#and have complicated relationships with their emotions that they try to hide from others including their friends

[starstruckodysseys]

i do think that gertrude “and by the way, your grandfather was gay” dndrag and adaine “i think you’re gay, dude” abernant would get along. if only for this reason in particular

[reasonsmandy]

𝐄𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

⊱1.5k⊰ ⭐ 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧: Eddie has been dealing with a lot lately, and after getting his heart broken he goes in search of the only person in the world who brings him peace: you.

⊱2.4k⊰ 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞: Your brother's addiction to drugs made you more and more worried about him, you looked for a way to make him better, and in that moment of anguish the person who supported you the most was Eddie. And over time your relationship grew into something more.

⊱2.3k⊰ ⭐ 𝐈𝐟 𝐈 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞: Dealing with feelings is never easy, even more so when it comes to love. And when Eddie finds himself head over heels in love with his best friend, he doesn't know how to handle it.

⊱2.0k⊰ 𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞: You hated worrying others, and when you hurt yourself badly trying to make your front yard look better and hide it from Eddie, things don't go so well.

⊱2.2k⊰ ⭐ 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞: Your life in the acting business has been very stressful, but in one night Eddie makes you forget about it all.

↳ ⊱ 2.7k ⊰ ⭐ ² 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞: Eddie was enchanted by you ever since that night, and he would do anything to be by your side. Including playing detective with his best friend.

⊱2.4k⊰ ⭐ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐬: Your marriage was not being the best of things, the truth is that you fell into comfort and that love was slipping away. But at the same time that you felt rejected by your husband, a new love was born.

⊱1.2k⊰ 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞

⊱2.2k⊰ ⭐ 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞: The label's marketing strategies were in full swing, and one of the main ideas to leverage your career was a fake relationship with Daisy Jones and the six bassist, Eddie Roundtree.

⊱1.9k⊰ ⭐ 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞: You and Eddie had a complicated relationship, but love was there more than any other emotion, the hard part was that your misscommunication made everything lead to a big misunderstanding.

⊱2.0k⊰ 🔞 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐳𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐬: The tour had consumed both of you, and this weekend at the beach would be your time to forget the pressure and just enjoy each other.

⊱2.3k⊰ ⭐ 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬: Eddie had a back foot when it came to you, some disagreements between you made him think that you were spoiled and that you thought too much of yourself. However, that wasn't going to stop him from defending your name.

⊱3.6k⊰ ⭐ 𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐝𝐲: The secrets that the walls of Eddie's Chicago hotel room held have lived in your memories since that morning, the words you two uttered without thinking still reverberate in each other. And maybe that's why after so many years none of you have even touched on the subject, but years later a reunion would bring all of that to light.

⊱4.0k⊰ ⭐ 𝐋𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞: It was supposed to be just a hookup, but he became the father of your daughter and the love of your life.

⊱2.0k⊰ 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥: When the world seemed to be out of control, and everything around you seemed to fall apart. He was there to show you your value and the way you added not only to him but to the world.

⊱3.4k⊰ ⭐ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐲𝐬: You could easily say this was the night of your life, and he certainly made it that much more special.

⊱2.8k⊰ ⭐ 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐬 𝐀𝐧 𝐀𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲: This trip was everything you wanted after working so long, it would be the best days of your vacation for sure, but something was preventing Eddie from having the same experience.

⊱1.4k⊰ 𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬, 𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞: Even if you tried to fight it, being on the road wasn't always easy, especially when you ended up getting sick. But he would do anything to see you better.

⊱1.9k⊰ ⭐ 𝐀𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧: The band was growing, and with that, strategies on how to maintain this fame and use it to the band's advantage came. Which, unfortunately, became a hindrance to their relationship.

⊱1.5k⊰ ⭐ 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐞: During a record label festival you and Eddie get into a "conflict"

⊱3.2k⊰ ⭐ 𝐀 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫?: You and Eddie were a story in the making, which you were sure had been finished after the way you left. But now with your reunion, perhaps there is a reticence.

↳ ⊱ 3.5k ⊰ ⭐ ² 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞: Eddie was waiting for your response, and when it never came... A wall was built between you.

⊱3.2k⊰ ⭐ 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: a fic based on Silver Springs by fleetwood mac

⊱2.1k⊰ 𝐀𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐈'𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: you were in love, but things don't seem to work the way your heart wants

[silusvesuius]

Your Depiction of Ulfric is literal perfection. I’ve never seen anyone who sees him in a similar way to me, until I found your account last year. I fucking love miserable old man Ulfric who could never catch a break since the day he was born. Every major event in his life (he can’t even decide which one’s the worst) shaped him in the worst yet most interesting way possible. I can’t speak enough about him, his messed up self esteem clashing with his ego, his repressed emotions and sexuality, his shattered image of his own body and mind, the constant loud arguments between the voices in his head (mostly just him arguing with hallucinations) *I’m definitely not projecting here* his unstable mood, his flashbacks and his odd obsessions with random harmful patterns he associates with familiarity. Because to him familiar=safe even if he’s basically only familiar to a constant state of worry and feeling like he’s being targeted or hunted down.

None of this seems to be getting better, at least not in a notable speed. Yet they’re all existing within a strong and powerful man. It’s quite the combination, he’s being weighted down by all of that baggage but his back is too strong to bend. He appears as if he has nerves of steel from the outside, but really if anything is made of steel in his mind, it’s the vessel that he uses to bottle all of that trauma up.

I already had a vague idea of his complicated relationship (obviously) with Elenwen but your version literally felt like it opened my third eye. It is scrumptious and your art is so beautiful it depicts every essence of it all perfectly without even needing to include words. I fell in love with it at first sight.

dis answer is kinda long so i'm (crumpling it up and tossing it under the cut)

Omg wtf Thank you's 🥺🥺🥺💕💕💕💕 this is so well put together into words; i will do 9543 backflips for demented ulfric always. i've grown to like him in canon too cause he really has that, wouldn't even call it deceitful, weirdly-content personality.. but i don't think anyone in the writing room in sk*rim HQ knows how to write a character that has been through Anything, event of any kind, so he seems too 'perfect' for a person that has been through literal physical torture, to me, and his reactions to things that should be greatly upsetting are too mild. even though him being elenwen's victim is a piece of information that's easy to miss it seems like it also completely slipped out of the writing IOFDHDJFUIO LOL.. it all obviously adds up to him seeming more appealing as a fashie character to the audience, cus a visibly mentally unwell man wouldn't do it for most people, especially when you want to sway someone to be on his side of things.

i think it's quite smart for the st*rmcloaks to be presented as the more warm and welcoming types of people but ulfric should be the coldest of them all. Bro shouldn't even have the mental and physical capacity to seem Content with his life especially in that moment. he should be the type to use his civil war motivations as an excuse to stay alive if that makes sense, cause i don't think he really wants to live, but he has things to do to keep his mind and hands busy xchkvcjcvkl//

i also really love how ulfric only has galmar as someone he's really close to, it always seemed beyond genius to me, to write them like that, it's cute... he rly is the only person to suffer thru 4 hours of ulfric Peak psychosis monologue followed by 2 hours of trying to prove to him that th*lmor and imperial soldiers aren't hiding in the chests and under the beds of the palace LMFAOO galmar is the one guy who he can sob in front of and act like a little baby fishing for compliments and reassurance, and, not all that related to ulfric as a whole, but i strongly believe that having him be so vulnerable with galmar would make galmar really excited, it would make him feel good, like no other damsel in distress could deliver that feeling EVER. having such a seemingly-strong political figure rely on you Badly and madly would feel like something else entirely 💗 it's very off-putting and perhaps inappropriate of him to feel that way when ulfric is just searching for stability, but i think that even if ulfric knew galmar felt that way he wouldn't really gaf LOL. he'd turn to elenwen if there was no one else to go to cause he 'knows' her, and he'd torment elisif cause he 'knows' her as well.. but he would be completely closed off from making connections with other people 🏆

+ bonus; elenwen's feelings for him would border on everything at once, like, every type of relationship and connection that ever exists.. she really views him as the food she left over in the fridge and will get to eat when she's back from work as a reward

tl;dr him being scarier and more .. unkempt? from the outside would make him even cooler tbhs. he should become christian and develop religious OCD

[supernovasilence]

I'M GONNA CRY I JUST SPENT LIKE AN HOUR ON AN ASK AND TRIED TO SAVE IT AS A DRAFT LIKE A FOOL AND NOW IT'S GONE. It was anonymous too I can't even @ the asker ciar I hope you see this ToT

anyway the ask was "please talk more about 'their siblings are all the Pevensies have' " so I'll try to reconstruct what I had

Listen if there's anything I like in fiction it's siblings, and relationships that would probably be unhealthily codependant in real life but this is fiction so it's fine (or you push them that little bit farther into unhealthy and then you have a dark/tragic au, which can be fun too). So thinking about the Pevensies makes me go feral a bit.

Narnia, and her thrones, are a gift, and they're a burden.

The Pevensies gave up their home, their friends, their family, their old lives—even the memory of their old lives—to rule Narnia. And their old lives currently included being sent away into the country to shelter from a war, so they would have lost some of that anyway, and I'm certainly not saying finding Narnia was a bad thing. But it came with sacrifices, and out of all the things they lost, they still have each other. In all the magical, beautiful, wonderful, but strange things they have to learn, their siblings are familiar. Faced with sudden, terrifying responsibility, they can still be just kids, just Pete and Su and Ed and Lu, with each other. And then part of that responsibility is Peter and Susan being parents to Edmund and Lucy as well as siblings, and it's strange and it's familiar and everything gets complicated and messy but it all boils down to they love each other so much.

They're the only humans around. They're the only ones confused by the magical, medieval land they're in. Their friends and advisors do what they can, of course, but in the end the weight of running a country all comes down on four tiny pairs of shoulders; they're the only ones who know how that feels. They make friends, and friends that become like family, but in those early days the only people they've known more than a few days are their siblings. And they've known each other forever. They're the ones that know how to make Peter laugh when he works too hard or coax Susan into cruelly needed bravery and she's terrified or see past Edmund's angry outbursts to what's really bothering him or convince Lucy to be more responsible without telling her she's wrong for being young or emotional or wild. They know the in jokes, the favorite colors, the secret petty hates (Lucy doesn't like bugs, if you make Peter wear gray he won't be able to focus all day because all he can think about is how much he hates wearing gray), the little tricks to cheer each other up. They know how to soothe each other out of nightmares and the sort of places they hide when they want to cry.

And they're the only ones who understand how they can have the magical joy that is their new life and still be sad. They're the only ones who remember England, everything and everyone they knew there. Later, when Narnia has soothed their homesickness with cruel mercy, they're the only ones who know what it is to miss what you can no longer remember, who understand the ache that still gets into your gets into your dreams some nights, long after you know the words and the names to explain.

And then they go back.

Once again, they lose home; once again, their siblings are all they keep. Digory went to Narnia, but he knew her for a few days in her infancy. He doesn't know her castles, hasn't learned her dances, hasn't ridden for leagues through her forests or sailed her seas. He doesn't know what it's like to lose years of your life in an instant. He still remembers the names of months and how to use common household items. He wanted to come back, so he could embrace his mother and make her well. The Pevensies were thrown out without warning, and their mother is far away under bomb-filled skies. But they still have each other. Peter still tries to lead, stumbling, scared, and the others try to support him; Edmund struggles; Lucy runs wild; Susan is frightened. It's strange and it's familiar.

They return to Narnia; it's broken, changed, a thousand years too old. Of everyone the Pevensies knew in the Golden Age, their siblings are all they have left. No one else understands how strange it all is, so much the same but so different, how it feels to be a legend.

Alright this got much longer than I planned and there are two diverging rambles from here so. I'm gonna start with my thoughts on the Pevensies' dynamic in my preferred and-then-they-get-to-keep-Narnia-somehow headcanon, and below the read more will be my thoughts about canon.

They're allowed to stay this time, and rule alongside Caspian. All Narnia has assumed, of course, that the kings and queens of old would. Only the Pevensies know the relief the others feel. Only they understand the secret mistrust they feel, too, that Aslan's promise will be a lie. Some Narnians have utter faith in him, and would think such doubt inconceivable (especially from the four he fought alongside, and died for), or even blasphemous. Some would have preferred if Jadis came back, or are wary of authority altogether after so long under the Telmarines, but Aslan is a story to them, not seen for centuries. He was the Pevensies' friend. Their doubt is mingled with the taste of betrayal, and shame for feeling so.

