#doesn't mean it has to be during the brief window of time in which the story takes place

[sedgewicke]

Hrathen: Oh no, I'm in love--

Me: No you're not. You're just dying. You've lost a lot of blood and it's got you all emotional.

[vidavalor]

Maggie's individual scenes with Crowley & Aziraphale & what they might be suggesting

In 2.05, Aziraphale sends Crowley out to make sure that Nina and Maggie are both on their way to the bookshop for the meeting ball. While Crowley officially met Nina in 2.01 and has had several scenes with her since, this is then Crowley's first scene directly interacting with Maggie alone that we've been shown and the only one still to date by the end of S2. There's a few interesting things happening in it, imo..

The only time we actually see Crowley and Aziraphale in the same place with Maggie is during the ball and briefly in the big group scene in the morning before Crowley gets Maggie and Nina out of the bookshop. Aziraphale is only just coming back as Maggie and Nina are leaving after talking to Crowley in the bookshop in 2.06, so the only scene of Crowley, Aziraphale & Maggie all together of any real note is the ball, where other characters are occupying their time and then the bookshop is attacked. My point is that both Crowley and Aziraphale get moments of interaction with Maggie-- alone, in her shop-- but we don't see them together around her. She is the only Whickber Street shopkeeper who doesn't have an individual scene with both of them-- even Mr. Arnold, who is only in about 2 scenes, does. Why might this matter? Look at this Crowley and Maggie scene here...

When Crowley & Aziraphale went around the neighborhood to get the Whickber Street shopkeepers to come to the meeting, we saw them at Goldstone's, at Marguerite's, at Arnold's Music Shop, talking with Mrs. Cheng *and* talking with Nina about the meeting. Mr. Brown of Brown's World of Carpets did not require persuading to come to his favorite thing in the world and also he had come to the shop earlier to drop off the chairs so he had already been confirmed in attendance off-camera, as we learned at the ball. Mrs. Sandwich arrives at the meeting ball and speaks with Aziraphale, indicating that she's not sure why he wanted her to come to the meeting. This is something that she probably would have already said if Aziraphale had come over to invite her directly. He did want her there but since she's the only Whickber Street character who has met both Crowley and Aziraphale per the ball scene but knows Crowley more and doesn't know most of the other shopkeepers, it's likely that Crowley was dispatched alone to invite her. This leaves only one shopkeeper-- a crucial one to the ball-- that we never see actually invited to the meeting but who knows it's taking place and that's Maggie. That means we actually were intentionally *not* shown the scene of Crowley and Aziraphale stopping at The Small Back Room-- which was on Aziraphale's clipboard list when they went around the neighborhood-- but we *were* shown even the brief moment with Mrs. Cheng instead. All for reasons that aren't immediately clear to us by the end of S2 but are extra interesting because of Maggie's kind of mysterious backstory.

In the scene with Crowley, Maggie has just closed up shop when Crowley knocks on her window and she comes to the door of her shop. Crowley says: "He says to tell you that the meeting of the Whickber Street thing-y is starting now." There is no introduction here and Maggie answered the door after closing her shop, which means they know who one another is. They've met before. They're also aware of one another in a capacity that centers Aziraphale as the common person they know. Crowley didn't even say "Mr. Fell says to tell you", just "he says." He didn't introduce himself and he expected-- correctly-- that Maggie knew that he knows Aziraphale, which means that Crowley has met Maggie in a capacity connected to Aziraphale in some way and isn't just a frequent shopper at The Small Back Room.

Maggie just says that she never misses a meeting and she'll be right there and Crowley says "no problem." He seems mildly nervous-- not yet in the way he was when he began to sense danger when rounding up Nina-- but different than he was with the other shopkeepers. Is he just awkward because he's been playing Cupid all week for her and now he's got to talk to her lol (but he's not really like that with Nina?) Why do they feel like it's important for us to see the short interaction in this scene?

This scene is presented to us as something of a surprise because putting it here in this way without having given us Crowley & Maggie before then gives it more weight, especially since the show gave us literally every other shopkeeper meeting Crowley prior to this and Maggie and Nina are the most important to the story. When we think back to earlier in S2, though, we might realize that there was a scene earlier in the season that also suggested that Crowley already knew Maggie.

When Aziraphale and Crowley are in The Dirty Donkey and Aziraphale is explaining how he lied to Heaven about the Gabriel miracle by saying it was to make his shop lesbians fall in love, he refers to Maggie in such a way as to make it seem like Crowley already knows who she is and Crowley doesn't ask for clarification, indicating that he does. This would then now mean that not only had Crowley met Maggie prior to S2 but that Aziraphale was aware that he had. This then makes Maggie the only shopkeeper Crowley knew personally before S2 aside from Mrs. Sandwich. Why? How?

At this point, it probably wouldn't be enough to say that Crowley might only know Maggie because he's into music and she runs a record shop. That could be one reason but Aziraphale knowing that Crowley knows who Maggie is in 2.01 before her story really gets started indicates that they've at least discussed Maggie together before in some capacity in the past... and then there's the Aziraphale and Maggie individual scene from 2.01 that starts the whole Operation Lovebirds thing in the first place...

We're busy at this point in the story trying to figure out what the deal is with Gabriel and "Everyday" and then distracted by Aziraphale using Maggie and Nina's situation as a lie to Heaven about the miracle he and Crowley did to hide Gabriel but... what about the fact that Maggie is in love with Nina and doesn't know what to do and she's asking *Aziraphale* for advice?

Yes, Aziraphale is kind and older and queer and she feels safe in asking him for help but as a general rule, you don't usually tend to ask for advice for pursuing a romance with the person of your dreams from someone whom you believe to be your neighborhood's most eligible bachelor.

You ask the long-married or long-partnered people you know. The ones who found their person long ago and are years into the kind of romance you want to have with this person on whom you have this epic pash.

Why does Maggie think Aziraphale can tell her how to court Nina?

What about Aziraphale would scream to anyone who vaguely knew him-- let alone Maggie, who seems pretty close to him, more than other humans-- that he knows a lot about Maggie's brand of gentle, loving romance here?

The entire street, including Maggie, saw Gabriel arrive at Aziraphale's door earlier lol. Maggie would be well within her rights to think the same thing as the rest of the street-- that the rich, old bookseller gets him some and good for him-- and leave it at that.

Aziraphale is not married. He's single enough seeming to others that at least some of us (ahem, including me lol) believe that Mr. Brown of Brown's World of Carpets has been trying to bag him for awhile now. Why does Maggie seem to know him differently enough to ask him what she should do about Nina and when and how did she meet Crowley and, even if Maggie has it all wrong about them (and I don't think she does), is it even possible for these things to not be related at this point?

[slaymitchabernathy]

Cold & Calculated

Coriolanus POV

There’s a strange silence that sits between them during the ride home. Coriolanus almost feels uncomfortable sitting next to his wife. She doesn’t say anything, not a single word but that’s nothing new, Soarynn’s always been quiet.

But something is different.

He glances down at his wife who’s looking out the car window at the passing Capitol streets, she looks nice tonight, she looks pretty. His heart had skipped a beat when she showed up at the office earlier this evening. Due to some scheduling issues, Coriolanus had Soarynn come to meet him at the office so they wouldn’t be late for the company dinner.

Festus whisked her away for a brief tour but it was rather adorable how quickly she returned to him. Coriolanus assumes she finds some semblance of safety in him, or at least his presence. Coriolanus is a man of authority and respect, no one would dare mess with him or his wife for that matter.

“Quite a fruitful night,” he finally says, breaking the tension.

Soarynn simply hums without sparing him a glance, “Quite.”

His eyes travel across her collarbones and slender shoulders. They didn’t have sex last night, not after Sejanus mentally drained him for the entire day but tonight is the perfect night. The perfect way to end a long day at work.

“Perhaps it’ll have a fruitful ending,” he suggests, always trying to give Soarynn a bit of a heads-up before partaking in such sexual encounters. Soarynn brushes her hair behind her ears, “If that is what you wish.”

Now he’s upset. He’s upset because it almost sounds as if he’s forcing her, which is something he’d never do. If Soarynn decided that tomorrow she never wanted to have sex with him again then that would be the end of it but he sincerely hopes it’ll never come to that. Not when it’s the only time he can truly hold her, touch her, feel her.

But she’s acting like this all is one-sided. And he refuses to be on the losing side. The desperate side.

He clears his throat, “It is.”

He’s the man of the house, he doesn’t need to be doubting himself or his authority.

Neither of them says another word as the car pulls up to their apartment building. Soarynn takes his hand as she exits the car but immediately drops it once they're in the elevator. Coriolanus refrains from crying out like a wounded animal at the loss of contact because it's not the end of the world. But it feels like it.

Maybe she's mad at him, although Coriolanus doesn't think that he's ever seen Soarynn be mad a day in her life. She's gotten upset of course, but over little things like her favorite bakery being closed or a boutique not having a dress in her size. But Soarynn is not someone who's quick to anger. He, on the other hand, can get quite angry when pushed too far.

When the elevator doors open and Soarynn goes to step out, his hand grabs her wrist, pulling her back inside. Soarynn looks up at him with wide eyes, with a hint of fear behind them. Coriolanus doesn't like that. He wants her to respect him, yes, to be attentive and well mannered but he never wants her to fear him.

Is this what it's come to? Is this what his cold and calculated attitude towards her has gotten him?

"Are you alright?" He asks, feeling somewhat stupid for asking such a vague and general question, "I mean, have I done something to upset you? Or has someone hurt you?" Coriolanus can feel his entire body tensing at the idea of someone laying a hand on Soarynn, forcing themselves onto her, scaring her.

He'd become the Capitol's first murderer, that's for certain.

Soarynn bites her lip for a moment before answering him, "No, no one's hurt me, and you haven't done anything to upset me. I'm just tired." Coriolanus sees right through that lie because as much as she tries to deny it, Soarynn is a terrible liar. At least to him, she is. Her father probably agrees with him that it's quite easy to see through any of Soarynn's small, insignificant lies. She rarely ever lies but she's done it enough for him to notice the slight tells that give her away.

How she always bites her lip, fiddles with the rings on her fingers, sways side to side, and avoids eye contact if possible. She's lied about small things in the past, whether or not she picked up his clothes from the tailor, if she remembered to attend some event, things like that.

She's lying right now.

His grip on her wrist slightly tightens as he leans down until he's at eye level with his wife, "Do you remember what I asked of you the day we got married?" Their wedding had been a wonderful blur but he remembers clear as day what he'd asked her to do once they made it down the aisle and were out of earshot from all of their guests.

"Don't ever lie to me, things will be much easier between us as long as we're honest with one another."

Soarynn swallows and nods her head, "You asked me to never lie to you." He tilts his head and looks her up and down, his pretty little wife who's done such a good job at pleasing him so far. "Trust is...important," he tells her slowly.

"Trust is everything to me," Soarynn whispers, "but I don't think you trust me Coriolanus."

Soarynn POV

Not a sound can be heard in the penthouse.

Coriolanus is at work and Soarynn is at home, overthinking.

There are a million other things she could be doing right now. Cleaning her makeup brushes, clearing out her wardrobe, running errands, and painting. But her conversation with Coriolanus from a few days ago keeps repeating in her mind. It had been a rather tense conversation between them, a conversation that ended in Coriolanus suggesting that they both just go to bed since the drinks from dinner had clearly gotten to them.

Funny how he was able to lie to himself about that when moments before he was reminding her to be truthful with him. And she was! She is! Soarynn doesn't really see any point in lying to her husband, not when he's been nothing but good to her. Should he be controlling or abusive then she could see a reason to lie but he's not. Coriolanus is a good husband. But he's not a very good companion.

Soarynn has seen her friends with their own husbands, seen how they share little inside jokes and knowing glances. She and Coriolanus don't share any of those. They only share polite table talk with a side of expected sex.

So when the phone rings, Soarynn nearly jumps off the sofa. Maybe it's the people calling from the gallery, she thinks to herself as she pushes herself from the sofa, making her way down the hall to where the phone is sitting on a small table.

"Snow residence, to whom am I speaking with?"

"Soarynn?" It's Coriolanus.

"Coriolanus, is everything alright?"

For a moment she worries something might have happened to his parents but he's quick to soothe her thoughts, "Perfectly fine. Well, not entirely fine. I need you to go into my study and open the top drawer in my desk, it has several files inside of it. I need you to bring me the red file, labeled, 'Quarterly Sales Meeting.' I forgot to grab it this morning and just remembered it."

Soarynn finds herself nodding along to her husband's instructions, especially since she knows how important the quarterly meetings are to him and his colleagues. He's been working nonstop the past month and the dinner they recently attended was a way of thanking everyone for their hard work.

