#Because for me I feel like magic 'interfers' with the will of the Gods

[hellenic-fire]

As I find my way into Hellenic Polythiesm, I find myself getting pulled more and more into practicing magic again, but I'm not too sure. Would any hellenic polythiestic witches be willing to share how their worship intertwines with their practice?

[oozedninjas]

Angst request for the bayverse boys! You said you like ‘dark topics’ and I need to hurt, so I want to know ur thoughts on what each one’s biggest insecurities are when it comes to dating and asking out their crush specifically.

Hopefully you are having a good one, love your writing btw.

Not dark per se but...

Leo

Leo doubts whether he should confess his feelings because he knows his place in the world: he's a mutant turtle who defends the city and his brother's leader.

He's excellent at that!

But being a good boyfriend? God, how should he act if one day love and duty clash, interfering with each other?

He worries that his commitment to his family and his responsibilities might make it hard for him to have a romantic relationship.

He's concerned he won't be able to balance being a leader with being a good partner.

Raph

The idea of "confession" fricking paralyzes him. Not because he isn't bold enough, 'cause he is.

But because you could say no. And then your friendship would be fried too.

He'd just hope that his flirty attitude, along with some well-placed compliments here and there would do the trick of magically showing you he likes you.

So, what he most fears is rejection. Yet, not the "You're not my type, but it's cool if we're friends :)" kind of rejection, but the cruel:

"Me? With a sewer turtle? As if!"

Donnie

He's revolving around not being attractive enough, not in terms of his physical appeal but in the charismatic, and bold sense.

Like, isn't he boring?

God, he's a fucking nerd!

Besides, how is he supposed to confess?

"Hey, I'm utterly infatuated with you because of your brilliance, your exquisite beauty, your boundless creativity, and—"

And then face rejection.

Yeah, thanks, but no thanks.

Donnie also worries that his intellectual pursuits might make him appear distant or too absorbed in his work, causing his crush to lose interest.

Mikey

The top of his worries is to be brushed off as a joke.

"Haha, in love with me? Mikey, the funny dude strikes again, everyone!"

That's his worst nightmare.

He fears his crush to view him as shallow or not mature enough for a serious relationship.

Mikey worries that his carefree nature could be misunderstood as a lack of emotional depth, making him anxious about being seen as a good, understanding boyfriend.

[itwasthereaminuteago]

|| In A Week ||

frank castle x female reader

Tags/warnings: sad, angsty, reader is um... dead, Frank is not dealing well, implied sort-of suicide attempt/lack of care.

I recommend reading the short fic Seeya first if you want to amp up the sadness! 😜

It's been a while since he's been here, usually it was almost everyday without fail but lately…

When he places his hand on the earth it feels warm, but only from the waning afternoon sun. The sky is that heavy, stormy yellow-grey colour now, and as he tilts his head up and closes his eyes he can feel the pressure change in the muggy air. 

You loved storms. Told him countless times there was magic in them but damn, he'd swear the magic was all you as you had dragged him out on the balcony and kissed him stupid in the pouring rain. 

And then, not long after, God had said no. There would be no more dancing in the storms, no dinners out, no weekend adventures, no more sleepy mornings wrapped up in each other. No more anything for you, for his girl. 

Whatever purpose this God had in mind for you, it was done, but he wasn't yet done with Frank.

take me you motherfucking coward, take me.

He wishes so hard that it was the sound of your laughter echoing in his ears instead of the fading of your final breath. He tries picturing the brightness of your eyes and the warmth of your smile, but all he can see is the jolting of your  vulnerable body as the bullets ripped through and took you from him.

I'm so sorry, baby. Should've done better by you. It should've been me.

He's not asking for forgiveness as he whispers those words into the soft wind. If you could reach across the void he'd eagerly listen for your punishment, he'd beg you to tell him exactly how to suffer, because he'd do it a million times over and it still wouldn't be enough. It can't ever be enough.

One minute you were there, smiling, laughing, screaming, loving him, and then you just… weren't. 

It's okay, I'll see you…

He didn't understand, despite the myriad of lives he's taken he couldn't get his head around how this had happened. How he'd let it. It wasn't supposed to happen to you, you were meant to be different, separate to all of that, untouchable.

He hunches over, his fingers digging hard into the wet soil like you'd just reach up through it and he could bring you back. Or that you'd pull him under with you.

But you don't. His throat closes up, his body shakes but his sobs are muted by the thunder, and tears are lost in the rain.

He presses his fingers first to his lips, then to the letters of your name carved in the headstone.

Seeya.

He leans up against it as comfortably as he can with the way he's bleeding out. 

It's over. It won't be that long until he's with you again.

Things are just starting to get murky and go dark when he feels his body being lifted up.

Stop fighting me Frank, I'm trying to help

no… 

A weak murmur at first, then louder as he regains consciousness.

"NO! Leave me here, let me be with her! Let me be with her!" Even in his weakened state he's roaring, furious desperation cracking his voice as he's pulled further away from you.

"You know I can't do that."

So then, this was his punishment, to be dragged back into a living hell by the devil. To suffer a life without you in it.

"I'm gonna… kill you," Frank rasps, "I'm gonna fuckin' kill you, Red."

The devil wasn't for listening, hoisting him over his shoulders and staggering up the hill. "Yeah okay, but later. Gotta get you to a hospital first."

"Just let me fuckin' go Red, let me die. I'm done."

~

The incessant steady beep of the heart monitor was mocking him. The holes in him now stitched and taped up, proof of life soaking through the stark white dressings.

"Hey." Red says from the corner of the room.

Frank winces. Goddamn fucking self-righteous prick was always interfering. Taking his choice from him. He wanted to wring his neck but the fight in him was quickly draining away as he remembered just why they were here.

"I- I can't, can't do this without her." Frank's voice was quiet and hoarse as it broke. He didn't give a fuck if Red could smell his fucking tears or whatever, he was just full on crying rivers now. It was one thing at least that had been getting easier.

Matt comes closer to the side of the bed.

"She'd want you to live for her, you know that Frank. You're strong, you can survive."

Frank scoffs and shakes his head before wiping tears away. "Sh-she was it for me, made me strong… an' I don't know… she was everything."

Matt's hand is gentle on his shoulder.

"And that's why you have to keep on going, for her. Ask me how I know."

Frank didn't need to, he knew what Red had gone through, brought to a low place he almost hadn't come back from. 

Matt sighs, remembering. "It's not easy. It takes time, but you're not alone, and you've got help if you need it."

Frank's in a daze, doesn't know if it's the blood loss or what but he just keeps on shaking his head. "I dunno Red, I dunno."

I'm lost. I'm so lost.

"It's alright, we'll figure it out."

Frank feels gutted out, vacant. Memories of you like they happened yesterday reel through his mind and sting the backs of his eyes like someone has jammed fucking razorblades in there.

Sure, whatever you say Red. 

"Yeah, yeah."

[stormfirebeauty]

Still thinking about how Leo is the only one of the seven who doesn’t really have ties outside of the quest.

Hear me out. Percy and Piper both still have a solid human life to go back too. Annabeth too although I’d say she’s more tied to camp half blood.

Frank and and Hazel both really care about camp Jupiter despite not having been there long. Jason actually feels very closely tied to both camps which causes him conflict. He seems to think he doesn’t know where he belongs but he DOES feel connected to both places.

Leo though… he’s a BIT attached to camp half blood. Not as much as the others tho. I don’t have my copy of MoA rn so I can’t find text support but I’m pretty sure there’s a part in his POV where he talks about it too. He was at Bunker 9 significantly more than the camp. It’s actually so so impressive he manages to pull his irresponsible goofball act off as much as he does. Cause like this dude WORKED. He built an impossible magic ship in like six months. I’m pretty sure there’s a part where it’s mentioned even HE doesn’t totally understand the magic power my the ship. Bonkers.

So anyway he isn’t that connected to his human life (because it burned in a dumpster fire) and he’s not that connected to camp half blood. But WAY more than the rest of the 7 he is connected to this quest. He’s literally been dreaming about this ship since he was a kid that he would one day build for there people. I think the bonds between the seven could’ve been more built up in general but I gotta say Leo has some STRONG connections compared to the rest. Jason and piper are obvious that’s literally what I made this blog about years ago.

But the rest too. He doesn’t talk with Annabeth much but they do have this interesting relationship of ship builder/commander and quest leader also both being absolute geniuses. Like the only ones who can even Kind of keep up with each other there’s a lot of mutual respect (and fear he is a bit scared of her but that’s just smart). Percy and Leo are interesting bc in theory they have so much in common but one of the only deeepish conversations the have is about Calypso?? BUT his extreme guilt when Percy and Annabeth are in Tarturus bc he thinks he traded them for Frank and Hazel??

Yeah let’s talk about Frank and Hazel. I’m ignoring the love triangle bc I don’t care for it and it’s irrelevant to what I’m talking about. Hazel and Leo have the obvious connection of Leo grandfather being Sammy but ALSO the thing we don’t talk about enough is how both of the childhoods were defined by this quest more than anyone else. Gae interfered with both of them HEAVILY and they both suffered for it, AND carry huge amounts of guilt for what she manipulated them into doing.

And then one of the most underrated friendships that is Leo and Frank. Because Frank’s one weakness is fire and Leo IS FIRE. Like they are each others worst god damn fear. Leo REALLY fears the consequences of his destructive powers which is something he has to learn to work past and Frank really fears his mortality BECAUSE HE HAS TO CARRY IT AROUKD WITH HIM SO VALID. Trusting each other is like confronting those fears… (ok so maybe it wasn’t done that well in canon but that’s not the point).

ANYWAY what’s crazy is I don’t think anyone else really realizes this. Like Leo’s whole woo is me I’m the seventh wheel thing seems really self pitying but… you could argue that everyone on the ship was more invested in someone else on board and on their lives outside of the quest. Like, this is Leo’s life. And he’s their side character (i don’t think this is actually true at all for Jason and Piper but he doesn’t know that ugh). His character is so crazy to me.

[iprobablyshipit91]

Magical Blooms

Genre: romance / mutual pining / fluff

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Female Reader

Word Count: 4.4k

Warnings: none I think?

