#actually did a background for this and didn't perish

[makenna-made-this]

Pet portrait of a little tuxedo cutie named Mirabel~ (Would anyone be interested in animal commissions in this sort of posterized paint style? I've been really enjoying it lately and was thinking about officially adding it to my available options)

[dani-says-stuff]

The Art of Distraction

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❥ Back to the Control Center

❥ Nate Hardy Masterlist

- couldn't wait to bulk post, i'm actually pretty proud of this one

- i didn't end up using the exact line/prompt in the request because it didnt really fit, but it's similar enough for the point to get across

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Nate Hardy x fem!reader

Summary: Based on this request

i tried lol, i dont know if it's as spicy as you were hoping it to be, but i packed it with extra stuff just incase that part came out super cringy.

Word Count: 2k

Warnings: cringe, suggestive(?), mentions of a haunting that i completely made up for background, very very loosely based on the witch's forest video, inconsistent capitalization, my usual grammar warning... i dont think theres anything bad in here but to be honest i cant really remember

Dialogue Key: Probably dont even need this, but just for consistancy

Y/N

Nate

couldnt really find a great gif for this fic, but i think its funny so im dropping it here.

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It had been a few hours since you had returned home and you'd yet to stop shaking. You'd been on investigations with Nate and the boys in the past, but this one in particular threw you way more than you thought it would. 

For the entire car ride back home, the events wouldn't stop rapidly flicking through your mind. Nate's arm resting on the console and his hand softly placed on your thigh did little to ground you as it normally did. The thought of reaching down and intertwining your fingers as you'd done many times before didn't even come to mind, your hands too busy picking at your sleeves to do anything else. 

Dark midnight skies barely visible through clusters of twisted curling tree branches. 

Thick wooden trunks placed around you like a maze, they all looked the same no matter which direction you went. 

Dry dirt and bits of gravel kicking up in clouds behind you, scraping up the backs of your legs from the speed at which you were running. 

Branches strewn across the overgrown path splitting and cracking loudly beneath your feet. 

Your throat, raw from screaming out to the boys. 

Your heartbeat, deafening in your ears. 

Nate's one-sided conversation through the duration of the ride back barely made its way to your ears, it felt like you were underwater or your ears were stuffed with cotton.

The only thing you could hear clearly was the memory of your own panicked screams earlier that night. 

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It had started just as any other investigation had, and for the first time in a while, it wasn't happening in a building. 

The first half of the video held a strangely nostalgic vibe. In the days of a better quality Sam and Colby channel, where they were now able to book the big shot hauntings and go to different countries with loads of equipment, would sit a small video similar to those of their early days.

They were once again investigating an area that wasn't highly publicized, the only ones to know of it being the eager locals with decades of ghost stories to share. 

It was said that there was a witch who lived deep within the forest many centuries ago. She dwelled in a quaint cottage where she would practice her spells and hexes... or at least that's how the villagers of the time saw her.

It didn't matter that the woman was in the woods alone because her family had all perished from sickness.

It didn't matter that she was cooking up the same herbal home remedies as everyone else.

When the drought came and wiped out the village crops but the witch's garden in the woods flourished due to the untouched aquifer beneath her land, they were furious.

It was said that they marched upon her house late one night, torches and pitchforks held high, enraged at the witch in the woods. They yelled, taunting her to emerge so they could take her into the small town square. When she refused, they tossed their torches at the structure, laughter overpowering the screams of the woman inside as the house was engulfed in flame. 

It was thought to be an old wives tale, the witch deep in the woods brooding silently as she worked on enchantments was hardly anything new. It was simply a story passed down from parent to child in hopes of keeping the energetic children from venturing off too far on their own. 

But then they started finding things.

The ruins of a small house, a foundation of stone left behind in the middle of the forest.

Old, hand-made historic brick, placed in a careful circle like the makings of a well.

The bones found throughout the property, most likely scattered by animals and winds over time.

With the influx of people from the small town once again venturing into the forest, it was only natural that the witch would awaken. 

So, you all ventured into the woods with no more than a flashlight each, a spirit box, and a REM pod to see if you would be able to communicate with the spirit of the witch that haunted the woods.

When the sun set was when everything went wrong.

The REM pod began going off rapidly, pointing in every direction, no clear responses being drawn from the item. The spirit box chirped to life despite never being turned on, spouting one word.

Run. 

Branches cracked from close behind you, startling your group of four to do exactly that. 

You made it a few feet when you tripped over something cold and solid, just tall enough to catch the end of your shoe as you ran. Your flashlight tumbled from your hand, rolling across the ground to show two very terrifying things. 

One, the lack of the three boys running along behind you, meaning that you had managed to run off in a different direction than they had. You were now completely alone in the forest that was difficult to navigate in a group. 

Two, a short stone wall standing before you, encapsulating the leafy floor you were splayed across. You had managed to run straight into the remains of the cottage. 

If matters couldn't get any worse, the very thing commonly experienced by those who ventured to this area happened to you. It was said that if you ventured onto her land, the witch would drain the power of your devices and most often—the batteries of your flashlights.

Any sort of light brought near the ruins in the dead of night would be promptly snuffed out, assumingly because of the tragedy that occurred the last time beacons of light were brought to the location. 

Your flashlight began to flicker. 

Once.

Twice. 

And then the light was gone, submerging you completely in the stale darkness of night. 

Everything after that was a blur, all you could comprehend were the quick flashes terrorizing your mind. 

Dark midnight skies.

Clusters of twisted tree branches. 

A wooden maze of towering trees. 

Dry dirt and bits of gravel stinging your legs. 

Burning muscles. 

Overgrown paths.

Panicked screams of both you and Nate as you scrambled blindly through the wood. 

Your heartbeat pounding in your head.

Just as it felt like you were running aimlessly then, you felt as if you could make no progress now. 

No matter how far you ran—no matter how much time had passed—you stayed terrified. 

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Both bedside lamps were on as you burrowed yourself under countless layers of blankets and sheets, your body curled in a tight ball. After all, if your blankets are covering you, the monster under the bed doesn't know you are there.

All that peaked out from the fluffy mass on the bed were your eyes, gaze solely focused on the Disney movie you'd turned on moments before, proving to yourself that witches aren't really as scary as they appear.

Good always wins and bad things can't reach you. 

Nate entered the room about fifteen minutes into your movie, hair still damp from the shower and one of your favorite shirts of his draped over his shoulders. It was an old T-shirt from who knows how long ago, but it was soft from wear and one of the most comforting things in the world to have pressed against your skin when he pulled you into his chest at night. 

His eyebrows furrowed at your eyes, wide and alert, quickly darting to him when he entered the bedroom, "Babe?" he spoke softly, slowly approaching and kneeling down by the bedside, fishing for your hand beneath the blankets, "Are you ok?" 

His eyes were sincere and brimming with worry as he looked upon you, gaze scanning over what he could see of you, assessing any damage that may have occurred in the brief time he left you alone.

You nodded slowly, eyes abandoning the movie and choosing to find solace in him instead. 

Once deeming you in no worse condition than he left you in, his head moved finally noticing the laptop perched on the mattress and the movie that previously held your attention playing out on the screen. 

A teasing smirk graced his features, "Really?"

Heat rose to your cheeks and you somehow managed to descend deeper into your cocoon. Your words were muffled by the comforter blocking the lower half of your face, "I needed to get my mind off of it." Nate laughed quietly at your explanation making you double down out of embarrassment, "I needed something to distract me so I could sleep." 

"A Disney movie?" he spoke, equal parts teasing and condescending. 

"What?" you whined rolling your eyes at him, "It always worked when I was younger." 

He hummed, standing up and plucking the laptop from the bed, quickly shutting it off and placing it to the side despite your protests. 

"Well," Nate spoke, waggling his eyebrows at you a few times in order to get you to laugh, "now you don't need 'em."  

You raised a single eyebrow, scanning him skeptically, "Why's that?" 

"Because," he trailed off, leaning to press a loving kiss to your forehead, "I'm going to be the best damn distraction you've ever seen."

"Oh really?" 

He hummed again, pressing a kiss to your nose.

You tilted your head slightly to the side with wide puppy dog eyes staring up at him, not quite getting what he was implying, "And how exactly are you going to do that?" 

Nate pulled the covers down to your chin with a soft, lovesick smile, "Like this." he whispered, finally placing a kiss on your lips. 

Your eyes fluttered closed, a warmth flooding your body unlike the one gained from the blankets. This was a warmth that came from the innermost parts of your soul, igniting each and every nerve, setting them on fire. 

He slowly peeled back the blankets to reveal your form, arms covered with goosebumps from the stark temperature difference flew up to wrap around his neck the second they were released, fingers sinking into his hair. His own arms swiftly moved around your waist, pulling your bodies even closer as he moved onto the bed hovering over you, never once daring to break the kiss. 

The only time his lips left yours where when they moved to trace your jawline and trail down your neck leaving you breathless. 

He moved across your skin, leaving a tapestry of red and purple in his wake, painting your skin the same colors as the fireworks dancing behind your eyelids. With your mind focused on him, there was no room to think of anything else, he moved in a way that you couldn't fathom wanting to think of anything else. 

His hands dipped lower and lower, teasing beneath the hemming of your sleepshirt and caressing your warm skin.

He leaned back, removing his lips from you after what felt like hours, pupils blown wide and a loving, lustful haze clouding over his eyes. 

The only reason he parted was to drag the shirt up off your body with his own quickly following suit to be thrown blindly into a corner, lips hungrily returning to your own the minute the barrier was gone. 

He held your attention fully until the sun breached the horizon line, chasing the moon and darkness of night away as it found its rightful place up in the sky. The night was over, any thoughts you had of terrible twisting branches and evil witches dissolved in the light of morning—at least the ones that hadn't been valiantly chased away by your very own knight in shining armor. 

You lay in bed beneath the single bedsheet, head resting against Nate's chest as he absentmidedly traced shapes across your back, humming a random melody as he did so. The warm light of day breaching through the cracks of the drawn curtains, bathing your tangled limbs in soft gold. 

He was right, you didn't need to distract yourself with the technicolor animations of your childhood. You didn't need to dull your senses with endless hours of princes and princesses saving the day anymore. 

Not when you had your very own fairytale sitting right in front of you, ready and waiting to do whatever it takes to give you your happy ending. 

With that thought and a sweet smile gracing your lips you closed your eyes, finally able to get some sleep. 

[misc-obeyme]

Hello, this is the anon about the Lucifer starting the Apocalypse or end of times. I dont really mind it being angsty.

So a bit of background: Nightbringer sends MC to the not distant future back in their own timeline with a message "be patient, a messenger will come.. you choose to save the brothers or the human race."

MC starts noticing the 4 horsemen, and thunderstorms, firey skies, etc. A knock on the door and stands Simeon with a message about The Devil is coming, and only MC can Stop Lucifer or Michael will have to stop them, meaning the world will perish, and God has turned his back on humanity.

MC choice could be to save both

The story is more like avengers type style or anything you like. The characrers if you want to be included could be Lucifer, Satan, Simeon. Gabriel (if you want), Mammon, or Solomon.

Hi there, anon!

Oof okay this is by far the longest request I've ever written. But there was so much happening, it needed to be longer in order for things to get resolved in a way that made sense to me.

