#a friend said that after he got beheaded

[0mega-x]

"In moments like those that are admittedly not happy (world events, terrorist attack), the only thing we can do at our small scale is to choose to be good and live our lives" I love my economy/sociology teacher omfg if anything happens to her I'll jump

Then we did the minute of silence and, holy shit, it's already been 3 years since Samuel Paty's death?!

[hauntingblue]

ZORO LORE FINALLY ⁉️

[deformedcat]

the fake princess

pairing: reincarnated male reader x yandere prince oc

fic includes: arranged marriage, cross dressing, reader's death (briefly mentioned), Dom to sub bottom male reader, rough sex, rimming 2x, gruwhdbwb will add more in the morning

note: THIS IS NOT FINISHED!! tumblr is rlly messing me up by posting my work earlier whenever i save my draft lol. feel free to read as i write the ending. reader is male! a male!! a certain character will be calling him "lady" for the plot!! i wont spoil much but please keep that in mind ;; this is messy lmao

poor you were just on the way back to your apartment after a barbeque party with your friends— until a drunk man grabbed you from the dark alley way and stabbed you in the stomach and pussied out after he realized what he did.

is this how you die? fuck, he couldve do you a favour by taking you out in one go and not run away?? loser behaviour.

you laid down in your own blood in the dimly lit alley way, your vision slowly getting blurry as your surrounding turns into a blur of colours and into nothing.

before slipping into darkness, you heard a loud voice shouting out your name. its too late, bootlicking shitfuck.

you opened your eyes by the sound of bird chipping, you stared up at the bright blue sky accompanied by someone with dark brown hair and green eyes staring back at you.

"Lady Amador.. it's time to go back to the palace. the prince is looking foward for you during lunch time."

who the fuck is lady amador, and why are they wearing a maid outfit?

sitting up, you take note of the grass underneath you instead of the rough concrete floor from earlier- are you hallucinating to the point youre in this nice garden..? huh, why are you wearing a dress, did a creep kidnapped you and dress you in one of their grandma's dresses?!

panicking, you got up towards the pond and looked into your own reflection. you still looked the same as before, you cant say the same since your hair looked much longer and the light makeup on your face.

lady amador.. prince?? garden.. holy- is that a palace behind you?! whats going on?!

before you could brainstorm any longer, the person from earlier waved their hand in front of you, catching your attention. "lady amador, its time to go. prince sebastian is looking for you."

prince sebastian? sebastian..

slowly, everything clicked to you, did you really reincarnated as one of the characters in the novel "The Villainess's Ultimate Plan!" holy shit.

you touched your face, and then looked into the pond again, that face..

the villainess younger brother?!

the one who disguised as the protagonist.. the one that planned the entire scheme to assassinate the crown prince but end up getting beheaded one day after the wedding night?!

with that information, your vision fade into black once again.

"My lady?!"

jerking awake, you hunched over, clasping a hand against your face. you slowly takes a few deep breathe, you slowly brought your hand away.

you looked to your side, the same person from earlier is standing next to you with a worried expression. not only them, a man with bright gold hair is sitting on a chair nearby reading a book.

prince fucking sebastian. the man that you're supposed to kill during you and the prince's wedding night.

he looked up from his book and walked up to you, you flinched away when he raised his hand, he stopped his action before he promptly caressing your face.

"you, please step out of Lady Penelope's room." he ordered the person (the maid maybe?), and they complied.

there was an awkward silence in the room, he was still holding your face, you looked at the side, scared to hold any eye contact with the man in front of you.

"look at me." he said in a stern voice, like a mom scolding her child.

so you did, afraid of any consequences. (since he was the same man that's willing to destroy the kingdom for your supposed sister.)

he let go of your face before sitting onto the side of the bed, his face is blank,, as if he dont care about you, but the worried tone in his voice said otherwise.

"y/n." you jumped at the name, how did he know your name- wasnt he supposed to call you by your sister's name ?! before you can say amything, he cut you off.

"..i was waiting for you at the dining table, but i got the news of you fainting in the garden right after waking up from your nap."

"..i apologize."

he leans in towards you, settling his hands onto your face once again as if to inspect for any injuries, he lets go once again when he saw no visible injuries.

"i know you prefer to be called lady amador when it comes to appearing as your sister, but a maid was here, and i have to convince people we have a medium love with each other.

especially when our wedding night is two days from now on."

what. the story already started?! no- screw that, how did he know you were pretending to be penelope?!

"how did you know im not lady penelope?" you kissed your teeth, gripping onto the comforter, subtly slapping the prince's hand away when he tried to reach for yours.

"lady penelope had sent a letter to me, personally stating about her plan, and we agreed on one term: i keep you safe and she sends me information of the war, simple.

though, i shall say, youre quite the beauty."

you were about to curse at penelope but your ears becoming warm after he said that, he chuckled before getting up of the bed.

"most married or engaged couples have monthly night together, and ours is two night from now on. we wont do anything sensual, do not worry."

"what-"

"see you tomorrow at lunch, dear." he kissed you on the forehead before walking out of your room.

for the next two days, you learnt the person at the garden is your personal maid, Andrea. apparently she found you laying on the ground at the garden (that sebastian built for you.) after you stated you were gonna take a stroll.

you also met your personal knight, William, Penelope's second love interest but was sadly killed when he defended you during your trail.

the three of you got along well, often seen having conversation near the garden or having tea party together. sebastian watched from his office and smiled at the sight of you chatting with Andrea.

william on the other hand,, have been too close to you for his liking. he nearly ripped an important paper when he saw william wiping off some biscuit crumbs from your face- why is he so touchy? Andrea couldve done that using a napkin.

he broke his pen, the black ink soaked his hand and his paper work. did you like damian better than him? why did you become flustered when the knight spoke about something?

should he get rid of him?

how troublesome.

he remembered when a butler and notify him what happened to you. he nearly tear down the entire palace when you didnt wake up for two hours he almost frown when you flinched and move away from him when he reach out to you. the way you were nervous around him,,

he slowly calmed down, reminding himself that you and his night together is tonight. he sighed, he should finish his work first then meet you tonight.

back in your chamber, Andrea and a few other maids helped you to get ready, even helping you to take a bath. you enjoyed the smell of lavender from the soapy water, an old maid massaged your body when you're just soaking inside the bathtub.

the old lady was kind enough to even offer you a drink as she tells you stories of her youth.

after that and when Andrea deemed you 'clean', began to dress you into a white night gown made with the finest silk, the strap of the grown barely hanging on your shoulder. the maid had explained that you have to wear this because 'the prince gave the gown as a gift.'

was he not shameless when his gift includes a set of lingerie?!

you fidget around with the ring, Andrea styled your hair into a loose braid, making sure you look presentable before leading you to the prince's chamber. you insisted that you walked by yourself, so she went back to the maid headquarter.

walking down the dimly lit hallway, no one is wandering except for a few knight patrolling. you soon arrived in front of his room, knocking a few time to make your presence known "sir sebastian-"

before you could finish, sebastian opened the door and grab you by the waist, dragging you into the room.

he lifts you up and carries you to the spacious bed, he gently laid you down and take a whiff of your scent before mumbled out a "you smells nice.."

you looked at him with wide eyes, he was only wearing a robe- your eyes wonders down and sees his toned body that he had clearly worked on. he noticed you and grinned, taking your hand and putting it on his chest

"like what you see?"

if you could kill him right now you would.

instead, you pushed him down the bed, him lying down on the bed and you on top.

"what if i do?

also.. i will be the one in charge tonight."

you leaned down, opening his robe hastily and take one nipple into your lips.

sebastian nearly flipped you over, but he held himself back. he moaned when you grinned onto his crotch, he lightly tugged your hair, leaning in as if asking for a kiss.

you gave him what he wanted, he softly moaned into the kiss, slowly his hand make its way towards your shorts, pulling it down your ankle before he pulls away from the kiss.

he sat up against the bed frame and settled you on his lap, he took in the sight of you wearing his gift- that he had commissioned for it to fit you, and god.

you are so pretty.

hair messy from the kissing session, the collar of the gown was low enough for him to see the lacey bra, a garter designed with silver lining tightly wrapped around your thigh and the underwear that only covered your erected cock-

he want to eat you up,,

so he did.

Sebastian was known to be a beast in bed as he was known in the battlefield,, was what the novel described him.

Unfortunately they were true to their words, his thrust was harsh and deep, creating impacts thats enough to make you cry out.

so much of being gentle?! he even ripped off your outfit, leaving you naked!

he was nice enough to eat you out earlier, even giving you to opportunity to ride his face.

sebastian continue with this harsh pace, holding one of your leg onto his shoulder while another holds your hand. his apologized multiple times while grunting, saying things likes

"im sorry- ah! youre so tight!"

"mm- if you keep moaning like that- hng! i wont be able to slow down-"

"dear.. mmh.. im sorry.. i'll take care of you later-!" im gonna kill you, you handsome bastard!!

you clung onto him on each thrust, it just feel so-! sebastian suddenly changed the position, pushing you on your knees while holding your arms at the back,

"se-sebasti- ah! wait-! mngh!" he holds your hand behind you back tightly to ground you, the position didnt help at all, you couldnt muffle your moans and his dick reach deeper than it did in the previous position.

he panted, letting go of your arms fearing that your arm is sore. he gave an apologetic kiss on your forehead before continuing .

he grunted when you tighten around him, he tried to sooth you by giving stroking your cock, but that only add to the pleasure as you cried out of overstimulation.

you felt like you were melting.

you had climax into sebastian's hand, fuck- why isnt he stopping-?! you continued to cry out before he stuff his finger with your cum into your mouth, you immediately bit onto his fingers to muffle your moans.

his climax came sooner than you expected, he twitched and came inside. he slowed down his thrust, riding out his climax before pulling out.

you panted, thinking its over,, until sebastian gripped your aas and spread them apart revealing your winking hole, dripping out his children batter.

without hesitation, he dive in as if its his last meal, slurping and eating his own cum. you moaned at this, trying to push him away but he stayed still.

"what are you-"

"round 2? gotta have heirs for the future y'know.." he said with a toothy grin, flipping you over your back and pressing you thigh until your ankle reach your chest.

"ah?!"

the knights guarding outside sebastian's chamber looked at each other then looked down, the two of them had an erection from your moaning- tone it down sometimes!

a/n: not proud with this one, will check and edit it in the morning (its 3.56 am right now) goodnight ^_^

[iamyourdailydoseofbi]

the platonic little sister relationship aegon has to someone like reader 😭 i hope we can see more, but like without the darkness of house of the dragon nor gore of it, just aegon ii staring at his little sister and vowing the world and even the throne for her, relinquishing it the first chance that he gets to rhaenyra whilst in tears holding his littlest sister 😭 he wishes no throne, no treasures, no liquor, only her safety and nothing more. i can imagine him trying to escape with her to the free lands because she is the only good in his world and he’d be damned if he let otto try and spoil the only kindness that the gods have give him. i can also imagine him stowing away on his dragon and flying on dragonback to the blacks to proclaim his loyalty with little reader bundled up in his cloak. i can imagine him fiercely protective but also relenting when he knows she is happy, being by her side as her older brother and uncle to her children to whomever it may be 😭

(sorry for the long anon, i just wish to see more 😭)

- familial issues anon 😔

THE HISTORY BOOK ON THE SHELF. ( HOTD x READER ) [ Pt. 2 ]

author notes: I promise, I'm gonna write a fluffy part 3 after this.. pairing: King Aegon ii Targaryen x Younger Sister! Reader ( Platonic ) prompt: When Blood and Cheese attack, the feeling of being safe in the Red Keep dies along with your sweet nephew and son. word count: 1, 000+ words

The night of Blood and Cheese, you had wandered into the children's bedchamber. Something pulled you from your dreams, telling you that the children needed you. You did not know a thing. The night was quiet and cool, the gentle pouring of rain filling the air. Everyone was safe and content. No harm could come to any of you with Vhagar in the City. But, as you got closer and closer, blissfully unaware.

You did not know the horrors that awaited you. Helaena held at knife point, her eyes so wide and full of silent horror. Your son cuddled up next to Jaehaera and Jaehaerys like he always did, all three of them dead asleep and unaware. Two men, one tall and imposing. The other thin and chuckling like a mad man. A debt they said, "A son for a son."

A son for a son. A son for a son. The world that that point is going silent and you think of was, why? Why? Why? Why?

You don't remember much of anything, no matter how much you tried to, just the muffled screams and sound of flesh being cut. You stumbled and wandered down the empty halls of the Red Keep, a dead look on your face. A thousand unspoken words on your tongue.

A son for a son. A son for a son. A son for a son. A son for a son. Where the fuck were the guards? Where were the maids? Where was everyone? They liked to snoop, so why this time were they gone?

You did not know when Helaena had departed from your side. You just vaguely remembered bumping into one of Aegon's friends, the drunken smile on his face falling. His face went pale and a stuttered call for Aegon.

Staring dead at the man, you could not remember his name, just that he was kind and one of Aegon's friends. Feeling your bottom lip wobble, you tried to hold back the sobs, emotions bubbling up. Feeling familiar hands on your shoulder, you dreadfully become aware of the wetness in your nightgown, though it was not your monthly blood or rain that soaked the linen. The realization trickled in that it was blood sinking in. Blood. Jaehaerys blood. Your son's blood.

"Hey, hey, hey. Look at me, look at me, not the blood. Tell me what's happened." A voice faintly orders, "Y/n, look at me. Look at me."

