#even if they hadn't needed each other they'd still choose each other

[z0mibite]

>1000 words, detailed descriptions of violence and a (sort of?) mention of s/a (⚠️use of the r word ⚠️), reader is gn! and up to interpretation throughout other than being considerably smaller than thomas and one mention of possibly bearing children. open-ended, so if you prefer angst endings for reader or stockholm, you can choose, it's texas chainsaw massacre, anything that's in either movie is part of the warnings just to be safe. dead dove do not ear, read at your own risk. also this is not proofread in any way, I literally wrote this straight shot right before bed listening to dove (doll ver) on loop and hit post.

READ THE WARNINGS BEFORE CONTINUING

imagine tommy keeping you, not to rape and defile like his uncle assumed, nor for you to bare children like his mama had hoped—but because you're just so nice to look at.

In the first film, tommy can be seen wearing rings, jewelry he's collected from past victims. also with the whole wearing people's faces to mask his own, he obviously has an eye for pretty things. and you're one of them.

It isn't just that of course, plenty of pretty people had come onto the farm, all meeting the same fate. he hadn't spared a dozen or so others, so why would he spare you?

you hadn't flinched at the sight of him, you hadn't run away crying like a child at their first horror maze, you simply smiled at him with those sparkling eyes, an elegant hand giving him a friendly, unbiased wave. you looked at him without prejudice, or preconceived assumptions about his character.

your friends hadn't given him the same courtesy. which is why you were here, chained to the workbench near the chopping block. the block he was using to dismember your traveling companions. a few of them hung from meat hooks, catatonic, their minds were weak and feeble, they broke at the sights in front of them, and despite the agonizing pain of lost limbs and shredded muscle, they were silent and still, waiting for their turn.

death was their only escape, they needed only to wait for it. you could see it in their eyes, each time he'd finish one off and turn to grab the next off a hook, they'd all follow him with pleading eyes. not for mercy, they were far beyond the point of return—but to be next.

your entire body was shaking like a kicked chihuahua. your muscles were all tense, adrenaline begged you to run, flee, to escape death. your silly primal instinct hadn't caught up with your concious. It was an odd feeling, having every possible part of your body screaming at you to run, and choosing to stay still, to betray your instinct with your intelligence. you knew you wouldn't get far.

despite the horrid conditions in the basement, a place where your senses should be overloaded; your ears with the echoes of their screams and the engine of the saw, your eyes with the gory mess, your nose with the pungent smell of iron and rotting flesh, your tongue with the dryness of your mouth from panting, and your body's fatigue from running around for hours—there was nothing but the racing of your heartbeat.

It was all you could hear or feel, and in your mind you could taste and see it as well, you felt the pulse rise all the way into your skull and down to your toes. you felt every rush of blood heat your skin like a furnace, moving past your veins and tissue.

your eyes aimlessly followed his body, unblinking and dry. he was deeply focused on his ‘work’, but he would still glance at you every now and again. you were just so pretty, a decoration in his safe haven, like a deer mounted above the fireplace.

hours had passed in what felt like seconds before he was finished. you hadn't moved.

he nonchalantly came up to you, his much larger hand going to cup your face before he froze. he withdrew his hands, wiping the bloody mess on his apron and washing his hands before he continued his previous action.

you didn't dare move, not even to flinch, as his held your head in your hands.

his thumbs caressed the flesh just under your eyes, rubbing around and about, seemingly fascinated by the way your skin folded and stretched at his will. he made a gesture with his hands, swiping a palm in front of your eyes, an attempt at communicating. when you didn't respond, he huffed frustratedly before letting his thumbs touch your eyelids, forcing them down to close your eyes.

he took your chin in-between two fingers, maneuvering your head in every direction, studying every feature. his thumb pulled your lips apart, showing him your teeth, clenched so hard they might be pushed back underneath your eye sockets.

after a he took some time to study you, you felt his thumbs come back to rest on your eyelids, pulling them open again. this time he studied your iris. he was clearly upset at the lack of light that prevented him from seeing the color clearly, but he looked closely nonetheless.

the sensation of breath enveloping your face, forcing you to breathe in the air he had just released, was one you could not describe.

his hands fell to your shoulders and moved downward till he got to your forearms, where he would trace the veins in your arms. when his hand met your wrist, he applied gentle pressure to it, his breath hitching as he felt your blood pulsate. he moved onto your hands now.

his were easily twice the size of yours, if not more. his nails were dull and blunt, the skin much rougher against yours. dried blood cracked underneath his nails and stained his skin a pinkish tone despite his tan. he traced the lines of your palm the same way a palm reader would, take away the tales of life lines and replace them with pure admiration.

he unexpectedly leaned in closer to you, his face now inches, if that, from your own. you kept your gaze ahead as he stared you down.

he brought his masked nose up to the top of your head and sniffed you like a dog, leaning down to your neck to see what else he could smell on you besides your faded fragrance and sweat.

It was only after this action of his that your body responded in any way in nearly 12 hours.

[junipers-archive]

And They Were Roommates

Word Count: 1k

Includes: Fluff, fluff, some more fluff and a kiss? You confront Spencer about your relationship status after Penelope informs you of everyone's belief of you being more than roommates :)

(Prompt from this challenged by @imagining-in-the-margins)

You were at the coffee shop nearest to the apartment, desperately trying to find a pick me up. It was 6:30am...a new record for you. Seeing as your roommate and best-friend Spencer hadn't alerted you that you guys ran out of coffee at home, you were now standing in what you deem the longest line in the world you'd ever seen for coffee.

Then again it was one of the first times you'd been up this early to see people who actually got up early. It'd only been 10 minutes but you swore if you didn't get your daily caffeine boost soon you'd start to shut down.

The line was moving at snail pace so you decided to see what the problem was, only to catch a Penelope Garcia with 8 coffees in her arms, trying to balance her way out of the crowd.

Fortunately for her, Spencer had introduced you to the team a few months ago after they'd wanted to see where he lived and he was essentially peer-pressured in showing them by Derek. You'd been given a 5-minute notice at the late hour of 11pm and to this day are still making him pay on movie-nights where you got to choose the film.

You were torn between helping Penelope and staying in your spot in line, but seeing as you remembered how kind she had been and she was about to drop all that coffee, you took pity. Rushing over and calling her name,

"Penelope, you need some help there?"

"ah!-oh hi Y/n, sorry you scared me for a moment! And yes please."

You took one of the trays of coffee from her, holding her purse around your other arm. "Not that I mind helping, but why all the coffee?"

"Well" She was now wobbling over to a table that was just freed up by a couple, talking to you while placing her many belongings on it,

"Sometimes, I like to get up really early and get coffee for the team, cause you know the coffee at work sucks and I'm sure Spencer's already alerted you, but someone's been stealing the curate cups from the kitchen!"

You now placed the tray you had been carrying on the table as well,

"No...uh Spencer doesn't exactly talk about his job much, we usually just talk about other stuff"

She looked surprised at this, "Really? I thought he'd be more open about what he does with his girlfriend. But I guess thats just Spencer."

Now it was your turn to be surprised. "I-I'm sorry, did you say girlfriend?"

"Well, I mean yeah, you live together, he talks about you all the time, and when we went over you two just had so much chemistry we all just assumed-" she stopped talking as she saw the growing disbelief on your face, "I-I just- I'm sorry are you not dating?"

You were speechless. Absolutely speechless.

I mean sure you liked Spencer, he was one of your best-friends and you did live together and yea maybe you had feelings for him. But could other people see it too?

I mean, it made sense, now that you thought about it, you two were practically never seen apart, having roomate-movie-nights, going on consistent 'friend-dates', eating almost every meal together and getting each other gifts for holidays, even sometimes falling asleep in each others beds when you both got black-out drunk on occasion...

Were you dating?

Penelope had taken your silence as her cue to leave, gathering her things, but you had another idea, one that wouldn't leave you overthinking for the rest of the day.

"Wait- I- I'll help you! I mean you can't carry this all yourself!"

"Thank you" she smiled " but you're sure you don't have anywhere to be?"

"Not a place in the world." You would just call in sick today, you thought.

On the drive to the BAU as you talked to Penelope who you found was alluringly talkative, you also realized you might not even be able to get into the building. When you asked she waved her hand, shooing away your worries it seemed as she explained that as long as you weren't a spy you'd be fine for staying a couple minutes since she had clearence.

The topic of Spencer didn't come up again.

Once you got there and helped Penelope up to the office you caught sight of your roommate sitting at his desk. Excusing yourself, you began walking over, It was more decorated than you assumed, containing his adorable action figure favorites and small trinkets you'd given him over the years. And as you got closer you even found he had a picture of the two of you posing at a theme park you'd forced him to go to with you.

He saw you before you were closer, standing himself up as well.

"Y/n? What-What're you doing here?"

"Are we dating?"god you needed to get a filter, but you were really curious.

He sputtered at that, which admittedly made you smile, "I-uh-Who-did Garcia?-What?"

By pure instinct you grabbed his face so he had to look at you now, as he had a habit of looking down when nervous.

You asked him once more,

"Doctor Spencer Reid Are you dating me?"

You could feel him blush against your palms as he answered,

"Uhm...do you want me to be dating you?"

You don't know what had gotten into you that morning, but the next thing you did surprised both of you, pulling him closer as his hands circled your waist hesitantly and you kissed him.

It was soft at first, almost gentle in the way the both of you were nervous, but eventually he deepened it, grabbing one side of your face, the other circling your waist completely now as you arms came to rest around his shoulders.

When you both had to finally come up for air you breathed out your more than obvious response, "yes."

And while you both grinning like idiots at one another, Penelope was adamantly taking photos of the two of you for your wedding which she had already informed Spencer was to be on October 31 of next year.

You never even noticed you didn't get your coffee, knowing you were now with the Dr.Spencer Reid was enough of a pick-me-up to last you a lifetime.

Reblogs and Comments appreciated!!

