#Power Source (trope)

[wintertimewhump]

Power Source Whumpee

Power Source Whumpee my beloved..

Whumper carefully crafting a machine to fit Whumpee's body and hold them in place.

Whumpee hooked up to the machine nearly all the time, only allowed a four hour break to sleep each night.

The power being extracted by hundreds of needles attached to wires, sticking out of Whumpee like a pincushion.

Whumper telling Whumpee that this is their only purpose and to just be good and fulfill it. Whumpee technically not needing to eat, as the produce their own power, so Whumper doesn't even bother to feed them, causing Whumpee to feel lightheaded and dizzy.

Whumper using the power they extracted from Whumpee to hurt their friends, blasting them back with the same energy Whumpee had once used to fight Whumper.

A reluctant Whumper placing a damp cloth on Whumpee's sweating forehead, saying they're sorry, but this is necessary for the plan.

Bonus: Bad Caretaker

Caretaker defeating Whumper, about to pull Whumpee out of the machine, but then realizing how useful the power is, and thinking about how much their city needs it.

The hope in Whumpee's eyes fading when Caretaker, who was about to release them from the machine's grip, steps back and turns it on again.

Caretaker guilt tripping Whumpee, telling them that if they were to be released, a whole city would suffer in darkness.

Caretaker thanking Whumpee for their involuntary sacrifice, telling them it won't be forever, but it sure seems to last that long.

Caretaker telling Whumpee that this is what they were made for, sounding just like Whumper now.

[ophanim-vesper]

horror stories about a family being 'cursed' but there was never a curse it was years of generational trauma and terrible incidents that the family isn't ready to face so they all chalk it up to a 'curse' because supernatural forces beyond your control tormenting you is an easier pill to swallow than accepting something is deeply wrong with your family dynamic my beloved

[marrowcrunch]

I see a lot of people convinced that Palmer is a Technocratic mage (because of the trick with the phone) or even a Nephandi, but for what it's worth, most of my chips are on him being a Ferectoi. Ferectoi are Bane-human hybrids; unlike regular Fomori, which are made when Banes (evil spirit servants of the Wyrm, the overarching cosmic villain of Werewolf: the Apocalypse) possess normal humans, Ferectoi are born Like That. The middle ranks of Pentex are full of them. They’re smart, they can manifest a variety of dangerous abilities, they are very difficult to kill, and they look totally human right up until the moment they go salami sicko mode. 

[butwhatifidothis]

Ultimately, I think one of the worst things Hopes does wrt its writing of Claude is take out all of the complexities and contradictions that had made him so interesting to begin with.

OG Claude lies and manipulates people and closes himself off while still searching for the truth and wanting people to come together and be open with each other, because of how his traumas meld together with his dreams. He says that he'll do whatever it takes to get what he wants and shows off opportunistic tendencies and then buckles at the first sight of innocents getting hurt, because no matter how much he wants what he wants he still prioritizes the lives of the people around him over anything else. He knows of people's capacity to hurt others for petty or illogical reasons - was raised with that knowledge beating its existence into him - and yet still dreams of a world where people of different lands and cultures can still be friends, because that is how tightly he holds onto his dreams. He's a kind person with the capacity for being a dick, and his contradictions add on so much to his character; they in large part are his character.

Hopes Claude? He lies and manipulates people and closes himself off... and that's it. He says he'll do whatever it takes to get what he wants... and he does. He knows of people's capacity to hurt others for petty or illogical reasons... and has no real dreams of stopping it (or dreams of anything in the future really, by his own admission) and he indulges in that very behavior himself, seemingly without any awareness. He is untrustworthy, and manipulative, and opportunist... and that's it. What you see is what you get. And if this were a character unto themselves, if we're kind and we ignore all of the other issues with Hopes!Claude's writing, that would be a fun enough villain to follow around.

But it's not; this is supposed to be Claude. This is a character who has so much of his foundations be built on the idea that what he presents on the surface isn't all that he seems. That he's more than a character who is just "tee hee I'm only pretending to be nice but I'm actually eeeeevil evil evil evil evil evil evil," but someone who both uses kindness as a means to an end and embodies it genuinely. Warm yet calculated, a good man with real flaws - THAT is who Claude is. Hopes Claude is who Claude is if you strip him of any complexity - He Is Only Pretending To Be Good, But Actually He Is Bad.

He's just... easier to swallow, in a sense. Claude is a good person who is willing and able to do bad things, but only up to a very specific, very clear point, all for a good dream he's held onto for years and plans extensively to make a reality in the future; Clyde is a shit person who's willing to do everything short of bombing specifically whatever land he himself is ruling, all for what essentially amounts to no concrete purpose. There's no need to think about Clyde as hard, since he just does what he does because he's doing it and that's enough.

It's why I'm glad I am Dev-Approved to just fuckin' ignore Hopes entirely as a horrific fever dream, because Hopes does not understand what made Claude so lovable at all

[homunculus-argument]

I can understand how "modern person thrown into the past gets by pretending to be a healer/doctor" is as surprisingly common of a trope as it is. I mean I'm fluent enough at bullshitting to be pretty sure I could pull it off to impersonate a doctor in any time pre-1800s. If I have no idea what something is or how to treat it, I could just get the opinion of the other whatever-passes-as-medical-professionals around, but if their suggestions sound like bullshit I'm not doing it. And I'll beat the shit out of anyone suggesting bloodletting or mercury. With my healing stick. I've tied little bells on it, that jingle comically with every smack.

The awesome curative powers of my healing stick come from two separate sources: Placebo, and me using it to beat anyone trying to give my patients mercury.

[inspectorspacetimerevisited]

Wouldn’t it be a waste of energy to project images of the stories being told on the window of the barbershop?

Seems quite wasteful if someone (probably the Hairdresser) is getting power out of the spoken words.

[prokopetz]

Do you happen to know the origin of the fantasy trope in which a deity's power directly corresponds to the number of their believers / the strength of their believers' faith?

I only know it from places like Discworld and DnD that I'm fairly confident are referencing some earlier source, but outside of Tinkerbell in Peter Pan, I can't think of of any specific work it might've come from, 20th-c fantasy really not being my wheelhouse.

Thank you!

That's an interesting question. In terms of immediate sources, I suspect, but cannot prove, that the trope's early appearances in both Dungeons & Dragons and Discworld are most immediately influenced by the oeuvre of Harlan Ellison – his best-known work on the topic, the short story collection Deathbird Stories, was published in 1975, which places it very slightly into the post-D&D era, though most of the stories it contains were published individually earlier – but Ellison certainly isn't the trope's originator. L Sprague de Camp and Fritz Leiber also play with the idea in various forms, as does Roger Zelazny, though only Zelazny's earliest work is properly pre-D&D.

Hm. Off the top of my head, the earliest piece of fantasy fiction I can think of that makes substantial use of the trope in its recognisably modern form is A E van Vogt's The Book of Ptath; it was first serialised in 1943, though no collected edition was published until 1947. I'm confident that someone who's more versed in early 20th Century speculative fiction than I am could push it back even earlier, though. Maybe one of this blog's better-read followers will chime in!

(Non-experts are welcome to offer examples as well, of course, but please double-check the publication date and make sure the work you have in mind was actually published prior to 1974.)

[twistedwonderlandimaginesblog]

Diasomnia with “who hurt you” trope

Lilia Vanrouge:

Lilia doesn’t feel like himself when he sees you, your eyes closed, your body impossibly still - he can feel his heart hammering in his chest as he approached you, fingers desperately searching your skin for a sign of life. It seemed his touch brought you back, even briefly, eyes finding his alongside a weak smile. He whispered his question with an intensity you’d never heard from him before, flinching as he almost yelled it in his next breath. He had to know who did this to assure they never did it again. When he sees fear reflected in your eyes he calmed himself, a hand delicately caressing your cheek as he asked again in a gentler tone and leaned down so you wouldn’t have to strain yourself or your voice. He hummed thoughtfully at the description and seared it into his head, hiding the eerie look on his face as he pressed a kiss to your head and promised you’d be okay soon.