I tried to incorporate everything that was in your ask - so Nightbringer is involved, Simeon, and all the other characters listed. I didn't describe Michael or Gabriel so people can imagine them however they like.

I also thought it made the most sense for this to happen in the human world, so the setting is actually Serenity Manor. In case anybody hasn't gotten to season 3 of the OG, it's just a big house basically and the brothers give it to MC when they leave the human world.

I've only ever seen the first Avengers movie and that was a long time ago, so I don't think this turned out to be in that style at all. Hopefully it still turned out okay?

Anyway, I hope this is close to what you were looking for.

Thanks for the request!

GN!MC has to stop the apocalypse as begun by Lucifer

Warnings: general apocalyptic stuff (such as the four horsemen), fighting (with magic), angst, drama, spoilers for season 4 of the OG story, Nightbringer time travel shenanigans

You woke up to find yourself in Serenity Manor, back in the human world. That was odd. Didn't you go to bed in Cocytus Hall last night? What were you doing here in the human world? How did you get here?

You sat up in bed, looking around the room, trying to figure out what had happened. All of your things were here, too. Everything seemed completely normal. And yet you knew something wasn't right.

And then your D.D.D., which was sitting on the bedside table, dinged.

You picked it up and found a message there.

UNREGISTERED Hello.

You groaned to yourself before responding. There was no doubt that this was Nightbringer's doing. What did he want with you now? Why send you back to the human world?

MC What did you do? Where am I?

UNREGISTERED You are in the human world. I have sent you back to your time, though a little bit into the future. Something has changed and your presence is needed here.

MC What are you talking about? Who are you?

UNREGISTERED Be patient. A messenger will come and you will need to choose. Save the brothers or save the human race. I look forward to seeing what decision you make.

You put down your D.D.D. What did this mean? Save the brothers or the human race? Why did you have to choose?

You tried to contact any of the brothers through your D.D.D., but got no response. You tried calling and texting, but there was nothing. You checked Devilgram, but there were no new posts from anybody. You called Diavolo, Barbatos, Simeon - anyone you could think of. But there was no response from anyone.

What was happening in the Devildom?

Nightbringer had said to be patient, but how could you be?

You got out of bed and got dressed. You found the kitchen fully stocked and ate some breakfast. Then you prepared yourself to teleport back to the Devildom. If they wouldn't respond, you would just go find out what was happening for yourself.

You prepared the spell, spoke the words aloud, there was a flash of light and then...

...you were still in the kitchen of Serenity Manor.

Your spell hadn't worked. You frowned. This was not good.

You couldn't just sit around in the house while things were like this, so you left through the front door.

You immediately noticed the dark skies - thick grey clouds with red edges, almost like they were about to burst into flames.

You walked out into the town and found people, but they all had their heads down. Some of them were fighting, yelling or getting into fist fights. People were running around and a lot of them looked scared. You tried to talk to someone, anyone, but nobody would acknowledge you. They just rushed right past.

And then, seemingly out of nowhere, four beings came down the street. Time seemed to freeze as they went past in slow motion - four enormous horses ridden by four ghastly creatures shrouded in mist and shadow. Each horse a different color, each rider slightly different, but all absolutely terrifying. You felt a chill run down your spine as they went by.

You considered what you were seeing. Looking up, you saw the skies had turned ever more red, just another symbol of the darkness you knew was about to come. The people around you were in continual conflict and you were fairly certain you just saw the four horsemen ride down the street.

This was the beginning of the apocalypse.

You rushed back to Serenity Manor. You sat and tried your D.D.D. again, desperately calling and texting everyone and anyone. You mentally begged someone to respond.

You were pulled out of this endeavor by a knock on the door. You practically ran to the door, flinging it open to reveal Simeon standing there.

"Simeon!" you cried out, pulling him inside and shutting the door. You turned to him, clinging onto his hands. "What's going on? Nobody will return my texts or calls! It looks like the end times outside! Nightbringer sent me here and told me I would have to choose - what's happening?"

Simeon was frowning. "I have a message," he said. "I'm here to tell you that you're the only one who can stop Lucifer. If you don't, Michael will have to and then the world will perish as God has turned his back on humanity."

You stared at him in shock. "Where is Lucifer?"

Simeon rubbed at the back of his neck. "I'm sorry, MC. The Devildom is in chaos. I don't think your calls or texts are getting through to anyone. It's just that you disappeared and Lucifer… "

"I can't get back to the Devildom," you said. "I tried to teleport there, but it didn't work for some reason. How can I stop Lucifer if I can't even reach him?"

"Nobody can go in or out of the Devildom right now. But it doesn't matter. He isn't there anymore," Simeon said.

You were about to ask what this meant when there was another knock on the door.

You whirled, opening the door to reveal Satan, Mammon, and Solomon.

You ushered them inside, then glanced outside at the sky which now seemed to be completely on fire before closing the door.

You turned to them. You were relieved to see them, even if they looked grim. "Where is everybody else?" you asked.

"It's a mess, MC," Solomon said. "Lucifer is out there -" he waved vaguely toward the front door "- tearing the human world apart looking for you. Diavolo and Barbatos tried to stop him, but he anticipated that. He's used some sort of spell to put them to sleep. Leviathan and Asmodeus are trying to stop him. Beelzebub and Belphegor are trying to wake up Diavolo. And we came to look for you."

"He's lost his mind, MC," Mammon said. He and Satan were both in demon form, seemingly on high alert because of the chaos happening outside. "I tried talkin' to him, but it's like he's not even there anymore."

"I also attempted to speak with him," Satan said. He was angry, evident by the expression on his face, but he was trying to keep it inside. "And then I tried to use magic to stop him, but he's too powerful."

"You're the only one who might be able to reach him," Solomon said. "If you don't, it could mean the end of everything."

You turned away from them for a moment, taking in everything they had just told you. Lucifer was out there, destroying everything. It didn't make sense. He wouldn't go against Diavolo like that, would he? Not over this.

"I don't understand," you said quietly. "Are you sure this is about me?"

There was an odd light in the room suddenly, which trembled for a moment before resolving into an angel you had never seen before.

Almost everybody else recognized him, though.

"Gabriel?" Simeon asked.

The angel looked around at those gathered in the room. "Simeon," he said. "Mammon, Solomon, it's good to see you all again. And you two must be Satan and MC. I've heard plenty about you as well."

"What are ya doin' here?" Mammon asked. He didn't seem upset, but he did seem perplexed.

Gabriel looked around at them. "Ah, yes, you see, I'm here to tell you that you should not interfere with Lucifer and the apocalypse."

"You can't be serious," Solomon said. "You really expect us to just stand by and let this happen?"

Gabriel looked at him seriously. "The fact is, this is how things are supposed to go. You all seem to think that Lucifer is doing this because he let his emotions get the better of him. But actually, Lucifer is doing this because this is as it is written. He is meant to start the apocalypse. If you intervene, you will be upsetting Father's plans. Leave this to Michael. It is for him to resolve. Stay out of it."

You could feel an unexpected anger welling up inside of you. This was the message from the Celestial Realm? That you should just sit back and let their plans go forward, resulting in the destruction of your home and likely everyone you've come to care about? You couldn't just let this happen. You couldn't watch that unfold. You couldn't allow Lucifer to be used as a catalyst for the end.

And you were done waiting around.

"You can go back to the Celestial Realm and tell them to kiss my ass," you said, turning around and marching out the front door.

The others rushed to catch up to you, Mammon reaching your side first. "MC! What're ya gonna do?"

"I'm going to stop this!" you said. You stood out in the street, looking up at the sky. You gathered all your energy, every ounce of magic you could muster.

Then you took a deep breath and said into the howling wind, "Hear me, and heed my call. In the name of the sorcerer MC, I draw upon my pact with the ring of light. Come forth, Lucifer!"

The wind, which had kicked up tremendously in the time you were inside the manor, became even more wild. The sky split with red lightning and the world became dark momentarily.

There was an aura of shadow concentrated in one spot in front of you. As you watched, Lucifer materialized from out of it.

He was in demon form. His eyes were fully red and glowing ominously. But they were also empty. They seemed to look right through you.

"Who would dare to summon me?" he asked. It was Lucifer's voice, but it was devoid of any real emotion. He didn't yell. He spoke in a normal tone, but it was flat.

The sound of his voice and the look in his eyes caused you to shiver. But you stood your ground.

"Lucifer, you need to stop," you said. You let your voice match his tone - not yelling, just speaking normally. Behind you, you could feel the presence of Mammon, Satan, Solomon, and Simeon - a network of support. You weren't sure what had happened to Gabriel.

"And why should I listen to a human like you?" he asked.

"I think ya should use stay on him," Mammon said from behind you.

"I think that would be a terrible choice," Satan said.

"Be quiet, you two," Solomon said. "Let MC handle this."

You were prepared to continue trying to talk Lucifer out of destroying the human world, but you didn't have the chance. The light that had appeared in the house before manifested again now, this time resolving into two angels. One was Gabriel, but the other one…

"Michael," Lucifer said dully.

Lucifer raised a hand and suddenly all of the avatars of sin appeared. Mammon and Satan no longer stood behind you, now having been dragged to Lucifer's side. Every other brother was there, too, lined up on either side of Lucifer. Some of them blinked dazedly as they were confused about where they were now. But as they realized what was happening, every single one shifted into demon form.

"This is the end of the human world, as it was meant to be," Michael said. "These seven demons must be destroyed. In the process, all of humanity will be lost. Prepare yourselves."

"No!" you yelled, launching yourself at Michael.

Solomon caught hold of you and held you back. "MC, you won't win this fight!"

"I don't care!" you yelled. "I can't let him do this! I can't let him destroy the human world, I can't let him destroy Lucifer and his brothers! I love them!"

"If you try to get in the way now, you'll die for sure and then everything else will get destroyed anyway," Solomon said, his arms squeezing tightly around your waist.

You turned around in his hold to face him. "Then help me!" you cried. "Together, aren't we strong enough?"

Solomon looked into your eyes and saw the determination there. He knew he wouldn't be able to talk you out of this. And he also knew that he couldn't just leave you to do it alone.

Solomon nodded and let you go. "All right," he said. "You have pacts with all of them. Use that. I'll back you up."

You turned back to the demon brothers. All of them now seemed to be under whatever was influencing Lucifer. They all had that dull look in their eyes - as though nobody was home.

Michael was gathering power. He seemed to be glowing brightly with light that was as blinding as the sun.

You had to stop this and it was your last chance. You muttered, "Hear me and heed my call…"

You weren't sure what you were doing, but you could feel the pacts inside you. You reached for that connection, though they all felt far away. You grasped them in your mind, in your heart. And you felt the magic explode from you, rushing through the pacts, filling the air around you.

The ring of light began to glow. At your side, something else seemed to be glowing. You glanced over and saw that Solomon's ring was also glowing and he was feeding magic into you.

Overhead, the skies trembled. The clouds remained dark red. The wind continued to blow through everything at high speeds.

And then everything paused. There was a stillness as the wind instantly died. The magic remained frozen. Everyone was as a statue.

And there was an entity before you, but you couldn't see who it was. They were too blurry for you to make out.

"Are you choosing the brothers, then?" the being asked.

Somehow, you knew it was Nightbringer. "What? No, I want to save both!"

"Right now, that is not a choice," Nightbringer said. "If you save the brothers, the world will still be destroyed. If you destroy the brothers, the world will survive. If Michael destroys the brothers, the world will be destroyed in the crossfire."