Update: Part 2

[gffa]

Rewatched the Rebels episode where Kanan and the others go to meet Ahsoka's friend for help in finding good base locations and it turns out to be Rex and everyone has a real bad time of it, because this show was for a young audience, sure, but it also didn't shy away from Kanan's trauma or letting us know that Rex had been through a lot of his own hurt, too. The clones having to live in this space of what they'd done, that it hadn't been their choice, but it had been their hands, killing the Jedi, the people who fought besides them on the battlefield, who bled and died for them, the clones were the ones who killed them because their very agency was taken away, their thoughts were overwritten, and you have to live with that guilt and anger and hurt, because it wasn't your choice, you didn't want this, but it was your brothers that still did it, and you have to worry that the Jedi will be angry at you for it, will come after you for being a danger to them, for having killed their children, and then you come face to face with a Jedi, a Jedi who is angry at you, who doesn't believe you, who was a child when a clone murdered his master in front of him and then tried to kill him, who had killed other kids his age, and how how how could anyone not want revenge for that? Jedi were taught not to seek it, but how could anyone possibly face the genocide of their entire people and culture, and not say this was different? How could they not go through that and decide, no, this did need to be avenged? And no amount of trying to explain that you didn't want it, you didn't know at the time, you didn't choose this, can ever undo what happened. And that you don't know if it's worse to have your mind stripped from you and monstrous acts done with your hands but you lived or if it's worse to have seen your entire culture murdered just for being born with the Force and for standing up to fight against evil and having the entire galaxy lie about who you were and what you did and why you did it, to still be hunted down just because you could touch the Force, no matter whether you fought back or not, to not even be able to just say the words, "I'm a Jedi." without someone probably turning you in to the Empire. Both sides of this utterly trusted each other once upon a time and that trust was shattered through no fault of their own and everyone can understand why everyone else is the victim of something truly horrific, but still can't get back to where they were before, because it doesn't matter that none of them chose any of this, it was still their hands that were forced into unthinkable acts and their kids' bodies on the ground and nothing can ever undo that. You have to do your best to let go of the horror and move on, maybe find something new, but you'll never not see everything that happened when you look at the other person. Anyway, I'm gonna go punt myself into the sun brb.

[theskit]

Sticker AU

Important!!!

Direct linking gets rid of the readmore cuts!

If you came here via direct link, or wish to use the direct links to another part of the story, and DO NOT want to spoil the surprise stickers, please click on my blog name to go to the actual post after using the link.

Part 8

《Prev Next》

Once Tim, Bruce, and Damian had returned from patrol Saturday night, it hadn't taken long to catch on that they'd all had an encounter with a mysterious, sticker wielding stranger.

It still sent a small wave of humor through Tim to recall how Bruce had looked, walking through the cave with a sticker proclaiming how many 'goodies' his utility belt had before he'd used an anti-adhesive spray to remove it and the rest of the 'evidence' without risking its destruction.

Damian was still quite adamant that the sticker placed on his katana sheath belonged to him, regardless of if it went with the rest of them into an evidence folder or not.

Pooling their information hadn't resulted in much of a physical description. Tim himself hadn't seen them at all while 'young with blue eyes and dark, possibly-black hair' and 'a sensed presence approximately equivalent to a 12 year old Dick or 14 year old Tim' was not exactly a unique description. Also, he did not need yet another reminder that he was shorter than any other Robin of the same age, thank you, Bruce.

Bruce *had* managed to bring back two blood samples that, while proving a match to each other, were stubbornly refusing to match with much *else*. Including normal human DNA.

The samples somehow had an incredibly mangled DNA strand. Some of it seemed to be *missing* or appeared to be merged with something that the batcomputer outright refused to identify on the first scan. Or the second. The third spit out a partial match to *Lazarus Pit water*. At which point the samples, which had degraded at an exponentially fast rate, were no longer considered by the computer to be a viable DNA sample to analyze.

They couldn't even definitively say the person in question *had* a meta gene, regardless of the odds being in favor of it, (or extremely good stealth tech no one had ever even heard of before) what with the, the, swiss cheese *nonsense* of a DNA strand the analysis had spit out! If the sample on the sticker didn't pull the same results as the ground-collected sample, Tim would have bet money on it being corrupted with something to prevent identification on purpose.

As it was, if the person those blood samples belonged to was not an incredibly sick individual, given the DNA irregularities and the sheer speed of degradation, Tim would be very surprised.

Or they possibly had ties to the League of Assassins, with the partial Lazarus Pit match, though admittedly, the light-heartedness of the stickers made that an incredibly low chance.

This discovery had not proven helpful in getting Bruce to calm down about a young, possibly ill, possibly LoA-adjacent, probably-meta child running around Gotham in the middle of the night, stealing from and pranking every vigilante they came across. The fact that Damian was almost as fixated on finding the child as Bruce came as somewhat more of a surprise, considering. All he would say on the matter was that the level of stealth displayed was quite admirable and worth investing in. Like they needed *more* assassin-trained children running around.

Ugh.

Alfred had eventually been forced to banish both of them upstairs to rest, giving Tim a look that he was choosing not to interpret at the moment. Tim was fine, it hadn't even been *that* long since he'd last slept.

Besides, disregarding the dead-end of the blood samples, there was more than enough information yet to be sorted through.

On top of trying to comb through any possible camera footage in the areas around the incidents, the hotel the sample was found at provided marginally more information. If you counted finding out that a large ghost hunting convention had been scheduled for the long weekend and most of the hotels around the area were booked with *hundreds* of non-local participants to then check up on as a positive information gain. They couldn't even say the hotel the blood samples were found at was the hotel the person in question was staying in. They only knew for certain that it was where the communicator had stopped working.

Plus, the strange way the signal had wavered before cutting out, and the way some of the cameras he had been checking showed nothing but static, pointed to a possibly quite sophisticated piece of jammer technology. Which brought back up the stealth tech option and *more* investigations into where it could have been obtained and who could be producing advanced tech like that.

At least that made the stickers make marginally more sense if they were bought at or created for the convention, though he had already tried to do an online search for the stickers and come up empty handed.

Batman and Robin would be heading out later that evening to see if they could find any new leads or possibly encounter the sticker kid again while Tim continued to track and filter information in the cave.

Stretching a bit and taking a large swig from the not-exactly-Alfred-approved cup of coffee he'd smuggled in, Tim cracked his knuckles and got back to work.

Danny was perfecting his thousand-yard stare off into the distance as his parents corralled yet another poor sap into debating ghosts with them when Jazz swung by the booth to check in. "Hey, Danny. How's it going?"

Danny slowly turned his head to look at her with an expression of immense suffering as he slid a sticker over to her.

Taking a peek at what she'd been handed, Jazz snorted a laugh. "Fair's fair, little brother. Yesterday was my day at the booth, today's yours. Chin up! At least we'll be taking it down and packing it up tonight and tomorrow we can just wander around for the last bit of the convention before we leave."

Danny sighed, "Yeah, at least there's that," he responded glumly. Hopefully, tonight's vigilante adventure would make up for this...

@mygood-bitch99 @stargazer-luna @easily-broken-by-emotion @dolfay @britcision @cyber-geist @is-this-even-relatable @alcorbearson @fisticuffsatapplebees @thegatorsgoose @my-mom-calls-me-rat @some-rotten-nest @crystalqueertea @meira-3919 @wandererofthestars @seraphinedemort @bjurnberg @blep-23 @stargirl1331 @bianca-hooks123 @addie-lover-of-stories @pickleking8 @iconicanemone @sarina-elais @mur-ururu @sailor-goddess @dragonfirefeather @nutcase8691 @ravenpainter @liandrin @jaguarthecat @russetfur1128 @purefrickingspite @oakskull @idfk-man10 @vythika96 @molasses-being-slow @satisfactionbroughtmeback @serasvictoria02 @tkiesai @breesperez139 @dhampir-princess @redhoneysugarorange @gildedphoenix @iglowinggemma28 @f4nd0m-fun @therandomartmaker @mandyne-1001

[actual-changeling]

I might just have had one too many daiquiris but am I tearing up thinking about how for aziraphale and Crowley both, those four years of freedom were more than likely the happiest years of their time on earth, and that Aziraphale left that all and neither of them believe that they will get any more?? That that was all??? I need to go to the seaside for my health ngl

I think about that CONSTANTLY.

Also the fact that Crowley was hoping things between them would finally change, that they'd finally get somewhere, just to be disappointed day after day after day when everything stayed exactly the same.

Sure, they could hang out more, sure, they were both more relaxed, more open with each other—but six thousand years and one apocalypse later, and he still hadn't gotten so much as a hug from Aziraphale.

Crowley was living in his car, depressed, still hypervigilant because you cannot just stop, no matter how badly you want to, but the bookshop was safe.

Aziraphale was safe.

Then Gabriel showed up and the second Aziraphale had to choose between Crowley or his horrible ex-boss that tried to burn him alive, he chose heaven over him. Again. Destroying any semblance of safety Crowley had.

Because four years of not-really-pretending mean absolutely nothing when you are still the second choice. When it takes one week of chaos to reveal that not only will the person you love choose heaven over you, they don't even love you but the person that died so you could be free.

The person that no longer exists and can never exist again.

One week—and everything you thought you knew is torn apart.

Aziraphale took his safety, the bookshop, his car, did not listen to a single word he said, never took his fears seriously, called him silly for being afraid of the person that was probably directly involved in his fall, and THEN revealed that he STILL thinks he is evil and needs to become an angel again to be loved and return to the people that broke him.

Four years of something a little better than before, something that turned out to have been completely different from what he thought it was.

That was his reward—a hopeful, terrified lie that fell apart in the face of honesty.

...I will join you in the seaside. We're all deeply unwell.

[iisasarcasticlittleshite]

MC has an unhealthy relationship with food

The brothers surprisingly do not notice it at first, despite living with MC. Beel remarks that they don't eat much at once, and how they're always snacking in small portions and gravitating toward comfort foods that become familiar.

The more things become familiar, the less MC wants to try new things, but it's three months in that Satan finally lands on a trigger, completely by accident.

