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mind-coffee · 2 years

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WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU CAN'T WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND CERTAIN TEACHINGS IN YOUR RELIGION?

Well this will be another one I'm not entirely sure how to answer, because you know, not religious and all. But I can try and understand, I can try and answer this question. I don't know much about the teachings of religion. But from what I remember of being forced to go to CCD classes for years as a kid, the only thing that stuck was the basics. You sin, you go to hell. In a sense, isn't that the whole point? You follow the rules of scripture, and do what you think is the 'good' thing so that you can gain access to the white pearly gates. If we do sin, we have to repent. Confess our sins to a higher power. Go to confession. Do everything right. I remember going to confession as a kid, and feeling so guilty because of the things I thought about religion. I remember hating it so much because it felt forced. And honestly, I don't seem to understand that. I don't understand the theory that we are supposed to be 'perfect'. And while I know the bible doesn't demand perfection, it does expect you to follow the rules of book so that you don't burn in the afterlife. Are we really saying that if we follow the rules of some book that was written by someone that we don't really know much about is the gold standard for what we should do in life? We all lie. We all 'sin'. Are you really telling me that if I don't beg for forgiveness to some higher power that I'm condemned for the rest of my life? Not that I believe in that stuff anyways. I know many many people that go to church religiously. They are there for every Sunday mass, at every soup supper, every volunteer opportunity that the church puts on, and honestly those people are the most judgmental people I know. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they are all like that. I know there are good people in the world, that simply do good for other people because they want to but still accept them for everything that they are. Just because you go to church every Sunday, does that make you superior to me? Does that mean I'm going to hell? Does that mean that the 'higher' power you speak of, hates me? I just don't get it. I truly do not understand how you reading a book makes you a better person than me. That it makes you believe that you are the walking epitome of God. I just disagree. I disagree when people think of themselves as 'better' because they pray to God. You're no better than me, so stop acting like it. We are all going to die, and we are all going to put in the group. If you believe that after that you will have a happy ever after once you go, that's on you. Whatever helps you sleep at night.

Dig Deeper:

What religious laws do you struggle with, and why?

Like I said, I don't know too much about religion. I suppose I could say the one law that really doesn't make sense to me is the only one that I know about. I was baptized and raised Catholic, so I spent alot of time in a Catholic church. I knew alot of people from the church. I had made friends with people outside of the walls of a church, and guess what? We all did crazy, nearly unforgivable things. What I really struggle with is this rule that if you are Catholic, you are not allowed to condone a religion outside of the one you have. For example, when I got married, I wanted a man that I had known for YEARS, that I grew up with, to be the one that would marry me. He was elated, overjoyed even. And he told me he couldn't do it. The Catholic church wouldn't allow him to engage in a wedding that wasn't Catholic. I don't think that's fair. I don't think that because you follow specific rules for religion that everything that's not that religion is shunned. That because I didn't get married Catholic certain aspects of my marriage were 'unacceptable' in the eyes of 'God'. Again, it just feels like they are saying that if you're not with us, you're against us. I don't buy that. No one person is superior than the other.

What one thing would you like to change about your religion?

Since I'm not religious I can't say I would change anything about my religion. Maybe I could say that I wish I didn't feel like I was condemned to an afterlife of torture because I don't believe the same as my peers. Not that I believe in that stuff anyways. Truly believe that we either just go to sleep, and that's the end, or we get reincarnated. Haven't decided which one makes the most sense to me.

If you could ask God one question, what would it be?

I think this one is pretty self explanatory. If I could ask him one question, it would be, "are you real"? There's no other person in this world that could convince me otherwise. I've seen people pray to the sky and ask for a better outcome. It's never granted. Are they just praying to clouds or am I missing something in life. The only person that could answer that questions and make a believer out of me, is Him.

#religion #soul pancake #catholic #faith #GOD & RELIGION

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princeofgod-2021 · 2 years

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LIGHT OF LIFE 263

John 1:4

CULTURE & TRADITION 29: WHOM SHALL WE SEND 10?

1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that YE WERE NOT REDEEMED WITH CORRUPTIBLE THINGS, as silver and gold, FROM YOUR VAIN CONVERSATION RECEIVED BY TRADITION FROM YOUR FATHERS; KJV

2nd point: If you are speaking at all, by the will of God, please ensure you speak the profound and undiluted truth; never “cook up” lies or fabricate or add to the truth about what or whom you are decrying over evil.

Don’t even denounce anyone based on your own personal view of his sin. Read this:

Joh 8:26 I HAVE MUCH TO SAY ABOUT YOU, much to condemn you for. THE ONE WHO SENT ME, HOWEVER, IS TRUTHFUL, AND I TELL THE WORLD ONLY what I have heard from him." GNB

Now, coming from Jesus, this is very intriguing: that “the one who sent me is truthful…” implies that what I personally have to say or condemn in people may be lies and twisted or sentimental.

Wow! May we please, by this rule, never trust our own judgments about anybody but seriously hear from God?

Eze 18:4 SEE, ALL SOULS ARE MINE; AS THE SOUL OF THE FATHER, SO THE SOUL OF THE SON IS MINE: death will be the fate of the sinner's soul. BBE

In the final analysis, none of us has any form of exclusive rights to talk to anybody anyhow; everyman belongs to God and even the man you are sent to condemn may repent and be saved next instance.

Rom 14:4 WHO ARE YOU TO PASS JUDGMENT ON ANOTHER’S SERVANT? BEFORE HIS OWN MASTER HE STANDS OR FALLS. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. NET

We all have to be conscious of the fact that God really wants to save every soul, if they repent.

2Pe 3:9 This means that, contrary to man’s perspective, the Lord is not late with his promise to return, as some measure lateness. But rather, HIS “DELAY” SIMPLY REVEALS HIS LOVING PATIENCE TOWARD YOU, BECAUSE HE DOES NOT WANT ANY TO PERISH BUT ALL TO COME TO REPENTANCE. TPT

Remember we saw how God forgave even the Ahab He seriously wanted to destroy.

In fact, this repentance of Ahab was not profound, as we see next Chapter, where he finally died, yet God was “moved” by his momentary penitence and delayed the destruction on his family till after Ahab died.

1Ki 21:29 DO YOU SEE HOW AHAB HAS MADE HIMSELF LOW BEFORE ME? Because he has made himself low before me, I will not send the evil in his life-time, BUT IN HIS SON'S TIME I will send the evil on his family. BBE

Our father in heaven is an enigma. It sounded as if He was convincing Elijah to understand why He has to forgive Ahab; as though He can’t stand seeing someone broken and not be touched.

Heb 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot be TOUCHED with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted just as we are, yet without sin. MKJV

Psa 34:18 THE LORD IS CLOSE TO ALL WHOSE HEARTS ARE CRUSHED BY PAIN, AND HE IS ALWAYS READY TO RESTORE THE REPENTANT ONE. TPT

This was why Jonah ran from God and very reluctantly carried out his assignment to Nineveh: he knew God will forgive them and stop His intended penalty as soon as they repent.

He hated that about God.

Jon 4:2-3 So he prayed: Our LORD, I knew from the very beginning that you wouldn't destroy Nineveh. That's why I left my own country and headed for Spain. YOU ARE A KIND AND MERCIFUL GOD, AND YOU ARE VERY PATIENT. YOU ALWAYS SHOW LOVE, AND YOU DON'T LIKE TO PUNISH ANYONE, not even foreigners. Now let me die! I'd be better off dead. CEV

I wonder if Jonah was saying that he preferred that God is always terrible and mean over the sins of men.

Would he himself survive if God was as tough as he surmises?

We all have extended families and many of them with Demonic Traditions. Does any of us ever wish that they all die and waste away?

2Ti 2:25-26 HE MUST BE GENTLE IN CORRECTING THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE GOOD NEWS. MAYBE God will allow them to change the way they think and act and lead them to know the truth. THEN THEY MIGHT COME BACK TO THEIR SENSES AND GOD WILL FREE THEM FROM THE DEVIL'S SNARE SO THAT THEY CAN DO HIS WILL. GW

Ultimately beloved, God sees that men are under addictions and demonic bondages that war with their minds and won’t let go easily.

The probable reason why men will yet be eternally punished if they don’t get released from satanic strongholds is because men sought to be entangled through lusts.

Jas 1:13-15 Whenever you feel tempted to do something bad, you should not say, "God is tempting me." Evil cannot tempt God, and God himself does not tempt anyone. YOU ARE TEMPTED BY THE EVIL THINGS YOU WANT. YOUR OWN DESIRE LEADS YOU AWAY AND TRAPS YOU. Your desire grows inside you until it results in sin. Then the sin grows bigger and bigger and finally ends in death. ERV

Even so, God seeks penitence and total turnaround of every soul, from evil unto Righteousness.

It would be noble of you beloved, if before you go and deliver that message of God’s judgment, you labour in prayer first, that God will have mercy and soften the person’s heart and open the eyes.

Amo 7:4-6 THE LORD SHOWED ME THAT HE IS GOING TO SEND A BALL OF FIRE TO BURN UP EVERYTHING ON EARTH, including the ocean. Then I said, "Won't you please stop? HOW CAN OUR WEAK NATION SURVIVE?" Again the LORD felt sorry and answered, "I WON'T LET IT BE DESTROYED." CEV

Yes, some persons or people will definitely be destroyed without plea, but that must be God’s prerogative, not ours.

While we have the voice to condemn their sins, we can plead for them first.

Luk 23:34 And Jesus said, “FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN WHAT THEY DO”; and parting His garments they cast a lot. WEB

May God’s mercies keep us above all offenses and use us to draw men out of theirs, in Jesus name, Amen.

Come back on Friday for more digging into this intriguing subtopic.

Keep Shinning!

Brother Prince

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

08055125517; 08023904307

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roleplaymemesnthings · 3 years

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Raw Lines From The Internet

"I am a monument to all your sins."

"I'll do whatever you want."

"Then perish."

"Violence for violence is the rule of beasts."

"To become a god is the loneliest achievement of them all."

"I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me."

"If the world chooses to become my enemy, I will fight like I always have."

"If the zoo bans me for hollering at the animals I will face god and walk backwards into hell."

"Everything that we know and love is reducible to the absurd acts of chemicals, and there is therefore no intrinsic value in this material universe."

Hypocrite that you are, for you trust the chemicals in your brain to tell you they are chemicals. All knowledge is ultimately based on that which we cannot prove."

"Will you fight? Or will you perish like a dog?"

"Do you think god stays in heaven because he too lives in fear of what he's created?"

"You've got to make a statement. You've got to look inside yourself and say: What am I willing to put up with today?"

"What is better: To be born a god, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?"

"Pick a god and pray."

"I see now that the circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant; it is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are."

"And remember that bad times are just times that are bad."

"Can you feel your heart burning? Can you feel the struggle within? The fear within me is beyond anything your soul can make. You cannot kill me in a way that matters."

"Decay exists as an extant form of life."

"Flowers wither away. Jewelry are simply stones, decorated with fake beauty. I can give you something pure. Honest and undying love."

"Impermanence does not mean insignificance."

"Death is the ultimate destination, but we all makes stops along the way."

"And if the devil ever was to see you, he'd kiss your eyes and repent."

"Someday you will have to answer for your actions and god may not be so merciful."

"Please be patient, god isn't finished with me yet."

"We deserve a soft epilogue, my love."

"There is no 'advocate'. Men are the devil, and when you speak it's with his tongue."

"I am decayed. My lungs are full of thorns and mildew. My bones are held together by vines. I am fragile, be gentle with my corpse."

"You are a thief and a murderer. You have killed a baboon and stolen his face."

"I picked a whole fuckin' bouquet of whoopsie daisies."

"It's not that deep? Maybe not originally, but the ground is soft and I'm ready to dig."

"When you look at someone through rose coloured glasses, all the red flags just look like flags."

"This is hell's territory and I am beholden to no gods."

"Bury me shallow. I'll be back."

"I'd strike the sun if it insulted me."

#rp memes #roleplay memes #roleplay ask memes #roleplay starters #rp starters #rp ask memes

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plush-rabbit · 3 years

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In God's Warm Embrace

Pastor Simeon decides to talk about you and your little absence around the Church as of late.

Warnings: could be considered noncon, or like coercion

Warnings: 4.2K

A/N: (〃￣︶￣)人(￣︶￣〃)

You walk through the corridor, the statues looking upon you. White roses are placed in vases at each window, the petals wilting at the ends and falling onto the lace tablecloth. The eyes of a crucified Jesus seem to follow you as you enter a room. It’s empty, only pictures and a singular cross looking upon you and keeping you company as you sit on a teal cushioned chair and wait.

The room is filled with light, the rays of the fading sun catching amongst the panels and shining a kaleidoscope of colors onto the room, peeking at the top of your knees and creeping to your thighs. Your hands are moist with sweat, your brow knitted with worry and your lips pulled into a frown. Shame floods your body, burning hot with the fire from hell, your tears slipping down the curve of your face and dripping onto the collar of your shirt. You’re stuck in silence while the world outside moves on, living shame free and simply existing.

The door to the office opens with a gust of warm air entering, and in the same breath, it’s closed, clicking to a lock. You swallow and your mouth is dry, your gaze sticks on the hardwood floor, trying to make out a pattern within the lines. A chill runs through your body when two hands rest on your shoulder, gripping tightly onto you.

