#and then he entrusts his whole life to one person! and he believes they will offer him no mercy!

[mourn-and-watch]

y'all know the 'and i love you so much i'm gonna let you kill me' line from that one florence + the machine song but i just can't stop thinking about it. like it is the ultimate anders line. the ultimate handers line.

you know, anders's life is (was) about running. he's good at it. he invented new ways to escape for every occasion. he got rid of fereldan templars. he kinda got rid of the wardens. he stayed out of kirkwall templar's sight for years. he could kill people and abandon duties and get away with it because it was what he knew the best.

and then he did something that would shake the world. something that people would demand his head for. before they had demanded it for who he'd been born. and then they got the reason that could not be denied. and he didn't run.

no way that he couldn't. kirkwall was burning and panicking, he could mingle with the crowd and disappear and leave no tracks behind but he didn't. he stayed and he wholeheartedly believed that hawke would kill him.

he was waiting for his coup de grâce. he would rather die by the hand of someone he knew and loved than by the hand of the people he was successfully running from because they hated him and he hated them. more importantly, once he had taken the life of his first love because there had been no hope for him, no salvation.

and he believed there was no hope for him now as well.

(and if hawke doesn't kill him he's so inspired. he's eager to fight because he doesn't want to die. he still has so much to do and now his life is finally completely his, because the first time he doesn't run he's spared. instead of a brand of tranquility or another year of solitary confinement or a knife in the back, he gets to know that there's someone who loves him so much they won't give up on him. they won't become his silent judge and this is the way they save him: not by denying his ideals, not by stopping him from fighting for his cause, but by letting him know there's still hope)

[realcube]

ASKING THEM TO CHOOSE A BATHING SUIT FOR YOU

characters ♡ (all aged up) midoriya, todoroki, kirishima & kaminari

request for ♡ anon

tws ♡ implied sexual content - minors dni!

IZUKU MIDORIYA

♡ so flustered by the request

♡ no matter the circumstances

♡ like y'all could be going out for a couple weeks or you could be married for ten years with children, homie still doesn't know how to act

♡ and he is so apprehensive to ask why you want him to pick it out for you because on one hand he's curious about the implications and wants to explore that further but the LAST thing he wants is too ask too many questions for you to then turn around and be like "you know what, nevermind. i'll just buy it myself."

♡ so he will try to get information out of you covertly

♡ "well i think you'd look great in anything.. maybe something floral. unless you are dressing for a specfic occasion?????? 🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨"

♡ "you know i like the red one you have. you should wear that if i get to see you in it 🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨"

♡ "oh you like the orange one? ... orange like the colours of pro hero dynamight ? 🤨🤨🤨🤨"

♡ he somehow manages to spiral and come to the conclusion you are having an affair

♡ but then he remembers he's with the most faithful partner in the world and moves on

♡ he also so believes that this is like.. a relationship milestone

♡ like "omg we are dressing each other now ow 🤪"

♡ if it turns out y'all are going to the beach or pool or something he will ask you to choose his bathing suit too

♡ but yeah he just thinks its so sweet you let him choose what you wear and he gets a strange (temporary) power trip from it

♡ whenever you get changed next he'll silently be praying you let him pick your outfit for you

♡ the power trip doesn't last long though because when he actually has to pick the outfit he is lowkey kinda nervous especially if you are gonna wear it out in public

♡ he is so afraid of making the 'wrong' choice

♡ like he doesn't want to be held responsible if you go out in a ugly fit and people give you funny looks

♡ overthinks asf

♡ it takes him like 10 minutes of pinterest surfing and coordinating to decide and eventually he goes with the same bathing suit you wear almost every time

♡ if you guys are staying indoors though, he is too respectful to say it aloud so he simply blabbers on for ages in hopes you get the hint

♡ "uh well i mean me personally i just don't see the point of going to all the effort to put on a whole new bathing suit after taking your clothes off if it's just going to get wet anyway i mean it's just a waste of washing machine power, pro hero wash doesn't risk his life everyday for people to just throw things in the laundry when they don't need to , right —"

♡ there's more

♡ like he goes on for ages but you pick up what he trying to say after two sentences

♡ and you give the man what he wants 🤷‍♀️

SHOTO TODOROKI

♡ so confused

♡ like he is genuinely baffled; he just doesn't understand why you would want him to choose for you and why, out of all the outfits you wear, it's your swimwear you want him to pick

♡ he is going to ask a million questions before he even tries and i wear he's not doing it to be difficult or defiant , he is just so incredibly curious and WANTS to know what thought process led you to entrusting him with your ootd

♡ you explain that it's just a cute thing you wanted to try, so you could see what colours and designs he prefers on you

♡ he still doesn't fully get it because he's made it inexplicably clear by now that he loves the way you look in virtually anything — you could have rolled up to your wedding in crocs and he would've still been completely enamoured. in fact he'd fall for you even harder for making practical footwear choices.

♡ (not that he's a fan of holes in shoes , he thinks it defeats the purpose. but he'd find something positive about them if you were to wear them)

♡ but after being with you for so long and being a pro hero in an evolving society , he has learned to be open-minded and entertains your idea

♡ he is naturally quite stylish , so it likely goes into your wardrobe and picks something very understated and minimalistic

♡ anything you own that happens to all be one colour; a boring colour too like beige, grey or off-white

♡ even if it happens to be a skimpy piece he truly pays no mind to it, he's more focussed on the design and colour (or lack thereof)

♡ so likely he'll end up handing you a two-piece that is essentially just two pieces of thread on a hanger , and of course you will think there are implications behind that and start eyeing him 👀

♡ but having been married to him for x years, you recognise the blank expression he wears when there is not a thought in his head and you quickly realise that he wasn't suggesting anything by handing you such a provocative outfit

♡ he just likes the colour and fabric lol

♡ "it will really bring out your eyes"

♡ (doesn't know what that means; heard someone say it on tv once and now it's his go-to fashion compliment) (what he really means is "fashion fashion style bags purse clothes purse")

♡ it's only when you actually put it on and show him when he realises what he has done lmao

♡ standing there and staring at you like 🙂 "cute. where's the rest of it?"

♡ it looked a lot bigger when he was holding it and he didn't take into consideration how it stretches

♡ tries to subtly get you to change without admitting its revealing

♡ "very pretty. but i heard jean shorts are in season, why not try those?"

♡ "oh— is that a loose thread? hmph. i think you'll have to throw bathing suit away since it's ruined."

♡ "it's nice but i doesn't bring out your eyes like i originally thought. more so your chin."

♡ tbh he does not want to even admit to himself he has a problem with you wearing revealing clothes because there is no rational reason as to why he should have an issue with it but he just does and it hurts his brain

♡ even if other guys are checking you out that shouldn't matter bc he knows you're loyal and would never cheat so WHY does the thought make him want to freeze an entire city ???

♡ anyway you can tell just by looking at him that he's conflicted and fighting internal battles so you put him out of his misery by just changing into a different one

♡ (after that chin comment tho , he did NOT deserve your compassion 😞)

♡ once he has successfully styled you into a cute outfit he feels so proud of himself lk??

♡ also he still has a hard time understanding why you wanted him to pick your bathing suit 'just because' so in his head he rationalises that dressing each other is just something all long-term couples do and you guys have reached a relationship milestone

♡ similar to izuku except todoroki takes it WAY more seriously

♡ like randomly when he is getting ready, he'll ask you to pick the tie he is going to wear or even his shirt

♡ and if he is getting ready in the morning and you're not awake yet , he will literally make you help him plan his outfit the night before

♡ even for super formal pro hero related events where he is likely being styled by professionals, he will ask you to choose his cufflinks or belt or something like that

♡ just so he has a piece of you on him at all times ( besides his wedding band ofc 🤪)

♡ and yeah this isn't a temporary thing either. unless you ask him to stop, he will be asking you for your input on his clothing for the forseeable future

♡ he'll even start asking other people ( who he knows are married ) stuff like "what did your wife choose on your outfit?" or "oh nice watch, did your husband pick it out for you?" and he gets weird looks every time

EIJIRO KIRISHIMA

♡ he's probably the most normal about it

♡ like he doesn't see it as any sort of test so he isn't nervous or confused

♡ and he is able to aknowledge that it is only an outfit for one day so even if it isn't his best work, at least he tried ??

♡ but yeah he thinks it's sooo cute that you want him to pick your bath suit , makes him feel like he's putting his own mark on you (in a wholesome way) and he finally gets to dress you in his favourite colour

♡ RED!!!

♡ if you don't have any red swimwear he will fr go out and buy you some because that is all he wants to see you in lol and he would LOVE to match with you

♡ red bikini + red truncks combo question mark

♡ if you don't own any red or you don't want to match with him , he'll probably choose a top and bottom from two different sets and pair them together and think he is some sort of style icon for pairing neon pink and sage green but in reality it such a crime against fashion

♡ but you wear it anyway just to see the big dumb smile of his face when you walk out wearing his "creation"

♡ oh and be warned that after you let him style you once he is going to be obsessed with giving his input on your outfits for at least the next six months or until you tell him to stop

♡ it'll be like "kiri, i'm gonna wear this white blouse to the dinner tomororw. does it look better with these black trousers or this brown skirt?"

♡ you'll show him the two options and he'll STILL reply, "hm, have you considered jorts ?"

DENKI KAMINARI

♡ wants to be nonchalant about it sooo bad but is internally screaming dancing and doing backflips

♡ like he is THIS close to blowing a fuse when you ask him

♡ and like you've been married to him for this long so you knew it would drive him crazy and that is exactly what you wanted mwahaha

♡ yeah he tries to play this off casually like a cool , reserved guy who couldn't care less

♡ but we both know that is NOT who he is , in fact that is the furtherest thing away from what he is in this moment

♡ "i- i get to choose?" he stammers, pointing at himself before he clears his throat. plastering a confident grin on his face, "yeah, duh. i'm your husband of course i'm going to choose what bathing suit you wear."

