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themculibrary · 17 days

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Letters Masterlist

1796 Broadway (ao3) - rainproof, teaberryblue steve/tony, bruce/natasha M, 460k

Summary: Captain America respectfully requests that all complaints be addressed to him in writing. On paper, the nice old-fashioned way, because the computer screen hurts his eyes.

Put your phone down, Tony.

all my love (ao3) - casdoms (moffwithhishead) sam/bucky, steve/bucky M, 4k

Summary: September 7th, 1943

Steve,

Tell me something good. Tell me a story about home, about the neighborhood. Give me something to live for, here, because I’m dying. I’m fucking dying. All these guys, dying, and they’re not even –

How are you? There’s been fewer letters from you. Hope you haven’t gotten yourself into trouble. Becca said in her last letter, that she hasn’t seen you in a while. I hope you didn’t do something stupid, you fucking moron.

I’ll be unreachable for a while. Keep sending letters, if you’re not dead. I want something to read when I get back.

Yours,

a whole new world (ao3) - Icylightning pepper/tony T, 18k

Summary: For last six months Tony and Pepper were looking for a child to adopt but luck wasn’t on their side. Until one day, Tony receives a letter from five year old Peter Parker.

better when i’m with you (ao3) - thelilacfield wanda/vision T, 69k

Summary: He’s had a number of firsts. Virginia Reed, his first crush. Wanda Maximoff, his first kiss. Eve Simon, his first heartbreak. Mandy Fournier, the first girl who said yes when he asked her to dance. And he’s becoming increasingly certain that Sam Wilson is his first love.

Vision writes a letter each time he has a crush so consuming he can’t forget it. They are tiny pieces of his heart, written out for his eyes only, a way to say goodbye.

Until the day they’re sent out.

Christmas Letters (ao3) - thesoundofasmile clint/laura T, 6k

Summary: In the lead up to Christmas while waiting for Clint to get home, Laura remembers some instances of Natasha celebrating the holiday with the Barton family, and Nathaniel inadvertently starts a new tradition to continue to include Natasha in their celebrations.

counted days, counted miles (ao3) - CrimsonPetrichor sam/bucky G, 2k

Summary: Separated for months by Captain America duties and missions with the Thunderbolts, Sam and Bucky somehow still manage to keep up their domestic squabbles, browbeat each other into taking care of themselves, and deal with their not-strictly-platonic feelings.

A story told in correspondence.

Dear Sam (ao3) - QuestinWitchFace sam/bucky M, 18k

Summary: Months after the events of TFATWS, Bucky and Sam are work partners and roommates living in a house together in Delacroix. Bucky's therapist suggests that, since Bucky has trouble verbalizing his feelings sometimes, he should try writing them out in letters to the people in his life. Bucky can only think of one person he wants to write to.

Dear Yelena (ao3) - flipflop_diva T, 1k

Summary: While the Avengers wait for word on Steve's quest to return the Soul Stone, Yelena reads a stack of old letters Natasha once wrote to her.

dust off our new love (ao3) - ArabellaAM steve/tony G, 1k

Summary: Tony’s clothes are full of dust when he finds the box.

Letters between Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes: 1942-45 (ao3) - Jakcett steve/bucky T, 4k

Summary: Content Summary:

Historical documents, with annotations.

Letters Never Sent (ao3) - wisteriafic wanda/vision T, 9k

Summary: Dear Family and Friends,

I’m not sure why I’m writing this. I don’t have any friends or family anymore to send it to. The moms on TV would write these holiday letters, and I guess I like the idea of putting the past year down on paper.

letters we never sent (ao3) - MissAmyShay bucky/sarah G, 6k

Summary: Bucky likes Sarah. Sarah likes Bucky.

Cass and AJ think it’s time for their relationship to progress to a new level.

Post Haste (ao3) - roboticonography steve/peggy T, 13k

Summary: Steve, Peggy, their friends and family, and a mad dash to the altar. A story in letters.

Read It and Go From There (ao3) - Write_To_You bruno/kamala G, 1k

Summary: A peek into Kamala’s mind when she reads Bruno’s letter.

Shallow Pockets (ao3) - Chargedlion T, 3k

Summary: Valentina doesn't recruit Yelena. Yelena doesn't dedicate her time to hunting and killing Clint Barton. Instead, she wakes up alone in a world without her sister.

All that was left of Natasha was her legacy and the vest she shared with Yelena. And there's something in one of the pockets.

sincerely, (ao3) - catjeno mj/peter G, 5k

Summary: It's been weeks since The Spell, since Peter Parker was erased from the Earth. And though he loves being Spider-Man full time, his new life is not an easy adjustment.

Peter needs someone to talk to. So he turns to his loved ones, in the only way he can.

The Notebooks (ao3) - Ribbonsflying steve/bucky G, 3k

Summary: To cope with his new reality, Steve wrote notebooks to Bucky long before Bucky was ever found.

to live without a lifeline (ao3) - himynameisv T, 1k

Summary: She allows herself one day to grieve.

She comes out the next day—ready and not ready at the same time—to face the world.

What happened during that time is between Natasha and the dead.

(Or: Nat writes a letter, of all the things left unsaid.)

To make things right (ao3) - missingcrowdsof1000s bruno/kamala T, 3k

Summary: A peek into Kamala’s mind as she finally reads Bruno’s letter (a.k.a. an alternate ending to Episode 6, in a world where the deleted scene “Just Friends” from Episode 3 is actual canon).

waiting on my soldier (ao3) - Areiton, BladeoftheNebula steve/tony, bucky/natasha M, 13k

Summary: Here, it feels like anything is possible, like he could ask for the world and actually get it.

It’s that, more than anything, that makes him ask, “Can I write to you. When I’m gone? I don’t--I have Bucky and Ma, but I’d sure love to have a pretty omega like you waitin’ on my letters.”

Tony leans into him a little heavier, and squeezes his hand as the sun begins to rise, and paint the sky purple and pink. “Yes,” he says simply.

#themculibrary #marvel #mcu #masterlists #letters #letters masterlist

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siremasterlawrence · 2 years

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Freeing Steve

Flashback

Bucky Barnes shows up at the Sam Wilson’s apartment at the stroke of midnight on a rainy day.

Sam Wilson jumps up from a deep sleep as thunder strikes over them, and Bucky lifts up the window sliding in.

“What the hell are you doing in my bedroom?”

Sam yells.

“Calm down Wilson, we have a few major problems.” Bucky stone cold as ever.

“Like what Barnes?” Sam states arms are crossed.

A shadowy figure walks out of the darkness of the room and in to the light of thunder currently hitting the room.

“Steve is that you?” Sam asks confused as to what is happening.

“Yeah! I can’t stay out of trouble.” Steve admits as his hand glides through his hair.

“You look….” Sam fails to say totally stunned.

“Young again? I know”…..

“We have to go…NOW” Bucky howls.

“Relax Buck, wait for us outside” Steve orders.

Sam gets up to hug Steve but instead slams in to him as they fall on top of each other.

They both laugh uncontrollably trying to do a simple motion to untangle failing.

Steve accidentally pushes forward landing on top of Sam as they kiss slowly, steady and frantically.

“Oh God, I can’t…” Steve gets up to run from his almost confession.

Sam had enough leaping forward he tackles Steve to the ground and kisses him intently.

“Sam, I’m sorry I keep asking for your help.”

“I want you with me, I mean us together”

“This is weird”

“I love you too Steve “

“Will you two get it on already geez”

“What?”

“We need to go “

“Right! I almost forgot about John Walker”

“That asshat is back”

“What about him?”

“His team The Thunderbolts”

“They are coming to find us”

Sam rolls his eyes sighing at the absurdity of his life at this point, and what that means to him.

He does a mad dash trying to figure out if his house will be fine and a loud crash of smashing glass erupts around him.

The three of them are surrounded in a circle with guys who are amassed with multiple types of weaponry.

“Hold your fire Walker”

“Why should I?”

“Taking down the man himself”

“It’s a dream come true”

“Say Goodnight Cap America”

“They said I was a mere imitation of you”

“I am better “

“They will see”

“They will all see”

John raises some sort high technological super sonic weapon Stark patent and aims it at Sam”

“Noooo” Bucky races to block him as the

pure sound left a gaping hole through him and took out Steve in yet same breath.

End of Flashback

Sam woke up in a sweat from that horrific show of a nightmare the third time that week since it happened.

He wipes the sweat from his forehead when he heard the sound of someone breaking in.

Shadows bounces all over the house as Sam leaps off the stairs on to the scene as he ran out.

He flips the light on to reveal a letter under a brown paper bag and freaks out.

He takes a few deep breaths in absorbing all the hell that occurred over a few seconds.

The stench of a familiar scent purveys the room, a sense of familiarity hits him.

The outline of those sexy think lips felt so

real and hardcore on a deep level.

Locking the door Sam can’t stop his eyes from watching the letter he scoops up the bag.

Opening it he peaks inside to see a picture of Bucky, a broken necklace of Peggy Carter and nothing else.

The card only reads I love you Sam in bold letters sending Sam in to a tail spin of madness.

Sam quickly dawns his Falcon costume in a matter he soars to the night sky.

On a building far off from his home a odd tall figure awaits him with a bag of jewels.

All stolen goods from the museum Sam can never deny the truth when it’s clear as day.

“Steve”

“Hey babe!”

“How are you still alive?”

“My suit is more protective but Bucky was hit head on.”

“He is gone”

“No”

“He was your best friend”

“I love you Sam”

“Wait! Stealing? Breaking and entering my home.”

“That’s not like you”

“What are you doing Steve?”

“I’m not Captain America anymore”

“I am my own man now”

“So are you”

“Fuck them”

“Be my partner in crime and Justice”

“Be my antihero and I’ll be yours”

“Yes”

The end

#Anti Hero

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tc-doherty · 2 years

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I love Chinese media lot! I got obsessed with that silly Great Wall movie (I still love it honestly), and then I got obsessed with Thunderbolt Fantasy, and then I found the Mo Dao Zu Shi novel and that was the final nail in the coffin LMAO

but here are some of my favorites (under a cut because it's literally just me rambling a bit):

Novels:

You would probably assume MDZS but no! Although yes, I am obsessed with it and it is my favorite of MXTX's books. But!

My actual favorite Chinese novel is 反派白化光环, a.k.a. The Villain’s White Lotus Halo. I love this book sooooo much. Every chapter renders me incapable of doing anything else except thinking about it. Unfortunately it's not fully translated yet, so it's not accessible to other people. Even worse, a lot of what's available seems to be machine translated which is just awful.

I do think it's very funny that a few years ago some people accused me of being an MXTX apologist because they didn't like my opinions about another famous Chinese author who I will not mention here, but I literally have a signed post card by the author of White Lotus Halo on my pegboard in my office and I paid extra to get that with a box set of one of her other series. Clearly, if I’m an apologist for anyone, it's TP. Anyway.

I also really like 泾渭情殇, a.k.a. Clear and Muddy Loss of Love. To be fair I hate the ending, the last few chapters are awful. But everything up until then is 10 out of 10. I just pretend the last few chapters never happened. This one is fully translated, and I think the translation is still available.

Manhua:

Anyone who knows me knows that I have one manhua that I love above all others, and it’s 我家大师兄脑子有坑, a.k.a. My Senior Martial Brother Has a Pit in His Brain. What can I say? This story is so hysterical to me. I'm over 400 chapters into it, and I love the donghua as well. Every episode of that (except for the 1st one???) has English subtitles but afaik the comic has never been translated outside of the what I've done (which isn't very much).

Donghua:

Aside from the above, I really like 时光代理人, a.k.a. Link Click, which I don't have to talk about because everybody already knows what it is. It's excellent, I'm ready for the 2nd season LMAO

A less well-known show I absolutely adore is 风灵玉秀, a.k.a. Sunflowers a.k.a. Soulmate Adventure a.k.a. Spirit Wind Elegance, whatever you want to call it. It's currently the only GL donghua in existence and although it can be a bit rough around the edges, it's super cute. It needs more support and love! You can watch it with English subtitles on Bilibili’s youtube channel and we’re also getting a 2nd season, yay~

There's 天宝伏妖录 , a.k.a. Legend of Exorcism which is very funny to me and can be watched on Netflix

Honestly so many more? I watch a lot of donghua. I'm really waiting for information about 六爻, a.k.a. Liu Yao. Hello? It's been so long, is the production team still alive?

Dramas:

香蜜沉沉烬如霜, a.k.a. Ashes of Love made me fucking yell! Literally made me yell "oh fuck” out loud. Show is insane. It's on Netflix, I highly recommend it.

There's also 镇魂, a.k.a. Guardian which… Look. I hate the book that this is based on but the show is absolutely bonkers and it is so funny, and I was in the middle of re-watching it and it got taken down from everywhere that I can access and I'm so mad about it.

延禧攻略, a.k.a. Story of Yanxi Palace is so good. Every single episode makes me scream out loud. Again, literally.

招摇, a.k.a. The Legends. I will admit that the very beginning and very end of this show are not great but 80% of what's in the middle is fantastic and I loved it.

Movies:

Other than The Legend of Hei, I really like 姜子牙, a.k.a. Jiang Ziya. So good, and the animation is beautiful.

I have to mention 哪吒之魔童降世, a.k.a. Nezha because it got a very limited release in America and I literally drove 3 hours each way to see this movie in theaters.

And I also like 新神榜：哪吒重生, a.k.a. Nezha Reborn, which I think is super fun. Although I feel like people in the circles that I was in didn't like it as much for some reason.

Honestly, I love Chinese media. I read a lot of novels, watch a lot of donghua and animated movies, and a lot of c-dramas. And if you want recommendations for any of those things I'm happy to provide ahahahaha

#I just love stuff

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notallthosewho-wanderarelost · 5 months

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Excited for any superhero projects?

