#no injustice lasts forever

[briansfancies]

Meatflakes say the darnedest things!

#Vegan #Veganism #Animals #Animal rights #Farm animals #Plant-based #Plant based #Street outreach #Vegan Gains #Vegan Gaze #Joey Carbstrong #Earthling Ed #Gary Yourofsky #NILF #No Injustice Lasts Forever #Funny #Comedy #Cringe #Anti-vegans #Insane #Non-vegans #Youtube

[morethansalad]

This is my Ex-Abolitionist Story (Ex-Vegan Parody)

#omg i was nervous to see this at first...but super well done lol #parody #veganism #animal liberation #animal exploitation #abolitionist #slavery #no injustice lasts forever #ahimsa #nonviolence #funny #ex vegan #Youtube

[inconveniently-discorporated]

I think I have a potentially controversial opinion on Aziraphale and the ending.

So one of the things that made me smile so, SO much, was THIS:

That PURE ABSOLUTE UTTER JOY.

We have not seen ANYTHING like that from demon Crowley. We've seen him be drunk and silly, we've seen him be amused, but we've not seen this.

Now, let's consider what we know about Heaven:

It's never fully populated. ALL of the shots are completely devoid of angels, except for a few, who are almost always just getting somewhere and never really talking to each other.

Where I thought the archangels were a tight clan, it really looks like they're super catty and prone to jealousy. No doubt they would stab each other in the back happily if it came down to it. How much of Heaven is like that, if even the archangels all hate each other?

Aziraphale already has a nervous disposition when he meets Crowley. Is he perhaps an angel that NEVER fit in? Is he familiar with being ostracized by his peers? Just how lonely IS Heaven? Crowley seems to be a pretty powerful angel, and HE doesn't even know that it's all getting shut down in 6000 years -- it's like no one talks to anyone.

Aziraphale, during their whole meeting, looks absolutely smitten. At one point, Crowley goes, "Look at you! You're gorgeous!" and Aziraphale looks over with happy surprise, just before realizing he's not looking at him but rather at what he's created. And then, when Crowley starts going on about making suggestions and asking questions, Aziraphale is IMMEDIATELY concerned and doesn't want him to get into trouble.

Aziraphale is hooked on this angel, and I cannot help but think that this is perhaps the first angel who has ever WELCOMED Aziraphale into his company.

He is hooked on this angel, and the way Crowley smiles is with the light of all the stars he's just created, and it's infectious and it brings a smile to Aziraphale's face as well. And then this angel shields him from the oncoming falling stars.

He is hooked on this angel, and then this angel goes and joins the Great Rebellion, and becomes fallen himself.

"You were an angel once," Aziraphale said, softly, at the bandstand. He remembers.

I think it's reasonable to guess that Heaven has never felt so warm as it did in the presence of millions of exploding stars, next to the (arch?)angel that may perhaps be one of the few (only?) to pay him any positive attention.

I think it's reasonable to assume that Heaven was not the same after Crowley fell. I wouldn't be surprised to find out Aziraphale had wondered about the angel, wondered if he was okay. I would imagine that Aziraphale keeps that picture of pure, angelic, unbridled joy somewhere inside of him.

So, really, is it any surprise that threaded throughout EVERY interaction, Aziraphale has this deep-down feeling that Crowley is good? Would it be any surprise that Aziraphale, an angel who goes along with Heaven as far as he can (which isn't always), feels that if HE is still an angel, then what was done to Crowley was a great injustice?

I think it would make sense that we are shown "before the beginning" not just because it is fun, but because THIS is the foundational context for everything Aziraphale thinks Crowley is, everything Crowley enjoys. I think he remembers this moment and wishes he could live there forever. With Crowley. The two of them with this happiness, forever.

But nothing lasts forever, as much as he wishes it did.

I'm not saying Aziraphale was right with what he did to Crowley at the end of s2. There is a lot I think he did wrong. I think he held onto this picture so tightly, he didn't realize that Crowley had long since let it go, and painted a new one with Aziraphale with all the shades of grey he picked up as he sauntered (or plummeted) vaguely downward (into a pool of boiling sulfur).

I don't think he was right, but I do think he is understandable. I think there was a lot of selfishness, but also some misguided selflessness too. I watched that first scene with angelic Crowley and my heart actually broke a little, because I thought, "What a shame this joy was taken away from him."

I think Aziraphale is trying to right the injustice he feels has been done. But I also think Aziraphale doesn't realize that Crowley can never go back. The concept of falling never crossed Crowley's mind when he suggested that he ask a few questions, and he will NEVER get that kind of innocence back. And Aziraphale doesn't understand, because Heaven has clearly always just been that way for him (he is already aware of the danger of asking questions).

Crowley does not want to go back because he can never go back. He can never be the same angel he was when he thought he could build a universal machine that would crank out stars for eons and eons. He can never be the same angel he was when he thought he could make some suggestions and ask some questions and co-create with THE Creator.

Crowley understands that, and Aziraphale doesn't. But I can understand why Aziraphale would want to try. And I think it's all because of this:

#good omens #gos2 spoilers #good omens meta #aziraphale analysis

[spacebarbarianweird]

The Scorching Sun

My desperate attempt to redeem the ending scene

Astarion is running away from the sunlight once the tadpole is gone, and Tav is nowhere to be seen.

Tags: hurt/comfort

Read on AO3

Masterlist

Headcanons

The excruciating pain pierces Astarion as his skin starts burning.

The sun's searing rays cause agony from which there is no respite. The tadpole's grip finally releases him. Still, as it does, it leaves behind a gaping void, one filled with a mind that races with panic and anxiety, amplifying the horrors that lie ahead.

Astarion is scared. He has never felt so frightened in his life. Not when he awoke in his coffin two centuries ago, dying of hunger and pain. Not when Cazador put him through horrors and torments. Not when he was sealed in the tomb for an entire year. Not when he thought Tav was dying.

Because now he is burning alive.

Astarion desperately looks at his companions seeking support, but instead, he sees disgust on their faces as if without tadpoles they suddenly realize Astarion is a vampire.

He hears a chuckle, probably from Gale, that "Now our friend has to return to shadows" and another voice, "Seems like we won't see him again soon."

Once trusted friends now cruelly mock him, their laughter an eerie cacophony that reverberates in the depths of Astarion's consciousness. Each word stabs his undead heart.

You are nowhere to be seen. You are absent when he needs you the most.

Astarion runs toward the huge crates at the pier, which cast a comforting shadow. Astarion stumbles – he can't see anything; the sun has burnt his eyes. By touch, he finally gets to the shadows, curls up in the corner, and presses his legs to the chest.

Eyesight finally recovers. Astarion hears distant voices – someone laughs, someone cheers. He is jealous. Why can't he be there, with them, in the sunlight? Didn't he suffer too much? Didn't he fight the Brain with the rest? Why, why?

Tears stream down his cheeks. Tears of pain, tears of desperation, resentment, injustice.

Betrayal.

As the sun slowly rises, a merciful shadow retreats, and a harsh ray of light burns Astarion's right leg. The once-safe haven has become dangerous, and despair compels Astarion to seek refuge in the nearest house. The sun continues to scorch him, subjecting him to wave after wave of searing pain.

However, an invisible barrier obstructs his path, granting entry only upon invitation, offering no respite for the vampire. Astarion is left to writhe in the agony of the daylight.

He must go to the Inn. The vampire's invitation is forever, but the city lies in ruins, with only fleeting shadows left. Baldurians cheer, praising the gods for saving them from unimaginable horrors. Amidst the joy and light, Astarion feels like crying, for he knows he doesn't belong here. Life, light, and happiness are not for him; he remains a creature of the night, a monster. His foolish hope for anything else has faded away.

At last, he reaches the Inn. Astarion pushes the door open and collapses on his knees, palms pressed into the wooden floor. The pain clings to his body like acid sweat. The tavern is empty, and Astarion manages to stumble upstairs, each step feeling like an eternity. Even the cruelest tortures in Cazador's mansion did not leave him feeling so helpless and weak.

Finally, he crawls into the room he once shared with you and collapses onto the bed. The dark room envelops Astarion like a lover, providing a shred of safety. The echoes of his former companions' laughter still torment the vampire like cruel ghosts from the past.

In desperation, Astarion questions if he heard your voice. Were your promises of love empty words? Could you no longer want him, and the tadpole was the sole reason for your affection? These tormenting thoughts whirl in his mind, threatening to drown him as hunger and pain draw him closer to the abyss.

The hunger is insatiable, gut-wrenching. The tadpole had once dulled it like a medicine. Now, it is back, threatening to turn Astarion into a feral, mindless monster.

Astarion clenches his fingers, trying to grasp the reality: he is alive, his master is dead, and he is free. But it all means nothing.

Hours pass, and Astarion attempts to enter a trance to escape the agony, but his sunburnt body refuses to cooperate. He longs for respite, for a brief escape from reality, but the pain and dark thoughts overwhelm him.

Yes, he did hear your voice in that laughter, and he envisions an evil grin on your face. Perhaps you despise him and have moved on to someone else. Silent tears stream down his face, bearing witness to the profound betrayal he feels from those he once trusted and loved and to the unending nightmare of his existence.

Then, he hears footsteps. The door swings open.

"Astarion! I should have known you were heading here," you exclaim as you sit on the bed and take his hand.

Astarion looks at you in disbelief. Your face, your voice, your scent. You are back. He wants to grab you, to press his face against your collarbone. But he is so weak he can't move.

"Does it hurt?" you ask. Astarion nods, and you press your lips to his knuckles.

"I'm so sorry. I fainted when the tadpole was removed. When I woke up, they told me you had run away, and I've been trying to find you ever since. Hey, look at me," you gently caress his cheek. "I am here. I'm not going anywhere."

Astarion finally manages to look into your eyes. He sees the same love, care, kind smile, hope, and support he thought he had lost.

"I thought… I thought you were never coming back," he whispers.

"Well, if you had run even further, I would have lost you forever," you say.

The tears prickle his eyes once again. How could he have ever doubted you? What kind of person was he to assume that his lover would betray him?

"You didn't answer if it hurts."

"Like a hellplane," he replies.

"I am so sorry. I truly am."

Astarion finally manages to lift his hands and he presses you against his chest. You roll over and lie beside him, putting your head on his shoulder, and he wraps his right hand around you as you place your hand on his stomach.

There are so many things he wants to say to you but simply can't.

"What are we going to do next?" you ask.

He shrugs. "I don't know. What do you want?"

"Anything that doesn't involve staying in this city. We could settle somewhere…"

"It would be tediously boring," Astarion interjects.

"Agreed. We'll always have time for that. Maybe we should go to the Underdark to help other spawns."

He strokes your hair. "I'm not taking a living person to a den of seven thousand vampires, that's for sure."

Astarion presses you tighter, wanting to feel your heartbeat. Then, a realization washes over him: he is no longer in pain. His skin doesn't burn, and his muscles aren't being torn apart. Your presence alone alleviates his suffering. He kisses your forehead and responds with a smile.

"What do you think about getting away? Traveling with me and seeing the world?" you finally propose.

"Darling, I thought you'd never suggest it. I'm sick of this place."

"And we can find a cure for you. There are probably ways to allow you to walk in the sun or even reverse your vampirism. This world is full of cruel wonders, so why not give it a try?"

He nods and gazes at your face as if trying to memorize every little detail.

"I'm not going anywhere, Astarion," you smile. "Stop looking at me as if I'm going to disappear." You sit up and ask, "Can I kiss you?"

"Only if you promise me something," Astarion counters.

"What is it?"

"Stop asking for permission to touch or kiss me."

"You sure?" you hesitate.

"Yes. Stop treating me as if I'm made of glass. It's you. Your touches can never be unwelcome."