Malleus Draconia:

Malleus had always been observant of the people he cared about, especially when there was a comfortable routine to be found. He had found such a routine with you, where your classes were right next to each other and you had the same lunch; you would often walk to the cafeteria together, getting your food and finding a much quieter spot to eat or enjoy each other’s company. He can’t say he hadn’t been curious about how long this might last until you forgot, when this wouldn’t just be a daily pleasantry to you but like an appointment you were expected to keep to appease the dragon. He tastes bile in the back of his throat the one day you don’t appear, a lingering disappointment though he tried not to let it show as his emotions tended to cause disasters. It’s only when he sees you again, your eyes looking lifeless and your body language closed off, that he realized something must have happened. He wants to pry, to ask a million questions to get to the bottom of this so things could return to normal, but his experiences had taught him many things, so he chose to wait beside you until you were ready to confide in him. He was confident he’d find out who hurt you regardless, and that he could handle it swiftly.

Sebek Zigvolt:

Sebek doesn’t immediately notice any odd behavior, going about the conversation regarding your schoolwork as normal. It’s when tear drops began to stain the paper in front of you that he’s rendered speechless, knowing you weren’t weak enough to cry over something like potion ingredients. He’s incredibly clumsy in his attempts to understand what upset you, who upset you — it wasn’t him, right? As brash as he could be he had learned the proper way to act without pushing you away, so he’s confident it wasn’t that. He’s meant to be a fighter and if someone had physically hurt you, he’d know exactly how to restore your honor. However, with only figurative bruises on your heart he’s struggling, twice as much as he would with a regular friend due to the depth of his feelings for you. You can at least find some amusement in Sebek’s ever changing facial expressions as he used all his brain power to remedy the situation.

Silver:

Silvers steps were steady as he approached, stealthily following the trail of blood and hoping it didn’t lead to an unfortunate prize. He broke out into a sprint when he sees your form curled up on the ground, a much larger puddle of blood gathered nearby to hint he had found the main source behind the trail. He’s fighting not to panic as he kneeled over your body, hands holding your face as he begged for you to wake up, to just look at him. When you do it brings him enough relief that he could cry, forehead pressed to yours as he asked who did this to you. He doesn’t know what his next course of action is, frown plastered to his face as your eyes slid shut again; he could see your chest moving now, in the familiar way it did when you slept, leaving him a little more at ease. Silver felt like he might not sleep for another hundred years, not until the person who hurt you was thoroughly punished.

[bull-shit-suji]

not that this is a particularly profound take but imo i think the dadbastian trope IS pretty applicable in canon if you just like. Look at it from a slightly skewed angle.

it's not that i'm coming at this in a "sebastian is gradually changing for the better and learning to empathize with and/or regard o!ciel as someone he genuinely cares for" way because, as much as that narrative is fun and angsty and Just So Happens to make sebastian a little easier to relate to, it clashes with how calculated he canonically is.

that being said! he absolutely is changing. his character arc revolves around a realization that the tactics he's comfortable using aren't good enough, and this goes wayyy beyond undertaker being two steps ahead of his "punch first, ask questions later" instinct. everything sebastian does is catalyzed by a belief that, no matter how treacherous the situation becomes, he'll be able to figure it out with little to no effort given his superiority as a supernatural entity.

ciel and sebastian's dynamic prior to emerald witch relies on this ethos. ciel has a goal and views sebastian as the sole avenue through which he can accomplish it because he's a demon. ciel feels unsafe and views sebastian as his only source of protection because he's a demon. all sebastian has to do to maintain this dynamic is be scary and generally infallible which, surprise! are natural dispositions for him.

enter BOC, in which this dynamic is challenged during ciel's initial asthma attack. this is the first time sebastian is relatively helpless to keep ciel alive - he has to defer to a human doctor because there's literally. Nothing he can do. which is then paralleled by ciel's second flair up.

there's a reason ciel's asthma is referenced again in this scene. there's a reason sebastian looks so skip-happy while carrying out ciel's order of burning that bitch to the ground. he doesn't have to question his abilities! he doesn't have to alter the dynamic! he can keep flexing his demon powers anytime shit hits the fan and ciel will always come crawling back to him.

sebastian's fatal flaw isn't just that he's muscle-brained - he's also stubbornly, willfully ignorant of his own weaknesses. sure, he was completely useless in preventing ciel's asthma back at the circus, but that's fine, who cares! he gets to fall back on his strengths and ignore how powerless he actually was.

welcome to BOA! for context, prior to this arc, sebastian rarely, if ever let ciel see him expending any kind of effort, i.e. he's in a constant battle with the servants to keep the manor from descending into chaos and purposefully tries to hide it. this isn't just a butler aesthetics thing, it's also an "I'm a demon and everything is easy for me" thing, to the extent that sebastian continues attempting to uphold his unflappable demeanor when he's quite literally on the verge of collapsing.

sebastian's tactics aren't all that's challenged in BOA - his entire persona gets irreparably damaged. ciel sees him be outsmarted. ciel sees him injured and genuinely struggling to keep the former safe. this should be very bad news for their dynamic;

except, it isn't.

ciel responds so positively that it makes sebastian Yapper Of The Century michaelis momentarily speechless! he then immediately tells ciel to cut that shit out, thus deferring once again to a dynamic that's rapidly crumbling before his eyes and ignoring how effective his accidental appeal to pathos was in retaining and even strengthening ciel's attachment to him.

which leads me to emerald witch, aka the cataclysm for sebastian's change. on top of undertaker being a constant, underlying threat to his food, sebastian ONCE AGAIN has to deal with said food's delicate mortality.

obviously, sebastian is all out of sorts, but his expressions / the way he's framed when he's alone (or not being perceived) absolutely floor me. he looks genuinely distressed after speaking to the other servants. he's drawn in these bird's-eye and wide-shot views while in the forest, creating an isolated, pensive atmosphere and illustrating him (a big, bad demon) as nothing short of small.

he's conflicted. which is weird, right? this isn't the first time his food has gotten sick. moreover, ciel isn't in any active danger - he's having a PTSD response. sebastian is not stupid, he knows this, and should be either confidently reminding ciel of the power he wields or threatening to eat him right then and there; and yet! he waits multiple days before reverting to these (historically effective!!) responses.

it's not just that he's a picky eater - this is sebastian, for the first time in the series, recognizing how fragile ciel's attachment to him is. he's doubting himself. his food no longer views him as its only source of safety, has rejected him, and it's entirely due to sebastian's own negligence.

he's been ignoring his weaknesses. he's been reliant on ciel looking past multiple instances of helplessness in light of how terrified the kid is and how powerful sebastian makes him feel. it's not a coincidence that ciel's near-death experience was exacerbated by sebastian disregarding the former's symptoms to go beat up a werewolf (leaving him ALONE in a foreign, SUPPOSEDLY CURSED castle) until those symptoms, literally, hit him in the face.

it doesn't matter how incapacitated ciel is - sebastian's presence should be enough to calm him, and it isn't, and it's his fault.

this is where sebastian really starts to change. (mind you, the chapter following ciel's initial rejection is titled "That Butler, Change", so do with that what you will.) though we aren't told this explicitly, i think he looks to instances wherein something other than fear drove ciel's attachment (BOA), as well as to the only person ciel would let near him while panicked (finnian, who ciel appears to be closest with amongst the servants and was projecting onto out of grief for his twin). he dials back on the demon vibes. he slowly begins altering his rhetoric.

enter blue cult!

remember what i said about sebastian not wanting ciel to see him struggle? to be cognizant of his weaknesses? as much as the situation was largely out of his control, it's interesting that sebastian allowed his expression to convey upset given that he views emotion of any kind as a weakness.

this isn't to say his sulking isn't genuine - i like to think his clinical narcissist brain was about to pop at the mere thought of not being praised; but! when put in context with his nature, his façade, how every single thing he does is calculated, especially around ciel, this Wildly out-of-character expression gains a new meaning.

another example after ciel returns from getting his blood thieved:

two things: one, sebastian is learning! he almost verbatim references his mistake in emerald witch, meaning he had to have acknowledged it between then and now. two, he does this verbally, explicitly, thereby allowing ciel to witness his panic AND be made aware that sebastian is capable of failure. he could have marched back into the music hall and wrangled the s4. he could have said "ah shit, that's not good, let's go find a doctor". instead, he rambles on about how this is all his fault to a degree that's so excessive it's kind of comical.

and you know what! i don't believe a goddamn word of it. it is so significant that he immediately switches gears after his instinctual big-scary-demon reaction. the sebastian we knew at the beginning of the manga would NEVER let ciel think he was genuinely upset or flawed to the extent of endangering his charge, as that would directly contradict ciel's perception of him as perfect, strong, and safe.

sebastian is thus playing on the dynamic shift that occurred in BOA: he is encouraging ciel to view him as a (rarely!) imperfect being who is struggling to maintain a façade. as someone willing to go to the ends of the earth for him, to care for him, to defy his nature for him, because there are now far too many factors beyond his control to rely on fear alone.

honestly? it's a masterful execution. sebastian's tweaks to his persona are subtle: he gets a little sillier, he offers more praise (under the guise of banter), he tries to make ciel feel bad for "leashing" him.