Hi Anon! I am, yes. Off the top of my head, in terms of things coming out in the future, I’m very much looking forward to the Thunderbolts movie. And you have good timing because I was just thinking about the Thunderbolts movie yesterday. What If? season 2 looks like it could be very fun, and I’m tentatively looking forward to Avengers 5 and 6. Depending on if they treat the characters well of course- I can’t take another mess like Endgame. Will fully admit that if they let me see Natasha, Wanda (main Wanda, none of this rumored multiverse nonsense), Pietro (ditto), Tony, Steve (an actual in-character version please), and/or Loki again, bring Jane back as a Valkyrie, or write Thor well I might be willing to forgive a lot though.

I’m also pretty excited for Armor Wars since I love Rhodey, though admittedly that excitement took a bit of a hit when I saw the relevant Secret Invasion spoilers. Blade as a character isn’t really my jam, but I am looking forward to seeing Dane Whitman again in that movie, especially as Black Knight, so I’m gonna list that too. And I’m very curious about the Agatha tv show rumors I’ve heard and if we might be getting Billy, potentially with Teddy, and if Wanda might be back.

…Nearly forgot Cap 4! Looking forward to that, with a few caveats. Those caveats being I need them to not villainize Sharon and take back the Power Broker thing, and I… truly have no idea how to feel about Sabra, given current events. I was excited for her inclusion, if dreading the discourse, now I don’t know how to feel about it because the likelihood of her inclusion being tone-deaf is even higher, and said discourse is going to be 100 times worse.

I also still have to watch the Loki finale episode and The Marvels. Very much looking forward to The Marvels; I have mixed feelings on the Loki finale since I’ve gotten a little spoiled for it, but I want to see how it ends just the same.

I’m super behind on Marvel movies, I kind of lost steam after Multiverse of Madness and haven’t seen the last 4 or 5 movies. Of those, I’m most looking forward to watching Wakanda Forever. (That would’ve been Love and Thunder because I adore both Jane and Thor but uh, 😬 I’ve heard about it and I had no faith in Taika Waititi to begin with, so…) After WF I think I’m most looking forward to watching GOTG 3 even though I’m fully aware I’m probably gonna cry my eyes out. Feeling a bit meh on Quantumania sadly, despite loving Cassie Lang in comics, based on what friends who’ve seen it have said, and fully expecting to have to grin and bear it through Love and Thunder.

In terms of unconfirmed projects, I need Eternals 2 yesterday. Also a Shang-Chi sequel and a second season of Moon Knight. The rumored Vision Quest show could be very good or alternately very bad, but I love Vision and he deserves a starring role, so I’m crossing my fingers it happens and isn’t just a retread of Tom King’s Vision because that comic was incredibly depressing. (Adore Viv Vision though, and would love a proper robotic Sparky the dog!) I also saw a rumor a bit ago that we might get a Clea backstory show, which I would be incredibly down for since comics Clea is one of my favorite underused characters, and has a really coolbackstory with a lot of potential for an interesting story. And I love the Young Avengers, so if we get to see them as an official team in the future I’ll be hyped for that.

For non-MCU things, I’m vaguely looking forward to Deadpool 3 despite not being a mutants/X-Men enthusiast because a. Deadpool is just fun, b. the Taylor Swift Dazzler rumors. For DC, The Superman: Legacy casting has me really really excited. I love Superman and it seems like we might actually get a good take on him this time! In terms of things farther down the DC pipeline, I’m a big Supergirl fan so naturally I’m hyped for the planned Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow movie, despite being halfway through that comic and still unsure if I like or not. And I love Damian Wayne so cautiously excited for the rumored Batman movie featuring Bruce and Dami.

#thanks for the question lovely anon!#asks #answers #my stuff #also re: dc i will admit i’m v sad it’s likely we lose gal gadot as wonder woman.#not only was her casting perfect but her writing and acting in her origin movie was also #however I do hope we get good wonder woman content down the line because she deserves it #diana is just as cool as clark and bruce and has a huge and interesting corner of dc; she needs more time in the spotlight #(diana is the thor of dc no i will not be taking questions at this time)#(actually the fact that I have to be describing her with that analogy instead of the other way around is a little absurd)

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fayemarvels · 3 years

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It's just a little thunder

Summary : “You are scared of the thunder aren’t you?” you asked gently and Loki nodded quickly. “Please don’t laugh at me,” he whispered and you shook your head. “I would never do that, don’t worry,” You bent down and kissed his forehead.

Or: Loki is scared of thunders

Word count: 917

Warnings: thunder?, bad writing, grammatical mistakes,

English isn't my first language so please don't mind the grammar and sentence structure mistakes and stuff. If you have any suggestions on how to improve my writing, please let me know.

! Please don't repost my work anywhere without my permission. Thank you!

My masterlist *******

----

Loki wasn’t scared of many things; he was a big and tough god after all. If you asked anyone who knew him, what they think he was scared of, they would probably say, ‘Oh, he’s scared of something trivial like shopping alone,’ and when you ask them why they would just shrug and say ‘Don’t know, he just seems like the type.’ The other version would be something more simple and common. ‘Oh, he’s scared of death.’ And even though both of those might be slightly true, there is one thing he’s scared of more than anything. And if he has to be honest, it is slightly embarrassing to admit it.

Loki was scared of thunders. As far as his memory could reach, he was always scared of them. There weren’t many people who knew, only a handful. He didn’t like to share that part of himself with the world, or any for that matter.

Only Frigga and Thor knew. He didn’t tell anyone else, maybe because he didn’t have anyone. That was until you came along.

You met Loki when his brother dragged him down to Earth for a visit. You were working in the Avenger’s tower as a cleaner, just to get some money along studying at college. Tony Stark paid some good money and gave hella good bonuses.

You nearly bumped into Loki when you were vacuuming the floor and didn’t hear him come into the room over the music playing in your ears. You apologized and the pair of you quickly hit it off. It didn’t take a lot of time, and you started some kind of relationship only after 3 months of knowing each other.

This unlabeled thing went on for about 4 months before you asked Loki what exactly you were.

“I want to be your lover, your partner I just didn’t know when was a good time to bring this up to you,” he scratched the back of his neck and tried to explain himself, before you kissed him softly, just to shut him up.

He would go on for his whole, life completely content with you not knowing about his stupid fear. But he just couldn’t have good things, no. His life wouldn’t allow that.

One time, when he came to visit you, a storm suddenly started. It came out of nowhere and the electricity in your whole apartment building went out. You, of course, were used to this. It happened very often. Loki on the other hand was scared shitless.

“I swear I put the torch somewhere here,” you mumbled as you rummaged through the boxes in your closet.

“Loki can you please go into the bathroom and try to find some candles? I can’t find the light.” You asked. Before you could get a response, a thunderbolt struck the ground and a deep rumble sounded through the city.

Then, light and quiet whimper came from Loki’s direction. You tilted your head and carefully moved towards him.

“Hey love, what’s wrong?” you asked as you sat down beside Loki who was curled up in your bed, with a pillow over his head, whole body trembling.

“Nothing, nothing I’m fine, totally fine don’t worry,” he mumbled and as he tried to get up, another thunderbolt struck. It wasn’t as loud as the last time, but it still managed to scare Loki who whimpered out and shuffled closer to you.

“Oh hun,” you whispered

“You are scared of the thunder aren’t you?” you asked gently and Loki nodded quickly.

“Please don’t laugh at me,” he whispered and you shook your head.

“I would never do that, don’t worry,” You bent down and kissed his forehead.

“well, I think it’s time for bed what do you say?” you asked and Loki nodded. You shuffled away from him and got under the covers. Before you could call him over to you, he was already under the covers with you, holding you around your waist with his face buried in your neck.

“Thanks for not laughing at me,” he whispered into the dark of the room and you furrowed your brows.

“Has anyone ever done that?”

“Yes, Thor. I came to him once because my mother was away and he sent me back to my room. I was about 9 in your years.” He explained and you squeezed him lightly, trying to bring some comfort.

“Having fears isn’t bad, it isn’t something to laugh at,”

“You never laughed at my fear of butterflies, why would I judge you for being scared of thunder.” You asked gently and he shrugged.

“Well, now you know that when you are scared, you can always come to me, with whatever fear it is” You comforted him and he nodded into your neck.

“Thank you, it means so much,” he whispered and you could hear the tiredness in his voice.

“Good night honey, I’ll see you tomorrow,” you said gently and he hummed.

“If you ever say anything about this to anyone, I will be mad,” he teased and she laughed lightly.

“Yeah, that’s the first thing I’m going to do in the morning, tell the world that the mighty Loki of Asgard is scared of thunders,” you said, trying to sound just a bit serious.

“Now hush and go to sleep, we’ll talk some more tomorrow,” you tried to soothe him as he flinched from another thunderbolt.

“G’night” he slurred, his mind already halfway gone.

He fell asleep moments after that, with you following right after him.

-----

Just something little I wrote today as a thank you for 100 followers, I never would've thought so many people would follow me on here when I started. Again, thank you.

As always, if you have any feedback I would be very happy if you let me know.

Thanks for reading byeee.

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bamfdaddio · 3 years

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X-Men Abridged: 1981 - the Body-Swap

The X-Men, those body-swapping mutants that have sworn to protect a world that hates and fears them, are a cultural juggernaut with a long, tangled history. We’ve been untangling that history for a while, but sometimes, you really want a more in-depth look. Interested? Then read the (un)Abridged X-Men!

(Uncanny X-Men 151 - 152) - by Chris Claremont and Josef Rubinstein

Emma Frost and her frenemy Ororo Munroe have not been getting along! One fateful evening, as the two quibble away, they mysteriously switch bodies and minds. Talk about your Freaky Friday! What lessons will they learn, walking a mile in one another’s shoes? And will they be able to switch back, or will they stay in each other’s bodies forever? Mutant Monday, coming soon to a cinema near you. Starring: Elizabeth Banks, Angela Bassett and Elliot Page. (PG-13)

For a moment, we’re in a proper period drama: a letter delivers ill tidings!

I love that Kitty’s parents are so self-involved that it took them A WHOLE YEAR to realize that it’s weird that Kitty is the only non-adult attending the Xavier Institute.

I can only assume the mailman interrupted a pool party of some kind? Or a communal shower? I get why Kurt would not swim a lot - all that fur - but did Scott wear that while they were splashing around? Was it a beach volleyball competition where one half got to wear swimsuits and the other half superhero costumes? Most importantly, was Scott’s costume always this tight?

Not that I’m complaining, mind you.

The awful thing is that Kitty’s parents are transferring her to the Massachusetts Academy, not realizing that headmistress Emma Frost is, in fact, a terrible human being. Charles, uncharacteristically, says that changing their minds telepathically is a line he does not cross (any more) and half the viewing audience bursts out in laughter. More importantly, last they saw Emma, she was kind of dead-by-Phoenix, so it might be better there this time? Kitty does a Classic Teenage Stomp-Off and Storm comes to comfort her. Kitty cries that life is unfair (“My parents are only doing this because they’re splitting up”) and Ororo tells her that yes, life is unfair. You just gotta roll with the punches as best you can.

To be fair, bald men are technically all cheek, so it doesn’t matter where you kiss them.

While I enjoy the relationship Kitty has with the other X-Men (Scott gave her a compliment! Logan told her his name!), especially the mother-daughter-bond she shares with Ororo, the whole Piotr-thing always gives me pause. Even if we’re being very generous with age, Kitty is, what? 14 going on 15? And Piotr is… 19? At best? I get why Kitty would have a crush on him: he’s a gentle hunky giant: at fifteen, my teenage ass would have felt the exact same viz-a-viz Colossus’ upper arms. The fact that Piotr reciprocates feels skeevy, though, especially because they’re always treated like star-crossed idiots these days.

Skee-vy.

Ororo drives Kitty to Massachusetts, where her young ward is greeted by someone named Muffy and whisked away for orientation. All seems well. Ororo stands in a parlour, surveying the grounds and considering that they should have fought harder for Kitty. Still, nothing seems too wrong just yet: this Academy just seems very preppy.

Not-at-all-dead Emma takes her cue and jumps out, saying (essentially): “Surprise motherfucker.”

There’s a flash of light, and then...

I’m willing to bet that Emma’s EVIL journal has the following to-do-list: - Steal Storm’s body. - Experiment with her powers. - See how good Storm looks in white. (Leather? Fur?! Both!??) - REWARD: Smoke break.

I wonder if Emma’s plan hinged on being able to body-swap with Storm, or whether any X-Man would have sufficed. Was her original target Xavier? Cyclops? What if one of Kitty’s parents had brought her to Massachusetts, would she have taken Kitty instead?

In a locked cell, Storm wakes up in Emma’s body and is horrified. I wonder why Emma didn’t take any more precautions. Couldn’t the guy who made the freaky friday-gizmo also make a power dampener to nullify not!Emma’s telepathic abilities? Or did Emma count on her victim being so utterly incapacitated by her mind-powers that they’d be driven mad? (This would actually tie in with some of Emma’s later-revealed history: when her powers first emerged, she also got locked away in a padded room because of her madness.)

Emma is not wrong, by the way: Storm can’t get a handle on Emma’s powers. What follows is possibly the sweetest moment in an arc filled with sweet moments:

This arc isn’t drawn by any of the regulars - not Byrne, not Cockrum - but Josef Rubinstein brings his own kind of panache to the pages. I love the way he draws women’s faces: in a story that’s all about women, their faces are actually distinguishable. Kudoz.

Emma, meanwhile, coordinates with Sebastian Shaw to execute the second part of their two-pronged attack on the X-Men. They both laugh evilly in their phones while the mansion is attacked by Sentinels! These androids take out Cyclops and Xavier with some sleeping gas and knock out Nightcrawler, but the rest of the X-Men manage to trounce these robots. Then ‘Storm’ appears! She zaps the rest of the X-Men (and Amanda Sefton), successfully finishing their master-plan.

