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btsqualityy · 3 years

Text

I Choose You

Taehyung x Reader

Genre: ABO (Alpha/Beta/Omega) dynamics, crushes-to-lovers, kind of a soulmate!AU (it’s based on their scents), fluff, and smut

Warnings: Oral sex (Male and female receiving), unprotected sex, dirty talk, soft Dom!Taehyung, impregnation kink, and creampie

Author’s Note: This fic is based on a prompt from the Spring Fest “Spring Will Come Again” hosted by @bangtanarmynet! I hope you guys enjoy it!

Prompt: Every Spring Fest, the unmated Alphas had to choose a mate but when Taehyung felt a pull, he didn’t expect it to lead to you.

“Come on!” Taehyung whined loudly. “Just tell me!”

“You know that I cannot tell you who is participating in the Mating Ceremony Tae,” Jimin giggled. “It’s against pack rules.”

“Alright, well just give me a clue,” Taehyung tried to bargain. The two of them were sat outside in the territory that belonged to their pack, deciding to enjoy their lunch in the newly nice weather.

“You know, to be an Alpha, you have no sense of patience,” Jimin laughed.

“And for you to be an Omega, you have no sense of loyalty to your best friend,” Taehyung pouted.

“Oh God, he’s pulling out the pouts,” Jimin groaned playfully. “If you’re so impatient about not being able to know who’s participating in the Ceremony beforehand, then why are you even doing it?”

The Mating Ceremony was an age old tradition in Taehyung’s pack that occurred every year, right at the start of the Spring Festival. For people who still believed in soulmates, the Mating Ceremony was an unbiased opportunity for those people to find the one that their soul desired. The Omegas and Betas would gather together, with their faces hidden, and it was up to an Alpha to use only their sense of smell to find the scent that they liked the most.

Of course, a lot of people felt that scents weren’t the only important thing when it came to building the foundation of a relationship as time has passed but it was still an honored and revered tradition nonetheless.

“Besides the fact that literally everyone that I know has found their mate during the Ceremony?” Taehyung huffed. “The fact that I’m almost 26 years old and haven’t found my mate yet.”

“Oh please, you say that as if you’re old and if you’re old, then I’m old,” Jimin said as he rolled his eyes. “And I’m definitely not old.”

“Well, you say that because you’re not alone,” Taehyung pointed out. “My parents found each other 27 years ago, Yoongi hyung found you three years ago, Joon hyung found Aareum the year before that, and hell, even Jin hyung found Jungkookie last year. Too long, didn’t read, I’m gonna die alone if I don’t do it.”

“I feel so bad for your future mate because you are so fucking dramatic,” Jimin laughed as he reached over and stole a French fry off of Taehyung’s plate.

“You’d have time to warn them if you’d just tell me who’s joining this year,” Taehyung tried to persuade him. “Come on, what’s the point in having the Head Omega as your best friend if he doesn’t supply you with useful information?”

“Oh, and here I was thinking that I was your bestfriend because I’m your platonic soulmate,” Jimin scoffed. “Look Tae, the entire point of the Mating Ceremony is to let your heart and your nose do the deciding for you. If I tell you who’s participating and who’s not, it’ll cloud your judgement and then the whole thing will be moot.”

“Ugh, fine Mr. “I wanna be ethical”,” Taehyung sighed as he stood up from the table. “I gotta go and finish up my gift for the Ceremony so I’ll see you later.”

“See you later, Pouty Pants,” Jimin giggled as he waved his hand and Taehyung began to walk around the territory. He wasn’t lying when he said that he needed to go finish working on his courting gift, but he figured that it wouldn’t hurt to take a walk around the pack’s territory before he did.

Taehyung’s pack was pretty tight knit, though it was considered to be considerably larger than the other surrounding packs. Even though Taehyung’s family weren’t the ones who founded the pack, his great-great-grandfather was one of the first members to join the pack so Taehyung‘s family line literally had stakes in the very beginning of the pack.

Growing up, Taehyung had been pretty well known around the pack but after he presented as an Alpha, it was as if he were a celebrity. Every unmated Alpha, Beta, and Omega seemed to be after him and admittedly, he had enjoyed the attention for the last few years but now, he was ready to find his mate, settle down, and start a family.

Just as Taehyung walked around the corner that separated the school building and the doctor’s house, he collided with a figure that had literally rushed into him.

“Hey!” Taehyung yelped, gasping when the papers that the person had been holding fell down onto the ground.

“Oh my gosh,” you whispered, bending down and beginning to pick the papers up. Taehyung bent down as well, helping when he realized who you were.

“Y/N?” He called and you looked up at him, your eyes widening when you realize who he was.

“Oh Taehyung, I’m so sorry,” you apologized, bowing your head to him.

“No no no, it’s ok. Don’t worry about it,” he assured you. “Just let me help you with these.”

“I already ran into you, you don’t have to,” you tried to say but Taehyung just cut you off.

“I want to,” he chuckled and you just decided to let it go as the two of you finished picking up all of the fallen papers. Once you were both done, you stood up straight and Taehyung handed the small stack of papers that he had collected over to you.

“So, where were you off to that has you in such a rush?” Taehyung wondered with a smile.

“Well, uh, the start of Spring marks the halfway point in the second half of the schoolyear for the pups so I was in a rush to get their progress reports finished,” you explained and Taehyung couldn’t help but to smile at how shy you still seemed to be around him.

The two of you knew of each other from around the pack and you went to school together, being as though the two of you were born in the same year. Because of that, you both had a lot of mutual friends but the two of you never hung out much because you were really shy and seemed almost scared of Taehyung so he always made sure to give you your space.

“Ah, you do work in the school building,” he chuckled.

“With the seven to nine year olds,” you smiled.

“I remember, I remember,” he nodded. “Well, besides that, how are you?”

“Good, good,” you replied. “Busy as ever this time of year, but good. How about yourself?”

“I’m good, just preparing for the Spring Festival, ” he told her.

“Oh, are you doing the Mating Ceremony this year?” You asked and he nodded his head.

“Are you?”

“I’ve never done it before and I don’t think I’ll start now,” you giggled. “It’s not really my thing.”

“What, finding your soulmate isn’t your thing?” Taehyung teased.

“No, I meant that not being picked by anyone wouldn’t be my thing,” you clarified.

“Oh please, somebody would definitely choose you,” Taehyung said. “I know that we don’t talk much but anyone can see that you’re a good woman and a great Omega. I bet that any Alpha would be proud to have you be their mate.”

“Oh,” you uttered in surprise, and Taehyung couldn’t help but to feel a little sense of pride at how flustered he had made you. “T-Thank you Taehyung.”

“You’re welcome,” he grinned.

“W-Well, I have to go,” you murmured. “See you around?”

“Yeah, see you,” Taehyung agreed but he didn’t know if you’d even heard him because you were already walking, almost running, away from him.

.....................................

Even though the Spring Fest was being held during the first week of April, Taehyung had made the decision that he’d be participating back in December of the previous year and this was because he wanted to make sure he had enough time to prepare his courting gift. A courting gift would show his future mate that he was serious about them so it took Taehyung a lot of thought to decide what he wanted to give his future mate. In the end though, it was actually Taehyung’s mother who helped him.

He off-handedly mentioned that he was trying to figure out a gift and she ended up giving him his great-grandmother’s engagement ring. It was a ruby that sat on a nest of gold diamonds, with a gold band to accompany it. Taehyung was familiar with it because it was a family heirloom and he was so honored that his mother trusted him with it.

When the first day of the Spring Fest arrived, Taehyung made sure that the ring box was nestled safely in the pocket of his slacks before he checked his appearance in the mirror. Wanting to look his best, he settled on a button up dress shirt that was a deep maroon color and paired it with black slacks. He added a few simple accessories like a few rings on both hands and earrings but he skipped any necklaces or bracelets, wanting to makes sure that nothing would get in the way of someone being able to smell his scent.

“Let’s go find our mate,” Taehyung whispered to himself, making sure to fix his hair one last time before hurrying up and rushing out of the front door of his house.

The Mating Ceremony was to be held in the large flower garden that was towards the back of the pack’s territory. The logic behind it was that finding your soulmate amongst beautiful things would help your relationship with said soulmate be beautiful as well.

When Taehyung got there, he immediately spotted Jin and Jungkook sitting together on a bench so he walked over to them.

“Hi Tae hyung!” Jungkook greeted him happily.

“Hi,” Taehyung replied. “You guys came for moral support?”

“You know it,” Jin nodded. “You look really good Tae-ah.”

“Ready to find your soulmate?” Jungkook wondered.

“Thank you, and hopefully,” Taehyung sighed heavily. “I’m so nervous.”

“Don’t worry hyung, all you have to do is trust your nose,” Jungkook told him.

“Kook’s right, you know our senses will never purposefully lead us wrong,” Jin added.

“Thanks for the advice guys,” Taehyung chuckled, reaching out and ruffling Jungkook’s hair a little. Suddenly, a voice erupted over the loud speakers that had been placed around the garden.

“The Mating Ceremony is about to commence,” the voice that Taehyung recognized as Jimin announced. “If you are offering a gift, please get into position.”

“Well, that’s my cue,” Taehyung said.

“Relax and don’t worry,” Jin advised him. “Just...let it happen.”

“Ok,” Taehyung nodded before turning around and walking over to a large wall of white roses. Falling into line with several other Alphas and Betas who were also participating in the Ceremony, he waited with baited breath as another line of Omegas and Betas stepped into the garden and walked over to stand right in front of the wall of roses.

Every Omega or Beta had a veil or mask over their face so that they couldn’t be seen, and their own choice of outfit but most of them were dressed pretty formally, just like Taehyung was.

“Alphas and Betas who are presenting gifts, you know the rules,” Jimin spoke up again. “No sneaking a peek at anybody until you offer them your gift and they actually accept it, no trying to force your gift upon anyone who makes it clear that they do not want it, and trust your instincts! Happy finding!”

Taehyung then closed his eyes, taking a deep inhale in order to smell the air around him. He picked up a few scents here and there, with hints of chocolate and mint but none of them especially stuck out to them. He then opened his eyes and they slightly widened when he saw some of the Alphas and Betas already offering gifts to some of the Betas and Omegas who had been waiting. He had to admit, it kind of shocked him because it was seemingly so simple for them but not for him. Deciding to follow everyone’s advice and trust his senses, he shut his eyes again and took another deep breath it, and that was when he smelled it.

The initial wave that hit his nose was reminiscent of tangerines, and then that was mixed with the scent of berries that seemed to almost intermingle with the tangerine scent. Those were two very typical scents, especially for Omegas, but what really caught Taehyung’s attention was the scent of pink champagne. It was something that he had never smelt in a scent before and before he could even realize it, he was moving towards the source of the scent.

When he realized that he had stepped up to the person that the scent belonged to, he took a second to look over them. It seemed to be a woman, who had on a flowing white dress along with a small matching white veil. Taehyung reached out and extended his wrist towards their nose for them to be able to smell his scent clearly and when the woman let out an appreciative hum, Taehyung’s heart clenched because this was it. He had found the one.

Taehyung reached into his pocket and took out the ring box, extending it towards the woman. The woman then reached out and took the box from it, a soft giggle coming from her as she did so.

“Thank you,” the woman said and Taehyung’s eyes widened because he recognized the voice, he just couldn’t remember where from. When the woman reached up and lifted the veil back from her face, Taehyung wanted to kick himself for not immediately recognizing who the voice came from.

“Hi,” you smiled.

.....................................

“I cannot believe that I didn’t know that it was you,” Taehyung huffed.

“Well, that’s kind of the point Taehyung,” you giggled from your spot on his bed. After the ceremony had ended, Taehyung invited you back to his house so that the two of you could have some alone time.

“I just didn’t expect this,” he said as he sat down next to you.

“Are you...upset that I’m your mate?” You asked wearily and Taehyung immediately shook his head.

“No!” He exclaimed. “Even though we don’t talk much, I know that you’re amazing. Hell, Jungkook raves about you all the time. I also meant what I said the other day.”

“W-Well, that’s good,” you replied shyly. “By the way, I’m sorry for not talking to you much over the years.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it,” he shrugged. “I just figured that you were shy and I don’t mind that.”

“It wasn’t shyness, though,” you blurted and his eyebrows rose.

“Really?”

“The truth is, I’ve had a crush on you since you presented,” you confessed.

“Y/N, that was almost 10 years ago,” he gasped in surprise. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because I never thought that I had a chance,” You chuckled. “For years, every unmated Omega and Beta and even some Alphas have been after you. When you look at them and then look at me, I’m not as interesting or as beautiful when compared to them. I don’t know, I just don’t think that I measure up.”

“Hey, don’t say that,” Taehyung admonished you. “You’re gorgeous Y/N-ah, and the sweetest person I know.”

“Really?” You deadpanned.

“Absolutely,” he nodded. He could tell that you didn’t believe him though, so he decided to be honest. “You wanna know something?”

“Hmm?”

“I’ve had a crush on you too,” he admitted, making your eyes widen. “Not for as long as you have, but at least two years. I just never made a move because you seemed so shy around me and I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable because I figured that you just weren’t interested.”

“Seriously?” You gasped and he nodded. “We’re a big pair of idiots then, huh?”

“Definitely,” he laughed as he reached over and grabbed both of your hands in his. “It’s a good thing that we both decided to participate in the Ceremony then, huh?”

“Another confession? I only joined because I was hoping that my Omega would be able to say to your Alpha what I’ve never been able to bring myself to say aloud,” you told him.

“And what is that?”

“That I want to be with you, Kim Taehyung,” you replied. Taehyung felt his Alpha preen at your confession and it wasn’t that Taehyung had doubted the validity of the Ceremony but actually being able to feel the connection between the two of you only solidified everything for him.

“I want to be with you too Y/N L/N,” he smiled. “Can I kiss you?”

“Please,” you giggled and Taehyung let go of your hands to set his hands on your cheeks, leaning forward and pressing his lips to yours. The kiss began soft at first, the both of you feeling a little nervous since this whole thing was so new.

It wasn’t until you laid back on the bed, pulling Taehyung down along with you that the two of you became more comfortable, you opening your mouth and allowing his tongue to slide against yours. Taehyung set his hand on your thigh, gently tracing random shapes with his fingertips as you kissed each other passionately.

“Y/N, I have to ask you something,” he murmured and you pulled away from his lips to look up at him.

“What is it?”

“Are you a virgin?” He wondered and you felt your cheeks warm up immediately. “I’m not trying to be intrusive or anything, I just want to know so that I can gauge how comfortable you are.”

“Do you remember when I dated Xiumin?” You asked him and he rolled his eyes.

“That dickhead? Yeah,” he huffed.

“I lost my virginity to him.”

“Well, I can’t say that I’m in love with that piece of information,” he admitted.

“I only dated him because I was trying to get over you, which sounds really bad when I say it out loud,” you laughed. “That was around the same time that you were dating Jisoo.”

“Ah,” he said as he set his fingertips over your lips to silence you. “We don’t mention that forbidden name.”

“Ok, sorry,” you giggled.

“So, if I told you that I want to have sex with you tonight,” Taehyung began, making your lower half clench around nothing. “Would you want to?”

“Yes,” you rushed out. “I want to.”

“Good, because I want to too,” he smiled before leaning down and kissing you again. You moaned into his mouth when he moved over so that he was on top of you, his lips never leaving yours as he did so. He then trailed his lips downwards, licking and sucking on the skin of your neck.

“Ohh,” you sighed in pleasure, reaching down and tangling your fingers in his hair. Taehyung pulled away and reached up to grab your hands, untangling them from his hair and holding your wrists firmly when he placed them back down on the bed above your head, holding them there.

“You keep these here for me, ok?” He asked and you could tell from his tone that he was both asking for permission and clarification.

“Ok,” you whispered and he smiled.

“Perfect Omega,” he murmured as he went back to kissing your neck and you had to clasp your hands together because you were too tempted to reach down and touch him again. After he had left a few marks on your neck, he brought his hands up and grabbed onto your breasts which made you gasp.

“As beautiful as this dress is Y/N-ah, I think we should take it off now. Yeah?” Taehyung suggested and you nodded your head rapidly. He moved off of you so that you could sit up and he moved around the bed on his knees so that he was behind you. He reached out and pulled down the zipper on your dress, and you reached up and pulled the dress down off of your shoulders. Once your arms were out of it, you got up onto your knees and pushed it down your legs and onto the floor.

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous Y/N-ah,” he muttered huskily as he took in the sight of you in your stark white bralette and white lace panties. Your Omega preened at his praise, making your cheeks warm up.

“Really?”

“Really,” he smiled, moving back around your body and leaning down so that he was face to face with your breasts as he reached out to grab ahold of them. “I’m so fucking lucky.”

“I’m the lucky one,” you whispered as he pulled the material of the bralette to the side, causing both of your breasts to fall out. Without another word, he leaned forward and sucked your nipple into his mouth. You couldn’t help but to fall back on the bed, Taehyung falling along without a problem and not letting up on the onslaught that was his tongue.

Once your nipple had stiffened to a peak, he switched over to your other nipple and gave it the same treatment. You could smell your scent from in between your thighs, the notes of berries and pink champagne becoming stronger and stronger the wetter you became.

You knew Taehyung could smell you too, because you could feel the outline of his hard cock against your inner thigh.

“Fuck, Alpha,” you whimpered. “Wanna suck you off.”

“Whatever you want baby,” he agreed easily after pulling his mouth away from you, sitting up and reaching down to unbutton his slacks. You sat up, watching with hooded eyes as he unzipped them, pushing them down a little bit so that he was able to pull out his cock and your mouth literally watered at the sight of it.

Taehyung’s cock wasn’t enormous, but it was definitely longer than average and it looked to be thick. You reached out and wrapped both of your hands around his length, and you felt yourself become wetter when you realized that you couldn’t even wrap your hands around him completely.

“Fuck, I can smell you baby,” he grumbled and you moaned softly at the pet name. “Do you like what you see?”

“Mmhm,” you nodded, leaning forward and wrapping your lips around the head of his cock. He exhaled harshly, looking down to watch as you did your best to take as much of him in your mouth as possible. You actually managed to do pretty good, doing your best to breathe through your nose as you sunk down closer and closer to the base of his cock.

“Oh fuck,” he huffed. “Such a good girl, taking Alpha’s cock down your throat.” Bringing your hands back up, you stacked both of them on top of each other as you jerked him off while suckling on the head of his cock.

“God, that feels good. Makes me want to fuck your throat,” he grumbled. “You gonna let me do that one day baby? Gonna let Alpha use your mouth?”

“Mmm, yes Alpha,” you gasped after releasing him from your mouth, your spit acting as lube as you continued to jerk him off.

“Fuck, lay down for me,” he instructed you. “I have to taste you.” You didn’t hesitate to follow his instructions, laying back on the bed and resting on your forearms as you watched him push his slacks and boxers down and off his legs before he moved onto unbuttoning his shirt.

