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skayafair · 7 months

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John, Lies and Trust, and the Dark World Pt.5 (and the last)

Part 4

Season 3 & 4

Initially I wanted to list all the parallels but: a) some have been mentioned a lot in posts by others, b) I forgot most of them and c) there's only two things I want to emphasize.

The theme of these parallels is mostly how both Arthur and John use lying, because it's not like John's the only one who can be accused of it. They both resort to manipulation pretty easily if they see this fit. Arthur is actually better at it. He was rather convincing when lying to Yellow about the glass of Cana, for example, let alone in more professional situations like with Marie. John is a way worse liar except for some specific situations. E.g. it was easy to suspect something fishy about the keys but I really couldn't tell he was lying about where to aim an axe. I'm still baffled by this, btw. Killing a person simply out of emotions? John has anger issues and a range of some others as well, but this felt uncharacteristic. Guess I just wasn't able to grasp in full how much the situation with Oscar bugged him. I still consider this the worst doing in his time with Arthur btw. That was very low.

So the things:

Arthur didn't exactly manipulate John into killing Larson (well, Uncle, since Larson was absent) but still pushed him, had a fight and made an ultimatum in the end. He knew full well how John felt about this idea, about Arthur's moral descent, and that John couldn't do anything but sit at the back of his mind and watch. Thankfully he didn't know how much worse it actually was, that John has just come out of TDW and really didn't want to get there again as a result of being stubborn and withholding from aiding Arthur which would have probably gotten them killed (plus I'm sure John didn't want anything THAT bad to happen to Arthur anyway, even during that divorce). I feel it could have been even worse otherwise. And what Arthur did was really shitty, all trauma reasons aside. I can't tell what's worse, a manipulation or a straight up abuse and forcing someone so close to help with committing a murder when they are actively against this, knowing they can't go against you and pushing onto their helplessneess. This is mostly to note that Arthur really doesn't hold any moral high grounds, but not only because of his blood lust during the lowest times in s3, but also because of this - how he treats John before coming to his senses.

The second thing is the actual parallel. Not between the deals or "Arthur's bedrock - John's bedrock" though, but between the way Arthur decided to deal with the mines monster and John's way to go about the deal. Because this is literally the same situation. It's probably obvious to others, but I noticed only after listening back to s3, so I'm putting it here. By that moment Arthur was well aware of how much John was scared to end up in TDW, which they would have if Arthur died for good. He also knew how risky his idea with letting the monster connect to his mind was. And even if everything went according to plan - Arthur was adamant on freeing the monster's victims first because if the flute's sound killed not only the monster but others connected to it too, he didn't want to put them in danger (at least that's how I understood his reasoning, John cut him off with affectionate "I know" before Arthur explained, so). However, he was going to be the last and only one still connected. If he thought others could die when he blew the flute, didn't that mean he was a dead man walking either? An important correction - two dead men walking. Except John was completely unaware. Arthur went against what John specifically asked of him, along with a very risky plan where a lot of things relied on pure luck and John's support. And he lied. The only indication was that he refused to answer John's pleading "If we get cornered, just blow the flute!" and his question: "Do you trust me?". So John's behaviour in s4 perfectly mirrors this. It started with echoing the question back to Arthur in the car, showed in his curiosity about white lies (I can't decide what it was more about - a genuine desire to learn, to have some excuse, - or to give as many hints as possible), and generally came down to "I have a goal in mind, we need to arrive to it but I can't tell you about it, that's too dangerous. I'll try to imply what I can in a roundabout way though."

A side note: I was very surprised John didn't lie about whether all people were free from the tendrils to save time. I remember listening to that part for the first time and expecting it, but it never came. Yes, Arthur would have known if John lied, since he would hear the others while connected to the monster, but John didn't know that was the plan. He still told the truth each time, even though waiting put them into more danger. That was impressive, his circumstances considered.

Lastly, I'd like to summarise this series of posts.

So John hates lying but is also repeatedly driven into a corner where his first impulse is to use manipulation as a way out or is forced to do this (hello agency issues). He learned the hard way why he really shouldn't act like this with Arthur and was determined to keep his friend's trust no matter what. That's where Kayne struck with his deal - he really knew where to aim. With both of them, really. Guess it helps that John and Arthur learned to trust even each other's lies, knowing they won't try to harm each other anymore.

So I hope they outsmarted him in this game <3

#malevolent podcast #malevolent spoilers #malevolent #arthur lester #john malevolent #john doe malevolent

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ekat-fandom-blog · 1 year

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Role Reversal AU

Basically, the heroes are villains and the villains are heroes or civilians.

There's a lot of information that I packed into this post.

Beings that aren't included in the swap are: Captain Marvel/Shazam/Champion Teth/Black Adam Captain N*zi (because fuck no is any n*zi going to be anything but evil. No Marvel mistakes with this au.) The Seven Deadly Enemies of Man Literally all of the villains trapped on/in the Rock of Eternity Orange Lantern The Blue Lanterns The Indigo Lanterns White and Black Lanterns Demons maybe Constantine? what do you guys think? Darkseid (good darkseid could be interesting tho) Doomsday Hfuhruhurr (aka Word-Bringer; an alien that collects brains from all over the universe to create an immortal hive mind called "The Union") Mongul 5th dimensional beings (they just like annoying people in general) Pariah Dark probably more

Some Heroes: Amity Park - Plasmius, Technus, Skulker, GIW, Maddie & Jack Gotham - Joker, Two-Face, Bane, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, Ra's Al Ghul (the LOA is more like a secret watcher's society but more infighting in a friendly way) Metropolis - Lex Luthor, Cyborg Superman, Metallo, Parasite London - Cheetah, Giganta, Circe(part-time) Justice League (leaders) - Talia Al Ghul, Lex, Professor Zoom, Cheetah, Star Sapphire (Carol Ferris), Black Manta, Cyborgirl Justice League (general) - Poison Ivy, Gorilla Grodd, Captain Marvel, Red Lantern(Guy Gardner), etc.

Most villains who don't commit any violent crime are simply civilians in this au. (ex: Catwoman, Box Ghost, or Kite Man) Some villains - like Sivanna - become civilians while their family members become villains.

Some background info:

Danny dies and it pisses him off that his parents don't notice. Sam and Tucker agree and they become menaces to Amity Park. Maddie and Jack notice and decide that someone needs to reign in the troublemakers, which makes things worse. Then, the ghosts start noticing and they start sending a ghost to take care of the rogue ghost. Eventually, they find that Skulker and Technus are best suited to deal with the trio. Wolf and Cujo join the trio. Plasmius joins Skulker and Technus and they start trying to clone Danny to try to create an equal to fight against him. The clones are mostly viable because of the help of Technus and the Fentons. Team Phantom kill the clones except for Dani, who joins them. Jazz, while not evil, isn't good either. She just wants to prevent her brother from killing their parents. Because all the good guys are much less concerned with keeping civilians safe, there are a few casualties, which includes Jazz. Jazz notices that Team Phantom might be right about her parents, so she leaves Amity and eventually teams up with Zatanna. TLDR; Danny's mad at his parents and makes Team Phantom to cause chaos around Amity Park. Jazz leaves after she dies and joins Zatanna.

Zatanna (and her father) were low level thieves that were performing as stage magicians before Nabu's helmet turned Giovanni into Dr Fate. Zatanna became enraged at how he wouldn't give her father back and started murdering and stealing other magic user's powers and tomes in hopes of one day returning her father to her. After she found Jazz, who offered to help remove the helmet, she stopped murdering as many people. The two often help Klarion get in the way of Nabu's plans to get rid of anything he perceives as chaotic. While they happen to befriend Klarion, they never stop stealing.

Bruce becomes Owlman and is in charge of the Court of Owls. Tim, Dick, and Jason become Talons. Alfred is known as the Executioner. Barbara is a jewel thief until she loses the ability to walk thanks to falling off a roof while being chased by Joker. After, she becomes a cyber security threat that constantly steals, releases criminals from jail, and hacks into whatever tech the heroes use. Kate becomes a mob boss. Signal starts out stealing, but accidentally turns into a small time mob boss that works on the opposite side of the city. Commissioner Gordon is a corrupt cop who is firmly in Bruce's pocket. He sometimes fills in for Bruce during CoO meetings when Lucius can't. Cass is an assassin called Orphan that inspires more fear than (canon) Deathstroke. Steph got annoyed by how often her dad (cluemaster) was out of the house and became Spoiler - a villain similar to (canon) Riddler. Selena, while she's a civilian, also happens to be Bruce's street level informant.

Clark, while still having been raised by Martha and John Kent and becoming Superman, decides that being a hero is rather boring. While ruling the world sounds intriguing, he's seen many other villains that are just as competent as he is that want to rule. So he decides that he wants to be a complete (rather dark) nuisance. He ruins buildings by tagging them with his heat vision, freezes major water sources, cloned Lex and himself (technically it's a test tube baby but whatever) once, finds ways to steal everyone's stashes of kryptonite, and sometimes murders people. Kon or Conner lives with Lex part time and has two loving parents, both of which don't understand why he enjoys randomly jumping into their battles and fighting them both (causing as much property damage as possible). Lois helps keep criminal activity out of the papers and clocks Clark as Superman right away. She regularly publishes smear campaigns against the heroes and paints Superman in good light. Kara and her clone - Powergirl - regularly fight against Parasite and Cyborg Superman who constantly thwart their plans to take over the world (they're taking Lex's route).