You giggle and kiss him. At that moment, you are the two happiest people in the world.

**

You both lay in each other's arms until sunset. When night falls, you leave the city walls and enter the wilderness. You continue forward, holding hands as if afraid to lose each other. Astarion's undead heart rejoices. He has everything a man needs.

Freedom.

A woman he loves, who loves him in return.

A future.

He would be a fool to exchange all this for false promises of power.

Suddenly, you stop, wrap your hands around his neck, and press your lips against his. Then, you proceed to kiss his cheeks, his forehead, and everything you can reach while standing on the ground.

He flinches for a second but then hugs you back and tightens his grip.

"Never ask for permission," he whispers into your ear. "You are always invited."

#astarion #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 astarion #astarion bg3 #astarion romance #astarion fic #astarion x reader #astarion x female reader #astarion fics #astarion ending #astarion ancunin #astarion fanfic #astarion fanfiction #spacebarbarian fics

[saerins]

⋆୨ chapter seven ୧˚ till forever falls apart

⋆୨ if not for you (masterlist) ⋆୨ previous: chapter six - redefines in every way what love is - end ୧˚

⋆୨ synopsis ୧˚ neither of you want this. both you and sae reluctantly agree to this marriage, although sae’s dissatisfaction far outweighs your own. with hidden agendas and old flames, will this ever work out between the two of you, or will your forced spark be doomed to fail?

ೀ series: sae x f!reader | wc 8.8k | ೀ content warnings: fluff/angst, modern au, arranged marriage, rich!sae and rich!reader, jealousy/paranoia, suggestive scenes, mentions of blood/children | notes: we have finally reached the end of infy !! rejoice i will no longer be able to torture you guys with the ending of this hehe but i do hope you all enjoyed this ^_^ & now onto the next !

“I came here to talk to her.”

There’s no speck of kindness left in Sae’s eyes when he looks at what’s left of his former lover. He doesn’t even notice you sauntering up behind him.

“How many times do I need to tell you to leave us alone?” Sae emphasises that last part, uncertain of how else he can possibly phrase it so that she makes herself scarce.

For the first time tonight, Mirin doesn’t even pay attention to Sae. Her eyes look past him, focused entirely on you.

You take your position next to Sae, feeling his hand tenderly grip onto your wrist. At the very least, it gives you comfort knowing that he’s here no matter what’ll happen. Though, judging by the ever slight panic you can make out from Mirin’s face, whatever it is isn’t pretty.

Mirin doesn’t say a word, only stares at you expectantly. Swallowing your ego, you nod subtly. You’re curious.

“I’m sorry,” comes out of her mouth, and you don’t know how to feel. There’s a lot of things she needs to be sorry for, but that’s your personal feelings. Somehow, you doubt it’s related to anything with regards to Sae.

“If that’s all you came to say—”

“Do you know about your parents?” Mirin ignores Sae again, instead looking to you.

Sae’s about to just shut the door in her face when you tug on his hand, stopping him. He’s perplexed by you, but he listens to you just the same.

“Yeah, barely. What about it?” 

Because Sae did tell you briefly about it, about his suspicions on what they’re trying to do. You have to admit, having Oliver and his family’s PI stalk your parents wasn’t on your bingo card this year. And what he’s suspicious of never even crossed your mind. Only because even if they aren’t the best parents in the world, you didn’t think that they’d actually let any harm come upon you.

To think, they would try to take all of the money, not only their own but yours too, in order to save their own asses.

Mirin almost looks like she doesn’t want to say anything, her fingers grasping tightly and desperately on the hem of her dress before opening her mouth and making your heart sink to the depths below.

“The police are coming and it’s my fault and I know I haven’t done anything to earn your trust but can you please let me handle it?”

She says it all in one breath. Hurriedly without pause.

Are the police already that close?

“What the fuck, Mirin?” Sae spits, his grip on you tightening as he pulls you behind him, the vein on his forehead close to popping.

Mirin swallows the lump in her throat and you’re left staring in a daze behind your husband, wondering what you’ve done that was so wrong that you deserved this; your parents, a scorned and jealous ex-lover, legal threats.

“Sae, please,” Mirin’s panicking and you wonder why that is. Correction, you can sense why—it’s plain old regret. Regret caused by rash actions done on impulse. “It’s my fault, I know but we don’t have time. Tabito’s trying to stall them but they’re coming.” Her eyes flicker over to you, and you’d think she’s beautiful if all you’re seeing isn’t just red.

You feel the injustice creeping up inside of you, threatening you to take action. “And why the hell should I trust you?” Your tone is harsher than you ever thought you could go, and even Mirin shrinks back at the venom she senses laced inside your words.

And usually you’d feel bad for it but someone has already called the cops on you for something you didn’t do and that someone is right in front of you asking you for the same trust she wouldn’t have afforded you if the roles were reversed. If you didn’t have any self control, you’d have slapped her by now.

Mirin’s about to say something when she hears seven tight raps on the door. As Sae reluctantly moves away to open the door, Mirin whips her head towards you one last time.

“Please.”

The last thing she deserves is a chance. You know that. Both your head and your heart are in the same place for once and yet why can’t you act on it? Why can’t you just tell her to shove it up her ass?

“Y/N,” Sae calls your name, hushed because you presume he’s just as cautious as you are.

Slowly, you nod your head, signalling for him to open the door. You don’t know what Mirin is planning, or whether all this is part of her evil plot to take you down somehow.

When the door opens, you see Sae’s friend, Karasu, stepping in first before a detective, a dirty blonde with dark circles under his eyes like he hasn’t slept for days. Behind him, two policemen stand guard, watching you cautiously, as though you might try to jump out the window just to run from them.

“Are you Y/N?”

The detective is addressing you, and you’re sure he’s only doing it out of courtesy because these people always do their work before nabbing their supposed targets. Beside you, Mirin steps one step forward, her earlier panic expertly masked by a puzzlingly professional expression. From your line of sight, behind where the detective stands, Sae tries to move toward you, only to have Karasu reach out to grab his wrist and keep him there, a subtle shake of his head as the only signal for him not to make any moves.

“I am,” you respond, because any under or overreaction would only prove to make you look guilty.

“What is this about, detective?” Mirin asks, a casual aloofness donned on her face now. You’re impressed by just how quickly she can change her moods.

“Oh, it’s you, Ms Seto,” the detective says, realising who she is, and you don’t doubt how influential her father’s been to all of Japan with his work. Immediately, his face softens and brightens up, as though it’s imperative that he stay on their family’s good side. He probably assumes that just because Mirin’s here in this hotel room that she’s close to you. “We received an anonymous tip regarding Ms L/N’s family here, as well as her possible involvement. We’d like to take her down to the station for some questioning.”

So that’s what Mirin had done to you. She had tried to pin part of what your parents are doing on you, too. You nearly scoff if not for the fact you know that the two policemen behind are watching you like a hawk. Mirin is the one who scoffs though, crossing her arms like she’s been through these situations a thousand times.

Beside you, any trace of guilt is absent from Mirin’s expression because apparently, and you don’t doubt it, she’s a very good actress. If it’s up to you, you’d say that her talents are wasted since she’s not one. And while your stubborn ego wants to solve this for yourself, you’d never even gotten in trouble with the local police before for anything, and something tells you that Mirin is way better than you are at this, so you keep your mouth shut and let her handle this like she asked.

“So you have no proof of any sort that she’s complicit in any illegal activities?”

The detective chuckles helplessly, like he expects Mirin to be that attentive. “No, not until the anonymous tipper provides us with what they say they have.”

Mirin’s expression falters just slightly for a split second before she’s back to normal. “So no concrete proof, then?”

“No, ma’am.” The detective seems a little laid back around her—are they family friends? Sure seems like it to you.

“Then I’d appreciate it if you don’t treat Y/N here like she’s some sort of criminal. We wouldn’t want anyone seeing her being escorted into a police car and making assumptions, would we?”

Behind him, Sae seems to have relaxed a little, lacking the earlier blind hostility he held. Maybe it partly has to do with whatever Karasu whispered to him right before this. Still, he’s as surprised as you are that Mirin’s committing herself to covering for you.

“Fine, we’ll meet at the station then,” the detective says, the mirth still on his face as he bids a temporary goodbye.

When all that’s left are the four of you, Sae immediately takes his place beside you, his hand possessively gripping your wrist, an accusatory look thrown in Mirin’s direction. “You did all of that just to mess with my wife?”

Mirin’s expression falters when he uses that term again, for you, because deep down, she still wishes for it to be her. She still wishes for that guy she fell in love with and made all those plans with to be hers. Hers, and no one else’s. But it’s evident enough that no matter how much she tries, even if you somehow ended up dead, it would never be her. He’d rather wait for the ghost of you than live with anyone else.

Karasu walks over, settling himself between the divide. He’s the one who seems the most sane, given this has almost nothing to do with him. “Sae, leave it for now,” Karasu advises, blocking Mirin’s line of sight. You presume he’s just doing it as a favour, maybe to simmer Sae’s anger, because you can feel his hands trembling with rage even as they hold on to you. “We need to get Y/N to the police station before this gets any worse for her and her sister.”

Your throat goes dry. “My sister? She’s been taken in too?”

How ironic that you were doing all this just to protect her from the harsh reality that your parents never loved either of you.

Karasu nods apologetically. “My sources say she was taken in about half an hour ago, but discreetly.”

The passive anger that was only settling on the surface seems to finally boil over, and you thank god that Sae is holding you back from possibly harming Mirin. Otherwise, you’d have probably punched her right now.

“I’m… I’m sorry.” Her voice is timid and she’s trembling but you don’t hold an ounce of appreciation for her earlier actions nor sympathy for her current emotions. This was all because of her. Her, and your parents, and you doubt you’re enough of a saint to forgive either parties.

“If anything happens to her, I’ll make sure you regret it.” Your words are a warning, and Mirin takes them in silently.

Maybe you have been too nice, and way too passive. To the point where people like Mirin felt like they could try their best because they had nothing to fear. At the very least, it still comforts you knowing that Sae was never trying to get anywhere with her. If not, it was the very opposite, though you still didn’t appreciate his lack of communication.

“Hey, I’ll drive us there, okay?” Sae tells you softly, his hand tugging yours gently, briefly washing the anger off of you. When you face him and nod, he smiles, his hand coming up to place your head against his shoulder as he walks you to the car, Karasu and Mirin trudging wordlessly behind. You let him lead the way, finding an odd sense of comfort, different from before.

Now, you know that Sae will protect you unconditionally. He’s been doing it up until now, even when you weren’t his favourite person. Despite his shortcomings, despite the fact that he had no obligation to, Sae was always on your side.

And maybe now you can see a glimpse of the future you imagined, the one where you get unconditional love, the one where you can see a happy family who’s not just obsessed with money. A proper one, with its very foundations built on love and not control over another.

When you get to the carpark, you see Mirin getting into Karasu’s car, and you silently thank him for going out of his way to get involved in all of this. The last thing you need is to be able to see Mirin in the rearview mirror of your husband’s car, sitting there as though she deserved any sort of comfort. If you could, you’d stuff her in the trunk and tell her to deal with it.

However, even without her there, both of you stay relatively quiet. Maybe because neither of you have ever been in this type of situation; neither of you know what to say. Even so, as he pulls in to the parking lot of the station, he takes your hand, squeezing it gently, his teal eyes gentle as they fall into your gaze.

“No matter what, I promise you, I’ll protect you, okay?”

You don’t doubt his words. You nod, squeezing his hand back, tightly because you’re more nervous than he is. You’d probably have to face the interrogation alone, or at the most with Mirin, and who knows what she might pull in there?

