#he’s so respectful and charming but also fucked up and manipulative but in a way that actually improves yiseons mental health LOL

[yioh]

HES SOOOO ASKDBDBWBDBWHBWNSDN

[tilly-tilly-2827]

Benedict Bridgerton and the Multiverse of Madness

What always puzzled me (and adored) about the characterization of show! Benedict is his emotional maturity. Quoting the amazing Times article, he is a “loyal friend, a sympathetic listener with an open mind, a game and giving lover, and the emotional bedrock of his family”. (Lang, 2024) He’s very emotionally intelligent and sympathetic; the ability to sense his siblings and friend’s discomfort, and soothe them in his own way, the open-mindedness to Granville’s sexuality, the list is endless. I love him.

Now look at Book! Benedict. Although we have his character development/arc throughout the story, when readers first see him in 1817, he’s a complete dick. Arrogant, slightly abusive, manipulative, completely ignorant of Sophie’s insecurities, doesn’t accept Sophie’s rejection. His emotional immaturity toward Sophie is completely different from what show! Benedict is.

However, now that I’ve seen the first half of season 3, I could see how show!Benedict is changing into the Book! Benedict. As @the-other-art-blog (read her great review from here!!) has pointed out, his unnecessary hostility towards the debutants is slightly disturbing. He is bored and exhausted from the society, yet he doesn’t have a purpose in life, giving up on his artistic pursuits. In his season, He meets his love of his life at the masquerade, but she completely disappears from his world. His younger brother is happily married. His elder brother has two sons, so he’s no longer the spare. My guy is in absolute shambles and descending into madness at this point.

So as dickhead book! Benedict could be, he might not be relatable, but he is at least understandable. Benedict is at his lowest point when he reunites with Sophie in 1817; that is why he is so possessive and patronizing towards Sophie. He has to threaten and blackmail Sophie to London because he doesn’t want to let go the only light (Sophie) he found in his miserable life, and he’s already lost the love of his life, he doesn’t want to risk losing it again.

One of the most dickheaded moments in AOFAG?

The lake scene. Love that scene. Very Romantic. However, if you think objectively, seeing Sophie spy on him, Benedict proceeds to kiss her and asks her to be his mistress and tries to take her down on the ground? Knowing that she is a virgin? Absolute chaotic behavior and nothing like the soft, considerate respectful-to-women Benedict we saw in the past seasons. Why is he acting like this? Because at this point of his life, He is absolutely LOSING HIS MIND AND SANITY.

The aggressive “YES!!!” From season 3 Benedict? Oh we are slowly stepping in to the worst side of Benedict Bridgerton. Not the charming, respectful Benedict we have fallen in love with since the past seasons.

This is completely different from the topic that I rambled on, but I’m can’t wait to see the reaction when Sophie rejects Benedict during the pond scene. “I don’t see why not.” “But you wanted to just few second ago.” Imagine the look of confusion and frustration on Benedict’s expression. (In the past, viewers see that Benedict can bring girls to bed with one smirk and a flirty banter,) And as we all well know, Luke Thompson is the mastery of micro-expressions. Would love to see him deliver these lines.

Also, Benedict sleeping around with Lady Tilley, and also with the past ladies really heightens the tension between Sophie and Benedict, especially on the point of physical intimacy. For Benedict, he just likes to have fun, having sex is just light and breezy. So of course he would have no problem fucking an innocent girl who seems to like him back. In outdoors. On the FUCKING GROUND. However for Sophie, physical intimacy is almost like a sin; She can’t repeat the tragedy of her mother and make another human being suffer from the baseness of their birth. Ben and Sophie are perfect for each other, but Their polar opposite perception towards physical intimacy creates so much conflict and tension between the two. This point is also what differentiates Benophie from other couples, especially compared to Polin.

Benedict and Sophie are soulmates, two lost drifting souls finding solace, comfort and love in one another, but there is a deep rift between them that they have to overcome.

The angst in AOFAG is just pure drama.