He wasn’t overly muscular but you could still see the outline of what would be a six-pack, and your inner Omega loved the fact that your Alpha would be able to protect you if need be.

Taehyung laid down on his front in between your legs, pulling your panties to the side before leaning forward and licking a stripe up your pussy, from your slit up to your clit. You gasped, your thighs involuntarily coming to together but Taehyung’s hands came up to push them back down.

“Be still and let me make you come baby,” he whispered and you nodded numbly. He then went back to licking at you, making you whine and squirm underneath him.

“Huh, holy shit,” you gasped, your chest beginning to move up and down quickly as your orgasm approached you. “Please don’t stop Tae.”

“Mmm,” he moaned against you, shaking his head back and forth over your clit which made his tongue do the same.

“Do that again,” you requested and he obliged you, shaking his head back and forth rapidly and you felt your orgasm winding to it’s end in your abdomen. “Fuck yes, I’m gonna come.” Your head fell back onto the bed and just as you closed your eyes and felt yourself about to tip over the edge into ecstasy, Taehyung pulled away from you.

“What?” You whimpered as you opened your eyes, looking down at him.

“I want you to come on my knot,” he told you. He reached out and grabbed the band of your panties, pulling them down your legs and throwing them onto the floor. He then settled himself in between your thighs, leaning down and letting his cock rub against your clit.

“If you want me to come on your knot, you shouldn’t do that,” you whimpered.

“You could come like this?” He wondered in awe and you nodded your head. “We’re gonna have to test that out one day.”

“We have the rest of our lives for that,” you promised him.

“You got that right,” he smiled, moving his hips so that he could slide inside of you. You wrapped your legs around his waist, your hands gripping onto his arms as he slowly opened you up.

“Fuh, fuck,” you stuttered, your eyes fluttering closed at how good he felt inside of you, stretching you out in the best way.

“God, you’re so tight but you’re opening up so well for me baby,” Taehyung grunted, making sure to push his hips as close to yours as he could so that he could go as deep as possible. “You really are my mate, huh?”

“Yes,” you whispered, your mind barely being able to comprehend his words because the feeling of being completely and utterly clouded all of your senses. He continued to roll his hips against yours, his cock dragging against your walls as he did.

“You have no idea how much I’ve wanted this, how much I’ve thought about this,” he muttered. “I’d see you walking around the territory all shy, keeping your eyes low so that people wouldn’t approach you and all I could think about was that you were the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen and how much I wanted to fuck you with my knot.”

“Mmm, knot,” you slurred, making Taehyung smile because of course knot was the word that you caught.

“I’d watch you with the pups, teaching them and being so gentle and patient with them and my only thought would be about how I wanted to fuck some pups of my own into you so that you could be their mother,” he groaned, his hips stuttering slightly when he felt your walls clench around him like a vice grip. “Oh, you want that? Want Alpha to give you some pups?”

“Fuck yes,” you moaned wantonly, moving your own hips so that you were fucking back onto him. “Want your cum, want a pup.”

“I’ll give it to you baby,” he swore as he began to fuck you faster. “Alpha will give you anything you want.”

“W-want you,” you whined as you felt your orgasm quickly building back up again.

“You have me baby,” he chuckled deeply. “You always have, I think.”

“A-alpha, g-gonna c-c-come,” you managed to utter as your body moved up and down the bed, the force of Taehyung fucking you literally moving you on the bed.

“Go ahead so that I can knot you gorgeous,” he encouraged you. You reached down and set your fingertips on your clit, only managing to make two circles on it before you were coming. Your thighs spasmed and clutched around Taehyung’s waist, the rest of your body shaking on the bed from how forceful your orgasm was.

“T-Tae,” you whimpered, your body shivering even after the crest of your orgasm had passed. Taehyung leaned down, pressing soft kisses against your face that were in stark contrast to how he was still fucking you.

“So good for me baby,” he whispered. “Came so prettily for me.”

“Kiss me,” you pleaded weakly and he just smiled at you before pressing his lips against yours. The force coming from how hard he was thrusting into you caused your mouth to fall open and Taehyung didn’t hesitate to stick his tongue inside, exploring around.

You literally felt his cock pulse inside of you and before you could pull away in order to ask, ropes of his cum flooded into you. His knot inflated immediately afterwards, making you moan as it forced its’ way inside of you.

“Holy shit Y/N-ah,” he panted as he hid his face in your neck, collapsing on top of you. “I don’t think I’ve ever come so hard in my life.”

“Me either,” you admitted with a giggle. “I loved it though.”

“Me too,” he muttered as he pulled himself up so that he could look down at you. “I know this is probably a weird thing to ask given what we just got finished doing, but you accept the fact that you’re my mate right?”

“Tae, of course,” you smiled. “My Omega would hate me if I rejected you and you know our wolf side doesn’t lie.”

“I guess I just wanted to know if it was as strong for you as it was for me,” he mumbled and you placed your hands on his cheeks, making him look down at you.

“You’re my mate Kim Taehyung,” you told him. “I knew it and felt it the moment that you gave me your wrist and I smelled your scent.”

“I knew it too,” he smiled. “I’ll give you your bite in the morning, I’m just too tired right now.”

“No complaints from me,” you laughed. “Coming so hard can definitely take a lot out of a person.” Taehyung then laid his head down on your chest and you reached up, setting your hands in his hair as you began to play with the sweaty strands.

“I’m so glad that my Alpha chose you,” he muttered sleepily and you could feel the goofy smile spread onto your face before you leaned down and kissed the top of his head.

“Me too Tae,” you sighed in contentment. “Me too.”

#BAspringwillcome #bangtanarmynet #bts #bts taehyung #bts v #abo bts #taehyung x reader #v x reader #taehyung smut #taehyung angst #taehyung fluff #v smut #v angst #v fluff #bts smut #bts fluff #bts angst #bts x reader

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bottomlouisficfest · 3 years

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We hope you’ve enjoyed the third week of fics from the Bottom Louis Fic Fest 2021! Every weekend, we’re compiling all of the fics from that week into one roundup post so they’re easy to find for anyone looking to catch up on fics they missed. Enjoy these amazing fics and give them the love they deserve!

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never been so defenceless

A fic by reliablyimperfect on AO3 | @mmmm_kat on Twitter

23k | Mature | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

Harry always thought he’d falter in the face of danger, because no one can ever be truly ready to see their loved one in danger. Even with the warning that’s literally inked into his skin, all the training Harry’s done, and all the hours he’s spent in the gym, nothing could’ve prepared him for how it feels to look up and see the glint of a knife under the streetlights. Or An ode to awkward, oblivious Harry

—

like the stars above

A fic by princelouisau on AO3 | @princelouisau on Tumblr | @platonicrose on Twitter

34k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

Louis has a witchy little secret that is slowly ruining his relationship. When that secret comes out, it turns out that he has a lot more to worry about than just losing the love of his life. He might lose everything.

—

If i loved you less, I’d be a liar

A fic by sevensmokingroses on AO3 | @7smokingroses on Twitter

5k | Mature | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

harry wanted a chance when it was all over.

Prompt 93: A story based off of the song One More Try by George Michael (but with a happy ending). Totally open to your interpretation of the song. Personally I’m drawn to the lines: Cause teacher There are things that I don’t want to learn And the last one I had Made me cry So I don’t want to learn to Hold you, touch you Think that you’re mine Because it ain’t no joy For an uptown boy Whose teacher has told him goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

—

crowded town or silent bed, pick a place to rest your head

A fic by danverslou on AO3 | @danverslou on Tumblr | @danverslou on Twitter

64k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

“Poem. I made you a poem.”

“Oh yeah? Can I hear your poem?” Louis turns on the car and exits the school building.

“Wait.” Louis takes a glance and sees his daughter struggle to open her bag, strained thanks to the safety belt. “Aha!” She shouts when she finally finds the wrinkled paper. She clears her throat dramatically. “My mama is cool, because one day he took me to the pool. My mama is beautiful, and I feel grateful. My mama is pocketful, because his pocket is always full.”

Louis ruffles Chrys’ hair making the green-eyed kid groan and swat his hand away.

“You think I’m beautiful?” Louis’ voice is soft.

“Well, duh. You’re the most beautiful person on Earth, mama.” She pauses for a moment. “Although, Uncle Zayn is beautiful too. But, still, you’re the most beautifulest.” She grins.

Louis’ heart clenches at that. Not because she just said he’s the most beautiful person in the world. But, because of the way she said it. Awfully similar to the other person who has the same green eyes as her. And the way she grins after that, identical.

—

View the other roundup posts here:

Week 1 Fic Roundup

Week 2 Fic Roundup

Week 3 Fic Roundup

Week 4 Fic Roundup

Week 5 Fic Roundup

Week 6 Fic Roundup

Week 7 Fic Roundup

Week 8 Fic Roundup

Week 9-10 Fic Roundup

#fics 2021 #roundups 2021

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rubykgrant · 3 years

Text

A nonsensical “Freelacer/Sim Trooper/AI” swap because it amuses me-

York and North are the two dudes on Red Team who just stand around and talk all day (York is a little bit more of a slacker, and North tries to actually pay attention to orders. Often, York will lock-pick his way into a room so he can hide and take a nap, but North always finds him and nags the guy to get back to work). Later, South is the sister who shows up (but less in an “I missed you, bro!” way and more of a “You though you could escape ME, your problem sibling?!” way). Wash is their rookie, and they start dunking on him (yes, he’s the Donut). Wyoming is their leader (instead of all that bonkers yee-haw junk Sarge says, they have to listen to Wyoming talk British). They have another team member named CT, who the boys ASSUMED was a robot... because she almost never talks to them and is always working on the vehicles (Wyoming knows she’s human, and South figured it out right away; North, York, and Wash are just dinks)

Flowers is still Florida, because that’s just... that’s him. So, he’s the dead Blue Team leader. Carolina called dibs on his armor (everybody else calls it aqua, she insist it is cyan). New reluctant Blue leader is Tex (who is swapped with Alpha; the Director decided to hide the AI that almost-kinda-sorta reminds him of his dead wife in a box canyon in the middle of nowhere, under the guise of “Let’s see if she’ll act like a real soldier?”, but he just wants to keep her out of the way. He’s not even paying enough attention to realize his DAUGHTER is there too). Carolina and Tex argue a lot, but also get along really well (they have NO clue how ironic this is). Their rookie is Maine, who doesn’t say much... but he’s actually very sweet and happy to help (he intimidates the heck out of the Reds, but he’s a push-over). Sheila is also still their tank~

“Alpha” is Tex’s ex-boyfriend and a Freelancer who just shows up... he has a reputation for always surviving dangerous and deadly situations, but he can’t shoot for crap (he keeps doing AI things by accident and doesn’t notice because he’s stupid; THAT’S why his missions are successful, not because of physical skills. he’s still got amnesia about what he really is, the Director is using him as part of the “let’s see if the AI will act like people” experiment). Initially the others are afraid of him, but then they get to know him and see he’s also a dork

The Triplets are a group who were SUPPOSED to be trained as field medics... but then never got told what to do. They move between both teams and sometimes... help? A little? They try

The Freelancers all have code-names based on the Greek Alphabet, and are paired with AI units; the AI are very odd... they have unique personalities and nick-names that make them sound more like “real people” than computer programs (Alpha doesn’t remember because his memories were taken away, but he actually MADE THEM. these AI were friends that he created, partially based on emotions/real people the Director encountered at some point, but they’ve been allowed to develop into unique individuals. they also have missing memories, but feel like they should have another friend with them). There is also a training AI assistant named Lopez; there was a glitch, and his speech settings are stuck on Spanish... nobody can figure out how to fix it (he’s doing it on PURPOSE just to mess with people)

Alpha is usually put on solo missions, so the others don’t know him that well (again, he’s got a mysterious and impressive reputation, but... he’s a dork). He doesn’t have an AI partner (because secretly, he IS one). He tends to use a voice filter... because otherwise, people will hear his stress-screech when he’s upset (with the filter, he sounds more scary)

Delta is a very logical person and doesn’t like to rush into things without knowing all the information first. Despite seeming somewhat distant, he actually cares for the others very much. His AI partner is called Caboose, who seems to provide nearly boundless energy for running the equipment in his suit, and a special ability to allow Delta to see patterns in chaotic situations (somehow, random things just make sense from Caboose’s point of view)

Theta is the youngest Freelancer, though not a literal child (he’s just short and his voice still cracks). He’s pretty much the heart of the group and is best at breaking up arguments. His AI partner is called Sarge, who talks tough but has a soft-spot for Theta, and provides him with the ability to project multiple energy shields around himself and others to keep people safe (Theta also figures out how to make a perfect sphere, and roll in his shield through enemies like a giant hamster ball of doom)

Eta is a little bit melancholy and tends to mope... but still manages to always complete missions successfully. Their AI partner is called Grif, who seems to have a easy-going attitude, but also helps cheer Eta up (Grif gives him perfect camouflage/invisibility, plus block heat-tracers and motion-trackers... which is good, since when Eta feels awkward, he just wants to vanish)

Iota is Eta’s twin sibling, but they were raised apart. Iota wants to reconnect now that they are both here, but it is awkward. Iota is more out-going and cheerful, but has bad luck on missions (not very sneaky). Their AI partner is called Kai, who can help them hack into pretty much any machine (Kai especially loves creating distractions- she makes security cameras play random internet videos, and will make loud obnoxious music play on enemy radio channels)

Sigma is a very ambitious Freelancer, but he hides his motives with a calm persona. His AI partner is called Simmons, who seems very intelligent and eager to help with tasks, but he tends to panic under stress (when he can focus, Simmons is able allow Sigma to temporarily see into the thoughts of others, essentially reading the minds of enemies... it is against the rules to do this outside of battle, but Sigma bullies Simmons into letting him do it whenever he wants)

Omega is the most violent Freelancer, plain and simple. Most of the others don’t like him much, but it is undeniable that he’s helpful on missions. His AI partner is called Doc, who creates the best form of a healing unit (able to ease pain almost instantly and heal broken bones moments later. if they run out of energy though, it doesn’t work. Doc’s nicer attitude clashes with Omega’s personality at first, but the two wind up being good for each other)

Gamma is a Freelancer who was born mute, but speaks with digital voice enhancement. His skills with vehicles and machines make him a valuable member of the team. His AI partner is called Donut, and the two get along almost instantly (Gamma loves to tell jokes, and Donut thinks he’s hilarious... Donut has a habit of mis-speaking in a way that makes other people roll their eyes, but Gamma finds him endearing). Donut’s ability to let Gamma “see into the past” (they can visualize what took place in an a area a long time ago, even with no witnesses or security footage, allowing them know secrets and important information)

There is one AI that doesn’t have a Freelancer partner, and is kept hidden away in storage; each of the AI have become their own “person” in a way, but initially they began as people Alpha wanted to be friends with and had a “purpose”. They filled roles of companionship, but Alpha also wanted them to be individuals so they could grow and change. For some reason, Tucker didn’t let go of his memories when the Director tried to take them away. It was too dangerous to use Tucker as an AI to assist a Freelancer, so they locked him up. Tucker has a a talent for figuring out how to make strange alien tech work, even when nobody else does. They keep putting objects and devices in the storage room with Tucker’s AI unit, and he’s been learning how to use them, thus planning an escape. His first step is to contact his other AI friends so they remember him, and hopefully find Alpha again...

#red vs blue #project freelancer #ai fragments

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witnessourescape · 3 years

Text

On Omega's origins

I'm trying to make some posts on Omega so I don't lose track of what I think about the funny robot. :) What we know about Omega's planet:

It was in a war against the Dragonstar;

It considered Midgardsormr a threat;

It completely destroyed the Dragonstar;

It's presumably gone, having seen a Calamity.

I'll talk about each point. I believe there are already clues to what Omega's original planet is in the game.

1. It was in a war against the Dragonstar

Contrary to common belief, what happened in the Dragonstar was not that Omega alone randomly attacked it for no reason (or to get stronger) -- Omega and its planet were locked in an interplanetary war. We don't know why -- yet.

Midgardsormr: Foolish machine. What hast thou to show for all the years that have passed since the culmination of our war? Naught save thy continued existence. Hast thou no thought for what befalleth thy home star…?

2. It considered Midgardsormr a threat

Omega's objective was to kill Midgardsormr. Not to enslave, not to colonize the planet: to kill the Father of Dragons, paragon of wyrms, because it was a threat.

Omega: Prepare to face Midgardsormr--red-maned wyrm of the Dragonstar, and nemesis of my world.

3. It completely destroyed the Dragonstar.

"By thee and thine was my home laid waste". The Dragonstar as we see in Alphascape 2.0 seems devoid of life, aetherically unbalanced. If those are aether geysers, then something must have gone really wrong. Omega's planet didn't enslave the dragons or something like that -- they killed the Dragonstar itself.

4. It's presumably gone, having seen a Calamity.

Let's get back to this piece of dialogue.

What did befell Omega's home star, after all? Why does Midgardsormr knows of it and why does he uses it to try to provoke Omega? Could it be related to their war? Could Midgardsormr have been responsible for Omega's planet's destruction?

The answer probably lies in From the Heavens, Final Omega's theme.

youtube

Our shadows lost in light, this life A fleeting kiss Hark! Temptation rings! Virtue slips through hands a-clenching wicked fruit Passion festers, black’ning sinless souls to root Sink’neath dark waters Drink deep, we suffer Drowning, drowning, drowning, drowning Irons sundered Paradise plundered Come welcome this Come welcome this Destiny Virtue slips through hands a-clenching wicked fruit Passion festers, black’ning sinless souls to root Sickles grate on heaven’s gate their fields ignored Seeking sinners deathlessly they reap discord As two become one Here ends this, our journey Never-ending, onward march! Witness our escape This our escape, this our escape This our escape, this our escape This our escape, this our ascension

From the Heavens tells the story of a society falling to hubris, temptation and sin, their paradise destroyed. Isn't that familiar?

Still on From the Heavens, it's strange that the first sentence is "our shadows lost in light": ascian means literally shadowless -- this is why the Heroes' Gauntlet set is called the Shadowless set. Then, "[sink] 'neath dark waters" is literally Amaurot's theme.

youtube

So, is there any other evidence Omega could be an Ancient machine?

Lots of them.

1. Omega and the Ascians got similar designs: both heavily use black and silver, and gold and purple as accents (Omega has a purple undertone and Final Omega has gold accents).

2. Omega and the Ascians share abilities: creation magicks and interdimensional travelling. It's not because they're both unsundered beings: I can't remember dragons having creation magicks or travelling interdimensionally. Midgardsormr enters Omega's rift in his Big form at the cost of his life energy. It isn't something that he does naturally and with ease.