"No," you said. "There has to be another choice!"

Nightbringer laughed. "You are so much like your teacher. Always trying to find another option when there isn't one."

"Maybe you're just too narrow minded to see all the possibilities," you said.

"Very well," Nightbringer said. "You're about to send Michael and Gabriel back to the Celestial Realm, effectively removing them from this fight. What happens after that is up to you."

As time began again, you could feel the power of the pacts and the rings running through you once again. And just as they had done once before, the gates to the Celestial Realm were opened. With a mighty push of your magic, you managed to shove Michael and Gabriel back through them before slamming them shut.

You felt yourself wobble as the magic died down. You took one step and fell, but found yourself in Simeon's arms. Solomon stood in front of the two of you, facing the brothers.

Every brother was still in demon form and all of them still had that empty look in their eyes.

"Foolish human," Lucifer said. "Now that you have removed my greatest obstacle, the world is doomed. As it was written, so it shall be."

You cried out, but you were too weak to move from Simeon's arms. "Lucifer, please! I know you're in there! I know all of you are in there still! If ever any of you loved me, please… please…"

Your voice was fading as you were losing your strength. Solomon's hands were balled into fists as he stood in front of you and Simeon. You could see little sparks of magic around him. It wouldn't be long before he, too, would be too weak to continue. He glanced back at you. "MC… won't you choose humanity…?"

You bit your lip. "I will if I have to," you managed to say. "But let me at least try to reach them first."

Simeon's grip on you tightened. You were sure he wanted to do more, but now that he was human, he could do nothing but hold you.

"Lucifer," Simeon said. "You rebelled against Father once before when you believed his decision was wrong. I know you don't want to do this. Why wouldn't you defy him again?"

"Simeon…" you said weakly, amazed that the former angel would say something like that.

And yet, these words seemed to reach Lucifer. He looked at Simeon, really looked at him.

"I don't think this is what Lilith would want," Simeon said firmly.

And as you watched, there was a spark in Lucifer's eyes. A glimmer of something that used to be there.

You felt some little strength return to your limbs. You turned to Simeon and said, "Please help me up."

Simeon stood, pulling you up with him. Your legs were shaky, but after a moment you were able to let go of Simeon and take a few steps forward.

There was a dark aura still around Lucifer. The other brothers appeared to be in a trance, unmoving, unseeing, still in demon form.

You stumbled past Solomon, who called your name, but didn't stop you.

You reached out and touched Lucifer's cheek. "You always tried to make me think that I was the one who belonged to you. But deep down, Lucifer, you know that you are mine."

You watched as recognition seemed to flare in Lucifer's eyes. You hoped this reference to things he said when you made your pact with him would remind him of just who you were. Who he was.

"MC…" he said, voice uncertain.

"I know you're in there, Lucifer," you said. "Come back to me. Please."

And that was all it took. No magic, no bright light, no dramatic auras. Just a few words spoken with all of your heart. You watched as he seemed to come back to himself. The glowing red of his eyes faded away until you were looking once again at the familiar ruby and black. Nearby, you could see the other brothers shaking their heads, as though coming out of their trance.

Relief flooded through you. Your muscles gave up and you felt your knees buckle. You would have fallen to the ground, but Lucifer caught you. He pressed you to himself, cradling you carefully but tightly.

"MC," he said into your hair. "What have I done…?"

"Don't worry about that now," you said, your voice low as your strength continued to drain away. "Please, can we just go home?"

You would fall asleep in Lucifer's arms. When you woke much later, you would find out that the Celestial Realm was not happy with this turn of events. But you would be in the Devildom again, in the House of Lamentation, with the brothers all looking after you. And it would take some time to fix the damage that had been done by this event. But with the brothers beside you, not to mention everybody else, you knew that you would be able to make things right again. Assuming, of course, that Nightbringer didn't plan on sending you through time yet again.

masterlist | Thank you for reading!

[starheirxero]

At this point, the creators are just trying to see, how far they can take the angst until we all turn to dust-

The fact that Lunar actively doesn't want to feel, because they see themself a danger to everyone is making me become a feral dog-

Earth, oh for God's sake, she just keeps breaking me- The way she talked about Solar😭 He was her best friend, and her support system! He was the person, who always knew what to do, who always spent time with her, and now he's gone… THEY LITERALLY WANTED TO KNIT LITTLE ANIMALS THE DAY HE DIED- I am perishing-

It's very interesting to note, how different they all cope though! Earth, though heartbroken, is actively grieving in a healthy manner, or at least trying to! Meanwhile, her brothers are very much not coping- Lunar is numb, Moon is overworking himself, and Sun honestly doesn't seem to know what to do! None of them are quite able to process, it seems.

Eclipse's section was so fascinating as well! He seems so genuinely confused about Earth's words, about her lack of wanting to hurt Ruin! He was so quiet when he listened to her, pretty much soaking in her words! For the first time, he actually seems to see her, see a perspective beyond his own-

Not to forget her sympathy. Because yes, Eclipse's life was fucking tragic, and still is, his wrong doings don't change that!

If this continues the way I think it might, then to be honest, it'll almost be better if Solar didn't return- Don't get me wrong, I love the guy with all my heart, however, his death is a lot more…meaningful? It's different from the rest.

In the past, there has been a consistent case of quiet mourning, and not just for the dead. For example, Lunar's grief for what he could've had with Eclipse, which caused him to be sent to Solar's dimension in the first place! It's a very consistent thing that still lives on, even without actively talking about it!

Other death's were quietly wept for in the past. When Eclipse died, no one was shown to grieve him, though Lunar likely did quietly. Again, that was probably partly why Moon sent Lunar to Solar's dimension!

Bloodmoon too, was quietly mourned for, though it was only mentioned briefly! For one, with KC, and in a video, Lunar went to Solar's dimension and they watched baby photo fanart together! Somewhere, Lunar mentioned Bloodmoon's death, and Solar stopped the recording for a while! After that, it wasn't talked about anymore.

Lunar's death itself was rather different, as it was clear from the beginning, that he was alive, though it didn't change the weight of it! It was shown in the way Sun would get quieter when he was mentioned. Though it was never actively talked about, the weight was there.

Old Moon is a whole issue in and of itself. It was obvious, just how much Sun wept for him, but that too was done quietly, often avoiding the topic all together! Likely feeling like he couldn't mourn at all, because it'll be unfair towards new moon. It was a constant weight at the back of his mind.

There was KC as well. Moon made it clear, how angry and upset he was, but it was never quite elaborated on, likely hanging over him quietly.

My point is, that all their grief was something quiet that stayed in the background, pushing itself to the front every once in a while. No one ever took the time to grieve properly before, to sit down and weep, to scream at the sky. There was always too much happening!

Deaths were never the focus!

This time though, it's different! Solar's death is a constant cloud hanging over them, never leaving them alone. It feels more meaningful, y'know? It's in the forefront now, it's complete center stage!

It will likely also cause quite a bit of character development, seeing with Eclipse already.

Not to forget, seeing as it's something hanging over them, we'll likely see our main characters going through all the process of grief, and slowly learn to live with it, to move forward. At least that's where I think it might be going-

Which, if that's the case, would feel meaningless if Solar returns.

Then again, if he does come back, I WILL cry tears of joy, so-

-Stardust

LITERALLYYYYY AUAGHHHH.!!!!

Genuinely any sort of "we were supposed to do xyz" when a character died fucks me up SO BAD. They had plans. They had hopes. They assumed they'd both be alive by then ☹️☹️☹️

AND YEA THEY'RE ALL HANDLING IT SO DIFFERENTLY ITS AUGHHH. Genuinely yea Earth (and maybe Sun?) seem to be the only ones grieving in a healthy way and it's so heartbreaking to watch all around. AND ECLIPSE. ECLIPSE..... YEAH HIS MEETING WITH EARTH WAS WILDLY FASCINATING TO ME. Even Earth herself noted that Eclipse didn't insult her, just kinda questioned and then left.

AND EVERYTHING YOU SAID ABOUT DEATH IN TSAMS YESYESYES!!!!!!!! Genuinely me n my qpp were talking about something SO similar the other day, how no other characters had this level of grief from the characters and the videos!! There's always the obligatory "so-and-so is DEAD?! in vrchat" video but there was never a "missing Lunar" or "grieving the old Moon" video!! Like you said, it was always this quiet grief that seeped between the cracks and gunked up their ability to fully think or feel, but everyone was always so busy with Everything Else.

Now, we're at a point where most of the danger is dealt with or not a very immediate threat. Stitchwraith and Bloodmoon are more Foxy and Monty's problem, the Creator isn't targeting Sun and Moon (as far as we're aware, at least), and Eclipse is sort of... docile right now. The celestial family has time to grieve and they have every right to grieve because we really don't know if Solar is coming back.

I get you so hard btw I am genuinely so torn on whether I want Solar back or not for realzies ahsiahdj 😭😭😭

[mishimashu]

Hello! I saw that requests are open can i request for a hashiras x s/o (separately) who has the personality of lisa from genshin? (this is is my first time requesting ( ゜─゜))

hello! srry for replying so late! DD: I left the acc bc I thought it would flop :((

anyways—

Tomioka Giyuu

okay, so...how tf did this unsocial bby score someone as flirtatious as you?

easy. he met you through shinobu, she was doing her usual teasing, till' you chimed in

after that, you've been poking and bothering him for awhile

and after that experience, you and him been dating. who confessed? depends on you it was him

one of the few people who can sorta handle your comments and flirts

you basically remind him of shinobu...except you don't constantly remind or tease him of having no friends–

also can you stop visiting at random times, yeah you do knock, but still..

when he has the time he tends to go to your estate for a cup of tea, or to borrow a book on how to make friends

also he's one of the Corp members who forgot to return one of your books

OKAY in his defense, he didn't know that the return date was 1 week after borrowing, cause a certain someone told him that it was 2 weeks..

And it was one time! a one time occurrence!

he swore the last thing he saw before blacking out and seeing his sister and sabito was the sky turning purple and a very angry hot and sexy s/o

after that ordeal he starts to ask you when's the deadline of every book he decides to borrow from you

Kocho Shinobu

she met you at your estate, she wanted to borrow a book about medicine and poisons she could use for her sword

also one of the few who can take your flirts

you guys basically have a flirt-off

usually ends with you winning—

one of the few who actually returns borrowed books on time

is the reason why Giyuu forgot to return his

she has seen what you did to the other corps members, is a little terrified, but thinks it's kinda hot—

Rengoku Kyojuro

simply adores you!

can also take your flirts!

also unintentionally flirts with you–

he met you through a mission.