Green Lanterns are like corrupt cops whose mission is to exert their will over others. Hal kills his dad's previous employer while Sinestro tries to stop him. Sinestro creates the Sinestro Corps and is much more like "our and others' fears fuel us and drive us to be able to save people" rather than "fear is true power and should be used as a way to control people". When Parallax takes over Hal, they become the ultimate hero but over time Parallax starts to become corrupted by his willpower and Specter jumps in to keep Parallax from becoming the ultimate evil. After a while Parallax decides that Sinestro is a much better host and both him and Specter leave Hal, who decides to take a long break doing petty crime before breaking the Green Lanterns out of prison. Carol, in the beginning, stops Hal and other Green Lanterns from committing crimes but eventually stops and focuses mostly on taking care of her business and the Star Sapphires. The Green Lantern's main enemies are the Yellow Lanterns, Red Lanterns, and the Manhunters. Blue Lanterns tend to avoid the Green Lanterns and work with the Manhunters.

Barry is super cruel and Eobard Thawne (aka Reverse Flash or Professor Zoom) came from the future to prevent him from destroying everything. Barry's backstory is either he killed his mom and pinned it on his dad, or he ran away from home a few times and his parents died while trying to find him. Thawne is very careful about avoiding Barry while he's a civilian, but is aware that he needs to be close in order to prevent Barry from destroying the timeline or murdering everyone.

