#to commit MURDER to solve his problems

[starcurtain]

Hey! I apologize if this question has been asked before since it seems like a pretty obvious one, but where do you think the idea of Aventurine being a sex slave came from? Other than the obvious factor of it being something fun for the fandom to mess around with, I mean.

It's something I kind of took for granted as being true before playing his quest, but after finishing it I realized there wasn't really any indication. The only thing I can really think of is his master's comments about him having a good body. Is there anything in his behavior you can think of that would lead to this conclusion if it wasn't a popular fan interpretation already/kind of just an easy conclusion to reach with a slave character?

(also kind of related but what do you think of the idea that he sleeps around/with his clients to make deals? he's obviously willing to sexualize himself with the boob window, but that doesn't necessarily mean he goes further.)

As far as I can tell, the idea that Aventurine was involved in sexual slavery comes from three (maybe four) places:

First, the comment from the master about Aventurine's appearance. People were holding this comment up as refutable proof that Aventurine was used in sexual slavery on top of being tossed into the Hunger Games; however, the response from other players on this interpretation, especially the Chinese side of the fandom, was very mixed, with a lot of people pointing out that the context in the game probably meant the slave master was talking about Aventurine's ability to attract attention from fans watching the literal Sigonian Hunger Games, rather than having a direct sexual-slavery connotation.

Second, the comment from Sparkle about stripping naked and getting on his knees for Sunday. This one has way more implication in English than I think it might for an Eastern audience, actually. In English, this pretty much sounds like Sparkle saying Aventurine trades sexual favors for success in his gambles. However, I suspect the original intention in Chinese was more about humiliation. Western audiences don't have as much history with honor-based prostration, i.e. accepting corporal humiliation as a form of reconciliation that Eastern audiences might be more familiar with. And in any case, Sparkle is Sparkle. She probably just went for the lowest blow she could think of here.

Third, the general assumption that if Sigonian slaves were being chained, branded, beaten, sent to death matches, etc., it seems logical that they would also be taken advantage of in other ways. I honestly think this is probably the fairest take--many, many real slaves around the world faced (and still face!) sexual abuse, so if slaves from Sigonia were treated so poorly you could make them fight to the death for entertainment, it stands to reason they were probably also not safe from other forms of assault. We also have no idea what happened to Kakavasha in any of the years between his being a tiny child fleeing the massacre and then being purchased as a slave as a late-teens-early-twenties person. That's a very long time for a child to have to survive on their own on an extremely hostile planet and not face risks of all kinds or end up needing to do unspeakable things to survive. So I think this is at least not that far-fetched, although it's important to say there's nothing in the game that directly confirms this.

And fourth: I read a tweet semi-recently that stated that one of the Chinese (or maybe it was Japanese) names for a quest Aventurine was involved in was actually a reference to a book about a teenage sexual assault survivor. However, when I tried to verify this myself, I couldn't find any quest Aventurine was in that was based on a book about sexual assault in either English, Chinese, or Japanese. It's possible I just missed something, but I'm taking this one with a bit of a grain of salt currently, since I can't confirm it personally.

Regarding your other question, about whether I think Aventurine sleeps around to make deals...

I definitely think he does not, for one major reason.

First, I will admit that Aventurine is definitely willing to use his appearance to his advantage. This is pretty obvious. He wears incredibly flashy clothes, baths himself in cologne, overloads on glittering golden jewels, and absolutely calls attention to his appearance when working with clients.

We see him actively doing this in his Moment Among the Stars video, where he is clearly using his looks as an equal tool (to his wealth), to daze his target.

It's not an accident that he says things like "Use me as you wish," with all the explicit connotations preserved. The implication is there. However, unless he was absolutely backed into a corner, I think that implication is all it will ever be.

The reason I think this is that the devs go out of their way to give Aventurine three fairly noticeable physical behaviors in his in-game scenes:

For one, he has some of the most closed off body language of any character in the game.

Aventurine's default conversation pose is arms crossed directly and tightly in front of himself. This is like "Defensive Body Language 101." By crossing your arms, you put a symbolic barrier between yourself and the person you're speaking to, and also ensure that your hands are up and available in case you actually need to physically defend yourself.

Virtually all of Aventurine's conversations take place from this stance, no matter who he is speaking to (from the Trailblazer all the way to Topaz). He deliberately closes his pose off and tightens up his silhouette, which just sends a glaring "Don't touch me" message.

This closing off is also blatantly apparent when you compare it to the deliberately open poses he strikes while trying to make himself seem accessible to others (like tempting clients) or seem powerful (to intimidate):

Complementing this habit of closing himself off is a second noticeable aspect of his body language: He frequently avoids eye contact to the point that he even holds conversations while entirely facing away from the person he's speaking to.

I might be a bit lenient and say maybe he's doing this to on purpose to be mysterious, whoo~~ But... in all honestly, he just does this with everyone, even with Ratio while trying to talk about an actual important issue (wanting to look into Acheron's real identity). Hell, even the fake Aventurine does it to himself!

We can even say that wearing the rose-tinted glasses in the first place is another intentional barrier, one Aventurine deliberately removes in specific moments to give people the (false) impression that he's "letting them in" to his circle:

Now, this might be a bit more complicated in Aventurine's case, because eye contact has a whole extra meaning when eyes are the defining trait of your species and come with particularly challenging racial stereotypes. So it may be that Aventurine is simply used to conducting conversation while looking away to minimize racial prejudice against his eyes' unique appearance.

However, I'd also argue that the devs deliberately turned his entire model away in cutscene after cutscene to create a clear sense of being inaccessible, unapproachable, and unwilling to engage in the physical intimacy of standing closely, directly facing, and staring at his conversation partners.

While he faces away, he controls both the figurative and the literal direction of conversation, forcing people to keep their eyes on him while he is free to move as he pleases. Over and over again, it just says "I want to be the one in control. I'm not afraid to show my back to you, but you are not welcome to come near me."

And, in fact, that's a third aspect of his character's body language that I am sure the devs did not include accidentally: More so than other characters, many of Aventurine's conversations are conducted from weirdly far distances. Like, half the time he's talking, he's standing all the way on the opposite side of the room!

This habit of speaking from a-larger-than-normal distance is apparent in the first scene with Himeko...

And then in just about every other conversation too:

The bubble is twenty feet in every direction.

Like yes, he does approach and have conversations like a normal person... sometimes... But it is significantly more noticeable with Aventurine than with other characters that he often conducts whole conversations--even with his allies--from a distance. Just genuinely weirdly far apart.

Leaving space for Gaiathra, I guess.

And it's because these significant decisions were made with Aventurine's in-game body language that, when he deliberately alters his own behavior, it is instantaneously noticeable.

In 2.0, he closes the distance, the glasses come off, and he gets directly up in the Trailblazer's face.

It's uncomfortable not just because the player is suddenly being loomed over, but because this behavior has already been subconsciously established for the player as out of character for Aventurine.

The barriers the character himself was putting up are deliberately stripped away so that he can use physicality and demanding eye contact to intimidate his target. He has to reverse his own normal body language in order to come across as domineering (and, I guess if you're into that, appealing in a domineering manner).

And ummmm, just a tiny aside here because I can't resist:

This does mean that when the game goes out of its way to demonstrate Aventurine altering his own normal habit of distant and defensive body language, it is absolutely intentional.

Yes, this is a Ratiorine post in disguise. There literally isn't any other character in the game that Aventurine is shown being comfortable standing so close to and interacting with in this manner. This doesn't occur in every one of their scenes, but Ratio is the only character that this happens with repeatedly. It's not an accident that the devs literally added "They were walking side-by-side" as flavor text.

But look, I'll be fair: There's a great example of this in Aventurine's scene with Acheron too, where he closes the distance and attempts to make eye contact with her--seeking her guidance and closeness--and she is actually the one stepping away, speaking with her back turned, demonstrating her power and control (and issues with connection!) in that scene.

Anyway, this was a whole longggg tangent into analyzing Aventurine's body language, but my point is that, overall, the devs deliberately adjusted his model's actions in-game to give the impression of a person who clearly wants to be in control of every interaction he has with other people, who insists on distance over intimacy, and whose stances and habits suggest that he is significantly less accessible and open than his "Use me as you wish" motto might suggest.

Long story longer, I think that there is almost zero chance Aventurine is willingly ceding control over himself or the actions expected of him to anyone he isn't 100% comfortable with, and I think that using physical intimacy of any kind would be an absolute last resort for him. Frankly, he comes across as more likely to shoot himself in the foot than let someone he doesn't trust lay hands on him.

To me, he reads very much as "You may look, but you may not touch."

[krickficet]

If you want a good Superman cartoon just watch Superman The Animated Series. It addresses heavier topics with much better tact than maws probably ever will. And the characters are actually well written and enjoyable.

[rhysintherain]

Honestly?

As someone who works on the logistical side of post-secondary education, the level of organisation and life skills your average drug dealer has would give most students a run for their money. They'd probably have way fewer breakdowns in the tutor's offices and be more likely to actually show up for class than your average 1st year.

Prisons/Jails vs Colleges - More prisons or more colleges?

[comicaurora]

Do you think ethics are just an attempt at being a healthier form of selfish?