Any thoughts? Love to hear your ideas too🥰🥰

I’m further rambling on in the comment section 🥶

References

Lang, Cady. Why Benedict is the Best Character in Netflix's Bridgerton | TIME, 2024

[affableramen]

Assorted creditor Pantalone x afab!debtor reader headcanons. Episode one

((highly requested))

tags: tsundere!pantalone ; condescending, slightly vulgar villain ; he is a meanie ; toxic relationship ; early stage of relationship ; manipulative Lone ; slight degradation+humiliation ; choking ; slap dynamics (you slap him) ; degrading names (“bitch”) ; pet names (“kitten”) ; sexual themes ; criminal themes ; pantalone has chronic illnesses

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT Madman’s note: I like mean guys and judging by what we know about Pantalone so far (Arlecchino’s voice-line, Lazzo teaser, Wriothesley’s weapon, Pantalone’s artefact) he fits this category perfectly. I see the pattern of a rude boy here. Charming on the outside but once he opens his mouth it’s disgusting (hahaha.) He probably likes mocking and lecturing others, that’s for sure vibing in the Lazzo. He also talks a lot (thanks Cholde). As for the toxic assorted au, Ik half of you don’t like reading gentle n sweet Pantalone, but when I see this man I just can’t imagine him being cruel to his lover who accepted him when the Gods did not. I really think he is very soft inside (with a person he trusts). He’s all about equality and fairness so probably he treats people the way they treat him, and if ur nice to him, well Panty acts with equal respect to you back. That’s for the personality part. Speaking of other aspects, at least you guys get a happy ending. Coz I hate bad endings. Don’t wanna fuck up huge efforts. The angst and struggle was worth it. Come get your man guys. He’s like the mean classmate who bullies you but is secretly in love with you. As for the gentleman part, I wish I could write something more than just him protecting the lady, coz I believe Pantalone to be a big deal of a gentleman who has his standards even though what he does for a living is very questionable. I’m afraid it will be too much information for this post already. I must also mention that he might say a lot of disturbing and condescending things in the beginning. Oh, and to avoid any misconception--i don’t like writing innocent readers. My reader is fierce, chronically exhausted and crazy.

⟣

“You will be my prize. A perfect fit for a powerful man like me. You have no friends, your parents are far away, the only person to care for you is your grandmother who was, for sure, foolish enough to take a loan from Northland Bank. You are helpless in front of me, and I enjoy seeing that smug smirk disappear from your face once you realise you’re completely at my mercy. All alone, with your life depending on me. And I will, by any means, show you mercy if you are worthy enough.”

Said Pantalone as your résumé was forcefully slapped down on his desk. Your past jobs, experiences and skills — all in front of him, in his long fingers which are sliding through the pages as if it were an action book.

Your grandmother, indeed, was the only dearest person you had and, unfortunately, in order to save your life (and future) she took the risk of becoming a debtor to the old devilish banker who was by any means an extremely questionable person.

You had a rough path of changing jobs, trying to find the most fitting and well-paid one, however ending up in only worse conditions. A few years passed like this, the workload traumatised you so much that you couldn’t believe two years had passed since you started doing work for a living. Your grandmother was too prideful to retire, but you both knew her money alone could not sustain your happiness.

And thus, you ended up under Pantalone’s sharp gaze. Now, standing up in front of him with an unfazed expression, knowing too well this man just adores chewing on others’ suffering.

“Fuck you and your long ass monologues”, you think but your face remains cold.

The tapping of his fingers suddenly stops. You feel your heart sink, and it makes you wanna vomit.

“What was that? The look on your face just a moment ago”, Pantalone takes his glasses off and looks at you sharply. You can feel that heavy presence with your skin alone. The violet charm of his eyes suffocating you. His whole presence does nothing but choke you.

“Beg your pardon?” You narrow eyes and ask him as politely as possible.

“Were you thinking something a bit ago, dear? Or should I say, were you doubting my professionalism?”

“Shit, he is reading my mind. I have to think about something stupid.”

“You’re so untamed and so… wild, I’d say”, he says as he rises from his desk and approaches closer to you. “But alas, I can’t discount your value after one mere impression, can I? That would be too unconscionable of me as a businessman.”