"I'll bring it to you right away," she assures him and she hears him let out a small sigh of relief. "Thank you, darling, I'll see you soon." After a swift goodbye, Soarynn hangs up the phone and ventures into her husband's study. She's never been in here alone, and she's never seen the entire study since she usually lingers in its doorway.

She easily finds the file he was describing in the top drawer of his desk and quickly glances over his desktop for a moment when her eyes land on a framed photograph. She blinks once, twice before coming to the realization that it's her in the photograph.

She looks much younger than she is now, about eighteen when she first started seeing Coriolanus. It's a candid shot of her smiling down at Petunia in her arms, standing in the backyard of her childhood home. She remembers that day, how Coriolanus had come over and she proudly showed him her new kitten. Coriolanus had brought his camera with him but she never saw him taking that photo of her.

But he did, and here it is. Does he look at it often? How long has he had this photo framed? Does he have other photos of her?

Coriolanus is a masculine man through and through and before she moved in, his penthouse lacked a feminine touch. Or a sentimental touch in general.

But Soarynn can't linger long, not with Coriolanus waiting on her so she shuts the drawer and leaves the study. Thankfully their car is waiting outside for her and she's greeted by their driver, "Where to Mrs. Snow?" Soarynn gives him a polite smile, "My husband's office please."

The drive is short and yet Soarynn still finds time to worry about her current relationship with Coriolanus. It feels strained and if they can't trust one another, then what's the point? The point was to marry for convenience, to act as if this marriage was a business agreement, and yet Soarynn finds herself wishing it was more than that so maybe that's her issue.

Either way, whether Coriolanus loves her or not, it won't hinder her from being a good wife.

Coriolanus POV

Coriolanus drums his fingers against his wooden desk as he waits for Soarynn to arrive. He'd left an important file at home and instead of having his secretary fetch it, he had asked Soarynn to bring it to him.

He was feeling rather impatient although he didn't know if he was impatiently awaiting the arrival of the file or his wife.

He likes to think he’s waiting for the file but he knows that’s a lie. He’s eager to see Soarynn, to be in her gentle, feminine presence for a few moments before she goes back home to make sure dinner is being properly prepared for them.

Then he’ll go home, and hang up his coat in the hall closet before she greets him with a kiss on the lips and her dainty fingers wrap around the handle of his briefcase. He’ll let her take it and set it down so that he can freshen up in their bathroom before joining her at the dining table.

Without children or guests, their dinners can be very quiet, neither of them speaking of much except surface-level topics. She’ll ask him how his day at work went and he’ll ask her how her friends are doing and if she did any shopping.

They might have sex. But it all depends on how he’s feeling.

They had sex the other night, after the company dinner. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. Despite her lack of experience, Soarynn can be quite the pleasant and sensual creature in bed. The sounds she makes, the way her body moves, and the way her eyes roll back are what Coriolanus craves on a somewhat daily basis.

And the conversations they have afterward always seem to let him catch a better glimpse of who Soarynn truly is. When she’s too tired and overstimulated, she lets her walls down and he does the same.

Rare moments like that should be appreciated more than they are, but he's never been too good at opening up. During the months of the two of them dating, Coriolanus rarely went beneath the surface of his persona. He knew what Soarynn needed, a good husband who took care of her and her needs. How could he be a good husband if he was constantly vulnerable in front of her?

So after their fifth date, he vowed to himself that he'd never let her see that hidden side of him if he could help it. The side that longed to hold her for longer periods of time, and bathe with her while playing with her hair. It's better this way, at least that's what he tells himself. Letting her catch glimpses of the real him after sex is much better than being seen as weak.

It's best to be cold and calculated.

Soarynn POV

꧁ 6 Months Ago ꧂

It's a strange feeling to move into a room that is not your own. Soarynn feels like she's invading her husband's privacy as she unpacks her bags. Her husband, a new term that she is still not familiar with. She got married today, she's no longer a Nightingale.

Soarynn Snow.

Her hands are shaking while she puts her clothes into the dresser drawers and she does her best to still them, to calm her nerves. But she can't, not when she knows what will take place in a few minutes. She and Coriolanus have shared a few heated kisses, but they've never gone farther than that to honor tradition.

But Soarynn is terribly nervous, even dressed in expensive white lingerie. Her friends said it would make her feel more confident and more secure in herself, and yet she feels the exact opposite. What if he's not impressed with her? Coriolanus certainly isn't a virgin and Soarynn worries that he might be put off by her inexperience.

It's too late to turn back now.

She sighs and brushes her hair behind her ears, she'd rather just go to bed considering what a long day it's been for the both of them. Their wedding was lovely but tiring as she was expected to talk to all their guests. Soarynn doesn't mind the social chatter for the most part, so long as she can relax in her bedroom afterward. But this is her bedroom now, a room that she will share with a man.

Soarynn's curiosity gets the best of her and she pulls open the top drawer of the dresser and finds several pairs of socks that belong to her now husband, all the same color and style. Coriolanus from what she's seen, is a man who values routine and order, rarely ever straying from what he knows and trusts.

She just hopes that he'll come to know and trust her as time passes.

Soarynn hears the sound of heavy footsteps making their way towards their bedroom and she closes her trunk of belongings. She can put those away later. She glances at the large bed and her fingers graze over the white sheets. They might be stained sooner rather than later. Soarynn doesn't know why she's so nervous about the bleeding part of losing her virginity. She knows that it's supposedly a sign of one's virginity being taken but what if it doesn't happen to her? Then what would Coriolanus think?

Soarynn sits on the edge of the bed, her feet dangling off the edge and she grabs a handful of the lacy dress she's wearing over her lingerie. The dress itself is also lingerie, with intricate lace patterns sewn along the silk fabric. Hopefully, she meets his expectations.

The doors open revealing Coriolanus and her heart skips a beat. He looks so handsome, so regal and important even in the late, late hours of the night. It's past midnight but that's never stopped a man from taking what's his.

He offers her a small smile before closing the doors behind him and Soarynn manages to return his smile with one of her own. "You look pretty," he tells her as he walks towards her. Soarynn lets go of her dress and swallows, "Thank you."

She expects him to pounce on her but instead, he turns to the dresser where a small variety of alcohol sits on top of it along with several small glasses. She watches Coriolanus grab a bottle of something before twisting the cap off and pouring himself two glasses. It's a practiced ease she witnesses from him as if he's done this a thousand times, pouring himself a drink before bed to wind down.

"Quite the day," he muses to which Soarynn nods, "Yes, today was quite eventful." Coriolanus takes a sip of his drink and lets out a content sigh, "The alcohol selection was perfect, much better than the one at Festus and Persephone's wedding." Soarynn chuckles and shakes her head at her husband's words, "That's because you think you know what's best when it comes to alcohol."

Coriolanus shoots her a mischievous smile and nods, "I do know what's best when it comes to alcohol. If I weren't a businessman, I'd be a bartender." It's a funny thing to picture, Coriolanus working such a lower-class job but Soarynn strangely enough thinks that he'd be quite happy with it, money aside.

"You'd certainly be a crowd favorite," Soarynn agrees. Coriolanus grabs the other glass and offers it to her and Soarynn is unable to hide her surprised expression. She prefers wine over whatever he's drinking but he insists on her taking the glass, "To take the edge off," he explains, "you look like you'll need it."

Well, she can't argue with that.

Soarynn gives him a grateful smile before taking the glass and sipping whatever the glass contains. Whatever it is is disgusting and Soarynn pulls a disturbed look which causes Coriolanus to laugh, "Not a fan of whiskey hmm?" Soarynn shakes her head and offers it back to him, "I'm not really a fan of alcohol period, let alone whiskey."

Coriolanus hums and takes the glass back from her, throwing it back in one sip. It amazes Soarynn how much he can eat and drink, but she's learned that men are never truly satisfied. Speaking of satisfied....they still have to have sex, which means kissing, touching, and getting naked. Oh, why does she have to be so innocent?

Soarynn watches her husband drink from the other glass he poured, noticing the way his throat bobs when he swallows and how chiseled his jawline really is. Coriolanus Snow is devilishly handsome in Soarynn's opinion, it truly amazes her that she's his wife now, that she bears his last name for the world to see.

When he's finally finished he sets the glass down and finally takes a good look at her. To say she's been preparing for this moment would be an understatement. Over the past week, Soarynn has been waxed, primped, and primed for her wedding night. This morning she took a long bath and made sure her body was smooth and flawless.

Coriolanus tears his gaze away and begins unbuttoning his shirt. He took off his shoes and suit jacket the moment they got home, seemingly sick of wearing the clothes after a good twelve hours. Soarynn nervously fidgets as he bears his chest to her, showing off his toned physique. Soarynn's only seen him shirtless a handful of times before their marriage, but she has a feeling that she'll be seeing a lot of this in the near future.

He notices her staring and smirks, "Like what you see?" Soarynn blushes but she nods, remembering what he said to her earlier today, telling her to always be honest with him.

"Yes," she whispers, pressing her legs together. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't scared, mostly of the pain but the act of sex itself is terrifying to Soarynn who's still so young, especially compared to Coriolanus who's six years older than she is.

Coriolanus finally takes a step towards her and his hand comes out to cup her face, he does it so gently, as if he truly cares for her and Soarynn hopes he does, that her cares about her and how she feels. She's heard many tales about women marrying men who only care for their own pleasure. And Coriolanus has been so attentive so far, but that all could change right now, he could reveal his true colors.

But Coriolanus Snow seems like a good man.

Soarynn looks up at him, into his piercing blue eyes and she's overwhelmed with emotions to the point where she feels a single tear escaping her grasp and rolling down her cheek. The expression on his face changes from one of confidence to one of concern. Soarynn wipes the tear away and sniffles, "I'm sorry. I...I don't mean to be emotional, not on a night like this."

His thumb gently brushes over her cheek and Soarynn finds herself leaning into his touch, "I won't fault you for being nervous," Coriolanus gently tells her, "especially since it's your first time. Is it me that you're scared of?" Soarynn's eyes widen at his question because she really can't see herself ever being scared of Coriolanus. Not when she's seen glimmers of how kind he can be, how he laughs when playing with Petunia, or carries his mother's shopping bags for her.

No, Soarynn could never be scared of Coriolanus.

"No," she quickly assures him, "I'm just scared of the pain," she whispers the last part. His face contorts to a rather unsure expression and Soarynn highly doubts that Coriolanus has ever been tasked with such a needy partner like her before, one that requires constant reassurance. He sighs as he looks down at her with a fond look in his eyes, "I can't promise that it won't hurt, I'd be surprised if it didn't hurt. But it won't last long, and we'll go slow," he tells her and Soarynn slightly relaxes after hearing those words.

The smirk returns to his face as he adds, "Besides, I think you'll find sex to be rather enjoyable after getting over the first time." Soarynn doesn't even want to think about the second time, not when they've yet to get the first time over with but she nods all the same, "Alright, I trust you."

That seems to be the green light for Coriolanus who's quick to lean down and finally capture her lips in a passionate, heated kiss to which Soarynn eagerly responds. Coriolanus is an excellent kisser and Soarynn's kissed him enough to feel confident in herself. Their first kiss had been rather adorable but she was a flustered mess afterward and Coriolanus teased her endlessly about it until she finally gathered up the courage to be the one to initiate the kisses they shared.

Still, Coriolanus is a man who thrives with control and is a dominant man so he's been the one to initiate their kisses for the most part. Soarynn doesn't mind it in the slightest, not when she's always been so pliant and submissive all things considered.

Her hands come to rest on his biceps and she finally feels how toned and strong Coriolanus is. He's mentioned his fitness regimen before but Soarynn's never been able to bear witness to his strength before. He feels as if he could rip her in half if he wanted to.

His hands travel down to her waist, squeezing it while he deepens the kiss and his tongue explores her mouth. Soarynn whimpers when he tugs on her bottom lip with his teeth and then lets out a squeal when he picks her up by her waist and tosses her further back onto the bed. Coriolanus is quick to follow her, sitting on his knees while he kisses her again, and this time Soarynn pops up on her knees as well.

He's still taller than her, but the height difference is less significant than if they were to both be standing. Coriolanus grabs the back of her head with one hand, his fingers tussling with her blonde hair, the hair that was so carefully styled for their wedding. It'll be a rat's nest by the end of the night.

Soarynn gathers up a bit of courage and rests her hands on his bare chest, feeling how warm his skin feels against her palms. Coriolanus groans into the kiss, clearly enjoying the physical contact. Over the past year, Soarynn has learned how much Coriolanus values physical touch. Just because it's frowned upon for high society couples to sleep with one another before their wedding doesn't mean Coriolanus has kept his hands to himself.

He's constantly attached to her one way or another, holding her hand, resting his hand on her lower back, and having her hold his arm, he's even held pinkies once which was rather adorable.

