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#they r not setting any day to mourn their dead BECAUSE THEY DO NOT CARE
000marie198 · 6 months
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The New York Times:
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Also The New York Times:
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......
Just how long do you bootlickers think you can keep up the Pro-Israeli propaganda narrative when the statistical new article adjacent to it proves it completely wrong and burns it into the ground? Just how long do you think you can control the thought processes of people who know the truth?
Someone's gotta be very very very stupid to believe and be affected by this propaganda even after everything.
Oh! And here's the article posted right after the other two, just minutes ago:
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Keep pressuring them! They are afraid, they're down to making excuses
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kurimiaki · 3 years
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T, R, N and P with Diluc please?
the uncrowned king of mondstadt, diluc ragnvindr.
yandere alphabet via dear-yandere! revisions i made are flaky so. my bad wwwww
cw: dark content, physical abuse, kidnapping, confinement, claustrophobia, extremely unhealthy relationship.
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Tears: How do they feel about seeing their darling scream, cry, and/or isolate themselves?
Just because Diluc may be attending to business elsewhere, does not mean you are free from his heady grasp. Distant yet coddling; his attentiveness is a curse just as much as it can be a blessing. You’re never without security, that much is true. Dawn Winery is his eyes and ears, every single servant wrapped around his finger, wrapping around and constricting you. Self isolation could never be a possibility, not when Adelinde ushers you out of bed without a minute left to spare, always in such a hurry, as if wallowing in utter boredom for days on end is anything of importance. From the very beginning, Diluc had made it a point to ensure your physical health was a top priority to those surrounding you; strict itineraries have maids silently mourning over their packed workload. A plethora of duties— take you on brief walks outside the winery, never longer than 15 minutes, feed and serve meals delicately planned and catered to your health, eyes and ears constantly watching, watching, watching. They keep you like a dog on a leash, no matter how pampered. They do so dutifully. They must. Who could possibly decline such a hefty pay at the expense of silence?
It would be a blatant lie to say your physical health had declined any whilst under his... care, however, the same cannot be said for your mental well being. He can’t, despite how much he hates his inability to do so, prevent your tears. And by the archons, do you cry. Diluc is unable to approach you some days, those days when the illusion of normalcy and domestic living he works so hard to put up simply melts away, when you can do little more than curl in on yourself and wretch into your silk sheets with a litany of tears flush in your eyes. He wills himself to allow you the mercy of a few hours alone, albeit with check ups and that blatant discomfort of his when you wail at the slightest touch to your shoulder. Of course, it’s a different case entirely when such cries are symptom of punishment— whereas Diluc will weakly attempt to comfort you with softened eyes when you work yourself up, flaky and visibly uncomfortable, his resolution is unflinching and unwavering should you choose to act out of turn. Wail, sob, beg and beg for mercy, for forgiveness, his mask of nonchalance will stay firm.
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Regret: Would they ever feel guilty about abducting their darling? Would they ever let their darling go?
No. Diluc is understanding that the situation he has thrust you into may not be ideal, he anticipates a lack of reciprocation and overall resistance, but he feels absolutely no guilt. In his eyes, this is for the best, the world is much too cruel— who better than him to make that judgement for you? Even if you do prove yourself to be capable of taking care of yourself, (with Diluc himself to measure up to) this Darknight Hero will find every minute, minuscule little thing to prove you otherwise. Just about every one of your shortcomings Diluc will try and use to his advantage, to put himself in a better light. Who else is as capable as he is, who else can prove themselves worthy of your companionship, your devotion, in the ways that he has? The longer you stay in his grasp, not that the possibility of leaving will come otherwise, the more difficult it becomes to prove him wrong. He feeds you with the utmost care, keeps you healthy, entertains you should you need conversation or otherwise, and provides, provides, provides. There may be a lack of freedom on your end, but really, do you have much room to complain? Without him, you may very well be dead. He ensures that point is driven straight to your heart, however many times is necessary until you grow compliant.
His will and rationality is fully reasonable, in his mind, hence why his wishes to keep you by his side shall forever remain solid. Perhaps it is the idea of you keeping close to him that entraptures Diluc so entirely, for he is a distant admirer. He would be contented growing old and without your touch, merely sharing your company for as long as life allows. All the same, he wishes to swallow you whole, skin, blood, guts and tears, if only to keep you with him. It is selfish, but he tells himself that is something of which he is deserving. He must.
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Naughty: How would they punish their darling?
Diluc is nothing if not dedicated to his goals, a driven man in everything he sets his mind to. In order to maintain the position he thrives in, he is forever alert, forever adapting, prepared for any strenuous situation thrown his way. Should you push past a line you are never meant to cross, jab at him a tad too harshly, well... it’s not as if he gives no thought as to how to keep you in line. Rarely are you knowing enough of his inner workings to be able to push him past the point of no return, a point where even you, his dearest, are not spared from his wrath. Emphasis on rare, for he is wholly tolerant and gentle with you, to an extent. Any person has a breaking point, and Diluc, despite his detached disposition and stoic attitude, can only withstand so much. He bottles up so much to remain composed, after all. When he snaps, he is unable to hold himself back any longer.
He is not one to take pleasure from the suffering of others. Lest they truly deserve it, is what he’ll tell himself, to at the very least maintain the illusion of normalcy. Sway not from the path of righteousness, forget not the splendor of dawn. His mind is able to concoct the most horrific scenarios he could possibly put you through, for he does the same with his enemies. In a way, when you act out of turn, an instinctual part of him, cultivated after years spent at the whims of the dangerous and unknown, sees you as just that— an enemy. He doesn’t often choose the more unsavory methods to keeping you in line, ie: beating or threatening you with his vision, further keeping true to said threats should you continue. Diluc is wholly capable of restraining the urge to simply slap the snark off of your face (he had done so regardless, once or twice), and much prefers isolating you on his own terms, away from everyone and everything, even himself. It’s a small room, not even on par with that of your shared bedroom, much more similar to a closet or crawlspace.
A room, but a cage all the same. Splintered wood floors, dank cobblestone surrounds you and few cracks in the stone leaves room for bugs of all nature to crawl through, allows the elements to rain hell upon you should you end up locked up during the harsher months. A lone maid, not even Adelinde, the head, attends to you, sparing meek glances should you call out when she gently places a meal of one roll, a piece of meat, and a few shoddily cut slabs of potato. No begging and weeping and screaming you may do will soften Diluc into coming back for you- again, his resolve is akin to that of steel, his will forever unyielding. He decides when you are thoroughly broken in, and when it is time to hold you in kind, he shines through like that of The Darknight Hero the people proclaim him to be. In the end, what is necessary is that he shows you how much better off you are when with him. He’s much too possessive and to a point, coddling, to ever consider discarding you into the wild and at the whims of hilichurl camps and abyss mages alike.
His hold is firm and grounding. Had he always been able to hold you with such ease? Had he ever truly held you in kind, as he does now? He’s warm. A familiar, comforting scent of smoke and acidic wine fills your senses and him, oh, him. He had left you, left you alone, all alone, in that room, not even a room, all alone, and yet you can do little more than gag and writhe and latch onto him with pleas of his name whispered hoarsely— ‘Diluc, Diluc, Diluc’. A cry of your savior.
He can’t look at you, won’t look at you. Won’t give you the mercy, but he couldn’t be angry. Not anymore. He holds you tighter and so flush to himself, with a ferocity narly shown to anyone but you, not in kind, not with this passion. You smell of dust, a husk of yourself. Faintly of his sheets, faintly of iron, of vomit, of filth.
Fresh memories of your betrayal burn hot in his mind. He’s contradicting himself. He cannot relent. It comes out as a whisper, barely even heard to himself, and he curses his very soul the moment it passes his lips.
“Strive to do better. Lest you want your time there to increase tenfold.”
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Patience: How patient are they with their darling?
He can bear with defiance and unwillingness on your part, to an extent. He can anticipate as much, for he is not delusional enough to fool himself into thinking your relationship is even somewhat typical to that of a normal couple, no matter how much he wishes that to be the case. No, for the initial few weeks of your captivity (he’s always gotten so mad when you refer to him as such, a captor) Diluc allows you to lash and sob and attempt to reason with him, attempt to soften him, attempt to hurt him. He’ll allow you to do so, but he himself remains impenetrable, unblinking, almost uncaring. He is prepared for about anything and everything, always expecting the worse possibilities as to save himself from further harm. For you, as well, he is constantly anticipating and observing. In hidden, minute little ways. It may even come as a shame to him if the fact that he enforces the maids to note down your every little move ever reaches your ears.
All in all, Diluc’s complete preparation for anything and everything you may throw his way makes him extremely patient, for better or for worse. Difficult to crack, impenetrable, almost— on one hand, the distance he keeps from you to accommodate for your lack of reciprocation may come as a blessing, but it makes it all too difficult to try and pester him into letting you go, to try and understand his goals and motivations in keeping you locked right away. Your complacency is inevitable, sooner or later, Diluc will begin approaching and weaseling his way into your routine in the smallest of ways, gradually and unconsciously causing you to grow fonder of his presence. It’s a slow process, one he had planned from the very moment his wishes of a domestic life with you grew much too much to handle. He loves you completely, yearns for your love, and for it, he will wait as long as necessary.
Blazing red eyes leer down upon you, your shame increasing tenfold for each second that passes subjected to that gaze of his. A fit of expaseration, you will admit, had sent the cutlery dear Hillie had so delicately prepared flying off of the white tablecloth and onto the hardwood floors, further staining the expensive rugs with wines and crumbs and oils from his favorite meal, a concoction of pasta and steak and cheese. He had prepared yours alongside with it, striking tonight as a tad more special than the rest. You didn’t blame yourself for what you did, not when he had proposed something as outlandish as marriage.
He keeps silent, leaning back in his seat, his throne, as if he were a king observing a mere peasant begging for mercy— quite frankly, you should be. But perhaps tonight he will be more lenient, you ponder, averting your gaze to the flickering embers sparking from the fireplace beside you.
He sighs, suddenly, worn and thoroughly put out by your antics, further embarrassing you by his facade of nonchalance. No, you could tell from the way his leather gloves creaked from gripping himself too hard, he was barely concealing his own anger.
“You hardly let me finish my scentence. Come, we’ll continue this conversation upstairs.”
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TLC
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A/N: Sorry not sorry about the length.
Main Masterlist
Pairing: Chubby! Thor x Reader
Warnings: 18+ Smut, a little angst, but so much fluff!
Word count: 1900ish
Thor Taglist: @raspberrymama @bitchycherryblossomlove @jennie22feona @innerpaperexpertcloud @thorfanficwriter
Everything Taglist: @godofplumsandthunder @ladyacrasia @agustdowney @swaggysposts @littlegasps @little-baby-vixen @another-stark-sub @supraveng @kahlanmars @marvelgirl7 @disappointmentofthefam @pandaxnienke @tom-hlover @just-the-hiddles @fyreball66 @asmigurub @avantgardium-leviosa @imerdwarf @gladiosamicitias
Tags open! Send me an ask or DM if you wish to be in any of these lists :))
.
The events of the snap had affected everyone. Some more severely than the others. Millions had lost families, some mourned the loss of those who sacrificed their lives in the battle, others simply dusted away into oblivion with no signs of returning.
Your ex demi-God boyfriend took it the hardest. His downfall had begun when he took the entire blame of failing to stop the Mad Titan during the battle of Wakanda. His family, his support system was lost long before but he’d still managed to look at the bright side. It was you that he held onto when the times were tough.
Thanos wiped out half of the population along with every last strand of hope Thor had left to believe in himself. After that, he had pushed everyone away, wallowed in self-pity no matter how much he denied and pretended he was just taking a break. He pushed you away too, now that there wasn’t a point to anything he thought it best to set you free, free from the pain he’d put you through over the years, free to lead your life without him.
There came a time when Thor had been down in the dumps, drinking & wasting his life away, you received a call from Brunnhilde from New Asgard, asking for help.
As heart-broken as you were, there was still a part of you that cared about Thor, the part that loved him without knowing his whereabouts before the call, the part that made your hopeless heart beat a little faster every time there was some news regarding your fellow Avengers, or a knock on your door. That part in you made you book a plane ticket to Norway in search of your Thunder God.
.
New Asgard was beautiful, brave Asgardians had rebuilt their lives after losing their home planet. Upon meeting Valkyrie, you learnt that there was a brawl in the local pub initiated by none other than the person who’d come looking for. The damage was severe given the reason for the fight. He’d been denied more alcohol that led to several tables being destroyed and the owner of the pub sporting several bruises to his face.
“He’s not our King, not anymore.”
“That man has lost his way, who wants that in a leader?”
The Asgardians held more anger towards their King that you’d ever known. You understood their side, you did but, you also knew what made him act the way he did. And you had made up your mind to fix it.
The walk to Thor’s cottage was short, the door was left ajar & your nostrils were filled with a stench of old beer and something vile as you entered.
The place was a mess to say the least, old take-out boxes strewn about, clothes and shoes that hid furniture pieces under them, the Stormbreaker resting against the fireplace. There was a groan from upstairs indicating the location of the Asgardian God.
“Are you here with my barrels?” He called out, speech slurred and muffled as it reached you.
“No actually I’m here to restore a former King who has lost his way.”
Your voice made him freeze, he hadn’t heard you in two years, a voice that once filled his heart with joy and love, and the face that once made him so happy. As you pushed the bedroom door open, you saw his eyes meet yours for a second before he turned away to stare out the window.
“Why are you here? I don’t need you. I don’t need anyone.”
It broke your heart to see his eyes not light up the way they used to upon seeing you, it pained you that he didn’t reach to pull you in his arms and spin you around like he used to.
“I think you do. The old Thor would be delighted to see me, he would make sure the world would melt away when he’d kiss me, the old Thor w—”
“The old Thor is dead. If you came looking for him, I’m sorry but he is long gone.” He replied harshly, still not facing you as he shoulders sagged and you heard him sniffle after some moments of silence.
You stepped closer and cautiously placed a hand on his shoulder coaxing him to look at you. He moved but his eyes were downcast before you grabbed his face in your hands and were met with his mismatched eyes swimming with unshed tears, once well groomed face now a scruffy mess of overgrown beard and unkempt blonde locks.
“Don’t you ever tell me that the old Thor is dead. I know he’s still in there, he’s just hiding beneath this defensive, hurt, slightly sloppy exterior.”
He gave you a watery chuckle, before wiping his nose on the sleeve of his sweater. You took his hand and led him to the bathroom where you began filling water in the bathtub.
“I have missed you (Y/N).” Thor spoke as followed you back out where you removed your jacket.
“I know.” You nodded towards his bedside table that held a picture of you and him taken by Natasha back at the compound when you had fallen asleep on top of him after a mission on the couch. You remembered wondering who had stolen your copy after you thought you misplaced it years ago.
Thor remained clothed as the water filled the tub, eyes downcast again.
“I’m not how I used to be.”
“It doesn’t bother me.”
Giving him a reassuring smile, you helped him undress, noticing how self-conscious this man got. You thought of something he’d done when you had your moments of insecurity back when you started dating the Avenger.
Closing the bathroom door, you undressed as well, revealing your curves, battle scars and everything Thor was once so familiar with and had made you believe just how beautiful you were. Now it was your turn to do the same for him.
“What are you doing? Y-you don’t have to—”
“I’m reminding you how secure and loved you made me feel when I was having trouble believing it for myself.”
“You have always been beautiful to me. You always will be.” He said with such surety, almost proudly as if there wasn’t a breakup that had left you both miserable.
You made Thor sit in the tub with his head leaned back for you to clean and he obliged, holding onto your hand the entire time in case he’d been dreaming this entire time & that you would vanish into thin air.
A soft kiss to his forehead later you began working your fingers through his hair, trying to get all the accumulated dirt out. It wasn’t long before Thor’s breath became uneven and he held back tears once more.
“Thor it’s okay to feel overwhelmed. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’ve let you down. I’ve let everyone down. I failed at protecting everyone from him.”
“You didn’t fail Thor and you certainly didn’t let anyone down. You’ve lost more than any one of us can ever imagine, you were grieving. You are allowed to grieve. You know what this means. You’re just like the rest of us.”
“But I’m not supposed to be like the rest of you.” He sniffed, holding onto your arms as dry heaves racked his large frame.
“Everyone fails at who they’re supposed to be Thor. It’s okay to mourn, it’s not okay to let yourself be lost in that feeling forever. You lost all of your family but you kept fighting didn’t you? Well the fight’s not over just because he won. We fight everyday, some days harder than others, no matter how difficult it may seem because we owe it to the people we lost.”
You kept rubbing his back while he calmed down, pressing as many kisses to the side of head as you could given the awkward position you were in.
“You were my family (Y/N) and I pushed you away. You didn’t deserve it a-and I’m so so—”
“I don’t blame you, I never did. I still love you Thor, very much. Nothing will ever change that.” You smiled, touching your forehead to his.
“I love you too my beautiful dove.”
He pressed his lips to yours, the kiss a little different from the ones you were used to. He tasted of beer but it didn’t matter, it was still your beloved God of Thunder. The kiss turned hungry when his hands went to the back of your neck to pull you closer while the other went around your naked back, coaxing you into the tub.
Water splashed about and spilled over as you stepped in, straddling his lap before resuming, this time your tongue ran along his bristly lip, biting softly, relishing in the feeling of him again after such a long time.
Thor moved on to pepper your jaw and neck with hurried kisses while his hands roamed over your body, having missed feeling your skin against his, the way your body moulded perfectly against him. He had missed the way you shuddered as his teeth grazed the junction between your neck and shoulder, the way you moaned when he marked a spot there, claiming you as his. He missed the way your breasts felt against his palm, the way your nipples hardened under his touch.
“I’ve missed you so much.”
Thor mumbled between wet kisses against your chest while you pushed his face closer with your hands, wanting to feel as much of him as possible against your skin, a loud gasp emitting from your lips when he rolled his tongue around your nipple before sucking.
Your hips slid against his crotch, desperate for more friction, his shaft rubbing against your folds earning a groan from Thor who suddenly moved your hips, angling you to hover over his erect cock before slowly letting you sink down on him.
The stretch stung a little given how long it had been, though your warmth welcomed him as you held him close, that familiar feeling of being one with Thor returning after a long gap. He buried his face in your neck, soft hands holding your back securely, leaving no space between your bodies as the only sound echoed in the room was of warm water lapping against the sides of the tub and your mingled breaths.
“My love...”
“I’m here.”
You rolled your hips slowly, savouring the feeling of him snug inside you before the need to chase your releases became vital and you both moved in tandem before your end washed over, leaving you writhing in pleasure in Thor’s arms while he held you. Your orgasm triggered his own as he grabbed your hips and began thrusting into you, sending new waves of pleasure coursing through your system.