He had the best of intentions, he knew MC had a stressful day and hadn't seen them eat lunch, so when they sit down at the dinner table and start pushing things to the side, he speaks up.

"You shouldn't pick at your food like that, you need the nutrients."

MC, head conspicuously lowered, shrugged. "Alright."

Still, they pushed something aside and took the tiniest fork-full to their mouth.

"MC, you need to eat. You made this yourself, it's human world food." Satan continued. Beel managed to pause his chewing to pay attention to the exchange, everyone else was deep in their own conversations.

MC rested their fork on the edge of the plate, looking up at Satan with eyes that begged to be left alone. "I'm just not hungry."

Beel knows that look, he knows it, because he's seen it once, when he offered them a particular food that looked a little too much like something MC is very, very familiar with.

Satan made a face. "How can you not be hungry? You've eaten nothing!"

That, caught Lucifer's attention, and now with both the avatar of wrath and pride staring at their plate, MC shrank into their seat, ready to bolt at a moment's notice.

"And you glaring at me is supposed to help?"

Trying to stay calm, but Beel can hear their heart racing beside him. He always ate next to them, always made them feel a little better when they tried something they didn't like. MC didn't have to feel wasteful, and Beel turned eating into such a positive experience.

"Satan, leave them alone." The sixth born stepped in, shifting to the side as if he could shield MC from his brothers' attention. "They can take care of themselves."

"All evidence to the contrary. You are considered an adult, aren't you? Have you not outgrown picking at your vegetables, MC?"

Lucifer's words cut like ice, and MC lost the fight to calm. The panic response was beyond their control, they felt trapped in that dining chair, the air pressing in around them until they could see nothing but the plate in front of them,

Their tongue felt heavy, the thought of eating made them gag, and they pressed their lips together.

Beel slammed his hands down on the table, bringing the room to complete and utter silence and snapping MC out of their panic lock all at once.

The human was on their feet and gone in seconds, leaving six of the brothers wondering what happened, while Beel quietly seethed.

"Their family force fed them." He growled, quietly, so MC wouldn't hear from their room. "The cafeteria ladies at school wouldn't let them leave until they'd finished their plate no matter how much was on it, they can't even look at certain foods without crying or gagging. Leave them alone!"

Beel's words were left hanging in the air as he abandoned a half-empty plate to storm off, leaving the truth to sink in.

No one hates what was done to MC more than Beel, not because he loves food; because MC's human, they need food to live, and those people turned every meal into a struggle.

Even now that they're all grown up and get to choose when and what they eat, it can still happen, and it's like they're six years old in an empty cafeteria all over again, staring at a plate of watery fish stew with tear filled eyes.

Beel took a minute to calm down before he found them in their room, but by the time he got there, Satan and Lucifer had beaten him to it.

Wrath and Pride bit back their dislike for each other, sitting either side of MC on their bed, sharing a blanket while quietly apologising, listening to MC as they shared the truth about why they struggled with food sometimes.

Satan actually wrote a list of their trigger and comfort foods the next day, he didn't make a single comment about how healthy (or unhealthy) they were, he didn't care.

Lucifer swore fury on those who thought they were doing the right thing by forcing a child to eat, but to MC, he apologised for ever having made them feel pressured.

The brothers trust their human to take care of themselves, and MC one day realised that they were never again afraid to eat in the House of Lamentation.

Disclaimer, this is purely based on my experience on this particular subject, if you relate to this subject and want someone to talk to about it, please feel free to DM me!

[chosos-mascara]

｡˚۰˚☽ K I N K T O B E R D A Y 30 ☽˚۰˚｡

I'll Treat You Like One - Obanai Iguro

cw: jealousy sex, degradation, name calling, forceful, dub-con, slapping, hair pulling

Obanai catches your glances at Tengen and his wives, and decides it's time to teach you a lesson.

minors+ageless dni. 1.1k words

masterlist

Obanai slammed the door. Angrily rushing through the house, you could hear his footsteps hitting each stair as he'd practically ran in his temper tantrum, breathing audible as he sighed through his mask. His outburst had been due to jealousy, something he'd frequently done after seeing you talk to other men. You'd simply met up with the other hashira, speaking with Tengen and his wives, but Obanai had seen things differently. 

He saw how your eyes would drop to cleavage level - even if just for a second. Or how you'd laugh a little too hard at their jokes, and the way they'd reciprocate your borderline flirting by touching you a little too much on the arm, or moving to brush something from your cheek. Today, he'd had enough when Suma had poked fun at the lack of sex you'd had; another clear dig at her distaste to your relationship. 

You'd felt a little guilty when she'd brought up something you'd discussed with her in a time of need, feeling that you hadn't been enough for your boyfriend, but the lack of intimacy had been due to his own insecurity. It was a bad jab at the snake pillar, one that even Tengen had slapped her on the wrist about, but Suma always got to be a handful after a few drinks. 

You'd told Obanai time and time again that his scars were beautiful, but the facial disfiguration had played a large part in his timidity. He'd suffered a lot from the self consciousness, and you'd felt empathetic to his situation. Though, you wished that he would ease up, and enjoy the time you spent together, instead of worrying about what other people had thought. 

Following him, you exhaled heavily at the possessive behaviour, as this was becoming a common theme.  "Obanai, please." You huffed, opening the bedroom door to reason with him, racking through the words you'd choose to say in your head, prepared to fight for the next hour. 

You stopped in your tracks as you saw him removing the bandages from his face, Kaburamaru slithering from his perch at Obanai's shoulder to move past you to reside in the hall. You stepped into the room, skepticism written on your features as the last loop of the bandages fell, exposing the face you dreamed of. Even after three months of dating, seeing below his nose was a rarity, one that you'd had to bask and appreciate in with every chance you'd gotten. 

"If you're going to act like a slut," He spoke, watching you through the mirror he'd been stood in front of, turning to face you as he finished the sentence. "I'll treat you like one." 

Obanai's hand wrapped around your wrist, pulling your arm tought until your knees bent and you'd hit the floor beneath you. He pulled his trousers down to knee level, grabbing a fist full of your hair as he forced your face into his crotch. He'd been flaccid, but you took him into your lips anyway, mouth hitting the base of his cock as you warmed him inside your cheeks. His hair fell to surround his face as he looked down at you, and you could feel him harden in your mouth. 

"I see the way you gawk at them." His tone was riddled with disdain, a look of pure hate across his expression. You'd attempted to pull back and scold him, but he held your head in place. "Don't start." He rebuked your attempts, pushing his hips forward to slide his now erect cock into the back of your throat. You gagged, but couldn't move as he held your head still.  "You're clearly infatuated with them, such a fucking slut." He teased, finally loosening his grip on you, allowing some movement. Your eyes watered but you bobbed back and forth for him, watching his expression for any sign of pleasure, but he'd been too pissed off to give you the satisfaction. 

"Whore." He spat, the insult causing a hum to leave your lips, the vibration causing his cock to twitch in your throat.  Your arousal to the situation was a little shameful, but you'd continued on nonetheless, taking him as far as you could. He pushed himself deeper, anger fueling his actions as he watched his cock disappear into your mouth. You'd been crying at this point, tears running down to mix with the saliva that had been pooling at your chin, gargles erupting from your tired mouth. You pulled back, but he interlaced the second hand into your hair, pushing you to suction him once more.  "Did I tell you to stop?" Obanai shouted, groaning as he took one hand to slap your cheek, leaving a stinging sensation. You continued your previous movements, whining against him while you felt his cock slide to the back of your throat. He was groaning, stomach sucking inward with each motion, pupils following your head as you maneuvered it back and forth. Your jaw had already grown tired, but you'd tried to ignore the ache, pleasing the male before you. 

"Gonna be a good slut for me?" He questioned, leering down at you suctioning him, a nod gracing your contorted face, for he'd eased his grip for only a moment. "Look so pretty with my cock in your mouth." Obanai commented, though the stinging sensation from his hand roughly slapping you once more had said otherwise. You brought a hand to pump over the shaft as he'd allowed you to move back a little, fist bumping to meet the drool covered lips you'd had locked around him. You licked over the head of his cock with your tongue, while following the other motions, knowing how he'd liked to be touched from years of experience. 

"Gon' swallow my cum like a good whore?" His voice was husky, a tremble laced through the question that he'd tried his best to hide, pleasure evident over his face and tensed body. He groaned, forcing himself further into your mouth, a gag around his head as the seed had shot straight to the back of your throat. You'd coughed, liquid flowing down your esophagus without being able to swallow as his cock had simply forced it's way into your neck, but he'd continued with the action. Obanai kept his eyes open, though squinting, wanting to watch as he'd punished you for the bratty actions you'd taken, admiring the way your salty tears had mixed with the other fluids on your face. 

You pulled back, spluttering beneath him. An attempt to get yourself out of the position had Obanai's fingers back in your hair, a sharp pain in your scalp as he'd gripped you tight.  "Who said you were getting off that easy?" 

[clean-bands-dirty-stories]

Space ~ B.A.

A/n: LOVE touching on the way Iris and Barry create their relationship by high key sabotaging every other possibility bc they feel inevitable... great shit.

Request: “Barry x male reader, reader and Barry been having issues so reader goes to stay with Kara for awhile.” By anon

Word Count: 2,000+

MASTERLIST

"So... are we going to talk about that?"

Y/n's jaw worked as he mulled over Kara's question. He couldn't expect her not to ask questions after all of that. She was a good friend, she worried. And Y/n didn't want to spend this entire trip running from his feelings. It would only make things worse.

On the other hand he really didn't want to talk about it.

But that may have been him trying to run from his feelings. Like usual. How well did that ever go?

He looked at her, taking in her barely contained curiosity and anxiety. The last time she had run into Barry and his boyfriend the two were newly in love after ages of pining and beating around the bush. They were full of relief at being able to hold hands and use pet names, and got borderline ridiculous if they ever kissed. Kara had joked they were the goal; the base line. Someone would look at her that way someday.