The Pevensies rebuild Narnia once more, not from ice this time but iron chains. The work is familiar and it isn't; Narnia is the same and it isn't. All Narnia cheers when Cair Paravel is rebuilt, but the Pevensies are the only ones left alive who called it home.

If this is an au where the Pevensies simply never go back after PC, then they are once again the only ones who remember England, and the people they left behind. They aren't surprised when someone says "I'm homesick" while standing in their bedroom in Cair Paravel, know who their siblings are talking about when they ask "do you think they're doing okay? we'll be dead before they even know we're missing", understand how they can be living such a joyous life and still carry a little ember of sorrow in them all the time. If this is an au where the Pevensies still travel between the worlds, but with more time spent in Narnia and a guarantee to always return there, then they are the only ones who know how confusing that is, living two lives, and how hard it is, lying to your family about so much that's so important to you.

But their siblings are family too, and always there no matter the world, and as long as they have each other, the Pevensies can survive anything. Susan is famous for her beauty, and they all four laugh the day she gets her first silver hair, the first among any of them.

"The dear little friends are going senile now," Trumpkin mutters, in his grumbly, affectionate way, and Susan just laughs and says,

"Oh, I quite plan to,"

because Peter is giving her hand a squeeze while Edmund and Lucy beam, and she knows they all understand what this means. They are growing and greying and living, here, in Narnia. They have been and they will. They never got old enough to go grey, the first time round. And they will get very grey indeed, and very old, and they will have lots of friends and a large extended family, and lots of people will have lots of pieces of them. But, though those things get fewer, there will still be some things that only their siblings understand best, because they knew each other first.

(Honestly my base headcanon is actually the Pevensies as a set morphing somewhere along the way into the Pevensies + Caspian as a set, but the point is these siblings spend years being the only ones being each other's closest people and it shows.)

Alright now the acknowledging-canon-for-once option!

They leave again. Peter and Susan know it's forever. Edmund and Lucy now know there is a forever away from Narnia, waiting for them someday. They think of the Professor, who still dreams about the world he saw for a few days as a child. How comforting his stories had seemed before! How sad they seem now, a lifetime spent missing what you will never have again! The Pevensies go to stiff, unhappy boarding schools, and are surrounded by people who don't understand everything they have lost, everything they will lose.

Perhaps cruelest of all, they begin then to be ripped away from their one constant: each other. The Pevensies return to the train platform where they were waiting to catch two different trains: one to the boys' school and one to the girls'. Peter and Susan can't talk through their complicated knot of loss and relief and confusion, can't console each other or offer answers to the question of "what now?". Edmund and Lucy can't share their own relief, their anxiety. Lucy can't cheer Peter up or ask him if losing Narnia can really be okay. Susan can't toss away Edmund's fears with calm logic when he's loses his temper at bullies and fears he's slipping back into old ways, or listen to him tell her she's still brave and beautiful and important and safe even though everyone treats her as a child (a girl-child, at that) and the newspapers speak of war.

The ties binding them fray a little more, and a little more, and a little more. The next summer, Peter goes to study with the Professor. Their parents take Susan to America. Edmund and Lucy are sent to their aunt and uncle. They come back with tales of months at sea, of their friends Caspian and Reepicheep and Aslan. They are all Peter and Susan will ever get of Narnia again. Peter and Susan are the only ones who understand the pain Edmund and Lucy are now feeling, knowing they're never going back, the ones who teach them how to breathe through it until breathing no longer hurts.

It's not enough. Fray and fray and fray. Thread by thread. Susan works hard to live in this world Aslan told her to live in. What right has she to do otherwise? The other three cling to a duty handed to them by prophecy when they were children. What right have they to ignore that? They grow up. Three of them go to university or get jobs and probably move out. (Lucy did not. I'm trying to keep this neutral and not rant-about-how-much-I-hate- canon but I won't ignore that Lucy was seventeen when she died.) They drift apart.

Digory forms the "friends of Narnia". Peter, Edmund, and Lucy are united again, bound together by their shared experiences as they have ever been. It's not the same, Susan is not there, but it's enough.

(Extra painful fun fact! When I typed "Peter, " my phone suggested "susan" as the next word! I have typed "Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy" so often even my phone expects them to be a set! This is fine!)

The Last Battle, the train crash. Peter, Edmund, and Lucy die. Susan buries them, and there is no one left to understand all she is mourning. Her last link to a home she cannot bear to acknowledge aloud. The children she played with. The adults she saw them grow into. She knows what Lucy would look like grown, either because she still remembers Narnia and won't admit it or subconsciously somewhere inside her, but Lucy will never be twenty-three this time around.

Peter, Edmund, and Lucy wait in "true" Narnia. Again, they dwell in magical splendour, and ache in their dreams. This time, they remember who they are missing. Still, they are surrounded by joy, and time does not seem very important anymore, so overall they are happy. (It's not the same, Susan is not there, but it's enough.) Susan lives and learns and mourns and makes her peace and comes to Narnia in her own time, the only one of them to grow old and the last to grow ageless. It's easy to forget sorrow, in that place; when Susan embraces her siblings, the only ones who understand how badly she has missed them are them, because they have missed her just the same. But now they are complete again, and that's all that matters.

[wonda-fhr]

David and Ryder have had so many new experiences that they urgently need to process them. Time for a coffee together and a private chat.😏

--

Just a cup of coffee ☕

David and Ryder had made themselves comfortable on the grey leather sofa, the smell of fresh coffee mingling with the smoke from Ryder's cigarette. He was leaning on David's shoulder, the smoke swaying in psychedelic waves with the movements of his hand that accompanied his report. "Then I kind of snapped. I was sort of lost somewhere, and then I got way too rough. I'm sure I hurt him and felt so guilty. Why didn't this ever happen with you and me? It was so much easier between us."

Holding the hot coffee in one hand and resting the other on Ryder's shoulder, David gave him an understanding smile. "Because we knew our weaknesses and there was no pressure between us. No high demands to be the perfect partner for each other. We just had fun. That is more difficult in a relationship."

"So it's also different for you with Ric? I always get the feeling that the two of you manage the emotional stuff, including sex, more easily." Curious, he tilted his head back to see David's reaction.

"Maybe we're just practising more," he laughed. "I don't think it's as hard for me to let go of the reins as it is for you. Of course I was scared a lot at first, but I just trusted him. Which doesn't mean it's not complicated sometimes"

"It's complicated with you? Really?" He took a deep breath and sat up so as not to miss anything. "Tell me, I want to know everything."

The sudden attention on his face and the curiosity with which he looked at him brought a slight blush to David's cheeks. "OK, I can't get out of it now anyway. I like to play, but I've realised I can't stand my own games. I tied him to the back of the sofa here. It was a good day, I felt free, so I just did it. It was so much fun, we both enjoyed it."

"You did that? I didn't even know you had that kink, fascinating. That sounds like a 'but' though." He extinguished the cigarette and replaced it with his cup that was waiting on the table.

"Yes, there is one. Afterwards it occurred to me that he might have the idea that it's okay to change roles. For days I panicked that he might try it. I avoided him, even slept here alone again. But of course he realised something was wrong and confronted me." David held the cup in both hands, trying to hold back the tears that the reminder of that moment brought.

"You told him?"

"Yes. With lots of tears and shaking hands." The reddened eyes found Ryder's gaze with a caring smile. "It hurts sometimes to open up like this, but it helps. It helps him to understand me and it helps me to trust him more. It wouldn't be any different with you and Chen if you got out of the 'I'll just withdraw and pretend there's no problem' mode."

As if cut off from all strength, Ryder slumped back against the sofa and stared at the ceiling. The coffee sloshed menacingly in his cup. "I don't want to be his problem anymore."

"You're not a problem. You are just as traumatised as I am. He loves you and he should know what's going on inside you."

"He might as well just fuck me until I'm too exhausted to cry."

The deadpan statement made David laugh. "Believe me, you're going to enjoy it more when you don't feel like breaking down anymore. Just like when we were together." He took the cup from his friend's hand, put it back on the table and cuddled up to his chest.

Naturally, Ryders put his arm around his shoulder and squeezed him gently. "Fuck, you're right. What is happening to us, David? We're sitting here talking about the sex in our relationships instead of the best way to hide and survive."

"We still think about that way too much for my liking. It's nice to have alternative topics. And there are others who care about our safety now, it's not just us anymore."

"Still, we can't let our guard down. Vigilance is important."

"You sound like Ric. I'm happy for the little time-outs, I'll leave the extreme paranoia to you," David said with a grin.

Sighing, Ryder tousled his black curls. "Allow little time-outs, now you sound like Chen. We should swap them every now and then."

"Oh that's great, I'll go for a walk with Chen and Spoon and you and Ric can bang your heads together in front of his conspiracy board. Maybe you'll both be more relaxed afterwards and we can all have a nice evening together."

"If you're cooking, I'm in."

"Deal," David said with a grin, sitting up and planting a playful kiss on Ryder's nose.

----

Curious what they are referring to? To these three stories, but be careful, these are nsfw. Learning to love Running late After an excellent dinner

[semiweirdshipper]

I'd like to talk about Mr. grumpy sunglasses man and what my plans are with writing him in the future.

So I've done research and Wesker seems like a pretty cool bad guy. He's arrogant, precise, observant and smart, and easily adapts to complicated situations. Just think about what he'd be like as a loving husband? Kind of dreamy, right? But we'll get to the lovey details in a minute.

I read as much fanfiction as I could with Wesker and I wasn't able to find much besides smut- including quite a bit of rape- which is fine, you know, I respect people's decisions to write however they desire. It's just not what I'm looking for. We all know that I'm the world's slowest burner when it comes to building relationships in my stories. My sap is thick, people. And Wesker could be a wonderful bad guy to write as an emotional supporter.

I think Wesker is the type of person to set high standards and expectations. He probably sees most people as mere ants beneath his feet. It would take something particularly special to gain his interest. Lucky for him, all of my reader inserts have been special. In the Dead By Daylight world, his variety of potential interests' is significantly lessened, and he won't have as much freedom to reign. He will have to calm down is attitude and start getting along with people for his own sake. No killing people at random, Mr. Sunglasses.

Because of his high standards and arrogance, I think Wesker would most likely be interested in a real challenge. Say a reader who is uniquely skilled during trials, quiet, and tries to stay away from him. This reader is unlike the other survivors and has great work ethic, respect, and intelligence. In a way he feels rivaled. He might even try to tease and/or flirt with the reader, but it won't have any effect that he knows of.

Due to past trauma, this reader is greatly introverted and doesn't set their bar too high. They prefer to stay away from people and not get involved with drama. Perhaps they're a bit awkward due to communication issues? Imagining Wesker being interested in them sure was one heck of a fantasy. But why did he keep showing so much interest in them? Talking to the other survivors for advice will only get them humiliated and turned down. Back into hiding they go!

Wesker will begin to grow impatient and frustrated with the reader's lack of reactions, but he's not giving up. There was something special about them, something unique and juicy and he wanted to find out what. Along the way, breaking their shell, he'll begin to fall in love. And that love will guide him into providing the reader with the care they've always deserved. Let's rehearse their vows!

And that's my interpretation on how Mr. Grumpy sunglasses works in an emotional support relationship. I really hope to write more with him in the future. We'll see how everything works out.

[yastormfly]

So this is really late but I genuinely think that Chuuya would’ve been able to trick Fyodor and Dazai with contacts and fake fangs. It took some time for my ideas to marinate but here they are, mostly cause it feels satisfying getting my thoughts down

Probably the most likely reason is Fyodor’s lack of trust in anyone, and because he knows that he and Dazai think the same, he believes that Dazai won’t trust anyone and that no one would trust Dazai. Obviously he’s wrong because skk have a strong ( but complicated) relationship and have an insane amount of trust in each other and apparently will literally go overseas and dress up as a monster, pretending to be in the enemies team all to save the other. (I do think that this is Mori’s idea still and that Dazai had no idea but still, the point still stands)

I haven’t read stormbringer ( I want to tho) but I do know that in the Flags, there’s an actor friend who probably would’ve given chuuya tips on acting either for missions, maybe trying to trick Dazai or even charades or something. But anyway he would’ve likely gotten tips from him and one of the main things people do when acting is getting into character where they imagine how their character feels with their memories and descriptions of their character. Chuuya was playing an infected vampire, which I saw someone else describe as a mindless monster, and who else would know how a mindless monster acts better than chuuya (that sounds really mean, I don’t mean it but you get what I mean) during corruption he gives control over to arahabaki and dosent seem to be conscious himself, but I imagine he would know how it feels to be a monster and how to act like a convincing one because he’s been one multiple times before. This also plays into how deep Dazai and Chuuyas bond is because we all know that they both struggle with their humanity for various reasons, so how much does Chuuya really trust and care for Dazai if he’s willing to play a character who is exactly who he wants to deny he is.