In one of your Detail Diatribes where Batman confronts Catwoman and tries to stop her from killing Falcone, you highlighted the fact that his reasoning was not to protect her father, but to try and save her. Ever since, some very strange ideas about the nature of selfishness and selflessness have been rattling around my head.

It only started coming into focus when I tried to put into words why it was a bad thing that D-16 killed Sentinel Prime. My best answer right now is because it made D-16 into Megatron. Orion wasn't trying to save Sentinel, he was trying to protect the cybertronian people. Maybe if Orion focused more on saving D-16, they wouldn't have lost their friendship and all of Cybertron would be better for it. Of course, in the end, Megatron was the deciding factor in making himself, caring more about his pride than his current identity, but this highlights a strange selfish quirk in sustainable selfless behavior.

If you are purely selfless you suffer from spending more of yourself than you have to give. If you're too selfish you can't maintain the human connections that are a requirement for being a complete and healthy person. It leaves the best options as being selfless to make your environment an easier one for you to live in. Where your actions for others are repaid by the selflessness from your community. Or, being selfish with your charity. Taking care of what you care about because their well being positively contributes to your own.

To be fair, the opening sentence now looks like an incomplete thought. It probably should be asking if you think ethics is just an attempt at being a more healthy form of selfish and selfless. Really, just asking if ethics is meant to make you better at being a person, which seems like a question that can answer itself. Still, it feels like an important insight to highlight that to be ethical isn’t about how much of your own life you're willing to sacrifice. It's hard to be a good person when you're not a person anymore.

This is a fascinatingly deep question, and I'm very tickled that our two touchpoints in it are a transforming robot tank and Batman.

My personal opinion is that ethics and morals are not reflections of some universal truth of Justice and Goodness, as they are often framed, but are instead best-practice guidelines on how to function in the big, messy world without causing undue suffering to yourself and others. A facet of this is determining, case by case, how much you need to prioritize yourself vs how much you can afford to help others - in the framing you've proposed, selfishness vs selflessness.

Taking the specific examples we're focusing on - two cases where someone attempts to prevent a revenge killing for the benefit, not of the victim, but of the avenger - I think they reflect this worldview, that the killing is not seen as some innately universally-judged evil act that must be prevented for its own sake, but that the act of killing will harm the killer in a way the person trying to stop them doesn't want to see.

For Catwoman, committing premeditated murder wouldn't solve any of her problems in any way that arresting Falcone and having him legally unraveled would. It'd just park a first degree murder charge on someone who'd up til this point only dealt with petty larceny, and it would potentially weigh her down with misery and regret as she grappled with the trauma of taking a life.

For Megatron, killing Sentinel Prime wasn't a bad action because he deserved to live. They just spent that whole fight scene tearing through enemies. They're warriors on track to spend the next four million years killing each other; the whole "taking a life" ship has already sailed. The problem is that Sentinel is a symbol and a structural part of the political narrative in the founding of the next stage of Cybertron's society. If the first thing the new regime does is bloodily avenge itself on the face of the old regime for the personal wrongs it did them, that proves that the only thing they care about is personal satisfaction of their individual desires - just like Sentinel. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. If they can instead take a step back, think of the good of Cybertron as a whole, enforce a rule of law and a fair system of justice that applies equally to everyone, even on someone they personally loathe, that would signify integrity and credibility and the hallmark of wise, just and fair leadership capable of setting aside personal feelings for the greater good. It's not about Sentinel; it's about whether the satisfaction of killing him is worth the price of enforcing forever that personal vendettas are more important than the well-being of the people of Cybertron. Which makes it really obvious which one Megatron is going to pick.

My hottest take, and I mean this very genuinely, is that most of the human perception of what constitutes goodness and justice is one thousand percent based on vibes, and is extremely susceptible to narrative reframing. We see an unsympathetic victim (Sentinel Prime, Falcone) who has gleefully caused suffering to innocent people (so judged because they are framed sympathetically, not because we've actually enumerated their lifelong actions to determine they've never done anything wrong) and we feel (feel) that it would be right and just for them to suffer consequences (emphasis on suffer) because that would balance the scales on this vibes equation and that would make us feel like justice had been served. Would this suffering lead to any material good? Not inherently. Would it heal the victims? Not usually. Would it remove the source of the problem? Categorically not, what with how negative reinforcement works (or rather does not work.) It also wouldn't do anything about the other people empowered by the same system to be just as shitty in just as many ways that just happen to be offscreen from our POV. But it feels fair. So what is justice, if it reduces down to "I want them to hurt for the hurt they've caused me"? If it can be sated with a spectacle or distracted by a long nap and a good joke to let the feeling fade? What purpose does this justice serve if it is devoted wholly to the satiation of a bone-deep chordate-brain hunger for Retributive Violence rather than towards actually ensuring that the lives of those harmed are healed and supported and built up again after being broken down? (This is the entire core character arc in The Batman, btw, I'm not just monologuing for no reason here. He calls himself Vengeance for a reason, and the reason is he's doing Batman wrong)

That feeling - that white-hot burning core of Righteous Fury - is the unexamined heart of many systems of morality that focus, not on doing good, but on exacting satisfying retribution on Bad People Who Deserve It, categorized as People Who I Can Hurt Without Feeling Bad Myself. It's a very tempting concept for people who have suffered at others' hands. That feeling, that powerful instinctual understanding of "that's unfair," is incredibly strong. In my opinion, most systems of ethics are built, not around relitigating what is Good and what is Bad per se, but in trying to shape and curb that bone-deep, unbelievably powerful desire to rend the flesh from the bones of your tormenters.

But I mentioned that feeling is susceptible to narrative reframing. This is, as I understand it, a huge part of lawyering. Tell the story of what happened using true events and adding no falsehoods, but highlight the parts that make it feel like your client is the one who is being treated unfairly. They're not an unsympathetic wrongdoer who you can punish without personal moral stain - they're a loving spouse, a parent of three adorable children, they have a really cute puppy, they donate to charity, they're a wonderful conversationalist, a kind friend, etc etc. All those things can also be true of people who do terrible things, but thinking about them defuses that White Hot Core by making us sympathize with the sympathetic parts of them.

This is incredibly well-understood in fiction. It's the whole reason the tropes Kick The Dog and Pet The Dog exist. When you want the audience to root for a character's destruction, leave aside any of their potential quiet moments of sympathy - their tragic backstory, their cute pet, their adorable relationship with their mom - and instead show them going out of their way to commit some minor act of petty cruelty, say Kicking The Dog. The audience will infer that this badness is 24/7 and they have no reason to curb their enthusiasm for Righteous Vengeance. But if the writer wants the audience to see a spark of good in them, to sympathize, to believe they can be redeemed, they'll highlight one of those small moments of charming kindness, and allow them to Pet The Dog instead.

Neither of these acts, in the grand scale, have any bearing on the morality of this person's actions. A pet dog doesn't counterbalance a razed village; a kicked dog doesn't negate a generous contribution to the local soup kitchen. Goodness and badness is not a linear scale added or subtracted to by opposing deeds. BUT showing them to an audience reframes them narratively, and THAT is what shapes the judgment of the White Hot Burning Core. In the space of fiction, this form of bottom-shelf emotional manipulation is one of the cleanest ways to get the audience to root for the messy destruction of what is ostensibly, in the universe of the fiction, a wholly complex and living person who definitely has reasons for everything they've done, even ones that could be framed sympathetically when shown.

Meanwhile, in the real world, ethics are an attempt to judge what is best in a given situation without trusting the White Hot Burning Core to make the call, no matter how compelling "but it would feel really good though" might seem. They try to give someone perspective, context, other priorities to consider. The White Hot Burning Core might want you to rip someone's arms off for driving slow when you've got important places to be, but Ethics can present a number of compelling reasons not to do that - even if it's just "ripping their arms off will definitely make me even more late." And yes, this can be a balance of Selfishness Vs Selflessness. You are one of the people whose wellbeing ethics is designed to make you prioritize improving even if it feels weird, and when all other things are equal, your own health and happiness can be the deciding factor. In a world with an overarching Moral Force that weighs the goodness of your soul by sifting through every grain of action and intent seeking negativity to punish you for, absolute selflessness to the point of self destruction would still probably be seen as Morally Wrong, simply because the universe is a better place with you in it trying your best.

Anyway, if doing the right thing was simple, easy and painless, we probably wouldn't have so many thousands of years of arguing about what it looks like. Good luck out there everybody 👍

[aaronstveit]

isaac lahey absolute character of all time. after school job as a gravedigger. not very good at writing. problem solving skills include violence and bisexuality. gets stabbed twenty times and immediately falls in love with the girl who stabbed him. wears scarves and cardigans in warm weather. arrested for his father's murder that he didn't actually commit but totally should have. invests in a leather jacket and pretends to be evil for a while. definitely in love with his boy best friend but he has a job so he can't worry about that right now. six foot two but slouches so aforementioned boy best friend doesn't feel short. moves to paris with his dead girlfriend's father after watching said girlfriend confess her love to another guy while she dies. what's not to love.