Coriolanus wedges his knee in between Soarynn's legs and she lets out a breathy moan when his knee brushes against her barely covered cunt. Coriolanus smirks into the kiss and takes a firm hold of her hair before pushing her down onto the bed. Soarynn is breathless as she stares up at the ceiling, utterly and entirely vexed at how quickly things are moving.

But Coriolanus is on top of her again, this time on his hands and knees as he presses kisses to her neck and chest. Soarynn lets out soft, breathy moans at each little kiss he presses to her soft skin. One of his hands pushes down the straps of her white, silky dress, exposing the bralette she's chosen to wear tonight. It's made entirely of intricate lace and has a white rose in the middle of her breasts.

Coriolanus fixes his stare on the rose for a moment before swallowing, and Soarynn feels quite proud of herself for choosing something her husband seems to be so fond of. He presses a kiss to her breast and Soarynn grows restless under him which he quickly fixes by pressing his knee up against her cunt once again, drawing out a desperate moan from Soarynn's lips.

Coriolanus sucks hard against her soft skin and Soarynn gasps at the foreign feeling. She's seen her friends littered with lovebites after their own wedding nights but she never knew if Coriolanus was the type of man to claim what's his. It appears that he is.

Her chest is littered in love bites in a matter of minutes and Coriolanus sits up on his knees to admire his work. Soarynn stares up at him, growing more and more desperate for his touch. Coriolanus reaches down and grabs her dress before tearing it right down the middle. Soarynn gasps as the cold air hits her bare skin, revealing the matching set of lingerie she wore under the dress.

Coriolanus throws whatever remains of her dress in some dark corner of the room before finally seeing Soarynn's body for the first time. She feels nervous about what he might think, that he might wish she were fuller in other places and more spare somewhere else but he seems quite taken with her. "You're a vision," he tells her, and Soarynn blushes, "Thank you."

He nods and withdraws his knee, grinning when Soarynn lets out a displeased sound from the loss of contact, "Eager are we?" He teases to which Soarynn rolls her eyes, "You're very sure of yourself." Coriolanus shrugs all while wearing that boyish grin on his face before he grabs a hold of both of her knees, "I'm very sure of myself because I'm an excellent lover in the bedroom," he corrects her as he pushes her legs apart, revealing her to him. Well, almost all of her.

Soarynn's breath hitches in her throat when he brings a finger to the panties she's elected to wear tonight and swipes over her covered cunt, the feeling sending shocks throughout her body. Coriolanus leans down and kisses her knee, then her thigh, slowly working his way down, all while maintaining eye contact with Soarynn who's beginning to wonder what she's gotten herself into.

But Coriolanus doesn't give her much time to think about it before he finally reaches the waistline of her lace panties. "These simply have to go, darling," he says almost in a disappointed way. Soarynn immediately hikes up her hips and he lets out a deep, throaty chuckle that goes straight to her core.

Coriolanus peels her panties off, unhooking them from her legs before throwing them somewhere in the room. Soarynn feels her legs shaking because there's nothing keeping her from his view anymore. Coriolanus blows air onto her cunt and Soarynn twitches from sensitivity, "You just might have the most perfect cunt I've ever seen," he groans, his fingers ghosting her folds.

Soarynn moans at his words and ruts her hips up, "Please," she says, not really knowing what she's asking him for. "You're soaked," Coriolanus says, his breath so close to her cunt, "can't wait for my cock to be inside of you hmm?" It's amazing to hear such vulgar words come from her husband's mouth, a man who's normally known for speaking so eloquently.

Soarynn ruts her hips again but this time Coriolanus wraps his arm around her waist, pressing her against the mattress, "Be patient darling," he chides, "a good girl waits to be given what she deserves." Those words strike a nerve within Soarynn because she so desperately wants to be good for him, to be a good wife and partner.

When the tongue of Coriolanus Snow finally licks a strip over her cunt, Soarynn nearly screams. The feeling is so overwhelming and he's a talented man with an even more talented mouth. Soarynn is inconsolable as he laps at her cunt, his tongue slightly delving into her entrance before pinpointing her clit.

Soarynn moans at the feeling, attempting to grind against his mouth but still being pinned down by his arm. Her hands grasp at the bedsheets and she feels herself growing closer and closer to what must be her peak. "Oh, oh, oh please," she moans, her right hand reaching down to grab her husband's blonde curls. Coriolanus groans when she tugs on them but it sounds like he enjoys her hands on him and she's in no position to stop unless he does.

Just as she's about to hit her peak, he pulls away. Soarynn lets out a frustrated groan and her legs immediately shut when Coriolanus sits back up. She feels sensitive all over and wonders how women do this on a daily basis. When she looks up at Coriolanus she can see him wearing a cocky expression, clearly proud of himself. She can also see the evident bulge growing through his pants and her throat dries at the sight.

"I'll show you how to return the favor another time," he says, his hands undoing his belt buckle. All Soarynn can do is nod because she doesn't quite trust herself to speak right now. It's an ungodly sight to see Coriolanus only in his underwear, a clear imprint of his cock now visible and he looks like he's on the bigger side.

The nerves kick back in as Soarynn is reminded of what is about to take place in a few minutes. Coriolanus pulls his boxers down and Soarynn visibly pales at the girth and length of his cock, the tip red and a bit of precum already visible.

He's going to tear her apart.

Any reassurances he gave her have flown out the window now because how on earth is that going to fit without being the most painful thing she's ever experienced?

Coriolanus takes notice of her distressed state and takes her hand in his, giving it a squeeze, "Don't be scared, I promise I'll go slowly, you'll get used to it after a few minutes."

It's made quite clear to her at that moment that he has every intention of still going through with the deed, even if it's at her own expense. The marriage must be consummated, no arguments there. And children are expected to come from the two of them sooner than later and Soarynn has a feeling that Coriolanus wants them as soon as possible.

But despite her underlying fears, Soarynn nods, "Okay."

Coriolanus positions himself over her, his arms caging her in as he lines himself up at her entrance. At least she's somewhat prepared, Soarynn can't imagine having sex while being dry as a bone down there. She didn't even try to get wet, it just happened. Coriolanus seems to have that effect on her.

There had been a handful of times when Soarynn attempted to make herself feel good by using her own fingers but she found it to be unsatisfying and after a while, boring. But Coriolanus is so different and now he's about to take her virginity, something she's guarded for so long, unbeknownst to her, for him.

"Try to hold still," he mumbles while slowly pushing into her. Soarynn grits her teeth at the uncomfortably stretch she feels. Coriolanus is big in girth but he keeps to his word and goes slowly, watching her reactions. There's a slight burn that Soarynn is sure she'll experience every single time they have sex. At one point she closes her eyes, unable to look into her husband's piercing gaze. She hopes she's not being too demanding or needy, she wants to be good for him.

Soarynn gasps when she feels him finally bottom out, the tip of his cock presses against a very sensitive spot inside of her, and her legs spasm. Coriolanus leans his forehead against her own and lets out a deep, strained breath, "Fuck you feel so good Soarynn." Soarynn nods but doesn't say anything, she wouldn't even know what to say.

Coriolanus stays there for a moment, letting her get used to the feeling before he slowly withdraws his hips from hers before thrusting back in. Soarynn moans at the new feeling, of her walls wrapping around him and how good it feels when he thrusts back into her.

She finally opens her eyes when he picks up the pace and is faced with a very attractive-looking Coriolanus Snow who seems to be focused on keeping his thrusts steady yet powerful. She can feel the pain ebbing away slowly but surely, the pleasure finally taking over.

Soarynn has been subjected to several detailed recollections of her friends losing their virginities since being married so you’d think that she would have an idea of what to expect and yet it’s entirely new and overwhelming to her.

Once the pleasure finally kicks in Soarynn finally understands why people obsess over sex the way they do. It feels amazing. He feels amazing.

“Oh,” she means, arching her back. Coriolanus looks down at her and flashes her a smile, “Feeling better now are we?” He continues to thrust deep inside of her and Soarynn curls her toes in response, “Yes,” she pants. She brings her hands up to his bare, broad shoulders so that she has something to hold onto and Coriolanus seems to take that as a challenge to take her harder than before.

One thing she’s learned about Coriolanus is that he can be very competitive when he wants to be. And apparently, that bleeds into their sex life as well.

Soarynn can feel herself reaching her peak once again but this time it’s stronger and better as if his mouth is truly no competition for his cock. “Fuck,” he grunts, placing one hand on her lower abdomen. It scrambles Soarynn’s brain when he does that and she lets out a whine, “Please, please,” she begs, her eyes becoming glassy.

Coriolanus goes harder and faster once she starts begging and it’s all too much for Soarynn who finally reaches her first orgasm. Her eyes roll back and she sees stars as her entire body nearly convulses from pleasure. Her perfectly manicured nails dig into his porcelain skin and her mouth is left wide open in a silent scream.

Coriolanus follows right behind her with his own orgasm, swearing under his breath as he finishes inside of her for the first time. Soarynn whimpers at the feeling, at his cum coating her walls, truly claiming her as his now.

Coriolanus takes a moment to calm down, resting on his forearms as he catches his breath. There’s sweat on his brow but he still looks handsome. “Are you alright?” He finally asks, brushing a stray hair from Soarynn’s face. She gives him a tired smile and nods, “Quite. That was…that was much better than what I could have ever imagined.”

Coriolanus laughs and presses a soft kiss to her forehead, a sweet gesture that Soarynn is rarely given but she cherishes all the same. “I’m sure with time, you’ll discover things you like and things you don’t like,” he tells her, his hand traveling down her abdomen, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake.

Soarynn simply hums and lets him slowly pull out. It almost feels strange to be empty once again but Coriolanus looks mighty proud of himself as he looks down at the mess he’s made between her legs. Soarynn gasps when he swipes a finger up her cunt and it comes away sticky with a red-looking substance. She sits up on her elbows to see a small red stain on the once-white sheets as well.

Her blood. Well, looks like she’s not a virgin anymore.

Coriolanus gives her a rather sultry look, “Looks like you’re truly mine now darling.”

꧁ ꧂

꧁ Present Time ꧂

“Here we are, Mrs. Snow. Would you like me to wait?”

The driver’s words pull Soarynn away from her reminiscent moment and she nods, giving the driver a kind smile, “Yes, please. I won’t be long.”

If Coriolanus is as busy as she thinks he is, she’ll be in and out. Even though she wishes she could stay longer, be around him longer. It’s rather hard to get to know your husband if you only see him when he gets home from work.

But Soarynn pushes those negative thoughts away and opens the car door, stepping out onto the Capitol street in front of the large office building her husband works inside. A slight wave of dizziness hits her and she steadies herself against the car.

She’s been feeling a bit lightheaded for the past few days but she’s shrugged it off for the most part. She probably just needs to get some more sleep. But as she walks into the prominent office building and spots a front desk worker sporting a rather large pregnant stomach, it dawns on her that she might be pregnant.

Certainly, it couldn’t be. But maybe it could be. They certainly haven’t been having unprotected sex for the lack of trying to get pregnant and Soarynn knows that Coriolanus longs for children someday.

Pregnancy aside, Soarynn is here for one thing and one thing only. Her husband. She prepares herself for his closed-off demeanor while riding up in the elevator. She knows it’s nothing personal, that he’s not doing it to hurt her. That's simply how Coriolanus is.

Cold and calculated.

| Part 3. |

| tumblr oneshot/drabble |

[genericpuff]

Wait wait wait, former LO reader here that's just been hearing about it through sources like you up until now—you're telling me that Kassandra conveniently giving the prophecy when she did (where Psyche and Eros could eavesdrop) was not, in fact, established as a repeat of a previously given one that still hadn't changed yet, which is what I assumed Apollo had to be verifying?

There are FOUR episodes featuring Kassandra.

Episode 226:

She's first established here and it's purely as a cliffhanger. Psyche steals a pen drive (and again, by "steals" I mean she picks up the pen drive that's been conveniently left on the ground behind Apollo) and she breaks into it with Hephaestus' help and finds the photo.

Episode 227:

For some reason, despite Hephaestus being able to delete Apollo's photos on HIS PHONE through PERSEPHONE'S SIM CARD, he can't track down Apollo's digital footprint or this mortal woman.

(I wanna mention btw how ironic and kinda sad it is that Rachel's trying to sound smart with this as if it's "impossible" for Hephaestus to track Apollo's digital footprint, when there are literally entire accounts that have managed to backup and preserve her old art that was posted across multiple alt accounts and aliases over the past 20 years. IDK that's just a place where my mind went with that lol)

Episode 252 (SEVEN MONTHS OF REAL LIFE TIME LATER):

(another anon mentioned how jank this pose is and yes, it's jank lol)

This meeting is very brief where she lore dumps her backstory of having prophecies no one believes, and yet despite this, Apollo believes her prophecy and immediately finds the plant that was just CONVENIENTLY blooming during the time frame that he learned of it. And yes, this is presumably the first time he's heard of this "prophecy".