♡ pro hero chargebolt recently saved a politican from a very life threatening fajita incident so naturally your household has come into a lot of money and thus had a pool built in your back garden so he assumed you wanted to take it for a test run

♡ you've both been so busy with work that the pool has been finished for over a week and neither of you have tried it out yet

♡ so he saunters over to the warbrode and shoves his arm in and rummages around

♡ less like he is sifting through clothes; more like he is pulling out a prize from that mystery bag filled with random treasures at the carnival

♡ after a couple seconds of searching, his face lights up as though he has found the perfect outfit for you

♡ he pulls out his arm; lo and behold he has his hand in the air with his fist wrapped around... nothing

♡ literally nothing

♡ he still looks at the air where a bathing suit SHOULD be with wide eyes and an impossible grin, "this would look great on you !! you've not worn it in so long. try it on!!"

♡ he throws it towards you and of course you 'catch it' despite there being nothing there because you are plenty familiar with his antics and have learned by now exactly how to deal with them

♡ you 'hold it' in your hands and nod along, "yes! i forgot about this old thing. i'll go put it on right now." you muse, walking out and towards the bathroom, "i'm sure the dads at the beach will love this one."

♡ denki nods confidently, chuffed with how awesome and fly he is .. until he caught that last part

♡ "(Y/N) WAIT !!!"

[halfbloodgf]

Can we talk about the fact that Severus Snape left everyone, both the characters and the readers, like this: 🤡🤡

I mean, no one knew wtf was going on with him. One moment u think he's bad, the next u think he's good. And then u think he's the villain again. But then he gives his memories to Harry and we all realize that he was the fucking hero all along.

In hp1, we think it's Snape who was trying to steal the philosopher's stone, or who tried to knock Harry off his broom. But then comes the end, and we find out that he stopped Harry from falling (saved his life) and was protecting the stone...🤡

We still hated him in hp 2 and 3...

In hp4 Harry suspects that Snape had the Dark Mark, and ends up discovering that he did. There's even the scene that Harry sees: Igor Karkaroff accuses Snape in court in front of the Wizengamot, saying he was a Death Eater, and we're all like😯😃 (finally know the truth!!). But then Dumbledore defends him😐🧍🏻‍♀️, and no one, not Karkaroff, not Harry, not us readers, understand anything. We don't know whether to trust him or not. So, again...🤡

In hp5 everything is confusing with him. We don't know if he wants to help Harry (occlumency lessons) or not. He calls Voldemort "Dark Lord" (only Death Eaters do), we see his worst memory, which, again, leaves us bewildered and not knowing what the hell to think of him now. Harry himself doubts that his father was a good person, even wondering if James didn't force Lily to marry him, and empathizes with Snape. Then the whole thing with the prophecies, and Harry trying to warn Snape about Sirius and his supposed kidnapping. The Order arrives to save Harry and his friends, which suggests that Snape warned them.

But along comes hp and the Half-Blood Prince, Snape appears to be helping Draco Malfoy with what the Lord entrusted him with —The scene where Bellatrix accuses him, tells him that she doesn't trust him, and then she is surprised:

In the books:

[...]Do you really think that the Dark Lord has not asked me each and every one of those questions? And do you really think that, had I not been able to give satisfactory answers, I would be sitting here talking to you?”

She hesitated. “I know he believes you, but…”

“You think he is mistaken? Or that I have somehow hoodwinked him? Fooled the Dark Lord, the greatest wizard, the most accomplished Legilimens the world has ever seen?”

[...]

“And through all this we are supposed to believe Dumbledore has never suspected you?” asked Bellatrix. “He has no idea of your true allegiance, he trusts you implicitly still?”

“I have played my part well,” said Snape.

In the movies:

The line where he says “Dumbledore is a great wizard”, Snape is actually being smug and subtly saying he’s such a good actor (I mean, come on, the man deserves a fucking Oscar), he’s managed to deceive Voldemort so well that he has revealed his grand plan to him. He practically seems to be laughing at the double meaning of his own words, mocking and lying to the black sister's faces like the fucking boss he is. The way he's literally drinking a glass of wine while laughing at the Dark Lord. The whole scene is just excellent.

So at the end of hp6, Snape reveals to us that he was the half-blood prince for whom the fucking book is named, ends up murdering none other than ALBUS DUMBLEDORE, and we all learn that all this time his true loyalties were with the dark side...🤡

Oh no, wait! Hp7 arrives, Voldemort kills Snape :0 (Yes!), gives his memories to Harry, and Harry sees his memories and... (NOO😦😨😰😭💔💀). We found out he wasn't the bad guy. That, in fact, he was IN LOVE WITH HARRY'S MOM —"always" still hurts :')— That all this time he was our ally...🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡

He practically played with all of us, with LORD VOLDEMORT, the Death Eaters, the Order of the Phoenix, Harry... well, WITH EVERYONE IN THE ENTIRE WIZARDING WORLD. And he did it as if he were:

Harry fucking Potter named one of his sons after him, which must have made a lot of people roll in their graves (James and Sirius out of anger, Snape out of laughter).

This mf literally woke up one day and said: "okay, here begins my reputation era bitches.😎 Let's leave a few of them looking like🤡🤡"

PD: Sorry if something is written wrong, english is not my language.

[kaphzzz]

so i saw a couple posts about how arthur is sexist and racist and i'm not defending him because ive got a filter on but i do think some things are debatable. a few things got blown out of proportion and overanalysed i think.

first off i agree by today's standards hes definitely got some views to correct such as gender roles and not resorting to telling a woman to go to the kitchen as an insult, but at that time hes about as feminist as you get from a man. he says he doesnt think women and men are all that different, and he doesnt show any doubt at all regarding the capabilities of the women in the gang. many times hes expressed his belief that the women such as tilly or mary beth are skilled and capable of fending for themselves. he frequently shows his vulnerable side to the women in camp. when sadie made it firm that she wanted to be a fighter he allowed her to do it, barely even hesitated. i think he only mocked her because hes irritated at the commotion she and pearson caused in the middle of the camp, and also when isnt he sarcastic?

about the womens suffrage march: yeah he goes only because he's getting paid but he doesnt mock them for their cause and isnt afraid to be seen among them or to be perceived as an ally to their cause. considering the amount of angry men gathered at the protest who would have died of shame if anyone thought they were allies to feminism i think the contrast is clear enough.

'arthur as a lover would force gender roles' i genuinely dont think he would. the girls in the gang do chores because ms grimshaw is in charge of them and arthur has nothing to do with it, hes in fact more assured of their mission success when the girls are involved. he trusts sadie in a fight with his life. he meets charlotte and offers to teach her, without her asking him, to handle a gun to hunt and be independent, not once does he tell her to go back to her cozy life in the city or find another man to rely on beyond offering to get her somewhere she can get food. he goes out of his way to help mary, even when he realises he has nothing to gain from it. these are his views on what a woman should or shouldnt do and it wont change just because said woman is his partner. and i dont even ship him and sadie but i totally get it, i think he'd love a woman who can handle herself both in life and in a fight. this is also why so many people thought he had insane chemistry with black belle and there are even fanworks out there of the two. he doesnt get to meet too many but he's nothing but impressed and respectful when he meets a strong woman. and sure, if his partner is and just wants to be a wife in a traditional wife role, arthur'd be totally fine with it, he'd probably love to have someone stay in their home caring for it and waiting for him. but i also think he wouldnt be opposed to someone who can accompany him when hes out and about and who he can entrust his life to either.

'he lost his temper at mary' okay why wouldnt anyone? thats an understandable reaction for anyone in the circumstances. he's gone to meet who is probably the only person he has ever loved romantically and still loves, and all she does is criticise him for his outlaw lifestyle while at the same time expecting him to help her using the skills he gained from that life. im not going to say shes using him or being manipulative but it comes close, which is a whole other debate and i dont want to get into it but mary isn't in the right either. they talk to each other as equals too, their argument and the way they talk to each othet just supports that. when he got angry he realises his mistake and tries to calm himself down immediately when mary tells him to be kind to her. any truly sexist man who believes in a man's role in a relationship wouldnt even have listened. there were and are enough men in relationships who dont listen to their female partners or accept criticism from them or would even escalate the situation but arthur is not one of them.

about him being racist - this is a no brainer honestly he wasnt racist in 1899 and not racist now. sure you can say hes ignorant and uneducated on racism issues but thats not the same as being racist or accusing him of racism. the only thing i see people have to support the racism argument is that he referred to javier as a 'greaser' during the boat heist, but thats i think the only time he says a slur and thats only because he's got a role to play and hes simply saying whatever the manager expected from his act. he thinks of javier as family and all of the non white people in the gang too, quite obviously.

and lastly yes i agree hes a flawed person, charles calls him out on not wanting to help the germans or the tribe of his own will, lenny calls him out on not realising that the south is dangerous for him and tilly and charles to be in, in fact many people put him in his place by telling him exactly where hes wrong. he is often offending people whether he means to or not, and in certain situations quick to lose his temper or resort to violence, but he is also a kind and caring and sensitive person. i dont think we need to be squinting so hard between the lines to know that hes a good person when he doesnt have to be the violent brute dutch shaped him into for the gang.

so anyway i totally agree hes not some pure pookie wookie cinammon roll capable of no wrong and definitely has a lot of flaws besides the crimes, but i dont think racism or sexism are among them.

everyone has their own understanding of a character, i dont normally want to get involved in debate but if anyone does want to discuss then do but keep it civil

[celaenaeiln]

Hello, hello! It's been a while!!! Hope you're well. I had this hc about how Batfam is susceptible to manipulation, but only if it's Dick doing it. Like the blind faith he commands, there will literally get everyone ready to get him what he wants without him actually having to do anything. Like of anyone asks for a reason: "Dick said so". That's enough.

Just wanted your opinion on this

Omg hello!!! It’s been so long!! I’m so happy to hear to hear from you again 😆💕❤️!!

Hc that Bruce being completely susceptible to all of Dick’s manipulations due to the sheer faith he has in him? ABSOLUTELY!!

It’s so friggin true I’m pretty sure this is borderline canon if not canon already!!

Because here’s the thing: from the dawn of Batman comics to now, through all the changes that have occurred, there has only been one thing that remains constant and that is the fact that Bruce trusts Dick unconditionally.