(i wasn't going to include these panels but. dude. the way he backtracks after the initial comparison between himself and elizabeth only to start pontificating about what the "heart" wants. that is such a purposefully dual-ended rhetoric and insane to hear from mr. evil personified.)

he even displays an artfully-skewed version of grief upon finding angi's body (again, that emotion might have been somewhat genuine, but it feels intentional that he chose to express it with ciel in the room) to foster belief that he is capable of like. Caring for people?

circling back to forces beyond sebastian's control, here are two examples of sebastian's reaction to r!ciel's return:

oh BABY. "neither you nor my love are real"?

on-the-nose dialogue aside, sebastian's expression between these panels had me stumped for years. it would make sense for him to convey sympathy to convince ciel of said "love", HOWEVER it's odd that he would continue to do this despite not actively being perceived while in the carriage. something about this feels a little too genuine - especially considering how he's visibly tweaking throughout all of r!ciel's reveal chapters. as much as looking distressed/concerned is likely a conscious decision, i don't think he's fabricating the emotion entirely.

which leads me to: why does sebastian feel the need to alter the dynamic? sure, it was precarious at best and ran the risk of ciel not liking his pet demon all that much, but there's no imminent danger in that. ciel needs sebastian to achieve his revenge and sebastian has made himself out to be the only dependable, constant person amidst ciel's friends/family inevitably leaving him, AND has a trump card of total autonomy over ciel's soul.

... unless, of course, one of the family members he'd lost miraculously came back from the dead, the exact family member sebastian had eaten right in front of him, and was attached at the hip to a creature familiar with sebastian's flaws far before the demon was ever aware of them, that has proved itself more than capable of killing him.

oh he's concerned alright; there is a very real chance that ciel might back out of the contract. he's forgone his revenge before while in a similar trauma-induced headspace; only, this time, sebastian would be powerless to stop him. in truth, at any point since BOA, his meal could have run off to undertaker and there would have been shit all he could do about it. sebastian was slow to acknowledge this, granted, but up until EW there had been virtually no reason for ciel to do something like that.

now there are reasons. and girl, not only is sebastian concerned, i think he's a little scared.

he's functionally lost all ground in keeping ciel dependent on him. it's no longer enough for ciel to regard sebastian as a maliciously convenient product of circumstance - he has to form some other connection.

so, sebastian blurs the line between servant and guardian. he plays on associations he'd established in the past: nagging over ciel's health, taking over his studies, complimenting him, disciplining him, crafting his own form to look remarkably similar to vincent (and no, i don't consider this an instance of same-face-syndrome, look at their bangs. tell me that's not intentional). choices once made out of cruelty, out of a desire to worsen ciel's emotional turmoil, now repurposed to convince him of a devoted, endearingly-demonic parental figure and hoping this will be enough should there come a time wherein ciel is given a choice between two blasphemous falsifications of his family.

sebastian pivots hard. he avoids relying on his supernatural abilities unless absolutely necessary, despite countless opportunities to do so, to the extent where you almost forget he's not human. he does not leave ciel's side. he lets himself appear dirty and exhausted. he allows ciel to see how uncertain he feels, how helpless he is, knowing the true reason will be lost in translation because ciel is a child, and no matter how conscious that child is of sebastian's nature, he will instinctively revert to seeking out a parent.

the whole "butler aesthetics" shtick flies right out the window at the end of 147. i cannot physically articulate how improper it would be for a servant to grab his master's face and scold him. in front of company. you know who does that? a parent. this is straight up panic on sebastian's part. he is willing to run the risk of acting uncouth in order to brand those fatherly associations right onto ciel's underdeveloped frontal lobe.

and. and this might just be speculation. but.

it's working.

i cannot think of a single goddamn reason for ciel to do this. you wanna know something? his excuse is complete horseshit. sebastian is dressed as a butler, something passengers in a first class train compartment would recognize instantly. even his undercover persona of a valet wouldn't warrant tea with an aristocrat. as much as i'd like to believe ciel is in on the charade, i can't find any evidence nor does it seem realistic that he, a child, would fully grasp that level of manipulation, regardless of how mature he acts.

oh, hey, sebastian's being a little cryptic with that snowfall line. i bet it's completely random and he's never made weather-themed references in any of the prior arcs!

this is. One page. after ciel tells him to take a day off in BOA. he is directly referencing the first time he was made aware of how effective a disingenuous father-son relationship could be.

in BOA, he appears slightly ruffled by the dynamic shift, as this endangered the status quo. in the train car, he's absolutely ecstatic. look at him! that's his "I Just Manipulated This Preteen Sooo Good" face. he looks like an animal. he looks like he's about to turn into a werewolf and jump for joy.

tl;dr: dadbastian is actually so insanely viable, but not in the way you'd think. sebastian in undoubtedly changing, but this isn't an accident or a product of him learning to love or care in any capacity. he is perpetrating the illusion of change, of personal growth in a creature that cannot posses a real identity, thereby humanizing himself in ciel's eyes to keep his food from slipping out of his grasp and it's working so unbelievably well that he's managed to fool a good number of kuro's readers too.

[bamsara]

If given the motivation I would ramble more about Trod, specifically Tyren and how he's my little dude but also a character who's behavior I've based on being a victim of obsession and idolization myself and how it's very cathartic to write a character exhibiting all the traits, both good and bad I've experienced in the Lamb's position and then knowing exactly how his story ends

That and some Narinder rambles and how Lamb is more comfortable with him than a sweet dog that surely shows more respect for them (idolization that does not see them as a person)

edit: nevermind I did end up rambling. Some TROD spoilers

its great I love this stupid dog and his scheming ways and writing just *why* he's doing what he's doing with genuine belief it's to better protect what and who he loves without actaully taking into account the subject of his affection's feelings on the whole matter. He would never hurt the lamb physically but clearly that three eyed cat is nothing but stress for them (and is he wrong? is Narinder not a source of stress? We are not light in the 'enemies' part of the friends to enemies to friends to lovers part of the trope)

Though the difference between Narinder and Tyren, the rehabilitation and the corruption, although all entitlement, is agency.

Narinder often touts himself as uncaring and hostile to the Lamb and is still angry from the betrayal, as they are, but their agency is still considered even in anger.

In the Fox chapter where Narinder wishes to sacrifice Grekimar and Tyren, Lamb refuses. They argue about it and Lamb stands their ground, Narinder is unhappy about it but does not go behind their back and sacrifice cultists anyway when he very well could.

After reuniting after the fight when Leshy is revived, Narinder and Lamb argues heavily over the subject of whether or not Narinder is allowed to kill Leshy, someone who harmed both him AND the Lamb severely, and even though he's bitter about it, Narinder acknowledges the Lamb was not given a choice prior and will sacrifice his own revenge and comfort so the Lamb can have their agency returned, at least a little bit.

^^^ This one is a complicated one because between both characters, neither killing the bishops nor keeping them alive would result in both characters getting what they want, with reasonable desires for it (wanting to have choice again, wanting revenge on their tormentors, ect)

so Narinder essentially sacrifices his comfort for the Lamb, someone who is constantly sacrificing pieces of themselves and sanity to keep everything in peace

It works the otherway around as well: Narinder demanding talismans and God Tears and Relics from the Lamb and they agree, not because they're required to do what he says but because that's their friend, and they trust him enough to help him with whatever he's doing

(and back to the argument where the refusal to sacrifice two followers was in exchange for some of their heart, Narinder refuses and breaks the deal off immediatly even though the Lamb was willing. The Lamb is obviously more important than whatever goal he had in mind, essentially scrapping his partnership with the Fox and method to gain power because he didn't want his usurper to be weakened. and other things.)