3. Omega and the Ascians share a neighborhood at the Aetherial Rift, which is where ascians hide when they need to.

4. The Passionate Amaurotine NPC has weird dialogue about death-defying autonomous figures.

Passionate Amaurotine: Oh, did you want to ask me about my latest concept again? The autonomous figures I told you about before? They are utterly without feeling or fear, and will without hesitation or objection carry out their master's orders regardless of any injury or death they may suffer as a result. Truly magnificent, wouldn't you agree?

5. Both Amaurot the Dungeon and Omega quote the biblical Book of Revelation. This one may be the most important yet: the Final Days are akin to the christian Apocalypse as seen in the Book of Revelation. In the end of the Book of Revelation, Christ makes His Second Coming, saying:

12 Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Meanwhile, Final Omega's dialogue in O12SP2 is:

Final Omega: Experiment concluded. I am the Alpha. I am the Omega. Final Omega: <blip> <bleeeeeep> Witness...my coming... I bring...reward...and retribution...for all!

The dialogue in Japanese makes it even clearer that Omega is quoting Revelation 22:12 and Revelation 22:13. I'll make a post on it later. Why would the Ancients develop a war machine like Omega? Weren't them pacifists? Everybody is a pacifist until eldtrich abominations start banging at your door!

Research Report on the Akadaemia Anyder: High-ranking phantomologists have since been dispatched to afflicted areas, where they conducted the capture and transport of a single entity. This specimen, characterized by a disproportionately large maw, was dubbed “Archaeotania,” and investigations into its aetheric composition are ongoing. A theory posited by the esteemed Lahabrea suggests that the shape these fiendish beings assume is not random, but rather an amalgamation of the fears which lurk beneath our rational minds. As of this writing, researchers have begun pursuing methods by which potent guardians of deliberate design might be engendered to stand against this mounting threat.

Emet-Selch says Zodiark was summoned to rewrite the laws of the star because they went haywire with the creation magicks going wild, not to halt the monsters themselves. The Ancients also took time to develop the concept of Zodiark. Something must have been keeping the monsters at bay while the Convocation worked, and as we see in the Passionate Amaurotine NPC, there is some precedent that the Amaurotines could develop a death-defying autonomous figure ready to sacrifice itself for its masters if needed. How does the Dragonstar War enters the scenario, then? First, let's go back to Archaeotania. Archaeotania is a dragon.

It looks like a dragon-dinosaur mix, it attacks with Megaflare and Gigaflare, it has lots of Shinryu's -- who is a Midgardsormr-based primal -- attacks like Tidal Wave and Ice Boulder. Archaeotania, being one of the original fears that were birthed by creation magicks going haywire, must have been influenced by a dragon. Meanwhile, Omega ignores other primals on Hydaelyn but only bleeps and bloops when Primal Bahamut appears:

Magitek Terminal: Even with its stasis systems activated, Omega retained a measure of autonomy. Deprived of mobility, the weapon continued to scan the world around it, searching for a threat to engage. It was at the time of Bahamut's resurrection when Omega emitted a unique signal -- a signal which appeared to indicate the acquisition of a target -- and we first discovered that the machine had retained some degree of awareness.

So, for some reason, when Sophia, Zurvan and Sephirot appear, Omega ignores them: it only bleeps and bloops when Primal Bahamut is born. It could be that its aetherical signature is so similar to Midgardsormr's Omega thinks it got its original target. But it could be that Omega was built to hunt beings similar to Archaeotania: artificial, dragonlike and presumably drawing aether from the ambient like even Midgardsormr does. Now let's take a look at this dialogue in the lvl 50 The Rising Chorus quest:

Lucia: Last night, the dragon star burned with an intensity not seen in fifteen summers. Not since the Dravanians engaged the Empire in the Battle of Silvertear Skies. Urianger: "The northern sky doth burn full bright upon the wyrm lord's call. The red behemoth beckoneth, and flame consumeth all." Lucia: The old Coerthan rhyme, aye. The brighthening of the dragon star is said to accompany the roar of a great wyrm. The astrologians believe that it was Midgardsormr himself who cried out in this occasion.

So we know that the telepathic roar of a great wyrm can, from Hydaelyn, activate and make the Dragonstar shine bright in the sky. As the Dragonstar is a dead rock floating in space now, we can only imagine the roar messed with its aether enough to physically make it shine. Could the Sound be an echo of Midgardsormr's roar? Why would Midgardsormr roar? We still don't know. But Midgardsormr is in some kind a harbinger of doom. I'll make a post on it later. What could be the timeline? The [?]s are because I don't know when or the exact order it must have happened.

Midgardsormr, for some reason, roars.

The Ancient's planet gets destabilized, the Sound starts.

The Ancients get scared, leading to their creation magicks going haywire.

The Amaurotines capture Archaeotania and develop Omega to halt the monsters and to give the Convocation time to act.

Zodiark is summoned, rewriting the laws of the star.

Omega leaves for the Dragonstar.

Hydaelyn is summoned.

Midgardsormr flees from the Dragonstar.

[?] Hydaelyn sunders the planet.

[?] Hydaelyn calls upon Midgardsormr.

Omega, while hunting for Midgardsormr, loses both its homing coordinates and contact with its home star.

Omega crashes onto Hydaelyn and doesn't realize it's back home because it is lost and the planet is way different than it was when it left.

I don't like that even Omega and the Dragonstar would be "Ancients/Ascians again". That's okay. I get it. But it would explain a lot of things, such as: 1. Why would Hydaelyn accept Midgardsormr but ignore Omega? Because Hydaelyn saw an opportunity to neutralize the greatest threat to Herself, Midgardsormr, but recognizes Omega as native from the pre-sundering Planet so doesn't see anything wrong with letting a wayward child come back. Omega was wrong in trying to go back home: it was always home, but it doesn't realize it. 2. How would the Allagans have found Omega? It's very interesting, even Deus ex machina (hehe) like that the Allagans coincidentally found a super-advanced, ready-to-be-reverse-engineered, easily-turned-off machine that was the basis for their technological revolution that led to at least two calamities. But we know Emet-Selch was responsible for influencing the Allagan Empire. What if Emet-Selch, or even Lahabrea, or both, were working together on this? They would know Omega was back, how to activate it, how to work with its technology and, most important, how to turn it off so that Allag would never be threathened by it. Why wouldn't Emet-Selch talk about Omega, then? Because Omega is a symbol that his people weren't as perfect and pacifist as he wants to believe. The fact that his people could only be saved by a violent war machine, and not by their peaceful, elegant creation magicks and debate, must be abhorrent to Emet-Selch. This is why he must have chosen, like Mitron, to leave Omega to suffer at Allag's. In the end, Allag triumphed both against the Dragons -- the Ancient's planets nemeses in this scenario -- and against Omega -- the stain in the Ancient's peaceful history. Anyway, isn't Final Omega non-canon? Not exactly, not as I see it. For some reason, Alphascape Savage is the only Savage tier that isn't the Menestrel making things up: it's Omega itself that gives you the data it messed with. Final Omega is a form of Omega made by Omega. Is there anything else about this crazy theory? Both Omega's and the Ancient's planet's name have been mysteriously omitted. Omega physically cannot speak the name of its planet in any of Hydaelyn's languages, and Emet-Selch never gives us the original name of the planet. I think this is it. I'll keep updating this post and doing more posts as I think about more things about the robot. Thanks for reading.

#omega #ffxiv #Youtube

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seven-oomen · 4 years

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If You Are Going Through Hell, Keep Going

These are the words that Marin Morrell – Druid, Emissary, Guidance Counselor – says to Stiles Stilinski in “Battlefield” (02x11) And I think they suit his character just perfectly, because Stiles has been going through Hell all his life.

The Teen Wolf Fandom don’t talk nearly enough about Stiles’ traumas, so I’ll try my best to do it myself *I won’t even remotely touch on the Void Stiles, Dark Stiles, Donovan and the Nogitsune trauma though, because it’s extremely complex and deserves its own Meta*

It’s Canon that Noah was an alcoholic (as Rafael pointed out to Stiles in 03x11 Alpha Pact), that he neglected and lashed out at his own child (Stiles’ memory in 02x09 Party Guessed), and that Stiles was verbally, emotionally, and physically abused by his mentally ill mother, Claudia, throughout his childhood (there’s a whole magnificently acted, heart wrenching scene about it with flashbacks and all in 05x06 Required Reading.) It’s Canon that Stiles had to take care of himself and of his father before AND after Claudia’s death. And it’s Canon that Stiles – who was only an eight years old child at the time – was at the hospital with his mother when she died, nobody else:

[Teen Wolf Season 3 Episode 11, Alpha Pact]

CHRIS: You knew… I remember meeting you once, before you were Sheriff. You questioned me about a body. You knew something was up. You just weren’t ready to believe it.

NOAH: You’re right. There was a night eight years ago… the night my wife died. I was at the end of a shift, and a call came in. There had been a pile-up, and a young woman… she was a teenager, actually. She was trapped under an overturned car. We had to wait for the paramedics. We were never getting her out, but I was able to hold her hand. She knew she was gonna die. But I just kept telling her “No, no, listen. The paramedics are on their way.” And then I remember her hand suddenly gripped mine so tightly that I literally thought she was gonna break the bones. And she looked me in the eyes, and she said “If you wanna be with her, go now.” And I knew she was talking about my wife… But then that other part of my brain — the part that looks for clues, for fingerprints, for logical connections… that part told me that there is no way that this girl could possibly know about Claudia. And so I stayed. I stayed until the paramedics pulled her out. Until her heart stopped beating and they declared her dead.

NOAH: When I finally got to the hospital, I saw Stiles sitting in the waiting room with his head in his hands… He was with Claudia when she died.

NOAH: But I wasn’t. I wasn’t with her because I didn’t believe… I just did not believe.

It’s also Canon that Derek Hale is a rape victim and that the hunters slaughtered Derek, Cora and Peter’s entire pack/family (including humans and children.) And it’s Canon that Stiles immediately sides with the Hales and openly confronts Chris about what Kate had done to the Hales in 01x12, Code Breaker:

CHRIS: Let me ask you a question, Stiles. Have you ever seen a rabid dog?

STILES: No. I could put it on my to-do list, if you just let me go.

CHRIS: Well, I have. And the only thing I’ve ever been able to compare it to is seeing a friend of mine turn on a full moon. Do you wanna know what happened?

STILES: Not really. No offense to your storytelling skills.

CHRIS: He tried to kill me, and I was forced to put a bullet in his head. The whole while that he lay there dying, he was still trying to claw his way toward me, still trying to kill me, like it was the most important thing he could do with his last breath. Can you imagine that?

STILES: No. And it sounds like you need to be a little bit more select—

CHRIS: Did Scott try to kill you on the full moon? Did you have to lock him up?

STILES: Yeah, I did. I had to handcuff him to a radiator. Why? Would you prefer I locked him in the basement and burned the whole house down around him?

CHRIS: I hate to dispel a popular rumor, Stiles, but we never did that.

STILES: Oh, right. Derek said you guys had a code. I guess no one ever breaks it.

CHRIS: Never!

STILES: What if someone does?

CHRIS: Someone like who?

STILES: Your sister.

Unlike self-proclaimed hero and ruler of Beacon Hills Scott McCall, who immediately sides with the Argents and tells Derek Hale that his family deserved to be burnt alive by the hunters in front of his comatose uncle………..

-----

I feel like there is a lot to unpack on Stiles’s trauma. And I will go over these moments one by one, why they’re damaging, what I think the context of the scene is supposed to represent ft how people might take it. And what my personal thoughts are regarding Stiles’s trauma.

First of, I would like to say that the following words are my take on this. I am a 29 year old trans man of caucasian descend who is an domestic violence and abuse survivor. I am diagnosed with ADHD since 12 and diagnosed with CPTSD since this year. I understand trauma and I understand what it does to people. But I am not a professional. I am a fan, who’s responding to the submission of another, anonymous, fan.

You are completely free to have your own takes on this matter and your own headcanons. That’s what fandom is for.

That said, I would love to have a discussion if you can have it peacefully.

Stiles is a character who was (Unwillingly) neglected, emotionally traumatized and both emotionally and verbally abused by both of his parents. There is even evidence of physical abuse by his mother.

I think it does need to be said, that neither of his parents intended for this to happen. What happened in the Stilinski family was by and large a very traumatic event for everyone involved.

Noah is an alcoholic, as Stiles also confirms in the episode that Noah never really stopped drinking. His alcoholism is a result of his own traumas and possible ND mind and an unhealthy coping mechanism.

As a result of this, Noah most likely was verbally and emotionally abusive during his drunken tirades.

I personally think that before Claudia was diagnosed and got sick Stiles had a good childhood. His parents tried their best to be good parents for him and laid a good foundation for him. This is evidenced in the bond Stiles seems to have with his father in general. He’s not afraid of his father, he’s nervous about consequences. But he never gives off a vibe to me that truly says; I fear this man and I have to stay in line to stay alive.

Unlike Isaac and his father.

This also tells me, that unlike Elias Stilinski, Noah never lashed out physically at Stiles. He was trying to break a cycle of abuse but more than likely still fell victim to it himself when he could no longer cope with trauma and his neurodivergency and started drinking.

That doesn’t mean that he’s not guilty of abusing his own son. We know Noah can be neglectful and dismissive towards Stiles (even though he tries his best not to be) and has a tendency to low key insult Stiles from time to time. Whether or not he truly means to or not is up for debate, I personally think he doesn’t mean to do it, but Stiles is clearly heartbroken every time Noah accidentally lashes out.

As evidenced by sentences: “I’ve never believed a word he said since he was born.” “Thank you, son I should have had.” (To Scott)

Stiles already has a deep founded fear that he’s not enough, that he killed his own mother, that he’s not believed by the people around him, and that people don’t want to take him seriously.

This is clear in every interaction he has with the people around him.

Which also brings me to what happened in 2x09. Now based on the context clues of that scene, I actually don’t believe Stiles saw a play-by-play memory. But rather, Stiles saw his greatest fear play out in a hallucination.

Why do I believe that?

Because in the same scene, Allison has a hallucination about becoming her own worst nightmare (a huntress like Kate) and Scott sees a hallucination of Allison and Jackson making out. (Aka, losing Allison.)

I think the scene both has fabrications and truths in it. The truth is that more than likely, Stiles saw his father getting drunk at his mother’s funeral and lashing out at people around him in his drunken stupor. (Which on one hand, one can understand if you take the pain and trauma into account, but it’s not a healthy or an okay thing to do, obviously. This is definitely where Noah fell apart.)

I also like to think one of the other adults put a stop to Noah’s behavior before he could get out of hand. But we never really see her funeral play out, so that is speculation.

The fabrication is the scene that follows. We know that Claudia was the one that actually said the words to Stiles. “You’re killing me, he’s killing me.”

And that Noah was the voice of reason in that scene. “No, he’s not. You’re sick, let’s go back inside.” (Or something along those lines. I can’t remember the exact words.)

What I think is more than likely is that Stiles’s greatest fear is that his father actually believes he killed his mother. As that is what his mother said to him before she died. And so that’s what he hallucinated under the influence of the wolfsbane.

Stiles’s greatest fear is losing both of his parents, no matter in what way that is. He also fears that he failed as a son, and failed to take care of his father. All of this is fueled by losing his mother and watching her die at a very young age.

And that is where Stiles’s trauma truly lies. He watched his mother die (at the age of 10) slowly while she lost her mind to a terrible illness.

His father couldn’t handle losing his wife and not being able to help her and the previous traumas he endured in his own childhood. And Stiles had to step up to take care of him. That changes a child and leaves a mark. A mark that Stiles can’t shake.

We know Noah neglected Stiles by not being able to care for him as he should have, we know Noah tends to think Stiles has wild conspiracy theories and tends not to believe him.

Which traumatized Stiles even though Noah didn’t intend for that to happen. That doesn’t mean that Stiles’s trauma isn’t real though. It’s very real. This is also the reason why he immediately chooses Derek’s side in 1x12.

For Stiles, not being believed is a daily reality and he doesn’t want anyone else to go through that as well. Which is why he chooses Derek’s side. Because Stiles, due to his own trauma, is hard-wired to believe the victim and tends to defend them.

Now I think a lot of people take a lot of Stiles’s scenes literal because they identify with what’s happening on screen. Because Stiles isn’t being believed by the other characters, the audience tends to take his perspective at face value. Even in situations where it’s made clear that Stiles, like other characters, is hallucinating at the time.

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but I do think it’s something to consider.

Tagging a few people who might want to add a thought or two to this.

@mostly-vo1d @artemisa97 @msmischief101

#stiles stilinski #teen wolf #teen wolf meta #trauma #ptsd discussion #submission

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queenie-the-writer · 3 years

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rating the first lines of my wips

credit to @calliopewritess for this post idea!!

today, we will be diving into queenie’s past writing endeavours, all of which have been abandoned and i will prob never pick up again lol. feel free to cringe at the innocence of my six-year-old self with me—i literally died reliving these stories for y’all. don’t bother stealing any of these bc none of them are worth it hah. enough foreword let’s just get into it!!

“Once, there was a little girl who lived on a small street with her grandmother.” - 2/10

this is from the first ever “book” i tried to write. i won’t go into heavy detail but it was basically a plagiarized version of The Ice Queen as a child does. we’ve all heard this story before and it’s def not a great hooker lmao.

“Lightning was practicing her flying on her own.” - 4/10

this one just hurts me. i started this wip when i was eight i think (my dragon era) and yeah it was abt dragons and based off a make believe rpg i played with friends at school. i lost the most developed copy of the document but i have chapters 1-3 still. this wip definitely has a place in my heart as one of my proudest accomplishments but it also makes me rlly upset sometimes.

“Alpha was a normal girl until the day her grandma died.” - 6/10

I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THIS STORY WAS ABT. a bit of a banger of a first sentence tho. a lot of my wips featured a girl mc with a special relationship with her grandma and i don’t know why

“It’s my twelfth time at the library in the last three months.” - 5/10

the bookish vibes this gives off >>> i’ve considered sharing this short story i wrote in grade 8 for english class with you guys. i might still but idk not my best writing

“I have been hiding for 7 days.” - 9/10

backstory: grade 9 english teacher gave us like fifteen minutes to write a historical fiction excerpt. i chose the holocaust and to this day i am incredibly proud of this piece, even if it’s only 295 words and it doesn’t have a proper ending or anything. my teacher was so impressed that she read it to the entire class and i was so stunned and elated definitely one of my best memories from grade 9!

“Posture. Manners. Smile.” - 6.5/10

this is from the first wip i thought to take seriously, just before i started writing LoB. it’s dusty and abandoned now but it was good while it lasted. it taught me a lot about my writing style and plots and things like that which i’m grateful for :)

“She watched him waiting for her, leaning against her locker.” - 7/10

again, not my best hook lmao. but i mean, if this has you intrigued, you can read this short story on my wattpad page! link in bio <3

“Gianna Ravyn was sitting with her coven around their fire when the alarm sounded.” - 9/10

now onto my current wips! from the prologue of the first LoB book—it could definitely be stronger but i’m not mad at it. i’m also just like obsessed with my prologues so

“Darien Bernthal had always been punctual, never once letting a minute of his life pass him by. But when it mattered most, he was too late.” - 10/10

THE INTRIGUE. THE PAIN. THE CHARACTER. prologue of second LoB book—THIS IS WHERE ITS AT OMG.