[clockwayswrites]

City Pigeons Bleed Green, Part 31 masterpost cw: strongly implied off screen murder and discussions about it

“Do you need me to pull the car over so that you can put your make-up on?” Jason asked.

Tim shot him a withering stare. “Do I look like I need you to pull over so that I can do my make-up?”

“See, I know better than to answer yes to that,” Jason said cheerily, “but I also don’t want to deal with you poking out an eye with a mascara wand.”

“I’m not going to poke out an eye putting on mascara.”

“Or bitching the rest of the drive because your lipstick is slightly crooked.”

Tim paused. “…okay, that I might do.”

“And we’re pulling over!”

“Fine,” Tim sighed, “We need to spray your skunk streak black anyways and change.”

“I can’t believe their uniforms are really all white suits,” Jason said as he looked for a convenient side road to pull of onto.

“I know, have they never heard of no white after Labor Day?” Tim asked as he dusted something over his cheekbones.

Jason snorted. “Yeah, cause that’s my problem with the all white suits. Nothing about them being impractically easy to stain.”

Tim hummed. “White is easy to bleach, think lab coats and hotel sheets.”

“That only solves the problem if they don’t have to go anywhere before they can get the stains out,” Jason pointed out.

“It works if they think that they’re immune to any repercussion of having stains,” Tim said. He set the fluffy brush he had been using down. “How often do you think they walked around with Danny’s blood like it was nothing?”

Jason gripped the steering wheel so hard that it creaked under his hands. “Never again.”

“No,” Tim agreed. “Never again. Not any of them.”

“I hate that we can be as final with all of them,” Jason said as he forced himself to relax his grip.

“I know, but the organization is better handled by the Titans and Justice League. Bringing the law into their end will have more lasting effects than bring an end to their agents.”

“Damn bureaucracies,” Jason grumbled. “Always someone else to fill in a spot.”

Tim hummed in agreement. “If taking out agents and bases was enough, the LOA would be long gone, trust me.”

“Oh I do, Timbit. It’s why you’re the one in this car with me. I don’t have any illusions about your hands being clean or worry your commitment wavering.”

“Good, it won’t.”

“I know.”

Jason turned the car down a road and off to the side where it was hidden between tall rows of corn. Tim leaned forward to continue his make up. He really was the best chameleon of them all, even the old man. Jason tried not to think too hard about what that meant for Tim himself. Things were better now, that was enough. He grabbed the can of hairspray from Tim’s bag.

“There’s contacts in there for you too,” Tim said. “And put in the pomade before the spray so that it doesn’t run. You need to slick your hair back for that government lackey sort of look.”

“Glamorous. Is that why your shade of lipstick is so horrific?”

“Bland yet obligatorily feminine,” Tim replied with a flutter of his eyelashes.

Jason snorted as he set about running enough pomade through his hair to make a 1930’s man proud. He stepped out of the car to use the can of spray color and clean his hands off. The dusky contacts were popped in next before he fussed with getting his hair swept over just right and the sides pressed flat against the his head.

Tim finished about the same time with his wig, so Jason grabbed both garment bags and spread the one out on the trunk for Tim. By the time they were back in the car it was like Jason Todd and Tim Drake were never there. Agent UU and Z settled easily into the seats and continued on their way.

“We’re not making a mess,” Tim—or double U— said some time later.

Jason growled.

“I know, but we need to keep this clean.” There was just the right amount of lilt to the voice to sound like a determined woman who had spent to long fitting into a ‘mans’ world. “This is just the GIW cleaning up two assets before they can be picked up and spill secrets to the cops.”

“What’s the plan then?”

“The pen in your pocket is really a needle with a very quick acting sedative. It paralyzes. Everything.”

Jason nodded. “Okay. Act like we’re extracting, get them apart to gather vital items, stab them?”

“In the neck.”

“Okay.” Jason pulled the car to a stop in front of bland suburban house.

As if they had practiced, they exited the car in sync with one another, slight tug to their white suit jackets and everything, and approached the door in a matching clipped pace. Tim was a step ahead (a woman would be better received) and rang the doorbell before crossing his arms behind his back. Jason made himself breath as the door opened.

“Dr. Fenton,” Tim said. “Agents UU and Z. It’s urgent that we come inside, the GIW is breached.”

[divadepreshawn]

𝑨𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏 𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓

Aaron Hotchner × fem!reader ×popstar

part four Haley didn't die in this universe, they're just divorced (let's make this poor man's past less traumatic)

Garcia will want to DIE when he finds out he missed the chance to see you up close. WC: 2 556

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Aaron was sitting at his desk, staring at the card on the flowers, he wasn't sure how to react to it, it was a beautiful gesture – and a little scary –, he admits. You only had his first name and you managed – you wanted – to find him. It was a bittersweet feeling, he hadn't gotten involved with anyone after Haley – not that he was looking for someone, because that was his last concern. His priority now was Jack and work. Aaron didn't have the strength to hold grudges against Haley – it was hard at first, after all they had been together since they were teenagers. But he couldn't blame her for leaving.

A husband who was never home.

It wasn't her fault, it was his.

That's what he kept repeating to himself as a punishment, life is made of choices and consequences, he could have done more for the marriage – he should have done more. But he didn't and it ended.

"I know what you're thinking, forget it" Rossi's voice broke him out of his trance.

“I’m not thinking about anything.”

“Of course, there must be another reason why you’re looking at this arrangement as if it were the world’s greatest riddle.”

Aaron sighed, running his hand through his hair. “I can’t do this again and-”

“And nothing, the past is gone, it’s over.”

Rossi pulled up a chair and sat across from him.

“I’ll give you some advice, Aaron. The past is there to teach us, not to hold us back forever. You lie to yourself—interspersing work with the responsibilities of being a father—saying that you don’t need to move on, or meet new people, but I’ll present you with the facts. Jack will grow up, one day you’ll retire. When this is over, what’s left?”

He fell silent, looking away from Rossi and toward the flowers.

“You don’t want to repeat the same mistakes, I understand. Just the fact that you’re worried means you’ve learned from them.”

He points to the flower arrangement with a half smile.

“I’m not saying you have to get married and have ten kids with your secret admirer. I’m just saying that you should allow yourself to have a conversation that doesn’t involve murderers and school activities.”

Aaron lets out a weak laugh.

“I honestly don’t even remember how to do that.” He runs his hands over his face tiredly.

“I don’t think you need to, there’s someone who’s committed enough for both of you.”

“It’s complicated.”

“It’s not complicated, the problem is you.”

He frowns.

“But you just said-”

“Shut up and text me already.”

Aaron sighs, glancing at his phone.

“It’s been a week, what am I supposed to say?”

“Something like: hi I’m an idiot but thanks for the flowers.”

Aaron raises an eyebrow at the suggestion.

“I’m not going to write that.”

“But you should.”

“Okay, don’t you have to work?”

Rossi chuckled softly, pushing his chair back as he stood up.

“I always have time to tease you. Don’t overthink it, just text me—oh, and don’t forget my chair.” He left the room, closing the door behind him with a slight wave.

Aaron took a deep breath as he stared at his phone on the table, hoping his problems would solve themselves

It wasn’t as easy as Rossi made it sound.

It wasn’t just the fear of getting involved again—although that was a big part of it. The weight of his responsibility as a father and as a boss made any distraction feel like a threat to the fragile balance he was trying to maintain. Jack was his priority, always would be. How would he divide his attention?

What about work?

The work was never ending. He was always processing reports, psychological profiles and strategies to keep the team safe. He couldn’t make any commitments, having to leave everything behind when he had a case. Getting involved with someone would mean opening up space for one more worry, one more possible failure.

Life had hardened him, every loss, every difficult decision, every case that ended tragically.

What could he offer other than worries?

But there was a much bigger question than that that had been circling your thoughts since you gave him your number.

What did you see in him?

What – in twenty minutes of conversation – had been enough to make you want to stay? And, more than that, want to be part of his life – to the point of going to the trouble of finding out his name just to send him flowers?

Maybe it was because you were on high alert and since he helped you your brain only associated him with safety?

Do you have issues with your father?

Or maybe it was a moment when, without realizing it, he relaxed for a second and let out a genuine smile. But would that be enough for someone to want to insist?

He didn't see himself as attractive in the romantic sense. It wasn't that he didn't think he was handsome, but he never believed that his presence inspired anything other than respect—and often, fear.

His rigid posture, the controlled way he spoke, his almost always neutral expression—all of this created a barrier between him and others.

With Haley it was different. They met before the burden of responsibility that this job demanded shaped every aspect of his identity. In college, he smiled more easily, allowed himself moments of lightness—the young man who dreamed, who believed he could balance justice and happiness.

Maybe he wouldn't be able to have a relationship again—at least not now. But Rossi was right, it would be nice to talk to someone whose main agenda wasn't murder and preschool.

Before he could think too much, he picked up his cell phone and typed a message.

Still hesitant.

But not running away.

“Thanks for the flowers, but I have to admit, I’m still wondering how you found me. Should I keep an eye on you or offer you a job on my team?”

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You were exhausted.

Rehearsing in a warehouse since early morning, repeating the choreography until your feet were blistered, making arrangements, training your breathing to hit the notes while dancing.