Written for: @spnchristmasbingo

Square filled: Flower Shop AU

SPN Masterlist

My first ever Dean Winchester fic and I’m terrified. Please let me know what you think! Also, all the flowers used at each part of the story are used for a reason…

This wasn't a big deal. Nope. No. Not at all. Not in the slightest. Actually, it was the exact opposite of a big deal. An insignificant speck if you will. And one that certainly hadn’t even registered on your radar. After all, there was a flurry of customers walk through the doors to Magical Blooms each and every day, and quite a number of these were regulars. Just because one of those regulars was an undeniably gorgeous man that flirted shamelessly, owned more flannel than you thought possible for one person, had adorable bow legs, and the most captivating green eyes that you had ever seen was most certainly not a big deal. And just because he was inexplicably absent today after you’d seen him every Friday without fail for the last six months was also not a big deal. It's not like you had really noticed anyway, having spent the morning softly singing Christmas songs along to the radio whilst putting together a similarly themed bouquet with holly, pine, and red chrysanthemums. And okay, maybe you were secretly hoping he would love said bouquet, but that also wasn’t a big deal. You just liked to please your customers. And anyway, all of this had to be no big deal whether you liked it or not because he had a girlfriend. A girlfriend that he came and bought flowers for weekly without fail, coming into the store and carefully choosing something different and unique rather than having an easier standing order. You couldn’t decide if he was completely in love or just an incredibly attentive boyfriend. Either way, you couldn’t let it be a big deal.

He had first rushed in to your little shop at the end of May and purchased a beautiful and remarkably expensive bouquet of white roses. You couldn’t help but drink in the way he had looked in a dark Henley, red plaid button down and jeans, shaking yourself a little to ensure you weren’t just gaping as he paid with his card. The small smirk on his face before he hurried out told you that you might not have succeeded as well as you’d hoped.

The next week he was back much to your delight; his dirty blonde hair gorgeously disheveled and green eyes sparkling at you the second he walked in. After casually browsing the shop he made a beeline towards you.

"Which of these do you like better?" he had asked as he approached, one hand holding yellow carnations and the other deep pink gloxinia. You put the pen down on top of the order form you’d been failing to fill out for the last ten minutes and forced yourself to go into professional mode. You were used to helping guys pick flowers; just because this one looked like a damn Greek god didn’t stop you doing your job.

"They are both great choices. Are they for a special someone? Or maybe a special occasion?"

"Well sweetheart, I guess I would say they’re for a special someone." he smirked, wetting his lips with his tongue and you couldn't help the way your heart beat a little faster at his deep rumble.

"Okay, well what sort of flowers does she like? Or does she have a favourite colour maybe?"

"Uh…" he faltered.

"Or he." You quickly amended, hoping you hadn't offended him. His eyes bulged a little and you were sure the flowers weren't for a man. You couldn't help feeling a little pleased.

"No." he shook his head, looking a little flustered. He took a deep breath. “No. I…" But his answer was cut short by the sharp call of Rowena, your interfering but well meaning boss and the owner of Magical Blooms.

"Y/n!"

"Excuse me just one second," you told him before meeting Rowena at the door to the back room.

"I don't pay you to flirt with customers now do I dear. I don't care how attractive they are." You felt your cheeks heat up at the volume of the older lady’s Scottish brogue. There was no way he hadn't heard her.

"Rowena!" You whispered indignantly. "Don't be embarrassing. He is buying flowers for his girlfriend!"

"Well that is a damned shame" she whispered back with a mischievous smirk, her eyes darting over to the perfection still stood at the counter. “Because that man is delicious." You rolled your eyes. You had a strange but very close relationship with the older woman having worked in her shop since you were a kid. From the way you spoke to each other though people wouldn’t have known. Most of the time your conversations sounded more like arguments. You spun on your heel with Rowena calling with a smirk "Remember I won't hesitate to fire you!"

You heaved a sigh, biting your lip to stop the retort that was brewing. Instead you made your way back to the handsome customer, plastering on a smile to cover the fact you were positive he had heard every word.

"Sorry. My boss." You rolled your eyes again.

He laughed; a deep sound that struck you low in the stomach and sent your heart into overdrive once again. "I understand, Sweetheart."

You shot him a grateful smile, keeping eye contact longer than was necessary. The green captivating you completely.

"So…do you know what flowers your girlfriend likes?" You asked again, desperately clinging on to your professionalism.

He shook his head a smirk on his handsome face. "We have only just met."

"Hmmm…." You thought briefly, glancing between the flowers. "I would say most women would probably pick the carnations out the two. They are a pretty safe bet."

He nodded but looked at you thoughtfully, narrowing his eyes, like he was trying to read your expression. "I asked which you liked better though, and you prefer the pink ones, don’t you?"

You tried to hide your surprise that he had noticed your preference for the gloxinia. You frowned and his smirk grew, his eyebrow rising mischievously.

“Yes, I just think they’re beautiful." You said honestly with a shrug. With a satisfied nod and a breath-taking smile that lit up his whole face, he quickly returned the carnations to their place.

"Gloxinia it is then!" he said; his smile boyish and utterly adorable.

You grinned back helplessly as you reached for the flowers in his hand and firmly ignored the hum of electricity in your body as your fingers gently brushed.

"My name is Dean." He said as you rung up the bouquet.

"Y/n."

That visit was just the start and you very quickly found that you looked forward to your Friday shift more than any other. Each week Dean would walk around the shop in his flannel shirt, examining all the available arrangements and then ask for your input and opinion. There was always a smile and usually a wink or flirty comment too and you couldn’t help how quickly he became your favorite customer. As the weeks went on you eventually started talking about other topics. You learnt early on about Dean’s pride and joy; a sleek black Impala that he affectionately called Baby. It almost frightened you how soon the hum of the engine became familiar to you as you eagerly awaited his next visit.

In late July he told you that he would be gone for two weeks while he visited his younger brother in California, pride once again colouring his tone. You had been taken aback at how much you had actually ended up missed him in that fortnight and realised just how important his visits had become to you. Remembering his girlfriend however you mentally scolded yourself and forced your thoughts elsewhere. But then Friday had rolled back around and he was there, almost first thing, in relaxed jeans, his favourite red plaid button down and damn it if your heart didn’t do a flip just at the mere sight of him. There was an eagerness to his expression that made you think that maybe, just maybe, he had missed you too.

"Welcome back!" You smiled despite the promises you made to yourself to take a step back. To not let yourself fall for someone who was already taken.

"Thanks sweetheart! It's so good to be back," he said as he closed the space between you. "I, er, well I brought you something." He pulled a small wrapped box from his pocket. You looked at it quizzically. "A gift, for my favorite florist." he explained. "I saw this and, well, it made me think of you."

Your eyebrows shot up; you didn't know what to say. After hesitating a moment too long he shook the box slightly for you to take.

He waited patiently, rubbing his jaw with nerves, as you unwrapped it. It was a dainty gold necklace with a small primrose pressed in glass dangling from the middle. It was beautiful and so very thoughtful. "Dean… wow. Its wonderful. I absolutely love it." You smiled up at him shyly and you saw him visibly relax as he beamed back.

"I could er, help? Put it on I mean. If you wanted me to?”

You nodded, passing him the necklace before turning slowly and moving your hair out of the way for him. You steadied your breathing as best you could, feeling your heart pound in your ears. His warm fingers brushed softly against your neck as he fastened the clasp and you felt yourself shiver involuntary. You looked back over your shoulder to him, his hot breath tickling your neck from your proximity yet he didn’t step away and you found you couldn't move either. You were trapped in a space full of his smell, his body heat, and your own thudding heart.

"Y/n. I…" Dean began only to be interrupted by the thudding of the shop door as a frantic customer came barrelling through. The spell you were both under immediately broke and you stepped away, breathless and eager to get rid of the interruption. But after fifteen gruelling minutes of helping debate the merits of pink roses over red; Dean motioned that he had to go. It was only later that night that you realised he hadn't bought any flowers.

The beautiful gift and his lack of purchase had filled you with a strange hope. Had he perhaps broken up with his girlfriend? What would he have said before you got interrupted? Would he have asked you out? The questions plagued you all night and into your shift the next day. Your fingers toying with the trinket around your neck constantly as your thoughts wandered to Dean. You were still brooding over the possibilities as you helped your best friend Benny pick out flowers for his anniversary.

"These are perfect as usual! What would I do without you, Sugar?" Came his Southern drawl as he wrapped his arm around you and kissed your head affectionately. You rolled your eyes at his antics when you suddenly noticed Dean in the middle of the door way, your heart soaring at his unexpected appearance. You smiled brightly but he didn’t return it; a strange, sullen, look on his face. You stopped yourself from frowning and turned back to your friend; eager for him to go so you could speak to Dean alone, preferably before Benny realised who he was as the embarrassment opportunities would be just too great for him to pass up.

“So, I’ll see you this weekend?” You say, remembering Andrea had invited you and some other friends over for dinner.

“You will indeed,” he replies easily, pressing another kiss to your hairline before retreating out the shop, the door thudding behind him.

You turned, your eyes searching the shop for Dean. Benny is long forgotten as your mind turned towards finally finishing your interrupted conversation. He was studying a wall of flowers, half turned away from you.

"Hey!" You said a little breathlessly as you reached him. "I’ve been expecting you." He turned with raised eyebrows "I mean, you know, since you didn't, er, buy anything yesterday." You gave a small smile as your stomach erupted with butterflies. Your fingers latch onto the cool glass of your necklace, the necklace he had just given you the day before, for reassurance. "The…uh… hyacinths are fresh." You gestured awkwardly at the yellow flowers in front of him. “Or I have some marigolds you might like?” You were hoping this would be it, that he was going to turn around and tell you he wasn't here for flowers. That actually, he no longer had someone to buy flowers for. Instead he sighed and pouted. "Yeah, the hyacinths are fine."

You nodded, feeling your heart sink like a stone. Ever the professional though you gesture to an arrangement. "Is this one okay?"

"Sure." He grabbed it without even really looking and swiftly walked past you, heading to the register. Silence reigned as you rung him up. Instead of bright eyes and friendly banter there was a crease in his brow and a slight frown. It was the first time you remembered feeling uncomfortable around Dean and it felt so wrong. Your mind floundered for conversation topics. You paused before handing him his receipt.