"These things take time" and yet the time it took for Kassandra to conjure up this prophecy for him CONVENIENTLY lined up with when it needed to happen.

Episode 253:

She recounts this "prophecy" to Eros and Psyche (which isn't even really a prophecy, most of what she recounts is history and the "prophecy" is literally just the blooming cycle of a poisonous plant lmao it doesn't connect very well to the same "prophecy" that Ouranos recounts to Apollo later on in this same episode)

And then during that time, Apollo has already made the cupcake that goes on to poison Zeus before Eros and Psyche can get to them in time.

Now, one thing I want to mention that's really silly when it comes to the whole "convenience" thing. Not only did Apollo find out about this plant within the 12 hour window it was blooming, BUT Psyche happened to find the pen drive with Kassandra's information on it around the same time because she immediately goes to Eros and they proceed to track down Apollo and Kassandra. Psyche became a goddess ten years ago, but she CONVENIENTLY finds this pen drive (again, sitting on the ground behind Apollo) just days before this convenient 12 hour time window prophecy thing. And we know it's only a day or two at most because if you lay out the timeline of season 3, it literally takes place over the course of like, a week. Rachel literally hasn't learned a thing about pacing or planning out story events in the 5 years she's been working on this comic.

It's a big hot mess and this is why planning out your story is important.

[a-libra-writes]

I saw your Lackadaisy headcanons and I couldn't be happier cause this fandom needs more love. Can you do one for Mordecai with a female reader who's love language is acts of services and physical touch. Like, she has almost no sense of personal space (she really doesn't mean to make him uncomfortable) and if absolutely FLUSTERS poor Mordecai especially when he becomes aware of his feelings after a SLOW burn built up. Thank you so much for the awesome work and keep it up ❤️

Ayo so I actually got like 2 other messages about a Pt.2 to the first Mordecai headcanons, so Im adding this onto that! Again for some reason this murdercat got away from me so its a long boy. I attempted to keep it organized ,, , ,

First order of business, Mitzi ships it.

Back when Atlas bought her that nifty camera, she didn't just take embarrassing photos of Mordecai. She got some pretty cute candid shots of you around the bar, and a kinda-blurry-but-not-too-bad photo of you and Mordecai outside the big cafe window, talking to each other and not aware you were being photographed. It's pretty artsy, if she says so herself. She tucks the photos in Mordecai's desk and directly hands you the silly ones she took of him.

Actually, she clocked your feelings early on, but figured he wasn't interested. Didn't seem like the kind of guy, which is a shame. You're a sweetie. She hadn't seen you both act any different for a long time, so maybe that crush fizzled out? But if you ever bring it up with Mitzi, she's your #1 support. She's gonna set you up nice and give you all sorts of tips that just ... fall flat. Jeez, she knew Mordecai was unapproachable, but is it really going to take this long ...?

Viktor also figured your feelings out (albeit later), but that ain't his business. You had odd taste, though. He thinks it's pretty funny when other people flirt with you and Mordecai's suddenly in a foul mood and doesn't understand why. At least you two aren't hanky panky or anything, eugh, and you keep your heads during firefights. Anytime Viktor tries to bring up the topic (which, granted, is like a grand total of three times), he's so round about and non-direct that you have no idea what he's getting at. Oh well.

(If the idea of you two being a couple is brought up with anyone else, they can scarcely believe it. You? With him? Good luck. Only Atlas seems to see it, though his employee's love lives aren't relevant unless it gets in the way of business.)

Actually, if you're a more exuberant and affectionate type, that just makes people question your taste in him even more. The first few interactions didn't go great - you touched him without thinking, like you do most people, and he flinched so hard it's like you hurt him. Second time he hissed. Right, you got the picture. You became more mindful and considerate of his personal space, that plus an apology goes a long way.

Once you both are more familiar and have more trust, you can put a hand on Mordecai's shoulder or back without him reacting much. You can even squeeze his shoulder if you're trying to be reassuring, or silently warning him. Sometimes you just say "Hey, I'm gonna touch you," and you fix his coat or check a bruise. He lets you get away with more than others because you ask first.

(Sometimes he feels bad for it - you'll rush to hug your friends and you're so happy in their embrace, then you bound over to him and clearly restrain yourself as you touch his arm.)

Eventually you ask for hugs - quick ones! Special occassions only! But sometimes you're obviously distressed so he just. Lets it happen, briefly. If this is before admitting any feelings to each other or even himself, it's brief. If this is many years into this weird sort-of-understanding-relationship thing you both have, he'll quietly hold you while you get your emotions out. It's the least he can do, it really is. Mordecai already feels like he isn't deserving of whatever this is, and moreso if you're clearly someone who needs and wants physical attention and comfort.

But he does try, in his way. He'll reach over and take your hand. He gets used to sitting shoulder to shoulder, your tails brushing each other, or letting you lean on him when you're both exhausted. He actually likes it quite a bit when you slightly lean as you read and he does paperwork. It's nice to have that solid warmth, and comfortable quiet.

Mordecai lives in the main building above the cafe, long after he could afford an apartment. More economical and practical, he reasons. If Atlas needs something, he's right there. When you begin inviting him to dinner at your place, very slowly, he starts lingering afterward. Mordecai tries to make it like it's because it's easier to do numbers there - better lighting, your place is quieter, and so on. Nevermind the warm dinner and the nice fire in the fireplace and some low music on the radio and you reading something while his pencil scratches the paper. It ... really brings up some old thoughts and memories.

You've gotten bits and pieces of his family history during these times, usually after you've shared some of his own first. Clearly he doesn't like talking about it. You don't push it. You just listen to what he volunteers, and thank him for listening to you in kind.

Note, he always goes home, no matter how late it is. You feel like it's one of those lines that'll be tough to cross. Hell, just inviting him over was tough at first. He walked into your living space just fine in the day, when he was waiting to pick you up for a job. There'd be some comments on the dust or some examining of your plants, but nothing odd. When he comes by for dinner, he's initially tense until he settles in, and eventually he's quite at ease. Over the years he brought several plants in because he always heard you're supposed to bring flowers for the host, but flowers die quickly, and besides this variety of ivy is different because --

(You end up with a tidy windowsill of houseplants, and start having to put some on your counters. Mordecai gets flustered and suggests maybe you should get rid of some, and you reply you absolutely won't. When he waits for you to get ready, he checks their water and pulls some dead leaves. Might as well, right?)

As expected, kissing and intimate touches will be slow-going. You start simple: a quick good-bye kiss on the cheek when he leaves your apartment in the evening. The first time, Mordecai's hairs stand on end and his tail poofs up but! He assures you it was fine. He's fine. When the bar's empty and he's heading out, you give a quick 'good luck' kiss before hurrying off. You initiate all of them until one day when you'te both walking to the car, covered in (someone else's) blood and debating something silly, and once there's a lull in the conversation he just. Leans over and kisses you. It's only lasts a few seconds, then he just pulls away, fixes his glasses and trips walks to the car.

You're a bit dazed the rest of the drive and he's just a mess of nerves.

After that you can give him kisses now and again, but he gets flustered easily and it’s definitely a private matter. It's only around Viktor that you can touch and fuss over Mordecai, but that only leads to the old man snorting and the two of them starting to argue. Viktor's pretty damn surprised you're both that close, though. How long has it been that way?

Oh, and then there's drunk Mordecai. Oh boy.

This has only happened like, two times, because he does not drink. Period, the end, close curtain. He knows how he gets and he hates it. It doesn't take much of whatever questionable piss whiskey to get him swaying and seeing double. He'll flop on your shoulder and ramble about you're so wonderful and he's really not sure why you like him, also could you stop moving the room, oh and he's killed a man for you, but nevermind that you're such a darling person --

He's so sloshed. The novelty starts to wear off when he's falling over and you're having to get him home because apparently Viktor did it last time. At least Mordecai's a bean pole. If he's drunk in your apartment, thank god, you can just pull him over to your room so he can sleep it off. He's still going on about who-knows-what while you take off his shoes and coat. What's this about murdering who for you? Whatever, he's probably confused. Probably.

(You sleep on the couch and at 7am sharp you're awakened by a loud THUNK and panicked shouting as he still-drunkedly tries to orient himself and figure out where the hell he is. Hes so humiliated by everything he just avoids you for several days.)

Oh, last thing.

Mordecai will kill someone for you. Period. No questions asked. Viktor would too, yes, but after explaining and questioning and he'd go with you and hide the body. Mordecai just does it. Abusive partner, debt collector, a rival gang member tailing you, whoever - they're done for. He doesn't bring it up until you ask questions.

[princesssarisa]

Autism headcanon: Mimì (La Bohème)

*Mimì lives alone at the beginning and is content to live alone until she finds love. She doesn't seem to have any friends outside of Rodolfo's circle; on her deathbed, her happy murmurs of "all here, all here" creates the sense that the five people present are all the friends she has in the world. Yet she doesn't seem to mind. She devotes herself to her simple daily routine and her few, simple special interests – her sewing, flowers, praying – and is happy this way.

*She's quiet and reserved compared to the other main characters, and in her first meeting with Rodolfo, she seems shy. As he declares his love for her, she doesn't make it clear to him that she returns his feelings right away. Though she sings of her love so we can hear, it's written as an expression of her private thoughts, not spoken out loud in-universe; then she pulls away when Rodolfo tries to kiss her, says she wants to say something but "doesn't dare," then timidly asks to come to the café with Rodolfo, and only then coyly admits her love. (Although it depends on the singer whether she seems to be truly shy or just gently playing hard to get – after all, no sooner has Rodolfo agreed to take her out, than she playfully implies that they'll have sex when they come back.)

*That said, she's not particularly cautious or socially "savvy." Despite the brief shyness mentioned above, she throws herself headlong into a love affair with Rodolfo just fifteen minutes after they first meet, with implied consummation the very same night, and then moves into his apartment. If she had been slightly less naïve, she might have taken more time to get to know him first.

*She has deep feelings about the most commonplace things and finds meaning in them that other people don't. The artificial flowers she sews aren't just a source of money to her, but "speak of love, of spring... of dreams and fancies." And the first sunlight of April shining through her window is an experience she sings of with almost religious passion.

*She doesn't often go to church, but she does often pray to God. Many of us on the spectrum don't care much for organized religion, but invest deeply in own private spirituality.

*While she's a nice girl, she sometimes acts on her instincts in ways that aren't necessarily "polite." In Act II, when Rodolfo has only just bought a beautiful new bonnet for her, she openly admires a coral necklace that he can't afford. A girl with better social skills might have considered that this could seem greedy or ungracious. Ditto for her "observing a group of students" a short time later: Rodolfo might be too jealous, but should she really be eyeing other men during their first date? (Although the moment can be played as anything from "just smiling politely as the students flirt with her," to "happily accepting kisses from a young man who's evidently a former lover of hers," depending on the staging.)

*She's very earnest and takes love seriously. As Musetta seduces the resistant Marcello in Act II, while the other characters (and the audience) all find the scene funny, to Mimì it's sad: Musetta is madly in love with Marcello, yet he refuses to forgive her for having left him. For a viewer on the spectrum, it's easy to relate both to the inordinate seriousness with which she takes others' relationship games and how out-of-step her reaction is with everyone else's.

*Her responses to sensory stimuli are strong. She hates to be cold and loves warmth: she sings worshipfully of the sun as a source of comfort, and her dying words are to express feeble bliss at the warmth on her hands of the muff Musetta gives her. She also loves sweet smells, especially of flowers, and in Act III she can't bear to go into a crowded, strong-smelling space when she's already in emotional turmoil: when Rodolfo urges her to come into the tavern, she exclaims "No, that stench will suffocate me!"

*She's very emotionally sensitive and wears her heart on her sleeve. Nor can she control her emotions very well. When she finally realizes she's dying in Act III, even though she's hiding at the time, she can't process her horror and grief quietly, but breaks down in "violent sobs," which causes Rodolfo and Marcello to discover her presence.

*In Act III, she tells Marcello that Rodolfo goes into jealous rages over the most innocent, meaningless words or gestures she exchanges with other men. While of course Rodolfo's behavior has other motives that she doesn't know, many of us on the autism spectrum relate too well to being misunderstood, to saying or doing the wrong things at the wrong times without realizing it, and to accidentally making people angry with words or gestures that we thought were innocent and unoffensive. Whether we're accused of flirting when we were just trying to be polite, or of being "snippy" or "aggressive" when we thought our tone was neutral, it happens too often.