The last few weeks before the tour are always chaotic, dancers rehearsing without rest, sound and lighting engineers adjusting the last details, the stage structure set up to rehearse the positioning.

Every decision was made by you – from the setlist to the fabric of the dancers' clothes. Not because you didn't trust the team, but because you refused to deliver a show that was inferior to the last. Each tour needed to be bigger, better, more impactful. The pressure came from all sides – but most of all, from yourself.

Everyone is stressed – you are stressed. And you needed to take a break before you start being a bitch.

Sighing, you stop what you're doing, folding your sweatshirt until it looks like a makeshift pillow. As soon as you lay down on the floor you realized two things – the floor was freezing cold and you were more tired than you thought.

“Are you okay?” Chris’s voice broke the silence.

“Uh-huh,” you hummed in response. “I just need a minute of silence, don’t let anyone talk to me, please.”

He hesitated for a moment, as if trying to gauge your mood before continuing – the scale was kill him, fire him or just curse him out.

“Remember the favor you asked to find your mystery guy?”

You frowned and opened your eyes.

“Yeah. What about it?”

“You’re kind of going to have to pay him back today.”

Your body tensed.

“The one who recognized him and gave him the information was an event planner. And he only works with important people – politicians, judges, government agents…” He paused to let you absorb the information before continuing. "Sort of… you're performing at his event tonight."

You whimpered, rubbing your temples as you sat down.

"You're kidding."

"I wish I was."

"What if you put on a wig and go in my place?"

Chris stared at you for a while, analyzing how much truth there was in the joke.

"I don't think it would convince anyone."

You sighed, Chris held out his hand to you - helping you up.

"How many songs?"

"Only three."

You nodded slowly, preparing yourself psychologically for a long night. These events were the worst - petty people who lived in a silent struggle for power, vying for your attention in order to gain support and publicity for their projects.

"I can't believe I'm doing this because of a man, a man who didn't even bother to save my number-" The sentence dies in your throat as soon as you feel your cell phone vibrate. Your gaze fell to the notification on your messaging app – unknown number.

“Thanks for the flowers, but I must admit, I’m still wondering how you found me. Should I keep an eye on you or offer you a job on my team?”

You bit your lip in a – failed – attempt to hide a smile.

“Honestly, your smile scares me a lot more than if you were hitting me.”

“Shut up.”

You quickly thought of a response.

“I’m glad you liked it, honey, but a magician never reveals his tricks. And yes, keep an eye on me, Mr. Hot – both preferably.”

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Justice Department Gala

A yearly – and very boring – event full of formalities, speeches and ego battles. An event that Hotch had completely forgotten about. While the members could decide whether to go or make up an excuse – all of which, without exception, chose the second option – unfortunately, as the team leader his presence was mandatory.

The hall was grand, lit by imposing chandeliers that cast golden reflections on the champagne glasses. Waiters walked discreetly among the guests, offering refined appetizers that Aaron had no interest in tasting. He had already exchanged greetings with politicians, judges and some senior agents, but he was at his limit.

That was when the music started.

Not only the usual violins, now there was a piano and a sound that he thought was a drum. As the soft introduction began, the stage lights dimmed – the floor filling with smoke. He frowned; there was no show on the schedule.

Then the lights focused on the center of the stage, and there you were.

He froze.

Your strong and impotent presence was enough to silence the room. The dress molded perfectly to your body – it was impossible not to pay attention to you, your presence was mesmerizing.

And then you started to sing.

Your voice filled the room, it was a perfect mix of strength and skill, reaching and sustaining high notes with impressive ease. He had already heard some of your songs when he researched you, but nothing compared to hearing you sing live. And for the first time he allowed himself to focus solely on the music – without considering it just as background noise.

“Remember those walls I built? Well, baby, they're tumbling down And they didn't even put up a fight They didn't even make a sound”

This was happening – unconsciously – after all.

The last note echoed through the hall and as the audience applauded, you gave a slight smile – mumbling a thank you – and bowed subtly before leaving the stage. He was in an internal battle, pondering whether or not to talk to you. But you had reached out to him, right? So the least he could do was apologize for not texting you sooner. Without realizing it, he was already heading your way – the unconscious does funny things sometimes.

As he got closer, he could see you – leaning against one of the walls –, talking to a group of men and their wives. Your smile was polite, but your eyes – especially when you looked at the man next to you – said: get me out of here. Aaron recognized you, he was the same one who picked you up at the store that day. Broad shoulders, rigid posture and observant – ex-military maybe. Definitely a bodyguard.

So you’ve come to your senses, he thought.

You nodded slightly, offering a half smile at something one of the wives said when your eyes landed on him. And then you smiled – not the polite, practiced smile you were giving the group. But a genuine smile, the kind that reached your eyes.

His chest tightened – an involuntary reflex he hadn’t experienced in a long time. He couldn’t remember the last time someone looked so happy to see him, and it affected him – probably more than he would admit out loud. You said goodbye to the group with a polite smile and started walking towards them.

“You know, I’m starting to believe it’s fate.” You tilted your head as you looked at him, your eyes shining with amusement.

He arched an eyebrow, curious.

“What?”

“Oh, you know, saving me from near-death situations.” You paused dramatically and started counting on your fingers. “The first time I almost got trampled to death. And now? I almost died of boredom.”

That got a genuine laugh out of him – something you did easily.

“That’s definitely something that could have happened, I didn’t know you sang at events like that.”

“I don’t sing. But this time I had ulterior motives. Let’s just say it was an exchange, as soon as I got your name.” You laughed at his frown, quickly correcting yourself. “It wasn’t illegal at all, I promise.”

Aaron tilted his head slightly, with an expression of disbelief – but the corners of his lips betrayed him with the beginning of a smile.

“Are you saying you negotiated a performance in exchange for information about me?”

You looked away with a thoughtful expression.

“It sounds pretty scary when you say it like that,” you muttered. “Anyway, that’s not relevant.”

He let out a low laugh. Rossi was right.

“I’ll make sure to check your background, although with your schedule, there wouldn’t be time to commit many crimes.”

“How do you know? - Oh my god, you researched me?” A disbelieving smile spread across his face.

He opened his mouth, ready to deny it, but quickly closed it. The pause was telling, he had given himself away.

“Research is too strong a word,” he replied, straightening up, “Let’s just say it was enough to get you informed.”

Liar.

You arched an eyebrow as you crossed your arms.

“Oh, is that what they call it these days?”

He scratched his throat, dismissing it with his hand.

“Anyway, that’s not relevant.”

You stared at him for a second, pretending to let it go before a mischievous smile spread across your lips.

“It’s not relevant? Because I think it’s very relevant, who has to keep an eye on who here?”

“We’re strangers, okay; let’s skip to the next part,” he said – in a failed attempt to maintain his composure. But there was an amused glint in his eyes.

“So you have topics? How many are we talking about, Agent Hotchner?”

Aaron crossed his arms, trying to keep his face impassive – despite the amusement clear in his eyes.

“You’re annoying.”

“I know,” you agreed softly, “But something tells me you like it.”

He looked away for a while, silently organizing his thoughts. Frowning, he returned his gaze to you.

“Of all the things I have to deal with, oddly enough, you’re the least annoying.”

You laughed, crossing your arms in mock offense.

“Was that supposed to be a compliment?”

“Initial apology.”

Your gaze softened, an amused chuckle escaping your lips.

“You’re terrible at this.”

“I know"

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English is not my first language are sorry for any mistake

If you have any ideas to contribute to the sequel I will be happy to receive them :)

tag: @duchesz @midnghtprentiss @jazzimac1967 @queenofnothng @leathynn @camihotchner @yourallaround-simp @pastelpinkflowerlife @padlockedheartsreading

[blairxbear]

How they react to you texting them for help, only to find out there's just a spider in your room...

UA Part 1 / UA Part 2 / Pro Heroes / Villains

Pure fluff, chaotic misunderstandings, and lots of over-the-top reactions!

Featuring: Tomura Shigaraki, Dabi/Toya Todoroki, Shuichi Iguchi/Spinner, Kai Chisake/Overhaul, Jin Bubaigawara/Twice, Atsuhiro Sako/Mr. Compress, Young All For One

Tomura Shigaraki 

Your Text:

"Tomura, HELP. I need you right now!! It’s an emergency!"

His Reaction:

Instantly on high alert.

Drops his controller mid-game, nearly breaking it.

"Who the fuck is messing with them?!"

Doesn’t even bother texting back.

MARCHES over to your place, hood up, fingers twitching.

KICKS OPEN YOUR DOOR. "Alright, who the hell am I killing?"

Sees you standing on your bed, clutching a pillow, pointing at the wall.

Sees the spider.

Absolute silence.

His eye twitches.

"…Are you fucking kidding me?"

You shake your head frantically. "IT’S HUGE, TOMURA."

Facepalms so hard, muttering about how he needs new friends.

Doesn’t even hesitate—just lifts his hand and DISINTEGRATES the wall along with the spider.

You stare at the gaping hole in your wall.

Tomura crosses his arms. "Problem solved."

You sigh. "You’re fixing that."

"Tch. Whatever. Just don’t text me like that again unless you’re actually dying."