I won't talk about EVERY instance of this because this is already a long post, but overtime the two are forming communication, compromise, and even in anger, there is a respect there that puts them on the same level as equals.

Tyren does not really fall into that.

Tyren would never, and I mean NEVER hurt the Lamb physically. He would never yell at them, never be angry with them, never be upset with them, because he does not see them enough as a person to feel those things around them. And if the Lamb does disagree with him or make him upset, he will simply....disregard their current feelings on the situation and do what he thinks is best for him and them, even if it goes directly against their wishes.

And unlike Narinder, he would do it behind their back to stay in their good graces.

Tyren does care for the Lamb. Genuinely. He did long before that necklace was around his neck. He was already a little obsessed before the loyalty necklace was on him, it just gave him a slight edge.

He respects them but also doesn't. He takes their rejection at the party in stride and is completely unphased by it, completely understanding, but also plots to kill someone the Lamb called a 'friend' because the three-eyed hermit is clearly stressing them out and it makes no sense as to why they're crusading with him, or spending time with him when he's been nothing but a murderer and a blight.

I think a good summary of all this ramble is that when the Lamb tells Narinder to leave Tyren alone, Narinder goes 'whatever i fucking hate you and this stupid cult anyways. die forever' but does what they ask, while Lamb tells Tyren to please leave Narinder alone, and Tyren goes 'sure! :) anything for you my lamb' and digs up a corpse and drops it's mashed remains outside of the cat's hut with a fake letter from the Lamb saying it's 'breakfast'.

Narinder and Tyren are both very selfish, but in different ways

None of this probably makes sense

It is also 6AM

[theaawalker]

Steps to Writing a ‘Chosen One’ Character

1. Establish the Foundation

Define Their Origin: Decide what makes them the Chosen One—prophecy, destiny, lineage, or sheer coincidence. Clarify why they, specifically, are given this role.

Determine Their Initial Attitude: Are they reluctant, eager, indifferent? Show how they react to the burden of being chosen.

Set Their Core Struggles: Define the internal and external conflicts they will face. Do they wrestle with imposter syndrome, moral dilemmas, or fear of failure?

2. Shape Their Role in the Story

Decide Their Purpose: Are they meant to destroy an evil force, restore balance, protect a sacred artifact, or lead a rebellion? Ensure their journey aligns with the story’s central themes.

Avoid Overpowered Tropes: They shouldn’t be flawless. Give them limitations, weaknesses, or struggles that make their growth compelling.

Show Their Impact on Others: How do allies, mentors, or even enemies perceive them? Their role should ripple beyond just their own development.

3. Build Their Character Development

Challenge Their Destiny: Let them question, doubt, or even reject their role at some point. Growth comes from resistance, not blind acceptance.

Forge Meaningful Relationships: Give them friends, mentors, and rivals who help shape their journey. Avoid making them the sole focus of the story’s world.

Balance Personal Desires and Duty: Show moments where their personal wants clash with their responsibilities as the Chosen One.

4. Define Their Abilities and Training

Determine Their Power Source: Magic, divine intervention, inherited skill, or sheer perseverance—whatever it is, make it unique and consistent.

Avoid Instant Mastery: They should struggle, fail, and improve through effort, mentorship, and experience.

Give Them a Signature Strength and Weakness: Maybe they’re brilliant strategists but poor close-combat fighters, or they can harness powerful magic but suffer from physical fragility.

5. Create Meaningful Obstacles

Test Their Morals and Limits: Put them in situations where they must make difficult choices. Let their decisions shape their character.

Introduce Personal Stakes: The battle shouldn’t just be about saving the world—it should also mean something deeply personal to them.

Make Victory Costly: Triumph shouldn’t come without sacrifice—whether it’s losing loved ones, suffering personal injuries, or making difficult trade-offs.

6. Develop a Satisfying Arc

Decide Their Ultimate Fate: Will they survive and thrive? Sacrifice themselves for the greater good? Retire into obscurity? Make sure their journey reaches a meaningful conclusion.

Showcase Their Legacy: Whether they win or lose, let their choices leave a lasting impact on the world around them.

Avoid Predictability: Subvert clichés where possible—maybe the Chosen One isn’t the true hero, or perhaps their destiny isn’t as set in stone as they believed.

Examples of ‘Chosen One’ Characters

Film/TV Examples:

Luke Skywalker (Star Wars): A reluctant hero who grows into his role while battling his own darkness.

Aang (Avatar: The Last Airbender): A lighthearted but deeply burdened Chosen One struggling with war and responsibility.

Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer): A Chosen One who balances personal life with monster-hunting, questioning fate and sacrifice.

2. Literature Examples:

Harry Potter (Harry Potter series): A prophesied hero whose strengths lie in his friendships and moral choices.

Percy Jackson (Percy Jackson & the Olympians): A reluctant demigod whose humor and flaws make him a relatable Chosen One.

Duke the Guarder (The Guardians of Camoria series): A noble-hearted Chosen One defined by mercy, internal conflict, and a fear of death.

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[55sturn]

irreversible consequences part one: the realization

pairings: [ secret trope!] chris sturniolo x best friend!fem reader [ eventually but not really in this part ]

synopsis: in which chris receives a frustrated and glaringly disappointed call from his mother in the middle of the night, prompting him to take the next flight home, only to be met with the irreversible consequences of his actions.

disclaimers: the trope for chris will be revealed at the end of this blurb. angst. swearing. more detailed warnings to come.

THIRD PERSON POV

chris had a tendency to have a reoccurring impulsive streak any time he became stressed, frustrated, or when he fought with his brothers. but at any other given moment, he was calculated and prepared. he made sure to be smart about the things he did, given his career choice and the fact that he was constantly in the limelight as a rapidly growing content creator, even years after hitting his peak.

he tried to make good choices, to make smart ones, to be so sure that there was no way anything negative would come of something he did, especially in his romantic life. but he’s also known to be careless at times, especially if his ego and arrogance were at an all time high.

and for the last year, he felt that he had been doing a good job at keeping himself in check. but that changed the second the shrill and painfully reverberating ring of his phone woke him up at nearly two in the morning.

rolling over with a loud groan, chris blindly grabs for the source of the noise, aiming to decline the call when he blearily realizes who’s calling him. he’s quick to hit the answer button and place his phone to his ear,

“mom? it’s almost five in the morning there, what are do you doing up?” he croaks, his voice thick with sleep and worry, hoping that something hadn’t happened to either of his parents or trevor.

“i need you to come home on the earliest flight possible, christopher.” she demands, frustration and hysterical disappointment seeing through every word, causing chris to sit up, wracking his brain for every possible reason that could have her this upset. as he sits there contemplating every choice he’s made in the last five years, his mother is droning on, talking about how irresponsible and utterly idiotic he could be sometimes.

“alright, alright. ma, i’m on it. just me or all of us?” he cuts her off, wiping the sleep from his eyes as he climbs out of bed and walks to his desk, powering his computer on as he sighs.

“just you. you better not drag your brothers into this mess. i cannot believe you christopher owen.” she sighs, her voice cracking as the severity of the situation weighs down on her.

“i’ll be there tomorrow evening. i’m sorry for whatever i’ve done to upset you, ma and i love you.”

“i love you chris, i really do. but i wish you’d think about things a little more before rushing into them head-first.” and with that, she bids him goodnight and ends the call. leaving chris with nothing but confusion and panic creeping their way up his spine.

he’s quick to toss some clothes and the absolute essentials he knows he’ll need into a duffle bag and suitcase, texting both of his brothers that he needs to head back to boston to deal with something, letting them know he’ll update once he knows more himself.

as he lays back down in bed, hoping to get at least two more hours of rest before having to leave, he tosses and turns, unable to stop picking at every memory he can to figure out what the fuck he did.

as he touches down in boston after an almost six hour flight, he makes his way through the airport after grabbing his luggage, and booking an uber home. the ride to his parents place is deafeningly quiet, and it does little to ease his nerves, he’s sure he’ll wear a hole through the floormat in the backseat of the uber with how much his legs are bouncing.

upon arriving, his nerves are completely shot and he doesn’t know what he’s about to step into, but with a deep breath and a quiet thanks to the driver, he’s making his way up the driveway, and through the gate toward the entrance of the house. and he feels like he’s moving on autopilot.

as he opens the door to his childhood home, he’s met with the sound of a baby babbling away and his mother cooing at her, and the sound is enough to make his blood run cold.

with quick determination, he climbs the stairs and steps foot into the kitchen, and he’s met with a sight he hadn’t expected for at least another ten years. his mother talking his child. and there’s not a single doubt in his mind that the child sitting on the island while his mother holds her still is his. he knows for sure. and he knows who her mother is. and as mary-lou makes eye contact with her youngest son, all that can be heard is a quiet,

“oh fuck.”