There are MULTIPLE scenarios where Bruce confides solely in Dick and he actually worries heavily when his only companion leaves:

The Brave and Bold (1955) Issue #197

"My only real friends know me as Batman...Dick, Alfred, Kathy Kane...except..what do I do when Dick graduates college...and Alfred retires...and Kathy gives up being Batwoman? What do I do...when I'm finally alone?"

Bruce...that's a whole lot of pressure and expectation to put on a kid a decade younger than you..

But the point still stands because Bruce needs Dick. In the beginning of the Batman comics, there wasn't even Alfred around. It was just Dick and Bruce and they lived in an entire mansion together by themselves and had dual responsibilities of Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne as well as Batman and Robin. It was quite literally only the two of them in their own world. They went on adventures you wouldn't believe and had things happen beyond people's wildest imaginations. The Golden Age was a fever dream that encompassed only the two of them. They didn't have anyone else and they didn't want anyone else.

Dick pulled Bruce out of one of the worst times of his life when he was just Robin and Bruce pulled Dick out of depression during his. This resulted in a unbreakable bond. It's a deep kind of unshakable, irreplaceable love and profound trust that they have in each other that the other will only and always be there for them in the worst of times of their lives and the happiest of ones as well.

It's that kind of devotion and attachment to each other that established their relationship for decades. Every single timeline has consistently kept this - "You're my only one." - kind of relationship between the two of them.

Batman (2011) Issue #2

Bruce knows that of everyone he's ever met, Dick will always be the one to know him and hear him.

There's another comic panel that stuck out to me too-

Titans (2008) Issue #1

"No one knows about them except Bruce, Alfred, Tim. Barbara knows about a few. And ofcourse me."

Bruce only trusts three people - Alfred, his current robin, and Dick.

So consistently and unconditionally, it only comes down to two people at ALL times. For another example, during Death Metal, when the entire Justice League is hunting down Batman and the Batfamily, Bruce would only entrust the deadliest weapon in the world to one person and the entire league knows it.

Dark Nights: Metal Issue #2

Bruce just has pure faith in Dick for everything. He is the one person that Bruce believes will never do any wrong and he's the one person he always believes and believes in. Period.

Titans: Beast World Issue #1

Whatever Dick decides, it's the final word.

So that is why Dick is the only person Bruce is susceptible to. He never questions Dick in the comics ever. He's questioned every single person he's ever worked with about their intentions but never Dick. So Dick tells him the world is ending then the world is ending for Bruce.

If Dick tells him that red is an awful tie color, then it's an awful tie color that Bruce will never wear.

If Dick tells him to slick his hair back, take a break, be more compassionate, have faith - Bruce will do anything and everything. And this has been proven time and time again for the most menial situations to the most serious ones.

While everyone looks up at Bruce for answers and orders, Bruce will look to Dick and what he says, that's what they'll all do.

And here's the thing - the entire superhero community doesn't rely just on Bruce for commands, Dick is shown to have an equal weight. A single person has the equivalent weight of the Justice League. They will do what Dick says regardless of what Bruce says.

But the point is Bruce's utter faith in Dick gives him privileges. Anything and everything Dick decides, that's the answer, logic, and light of very reasoning to Bruce because Dick is the very source of existence for Bruce. In Forever Evil he almost let the world die intentionally because he felt that there was nothing to the world if he couldn't save Dick. At times he's fought Dick over his personal choices but every single time, without fail, he comes back literally two issues later to tell him sorry and you're right and we're going to do it your way.

Dick could let the world burn to fucking ashes and Bruce would stand by and clap and praise him. That time in the Blockbuster arc? Where Dick passively killed a man and started self-harming? Bruce roughly grabbed his face, got real close, and told him in his darkest voice that he doesn't give a flying fuck who dies or who Dick kills. As long as Dick doesn't dare hurt himself.

Dick can tell Bruce anything he ever wants, lie or truth, big or small, and Bruce will believe it with no doubts and no questions asked. That is the weight of his faith in him. Of course if someone does ask why he chose to do something a certain way? He can just say, "Because Dick said so." And as you called it, that answer alone will be enough. For everyone.

Don't be fooled by Dick's submissiveness to Bruce's commands. Bruce is holding him by the neck, but he's holding Bruce's leash just as tightly.

[anneapocalypse]

Demands of the Qun, or How the Inquisitor's Choice Answers the Iron Bull's Most Important Question

I was having a chat about the Iron Bull and his personal quest with some friends and one person said in response to something I said that I should make it a Post, so here it is! And a usual disclaimer: this is not about which in-game decision is "correct"--it's an RPG, there's no wrong way to play the game. I just want to talk about the meaning of this decision for Bull's character and for his future.

Dragon Age: Inquisition’s “Demands of the Qun” is, for me, one of those quests where the RPG format of “player character makes major decision for companion character” really works. I do not see this as an example of game mechanics taking away agency from an NPC. I think Bull has agency in this situation.

The Chargers are not Inquisition soldiers. They are mercenaries, and Bull is their commander. If the Inquisitor makes a call he doesn't like, he is free to say "Screw you" and take his people and leave, because they are not soldiers, they're independent contractors, so leaving isn't desertion, it's just quitting. If he were already certain he wanted to leave the Qun, he could simply call the retreat himself, take the Chargers and leave. Similarly if he were certain of his loyalties and willing to sacrifice the Chargers for that purpose, he could do that, regardless of what the Inquisitor says.

He lets the Inquisitor make this choice.

The Iron Bull has had one foot out the door of the Qun for a long time now. But he's gone back and gone back, submitted himself for re-education and done his best to keep serving the Qun, because he believes he needs the Qun. To him, becoming Tal-Vashoth means losing himself, his identity, his purpose, his very sanity, and as the Fade tells us in "Here Lies the Abyss," this is quite literally his greatest fear. Bull could never bring himself to leave the Qun with nowhere to go instead, nothing to give his life purpose and meaning—and no one to entrust himself to should he doubt his own sanity.

But in his work in the south, the Iron Bull has found community and identity and purpose outside the Qun. The very name he has given himself speaks to that, as does his close relationship to the Chargers.

Right from the beginning, there is tension in "Demands of the Qun." Bull remarks that he's gotten used to the Qunari being "over there" during his life in the south. I think Bull has a very potent anxiety when he meets Gatt again on the Storm Coast, and introduces him to the Inquisitor and their party. To me, it very much has the vibes of introducing two friend groups, where you're not only pretty sure they won't get along, but you're also very aware that they know very different sides of you—and neither of them are going to like seeing the other side. Bull's discomfort is visible both when Gatt speaks freely about Bull's work in the Ben-Hassrath, and when the Inquisitor's other companions make disparaging remarks about the Qun. His two worlds have collided, calling into conflict two sides of his sense of self that he has thus far managed to avoid confronting.

And this is likely part of the point. The Qun does not truly respect alliances with any outside the Qun. I wouldn't say for sure that the Qunari set up this whole situation just to test Bull—it's possible they knew exactly how many Venatori would show up, but they couldn't have known precisely how the Inquisition would respond. That, and their desire to root out the Venatori is no doubt sincere. But I do think they are watching Bull's actions very closely throughout this proposed alliance, gauging his loyalty. Gatt tells him outright that many already believe he has betrayed the Qun.

Bull's internal conflict quickly becomes an external one when the Venatori reinforcements show up, and Bull is faced with the decision of whether to withdraw the Chargers or defend the dreadnought at the cost of their lives.

The thing is, Bull is not neutral on this. He tells the Inquisitor what he wants. He wants to save the Chargers. If the Inquisitor says that the Chargers still have time to retreat, Bull agrees. When Gatt tells him they need to hold position, he says in a low, intense tone, "They're my men."

And then, when Gatt tells him in no uncertain terms that calling the retreat will make him Tal-Vashoth, the Iron Bull looks to the Inquisitor.

Again, he is not neutral. He knows what he wants. He is standing there basically begging the Inquisitor with his eyes to save his boys.

So why doesn't he just make the call himself?

Because just as this whole situation is in part a test of Bull's loyalty, this is also a test of the Inquisitor.

What Bull needs to leave the Qun is not simply for someone else to make the choice for him, but to believe that there is a future for him outside the Qun. That he will still be himself, that he will have purpose, and meaning, and that someone else is worth trusting. Bull cannot bring himself to leave the Qun if it means he will be left utterly alone with nothing but his own mind and his deepest fears. And if that's what leaving the Qun means… then in his mind, it would be better to stay.

The Inquisitor's choice will answer that question.

To sacrifice the Chargers leaves Bull with nothing outside of the Qun. He has just watched his closest friends die, and he cannot trust the Inquisitor. With Krem and Rocky and Skinner and Stitches and Dalish and Grim, the new sense of self that the Iron Bull has found in the south also dies.

Of course he turns back to the Qun. He has nothing else left.

But if it's the Inquisitor who makes the call to save the Chargers… Bull can leave. He has friends who care about him. He has purpose. He has someone whose command he can trust. He has hope. None of this makes the choice easy for him. It is quite clearly very painful and difficult, and I don't think there's any way it could be otherwise. But he has a way forward nonetheless. The choice makes leaving possible.

The Inquisitor doesn't force the Iron Bull to become Tal-Vashoth. Instead, Bull implicitly asks a question, and the Inquisitor by their choice gives him an answer.

[happynowyo]

The deal

Fandom: Six of Crows

Pairing: Kaz Brekker x fem!Reader

Summary: You work in a brothel and all of the sudden Kaz Brekker becomes a frequent visitor who prefers to stay in the shadows until you come up to him first.

Warnings: soft Kaz, mentions of touch aversion

Word count: 2,7k

— Let me guess. Are you going to use an excuse that you're looking for something again?

— No, this time I'm only looking for you.

Your mother once warned you about how cruel the world was and how important it was to be careful. Young girls often caught the attention of slavers and it would probably break your parents' hearts if they knew exactly how your life had turned out after their death. Your aunt was supposed to take you from Fjerda to Ravka, but your ship was attacked by pirates and instead you ended up in Ketterdam when you were fifteen.

In some way you were lucky. You got a place at the Rainforest, an extremely posh and expensive place. The guests were usually wealthy travelers, diplomats, or members of the Merchant Council, so you didn't have to worry about your safety. The girls had to keep the good mood of the clients, but everyone put a different meaning to the words. Some wanted only sex, some wanted company to talk to. They were all escaping loneliness, and you couldn't blame them for that.