I also like to think that Dazai didn’t even know he wasn’t a vampire until he saved him in the elevator because he played this so convincingly, granted he might have been suspicious from the start, but I think it only would’ve been confirmed after the elevator and Dazai just acted like he knew from the start to save his image

Chuuyas also just a good liar in general. Lots of people forget that (myself included from time to time) because it looks like he wears his heart on his sleeve all the time. But he did hide the fact the he was arahabaki from Dazai for a few days despite Dazai specifically looking for arahabaki. People overlook the fact that he might be lying because he acts so open and expressive but that actually just adds another defence to his lies as people don’t normally suspect him. Fyodor would probably have overlooked that just like Dazai did when he was 15 but because of the 7 (complicated) years they’ve known each other it’s another reason why Dazai might have been suspicious from the start. I don’t think he actually knew tho because that drowning scene was way to emotional for it to have been fake.

I’ve also noticed that smart people tend to overlook the simplest things, it happened with me and my friends a lot. Sometimes when we’re doing a difficult topic in maths we overlook the right answer and overcomplicate things because we’re used to it being hard, or in DnD we sometimes forget to simply check if a door is unlocked before looking for other ways out the room. So it’s quite possible that because Dazai and Fyodor were playing at such a high level of IQ and stuff, they thought that there’s no way someone would do something so obvious as cosplay. They’d think they’d be able to spot that coming a mile away so they don’t bother checking because they think they already have if that makes sense. But cause if Chuuyas good quality stuff and good acting, they don’t realise that he was fine the entire time. Sometimes simple tactics are better (I say that as if the entire mersult arc was simple)

Anyway, woah you made it to the bottom, it’s midnight and I have tests tomorrow so…

Have some sad Dazai I drew cause I love drawing sad people

Inspired from:

[silvfyre-writings]

I'm not crushing, yes you are (BSD Fanfic)

I bring, the final fic of my hoard because I can't resist myself so yeah, here you all go, some more Bramran!!!

Nothing but softness and cuteness here!

Enjoy!!!

Ranpo was crushing, and crushing hard.

The world had almost ended, and everyone at the Agency—including himself—had been injured in some way, shape, or form, and here he was, crushing on the enemy.

Well, former enemy, really, since in the end, Bram had helped them to win.

Not that that changed the way that the rest of Agency often stared at Bram like he was going to come for them in his sleep, a natural reaction considering everything that’d happened, but it was a stupid one all the same. As if Ranpo would just allow anyone to set foot into the Agency after everything—not that he’d really had a choice in the beginning, what with him taking an unexpected nap after the adrenaline had worn off, so he’d woken up to his newest ally sitting beside his bed with his head against his chest as he slept, and the friend that had allowed him to even have the time and space to plan to begin with, on the other.

That’d certainly been quite a sight to wake up to, but the moment that Poe had realised he was awake, he’d pulled Ranpo into his arms, muttering something about being glad that he’d survived and that his plan had worked, whilst also muttering apologies about needing to leave him to go and see how Fitzgerald was doing. Ranpo had been far too stunned at the display of affection to do anything other than nod—although he did recall that Fitzgerald had almost been killed in the chaos, so he couldn’t fault Poe for wanting to leave—since his mind still slow from waking up after sleeping for four days straight, and soon enough, it was just him and Bram left in the room.

Well, them and the several other occupants of Yosano’s infirmary, but Ranpo wasn’t focused on them in the slightest.

No, he was far too focused on the very attractive ability user—was it wrong to call Bram a vampire, if his ability turned people into vampires?—sitting by his bedside like he was a dying lover, which was a bit dramatic to say, and Ranpo wholeheartedly blamed the concussion for those thoughts to even be considered. Especially the part where he apparently thought Bram attractive.

It wasn’t like Ranpo had never experienced a crush before in his life, because he had, for a variety of reasons, whether it be attraction or appreciation, or some other reason. Emotions were complicated after all, and Ranpo often didn’t bother with trying to decipher them. Sometimes he looked at a person and thought them good looking—the guy from a rainy day over four years ago—and others he liked because he could get reactions from them that pleased him greatly; said reactions often varied from him getting punched—Minoura—to becoming tangled in someone’s sheets—also Minoura.

And then there was that one crush of appreciation that’d been Poe, because as one of the only people to be able to keep up with him intellectually, how could he not appreciate the man? Not that he’d ever acted on that crush or made it known, because first of all, Poe was nothing more than a friend, and second of all, the writer was already in a committed relationship with his boss, it was as simple as that.

So, yes, Ranpo was familiar with the feelings that came with a crush, and the worst part of having a crush on Bram of all people, was that the man was about as forthcoming with his thoughts as a rock—Ranpo truly felt like he’d been shouting at a wall when he’d been passionately negotiating with Bram—and that he was also as single as they came.

A terrible combination when combined with being attractive, really.

Ranpo had continued to watch Bram for a while, just studying the other now that he had the time to actually do so. Bram was slouching in the chair, his position causing his coat to ride up and hide the lower part of his face from view—not that Ranpo could see considering Bram’s head was currently pointed towards the ground in the first place. He was pale, and the scars on his cheeks stood out against the skin; Ranpo was sure that there was some kind of story, perhaps even a mystery, to those scars, and he wanted to unravel it. There were also the marks underneath Bram’s eyes that did nothing but make Bram even more attractive, and that was when Ranpo had to turn away, lest his feelings and thoughts became obvious to whoever it was that was about to walk into the room. And since Bram was sleeping, and still would be for some time, Ranpo thought it best that he do the same.

Maybe he was still tired, and that was why his thoughts had strayed down this path. Maybe they would go away if he just slept and ignored them.

Just maybe.

Unfortunately for Ranpo, after being cleared by Yosano to return to work, and finally leaving the infirmary behind after a week of bedrest, the feelings were there; in fact, they were almost stronger than before, and it absolutely did not help that Bram took to hanging around the office, not really doing anything other than entertain Aya, who had also turned to hanging around the office—more specifically, Kunikida—and to also sleep on one of the Agency couches.

Honestly, Ranpo was just a little impressed by how much Bram seemed to sleep, it was almost as if he were a cat.

Because right now, it was the middle of the day, and from his desk, Ranpo could see Bram, curled up on the couch, and asleep. And all he could think about was joining him there. Which was annoying, because he was supposed to be working—not that he could work much right now anyway—paperwork was more Kunikida’s thing, not his.

“You’re thinking hard.” Yosano’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and he turned to see her watching him with a faintly concerned look—she always wore such a look these days. “Hand. Is everything alright?”

Ranpo lifted his injured hand, and watched as Yosano began to unravel the bandages, waiting until they had dropped onto his desk to answer her question. “Everything’s fine. Just observing our newest decorative piece.”

Yosano’s eyes flitted over towards Bram, and he cursed her in that moment for understanding him so well, cursing her even more when her lips twitched into a knowing smile as she returned to checking his hand. “You certainly seem to have a type, that’s for sure.”

“I do not.”

“Tall? Dark? Mysterious? I can name so many people that have fallen under those categories, so don’t try and fool me into believing you don’t have a crush on someone that hits all three.”

There was nothing that he could say to that that wouldn’t just shove him straight into the hole that Yosano was digging underneath him, not that he needed to say anything because her laughter and his burning cheeks said more than words ever could. Really, he did hate how easily Yosano could read him; it made keeping his conflicted feelings from her all the more harder. Ranpo let out a huff. “I’m not crushing on him.”

“I’ll believe that when you stop staring at him like he’s going to disappear.” Yosano shrugged, returning her attention to his hand, prodding the slowly healing wound and watching Ranpo’s reaction to it, and after she’d satisfied herself, wrapped it in fresh bandages. “And before you even try to say you’re not, you are, it’s starting to become kind of obvious, so why don’t you just talk to him?”

Another huff. “I don’t know how to.”

“You’re telling me you can sweet talk people into your bed—”

“Please don’t word it like that.”

“—but you can’t go up to them and say hello?” Yosano continued, raising a brow in a very much unimpressed way that did nothing but make Ranpo turn away from his oldest friend, and mutter something under his breath. “What was that?”

Ranpo sighed and turned back to face her. “I said, that it’s a lot easier when your dick is involved.”

“You’re impossible sometimes. But I suppose we’d have you no other way.” Yosano reached out to ruffle his hair through his hat, ignoring his disgruntled groans of protest. Ranpo slapped her hands away, fixing up his hat where it had slipped down his face; Yosano just smiled. “Just take him with you next time you go and buy sweets or something. But I’d do something fast before Dazai notices and starts trying to play matchmaker again.”

Ranpo shuddered at the thought of Dazai trying to talk to Bram on his behalf, and was left with a terrible, coiling sensation in his gut. Jealousy, an ugly emotion that Ranpo wanted nothing to do with, yet couldn’t help but feel, because try as he might to deny it to his friends, he was crushing, and crushing bad. And since this feeling wasn’t going anywhere until he did something about it, he decided to take Yosano’s suggestion seriously; for once. “I’m going to get sweets.”

“Good luck.” Yosano waved as she disappeared back into the infirmary, and the few co-workers that had overheard her—not Dazai thankfully, because he and Kunikida were currently out on a case together with Atsushi—looked towards him quizzically. He narrowed his eyes at them, satisfied when they met his gaze, jumped, and jumped right back into their work.

Ranpo waited until they were completely focused before he stood and crept over towards the couches; he wasn’t sure if Bram was a light sleeper or not, and he was kind of holding out on him not being one, so he kept his steps light until he was standing over Bram’s head, staring down at the sleeping man’s face, studying how smooth it was, even in sleep. Not that Bram’s face was anything but, since he never seemed to wear kind of emotion other than a deadpan, making him very hard to read at times—and Ranpo prided himself on being able to read the people around him.

Of course, there were a persons eyes, but Brams eyes were as emotionless as his face and said eyes were currently staring right at him—wait a minute, staring? Ranpo blinked once, staring down at Bram in the same way that he was staring up. Neither of them said anything, not that Ranpo really knew what to say in the first place, not when his heart started to pound inside of his chest, threatening to escape. Was it too late for Ranpo to throw himself out the window and pretend he hadn’t just been watching someone sleep?

Apparently so, because Bram chose then to speak. “What do you want?”

“Who says I want anything?”

“Because I’m sure you don’t just stare at people while they sleep. Unless you do, then I might be inclined to call you a little strange.” Bram said before letting out a massive yawn—and boy, didn’t the sight of those fangs make Ranpo’s already pounding heart, pound even faster—before he sat up, and stretched.

Yeah, he had it bad this time.

Ranpo shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’m out of snacks, and no one else can take me to get more. So that’s your job now.”

Bram’s eyes narrowed a little, and only just a little, in annoyance. “My job? I don’t think so.”

“Wow, aren’t you cruel, letting the one who lets you sleep and laze about here starve because he ran out of snacks.” Ranpo threw himself over the arm of the couch, landing where Bram’s head had been resting earlier, his hair brushing the others thigh. The close proximity did nothing for his heart either, yet getting up now just wasn’t something that he wanted to do. Which was fine, because sitting here, like this, was actually quite nice.

At least, it was until Bram decided to pat Ranpo’s hair.

“They told me you were bad with directions; I did not think it was true.” Bram’s gaze looked towards the main area before his eyes flitted back to focus on Ranpo. “If you really need snacks that bad, I can take you, but later. First, you must rest.”

Ranpo blinked, and then blinked again. Where did that come from? “And why must I rest?”

“That doctor of yours was talking to you before, and then you came over here to where I was resting, so I gathered that she had told you to take a break.”