Now the two men were cold and distant, and when they'd gotten Kara the help she needed and Barry went to go back to his own world Y/n had asked to stay? In an entirely different universe where Barry Allen didn't even know who Y/n L/n was. Had never even heard of him. They were complete strangers in this world.

Sighing, Y/n leaned against the desk behind him and Kara tried not to grin as she realized he was about to talk about his feelings. Y/n never did such things no matter how many times she prodded and begged - but this was not a situation that called for smiling or teasing. She listened instead as Y/n began, "Barry and I have been having problems."

Kara raised an eyebrow. She was hesitant to push such a delicate string of luck but it seemed Y/n was about to stop and he really hadn't said much yet. "Problems?"

Once he started he couldn't stop. "First it was the newspaper with Iris' byline. I mean, he's been in love with her for near his entire life and everything was screaming that she would choose him back eventually. Eddie died, Patty and Linda didn't work out for several reasons - mostly because he couldn't open up to them. But that's not-" He closed his eyes, realizing he was going off on a tangent. "The point is," he began again slowly. "Barry and Iris are like, soulmates? Or something? And it started with the newspaper but then there was Earth 2, and the fact that they always know each other everywhere we go - even if vaguely. Like they're drawn to each other. Inevitable. There are worlds where I don't know Barry Allen and he doesn't know me, but they always have each other."

Slowly, Kara asked, "You're jealous of Iris?"

Y/n scoffed. "I'm not just mindlessly jealous. It wouldn't bother me so much if the name on the by line of the newspaper had changed. If it said Iris West instead, or Iris soemthing-else. But it doesn't. It still Iris West-Allen. And I feel like... a filler." His shoulders sagged and his face twisted with agony. "It doesn't help that he started to drop our plans to hang out with her. And I realized that actually he always prioritizes her. Our plans never overlap, like he's desperate not to have to choose, and then they do and he chooses her. And it's fine, she's family, but I thought I was too. I thought we'd at least be equally as important. And then Savitar comes and he goes after Iris - still. Iris and Barry weren't together, but his life falls apart if she dies. Like-" He blinked tears out of his eyes. "Like she's his whole world. Cisco can't save him, or Caitlyn."

"Or you," Kara realized, her face crumbling as it fully settled in.

The man shrugged. "Or me. And I tried bringing it up to him but he refuses to acknowledge it and scrambles to avoid the topic and I feel like he knows he's in love with her but doesn't want to admit it. I feel like I really am filler and he knows it, that his very atoms are waiting for her and it's just this unspoken inevitability. I'm only here for now and that's it and I'm not supposed to address it, I'm not supposed to see it, but I do and that really sets him on edge. Or- something does at least. I don't know! He won't talk to me!"

Immediately Kara pulled Y/n into a hug. Y/n let her, curling into her comforting warmth and knowing he could fully collapse and she would be fine. "Would it help if I helped you work through what other options there are? Discussions are hard to have if you have one out come stuck in your head, and then often turn into arguments that accomplish nothing."

Chuckling, Y/n wiped his face. "You're so smart Kara." And he meant it so genuinely she couldn't even joke that he was full of it. He seemed relieved to be able to talk about it, talk through it. She believed that truly was the case. "Please," he sighed. "Please tell me there are other options than what I think there are."

Kara hummed, tightening the hug for a split second before leaning away so they could meet eye to eye as they spoke. This was a conversation where he needed to know she was being absolutely truthful and genuine. "Well, first of all he could have the exact same fears as you. He could truly and deeply be in love with you and be scared that it'll all be for nothing. Fate and knowing your future - it';s a terrifying thought. Especially when no matter what you do, it never changes."

Y/n nodded. That was a perfectly logical option. "Anything else?"

She was ready for the question. "His life has been really difficult. He's constantly losing people, and being a superhero is extremely hard on a person. It's demanding and draining and leaves no room for even a single mistake. You're gambling with the life of every single person. Their happiness and stability. It's not a reason to treat anyone badly but I could understand if his work life and super hero life being so complicated and dangerous doesn't leave a deep desire for a normal, more straight forward life. Maybe he got it in his head that things with you were supposed to be easy and now... they're not. And he's too burnt out or anxious to address it."

Oh. Very quickly Y/n was calming down. Hearing all the other alternatives were very grounding and loosened the pit of doom in his stomach. "Anything else?"

Nodding, Kara continued. "He may not be taking your emotions seriously and either isn't realizing how your emotions are affecting you, or thinks they're some kind of accusation. He may even not understand that when you bring this up its concerning how you feel about it and not necessarily about him or anything he's doing at all. It's a pile up of things that all point your brain in one direction, and the way that makes you feel may be irrational or very rational, but either way he isn't the person who chooses Iris. And he may be one day, or he may not, but if he thinks you're accusing him of some sort of cheating when he couldn't imagine ever doing something to you?" She shrugged. "Like getting mad at someone for doing something in a dream. And it still means something to you but he isn't clocking that - all he can see is you blaming him for something he didn't do."

Y/n actually had the audacity to smile. "We would argue over me feeling insecure and it making him feel like I hate him. Or doubt him." He rolled his eyes but there was a little fondness there and Kara felt hope surge through her. Not all was lost yet. "We would end up arguing like we are over both of us just being insecure and not communicating it int he way we need to." He sighed, long and laboriously.

Kara just decided to skip to another option. "Or he's being an asshole and he does know it upsets you but he just doesn't want to acknowledge it or take it seriously."

They looked at each other for a second before slipping into soft, breathy laughter. It was weak and quiet but Kara wrote it down as a win. The idea that Barry would be so harsh and cruel truly was laughable. Maybe another Barry, another universe, but not this one.

After a second Y/n deflated again. Not as broken down but definitely exhausted. "What do I do if he won't talk to me? I can't just not know."

"Tell him that." When Y/n seemed doubtful, kara shook her head. "I'm serious. Say it even before you start the conversation. No warning, no chance to shoot you down or change the subject. Lay down the law. If you need this, you need this. It doesn't matter what he's feeling about the situation - you need to talk about this. This is a need for you; a deal breaker. If you break up you break up. He doesn't deserve you if he can't get over himself for an hour to talk to you and give you something you actively need."

Y/n melted in relief, eyes wet. "You're an amazing friend Kara."

The compliment, bursting with appreciation that could not be put into words, made Kara grin. "You deserve a good friend. Come on - we can take a few days before you have to go back."

So they did. A little less a month passed before Y/n went back. neither of them had meant for it to go on quite so long but Y/n's powers that were so often utilized by Barry were perfect for the threat Kara was facing and beating the bad guy was the last step. They had to go through so much before they could do that. It kept them. 

When he did go home, there was something different about him. He got to see more and experience more. He realized how much pressure he was putting on Barry and codependent he'd become. he seemed finally completely at peace with whatever happened - whether or not they broke up, he knew he'd make it through - but was also ready and willing to fight for it.

If only Barry would fight too.

In the end Kara had been right. Her very first guess had hit the nail on the head, and it had all come undone the second Y/n set a hard boundary. He needed this and Barry delivered. Their relationship was important enough to the speedster to put aside fear or pride and face it. They had a long talk about the whole situation and how out of control they both felt. How that scared Barry even more because he didn't want such a future. Because he wasn't allowed to be out of control like he was now or people died. Y/n clarified his feelings not being a reflection on Barry as a person and the kind of person or partner he was, and that seemed to help too. They decided at the end of it all that no matter what happened they loved each other and nothing could get in the way of that. That even if Iris and Barry did end up together, it wouldn't be the Barry that was now.

That Barry was Y/n's.

For the first time neither of them felt the need to check to see if Iris' surname had changed on the byline. It was Cisco instead who came crashing into the room, eyes wide with worry. He pulled up the article and pointed out the byline.

Iris West.

No Allen attached.

The article was the same, with a missing Barry, but the byline was different.

Barry and Y/n looked at each other, eyes opened for the first time. It was almost a slap in the face to realize that Iris and Barry ended up together in this world only if they thought they did. That the anxiety of the felt inevitable could destroy all of their relationships, and that the second they decided it didn't - it didn't.It was beautiful in a way. And suddenly they both felt that they could do so much more... 

And they did. Together.

-

Male Readers: @ravenpuff-oli @sortzz @fadedver

[teyammybeloved]

EMBARRASSED OF ME - neteyam sully

genre - angst, fluff mini miscommunication basically a drabble

summary - neteyam and y/n decide to keep their unofficial thing private - but what happens when it slowly starts affecting them both.

characters- y/n (fem forest na’vi) aged up neteyam, all characters aged up to 18’s 19’s.

words- 2.3k

warnings- use of she/her, mini miscommunication, slight arguing, neteyam is a big clueless goof, comfort fic rlly, i love nete

authors note - im sorry this is my first tumblr piece, its its bad… im very sorry…

Y/N COULDN'T tell you when it changed, or if it had. its not like anything dramatically changed, herself and neteyam werent often affectionate in public, the two were best friends for as long as they could remember, since they were two

they would always be hip by hip, during everything, even after they had a stupid argument over the most useless things, they'd still be in each other's presences, you'd never find y/n without neteyam, and everything the girl did, the boy followed, and vise verse.

although that didn't change, they both grew up, still just as close, but neteyam was training for his future role, and y/n was normally with kiri and moat during that time, training to be a healer.

even though, neteyam would often come to the tent and visit her whenever he got a break, going as fast as he could to see her for as long as possible.

and on days when y/n wasn't training, she'd go for laps of the village, happening to stumble across where neteyam was training with his father and brother, and they both knew, that meant neteyam needed a quick break.

they never turned the girl away, always greeting her and letting herself and neteyam run off for 5-10 minutes, until jake would call him back to continue.

everyone knew how much they meant to one another, their families had always been close, but y/n and neteyam? always closer.

things changed when y/n turned 14, the feeling of heat creeping up on her when neteyam was around was a ... weird emotion to get used to.

now close to turning sixteen, y/n still had that feeling, the way her cheeks would heat up, ears would perk, her stomach would go tight with nerves.

and only a week ago, did she find out neteyam had felt the same.