“Hey, hey,” he calls out to you softly, his other hand coming up to your cheek and turning you to face him, his forehead pressing against your own, eyes still locked on yours, his smile the gentlest you’ve ever seen. “We’ll get through this. Whatever you decide, whatever you want to do, I’ll take your side, okay baby?”

Maybe it’s the way the pet name so easily rolls off your tongue, but you still find your heart skipping a beat at such a simple gesture.

“Ready?”

You take a deep breath, nodding.

“Ready.”

While you’re in the room with Mirin and the detective, Sae finds himself pacing the waiting room restlessly despite Karasu’s attempts at calming him down.

The raven-haired man cocks a brow, amused by what he sees because Itoshi Sae of all people getting restless is always interesting. Usually, he doesn’t even get to see Sae bothered at all. The last time he saw that sliver of emotion was, well, back when Mirin left.

“Dude, relax, your wife will be fine.” That’s all Karasu can offer now, pointless words of assurance. Though he can argue he’s been plenty useful when calming Mirin down back at the hotel. 

Sae shoots him a warning look. “With Mirin in there?”

Karasu sighs, leaning back against the wall, staring at the ceiling. He doesn’t recall knowing when exactly things got so fucked up between them.

“Look, I don’t know what the fuck was up with her, I’ll be honest,” Karasu explains, the only person there with any hint of pity for Mirin. “She fucked up, she knows. And you don’t gotta forgive her, really. If it were me I’d have handled it much less classier than your wife did. But trust me, Mirin’s trying to make up for it right now, okay? We can’t do anything so relax.”

Silence falls over them for a while, the sounds of the landlines ringing and clacking of keyboards the only things they can hear.

“What did you say to make her regret it?”

Because Sae’s at the very least curious about why she was so quick to rescind her punishment for you.

His friend shrugs, “is it hard to believe it could be something as simple as realising she didn’t wanna lose you completely?”

The earlier hostility leaves Sae’s body, only a bitter upset lingering behind. Because he can believe it, because at the core, Mirin’s always been simple. The way she acts out, not so much. She’d already alienated Sae by having been the object of his affection once, and that was not her fault, but she’d exacerbated it by acting completely out of line. On the tip of her impulsiveness was just the last chance to either possibly redeem herself or risk thorough destruction of whatever was left of their entire relationship through the years.

Maybe it’s heartless of him, but he doesn’t care. Yeah, he should’ve handled it better in the beginning. He should’ve just told Mirin that he doesn’t want to be someone who wrecks his own home, even if it didn’t feel exactly like home back then. But you didn’t deserve the anger she placed onto you. After realising his feelings, that was where he drew the line. 

He doesn’t give a shit if Mirin woke up and regretted her actions. He doesn’t care if she’s trying to make up for it and save you. All he cares about is you and just you.

Sensing the tension in the air, Karasu forces a lighthearted chuckle. “What kind of magic does Y/N have to make someone like you so whipped, huh?”

There’s a pink hue to Sae’s cheeks at the mention of it, forcing him to look away as Karasu snickers at him.

“Look… don’t get mad, okay? But… do you think it’s possible she knew about it all?”

Never in his life has Sae’s fingers curled into a fist so fast, nails digging into his palms so hard, and Karasu has to throw his hands up in the air in surrender. Both of them know that if anything happens, they’re going to be recorded—and then the media will see it. And then everything will be taken out of context.

It’s routine at this point.

“She had nothing to do with it, so shut it.”

Does Sae know for sure that you don’t? Of course not. He doesn’t have evidence to support you, except that your parents left you behind. If your family’s really twisted, it could all be a part of some ploy. But Sae likes to think he knows you; you’re not sick or twisted. You’re kind and beautiful and trustworthy that he’s not even going to entertain the idea that you knew anything.

It isn’t long after that Sae spots you walking out of the interrogation room, down the corridor and back out to him. For the most part, at least you look fine. You’re trembling a little, so he clasps his hands over yours, holding you to him and kissing the top of your head.

“Hey, you doing okay?”

You can only manage a weak nod, but that’s enough for him. This situation can be a bit much for anyone. He holds you close like that, his warm body cloaking your own. You hate how it’s so easy for you to calm down when he’s here with you, and even if you’d like to condemn him for making such a whirlwind for your life you know it’s not technically his fault.

It was your parents who forced you into this marriage, or else you’d never have met Sae at all. It was Mirin who took it upon herself to try and ruin everything when Sae had refused her. And it was definitely your parents who took all their money and ran before they could get caught for multiple counts of fraud and embezzlement.

All Sae ever did was save your own money, all thanks to making that joint account. Otherwise, your parents would’ve made off with your money too, leaving you with no cent to your name, all properties seized.

You hold him a little tighter now, the tiff over what you thought was going on between him and Mirin seeming so stupid in comparison. Your own parents abandoned you and your sister, looked at you as just a pawn to get what they wanted. You don’t even know how you’re going to face Sae’s parents now that this happened.

A minute later, Mirin also waltzes out of the room, her feigned arrogance still present because the detective is still there. You gaze at them out of the corner of your eye; things only went so easy there because Mirin played her family’s cards right, and now both you and your sister are free to go.

In normal situations, this is where you thank her. But nothing about this is normal, and this was a situation partly borne out of Mirin’s impulsiveness. So all you manage is not paying her back with a slap.

“If you hear anything—”

“We’ll call you,” Sae cuts the detective off, his grip around you getting tighter.

Even if everything had been rocky earlier tonight, you find yourself comforted by the way you just know that Sae would protect you no matter what. You don’t even have to ask him, and he’d do right by you. For a moment, you wonder if this is the kind of unconditional love you’d always wanted.

“Hey, are you okay? Wanna go now?”

Sae’s voice is softer than you thought he could ever be, and all you want to do is melt into his embrace without thinking about anything but unfortunately the world is never so kind and neither is your mind because there’s a thousand questions running through it.

“Where’s my sister?”

“I got her to wait in Karasu’s car with her boyfriend. His car has more privacy and I thought it’d be best if no one outside could picture us.”

Right, because there are already some reporters who got hold of the news and are waiting right outside to ambush you into answering their questions. It’s all sorts of fucked up but you presume your parents are worse so you can’t really say anything.

Sae starts to lead the way to the carpark, his hand never leaving your side. He makes sure to look around, make sure nobody’s there to ambush you. Behind you, you can hear Karasu whispering things you can’t hear, probably to Mirin.

“That would mean there won’t be any space for her, right?” You ask, your mind still doing flips back and forth between being the bigger person and being petty about it. Because you’d love to be as ruthless as she once was to you, but ultimately, you don’t want to feel like you owe her anything.

As you reach the car, Karasu unlocks it, and Sae opens the back door, your sister sound asleep on the other side, her boyfriend muttering a soft ‘hello’. They both look tired, and you don’t blame them. At least you had Sae to warn you about what was going on, but to them it must’ve been a shock, especially for your poor sister who’s always been sheltered against the horrible things your parents could do.

“It’s fine, she can take the train,” Sae mutters, purposefully loud enough for Mirin to hear and hopefully get the hint.

Karasu’s about to suggest otherwise, but you interject—you’re pretty sure you’re the only one Sae will listen to now anyway. Even if Karasu tries to say anything, there’s a high chance that it’ll go ignored.

“She can sit in the front,” you say, because despite knowing better, it’s always been in you to try and be nice.

“Thank—”

“If she ends up getting pictured, it could blow back on us anyway,” you mutter coldly, because being nice doesn’t mean you have to make it apparent. There’s no one here you have to impress anyway, and Sae probably knows you’re just trying to hold it together for yourself, so you won’t have any regrets.

Like you predicted, Sae’s not all for it, but he doesn’t say a thing, following after you into the backseat, squeezing and trying not to wake your sister. Mirin doesn’t say a thing the whole way back, she only thanks Karasu for driving her back and leaves. Neither does Karasu say a thing, awkward silence hanging in the air as you catch him casting quick glances at you and Sae in the rearview mirror.

“Thanks for taking care of her,” you whisper to your sister’s boyfriend as he carries her out of the car. You didn’t get to talk to her all night, but that’s fine, you suppose she needs a long rest after everything she found out tonight.

He shoots you a helpless smile after he presses a kiss onto her forehead. The way he looks at her alone could make people believe in love, and you’ve never been more thankful that you tried your best to protect it. Among everyone, your sister’s always been good and kind, and even if you’ve never seen her around that much after university started for her, you love her all the same.

“You sure you don’t wanna wake her?” He asks you, quietly so he doesn’t disturb her. “She said she missed you, you know.”

You shake your head. “It’s fine, I’ll call her when things settle down,” you assure him, managing a genuine smile. “Take care of her, okay?”

Behind you, Sae smiles to himself when he figures out he must’ve married an angel, must be the luckiest man in the world. Despite everything that’s happened, you should be taking care of yourself, yet you managed to make sure Mirin got a ride home, and that your sister is in good hands. You’re a much bigger person than Sae can even dream to be and yet somehow, you chose to put all your effort into him and this marriage and even if he can’t tell where this will go from now on, he’s not going to give up on you.

When Karasu pulls out of your sister’s apartment parking, Sae slides over to your side, sitting himself on the middle backseat, putting an arm around you and gently placing your head in the crook of his neck. Then, only then, do you let your tears go, sobbing into his chest because you’d been holding back all this time, and Sae wonders if you do this a lot on a daily basis; put on a brave face as though you need to pretend you’re something you’re not. Though, if this was happening to him and Rin, he would be doing the same thing you are.

In the driver’s seat, Karasu finally understands why Oliver’s been saying Sae is a changed man. Even back then, with Mirin, Karasu doesn’t recall Sae being this gentle. Maybe it’s because he’s older now, or maybe it’s just because of you—the fact that it’s you, that’s why Sae is like this at all, a privilege only for a special person.

“Hey man,” Karasu calls out to Sae after you get out of the car. He smirks when Sae looks over at him, very much like a hopeless man in love because out of the corner of his eye, Karasu can tell that he has his hand in yours, keeping you there. Since when was he ever this clingy? “Congratulations.” Something he didn’t get to say because he wasn’t at the wedding.

But at least saying it now, he can really mean it.

Sae smiles subtly, but your head pops back into Karasu’s field of view before your husband can say anything.

“Hey, Karasu, right?”

He looks surprised, but he smiles at you all the same. “Yes, I am.”

You grin at him, and Karasu can already tell Sae’s a lucky man. Pretty wife, and from whatever Oliver’s mentioned, it sounds like you’re a keeper.

“I just met you tonight but… thank you, really,” you tell him, and he chuckles. 

You’re really something, because even Mirin had mentioned it to him earlier when she was having a full-on breakdown, when he had asked about you. Karasu thinks that it would just be a lot easier to think screw everyone and just focus on yourself, but apparently, not for you. Maybe he understands a little more of why Sae can’t help but fall for you.

“That’s a lot of shit to unload on someone who didn’t exactly steal Sae from you,” Karasu remarked, trying his best to steer Mirin in the right direction.

Mirin clicked her tongue, annoyed because she knew she wasn’t exactly acting with common sense. All she had wanted was to remove you from the picture, through any means necessary. So why? Why was it that whatever she tried would backfire on her? Why was it that no matter what, Sae would never give up on you? Where was the guy that so easily gave in when Mirin had suggested a breakup?

Why did she have to teach him everything only for you to get everything she ever wanted?

“Look, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but if you keep doing this…” Karasu trailed off, sighing as he looked away, scratching his head. “You’re really gonna lose every ounce of a friend you could possibly have in Sae.”

Mirin kept quiet for a while, then, as if she was considering something. Back then, Karasu hadn’t even known that anonymous tip she sent in to the police. If he had, he would’ve definitely acted faster.