Oyakata-sama, sent the both of you on said mission, and well, he witnessed the wrath of a librarian..

are all librarians like this or just you? prolly just you—

he praises you for your strength and you flirt praised him back

like Giyuu he did miss a deadline...

because he turned into a donut

...*sobs*

Mitsuri Kanroji

she already knew and heard about you

though, she didn't really approached you

that is until shinobu decided to take note of this and introduced you to her

you guys know the helpless scene from Hamilton where Angelica introduces Alex to Eliza? yeah, basically that

*helpless plays in the background*

one of the few who will absolutely perish if you ever make a flirting remark

she's already planning the wedding–

can I be the best man? no? mmkay..:\

anyways, she cannot get break ever since she dated you—

like Jesus give her a break from the flerting

has also forgot to return one of your books

but you spared her since she did offer some mochi— so....

nooo, I'm not saying this bc she's my fav

and I don't wanna hurt herr, nooo— idk what u talkin abt

Muichiro Tokito

my bby

my child

ahem

he would usually go into your estate to just relax in the silence or read a book or two

he would sometimes borrow a book buy would forget to return it

you give him a pass tho–

whenever he would visit your estate, you'd give him some tea, and also a note to return a book he borrowed, of course there's a 50/50 where he would remember it

he's a bit distant so don't really expect a long conversation with him

though everything changed after the swordsmith village arc

you cannot tell me you would sass the other hashiras behind their backs

you guys sass each other sometimes

though of course you wouldn't go to far

...UNLESS

jk

I don't think he would be the type to date so.. uh—

ya'll are really good friends

Tengen Uzui

his wives love you

and the only thing you love abt this man is his wives

jk

listen, I love him, but only his wives

ahem

you met him through Hinatsuru

ya'll were just chatting, having a grand ol' time till this mf showed up

slander is how I show affection

he would joke abt you being his 4th wife/husband

and you would joke abt if he didn't return the overdue book he wouldn't live to see you become his 4th wife

he returned the book afterwards dw

you can clearly see who I love out of the nine hashiras

....

so uh— I couldn't finish this bc I wanted to yk post this as soon as possible bc I felt bad :(( so imma make a part two

and also reread the manga bc it's been a while, so more pain for me :DD

this is karma for the uzui slander

[jinxed-ninjago]

re: your post asking how the upply didn't starve to death: i've actually considered that myself and came up with an explanation that might make sense? but basically if you look in the background of some of the shots of rock bottom you can see things like pillows, blankets, minecarts, and dozens of loose crates scattered around. i think rock bottom was probably a hub for the miners who carved out the caves and tunnels in the mountain and at least some of those crates were full of non-perishables like dried meat and berries, beans, salted pork, etc. hopefully there were also some potatoes in there so they're not all suffering from scurvy on top of intense vitamin d deficiency 🤷

I have a habit of scrubbing Ninjago episodes frame-by-frame and scouring the Ninjago Wiki and still never noticed anything aside from the crates and minecarts. I have also watched the episodes that actually take place in Rock-Bottom way too many times, which makes it even weirder that I never noticed.

Funnily enough, it didn't cross my mind that Rock-Bottom was likely a hub for miners until after I received this ask either. It's super interesting though, because that does seem like the most likely reason the Upply could survive for years in Rock-Bottom.

It also adds some background to Shintaro, which I'm willing to bet was the main reason for the makeshift beds and crates and the Upply using them was just a secondary implication if that makes sense. We already knew Shintaro's a Vengestone goldmine, so adding the implications that miners went that deep into the mountain adds a lot to Shintaro as a location.

It also explains how the Heart of the Mountain was known about, assuming Masters of Earth don't really discuss it outside of discussing it with other Masters of Earth. Like before this ask was sent to me, I had a lingering thought in the back of my mind that was essentially "How did Clutch Powers know about the Heart of the Mountain if he's never been there?" But now I'm wondering if Shintaran miners talked about it after leaving the mines and it eventually became a legend in Ninjago as a whole.

Like genuinely this explanation doesn't just explain how the Upply survived being stuck in Rock-Bottom but also why the minecart track system is so complex and has a way out (albeit a needlessly dangerous one). It makes perfect sense that Rock-Bottom would've been a miner hub purely based on things like context and the items strewn around in the background and in wider shots.

[commanderjuni]

[ OUTDATED ]🦋CHARACTER TALK | MESMER SRABBA

ok to anyone who knew laff for like. upwards of just a few days. IGNORE HER. HER NAME IS BENCHED FOR NOW. in her place i'd love to introduce.... drum roll please.....

MESMER SRABBA! (or well. personal story through living world season 2 srabba anyways)

as i mentioned in a previous few posts, srabba actually was an older character that has the prestige of being my FIRST toon i levelled, pain stakingly, bowls of apple sauce and crafting balls of bread dough and all, from level 1 to level 80. i remember trying to spec virtuoso on her, but for whatever reason not even i know i must've gotten fed up and deleted her

over time i was a little upset about that choice so i tried. MANY MANY MANY TIMES to remake srabba. she's been through

being made an inquest lab rat (failed)

being made a thief (not really a fail but she sure aint one now)

being made a thief. again. (i wanted a pink spectre. didn't work out.)

positive i made her a necromancer at least ONCE.

being made a ranger? i think?

and many few other attempts. but by some declaration of fate, srabba is back and here to stay as my mesmer and fated commander.

however, since i'm going through story in chronological order and haven't gotten past living world season 4, she very much so has some growing to do! (literally, kinda)

i've also picked and tossed a few things about laff out as to give myself some more creative freedom with srabba: i've realized recently i have this weird habit of constricting myself and forcing myself to go with the same idea, but for now i think it'd be better for me to just. do whatever! improv! toss things in and fish things out!

I'm mostly pulling elements from Laff's story, since she's kinda being repurposed into Srabba! Thus don't mind any parallels yaknow /lh

aaannnyway....

MAJOR RAMBLE BELOW THE CUT!! no spoilers whatsoever, but it's gonna be a long post x)

Srabba, during Personal Story, is about 13 years old. Like most asura her age, she is smart, crafty, and markedly intelligent. Before applying to the College of Dynamics in LWS1, Srabba is a ward of the Progeny Protective Service.

Her parents perished in the infamous Thaumanova Reactor meltdown when she was only four years old; Srabba only escaped after they had to yell and urge her to run away to safety with the masses fleeing to escape, which she did, and it is still something plaguing her to this very day.

Srabba not only faces the challenge of lacking a direct guardian to care for her, but also has to navigate the difficulties of being hard of hearing in a society that revolves around discussing and debating scientific theorems and gizmos… Which isn't exactly easy to do when you can't hear much below normal talking- and all the background noise: the buzzing and humming and clinking of asuran society- it makes it even harder to understand what someone is saying to her.

Srabba relies mostly on lip-reading and making educated guesses to understand what others are saying to her. Although she had experimented with hearing aids in her younger years, as she approached her teenage years, she grew less interested in the idea of being "dependent" on the creations of others.

Instead, she aspires to create her own hearing aid device to assist her. This challenging project is a main motivation for joining the College of Dynamics. She is eager to improve her creative thinking skills and enjoys the freedom of starting from nothing to bring her own ideas to life, which is quite different from the, in her humble opinion, dull livelihoods of Statics students who merely tweak existing designs.

In regards to her personality, Srabba is best described as the following:

Witty

Smug

Crafty

and Stubborn

Very, very, very stubborn. Srabba is a very independent person, who finds that despite not having a primary caregiver, she has strong footing when it comes to operating solo, and takes great pride in it.

... Perhaps too much pride.

Because of this, Srabba never has been the most inclined to working with others or, Eternal Alchemy forbid, collaboration. The idea of having to depend upon others is... a frankly scary thought, and one she doesn't like submitting herself to. If she can do it herself, she'll do it herself- no matter how long it'd take.

And the 'Mesmer' part of her name isn't just for show. Srabba is a certified, bonafide mesmer.

Her abilities sprung to life very recently, when she was about 11 years old. She's had only two whole years to really acclimate herself to the intricacies of mesmer magic, but she has a surprisingly great grasp at it. It may or may not have something to do with, oh, y'know... Being born on top of an Inquest lab experimenting with chaotic energy and all. It happens!

Srabba primarily follows the Chaos specialization. As the quote goes: "Where some see chaos, I see opportunity". Srabba views the tragedy of the Thaumanova Reactor as a unique proposition. Although the reactor exploded, it showed the potential using chaos energy actually had. It could transport people place to place, it could disorient and befuddle one's mind, and most important to Srabba: it could bend time and space.

Because of her close connection with chaos magic and energy, Srabba finds that among other factors, she'd fit in well in Dynamics. Her project aside, Srabba has a bright passion for studying chaos magic and energy, and seeks to be the "big leader" on the subject. She not only wants to know how to use it, but how to conserve it, and contain it, and master her own control of it so well, she could figure out how to either revert or lessen the damage in the Thaumanova wreckage.

As for Srabba's actual manipulation of mesmer magic, she's adept in confusing people: with or without actual conditions. She can be here, or she could suddenly be there. She could be right in front of you, or you could just be talking to a clone of herself and you wouldn't be too much the wiser unless you paid close attention. Her illusions are fueled by her innate psychic ability like most mesmer's, and her innate psychic ability is... frighteningly powerful for her age.

Let's be thankful she doesn't know too much about her potential at the moment.

Between the three signature mesmer masks, Srabba follows the Phantasm of Sorrow: she doesn't actually brandish this mask, but rather wears it on her face. Her sad, droopy eyes and thin-lipped frown and big, down-turned ears makes it easy to think she has something troubling her... But for all we know, she actually could be laughing in her head about how moronic some of her peers look. Nobody is the wiser to what goes on in her head, and she very much so likes it that way. It fuels her ego a little. (Light-hearted)

While she rarely finds herself in need of physical altercations, she always keeps two swords at the ready. She finds manipulating her magic through them surprisingly easy, and she is currently studying the art of mantras and phantasms. She especially hopes to start learning all the cool space and timey wimey magic, too.

She's a girl with a lot of plans, aspirations, and irons she wants to start putting in the furnace.

[skywalker-anon]

I'll try something silly/cute. Since I'm playing on the Nvidia cloud gaming because my pc isn't able to handle BG3, I can't use mods of any kind. So, I saw SO MANY beautiful OCs/Tav, modded or not, reblog with your character and their background + class etc! Did you choose for your character a romance or not? I'm super curious this is my first glance to dnd ♥️ I'll start with my favorite(made so many...)

my OC's story under the keep-reading contains SPOILERS from Astarion's story and non-detailed cws such as: slavery, abuses, mental/personality disorders, amnesia, temporary death. And lots of grammar mistakes because I perish bloodless like every Astarion stan out there.

non spoiler summary: Kirei, trans man, half wood elf, half vampire spawn (around 130+ yrs old)- class: fighter. Due to his nature one eye is red, the other of its original color; light purple. He gets his tattoo right after getting out of the ship alive (he's a funny one in his own calm way). He's friendly but distant and prefers solitude, quiet places, over the chaos surrounding him. While he seems perfectly stable and chaotic good, he's actually batshit insane thanks to a certain someone! Twagic stowy under pics.

Kirei is a spawn who survived the ritual years before the game's adventures. Trans man, asexual, fighter - he's the son of a famous cleric who, at the time, was blessed directly by Selûne. He later had a child he didn't want, and left Kirei in an orphanage where he grew up until he was an adult, never adopted. Despite his clear phobia towards people and trusting - or talking - to them, alongside the crippling pain of dealing with the sensation of a body that felt wrong to him, Kirei was kind hearted. He later started working in a shop in Baldur's Gate, where the tailors were two kind nobles who dedicate their time into fashion. Kirei was an excellent tailor despite his body size; he was always praised for how delicate his hands could work on the finest fabrics. He never developed any real friendly relationships aside from the couple, until a lovely lady arrived one night at the shop before closure.