"Dean. Is everything okay?"

He finally looked at you, and flashed half-hearted smile that looked more like a grimace at best. "I'm fine, Sweetheart. Just a lot on my mind."

"Oh, sure." You replied stiffly as you handed him his receipt. He took it and turned to go. You felt a weird constriction in your throat; the meeting had not gone as planned. You grabbed at your necklace and just as he placed his hand on the door you called out. "See you next week?"

You meant it as a goodbye but you could hear the question in your voice as clear as day. He paused, tossing you a look back, and his face broke into another small smile, though this one was much more genuine. "Of course, Sweetheart. Next week."

The next week came and he appeared and things went back to normal, as if nothing had ever happened. You talked and flirted and he bought his flowers. You never took the necklace off and felt sure he must have noticed, though he never once mentioned it. You tried not to be disappointed, you tried to be satisfied with your relationship, limited as it was, and enjoy the moments you shared. Mostly you succeeded. Sometimes you couldn't help yourself and tried to pry information about his mysterious girlfriend.

"So, you two must have an anniversary coming up soon?" You asked one day in early November as he contemplated some red carnations.

"Huh?" he turned in confusion.

"Well, when your first came in at the end of May you said you had just met someone. So your six month anniversary as a couple should be coming up." You rushed to explain yourself. You glanced shyly up when he didn't immediately respond. He had a wicked smirk plastered on his face.

"Why, Sweetheart. I didn’t realise you monitored my love life so closely."

"I don’t.” You quickly covered with a roll of your eyes. “It's just my job to remember this kind of stuff. That’s all.”

“Right,” he said disbelievingly, the mischief never leaving his eyes. “And how do you know that we would even celebrate such a minor anniversary? That’s very chick flick.”

You scoffed. "Please. Dean you are such a hopeless romantic. I’d put money on you celebrating any anniversary!"

"I take offense at the idea that I am hopeless or romantic!" He points his finger at you.

"Oh come on! You literally come here to buy flowers for her every week! How much more romantic can you get?"

"Yeah well, perhaps I only come to see you." he shot back, the teasing words sounding oddly serious with his tone. You meet his gaze and find yourself unable and to look away. The moment stretched on before you finally bit your lip and turned away with your heart thundering in your ears. It was only later that night while you pondered what he could have meant that you realised he had, once again, avoided telling you anything about his girlfriend.

You thought about his words often as you absently clutched your necklace. You wondered what he had meant and if you were crazy to think he had meant anything serious.

Benny had caught you in just such a moment of contemplation last week.

"Hello! Y/n! Anybody home?" He called snapping you back to reality.

"Sorry what?"

"What is up with you today, Sugar? It’s like your not even here." Benny asked.

"It's Friday." Rowena responded from her perch behind the register. You shot her a dirty look.

“What’s Friday got to do with anything?” Benny asked, still looking confused.

“Loverboy is coming today."

"Don't call him that." You groaned as Benny perked up at the same time and asked “Loverboy?”

"Well, what should we call him?" Rowena smirked wickedly.

"Nothing! Because he is just a customer. We aren’t dating. We aren’t lovers." Rowena just raised her eyebrows, smirk unwavering and you threw your hands up in exasperation.

“Hold up,” Benny interrupted. “Is this the mysterious Dean you mentioned a few weeks back?”

“Indeed,” Rowena supplied as you pinched your nose in frustration.

“Yes, but he’s just a friend and he has a girlfriend. There’s nothing there.”

“But you like him, Honey. I can tell,” Benny points at you.

“It doesn’t matter what I feel, he’s got a girlfriend Benny. I can’t forget that.”

Benny clucks his tongue sympathetically and pulls you in for a hug.

“Can I…”

“You’re never meeting him,” you interrupt quickly, knowing exactly what your friend is going to ask.

"Actually if you stick around you are guaranteed to meet him." Rowena pointed out unhelpfully.

You pull away from Benny annoyed. “Are you still here?” You grumble to your boss. She just smiles in response and makes her way to the back room.

"That settles it. I’m staying until he shows up." Benny declares and you know better than to argue with him.

"Fine. But if you embarrass me you can find someone else to help you with Andrea’s Christmas present!"

You didn't have to wait that long; fifteen minutes later Dean came sauntering through the door. He was dressed in his usual shirt and jacket combination and of course your traitor heart sped up at the sight of him. Benny had kept out of sight as you helped Dean choose a bunch of snowdrops. He then pounced before you could move to the register.

"Y/n, do you think Andrea will appreciate this bouquet?" He rounded the corner and then gave the biggest look of fake surprise as he pretended to see Dean for the first time.

"Oh, I’m sorry, Sugar! I didn't know you were with a customer." He said with mock surprise. You barely contained your eye roll at his ridiculous antics.

You forced your tone to be bright. "No problem. Dean this is my best friend Benny. Benny, yes I’m sure your wife will love those.”

"Best friend? Wife?" You heard him murmur before Benny began speaking again.

"Me and Y/n go way back. She always knows just what my Andrea will love."

You glanced at Dean and was pleased to see a wide, goofy, grin plastered to his face.

“She always picks out the best flowers,” he agreed.

There was a pleasant pause and then Deans phone rung. He apologised and quickly walked out of the shop to answer.

"I can see why you like him Honey, and he certainly has eyes for you." Benny smiled as soon as the door closed.

“Oh, stop it,” you attempt to brush it off although you hear Rowena’s voice drift out from the back saying “I told you so!”

Dean stuck his head back in. "Sorry. Sam emergency, I’m going to have to leave town. Can I pay for these when I get back?"

"Of course! No problem."

"Thanks. See ya next week?"

You had nodded, already looking forward to next Friday.

But next Friday had come and gone and Dean had not shown up. Which, of course, was no big deal.

"Did I miss Dean today?" Rowena asks offhandedly.

"No. He didn't come in." You try to match her tone.

"Really? Well that is good news."

You jerk your head up in confusion. "What? Why?"

"Well dear, if he isn't buying flowers maybe he’s broken up with that girlfriend of his. Which means the two of you can finally stop making eyes at each other and go out."

You feel a thrill in your heart but reply sarcastically. "Please. If Dean was interested in me I think he would have made a move long ago."

Rowena’s reply was only a knowing smile and a short "Mmm-hmm".

You try not to get your hopes up. You fail miserably.

An hour later, Rowena is gone and your closing up the shop for the night. The lights are off as you pick up your keys when you hear a tap on the door. You turn around expecting a desperate customer and gasp when you see Dean grinning back at you.

He looks just like he always did; hair disheveled, a flannel shirt layered over a black tee, and just enough scruff on his face to add to the whole rugged look he had going for him.

As you walk through the darkened shop with only the street light shining through the windows you feel a mix of nerves and excitement at his arrival after Rowena’s earlier words. You unlock the door and let him in. Cold air sweeps in and you convince yourself that is why you shiver and not because of his proximity.

"Sorry, I hope I'm not too late. I only just got back into town." he says.

You shake your head. "No, it’s fine. I was just leaving." There is a pause and you realise how much more intimate the shop seems in the low light. In the shadow you can't quite make out his eyes, but he’s staring at you. "I was beginning to think maybe something awful had happened to you."

"Like what?" he asks, his teeth flashing in the dark.

"The flu, a car crash, an alien invasion?"

He shook his head. "None of those things could keep me away." His cold hand reaches out and toys with a strand of your hair. You don’t understand how such a simple gesture could suck the breath from your lungs and send your head spinning.

"Rowena thought… well that maybe you might have broken up with your girlfriend." You bite your lip, afraid of his answer.

He chuckles. "Well it seems both you and Rowena were wrong." Your stomach drops and you step back, your hope shattering and walls around your heart flying up. You wish he hadn't shown up at all now. At least then you could have had one night of blissful fantasy.

"I see. I..uh… I need to get going." Your voice dull. "Maybe try the grocery store. I am sure…"

'"No. Y/n. You don't understand." he interrupts, his hand rubbing his jaw. "I don't have a girlfriend."

"What? Since when?" Of all the things you thought Dean might say this was not one of them.

He grins sheepishly, dips his head and rubs his neck. "I never even had a girlfriend. The first time I came in I was in a hurry, getting flowers for my friends wedding. I wanted to ask you out but I didn't have time. So I came back and I had it all planned. I was going to have you pick your favorite flowers and then give them to you and ask you out. But then Rowena threatened to fire you for flirting and I…"

"But she didn't mean that!" You interrupt, your mind reeling to make sense of his story.

"I know that now! But I didn’t then and I was worried. I didn't think you would want to date me if I got you fired. So I let you think I had a girlfriend and kept buying flowers just so I could spend time with you."

"That's…that's ridiculous."

Dean chuckles. "That's what my brother said when I explained everything to him in August. So I bought you the necklace and I was going to tell you everything. But then I saw you with Benny and I, well I thought he was your boyfriend."

"Benny is married!" You protest.

"Again, I know that now! But you two seemed awfully close and maybe I was a bit blinded by jealously." Dean ducks his head and shuffles his feet. "But I didn't want to stop seeing you. So I settled for spending a few minutes with you each week, even though I thought you loved someone else."

"That sounds familiar." You reply. You know exactly what he means because it is the echo of your own heart.

Dean steps closer his hand reaching for your cheek. "Really?"

You nod and lean closer, your heart threatening to leave your body. "Yes. Dean I…" But Dean doesn't let you finish. His cool lips find yours in a gentle caress. He pulls back his breath hot on your cheek.

"Sorry I just, I've wanted to do that for six months." You grin and grab his shirt. Pulling his lips back to yours, eager to taste and claim. You melt into each other, your heavy breathing and occasional moans filling the dark shop. You grip his hair and he caresses your neck. You slide a hand to his chest and he pulls at your hips. When you break, gasping for breath, you both smile.

Dean tucks a stray hair behind your ear. "Can I buy you dinner?" he asks, still a little breathless.

He comes into the shop the next afternoon.

"Are you coming in on Saturday now?" Rowena asks with narrowed eyes.

"Well actually…" Dean begins, scratching behind his ear.