“Is that Y/N even that bad of a girl?” Karasu thought out loud, wondering why there was all this trouble over you and Sae.

And for the first time since she got back to Japan, Mirin was completely honest with herself.

“No, she’s not.” (It was so quiet, Karasu had trouble deciding whether it was just the figment of his imagination.)

Because what had you ever done to her except unwillingly be placed in the middle of their by-then non-existent relationship?

“At your service, ma’am,” Karasu responds, grinning at you when he says his next words. “And don’t worry, I’ll keep Mirin in check.”

You still for a moment hearing those words, then pout at him before you slowly retreat out of the car, pulling Sae with you. You’re not even sure why you can find it in yourself to be worried for someone like Mirin who tried to screw you over. Maybe it’s because Sae had told you about her parents, about how she just didn’t have anyone and leaned on Sae for support out of habit. Somehow, Karasu’s words manage to comfort you a little bit; at least you knew that there was still someone else looking out for her. Your empathy is there, but that doesn’t mean you want to forgive her or even think about it.

Karasu laughs at your subtle reaction, rolling down the window, “hey Sae, your wife’s kinda cute,” he teases, and you see why Karasu managed to calm Mirin down back at the hotel. Whatever he did, it was definitely effective. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he oozes sincerity despite his jokes, something you can’t really say for Oliver and Shidou.

Beside you, Sae uses his body to block your line of sight as he flips Karasu off. “My wife, go away,” he quips, and you can only watch as Karasu laughs it off while he drives away from your apartment.

The moment you’re back in the house, Sae sets your bag down slowly on the couch, and you pause right before you enter the bedroom. Everything somehow feels light yet awkward and it feels like you’ve been through so many emotions in the span of one night and now it’s already 2am and you’re tired but it’s not like you can sleep right away with all these thoughts in your head.

You feel Sae’s chest press up against your back, his arms wrapping around your chest. Now that you know he’s never actually even cheated on you, or even thought about it, it’s like a huge weight has been lifted off your chest.

“What’s on your mind?” There’s a strain in his voice, and you can tell he’s gotten a cold just from tonight alone.

You sigh. “I don’t know if I can handle all of this…” you mutter honestly. Everything has just been too much. It was manageable back when you thought your marriage was the only thing in ruins, but to learn now that your parents are wanted fugitives and the fact that they’d leave you and your sister to clean things up and bear the brunt of being damned just for being their kids is a lot to take in for one night.

“You know I’m here for you whatever you need, right?” Sae asks, holding you tighter, pressing a kiss on your temple.

You want to be soft for him so bad, you want to melt into his touch and let him comfort you and hug him to sleep, but can you really afford it right now? Can you afford letting him feel that everything is fine after keeping everything from you and driving you to the point of thinking about divorce?

It’s not normal. It shouldn’t be.

And while you appreciate what he’s done for you in secret, that’s exactly what you’re not so sure about—secrets. You’re husband and wife, and if there’s going to be any hope moving forward, you can’t have him try and bear the burden of knowing alone.

“If you ever keep something like that from me again, I’m not giving you another chance,” you tell him, your voice quivering but he listens to you seriously all the same. It’s times like these where you appreciate that he isn’t the type to be joking around all the time. He’s serious when you need him to be, and that means a lot to you already.

“I promise you, I’ll talk to you, whatever it is,” he says, slowly turning you around, his fingers gently gripping your chin, tipping your head up to face him. “I meant what I said, by the way. I love you, Y/N, and I’m sorry I was being stupid. And I’ll try to make up for it, however long it takes me, okay?”

This is a first for you that it makes you emotional. For your entire life, you feel like it’s been you who’s been the one trying to take care of other people’s feelings and needs so much that you step all over your own. For your entire life, no one has cared about you so much so that they’d actively try and take care of you. Everyone lets you take care of everything yourself without thinking that it’d be nice to offer you help even if you looked like you didn’t need it.

For your whole life, you’d wondered how it would feel like being loved by someone who wants to take care of you just because. And here he is, making you feel like you’re loveable, like you’re worthy of being treated like a princess, like you don’t have to mask who you are to get his love because no matter what you do, his love overpowers it.

“So don’t leave me, okay?” Sae’s lashes flutter against your own, his teeth clenched because he’s thinking of how close he was to losing you and he would’ve never forgiven himself if you did.

And maybe it’s the way you realised he���s loved you in his own way all this while, or maybe it’s the way he keeps you so close to him now, so afraid of losing you, that you feel it’s okay to let yourself go, to let yourself be you, to wear your heart on your sleeve because no matter what it is, Sae will take care of it.

“I love you, Sae,” you whisper, both of you with your eyes closed, breaths mixed together, Sae subconsciously pushing you into the bedroom because he never realised that such simple words from you would ignite such an urgency inside him.

That night, for the first time, you experience Sae’s love for you. The way it’s so subtle, so gentle, a complete opposite of what you initially thought he was. The way he holds you in the palm of his hands and takes care of you completely; a dream you thought you’d never live to see come true. So many people go their whole lives being stuck in a relationship that they find lacking and yet here you are, getting everything you need and want and you don’t even have to ask for it because Sae knows you well enough to give it to you.

In the dim light of the moon that makes it into the slivers of your blinds, Sae marks you as his own, and even though neither of you have been through it, it feels right. It feels so right even when you’re lying in bed together after everything, legs tangled together underneath the blanket, bare bodies enveloping one another as the exhaustion finally kicks in.

Sae watches you as you fall asleep, finger lightly brushing your arms and lulling you to sleep. There’s a lot he still doesn’t understand about relationships, and the only form of experience he had seemingly meaning nothing in the face of his actual love, yet he’s strangely motivated now. There’s no way he’s going to let anything, much less himself, fuck this up.

No, he’s going to do his best to keep you happy, to take care of you and make sure you don’t have to be the one who acts strong all the time just to appease everyone else. He’s going to make you smile everyday because you deserve it, and he’ll do anything to make sure that happens.

Anything.

“She had nothing to do with it.”

Of course, Sae’s parents didn’t take too well to the news. One night isn’t enough for it to blow over, because the moment they got the news, they were here to get to the bottom of it. As expected, you received nothing but accusatory remarks, and unlike Mirin’s, at least Sae’s parents had the right to be upset.

Still, Sae’s standing up to them, a protective arm keeping you behind him, making sure they don’t throw daggers at you.

They’re angry, but they’re not as bad as your own parents. At the very least, his father isn’t throwing a tantrum and breaking silverware. Doesn’t even look close to it. He only crosses his arms in disbelief, the vein on his forehead threatening to pop.

“Are you sure you want to defend her?” He asks his son, scoffing. “You know how bad of a reputation we have now thanks to her parents?”

“He’s right, honey, if you want to divorce her now we’d fully support you,” his mother joins in, and she’s every bit as submissive as your own mother, you bet. Anything for their money bag.

“I’m not divorcing my wife ever, so if that’s all you came to say, you can leave.”

Suddenly you feel guilt for being the one to bring up divorce in the first place.

The argument goes on for a while, and you keep quiet all through it. Only because Sae asked you to. It’s fair; he wants to handle his parents, so you’ll trust him to it. If there’s a need, you’d interject anyway.

Like right now, when you realise that maybe your silence is making things even worse, like your admittance of guilt.

“I’m sorry for what my parents did,” you speak up, bowing ninety degrees because as much as you hate their actions, you want to help Sae as much as you can. He must hate talking to his parents as much as you do, so the least you can do is alleviate that. “I really didn’t know what they were up to, and I didn’t expect it to affect your family’s reputation as well. I can’t even begin to repay you for what my parents did, but I can offer you everything I have now, and I’ll do anything you want me to.”

“Then easy, leave—”

“Except leave your son,” you affirm, straightening up and looking them in the eyes. “We love each other, so we’re going to make this work.” Beside you, a smile tugs on the corners of Sae’s lips at your declaration. Are you really the same person who used to be so meek in front of yours and his parents once upon a time? “As for my parents, I’ll let the authorities do their work and capture them. As far as I’m concerned, they’re dead to me.”

Perhaps it’s because of your strong words, but the Itoshis leave not ten minutes later.

You flop down on the couch, an exhausting morning followed by an exhausting night is entirely too much for you. Sae shamelessly lays himself down on top of you, head resting on your chest. He must still be tired, judging from the bags under his eyes.

“Sorry about that,” he mumbles, fingers absentmindedly playing with your hair. “You were pretty hot, though, sticking it to them.”

You stifle a laugh, though your smile speaks for itself. “Guess we should’ve expected that. They got conned out of their money too, after all. Wonder when this is all gonna blow over,” you sigh to yourself, just wishing that the problem would disappear.

Over the course of the next few days, you received texts from colleagues asking what happened, and Sumi in particular loves to cuss your parents out over text and then apologise for being insensitive afterwards. It carries a sense of normalcy that you needed, though.

It takes a few months before everything completely settles down for you, until your sister has come to the realisation that your parents abandoned you and deserve whatever hell they’re going to get. It doesn’t stop her from saying yes to her boyfriend when he proposes, and you and Sae watch on lovingly as she leaps into his arms and kisses him silly.

“You know what, a family like this doesn’t suck so much either,” you ponder out loud. All you really need is just your sister, and Sae—both of them have never failed you after all.

Sae puts his arm around you, holding you close like he always does. You notice that; that when Sae loves you he’ll crave your proximity everytime. Sumi likes to joke that he’s too clingy, but you like him just like that.

Seeing the scene unfold in front of them, your eyes twinkling as you watch the movie-like proposal in front of you, Sae feels just a pang of guilt.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t give that to you,” he mutters, though he already knows you don’t mind. To you, what matters the most is that the both of you are still together, still happy.

And that’s exactly what you say with your hands wrapped around his neck, kissing him with those perfect lips of yours, pulling him in so naturally without having to do anything.

“You give me more than enough, Itoshi Sae,” you whisper, oblivious to Sae falling even more and more in love with you.

“Have I told you I love you?”

You chuckle, nodding and Sae’s completely taken by your grin.

“We love you too.”

“We?”

And when you break it to him, in a hushed whisper because you don’t want to ruin the proposal, Sae gives you the most lovestruck expression you’ve ever seen.

THREE YEARS LATER

A lot has changed.

Turns out, you’re not as cold-hearted as you thought. Mirin is still on the list of your least-liked humans, for sure, but it’s not like you care enough to harbour any resentment anymore. She’s not worth vexing over, and much less so after that one time years ago when she came over to personally apologise. You haven’t officially forgiven her, but you don’t particularly wish the worst upon her. You’re not even sure where she is or what she’s doing because Sae doesn’t care for keeping in touch with her, but you’re both indifferent about her now.

Reo had apparently met someone special last year when he attended a charity gala. You’ve never met her in person, but from the pictures Reo takes and shares on his socials—all to show her off, no doubt—she looks absolutely breathtaking. He was there with you throughout the whole fiasco too, lending his family’s support to weather you through the tough times. You’re happy he finally found that special someone. From his texts, sometimes it seems rocky, but he’s “pretty sure she’s the one,” and you’re honestly happy for him.

Your parents have been caught—apparently, a year out they’d tried to seek shelter with one of their friends only for them to tip the police off. It wasn’t even like you, but you visited your mother in jail, just out of curiosity, and the only thing she had begged you was to help them get a good lawyer. Not that you didn’t expect it, or that it would make any difference if you did agree. Frankly, you just went there to say “no”, to let her feel the same helplessness she and your father cast upon you. You’ve never visited her since.

Sae’s been busy ever since his career shift two years ago. (His parents weren’t all too happy about it, but ever since their screw up with yours, they weren’t as forceful anymore.) Now, he’s one of the assistant coaches for Japan’s national team, and you’ve never been happier for him. It gives him more flexibility too, getting to spend more time with you back at home, but also getting to invite you with him whenever they travel.