Bonus: Next time, he replies with, "Spider or actual emergency? Answer carefully."

Toya Todoroki (Dabi)

Your Text:

"Dabi, please help! I need you NOW!"

His Reaction:

Smirks the second he sees your text.

"Heh. Guess I’m their first call for trouble, huh?"

Acts all casual but actually hurries over.

KICKS IN THE WINDOW instead of using the door.

"Alright, babe, where’s the danger?"

You frantically point at the spider on the wall.

Silence.

He just stares at you, then at the spider, then back at you.

Bursts out laughing.

"No fucking way. You texted me like you were being kidnapped—for a SPIDER?!"

You glare at him, still clinging to your bed. "It’s HUGE."

He’s still laughing, hands on his knees, wheezing.

"Babe, I set entire buildings on fire. And you want me to deal with this?"

Still laughing but casually flicks a small blue flame at the spider, incinerating it.

Turns to you, smirking. "You good now, princess?"

You pout. "I hate you."

"Nah, you love me." Winks and jumps back out the window like a menace.

Bonus: Next time, he sends you a meme of a spider before even showing up.

Shuichi Iguchi (Spinner) 

Your Text:

"Spinner, PLEASE COME FAST! I need your help!"

His Reaction:

Absolute panic.

Immediately assumes you’re in danger.

"SHIT. I GOTTA GO."

Sprints over like his life depends on it.

Barges in, slightly out of breath. "A-alright, what’s happening? Are you okay?!"

Sees you standing on a chair, shaking.

Sees the spider chilling in the corner.

Stops. Blinks. 

Realization hits.

"…Wait. You… texted me for a SPIDER?"

You nod.

You see his eye twitch like he’s having an internal crisis.

Debates whether he should be mad or find it cute.

Sighs, rubs the back of his head. "Jeez, (Y/N), you scared me."

Gently picks up the spider with his bare hands and takes it outside.

Comes back in, looking slightly exasperated. "Seriously, I thought you were dying."

You look away, embarrassed. "…It was big."

He chuckles, ruffling your hair. "Yeah, yeah. Just call me your personal Spider Slayer, I guess."

Bonus: Next time, he’s still gonna come running. But he’ll text first: "Is it an emergency or another spider?"

Kai Chisaki (Overhaul) 

Your Text:

"Chisaki, HELP. I need you right now! It’s an emergency!"

His Reaction:

IMMEDIATELY thinks you’re in serious danger.

Stops whatever he’s doing, fixes his gloves, and storms over like he’s about to commit a murder.

Slams the door open, eyes sharp. "Who touched you?"

Sees you standing on your chair, clutching a pillow.

Sees the spider on the wall.

Dead silence.

His eyes narrow.

Looks at you. Looks at the spider. Back at you.

"…You’re kidding me."

You shake your head frantically. "Chisaki, IT’S HUGE."

Scoffs, crosses his arms. "Disgusting. You made me rush over here for this?"

Reluctantly takes off his glove, touches the spider, and disintegrates it instantly.

Then disinfects his entire hand for five minutes while lecturing you.

"I deal with actual filth. And this is what you need me for?"

Glares but still stays long enough to make sure you don’t scream over another one.

Bonus: Next time, he just sends you a picture of hand sanitizer with the text: "Handle it yourself."

Jin Bubaigawara (Twice) 

Your Text:

"JIN, PLEASE HELP! I NEED YOU NOW!"

His Reaction:

Instant panic.

"OH SHIT, HOLD ON, I’M COMING—WAIT, AM I GOING? YES, I AM—NO, I’M NOT—YES, I AM!"

Rushes over at full speed, nearly trips over himself.

Slams the door open, breathing heavily.

"WHO’S ATTACKING YOU?!"

Sees you standing on the couch, pointing at the floor.

Sees the spider.

You both scream.

"AHHHHHH IT MOVED— WHY AM I SCREAMING?!"

Runs behind you like you’re supposed to protect him.

Realizes what he’s doing, clears his throat, and puffs out his chest.

"Alright, babe, I GOT THIS."

Grabs a shoe and goes to smack the spider—misses.

Now both of you are running around the room, Jin panicking while also yelling at himself.

Finally traps the spider under a cup, breathing hard.

"THAT WAS TOO CLOSE. I ALMOST DIED—WAIT, NO, I DIDN’T—YES, I DID—NO, I’M FINE!"

Hugs you dramatically. "We survived, babe."

Bonus: Now, every time you text him, he responds with "SPIDER OR ACTUAL DEATH?" before showing up.

Atsuhiro Sako (Mr. Compress) 

Your Text:

"Atsuhiro, HELP ME! IT’S URGENT!"

His Reaction:

Reads the text, raises an eyebrow.

Fixes his hat, intrigued. "Hmm. My dear needs rescuing? This sounds interesting."

Casually walks over like he has all the time in the world.

Steps inside, sees you standing on your desk.

Sees the spider.

Pauses. Tilts his head. Smirks.

"Darling… is this the life-threatening emergency?"

You glare at him. "Atsuhiro, IT’S GONNA JUMP."

Chuckles, dramatically removing his glove.

With a flourish, he flicks his wrist, and POOF—the spider is compressed into a tiny marble.

Shows it to you with a smug grin. "I believe the villain has been apprehended."

You sigh in relief, but then he just… doesn’t let it go.

Pockets the marble and smirks. "I think I’ll keep this as a reminder of how terribly brave you were."

For the next week, he casually rolls the "spider marble" between his fingers just to mess with you.

Bonus: Next time, he responds with, "Shall I bring my hat and perform a grand disappearing act for another spider?"

Young All for One 

Your Text:

"AFO, PLEASE HELP! I need you right now!"

His Reaction:

Reads the text, slightly irritated but also intrigued.

"Hmm. How interesting. They rarely ask for help."

Walks over like a king gracing you with his presence.

Steps inside, sees you curled up on the bed.

Sees the spider in the corner.

Pauses.

Slowly looks at you with the most UNIMPRESSED expression imaginable.

"…You summoned me… for this?"

You nod, wide-eyed. "It’s huge."

He sighs, rubbing his temple. "You are aware I command a legion of villains, correct?"

Still disintegrates the spider effortlessly, then crosses his arms.

Looks at you like he’s deciding whether to be annoyed or entertained.

"This is beneath me, but… I suppose even the strongest require assistance sometimes."

Leans down, smirking. "You owe me."

Leaves dramatically, still shaking his head.

Bonus: Next time, he’ll just text back: "I am not exterminator. Handle it yourself." (But he’ll still show up anyway.)

Ko-fi / Masterlist

blairxbear © 2024. do not copy, modify, or translate my work. you do not have permission to share my work outside of tumblr!

[sexiestpodcastcharacter]

Sexiest Podcast Character 2024 — Unscripted Undefeated Bracket — Round 5−1

Propaganda

Pickman (Friends at the Table: Sangfielle):

Pickman! Shes tall! Shes a butch lesbian! She was raised by a train and despite fighting trains had a DEEP respect and affinity for them and the Shape! She’s got a giant gun. She’s shipped with the conductor(possible pet) of a “domesticated” train. She murdered a capitalist.

Husky (Hope's Hearth):

I would like to submit that Husky is a giant polar bear woman who is perpetually being climbed by a slightly smaller, but equally butch honey badger woman. And we all know honey badgers don't give a fuck. I'm just saying!

VOTE! FOR! THE! LESBIAN! BEAR!

Vote for a woman who can be sexy in multiple ways. She's a space pirate, she's a femme, she's a lesbian polar bear alien, she's fat. Vote for Husky!

Being able to pick up a man by his scruff and threaten him in a low voice without using your gun is sexy.

Audio message to Sammy Sinclair.

Art of both Pickman and Husky courtesy of @lotsadeer.

Additional propaganda below the cut:

Pickman (Friends at the Table: Sangfielle):

She's a giant goat woman who is a knight that fights trains and refuses to speak more than like five words in a row

This is propaganda for all the female characters. Voters please remember how pretty all women are and factor that into every single vote you make. Thank you.

VOTE PICKMAN

Husky (Hope's Hearth):

not only is she a giant polar bear woman, she has a Russian accent, is MASSIVE, fat, has huge tits, threatens people, and has a high rank in Sexy

She can crush a watermelon with her thighs. Or your head. Whatever you prefer.

She's a SPACE PIRATE on the Gilted Rose and uses her massive paws to solve problems. Husky WILL go through you. There is no stopping her.

Also did you know she's so big, a honey badger person can stand on her tits like a shelf?

She committed a successful honey heist and stole from a fascist empire. She helped save an eldritch god's girlfriend from demons who had taken over his library castle. She threatened to kill her boss, who she thought had been dead, because he was being a coward.

She's fat and powerful and deserves this.

did I mention she's a lesbian

A giant polar bear woman

This is propaganda for all the female characters. Voters please remember how pretty all women are and factor that into every single vote you make. Thank you.

Did I mention Husky is also a wizard, with stats in Sexy, Battle, and Wizard? Guess which stat is her highest

VOTE FOR MY HOT BEAR GIRLFRIEND

VOTE FOR SPANKS' INCREDIBLY HOT BEAR GIRLFRIEND

Spanks: THAT'S MY EXTREMELY HOT POLY GIRLFRIEND WHO I WOULD GLADLY MARRY IF SHE WAS COOL WITH IT babe did you bang a centipede and also a bird thing that's hot

Husky: We discuss marriage later, Пупсик.

