#even the poison swamps

[waywardsalt]

i think elden ring will always been my favorite game in terms of environment. every area is so impressive, even the copy-paste stuff manages to be impressive with atmosphere, and the amount of just. stunning-looking locations is wild especially with how natural even the most amazing looking shot you can find is.

just the fact that you unavoidably see this when you walk into leyndell is incredible. one of my favorite environment views in all of the games ive ever played

[ryllen]

sinful thought of how good centaurs gridball would look (shane thinks them as just running around being pretty)

[ducktollers]

who up feeling their spirit get crushed into dust by this ai shit 😂😂😂

[avatarofwar]

i saw you talk about wolf a few times from sekiro and was wondering if you'd want to share more of your thoughts on him or sekiro as a whole, the game really interests me compared to other dark souls games so i wanted to ask

sorry for the late reply but oh boy do I have thoughts abt wolf. trying not to spoil the game, so I'm gonna refrain from talking about the story. might go into just restating known things about the game, but I'd much rather play it safe and not spoil the story

before going to that. the game is very much different from dark souls (setting wise, while taking place in a fictional country it is in a historical setting. I cannot comment on the setting properly bc I don't know much about the time period, however), most notably in the combat (primarily shifting from a dodge-centric playstyle to a parry-centric playstyle (significantly easier than dark souls/elden ring parrying, however), with dodges having significantly shorter i-frames and being very unreliable for dodging attacks). it's very different but something I really enjoy, even if I'm not as good as I am at typical soulsborne combat. it's really fun when you get the hang of it, and while I might not be The Best at it (which is mostly bc of how different it is from soulsborne games, so ofc I'm not as good at is as I am at the other fromsoft games I've played), it's something I can still enjoy

a huge thing about sekiro is the difference in how the story is told. in soulsborne games the story is something you have to figure out; progressing through the main path doesn't give you enough to piece everything together if you don't read any lore. with sekiro, however, the story is significantly more obvious, on account of the playable character having unique ties to the world and its characters, rather than going the soulsborne route of being one of many people (wording hard, but the chosen undead for example is no one special, just one of many undead trying to link the flame). it's a very different method of storytelling, but is still something really good. for as much as I adore having to actively hunt down lore and story in soulsborne games, it's also great experiencing story through natural game progression

wolf is also canonically disabled (loses his left arm at the start of the game) and has a really fucking cool prosthetic that is a whole part of the combat system (even though I personally keep forgetting to use it). so good for him. he deserves a prosthetic that can have deadly weaponry attached to it. like a mini-flamethrower. he deserves a mini-flamethrower, as a treat.

putting the wolf thoughts beneath a read more because this is getting long and I might spoil some stuff (mostly relationship with another character, I'll try to refrain from story spoilers. also spoilers in general, but there might be some), and he has definitely become a blorbo (additionally, content warning for abuse)

first of all. wolf makes me want to throw myself off a cliff and I mean this in the most positive way ever. he is great and I love him but man he needs so much fucking therapy and he doesn't even realise it (therapy probably doesn't exist in that time period, but besides the point). he is very much traumatised and has been heavily shaped by it and doesn't even know it.

prior to the events of the game (I forgot how long ago it was) he was orphaned by war and got taken in by owl, a shinobi and also a piece of fucking garbage. owl raises wolf to be a shinobi under the iron code, with the number one rule being loyalty to his father (owl), with his master (kuro, the divine heir) a close second (and also to give his life for his master if necessary. which is also a whole other thing to get into).

owl is very explicitly abusive. he raises wolf as a tool rather than a person, and that upbringing severely affects wolf as a character - he is an incredibly capable shinobi, but lacks any skills other than that; he does not know how to be a proper person, he is a loyal wolf, but he does not know how to be anything other than that. hell, without spoiling too much about the context, there is a cutscene in which owl actively attempts to guilt trip wolf, going as far as using fake tears (saying anything specific is very spoilery. this isn't even the only horrid thing he's done, but I'm trying to refrain from too many spoilers).

wolf canonically does not value himself without anyone to serve (we see this at the beginning of the game, as events prior to the start of the game not yet known about leads him to believe he has no one to serve, and thus no purpose, so he isolates himself from the world in a well for 3 years). while he does have compassion for others (most notable example being concern over victims of dragonrot), he starts off the game driven primarily by duty. he is loyal to a fault, willing to do anything for kuro, but also valuing his service to kuro more than himself (cannot remember the exact wording, but when kuro expresses concern for how many times wolf has died for him, wolf states that it does not matter as it was in service to him).

there's also the fact that wolf canonically eats uncooked rice and genuinely doesn't know - as a fully grown adult - you are supposed to cook it, which is... genuinely something awful if you truly think about it and what more it implies about his upbringing especially considering it's one of the most basic things you could learn how to make (just... says a lot about owl if you seriously think about it).

he is a loyal wolf, but he doesn't know how to be more than that. he doesn't know how to just... exist for himself, to be his own person separate of his duty and he doesn't even recognise just how fucked up it is, because how could he, when he was shaped into this as a child, when his own father wanted him to be nothing more than a tool to use.

I could say a lot more about his relationships with other characters (that are actually good people) and how it just. makes me lose my mind, but this post is almost 1k words. so, simply put, kuro genuinely caring about him makes me so fucking emotional, especially bc of owl; his father might be horrible and an abuser, he might not know how to be more than he was raised, but at the very least he can serve someone who actively cares about him and his wellbeing.