A few moments after returning to your senses, you realised the water had gone cold & it was time to get out before your skin started pruning but neither of you made any effort of doing so.
“Thank you love.”
“For what?”
“Saving me.”
“You would’ve done it for me.”
“We have to get out some time you know.” You chuckled, lazily drawing patterns on his soft back while he placed kisses repeatedly on your shoulder.
“I’m not letting you go anytime soon.”
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coco96 · 4 years
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LDAF - The Avengers
Hiding Magic (Avengers X Teen!Reader) Warnings: Mention of crime (stealing) Request: ... reader who is a very powerful magician ... who also robs because their family is poor ... One day all the Avengers comes to their school to give a speech. However, the reader gets there late and sees the Avengers thinking they’re about to get arrested. They then go to the Bathroom to use magic and escape. Right when R using magic Peter, Tony, Strange walks in. After talking the R ends up an Avenger.
Serenity (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Warnings: Sick child, illness Request: ... reader being a part of the avengers, but the others gets suspicious when she starts refusing missions on particular dates and she always sneaks of, but it turns out she visits a children’s hospital or something because she wants to give them hope? ...
Crushing The Grape (Avengers X Male!Reader) Warnings: Spoilers to Infinity War. Death. Reader basically tortured Thanos. Think Magneto with blood. Request: Could you do avengers x male reader where male reader kills that giant purple grape(thanos) on Titan
The Happiest Avenger (Avengers X Reader) TRIGGER WARNING: Depression and self harm mention Request: ... R is very happy to a point where they’re the happiest person on the avengers but the R is secretly messed up, they never shows it. The R has a secret they self-harm. So one day Steve finds the scars while they’re talking in the kitchen then thinks the worst. So he sets up a meeting with the crew and the next day R walks in and the crew have to act normal but then comfronts the R but the end is very fluff
Young Weapon (Avengers X Teen!Male!Reader) Warnings: Mention of violence, mention of fire, death of parents, mention of torture Request: ... reader where he’s discovered as a brainwashed assassin (like bucky) where he was taken when he was like 5 and is now 15 and he suffered worse than bucky did and they try to help him oh wow that was long
Not Happening (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Warnings: Mentions of torture, brain washing, ptsd/nightmares and killing. Request: ... reader is a superpowered teenager that the avengers took care of after finding her in a hydra base. She’s still trying to fit in but the government is trying to take her away due to her past crimes when she was still controlled by hydra ...
Scratches (Avengers X Male!Reader) Warnings: Sexual mentions Request: … Where male reader was training and took his shirt of and the avengers see he has scratches(from late night activities) on his back and tease him about it and he comes up with a sassy response. The whole late night activities don’t have to be detailed
No More Fighting Pt 1 (Avengers X Reader)     |     Part 2 Warnings: Death of character Request: ... before the battle cap and iron have a fight but the reader plays peacemaker and makes everything alright. At the battle the reader sacrifice themself to help the avengers get away before getting captured ... but the avengers think they k.i.a. And at the funeral cap and iron make peace for the sake of the reader
Ranger (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Warnings: Fighting Request: .... a steampunk style and meets the avengers after they see her beating up bad guys or something ...
Testing Patience (Avengers X Fem!Reader)     |     Part 2 Warnings: Mild swearing Request: … a very calm reader who life with the avengers in the tower and one day she is mad at something and all the avengers are there and think she is very cute when she is angry and hug her and joke on her, and she gets more angy because they think she is cute …
Anomaly (Avengers X Teen!Male!Reader) Request: ... reader who is a powerful being and all they know about their life is that they’re human with powerful powers. Avengers are trying to capture them, they’re trying to capture him to question him. because he robbed a bank and seen what the reader could do. The powers he has are called Imagination Manifestation its like imagining something and comes true. And at the end he some how gets a job at avengers
Blind Meeting (Avengers X Blind!Reader) Request: ... reader is really nervous to meet the avengers because shes blind but peter assures her that itll be fine and the avengers end up loving her
Loyalty (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Warnings: Torture, memory loss Request: ... reader gets compromised, tries to take down the avengers ... They refuse to fight her ...
Revenge Is Bloody (Avengers X Vampire Reader)     |     Part 2 Warnings: Blood and gore Request: ... hydra operatives keep showing up dead drained of their blood? The team are called to investigate. Bucky is fine with it but everyone seems kind of nervous cause they don’t know what their dealing with. They find out it’s a girl in her teens that hydra experimented on turning her into a vampire and she was able to over power and hunt them down. They track her and she willingly goes with them to join the team.
Much Needed Sleep (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Warnings: passing out, swearing. Request: ... reader has insomnia and barely sleeps. She lies to the rest of them (the avengers) so they don’t worry. She has about 4 hours sleep a night, sometimes less. When she’s doing a mission, she collapses from exhaustion ...
Mistake (Avengers X Reader) Warnings: Injury, death Request: ... one day the reader messes up badly on a mission and the avengers talk about how the reader let down So the reader quits and the avengers go looking for the reader and finds them and talks about how they’re sorry ...
Real Magic (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Warning: Falling from heights, presumed deaths, dangerous stunts. Request: Peter and The avengers go to a circus they decide to go see a magic show, and tony is totally not buying it. It turns out the reader is the star, and her magic is real. Maybe they try to get her on the team. …
“Did you have to seduce the entire team!?” (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Request: … reader is young and beautiful and starts living in the tower with the avengers and she flirts with all of them just for fun, and all of them think that she is in love with them and at the end they start fighting ... and ask reader which one would she choose finally and she chooses ruce ...
I Don’t Know What I’d Do Without You (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Warnings: Self conscious reader, teasing Request: Can you do a female reader, where she feels as if she isn’t worthy enough to be in the avengers, she feels as if she’s the odd one out. Nat overhears her talking to her friend on the phone about thinking about leaving and she gets the others to convince her she is worthy?
Auntie June Came Early (Male Avengers X Fem!Reader) Warning: Period time~ Request: … reader is in her days and Nat and Wanda are away, and the male avengers got nuts because they think she might be in a lot of pain and overprotect her and dont let her do anything, not even move, and she complain about the pain just once and they all freak out and she thinks is hilarious! ...
Helping (Avengers X Teen!Reader) Warnings: Bulimia, throwing up, bullying, self conscious reader. Request: ... reader is Tony’s daughter (although all of them are protective of her) and she has bulimia and she gets caught purging by one of the team members.
Hello, I’m Pansexual (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Warnings: Mention of homophobia, anxiety. Request: ... reader’s part of the avengers and has powers, but is pan and struggling w how to come out to the team bc she’s scared they’ll kick her off?
Surprise! (Avengers X Reader) Warnings: Sad emotions Request: … reader thinks everyone forgot their birthday but they were just planning a surprise party for them? …
If You Get Killed, Walk It Off. (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Warnings: Grieving, supposed death, explosion, blood, death Request: … reader is in a mission with the avengers and then there is an explossion and the reader was in that building and everybody thinks that she died, and start to cry and remember how they love her, and finally she was ok, and goes with them and ask what happen? …
Help (Avengers X Reader) SERIOUS TRIGGER WARNING: SELF- HARM MENTIONS Request: ... a super angsty self-harm one with avengers.
Where Do Babies Come From? (Avengers X Child!Reader) Warnings: Mild swearing, sex ed talk Request: … reader is the little protect one sister of the avengers (like 12 years old) and she goes around the tower asking the avengers how babies are made. (she doesnt have a mom, so she doesnt know anything) and Tony freaks out because doesnt want her to grow up! …
Phantom (Avengers X Fem!Reader)     |     Part 2 Request: ... reader’s super badass the team rarely sees her shes like a ninja and according to clint who ever sees her outside missions will have a lucky day (lmao) and like when the teams having movie night shes just like standing behind them in the shadows ...
No Spoilers (Avengers X Reader)     |     Part 2     |     Part 3 Warnings: Spoilers of AOU SET BEFORE AOU Request: ... reader from our universe gets dropped into the avengers.
One Last Goodbye (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Warnings: Death, mourning. Request: … reader died during a mission. Fury give Tony a USB key and told him to watch the video with the rest of the avengers. on the video the reader is talking about how much she loved them and tells each avenger little facts that she loved about them and she thanks them for being her family. …
Birthday Girl (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Request: ... it’s the female readers birthday. She works with the Avengers but aside from that she doesn’t have any friends. She is having a bad birthday, the avengers don’t know. They find out it’s her birthday and surprise her, making it better. …
Welcome to the Family (Avengers X Elf!Reader) Warnings: Mentions of neglect Request: ... reader is half human, half light elf but you were taken from Alfheim and abandoned on earth when the dark elves attacked. (From Thor) The avengers find you and take you in. Thor offers to bring you home but you’ve gotten attached to the human world and decides to stay. You’ve especially gotten attached to Tony cause he treated you like a daughter since you were very young and petite. Smaller then normal elves
Not Your Fault (Avengers X Fem!Teen!Reader) Warnings: Mention of extreme injury, disability, guilt. Request: ... reader is Tony’s teen daughter and she is really good friends with everyone in Team Cap but then during the airport fight she gets hurt and is unable to walk again ... and then when she sees Team Cap again they feel really guilty specially because one of them caused the injury and Natasha feels angry at herself because she was supposed to be her mother figure and look out for her ...
Fitting In (Avengers X Adopted!Reader) Request: ... Tony, being known for his impulsive choices adopts a 14 yr old girl. She’s got the innocent girl next door look but she’s a complete devil. Nat loves her, Clint is afraid of her and Loki, Bucky and Sam are her partners in crime for evil pranks. All is well until she pulls a prank on Bruce and he hulks out. But even Hulk falls under her innocent spell and can’t seem to do anything to her.
Hair Pulling (Avengers X Reader) Warnings: Hair pulling, pulling hair out Request: ... One of the Avengers finds out that the reader has trichotillomania and try’s to help them to stop?
Headaches (Avengers X Reader) Warnings: Spoilers of AoU, Illness, swearing, mention of getting high and drunk Request: The reader is sick all of the time and the avengers are concerned about them, so they have to try and convince the avengers that they’re okay in the long run ...
Killer Cupcakes (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Warnings: Serious illness, near death Request: ... reader is like really sick/hurt and tries to hide it from the other avengers, but they find out and freak bc she almost died ...
The Ultimate Sacrifice (Avengers X Male!Reader) Warnings: Death of character, description of death, mourning Request: ... they’re trapped in a capsized (upside down) cruise ship and the reader ... sacrifices himself to save the group, based on the song My Immortal by Evanescence ...
Animals (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Warnings: Swearing Request: ... reader is sort of spiritually connected with animals or has some sort of connection with animals where they just adore her ... and the avengers ... keep finding random animals around the tower and Tony keeps telling her off for it; secretly everyone finds it amusing and the reader knows this.
I Need My Family (Avengers X Reader) Warnings: Mention of harrassment, assault and swearing Request: ... reader is part time university student - part time Avenger ... and reader somehow gets into some trouble that involves the police, and they try to keep it secret from the others, but Steve finds out and tells Wanda, then they tell the others ...
Other Me (Bucky X Fem!Reader)     |     *PREQUEL* [Part 2]     |     Part 3 *Sequel Warnings: Needles, stabbing, blood, death Request: … reader joined the avengers before Bucky. He sees her as sweet, shy and innocent but during missions she’s a complete psycho? After missions its like nothing happened. So he asks Steve about it and he says she’s like that cause before missions they take her off her meds that keep her in check. If she doesn’t have them she’s kinda over the top angry.
Hidden Art (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Request: ... reader is a shy recruit at the Avengers and she doesn’t really talk to anyone and didn’t let anyone in her room, and one day someone walked to her room and found out that she was very good at art ...
Joining The Team Pt 1 (Avengers X Reader)     |     Part 2     |     Part 3     |     Part 4     |     Part 5 ~Finale Warnings: Blood, Violence, torture Request: ... Avengers x reader fic, really angsty ...
Compromised (Neal Caffrey X Fem!Reader) Warnings: Nat kills someone, violence Request: ... Neal Caffrey (reader’s boyfriend) finds out she’s an Avenger, and the Avengers find out she has a boyfriend? Mozzie is protective of Neal and Nat and Bucky are protective of reader and try to scare Neal into backing off?
I’ll Kill Him (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Warnings: Mentions of Domestic abuse. Request: Reader is the Avenger’s assistant and like a little sister to them, and one day she doesn’t come into work and Bucky goes to her house to make sure she’s OK and finds out she’s in an abusive relationship and helps her.
Where’s Nat? (Avengers X Teen!Reader) Warnings: Blood. Looooots of blood. Request: teen reader has period and goes to avengers for help but Nat isn’t home – Tony is her uncle!
Not alone (Avengers X Reader) SERIOUS WARNING: SELF HARM MENTIONS. Other warnings: Getting shot. Request: Avengers see Reader’s self harm scars and confront her
Overprotective much? (Avengers X Fem!Reader) Warnings: One swear word, threatening, flirting, drinking and attempted murder by an overprotective brother. Request: ... reader is Tony´s sister and she is really beautiful (thats why Tony won´t introduce her) and the avengers are surprised and start bothering Tony and he gots really jealous and protective ...
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miracle-sham · 3 years
Text
Memento Mori Cries Our Shattered Souls.
| {Jasonette July 2021, Week 1, Day 3: Grave} |
| [Ao3 Link] | | [Masterlist Link] | | [Spotify Playlist Link] |
| Soulmates, are a tricky thing. It's said they're the person who best fits you. Everyone goes through life with half of their Soulmate's soul beside them in the form of an animal that represents the soulmate. |
| Marinette always thoughts she'd get to meet her Soulmate and the other half of her soul one day, and now she never will. Jason never wanted to meet his soulmate or be reunited with the other half of his soul. And now, like Romeo and Juliet, they've truly become star-crossed Soulmates. |
| Word Count: 1,371. |
| Warnings/Tags: Soulmate Au, Major Character Death/Implied Death/Temporary Death/Not Really Dead, Death Related Injuries/Injury Recovery, Miscommunication, Loss of Soulmate, Angst, Emotional Hurt, Explicit Language/Swearing, Starcrossed Soulmates, Wakes & Mentions of Funerary Customs/Traditions. |
———
| A/N: Okay so there's only one song on this one's playlist but c'mon, look my written words in the eyes and tell me that isn't the perfect Jasonette song. Yeah, exactly. Also Choo Choo dear readers, I'm back on the angst train. Grab your tissues and some liquid to hydrate yourself because if you aren't crying by the end of this, then I've failed my job <3 |
| If you want to be tagged in future oneshots/fics or a specific Au, then feel free to send me a dm and or ask! |
| Also side note, Don’t Like? Don’t Read. Also also, please do not criticise any of my writing. This was written for fun and receiving criticism, even in a compliment/criticism sandwich, is the exact opposite of fun. |
———
It isn't a grave. An important difference, Marinette thinks to herself hollowly. There's a dull pang in her chest, and the constant ache of all her many, many still healing injuries. She shouldn't be up and about yet, it's only been a day since she was discharged from hospital. Her parents and the doctors would have kittens. But Marinette needs to do this. And she's already crawled her way up to her balcony chair (though with a little miraculous help of course). Because it isn't a grave but it might as well be one.
It's a simple little thing really, and yet… Yet it's a lot of things.
A shrine, well an altar. On the half wall besides her balcony chair. It's a small stone slab with a lit incense holder in the middle, and a few lit candlesticks in each of the front two corners of the slab. Behind the incense holder, in the back two corners are two bouquets of marigolds, white lilies, and yellow and white chrysanthemums. And in front of the incense holder, is a single photo of her soulmate familiar and all that she has left of her soulmate; Buddy the german shepherd.
Five days ago, her soul bond shattered. Her soulmate familiar nearly shattered too. It was a miracle Buddy only fell into a pseudo-coma instead. Unlike her though, he's yet to wake up. And considering the situation, he may never. One of the doctors—a soulmate related injuries specialist—had said it's rare but not unheard of for that to happen when the human counterpart to their soul familiar dies. And the final damning nail in the coffin was Marinette's own soul familiar counterpart appearing at some point after she had fallen into the three day coma. After all, it's common knowledge that once a soulmate died, you become reunited with the other half of your soul—your soul familiar counterpart.
Marinette doesn't know what happened to her soulmate's body (if there even is one left, considering the injuries found on her and her soul familiar counterpart). Nor does she have any memorabilia or anything that once belonged to her soulmate. And she certainly doesn't know where he was from and if he would've had any preferred cultural funeral rites. So the best she can give him right now, are the typical funeral flowers her parents both recommended, alongside candles and incense. Somewhat plain and generic almost but it's something, and it's better than nothing.
She chokes back a sob and rubs at her red eyes. “It's not fair… I thought Ladybug's were supposed to be lucky.”
There's a faint pitter-patter and a few droplets splatter against the altar. She blinks and glances upwards, briefly wondering if it is starting to rain. But the cloudless sky is all an answer she needs, along with the realisation of dampness on her cheeks and hands. She blinks again, and a few more tears fall.
Tikki makes a small noise of sadness, and gives Marinette one of those tiny little hugs she always gives.
Still, the grief hurts. Marinette will never get to know who her soulmate was. His name, what he looked like, how he smiled, his accent, what he liked, his favourite things, any stupid habits or mannerisms.
And she will never get to know if her soulmate even has a grave already. She could always ask Tikki, she's right there. But the kwami is stressed enough as it is that Marinette fell comatose for three days and nearly died from the injuries inflicted on her soul familiar counterpart. And five days without a proper Ladybug (and not just Master Fu stepping in out of necessity) protecting Paris has started to visibly take its toll on Tikki.
So, Marinette's little altar isn't a grave but it's where she's burying her grief and wishing the ladybug miraculous could do something to fix this.
———
It's not a fucking grave. If Jason had a choice, he'll never let his soulmate be buried in one of those fuckers ever, y'know just in case she ever ends up like him and is forced to crawl out her own grave. But he hasn't got a fucking choice because who knows who or where his soulmate is and what happened to her after he became a dead robin.
Well other than the fact, she's un-fucking-doubtedly dead and it's all his fucking fault, obviously. It's been six months since he crawled out his grave, and Talia had said the Lazarus Pit could heal broken soul bonds and soulmate familiars that died with the soulmate. Clearly fucking wrong seeing as his bond is still shattered as fuck and there's been no sign of Jules—the naturally shifting little soulmate familiar he used to adore. The kinda weird and scrappy looking calico tabby kitten that according to the internet was a cornish rex, that would sometimes shift into an even tinier, very round and fluffy hamster.