Diana has plans on taking over the world of man and eradicating the men while leaving the women in order to create a perfect world for women. Cheetah, Giganta, and (to a lesser extent) Cerce understand that men are needed just as much as women are in order for the world to continue on.

~~~

Feel free to add your own ideas or use this for a fic!

#dc x dp #dp x dc #dcxdp #dpxdc #dc x dp prompt #dcxdp role reversal au #tw murder mention

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ultravioletqueen · 5 months

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¿Alquien conoce a alouqua? La primera y olvidada hija de lilith/Do you know about alouqua? Lilith's first and forgoten offspring

I started researching lilims and found that apparently Lilith had a daughter named Alouqua who was her first daughter and the mother of vampires. Alouqua is described as a female spirit that makes men commit suicide and that is why they call her "the murderer of men."

Outside of that I couldn't find anything else, I don't even know who Alouqua's father is, although I found theories of who it could be, the most popular are Lucifer or Asmodeus.

But now I want to add my theories that could be interesting for possible "what if's", my theory is that Aloqua is the daughter of Adam and Lilith.

and here comes my what if!

Aloqua is raised by Adam and the Angels: This is my favorite, not only because it explores the more human side of Adam but also gives us a different perspective on Lilith from someone who does not remember her fondly and who has a vision of the toughest world (no offense Charlie), I am that part of the fandom that believes that Adam loves his children and Alouqua would be no exception, she is his first daughter and he would not let her mother's rebellion lead her to be banished Hell, he wouldn't want that for his girl, so it would take a lot of convincing on Adam's part to let him raise his daughter with his new wife eve. In this case, the only memory that Alouqua has of his mother is of her being banished to hell, which her young mind would misinterpret as Lilith abandoning her for Lucifer.

Alouqua would grow up with the idea that Lilith did not love her, and when she found out about Charlie's existence it would be a confirmation for her that for Lilith Alouqua was not important and was replaceable, this makes Alouqua despise demons and everything that have to do with them, since again they are the reason why her mother left her.

Her relationship with Adam is surprisingly good! Adam loves Alouqua and would do anything to avoid problems for her, which is why at first he wouldn't like the idea of her wanting to join the exorcists, he wouldn't want his daughter to get hurt, but all it takes is a little convincing and training over the years so that she accepts when alouqua is an adult.

Alouqua is a woman with a strong character, who does not take shit from anyone and is generally the opposite of Charlie in personality, Aloqua is pessimistic, cold and only cares about her father, eve and her siblings (both biological and exorcist sisters).

Her interactions with Charlie would be very interesting too! I imagine that at first Charlie would be DISGUSTED at the idea that Adam and Lilith had sex🤣but in more general and serious terms Alouqua would be furious to see Charlie, as I said before for Alouqua she thinks that Lilith replaced her with Charlie and that's why she couldn't stand it to even see her.

If Charlie tries to talk to her about her redemption project, Alouqua will probably react the same as Adam and laugh in her face. It would also include a reprise of Hell Is Forever where Alouqua refers to Charlie as her replacement as Lilith's daughter.

Knowing Charlie, I don't think she hates Alouqua,she would see her as a person who is self-conscious and insecure because of Lilith's absence. She would even confront Lucifer about whether he knew about Alouqua. In general terms, Alouqua hates Charlie because she sees her as her replacement and Charlie feel sorry for Alouqua.

With Lilith being absent from Alouqua's life, it is most likely that eve raised her with adam during the time Lilith was away, so I can imagine that she has another reason to hate Lilith and Lucifer, since they offered her the apple to Eve and lost a mother AGAIN.

Aaaaaahhh I finally ran out of ideas, I'm happy to get this off my chest, soon I'll write something from another fandom that I recently became obsessed with and maybe post some art, until then see you and good night😘

(Español)

Me puse a investigar sobre los lilims y me encontré con que aparentemente lilith tuvo una hija llamada alouqua que fue su primera hija y la madre de los vampiros,alouqua es descrita como un espíritu femenino que hace que los hombres se suiciden y por eso la llaman "la asesina de hombres".

Fuera de eso no pude encontrar nada más,ni siquiera se quien es el padre de alouqua,aunque me encontré con teorías de quien podría ser,los más populares son lucifer o asmodeo.

Pero ahora quiero agregar mis teoría que podría ser interesante para posibles "what if's",mi teoría es que aloqua es hija de adán y lilith.

¡y aquí entra mi what if!

aloqua es criada por adan y los ángeles: esta es mi favorita,no solo porque explora el lado más humano de adán sino que también nos da una perspectiva diferente de lilith por parte de alguien que no la recuerda con cariño y que tiene una visión del mundo más dura(sin ofender charlie),soy esa parte del fandom que cree en que adan ama a sus hijos y alouqua no sería la excepción,se trata de su primera hija y no dejaría que la rebeldía de su madre la llevase a ser desterrada al infierno,no querría eso para su niña,por lo que tomaría mucho convencimiento por parte de adan para que le dejasen criar a su hija junto a su nueva esposa Eva,en este caso el único recuerdo que tiene alouqua de su madre es de ella siendo desterrada al infierno,lo que su mente joven malinterpretaria como que lilith la abandono por lucifer.

Alouqua crecería con la idea de que lilith no la amaba,y cuando se enterase de la existencia de charlie sería una confirmación para ella de que para lilith alouqua no era importante y era reemplazable,esto hace que alouqua desprecie a los demonios y todo lo que tenga que ver con estos,ya que otra vez ellos son la razón por la que su madre la dejo.

¡Su relación con adan es sorprendentemente buena! Adan ama a alouqua y haría lo que fuera para evitarle problemas,razón por la que en un inicio no le gustaría la idea de que ella quiera unirse a los exorcistas,no querría que su hija se lastime, pero solo basta un poco de convencimiento y entrenamientos con los años para que acepte cuando alouqua es una adulta.

Alouqua es una mujer de carácter fuerte,que no toma mierda de nadie y en general es todo lo contrario a charlie en personalidad,aloqua es pesimista,fría y solo se preocupa por su padre,eva y sus hermanos(tanto biológicos como hermanas exorcistas).

¡sus interacciones con charlie serian muy interesantes también! Me imagino que un inicio charlie estaria ASQUEADA ante la idea de que adan y lilith tuvieron sexo🤣pero en planos más generales y serios alouqua estaria furiosa al ver a charlie,como dije antes para alouqua lilith la reemplazo con charlie y por eso no podría aguantar el siquiera verla.

Si charlie trata de hablarle de su proyecto de redención probablemente alouqua reacciona igual que adan y se le ríe en la cara,también incluiría un reprise de hell is forever donde alouqua se refiere a charlie como su reemplazo como hija de lilith.

Conociendo a charlie no creo que odie a alouqua, la vería como una persona acomplejada e insegura por la ausencia de lilith,incluso confrontaria a lucifer sobre si sabía sobre alouqua, en términos generales alouqua odia a charlie porque la ve como su reemplazo en la vida de lilith y charlie siente lastima por alouqua.

Al lilith estar ausente en la vida de alouqua lo más probable es que Eva la crio junto a adan el tiempo que lilith estuvo fuera,por lo que me puedo imaginar que tiene otra razón para odiar a lilith y a lucifer,ya que ellos le ofrecieron la manzana a Eva y perdió una madre OTRA VEZ, por lo que su odio no solo se extiende a lilith sino a los morningstar en si.

Aaaaaahhh finalmente me quede sin ideas,me satisface sacar esto de mi pecho,pronto escribiré algo de otro fandom con el que me obsesione hace poco y quizás publique algo de arte,hasta entonces nos vemos y buenas noches😘

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel lilith #alouqua #english and spanish #spanish

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quidfree · 6 months

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what hair do u picture the Them + Adam and Warlock as having? (what I really want to know: do any of them have a mullet?)

haha this is such a specific ask...

um let me see. see warlock gives me recovering emo but teetering on the edge of becoming some kind of political consultant or finance bro, so i don't think as of canon he has a shaggy wolfcut or whatever- just slightly overgrown student athlete hair, tuck behind the ear sort of thing. his hair is black natch. i think once he starts dating adam he kind of unconsciously grows it out longer though.

adam i see as having mostly non-descript, just like blandly pleasant features, except the longer you look at him the more interesting / slightly off attractive he becomes, so i see him with kind of basic dirty blond / light brown hair, a bit curly/fluffy but not particularly grown out. if you stare long enough it starts to catch the light unnaturally.

brian has classic british boy haircut variant 2, with the sides shorn and that weird monk fringe (sorry) (he sort of pulls it off). wensleydale probably gels his down or something- whatever's slightly neurotic will do. pepper i think wears primarily classic protective hairstyles, maybe mostly braids (i'm thinking like your cornrows, fulani braids, box braids). she plays around with colour and accessories a lot.

mulletwise adam and warlock are your best bets. warlock has definitely had one at SOME point (i think i even have him mention in canon that he's had everything from a fuckass bob to the emo sidepart to a buzzcut), and adam is likely to sort of incidentally grow one out and then decide to commit to that vibe.

edit: found this in the margins of my notepad to underscore the vision

#qui parle #qui repond #etuwubrutus #good omens #adam young #warlock dowling #qui ecrit

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sablegear0 · 2 years

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Thinking about @molagboop ‘s world-building about Chozo allopreening and realizing I may have accidentally/retroactively incorporated something similar into Electrochromic and now I feel like I should lean into it.

Because really (realistically?) it makes perfect sense that allopreening would be the way Samus expresses affection for people, at least early on before getting more accustomed to human social behaviour (and probably even after, just because it’s what she’s used to). I imagine, and have already established in EC, she’s not one for hugs or casual contact. That’s weird mammal stuff that’s been relegated to a very distant part of her memories. But allopreening has become reflexive for her, it’s low-contact, relatively innocuous, and you can get away with it around humans because they just tend to think you’re fussy about appearances. But the truth is she does it because it’s how she shows she cares. Her new human friends don’t have feathers to idly preen but they wear a lot of layers and adornments, all of which can use the occasional gentle adjustment.

In a military setting, if there’s something wrong with your uniform, you’re most likely to hear about it when your officer tells you off for it. Yet despite her apparent disdain for authority, Samus seems to care a lot about her squadmates’ kit. And yes, part of it is that she doesn’t want to have to stand around while someone gets jacked up by their CO for looking sloppy, but the main reason is that’s just her way of showing friendly affection; making sure your bars are pinned on straight or picking lint off your jacket or straightening a cuff or collar here and there.

Because to her, that’s just how you show you care about someone. Because she grew up with Old Bird gently picking the knots out of her hair, then showing her what a bent downy feather looks like so she could return the favour. Because Grey Voice would help clean up her scrapes from training and she’d spend a few minutes straightening the covert-feathers on his shoulders in return. Because it’s not an entirely alien gesture, it is something humans do and appreciate, and she takes a lot of comfort in that commonality.