She was specifically looking for him, bombing him with lovely compliments as she opened herself up on admitting she always desired Kirei from afar. Taken by a strange urge to follow the woman's charm, and naive enough to trust her words, Kirei is lured into Cazador's mansion and tortured, then transformed into a spawn. His blood, though, is somewhat holy - Selûne's divine blessing - and blocked his transformation halfway. His heart was slow but was still beating, only one eye out of his light purple ones became red, his skin was no longer warm but not cold either - even his hunger is easier to control. After atrocious abuses Kirei gets marked, but his body does not fully transform still. Perfectionist as he is, Cazador orders to toss Kirei's starving body down the sewers from the depths of his private chambers. The fall broke his body entirely, but something kept the man alive. He remains paralyzed, feeding on what would crawl over his mouth until he could at least move his neck, for around 100 years.

The other spawns for the ritual were ready, as he was forgotten. Slowly, once Kirei could move at least his arms, he crawled and gnawed at every animal until he could get out from that fetid place. From there, everything in Baldur's Gate had changed, and his family - the tailors - were long gone without any relative left. In solitude, Kirei hides himself outside the city, away from humanity and monsters, as close as possible to the Underdark. He settles in an abandoned small house for around 6 years, stealthing his way to Baldur's Gate for supplies from time to time, knowing how to avoid danger. He knew Cazador felt him, but was paying him no mind. And it was a blessing for the man. His abduction by the mindflayers happened precisely during one of his rare visits in the city. When he awoke in the pod, the tragedy of his past hit him like a truck; again stuck, no way out, subjected to some alien experiment, etc. The fear locks his mind into a complete amnesia of what happened to him, a lock so strong that even Astarion, after knowing the truth of Cazador's doing and recognizing the markings on Kirei as identical as Sebastian's, is unable to open up.

Kirei acts as if he's external to the whole deal, and is obsessed on helping his lover against Cazador unable to even remember the monster's face, or the woman's one who lured him to his death. He ignores - or immediately forgets after hearing them - the cruel words of his master until the end. The only reaction taken out of him arrives during an exploration of the mansion's sewers; there Kirei suffers from a major manic attack, unable to stop laughing, crying and screaming to not let him crawl again until Gale puts him to sleep via magic. Once out, the man seems back to himself and yet again back to his state of ignorant bliss towards his past, deluding himself he had suffered through a fever after the difficult fight against Cazador. The group decides to never try to bring up the matter again, and Astarion - using the worm to search into that broken mind to acknowledge his suspicions - makes sure to take care of Kirei as much as Kirei takes care of him, for eternity.

[iiryebreadii]

I wanna write my thoughts on my playthrough of totk as I go along (cause I love going back and reading them after finishing), so I'm gonna post them on this blog!! If you're sensitive to spoilers like me, make sure to blacklist "#totk liveblog" :)

It got kinda long so I'm putting it under a cut haha

that being said, my beginning thoughts to the opening of the game were basically OMG ZELDA HI ZELDA I MISSED YOU LOVE THE HAIR OMG HI like she was so cute!!! I LOVED getting to walk with her in the opening it made me like actually emotional. Cause you never get to just!! walk with her and talk in botw!! She's SUCH a nerd I loved her info dumping on the ruins. At the same time I was like "girl please stop walking into the ominous red fog I can hear the chanting in the background getting louder ZELDA PLEASE" and the bit where you have to choose to keep going? It's like the game is giving you a false out, like the following events are your fault because you chose to walk forward and investigate

And then there was the craziness of MUMMYDORF being all like "mm pathetic. weak lil baby sword can't do anything lmao rauru was soooo dumb" and he can identify Link and Zelda on sight despite them being entirely new incarnations which I find very interesting

Then SHE FALLS AND LINK JUMPS AFTER HER AND HE DOESNT SAVE HER AND SHE DISAPPEARS AND AJHDJHDJSNKJAK

Also I got really sad about the master sword?? Fi girl I'm so sorry I promise I'll find a way to fix you :'( when you pick her up on the sky island and she's got 1 damage, less than a tree branch, I was just heartbroken. Though it does make me wonder, how much power has the master sword lost over the millennia, for it to be corrupted so thoroughly by Ganondorf's magic?? Maybe we'll get a chance to get her up to full power later in the game? Maybe reforge her somehow?

On the sky island when I was running around, I was convinced I missed the shirt in the beginning. I got the leg wrap things but no weird toga to go with it?? Straight up thought I somehow missed it even though I practically combed every area I walked through lol. My friend was playing with me and he made it their mission to find the shirt HAHA

The new mechanics/powers are so much fun!! After I got ascend, I kept forgetting I had it at first when I got stuck in underground places, and would wander around looking for a ladder or a climbable wall before I would be like "oh yeah I have ascend" lol. Fuse has been really cool! I love using extra long spears, they're so convenient for tough monsters cause I'm still Very Squishy. OH speaking of, I love that the opening addresses why you're back down to three hearts and a single stamina wheel!! once again, link has Almost Perished. But at least he has a sickass prosthetic from a dead guy!

Ultrahand is SO fun, I made myself a little jet when I was exploring the underground of hyrule with some fans, a 'wing' glider thing, and a ramp made of stone walls. It didn't go too terribly far BUT it got me over the Ganon Gunk I was trying to get past, so it was a success in my book!!

Recall is my favorite. I don't use it much yet but zelda gave it to me. So it Must be my favorite. It was a gift from my beloved.

Some other notes on getting back to the surface of hyrule:

PURAH IS FINALLY AN ADULT I'm glad your anti-anti-aging rune worked out for you girl

How long has it been since botw?? Also, how long were Zelda and Link missing??? Long enough for people to have named the Upheaval, and to organize groups for research and combat around it. How long was Link out in that sky cave?? How long did it take for Rauru to heal him/give him his arm??? Not years obviously, but maybe a few days?? Weeks??

Met a rito named Penn, I already know people are gonna be weirdly thirsty about him

The little Korok buddies needing to reach their friends is just. SO cute. Two for one korok seed deal also

Addison, the guy putting up signs for Hudson's construction business, is amazing. I help him with his sign and he's like "THANK YOU TAKE MY MONEY TAKE MY FOOD TAKE MY WIFE TAKE MY CAR I CAN NEVER REPAY YOU FOR THIS". and he does that every time. incredible

I'm still exploring in hateno but. guys. Links house. Zelda LIVES there and there is STILL ONLY ONE BED. I rest my case.

Also the school??? Zelda, who dedicated her life to her duty but had a love of learning, making her duty of restoring hyrule by starting with building a school and being a teacher??? The students call her Ms. Zelda??? brb crying. sobbing my eyes out. good lord.

Also Bolson built the school, but then he left to go on a trip??? Construction grandpa i need you here!!! don't leave!!! But also maybe it's good that you left. I don't want you to be here for the Ganondorf Revival. stay safe king

My horses from my last botw save file are here!! Good to have you guys back :') they don't have their cool armor but I guess I'll just find those sets again :) perhaps new ones also?? (I'm kinda sad I don't have the original save file from my first playthrough; I've replayed a few times but my first playthrough was the one I did all the side quests on, and it had my first really good horse, which was named Mürdur. He was all black, had 5 stars in speed, and was awesome. I fought my first dark beast ganon with him. Maybe I'll look for a similar horse here in totk...)

Horseback combat is AMAZING. I had to fight a huge group of monsters to get through fort hateno and I am still Very Squishy with only 4 hearts and no extra stamina, but I hopped on one of my old botw horses and just did a bunch of ride-by whacks on the monsters and eventually got them all! thank you horseback combat for the bonus damage. god bless

Kinda sad to see all the ancient sheikah tech gone :( I wonder if they'll address where it all went? Did you guys just... re bury it?? Did everything get sucked back into the ground??? Where's the OG sheikah slate?? Obviously we can't have it because then we would have access to the botw runes, which isn't what this game is about, but still!! I like the Purah Pad but I would like to know where it went!

Cave exploration is Very Fun and Underground exploration is terrifying in the best way possible. I found a glow in the dark shirt while I was down there and it has become my default armor piece to wear.

Speaking of armor, Misko the famous treasure hunter being referred to exclusively with they/them pronouns? excellent

Also how did this ancient treasure hunter get their hands on my clothes. those are my outfits homie I had them in the last game.

I haven't gotten to the main bits of the story yet, but the game seems to be pushing me to go to the rito first, so I think that's where I'll go after I finished exploring Hateno

Apparently Impa is just. Out there somewhere? On a hot air balloon??? I saw Cado earlier and he was like "Link you're back!! Impa is floating around out there :)" GIRL WHAT. WHERE.

I need to go check on Teba. why is your son in the trailer but not you. Also Yunobo, cause I didn't see him either

[oathofpromises]

“ You got betrayed by someone you trusted. ” for Nimona from Bal 🙏💕

Although accurate, Nimona's eyes narrowed at Ballister's assertion because it wasn't something she enjoyed discussing. The shapeshifter took a minute to put her head on her knees. Normally, Nimona would refuse to reveal such things but he was the only one who truly deserved to hear the truth. Up until this time, Ballister had adhered to all of Nimona's eccentric ideas. The only person who never disapproved of her for being this way. Everyone else had treated her like...a Monster.

"It was just another ordinary day while I was flying around when I saw a small girl throwing pebbles into a bucket. If people found out the truth about me, I knew they would treat me differently. Even at a young age, children are instructed to …drive a sword through the heart of any monster that threatens them...They perceived any creature they failed to understand being a danger to their way of life. I'm not even awful; I'm just different, and they despise me for it."

Nimona winced; despite the fact that she detested the name, it was the only way that people would ever refer to her as she grew older. It made no difference how kind she was or how far Nimona would go. All they saw was the shape-shifter, not a young child making an effort to take on the persona with which she was most at ease. The girl paused for a moment and then did her best to explain her background. She gave off the impression of tremendous energy, but it was only a facade designed to conceal how exhausting it was for her to pretend to be someone she wasn't.

"I never asked to be this way, to be seen as a monster. It's why I've been looking for you. Someone who was unfairly judged.I know I said I wanted to be your sidekick, and I really do, but…it gets lonely. When people see you as a villain, that’s all they will ever see. I know I get so excited cause chaos but, it's just a way to focus the hurt I feel."

Nimona avoided talking about her past since she felt like it only made the pain worse. It even made the little girl ponder letting the people thrust that sword through her chest, but now wasn't the time to think about that. The pink-haired shape shifter leapt up and went to the 'not murder' wall, shaking her head. Reaching up, she let her hand rest on a photograph of her and Ballister.

"I know how it feels to be betrayed, especially by individuals you consider friends…I know you aren't a bad guy, but sometimes I just wanted someone else to understand how I've been treated for so long. When people look at me, the only thing they see is a villain. They never take the time to get to know me."

Perhaps being betrayed by someone she believed was a friend caused Nimona to remove herself from people. After all, even Ballister was taken aback by her abilities, which she couldn't blame them for. There were just a few moments she needed to transform, and if she didn't, she would perish. She returned to Ballister after grabbing the photograph.

"So..I understand how it feels to be betrayed by someone you trusted. To experience moments of pure joy only to have them shattered by a tragic turn of events. I know you and the golden knight were close, based on how you behaved with him. He is the one…" Nimona came to a halt as she looked at Ballister's mechanical arm. It wasn't a memory either of them wanted to revisit, but she needed him to know that someone actually understood how difficult it was to be called a bad guy.

“BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME BOSS! LET’S GO DESTROY SOME STUFF! THAT ALWAYS SOOTHES THE SOUL!”

There Nimona goes again, trying her best to avoid any further talk about her past. Hopefully it would work, but deep down she knew Ballister was observant.

[masterwords]

From the fan fic ask thing

B

F

G

H

I

Hi there!

B: Any of your stories inspired by personal experience? // Not entire stories, but little moments in stories will often have personal experiences thrown in. Especially when I involve someone like Jessica Brooks, or Sean Hotchner, someone who isn't really fleshed out in the show I'll give them little personal things to round them out sometimes.

F: Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it. // Dialogue. Man, that's a hard one! I went through a few because I think I usually like my dialogue between Hotch & Sean the best and chose one snipped because it shows how much I think they love eachother even if they don't really know how to communicate all the time. This is from Once My Flame and Twice My Burn, a sort of add on fic to the episode "Ashes and Dust" from Season 2.

**

“Bad case?”

“Yeah,” he says, and somehow that's all Sean needs. He can hear the sink in the background spitting air bubbles from the pipes before giving him what he wants, and then the hiss of a percolator. It's barely midnight for him and Sean is sitting there at 3am making coffee. “I'm sorry for calling so late.”

“No, don't worry about it, I hadn't been asleep long anyway...you know how I am,” he lied. He'd had the night off, he'd actually gone to bed at a decent hour without so much as one beer, he'd been a responsible adult that night and look where that got him. None of it mattered if his brother was actually calling to talk to him like a person. Confide in him, even his strange silent confession. Aaron could hear the lie, the way he needed coffee to burn the sleep out of him. “Where are you?”

Aaron laughs. What he's about to admit is going to make him sound like he's lost his mind, and maybe he has. Maybe this job has finally pushed him beyond his limits. “Sitting on a street corner watching a fire,” he whispers. Sean rolls his eyes and pours the first of what would be many cups of coffee if he has to keep dragging conversation out of his brother. It isn't always like this, but the longer he stays with the BAU, the more walls he seems to put up.

“But you're not hurt? Not even a little?” Aaron will lie, his pain tolerance is high and his ability to hide in plain sight is staggering, frightening, he has to double check.

“No...” he said. “I'm...I don't know, Sean. I lost it tonight. I made it personal. And two of my colleagues saw that and tried to protect me from it, like I was a child. I know they did it because they care but that hardly excuses a lie.” Except that it did a couple of days prior, he'd decided that comfort and love could do exactly that when he lied to her. Let her believe her family hadn't perished before her. His own hypocrisy stung.

“Oh, so you're human, and you have people who care about your well-being...got it. I knew there had to be some really Earth shattering reason you were sitting on a street corner at midnight watching something burn...I guess the very recent and harrowing discovery of your humanity would be reason enough. Welcome to the world, Aaron. We've been waiting.”

“Shut up,” Aaron mumbles, coughing into his elbow. His lungs feel pinched and caustic, breathing burns.

**

G: Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order? // Oh...out of order in every possible way. Usually I get an idea that's more of an image I want to write, and then I try to see if I can build a story around it. I think the way I write would probably give a lot of people a headache. There is no focus here. I'm always surprised when a story is finished, honestly. And I'm constantly like "Oh...I didn't see that coming..." like it isn't me writing it? I don't know.

I answered H & I here! =)

Thank you for asking!

Wanna know some fanfic things?

[girlboss-enthusiast]

Girl boss culture is so stupid and you radfems are making it worse. You think you’re making women look so bad but it’s just toxic don’t come crying to men when it all backfires. There are many rumours and beliefs about mystical phenomena happening every time Constantinople was attacked. What I did not know is that apparently this is mentioned in Ottoman scripts as well. That’s certainly interesting. In any case, this is folklore at this point and I am not at all sure it is credible. I read there in the comments below the video someone saying that there must have been some sort of high voltage produced in the midst of the battle. Or maybe a lightning stroke the church for all we know. Surely it must have shocked medieval people but I believe there was some natural explanation for it or that in the heat of the moment people certainly made it out to be more otherworldly than it actually was. something abt fate's glamorization of historical figures (including giving them tits) seems so epic at first glance, then u skim thru their wikipedia page and they're like... *lives after the Great Schism of the Catholic and Orthodox church*, "which Council of ____ are we following?", *invaded by an empire that just disbanded 100 years ago*, political marriage and matchmaking is hard, "our city was terribly ransacked after the fourth crusade back in 1204, we can't ask help from the West!", *civil wars in neighboring states probably*, *Istanbul (Not Constantinople) by They might be giants playing in the background*, the Habsburgs family tree is dangerously getting close to being a vine, Margaret of Anjou GiRlbOsSinGggggg her way thru England, maybe another chapter of the Hundred Years War. constantine xi was like existing with by social and political forces of their time. sucks to be him though! imagine being a legit heir of capital R=Rome, only for the austrians to like rebrand themselves as the Holy Roman Empire which according to Voltaire is neither holy, nor Roman nor an Empire while u, the legit remnant of the glory that is Rome is shrinking with forces beyond your control. the city has fallen and you're still alive, you stand singular against the invaders. the glory that was Rome is in you and you'll perish with it. On right there is the antithesis, Dracula, on a background of blood-red. A simple stylized city is shown behind the theatrically dark-clad Dracula, and a many-tailed dragon roars before his feet. In this way he is presented as the saint of death, as the Dragon is a mythical being most closely associated with evil and destruction. In the Biblical book of Revelation, a seven-headed dragon appears in sky, being one of the heralds of the End Times. ‘The Christian dead totalled about four thousand, many more were wounded, and tens of thousands were taken prisoner. Blood flowed in the streets of Constantinople, encircling the cobblestones like red mortar. Some of the bodies were thrown into the Dardanelles, where they "floated out to sea like melons in a canal". Others were piled up as there had been no time to bury them; the stench was terrible, but even more terrible was the task of identifying the bodies of friends and relatives, because many had been beheaded.’

Anon, why did you send this to me when I've already reblogged it from someone else :( you didn't even change anything

[gazrgaley]

Manifestation of a Monster(chapter 35)

As they strolled along, walking cane at hand. Milo continued to despise the passing automobiles. Once he wasn't in such excruciating agony, though, they didn't seem quite so terrifying. Despite not fully understanding the intricate details, their intended purpose was more obvious now. Yet another way humans found to make commuting much faster. However, he nevertheless kept a safe distance from them by walking as close as possible to the building's walls. Grendel, on the other hand, didn't appear to pay any attention to them. He crossed the street without looking many times and narrowly avoided being struck.

But all of that was background noise to what was really on his mind. He fished around in his pocket for the bottle of pills Richard had given him. Undoubtedly, they were useful. But this was odd in its own way. Kaw-Sekhmu were immune to the effects of anything a person might eat or drink. They could only take in nutrients that had already been eaten and absorbed into the bloodstream of another living creature, preferably a human. They didn't have a bloody flavour, but his recent consumption of blood had left him with an uneasy feeling. The aftertaste was reminiscent of crude oil, natural gas, salt, cellulose, and coal. But that may have been an effect of his illness.

They moved along in relative silence. Milo rambled on mindlessly in an effort to divert his attention. Asking, "Who was the woman on your phone?" He didn't give a damn but was hoping to divert his mind from the things he feared. Knowing Grendel, he assumed she wasn't anyone of importance.

When questioned, Grendel simply shrugged. "No one," he said, taking an increasing interest in the street signs.

There was something off about his answer. He often did have extensive conversations with his potential victims. Giving them one last taste of what he considered a good time before they perished. He would get them high on whatever popular mind-altering chemical was in fashion at the time before feeding on them.

But it seemed like a step too far to pose for a photo with his victims. Though technology has evolved, the etiquette of not being too forthright about your familiarity with the deceased remained the same. Although Grendel was a bit of a slob, he wasn't completely thoughtless. But Grendel did something unexpected when Milo voiced his concerns.

Grendel whirled around abruptly. "Milo, cars aren't that fucking terrifying. Get over it." They both stood in silence. It was uncommon for Grendel to be short with anyone, especially toward Milo. Grendel's jaw hung open for a second as if he couldn't believe the words were actually coming out of his mouth. A moment later he turned as if nothing happened. Pointing down the street. "Maybe two more blocks, south of here, I believe."

They went into the building and up the stairs without exchanging a word. A number and the physician's name were written on a little placard and hung on the door. "Are you sure this is the right place?" Grendel asked.

There was a brief moment when Milo looked in his direction. We were following your directions, this better be the place, he wanted to say. "That's what Richard called him." He murmured as he pushed open the door.

The two were welcomed by a dim interior as Milo tentatively knocked on the smoke-covered window. An instant later, a woman with a harsh expression pushed it open. Her blond hair was tied up in a careless bun. She looked at them both with suspicion, as if the pair of them were a pariah. Her skeletal index finger curved around the glass and pointed at the handwritten sign. "Every day, from noon to 1:00 p.m., our offices are closed for lunch." Her voice was harsh and empty as if she repeated this line over and over. "You can take a seat over there if you have an appointment." She indicated a nook with three seats and a magazine-covered table.

"I need to talk with Dr. Constantine, but I do not have an appointment." Milo started to say. "As soon as you finish lunch, that is. We can wait." He quickly added as he took in the woman's disapproval.

"You'll have to schedule a meeting." She hastily presented a card to him. Make an appointment by calling this number, and then coming back. Milo shuffled the business card in his palm and studied it curiously.

"Why can't he just see Milo now?" Grendel asked as he pushed passed Milo to confront the woman directly.

Milo was going to respond, to tell her he was willing to jump over their meaningless hurdles. He may have even been kind about it. When Dr. Constantine strolled by the window. With a quick glance, he halted what he was doing as his face drained of all colour. Nearly dropping his clipboard as he composed himself. Soon after, he joined the pair in the lobby.

"I'm very sorry, you don't need an appointment." He looked at the receptionist in a peculiar way. "These are associates of Richards. Assuming that either of these gentlemen enters for whatever reason. I need to know immediately." Suddenly, she turned her gaze to the two of them with interest. Giving them a simple nod and then cautiously sliding the window shut she disappeared.

"My sincerest apologies for this. For obvious reasons, we can't just let anyone in." He drifted off, refusing to look either in the eye. "Considering you are friends with Richard, you are welcome to come whenever you feel fit. For whatever reason. I feel like I can tru truuu truust you." He said with an unconvincing smile.

Milo and Grendel glanced at each other briefly. This certainly was a novel concept. Most of Richard's leverage came from being connected to the two of them. It was surely a strange feeling knowing he now had this power over both of them.

As Milo followed, Grendel was left behind with the magazines. "Why did you decide to come in today?" He asked as he led Milo into one of the back rooms. The room was dreary and reminiscent of the morgue where he had awakened. Perhaps stainless steel had become the standard. "Have your symptoms gotten worse?" He spoke his question with worry and apprehension mixed in.

Milo paused for a moment as he pulled the pills from his pocket. "No. In fact, I have been feeling much better because of these pills you gave me."

The physician looked at him with bewilderment. "What are these tablets, I've-" He examined the bottle more closely. "Who gave these to you?"

"Then it wasn't you, as Richard said, was it?" Milo Asked. Why would Richard want to tell a lie? At that moment he knew something wasn't right.