And Jason's spent enough time on the streets as a kid to know what happens to the human counterpart when their soul familiar counterpart snuffs it. If he's lucky, she'll be in a coma and will never wake up. And if he's unlucky, then she'll be six feet under like he was. Either way, she's paying for his fuck ups and deserves way better.
A small part of him wonders if that makes them star-crossed lovers. Like a reverse Romeo and Juliet—fucking ironic considering R&J were the inspiration behind Jules' name. He died, and came back only to find irrefutable evidence that his soulmate's dead—or might as well be—because of him dying first, and she'll never know he survived dying.
“It's not fair!” Jason snarls at his fate, vision staining green for a split second. He grits his teeth and glares down at the little altar he's set up in the corner of his room in whatever league of assassins' compound this is. It's got a single lit candle in each corner of the altar—a substitute for how there's supposed to be a burning candle at each corner of a coffin. Still doesn't make it a fucking grave though.
There's also a few bunches of flowers scattered across the middle of the altar—mostly marigolds, with a few white lilies, a couple black roses, a single pheasant's-eye, and a small handful of asphodels. It hadn't been easy to get them, especially since he couldn't exactly leave the compound yet. But Jules and his soulmate deserved this at least.
Marigolds for grief, white lilies more for the funeral staple than the meaning, black roses for death and mourning, pheasant's-eye for painful recollections, and asphodels for my regrets follow you to the grave.
Fucking ironic, seeing as it's on altar and not a grave.
The worst fucking part of being here, was losing Jules. The one fucking constant in his shitty life. Batman replacing him fucking stung alright, and he's never particularly cared for soulmates, yeah. He's seen and heard more than plenty horror stories growing up, and considering how small and cute Jules is, no way would've his soulmate survived Gotham. It's not like he cared too much about meeting her or whatever, but she was fucking innocent and now she's fucking dead. So yeah, she gets asphodels on her altar because he regrets being the reason she and Jules got shattered.
And the pheasant's-eye, well Talia and all the fucking assassins in this hell hole aren't giving him the chance to hold a wake for either of them. And it's not like he knows shit about her or has anything of hers to sit on the altar. He hasn't even got anything left of Jules 'cept his fucking memories. So all he can really do is recount his own memories of her to himself. Maybe he should write 'em down in a book or something…
All in all, it ain't a fucking grave. But it might as well be one because it's where he's burying his memories and feelings. After all, an assassin without a soulmate familiar, or a soulmate, is a lot harder to kill. 'Least he's got that going for him now. But Jules and his soulmate still didn't fucking deserve dying only for him to survive alone.
———
| Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this little fic! Comments, likes, and reblogs are much appreciated! |
| Quick reasons behind the Soul Familiar names and species, whilst I know Jason canonically is bad at naming, he's also a literature nerd so hence why he called his soulmate's familiar Juliet, also because it shifts form he can't call it Cat or Hamster. The hamster is because well this is half of Marinette's soul, let's be real, and the cat is because Calicos are seen as lucky and also I thought a Cornish Rex because they're highly intelligent, active, and affectionate and I think that fits Marionette pretty well. As for why Marinette has Buddy, it's purely because Jason reminds me of a German Shepherd and I feel Marinette would've wanted to become friends with her Soulmate as soon as she understood it as a kid, so hence the name buddy. It's not fully accurate to her canon naming skills, but that doesn't matter. |
| If you've been around since the early days of my Maribat/MLB Tumblr side acc, then this premise might sound familiar. Yeah, you've guessed it! It's the Jasonette version of my MTSPY au (rip, I'll get to writing it one day, maybe), aka/originally called LYLaLYL or Lose Your Love and Lose Your Life. I decided since I love the au but I want to re-use a lot of it but with some minor to significant changes. Anyway, if those au names are familiar/you've been around for my last year's content, then here have a virtual hug from me! 🫂 If you can't see this emoji, it's the weird two blue humanoid blobs hugging emoji. Yeah. |
| On a sidenote if there's an obvious difference in writer's voice for the end/beginning notes, tags, and summary, that's because I'm writing this very sleep deprived at 4am and may have gone slightly feral. Yeah. Don't do what I'm doing, get some sleep folks. Half the tags were written at the much more reasonable hour of ten to midnight instead though. |
| Also feel free to send me any comments with any questions you have regarding this fic, I'll be more than happy to answer! |
| @jasonette-july-event |
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seita · 4 years
Text
— bnha abc's: hitoshi shinsou [angst edition].
well, finally the angst! i have no idea what character i’ll do next but we shall see...
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ɴsғᴡ ᴇᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴ | ғʟᴜғғ ᴇᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴ
⤑ 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧! | 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬  
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A- Accident, Would they blame themselves if you died in an accident?
∴ unless he was the reason you were involved then no. ∴ he wouldn’t search for correlation to himself in the event of an accident. ∴ he’s not looking to throw a pity party for himself. ∴ you were the one who was dead, after all.
B- Break up, How would they deal with one?
∴ it depends on the relationship. ∴ if it was long term, a few years together then he’s pretty broken up about it ∴ and will probably take a while to get himself back on the market ∴ but a relationship that’s only been a handful of months ∴ he figures it’s best to just move on from it.
C-Crying, Are they much of a crier?
∴ no not at all, really. ∴ sure, he feels sad but tears never fall from his eyes. ∴ however, if there is something traumatic that happens. ∴ he may shed a few tears into his pillow as he goes to sleep.
D-Death, How do they deal with any death?
∴ pretty well, actually ∴ he finds a way to cope so he can move on as quickly as possible ∴ that’s not to say he doesn’t mourn or just erase their memory ∴ he just moves to work past being broken up about it ∴ he doesn’t want to go through his days with the heavy weight of a death on his mind ∴ the type of guy to visit graves and leave flowers for his loved ones once a month.
E-Emotion, What’s the emotion they tend to push away the most?
∴ anger. ∴ he doesn’t like to be angry and he doesn’t like to show anyone his anger ∴ that’s not always possible so he’ll remove himself from situations that make him angry ∴ he’ll go somewhere private where he can let his anger out without prying eyes. ∴ he feels like shit after losing his temper so he’ll apologize or you’ll have to console him and let him know it’s okay to be angry ∴ he’s human and bottling it up isn’t healthy ∴ he agrees but...tbh nothing changes.
F-Frustrated, How much would it take to push them off the edge?
∴ it truly depends. ∴ day-to-day, he doesn’t really get ticked off or upset easily ∴ he’s pretty patient tbh ∴ but in an event where he worked hard for something ∴ or he really, really had a drive to do something (like get into the hero course) ∴ and he fails to do it ∴ he is pretty easily set off. ∴ but he pushes past and works 10x harder than before until he accomplishes his goal. ∴ he’s a driven man.
G-Great Pain, What is the most painful thing they have witnessed?
∴ when he became a pro, the first time he failed to defeat a villain ∴ and many civilians perished as a result ∴ it’s something that absolutely haunts him. ∴ he had nightmares for weeks afterwards ∴ he fully went to a therapist ∴ like he was fucked up over it ∴ to this day, if he’s reminded of it he will literally get so anxious and depressed, even though he’s seen lots of casualties since then ∴ it was just that first failure that fucks him up.
H-Humiliation, How could they be humiliated?
∴ being cheated on. ∴ the idea that he wasn’t good enough, to the point his lover had to find someone else. ∴ that really damages his sense of self worth and self esteem which is already a bit low to begin with. ∴ he’d feel like there was something wrong with him and now everyone knew he was defective.
I-Injured, How do they handle themselves when injured?
∴ very calm and collected. ∴ he figures there’s no real reason to lose his head over it. ∴ panicking will only make the situation worse. ∴ if it’s a bad injury, he’ll seek help as fast as he can. ∴ if its a superficial wound he’ll probably handle it himself.
J-Jittery, Which part of their past makes them flinch or even worked up?
∴ his childhood. ∴ he was the target for teasing and bullying due to his quirk. ∴ so if anything reminds him of those times, he gets really down ∴ he doesn’t like spiral into depression or anything ∴ but he’ll feel anxious and self conscious until the moment passes
K-Kill, Would they kill for revenge?
∴ no, never. ∴ he’s worked so hard to become a pro hero that he wouldn’t want to jeopardize it by some sort of misconduct as that. ∴ also, he has been accused of having potential to become a villain ∴ and he doesn’t want to give anyone ammunition for that.
L- Loss, What was their greatest loss?
∴ he hasn’t actually experienced much loss in terms of losing anyone to death. ∴ when he was a child, he had a friend before his quirk manifested ∴ and accidentally used it on them, unsure of how to control it ∴ and it scared the other boy so bad he stopped being friends with him ∴ that hurt shinsou pretty badly. ∴ he also probably lost a pet dog, which was traumatic because of how  much he depended on the furry animal for comfort
M- Mistakes, How much do they want to fix the mistakes of their past?
∴ shinsou isn’t the type of person who will do things that have the potential for regret ∴ he thinks his decisions over thoroughly and runs through all options before choosing the most logical one ∴ of course, he fucks up sometimes but ∴ he stands by his decisions, confident that he did the best possible thing he could have. ∴ being a pro hero doesn’t allow for him to regret things -- if he stops to mourn every civilian loss, for example, he would only be run into the ground. ∴ that doesn’t help anyone.
N-Need, How would they react if you needed emergency surgery?
∴ calm and collected ∴ especially if you’re scared ∴ then he’s going to make sure he’s a pillar for you to lean on ∴ that’s not to say on the inside he isn’t losing his mind ∴ bc he def is ∴ he just finds it counterproductive to stress you out while you’re already scared of the surgery ∴ it would get neither of you anywhere good ∴ once you’re in surgery, he’d be anxious as he waited. ∴ he’s check the time and refuse to leave the hospital until the doctor announces you’re safe.
O-Outrage, What makes them angry?
∴ betrayal. ∴ shinsou, when he trusts, he trusts hard. ∴ he puts his faith into them and expects them to stand by his side ∴ so if, for example, you used an insecurity of his against him in an argument. ∴ or cheated on him. ∴ or spilled a secret he told you in confidence ∴ he will be pissed. depending on how bad it was, he’s liable to break up with you. ∴ naturally, once his trust is broken, however, it’s near impossible to fix ∴ so good luck getting your relationship back to how it used to be lol
P-Pressure, What stresses them out to the breaking point?
∴ training ∴ he works hard to better himself to become the best hero possible ∴ but it stresses him out that he’s not improving fast enough, he’s not doing enough, he’s falling behind others ∴ he’s really hard on himself and his drive only makes the thought of failure terrifying to him. ∴ he doesn’t want to fuck up and lose his chance at his dream.
Q- Qualify, What part of themselves do they see as dangerous?
∴ his quirk, naturally. ∴ it’s a pretty dangerous quirk but ∴ truthfully, everyone’s quirk is dangerous in some way. ∴ it’s just that he’s always been trated as if his quirk was the worst possible outcome he could have been born with. ∴ so he feels like his quirk is the Most Dangerous.
R-Rock, What weighs them down?
∴ the idea that his quirk, very well could be a villains quirk. ∴ he worries that he might abuse it by accident and fuck everything up ∴ his quirk is different from combat quirks or rescue quirks ∴ he can control people. he can lock them into their own minds and force their bodies to do anything he wants without having to lift a finger. and there’s nothing they can do it about it. ∴ that scares him. ∴ it’s such a powerful quirk ∴ and it’d be so easy to abuse it ∴ he worries about his own morality at times, due to all the times he’s been called a villain ∴ it makes him doubt himself even though he knows himself better than that.
S-Sorrow, Would they feel empty after your death?
∴ very much so. ∴ shinsou is the type who gives himself completely to relationships ∴ whether it’s platonic or romantic, he puts 100% in. ∴ so to lose someone he had cared for so completely ∴ leaves him with a devastating emptiness ∴ he’s not going to know how to fill the gap your presence left behind for a long time.
T-Time, What if they had a limited time to live?
∴ he wouldn’t panic ∴ he’d spend the time doing everything he needed to do ∴ like see his mother, hang out with his friends, eat his favorite food, spend a night with you ∴ he’d be determined to make sure he wouldn’t regret wasting the time he had left ∴ so he does everything he feels is necessary for having the happiest time that he has left.
U-Urge, How badly do they get the urge to see you after separating?
∴ on a day to day basis, not much ∴ he’s very good at occupying his mind and thinking logically about whether it makes sense to see you or not. ∴ most of the time it’s not. ∴ he’s not the type to go crawling back to his ex unless it’s something he needs to fix with you. ∴ but at night, when he cant sleep ∴ his mind will automatically wander to you ∴ thinking about how it felt when just a few days, weeks, months ago you were curled up beside him in bed.
V-Vent, How do they get rid of feelings they find unnecessary?
∴ he’s actually really damn good at communication ∴ he is so good at just talking things through ∴ it helps him sort his thoughts and it keeps him calm, rather than getting worked up and upset ∴ he prefers to have healthy ways to release his negative emotions
W-Wild card, A random angst headcannon.
∴ when the bullying over his quirk got worse the older he got ∴ as people started to look at him like he was going to harm them ∴ he got frustrated, angry even ∴ he went off on his mom -- blaming her for giving him such a shitty, terrible quirk ∴ he said some extremely hurtful things in his anger ∴ and the picture of his mom’s hurt face over his words drives him insane ∴ to this day, he still feels like he’s trying to make it up to her. ∴ truthfully, it’s been forgiven and forgotten for a long time but ∴ he doesn’t believe he deserves that just yet.
X- X-ray, What makes them transparent? How obvious can they get around something they hate?
∴ you really will not know when this guy hates you ∴ he seems to have mostly just, cold indifference to majority of people ∴ so him hating you; being ignored or treated coldly ∴ will literally not even make you feel hated ∴ it just seems like his default ∴ he’s pretty open about his opinions though ∴ so if you talk about something and ask what he thinks of it ∴ if he hates it, like a movie, he’ll just come right out and say it tbh ∴ so he’s like 50/50 transparent.
Y-Yearning, Do old memories make them yearn for your touch?
∴ yes. ∴ shinsou is the type of guy to look through his phone at old texts and pictures ∴ when he lies in bed at night, he thinks of his fondest memories ∴ he won’t actively seek you out if it’s not logical -- like if you’re an ex. ∴ but if you’re available for him, he’ll seek you out with a deep craving for you. ∴ he wants to make more memories while he can.
Z-Zest, Add your own letters!
[Parents Headcanon] ∴ when he was a baby, his father left him and his mom ∴ that left his mom to take care of a baby all on her own ∴ she was a young mom too, had him pretty early in life; about 18 or so. ∴ so she struggled really badly ∴ he regrets all the trouble he gave her when he was naive to the struggles of parenthood ∴ once he got older and realized how much his mom did for him ∴ he began to work hard around the house so she could relax when she got home from work, cooked dinner, and never asked for anything he didn’t absolutely need ∴ he absolutely adores his mom ∴ and the idea of ever being without her terrifies him.
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© all content belongs to seita 2020. do not modify or repost.
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Text
Gonna make full use of my ‘comic rant’ tag and roast Future State: Superwoman.
Spoilers! And yelling! Of the disgruntled kind!
So a few things at the start here: 1.) I wanted to love this book. I wanted it to be great. I wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt, in spite of some iffy stuff in the solicit text. So this rant is not coming from a place of having decided this was going to be awful ahead of time. 2.) My tolerance for bad Supergirl comics is pretty high! Takes a lot for me to actually come out and say that a particular issue is trash. Reader: This story is trash.
It’s not ‘middle-aged white guys writing/drawing a story about sending a minor to a potentially hostile planet fully nude’ trash, mind you. It’s the compost bin, rather than the landfill. Slightly nicer trash, but it still stinks to high heaven. Allow me to expand!
PROLOGUE - SUMMARY: ...I actually can’t summarize this comic b/c it would devolve into a lot of senseless yelling. We’ll just have to tease out this terrible plot as we go along. 
PART I - DEAD DOGS TELL BAD TALES: The comic opens with Kara standing at Krypto’s grave. That’s not why this comic is trash, but it bears mentioning. Because why. Why would you do this. 
PART II - IN WHICH IT ONLY GETS WORSE: So, Kara has a running inner monologue, and the main thing we gather from Kara’s thoughts is that it was Krypto who taught her to be a hero. On paper, that sounds very sweet! In practice, it reads as Kara having no moral center whatsoever—whatever good qualities she might possess, she did not learn from her parents, or her foster parents, or friends, or fellow heroes. Nor do they come from within Kara herself. Nope, t’was Krypto who taught Kara not to be a jealous rage monster. That is not hyperbole--Kara’s walking around angry about her cousin all the time and she’s like, ‘It was you, Krypto, who taught me not to judge, and to let go of anger.’ Listen, I love Krypto, but this? This is, as the youth would say, a bad look.
PART III - THOSE CERTAINLY ARE...SOME THEMES: The set-up here is that Kara is on the moon, and has established a sanctuary for alien refugees. That’s a dynamite idea! I love that! Buuuuut Kara didn’t look at the plight of alien refugees and say, ‘I want to help!’ Really, she didn’t even look at herself and say, ‘I don’t want others to feel like I’ve felt.’ No, she said, ‘Earth won’t accept me as a hero, and Clark didn’t name me protector of Earth, so. I’m out!’ (Honestly, if your moral compass is so whack that you need a dog to walk you back from Hulk-Smashing...can’t say I blame Clark for not picking you, Kara!) But apparently, the people on the moon don’t really like her either. And it is literally never explained why. There’s a whole montage of Kara fixing stuff and saving lives and all the moon folk just glare at her. This makes both the moon people AND Kara look like a**holes, because they come across as ungrateful, and she comes across as a glory hound. Thanks! I hate it! So the ‘peace’ Kara’s found on the moon isn’t really peaceful at all, cause she still resents her cousin, and people still don’t like her, in spite of the fact that she’s constantly performing acts of service for them. 
Also, side note, I’m just now realizing this is an entire population of alien refugees...and Kara is somehow still the odd one out. Like, Earth I get, because everyone else is a human and maybe freaked out by the super powers. But a bunch of aliens? WHY. Why did you do this. Why did this need to be set on the moon with alien refugees if you’re not going to interrogate Kara’s identity as an alien refugee herself AND all of the aliens are inexplicably humanoid in appearance and utterly ordinary in terms of power levels.  
Like. This is not the CW show, where they have a budget, and a huge ensemble cast to serve. YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE. AAARRRRRGHHHH.
PART III CONT’D: There’s also this weird ‘birthright’ element introduced...like, Clark and Jon stole Kara’s ‘right’ to be earth’s defender which is...a terrible reading of Kara’s modern origin. It brings in the idea that Kara is a ‘chosen one’ and because she didn’t get to be that chosen one, all of her hero work is for nothing. Never mind the whole central conceit of what makes Clark and Kara heroic...that they have this incredible power, and choose to do good with it. Nah...it’s all about her ‘right’ to protect the people of Earth! And mean ol’ Clark took that away! THANKS. I HATE IT. 