“They say the world started in smoke. And that it would end in it, too.” - 12/10

i’m just going to leave this here without comment to torture y’all.

#writing #writers #writing multiple #wips #wip stuff #my wips #first sentence

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omnivorousshipper · 5 years

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Shobbs- Shovel Talks: Part 2

Hello! I am glad to say that I have finally written the second part of Shovel Talks! I hope to get the last chapter out in the next two weeks, but we’ll see if I can with life through everything its got at me. I also posted this on my AO3 if you want to check it out. Enjoy!

Summary: Deckard really is the worst at giving Luke the Shovel Talk. But his family isn’t.

Part One: Hattie

Part Three: Magdalene

Final Part: Epilogue (Or Deckard’s Revenge)

Owen

The sun was slowly setting across Los Angeles, bathing the city in a beautiful array of color and casting long shadows across the city. The city’s lights were turning on, just as the dying light of the day left the buildings, giving them a different kind of life. Luke could only give a soft smile to the city that had been his home for such a long time. He loved Samoa, but Los Angeles had a life of its own that could not be replicated anywhere. Unfortunately, traffic came with that life, which Luke had been hoping to avoid.

Walking out of the DSS headquarters, Luke headed towards his SUV, texting as he went. He had a large bag thrown over his shoulder, extra work to do at home, because for the next week he wouldn’t be coming back into the offices. After a lot of begging, and a bit of threatening, Luke had finally gotten some time off to spend with his daughter and boyfriend.

Luke couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face at the thought of even being able to call Deckard Shaw his boyfriend. After being threatened by Deckard’s little sister, Luke had been able to pull the man away from the after party of saving the world from Eteon. It took a bit of time, but Luke had finally been able to convince Deckard, that no, Luke wasn’t after his little sister, but Deckard himself. Luke could still see the wide-eyed look Deckard had before he had literally thrown himself at Luke and proceeded to shove his tongue down the larger man’s throat.

And hopefully they would be reenacting that night this week, but first Luke had to pick up ingredients for the overly complicated dish Deckard was planning to make to celebrate Luke’s time off. And by the increasing amount of passive aggressive texts, it seemed like Luke did not have a single clue as to what those ingredients were.

“For the last time, Deck, I don’t know what the hell a marrow is,” Luke mumbled to himself. He was almost to his car when a rolling eyes emoji popped onto his screen. Rolling his own eyes, Luke opened his car door and tossed his bag in the passenger seat. Getting in and buckling up, his phone went off again. And Luke groaned at the message.

From Princess: Grab some candy floss when you’re there as well

“What the hell do you mean by ‘candy floss’?” Luke huffed, sending the question. Shaking his head, Luke reached up and adjusted the rearview mirror. “Deck, move shit back if you’re going to drive my car, you small-ass elf.”

As Luke moved the mirror back into position, he was met with the eyes of a severely pissed off little brother.

“Owen,” Luke said, keeping eye contact with those almost glowing eyes.

“Hobbs,” Owen Shaw hissed back. He was leaning back into the seat directly behind Luke’s, looking relaxed like breaking into his brother’s boyfriend’s car was normal.

“Look, if you just wanted a ride, I’m sure Deck-” Luke started to say before he heard the click of a gun’s safety and then saw said gun being raised to the back of his head in the mirror.

“Shut up,” Owen growled at him and shoved the gun in the space between the driver’s seat and the headrest. The gun was a shock of cold against Luke’s neck and made him jerk forward, but the gun still followed. “We’re going to go for a drive. So, start the car, do as I say, and stay quiet.”

Luke stared back at Owen, trying to gauge whether or not the younger Shaw would actually shoot him. The last time they had actually seen each other was back at the NATO base when Luke had been trying to arrest him. Since then, he hadn’t heard much about what Owen was up to. Even Deckard hadn’t even told him anything. Whenever the older Shaw would get a call from his brother, he would go into another room to talk. So, Luke was estimating a fifty-fifty chance of Owen actually going through with his threat.

“All right, we’ll go for a drive, but just remember who you’re pointing that gun at, Boy,” Luke said steely. The younger man just sneered at him and gestured with his gun for Luke to get on with it. Luke’s mouth tightened but did as Owen said and swiftly they were making their way out of the DSS headquarters and out onto the streets of L.A.

The ride was silent for some time, only Owen’s dry, emotionless voice cutting into it. Luke could tell that they were slowly leaving the city, and he had a good idea of Owen’s plans. Luke knew that if he just stayed quiet, he might be a goner, but having spent so much time with Deckard and Hattie, Luke also had an idea of how to make a Shaw lose their cool and go off script.

“Hey, what’s ‘candy floss’? Deck asked me to pick some up,” Luke said, looking briefly at Owen’s surprised face in the rearview mirror.

“What?” Owen said, incredulously.

“Candy floss? Is that a real thing? I mean, it seems as if half the stuff that comes out of Deck’s mouth is total bull, but it didn’t seem like it this time,” Luke rambled, trying to watch the road and Owen’s reaction at the same time. “So, is it a purely Bri-”

“Shut the fuck up.” The gun’s barrel dug painfully into Luke’s neck and he gripped the wheel hard, so not to whip around and smack it out of Owen’s hands. And then probably crash both of them into oncoming traffic. “Just because you’re screwing my brother doesn’t mean you get to act like we’re mates.”

“And me screwing your brother doesn’t mean you get to give me the whole alpha male bullshit either,” Luke snapped back. What was with the Shaws and going insane when Luke tried to get with one of their siblings. “So how about we cut the crap, and you tell me what you want.”

“I don’t think you’ve realized what position you’re in, Hobbs. I’m the one calling the shots. Now be a nice little lapdog and do what I say,” Owen hissed and roughly jabbed the gun into Luke’s neck again.

“Watch it, Shaw,” Luke growled. “Or I swear to god I will beat your ass bloody once we get out of this car.”

“Are you sure about that?” Owen asked, smugness seeping into his tone. “Remember what Deck did to you last time I was hurt?”

Luke paused, letting the words sink in. Ok, so maybe beating up little brother is a big no-no, he thought regretfully. Still doesn’t mean the bastard is going to get off scot-free. He was about to say something to that effect, when Owen cut him off.

“Take the exit and keep going straight.” The next exit signaled them leaving the city and into the empty mountains surrounding it instead.

“Where the fuck are we going?”

“You’ll see.” Owen said, refusing to say anything else to his hostage.

Luke could only keep going, watching as the sun was getting closer and closer to the horizon as they made their way up a small mountain. The road had quickly become dirt as they got higher and was slowly looking more like a cliff than an actual road. Only when they finally reached a large clearing at one of the turns did Owen finally allow them to stop.

“Get out of the car slowly.” Luke sighed and did as he was told. He could hear Owen mirroring his actions behind him as they opened and closed the car’s doors. “Hands above your head. Walk forward.”

Silently going along with Owen’s demands, Luke walked towards the edge of the cliff they were on. And Luke had to admit, the view was amazing. From up here, he could see almost the whole city: the final rays of sunlight glinting off the skyscrapers, flowing rivers of cars winding their way through, and faint stars in the sky slightly dusting the whole image. “You picked one hell of a place to off me, Owen.”

“Oh, this is just one of many places I could make sure your body won’t be found.” It sounded like Owen was keeping his distance this time. Probably knew Luke was not against the idea of throwing the smaller man off the cliff they were standing on.

“Look, Owen. It doesn’t have to be like this. If this is about me and your brother, then talk to Deck. Because I think he’d be pretty upset if you killed me,” Luke called back to the other man, trying to get him to see reason.

“He’d get over it. He’d see that he doesn’t need some muscle head to drag him down,” Owen responded and cocked his gun. The noise seemed to swell and echo, making Luke dry swallow. “I honestly don’t even know what he sees in you.”

“Then ask him for Christ’s sake!” Luke shouted. “Cause if you think for a second I’d ever hurt him, you’re wrong! He knows I’ll always have his back, just like he has mine. I would do anything for him!”

“Anything?” Owen asked. “Even die for him?”

“Yes.” Luke’s voice was firm as he gave a small nod, knowing he had just sealed his fate.

“Guess I’ll be seeing you then, Hobbs,” Owen said. Luke could hear the click of the gun and screwed his eyes shut.

A gunshot wrung out.

Luke could feel his heart miss a beat, and waited for it to actually stop. Instead he heard footsteps walking away from him. Turning, Luke saw Owen going towards a green sport car parked a short distance away. Opening the door, he turned back to Luke, calling out:

“Candy floss is cotton candy, you dumbass.”

Deftly, Owen was in the car and driving away, his car spraying gravel at Luke’s SUV, the tiny rocks making small noises against the metal. Lowering his arms, Luke could still hear the rush of blood in his ears as he stared at where the other man had just been.

“I’m starting to really hate some of the Shaw family,” Luke said to himself, scrubbing a hand down his face. Walking on unsteady legs, he made it back to the car and just sat for a minute. Checking his phone he had several messages from Deck and no bars to respond to them. Collecting himself, Luke started the car, but immediately realized what Owen had shot:

The SUV’s front right tire.

“I fucking hope he falls out of another plane,” Luke said, slowly letting his head hit the stearing wheel in defeat, just as the sun finally slipped under the horizon and cast the lonely mountain in blackness.

After fumbling in the dark for almost an hour, Luke was able to get the spare tire on and was able to make his way back into the city. As soon as his phone got signal, he texted Deckard and let him know that he had had some car problems and was on his way to the store and then home. He felt a small smile form on his face as he saw a heart emoji amidst the insults Deckard was rapidly sending.

After another hour, Luke was finally able to pull into his driveway and park. The house was dark, except for the lights in the kitchen, meaning Sam was already in bed and Deckard had stayed up for him. Luke could only smile.

After grabbing the groceries and letting himself in, Luke heard soft footsteps coming from the kitchen. Looking over, Luke saw a sight that he hoped he would see many more times. Standing in the doorway was Deckard, wearing too long sweatpants and too large shirt. The light of the kitchen gave his face a soft look and made his smile seem even more angelic to Luke.

“Hey there, Princess,” Luke called out softly, trying not to wake Sam. Deckard just gave him a fond look and an eye roll at the nickname. They both walked towards each other, meeting halfway. Luke gently wrapped his arms around Deckard’s waist and pulled them flush together. “What are you doing up?”

“Waiting for your slow ass,” Deckard mumbled as he wrapped his own arms around Luke’s neck and brought him down for a kiss. Their lips gently locked, staying chaste, with a slow passion behind it. It was a nice change from their usual frantic kisses, and left both of them feeling warm and content. “But I wanted to ask you something.”

“What is it?” Luke asked, looking down at Deckard, who for some reason was not looking him in the eye. Instead, he was looking off to the side, an almost vulnerable look on his face. “Everything ok, Deck?”

“It’s just…” the smaller man trailed off. Luke gently grabbed Deckard’s chin, making him look Luke in eyes. Silently asking again, Luke watched Deckard steel himself before finally asking his question. “Well, it’s just that Owen called today. He’s going to be in town tomorrow. I was wondering if he could spend the next few days with us.”

Luke was not sure what facial expression he was making, but by Deckard’s tentative smile dropping away into disappointment, Luke had to guess he probably looked horrified. Quickly shaking himself of his shock, Luke responded. “No, no. It’s fine. Your sister and I already get along, so it makes sense that I should get along with Owen as well, right?”

Deckard smiled in return. “It’s good both of you want to bury the hatchet.”

Luke could only return the smile, as Deckard leaned forward and started to pepper Luke’s neck with kisses and small nips. Luke brought a hand up to rest on the back of Deckard’s neck, keeping him there. But, even though small shivers of pleasure went through his body, Luke could not help but stare off into the distance over Deckard’s shoulder. Swirling thoughts of having to deal with a vengeful little brother for the next few days would not stop filling his mind.

#shobbs #deckard shaw #luke hobbs #deckard shaw x luke hobbs #owen shw #hattie shaw #Samantha Hobbs #shovel talks #fanfic #Hobbs and Shaw

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twdmusicboxmystery · 5 years

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TWD 10x08: The World Before - First Thoughts

Hello everyone! So what did you think of the episode. I totally loved it! Yes, it’s frustrating to get a cliffhanger for the MSF, but I, for one, am kind of used to it by now. I more or less count on that for every finale and MSF. If it doesn’t happen (because sometimes it doesn’t) then awesome. But when it does, I’m not surprised or upset by it.

But onto happier things. This was one of those episodes that was just dripping with symbolism. (My favorite kind! So today I’ll talk about the broad, sweeping things and what most jumped out at me (and there was a LOT that did, even on first watch) and tomorrow I’ll do nitty-gritty details. Later in the week, I have some other things to post that I’m hoping will help everyone get through the hiatus, so stay tuned for those. Let’s dive in!

This is one episode that the spoilers definitely didn’t do justice to at all.

***As always, spoilers abound for 10x08 below. Don’t read until you’ve watched! You’ve been warned!***

Daryl’s Reaction to Carol and Lydia:

Depending on what you follow online, this might not mean much to you. But the groups I’m in follow spoilers and there was a lot of talk about how Daryl didn’t seem to care that much that Lydia was gone, or that Carol sort of lost her. And the spoilers only talked about a very tender scene between Daryl and Carol.

Well, they did have a sweet scene together, but him not caring about Lydia and not getting after Carol was utterly untrue. (If you’ve watched the episode, you know this.)

No, he doesn’t exactly scream in Carol’s face or anything (but Daryl wouldn’t do that anyway) but he does get after her. I really liked their interactions because I feel like Daryl might just have finally gotten through to Carol about her destructive behavior. She cries, and that’s where he hugs her. It was actually a really beautiful scene.

I will grant you that it doesn’t last long, as Carol still chases blindly after Alpha not long after, but still.

Music References:

Probably my favorite thing was the musical references. Luke names and later hums a specific piece of classical music: Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini.

Even if the name doesn’t ring a bell for you, I can almost guarantee you’ve heard it before. HERE’s a video so you can listen. If you can’t access this one, just google it or search your YouTube. I promise it won’t be hard to find a way to listen to it. It’s one of the most famous pieces of classical music of all time.

It was featured in a film in the 80s called Somewhere in Time that had a cult following (one of my personal faves with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour).

So, my first instinct was to research the song itself. Like, does it have a coda? I knew I had some sheet music from this song on my shelf so I went and got it. Mine doesn’t have a coda, but mine is also only the 18th variation.

It’s important for everyone to understand what a variation is in classical music. A variation is basically just one part of the overall symphony. Any given symphony is divided into parts, or variations. Not unlike chapters of a book. Each one is part of the overall story, but different things happen in each chapter, right? Same with Variations. All part of the same symphony, and therefore all based around and repeating the same musical themes, but all slightly different as well.

So, any given variation may not have a coda, but we need to look at the symphony as a whole. (And I can back this idea up because in the episode, Luke finds a book in the library of this piece of music and on the cover it says something like “complete preludes for piano” on it.

So, what I’m getting at is that the 24th variation IS a coda. I found this description of the 24th variation:

Variation 24: provides a massive capstone to the entire work. The Dies Irae theme emerges heavily in brass and strings while piano and winds recall prominent features of the subject. A brilliant coda reiterates fragments of the theme, compressing earlier ideas within a massive acceleration. Suddenly and surprisingly there is a drop to an unexpected soft dynamic and two cadential chords from the piano mark the ending.

Obviously that is very significant. They’re mentioning, talking about, humming, and showing us sheet music for a very famous symphony that has a coda. I think our TWD coda is about to roll back around, don’t you?

But I’m also wondering about the Somewhere in Time theme. I’m sure at least some of you aren’t familiar with it. It’s an American film with a cult following. But in terms of pop cinema culture, Paganini’s Rhapsody and this film are very intertwined. There are plenty of people who wouldn’t know that symphony at all EXCEPT for the film, so I have to wonder if they chose this piece of music, both for what it means by itself, and also for the Somewhere in Time reference. Notice the “time” element of that title.

The film is a ridiculously romantic time travel story. Its about two lovers who are basically separated by time, and have to travel through time to find one another and, you know, be together forever. Sound like Bethyl to you?

And because I was thinking about that, I noticed something else. When Aaron is talking to Gracie (there are a lot of interesting things in this scene, but I’ll go into most of them tomorrow in my Details post) he tells her a story about once visiting some old Native American ruins. He says he started to wonder about the lives and identities of the people who once lived there. People who had been “lost to time.” So there was a definite theme about people being lost in time in this episode. Very significant. Actually kind of gives me chills. In a good way. ;D

Gracie:

I felt like there was a large emphasis on Gracie in this episode. Aaron talked about her to Gamma last episode, in conjunction with bikes (which we’ve long associated with kidnapping and even “missing girl” stuff) so I still feel like Gracie might be taken.

Here, when Aaron learned about Dante killing Siddiq, he kind of had a meltdown, saying he should have seen it and Dante had been part of the community for months and had even treated Gracie. I don’t think we should read into that literally. I don’t think Dante did anything to Gracie or anything. But I feel like she’s being associated with the whole Siddiq/Dante situation.

And of course we had the part where he sat with her and quizzed her on the license plates. So I feel like they’re setting up something with Gracie here, and I’ve said before that I can see something along the lines of Gracie being taken/kidnapped and Aaron going to find her, and that somehow leading to Beth. So I guess I’m just seeing this as confirmation that something with Gracie is in the works, even if the rest is just conjecture right now.

Bear Trap:

This probably qualifies as more of a Detail than anything else, but it was too huge not to share. After they cross the border, Carol almost steps in a bear trap. Daryl sees it in time and stops her saying, “You could have lost a foot.” Lost shoe/foot symbolism anyone?

I’ve come to believe that the lost shoe/foot theme is directly tied to the death fake out. I won’t say much more than that except that only Daryl and Carol are in this scene. So, it might point to Ezekiel’s coming death fake out, which I think is close, or to the one Daryl is involved in, which would just be another way to hint at Beth being close.

But it’s more than that. MUCH more. Some of you may remember that WAY back, a long time ago (like during the 5b/6a time period) some of the prominent TD-ers of the time dug up some information about a Beth figurine/toy that was set to be released. They were going to release one that included a bear trap prop in the package.

Now, that figuring was never actually released. People in our fandom actually contacted the toy company to ask about it and were told that it was planned for release at one point, but for unspecified reasons, the company (that would be AMC) changed their minds and scrapped the project.

We still don’t know exactly why, though I suspect it was because TD was so active back then and they simply decided they didn’t need to give us this hint.

Lots of theories about the large bear trap circulated back then. People even wondered if it would have something to do with Beth and Shiva, which it didn’t. But it’s weird, right? I mean, why would tptb release a figurine of Beth with such a specific, large prop that never showed up in her story line and had absolutely no bearing on anything in her—or any other character’s—story?

