#but I prevailed in the end

[rawliverandcigarettes]

Shlee had never understood Omega as a concrete location before. Mathematical formulas about swirling neutron stars in the molten eye of the Milky Way had an actuality that Omega lacked. Too foreign to conjure empathy.

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✨ READ HALFWAY HOME'S CHAPTER 9 HERE! ✨

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The night Shlee hatches in the trunk of a skycar, an asari watches and cries. She promises he will survive, at all and every cost. Shlee believes her. He stomachs the resentment of his alien sisters forced into hiding with him, and dreams about the stars. But the Milky Way is vast, swirling; painfully interwoven. And when Shlee begins to wonder who he is, who he should be, and what secrets keep this fragile galaxy from splitting apart, perhaps it’s already too late.

(this story is complete; new chapters will be published every Thursday!)

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Link to my Ao3

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[mothcpu]

happy valentine's day!

[papihomo]

As someone who grew up on Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret & Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

I wouldve expected the rise of antisemitism, hatred and fascism to have WAY more musical numbers.

[luck-of-the-drawings]

smth smth about 'the thing that the character did that you thought was rly rly funny in the moment is actually linked to a terrible trauma that lies within said character.' or wahtever.

[thefourchimes]

okay, just gonna say this now before i start this post: i have absolutely no problems with alternate universes, go ham with them, go wild, you can have fun, etcetc, they're called alternate universes for a reason, after all

however. HOWEVER.

i have a problem when people say something should have happened in canon, when canon itself disproves or goes against whatever these people want

the reason why im bringing this up?

the whole thing with how some people keep saying mirabel should have [insert the usual things people say here, hate, slap, punch, left, get revenge, etc, take your pick, there's unfortunately a lot to choose from] the family. in the canon movie.

again, i have no problem with alternate universes and seeing them in fanfics or whatever, you do you, could be interesting to see even

but when you start saying this should have happened in canon, its just. no. no.

god, it just frustrates me so much whenever i see these posts and comments, the ones that said she should have gone evil or villain or hate the family and all that stuff

because mirabel herself loves her family. she literally said it outright in the movie!!! its not in her personality and character to just go against them and hate them and want revenge. there will be hurt and hesitance and some resentment after everything she'd gone through, yes, but outright hate to the point where she'll hurt them?? absolutely not.

not with her character, her love and empathy and understanding, the traits we see her show in the movie.

like my friend once said: mirabel "he loved this family. i love this family. we all love this family" would NEVER hurt her family

say it louder for the people at the back!!

and thats not all i want to rant about tbh...the real kicker on this one?

whenever this statement is added on top of it all: "if i were mirabel—"

well, news flash people who keep saying these things, mirabel isnt you. mirabel is her own character who has her own experiences and her own feelings. maybe you'll be able to relate to her, especially with similar experiences, but that doesn't mean you can just copy and paste your own feelings onto her and say this is what she should have done in canon because thats what i would have done!!

we all project onto our favorite characters in various ways, which is completely fine, go at it and definitely not surprising for a story about family issues, but when you start to project so much that you throw away the character's actual personality and characterization in favor of said projection? yeah...no.

thats not mirabel madrigal anymore, that's a completely new character...or dare i say, a self-insert for some people... 💀:////

yeah, im just so frustrated with this AAAAAAA 😭

but anyway yes.

thats it, really. again, AUs are absolutely fine but if someone starts yapping about how canon should have [insert whatever those people keep saying here] instead while disregarding actual canon and proper characters and personalities, im going to become violent

anywho...thats my thoughts on this, went on a bit of a tangent but

yeah

anyway bye—

[flywolfwriting]

Throw Me in the Deep End

Charlie was proud to say she was not afraid of the dark. It certainly impressed the other seven-year-olds in her class, and her parents always told her how proud they were that she had conquered that fear so young. That she was so brave for sleeping without a night light. 

It was even mostly true. She could sleep in her own room, and could sneak about the manor in the middle of the night without her heart in her throat, but sometimes it still quickened, and if she looked out the windows her breath caught. She was still only seven, after all, and it was a big, scary world beyond the safety of the manor walls. 

It took her time to settle into their New Orleans holiday home. She learned the creaking of the walls and the whispering of the wind, grew accustomed to the way shadows cloaked her temporary bedroom. She kept the curtains open for just that small glimmer of moonlight and buried her head under her blankets to keep from looking outside. 