[blindedguilt]

//A Happy birthday to Riversal, who, in true middle child fashion had his birthday forgotten last year so hopefully by shouting him out here I can get rid of the guilt that's been burdening me ever since ;w; Again, happy birthday to our little boy!! Asks ofc are open (Of all the siblings, I'm sure he'd appreciate them the most lmao) though I'm currently trying to focus on some older asks as well (When i'm not caught up in college and bighttown), so if it takes a second just know I'll get to you eventually!! Thank you~ :3

[goldensunset]

ough finally i’m finding some good covers of pla tracks on spotify. alabaster icelands theme my DEARLY beloved

[witchkingofanmar]

top 5 fucked up moments in rdr2 and arthur's death doesn't even make it into the top 3

[sadlazzle]

honestly my biggest motivation for beating malenia is that video of a goldfish beating her. if a goldfish can best malenia then so can i

[lastoneout]

People really do assume the FromSoft formula is just "super hard boss fights" but really it's Tall Ladies, Hidetaka Miyazaki's barely contained masochistic death fetish, incredibly hard but usually fair boss fights, community graffiti, annoying rat, even more annoying dog, walk walk fashion baby, poison swamp, bottomless pit, Large Jovial Dad Figure, jolly cooperation, Berserk Reference, and slapstick comedy.

[mailperson]

Some more DS1 ranting and thoughts, some of these criticisms aren’t really fair since it was basically the first/almost the first of its line

-so many areas just have No Swag. Like yeah Blighttown is terribly designed gameplay wise but it LOOKS and FEELS cool. Undead Burg is such a boring and uninteresting first major area. Places like the painted world or New Londo are almost close to being cool in scenery concept but you either can’t see anything or it all just kinda blends into generic stone fortress ruins. The good areas hold the core of the fromsoft charm you see a lot in the other games tho.

-a lot of dud bosses that are just kind of there. Elden ring has the excuse of having over 200 bosses so some had to be bland or uninteresting, but so many might as well be any other monster from a roster of big monsters or bad guys and it wouldn’t matter

-Definitely has the bones and structure of the really interesting fromsoft lore style, but still very clearly shallower compared to later titles, a lot of lost potential it feels like.

-it feels like you run into fellow undead more than you do hunters or tarnished, even though elden ring probably has more friendly NPCs comparatively it makes DS1 feel nice. it’s a nice feeling.

-lots of bland uninteresting generic fantasy flavor which detracts from the more unique design choices. Elden ring suffered a teeny tiny bit from this with limgrave being the first area, but not enough to be a criticism I’d actually hold against it

-this game is ridden with Straight Man Disorder. Why does every boss woman have to breast boobily across the arena. I like the concept and execution of Gwynevere’s whole deal and place in the story if she didn’t have the trite “fertility goddess anime implausible chest” schtick.

[yandere-3-sagau]

Creator Reader With No Powers Except Plot Armor

warning(s): death, mentions of suicide, violence

Reader doesn’t have any special abilities or golden blood so they are unable to prove that they are creator.

However, they also think Teyvat is a dream or they want to go back home so they accept any punishment from the acolytes.

But any time they are going to be executed, there is some divine intervention.

They are about to be burned at the stake but it rains.

They are schedule to be hanged but the rope breaks. They try again but every rope breaks.

They decide to shoot reader with arrows but miraculously every one of them misses. Even the one aimed right at their heart ended up being blocked by a bird flying by.

They are about to be beheaded but the machine breaks. So someone tries to do it manually but lightning strikes and the character loses balance and falls.

With how many times they try to kill reader but fail without them even lifting a finger they begin to believe that they’re truly the creator.

Reader is just going with the flow, not taking anything seriously. They thought they were lucky at first with how they’re able to avoid death.

Later on after they’ve accepted them as their true creator, reader begins to feel homesick and hate Teyvat. They’re swamped with all these responsibilities and expectations that it overwhelms them.

Reader then tries to discard their title as creator. They claim that they’re an imposter and apologizes for “fooling” them. However, no one believes them. They made the mistake of calling them as an imposter once, they’re not gonna make that mistake again.

When that doesn’t work, reader themself tries to die. But the divine interventions that they used to think were amazing ended up sending them into a pit of despair because every attempt they tries, they fail.

They jumps off a high structure/cliff, reader lands on a bunch of water slimes that completely cushion their fall.

Reader tries to stab themself in the heart but a flying rock knocks the knife out of their hand just as it’s about to connect.

Reader tries to ingest a poisonous flower but the effects are nullified when the super rare antidote plant falls off a tree and into their open mouth when they’re unconscious.

It’s like final destination but instead of crazy things happening leading to death, it’s crazy things happening deterring death.

[waywardsalt]

i still think one of the meanest things ive seen in a game is how the Cool Really Expensive shops in smt iv are only accessible after coughing up a bunch of money to progress, and are located in an area with an enemy that can steal half of all of your money

[tumb1rprincess]

Okay, I just binged the rest of the Hazbin Hotel episodes.

Carmilla and Zestial are hot. And Carmilla is so interesting. I loved her and Vaggie's song. I actually didn't expect them to reveal who killed the angel so quickly. But I love how they're showing that even some of the top overlords in Hell care. The only question now is what Alastor is going to do with this information.