STAR’S CORNER star stop making new mini au’s and finish the ones that have existed for almost a year already challenge!! but i texted @mattscoquette abt this and i knew based on her reaction i had to make it come to life. there will be more parts eventually.

anyway meet single dad!chris!

copyright divider by @strnilolover

[holybibly]

𝔖𝔴𝔢𝔢𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔫 𝔰𝔴𝔢𝔢𝔱 | San x reader

Pairing: Wolf cub San x Bunny reader

Summary: A wolf's hunger is unquenchable, especially with the heat approaching. And as it happens, you look too appetising in the mornings to resist tempting them to taste you.

Part of a series "𝔙𝔢𝔫𝔲𝔰 𝔦𝔫 𝔉𝔲𝔯𝔰" in the Pretty Flushed universe.

Genre / Au / Trope : Smut, hybrids!Au

Rating: 18+ / 21+ / MDNI

Word count: 3k

Warnings: Unprotected sex, сorruption kink, fingering, degrading, pet names, size kink, dirty talk, explicit sexual content, explicit language, oral, overstimulation, multiple orgasms, rough sex, rough oral, praise kink, squirting and more.

net: @cultofdionysusnet

A|N: All right, bunnies, are you all ready for the official introduction of our wolf pups? Well, here I am. And with me, a hot and hungry wolfie San who wants to taste you first thing in the morning.

Your mommy is back, bunnies and I'm lustier and more vicious than ever.

ℌ𝔬𝔩𝔶 𝔅𝔲𝔫𝔫𝔦𝔢𝔰 𝔗𝔞𝔤 𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱 Part I @tiny-apocalypse @captain-joongz @alicedawitchbish @woohwababes @wlv-asteria @wisejudgedragonhairdo @mingisprincesss @lavishloving @teagietots @spooo00oky @sousydive @hwapou @bunnliix @softwsan @mjyungi @fantasy2wonderland @noirsfantasy @cassies-cookies @renaholicss @luffypants @hyukssunflower @watermelon2319 @peachygiku @bunnyxoxodarling @stolasisyourparent @soranosnowbunny @certifiedmoa @sanglix @slvtiny @hopefulrascalstatesmantoad @hecateslittlewitchling @xxawl @pastellbunno @starlletsblog @seonghwasstar @hwanring @vtyb23 @pearltinyy @minjaeum @chasevixx @bomi-ja @onedumbho3 @sanglix @cursedeastern @itza-meee @pinkies-things @atinism @mxnsxngie @nenefix-on @therealcuppicake @annafeebou @sharksandminhos @@lixies-pixieboy @@vampzity @0rangemilk @yellow-foxxing

ℌ𝔬𝔩𝔶 𝔅𝔲𝔫𝔫𝔦𝔢𝔰 𝔗𝔞𝔤 𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱 Part II @unholywriters @hey-syia @hrts4nohee @vnessalau @mlink64

Through a heavy haze of sleep, you feel a long, rough tongue sliding lazily across your warm pink pussy, leaving a wet trail of viscous saliva in its wake. A light touch to your clit causes your pretty doll mouth to open, and a languid sigh escapes your lungs, eventually turning into a pitiful, whimpering moan. Your eyes move quickly beneath your closed eyelids, long, downy lashes fluttering. Unconsciously, your hips arch forward in search of more of that delicious sensation. 

"Bunny..." That one nickname sets the viscous, sweet moisture gushing from your vagina in abundance, filling the entire space of the luxurious bedroom with the rich scent of peaches and cream. Insistent, rough fingers slide over your moist mound, and your delicate, silky folds slip beautifully around them, so that the pointed tip of his tongue can just feel the edge of your oozing hole. Hot, intermittent, fever-like breath flows around your cunt before the plump lips leave a messy, open-mouthed kiss on your labia. "Wake up, my sweet girl. I want to play with you, Princess." The sound of the Alpha's voice is like warm, melted honey in your ears. 

The thick scent of black orchids and powder, mixed with the sweetness of Alpha pheromones, wraps around you, embedding itself in your skin and settling in your lungs with every intermittent breath. 

Even when you're half asleep, your submissive bunny nature sends signals of obedience throughout your body, forcing you to obey every command of the more dominant and powerful species. You don't want to provoke the predator at all, especially when he's got you in his strong, clawed hands. Your plump, cottony tail flicks up, and your long ears - limp, and soft - press uselessly against your head. Your small hand hesitantly reaches for the source of overwhelming pleasure, now even more obvious and palpable as consciousness begins to return to you, and you blink absentmindedly, chasing the sleep from your eyes. It takes a few minutes for your tiny, pheromone-fogged brain to comprehend what is happening and analyze the situation, and now the painful excitement that flows through your veins like thick, viscous honey finally makes sense—long, silky hair, soft, pointed ears with fluffy tassels at the ends — San. 

As your little sugar fingers dig into the Alpha's thick, wavy curls and your nails lightly brush the sensitive base of his ears, San lifts his sharp feline eyes to you—heavy and half-lidded with lust. Those eyes, almost inhuman in their intensity, shine in the darkness of the bedroom. Your skin tingles at the intensity of the gaze, and you squeak softly, covering your eyes and feeling a scalding scarlet blush spread across your rounded, plump cheeks and pale neck. Even after months of living in their house, you still can't shake the feeling of embarrassment and humiliation that comes over you every time one of the wolves touches you. 

Pleased that you're finally awake and able to give him your full attention, San velvety purrs, never takes his beautiful mouth away from your plump, luscious cunt. His deft tongue flicks along your slit, skilfully playing with your throbbing clit before his beautiful, devilishly curved lips engulf it, pulling it into his warm, craving mouth and beginning to suck slowly as the sharp tip of his sinful tongue penetrates your tight hole, stimulating your silky walls and licking up every drop of your sweet, creamy mucus. The soft taste of peaches is saccharine in his mouth, as San is tasting the most desirable treat on the planet—your fertile ripeness. 

A new wave of lust sweeps over your body, leaving you feverish and helpless with the desire for more. The Alpha's mouth encircles around your sensitive nub, lightly grazing it with his sharp fangs before his slippery, rough tongue begins to aggressively massage you in circles; his hot, sultry lips devouring your pussy with a deep, animal hunger. You're trembling all over; crystal-clear tears begin to gather in the corners of your eyes from the intensity of the sensations, and you squeal out loud, unable to contain yourself. 

"Ah-alpha, that feels so good." Your fingers get tangled in the thick mass of wavy hair between his pointed ears, which are twitching slightly, picking up on every little sound that you are making. You're so wet that mucus is falling from you like a waterfall, filling the room with the rich, sweet, creamy scent. You continue to sob and whimper, sending shivers of excitement through alpha's body as his thick, fluffy tail slowly swings behind his back. His jaw opens and closes relentlessly as he alternates between messy movements and lazy and lingering ones, just to drive you crazy with the contrast of sensations as he savours your cunt. 

As his tongue presses flat against the quivering, glistening folds of your cunt, your hips begin to tremble, and your heel kicks into the silk sheet on the bed, causing it to crumple into a heap. San growls in a menacing manner and digs his claws into the plump, soft flesh of your thigh to hold you in place. 

"Don't fucking move, bunny, or do you want me to bite you? Does the princess like pain? You are such a slut." For a second, San pulls his wet, swollen mouth away from your pussy, only to growl at you. You recoil in horror at the hidden threat in the husky, sultry tone of his voice. Your little fluffy tail quivers as the sharp tips of his fangs graze your delicate, sensitive folds with every word he utters. A reminder that no matter how well the wolves treat you, showering you with gifts and praise, they are still big and dangerous predators, especially for a gentle bunny like you.