She didn't say anything to her parents, though, not even when her mom woke her before sunrise to take her on an early-morning walk. They drove for ages with Charlie napping in the backseat, until her mom pulled over and told her they'd arrived. Charlie hugged close to her, but put on a brave face when Lilith led her into the bayou. She protested only a little when directed to stay put for a moment, her plea cut off with a firm, "You're mommy's brave little girl, aren't you?" 

Charlie wanted so badly to be so she nodded and did as asked. She watched her mother disappear into the darkness and waited. 

And waited.

And kept waiting. 

The song of the bayou played around Charlie and her trembling fingers clutched the hem of her shirt tightly as she tried not to imagine glowing eyes creeping closer around her, silent tears streaking her cheeks. 

Finally she could take it no more and with a sob she raced back the way they'd come. 

"Mommy!"

—---------------------

Alastor loved nights like this, when the shadows clung to him like cobwebs and the crescent moon offered just enough light to avoid stepping into the alligator-infested waters. He could see the glint of their eyes watching as he dumped the duffle bag and opened it. They moved closer but didn't creep onto the small finger of land he stood on. They simply waited, and when he threw the first limb into the water they struck, the still bayou turning into churning bodies fighting for meat. 

Alastor threw the next piece, quietly humming as he watched them feed. This was almost the best part, second only to the moment blood welled under his fingers and his victim realized they were about to die. He kept the best cuts to himself, of course, but the gators seemed to appreciate his treats all the same. 

When he finished he loaded the bag with soil before tossing it in, tucked his gloves back into his pocket, and set off with a spring in his step. 

That was when he heard the sob.

Alastor froze, listening carefully. The bayou was full of strange sounds but he had learned them all, knew each creak of wood, the splash of an alligator sliding into the water, the hum of every insect. He slipped into the shadow between the trees and waited, his knife at the ready. They weren't truly deep within the bayou itself; he couldn't risk the noise of a boat. It was plausible someone had followed him. 

What came next was a greater shock: a child, a little girl, stumbling into view. 

No, they weren't deep, but dawn had yet to crack the sky and they weren't near any roads. 

Alastor resisted a sigh and tucked his knife back into its sheath against his thigh and stepped out. 

The girl let out a short scream and fled.

“Wait-” Alastor called, then took off after her. He couldn't see her anymore but he heard her footsteps, another short scream, and the expected splash as she fell into the water. 

And then a more familiar kind of splash.

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Next Part

[thisteaistoosweet]

Cahara but if he was a contestant of the termina festival.

(Made for an enlightened cahara au)

[akkivee]

my hypster magazine finally came in the mail lmao and man the special feature talking about how the world is coping without mics is very interesting??? like:

crime as a whole is at an all time high

within ikebukuro, the police are doing fck all about it so the bb have volunteered their services to making the civilians feel safe

ichiro’s been a mediator within more casual disputes, expressing his desire to talk things thru if possible, jiro’s got his whole high school as a neighbourhood watch and saburo’s set up a huge surveillance system to keep watch

in yokohama, the sea port has been particularly targeted and the report says the police and yakuza have teamed up to protect the flow of commerce. katengumi has stepped up to protect the territory and rio is keeping watch via satellite images and drones

in shibuya, dice complains of disruptions in gambling dens and the lack of real gambling has dulled his senses lol. he’s trying to compensate by making his own gambling game lol and he hasn’t been able to pay his phone bill due to lack of funds so he hasn’t been able to talk to ramuda or gentaro

curiously, neither of those two were mentioned in the article, save for dice using the section to try to reach out to them

in shinjuku, the day is desolate and the night scene is busier than ever. doppo’s company has been particularly hit by logistics nightmares as they’re haemorrhaging money due to lost medical equipment. (doppo’s boss has been accusing him of stealing funds and doppo claps back asking what exactly has he been managing currently lol)

shinjuku central hospital has been at full capacity with patients due to the inability to fend off armed criminals. fragrance has seen a significant uptick in patrons

in osaka, businesses have taken a sharp turn towards maliciousness, with scams at an all time high. sasara and rosho advise not to go out at night alone, and rosho, as a teacher, further explains that adults have a duty to protect minors, especially as a person who has been affected by scams in the past. neither sasara nor rosho have heard from rei in a long while, stating dh is on hiatus because of it

in nagoya, petty crimes are up because there seems to be a restlessness amongst them without the mics giving the populace the power to stand out. hitoya himself watched a dude climb up nagoya castle literally for the memes. the court of law has been barren as of late so nobody is being tried for crimes but he believes justice will prevail in due time

kuukou and jyushi have taken up patrolling nagoya in order to persuade others into not doing crimes and all three of them still practice rap battling together