he confessed to her after a overhearing a few young warriors talk about her, one was thinking about courting her, and it hit neteyam hard.

he had been so caught up in trying to figure out the way to tell you about his feelings, that he hadn't actually told you, and of course the boy was scared the feelings weren't going to be reciprocated, but he knew things would fall back to normal, they always did.

neteyam confessed that night, at the spot the two of them had shared, it was a tree, almost like a treehouse, y/n had found it while hunting for fruits one time, and showed neteyam that night.

it wasn't a secret that neteyam and y/n snuck out everynight, neytiri knew before jake did, but didn't tell her partner until after following him one time, finding him to be laying softly with y/n pointing at stars. at first, she thought it was another women, but when she heard the string of laughter the two shared, she was quick to realise, it was y/n.

unknown to both neteyam and y/n, jake and neytiri had spoken to y/n's parents, about choosing her to be neteyam's promised mate. there was no one they'd rather have their oldest dedicated to.

and they knew there was no one their oldest would rather spend the rest of his life with, he made the stupid mistake of telling lo'ak about his feelings for his best friend, and soon enough his entirety of his family knew.

y/n was close with her mother, and let it spill that y/n felt the same after the sully couple approached them.

all their parents were unaware of the fact the two of them had confessed to one another. by neteyam's request.

although y/n was confused at first, she ignored it. she ignored the slight hurt in her stomach and carried on like normal. all he said was that he didn't want to tell anyone — yet.

the girl was unaware that meant, he didn't want anyone to know, or have a smidge of an idea.

she didn't know that meant he would avoid her in public settings.

there was a time, y/n was collecting berries with kiri, and while kiri travelled further into the forest, neteyam had been on his way to training.

"hello sevin (pretty)" he muttered in her ear, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. before y/n could even respond, he was pulling away, he noticed kiri with her back turned deeper into the forest.

"i must go" he muttered, before leaving to continue his walk to training. y/n felt herself fall in disappointment. it confused her.

neteyam found out about the planned mating — three days ago. and he knew you had no idea about it, since his father had told him that he should be the one to tell her that.

that flipped something in neteyam, he watched as other men continued to try and court y/n, and it broke his heart, he wanted to prove himself to her, prove he deserved her love and tìmuntxa ( mating )

he did not want to tell her that the two of them had been promised to each other, because he did not want her to think she was just another one of his duties, something he had to do because of his fathers request.

maybe the way he was acting wasn't the best way to go about it, but he was scared that others would assume so as well, he wanted to prove himself to her first, and then everyone else.

he did not know, it was affecting y/n so heavily, he did not know that the insecurity was slowly creeping up on her, he didn't know that while trying to prove himself so desperately, all she felt was as if she was not good enough, maybe he was embarrassed to be seen with her.

y/n watched the water from above, the sun had set and the sky was filled with countless stars, each one filled with just as much beauty as the other, y/n had told neteyam that she wouldn't be able to meet tonight, saying something along the lines of the fact her parents were catching on, and if she went again it would be too suspicious.

it was a lie, y/n was close with them, and had told them about her meetings with the boy everynight, they did not mind. it gave them piece of mind knowing she were safe with the future leader.

y/n stared at the flowing river, deep in thought, she wondered if maybe she and neteyam did not confess their feelings to one another, maybe he wouldve given her a bit more attention, maybe he wouldve been less embarrassed by her.

tears brimmed her eyes are she started to pick every little thing about herself apart, she didn't blame him for not wanting to be known as her mate, and by the end of her thoughts, tears were running down her face.

she felt bad for lying, wanting nothing more then to be with the boy, but not when they were only alone. she hated the feeling she got now when she saw him, she hated feeling like a secret that would ruin his life if it got out.

what she didn't know, it even the night's y/n didn't come to the spot, neteyam did. it gave him piece of mind in his chaotic life, knowing this was a spot that belonged to only her and him, cause everything to do with her made his heart beat ten times faster, and he loved it.

but he was confused, when he saw a blue figure sitting upon the tree, his mind filled with worry that someone else had found their spot, but taking a closer look, he noticed the scar her shoulder, a smile made its way to his face, she must have changed her mind, he thought.

being so blinded by her own self hatred, she was too deep in her head to notice the figure climbing up the tree, and being too excited by the fact he got to see his love, and the fact her back was turned to him, he failed to notice her tear stained face.

"yawne? you came" he muttered, that snapped y/n out of her gaze, cursing to herself, hating the feeling of nerves in her stomach as his voice rang through her head. she was quick to wipe her tears, hoping her voice wasn't too much of a give away to the fact she had been crying.

"yeah- i uh-" it was. it gave her away completely, she had to stop herself to breathe so her voice didn't crack. "i can't stay for long." she muttered, good excuse.

he frowned at her tone, taking a seat next to her, his frown only deepened when she moved slightly away, it was dark, yes, but not dark enough to hide her blotching tear stained cheeks.

"yawne, what is the matter?" he said, placing a hand softly on the small of her back, confusion burying itself deeper in his stomach. hating that he didn't know why his girl was hurting.

"nothing, nete, im okay." she assured, wiping a stray tear that fell on her face. he only frowned more as she moved forward, out of his touch.

"baby? what is wrong" he pushed, calling her the pet name she had grown to love, one he had heard his father call his mother, it was a demon word, but a good one.

"nothing nete, i have a headache" she said, turning to look at him softly, he sighed, grabbing her hand. being able to see right through her. "talk to me."

she went to protest, tell him it was nothing but he stopped her. "please, y/n?, talk to me" he begged, y/n looked down, his hands rested on the flat surface of the bark on the tree, begging to hold her and pull her close.

"why don't you want to be seen with me neteyam?" she finally said, refusing to look up at him, scared to meet his gaze, she was terrified for his response, would this be the moment he told her he had got his feelings mixed up, he didn't like her, she was terrified.

at her words — however, neteyam flaterned, confusion filling his brows, he frowned, wishing he could understand what she meant, "wh- what do you mean yawne?" he asked.

she frowned, tears refilling her eyes. "you don't want to be seen with me, neteyam. anytime anyone else is around- you go all, i dont know. like a stranger" she frowns, neteyam's eyes widened with realisation, heart breaking as he realised he had been neglecting his love

"if you don't want to mate or court me, just say that. you don't have to just pretend like you do when we are alone" she said, starting to stand up to leave, neteyam's lips part, feeling slightly offended she thought so lowly of him, but he had no one to blame for that then himself.

he stood up as well, holding onto y/n's arm, the tree had a wooden surface built across it, giving them space to move. "y/n- baby no." he said, pulling her closer to him.

"im sorry, im so sorry- i didn't realise, im so sorry baby"

he overused the pet name after finding out it was one of her favourites, but she never minded.

"please let me explain" he begged, y/n just stayed silent, allowing him to continue.

"I do, so much more then anything want to be seen with you, i want to show you off to the entire clan— but my dad- parents, they have promised me to someone" y/n's heart dropped as she tears her arm from his.

he shakes his head, cursing himself for picking the worst timing to take a breath. "no- no, they have promised me to you. we are promised yawne." he said, bringing a hand to her face, rubbing his thumb across her cheek lovingly.

"and i didn't want to tell you because i didnt want you to think i only did these things because of that, and i didnt want everyone else to assume that as well- i wanted to prove myself to you- i wanted to court you before everyone gets to stick their heads in" he said, out of breath by the end of it.

y/n's eyes softened with realisation, a frown still pulling at her cheeks, but this time with disappointment that she didn't trust him.

"im so sorry, i never want you to think i don't want you, because you're all i want, i think about you every second of everyday, it breaks my heart pulling away from you- i was just so committed to proving myself to you, that i forgot to.. actually do it"

he finally stops, giving her a chance to respond. her eyes are wide with love, looking up at him so lovingly he can almost feel his stomach flutter. "you already have, tìyawn. (love)"

he smiles softly, "im sorry i assumed so lowly of you. i was just- caught in my own head.. i thought you were embarrassed of me" she muttered.

he frowned, "do not think like that, how could i ever be embarrassed by you. you're absolutely perfect. ewya, tomorrow im going to show the whole clan youre mine, im sorry i didn't do it right away"

"neteyam you don't have to." she muttered, bringing him closer. "i want to, yawne"

and he did, and everyday after that, everyone in the clan was well aware that y/n belonged to neteyam, and neteyam? he had always belonged to y/n.

[chinchillamajor]

Star Simon comic, Part 2/2!

[tw for Simon mpreg AUs, and a referenced miscarriage (not shown).]

When we last left Star Simon, he was having a very strange dream...

And with Dandelion's help, Simon did.

Night after night, he met Simon after Simon, all of them expecting their own Dandelions, after they'd each been surprised as well. These other Dandelions, Star Simon could still help keep safe.

Sometimes, Dandelion was called "Morrigan."

Sometimes, Simon was still waiting to choose a name.

And sometimes, Simon was carrying more than one Dandelion!

Some worlds weren't fun to see.

Some hurt, an awful lot.

But no matter what, Star Simon was there for them all.

Because that's what Simons *do.*

They help out the ones who need help, most.

And when they're really lucky, they learn that every *Simon* is worthy of happiness, too.

Even if that happiness ends up looking a little different than most.

...

No, for serious. Thanks to everyone who read this little comic of mine. This little subset of the Fionna & Cake fandom's helped me so much, these past few weeks.

I've opened up to my therapist about Dandelion (which WAS what I nicknamed them, I swear I'm not making that up!!) after nearly a year of keeping it all to myself, *and* I was able to hold a little funeral for them, to send them along wherever they want to go next, this past Samhain night.

I feel I was finally able to process everything, in a way that worked out as well as it possibly could've. And I never would've acknowledged that little part of my life at all, if it hadn't been for a few people's AU fancomics.

Some stories aren't always the happiest ones out there. But I think those kinds of stories should be told, too.

I remain ever grateful. ✨️

[legendofmorons]

Lost at sea (Colors)

This is 2nd place in my 100 follower event for @twistedfairytalefantasy

Pairing: Colors x reader (background Four x reader)

Rating: T

Summary: When you discover that your boyfriend is able to split into four people, it's stressful for all five of you. But it's okay, you're sticking together.