I’ve already written it in at least once, maybe twice; in “Iron and Sulfur” she and Adam take a pause to neaten one another up before the officers’ formal, and in “Prussian Blue” there’s a brief moment she adjusts the fabric wrap that Adam is trying on. Adam, and probably Ian and Anthony too, would likely be on the receiving end of a lot of this casual preening, being the people she’s closest with. (But also perhaps because she has keen enough eyes to notice when things are awry, and also perhaps because something about all the extra bits and bobs on Adam’s uniform strike some particularly corvidy part of her brain.) I like to think they’re fine with it, even used to it, once the initial confusion about it wore off.

This habit was probably the singular personal-space transgression she would commit towards her coworkers, who she would otherwise try to keep at arm’s-length. Adam especially, who she would avoid contact with in all possible cases without explicit permission, except idly picking fuzz or brushing dust off her mildly puzzled CO. Adam probably saw it for it was pretty quickly, though I imagine Ian initially took it for an awkward kind of flirtation - which in some contexts it could be, for Chozo, but that’s not how Samus intended it. Anthony probably didn’t think much of it, any sign the weird new girl was more comfortable with the group was a good thing.

With fewer close friends now later in her career, the habit shows itself less frequently, but when it does, it’s often entirely subconscious. Samus might find herself rubbing grime off the unfamiliar bounty hunter she’d run into for the last few jobs, or brushing dust off the Marine captain she’d been working with the past couple weeks, and realize - perhaps with surprise, or even concern - “Oh, I see them as a friend now.” To an outside observer, it may seem like Bounty Hunter Samus Aran has some slightly odd ideas about personal space, but from her perspective, it’s a tacit assurance of “I care about you.”

#sable's brain junk #headcanons abound #metroid #metroid series #samus aran #electrochromic #i don't think i've touched on it much in stranger facets #but maintaining android!adam would absolutely fall under this too

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webbywatcheshorror · 10 months

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Webby Reviews Horror: Saw (2004)

You (probably) know what Saw is. On the slim chance you're one of today's lucky 10,000 who doesn't, it's a movie about a serial killer who puts his victims in deadly traps in order to teach them a lesson about valuing their lives, asking them what acts of violence or self-harm would they commit to keep themselves or their loved ones alive?

I won't lie to you. Saw is one of my favorite movies of all time, above almost all others. I've mentioned on a few other reviews how much I loved them, how much they influenced me, but this one blows them all away. It came out on video around when I was 15 or 16, and back then I hadn't had a lot of real experience with horror as a genre, but I thought I knew enough about it. And I didn't care much for it. (I used to be a huge wuss. I still am, but I used to be, too.)

Then my dad brought this movie home, and when I finally got around to watching it, I was entirely and irrevocably altered. Suddenly I realized that I knew absolute jack shit about horror. Its potential, the kinds of stories you could tell, the effects it can have on an audience. Without Saw, I would be an entirely different person, and I know how that sounds. I really do. But it's the truth.

Anyway, I said all that to impress upon you how very incredibly biased I am when it comes to this movie, so you can keep it in mind as we dive into more specific things during the review.

Another thing to keep in mind is that I am looking at this as a standalone film, and not the first of a franchise of films. (I might, sometime in the future, review the series as a whole, but not today.)

Review under the cut, and as always beasties and ghouls, SPOILERS ahead! (Yes. There are people who haven't seen this movie. Why they'd be reading this, I have no idea, but that's their business.)

Where do I even begin with Saw. I could talk for hours about it, the characters, the tragedy of it all, the in-universe details and the real life behind the scenes stuff. I am fully enamored with this film.

We'll start with the cinematography, since I'm not very knowledgeable on the topic and I'm less likely to ramble endlessly about it.

The scenes of the other victims in their traps, where it speeds up, really gives them a sense of mania, of panic. It really adds to the terror of the situation and gives these characters we get to see so briefly some needed characterization with the camera work alone. In fact, every time they do the choppy editing, it lends a feeling of tension that permeates the entire movie.

There's a scene, one of many, that has stuck with me these past 19 years, and it's the shot of little Diana Gordon sitting up in bed, half her bedroom shrouded in the darkness. On first watch, it's deeply unsettling, but even after you know who it is, it doesn't get any less fucking terrifying. One of my fears is the dark, not being able to see into a room or the entire room, because of scenes like this.

The characters. Good god, do I love the characters in Saw. They're complicated, flawed, neither good nor evil but a secret third thing: deeply human. (Except John Kramer, but we'll get to that.) They're all just People, trying to make it through the day, however they can. Adam, trying to pay his bills and keep himself fed by spying on people; Lawrence, dealing with the stress of being a doctor and a father who's lost his joie de vivre and decides to cheat on his wife about it; Tapp, wracked with guilt over losing his partner and letting Jigsaw escape, throwing everything he has into stalking the wrong man at the cost of his own health. The more we learn about these characters, the more fascinating they become to me.

Let's talk about John for a moment. More articulate people than I could tell you, in rich detail, about why he's not a savior, but I tend to just boil it down to this: you can't 'fix' people with trauma. I think John is evil, or close to it. Look at the people he chooses to punish- Paul, who cuts himself; Mark, who claims to be sick but is also seen out and about; Amanda, a drug addict. Paul could have depression or some other mental illness. Mark could have an illness that is only debilitating /some/ of the time. Amanda has an addiction problem. You know what would have actually helped them? A fucking support system. Some understanding. Not additional issues, JOHN.

John is, despite his tendency to target those already struggling, still an interesting person, as Zep says. He's also a hypocrite of the highest degree. Shaming Adam for being a voyeur, but drugging himself so he can lay in the middle of the bathroom floor for who even knows how many hours just so he can watch Adam and Lawrence fumble around? Pot meet kettle situation.

(I'm trying to keep this from becoming an entire-ass essay, I really am, but as I mentioned, I could do this all day.)

Adam and Lawrence's transformation throughout the movie is so intriguing to me. Lawrence, the logical Father Knows Best guy, used to always being the one in control of any given situation. Adam, low on the social ladder, prone to emotional outbursts, used to being kicked when he's down. By the end, they've become entirely different men.

Lawrence changes into an unthinking mess, acting on his out of control emotional state to an extreme degree, while Adam becomes a man who not only finally wants to live, but puts in the work to prove it, attacking Zep and killing him, with the kind of determination he hadn't shown until that moment.

The twist is still just so good. It was mind blowing then, and it's a great story beat today, almost 20 years later. When John sits up, Hello Zep playing in the background... it still gives me chills. To think of how Adam must feel, alone in a room with nothing but the dead for company, waiting on the promise of a severely injured man, thinking it's finally over.

Adam's screaming into the darkness breaks me a little, I won't lie. The horror of his situation finally overcomes him and all he can do is scream. That sound is burned into my brain, possibly for life. Then, the credits roll, with the calmness of the credits, Adam's cries still echoing before the quiet music begins to play, and the audience is left stunned. No relief for us, no relief for Adam.

In the years before the sequels, there was so much talk among my friends and I about what could have happened afterwards. Did Lawrence make it out? Did Jigsaw ever get caught? Did Adam die alone in that grimy bathroom? I used to make up possibilities in my head about ways Adam could be saved.

You see, I've always identified with Adam. Struggling to keep going, feeling outcast, chained in a place we didn't want to be, having to rely on others for help getting out, dismissed as juvenile, clinging to people that hate us because it's better than being alone, and wasting our lives because we weren't living them the way others thought we should, regardless of WHY. I had always hoped he made it out. Maybe in some other reality he does.

Anyway enough about that, let's move on. One thing of many I love about this movie is how it makes you think, really think, about what you would do if this happened to you. Would you, could you, crawl through a cage of razor wire to save yourself? Could you kill the family of a co-worker to save your own skin? Could you maim or dismember yourself?

There's an excellent podcast, Jigsquad Pod, that talks about this next point, but I have to mention it also. Jigsaw feels like a boogeyman figure. He sees your every sin. He judges you, then takes you from your place of safety- your house, on the way home from work, and punishes you. It can happen to anyone, anywhere. He can't be caught, can't be killed. He's a phantom. I love that feeling in this movie, the almost campfire story of it all, the way you might tell it to your friends in hushed voices at a sleepover.

I give Saw X ghosts outta ten. It may not be the movie James Wan and Leigh Whannell set out to make, it may have been rushed and stitched together out of all the footage they had and then some, but it's a masterpiece in my heart. It changed me, in hundred of ways I can't begin to understand, but I'm glad it did. (Not all of those ways are for the better, probably. I mean, I did spend several hours once, thinking up- in detail- what my personal Saw trap would be.)

As much as I love the entire franchise overall, cop-centric soap opera that it is, if it had stopped at just this one, I'd still be satisfied. I hope it never gets a remake, because there's no way it could ever be made more perfectly than it already is, flaws and all.

#saw #saw movies #webbywatcheshorror #webbyreviewshorror #horror movie #movie review #leigh whannell #james wan #cary elwes #shawnee smith #danny glover #michael emerson #saw franchise

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denimbex1986 · 8 months

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'As a boy, Andrew Scott had a lisp. "I was sent to speech and drama classes, so I had to do 'He sells seashells on the seashore" endlessly, trying to get rid of the lisp," recalls the Dublin-born actor. "Then in the drama section, you had to get up and do improvisations and all that kind of stuff, and something just happened to me. I was very shy, but when I got up to do those things, I felt, I don't know, emancipated."

Scott made his film debut at age 18 in the Irish drama, Korea. He broke through in the BBC series Sherlock, winning a BAFTA Television Award for his performance as the criminal mastermind Moriarty, and then as the "Hot Priest" on season two of Fleabag. On the big screen, he has had memorable turns in Pride (2014), 1917 (2019), and Catherine Called Birdy (2022).

No matter the role, Scott finds himself returning to his schoolboy days. "I have a strong sense of playfulness, and it's something I go back to daily," he reflects. "Playfulness is something that we're encouraged to do as children, but not so much as we grow into adulthood. You need to keep it playful even when you're doing serious scenes, because you don't know how the day's going to go. Something could happen any second that could completely change our emotional landscape. That's the thing you have to keep alive."