But among the row of all the others, only one guest was special. The tapping of his cane on the wooden parquet was unmistakable. You had to have lived in Ketterdam as a complete hermit, blind and deaf, if you didn't know who Kaz Brekker was. Rumors about him flooded the streets, intimidating and exaggerating every little thing about him. But there was no doubt that this guy was very dangerous indeed. His cane broke a lot of bones, and his brilliant mind ruined a lot of lives.

It was not for you to judge how people preferred to rest in their spare time. Sometimes you spotted Jesper in his another funny hat at the playhouse across the street from your second-floor window. You two even talked a couple of times when you ran into each other on the street after the establishments were closed. But seeing Kaz Brekker at the Rainforest required a special occasion.

He seemed like a complete stranger in the place. His eyes were constantly scanning the room, his whole body was tense and looked more like a wax statue than a living person. He was clearly uncomfortable in the brothel, even if he tried to hide it, and his face remained a perfect blank sheet that could easily be given a slight interest. You might have believed it, but a few years at the Rainforest had taught you much better insight into men. Being able to read the slightest visible reaction was part of your job.

Anyone else came to a brothel for entertainment. People wanted to get some female attention and flirtation, to drink and spend a huge amount of money so they could leave at dawn with a smile and a sense of having had a good time. They came "from somewhere." But Kaz Brekker came "to somewhere." He was cautious, but at the same time quite determined, and he clearly had a purpose of some kind. You had seen him at the bar a few times, but then he disappeared faster than you could figure out what kind of drink he had in his glass.

It took a whole week before you realized exactly what was going on. Kaz carefully looked around the main hall, but never went any farther. You had to be a guest accompanied with a girl to go up to the second and third floor, where the girls' rooms for work and the office of the accountant and the club owner were located. You wondered what Kaz wanted to find that was so important that he didn't entrust the job to Jesper, who could pretend to be a client and sniff it out. From what you had heard, Kaz Brekker was probably the only man in Ketterdam who didn't use brothels for their intended purpose.

— Do you need any help or are you going to keep looking around every corner and memorizing what time the guards at the entrance change?

You walked up to him first, leaning innocently beside him on the bar, and glanced curiously at his glass. Vodka and ice? The club's shelves were stocked with liquor, but Kaz Brekker certainly had to stand out in this one, too. The simpler, the better, that's for sure.

— What makes you think I'm interested in security? — Kaz's husky voice carefully concealed his surprise, as if he'd been so caught up in his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed you approaching. And it was further confirmation of how different he was from the people around him. People didn't come to brothels to drink in silence and think about personal things.

— Well, I have eyes, and I can use my mouth to find out that you haven't been with any of the girls, even though it's the fourth time you've been here in a week, — you chirped, giving one of the clients a smile before you turned your attention back to Kaz, your tone changing to more businesslike. — The cane and gloves. This black suit. If you want to go somewhere incognito, I suggest you use a disguise in the future, Kaz Brekker. Everyone is capable of recognizing you in this town, as well as exactly what you're known for. Are you planning another heist here?

Kaz was ready to curse himself for how obvious it was. A foolish scheme had turned out to be an even more foolish finale. He had originally wanted to dig into the situation himself, after Inej had given him the details of the owner, the number of girls and the size of the rooms. But one look at the crowd was enough for him to spot you and that dark blue dress with the veil you wore that first night. Like the sky in the middle of the night. A mystery lying in plain sight. It wasn't until his third night that he was able to find you among the other girls in the hall, guided by the shade of hair he remembered, when he could finally see your face.

Perhaps all these years the Saints had shielded him from unnecessary sympathy and feelings for someone just to give him the illusion of invincibility. He loved nothing and nothing could be taken from him. Kaz believed this as if he really didn't have the ability to feel anything. And that's why he was so shaken by how much he remembered that image of you with the veil and how much he wanted to know more about you. He was so unrestrainedly crushing on you that he still hadn't moved forward with the plan. He needed the access to the second floor, but he didn't have the courage to come up to you and pretend to be your client. Kaz shook at the thought of touching you and the anxiety came along with nausea almost instantly.

— There will be no heist. I just need to look at a couple of documents. I won't even take them with me, — Kaz replied discreetly, forcing his appraising gaze to stop on your face. Too beautiful. Too distracting. He shouldn't have told you anything but he hoped his honesty would buy him a way out.

— I can help. In exchange for a favor, of course.

You leaned closer to him in a trusting manner, and your fingers gently touched Kaz's shoulder. Just for a second, so lightly that the touch seemed phantom and unreal. Whatever past Kaz held, it made him keep his distance from people in a literal sense. Your observation of the previous nights was enough to realize that Kaz was not a fan of touches, even casual ones. The gloves clearly served him as an extra layer of protection, though you were curious about what had happened to him that caused such a reaction. Many girls in brothels reacted similarly negatively to touching after a while, but Kaz didn't seem like the kind of person who would work in such an establishment.

— Okay, let's say I would agree to your terms. Hypothetically. What would you ask for? — it was hard for Kaz to imagine what a girl like you might need. Money? Freedom from your indenture? Or someone else's death? He knew how much brothels disfigured and perverted the psyche, no one remained a saint there.

— You will take your gloves off next to me. No touching. But you will take them off so we are equal.

You were absolutely unwavering in what you said. Some tension thickened between you, and the air seemed almost electrified. Kaz Brekker was a threat to everyone in Ketterdam, but something told you that he could show an unusual softness around you. You'd met guys like that before. They built themselves up to be important and confident, they controlled other people's lives, but when they were alone, they all wanted to give up some of their control. To give it to someone else, to breathe easier. You wondered if Kaz was really the same.

He threw a quick glance toward the exit, as if miscalculating his escape route, but finally nodded in silent agreement. A smile bloomed on your lips, and you wrapped your fingers lightly around Kaz's wrist over his jacket to lead him up the stairs. The guards let you through without any questions, and you wondered if they knew who the dark-haired guy with the cane next to you was. If they did, they would have preferred to kick him out in fear that he would pick all the locks and stashes in the brothel.

You led Kaz to the very last door and carefully looked around before nodding approvingly. Time was short, but you had no doubt that Kaz would manage to find what he needed.

— All of the owner's papers are here, so as all the accountant's reports. He'll be back in half an hour, after lunch, but if I were you, I'd hurry, — you warned him with a charming smile, without any guilt for taking a criminal to the brothel's main office. — Be a good boy and come see me afterwards. Second door on the left. I've heard you always stick to your part of the deal.

You didn't wait for his answer and went to your room. You had time to open a window and fix your hair before a polite knock reached your ears, and then Kaz came inside. Quite pleased, judging by the look on his face. Whatever he was looking for, he found it. The door closed behind him with a quiet click, though you knew no one would dare disturb you anyway.

— You could have told me. I wouldn't have wasted my time, — Kaz's voice, despite the accusation in his words, was filled with real amusement. His blue eyes twinkled with surprise, though he quickly returned to his usual reserved look.

— I wanted to watch you at work. How fast you can do it. Your fame runs far ahead of you.

You shrugged innocently, smiled softly, and then stepped back, resting your back against the windowsill. The light breeze from the open window played mischievously with your hair, and you threw your head back for a moment, closing your eyes to relax. When you looked up again, Kaz was already in front of you. His cane had been left next to a nearby chair, and his last step toward you was extremely neat, since Kaz was trying not to put pressure on his bad leg.

— I know a couple of Healers. They could have helped you with your leg. Your life would have been a lot easier, but I guess you thought about it and gave up that option. Do you use this pain to punish yourself? — you spoke more quietly, and everything inside you froze with a strange anticipation.

Tension rang in the air and only got stronger as Kaz slowly began to remove his gloves. When was the last time he'd done this in front of someone? Had it even happened once? He looked so vulnerable, so collected and soft at the same time, that you immediately wanted to praise him. It was clearly a huge step for him, and you were about to ask why he decided to do it after all, but Kaz beat you to it, breaking the long pause.

— To remember. Pain reminds me that I am alive. That I have some weaknesses. Given what I do, it's easy to believe in my own invincibility. I've seen it bring people down, — Kaz's voice lowered and literally vibrated.

What was happening seemed like a real obsession to him, but he was already here and this was his chance, so he cautiously took another step, standing quite close so that your chests almost touched. The stale smell of water crept up his nose as the first sign of future panic, but Kaz did his best to get rid of it. Some things have to be done the other way around, so even though all his instincts were screaming for him to step back, he shortened the distance between you and touched your hair unabashedly, tucking the strand behind your ear.

— It's a good strategy, but I feel sorry that you have to use it, always feeling pain with every move, — you didn't try to move away, nor did you comment on Kaz's actions. The attraction between you could be felt under your skin. Kaz was handsome as hell, and part of you wished he could have been a mere client. So you could flirt and touch him without any consequences, without making him uncomfortable.

— Your strategy is pretty good, too. In a few years you've made a great career move, from a usual servant to an accountant of one of the top brothels. Do you still work with clients?

— I'm a fast learner. And yes, I don't have to sleep with anyone anymore, but sometimes I still spend time around big clients to make sure there aren't any problems.

Kaz nodded, not really paying attention. He could hardly think about anything right now while his whole body was in a state of peak tension. For the first time in his life he was so attracted to someone, and it shook him to his core. Kaz wanted to go further, but his mind was frantically trying to figure out exactly what was going to happen. Was your attraction mutual? If he risked touching you for real, how quickly would panic overshadow desire? If you knew about who he was, did you realize the danger he brought with him?

It was literally written all over his face, all those difficult choices that plagued him so much that you made the decision for him, gently reaching forward with your palm. He could touch it or he could step back. During the healing process even the tiniest step was important. You kept your eyes on Kaz, studying his graceful facial features with pleasure, and you couldn't ignore how handsome he was. Kaz could have had any girl or guy at the snap of his fingers, but he was so uptight and so caught up in his work that he didn't notice anyone around him. Or he didn't want to notice because of his obvious problem with touching.

— What were you looking for in the papers?

You tried to distract him, continuing to watch as his fingers slowly came close to yours. There was barely a millimeter of space between you, but even that sent a wave of heat through your body. You could feel the touch even so, though it never really happened.