"P-please forgive me. I'll be an obedient bunny, I promise. San, I will be a good, obedient princess for you." Your voice is a barely audible whisper, but you have no doubt that he heard you. 

San responds with a low, satisfied growl as he continues to poke his tongue mercilessly into your swollen, tingling clit. Every nerve in your body is vibrating and tingling as he does it over and over and over again. You're so hot, so sticky, and so wet, and every movement of the Alpha's beautiful mouth causes more and more mucus to spill out of your little hole. Your juices run down his chin and down his neck, dripping onto the luxurious silk sheets that lie beneath you. 

San's hands slide down your legs, his sharp claws leaving fierce, blood-red marks on your pale skin, until he throws your legs over his hard, broad shoulders and continues to eat you as if his life depended on it. The muscles in your legs and thighs stretch, and you feel so open, so vulnerable, and exposed to this beautiful, devilishly handsome Alpha, who reminds you more of a big wildcat than a wolf. 

Awakenings like this morning were nothing new for you, especially in the last few weeks when the younger alphas started to warm up before their inexorably approaching heat. Despite Seonghwa's strict orders not to touch you without his or Hongjoong's supervision, everyone in the house still remembered the incident with Wooyoung a few months back, when your mommy and daddy had left you alone with the fascinatingly beautiful, crystal-blue-eyed Alpha. Almost every morning you awoke with one of the wolves cubs pressing their hot bodies against you in the bed. 

Each of them had their own favourite way of waking you up, but most of the time it was down to their long tongues licking your little pussy insistently or their long clawed fingers slowly stretching your tight hole until you started to squeal and squirt. The number of hopelessly ruined sheets that Seonghwa had to throw away after all that was just too numerous to count. And something told you that those beautiful deep-burgundy sheets would suffer the same fate after San was done with you. 

San moans loudly and shamelessly as he buries his face deeper and deeper into your pussy, greedily lapping up the thick, honey-coloured goo from your quivering hole. And he obviously won't stop until you've squirted your delicious cum all over his face. And the devilishly handsome Alpha lets you know it by the way his tongue begins to rub against your silky folds in a rhythm that is too fast for you and almost painful for you. 

"Ah, a-alpha, this is too much...please be gentle." You whimper loudly as you feel his lips squeeze your clit tightly and suck hard on it before releasing it from his sensual grasp with a loud 'pop'. 

"Gentle..." San growls as he sends waves of pleasure through your body with his sinful tongue and hot breath. His hands tighten their grip on your hips, pulling you even closer to his beautiful, predatory face. His slanted feline eyes are practically all black—glistening irises that flash with molten gold as he catches a glimpse of your wide-open eyes, the fat tears already beginning to gather in the corners of them. You look so fucked up already, and it's beautiful. Even if he can't fuck you properly yet, he'll do his best to make sure that every time he touches you, you'll have memories of it.

A pitiful sob escapes from your doll-like lips at the burning intensity of his dark gaze, and a shiver of fear, mixed with excitement, runs down the length of your spine. 

"You want me to be gentle..." He repeats again, almost imperceptibly sliding the tip of his tongue over your soft folds before you feel the slight vibration of his husky laugh against the damp skin of your pussy. "I'm not your mommy to be gentle with you, my darling." The Alpha gives a deep growl before he presses his mouth back down to your cunt with even more hunger and aggression than he did a few minutes ago. San hammers away at you with such fervour and greed, as if all he wants to do in this life is savour the taste of you and eat your tender pussy until you start to sob and beg him to stop. 

San tells himself that this insatiable hunger, this dark desire inside him, has nothing to do with the sharp, poisonous jealousy that eats away at him from the inside like acid every time he hears you moaning or begging for Seonghwa or Hongjoong when they fuck you into the mattress for hours. And of course, it has nothing to do with the fact that his teeth literally ache from the need to sink into your sweet, soft flesh and mark you as his property, his mate. The sight of the swollen, inflamed marks of the Seonghwa's claim on your fragile neck only fuels this animalistic need to breed and mate you even more. 

"Please Alpha..." You sob, hot tears rolling down the round, pink cheeks of your face. You can't even think; a throbbing need is overwhelming you, completely taking over the rational part of your brain. 

The Alpha growls viciously, sucking and licking your clit, all the while moving his tongue and making a foul noise. Your hips begin to move smoothly, following every movement of San's lips and tongue. It is as if you are having sex with his sensual mouth. You literally smother him as you wrap your legs around his head, burying his handsome face between your soft thighs, but judging by the purring moans and growing growls, he doesn't care if he loses his last breath, engulfed by the heat of your body as his mouth sucks your juicy, plump cunt. 

"S-san..." Your voice is almost drowned out by his moan as the first letters of his name fly off your tongue with a choked-out scream. I'm too sensitive..." You are still too swollen, too sensitive to his touch and his sinful tongue after a hard night with Seonghwa, and waves of bliss wash over you too quickly, too suddenly, bringing you to climax without warning. Your whole body trembles in his tight grip, your fingers clinging to his hair, trying to hold his head between your thighs or push his face away from your sensitive, throbbing core. 

San is holding you too tightly with his strong hands, digging his fingers into the flesh of your thighs, and drinking all the liquid that is pouring out of you uncontrollably, leaving the smooth, creamy taste of peaches on his tongue. "Ah! Too much, too much! Alpha..." You scream, but San still won't let you go. He swallows noisily, prolonging your orgasm and lapping up your juices as if he were dying of thirst and you were the only source that could satisfy him. 

San is practically intoxicated by the sight of you right now, his pretty little bunny all flushed and sweaty, crying and begging. You're begging him—San, not Seonghwa or Hongjoong, just him. 

The constant stream of "please" and "alpha," mixed with the soft ecstatic moaning of his name, drives San mad. He has you right where he wants you, and he will fuck you with his tongue until you're unconscious with bliss, and San loves it so damn much. 

"Oh God!" Your voice trails away, high and whimpering. "I'm so close, Alpha! San!"

"Mine!" He growls; his voice is completely different from a human's; it sounds much deeper and more ferocious; and it makes every part of your body vibrate. You can feel a stream of wet flowing out of you, forming a huge puddle of sticky goo on the sheets beneath you. 

Your head throws back, your back arching, and your hips lifting, pressing harder against the Alpha's face as the feathery movements of his tongue and the vicious sucking of his hot mouth send you into pure ecstasy, the overwhelming sensation of repeated orgasm coursing through your bones and nerve endings. You repeat his name over and over, basking in your delicious bliss as he drinks your cum down to the last drop, which you drown him in—the luscious goo splashing all over his face and the sheets—until San helps you to come down from your high with light, airy kisses around your swollen labia. 

"There you are, bunny. Look at you, my princess; you have done so well. You are so sweet on the tip of my tongue—sweeter than honey or ambrosia. I am going to eat you up until your screams reach the heavens."

You're still trembling, the residual spasms of orgasm still coursing through your body, tingling on every inch of your skin, making your legs shake and your hips squirm as you try to free yourself from his grip. You're too sensitive, so much so that it's almost painful. 

Your eyes flutter open, heavy and swollen with tears, and you meet the dark gaze that is fixed on your face. His lips are still hidden between your thighs, and you feel his weightless kisses around your folds. San gives you a smug smile as his kisses move down your thighs, causing a slight tingling sensation on your skin. 

"I'm not finished with you yet." The Alpha purrs as he releases your hips and crawls up your body. He leaves kisses all over your wet, flushed skin as his gorgeous face hangs over your plump tits. San runs his tongue over each of your swollen, slightly damp nipples, wet from the milk that has come out, before moving up higher and lightly biting the skin on the side of your neck. You whimper in between intermittent sighs, completely softened up by the intense orgasm that you can still feel at the very bottom of your belly. San bends down to your face and takes your plump, soft lips in a deep kiss. He grins as he pulls away from you to look at the fragile, delicate body that lies beneath him. 

As you look at his scarlet, swollen lips, glistening with your slime, your slutty bunny nature obligingly brings back the image of him tongue-fucking you. The memory causes your body to react in an almost instantaneous fashion, with a fresh batch of slime spurting out of your quivering hole. A thick wave of alpha pheromones fills the air, and you swallow hard in shame, knowing you'll never be able to hide your excitement, especially when his fingertips feel the wetness trickling between the silky folds of your pussy. 