It’s not entirely clear what the Hellfire Club wants with the X-Men this time, but I’m assuming it’s more experimentation to improve the sentinels? Eh, doesn’t matter! Nefarious Hellfire Club is nefarious.

The real Storm, meanwhile, comes to claim Kitty, forgetting that she looks like the one and only Emma Frost. Kitty spooks and Storm accidentally reaches out, knocking her out telepathically. Whoops! Storm takes Kitty and flees in a car, while Emma gives chase. (How dare Ororo run off with her body, which is absolutely the kind of hypocritical hilariousness we all love Emma for.)

Kitty awakens and jumps from the car, causing Storm to swerve and...

JETSTREAM!? Speaking of which, where are the Hellions in all of this?

Kitty sees that an unconscious ‘Emma’ is about to burn to a tender and moist little crisp and she is faced with the hero’s dilemma: would you save a villain that would never save you?

Emma, meanwhile, has realized the downside to body-swapping: somebody else gets to run around with your body too. Shaw, of all people, talks her down from her anger.

You can’t just introduce a persona exchange gun to the plot WITHOUT EXPLAINING WHERE THE FUCK YOU GOT IT FROM.

My favorite detail is that Emma keeps calling Kitty brat, like she’s some sort of Pokémon-villain.

Kitty, meanwhile, has saved ‘Emma’ and tied her up with a special knot. Storm tries to convince Kitty, going for the “ask me something only Storm would know”, but Kitty’s all: “Duh, you’re a telepath.” Ororo insists, but the thing that clinches it is when she breaks free of her ties without breaking a sweat. That knot was taught to Kitty by Ororo and she’d be the only one who knew how to break out of it.

Storm and Kitty recruit Stevie Hunter to come pick them up and during the ride, Storm-being-angry-mother!Storm convinces Kitty more than anything else:

After all, Storm was voted most likely to say: “If you don’t stop this nonsense immediately, I will turn this Blackbird around, so help me God!”

Ororo and Kitty sneak inside. Ororo even uses Emma’s telepathy to help her pick a lock after phasing through a door. (Kind of funny: Kitty’s still such a neophyte that she can’t even phase with anyone else yet.) Emma, meanwhile, taunts the captured X-Men, presenting herself as the new white queen:

Anybody feel the inclination to point out that the Hellfire Club did this exact same thing last year, except then they tried it with a redhead?

I secretly suspect that the Hellfire Club’s plots always revolve around seducing X-Men to their side and dressing them up in sexy lingerie. (Which: fair.) There’s also a subplot where the guys Wolverine cut apart last year want to exact revenge on him for being made bionic, but eh. We’ll start paying attention to them when they become actual Reavers.

Kitty phases through the locks of the X-Men, freeing them, and a kerfuffle ensues. Emma starts using Storm’s powers, but they grow out of control. Colossus tosses Shaw out of the window - which should just be company policy, really: all Shaws should be defenestrated - where he’s promptly hit by a rogue thunderbolt.

When he doesn’t get up, Emma starts to lose it. The weather goes wild. Storm intervenes, using her telepathic power to help calm down Emma (and the raging storm), but she also manages to get a hold of the swap-gun. There’s a zap, and with a satisfied sigh, the status-quo is restored again.

My favorite implication is that, apparently, Emma decides which school Kitty attends and not her parents.

While this little arc is neither the most iconic nor the most profound of 1981 -- those would be Days of Future Past and I, Magneto, respectively -- I still love this for a couple of reasons.

As a lover of Freaky Friday, 17 Again and the new Jumanji-film, I just have a soft spot for body swap plots. (Hi Psylocke!)

It focuses on the Xavier Institute as a school, planting seeds for the upcoming New Mutants.

It is very female-driven without beating you over the head with it. (Looking at you, Birds of Prey.)

It has three definitive main characters, who all get fleshed out in fun and interesting ways. It starts the trend of robbing Ororo of some of her powers and tossing her into against-the-odds circumstances, only for her to come out on top.

It solidifies the Storm/Kitty mother/daughter (or older/younger sibling) dynamic. Kitty is a believable teenager when it comes to Storm - clever and kind, but also looking for answers and prone to rash decisions - and I love how much they care for each other.

Jean/Storm-friendship-callback, yay!

Emma gets fleshed out as a villain. Resourceful and petty, powerful and vain. It’s no wonder she’s one of the break-out antagonists of the X-Men, because, like Magneto, Claremont is not afraid of giving her depth. Arguably, she is the most three-dimensional of the Hellfire Club at this point.

Yay! And fuck completely sensible plots, if you don’t know what to do with your plot, just introduce a random persona exchange gun. Let’s use it on Xavier and Legion in Way of X next!

#x-men abridged #abridged x-men #x-men #storm #professor x #kitty pryde #uncanny x-men #emma frost #cyclops #nightcrawler #stevie hunter #colossus #sebastian shaw

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psycotheorygenderfluid · 3 years

Text

TFATWS FINALE!!!

Let’s get started!(this was written as I was watching the episode so somethings could contradict)

THEY FINALLY BROUGHT BACK THE REALLY POWERFUL CAMOUFLAGE THING FROM WINTER SOLIDER!!!

YESS KARLI!!!

SAM’S NEW COSTUME IS SO COOL!!!

*sets off metal detector* Sharon: Oops.

Bucky and Karli chatting about fighting for things bigger than themselves.

I see what you did there Sharon. You sneaky murdering little b****! He totally deserved it!

YESSSSSSSSS SAM! YOU ARE BEST CAP!!!

Sky battle!

Flagsmashers drama? Why didn’t they respond the first time?

Not this b**** again.

Good job Bucky!

YES FLAGSMASHERS, DESTROY GREAT VALUE CAP!!!

Bucky no don’t defend the a******.

OMG SAM ARE YOU OK!!!!!?????!!!!!

Good job lady that saved the helicopter! Also good job Sam for helping!

John needs to die,

YESS KARLI!!!!!!!!

How it looks online vs. when it actually comes: shield edition

YEEESSSS SAM!!!! You gently set that car down! YEAH!!!

Guy 1: That's the Black Falcon there! Guy 2: No, that’s Captain America.

Sharon is sus.

Why are they working with Walker again? I had higher hopes for Sam and Bucky.

Karli(to Sharon): I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed.

SHARON IS THE POWER BROKER!!!!

She just killed him! You go Sharon!

Nothing but respect for Sam, who is still trying to reason with Karli.

Look at Bucky, using his singular brain cell.

Karli is looking for a fight now.

DID SHARON JUST KILL KARLI!?!?!?!

Karli is dead and now I am sad!!!

Sam is too smart for all these idiots.

Sam is too good for all these idiots.

This is why Sam is best cap!!

OMG SAM YESS!!!!

Sharon go to the hospital.

The Raft you say... *points rapidly at Zemo and comic lore*

Car went explosion.

US AGENT AND DARK AVENGERS OR THUNDERBOLTS ARE COMING!!!!!!!!

BUCKY CONFESSING TO HIS FRIEND!!!!

BUCKY DID THE WORK!!!

SAM GOING TO TALK TO ISAIAH!!!!

SAM BRINGING ISAIAH SOME PEACE!!!

ISAIAH GOT HIS OWN AREA IN THE CAP EXIBIT!!!!

COOKOUT!!!

THE COOKOUT CLIP SCENES ARE TOO PURE!!!

THE SAMBUCKY SIDE HUG, YES!

SHARON GOT PARDONED AND SHE GOT ULTERIOR MOTIVES!!!

Also quick notes-

The Josh’s fight is on April 24!

Shrek’s Birthday was April 22!

Do not go outside on April 24 unless you absolutely have to!

Thanks for reading and have a goodnight!

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psychemeanscure · 3 years

Text

PART 23

The sound of their heavy breaths is the only thing that can be heard behind the narrow line of flipped junk cars they found for hiding, or rather for shielding. They were able to seepage from the motorboat with the same assistance of somewhere springers. Jae who is still holding a shotgun, manage to pull out a small two-way handheld radio from its leather jacket. Hastily pushing the PTT button of it which she presumes to be connected with his co-subordinates. For she never gone wrong.

“What just the hell happened, Lee? I thought this direction was the safest, then what’s this?!”

His whispering grumbles through the other line as he was also answered promptly. “Idiot, we’ve been ghosted. Sh*t! I should have check carefully.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“I thought the Alcaziar tag along to that opposite side of the port, turns out he manage to split his men. He wasn’t there, so most probably… we’re doomed!”

“Are you saying---“realizing his own thought, he can only give a knowing look to her. “F*ck! We’re already doomed, you say.”

He was about to cut their conversation then if he wasn’t able to hear its next cursing from the other line. “F*ck, F*ck. This is f*cking shit!”

“Why, why? What’s up?”

“Boss, is coming back. I repeat, going back to the ship! F*ck, this is crazy!”

Jae sense Lee’s inattentiveness from their radio conversion already but rather its attention was actually moved into commanding their other members. They’re in a panic mode it is for Sung Eunyoung to be alerted as well. “What did you just say?”

Snatching the handheld radio from Jae’s hold, pressuring the one from the other line which only responded her a silent gasp. “F*cking answer me, dammit!” Vigorously throwing it by the assistant’s chest, a tear starts to cascade once again.

He can only gulp his own saliva as if indirectly scolded by a boss’ wife. Much as he guesses how Lee felt like. “Go down.” For one thing they needed to do is to follow an unspoken order. ‘Guess they’ll make a great pair, indeed. Both intimidatingly scary.’ A thought he can actually imagine.

“I’m currently.”

For Lee interrupting it is the useful thing he needed. “Can I speak to boss.”

“Now, that’s the other problem.”

Left confused, he opts to query. “What?” as he can also see her incoming furrows. “It seems like he accidentally slips it from his ear. I can’t reach him no matter calling I try.”

“Sh*t! this isn’t what I’m expecting. F*ck.”

He starts contemplating. He is, for she can already see it. Eyes torn between her and the far away sight of the ship. Even the contrary silence from the other line only makes her decision clear. “Go.”

Jae was surprised hearing it from her indeed. “W-what? But boss ask me to look for you. I can’t just disobey Ms. Sung, considering the Alcaziar is probably looking for you again. “

“As much as you’re worried about him, I am as well. The backup will do for me, perhaps.”

“But---“

“I’ll give him a word for you. So no more buts and go, please. I’m also asking right now.”

Still doubting, he had no choice but to grab her request even. Clearing a throat, he speaks to the radio. “How many of us backing this area we’re in?”

“Half.”

“So, just enough.” A convincing monologue for himself before inquiring once again. “Can they spot us from here?”

“Yes.”

Sighing, he agreed. “Alright. Radio them to guard her up. Keenly, please. I’ll be following you in a sec.”

“Copy that.”

Right then Jae frantically loading the shotgun in his hands with new ones before he turns to her then. “Now, Ms. Sung. This may be a meaningless word to say but I really need you to do just one thing. Stay. Stay hiding no matter what happened please. Use this if you ever sense someone against their sight.”

Giving her the handheld radio, she can only nod. “O-okay. I will.”

Jae was about to leave then if only the idea in mind did not bother him suddenly. So he turns to her one last time, guiding her freehand to hold a silencer gun which left her baffled. “I know you still haven’t recovered from earlier, but this is the only thing I could offer as well. Just in case, miss.”

Looking by the thing in her hand she begins to get nervous for herself. Then explosion happens. As it only gets worse for her again. Afraid that if she opens her eyes from the impact, things will be a death of her. Jae was already cursing beside her while she’s left with bulging eyes, watching the scorching fire from faraway ship. “No. No, please…”

“Ms. Sung. Don’t think anything ahead first. We will find boss, we promise. He’ll be alive.”

For there she was, being left in iceberg. Silently crying all her might from the expense of events she never dared to imagine. Not when she heard a screeching sound near her. “F*ck this. Could they have at least wait before I’m somber?”

Her whispering sarcasm for herself as she eventually wipes her halt tears, tucking the handheld radio in her coat’s bottom pocket, carefully crouching to stand up, trying to peek unnoticed while taking a fully grip to the silencer gun as if her life depends on it already.

But before she can actually do. A hand pulled her back into hiding out from the sight of the springer backups. The stranger covered her lips by its freehand for she can only shut her eyes, muffling squeals becoming useless. She’s trap! And no one’s here to save her. She can onl---

“You’re really stubborn, aren’t you?”

And It didn’t take a second to snap her eyes open, dismissing the hopeful thought in mind for it already came before she can ask for it. A washed Jang Taeyoung was the stranger in front of her. That the moment he let go of his hand from her lips, uttering his name is what she needed. “Jang.”

Her gaze was just too soft that anyone can’t rather handle to surrender, but not with this scoffing man whose piercing furrows lingers caused by her recent behavior. “Don’t look at me like that, woman. I’m still mad at you.”

But either or, neither happened to affect her with his words for it was ignored instead. Not knowing he’ll actually the one being effected. She hugged him. Sung Eunyoung cannot hold back anymore that snaking her hands to his neck tightly is what she wanted. He realized it. Her chin on his shoulder, she’s crying… again.

And like a thunderbolt being strike by the rain, he gives in. Despite his prickly body, he still obliged to slouch enough to make her comfortable from tiptoeing. He was even oblivious of his action before he knew it, he was already tapping her back with care. An upkeep he had never felt ever since but her. She always does.

“I’m wet.” He managed to crack the obvious

“I’m dirty, anyway.” while she managed to chuckle from it.

Before silence takes in once again. Stroking her back this time, he utters an apology.

“I’m sorry.”

She only hummed. “Did I worry you that mu--- Ouch! What was that for?”

A strong smack on his back went through indeed for he needed to minimize his exclamatory grumbles when pulling away from her embrace. “Stating the obvious, yes. I really hate y---“

“Yah… W-what happened to your upper arm, uh?”

She tried to touch it which only earned a small grunt to him. Sighing for he can’t rather mock at her switching countenance caused by her worried face even. He chose to pick up the silencer gun instead. The one she dropped to embrace him.