[cleric4vampire]

almost done with this pre-canon durgetash-who-met-as-teens-and-ran-into-each-other-again-as-young-adults art I'm working on... I didn't mean for it to look so tooth-achingly sweet but of course it somehow turned out that way which just makes everything 100x more tragic and I have to keep taking breaks to scream silently

[nopeleavemealoone]

I want chapt 108 to begin with dazai looking absolutely pathetic, and chuuya approaches. Dazai gives a rare look of relief because despite knowing chuuya should be fine, seeing him okay is a whole new thing. but now chuuya should be human, after that speech, so the plan had come together and they can escape together.

dazai: hi, chuuya-

chuuya: *kicks dazai down the hall* Dazai: O-O

Then dazai panics because oH NO IT DIDNT WORK CHUUYA IS GOING TO KILL ME and chuuya comes over and punches Dazai again and Dazai is in severe delirious pain but then Chuuya says “we’ll finish this later. C’mon, let’s get out of here” and they escape and then once they’re safe chuuya starts beating up Dazai again and he’s furious cause Dazai nearly killed him but they’re exhausted so chuuya turns to words. “You were going to let me die,” Chuuya glares. “You were going to let me drown, you had no way to know I’d live. You were going to let me d i e.”

And Dazai just smiles sadly and holds Chuuya’s face, who winces but doesn’t pull away, and he responds “I didn’t know if you would live or die. But I didn’t know what else to do. I had to hope you’d live, I don’t… I’m glad you’re still alive.”

Chuuya glares at him but relents, and lays down next to Dazai wherever safe place they are and goes to sleep then and there, exhausted from the events and not exactly forgiving Dazai for what he did; gambling his life on hope; but too tired to care. And they sleep, injured and upset, but… alive, because ultimately without the other they both would have died, due to vampirism and poison. As mad as they are, they’re alive, and with that, they fall asleep.

[thetarttfuldickhead]

Jamie and Keeley fell back in love with each other on Keeley’s doorstep in 3x08. In this essay, I will—

Ah. You know what? I will, actually.

Ahem. Ever since Jamie came back to Richmond, him and Keeley have had an amicable and mutually affectionate relationship (always greeting one another, etc), but I don’t think there’s anything to suggest that they spend a lot of time together socially after Jamie’s return. Then there’s the funeral business and the fallout of that and the next time we see them interact it’s a whole new season, and given the slight awkwardness of otherwise fond encounter, I’d argue it’s likely the first time (or at least one of the relatively few times) they’ve talked in a bit. Not because they’ve been avoiding each other as such, but I imagine things got a little bit weird after Jamie’s profession of love. Once that was somewhat sorted (and in my heart I imagine some small conversation between them after Jamie and Roy have it all out, Keeley getting in touch like “I hear you apologized to Roy”) it’s the off-season, so there’s few chances of them bumping into each other at Nelson Road – and I do think that maybe Jamie was keen to maintain a respectful distance for a while, just to make it very clear that he’s not trying to woo her. As for Keeley, she was busy with her new company, so yeah, for all of those reasons, they didn’t see much of each other. Don’t really for two thirds of season 3 either.

But they never stop being fond of each other, yeah? They never stop caring. They’re just both all up in their own lives, Keeley with KJPR and her heartbreak and later her girlfriend, and Jamie with striving to be the best player and the best person he can be, the Zava of it all, and Roy. We know Keeley takes note of the changes in Jamie, but she’s got other priorities.

Then: the leak, and Jamie showing up on her doorstep, and the hug. And yes, of course it’s nothing but a headcanon, but to me that marks the moment when that old spark is quietly but undeniably rekindled.  

It’s pretty obvious in Jamie’s case. We know he never stopped loving Keeley: he accepted that their future was friendship and he focused on other things, but he never stopped loving her. And once he stood there, holding her, held by her, enveloped in her kindness and affection and with that familiar press of her body against his, her scent, everything he felt for her roared right back into full and flaming life: it’s not only loving her, it’s being in love with her. It’s arguably this (and the belief that her and Roy are well and truly over) that leads to him putting the moves on in 3x12.