“That’s not—” Ranpo started, with the intention of clearing up the obvious misunderstanding, because he most certainly didn’t need to rest—Bram had literally been there when he’d been given the all clear to go back to work—but then he looked into the other mans eyes; eyes that so openly believed that what he’d observed was the truth, that Ranpo just sighed. “Yeah, yeah, I’m taking a break. Is that so bad of me to do? It’s hard work being a genius detective after all!”

The hand in his hair moved from petting to stroking, and Ranpo was forced to bite back a noise at how good it felt. For as long as he’d been alive, he’d been a sucker for his hair being played with, and many times he’d been likened to a cat by those who were privileged enough to be allowed to even touch his hair. Which of course meant that Bram was one of those people, not that the man knew it… yet.

Maybe when he woke up, he’d mention it, or he’d conveniently forget about it and these feelings of his.

Maybe…

Ranpo became aware at some point, realizing in just a second that he was no longer on the couch, and that he was being carried on someone’s back. Not Fukuzawa’s, it was too narrow, although he could hear his former guardian speaking quietly close by. An occasional hum that Ranpo could feel right in his ear would sound after each of Fukuzawa’s sentences, and the sound was familiar, although his brain was still working far too slow for him to deduce who it was that was carrying him.

But whoever it was that was carrying him was warm and strong, and Ranpo felt comfortable being where he was, enough that he shifted closer and allowed himself to drift off a little; he didn’t fall asleep entirely, because his curiosity was piqued, and he could never sleep when his mind started thinking like it did, so he just listened to words he was too tired to understand.

The last thing he remembered was being placed back into his own bed, and being tucked under the covers.

When Ranpo woke the next morning, he blinked, taking a moment to question how he’d gotten from the Agency couch to his bed, having forgotten that brief moment when he’d woken. He sat up, and blinked again when a coat that very much did not belong to him, fell off his shoulders. The coat was black, heavy, and warm—everything that Ranpo enjoyed in clothes that didn’t belong to him, although he was confused as to who the coat belonged to. It was familiar somehow, yet he couldn’t quite place where he recognised it from. Perhaps Fukuzawa would know. Ranpo crawled from his bed and bundled the coat into his arms before leaving his room behind, following the smell of cooking to the kitchen where Fukuzawa stood, cooking.

Even after years of being an adult, and for the most part, independent, Ranpo had never really considered the idea of moving into his own place. He had thought about it once or twice, after Yosano had moved out to be on her own, but never followed through with anything more. It was just easier for him to stay somewhere familiar, with someone that understood him and his habits, and Fukuzawa had never complained or tried to push him into leaving—if anything, he’d just given Ranpo a few more responsibilities and chores to do.

Which, for the most part, Ranpo did, so long as it meant he didn’t have to cook. He’d rather not burn the kitchen down, or poison someone after all, mainly himself.

“Morning, President.” Ranpo chirped, entering the room to slide into one of the chairs at the dining table.

“Good morning, Ranpo.” Fukuzawa looked over his shoulder, eyes immediately falling to the coat that he was holding. “Ah yes, Bram said you are more than welcome to return his coat when you next see each other.”

Ranpo blinked. The coat was Bram’s? How had that happened. The last thing Ranpo remembered was falling asleep on the Agency couch… the Agency couch that Bram had also been sitting on when he had fallen asleep. As Ranpo realised that, memories of the walk back trickled back, and he flushed a furious red as he recalled that Bram had been the one to carry him back home—he refused to believe that he’d been put to bed by the other man, instead choosing to believe that it’d been Fukuzawa to do so.

But then Fukuzawa chuckled, and any hope Ranpo had of his preferred option vanished, embarrassment taking over. Fukuzawa slid a plate of pancakes in front of him. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen that kind of expression on your face.”

“What expression?” Ranpo choked, not expecting Fukuzawa to say that of all things.

“That expression.” Fukuzawa sat opposite him with his own breakfast, a knowing, yet curious expression on his face. “Your ‘I have a crush’ face.”

Ranpo felt his face burn even more, which he hadn’t thought possible. He was starting to wish he’d never gotten out of bed that morning. “I do not have a face.”

Fukuzawa hummed, and smiled to himself.

“I don’t, okay?” Ranpo said again, sulking just a little. Why was everyone so annoying once they realised that he had a crush? Not that he was admitting that he did, because he didn’t, but the moment that they all thought he did, they were all in his business. It was annoying, and did nothing but frustrate him.

“I won’t press.” Fukuzawa said softly, as if he could sense Ranpo’s rapidly declining mood. “But if you do wish to pursue those feelings of yours, you won’t have any complaints from me. Bram is a very nice man.”

“Did you two bond on the walk home, then?” Ranpo shovelled the rest of his breakfast into his mouth, only glaring at the table a little.

Another hum from the older man. “We spoke, yes. Speaking of that—” Oh no. “—are you alright?”

Ranpo glared at his now empty plate. “Everything’s fine.”

“You slept the rest of your shift, and heavily too. I wasn’t able to wake you.” Fukuzawa said. “You wouldn’t let go of Bram either, so he offered to carry you so you could keep sleeping.”

Ranpo let his head thud against the table, not even attempting to hide his embarrassment this time. “Just put me out of my misery already.”

He listened as Fukuzawa stood, not saying anything until there were fingers running through his hair soothingly. “As embarrassed as you might feel right now, my advice to you is to just follow your heart, Ranpo. It might lead you to something good.”

Yeah, but what if it leads me to something bad, instead?

As it turned out, Bram wasn’t far; in fact, the vampire—Ranpo had decided by himself, that it was okay to call the other as such—was staying at the Agency dorms, sharing a dorm with that girl who migrated between Bram and Kunikida. Apparently, Bram had been staying there since the fight at the airport ended, aside from the days he’d spent by Ranpo’s bedside, and yet somehow, Ranpo had been completely unaware. A first for him, really, considering not much managed to slip by him in the first place, not that that mattered when he had to slink up the stairs to the dorms, Bram’s coat in hand, and Atsushi and Kunikida watching him after they paused their sparring session.

Yeah, like that wasn’t annoying.

Ranpo ignored them though as he finished climbing the stairs; didn’t even acknowledge them with a look as he walked down towards the room that Bram was staying in, and opened the door without knocking. Because Ranpo was a master detective, and didn’t need to knock. He walked into the dorm, noting quickly that it looked the same as the rest of them—one bedroom, one bathroom, and a living space—before he focused on trying to find Bram.

Which wasn’t hard to do, considering the man was sitting on the couch, staring at him whilst he ate some noodles—most likely the ramen from the store just down the street. Ranpo huffed and strode over, barely giving Bram enough time to shift over before he was throwing himself onto the couch as well. “You made me fall asleep.”

Bram didn’t respond until he’d finished chewing, and Ranpo couldn’t deny that he was staring at the other’s throat as he swallowed. “I did not make you do anything. You are the one that lay down and then fell asleep.”

“You were stroking my hair.”

“You did not complain.” Bram shrugged, and ate some more noodles. “Besides, you needed the rest anyway.”

Ranpo huffed, and drew his knees to his chest, the fur of Bram’s coat tickling his nose. “All I’ve done is rest—”

“No, all you’ve done is stress.” Bram interrupted, and then offered Ranpo the bowl without making eye contact. Ranpo didn’t say anything as he took the bowl into his hands and began to eat even though he’d just finished breakfast. He listened as Bram continued. “I kept watch over you and when you weren’t sleeping, you were stressing. Yesterday was the first day that you properly rested.”

Well at least Bram was admitting that he’d been keeping watch, but then again, in the short time they’d been in each other’s presence, Ranpo had easily deduced that Bram was the kind of person to be straightforward. A little roundabout with his speech patterns, but ultimately he’d speak his mind regardless of what the topic was, which was something that Ranpo could appreciate considering he was pretty much the same kind of person. But in this situation, it meant he could ask questions and get the actual answer instead of having to try and read between the lines of what someone was trying to tell him. He placed the bowl on the ground and turned to give Bram his attention.

“Why did you carry me home?”

Bram looked towards the ceiling, thoughtful. “You shifted in your sleep and latched onto my coat. You wouldn’t let go when Fukuzawa came to collect you, so I carried you. It was easier.”

“Why, though?” Ranpo pressed. He wanted to know why Bram hadn’t just pried his fingers from his coat and let Fukuzawa take him. Anyone else would’ve.

“You’re sleeping face is adorable.” Bram said, as if it was just a casual thing to admit, and before Ranpo could even think of a response, Bram went on. “I’ve been alive on this earth for some time now, so you should stop stressing so much about having a crush and finding me attractive.”

Ranpo choked on the words he’d been forming, face turning bright red like it had earlier that morning with Fukuzawa. “H—how—?”

Bram shrugged. “You learn after the first century or so what a crushing person looks like, and you are not subtle. I could feel you staring yesterday.”

Any words that Ranpo thought about speaking, flew from his mind immediately at Bram’s words. This must be how teenagers felt when their high school sweetheart admitted to knowing about their feelings the entire time. Not that Ranpo would actually know, since he’d never finished school—not in the way that normal children went to school and graduated of course. Fukuzawa had tried of course, but Ranpo had thrown a fit after the first week, so instead, Ranpo had finished his high school years with the help of online courses.

So maybe that was why Ranpo was experiencing such a situation now of all times.

The world had seen him almost die to try and save what he loved the most, and decided to give him a chance to catch up on all those things he’d missed out on after his parents had died.

Finally, he managed to get his mouth to work. “So what if I have a crush? It’ll pass eventually.”

“That may be.” Suddenly Bram’s face was right in front of Ranpo’s, with the smallest of gaps between them. “But I’m hoping it doesn’t.”

And then Bram’s lips were against his own, but not for nearly long enough. It was quick, and soft, nothing more than to show a point, but even so, Ranpo was left reeling because he hadn’t expected it. He cursed Bram for being so hard to read as he dragged the taller back in for a longer kiss. At least now, he didn’t have to try and hide those annoying feelings anymore—he had to wonder if Yosano and Fukuzawa had known something like this would happen and played their cards in such a way to help it happen. Not that they’d tell him if he asked of course.

The second kiss was still far too short for Ranpo’s liking, but with the way that Bram was looking at him like he wanted to devour him, he was sure that there would be more to come.

And he was going to welcome it.

[brzatto]

I just wanted to say I love your Carmy/Richie fic.

The way Carmy just feel so safe and grounded when Richie has him wrecks me.

I just love the idea of Carmy having a hard day or knowing he's going to have a breakdown, finding Richie, and just clinging to him. Head buried in Richie's neck, fingers desperately grabbing at handfuls of shirt, and maybe even siting in his lap. Because I really need that or them finally sleeping all tangled up together.

I haven't started the second season so maybe it gets addressed more but also, I like the idea of Richie hovering protectively or even nervously over Carmy a lot. We know that boy is not handling life well and I just think part of Richie wants to hide him away from the world and make sure he's safe and happy.

I hope you continue with the fic and also tight more because the fandom needs stories like yours.

Sorry for the rambling. I just wanted to send some love and let you know I can't wait for the next chapter!

aww don’t apologize this is so sweet!!! thank you so much 🤍🤍 if you didn’t notice already i’m a big sucker for tenderness and emotional vulnerability + intimacy in writing whether it be subtle or not and i think carmy and richie are both desperately in need of Tenderness in their lives so i try to include as much as possible in my own.

for me i actually think of richie being the clingier (or probably handsier is the better word) of the two..? richie’s more open and personable and better with people so in my head he’s never had a complicated relationship with physical contact, it comes easy to him and he doesn’t overthink it and probably doesn’t even realize how big of an impact it can have on someone who isn’t as used to receiving it. in contrast since carmy’s always been reserved and socially awkward he isn’t as well versed in it and won’t initiate it but he does genuinely enjoy it and will let himself reciprocate if he feels comfortable enough. s2 gave us a glimpse of just how dysfunctional his family life was growing up but i don’t think he was touch starved as a child at all—i think he grew up absolutely showered in physical contact from all his relatives during family gatherings and especially from nat and mikey at home, i can see the berzatto siblings being really open and physically affectionate with one another growing up but as carmy grew older + started distancing himself from his family once he started pursuing a professional culinary career he never really developed close enough relationships (platonic or otherwise) to receive that sort of physical contact anymore so for years he just didn’t have it. he definitely craves it but it isn’t something he realizes he misses (or at least not just how much) until he gets it again from someone who he actually trusts and wants it from, and i think richie’s good for him in the sense that he’s pretty unreserved (read: annoying) about that stuff. in my head richie’s the one who greets carmy with back hugs and drapes casual arms over his waist when they lay in bed together and shoves his cold hands underneath carmy’s shirt. in the self indulgent alternate universe where carmy’s less emotionally unavailable i love the idea of him being clingy but don’t worry knowing me there’s a lot more physical intimacy in store between them in the future for this fic so you’ll still get your wish <3

i’m actually obsessed with richie’s protectiveness of carmy it’s the type of protectiveness that comes alongside a lot of insults and a slap upside the head rather than the conventional mother henning (although i def think richie’s that way with eva) it’s there nonetheless. i have lots of fun of writing richie taking care of carmy in bcm and trying to keep it as close to canon as possible as well but carmy also has that stubbornness to him about getting taken care of/accepting other people’s help that manages to make him come off as bratty lol

[lgbtqmanga]

New Releases April 25, 2023

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card vol. 13 by CLAMP

Clear Card picks up right where Cardcaptor Sakura left off, with Sakura and Syaoran starting junior high school. With the Final Judgment passed, Sakura thinks school life will be quiet, but then all her cards suddenly turn blank! The mysterious new power she discovers will change how she thinks about her powers in this latest volume!