Silence rings in your ears, deafening and enough to make your ears ache. “You know I care for you deeply, do you not?” He offers no room for you to answer him. “I do my best with what I can, while I’m in charge of the church- in charge of you. You know you’re able to come to me if you’re ever struggling.” His index finger twitches against your shoulder. “Have I not made that clear?” He squeezes your shoulders with both hands.

“No, Pastor Simeon. You’ve made it clear I can turn to you. You’ve taken great care of me ever since I found the Church.” You can hear laughter ringing outside the window, the color on your knees twinkling with each passing second. “I appreciate it very much.”

“Then, you’d be willing to tell me why I found you with Pastor Raphael? You know, he doesn’t just allow anyone in his office.” His nails are cushioned by the fabric of your blouse. “Nor does he allow anyone to sit so close to him.” You can hear something venomous in his voice, a low hiss that is gone as soon as it came.

“I simply needed help planning the monthly party. You seemed busy with a new follower and I didn’t want to take away your attention.” Your heart leaps into your throat, catching and making it impossible to breathe. “I didn't mean to offend.”

“You know I’m always happy to make time for my favorite follower.” His hand creeps closer to your neck, his skin warm against your clammy one. “While you’re here, I’ve also been meaning to ask you why you haven’t shown up on Friday nights? You know we still hold services on those nights.” His index tickles the base of your neck, stroking upwards onto you. “Where have you been?”

You rub your thighs together, anxiety deep in your joints, making you antsy and uncomfortable. “I’ve met some friends,” you confess. “We go out on Fridays and well, Fridays are usually empty so I assumed-”

“Ah,” he says simply. “You believe that your own enjoyment is above others who are seeking guidance from our Lord.” He sighs, his hands coming closer to the base of your neck, fingertips light against you. “I see the Devil has tainted your heart,” a sad tone lacing at his words.

“No!” You gasp out, trying to look above. “It- It’s not-”

His words cut through yours. “Tell me, are these friends the ones who saved you when you were alone? When you were lost and broken? Are they the ones who rescued you from damnation?” You shake your head. “I can’t hear you.”

“No,” you mutter, twiddling your hands together. “That was you.” You swallow, your lips dry and the swirl of colors makes it hard to focus. “I apologize. I just thought-” your lips pull into a straight line- “I had thought that perhaps I could go out. I didn’t mean to abandon my duties here. I promise to do better.”

“You’re in God’s house. You should know that promises made under here are sacred.” You nod your head. “Speaking of Fridays-” his hands finally wrap around your neck and you startle- “you’ve been missing confession during then.” Your hands flutter but make it no further than your chest, your eyes trying to latch onto a reflective surface to look at him. He says your name in a light whisper, his fingertips caressing the front of your neck. “I’m sure you have things to confess. Don’t fret, we all sin from time to time. We are only made in God's Image, but he’s the one who gave us free will. As long as we find our path to light, we’ll surely be saved.” He clicks his tongue, a hand faltering away to slip past your shoulder and tease at your collarbone. “Is there anything you’d like to confess? After all, you have my undivided attention.”

“I’m afraid I have sinned.” His hands tighten around you. You aren’t sure if it’s a threat or something else- even then you aren’t sure what the “something else” could be. “As you mentioned earlier, I’ve been putting my own satisfaction above others. I fear that I’m becoming selfish in my ways. However, I know that with enough prayer, I could overcome this. I think I'll head home tonight and pray.” You don’t know how to feel with his hands around your throat, not liking the way they seem to claim over you. “I still need to purchase items for the monthly party.”

As you move to rise from your seat, he pushes you back down. You fear that the Devil’s clawed hands will rise from the floor and grab at your ankles. You call his name, straining your neck to look up at him and when you meet his eyes, you look back down, murmuring an apology for daring to look at him.

“You’ve been lacking your duties, playing around with people who don’t care for you- at least not in the way I do- and now you want to rush home? You’re already here, let me help you. Let me be the one to help you repent your sins. I am a man of God, devoted and under his light, it’s only right that I save you from damnation.” His words leave a sinking feeling in your stomach, aching and twisting around, pulling tight until acid is rising- thick and burning. “You want to be forgiven, don’t you?”

You nod your head. “In the confessional?”

“No, dear.” The colors are warm on your skin, his hands light, and the room cold. “This one is a bit more personal. Something that I’m only willing to share with you.” The sun shines outside, colors reflected across the room, shining in an heavenly light. “Hebrew 4:13-” he sounds almost smug as he speaks, his abdomen pressed against the back of your chair- “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” You can feel him hover closer to you, his hand lowering past your collarbone and slipping to the curve of your breast. “You seek to repent for your sins, do you not? Do you think Raphael would still be intrigued with you after learning that you’re abandoning God to seek out pleasure from others? I know how you care for the opinion of others.” His hand massages at your breast, pulling at the cup, your hardened nipple peeking through the shirt. “Come now, my little lamb, make the wise choice.” His finger pinches at your clothed nipple, causing you to pinch your thighs together, a shameful sound muffled between your closed lips. “Do you wish to confess your sins to me?”

Your body is lit aflame with the way that he touches you, an uncomfortable growing wet spot forming between your legs. “I wish to repent, Pastor Simeon.” Your stomach drops at your words, your heart beating against your chest and a cold feeling wraps tight around you. “Please, help me.”

“Open your mouth,” he says, a hand hugging your throat and forcing you to look up at him. You do as you say, the tip of your tongue peeking past your bottom lip. “You wished to repent for your sins.” His lips curve into a thin smile. “Well, I’m about to help you.” He bows his head, the apple in his throat bobbing as his lips are pursed together. Spit falls onto your tongue, the taste bitter with wine, and thick with salvation, as you close your mouth and swallow it. A hand cups your face, his hand softly curling into a petting motion. “Good-” he pulls away and you watch him move, standing before you with hands on his belt, the metal clinking together as he undoes the belt- “get on your knees and take my cock into your mouth.”

You can still feel the way that his hand felt when it was wrapped around your throat, the lingering feeling of something tight coiling around you and you fear that you’ll be left with bruises. “Yes, Pastor Simeon,” you whisper under your breath.

The chair squeaks in the room, your knees cold as you meet the floor. You open your mouth, wanting to speak further, to perhaps put a stop to this or have some sort of guidance, but the taste of wine weighs heavy on your tongue, your breath coming out in short pants as your hands tremble to unzip his pants. You inch close to him, the zip echoing in your ears as you pull it down. He removes his shoes and kicks them off the side, his pants lowered and he stands in his briefs in front of you, the outline of his cock bulging against the fabric. Your hand cups over the outline, your lips pulled into a frown when warmth emanates from it and burns against your palm.

“Are you okay?” You look up at him, with wide eyes, sneaking a glance back to where your hand still holds his covered cock. “I understand, being tempted is quite different than actually committing the act, but I assure you-” his hand curves over the top of your head- “this is for you. I’m trying to save your soul. I was chosen by God, I wouldn’t dare trick you in any way.” He senses your hesitation, the worry in your eyes that brim over with tears. “How about this? Kiss me. That way, it’ll be an easy transition for you.” He helps you onto your legs, standing against him, his hands cupping your face and lips bittersweet with wine. “We’ll kiss like lovers. Make love as one, and I assure you, that after today’s session, you’ll be one step closer to God’s Light.”

His lips are soft, tongue even softer as it slips between your lips. His kiss is nice- something pleasant and slow that makes your stomach churn as if butterflies were inside of you. You lean closer to him, pressing your chest against his and your hands are awkwardly stiff at your sides. He’s still pressed against you- his erection stiff and pulsating with heat as he deepens the kiss.

A hand leaves your face, leaving you cold. You whine into him when his hand traces down your body, grabbing at your empty hand and placing it above his cock. He holds yours, gently mimicking jerking motions as the kiss continues. Saliva pools under your tongue, slipping past the corners of your lips and dripping thickly onto your shirt. Your head spins, fever burning your skin as the summer heat does to you. You hold together onto him, the cock thick in your hands as shakily continues the motions without his help. With a mouth filled with his tongue and shared spit, he pulls away, pecking at the corner of your lips to your jawline and against your neck- right below where your heart pulses. His briefs are slipped off, the heat of his member burning against your hand.

“Get on your knees. It’s time to worship,” he says quietly to you, his hands wrapped around your arms, guiding you to your knees. “Remember, that this is for you.” Your knees meet the cold floor once more, your joints aching and lips already feeling bruised despite the soft kiss. “You’re the sinner and I’m the one guiding you to salvation.”

Your cupid’s bow bumps against his cockhead, a slimy trail of pre-ejaculate spreading across your lips. A hint of something salty replaces his bittersweet taste, you push yourself forward, your lips opening as you wrap them around his cock. His hands cradle the back of your head, a sigh of pleasure filling the air between the two of you.

“Suck on it,” he orders, pushing your head deeper onto his cock, until it hits your uvula. You hollow your cheeks, the soft, plushiness of it pressed against the side of his cock. “Just a bit harder, my dear.” His hands knit between your hair and his fingertips press against your scalp. “You suck on my cock, and I’ll guide you.”

True to his word, he guides your head, pushing you deeper down his cock as tears spring to your eyes, your ears hot and chest losing air with each thrust. Your mouth closes around his cock, a pitiful attempt at sucking at his cock while he thrusts your head onto him. With each thrust, the tip of his cock hits the back of your throat, his hands holding tightly onto you. To say he is forceful feels almost wrong, but his hands are heavy, his gestures anything but sweet and the only kind words that he can hiss out between his clenched teeth are praises that make your stomach twist. You aren’t sure if it’s his taste that is acidic or sickness settling in.

“But while my relationship is secure with you, I know sin can break our fellowship at times. I’m still human, and I often forget who I am and Whose I am. You want to convict and correct me, not shame me.” His voice cuts through the air, louder than your choking. He holds power in his voice, muttering through the prayer, increasing in volume as his moans do. “So before I take communion today, I’m asking You to truly search my heart and reveal hidden things for which to ask Your forgiveness.”

The noises that fill the room are loud, gagging and wet slapping sounds with each movement. Your jaw aches, tears slipping past the curve of your face as your nails dig into his thighs. You call his name and it’s unheard, a jumbled mess of slurred sounds that are lost within the wet slapping sounds. Yet, even with his cruelness, something pulses between your legs. It’s an uncomfortable situation, something thick slipping past your entrance and resting on your underwear, the twisting in your stomach rivaled by a burning ache.

“Oh my,” he grunts, pressing your face down to his base. Your tongue slips around the underside of his cock, tracing at a vein as saliva slips down your chin. “My little lamb, you feel fantastic.” He’s too deep in your mouth, closing at your throat and blocking any air that can travel. “Just hearing you gag is nearly enough for me.” Your face burns, burning hot tears form and cling to your lashes. Your mouth bubbles with drool, your palms slapping against his thighs as you call to him through his cock. Something acid crises in your throat, only to be washed away by his thick seed. It slides down your throat, heavy and filling, white creaminess staining your tongue and burning past your tears.

When he pulls you away, you cough, small specks of semen ruining the cherry wood floors. You gasp for air, the scent of candles burning strong in the air. “Sim-” a cough interrupts your words- “Simeon,” you hiccup, your hands flat on the ground. You look up at him, watching as he strokes his cock, semen dripping onto the floor. “What are you doing?”

“We’re not done yet,” he says as he grabs you by your biceps and lifts you into a standing position. “I apologize for the roughness but it’s what the Lord commands me to do. Now, it’s time for the other steps.” He presses you against the edge of his desk, the hem of your skirt in his hands and his breath close to yours. His thumb brushes away your tears. “Lift up your skirt for me, my sweet lamb.”

“What?” You ask in a strained whisper, wrapping your arms around yourself, giving yourself the comfort you desperately need. “What do you mean? Wasn’t that enough?”

“There can never be enough salvation.” he grabs your hands and lets them hover over the hem of your skirt. “Now, lift up your skirt. Don’t make me repeat myself again, dear.” He takes a few steps back. He gives you a slight nod, allowing you to proceed.

You lift up your skirt, the fabric clenched in your hands, and even though you just had his cock in your mouth, you feel exposed. Simeon hums in thought, stepping towards you, his index finger tracing over your slit. His index presses harshly against you, almost teasing at your entrance and when he pulls away, the tip of his index is shining. He tilts his head and rubs his index and thumb together, your arousal smearing between the two, as his hands on your thighs as they reach the hem of your underwear and pull down. You can feel a cool strand of your arousal slap against our warm skin when the fabric pools around your ankles.

Your clothes are removed, falling onto a lifeless puddle on the floor. You rest on the desk, your hands flat against the table as you peer at your Pastor. He fills the gap, the tip of his cock smearing between your lips. You gasp out, your head shaking as you look around the room. “Wait- Wait,” you stop him. He listens and gives you a tender smile.

“What’s wrong, my dear?” His hand cusps at your face, his thumb brushing against your lower lip.

“I’m a-” your face burns with shame as you look down. Your hand is casted in rainbow light. “I don’t- I’m saving myself till marriage. I don’t- isn��t there another way?”

“My lovely lamb,” he whispers out, his lips ghosting over your collarbone and resting over a pert nipple, another hand covering your other breast. “You don’t have to worry about that right now. God won’t hate you for acts of love. If that’s difficult for you to comprehend, why don’t you think of me as your God for now?” His lips peck at your nipple, his mouth opening and suckling at your breast. “Making love with God is not a sin.” You arch your back as he nurses on your breast, his other hand massaging and kneading at the other breast.