For Keeley, I think it’s a bit more muted – more a realization of ‘I really like who this person has become and I’m so proud of how he’s grown and I could see something between us again’. (Also, holding him, being held. It’s Pavlovian.) It’s not really something she particularly plans to act on: she’s still reeling from the video leak and the Jack of it all, and she’s busy with her company. Still, it’s there.

For both of them, it’s there. Not grand or sweeping or all-consuming, not something that must lead to anything, but… Jamie and Keeley fell back in love with each other on that doorstep, and even if that doesn’t necessarily mean that things immediately or ever turn romantic between them again, they slowly but surely start hanging out properly again after that, just because they’ve been reminded of how much they truly like each other. How glad they are of one another. (Which does not in any way lessen or change the love they both have for Roy, by the way. The heart has infinite room.)

[hadesknockedupintheunderworld]

You know, I'm glad that some of us take the step to embrace things that we like even if they're "cringe" or "objectively bad"

But perhaps we could take the next step forward and embrace the idea of reading into books/shows/movies/etc even if they don't seem deep. Perhaps we could understand that the two kinds of media aren't either "shallow and meaningless so you're weird and brainrotted to read into it" or "incredibly and profoundly deep in every way so if you don't analyze every single angle of the thing then you're brainrotted". Some media is deeper than others, but all I propose is that no matter how deep it seems it's acceptable to dig into the thing and take the media seriously instead of just assuming that because of ____ thing (such as target audience or how cringe it is) the media not deep and will never be deep and everything good about it happened on accident.

[medicbrainrot]

got used to the feeling of letting it go, so give me something to believe in (deep end, part 3)

A/N: continued content warning for suicidal ideation, domestic violence, and excessive alcohol consumption.

“Damn it…” Simon stared at the apartment door, his mind flooded with circling thoughts. “What do I do now?” 

How can he get her to stop? Can he even do anything? Is he making things worse by trying? He felt a knot form in his throat, making it difficult to swallow.

As he stood there, he heard a yell come through the door followed by the sound of glass smashing.

“Aaarrrggghhh!”

At the sound, Simon’s heart joined the knot in his throat, panic flooding his veins. He knew he had already lost control of the situation, but suddenly it felt ten times worse. He felt like some of his worst fears were coming through, and he was paralyzed by the fear of something else happening to Juliana.

All he wants to do is make things right.

She needs to be okay. She has to be.

Simon tried to take a deep breath to steady his nerves, in an attempt to calm himself down. In through the nose, out through the mouth.

He turned around to face the door, and as he lifted his hand to the handle, he heard another yell followed by more glass shattering.

“AAARRRGGGHHH!”

“NO!” Simon yelled in response, slamming the door open and rushing inside. 

He was done deliberating, he had to do something. He wouldn’t leave until Jules let him help her.

Upon entering the living room, Simon could see smashed bottles on the floor that hadn’t been there earlier.

He heard a third smash come from the direction of the bathroom, followed by a yelped hiss and the sound of running water.

Without another thought, Simon rushed to the bathroom, his mind flooding with all kinds of horrible scenarios. 

His heart pounded in terror as he approached the doorway, panic flooding his mind as he pushed open the bathroom door. 

The world seemed to stop when Simon finally laid eyes on Juliana.

He rushed over to the sink where she was standing, his heart stopping when he saw the shattered mirror and her hands under the faucet, the water running pink.

“Jesus Christ, Juliana! Are you okay!?” He cries out.

“Peachy keen.” She slurs, swaying slightly.

“Oh fuck.” Simon’s words shook as he saw the blood dripping from her hand. She had sliced open the skin on her hand, probably from punching the mirror.

The pit of guilt in his stomach grew ever wider, threatening to consume him. 

He put his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to turn her towards him so he could get a look at her hands.

He wanted to help her. He needed to help her.

“Jules, what the hell…what did you do!?” He asked, voice still shaking.

He felt like his world would collapse at any moment.

“What you couldn’t…” She slurs. “Finish the job.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt you!” Simon exclaims, a tear starting to run down his face. “I’m so sorry, I really am.”

It was killing him to see Jules like this. Her eyes were clouded with an alcohol-induced haze, but he could read the anger in her body language. 

She was hurting, and he was to blame.

“I want to help you…” He says, voice cracking a little.