Cut-Over Criteria by Koala Omugi

Recent graduate Jin has been assigned to help out his upperclassman Seto, a highly competent but somewhat standoffish systems engineer. Though Jin is good at his job, he does seem to have his head in the clouds more often than not... and Seto's eyes always seem to linger on him more than they should!

A fresh new boys' love office romance in which opposites attract!

Otherside Picnic vol. 4 (manga) by Iori Miyazawa, Eita Mizuno, and Shirakaba

In search of Toriko, Sorawo and Kozakura make their way to the Otherside...at night! In the dark, the place overflows with danger and ill will. Every little rustle seems sinister, every shadow worth jumping at...

But things get even more complicated when, upon approaching a ruined building, the women come face-to-face with a doppelganger...and none other than Satsuki herself!

Her dear friend may have been located at last, but Toriko herself is still nowhere to be found...

Platinum Blood by Mor Ichigaya

The vampire Alucard — nicknamed Al — was brought up in a church, at the side of the kindly priest Kaname. Now all grown up and drop-dead handsome, Al has certain needs... The dutiful Kaname generously allows the vampire to drink of his body — and it isn't just his blood that Al's sucking! Still, physical needs aren't the same as emotional desires, and Al finds himself stuck trying to get the oblivious, straight-laced Kaname to realize that he means more than an easy meal to him.

Remnants of Filth: Yuwu vol. 1 (novel) by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

A historical fantasy epic set in the universe of The Husky and His White Cat Shizun! Two war generals were once close…until dark circumstances ripped them apart. What secrets will surface when they finally reunite?

The empire of Chonghua once produced two young generals who rose to prominence fighting side by side. Mo Xi, reserved in nature, was known for his commanding air and ruthless temperament. His best friend and comrade, Gu Mang, was the complete opposite: as charming as he was clever, he was beloved by his soldiers and the people. That is, until Gu Mang shocked the empire by turning traitor to serve an enemy nation.

Years later, a feral Gu Mang has returned, his mind broken. The public demands his death, and no one is assumed more hungry for vengeance against him than Mo Xi. But when Mo Xi stays his hand, the question must be asked—what is the true relationship between the pair? And what past secrets hide beneath Mo Xi’s icy exterior and Gu Mang’s tortured psyche?

The Seven Seas English-language large-trim, deluxe paperback editions as part of the Seven Seas Danmei label will include the uncensored text with exclusive new covers and interior illustrations from the artist St, who also illustrates The Husky and His White Cat Shizun.

Tsumasaki Ni Kourozu by Aki Aoi

One day, college student Iwai receives an introduction for a job as an assistant to a mycologist.

Upon his arrival, he is met by Murota, a seemingly moody and unsociable man. Iwai is uneasy at first, but he finds he enjoys the days he spends coming into contact with a world previously unknown to him, as well as looking after Murota when he forgets to look after himself. And, in the midst of it all, Iwai realizes his heart is gradually being drawn to Murota...

[marvelousfangirl01]

ACKERMAN’S LAMENT (Chapter 6: Titan Fodder)

RATING: M for Graphic Depictions of Violence

Also available at https://archiveofourown.org/works/39566685/chapters/101066052 :)

---

“Four-eyes.”

Hange didn’t budge, even as the hot rising sun came in through her open bedroom window. “Good night.” Hange placed one last tantalizing kiss to Levi’s pale lips, leaving his still-tense knees weak, and then hurried out of his room to return to her own. Never wanting to draw attention. Section Commander Hange Zoë and Captain Levi Ackerman were fucking!…

Levi imagined some of his comrades’ reactions if they were found out. It was absurd that no one suspected them yet. Or maybe they did, and no one was bold enough to say anything.

A small part of Levi wished they didn’t have to hide anymore. It was never explicitly decided or stated between the two of them, but they had always kept their affections private. Why? He didn’t know. What was the point of keeping their relationship, however complicated or casual it may be, underground?

It would certainly make situations like this one, as he was trying to stir Hange from her slumber, far less awkward.

Levi secretly wanted everyone to know. No one would come near him or Hange again. Especially not Moblit. If Moblit knew of Levi’s relationship with Hange, he would stop his incessant butting into conversations and scenarios that didn’t involve him. He was a suck-up to Hange and every other leader in the Survey Corps, including Levi. Especially Levi.

It was hot in here. And far too early for this shit. Why the hell does she keep her window open? Levi kicked the side of Hange’s bed, hoping to jolt her awake. She should’ve just slept in his room. He would’ve woken her up—yes, he would have. And if a finger happened to slip inside of her again… if clothes were shed and they became part of each other as the sunlight came into the room…

“Hey. Four-eyes!” Levi repeated, louder, more rash this time. He took another step and leaned over so he was practically in her ear. “Get up.”

“Section Commander!” The little mosquito at Levi’s side chimed in, trying to lend a hand. Moblit studied the sleeping scientist. “We’re gonna be late for the briefing!”

“She’s not waking up, Berner.” Levi dismissed him, trying to discourage the boy. There was no reason for Moblit to be in Hange’s bedroom, other than to fuel his obsession with her. He had followed Levi here after they unfortunately bumped into each other in the dining commons. As Levi drank his tea that morning, Moblit had commented on Hange’s absence. Of course the assistant had followed Levi around the base until they found Hange, still warm and asleep in her bed.

“It’s her fault if she misses the briefing and Erwin leaves her behind.” Levi kicked the bed again.

“But we can’t leave the Section Commander behind.” Moblit looked far more emotional than the situation called for. He chewed the skin that bordered his thumbnail. “She has an important position on Commander Erwin’s team!”

“I know.” Levi clammed up to keep his curses at Moblit back. He’d save that for the actual mission. It was very early in the morning; they hadn’t even left the walls yet, and Levi was already losing his patience with Moblit. This was going to be a long-ass operation.

Deciding that social reputations were no longer a viable option, Levi placed both hands on Hange’s shoulders and shook her violently. “Get up, Hange!” He shouted. “You overslept.”

Hange’s chocolate-colored eyes flew open. “Levi!” She was rattled for a moment but then smiled peacefully. Clearly not seeing Moblit and definitely not realizing the issue at hand, she said, “You came to wake me up.”

“Get up, damn it!”

Hange rubbed her eyes at Levi’s harshness and finally started to make progress. She reached for her glasses on the windowsill. Her mouth stretched into a yawn while she scratched her head.

But as Hange pushed the blanket away from her chest, preparing to rise from the bed, Levi suddenly darted his hands out to stop her. He remembered a very important fact Hange had glossed over.

“You’re naked.”

Moblit coughed. Levi turned to him expectantly, waiting for a blustering whirlwind of Section Commander! or How indecent!

But Moblit was beet-red. That was the only thing Levi really should’ve expected.

Not a soul had been awake when Hange left Levi’s room in the wee hours of the night. So, being the peculiar woman she was, she naturally stumbled down the hall to her quarters completely nude. With no eyes awake to bear witness to the lovers, Hange had gotten away with it. In fact, she probably overslept because of the intimate circumstances of the previous night. Levi attempted to recall how many times she’d finished but then realized they all blurred together.

Hange buried herself under the thin blanket. She huffed, “A little reminder would've been nice!” And then, a hysterical laugh followed by that familiar pink blush: “I doubt you’d complain if I were undressed, though.”

Levi grumbled to himself. No, he wouldn’t complain. But with Moblit here, he was irrevocably glad Hange remained covered by the bed sheet. “Let’s give the Section Commander some privacy. It seems she’s a bit… disheveled.”

Hange waved to Levi and Moblit as they politely departed her quarters. The door slid closed. The assistant and captain started down the hall.

Moblit rubbed his forehead, still at a loss for words. “What was she doing without clothes on?” The boy squeaked out. He looked to Levi as if he had all the answers regarding Hange’s nudity.

(…Which he did.)

“Take a breath, Berner, and don’t get yourself in a tizzy.” Levi assumed his position against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. Levi knew he had the option to reveal Hange’s sex life to Moblit; yet he kept this information to himself, instead choosing to dangle it over Moblit’s head. Let the boy find out for himself. Everyone else would find out soon enough, and Moblit would be crushed when he suddenly did. It was entertaining to watch Berner writhe and panic over his Section Commander’s personal matters.

“You know how eccentric Hange is. Besides, it’s hot outside. She probably got uncomfortable from the heat last night and chose to sleep with no clothes. That would explain her open window…” Levi shrugged. “It’s really none of your business.”

Moblit nodded, consuming this new information and processing it. “That makes sense,” he mused. With a shake of his head, Moblit returned to a professional posture and adjusted his jacket. While other soldiers were growing through their uniforms, Moblit’s hung off his thin body like skin on bones. He was a child dressed up as a member of the Survey Corps. “Should we wait for Section Commander Hange? I worry she might fall back asleep and miss the briefing.”

Levi bristled. Why the insistence on waiting for Hange? “No. We should head to the briefing now. Hange will catch up with us shortly.” Levi kept walking to Erwin’s office. He would love to look out for Hange, but with Moblit around, it was pointless and would further the boy’s feelings for the Section Commander. The willowy soldier followed Levi blindly, feet scuffing as he hurried to keep up.

As expected, Hange was late to the briefing. But not fashionably late—no, she came into Erwin’s office at the conclusion. A bang on the door notified everyone of Hange’s arrival.

Erwin opened the door with that same focused stare as always. The entryway to the room exposed Hange, who was still buttoning her blouse and combing her matted hair with her fingers.

“Ever think of using a hairbrush?” Levi blurted crisply as the room was silent. Mike, standing at Erwin’s desk, stifled a chuckle. Levi’s eyes landed on Hange’s, which were wide with anxiety. Even from his position on the settee, he could see her obvious haste.

“Section Commander, glad you could make it,” Erwin said icily. “You’re just in time for my closing remarks.”

Hange was shaking. “I— I’m sorry, sir, I overslept!” She looked like she was about to burst into tears. Levi hadn’t expected this. Perhaps, if Levi had stayed behind to wait for Hange, he could have ensured she was on time. If not for Moblit, he certainly would have. But Levi had been so focused on sidetracking Hange’s assistant, he didn’t consider the probability that Hange would oversleep and miss the entire meeting.

“One of your comrades will catch you up. We have to start heading out.” Erwin walked away from Hange and back to his desk, leaving the scientist rattled.

Mike walked toward Hange. This made sense because Mike was on Hange’s team. But Levi was swimming in his own guilt and, instead of letting Mike handle it, he jumped ahead to fill Hange in. Hange propped her glasses on top of her head and rubbed her eyes. She stepped outside of Erwin’s office to gather herself. “I can’t believe I fell back asleep,” she whined. “I thought you and Moblit were going to remind me!”

“Calm down. You’re embarrassing yourself.”

“What did I miss?”

“Well, to sum it up, Erwin and Mike are attacking the titans while you record notes on anything you three encounter. You’ll handle the findings of the forest unless you need to assist in an attack. Bring your ODM and make sure you have water and food. Do I need to pack those for you?” As Levi spoke, his voice rose to a snap.