Now, he takes the lead in All of Us Strangers, director Andrew Haigh's haunting love story about a lonely writer, Adam (Scott), who develops an intense bond with a handsome stranger, Harry (Paul Mescal). At the same time, Adam travels back to his childhood home, where he has the chance to reconnect with his long-dead parents (played by Claire Foy and Jamie Bell). It might sound complicated, but for Scott, the "simplicity of the ideas at the center" of the film are what attracted him to the project.

"When I was a kid, I remember I just parked myself in front of the TV and I used to watch those big MGM musicals. I used to be obsessed with those Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers kind of films," says the actor. "In All of Us Strangers, it's all about bringing your parents back, which is quite a theatrical idea, like in those MGM movies, so you don't need to do any CGI to tell the audience that they're ghosts or whatever they might be. You just play it, and the audience loves that. We like a little bit of surrealism. You want the filmmaker to use their imagination."

Below, Scott shares with A.frame five of the films that have had the biggest impact on him throughout his life, including the Meryl Streep starrer that made him finally commit to becoming an actor.

1. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 1982

Directed by: Steven Spielberg | Written by: Melissa Mathison

E.T. was the first film I ever saw in the cinema. I was probably about 6 or 7, and I begged my parents to take me to see it. It was the first time I was ever in a movie theater, and I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it was happening to me. I still think E.T. is so completely wonderful. In a way, Spielberg is able to access something that I don't think a lot of people are able to do, which is the feeling of being a child. His sense of wonder is so extraordinary.

It's a really audacious idea, and people love an audacious idea. We talk about realism and you're like, 'Oh my God, as if that would ever happen.' The movies is our chance to go, 'Well no, that would never happen, but we have a chance to do something that tells us who we are except in a completely different way.'

2. The Poseidon Adventure 1972

Directed by: Ronald Neame | Written by: Stirling Silliphant and Wendell Mayes

I watched The Poseidon Adventure when I was a kid, and I was absolutely beside myself. It's a disaster movie, which I find stressful as an adult, but it's definitely one that I remember. I think some films in your life are just really potent, aren't they? And they just stay with you. As a kid, I was completely transfixed by the storytelling of that. Like, when Shelley Winters swam to save everybody. I haven't watched it as an adult, but I remember being so invested in the story. Maybe I shouldn't have watched it when I did, because it's pretty serious stuff. But that is definitely one that has stuck with me.

3. Postcards from the Edge 1990

Directed by: Mike Nichols | Written by: Carrie Fisher

I remember it really clearly. It was a very strange thing that happened before my Junior Cert, which is a tedious exam that you have to take in Ireland when you're about 15. My mother said, 'Do you want to go and see a film the night before the exam?' because maybe I'd been working hard, which seems unlikely. We went to see that, and because I had to do this exam the next day, I remember I was like, 'I don't care about this exam. I want to be an actor so much.'

The acting in Postcards from the Edge is so sensational. Meryl Streep is a hero to me because of her extraordinary sense of humor. Obviously, she's incredibly affecting, but all great actors have to have a sense of the absurd. Olivia Colman is another person who has got an extraordinary sense of humor. Judi Dench, Ben Whishaw, Claire Foy. The two things I think you should have as an actor are an imagination and a sense of humor.

With Postcards from the Edge, I love that kind of human story that's told with such flair. I think it is Carrie Fisher's screenplay. They know they're having great fun and it's about show business. It's a film that gives me great, great pleasure, and if ever it's on, I would always watch the whole thing.

4. Punch-Drunk Love 2002

Written and Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson

I love all of his films. I think that beside his extraordinary ability as a storyteller, it's the element of surprise. I love to be surprised. It's a romantic comedy, and I love romantic comedies — I'll watch really any romantic comedy, actually — but that is such a sophisticated romantic comedy. The chemistry between Adam Sandler and Emily Watson is so completely wonderful.

I always think when you're playing tragedy, you should look for the light, and when you're playing comedy, you should look for the soul. I remember when we were doing Hamlet, realizing that it was so funny, even though it's obviously the most famous tragedy in the world. But I think that's the way human beings are, and you always want to have a little bit of both. Punch-Drunk Love has that in spades.

5. Call Me by Your Name 2017

Directed by: Luca Guadagnino | Written by: James Ivory

Call Me By Your Name is such a beautiful love story. It's so atmospheric and it's surprising, that film. At the beginning, I was like, 'What is the dynamic between these two people?' I love the fact that love manifests itself in so many extraordinary ways. It's not just two people who look exactly the same as each other and are exactly the same age. Sometimes in talking about love stories, we don't look at the really surprising love stories, where people just meet each other and connect. They're not always straight people between the ages of 27 and 32 and then they get married, you know what I mean?

Love is for everybody, and there's something about the rebelliousness of that film that's so beautiful. It made me nostalgic for something that I never really had, and it satiated something in me. I just thought it was so beautifully acted and beautifully directed. It was a special one that I remember going to as a full-grown adult.'

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aspd-culture · 1 year

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Will the dr count literally any form of illegal activity no matter how minor towards the breaking the law symptom? Because I don’t even do anything that’s more severe than piracy which is so minimal and a wide spread/normal thing that I don’t even know if it’s worth bringing up. The same goes with giving alcohol and weed to underage family members that I’m close to but they’re a year or two away from the legal consumption age for both things here that I think it’s… kind of whatever and doesn’t count because that also tends to be pretty normal and common.

My family has always had a habit of breaking laws they find dumb or are so small that it doesn’t even matter except for stealing from stores surprisingly, they were always adamant about not stealing. I don’t steal but it’s morally correct to me for people to steal from big companies and shitty people if they want to.

But I would steal if I was 100% guaranteed to get away with it but living in a small town and also having a mortal fear of being embarrassed in front of people and just thinking of the embarrassment/anger of getting caught, other people in the store seeing me get caught and possibly banned from the stores keeps me from doing it. The thought makes me cringe so much. However I think there’s a lot of things a lot of people would do if given the chance to get away with something, ASPD or not.

Also I meet the criteria for ASPD overall if that helps?

This honestly really depends on your doctor. If you read the actual DSM entry it doesn't actually require it to be a law - social codes and rules such as work guidelines/employee handbooks also count. However, many doctors have a stigmatized view of ASPD and pathologize criminality. Those doctors may unfairly deny you a diagnosis based on lack of violent crime.

For the record, prosocials without other reason (such as financial hardship or other mental health issues) would generally not commit crimes of any variety - or if they did, would find themselves coping with a severe amount of guilt and remorse.

The way you speak here about stealing and crime without the risk of punishment is very similar to most pwASPD I have spoken to. These outlooks on crime are risky to share with your provider, but if you trust them then it definitely could help you with getting a dx.

I also tend to find that a lot of pwASPD realize they broke more rules and laws as a kid then they realized once they start reflecting - a major part of ASPD diagnostic process involves what you were like before you learned to mask/before you "knew better" (which by adult age you have to have to function). That is probably worth thinking about on your own and seeing if any forgotten memories come up - since with ASPD we have decreased or no remorse, rule-breaking and lawbreaking tend to be easier for us to forget than for prosocials.

I hope this helps. Sorry it took a while to get to your ask.

#aspd-culture-is #aspd culture is #aspd culture #actually aspd #aspd #aspd awareness #actually antisocial #antisocial personality disorder #aspd traits #anons welcome

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collidingxworlds · 1 year

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7-would your muse ever get married? for Will & Abigail

Shipping meme || Accepting !

For Will, it's mostly a maybe. It would take a very specific, relentless person to convince him to make such a big commitment. After all, his record isn't exactly stellar, when it comes to relationships, especially of the romantic kind. He had had very few and they were all short and disastrous. Between his not so great reputation, his bad social skills, the fact that he can read people way too easily and how "unstable" he can be (Alana wasn't completely wrong about that), he is far from being the ideal partner and being in a relationship with him requires a lot of work, especially at first. However, we do see him with Molly (in all versions of canon if I'm not mistaken) and that shows that he can be a decent partner...till his darkness doesn't come and get in the way, destroying everything he has built so far. So, to sum it up, marriage isn't something he looks forward to or even just thinks about. And it's definitely not something he would ever consider a priority, even in the case where he manages to build a solid, long-term relationship. He would get married if his partner wishes to, but he wouldn't be the one to bring up the subject.

As for Abigail, she's not the marrying type. She sees marriage as a way to get tied down and, after what she has lived with her father, the idea of sharing such a tight, official bond with someone, even one that is mutual, doesn't entice her in the least. She's a free spirit and she is adamant on belonging to herself and herself alone. That said, there could be exceptions to the rule. If her partner is someone she is deeply attached to and if they bring her a reason good enough (practically speaking) for them to get married, she probably would end up accepting, even if it would still take some convincing. For example, her with Salomé, if it was required for them to be wed to get inheritance or anything of the sort, she would eventually accept to go through it. Still, she would never marry just "for love".

#(( mun scotty's personal log ::ooc:: ))#sinruby #* You won't like me when I'm psychoanalyzed * ::HCs ; Will::#* nature vs nurture * ::HCs ; Abigail::

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things-we-cant-say · 3 years

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pretty little liar

Pairing: Ten x Female!Reader

Summary: In order to get your annoying ex off your back, you tell a little white lie that takes an unexpected turn.

Genre: College!AU

Warnings: Smutty smut, dirty dancing

Word Count: 4,867

A/N: Unable to withstand Ten’s power any longer, I had to start writing about him…or a version of him anyway. Hope someone out there enjoys my first dip into the ~imagines~ pond. ☺️