Tears dry in your eyes, your gaze wide and doe-like. “What about a condom? I’m not on birth control or anything.”

“My dear-” he kisses at your breast once more, lolling the hardened nipple with the tip of his tongue- “with me inside of you, it’ll be much more pure. It’ll be the pure essence of me- our God- in your body. Nursing at your womb and filling you with life. Don’t deprive yourself of that.” He lifts his head, your breast is cold from the air, the other pert from touch.

Your rim is stretched, a pain sparking between your legs. The crown of your head is pushed against his desk, your hands lawing around his biceps. He muffles your yelp with a rushed kiss, his tongue pushing past your lips. You gasp for air, pulling him closer to you and wrapping your legs around him, hoping that that will deter him from continuing.

It doesn’t.

He thrust into you, pulling away, his cock stretching you virgin walls. He pulls away from the kiss, his lips on your neck before he rises above you and kisses your lips once more. Your legs loosen from the hold on him and he grabs at you, pushing your legs into a bent position over your body. Everything feels much too tight, the position only bringing a stinging pain with pleasure right at the cusp, your body aching for anything to remove the pain.

In a desperate attempt, you bring your hand to rub at your clit, letting out a breathy moan when it does relieve you from the pain. He kisses your lips once more and unable to think, you can only press down at your clit.

“It stings,” you murmur between the lips. “Pastor Simeon, it doesn’t-”

“Just give it a second.'' His hand replaces yours and his fingertips feel foreign compared to yours. “Such a good follower to know that you have to play with yourself.” He presses the kiss deeper, his hands finding a sweet rhythm that makes you gasp into his mouth, the pain fading away with every thrust. “How ever did you know to do something like that?” His pace quickens, a wet clicking sound filling the room as he pushes himself inside of you. “Do you do this often or-” his fingers pinch at your clit, causing you to squeeze your legs together, your cunt wrapping tightly around him- “did someone teach my favorite follower something so perverse? What was it? Were you being a whore and touching yourself or did you let someone play with you?”

“Me,” you choke out, clinging onto him, so desperate for another kiss to dull the fading pain. “It was me.” Your tears catch on your tongue and you shake your head at the taste. “I’m so sorry Pastor Simeon. I was weak,” you moan, closing your eyes until colors and organic shapes fill the inky blackness. You can feel the gold cross around his neck rest between the valley of your breasts, a cold surface against your fevered skin, it bobs and piches at you with every thrust.

He grunts above you, moaning your name until it sounds odd in your ears, his cock twitching inside of your velvety walls. His cock fills you, stretches your cunt and makes you feel impossibly full. Your clit pulses with arousal as you drip around his cock, pulling him close to you, desperate to feel his burning skin upon yours. He calls your name, stuttering his hips inside fo you before coming to a still. You’re filled with his seed- creamy white that spills out of you only to be pushed back in by his hands. You’re covered by him, your entrance puffed and spilling with white discharge, your body shakes as he pulls himself out. His lips meet your in a tender kiss, sucking at your bottom lip and holding you close.

Your eyes are heavy with exhaustion, your body shaking lightly as thick semen pours out of your ravaged cunt. You call for him, your hands blindly searching as they fall past the edge of the desk. His lips press against your forehead, cold hands that touch at your feverish body, makes you lean into him. His lips smile against you.

“You’re free to rest here as long as necessary.” You open your eyes at him, your brows furrowed but without energy and no room to have any coherent thoughts, you are unable to ask him anything. “I hate to leave you here, but I have a meeting to attend. I’ll hope to see you again next Friday, of course.”

You turn your head lazily towards him where he’s already buckling his belt. “Next?” You ask with a pause. “What do you-” a yawn ruins your sentence and chance to speak.

“Surely, you did not believe that one session was enough to lead you to redemption? Oh my, sweet lamb, no.” He clicks his tongue and shakes his head with a patronizing huff. “You’ve told me yourself that you’ve touched yourself- do you believe that God would take in such a whore?” He smiles at you and it’s cold. “He wouldn’t,” he says simply, adjusting his collar, the necklace that once laid between your breasts now rests between his. “But I’m here to watch over you. To give you the treatment that you deserve and make sure you get into God’s good graces.” He walks to the door, his back turned to you, until his hand is around the knob. “Now remember, you wanted this, and I’m more than happy to help, my dear lamb.”

The door clicks close behind him and you are left in a darkening room, the kaleidoscope of lights vanished long ago, only a dripping trail of semen leaking from your cunt. Your body aches and you feel cold, naked under the eyes of the Lord. With shaky limbs, you rise from the desk, wearing the clothes as they are- wrinkled and dirtied from the dust on the floor. You pat yourself down. The doorknob is cold under your touch, your body pricked with goosebumps, and let the door close behind you.

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evierena · 3 years

Text

The Brothers eavesdropping to MC accidentally confessing their undying love for them. Part 2

INTRO

MC was having their monthly catch-up call with their best friend in the Human Realm. At first, their friend could not believe the situation MC was living, but after a few calls they had finally come to accept the whole "I was summoned to Hell, but it's called Devildom, and now I have to live with 7 hot demon brothers and they are actually kinda nice" situation (yeah, Levi would be proud of my naming skills). Anyhow, during this specific call MC was filling in their friend with the latest update on their newfound feelings for one of the brothers, not knowing that said brother was actually outside their room, eavesdropping! And then, their friend asks "What is it about him that you love so much?"

What did MC respond? How did that brother react and what did he do with that information? Well, let's see...

Asmodeus

- Impromptu spa night!

- That's what he was thinking when he headed to your room, wanting to test a few new products he just gotten his hands on.

- Of course, he had to stop for a second to fix his already perfect hair before going in your room, and that's how he got to listen to your friend through the phone asking:

- "Why do you love this Asmo guy so much?"

- Asmo's eyes went 👀 and he decided to stay a little longer just outside your door.

- "Well, that's easy. Because he's been so sweet and supportive of me, he always tries to bring a smile to my face, he also knows when to stop his innuendos and respect my physical boundaries. Everyone else just see the Avatar of Lust in him, sometimes I feel like even he just thinks of himself as just lust embodied, but I think he has a lot more to offer than just mind blowing sex. He's more fragile than he lets on, his sassy and mean façade are to cover up his insecurities and his vulnerability. He's the King of Self Care but that doesn't mean he loves himself as much as he proclaims, actually I think that the first is a way to make up for the lack of the latter. However, I see the way he craves non sexual affection, the sweet and soft sides of love that he's been denied for his sin. I see all of that and I think he's still the most beautiful being I've ever laid eyes upon, and I have already met another fallen angels, angels, demons and humans. Also, I've seen the way he can create something beautiful out of scraps, how he can redecorate and sew together clothes, accessories and a lot of other cute little trinkets, his creativity is really impressive and I'm so proud of him. I love Asmodeus like I've never loved anyone else in my life".

- Asmo let himself draw another breath in when he finished listening to your accidental confession.

- You loved him for himself. You saw beyond his mask, and still thought of him as the most beautiful being in your life.

- Asmodeus was crying, relieved and moved. He felt the familiar warm and fuzzy feeling he usually felt when he would catch you staring lovingly at him.

- The fifth born was no fool, he caught you multiple times sighing after him, but he was never sure what you meant. Were you desiring him just as much as he was for you? Was there something more? Would he be ready to accept it if it wasn't? Could he recover from being seen just as Lust by you of all people? He wasn't sure, which is why he hadn't acted on his feelings any more than the usual.

- But now, he had the words he longed to hear from you. He was trembling from happiness, he was ecstatic, he couldn't help himself from bursting into your room, catching you in your comfy pj's, hair pulled back and cellphone in front of your face while your best friend continued talking through the camera, but you were busy staring at the tearful pink haired demon.

- He knelt beside you in your bed, he hold your face toward him, skin products forgotten in the floor, and he started to pepper your face in kisses mumbling in between how much he loved you too, and how happy he was to have met you.

- In conclusion, hearing your thoughts about him eased his worries and encouraged him to finally claim the sweet love he's been craving from you.

Beelzebub

- Sweet hungry boy was in his way to the kitchen, and when he passed by your door, he started craving something other than food, something more like your company, so he decided to ask you if you wanted a late night snack with him.

- Of course, because this is how it works, just as he was going to knock on your door, he heard loud and clear.

- "So, you're saying you fell in love with Beelzebub"

- That wasn't your voice, actually, he remembered it from that time he was in your room watching a movie and you received a call from the human realm, it was your best friend from there, right? Then, what were they talking about?

- "Yes" you replied.

- "But why? Can you explain it to me?"

- Boi, did he forgot all about his cravings, all he wanted to hear was your response.

- "Beelzebub is the prime example of a gentle giant. He is so, so, so gentle with me, except for that one time, but still. I love how calm it is to be with him, how honest he is with his feelings for his brothers or in general, he isn't afraid to say he loves them, specially Belphie. I love how easily he welcomed me into his family, I love the way he earnestly tries to control his stomach, I'm saddened thinking that his sin consumes so much of him, but I'm amazed that even like that, he still has so many different thoughts and feelings aside from food and hunger. He is so soft and he works hard, he doesn't talk much but what he says, he means it completely, he protects me from everyone even himself. I'm completely smitten for him, honestly, if he asked me, I would let him eat me alive, but at the same time I know he would never hurt me. His presence has helped me go through so much. When I'm stressed he's always there to let me vent or to reassure me that I can keep going, to offer me his precious snacks when I'm tired, and his hugs when I'm feeling down. I... I love Beel."

- An unaware ear to ear smile was present in the orange haired demon, his heart and stomach agreeing that what he needed now was to hold your human form in his arms and treasure you for the rest of his immortal life.

- What was the best way to convey his feelings to you? He didn't want to upset you by admitting he had eavesdropped in your private conversation with your friend, but he wanted, craved and needed to express his own feelings.

- Of course, food and cuddles.

- So he continued to head toward the kitchen and he began to gather your favorite snacks, well, what he could gather given that the kitchen rather lacked all your human preferences but he managed somehow.

- And then, he went straight to your door, this time knocking before he heard anything else.

- When you opened and saw the huge and adorable demon, holding food and with an excitement you couldn't quite understand in his purpleish eyes, you let him right in.

- Your phone call was finished and so, Beel sat down in your bed and offer you the snacks.

- When you asked why he simply said "Because I love you"

- Damn this beautiful, smooth, adorable giant. Now you were blushing and your brain scrambled trying to find an answer for such a sudden confession.

- After that initial shock, you also responded to him with your own feelings, and he began to explain that both his heart and his hunger, although never truly satisfied, were now fuller thanks to you and your presence in his life. And that is as much of a romantic confession you'll get, because for him, that is honestly how he feels and he hopes you understand what he truly means.

- Of course you do, and you're about to cry because omg your crush just confessed to you.

- Then he gives you the snacks, and he said he was sorry for not being sorry for eavesdropping on you earlier.

- What can I say? You said you loved his honesty.

- In conclusion, Beel is more satisfied now that he listened to your confession, and is even more now that he also confessed. Now you both get to be full and satisfied with each other.

Belphegor

- In his defense, he technically wasn't eavesdropping, it was your fault for not realizing that he was also in the attic, under the covers in one recondite corner, half asleep.

- So, you were talking with your bestie, and your laughs and antics while updating them on your life, woke him up completely, but he was having fun listening to the way you retell your adventures with him and his brothers.

- And then, your friend asked: "Soo, MC, have you finally confessed to sleepy boi?"

- Well, well, what do we have here? Thought Belphie, even more invested in your conversation now that it had took a turn to his liking.

- "Of course not! These days I have been so conscious about him I can't look at him much less be alone with him to even think of confessing"

- Oh, so that's why it seemed like you were avoiding him.

- Honestly, Belphie thought you had finally come to your senses and realize you shouldn't involve yourself with him for your own good. He was hurt, it hurt him more than he was willing to admit, and he had isolated himself to also avoid you, so it wouldn't hurt as much. That was the reason he was in the attic that night.

- "Anyway, MC, just let me ask one more time, why is it that you love Belphegor so much?"

- He heard the hitch in your breath, he heard you inhale and exhale deeply, but he himself stopped breathing at all, an he stayed still trying to attract the least attention to himself in the corner. He felt a light blush paint his cheeks, sweat forming in his forehead.

- "Well, even though we started off badly, he has repent himself, he is still trying to earn my forgiveness, it doesn't matter how many times I tell him I already did. He understands me, he gives me a safe space to just sleep and let go of my stress, he listens when I want to vent, and I honestly find his humor hilarious and relatable. He is a bit bratty but I find it so cute. And he is hurting so deeply, he has been for so many years, so beyond our existence and just now he is starting to open up, to let go, and heal, it's just beautiful. Belphegor is so simply beautiful, his soft smile, his lazy eyes, his crazy bedhair, his low and raspy voice. I love everything about him, and I will give all that I own to know more, to see more, to be there when he realizes his own worth"

- The youngest brother was blushing, and his heart was beating fast and loud in his chest, he felt a warmth spread through his veins he had missed during the last days without you.

- Belphegor knew right there, he was done for, it wouldn't matter whatever happened, it wouldn't matter what anyone said, he was going to love you for all eternity, and he would spend every second he could with you, treassuring you and loving you.