I love Vox. He has a great voice and his rivalry with Alastor is hilarious.

Sir Pentious is such a fucking loser and I adore him.

Nifty almost reminds me of Little My from the Moomins with her little gremlin energy. I don't know if we'll get any serious moments with her like we have with the other characters, but I guess we'll see.

I love how Alastor's room is a literal bayou/swamp. And him eating the whole fucking deer was hilarious.

I didn't expect for some of the others to find out about Angel and Val's toxic relationship so quickly, but I did like how it showed an uncommon angle: how trying to save someone from an abusive relationship can make things worse for the victim. I can't think of any other media off the top of my head that shows that kind of thing. But with Charlie and Husker knowing about this (and Cherri Bomb if we're counting Addict as canon), how long before everyone else finds out? And what are their reactions going to be?

I haven't been the biggest Angel/Husker shipper, but holy hell, am I on board now. Husker once being an overlord and pretty much implying that he sold his soul to Alastor much like how Angel did with Val was a development I didn't expect, as well as drawing parallels between his addiction to gambling and Angel's addiction to drugs. Hell, I really didn't except this angle they took with Husker. We only saw his bitter attitude in the pilot, and we still get plenty of that here, but I didn't expect him to also be a good people reader and being able to see how the other characters really are and what they're hiding. He's almost empathetic in a way.

All of the songs are fucking bangers, Poison especially. I listened to it once before the show and I liked it okay, but seeing it in context, it hits you ten times harder. I almost cried.

The show is so good at making the viewer feel so uncomfortable with how Val treats Angel, it's almost too hard to watch. I've seen shows tackle abuse before and they've done it well, but this was very raw and in your face and it makes your insides twist. And I love it.

Looking at the show's cast, Vivzi got so many people with Broadway experience and I love that. I feel like a lot of popular media nowadays just like to cast popular actors regardless of whether they can actually sing or not (I'm looking at you live action Disney remakes). But every actor who's sung so far is fucking good at it and it shows.

So far, I am in love, love, love with this show. I remember first watching the pilot when it was causing some controversy and I fell in love with it immediately. It almost became a comfort thing for me for a while. I was watching it over and over during 2020 when Covid was running rampant and everything was shit. I'm so proud of Vivzie and everyone else for their hard work and dedication and love. This show is so different from everything else out there. I hope now that it's out, even more people can fall in love with it.

[weirdmarioenemies]

Name: Swirlypod

Debut: Super Mario Bros. Wonder

YIPPEE YAHOO! A brand swirlin' new snail fresh for 2023! It has been quite a long time now since we've gotten a new Mario snail, and even since I've posted about one, since I covered all the snailiest Mario snails a while ago. But lookie here! Snaily snaily snail for me to see and for you to view!

Swirlypod is so delightful! To get this out of the way first, yes, its eyes are not on the ends of stalks. Yes, this is good and okay. Some snails are like that! Especially freshwater snails. And that's the kind of snail that this snail seems to be! While sometimes seen on land, it is also seen emerging from (poisonous) swamps. It can breathe that!

Swirlypod's face is just so, so precious. Its big, innocent, curious eyes experiencing the world in the way only a snail could! Its big ol' bulbous antennae, more bulbous than they have any right being, more like a nudibranch's than a normal snail's! And its mouth! I think that's its mouth? It's like three scrumbly tentacles ready to scrumble down some delicious fungus!

Did you know that the salt marsh snail Littoraria irrorata is able to FARM fungus? They damage marsh grasses to create large wounds for fungus to grow in, and even use their own poop as fertilizer! Snails can FARM!

Yes, indeed, what a wonderful snail we have here! Thank you, Super Mario Bros. Wonder!

...Hey! That shell comes right off! Now it's all Pod, with no Swirly! Does this mean Lime is The Impostor? I may have just asked you, but that was rhetorical. Don't ask me, because I don't know! Removable shells are a common ability for cartoon snails, and of course, the turtles of this world also have removable shells. I think it doesn't really mean much at all! Though, the idea of a "hermit slug" is very amusing. A snail who can't be bothered to grow its own shell. Maybe it wants to switch shells for different styles sometimes. A slow victim of fast fashion!

Wonder is one of those games where Koopa Troopas retreat into their shells when stomped, so Swirlypod is sort of a way to have Beach Koopa in the same game as the more standardly-behaving Koopa! Once it gets back on its foot, it will try to squirm back into a shell, if one is available. You can give it back! Just drop it down at your feet, and Swirlypod will have a home once more!

Another thing that sets Swirlypods apart from Koopas is that they are sticky slimy and can slither up and down vertical surfaces! Just like in real life! They don't only climb on the left and right sides of surfaces, either. They can even go on the surface facing the screen! Not just anyone is allowed to do that!

I am saving what may be the best tidbit for last! There is a good chance Swirlypod's bulbous antennae look familiar to you. That's because they look just like Leucochloridium paradoxum, the green-banded broodsac, everyone's favorite snail parasite! The flatworm that inhabits a snail's eyestalks, making them look more like caterpillars to get a bird to eat them so they can continue their life cycle! Swirlypod definitely isn't supposed to be like, ACTUALLY infected by this funny worm, but I think the resemblance is very much intentional, between the shape and coloring. And that is so awesome to see! This isn't even meant to be a scary snail or anything, but they represented a freaky parasite anyway!