San smiles devilishly as he slides his long fingers along your soft petal-like folds, more and more of your sweet nectar oozing from you, coating his fingers. These feathery touches are enough to make you tremble in his arms once more. You almost curse your treacherous bunny nature, that it is so easy for him to turn you into putty just by touching you. 

"A-alpha, I can't take it anymore. Please..." You sob as you dig your fingers into his shoulders.

He leans close to your ear, his hot breath brushing the sensitive skin of your earlobe and sending a tingling sensation through your body. 

"Oh bunny, I know you can give me so much more because you are such a slut, aren't you?" His fingers continue to move at an excruciatingly slow pace, and your consciousness begins to fade as a new wave of pleasure washes over you. "Come on, fluffy, do the begging for me. Beg me to fill you up with my cock; beg me to breed you like a good thoroughbred bitch. Beg me to fill you with my sperm, my princess." You shudder as San's fingers push your plump pink folds apart, and he slides two long fingers inside of you. "We have all day, and I won't stop until you can't think about anything other than me."

[renae-nicole-lynn]

Invincible x Frankenstein’s Monster!Reader

(GIFS are not mine)

So 'Why Him?' did pretty well, and it turns out I missed writing fanfiction so I decided to try my hand at some other Mark x Reader stuff. Holy fuck this is so bad I am so sorry 🫠.

Originally I thought of idea as an OC but I can’t draw for shit so Reader it is!

Why Frankenstein's Creature/The Bride? Best explanation I can come up with is watching Creature Commandos and Invincible in a short timespan 🤷‍♀️. I took inspiration from a couple of different Frankenstein's Monster/The Bride tropes from different sources and squished them all together; so that means white streaks in your hair and scars/stitches hold your limbs together and your powers are super strength, enhanced intelligence, and the ability to detach your limbs from your body and retain sentience over them.

The first time you saw him, you were perched on top of a building picking off the flaxan invaders with a rifle as they streamed through the portal and you see him through your scope. He's familiar to you, but in the moment the 'why and where' wasn't important as Atom Eve yelled at him to take the civilian in his arms to the hospital. It's not until three days later when he approaches Eve at school does it click. You've seen him around school for years, and only now does he have super powers; Mark Grayson is [title card].

Things are a little… rocky at first. You think he’s too easily influenced by his father and he thinks you’re out of your mind for that. Poor Eve is forced to play referee as arguments start spilling into the hero side of things, but even your best friend couldn’t get through you, or him for that matter.

“Why don’t hate me so much!?”

You roll your eyes. “I don’t hate you!”

You’d be a hypocrite if you did.

Mark crossed his arms. “Bullshit!”

“I don’t… you piss me off because I know you have the potential to be so good, probably one of the best! But you’re too caught up in being just like daddy dearest!”

He started floating. “My dad is one of the best.”

…you’re pretty sure he wouldn’t attack you here in a high school lab, but that doesn’t stop your fists from clenching. “So that means what? You’re content on being a copy of your father instead of your own person?”

“I am my own person!”

“Bullshit!”

“Who’s going to teach me then, you?”

“You bet your ass I will! 5:00pm at Teen Team headquarters!”

“Fine!”

“Fine!”

You didn’t really mean to offer to teach him, but your offer stayed in the front of your mind as you punched away at one of the punching bags engineered for your strength. It's not like he's going to show up. Except he did, and you were surprised he even showed up around the time you gave... granted, ten minutes late.

Mark doesn't know why he showed up. Maybe it was a pride thing, maybe it was because of what you said. He came in almost shyly, asking if you really think he could be one of the best. You surprise both him and yourself with how quickly you reaffirm what you said before.

"Just because I do though, doesn't mean I'm going take it easy on you."

He kind of scoffed when you said this. "No offence, but I have super strength."

"Oh no way." You crack your knuckles with a grin. "So do I. Keep fighting until tap out?"

"You're on!"

You won, mostly because you managed to outmaneuver him.

Mark stayed on the ground when you realeased him from the hold you had him in. "So did you do all this to kick my ass?"

You scoff and drag a hand through your hair. "No, just seeing what I have to work with... I'm not saying learning from your dad is a bad thing." Oh how wrong you were. "But knowing different disciplines is going to help you in the long run."

He... didn't quite know what to say to that. In a way, what you were saying was similar to what his mother has been telling him and his father for years. "Same time next week?"

From there the two of you come to an agreement; the two of you spar together and you stay off each other's cases in civilian life. Plain and simple right? Wrong.

In civilian life, the two of you end up gravitating towards each other. Turns out you can find that you have a lot in common with someone when you're not constantly at each other's throats (comic books of all things, ya freakin' nerds). Before you know it, you can comfortably call him a friend, much to Eve's delight.

It's not long before the two of you hang out together outside of the supersuits, whether you're just walking around town or going to the comic book stores for the latest issues of your respective favorites. You tease him for Seance Dog and he teases you for your favorite.

You roll your eyes as you (carefully) snatch the issue back from him. "Don't knock it 'til you try it."

"Only if you read at least one issue of Seance Dog."

"...Fine."

He grinned brightly cutely as the two of you traded comic books “Fine!”

At some point, you do show him the rest of your abilities. He’s amazed by your intelligence, but lowkey freaks out when you casually pop your hand off your wrist and subtly let it drop to the floor. He can only watch in horrified amazement as your hand uses your fingers to scuttle along the ground and up your leg so you can reattach it. The look on his face when you yanked your head clean off your shoulders was absolutely priceless and you may or may not have a picture of it.

The two of you begin confiding in each other. He tells you about Viltrum and how he doesn't know how to live up to the legacy, to which you reiterated that just being himself should be enough and if his father or other viltrumites thought otherwise they can fuck right off. Oh the way he looked at you when you said that…

You tell him how you were created, your subsequent abandonment, and how you had to learn everything from scratch. Mark tries to ignore the white hot anger because who the fuck would just abandon you like that?! The person he's gotten to know over the last few months, as hidden as your kind heart is, you didn't deserve that. When he tells you as much, something in your eyes shifts and (surprising you both) you shyly squeeze his hand in thanks but say nothing else. Neither of you pull away for a very long time .

Realization hits for the both of you when you’re running along rooftops for patrol and swan dive off a skyscraper. You never like talking about your past, it always put you in a bad headspace. So maybe you let yourself get a little too close to the ground, not that it would have killed you you’ve tried that and other ways with obvious results. You had your grappling line ready, but before you could fire it at the next building, Mark appears out of nowhere and all but plucks you out of the air before flying to the top of the closest building.

You blink in shock at your friend as he sets you on your feet but doesn’t take his hands off your hips. “Hi?”

Even with the goggles you knew his eyes were staring deep into yours. “You’re not disposable.”

“What are you-”

His grip ever-so-slightly tightened. “You mean a lot to people; Eve, the Guardians-”

You grimaced at that. “I’m pretty sure the Guardians old or new couldn’t give-"

“Will you please let me finish?!” Something in the way his voice cracked kept you from saying anything else, and he paused before continuing on. “You mean a lot to me… If you ever feel like this again, you call me. Call me and I’ll be there.”

Your heart started doing a weird dance in your chest, and you tried to bring yourself back to reality. “You mean a lot to me too. But you can’t just promise that with our line of work.”

Something clicked for Mark then. Getting to know you, speed running to a level of trust and vulnerability that usually took years to get to within the span of a few months, what else was there to say? “Fine, then we’ll just have to stick together.”

Oh.

Oh.

It clicked for you then. This boy trusts and cares about you. He cares about your physical and emotional wellbeing and whether or not you were safe, and seems hellbent on ensuring it.

You hug him close, burying your face in his shoulder when he hugs you back.

“Okay.”

Everything and nothing changed. Despite the words and actions shared on the rooftop that evening, you both carried on as usual… save for now always being together for hero work and the emotional tension in the air.

True to the nature of your relationship leading up to this point, both of you were waiting for the other to crack. Remember the flirty sparring matches comment I made on 'Why Him'? As Mark gets better with hand-to-hand and the two of you find a flow when sparring together, a few teasing comments from the both of you are thrown here and there until eventually the two of you are point blank flirting.

Later, you'll insist he was the one who said it first and he'll argue right back that you were the one to say it.