Well, obviously TD took it as something symbolic/a clue to how she might return. Now, we have an actual bear trap as part of a sequence connected to the Whisperers, when many of suspect we may be as little as two episodes out from her return. Significant enough for you? I can’t stress how huge this little bear trap detail is.

But I can even take it further than that.

In terms of what specifically happens in this episode, it was a foreshadow of the ending. So Carol almost stepped in the bear trap, but just barely avoided catastrophe. Daryl yelled stop, stop and managed to pull her back before she stepped in the trap, triggering it, which would have been very painful. Near the end of the episode, Carol chases after Alpha. Daryl yells, stop, stop! But she doesn’t listen and what happens? They trigger the trap.

So, some pretty basic foreshadowing for the end of the episode. But the idea of that also has my head spinning, because I can’t help but compare it to other things.

First, it’s the bear trap being associated with Beth again. Because, in my head, them triggering this trap, and it being symbolized beforehand by the bear trap, is just another way of saying that something about them triggering this trap Alpha set for them will lead to Beth in some way.

But I’m also thinking about Alone. With this symbolism in mind, you could argue that Beth stepping on the small game trap at the beginning of Alone foreshadowed her getting caught in the Grady trap at the end of that episode. The sequence is similar. When the metal, animal trap is scene early on, catastrophe is largely avoided.

(Yes, Beth steps in the trap, but it only results in a hurt ankle. Nothing to worry about. They even emphasize that it’s not broken. If Carol had stepped on hers, it would have snapped her leg like a twig, and they needed her to be able to run later, so they couldn’t do a complete parallel. But again, catastrophe largely avoided.)

Then, near the end of the episode, a MUCH bigger trap is triggered. And this time, catastrophe can’t be avoided. Daryl couldn’t stop the Grady cops from taking Beth, though he tried. And he couldn’t stop the group in this episode—including himself—from falling into the pit, though he tried.

In fact, you could argue that because the rest of the group ran out ahead of him after Carol, while he stayed behind to fight walkers, this was a huge parallel to the end of Alone. Think about it. He stays behind to lead the walkers away while she runs out ahead of him. We see him running through the yard of the funeral home in the direction she went, looking for her, but she’s already fallen into the Grady trap by then.

Here, the rest of the group runs out ahead of Daryl, after Carol. He takes care of the walkers and then runs in the direction they all went, looking for them. But they’d already fallen into the pit by the time he got there. See why this is so huge?

(P.S. On TTD, they pointed out that we see this from Daryl’s POV, which was true of Alone as well. We saw everything through his eyes, and didn’t see what happened with Beth. Only what he saw.)

The dark pit they fall into reminded me of two things: 1) the cave Gamma’s sister went into with Alpha before emerging into the light, which I pegged right away as a Beth-parallel. 2) the darkness-to-light theme in general. We saw it around Beth a lot, but around others as well. So if this is the group going into the darkness, then when they re-emerge into the light, maybe that’s when Beth will show up? (a.k.a. episode 10?) Just a thought.

But for Beth, Grady = falling into a dark pit. In this shot, we see her walking into a dark corridor/tunnel with light at the other end. And this is RIGHT before she’s shot. Which I always saw as her heading into the darkness, but it foreshadows that she’ll come through into the light (survive). And now we’re seeing a replay of this in 10x08.

Virgil:

Okay, let’s talk Virgil. For the record, I don’t think he’s linked to Connie and Kelly. That was a fun theory and I was hoping for it as much as the next person, but I didn’t get that feeling while watching the episode. First off, it’s not that he’s been separated from his family and looking for them, which is what early reports of him suggested. Rather, it’s that he left his community on some kind of supply mission and he’s trying to get back to them. So, he knows exactly where they are. He’s just trying to get home.

That’s right. HOME theme. They emphasize several times that he’s going home. He says it, Michonne repeats it, etc. And remember that finding one’s way home is associated with the North Star/Sirius symbolism, thanks to Carl saying that to Judith in S6.

And where Virgil’s home is, is AWESOME! Pay attention to this TD-ers, because it’s SUPER significant. He tells Michonne that he lives in a compound on Bloodsworth Island in Tangiers sound. I had to sit back and let that sink in. We’ve always said Beth will return by water. If she’s on an island, that kind of makes every water reference we’ve ever seen around her make sense. The picture of the ship behind Hershel in 4a (Smooth seas don’t make for good sailors), the teddy bear that washed up on the beach in 7x06, etc.

I had to do some research on this place because I wasn’t familiar with it. Both Bloodsworth Island and Tangier sound are in the Chesapeake Bay area. The sound is bordered by parts of Virginia and Maryland. My point? This really isn’t very far away. Michonne mentions a 2-day trip to get there.

But given all the symbolism around this, and that this may be where Beth is…well, suddenly it seems like she really may not be very far from D.C. at all.

And then there’s the idea of the naval base. Virgil says it’s hard to find and fortified. Remember what I said about the helicopter people: that they’re probably ex-military, which is why they’re so good at security and keeping people from leaving their group once they’ve entered. It would also make sense why they’ve learned to purify water, since they’re on an island surrounded on all sides by salt water.

So what I’m saying is that this plays very well into everything we’ve been thinking thus far. We already know Danai is going to the Rick Grimes films, so to say she’ll run into Rick is a foregone conclusion. But I’ve said before that I think Rick and Beth are in the same place, or at least within the same organization.

I want to point out that Michonne quotes Rick’s line to Virgil: My mercy prevailed over my wrath. Now, on the one hand, that’s just a very obvious way of foreshadowing that when she leaves, she’ll be finding Rick. His storyline is about to come back into play, and Virgil will be part of that. We already knew that because of outside-the-show stuff. But a good example of foreshadowing at work, and we’ve seen plenty of similar stuff with Beth.

But that line is also tied to Carl’s death. I won’t go into all of this today (I will in a later post) but this is also helping me draw a line between Carl’s death and how Beth will return. I know that’s kind of a tease, but it’s also a whole other rabbit hole, so I’ll give it its own post later.

Wolves and Whisperers:

I said I’d talk more about the Aaron/Gracie scene tomorrow, and I will, but I want to point out one more thing that jumped out at me. First, when Daryl/Carol/Father Gabriel were interrogating Dante, they emphasized that Dante and the Whisperers believed they were setting people free. First Dante said it, claiming that not caring about yourself or others makes you free, and then Carol repeated it for emphasis.

Then there was the Native American story Aaron told Gracie. Both of those things are major callbacks to the wolves. One of the wolves told Morgan that what they did would set people free. And then Crazy Wolf Dude told Morgan in 5x16 that their beliefs were remnants of the beliefs of Native Americans who first settled the area, who believed they were wolves.

And I’ve said before that the wolves were a forerunner and symbolic parallel of the Whisperers, so this is nothing new, but I wanted to point out the strong resemblance in beliefs. And is it literal? I don’t know. I could see it going either way. Maybe at some point we’ll learn that the wolves were an outgrowth of the Whisperers or something.

But it really could just be a symbolic parallel as well. Even if it is just that, it would explain why there was so much Beth symbolism around the wolves and lend credence to the idea of her returning during the Whisperer arc. Just saying.

I also think Virgil has some parallels to Morgan. Again, I’ll talk about this more tomorrow, but in 3x12, Clear, when Rick/Michonne/Carl ran into Morgan, they were looking for weapons to help them fight a war against the Governor. When they found Morgan, he came across as somewhat crazy, and they had to tie him up until they were sure he wouldn’t kill them.

Similar stuff with Virgil. He comes across as a threat and is taken prisoner at first. In the end, Michonne goes with him to find weapons to help them in their war against Alpha. So there are some definite parallels there.

Okay, these were the biggest things. I’ll stop there because this is already long. Plenty more to cover, but I’ll do it tomorrow in the Details post. How did YOU like the episode?

Oh wait! One more thing. Hehe. Can I just point out the title. The World Before. I have to ask, the world before what? Something big is about to change, y’all. ;D

#beth greene #beth greene lives #beth is alive #beth is coming #td theory #td theories #team delusional #team defiance #beth is almost here #bethyl

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bennguinfest · 6 years

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Spring 2019 Fan Fest Prompt List

Hey fan-festers!

We’re happy to say that we received 81 prompts this time around, and we spent the last few days distilling all those amazing and creative prompts down to a list of 63 prompts! (If you’re keeping count, that’s far more than last year’s 48!)

As with last year, we had some repeat prompts and prompts that were similar enough that it made sense to condense them under one item. Additionally, most of the prompts we distilled down to a few words for the sake of having a concise list! Again, like last year’s fest, we’re providing the full text of the original prompts under the cut, in case you’re looking for more details to get started!

You’re free to create any kind of fanwork based on the below prompts! There’s no minimum word count and no rules on what to create, or even how many - if you want to combine prompts, that’s cool! If you’re called to make more than one thing, that’s awesome too! The only limit is that this fest runs from now until April 15th - so if you’re creating something, make sure you post it and tag it with #bennguinfanfest so we can share it to this tumblr! If you’re posting to AO3, the collection is now open for submissions as well, so make sure to include your work there so everyone can find it!

One final thing: even if you didn’t submit prompts, feel free to participate and join us on the discord! We’ve set up a discord server here: bennguinfest on discord to stay connected, inspire each other, and have fun! It’s a great group and really active, so don’t be shy!

That’s it! On to the prompt list!

Matchmaking dogs

Space AU

Birthday gifts

Coming out/being together in the NHL

Acting like a couple (but they’re not actually a couple)

Tyler as a WAG

Transported to a parallel universe

Abducted by aliens

Superhero/Superpowers AU

Amnesia from an injury

Soulmate AUs: Color-based, name-on-wrist

Thirst follow/Met online

Drag AU

Time loops

Alternate histories

Cop AU

Reality show AU (Survivor, the Bachelor, Married At First Sight)

Jamie Poppins/Single dad AU

Supernatural races (vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, etc.)

Omegaverse: Courting

Delivery boy/Uber driver AU

Tyler gets traded back to Boston

Breaking up & making up

Omegaverse: Bonding drama

Boring office desk job

Road trips

Protective Jamie defending Tyler

College/University AU

Tyler tries to be Jamie’s wingman

Lites’s comments affecting the boys

Taking care of a sick hockey player

Cuddle pile/team bed fic

Harry Potter AU

Fire alarm meet-cute

DnD/Hockey Mashup

De-aged after a fight

Bakery/Tattoo Artist AU

Friends with benefits - and then with feelings

Zombie AU

Homeless AU

Nerds are hot/competency kink

Omegaverse: scents

YouTube channel AU

Bridal shop meet-cute

Beard appreciation

Tornado warning

Figure skater mpreg

Self-conscious Jamie

Wing!fic

Winning the cup and a kiss on the ice

Lifeguard AU

Haunted farm

Animal daemons

Surprise/sudden parenting

Jealousy from dating/flirting with someone else

Secret relationship and almost getting caught

Long-lost childhood friends

"Come here."

“Close the door.”

“I feel like I can’t breathe.”

“It’s three in the morning and you want me to do what?”

“You could’ve died.”

“I thought you were dead.

Full text of the prompts under the link! If you have any questions, feel free to send us an ask - and as always, happy creating!

1. Matchmaking dogs: Tyler’s dogs want to get their human with a certain cow-eyed captain

“well this is really awkward considering the last time we saw each other, i was screaming at you to never talk to me again, but like, my dog recognized you all the way across the park and literally dragged me over here because she misses you so hi” AU

2. Space AU (ex. Star Trek, Firefly, or something else entirely)

3. It's Tyler's birthday and at first Jamie gives off the feeling that he's forgotten and this hurts Tyler but it turns out that that Jamie wakes Tyler up at midnight on his birthday with two tickets to an offseason trip

4. I want a fic that REALLY captures what it would be like if two NHL players were to come out in 2019. I'm talking teammate reactions, press reactions, social media, family, the whole shebang. I wanna see the real raw reactions and the struggle the guys would have to go through. I would also loooove if you could fit Jamie proposing to Tyler in there somewhere but it isn't a necessity.

Jamie has a hard time dealing with how public Tyler’s life is, with the insta stories and with random people filming him all the time. It feels like it’s only a matter of time before their relationship is exposed because of how much Tyler is in the public eye. Jamie doesn’t want to break up but it seems like that’s the only choice he has. He doesn’t want to do this so much that he calls a press conference and comes out of the closet.

Jamie and Tyler have been dating since 2014 and he’s tired of hiding it. So with Jamie’s consent he posts a cute photo of them being a couple and writes a heartfelt monologue about their story. And the whole hockey community blows up about it. And it’s kinda about how they deal with being and out couple and Tyler posting obnoxiously cute couple photos on his Instagram. Sorry this prompted is a mess I just want Tyler to be a troll and post cute cliche couple photos on Instagram of him and Jamie and the world loading their minds about it.

Jamie and Tyler come out to the team about them dating. Management wants to keep their relationship secret so they make Jamie fake date someone. And him and Tyler struggle with the stress that puts on them.

realistic consequences of being together with the team

5. Tyler and Jamie are super close but super oblivious to the fact that they act like a literal couple. Jamie has a gf and she hates the fact that it seems like Jamie cares more about Tyler than he does her.

6. Fluffy fic where Jamie still plays hockey, he meets tyler and they fall in love and tyler becomes an nhl wife/husband/boyfriend.

7. Parallel universes -- somehow Tyler (or Jamie) finds himself in an alternate universe where his life is radically different (for better or for worse) which makes him realize how much his relationship to Jamie (or Tyler) means.

waking up in the future/alternate reality fic

8. Jamie and Tyler are abducted by aliens and taken to a faraway planet where they are prisoners in a bizarro planet. Is it real or is it a nightmare though?

9. jamie and tyler are in danger and major trouble when their identities as superheroes are revealed and bad guys are after them.

powers/mutant AU (as in pick one, not all at the same time) One hides their ability from the other, and when the other finds out, its...not good

Superhero AU! Are they superhero partners? Is one of them a superhero and can't date the other because he has to keep him safe? Are they both trying to keep their secret identities secret from each other while simultaneously dating in both iterations? Up to you, or anything else!

10. Amnesia angst for the win - Jamie gets a particularly hard hit, wakes up and can remember everyone except for tyler (maybe not explicitly, say they can *remember* them, but not remember that they've been dating for eight months now) cue tyler avoiding jamie because its too hard him to be around him

11. soulmate au! people are born with blackmarks - on their hands, their faces, their skin in general - the black marks is the first place their soulmate would touch them. Jamie was born without a mark. Tyler was born with two pitch black palms. Years after tylers been traded to the stars, Jamie falls asleep, and tyler can't help but run his fingers through Jamie's hair, just once, and then he looks down at his hand and the tips of his fingers are colored, and so are the few strands of Jamie's black hair.

Soulmate au- either abo or name on wrist. No drama, just fluff!

12. Tyler thirst follows Jamie on insta. This can be hockey or non-hockey, but Jamie follows back and they start talking.

13. Rupaul’s Drag Race au. Tyler and Jamie are competing against each other but are constantly talking about how much they like each other/are attracted to each other in the confessional. They’re both single, so why not go for it? Alternatively, one is a queen and the other is a member of the pit crew.

14. groundhog day au (aka, tylers/jamies day keeps getting reset, again and again until they get together finally and wake up the next day)

15. alternate history, tyler is never traded to dallas, but they still somehow meet and fall in love anyway

16. cop AU, where in tyler the rookie transfers and get stuck with Jamie the sorta senior to show him the ropes. Jamie gets attached. And that’s...a problem, in their line of work. Or at least it is for him.

17. Survivor au- same or different tribe, as long as they’re the “showmance”

"The Bachelor" AU

Married at first sight au- either within the parameters of the actual show, or they literally get married the day they meet

18. Jamie!Poppins - tyler is a single father with a new baby and no clue of what he's going to do. enter Jamie Poppins!

19. Minotaur Jamie

The Dallas Stars are a pack of werewolves, and Tyler is the vampire that’s been traded to their team.

Shifter verse!! and ive got nothing else for this other than wanting to see tyler as a tiny lab puppy pls and thanks

20. Alpha Tyler and omega Jamie: “usually when I meet an omega I wanna bone, but with Jamie I wanna fucking hold his hand and feed him bonbons all day, what the fuck”

21. Jamie the delivery boy. Kay hear me out. Like he keeps delivering huge quantities of food to this particular house and it always seems like there should be more than one person. But there’s not. And Tyler orders. All. The. Time. Hopeful it’s jamie. But they’re both too dumb to ask each other out. Lots of pining

Uber driver! Jamie picks up Tyler from a one night stand

22. Tyler gets traded back to Boston AU - Everything hurts and nothing is okay. (except that at least one of them is retiring at the end of the season so it's actually more okay than they think) (also a future fic)

23. breakup and makeup but spanning over seasons - no cheese plots

24. Bond drama (abo) either they bond too quickly, like at the all star game or something and dont know ehat to do because theyre on different teams, or they really want to bond and its not happening as fast as they think it should

25. Boring office desk job

26. road trip to Montreal to visit Jordie

27. while out chilling at a bar celebrating a win, jamie and tyler are having a couple of drinks and when jamie gets up to go the bathroom, a drunk stranger and a couple of his friends decide to harass Tyler, upsetting him. A furiously protective Jamie intervenes and despite holding his own, Jamie is beaten up and him and tyler end up in a dumpster.

28. A University fic where Tyler is out and proud and gay and Jamie is still trying to figure out his sexuality but he's having a hard time. No homophobic Jamie tho please, just a guy trying to figure himself out. Would love if he would rely on his family throughout the fic for advice.

I’m always a sucker for college au, or masters/PhD students etc

COLLEGE AU BECAUSE WE ALL NEED MORE OF THAT IN OUR LIVES

'the cops showed up to a party we were at and chased everyone away. You and I happened to run in the opposite direction of all our friends and got lost in some dark and creepy street.’ - College AU

29. Tyler finds out Jamie is gay (outed/comes out/whatever you prefer) and embarks on a wild but good-intentioned quest to find Jamie his perfect man.

30. Tyler is hurt by Lites' comments more than one thinks and Jamie is worried when he sees Tyler crying in private.

31. sickfic? jamie taking care of tyler is- like just how pathetic is a sick hockey player?

32. team bed au omg someone pls

33. Harry Potter au but not as high school student, just something in the magical world

34. "3am and the fire alarm in our apartment building went off and you look cold here is my jacket"

35. Hockey AU but they’re all dnd races. I would love to see half-orc Jamie, and goliath Bishop, and tiefling Tyler. Please be as creative as you want with this!

Hockey AU where instead of going out, a core group of guys plays dnd in their hotel rooms while on the road. Tyler and Jamie’s characters are getting flirty in game, and it’s starting to translate outside of it as well.