[roseglazedlens]

⦑ THE FUCKING DEAD ⦒ 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞

➠ series masterlist | 🔃girl’s route | 🔃boy’s route |

𝐒𝐌𝐔𝐓┇𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑┇𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐅𝐈𝐂┇𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐒𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 LEON S. KENNEDY & CARLOS OLIVEIRA X AFAB GN! READER ADA WONG & JILL VALENTINE X AFAB GN! READER chapter synopsis: You are amongst the top five selected for this infiltration to take down Glenn Arias. An argument unfolds between the agents and you are forced to pick a side. chapter content: smut in next chapter, resident evil: vendetta spoilers, zombies, haunted mansion, explicit themes throughout this series. a/n: welcome to my second series!! (need to finish my first one oops) on a thursday one month ago, i thought to myself 'zombie threesome hehehe', then i took the idea and sprinted with it and this series is born. so, uh... zombiefuckers rise up?? « 3.3 k words | general masterlist | ao3 | reblogs appreciated! »

Millions are dying—Mass infections are happening across the globe swamping the streets with an unbeknownst fear. The symptoms of this virus are faint, indecipherable next to an x-ray of a man who is perfectly healthy. Not even the carrier themselves are aware of how the virus lies underneath their veins, dormant, until a click of button is pressed from a commander far away, then their symptoms worsen: a headache, a cold, veins turning purple as the poison hatches in them, spreading, until the only thing that can manoeuvre their limbs is the word: KILL.

That’s the greatest strength of this virus. Anyone can be infected, and maybe, you already are.

This product first reached the underground market three months ago. Called the A-Virus; a bioweapon succeeded in the market for its ability to infect targeted communities remotely and leaving no evidence on the perpetrator, which no other distributors had successfully produced before.

Engineered by Glenn Arias, the researcher sold over thousands of this bioweapon, becoming a billionaire overnight at the cost of lives lost from the whims of the rich. He supplied the wealthy and corrupted, like insatiable brats, with new remote-controlled monster trucks, who only aims to tear down families and have their victims beg mercy to a monster that will not speak reason.

Hence, this problem brought attention to a global scale, having the DSO come in alliance with the BSAA and other independent mercenaries to hunt down the vaccine and put a stop to Arias’ grand schemes. Handpicking five agents who are equipped with both experience and skill to combat a zombie attack on this scale of doom and urgency.

Those five agents are Jill Valentine, Carlos Oliveira, Leon S. Kennedy, Ada Wong, and you.

A plan is already in place. A distraction concocted with your intel and the help of a senior researcher of all things bioweapons, Rebecca Chambers. While Arias is busy attending fake business meetings on the other side of the world, the five of you will infiltrate his private mansion to retrieve a concentrated sample of the A-Virus. Rebecca can use the sample to reverse engineer it into a cure and send her findings to facilities across the world.

The plan sounds brilliant in writing, but when you arrived his private mansion in Queretaro region, Mexico, something is off about this place.

Arias is a mastermind, you had been warned many times, in which you appropriately prepared all your best gear for this mission to treat it with utmost gravity. You’re thinking armed guards, well-equipped security, BOWs. But when the five of you pushed open the front doors of his mansion, it was quiet.

Empty. Not a single soul. Just five of you greeted by the whisk of wind through weakly hinged windows that somehow makes the humid air stick to your skin further. Did Rebecca get the wrong info? No one lived there. From what you heard when you were in town, not even the locals dare to venture anywhere near the odd gothic mansion on the top of the hill. They said it’s abandoned, cursed, rumoured to whisk away young children if they ever step foot inside.

It’s a story they say to stop the naughty kids, you remind yourself. It’s not haunted. And you’re not a kid anymore.

The inside is abandoned. Cobwebs lay thick between cornices and carved columns, the floors laced with a film of dust on the luxurious dark wood flooring, creaking with worn age as you take each step. Besides the chandelier, every single piece of furniture is either the same colour of black or red, or nothing else. The soft red velvet upholstery and the rug are made with the same fabric. And you can find the same dark wood in every corner of this house. It’s in the tables, the shelves, the chaise, the painting frames, and stone-like head sculpture whittled with the same exact dark wood, ridged the exact uniform way.

Then, you look at the wall. Black patches of mould smearing across the burgundy wallpaper like a crime scene.

Something creaks behind you. The hair on your arms stands up as you shiver, immediately followed by a wave of embarrassment. Despite the number of times you had taken down hordes of incoming zombies like they’re cardboard targets, why is a bit of wind freaking you out? It’s not a ghost, just old foundations, maybe mice, or wind kicking something off a table, like how every old house sounds like. You look around to see if anyone else catches you jumping at nothing, before Jill says, thankfully unaware of your worry:

“God, the smell. What have they done to this place?” Her hand flies over her nose as if that will help to shield any smell whatsoever. Unfortunately, the building is moulded far beyond salvageable that the stench lingers in every part of the mansion.

“I’m sure it’s not that bad. We get weeks-old corpses in body bags every day. It’s absolutely retching.” Jill’s earpiece fizzes into life, and she recognises the familiar playful lilt of Rebecca’s voice on the other side of the line.