*She can't bear conflict or rejection. She's agonized and broken by Rodolfo's jealous rages and by his leaving her, to the point that it seems to make her illness worse. Of course any girl in love would be heartbroken, but the sheer raw anguish in her music in Act III speaks especially strongly to those of us with rejection sensitive dysphoria. So does her fear of how Rodolfo will react if he sees that she followed him to the tavern after he left, which drives her to hide when he comes out. (Flawed though Rodolfo is, he probably wouldn't do anything to make Mimì rightfully afraid of him... at least I hope not... but her sensitivity makes her panic at the mere thought of him being angry with her again.) Yet even as she sadly accepts their breakup as necessary, she wants it to be gentle and free from bitterness. Her longing for gentleness, tenderness, and kindness sets her apart from the rowdiness, hot blood, and volatile on-and-off love affairs of bohemian culture. As much as Rodolfo and his friends adore her, she never quite fits in with them.

Now of course in the 19th century, no one would have viewed Mimì this way. As with her fellow consumptive grisette Fantine from Les Misérables, many of these traits can be explained by the fact that she's a poor, uneducated girl with no family, and even more by the fact that she's sick. As @faintingheroine and I have discussed in the past, it's not uncommon for consumptive or otherwise sickly 19th century characters to show traits that read as vaguely autistic by modern standards. But neurodivergent people have always existed, long before there were terms for them, and I personally identify with Mimì for reasons that I know relate to my neurodivergent mind.

[karingu]

giving proper thought to the timeskip in inuyasha (part 2/2)

In Part 1, I wrote about what Kagome must've gone through during the three years she and Inuyasha were apart, and why it might've had to take three years for the Well to open up for Kagome.

I emphasized a lot in Part 1 and emphasize again, three years is a loooong time that the story just sorta breezed through... so I wanna slow it down. How were things going for Inuyasha? In this part, I want to give attention to his actions and specifically the things he says (comparing English/Japanese) after the timeskip, which showed me how much his ability to love Kagome had evolved.

part 1: kagome part 2: inuyasha

+

First, to get this out of the way, I'm really touched that his feelings for Kagome never wavered. Maybe it's sort of "obvious," but it was still such a pleasant thing to see how much she's on his mind, even when she's not there.

Thanks to Shippo being an endearing lil' shit, the most important thing we learn is how Inuyasha goes into the well every three days. Even Kaede is like "wow, this guy" (and feels really sorry for him bc she suspects Kagome cannot come back).

You know how they say (in the US) you can deduce a lot about a person based on what they do with the shopping cart? It's like one of those things.

Basically, how do you act when (you think) no one is watching?

Anyways, you can tell Kagome's absence is really hard on him.

In the timeskip panels/brief scenes in the Sengoku era, I noticed that Inuyasha seems a bit down. He's not depressed, but his voice/face is just not as energetic, sort of low mood-ish. His body is here but his mind is somewhere else. He has a couple panels/frames where he's just looking at the sky.

But what he said to Kaede really stood out to me.

When he found Kagome's family weeping for her when he saw her home, in the official Eng translation he says: "I realized I wasn't the only one who treasured her." In the Japanese anime/manga, the nuance is closer to "I realized it's not just me who thinks Kagome is precious," or "It's not just me who holds Kagome dearly." (Those are my own translations)

(One thing to note, the English manga said he says, "It was meant to be," but he doesn't say that in Japanese.)

This is SO!!! special for me to hear/read because it shows me Inuyasha has acquired the healthiest form of the "love" skill.

Congratulations, young grasshopper.

No matter how much he loves Kagome, Kagome is also just as loved by her family. By recognizing that and acknowledging his place, he shows that he loves Kagome for all that she is, beyond the scope of just their relationship with each other. He is acknowledging that Kagome has a life without him, and to love her means to accept it, even if it comes at a cost detrimental to him.

To love someone is to let them go.

This is a stark contrast to the beginning, where he's literally throwing trees, boulders and tantrums over Kagome going home. This time, he had no choice, but he is calm and resigned since the start.

So, he goes about his days. That's all he can do. He has this awesome sword that can literally cut a portal to the Netherworld, yet no power to go to the other side of the well, where he wants to be. All he can do is hope that one day, Kagome will come for him, just like how he came for her all those times before.

Trust in tomorrow. (“Tomorrow” or 「明日」 is the name of the chapter/episode.)

He appears semi-resigned to his fate, but it is implied he never lost that hope. One, because he always goes to the well. And two, his nose is always looking out for her scent. When she does return, the second his nose twitches by the scent of her, he drops EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE, B*TCH, KAGOME IS BACK, MAKES A BEELINE TO THE WELL, and oh man, when I saw this page, I almost gasped at his face, which I don't think the anime did justice:

Eyes are the window to the soul, people. And iono. Those eyes said LOVE to me in a way no words can. TAKAHASHI KNEW THIS PAGE WAS IMPORTANT. He is practically kissing her with those damn eyes.

What he said after this is also pretty sweet. In the English manga he says to her: "You fool… what took you so long?" I think that’s a clever interpretation, bc it implies he’s trying to play off how long he waited, which is on brand lol. He might've had doubts that she could come back, but he's pretending he didn't doubt (bc he's a Cool Guy).

I have a soft spot for what he said in Japanese in anime/manga tho:

「バカ野郎…今までなにしてたんだ。」 -> "You fool... what've you been doing 'til now?"

HAHA. (Um, finishing her education, you dumdum.)

Even after three years, he's not saying "I thought you'd never come back," or something along those lines. He just sort of ~whines~ in his gruff manly man way.

The nuance comes across to me like, "What have you been doooingg, Kagome?? :(( I missed you."

Aw shucks just get a room you two.

(And then they did. And then they had Moroha eeeeeee!!!)

-> To read my Part 1 about Kagome, click here!

[aurum-rays]

Meeta is the only reason why I go back to watching Hasee Toh Phasee, even though it has some problematic elements. Meeta and the music of the film, to be precise, but more particularly Zehnaseeb and Ishq Bulava, but that's another post.

Meeta, played by Parineeti Chopra, is shown as an intelligent girl right from childhood, along with Nikhil, played by Siddharth Malhotra. When the film opens with both our protagonists’ childhood counterparts, it's very interesting to see a young Meeta closing the door while a young Nikhil tries to open a closed door. While he does this to watch his favorite film, Agneepath, 14 years later Nikhil breaks out of his room by unscrewing the room’s windows to attend a wedding where he meets Meeta hanging by a barbed wire fence, trying to run away.

After their brief conversation, we understand that both of them have similar ideas and are alike, which we already established from the opening scene. As they say their goodbyes, Meeta asks Nikhil, whom she just met, to come to Goa with her. He doesn't, unfortunately. (He later in the film realizes how big of a mistake it was.) But this post is not about the “swooning” chemistry Nikhil and Meeta had. This post is only about Meeta as a character and how much we need more of her in the movies.

First, let me put aside a few things by saying that I absolutely despised the bade pappa who loves slapping Meeta, and the rest of her family who are at any given time passing sexist comments on the sisters. They always want their girls to wear “dhang k kapde.” Meeta’s dad is the only one who has encouraged her smarts since childhood, and I am glad that he finally takes her side during the climax. I also hated that Meeta takes all the pills at the airport (which she later pukes), which made her look like she has forgotten her goal, her lab, her colleagues, working on the project, everything basically everything she went through, all the family trauma, and the reason she came home for. It just felt extremely out of character for her. Yes, she's in love with a guy who is going to get married to her sister. I get it! But that one scene just felt… I mean… She did her PhD on her own, started her lab, her thesis and her project all without any support from family and her forgetting all of that instantly just felt out of place. But then again, “the things love makes you do,” I guess.

Now that all that's out of the way, here's why I loved watching Meeta.

Meeta is a scientist. She casually starts explaining physics concepts during conversations (the hiccup scene). She comes from a science background and all her bits and her dialogues are just straight-up facts. She's extremely intelligent and a little bit quirky and does weird stuff sometimes, although most of it is due to her medicines. But I don't blame her for it. If I had a family who constantly called me crazy, disowned me, abused me, and behaved like I didn't exist, I would be popping some pills too. The scene with her singing “Ek garam chai ki pyali ho” or even the confusion that ensues with the twin relatives at the bazaar is a laugh riot.

Meeta deserved better treatment from everyone in her family. But just Meeta as a character deserved better.

I cannot remember any other female character in Indian cinema that was showcased as a highly intellectual, nerdy protagonist. Even though Hasee Toh Phasee isn't a Meeta-centric movie (it should've been) and doesn't talk sensitively about Meeta’s conditions (most of her behavior from the meds is shown comedically), this was the only film where I was rooting for the female lead and wanted to put up Meeta’s poster in my room. I mean, where in movies do we have a female scientist protagonist, and that to a rom-com?

Even after being raised in an extremely orthodox family, she dares to dream, and with her dad’s support, she fulfills her dreams and makes a crazy invention. She knows what she wants, and she goes to extremes to fulfill her goals. The only unfortunate part of her life is her unsupportive, misogynist family who will spend money on lavish weddings but won't fund their daughter's educational needs. This is why Meeta runs away with the money.

As a physics nerd, I would've loved to see more about Meeta’s life in China, her friends, her colleagues, and her work, Or just her growing years as a science enthusiast that made her a scientist. Because Meeta, for me, felt like “finally a nerdy female character who is not shown as one of the bros or an introverted thick-rimmed glass-wearing geek or even a stereotypical tomboy.” Meeta, in my books, will always remain a superhero scientist, creator of the perpetual motion machine polymer ball whose story still needs to be told.

Meeta is not a manic pixie dream girl who's here to save the male protagonist from his depressed life and show him the “world through a different lens,” nor is she a damsel in distress who needs saving. She's here for herself. She comes home from China for her lab, her project, and her passion. Meeta is an extremely intelligent, career-driven woman who also knows that “Do half mein ek full se zyada milta hai”! 😉

[superconductivebean]

#1215: uhhhh, julia-related

just after i yapped about my hogwarts inquiries project i had self-combusted into Strong Feelz about a scene that happens after the high keep mainquest (sharp was Very Not Happy about what julia and natty did for the exactly the same reasons matilda wouldn't be)

ok so that project is pivotal to the julia's story development because what essentially im doing is drawing the timeline of the canon events. i was only able to plot until the end of october. that second trial's date falls on oct 31st isnt really important here but events prior absolutely do

so far i was able to guess aka establish to myself that the excursion to Feldcroft occurs on oct 25th, 1890. it's saturday and it was this day's evening.

after mc and sebastian were teleported back to undercoft, it would be around dinner of the oct 25th, and at the same night they had astronomy class (so the High Keep quest takes place on the oct 26th).

for whatever reason, sebastian doesn't attend the class, and so doesn't natty.

tags for the delulu gang: @myokk @espressoristretto-patronum @theladyofshalott1989 @thriftstorebabayaga @catohphm @infernalrusalka

i suspect sebastian got his arse kicked given he's absolutely useless during the loyalist fight at the ruins of isidora's home. so he decided to skip the class (to then have ominis an earful about ancient magic thus pestering him about the scriptorium i suppose; remember: sebastian thinks of ancient magic —of an innate ability— as of an archaic form of wielding magic, not as of its own thing like being a seer or talking to snakes or being able to naturally morph like tonks).

but natty also doesnt attend the class. natty was sneaking away from hogwarts to get to the falbarton castle in time.

suffice it to say, by entering the class, mc was up since the morning (and on their way to feldcroft, raced imelda! if to add to this day's events another one), perhaps had lunch on the way to feldcroft, but then was out and about until midnight and likely skipped dinner.

then, professor shah urged everyone to go stargazing outside the class, in the surrounding wilderness.

which means outings aren't prohibited at night but may be limited.*

the student's right can be revoked by the headmistress, matilda weasley, if she suspects they'd get themselves in danger. it nearly happened —or happened, i forgot ;-; — to adelaide oaks when she expressed the concern about her uncle who's gone missing lately and wanted to search for him, alone. perhaps this is why both natty and fig advise mc not to tell a soul about what they're up to. or matilda will be like, uh huh huh

after the brief and permitted and absolutely encouraged stroll with amit ends, mc hurries to the falbarton castle hungry, tired and perhaps, very sleepy.

mc doesnt get to sleep the rest of the night though, as they and natty escaped harlow and returned to hogwarts by morn. crucial thing to note here: end of october means longer nights. when mc and natty are back, it wouldn't be around 4 or 5am. it will be around 7. hence natty noted people could see them through the windows; hogwarts would have had first breakfast goers by that time i think?

then, mc has fig to visit and sebastian's beef with ominis to sort out. sleep-deprived and unhinged, mc goes into scriptorium and gets arse roasted by crucio as if they weren't hit and tired enough the previous day lmao poor mc learns magic the most agonising of ways (and gets called Learning-The-Bare-Minimum by sharp anyway LMAO but honestly that man was able to swing the troll with an one hit too so He Has The Authority in this and his sharp criticism is rather warranted and im not sorry for that pun)

anyway, thought id share

[greentrickster]

I really love your Ace Attorney and TSP AU!! My two favorite games mashed into silly gayness? Yes please!! But I would like to know though: what does the Narrator think of Knife Grass? Like the kind where the blades are super sharp and can straight up cut your hand open?

