammit vs khonsu stuff is happening, THEY'RE BIG AND WHAT'S HE GONNA DO HUH???? Then even if he's able to kill ammit (and khonshu) this only makes moon knight's journey more pointless and i hate it! A nobody (on mk's perspective) just popped out and finished what marc, steven and layla were trying to do what the hell- >:(

Luckily gorr haven't kill the enneads yet tho, but still this bothered me

Oh and yk we could've had jake joining the gang to kill this god butcher right? Like come onnn (ignore me i'm desperate for more mk lmao)

And- AND

If gorr ever meets harrow i think they would've had a very interesting convo. Harrow is a fanatic while Gorr is a non-beliver, just imagine how clashed these two would be holy shit!!!

Amd I think there's a line that said "eradicating" and all i could think about was harrow, he too was trying to eradicate something tho

#thor love and thunder #also #moon knight #mcu

[chamberedbeauty]

@loveaffairxc

Her family was no stranger to war. Not with her father being one of the many heroes of the first World War and honored in all the ways a decorated war Colonel would be. Both her grandparents served in the Spanish-American War with the same admirable rankings and legend- and her ancestors before. Civil War to the Revolution. There name and pride was upheld.

But there was a difference between reading and hearing about the stories- even seeing pictures was nothing compared to what the young woman had seen after signing up to provide nursing aid to the American troops overseas. Her father despised the idea and her mother nearly fainted when Gwen had told them, but she couldn't just sit- especially not when her fiancé was somewhere near Paris fighting on the frontlines.

She'd just been transferred to the newly stationed Eighth Air Force in England, and watching every single as less and less planes came flying back than out was gut wrenching- just as much as watching the medics pull burnt, bloodied, and wounded men from their planes.

"You have to give me room!" Gwen demanded as the airman hovered over his wingman. "You have to let us work. You have to-" The brunette stops, putting her hand on the man's chest to stop him while the other nurses push the stretcher further into the infirmary. "The more I have to tell you this, the more time we have to take away from him, and if we don't get him treated immediately- he will die. Do you understand that?" She wastes no more time before turning back around and ran after the stretcher and into the makeshift operating room.

Two hours pass before Gwen walks outside, catching glimpse of the man now perched outside. A slow breath is taken before she walks up to him, crossing her arms then gives the faintest of smiles before nodding towards the door. "Come on....don't act like I didn't notice the burn on your leg. It doesn't look too bad, but it doesn't take much for those to get worse. If you let take me take a look at it now I won't mention it to your General."

Her smile grows just a bit before turning to walk back into the infirmary. She nods towards one of beds as she grabs some antiseptic cream, rag with a cool can of water, and a few bandages. "....Good news. I think you'll make it, but this is going to sting." As carefully as she can, Gwen places the rag against the burn, cleaning it the best she could before placing the cream over it and begins bandaging it up.

".....Your partner. I won't lie to you, he is rough shape, but we got him stabilized and on a plane to London. He has a long road ahead of him and unfortunately I think they'll have to remove his legs, but he'll make it. Even better, he'll get to go home."

The last of the bandage is taped up before Gwen sits back to examine her work then reaches her hand out to him. "Gwendolyn Grace Adler. Most people just call me Gwen. You're Andrew Smith, right? It's nice to meet you. I've heard great things." Another smile is shot in his direction as she begins cleaning up the area. "So...Andrew Smith....where are you from? I'm from Montana, but was living in New York just before the war began to go to college. My father is the Senator from Montana and well, I wanted to follow in his footsteps. I was studying political science, but when Pearl Harbor was bombed I decided to get into nursing to help as much as I can. What about you? What were you doing before the war?"

#loveaffairxc

[fantasyinvader]

Today, I had a revelation.

In Kamen Rider Ryuki, there's a rider who looks like Batman. Ren aka Kamen Rider Knight. Even has a bat-theme going on, as he's partnered with a bat monster. Ren is involved with the Rider War, a (rigged) battle royale where they last remaining Rider gets a wish granted. Ren's wish is to save his girlfriend, put into a coma by his bat-monster. But while Ren is angry and abrasive, he also struggles with the idea of actually killing others. He has to defeat an unknown person brainwashed into being the final boss Kamen Rider Odin (only for another Odin to pop up. Again, rigged), but he also grows close to some of the other Riders.

It's an interesting inversion. Batman is famous for his no-kill policy, justifying it that if he begins to kill criminals it'll become easier and easier until all he only stops criminals by killing them. It's a slippery slope argument, why he doesn't want to be judge, jury and executioner, and something to take into consideration with how many stories speculate on Batman's mental health.

But this is what got me, the MC is a rookie journalist (with a respected female sempai) who tries to stop Ren from killing. Shinji Kido just wants everyone to stop fighting each other and instead focus on stopping the monsters from eating unsuspecting civilians. Everyone finds him annoying, but other Riders do grow attached to him. Kamen Rider Raia sacrifices himself to save Shinji after his fortune telling said Shinji would die, and he believed his fortunes were always right. Ren finds himself conflicted on the matter, even tries to cut ties with Shinji.