Blinking back the tears that bubbled up, your vision clears up, seeing Aegon standing right in front of you. He reeks of strongwine. But, the look on his face was deadly sober. Seeing his lips moving, you couldn't hear him, the haunting sound of Jaehaerys and your son slowly being beheaded still ringing in your ears. Son for a son. A son for a son. Jaehaerys was just a boy. He was barely six years old. A baby. Helaena's baby. Your boy was a year his younger, only five.

"You weren't there. Why weren't you there?" You hiccup, "You were always there. Why weren't you there?!"

"Y/n?"

"You said you'd be there if we were in trouble. That⎯That⎯That if we need you, you would be there. Why weren't you there? Why weren't you there?!" You scream out, your pained voice echoing loudly.

"Who's blood is that? Where is your son?" Aegon asks, his face and voice of panic.

Son for a son. A son for a son. Son for a son. A son for a son. Your son. Why him? He wasn't Aegon's heir. He wasn't Aegon's son in any way. He wasn't anyone's but your own. Your baby. Your sweet baby. Why did they pick him? He was no threat. He was just sleeping. He wasn't harming anyone.

"Gods damn it, Y/n! Where is your son?! Where is he?! Who's blood is that?" He demands, "Tell me, tell me."

"The...They took his head..The boy...My boy..Blood..He's in the bed...They came from the walls..Helaena.." You choke out, not able to properly string together a sentence.

Bursting into a fit of tears, the throne exploded into chaos the moment tears were spilled, orders and demands being spouted out to anyone in ear shot. Why? Why? Why? The Red Keep was safe. Aegon told you it was safe. It was supposed to be safe. That they would not dare to harm any of you. It was supposed to be safe.

'You will never have to marry again. You and your son are under my protection. No harm shall come to you whilst you stay in the Red Keep, sweet sister. I swear upon it.' He had said, tucking back a strand of hair from your face.

'No harm shall come to you whilst you stay in the Red Keep, sweet sister. I swear upon it.'

'No harm shall come to you whilst you stay in the Red Keep, sweet sister.

'No harm shall come to you...I swear upon it.'

When did your big brother become such a fucking liar?

Watching you collapse to the ground, Aegon swiftly follows you to the ground, cuddling you close to his chest. He may have been a little tipsy, but now he was dead sober. You stumbled in, looking more like a ghost than a person. Your hair down, you always loved to leave it down when going to bed. Your nightgown, white with little butterflies sewn into the hem, now stained in blood. Who's? He did not know and dreaded finding out.

Stroking your hair tenderly, he prayed, truly prayed for the first time since his youth. Not for your safe return home. Not for his Father's love or a fragment of his time. Not for the Seven to rid him of all the bad in him. He prayed that you were just spouting out about some nightmare. That this was just like all those times in your youth, when you'd sneak into his chambers. A whimpering mess, spouting about the monster under your bed.

"It's just a dream. It's just a dream." Aegon tries to reassure, not sure if he was trying to convince you or himself.

"Aegon, what⎯what⎯what do we do?" One of his friends stutters out, a shell shocked look on his face.

"Get the fucking guards! Wake the fucking Keep up! Damn it!" Aegon bellows, his face flushing red from anger.

Struggling to figure out what to focus on, he couldn't keep up as the Red Keep seemingly exploded. Guards are everywhere. Orders being spouted out. He wasn't sure if his voice was one of them. It was all just a blur. This could not be real. This had to be a nightmare or a figment of his drunken mind. Soon enough he would awake. You'd come into his chamber's like you do every morning, warning him that your Mother was on her way. Yes, yes, that was it. He would wake up and everything would be good.

"Aegon. Aegon." Someone calls out for him, his grip tightening on you instinctively.

"Your grace, the Prince Jaehaerys and Prince⎯" A guard stops speaking, the look on his face enough to make his blood cold.

"No, they are alright. Tis' just a minor wound, no?" Aegon shakes his head, not wanting to think of the worse. "Just a bloody nose or.."

"Your grace.." The guard shakes his head, "I am afraid tis' more grave than a bloody nose."

Feeling tears bubbling up in his eyes, he shakes his head, laughing bitterly in disbelief. This could not be true. This had to be some jest. Some dream of his. There was no way that his son and your own were dead. The Red Keep was safe. Rhaenyra would be a fool to attack with Vhagar flying above. Hearing your wails grow louder and more heart wrenching, it felt like the world just fucking snapped. Tears of sadness morphing into red hot anger. His face hardening.

They killed your son. They killed his son, his heir. They fucking made you cry. They made you and Helaena watch. Fuck the peace treaty. Fuck being kind and being cordial. Fuck doing this the proper way. Fuck all of them. He'd killed them. He'd kill them all for this. He'd kill anyone who dared to do this. He'd fucking murder all of their bloodline for this. This was war. This was fucking war.

"I'll kill them! I'll kill them all! Traitor's and murderer's!"

---

@lovelykhaleesiii

@fragileheartbeats

@nightvers

@zaldritzosrose

[nestastits]

You know Nesta really is HER.

She laughed at the children of the blessed.

She can see through Fae glamours and magic.

She told the human queens they were cowards.

She stole from the Cauldron.

She had the Cauldron, the most revered artifact of the fae that has the ability to create life and destroy everything by basically being the womb of the Mother, terrified of her to the point it went after anyone else but her.

She slapped her sister’s toxic fiancé in the face and told him he never deserved her anyway after he insulted her.

She scared off her baby sister’s toxic ex, told him off for his treatment of her sister, pointed her finger at him, and told him she’d rip his head off if he told anyone they were in spring.

She changed the entire trajectory of the books bc Sarah just couldn’t hate her

Sarah’s original plan was to have her with Lucien but the moment Nesta and Cassian saw each other it was a done deal and Sarah (basically the real life mother/cauldron) had to rewrite the books.

She did the math on how many ships the human lands would need in order to evacuate from the war.

She scared a death lord with her Made Sword

She can willed all three dread troves and has a special connection with them to the point of being able to portal them to her

She has a special connection to THE MOTHER. And a bargain with the Cauldron.

She’s been called a Death God, Kingslayer, Lady Death, Queen of Queens, Witch, Pillager of Death, Witch from Oorid, and Death Herself.

She is a Valkyrie and Oristian.

She encouraged some of the priestesses from the library (ones who have spent centuries in there without leaving) to join training by showing them there was nothing to fear.

She got a a usually disdainful blacksmith to smile with her inquisitiveness.

She marked the king with a death promise then beheaded him in the war when she got the chance. And held up his head in victory of her promise being acomplished.

She killed the first Kelpie seen in hundreds of years. Beheaded it and held it’s head in the same way.

She awoke a House and made it sentimental by befriending it with her magic.

She stabbed a man’s dick in the Blood Rite.

She led her team through the Blood Rite. Like any good General would do.

She held the line, giving up the chance of the win, so her found sisters could survive.

She spoke about becoming the leader of the first complete female fighting group in Prythian after five hundred years.

She had actual Death Gods speaking highly of her. Fearing her too.

The most powerful high lord in prythian feared her.

She unmade someone to avenge her mate. Her power stopped time when she unleashed it fully. She saved her sister, nephew, and brother-in-law all in the same morning after completing the blood rite. Gave up a fraction of her power for it, but made a bargain with the cauldron and spoke with the mother. Told her baby sister “I love you” for the first time, this was also the first time Nesta had ever said ily out loud to anyone. Decided that she wanted to have a mating ceremony. Hugged her brother-in-law after his mate and babe almost died even though they had some issues. Again all of this happened in the same morning.

She gave her Mask to an untrustworthy friend and by doing so saved both Prythian and Midgard. Perhaps other worlds and universes too.

She has infinite range👏👏👏

Please add anything that I left out! My girl has done so much I forget to list them all.

[mariacallous]

The great fault of the global left is not that it supports Hamas. For how could Western left-wing movements or left-inclining charities or academic bodies truly support Hamas if they were serious about their politics?

No one outside the most reactionary quarters of Islam shares Hamas’s aim of forcing the peoples of the world to accept “the sovereignty of Islam” or face “carnage, displacement and terror” if they refuse.  You cannot be a progressive and campaign for a state that executes gay men. An American left, which includes in its ranks the Queers for Palestine campaign group, cannot seriously endorse lethal homophobia in its own country.  They will turn a blind eye in Palestine, as we shall see, but not in New York or Chicago.

Finally, no left organisation proudly honours the Protocols of the Elders of Zion and the fascist tradition that Hamas embraces with such sinister gusto, although in a sign of a decay that has been building on the left for more than a generation, many will promulgate left-wing conspiracy theories which are as insane as their fascist counterparts.

No, the problem with the global left is that it is not serious about politics. It “fellow travels” with radical Islam rather than supports it. The concept of “fellow travelling,” with its suggestions of tourism, dilettantism, and privilege, is well worth reviving. The phrase comes from the Bolsheviks. After the Russian Revolution of 1917 they looked with appreciation on Westerners who supported them without ever endorsing communism. Artists, writers, and academics who were disgusted with the West, often for good reason, I should add, were quite happy to justify Soviet communism and cover up its crimes without ever becoming communists themselves.

Leon Trotsky put it best when he said of fellow travellers that the question was always “how far would they go”? As long as they did not have live under the control of communists in the 1920s or the control of Islamists in the 2020s, the answer appears to be: a very long way indeed

W.H. Auden said, as he looked back with some contempt on his fellow travelling past, if Britain or the United States or any country he and his friends knew were taken over by a “successful communist revolution with the same phenomena of terror, purges, censorship etc., we would have screamed our heads off”. But as communism happened in backward Russia “a semi-barbarous country which had experienced neither the Renaissance nor the Enlightenment”, they could ignore its crimes in the interests of seeing the capitalist enemy defeated.

You see the same pattern of lies and indulgence in the case of Hamas. Journalists  have produced a multitude of examples of fellow travelling since 7 October but let one meeting of the Oakland City Council in the Bay area of San Francisco speak for them all.

A council member wanted the council to pass a motion that condemned the killings and hostage-taking by Hamas, who, in case we forget, prompted the war that has devastated Gaza, by massacring Israeli civilians. The motion got nowhere

According to one speaker Hamas did not massacre anyone, a modern variant of Holocaust denial that is becoming endemic. “There have not been beheadings of babies and rapings,” a woman said at the meeting. “Israel murdered their own people on October 7.”  Another woman said that calling Hamas a terrorist organization is “ridiculous, racist and plays into the genocidal propaganda that is flooding our media.” Hamas was the “armed wing of the unified Palestinian resistance” , said a third who clearly had no knowledge of the civil war between Hamas and Fatah.

“To condemn Hamas was very anti-Arab racist” cried a fourth. The meeting returned to modern Holocaust denial as a new speaker said the Israeli Defence Forces had murdered their own people and it was “bald propaganda” to suggest otherwise. A man intervened to shout that “to hear them complain about Hamas violence is like listening to a wifebeater complain when his wife finally stands up and fights back”.  

Anyone who contradicted him was a “white supremacist.”

Of course they were.

Now if theocrats were to establish an Islamist tyranny in the Bay area, I am sure every single speaker would scream their heads off, as Auden predicted. They can turn into fellow travellers as there is no more of a prospect of theocracy threatening them than there was of communism threatening readers of the left-wing press in the UK and US in the 1930s.

A serious left would have plenty to complain about. Consider the Israeli position after the breakdown of the ceasefire. The Israeli state is led by Benjamin Netanyahu, a catastrophe of a prime minister, who left his people exposed to the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. His war aims are contradictory: you cannot both wipe out Hamas and free the hostages.

Worst of all, the Israeli defence forces are to move to the southern Gaza strip where two million Palestinians are crammed. Just war doctrine holds that a military action must have a reasonable chance of success if the suffering is to be permitted. How, reasonably, can the Israeli army expect to find guerilla fighters hiding in a terrified population?  According to leaks in the Israeli media, Anthony Blinken, the US Secretary of state, was warning the Israeli government that, “You can’t operate in southern Gaza in the way you did in the north. There are two million Palestinians there.” But he was ignored.  A radical movement worth having would surely be putting pressure on the Biden administration to force Israel to listen to its concerns.

The radical movement we have will not engage in practical politics because compromise is anathema to it. Any honest account of the war would have to admit that Israel has the right to defend itself against attack. It is just that the military position it finds itself in now may well make its war aims impossible and therefore immoral.

You can see why practical politics has no appeal. Where is the violent satisfaction in sober analysis,  the drama in compromise? Where is the Manichean distinction between the absolute good of the Palestinians and the pure evil of Israel?  

Meanwhile, ever since the Israeli victory in the Six Day War of 1967, you have been able to say that Jewish settler sites on the West Bank were placed there deliberately to make a peace settlement impossible, and ensure that Israel controlled all the territory from “the river to the sea” forever.

A serious left might try to revive a two-state solution by building an international consensus that the settlements must go. Once again, however, that is too tame an aim. For the fellow traveller watching Palestine from a safe distance, satisfaction comes only by embracing Hamas’s call for the destruction of Israel. Some progressives try to dress up the urge to destroy by pretending that Jews and Palestinians will go on to live together in some happy-clappy, multi-ethnic and multi-confessional state. But most must know they are advocating a war to the death. What makes their position so disreputable is that, if they thought about it calmly, they would know it would be a war that only Israel could win. It is the Israelis who have the nuclear weapons, after all.

The worst of the global left is dilettantish. It advocates a maximalist position which has a minimal chance of success - just for the thrill of it. David Caute, a historian of fellow travelling with Stalin and communism said that the endorsement of communism by fellow travelling intellectuals in the West “deepened the despair” of Soviet intellectuals. “In their darkest hours they heard themselves condemned by their own kind”.

The 2020s are not the 1930s. I am sure that, if I were a Palestinian in Gaza, my sole concern would be the removal of Israeli forces that threatened me and my family. I would either not care about demonstrations in the West or I would receive some comfort from the knowledge that people all over the world were protesting on my behalf.