"Dean, what can I help you with?" You appear a broad grin lighting your face. Rowena shrugs and leaves you alone; thinking that if the boy doesn't make a move soon she might have to ban him from the shop.

Dean shoots you a smirk. "I was hoping you might have some mistletoe. With Christmas being right around the corner and all."

"It's your lucky day. I think we have some in the back." You nod your head and Dean follows you to the back room, a bounce in his step.

Rowena doesn't bother to mention that there is no mistletoe in the back room nor does she comment on your disheveled state when you finally emerge empty handed twenty minutes later.

[yellowcry]

How can I go on?

Why did it have to be her? She was the purest person to ever walk on the earth and never done anything wrong. What the hell was wrong with this world? Luisa just wanted her back

This is set/inspired by reincarnation au by @miracles-and-butterflies

Yes, gift time! I've tried to keep your characters writing

Luisa was furious.

How did everyone dare to be so happy? How did they all dare to live their lives like nothing happened? How could they smile and have these stupid conversations with each other when  she  had lost her life, buried under the rubble? Luisa hadn't found her head, no matter how long she searched for it, tossing all the debris over and over again until her fingers would get worn down to the meat. It's not like it was important, Luisa was always the strongest person except for the moment when she actually had to be strong, but she didn't manage to save  her .

Hell, there wasn't even a proper mourning. No mourning at all. No one fucking cared about her. But why would they? It was the same back when she was still alive. Maybe if anyone actually cared: if their parents had said that they actually loved her, if Isabela wasn't a fucking spoiled bitch, if Abu- Alma didn't treat her like shit if Luisa had spent just a bit more time with her instead of working Maybe she wouldn't try to look for that stupid candle. Maybe she would still be alive. 

Why did it have to be  her ? Why couldn't anyone else be in her place? Why couldn't it be Dolores, who never interfered until it was too late? Why couldn't it be Camilo, who had always been a jerk? Why couldn't it be Bruno whose fucking tower beheaded  her  just for him to return the next morning, stealing the only bits of attention anyone cared to give to  her ? Why couldn't it be Luisa herself, who didn't manage to save her?  She  was the purest person to ever walk on the earth and never done anything wrong. What the hell was wrong with this world? If God was real, Luisa hated them with a burning passion. This world wasn't fucking fair. It had stolen her. The last person who deserved it. It took an innocent child and deprived her on everything. 

Luisa wanted to blow out that freaking magic herself, destroy it in the way it had destroyed  her , bury it under the rocks, to tear Casita to shreds even before it was rebuilt, make it feel the slightest glimpse of pain she had felt. 

Being with family was hell. Each time Luisa saw their faces, she wanted to yell at everyone. They weren't good enough, never paid enough attention to her. How did they dare to even call themselves her family? They didn't deserve her.  Luisa didn't deserve  her. Laughter was streaking Luisa's ears louder than the sound of the house falling apart. The sound of the house falling on her. The fact that people still lived as if nothing happened, as if she didn't die,  as if Luisa was deficiently strong enough to save her.

And she was snapping at everyone. Her family, townspeople, visitors whom she hadn't met before at all. How dare they enjoy their lives when  she  was gone? How dare they walk and laugh with their loved ones? How dare the word keep spinning around?

The worst part was when the family tried to confront Luisa. Or just stood upon her.

Luisa was just getting some water.  Because she had been saying that it was important to stay hydrated as long as Luisa remembered her being able to talk.

"Agh!" Luisa winced, bulking slightly from a sudden obstacle, the water jumped over the brim, spilling on Luisa's blouse. Isabela huffed, looking up at her. "Look where you're going. You almost knocked me off."

Luisa just rolled her eyes, brushing off her clothes with her free hand. Of course, Isabela just couldn't keep her dirty mouth shut. "Do you think I give a fuck?"

"Listen here, you're acting like a fucking bitch," Isabela narrowed her eyes. "You've been lashing out at everyone like a wild dog!" Her voice got louder, almost ringing like the screams of a beheaded girl.

"Well, excuse me for being fucking sad when my hermanita died," Luisa growled, squeezing the glass in her palm.

"She was my—"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP," Luisa yelled at her as Isabela dared to say anything, the glass shattered in her grip like her life, breaking into tiny pieces. "She was my sister, not yours. You never gave a shit about her." The younger girl was breathing heavily, her fists shaking from rage. "I bet you're actually happy that she's gone, aren't you, Bela?" 

Isabela's eyes darkened as she lifted her head, locking eyes with Luisa. "Are you crazy or what? How could you even assume that?"

"If you weren't a spoiled brat, she would be alive." Luisa voiced angrily through her clenched teeth.

The oldest out of the two roared, stomping her foot in rage. "Excuse me?! Do you think I'm to blame for what happened?" She looked almost as outraged as Luisa was. "Well, what a wonderful world you have," She grabbed Luisa's blouse and pulled it, probably trying to force her to lean closer, but it didn't work. "Everyone is bad, everyone is to blame. Everyone except you, because you're such a good big sister who could do no wrong." Isabela scoffed, placing her hands on her sides.

Luisa's world burst into red. Her body reacted before her mind could even proceed it. A strong palm grabbed Isabela's neck, making her gasp in shocked terror as Luisa began to squeeze it. Flowers tried to pull them away, but they were no use against immerse strength.  Maybe Luisa could just rip her head off all along, avenge her sister. The free hand was held in a tight fist that stung a little but Luisa couldn't care less.

After maybe ten seconds the angry reaction calmed down and Luisa threw Bela on the floor. The latter immediately reached for her neck, feeling fresh red bruises that were left here from a tight grip. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" She muttered, looking at Luisa from the floor. 

The younger sister didn't answer and just passed over her. As she was out of Isabela's sight, she unclenched her palm which was still painful, and noticed shreds of glass digging into her skin. The leftovers of what used to be a glass. Luisa stared at the bright blood, running down her hand. Isabela would probably make a scene with adults later. Luisa cared about this as much as about the glass that was stuck in her hand. She didn't care about Isabela, she didn't care about their parents, she didn't care about Alma she didn't care about herself.

She wanted her back.

She wanted Mirabel back.

[flowerandblood]

I have a problem in my private life and I don't really know what to do about it. If you want, read what I wrote below and express your opinion whether I am being oversensitive and what you would do in my place.

My husband's mother is a psychotherapist who tends to analyze her family - unfortunately, because it is very unhealthy and unprofessional. On the one hand, she treats her sons (my husband and his younger brother) as geniuses (which they are), her most beloved, best boys, sometimes referring to them as if they were still five years old.

On the other hand, she convinces my husband that his devotion to church affairs comes from his problems, that he denies his need to go to a psychologist in favor of talking to a priest (bullshit).

My husband told me that she interfered a lot in his private life, with whom, where and why, to such an extent that he did not want to tell her for a long time that he was with me so that she would not bother him, he also hid my letters from her under his bed .

And finally I showed up. When I first came to their house, she welcomed me like a queen, baked me a cake, praised my beauty and intelligence, told me how much my husband and I fit together, how glad she was that we met.

It was nice until a year later when my husband proposed to me and announced that he didn't want to wait long to get married - I had no objections either, but it was his decision to hurry. My husband's mother wanted a big wedding, but I did the opposite. Then my little hell began.

When I was in my city and my husband was in my house, his mother told him that I was manipulating him, that he was making a mistake by wanting to marry me so soon (she got married early and they separated from my husband father because they couldn't be together withstand).

My husband was devastated, but he stood by me, saying that it was our wedding and our comfort was the most important. It ended with the wedding being exactly as we wanted, but my husband's mother personally organized a grand reception.

There had been tension between us since then, but it seemed to be getting better. I tried to help her, be nice to her, simply treat her as if she were my second mother (even though neither I nor my husband call our in-laws 'mom' or 'dad').

My mother treats my husband as if she just magically had a second child. She is strict and demanding, but she also always thinks about him, what he says and what he needs is important to her, she would like to see him as often as possible and is sad when he doesn't come to their place for coffee with me.

In the case of my husband's mother, I always feel like the third wheel there. When I confided in her about my fear of pregnancy and of the baby turning out sick, she then used it against me during another conversation and said - after you confided in me all your phobias, I already knew that I would never have a grandchild.

Which was like a slap in the face because that's when we started trying for a baby and it turned out that I had hormonal problems.

I told her this and she felt ashamed, but the milk had already spilled. She couldn't understand how my husband and I could not want to go everywhere together, give each other so much space, she said that I was denying things, that I was behaving like an amazon and trying to prove something to everyone.

Of course, she said all this when my husband was not around.

When he came back in the evening after a party with friends and found me in bed crying, I told him everything. That I told her that I didn't want to have an uninvited therapist, but a second mother and I was sorry that I would never be her third child in her eyes.

He said that what she was doing was because she was jealous, that she knew that I was the first in his eyes now and that she couldn't come to terms with it.

But is it my problem?

Since that conversation, she has calmed down a bit, because I told her some bitter words of truth, but I will never trust her again, I thank God that she lives so far from us. I get stressed thinking about when I have to go there (like next week, because it's a holiday in our country and there will be days off).

I just try to be nice, not to express my opinions or interfere in the discussion, but if I do something that she thinks I could do differently, she still blames me and bothers me. This is my little hell (and then she has the nerve to say she's an awesome mother-in-law).

I'm sorry, I had to share this with someone, my husband knows it very well and is trying to protect me from her, but he can't be with me 24 hours a day, and she's his mother.

We wondered if he should talk to her about it, but we're sure in her head she'll explain to herself that I manipulated him and I'm turning him against her because she's not doing anything wrong.

[sorcerous-caress]

How does Sol get along with their companions/ what do the companions think about them? 👀 If you don’t mind talking about it!

I re-attach wings to angels each time someone asks me about Sol <3 don't worry about the abundance of wingless angels it's unrelated.

This was written assuming Sol is not Tav and is just another companion. Also it's...mostly negtive, Sol isn't easy to get along with, and they don't make it easy for others to like them.

Sol with the companions

Astarion

Act 1: they start indifferent to him. They're not the brightest when it comes to people lying, so his horrible acting and shady backstory flies over their head. During the vampire reveal, they try to pretend that they knew all along. You can pass an insight dice check of 5 to very easily tell they didn't know shit.