The party was in full swing by the time you and your best friend Amy arrived, the music so loud it could be heard down the street. It was a wonder the cops hadn’t broken it up yet but hey, the night was still young. Ducking through the arched doorway with Amy hot on your heels, you let her guide you into the foyer where you both stopped to take in the scene. The place was packed with people dancing, drinking and laughing—everyone apparently having a great time. Which was perfect for you because all you wanted to do was blow off a little steam and pretend you hadn’t spent the day fantasizing about committing the perfect murder.

You enjoyed school for the most part and you enjoyed your classes, but really you couldn’t wait for it all to just be over. Two extra years and your master’s degree in linguistics was almost within your grasp. You still weren’t one hundred percent what you planned to do with it (teaching was definitely out) but either way you were ready to dive into the real world. To no longer be stressed out about exams and papers and boring ass professors that constantly seemed to have a stain on their tie.

And to get far, far away from your stupid ex, Adam.

“Uh oh you have murder face,” Amy said as she peeped around to look at you. “What’s wrong?”

You shrugged. “Just in my head I guess.”

Amy hummed. “I get it. That’s why we are here though! To get fucked up and do something we regret in the morning.”

You laughed. “Guess we’re Uber-ing home.”

She grinned and grabbed your wrist, pulling you over to a table loaded with different types of alcohol. The guy ‘tending bar’ as it were winked as you two approached. “What can I get you for?”

“Something with alcohol but where we can’t taste the alcohol!” Amy exclaimed happily. “Oh! And if you’ve got any little umbrellas I’d like one of those too.”

He did finger guns and proceeded to cook something up in two red cups, sticking in two pink umbrellas when he was done. You and Amy took your drinks and after a cursory sniff, took a sip. The tequila wasn’t as strong as with a single shot but you could still detect it just not enough to make you stop drinking. Unlike Amy you didn’t plan to get completely fucked up but you weren’t going to say no to a nice buzz.

Cups in hand you migrated onto the dance floor and fell in with everyone else, bopping to the beat and scream chatting over the loud music.

“I really needed this!” Amy yelled. “Statistics is kicking my cute little ass!”

“I know what you mean!” You shouted. “But hey! Soon we’ll be done and actual jobs will be kicking our cute little asses!”

Laughing, Amy bounced up and down, sending her blonde hair flying. “Is that why you’ve been so grumpy lately? Or is it…he who shall not be named?”

With a sigh you took a big sip of your strawberry margarita. “Yeah. He keeps fucking calling me and leaving me these stupid ass messages, apologizing and shit. I’ve blocked him but he just uses someone else’s phone.”

Amy’s eyes stretched wide. “That’s like stalker behavior! Or maybe he really is sorry for what he did.”

You snorted. “Sorry for having sex with his ex in the backseat of my car? As far as I am concerned he can take his ‘sorrys’ and shove them so far up his ass they come out his mouth as safaris!”

Amy choked a little on her drink, hitting you hard on the arm in admonishment after she stopped coughing. “I hate you! I could have died!”

Her words made you smirk. “But did you? No but for real, fuck Adam. Fuck Adam and anyone who even looks like Adam!”

“Woo!” Amy threw both hands up into the air, yelping as liquid sloshed down onto her head. “Oh shit! Drink emergency I’ll be right back!”

Before you could say anything, she turned and hurried back towards the drink table. Alone in the middle of a dancing crowd, you didn’t know whether you should slink over to a corner or just keep dancing. That last thing you wanted was some random dude trying to groove with you. Of course if you decided to hold up the wall nothing would stop some random dude from trying to hit on you either. At a bit of a loss you drained the rest of your drink and did a I don’t really know anyone two step, hoping Amy would return soon.

The tequila settled nice and warm in your stomach, making you feel more at ease. Most of the people at the party were from your school but not ones you associated with on like, a daily basis. Sure you recognized a few faces from the library or cafeteria but there was no one you’d had more than a surface conversation with.

And then your eyes landed on him. Ten.

Ten was a…different sort of person altogether. He was the kinda guy CW shows thought actually existed in college, except he was very real. And very much fucking gorgeous in that unattainable way CW shows also loved. However, that sort of did him a disservice because as far as you knew, he was just a decent guy who happened to be able to do some pretty awesome things.

For example, he was an amazing dancer. The kinda dancer that just freaking mesmerized you when he moved. Had you wondering how in the hell had he taught his body to do that shit? One minute he was in total sync with everyone else and the next he was performing his solo and blowing your mind. He’d done some show a few months ago with a friend and you’d nearly flipped out of your chair watching him work. The body rolls, the attitude, the way he’d just commanded the stage…whew. Was it possible to be a fan of someone who wasn’t famous?

Then there was his art; things he designed himself or drew from memory. Art class was essentially where you’d sorta came to be acquaintances with him. You weren’t exactly good at drawing but you liked it enough that you wanted to improve, plus it helped you de-stress after particularly hard days. Ten on the other hand excelled and just like with dancing, it was interesting to watch his process. He’d described himself as a sensory artist so he wasn’t always as concerned with the end product as the professor sometimes wanted him to be. From your eye though he’d yet to create anything that wasn’t remarkable. In fact, more than once you’d wanted to ask him to design a tattoo for you, but felt it would be kinda weird. He had no idea what you were into after all. So far your conversations with him had consisted of colors and that one time he’d asked to borrow one of your brushes.

You were pretty sure he’d sold something to an art gallery.

Anyway so Ten could dance and he could draw and he could sing and he was fluent in several languages; as far as you knew the only thing he was kind of shit at was cooking. But who hadn’t set a class kitchen on fire once or twice? Or three times…

If he were an asshole—well people would probably still crush on him—you’d count that as a major flaw and want to keep your distance. But the kicker was that he could do cool things and he was nice. Dorky even especially when it came to cute animals. Was always posting pictures of himself at the animal shelter playing with the kittens and the puppies, or just acting like an idiot with friends. Yet it was that confidence that made him seem untouchable, and also made him sexy as fuck. More than once you’d fantasized about biting his Adam’s apple.

Heh.

Shaking your head, you fanned lightly at your face with both hands. Maybe stepping outside for some fresh air would be a good idea.

“Y/N!” Amy nearly tripped over her pretty sandals in her hurry to get back to you. “Weewoo weewoo weewoo!”

“Um…”

She grabbed your shoulder. “It’s a police siren! We have a code red situation here, I repeat a code red! Adam just walked in!”

“What?” You blinked and immediately looked towards the doorway, brows narrowing when you saw she was right.

Standing there in a white t-shirt in his formerly handsome glory was your ex-boyfriend, Adam. Once upon a time you’d thought the world of him; thought he was the kinda guy you could probably marry someday. The kinda guy you’d introduced your family to. Turns out he was the kind of guy that hooked up with his ex in your car repeatedly until finally being caught in the act. Sure it had been gratifying to make him and her walk home half naked but it had done nothing to quell the pain left behind. Thankfully though your pain quickly turned to anger and now you usually focused on not murdering him when he popped up. There was a lot you could forgive but cheating was firmly in the do not cross zone. Everything you’d felt for him evaporated the moment you saw him with her.

And he’d promised he was over her. Lying piece of shit, you thought to yourself.

“What the hell is he doing here?! Does he even know anyone here?” you asked with a frown.

“I dunno!” your friend said slowly. “It’s possible, big campus and all. Do you want me to help you climb out of the bathroom window?”

“Yeah my boobs aren’t fitting through one of those skinny ass windows,” you replied wryly. “Though to be honest I’m almost willing to risk it. C’mon let’s—”

It was too late. Adam spotted you like an arrow searching for its target, eyes registering shock and then elation. He reached you in three quick strides, opening his arms for a hug that he was damned crazy to expect. “Y/N. Wow you—you look amazing. I’m so glad we ran into each other.”

You huffed. “I’m not. I told you we’re over Adam. Or does me blocking your calls not get the message across?”

He exhaled deeply. “Look I know I messed up but I’m sorry. Classes were just really tough and—and Lucy and I would reminisce about old times…”

“Do I look like I give a shit? You cheated on me and we’re over.” The lie came so easily. “Besides, I’ve moved on.”

“Yeah!” Amy poked him in the chest. “She’s moved on so suck it!”

Adam arched a brow. “You’ve moved on?” He sounded skeptical and that made your blood boil. “Since when? And with who?”

You’d once heard that Hippocrates came up with the saying drastic times call for drastic measures though it wasn’t something you’d be willing to bet money on. However, standing there with your ex eying you like he just knew you were lying brought a whole new meaning to the idiom. You would one hundred percent be damned before giving him the satisfaction of gloating.

Tequila’s kicking in…

Without missing a beat, you put a hand on your hip and motioned to Ten. “Him. I’m seeing him.”

Amy made a sound like a cat having its tail stepped on while Adam gaped at you. “What? I—no. No way. You’re totally lying. I’ve seen the people he’s dated and you’re not his type at all.”

This bitch.

Twirling on your black heels, you strolled across the room to where Ten sat in an arm chair, chatting with a few of his friends. Before you could talk yourself out of it, you straddled his lap and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I know this is awkward as fuck—I’m so sorry—but if you just play along I will owe you big time. I’ll give you anything. You need a kidney? You can have a kidney.”

Ten’s friends had gone mute and as you sat back to gauge his reaction—or to possibly be thrown off of him—you bit your full bottom lip. His dark eyes were watching you calculatingly, his own lips pursed together like you were a riddle he needed to solve. Up close he was utterly breathtaking, all smooth skin and silky black hair that fell artfully across his forehead. He smelled incredible.

And then he spoke.

“There you are baby,” he said wrapping an arm around your waist. “I’ve been looking for you.”

That was when you figured you owed him your first born but it was fine. “Well, you found me. Sorry to keep you waiting.”

He chuckled. “You’re worth waiting for.”

His friends still looked confused though they didn’t have time to voice their opinions. Adam stalked over seconds later like a man on a mission. “So it’s true? You and Y/N are together?”

Ten tilted his head to the side and you saw the moment the lightbulb went off for him. “Yeah we’re together.”

Adam huffed. “Since when? For how long? Where did you two meet?”

Ten smirked. “Are you taking a survey or something?” He brushed his lips across your jaw, making you shiver. “The only thing that matters is that she’s mine. Let’s dance, Y/N.”

“I would love to,” you replied with a smile. You were also grateful he’d remembered your name.

You climbed off of his lap and took his hand, sending Adam a you thought look before pulling Ten out into the thick of the crowd. Your heart was beating a mile a minute but you felt too giddy to pay much attention to it. Plus, you knew Adam was watching you like a hawk and you didn’t want to let on how nervous you actually were. If he found out you were lying he’d never leave you alone and consider you pathetic to boot. Besides the nice buzz that was finally creeping down your spine told you everything would be fine. How could it not be?