36. Tyler and jamie fight - a *big* fight, and the next day Jamie suddenly got a deaged tyler on his hands and no idea how to fix it

37. Jamie owns a bakery and tylers the new tat artist next door plsplspls gimme that slow burn bullshit with this one

38. ty/jam used to have a whole friends w benefits thing that went oh-so-wrong because one (or both of them) caught feelings—as one does—and the fic is kind of that aftermath and trying to repair the broken relationship.

39. ZOMBIES

40. Homeless AU w/tyler

41. Tyler is smarter than he leads people to believe, and Jamie is into privately nerdy Tyler

42. Abo verse surrounding scents. Tyler smells like the most delicious thing Jamie has ever smelled, but he thinks he shouldn’t bond with a teammate

43. Youtube channel

44. Designer and single friend of client at a bridal shop AU

45. Beard appreciation

46. a tornado warning hits dallas and everybody is ordered to seek shelter. jamie follows tyler back to his house and hide in the basement with the dogs, frantic and terrified.

47. Tyler is a figure skater, Jamie still plays hockey. They meet and fall inlove but whoops tyler ends up pregnant. The world still isn't 100% accepting of LGBTQIA+ people and even less accepting of men getting pregnant. Tyler feels down at some point cause he has to put his career on hold. but it all ends up great in the end.

48. Jamie feels self-conscious about his ass after some chirping from opposing players and it's up to Tyler to comfort him

49. Wing!fic

50. They win the Stanley cup and kiss at centre ice

51. Jamie's a lifeguard. They meet after Tyler basically drowns himself. (It's not an excuse to have Jamie kiss him. Its *not*.)

52. Haunted farm au- Tyler is a witch that lives on a farm where extremely weird things happen. He ends up rescuing Jamie and Jamie pledges his services for one year in exchange for his life. During that year, they fall for each other hard, but there are outside forces in the farm trying to keep them apart.

53. Animal daemons

Goose daemons

54. Marshall, Cash and Gerry turn into human kids (temporarily or not), Bennguin handle being sudden parents

55. Tyler having a serious boyfriend for a while and Jamie is jealous because he wants to date Tyler but he’s not ready to come out. And he’s also upset because everyone is taking it so well and nothing has changed and he realizes he really missed out. But in the end they still get together.

56. secret relationship and how they almost get caught - many many times

57. Childhood pen pal / long distance childhood friends?

58. "Come here."

59. “Close the door.”

60. “I feel like I can’t breathe.”

61. “It’s three in the morning and you want me to do what?”

62. “You could’ve died.”

63. “I thought you were dead.”

#bennguin #bennguinfanfest #bennguin fan fest #hockey rpf

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percontaion-points · 2 years

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Crave chapters 51-53

Click to see the rest of the snark & image descriptions

Chapter 51

Most of the other texts are from Macy—there are seven of them talking about what happened in the study room. She wasn’t there, but the news of what Jaxon did to the wolf alpha has obviously spread. Not that I expected any different; he did it publicly for a reason. Plus Uncle Finn showing up at the tower shows just how far and fast the news traveled.

Why the fuck is Grace surprised that the headmaster of the school heard about a huge vampire/werewolf beatdown?

He doesn’t have a clue that I know he’s been trying to kill me instead of help me.

Allegedly trying to kill her. Based solely off the word of some jealous asshole.

“Why don’t you read Ophelia in this scene?”

“Okay,” I answer, wondering why I have to play the damsel in distress. Because I’ve already read the play, I know this is the scene where Ophelia goes mad—or at least, where the audience gets to see her insanity for the first time. I try not to take it personally that she seems to think I’m the right one for the job…

At this point, at least it’s not fucking Pride and Prejuidce.

It’s harder than I want it to be, especially when I realize my World History of Witchcraft Trials (and yeah, okay, now that I know about the whole paranormal thing, classes like this one make a lot more sense) is next.

Oh gee.

“I’ve been worried about you this morning.”

“Worried about me or worried that the chandelier didn’t do its job well enough?” I query, walking faster in what I already know is a useless attempt to get away from him. He doesn’t stop walking, but everything about him kind of stills when I confront him with what Jaxon told me—which tells me all I need to know.

And still, he tries to play it off. “What do you mean? Of course I’m worried about you.”

“Give me a break, Flint. I know what you’ve been up to.”

For the first time in our entire “friendship,” anger flashes in his eyes. “Don’t you mean you know what that tick told you I was up to?”

I’m not convinced that Jaxon isn’t simply being a jealous asshole about Flint.

“I’m serious, Grace. You shouldn’t go anywhere alone. It’s not safe.”

Chapter 51 summary: As Grace goes, she checks her messages. She finds one from Macy wanting to know what had happened in the study room earlier. Which I literally forgot happened less than 30 minutes earlier. If only because the timeline in this book is so awful.

She’s halfway to class when she realizes she’s not in uniform, so she rushes back to her room to change. In English class, the teacher makes her read out Ophelia’s lines from Hamlet. Grace feels an odd connection to the girl because she thought that she was going insane. (It’s also worth noting that Ophelia killed herself. So let’s hope that the author decides to take those similarities, too.)

After class, Mekhi escorts her to her second period. As she thinks about the tunnels, she thinks about how close she’d come to another near-death experience before Lia had shown up. And shit man, was that literally yesterday? BAD TIMELINE IN THIS BOOK.

Flint shows up, and Grace calls him out. However, he doesn’t exactly deny that he hasn’t been trying to kill her, but says that it’s “not what you think”. He wants to talk to her, alone, but Grace isn’t that fucking stupid. She refuses, obviously. As she and Mekhi walk away, Flint warns her not to go anywhere alone.

Chapter 52

“Besides, I thought Jaxon was the whole reason the shifters were after me. Because they wanted payback for everything that went on with Hudson?”

So, let me see if I can follow this logic.

Hudson was a vampire.

He wanted to kill everything that wasn’t a born vampire.

He did have his followers, but Jaxon was kind of vague about who they were.

But considering that he was intent on killing anybody who wasn’t a natural vampire… why the fuck would werewolves align themselves with him? Even if they did reach a temporary agreement to leave the werewolves alone… do they think that it would last long after Hudson killed everybody else?

As usual here, the thought was there. But the math isn’t adding up.

So unless they’re playing a rousing game of Terrorize the Human, I can’t imagine what the shifters could possibly get out of trying to kill me.

I’ve been trying to puzzle that out, too.

“Because the Jaxon Vega I’ve known my whole life doesn’t almost start a war over a girl he just wants to ‘hang out’ with.”

Chapter 52 summary: As Grace and Mekhi walk through the tunnel, Grace feels much better than she had yesterday. Something that she chalks up to the easy friendship she’s forming with Mekhi, rather than the awkward “I’m going to kill you” vibes she suddenly realized she was getting from Flint. (I’m still on the fence about that, btw.)

As they go, she asks Mekhi if it’s normal not to hear from Jaxon, but he insists that Jaxon isn’t the kind of person who “checks in” on others. She asks him what Hudson was like, but he doesn’t have much to add other than what even Grace already knew about him.

Lia shows up, and insists that she can take Grace from here, since they’re going to the same place. Mekhi agrees after making sure Grace is alright with it. Once they’re alone, Lia invites Grace over to her room that evening for a “girl’s night”. Grace is kind of hesitant, since she had hoped to spend time with Jaxon, but he’s not answering. The two of them talk about grief for a moment, and Lia eventually says that she’s tired of being sad all of the time, and wants a fresh start with Grace.

Finally, Jaxon texts back. Grace promises Lia that they’ll do face masks and paint their nails another night.

Chapter 53

“Well, I like it. And the fact that it doesn’t scream that I want to get naked with him.”

“Says the girl who got up to all kinds of naughty stuff in his room today,” she says with a smirk.

“I never should have told you that! And it’s not like we got naked. We just made out.”

I would like to remind the readers that they are still in high school. They are literal children. (This message was brought to you by “being an adult” and “seeing everybody under the age of 25 as a literal child”.)

And that’s before he pulls back the curtains that cover his window, and I get my first look at what’s waiting for us.

Chapter 53 summary: The chapter starts off with Grace getting ready for her date with Jaxon. Macy insists that her cousin should wear a racy red dress with little fabric, but Grace insists on something a bit more modest. As usual, it goes on for too long with little actual point.

She goes to Jaxon’s room, where they make out a bit. He then puts a hoodie on her before he opens up the curtains.

#Crave series #Crave (Crave 1)#Chapter 51 #Chapter 52 #chapter 53 #Macy (Crave)#Finn (Crave)#HEADDESKING #Grace (Crave)#Flint (Crave)#jaxon vega #i'm done goodbye #a does not equal b #Lia (Crave)

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katieskarlette · 7 years

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Warcraft Q&A - Blizzcon 2017

I’m going to attempt to liveblog this if my computer/internet behave.

[This post will be edited as it goes but if there’s dragon news I’ll probably make a new post to scream about it in addition to this one.]

Q: Warfronts: will they be available on timer like invasions, and what are the rewards like?

A: They won’t be up 24/7 but they’ll be up for a good amount of time. Sounds similar to the buildings on Broken Shore. Rewards will be similar to Timewalking where you get a good reward for the first time through, you won’t be penalized for not doing them all the time, but you will get some reward for doing them if you like them.

Q: Will basic reputations ever be account-wide? Not like Bloodsail, but more mainstream ones?

A: Ion talked about the balance between character-based vs account-based. Things that unlock content like flying or flight master’s whistle on Argus, they want to do account wide. If you want rep because that particular character wants a crafting pattern, that’s a goal to work toward on the character with that skill.

Q. Stat squish coming?

A: Yeah, and item level squish, too. As before, we won’t notice as far as our playing experience.

Q: Is Anduin a paladin now?

A: “100% not a paladin. He’s a priest”. He’s a hero characters, and hero characters can do things that players cannot.

Q: Cross-guild or cross-faction social groups possible?

A: No cross-faction chat. Do it at Battle.net level, individual to individual.

Q: Are there improvements coming to guild recruitment?

A: Something they’re always aware of, but no major plans.

Q: With the new leveling scaling... is mob health changing? Heirlooms?

A: Gear levels and mob health are being dealt with, some for the next Legion patch, some for 8.0. Heirlooms will continue to be ideal because they are properly itemized for current talents and such, not stuck with outdated stats from past iterations of the game.

Q: Heart of Azeroth

A: They liked the way to slowly get incremental increases to power, but they realize dealing with literally trillions of AP isn’t fun. You’ll have one amulet no matter what spec you’re in, so you don’t have to collect azurite for multiple specs like we’ve had to level different artifacts.

Q: What was the thought process behind bringing back raid buffs like Arcane Intellect?

A: They liked them, and they liked the moment before a boss pull where all the buffs went out and it felt like “yeah, we’re ready” as opposed to “has everyone eaten their fish?” They don’t want to make it so any one class is absolutely required for an encounter, but each one is welcome for a slightly different reason.

Q: PVP templates, and PVP players not being able to pick their own gems, enchantments, etc. (I don’t PVP so I have no clue what he’s talking about.)

A: Something about how there was a problem before but they overcorrected (as they tend to do) and are tweaking it. It’s important to have consistent rule sets, but they understand we want to make choices to make our characters feel like our own.

Q: Titanforging

A: Tweaks coming, but not a fundamental change to the system. They like variability of rewards and the motivation to continue killing bosses you’ve got on farm. Azurite-attuned armor slots will not be able to be Titanforged, however.

[Aside: We don’t care about your guilds, people. Get to the questions.]

Q: Player wants more options to counter roots and knockbacks.

A: Classes are all different and something like a death knight is supposed to have a better toolkit to respond to such situations.

Q: Why does WoW have such a lackluster character customization system?

A: They were waiting to see what they were doing with the ally races, and now that those are being added they are going to move forward with those customization options. Including orcs’ posture, which can be toggled in the barber shop (which now doubles as a chiropractor...LOL)

Q: Is Jaina good now? What about the purge of Dalaran?

A: “Jaina is complicated. She’s as evil as I am,” says Afrasiabi. “She’s wracked with regret.” She feels potentially responsible for what the Horde is today, with the way she let her father be killed. Also the Stratholme thing. And Theramore. This is a character “with damage.” We are going to help her understand the way she is and how to move forward. She’s conflicted, not evil. [YES THANK YOU ALEX!!!!]

Q: There should be ducks in WoW, and why do so many bosses have holes in their ceilings? [SERIOUSLY? THIS IS A QUESTION THAT IS TAKING UP OUR TIME? WTF?]

A: Practical reason = avoiding camera angle issues; artistic reason = environmental, gives a peek of the outside world etc.

Q: What’s happening to the night elf and undead starting zones in BFA?

A: They won’t change. For new players to feel the impact of things like Teldrassil burning, they have to see and know it before. It will phase to the destroyed version when you get to a high enough level. Same for leveling in Arathi.

Q: Alleria can shift back and forth from high elf to void elf form. Can the playable ones?

A: They have a void form that’s active in combat, similar to worgen form. They won’t be “fully voided” all the time.

Q: Somebody complaining about farming older content for Titanforging. [Which has already been asked. Shut up and move on to dragons, damn it.]

A: They know the Titanforged Unstable Arcanocrystal is OP and they’ll try to avoid outliers like that. Item level should be the main factor in picking which armor to equip.

Q: Mythic keystones to old dungeons?

A: Timewalking is kind of that concept. They may do Timewalking keystones in the future and think the idea is cool.

Q: How soon will we be flying after BFA launches?

A: About the same as Legion. [Which, for the record, I am totally in favor of.]

Q: Future of WoW companion apps?

A: Yeah, they like those and will keep building on that in the future. They’d like to combine the armory app with it, too, so you don’t have to switch back and forth.

Q: Timewalking: as more get added it takes longer to get back around to the era you like best.

A: Some consolidation may happen but they want it to feel like a special change of pace when it comes around. They may have non-instanced, outdoor Timewalking events someday, too.

Q: Faction balance...how do you keep players from switching too often?

A: “Play the game the way you want to play it,” says Ion H. “Play what you wanna play.” They do monitor server balance, though. The new PVP toggle may help smooth imbalances, too.

Q: Legendaries in BFA?

A: The Azurite system is replacing the random legendaries from Legion.

Q: Quest log size limit increase, please? [I’d be in favor!!!]

A: This gets talked about a lot. They may have some of them moved to some other kind of interface, especially the breadcrumb types that sit in your log for a long time.

Q: Oh god another question about expanding that freaking default backpack.

A: OMG, they’re actually close to letting us “slightly increase” backpack size, and it will be a reward for using an authenticator on your account. Odd, but I’ll take it!

Q: New reasons and ways for us to fight the other faction?

A: Different factions will have different in-story motivations to go into dungeons and raids. Some bosses may be faction-specific to add to the feel of being at war with the other wise.

Q: Will they fix the bugs, issues and exploits from vanilla, or will it be rolled out, warts and all?

A: That’s one reason why it’s taken them so long to get it rolling. They want to recreate vanilla as we experienced it, but minus the game-breaking bugs, crashes, etc. Also, what’s the right version of classic? 5-man UBRS or 10-man? Both were in vanilla, but which do they put in now?

Q: If you unlock ally races’ heritage armor on a nightborne, for example, can you use it to transmog on your blood elf?

A: Nope, those are locked to that ally race.

Q: Increase to friends limit?

A: With the focus on social features it’s something they want to do, but it’s complicated because of all the different games and systems they have to coordinate.

[SOMEBODY IN THE CROWD HAS A “WHERE’S WRATHION” SIGN!!! I LOVE YOU, WHOMEVER YOU ARE!!!!]

Q: Will the new zone scaling make it harder to farm low-level transmog?

A: If a mob dropped something before, it’ll drop it after.

Q: Warfronts...how long will they be? Like a raid?

A: Longer than dungeons, but just how long is still up in the air. Feedback from alpha and beta will help them decide.

Q: What classes will ally races have, and if they differ from the others, why?

A: These are considered independent races, not subraces of existing ones. They try to err on the side of letting us play what we want, as long as it makes sense. (No void elf paladins, e.g.)

Q: Void elves = alliance, nightborne = horde...why?

A: The intro quests for each race will explain that.

Q: Will the Legion threat end before BFA, and where does that leave Demon Hunters?

A: “They just turn into regular hunters,” joked Ion. Alex then clarified that DHs are sworn to protect the world they love, no matter the threat. And someday we’ll see demons again!

Q: Are the EK and Kalimdor totally Alliance and Horde now?

A: Alex: “Those zone boundaries are tricky for NPCs to cross.” But no, Exodar and Quel’thalas are still holdouts. The continents aren’t 100% red or blue.

Q: New goblin and worgen models when?

A: They’re working on them currently! Goblin aren’t bad now, just need some polish and updating. Female worgen will be reworked to be “more wolf-life and less chihuahua-like.” THANK YOU.

Q: something about PVP

A: PVP flagging complicates and slows down your leveling, so they want PVP flagging to be rewarding but not so rewarding that carebears like myself feel like they have to. (They didn’t phrase it that way; I did. LOL)

Q: More character slots per realm?

A: Yep. Six addition ones per server! Whoa, nice!

Q: When can we trade flasks and consumables with friends cross-realm?

A: They know it’s needed but they have to protect individual server’s economies. They’re working on it.

Q: Beta when?

A: You can opt in now. No date announced.

AND NOOOOOOOOOOO DRAGON QUESTIONS. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

#Blizzcon with KS #BFA spoilers

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spideytorchbigbang · 7 years

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2017 Second Claims

Due to interest and the number of artist sign-ups, we’ve decided to open a second round of claims for the 2017 Spideytorch Big Bang. If you were unable to claim to a story in the first round, or you simply want to claim another, please e-mail [email protected] with your pick!

Summaries repeated under the cut:

JAILBREAK

Universe: AU [616-based] Rating: M Warnings: college rejection/dropouts, morally grey decisions, breaking and entering, involving a teenager in illegal things, dubious consent due to alcohol (not painted in a good light), manipulation, sexual regret, mentions of canon compliant character death, shady and illegal government organizations, prison Summary: When Johnny Storm is fourteen years old, Reed Richards and Ben Grimm move next door. Due to his sister’s strange attraction to them, and his intense love for his sister, Johnny finds himself sucked further into their world, until one night Reed decides to steal a spaceship and bam – along come the Fantastic Four. At first, the F4 are heroes, but they soon take a menacing turn, and it takes a chance run-in with Spider-Man, the new kid on the block, to remind Johnny that he can be a hero again. But when things take a turn for the worse, Johnny is left alone in a world of heroes, desperately fighting to find his family (and maybe even himself). Or: the Fantastic Four are well-meaning but evil, SHIELD is generally shady, Johnny kisses boys he shouldn’t, Peter Parker has a hot girlfriend and a motorcycle, and Spider-Man is always in Johnny Storm’s corner.