- Starting now.

- Belphie got up from his spot in the corner, startling you, he gathered his blankets and pillows and brought them to you, ignoring the fact that you were a panicking, blushing, stuttering mess.

- "Belphie... I was... It's just... It isn't... I-I" he put a finger in your lips, effectively shutting you up, he took your phone, and pressed it against his ear.

- "It's bedtime, so excuse us" and hung up.

- His heterochromatic eyes never leaving your e/c ones, his finger still pressed against your mouth, pillows and blankets surrounding both of you, his scent flooding your senses.

- You saw a smile pulling his lips up, his eyes admiring you with such soft love. His hand moved to cup your face, and he brought you in for a small kiss.

- And then he fall in the sea of fluffly warm beneath him, dragging you along, and he made sure to find the most comfortable position for both, one that allowed him to hold you and the he whispered.

- "I love you too, dummy"

- In conclusion, when Belphegor accidentally finds out about your feelings for him; he basks in the most sweet and peaceful dream he's ever had, with you right in his arms.

I struggled for months to write Belphie's part, but I finally did it & I quite like it.

Again, if you find any mistake, please, kindly point it out for me, so I can get better.

Thank you for reading and have a great day/night!

Atte. Evie

Edit: Here’s Part 1

Tag list:

@katsukis-sad-angel

@anonymous-hq

@dawn-808

@monsoloooo

#obey me shall we date #obey me #obey me headcanons #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #asmodeus x mc #beelzebub x mc #belphegor x mc

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officialyourdailyinspiration · 3 months

Text

Do you think repentance means we simply stop sinning?

Repentance does not mean you simply stop sinning. It means, rather, by the grace of God, turning to the only one who has the power to enable you to do so. Being a Christian is not a self-salvation project but an appeal to the grace of God in Jesus Christ as our only hope. Otherwise, left to ourselves, none of us could change. EVER. No amount of therapy or will power could help. Before Christ opened our heart to the gospel, we are all caught in ways of bondage that we could not change. If we could change ourselves we would not need Christ. Part of the problem is that people are still stuck on trying, at least partly, to save themselves. But what is impossible with man (faith, repentance) is possible with God. (Luke 18:27)

Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Just like you don't need a doctor unless you are sick, in a similar way you don't need a Savior unless you are a sinner. Jesus came to save those who know themselves to be sinners. Man is naturally proud and does not want to admit he is a rebel sinner in need of rescue. In context to the above quote the Pharisees are questioning Jesus as to why he eats with tax collectors and sinners. Thinking themselves more righteous than the rest, these Pharisees are revealed to be people who do not admit they are sinners in need of grace, but proud and think they deserve God's favor. So the call to repentance begins with acknowledging that you are caught in sin, incapable of freeing yourself from its' captivity and an appeal to Christ alone for deliverance from sin's guilt and power.

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sunmoonandeddie · 4 years

Text

apartment 4d

pairing: bucky barnes x reader

word count: 2,621

summary: There’s nothing Bucky loves more than the widow down the hall and her son.

warnings: Tiny bit of angst and some cussing. Mostly fluff.

a/n: Thank you so much to @indyluckycharlie for commissioning this! I hope you enjoy!

Bucky Barnes was a simple man. He loved his family, Steve, his apartment, and you.

You, the pretty widow. You and your son, Eugene, lived in 4D, right down from where he lived in 4A. After your husband had died in the war, you’d been forced to move since you couldn’t afford the nice house you once had.

And maybe he’s sick. He’s gotta be, considering the fact that you had lost your husband in the same war that he’d been fighting in, that he’d lost his arm in and almost his sanity with it. He’s gotta be sick, right?

Because otherwise he wouldn’t dream of coming home to you and Eugene, of sweetly kissing your cheek. He wouldn’t want to teach Eugene how to tie his shoes and shave his face when the time came.

Speaking of.

A grin spread over his lips as he came up the stairs and saw you trying to unlock your front door while also holding your baby boy on one hip and your groceries in the other. Your son, clad in a cute little outfit that looked almost like a sailor’s uniform, whined as he tugged at your hair.

“Baby,” you cooed, wincing as you tried to not get upset. It had been a really rough day and him pulling your hair was just making it a little harder since you were trying to open the door. “Please don’t pull Mama’s hair.”

“Hey, you want some help?” Bucky called out from the top of the stairs, his hand still holding onto the rail.

His voice breaking the silence startled you, judging by the way that you jumped and dropped your keys. “Oh, uh… That’d be lovely. Thank you,” you said, giving him an exasperated smile as he came over and grabbed them from the ground.

“Here, let me help,” He said after opening the door. He grabbed some of your groceries, though he couldn’t take all of it since he’d left his experimental prosthetic at home. Howard was still tweaking the design since it hurt if he kept it on too long.

“Thank you,” you breathed out as you managed to get inside and you set Eugene on the floor with a few of his toys. “Today has just been a nightmare. Eugene gets overwhelmed so easily and the supermarket was horrifically packed…” A snort. “I’m sorry. I’m rambling. You probably have things better to do than listening to me complain.”

But there was almost nothing that Bucky would love more than to listen to you complain about literally anything for the rest of his life. “No! No, don’t worry,” he insisted as he stepped towards you. “I don’t mind…”

Your eyes felt hot as you tried to fight tears, your cheeks flushed. “Sorry… I hate crying…” God. Here you were, crying in front of a man you hardly knew.

“You really don’t have to keep apologizing,” he insisted as he set the groceries he was holding on the kitchen counter.

The dark green countertop was a stark contrast to the white wood of the cabinets and a compliment to the soft green walls. It wasn’t light enough to be mint, but not dark enough to be forest. He could see the care that you clearly put into your home just from the kitchen, considering the fresh greenery that framed the circular window, a potted plant sitting on the sill.

Eugene was talking animatedly to his toys in the living room, completely unaware of their conversation in the kitchen.

Somehow, even with the nightmare you had claimed to be through, you still looked absolutely stunning. There was a stain from what he suspected might’ve been Eugene’s lunch on your chest, and the victory rolls in your curls were starting to fall. Your fiery red lipstick was a little smudged in the corner, and before he could even stop to think, he reached across the counter top and gently wiped it away.

“There,” he breathed out, his voice barely audible. There was a sparkle in the depths of your eyes that he wanted to capture and hold onto forever. A kiss at the corner of your lips.

And he didn’t deserve such sweet things. Not after everything he’d done.

He couldn’t stain you red with his sin, put a traitor’s ring on your finger.

“Thank you,” you breathed out, your eyes locked on his.

And it was like he suddenly forgot his own argument.

He’d fall to his knees at the altar of your love and beg for forgiveness. He’d repent until he was repenting his own name and etching yours into his heart.

“Mama?”

And your son. He’d do everything he could to love him and show him what a real man was if you’d let him.

If you’d let him love the both of you.

“Yes, my love?” you asked as you scooped him up and placed him on the counter.

The spell between you two hadn’t been broken, just… momentarily suspended. There was still the magic that came from a moment clinging to the air. The domesticity of it all was so apparent as your eyes met his for just a second.

“Can Mr. Bucky stay for dinner?” He asked, tripping and stumbling over his words like any toddler would.

A honey sweet smile spread over your lips as you looked up at him. “Well? Can Mr. Bucky stay for dinner?” You asked.

And he did. He stayed for dinner. And then stayed for dinner the next night and the next.

Bucky stayed for dinner seventy-two times before you invited him to stay the night.

You two had shared a lot in the last few months. You’d completely fallen for him, somehow letting all your walls down.

The sheets softly rustled as you climbed into bed, your heart pounding. You’d made sure to wash them that same morning, wanting them to be fresh for when he came over.

Your nicest nightgown, a shift made of soft blue silk, slid against your skin as you peered up at him, watching as he slowly undid his shirt. The metal of his prosthetic gleamed in the soft light coming from your bedside lamp. Warm orange light lit up his face and made him look like some sort of Donatello sculpture.

“Um… This isn’t too pretty, so I understand if you don’t wanna look,” he said, his hands visibly shaking.

“I can handle it,” you insisted, inhaling sharply when he let his shirt fall from his shoulders.

The left side of his chest was a spider web of pink scar tissue. It stretched halfway across his chest and almost down to the waist of his pants.

Bucky grimaced as he reached up with his flesh hand and undid his prosthetic, biting his lip to keep from crying out. It disconnected, and he carefully set it to the side. What was left of his arm was even more scarred up, though it had clearly been operated on to make it easier for the prosthetic to be attached. “I told you it’s not pretty,” Bucky grunted.

But you simply opened up the blankets for him to crawl in, watching as he toed off his shoes before letting his pants fall to the ground. “All of you is pretty, James,” you murmured as he climbed in beside you. Your hand found his cheek, your thumb running over the soft skin. He’d recently shaved and the stubble had yet to grow back.

“Not as pretty as you, darling,” He said as he wrapped his arm around you to pull you to his chest. His lips pressed to yours in a happy sigh, your foot running up his leg.

“James?”

“Mmhm?”

“I was thinking…”

He was still kissing you, though his lips had migrated from yours and were giving attention to your cheeks and your neck. “Yeah, baby doll? ‘Bout what?”

“Halloween is coming up…”

A kiss to your chest.

“Yeah…”

His hand sliding up your thigh.

“And I was thinking…”

His nose nudging against your collarbone.

“Mmm…”

His thigh moving between yours.

“What if you came trick-or-treating with Eugene and me?” You asked, flustered beyond belief. Bucky and you had started getting frisky a few weeks after you met—it wasn’t like you were a blushing virgin, after all—but he still managed to get you all worked up in a matter of seconds.

He leaned back, his blue eyes wide. “Really? You’d want that?” He asked curiously. “But… But we haven’t told him that we’re… you know.”

“I know,” you said reassuringly as your fingers ran through his shortly cropped hair. “But… I want to tell him.” You kissed his forehead, your leg hooking over his waist. “My… My husband wasn’t a kind man. He didn’t hit me or anything like that, but… He wasn’t good. I didn’t know men could be good until you came along.” Tears pricked your eyes as you cupped his cheek, letting his head rest against your chest. “I want you. And I want Eugene to know what a good man is. I want him to be a good man like you.”

He nodded, sniffling as he nuzzled further into your neck. “I want you. And I want him. I wanna be your family. Your husband.”

“Let’s start with trick-or-treating.”

It was a few weeks until Halloween, but Bucky went all out. He got his mom, Winnifred, to make the three of you matching outfits, making you look like a scarecrow family.

“Thank you for doing this,” you said softly to the older woman as she helped you get Eugene into his costume.

“I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing,” she insisted quietly, taking a deep breath. “You know… They told me he was dead. I got a telegram telling me that my son was dead because he fell from a train.” Her blue eyes, so much like Bucky’s, were already glassy with tears. “And then one day… He just wasn’t dead anymore. He was on my doorstep with nothing but the clothes on his back and one arm less than when he’d left.”

Your heart ached for her, for the mourning she had done and the grief that still clearly lingered in her heart. “I only got a telegram, too,” you said after a few minutes, letting her do your hair. “When they told me my husband died… I just got a telegram. And the last thing…” You coughed to clear your throat. “The last thing I said to him before he left was if he signed up to go fight in a war while leaving me at home pregnant, then he wouldn’t have a home to come back to.”

“We all say things we don’t mean,” Winnifred said kindly, her calloused fingers gently twisting your hair into an updo. She placed little pieces of hay here and there to match your costume. “And I’m sure he knew you didn’t mean it.”

Your eyes drifted to the living room, where Bucky was sitting with Eugene on his lap as he read to him, already in his costume. “I’m lucky to have Bucky.”

“He’s lucky to have you, too,” Winnifred said with a smile. “I hadn’t seen him smile or laugh in months… and then all of a sudden he’s coming over for Sunday dinner and talking about some girl he met that lives down the hall…” She took a step back, finishing up. “There. You’re all done and ready to go.”

It was rather chilly outside, but you weren’t really paying attention to the weather. Your heart was too warm from watching Bucky walk with Eugene, hand in hand as he helped him go to each house to get his candy. His sweet little, “Twick or tweat!” made you grin every time.

You didn’t get back to your apartment until almost ten at night, and it was way past his bedtime. Giving him a bath was an adventure as you both worked to get him all cleaned up in a mess of splashing water and bubbles. Eugene found it hilarious to try to get the both of you as wet as possible, his cheeks flushed with delight.

“Okay, buddy. Story time, okay?” Bucky said as he tucked him in, the both of you sitting on either side of him. “You get one book and then you gotta go to bed. It’s real late.”

Eugene nodded, his eyes starting to droop. Now that the rush had faded, he was quickly becoming more and more sleepy. You gave it about five minutes before he was out like a light.

“The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams,” Bucky said softly. “There was once a velveteen rabbit, and in the beginning he was really splendid. He was fat and bunchy, as a rabbit should be; his coat was spotted brown and white. He had real thread whiskers, and his ears were lined with pink sateen. On Christmas morning, when he sat wedged in the top of the Boy's stocking, with a sprig of holly between his paws, the effect was charming.”

Your eyes were soft as you watched him, your fingers scratching your son’s scalp as he listened as intently as he could. What had you done to deserve Bucky? What God had you pleased so much that he deigned you worthy of his presence?