PART IV - A POOR USE OF SPACE: So, all of the Future State books kind of struggle with the issue of too much exposition, which is understandable. They have to introduce an entirely new status quo in a very limited amount of literal page space, so you *really* have to have a handle on how you allocate your time and focus.  
Introducing a brand new, lore-heavy heroic character who gets all of the development and dynamic art and pulls focus away from the character you’re meant to be writing is a bad use of a two issue limited series.
Like, this is a crappy Supergirl comic but it’s a great backdoor pilot for a Lynari ongoing, I guess. 
Imagine if in the Jon Superman book, they introduced a random, brand new best friend for Jon, and he got the big character arc instead of Jon. That’s something you save for an arc in an ongoing title, NOT A TWO ISSUE EVENT COMIC.  
Back to said new character, there’s a lot of forced attempts to parallel Kara and Lynari, but Lynari’s backstory is so confusing, rushed, and poorly explained that it’s like: okay, they’re both...angry? And the moon jerks hate them? ...uh. Okay.
(I’m gonna bring back my ‘why is this set on the moon, even’ question so that my ‘poor use of space’ header becomes a better joke.) 
PART V - I'M HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO...B/C THERE SURE AIN’T ONE HERE: I’ve already mentioned that Krypto was apparently Kara’s conscience so when Lynari’s aunt arrives to...kill them? (again, everything about Lynari’s backstory is rushed and poorly explained) Kara gets real mad and basically pulls a Gothel: ‘You want me to be the bad guy? Fine! Now I’m the bad guy.’ But thank goodness Lynari is there to tell Kara no! Don’t murder the giant aunt eel! Lynari then steals Kara’s powers and gives up the swamp jewel that’s been hidden inside their body and now their aunt is less murder-y!
WOW. Couldn’t even give the big damn hero moment to Kara in her own book, huh?
So the day is saved. It takes Kara a while to regain her powers, and it’s only then, when she’s no longer ‘above’ the moon jerks, that they’re like, ‘oh, we like her!’ There is a bit of narration about how that attitude is awful. But that narration is provided by Lynari. See, the inner monologue is no longer Kara’s thoughts, but rather it has switched to Lynari’s point of view. They’re telling us this story. And do you know why?
PART VI - WHY THIS COMIC *SUCKS*: KARA DIES. SHE’S THE FRIGGIN’ ‘SECOND GRAVE’ OF THE TITULAR ‘TWO GRAVES’
Fudge this comic to heck.
See, Kara dies on the moon, presumably of old age. She’s buried next to Krypto. And this random character who we’re suddenly supposed to care about tells us her story. Not Clark. Not the Danvers. Not Brainy. Not even one of the supporting cast members from her solo title. No one from Kara’s life is mentioned at all, save for Jon and Clark, and they’re pretty much relegated to flashbacks of Kara punching them. 
PART VII - TIME TO COMPARE DEATHS, I GUESS: First and foremost can I just say that I hate that’s a sentence that I’m typing about Kara in the year of our lord, 2021. But okay: Kara’s big famous death in Crisis stopped the entire DC universe cold. Everyone paused in the middle of the destruction of the multiverse to mourn her loss and honor her (GENUINELY HEROIC) sacrifice. Clark and Barbara--two established characters with a strong connection/relationship to Kara--offered lovely eulogies. 
This one: Kara gets to die of old age in obscurity after a lifetime of striving to be recognized and only achieving it by de-powering and serving a population of jerks. 
Not the warm and fuzzy ending you think it is!
(Meanwhile, Clark lives for millennia and spawns an entire dynasty of Els, all of ‘em out there, protecting the cosmos. I was looking forward to House of El in the hopes of maybe seeing some Kara stuff but NOPE. Thanks to Superwoman, we’re probably not gonna see any future Kara stuff beyond this! G R E A T)
And like, the argument could be made that this ending makes Kara happy. This is the life she chooses! She wants to be alone and garden on the moon! Except, we get zero insight from Kara regarding the remainder of her life. We only have Lynari’s narration and some montage shots...nearly all of which focus on other characters. But honestly, even if we did get Kara’s side of things, I doubt it would shed much light on her feelings, bEEECAUSE...
PART VIII - SUPER BLAND: This Kara really has no personality outside of ‘detached and vaguely bitter.’ I like Sauvage, I think she’s an incredibly talented artist, but here, Kara is stiff and her expression often reads as aloof. She’s very pretty, but it comes at the expense of being expressive. (And I know Sauvage can do expressive stuff...because Lyanari gets to be expressive.) Like...I love that shojo manga vibe but this is a Kara devoid of spark and warmth. 
...Like...Melissa Benoist’s portrayal of Kara is right there... 
I’ve already sort of touched on this but her inner monologue doesn’t have much personality either. She’s just parroting the same, ‘I need to do as Krypto taught me!’ nonsense for both issues. Until, of course, we shift to Lynari’s narration, and lose Kara’s thread entirely. 
PART IX - LET’S WRAP THIS UP: This book frustrates me to no end because it had a lot of stuff going for it. It’s got a female writer and artist--still a rarity for the Supergirl book--it’s a limited series mostly free of continuity and character baggage, and it’s not tied down to the grimdark cyberpunk stuff happening in the Gotham books. YOU COULD’VE DONE ANYTHING. And, once again, DC goes with a pitch that’s: Kara is angry, Kara resents Clark...and Kara dies.
It’s also happening...right as Kara has no dedicated ongoing title, the movie’s been shelved, the TV show is entering its sixth and final season, and all promotion has shifted to new CW and HBO shows. 
*screams into the void* 
MAAAAAAN I hate this book. I hate that it retroactively makes me hate the Andreyko run a little bit--a run that I took to be about a traumatized young woman forced to confront her grief, and who leans on a beloved animal companion for comfort. Here, Krypto is L I T E R A L L Y the reason Kara’s not constantly frying folks with her heat vision. 
I hate that this book has made me use the word ‘literally’ so much in this rant.
I hate that this could possibly be more in continuity than Millennium.
Remember Millennium? Where Kara was in like...five pages? And she was warm, and kind, and promised to help Rose because it was the right thing to do, and oh yes, WAS PRESIDENT OF EARTH?!??! AND A CLASSY OLD LADY!?!?!?!?! WHO WAS STILL ALIVE AND KICKIN’ IN THE FAR FLUNG FUTURE!?!?!?!?!
I hate that I’m using my lunch hour to rant about how much I hate this comic.  
I hate that DC editorial seems hell-bent on erasing the interesting aspects of Kara’s character to sand her down to ‘the angry one’ or ‘Batman 2.0′
PART X - LET’S END ON SOME (?) POSITIVES: Don’t read this book! Don’t do it! Don’t waste your time and money!
Instead, check out ANYTHING ELSE. If you want mom!Kara, read Tom Taylor’s ‘Last Daughters of Krypton’ in the DC Nuclear Winter special. If you want heroic oldlady!Kara, read Millennium. Honestly? Pick up anything by Bendis that has Supergirl in it. It is miles away better than this. You want angry Kara working through her grief? Andreyko, Red Lantern, even Infected. ANYTHING BUT THIS. HECK, grab Superman of Metropolis instead! That has bad Kara characterization but at least she doesn’t end up dead. 
Anyways. This comic is bad. I wish it wasn’t! And this is now the SECOND TIME IN A ROW that Kara’s book ends on a terrible note before the character disappears from monthly comics for an unknown period of time.  
*screams into the void again*
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victorscrown · 3 years
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V I C T O R ‘ S  C R O W N  ⸻
type: excerpt
word count: 2236
warning(s): mentions of suicide
status: second draft, unedited
For as long as Finnick Odair can remember, the ocean has been his home. He learned to swim almost before he could walk; his mother used to joke that he should have been born with fins and gills instead of arms and legs. His earliest memories are drenched in saltwater and smell like brine and fish. They are sand-bottomed, adorned with seashells and kelp and coral, set to the melody of waves crashing against the shore and seagulls crying from the air. They are wrought from long hours spent aboard District 4’s trawlers, netting seafood bound for the hungry mouths of Capitol citizens. His parents’ house might be where he sleeps, but the ocean is where he belongs.
Despite this, the ever-present threat of the Hunger Games sweeps Finnick out of the water and deposits him in the austere world of Career education almost before he’s old enough to understand what he’s preparing for. The only son of eminent fleet captain Lochlan Odair and his shipwright wife, Finnick is selected for District 4’s prestigious training academy two years earlier than the normal recruiting age. Every minute Finnick is not at sea he is training, learning how to survive, how to fight, how to win.
Being a five-year-old in a class of children two years his senior should have left him at a distinct disadvantage, but Finnick is a natural, both at the physical and mental aspects of Career academia. After his first day at the academy, Finnick marches thorough the door of his home, head held high, and announces, “I’m going to win the Hunger Games one day.”
His parents don’t quite know what to think about this. As one of the few families of Panem with some material wealth to call their own, a sense of responsibility falls on the Odairs, a need to provide for and protect the less fortunate of their district. They donate frequently to the Games fund. They satiate the appetites of greedy Capitol officials with bribes and obsequience. But willingly sending their own child to the Games is a sacrifice above and beyond what they are willing to make. In District 4, it’s considered an honor to be chosen to compete in the Games, but it doesn’t make the possibility of their child dying at the hands of another any more palatable. So Finnick’s parents mask their worry behind sunny smiles and words of congratulation.
We are so proud of you! Their voices warble like the tide. You will make such an excellent angler. All of the fish will just hop right into your net!
Meanwhile, Finnick, young, soft, and new, is dazzled and awed by the bright posters hanging from the academy walls. Show pride in your district! the posters urge. Volunteer to compete and show Panem what District 4 is really made of!
In Finnick’s academy days, volunteerism, while not rampant like it was in Districts 1 and 2, was frequent enough to preserve the district amidst a sea of destitution. To the trained, money is a powerful motivator, and the fact that many victors pour their winnings back into the district makes the Games seem much more appealing. But the Games are only appealing when someone from District 4 wins.
Finnick is seven when he hears about Nereus. News of the victor’s death floods the streets as though carried by a riptide, and soon all of District 4 is talking about it. Poor old Nereus, academy personnel would mutter when they thought the students could not hear. Found his body on the beach. Wanted to see the sun set one more time, the poor fool.
Even then, Finnick is old enough to know of Nereus, victor of the Forty-second Hunger Games. While other victors were deeply involved in the functions and activities of the academy—drafting the school’s curricula, hosting seminars, even teaching classes for potential tributes—Nereus did not step foot once in the academy after his victory. He holed himself up in his luxurious house in the Victor’s Village and did not emerge unless coerced. Except on the night on which he died.
Officially, Nereus died of a heart attack—a tragic accident, the mayor of District 4 claims at his district-wide funeral. But there are rumors floating around District 4, eddying in the dorms of the academy and muddying the waters of the mayor’s claims like silt.
They say Nereus died of a heart attack, but he never goes outside. Why would he go to the beach unless he knew something? Unless he planned something?
One night, Finnick is brave enough to ask his father about it.
“Dad, the mayor says Nereus died of a heart attack. But everyone else is saying he planned it himself. Like he wanted to die.”
Finnick’s parents exchange looks. Finnick just waits. His father will answer eventually; he always does.
“I’m not sure I understand your question, Finnick,” Lochlan says at last.
“Why would Nereus want to die?” Finnick asks. “He won the Hunger Games, right? He lived in a big house and had all the food and money he could ever want.”
Lochlan takes a deep breath, as if about to dive underwater, and fixes Finnick with a serious look. “Nereus’ death was unfortunate, yes. But he was selfish, through and through.”
“Lochlan,” Finnick’s mother starts, reproving, but he carries on.
“You were right, Finnick. Nereus was a victor. And as such, he had a duty to his district. A duty to care for his people, to give them help as they needed it.”
“Like you do,” Finnick says.
Lochlan nods solemnly. “Nereus was so caught up in himself he forgot his obligation. But we will never be so. You, son, are an Odair. And when you grow older, when your mother and I are gone, you will carry the responsibility for our district as well.” His eyes, to which Finnick’s are so often compared, are as dark and fierce as a stormy sea. “As captain, I must direct my crew. I must tell them how to steer the ship, exactly where we are to go, or else we will get lost out on the open sea. Or even worse, crash and sink the bottom of the ocean. District 4 is one giant ship. There must be a strong, steady captain, or the ship will not make it safely back to the harbor. Do you understand?”
Finnick is seven and understands very little of what his father’s metaphor implies. But he nods his head obediently and tucks the conversation away in his heart, where he dwells upon it often in the quiet, solitary moments before dawn.
Later, Finnick realizes District 4 didn’t mourn Nereus’ death as much as they mourned the sudden lack of monetary resources his presence sanctioned. He might have been a recluse, but his winnings still aided the people. With one more victor dead, there was one less salary the district could use as a crutch.
Unfortunately, Nereus’ death seems to be the advent of a streak of bad luck for District 4. In the following months, when the seas are normally teeming with life and District 4 flourishes under its bounty, trawlers begin hauling in seafood black and putrid with disease. A parasite, they soon discover, and quicker than a flash flood it spreads from the sea to the air. Infected birds begin to litter District 4’s pristine shores alongside their infected prey. This won’t last, trawler captains assure their Capitol managers. Give it a season, and the parasite will die out and your quotas will be met.
Another season comes and goes. Fishing is poor and the district poorer.
In response, strict rationing is instituted by the Capitol. The inner sectors of the district, already barely keeping themselves afloat, start to get pulled under by the riptide of starvation. Dissent ripples outward, starting in the inner sectors, where the rationing hits hardest, to the outer fringes of the district, where the Odairs live. The Capitol, fearing outright rebellion, tightens its chokehold on District 4 with an unforgiving fist. Anyone suspected of instigating an uprising are punished severely, or just disappear altogether. A district-wide curfew is enacted, with harsh retribution allotted to any who break it. And the academy is shut down, because every child over the age of seven is forced onto a trawler alongside their older siblings and parents, shuttled inland to work in the processing plants, or consigned to long, back-breaking hours combing beaches for clams and any other edible source of food.
The fleet is out to sea for weeks at a time, venturing out to waters previously considered too dangerous to fish. Finnick is lucky enough to have grown up on his family’s trawler, but other children are not so lucky. Every week, it seems there is a new story about some untrained child being washed overboard by colossal waves, or strangled by the heavy nets, or withered away by dysentery caused by eating rotten seafood. These children are mourned the way children sent to the Games are mourned.
Finnick’s mother and other shipwrights are displaced from their jobs in the shipyards to assist in the process of moving delicate, time-sensitive cargo onto trains and hovercrafts bound for the Capitol. With so much of the seafood being rendered inedible, it is imperative that every iota of good food is transported to the Capitol as quickly as possible to minimize the amount of time trawlers spend in port and reduce the spoiling of perishable goods. Finnick and many other children do not see one or both parents for weeks.
The only time everyone has off is to partake in the 60th Hunger Games. The afternoon before Reaping Day, every vessel in District 4’s fleet returns to shore, but there is no relief in the days to come. For the next three weeks, District 4 witnesses firsthand the consequences of minimal to no Career training. This year’s volunteers—a pair of inner district adolescents desperate to fight their way out of poverty or die trying—have not been properly trained in over a year. They don’t stand a chance against their Career counterparts from One and Two. District 4 watches, deluged in shame and horror, as both of their tributes are killed off in the first week of the Games. The chance of securing relief from the Capitol in the form of food or other supplies dies with them.
Finnick doesn’t quite understand what the Games imply, why they occur or why children must be sent to die. But he recognizes his parents’ grief, the pronounced slump of his father’s shoulders, the sheen of tears in his mother’s red-rimmed eyes. He recognizes the bent heads and dull gazes of other adults, and even some children, who even younger than Finnick are impacted by the despotism of the Capitol.
The night of his ninth birthday, Finnick is rocked to sleep by the roll and pitch of his father’s ship, already redeployed after the Games. He misses his mother desperately, but he most likely won’t get to see her for another fortnight, when the trawler will deliver its bounty into her custody onshore. It can’t go on like this forever, he thinks, though it’s hard to think about much other than the hunger gnawing at his belly. At some point, things will go back to normal.
And gradually, things do. In the following months, the parasite infecting District 4’s waters dies out, and more food becomes available to citizens outside of the Capitol. Children are allowed to go back to school. The academy reopens, and vigorous training resumes. By now, though, District 4 is a good two years behind the other districts in terms of Games readiness. And it shows when Four loses yet another Games—to a girl from Three, of all places.
The humiliation wears at District 4’s normally indefatigable spirit. It’s made indubitably clear that the only way District 4 will begin bringing home victors is if they’re trained first. So District 4 unites the best it can, pouring every possible asset into scholarships and Games-related aid organizations. Every extra cent of the Odairs’ income flows directly into fund dedicated to providing for Four’s tributes in the arena. As for Finnick, there is nothing he can do but train. And train he does, with an unprecedented intensity and focus. His dedication garners the attention of academy faculty, who praise his skill and commitment. Even Capitol officials, stationed at the academy to monitor for suspicious activity, remark at the newfound enthusiasm with which he tackles his education.
Your boy shows such promise! they’d tell Finnick’s father. He’s going to be a volunteer for sure.
By the time Finnick’s thirteenth birthday arrives, he has been living at the academy full-time for three years. Once children achieve Games eligibility at age twelve, the most promising are assigned personal trainers, some of whom are former victors. Batten is a perfect match for Finnick’s relentless ambition. He shapes Finnick into just what he intends to be: A reason for District 4 to maintain its pride, a victor through and through.
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angelcakedraws · 4 years
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Rin’s past is filled with twists, turns, death, and a freakshow that changed her soul forever.. care to hear? Give me a listen and let me tell you the tale of Rin Himura...
Rin was born into a middle class family in the countryside of Japan, in a small but quaint neighborhood. Her parents were young but loving, and they cared with all their heart about their little girl. She loved animals, however she didn’t have many friends because of her appearance. Being pale, having dark hair, and kinda creepy eyes frightened other children, but she didn’t mind. She had a few friends and her parents. Her quirk manifested when she was seven, as she had picked up a dead lizard that a neighbors cat had killed, and it had easily been dead for two days. Her parents were shocked but thrilled, neither of them had that quirk. Her parents told her that her quirk could save lives, like a doctor. She set her mind on becoming a doctor since then, and she wanted to save lives. 
Rin’s quirk allowed her to raise and control the dead. Anything animal had died, she could bring them back using her quirk and control their every move, like a necromancer.