FAMILY

Universe: 616, but current canon is more of a suggestion than anything Rating: Mature Warnings: Kidfic (but not mpreg), Peter Parker’s Poor Decision Making Skills, Tentacles, Implied Foggy Nelson/Matt Murdock/ Kirsten McDuffie , HEAVILY Implied Venom Symbiote/Flash Thompson Harry Osborn/Flash Thompson and Venom/Harry/Flash, child illness, Johnny Is Shirtless All The Time Because Reasons Summary: Peter always thought he’d have more of a say over when he had a kid, that it would be something decided between him and his hypothetical lover some time down the line. But between his board of directors insinuating that the public doesn’t trust a single and child-free CEO, and a rather insistent alien queen wanting him as some kind of stud male to save her people, Peter’s ‘someday maybe’ plan has ended up becoming 'no time like the present’ when said alien queen gifts Peter with an egg. Inside? A baby made up of his and Johnny Storm’s DNA, because name dropping Johnny Storm to get out of hot water was never a good idea. In the face of Johnny’s depression over his still missing family, Peter decides that Johnny could never know the baby was his, too. Instead, Peter invites Johnny to live with him as the baby’s nanny, because living with the guy you have over a decade and a half of repressed romantic feelings for and raising your daughter together under false pretenses is a plan that can’t possibly back fire. Good Job, Pete.

WOLF

Universe: MTV-Teen-Wolf-inspired AU Rating: Mature Warnings: secondary characters’ deaths including a police shooting scene, bullying incidents, scenes with Peter in chains, mild horror content (a wild werewolf chasing and threatening Peter), expletives (swearwords), animalistic characteristics of Peter in some scenes, shapeshifting into a werewolf, violent incidents, some scenes are heavily influenced by the Teen Wolf series Summary: When Peter gets dragged by Gwen into the Central Park in the middle of the night to look for a body he doesn’t expect to be bitten by a werewolf (it’s not like they exist, right?), but that’s exactly what happens. His life takes rapid turn, he’s lost his uncle, a crazed killer alpha werewolf is trying to get to him, and he can’t even control his own body. To make the matters worse the fate seems to like playing with him as it turns out that the only person who can calm him down is none other than Johnny Storm, a self-absorbed cheerleader who seems to embody everything that Peter hates. But maybe being a werewolf won’t be as bad as Peter thought…

SPIDER

Universe: AU Rating: M Warnings: violence, drug addiction as a minor plot point (Harry Osborn), alcoholic parental figure/legal guardian, a lot of bruises and visible physical injuries on Peter, one usage of a homophobic slur, one usage of a racial slur, heavily implied child abuse (and child abuse is discussed), very minor Peter/Flash is sort of there technically, perceived relationship between an adult and a minor, keep your eyes wide open and you’ll still probably miss it but it’s definitely in there reference to canonical childhood sexual abuse, a brief Spanish language conversation that while is not google translate bad I also am not very strong at Spanish, and I think that about covers it Summary: Possibly the worst part of being a superhero was dealing with villains such as the notorious and mysterious Spider. But Johnny has bigger problems to deal with. His girlfriend just left him for some twerp named Peter Parker. He meets the kid and he sort of gets the appeal. Oh god, no. Of course Parker has no clue what Johnny’s talking about when Johnny calls him out for stealing his girlfriend. The Spider has nothing on this sort of terror. Or: AU where Peter Parker chose to be a super villain instead. Featuring Johnny not knowing jack about Les Mis, Snitch the teddy bear, the magic of criminal profiling, “Dorrie Evans? Isn’t she gay?”, and a completely made up super villain origin story.

Additional Information from the author: In this fic Johnny and Peter are both Latino. To be more specific Johnny is Mexican and Peter is Puerto Rican. I felt that was something an artist should be aware of going in.

MULTIVERSE

Universe: Main Universe: 616, Guest Universes: Fant4stic, World’s Greatest Heroes, an original universe or two Rating: T or M Warnings: A character dealing with intense grief over an AU character’s death Summary: Johnny’s been hopelessly in love with Peter almost as long as he’s known him, but he’s never told Peter how he feels. During his lengthy stint in a Negative Zone prison, he promised himself that he’d finally tell Peter the truth if he ever sees him again. He’s been back a few weeks, but he still hasn’t been able to work up the courage. When he and Peter step through the Inhuman Eldrac, a magic door, he and Peter are jointly sent on a trip through the multiverse, where they encounter version after version of themselves, all in different stages of their lives…all of whom are deeply in love. Could Eldrac possibly be trying to tell them something? Featuring mutual pining, angst, babies, weddings, old marrieds, a widower, and tons of Peter being his usual oblivious (and possessive) self.

MORNINGSTAR

Universe: AU Rating: E Warnings: Canon and fairy tale typical violence, references to self-immolation, brief sexual assault (a forced kiss) in an encounter with the villain. The explicit rating is due to consensual sex between Johnny and Peter. Peter is a giant talking spider for part of the fic. Summary: When Johnny makes a deal with the monster that lives in the woods – himself for his sister’s happiness – he doesn’t expect the giant spider to take him to a beautiful castle, or to reveal himself a cursed prince. There’s only one catch: he’s only a man in the darkest night, and Johnny can never see his face. Still, they grow closer, and Johnny is happy with their strange arrangement – until a visit home ruins everything. Now he must travel east of the sun and west of the moon to reclaim Peter from the Goblin King. An East of the Sun, West of the Moon/Polar Bear King-inspired AU.

BARK

Universe: no clear universe, it’s a mashup (character-wise, I follow Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker pretty closely, but Johnny is also a bit of a mashup based on how I see him) Rating: Teen Warnings: canon-typical violence, kissing, injuries, brief nakedness (when Johnny gets turned back to human), Johnny is a literal dog for most of the fic, underage drinking (Johnny is nineteen), cursing (including at least three uses of the f-bomb), animal violence and abuse (dog fighting ring), non-consensual drugging (chloroforming Johnny while he’s in dog-form) Summary: A witch turns Johnny into a yellow lab, effectively leaving him in the middle of New York City with four paws, no way to communicate, and oh yeah - a dog that can flame on isn’t exactly inconspicuous. All his instincts scream for him to run home, but to his confusion, his paws aren’t leading him to the Baxter Building. Aka Johnny Storm turns up at a run down apartment near Empire State University only to discover that the apartment belongs to one Peter Parker. Only problem is, Johnny doesn’t know that Peter is Spider-Man, and Peter doesn’t know that Johnny is a dog.

CIVILIAN

Universe: AU Rating: Teen Warnings: canon-typical violence, identity porn Summary: Peter Parker meets and starts dating Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four, which is unusual, as Johnny is a super-human super-star and Peter is…not. Competing with an adoring public and the frustration of being stuck on the ground while Johnny is up in the sky makes Peter wonder if he fits in with Johnny’s spectacular life. Then he gets a bite from a certain spider and becomes Spider-Man! Problem solved, right? The only issue: Johnny hates Spider-Man. Misunderstandings and hilarity ensue.

This post will remain up until the 20th or until all summaries have been claimed a second time.

#spideytorch big bang #spideytorch big bang 2017 #mod post #art claims

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ruined-rp · 5 years

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Hello Addie and welcome to New Orleans, the city of The Damned. Thank you so much for applying, you have been successful for the role of Hayley Labonair. Welcome to the family, but for now it’s time to get down to business…

Head on over to the New Member Checklist, careful not to go down any dark alleys, it’s not safe here.

OUT OF CHARACTER:

Name: Addie

Pronouns: Anything of the feminine variety (she/her, etc)

Age: 21

Timezone/Country: EST

Triggers: N/A

Activity Level: 8 – I’m around nearly every day for at least one round of replies. However, I do have things like work and school that might mean I cannot be on every single day. However, I do normally have a pretty quick turn around and am always lurking on discord for plotting.

How Did You Hear About Us: I heard through a friend! The plot and intricate weaving of the shows are what made me decide to throw my hat into the ring. I have a special place in my heart for these three shows, and I’ve never quite seen them woven together in such a manner. I think it offers an opportunity to find grounds in canon but also gives the opportunity for interpretation and divergence, which I love.

Anything Else?: Excited to see how this roleplay unfolds!

DESIRED CHARACTER:

Desired Character: Hayley Labonair, queen of the wolves and my heart.

Why This Character?: In response to this specific rp, I want to play Hayley because I think her character has a lot of room to grow. In the actual show(s), she had connections that helped her grow and realize who she was. Here, she’s been thrown quite literally to the wolves, and she’s got no earthly clue what she’s doing. She has no one looking out for her, aside from Derek. I want to go through all the character building that needs to be done to make her into an alpha that’s worthy of leading the pack on her own accord. I want to expand her ability to let others in as her tumultuous life has left her rather incapable of developing and committing to relationships of any type. Hayley needs to learn that people aren’t always the enemy, and that no matter how it’s been in the past, she’s not invincible and immune to failure. I think it’ll be rewarding to help with the transition from a loner into an alpha that isn’t in power because of her namesake, but because she’s capable and able to lead the pack to a better tomorrow. In general, Hayley has always been my favorite muse to write. If you will, she’s likeable to a first language for me. I learned to play her through multiple scenarios until doing so was as natural as speaking. I feel that I have a grasp on who she is and her mannerisms because I’ve spent so long working at it. I’ve always loved her as a character, and I don’t doubt that I’ll ever stop having a soft spot in my heart for her.

Any FC Changes? No, Phoebe is an utter goddess.

Ships/Anti-ships: I’ve played out Hayley with a variety of significant others (Jackson, Elijah, Klaus, Tyler, and Derek to be exact.) Though, aside from an attraction to males, I have no firm headcanons when it comes to ships. I find that I ship based on chemistry that occurs in the writing rather than theory originating from the shows or elsewhere. I need to write against the other character and examine how my muse reacts to them before committing to a ship fully.

Headcanons: 1. Hayley’s not done digging for information on her parents. While she’s procured more information than she ever has, the wolf wants more. Hayley wants to know who they were, how they met, and just the little intricacies of their lives. Maybe it’s for her own closure or maybe just curiosity, but Hayley’s created so many scenarios of who they were and what paths had brought them to each other in her head. She wants to know everything she can because it’s the closest she’ll ever get to having them in her life. Hayley keeps this desire to herself. She knows that it isn’t outlandish to think that someone would understand why she needs this closure, but Hayley never has been good at extending her trust to anyone other than herself. 2. Hayley’s fairly handy with construction and carpentry. It’s an odd talent she truly has no use for, but she’s always been good at repairs and woodwork. When she’s stressed or angered, there’s a good chance she’ll end up doing some DIY remodeling on her cabin. Her cabin was also the first place she really utilized her abilities. The cabin already existed, but when Hayley came to the Bayou, it was uninhabitable. Weeks of work went into the refurbishing, but Hayley has successfully created a quaint and likeable home for herself. Overall, it could be said that Hayley reverts to this habit of carpentry because she needs control. Her life has been unpredictable and left her with a complex. Carpentry is solely in her hands. Every move is her choice, every mistake is her own, and most importantly, every outcome is of her choosing. 3. Hayley is claustrophobic. Hayley can’t quite place where this fear arose from. Her realization of it came after her first turn as a wolf. In preparing for her second moon, Hayley found an abandoned cellar and tried to lock herself inside to prevent anyone else from getting hurt. However, the dark, cramped space triggered more than just her curse that night. Hayley had a panic attack and did a fair amount of damage to her hands trying to get out of the cellar she’d put herself in. Ever since, she’s been extremely wary of any place that is either cramped or doesn’t have a clear exit. This fear likely arises partly from her wolf side. Freedom and the ability to roam are in her blood, and reasonably, that ability being taken away from her would cause agitation. On the other hand, it could be attributed to Hayley’s commitment to survival. She’s spent so long fending for herself that being trapped or unable to save herself sets off a fair amount of alarm bells in her head.

Please Provide At Least One: I’m submitting this on my mock blog! The blog contains what I would like to call a character study. I’ve created a playlist and an aesthetic for Hayley here. I’ve also included a few reblogs that I feel summarize my take on who she is as a character and expand on her traits and personality. All of the things mentioned above can be viewed on the blog itself or can be found in the about link! - Moodboard/Aesthetic - Playlist - Mock Blog

CHARACTER QUESTIONNAIRE:

How Does Your Character Feel About The Peace Treaty?: Hayley accepts the peace treaty, but her own predispositions make her extremely wary of it. To her, it’s the kind of thing that sounds great in theory but turns to shit when put into practice. Hayley knows that peace is a fickle beast, and as soon as someone feels threatened, it’ll go right out the window. So, while she works to uphold the treaty as a member for the faction, you can bet your ass she has a contingency plan lined up. Hayley doesn’t want to fight, but she’ll be damned if she or her pack suffer because she was too confident in a piece of parchment.

Slice of Life:Hayley spends most of her time in the Bayou. She has a decent sized cabin to call her own, but the girl prefers to be outdoors, even if it is just on the porch. Hayley’s not the type to sleep in, and as a result, she’s normally up early in the day. Hayley goes for a morning run and comes home an hour or so later to shower. After that, she’ll grab breakfast and eat it out on the porch and watch as the rest of the world comes to life. Later, she’ll walk around their community and chat with a few other wolves and see what’s going on for the day. If there’s nothing that needs her attention, Hayley will venture into the Quarter to see what she can see. Whether it’s hanging out at Rousseau’s or down where the witch community congregates, the wolf likes observing. It’s not quite surveillance, but it helps to stay in the know—especially because news doesn’t exactly spread to the Bayou at god-speed. When she’s satisfied with that, she may seek out Derek and ask him to help her train. It also her hope that if she’s with him when dinner time circles around, he’ll cook a portion up for her as well. Seeing as her ability to cook stretches to about boiling water, if she doesn’t have dinner with Derek, she’ll likely pick up something to eat. Her night after her meal typically winds down with a couple of beers and a fire. Hayley doesn’t mind if this time is spent alone or with others, but it gives her a chance to unwind and settle her thoughts before she heads off to sleep.

What is Your Character’s Greatest Fear? How Does This Affect Your Character?: Hayley’s biggest fear is commitment. This isn’t specific to any singular area of her life. The wolf has issues sticking to any one home, friendship, or relationship. This fear stems from her childhood. Being bounced around a system that could care less about her shaped her into a person who learned to anticipate and expect change. Hayley is incapable of trusting that anything good with last forever and will often self-destruct whatever it is before it gets the chance to hurt her. In her mind, settling down is pointless because it will either be taken away from her or scar her even more.

SAMPLE: Removed for Privacy

#RuinedAccepted #Accepted

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the-roci · 7 years

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Sometimes, he thinks about his mother.

When the sky is grey but too indifferent for rain, and even Brooklyn is drowsy and quiet beneath him. When his schedule is unusually slow, but potions are steeping, and he needs to give his eyes a break because ancient symbols are blurring together from the strain of another night turned into an early morning. In these empty seconds, when he’s caught off-guard by the lack of consultations, meetings, visitors, demands-

Here, in these quiet moments, when the silence is staggering, his mind wanders down paths he knows are fraught with dangers. One tentative step, a smell, or in this case, a color, and he knows he should pull – run - back, but he’s already traveled too deep, hasn’t he? So he goes deeper, leaving behind storm clouds for the dull grey of three ceramic bowls set neatly along a small table.

A small and rundown thing, wasn’t it? Centered in the middle of a room he can’t quite remember. He can remember his mother’s laugh, one delicate hand cupping the thick, ceramic dish, another gently smoothing his then tangled hair. How his stepfather would wink before stacking the bowls, then tucking him into his small cot, the linen always itchy, but comfortable in ways only nostalgia can account for. Magnus thinks about how, for a few years, they were happy, a family, and then -

A demon. An echo in time that reverberates throughout the loft, shaking the crystals of his chandelier. Forgive me, Father. He thinks about the gasp that likely came when a dagger pierced warm skin. And then-

It’s for the best, a shaken, broken voice. Just don’t fight it. Don’t fight. Fingers wrapping around his throat, squeezing and pushing him into the freezing waters below. And for a few agonizing seconds, Magnus was sure he was going to die, and maybe he was meant to, but then-

Vodka, Magnus thinks, slamming back into himself with a force that shatters the table lamp next to him. And if his heart is racing, well, he’s already reaching for the remedy.

One gulp, a quick and desperate thing, but it doesn’t help. Of course it doesn’t. The burn of vodka threatens to take him back, submerge him in memories of fire filling his throat, but it wasn’t the water anymore, was it? It was something else, something primal, building in the base of his gut until his body shook with it. And he wants to pull back, remove his own memories until he can’t remember the feeling of energy ripping from his body, but it’s too late, it’s too-

A knock. Forceful and loud against his door.

Magnus surrenders to the shudder that passes through him. It’s not enough to shake away the memories, but it’s enough to unclench his jaw, smooth away the ridges between his eyebrows until whoever’s knocking won’t notice the storm raging on the inside.

Another succession of knocks, faster and louder than before. “And suddenly there came a tapping,” Magnus mumbles, pleased with the way his voice doesn’t waiver.

One deep breath and a snap of his fingers reveals Simon, huddled and trembling between the doors. There’s no trace of the creature that could rip a mundane in two if he chose to, just the shell of a boy, frightened and oh so alone.

"I-I saw my mom,” he says, voice breaking like a wave. “I didn’t even mean to, I swear. Not after Raphael made me promise not to after he- after he – but then there she was. Ten feet in front of me and I couldn’t say hi, couldn’t even wave to let her know I was okay. G-go-” he swallows the words he still can’t say, “I wanted to, you know. I just wanted to see her smile, tell her that everything’s going to be okay, but I can’t. I can’t and she’s so sad, Magnus. She looked so sad and I did that to her. This is all my fault.”

“Oh, Simon,” Magnus soothes and ushers him in.

Gold and green pigment swirl together like a nebula against the setting sun. Beautiful, Magnus thinks, a work of art, really. Expertly crafted with the finest of ingredients. Another job impeccably accomplished if he says so himself.

“Chance of failure?” The client asks lowering the vial until they’re gripping it against their sternum.

“So long as it’s used as directed, the chance of something- unfortunate -happening is…minimal.” Magnus punctuates the point with the wave of his ringed fingers and a smile that holds no hints of reassurance.

Glancing back towards the vial, they’re lips part in hesitation. Under usual circumstances, the caution would be something respectable, after all, potions and serums are not things that anyone should handle half as carelessly as they normally do. But today, after six months of work accumulated to only three ounces of liquid and a skeptical glace, it’s downright grating.

“Minimal,” they repeat, voice verging on accusatory.

Magnus shrugs. “If you never go out on the branch, you’ll never get the fruit.”

“It’ll have to do.” Not thank you, of course, never thank you. Just good and finally and you’ll hear from me if something goes wrong.

“Now,” Magnus says, bringing his palms together to alleviate the weariness that’s setting into his joints. “About the remainder of my payment.”

Another tissue pulled from the box, soon crumpled and discarded onto the floor with the others.