His voice was like deep velvet as he continued to read, smooth as molasses. And if you weren’t careful, you were sure to fall asleep just like your son was.

“One evening, when the Boy was going to bed, he couldn't find the china dog that always slept with him. Nana was in a hurry, and it was too much trouble to hunt for china dogs at bedtime, so she simply looked about her, and seeing that the toy cupboard door stood open, she made a swoop. ‘Here,’ she said, ‘take your old Bunny! He'll do to sleep with you!’ And

she dragged the Rabbit out by one ear, and put him into the Boy's arms.” Bucky grinned down at Eugene as he saw his eyes start to flutter shut, continuing to read, “That night, and for many nights after, the Velveteen Rabbit slept in the Boy's bed. At first he found it rather uncomfortable, for the Boy hugged him very tight, and sometimes he rolled over on him, and sometimes he pushed him so far under the pillow that the Rabbit could scarcely breathe. And he missed, too, those long moonlight hours in the nursery, when all the house was silent, and his talks with the Skin Horse. But very soon he grew to like it, for the Boy used to talk to him, and made nice tunnels for him under the bedclothes that he said were like the burrows the real rabbits lived in. And they had splendid games together, in whispers, when Nana had gone away to her supper and left the nightlight burning on the mantelpiece. And when the Boy dropped off to sleep, the Rabbit would snuggle down close under his little warm chin and dream, with the Boy's hands clasped close round him all night long.”

“I think he’s asleep,” you whispered as you looked up at him, having snuggled down in the bed. The moonlight lit up the room, giving a halo-like glow to everything around the two of you.

“I don’t mind,” he said, his arm sliding around both you and Eugene, bringing you two close as he continued to read.

You stayed awake for as long as you could, a faint smile on your lips.

"’Wasn't I Real before?’ asked the little Rabbit. ‘You were Real to the Boy,’ the Fairy said, ‘because he loved you. Now you shall be Real to everyone…’”

#bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #bucky x you #bucky barnes x you #bucky x y/n #bucky barnes x y/n

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laceymorganwrites · 3 years

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The story of the sad chapter 17

Word count: 1,792

Pairing: Ban x goddess!reader

Warnings: uuuuh swearing, maybe a teeny tiny bit of blood and gore?

A/N: eheheehhe we´re back~ I´ll try to update this at least once a month but I can´t promise anything. thanks for your support

Grabbing your sword, you dashed forward and slashed Hendrickson´s shoulder, though the wound you inflicted didn´t last very long, soon you were followed by your friends, each of you getting a few good hits in.

Though nothing seemed to work, in this state he was invincible and it enraged you.

How dare he use magic as dark as this? Wasn´t he aware of what happened all those millennia ago? Wasn´t he aware of the consequences? What goal could be so great as to forget all about that?

Resurrecting the demon clan to him meant power, but he didn´t think about the source of it, he didn´t think about the fact that they would betray him as soon as they could walk the earth again.

“Leave the rest to us…” Meliodas announced to Elizabeth before joining the fight.

The princess now rested next to Hawk, trying to protect his dead body.

You tried to regain your composure and focus on the fight, trying to make out Hendrickson´s weak points, but he kept attacking you and your friends so that it was almost impossible.

In a flurry of magical blows, Gowther lost his head and glasses, you almost stepped on them, but quickly picked them up to hand them over to him.

Meliodas told all of you to get ready for your big attack.

A smile formed on your lips, finally.

It was time.

All of you got ready to use your strongest attack on Meliodas, so that he could in turn counter them on Hendrickson.

You made it your mission to distract the demon while Meliodas gathered as much magic as he could, using your wings to take him off his feet and slashing your sword at him with full force.

“Tell me, what did you gain from all this? You know, demonic magic might be strong on its own, but you underestimated us! This is the end for you” you called out to Hendrickson, letting him know that he has lost.

It was impossible to dodge or stop Meliodas´ attack at this point.

The shockwave from the attack was so great that it shook the ground, you had trouble staying on your feet and fell against Ban, who caught you.

He smiled at you, even through the chaos and was more than relieved and happy to see you mostly unharmed.

All eyes were on the exhausted Meliodas as Merlin returned with the king, he was better now since she treated him.

You looked around the battlefield, holding Ban´s hand tightly and took in the damage and loss, but also a bitter sense of victory. At least for now.

For now you allowed yourself to smile, to exhale the breath you didn´t realize you were holding, to revel in your boyfriend´s presence and feel the happiness of him being there with you.

In a fit of guilt the holy knights knelt down before the king, apologizing for their sins and asking for his punishment.

You had to chuckle a bit, they were good souls after all. But that was just how the demons liked it, they took the good souls and made them rotten, good souls were easier to corrupt, to bend to their will.

It wasn´t their fault, they simply were taken in by a greater power than them. A power they simply couldn´t defeat by themselves.

The king announced that there would be no punishment and that the knights should repent for their sins in rebuilding the kingdom and working hard.

Then the king faced you and your friends, expressing his gratitude.

“I guess that´s just what we do” you chuckled.

“We can´t help but aid those in need” you stated, smiling at him.

No matter how evil they painted you as, your group were always after helping people.

Elizabeth also got praised for being brave and making this all possible, if she hadn´t searched for your group and wouldn´t have stumbled into your bar, you wouldn´t have been reunited with all the others.

Well, most of them anyway.

The princess started crying, blaming herself for Hawk´s death, while you and Ban went over to his dead body to pay your respects.

He had been with you in those years when you were almost happy, always being there for you and everyone else.

As if by some sort of miracle, the little pig revived, making everyone around you smile in shock and happiness.

You only smiled to yourself and looked over to Elizabeth, she probably didn´t even realize what she just did.

A part of you was glad she didn´t, that meant she didn´t remember anything heartbreaking and utterly sad, but even so… not remembering your one true love was still the worst curse in your opinion.

Everyone cheered and for a moment it felt as if everything was back to normal, whatever that strange state might be.

Elizabeth hugged Meliodas and healed his wounds, once again not comprehending it was her doing.

She reunited with her sister, overwhelmed by everything happening, her cheerfulness knew no bounds.

You leaned against Ban a bit and he laid an arm around you, pulling you closer to him and gently tracing his fingers over your shoulder.

Exhausted you all made your way back to the Boar Hat to rest a bit.

“I just want to sleep… for a week” you groaned as you threw yourself onto the bed.

Elaine giggled.

“But then you´d just miss everything! And we´d miss you” she joined you on bed, resting her head on your shoulder.

“Hm, okay you got a point” you thought out loud, shifting a bit so you were more comfortable to which Elaine jokingly complained.

“You can´t even sit still even when you´re supposed to rest, can you?” she giggled.

“I guess not….it used to be so easy back then. After every battle I´d just sleep the whole day” you reminisced.

It was a nice memory, the bed always felt the softest after a long and hard battle. Returning home meant feeling each and every one of your muscles ache, sneaking out to meet Estarossa for a bit only to have to hurry up the rest of the way so you wouldn´t cause any suspicions.

And nobody would bother you in the day after the battle, it was a peace and quiet you didn´t know anymore.

But it was also one you never wanted to have again.

You much preferred the chaos of your friends, talking with Ban until you both fell asleep in each other´s arms.

“Now you have something to fight for” Elaine smiled and you nodded.

You never gave it much thought back then. Sure, you always thought you did it for your friends, but you didn´t have friends. It was simply your duty you had to fulfill, the expectations that came from leading the army rested heavy on your shoulders, making you more exhausted than ever.

But now you had your friends and love lifting you up, cheering for you, truly. It made you feel so alive, more vibrant than the brightest colors imaginable.

You would always give it your all when it came to protecting your loved ones.

With that thought and a smile on your face you and Elaine slowly fell asleep.

Within the next few days the rebuilding of the capital and everything else that got destroyed was of the utmost importance.

Everyone helped and of course so did you.

It was nice having a routine again, it felt going back to your normal every day life even though you never had anything of the sort.

Though lately you seemed to crave normality.

It wasn´t like your life was bad at any means, it was just that you were sick of fighting.

Elaine and you were on lookout and helped rebuild the roofs and other things in high places, handing the others the things they needed.

Together you worked quite quickly, after all you unfortunately had a lot of experience.

After a while you came down to the ground again and stretched your tired muscles.

“I´ll go see what the others are up to, keep an eye on everything for me, will you?” you smiled and Elaine nodded.

“I hope they´re almost done! The festival is about to start” she reminded you to which you nodded and made your way to the Boar Hat.

As soon as you stepped through the door you could smell Ban´s cooking, making you even hungrier than before.

You exchanged loving smiles and you joined him behind the counter, checking your inventory.

“Mel, we need to stock up soon” you remarked and he nodded.

“Yeah don´t worry about that!” he said.

Gilthunder visited you a bit after you arrived and sat down to talk with Meliodas.

Meanwhile you and Ban sneaked into the kitchen, cleaning up together.

Well, you were cleaning until Ban grinned at you and gently pushed you against the wall, a dreamy smile on his lips and his eyes full of adoration as he closed the distance between you and kissed you passionately.

His one hand gently cupping your cheek, tracing his fingers over your beautiful skin, his other placed on your waist to be even closer to you.

Heaven wasn´t a place, no. It was right here, right now in this moment. With you.

Your lips against his, this feeling of needing air but not wanting it, craving more and more of your touch.

This was truly heaven to him.

You eagerly kissed back and hooked your arms around his neck, smiling into the kiss and just enjoying his presence.

If you could you would stay like this forever.

Ban still had the same look in his eyes as he broke the kiss, so focused on you, getting lost in this moment. Nothing else counted right now. It was like the outside world didn´t exist.

“Fuck, I really love you, you know that?” he whispered, his smile never leaving his lips.

Time stopped, your heart jumped out of your chest and stopped at the same time.

Those were the words you both dreaded and wished for at the same time.

And now that he uttered them, you didn´t know what to say.

“You don´t have to say it back right now, I just wanted you to know. Now was the right moment for me and I will wait for yours to come. And if it doesn´t that´s alright too. I would never pressure you into anything. You´re too precious to me” he said and it was in this moment that you knew, though something held you back.

You didn´t like it in the first place, this queasy feeling in your stomach.

Ban laid an arm around you as you two exited the kitchen, celebrating Elizabeth officially joining your party.

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srchng4answrs · 3 years

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Absolution of sin isn’t easy. Every year in my Catholic high school they would bring in priests to listen to our confessions. We would sit in the auditorium an empty chair in between each person and one by one walk to the back of the auditorium where a man in vestments would sit ready to tell us that we are still God’s children. I never went.

“Before religion” isn’t a concept that exists for me. This is strange for many reasons, the primary being that my family is not religious in the slightest. We went to church out of obligation every Christmas and Easter, and stopped following that tradition when I was in 4th grade. I don't know what my mother thought I would gain from going to a religious school for 10 years.

Catholicism is the particular sect of Christianity that I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to reconcile with. The preaching of love and tolerance. The acts of service and the good deeds. Is it still a good deed if you’re doing it for personal gain?

Defender of Mankind. In Ancient Greek that's what the name Alexandria means. That's what My name means. I learned that at church. It’s ironic, the places that tell you you are meant to defend, are the same ones attacking. I wasn’t equipped to defend myself from the teachings of a group that I thought had my best interest at heart.

Eulogies in religious services are often delivered by the clergy member who is officiating the service. A religious eulogy will focus on the role of God and faith in the life of the person who died, rather than any secular accomplishments. I often write eulogies for people in my head. I have never once written something religious.

Father Sean was an odd man. Nothing against him but I wish he would stop sending me friend requests on Facebook.

Gabriel is a Hebrew name meaning “God is my strength”. He told Mary to not be afraid, but he was also the angel sent to destroy Jerusalem. Which one of those is real strength.

Half human, half divine. The manifestation of God in the flesh. How terrible it must’ve been to be crucified for telling the truth. To be needlessly slaughtered for the sake of people that want to see your organs fail as you slowly suffocate and bleed out. Father forgive them they do not know what they are doing.

I often wish I understood. I want to be able to walk into a church and feel god. I want to wear my Kairos cross without feeling like a liar. I don’t think religion was meant for people like me.

Jesus was not white. He didn’t have long flowing hair or a long beard. He was shorter than we think. Is it more disrespectful to put someone on a cross or to purposefully make their physical appearance more palatable for a racist audience.

Kairos may have been the closest I’ve ever been to experiencing god. For three days you sit in small groups and listen to people talk about their most traumatic experiences. Religious retreats are made to break you. To make you flood the earth with your tears. To make you turn to god because there’s no one else to turn to. I wish I could say with any level of certainty that my experience was real.

Love is such a funny idea. God “Loves” you. I still don’t understand the double standard of preaching love and then telling people they love wrong. I think there are bigger sins to worry about.

Matthew was a tax collector. One of the most sinful professions they lied, cheated, and stole from the poor. The Lord will not let the righteous go hungry, but will thwart the cravings of the wicked. I find “sinners” much more real than the righteous. At least sinners don’t go out of their way to tell everyone they sin.

No one in my philosophy of god class chose to walk away from Omelas. I remember it perfectly. You get to stay in a perfect city where everyone is happy, at the misfortune of one child. I spoke last. I would walk away. I still get chills thinking about it. I don't know why I made that choice.