Ten’s hands settled low on your hips and he gave you a little tug, pulling your back to his chest. You fit rather perfectly with him, his chin brushing the top of your head. Picking a rhythm in the song that thumped with bass, you began to move together. You rolled your ass against him and leaned your head back to rest on his shoulder, focusing on his breath as it ghosted across your neck. A silver of light wouldn’t have been able to get between you.

Normally you wouldn’t have dared to do something like this with a near stranger but your desire to make your ex suffer was bigger than your nerves. Besides Ten appeared to be all in on the ruse; his body twisting and curving in sync with yours, fingers on his right hand sliding up between your breasts to wrap lightly on your throat. His teeth nipped at your earlobe and you gasped. Reached around to his side to clasp his shirt for an anchor. You heard him chuckle and suddenly you were spun away from him only to be reeled back in, this time face to face.

The room felt like it was two hundred degrees. You weren’t exactly wearing much—a slinky black dress with tiny ties at the hem—but even that seemed too much. Without missing a beat though you and Ten continued to grind with one another, his thigh just barely pushed between your own. Every time you swayed forward to meet him the denim of his jeans rubbed deliciously against you, sending sparks sprinting through your veins. Both of his hands were on your ass as if helping to guide you, and as you met his gaze you couldn’t help but bite your lip at what you saw there. Desire, lust, hunger—no one had ever looked at you like that before. Like they could just devour you and still not have enough of you.

It made you feel powerful.

You grinned and wrapped an arm around his neck, fingers giving his hair a little tug. He hissed and lowered his head so that he could mouth at your bare shoulder, hands squeezing your ass so hard it nearly hurt. You weren’t sure when you started to get wet—maybe it was the moment you sat on his lap or he decided to play along with your dumb stunt—but you could tell it now. Your panties were sticking to you, your skin was on fire and it was becoming difficult to think straight. Honestly however you didn’t want to think at all, especially not if it meant not being in Ten’s orbit.

“Ten,” you whispered into the skin under his jaw.

He hummed, the sound vibrating through your body. You plastered your hand to his chest and pulled it down, nails catching on the thin material of his shirt until they were brushing along the zipper on his jeans. You gave him a quick squeeze—he was hard and straining—and he cursed loudly. Between one second and the next he was dragging you down a dimly light hallway, past kissing couples and one guy passed out drunk in the doorway of someone’s room. He swung you both into the first vacant room he came to; a lavish bathroom at the very back of the house. The door was closed with a swift thump and the lock clicked shut.

You licked your lips as he crowded you back into the counter, looking down at you with a tiny smirk. That part of your brain that yammered on about bad decisions was surprisingly quiet, so you figured it was beyond okay to pull him down for a kiss. As with most of the stuff he did, Ten was a damn good kisser. His mouth was soft and warm, his tongue playful and coaxing. He kissed you like he’d been waiting to kiss you for a long time. Until it grew deep and sensual. Until you were both panting with the need for air but neither wanting to let go of the moment.

With a gasp you tilted backwards a bit, your knees suddenly weak. “Fuck me,” you said absently.

“Can I?” Ten asked, chest heaving. “Can I fuck you?”

“God yes,” you replied, already pulling your dress up until it hitched around your waist.

Ten hooked his thumbs onto the band of your pink panties and slid them down your legs, laying them next to the sink. He looked you over with that same eye he used for his art but you could tell he liked what he saw. You grabbed his hand and brought it between your legs, spreading them wider for him. Two of his fingers slipped inside of you without any resistance to find you damp and aching, already so hot for him. He started a lazy rhythm—in and out, in and out—like he was in no hurry at all. Like he wasn’t driving you crazy all the way down to the tips of your toes.

He kept his eyes locked onto yours as he touched you, lips slightly parted like he couldn’t believe this was happening. That rang true for both of you. Never in your wildest dreams did you think you’d ever really be friends with Ten, let alone about to hook up with him. It was like you’d stumbled into some alternate universe.

Bringing his free hand up to your cheek, he smoothed his thumb across your lips, pressing lightly until you let him in. You sucked his thumb into your mouth and gave it a little nip, smiling when he smirked. When he deemed it wet enough, he pressed it to your clit and you moaned, your hips stuttering upward with a will of their own. He began a firm massage, working your clit this way and that, fingers still thrusting in their maddening motion. Of course he’d be great with his hands. Of course he’d be able to play your body like a finely tuned instrument.

Pressure started to build low in your stomach. “I—I’m…”

“Turn around.” Ten took a step back and made a show of sucking his fingers into his mouth, tongue darting out to lick between them like he wanted to savor every drop.

You whimpered but did as he requested, your eyes finding his in the wide silver mirror. You watched as he unzipped his pants and pushed them along with his dark colored briefs down to the floor. You hadn’t seen him pull out a condom but he had one; ripping open the packaging with his perfectly straight teeth before rolling it onto his hard cock. It was a delicious looking thing you had to admit, long and thick with a slight curve. If you’d had the time you would have gladly went to your knees for him.

A low breath shuddered out of Ten’s lungs as he pushed inside of you, his hands gripping your waist so strongly you were bound to have a few bruises later. “Fuck, you’re tight.”

It had been a while since Adam and nobody after him until now.

When he assumed you’d adjusted to the size of him, he pulled nearly out before driving back inside of you. You moaned and pushed back to meet his thrusts, feeling the pleasure shattering through you. Your breasts bounced as he moved and he reached a hand forward, tugging down the top of your dress so that he could cup one. He rolled your nipple between his fingers and pinched, bending over you so that he could bite down onto the tender skin of your shoulder. The motion sent him even deeper and you both groaned at the feeling.

“Te—Ten,” you stammered, losing your train of thought when he rolled his hips liked he did on the dance floor. “Oh fuck! Fuck!”

The picture you made in the mirror was a very erotic one; you could see every single expression on Ten’s handsome face. The utter enjoyment he was obviously finding in fucking you was written all over it; there was nowhere for it to hide. His head was tipped back, eyes fluttering closed only to pop back open so that he could watch himself shove into you over and over again. He had you up on your tip toes, nose just an inch from the mirror itself. He was always sexy but tonight that word took on a whole new meaning.

All you could do was try to give as good as you got.

You slapped a hand onto the sink to steady yourself and clenched around him, reveling in the low whine that escaped his throat. It kinda sounded like your name.

And then he was pulling all the way out, dick bouncing as he stumbled backwards. You blinked in confusion. “Wh--what’s wrong?”

Ten ran his fingers through his hair. “C’mon. I want you to ride me.”

He sat down on the closed toilet seat lid and you straddled him without a second thought, sinking down onto his dick with a full body shudder. With your dress around your waist and your breasts jiggling in his face as you bounced up and down on his cock, he traced his tongue around your nipple before lightly biting down. You tangled your fingers in his hair and panted out his name, letting out a squeak when his palm connected with your ass for a hard slap. Planting his feet on the floor, he leaned you backwards a bit as he drove into you repeatedly, eyes watching how well your pussy took him.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured against your collarbone. “Gorgeous—you feel so good.” He bit you again, this time on the side of your neck. “So good.”

With one hand on his shoulder to brace yourself, you rose up and let yourself come down hard over and over again, feeling him pound so deep it was almost criminal. Had the music not been so loud you knew exactly what you would have heard; the sound of skin hitting skin as Ten fucked you like he owned you. Just for tonight, maybe he did.

You weren’t sure how long it went on but when you came it still managed to take you by surprise. Your body lit up like a Christmas tree from the inside out and you cried out Ten’s name, clenching around him, your nails digging into his shoulder blades. He muttered a drawn out fuuuuck and pinched your clit with this thumb and forefinger, making you jerk so hard you nearly tumbled off his lap.

“Ah! Ten!” You shouted as he kept it up. “I—no—oh god—”

Your pussy tightened around him again and he shivered, thrusts growing erratic as he came with a grunt. You trembled through a second orgasm almost in disbelief—usually the only thing that could get you off twice in a row was hidden under your bed in a shoe box.

Seconds later you flopped against him, attempting to catch your breath. He was still rolling his hips just a tiny bit, making all the too sensitive areas ping.

“Whoa,” he said breathlessly, wrapping both arms around your waist. “That was…”

You chuckled softly. “Yeah…” Chancing a look at him, you admired the way strands of his dark hair stuck to his sweaty forehead. He was glistening, shirt sticking to his chest. He smelled like hints of your perfume and you smelled like hints of his cologne. It was all so intimate.

Reluctantly you sat back and gazed at him, wondering if things were about to get awkward. But Ten just smiled and ducked his head a little, a barely there blush creeping up into his already flushed cheeks. It was so adorable you couldn’t have resisted kissing him if you tried. From the way he melted into you, he’d had the same idea.

After a few minutes of just enjoying the feel of his lips against yours, you forced yourself up off of him. Your legs shook; you had to grab the counter to keep from tripping in your heels. You could already tell you’d still feel him tomorrow and the thought made you kinda dizzy, but in a good way. Blinking at your reflection—your hair was a dark mess—you knew there was no way you’d be able to hide the love bites that adorned your skin. They stood out stark red and purple like a bruise.

Ten remained slouched on the toilet for a couple of moments before removing the condom and tossing it into the trash. He dabbed at his dick with a handful of toilet paper, and then pulled up his underwear and jeans. “So…can I ask you something?”

You fixed your dress. “Sure.”

“Who was that guy?” he inquired with a grin. “The one you obviously wanted to get away from.”

Oh shit you’d forgotten all about Adam! “Oh he—he’s my dumb ex. He jumped stupid at me and I—I wanted to show him that he’s an idiot. That I’m totally over him. I—I’m sorry for getting you involved.”

He laughed as he patted down his hair. “No complaints from my end. I think he got the message though.” Reaching behind you he handed you your panties. “Don’t wanna forget these.”

It was ridiculous to be embarrassed considering what you’d both just done, but you couldn’t help it. You took them from him and pulled them on, keeping your eyes on the ground. “Thanks… Look Ten—”

“I’m hungry,” he said interrupting you. “Have you ever had grilled dried pollack?”

“Um yeah once I think,” you replied uncertainly. “It was pretty tasty.”

Ten motioned behind him. “I know a place that makes it if you wanted to go. And…maybe afterwards we could just hang out. Talk.”

That sounded amazing. “I’d love to. But…”

He picked up on your meaning. “Y/N I sit next to you in all of our art classes. I make conversation with you for no reason. Do you really think I of all people forget my brushes? Honestly I’ve wanted to ask you out for a while but you’ve always seemed…disinterested.”

You were dumbstruck by his admission. “Me?! That’s just my face! You’re the unattainable ingénue or whatever!”