“Love,” Magnus says, certainly not thinking about brooding eyes, and a touch that literally threatens to undo him- “is a tricky thing, indeed. Let’s get you sorted, shall we?”

Magnus portals back to his loft precisely four seconds before his phone starts ringing. Placing several boxes of fresh ingredients delicately on the table, he shuffles through his pockets before sighing. So much for assuming he could have a simple night in with Alec.

It’s how he finds himself, hands in pockets, some fifteen blocks from Van Brunt Street. Instinctively, Magnus checks the glamour, making sure they’re protected from the rush-hour traffic flowing around them. Summer moisture is thick in the air, along with palpable tension. Thankfully, the situation isn’t as dire as Luke initially assumed, and while the injuries are severe, the young werewolf, Asa, if he recalls correctly, will survive.

Magnus watches as Luke sends off the remaining members of his pack, back rigid with strain. As soon as they round the corner, Luke undergoes one of several transformations he’s perfected since he was bitten. Gone is the alpha wolf, demanding order after the attack. In his place, stands someone more level-headed and tired. Magnus can’t help but see himself in the pinch of Luke’s should as the detective turns towards him.

“Witnesses?” Magnus asks, already guessing the answer.

“Unlikely,” Luke responds. “And you’re going to be hard pressed to convince them this was an unfortunate run in between Downworlders. Asa’s convinced it was deliberate.”

Magnus noted the lack of cameras as soon as he appeared on the scene. If the fight was indeed the result of a coincidental run in and heated words, it certainly was a well-placed one. “You think he was followed?”

“Potentially. Figure I’ll pay a visit to some neighboring shops, see if I can pick up anything odd that might tip us off.“

Magnus nods. "Good call.” Then after a second: “Thought about bringing anyone else in?”

Luke rubs at his neck, likely revisiting a question that’s been lurking around the peripheral of his mind all evening. There’s no need to ask about who Magnus is referring to. Clary, no doubt, was one of the first people Luje thought to reach out to. Personally, Magnus would go with someone a little taller, someone with a wide smile, whose body contoured perfectly with his own. How he longs to be wrapped around that particular body right now.

“I’d like to keep this between us,” Luke responds, finally, and Magnus can’t argue. “This will be delicate enough without getting the others involved. At least for the time being.”

Magnus has spent a fair share of time with Luke over the past few months, between their mutual involvement with a certain set of Shadowhunters, a growing unease between Downworlders, and a desperate hunt for Valentine. So much so that his judgment is easy to defer to. Luke is careful where he needs be, bold when the occasion calls for it, and most importantly, rational when emotions are running high. It was easy to come to respect him, easier still to call him friend.

"Full discretion,” Magnus agrees with a quick pull of his lips, “say no more.”

“I appreciate it.” Luke moves to stand next to Magnus, shoulders still tight with unease. “You know they’ll want blood for this.”

“They always do.”

They exhale in unison, comfortable enough with each other to stand there, shoulder to shoulder, wondering how they’re going to prevent the situation from escalating.

“You’ll help me keep the peace?” Luke asks, finally. “May not be pretty and there’s already enough on your plate.”

Magnus takes a long, careful breath. Funny how keeping the peace always feels like picking a side. Briefly, he wonders what he’ll lose in the process this time. "As much as I can.”

Luke reaches out, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you,“ he says, and Magnus feels it.

"Of course,” Magnus answers, nearly breathless. It’s never thank you, after all. “It’s what I do.”

“Yeah,” Luke agrees, “but you don’t have, and I can’t deny it feels good having you in my corner.”

“Well, that makes two of us.”

He loses himself, sometimes.

Nights when trails of blue weave through his fingers like serpents. Caressing his skin as it weaves through his rings until it captures his wrists, kisses his arms, before wrapping itself around his body. There is no space here to worry about younger warlocks integrating dark magic into their spells, or contracts he’s become too preoccupied to finish. No room to envision Catarina’s self-satisfying smirk because she was right after all, wasn’t she? But he’s accustomed enough with that to tuck it away and examine it later. Valentine is prowling the perimeters of an ever growing shadow and for the first time in a very long time, Magnus doesn’t have an immediate solution to the threat. Hasn’t a clue how to protect a Downworld that’s unraveling from fear. There will be time to think about all of that later. Tonight, with the last of winter nipping at his skin, Magnus unfurls his fingers as an orb of white grows between his palms. Breathing in, he expels the last of his worries, watching as his energy flows through his hands until he can cradle it.

I’m worried about you, not-Ragnor says from a position he’s certainly not taking up on the couch.

“Why?” Magnus asks in spite of himself. To his credit, he doesn’t look this time, even with evening drowsiness softening the edges of his instincts. “Just this week I saved a woman’s son, helped Luke prevent another war between werewolves - you should have seen Raphael handle the rouge vampire group, the potential in him-

Of course you did. Magnus imagines the frown, daunt and unseemly. That, my old friend, is precisely why I’m worried.

“I have to say,” Magnus says, hand trialing down the cracked cover of a tome that bleeds timelessness into his skin, “these are quite exquisite.”

Catarina hums next to him, eyes half lidded and dark. Four hours he assisted with a healing that had pushed even his friend’s abilities to her limits, yet here he is, pouring the remainder of his strength into a collection of books it’s simply not fair for one warlock to possess. Oh, Magnus has his share of collectibles and trinkets, most immortals are prone to collecting odds and ends, but these, he thinks, feeling energy pulsate under his palm, are treasures indeed.

“Something told me you would appreciate them,” she says, voice soft from spent energy.

“And I do,” Magnus agrees. He moves towards the next volume, flipping through pages of lore half-forgotten and obscured by ages. “Well, if you wanted my curiosity consider me hooked, how did you manage to get your hands on these?” It’s unbecoming, he knows, but tomes like these are never freely offered.

Nor, it appears, are straightforward answers from friends. “I’ve seen where your curiosity leads and I have no interest in it,” she responds as sweetly as the wine in her cup. If Magnus looked up, he’d catch her staring from the side of her eyes, satisfaction settled on her shoulders like a shawl. He doesn’t give her the pleasure and imagines her smile growing wider.

“It seems like age is finally making a bore out of you,” he quips, hiding his own smirk in a sip of red wine.

Setting down her glass, Catarina sits up until she’s facing Magnus, blue skin highlighted auburn by the fire. “If that’s the side-effect of wisdom, I readily accept it. And you, dear friend, should consider those an example.”

“An example?” He’s taking the bait, but Catarina knows how to work him and they both know it.

“Of where your attention should be focused. Perhaps if you distanced yourself from the problems of everyone surrounding you, you’d have more time to spend taking care of yourself and your own passions.” If it’s meant to be light, there’s a weight to the words neither of them miss. “Instead, you’re moderating Downworlder dramatics and interjecting yourself in Shadowhunter affairs.”

Magnus feels his head tilt to the left before he realizes he’s doing it. “Trust me, Catarina, my passions have never been so well tended.”

“Ah,” she responds with her own head tilt. “Deflection. They’d be more dignity in simply agreeing with me.”

Catarina isn’t wrong, not entirely. Spaces once reserved for bargaining services in exchange for goods beyond ingredients and information are becoming increasingly overcome by Clary and Jace barging into his loft or mending reoccurring rifts between Simon and Raphael or listening to the pleas of a seelie before facing trial. After shouldering room in his schedule for Alec, well, there’s not much room for much else.

It’s a conversation they’ve had countless times, and if Catarina has lost a measure of support in the absence of Ragnor, it’s not exactly a comfort. Thing is, Magnus has never been particularly good at turning his back on those who need his help, has he? Even when his mind begs him for it. An hour, a day, just a moment to breathe without the weight of the world pressing against him like a vice-grip.

And sometimes, Magnus wants to listen. But every time he thinks about a werewolf or vampire, frightened, alone, abandoned, he remembers walking down unfamiliar streets, the yearning to tuck himself in a cot that no longer existed, and even if it did, he wouldn’t be welcome there. Not in that bed, or that home, or the family that he was once able to call his own.

Demon, the word bites into his neck like a mantis, but he’s been living with the poison since he ran from the riverbed.

He won’t allow another Downworlder to feel what he felt. Regardless of what he has to give up in the process.

His hand stills, palm flat on the tome. “There’s dignity in helping others,” Magnus says, voice low like the flicker of flame behind him. “Besides, if Valentine wins, it won’t be the Shadowhunters who will suffer the loss.”

Catarina falls back against her chair, shoulders pushing against the plush pink velvet. “Don’t you get tired of cleaning up everyone’s messes?”

A ghost of a smile pulls at Magnus’ lips, but it doesn’t stick. “They need me, Catarina.”

“Magnus,” she says, and he can already feel her words of warning swarming towards him like hornets. Instead of a bitter sting, there’s a just a rush of air as she exhales. “There’s always been too much room in that heart of yours for your own good. It’s going to be your doom.”

She smiles at him, a soft and tragic thing born from a fight she can’t keep fighting.

They both know how this ends, the price he constantly pays.

His reply is lost to the taste of wine coating his tongue. And there it is again, the silence that creeps into his head and does wicked things with his thoughts. Bending and twisting and molding until toes are creeping past the wood of a bridge and he can’t hear anything past the roar that says jump. But instead of a roar, it’s a whimper. Pleading and begging him to give in.

Stop it coos. You’ve done enough. Hasn’t he earned the chance to rest? Let go, it soothes, and sometimes, Magnus wishes he could.

Times when he feels hallowed out and scraped raw. When he’s certain he has nothing left to give, but somehow manages to find a piece of himself not yet ripped from his rib cage and hands it over, free of charge, to another Downworlder broken in ways his soul can still relate to. Just wall himself off like his friends have begged him to, like his heart has pleaded him to, but then he remembers how hard he fought to open himself up again. Forgetting every stone that cracked his temple and the warmth of the blood that trickled down his face because he was different. Dangerous in ways that humans feared and Downworlder’s couldn’t account for.

Magnus finishes the remainder of his wine in one long gulp and for a second, it feels like drowning all over again.

“That’s what I thought,” Catarina says. “I’ve taken the liberty of sending for the others. Most won’t come; likely too busy fortifying their homes in case Valentines finds a way to activate the sword. Those who do, they’ll need orders, and something to make it worth the risk. I’ll see to that.”

Magnus snaps his head up, eyes widening. “My dear Catarina, this isn’t your fight. Valentine holds enough power to destroy the Downworld, I can’t ask-”

“You don’t have to.” If she were a lower person, she would have rolled her eyes, he’s sure of it. “It’s not your fight either, but if you choose to stand, and it was a leap to assume you wouldn’t, we’ll stand with you and your Shadowhunters.” Snapping her fingers, both glasses refill with amber liquid. “Last book, green cover; one of the first mentions of the Soul Sword. Do what you can with it. But listen to me Magnus Bane, for the remainder of this evening, I don’t want to hear a word about Valentine or Shadowhunters, I forbid it.”

“Not even a very particular one?”

And just like that, he feels a hand grasping him from the frozen waters.

Sometimes, everything is overwhelming.

When exhaustion digs deep into his bones and he’s torn between collapsing onto his couch and reaching for the drink cart, but even the idea of conjuring a gin and tonic is too much. So he lingers, idling in his living room as his legs sway beneath him, wondering if this is the moment he’s going to fall, crumble under the weight of everything thrown onto his shoulders.

When Magnus tells himself he should have known better. He shouldn’t have gotten involved with Shadowhunters. Just like he shouldn’t have taken in Raphael or Simon or Jace (or Beatrix, Naomi, Greg). But here he is, too drained to breathe think move, and even though he could rid himself of these headaches with a snap of his fingers or just saying no, his mouth mind soul betrays him.

He can hardly blame anyone for calling him a fool when he ushers Clary in later on that evening.

He’s has never been good at protecting his own heart.

He notices the garlic first.

An overwhelming scent that floods his senses as he exits the portal.

Magnus pauses before walking towards his kitchen, arms crossing before he casually leans against the entrance.

Alec glances up from the stove, smile easy and wide. “Hey,” he says sheepishly before losing his confidence in a short huff. “I know we didn’t–I figured you’d be tired – it’s just that you were gone for a few days and I thought maybe it’d be nice if you came home to-” He takes a breathe. “Is this okay?”

Magnus feels something crack in the center of his chest. Something dark and cold, encasing the last bit of himself he was trying to protect. Part of him reaches for it on instinct, desperately trying to drag it back where it’s safe, to hide it before the cracks turn into craters he won’t be able to repair, but it’s too late. He’s split open and vulnerable yet somehow, he feels warmed because of it.

“More than.” It’s more of a whisper, a ghost across Alec’s cheek as Magnus moves to hug him. And if he gets lost in the contact, the subtle shift of Alec’s torso as the Shadowhunter moves to align his body more closely with Magnus, well, at least he’s not the only one.

Magnus sinks against him, wanting nothing more than to shut his eyes and get lost in the touch-scent feeling- of Alec. But if he closes his eyes, the exhaustion will catch up to him, and if it catches up to him, he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to handle it.

“That bad, huh?” Alec asks, gently kissing Magnus’ forehead.

“Just tired. And starving.”

The truth is, Magnus left his appetite in the heat of India but the smile is enough to make him ravenous. The truth is, Magnus could snap his fingers and have the finest foods lining his counters, but this feeds something else, something deep in his core that’s been empty for entirely too long. Taking Alec’s chin between his fingers, he lifts his head until their lips meet, slow, and soft, so much more nourishing than anything he could ever eat.

Leaving his hand cupping Alec’s face, he looks towards the stove, then back towards his boyfriend. “So, what’s the occasion?” Magnus asks, “Last time I checked, there was still a war on.”

Alec shrugs, almost sinking back into himself, but he stays where Magnus can reach him. “You.” A smirk he’s becoming more comfortable with settles on his face and oh, what Magnus would do to keep it there. “Isn’t there always going to be a war or a problem that needs to be fixed?” Magnus smiles in spite of himself. “C’mon, sit.”

Placing a hand on the small of Magnus’ back, Alec guides him to the table before setting a plate and a glass of wine in front of him. He remains close, setting himself up so it’s easy to weave their legs together, and Magnus feels some of his exhaustion slipping from his shoulders.

Outside, a war is one. Valentine slipped through their fingers, almost literally when he thinks about his spell book, continuing to collecting artifacts that can alter their world in devastating ways. Outside, Magnus sits through councils and Alec leads patrols, but tonight, this is more than enough.

They talk about him, about Valentine, because he’s always lingering in the undercurrent of their conversations these days, like the steady hum of magic that pulsates just under Magnus’ skin. A distraction, certainly, but Magnus has lived through enough near misses to know there are still pressing matters to attend to. One glance behind his shoulder will certainly attest to that. Books even he forgot he owned are scattered across the dining room table, with sheets of ingredients still not filled settled on top of them as lazy reminders, and somewhere amidst all the papers, there are contracts that still require his approval. Quite frankly, it’s messy. But they won’t go away until the job is done, just like Valentine won’t go away until he’s locked up or dead.

Not for the first time, he thinks of dragging himself to bed, allowing the warmth of Alec’s arms to sink deep into his muscles, soothing the tension that comes with nights spent huddled over ancient tomes that even Magnus can’t quite make sense of. As if to make a point, his eyelids droop, summoning a yawn as easily as he summons portals. How his body betrays him. Or maybe just enables him. He can’t deny the appeal of spending a few early morning hours tucked away in the bedroom with Alec.

Magnus stands at the thought, but his eyes travel back to the books covering the table. Maybe just one more glance before he takes a break. Yes, just one more glance before he drags himself across the silk sheet of his bed and gets lost in the warmth that is his boyfriend.

Magnus settles for the couch, opening the doors to the balcony before focusing his magic on bringing a tome into his hands. He pauses for a moment, taking in the sound of Brooklyn still sleeping below him. The air outside hints of spring, but is still cool and refreshing as it nips at his exposed skin. Whether it’s the cold, his exhaustion, or his longing to be close to Alec, he gives up on getting any more work done. Before he can move though, Alec emerges from the bedroom, bleary eyed and squinting.

"Have you gotten any sleep?” Alec asks, voice rough like the stubble that’s beginning to grow over his jaw. Magnus would appreciate the sight much more if it wasn’t another testament to the strain of Valentine’s victories. Magnus may know how to separate the weight of an impending apocalypse just as easily as the next immortal, Alec though, Alec carries the weight on already overstrained shoulders. Magnus sees it working through his muscles, tightening his shoulders as the softness of sleep leaves him.

Magnus offers an easy smile, “I had every intention of joining you, but duty called.” He lifts the book for emphasis.

Alec shakes his head before running a hand over his eyes. They’ve all been pushed to their limits lately. “Magnus-“

“I should take better care of myself,” he echoes before getting drawn back into a passage.

Conceding, Alec walks to the kitchen, mindlessly grabbing the red and black robe Magnus had wrapped around himself for the majority of the night. “It’s freezing,” Alec says, wrapping the silk tightly around him to prevent the fabric from draping down one of this shoulders. Though his point certainly stands, the sight is enough to warm something in the pit of Magnus’ stomach.

It was almost too easy falling into the rhythm they’ve finding here. Months ago, Magnus was certain he’d have to endure endless gossip about the Lightwood-Brandwell union, now Alec’s navigates Magnus’ home with an effortlessness that speaks of familiarity. Magnus wants to capture this moment, trap it in a vial to preserve its perfection. Something tells him he’ll need it in the chaotic times facing them.

The sound of the coffee maker refocuses him. Habit stops him from telling Alec he doesn’t need to go through the trouble, because Alec always seems intent on going through the trouble. Home brewed coffee, greasy hamburgers from the lower east side instead of catered meals from Nepal, small gifts before they head to the pool hall or out for dinner. It’s nothing special, but it made me think of you. And didn’t that always make Magnus feel like he was holding the world in the palm of his hands.

When Alec returns, he’s holding two mugs of coffee in his hands. It’s domestic in a way Magnus hasn’t allowed himself to think about in centuries, but here it is, draped across him like a cotton blanket. Magnus wants to sink his fingers into it and pull until he’s uncomfortable with the sensation, but he settles for accepting the cup of coffee instead.

Alec lingers, standing in front of him until Magnus flicks his eyes up, then smiling at the look of impatience. Not a second after Magnus moves the book towards the arms of the couch, Alec claims his lap as his own, curling in on himself until he’s sprawled somewhere between Magnus and the cushions, head burying itself against his chest. Neither of them notice when the book falls to the floor.

Draping a hand around Magnus’ neck, Alec tugs until their lips meet. It presses in on Magnus, the smell of coffee, fresh and warm next to them, the lazy taste of Alec’s mouth as silk glides against his skin. Trapped here, the world feels a little less chaotic than it did before.

Sometimes, it’s easy.

Times when the air outside is warm and fresh from a passing rainstorm. When Magnus shifts, trailing a finger across Alec’s exposed collar bone, instead of burying himself in research. Here, in these empty seconds, he knows what he’s fighting for.

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