“Just a small one. You don’t have to worry. But this? You shouldn’t be holding this, woman. Tss. Jae.”

“Don’t scol---“

“What? You’ll give a word in their behalf?”

Crunching her brows, confused. She asked. “How did you know that?”

“I was able to retrieve my earpiece so I heard it. I can also give you details of how I manage to reach here whole, interested?”

Groaning, she ignored his bicker. Instead, she tends to watch him pulling out the handheld radio from her coat which antenna’s peeking, making him easy to recognize. “You were told to use this, but you didn’t even. Woman, really.”

“Ms. Sung! Ms. Sung, are you alright? Where are you at right now? Tell us your current situation, please.”

The bombardment radioed questions of Lee then, before Jang Taeyoung pushes the PTT button to answer. “Go back now. I’m with her.”

“Boss!”

Acknowledging him, he responded to his men. We’re in a dark corner 6’oclock of indoor junkyard. Does the others see us from here?”

“Indoor you say, boss? We can’t. The thermal scopes have limits to get through roofs still.”

“So, it makes sense.” Scoffing, he blurts out his frustration. “Do remind me the latest next time, PLEASE.” Sighing, he proceeds to charging his next agenda. The next it did, he was on to using the earpiece again while Jae who just came back being their tail. They just learned that another set of Alcaziar’s men were actually few meters from where they’re hiding. Too close if not being planned wisely.

“Now woman, Listen. The moment Jae throws the grenade I want you to run as fast as you can by that side. See that pile of containers? Ahead of that 9’oclock, a car will be waiting to pick you up. Jae will tail you, so don’t worry. You, got me?”

She was nodding then but her thoughts still evolved about him. He’s at it again. Risking his all. “Jang…”

He hummed. As she holds his hand tightly. “C-can… Can we just leave together, please?”

“Woman, are we back on this again? We already discussed this. Jeez, I can’t understand you.”

“So do I! --- hmp!”

“What the hell are you thinking woman?!”

His whispering scolding the moment her thunderous exclaim resonates the whole place. They supposed to be moderate to not letting the enemy sense their way but because of her surprise flare, everything becomes useless.

“Shit. Boss, they moving faster on our way.”

Jae hastily reminds the moment Lee gave him information from the ear piece he manages to acquire for his own. Piercing eyes of Jang Taeyoung stares at her with vigorous disappointment. “Instead of going with the plan, you only made us run in the pit of death, woman. I really hate you right now.”

“Might as well die together, then.”

Her stern conviction that she never expected be reflected so soon. For everything happened so fast. An injured Jae, passing out on the expanse of the dirty pavements and Jang Taeyoung’s forcing body. Her troubleshooter… trying his best to stand up for her despite his shot ankle and knee, dried wounded stomach starts gushing another blood. A nowhere sniper attacks and the loss of their springer back-ups. None of their plan works that the only thing exists was the fading smoke Jae manage to throw, and most specially…

The trembling figure of her collapsing body, helplessly staring unable to think of anything but his safety. Their ill-fated fate takes in once again.

“D-don’t… Please Jang, don’t overdo yourself. Please.”

But even the sluggish shakes of her head can’t do any for Jang Taeyoung resisted to approach her still. “Jang, please! No… stop already, please.”

She was afraid, yes. That whenever he tries to move, another bullet will be fired to him. And it did. But not from the sniper she foresees, but from the Alcaziar’s bullet itself. A shot on its burned upper arm came through as his gorging scream resonates the whole place.

“Jang!!”

Her feared shout on so when the geezer was just behind her grasping her shoulders, bending to lean by her ear to whisper. “I told you, we’ll do some reenactment, right? But you slip it away from me a while ago that you just made me beastly angry, little pea. So might as well work it out today.”

Its threatening words that from bending behind her, he shifted to Jang Taeyoung’s back that as fast as she could, blocking her frigid body to shield him is what she needed from more possible attacks the latter may planning. “No, please. Stop. Don’t hurt him. Don’t hurt him!”

Yet she was only answered by its menacing clicking of tongue. Head’s tilting with irritation, frowning brows crunching tightly. “Please, don’t hurt him.” her lenient plead, only to be pushed from her blocked body to flop on the ground, and a click on its gun’s hammer. Pointing it thoroughly to Jang Taeyoung’s back head.

“How was my hide & seek game, mi niña? You enjoyed it?”

Deepening the gun to Jang’s head. She had finally lost her composure. “No! No, please. Do---“

A gunshot… was heard.

Her wobbling body approaching his shaking one. Snaking her arm into his shoulders, tears streaming endlessly into her eyes as her freehand pressing his bleeding neck. She doesn’t even care anymore if she’s covered with blood as well as she searches for help. “J-Jang. Jang Taeyoung, stay with me. Stay with me, loco. Please…”

Jang Taeyoung, was just staring at her with drowsy eyes but despite of it, he still managed to look at her with such tenderness. “F-finally. M-mission accomplished. Isn’t it, volatile?”

His sort of validation she obviously knew, yet the fulfillment doesn’t absorb her well-being for she’s only worried of the man in her arms. Much for her despair when blood starts to spit in his mouth. Agape eyes resulted to panic as she shakes her head, hushing him from pushing another word. “S-stop. D-don’t say another word, please. I’m begging you.”

Yet, he’s not following her but cupping his weakly hand onto her face instead. Even made a small chuckle as if everything about him is okay. “H-hey… I remember you told me, you will be the one hurting me but why does it feel I did it instead. D-don’t make me guilty, woman.”

He was wiping her tears by his thumb, giving her the sweetest smile he never dared to share ever since but her. He speaks. “I don’t know if am I doing it right, but I’m actually fulfilling one of your wish right now, volatile. Though I’m afraid I may not fulfill the other one.”

“Jang please, no… D-don’t say that loco, please…”

Her continuous set of pleads as a loud call of attention coming their way. Even if it’s hard for him, he needed to force her pressing hand to pull away and give it to the unexpected savior. She was resisting, but he insisted. “Go, Sung Eunyoung.”

“I won’t f*cking leave you, loco. Please.”

“You have to.”

Her eyes start to blur from another proceeding tears, considering the bleeding on his neck begins to spread bigger. She can’t attain. Not with him in a high risk! But the savior starts to get a hold of her to stand up. And she lost it. For her wimping body can’t urge any further.

“Jang Taeyoung!!”

Then she lost him.

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lesetoilesfous · 4 years

Note

fenders + "i'm okay. it's all fine." & "it's not okay! you're not fine!" from the angst prompt list 💖

Ooooh delicious delicious angst, anon you know what I like and I appreciate that. Thank you so much!

(If you’d like me to write you a dragon age fic, send me a prompt from here!)

@dadrunkwriting

Pairing: Anders/Fenris

Characters: Anders, Fenris

Tags: established relationship, elf racism, bigoted violence, everything is fine it’s just shitty people being shitty, Anders doesn’t understand why Fenris doesn’t care about this, Fenris’ bar for acceptable treatment is ‘is it slavery’, both of them need to adjust their boundaries, it’s cool they’re working on it

Rating: Mature

“You could have died.” Anders says, fingers glittering with blue light as he prods gingerly at the back of Fenris’ head. Fenris clenches his teeth with the familiarity of habit as the gesture sends a nauseating ache through his skull, and Anders purses his lips. A moment later, cool magic rushes into the wound like spring water, radiating painlessness where it touches Fenris’ skin. Fenris leans back into Anders’ hand, and for a moment Anders’ fingers curl around the back of his head, before he moves to examine Fenris’ shoulder. In the long grass of the field beside them, crickets chirp into the early evening. “I’m serious, Fenris. They could have killed you.”

Fenris sighs, sitting forward to let Anders prod at him, forearms falling loosely between his knees, feet bare and scratched on the track before him. “I had no idea you thought so little of me as a warrior.” Anders’ hand braces on his chest and Fenris stiffens, wincing as Anders relocates his joint. Another pulse of healing magic ripples through his body, taking the pain away almost as soon as it had begun. Fenris tilts his head back to look up at Anders as the other man steps around him to kneel on the dirt track at his side, long fingers deftly poking at his ribs. Fenris feels something shift, and presses his teeth together for a moment before adding, teasingly, “Perhaps we should hire a chaperone.”

Anders scowls, palm pressing against Fenris’ side, tickling with magic that envelopes his skin in eerie blue light. On the other side of the road, a pair of crows leap up out of the wheat field and into the lilac sky in a shout of feathers and a hoarse whisper of dry leaves. “This isn’t funny, Fenris.” There’s a tightness at the corner of Anders’ eyes, and a faint crease on his already faintly wrinkled brow, lines pulling down around the corners of his mouth as he glares at Fenris’ side whilst he coaxes his ribs back together.

Carefully, Fenris sits forward, curling his body to avoid jostling Anders’ hand or his broken ribs. He lifts his hand off the dusty track and presses it, gently, firmly over Anders’ - the one not currently occupied with magic. “I’m alright, mage.” The word curls on his tongue as sweetly as any endearment, and Anders’ lips twitch in an answering smile, though the frown doesn’t leave his expression. Fenris curls his fingers around Anders’, interlacing them. “It’s fine.”

Finally, Anders finishes with his healing, slumping a little as he does so and ignoring Fenris’ concern as he sits back and pushes his hand up through his hair. Blue sparks of magic fall jumping across his head. Fenris breathes, and feels the sudden absence of the bruising ache that had been squeezing his lungs. He presses Anders’ hand, opening his mouth to thank him. Anders gets there first, a light wind pulling his hair across his stubbled jaw and cheek.

“It’s not alright. It’s not fine. Fenris, if I hadn’t - if they had -” Fenris squeezes Anders’ hand firmly, pulling back from the stuttering spiral of his thoughts before he can drag them both down into it. Further up the road, twelve human bodies lie cooling on the road behind the inn in which they’d been staying, bleeding into the dirt. Above them the first stars of the evening glimmer in the purple sky.

“But it didn’t.” Fenris says, firmly, pulling Anders’ hand into his lap and shuffling closer. “And thus we live to see another day.” He tilts his head, thumbs running over Anders’ knuckles. “This is...not like you, mage. Did they do something to you? Say something?”

Anders’ frown returns with a vengeance, pulling his face into a mess of wrinkles as deep and crooked as crumpled paper. “It’s not about me.” He pulls his hand back, sharply, and Fenris lets it go and tries to ignore the sudden ache in his chest at the absence of it. When Anders leans forward, his expression is fierce. “Doesn’t this bother you? They would have killed you! They were going to beat you to death. For what? Because you’re an elf?”

Anders’ voice is loud in the quiet of the night, and in the stables behind the inn one of the horses huffs, the sound carrying over the empty road. Fenris frowns, checking their surroundings with the quick practice of habit for any eavesdroppers before he replies. Over their heads, the sky has begun to darken, and further up the road the inn spills yellow light onto the fields.

Fenris shrugs, trying to pull the mage back onto more familiar territory as he smiles. “I believe they said something about my strange tattoos.”

Anders doesn’t smile back. “This isn’t funny, Fenris.”

Further down the road, the trees whisper over the swaying fields. Fenris frowns, and tries to ignore the warm pressure of his own growing frustration, getting easily to his feet and dismissing the burning squeeze of the lyrium in his calves and thighs as he does so. “What do you want me to say, Anders? They were ignorant fools, nothing more.”

Fenris bends to help Anders to his feet as he shits onto his stiff knee with a grimace. The mage weighs more now - with muscle and Fenris’ insistent reminder that he observe anything approaching a regular meal schedule. But Fenris still lifts him with ease. Anders’ hand moves to squeeze his arm in silent thanks before he continues, stooping to pick up his staff from the gravel-strewn dirt. Together, they begin to walk in the direction of the inn.

“Doesn’t it bother you?”

Fenris shrugs, picking up his sword from further up the road and swinging it back over his back. “The madness of fools? No.” He pauses, turning to where Anders is standing and staring at him, tall and stark against the ocean of wheat at his back that rolls towards the horizon. The wind pulls against the fields, tugging Anders’ hair about his face and bringing with it the sweet smell of the swaying crops. Fenris steps back towards his lover, away from the bodies in the dirt. “Does it bother you?”

Anders frowns, shaking his head, “No. I mean, yes. I don’t know. I just -” Anders stops, and Fenris can barely make out the subtle movement of him working his jaw as they begin to walk again.

Fenris counts the steps whilst he waits for Anders to continue - one, three, five - when he hits seven he prompts, gently, “You just?” Lightly, Fenris bumps his shoulder against Anders’ arm as they walk, and Anders looks down at him with half a smile before it falls away.

Anders’ staff thocks lightly against the hard-packed earth as they walk, and he frowns at it as they get closer to the inn, the sound of music bleeding slow and muffled through the thick stone walls. When Anders speaks, he does so so quietly that Fenris has to strain to hear him. “I just hate that people see you like that. That they treat you that way. And I don’t understand why it doesn’t seem to bother you.”

Fenris shrugs. “They’re not slavers.” Anders opens his mouth, but Fenris catches him before he can speak, holding up one hand. The lyrium in his skin glows a dull blue-white in the dark. “Let me finish?” Anders’ mouth clicks shut, and he nods, pursing his lips. Fenris reaches down to take his hand and squeeze it, once. Distantly, over the fields on the other side of the inn, a fat full moon rises silver in the hazy blue sky.

Fenris stares at it for a moment whilst he tries to collect his thoughts. “I have never known a world in which I was a free or equal citizen. For the majority of the life I remember, freedom was...an abstraction. Equality was not even an impossible dream. It simply did not exist. I had very low expectations when I fled Tevinter. I hoped that I would escape a life of chains and I did, largely. I hoped that I would find a world free of magic and its influence.” Fenris’ hand tightens around Anders’ long, slightly crooked fingers. “I found different corruption.”