— The list of investors. And the guest list at the anniversary party. I was asked to find some compromising information on an official from the Merchant Council, — Kaz looked embarrassed and twitched his lips guiltily, taking a step back as panic reached his lungs and cut off his oxygen.

— I can get you an invitation. If you agree to visit me again. There's an old hotel in the west side of the town. I rent a room under its green roof, the biggest one. If you crack the lock before I get there, after midnight, I'll be especially pleased. Do you want me to be pleased, Kaz?

You returned the previous minimal distance between you and leaned into Kaz's ear with a charming whisper, casually running your palm along his shoulder and chest, leaving tiny millimeters to the actual touch. You wanted to test your guess and see if he wanted you the same way, or if you just made up the fact that there was a spark between you.

You got the best answer when Kaz nodded and briefly touched your palm with a light kiss, like a true gentleman.

[anxiousnerdwritings]

How would Sirius react to Bellatrix's Biological!Child!reader getting sorted into Gryffindor? Even better, how does Bellatrix react when she finds out her most treasured child (more like object) is a Gryffindor? I can see her either completely glossing over it or giving reader the ol' burn-them-off-the-family-tree-and-disown-them treatment (times 100). Either way, I feel like there's a good chance Sirius will be joining reader's custody battle when he finds out lol

I don’t think yan!mom!Bellatrix would really acknowledge it too much but there would be slight disappointment in her child not being in Slytherin. She would probably be reminded of Sirius when she first finds out about her child being sorted into Gryffindor and she would immediately be untrusting of any and all of her child’s housemates. The only people she could bring herself to tolerate being around her child would be the Slytherin kids. I like the idea of Bellatrix having not been sent to Azkaban after having her precious child, like maybe once her child are brought into the world she put her all her time and focus into them and only them, entrusting the torture of the Longbottoms to Rodolphus, Rabastan and Barty because she didn’t want to part from her child for anything which in turn would result in her not being arrested for it leaving her to be Abel to be in her child’s life this whole time. If that were the case then I could definitely see Bellatrix sending the Reader a howler but it’s not directed towards the Reader but towards their new housemates. She’s definitely threatening them and their entire family tree all the while you can hear Narcissa in the background trying to calm her sister down and throwing in a positive message to the Reader and making sure to tell them to spend time with Draco and that he’s there if they need anything at all.

Also, Bellatrix totally would interrogate her child when they came home for break about their housemates and the ones who especially wormed their way into befriending her beloved child. She wants all their names, their family’s names, their addresses; everything pertaining to them she wants to know. And you can bet she isn’t allowing her child to visit any of their friends, even if they were in Slytherin. Once her child is back in her possession she isn’t letting go for anything. I mean Narcissa would already have to fend off Bellatrix just to be able to send the Reader back to school. Don’t even get me started on how she would be when it came to seeing the Reader off at the train station.

Regarding Sirius, I think his first reaction would be finding it completely ironic that Bellatrix’s child would be in Gryffindor like him. I think that alone would lead him to think that her child shares a similar personality to himself or something of the sort that connects them like that which in turn would cause him to worry about the safety of the Reader. His mother had been dreadful towards him in so many ways, he can only imagine how Bellatrix is or will be with her own child, especially after this. Sirius would definitely want to meet his cousin’s child and see what they’re really like, whether they take after Bellatrix in any way, shape, or form, or if they are much more akin to himself as he believes they are. He certainly would believe that the child deserves someone much more deserving than Bellatrix to be their parent and he’s more than willing to fill that role. I think it would especially sell it for him if the Reader was friends with Harry, maybe even to the point of becoming the Sirius to Harry’s James. He’d absolutely adore being able to raise both Harry and the Reader together. I can definitely see Sirius wanting to be to the Reader what the Potter family had been to him, especially once he ran away.

Sidenote; but I really love the idea of yan!mom!Bellatrix raising her Hufflepuff!child. I can imagine that with her extreme coddling and overprotectiveness/overpossessiveness, as well as Narcissa’s own added coddling and overprotectiveness, it would lead the child to having grown up much more sheltered and maybe seeing the way their mother was resulted in them being the exact polar opposite. Like, her child is warm, sweet, shy, kind, friendly, and just overall everything Bellatrix isn’t and can’t even try to feign being. I can’t help but imagine Bellatrix trying to get her child to become more like her but it taking no real effect whatsoever leaving her to be fiercely protective of her little cinnamon roll puff of a bby.

[bethanydelleman]

If each protagonist was allowed to stab someone, just once, who would it be?

Oh man this is so exciting and I love this question!

So first of all, I really doubt any of Jane Austen's heroines would stab anyone, it doesn't really fit into their personalities. So let's say in English society everyone carries a small knife with a seal and they can choose to stab one person, ONCE in their whole life and that's it, no penalties. Then your knife is taken away.

Elizabeth Bennet, in the midst of Darcy insulting her family while resting his hand on the mantlepiece, stabs him through the hand. She calls him a sorry excuse for a gentleman while he is trying to get the knife out. During the end of the Collins proposal, Elizabeth did motion towards her knife, which is when Collins finally took the hint that she wasn't interested. Later, she deeply regrets not saving the knife for Wickham.

Jane Bennet never stabbed anyone in the whole course of her life and was buried with her knife never unsealed.

Anne Elliot never thought she would use her knife, but when Mr. Elliot came in and tried to flirt with her again after she had learned the horrible truth of his character, she couldn't help herself. She stabbed him in the leg. The truth of his intentions came out far sooner than expected.

Elinor Dashwood never even wore her knife, everyone felt safe around her. However, they did not realize that she had hidden it inside John's favourite easy chair at Norland and it gave him a very irritating poke every time he sat down. The chair had been used by Elinor's father and when it became clear that John did not mean to honour his deathbed promise to his father, Elinor acted.

Marianne Dashwood stabbed Willoughby when he snubbed her at the party in a wild passion.

Catherine Morland's family were always against knives, being a plain-spoken and honest sort of folk. However, Mrs. Morland thought it best to entrust one to Catherine before she went out in the world. Catherine got spooked and nearly stabbed a servant on the way to Mrs. Tilney's room. She was so embarrassed she hid the knife away and never mentioned it again.

Lady Susan has used her knife several times and then refashioned the seal. She's a cheater. She stabbed Reginald for believing the truth about her once he found out. How disloyal!

Emma Woodhouse stabbed Mr. John Knightley early in their relationship after a perceived slight to Isabella. Their relationship recovered.

Fanny Price was always too grateful to justly wield her knife against Mrs. Norris or the Bertrams. However, after Henry Crawford and Maria eloped, she sent the seal of her knife to Henry, a life-long warning that if he crossed her path again the knife was intended for him. He fastidiously avoided her for the rest of his days.

Bonus: John Thorpe has been stabbed 26 times by various women, friends, and fathers of women. He has learned absolutely nothing from these experiences. Catherine might have stabbed him, but she felt like it would be pointless.

[i-heart-hxh]

hey

ik you're busy with processing all this scrapped ending stuff, but imma ask anyways. so people here and on twitter tend to say that killua and gon's relationship is codependent. how is it shown? cuz to me they're just extremely devoted to eachother, but i can't exactly see this whole codependency thing.

love your analysis btw, you're great❤️

Hi! Thank you very much for the kind words, I appreciate it! (Obviously answering this after a while, as the scrapped ending topic isn't quite as omnipresent now.)

On one hand, I do think their relationship has aspects of codependency, for reasons I'll go into below. But there's a lot going on in their relationship, and I also believe people use this term as sort of a catch-all for the various issues.

So, what is codependency?

Codependency is a dysfunctional relationship dynamic where one person assumes the role of 'the giver,' sacrificing their own needs and well-being for the sake of the other, 'the taker.' -- Psychology Today

I mean...doesn't this sound like Killua's unhealthy, self-sacrificing devotion for Gon?

Killua mostly takes on this role himself, but Gon does stoke this dynamic, assigning Killua the role of holding him back in dangerous situations and expecting him to clean up after his messes.

Killua is happy to have this role supporting Gon and takes it seriously, but as the series goes on, the burdens he deals with on Gon's behalf keep getting more and more extreme, and when Gon pushes him away even when he's doing his role (trying to keep Gon from doing something reckless and getting carried away, in the scene where Gon confronts Pitou), it breaks Killua's heart.

The issues between these two have a root cause: Both of them love each other more than they love themselves. This is the key to understanding many of the underlying issues in their relationship.

In Killua, this manifests by devotedly taking on whatever Gon wants or needs no matter what personal cost it has to him, trying desperately to be of service to him because it's the only way he knows how to express his love for him. Coming from the Zoldyck family, it makes sense acts of service are one of the only ways he believes love can be expressed meaningfully. As I said in another post, he even takes on things Gon doesn't ask him to do, and then hides how much he does for Gon and the costs it has to him, so Gon isn't even aware of how much Killua suffers on his behalf.

In Gon, this manifests by prioritizing Killua's life while recklessly disregarding his own. Remember this line?

I come back to this scene all the time because it's vital to understanding the way Gon values Killua above himself. To Gon, his life isn't worth all that much, but Killua's life is another story.

When Killua could have died if he dodged differently in the Dodgeball match, Gon loses his temper completely, to the point where he can't even answer Bisky's simple questions. I recommend reading the whole scene to see just how pissed Gon is about this, but for the sake of brevity here's the most important part:

This happens before the pivotal scene of Killua holding the ball for Gon, severely injuring his hands. There's a lot of complexity to this scene and what it means in their relationship, it honestly deserves its own post because it's difficult to summarize, but it shows us Killua being perfectly willing and happy to be gravely injured on Gon's behalf, and Gon accepting Killua's willingness to sacrifice and suffer for him. Definitely a case of codependency, if you revisit the definition above.

At the same time it's an indication of deep trust and understanding between the two: Gon knows that Killua wants to do this for him and he allows him to do this because he knows it has meaning to Killua. Killua knows that he's the only one Gon would ever entrust such a task to, and that means the world to him, even before Gon says his "It has to be Killua," line. And ultimately, even if it's a bit twisted, this act is all in service of Gon trying to avenge Killua being put at deadly risk.