The only thing they bond over is being vain. He mentions not seeing his own reflection and they're concerned about how he does his eyebrows then. He fully agrees that it is a struggle and don't get him started on the mess that is styling his own hair.

He'd probably approve of the fact they sacrifice defence and movement for beauty, the whole pain is beauty thing. Honestly both of them are bad influences on each others and just enablers when it comes to bad habits.

I mean he could try to talk them into letting him bite them, if he convinced them that it'd make their skin clearer, it's a 50/50 chance if it'd work or he ends up microwaved.

Act 2: You know how people in cults don't realise they're in one? Sol didn't think their upbringing was that bad or what their family did was that extreme until Astarion started talking about what Cazador did to him and how he loathes him for it, how much he wants revenge. It made Sol think if they too should be seeking revenge, if they too should be loathinh their family. They go from indifferent to curious.

Act 3: they haven't made up their own mind on whether it's a good idea for him to seize the power from Cazador or not. By that point they also need to make a similar choice about their magic, but instead of remaining the way the are like Astarion, they need to pick between losing it all or taking it all. They've grown fond of him by that point as a friend, he points out when someone is clearly lying or manipulating them and they appreciate that. Likewise they are always blunt to him with no ulterior motives.

Shadowheart

Act 1: Sol would be annoyed by the fact she's keeping secrets, and I can see Shadowheart disliking them because of it, and because of their clear appreciation of Lae'zel. Both of them unpolitely avoid each other, a few jabs every now and then, a few trashy comments thrown during party chatter, but nothing major, really. At the end of the day, it's annoyance and not hate.

Act 2: By that point when her and Lae'zel made amends, Sol slowly grows closer to Shadowheart as well. They still do their jabbing and nickpicking each other's flaws but it's more in good humour by now, mean banter is just Sol's way of being playful or showing affectionate and Shadowheart is a champion at it. During her Dame Aylin choice, they say it's best to let Shadowheart decide her own fate and not interfer, both Tav and Shar.

Act 3: When the hard truth downs on them that Shadowheart wasn't keeping secrets but had her memory fully wiped, they find themselves actually feeling guilty for their actions at the start. Guilt is something Sol rarely does ever feel. It's new, raw, and all-consuming, and they can't deal with it. If you have them romanced they'd confide in you with it, maybe you can go tell it to Shadowheart on your own and they'll get annoyed that you did that without their permission, but also thank you for doing it for them.

Gale

Act 1: full on bullying. They absolutely see him as a joke. Especially the Mystra part oh they never shut up about it and how stupid it was of him to try and appease a god back into a relationship, how naive he is for thinking gods ever see mortals as anything more than toys to play with and discard. Digs at him being a wizard, at how he is just borrowing magic while they were born with it, how his view is so narrow-minded. The thing about their "bullying" is that half of the criticism against him is valid and actually make sense, which makes Gale can't stand them because of it, he knows some of their words are right even when the rest is exaggerated bullshit.

Act 2: If you romance him, then Sol tells you to reconsider, that jumping into a relationship with someone who was obsessed with their ex is never a good idea. That Gale isn't who he seems to be, they might be bad at telling lairs apart but there are some things a person can't hide. Then the news from Elminster comes, and they're speechless when Gale actually seems on board to sacrifice his life. To blow himself up for something as stupid as the future of the world or a goddess. They think it's absolutely the dumbest idea he has ever had, and if he thinks their opinion of him was low before, then it just got even lower if he actually goes on with this plan. They tell you that you should never let that happen, they themselves don't know why they feel so strongly about this when they wouldn't have cared if he died in that portal before.

Act 3: they finally know why. They want him to die for himself, not die for someone else, not die for forgiveness. He should get a normal stupid death like all wizards do, he should blow himself up in a silly experiment or something not go on a suicide mission for a goddess who couldn't bother to get off her own ass to see him or a world that doesn't even know his name. They have a serious talk with him if he somehow can siphon their own magic to feed his orb. If you ask if that means they'll lose their magic, then they just stay silent. They aren't surprise when he becomes obsessed with the crown of Karsus. They claim they predicted it happening eventually, be it the crown or another magical artifact. You can pass an insight check to find out they're telling the truth.

Lae'zel

Act 1: probably the only companion they actually liked from the start. There is something about her so familiar. Her sharp mean words feel like home, and her bluntness is a breath of fresh air. They are absolutely vibing with her through the whole journey, keep introducing her to Faerun concepts and human traditions. Make a joke about how they're a descendent of a red dragon, and she's a githyanki, so this must be fate.

Act 2: they didn't think they could respect her even more, and yet when she stood in front of Vlaakith and faced her, her courage almost stunned them. They genuinely admire her, start looking up to her in a way they deem embarrassing to admit, and try to hide it. Start hinting at how they'd love her as a friend.

Act 3: The way she manages her emotions so well and doesn't hide from them but faces them instead is something they thought was impossible to do. How can she do it so easily? Why did no one ever teach them this? How can she accept her new fate just like that when everyone in camp knew how dedicated she was to her cause and peoppe? And how did she manage to find a new cause to fight for do it quickly? Lae'zel to them is the kind of hero you read about in history books. She is the closest thing they'll ever have to a role model. What started as an easy friendship because Sol felt at home around "rude" people quickly became Sol's first ever actual genuine friendship. In a way...maybe it was Lae'zel's too.

At the end of the game, they're very against the idea of Lae'zel turning into a mindflayer if it's brought up. If you're playing Lae'zel origin, then they'd offer themselves instead, something they'd never do for the others or Tav. For their only and first ever friend, they're willing to give up their life.

Wyll

Act 1: is a bit suspicious at the fact he is too charming and nice, at least Astarion has his very clear personality flaws which made his lie fly over their head. But with Wyll he feels too true to be good and they tell him that which he brushes off with a laugh. Then the whole Mizora fiasco is discovered and they're like "Ha, I knew it!"

Act 2: they thought he'd be delighted to her about his father being imprisoned, it means the power will rightfully be his now, right? So why is he putting so much effort into searching for a parent who abandoned him, why does he forgive his father and still care? They don't understand Wyll.

Despite the three of them being humans, Wyll and Gale are the two companions Sol would never understand no matter how much they try. If anything Sol felt left out, as if none of them could relate to one another's struggles. Being human clearly was never enough to build a bond between them.

Act 3: They see the reunion between Wyll and his father and bitterness fills their mouth, realising their own family wouldn't have gone through the same effort. Jealousy, envy at Wyll having something they desperately wanted. Sol is clearly more powerful than him wasn't it for his pact with a devil so why should they feel inferior to him? They shouldn't...but he has so many friends, so many fans and he seems...content, happy.

How dare he be happy when he is this weak, how dare he forgive his father for casting him out, how dare he learn from his past mistakes and aim to better himself rather into crumble into self loathing for being a fraud. Wyll is everything Sol wasn't and couldn't be. Weak and happy.

Karlach

Act 1: she doesn't seem surprised by their attitude but she never banters back with them, they're aren't sure what to make of it. Her skin is thicker than they expected, probably because nothing Sol could ever say or do hasn't been said and done by the devils in hell in a way that's ten times as hurtful. Karlach went through a lot and Sol is barely a scratch on her surface. But what really takes them back is the fact she is still kind to them? It fully weirds them out how nice she is to them, how one time she asked if their draconic lineage gave them enough fire resistance to hug her. Sol didn't know what to say, they just shook their head. If anything they too can't remember the last time they were hugged, the last time someone even touched them in a non threatening way.

Act 2: when her engine gets fixed, Sol curiously asked her if hugging was as much of a disappointment as they knew it would be for her. Instead she hugged them and they remained speechless for the rest of the day. Couldn't even pretend it didn't effect them, hugs are actually nice, they found out.

Act 3: she calls them her friend and Sol wonders how the fuck did they get to that point? Even their morality is as grey as their a rainstorm but Karlach somehow looked past that, past their insults, past their fits of jealousy and past their unstable emotions and saw a person. Sol never considered her a friend so why did she? It can't be that easy to make a friend, yes they can't be the one in the wrong no. Karlach is definitely the one in the wrong here, she should raise her standards for friends and not just throw the word around, she might give someone the wrong idea.

She's dying, they watch her struggling against the flames of her heart and they wonder if this is the same fate awaiting them. If this is why their training was so brutal, why their family was so stern, why their life was so ruthless. Just so they can live? So they remain alive and not succumb to a death like Karlach's.

So why did she seem happy. Why did world life seem so much more colorful than Sol's. Why did she go out with a smile as they remained alive but miserable. For once Sol wonders maybe if the dragon heart inside their chest didn't belong to them, wonders if their own heart was too stolen from them before birth. They feel like they failed her as a friend, like they never appreciated her enough. That by the time they were ready to call her a friend, she was already gone. Left back to the hells or left the world of the living.

-

By the act 3, like the other companions they soften up and start considering friendship. Start paying them actual compliment and stand by them

Tell me if you want me to do Halsin and Minthara too because this was really fun <3 thanks so much for letting me gush about my unlovable little fireball.

[myearts-uwu]

Me holding Myra in my hand with heart in my eyes: You're so BELOVED coded. BLORBO from my mutual.

Me squeezing her in my palm like a stim toy:I need to know more of misery. Tell me ab her worse moments. Absolutely horrible thing that happened to her.

hasdhfdsh AHHH IM SO HONOURED THAT MYRA IS UP IN THE BLORBO TIER LIST FOR YOU *offers you Myra as your free personal stress ball*

And oooooo worse moments!

Hmm... There's honestly quite a lot of bad moments for Myra in the AU!Jen au. Like certain losses and stuff...

But one moment I like to share is the moment she got uh... thrown into the jjk universe.

And the reason I say thrown is because she was quite literally thrown into a teleportation portal that could send her to any random universe.

After she got severely injured by some dude who did a number on her I mean, he stabbed her at the one moment she lowered her guard and not only that he completely destroyed her in hand-to-hand combat (he even yanked on her hair and threw her at a wall. How could he-)

Oooo and fun fact!

So in my AU, right? Besides Myra, there's this other OC, some man who also has puppetry powers just like her and the REASON why he and she (and a few others) have similar abilities is because they are *blessed* by some god or aeon or just a higher being (in ORV they're called constellations).