You see him lean to your ear, his body bending cause of how tall he is, and you feel nauseous once he opens his mouth again.

“Your résumé is trash, but I’m not a monster everyone thinks I am. I will let you work under me because of how persuasive your grandmother has been. Though, I’ll be watching you, kitten. Perhaps I’ll even put you under my strict supervision—"

A sharp slap lands on his cheek. That is the moment Pantalone should realise that your pride cannot be underestimated. With his face thrown to the side, he pats his cheek, holding his fingers on the reddened skin.

“…at the lowest position”, he finishes the sentence. “Heh, the audacity of yours.”

Pantalone grabs your throat, your is suddenly pulled closer. While being choked heartlessly you turn your eyes to him and hold them for a few long deep moments.

“I’m not afraid of you”, the words come out of your mouth weakly. “Just let me work for you. I won’t be plotting anything. Not interested, to be exact.” He keeps suffocating you, you almost roll your eyes at the back of your head before the banker finally releases you. You slowly fall onto your knees. “Haah… hha…”

“I’d never be mean to a lady. But a particular someone just doesn’t know any manners.”

He signs the papers quickly, squeezes a used draft in a ball and throws it into the trash bin. The signature he leaves on your zero-hour contract is so lazily made as if the man wanted to deal with you as soon as possible.

“Don’t disappoint me. You wouldn’t like to see me when I’m angry.”

“Thank God”, you sigh in relief, despite being choked a few seconds ago.

His movements, his body are so quick and flexible, you do not notice how the eyeglasses return to his face.

“You have a zero hours contract here, but I’ll personally make sure you work not less than six days a week.”

“Just so you know, I won’t kill for you. That goes against my principles.”

Pantalone raises his eyebrows, giving you a bored look.

“I wouldn’t let you have a privelege like that anyway. I have enough henchmen of my own to stain hands with unneccessary violence.”

When the conversation ends, you go to the bathroom and throw out. This man gives goosebumps, and he is not easy at all.

To your biggest surprise, as a leader Pantalone turns out capable enough. Just seeing him intricately managing his resources and employees makes you admire him at some point. No matter how unattractive his personality, for sure, was, none could not deny the fact that he is a skilful individual. He possess finesse and determination. Though speaking of his other traits, you cannot ignore the fact how suave he is. Women touch him with or without his consent all the time. And you’d agree: the man is attractive. Affable demeanour in public, though quite closed in private. “Closed” is an understatement. He is, in fact, incredibly emotionally unavailable.

His ill-favoured personality, hidden under that affable demeanour and polished looks, however, could not prevent you from falling. For him. And you are gradually finding yourself more and more addicted to him. Brushing off these ideas as soon as possible, of course. Occasional touch of your fingers, frequent looks he’d give you. You cannot remember the exact moment when Pantalone started showing signs, but you remember well that his glances in your first meaning were anything but interest. As you are a “special” debtor with a large sum to owe, Pantalone almost cages you in his main office buildings. To your knowledge, there were a few of them, but out of all people the fate of working with him has fallen onto your shoulder.

There was one day when he scared you.

“You… killed someone?” You ask, holding your hand to your chest as you walk into his office to bring some papers. But they are dropped down the moment you see the so-called crime scene. The heavy metallic scent of blood blocks your breathing and you dream of disappearing from this room, however it is too late.

“Just taught a disagreeable debtor a valuable lesson”, Pantalone walks out of the shadows, lighting the cigarette right in his own office.

Your eyes widen at the sight of the blood on his face once he makes himself visible.

“What are you doing here? Ah, the job. I almost forgot.”

A panic attack crashes you sooner than Pantalone inquiries.

“Why the sour face? Just put the papers here and you’re dismissed.”

You look down at the body next, and even if!(fat chance) that person is alive, you cannot pull yourself back into the calm state.

“Are you deaf? Put your stuff on my desk,” the banker commands, wiping the blood off his cheek.

Your vision goes blurry when you see his stained with crimson skin and you feel like fainting.

“I don’t… exactly like… seeing blood, yes.” You turn away but lose your consciousness the moment after.