Fenris pauses, feeling the light summer breeze slip under his hair and skate across the nape of his neck. “I didn’t...My expectation was nothing. Less than. I remember...” He stops, “I remember, when I first came into Nevarra. There was a woman - human - Anthea, I think her name was. She saw me on the road, and brought me home, gave me a blanket and fresh clothes, cider and rabbit pie. I thought.” Fenris stops, mind filling with the vivid, twisted memory of what he had expected from her, in repayment for such improbable kindness. Anders watches him quietly, eyes almost black and unreadable in the growing dark. Fenris shakes his head, as if that will dislodge the memory from his mind like an unwanted cobweb.

“I don’t know what I thought. But she wanted nothing. She would take no payment or labour. She gave me 20 copper pieces, and directions to the nearest town.” Twenty feet away, the door to the inn swings open, spilling noise and light into the night like a thunderbolt. Both of them fall silent, watching a pair of drunkards stumble laughing onto the track, arms slung over one another’s shoulders as they trip back towards their home. Fenris feels his mouth curl into a smile. He turns back to Anders. “You have to understand. My expectation of people, of humans, is ... less than nothing. Men like them -” Fenris tilts his chin in the direction of the distinctly scorched corpses “- they’re exactly what I expect. They make me angry, but they don’t surprise me.”

Fenris steps forward then, off the track and onto the grassy dip of the bank on which Anders is standing, between the road and the field. He lifts the backs of his knuckles to the side of Anders’ face, uncurling his fingers against his temple. “But sometimes, improbably, a human surprises me.” Fenris lifts his other hand to cup Anders’ cheek, gently. It’s cool in the night air. “I would rather spend my energy on joy, than fury at an injury I had expected anyway. I have grief enough with humanity to fill a lifetime. I should like to rebalance it with care.”

Far off, in the trees above the fields, the soft hoot of an owl falls like cotton into the night. Anders sighs, and turns to press a kiss to the heel of Fenris’ palm. “Have I mentioned recently that I’m in love with you?”

Fenris laughs, softly, and squeezes Anders’ cheek. “You could stand to do it again.” He grins, “I nearly died, you know.”

Anders rolls his eyes, even as his hands fall to Fenris’ armour and he pulls him closer. “Shut up, Fenris.”

Fenris grins against his lips, and turns his head to brush a kiss against the corner of his mouth, getting on tiptoes to murmur in his ear. “Never.”

Above their heads, a thousand stars fill the glittering sky.

#dadwc #fenders #fenris #anders #da2 #anon #my fic

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getreadytosmash · 3 years

Text

Small smash headcanons I was thinking of and to put out my reboot designs

Skaar

Skaar took a more gladiator look from his time on Sakaar and no longer wears the loin cloth except for when he's on off days

His hair gets to around his upper back and often tends to be in buns and ponytails

Working on his reading and writing and gets help from Hulk and goes to the Xavier Institute for sessions with his mind control and memories

Got introduced to queer stuff by Rick and he was THRILLED to find out about this stuff and the footage of Skaar carefully picking out non binary, asexual and panromantic stuff was trending for a month

Yes I'm going into pridecanons a little more

Skaar's very happy with his own feelings of being nb. The rocks below him whisper about it always being fine and he doesn't need to care about what others say anyway. Not when they're too busy calling him a monster to care about his gender

Anyway. Skaar's sex neutral and I say this because its quite often the theory that all ace folks won't have kids blah blah but??? Some aces want sex to have kids and that's Skaar.

Ridiculously good sword fighter and often meets up with Nightcrawler and Shadowcat to have sword fights and compare tricks

Lots of whipping scars on his back and some around his mouth that hardly anyone knows are from

Has a matching scar with Red of a circle on the back of his neck as well as running lighting scars up his hands and feet with Rick, Red and Jen from where the Skrulls tried to harvest their gamma

Absolutely has the tattoo and has no clue about it

Occasionally has days where he can't remember the entire event and Skaar's become rather thankful that they can rely on Rick's cameras to guide him home if needed.

Adores the Savage Lands and is best friends with Kazaar and Zabu

Sometimes copies memes from Rick and it’s terrible

Likes having Jen help him with normal stuff, especially when she helps him learn stuff like reading and writing

Rick

Yeah, can’t feel anything and that causes a few secret depression episodes aha

Big on other sensory stuff now. Really likes to savour sights, sounds, taste and smells since he lacks a big ass part of it now. It really isn’t that uncommon for Rick to have a low of flowers within his bedroom and shit.

Has to file down his spikes since they keep growing and often Hulk does it for him while Rick falls asleep

Rick needs a lot more protein now and often eats eggs or fish and gets into big fights with Red over it daily

Uses a stylish for everything since his fingers don’t work on touchscreens anymore

Often wears sleeveless jackets with different pins. Owns four of them with three of them entirely dedicated to alien, mutant and bi rights

Well known Youtuber and I really need to get around to writing some videos he’s done god someone remind me to put out that shit

Hardcore gamer and still screams at Samuel to help make a dating sim come oN-

Can hold his breath for an hour and a half and didn’t realise until he fell asleep in the bath and got woken up by Hulk panicking and tossing him out of the water

Very intent on mutant rights and often helps out with teenage mutants and raising the social status of the school

Loves bi culture and is very defensive over aspects of his identity after years of feeling lost among the orphanages

Has gotten more comfortable with his gender since he’s been wearing kilts and skirts for almost two years now

Used to have scars across his hands and thighs from years of canings from the nuns but now has a large cracked scar across his chest after Abomination ripped his shell off

Red unintentionally fathers him and blames Hulk

Best pals with Jen and Betty and is the only one who gets to join them on Ladies Night with Lyra and Marlo

Stands on his tip toes when talking to Hulk often because he wants to be tall and it amuses Hulk to no end

Jen

Has a lot of different costumes she changes regularly and Rick always posts a vote on “What outfit has Jen got this week?”

Freckles and curly hair galore

Hulk paints her nails and she does the same for him and it isn’t long before Skaar joins in

Works in New York but stays at Vista Verde for her time off

Yes i do want a all female gamma mutate team and yes they are A-force

They consist of Jen, Betty, Lyra, Carmilla and Marlo but are sometimes joined by other female heroes

Wears sweatband wrists, left one is the bi flag and the right one is the trans flag

Was afraid about being open towards loving women for a few years since Jen knew her father didn’t do anything about Bruce’s abuse, what would happen to her if Brian found out she liked more than boys? Came out after hulking out and is happier than ever

The same goes for being trans since Jen’s form is based heavily on her mentality of her body. Gamma gave Jen the body she wanted and she was SO pleased with it

tbh I do imagine she was more comic/noodle armed at the start since Jen wanted to look rather feminine but over time she’s gotten more comfortable with her body and idea of who she wants to be and slowly she got beefier

Has two wardrobes at the base and makes Red help rearrange stuff for laughs

Pals with Samuel and often enjoys sitting around and dragging him out for shopping and starbucks while discussing cases

The one who appears in Rick’s youtube videos the most

Can never finish a book and feels deep seeded adhd guilt

Sings outloud to every thing she hears

Likes grape flavoured stuff and she is so thankful that she can’t die for that sin

BEST pals with Betty and Rick. Like. There’s a reason my “Betty is the OG Hulk and is a lil wlw with Jen” has happened honestly

Has vitiligo patches of grey around her arms that were left over from her more traumatic transformations

Watches Red bake if she’s having a panic attack and the videos don’t help

Red

Has a lot of scars over his body from where Ghost Rider’s chain dug into him and left him burnt. idk seems really fucking cool

Like Jen, has yellow patches along his spine and hands from where he was joined mentally with Zzzax

Still gets nightmares about said incident and is still scared for the day that a nightmare is actually happening

Started to bake because it helps from when he couldn’t control his heat powers or during ptsd attacks

Tends to get lost in work alongside Samuel, especially if they’re overly excited about a certain idea

Hulk fondly calls him a nerd for this exact reason and Red tackles him over it to this day

Tech reacts to him badly sometimes due to his possession issues and there’s been once or twice where he’s had some...odd experiences when it’s come to certain technology or alien tech

Stays the same mostly with his outfits but occasionally wears a leather jacket and fuck it takes his shirt off a lot he’s a dilf he can do that

The one who crouches for humans the most and it isn’t uncommon for him to do it purely to unsettle the humans. Ass

Uh. Likes women but??? Sometimes there’s an annoying guy and shit being able to be easily suplexed now means that anyone who can do it can kinda catch his eyes and he fucked a demon- uh. Red has a lot of thoughts now about dating and it’s nerve-wracking

Still does missions with his Thunderbolt team and still hangs out with Hell’s Circle team when he met others that had been dragged down to hell as well

Gets courted by vampires and hates the fact that the others laugh at it

Gets nightmares of crashing, of electric burning him away but doesn’t want to admit to the fact that he has some ptsd

Not really Red but fuck it Betty has her own team and I’m shifting the Gamma Corps for Betty so her team involves; Betty (Harpy), Marlo (Sirin), Clay (Hulkverine), Lyra (Athen), Carmilla (Scorpion) and Gwen (Daydream)

Right. Uh. So for those who don’t know who Daydream are, basically the writer at this time had been going through a bad divorce and he treated Betty like SHIT which involved breaking Bretty up before they could have a child, making Betty suffer a miscarriage, killing her and having the villain Nightmare raping her in her sleep and having Betty give birth to Daydream who appeared for one arc and was never seen again. So. I’m mad.

anyway fuck him but I did like Daydream so instead she was an experiment from gamma base as a unique weapon that got used to infiltrate the Agents sleep but was later on rescued along with the rest of the gamma experiments. Got adopted by Betty when she found out Gwen had her DNA and went “oh worm?” to getting a baby i have more thoughts about this but u know. carry on.

Hulk

So Tired. Part time team leader and Avengers and even has his many own adventures of trying to help so many people out

I imagine he has a lot of the same issues as Steven in suf where Hulk often stresses out more about not being able to help people since he worries about the worst case scenarios

Gets forced to take days off by each of the team and appreciates it but dear god if he doesn’t get anxiety about the whole situation every time

SomeTIMES he wears a blue shirt but only sometimes and that’s if he’s actually prepared for missions. Also has boots Red got him but Hulk keeps those clean and safe instead

Team dad for a reason. Fathers anything he can get his hands on and well known for it enough that Rick and Skaar get him something for fathers day every year and Jen gets him goofy ties because she KNOWS he doesn’t throw them out

Pretty relaxed about being pan and yes he makes jokes about being attracted to kitchenware he’s THAT terrible Rick wants to die and not come back pls

Buys a lot of pride stuff for the others. Skaar owns so many nb and ace colour chalks he needs help

Really wants to own a guinea pig but he’s worried about scaring it or not being around all that often to take care of it properly

Falls asleep through almost every movie that he usually starts one half of it one day and finishes it the next day

Meets up with Ben Grimm and Logan Howlett every Wednesday for a night out. Usually they do bowling, play cards or go out to eat. It’s isn’t uncommon for other heroes like Spidey or Gambit to join them occasionally

Has business lunches with Betty to discuss movements of gamma mutates that turns into a fun brawl because they’re immortal children

Keeps a whiteboard in his room so that he can have arguments with Joe and Bruce.

Samuel

Keeps his outfit relatively the same but adjusts it slightly so it isn’t the exact same outfit he wears back when he was evil

Tends to cover up more after he gains a power that lets him control people just by touch

Aware of this power and thus often awkwardly flitters when someone near him might be upset and keeps spare gloves or arm sleeves on hard just in case

Has the sharpest teeth of all the hulks and actually tends to file them down so he doesn’t need to “scare people off” when in reality he’s self conscious about his teeth and the fact that he keeps biting his tongue by accident

Buys and redesigns Icarus’s cage every other month to make it more elaborate, is currently fighting the constant urge to buy more rats for this reason

Demiboy! Fine with what he is, doesn’t give a shit. He rules hell and he’ll send you there if you argue with him so who the fuck cares if Samuel wears dresses and makeup?

Big stupid bi. Cannonly into women who are more powerful than him with examples being Rikki (Aka Brilliance, a female Leader) who kicked his ass and threw him across the room with her more advanced mind, Betty Ross...who can blame him, and lately is that one scientist in Hulkverine who Samuel literally fell for within one night sksksk

Big manipulator for people he cares about. Samuel has and will make elaborate plans to keep someone he cares about safe and is more than willing to kill anyone who has hurt his loved ones

Owns a large collection of nail polishes and tends to vary them when he’s bored and creates amazing art. Red watched Samuel once spend and hour re-creating all of Van Gogh’s paintings on his nails

Really good friends with Betty surprisingly, mostly because she can make jokes about being dead and he’ll just snort and go “same”

Has the second best sense of smell after Skaar as he can smell early signs of sickness as well as a wider range of emotions

Info dumps so much and has long winded theories about the oddest things that resonate really well on the Youtube channel

talks to his oversized rat so seriously

Suffers nightmares and currently runs the Down Below and is so tired

Has actually died from exhaustion twice already

Has large sockets in his back due to the fact that Samuel physically cannot hold the information he knows all the time and uses it to charge his phone

Still hangs out with villains like Loki and Mystique tho

#Headcanon #found in body lost in mind (Skaar)#movie star (Rick)#green goddess (Jen)#one man army (Red)#the loneliest there is (Hulk)#he swims in a sea of regret (Leader)#hate and love are both red (Betty)

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fireofthestars · 3 years

Text

Spoilers for Black Widow-read at your own risk

Black Widow is a good movie. I liked it. Reminded me a lot of The Winter Soldier, which is one of my favorite movies ever, so it's in good company. It's probably at the top of my 'mid tier' movies. Acting was good, action was good, humor was on point but not overdone....some were disappointed by the villain, but I wasn't that invested in that part of it, so it gets a pass from me. When I do a chronological re-watch again...it'll go between Black Panther and Infinity War. I will NOT dread having to re-watch it again, like I do with a few of the other movies.