Ryuki was Toei wanting to show kids what heroism actually was (despite introducing the first evil Riders). And it's answer is being willing to sacrifice yourself for others. Ren puts himself through hell to save his girlfriend. Goro replaces his master as Kamen Rider Zolda so his master can die in peace to his illness. Tiger wanted to be a hero, even sacrificing his mentor who always preached “the needs of the many...,” but is recognized as one when he sacrifices himself to save a child from a traffic accident. Again, Raia died protecting Shinji and Shinji dies protecting a little girl from monsters prior to the final battle. Sacrificing others is not heroic, Shinji taught us that.

Shinji is... the show's Superman. That's what I realized today. The one whose example inspires others. His klutziness isn't an act like it is with Clark, but he'll help out people out of a genuine desire to help. It's how he's introduced after all, getting into a fight with a driver on behalf of someone in an accident. And in his main finisher, he jumps to the skies in a pose right out of the comic books.

In the end, it's Shinji's influence that convinces the female lead Yui, a mirror doppelgänger of the big bad's dead sister, to convince her brother to let his sister go. To not sacrifice the Riders (and the civilians who get killed as collateral) in order to save her, using his powers to prevent the Rider War from ever happening after who-knows-how many timeloops...where Shinji always got involved and messed things up for him.

I hated Ryuki's ending when I first saw it, since it retconned the entire show, but as I got older I appreciated it more and more. Now I love it. I wonder if the Superman parallel was intentional. I mean, it's not like Western Superheroes are unknown over there. Legendary mangaka Osamu Tezuka was the president of a Superman fan club once upon a time, and the guy who drew Speed Racer also made a Superman manga, while Super Sentai borrowed elements from a Spider-man show Toei made in collaboration with Marvel comics. So...maybe? But considering how Superman has been restored to being a hope maker after being so cynical due to Man of Steel and the New 52, it's nice to think that in the early 2000's someone, even in Japan, knew what he was about and served as an inspiration for another hero.

#Youtube

[bellarkeselection]

Sky-ground treaty.

- set 3 months after 2x16.

- To avoid another war Kane and Abby make a peace treaty with the grounders commander, Lexa. A marriage between one of their own and princess Y/n L/n of Polis, Lexa's adopted daughter.

Bellamy's POV

The chancellor's doors open for me to see Kane and Clarke's mom sitting at the round table. "Hello Mr. Blake, we have something to discuss with you." She spoke. I'd just returned from another mission to find Clarke, but we couldn't find her. I miss her as does her mom.

Standing in front of the table eye the map we marked for Clarke's search. Kane rose from his seat. "I know what I'm about to say is a sore subject for you, but I think we could make peace with the grounders once and for all."

I scoff throwing my hands out at the idea. "Peace with them. Lexa left our people to die in the mountain. Clarke and I had to kill people who helped us. She made her kill Finn, one of our own. I don't think they know peace. Any treaty we make with them...they'll end up breaking!"

"We have to try. We all faced loses against Mount Weather." Abby trails off eyeing Kane. "Bellamy, Lexa has agreed to a union between one of our own and the adapted daughter of the commander, Princess Y/n."

Lexa has a daughter. How come we didn't know that before. The word union runs through my head. "Union as in...marriage?"

"Yes. A marriage." Abby gets to her feet coming to rest a hand on my shoulder, a weak smile on her face.

Running my hands down my face I groan." Who do we pick?" Abby jumped in walking towards the outer door to go back to medical. "We already have, Marcus come find me later."

He nods his head at her, smiling at the doctor. The pair have always had an unspoken relationship. "The man chosen to marry the young princess is..." Kane trailed off holding a scared yet serious face. "You."

Seriously. I have to marry a grounder!

Y/n's pov

"Marriage mother, to a man I've never met!" I rant back to my mother. The commander of grounders. My parents were killed by the Mountain Men so she took me in as her own. Although I've never seen the outside beyond this city, Polis is the only home I've ever known.

Mother comes to rest her hands on my shoulder tucking some loose hair from my braid behind my ear. "Honey, Bellamy Blake is very loyal. He'll be good for you, and as princess you must serve your people." Our people think spilling blood is a good thing.

"Yes mother. For our people." I simply nod in agreement.

Sunset has come on the city only light from the burning torches in my room which is on the fifth floor of this large tower. Mother has been in meetings with her dellgates all day over this treaty with the Sky people or Skaikru as some call them. Sneaking through the halls I finally reach the secret tunnel under the tower where my horse is saddled up. I'm wearing muddy pants with a dress that reaches above my knees. The dress is simple, light green colors. My bow and arrow hung over my shoulder that matches the brown color of my boots. Mounting my horse I escape the tunnel riding free through the woods, now with the Moutain Men gone we can freely roam the woods in our territory.