When you wake up you find yourself lying in the leather couch, a blanket dropped sloppily over your body. Pantalone is sitting at his desk per usual, working on his papers when he sees you slowly come to senses.

“Alive? Good. Now go back to your duties.”

You rise from the couch slowly, pulling the blanket down and slightly wobbly proceed to the door.

“Y/N.” Pantalone stops you with his voice.

“What now…” you think. But your expression softens one you hear what he tells you:

“There is a bottle of water I left for you on the desk. Take it. I’m not exactly eager reviving you after another fainting because your careless ass is dehydrated”, he stops writing with his left hand and says again, this time harsher: “And never enter my office announced again.”

“Thank you”, you take the bottle of water the Harbinger offers you. It has a distinct spicy scent from cologne lingering on it. “Your couch reeks of tobacco, by the way.”

One time, when you save him.

Pantalone storms into the office visibly injured and infuriated. You can see his secretary come up to him, presenting some sort of intel while her hand slips under his sleeve trying to pull his gloves out. You see it all through the small doorway.

“Lord Harbinger, you must have had a tough mission, let me release this stress of yours…”

The other employee of his, a male, presses a wet sponge against his expressionless face. Pantalone, seemingly weak and tired doesn’t respond immediately to the secretary boldly roaming her lustful hands over him but a while after his consciousness makes itself known. He grabs the recently presented papers and slaps the woman’s hand with them.

“Sir—”

“Have you two no shame? I need privacy. For once, just leave me alone!” He shouts, uncharacteristically to him. Both the secretary and the lowly subordinate rush out of the room under his strict command.

When the shift ends you can see everyone leave the office, however there has been not a single move from Pantalone’s office since he shut his door. You look on the clock, it’s already 9:15 p.m. Why is he not going home? You decide to spy on Pantalone. Soon, as everyone has left the office empty, you raise from your working desk and go to check on your CEO.

“Pantalone.”

You knock, but the response is none.

“Pantalone, coming in.”

You push the door slowly. Even his spicy cologne mixes up with the metallic scent of blood. You walk in the office and feel your heart sink at the sight: the banker is lying on the floor, as if he had fallen from his desk, there are lots of tablets scattered around the floor, and a bottle of wine, shattered, the salty smell filling your nostrils. The ashtray on his desk is full and messy. Everything looks chaotic and Pantalone himself is, for sure, out of character.

He is unconscious as he is lying on the floor. You rush to him, gently placing your hand on his shoulder and start shaking him.

“PANTALONE!!”

He doesn’t wake up and you have to resort to drastic measures. You slap him. At that, he finally comes to the senses.

“This is the second time you have slapped me. Are you not afraid of the punishment I might force upon you?” he asks, groggily putting his body into a sitting position.

“Why didn’t you go to the doctor?”

“I’m perfectly fine handling some scratch.”

“Just a scratch? Then, what are the tablets for? I thought they were painkillers.”

You see as Pantalone examines his own mess, and his expression is calm yet a hint of exhaustion can be spotted.

“Clever”, he says. “I was beaten up, and my muscles obviously hurt.”

“And the wine?”

“To relax.”

“I see.”

Pantalone eyes you once again, his face extremely pale and tired. “Are you done? You can go home.” He turns away from you, you don’t know what he’s doing but you hear a drawer being pulled and Pantalone let out a short sound similar to groaning. His knuckles turn white as he grips the edge of the desk. You see a used needle roll across the very same desk…

“You’re… you’re diabetic?”

“An astitute observation” (silently). “Didn’t I tell you to go home?”

You analyse him from the top to bottom and deem this person likely not being able to get home himself. You open your eyes to offer taxi, but realise that he has a personal chauffeur. “Right, rich people…”

“That’s all? You won’t even give me a lecture for spotting you in such a vulne-” Pantalone’s gaze becomes so evil that you rethink over the choice of your wording. “In such a predicament. I mean, shouldn’t your mighty self cut my tongue in order to prevent me from gossiping about your health concerns?”

“You’ve been reading far too many detective stories. I’m not so…” he sighs, realising that given the circumstances of his long list of crimes even as a polished businessman he is a perfect match to Meropide. So Pantalone cuts his wording as well. “Forget about it.”