The Post end credit made me a little sad, because the memorial stone for Natasha made it real. We are saying good by to the OG Avengers. Hawkeye will leave in his series, and while I'm not sure about the Hulk, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't leave in She-Hulk. Yes, we will have some characters carry over, like Doctor Strange, Peter Parker, Captain Marvel, Scott and Hope, maybe Thor... and some of the B tier characters, Wanda, Vision, Bucky and Sam (and Loki- we hope) will come more to the forefront, but it's all changing. (Guardians are their own thing, so they go in a separate category at the moment). And of course, there's Wakanda and whatever they do with the Fantastic Four.

If I'm understanding Feige correctly, the days of ten years leading up to another Thanos-like Big Bad won't happen again. Instead there will be mini-arcs...and a separate villain for each of those arcs.

For instance (and this is just speculation to be used as an example-not a spoiler) say the person behind in the curtain is another Loki working for Kang the Conqueror. We don't see Kang, but he's teased, and perhaps we get glimpses of him in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness...only for Scott and Hope to finally fight him off in Quantimania. Then we might have another arc in another series of movies with the Thunderbolts with General Ross and Val up to some kind of shenanigans, which might involve Sam and Bucky, and maybe Yelena. Then we'll have something else going on in space with The Guardians and/or Captain Marvel.

I also think they're doing away with the trilogy format. Everything will either be stand alone or a movie and one sequel. They'll finish the trilogies they've started....but that might the end of the 'franchise' part of the MCU.

Everything is changing, but Feige said it would. Makes me sad, like I felt when a lot of long running franchises ended, but the MCU isn't over, we still have a lot to look forward too.... and I want Cap 4 NOW. ;)

#black widow spoilers #end of an era #sad but not really #kind of like graduation #one thing is over but we move on

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bunniibones · 4 years

Note

For the " give you a character " thing, I actually got two of them for you! Of course, its Dr. Starline and Metal Sonic. I LIKE HEARING OPINIONS ABOUT THE TWO-

GIVE ME A CHARACTER;

Dr. Starline

How I feel about this character: My emotions towards Starline are so deep, complex and huge that I would spend the entire day typing about it! I deeply love him, he’s the first Sonic character that actually means THE WORLD to me. You see, when I began to read the sonic IDW comic I was in a very very bad position with my health, but reading it kept me somewhat entertained when I wasn’t too dizzy to do so. Seeing that Starline was ill too made me feel a bit... identified? I began to grow attached to him as I saw our similarities, his enthusiasm, eagerness and smile made me smile as well, thanks to him I began to be able to overcome my anxiety to use the laptop (long story) and roleplaying him really made me feel connected with him. Whenever I saw him it was instant joy for me, he was such a fresh and new concept for the sonic world!! A fabulous male with an exotic species who was also a fan of Eggman and was happy to serve him? Plus having a neat new power? Dang it was perfect! Plus he suited my aesthetic on what I love in a character, he’s just... wonderful. Even before starting to ship him with Eggman, I loved him deeply and I still do, but I’m lowkey worried that what could happen to him after bad guys.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Dr. Eggman!! OTP of course. Then there’s Dr. Finitevus, heck I ship these two so hard. And somewhat with Mimic but... so far there’s no content of the ship that suits my headcanons for them so I gotta wait until Bad Guys to start producing the shippy content for Starmic that aligns with how I see them =)! OH! And of course, I also ship him with Cipher and Cyani because because.

BROtp: Orbot, Thunderbolt and Rouge!

My unpopular opinion about this character: I don’t know how much of unpopular this is, but I would have preferred him to stay with Eggman. Yes, I’m aware of what happened in issue 14, but are YOU aware of what happened in 16??? It’s like if people ignored that issue completely! Both of them treated each other so good in that issue, Eggman even called Starline “doctor” twice and asked him for his opinion on the Metal Virus, it was wonderful. I’m one of those who think that Eggman was actually starting to appreciate Starline, he even was willing to listen to him for a brief moment in issue 23, thing that Eggman NEVER does, but Starline ruined it by bringing the zeti, and even if it wasn’t a betrayal because Starline’s intentions (which were to help Eggman, he said so himself), Eggman still took it as a betrayal because he was starting to trust on him, thing that he doesn’t do with anyone, so it was like... a low hit from the platypus (I explain that in depth here!!). If that little problem hasn’t happened and if Eggman was written properly (because let’s face it, he was written poorly in 18-24 for the sake of the trope) they would have stayed together and actually be a good team. It was so refreshing to see a character who actually liked Eggman, their dynamic was great, they had A LOT of potential that went to the waste and I’m still mad about it. And no, I’m not really in favor of Starline working with the Zeti again, but I’ll open my mind to see how it goes, I’d rather to see him working on his own and becoming a threat on his own that in a group with the zeti. Plus I really miss his happy demeanor...

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I wish Eggman and him would solve their little fight and get back to work together, they could be unstoppable!! They could defeat Sonic together ;^;!

Metal Sonic

How I feel about this character: I’m going to be honest, I’m pretty neutral to him xD and while I like the whole thing of Eggman calling himself Metal’s dad and treating him like a son, I still have yet to start loving this robot. Don’t get me wrong, I like him tho!

All the people I ship romantically with this character: None, maybe Amy.

BROtp: Amy!! And that’s it, I don’t see him having actual friends.

My unpopular opinion about this character: He doesn’t need to talk, he’s fine as he is... but I admit that it’d be fun to see what he’s thinking, especially whenever he’s hating/disliking on someone! It could add a bit of comedy to these kind of situations.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: Nothing so far~ Maybe that Starline have treated him better. I know that it was supposed to meant that Star really had HIGH expectations on how Metal had to behave for being Eggman’s greatest creations, but still, I wish Star would have gotten easier on him. Now I see why he did what he did in issue 25

#long post #sorry ajkshdsjka #skullxcake answers #bees-are-my-thing-bro #soni rambles about starline

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miguel-manbemel · 4 years

Text

Aspects & Fanfics Ep. 42: Beware the Paladin Part 2: The Downfall

Second part of the story I started two weeks ago. There’s not much I’d wish to add that I didn’t say already in the introduction of part 1, so I leave you with the story. I hope you enjoy it and until next time with part 3 of the story.

SYNOPSIS: Thomas’ sanity is completely compromised and Joan has difficulties to rein Thomas in, so they leave him with Kenny and Talyn to enter the Mind Palace and see if they can be of help in the chase of the Paladin, who is destroying room after room in the Mind Palace, further deteriorating Thomas’ condition.

WARNINGS: Depiction of a mental illness. Romantic prinxiety, dukeceit and logicality. Angst. Suicide mentions.

EPISODE INDEX

[there’s a sign reading “In the previous episode…” Then images from the previous episode are shown while Joan’s voice is heard narrating]

JOAN-NARRATOR: Something’s happening to Thomas and we still don’t know exactly what it is, but it’s affecting Roman, or maybe Roman is affecting Thomas, or maybe they both affect each other at the same time, I don’t know. The point is that Roman’s sickness caused by Thomas’ lack of hope has gone worse over time, to the point where not even the pills of hope Thomas unconsciously generates for him from the little moments of happiness he can get, work for too long. Remus, seeing how badly affected his brother was, gave him one pill too much, and that triggered Roman’s transformation into the Paladin, who after running away, beat up Logan and rendered him unconscious. Then he started wreaking havoc, destroying rooms all over the Mind Palace. Meanwhile, in the real world, Thomas started feeling the effects of the Paladin’s rampage, by losing his mind completely and entering a state of delusional euphoria. He thinks that he can only reach stardom by jumping to the stars… literally from a high branch on a tree next to his house. Thank goodness that Talyn, Kenny and I managed to convince him to come back down by playing along with his delusion and making him believe that the producers he hoped to find in the stars were actually in his apartment, waiting for him to sign the contract of his life. Now he’s here, playing video games while he waits for the producers to come out of the bathroom, or that’s what we told him. I locked the door and kept the key so he can't escape and injure himself or something worse. I hope this charade can buy the Sides enough time to take care of the Paladin and, I hope, bring Thomas’ sanity back before he gets out of control again.

[intro sequence]

[Thomas is still playing Kingdom Hearts while Joan, Talyn and Kenny watch him]

THOMAS: They’re taking a bit long, aren’t they? When are the producers gonna come out of the bathroom?

JOAN: Uh… please, be patient, Thomas. You know how badly can spicy food affect some people. You don’t want them to get mad at you because you hurried them, right?

THOMAS: [beat, pausing the game] Are you sure they’re in the bathroom at all? Are you sure they’re in this house at all?

JOAN: Of course! Why do you ask?

THOMAS: Because producers don’t use other people’s bathrooms! That’s not professional! Besides, Sokka has just told me that something’s wrong here.

JOAN: Sokka’s told you…?

THOMAS: Have you been lying to me, Joan?

JOAN: What?

THOMAS: [increasingly angry] You’ve been lying to me, admit it! You lied to me because you’re jealous of my achievement and you want to steal it away from me! F… [bleep] CK!

[Thomas furiously throws the controller aiming at the TV, but misses it, though the controller gets shattered in pieces. Then he stands up in a fit of anger. Joan, Talyn and Kenny also stand up]

THOMAS: [yelling] I thought you were by my side, that you would be happy for what I had accomplished! But you are just one of those who always get in my way, who won’t let me move forward in my dreams! But I won’t let you get away with this!

[starts running to the door. Kenny and Talyn grab him]

THOMAS: [yelling] You too!? Let me go! No one’s gonna prevent me to fulfill my dreams! No one! Let me go! I need to jump! I need to jump!

JOAN: [yelling] Thomas, sit down! Now! You can’t get out of the house, I have hidden the key and we won’t give it to you until you calm yourself! And you’ll never get to the producers in time if you don’t! [yelling as loud as their lungs allow them, their voice, on the verge of screech, even cracks] So SIT DOWN!!!

[Thomas looks at everyone with a face of anger. Then he sits down]

THOMAS: How could you betray me like this? I thought you were my friend.

JOAN: [clearing their throat as they clearly hurt it in the last yell] And I’m your friend, the best friend you could ever ask for. That’s why I need you to sit down here. You’re gonna thank me later, even if you don’t understand right now. [to Kenny and Talyn] Guys, do you think you’ll be able to handle him on your own?

KENNY: Yes, I think so, why?

JOAN: I’m going back to the Mind Palace. I wanna check how things are going in there.

THOMAS: What? No, I won’t let you in my Mind Palace! You’re not welcome there anymore! No!

KENNY: Don’t worry, we’ll take care of him.

JOAN: All right, then. Talyn, if something happens that would need my attention, you can enter the Mind Palace too. Get in to warn me, but only if there’s a crisis, okay? The Mind Palace is not a safe place with the Paladin on the loose.

TALYN: The Paladin? Who’s the Paladin?

JOAN: There’s no time now. I’ll explain later, when all of this is over, I hope soon.

TALYN: Okay, Joan. Be careful.

JOAN: I will. Well, if I want news about Roman, the best is to go to his room… Okay, I’ll be back as soon as I can.

[Joan concentrates, then sinks down. Then they rise up in Roman’s room. Chris is there on the couch]

JOAN: Hi, Chris.

CHRIS: Hi, Joan.

JOAN: Any news about Roman?

CHRIS: No, not yet. I’m so worried about my father. Any news from the outer world?

JOAN: Yes, but they’re not good. Thomas has lost his mind. He’s gone completely crazy, and of course, this thing about the Paladin must be the cause.

CHRIS: Oh, no…

JOAN: Maybe if Logan could give him some common sense, he could come back to normal. Is he still here?

CHRIS: Yes, he’s upstairs in my father’s bed. Remus is with him. But he still hasn’t woken up.

JOAN: This is an emergency… no, this is a crisis, a literal mental crisis. We need Logan to wake up so he can guide us. There has to be a way.

CHRIS: The key is in the Paladin, somehow. Before passing out Logan said he wouldn’t wake up until the Paladin was gone. The rest of the Sides, Patton, Ian, Janus and Virgil, are looking for him. But he’s fast as heck. He goes to one room, turns it into a mess and then leaves, before they can catch him. It’s like trying to catch a thunderbolt.

JOAN: And the more rooms he destroys, the more Thomas’ sanity deteriorates… Well, I hope they can catch him. Otherwise, Thomas is doomed. You didn’t mention Remus. Why doesn’t he join the chase?

CHRIS: He’s taking care of Logan. Dad didn’t want him around. He blames him for everything. He was the one who gave Remus the extra pill that started all this mess, you know? But I don’t judge him harshly for that. He only did what he thought it would be best for Roman, like we all try to do. It’s his brother and he loves him. He saw him suffering and he just wanted his suffering to end. He didn’t have any ill will. He just made a mistake, a terrible, dangerous mistake, but a mistake nonetheless.

JOAN: Mistake or not, that doesn’t matter. I do think Remus should join the chase. Among all the Sides, he’s the most prepared to deal with that Paladin, I think.

CHRIS: I agree, but I don’t know what to tell him. Remus is devastated by guilt, he’s not himself anymore. It’s like he’s losing his will to do anything at all.

JOAN: I think I’ll go check on him. I haven’t had many chances to speak to him, but maybe I can get to him.

CHRIS: If you did, I’d be very grateful. Thank you, Joan.

JOAN: I’ll go, then.

[Joan goes upstairs and enters the bedroom. There he finds Remus next to Logan, still unconscious in bed. Remus has cleaned all of Logan’s wounds the best he could and summoned brand-new glasses and necktie, so he doesn’t look as bad as before, but he’s still bruised everywhere, though the worst wounds have been covered by Remus with bandages]

REMUS: Oh, hi, Joan.

JOAN: Hello, Remus. How is Logan doing?