Stopping at a cleaning with a creek I listen to sounds of the woods until some twigs snap, drawing my bow I see a boy aiming a riffle at me. "Identity yourself shooter!" If he shoots me grounders and sky people would be in another war. He's clearly a sky person because only they use guns and he's wearing a jacket with their clans symbol on the shoulders.

"I've learned to only ever trust one grounder, he's my sister's boyfriend. So tell me who you are before I shoot you." The man threatened stepping a few feet closer giving me a better look. The man has black curly hair, toned skin with freckles. His eyes lock with mine for me to fall in love at seeing they're dark brown like chocolate.

"Alright, don't shoot please." I slowly remove my bow dropping it to the ground and dismounting my horse. "See unarmed. Mr. Stranger, my name is Y/n." I hold my hands up standing still in fear he'll shoot.

The strange man slowly lowers his gun, a look of confusion or shock on his face. But I can't exactly tell. "Did you say Y/n. As in the princess?" I slowly shake my head yes watching him take a few steps closer, where we are at arms length.

"Who are you?" I question having to tilt my head up since he's taller than I am. "I'm Bellamy, Bellamy Blake."

Holly crap. I just met the man I'm to marry for peace.

Part 2 coming soon, if requested will be posted sooner.

Part 3 will be made if requested.

#bellamy blake x reader #bellamy blake imagine #Bellamy Blake x grounder reader #the 100 bellamy blake

[thewidowsghost]

The Daughter of the Sea - Chapter 9

(Y/n)'s POV

It doesn't take me long to pack. I decide to leave the Minotaur horn in the cabin, which leaves me only an extra change of clothes and a toothbrush to stuff in a backpack Grover had found for me.

The camp store loans me one hundred dollars in mortal money and twenty golden drachmas. The coins are as big as Girl Scout cookies and have images of various Greek Gods stamped on one side and the Empire State Building on the other. The ancient mortal drachmas had been silver, Chiron had told us, but Olympins never used less than pure gold. Chiron said the coins might come in for non-mortal transactions - whatever that might mean. He gives Annabeth, Percy, and me canteens of nectar and Ziploc bags full of ambrosia squares, to be used only in emergencies, if we were seriously hurt. It is god food, Chiron reminds us. It would cure us of almost any injury, but it is lethal to mortals. Too much of it would make a half-blood very, very feverish. An overdose would burn us up, literally, Fun.

Annabeth is bringing her magic Yankees cap, which she tells me had been a twelfth-birthday present from her mom. She is also bringing a book on famous classical architecture, written in Ancient Greek, to read when she gets bored, and a long bronze knife, hidden in her shirt sleeve. I'm sure the knife is going to get us busted the first time we go through a metal detector.

Grover is wearing his fake feet and his pants to pass as a human. He wears a green rasta-style cap, because when it rains his curly hair flattened and you can just see the tips of his horns. Grover's bright orange backpack is full of scrap metal and apples to snack on. In his pocket is a set of reed pipes his daddy goat had carved for him, even though he only knows two songs: Mozart's Piano Concerto Number 12 and Hilary Duff's 'So Yesterday,' both of which sound pretty bad on reed pipes.

We wave good-bye to the other campers, take one last look at eh strawberry fields, the ocean, and the Big House, then hike up the Half-Blood Hill to the tall pine tree that used to be Thalia, the Daughter of Zeus.

Chiron is waiting for us in his wheelchair. Next to him stands the surfer dude I'd seen when I was recovering in the sick room. According to Grover, the guy is the camp's head of security. He supposedly had eyes all over his body so he could never be surprised. Today, though, he's wearing a chauffeur's uniform, so I can only see the extra eyes on his hands, face, and neck.

"This is Argus," Chiron tells me. "He'll drive you into the city, and, er, well, keep an eye on things."

I hear footsteps behind us.

Luke comes running up the hill, carrying a pair of basketball shoes. "Hey!" he pants. "Glad I caught you."

Annabeth blushes, the way she always does when Luke is around.

"Just wanted to say good luck," Luke tells us. "And I thought . . . um, maybe you could use these."

He hands Percy a pair of sneakers, which look pretty normal.

Then, Luke says, "Maia!"

White bird's wings sprouted out of the heels. The shoes flap around on the ground until the wings fold up and disappear.

"Awesome!" Grover exclaims.

Luke smiles. "Those served me well when I was on my quest. Gift from Dad. Of course, I don't use them much these days...." His expression turns sad.

Annabeth stomps down the other side of the hill, after arguing with Percy, where a white SUV waits on the shoulder of the road. Argus follows, jingling his car kees.

Percy picks up the flying shoes and then looks up at Chiron. "I won't be able to use these, will I?"

Chiron shakes his head. "Luke meant well, Percy. But taking to the air...that would not be wise for you."

I nod, getting an idea, "Hey, Grover. You want a magic item?"

His eyes light up. "Me?"

Pretty soon, we'd laced the sneakers over his fake feet, and the world's first flying goat boy is ready for launch.

"Maia!" Grover shouts. He gets off the ground, okay, but then falls over sideways so his backpack drags through the grass. The winged shoes keep bucking up and down like tiny broncos.