Often my friends and I debate the existence of god. One philosopher said that you might as well because if you believe and god is real you gain everything, and if he isn't you lose nothing. But if you don't and he is real, you lose everything. We all know there's much more to religion than that. Simply believing in the omnipotent power that destroyed cities and flooded the earth has not, and will never be enough.

Prom was one of the most nerve wracking experiences of my life. I was the first person since my schools founding in 1957 to go to prom with someone of the same sex. That year three of my friends did the same. So much easier to just split the bill with a friend. I had to make a case for why I should be able to. Would the outcome have been different if I told them we were dating.

Questioning whether the omnipotent and all knowing being in the heavens that we cannot see, hear, smell, or touch is apparently against the rules. I got quite sick of the Lord’s Prayer.

Raining from the sky was blood. Thicker than water. Did it bring the people together or did it turn them against each other. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Blood can bring people together, but I’m not sure it can wash you clean.

Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by sulfur and fire because of their wickedness. The two cities associated with homosexuality were burned to the ground. We have a history with fire. Fire cannot cleanse what isn’t dirty, but the ash will stain your hands for eternity.

Time stands still as I sit in the pews at my cousin's wedding. It seems like the hands on the clock are moving backwards. Instead of looking at them I stare at the sculpture of Jesus, crucified, blood coming out of his wounds, hanging roughly 10 feet above them. It isn’t alive. I’ve seen the same type of sculpture in a hundred different churches. But in this moment I can hear him gasping for breath. It was a beautiful service, I told her.

Uriel is the angel of repentance. In the Christian text the Apocalypse of Peter he is as pitiless as any demon. The devil himself was once an angel. What's the difference between angels and demons other than name.

Vanity was the reason the devil was cast from heaven. Born an angel and a king, free from sin he became proud of his beauty and intelligence and was struck down by God. I’m still unsure why he is considered the villain. Was it not God who leveled cities and murdered millions.

Without religion I’m unsure of what my life would look like. As hard as I try I cannot cleanly separate myself from it. Like a mouse stuck on a trap, when it gets free it either leaves its skin on the trap, or escapes covered in glue. I’m unsure if I can escape without leaving a part of myself behind, or taking something with me I did not ask for.

X appears 1,436 times in the King James version of the bible, but never at the start of the word. It is the only letter in the english alphabet that a verse does not start with.

Younger me used to enjoy church. I’m not sure why. I could never sit still, the sermons were boring, the pews were uncomfortable, and I couldn’t wait to go home. But without fail every Sunday I would wake up and get ready. I wish I could go back and tell myself that I don’t need to force myself into places I know I don't belong in order to be loved.

Zion shall be redeemed with judgment. I wonder if the same applies to me.

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edenmemes · 4 years

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peaky blinders sentence starters

❝ there’s no rest for me in this world. perhaps in the next. ❞ ❝ if i shall die, you shall die. ❞ ❝ did you know that madness sets you free? otherwise we’re all just peasants obeying the law. ❞ ❝ despite the bad blood, i’ll have none of it on my carpet. ❞ ❝ everyone fucking needs me. ❞ ❝ forbidding is forbidden to us. we can do anything. nothing can stop us. ❞ ❝ you know, it’s a pity. i was looking forward to killing you. you’re at the back of a long queue. ❞ ❝ the truth? you’re unlike any person i’ve ever met. ❞ ❝ i owe you a little something, don’t i? i do. ❞ ❝ the past is none of my concern. the future is none of my concern either. ❞ ❝ but there is a part of me that is unfamiliar to myself...and i keep finding myself there. ❞ ❝ i learnt long ago to hate my enemies, but i’ve never loved one before. ❞ ❝ who’s going to stop us, eh? nobody. ❞ ❝ don’t point the fucking weapon at me. ❞ ❝ why do you play games with people? ❞ ❝ i know your weaknesses. it’s freedom. madness. killing. ❞ ❝ i get really quiet when my mind is too loud. ❞ ❝ i’ve heard very bad, bad, bad things about you. ❞ ❝ am i laughing? ❞ ❝ you’re behaving like a fucking child. this is an adult’s world. ❞ ❝ i have found them. the person i can’t defeat. ❞ ❝ i’ll rekindle all the dreams you took a lifetime to destroy. ❞ ❝ it’s just myself talking to myself about myself. ❞ ❝ those who fight by the sword, die by the sword. ❞ ❝ this is who i am! and this is all i can give you, for what you’ve given me. ❞ ❝ and i got close. i nearly got fucking everything. ❞ ❝ i’m not a fucking child. ❞ ❝ maybe it’s time you forgot about them. ❞ ❝ i’m glad i didn’t shoot you. it would’ve been a kindness. ❞ ❝ i will remember everything and forget nothing. ❞ ❝ but lately i’ve had a feeling. a feeling i can’t put into words. ❞ ❝ looking back, i have no regrets. ❞ ❝ you and i are opposites...but also just the same. like an image in the mirror. ❞ ❝ may you be in heaven a full half hour before the devil knows you’re dead. ❞ ❝ i warn you, i’ll break your heart. ❞ ❝ i’m guessing that all the bad ideas around here, they’re you. ❞ ❝ look at yourself. take a long, hard, fucking look at yourself. ❞ ❝ i try not to fight. i try not to react. ❞ ❝ my god. some devil gets into you, doesn’t it? ❞ ❝ it’s in the past. the past doesn’t concern me. ❞ ❝ don’t sit there in my chair and tell me i’m losing my war. ❞ ❝ don’t let two people teach you the same lesson. ❞ ❝ it’d be hard for you to walk anywhere with a bullet in each knee. ❞ ❝ who broke the mirror? that’s seven years of bad luck. ❞ ❝ it’s not a good idea to look at me the wrong way. ❞ ❝ i know that you want me to say that i’ll change. ❞ ❝ those bastards. those bastards...are worse than us. ❞ ❝ you have to listen to the voices you hear. ❞ ❝ intelligence is a very valuable thing, isn’t it? and usually it comes far too fucking late. ❞ ❝ i don’t have a fucking side. ❞ ❝ truth is, you’re going to be fucking dead soon. and then your starlings - they'll peck out your ___ eyes. ❞ ❝ all this time, our love still remains. ❞ ❝ you’ve got nothing to prove. you have got nothing to prove, and you’ve got a precious young life. ❞ ❝ look down on earth and see the seeds you have sown. ❞ ❝ yeah, there are rules for a reason. quite simply they have to be obeyed. ❞ ❝ i have responsibilities here, people i need to protect, and people who i love. ❞ ❝ if i had an important decision to make, i used to flip a coin; perhaps i will do it again. ❞ ❝ i just put a bullet in his head. ❞ ❝ from now on, you must do everything you want to do. ❞ ❝ i need you to be alright. i need you. ❞ ❝ you’ve got five minutes. ❞ ❝ i don’t think they trust me. ❞ ❝ what do i have to do to make people fucking listen to me? ❞ ❝ i found you. and you’ve found me. we’ll help each other. ❞ ❝ if you’re not gone from this city by tomorrow...i’ll kill you myself. ❞ ❝ i will never forgive you or accept you. ❞ ❝ feel sorry for me. it’s fine. ❞ ❝ i hear you want to kill me. ❞ ❝ you’ve got smart eyes, but you’re young, so you think that what we do is all right. it’s not all right. ❞ ❝ when we succeed, even the king will not be above us. ❞ ❝ you betrayed me. don’t be here when i come back. ❞ ❝ kill and kill...the only way to make people listen. ❞ ❝ the only thing that interests me is the truth. ❞ ❝ i know who you are. you’re a bit of a failure, aren’t you? ❞ ❝ listen, sweetie. ❞ ❝ look, i just wanted to say that you’re welcome to come home. ❞ ❝ who were you talking to? ❞ ❝ there is not a single day i spent without thinking of you. ❞ ❝ the end of a rope has been your destiny since the day you were born. ❞ ❝ i am emotional, i just don’t know what fucking emotion it is. ❞ ❝ those i can’t charm i can kill with my own hands. ❞ ❝ how soon did you know that i was not dead? ❞ ❝ walk like a king. or like you don’t give a fuck who’s the king. ❞ ❝ my fury is a thing to behold. ❞ ❝ men are less good at keeping secrets out of their eyes. ❞ ❝ someone’s responsible for all this fucking mess. ❞ ❝ let it hurt then let it go. ❞ ❝ it’s war you want, it’s war you shall have. ❞ ❝ you can change what you do, but you can’t change what you want. ❞ ❝ some nights it was you who stopped my heart from breaking. no-one else. ❞ ❝ when you’re dead, you’re finally free. ❞ ❝ i’ve told you to keep the doors locked. i could’ve been anyone. ❞ ❝ violent men are the easiest to deal with. ❞ ❝ who the fuck are you? ❞ ❝ the war is done. shut the door on it. shut the door on it like i did. ❞ ❝ he’ll wake up. granted he won’t have any teeth left but he will be a wiser man for it. ❞ ❝ did you know that madness sets you free? ❞ ❝ lies travel faster than the truth. ❞ ❝ you mother said: ‘it’s their cleverness that will kill them’. ❞ ❝ and i don’t care because i’m already dead. ❞ ❝ who wants to be in heaven when you can be sending men to hell? ❞ ❝ nobody works with me. people work for me. ❞ ❝ i never got used to seeing horses die. ❞ ❝ it doesn’t seem to change you. nothing seems to change you. ❞ ❝ that’s funny, don’t you think? a war about peace. ❞ ❝ you have your mother’s common sense but your father’s devilment. i see them fighting. let your mother win. ❞ ❝ today i killed three men. ❞ ❝ brave is going where no man has gone before. ❞ ❝ today it will be me dead. or you. ❞ ❝ do you think your repentance will mean you are forgiven of your sins? ❞ ❝ i will pour you some gin...distilled for the eradication of seemingly incurable sadness. ❞ ❝ my biggest problem? i notice everything. ❞ ❝ how many sons have you cut, killed, murdered? ❞ ❝ you crossed the line. ❞ ❝ you won’t tell anyone my secret? ❞ ❝ i heard you dress well. but now i see, not as well as me. ❞ ❝ fuck it. i’m not in the mood today. ❞ ❝ how far can we go with this beautiful dream? ❞ ❝ i’m not much good. you’ll find that out soon yourself. ❞ ❝ no, i’m not god. not yet. ❞ ❝ i think so that you don’t have to. ❞ ❝ we’re close. always within punching distance. ❞ ❝ i need you to understand that your best is not good enough. ❞ ❝ sorry about all that mud. and all that fucking blood. ❞ ❝ i was just explaining to everyone that, well, we’re fucked. ❞ ❝ when i do sleep, i dream. and in my dream someone wants my crown. ❞ ❝ the man we’re about to meet is the devil. ❞ ❝ there’s god. and then there’s us. ❞ ❝ i want you to acknowledge that your anger is un-fucking-justified! ❞ ❝ i am the first one who understands you. ❞ ❝ i won’t be on my own. i’m never on my own. ❞ ❝ i’m no gentleman. ❞ ❝ for those who make the rules, there are no rules. ❞ ❝ they’re not going to hang you. you’re going to hang yourself. ❞ ❝ last thing i want is silence. ❞ ❝ it’s not pleasant to look at and be around. i’m sorry. ❞ ❝ i am now able to just rise above those kinds of insults. ❞ ❝ today is for forgiveness. ❞ ❝ we don’t get to decide who lives and who dies. ❞ ❝ you don’t get what you deserve. you get what you take. ❞ ❝ i��ve dealt death. now death has dealt with me. ❞ ❝ so you shook hands with the devil? ❞ ❝ i am my own revolution. ❞ ❝ it’s in our blood. we live somewhere between life and death. ❞ ❝ i promised someone i would change the world. ❞ ❝ i will continue until i find a man i can’t defeat. ❞ ❝ sometimes death is a kindness. ❞ ❝ i may choose to stay here and just starve to death and choke on sapphires. ❞ ❝ i bet hundred to one...that you’re fucking lying. ❞ ❝ they are always hopeful, therefore they’re always wrong. ❞ ❝ oh, i do bad things. but you already know that. ❞ ❝ i didn’t choose this life. it chose me. ❞ ❝ you fucking stand there...you. judging me?! ❞ ❝ these hands belong to the devil. ❞ ❝ people thinking i’m going to fall, they start behaving in a different way around you. they start to circle. ❞ ❝ i wanted you to stay. and normally i get my own way. ❞ ❝ i don’t see the same thing in your eyes. you should get out. ❞ ❝ i came here not to make enemies. ❞ ❝ i love you and i promise i will keep us safe. ❞ ❝ you stay away from me, i’ve had it. ❞ ❝ you don’t understand the wicked way of our world. ❞ ❝ they say life is too short to hold grudges. i think life is too short to be letting people get away with the same shit. ❞ ❝ if only i could what? ‘if only you could change’. go on, say it. ❞ ❝ the thing is...i love you, not them. ❞ ❝ will you help me? with everything. the whole fucking thing. fucking life. ❞ ❝ why? because we fucking can, and if we can, we do. ❞ ❝ you remember that god spared you. but what did you do with the extra time that he gave you? ❞ ❝ if you take the king’s money, the king expects you to kill. ❞ ❝ do i look like someone who wants an easy life? ❞ ❝ and you...you’ve captured my curiosity. ❞ ❝ in all the world, of all the people, you alone i know i can trust. ❞ ❝ i know you like to be asked properly. can i have this dance? ❞ ❝ i rarely answer questions, is what i do. ❞ ❝ shut your eyes. go on, shut your eyes. now, come with me. this way. ❞ ❝ you want everything to be different. the whole world. ❞ ❝ there’s only one thing that can blind someone as smart as you. love. ❞ ❝ can you let me in sometimes? into your head. ❞ ❝ i’m not accustomed to being spoken to like that. ❞ ❝ and what fucking line am i supposed to have crossed? ❞ ❝ i know what i know, you know. if you don't know, then you don't fucking know, do you? ❞ ❝ drink the fucking wine and smile. that’s what i’m doing. ❞ ❝ you once said to me that people like us can never be loved. ❞ ❝ before the day is over, your heart will be broken. ❞ ❝ what do you think i am, hm? you think i’m a fucking idiot. ❞ ❝ we can walk away from all this. it’s so easy. ❞ ❝ to apply pressure on a person for this line of work you have to know their weaknesses and i know your weaknesses intimately. ❞ ❝ rule one: don’t punch above your weight. ❞ ❝ if i come for you, i will wear high heels so you can hear my approach on the cobblestones, and have time to repent. ❞ ❝ my brother and i are the same person. ❞

#roleplay meme #roleplay starters #sentence starters #i had to change some quotes here & there to make interacting easier !