Nevertheless, a kind of betrayal is still at work. By inflaming and amplifying the worst elements in Palestine the global left is giving comfort to the worst elements in Israel, which are equally determined to make a compromise impossible.

The New Statesman made that point well when it ran a piece by Celeste Marcus.   She came from the Zionist far right, and was taught doctrines that dehumanised Palestinians. She grew up and grew away from the prejudices of her childhood and became a liberal. But after she moved into her new world, she “recognised immediately that progressive leftists feel about Israelis the way radical Zionists feel about Palestinians: these are not real people.”

The result is that for all its power on the streets and in academia the global left is almost an irrelevance.

“To influence Israel,” she writes, “one must be willing to recognise it. Since leftist leaders cannot bother to do this, they cannot be of real use to Palestinians. This is a betrayal of their own cause.”

The dilettantism of fellow travelling always ends in betrayal and denial for the reason Auden gave: terror is always more tolerable when it happens far, far away.

[godjustkys]

hashira headcanons, pt. 1

★ INCLUDES: tomioka giyuu, rengoku kyojuro, shinobu kocho, uzui tengen, muichiro tokito, mitsuri kanroji, iguro obanai, sanemi shinazugawa, gyomei himejima.

★ TW: major character death, fatal injury, mentions of suicide, mentions of blood and pain, heavy angst, reader was close to character (romantic or platonic somewhat specified or implied, every relationship is different. If you want something that isn't here, requests are open.)

HASHIRA react to your DEATH.

TOMIOKA GIYUU;

- A demon's strength can always be underestimated. You were strong, strong enough to beat an upper moon. This demon was different, why was it having such an effect on you? Why did Tomioka, after beheading the demon, after such a drawn out fight, have to find you in a forest nearby, on the ground, your katana right next to you?

- Matter of fact, why weren't you moving at all? Why couldn't Tomioka hear you breathing? 'why, why why why?' were the only thoughts running through his head. He sauntered over to you, kneeling down and gently turning you over. Why did he, after successfully beheading a complicated demon, have to be met with the sight of your throat slit? Did you do it? Did the demon leave you like this? What happened.

- He sat there on his legs, staying as still as humanly possible, eyes not once leaving your bloody neck. “..[Name].” he managed to mutter out, his blinking getting excessive, shaking your body ever so slightly. Tomioka's breathing got erratic. He shut his eyes tightly, pressing his forehead to the chest of your lifeless body. His hand reached out, his fingers intertwining with yours. Tomioka stayed like that for a good minute, his breathing panicked and shaky, slowly getting heavier. He shook his head against your body, his eyes fluttering close. “No.. no no no, [Name].” he breathed out, tears pricking at his eyes. “What happened? Why-” he couldn't even finish his sentence as he started sobbing to the point of no return.

- His body slumped against yours, crying helplessly into your already cold chest. He stayed like that until Kocho found the two of you. He wouldn't let go of you, you were his after all. It took so much convincing from both Kocho and Tanjiro for him to let you go. Tanjiro stood there with Tomioka, his hands on the taller man's shoulders, comforting him. Kocho walked up to the calmer, yet still crying, hashira. “Tomioka,” she said gently, getting his attention. “Do you want his ring?” she asked cautiously, her voice soft. Tomioka looked at her, his eyes red, tears soaking his cheeks. He seemed to break more at her question. Right. Your ring. His and yours. Plans to get married were short-lived, weren't they? Tomioka shook his head slightly, leaning more into Tanjiro's touch. “Bury him with it.” He said quietly, lip quivering. “He's- my fiancé. He'll never be anything less than that.” Tomioka said. “I'll stay his forever, to the very end.” He muttered out, his head lowered.

RENGOKU KYOJURO;

- “[Name]! Let's go!” His loud voice called out. He was standing at the doors of your estate, waiting for you to come out. You had a mission together, your kasugai crow had informed you of that prior. “[Name]!” he called out for you once again. Still no answer, which was unusual.

- Having little to no patience, Rengoku opened the door swiftly, immediately stepping inside. The smile on his face faded and oh so quickly. A dead slayer, one of your comrades, in the middle of the room, bloody and- dead. His body sprawled out and torn apart. Rengoku furrowed his eyebrows, taking this as a warning. That slayer was a friend of yours, someone you trusted with your life, someone you confided in. Rengoku placed his hand on his katana's handle, getting into a fighting position. 'A demon had slipped through,' he thought. Then, he noticed you, all beaten and bloody with your back against the wall, hand pressing hard to the place where your heart was supposed to be.

- “[Name].” The way he said this was different. He seemed so much more serious and concerned as he walked over to you and kneeled, placing a hand on your uninjured shoulder. You seemed to be in shock - eyes wide, bloody face. Jesus, you looked like a mess. You took quick and shallow breaths, your katana in your other hand on the ground. “What happened? You need to get medical attention, now.” He said firmly, eyes scanning you over for any other visible injuries. “He grazed my heart, I- won't get there quick enough..” you said breathlessly, still staring at nothing in particular.

- “Did you kill the demon?” Rengoku questioned, shifting in his position as if he was ready to pick you up and get you to Kocho. “There was no demon.” you answered quietly, your breathing getting quicker. “What? Did—” He didn't get to finish as you cut him off. “He was working for- for.. Kibutsuji. Human, my friend, working for the.. the damned enemy.” You breathed out, your voice getting significantly more strained and hoarse. Rengoku didn't respond to you. He moved his hands underneath you, picking you up.

- You immediately winced, letting go of your katana. He slowly and carefully stood up with you in his arms. “Kyojuro- I won't.. I won't make it. Let me rest- I want to.. stay- here.” You mumbled, shutting your eyes tightly. “Nonsense.” He responded to you strictly, the panicked expression on his face betraying his façade. You hissed out in pain, your body slumping in his hold. It didn't take very long for him to get you to Kocho.

- It still wasn't enough time. You died in his arms right after he got you into the medical estate. He was so close. He heard you babble and mumble words, but they weren't even coherent. Maybe they would've been if he hadn't been carrying you at such high speeds. The moment he placed you on the bed, your blood even staining his uniform, Kocho announced your death. Rengoku swallowed hard and he lowered his head, giving a small nod to Kocho in recognition to her words.

- “You were always right.” He said to you, or rather your headstone as he kneeled in front of your grave. “You said you wouldn't make it and you didn't.” he said quietly, a rather solemn expression on his face. He didn't even cry during your funeral, neither did he cry after hearing Kocho say that you're dead, neither did he cry seeing your lifeless body there, laying in the medical bed. “Couldn't you— hold out for.. a minute more?” he questioned, knowing he wouldn't get any answer. Tears started brimming in his eyes. “I had so much to say to you.” Rengoku said, his shoulders slumping. “The respect I have for the dead is unimaginable, but damn you.” His voice trembled. “Is this what I get for being a coward? I wanted to be with you, [Name], I wanted to be with you.” He spoke, looking at your name, engraved in stone. “I promise not to act cowardly anymore, I promise you. I just wanted to hold you without any fear, any shame. I'll do better, I'll be with you. I accept your confession, please. Don't- leave me here.”

SHINOBU KOCHO;

- You were simply sitting in the medical bed, at the estate. Kocho walked in, her facial expression a gentle smile, as always. It was always the exact fucking same. “Spare me the lecture, will you?” you said, your arms crossed over your chest as you stared at the end of your bed. Kocho pulled up a chair and sat right next to your bedside. “Lecture? You need a good beating.” She said in a threatening tone with that warm smile, something that didn't mix at all. “Spare me that as well, yeah?” You made eye contact with her, your eyebrows slightly furrowed.

- “Aoi told me your vitals were.. decent.” Kocho started, her hands resting on her knees. “I can't find a cure so you opt for suicide?” She questions, tilting her head to the side, almost in an innocent manner. “I have a few days left anyway, I didn't want to bother waiting.” You pointed out, huffing out a breath. “I have spent day and night studying you, [Name]. I don't know what's wrong with you or how to fix it. I told you that fighting demons makes your condition worse. I told you, multiple times, to retire. To live a longer life. And what do you do? Not only do you manage to go on more missions than anyone else, but you try to hang yourself? After I warned you of the consequences?”

- “It is my job. I have dedicated my whole life to slaying demons, it is what I do best. You think I'm throwing that away because I'm dying? I can't even sleep at night because the only thoughts I have are about how rough people somewhere are having it, how they're doing their best to fight off demons while sobbing and screaming, begging for their life. I'd rather get rid of more demons and die early than live a longer life in a world that is becoming dangerously close to being dominated by those creatures.” You argued, making eye contact with Kocho. As she was looking at you, her eyes drifted down to your neck, to the huge bruises littering it.

- “I lied. You have an hour, at most.” She blurted out, her eyes locked onto your face, her smile gone. You paused momentarily. “I figured. Your left eyebrow raises up a little when you lie, and I know damn well my vitals couldn't have been good.” You responded calmly, uncrossing your arms as you started playing with your fingers a little. Kocho's eyes widened slightly. Goddamn it.

- “I don't blame you for this, Kocho. I never did, I never would. You did your best, you saved me multiple times on different occasions and I'm thankful for that.” You said sincerely, your tone taking a more serious edge to it now. For a person who was about to die, you seemed undeniably calm. “May I have some time alone? Preferably an hour.” You added with a nod. Kocho hated you for that. She hated that you were dying and that you wanted to be alone. But she didn't question it. She stood up, putting the chair back. “You did good, [Name]. And I'm sorry for not being able to prolong your life just a little more.” That made you smile weakly. She was acting tough, but you knew she would miss you sooner or later.

- “If the others ask..” You started, making Kocho stop in her tracks as she was ready to leave the room. “Tell them that I have never been more proud of myself for being able to stand shoulder to shoulder with them.” You spoke, your voice getting significantly quieter. “Especially you, Kocho.” She nodded her head with that same smile, though it seemed more genuine. “Goodbye, [Name].” As soon as she walked out of that room, her facial expression was angry. Was she angry because she couldn't save you? Or was she angry that she was losing you? She wouldn't dare to cry, how could she? You always used to tell her that your death is inevitable. How can you cry over something you knew was going to happen?

- Kocho sat behind that door and waited, for a long time. Waited until she had to walk into your room and find your lifeless body. She dreaded it. She didn't want you to go. You were her best friend. Was losing someone always this hard? She didn't even notice as the tears started rolling down her cheeks. She was hugging her knees, her back to the door. “Damn it, [Name].” Kocho muttered to herself. She had so much time to come to terms with your death, though she never did. She might've even believed that she could heal you, how stupid was that? “Don't go.” Her voice was lower than a whisper, strained and choked with emotion. As you were a hashira yourself, you would've heard what Kocho said. You didn't, your breathing stopped moments ago.

UZUI TENGEN;

- Uzui was a tough man. Strong, confident, trustworthy, brave, all the good stuff. He was rough around the edges but he was kind. Kind enough to acknowledge your grumpy self. You were strong as well, he could see that. Running up the ranks so quickly, racking up kills. When he had met you for the first time in Kocho's estate, he thought you were a bitch, honestly. Uzui himself was already healed up enough, walking out of the estate when you were brought in. You kept yelling and refusing the kakushi's help. “Let. Me. Go!” You said in a threatening tone. “Calm down. You're safe, they're gonna help you, idiot.” Uzui said with a teasing chuckle, stretching out his arms a little. “Oh shut up, you big head having asshol— hggghh—” you cut yourself off with a drawn out hiss. Yep. You insulted a hashira so quickly, without a single care in the world.

- Despite the extent of your injuries, a kakushi hit you. “Watch your mouth! He's a hashira, be nice!” She scolded you. Uzui thought that would elicit an apology of some sorts from you, after all hashira are what keep the whole corporation together. “A fuckin' bastard, that's what he is. Now get off of me!” What a loudmouth you were, huh.

- “You look like shit.” You muttered out, slapping Uzui awake. He had passed out momentarily after being sent through a couple of buildings, his head having hit a large bark of tree on the way. He blinked his dizziness away, looking up at you. “Demon's dead.” you calmed him down immediately, closing your eyes. “You killed it?” Uzui asked with a scoff, relaxing the moment you reassured him that the danger was gone. “Such a badass.” he teased, a big grin on his face. You sat down next to him, leaning your back against the wall. Uzui thought you were tired from the fight. “Damn right I am.” you answered, your voice slightly strained. Then, he heard a small groan coming from you.

- Uzui took that time of calmness to steady his breathing. He felt uneasy the moment you laid your head on his shoulder. “What's this? Did you fall asleep, you moron?” no answer from you. He pushed your head away in a slightly rough yet playful manner. Uzui's senses were overwhelmed by panic when your body just slumped forward, completely limp. “[Name]? Get up, you loser. We still gotta go back.” Even with his enhanced hearing he couldn't hear a single noise from you, you were dead quiet. “Hey.” He called out, putting his hand on your back and shaking your body slightly, urging you to wake up. Now he was really in a panic. He got onto his knees, his blinking getting frequent. Was he just overthinking this? You were always so quiet about everything, it would be no surprise if your breathing could barely be heard as you slept. He turned you over quickly, taking in the sight of your emotionless face for a moment. Nothing but dread filled his heart as he noticed the continuously pouring blood out of your injuries. The fucking gash in your stomach, where a vital point was supposed to be, bleeding the most of course.