You guess it’s lucky that you managed to land a spot helping the team out with marketing, so more often than not you get to see your husband play some soccer. Like right now, when you’re bent over the railing, watching him coach the two main midfielders and looking completely different than when he’s at home.

For one, it’s definitely the first time you get to see him all intense. With you, he’s pretty much the opposite, going all soft whenever he gets home, and you wonder how you got so lucky to be building a home with someone who loves you so much he can spot you a mile away and give you the gentlest smile you’ve ever seen.

Sae calls for a break, jogging towards your direction looking handsome as hell but you’re not going to tell him that or else he’ll tease you about it.

“How are my girls?”

Oh, and you’ve apparently managed to give him a daughter that looks so much like him. She sits on the railing, your arms wrapped around her to support her as she jumps into her father’s arms.

“She’s been bugging me all day to come and visit you,” you remark.

Yeah, she’s a daddy’s girl—and you smile watching Sae kiss her all over, her laughter ringing in the air, her happiness meaning the world to you.

Neither you nor Sae have ever experienced what a good family is like, nor have either of you seen what good parenting is like. But your daughter seems happy everyday, with parents who support her whenever she wants to try something different, so you both take it one step at a time, learning as you go. If it ever gets too difficult for you, Sae steps in, and he’s never let you down.

“Remember what we’re gonna surprise mommy with later?” Sae asks your daughter, and you’re still trying to get used to him calling you that.

You arch a brow, “I get a surprise?”

Your daughter giggles, nodding as she melts in her father’s arms. “Of course, mommy! You’ll love it!”

Her smile is infectious, a grin forming on your face just by looking at her. You shift your gaze to your husband. “What is it?”

All he does is look you in the eyes, smirking. “You’ll see.”

That night, you entertain your daughter by letting her blindfold you and lead you, well, wherever the surprise is. It smells nice, wherever you are because you’d been blindfolded even during the car ride, and you can tell it’s grand because of the way your heels are clacking against the marble and the way Sae had dressed tonight.

By your guess, you’re probably at one of the nice hotels here for one of their signature buffet dinners. Your daughter’s never been, so that could be why she’s making a huge deal out of this. Like father, like daughter, so cute.

But when your daughter urgently whispers for you to take the blindfold off, you find yourself at the entrance of huge double doors, two hotel staff smiling and opening up to unveil a huge ballroom filled with people, most of them you recognise because they’re your friends.

It’s already bringing tears to your eyes when you realise what this must be.

They’re all cheering as they see you, your daughter skipping happily into the room, choosing to run straight to your purple-haired best friend at one of the tables who you thought was still busy abroad. Beside him, his beautiful girlfriend mouths a ‘hello’, but you’re still too surprised to respond.

Everyone’s clapping and cheering and all of a sudden you feel the familiar presence of your husband right beside you, his arms wrapping around your waist as he kisses you on the cheek.

“Surprised?”

Honestly? Yes. Very. And you’re not one to be easily surprised at all.

“I wanted to give you the celebration you deserved,” he tells you, waiting for you to take it all in.

It’s a far cry from the pathetic reception you got from people you barely knew during your actual wedding reception. Sae had been nothing but cold to you back then too, so it felt more like a prison than anything.

Now? You recognise so many faces in the crowd that you can’t help but smile and wave back. You’d always wondered what this would be like, and your husband somehow manages to give it to you without having you ask for it and you’re in love. Because he seems ice cold and awkward and rough around the edges but his love for you has always, always been warm. His love has always felt like coming home and having a safe space and this might be the unconditional love you’d been praying for your whole life.

You almost gave up on it. But you know now Sae never will. And neither will you. You have a family now, a proper one built by two people who never had a stable environment, by two people who never came close to being provided one themselves.

Sae’s your pillar of support, and you begin to see now that you’re his.

Now you know it’s true what they say; you don’t have to beg for someone’s love if they truly cared about you, because Sae has always gone the extra mile for you every single day. You don’t have to act like someone you’re not just to please them so they don’t leave—because no matter how many disagreements you have, Sae is always there to listen to your point of view. You don’t have to beg someone to treat you right if they really love you, because Sae’s been actively choosing you ever since the day you got married, and whether it’s intentional or not, you think you’re the luckiest person in the world.

And now you can’t be happier; you have a wonderful daughter who has two parents who absolutely love her. You have a husband who takes care of you in every single way, loving you in every essence of the word. You have friends like Reo who would burn the world if it was ever unkind to you and dance with you atop their pile of bodies. You have everything you could ever want and you couldn’t have seen it without Sae by your side.

The do-over of your wedding reception is perfect. So, so perfect, and it’s almost hard to believe it’s the product of Sae’s ideas. He doesn’t even particularly like celebrations like this but he did this for you, for both of you, and being able to make your daughter be a part of it is like icing on the four-tiered cake he had ordered.

“I’ll love you forever, Y/N,” he whispers suddenly into your ear as you guys are making rounds at the tables.

You accept the kiss from him, flashes going off as you smile against his lips. “Yeah? What if it falls apart?” you ask, teasing him, though you never thought he’d answer you seriously.

“Then I’ll rebuild it,” he tells you, your lips hovering just above each other and his beautiful teal eyes looking into yours, a small smile on his face. “But with you, I’m pretty sure that would never happen.”

And you’ve always been pessimistic. You’ve always chosen to believe the worst because it alleviates the pain you’d feel when things don’t go as planned. But somehow, you believe in Sae with your whole heart. You’d trust him with your whole life. So you want to give him what he’s given you—everything. (He thinks you already have.)

“I’ll love you forever, Itoshi Sae.”

taglist: @kimvmarvel @mxplesyrvp @yuzurins @futuristicxie @kiopanxp @k0z3me @y-sabell-a @sae1toshilover @xoxojisu @karmatiz @sagejin @minnieminnie00-got7 @hearts4heidi @shiinobu-x @n1uh @prepchuu @leeyzhuo @shidouryusm @tsukishiro-yue2402 @kaiserkisser @pookiebearcave @dcvilxswish @saeskiss @whtflrr @arminseas @raphsimp @saharei @danibxe @lectris00 @comet-kun @ishitam67 @gskill @sweet2wthsblog @scaraslover @beaniedoodz @bersuadikotatua @idk-bro-gay @etoiile @sanzu-sanzu-sanzu @yourstrulyharu @noimnotttt @tinyfurytaco @bxddiebloss @biaonww @kunirayuna39 @sikuthealien @vollereix @notepadgirl16 @zareri @c4ttheart @iovefilled

#bllk x reader #sae x reader #itoshi sae x reader #blue lock x reader #bllk x you #bllk x y/n #sae x y/n #sae x you #itoshi sae x you #itoshi sae x y/n #itoshi sae #bllk imagines #itoshi sae imagines #blue lock x you #blue lock x y/n #૪ aeri’s fics !

[lord-squiggletits]

One of my favorite parts of phase 2 (and indeed one of the few moments I resonated with IDW Prowl) was when the neutrals were coming back to Cybertron and Prowl said that he refused to let Autobots be pushed aside and overruled after they were the ones who fought for freedom for 4 million years (the exact wording escapes me atm).

And I mean, that resentment still holds true even once the colonists come on bc like. As much as it's true that Cybertron's culture is fucked up, and as funny as it can be to paint Cybertronians as a bunch of weirdos who consider trying to kill someone as a common greeting not important enough to hold a grudge over.... The colonists POV kind of pissed me off a lot of times, as did the narrative tone/implications that Cybertronians are forever warlike and doomed to die by their own hands bc it just strikes me as an extremely judgemental and unsympathetic way to deal with a huge group of people with massive war PTSD and political/social tensions that were rampant even before the war?

Like, imagine living in a society rife with bigotry and discrimination where you get locked into certain occupations and social strata based on how you were born. The political tension is so bad there's a string of assassinations of politicians and leaders. The whole planet erupts into an outright war that leads (even unintentionally) to famine and chemical/biological warfare that destroys your planet. Both sides of the war are so entrenched in their pre-war sides and resentment for each other that this war lasts 4 million years and you don't even have a home planet any more. Then your home planet gets restored and a bunch of sheltered fucks come home and go "ewww why are you so violent?? You're a bunch of freaks just go live in the wilderness so that our home can belong to The Pure People Who Weren't Stupid And Evil Enough To Be Trapped In War" and then a bunch of colonists from places that know nothing about your history go "lol you people are so weird?? 🤣🤣 I don't get why y'all are fighting can't you just like, stop??? Oh okay you people are just fucked up and evil and stupid then" ((their planets are based on colonialism where their Primes wiped out the native populations btw whereas the Autobots and OP in particular fought to save organics. But that never gets brought up as a point in their favor)) as if the damage of a lifetime of war and a society that was broken even before the war can just magically go away now that the war is over.

Prowl fucking sucks but he was basically the only person that pointed out the injustice of that.

And then from then on out most of the characters from other colonies like Caminus and wherever else are going "i fucking hate you and your conflicts" w/ people like literal-nobody Slide and various Camiens getting to just sit there lecturing Optimus about how Cybertronians are too violent for their own good and how their conflicts are stupid, with only brief sympathetic moments where the Cybertronians get to be recognized as their own ppl who deserve sympathy before going right back to being lambasted.

Like I literally struggled to enjoy the story at multiple points because there was only so much I could take of the characters I knew and loved being raked over coals constantly while barely getting to defend themselves or be defended by the narrative so like. It was just fucking depressing and a little infuriating to read exRID/OP

#squiggposting #and like dont get me wrong barber wasnt trying to make cybertronians the bad guys or whatever #it's just a problem with his writing where like. he has A Message he wants to send #and so he uses the entire story literally just for The Message even if it involves bullshit plotlines #or familiar characters ppl were reading about for the past decade being shit on by OCs made up to fill a new roster #like barber's writing tends to lean way too much on a sort of lecturing tone #without giving proper care towards including moments where characters get to like. fucking express themselves and share their side #sort of like how barber couldnt be bothered to write pyra magna and optimus actually talking to each other during exrid #and instead during OP ongoing pyra is suddenly screaming about how OP is unteachable #even tho she never even tried to teach him bc she and OP never interacted bc i guess barber couldnt be bothered #he just needed someone to lecture OP so fuck making the story make sense or like letting OP get to say anything in defense #this is the infuriating part of barber's writing bc i think he has incredible IDEAS and was in charge of the lore i was most interested in #but most of the time his execution sucks and he's basically just mid with a few brilliant moments occasionally #or like he has a message about the cycle of violence he wants to convey #but his narrative choices trying to convey that theme made his story come off as super unsympathetic to the ppl who suffered #to the point where barber actively kneecapped some scenes that couldve been super fucking intense and emotional #in favor of the characters lecturing each other or some stupid plot to criticize OP #that time in unicron where windblade screamed about how this is their fault and then arcee replied that her planet is build on coloniation #shouldve happened more often than literally the last series of the ocntinuity. like goddamn stfu about your moral superiority #when your own sins are right fhere lol

[operationslipperypuppet]

Top 5 poignant Murph lines?

So sorry this took me so long, I was putting way too much thought into it.

The world should have protected you but you have been asked to protect it. What an honor. What an injustice. (Duh. Some of his best shit)

We will not rain arrows down from our towers, we will always shine a light. (I wrote this down the first time I listened to crown of dreams and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. Such good shit)

Let this old man leave the world knowing that the kids are gonna be alright. (Everything about Cobb’s last message to Hardwon, stored forever in the hammer, hurts. And is so poignant to me. And this was such a peak of exactly what Cobb wanted, the entire time we’ve known him.)

There’s a war coming, and everyone needs to fight, even old men who do not know how. (I am not immune to 51. The Nannerfly Effect. And you aren’t either.)