And this *god* who decided to bless these people? They also gave them certain *roles*.

So for this man, he's like... enforcing and making sure a person's *story* stays the same and makes sure there aren't any *anomalies* interfering with their fate, especially when it comes to their death. So basically he's more of a "Follow the story even if it kills you in the end" kind of guy.

And guess what?

Myra, without her knowing, is a special case because she's the only one capable of actually changing a person's story, hence why she's able to save Nanami and his story continues.

So yeah these two? A lot of tension even though they're blessed by the same god (who very much enjoys theatre and entertainment).

Anyway back to worst moment for Myra.

So they've all finished a mission together. They're about to go home. The girl who's able to use actual black magic (not Jennette BUT this girl is considered as Aeternitas' student) made a portal where they can just get back to a safe place and right before Myra could enter the portal while almost everyone else did and she feels like she can finally relax for just a second-

Bam!

No, the guy didn't go for Myra first.

It was the black magic user kid. Shot her with his gun which made her lose focus and the portal lost connection. And after tossing the kid into the portal right before she lost consciousness and the connection between their locations lost, he immediately lunged at Myra.

Now, Myra is completely exhausted. The mission they had was a long one and for most of it she was non stop fighting with monsters that are way above her level at the time. She's selfless like that and would not hesitate to protect anyone younger than her.

At this point she's completely in no state of fighting one-on-one. But she still pushes herself to the limit and tried to disarm him and get to safety asap but it's futile when he dropped a subtle threat that her students (Jen and some other young adults atp) are gonna have to start setting up a funeral for her and just stabs her in the stomach with his own sword.

After finally knocking Myra out, he dragged her limp body by the hair and just threw her into the portal, having no idea of which universe the portal will send her to :)

As long as she's not here in this world where she's capable of interfering with the story that's laid out for the people here that fate has planned out, that's all that matters.

[pessimisticshapewithablog]

WHAT ARE YOUR HEADCANONS ABOUT THE FIRST GODS

Here are a few my own person HC about them! It's mostly alot of Worldbuilding on my part buut...Hope you like them! Feel free to ask me about more things!

1)

The old gods are very much a mystery but my interpretation of them is that of the Titans of greek Mythology. Unfathomably old, primordial beings that make up fundamental parts of the universe. Unlike the crown bearing bishops and lesser gods who rely on the worship of mortals for relevance and sustenance, the old gods were powerful in their own right and would rarely if ever engage with mortals.

11)

I doubt the old gods could be stratified into the concepts of good and evil, holy or demonic. Their purpose and duties were far too esoteric, and fundamental to the forces of nature to be simplified as such. Is the Sun 'evil' for being able to cause cancer? Is the moon 'good' for causing the changing tides?

111)

The old gods played a role in the creation of the COTL universe and it's life therein life. Some cared much for the diminutive beings that sprang from them, others did not even notice. More still saw the new creatures as food or little more than parasites. Not all of the old gods were kindly.

1v)

The old gods shed god tears because they knew what was to become of the world they created. The suffering that would be wrought the, pain these little beings would endure before succumbing to their short lifespans. Death was something unknown to the old gods, atleast during the golden age of the universe.

v)

Most of the old gods were content in not directly interfering with the things they created. But there was a small sect that wished for something more than to serve their purpose in obscurity. They yearned to receive some form of reward and praise for their eternal service to existance. And so decided to reveal themselves to the mortals. This was the beginning of the end, of the golden age and the old gods.

v1)

The old Gods, in all their power, were little more than children in regards to their restraint. When others saw what could be gained from mortal worship it sturred a frenzy of envy and jealousy within them. What could not be done themselves, they stole, what could not be stolen, they destroyed. This conflicts began the first Great War that would lead to the downfall of the First Gods.

v11)

In present time within COTL, some old gods still exist. They either went into hiding when the conflict began or were never involved in it at all. Like Ithaqua and Turua, who seem to be residing somewhere deep with the earth and ocean. Who is to say there aren't more hiding amongst the stars.

v111)

I believe the Crowns to made from blood of the old gods. Not just one god but many all condensed into a single form We know that the bodies of gods can be used for relics, and gods tears are the literal tears of the old gods. Their bones are turned into Godly weapons, the strongest weapons in the game. Why not their blood too. Its implied that the old gods fought constantly their blood had to have had magical properties aswell. Within COTL, the spilling of the blood of a god is seen as sacrilege, maybe this is because god blood can cause changes to whatever it makes contact with. Or it can give undeserving mortals the influence of a god...

1x)

The reason the mystic seller covets god tears is because it has never bartered with one. It has never met one. They have met many lesser beings who have become gods but never an old one 'born' a god.

To be continued...

[spidersmiceandeverythingnice]

So I watched/listened to a plot synopsis of ACOTAR out of curiosity and wow. It's obvious SJM thought of a misunderstood bad boy halfway through her Beauty and the Beast retelling and then proceeded to make him *too* bad. As in, "drug and assault you for a month to help you not be traumatized" (really Rhys, was that the *only* way you could have "protected" Feyre? Are you sure?). I see why everyone's angry with how the book ended it's such a mess.

god, yeah. as much as it makes me mad when people skip book one, i totally get skipping book one because it is ABUNDANTLY clear that SJM published it without thinking about literally anything. She spends so much of the rest of the series retconning/reframing events so the guy that she made into a genuinely scary villain in book one is now a fucking saint who builds sanctuaries for battered women in his magic secret city of saints and artists - like, let's ignore the fact that he left a severed head on someone's doorstep as a prank, and the fact that he committed SA, and the fact that he violates peoples' minds/boundaries on the regular.

Like, the most charitable interpretation of Rhysand's actions UtM is that he re-enacted his own sexual abuse on Feyre, because he entered into the pseudo-relationship with Amarantha unwillingly, but believing that it would be the best way to protect himself and his family. The LEAST charitable interpretation of his drugging and assaulting Feyre repeatedly is that he was trying to keep her dazed, constantly in a state of sleep-deprived sickness, struggling to recovery, and thereby prevent her from solving the Super Obvious riddle - because again, he worked for the evil queen willingly. Even if his motivations were "good" he still actively terrorized the rest of the country in the name of protecting the one place and handful of people that Rhysand, personally, deemed most valuable. Like, dude, people DIED. Rhysand later spends a lot of time whining about how NOBODY FOUGHT OR SACRIFICED AS HARD AS HIM..... bro. I don't know how to tell you this but at least two of the other High Lords were running an active rebellion in Book One (the Winter Court confirmed; Rhysand later murders the Winter Court's children - and SJM desperately wants you to forget that this event happened/mattered; the Summer Court was implied to be assisting) and if Rhysand hadn't interfered, Tamlin probably could have used Feyre to break the curse's stupidly complex conditions on his own.

But also!?!? None of this fucking matters, because the canonical actual reason that Rhysand gives for - and I cannot emphasize this enough - DRUGGING AND SEXUALLY HARASSING/ASSAULTING FEYRE, THE GIRL HE CLAIMS TO LOVE MORE THAN LIFE ITSELF, REPEATEDLY - was that he was jealous.

He says this, to Feyre, on the fucking page. Rhysand did not like that Tamlin and Feyre were clearly in love, that their relationship seemed strong, and he wanted to make Tamlin angry and jealous - by hurting Feyre, and using her as an object with which to taunt him.

Rhysand never apologizes for this, by the way. He just gets sad and says that he regrets it, and Feyre feels sorry that she upset him by bringing up her trauma, which he caused. Fucking CHRIST.

And later, according to SJM's narration, I am supposed to revile and condemn Tamlin for getting angry and being upset/traumatized by having witnessed someone he loves he dangled in front of him like a toy by a guy who wants to hurt/kill him and is capable of destroying people's minds!? I'm supposed to be upset when he tries to rescue Feyre from Rhysand later!?!? HELLO!?!? We can talk about Tamlin's character flaws but first of all, he's never sexually assaulted anyone, and second of all, he's against slavery for no reason than because slavery is bad.

No, actually, this is relevant, because Rhysand later tries to "both sides" fucking SLAVERY.

Anyway rant over, fuck ACOMAF especially.

[countesslisathemonsterfucker]

Medieval view on sex positions. And very serious thoughts about what that means for Dracula :P

"According to the church, any sexual positions other than what is now termed the "missionary position" (with the man lying on top of the woman) could not be condoned and were considered "unnatural." There were fears of reversing the natural order of male and female sexuality by having the female on top, in the superior or active role normally reserved for men. Intercourse a tergo, or from the rear, implied a similar threat; it was considered "beastly," and thus it confused the boundaries between human and animal behavior (Brundage, "Sex and Canon Law," 40)"

"Anal and oral sexual practices were also considered unacceptable to Church authorities, but for a slightly different reason. These were seen as acts against nature, not because they interfered with standard male and female roles during intercourse, but because neither could possibly lead to procreation, which was considered the primary - and according to many purists the only - purpose of sexual interactions. Anal and oral intercourse were simply a means for sexual gratification, which the majority of canonists and theologians viewed as sinful in itself."

"Despite the fact that general opinion on the acceptability of non-standard positions remained static during most of the Middle Ages, some more progressive theologians and canonists began to question these ideas. Albertus Magnus, for example, named five sexual positions and ranked then in order of most to least "natural" as follows: missionary, side-by-side, seated, standing and a tergo. Although he considered the first to be the only completely "natural" position, he deemed the others "morally questionable but not mortally sinful" (Brundage, 452)"

Mathias/Dracula on his quest to to curse God and commit as much blasphemy as possible would obviously do the opposite of what the Church claimed.

So his preference must be: non- procreation (anal, oral, etc), behind, standing, seated, side-by-side, missionary.

Even if you assume Mathias was the straightest straight of all straights, he so would have sex with men just so he can say fuck you to God. He would prefer men to spite God.

And Church says a man's proper position is to be a top? Well clearly it's rebelling against God to be a bottom. Bottom!Dracula is canon.