"Practice," Chiron calls after him. "You just need practice."

"Aaaaa!" Grover goes flying sideways down the hill like a possessed lawnmower, heading towards the can.

But before I can follow, Chiron catches my arm. "I should have trained you two better, Percy, (Y/n)," he says. "If only I had more time. Hercules, Jason - they all got more training."

"That's okay. I just -" I stop myself.

"What am I thinking?" Chiron cries. "I can't let the two of you get away without these." He pulls two pens out of his coat pocket and hands one to me and one to Percy.

Looking down at it, I see a teal-colored gel pen. Maybe cost thirty cents.

"Gee," Percy says. "Thanks."

"Percy, those are gifts from your father. I've been keeping them for years, not knowing you two were the ones I was waiting for. But the prophecy is clear to me now. You two are the ones."

Instinctively I take off the cap, and the pen grows longer and heavier in my hand. In half a second, I am holding a shimmering bronze sword with a double-edged blade, a teal and silver leather-wrapped grip. This is the first weapon that feels balanced in my hand.

"That sword has a long and tragic history that we need not go into," Chiron tells Percy. "Its name is Anaklusmos."

"Riptide," Percy translates.

"I have never seen anyone use that sword that I'm aware of," Chiron says, turning to me. "Yours is named Τυφώνας."

"Hurricane," I translate, surprised that the Ancient Greek came so easily to me.

"Use them only for emergencies," Chiron says, "and only against monsters. No hero should harm mortals unless absolutely necessary, of course, but neither sword would hurt them in any case."

I look down at the wickedly sharp blade. "What do you mean it wouldn't harm mortals? How could it not?"

"Those swords are celestial bronze. Forged by the Cyclopes, tempered in the heart of Mount Etna, cooled in the River Lethe. It's deadly to monsters, to any creature from the Underworld, provided they don't kill you first. But the blades will pass through morals like an illusion. They simply are not important for the blade to kill. And I should warn you two: as demigods, you can be killed by either celestial or normal weapons. You are twice as vulnerable."

"Good to know," Percy says.

"Now recap the pens," Chiron says.

Percy and I touch the pen cap to the sword tips and instantly Riptide and Hurricane shrink to ballpoint pens again. I tuck it in my pocket, a little nervous because it's pretty easy to lose a pen.

"You can't," Chiron says.

"Can't what?" I ask, slightly confused.

"Lose the pens," he says. "They're enchanted. They'll always reappear in your pockets. Try it."

Warily, I throw the pen as far as I can down the hill and watch it disappear in the grass.

"It may take a few moments," Chiron tells us. "Now check your pocket."

Sure enough, the pen is there.

"Okay, that is extremely cool," I admit.

"But what if a mortal sees one of us pulling out a sword?" Percy asks.

Chiron smiles. "Mist is a powerful thing, Percy."

"Mist?" I ask.

"Yes. Read The Iliad. It's full of references to the stuff. Whatever divine or monstrous elements mix with the mortal world, they generate Mist, which obscures the vision of humans. You will see things just as they are, being a half-blood, but humans will interpret things quite differently. Remarkable, really, the lengths to which humans will go fit things into their version of reality.

I put Hurricane back into my pocket.

For the first time, the quest feels real. I'm leaving Half-Blood Hill. I'm heading west with no adult supervision, no backup plan, not even a cell phone - Chiron said cell phones were traceable by monsters; if we used one, it would be no worse than sending up a flare. I have no weapon stronger than a sword to fight off monsters and reach the Land of the Dead.

"Chiron . . ." Percy says. "When you say the gods are immortal . . . I mean, there was a time before them, right?"

"Four ages before them, actually. The Time of the Titans was the Fourth Age, sometimes called the Golden Age, which is definitely a misnomer. This, the time of Western civilization and the rule of Zeus, is the Fifth Age."

"So what was it like...before the gods?"

Chiron purses his lips. "Even I am not old enough to remember that, child, but I know it was a time of darkness and savagery for mortals. Kronos, the lord of the Titans, called his reign the Golden Age because men lived innocent and free of all knowledge. But that was mere propaganda. The Titan king cared nothing for your kind except as appetizers or a source of cheap entertainment. It was only in the early reign of Lord Zeus, when Prometheus the good Titan brought fire to mankind, that your species began to progress, and even then Prometheus was branded a radical thinker. Zeus punished him severely, as you may recall. Of course, eventually, the gods warmed to humans, and Western civilization was born."

"But the gods can't die now, right? I mean, as long as Western civilization is alive, they're alive. So...even if I failed, nothing could happen so bad it would mess up everything, right?" I ask, feeling rather uncertain.

Chiron gives me a melancholy smile. "No one knows how long the Age of the West will last, (Y/n). The gods are immortal, yes. But then, so were the Titans. They still exist, locked away in their various prisons, forced to endure endless pain and punishment, reduced in power, but still very much alive. May the Fates forbid that the gods should ever suffer such a doom, or that we should ever return to the darkness and chaos of the past. All we can do, child, is follow our destiny."