REMUS: See your yourself. I’m doing my best to take care of him, so he could, maybe, wake up sooner, but he still hasn’t given any sign of life. I hope he can get over this and wake up. I have many wrongdoings in my life of which I don’t feel sorry at all, but this… I wouldn’t forgive myself if Logan didn’t wake up. Or if something happened to Roman because of me. They still haven’t caught him, the Paladin I mean, right?

JOAN: No, they haven’t yet… Why don’t you go help them?

REMUS: I can’t. Virgil forbade me to do so. I think he hates me. It wouldn’t be the first time, anyway, but this time he has a valid reason and it breaks my heart.

JOAN: Still, I think you should join the chase. I understand Virgil, but this goes beyond Roman or him. Thomas’ mental health is endangered if the Paladin is not contained. He’s already lost his sanity and could hurt himself if we don’t do something.

REMUS: That too? Just what I needed. I really want to help, to fix the mistake I made, but Virgil…

JOAN: Virgil will have to understand. At this point, Thomas is more important than his feelings. If you want to fix things, chase the Paladin, catch him and put him in a safe place until the pill’s effects wear off. That’s the only way you can redeem yourself, and you would save Thomas at the same time.

REMUS: But…

JOAN: [yelling] Oh, for f… [bleep] ‘s sake, Remus! I thought you always did whatever you wanted whenever it pleased you! Are you trying to tell me that it wouldn’t please you to join the chase? Then what are you still doing here? Thomas and Roman need you! Help save them, now!

[Remus shows a face of determination]

REMUS: You’re right. They need me, I can’t let them down! But who will stay with Logan?

CHRIS: [entering the room leaning on his crotches] I will, Remus. And if it serves for something, you have my permission to save my father. My dad will understand in time, you’ll see.

JOAN: And I’ll stay with him so that he’s not alone if the Paladin shows up here. Don’t worry, Remus. Logan is in safe hands.

REMUS: Okay. If the Paladin shows up here, summon me at once, got it?

JOAN: Got it. Now, go.

[Remus sinks down. Meanwhile, Virgil and the others are looking for the Paladin everywhere in the Mind Palace. They only find the traces of destruction he’s leaving behind]

VIRGIL: This is so wrong… This is all so wrong. I’m starting to get concerned about Thomas’ sanity at this point. This is literally his mind, and it’s getting destroyed bit by bit.

[The Paladin appears in front of them with a maniac grin]

PALADIN: As if you hadn’t done worse things than me against Thomas’ mental health, Emo Nightmare.

VIRGIL: There he is! Get him!

[The Paladin pulls out a sword with a mischievous, evil laughter. He hits the ground with the sword, with all his might and an earthquake happens that makes everyone fall down. He cackles evilly]

PALADIN: Just look at all of yourselves. You’re so pathetic. You’re a failure as Sides and don’t deserve to be called as such! Luckily for Thomas, I’m gonna fix this once and for all, by getting rid of all of you, so that no more hinders block Thomas’ way to glory! I already took care of Logan. You all are next! And I’ll start with you, Emo Nightmare!

VIRGIL: Stop calling me like that, Paladin!

PALADIN: Why? That’s who you are, or that’s what I get from Roman’s memories. That’s who you’ve always been and forever will be in Roman’s eyes. Always a hinder for Thomas’ pursue of his hopes and dreams. He’s always hated you a bit because of that, and frankly, I don’t blame him.

VIRGIL: You… You’re lying! You’re obviously lying! Roman loves me!

PALADIN: Oh, love and hate can coexist, you know? I won’t deny that you look cute as a button, that’s why he thinks he loves you, but he could never love you completely. Because every time you get into action, you place Thomas one step back from his dreams. And he can’t stand it. You’re making Roman’s life miserable in the long term, and in his mind he puts all the blame on you. Now he’s blinded by his attraction to you, but when his “love” for you wears off, and it will, don’t doubt it, he’ll hold everything you’ve done to Thomas against you, and he’ll leave you, and he’ll fight against you and everything you represent, like you used to fight when you were a Dark Side, because in the end his love for Thomas is stronger than his love for you or anyone else… I can see in your eyes that you still don’t believe me. [to Janus] Janus, you catch liars from miles away. You know very well I’m saying the truth here.

[Janus looks at the Paladin with a mixed face of anger and sadness]

VIRGIL: [smirks to Janus] He’s lying, right? [concerned when Janus doesn’t speak] Janus… Tell me he’s lying! [now yelling, scared] Tell me that Roman doesn’t feel that about me! Tell me!

[Janus looks at Virgil. A tear falls down his snake eye when he speaks]

JANUS: [trembling voice] He’s… lying…

[Virgil immediately understands that Janus is the one who’s lying now and that the Paladin is saying the truth. He shows a face of shock and despair, but he doesn’t shed a tear]

PALADIN: Oh, but don’t worry about it, emo. He won’t have time to get to that point in your relationship… [switching to a threatening cold voice] because I’m gonna make him a widower right at this moment!

[The Paladin starts approaching Virgil sword in hand while Virgil is too stunned to react. Then, Remus rises up between them]

REMUS: That’s what you think, usurper! Don’t you dare taking another step towards my brother-in-law!

[The Paladin looks at Remus with a glance of disdain]

PALADIN: Oh, look, my liberator. Did you enjoy the way I gave you my thanks, with my foot on your face and all?

REMUS: [grins, pulling out his mace] As a matter of fact, I really enjoyed it! Don’t you have any more of these in store, please? But this time don’t render me unconscious. I want to enjoy the pleasure of the pain on my face and my body! It was such a delightful way of waking up moments later!

PALADIN: If you want another dose of that, I can give it to you whenever you want!

REMUS: I’ll be glad, but I have a better idea! Why don’t we share the pain this time? I’d love to give you back some of the pleasure you��ve given to me, Paladin! And the pain that my little friend [points at his mace] can inflict is the best of the best, you’re gonna love it. [his grin suddenly disappears and is replaced by a ferocious look] There’s only room for one kinky, crazy Creativity in this Mind Palace, you know?

PALADIN: [rising his sword] Then I’ll be glad to take your place… Dooky.

[Remus and the Paladin start fighting. Right from the start, it’s clear that it’s not gonna be a fair fight. The Paladin tries all sorts of tricks against Remus, but Remus is just as a dirty fighter as the Paladin and blocks them all, using also dirty tricks of his own against the Paladin. The others watch the scene]

JANUS: Are you okay, Virge?

VIRGIL: [just looking at the fight, without looking at Janus] This looks so similar to that first fight they had in Remus’ castle. It’s clear that inside of that crazy Paladin… Roman and his fighting technique are still there, somewhere. He’s still Roman and he still needs our help. I don’t have time now to react to what has just happened, not until he’s safe.

JANUS: Okay…

[The battle goes on, until the Paladin suddenly grins malevolently. Before anyone can see through his plan, the Paladin suddenly attacks Janus with his sword and hits him heavily on the head. Janus, who didn’t see him coming, doesn’t even have time to groan and quickly falls down unconscious. Virgil watches in horrified shock, like Patton and Ian. Remus needs a couple of seconds to react over seeing Janus knocked out on the floor, while a little stream of blood falls from his crushed bowler hat]

REMUS: [suddenly screeching] JANUUUUS! YOU F… [bleep] … NG SON OF A B… [bleep] , WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?

[Remus goes into Berserk mode and starts attacking the Paladin with an increased strength. But the attacks are more chaotic and more easily avoidable. That continues for a short time until Remus makes a mistake and the Paladin overthrows him and makes him fall. Before he can stand up, the Paladin points at Remus’ throat with his sword]

PALADIN: I win this fight!

[Remus yells a war cry of pure wrath and despair]

VIRGIL: Remus!

REMUS: Do it already! You bas… [bleep] ! Do you think I’m afraid of you!? Do it if you have the guts! [screeching] DO IIIT!

PALADIN: If you insist…

[The Paladin rises his sword, ready to give Remus the coup de grace, while the others are too stunned and horrified to react. But before the Paladin can do it, something happens. He suddenly drops his sword, which vanishes after hitting the ground, and shows a face of shock, joined with a sudden feel of dizziness]

PALADIN: What is happening? No… the pill… the effect is wearing off… I need another one! No!

[The Paladin doesn’t say any more words. He just collapses on the floor. In a matter of seconds, the sash on his suit changes from crimson to bright red and all the symptoms of the illness return to his appearance, including the paleness, the red cheeks and the black eye bags, only that now his expression is worse than ever, both because of the illness and because of his guilt]

REMUS: [getting up and approaching him] Roman? Is that you?

[Roman looks at Remus. His eyes are full of tears]

ROMAN: [weak, almost whining voice] I’m sorry, Remus… I’m sorry, guys… I saw everything happen… but I couldn’t do anything… the Paladin controlled my body… Virgil, I’m sorry… I…

[Virgil approaches Roman. His face couldn’t be more serious]

VIRGIL: That doesn’t matter right now. Now we need to take you to your room, to safety.

ROMAN: Janus… How is Janus? Tell me I didn’t kill him, please…

IAN: [checking him] He’s alive. You didn’t hit him with the sharp edge of your sword. You just knocked him out. I’ll take care of him. You, guys, get Roman to his room.

ROMAN: Thank God… Thank God…

[Remus and Virgil grab Roman, then they and Patton sink down and rise up in Roman’s bedroom]

JOAN: We knew you were coming, guys.

PATTON: You knew? How?

JOAN: Logan has just opened his eyes, look.

PATTON: Logan! Are you okay?

LOGAN: Everything hurts… and I can’t move… but I think I can survive… sort of…

[Patton hugs Logan and kisses him]

LOGAN: Watch out, Pat, I have just said that everything hurts… be more gentle, please.

PATTON: I’m sorry… I was so worried about you…

LOGAN: I can see you have brought Roman here and the Paladin is gone… That’s great… however, this isn’t over yet…

REMUS: What do you mean? You said that when the effect of the pill wore off, he would return back to normal, and it happened so. What do we need to be afraid of?

LOGAN: Joan, I advise you to go back to the real world to check on Thomas.

JOAN: If the Paladin is gone, he should be back to normal, right?

LOGAN: The Paladin’s arrival was a point of no return in Thomas’ mind. He will never be the same again, and Roman is gonna be permanently on the verge of danger, and with him Thomas.

JOAN: You’re scaring me, Logan. What do you mean?

LOGAN: Have you ever heard about bipolar disorder?

JOAN: As a matter of fact, yes. I have a friend who has it… Do you mean that…?

LOGAN: Yes. Thomas has bipolar disorder.

JOAN: Just like that? Like someone getting the flu, he’s contracted bipolar disorder? It doesn’t work like that, right?

LOGAN: Of course not. That disorder has always been asleep in Thomas’ mind. Some people feel the symptoms of the disorder very early in their lives. Others are well into adulthood, even in their fifties or sixties, when they start feeling them. Some start when they go through some kind of specially stressful situation, like…

JOAN: …like this pandemic and confinement. That’s what started the chain reaction, right?

LOGAN: Those pills of hope that Thomas unconsciously generated and Roman took were only a deterrent, but eventually they turned into delusion. Now they’re gonna be useless. Roman can never take those pills again, or the Paladin would return and finish what he couldn’t finish now. I’m sorry, Roman.

ROMAN: I understand. I’m not taking those pills again, not even if I’m dying. I’d rather die than ever be the Paladin again… it was horrible.

VIRGIL: What are exactly the symptoms of… bipolar disorder?

LOGAN: Bipolar disorder, which used to be called in the past manic-depressive disorder, even though that’s name is totally phased out, is a mental disorder that affects the mood. It’s called bipolar because it makes the mind swing through both the polar opposites of mood. There are episodes of euphoria and mania, where the person thinks they can do anything in a delusional way… and there are episodes of deep depression where the person loses all the will to live. If not put under control, the person swings between these two moods until they lose their life, either because of doing something crazy during mania that proves to be fatal, or because, during some bad episode of depression, they can’t resist the sadness and despair and… take their own life as a result.

VIRGIL: Is… Is Thomas going to end like that, then? There’s no solution?

LOGAN: Don’t worry, Virgil, even if it’s your job. Even though bipolar disorder is a chronic illness which doesn’t have a proper cure, nowadays, there are effective treatments. Thomas may occasionally have these episodes of mania and depression, but if he gets psychiatric supervision, takes his medication as prescribed and follows healthy habits that contribute to keep his mood balanced, he can and will have a very normal and productive life. There are lots of people who live a normal life having the disorder. Even among famous people, you’d be surprised of how many of them have or had bipolar disorder: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Carrie Fisher, Demi Lovato, Frank Sinatra, Mariah Carey, Sting, Curt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix… just to name a few. Yes, some of them have or had complicated lives and some of them sadly didn’t end well, but many of them managed or still manage to have a perfectly normal and successful life, and Thomas can have it too. Of course, he’ll need to see a psychiatrist to start treatment as soon as possible. He’ll need hospitalization to put his emotions under control, maybe a few days, maybe a few weeks. That’s why I want you, Joan to take care of him now. Take care of him and take him to a psychiatrist. They’ll know what to do next.

[Talyn rises up]

TALYN: Here you are, Joan!

JOAN: Talyn, what are you doing here? Is something wrong with Thomas?

TALYN: I think so. Suddenly he stopped talking delusionally and instead he started crying like a baby, mumbling that nothing makes sense anymore. He’s now lying on the couch, on fetal position, like a hopeless baby.

JOAN: Is it normal for the mood swings to be so fast, Logan?

LOGAN: There are cases, although I suspect Thomas’ special condition as an owner of a Mind Palace may be an accelerator of the swings, I suppose.

JOAN: Okay, then there’s no more time to waste, Thomas needs help. Will you, guys, be okay?

VIRGIL: We’ll be okay, Joan, don’t worry. Go take care of Thomas.

JOAN: Okay. See ya, guys.

[Joan and Talyn sink down]

ROMAN: But I don’t understand… why am I the only one affected by that… bipolar disorder?