“At least that’s refrigerated and contained, Rebecca. This fucking stinks.” Jill scrunches her face like she just ate something unpleasant.

“I’m sending my sympathies from my well-conditioned lab right now.”

Carlos appears from Jill’s behind, placing a firm, teasing hand on top of Jill’s shoulder. His wavy curls catch in the wind and his teeth glistens sparkly white. “Yeah Jill, got a problem with my natural musk?”

Jill shrugs his hand off, grimacing at his attempts at flirtation. “Take a shower first, then we’ll talk.”

In which Carlos laughs, holds his hand out at his heart as if it was just torn into shreds. “That hurts my feelings, Jill. Why aren’t you ever saying things like that to pretty boy over there?”

“I have a name, Oliveira.” The blond man turns around at the call of his nickname, familiar with the nickname, but it's not pleasantly received by him.

“I think pretty boy suits you more, Kennedy.” Carlos replies, a glint in his voice that hints something a bit less than friendliness between them.

“Ah, so you do know my name.” Leon quips back while staring directly into Carlos’ eyes, before getting cut off by Jill.

“I would, Carlos, but if I have to hear one more corny ass comeback from Leon’s mouth, I’ll throw myself out the window right now.”

“Takes a genius to get my humour.” Leon smirks.

Your eyebrows raise almost immediately to chime in. “Erm… I think we have different meanings for the word ‘genius’.”

Quiet chuckles ripple through the room. It helps that you have worked with these guys throughout the years and had come to know and get close to them—some a bit closer than just friends—but none of them are strangers by far. Usually, you would be working with only one or two of these guys, never in a big group like this, but it seems that everyone is already well-acquainted with each other.

You toss a glance at Carlos and catch him staring at you, smiling. Ah, you see now. Carlos must have been trying to lighten the mood because you had been jumpy ever since you had arrived. You nod at him, a silent thank you before the five of you venture deeper into the eerie atmosphere.

The goal is to arrive at Glenn Aria’s office. According to Rebecca’s intel, Arias hid a concentrated sample in a safe last time he was here. You will need Ada to crack the safe to retrieve the sample and deliver it to Rebecca. As you traverse the corridors, it twists and turns in different directions—whoever engineered this did not enjoy unexpected guests at all. But under Rebecca’s guidance, she walks you and your team through the labyrinth with ease and precision.

But unfortunately, not ease and precision on your part. You trip over your own leg and almost fall to the floor as you round a harsh turn according to Rebecca’s instructions, and Jill catches you right on the arm before you fall.

“Easy there.” Jill pulls you up the ground, and you regain some balance. “You good? Mind your step.”

“Why did I agree to babysit?” Ada speaks, finally, for the first time in this mission. Despite how quietly she spoke under her breath, her words abruptly cut through the air, and all attention is on her and the red sweater dress that curves into her frame perfectly now.

“Oh, I bet once you get your paycheck it will be worth it. Or will you be betraying us, huh, Ada?”

Leon smirks loudly. Ada’s face goes from tired to exhausted in one second. “You just can’t let bygones be bygones, can you?”

“That’s rich coming from someone who used to work for Wesker.” Ada’s heels come to a stop, and with a slow turn, she stares deeply into Leon’s eyes that speak a million threats without needing to be utter a word. Oh, and believe me, you do not want to be messing with Ada. You learnt that the hard way.

“Woah, guys. Let’s keep this civil. No need to get heated.” Carlos rushes to stand right between them as the duo glares at each other with passionate fury and resentment.

You nod, joining Carlos’ side to stand by him. “Carlos’s right. This is not the time to pick a fight.” But it falls on the deaf ears of Leon and Ada.

“Thousands were killed. I want what’s good for the people, and I’m not sure Ada here is on the same page.” Leon continues, adding fuel to the fire.

Ada lets out a disbelieved gasp in response, before recollecting herself and replying in her usual tone of calmness: “Someone has to pay the price. I’m just the executor.”

“Regardless of our motivations, we all are on the same side here.” Carlos attempts at resolution again, putting his hands up in between them, and fails embarrassingly once more.

The air is heated with hostility; Leon and Ada’s eyes are locked in a trance, a hazy spite that reigns their composure, that looking away from each other means forfeiting. You don’t see either of them walking away first, they are both prideful people after all.

“Uh… Jill? Some help?” Carlos looks around to find Jill, who is leaning against a wall, her arms relaxing by her sides, unphased by the fire stirring right in front of the crowd.

“Not my circus, not my monkeys.” Jill is merely waiting for either one of the parties roll over.

You feel speckles of flame through the two of them, as if steam is retreating over the top of their heads, burning not just them, but also everyone else in the room. Until the boiling point hits, and it erupts all in one second. The duo walks away, off to different directions in bitter adrenaline, until you and Carlos are just looking at each other.

“I guess we’ll take five. There’s a safe room up ahead.” Carlos is speaking, but you’re the one listening.

The five of you enters the safe room in silence. It is a storage room—despite its name, it’s quite large for a normal storage room—with boxes stacked on all ends that made the room seem smaller in comparison. A ceiling light illuminates the room dimly, but it isn’t enough to shade away years of old animosity from their past.