"Our destiny...assuming we know what that is," I say grimly.

"Relax," Chiron tells me. "Keep a clear head. And remember, the two of you may be about to prevent the biggest war in human history."

"Relax," I say. "I'm very relaxed."

When Percy and I get to the bottom of the hill, I look back. Under the pine tree that used to be Thalia, daughter of Zeus, Chiron is now standing in full horse-man form, holding his bow high in salute. Just your typical summer-camp send-off by your typical centaur."

Argus drives us out of the countryside and into western Long Island, It feels weird to be on a highway again, Annabeth and Grover sitting next to me, Percy on the other side of Grover, as if we were normal carpoolers. After two weeks at Half-Blood Hill, the real world seems like a fantasy. I find myself staring at every McDonald's, every kid in the back of his parent's car, every billboard and shopping mall.

"So far so good," Percy tells Annabeth. "Ten miles and not a single monster."

She gives Percy an irritated loo. "It's bad luck to talk that way."

"Remind me again - why do you hate us so much?" Percy asks.

"I don't hate you two."

"Could've fooled me."

Annabeth folds her cap of invisibility. "Look...we're just not supposed to get along, okay? Our parents are rivals."

"Why?" Percy asks.

Annabeth sighs. "How many reasons do you want? One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena's temple, which is hugely disrespectful. Another time, Athena and Poseidon competed to be the patron god for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her."

"They must really like olives," Percy comments, and I stifle a snort of laughter.

"Oh, forget it," Annabeth grumbles.

"Now, if she invented pizza - that I could understand," I add, in a slightly teasing tone.

"I said, forget it!" Annabeth says, hitting me lightly on the arm.

In the front seat, Argus smiles. He doesn't say anything, but one blue eye on the back of his neck winks at me.

Traffic slows down in Queens. By the time we get into Manhattan, it is sunset and starting to rain.

Argus drops us at the greyhound Station on the Upper East Side, not far from my mom and Gabe's apartment. Taped to a mailbox is a soggy flyer with mine and Percy's picture on it: Have you seen these children?

Percy rips it down before Annabeth and Grover can notice.

Argus unloads our bags, makes sure we get our bus tickets, then drives away, the eye on the back of his hand opening to watch us as he pulls out of the parking lot.

I think about how close I am to the apartment. On a normal day, Mom would be home from the candy store by now. Smelly Gabe is probably up there right now, playing poker, not even missing her.

Grover shoulders his backpack. He gazes down the street in the direction I am looking. "You want to know why she married him, (Y/n)?"

I stare at him. "Were you reading my mind?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Just your emotions," Grover shrugs. "You were thinking about your mom and your stepdad, right?"

I nod.

"Your mom married Gabe for you and Percy," Grover tells me. "You call him 'Smelly,' but you've got no idea. This guy has this aura . . . Yuck. I can smell him from here. I can smell traces of him o you, and you haven't been near him in a week."

"Thanks," Percy grimaces from Grover's other side. "Where's the nearest shower?"

"You should be grateful, Percy. Your stepfather smells so repulsively human he could mask the presence of any demigod. As soon as I took a whiff inside his Camaro, I knew: Gabe has been covering your scent for years. If you hadn't lived with him every summer, you probably would've been found by monsters a long time ago. Your mom stayed with him to protect you. She was a smart lady. She must've loved you a lot to put up with that guy—if that makes you feel any better."

I soften, looking down a the ground. I'll see her again, I think. She isn't gone.

You will be betrayed by one who calls you a friend, the Oracle whispers in my mind. You will fail to save what matters most in the end.

The rain keeps coming down.

We get restless waiting for the bus and decide to play some Hacky Sack with one of Groer's apples. Annabeth was unbelievable at it. She could bounce the apple off her knee, her elbow, her shoulder, whatever. Percy wasn't too bad either, but I found that I wasn't that great at it.

The game ends when I toss the apple towards Grover and it gets too close to his mouth. In one mega goat bite, our Hacky Sack disappears - core, stem, and all.

Grover blushes. He tries to apologize, but Annabeth, Percy, and I are too busy cracking up.

Finally, the bus comes.

I am relieved when we finally get on board and find seats together in the back of the bus, Me and Annabeth in one row, and Percy and Grover across from us. The four of us stow our backpacks.

I glance over at Annabeth beside me, who keeps slapping her Yankees cap nervously against her thigh.

As the last passengers get on, Annabeth claps her hand onto my knee. "Look!"

An old lady had just boarded the bus. She is wearing a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves, and a shapeless orange-knit hat that shadows her face and she is carrying a big paisley purse. When she tilts her head up, her black eyes glitter.

I see Percy slump down in his seat.

Behind her comes two more old ladies: one in a green hat, one in a purple hat. Otherwise, they look exactly like Mrs. Dodds - same gnarled hands, paisley handbags, wrinkled velvet dress. Triple demon grandmothers.