Ten chuckled, folding his arms across his chest. “Oh please the only thing standing between me and being a serious cat dad is having an apartment that allows animals. However, this conversation is pointless. You owe me and I’m collecting…if that’s okay?”

You huffed but couldn’t stop grinning. “It’s perfect.”

The walk from the bathroom to the living room had everyone staring with a few people letting out loud whistles. Adam had disappeared but Amy was there to give you a big thumbs up. You promised to call her later and then let Ten pull you outside into the warm night air, your fingers happily entwined with his.

#wayv ten #ten imagines #wayv smut #ten scenarios #ten x reader #ten smut #nct scenarios #ten oneshot #wayv imagines #woc reader #wayv ten imagines #ten lee #wayv au #nct au

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ruki--mukami · 2 years

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Hello admin. I'm the same anon who asked about Ruki's redemption arc. I wanted to ask you how YOU would write Ruki's MB redemption arc. Or how you would conclude his MB route as I trust your writing more than Rejet's inconsistency.

🧩 To be honest with you, Anon, I’m flattered you trust my writing more than Rejet’s (I believe they change their writers with each game, which explains their inconsistencies) but I don’t have an answer as to how I’d redeem Ruki in the context of his MB route in particular. Not yet, at least. Maybe one day I’ll write my own version and post it. That’s something I’ve always wanted to do: take the original chapters of his route and expand upon them because omg are the originals short.

If anything, I see the three routes (MB > DF > LE) as three parts to a larger story. I know they tried to redeem Ruki by making him seem like a character you can sympathize with, with the whole turning human by the end of DF cliffhanger and him learning the truth behind Karlheinz in LE. I believe they tried to turn him human again to use the common trope of making villains select right over wrong in hopes of redeeming the character (except Karl chose it for him and he just… agreed, of course, which doesn’t make it a redemption per se). And the whole aristocracy plot twist is supposed to make you feel sorry for him, which is ironically what he hates.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, after all the awful deeds Ruki has committed, at this point he is an immensely difficult character to redeem. And I am no skilled story writer by any means. I’m more so good at tapping into Ruki’s character and riding off of other people’s ideas, using him as a devil’s advocate or even antagonist to their stories more often than not. My redemption might look like a lot of torture and suffering inflicted by Ruki in the beginning, only for him to gradually help you with challenges that come your way. You soon learn that, despite him hurting you as much as he did, he’s adamant about being the only one who has the privilege of doing so.

For instance, perhaps they could’ve explored more of Ayato kidnapping Yui. It would’ve been interesting to see Ruki fight harder and formulate an elaborate plan to take her back after realizing the Sakamakis don’t love her like he does. Instead, canonically he just lets her go, and is shocked when she returns to him. But I know most people don’t like a story where the writers introduce a bigger villain to mitigate what the original villain did. Hence, why I’m not a very good storyteller, ahaha. I am working on my own Ruki route, though.

I also think I’m probably the last person you should ask about redeeming Ruki. My love for the character really shows in my failed attempts to redeem him, because I often make the mistake of thinking people will grow soft on him because he shows one or two vulnerabilities amidst all the torture. He could step on me and I’d probably thank him, so there’s that. In a lot of the RP threads I have going, you may have noticed typically OC’s will develop a hatred for Ruki, and reasonably so. However, on a case by case basis I’m willing to allow him to compromise on some things. For example, in one ship I made him relinquish his master-livestock dynamic (although I really normally wouldn’t do this because the master complex is actually one of my favorite traits of his lol, so don’t expect that to recurring).

There are many ships I want to see thrive on this blog but even I don’t know how they’re going to get past the conflict. I try to have a mix of bloodsucking scenes and regular “bonding” scenes where they just share a normal conversation and find potential common ground, but whether or not you can call that redemption depends on the person’s tastes, which makes redemption for any character very, very difficult to write. And truth be told, I’d rather not diminish Ruki’s sadistic nature to make that happen, since I love the idea of this powerful, feral Vampire being obsessed with your blood only and the moment someone else tries to hurt you, he snaps. The “how dare you touch what belongs to me” possessiveness. Perhaps there should’ve been more scenes where you fall ill or sustain an injury outside of his punishments and then he shows genuine care over you, since even his possession is not allowed to hurt themselves and all that, but I’m just brainstorming now. These are just ideas on a whim that should be taken with a grain of salt, but when I write my fanmade route I will definitely take the time to flesh out these ideas into something workable.

TL;DR: I think my problem with redeeming Ruki is, I love him the way he is canonically, so to take away from his sadism in an attempt to redeem him never turns out well for me which is why I continue to make him sadistic, but just sprinkle bits of fluff here and there and then hope for the best. 🧩

#ruki mukami #mukami ruki #the admin speaks

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phoenixyfriend · 3 years

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I'd like to hear ur thoughts on a sex pollen au! ^_^

OKAY COOL I actually have been having many thoughts, most of which are pretty disjointed, and I’m tossing them under a cut. Thank you for giving me an excuse to share them.

This started with me going “I have a fucked up fic desire, I'm scared to look to see if it exists because if it does then it's probably not going to be done in a way I can stomach, let alone enjoy...”

But you know what, let’s talk about it.

So as a general rule, I can see the Anakin and Rex being like "Ah, you're hot, but one of us is in committed monogamy and the other is functionally a slave to the Republic, so we'll just high-five and move on with our goddamn lives because there's a war to fight."

The three kinds of fics I want to read with this in mind are like

Less fucked up: Padme urges Anakin to find release where and when he can, ends up with an arrangement to have sex with Rex whenever they're feeling wound up, which Padme is entirely open to happening (and on her end IDK one of the handmaidens), but there's a running undercurrent of 'is this really okay?' for Anakin because of the limited freedom the clones have and fraternization laws and all that fun stuff

More fucked up: Rex is quietly lusting after Anakin but doesn't actually ever acknowledge it out loud, partly because Padme exists and partly because wow fraternization laws, and Rex is vaguely under the impression that if he asked, Anakin would fuck him, but only out of guilt for the slave army situation, because what's Star Wars without a mess of ethical bullshit? Except then Rex gets hit by some sex pollen, and needs to get fucked to survive (or at least to not be in a whole lot of pain), and the only person he actually wants that way is Anakin, if only because everyone else in the area is either a brother or Ahsoka (who is baby), and like... obviously, Anakin's going to help however he can, but the ability to consent is muddled on both ends due to the coercion and reluctance etc.

Still fucked up: The same as number 2, but Anakin’s the one that gets hit with sex pollen.

I was prompted with that last one on discord and ended up SPIRALLING around "Anakin is hit by sex pollen, only sapient individuals in reach are clones (ethical violation), Ahsoka (BABY), and the natborn officers (they'd all refuse); Rex offers, both angst"

Various lovely angst options, including

Anakin initially tries to refuse by insisting he can't cheat on Padme, Kix (who is monitoring the health situation until someone gets their sexy on) just straight up calls her and says "Hi, your husband is going to be in extreme pain for several days unless he gets fucked and we don't have time to get back to Coruscant. It's not usually lethal but he's going to feel like he's on fire for all that time, partly because of a significant fever. Please give him permission to sleep with someone because this isn't actually safe to ignore." Padme is. Well aware of the clone situation and asks who's volunteering, then asks to speak with Rex directly to make sure HE wants this, and not that he's just volunteering because he feels like he has no choice. Eventually she's at least convinced that Rex is doing this as a "Help out my bro because he's in pain" thing, rather than a "help out my CO because that's what I'm for" thing, gives permission, but also says "And the Captain is coming to dinner when you're on leave." (Rex legit likes Anakin That Way in this scenario, but he can't TELL her that.) (Even though that's what she's LOOKING FOR.)

Anakin's "get out of ethical jail free" card has been stamped and voided, he cannot opt out of Destroying A Friendship By Hurting Someone, begs Rex to let down his mental shields so he can at least Know that Rex wants this, really, and that's enough to get us to a fade to black.

Anakin avoids Rex for days because he feels terrible, and Rex keeps wanting to apologize because he feels terrible, the clones are all confused, that's obviously all fun and games until Rex eavesdrops on Anakin demanding Kix tell him who else knows, did anyone tell the natborn officers

First assumption is obviously "he's ashamed of sleeping with a clone" but Rex isn't stupid enough to leave before he's eavesdropped to the end of the topic, but the actual reality is much worse, because it's a legitimate fear: Anakin's worried that if the natborn officers find out a clone slept with a Jedi because the Jedi "needed" it, someone'll take it as blanket permission to proposition the clones, and the clones... don't legally have the right to refuse, because they're not people.

Even if the clones do have the right to refuse (which Anakin is adamant they do, all of them, under his command and that of any Jedi), the natborn officers might twist a situation and leverage threats, etc, just because they want some fun.

Anakin's panicking, Rex is worrying, the clones are all Very Hush Hush about this. The Jedi Council was informed of the incident and Anakin's insisting that it not get reported anywhere beyond the clones involved and the Council reviewing it for the aforementioned ethical violations, because he does not want to become the precedent that people use to assault clones that way.

IDK probably this gets twisted into Palpatine trying to convince Anakin that it was Fine, Actually in a way that Anakin later confesses to Padme makes him feel uncomfortable and she's like "darling... that's fucked up, he shouldn't have said that and all your guilt comes from a place of caring for your friend right now, you need to talk to Rex and ask if he wants to be transferred if he's uncomfortable sharing a ship with a commander he slept with for reasons beyond your control, it's a bad situation all around and the Chancellor trying to alleviate your worries by telling you what he did was actually really bad, don't listen to him" and that snowballs into Anakin doubting everything Sheev tells him and IDK fix-it somewhere in there

Poly, yay

BUT THE TERRIBLE THOUGHT WAS MOSTLY ANAKIN WORRYING ABOUT NATBORN OFFICERS TRYING TO USE THE INCIDENT AS PRECEDENT FOR ORDERING CLONES TO GRANT THEM SEXUAL FAVORS

It’s likely that natborn officers were already coercing clones into sexual relations where the Jedi couldn’t keep control over the situation, but the thing is that if word got out that a Jedi did it, that a Jedi was treating a clone like that, that a Jedi implicitly approved...

#star wars #rexwalker #Captain Rex #Anakin Skywalker #dubcon #noncon mention #ethics #consent #complicated situations #Phoenix Posts #sex pollen #the clone wars

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