We need everyone to vote for Husky

[penny-anna]

classic who companion exit tier list

long ass post!! here u go:

TOP TIER:

Ian and Barbara: listen they have a very simple arc with a simple goal. they wanna go back to 1960s London. perhaps one of the most joyous moments in the entire show. they go home!! the world has moved on without them but that's a problem for tomorrow! they are home! hooray!

Sara Kingdom: i have a lot of opinions on this one oh boy! firstly: the ending of The Daleks' Master Plan is absolutely brutal n i love it. it's the kind of 'we defeated the daleks but at what cost' ending nuwho constantly teases but never commits to. The Doctor pulled the trigger on the Time Destructor and killed one of this friends in the progress and now he has to live with that forever.

secondly: Sara makes her entrance by murdering her own brother and while the text never really dwells on this it makes perfect sense to me that she's willing to do basically anything to defeat the daleks. if the daleks win then she killed her brother for nothing. I also love the horribly irony of her starting out so unable to question authority that she guns Bret down in cold blood & then dying bcos she disregarded the Doctor's instructions. love that.

Jamie & Zoe: yeah this one is a horrible suckerpunch of an ending and i love that for them. love to watch Jamie and Zoe learn and grow as people so so much over their time with the Doctor and then have it all ripped away. the execution is a little shaky but its conceptually so so good i can forgive it all its janky sins.

Adric: also absolutely gutting. his arc across Earthshock is so good. love him managing to resolve things w the Doctor and then dying right afterwards. love him trying to prove to himself & the Doctor that he can solve the logic gates but also his genuine desperation to save a planet that isn't even his home. 'but now I'll never know if I was right'. outstanding.

Tegan: the very rare 'companion abruptly leaves at the end of an adventure' that actually works. poor poor Tegan. 'it stopped being fun, Doctor'. 100% in character for her to just impulsively walk away and 100% in character for the Doctor to just let her go.

Turlough: I actually re-watched Planet of Fire the other night and I forgot how good it is. underrated frankly. full on deep dive into who Turlough is and where he came from. first name reveal. wonderful demonstration of Turlough's character growth since he came aboard.

Ace: arguably im cheating here as she doesn't have a TV exit but honestly I'm counting her. Ace affirming that the TARDIS is her home now and going off to have 1000 more adventures with the Doctor is the perfect ending for her. no notes.

PRETTY GOOD TIER:

Susan: so in theory I think this is the perfect ending for Susan. right from the start it's obvious that Earth is her adopted home world and she wants to stay there for good; staying behind to help them rebuild after the dalek invasion is a lovely way to bring her character full circle. and honestly I'm into the Doctor locking her out of the TARDIS. it's very in character all around. there's just something Off and vaguely sexist about the execution that knocks this one out of the top tier for me.

Katarina: im in favour of characters dying and on a certain level I love that they did this. it's just so exactly the kind of situation that Dr Who companions normally survive. uh oh Katarina's in danger! tune in next week and see how the Doctor will save her - oh. oh no. :( however this is a case where the ??? behind the scenes situations has me like honestly i don't think they should have done any of this. :/

Ben and Polly: as above I do think this was the right ending for them. they didn't leave home voluntarily and they get to go home. it also feels very apt that (unlike Ian and Barbara) they get sent back to the same day they left, making it kind of easier and also kind of harder to grapple with the consequences of what happened? just a real pity that the circumstances of the actors leaving the show made the execution so half-assed.

Jo: definitely the best of the 'companion leaves the doctor to get married' endings. far and away the most developed romance. love also that Jo made up her mind to quit travelling with the Doctor before even meeting Cliff. unfortunately: i just really fucking hate Cliff and I wish he was dead. :)

Harry Sullivan: honestly nothing wrong w this one. Harry had a good time and then he decided it wasn't for him and peaced out. fine from a character perspective i just think their reasoning for writing him out was kind of BS.

Sarah Jane: very mixed feelings on this one. I do get what they were going for and part of me really enjoys it. i just think Sarah could have had a better ending? honestly i don't know how I'd have ended this one.

K9: i don't really care about K9 but i think it's cute that the Doctor gave Romana the dog :3

OKAY TIER:

Vicki: I mean this one could have been a lot worse. the romance is very rushed but legitimately sweet. love her hugging the TARDIS goodbye. just sucks that they fired the actress. deserved a better ending.

Victoria: I think Victoria being like 'this isn't working for me, I just want to go back to a normal life' is the correct & proper ending for her. it's just one of those companion endings that's kind of abrupt and arbitrary and i don't love it.

Romana II: I think Romana heading off to be a solo adventurer in her own universe is the exact right ending for her & also love her being like 'tee hee the time lords can't make me go home if I hide in this pocket dimension :)'. however does unfortunately feel a arbitrary. wish they'd given her more of a send off.

Nyssa: feel similarly about this to above? like Nyssa choosing a new home for herself & her leaving to do medical research is on point. just feel like Terminus isn't a great send off for the character. would have liked more oomph.

Mel: yes this one is a bit perplexing but honestly in character of Mel to just breeze out of the Doctor's life like that and the whole scene is very cute. I'm into it.

BAD TIER:

Steven: look they just didn't write Steven an ending. of all the 'companion just kind of leaves at the end of an otherwise normal serial' i think this might be the worst. deserved massively better.

Dodo: perhaps the worst?? perhaps the very worst? vanishes without even saying goodbye. Dodo went to live on a farm with lots of space to run around w the other Dodos. :) she's fine don't worry about it.

Liz: character removed for sexist BS reasons. vanishes between seasons. i will give it 1 point for Liz's stated motivation of not wanting to be the Doctor's lab assistant being an actually decent reason for her to have left. just wish we could have seen the conversation. ):<

Leela: perhaps tied w Steven for stupidest 'companion just leaves' ending w an extra helping of sexism. do she and Andred even talk to each other?? do they talk ever?? what the fuck was this. fucking bullshit.

Romana I: honestly a hard one to classify as obvs she and Romana II are the same character but like really sucks that they didn't bring Mary Tamm back to film an actual regen and the bafflingly nature of the regeneration scene just kind of adds insult to injury. and then i think the producers lied about why she left? what?? awful.

Kamelion: look im just gonna say it everything about Kamelion was a mistake, including his ending. non-character.

Peri: what the fuck even was this. frankly if they'd stuck with the original ending i would have still put it in bad tier (and as seen above i like when companions get exploded & die) bcos it's just over the line nasty. attempting to walk it back by having her marry Brian Blessed was absolutely baffling. this was just a fucking mess.

[atlantis-just-drowned]

A/N: Can you tell I'm obsessed with this man? In case you couldn't, here is one more x reader post about him. I wrote it all in one time. It's not even going to be the last. I wish I could say "enjoy" but 95% of my audience and probably of this website in general doesn't know about this man and couldn't care less about him. Still, enjoy my mad ramblings, losers.

CW: There will be a SFW and a NSFW part. For the SFW part: post-canon, mention of PTSD symptoms, maybe also implied cyber-bullying if you squint really hard. For the NSFW part: mention of choking, mention of death, love marks, dumbification, mention of edging, mention of being put on a leash

Damien x reader general headcanons

Please reblog to show support! Likes make posts die :(

Masterlist

SFW

Goofiest goof to have ever goofed

Damien loves being silly with you

Whether it's cracking dumb jokes, getting extra-cheesy, or even randomly spinning you around while he hums a song

He just loves to see you smile, and he can't help but be in a good mood when you're around

Delivers the worst pick up lines, but in a way that's so smooth you'd be almost admirative

Makes a lot of funny voices/tones all the time. Vocal stims go hardddd

Also lots of funny faces too

The amount of details about you he has memorized is insane, you became one of his biggest interests the moment he got a crush on you and he commit every single thing he learns about you to memory

Because of that, he also CANNOT shut up about you. Everyone on earth knows you're his partner

Shows you off on his lives, if you're at his place while he's doing a FAQ, at some point he's going to fetch you and put you on his laps so you can say hi

The first video he does after going back from Nevermoor he's talking about how he found the most perfect partner ever I swear he's down BAD

It definitely causes problem because his community is insane and not all of them are good people, but he does everything he can to protect and manage this aspect for you

I mentioned it in a previous post but I'm certain he has a 4chan account. I'm convinced that canon implies it and will die on this hill

Also, once again based on canon, I'm pretty sure he's a terrible cook, he can't make a good, healthy meal to save his life, which makes the fact that Freddie is good at it even funnier

Like, you've seen Freddie cook before (paywalled canon). It was awesome. You loved the meal. And the moment you leave this cursed place and Damien tries to cook something for you, it's burnt and terrible. The shift is so jarring it leaves you absolutely confused

His apartment is canonically an absolute disastrous mess, but once you start tagging along and you two regularly go to each other's place, he starts trying to keep it cleaner

However, the murder conspiracy boards stay ON

I think after everything that happened back in Nevermoor, he has a hard time talking about true crime like he used to

It definitely has a huge impact on his work and how he talks about those subjects

But it's also his biggest special interest and a way for him to externalize everything, so he doesn't stop his channel either

He also gets anxious and has panic attacks a lot more easily. Definitely keeps having sleeping issues (insomnia and nightmares mostly)

Expect to be treated as sleep medication. He cannot spend a good night without spooning you. You don't entirely solve his sleeping problems but he feels a lot less lonely with you by his side and it helps, in a way

Yaps at you. All the time. He loves yapping. Cannot shut up for the life of him.