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kira-ani-mcgrath · 3 years

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I've little interest in Frozen stuff but I've seen bits and pieces of this Hans stuff you've mentioned on and off and I'm curious about something. When you say someone is acting un-Christlike by saying a character is irredeemable, what is it you exactly mean? Because sometimes yea, it can be narratively unsatisfying to randomly redeem a character in a story. Example: People debating if it would be narratively satisfying if Azula got redeemed. It's got nothing to do with worldview imo.

For context, this ask comes in the wake of this post.

I’m posting this reply publicly so I can refer back to it if needed in the future. I received a similar ask [hopefully that link works] on the heels of this post, which I answered privately without saving a copy of my response, and it would have been useful if I’d saved and/or posted it. Thus, here we are.

I want to make something 100% unquestionably clear to anyone who follows me or reads my posts: whenever I criticize someone labeling Hans “unredeemable”/“irredeemable” it is ALWAYS in the context of someone declaring him un/irredeemable because of what he has done.

It is NEVER people saying they don’t think Disney should redeem him because they’re worried WDAS will do a terrible job of it. It is NEVER people saying they don’t want him redeemed in an unsatisfying manner (i.e.: “BTW he’s good now, he changed off-screen and now he’s back like nothing bad happened.”). It is NEVER people saying that his redemption may not fit well into a particular scenario. It confuses me that people are interpreting my words this way, because if I were to express concern about the way a character’s actual or potential redemption were handled, I would never do it by labeling the character irredeemable or saying the character shouldn’t be redeemed at all, full stop. I would include the nuances I am referring to, such as “The character shouldn’t be redeemed off-screen,” or “The character shouldn’t be redeemed in this movie.” Therefore, if I am saying people shouldn’t call a character irredeemable, I’m not referring to specific cases such as “The character shouldn’t be redeemed by this creative team,” or, “The character shouldn’t be redeemed in this manner.” I am referring to a much larger picture.

I am criticizing people who say Hans is evil, malicious, unfeeling, manipulative, abusive, a villain, a sociopath, and/or a murder, and therefore he can never and should never be redeemed. I am criticizing people who don’t want Hans redeemed because they have a personal grudge against the character. I am criticizing people who think that once a character crosses a particular line (and apparently this line is unique for Hans, based on what he actually did compared to every other “bad guy” in fictional history), the character is now 100% bad and can never be good in any way ever again.

A Christian should never think this way. There is no unforgivable sin (besides attributing works of the Holy Spirit to Satan, as some of the Pharisees did). We are to love our enemies and desire what is best for them - to be saved, redeemed - and yet I see people with the word “Christian” in their bio bragging about how much they hate Hans because he was so terrible to Anna and Elsa, rejoicing that Hans remains unredeemed in canon, cheering when Anna punches Hans in Frozen, laughing when the Frozen Fever snowball crashes into him, agreeing with Elsa calling him an “unredeemable monster” and approving of her destroying his snow-figure in Frozen II. I see those who say they belong to Christ - the Savior who took on every sin imaginable - saying that Hans is simply too mean, too horrible, too evil to be redeemed. I hope this is obvious, but there should be no such thing as “too [x] for redemption” to the Christian. There is never anyone, real or fictional, beyond salvation and redemption. [The only exception I could think of would be a fictional world where the rules are the antithesis to Christianity - then you could say a character is irredeemable because the very nature of that universe doesn’t allow for the character’s redemption. But that certainly doesn’t apply to Frozen.]

Now to address the Azula example brought up at the end. I’m not an A:TLA fan, but I did watch the entire show and I see the occasional meta cross my dash now and then. I’m not familiar with any debates as you have referenced, so I’m just going to give my own examples to hopefully add some extra clarity to my position.

First, I fail to see how a well-done redemption arc could ever be “narratively unsatisfying,” particularly for the Christian. If it’s well-written and you see the steps the character takes, their failings and their successes, I would think that'd be quite a satisfying story. So what is the actual issue when debating characters’ redemptions? I believe it’s concerns of quality, characterization, and actions.

Given where we see Azula at the end of her fight with Zuko in the finale, it would certainly be unsatisfying if she was chilling in Iroh’s tea shop with everyone in the final moments of the series. Likewise, I would not want to see a Hans redemption where we are re-introduced to Hans and he’s completely apologetic and ready to right any wrongs. In fact, I am put-off by fanfics that start with Hans having already repented, changed, etc., from his canon actions and self. I want to see the process of change, so that it is satisfying when he finally makes the right decision.

Given the existing three seasons of A:TLA, people are free to debate on whether or not room could have been made for an Azula redemption arc. Given the current Frozen material, people are free to debate on whether or not room could have been made for a Hans redemption arc.

Had there been further canon A:TLA material, and there was an Azula redemption arc done as well as Zuko’s (such as described in this Twitter thread), I would have found that very narratively satisfying. Now, others may not like how that theoretical redemption was handled, plotted, etc. That’s perfectly fine. Likewise, people may have certain ways they don’t want a theoretical Hans redemption handled, plotted, etc. Again, perfectly fine. One can disagree on the way a redemption arc was/might be handled without dismissing the redemption altogether.

People may want Azula to remain unredeemed because they believe she would choose to be so. That’s fine (though others are allowed to disagree). For example, if she were to maintain that she did nothing wrong and reject any help Zuko and Iroh offered, then she would remain unredeemed. Alternatively, she could realize that what she did was wrong, but then go the opposite direction and believe she doesn’t deserve anything good, so she would reject love and help at every turn for the rest of her life, and thus remain unredeemed. However, I have never seen anyone call a character “irredeemable” and mean that they believe the character would actively choose to reject offers of redemption.

People may say Azula or Hans shouldn’t be redeemed because it would be out-of-character. From an unbeliever’s perspective, that may be correct, as they think certain traits as immutable. However, that’s wrong from a Christian perspective, as anyone can change if enabled by the grace of God. In fictional worlds that don’t have any Christianity, you simply use an imperfect archetype to play a pivotal role in the character’s transformation (i.e., Uncle Iroh to Zuko).

People may not be against an Azula or Hans redemption in and of itself, but think it makes the most narrative sense to leave the characters unredeemed - whether it be because there wasn’t enough time in canon, or there’s other characters to focus on, or some other behind-the-fourth-wall reason. That doesn’t make the characters irredeemable, it just means that’s the way the story currently stands. There’s no reason that story can’t change in the future.

However, if people are saying Azula shouldn’t be redeemed at all because what she did was too wrong, then that is un-Christ-like. Likewise, saying Hans is irredeemable because what he did was too wrong is indisputably un-Christ-like. Now, of course, I can’t expect unbelievers to act Christ-like, so it doesn’t surprise me when I see them express such sentiments. However, when a Christian argues against redemption on these grounds, I absolutely question why. You claim to stand on the Word of God, but declare there are actions too heinous to be forgiven and characters that don’t deserve redemption? God rebuked a man for his desire to see people punished instead of forgiven [Jonah], forgave adultery and murder [David], and transformed a man from persecuting to teaching the Church [Saul/Paul]. Yet you put your stamp of approval on a lack of redemption for a character because of the actions of that character? Further sanctification is needed, whether in love for the lost or in fully surrendering all to Christ. A lack of redemption should only serve as a warning of what happens to those who reject truth, love, and forgiveness - because, as we know, not everyone will be saved. A Christian should never be against redemption because they personally hate the character, or think the character is unforgivable, or believe the character doesn’t “deserve” it, or any other reason antithetical to who Christ is and what He has done.

#Hans #redemption #forgiveness #Christian #KAM's thoughts #ask

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luminashdawnwing · 3 years

Text

The Wages of Sin: Part II

“Fancy running into you here, magister,” Grigori said as Luminash approached the Venthyr’s hiding place among the shadowed crypts of the Ceremony Ward, “I suppose Nelyne told you where to find me?” He was idly twirling his sinvyr blade about, amber eyes gazing up at the Halls of Atonement itself, the grand cathedral and its shining ruby windows utterly dominating the landscape. It was, the magister supposed, a reminder for not only the prideful souls broken here but also the inquisitors themselves what their reason for being here was.

Luminash stepped up to the Venthyr, eyeing him levelly despite the other’s greater height, and nodded in confirmation, “She did. And I bring some measure of good news from Sinfall: resources - I cannot say flood, for they do not - but they have begun to trickle in. Souls, liberated from the Maw, anima scavenged from the four realms.” He was filled with, at once, a great sadness and a great relief, the image of Ardien’s soul crumbling away seared into his mind.

Grigori bared his teeth in a predatory smile, the jagged points lining his lips reminding Luminash of, perhaps, a crocolisk, “Oh, how lovely! And we are making progress here, or some at the least.” The Venthyr slipped his blade back through the loop on his belt, “The Halls of Atonement are lost to the true Venthyr, but there are ways to remedy that. Come, my mortal friend, walk with me.” Grigori beckoned with the crook of a claw-tipped finger.

The magister followed, and as they walked, the magister could not help but look up at the Halls themselves, as Grigori himself had been doing, though he had doubtless seen it all before. The edifice cast a long shadow over the ward, bathing the grounds below in a diffuse ruby tone, those windows being the source of much of the light there. Around them were only silent sinstones and hollow, broken crypts, Venthyr lurking about wrapped in their ritual garb. Looking up, beyond the Cathedral, all Luminash could see was the open bloody red sky.

Stopping short, Grigori ducked into the shadow of a crypt, dragging Luminash along with him by the arm, the glare on his face making his demand for silence clear. A small group of Venthyr were walking by, closer than the others who minded their own business among the sinstones. These were hauling one of the bound souls Grigori had mentioned in their wake. Though featureless - Ardien in his final moments sprung into Luminash’s mind - what was once its head and shoulders hung low, arms dragging, the weight of its sinstone clearly crushing what hope it possibly could have.

Once the inquisitors had passed by, Grigori spoke, voice a hissing whisper, “A demonstration, mortal, of the inquisitors’ new depravity. The Avowed have continued to diligently tend to their charges ever since the Master installed Lord Chamberlain as a false Harvester of Pride. Most of the inquisitors have not. That soul? One of many.” A grimace contorted his face, the words spat from his lips, “Maw take the Master! It is an abomination!”

“What do they hope to gain from it?” Luminash asked.

Grigori spat, “Anima. Power, the same as the Lord Chamberlain, the same as the Master. If any of them think they stay true to Revendreth’s purpose, they are sorely mistaken. I expected better of the inquisitors.”

The magister continued to speak in a whisper even as the pair ducked back out of the shadows and continued, Grigori in the lead, “Anima, you say? Desperate times may have driven them to it, but if they are yet unaware that the drought is their Master’s doing, they could simply be allies in waiting.”

Grigori’s silent, venomous glare spoke volumes more than any words he could have uttered. Luminash withered, and offered a half-apologetic nod in reply. Something was truly eating at the Venthyr, Luminash thought, more than just the Master’s betrayal, more than he was letting on.

“Nelyne may have filled you in on my presence here seeking Avowed support, but I will give you a full report on our situation here.

“The Avowed subvert the Master’s will, oh yes, but they do so subtly. If they rose up openly, how much for the better it would be! A few souls repenting here, an inquisitor or two picked off here and there.” Grigori scoffed, a clawed hand balling into a fist, “The inquisitors have betrayed everything, and yet they live! We must gain the allegiance of the Avowed and purge these Halls.

“Now, though, why we are here right here, right now,” the Venthyr continued, shepherding Luminash up a flight of stone steps that had clearly, like much of Revendreth in the drought, seen better days, “The crypts behind us were used to contain souls in need of, ah…” He trailed off, a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips, the remembrance of better days, “Reflection. Now? They are prisons for dissenters, or the souls within simply lie forgotten, of no use to the Master for their anima, and with little hope of redemption under our care.”

“And we are here to free them?” Luminash asked, glancing back over his shoulder as the pair ascended.

Grigori shook his head, a dangerous cast creeping into his words, “Oh no. Nothing so unglamorous. We are here to hunt, mortal. One of the grand inquisitors is himself responsible for many of our allies’ imprisonments. We are here to make an example.”