As he shook his head, the doctor expressed his disapproval. "Your lab results haven't even been run yet. I wouldn't count on them to arrive till tomorrow." He looked at the tag closely. "I wouldn't have prescribed anything to you yet."

"Should I stop taking them?"

"I guess this could work." Dr Constantine considered the tablets as he spoke. "The Netopuri are my primary clients. A great number of the younger ones used this as an alternative to feeding on humans. It uses synthetic blood created in a laboratory. As far as the Kaw-Sekhmu, I can only speak from what little limited experience I do have but I see no reason why this can't be effective for you as well."

This went against everything he knew to be true. To stay alive, he would need authentic human blood. He wanted to shout at the doctor. But the anger passed as fast as it came. It hadn't been the man's fault he knew little about the ones that were closes to the source, Such as himself.

For the Netopuri, this may be an ideal answer. But for the more ancient Kaw-Sekhum, this would have not benefited them. This would not be the answer he was looking for. Certainly not permanently. They may use it as a filler. His very survival and extended lifespan depended on draining the vitality and power of human beings.

But he was unable to tell the man any of this. There were numerous things he had kept secret from his people throughout the years. As an outsider, He would have to keep even more from him. Even if he were a medical professional, he couldn't chance it. There was a great deal more to lose than gain. He took the tablets begrudgingly but otherwise seemed unconcerned.

"Was there anything else?" Dr Constanine inquired as he shuffled awkwardly from one foot to the other. Milo could barely manage a head movement in response. "When the results of the blood test come back, I'll give you a call. You're good to keep consuming them." Pointing at the bottle. "In a few days, we can have a more in-depth discussion regarding our future steps."

Milo didn't think there was any way this doctor could be of any use. Moreover, he was confident that the Pills wouldn't help. When he returned to the lobby he was greated by Grendel interlocking the pages of all the magazines. And somehow finding comfort in his strange behaviour. At least he seemed like he wasn't suffering from whatever ailed Milo.

[luvring]

— husband!cove hcs

note from nia: kinda short but the wedding dlc was very good and i am very sad

waking up and he says "good morning, spouse" with a grin on his face

he gets very excited and giddy introducing you to new people as his spouse now. the same thing happens when you introduce him as yours, everybody watches his face light up and they think it's super sweet

if you chose any of the options that didn't keep both of your last names, the first few times he gets to write or type out your new names he can't help but smile a little. tbh even if you did keep both of your respective last names he'd still grin because he'd remember you're married

as soon as you get your wedding photos back he's sprinting to tell you so you can look at them together. he loves all of them but he picks out his favourites that he knows he wants on your wall

he tells his fish about your wedding . like unironically will tell your fish that you're married. i'm sure they're very excited

he plays with his wedding band when he's anxious. he plays with yours when you're around and he's anxious

if you wrote your vows down somewhere he'd ask to see the script. he is kicking his feet giggling and crying a little. makes sure they're kept somewhere safe

taking a photo with cove while you're in your wedding outfits to make your phone backgrounds i hope i perish

whenever a song that you had at your wedding plays he looks over at you with a knowing grin. depending on where you are he'll playfully ask if you'd like to dance

would visit the bakery you guys went to for your cake so he could finally get a look at all the things he stopped himself from running to. may or may not ask for the flavours you picked for your wedding just so he can experience it again

you know when little kids say things without a filter. like all the time. i'm imagining a kid seeing you together and being like "are you two Dating? is that guy your Boyfriend?" and he blinks before going "actually i'm their Husband" and grins in success when the kid goes "WOAH"

whenever someone congratulates him on the wedding it makes his Entire day and makes sure they know that he's the lucky one. and good luck to anyone who asks anything else because he will unapologetically go into how everything went and how much he loves you and why and

on anniversaries of your wedding (they slow down from like,, weekly to monthly) he makes sure to remind you and do something special, whether its breakfast in bed or a date or whatever else

sometimes it hits him all over again that you're married and you want to be with him the rest of your life the same way he wants to be with you. he comes up to you with tears in his eyes before hugging you even though it's a random tuesday evening . when you ask what's wrong you get a muffled sob and "i love you so much" into your shirt

Basically Literally Canon but anytime somebody teases him about being completely in love with you he flushes but when he looks over all he can do is smile. because yeah he is, why wouldn't he be when you're so incredible?

[brotheralyosha]

In the book, you recounted how the writer Susan Sontag was "cancelled" for a post-9/11 New Yorker essay in which she argued that the attacks were politically motivated as a reaction to US foreign policy — and that it wasn't because the terrorists "hated us for our freedoms." Why was that a significant moment in the immediate aftermath of 9/11?

The point of canceling Sontag was to make sure that others didn't rally to that cause. The point of canceling Sontag was making sure the connection between 9/11 and US foreign policy was considered a toxic, scandalous, victim-blaming thing to discuss. And it had the effect of really scaring people in the mainstream discourse away from making this really vital connection that the more the United States tries to violently dominate the Muslim world, the more a violent response is going to happen as a result.

That's not remotely the same thing as blaming the 3,000 Americans who Al-Qaeda murdered on 9/11. But cancelling Sontag collapsed that distinction, and removed it from respectable discourse. Once that is accomplished, without a historical or material analysis of what led to 9/11, the foreign policy response could proceed unimpeded down a very violent path.

As you note in the book, the rock band The Strokes — who were never bigger than right at the moment in 2001 — had to remove the song "New York City Cops" from their debut album because of the line "New York City Cops, they ain't too smart." And then there was Bush's press secretary Ari Fleischer's disturbingly cryptic comment that Americans "need to watch what they say." People talk a lot about how 9/11 was a moment of great tragedy that ultimately united us. That it was a good moment. But there was a real air of menace about what was or was not ok to say.

First off, I ride for "New York City Cops." That is the best Strokes song. I got an advance copy of the record while working at my college paper. I remember listening and saying, "This one's good. And this song is good. But this song is amazing." And that was "New York City Cops." And then when the record finally comes out, it's not there.

This was barely two years after the NYPD murder of Amadou Diallo with 41 shots in his own vestibule for holding up a wallet. Suddenly, you could not talk about that anymore. You couldn't portray people in uniform as anything but the most selfless of heroes. It was very conspicuous to me how that narrative was promulgated by the people who very likely have the least actual contact with people in uniform.

9/11 was a cancel culture, as we would understand it today. It was extremely censorious, especially in a way that fed into nativism, to sort out real Americans from conditional Americans. After 9/11, a still unknown number of Muslims, immigrants, people from majority Muslim countries, and people presumed to be Muslim from New York and New Jersey were shuffled into the Metropolitan Corrections Center in Sunset Park and effectively disappeared for long periods of time.

People had to flee their neighborhoods out of fear of deportation or fear of arrest. These were people who had come to America seeking not just safety, but seeking prosperity and seeking freedom. Basically, people who came to America seeking what America tells you it is on the package. And they learned quite quickly who the so-called national unity was directed against.

In the book, you recount in great detail the "Ground Zero Mosque" episode from 2010 — where bad faith actors shut down plans for a community center that wasn't a mosque and wasn't at Ground Zero. Why was it an important episode in War on Terror culture?

A critical aspect of this is that the War on Terror had been going terribly, particularly the Iraq War. And there was a cognitive dissonance on the nativist right, whereby its American exceptionalism was glitching over the fact that people that they considered little better than subhuman were able to frustrate the United States' grand military ambitions. Accordingly, [the right] went seeking enemies they could beat far closer to home.

And one of the ways they had always been successful since the start of the 9/11 era was to constrain the space for American Muslims to feel free and to meaningfully contribute to civic life. And nowhere did this crystallize more intensely than over this community center that these very bourgeois people tried to create in Manhattan. It was basically a Muslim version of the 92nd Street Y, which is a Jewish space in New York City, but its Jewishness is a background aspect of it compared to what it offers the intellectual life of the city.

It was the right and, we also have to confront it, 9/11 survivors and the relatives of those who perished. They had been so misled by the 9/11 era and by the political and journalistic discourse about who was truly responsible for 9/11. [It was depicted as] the equivalent of Mehmed the Conqueror transforming Hagia Sophia into a mosque after his conquest of Constantinople. They called this proposed community center a "victory mosque."

It was of course, no such thing. But the point wasn't to accurately reflect what this thing was. The point was an assertion of dominance and to constrain the space for Muslims to exist safely and freely in the United States. There was an intensity to the response, and it entirely intimidated all of the so-called liberal allies of the project in the city, from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to the city council to mainstream Democratic politicians like Harry Reed — who was the Senate Democratic leader at the time and said that the mosque ought to move. He was aligned in that view with Donald Trump.

I've come to believe this was a moment that flipped a switch. In retrospect, I think that's where a Trump-like figure becomes inevitable.

[indianamoonshine]

Strawberry | Chapter 12 | Flames

Summary: Will joins the family dinner. The night can hide many things.

Rating: (+18) for…situations.

A/N: I'm SO SORRY for the long hiatus. Please accept this peace offering (jealous!Din) as a token of my gratitude.

TAG LIST: @t3a-bag @lumimon47 @dodgerandevans @hallway5 @dancingwiththeplanets @steeevienicks @orneryscandallousandevil @ficthots @gaiusfrakkinbaltar @reginagina-blog1 @loveme-tenderly @lastphoenixrising @rattlemyb0nes @rebellou @alljusthumans @gaiuswrites @lovecatsnotpeople

The symposium of a midwestern dinner sounds a lot like Bach's work.

Difficult notes with high to reach places and then very low caverns just a moment later. The cicadas in the background are a nice touch; it's something Tchaikovsky might have wished he could capture. Silverware - old enough to be considered vintage now - clank against the porcelain dinner plates. Charlotte lets out her fae-like laughter and Rhea listens intently, eyes gazing dreamily upon Tommy as he carries on conversation. The house is full tonight.

You suppose it was out of the kindness of your father's heart to invite Will to this dinner. Everyone within a two mile radius usually came to these spur-of-the-moment things. Will was an old family friend and his father supplied yours with fresh goat's milk and chicken eggs, so it wasn't all that strange he came along. Still, it made the meal a bit more difficult to swallow. Quite literally.

Din is sitting directly across from you. You think it might have been intentional because Will chose to plop his happy ass right beside you, grinning that lopsided smile and charming his way out of the discomfort with a joke. You play the part by laughing when he tries to outwit everyone in the room or by asking him how the farm manages these days. Will isn't a cocky person by nature, but something about the rigidness of his composure when Din asks for the green beans makes you all too suspicious.

It doesn't make any sense. Will broke things off with you. If he were to be jealous, it wouldn't be for anything but pride and show. A year ago it would've bothered you that Will was cajoling the room for the sake of his vanity, but now it was just embarrassing for everyone involved.

"Din, do you remember the summer of '90?" your father asks across the table, clearly involved in another conversation that pertains to this anecdote.

The man across you hums and shakes his head with a reluctant grin. "I try not to," he fibs, cutting at his steak.

Your father chuckles. "I was nineteen and Din was..." he pauses. "Jeez, Din. How old were ya?"

"Seventeen."

"Ah, right! Rhea hadn't been born yet but Scarlett was pregnant with her by the end of the summer. That was our last free year, wasn't it? Well, mine anyway." You dad points his fork in Rhea's direction, a bit of steak dangling from its end. "And then you came along."

Rhea scoffs. "Well, geez. My bad for existing."