Rin kept growing and was quite an intelligent girl, but with a Macabre side, like her mother. Her mom had always liked creepy old fashioned things, like a Victorian horror story. That had rubbed off a lot on Rin, and she would read stories with her mom. Her mother collected that type of clothing but never wore it, in order to preserve it, she kept it in her closet high up where Rin couldn’t reach. When Rin reached the age of 12, her parents took her to a renaissance festival in order to get some new stuff for a Victorian style. Unfortunately, Rin got separated from them. Next thing she knew, she was yanked into a dark tent and knocked out.
A group of men kidnapped her based on her appearance, since she looked to be very creepy. The people who kidnapped her were circus people and wanted her for gain, the recent development of quirks from the past years has led to a rise in the freak show business again. It was more underground than it was before but it was still humiliating for anyone who was a part of it. When they found out about her quirk they were even more excited. 
They made her show off her quirk in front of large audiences until it exhausted her, she’d pass out from the excess use of power, and get whipped when she would stop. She has scars all over her back now and that’s why she wears so much clothing. She had to overuse her quirk almost every day, and it caused her arm to start to rot away from excessive power use, a side effect of her quirk. She brought to life any animals, big or small, predator or prey. They even made her revive some of her fellow “freaks” and control them until their bodies started to smell too much.
For years she took it without a fight, and often nurtured those who were new, comforting them to the best of her ability. She even found herself a lover there, a girl with the ability to turn into a fiery bird of legend, a Phoenix. However, she died after having water thrown on her in her fire form, her body turning to nothing but smoke and steam. Rin carried on for 5 more years after her death, constantly having to smile at an audience that laughed and awed at her torture, and she dare not frown or try and fight, for the ring master had a gun pointed at her in the dark under the stands, and he would smile and point until Rin was done performing her revival act.
After 7 years, she decided it was enough. After being thrown into her cell and whipped on the back for the last time, she used a dead mouse to retrieve the keys and break her free. The rest of the staff and the ringmaster were putting on the other part of the show while she grabbed a gallon of gasoline and a match, walking around behind the dark stands where the audience sat and pouring the flammable liquid around it, she stepped outside the circle, lit the match, and dropped it. 
 She watched the tent burst into flames, creating an inescapable ring of Fire. It killed everyone in the audience. The rest of the staff and the “freaks” were able to escape the tent. She then used her power to bring to life all the freshly burned carcasses in the audience, having them attack the staff. They killed everyone and released the rest of the captives there, who ran free from their slavery. Rin found the ringmaster attempting to run with a charred leg, and ordered two of the undead audience members to seize him and bring him to her. He tried to shoot the zombies, but they couldn’t feel the pain, they were dead after all. She looked down at him, his fear filled eyes meeting hers. She grabbed his gun from the holster, and he watched helplessly as she cocked it, aiming it right between his eyes. He was shot dead on the spot, and Rin dropped her army of corpses, she herself dropping to the ground momentarily from exhaustion. She quickly stood up, remembering she was free. She made her way towards the city with quick strides.
The very first thing she did as she escaped was try and find her parents, she wasn’t super young so she remembered where her house was and how to get there. However, when she arrived at her house, it was abandoned. Boarded off and overgrown with the flower vines in the front yard. She went inside and her heart shattered with every glance, nothing had been taken, it was untouched. All the pictures were still up, there were still some dishes in the sink, and some of her toys were still on the floor. She went back into her room and nothing had changed, she stifled her tears as she looked around, her parents didn’t move a single thing after she disappeared. She quickly left, unable to control herself, and took a walk. She was walking along and ended up in the graveyard that her mom would take her to as a child, where her grandparents were buried. She kept contemplating what she should do, would and old neighbor recognize her? And would they tell her where her parents went? Would they even care? She stopped, walking up to her grandparents graves, seeing.. more stones. She look at the stones and started to shake. 
Akane Himura
Kyo Himura
She dropped to her knees, whimpers escaping her lips, shaking violently and tears streaming down her face. She let out the loudest, most painful scream, and gripped the stone of her mother, all the blood in her face gone. They were dead, they were gone. Her mom and dad were gone.. forever. She’s sobbed and gripped the other stone, memories flashing through her head and her heart shattering. Between hiccups and coughs, she glanced at the third grave, her sobs abruptly stopping. With tears still streaming down her face, she read the final stone.
R I N  H I M U R A
Her name was on that stone. She was assumed dead.. she couldn’t have died, she knew her parents would keep searching for her no matter what. She looked at the dates, her sadness slowly turning into a blood red rage. She had been confirmed dead not but a month after her parents had passed. Connecting the dots, she knew the heroes had stopped searching. Her parents had died 2 years before that day, and she knew they would have kept looking. Her parents had pestered the heroes to keep searching, but they weren’t interested, it wasn’t flashy or cool to look for someone’s missing child. Rin bolted up, tears still clouding her eyes and rage clouding her judgement. She grazed the tops of each family tombstone, and stopped at hers. She kicked, and kicked, and kicked. That stone came loose with her force, and she used a hefty amount of strength to push it down the hill with her foot, her “death” was bullshit.
She stormed back into the house, grabbing her small locket necklace that she had as a child, and her mother’s ruby pendant that she would wear to formal occasions. The heroes would pay for what they did to her parents. They were restless in her graves, and she could feel it, they could never rest peacefully until they knew she was safe. Only now, Rin knew they wouldn’t be at peace until heroes were shown what happens when you leave a child in need.
She found an abandoned hotel and made it her home, she spruced it up with the money she had. And eventually used a small area as a place to meet people in mourning, usually rich families. They had money, and that’s what Rin needed to survive. She told them about her power but lied about it’s specific abilities, telling them they’d have ten minutes to talk to their late friend or family member one last time. She brought them to their burial sight, brought the corpse to life, and had the “zombie” kill them, she proceeded to take their money and have the corpse rebury itself into the ground, which was easy since it was recently buried. She used the money she stole to redecorate her home and get nicer clothing. 
Rin saw the USJ attack on TV and was intrigued by the group who committed the crime, wondering what it would be like to fight in groups rather than on her own. She had always been a bit theatric with her attacks, but this was a level that almost fascinated iher. She decided to take a stab at something such as that. When she found out that the same class would be visiting a history museum, she sprung at the opportunity and attacked. She brought to life the skeletons of dinosaurs and other prehistoric skeletons. This was the first time she was shown publicly, all her cases she was involved with were stated as psychotic attacks by some sort of deranged murderer, never a larger conspiracy behind it nor different undead humans involved. 
Luckily, Rin was smart, and made sure her face was never caught on camera, yet some student saw her face, however, her arm was never revealed. Giran and Rin were at a dinner while Giran was talking with another potential member. Of course that colleague dm didn’t work out, but Rin’s sharp ears overheard the conversation. She approached him and introduced herself. She was proper and shared some casual conversation, she spoke with him about the league in a hushed voice. She told him of her attack on TV and of the attacks on the others she had killed for money. He was intrigued by her, and she was taken to the bar where she was recruited by Shigaraki. 
Her first time killing all of those people in the audience, even though they were all sick and twisted, it haunts her. She feels as if the blood on her hands has never washed off, another reason she almost always wears gloves. If you can tell, she never kills anyone herself, it’s always her undead minions who kill for her. She killed the people in the audience and the ringmaster, she feels little pity for her ringmaster, but it still shook her to her core how many people she killed that day, that blood was on her own hands.
But, something that comforts her is that she saved all the “freaks” at the show and gave them freedom. She doesn’t know where any of them are now, but she took care of them while they were there and set them free when she had the chance.
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lifeofresulullah · 3 years
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The Life of The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh): Farewell Hajj and the Death of the Prophet (pbuh)
After the Death of the Prophet (PBUH)
The pure soul of the Seal of the Prophets reached A’la al-Illiy­yun (the Highest Rank). His wives put a cloth over his body and started to cry.
Usama heard from his mother that the Messenger of Allah was living his last moments, he postponed setting off and came to the Mosque with his army. When the Companions heard the cries and screams coming from the house of the Prophet, they were shocked. It was as if the sky had fallen on them. Everybody was stupefied; the eyes were shedding tears of sorrow and grief.
Even Hazrat Umar, who was a symbol of courage and justice, was affected badly from that terrible moment; he was terrified and shouted,
“The Messenger of Allah did not die. He is alive. He was struck by lightning like Moses. If anyone says, ‘Muhammad died’, I will split him into two with my sword.”
Hazrat Abu Bakr Soothes People
When the Messenger of Allah died, Hazrat Abu Bakr was in his house in Sunh. They gave him the bad news. Hazrat Abu Bakr, who felt as if one part of his part broke off, went to the house of the Messenger of Allah quickly.  
He lifted the cloth that covered the blessed face of the Messenger of Allah in terror and astonishment. His face was in the form of embodied light. He bowed down and kissed the Prophet’s bright and luminous forehead three times. He uttered the following words in tears:  
“O Messenger of Allah! Your death is as clean and graceful as your life.”
Then, he consoled the household of the Prophet.
Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar
After leaving the house of the Prophet, Hazrat Abu Bakr went to the Mosque. He heard Hazrat Umar say, “The Messenger of Allah did not die.” Thereupon, he said,
“Whoever worships Muhammad (pbuh) should know that Muhammad (pbuh) died. Whoever worships Allah should know that Allah is Hayy (immortal).”
Then, he recited the following verse:
“Muhammad is no more than a Messenger: many were the Messengers that passed away before Him. If he died or was slain, will ye then turn back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah; but Allah (on the other hand) will swiftly reward those who (serve him) with gratitude”
This verse had been sent down during the Battle of Uhud, when a rumor stating that Muhammad was killed became widespread. Though the Companions had read that verse, maybe, hundreds or thousands times, but they seemed to have forgotten it due to their sorrow at that time.
However, Hazrat Abu Bakr who maintained his strength did not forget it; he fulfilled a great service and duty by reminding the Companions about it.
Upon the speech and reminder of Hazrat Abu Bakr, the Companions came to their senses. They pulled themselves together and overcame their astonishment.
Then, Hazrat Abu Bakr recited the following verse:
“(O Prophet! Truly thou wilt die (one day), and truly they (too) will die (one day).”
Hazrat Abu Bakr, who did not lose his strength, fulfilled a great service for the Islamic community through his speech.
The distinguished Companions realized and accepted that the Messenger of Allah had died; Hazrat Umar gave up saying, “the Messenger of Allah did not die.” And he came to his senses.
Madinah had never been so full of joy when the Messenger of Allah arrived in Madinah for the first time since the city was founded; the same Madinah was experiencing the saddest moments now; the skies of Madinah were covered with sorrow and grief.
Hazrat Abu Bakr is Elected as Caliph
Upon the death of the Messenger of Allah, Madinah was mourning. Eyes were shedding tears and hearts were shedding sorrow and grief.  
However, mourning and sorrow would not settle things. It was necessary to elect a president, a Caliph, who would take care of the affairs of the Muslims and who would apply the decrees of Islam.
Soon, there was an attempt to choose the Caliph. The person that deserved this post more than everybody else was Hazrat Abu Bakr because the highest rank of the Companions were the most distinguished Companions that believed first in Makkah. And the most virtuous of them was Hazrat Abu Bakr. In fact, Hazrat Abbas and Hazrat Ali were closer to the Messenger of Allah than anybody else in terms of kinship but the Prophet regarded Hazrat Abu Bakr, who was his friend in cave, superior to all of the Companions. He showed it when he was ill too. He ordered all of the doors opening to the Mosque to be closed but let the door of Hazrat Abu Bakr open. He handed over the duty of leading prayers Hazrat Abu Bakr three days before his death. He made Abu Bakr lead prayers, one of the most important pillars of Islam. Therefore, he was the one that deserved being the Caliph after the death of the Messenger of Allah. And it happened like that.
After the long talks and negotiations made on Monday, the day when the Messenger of Allah died, from the afternoon until the evening, Hazrat Abu Bakr was elected the Caliph of the Messenger of Allah and people paid allegiance to him.
General Allegiance to Hazrat Abu Bakr
It was Rabiul-Awwal 13, Tuesday...
Hazrat Abu Bakr went to the Mosque of the Prophet and ascended to the pulpit.
Before he started to speak, Hazrat Umar stood up. After praising and thanking Allah, Hazrat Umar addressed the Muslims: “Allah made the best of you, the friend of the Messenger of Allah in the cave, your Caliph. Stand up and pay allegiance to him.”
The Muslims in the mosque stood up and paid general allegiance to Hazrat Abu Bakr.
After the allegiance, Hazrat Abu Bakr praised and thanked Allah, and spoke as follows:
O people! I was elected as your governor and Caliph though I am not the best of you. If I do good deeds, help me; if I do bad deeds, show me the right way. Honesty is reliability. Telling lies is betrayal. Inshaallah, the weakest one of you will be the strongest one of you in my eye until I surrender him his right. Inshaallah, the strongest one of you will be the weakest one of you in my eye until I remove from him the rights of others.
O people! Do not give up fighting in the way of Allah. Know it very well that a nation that gives up jihad will be servile. Obey me as long as I obey Allah and His Messenger; if I do not obey Allah and His Messenger, do not obey me. I ask forgiveness for me and you from Allah.”
The Prophet is Washed and Enshrouded
The Muslims were busy with electing the Caliph, who would take care of the affairs of the Muslims, on the 12th day of the month of Rabiul-Awwal from the afternoon until the evening; so washing and enshrouding the dead body of the Prophet was postponed to Tuesday. After the general allegiance to Hazrat Abu Bakr was completed in the Mosque of the Prophet on Tuesday, the dead body of the Messenger of Allah was started to be washed and enshrouded.  
Hazrat Ali, Abbas, Fadl b. Abbas, Qusam b. Abbas, Usama b. Zayd and Shukran (Salih), the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah, were in the house of the Prophet in order to wash him.
Ansar also wanted to contribute to this lofty service. They expressed their wish regarding the issue. Hazrat Ali allowed Aws b. Hawli on behalf of Ansar.
Hazrat Ali washed the Messenger of Allah because he said to Hazrat Ali when he was alive, “You wash my body when I die.”
Aws b. Hawli brought water with a pitcher; Abbas, Usama and Shukran poured water over the body of the Prophet. Hazrat Ali rubbed the body of the Prophet with the cloth that he wrapped around his hand. The body of the Prophet was very clean; it smelled nice. The house of the Prophet smelt very nice; they had not smelt such nice scent before. There was nothing in or on the body of the Prophet that were usually seen in dead bodies. While washing the Prophet, Hazrat Ali said, “May my mother and father be sacrificed for you! O Messenger of Allah! You are clean when you are alive and dead.”
After the washing was completed, the Seal of the Prophet was enshrouded by Hazrat Ali, Ab­bas, Fadl b. Abbas and Shukran.
Janazah Prayer of the Prophet is Performed
On the 13th of the month of Rabiul-Awwal, Tuesday, the washing and enshrouding of the Messenger of Allah was completed before noon. The body was put on the bed of the room of the Prophet. At first the men, then the women and last of all the children fulfilled their last duty toward the Prophet in awe and sorrow.  
Burial of the Messenger of Allah
The issue of where to bury the Messenger of Allah was negotiated.
Some people suggested taking the body to Makkah; some suggested burying him in Madinah in the Cemetery of Baqi and others suggested burying him in the Mosque.
However, Hazrat Abu Bakr said, “I heard this sentence from the Messenger of Allah and I have not forgotten it: ‘God Almighty removed the soul of each prophet where He wanted him to be buried.’ Therefore, we should bury the Messenger of Allah where his bed he lied on was.”
This suggestion was adopted by the Companions. Thus, they decided to dig the place under the bed in the house of Aisha as the grave of the Messenger of Allah. Then, the bed was removed and that place was dug in the form of a grave.
Bilal Makes Muslims Cry
The Messenger of Allah had not been buried yet.
Bilal called the adhan with his touching voice. When he uttered, “Ashadu anna Muhammada’r-R­asu­lul­lah”, the Companions started to cry sobbingly. The Mosque of the Prophet was full of crying sounds.  
It was the last adhan recited by Bilal. He did not recite adhan again after the death of the Messenger of Allah.
The Prophet is Put into the Grave
It was late Wednesday night.
The Companions placed the dead body of the Messenger of Allah into the grave among tears.
We have tried to narrate the phases of this unique life as much as we can; now we are finishing it with the following prayer:
O Allah! Do not keep us away from the sunnah of Your Messenger in this world; do not deprive us of his intercession in the hereafter!
Amin... Amin... Amin...
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lovelyladyventress · 4 years
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Tell me which one of these AUs sounds the most interesting and which one you’d like to read more about? (uhh rep0st?)
I’m reposting this since TUMBLR HATES MY POST/TAGS OR SOMETHING, SORRY IF YOU’VE ALREADY SEEN THIS!
Here I am, back at it again with my AU bullshit. Complete with my ugly ass dauntingly long list of AUs that I’d love to write about but can’t seem to 
decide which one to start writing. This has been going on for the past week, dammit! If it’s not too much trouble, could you please help a girl out and let me know either on here or in a PM which one of these you’re curious about or would like to see implemented in an actual story.
Here are four Cloud-centric AU ideas which include (multiple) gay, bi, and (some) straight main/side pairings. Regardless of which one I decide to write first, I (wistful thinking) want to eventually complete most or all of them, even if some of them only end up being one-shots. Thank you! <3
Mercenary Zack and Delivery Boy Cloud AU
Zack, a mercenary, and Cloud, a delivery boy, have been best friends since they were youngsters. Zack is straight but is undeniably (and confusingly into Cloud. Cloud is bi (with a strong leaning towards males) and he’s only recently started to explore that. One day, while Zack and Cloud are hanging out, Zack’s PHS dies and he asks to borrow Cloud’s laptop to check some work-related emails. Cloud says sure, completely forgetting what he’d been “researching” before Zack came over to hang out.
Cloud, suddenly remembering the content of said “research”, screeches out, “NoOoOoO!” whilst comically tripping over himself as he races to stop Zack from opening his laptop.
Zack, being Zack, laughs good-naturedly at Cloud’s behavior and says, “What, don’t want your bestie to see all your fReAkY sHiT LOL?”
Before Cloud can stop him, Zack unlocks the laptop (he knows the password, because, hello, besties) and proceeds to open up about ten tabs of LOUD GAY LEMONY YOU KNOW WHAT (all with actors that are blond and black-haired, hmm s u s p i c i o u s).
Cloud is fucking mortified and literally RUNS out of his own apartment and disappears (disintegrates) into the void while leaving Zack sitting there like a stunned D U M B A S S *insert shocked Pikachu meme here* Hilarity, fluffy romance, and “LeMoNs” ensue.
Main ship and only ship will be Clack/Zakkura. Syrupy sweet, comical, with only a pinch of plot-related angst. Will most likely be a one-shot/two-shot.