- “Hey, woah woah woah, wait. [Name]?” He said, eyes flickering all over your figure. “What the hell?” Uzui mumbled to himself, immediately pressing his hand to the wound, trying to slow the bleeding. His other hand went up to your neck, checking for a pulse. “No.” His eyes widened. Did you seriously, after sustaining a fatal injury, go searching for Uzui just to make sure he's okay? You could've gotten fixed up first. But no, now you were laying here, without a pulse, all bloody and beaten. You must've been in so much pain to walk to him. Did you bleed out already? Is there really no way to help you regain consciousness until the kakushi arrive? What did he have to do? Did he have to let go of the pressure to your wound and try to do CPR on you? But if he did, you would only lose more blood. Even if he let go of you to make a tourniquet, he would take too long. The risk o—

- “He's dead, Uzui-san.” Kocho's soft voice broke the train of Uzui's thoughts. He took in a small breath, looking at the woman in front of him. “What?” He asked as if he didn't hear what Kocho said. “[Last name] is dead. The injuries he sustained were too severe, he lost a significant amount of blood. There's a trail leading to you.” She elaborated, kneeling down next to you. “He's been poisoned as well,” Kocho turned your head to the other side, a small mark on your neck and purplish veins surrounded it. Uzui took both of his hands away from your body, his shoulders slumping down. “You mean to tell me that not only did he get rid of the demon that I, even a hashira, failed to and his life got taken for it?” He questioned, his tone turning sour. He was mad. If only he hadn't blacked out from a simple hit to the head, you wouldn't have lost your life. “You are not to blame, Uzui-san. It seems that a lot of his bleeding is caused by his previous, still unhealed wounds.”

- 'You bastard.' Uzui cursed you out in his mind, staring at you. You didn't like receiving help, let alone medical. You always told them you could do it yourself just as well and even when you were forced to, you managed to get away from them quickly. You never stayed past a day in the butterfly estate. Now you suffered the consequences. Uzui stood up with a groan, his hands clenching into fists as he looked up at the sky. “I hate his guts.” He said harshly. Though in reality, he loved you like a brother. It wasn't the first time the two of you went on a mission together. Despite your rough and outlandish attitude that pissed a lot of people off, you were always helping those in need. Uzui would say that you turned into mush the moment you saw a helpless little kid, which you denied every time. It was all lies, you loved people to the core and you would lay your life on the line for them every day without a second thought. That's what your job was after all. Uzui let out a shaky sigh of pure despair, shutting his eyes tight. You had managed to get close to him, somehow, even with neither of you really wanting or needing it. He just wished that you would've put yourself first in a life or death moment. You didn't. And now he had to deal with the loss of you, a friend, that understood him better than anyone else.

MUICHIRO TOKITO;

- Although it was pretty unlikely, you and Tokito were friends. Actually, the kakushi introduced the two of you as Tokito asked about you. Even though you would not see each other often, you, the couple kakushi and Tokito would hang out for a little after hashira meetings. The kakushi only stuck around per your request.

- Today was different though. The moment the hashira meeting ended, Tokito's eyes shot to the side, searching for the presence of his friends, you and the kakushi. He took a step forward, a bit thrown off. The three of you would always wait for him. Always. “What are you doing, Tokito-kun?” Kocho asked gently, taking a small step forward. Muichiro turned to look at her, his facial expression blank. “Nothing. I was just looking for [Last name].” He said simply, relaxing his posture. “Hm. Tokito-kun, you are aware of [Last name]'s passing, right?” She inquired softly. Every other hashira seemed to focus on their conversation, quieting down. Tokito blinked a couple times, processing the information. “No. He died?” He asked, turning his body to face Kocho fully.

- “He was found dead with a child in his arms. He sustained severe injuries and he bled out while protecting the kid. The amount of demons he encountered is unknown, yet at least. Unfortunately, despite his attempts, the kid passed away as well.” Kocho explained with a huff of breath. Tokito furrowed his eyebrows, looking at the ground. He didn't even know why he was so affected by it. You were a demon slayer, it was bound to happen sooner or later. But with a child in your arms? You gave your life for someone and it was all in vain because the kid passed away as well. He felt like your sacrifice was useless. He knew he couldn't blame you for trying, but he would rather have had you alive, right here, waiting for him. “Oh. That's unfortunate.” He answered to Kocho, walking away in the opposite direction of where you were supposed to be standing. He would've saved himself over that kid. Of course, it seemed selfish, but is wanting to live really that bad? Something to be ashamed of? Tokito, for some unknown reason, started cursing you out in his head. You were his friend, you had managed to break through his walls and get more out of him than just a short and sassy answer. He was mad at your sacrifice. Mad beyond belief. Tokito wanted to see you, to talk to you, to look in your eyes. But what could he do now? All he could do was wait for you, just like you had waited for him. Even though it seems like he would wait for nothing in particular. You were gone and there wasn't anything he could do to bring you, his friend, back.

MITSURI KANROJI;

- “[Name]!!” Kanroji squealed, her eyes widening in shock as she put her hands to her mouth. Oh my god. The disrespect was unbearable. That demon had the audacity to carve words into your skin, on your face, and hang you up like a canvas for a show?! “[Name], oh no! Hold on dear, I'll get you down! I'm so sorry!” She yelled, running to you immediately. Her eyes were already brimming with tears.

- She got you down pretty quick. You were alive, just barely. For now, at least. Kanroji gently settled you down, calling out for the kakushi. She held you in her arms, her hands craddling your head in a sweet manner. “Oh, [Name], what has it done to you?” She said in a quiet voice, her eyes flickering all over your face. It was contorted in pain, eyes shut tightly. “Mitsuri..” You mumbled, relaxing a little. You were safe now, safe in her arms. “They're coming to help you, it's okay, I'm so sorry, I should've gotten here sooner, I'm so so sorry [Name],” she sobbed quietly, softly rocking back and forth out of instinct. You wanted to open your eyes, you wanted to see her. She was the sweetest thing alive, you considered her your sister, you loved her like one.

- Everything hurt. Even though you tried looking at the most important person in your life, you couldn't. The pain was overwhelming your every sense and it was hard to take a simple breath. You were strong, but apparently you weren't strong enough. But you had the compassion and kindness to truly be an admirable demon slayer, that's all that mattered. You didn't even realize when you blacked out, the last thing you heard were sobs from Kanroji, who was desperately holding onto you as if the moment she loosened her hold, you would die. Such a pure soul, stained by the loss of a brother. A lot of the kakushi, who didn't even know you, cried for you, only because of how hard Mitsuri was crying for her brother.

- During the hashira meeting, Ubuyashiki mentioned you and sent Kanroji his condolences for the loss of you. She couldn't hold back, the tears spilling again. She muttered out a quiet apology for the emotions and thanked Ubuyashiki. It has barely been a day and you're consuming her every thought. All the different possibilities or outcomes that could've happened if only she had gotten there sooner. She blamed herself, truly. Kanroji knew you would've scolded the shit out of her for such thoughts, but what could she do, really? Your last words were her name. Her's. Kanroji never recovered. Never. You were the one who adored her for everything and she lost you due to her failure to arrive on time.

OBANAI IGURO;

- He doesn't know how he ended up here. To be quite honest, he wasn't really expecting to stand at your grave. Right, of course, you were a demon slayer, death is only bound to happen sooner with such a job. But by demons. Not suicide.

- Iguro swallowed hard, staring at your headstone. Why was he visiting your grave? You were only an annoying nuisance. An annoying nuisance he found when he was sent out as help on a complicated mission. The first thing he saw when he arrived was you, trembling a little, albeit all bloody and beaten to a pulp, standing tall with a katana in your hands. The demon was injured as well. It seems like the two of you were going at it for a while as the demon was regenerating oh so slowly. Iguro shook his head a little in disappointment and slayed the creature in a matter of seconds. When he was done, he thought about walking away immediately, but he spared you a glance. His eyes widened in realization right then and there. You weren't wearing the demon slayer corps uniform. You were a civilian who happened to pick up a katana. “What the hell?” He mumbled, clearly taken aback. A civilian, without a.. breathing style.. managed to hold out against a demon and injure it so much to the point where it'd lose its regeneration abilities? “Put that down. It ain't yours. You slice a demon's neck to kill it.” Iguro spoke harshly, crossing his arms over his chest loosely. His snake, Kaburamaru, hissed as if it was agreeing with its owner.

- “Oh!!” You dropped the katana immediately, listening to the other. “I didn't know!” You explained, putting your hands up in a surrender type of manner. Somehow, after that, you stuck to him. Like two peas in a pod except no matter what one did to get rid of the other, nothing worked. You were so persistent and eventually, he had you as his tsuguko. Serpent breathing was possibly the coolest thing you've ever encountered.

- You weren't a kid, but you weren't old either. You seemed excited about everything, you seemed to enjoy life despite everything you've been through, and god did Iguro admire that trait of yours. Not that he would ever admit that to you. Turns out he never will. The sight of your gravestone in your stead was making his heartbeat pick up. It wasn't right, that wasn't supposed to happen. What didn't help was that he was holding your letter, your suicide letter, dedicated to him, in his hands. Should he spare himself the discomfort and throw the letter out? Or would he have to entertain your stupidity even after your death? Jesus, no matter what he thought, he would never throw your letter away even if he didn't read it. You had become someone of significance in his life, although it wasn't for a long while.

- Against his better judgment, he had to know what you wanted to tell him, so he opened the letter quickly, as if he was running out of patience.

'I apologise, Obanai. I'm not even sure you're going to read this, but I hope you do.'

Everything was getting embarrassingly painful at the moment. Why would he continue reading? Fuck.

'I really do feel bad if you're upset with my passing, but I don't regret it. The happiness you saw was real though, especially with you. I thank you for your time training me. I was excited to have someone be patient with me, you made everything more bearable, you made the pain worth it. Even though you were a dick. I'm kidding, I was just as bad, wasn't I? A clingy little shit, that's what you called me, right? I appreciate it, it was funny. If you want to know why I did it, I'm sorry as I can't give you an answer. I don't know it myself, I don't know what's causing these feelings and thoughts. I know, stupid. I wasted your time, couldn't even be your successor. Please don't be mad at me, I did my best to hold out, to stay with you a little longer. Don't cry over me, I know how emotional you get. Thank you, Obanai.'

'What? You jerk.' Obanai thought as he furrowed his eyebrows. "Emotional"? Really? The cheekiness of you was shining through in this letter so well. Couldn't take anything seriously.

- He folded the letter back up, gently this time, and looked at your grave. He felt a little choked up, his blinking getting frequent as to not spill any tears. Why would he cry over you? Okay, no, he did miss you already. But he wouldn't cry. Iguro was a little pissed at you for not seeking help, but he couldn't blame you. He never reached out to you and asked you about your feelings. “Leaving us to fight as you enjoy yourself in the afterlife? Okay, you hypocrite. Have fun being by yourself.” He said, turning around and walking to the exit of the graveyard. “Little shit. Wasted my time. And energy. Stupid.” He continued, his hand that wasn't holding the letter clenching into a fist. “Dumbass. You didn't even master the first form, could've at least done that. And first name basis? You're bold.” He muttered to himself, shaking his head slightly in disapproval. He believed in you a little too much.

SANEMI SHINAZUGAWA;

- Sanemi was a hater through and through. Nothing ever satisfied him, he was constantly on edge, anger getting the better of him. And oh god did he loathe you. “What in the fuck's name are you doing?! Get outta here!” He yelled, glaring at you. He was in the forest, alone, training by cutting down bamboo. You had interrupted him as he noticed your presence. You were a stranger to him, so he hated that even more. “You're making a lot of noise.” You said firmly, putting your hands on your hips. “Oh god, leave me the fuck alone, pipsqueak. I'm training, I don't care. Walk away now, get on with your merry day.” He said harshly and dismissively, shaking his head as he adjusted his grip on the katana. “Stop being a bitch.” you answered, furrowing your eyebrows. He froze, before he slowly turned his head to look at you. Sanemi was a hashira, who the hell were you to tell him that? A legitimate tick mark appeared on his forehead as he shifted on his feet. “The hell did you say? You lookin' for a fight? You wanna fight, is that what this is?”

- The first meeting was rough. The others didn't go very well either. The rivalry between the two of you had grown quite a lot. He hated your lousy attitude, how you were so nonchalant about insulting someone of a higher rank, how much you talked, too. It was oftentimes that he would meet you after the hashira meetings. You were a friend of Uzui's, so you'd go there whenever you were free to talk to him. Sanemi couldn't help but make comments about you, striking up conversations that would eventually lead to verbal fights, sometimes even physical ones. What he noticed whenever the two of you argued was no matter how heated the argument itself would get, you never made a comment about his scars. When he first realised that, he might've felt his heart flutter. No way in hell would he admit that.

- Overtime Sanemi learned more about you through Uzui. Not that he'd ever ask directly. He would talk about something that would make Uzui bring you up. Smart move, to be honest. He started tolerating you when you cursed someone out purely because they were getting on your nerves. Actually, Sanemi started getting fond of you, you slowly started consuming his thoughts, your relationship seemed to improve. All of that, ruined. Ruined because you brought up Genya being Sanemi's brother, ruined because you lectured him on how to properly treat his sibling. Every ounce of tolerance he had gathered for you - gone. He hated everything about you now. There was nothing to like.

- After some time, Sanemi was called as back up. Apparently some demon slayers had encountered an upper moon or something. He got there quick, he didn't want any lives to go to waste. His rage was piling up, ready to channel it to fight the demon. Sanemi was beyond disappointed that when he arrived, the demon had left. No signs of it anywhere. He was walking calmly through the forest, still pissed off that he didn't get a fight. When he heard sobs and relentless crying, he got tense again. Maybe the demon didn't leave after all.