Thanks, I'm glad you've enjoyed it! ^U^ As for the Narrator and Knife Grass... hmmmm...

...

(goes to look up a few things on Google)

(returns, with basic Sword Grass knowledge (like super basic (so basic))

Okay, so! According to Wikipedia, the Southwestern section of the United States currently doesn't have any species of sword grass growing there (the Southeastern USA? Not so lucky, some idiot imported some and it has Spread). Since we're playing with Japanafornia rules in this setting, that means the Narrator has no reason to encounter it or learn about it during the brief time he's in this setting.

Given that he's decided he likes grass, has way more time, and seems to have internet access, I'll say he does learn about it once he's back in the Parable, however, while he's doing research to make his own types. He is, in a word, horrified. Grass is supposed to be- to be soft and nice and friendly. It's the kind of plant you can rely on! Sure, it might stain your trousers if you treat it too roughly, but you can trust it with your secrets! A type of grass that causes structural damage is just- just unkind design! And it's flammable?! Why is it flammable?!? Oh, to encourage wildfires and kill off competing species? What kind of sick, twisted mind designed this plant-?!?

Stanley gets to listen to this for hours. He decides to go and hang out in the Broom Closet for awhile, and for once the Narrator isn't even annoyed. "I begin to see why you've always been so drawn to that room, Stanley, it's a safe place, a place one can trust will not be full of some evil plant trying to pass itself off as grass! Oh but we know better, don't we-!!!"

He has a nap with a bucket. It's great. The Narrator continues to have his tantrum of indignation for an indefinite amount of time, finally decides He Can Do It Better, and opens the draft for what will be the first of his eventual 33,000 different types of grass. All of which are wonderful and decadently tactile and the sorts of plants you could trust with both your wallet and the password for your favorite MMORPG account. This is grass, not as it is, but as it should be.

Side note, there's a greenhouse in the office after this, steadily filling with little pots of the different types of grass the Narrator's developing. The greenhouse has been added so he can get Stanley's opinion on them, which he doesn't care about (honest) but it's the only one he's got, so!

Stanley likes the greenhouse. The weather outside is always damp and misty, and you get the sense looking through the windows that it's just cool enough out for it to be nicer to enjoy the plants in here rather than outside. Not to mention, this particular room doesn't reset between runs, as that would be counter-intuitive for what the Narrator's trying to do with it, which is novel and exciting. Stanley does quite a few runs that just involve rearranging the pots of grass and going back to find them as he left them the next run. It may not be quite as good as the Button Room, but this is an enrichment activity Stanley can get behind! A choice he can make that stays chosen! Wow!

It's not at all gratifying to see, or satisfying, or endearing, or encouraging, or any other positive word ending with ing. The Narrator is not human, he has no emotions, so there.

Stanley: (signing at the ceiling) Unreliable Narrator.

Narrator: >:O

Thanks for the ask!

[juuheizou]

could you give me aaall your headcanons about juuzou sleeping/sleeping habits/sleeping schedules throughout his life pleeease?🩷🩷🩷

I've got you, friend! Before you hit "read more," know that I really gave you all of them. You have been warned.

First things first, I think Suzuya oversleeps and runs late in canon because he is a natural night owl. Were it up to him, he would stay up all night and sleep into the afternoon, and the schedule of shift work and meetings and that more structured part of his job is hard for him for that reason. He is also often jetlagged at those structured daytime functions because he had to drag himself out of bed at the time his body wants to sleep, even if he did manage to get enough sleep beforehand.

Assuming you mean throughout his life when you say throughout his life, I headcanon that he was in the adoption system before Big Madam, in a time and place where orphanages are much more common than foster care. So that early on in his life, though he was too young to remember, he had absolutely zero control of when he woke up and went to sleep. That said, it may have planted the seeds of sneakiness and ignoring rules in him, having to wake up only when the overworked childcare staff at an institution said so and sleep when they turned out the lights. Not to mention all the other ways said staff ran his life at that time.

Big Madam wasn't that different as far as him having any choice in the matter, but as a ghoul with an extensive life after dark and behind closed doors that he was a part of, her timetable that he had no control over aligned a little more with his rhythm. Madam probably had a whole public life during the daytime, like most ghouls do, and during that time was Suzuya's only window to sleep before she came home or took him out for the evening. Plus, it wouldn't be safe or smart to keep your collection of captives somewhere with windows or anything through which the outside world may see them, and the setting we see him in during his time with her is never specified but it has a definite dungeon look to it, so even if his chamber isn't totally underground, though that's the vibe I get from it, it at least doesn't have any way of seeing out either. So he basically lived a nocturnal life for at least a decade, on top of his brain wanting to be awake during that time even when it conflicted more with the rest of his world.

In the original series, he largely coped with the change from this to a school schedule and then working long, early day shifts with Shinohara by pulling 24-hour days more often than anyone should and crashing hard once he got the chance to rest for a little bit. He stayed awake with lots and lots of sugar and caffeine. As soon as his work week ended, he could sleep for upwards of a whole day; he felt so much like shit every weekend. If he and Shinohara got called in during his downtime, imagine original series Suzuya with impaired judgment, brain fog, and clumsier movements. It just wasn't a healthy situation and probably made every other problem he had during that time worse.

During :re and post-canon, he still stays up too late and oversleeps from time to time, still takes naps at his desk, and still uses sugar and caffeine to give him a boost, but he has a bit more of a survival strategy in place to reduce the harm as much as possible. Plus, he's necessary enough to the CCG that anyone who could really get him in trouble pretends not to notice if he's late or misses a meeting. Hanbee will always have briefing notes for him when he does get into the office and often doesn't have the heart to wake him up from a nap to get assignments and stuff, so he sometimes does that more structured part of the job for him altogether.

As a senior investigator, he also gets more choice in his working hours, and he is assigned to a ward of the city with a thriving nightlife, so a lot of the work we don't see him do in the field because it doesn't involve the main cast and storyline takes place after dark where he's needed more. What we see him do in the series is not his normal and the Suzuya Squad tends toward more of a swing shift under routine circumstances. Those grueling big operations that people stay up and don't get home until late for, coming back exhausted and miserable, are where he thrives the most, as the night is still young for him.

As far as how he sleeps, I've always seen him as a light sleeper. Something about spending most of his life being woken up at a moment's notice on a whim by Big Madam and likely punished if he was anything but her bright-eyed Rei... if at any point in his life he did sleep heavier or even somewhere in-between, she would have squashed that habit right away. Not that this doesn't come in handy for pretending he wasn't sleeping in class or at a meeting. If he's sleepy enough for it to work, he might ignore his alarms and at least try to go back to sleep, which is where his oversleeping happens, but they do wake him up before he ignores them. He needs it pretty quiet (or to be pretty exhausted) in order to fall asleep and stay asleep.

That being said, I also think he has a hard time going back to sleep once something wakes him up. As soon as his motor starts running, it's nigh impossible to turn off, and he finds himself fixing something to snack on and finding something to do, and time goes by pretty fast from there. When he crashes from these periods of not being able to go back to sleep, it's usually at an inopportune time, such as right before he was supposed to wake up. Though Mutsuki helps with this by giving him something relaxed and restful to keep his mind occupied until he dozes off since he is still in bed.

He pretty much wears his super soft, really baggy pyjamas from the time he gets home from a long day spent in less-bad-than-a-proper-suit-but-still-uncomfortable work clothes, though if it was a long day he might just strip and go to sleep. He tries his best to shower/brush teeth/get all clean before bed, though he's seldom perfect about it. On really good days where he's just absolutely crushing it at having a pre-sleep ritual to help him wind down and get enough sleep to function, he will light a food-scented candle, do some stretches from his nimble acrobatic scrapper days, and work on his latest crafting project right before bed. That's if he's really crushing his self-care game and not a frequent occurrence, but it's nice when he does manage to do it.

He likes warmth and softness and pressure to fall asleep, but some part of him often wants some breathing room once those things have done their job of getting him relaxed and sleepy. For example, he likes to pile on or wrap himself tightly in blankets and is a little disappointed whenever it's too hot to do that, but he often ends up with just a corner because he got --you guessed it-- too hot. They tend to go on adventures of being dropped, pushed, and kicked away once he is asleep, but he tends to fall asleep holding a stuffed animal, or petting his cat if they hunker down close by him. He and Mutsuki have a particularly big bed for two people once they get one together, though before that one of them often ended up on the couch or a pallet on the floor during sleepovers, for this reason.

He also tends to toss and turn, probably still trying to get the breathing room he desires once he is sleepy or asleep, but usually ends up sprawled on his stomach crushing his arms under his pillow because the pressure is soothing. Or he will startle himself awake by readjusting so much that he falls out of bed. Because of the position he usually settles into, he tends to drool as well.

He rarely dreams, or remembers his dreams anyway, but sometimes he'll wake up feeling uneasy and like something bad just happened, probably a nightmare but he can't really remember enough to be sure. As much as he struggles to go back to sleep whenever he gets woken up, it's even more of a struggle when that happens. Sometimes he will pace and self-injure and try to no avail to make the feeling go away until the sun is up and he has to go to work.

He often dozes off while watching movies or doing something else on the couch or floor and wakes up in locations other than his bed because of that. Often there is paperwork, crafting supplies, or movie snacks stuck to him when this occurs. Sometimes he musters the strength to drag himself to bed, but other times he just ignores all of these things and goes back to sleep right where he is, maybe in a slightly more comfortable position or if he can grab one without getting up, a blanket.

[backjustforberena]

I was watching episode 7, and I realized how powerful scene is the one where Rhaenys and Corlys are standing by the window and watching the king’s ship.

In the scene they look into each other’s eyes, but then Rhaenys leaves. I think it is emblematic that their marriage is breaking, that there's a fracture.

The fact that before making a political move they always look at each other is so powerful, because it means they're together in that decision (e.g. before proposing to Viserys to marry Laena, or before accepting Rhaenyra/Laenor's marriage), but this time they look at each other and they're divided, they want different things.

So I was wondering that probably Corlys would have left regardless of Laenor’s death, because he has already lost his connection with Rhaenys, which has its peak with Rhaenys rejecting his embrace of course

I'm only going to make a few points, and try (for once) to be brief because I'm on my lunch break but this ask is making me squeal inside because OMG YES.

The contrast between "We Light The Way" and "Driftmark" is huge. And we don't see them in between, as they weren't in "The Princess & The Queen". So the fracture is there from the start, it just gets less and less subtle and larger and larger.

They are apart through that entire episode in terms of body language. When they stand together during Laena's funeral, they are angled away from one another; Corlys towards the ceremony (and ironically, towards "the Crown"), and Rhaeanys is angled towards her family as she holds the twins close. Going from standing side by side and being in lockstep, to that, is quite the damning parallel and a good visual on the state of the marriage, and that, specifically, in the narrative, it is the marriages of their children that have caused it, as they were the focus of the last episode.

They remain apart. They don't interact whatsoever at the wake. Corlys speaks of legacy to Lucerys and commands his son to leave because of his state, Rhaenys avoids those who would give her condolences and hugs her granddaughters and stays with them.

At the beginning of the fireside conversation, Rhaenys is sat, Corlys is standing and they do not look at one another. There is no symmetry there, and then when they do have that and they're both at the fire and Rhaenys goes for his hand... he breaks the mirroring, and leaves her.

But despite this distance between them, they are still united in other parts of the narrative. They enter the Hall of Nine at the same time, both with the conflict over Aegon and also when Laenor's body is found (matching bedclothes!!!). There are frames where they still stand side-by-side. Including the one at the window.

I've seen some discourse about the window scene and the frame/bars/cage over them symbolising the trappings of power and Corlys's ambition. Rhaenys is able to leave it. Corlys is still there.

Corlys's reaction when Laenor dies is to go to his wife. He reaches for her waist, he wants to comfort her. She rejects that. THEN he goes to anger. Then he says: how did you let this happen? In my f***ing hall? Tell me! and pushes the guard. But then he goes back to his wife as she screams and screams and doesn't follow up with the guard, instead his body language just shows how unsure he is. How he wants to help her. How he doesn't know what to do. You see him move towards her just at the end of that wide shot.