Vampire Slayer AU
Set in a world where Shinra keeps the existence of vampires and vampire covens a well-guarded secret from the general public of Midgar in order to keep its citizens calm, orderly, and manageable (see controllable).
Due to the frequency of recent vampire attacks in Midgar’s slums and outlying towns and villages, they charge their best slayer, Cloud Strife, and his partner with the task of finding and killing the progenitor of all vampire-kind in order to end the covert war between humans and vampires and kill off their kind, for good.
That is, until Cloud is double-crossed by his partner, who wants the title of Shinra’s best vampire slayer for himself, and Cloud is left for dead in a forest miles away from civilization. Cloud thinks he’s finally done for this time, until he’s saved by a half-vampire named Vincent, who then proceeds to take Cloud to his maker, Sephiroth, the son of the first progenitor.
Cloud’s only shot at making it out of this alive is playing at Sephiroth’s personal interest in him in a game of cat and mouse until he can get the vampire to trust him enough to let him get close to the progenitor in order to (finally) end the war once and for all and return to his former life.
Main ships are Sefikura with a possibility of some Strifentine. Side ships are Aerti, Scarlet x Elena, and a bunch of others. Angsty, passionate, romantic, and dark. Will probably be a six-shot or more. Who knows?
Life After Meteorfall Canon Divergence AU (I’m excited about this one)
An AU in which both Angeal, Zack, and Aerith (although, just barely) live and help kick Sephiroth’s ass in the final battle. Sephiroth has been defeated by the gang for good (no really, for good y’all), and now the world has turned to healing, mourning, and attempting to rebuild itself after the scars Sephiroth has left behind in his monstrous wake.
Cloud still has lingering feelings for Zack leftover from his time as an infantryman, but desperately hides this fact from both Aerith and Zack because he knows how long they’ve waited and how much suffering they’ve had to endure in order to be with each other. He also cares deeply for both of them and wants them to be happy, despite his own conflicting emotions.
Although Aerith is (slightly) suspicious, Zack is oblivious to it all because he’s finally got the girl of his dreams and has his love-addled goggles on (god dammit Zackary) and asks Cloud to be his best man at their wedding (ugh angst me upppppp baby).
Angeal, however, is not oblivious to it in the slightest. He sees the overly forced smiles, the longing stares, the glances of complete and utter h e a r t b r e a k Cloud shoots Zack when he thinks no one is watching/paying attention to him. And finally, fed up after months of sitting back and just silently observing Cloud falling into emotional ruin, Angeal finally intends to do something about it, honor be damned.
Main ship is Cloudgeal. Side pairings are Zerith, Rude x Tifa (don’t judge me, y’all, I ship SO MUCH this fandom), and possibly many more. Angsty, fluffy, romantic, and with a ridiculously happy ending where everyone reaches a happy, healthy understanding. Will most likely be either a three-shot or a six-shot.
Omegaverse SOLDIER AU (let me liveeeeeee, dammit!)
After failing to get into SOLDIER three times in a row (the max amount of times one can attempt in their lifetime) and having his childhood dream of becoming a hero shattered like glass, Cloud, a Beta cadet, is more than done with SOLDIER and everything to do with the corrupt Shinra Corporation (Uh huh. Suuuuure).
This opinion is only further solidified when Cloud discovers the tragic fate of his hometown: Nibelheim, in an “unprecedented” explosion of its Mako Reactor, burns to the ground, resulting in the deaths of Cloud’s mother and every single person Cloud grew up with. With no home to return to, Cloud, following his best friend Zack Fair’s advice, begrudgingly decides to join the Shinra military as an infantryman and work as a menial grunt for the military’s more prominent SOLDIER members.
That is, until one day during a mission Cloud’s entire unit, including a group of skilled Third and Second Class SOLDIERS assisting them, are slaughtered in a brutal, bloody conflict, leaving Cloud the only one left alive after the mission’s end.
This not only catches the eye of the Director of SOLDIER himself, but several of its First Class members, who are so impressed with the Beta’s strength that they wish to assess Cloud’s capabilities for themselves, personally. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
This leads Cloud down a path filled with convincing lies and hard truths as he discovers the reality of his origins, unveiling secrets about Shinra and his past that he could have gone a lifetime without knowing. He realizes the hard way that sometimes what you dream for, what you desperately wish for, isn’t always something you want in the long run.
Main ships are a tie between Sefikura and Clack/Zakkura (possibly Sephiroth/Cloud/Zack or maybe even a love triangle, ew). I also really wanna try writing out Strifesodos, but I’m leaning towards Banorashipping as a side ship in this cuz its cute and passionate.
A S T R O N G side ship in this is going to be Aerti (featuring Turk!Tifa and Full Cetra!Aerith), along with minor ships like Scarlet x Elena, Tseng x Rufus, and honestly who  knows anymore, lol. This will most likely be the longest story on the list, I’m planning for at least ten+ chapters.
Also, not shaming it in any way, but just FYI for the people who are interested, there will be no pregnancy in this story. It’s just not my thing. <3
Again, all of these AU’s are subject to change, but I’d love to bounce ideas back and forth and see what certain shippers would like to see in the fandom. I’m really receptive to discussing fics in general, even if its an idea about one of your own stories you wanna talk about. :)
If you actually read all of that, THANK YOU KINDLY! <33333
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twoblueheartslocked · 3 years
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This Dancing Was Killing Me Softly/Blaine Solo Para.
PARA: This Dancing Was Killing Me Softly
RATING: PG-13/R
PAIRING: Blaine Self Para. (And Seblaine is still very much the endgame.)
BLAINE: @twoblueheartslocked
TIME: Blaine’s senior year and the four years leading up to present day.
LOCATION: Ohio and New York.
INFO: A glimpse into Blaine’s senior years and his following years with Kurt.
WARNINGS(PLEASE READ THIS): This para includes past Klaine and mentions mental abuse, physical abuse, some sexual abuse, brief thoughts of suicide, death (Blaine’s parents)
EXTRA WARNINGS: (This RP is NOT Kurt Hummel friendly. You’ve all been warned.)
NOTES: Some canon events remain in place while others have been changed. Some things may even be out of order. You can consider this sort of canon divergent AU. A few changes are that Blaine’s parents are different from the show (His mother is Filipina), he didn’t cheat on Kurt or date Dave and Sebastian is younger than Blaine. Feel free to send a message if you have any questions!
Under Cut for content and length.
Blaine’s Senior year was a blur of melancholy, loneliness, frustration and anger. He had tried, in bouts of regret so huge it made him sick to his stomach, so many times just to get Sebastian to respond to him, even if it was just to tell him to fuck off. He never got it and it gutted him. He’d get into his car and drive all the way to the Smythe’s house only to catch a glimpse and be thrown into a full blown panic attack. He had so many of those these days. Thoughts of Seb, thoughts of his dead parents, even performing seemed to tip him over the edge. He lost count of how many times Sam had to pull him aside and remind him that he didn’t have to do anything he didn’t want to do. Over time he managed to fake it just to get through the day. It felt like another loss to him and he wondered if he’d ever love get back his passion for music again.
Blaine missed his parents so much it hurt to breathe sometimes and Sebastian was never far from his mind even though he had, outwardly at least, let him go. Everything hurt to think about and when friends and other McKinley students bad mouthed Seb he’d get so angry and set them straight in a way probably bordered on overcompensation. He’d tell them that he broke up with Seb because he was still emotionally unavailable and that Sebastian had done nothing wrong. He tried his hardest to convince them that Seb had been perfect- hadn’t they sent that at the funeral? Blaine didn’t think they believed him with their looks of pity and that made him hurt all the worse. They would always see Seb as their villain and it killed him that they would never know how good he really was or how much he’d meant to Blaine or how Blaine still held their time so close to his chest it hurts to breathe. It didn’t help that everyone had heard the rumpus about Sebastian and David getting into a fight and the reasons why. The looks of pity intensified after that.
Blaine ruined everything and it made him ache for the other boy so badly two weeks in he’d stayed home for three days in his bed, scrolling through Sebastian’s Instagram, Twitter and even his rarely used Facebook, miserable and sobbing quietly much to Cooper's annoyance. His big brother made it clear that this was his own fault and he should get up and move on. Of course Blaine knew Cooper was mourning their parents, but his big brother resented him so much for being forced to move back to Ohio that he was having a hard time feeling bad for him. He knew it was selfish, he just didn’t have it in him to care. The move wasn’t Blaine’s fault. He hadn't dealt this shitty hand, and the powers that had told Cooper it wasn’t a good idea to uproot Blaine in the middle of his senior year. So Cooper was stuck and Blaine guessed his best way to deal with it was by being as cold as possible.
The numbness set in towards graduation and when Kurt, who had been hounding him to give them another go, relentless in his asking and coaxing and general sweetness, asked if he’d live with him and Rachel  in New York. Convinced him that he had too much going on and that he could take a much needed year long break before starting NYU the next year, it was the perfect set up for Blaine and he reluctantly said yes. Besides, Kurt was the only one that wasn’t treating him like a ticking bomb. He was the only one that wasn’t tip toeing around touchy subjects and didn’t feed him bullshit lines. And even though Blaine didn’t love him, and even though he didn’t really want to be with him, he told himself this was better than being alone. Better than feeling this emptiness and longing for someone he didn’t rightfully deserve anymore. Sebastian, in his silence, had made it clear to Blaine that he didn’t want anything to do with him anymore. And well, maybe he could love Kurt again, maybe he could try. So while his smiles felt forced and his mind felt heavy he tried so hard to make it work. It never did and he’d regret it almost as much as letting Sebastian go.
Cooper had warned him not to move in with Kurt. Had told him it would be a mistake but Blaine was desperate to feel something other than sorrow or the empty numbness that ricocheted off of his loneliness in a way that  made him wish he’d died instead. He should have said no, he really should have. He should have gotten a dorm, or stayed with David. He should have called Seb and begged him to talk to him because he loved him and not Kurt. But, he didn’t. He let himself be coerced and convinced and he’d live with the scars forever.
----
Year one was fine. Blaine even started to like dating Kurt again just a little. No, he didn't love him. He was still so fucking in love with Sebastian Smythe that he hated himself a little more everyday for not trying harder to get him back. That wasn’t the worst of it though, the worst was that Kurt knew Blaine still loved Sebastian. But, Kurt had just smiled sweetly and told him they just needed time to find their old balance and at least Blaine had stopped checking Sebastian’s socials.
Kurt, for his part, was the perfect gentleman for a while. He’d kiss Blaine, hold him, make him feel wanted. And Blaine accepted it, thinking it was okay enough. That it was what he deserved. Kurt didn’t even make him feel useless like he had when they were teens. Blaine had convinced himself that this was good enough, that maybe Kurt was right, maybe they just needed time. Blaine was wrong.
It started out small, little nagging things that seemed to piss Kurt off.  Toothpaste not rolled perfectly, Blaine’s hair products spread too far out or a shirt left out on the bed. Kurt suddenly started judging Blaine’s sweet tooth, little faux playful pokes to his tummy, telling him he’d better cut back or he’d have to take out his clothes. Blaine began to feel guilt if he indulged even a little. And then things that made Blaine feel any bit of happiness started to annoy Kurt and he’d bite into Blaine with words until Blaine stopped trying out new things all together. Intimacy became a struggle between the two of them. Kurt started to take away his control and wouldn't let Blaine control anything. Whenever they were alone, suddenly Blaine was too big and it was too uncomfortable and Kurt only dealt with doing it that way because it made Blaine happy, but he couldn’t do it like that anymore. And Blaine, wanting so much to be touched and wanted, even if it was on his stomach without so much as a kiss- allowed it. Kurt became so controlling, almost clinical in the bedroom after the first year. A complete change from what they had been doing, Blaine couldn’t even pretend anymore. It was so different than being with Sebastian. There was no giggling, no exploring, no passion... Some months Kurt didn’t want him at all. It took Blaine more than a year to figure out that everything, from day one, had all been a game to Kurt.
The first time it happens it’s in the bedroom. Blaine’s dozing, drowsy from starting new classes after his year long break and at first the touch is so soft, intimate in a way that Blaine hadn’t felt in so long and he thinks maybe Kurt had reconsidered and wanted some intimacy. And God, Blaine was desperate for it, even if Kurt wasn’t who he really wanted, he was here and he was attentive…and why were his fingers squeezing so tightly? The touch grew harsher, strong, slender fingers digging into the back of his neck so hard it brought tears to Blaine’s eyes. There had to be a mistake. He tried to push away but Kurt smacked his hands down and pressed him into the bed, his breath harsh and his whisper sharp in Blaine’s ear, “Next time you’ll do better. Next time You won’t embarrass me.” And Blaine,  to this day, still does not know what he’d done wrong. Was it the party with Kurt’s work friends? Did he not play well enough? Did he talk too much? His confusion was broken by fear as Kurt squeezed harder, just holding Blaine there; relentless until a sob broke free and his pleas of please stop, please worked. His fingers loosened and Kurt leaned in and kissed the back of Blaine’s neck in a mockery of kindness like it would take away what he’d done. Blaine curled into himself, his pitiful whimpers echoing in his ears until Kurt hissed at him to shut up and stop it. He felt so low that he couldn’t even lift his head to ask why.
The next night, he drank too much, sitting alone in their apartment while Kurt was at Vogue and Blaine, forgetting that Seb didn’t want to hear from him, pressed in the familiar name and called him. Sebastian picked up on the fourth ring sounding a little drunk himself, his voice raspy and sounding like home. Like an old favorite song that he hadn’t heard in a long while and talking to him felt like air breathed into the lungs of a drowning man. Blaine had sobbed to Seb about missing him and wanting to see him and Seb responded in kind gently telling Blaine he missed him back, and that he was sorry for how things ended and maybe they could talk again… There was hope glimmering in the other man's voice and Blaine felt a warmth he hadn’t in so long from the words and he wanted so badly to beg Sebastian to help him, to save him… to just love him again. Seb heard the catch in Blaine’s voice and asked him what was wrong- why did he sound like that? And Blaine almost let it all out, he was breaths away from it when Rachel caught him. And the phone was dropped and Blaine shrank into himself with a new fear that he’d never felt before.
Rachel told Kurt and Kurt left new marks in a different part of his body with his fingers. And as he sniffled and silently tried not to cry again curled into himself-  he wondered why Rachel had spoken up about his conversation with Sebastian but not about his cries and struggles that he knew she could hear over the last two nights.. She would keep her silence up for years.
The morning after his drunken call, Blaine woke up bleary eyed and miserable and sore only to discover that Kurt had deleted every single picture of Sebastian off of his phone. “It’s like cheating, Blaine. Don’t look at me like that. You did this to yourself you know. Besides, he doesn’t want you, he doesn’t love you. You’ve seen his Instagram. He’s happy alone. There is no point in having those painful reminders there. You should be thanking me for getting rid of him. It’s good that you broke up with him when you did, he  would have left you eventually anyway, that’s what he does. I’ve heard all the stories…” Blaine tried his hardest not to react, scared that he’d get hurt again. And it was stupid how fast fear set in. How could something so small lead up to something so damn big. That was the day he’d made us the lie about the teddy bear. He hoped to god Seb had kept their memories even if he hated him. Deep down he knew that Kurt was right, maybe he’d made up the love they shared for those euphoric six months. It was probably all in his head and Sebastian was better off without him anyway and he realized then that he was starting to feel as worthless as Kurt made him feel he was. Still, when he slept, he’d dream of constellations of freckles and sea green eyes and a smile that was only for him.
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As the years go by Blaine lives in a world that isn’t his own. Friends try to help him, Sam and David desperate as they beg him to leave, but Blaine argues, tells them he’s fine. That he likes the turtlenecks even in the summer. And his  mother would be so ashamed of what he’s allowed himself to become. He couldn’t even mourn his parents out loud for fear of ridicule. He became a househusband that’s only job was to look pretty, make dinners for Kurt’s friends, play and sing pretty songs and then get rewarded him kisses or sex or a gift that never felt worth it. And sometimes Blaine would mess up, make the wrong thing for dinner just to watch Kurt throw hours of work away, only to be asked to get out of the house while his friends are there. Learn to go months without a single kind touch, or kiss, sometimes not even words. He remembers being forced to watch as Kurt intentionally ruined hours of homework, only to pretend it was an accident. Blaine, not wanting to fail, stayed up for hours trying to fix it. He remembers only managing half of it and only vaguely remembers his gentle professor slipping him a card from domestic abuse and giving Blaine two extra days finish. School becomes his sanctuary.
Blaine saves the card, tucks it into his notebook like a lifeline, terrified to use it and it isn’t until Sam finds it that Blaine is forced to review his situation and Sam begs him to call. He calls it. He listens to the advice and when the time comes he stands up for himself.
“I can’t take it anymore, Kurt. I’m done.”
And Kurt goes to grab his neck, his other hand coming up to hit Blaine in his face, a place his boyfriend had never dared to hit before. A rage comes over him and he pushes Kurt hard. So hard he hits the ground with a loud bang, his eyes wide and his mouth set in an O of surprise. Blaine felt brave and tall for the first time in a long time as he looked down at Kurt.
“You’ll never touch me again. Never fucking again.”
And then he left, trembling from head to toe, and asked David if he could stay with him for the night. He remembers breaking down and calling Coop. And while they weren’t close anymore, and there was still resentment, Cooper comes to the rescue when he hears his baby brother’s quiet sobs and the words ‘he was hurting me.’ Blaine’s brother managed to get to New York from California in record time, and Blaine was out with almost all of his belongings- sans a pretty guitar, the last gift from his mom, a relic of his past he’d probably never see again. Just another way for Kurt to control him. And Blaine was tucked away in Brooklyn inside a little, imperfect apartment he got to make his own, that was paid up for four months, enough time for him to find work and get on his feet, and only the ones he chose were privileged enough to know its locked location. He owed Cooper so much now.
And even though he was finally able to breath a bit after countless therapy sessions Blaine still wonders why... Why did he let it happen for so long, and why did he wait so long to save himself?
/fin
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Frankenstein: Genre and Themes
It doesn’t seem possible that Frankenstein can be sorted into any genre except horror.  A monster on a killing spree, a mad scientist in his lab, spooky shadows and an opening in a graveyard?  It can’t be anything but horror, can it?
Turns out, it can.
Like we’ve discussed before, every story ever created, no matter how simple or complicated, has to fall into at least one genre.  Genre is the sum of similarly themed parts that come together to give a style and theme to a story, a form of shorthand to give the audience an idea as to what kind of story they are about to see.  And in almost every case, it’s never as simple as it seems.
Characters, stories, settings, and even themes often correspond to different genres  As a result, it’s extremely useful as viewers to examine the categorization of films, as it not only sets up our own expectations for individual stories, it also helps us expand the boundaries of genres as their limits are tested.