LOGAN: Well, Roman, you are Thomas’ hopes and dreams. It’s only logical that you are the most affected by the disorder. During mania, your dreams heighten to unhealthy levels, that’s when the Paladin shows up. Then during depression, your levels of hope drop down, and that’s when you get sick, like you are now.

ROMAN: And I’m feeling so bad… even worse than before… I just want this to end…

LOGAN: Be strong, Roman. When Thomas starts getting treatment, you’ll get back to normal, you’ll see.

ROMAN: I hope so, Logan. I hope so…

VIRGIL: I’ll take care of you while you’re feeling sick.

ROMAN: Thank you, Virgil. I love you.

VIRGIL: [cold voice] Don’t mention. It’s my duty as your husband, Roman.

LOGAN: And I should be going to my own bedroom, Roman needs his own bed, obviously. Could you help me, Patton? I can barely move, so I’m not of much use for Thomas, logically speaking. You know that logic is always damaged in this kind of disorders. Hope you guys can cope without my help for some time.

PATTON: Okay, I got you, don’t worry.

VIRGIL: Thanks for all your help, guys. Take care, Logan.

[Patton and Logan sink down]

REMUS: If you don’t mind, I’m gonna check on Janus. I’m too worried about him.

ROMAN: Of course, Remus. I hope he’s all right too, I wouldn’t forgive myself if I… Thanks again for your help. If it wasn’t for you distracting me, I don’t know what I could have done to the Mind Palace or… to Virgil.

REMUS: Anytime, brother.

VIRGIL: And I also apologize for being so rude to you, Remus. I know you didn’t mean to cause trouble and you only cared about Roman. It was the fear what made me speak to you like that. I’m sorry for everything I said to you. I didn’t mean it, I promise.

REMUS: It’s okay, Virgil, I can handle it. [puts his hand on Virgil’s shoulder] But I really appreciate the apology, and I apologize too for the mess I have caused.

VIRGIL: It’s okay. According to Logan, this was bound to happen sooner or later anyway.

REMUS: Bye, guys. [sinks down] Get well soon, brother.

ROMAN: Thanks, Remus…

[a sign reads “To be continued, guys, gals and non binary pals”]

[end card]

[Virgil helps Roman get into bed. Then summons Roman’s pajama in place of his prince suit. He’s still serious all the time, not saying a word]

ROMAN: Uh… Chris… Do you feel good enough to make some ramen for dinner, for all of us?

CHRIS: But I can just summon the ra…

ROMAN: [giving a dirty look to Chris] It would be better if you just went to the kitchen and took your time to make the ramen, please? [the last word he says it giving a significant look at Virgil, then at the door]

CHRIS: [understanding] Oh… of course, father. [getting out of the bedroom with his crotches] I’ll go make it right now.

[Chris closes the door behind him. Virgil looks at Roman with the same serious face]

ROMAN: Virgil I…

VIRGIL: [with a sharp tone] I don’t need you to apologize, Roman.

ROMAN: But I do, because I have hurt you.

VIRGIL: You weren’t yourself. You would have never said those things to me if you had been in your normal state. If it helps you feel better, I forgive you.

ROMAN: Thanks, Virgil. It means a lot to me… But are you okay?

VIRGIL: [same sharp tone] What do you think? It’s not exactly the best for someone’s mood to find out that your husband… that you genuinely think that I’m bad for Thomas and you hate the way I am.

ROMAN: I didn’t say that, I…

VIRGIL: But you think it. Janus confirmed that, as the Paladin, you weren’t lying. You really hate who I am and what I do. What I don’t get then is… why did you marry me, Roman? If you don’t like how I am, why did you marry me?

ROMAN: Because I love you Virgil. My love for you is real.

VIRGIL: Is it though?

ROMAN: What do you mean? Of course it’s real! You are the one I love the most in my life! You and Chris, and Thomas, of course, are in different ways the men of my life!

VIRGIL: I don’t know… Since you’ve hidden your real feelings about me in that sense… I really don’t know if I can trust you anymore.

ROMAN: That hurts me, Virgil. It really hurts me.

VIRGIL: Not as much as me saying it, you can bet. Because I still love you more than anything. Like the first time I confessed my feelings to you, I still love you more than I love myself, and I would still give my live for you if you asked me. I already did once, in case you’ve forgotten. But now… [looking at Roman with a face of huge sadness and disappointment] I don’t know if you would do the same for me and the doubt feels like having a knife stuck in my stomach…

ROMAN: Virgil, I…

VIRGIL: I’m gonna go help Chris make the ramen, if you don’t mind. We’ll bring it to you when it’s ready. See ya later, Roman.

[Virgil gets out of Roman’s room and closes the door behind him. Roman starts silently crying when he hears muffled sobbing on the other Side of the door, Virgil’s sobbing]

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ofcosmicwonder · 3 years

Text

Illyana/Donna texts...

What: Donna and Illyana play a game of Cards against Humanity online and are texting each other about it. Illyana has a few questions about some cards she doesn’t know about. They discuss Illyana possibly dying. Feelings are /almost/ admitted but not quite.

Who: @ruleroflimbo and Donna.

Mentions: @maidenxfmight @mistressofmagic @boomboombaby @dreamsxfnia and the Titans

Triggers: Some NSFW questions related to Cards Against Humanity but nothing too bad. Talk of dying and death experiences.

DONNA: thanks for playing. I know it’s stupid but I could really use a distraction from life right now.

ILLYANA: sure... I don't really know what a lot of these things mean tho

DONNA: most of them are about sex. Or are just something humans find funny?

ILLYANA: I see

ILLYANA: the first card I played I don't know what means "getting pegged"? idk what that is

DONNA: hm.

DONNA: I’m

DONNA: you really don’t know?

ILLYANA: no, I don't think so at least

ILLYANA: also who's Morgan Freeman?

DONNA: an actor that people like to say has the voice of a god

ILLYANA: huh

ILLYANA: you didn't answer my first question

DONNA: well

DONNA: it’s when a woman uses a strap on to top a man usually

ILLYANA: huh

DONNA: it’s a kind of m/f sex.

ILLYANA: explains why I don't know what it is

ILLYANA: also bc I grew up in hell

ILLYANA: what's finding waldo, why is he lost

DONNA: that one, I do not know

ILLYANA: hm

DONNA: you forget that I’m not exactly /American/

ILLYANA: I really don't get the point of this game

ILLYANA: you know more than I do

DONNA: it’s stupid honestly

DONNA: I just needed a distraction

ILLYANA: I can think of better distractions [unsent]

ILLYANA: a distraction from what exactly?

DONNA: my sister is back in the country. Two of them are actually. But one of them is Wonder Woman

ILLYANA: oh right, I met her, Diana

DONNA: wait what?

DONNA: when did you meet her?

ILLYANA: well I tried to teleport to you but I ended up at her place instead

DONNA: oh

DONNA: so you met her now

ILLYANA: who's nicolas cage

ILLYANA: I did

DONNA: an actor that Wally dislikes

ILLYANA: who's Wally

DONNA: one of my old teammates

ILLYANA: ah

ILLYANA: also you mentioned two of your sisters are back?

DONNA: yeah, I have another younger sister. She’s from Brazil. Her name is Yara. You’d probably get along with her actually

DONNA: she’s great.

ILLYANA: so I take it you get along better with her than Diana?

DONNA: it seems like everyone is in the city now

DONNA: yeah, there’s a lot less history there.

DONNA: so uh

DONNA: how did meeting Diana go?

ILLYANA: I have no idea what any of these cards are

ILLYANA: it went okay ig

DONNA: you’re killing me with the lack of details here

DONNA: did you two mention me?

Donna: sorry. That sounds so self-centered

ILLYANA: I mean I asked if she was your sister and told her I was a friend of yours

DONNA: it is hard to miss the resemblance

ILLYANA: I didn't see any I just remembered her name from when you talked about her and made sense since it was you I was trying to teleport to

DONNA: she showed up at my apartment the other night when Kara wasn’t home. It was... tense

ILLYANA: want to talk about it?

DONNA: I’m not sure what to say about it yet... I didn’t have much time to process really.

ILLYANA: I don't understand this game but I almost won ig

DONNA: thanks for playing :heart:

ILLYANA: well I'm here when/if you want to talk about it

ILLYANA: sure, it was... interesting

DONNA: it was terrible, right? :joy:

DONNA: thanks. I really appreciate it.

ILLYANA: I mean I almost won, it was really, sexual tho

DONNA: I usually would talk to Kara, but she's got so much on her plate right now.

ILLYANA: uh did I tell you Belasco is dead?

DONNA: what?

DONNA: how?

DONNA: are you okay?

DONNA: I'm over here worrying about trivial things when you have a literal battle going on

ILLYANA: yeah, it's a few weeks ago now

ILLYANA: i went to Limbo with Jean and I... killed him

ILLYANA: I'm fine, or I mean... not really

ILLYANA: Limbo was collapsing and I-

ILLYANA: I absorbed it and if I don't find a way to fix it... well it'll probably kill me

DONNA: you did what you thought you needed to do.

DONNA: what can I do to help? I could even talk to Diana. Maybe there’s some information on Themyscira that could help?

DONNA: there must be a way to help

ILLYANA: I doubt it, but it's fine, I'm working on it

ILLYANA: Zatanna's helping

ILLYANA: if there's any way to fix this we'll find it

DONNA: you’re not allowed to die on me. I’ll fight Hades himself if I have to.

DONNA: please let me know if I can help, okay? You don’t have to go through this alone.

ILLYANA: wouldn't be the first time I've died

ILLYANA: I appreciate it but I got this I hope

DONNA: well, I haven’t had you die before, and I’m not sure how well I would handle that.

ILLYANA: only took me 3 years to come back... tho the one who brought me back is now dead so

DONNA: a lot can happen in three years. And perhaps I care a bit about you living or dying. And I like it better when you’re around

DONNA: [unsent] too much too soon???

ILLYANA: so I've noticed

ILLYANA: you do huh?

DONNA: battling demons and sorcerers, almost killing each other, and traveling to pocket dimensions... it makes a girl a bit attached you could say.

DONNA: and we /have/ been spending more time together, so... I would miss not having you in my life.

ILLYANA: maybe I like it better when you're around too

DONNA: are you admitting you might like me? :kissing_heart:

DONNA: [unsent] now I sound like I’m 12!! Or BB

ILLYANA: I think you admitted something about liking me

DONNA: well, maybe I don’t like you anymore! :joy:

ILLYANA: sounds unlikely

DONNA: :pikachuface:

DONNA: Gar likes to send me that emoji

ILLYANA: what is that

DONNA: it’s called a pikachu

DONNA: it’s from a show I guess?

ILLYANA: it's called a what

DONNA: a pikachu. It’s a fuzzy yellow creature.

DONNA: :pikachuface:

ILLYANA: I think I prefer my demons

ILLYANA: I wonder if I can still summon demons now that Limbo is.. y'know

DONNA: inside you?

ILLYANA: yes

ILLYANA: I still have Scott tho

ILLYANA: [image of Scott sitting on Illy's armored shoulder]

DONNA: you should dress him up like a pikachu for Halloween

ILLYANA: he says no to that idea

DONNA: :pleading_face:

ILLYANA: he said no, you ask him

DONNA: this is what Gar says “He's...well. He's stubborn, and hard working, and he's got cute little red spots on his cheeks and he's most known for his thunderbolt move but really, i think thunderwave is a better move alternative”

DONNA: that’s the definition I got for pikachu

DONNA: Scott, please? :pleading_face:

ILLYANA: hm, sounds weird

ILLYANA: Donna...

ILLYANA: you know he can't read right?

DONNA: then you have to pass on the message for me!

ILLYANA: you're gonna have to ask him yourself, in person

DONNA: then I guess you’ll have to come visit me. Or I could visit you.

ILLYANA: I'm at Zatanna's place but I think she's still mad about the small party I had

DONNA: small party? Nia said it was pretty wild. Lol

ILLYANA: well it was /supposed/ to be a small party

DONNA: are her and tabby a thing? Like, a couple?

ILLYANA: I don't know, but I seriously doubt Tabby is in a relationship

DONNA: she could!

DONNA: Nia’s a beautiful woman. Tabby would be lucky to have someone like her.

ILLYANA: I don't know who Nia is so I can't comment

DONNA: well, she was evidently at this grand party of yours!

ILLYANA: so were a lot of people that I didn't invite

DONNA: well, Nia was the pretty one with Tabby

DONNA: maybe you should ask Tabby about Nia :eyes:

ILLYANA: No, not a chance

ILLYANA: Tabby would probably try to blow me up

ILLYANA: so are we gonna talk about u disappearing in the chat when I talked about sleeping with people?

DONNA: huh? Oh. I was in another group chat. And I wasn’t expecting the topic to come up with your family mentor there.

ILLYANA: I mean, she payed for the hotel room after the gala so it wasn't really anything new

DONNA: got it. still. I was caught a bit off guard. It’s fine though. Sex isn’t something to be ashamed of, right?

ILLYANA: i'm not but ig people have different views on it

DONNA: I wasn’t offended by it. My friends might have been a bit more horrified than yours.

ILLYANA: friends is a broad term, other than you and Zatanna I don't really know the other ones in that chat

DONNA: why add me then? Lol

ILLYANA: so I know more people in there, I mean you don't have to be in it if you don't want to

DONNA: no. It’s fine! If you want me there, then I’m there.

ILLYANA: okay, and I do... want you there I mean

DONNA: might have a hard time getting rid of me, Illy.

ILLYANA: who says I'm trying to

DONNA: it would be impossible if you tried. Pretty sure the universe has already tried that a few times and failed.

ILLYANA: I think I would manage but I'm not trying to, lucky you

DONNA: lucky me. :heart:

ILLYANA: very lucky

#ch: illyana rasputin #illyana: texts #[ i probs missed a few places that were supposed to be crossed out but oh well ]

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