Now, could I assume Mathias originally was a strict follower of Church doctrine (to make the change between Pre-Elisabetha's death Mathias and Dracula bigger)? Sure, but what with his deep knowledge of alchemy that some consider heresy (and by some, I assume Rinaldo meant the Church), I doubt he wasn't selective when to be a Proper Christian™. And it's not like it's uncommon to act even if you feels it's wrong... He would just being in the Crusades as a reason to deserve commit some small sins, as a treat!

...Though it absurdly funny to imagine Mathias saying or thinking "I was even so devoted to avoid sinful sex, and yet God takes Elisabetha away from me! I will commit to a unlife of sinful sex" Almost want Pre-Vampire!Mathias to only had Church-approved (for lack of better term) sex. Almost.

Alucard only exists because at some point Dracula and Lisa wanted a child. No accidental pregnancy here. Unless Lisa somehow drastically changed his view on the hating God bit.

On a creepy and controlling note:

Dracula not liking Isaac and Hector, because they're his and should only fuck him? Nah, he wouldn't just let them bang each other, nay, he encourage them so they commit as much sins as possible. Which is also disturbing. He watched too (directly or magically), I'm sure.

[jaeheewillalwaysbemyfav]

How Obey Me Shot Itself In The Foot: Michael, Part 3

MASSIVE WARNING FOR DISCUSSION OF RELIGION. Specifically of Abrahamic religions (Islam, Christianity, and Judaism) and their shared God. I am doing this in a media analysis context, not to shame any particular religion or anyone’s particular beliefs. If that makes you uncomfortable, feel free to not read this post, stop reading at any point, and/or unfollow/block me. DO NOT try to start religious discourse on this post or in my askbox/DMs, I will clown on and block you.

Also spoiler warnings for a ton of different Obey Me lessons.

Intro (X), Michael (X)(X)(you're here)(X), Conclusion (X)(X)

In which we still don't talk about how Raphael should kill MC, but we're getting closer.

Michael, the Prince of Heaven

Michael’s role as head of the Celestial Realm involves a lot of balancing personal agendas with what’s best for the realm and what the angels want. This is similarly paralleled in the character and role of Diavolo. Diavolo is the Demon Prince, and founder of RAD, a school for demons that’s supposed to help further his plan to unite the three realms. This plan involves peaceful coexistence between humans, angels, and demons.

Except demons eat humans, and have been at war with angels for millenia.

Diavolo has been called naive before, and I do agree with that, but I think it’s worth noting he’s not completely naive. He knows that demons as a whole are pretty damn dangerous to humans, which is why he first selects Solomon, a powerful sorcerer with 72 pacts (including one of his Lords and his butler), and places MC under the protection of the seven Lords of Hell, who he knows are bound to cooperate with him.

Or at least, Lucifer is. And Lucifer controls the others. Mostly.

I’m not going to break down the entirety of Lucifer and Diavolo’s relationship here because this is already not about the main topic (why I think Raphael should totally try to kill MC). But long story short: despite the friendship (or romance, *eyebrow wiggle*) the two have developed, their relationship really got started as one of servitude.

Diavolo leveraged Lucifer’s incredibly vulnerable position (just fell/lost a war, is watching his sister die, has no idea what happened to his brothers) to bind him in an eternal pledge of loyalty, not that different from the one he just escaped. That’s… a lot.

But look at it from Diavolo’s perspective: Lucifer is a revolutionary. Yes, he lost against the Celestial Realm, but it was a fierce civil war, and the Celestial Realm definitely didn’t walk away from that unscathed. As much as he likes Lucifer, he can’t have this rogue element who has proven quite capable of drumming up an army to rally against a leader running around free. Plus, Lucifer is asking him to save Lilith, an act that, if done too obviously, would surely incur the wrath of the Celestial Realm. He needed some kind of insurance on Lucifer’s part should this backfire on him.

(However, Lilith fell in love with a human, and defied the rules of Heaven itself to save him… Perhaps, in another life, she and Diavolo could’ve been allies.)

Diavolo wants cooperation and peace between the realms, but he does have to protect the Devildom first and foremost as its ruler.

And similarly, Michael may have the same goals and responsibilities to the Celestial Realm.

If we look at Michael’s support of Lilith’s sentence under this lens, we can argue that he didn’t necessarily want her dead/view her as some sort of sinner. But consider why the Celestial Realm might have rules about interfering with mortals’ lives and human/angel relationships. 

The categories of angel, human, and demon have proven to be… flexible. But we’ve seen the kind of chaos demons and humans can cause when they have access to lots of magical power. While demons will happily lend their power to humans (usually in exchange for their souls), angels do not do this. They may protect humans themselves or offer temporary blessings, but angels don’t form pacts like demons do. The closest thing we’ve seen to an angelic pact is Michael giving Solomon the ring of wisdom, but notably that gave him the ability to control demons, not angels. 

For one reason or another, there is something very sacred and protected about angelic power. And any amount of it getting into corruptible human hands is unacceptable in the eyes of the Celestial Realm. It could be (and demonstrably is, if we look at MC’s unstable power in S2) extremely dangerous for the three realms if humans got access to divine power.

Michael might not want to enforce the rules by killing Lilith, but what is her life against the lives of everyone in the three realms? By virtue of his position, he must consider the larger picture.

He must kill his sister.

This also explains the strange way he approaches Diavolo and the exchange program. He likely thinks Diavolo’s plan of uniting the three realms through an exchange program is naive, and to be honest, it is. None of the realms are monoliths, and any drastic moves to integrate are going to result in tensions (or worse).*  

It’s hard to enter peaceful negotiations with a kingdom you’ve been at war with for millenia. It’s hard to trust the words of the Demon Prince, no matter how well-intentioned he might be.

It was Diavolo, Lucifer, and Michael who were in charge of selecting the exchange students for RAD. Whether this is because Michael selected Simeon and Luke, or also had a hand in picking the human and demon exchange students is unknown. 

(It is fucking CRIMINAL that we don’t know about any of the demon exchange students btw, I know Belphegor was allegedly one of them, but only one other, Diaval, is named, and we just — we never hear about them again? It’s such bullshit, anyway…).

Here Michael’s sending of Simeon and Luke can be read as a display of trust: both of Simeon’s judgement and a token of goodwill to the Devildom. If they can convince Luke, who has extremely traditional views on demons, that they aren’t all bad, then maybe there is hope for Diavolo’s plan. And while we know Simeon is somewhat on the fence vis a vis his loyalty to the Celestial Realm, under this lens we see Michael trusts him enough to protect and guide Luke, but also to keep tabs on Diavolo.

A Michael that parallels Diavolo is a Michael torn between the traditions of the Celestial Realm and his genuine love for his estranged family, as well as a burgeoning hope for a future without war between the three realms. This Michael behaves in somewhat contradictory ways not out of malicious hypocrisy and hubris, but due to his struggle between duty and love.

Which brings us to…

*So I already knew Diavolo’s plan of “uniting the three realms” has allegorical implications for stuff like multiculturalism and racial/ethnic integration, but reading this section back it Really sticks out to me, so I’d like to clarify something. I’m aware that I’m glossing over these implications. This is not an essay about how fiction, and fantasy/sci-fi in particular, use allegories. To be frank, I don’t think the devs thought about those implications and thus I have minimal interest in going too in-depth in analysing that aspect of Obey Me, at least rn. Maybe another day (don’t hold your breath, that shit’s way more complicated than this lol).

[nemesis-is-my-middle-name]

Does Ingo magic Ever get UNblocked? Mayeb its an emergency and He overwhems the block trying to use it so hard bc Someone is in danger(maybe dying and he can heal them) or maybe its undone (Which I say Irida should have done the moment they gained his trust which makes me think that maybe its not very simple easy or possible)

The broken bond is gut-wrenching I cant stand it, maybe instead being in Hisui means hes too far to SUMMON Chandelure but Its still there,just faint and faded. A soul bond is a soul bond its not 'till death do them part' its 'Where you go I will follow' , a thing that goes beyond death which does lend it toward being more an ace only type of deal. The ONLY reason that Emmet knows Ingo is alive is that Chandelure is still there. Its empathetic tho so maybe pain or distress can filter through the bond as strained as it is which Does Not Reasure Emmet.

WELL, i mean i can't very well say he has this crazy powerful magic and then not ever let him use it, can i lol. the question is just... how.

though re: irida, i think it's also not so much a lack of trust as just like. i mean like i said before, it feels like playing catch with high explosives. like, ingo doesn't even remember where he learned light magic, what if he tries to use it one time and screws up and something goes horribly wrong?? what's the guarantee he can control it perfectly every time? that his instinctive memory of how to use it is guaranteed to be right? it just feels safer for everyone to not even try. plus it's not like he's ever complained about it so he must not mind, right? ...right?

i do love the idea that he can undo it himself tho and just... hasn't yet out of courtesy. i mean, thinking about it, someone must have been around to soulbond them with their aces the first time, and if light is another primal force on the level of space/time/sky, maybe they can just make that tap themselves. and i don't remember if i've really discussed this before but reshiram/zekrom are deeply humanistic gods, so it's entirely possible that unlike others, an accomplished light mage doesn't even need a divine object to act as a conduit. light magic is already so responsive to human desire. so ingo's left it as it is because irida's clearly concerned about it, but then he has very good reason to use magic and he just. rewrites his own personal truth to not include it, like it's nbd. and irida's like (suddenly even more terrified of him) YOU COULD DO THAT THIS WHOLE TIME??

though funny as that mental image is if he's just forcibly overpowering it like you described, i also feel like that would be very taxing. especially if he's also interfering with or working around his soulbond with sneasler (or whatever her name is in this world). like he succeeds in whatever healing magic he needed to do, and then passes out immediately afterwards. and now whoever was dying isn't anymore but he might be, they can't immediately tell, and everyone's got a lot of questions that apparently only irida can answer

...another option, if the original soulbond with chandelure isn't broken (maybe just like, repressed or very faint) is that in his moment of panic, it's actually chandelure it self (or emmet, through chandelure?) that reaches out through the soul link and undoes the block. and it's like, the first approximation of proper contact they've had with him since he disappeared, and their only new information from it is that someone not only fucked with chandelure's soul link but completely locked his magic, what the fuck are they doing to him?? whoever's doing it is pissed the hell off but the link isn't very stable so they really only have time to unlock it and for ingo to get a vibe that someone somewhere is Very Angry, and then it's gone and the link is dead again and he's got bigger problems.