“Stop it, Levi, I’m sorry I overslept!” Hange glared at him. For the first time, she seemed angry with him. “But I relied on you to help me. After last night, I thought you’d understand.”

“I wanted to help you, believe me,” Levi replied sternly. “But I trusted you to be responsible. Apparently, that was a mistake.”

“Are you seriously getting mad at me over this?” She hissed. “Moblit would have stayed to wake me up.”

Levi’s stomach twisted with fury. That damn name made his skin crawl. He itched his forearms as if to kill the vermin creeping on him. “I know he would have. Don’t compare me to him.” He clenched his teeth. Levi grabbed Hange by the wrist and looked her dead in the eye. She shivered. He saw a bit of hurt in Hange’s face, and it pulled him from the fit of rage.

Why did this always happen? Whenever he felt some strong emotion—most recently, jealousy—he always took it out on those he was closest to...

Hange.

Levi supposed it was easier than opening up about his feelings. But was it worth it? With shame, Levi remembered the previous day when he had teased Hange for her obsession with titans—a cover-up for his anger at Moblit’s own obsession with Hange.

“I’m sorry for all this.” Levi’s gaze fell and he let go of Hange. If he wasn’t careful, this habit of his would destroy his relationship. “I suppose I’m still worried about this mission. Being on a team opposite you…” Levi trailed off. No part of him could stand it. “I can’t wait for it to end.”

“I’m sorry, too. I’ve been unreliable.” Hange’s expression softened. She moved her hand ever so slightly, but then stilled it; she longed to touch him. “But we will be together again. As soon as the operation ends, we can go back to doing what we normally do.”

“I don’t think this is about the sex. It’s…” Levi’s chest tightened. Now he was longing to touch her, too, to press a hand to her cheek and reassure her everything would be all right. The separation from Hange was taking a lot more out of him than he expected. A hole was left in his chest where Hange’s presence belonged. And they hadn’t even officially separated yet. “It’s something else.”

Hange started heading toward the horse stables. “If you’re worried about me, don’t. I’ll be fine,” Hange assured him gently. She gave a flutter of her hand as if she could wave away Levi’s anxieties. “Nothing is going to happen.”

Is that what Levi was worried about? A possible reality where Hange got hurt or taken away from him for good? Imagining a world without Hange was like breathing underwater. His chest became tighter yet.

“I know.” Levi choked out. Hange didn’t notice his strain. So he pushed it down into the abyss of his heart, far enough that it would dissolve into nothing and never be thought of again.

They walked to the stables together, not saying more than a few words. Levi knew it would always be this way, no matter what—their relationship would always be quiet when in the public environment, an undeclared thing between them that said they were merely soldiers serving alongside each other.

It was who they were: two deeply caring people devoted to one cause. They could give their hearts on the battlefield every day. And every night when they went home to the base, they could give their hearts to each other.

But because of their fierce dedication to the Survey Corps, it could never be both at once. Which made for a complex, behind-closed-doors relationship.

Levi absentmindedly checked his horse’s bridles and gear, adjusted his ODM gear with a click, and packed his flask and food sack into the saddlebag. He mounted his black steed. Once atop, he took a sip of water from his flask, the liquid dampening his lips.

Now on top of the horse, Levi was able to see the pink sunrise over the wall of Maria—a rather beautiful sight. When he turned his head to the left to see Hange in her own stall, preparing her horse for the day ahead, he noticed the sun painted her face in hues of magenta and orange. This image reminded him of the moon’s reflection on her face last night. Temporarily, Levi was flooded with warmth as he remembered their intimacy with nostalgia.

He couldn’t wait to get this over with. With a loud exhale, Levi looked down the stable stalls to where Moblit ascended onto his own horse. “Berner, are you ready to leave? Do you have the equipment we need to set up camp?” Levi called, echoing among the wooden stall roofs and walls.

“Yes, Captain, I’m making my final preparations now.” Moblit was trying to tie his saddlebag closed to prevent apples from tumbling out. Unless the Survey Corps’ command tent was going to fall out of the horse’s asshole, it appeared that Moblit hadn’t even packed the tent yet.

Levi’s horse snorted. Glad we’re on the same page. Levi stroked the animal’s mane in silent agreement. “We made final preparations five minutes ago! Get moving and make sure you have everything,” Levi snapped. It seemed like he’d already been awake for hours, yet by the sun’s standard, it was barely six o’clock.

“No need to be so harsh,” the familiar voice of the Commander said. Levi didn’t have to make eye contact with Erwin to feel the foreboding leader’s annoyance. Erwin rode past the stables on his horse with the surly Mike close behind.

“You’ll be working with Levi for the foreseeable future, so get used to it, Moblit!” Hange teased at the top of her lungs. She gave a friendly wave to Moblit and Levi, and then to her teammates, as she guided her horse out of the stable by the reins. Hange rubbed her horse’s muzzle as she made light conversation with the Commander and Mike.

Levi brushed off Hange’s satire, though his first instinct was to shoot daggers with his eyes at her as she straddled her horse. Too early in the mission to be bothered by Moblit and Hange’s friendship. Though Levi would be separated from Hange, he took great comfort knowing Moblit was separated from Hange too. Misery loves miserable company.

Levi straightened his back into a board and moved out of the stables with Moblit. He attached his horse to the wagon that carried the Corps’ gas reserves. They would need refills for their gear, especially if this scouting mission lasted as long as Erwin thought it would. Levi had taken the wagon, and Moblit was taking the tent… that is, if he remembered to pack it.

The other soldiers, put in charge of their own camps, loaded their gas reserves into smaller wagons. Moblit, no doubt beaming with pride that he had earned a leadership role, checked every other team’s gear at Erwin’s suggestion to ensure they were all packed for the days ahead.

This behavior of Moblit’s was all for show, Levi knew. Levi clicked his tongue with amusement as Moblit stumbled over a rock in the grass back to his horse.

It was a burden to ride in the standard group formation, far away from Hange. But with the other soldiers riding alongside them, Levi was able to tune out Moblit’s unceasing babbles.

“And during the Commander’s briefing, didn’t he mention that the other camps of soldiers will have duties of their own?” Moblit clarified. His head swung around to see the other troopers, who were quite fresh out of training. Moblit fit right in with them and their bright-eyed enthusiasm.

“If you’d been listening,” Levi scoffed, annoyed that he had to converse with Moblit who had asked him a question and expected an answer. “You would know these kids are practically titan fodder. They’re trailing Erwin’s team now so they can split off in the forest later. They’re supposed to make observations after they set up camp, but no one’s complaining if we return to the walls and they’re all gone.”

“With respect, Captain Levi, that seems rather out of pocket.” Moblit shot a careful look around the formation, checking to see if anyone was actually listening. “Thank goodness for the horses. If we hadn’t been moving, you can bet the other soldiers would’ve heard you call them titan fodder.”

“Erwin sends us to our deaths regularly. The secret is, we’re all titan fodder in his eyes.” Levi tsked. And then with a critical look toward Moblit, he said, “But some of us are actually capable of surviving.”

Moblit flushed. He was silent from then on. Good, Levi thought. I’ve done him a favor by showing him the reality of his situation.

The clunking of the horses’ hooves on dirt was monotonous to Levi. Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop. The horses trodded at a steady pace, but not extremely fast. He zoned in on Hange’s figure, still decorated in the kisses of the sun. She laughed about something with Mike while they rode. Levi was so far back in the formation he couldn’t hear the vibrant laughter he loved so much.

If Levi were the one on Hange’s team, would she still be laughing with him? Or would Hange be silently fucking him with her eyes? Or both? God, he loathed this professional facade they put on. It put him at a distance from Hange and contradicted what was really there.

By the time Levi came out of his trance, he realized they had long ago left the walls and were approaching the forest. The green army of trees flooded Levi’s vision, nearly overwhelming him. Moblit’s mouth spread like butter.

“We made it!” One of the Scouts in front of Levi cried excitedly. Their hopeless optimism made Levi prickle. He had been right: they were going to get eaten alive.

A distant rumbling made Levi’s ears perk up. The patterned thuds in the ground instantly alerted him to the enemy. How big was this one? Levi would guess at least ten meters based on the heaviness of its steps.

“A titan.” Moblit wheeled around toward Levi. “How does Commander Erwin not see it yet?! I can feel it.”

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. What an idiot. “Trust me, Berner—”

Phwoop!

Levi flashed Moblit an obvious look. “Everything is fine. Relax. Look.”

A streak of red had been fired across the sky from the front of the formation. Erwin’s voice carried across the entire field, even over the sound of the galloping horses: “Titan approaching! Move to attack positions!”

[michaelphotolondon23]

WEEK 1:

Chris Killip Exhibition Analysis

Look carefully at all the works, then answer the questions below.

How would you describe Chris Killip’s approach to photography? Killip’s approach to photography is very serious. His photos all include elements of disrepair, disarray, and depict a particular deficit which is tough to quantify. Most of his pictures involved multiple people or a significant land/cityscape. His approach to photography seems to be to use it as a medium to document significant hardships and events that people were faced with.

What do you notice about the way he photographs people and places? His photos don’t appear to be staged at all. He photographs people as they go about their lives and uses that rawness to convey the senses and emotions of his subjects. His use of b&w photography also makes me think that he wants to create an intentionally bleak image of his subjects in order to magnify the emotions within the photos.

Then choose two different photos. Take snapshots of them both, and answer the following questions for each photo:

Photo 1: “outside redhead’s shipyard”

Describe what you see in the photo.

There are people walking in the foreground of the photo along a street, most are dressed casually/business attire. Looming over the street and secured behind a significant brick wall is a shipyard with a massive steel hull in the process of being constructed. Scaffolding surrounds the entire length of the ship.

What do you notice about how focus, contrast or composition are used in this photo?

The main focus of the picture seems to be to emphasize the shipyard above all else, even though the pedestrians in the foreground are closer to the image point. The shipyard is given the top 2/3rds of the image as well as room in the sky above the ship, making it feel like the center of attention and focus in the image. 

Describe what effect each of these attributes has.

The effect of the framing in this photo creates a power relationship between the people and the ship, they are small and the ship is large. It leads you to wonder about their relationship to the shipyard and how it may be a primary employer in the town.

Analyze the relationship between what you see in the photo and its message. Do you need additional information to understand the message?

I don’t think that the message given with the photo is lacking or requires more to emphasize the impact of the image. The image itself is powerful and doesn’t require much explaining. 

Does the style of the photo remind you of anything you have seen before?

I can’t think of any one particular image which this reminds me of, but it generally makes me think of images which have a very obvious subject, but try to hide or complicate the subject by including other points of focus or importance, ie: the people walking outside.

Photo 2: “demolished housing”

Describe what you see in the photo.

The main focus of the photo takes us up a road, along which on the right side is a stone wall, and along the left are houses left either abandoned or destroyed. The road is littered with debris from the homes, and the area doesn’t seem currently habitable.

What do you notice about how focus, contrast or composition are used in this photo?

This photo was particularly interesting to me because Killip had taken a photo from the exact same location 2 years prior when the homes were still intact and being lived in, and looming over the background on the right side of the landscape was the bow of a ship. This photo shows the location 2 years later in total disarray and abandonment, which paints a very interesting and serious image of what may have occurred in the interim. 

Describe what effect each of these attributes has.

I think Killip’s choice to revisit the site of a previous photograph is important because it is a powerful tool in telling the story of what happened here. Again, his use of b&w helps make the scene feel even more drab and wasted.

Analyze the relationship between what you see in the photo and its message. Do you need additional information to understand the message?

The description likely doesn’t say enough about the photo. “Demolished housing” is likely too simple and naive a narrative for what actually happened here. Even when buildings are simply abandoned, they don’t transform to this state in the span of only 2 years, so the title definitely lacks some clarity to the situation.

Does the style of the photo remind you of anything you have seen before?

Not of anything or any one photo in particular, but it generally reminds me of other photos taken in wartime or of buildings that have been destroyed. It makes me think of photography from ww2 and wars in the middle east, where an otherwise normal residential area has been completely laid to waste.

Image Credits: Chris Killip, 1/25/23, "Outside Redhead's Shipyard, South Shields, Tyneside, 1977"

Chris Killip, 1/25/23, "Demolished Housing, Wallsend, Tyneside, 1977"

[ziamae]

7 Divorce Strategies You Didn't Anticipate

The distinction between love and hate can be subtle. 