“You sure will be alright?”

“Worry of yourself, it’s getting quite dark and seems like rain and thunder.”

Wow. That’s a gentleman indeed! He won’t even offer you a lift? You roll your eyes.

“I’ll get home just fine. And also, you reek of alcohol. Can’t have the employees think poorly of you.”

You don’t even know if you are happy with your doing or not, because if you didn’t wake him, he’d probably be lying there on the floor until the very morning.

As you’ve cleaned your desk and taken your coat on, ready to leave, you see that the raining outside has become even more aggresive.

You walk outside and slip on the first level of stairs. “Great.” Before you could dial the number of the taxi, you hear the voice behind you stopping you.

“Don’t need to spend money. You’re coming with my chauffeur.”

“No thanks, I am quite fine being al-ready indebted to you.”

“That won’t need repayment. You saved my life. If I were not woken up in time, and didn’t inject insulin, I would most certainly end up in a coma not long after.”

“Especially considering that you drank wine”, you think.

“If you insist. Look like today I’m but a slave of the weather conditions.”

Pantalone hums to your response and leads you to the sleek black car. He throws the door open for you and gets onto the back seat with you. Once he’s settled and you wait to be dropped off your place you notice the holes on his gloves, revealing already dry blood stained cuts. You are only able to see them properly now, due to your close proximity.

“May I ask who attacked you?”

“It happens quite often so no one is really surprised by now”, he clears throat. “An assassination attempt. But I’m faster” he gives you a warning look, by which you conclude that the killer is no longer alive.

“I see.”

As you’re dropped off safely to your place, you sneak into your bedroom before your grandma has questions. As you lie in bed under a fuzzy blanket you cannot brush his scent, the mix of spicy cologne with blood, off your mind. The sight of him almost helpless, injecting that insulin like he was on a thin ice, stays carved into your mind as well.

⟢

[snowsonlylove]

Delicate (Inspired by Taylor Swift)

Pairing: Academy!Coryo x Gf!Reader

Summary: Coriolanus commemorates his first public appearance with his girlfriend, Y/N Y/L/N. As Coriolanus feels Y/N’s head on his chest, he realizes how comforting it is to be loved as Y/N shows Coriolanus how safe she feels with him as she falls asleep before him. Coriolanus acknowledges this and he starts thinking of their future. This is the point of no return, the story of the beginning of Coriolanus Snow’s rise to power as the future President of Panem, with his darling future wife and First Lady, Y/N Y/L/N, by his side, being his pillar and supporting him on his journey to power. 

Fic Type: Fluff (SFW), a little arguement in the middle though so a lil angst 

Warnings: arguments, subtle manipulation in the beginning,lots of kissing, coryo being a lil delulu

Word Count: 1.6k

I do not own Coriolanus Snow or Y/N Y/L/N (cuz it’s you, boo). All credits go to Suzanne Collins and her team. Song credits also go to Taylor Swift and her team. 

I do not allow my works to be republished or translated under any circumstances. Any instances of this happening and YOU WILL BE BLOCKEDDD. 

This ain’t for the best

My reputation’s never been worse, so

You must like me for me

“You are just adorable, sweetheart.” Coriolanus said while stroking his girlfriend’s cheek. Of all the words used to describe Coriolanus Snow, sweet or adorable never came to mind. Coriolanus was charming, of course, but he could never be so vulnerable. That would stain his prestige of perfection. However, the same cannot be said for his girlfriend (aka future wife) Y/N Y/L/N. A young woman who walked through the halls of the Academy with the biggest, brightest smile on her face, always respectful in greeting her friends and teachers, the epitome of elegance and grace. 

We can’t make

Any promises now, can we, babe?

But you can make me a drink

Snow’s reputation does not perceed him, of course, yet he sometimes wonders… Why did Y/N choose him? Did she see him as a gentleman he never truly was? Did she like his sense of poise and sophistication? Or was she just sorry for him, given the circumstances of his family? Those are questions that are yet to be answered.

Dive bar on the East Side, where you at?