We can’t have saved the world, we have to constantly be saving it. (Not only is this a beautiful send off to Balnor and the campaign, but the Boobs embodied this idea and we know they did. Love it)

#again I’ll keep doing shit like this if people want to send me stuff #naddpod #asks #anon #brian murphy

[fanfictionroxs]

The way Lan Sizhui gives off vibes of that kid who will burn out by 25. The return of Wei Wuxian and a-yuan's memories of the Wen remnants are practically confirmation of his brewing inner turmoil, the beginning of the emotional exhaustion that's going to fuck up his mind as he keeps returning to memories of his grandma & those bodies in the blood pool.. and the destruction of 'Lan Sizhui'. Maybe he'll revert to being Wen Yuan or perhaps forge his new identity as Wen Sizhui. After all, 'Sizhui' is the gift he cherishes by his rich-gege, but his enmity lies with the Lans, the Jiangs, the Jins and other cultivation sects who wrongfully murdered his family. Most of the main perpetrators are gone, fate already having avenged the Wen remnants by disposing off Nie Mingjue, Jin Guangshan, Jin Gunagyao, but many still remain. Jiang Cheng and the people who raised Sizhui.. Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren. The fact that Sizhui will have to deal with the mental burden of the realisation that he was raised by his would be killers.. who did kill his loved ones, the fact that he will have to battle with the rising conflict in his mind of being filial, but to whom? His grandma who carried him on her weak back and ensured his survival through the worst of the camps which killed his uncle Wen Ning himself? His aunt Wen Qing without whom not even his Xian-gege would have come to help them? His original sect whose leader didn't give a shit about poor farmers like a-yuan's family or his current sect who killed those poor farmers? His fathers who saved him time and again or his birth mother and father whose memories were forever lost to him? Who should he be filial to, whose injustice should he start with? So much veangeace to take, but only one Wen left to fight because Sizhui knows that Wen Ning has fought for a lifetime. It's all down to him.. It's all down to The Last Wen.

Oh how ever will you survive a-yuan?

#the way this story haunts my brain because i may not be updating it but ugh the wen remnants never leave my mind #ayuan never leaves my mind #he revolves there 24/7 lmao #mdzs #the untamed #wen yuan #lan sizhui #meta #the last wen #fanfictionroxs writes #analysis #wangxian #lan wangji #wei wuxian #mo dao zu shi #grandmaster of demonic cultivation

[sleepsunawareof]

Well like many, the Loki S2 finale has me still reeling and I have had this little drabble on my brain and had to get it out. I am not really a writer, I've not written a fic since I was a teenager probably lol so be easy on me but alas, I hope this is enjoyed by those who also just couldn't bear the thought of Loki being alone at the end of time forever.

Description: Loki uses his time slipping abilities to talk to you one last time before making the decision he knows he has to in order to save those he loves. But, you aren't so willing to let him condemn himself to an eternity alone, or yourself to a lifetime without him.

Word Count: 1367

Warnings: DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVENT SEEN LOKI S2 EP6!! Angst, sadness, happy ending mostly

••••••••••••••

"How are you doing this?", you asked as you watched strands of space and time float around you and Loki throughout A.D Doug's workshop.

"We're outside of time. Darling, I had to see you. I had to speak to you." Loki said, a sorrowful look on his face that you had never seen before. "The Loom, it was a failsafe all along. And no amount of scaling can account for infinite timelines. I thought we had it, I really did", he explained.

"Damnit, we should have known it would be...", you lamented.

"I spent centuries trying to figure it out, and it was all for nothing."

"Centuries?" you questioned.

"It's hard to explain" he responded. "Darling, there are only two options. Go back and kill Sylvie before she kills He Who Remains and allow the Sacred Timeline to continue--"

You cut him off. "You can't Loki! The Sacred Timeline is full of misery, injustice, and sadness - what the TVA stood for under He Who Remains was all wrong! We can't go back to that. And you know you could never kill Sylvie...not after everything we have all been through together."

"I know...", he said, a sad knowing in his voice and his eyes. "But there is one other way."

"And what's that?"

"Me".

"What? You? I don't understand Loki..." you said cautiously.

"The finite power of a machine can never handle the infinite timelines of a multiverse, but the infinite power of a God can", he said as he watched your face intently for any hint of reaction.

It took a moment as you stared at him, blinking. "Do you mean..." you questioned, as the realization of what he was saying started to set in.

"Yes, my love. Believe me, if there was any other way, I swear I would take it. But there isn't. I know what kind of God I need to be, for you, for all of us. It's the only way."

"Loki, if this is what you have to do, then please, take me with you at least!" you implored.

"My darling y/n, you know I can not do that. I must bear this burden alone, and you must go live your life on the timeline, the one you deserve to have. I could never condemn you to an eternity of solitude at the End of Time", he said sorrowfully.

"But you'll condemn me to a life of solitude on Earth? Loki, I can't live without you. There's no life for me down there if it's not with you! Please, as long as our friends are happy, and I'm with you, that's all I'll need. Please let me go with you!". The last part came out as a sob as your emotions got the best of you. You couldn't believe what he was talking about doing, the sacrifice he planned to make for the ones he loved.

"When I go back there, to that moment in time, you won't remember any of this. You won't know you said you wanted to go with me," he reminded you.

"Loki, every version of me across space and time would go with you. Even into the abyss, if that's where you have to go. I will follow you, I know I will!" you fully sobbed out as you threw your arms around him. The thought of him leaving you was killing you.

"They'll stop you if you try to follow me, you know that" he said, speaking of your friends back at the TVA.

"Then tell them not to Loki! Please, I'm begging. My place is beside you, always and forever, no matter where that place is."

And then Loki was gone and everything turned to spaghetti.

••••••••••••••

Loki slipped effortlessly back to just the right moment in the Loom control room, having been here in this moment over and over for centuries. This time though, it was different. This time, it was the last time. Loki looked over at you and his friends with a sad and knowing smile on his face. And then with one last look, he turned and ran down the stairs towards the blast doors. He knew he could keep you from following, lock the doors behind him with impenetrable magic. But he also knew that in your heart, you would never want to be without him. You would resent him forever if he left you on Earth alone.

You, Sylvie, and Mobius ran down the stairs after him immediately, but he was already through the airlock doors. The three of you watched Loki open the blast doors with his magic and start to step outside, absent of any protective suit. As you reached out to open the airlock door and go after him, Mobius pulled you back.

"Mobius, I have to go! I have to get to him!!!" you screamed.

"You can't! The temporal radiation will kill you if you open that door and go out there, you know that!"

"But it's going to kill HIM!" you cried out as you watched Loki walk out onto the walkway.

But something amazing started to happen. As the temporal energy shredded his TVA clothes away with every passing second, something else began to take it's place. Flowing dark green linen draped his form, traditional and humble shoes appeared on his feet, and a horned crown adorned his head. He looked absolutely Godlike and regal. As Loki walked closer to the Loom - this imperfect piece of machinery that took so much from so many - he lifted his hands, called upon his magic, and destroyed it in a flash of bright green and white light.

Then, there was darkness. Loki wasn't done, though. He reached out to grab a strand of time and suddenly it glowed back to life, his beautiful green magic allowing it to thrive. He grabbed another, and another. You, Mobius, and Sylvie stood silently in the airlock, watching as Loki brought the timelines back to life, one by one, gathering them in his hands. Above him, a chasm opened in the sky, revealing the End of Time. Loki looked back one last time at the 3 of you back in the airlock. He had no idea if you would really come after him like you said - but he wanted to see your face one last time if it was truly to be the last. Your eyes locked, and you knew now that the temporal energy was gone, there was no threat if you left the airlock.

"I have to go with him." you said to Mobius and Sylvie. "His worst fear is to be alone, and he is going to condemn himself to a lifetime of loneliness to save us all!" you said as you opened the door.

"Y/n, please! Stop! You don't know what you're giving yourself to." This time, it was Sylvie who pulled you back, holding your arm so you couldn't run down the walkway.

"Yes, I do. I'm giving myself to love. I'm giving myself to free will, to choice, to hope." you said.

"Sylvie, let her go," Loki called out. "It's going to be okay." he assured.

Sylvie let go of you hesitantly, and you started your walk out to Loki. When you reached him, he could not take your hand, but you took his arm. Together, you began to ascend the invisible stairs to the End of Time as he held the reanimated timelines in his hands. As you both crossed the threshold of the chasm to the End of Time, He Who Remains' throne and the ruins of his citadel came into view. Loki walked forward to the throne, the one he never wanted but was always destined to have. The timelines took on the beautiful form of a tree - Yggdrasil, the tree of life - the tree of the multiverse that Loki would tend to for eternity.

"This is where I'll have to stay forever, darling. I can never leave, never move. Tending to the timelines is my glorious purpose, my eternal burden. Are you truly willing to stay here with me?" he inquired.

"Yes, my love", you answered without hesitation.

"For all time?" He asked.

"Always".

#loki x reader #tva!loki x reader #loki x you #loki #marvel #mcu #god!loki x reader #drabble #loki drabble #loki imagine #loki season 2 #loki s2 rewrite #not canon #loki series #mcu loki

[probablyasocialecologist]

On one level, it is obvious that this weekend’s violence began with the surprise assault from Hamas. But this line of thinking presupposes that everything in Gaza was peaceful until Hamas decided to disrupt that peace, or that no Palestinians have been dying at Israeli hands before the last two days. The reality is that Israel has been slowly killing all 2.3 million people in Gaza for the past 16 years, systematically subjugating Gazans to a series of apartheid policies that have affected the most basic details of our lives. Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are also subjected to daily violence and degradation. The aim is to dispossess the Palestinians to the point that the people are left stranded with nothing but mere calls for the outside world to end what so many have called a form of “collective punishment.” Israel does everything it can to make life in Gaza unbearable. It controls all of Gaza’s water resources. It imposes illegal barriers on all the entry points to the strip, effectively trapping Gazans inside (though some of those barriers have been breached in the last two days). It controls the flow of goods and services in and out of the strip, leaving it with the unilateral power to cut those services off, as it is doing now. It purposefully throttles Gaza’s economy. Palestinians who require medical attention outside Gaza often face insurmountable obstacles in obtaining necessary care. Similarly, young Palestinians are routinely prevented from pursuing their academic dreams at international colleges simply because they had the misfortune of being born as Palestinians in Gaza. The people of Gaza endure daily hardships and injustices, yearning for a resolution that will allow them to lead dignified lives free from the burden of occupation and blockade. And when they do attempt to peacefully protest these conditions, Israel slaughters them in cold blood. So the real question should not be “Why is this happening now?” It should be “How did this not happen sooner?” No people can be expected to endure the kind of oppression and discrimination that Palestinians face at the hands of the Israeli government forever without any kind of response. While Israel claims to be waging war against Hamas and other Palestinian resistance factions, it seeks to justify its war crimes and engages in collective punishment against the Palestinian people.

#israel #palestine #zionism #gaza #west bank #emphasis added

[briansfancies]

You’re the extremist if you oppose owning people, not me. Sorry, not sorry.

#Vegan #Veganism #NILF #No Injustice Lasts Forever #Slavery #Abolition #Abolishing slavery #Racist #Activism #Plant-based #Plant based #Shanika #Animal rights #Animal rights activism #Animals #Farm animals. #Animal Slavery #Alex O'Connor #Cosmic Skeptic #Cosmic Septic #Ex-vegans #Parody #Satire

[eternal-gardens]

القدّوس

Al–Quddūs — (The Absolutely Pure/Most Sacred)

The pure, holy, blessed, and truly sacred in essence and all actions. He is far above any form of deficiency, dependency, or injustice and free from all imperfections, who majestically transcends whatever we deem perfect according to our own frail human understanding. He is sanctified and forever revered by His chosen creation, thus purifying their hearts and souls towards the path leading to long lasting salvation in this life and the next.