Would Corlys have left if Laenor hadn't died? Tough one. I'm not sure because I'm very much of the mind that Corlys had to lose everything to have his pride checked. And Rhaenys and Corlys probably fight a lot. We'll never know what might have happened had they had a cooling period or space to think after literally everyone left their house, or hadn't been dealt that final, awful blow of Laenor. Corlys in that shot, after Rhaenys leaves, doesn't look particularly contrite or anything. It's a shame we don't see them truly interact after Laenor's death.

But the Stepstones would need dealing with and he'd do that. So he'd leave. It would just be a case of how long for and in what emotional state, I think.

For the show to give us such a strong, clear idea of how they work well together and all of that... to have that then broken and not held up is really quite jarring and a wonderful visual.

[izzy-b-hands]

An odd little modern au thing with izzy doing a solid for mary and doug during an emergency, in the process pissing off stede leading to a stede and mary argument, which lands izzy in explaining his own near death experiences while babysitting the kids bc mary won't call stede and ed for it while pissed at stede. It gets wildly serious and sad, but i also tried to keep my own death positivity vibe in there, in that yes death can be scary, but it doesn't have to be and you can sit safely with your fear.

is genuinely the easiest way to describe this odd thing.

Fun fact: all of the described experiences i gave izzy belong to myself or other family members! We have a joke of the [our last name, my maternal grandfather's last name] curse as a result! sometimes it doesn't feel that much like a joke lmao

anyway: TW for multiple medical emergencies (two appendix related and two severe allergic reactions), detailed descriptions of near death experiences. Brief mention of beliefs, but v general in nature.

---

"We're in your debt," Mary smiles and hands over a sobbing Louis. "I'll call as soon as we get there."

They speed off with Alma in the backseat of the car, leaving Izzy and Louis in the dark front yard together.

"My appendix didn't kill me," Izzy remarks, after a moment of patting Louis' back hoping for a break in the hysterical sobs. "Your sister's won't kill her either. I promise."

Dangerous promise, considering they'd been sent back from the doctor multiple times over the week over the exact pain that had made Alma pass out now.

He winds up essentially wearing Louis with how the kid clings to him. It's not unlike a possum baby clinging to a parent, and it would be sweet if it wasn't actually painful.

So he sits on the couch and lets him cry and vent out everything he's worried will happen to his sister until finally, Louis sleeps.

--

"She's okay," Mary says. "Back home as of today, actually."

Stede narrows his eyes. "And I'm only finding all of this out today because..."

"Because she nearly died, Stede, and we've been a bit preoccupied with that!"

"I understand, but she's my daughter too and I could have helped look after Louis! Surely he didn't enjoy being there for all that."

"Izzy looked after him. Has on and off while Doug and I took turns staying with Alma."

"You called him first?" Stede knows he's being a touch dramatic. But he's also just found out how close their oldest was to death, all over an improperly diagnosed appendix that burst, in all of five minutes of arriving for their weekly group dinner.

"He doesn't have kids or a partner that stays with him usually, so I thought he wouldn't mind being bothered, and he's helped babysit the kids before," Mary splutters. "Stede, we were panicking, and it was one in the fucking morning and I couldn't wake her up! Forgive me for just hitting the first name in my contacts list that seemed a good choice!"

"Okay," Doug says softly after a beat. "I'm gonna put out dinner for the kids. Ed, can you help these guys get to the theater room? The kids know to join us after they eat."

"We should go," Stede says. "Izzy might be available though. He's usually sitting home alone anyway."

"Stede," Ed hisses. "Come on. Let's at least talk to them-"

"No! I'm always the one suggesting talking, and no one else ever wants to! Now it's my turn to say no to it!"

"As if you would have done any better had this happened on one of your weekends," Mary scoffs, and sniffles. "Fuck off then. Ed, we'll try again next week, and I'll box some of this up for you to take home. You don't have to share it with him though."

"Mary, I didn't mean-"

"I know," she says bluntly. "I don't care right now. Both of you, get the fuck out of my house."

"The house I insisted you take in the divorce."

"Stede," Ed's hand carefully but firmly grabs his arm. "Enough."

He's right.

They walk back out and get a wave in at the kids from the front window.

--

"I can," Izzy replies. "Are Stede and Ed out of town again? They didn't mention-"

"Please don't bring them up right now," Mary interrupts, voice tinny through his old flip phone's speaker. "To us or the kids. We're... it's just a rough patch we're working through."

"Understood. Anything Alma shouldn't be doing yet?"

"She's got permission to sit and watch TV, or read, but no physical running around yet," Mary sighs. "She's giving her doctor grey hairs."

"That just means she's feeling better."

He heads over a half hour later, a little earlier than Mary had requested. It gives him time to think about what the fuck might constitute a 'rough patch', and to call Ed to ask.

"Stede is furious that she called you instead of us," Ed says plainly. "And I mean...I see both their sides. I think they'll see that too, eventually. Doug does already, so he and I have been in contact trying to help mend the bridge."

"Is that him?!" is shouted in the background.

"Yes, he had a question for me," Ed replies. "I'd better go. The kids like you; just act like everything is normal and it'll be fine."

He's right, up until Mary and Doug drive away from the house and towards their restaurant reservation, and Louis bursts into tears.

"Awful early for that," Izzy groans and picks him up. "What are we going to do when you get too big for that?"

"Lift weights," Louis grumbles and sniffles into his shoulder.

Inside he finally is able to shed his leather jacket and Louis, though the latter is immediately back at his side.

"Alma keeps saying she isn't going to die now. I don't believe her."

"Wouldn't she know best if she was about to?"

Louis blinks. "Oh."

He takes the opportunity to lead Louis to Alma's room, though per usual, she's fine.

Sat in bed, reading, headphones on-

With a book entitled Near Death Experiences and You.

"Oh," Izzy sighs.

--

"Have you ever almost died?"

"You know, these taste better because they're shaped like faces," he's spent the entire dinner of dinosaur chicken nuggets and smiley face chips like this, trying to avoid actively discussing death while Alma asked the same death-related questions.

"You're avoiding the question," she says.

"He's not dead, so what does it matter?" Louis asks. "The smiley face ones are my favourite, even though Mum says they aren't healthy."

"They're potatoes; that's a vegetable and that's healthy enough."

"That's what I said!"

"Izzy!"

Alma slams a hand against the table top. "I want to know!"

"And that's fair enough, but would Mum or Dad let you act like that? Or Ed or Doug?"

She blinks. "No. Sorry."

"Eat your dinner. After that, we can talk. Louis, you can stay up for that if you like. But I leave it up to you."

To his surprise, Louis walks into the living room with them after dessert.

"Have I ever nearly died?" Izzy repeats aloud as they settle beside him on the couch. "Yes. More than once."

"When, and how?" Alma asks. "What did you see? You know, during..."

"Are you sure this is actually something you want to hear?"

She nods. "I don't...I keep reading about it and looking it up online because I don't know...for me, it was..."

She gives him a pleading look as her words trail off.

"Not sure what it was or how to explain it?"

She nods again.

"Okay. Well, the first was when I was all of two years old. My mum had to tell me this one, of course, so I can't exactly give details of how it felt. Bad, I'm sure."

Alma looks horrified. "Two?"

"I was given an almond and a few other mixed nuts by my grandmother; my first time ever eating them," Izzy continues. "Turns out I'm allergic at varying levels to all of them. Bad enough with some that my throat swelled and I wound up in hospital."

"And they said you almost died?"

"I did. Mum, grandparents have all confirmed my lips were blue by the time they got me there. But I was so young that I don't remember it beyond what they've told me."

"That's why you have Epi-Pens," Louis remarks. "I thought maybe it was for something cooler."

"Louis!"

"It's okay," Izzy smiles. "He's right. They should be for something cooler, but no. Just in case I accidentally get given a walnut and don't realise it."

"You said your appendix didn't kill you," Louis says. "Was that another time?"

"It was! My first year working with Ed, both in our early twenties and in the ship yard together. I insisted I only had a stomachache, and the doctor the company called in agreed. Ed was the one who protested and finally dragged me to the hospital himself."

"Had it burst by then?" Alma asks.

"It did right about as he got me in the door of the hospital, actually. But they didn't believe us, so I sat in the waiting area for hours. Then, once they had me admitted, they still didn't believe me and had me waiting for all sorts of tests."

"How long?"

"Believe it or not, days. Ed tells me three, because by then, we later found out, I had gone septic. So I don't have a lot of detail on that either, except for the surgery itself."

"Holy fuck," Alma breathes.

"Language," Izzy murmurs.

"Pot meet kettle."

"Okay, fair enough. Anyway, during the surgery, and remember, we don't actually know what happens during all of this, or after. Everyone believes what they believe, and that's fine. Belief isn't...what you need everyone to know to prove a point about things, like what happens after death. It's for your own comfort and life, yeah?"

"Sure," Alma says. "What did you see?!"

"I...did see a light. No tunnel nonsense, just a light. And I felt very calm, even though I could register that people were rushing around me, operating on me finally. I thought of Ed, and it was like there was something of me away from my body, sitting there beside him in the waiting room. Jack had come by then and was comforting him and I kept trying to get him to look at me, but he wouldn't-"

It occurs to him that he's started to cry. "Sorry. Um, yeah, but then suddenly I was awake and on the operating table and in the worst pain of my life. They got me sewed up after that, and then finally I was given proper pain meds while I recovered. But I was dead for a few minutes per the surgeon."

Alma nods.

"You okay?"

"Is there more?"

"Yeah."

"Jesus christ."

Izzy snorts. "That's about how it feels, honestly. There's a quote about that, about being someone who did not die when they should have died..."

"That's how it feels," Alma says softly.

"You want to talk about what happened?"

"Can I hear the rest of yours first?"

"Sure."

Louis crawls into his lap and snuggles.

"You want to hear the rest? If not, I can take you up to your room."

"I'll stay," Louis replies. "You're really unlucky, huh?"

"That's one way of putting it. But...the one after that, you guys don't need to hear about. Not yet at least. I was a teenager and it was stupid and...maybe in a few years."

"I guess," Alma says.

"The next one was just another allergic reaction."

"Just another one," her eyes roll. "Right."

"That was...I was nearly thirty then. Ate a couple of chocolates that had massive amounts of pecan in them, but I didn't know that. Didn't have my Epi-Pens at that point in my life, so I took some over the counter allergy medicine and tried to carry on. Don't do that, if either of you ever wind up in that situation."

She just stares. Understandable, because no one he's told about this one has ever had any other reaction.

"Eventually, my body tried to make me sick anyway it could, to get it out, all the while my throat swelled. I finally broke down and called Ed for help. By then I was at the oddly calm stage, even though my body was still trying so hard to make me sick. Laying on my bathroom floor, feverish, not realising at all how bad it was, feeling utterly outside of myself-"

Alma grabs his arm. "That. I felt like I was watching myself!"

"I'm sorry. You shouldn't have had to experience that."

"What happened next?" Louis asks. "Did Ed get there in time?"

"No, he died," Alma snaps.

"No!"

"Alma," Izzy chuckles. "He did. He found me there in my bathroom, called the emergency line and asked what to do, then drove me to the ED and stayed with me while they..."

He pauses. "Wow. While they tried to keep me breathing. Anyway, one panic attack over them inserting an IV later, I was being pumped full of epinephrine and benadryl and some other things I don't remember and was feeling much better. Left the ED a few hours later, actually."

Alma frowns. "They wanted you to leave?"

"They did. Said I was good. I felt horrible the next few weeks after, and my sensitivity to those allergies is even worse now, but otherwise I was fine."

Louis yawns. "You need to stop almost dying."

"I'll do my best."

"I could hear Doug crying."

Izzy lets Alma take his hand.

"But I knew he was with Mum a bunch of rooms away, so I shouldn't be able to hear him. Also, Mum knows a lot more swear words than I realised. I think she made some up, because she kept going after the doctor that said I was fine."

"You need to tell your Mum and Doug this too," he says. "They should know, and they can help with this."

She nods. "I'm sort of tired. Can we go to bed?"

"I think your brother is drooling on me."

"He is. It's really gross."

--

He makes it home by midnight, but he doesn't sleep.

It isn't exactly a bothersome thing, to talk about each experience. He has to at various doctor visits now and again anyway.

But he's unsettled all the same.

"Ed?"

"No," is the icy reply.

"Sorry, I'll-"

"Alma said you did a good job tonight. Texted me earlier. Said to be nicer to you because you keep nearly dying. Is that true?"

Izzy sighs and chuckles. "Do you have an evening to hear about it?"

"I suppose I do. Ed and I are still awake, and staying up if you want-"

"I'll be there in five."

[penname-artist]

With Halloween fast approaching us...

The base rarely does much in the way of spook time decorating, at least on their own. But Patch and Dipper like adding little decorations here and there for holiday's sake. They have to do their own though; Cabbie refuses to go into the attic until he needs the Christmas tree, which "ain't legally allowed to come down til after Thanksgiving is over"

Most of their decorations are little wall statics they plaster on the windows of the mess hall and in Patch's tower.