When Gon is in front of Pitou and says the "This means nothing to you," line, this is intended to push Killua away, tell him it's not his fight. This battle is Gon's burden, he's willing to give up his life if it comes down to it, but Gon doesn't include Killua in his plans because, after all, Gon believes that it's okay if he dies, but not Killua. While the way Gon lashes out at Killua says more about his emotional state at the time than his intentions, his repeated pushing Killua away during his grief and rage is one of the ways he ironically shows love towards Killua--he doesn't want Killua to have to share this burden or die on his behalf, because he sees it as all his fault. Even when Killua contributed to what happened in a way (knocking Gon out in order to take him and leaving Kite behind, something Killua definitely blames himself for), Gon refuses to blame him even slightly.

But because Killua stakes his entire self-worth on how useful he can be to Gon (codependency), being pushed away by Gon and not allowed to share his burdens and his pain is just about the deepest wound Gon can inflict on Killua. It's not what Gon intends with his actions--if anything it's him trying to protect Killua in his own way--it's just the way their respective issues with self-esteem manifest, and it's unfortunate. It's why they need to split up for now, to heal and work through what happened, so they can come back together, communicate properly, and build a better dynamic the second time around.

Now, when discussing their codependency I think it's worth remembering some things: They are both young teens with issues with trauma and self-esteem, who haven't had close friendships prior to this. Many of the less healthy aspects of their friendship, like their lack of fully communicating for instance, are tendencies from the ways they were raised. They adore each other more than anything, they almost never intend to cause harm to each other, and the "roles" they take on in the relationship that end up hurting them are generally more self-imposed and coming out of their individual issues than something either of them is forcing the other to take on.

Their relationship has been transformative and deeply meaningful to both of them, and they're definitely happier together than apart. The issues between them need to be addressed and reflected on by both of them, but I truly believe this is something they'll be able to overcome ultimately.

[whisk3ysugar]

Pairing: Miguel O'Hara x Reader, Feral!Miguel x Reader

Warnings: Smut without much of a plot!! Mentions of blood..

Word Count: 1786 (I think)

A/N: I saw @smotheredinlighterfluid post about this and I just had to try to write it out.. Um.. Its pretty bad but I TRIED. I TRIED... Also this is not a continuation to my last post/series/thing!

It was well known that Miguel O’Hara was a failed experiment. Or one of the sorts. However, he didn’t like to elaborate on what that meant exactly. Miguel rarely entrusted others with his own secrets. Much less people who depended on him to protect them. It wasn’t usual for Miguel to go around explaining how or why he had the powers he did, and he very much despised the idea of others gossiping about what he was or what his background was. He didn’t actually trust anyone. Not even the people he was supposedly closest to. Not even you.

You had been working on Miguel’s team of elite protectors for a few years now. But did that really mean anything? Did that actually make you any more valuable or trustworthy to him than it did anyone else? In your head, the answer was a very clear no. But that didn’t stop you from striving to be his favorite.

Sometimes you swore you hated him. Sometimes you made yourself believe he actually saw you. As a friend maybe. A partner? No, not that type. Just an acquaintance. Hopefully. But it wasn’t really the truth. You were just a weapon to him. An object. But did knowing that really change your view on him anyways? No. You still admired him as if he were a god. As if he were life itself. It was unfair really. Him not caring about you at all. You caring entirely about him. Years together, working, protecting eachother, and yet you still weren’t seen by him.

Well, that’s what you thought. None of it was really ever clear. Did he actually hate your guts? Did he really not care? You didn’t actually know. And to be honest.. Neither did he. He didn’t really see you as just another worker. Another slave to him. Another person who was there at his beck and call. No. You were closer than that. But he didn’t need to express that. He would never allow himself to indulge in such fantasies. Never.

So why was it all crumbling down withing seconds? Why was he letting loose so easily? Why the hell was he actually letting himself come undone? It wasn’t like that, no, not at all. He would never purposely let himself ease his needs. It wasn’t ever about him. His line of work did not allow any space for that.

This wasn’t a typical thing. Absolutely not. He was different. There was something entirely different about his whole.. persona. He wasn’t as calm and collected as he’d normally be. The side of him that was put together must’ve threw itself out the window because why the hell else would he be so aggravated when heading to work. It wasn’t like he did anything differently lately. His routine was perfectly put together for every single day of his life. He never broke the order. Except for today.

His fists were clenched together tightly as he headed into his office. He needed to get work done. Protect people. Do his god damn job. Everyone needed him. Or that’s what he liked to tell himself at least. When his mind wandered.

“Good morning, Miguel”

He didn’t even need to turn to see who was speaking to him. Every morning was the same. You’d always greet him quietly while heading to your side of the office. He would rather die than admit it, but he enjoyed seeing you everyday, and hearing your voice call his name. Today was no different. That’s what he tried to convince himself. But it was different.

His eyes wandered. Wandered to you. Sat at a far desk, monitoring what you needed to, writing reports, doing your job. Like he should be doing. That didn’t matter though. His mind was swirling with thoughts. Thoughts like ‘What the hell is happening to me?’ or ‘Why is this happening?’ He didn’t really need that question answered. He knew why these things were happening to him.

It wasn’t regular for his ‘urges’, (to put it lightly), to come to him. Failed experiments do come with side-effects after all. Why would he be any different? Usually he’d take some time to himself to relax. To wear off the unavoidable effects. But not today. It hit him like whiplash today. And he’d have to endure the feeling of heat building in his core. Fueling his whole body. Taking absolutely everything in him to hold himself back.

How could he though? How could he hold back when you fluttered your eyelashes in such a sultry manner. Were you doing it on purpose? Were you staring at him like that because you knew what was happening to him? No, of course not. He wouldn’t expose himself like that so easily.

“Is something wrong, Miguel?”

“No.”

“You’re sweating..”

“It’s hot in here.”

“Do you want me to turn on the air conditioning?”

You spoke as you made your way out of your chair and over to his desk where the AC just so happened to be.

It wasn’t like you meant for it all to happen. You didn’t mean to brush your thigh against his leg. You didn’t mean to look at him the way you did. But you couldn’t hide it when he was so close and just emanating ferocity.

You didn’t mean to end up shoved onto his desk. Fighting to escape the binds of your own clothing.

But you did.

He was fed up with everything. He needed release. Release of his pent up frustrations.. Release of his emotions. Release of everything. So he would have to use you. Not that you minded. He had practically swept you off your feet when he grabbed at your thighs and plopped you on the desk. You actually quite enjoyed the feeling of his claws digging through your clothing and into your plush skin. The feeling of blood trailing down from the tiny cuts forced you to squeeze your thighs together. And as quick as he left the marks, he lapped up the wounds to ease the pain.

He was like a feral animal. Ripping your clothes off and feeling you up anywhere and everywhere. He needed to feel every part of your body. Every crease, crevice, nook, and cranny. His lips had to trail and ghost over your bare skin. He had to sink his fangs into your skin. He couldn’t hold him back. No one could.

It was all you could ever even dream of. All those thoughts you had conjured up in your dirty mind. All of it was unraveling in this moment. His hand gripping oh-so-tightly on your hips as he ground himself into your thigh. His erection only growing as he tasted your delicious skin on his rough tongue. You tasted like heaven to him, and he couldn’t pull himself away. He didn’t care if someone walked in. He couldn’t bring himself to give a single fuck. You were all he needed right now.

“Need to feel you. Please.”

“You don’t need to beg, amor.”

And with that, he fell to his knees. As he moved down, he eyed your gorgeous body. So tough. So strong. He kissed at your thighs and nibbled at the inner parts. Surely leaving bite marks and littered hickeys all over.

His glove was slipped off gently. Contrasting the intensity of how he was stuffing his thick fingers into your entrance now. He simply needed to prep you before you’d take him. It wasn’t like he was entirely pent up. He had to make sure you could take all of him without stopping. Make sure you could enjoy what he was about to enjoy.

He worked his fingers in and out of your slick entrance. The gathered slick helping him move his fingers deeper Your moans and whimpers only fueling his desire. But there really was only so much he could take.

He had to slip out his fingers before he’d wrap his messy hand around his thick length. He was painfully hard, and he direly needed to be deep inside you. So he lined himself up with the slick entrance before him.

“Please, Miguel. Please, need you so bad.”

“I know.”

He exhaled as he bottomed out inside you. His entire length slipping in slowly. He couldn’t contain the growls that escaped his mouth. Instead of grabbing at the desk and clawing at papers, he decided to wrap his arms around your thighs and lifting you up so he could shove himself even deeper. If that was even possible.

He didn’t need permission to start thrusting. He just did His entire cock practically scraped at your walls and his nails dug deep as he paced himself. This wasn’t about you, unfortunately. He had to relieve himself of everything that had piled up on him. He had to let go of that side of him which he had hidden and locked away. He had to reveal a side of him to you which he’d never reveal to anyone else. In moments like these when he’s buried deep inside your core, literally pulsating at the feeling of your walls clenching down on him, he reveals himself to you. He indulges in those desires which he’s never indulged in. He comes undone.

It only takes a couple more rough thrusts for him to starts slowing down. You, a panting mess under him, can barely hold on any longer.

“Miguel.. please let me cum. Please..”

“...”

“Please..”

“Cum.”

He snakes a thick hand down to rub at your core. His thrusts faltering and coming to a slow. You clench and wrap around him as you throw your head back. Your wave hitting you so quickly you almost get whiplash. But that doesn’t stop him. He continues his deep thrusts, not letting up with his pace. He’s finally able to let go Finally able to have you to himself.

He thrusts deeply then pulls out to release on your tummy. He can’t afford any.. side effects. But he can allow himself to give you a taste.

It almost made him flush at the way you jumped at the opportunity to clean him up. The mess he left on your stomach quickly forgotten as you pressed your lips against his softening cock. The way he looked down at you with heavy lids gave away everything it needed to.

“Thank you, amor.”

He spoke softly as you cleaned up the mess you left behind. You smiled softly and leaned up to press a kiss to his stomach.

“What happened to you?”

“Side effect of being a failed experiment.”

“I love it.”