Luminash pursed his lips and followed as his companion strode with long, purposeful steps upon reaching the top of the steps, “Is this what the Prince would want, or the other Avowed? They seem to me to be more interested-”

“They do not always know what is best. I know this inquisitor. He has allowed himself to slip back into the pride that brought him to Revendreth at the first, and I will rectify it myself if others will not.”

“Are you certain that this inquisitor is an enemy? Could he not be one of those opposing Denathrius, and his actions simply mistaken? Lord Bloodwatch did not discriminate in his blackmail, after all.”

“I have been watching him. I had hoped, sincerely, that you were right, and yet… The proof is in his actions.”

The magister remained silent with a furrowed brow, yet watchful, while Grigori spoke. He was an outsider here. Perhaps it was not his place at all to interfere in the affairs of these beings ageless beyond his knowledge. On the other hand…

The terrace onto which Luminash and his companion had stepped was graced with more Venthyr, most huddled in small groups and speaking in hushed tones not audible to the magister from so far away. Many, too, were hooded, as if trying to hide in plain sight. Others, on the very edge, wove crimson strands of anima around their charges, sinstones weighing down their shoulders as they had the poor soul Luminash had seen earlier. Elsewhere in the courtyard, another handful stood around a reliquary, souls bound to it wrung of their sins, which manifested as inky, eerie, amorphous beasts that, with the blow of a ritual dagger, dispersed. Two sides of the Halls, two factions, both seemingly doing their best to pretend the other did not exist.

“Look at them,” Grigori sneered, eyeing the inquisitors overlooking the Endmire, “Betrayers of their own kind, of all we stand for. They will need to be dealt with in due time. In fact…” A dry chuckle, reminding Luminash much of his own, “That is enough of a reason for your presence.” He quickly added, “Not now, though. When we meet our target, I will ask that you cover our retreat.”

Luminash furrowed his brows, but finally nodded, “Very well. I have seen such things in the Maw, and have no wish to see it take root here, either. I will help you.”

The sky of Revendreth opened up before them, no longer blotted out by the Halls as they passed the courtyards - and its near-palpable tensions - and set to climb down a flight of steps on its other side. Beyond, overlooking the bleak marshes below, was a lone Venthyr, surrounded in a wreath of anima, swirling and pulsing as if alive, his back to the steps. In that distance, webbed devourers fluttered about the blackened trees.

“It has always been his custom,” Grigori breathed, his voice low - and with, Luminash thought for a moment, a hint of reverence, “For a long, long time, he has come here after rituals of atonement to reflect. Now, he comes after examining his handiwork at the crypts.”

Luminash lowered his voice to a mere whisper as well, “You have been watching him this whole time, haven’t you? Nelyne said you were here to secure the aid of the Avowed, but what have you done to gain their trust other than indulge-”

“This obsession, I know.” Grigori sighed, a hint of resignation in his words, “You tread on very thin ice, my mortal friend, yet you are not incorrect. The Venthyr you see is Grand Inquisitor Ovanis, and he is the example to be made. There are few grand inquisitors, and the loss of one would be...galvanizing for our mutual friends.”

“I am not sure this is the wisest course of action, Grigori. Just who is this Ovanis to you?” Luminash’s stomach was beginning to sink as realization set in. The intensity of focus, the rapid concealment of a certain sinstone. A personal connection.

“It is…none of your concern. And I do not mean this rudely, but simply that there are some things mortals need not try to understand.”

The magister felt eyes on him, staring up from the bottom of the steps. The grand inquisitor had turned, amber eyes boring into his would-be assassins, smug in his lack of shock at what was to come.

“You may be surprised, Grigori. The inquistor, his name - his old name, from before…”

The Venthyr’s jaw tensed, fingers growing rigid as his body tightened, “Do not utter it before it is time. I was afraid of this. It is not something mortals ought to know.” With this statement - spoken less as an admonition and more as a fact, something he knew by heart, simply the way things were - Grigori swept down the steps, his cloak billowing behind him, “When they come - and they will - do not let them pass!”

“Grigori!” Luminash hissed, “Wait!” The magister cursed, watching helplessly as his companion darted away.

As the Venthyr’s boots struck stone, the clack of his soles echoing off the masonry, he pulled a shard of stone from within the folds of his cloak, much of the text lost but for what he began to read at a shout. His words were clear all the same, and echoed further than his footfalls, his indignation giving the words wings.

Luminash felt a cold terror in his stomach as his suspicions were confirmed. He had known the moment his companion had revealed the stone.

“Lanestrian Dawnwing!”

Even from his distant vantage point, the magister saw the grand inquisitor’s eyes go wide and shake his head ever so slightly. The anima field surrounding him convulsed at the utterance of his true name.

“He advanced knowledge; power was his true reward!”

The surging stream of sanguine power wreathing Ovanis looked as if he rapidly was losing control, a torrent undirected.

“He wore an honorable face, yet buried innumerable daggers in uncountable backs!”

The inquisitor tore his cloak free, throwing it aside as he scrambled for the dagger on his hip, a look of desperation, like a cornered animal, plastered on his features.

“Dedicated to his family, he brought it to utter ruin!” Grigori shouted, spitting these words with particular vitriol, “And so he does again!”

Leaping down the last few steps, Grigori tore his sword from the loop on his belt and threw himself at Ovanis, the inquisitor’s anima field dispersing in a burst of energy. Dagger met sword in the same moment that their two gazes met, one filled with righteous fury, the other with barely-contained shock.

“You betrayed us all, and you will pay the price!”

At last, the grand inquisitor spoke, his voice deep and haughty, so very much like Grigori’s, Luminash noticed as he began to rush down the steps himself.

“I have betrayed no one, least of all you and your ilk, skittering about in Sinfall’s depths! I serve Revendreth’s great purpose!” He broke his dagger free of the notches on Grigori’s sword and pivoted away, a burst of scarlet anima surging from his other hand, washing over his assailant.

Forced back by the counterattack, Grigori snarled, a feral sound so unlike the veneer of elegance he normally wore, “You only serve the Master’s whims! He has fed all of our hard-won anima to the Maw, to the Banished One!”

A feral cry from Ovanis this time as he lunged back into the fray, “The Master is Revendreth!”

Caught off guard once more while still recovering, Grigori danced to the side, jagged blade swiping across his opponent’s side, a thin trail of anima following in its wake. A rapid pivot from the inquisitor, a stunned look on his face, and he tossed his dagger to the ground with a clatter of metal on stone. Black-red anima swirled from his wound, and around his hands.

“You will regret your insolence, child. Before we are through, you will beg for the peace of the crypt!”

*****************************

Luminash, now, heard the sound of more boots on cobblestone. Grigori had been right, he thought grimly as he whirled to face those approaching. Of course a Grand Inquisitor would hardly have been taken easily. Coming from the terrace, down the steps, were those inquisitors from before, dragging hopelessly bound souls behind by chains.

The first in line hurled a bolt of crimson anima at the magister. He noticed it was accompanied by a stifled cry from the imprisoned soul as its power became its captor’s. A hand held before him, and the attack crashed into an arcane barrier. Luminash shouted as he used his free hand to weave his own magic, grasping the second of the three inquisitors in an arcane binding. The third sidestepped and continued her advance, even as her companion dropped the chain binding his captive soul.

Freed of the inquisitor’s grip, the soul struggled with its sinstone for a moment, thrashing wildly like a wolf in a trap until its form began to shred, torn apart by its own torment, a burst and flash of anima all that remained. Luminash allowed himself a stab of pity even as he threw his hand to the side, hurling the bound Venthyr over the edge of the steps and hurtling into the Endmire far, far below.

*****************************

While Luminash held off reinforcements, Ovanis unleashed such a wave of anima that it knocked his one-time assailant off his feet, sending him sprawling onto the pavement.

Groaning, and attempting to push himself to his feet again, he was struck again, the swirling red of unleashed anima blocking out his vision. He had felt the anger behind Ovanis’ first assault, but this was pure rage; he screamed, a sound enough to curdle the ichor in a Maldraxxi’s veins.

“After all I have done for you - all we have done for Revendreth - you spit upon me, spit upon the Master’s good graces, the very redemption of our charges!”

“You have stopped redeeming them, Lanestrian; you only bleed them dry!” Grigori choked out through teeth gritted in pain.

“We do them a service! Without us, they would amount to nothing. At least now, their anima can serve a purpose!”

*****************************

The Venthyr’s shouting below scarcely registered as Luminash fought off his attackers. The remaining two were both upon him now, sinvyr daggers surging with anima, the souls in their dubious care little more than husks as they were drained to power the inquisitor’s attacks. The magister found himself stepping backwards down the stairs under their blows, each glancing off his barrier. It was beginning, however, to take a toll on him. He could not hold forever.

When next his attackers lunged, their blades found no purchase. Luminash had vanished, only to reappear behind them, the energies of his barrier redirected into a focused blast of pure magic. It struck one of the two, sending her crashing down the steps and landing with a sickening crunch, crumpled on the cobblestone.

The remaining Venthyr whirled about, snarling as he gripped his soul’s chains and surged with anima, his charge shrieking as it was wrung dry, the chains and sinstone falling empty to the steps.

“Maw take you, mortal!” he shouted, the anima crashing from his hands and surging like a lake unleashed from a broken dam up the steps to wash away all in its path.

Another blink, and another assault finding its target missing. “Not today, I am afraid,” Luminash replied, now behind his assailant once again. He unleashed his own explosion of arcane power, the force of which slammed the Venthyr face forward into the steps. He did not rise again.

Finally able to take a breath, Luminash released the power surging through him, eyes like twin stars dimming. The way was still clear. If more came, though, he did not know if he could keep it that way.

*****************************

With the crumpling thud of the inquisitor falling to the stone at the foot of the steps, Ovanis turned, his attention shaken, the force with which he bore down upon Grigori giving way for the merest moment. That shred of time was all Grigori needed to regain his breath. Scrabbling on the cobblestone, he hauled himself to his feet and gripping his blade, drove it at the inquisitor’s back. Neither did his blow reach its mark, nor did the inquisitor feel its sting.

As the blade was about to strike home, sheathed in the flesh of its enemy, Ovanis was swallowed up in a cloud of red mist, only to appear further across the terrace. The anima wreath, the barrier, that had been disrupted before began to reappear.

“Your attempt has failed, Senaril.”

Grigori stumbled as he had been turning to face the inquisitor again, and his sword fell from his grip.

“How arrogant you have become, how ungrateful, to come here like this, to call me by the name I cast aside.” The grand inquisitor’s feet rose off the ground as he spoke, “And to have brought a mortal too? You will not have the satisfaction, not this day!”

With that, the anima winding around the Venthyr shuddered, obscuring him from sight. Grigori stood alone, joined in short order by Luminash, the magister breathless.

Choking out the words, Grigori rasped, “Do not let him… Do not let him escape, go… After him! With your bauble, go!”

Ignoring his companion’s pleas, Luminash grabbed the taller man underneath his arms and helped to haul him up, “Absolutely not. Not in this state, mine and yours.” Once he was standing - wobbly yet, but standing - the magister continued, “I must ask, though. He used your true name too. You snapped at me when I lingered on his sinstone. There is much more to this than you let on, Grigori.”

Grigori pulled away, walked unsteadily to the steps, a grimace on his face as he skirted around the broken inquisitor, and let himself sink to the ground, “Very well,” he added wearily, “I have been, I admit, poor at keeping my secret, haven’t I? He was my sire.”

Luminash raised a brow, taking a seat next to Grigori, “Your sire? I have heard the Master spoken of with that title, but what does it mean for others?”

“He created me. Presided over my redemption, from my crimes when I was…” He trailed off, shaking his head and grimacing, as if tasting something particularly vile, “When I was Senaril. How I hate to hear that name. He named me Grigori, he made me Venthyr. For him to name me now… It only shows that he has not left Lanestrian behind as he claims. Lies upon lies.”

Pursing his lips, the magister nodded, “I see. I can understand your drive to see him overthrown, then. Knowing that your father has let himself become something monstrous, I suppose, that is a worthy pursuit.”

Grigori sighed heavily, exhaustion weighing his shoulders down, “I am glad of that, for what it is worth. But now you, my friend, indulge me with the truth.”

Luminash felt a lump forming in his throat. He only nodded, afraid to speak.

“You lingered on his sinstone. Why?” The question was simple, matter-of-fact, yet felt entirely pointed at the magister’s heart.

“You know me as ‘magister,’ my title. Or simply ‘mortal,’ like so many others call my kind here. For good reason I might add, curiosity that we must be.” He took a deep breath, “My name is Luminash Dawnwing. Lanestrian - your sire, the Grand Inquisitor himself - was my kin.”

Grigori’s eyes bulged. He looked as if he might choke, then he cursed, harsh words spat out under his breath, “Dawnwing.”

“I understand if you are...reluctant to trust me after this, but it is the truth. I will not offer a defense of myself, or my line - I can only account for my own life, after all.”

“Oh no, no, no, no…” Grigori did not seem to have heard him, “Luminash. You misunderstand. He was my sire in this life...and in my last.” The Venthyr stood, raking a clawed hand back through his hair, and began to pace, energy returning, “All will be made known in due time, but know this: my name, loath as I am to speak of it, was Senaril Dawnwing, and you and I? We too are kin.”

#wow #shadowlands #story #wages of sin

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