They sit in the front row, right behind the driver. The two on the aisle cross their legs over the walkway, making an X. It is casual enough, but it sends a clear message: Nobody leaves.

The bus pulls out of the station, and we head through the slick streets of Manhattan.

"She didn't stay dead long," Percy says, his voice quavering a little. "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime."

"I said if you're lucky," Annabeth murmurs. "You're obviously not."

"All three of them," Grover whimpers. "Di immortales!"

"It's okay," Annabeth says, obviously thinking hard. "The Furies. The worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows."

"They don't open," Grover moans.

"A back exit?" she suggests.

There isn't one. Even if there had been, it wouldn't have helped. By that time, we are on Ninth Avenue heading for the Lincoln Tunnel.

"They won't attack us with witnesses around," I say. "Will they?"

"Mortals don't have good eyes," Annabeth reminds me. "Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist."

"They'll see three old ladies killing us, won't they?" Percy asks.

She thinks about it. "Hard to say. But we can't count on mortals for help. Maybe an emergency exit in the roof . . . ?"

We hit the Lincoln Tunnel, and the bus goes dark except for the running lights down teh aisle. It is eerily quiet without the sound of the rain.

"I need to use the rest-room."

"So do I."

"So do I."

All three demons start coming down the aisle.

"I've got it," Annabeth says. "Percy, take my hat."

"What?" he says with disbelief.

"You're the one they want. You killed one of them. Turn invisible and go up the aisle. Let them pass you. Maybe you can get to the front and get away."

"But you guys -"

"There's an outside chance they might not notice us," Annabeth says as she glances over at me. "You're a son of the Big Three. Your smell might be overpowering."

"I can't just leave you," Percy says, looking desperately at me.

"Go," I say, frowning and Annabeth hands him the cap.

The old ladies are not old ladies anymore. Their faces are still the same - I guessed they couldn't get any uglier - but their bodies had shriveled into leathery brown hag bodies with bat's wings and hands and feet like gargoyle claws; their handbags had turned into fiery whips.

The Furies surround me, Grover, and Annabeth, lashing their whips, hissing: "Where is it? Where?"

The other people on the bus are screaming, cowering in their seats. They see something, all right.

"He's not here!" Annabeth yells. "He's gone!"

The Furies raise their whips.

Annabeth draws her bronze knife. Grover grabs a tin can from his snack bag and prepares to throw it.

Word Count: 3222 words

#percy jackson x sister reader #percy jackson reader insert #female reader #reader insert #fem reader

[coolfoxy4]

Okay so here's some of the characters in Don't Starve I've made into an urban legend that may or may not be good, I'll try to update on their stories and the names of the urban legend! (These are drafts, also please don't get offended about the Warly and Walani stories!)

Trigger Warning

Wilson (Dr. Animal): A man who has respect for others but he saw way too many people being disrespectful and went mad (I have to think he inhaled too much mercury, cause he's a scientist and back then people didn't know about the affects of mercury), and the voices in his head tell him to turn people into what they are... Animals, he uses random animal parts and does a surgery by replacing certain limbs with animal parts (like arms or legs), pieces of skin, and finally cutting their tongues off and sewing an animal's head on them (disturbing i know). He then carves a word on their backs, "Animals".

Willow (Mother Fire): A young woman who uses fire to kill someone who abuses a child in anyway, especially parents. If it's just one she burns them alive, if it's both parents she burns the house down and takes any children present with her to an abandoned village where nobody knew existed. She'll follow a child if she notices any form of abuse and follows them to their home to watch the family, if it's someone else, they'll still get killed (idk if I should add the charcoal thing, if you see a piece of charcoal on your nightstand or bed, she's coming, and she wants you to turn yourself in or change your ways, if you don't... Death).

Wolfgang (The War Ghost): He died in WWI from gas leaking in his gas mask because his right eye on the mask got shattered and was put out of his misery. He came back as a ghost and will break your bones if you don't leave the battlefields. There will be rare occasions if the person finds him sleeping... If they tried to wake him, he'll wake up and punch them in the jaw, dislocating it, before running away as like it was some sort of instinct.

Wendy and Abigail (Weeping Twins): Wendy ended her life when Abigail died because they promised to be together forever. Their weepings can be heard by some people, if someone disrespects the dead they'll haunt and drive that person insane until they apologize or die from suicide. She will even sometimes put the person into sleep paralysis just to scare the living daylights out of them.

Wigfrid (Steel Teeth Singer): a opera singer trapped in her own world dies by the hands of a robber who had drained her of her blood, she came back from the dead as a vampire with steel sharp teeth, no one knows how she got her steel teeth, some versions of the story said her kidnapper forcefully removed her teeth and replaced them with steel. At midnight she killed her kidnapper and buried him in her yard. She resigns in her house, if anyone were to trespass on her property, she'll give them a warning, then tell them to leave. If they were to enter the house, then she'll attack them and drain them of their blood. She mostly feeds on the blood of farm animals but her favorite is humans blood, she'll put victims in a trance by singing her song and lure them into her home where she drains their blood.