The lively conversations you had mere minutes ago is gone now. Just silence and awkward rustling as each of you sits in your own designated corner. Carlos and Jill find themselves a seat on top of a firm box. Leon and Ada giving each other the silent treatment, standing on farthest end of the room to each other. You are simply minding your own business, gathering materials to craft a flashbang to pass the time. Doesn’t hurt to have more supplies anyway.

There is a notable division on each side, an imaginary alliance that you choose to be on neither side. Until Leon crosses the boundary line, somehow making his way to you. He picks up an empty grenade case next to you, assembling the pieces together for your project.

“Sorry you had to see that.” A little guilt tugs at Leon’s voice.

“Not at all. I get why you felt that way.” Leon nods, a look of gratitude hanging softly through a smile. His other finger seals the flashbang cap and hands it back to you. “But you need to learn to control your temper. Especially when it comes to Ada.”

Speaking of Ada, a shiver runs down your spine suddenly. The feeling of someone sending laser signs and telepathic warnings towards you. You turn around towards the direction of the aura to find Ada, her back leaning against the wall, arms crossed without engaging or acknowledging anyone in the room. She stands by herself alone, and that’s how you had always known Ada—distant and in her own mysterious world. Not really a chatter, despite the number of times she had saved you in the past.

Ada does not look at you, but you can feel her glaring down—either you or Leon—with her entire body.

“Good to see the two of you getting along at least.” Carlos holds out two plastic water bottles to you two from a supply crate he found in the room, which Jill has finished downing two of them already.

You two gesture ‘no thanks.’ Ada does not spare Carlos a glance at his direction when he offers.

“You’re welcome, I guess.” Carlos says sarcastically, before taking in a generous sip from his drink.

There’s a moment of silence. Then, a moment of dry coughs; a squeak of footsteps, a joint click from a stretching neck. Then silence once more.

“I’ve had enough.” Jill slaps her hands on her thigh before pushing herself up from her seat. “You guys gonna keep acting like kids? Grow up, this isn’t high school anymore. Take your drama outside. If we’re gonna take down Arias, we have to get along. And yes, that means moving on from shit that happened… five years ago? Five years ago and you two are still hung up? Unlike you all, I’m actually looking forward to go home and get a decent shower, hopefully soon.”

You nod in approval as Jill speaks her mind, and you are glad at least the few of you have their priorities in order. Ada flicks her head away from Jill, but her silence is telling of how much she is thinking over Jill’s words.

“Leon, can you accept this?” Jill asks.

There’s a bit of reluctance in his voice, but he agrees anyway. “Fine.”

“Ada?”

Before Ada can respond, smoke is creeping into your vision, coming in quick. It merges into your view, obscuring it, and you whiff something artificial, some kind of chemicals that is piercing to your nose and eyes. You can’t help but wince, hands groping the air in attempts to find comfort in the person closest to you—anyone for that matter—to indicate you’re safe and is indeed not under attack. Your fingers find themselves in a fistful of someone’s shirt, muscles tensing tightly underneath the fabric on their shoulder cap.

“Leon. Is that you?” You cry out.

“It’s me. Stay close and don’t let go. It’s an ambush.” Leon pulls your arm towards him, securing your safety with his hand in yours.

There is some coughing through the air, faint panic in voices underneath the hissing of gas that seems to be coming from above. You hold onto Leon a bit tighter.

Carlos calls out desperately “Where are you guys? Is everyone okay?” as he flaps his hand around the smoke to stir it away. He finds you and Leon almost immediately, and looks down to your hands, finding them clasped tight against each other. Your hand lets go of Leon flying behind your back, but Carlos already saw it.

Jill is coughing deep from the smoke. “I-I’m here!”

“It seems like we’re all here.” Ada says, composed as ever despite the circumstances.

The smoke dissipates—until most of the fog fades away, escaping through the cracks underneath the door to the other side. Leaving the five of you standing in the same storage room darting eyes around, seemingly unharmed, and even more confused.

After what feels like a while later, Jill finally breaks the silence: “Huh. What was that?”

“No enemies.” Ada unholsters the pistol from her belt, inspecting the room and the door behind the room. “Clear on this side too.”

It’s strange. If this is an ambush, why isn’t there an attack?

Leon places a finger on his earpiece to activate his microphone. “Rebecca, come in. We’ve just been ambushed by some kind of smoke, but nobody’s hurt. Happen to know what’s going on?”

His earpiece buzzes into life. “Hmm, let’s see. From the architecture plans, I see the vents are connected to a lab below. It seems abandoned, there are no signs of anyone triggering an attack on my end.”

“Whatever it is, we need to investigate.” Leon’s voice is firm and serious. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

You swallow deeply, fear settling back inside you. “You think it’s a trap?”

“I think…” Leon pinches his chin. “…Arias knows that we’re here.”

Your heart drops—Bundle of fear, anxiety and stress springing back into your nerves as you probe at the possibility of Glen Arias knowing where you are. What you’re trying to do. Making sure you will never reach that sample despite your hardest wills.

“He shouldn’t. Rebecca, didn’t Arias get on the jet?” Carlos is also thinking too.

“Affirmative. Security footage showed Arias walking into his private jet, and it took off four hours ago. He should still be in the air. No signal of them making a pitstop anywhere.”

You hear black pumps clacking against the hardwood floor. “I’m getting the sample.” Says Ada, her foot is already halfway out of the door. “Follow me or not, I don’t care. I’m here for the objective, and only that.”