Warnings: Overprotective brother,

Other: I'll come in and fix the formatting in a week or so. If I missed anything, please let me know.

-------

Today has not gone at all how anyone planned. From your brother coming in and being rude towards Four to you getting dragged into one of Wind's best to date shenanigans.

The words your brother said still circle the colors' head.

'Worthless.'

'Not even close to goof enough.'

'A two bit shill who will leave you.'

Obviously these words aren't true but they hurt. And even if they aren't true they feel true.

With Red and Green are fully convinced your brother is right, the only real option is to get to somewhere private and to split.

Blue and Vio argue vehemently the entire way back to the room that your brother is wrong. That his opinion doesn't matter as much as yours does.

That you chose them which makes them worthy of you. After all who's a better judge of what you need and want than you yourself?

The colors really weren't expecting anyone to come into the room until much later. Which is why they're in this predicament. You had found them- and understandably had a little freak out because realistically this is strange and unusual.

Hylia could only save this.

Or maybe it's not gonna be so bad?

You've always been accepting of them before.

…….

The colors had split, each of them having an issue which of course gave them a splitting headache.

The entirety of the argument they'd had with your overprotective brother spinning in their heads.

Your brother is right though, they're not good enough for you. They keep hiding the main secret they have from you.

And it's not like you could just accept this. That would be too much to ask, even from you.

You- who have always accepted them wholeheartedly… even if you don't know about the colors.

You've never hurt them on purpose. And you've always defended them- even if they didn't believe it.

Just the thought of you finding out and hating them is enough to send them spiraling.

Red and Green both sit down on the bed they had taken for themselves.

Blue and Vio sit on your bed.

All four seem displeased and the conversation has only just started.

"We have to just ignore him." Blue says, arms crossing. "(Y/n) chose us. That's more important than anything their brother said."

Green is still frowning, "But family opinions can matter a lot to people!"

"Besides… It's not like (Y/n) knows about us. They didn't actually choose us. They chose Four."

"We are Four." Blue counters evenly, "They absolutely chose us. They just don't know everything yet."

"And what about when they find out?" Vio asks, gaze narrowing, "We're not exactly normal."

"So? No one we're traveling with is."

"So you want us to just be optimistic?" Green asks, "I know (Y/n) wouldn't let our secret slip…. But it seems like a tall order to expect them to still want anything to do with us after they learn about us."

"But I think-" Red starts, only to be cut off by the door opening with the loudest creak.

Uh oh. They'd been so preoccupied they hadn't heard anyone approach. Of all the possibilities they hope it's Time or Twilight- those two are the least reactive.

Your face is the first thing they see.

Uh oh.

You slam the door shut, eyes narrowing as tears still gather in them from the previous experience.

Your brother's words about your boyfriend running your mind. You know he thinks he's helping but you wish he hadn't.

Hearing him tear into Four when the man wasn't around to defend himself upset you. And while normally you'd tell anyone who pulled that to shut up- you have a harder time with family.

You do know your brother was looking out for you in your own way. But the argument that ensued was exhausting.

You don't feel guilty though. You feel justified in setting your brother straight. He'd obviously lost his whole rocker.

You wipe your eyes quickly, setting yourself right.

Blue and Green both share a look, dreadful and resigned.

Vio watches, knowing it's too late to re-form into their original form. He chooses to have faith in you the way you deserve.

Red just sighs, shoulders slumping with the action.

You haven't seen them yet, the shared looks of panic between the colors stay unnoticed.

You finally look around, eyes blowing wide as quarters when you see four men in different colored tunics.

At first glance you thought one was Four- but these men are near identical.

"Who are you?!" You demand, hand reaching for the sword on your back.

That action alone is enough to upset them.

But then they process your words. And they're softening as they try to figure out what to do to help.

Your voice is entirely too accusing for the colors- they've never heard you so untrusting of them… But you've never seen them either have you?

"Wait!" Red calls quickly in an effort to keep you from attacking them. "It us- we're uh- Four!"

"Uh, no you aren't." Your voice is confused- but you hesitate a little.

Your hand hovers as if frozen beside the grip of your sword.

That’s reassuring at least. The colors share a look. They can work with this- at least to talk you out of fight mode.

Their voices- it still sounds like Four. And they all look impossibly like your boyfriend.

This is so weird.

Could they be telling the truth?

"(Y/n)." Green says, "This isn't how we are. wanted you to-"

"Shut up and let them think." Blue says with a glare.

Red looks thoroughly offended but when he opens his mouth to respond Green sets one hand on his shoulder. Effectively silencing him.

Vio just watches you, taking in everything you do and say. Trying to make a game plan. (Not that he knows what game you're all even playing.)

You take in the scene before you, confused and considering yelling for one of the boys. Because what in the name of Hylia and her sisters is this?

You narrow your eyes, but you can't find anything to disprove their claim…

They look remarkably like Four- the same features and hair. The same expressions you're famous with paint their faces- each of them having a separate look on their face.

Wait…

Four's sword…

The four sword-

Oh.

Nothing named like that is ever just named that.

That can't mean that-

The sword probably multiplies a person?

Maybe it splits them?

Who knows? Not you.

This is already giving you a headache.

You let out a slow sigh, trying to wrap your brain around the new ideas and information presented to you. The scene before you doing nothing to ease your brain.

"Uhm- not to be overbearing- but are you okay?" Green asks, tilting his head.

You let out a sigh, relaxing a little as you drop your hand back down.

Obviously they aren't going to attack you right now. And if they're being honest they're Four- or well versions of him.

You can't imagine Four ever hurting you on purpose.

Huh.

Well then. You're probably safe aren't you?

You can relax then.

"I'm fine. This is- a lot." You say, trying not to let your own confused panic flood your voice.

"We're sure." Vio says, his own gaze stuck to you. He can tell you aren't handling this as well as you want them to think.

"So… You're all Four?"

"Parts of him." Red explains with a shrug, "We're all one of his major parts."

You nod along, trying not to let your expression give away your unsure panic.

"Oh… well it's nice to meet you?"

"We already know you." Blue says sharply something almighty about it. Well- maybe not almighty- more cocky. Yeah, that's the word.

It's endearing almost- Four always seems so calm and gentle. It's nice to see a version of him proud.

It's well deserved after all. Being a Chosen Hero, a blacksmith, this latest adventure? More than deserved.

"Well I haven't met you. Have I?"

"No. You haven't." Vio says, his tone anything but revealing.

"I'm Green! The Cranky one is blue!"

"Oh- that makes sense."

"I'm Red!"

"Hi. Does that make you Purple?" You ask, eyes falling to Vio.

"No. I'm Vio."

"Oh- that's short for Violet then? Pretty."

"Violence." Blue pipes up helpfully.

"Oh. Huh. That's- something else." You say, unsure what you're expected to say or do in response to any of this.

Like seriously. What in the name of the stars are you supposed to do?

One good outcome is this gives you a whole new thing to focus on than anything your brother said.

And this- well you're invested in where this goes.

"If it would help we can re-fuse?" Green suggests.

"No. It's fine- I just really wasn't expecting this today."

"Or probably ever." Vio says with little more than a glance your way.

"I can't say I did."

"Who would? Freaked us pretty good too." Green smiles, "Are you sure you don't want us to-"

"No. It's fine. I promise. I'd really love to get to know each of you."

"Ooooh come sit with me!" Red grins as he seems to bounce in place on the bed.

You look at Red, and feel guilty even as you hesitate.

Is it rude to sit with one of them over the other?

That's something to figure out later.

"He doesn't bite." Vio says with a tilt of his head.

"I do." Blue says with crossed arms.

"Please don't bite me?" You say the phrase more of a question than a statement.

"I won't bite you. You're ours." Blue says, sounding as if this should be totally obvious.

"Okay. Thanks… I think."

You walk from where you've been standing just inside the room to sit between Green and Red.

Red sets his head against your arm happily, smiling up at you.

"You're so pretty, (Y/n)." Red says with a giddy look.

Green just laughs.

"You're reacting better than we expected." Vio says from the opposite bed.

"Thanks. What did you think I was going to do?"

"Scream and run?" Green suggests.

"Hate us." Blue says with a straight face.

"Why would I ever hate you? You're all parts of Four, aren't you?"

"We are." Vio says with a sigh. "But this isn't exactly something people support."

"Then they're just dumb." You say with your arms crossed, "Though I would have hoped you knew me better than thinking I could hate you."

The look you toss around at your boys is chiding enough without anything else.

Your boys?

Makes sense.

"(Y/n)," Green says, "Look around you. You're dating four people."

"So? If I understand right I've been dating you for this whole time."

"Well-" Blue starts, only to fall short.

What does he even say in response?

"Exactly."

"I told you they would be supportive." Vio says as he gives the other three a knowing smirk.

"We were just worried." Green says, "What else would we expect?"

"I don't know." You say, eyes looking around your boys again.

You take to the new information better than anyone else could have ever expected.

You decide within an hour that you should take the colors on solo dates when possible too.

After all, you're dating all four of them.

You want to act like it!

"I still don't think we can all sleep in one bed." Vio says firmly.

"We can if you let us try!" Red insists, borderline jumping.

"Or we could sleep on the floor." You offer from beside Blue.

All four men's heads turn to you, any arguments forgotten as they once again are reminded how wonderful you are.

"You're so smart." Red says as he looks absolutely smitten. He might as well have actual heart eyes.

"Of course they are." Blue shakes his head.

You can feel your face flushing a little, worries and issues of earlier already gone for now. "Thank you."

"Let's get the floor set up then. I still have bruises from yesterday's fiasco." Green adds as he starts clearing the middle of the floor.

"Don't remind me." Vio groans, moving to help Green.

You just wince in sympathy, trying not to remember the mess that was yesterday's ambush.

You and the colors disassemble the bedding and use extra blankets to build a sleep area that you should all actually fit into.

It's after you get everything set up that you feel at peace fully. The moonlight streaming in from the window the wall boasts.