- There was no demon. Only a slayer, a friend of yours, holding your lifeless body in his arms, sobbing out apologies. The moment Sanemi realized it was your body that the lower rank was holding, he stiffened up, trying not to show his surprise. “Hey, let him go. The kakushi will arrive soon, they'll take care of it.” He said coldly, slowly making his way towards the poor guy. “No.. no I can't, I can't do it.” He cried, shaking his head urgently. His voice was high pitched and wobbly. 'Shit, it messed you up bad. Dumbass.' Sanemi thought, glancing down at your severe injuries. You were missing a leg, it was cut off right above the knee. “C'mon. He's dead, leave him already. He's not gonna wake up.” Sanemi tried convincing the other. Maybe himself as well. He wanted you to get up, as much as he.. hated you. “Don't be a fucking wimp. [Name] gave his life and you're sitting here, crying? Go do something to honour his memory.” He said with a scowl on his face. He should go do something to honour you as well. Why was he thinking like this? “Shut up already!” He yelled, making the other quiet down his sobs as his body trembled. Was he really telling the slayer to shut up, or was he yelling at himself for having such thoughts? He wasn't expecting you to go out so soon, especially not like this. He didn't want to look at you, at your calm and blank expression. He wanted to see that stupid grin of yours or that scowl. Anything was better than the skin of your face that had a slight purplish hue to it already. 'Cherish life, my ass. Doubt you cherished life as you were dying.' He thought, putting his hands on his hips. You had told him to cherish life during that last argument. Oh god, just the thought of you being in agony while dying made his heart ache. Sanemi was in complete and utter denial as he stared down at you, trying to remember what you looked like normally, not like this, not a corpse. He couldn't recall anything, nothing made this situation better. Was this sight really going to be his clearest memory of you?

GYOMEI HIMEJIMA;

- Gyomei didn't mind your company at all, honestly. Despite.. you being an ecstatic fanboy over him and his abilities, you were a pleasant presence for him to feel. You met him by accident, in the butterfly estate. The second you saw him, you recognized him. How couldn't you? A blind hashira, the strongest in the corps. There was no mistake about it, it was him alright. “OH!! OH MY GOD?!” You yelled, making Gyomei turn in your direction. It was obvious he was confused. He opened his mouth to speak, to ask if anything was wrong. You cut him off immediately. “HOLY SHIT!—”

- From that moment on, whenever you had free time you would find Gyomei and talk to him. About anything you possibly could. You admired him to no end and Gyomei was flattered. Hearing your voice, your excitement about you being able to speak with him made him feel warm inside. But because he wasn't used to that, he ignored it completely. A year or so after your first meeting, Gyomei was using his free time training. If he was being completely honest, he wanted you with him there, he wanted to hear your voice and feel your presence. His kasugai crow flew by, gawking out information. It knew how close the two of you had gotten. “KAW! [Last name] [Name] is dead! He didn't make it after slaying a demon! KAW!”

- Gyomei froze up slightly, pausing his training as he stood straight, his fists clenching subconsciously. “[Name]..” He mumbled lowly. “Oh [Name], I'll pray for you.” He said begrudgingly. It was unfortunate, truly. His feelings didn't even matter right now, a dull ache settling over his heart. That information hurt him, and it cut deep. He didn't let it show, thinking to himself that he'll deal with it later. When he hit the dummy again, he used such extensive force that he immediately broke it and shattered it to pieces. Gyomei clicked his tongue slightly, taking a small step back. He was used to listening to you speak for hours on end, so now, this suffocating silence, one that you would never be able to fill again, started to overwhelm him. He was used to being a rather stoic guy, taking losses properly and calmly, doing his best to maintain a stronger shell. But for some reason, the thought of never ever hearing your voice again, threw him off the rails. 'Anyone but you, damn it. I said anyone but you.' He thought, his face contorting to a clearly mad expression. Once, when his thoughts got out of hand and came up with unimaginable possibilities, he thought of your death. That's when he prayed that it would be anyone but you. Right, that could've been greedy and selfish, but that didn't bother him when it came to you. Your loss left his heart in pieces and he couldn't do anything but to fix it himself.

★ A/N: I'm so sorry for the unequal length of these!! I was running out of ideas fr. Also, I am aware that there aren't any rings to signify marriage in the taishou era, but you made yourself and giyuu one.

★ WORD COUNT: 6,3k (6,380)

[ilikepjo24]

Lol another dumb take on reddit

https://www.reddit.com/r/CharacterRant/s/ER8SmBToSm

WOW! There are so many things to unpack here...

"Iroh, the most-" Iroh!? IROH!? THE Iroh!? The "redeemed" warlord that only gave a fuck about being a warlord after it affected him personally? That Iroh? The Iroh that left a child to bare the weight of a nation just bc he, the mature responsible adult, wanted to sit on his ass instead of being mature and responsible? THAT Iroh? It seems awful like both those actions appear to be those of a selfish and unempathetic person. And let's not forget that even after his "redemption" he assaulted June. So how exactly is he the most understanding and kind person in the show, exactly?

Would you like to know who actually is the most understanding and kind person in the show? AANG.

The boy who found it in himself to forgive and learn to have affection for the dude that chased him around the world and almost hurt/killed him and his friends multiple times. The boy who found it in himself to forgive the nation that genocided his people enough to want to help them, teach them their old ways and bring them back to the light. The boy that found it in himself to spare Ozai, a sadistic, manipulative, abusive warlord that wanted to watch the world burn in an attempt to satisfy his narcissism. And may the record note that Iroh did not extended his own brother the same mercy. He believed Ozai needed to die, when Aang didn't. So Aang is more empathetic, understanding and kind that Iroh.

And do you know what Aang has to say about Azula?

That he believes in her ability to do good and be good. That he trusts her to do so. He could have had her executed. He didn't. He could have taken away her bending. He didn't. He could have said she's born evil and a bad egg. He didn't. He put in a good word for her. He said she did something good. That can be good. THAT'S what the actual most understanding and kind person in the whole franchise has to say about Azula.

"She smiles when-" So did everyone else and so does everyone ever alive when justice is served. Because for the audience, the event was unfair and traumatizing. But for the people of the Fire Nation it was justice. And it's only normal for people to be happy when justice is served. When a groomer goes to jail you don't think "oh, that poor groomer", you think "good, this piece of shit definitely deserved it". Similarly, in the Fire Nation, an imperialistic dictatorship, when someone disrespects their Firelord, which they worship as almost a god (if not more, bc we see them worship their Firelord more often than Agni), and that person gets punished they don't think "oh, that like boy", they think "good, this piece of shit definitely deserved it". That's not called "being a bad egg", that's called propaganda and borderline mass brainwashing.

"She mocks-" She's repeating what she heard from adults in her life. That's not being a bad egg, that's bad parenting.

"She tortures-" Not cannon in any way. We've heard that she threw bread at them. Not only was that told from Zuko's pov, who's known to be a biased narrator when it comes to Azula, but it's also not even that freaking bad. It's bread, when it hits the water it becomes soft. No one ever died because they got hit by a loaf of bread. And she doesn't burn them with.

"Her mother's comments-" Oh, you mean the "what is wrong with that child"? That comment? That comment that was thrown at a child after doing a very normal childlike thing? I used to to play execution with my Barbie dolls and beheading them by pulling off their heads and my least favourites would always be the ones that got executed. Kids break toys they don't value and/or like. Azula is not obligated to like or value a gift that wasn't for her. The doll was a gift for every little girl. It wasn't personal. It wasn't hers. She doesn't have to like or value it. She doesn't have to not break it. The only reason that she chose fire instead of execution is because she had fire handy. That comment Ursa made was absolutely not justified.

"She's never given an excuse-" Not only is this take proof that media literacy is dead, it's flat out anti-intellectualism. We see that Fire Nation schools brainwash kids by shoving propaganda in their faces and we know Azula went in a Fire Nation school. All that's left to do is put 2 and 2 together. It's 4. It's fucking 4. Azula was brainwashed in the Fire Nation school that she went to that brainwashes Fire Nation kids. Canon fact. Use your brain.

"Her vision of what she wants is twisted-" What, exactly, is twisted about wanting to be acknowledged by your family that is proud of you, being loved by your family that is supposed to love you anyway, and completing the mission you've been brainwashed into thinking is the right thing all your life? What is twisted about reaching expectations and having a happy family? I'll wait.

"We're supposed to sympathize with the spi- No, we're not. The spirit is very obviously a liar and a manipulator as we've seen throughout the whole damn comic. And it wants to eat her. The spirit is the villain of the story that has been continuously twisting reality to weaken Azula's ambition and will to fight back, so that it could kill her. By the end of the comic we're supposed to know that the spirit is a full of shit and we shouldn't trust what it says, since all it has said throughout the whole comic is lies. Not sympathize with it.

"Rationalizations of her behavior are believe yet unprovable and based on subtext." It's almost like she's not the main character. The show isn't going to take time diving into her background. They are going to only give us subtext and we have to use our critical thinking skills and come to a believable conclusion, as we do. Zuko loving Ursa isn't outright stated at the show at any point, but we know it's a fact because we see it in the way they interact. We know his mother matters to him because he thinks of her and misses her. That's subtext. And we know Azula is not to blame for the person she was bought up to be because Fire Nation schools canonically brainwash their students. That's subtext. You can't selectively decide that this subtext is enough to prove this point, but that subtext doesn't prove that point because it's not outright stated. That's called double standards.

"The show portrays her as being inherently evi-" The show? You mean the same show that didn't even portray the genocider, treacherous dictator (Sozin) and the abusive, manipulative dictator (Ozai) as inherently evil went out of its way to portray the manipulated, abused, brainwashed child as a bad egg? ...Sure. That's what happened.

"Mai and Ty Lee do the same stuff but are portrayed differ-" No, they are not. Mai is portrayed as somebody who abused the power they have over others, since she views ordering servants around as a fun activity, and as somebody who has no empathy towards their family, as she didn't hesitate to agree that her brother has less worth than a king. Ty Lee is portrayed as sadistic, since she's animated to smirk and sneer while taking down soldiers defending their homes. I think she even goes as far as to mock them at sons point, but take that with a pinch of salt. They are portrayed to be classist, sadistic, unempathetic people that only give a fuck about the select few and mystery everybody else. Y'all just refuse to see it because Ty Lee is cute and is constantly infantilized because of it and because Mai protected your lord and savior, Zuko, right after she was done being classist and unempathetic. They are not portrayed as better, you just go out of your way to portray Azula as worst.

"Even in LoK-" Azula is given Freudian Excuse. You just refuse to see it because, as opposed to Legend of Korra, the creators do not chew your food up and spit it in your mouth for you to swallow. You have to put the pieces of the puzzle together and make realization. Which can understandably be hard for people that have a brain the size of a peanut, like yourself.

"It feels weird for a show like Avatar to imply somebody was evil from birt-" It feels weird because it is weird and it is weird because it's something they would never do which is why they didn't do it. You literally just created this narrative inside of your head while understanding that it goes completely against the philosophy of the show. And now it's weird to you that it doesn't align with the show? Make it make sense.

This isn't asking for an Azula redemption arc (although "this fourteen-year-old who was acting under orders of a tyrannical fire lord can't be redeemed" seems incredibly harsh), this is just me wondering why the writers consistently, across mediums, refuse to suggest that she's even the slightest bit a product of her environment? But Zuko gets a pass for pretty much everything more or less? Alright then lol.

This is close to being the smartest thing you have said during this post. Unfortunately it is easy to notice that some of the creators just don't like Azula. That's it. That's the reason why. They don't like her and they don't want her to have a happy ending. So it's good that somebody else is riding this show now. Faith Erin Hicks, as we see from her comic, is not afraid to treat Azula as the victim she is, and is not afraid to lay the blame on the adults that failed her. As opposed to previous creators, she seems to be willing to apply the general philosophy of the show in Azula's character as well. Which is something she's able to do because Azula is not, in fact, inherently evil. She's a victim of abuse and a manipulated child that has done some very fucked up things but has all her life ahead of her to grow up and be better.

Give us a scene of Ozai molding her into the cruel person she is

Supporting and praising bad behavior is enabling it. A good parent would say "I understand that you were upset at feeling as though you were underestimated when you got efficient results, but it's important to keep your cool and respect your instructors since they have more experience than you. If you feel as though the inability of this instructor to stray from traditional paterns is holding you back, communicate that problem with me, and I'll find you a new teacher if it's necessary." Does Ozai do that? No. What does he do? Praise her. What will Azula do in response? Repeat the same behavior to receive praise again. What is that called? Nursing cruel/bad behavior.

Give us a scene of Azula being at least a normal child at some point.

Stealing sweets at a sleepover and recreating scenes from a movie/play with your sibling? I recall doing both those things as a child. We're talking about universal normal child experiences.

Don't vindicate her mother being cruel.

The narrative itself is not excusing Ursa. Azula herself goes to lengths to hold her accountable, actually. The only ones excusing Ursa's actions are Zuko, who's looking at her through rose colored glasses, because she's one of the first people to show him love, and he wants to sing the best of her, and the fandom, for the same exact reason.

Have Iroh say something slightly more insightful than "she's a crazy bitch leave her alone"

Personally, I don't value Iroh's opinion at all. I think he has to work through the issues that he obviously has with himself, instead of projecting those issues onto Azula, which is what he's doing. But since you care about his opinion so much, here's him saying Azula has the capability to find peace.

Here's an easy one: instead of smiling when Zuko got burnt, Azula looks visually horrified. That tiny, tiny change would've made her far more nuanced! It wouldn't be much, but not only would it make the fire lord's actions seem even worse, it shows us that deep down, she does--or at least, did--care! This is more in line with the show's themes and far more interesting than "she's just gonna be super evil hehe".