This statement holds especially true during divorce, where the end of a marriage can result in intense emotions and self-centered behavior. Divorce can impact your finances, relationships, and overall mental and emotional health. Despite not wanting to acknowledge that your spouse may engage in malicious behavior, it is important to remain cautious and safeguard yourself and your family. 

Be aware of these seven underhanded tactics that may arise during divorce.

1. Delaying divorce on purpose

"Stall and Delay" is a strategy in divorce that aims to extend the process as long as possible. The motive behind this tactic is either to gain an advantage through time or to exhaust the other party and make them concede to their demands to avoid further legal expenses. Examples of stall and delay tactics include the slow signing of documents, refusal to negotiate, and repeatedly taking minor issues to court. 

If you're facing such a situation, it's recommended to consult a divorce attorney to find a resolution.

2. Attempting to force a rapid agreement

Conversely, some individuals may attempt to rush the divorce process. This is usually done when they have something to hide, such as concealed assets or income. The pushy party may also try to take advantage of the situation by creating a false sense of urgency or rushing to create confusion to secure a favorable outcome for themselves. 

To protect your interests, a divorce lawyer must review any documents before you sign them.

3. Disguising income and assets

In states with no-fault divorce laws, like Florida, assets and wealth acquired during the marriage are usually divided equally during divorce proceedings. This can result in underhanded actions aimed at concealing assets and money.

Shifting the ownership of money or assets to a relative's name to conceal it during the divorce process

Secreting valuable possessions in undisclosed locations, such as a safety deposit box, to prevent them from being revealed during divorce

Misrepresenting one's income or assets

Conducting substantial transactions under another person's name

Inventing or falsifying costs or obligations

Determining whether assets or income are concealed during a divorce can be challenging. A divorce lawyer can assist by investigating your spouse's financial situation and searching for unusual spending patterns.

4. Increasing visits to reduce child support

When kids are a part of divorce proceedings, negotiations around child custody and time-sharing can become complicated due to child support orders that follow. Sometimes, parents will ask for more time with their children to reduce the amount they have to pay in child support. This often results in the kids being passed off to family members instead of spending more time with their parents. 

It's essential to inform your family law attorney of your concerns so that they can take all necessary steps to ensure your children's best interests are protected.

5. Falsifying allegations

When one spouse is unhappy with the outcome of custody proceedings or fears they may not win, they sometimes resort to making false accusations in an attempt to tarnish the other parent's reputation in the eyes of the court and increase their chances of gaining full custody or limiting the other parent's visitations rights. 

Common false allegations include:

Abusive or neglectful parenting

Toxic relationships at home

Crime and deviant actions

Substance abuse or alcoholism

Consenting to a custody agreement against the court's wishes

It is important to communicate fully with your lawyer if false allegations are made against you during a divorce or custody battle, so they can provide appropriate guidance and representation.

6. Putting up barriers to discussion or bargaining

Refusing to participate in negotiations or even communicating can prolong divorce proceedings and cause a lot of frustration. This tactic is used to exhaust you and is similar to tactics used to delay or rush the process. 

This can be costly, but your attorney can use legal means to show your ex's lack of communication and push the proceedings forward in your favor. Usually, when the other party realizes what they stand to lose by not cooperating, they will start to participate in the communication.

7. Taking the children away from the other parent.

A harmful and damaging strategy often employed in divorce cases is manipulating children into opposing the other spouse or limiting their time with them. The intention behind this tactic is twofold:

To demonstrate to the court that they dedicate more time to their children, making them the superior option for primary custody, some parents may try to prove that they spend more time with their kids than the other parent.

To attempt to sway older children to prefer living primarily with one parent instead of the other through manipulation.

Your divorce attorney in Nassau can represent you if your children are being prevented from seeing you. They may also be able to present a negative image of the offending spouse to the court.

Brutal divorce tactics that are tempting (but can backfire)

It's understandable to consider using underhanded tactics during a divorce, especially if your ex has already resorted to such measures. However, these common and extreme strategies can result in retaliation from the other party or penalties from the court, leading to a prolonged and challenging legal battle. Furthermore, some actions may have legal consequences or negatively impact your image in court proceedings. 

Therefore, it's wise to steer clear of these harmful divorce tactics that have a high risk of backfiring.

• Revocation of credit cards

• Decluttering the home or financial accounts

• Leaving the city with the kids

• putting the ex's employment at risk

Questions & Answers on Underhanded Divorce Strategies

If you are divorced, what can be used against you?

Expect every strategy to be used against you by your ex in the divorce court. Some items that can severely weaken your argument in court are listed below.

Splurging during times of emotional distance

Financial misrepresentation

Orders prohibiting contact

Online engagement via social media

Criminally implicating details revealed via electronic messages

Unhealthy romantic relationships that have a detrimental effect on kids

Is there a healthy way to get a divorce?

It may be tempting to counter unethical tactics used by your ex in divorce court with your own underhanded methods. However, having the support of a knowledgeable attorney can help you navigate a complicated divorce through legal means that safeguard your interests and help you achieve what you are entitled to.

Final thoughts on underhanded divorce tactics

Divorce can be complicated and emotionally draining. However, having a divorce lawyer to guide you through the complexities of family law, counteract deceptive tactics, and safeguard your rights can help alleviate the stress of the proceedings.

[autoaccidentlawyerminneapolis]

8 Tips For Coping With Trauma After a Car Accident

A car accident can leave you reeling. You may be shocked, anxious, and afraid. These emotions may only grow in intensity in the days and weeks following the accident. The stress can become overwhelming.

This emotional trauma often impacts the lives of car accident victims in significant ways. Work and relationships suffer. Daily life becomes a grind.

If you are experiencing emotional trauma in the aftermath of an accident, know that there’s always hope. In this post, we’ll look at the practical steps you can take to recover your health and move forward with your life.

1. Know How an Accident Can Affect You

Unlike physical injuries, emotional trauma isn’t apparent on the surface. The emotional pain can cause significant damage without the victim realizing something is wrong. Because of this, it’s important to know what to watch out for. Common symptoms of emotional trauma include:

Anxiety

Depression

Irritability

Anger

Fear

Shame

Insomnia and other sleep problems

Nightmares

Unexplained chronic pain

Fatigue

Social withdrawal

If you notice any of these symptoms after an accident, don’t disregard them. You may be experiencing emotional trauma—and it may impact you in more ways than you know.

2. Accept Your Trauma

The first step to recovering from trauma is acknowledging it. Don’t ignore your feelings or bottle them up. You have nothing to hide. An accident can be devastating, and it’s natural to have a strong reaction. It’s okay not to be okay.

3. Take Care of Yourself

When you’re feeling stressed or upset, it’s easy to slip into unhealthy habits. This will only make matters worse. Try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including:

Prioritizing sleep

Eating well

Drinking only in moderation

Spending time with loved ones

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should push yourself too hard. There’s nothing wrong with taking it easy. But be sure you don’t withdraw from life or neglect the necessary things.

4. Keep a Journal

Writing your feelings in a journal is a great way to process your trauma. The act of writing your thoughts out helps get them out of your head so you can consider them more clearly. You may find that it doesn't seem so big once you put your fear or confusion down on paper. At the very least, you will likely feel some relief from the thoughts that have been troubling you.

5. Reach Out for Support

Don’t isolate yourself. Facing a challenge is always easier when you have a little backup. Reach out to friends, family, mentors, or anyone you can trust to help you. Even if they don’t have any useful insights or advice for you, just having someone to share your feelings with can make a world of difference.

6. See a Doctor

Even if you don’t think you’re injured, you should always visit a doctor after an accident. An undiagnosed physical injury could cause emotional distress. Some injuries have delayed symptoms that don’t appear for days or weeks after the accident. If left untreated, these injuries can lead to severe complications. The sooner you can see a doctor, the better—for both body and mind.

7. Speak with a Professional

Speaking with a therapist or psychologist is another important step in overcoming your trauma. A licensed professional will be able to help you process what happened and give you the tools to move on with your life.

8. Talk to an Attorney

Minnesota law gives you the right to pursue compensation if you are injured through someone else’s negligence. This includes psychological injury, considered a legitimate form of pain and suffering. An experienced Minnesota personal injury attorney will evaluate your case and help you get any compensation you’re entitled to. They may also be able to recommend a trustworthy doctor or therapist to speak to about the challenges you’re facing.

Get the Help You Need to Reclaim Your Life

An accident can change your life in an instant. But by taking the proper steps, you can begin the process of starting again. If you are injured in an accident, you may be entitled to compensation—and we can help you get it. At SiebenCarey, we’ve spent 70 years helping injury victims get the financial support they need after an accident. Just contact us, and we can:

Explain your rights to you

Investigate the details of your injury

Build a strong case on your behalf

Negotiate with stubborn insurance companies

Guide you toward a favorable settlement or verdict

Click here for a free, no-risk case evaluation.

[boylikeanangel]

Further Reading on the Colour Red in Our Flag Means Death

so @edwardsilkheart made this fantastic post about ed being a red coded character and what that specifically means for him, and in the interest of us bouncing colour theory posts back and forth off each other I'd like to talk semi-briefly about how ed is not the only red coded character in the show. I think it's vital to understanding what the colour red means within the series by acknowledging that lucius is also heavily red coded. (once again I owe a lot to @lucius-spriggs for the help on this one - thank you, beloved <3)

many people (myself included, particularly in this post about the left/right dichotomy in the show) have pointed out that lucius, from a narrative standpoint, represents every positive thematically that the show at large is trying to push: namely, being nurturing and supportive to those who are struggling with internal conflict, being authentic to yourself, loving without restraint, and above all, being unapologetically queer. and the characters within the story acknowledge this - he constantly plays therapist to our romantic leads and is consistently the person to bring others out of their shells (see: pete and izzy). and no one sees this more clearly than ed does (which I go into more detail about here where I discuss their relationship throughout the season), which is why I think it's extremely interesting that they are both represented by the same colour.

when we consider lucius as a red coded character, what connotations does that give the colour red? lucius is warm, emotionally open, and promiscuous, as well as being the character most strongly connected to the love lives of the various couples across the cast (even when he doesn't want to be). red when it's associated with lucius symbolises warmth, passion, vulnerability, and love. in other words, it's an extremely positive colour when we consider it from this angle. and why is this interesting? because those are almost completely different connotations to the ones ed has with the same colour.

(this is the last post I'm gonna link to I promise) I mentioned here about how whilst ed is red coded, it's not exactly supposed to be a positive colour for him. when ed is embracing his blackbeard persona, he's framed with red lighting, signifying fire and danger. it's the colour of his heart, but that very quickly becomes synonymous with heartbreak when he throws away the red silk that symbolises it after stede leaves him, and stitches a bleeding red heart onto his flag as a reminder of his pain. red is a very complicated colour for ed; it has the potential to mean love for him, but all too often it becomes a warning of death and destruction, a testament to his fury and heartache.

the one thing, I think however, that red means the same for both lucius and ed, is this idea of vulnerability. the post by @edwardsilkheart I linked above sums this up beautifully by connecting this vulnerability, this nakedness, to ed's wearing of stede's red dressing gown in episode 10. he's more exposed than he's ever been here, and it's a new and scary concept for someone who is so used to hiding their heart under layers of leather. what makes it bearable for him, however, is that lucius is also wearing red in the scene where he visits him in the blanket fort. vulnerability is something that lucius revels in and encourages others to allow in themselves, and here he comes at ed's lowest moment to tell him it's okay, your heart is laid bare right now, but mine is too. I see your heart and I raise you mine. it's a very visible metaphor for how lucius is effortlessly able to connect with people who are so used to hiding everything away, through virtue of nothing more than unabashedly wearing his own heart on his sleeve. lucius is empowered by these feelings of love and being vulnerable in that love, and he's encouraging ed to reach a similar point in his own emotional journey.

so by coding both the character who represents the celebration of love in all its forms and the character who struggles the most with heartbreak as the same colour, I think it's this delicate balance of contrast that they really want you to focus on. lucius and ed represent the two ends of the spectrum for what the colour red means, and it's this struggle between the two sides of the same coin that becomes a central theme in the final episode. it's a balancing act between love and heartbreak, between vulnerability and destruction, between warmth and burning everything to the ground. lucius tries to comfort ed, to coax him into becoming the same kind of red coding as him, to leave the heartache and the fury behind him, and gets thrown off the ship for his troubles. it's not a coincidence that ed tries to kill the only other major character that shares his colour. seeing someone who is such a glowing standard of what could be if he simply lets go is too dangerous when he's trying to embrace the monstrous parts of him. lucius represents everything ed could, but simply cannot allow himself, to be. and that's why he has to be disposed of.