Phone lights up my nightstand in the black

Come here, you can meet me in the back

Their first appearance as boyfriend and girlfriend started during the reaping ceremony of the 10th annual Hunger Games. “Hey Y/N, where’s your boy toy? A little lost perhaps?” Arachne sneered while her goons silently snickered behind her back. “No, and he’s not my boy toy. You’d know all about boy toys, wouldn’t you Arachne? Considering the fact that you’ve successfully fucked more than half the boys in the Academy, attracting STDs left and right.” Y/N clapped back, hearing a male chuckle behind her as Arachne’s face turned furiously red and walked away. 

Dark jeans and your Nikes, look at you

Oh damn, never seen that colour blue

Just think of the fun things we could do

Y/N turned back to face her boyfriend, running towards him with a hug so strong, it made him stumble forward. “Hi” Y/N whispered silently while looking at her boyfriend with a lovestruck smile. “Hey” He replied while examining her face with his piercing, blue eyes. They were living in their own world and they were perfectly content on keeping it that way. The pair leaned down to give each other a kiss, looking at each other as if time was just a construct. As they broke apart from their kiss, a familiar sound was voiced around the room and they were about to announce the start of the reaping ceremony.

This ain't for the best

My reputation's never been worse, so

You must like me for me

(Yeah, I want you)

Both Y/N and Coriolanus walked to their respective seats with their hands locked together. Dean Highbottom was giving Coriolanus a deathly stare a few feet away, looking as if he was thinking of something to sabotage him with, then walking away to his seat with an eerily smirk, giving Coriolanus the chills. Coriolanus quickly snapped out of it, looking at Y/N with a small but reassuring smile on his face while giving her a final, deep kiss before the start of the ceremony, making their friends behind them release wolf whistles, leaving the couple with their cheeks pink.

We can't make

Any promises now, can we, babe?

But you can make me a drink

“There has been a change this year,” said Dean Highbottom while looking around the room. “The Plinth prize will no longer depend on whoever has the best grades, rather it will depend on whoever is the best mentor, leading their tribute to victory” Coriolanus looked shocked as Y/N held his hand and rubbed her thumb over his fingers delicately in a reassuring manner. The couple exchanged glances as if to say something, then looking away with a determined expression, eager to support one another along the way.

Is it cool that I said all that?

Is it chill that you're in my head?

'Cause I know that it's delicate (delicate)

“District 8, Girl, belongs to Y/N Y/L/N. District 10, Girl, Arachne Crane” Dean Highbottom droned on with the assignments. Coriolanus looked around the room with an anxious look on his face, eagerly anticipating his assignment. The Plinth prize meant a lot to him, as the prize contained the money he needed to keep supporting his family, to be able to pay the bills, food, everything. Of course, Y/N knows about his condition, having visited his home and becoming great friends with Tigris and conversing with Grandma’am over their mutual love of roses. Coriolanus appreciates his girlfriend’s gestures towards his family, however he is in no position to accept money out of pity. That wouldn’t be a good look for him, and she knew that, so they kept this out of the equation in their relationship. “Oh you’ll like this one, Ms. Crane, the runt girl, District 12, belongs to Coriolanus Snow…” Coriolanus’s face turned from one of anxiousness to hidden rage as he glared at the Dean as if looks could kill. Y/N noticed how tense he was and knowing his situation, she held his hand tighter as she tried to comfort him.

Is it cool that I said all that?

Is it too soon to do this yet?

'Cause I know that it's delicate

As the hall dispersed after the ceremony, Y/N followed Coriolanus outside the Academy as he furiously walked away from the hall. “Wait up, Coryo!” Y/N said, exasperated from following his big steps. Coriolanus’s head whipped towards her as he exclaimed “How could I not, Y/N?! He knew how much that prize meant to me and he still did that! And for what, as a means to take me down, as a way to destroy my future?!” He looked utterly exhausted as he vented his feelings out towards his girlfriend. Y/N didn’t speak, choosing to walk towards him and engulf him in a comforting hug and stroking the back of his neck in a comforting manner. Coriolanus heaved a big sigh and his eyes started to tear up from the pressure he was feeling.