Wes (The Hunger Mime): Wes died of hunger when someone kidnapped him and tormented him, he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Before his death, he swore revenge and wishes to come back as a unstoppable spirit. After he came back from the dead he immediately killed his tormentor by cutting open his belly and eating his stomach. He now hunts for animals and eats crops from farms, if anyone doesn't have any food on them or a someone interrupts him while he's eating, he'll eat their stomachs. Children are spared however, if they're lost in the forest he lives in, he'll take them back to their parents and give them a balloon and it is said if the child gave the Hunger Mime a hug, they'll receive good luck in the future.

Warly (Chef of Flesh): Warly was kidnapped by a group who practices slavery to gain goods and riches. He tried many times to escape to see his mother again but he would always get caught and punished for it. One of these punishments killed him, a ceremony was made to put his spirit to rest, but it wasn't completed due to it being interrupted by the slave owner, Warly came back as a tall Bakroe and killed the slave owners. Warly now roams the earth looking for people in a hate group, any hate group, and turn them into a pot filled with their flesh and blood, he carries a bag filled with items need to make for his bloody stew. He'll change his voice into a voice of a child to trick his victims, he doesn't feel any kind of pain, though fire can be used to scare him and do any damage to him, he has enough strength to carry an adult human.

Walani (The Siren of Hawaii): She died during a surfing contest when she was challenged by a man known for his big ego, he thought he would win by pushing her off her surfboard. Unfortunately, when he pushed her, Walani ended up falling on a rock, causing her head to split open, the onlookers tried to save her... But it was too late... She was dead. Two days later she came back as a Mo'o´s, or what others call... a siren. She lives in a sea cave and would often leave and take her human form to look for her prey, which consists mostly of men, she would take on a disguise and go to bars or parties to find her victim, once she does she tricks them and takes them to the shore and feasts on them. She would use the song of the siren to trick fishermen into crashing their boats or go overboard, on rare cases she can also trick people strolling on the beach at night to go in the water where they become her target.

Here's how I came up with these ideas:

Wilson going mad was based on how hat makers would get Mad Hatter's Disease because of the mercury in the hats they were producing (look it up to learn more about it).

Willow's icon shows burning houses in the background, she probably did that on purpose when she saw how the kids were being treated in the DST lore.

Wolfgang is said to serve in a war and I saw a scene where a guy loses his mask and was almost put out of his misery when he accidentally inhaled the gas (it was a WWI movie).

Wendy and Abigail... I like to think Wendy respects the dead and there's grave robbers out there and she would definitely scare them.

Wigfrid's legend was based on Scotland's urban legend called Jenny Wi' The Airn (or Iron) Teeth, a vampire that has iron for teeth.

Wes has bad luck and is hungry all the time, that's it... (I'm sorry for making him monster guys, I know you love him).

Warly was based on a Bakroe, I heard about it on one of Snarled's videos, watch it.

And finally Walani's legend was based on Mo'o´s, In Hawaiian folklore, if a person passes away, they could come back in a form of a Mo'o´s, a mermaid/siren/selkie that seduce men and drown them (I got this info from fairychamber.com, her urban legend wasn't based on the dragon urban legend)

Mother Fire

Hunger Mime

(Should I even attempt making the spirits of his victims be turned into hunger bellies or is it just stupid?)

Don't Starve Belongs to Klei Entertainment

#Don't Starve: Urban Legends #don't starve #don't starve together #wilson higgsbury #wilson ds #willow ds #wolfgang ds #wendy ds #abigail ds #wes ds #wigfrid ds #warly ds #walani ds #Klei Entertainment #fanart #an idea

[abrooklynboy]

HC + home

That's the million dollar question, isn't it.

Home is where his loved ones are.

In 616, he has dear friends and he considers the Avengers his family. Tony is his first friend out of the ice.

In MCU, the Avengers are pretty much found coworkers and Steve is Lost.

In either universe, his closest people are Bucky, Natasha, Sam, and Sharon.

If you want to read all the things, it's under the cut.

Pre-War:

616: Steve felt emotionally homeless since his mom died, up until he met Bucky and the Invaders. He drifted through life, working odd jobs and going to art school until Project Rebirth. Had Arnie Roth and some friends through school but was fairly introverted.

MCU: [My] Bucky badgers Steve to move in with him. It's less of a request and more of "oops, I'm taking a drawer from when I crash on your couch after a shift. oops, I live on your couch now. my clothes are in the closet. here's my portion of the rent."

Steve knows what Bucky is doing ("He's not slick.") but he needs help covering the rent. Would rather do this than let the Barnes family offer for him to move in (they have the space, Steve). So, Bucky gets upgraded to a mattress in the back room and smokes on the fire escape with bare feet in the middle of winter.

War:

It's unorthodox, but tents, cots, and safehouses throughout the world became his sense of home. Where even though they were fighting all the time, seeing terrible sights, they went through it together. While neither verse's Steve really fits in with the Army as a whole, an institution, he fits with the Invaders/Commandos real well.