“You’re the only one.”

xx

[malvolios-yellow-stockings]

I'm getting DA:O brainworms again, but there's something so delicious about unhardened Warden Alistair growing into an unrequited (but actually kind of requited) love for (Mage) Warden who romances Morrigan and leaves him behind. Like, there's this one person who's been trying to convince you of good in this world, telling you not to grow cold, this person who was your right hand man, or, moreso you were his. This boy basically, you stumbled upon, who experienced the real world for the first time with you by his side. A man you walked Ferelden up and down with. Someone you've entrusted your life to and spilt blood for and who has done the same for you. A friend who has indulged your fancies, who reluctantly did things for you, who helped you bury a king who hadn't treated him kindly. And you've never really had feelings for anyone before him, at least like this, and you don't know what they are. And then you see him mingle with the Witch of the Wilds. See how he looks at her, trying to be cocky to impress her. See her twist this man into making decisions you're sure he'd never agree to were she not there to whisper it to him. And when you turn to the rest of your companions, they mock you and warp your concern. You are ready to give your life for this man, if it means slaying the Archdemon and ending the Blight but he speaks of some Dark Ritual. And it makes your soul grow weary and scared. And then Morrigan disappears and you finally think to yourself - this was for the best. But your friend is inconsolable. He talks of her with a fog over his eyes and a wistfulness that tugs at your chest. You try to keep him close to you but can feel him slipping away as you lose most of your contact. Maybe it's for the best. You hear of his exploits while on your missions with the Wardens. You try to keep away from him because seeing him once again makes you remember how it once was. It makes you flinch to remember his attempt at making you a king to rule beside Anora. The cold calculation of it all, his action unrecognisable to you. How much even the thought of it hurt. Maybe he hadn't been your friend? Maybe he hadn't understood you after all. But you joke about it, try to make it funny in your head. He's surely like a brother to you. Who couldn't forgive their brethren? And then you hear of his disappearance. The worst thoughts present themselves to your Taint-bitten imagination. And then you realize what he was doing. Some or other mention it, a mirror of some kind, something elven, you think, (maybe he was finding his heritage?) And then you hear it whispered. Morrigan, Flemeth's daughter. Yes, that Flemeth, they say. And you've never felt more betrayed in your life. You never got to say goodbye to him. To throw a jab one last time. And you grow bitter, because isn't it grand to finally understand that everyone leaves you in the end. You were born a royal bastard but you were an expendable means to an end and you will always be. And you abort this love and twist yourself into a leader because you know how much Thedas needs you, people like you, even though the place itself and the people around you might not. You still think of him from time to time. What became of Morrigan and him, but you forget the sound of his voice and the way he brightened your days and made you believe in something better. What remains is a dull sense of betrayal and bitterness with the man who turned on his principles and left you behind. And, Maker, it makes you twist with guilt. Get over it, you think, he has chosen a dark path.

(Mind y'all -

- I refuse to believe that the whole of Ferelden doesn't know why the HoF disappeared (when he goes with Morrigan). I just refuse to buy into it.

- I'm writing this at 2 fucking am and so working at 5% brain battery and 2% coherence and I'm not caught up on DA lore - I'm currently playing Inquisition, about 50 hours in, and have just met with Alistair again, which is what pushed me to write this drabble anyways.

- His painful and palpably disappointed dialogue about the Warden walking a dark path and the way the party reacts to his concern over the Warden being with Morrigan in Origins always kind of make me feel a pinch of what if? Alistair repressed bisexual

- Surana is my fave Warden as is apparent

- I am fully aware I am UPPING THE ANGST and I say - I want more!)

[ronearoundblindly]

Lexi's Monthly Edit

July 1st - July 28th, 2024

In case you missed any of the new posted content this month, here's a handy-dandy list--some with short excerpts--and links to all of them.

Below the cut you'll find 5 fics and 3 ficlets for your enjoyment!

He Needs the Calories, one-shot Steve Rogers & Reader humor

Steve's eyes shift guiltily from where you stand to the fridge and back. You drop the bag of peanut butter chocolate chip treats and step backward to open the french doors. "What's in here, Steve?" "Nothing," he rushes. "What's in the fridge, Steve?!"

Take My Whole Life, Too, part one, a Fools Rush In tale (mature) Steve Rogers x lab tech!Reader's honeymoon

“I almost can’t believe it,” Steve says quietly. “Believe what?” He could mean the beauty of the sky, or that Tony knocked it out of the park with your escape of a honeymoon, or that he didn’t croak instead of getting through all those mental and physical hurtles to be with you. You’re just not sure. Personally, you’ve ‘almost not believed it’ since the Captain America started talking to you, so it’s hard to judge. Steve doesn’t answer right away. His voice grows even softer. “Happy. That’s all.”

Yield, a sequel to Warning Signs Steve Rogers x Avenger!Reader hurt/comfort

In your months of working with the Avengers, the captain has never once casually assigned an endearment. He says ‘ma’am’ more often than not and barely has nicknames for the teammates he’s worked with for a decade.  Everyone is Agent, Sir, or Miss. Your last name has always been enough. You were none of those things last night. You survived a horrid battle, a crippling loss, and a solitude which almost drowned you; it’s silly to admit how he heals your wounds with one simple word. Sweetheart.

Entwined (mature) Nomad Steve Rogers x Reader smut

Not until the second arm is secured all the way down, his hands reaching past the seat to the chair legs, does Steve’s breathing pick up, audible huffs with every exhale, his abs jumping every so often. If he expands his lungs fully, the rope strains, digging into his skin. The taboo nature of giving up and giving in has become a favorite release of his. You feel honored to be entrusted with this secret, and the most important part is, none of this makes Steve weaker or darker. He simply likes to sit still, take a backseat, and enjoy experiencing your enjoyment. He allows his mind to go blank. Only then will his body be drained of the thick tar of war and refilled with the electric arousal of now.

I Left You Something On The Body, part of No Promises (mature) Lloyd Hansen x rival assassin!Reader

At some point, you can’t tell if you two are letting each other get places first on not. The money is, oddly, totally irrelevant, and your career takes on a renewed joy. Lloyd claims a target. You show up, kill them, and drop off an intricately-packaged Gucci jock strap with “Eat Me” embroidered at the back of the waistband, right above his asshole.

Firefighter!Curtis, a blurb-inspired ask Curtis Everett x Reader AU

Gif-Inspired Drabble for It Had To Be You (mature) CEO!Steve Rogers x CEO!Reader

Mermaid Feelings Headcanon for Sun, Salt, and Shield Steve Rogers x deep sea mermaid!Reader

[Main Masterlist; Light Masterlist; Ko-Fi]

A/N: That's actually a decent amount yet, for some reason, feels like nothing...😢

[scribeforchrist-blog]

Thoroughly Seeking & Listening To God

MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK
=========================
+ John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God
=========================
VERSE OF THE DAY 
========================
+ Exodus 15:26 If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.
=========================
SUBJECT: Thoroughly Seeking & Listening To God
=========================
** SAY THIS BEFORE YOU READ; HERE’S SOME CHRISTIAN TRUTHS **
I AM A FRIEND OF GOD 
I AM THOROUGHLY HEARING GOD 
I AM THOROUGHLY SEEKING  GOD 
I AM DWELLING WITH GOD 
========================

READ TIME: 7 Minutes & 1 Seconds

=======================
THOUGHTS:
=======================
  Diligently means doing it thoroughly and well; sometimes, we halfway do things or don’t do them with so much heart. I wash my car every Sunday. I go through this car wash, and it shines the tires, and then I go to this spot, and I vacuum and detail it and clean the windows; I even do the back seat even though I never put anything back there. 
    When I'm done, I’m proud of what I did because my car is clean, and I love my car to smell and look clean. Some days, if I don’t feel like it, I might just let it go through the car wash. I won't do anything else, but that’s what I do; some of us don’t be thorough with our walk with God; we do things halfway. We give him half of our heart, half of our time, and don’t focus on him because we think he’ll understand or he’ll be there &&& I know he won't leave me.
     Every day, we shouldn’t fear that he won't be there because his word says, I’ll never leave you or forsake you . Still, God wants us to know we need to be thorough with what we do in our relationship with Him, be consistent with our prayer life, and be consistent with seeking him, and doing those things helps us build a relationship with God , God isn’t just a car we let go through a car wash and do half of everything , no he’s God the maker of the universe we should desire to do everything that’s required to build a relationship with him. 
  Today's verse says this: listen to God's voice thoroughly and do what is right in his sight. God sees everything, so whatever we do, he's watching us do it, good or bad, and he see when we keep his commandments. We shouldn’t just do some of them, we need to do all of them. The word tells us this.
    James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
     It says whoever keeps the whole law yet stumbles with just one, is guilty of breaking them all; some of us aren’t mindful of his other laws and rules. Yes, Jesus died, so we won't have to depend on our ways, and he did away with the LAW BUT Jesus, WANTS US TO US THEM AS A —->>>guideline not to do what we want but a guideline to show us how to walk in him and how to be a person that honors God with our life. 
    God wants us to live a life free from thinking we must walk on eggshells, but we should walk in a way that pleases him. We do this by diligently seeking the voice of a God, always heeding his voice so we can get instructions about our life and day. The only way to build a relationship with God is to follow him; we might find this hard to do when we live in a way that doesn’t please God, but when we live in a way that pleases God, we don’t have to worry or be afraid all we have to do is walk in him 
  •Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

•Proverbs 16:7: When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies at peace with him.

•1 Thessalonians 2:4 But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

  The word tells us we can only please God through our faith and must believe that he exists. When we speak, it's not for man. It is to please God when we teach; our life must be pleasing to God, not everyone else; if everyone else around us doesn’t like our life and what we say and what we do, and we know our life pleases God, that’s all that matters, but we must hear from God so we can know we are at that point of pleasing him.
   Some people won’t understand your walk, they won’t understand your relationship, and that’s okay too, but we must keep doing what we know he told us to do. Just like we DON’T do exactly what everyone says to do, we should do the same with our walk with God. We should ignore the different opinions of what people say, and only hear God's voice.
   