“Sure you can, join the party.” She shrugs. “There’s a whole selection under the kitchen sink. Just make sure to clock me in the right spot.”

“I’m not going to hurt you!” Simon cried, his voice laced with notes of desperation. “There has to be some other way to fix this…”

“My ex said that too. And then he tried to kill me anyway. Might as well get it over with, right?” She slurs, still running her hands under the faucet.

“I’m not him!” Simon exclaimed. “I don’t even know who he is!” He shook her by the shoulders and looked directly into her eyes.

He stared at her for a moment, and with a sinking realization came to the conclusion that nothing he said would help.

“I just want to make things right, Juliana. I…I’m so sorry for what I did to you. Please, please forgive me.” Simon pleaded, voice finally cracking.

“Make sure they use lilies at my funeral, not roses.” Juliana slurs, seeming pretty out of it.

“You’re not dying! I’m not going to hurt you!” Simon shouted desperately. 

His concern grew even more. Was she going to try to kill herself? Would she really try something like that?

“Juliana, for God’s sake! I’m not going to hurt you, I want to help you!” Was she even listening to anything he said, or had the alcohol blurred her mind so much that nothing was making any sense?

“Hmm, maybe if you hit me again, it’ll sink in this time…” Juliana mumbled.

“NO!” Simon shouted, trying to pull her out of the bathroom.

She may hate him for the rest of his life, but he still cares about her. He’s not going to let her hurt herself, no matter how much she hates him. 

“Listen to me!” Simons says as he shakes her shoulders. “I’m not going to let you continue hurting yourself!”

He slid his hands down her arms and he began to drag her away from the sink.

She stumbled as he dragged her, the insane amount of alcohol she had consumed affecting her balance and coordination. 

“Christ…” Simon growled, his body tensing as he held Juliana up. “Jules, please, let me help you.” He pleaded. There has to be another way to get through to her.

“Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” She mumbles. “How can God’s name be hallowed if people curse it all the time?” She asks no one in particular.

Simon didn’t really know what to say to that. “Huh?” He asked softly, staring at her.

Why is she bringing up religion? Just how drunk is she? The alcohol must be making her lose her common sense.

“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Juliana continued softly.

“What in the hell?” Simon muttered under his breath, confused. “Jules, where did you learn that?” He asked, as if this were a normal conversation, as if she hadn’t just been talking about killing herself moments ago. “Jules, what the hell is going on with you?” This was taking a turn for the weird, she wasn’t making any sense.

“My grandma, the catholic one.” She slurs. “Used to say it all the time when my mom and I would fight.”

“Your mom and you?” Simon asked, sounding concerned. “Did…did she hit you?”

Some of the puzzle pieces were starting to come together. “Why would she do that?”

He wanted to know, but he knew he had to tread carefully so that he didn’t hurt her further.

“I don’t know why.” Juliana tries to shrug. “I never cared much for religion. What kind of god allows parents to hurt their children?”

“You were abused.” Simon concluded softly, sadness evident in his voice. “Is…isn’t there anyone else you could have turned to about this? Anyone you trust?”

Simon felt like he was starting to understand. He felt guilty for not having understood earlier. For not having seen it sooner. 

“You, the team…but when you backhanded me, in front of everyone, I felt like I was back to square zero.” She says softly.

“I’m sorry.” Simon said, his voice laced with intense guilt. “I really am.”

The events of the past two days were his fault. He had driven her to this. He was responsible.

Simon stared at her in silence for a moment. “I’m sorry, Juliana.” For a brief moment, you could see the deep pain in his eyes, the pit of guilt that had been growing, beginning to consume him. 

“It’s okay.” She shrugs sadly. “I’ve been through worse.”

His eyebrows furrowed at her statement. “No, no, it’s not okay.” He said seriously, his tone still soft. “It’s never okay for this to happen to anyone. I…I don’t care what’s happened, or what you’ve done. No one deserves to be abused.” 

“For the longest time… I believed it was my fault, that I had done something wrong.” She whispered.

“It wasn’t your fault.” Simon said with conviction. “It was never your fault.”

He felt awful. Simon felt awful that she had been through this, twice, and that he had contributed to it.

“Juliana, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s your parent’s fault. It’s your ex’s fault. Not yours.” He said, trying to convince her. He wanted to make sure she knew it wasn’t her fault. To make sure that she didn’t blame herself for what had happened, never again. 