#eternal-gardens #الله #spirituality #اسماء الله الحسنى #99 names #4 #series

[p0rchc0ll4ps3]

kim............. just some headcanons for how i characterize him. i might be missing somethings. i might add to this. this is very disorganized but it's fine

He wears cologne

He was raised by a Dolores dei church orphanage, hence why he’s very slightly religious (he prays. Occasionally. And he’s respectful in churches)

He’s very attached to his car, refers to it in his head with she/her and sees it as a motherly figure

Eyes didn’t die immediately. Instead Kim had to watch over him and take care of him, just like with harry, but eyes died in his sleep

Kim has a serious amount of self-loathing and is REALLY critical of himself due to shit when he was a kid and the shit he got working juvie

As such he really likes how harry much worships him

He likes to listen to insulindian classical music like operas and symphonies because as a kid the church orphaning him tried to indoctrinate him and erase his culture. He didn’t even have any culture, and all they ended up doing was making him love the country. This is also why he knows so much history

He also listens to it as a big fuck you to the fascists bc it’s fascist music (bc it’s really national, like the music of the country) and the fascists would hate to know someone who looks like him listens to their music

As a kid, the orphanage referred to him by last name, so he refers to himself by his last name in his head because it’s a way of being formal with himself and keeping up his image (also kinda’ says he is his own father figure, since the closest thing to a father figure he had was the dolorian priest that ran the orphanage, and he referred to all the kids by their last names)

The only person who ever referred to kim by his first name was eyes who was the only other person who really saw Kim for who he was

Kim used to be a really pissed off kid, and he used to respond to injustice with rage, but it kept getting him into trouble. Eyes had to teach him how to calm down and deal with the shit, and he was the only person who was kind to Kim

Kim reflects a lot of what eyes taught him in his own interactions with people; it’s why he gives people the benefit of doubt, and it’s why he’s so kind to harry. It’s kinda’ like eyes passed the mentorship down to Kim and now Kim’s teaching harry

Kim genuinely tries to be kind with people because he doesn’t want anyone to have to deal with the shit he’s dealt with

He doesn’t like to ask for help though. Has a real hard time with that because that shows vulnerability

Kim has a little picture of eyes in his wallet and he talks to him and updates him when he misses him. He will never get over his death. He will tear himself apart about it forever. He seriously still blames himself for eyes’s death, even though he did all he could, and he’s spent many nights replaying it over in his head to see how he could’ve done it better

Kim’s buried the “Kim” in him so deep, he’s started to be closed off even when he’s alone, always putting on a false face, pretending he’s much more put together and professional than he is internally. The only time he really lets loose is when he’s in the kineema alone, and sometimes in his room in the dark

Harry calls him Kim so much, Kim starts to love himself again Otherwise he’s just trying to ignore the past, trying to fix the past, or trying to keep himself together. He’s afraid if he relaxes even once, he’ll slip up

He has some kinda’ general anxiety disorder, very well stifled, but it comes up when harry does anything stupid or late at night after a long day when he worries if he said the wrong thing earlier. He’s always trying to make sure things r going smoothly, and he deals with mistakes really badly (internally. On the outside he’s professional as hell about them)

He’s very hard on himself and thinks really lowly of himself

He thinks he’s never been anyone’s favorite person (even if there was eyes, he thought eyes was too cool for him, and that Kim could never be as cool as him (though eyes wanted to tell him how much he meant to him, but he couldn’t because he DIED))

He’s kinda’ silly. He has a lot of interests he’s picked up from the kids he’s worked with such as really harsh electronic music and wirral, among others (though he likes the electronic music bc it makes him feel like shit)

He’s really nerdy / geeky. Likes machines, cars, has a very specific obsession with aerostatics. He has so many books he’s read over and over. He just thinks they’re really cool. Something always fascinated him about flight. Maybe because it’s so freeing

I think his cosplay is literally something he just does for fun because he can get away with it. It makes him feel cool. He’s always in the pursuit of being cool

He likes games he can micromanage where there’s a lot of moving parts he has to strategize really deeply. It gives him a challenge and it’s also a sense of control

He’s always taking notes. He’s gone through so many notebooks. He’s afraid if he doesn’t write things down, he’ll miss something important that’ll get someone killed, but also it’s a way to pay attention to what someone’s saying without having to look at them (meaning he doesn’t have to act a certain way. It gives him a break)

He writes his notes in shorthand. Harry can read them, just like harry knows French (innate things he never forgot)

He’s got a lot of rage in him that he’s gotten really good at controlling, but it comes back out when anyone’s racist towards him or thinks less of him, though he tries really hard to keep it down

He’s scared to open up because it’s gotten him really hurt before.

He’s got wall after wall built up around his soul

He has a little box he tries to stay in where it’s safe, and when things challenge that, or when things try to pull him out of the box, he insists on staying in the box because he’s scared of leaving it because things outside the box are no longer under his control

Harry’s slowly loosening him up and Kim’s learning how to let go a little more bc harry keeps challenging him and pulling him out of that box (like with the cryptids. Kim’s like that shit’s not real shut up I don’t want my reality challenged with even the Consideration that there are things beyond my control. And harry’s like well Kim the nature of the universe is that everything is out of your control and either you succumb to it and ride it or you die. Also cryptids Are real and I’m gonna find them and you’re coming with me. And then they DO find them. And it’s so freeing for Kim to let go and let things happen to him and to like. Actually experience the world without the fear that he starts to let himself be a lot more open to it all. (Plus he trusts that if harry’s there, it’ll all be ok. That if something gets fucked, they can work through it together. He’s never had anyone else to work through shit with. He finally doesn’t have to do everything alone.))

The pale freaks him out bc it’s the ultimate unknown. He doesn’t like thinking about it, he doesn’t like talking about it, he just pretends it doesn’t exist / doesn’t dwell on it

Also after eyes dies, he has no one to back him up and support him anymore, so he really toughens up and hardens and gets his Cool Exterior after that. It’s big protection thing, and also in the very beginning he tries to manifest and become eyes bc he has no fucking clue how to deal with losing him other than becoming him. He’s slowly dropped off that, but he still tries to be cool and put together and professional. Its bc of the racism he has to be tough and bc he was working juvie he always couldn’t act his age even though he was an adult (and he really doesn’t want to be seen as a child anymore. He wants to be Trusted to handle things like an adult). He was also scared the grief was getting to him and he was scared of how much control he was losing

WAIT I FORGOT HE'S GAY THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY HE TRIES TO BE PROFESSIONAL ok thank you that's all. for now

#c4rg0f1l3s #my writing #disco elysium #disco elysium spoilers #kim kitsuragi #harry du bois #kimharry #idk feel free to add i may or may not adopt them into my lexicon #ive seen posts also i took some things from those like the music one (his liking bad music) #but most of this is mine #ummm. grasps him. yeah that's all #marfă din elysium

[akindplace]

Maybe right now all you can feel is... hurt. And it is okay. It's okay to sit through this pain, but please remember there is still joy out there. There is still laughter, wholesome movies, cuddles, plushies, puppies, cute drawings, hands who want to hold yours, people who love you and want to comfort you even if you don't notice it. There are still cat memes, funny videos, flowers, bread, butterflies, people fighting injustice, people who want to be friends with you, warm sunlight on early mornings, stars that have been shining for so long, so hold on to life, because it means holding onto to yourself. This sadness won't last forever, even if it's trying to make you feel like it will.

#original writing #on life #focusing on the positive #on beauty #holding on #this is not permanent #mental health #self-worth #emotional health #recovery #reminder

[your-regular-toast-enjoyer]

Headcanons: Yandere Damian Wayne x Reader : Reader escapes him.

Damian Wayne x reader. Yandere!Damian Wayne x reader/ Yandere Damian Wayne x Reader

Word count: 1460 words

TW: GN reader, Yandere, kidnapping, adult Damian Wayne (inspired and mostly based off of Damian in Batman beyond & Injustice 2: Gods among us), toxic family relations, obsession. Also, I have a friend that informed me that at the end of the Bruce and Grayson chapters the last sentence is cut off for phone users, I've tried to fix it by just rewriting the cut-off part below the original sentence.

First of all, it would have to be by some incredible stroke of luck that you managed to escape his grip. I imagine that if Damian turns yandere, he’ll indulge more in his “evil” side, so to speak. By that, I mean that he would probably return to his grandfather’s side and retake his place as the heir to the demon’s head, as the Al Ghuls’ less strict moral codes allow him to better keep you to himself. But let’s say that you somehow managed to sneak out without his knowledge, (likely with the help from Bruce and his brothers). Damian would stop at nothing to get you back.

 

Does anyone remember that glimpse we got of Damian as Batman in Batman #666? Yeah…That is how I imagine Damian would be if his beloved ever escaped. He would see you being away from him as an attempt on your life. He’s your protector…At least in his mind. To take you away from your protector is a not-so-hidden attempt to endanger you, right? Well no…But Damian certainly thinks so. So, if you got help from anyone… Good luck to them. Because Damian would blame them for your escape, and he has never been known for being superbly generous to his enemies. They’ll suffer. He’ll make sure of it.

But let’s say that the person helping you escape is one of his brothers or his father. How would he react? Well… It depends on who:

If Bruce is the one helping you, Damian realises that he has a relatively low chance of winning a hand-to-hand combat with his father. That doesn’t mean he’ll give up on you, though. Damian would at first try to negotiate with his father. Explain the reasoning behind his actions. He would attempt to invoke his father’s sympathy. As pathetic as Damian finds the entire thing, he is willing to put down his pride momentarily if it means he’ll get you back. 

If Bruce cooperates and Damian gets you back, you might gain more freedom. Damian would feel indebted to his father for giving him another chance, and he’d attempt to pay his father back by trying to treat you more like a normal lover would.

If his father refuses to give you back to Damian, despite his downright begging, Damian would go ballistic. I’m pretty sure he’d either ask his mother for help, (unsuccessfully since his mother is borderline yandere for his father and doesn’t want him to hate her for aiding in their son’s unhealthy attachment). When that doesn’t work. He’d simply kill his father using underhanded tricks, (probably use one of his brothers as bait to lure his father into a death trap). He won’t like it. No. He’ll despise himself for having done it for the rest of his near-eternal life, but it’ll be worth all the self-loathing as long as he can have you back in his arms. That’s not to mention Talia, who will forever blame you for Bruce’s death. She may or may not attempt to kill you... as retribution for her one true love's death ...

(death ... ) - (for phone users)

If it’s Grayson who helps you, which is probably the most likely as I can imagine Damian informing his oldest brother of where he, (and subsequently you), is, in case he wants to visit. So if Grayson takes you. Damian still rages, but he’ll be more inclined to listen to reason than he would have been otherwise. 

Damian has never hidden the fact that Grayson is his favourite brother, probably his favourite family member, (except you). He can’t bring himself to kill him. But…That doesn’t mean that he won’t extort him. Yeah… He’ll kidnap Barbara, (or Koriand’r, if you’re a Starfire fan), and propose a tradeoff with Richard. If his brother doesn’t bite, he’ll just up the gamble. He’ll kidnap Tim as well, maybe even the rest of Grayson’s old Teen Titan’s/Young Justice team. With all of his friends’ lives in danger, it’s unlikely that Richard will keep protecting you. Even if he does, Damian will fight him. Not to the point of lethality, but hard enough so his brother doesn’t become suspicious. While Grayson is distracted, Damian will have one of the assassins bring you back to the league.