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Which is why Frankenstein is a bit of an odd duck.
I’ll show you what I mean.
Today, we’re going to be looking at the characteristics of the story of Frankenstein to determine what genres it is, what genres it is not, and the whys and wherefores behind them.  Let’s take a look.  Spoilers below!
An easy way to figure out the genre of any given film is to take a look at the setting of a story.  Movies set in outer space tend to be blanketed in the genre of science fiction.  Movies set in medieval times are often considered fantasy.  Movies set in creepy castles or spooky swamps tend to be considered horror.
Which would seem to be the case with Frankenstein.
It seems obvious.  Frankenstein, along with Dracula, The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon created and codified the film genre of ‘classic horror’.  These were the templates from which all future monsters would spring, werewolves, vampires, zombies and fish-creatures alike.
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The spooky, Gothic shadows and creepy angles, the mad-scientist lab, the scenes in the graveyard, skeletons at the fringes of shots, and of course, the monster himself, would seem to speak to an incredibly obvious horror leaning.  In fact, the story’s visual language was based on German Expressionism, which had been used in films like Nosferatu, a bonafide silent horror classic.
But…aren’t horror movies supposed to be scary?
There are no jump-scares in Frankenstein.  Characters do not die in horrifying ways.  They aren’t stalked, nor are they picked off in a way that’s traditional of horror films, and of the three characters who actually die, two were killed in what could be argued as self-defense by the monster.
Weirdest of all, except for possibly the initial scene of his creation, up until he breaks into Elizabeth’s room, the monster is not set up as being ‘scary’.  He’s set up as being sympathetic.
From the first real scene we have of the monster, where he’s lifting his hands in fascination towards light and then cowering from Fritz’s brutality, this is a creature that the audience finds themselves sorry for.  This is not typical of movie monsters.  There was no pity for Dracula, no concern for The Invisible Man or The Mummy.  They were truly monsters, who knew what they were doing.
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The Frankenstein monster doesn’t.  For a long time, the monster reacts, rather than acts.  With that knowledge…he doesn’t really come out of this, at least, the first half, looking like a monster.  He’s a scared creature, mistreated into becoming a twisted version of what he could have been, a blank template upon which cruelty has been imprinted.
After the change has occurred, after the monster turns into an active character and goes after Elizabeth and attacks Henry, after so much time of the audience’s built sympathy for this creature, then we feel scared of him.  We realize that he is an incredibly threatening figure, that he can be dangerous, but we never truly let go of that sympathy.  At the end of the film, we don’t necessarily feel victorious that he is trapped, burning to death in that mill.  We feel sorry.  As much of a threat as the monster became, he didn’t start out that way.  It didn’t have to end like that.  But it did.
Hence my case for a rather unconventional idea.
I hypothesize that Frankenstein is a tragedy.
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Like I’ve said before, this is a sad story, and I think it was that way by design.  I subscribe to the theory that you can best tell the genre of a film based on what kind of characters are in it, and that works especially well for Frankenstein.  
You see, as I’ve said before, there is no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ side in this film.  The monster is framed as both victim and threat.
And so is Henry Frankenstein.
As an audience, we are not encouraged to wholly dislike either character.  (In fact, the only character I believe we are meant to truly hate and fear is Fritz, a character who manipulates his power to inflict cruelty on the monster.)  We recognize Henry’s mistakes, we realize that he’s not making the best decisions and we want him to perhaps not reanimate the dead, or maybe at least once he does, treat his new undead son with some respect, but we don’t completely hate him, even as we accept that this whole thing is basically his fault.
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Henry is framed as sympathetic.  We understand why he feels the way he does, even if we don’t agree with it, and we can figure out why he’s acting the way he is.  He has his redeeming moments: his relationship with Elizabeth, once he stops digging up graves is genuine, and the fact that he doesn’t want the creature destroyed could point to a sign of his caring about his creation, even if he sucks at showing it.  Even if we don’t relate to Henry, exactly, we understand him, and we don’t necessarily want him to die.  He’s a tragic character, a figurative Icarus who aimed too highly for a mortal.
Besides, he was so delightful in that whole ‘raising the dead’ scene.  I mean, that’s movie history, right there.
As for the monster?
The monster is actually the most sympathetic character in the entire cast.  (Except for maybe Elizabeth.)  We get to see his entire lifespan, his birth, life, and death, (Until the sequel) and it’s not a pretty picture.  He’s hurt, frightened, and alone, with no-one willing to actually help him function as a being, as a person, instead of as a successful scientific experiment.  Henry doesn’t seem to know what to do with him once he proved that he could create life, and as a result, the monster is left alone, with no education in how the world works.  He has to figure it out on his own, and the makeshift teachers don’t really help much, either.  Fritz abuses him, Dr. Waldman tries to dissect him, and Henry doesn’t pay him much mind after showing him light.  Even when the monster meets Maria, he doesn’t know enough about the world to understand that his actions would kill her.
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Even further supporting my theory is the ending.
The end of the story, after Henry chases his creation down and faces off with him in the mill, eventually struggling and falling while the villagers burn the mill down, is not played as a victorious climax.  This is not the end of a good vs. evil struggle, there is no breath of relief that an audience feels after the defeat of Dracula, Michael Myers, or Freddy Krueger, or even Norman Bates.  The ending is solemn, if not sorrowful, as the audience is left with the death of a creature who had experienced misery for the few days that he had lived.
Both protagonist and antagonist share in what is, quite simply, a tragic ending.  Henry isn’t even the one to right his own wrong.  The monster is slaughtered by an angry mob.  Henry never reconciles his mistake.  People have died, senselessly, and it could have been avoided, and not in the no-don’t-split-up-you-idiots-there’s-a-killer-in-the-woods way.
The audience is not meant to feel happy or triumphant at the end of this film, in my opinion.  In my opinion, we are to mourn both Henry’s arrogance, and the monster’s demise, representative of a life wasted.
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Does this mean that Frankenstein is not a horror film?  Absolutely not.
Frankenstein codified almost everything we know about classic horror to this day, potentially inspiring things like the zombie horror-genre and influencing Gothic horror in general.  None of this to say is that Frankenstein is not meant to be a scary movie, because, in 1931, it certainly was.  People were scared, and it was definitely the filmmakers goal to do so in some scenes.  The scene where the monster stalks Elizabeth in her room is definitely scary, and the dark lighting adds to the unsettling look and feel of the entire film.  The scene where Frankenstein creates the monster remains a staple of best horror scenes, and has influenced countless films since then.
No, Frankenstein is definitely a horror film, make no mistake about that.  It’s delightfully scary, full of creepy visuals, unsettling imagery, and a genuinely frightening core story idea: humanity being just capable enough to create life, but not capable enough to see it through competently.
But, horror is not the only genre that Frankenstein demonstrates.
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Mary Shelley’s original Frankenstein novel, despite being an excellent example of horror fiction, is also considered the first example of science fiction.  If you’ve been following our ‘Legacy of Science Fiction’ series, you’ve probably noticed a few of the trends that tend to go along with science fiction.
A story doesn’t need to be set in the future for it to be a science-fiction story, nor does it have to have aliens or space-ships.  All it has to do is be about something just beyond our current understanding, founded in science of a sort.  With that understanding, it’s easy to see how Frankenstein fits that bill.
The very creation of the monster himself is the codifier of science-fiction.  Although it’s different in the original novel, the fact is, the idea of a man creating life that turns into a monster is an idea thoroughly grounded in the realm of science-fiction, a story concept rooted in the idea of science.  It’s also an example of speculative fiction: bringing the audience to contend with questions such as nature vs. nurture, man’s place in creation, and the dangers of not being aware of the limits of common sense and the laws of nature.
Mary Shelley’s original novel came at a time when technology was changing much of the landscape of the world as they knew it, and it makes sense that in her story, this strange, unnatural technology would create a monster to be feared and pitied.  In Frankenstein, the methods of this new generation of scientists, presenting seemingly no limits, is as horrific as the monster itself, the power that mankind can access without necessarily the wisdom to do so.
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To quote Jurassic Park, the basic premise of the horror and science-fiction of this story is:
“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”
And in the end, much like Jurassic Park, it works out terribly.
Like we’ve discussed in the ‘Legacy of Science Fiction’ series, Frankenstein practically invented the science-fiction theme of humanity’s creations inevitably leading to our own destruction, whether directly or indirectly.  In the case of Frankenstein, it’s pretty direct.  Henry’s creation turns on him, and although Henry survives, (and the monster seemingly does not) the premise is still there as a science-fiction device, twisted into a bit of a horror spin.  The idea of human beings creating the things that will destroy them is legitimately frightening, especially when it’s played up as being ‘monstrous’.
But there’s a little more to Frankenstein than a tragic horror/sci-fi story.  It’s also a drama.
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A drama film is a serious story, one that presents us with situations that show us realistic characters struggling with themselves, others, or sometimes, nature itself.  Drama usually doesn’t mix with horror, or science fiction for that matter, but it does here.
As I mentioned earlier, not only do we understand Henry and get where he’s coming from, we experience the exact same thing for the monster, if not more so.  Unlike many examples of horror films, we’re half on the side of the creature, and get to know him as a character, rather than just a monster.
The conflict is simple, and fairly obvious.  Henry’s created this being, and due to his own lack of care, is forced to ‘fix’ his mistake and go up against the monster himself.  While the idea of the creation of life, and the character of the monster isn’t ‘realistic’ in traditional terms, the character is understandable and sympathetic to the audience.  We understand him, and the conflict is made far more personal than it would be in a traditional ‘kill-em-all’ horror film.
In the end, that’s what sets Frankenstein apart.
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Sure, the film is an excellent horror and science fiction film, but it’s not the scares or the sci-fi that we remember the most about this movie.  It’s the heart of it, the sad, personal stakes of the movie that sticks with us as an audience, and a culture.  There hasn’t really been another ‘Frankenstein’ type film, asking you to consider, not in a high-browed way, but in a simple, emotional way: who is the monster, and who is the man?
We don’t necessarily remember the ‘kills’ of this film.  Maybe we forget things like Henry’s wedding, or the scenes with his father, but we do remember the monster lifting his hands up to try to touch the light, his dynamic creation, and the ending, far from a happy one.
We remember Frankenstein because, not only is it a good horror film, it’s also a good story that, unlike a lot of horror films, forces us to care, not only about the men, but the monsters as well.  As long as we can still feel emotion for the ‘Other’, there will always be a place for Frankenstein, even almost ninety years later.
Thank you all so much for reading!  Stay tuned for next time, when we’ll be discussing the characters of Frankenstein.  I hope to see you all in the next article.
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sheriffofmagic · 4 years
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Im always a big slut for hurt/comfort, so if you made it Vang0Chainz I would perish. Also Burger Chainz trying to enculture Vang0Bang0 by having a movie marathon that turns into a sleepover. Also what if Burger knew Vang0 before he lost his memory but promised Vango that he'd never tell him who he was before. im also tipsy lol im jus throwing spaghetti places. i love your blog btwww
I was going to go to sleep but i saw this ask and had to start writing immediately (must have some weird dumb pavlovian response to vang0chainz) anyway this is super dumb hopefully, maybe you’ll enjoy it. it’s almost 5am and i didnt proofread this so its definitely a huge mess but uhhhhh here’s the trash you ordered
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“Will you stop fussing?” Vang0 says, snappier than he intended.
Burger Chainz pulls back from where he’d been inspecting Vang0’s hurt shoulder, a mix of hurt and embarrassment on his face.
“It’s not like this is the first time I’ve been shot,” Vang0 continues, “at least… I don’t think it is. Muscle memory or somethin’. Anyways, I mean it. I’m fine. And you hovering over me like I’m about to drop dead isn’t helping.”
Vang0’s not fine, obviously. He’s been shot which, muscle memory or not, stings like a bitch and more than anything makes him mourn for his jacket which there is no salvaging from the burn marks. A shame really, the chrome color had nearly matched that of his hair. He’d been thinking of turning it into his signature look, perfect for merchandising. Oh well. He wasn’t dead so that was a plus of sorts....
They were at Vang0 and Burger’s place (technically Vang0’s but Burger was there so often the distinction hardly felt necessary anymore) and, aside from the bullet wound, this was a pretty typical Saturday night. The TV providing a low din of noise to fill the empty spaces of whatever inane conversation was taking place between the two of them. Tonight was more tense than usual. Vang0 Bang0 was not a strong man. High charisma, low constitution. All that. Hiding pain wasn’t exactly in his repertoire but ignoring it? That he might be able to manage, especially if it stopped his massive cyborg friend from pulling the kicked puppy look for the next couple of hours.
Night City wasn’t exactly known for it’s premium broadcasting, most nights after midnight channels tended to switch to the same things. Classics. Vang0 didn’t care much for it, looking back at the past, even the fictional past, wasn’t really his thing. Burger Chainz, though, Burger Chainz loved them. Tried to hide it, Vang0 knew, but he’d referenced them often enough that Vang0 picked up. Vang0 was observant like that, even though he pretended not to be.
All this to say, it was after midnight, Vang0 was the one in pain, and yet Burger looked like he was the one on the verge of a breakdown. Vang0 took pity on him, the kind he only indulged in when the streams were turned off and the hour was late and he could pretend he and Burger were just normal friends, “What’s this one about again?” 
Burger looks startled for a moment then glances briefly between the TV and Vang0, “Uhh, it’s a rom-com. He’s emailing another kid from his school but he doesn’t know who it is.”
Vang0 bites back a sardonic comment about how if this kid really wanted to know who his secret admirer was he could cross reference the dialogue patterns and… yeah maybe he can see why he’s not the most fun person to watch movies with and- oh. Burger is still talking.
“-things were different back then, ya know? People weren’t so… nice.”
Vang0 laughs, “You think people are nicer now?”
He gestures to the wound in his shoulder and Vang0 rolls his eyes (Eye? Can monochrome robotic eyes roll?) “Well, not bad folks maybe. Criminals still aren’t great. Prone to violence and all that. But normal people? Yeah I think they’re better.”
“Well aren’t you optimistic.”
Without missing a beat Burger replies with a wry smile, “Well, I have to be don’t I? With you around. Gotta cancel out that negative energy.”
Burger goes back to watching the TV, a slight uptick in the corners of his mouth. Vang0 can only look at him half dumbstruck, half distracted by the pain (getting shot really does hurt).
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Burger Chainz glances toward him, unsure, “Mean no offense. Just- you kind of assume the worst. About situations. ‘Bout people. Sometimes, even ‘bout yourself, if it’s not outta line to say.”
“It is.”
“Okay.” An awkward silence. Punctuated by the sounds of the film, too loud to be filling this space. This isn’t the conversation Vang0 wanted to be having. Not now. Not ever, if he could help it.
“How is it wrong for me to assume the worst? Huh? People do the worst all the time. We see it every day. You see the world we live in? You want me to be optimistic here? After everything I’ve gone through?”
Burger finally looks away from the screen, for once there’s no tension in his brow, only sureness. “I don’t want you to be anything other than yourself but goin’ through life thinking every shadow is out to get ya isn’t much of a way of livin’.”
“I didn’t think I’d have to remind you of all people that I have good reason to be distrustful.”
“You don’t. I-” he sighs, “I just wish you’d be willing to things as more than just black and white.”
“Oh forgive me if I’ve had some encounters,” he gestures to his shoulder, “that paint Night City in a bad light.”
Burger hesitates, “Does it hurt?”
“Obviously.”
“Right…”
They lapse into silence again, both of them staring at the screen but Vang0 can tell from the rigid set of Burger’s shoulders that he’s not really paying attention. He’s too on edge. 
It’s not until after the emotional turning point of the film that Burger Chainz breaks the silence. The kid’s friends have all abandoned him, over something stupid Vang0 presumes despite not having paid much attention to what was going on. The kid was angry. Alone. And then the resolution starts and he’s so not alone anymore.
“It can’t all be bad though, right?” Burger asks tentatively.
Vang0 raises an eyebrow at him though which he means to convey Uh well, it is. In case you forgot I was shot by a person in your dumb city just a few hours ago. But which Burger Chainz apparently interprets as… honestly Vang0 has no clue how that man’s mind works.
“I- I mean. It’s not all bad all the time. Aside from the getting shot thing. Not great.”
“Can’t forget the memory wipe.”
Burger’s eye darts around the room, “R-right that too but- But. It’s not all bad. I mean, it’s pretty bad but think about it. You have an apartment and your fans and a sorta job and Dasha and- and me.”
He pauses.
“And that can’t all be bad. I’m only sayin’- the whole world ain’t out to get you, only part of it.”
This shouldn’t be comforting. At all. It should be unsettling. It should make Vang0 want to laugh bitterly and spout some brilliant sardonic response about the world being a cruel place that doesn’t care about people like him. But the music in the movie has shifted to something more hopeful. But it’s the late hours of the night where things like hope are less dangerous to feel. But Burger is looking at him with a soft look in his eyes. Like he really believes what he’s saying, the sap, and like he wants Vang0 to believe it too. He doesn’t but for just a second, Vang0 wants to. He wants to believe in a world with gentleness, the one Burger seems to be able to see where no one else can.
He sighs. Not a defeat. Not an agreement because Vang0 never yields. But an acceptance.
Vang0 tries to release the tension from his shoulders as much as he can, schooling his face into something less jaded. If anyone deserves to believe the world isn’t all sharp edges it’s Burger.
He looks between Burger and the screen, “So do these kid’s friends suck or is that just me?”
There’s a flash of disappointment across Burger’s face, but he’s never been one to push especially not with Vang0. If he drops the subject, Burger will follow. The flash is gone in an instant and a small smile grows across Burger’s face, any residual tension drifting away with it.
“Definitely not just you, they suck. You might’ve missed it but earlier they-” 
And he semi-listens to Burger re-explain the plot of the movie he hadn’t bothered to pay attention to but he finds it capturing him more now. His attention is locked somewhere between the play-by-play and the actions occurring on screen. It’s the resolution now and everything seems to be coming together just a little to easily. The friends are back and the school is welcoming and the crush is confessed and everything is wrapped up too neatly for Vang0 to feel satisfied. There’s still a panging ache in his shoulder. His head is still chattering away as it has been since he woke up. Still there is that faint voice urging him to pull away. To focus on what he’s good at and make content and be alone and convince himself that that is enough. But the volume is so low that the old pop tune playing over the credits doesn’t feel abrasive. Burger is leaning in towards him slightly, conspiratorially, as if talking about this dumb classic is as important as mission details. There’s a smile on Burger’s lips that reaches his eyes. And Vang0 is content, for this moment, to pretend that happy endings are enough.