Generally, Blade makes room on the schedule around Halloween for some of the Smokejumpers to be down at the Lodge for the festivities. They help out with the staff on some of the more labor-intensive activities, as well as operating the hay rides.

Dusty is usually home again by the time the weather drops, but he still shows up some years for those festivities, sometimes with Oscar and Apollo in tow.

Just so that the team would stop nagging them, Blade and Cabbie both have excuses for not having Halloween costumes: for Blade it's "firefighter is my costume". For Cabbie he just has a t-shirt that says 'this is my Halloween costume'. Both stay in during Halloween, and there's a 50/50 chance Windlifter will too, if he's not tempted into going to the Lodge for sweets.

There's lots of stupid people out during the holiday, so you can bet that they still usually end up at the Lodge on a watch in case said stupid people do stupid things.

Costumes have got to be limited for the sake of needing to respond to calls ASAP, but that doesn't mean they don't still do them. Ghosts are easy options because it only requires a single sheet. Pinecone often takes a witch hat and a broom. The boys get creative with DIY masks, although Avalanche keeps it non-creepy because he's got a soft spot for the kiddos and generally helps out with them between the hay rides and the corn maze.

A brief explanation that their corn maze isn't actually a CORN maze (and Dusty has belittled and insulted it for that reason before). It's just easily removable wooden boards they paint to look like corn stalks because they don't grow corn in the park. In the daytime it's a family event, and after dark they add spooky elements and place people in the maze to jumpscare the teens

The entire month of October is a pumpkin spice frenzy on the base, and there is a perpetual war every year between those who love it and those who hate it. On the side of disgust is Blade, Maru, Cabbie, Drip, Pinecone, and Blackout, while the supporters consist of Dynamite, Avalanche, Dipper, Patch, Dusty, and Windlifter (quietly, sipping a pumpkin spice coffee in the background)

[o5-the-daughter]

[Media: a live video feed.]

The feed flickers on to show Eight seated behind his desk, with a window showing a small section of Site-01's garden serving as a backdrop; the light coming from right behind him gives the impression of a halo surrounding his head, undeniably an intentional effect.

Eight himself is leaning back a bit in his chair, his hands folded infront of him on the desk the recording device has been placed on. He is dressed in a striking, emerald green suit, a color much darker and richer than the sage he usually wears, with his hair having been braided back in a beautiful half-up-half-down style. He wears much the same regality and pride Iva had a week prior, with every last bit of power he holds put on display for the watcher to see.

He pauses as the activity of the feed is announced and shifts slightly before beginning to speak; it quickly becomes clear that he isn't primarily addressing the anons, if he is intending to speak to them at all.

"Some of you know me, some don't, most of you likely don't care, which is an understandable opinion to have", he begins. His voice is surprisingly even, considering the events of the past few days, with his usually harsh accent having softened a little.

"I am the eighth Overseer of the current O5 Council, commonly known as Dogwood or Green these days, the one namely in charge of our Task Forces. And I will be pretty dead in less than twenty-four hours."

Another pause, a brief shift in his overall calm demeanor. Even Eight himself seems a little uneasy with saying these words out loud.

"I have been with the Foundation since I was a teenager in the 1910s, for over a century, a time during which I, mostly unknowingly, was part of a group of trainees nicknamed as O5-10's nine prodigies. With the exception of myself and O5-9, all of them are dead now", he explains, his voice dropping back into its previous calm, almost warm tone.

"All of their deaths were deliberate. All of their deaths were planned."

His glance briefly moves away from the camera, somewhere off-screen, though he doesn't comment on this when his attention returns.

"I don't know much about the others. I wish I did."

Something changes in his tone now. He sounds.. expectant.

"What I do know, however, is that they were sacrificed, one after the other, to slowly create a god out of O5-10 - and now, soon, I will follow them, more blood shed on his command."

He glances away once more; the tension that had previously, almost unnoticeably, slipped into his expression disappears, replaced by a vague, but satisfied smile.

"I have accepted this fate, and I have accepted that I will go to hell for everything I have done in my life", he goes on. He seems strangely at ease now. "That doesn't mean I can't do something good with the little bit of life I have left, however, which is why I have decided to address you, the employees of this organization, today."

Somewhere in the background, quick, heavy steps become audible. They seem to approach Eight's office, even if he can't hear them for obvious reasons. Still, as if he knows, he leans back in his seat.

"Due to some happenings in a neighboring reality of ours, some members of our Council have decided to, aggressively, increase our surveillance of some of our allied Groups of Interest - this is yet to be properly implemented, as they are waiting for me to die first, which has given me the chance to send a message to said GoI to warn them ahead of time."

The steps are almost at his office now. He looks away from the camera, above it, likely towards the door. He is expecting whatever is about to happen.

"That won't stop them from trying to send my agents there anyway, of course, though - and that's why I'm speaking to you directly - I want to encourage you to decide for yourself whether this is a battle you wish to fight for the Foundation. Provoking passive Groups of Interest will result in needless violence, violence that they will now be able to prepare ahead of time; and it will be you who will face the consequences. Not anyone up here, who won't care for the blood on their hands."

The door is pushed open now, with such force that it slams against the wall behind it. Eight's vague smile turns into a grin at the sight of whoever has entered and is storming towards him now.

With a brief look back at the camera, he says,

"Keep this in mind. It's all I ask for my legacy to be",

then familiar, giant hands grab his collar and roughly pull him up from his seat, while another person pushes the recording device - a laptop, apparently - close. The last thing heard is an ugly noise of flesh getting thrown against a hard surface, and a harsh curse in Russian.

[CONNECTION INTERRUPTED. END OF FEED.]

[gon-and-killuas-mother]

due to the Naruto/Batman crossover i've been reading i will now be stepping into the Batman fandom

i mean, i've always liked Batman, but i never got into the comics bc there's so MANY so i settled for the animated tv shows and movies

specifically, i wanna see more Bruce being a kind person! also i need more Nightwing in my life. Dick Grayson might be one of my favorite DC characters next to Bruce Wayne

unfortunately for y'all this DOES mean i will be composing a self-insert story in my head. there's already one simmering on the mental back burner. it's how you know i love a story or group of characters; i write a self-insert fanfic as a coping mechanism for whatever shit is happening in my life. and boy do i need to pretend there's an edgelord billionaire taking the streets during my waking hours and investing part of his fortune to studying my illnesses during the day

whoops i already wrote something under the cut

i think, for my story, my self-insert has my basic personality and definitely my gender. they're an artist living either in Gotham or Blüdhaven. they use a wheelchair, sometimes a rollator, and deal with my same chronic pain and fatigue. oh and bc i rarely hear southern accents in these shows, this pal is from good ol' Arkansas but moved to follow their kid brother to either Gotham or Blüdhaven

the basic Plot that my brain generated to connect my character to the Bat family hinges largely on chance. Nightwing is on patrol, maybe following leads on the current Mystery. he stops on the roof of an apartment building towards the end of his patrol and takes a breather, sits on ledge and goes through files of evidence etc etc

enter my character (uh let's call them Rhys?) who opens the door to the roof and pulls out their rollator that they've managed to lug up the last flight of stairs, since the elevator doesn't go all the way to the roof. they also have a large art canvas, an easel, and their bag of supplies precariously balanced on the rollator.

Rhys spots Nightwing, who was surprised to see anyone else on a rooftop at 4 in the morning, and they look around and go "I'm not. I'm not interrupting anything, am I? Usually one mask brings more."

Nightwing stands up and assures them they're safe. he's about to leave when they pull a huge thermos from their bag (how did they get all of this up here??)

"My brother gave me this for my birthday a few years ago," Rhys says, lifting the thermos so Nightwing could see it. They pop off the lid, which turns out to be two that can be used as mugs. "Weird kids don't make a whole lotta friends. But he said the easiest way to someone's heart is through a shared cup of coffee."

and how could Nightwing, running on a handful of hours of sleep with at least another eight hours of detective work ahead of him, possibly say no to that?

he accepts the coffee and quietly sends a message to Barbara that he's taking a brief detour, all the while Rhys is setting up their easel and canvas. there's already some rough sketches and a couple layers of paint. Nightwing knows the skyline of this city well enough to recognize it even through an artist's eyes.

Rhys tells him that the sunrises here are unique. back home, the skies were crystal clear and nearly every sunrise was hallmark-worthy. but here, the pollution and glass windows reflect and refract the light in more ways than they could've imagined, and they have a series of paintings stashed in their tiny apartment devoted to color studies.

for one reason or another, this becomes a regular thing. several times a week, Rhys takes the elevator to the top floor, then heaves their rollator and supplies up that last flight of stairs. and every so often, when they open the door, they find Nightwing waiting for them. he starts bringing breakfast with him, but tells them he likes their coffee better (bc there's something about a coffee shared in a thermos that can't be replicated by any coffee shop)

eventually they ask each other about family. obv Nightwing doesn't give too many details, but enough to add to conversation. Rhys only has their brother, as their parents have been out of the picture for years.

one day, Rhys is quieter than usual, and hasn't touched their canvas yet, instead sketching and scratching out and balling up scrap paper etc etc. Nightwing asks what's wrong, and it takes a bit of nudging, but Rhys eventually tells him they haven't heard from their brother in a little over a week. it's not so unusual, but they get anxious anyway. they assure Nightwing that their brother probably just forgot.

then a week passes, and Nightwing is alone on the roof longer than usual. he's about to leave when Rhys opens the door, and he doesn't even have to ask how they're doing because they're pale, fidgety, and the circles under their eyes are much more pronounced.

their brother hasn't returned any calls or texts. more worryingly, his phone seems to have died or disconnected several days ago. Rhys doesn't ask any favors, but they don't have to, because as they're piecing together what info they have, Nightwing is already looking through police databases and missing persons and so on.

he hits a dead end, but one that is more informative and condemning.

Rhys's brother has a file in the system, and it's buried behind a top secret confidential report. something, something, Nightwing makes a loose connection to the case he and Bruce are working on for the A-plot. he promises Rhys that he'll find their brother.

and he does. he and Bruce bust the A-plot scheme involving (insert name of gang) that was responsible for dozens of disappearances. only a few of the victims were saved, the rest had been killed long before Batman and Nightwing stormed the keep.

Nightwing finds the brother. his body is floating face down in the canal a few blocks downstream, along with a dozen or so others. he's been dead for two days at least.

once the bodies are retrieved and safely transported to the nearest hospital morgue, Nightwing heads back to Rhys.

the sky is already turning from black to grey as he lands on the rooftop. Rhys has their easel set up and looks to be halfway through their current painting. they look up, about to greet him, but their smile vanishes when they see how grim Nightwing seems.

they blink back tears threatening to fall, turn their attention back to the canvas and pick up a different paintbrush. they quietly mix different colors on their palette until they're satisfied, before slapping the paintbrush to the canvas.

"Please," they finally say. the tears are flowing freely now. "Tell me what happened."

Nightwing sits on the ledge next to his cup of coffee. he remembers how his heart shattered when his parents were killed. he remembers the crushing despair upon learning of Jason's fate.

he isn't new to delivering this message. to telling an innocent family that their loved one is gone. he's learned how to keep it professional yet empathetic, to hide the worst details while satisfying their desperate need to Know.

there was something different about this one. maybe it was the determined focus Rhys was giving their painting, despite the tremor in their hands and their short breaths.

Nightwing tells them everything he can, save for the worst details. Rhys doesn't need extra imagery for their inevitable nightmares. but he explains the gang, the villain, the blackmailing, and Rhys paints on, only stopping to wipe at their eyes or blow their nose.

he finishes his story and watches them paint.

after some time of sitting in silence, the city slowly awakens and the sun rises. it isn't until the sun is nearly level with the tallest buildings that Rhys drops their paintbrush and buries their face in their hands.

the painting depicts their usual imagery, the sunrise filtering through smog and glass towers. the foreground shows a rooftop, not so different from the one they currently sat on. at the farthest edge of the rooftop, standing on the ledge with his hands raised--perhaps greeting the sun, or waving goodbye to the viewer-- was a boy. Rhys hadn't given him much detail, but they didn't need to.

Nightwing saw not just their brother, but his. that boy could just as easily be Jason as any other kid whose lives were cut short.

Rhys packs their things and stands to leave. they don't touch the painting. Nightwing asks what they'll do with it. Rhys looks at it one more time.

"Take it," they tell him. "I can't look at it anymore."

when Dick comes home with the canvas, he leans it against the wall and stares at it. one of the other Bat family, maybe Steph? Tim? comes in and sees the painting.

"Whoa," they say. "It's beautiful. I've never seen a sunrise look so sad before."