Juliana looked at him, tears beginning to slide down her face.

Simon saw the tears in her eyes, and felt his heart shatter. He hadn’t felt like this in years, he felt worse than he had in a long time, seeing her cry like this.

“It’s okay Jules.” He said softly. He lifted her up a little bit so that she could sag against him as he wrapped his arms tightly around her. “You’ll be okay.”

Simon sighed as he looked down at her. “Just… just promise me one thing, okay?” He asked softly. “Promise me you’ll stop drinking like this, okay?” 

He looked at her, sounding a bit desperate. “You’re drunk. Very drunk. And your emotions are running high. You can’t keep going like this, Jules. You know I’m right.” He said firmly.

“I don’t even like alcohol.” She mumbles. “It’s gross.”

“Yet you’ve been drinking it anyway, why?” Simon asked, notes of confusion in his voice. He didn’t understand. Why drink if she doesn’t like the taste?

“Nothing hurts when I’m drunk. Everything feels numb.” She says.

“And what do you do when you sober up? It will still be there, waiting for you. You’re only going to hurt yourself more if you keep drinking like this, Jules.” He sighs. “Drinking your problems away doesn’t solve them, trust me.”

“I know it doesn’t actually fix anything.” She sighs. “But sometimes it’s nice to not have to feel anything for a little while.”

“It’s never good to numb yourself out like this.” Simon gently explained. “It always gets worse when you sober up. Please, stop drinking like this. You’re better than this.” He said, notes of concern and love in his voice. “You’re worth more than this, Juliana.”

“Is that what you were thinking when you hit me?” Jules asked quietly.

“Do you want to hear the honest answer, or the sugar-coated answer? Because I’ll give you the honest answer.” Simon said, slightly bitter. “I was angry. I was mad at you. And I let that anger get the best of me. “I’m sorry.” He said sincerely.

“Thank you for being honest.” She said softly.

“So… will you stop trying to drown yourself in alcohol?” Simon asked, hoping she understood how worried he was and how much he cared. “Please?”

“Yeah… I think I’m done.” She whispered. “Help me pour it out?”

“Sure.” He replied, the sound of relief evident in his voice. 

He helped her pour out the bottles sitting on the kitchen counter, and he grabbed the bottles under the kitchen sink and emptied those as well. He searched the fridge and the kitchen cabinets, and poured out the bottle he found. 

“I think I got it all.” He said softly.

“Did you check under the bathroom sink?” She asked.

“Under the sink?” Simon sighed, going to the bathroom to retrieve the two bottles stashed there. How long has this been a problem that she has so much alcohol hidden in her apartment?

“That should be the last of it.” He said gently.

“You know, it’s kinda funny.” Juliana muses. “I tried to go to AA when I was 19. No one believed I had a problem… A 19 year old college girl with a drinking problem? Nah.”

“That’s awful, I’m sorry they didn’t believe you, that you didn’t get the help you needed.” Simon said softly.

“I was underage, but otherwise well put together.” She shrugs. “I didn’t fit the stereotype.”

“Even so.” Simon said, slightly frustrated. “They should have helped, not turned you away.”

“Did... did you ever try again? To get help?” Simon asked, sounding worried.

“No. I took the initial failure as a sign that I had to fix it by myself.” She answered.

“It doesn’t have to be that way. You can get help.” Simon squeezed her gently. “There are people who care. I care, Juliana, I really do. Let me help you.”

“I know you do.” Juliana sighs. “But when my boyfriend hits me when he gets upset in an argument, that really scared me, Simon.”

“I’m sorry, Juliana. I shouldn’t have done that. There is never a good reason to hurt someone like that.” Simon said, pain in his voice. “I won’t do it again, I promise.”

“I hope not.” She tries to stand on her own, but wobbles because of all the alcohol.

“Are you okay?” Simon asks. “You’re still very unsteady. Should you be standing?”

“I need to go to the bathroom… I feel like I’m gonna be sick.” She wobbles.

“Okay, let’s get you to the bathroom.” Simon helped her get to the toilet, just in time before the alcohol made a gross reappearance. 

She leaned over the toilet, and all the alcohol in her stomach started the process of leaving her system.

“That’s it. Get it all out.” Simon soothed, rubbing her back. “You need to rest, Juliana. You’re not in a good state right now. You need sleep, or you’re going to feel worse.”