Here's the thing. Azula doesn't smile because she's just so "evil hehe". She's smiling because Zuko is receiving a just punishment for his actions. At least as far as she's concerned.

Think about it, in the Fire Nation they treat their King as a god. They pray/say an anthem/swear loyalty to the Firelord and the crown every single day. It should be needless to point out that nobody would question the actions of the Firelord. They would just assume that this is the correct course of action because this is what the Firelord is doing.

Azula not only is a subject of that Firelord but she is the daughter of her father. She was 11 when the Agni Kai. At that age, kids do not question their parents. The think things are right because the parents do it. If Dad is upset with Zuko, then Zuko must have done something wrong, because Dad can't be wrong, he's Dad, he's never wrong.

So both as his daughter and as his subject, Azula has been conditioned from the day she was born to think that he's always right. So when he decides to punish Zuko, that's just another instance where he's right. So why would Azula be upset with him for being right? Especially considering that if she were upset with him, it's possible that you would also receive a punishment for disagreeing with his methods.

So imagine you are Azula. You see your dad, who is always right, and is also your king, who is also always right do something. Anything. Do you think to yourself "Why would he do that? That's bad!" or do you think "He's right for doing what he does because he's always right."? She's under the impression that he's a just ruler and father, so why wouldn't she be satisfied at the sight of him rendering justice to the foolish subject that disobeyed? Especially when having a different opinion can result to being in danger?

Do we get anything from the answer to her personality being "bad egg"?

No, we don't. Which is why this isn't what they did. You just have a false idea of pretty much everything regarding Azula's character and how it was handled.

Thus proven.

[bubbles-for-all-of-us]

Love you the way you are

requested by @ladymidnights-blog I was wondering if you'd write an Azriel x reader where she comes back from a mission and was hurt and bleeding, but she's really good at hiding it and brushing it off, but Azriel finds out and it's all fluffy and soft. I'm in such a mood for soft azriel to be honest.

warnings: fighting, injuries, cuts, blood, stitches

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You loved the thrill of it. The rush of adrenaline, the dizziness it gave you. It wasn't just about serving your high lord or keeping your court safe. Even if that was your main duty. It's like all of this was in your blood. Ran through your veins. Was part of your existence. After all, that's all you did for as long as you could remember.

You were quite a rebel. Caused Rhys heaps of trouble through the years, even though the high lord was good friends with your father. Some things just couldn't be pushed under the rug, and even his high rank didn't allow it to be swept aside. So after being sent to a private boarding school and almost sending it down in flames, your father was ready to give up on you until Rhys made a proposal that he wanted you to work for him.

You didn't expect that. A part of you was sure that this was a nicely coated way of saying that Rhys was going to put you in the dungeons and potentially behead you for all that you had done. But no, the same things that the High Lord had written in the letter, were told to you when you arrived at the night court. Serve me; he told you; be my cruelest weapon, eyes, and ears in places that no one could reach. Oddly enough, he saw a potential fighter's soul inside of you. A good soul maybe lost and a little bit damaged, but a good soul is, most importantly, one that needs a loving home and people it can trust.

And it was all glitter and sparkles until Azriel got informed that he was going to get a mission buddy. That was Rhysand provided him with his right hand. His commander, a person with whom he was supposed to share his work. And to say that the shadow singer wasn't happy once this information was delivered would have been an understatement. But seeing him kick and fight to get you off the court, or at least off of his hands, only increased your excitement.

You, however, didn't care for friends, didn't care for gatherings or dinners, that all of the inner circle had together. You sat at the table alongside them only if it was delivered as an order, never if it was just a suggestion. At best, you observe them from afar. A dull corner, a crack in the doorway, from the side of the upstairs stairwell. Cold and unapproachable. That's how you wanted it to be seen. The fewer weaknesses, the better.

That was all until one night, after turning and tossing in your bed for hours, you decided to use the time that was being wasted by trying to fall asleep to train. As quiet as a shadow, you made your way out, anticipating the empty and quiet training ring. But there was already a figure swirling there. Azriel. You've never seen anyone move in the way that he did. The way he fought. The way he held a dagger. The way his shadow swirled around him. Everything he did, every move he made, seemed to have an edge to it. Azriel wasn't just talented; he was perfect.

"Came to get your ass beat?", the sound of his voice pulled you out of your train of thought, and you blinked quickly. Yet you only shrugged, "No, just had a feeling you might want to get your ass beat." Walking swiftly past him, you picked up a dagger before turning the spymaster's way.

"Care for a little fight?", but Azriel only laughed, "I don't do catfights, gorgeous", you narrowed your eyes at him not only because of the nickname but also because during all the time you had spent here you have fought both Rhys and Cassian, all of the girls, but never Azriel. It didn't matter what you did, what you said, or what strings you pulled—you could never get him to finally give in. "You know, the more you back away, the more I think that you're just petrified that I would indeed beat you. Your ego is that fragile?", Azriel picked up his shirt that was tossed to the ground before wiping his sweaty face with it. "I'm more concerned about your ego," he said, but you just shook your head. Fine, let it be Mr. Untouchable, you thought to yourself. 

You weren't going to waste your time. "Leaving already?", yet you only roll your eyes at him before continuing to walk off. You walked until Azrie spoke again, "I'm impressed with your work, Y/N. Keep it up, and you might just end up on my good list." You were glad you had your back to him because the sudden flush on your cheek was embarrassing. You'd never blushed like that before. At least males had never made you blush like that. They disgusted you, at least the majority of them.

And that was another thing that frightened you—the way Azriel broke through your shield, through all the walls you've built. That's how the next few months were. You went on missions together or separately. You brought in reports, organized some of his old papers, attended meetings and bit by bit you found yourself growing attached to him. There was no more bumping into each other in the middle of the night accidentally. You both purposely made time at night to train together.

And you found yourself walking alongside him, laughing, without even realizing it. Agreeing to sit through dinner with his family. Occasionally leaning into him when the wine hit your head too hard. Letting him tackle you to the ground so you could feel his warmth on your skin. Silently, and still very cautiously, that flame of attraction inside of you sparked up.

However, things got particularly sour in court not long after. The Illyrian camps started to cause more and more trouble. Missions to the camps were the only ones that you weren't allowed to attend. If Rhys didn't stress about it enough, Azriel sure did. No, it wasn't just that you shouldn't go. You were forbidden from ever putting a foot there. And you didn't fight that; after all, they were the ones who knew the flows of the camps.

Yet their absence left you to deal with everything else. Strange thefts started to appear in Velaris, and with accusations and threats that were being left regarding Rhys, things had gotten much more serious.

When the order to deal with it came, you weren't surprised. Strapping daggers to all parts of your body, you wrapped a cloak around yourself and vanished into the night. The smart move would've been letting someone know, but the boys were busy with the camps and the girls were out for the night at Rita's. So neither had time for additional interactions.

You lurked in the shadows for some time, waiting for the stranger to appear. And he did show up; however, he wasn't alone. There were at least five of them fully armed. You should've just turned away and left them be because even if you trusted your fighting skills. Taking down five males twice your size wasn't a very likely scenario. But you were feeling feisty tonight, so you leaped forward, whipping your sword in one of the male's ways.

The fight was fairly brutal, and to your advantage, three of the males fled. Leaving you to deal with only two of them. Swords, daggers, punches, kicks, nails—you name it. "You bitch!", one of them cursed as your nails dug into his eyes after he tried to pin you down against the wall. You let out a bitter laugh and said, "Say that again. I liked it."

You knocked one of them down with a kick to the head. Yet in your rather distracted state, you didn't catch the other male running at you with a sword in his hand. You dodged the blow, but it still cut through your side, making you growl, but with adrenaline in your body, that only made you more vicious, and in no time he was on the ground as well.

You were walking up from the dungeons when the boys winnowed back into the house, still talking among themselves. They didn't even notice you, and you hope it would stay like that. "Y/N?", Rhys said, making you turn to the three of them. The hood was still on your head, covering your bruised face. However, if your dark clothes hid the color of the blood that soaked your body, your hands were a clear indicator of what you'd been up to tonight.

"Dealt with the thieves. There were at least five of them. I managed to bring two to the dungeons for Azriel's interrogations. The other three ran away. But don't worry, I'll go back to the city tomorrow and find them," your words were calculated and almost robotic as you spoke them. You knew the scolding was going to come next, so without giving it a chance to appear, you turned around, forgetting that your left side had a cut running all across, causing you to whine under your breath.

Someone pulled your hood down from the back before turning your back to the three batboys that stood in the living room with crossed arms as they glared at you. "I told you to check it out. Not to try and get yourself killed",  Rhys said as he walked closer. "I did what had to be done at the moment," you snapped back, ready to turn away again, but it was Azriel who was standing by your side, gently gripping your forearms.

"You're bleeding," but you didn't meet his eyes. You didn't dare to, so you just mumbled, "Not mine and that", you pointed to your lip before cracking a smile, "It's not considered bleeding". But it's as if Azriel had an intuition. A feeling. Something inside of him told him where exactly your injuries were, and his hand came into contact with the left side of your body before he pressed his palm there. Hand turning a deep shade of red from the blood, you were still losing. You let out a roar from the pain that shot through your body, nails digging into the shadow singer's arms. Azriel only tilted his head to the side before giving you one of his looks that usually had a man running away.

"Get a healer, Rhys," Azriel said, taking one look at his brother before moving to gently scoop you up in his arms. "I don't need a healer. I don't have vital injuries", "What you don't have is the right to talk back", you wanted to snarl some more at him but you just shut your mouth. For the first time since you came back, you started to feel lightheaded. Potentially the adrenaline left your body and the blood loss that you carelessly ignored, finally was catching up with you.

The spymaster quickly carried you to his room, hoping and praying to the gods he believed that his brother would return in no time with proper help. Azriel patched soldiers up in camps. But you weren't just a soldier, and from the lack of color in your face, the blood loss was his worst enemy now.

"I'm going to cut open your shirt so I could get close to the wound", not a single muscle in your body flinched as Azriel ripped the material that had already stuck to your skin, "You sure it's not just your inner fantasies to see me naked", you waited for him to banter back but his face only darkened as he pulled out a clean shirt to press to the open cut. It was slowly healing; he couldn't deny that, but for some reason, Azriel's worries didn't ease.

"So, when will the shouting start?", Azriel only clenched his jaw and said, "It won't start. I'm worried, not mad." Even if his voice suggested otherwise, his eyes spoke the truth. He was still pressing the scrunched-up material to the cut, trying to stop the bleeding, which for some reason didn't want to ease up. "It frustrates me that you're so careless", "Come on, this is nothing, Az."

But the male let out a bitter chuckle before shaking his head, "Yeah, you bleeding out on my bed might be nothing to you, but it's not nothing to me", his voice was much lower now, more weary and concerned. "I'll get you new sheets", "I don't give a fuck about the sheets dammit, I want you... I need you to be okay." This was the first time you met his eyes, which looked frantic and scared. You noticed his trembling hands and the way his breathing was shallow. He was worried sick. The male, who barely showed emotion, was slowly falling apart in front of you.

You moved your bloody hand to rest on top of his before giving it a light squeeze just as the doors opened and Madja rushed in. The verdict that you needed stitches was brought up after one look that the healer took at the cut. You protested. You could hide the pain. You could handle the sting of a tonic but not the pain of stitches. Just the thought of the needle being pierced through your skin...

But Madja was already moving you to the side, and your eyes filled with tears. Yet not even a second later, you felt the bed dip. Azriel placed your head on his lap before taking both of your hands into his and said, "Take a deep breath in; Rhys will take the pain away", your teary eyes looked up at the spymaster, and he leaned closer, pressing a kiss on top of your head. Azriel was there from the first poke of the needle to the antibacterial tonic that was being rubbed onto the cut. Holding you up so Madja could wrap your middle up with a badge and making sure you were comfortable between the fresh sheets.

He was lying on the side of the bed next to you as you looked at each other. Even if you knew that you needed to sleep, you couldn't bring yourself to close your eyes when Azriel was this close to you. "Try to get some sleep," he said, still clutching your hand, "Thank you for looking after me," a smile crept onto his face.

"Even if you didn't have to," Azriel gaped at you once again before moving to run a hand through your hair. "You're awfully stubborn, you know?", you tried to laugh, but it only came out as a whine, yet you smirked anyways, "Well, what will you do about it?", your eyes didn't leave Azriel's even for a moment, "I guess I'll just have to love you the way you are."

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All acotar writing taglist: @brekkershadowsinger @cityofidek

[xoxoxkisses]

The other woman

warnings: small angst, not proofread

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You were the snow hashira, you had been sent on a long mission and finally came back. The master called a meeting to welcome your return as you had told him you had found out some important information.

You were one of the last to arrive, you were busy gathering the information you had. As you walked in, Mitsuri screamed in joy. “Y/n! You’re back!” She ran up to you and gave you a hug. “Hey Mitsuri!” She pulled you by the hand to come sit by her and you happily obliged. Even though you were happy to see her, there was one person you really wanted to see. Obanai.

As the meeting started, you glanced over and saw him. Your heart fluttered. Just then, the master called you up. You got up and started towards him. “Y/n has found out some important information discussing the matter of all the demon sightings.” You nodded, “I’ve found out the demons have a hideout inside the mountain side in the north. That is where most of them are taking their victims and are becoming stronger.” You thanked the master and went back to your spot.

At the end of the meeting, you and Mitsuri talked some more. The master had said you and some other hashira would be sent out the mission to defeat these demons. You weren’t sure who you’d be sent out with, but you secretly hoped it would be Obanai, or maybe Mitsuri. ————————————————————————

You got the news on who you’d be going on a mission with. It was Obanai. The two of you set out that morning. “What do we need to do once we get there?” You turned to him, “Hm well first of all, we need to find out how many victims there are and free them. Most of them are still alive. Then we need to wait for the demons to show up with the next victims and behead them.” He nodded at you and the rest of the walk there was silent.