“And what if something happens to you?” Carlos asks, genuinely concerned.

“I’ll deal with it if it happens.” Ada waves dismissively.

“Ada’s right, we could be set on a wild goose chase.” Jill chimes in. “Millions of lives are dying. We don’t have time to waste.”

“I guess it’s just you and me then, pretty boy.” Carlos rounds his arm around Leon’s neck, bringing him closer in an almost choking grip, a little too close and tight to his liking. And with Leon’s history with Carlos, Leon refuses to believe this is just a friendly gesture.

Leon grimaces, removing Carlos’ hand over him. “So that’s it? We’re splitting up?” The answer is unanimous. “Fine. I guess we’ll cover more ground if we split up.”

Rebecca, through the other side of your earpiece, speaks: “Be careful everyone. You don’t know what kind of schemes Glenn Arias had set up. Please stay safe.”

“We’ll be fine, as long as we don't have any traitors in our team.” Leon says the word ‘traitor’ while maintaining eye contact with Ada. She ignores him, simply deadpans.

“Well, what about you?” Leon nudges at your arm.

You are faced with two options. Indulge in your curiosity and find the source of the gas, or stick to mission as planned? Both options will be dangerous. So who will you trust with your life?

[OPTION A] “I’ll follow the girls.”

[OPTION B] “I’ll follow the boys.”

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 thanks for reading! come check out my other works! —yours truly, rose. i love my beta reader @scar-crossedlvrs! series taglist: @j3llyd0nut @ovaryacted @daydreamrot @madcap-riflette @access--granted @obsolescent @briermelli @secretiveauthor @ghosty-frog @navstuffs @slowcryinginthedark @rentaldarling @lesbntired © roseglazedlens — please do not repost, plagiarise, or feed to ai.

[sourbvgs]

rdr2 boys reacting to you getting mauled by an animal

characters (not in order) arthur, john, sean, javier, hosea, dutch, kieran, charles

tags: gore/blood, different animals attacking reader, hurt/comfort, past abigail/john, crying, angst, near death experiences, broken bones

✧─── ★: *.✦ .* :★ ───✧

arthur | snake bite

he wasn’t actually in camp when you got bit on watch

a snake had snuck up on you and bit your leg, and whilst the poison was drained quickly by hosea’s quick thinking, you were still in rough shape

arthur comes back, money in his bag, and he puts it into the cache before looking to hosea who’s calling for him.

“it’s y/n… she’s not doing too well. snake got her.” he’ll explain, and arthur is immediately by your side.

he sits beside you, massaging your leg, taking your temperature, getting you food- whatever you want he’ll get you

will 100% not leave camp until youre better.

as soon as you’re up and on your feet he’ll let you lend his book to learn about snakes and such so the same thing doesn’t happen twice.

he will quietly admit how worried he was and how he was sorry he wasn’t there to immediately aid you. you smile and assure him it’s okay, give him a kiss and get back to helping pearson.

will 100 percent get rid of any snakes near camp.

-

sean | wolf attack

the two of you are out camping after you begged him to take you up near ambarino to get some plants for your work

sean begrudgingly agrees, but is now regretting it.

it will soon by nighttime and the two of you are having to camp in the wilderness

he’s very uncharacteristically worried, keeping the fire low to prevent any animals seeing it.

you start assuring him that everything’s gonna be fine when a howl interrupts you.

sean’s tense, rifle ready as he listens.

surely enough, a wolf pack comes barrelling into your makeshift camp, and sean immediately shoots.

you scramble to grab your pistol from your bag, a stray wolf jumping you

it left you with a large bite upon your jugular and scratches along your body

sean notices your pained shouts and immediately shoots the oversized dog, luckily the rest don’t like their odds and retreat.

he’s immediately by your side, defensives still raises in case they come back.

“it’s okay, darlin’. i got you. fuck..-“

is panicking so hard

quickly composes himself and rips up his shirt, tying your wounds as he cradles you close.

“i’m so sorry, baby. i’m so sorry.” he’ll whisper, leaning his head to yours as you whimper in pain

with your meek instructions, he’ll make you something to ease the pain.

panics when you pass out, but let’s you sleep and keeps a close eye on your breathing

as soon as you’re back in camp, he gets strauss and susan to look at you, explaining what happened. doesn’t care if people give him slack for ‘not protecting you’, will fight them even.

holds you close out of fear of you getting attacked again. doesn’t let you leave camp without a rifle or a strong revolver anymore

-

john | gator attack

you had spotted little jack near the swamp water, and your heart lurches as a pair of slit eyes stare back at him

you immediately snatch him up, throwing him from the bank as the gator lunges

jack, as he would, starts to scream, and everyone comes running

there’s a thrash and blood in the water, yet luckily you had your knife on you and killed the gator

abigail holds her son close as the men jump in to help, specifically arthur, john and charles

when john realises it’s you his blood runs cold and he’s on the brink of tears.

you push them away, rising up and getting out of the water, clothes doused in swamp muck and blood

you’ve got a large bite shredding through your side as you stumble up onto the bank

hosea immediately gets you to a tent and the camp attends your wounds

abigail thanks you countless times for your selflessness and quick thinking, and jack gifts you a pinecone he found earlier on as a get well soon gift

john is the last one to visit your tent, a guilty, kicked puppy look in his brown eyes

you beckon him over softly, and he immediately sits beside you, holding your hand

tells you all sorts of shit like how “it should of been me” and how he’s sorry

you shut him down and kiss his knuckles, saying how you’d do it again in a heartbeat

gives you a kiss and, much like arthur, will not leave your side until you’re better, will bring you plenty of stuff; whatever you ask for he brings you