There's no darkness in either of their words so the exchange makes everyone at the table chuckle in good humor. Your father and Din go back and forth about the irresponsible and, well, illegal things that had been done that summer. Underage drinking. Trespassing. And somehow Din always got away with it.

"He never got us caught. Ever. I still don't know how you did it." Your father says to his friend, eyes wrinkling with a genuine smile. "Damn good thing too considering how much pot we smoked. It's a good thing my girls didn't get that rebellious streak."

A witty response is formed upon your lips but only until Will cuts you off.

"I don't know about that," he pipes in.

You're taken aback, quite literally tossing your head to gauge his interjection. "What?"

An indifferent silence hushes the dinner party. Your sisters chew their food carefully, eyes glued upon the scene before them like it was one of their soap operas. Your father awaits an explanation with a rather scandalized look upon his face, but Will's father - Clarence - doesn't seem at all fazed by any probability of illegal activity.

Will rolls his chin to serve you an exasperated look. "Oh, come on. We're adults now; we can come clean." He drenches his steak in more A1 sauce before revealing: "Your daughter was the one to egg the sheriff's house."

The entire room initially goes as silent as a graveyard before everyone chokes on a snort and begins to roar with laughter. Clarence slaps your father on the back as the two of them snicker like a pair of hyenas.

"Will!" you growl. "You said you'd take that to your deathbed!"

The pain in the ass beside you howls with laughter, holding his stomach, and having to pause from drinking his beer. "Daffi, it's fine. They can't do anything about it now."

"That's not the point!" you scowl.

Din is grinning from ear to ear, obviously amused by your humiliation. It was a childish thing to do but the sheriff was a dick in the worst way and you wanted him to know it. That was a hot summer - record breaking, actually - and by the time he'd woken, the egg had dried upon his lawn and across the face of his home. Ole' Sheriff Winslow scoured the town for weeks before finally abandoning his quest altogether.

"You got something to say, Mister Djarin?" you inquire playfully, scolding him with a fire in your eyes.

Din clears his throat and furrows his brows. "No, no. I wouldn't dare."

The two of you exchange a glance that was far too intimate for this dining room. His eyes softened upon meeting yours and his smirk was silly, drunk on something other than the beer in his hand. If it weren't for dear Will's additional reminiscence, you might've fallen under the spell lingering in the space between you.

"Yeah, that was a great summer. We had our first kiss that year, remember?"

You blink, all thoughts of Din's mouth upon yours fizzling away like steam. Instead, it is replaced with the frayed-edged memory of Will's rusted pick-up parked in the darkest corner of the local McDonalds. It was hardly a first kiss worth mentioning if it hadn't been for how good he was at it and how bad you were. Still: what the fuck?

You wanted to say just that but refrained from doing so. Instead you say, "Lots of awkward fumbling if I recall." It comes out sharp - petty. If he wanted to behave like a child, you could do it too.

Din's trying so desperately hard not to glare at Will. You can see it in the deliberate chug of his beer.

-

“What. The. Hell.”

“I know.”

“Wait,” Charlotte holds up a hand, expression dumbstruck. “I’m not done.”

You roll your eyes and scrub at a particularly stubborn dish, waiting for her dramatics to be over.

“…was that?” she finishes.

Rather anti-climactic.

“It’s Will,” you tell her, voice bored but teetering on the edge of fury. “It’s fucking Will. What do you expect?”

Charlotte shakes her head, eyes bulging with disbelief as she blinks over and over again as though trying to compute. She takes a dish from you, sopping wet, and begins to dry it with a rag. You know Charlotte is eager to gossip because she never - never - offers to help clean after supper.

Everyone else is carrying on from the awkward conversation by sitting at the bonfire and making pudgy-pies. It’s the kind of snack one eats when they need to forget about anything other than the impending weight gain. You watch from the window as Rhea slathers Nutella upon a piece of white bread and then some cut strawberries. Honestly, you could really go for one, but the idea of being anywhere near Will makes your skin crawl.

“Did he say anything to you? Before dinner? Or after? Like…why would he say something like that?” Charlotte carefully stacks the delicate plates atop each other. They clank against one another noisily.

Like cymbals within the symphony.

“Nope,” you tell her. “Not a word. I have no idea what’s gotten into him.”

Charlotte goes silent, rubbing at the plates until they’re dry as a bone, and then whispers, “He obviously knows.”

You square your jaw, glancing around to make sure no one is in the vicinity, and then let out a great sigh. “Yeah, I’m sure he does. I was all over Din at the bar.”

Your dear sister brightens at the mention of the night prior. She stops her drying and places her hands upon your shoulders so that you may look her in the eyes. You see mahogany. Deep. Rich. Full of life and excitement. In her eyes, it is proof that she’s a good spirit and in good health. (And…well, maybe a little tipsy, but that’s besides the point.)

“I like him. For you.” Is what she confesses. She places her hands upon your cheeks and squishes them together. You protest, taking her wrists and wrestling her, but giggling all the while. “I mean it. I think he adores you. And so do I.”

You nod in her grasp. “Okay, okay! I know, yes. I know!” you chuckle, breathless from the lack of air supply. She still has you in a chokehold. “Can you please let me go now?!”

Charlotte releases you from her trap and you gasp a throat-full of air, belly aching from laughter. The two of you embrace one another in a hug, attempting to lift the other, and then falling upon the linoleum - sore with serenity.

-

There is something stirring in Din.

It is a fire that has just been fanned from embers he sought to snuff out. But they hadn’t perished, despite how hard he had tried. The coals burned. He burned.

For you.

At the bar, Din ignored Will to the best of his ability; sort of like how one ignores an irritating bumblebee. Leave him be, Din had chanted. He’s harmless. After all, Din had years stacked against Will. How was it possible to be so insecure by this kid?

Because that’s essentially what he is, right? He’s so goddamned young; he looks as though he’s never taken a hit in his life. He’s too pretty, too put together. He’s firm skin and tight abs. And Din, well…

Din was not.

Din was old. He was well past forty years of age now, playing house with a woman over twenty years his senior. No matter how well he managed to keep the façade so believable, it would one day end in disaster - embarrassment. Heartache. And defeat. He can’t bear the thought.

It wasn’t like him. He’s never given a shit about anyone’s perception of him before, nevertheless mulled over the ex of a romantic interest. Not to say that Din’s ever felt the way he did with you; no one has even come close. Xian was his longest “situationship” and when it inevitably burst into flames, he didn’t bat an eye. (He wonders if that makes him a terrible person.) If his toxicity with Xian was worth anything, it was just a testament of his endurance.

But you. The world fucking blurs when you’re near.

So when Will - cocky as Din once was - utters unsolicited bullshit, it takes every ounce of dignity he has left to remain silent.

We had our first kiss that year, remember?

There is a primal urge to reach across the table and wring the smug expression from Will’s face, to grab you with an unfamiliar hunger, carry you across the acre, and toss you onto his bed and just…

No. That was brutish. He wasn’t like that. He couldn’t allow himself to feel possessive over you because you couldn’t be owned. He knew that. But that fire licked at his inner conscious until he had to excuse himself from dinner altogether.

The darkest parts of him pace during the bonfire, though he manages to sit still and interpret Will’s behavior. His youth glows betwixt the crazed flames, an ombré of red and orange dancing across everyone’s skin. Din watches, he listens, he notes every little thing like hunters do. Because for some reason - some ungodly, twisted reason - Din felt as though Will were a bounty now. It’s the only way he could feel superior.

“Daffodil!” Will calls out suddenly. “Get over here!”

The hinges in Din’s jaw pop as he clenches his teeth, grinding them so forcefully he thinks Rhea - who sits beside him - might hear. When you arrive from the house (he guessed you were cleaning up, just as you always do), he notes the skimpy length of your cotton shorts and…

Wait. Is that his shirt?

It is. It’s the very same shirt Din offered you after the rain debacle after the bar. It was one of his favorites despite how plain it was; just a grey t-shirt that fit snugly on him but dwarfed you entirely. It skimmed the top of your knees and pressed against the swell of your chest. That something within him growled once more.

“Come sit,” Will instructs, patting at his lap.

You hesitate. “I…”

Will chuckles, urging you with waggling fingers. “We’ve been like this since we were kids, Daffi. Come on.”

There’s a pathetic attempt to steady himself as Din watches you perch upon Will’s lap.

You’re wearing his shirt. You’re wearing his shirt. You’re wearing his shirt. You’re wearing his shirt…

The group chats a while longer, exchanging stories Din’s never heard, but none of it matters. You’re on another man’s lap. And despite Mark’s very obvious presence, he wants so badly to grip your wrist and run.

“I’ve seen you before,” Will says suddenly. He points a finger in Din’s direction, eyes a little hooded from drink. “Weren’t you at the bar a couple of nights ago?”

Those who partook in the rendezvous go silent. Rhea freezes and Charlotte blanches, looking towards their dear sister who’s pale in the face now. Mark, in his sheer oblivion, raises a brow. Din’s been in every intense situation imaginable, but something about now makes his gut churn.

He could loose you. Right now.

He’s about to lie, to make up some bullshit excuse about having ‘one of those faces’, but Rhea pipes in.

Her voice is strong and firm when she says, “What the hell are you talking about? He wasn’t there.”

Effortless. Shoulders sag, the tension subsiding thanks to Rhea’s impeccable skill.

“Strange. Swore I saw you with…” he shakes his head and shrugs. “Never mind.”

An artificial laugh - so sickly sweet that it’s almost impossible to digest - escapes your lips. “You must’ve drank too much. It wouldn’t be the first time.”

-

His kiss takes you by surprise.

You’re walking back to the house after the men have soiled the fire and everyone’s said their good nights when he just does it.

It’s covertly enough, but it’s shocking. A massive hand encircles your wrist and pulls you behind the shed out back, pressing you against the mossy wood and stealing the breath from your lungs. It’s the biggest risk the two of you have taken. For God’s sake, your father is just now walking inside the main house and Din’s mouth is attached to the hollow of your neck.

You’re dizzy, gripping his shoulders so tightly that the fabric of his shirt warps beneath your fingers. “Din,” you breathe out. He kisses you speechless again and you break for air. “Din, what’s the matter?”

He curses under his breath. It’s sharp. Fuck. It’s not angry, per say, but it is damaged. You weave your fingers through his hair as he settles his breathing, concentrating on the strings of your shorts that he fiddles with.

“I…” He sighs, pressing his nose against your cheek. His breath is warm and you shiver. “He touched you.”

He sounds ashamed. Embarrassed. You can’t imagine how difficult it must be to vocalize your self-doubt as someone who relishes in secrecy. He had a wall built around him and it was made of iron.

“Not like you,” you whisper shyly.

You had some walls of your own. He was tearing them down like that of Jericho.

There’s softness in the air. The two of you are silent, eyes closed, and mouths inches apart. Exchanging of breath. It’s an ancient form of intimacy.

You trust him. You trust him with your life.

His hand feels natural in your own as you lift it to your breast. The trembling of his fingers is almost endearing; the man was far older than you and he still shook at the mere touch of a woman.

“No one can touch me like you.” Your hands glide south, pressing underneath the fabric covering the raw parts of you, until you stop at the band of your panties. “No one can.”

It’s all he needs to hear.

Soon after, he kisses you fiercely, but not without nodding in agreement. And that very hand, which grazes so deliciously at your belly, finally dips.

Sparks.