   ***Today, we learned what God wants of us, what he requires of us, and how we can please him. We must seek him thoroughly. He must listen to him and seek him with our whole heart. Sometimes, it is hard because we have everyone telling us what to do, but we must look at his words. What did his voice say? What is he calling us to do today? God is not calling us to listen to the naysayers or to listen to everyone with a microphone; the most important thing we can do in our life right now is yield to him and not man.
    It’s hard not to listen to people we deem as important . Still, those people can have it wrong, and if we don’t bring their words before God and God tells us no or yes, we shouldn’t listen to them because the enemy can use anyone to pull us away from God. And we never want to be pulled away from God. If you’re struggling to hear his voice, you’re struggling to ignore everyone else. Ask God to give you strength and power, and he will do it. ©Seer~ Prophetess Lee
========================
PRAYER
========================
Heavenly Father, we thank you for today and your mercy and grace. We asked you to strengthen us through a hard time, but God guided us. Let us hear your voice and keep us strong. Forgive us if we did anything wrong. We asked you to help us to stay focused on you and hear your voice. We give you everything, and we thank you, Father; please help us to stick with you in our hard days in Jesus' Name, Amen
========================
REFERENCES 
========================
+ Psalm 103:3 Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,

+ Psalm 41:3 The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness, you restore him to total health. As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you

+ Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
========================
FURTHER READINGS 
=========================
Proverbs 1
Leviticus 1
Jeremiah 13
Matthew 11
=========================

[garnettfox]

Miracubots: Miraculous Holders (Humans)

Since this has gotten a little attention and seems to have gotten people curious I'll continue inflicting this AU on you XD

For a while Beetletron and Felidae Fatale are the only heros running around Griffin Rock doing what they can to obfuscate their identities. It helps that due to Cody in his hero form looking like a miniature Rescuebot, has people believing he's a smaller more advanced model of bot with an AI controlling him and Felidae acting as his handler.

And has the Bot's thinking he's a Minicon running around with a human friend. Cody is absolutely having a blast dropping hints that he and the bots are related and Plagg is pouting that Tikki got the holder who's causing the most Chaos.

As the fights start escalating Master Fu starts trying to teach Cody about the Miraculous and being a guardian....Only for Cody to insist either Frankie be there in the lessons to, or he'd just teach her behind Fu's back. Yup, no one person being Guardian over the other, Cody and Frankie are equals.

As part of the training Fu allows them to take the Turtle Miraculous to find someone that would be a good temporary hero. Unfortunately, during an Akuma attack the Turtle ends up being lost...And Priscilla Pync is the one to find it.

Priscilla at first mostly uses the Turtle as somewhat an escape from her life under her mothers thumb and while Terraprincess isn't much of a fighter and rarely turns up for Akuma attacks, she's been finding her footing acting to evacuate people from fights and acting to help with the more natural disasters of the island.

(We very much want Priscilla to be somewhat of a fusion of Adrien with the villain as their parent, and the redemption Chole deserved learning how to be a hero through Wayzz)

Fu is not happy with the pair for losing one of the Miraculous, even if it found it's way to a heroic individual and intended on preventing them from using any of the others for a while to teach them a lesson.

This is till an Akuma fight where as Cody's rushing to the scene...He's stopped by Plagg holding the ring, explaining that...The Akuma's Frankie, and she ordered him to take the ring and run when she realized what was happening.

Ya, being a Miraculous holder isn't a get out of jail free card in regards to Akumas. Though we've gone with the interpretation that 'A Holder if they have the mental fortitude CAN keep secrets from Swallowtail' to explain why they get given their Miraculous again.

And Cody, finding out his best friend, his platonic other half and his partner in crime fighting is the one Akumatized...Has a bit of a panic attack, freaking out at the thought of not only fighting his best friend, but having to fight her alone. It's to the point, Plagg has to get him to transform back so Tikki can help calm him. And she has a plan.

Give someone else a Miraculous to help.

And she even knows the perfect person to give it to.

Thus Chief Charlie Burns, becomes the first offical Miraculous Hero after Beetletron and Felidae Fatale, using the Horse Miraculous to become the cowboy inspired hero Ranger. With Rangers Help their able to beat Haywire and Deakumatize her back into Frankie, she feels guilty about the whole thing and resolves to work even harder as a Hero to make up for it.

The second Burns family member to be entrusted with a Miraculous is surprisingly Graham. as when this universes version of Evilistrator is created, Cody and Frankie considering their options realize, if the Akuma can create ink creatures out of nothing, why not fight fire with fire?

Thus Graham is picked to become Capricorn the holder of the Goat Miraculous and is able to create objects to counter each creature Evilistrator creates till the Akuma runs out of pages in his sketch book and can be then taken out.

Hot on his heels Dani is tapped to become the Bee Hero Hornet to help deal with a super fast Akuma wreaking havoc all across the island. Dani absolutely loves her Hornet get up, it even comes with bee wings that she can use to actually fly!

Kade is the last of the Burns family chosen to be a hero but that doesn't make him any more or less valued then the other. Just that the Ox needed a real challenge that called for it's power. And when an Akuma is able to cause a time dilation effect around it. well. Bullocks ability to utterly no sell any magic that tries to effect him is really your only sane choice now isn't it?

Keep an eye out for a part 2 of this post where talk about the Rescuebot's much more dramatic reveal (Spoiler, The BOTS can be Akumatized to) and the Miraculous they are eventually entrusted with.

[archonofdivinity]

Hot take but I think as a whole the Hitman fandom are missing out on the potential of Arthur Edwards as an angsty morally conflicted character. Here’s an analysis.

Edwards as a character has the main running characterisation of a man who wants full control and power and will stop at nothing to do it. Power corrupts in his case. However the fact this is a vital part of his character is angsty of itself.

According to Carl Ingram’s fable, which is clearly about him, Edwards was from a poor family, and originally joined Providence to make the world a better place. However Ingram also states that the boy in the fable started working under those that took him in obediently, since he knew that in a heartbeat everything he had worked for would be gone.

He was brilliant, but he was an idealist, and he started working for what he believed was a greater cause. Fate, however, felt he would be more useful in the private sector and set itself out to lure him to his true calling: working for the hand that fed him. Grooming him in fate’s own image for when he was needed.

This I think summarises this change in character for Edwards massively. He began working with the system instead of destroying it from the inside, and in this desperation fell under the need for power. However this control is stifled heavily. He wanted to work with the Partners, and one day become one of them. But they would never accept someone like him, a “commoner”. Edwards only seems to rebel after the events that led to him getting the poison chip.

Regarding these events, it does seem key as to why he was given the chip. “In case treachery is contagious”. They gave him the chip because Janus, his mentor, was seen as a traitor, and thought that as his protege, Edwards would be the same. What does this tell us? It tells me that the relationship of Edwards and Janus was very close.

In a way, Edwards’s relationship with Janus is a very interesting one that I feel should be discussed more. The Partners represent the brutality of capitalism, yet Janus represents communism. Two conflicting ideologies in a power struggle. One could say it’s like the Cold War is still happening in Providence, considering even as a defector Janus has clear respect for his memorabilia, and mentions names such as Lenin and Trotsky. Honestly I think all this being said, Edwards would be a leftist, but twisted. I personally see him more as a social democrat. That in turn would give him more of a distrust from the Partners. Challenges to the status quo is not allowed.

I definitely do not think Edwards would have been 100% power hungry though with the influence of Janus and Constantin.

Constantin: Would you believe I never worried when he [Janus] was with the KGB, or front of the Cold War? What could possibly go wrong? But his next employers…

Edwards: You shouldn’t talk about this, Constantin.

Constantin: No one should be this powerful, sir. Too much power in too few hands is like a lightning rod. I worry about you as well.

Edwards: I appreciate it, but there’s really no need.

Edwards also only rebels after he gets the poison chip, because it is the final straw. The Partners have been shown to treat him with clear disdain (in one voiceline in Dartmoor, Alexa still dismisses him as a secretary) yet Edwards never rebels before this. He can tolerate them, know they look down on him, but giving him that poison chip proves they see him as disloyal no matter what he does. That must be a blow to a man who has spent practically his entire life trying to seek approval of the system.

This goes even further with the events of the Ark Society mission. If you do the Social Climbing story and trigger his mission, Edwards and Sophia Washington talk, and Edwards learns that she was entrusted with the kill switch. This must have utterly destroyed him. He had vouched for them against Janus’s orders, and now one was waving a kill switch in his face while the other was plotting on going against the predecessor’s wishes for his burial.

Edwards: I recommended you and Zoe to the Partners, against my mentor’s wishes, because I saw something in you. And this is how you repay me? You think because the Partners noticed you, that you have their trust? Their confidence? I have served them for decades. And you don’t even know their names.

Sophia: And yet, you’re the one with the poison chip in your neck and I’m the one holding the trigger.

Edwards: You? They gave it to you?

Sophia: Ouch. That’s got to sting. I mean… the Constant is like the voice of God, right? Only he speaks for the Partners. Surely, they wouldn’t dream of undermining his authority? Only… The Partners are old school, aren’t they? They recognise class. Pedigree. “Birds of a feather” and all that. And you? You reek of middle class. You carry the stink of public transportation. And while you have spent decades climbing the corporate ladder, me and Zoe, we’ve got ourselves a private elevator and it goes straight to the top.

Edwards: Don’t fool yourself, Sophia. They may use you to punish me, but you’re a tool, nothing more. And this pathetic ruse only shows me how much you have yet to learn.

Edwards is at this point broken. Who can he trust anymore? That leads a lot into his character in Hitman III. He’s hardened. He needs to get rid of everyone in his way. He tries to recruit Diana and capture 47 and Grey. Diana chalks this down to his pride being destroyed and him trying to gain it back since he likes power and winning, but I think it’s more than that. Edwards is destroyed, yes, but not by 47 and the rest extracting and kidnapping him. It was by his superiors, the fact that in Providence no one is truly what they say they are.

Edwards is a tragic character, even if by the end of the series he can be considered to be somewhat irredeemable. But I think he’s a lot more than what I see of most portrayals of him in the fandom (being A New Father ending AUs and him being a pervert for some reason). I think Edwards has the idea of him being a complex character. Maybe there should be some world out there where he managed to put aside his pride and take up some supporting protagonist role, and finally reform Providence into the Destiny Group. After all, having it no longer be a shadow government and an open corporation does make it more likely for people to get justice for past wrongdoings…