Very dedicated boyfriend. Does everything he can to help you around and make himself useful

So affectionate too, he tells you how much you mean to him all the time. Looks at you like you're his entire world

He won't ever admit it but you just make him melt inside. He spent so much time building his cool, chill persona only for you to make him act like a flustered, awkward nerd

Honestly his vibes are somewhere between the nerd emoji and a himbo/himbim lmao

Zero survival instinct

I headcanon him to be AuDHD

NSFW

Carries a bottle of lube with him literally everywhere. I'm sorry but him behind paywall carrying lube in the most unexpected moment will forever be proof to me

Literally down for anything anytime and anywhere if it's for you. Seeing you turned on is a huge turn on for him

He tends to dom more but can sub too from time to time

Remember how I said he can't ever shut up? Yeah. He WILL keep rambling while he fucks you. He makes less and less sense the longer you're at it

Gets desperate so so easily. You don't even have to do much to keep him going. The closest Damien gets to his own end the more his voice turns pleading

Do I even need to mention that he likes it rough? It's just (paywalled) canon at this point. He fucks into you like a madman, he can't help it. Always asking you to go harder on him when you're in charge

Also loud as fuck. He not only can't stop making noises the whole time, but said noises can be heard from outside the motherfucking apartment. Don't even get me started on how bad it gets when he cums

You tried to edge him once. You had to convince your neighbors that they didn't need to call the police because what they heard wasn't your boyfriend dying a brutal and painful death

Loves leaving marks, whether it's you marking him up or the other way around, he just loves it. Hickeys, bite marks, bruises, nail scratches, chocking marks, lipstick if you wear makeup, you name it.

Also loves to fuck you stupid. He likes it when you do it to him but there's just something incredibly arousing for him in the idea of railing his amazing, clever partner so hard they can't spell their own name

He wouldn't mind being put on a leash either. Idk why I just think he'd like it. Definitely would get embarrassed about it tho.

[mysticbby2009]

Rivals & Revisions Part 6 – This Is Worse Than Hell.

(masterlist) ; (part 1) ; (part 2) ; (part 3) ; (part 4) : (part 5)

Two hours.

You had been stuck in this library with Rafe Cameron for two whole hours, and somehow, you hadn’t committed murder yet. A miracle, honestly.

"Okay," Rafe said, stretching his arms behind his head. "Let’s test your knowledge. Quickfire round. No thinking, just answering."

You sighed. "Do I have a choice?"

"Not at all." His smirk was way too pleased. "Alright—marginal cost?"

"Change in total cost divided by change in quantity."

"Good." He tapped the table. "Law of diminishing returns?"

"As you add more of a variable input, at some point, the additional output will decrease."

"Perfect. Deadweight loss?"

"When the market is inefficient—why are you looking at me like that?" You narrowed your eyes. "Why do you look impressed?"

Rafe shrugged, but the way he was grinning made you suspicious. "Just surprised you actually retained information. You know, since my notes are so useless."

You groaned, shoving your textbook toward him. "You’re so annoying."

"Annoying, but right." He leaned forward, tapping the book. "And speaking of right, this next problem? No way you get it on the first try."

You exhaled sharply, willing yourself to focus, and started solving it. Halfway through, though—

You stalled.

You stared at the equation, pen hovering above the paper, but your mind would not cooperate.

It wasn’t just the econ problem. It was everything. The exhaustion from the past two weeks, the pressure of catching up, the weight of whatever the hell was still dragging you down.

Rafe noticed. Of course he did.

"Hey," he said, and this time, his voice lacked its usual taunting edge. "You’re overthinking it."

You clenched your jaw. "I’m not—"

"You are." He tapped the paper. "Look, you got the first part right. Just finish it."

You tried. You really did. But nothing clicked, and your frustration only grew.

"Jesus," you muttered, shoving the paper away. "I can’t do this right now."

Rafe was quiet for a second. Then—

"Want to take a break?"

You blinked. "What?"

"A break," he repeated, closing your textbook before you could protest. "You’re fried, and I refuse to be blamed when you short-circuit mid-exam."

You huffed, crossing your arms. "I don’t need a break."

"You absolutely do," he said. Then, with a teasing smirk, "Unless you’re scared you’ll fall behind me again?"

You gave him a deadpan look. "This is why people hate you."

"And yet, here we are."

You groaned, but… maybe he had a point.

Maybe, for just a second, you needed to breathe.

So, against your better judgment—

You let Rafe Cameron lead you out of the library, your unfinished problem set temporarily forgotten.

[eriexplosion]

I posted this in a random reply a few weeks ago but it continues to haunt me: semi-comedy rewrite of TBB season one where Crosshair's chip still activates but never gets boosted so he stays in that weird half Empire fanboy half loyal Batcher state and actually escapes Kamino with them. He keeps trying to commit murder to solve every problem and gets increasingly dramatically agitated when told no. Eventually he's just tremoring like a chihuahua with the desire to kill as they keep redirecting him away from ever coming into contact with Imperial soldiers. Half of Cut and Run is now dedicated to giving him various Farm Tasks to keep him distracted while they plan their next move. Everyone has to wait for him to inevitably nap to try to plan out what the fuck to do with him because no matter where they go on the Marauder he can overhear them.

When Rex shows up and sees what's wrong with him, he just fucking stuns his ass like "see how easy that was" (of course it's easy for him REX DOESN'T LIKE HIM.) The entire rest of the episode is punctuated with Rex casually stunning him repeatedly while they get set up to get the chips taken out. He's living his dream honestly.

[whetstonefires]

Interesting thing cql did with Meng Yao is that in reordering the timeline they massively changed his relationship with Nie Mingjue.

Novel Meng Yao joined the Nie in a time of war--implicitly, there was a mass recruiting drive he took advantage of--and was elevated to nmj's aide after he caught a group of his disciples bullying the guy about his parentage. This did not entirely solve his problems, since in a telling scene within the flashback only Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen are willing to drink tea he poured, because he is dirty.

Later he requested transfer to the Jin with nmj's recommendation, for the sake of his goal of getting his father's acceptance; this went badly. Nie Mingjue caught him committing premeditated murder of a superior officer basically as a wild coincidence.

He refuses to let him off, so Meng Yao fakes suicide to get Nie Mingjue to lower his guard enough he can paralyze him and escape.

In the drama, Meng Yao is a Nie disciple already at the Cloud Recesses. He is mistreated within Nie Sect, and ultimately releases a mass murderer so he can frame the guy for a murder he wants to commit against another Nie disciple. Nie Mingjue is deeply wounded by this but punishes him by expelling him from the Nie.

I think book!nmj would object to this immensely. If you let a murderer go then any subsequent murders are your fault; this is a big part of the reason he was giving Jin Guangshan so much shit about Xue Yang, which is at least a major proximate cause of his own murder.

Anyway they next see each other in Nightless City and a lot of details are significantly different but events progress about the same in both mediums after that point. But that's such a different context!

In cql, Meng Yao can be said to have started on a path of murder etc specifically because Nie Mingjue failed him, within Nie Sect. He leaves because he is sent away.

In mdzs, the closest Nie Mingjue came to failing him per se was 'not agreeing to look the other way about murder,' and he did it three different times in different flavors. Meng Yao left him, initially, chasing his ambition; his lifelong dream of becoming recognized as a Jin.

That thing that would redeem his mother's sacrifices, that would wipe the stain of her from him, that would make it all somehow worth it.

This changes a lot about their relationship and the subtext of Nie Mingjue's own murder, but it also just. It really undercuts how central to Jin Guangyao's arc his hunger is.

He wants so bad. In a way that is never, can never be filled. He is a thing of need and envy. It directs him, it consumes him. It's impossible to know if he could ever have escaped.

Because he has absolutely appallingly bad luck, in certain ways--his victories are always filled with poison. Like, he's lucky in how many of his schemes come off and how often he gets away with things that could have backfired spectacularly.

But also his wins are always bad for him in some way, the crowning glory being scoring an ideal bride and trying to lock it in by deflowering her early, only to find out afterward she was his half sister.

If getting what he wanted had actually turned out well for him once ever (apart from killing his family members which went great except for the part where he got exposed and it ruined him) maybe the spiral could have come to a close.

But because everything consistently sucked in some way, setting him up for another go round the paranoia murder carousel, we can never know if that pit in his belly could ever have been satiated; if there was an out condition. If his compulsion to self-protect through self-advancement ever had a chance of ending in anything but self-destruction.

I find this ambiguity compelling.