Laying in the middle with two of your boys on either side.

Red and Blue both fall asleep quickly, their faces endearingly peaceful.

"I tried telling them you'd accept us." Vio says from his spot at your left.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because having four people that make up your boyfriend is weird." Green says from behind Vio.

"It's not what I expected. But I'm not going to just ditch you guys over something I didn't expect."

"Thank you. That means- a lot." Green says softer, sounding soft and fragile.

"Of course. Besides, if I was gonna ditch you guys for anything it would be for being out of my league."

"You, my dear, are a sap." Vio says as he sets one hand on your shoulder.

"Thank you for noticing."

"Hard not to notice. " Green smiles soft as you've ever seen.

"That's what I'm usually going for. I can't have you thinking I care less about you than I do."

Green looks like he's falling in love with you all over again. His smile is all too smitten and you swear to Hylia that his pupils are turning into actual hearts.

Vio just squeezes your shoulder fondly. His own face betrays his love for you.

You drift to sleep, all five of you assured that you're safe and happy together. That everyone in the room trusts each other.

Each of the colors knows in their heart that you- (Y/n) (L/n) choose to stay with them even after finding out everything.

…….

You wake up the following morning to all four of your boyfriends in a dog pile of sorts atop you.

Vio is clinging to you on one side while Green is sideways across your legs.

Blue has set his head on your chest.

And to top it all of Red has his arms wrapped around your stomach, his head resting atop it.

Well, as cold as last night was, you didn't feel it.

You smile softly, reaching up to stretch your arms as you admire the way they all look in their sleep.

You'll do your best to make sure they all know individually and together how much you love them.

And you can't wait to get to know them better.

Especially not when you find yourself playing twenty questions with them as the day goes on outside without any of you. The laughter and smiles you get are all worth their weight in golf and then some.

[keischreiber]

Canonically, I feel like Reiner is the type to be apprehensive about using pet names for his significant other. He doesn't know when would be a good time to do it, would his partner like, is it something they'd prefer over calling them by name. Personally, I think he likes the way your name rolls off of his tongue. How something that, to him, was just a random name before but now holds so much meaning. Because it's your name.

Reiner is quite observant by nature so I think he's the type to watch people in passing. How maybe, walking through the streets of Liberio, he listens to people's conversations. Catches how couples seem open to such monikers and wonders just how he can also try it out.

Does he need to be casual about it and insert it into conversations; or should he just wait for you to bring it up, asking why he never calls you anything sweet or romantic. Reiner, I feel wouldn't want to upset you by calling you a particular pet name that you didn't like. So, I think he'd casually bring up a conversation that allows him to fish for some information.

He could site how people are so open about their relationships, and that he couldn't possibly do something like that. Trying to get a reaction out of you. And hopefully you'd question him about it so he could ask if you liked that sort of thing to, had any terms of endearment that you liked.

He knows that it shouldn't be complicated, but he's a man who has been met with so many rejections and disappointments that the last thing he wants is to disappoint you too, or be rejected by you for a simple mistake. He thinks about your comfort more than his own, because he feels it's the best way he can get his feelings across.

Maybe he thinks about it too much and just, during one of your busy mornings, it slips absentmindedly from his lips. Called you something other than your name. How naturally it left his lips that it caught you by surprise.

"What did you call me?" You'd ask, dumbfounded. And then he realizes that he slipped, possibly fucked up. God, his anxiety is setting in. You can see the discomfort on his face and hear him ask if you hated it.

Which you don't.

So his face lights up, obviously relieved that he hadn't disappointed you for being to comfortable. He can be silly at times, despite being each other's significant other, he's still so careful; afraid of risking your disapproval even if you've talked to him about things like, you're not always going to be on the same page at the start, but that doesn't mean you'd love him any less. That despite differences, love will always be present. He understands this, but sometimes, it's hard for him to wrap his head around it.

Then, you ask him, pulling him from his train of thought: "What do you want me to call you back?"

And he's stunned, always, that you were so considerate about him too. Giving him a choice, when majority of his life, he was given none. That the choices he made had put people in danger; that the only choice he could afford was the lesser of some evil. But you, you openly gave him a say, showed him how valid his points could be, how they make sense without endangering anyone. He appreciates you so much for it.

"Reiner. Just Reiner is enough." He tells you.

Because at the end of the day, no matter how sweet terms of endearments were... he wouldn't any form of it, coming from you. But if he were to choose, he'd want to hear his name roll off your tongue; given life by your voice.

Because for so long, to him, "Reiner" sounded like an obligation. His name attached to too many painful things. Responsibilities that he could never forgo, wrongs that could never be erased, a tool that was used over and over again, something that brought people he loved pain...

... but with you, it's different. His name felt like it meant something more. Something that wasn't as cursed as he initially thought. Something that was meant to be said, and cherished. Something that, when he hears you call for him... felt important, held significance—had meaning.

If it's you saying his name, why would he settle for a name that everyone already uses for everyone else?

[bitchfitch]

Dead fish washed up along the banks. Their still twitching bodies boiled by the monster sheltering in their river.

The hero to be sighed his frustrations as he picked his way towards the source of this mess. The river steamed before it boiled, the water level lowered by the monster sitting in the middle of the bed. There was no water surrounding him, the heat of his small body evaporated any drop that got near.

The Villain, the boy, V, sat bare and alone, curled up on himself with his demonic tail whipping against the stone behind him. There'd been another incident, Connor hadn't stayed to listen to the details but this one was the first to have a potential body count. No one was dead yet, but the initial fire had left four badly burned and a stable without a roof.

V's powers were growing more and more with each day even as his ability to control them stagnated. It was a worrying turn of events for any young mage, a omen of the future to come for a prophesized demon king.

Connor undressed quickly when he was close enough. He may be fire proof, but his clothes weren't and V always made such a fuss when he accidentally seared something of Connor's.

"Go away," V snarled, not looking up from where he had his face tucked behind his boney knees.

"Nah. You successfully saved me from having to listen to another one of Madame Periwinkle's lectures about nature or whatever. I'm choosing to use this new free time to hang out with my friend," he sat behind V, leaning along his back and bumping their heads together.

"We're not friends." V curled tighter. He felt like a rock that had been warmed by the sun. Gentle and familiar even when Connor knew that if anyone else were to touch V when he was worked up like this, they'd have their flesh instantly evaporated. A part of him liked that. It meant V was safe even when Connor wasn't there to protect him.

"Yes we are. More than that even, we're practically brothers, V."

"You're going to kill me."

"No, I'm not."

"You can't escape fate. You're going to kill me."

"I'm not going to kill you. Ratna and I have already decided it. We're not going to let a dead guy decide out lives for us, and since we're ignoring the prophecy on every other front, I'm choosing to also ignore the part that says I'm going to kill my best friend."

"You have to kill me, there's no other choice. "

"Did you listen to anything -"

"I can't control myself Connor. I- I'm going to hurt people and I won't have anywhere to go and I'm going to be alone and hated and- and I'd rather you just kill me than make me have to find some other way to die."

"I'm here. Ratna wants to be your friend too. between the three of us... we'll figure something out, V. In her last letter she- don't tell her I told you -but she's started learning to control her magic. She's got this tutor, and thinks she might be able to help you too. Ratna wants to be the one to talk the teacher into it so we'll see how that goes-" he stops his ramble, "- What I'm saying is, you aren't going to be alone. Us, you me and Ratna? We're a set, and we'll do what we have to to stay together."

"I've never even met her," it was a weak protest.

"So? You will and you two will get along like rats and fleas," Connor let V settle into silence. The smaller boy was relaxing bit by bit and that was all they needed to worry about in that moment.

The water came back slowly as the heat of V's body calmed back to a normal for him level. Still too hot for anyone besides Connor to touch, but no longer was he so hot as to incinerate anything that so much as brushed him.

"Are they going to let me back into town?" V finally asked, his voice small and defeated.

"Probably. I talked to Lord Archibald before I came to find you and told him what actually happened. "

"That I let Devon get under my skin and burnt down a stable because of it?"

"No, that Devon and his lackeys were throwing stones and goading you while you were doing the cleaning."

"That's not true-"

"It is now. Archibald trusts my word over theirs and wants you in town for as long as possible. No need to look a gift horse in the mouth."

"Most gift horses don't want to make you into a weapon."

"So? He's human, in the worst case scenario I can stab him to death for you," Connor grinned when that got a shakey laugh from V.

[anachilles]

“It’s getting crowded. Here, hold my hand.” for Blakely/Douglass. Please & thank you!

omg, fun! thanks so much for the excuse to write a lil ev and doug 🥰 -> prompt lists i'm currently accepting requests from: [ x ] [ x ] <-

"Single fillies. C'mon, boys, time to get the lead out."

Everett resisted the urge to wrinkle his nose in distaste at the lewd comment, choosing to let the buoyant atmosphere (sans whatever bizarre stand-off Bucky had just decided to pick with Harding) and passable-at-best whiskey warming his insides draw an incredulous, good-natured chuckle out of him instead.

He could feel Doug's eyes hot on the back of his head from where he'd floated towards the back of the pack, and glancing back in his periphery, he caught the moment Doug's gaze flitted away from him, and in the direction of Tatty Spaatz just to Everett's left.

They'd been circling each other for weeks now, Doug and the General's daughter, which in itself on its own was playing with fire, if you asked Everett. She hadn't been his first choice even out of just her friend group when they'd first met, and seemed to be very much aware of the fact every time he'd attempted to flirt with her since. She was a stiffed-lipped, straight-faced sort, deadpan too, and didn't generally entertain much of Doug's foolishness like a lot of the other Red Cross girls on-base. Suppose that's why he kept coming back around trying to crack the nut; he liked the push and pull.

Everett let Doug make a blatantly purposeful move in her direction, one the other boys all would've noticed, before quickly side-stepping into Tatty's space himself, offering his arm and a barely concealed smirk.