Modern Era:

Once again, we're back to feeling emotionally homeless but also a man out of time.

616: Tony is one of (if not) the first to actually help Steve feel included in the modern era. A lot of his old friends from the War (Fury, Logan, Namor, the Commandos) are still alive and...with it. Hell, Natasha was around during the War and they crossed paths at some points.

Steve finds new friends (Bernie, Sam, Sharon) and a home with the Avengers. Literally, in the Avengers Mansion (now Tower). The melancholy never fully goes away but Steve is at home in the present. Later on, Bucky, Jim/Torch, and Toro come back. While their lives are different and they don't hang out as much as they should (-stares directly at Marvel editors-), they'll always be brothers.

While 616!Steve isn't from Brooklyn, he basically adopts it, and lives there when he's not at Avengers Tower.

If I had to say best friends/brothers for 616!Steve (other than Bucky), it would be Tony and Sam. Both came into his life at very vulnerable times. Things with Tony are... -looks at Marvel- Are they good now? Are they still angry? IDK.

MCU: -looks at written smudges on hand meme- Home??? Family??? Friends??? Found??? Uh.

If we're going with the strictest interpretation of on-screen MCU, the Avengers are found coworkers, not found family.

That's depressing.

After the Battle of New York, Steve travels the country for a while. Sure, he has backpay and a job offer from Fury but he has no connections. Catches up on more things he missed. Meets some people. Maybe gets to know the people who he saved Earth with a bit better. Tracks down Peggy and chats with her. Figures he served before so he'll do so again and takes the job offer.

Only the world has changed. Steve's too stubborn to blindly follow orders. Never has been good at that. He doesn't know what to do with his life. There wasn't a chance to plan during the War besides "Not die" and "Stand up for injustice."

Natasha and Steve are much more work partners than friends (before they go on the run and borrow a truck). Natasha doesn't trust anyone (besides probably Clint and Fury). Steve's got his own baggage. The STRIKE team he's assigned are the type of guys who would beat the shit out of skinny!Steve. He goes out for an after-mission drink with them 1 time and decides "Nope."

So, he puts in the work. Hates it. Questions whether or not he's doing the right thing. Has nothing else left. Nobody left, besides an old flame who led a very fulfilling life and has to pretend he's just back from the ice every time he sees her.

Sam is the first person to really ask Steve how he's doing in 2 years. After Steve decides to circle one of the monuments a bunch of times to fuck with an airman. Bless.

And then-

Steve's going to let whatever's left of Bucky kill him (and then probably perish in the wreckage or go back to HYDRA/get captured by S.H.I.E.L.D./on the run). I don't think Steve's actually thinking/planning at this moment. He's desperate, hopeful that he can break through to Bucky. But what if he hasn't? Can't? He's saved the world (Again). This should be his last mission. And if it's at the hands of his old friend, sure. What's one more irony.

Course, Bucky's programming and time out of cryo finally gave him enough time to recognize Steve and pull him out of the Potomac. Whew. And then Bucky legs it. [This] Steve doesn't chase Bucky across the ends of the earth. Knows Bucky is Trained For This. Has been Doing This. He keeps an eye on Bucky's location (when he can get it), hoping to at least talk to him when Bucky's ready. Knocks down HYDRA bases. Rip and Tear.

AOU really puts a huge crack in the original team. They save the day but also lost. There's mistrust in the air. Team separates. Thor goes searching for answers. Bruce is gone. Tony and Clint retire. Nothing about what they fought about (internally - how best to protect the world) is really resolved.

I'd like to think the New Avengers team starts becoming a little family, if Vision, Wanda, and Pietro all live on the compound. Steve getting to know them each. Already has Sam on the team. Considers Natasha a friend now and a co-leader. Possibly starts going out with Sharon (verse dependent). Things are getting better. He's connecting with people.

Civil War trashes it. The Accords are a bad idea, Steve knows this. Then, Zemo makes it personal by dragging Bucky's location out. Bucky or the Avengers, the letter of the law? Not a hard choice at all. The Avengers, the ones who remain, are Tony's family.

So, Steve's a fugitive. Probably loses whatever literal home he has. All he can do is keep fighting, watch his team's back, and run. Visits Wakanda. He doesn't leave Sharon in the cold, though (regardless if they're in a relationship or not).

During the Snapocolypse, he tries to help others recover. Move on. But his best friends (and girlfriend, depending on verse) are all gone. Probably forever. Him and Natasha stay the course. But that makes sense. They're both workaholics.

Final Battle, people are back. Tony's gone. So, now it's Steve's turn to finally step back, hand the shield to Sam, and figure out what he wants out of life.

Steve doesn't know what he wants or where home is anymore and hasn't the moment he woke up out of ice. But if he had to try and guess, it'd be with Sam, Bucky, Sharon, Natasha. The twins, Vision, and Clint are slightly outside that orbit, but he's not shutting the door either.

#asked and answered #headcanon #//did anyone ask for an essay? you're getting an essay