"Loser kisses the winner?"

"You're on.”

[ch4liz4rd-jpeg]

my biggest gripe with the pro palestinian movement is the lying. you can have empathy and feel remorse for gazans without lying and peddling every antisemetic trope in the book

you can realise that palestinian arabs did not kindly welcome jews who made aliyah before and after the shoah, they are not indigenous or the canaanites, they have been violent against israelis and jews, a lot of them do support hamas, the nakba was a war started by palestinians that they lost to israel, the palestinian national identity is reactionary to the israeli national identity, palestinians are not genetically distinct grom other arabs in the middle east, palestine is literally a colonial name given to the land by the romans to mock the jews living there to sever our connection to the land and STILL have empathy for palestinians. you can realise that they arent a perfect innocent victim and still have empathy for them. the source of their suffering isnt israel or jews, its the antisemitic and imperialistic goals of islamist leaders AND STILL. FEEL. REMORSE

if you need to distort the history of this land and its people and use antisemitic tropes in order to support palestine, you are the fucking problem!!!!! arabs are to the middle east what white people are to the west, and they are not victims just be they face oppression if they live in the west. go speak to any person from the indigenous populations of the middle east and levant and they can tell u all abt what islamism and arabs have done to them snd their families if u refuse to believe us sneaky lying je- i mean zionists. oh wait, its gonna be so hard to do that bc the arab world is doing everything in its power to kill them all

tl dr, you dont need to lie to have empathy for palestinians. you can accept the dirty past of palestinians (just as many israelis still love this country despite it flaws, less then pretty history and incompetent, corrupt government) and still empathise and believe in their self determination alongside jewish and israeli self determination. the need to lie, distort and discredit the jewish and israeli story shows your true (antisemetic) colors

(this is a rant from feb that u put on my insta story, thought it should be seen here)

[pearlprincess02]

1st house synastry overlays (inner planets)

outer planets overlay & asteroids overlay

sun in 1st house overlay

sun person: in sun in 1st house synastry, the sun person often feels a boost in their self-esteem and ego as they become a source of inspiration for the house person. this dynamic can enhance their sense of identity and self-worth, making them feel radiant and powerful in their relationship. however, this placement can also lead to a tendency for the sun person to dominate the relationship, inadvertently overshadowing the house person’s needs and desires. as they bask in their partner's admiration, they may risk becoming self-absorbed or overly focused on their image, which can create friction if the house person feels neglected or unrecognized.

1st house person: for the 1st house person, having the sun person illuminate their 1st house can be both empowering and challenging. this relationship dynamic often encourages the house person to embrace their individuality and express themselves more confidently, as they feel validated by the sun person's presence. however, they may also struggle with feelings of inferiority if the sun person's larger-than-life personality overshadows their own. the house person might become overly reliant on the sun person's approval for their self-worth, leading to insecurity if they perceive that their partner is seeking attention or recognition at their expense.

couple tropes: the power couple, the confident support system, the rivalry dynamic, the social butterflies, the self-discovery journey, the ego clash, the fearless adventurers, the reflective mirror, the balancing act, the inspirational duo

moon in 1st house overlay

moon person: in moon in 1st house synastry, the moon person often feels deeply nurtured and supported by the house person, allowing them to express their emotions freely and comfortably. this placement creates a profound emotional connection, where the moon person feels seen and validated in their vulnerability. however, this intimacy can also lead to challenges, as the moon person may become overly dependent on the house person for emotional stability. if the house person is not receptive to the moon person's needs or feels overwhelmed by their emotional intensity, it can create a sense of insecurity, leaving the moon person feeling exposed and unprotected in the relationship.

1st house person: for the 1st house person, having the moon person illuminate their 1st house can evoke a strong sense of emotional connection and fulfillment. they often feel a sense of comfort and security when they are with the moon person, as the moon's energy encourages them to embrace their feelings and authentic self-expression. however, this emotional intensity can sometimes be overwhelming, leading to confusion or discomfort if the 1st house person is not prepared to navigate the depth of the moon person's emotions. they may feel pressured to provide constant emotional support, which can create tension if they struggle to balance their own needs with the moon person's expectations.

couple tropes: the emotional anchors, the safe haven, the intuitive connection, the overwhelmed protector, the emotional rollercoaster, the reflective empath, the creative collaborators, the supportive cheerleaders, the mood swings duo, the comfort seekers

mercury in 1st house overlay

mercury person: in mercury in 1st house synastry, the mercury person often feels invigorated and empowered by their partner's presence, as they find themselves expressing their thoughts and ideas with confidence and clarity. this placement enhances open communication, making discussions lively and engaging, as the house person encourages the mercury person to share their insights freely. however, this dynamic can also lead to misunderstandings if the mercury person becomes overly focused on their ideas, inadvertently dismissing the house person’s feelings or perspectives. if the house person feels overshadowed or feels their contributions are undervalued, it can create tension and communication breakdowns, leading to feelings of frustration.

1st house person: for the 1st house person, having the mercury person illuminate their 1st house brings a refreshing and stimulating dynamic to their communication. they often feel energized by the mercury person's quick wit and intellectual curiosity, which inspires them to express their own thoughts more openly. however, the intensity of this interaction can sometimes feel overwhelming, particularly if the mercury person's fast-paced communication leaves the 1st house person struggling to keep up or feeling inadequate. if they perceive the mercury person as being overly critical or dismissive, it can lead to feelings of self-doubt and inhibit their willingness to engage in future conversations.

couple tropes: the intellectual match, the playful banter, the thoughtful listeners, the communication overload, the curious explorers, the verbal connection, the quick thinkers, the debating duo, the frustrated expressers, the dynamic duo

venus in 1st house overlay

venus person: in venus in 1st house synastry, the venus person often feels an intense attraction and romantic connection with the house person, as their presence makes them feel adored and cherished. this placement fosters a sense of beauty and harmony in the relationship, with the house person enhancing the venus person's self-esteem and sense of worth. however, this strong emphasis on affection can sometimes lead to a tendency for the venus person to become overly dependent on the house person's validation. if the house person is not able to consistently reciprocate that love or if they withdraw emotionally, it can leave the venus person feeling insecure and unloved, creating potential tension in the relationship.

1st house person: for the 1st house person, having the venus person illuminate their 1st house often brings a sense of warmth and romance to their self-expression. they may feel more attractive and confident in the presence of the venus person, leading to a blossoming of their own romantic inclinations and desires. however, the intensity of this dynamic can sometimes create pressure for the 1st house person to constantly meet the venus person's expectations for love and affection. if they feel overwhelmed by the need to maintain a certain image or lifestyle, it can lead to feelings of inadequacy or frustration, especially if their own needs are not being met in the process.

couple tropes: the soulmates, the charismatic couple, the flirtatious duo, the beautiful connection, the affectionate friends, the attention seekers, the emotionally insecure, the love language learners, the passionate lovers, the romantic idealists

mars in 1st house overlay

mars person: in mars in 1st house synastry, the mars person often feels empowered and driven by the house person’s energy, as this placement ignites a passionate connection that encourages assertiveness and ambition. the dynamic between them can create a thrilling atmosphere filled with mutual attraction and intense interactions, making the relationship exciting and invigorating. however, this passionate energy can also lead to clashes, as the mars person may sometimes come off as aggressive or domineering, overwhelming the house person with their assertive nature. if the house person feels overshadowed or unable to express their own desires, it can lead to frustration and conflict, potentially damaging the relationship if not managed carefully.

1st house person: for the 1st house person, having the mars person illuminate their 1st house can amplify their confidence and assertiveness, inspiring them to pursue their goals with fervor. this dynamic often fosters a strong sense of passion and determination, allowing the 1st house person to feel more alive and energetic in the relationship. however, this heightened assertiveness can also lead to aggressive tendencies, especially if the 1st house person feels provoked or challenged by the mars person's boldness. if the relationship becomes overly competitive or combative, it may create an environment where feelings of resentment and frustration can grow, threatening the harmony they initially shared.

couple tropes: the fiery lovers, the competitive duo, the dynamic go-getters, the argumentative pair, the assertive partners, the instinctual connection, the passionate warriors, the volatile couple, the impulsive adventurers, the heat of the moment

all observations are done by me !!! @pearlprincess02

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