“Ughhh, I already feel awful.” Juliana groans. “I remember the last time I got alcohol poisoning. It was horrible.”

“That’s why I was trying to stop you from drinking more.” Simon said, his voice slightly cold. He knew that he had to stop her from continuing down this path of self-destruction. He had to stop it.

“I get it, Simon. I fucked up.” She said flatly.

“You made a mistake. You were upset. I get it. I’m not mad at you. But I want you to get better.” He said softly.

“Ok.” She wobbles as she tries to stand up. “I… I want to take a shower… but I… I…”

Simon helps her to her feet and helps her towards the shower. “Here we go.” He says gently.

He opened the shower curtain and helped her get undressed, starting the water at a warm temperature. He helped her sit down in the tub, and knelt next to it as he started to help her bathe, as if she were a child.

“I’m sorry for fucking up.” She said quietly as he washed her hair.

“It’s alright, Juliana.” Simon replied as he continued to wash her, taking care to be gentle. “I’m here to help you.”

“Thank you.” She sighed under his touch. “I’m the worst girlfriend ever…”

“I think you’re a pretty nice girlfriend, actually. This was just a hiccup, you didn’t do it intentionally.” Simon said gently as he helped her wash off. “Nobody is perfect, Jules, but that’s okay. It’s what makes us human.” 

“You’re not alone. You have people who love you. Me included.” He said.

“I’m sorry, Simon. For everything, for… for this, for arguing with you, for provoking you to the point of violence. I’m sorry.” She says, tears gathering in her eyes.

Simon sat silently for a moment as he helped her rinse the shampoo from her hair. After a bit, he felt like some of the weight had been lifted from his shoulders. “It’s alright, Jules. It… It was a mistake. But we’re okay, we’ll move on from this. And it wasn’t just you who provoked me, I also reacted poorly.”

“I know I don’t say it often enough, but I appreciate you Simon. My life is better with you in it.” She teeters a little, the alcohol still making its way through her system. “I… I don’t ever want to lose you.”

Simon took a deep breath, and then pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I love you Juliana. I don’t ever want to lose you either.” He said softly. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

She lets out a small laugh. “Simon, I look ridiculous, I’m drunk, naked, and covered in soap suds because I can’t even shower by myself right now.”

“And yet you’re still beautiful.” Simon said matter-of-factly. “You’re still gorgeous even if you do look kind of ridiculous.”

“Even when I’m wasted?” Juliana whispers.

“Even when you’re wasted, or sick, or tired, or any version of anything you think is less than perfect.” He kissed her cheek again. “I will always love you, no matter what. I am here to protect you.” He said, almost as if he were swearing a promise.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be deserving of you, Simon.” She whispered fondly before pressing a kiss to his jaw.

“Trust me, you are. I don’t want anybody else. I love you, all of you. Your faults, your flaws, your traumas, your insecurities. All of you, Juliana.” He gently ran a hand down her hair as he finished rinsing her off. “Don’t you ever doubt that.”

She shivered, a tingle running down her spine.

“I love you.” She whispers. “But can we get out of the shower now? The water is starting to run cold…”

“Yeah, of course.” Simon nodded, turning off the water. “Give me a moment, yeah?” He grabbed a towel and gently picked her up, sitting her on the outside edge of the tub. 

“Just dry off a bit, I’ll grab you some clothes.” He rubbed her arms a bit to warm her up.

“Here you go.” Simon stepped back into the bathroom, clean pajamas in hand. 

Juliana shivered, despite the warm steam in the bathroom.

“Are you alright?” He asked as he saw her shiver, wanting to make sure she was okay.

“It’s kinda cold…” She shivered again. “I think the alcohol is making its way through my system.”

“Alright, let’s get you in bed and get you warmed up.” He helped her get dried off and dressed, then picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, carefully setting her down on the bed.

He pulled up the blankets around her, before kicking off his shoes and sliding under the covers next to her.

“Thank you Simon, for not abandoning me.” She whispered, snuggling into his side. “I’m sorry for hurting you.”

“I’m right here.” He replied. “You’re safe, no one is going to hurt you anymore. You’ll always be safe with me. I’m never leaving you, ever. Okay?”

She nods, tucking her face into his neck.

Simon grew quiet, wrapping his arms around her, gently rubbing up and down her back. 

“You’re warm.” Juliana mumbled softly.

“Is it comforting?” Simon asked.