-

javier | cougar attack

he hears it before he sees it, and just as he turns your horse bucks you and your arms being mauled

he immediately jumps off of his own horse, shooting the cougar and pulling its carcass from you.

you’re crying, because let’s be honest anyone probably would, and he immediately crouches down, hugging you tightly

wraps his poncho around the bite on your wounded arm, kissing it to try and ease you

you got off lucky, and he knows it, stays more alert when you’re both out and about

when you get to camp, he won’t let anyone else aid you. he’s good with his hands, he knows how to stitch

bandages your wound too, he’d do anything for you.

you smile and kiss his cheek, explaining how you’re a little shaken but grateful that he insisted to come along with you.

on the plus side the pelt was amazing quality and he gets it made into a nice bedroll for your saddle <3

-

charles | gila monster bite

the two of you were taking a week to travel and gather information and supplies for the gang

you were stood gathering certain plants sprouting from the humid desert floor when charles hears your yell of pain

is immediately there, watching you shoot the lizard

“did it bite you?” he’ll ask, grasping your hand. “yes… fuck- i didn’t see it- i must of spooked it, i’m sorry.” you’re panicking, which is never good.

your hand is swelling and charles leaps into action, keeping you calm as he leads you back to the makeshift camp he was setting up, not caring how the tent was slumped and not put up properly, he’d deal with that later

you start to cry due to the burn and how sick you feel, and charles nods sympathetically, draining your hand carefully

gives you some medication and a self made medicinal mix to help you feel better

your fever doesn’t go down, and you’re tired, but you’re not vomiting, not trembling in anyway, and your hand is becoming calmer

let’s you rest, keeps an eye out for any other threats. keeps insisting mentally that you’ll be fine but hes very anxious

insists that you both go back to camp so that herr strauss could look at it and give you proper medicine, but he lets you rest first before riding out.

sorry dutch, but your health comes first to charles

-

kieran | coyote attack

he wasn’t actually there when it happened, no one was

you had stumbled into camp all bloody and bit and the poor boy doesn’t even know you’re back until abigail starts shouting for help

does not leave your side, is muttering under his breath that he can’t lose another love, how he refuses to let anything happen to you- it takes dutch and hosea giving him a talk to calm him down

doesn’t let you out of his sight, watches everyone closely as they tend to you

gently strokes your cheek as you whimper in pain, assuring you how you’re going to be okay and that you’re in good hands

as soon as you’re all patched up, he hugs you and insists that he’s coming with you next time you’re out

even if you resist his words, he’ll come with you anyway

definitely holds a grudge against coyotes after that absolute heart attack he had seeing you covered in blood

he’s not great with aim, so he won’t hunt them, but he definitely steers clear.

if you’re both riding together, this boys a merchant with horses and keeps them both calm until you’re both safe

-

hosea | bharati grizzly bear attack

both you and hosea know you’re an amazing hunter, so he brings you on a trip with arthur to hunt a big bear he had saw

you were excited, you loved hunting, especially with hosea

arthur seems pretty stoked too, happily following behind you both as you trot together

you help out, readying your rifle nearby when the battered bear charges suddenly

you pushed hosea out of the way, the bear’s teeth snags your arm, claws digging into your torso

as it goes for your throat, both hosea and arthur shoot it, causing it to retreat

hosea is swearing loudly, apologising to you profusely as he sits beside you, helping you up

hastily grabs some rags from arthur’s satchel, wrapping your deep wounds

he doesn’t take you back to camp, he takes you to an actual doctor asap as arthur insists on staying and hunting the behemoth of a bear

you meekly wish him luck, leaving with your anxious lover

he won’t stop apologising, explaining how he just froze due to fear, and that you should of just let him get jumped

“i’d never let you get attacked, love. we’re a team, remember?” you mutter, slouched into his back as your horse follows behind

he has the money, the bonds, he pays this doctor top dollar to get you into peak physical form

you both go back to camp later in the day, and arthur had come back already, no scratches, much to your relief

you tell everyone what had happened, finding some humour in the new story you could tell, much to hosea’s bruised ego

-

dutch | horse kick

you had offered to help brush the count, and foolishly, dutch agreed

just as you were about to brush the muck from the elegant horse’s feet, he kicked your arm sharply, breaking it

you yell, obviously, and dutch immediately swoops to your aid

“ah, see darlin’ i said to be careful.” he scolds, not realising your arm is literally broken

as the day goes on, you can’t use your arm at all, and dutch starts to feel bad, but doesn’t assume it’s broken

you go the whole damn day without telling anyone, working through the pain until you literally can’t move your hand and shamefully go to hosea

dutch feels terrible when hosea says you’ve most likely broken your arm, a large bruise where the count had kicked you evident on your skin

you’re out of action until you’re better, dutch will see to that, on the bright side, he sits beside you and reads to you so you don’t feel bad

susan makes you a sling, and you feel even worse, but dutch kisses you and all the shame melts away

makes sure you’re always careful around the count from now on, neither of you need any broken limbs