(bring you back to the league.) (For phone users)

If Jason is the one who took you from Damian. Damian would downright cut his brother’s legs off. He really likes Todd, even if he doesn’t want to admit it. Damian doesn’t want him dead, even if Jason took you away from him. He won’t go to the same lengths as with Grayson to keep from killing, but he’ll sooner incapacitate Jason than end his life. I see the whole thing going a little like this:

Jason takes you from the league. (He knows Talia well, and I can see Jason convincing her to let him take you with him. She probably never thought you were quite good enough for her son. It’s nothing personal. She doesn’t dislike you more than anyone else. She just doesn’t think that anyone could ever be worthy of her son).

When you’re back in Gotham, Jason will hide you in one of his many safehouses while waiting for Damian in another. He couldn’t lead his younger brother straight to you by staying with you, so you’ll have to sit tight.

Damian finds Jason. He already knows that you won’t be with his brother. Damian knows Jason isn’t stupid despite having the same muscle mass as Batcow.

The two of them fight, but Damian doesn’t play fair. He probably brought a crowbar or enlisted the help of the Joker, (as stupid of a move as that might seem. Damian knows that the clown is only craving chaos. So chaos is what he’ll get. Joker has no interest in you. He wants to torment Batman, and what better way to do that than to work with Batman’s youngest son to kidnap someone). Jason takes one look at either the crowbar or the Joker, and he feels himself fall back into the memory of the warehouse. He’s horrified, and no matter how hard he tries to push it all away, it’s too much. 

Jason is weakened by Damian’s tricks, and the younger Wayne promptly breaks his brother’s legs beyond repair. Thus making sure that he won’t be a future problem. He’ll interrogate Jason about your whereabouts, but Jason doesn’t break.

In the end, one of Damian’s assassins finds you and brings you to him. Jason is devastated. He failed you, and all he can do is yell profanities at Damian as you’re carried away, out of his sight.

If it’s Tim who tried to save you… Oh, dear… Damian won’t care about what happens to the “replacement”. Damian will find Tim and if you’re with him, Damian will simply take you, kill Tim and go back to the League of Assassins’ base. If you’re not with Tim, Damian grows furious. Not only did his most “useless” brother take you away from him, but he also let you out of his sight. You could’ve hurt yourself! Damian’s ire only grows as Tim prepares to fight him. For Damian, this is not just a question of Tim taking you from him. It’s also a fight to prove whether Tim was really ever worthy of his position next to Bruce, his position as the former Robin and his current position as Red Robin. With Damian’s rage and his lack of morals, he easily wins the fight. Perhaps Tim let his brother win to show Damian that he actually follows Bruce’s rules and would never kill, as opposed to Damian, thus mocking the green-eyed warrior one last time. Damian draws Tim’s final moments out. An assassin has already found you. You were hiding nearby, having followed Tim’s instructions, which turned out to be faulty due to Damian arriving sooner than expected. A last “Demon spawn” leaves Tim’s bloodied lips as Damian slowly drags his katana out of Tim’s chest, cleaning it with an old handkerchief, which is left stained red.

No matter whether you escaped on your own or with the help of someone else. Damian will lock you in your shared bedroom whenever he isn’t available, putting twice as many guards near you at all times. He might even have you sit next to him or on his lap while he commands the League by his mother and grandfather’s side, (if he isn’t already the head of the league at this point). He won’t punish you too harshly, but he might smack you to the ground once when you get home. That’s only if you escaped on your own, though. If someone else helped you, he’d delusionally think that they simply kidnapped you against your will and that you honestly love being with him.

#yandere damian wayne #yandere x reader #damian wayne x reader #damian wayne #yandere damian wayne x reader #yandere dc

[cobrakaisb]

party for two

summary: johnny writes and releases a song about you or a look back on your relationship with johnny so far

word count: 1.7k

“so i don’t know if you guys know, but i recently started seeing someone new,” he pauses while the crowd stops and cheers, hundreds of girls screaming for him. 

“she’s so amazing and i actually wrote this next song about her, so is it okay if i sing it?” he asks, fiddling with his earpiece as the crowd continues to scream in agreement.

“this is party for two,” he announces, jumping right into the song as the music picks up.

///

they were all sitting around the table, the sun slowly sinking beyond the horizons. the small group was a mix of hockey players, close friends, siblings, and a musician. everybody had a drink in their hands, even her, although she was keeping it close to her side, out of her brothers’ sight. someone connected their phone to the jbl speaker, blasting random rap music. she’s barely paying attention to the people around, instead staring out at the lake and sunset. 

“are you drinking?” somebody asks, sitting down next to her. she flinches slightly, putting the seltzer in a less visible spot. “maybe,” she whispers, looking to meet the green eyes of the singer. johnny orlando was the bane of her existence. she’s had a crush on him since basically forever, but he was older than her and completely uninterested. besides, he was friends with her brothers, and that just complicates the matter even more. 

johnny laughs at her, “relax. i’m not gonna say anything.” she nods, smiling softly at the boy as she relaxes back into the couch. he does too, his arm casually draping across the back, his fingers drawing circles on her exposed shoulder. they slip into mindless chatter; he’s asking her about school while she asks about his music and career. 

“well, i’m going to london in a couple of weeks to perform at a music festival,” he says. “that’s so amazing, john. i’m so proud of you,” she says, genuinely happy for him. if she couldn’t have him, the least she could do was support him. he blushes at her words, his cheeks taking on a rosy color. he shrugs, feigning nonchalance, “it’s whatever.” she takes the moment, him sipping his corona, to admire how handsome he is with his backwards hat and black tank top. 

“aren’t you cold?” she wonders aloud, fingers dancing along his bicep. she watches as goosebumps arise on his skin. “why don’t you come warm me up sweetheart?” he teases, gesturing for her to come closer to him. she feels her cheeks flush, but agrees, moving in his side. her head rests on his shoulder, her back angled so that it’s flush against his side. now his arm is fully wrapped around her, as she cradles the seltzer between her hands, pulling her knees up to her chest. they continue to sit in silence, just absorbing each other's presence. 

it feels too good to be true; it is too good to be true. “johnny! come sit with us bro! we’re gonna set up a bonfire,” luca shouts, waving the singer over. she takes that as her cue to leave, getting up from the couch and his embrace. she takes the final sip of her drink before saying, “you should go. i’ll see you tomorrow.” he nods, a sad look in his eyes as he watches her walk away, back into the house. 

///

it’s they’re last night. tomorrow the hockey boys and college friends go back to their respective hometowns, and johnny, he’ll be getting on a plane to london. she realizes then, as she’s sitting on the doc, feet dangling over the edge, that she doesn’t want him to leave. they’ve gotten so close over these past few weeks; spending countless minutes together. she’d be doing herself an injustice if she didn’t tell him how she feels. but the thought is scary; there’s rejection and disgust lingering in the back of her mind, plus the blatant disapproval from her brothers. 

“penny for your thoughts?” the voice says from behind her, the one belonging to the boy she’s trying so hard to forget. she stands up, turning to face him. her hands are slightly shaking, and she begins to fiddle with the strings of her hoodie, the one with her high school logo on it. she tries to meet his eyes, but the second they connect, she’s breaking the contact. 

“i need to tell you something,” she whispers, eyes still looking off in the distance. 

his face falls. his whole demeanor seems to come crumbling down. “what’s wrong?” he asks. she takes a deep breath, fingers twirling around and around the gray strings. “i have a crush on you, john. i have for the longest time, and i know you’re older, but i’m eighteen now, so there’s really no reason why we can’t be together,” she rambles. “unless of course, you don’t want to be with me,” she finishes, finally looking at him. 

there’s a moment of silence before he answers, and in that moment, she can’t help but feel foolish. “it’s not your age that’s stopping me sweetheart, it’s your brothers,” he explains softly.  

that answer isn’t the one she’s expecting; it’s not a yes, but it’s not a rejection either. “they don’t have to know. at least, not until we’re serious,” she replies, rushing to get the words out and prevent him from leaving her. “it could be our little secret,” she whispers, looking up at him through her lashes.

she’s practically begging for him to agree, and even though they aren’t together, he knows he can’t deny her anything. “is this really what you want?” he asks, gesturing between the two of them. the last thing he wants to do is force her into something she’s not entirely sure about, especially a secret relationship. “i’ve always wanted you, john,” she replies earnestly. he smiles at her answer, hands reaching out to grip on her waist. he pulls her forward, and her hands rest on his chest. he leans down so their foreheads are touching, “okay then. let’s give us a try.” she smiles, one that takes over her entire face, as her arms wrap around his neck, fingers playing with the strands of his hair. “that’s all i want.” 

///

“where are you going?” luca asked, eyeing her outfit up and down, disapproval clear in his gaze. “out,” she answered, fixing the straps of her tank top. “with who?” he continued to press. “a friend. why do you care?” she snapped, slipping on a pair of sandals resting by the door. “i just didn’t know you had plans. that’s all,” he mumbled, walking away without a second glance. 

she huffed, finally leaving the house. she walked down the block, to the end of her street, where johnny was waiting for her. they agreed he’d meet her there to avoid alerting the fantilli boys of their relationship. she took one last glance before opening the door to his black car. 

he jumped at the noise, looking up from his phone. when his eyes met hers, he relaxed, smiling softly. “hi,” he whispered, taking in the baby pink tank top and light washed jean shorts. “hi,” she answered, looking at his hawaiian shirt and silver necklaces. “you look so pretty,” he mumbled, leaning over the center console to kiss the corner of her mouth. she flushed at his words, mumbling a thank you. he smirked, leaning back into his seat. “buckle up so we can go,” he said, waiting until the seatbelt clicked before taking off.

he pulls into the parking lot of the small cafe that seemed to be the setting of all their dates so far. risking a glance at her as he puts the car in park. “i hope you’re not mad that i brought you here, again,” he says. she giggles, shaking her head no, before turning to face him. they sit there, in the car, just staring at each other for a couple minutes. “are we going to sit here all day? or should we go eat?” she asks, hand reaching for the handle to get out of the car. “right, that.” “oh yeah, that.” 

he grabs her hand the second she’s next to him again, swinging them back and forth. they walk casually to the hostess stand, laughing the whole way; exchanging secrets and jokes only they know or understand. once they’re seated, drinks order placed, he jumps right into it. he’s holding her hand from across the table, thumb rubbing gently across the back of her palm. “come to london with me,” he whispers. her eyes widen, mouth falling open in surprise. “what?” she replies. “come to london with me. please,” he begs.

her mouth falls open and then closes repeatedly, like a fish out of water. there’s hesitation in her eyes as she looks at him, trying to come up with the right words; trying to decide between her head and her heart. “john, i can’t. you know i can’t,” she whispers softly. her eyes hold nothing but the desire to go, but he knows he’d never be able to convince her. he smiles, one with a hint of sadness, before saying, “just figured it was worth a try right?” just as she’s about to say something else, the waitress comes back with their drinks. “so are you guys ready to order?”

///

they were sitting on his bed, nothing but the glow of the led lights illuminating their faces in the dark. there was some music playing in the background, but it wasn’t overbearing, just more so to fill the quiet. she’s talking him through something, drama with her friends maybe, but he’d listen to anything from her. she stops suddenly, smiling when she hears the music playing in the background. 

“dance with me? i love this song,” she says, getting off the bed to move around to the beat. johnny laughs, turning up the volume as he joins her. they dance together, in their own little private party, just soaking up their time together. at that moment it was just them, at their own little secret party. and it was perfect.

///

and we can throw a party

without our friends, just watch you dance 

and i won’t tell nobody, just you, me, and the moon

#johnny orlando x fantilli sister #johnny orlando x reader #johnny orlando blurb #johnny orlando #luca fantilli #adam fantilli #cobrakaisb aus #cobrakaisb writing