“Mmhmm. You smell good, too, like home.”

“I… I do? I smell good?” Simon wondered curiously, running his fingers lightly through her wet hair.

“Yeah,” She mumbles. “Like spice, and pine, and… and home…”

Simon smiled at her description, his heart fluttering a little bit. “You’ve got to rest now, my sweet girl. That’s the best thing for you right now. Get some sleep, I’m right here.”

“Not close enough.” Jules muttered, wrapping an arm around Simon’s torso and bringing herself tighter against him, with surprising strength  for someone so drunk.

Simon let out a small laugh at her actions. “You want me right next to you, huh?”

He gently pulled her tighter against him. “Alright love, I’m right here. You’ve got me.” He whispered, tucking her closer to him.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Likes, reblogs, and feedback are appreciated!

Masterlist

[see-arcane-scribbles]

Jonathan, Mina, and the Divine Ransom

Let’s connect the narrative dots from a...particular perspective. Guess whose.

1. Dracula has existed for centuries. Killing. Tormenting. Collecting. An inhuman power given free reign for lifetimes. On and on.

2. Until we find the present of the late 1800s. He means to expand his hold; to make roots in England, Colonization Station. 

3. For whatever reason, he chooses Jonathan Harker as the agent and pawn in his work, left imprisoned and abandoned as a present for his Brides to sink their teeth into. 

4. Jonathan Harker comes. Jonathan Harker realizes. Jonathan Harker tries to end the Count, comes so close, but for the basilisk eyes. The men. All is out of alignment, and he does not have the time or the knowledge to finish the job. He flees. 

(Coward, he will think later. Fool. Pandora fumbling the box. This is all because of you...)

5. Dracula does what he does. Slaughter and violation and horror abound. Innocents die and succumb to worse.

6. Jonathan Harker learns of it all. Wants to help. Has to help. This is because of you. Lucy, Lucy, he’s sorry. He’ll do anything to fix this.

(No. Not enough.)

7. Mina.

8. (THIS IS BECAUSE OF YOU, JONATHAN HARKER, LOOK WHAT YOU DID, WHAT YOU ALLOWED, ALL BECAUSE YOU OPENED THE DOOR TO HIM, BECAUSE THE SHOVEL SLIPPED, BECAUSE YOU RAN, BECAUSE YOU LEFT HER ALONE AND SHUT HER OUT AND DID NOT WAKE WHEN HE STOLE HER BLOOD IN YOUR BED--)

9. The world is pared down to sharp steel and the Count’s walking corpse. Given speed enough--and he was again, so, so close!--he could have carved the vampire apart with a horseshoe nail. But the monster flees, says a temporary farewell to conquest, and runs to his old haunt, his dear genius loci so tilted in his favor. Gone.

10. (Not good enough. Of course not. Mina, Jonathan Harker. Think of your Mina! Oh, you are prepared to join her in undead damnation? How tender. How holy a love. Pardon, just a moment.)

11. Mina demands her death be total. The valiant knights are on her side. Jonathan Harker holds his tongue, the secret nailed under it. Oh dear, oh dear. What now, Jonathan Harker? Can you keep your promise out of their reach? Out of hers? How many sins are you prepared to tally in its name? Why would you even have to if you succeed in the true, the good, the glorious mission God has smiled on you enough to bestow?

12. (A fair penance. You let the monster out. Is it not your task to end it, rather than wallow in scheming fantasies of failure? God’s will be done, Jonathan. Jonathan; ‘God Has Given.’ And He can take away. If need be. Succeed, and the need will disappear. You shall be a hero. You shall earn back your love and your soul shall be blessed as the world is finally scrubbed clean of this anathema among men!)

13. (By all means, ask why He would allow the demon to exist for so many centuries in the first place. See if that helps the cause. Or you. Or her. Alternatively, you can resume sharpening the kukri and focus on your work.)

[seraphdreams]

all eyes on rafah, as it’s being hit by israeli artillery. rafah, the “safe place” that contains over 1.3 million palestinian refugees, is under HEAVY BOMBARDMENT. over 100+ people have died in an hour. please keep your eyes on rafah.

[poorlittleyaoyao]

I forgot the top ships poll was still going because I am far more invested in the JC one, and I am torn! my indifference to Xuanli and genuine fondness for CQL W*ngxi*n vs. my ever-increasing hostility towards Internet W*ngxi*n