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bleepblopbloop56 · 5 years
Text
The Murder in the Dressing Room
Chapter 4: Puzzle Peices
Chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, ao3
Warnings; blood, death, language, bit of crying, nothing too bad yet
As ALWAYS with this fic the wonderdul lovley beautiful person @pathos-logical did all the editing and 90% of the work. Go love her
((HI I FORGOT TO POST THIS YESTERDAY SO ITS ONE DAY LATE AND IM S O R R Y ))
One more thing before we get started, butnif yall ever wanna come into my askbox and just yell at me about this im so fuckin down for that! Or DM me and yell? Oh it gives me life.
((Reblogs with comments are very very VERY appreciated by the way))
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Officers swarmed the apartment just as they had swarmed the theater only days before. Roman was now being shoved into the spotlight by the press, and worse, being deemed suspect number one by every detective on the case. Well… almost every detective. 
"Victim showed obvious signs of a struggle," Remy started, and Logan thought back to the bruise on Roman's stomach, the one his fingertips had grazed over not long ago. He should say something. He didn't. "'Valuable' belongings, if you could call them that, are all in place, and his wallet still has cash, plus one expired credit card. It doesn't look like a robbery," Remy drawled on, circling the body like he belonged with the vultures lining up outside. "And based on… this-" he leaned down and lifted the mask off Remus, exposing his features- "it looks like you were right about our murderer." 
Not only was Remus's corpse adorned with a gold theater mask like the one that Thomas had been left with, it seemed a Joker-esque frown had been carved into Remus' mouth
"It doesn't make sense. I mean, an upper class actor from the nice part of town, and an unemployed man from the bad… What's the relation?" Logan voiced his thoughts, trying to push down the sick feeling that arose upon seeing a photo of Remus and Roman as children covered in the splattered blood. 
"Logan, you know the the relation…" Remus said quietly, eyes softening even as his voice hardened. "You really think it's a random coincidence that Roman moved to town and then both of his roommates were found dead by Roman?” His tone was harsh, but Logan could hear the underlying message. You’re not stupid, Logan, don't do this. Logan shook his head and stepped out into the hallway.
"Roman was with me all night," he admitted. "He has an alibi."
"Unless he fucking killed this guy and then went out and got you tipsy," Remy argued, but his eyes looked more pleading than accusatory. Logan's stomach twisted, and it took effort not to visibly wince. 
"You didn't see him when he found Remus," Logan said flatly. He had heard the scream all the way from the car. When he ran in, Roman had backed himself into a wall, screaming and crying harder than Logan had ever seen anyone cry. Breathing exercises could only go so far when you were five feet away from a dead body…
Logan had been forced to cover Roman's eyes and drag him out of the place to get him to calm down, and even then he'd shaken like a leaf until the ambulance showed up and he'd been treated for shock. 
"Logan I think you're too close to the case." Remy gently placed a hand on Logan's shoulder, but Logan jerked it away.
"How do you know Roman is a suspect and not a victim?" he snapped. "What evidence do you have that says he murdered these people? People he loved and was close to? Why would he wear Remus' clothing because it was too emotionally taxing to move his clothes out of Thomas' house? Why would he leave the bodies and evidence out lying around instead of disposing of them? This is a direct attack towards him, not by him, Remy." Logan was distantly aware his ranting was earning him more than a few confused stares by some of the other officers, but he couldn't bring himself to care. "Someone is out there killing people, and you're accusing an innocent victim based on one piece of evidence." Logan walked out of the building, leaving Remy alone at the scene before he could point out that that one piece was all they had.
_____
"Alright, first of all!" Remy slammed open the door of Logan's office, where Logan had been poring over case files for the past hour. "You don't just do that, okay? You don't just fuckin leave a scene like that and make me hitch a fuckin UBER back, okay? Do you know how sketchy that sounded?" Remy slammed his coffee down and threw off his satchel. "Hey bitch, come pick me up at this crime scene swarming with investigators, sorry my partner dumped my ass and took the car!" He demonstrated talking to the driver over his phone before dropping his hands and staring at Logan with his patented "are you fucking kidding me" face. 
"I apologize, Remington," Logan said tiredly. He set down his pen to give the appearance of giving Remy his full attention, but his mind was a hundred miles away.
"Don't fucking 'Remington' me!" was what Logan got for his efforts. He might have been Logan's inferior, but he sure as hell didn't act like it. "Listen, I get it. You're in love with your ex, who could be a murderer for all we know, and you're super pissed at me for telling you you're being unprofessional for the first time in your life. But that doesn't excuse any of this shit, alright?" Dropping all pretense, Logan dropped his head onto the desk, ready for Remy to shut the fuck up and get out of his office. 
"People. Are. Fucking. Dying. Logan," he growled, voice getting louder with each word. "So how bout you get off your ass and get your shit together!"
There was a beat of silence.
"Okay that's it, I'm done, end of rant." Remy dropped into the chair, going from furious to calm so suddenly it felt like he'd flipped a switch 
"Are you finished?" Logan deadpanned, rubbing his temple. Remy sucked on his straw, nodding silently and kicking his legs up in Logan's desk. Logan took a deep breath, straightening up and picking up his pen again.  "Good. Now can we get to work?" 
______
When Logan picked up Patton from daycare, it took everything in his power not to start sobbing. His baby was here, safe in his arms and alive. His profession wasn't one that exactly supported having kids, and it definitely wasn't one that made it easy to drop off his kid to a stranger and say "here, watch this while I'm gone."
Patton, for his part, didn't notice anything was wrong at first and just enjoyed the extra snuggle time with his dad. Instead of laying Patton down in the baby bed like he usually did for nap time at home, Logan had set him down in his own bed next to him, just wanting to hold Patton as close as possible. 
"Dada?" Patton didn't know many words, but he knew that one well, and it was Logan's favorite. Despite everything, he smiled on reflex, but his expression turned to one of alarm when Patton's bottom lip started to quiver. Patton pressed his little hands into Logan's cheeks, and with a start, Logan realized he'd been crying.
"No- I'm alright, Patton, Dada's alright, please don't cry," he shushed. He sat up slightly and bouncing Patton on his lap in an attempt to calm him down. When Patton's face began to screw up, he said again, slightly more desperately, "Shhh, look, Dada's fine-" But Patton wasn't stupid. He began to wail loudly, upset not only that he missing nap time but that his dad was crying. 
"Is everything okay in here?" Virgil asked, poking his head into the bedroom at the commotion. He was met with the sight of a bawling Patton and a completely overwhelmed Logan looking like he was heading the same way. Virgil wasted no time in walking in and taking Patton from Logan.
"You need a break, man," Virgil said over the crying. His eyes lit up as he was struck by an idea. "Hey, why don't you call your brother? Patton loves that doctor dude."
Logan shoved his head in his hands, trying to keep his breathing even. For a second he wanted to insist he was fine, he could handle this- but then he flinched when Patton's cries got even louder, and he could only sigh and nod. 
Doctor Emile Picani had always loved children. He’d always wanted kids of his own, but the one man he loved more than anything had passed away right after their second anniversary. Emile still wore his ring. So when his phone rang and he was met with his brother practically begging him to take Patton for a few days, he was more than happy to oblige. He was at the house the very next day to take Patton away for him.
"Thank you so much for doing this," Logan sighed, handing over the baby to Emile. Patton bounced and smiled at him, happily wrapping his arms around him the best he could. The night before, Logan had sat down Patton and explained he'd be going to have a playdate with Uncle Emile for a few days. He wasn't entirely certain Patton had understood any of it, but he looked happy enough in his uncle's arms.
Logan gave Patton a small kiss on the forehead before Emile left, straightening out his bright yellow sunflower dress in Emile's hands. (Patton had picked it out himself in the store, and who was Logan to say no to him?)
"Bye bye!" Patton waved enthusiastically, smiling at Logan as he got strapped into his carseat. 
"I love you, Patton," he smiled back, trying to pull up genuine cheer for him. He knew that sending Patton away for a day or two would be good for Logan, would let him grieve and mourn in private, but god was it hard sending his baby away. 
Virgil was waiting for him when he dragged himself away from the car and back into the apartment. 
"How ya holdin' up?" he asked gently, and that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Logan collapsed forward into his shoulder, despite the considerable height difference. It was sloppy and unprofessional, but it was also long overdue.
"Hey, hey, hey- dude, it's okay," Virgil tried, running a hand through Logan's hair. Logan's glasses were stabbing at Virgil's shoulder through his pajama shirt, and Logan had to be uncomfortable too. But Virgil wasn't going to mention that now. He just stayed standing as his friend heaved and sobbed, clutching at his shirt and desperately looking for comfort.
It was in moments like these that Virgil remembered Logan really was still just a kid. He might be a detective and act all mature and have a kid, but he was still just twenty-seven. He didn't really have his life together yet- because who the hell did in their twenties? And he had just lost his best friend, and now was the first time he'd let himself honestly cry. 
"Logan, it's okay," Virgil tried again when Logan's sobs had quieted to sniffles. But he only got a soft "Is it?" in return. 
----
The murder in the dressing room taglist:
@cataclysm-al @theteenagetrickster @intrurality-fusion @katie-the-noble-fangirl @whizzie72 @grayson-22 @i-have-n0-idea-what-im-d0ing @winterwonderland7669 @missieluvsmurder @sign-from-god-complex @dragonindigo245 @angryfanboyscreaming @ninja-wizard101 @sombraookami @crystalistrappedintheinternet @imtooaromanticforthis @why-should-i-tell-youu2 @dragon-hair @satanblessi @spookilyfingergunsoutofexistence @skruffy901 @selectivereality @nonbeenary-enbee @imbasicallyshakespear @cats-vetal-miking-vomit @incoherentfangirl @oofmood
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keelywolfe · 5 years
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FIC: Blow By Blow ch.4 (baon)
Summary: Set the day after ‘With Brotherly LV’. Jeff is having his first day working at the Embassy, Stretch is having a bad anxiety day, Red is having a bad text day, and Edge is just having a day.
Tags: Spicyhoney, Established Relationship, Prejudice Against Monsters, Angst, Injury Recovery, Hurt/Comfort, LV Issues, Brother issues
Notes: My timeline is getting a little wonky due to a few drabble sets and shorts. So this chapter directly follows With Brotherly LV
Part of the ‘by any other name’ series.
Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter 3
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Read Chapter 4 on AO3
or
Read it here!
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No matter his concern, Antwan was smarter than to stand with the door open and risk being caught sneaking in by Janice. On a good day, she did her duty of chasing away undesirables who wanted to ‘drop in’ ferociously and those who earned her wrath lived with their regrets. On a day like today, Edge was very glad to be on this side of the office door.
Antwan had been on her watch list before and he closed the door hastily, making his way to the guest chairs…and stopped, staring at the newly whittled down armrest.
Bemused, he nudged at the wood shavings scattered on the carpet with the toe of one shoe. “What the fuck happened in here? Did the chair attack you?”
"No, you do not,” Edge said firmly.
"I don’t?" Antwan asked with wary confusion. He bypassed the slightly mangled chair and chose the one that was still in an acceptable state, sinking into the leather cushions with a groan. All the impeccable lines of his suit crumpled around him.
"No. We are not discussing what the fuck happened to me or the chair.” Edge gathered up his finished paperwork briskly and set it in the proper basket. “You came in here to talk about something specific, and we will discuss that and nothing else.” His interest in discussion any of his own personal issues had dwindled into the negative.
"Ooookay, I'm good with that," Antwan said agreeably. He leaned back in the chair, crossing his legs to rest his ankle on the opposite knee with fingers drumming against the intact armrest. “Red will tell me later, anyway."
"I suppose it's useless to ask you to stop drinking with my brother."
"Yeah, momma, sorry,” Antwan shrugged. “I need all my lines of communication open and if I buy the good shit, he spills the good shit.”
"Antwan,” Edge sighed. The headache that had been sending him threats all morning was looming ominously at the gate. “Did you actually want something? Because I do have my own catastrophes to deal with."
That turned out to be an unexpected misstep. Far from his normal lawyerly arrogance, Antwan promptly looked miserable and started to stand. "I mean, it's not that important—“
"Sit your ass down and talk."
He sank back down, absently plucking a pen from his inside jacket pocket and fidgeting with it in a way more reminiscent of Stretch than Edge was used to with Antwan. “Well, it’s… is that a chicken plushie?"
"Yes." Edge raised a brow bone, silently inviting him to express his concerns over Edge's choice of desktop decor. “Was that really what you wanted to discuss?”
"No, shit, give me a minute…look, you're probably the worst person for me to ask about this," Antwan said bluntly. His face was tight, a deep furrow between his brows. "You hit a home run and got married the first time you stepped up to the plate so what do you know about anything?"
Edge propped his chin on one gloved hand, gazing at Antwan thoughtfully, “This must be why we're such good friends, our mutual respect for each other."
"I respect the fuck out of you, or else I wouldn't be here.” Antwan took a deep breath. “But I’ve been sleeping on a shitty sofa for a week, I’ve gained five pounds with all the food Blue is forcing on me and I have no fucking idea what I’m doing. This is way out of my area of expertise.”
“What is?”
“Jeff!” Antwan threw up his hands in frustration. “Look, I’ve gotten into some slightly weird shit before, okay? Once, I slept with this guy in a band and when I came home from work the next day I found him and bunch of strangers eating everything in my fridge and some girl redecorating my bathroom to make it more feng shui. But this is new territory, I really wasn't expecting my boyfriend to move in with another guy while my back was turned.” He sighed, dropping the pen into the empty seat and rubbing a thumb between his eyes. “Why the hell did you let him move in with Blue, anyway?”
“My apologies, was I supposed to forbid it? Would you rather he stayed at his old apartment while he recovered where anyone with the internet could find his address?” Edge asked calmly. His willingness to accept any blame for that began and ended at no. “Because I gathered he wasn’t willing to move in with you. We were simply offering another option. Then again, if you’d tried asking him to move in when he wasn’t well-drugged and fresh from surgery, you may have had more luck. Perhaps next time you’ll choose a better moment to express your intentions than in a hospital room.”
“How did you..?” Antwan started. His expression soured and he broke off, letting his head drop back with a sigh. “You really piss me off, sometimes.”
“I know, I learned from the best,” Edge said serenely. “Something you’re well aware of since you usually spend Wednesday nights drinking with him. That said, the last I knew, Jeff was down in public relations going over press releases, not in the hospital. Is there anything stopping you from talking to him now, aside from the stairs?”
Antwan met Edge’s stare but only for a moment, his eyes dropped as he muttered, “He’s been happy living with Blue.”
“He has.” This was an unexpected development. Edge couldn’t recall ever seeing Antwan as less than completely confident at anything. He’d seen defense attorneys flinch when Antwan came in to a courtroom, and plea deals were often struck after opening arguments. Antwan was very nearly as skilled as Edge in keeping his expression impassive, but the unhappiness on his face was as blatant as a Human nose when Edge pointed out, “That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be happy living with you.”
“Maybe it does.” Antwan slumped back, staring moodily at the ceiling as if in hopes the answers would come from above.
Generally, Edge was indifferent to self-inflicted forms of pathetic, but since divine intervention seemed unlikely, this time he relented. “He cares about you a great deal.”
“Then why is it the only time he told me he loved me was when he doesn’t even remember doing it?”
The quiet hurt in those words made Edge pause, considering. Slowly, he said, “I couldn’t begin to guess the workings of Jeff’s mind anymore than I could Stretch. Why don’t you ask him? Just talk to him.” “But—“ “Talk. To. Him.” Edge said, exasperated. Why was he surrounded by such brilliantly intelligent idiots? “I may have hit a home run with Stretch, but I can tell you most of the problems we’ve had would have been prevented with a little communication.” Like now, but this wasn’t at all the time bring up their domino fall of troubles. “You give speeches in court all the time, I have to listen to you go on about them at lunch, I know you know how to talk. Plan what you want to say to him and say it.”
“When would I have the time?” Antwan shifted enough to look at him. The way he was sprawling in the chair in his expensive suit made him look like a child playing dress up. His mournful sigh was worse, and if he and Stretch had ever been like this during their difficult beginning, Edge couldn’t believe his brother hadn’t attempted an intervention, preferably one with plenty of swearing and threats of violence. “I haven’t been able to get him away from starry little bodyguard long enough.” That was a fair point. “If you’ll make the effort to talk to him tonight, I’ll handle Blue. Start making a plan.” He glanced at the clock. It was well past noon and he still hadn’t made it to lunch. “Now if you'll excuse me, I need to think of a way to convince my husband that he can’t piss me off enough to make me leave him, no matter how hard he tries.”
“What?” Edge made a mental note that the best way to distract Antwan from his problems was to introduce one of his own. He sat up straight and his expression was one of aghast dismay. “Why the hell would he ever believe that? Any idiot can see you worship that brat.”
“Yes, but Stretch is a special brand of idiot,” Edge said dryly. He might have left it there, but Antwan was his friend, and Edge admitted with some discomfort, “and I suppose I didn’t tell him in words he can understand.”
“That’s bullshit,” Antwan scoffed. “I’ve heard you tell him you love him, you two are disgusting about it! You married him for fuck’s sake!”
“Your argument is sound,” Edge agreed. “Which gives me a few decades to persuade him to my way of thinking. That being said, I’d still prefer to find a faster route.”
“Good luck with that, man,” Antwan rubbed the back of his head. “You want to head out for some lunch?”
“Thank you, but no.” The more Edge looked at remaining piles of paperwork on his desk, the less important they seemed. Particularly in comparison to his mental image of Stretch sitting at home, miserable and alone, unable to stop fretting about tomorrow, about Edge, probably about anything. “I think I’m going to call it an early day.”
That made Antwan wince. “You leaving early with nothing burnt down and no one dead? You sure you want to try and help me tonight?”
“Yes, and hopefully the trend of no property damage or homicide continues. I’ll text you later, all right?”
Antwan leaving gave him a chance to double check his emails before he shut down his computer. Edge took a moment to lean out to his office door to find Janice back at her desk, coffee cup in hand. She glanced at him expectantly.
“Janice, would you mind-“
“I’ve already rescheduled your other meeting,” she said crisply. “I’ll get the R & D reports ready for you tomorrow morning.”
“No, I’m taking tomorrow off as well,” Edge said, almost surprising himself. If he checked with Alphys, perhaps she could see them sooner than tomorrow afternoon. He suspected the only reason she’d asked them to come in so late to begin with was because of his work.
Janice’s reaction was closer to shock, but she nodded. “I’ll handle it. Go home.” It was very close to scolding.
He gave her a small smile. “Thank you, I am.” Moments later, he was headed out to his car. It was tempting to text Stretch and let him know he would be home soon, but he decided against it.
Hopefully, it would be a nice surprise.
~~*~~
Tbc
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