"Hey, Tatty. You know you can't resist..." he goaded, a knowing smile crossing her ruby red lips as she took the proffered arm, letting him lead her out towards the dance floor while Doug was still caught mid-stride, half a step behind.

Everett liked Tatty a lot, truth be told. Enough to have his own privately-held suspicions, bolstered by the uncumbersome kinship he felt when they sought each other out for a dance during these shindigs, the easy laughs and conversation that never even threatened to stray anywhere close to the belt. Enough to save her, at the very least, from another round of Doug's games, despite how she seemed to revel in finding new and creative ways to shoot him down.

After that, Everett spent the rest of the night much the same as he usually did at these things - drinking, chatting and chain-smoking mostly, interspersed with a couple of dances with some of the other girls he was friendly with. Not to mention having a front-row seat to Doug's shenanigans as he jumped from conversation to conversation like a bee pollinating flowers in the springtime, only rounding back to the centre table every so often to drop into the crew's conversation, slinging an arm loosely around the back of Everett's chair each time he did.

You'd think a guy might get jealous. Only, for better or worse, Everett knows his bombardier all too damn well by this point, every good pilot does; his switches, his tells, how he needs to be handled. He'd recall irrefutably how Doug's eyes had snapped to him first, and how Everett knew immediately where he'd end up that night.

Everett stuck around right up until the death of the party, the crowd thinning out as each quarter hour ticked by, the band having packed up their equipment, the bartender having called last orders long ago. The last guy in the group he'd been sitting with departed for bed, slurring his words and stumbling slightly on his feet as he went.

Suddenly, he felt slightly awkward sat at a big table by himself, and so moved to one of the many abandoned chairs far off to the side of the dancefloor and pulled his cigarette case from his inside jacket pocket. He settled one between his lips and started scouring his pockets for a lighter, but didn't manage to get too far before a figure appeared in front of him, playfully tapping at his legs with a foot where they lay loungefully outstretched.

"What's the difference between a hippo and a zippo?" Doug asked with a shameless smirk, producing his own lighter from his pocket, sparking it to life as if in demonstration, before chucking it in the other man's direction. He was aiming for the crease of Everett's lap, but Everett intercepted it quickly, catching it deftly instead.

"You've used that one already tonight," Everett quipped, taking a deep drag from the cigarette, before slipping the lighter into his own jacket pocket. Doug made no protest, just shrugged, still smirking. "You've got to get some new material if you want to keep up."

"It's a good joke, what can I say. Worth stealing if you get the chance." His voice sharpened into a point on that one word of the sentence, and Everett couldn't help but mirror the other man's smile. He raised a chin a little further, managing somehow to look down his nose at Doug from where he was sat, despite how he was stood over him.

"Is that what I did? That easily? I mean, it wasn't hard. Perhaps you've just got to up your game."

A faux-indifferent shrug. Another drag of the cigarette, coupled with a long, deliberately charged exhale. A beat of silent anticipation as Douglass sized him up and down, eyes narrowed in challenge as they held each other's gaze, but also edged with something else. Clearly loose from the liquor, Doug's crystalline eyes darkened a little, his bottom lip briefly rolling in behind his teeth as he bit down teasingly.

Doug's eyes did a quick scan of their surroundings. The club had fairly emptied out, the closest others to them at the far end of the bar area and well out of hearing range.

"It's, uh, it's getting a little crowded in here," Doug started, his voice pitched low and verging on sensual, a smile still twitching at his lips even as he was trying to pretend to be serious, and held out his arm in Everett's direction, like he was one of his dames. "...why don't you take my hand and we'll get out of here?"

Everett made a point of hesitating for a moment, letting out another long, slow exhale of smoke as he made Doug wait for it, resigning himself to acquiescing their little game. If the man was a dog, his tail would be damn well wagging he seemed so keyed up for it.

"Oh how flattered I am to be your back-up plan. More flattered about it than Tatty Spaatz is, at least," Everett joked as he rose from the chair, pointedly not taking Doug's hand, but sticking close to his side as they made for the exit side-by-side, both their minds fixed on the empty fort, their fort, ahead of them, waiting at the airfield.

Once they were in the clear, the night air hitting them both like a tonne of bricks after being cooped up inside there all that time, Doug chanced a cheeky swat at Everett's ass.

"Well, you're prettier than her. Prettier than all of them," he teased, though his voice melded into something sweeter, more affectionate than the words themselves would give away alone. "My number one back-up. Always."

[thedeviljudges]

Do you think Soo Hyun and Ga On would have lasted if she hadn't died? I wonder how Yo Han "dying" would have impacted him, since dying and escaping to Switzerland were always Yo Han's intentions in a scenario where Soo Hyun hadn't died.

this is a very interesting question!!!!! and of course, this is just me thinking through this and by no means do i necessarily think it would've gone this way bc there's 101 scenarios in which we could create here.

that said, i think gaon would try his best to make it work with soohyun, but i think it would ultimately ruin them. or at the very least, put them in a spot where they resent each other, especially gaon.

there is not a world where gaon could live without yohan in some capacity - we've seen this in the show with him trying to leave and also confessing how much yohan (and elijah) mean to him. that is still true imo regardless of whether soohyun died or not. with gaon thinking yohan died and even him realizing he hadn't, gaon cared for him enough either way.

but i do think he'd stay behind and make it work with soohyun because he ran back to her thinking that's what he wanted, but i also believe it'd be a lie. that kiss was awkward as hell - with both of them seemingly realizing that it wasn't what they thought it would be. but gaon's too loyal for his own good, and i think especially with the professor's betrayal, the hold that soohyun and him had over gaon, would eventually start to crumble.

soohyun also made it known how much she hated yohan, but gaon never got to that point. he distanced himself simply bc he didn't want to become a person he couldn't recognize under yohan's belief system, but that never stopped him from working with yohan in the end. gaon promised soohyun to trust yohan first to handle the disaster that was unfolding, and then they'd look into him more. and if that had actually come to fruition instead of gaon's betrayal, they still would've found the truth.

maybe that might've swayed soohyun into liking yohan, but it was clear in the beginning she felt yohan was taking gaon away from her and the "light."

i don't think gaon would have to choose between the two if she were alive, but i do think that gaon would eventually realize that he isn't happy under her thumb. as friends who see each other whenever they can, at least there's some amount of distance, but if you're talking about a relationship where you're expected to typically be closer than friends, i think that would eventually fracture gaon's world view (again esp bc professor wasn't there either) of her by being so suffocatingly close.

and this might seem like a stretch, but i could also fully see gaon becoming repressed with his sexuality and living that lie until he couldn't anymore.

i just don't see a world where soohyun and gaon could've ever worked out beyond friends because really, their personalities are so different, too. gaon's dealing with a lot of childhood trauma and a completely different outlook in life that soohyun never had to experience. and that's not to say two people with two diff backgrounds can't date - bc that would be silly otherwise - but we see soohyun remaining positive while gaon lives with a suicidal mindset when the briefest of events happens that fold his reality in two. and even if mental health wasn't there, it's still very clear that the injustices that gaon faced have shaped his worldview that the law and order put in place is integral to upholding a good society, but he's also not afraid to see its flaws and find a loop hole for a better outcome (ie. not going yohan's lengths, but i do believe he'd be a compassionate judge when needed but unforgiving in circumstances required).

[otdderamin]

Analysis: Essek's Accent As The Shadowhand Fades

I'm watching the Essek Supercut again, and I noticed Essek's accent and when it starts to settle.

Watch the first few clips, until about about 0:4:40

Mostly this is just Matt settling into Essek's voice, but when he was first introduced, Essek had a very stern authoritative court voice. But once they were in the antichamber together, and Fjord says they need to check their underwear for accidents after that first interaction with the Queen and made him laugh, Essek slips into what we hear as his personal accent.

Essek really did just make up this version of himself to be as successful as everyone pushed him to be, and make really selfish choices to protect that act. But those personas ultimately felt like lies about himself. So what difference does it make protecting it with more lies? Which led himself down some really dark paths until Thw Mighty Nein discovered him and it all unraveled.

Essek is a dramatic theater gay who pulled off a character so well he couldn't stop playing him even when it was turning into a Shakespearean tragedy. Everything he says in these early days is so intensely dramatic and selling his vast accomplishments. Essek is giving them a list of reasons to respect him because he doesn't think his inner self is respectable. Essek always felt like it was the lies people loved and not him underneath, so what would hurt people more would be trying to stop. To be anything less than ruthless.

But this bunch of goofballs, whose very first direct comment to him was a self-depricating joke about being scared, they broke through. And what broke his heart most on that ship, was knowing he'd let them down with those lies. Because he'd let them see his true self, like he hadn't done for anyone in years (decades?), and they loved that one the most. Especially Caleb because they'd shared that instant attraction and interest Essek almost wasn't sure he could feel.

So after he was caught, even if Caleb was telling Essek he could choose to be better, he was obviously hurt and mistrustful and not calling. And feeling like he couldn't go back ate at him.

But then The Mighty Nein call on him again for help with their more dangerous thing ever. These weirdos are going to run headlong into danger not for gain or glory but because it stops someone else making a catastrophic mistake. And they want him to come with them. They want him to show them he's changed. And he has.

And even if they fight it, that attraction is still like magnets. They're so scared of hurting each other again or getting hurt, they can talk in meaningful coded riddles with each other, but not dare cross the threshold where they can hold that pull back. Where they'd have to find out if they enable or temper their worst impulses.

They didn't get there before they parted ways after Aeor. But we know that sometime in the last six months they let themselves pull together. They go back to Aeor to know what it feels like to just be together, the two of them, if no one at all was there. Caleb, down on one knee, holding a magic ring, "[Essek Thelyss], I know we're not relationship people, but will you date me for three months, and then we'll reassess?"

And it worked. Maybe being apart much of the time helps them get perspective on the world outside themselves and the freedom to lead two very different lives. The Essek who visits the man with green beans, no longer sounds quite like the Shadowhand did. He found how to use his power in the world more responsibly, when only a handful of people will hear about it, but they will listen so much closer, and see him more than any accomplishment. With the bustle and fear of the world shut out.