[ramzawrites]

requesting an angsty fic where reader is schlatts kid and they have the same features as him, namely the horns so people avoid them because of what schlatt did, it leads to reader hating their horns and cutting them off/ ripping them out and someone finds them crying, covered in blood with their horns just on the ground or smth, set after schlatts death btw

A Painful Reminder - Dad!Schlatt and Reader - Part 1

Part 2

GN

Pairings: none

Characters included: Quackity, Niki, (mentioned) Schlatt, (mentioned) Techno

Warnings: self harm (destroying own horns with a blunt object), mention of blood, abondenment, depression, cursing

Series: an angst request!

Summary: Y/N is the child of Schlatt and after his death tried their best to deal with the grief. Hoping to connect with people only to painfully realize that their horns are a painful reminder to everyone for Schlatt’s rule and therefore try to stay as far as possible from them.

Words count: 2428

Authors Note: I hope this is fine! I struggled a bit with it and I think you can tell, I apologize for that. I’m honestly not that good with angst but if you enjoy it I’m happy!! Please give me feedback on how to get better at angst :o

I love you guys and please take care of yourself 💙

After Schlatt died and Pogtopia effectively won the war against Manberg only for the nation to get blown up by Wilbur, the people tried their best to rebuild with the help of Tubbo as the new president.

There was a new sense of hope that swept through the nation. They all suffered greatly to get to this place but this was a turning point for most. A time for healing. A time for rebuilding what was lost. A time for grief.

While Y/N spent most of their time building up their own home inside L’Manberg, they were struggling a lot with grief.

They mourned for the loss of the only parent they had in their life, Schlatt.

The president of Manburg, the tyrant that died surrounded by his enemies inside a van. The only parent of Y/N.

The relationship between the two was complicated to say the least. Deep inside they still loved their father but he brought so much pain and even bloodshed on people that they couldn’t in good conscience support him.

For the longest time they tried their best trying to persuade him, that he would change his way but he never listened. Either too full with his own ego or too drunk to care. The last straw that broke the camel’s back for Y/N was when Schlatt ordered Tubbo’s execution.

The emotions they felt while they yelled and wailed at Schlatt to stop this madness was still fresh in their mind whenever their thoughts lingered back to that day. Quackity had to  physically restrain and pull them back on Schlatt’s orders.

It was the moment they realized that there was no way for them to reach Schlatt anymore. He was set in his way and nothing could change that.

After their death to Technoblade’s blood lust during the festival, they ran away and spoke with Tommy. Y/N didn’t want to kill Schlatt but they saw in Pogtopia a chance to stop him. Make him see what he has done. Make him responsible for his actions.

Only this never came to pass. Schlatt died inside a dirty van. A heart attack or a stroke. Y/N didn’t know, nor did they care. He was dead either way.

While everyone was rebuilding and trying to fall back into a normal day to day life. Y/N was lost. They didn’t feel particularly close to anyone nor did the other seem to trust them. Their eyes were always drawn towards Y/N’s horns resting on their head.

During Schlatt’s rule they became somewhat of a symbol. A symbol for himself, for pain, for blood, for tyranny. So when Y/N walked around town the others couldn’t help but stare at these oh so similar horns that reminded them of a past best forgotten.

It made Y/N unsure of themself. It was a physical proof of their connection to their father. It was a double edged sword. In the past they loved that they inherited similar Hybrid traits like their father but now it was the reason why everyone seemed to avoid them.

The people wanted to move on but these damn horns pulled them back whenever their eyes fell on them. Y/N wasn’t stupid. They noticed this pretty fast.

Hell, if anything the funeral was the best proof for that. Bad tried his best to keep everyone under control and have a proper funeral but everyone was too busy celebrating. Talking about stealing his bones. Destroying a picture of him.

All while Y/N sat in the back. They had hoped they could use this funeral as a way to finally say goodbye, let go off the pain and regret but all this chaos just made them realize that the people will never properly accept them due to their relation with Schlatt.

Schlatt may have put all of the people through a horrible and unforgivable time but he effectively snuffed out any chance for Y/N to live a normal life between these people. This legacy of his for Y/N stung almost deeper than all the time he insulted them or flat out ignored them. It made them wonder if he ever realized what he did to his own child. Even if he did Y/N wasn’t sure he cared enough to do anything about it.

Y/N wrung their hands as they stood in front of Niki’s and Puffy’s flower shop. The money ready in their hands so this transaction could happen faster but even so they were too nervous to step in.

After some mental pep talk they finally slowly pushed the wooden door open. To their horror it begun creaking which made them wince. There was no way Niki hasn’t noticed them walking in seeing how she stood at the counter but still Y/N didn’t want to put more attention on themself than they absolutely had to.

“Oh.” Was all Niki said. She almost sounded disappointed. Y/N realized that she probably would have happily greeted anyone else coming into the shop but them.

Their eyes were glued to the ground. As they suddenly became overly aware of their horns, it felt like their weight increased immensely. Almost as if they tried to press down on Y/N. It made them feel as small and worthless as possible under the gaze of other people.

Y/N put the money on the counter as soon as they reached it “A full bouquet of purple hyacinth, please.”

“Alright.” Niki immediately moved away in order to make the bouquet ready. Though Y/N didn’t watch, they were now staring at the wood of the counter. Following he natural lines of it with their eyes as they patiently waited.

After a few minutes Niki placed the flowers in front of Y/N which pulled them out of their thoughts and made them look up. Niki forced a smile on but she still looked almost stern. Soft crevices building up as her eyebrows formed a painful frown.

“This is too much.” Niki begun pushing some of the money back towards Y/N but they shook their head.

“It’s a tip.”

Picking the flowers up into their arms they tried to put on a genuine smile before turning around to walk out of the shop.

Before they exited the shop they could hear Niki say a soft “Thanks.”

That was basically how every conversation with anyone went. Only short and the most necessary words. At first Y/N tried to start genuine conversation but they soon noticed how the others wouldn’t react. Just trying to get as fast as possible through this conversation. Their eyes always directed on Y/N’s horns.

After Y/N placed the flowers in front of Schlatt’s grave, like they did every week, they made their way towards the river.

Sometimes they would spend their time there since it’s a bit farther away from the city, so it was rare to see someone else hanging out there. Y/N mostly used this place to fish in peace. If they fished anywhere near the others their stares and frowns weighed too heavy down on them.

As they sat at the bank of the river, preparing their fishing line, their eyes fell unto their own reflection.

Dark circles adorned their eyes from their countless restless nights. Only falling asleep after hours of crying.

They couldn’t help but put the blame on their horns. Their god damn horns. Y/N hated them. Hated them so much. What would their life be like without them? Would the others still eye them so incredibly cautiously? Would they give Y/N a chance? After all Y/N was vocal about the fact that they didn’t support any of Schlatt’s decisions. For the longest time they tried to help the others through the hard times!

Yet, now as he was dead, they only showed Y/N the cold shoulder. If it wasn’t Y/N themself then the reason has to entirely lay on the horns. It was a too strong reminder of Schlatt.

A sob escaped Y/N’s lips. Tears now falling down their cheeks onto the green grass. No one was around so they didn’t mind crying loudly like this.

It was just so unfair. They did everything they could and yet all they reaped was disdain from the people and in a sick twist Y/N couldn’t even fault them for it. Whenever they saw their own reflection, their own eyes would be drawn to their dark horns after all.

Back in the day they were always happy looking at them but now they were the reason for Y/N being abandoned by everyone. They used to be somewhat good friends with Quackity due to his position as Schlatt’s Vice President and even he ignored them as soon as Schlatt was dead.

They had no one and at fault were these stupid, ugly horns.

Y/N let the fishing rod fall to the ground as they continued staring at their reflection. Trembling as they sobbed. Feeling so lonely with no way out.

What could they do? Put on a hat? There is no hat big enough to hide their horns. No, the horns had to go. There was no other way.

Shakily their hand snaked through the grass towards the water. Slowly submerging it into the ice cold liquid as the hand continued searching for something. As their hand landed on a stone that fit perfectly in their palm they held it in front of their face. Inspecting it.

As if to test it they softly tapped the stone against the tip of their horn. Their head moving with it. It felt weird. It didn’t hurt, of course, but it was still a weird feeling as the soft vibration traveled through it.

Letting out a shaky breath they reached back with their arm. The stone in an iron grip.

They hated this.

They hated everything about this but what could they possibly do? What could they do to get a proper chance at a normal conversation with Niki while buying flowers? A proper chance to talk with Quackity again, the man who was right there with them as all the bullshit happened.

All they wanted was a real chance to connect with people.

Y/N let out a sobbing scream as the stone collided with their horn, ripping off a good part of the tip.

It softly splashed into the water. Getting stuck between rocks, slowly rocking with the water stream.

“I don’t want to be alone anymore.” They stammered between sobs as they once again pulled their arm back in order to strike the horn again.

Again.

Again.

And again.

Their arm and hand hurt from constantly colliding with the hard material. A huge headache was now spreading through their head as they were sitting between broken pieces of what used to make up their horn.

But they weren’t done yet. The other side had to go as well.

With every new blow their whimpers would increase as well. At first a result of their hopelessness but it soon turned into an expression of pain. But they couldn’t give up. They had to keep going.

They had to get rid off this legacy Schlatt left them with.

After a particularly harsh blow they suddenly felt something warm slide down the side of their head.

Letting the stone fall down onto the ground they frantically stared at their own reflection in the water. It was blood.

Shocked they let out a shaky laugh. As much as it hurt and was horrible to look at, there weren’t any rest pieces of the horn resting on their head. So they picked the rock back up and with a blood curdling scream they slammed it into the other horn again, trying to get rid of the rest properly.

And it worked.

They were light headed from the pain, bleeding and crying but the horns were gone.

They were finally free of the curse.

“Finally.” They mumbled to themself only to finally take the time to rest and cry. They cried their god damn heart out. It was as if all the stress from the last couple of months finally jumped off their back.

Y/N’s back hit the soft ground as they slammed back, staring at the leaves up above them. Dancing with the wind and only occasionally giving away to the sun that was shining down on them.

Dark red blood staining the green grass. Their eyes growing heavier the more they continued to cry and hyperventilate. This pain is nothing. From this point on everything has to get better. It has to.

There was an audible gasp.

It wasn’t Y/N but they were too tired to look where it came from.

“Y/N? What the hell did you do? What happened? By Ender you are bleeding!” it was a male voice. Quackity? They weren’t too sure. Too delirious to tell.

Strong hands fell on their arms and pushed them up in a sitting position. Their head rolled back and they finally looked into Quackity’s pale face. So, they were right after all.

One of his arms went around their back in order to hold the crying Y/N upright as he took a better look at the wounds.

“I have to get you to someone who knows how to make healing pots. Maybe regeneration? Hell if I know. Did you do this? Your hands are covered in blood.” He was frantic.

Y/N shakily moved their hands up in order to grab Quackity’s hand that was holding their head in place and pushed it away from them, smearing his hand with their own blood “Don’t worry. I freed myself. The horns are gone. Now, you guys don’t have to be reminded of him anymore. We can all finally live in peace. No more reminders to him.”

Quackity’s eyes widened. His mouth opened up in an expression of pure shock. He hated that he could tell immediately what they meant exactly. After the war he did avoid them as much as he could. As Y/N said they, or rather their horns, reminded him too much of Schlatt and he needed time to heal but he never imagined this could lead to this.

He felt incredibly guilty. Realizing that he never really thought about what everyone’s behavior did to Y/N.

“Don’t worry, Y/N. We’ll find a way to help you.” His arm went under Y/N’s legs and with some straining he managed to get back up, holding them in his arms. Y/N leaned their head against Quackity’s chest, staining it with their blood in the process.

“See. It’s already working.” They whispered just before passing out.

“Fuck.” Quackity had to find someone who knew how to heal them as soon as possible. Jogging back into the city calling frantically out for help.