[ Anonymous: I think I need to clarify when I said "Where u Go I will follow" bc its. Late and I wasn't quite thinking all my thoughts onto the page. Bonded dont die the moment thir other does. Its just like a broken heart that bleeds for them. Chandelure however Is a ggost and probably immediately follow just by nature of being ghostly. most creatures DO die of a broken heart bc Bonded are very close Partners. Not all. Some pick up the pieces and forge on but their is a grief to them for the rest of days. ]

i do think that if the bond is there, it should be so faint as to be almost imperceptible bc otherwise it gives too much away/leaves too much of an open lead re: ingo and his past, and especially considering the mechanics of adding more than one soulbond might interfere with his being a warden. unless it's so dim and repressed that irida didn't even notice it at the time. though thinking of it, that could be a potential answer to "why is ingo joining this party:" he's trying to pursue this vague lead as to his past, and figures traveling with them is as good a way to do it as any.

[burning-sol]

SCREAMING ONCE AGAIN ABOUT EXANDROTH EPISODE 13......

Oh my gosh you guys how does anyone live knowing Peter asked Exandroth what he hoped to accomplish by possessing Rumi, by hurting Rumi, and Exandroth just REFUSED to answer.

"What does it matter to you, huh? You're dead, and I'm going to become God."

Like, there can be diverging interpretations, but it doesn't read to me that Exandroth is refusing to answer just because she doesn't think Peter deserves an answer, but because there IS no answer. It's Exandroth saying, 'No, I haven't thought this through. I don't WANT to think this through. All that matters is that I'm going to become God (somehow). I'm going to get out of this sword, I'm going to possess Rumi, and then everything is going to be okay.' There is no logic, no plan, Exandroth is just grasping at whatever it thinks is going to make things immediately better even if it doesn't make sense. Possess Rumi, become God, and who cares about what happens inbetween? It'll work itself out!! (It won't.)

And not to overanalyse, but I don't think I've ever read deep into the line that comes after, but um??? UMMM????

"What do you think we’ve been doing this all for?"

Because on one hand, is this JUST evil monologuing, or is it also Exandroth trying to distance itself from any attachments its made?? Claiming that nothing has changed despite the evidence to the contrary that, yes, Exandroth DID change. Exandroth wants to pretend that it doesn't care if Rumi gets hurt in the process, that Exandroth is just as heartless as its always been, but Exandroth refuses to directly address the fact that this will hurt Rumi. This will hurt Rumi, and Exandroth can't face that reality or else what other solution does Exandroth have? This is the only thing that will make things better.

And I mean, now that I've established that Exandroth is acting irrationally, emotionally, let me just put context on the table for WHY I think Exandroth is acting this way.

1. EXANDROTH GOT STABBED TOO!! Like omg we as a fandom don't focus enough on the fact that Exandroth got stabbed the same time Peter got stabbed, that Exandroth DIED at the same time Peter did, because they share the same vessel!!! We act like Exandroth was divorced from what happened, that Exandroth had no stakes, but look at Exandroth's reaction!! Exandroth is UPSET, Exandroth accuses Peter of purposefully interfering with his plans.. This wasn't what Exandroth wanted. Exandroth acts like Peter meant nothing to it but if it weren't for what happened, Exandroth would have likely never thought to ditch Peter!!

And you know, to us it was clearly obvious that Thanatos was affected by magic, but in the story Peter died confused. Peter didn't understand what happened.. So did Exandroth? And if not, think about that!! As far as Exandroth was aware, one of the two most important people in its life just turned on it and stabbed it!! Imagine the amount of damage that can do to someone and their sense of the world around them. In this context, it makes SO much sense that this disruption is the reason Exandroth is acting so irrationally.

Which leads me into 2. RUMI!! Who is the one that Exandroth immediately turns to after one of the most important people in her life betrayed it (as far as it's aware)?? Well obviously the OTHER most important one in its life, which is obviously Rumi. It's like, no duh, of course Exandroth wanted to reunite with Rumi, Rumi is so important to him!! And I feel like I was going to type something more eloquent here but I've been typing for a while.

Which leads me into 3. So why DID Exandroth act so brashly?? Why DID Exandroth jump to such a poorly planned solution? Okay, so obviously the former points could fit into this (Exandroth just wanted to be with Rumi ASAP after being made as upset as is, that makes sense) but think about Exandroth's backstory. A part of Exandroth's entire motivation, the reason for Exandroth's anger, is that the Gods imprisoned him!! And we have no idea how long that was for, but it could have been years, so obviously Exandroth might be more than a bit upset if it were ever imprisoned again. And here I'm sure you can understand what I'm getting at if I were to say that being trapped within a sword could be compared to being trapped in chains. Perhaps the idea of being trapped again for an undisclosed amount of time really egged on Exandroth's thought that she had no time to think things through and just needed to GET OUT...

And to my old followers this analysis is nothing new, but new followers I am *SHAKING* you, please heed my words and let's all be a bit more deranged about Exandroth!!

And you know what because this is my post I'm allowed to drop my headcanon here again, if you take nothing else away from this... Exandroth is his Rumi form does NOT summon the harp blade from her arm but from her stomach, because that's where Exandroth got stabbed and oghhh the imagery of that being where Exandroth's emotional pain comes from.......!!!!!! You get me, you understand this.

[crazysnor1ax]

Theorizing about A Little Drama

Finally got around to watching the play, and I think there is so much more to unpack with it. It’s so much more than simply being a retelling of how Charlie got into the Constant. I mostly wanna talk about the Final Act, Scene 3, but I’ll get there. I have so much to say so bear with me lmao

I write this assuming you’ve already seen all the play, so go finish it/watch it if you haven’t already. There are massive spoilers for it here.

Firstly, the mirror. I initially thought they represented Them, but then I though the fact that they were a singular entity and not a Chorus (as in the Choruses seen in older Greek plays) of some kind implied that They are a singular entity and not a group of higher beings. I went backed and looked at some of Maxwell’s quotes and he sometimes uses “they” (note the lowercase) in reference to Them, so I don’t think They are a singular being. I do think that if we are to use Alter as a reference, being that they’re one of Them and controls a specififc aspect of the Constant, then the mirror could be referring to the one of Them tied to the shadows. I initially thought Metheus but we know she’s the Ancient Fuelweaver (or at least it’s heavily implied she’s the Ancient Fuelweaver), so I don’t think so.

I don’t think they’re Cyclum either, but it is strange that Charlie suddenly has their torch in the Axiom Visus Trailer...could be an explanation for that.

Though, if Cyclum was trying to fend off the nightmares I don’t know why they’d become a shadow god of some kind. Not to mention I think it’s also possible whichever one of Them this is existed before both Metheus and Cyclum, so that debunks both of these ideas entirely.

Tl;dr for this section, the mirror is likely whichever one of Them controls the shadows, not just shadow magic as a whole.

Okay, Charlie time! There’s not too much to say here, but I still wanna talk briefly about this. I think the doll shattering and being repaired by the mirror in Act 2 scenes 2 and 3 could be suggesting Charlie dies and is revived by Them (I’m referring to Them as in the specific one of Them who controls the shadows from here on out). This is a MASSIVE stretch, though. This being said, I think Maxwell and Winona’s commentary on the scene could suggest that Charlie at least remembers it that way (I unfortunately can’t find a clean image of it, but Maxwell says “Does she really remember it that way?” and Winona says “Sis...are you trying to tell me something?” At least something very close to those two things). I find it fascinating that Charlie views The Final Act differently from Maxwell. It also almost seems like she thinks she interfered with Maxwell’s ability to use the magic, considering the mirror says that the doll is going to set it free before the king shatters the doll. Maybe They tried to talk to Charlie in the scene from the Metheus puzzles where she visits Maxwell’s apartment. Maybe that’s why she took the Codex Umbra that night.

At least, I believe she took the Codex specifically.

Act 3 Scene 3. This is so so so much more than simply Charlie taking the throne. From everything we see in this scene and Act 2 scene 2, Charlie makes a deal with Them in order to gain power, or at least return to what she thinks is normal. What’s interesting to me is that the mirror says it’ll restore the doll fully once it gains its power back, but we see the doll become something entirely new, not exactly restored. The doll even says, “I’ve become so much more than I ever dreamed...” Maybe this suggests that Charlie’s original deal was to become herself again rather than the shadow monster, but after she became Queen (aka after her personalities fused), she liked her new state. She was okay with being half-shadow so-to-speak, because it made her feel powerful.

Despite this, in the play the doll promises to find the power to fix the mirror in order to repay them. Part of me thinks Charlie takes pity on Them and wants to restore them to power, since they’ve been so “kind” to her. It’d be kinda cool if this was the case, since it’d show some of OG Charlie is still in there somewhere. She doesn’t have to, given she’s content with her new state of being, but she does anyway. Regardless, it gives us a reason for why Return of Them happened and why Charlie is trying to restore Them.

It’s interesting that Charlie would give the Survivors all this information, though, if this is her overall motivation. Why suddenly reveal your entire past and everything you plan on doing to the only people that are likely trying to stop you and take away what you believe to be immense power? I guess it’s just Charlie having fun on the throne, but even then it’s strange. Could be a hubris thing, like Maxwell and his statues. I’m not sure.

Finally, just a funny note on the epilogue scene. To me that whole scene comes off as Charlie going, “Hey Winona, I’m fine even tho I’m corrupted by potentially evil gods. I know you’re looking for me and worried about me and risking your life for me but it’s all chill trust me :^)”

Oh! One last thing I forgot to mention that’s pretty important! This:

And this:

Now we know why They (as in all of Them, potentially) kept bringing in new people, at least for a time. They lacked power and only a human from Earth could find what They needed to restore it. This being said, it’s interesting Charlie seemed to bring people in, too; I always assumed she brought Walter in, since he was just brought in for no reason it seems. Wanda was brought in because she messed too much with time, and Winona was technically brought in by Charlie but not after she became queen.

This could also explain why we haven’t gotten any new characters recently or why we may not get new ones: because They’ve found their Queen. There is no one else to bring in.