The two of you made it to the mountain. You reminded him the plan and the two of you quickly went in to retrieve the surviving victims. Once you ran to hide them you came back and saw Obanai had already defeated 3 demons. “Shit they came early.” You ran to help him and after 2 hours you both defeated all of the demons. The victims had been picked up and given medical attention, you and Obanai decided to walk back.

“You did great!” You told him smiling. “Thanks. You too.” You nodded at him and looked down, your heart felt like it was about to burst. After a while you two made it back and you worked on a letter to send to the master about everything that happened. You both said bye and went your separate ways. ————————————————————————

It’s been around 2 weeks since the mission. You guys had been summoned to another meeting. You decided that you were going to confess to Obanai today. As the meeting ended, you started towards Obanai. Except, Mitsuri was there first. You saw the way he looked at her and it broke your heart. You held back your tears as best as you could. You could tell he wanted her, not you. She was his. You sighed and walked out.

As you walked out, someone stopped you. You turned around and saw Obanai was the one who stopped you. “Hey. Can you help me with something?” Your eyes lit up. He wanted you to help him, you couldn’t believe it. You agreed and he pulled you away and went to a nearby cafe.

“I know you and Mitsuri are friends and I like her, a lot. And I need help on how to confess to her.” You knew it was too good to be true. Your heart dropped. “Oh um, she likes to go out and eat. She loves gifts, so I think you should take her out to a place and gift her something and tell her you like her.” He nodded, “Thanks Y/n, you’re a great friend.” Right. Just a friend.

The two of you left and you headed back to your estate, crying. Always the other woman. When would you ever get the man of your dreams?

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

For all skeleton dads - His kid asks him to play a game of Hide And Seek with them. He spends time searching but he can't find his child, they're an expert on hiding.

Undertale Sans - That's fine. He plays along for five more minutes then he utilizes his soul-detection skills to find them. It's only cheating if he gets caught you know. And since he's very good with his magic, you have no way to prove he cheated. Two can be clever in this house.

Undertale Papyrus - That's fine. He's very patient as well. After 20 minutes, Papyrus drawn a plan of the house on the wall that he is now analyzing like a war strategist. He will not lose this battle. You can't hide forever. He set up traps everywhere in the house to make sure you don't move from your hiding place. You won't escape him. Unfortunately, the only thing he caught was Sans, who didn't have the memo about the trap exposition inside the house. But he's not giving up!

Underswap Sans - He loses interest after five minutes and gives up to go do something else. The kid is going to wait a long, long time for nothing lol.

Underswap Papyrus - After ten minutes or so without a hint where his toddler is, Honey starts to completely freak out. He starts to trash the room, screaming after his kid, more and more distressed. Come on now! It's not funny anymore! Come out already, he swears he's going to have a soul attack any moment now!

Underfell Sans - He was starting to panic, imagining hundreds of excuses he would tell his S/O when they got home about how the hell he lost their child, but then the kid simply walked in by the front door. Red then realized that little shit actually tricked him to hang out with their friends outside. He can't believe it. He's so mad! You're so grounded! Go to your room this instant! He's in a bad mood all day, he hates it when people are manipulating him.

Underfell Papyrus - OK, maybe he can understand why. Edge got a little too caught in the game and started to hunt down his child like he did with criminals Underground, acting all creepy and scary. Right now, his child is completely traumatized and refusing to get out by fear they get arrested, led to the King, and executed in the Public Place. Nice parenting, Edge. He's not sure how he's going to explain this to his S/O.

Horrortale Sans - He spends his days searching after things and then not remembering what he was looking for, so he just assumed it was the same. He went to Willow and said he lost something at the park but was not sure what. Then Willow asks where is the kid. AH. Willow starts to freak out, running to the park to find his abandoned niece/nephew who is having a panic attack because their dad literally disappeared in front of their eyes lol.

Horrortale Papyrus - So. That's awkward. He leaned to watch under the table. His back made a horrible popping sound. And he's... Well. He's stuck. He can't stand up anymore, and he's in pain. But that's fine. In a very loud sigh, he calls Toriel for help, to both search his child and, you know, unbreak him. He will remember this hide-and-seek game for a long time.

Swapfell Sans - He's both proud and terribly pissed off. Proud because he's the one who taught his kid to hide this well. But also very pissed off because they ran to hide somewhere the second he asked them to clean their room and now they're playing dead and won't come out, and it's so embarrassing because he has no clue where they are. He's having an existential crisis right now. He's supposed to be the general of the Royal Guard??? This house is not even that big??? Why can't he find his child??? Is he sucking at his job that much???

Swapfell Papyrus - Oh that's fine, he has ways to find them. Like threatening to behead their favorite teddy bear with scissors and watch them crawl out of their hiding place in panic. Or throwing an artificial bomb that smells like a fart in a room without an open window. He's maybe bad at searching, but he's really good at finding people anyway. Added to that, he's very proud of himself.

Fellswap Gold Sans - Wine gets annoyed very quickly he can't find his child so he's using his soul magnet. Wherever the kid is, he finds their soul and drags them out, and too bad if there's a wall on the road, next time you'll hide in the room where he is standing.

Fellswap Gold Papyrus - He panicked after long minutes searching for his child and so he went to hide in his closet to calm down. Only to meet face-to-face with his child. Ah. Well, s-still, he needs a hug right now so he comes to hide with you!

[imabeautifulbutterfly]

Congratulations on 450 followers! (You just got another)

2 and 37 with Rex?

Thank you for the congratulations and for the following, love.

@coffeeandbatboys I hope you love this little fic. I love Captain Rex, so I hope you enjoy my portrayal of him.

Love oo.

Kayilyr’ika

Main Master List   |  Star Wars Fic Roulette

You ran from one end of the hangar to the other, looking like a mad woman screaming for people to move out of your way, but you didn’t care, time was of the essence. 

After all, you’d been given the privilege of doing an upgrade on the General’s droid, his beloved R2D2, and somehow a drop of oil landed on his memory circuit. 

The minute you saw it happen, instant panic hit you. You ran to grab the degreaser, stealing it right out of the hands of your coworker, you didn’t care if it was rude, or that the shouts and curses followed after you as you ran with full force back to your workbench, all that mattered was saving the General’s droid. 

You dabbed a little degreaser on the soft cloth you had, all the time, praying to the force and anyone else, “Please be okay. Please be okay, please be okay—” it was the only thing that you could say. Especially as you gently placed the memory chip back into the little R2 unit. 

“Beep boop beep”

“Oh thank the force, R2, are you okay?”

“Beeeepp.”

“What do you mean, you’re not R2. Of course you are?”

R2’s blue dome shook back and forth, as it led out a long string of beeps and bleeps. You let out a sigh, shaking your head, “You are not the Supreme Leader of all that you survey.”

“Beep Boooop”

“Oh yeah, well I’d like to see how you would attempt to behead me.” You didn’t even let him finish, as you turned him off, taking a deep breath, how were you going to explain to the General that you turned his beloved droid into a killer robot.

“You okay?”

Came the voice of the one man you knew you could count on, “No. Not really.”

“Oh-oh, what happened?”

“I was trying to do an upgrade on some key components when a tiny, miniscule, almost insignificant speck of oil dropped on his memory card…”

“Okay …” Rex leaned against the workbench narrowing his eyes, as he tried to understand your worry, “So what’s the problem?

“Somehow he turned into the Supreme Leader of all that he surveys” you motioned as you hang your head.

“Who did?”

“He did.” You point towards R2.

“He did?” Rex pointed towards R2 to clarify.

You nodded as you stood upright again, “Don’t even ask me how that happened, but now, I have to try and salvage what I can of his memory …”

Rex started to laugh, “Wait, did he say anything about beheadings?”

“Yeah, he did,” you answered, albeit confused at his reaction.

“Don’t worry, kayilyr’ika. You didn’t screw him up that badly. There was a story Senator Amidala was reading to a group of children at the last diplomatic mission we accompanied her on, and it had to do with a Supreme Leader of all that he surveyed. Maybe you just need to give the memory chip a further cleaning.”

“I hope so, otherwise I might need you to protect me from the General.”

He let out a belly laugh, “Don’t worry, kayilyr’ika. I will always be there for you.”

You tried to fight the warmth creeping up your face, hoping he wouldn’t notice, after all your crush on the Captain was only one-sided. You can still remember, when he started referring to you as kayilyr’ika, when you finally built up the courage to ask him what that meant, he simply shrugged and said ‘little mechanic’. Because you were little to him, he simply patted your head as he said that, as though he were talking to a child. 

From that moment you knew he wasn’t interested, it broke your heart when you realized, but you resolved within your heart, you’d rather have him as a friend than nothing. 

So here you were, doing your best to calm your racing heart, as you gently pulled out the memory chip, and grabbed your magnifying goggles, pulling them over your head, and gently cleaned the chip. 

Rex watched as you worked, always amazed at your attention to detail. No matter what damage a gun ship, droid, or even datapad sustained, you always somehow managed to get them working again. And if it was too damaged to repair, you saved all the parts you could use before discarding the shell. Thanks to your frugality, there was less of a wait time when it came to finding parts and repairs being completed on time. 

It astonished him how bright you always were, not just in mind, but in spirit too. There was always a glow of happiness that surrounded you. He enjoyed that about you, it made him feel comforted and at peace; whenever he was having a particularly bad day, he just had to find you, see your smiling face and suddenly nothing seemed that bad anymore. 

It even got to the point where he would dream of you, that smiling face, those bright eyes, that hair that somehow always fell in your face like it was doing right now, was all he needed to chase the bad dreams away. He moved beside you and gently pulled your hair back, clipping it with the hair clip on the table. You mumbled a thanks as you continued to focus on your work, and even that he found endearing. 

When you had asked him what kayilyr’ika meant, he told you the truth, it meant little mechanic. What he didn’t tell you was that ‘ika was usually used only for those you held dear. He realized, as he watched you put the memory chip back in R2, he needed to tell you how he felt. Even if you didn’t reciprocate, he wanted you to know. Maybe closer to when your shift was done, he’d come by and see if you’d join him for dinner. He took in a deep breath and resolved within himself, he wasn’t going to let another day pass without telling you how he felt. 

Not especially, after you got R2 working again, and was the droid you all knew and loved.

Main Master List   |  Star Wars Fic Roulette

Tag list:

@liadamerondjarin @badbatch-simp24@spicymcnuggies@lady-ren @firstofficerwiggles @darkangel4121 @discofern @kavecika @monako-jinn-stories @ladykatakuri @avathebestx @theroguesully @furyhellfire66 @carodealmeida @ciramaris @sprout-fics @twinkofthedink @dindjarin-mandalorian @ulchabhangorm @littlemisspascal @tortor-mcgee @vodika-vibes @clonethirstingisreal

[ixiot-ghostrebel]

i love a good old traumatized reader

reader whose favorite acolyte is xiao, even if he killed them once or twice ! at least he had the courtesy to make it quick..

reader who flinches every time someone makes a sudden move near them. we study their every move with an intense gaze, our body rigid and cold.

reader who does their best to disguise their emotions, but really can’t help but look at certain acolytes with apathy. i mean, who would look someone in the eye after they removed your limbs?

reader who wakes up screaming almost every night, still plagued by memories of the things they endured.

we try to act collected, sure, but the facade cracks sometimes around our closest acolytes. the ones we know we can trust- as friends. ((maybe kazuha, xiao, or itto. big guy. himbo. good hugs. also small guys. good for cuddling.

but yippee!! itto or kazuha never even tried to kiII us! that’s a win in my book. xiao on the other hand,, has beheaded us twice! we thank him for making it painless though. i like to think they all get along well

Few Headcanons + Slight Discussion

Sorry, Anon. This is too angsty and beyond my level of bad writing so no oneshot today 💀 Not to mention that this request is giving me heavy "mary sue" or "damsel in distress" vibes. I don't particularly like those if I'm being honest. So, instead, please accept these headcanons!

Although this idea is really good and well thought out, I personally disagree the idea of Reader even trying to be around their acolytes.

Sure, they may still have their favorite character and all that, but let's be honest, anyone who's gained PTSD at this level like Reader would want to stay away from everyone as far as possible.

However, I admit that to the people that were nice and didn't try to kill Reader, they will certainly be talked to. Said-characters will probably have to be prepared to face a lot of unhappy glares and faces.

Though I do doubt Reader will be even willing to go out all that often, so they'll probably invite them to their palace or something. Or maybe, if you wanna make it so that Reader does go out once in a while, Reader sneaks out and does their best to hide and visit said-characters.

Since this request has a slight soft spot for Xiao, despite him being one of the killers, I like to imagine that Reader has a admire-stay-away game with him. They admire them from afar, but won't go close or even start a conversation with him in fear of being killed.

Reader ain't risking being killed again, no matter how fast that man will make it. It's still traumatizing, alright?

Alright, back to the characters that didn't attempt to kill Reader. Itto and Kazuha are so going to get spoiled by Reader with a lot of things—personally made dishes, random gifts, and just simply having a relaxing good time.

Half suspect that Reader will be silent. They are trying to be aware of their surroundings at all times, even during these relaxing moments. Itto and Kazuha have to constantly remind them to have fun and relax because sometimes Reader gets to irked up of being caught.

Let's be honest, these two can protect Reader just fine. They've had their encounters with the Raiden Shogun (sort of, on Itto's behalf), so they aren't exactly scared.