[tossawary]

I'm only on Episode 5 of "Teen Wolf" and it's hard not to think about Stiles/Derek due to the pairing's influence as a fandom juggernaut throughout the 2010s. It has, over the years, occasionally made me intensely curious as to what was actually in the source material to spark this, versus how much of it was the migratory slash fanfiction fandom stuff.

I don't have... super strong opinions of them from the source material yet? I don't really think they have positive or negative chemistry at the moment. Their interactions are hampered by the fact that I think Derek Hale is currently kind of incoherent as a character, apparently not allowed to actually talk to anyone due to contrived drama reasons, preventing him from connecting naturally on an informational or emotional level to Stiles or Scott. Derek's backstory is still murky and largely unknown. Derek's personal goals here are also a little unclear. Some of this will be cleared up as the season goes on.

I do think that I personally would enjoy Derek more if he had actually been only a few years older than Scott and Stiles, as Stiles says in the first episode, and actually looked it as well. I think that Derek being younger, being another "teen wolf" at 19, would have 1) put him on more even footing with Scott, and 2) made him come across as more of a scared, cornered animal, lashing out at the Argents and stumbling around lost without his family/pack. Like, the traumatized lone wolf thing is apparently what's happening with Derek anyway, but I do think all that would be better communicated to the audience if Derek looked younger and more pathetic and was allowed to snap at / talk to people more and with purpose.

If Derek was younger, I also think that he would function as a better mirror / foil to Scott. Here's this kid who was born a werewolf (unlike Scott), had a big and loving family (Scott has a single, loving mother and an apparently better-absent father), and is now orphaned and homeless and friendless (unlike Scott). It would also make Kate look even more vile and I'm good with that. I know the writers are going to absolutely miss the opportunity to have Scott and Derek's relationship have some more positive give-and-take. Scott has a lot to offer Derek! Scott's kind heart is one of my favorite things about him so far!

Anyway, back to the Stiles/Derek stuff. Yeah, I would also like Stiles/Derek or Scott/Derek more as concepts if Derek was younger. Right now, from the actual canon material I've seen, disregarding the knowledge I've picked up over the years regarding Derek's life, Derek is mostly giving me Angel from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" vibes. And I really did not like Angel and especially not Angel/Buffy.

One positive thing I will say for Stiles/Derek is that I can absolutely see where the ship originally came from. Stiles does have some very queerbait-y lines with the "am I attractive to gay guys" humor. Derek is conventionally attractive. Derek and Stiles are the only two people in on the "Scott is a werewolf" problem, helping him out, and there's maybe a dash of "pair the spares" to it, but these two people are actually interacting and cooperating to solve problems together. And "I got you arrested for a murder you didn't commit" / "you need to cut off my arm" is a hell of a starting point for a ship. That's honestly great stuff. That's a level of freak that might generally inspire me to invent chemistry for a pair of characters, just to figure out how to make that relationship work.

In conclusion, I don't personally ship it, but I get it. I totally see where it came from.

[holylulusworld]

SHG for killers (2) – You (the reader)

Summary: 6 men meet up to talk about their problems. They soon realize they need someone to help them solve their problems. This person is you. Whether you like it or not.

Pairing: Steve Kemp x fem!Reader, Lloyd Hansen x fem!Reader, Robert Pronge (Mr. Freezy) x fem!Reader, Andy Barber x fem!Reader, God, the bounty hunter x fem!Reader, Ransom Drysdale x fem!Reader

Warnings: angst, hostage situation, language, kidnapping, plot twist, world building

A/N: Please consider Steve Kemp is not a cannibal in my story. This is an AU. All men are serial killers, killers, or hitmen.

SHG for killers (1) - The first meeting

Self-help group for killers masterlist

You’re fuming. No, it’s even worse. You are ready to commit murder and would regret splitting their skull with an ax.

One day. You only wanted one day off, but that’s too much to ask for. They all take days off without asking if you can cover their shift all the damn time.

“Never heard of work-life balance,” you snap at your boss. You huff as she doesn’t reply. “Yeah, you let me work overtime and didn’t pay me. But God forbid I take a day off because I’m having a terrible headache!”

“Ms. Y/L/N, you took the day off because you suffered from a hangover, not a headache. And it wasn’t the first time you stayed at home without giving us a call.”

You huff at her bitchy comment. “I wasn’t drunk or hungover.” You narrow your eyes when your colleague walks past you and your boss. She ratted you out, you know it. One drunk escapade, and you’re in trouble. “I was sick and had to stay home. It won’t happen again!”

“That’s right,” she huffs and crosses her arms over her chest. “It won’t happen again. You’re fired!”

“Fired?” You gasp loudly. “You can’t fire me! I quit, you uptight and stupid bitch!” You’re too angry to care that you just fucked your career over. Usually, you try to negotiate or talk things out, but your boss takes one step too far.

You twirl around and make your way toward your office, glaring at your colleagues on your way. None of them came to your aid. You covered for them more than once—to hell with all of them.

Walking toward your car, you sigh deeply. All that’s left of your career fits in a box. Great timing. You were about to move into a bigger apartment and buy a new car. Now that your regular income has turned to dust, you’re back to square one.

“Miss, can I help you?” You gasp when, out of nowhere, a man stands in front of you. He looks you up and down and runs his index finger and thumb over his mustache. “This looks heavy, sunshine. Let me help you.”

Out of instinct, you take a step back. This man means trouble; you just know it. There’s something in his blue eyes telling you to run.

“No, thanks,” you try to sound confident as you look around the underground car park. You can’t see other people but hear chatter coming from the other side of the underground car park. “My colleague will be here in a minute to help me, Sir.”

“Sir,” he hums. “I like it when you call me that.” He steps even closer to snatch the box out of your hands. “Why don’t we stop with this nonsense?”

He drops the box and reaches for you to grab you, but you sidestep him. The man huffs and lunges forward, but you dodge his attack.

“HELP!” You scream, but the two people you heard talk earlier ignore your screams for help. “HELP!”

“FIRE!” Now that they look your way, you wave at them, but instead of helping you, they run off, leaving you alone with the man.

“Aw, princess,” this time, he tackles you to the ground and pins you to the cold concrete. “Stop fighting me, or this will hurt you more than me.” He tries to cover your mouth with one hand and restrain your wrist with a pair of handcuffs.

No, you won’t go down easily. You use the last strength left in you and knee him in the groin. He whines for a second and bites his lower lip. The man breathes through the pain while angrily staring at you.

Even if you can’t defeat him, you fight back. You smirk behind the hand covering your mouth and glare at him.

“I love me a good romp, princess,” he purrs in your ear. “Let’s make things a little easier for me. I’d like to transport you in the backseat, not the trunk.”

Your eyes widen as he gets a syringe out. Wiggling underneath him, you shake your head. The fucker is heavy, and it feels like his body is corded in muscles. Fuck, he will bring you to a second location, and this can’t be good.

You bite the hand covering your mouth, earning a slap to your thigh. The sting distracts you long enough for the man to ram the needle into your thigh. “Easy there, princess. We can get kinky later.”

Wrapped like a package and gagged, you sit in the middle of what looks like a chair circle. The man who kidnapped you sits on one of the chairs. You don’t recognize the others, though.

“Gentlemen, here’s the solution for all of our problems. Mr. Andrew Barber’s sweet secret. I got her for us. Oh, and I grabbed some of her shit and burned down her place to make her disappearance believable—or rather her death.”

One of them cocks his head to look at you. He looks rather bored than interested. “We don’t need another member,” he says, and goes back to checking on his phone.

“Don’t be a spoilsport, God,” the guy kidnapping you says and elbows the man in the ribs. “She’s fun. Little Miss Sunshine tried to knee me in the groin. Can you believe this? She’s a firecracker. No wonder, Barber is head over heels for her.”

“She’s not too bad to look at,” one of the others says. You glare at your kidnapper and narrow your eyes, daring him to get close to you. “Good job, Hansen. So, what do we do with her?”

“What do we do—?” Hansen, your kidnapper, says. “Kemp, I thought you were a lil’ smartass. What do we do with a pretty ripe cupcake?” He smirks at you. “We eat it.”

“What’s going on here?” A familiar voice fills your ears. You jerk your head toward the new arrival and huff. Of course, it was him. The creep snapping pictures of you at the practice. Andy Barber. “Who is…”

“I got her for you… I mean us... Lloyd proudly states and points at you sitting in the middle of their chair circle.

“What the fuck! Hansen!” Andy barks. “What did you do? You’ll get us all in trouble!”

“What?” Lloyd shrugs. “You talked so much about her and whined. I did you a favor and grabbed her. Now we have a good doctor in the house.”

“Hey!” Kemp grunts. “I’m a doctor. She’s just…” He gets up to look down at you. “…a bitch talking my patient out of surgery. Hmm…she looks different in that light, though.”

“Who cares about the light?” Robert grunts. “Can she help us or not?”

“Oh, she will help us,” Lloyd crouches down next to you to cup your chin. “Right, baby cakes. You’ll sing for me when I eat that muffin.”

“Lloyd!” Andy yells to get Hansen’s attention.

“What? I’m busy here!” Lloyd yells back.

“That’s not my therapist,” Andy says while running one hand down his face. “You fucking idiot! You kidnapped the wrong woman!”

Part 3

Tags in reblog.