And that's all I got! Sorry if this wasn't what you wanted, Anon, but it's the best I got. See you all around, now! :)

Ghost Rebel Side Notes: I was originally going to reject this request, but I figure it would be better to just make headcanons of these. Do note that i might not be so lenient as I was with this request. I don't really like too angsty reader—sometimes they're just too much. It gives me "damsel in distress" vibes and I don't really like it.

✦ Check out The Ghost Rebel’s Blog Description & Info Page to See if Their Mailbox is Open! ✦

[bigtittiecomitte]

Stuff from Episode 7 bc i rewatched it too much

First of all. The new Glitch intro looks freaking awesome, I noticed that they left out V this time so sorry V fans, you won’t even get to see her in the intro lmao

Something I’ve been thinking is Dr Chambers. Even though it was just a random guy that accidentally was in Dr Chambers suit, where was the real Dr Chambers? And why was he so important? Was he friends with James? Idk

YEVA SCENES!! I know @dreamii-krybaby was freaking out about that. The moment where she was trying to help Nori was really cute too, I wish we got too see more of her

Tessa manipulating N GRRRRAAAAAAAA LEAVE HIM ALONE 👹

Thad and Lizzy comeback as well. They lied when they said Thad is just playing basketball cause now he’s caught up in this mess too 😭 and is it just me but Lizzy’s voice sounds different, did they recast her bc I don’t remember her voice sounding like that

Nori being alive and acting just like Uzi too, like mother like daughter. Was a bit sad that her voice wasn’t Elsie’s normal british voice but her voice actor did a great job nonetheless

TESSA BEING EVIL, WE ALL CALLED IT GRRRRRRRRRR WHEN I CATCH YOU ABSOLUTE SOLVERRRRRRR

J finally having a role. She didn’t do that much but in Episode 8 no doubt her time will finally shine

THAT SCENE WHERE N BEHEADS TESSA?!? MARRRYYYY MMMEEE

Khan also having a moment, the freaking Nightcore references got me so bad cause damnit stop calling me out. And they brought Uzi’s railgun, it’s so nice seeing them acknowledge that Uzi has some sweet as engineering skills

THE FIGHT SCENE??? I’M IN LOVE WITH THE ANIMATION SO MUCH

AND WE FINALLY GOT A NUZI CONFIRMATION!! I think N just assumed that him and Uzi are dating after the hand holding scene which I find adorable. Him also telling Nori about it was super silly, he was writing it like it was those “will you go to prom with me” signs

Them screaming and hugging before they eventually split will always hurt me AND HIM PATTING HER HAIR TOO?! He’s so in love with his wife u guys he missed his wife

AND THAT ENDING. GLITCH STOP LEAVING US ON CLIFFHANGERS 😭

Knowing that Episode 8 won’t come out the next next month will hurt and even more waiting but I hope we are well fed and are patient enough to wait a bit more

Moral of the story: What was even going on in this episode I’m still screaming

[immortalthunderstorm]

The Alicent-Larys Conondrum

I'm back with some thoughts™️ on the HOTD fandom's hot topics. This time - something I've seen discussed quite a lot and what seems to be a controversial topic - the dynamic between Larys and Alicent, and mostly how a lot of the blame gets shifted onto her. There's a general tendency of overt victim blaming when it comes to Alicent herself, and often situations in which she is subjected to trauma get twisted into her own shortcomings rather than those of her perpetrators. The marriage to Viserys is one example, but the same arguments are used for her scenes with Larys.

I thought I'd try and analyse it a bit more from Alicent's perspective, though I don't disagree that the show has left this incredibly dubious at times and I really think that e.g. the foot scene was unnecessary.

Obviously Matthew Needham already provided a pretty great take on Larys as a character and his perspective on the dynamic, so I won't get into that myself here, but recommend having a listen to what he has to say.

1. Alicent should have dismissed or reported Larys after she learned of his Harrenhal stunt

I actually think it makes perfect sense that Alicent doesn't dismiss Larys despite being horrified by his actions.

The earlier episodes of the season make a point of how Alicent is isolated and lonely in the Red Keep. She says herself, she has no friends, no real allies, her former companion lied to and 'betrayed' her, got her father fired and therefore left her without her last constant family member by her side. She is heavily traumatised, forced into a marriage she doesn't want, forced to birth child after child and mostly ignored or dismissed by her ailing husband. She is queen in all but name, her job is to look appropriate, make sure the courtiers are entertained, and most of all give the king children.

Before even Criston joins her, the only person who approaches her is Larys. He seems empathetic, talks to her openly (or so she thinks), pretends to care about her as a person. This is where she is probably most vulnerable, most alone. Of course she falls for it, I don't think anyone can realistically blame her for that, she's a lonely teen forced to be a mother in what is essentially a toxic environment. Plus it is Larys who tells her of Rhaenyra's 'betrayal', which turns out to be true, so in a way he 'proves' his loyalty to her by disproving Rhaenyra's.

Later on he is the one who supports her when she vents about Rhaenyra and her bastards, they have dinners together, an honest friend and sympathetic ear in a metaphorical snakepit. And then, he goes as far as killing his own family, something that Alicent is horrified by, but it shows just how far his capabilities stretch. He has a spy network, he can get her information no one else can, information that can give her shreds of power and influence. He can make things happen without anyone ever suspecting that he, and by implication her, was involved. Larys makes himself invaluable to her and is not easily replaced.

I do disagree that she has some great power over him as a lot of people like to claim. Larys would not confide in her if that would bring him in any great danger. Realistically, accusing him would be such a wild theory, plus the absolute no go of double kinslaying, plus he's a very high ranking Lord, I'm not actually sure people would believe her - she doesn't have proof either. Viserys has absolutely not had her back ever, he has the spine of a wet slice of bread, I doubt that he'd simply put him on trial and kill him (each High Lord is an asset to the crown and if he starts "randomly" beheading people that could cause problems, like Ned Stark, like Rickard Karstark (let's put Vaemond aside here because there should have been consequences)) because Alicent said so? All that on top of Viserys' general strategy of ignoring everything that could be a "political headache" to him, my confidence in him is quite low.

And again, why would Alicent rat Larys out? He benefits her and is her main ally at court. She is shocked at how far he went, but in the end it did get rid of both Harwin and Lyonel, which caused Rhaenyra to leave and Otto to resume his position as Hand. Alicent did not condone the murders and would not have sanctioned them had he asked - but to her he is loyal beyond doubt and most importantly only to her (in her head) - later when he offers to give her Lucerys' eye she openly refuses, BUT she acknowledges how far he is willing to go for her. She'd be stupid to rat him out that would only disadvantage her.

2. The Foot Scene

Now in episode 9, Alicent is in a highly stressful situation. Aegon is to be crowned after she spent the entire day fretting he was missing or dead in a ditch somewhere, she had to fight her father and essentially most of the council not to send assassins after Rhaenyra, she had to find Aegon first to be the voice of reason to him, she is clearly distraught over Viserys death and scared for her children.

This is not the time and place for mistakes, every move has to count and nothing can slip through the cracks. Larys knows this, and he knows that he and his spies are going to be very important in the coup to come, and he knows he is the only one who can provide this. So does Alicent. She may be queen, but in actuality she wields very little power in this instance. The green council scene showed that they plotted behind her back, her father most of all, and clearly don't take her very seriously.

Essentially in episode 9, she's trying to outrace Otto and establish herself as more than a pawn. In a time where war is all but inevitable and she has enemies both outside and within the Red Keep's walls, and her children's lives are at stake - how could she refuse Larys who can provide her with valuable intelligence? By giving in to his "demands" she learns that her handmaiden is a spy which is a very important revelation.

It's hard to try and make sense of how their power dynamic switched to such extremes, we don't know whether it's happened before, in which capacity and for what. Clearly she is aware of what he wants, but how did that come up? How did this develop? We can't know so I refrain from making assumptions for any other times.

Her symbolically selling her body again for all this is a price she is willing to pay, but it doesn't make it any less of a SA (and yes, I've seen a lot of people dismissing this as consensual since she willingly took off her shoes for this. It's giving 'she asked for it'). Alicent is deeply disgusted, she can't look at him, she probably already has a very twisted view on herself and her body as something that belongs to others and he abuses that. But she indulges him because she realistically doesn't really have any other choice. He has made himself irreplaceable.

This doesn't mean it's consensual. Consent would mean that Alicent did this because she wants to, finds some enjoyment in it, and hasn't been pressured into it. But that's far from the truth. She does it because she feels like there's no other way for her to get this valuable intelligence, so she endures it despite clearly being uncomfortable and disgusted. I am so tired of everything being blamed on her just because people don't like or understand her character.

[kerubimcrepin]

LIVEBLOG: Dofus Novel 4, The Thirsty Beheader

I apologize for my absence. Translating this novel has burned me out from the fandom in a pretty major way, and I also got into a different fandom in the meantime and am, like, three 4k word chapters deep into a longfic for said new fandom. Besides that, I had a depressive episode and went insane for a while. Basically, I've been a bit busy.

At the same time I release this post, I have uploaded the new, updated versions of both translations (since this liveblog is mostly a reason for me to reread and fix stuff) to MEGA and VK, so I recommend you download the new versions!

I will mostly be copying the text directly, to bypass tumblr's image restriction, but some screenshots will be provided. For example:

If pride is a sin, then the typesetting and cleaning I went through with this book will have me go to hell after I die. (I don't think I'm a master, but I did a pretty good job, ok?)

A cart had just entered the District of the Lost Steps. It stopped in front of the store, as two Srams* got out.

I love the internal consistency of the street being named here. Thank you, author of this book, for caring.

“Are you sure about this,” asked the little guy, “Is this really the right place?” “Yeah,” replied the tall one, “There aren't thirty-six Shushu* houses in the neighborhood.”

LMAO this is something Kerubim is actually known for, huh?

At the time that this book takes place in, joris can't read very well. Cute...

Also, hehe... I am pretty proud of the way this part of the book was cleaned + the font + the layers and colors and opacity I applied to the text, to make it fit in with the paper.

^^^ This is me btw, during this entire post. ^^^

The entirety of the epilogue and prologue are typed on top of cleaned backgrounds sourced from the scan. The rest of the book is typed in front of a digital background. This artistic choice was made because....... You can't set different pages to be different colors in word. You have to overlay some image or a textbox, if you want a page to be a different color.

Anyway — I had a lot of fun searching for the fonts from this book! (and far less fun searching for appropriate fonts for the Russian translation since none of the fonts this book uses have cyrilic versions...)

The fonts this book uses are: Dimbo, Chelsea Market, and Aleo. Google them for all your Dofus Aux Tresors de Kerubim related needs.

The fonts I chose to use in the russian translation are: Brydan Write, Correction Brush, Curinn, and Itim. I just had to make do with what I had, ok?

“My Papycha said it's urgent!” exclaimed Joris, “He could be in danger. Maybe he's being attacked by the Thirsty!” Even Pupuce looked worried. Simone reread the message, thinking out loud: “The Huffing Bow Wow tavern is in the Pandawa district... There's plenty of bamboo milk there. Maybe the neighborhood is overrun by the Thirsters?” “And soon, the whole city will be under attack!” concluded Joris.

Nobody knows how to escalate a situation better than a 7yo with anxiety. God bless <3

The Ecaflip goes full "war machine" mode: he cuts and slices through the living dead for the entire night, and when the golden disk of the sun finally rises over the horizon, the scenery is carpeted with the Thirsty. The region is saved. Kerubim becomes a legend. To thank him, the local lord offers him the... “Hey... Joris? Are you listening?” asked Simone. She began shaking the boy, who, abruptly snapping out of his reverie, mumbled: “Huh? What?”

Joris is so normal. So sane.

“Bye-bye,” added Bowiknif. But Luis slammed the door in their faces, roaring: “You're not going anywhere!” “Oh yeah?” hissed Bakstab, “Is that so?” “Would you like us to chop up your friends with a Brakmarian steel sword of Chouque?” questioned the other, “Or with Samuel J. Axe?” Luis muttered what sounded like a string of expletives, before reluctantly opening the door to the two robbers, who bolted out without further ado.

I'm LITERALLY fucking insane about this.

“I'm sorry,” said Luis, “I tried to hold them back, but...” “We know, we saw everything,” the girl cut him off, “You did your best, Luis.”

Actually deranging. Also explains why Luis did fuckall about Sipho, Harebourg, and Ush — there's just not much he can actually do.

She spotted a Dragoturkey standing near a trough. In two strides, she reached the animal, untied it, and climbed onto its back like an experienced Dragogirl*. “Let’s go!” she said to the boy.

This once again raises a some questions about Simone's past — when did she learn how to ride dragoturkeys? Is it the same reason why she knows how to fight, at least a little?

Then again, maybe she's just being an Osamodas here.

I love, love, love the Simone&Joris content in this book. Their bond is so important to me... She's the aunt who stepped up.

This art is so nice...

They had run like mad through half the city, arrived at the wrong address, turned back just as a thunderstorm broke out, wandered around in the rain in the Pandawa district, and FINALLY arrived at the Huffing Bow Wow Tavern, a large, long building with a thatched roof.

They're so fucking stupid. I love them.

“Ah, there you are!” called out Kerubim, “I almost thought you’d make me wait some more!”

I wish english also had the phrase "I almost thought you'd be late" as a cunty response when someone's an hour or three late to an event. I don't think the english translation I made conveys the sheer frustration.

Kerubim raised an eyebrow — a perfect copy of the circumflex accent:

I struggled with this part a lot in russian sjfkgdfg. It made me nerd out a little bit too.

I didn't have a lot of comments here, but eh. It was nice to finally get this over with dfjgkdsfg.