Isn't it, isn't it, isn't it?

Isn't it?

Isn't it, isn't it, isn't it?

Isn't it delicate?

Coriolanus buried his head deep in Y/N’s neck as he wept from his unfortunate chance of winning the only prize he needed to help his family. After a while, his cries subsided as he looked up at Y/N with a grateful smile before leaning and capturing her lips in a mind searing kiss, making Y/N surprised by his actions as she tried to keep up with his ministrations. They stayed like that for a while, basking in each other’s love and kissing each other like the other was their lifeline before they pulled away, breathless.

Sometimes I wonder when you sleep

Are you ever dreaming of me?

That night, Coriolanus and Y/N stayed together in her lavish, pink room as she layed her head on his chest in a comforting manner. Coriolanus looked at his girlfriend, half asleep and as somber as she could ever be in his presence. It brought him great comfort and pride to know that she was comfortable in his embrace and not afraid of him despite his flaws. Coriolanus kissed the top of Y/N’s head softly as he observed her sleeping form. He wonders sometimes… Does Y/N ever dream of him? What would their relationship look like if they were away from all this chaos in the Capitol? What if they found a way to get out of the Hunger Games and lived happily ever after somewhere else, with enough money and a house full of their children? Maybe somewhere on the countryside? No… No.. That would be too far fetched, especially considering his desire to rule Panem and finally take revenge on those rebels who destroyed his home and killed his father in the mines. He would also take revenge on those who wronged him, who thought of him as nothing without his fortune. 

Since he was a little kid running around the Snow penthouse, he never imagined he would want a future where he would be even close to a girl and producing heirs, now here he was, thinking what his and Y/N’s children would be like in a place far, far away from all this chaos. Would they inherit his eyes? Maybe have her hair? He doesn’t know, yet he’s excited to discover that with his lovely girlfriend. 

Sometimes when I look into your eyes

I pretend your mine all the damn time… 

Coriolanus never planned this, falling in love was beyond him and yet, it brought him serenity to know that once he ruled Panem, he would have his darling wife, the First Lady Y/N Y/L/N, by his side, supporting him the whole way. Her undying loyalty serves as one of the biggest motivations for him to win the Hunger Games, to prove Dean Highbottom wrong about his assumptions of the Snows. He would soon grow hungry for it, power… After all, it’s hunger that drives people desperate in this cruel, relentless world. As Coriolanus looked at his girlfriend’s relaxed face, he knew what he had to do to accomplish his dreams. He has to use Lucy Gray as much as she is using him. Use her, get rid of her, and continue on your way to the top of the food chain, with his darling girlfriend by his side, always siding with him and encouraging him on his journey to becoming the future President of Panem.

[applestorms]

the winners & losers of death note

after repeatedly trying and failing to write this death note essay i'm just gonna go for it:

the fundamental flaw of L, whether you see this as a flaw/discrepancy in his character or the writing surrounding him itself, is the fact that by the time of his death, he has no clear win state. let me explain... by first talking extensively about light aljdsflksd.

MAJOR spoiler warning after this point. 3-ish (very long) sections.

1. light's goals: kira & utopian ideals (ft. fem!light)

i discussed this a bit in my tags on this post talking about how light's core character traits would translate over to a female version of himself, but to elaborate/summarize my thoughts further: i believe that light's fundamental flaw/weakness comes down to his desire to be Seen, to be recognized & validated by the people around him. i often see/hear people describing light's ultimate flaw as "ego," and while that's definitely a part of it, i think this is perhaps a more nuanced/neutral way of understanding it.

as has been pointed out before, light's goal of becoming the "god of the new world," isn't really an idea he immediately comes up with but rather is more of a retroactive justification that he clings to for the rest of the series after the initial rush of guilt he feels for murdering two people without thinking. this is perhaps even more obvious in the manga, as while episode 1 of the anime ends with light's claim to godhood, in the manga it takes him a lot longer to build up to that conclusion and really develop the full extent of his hubris. (EDIT: he totally says this in ch1 of the manga too, i just forgot. the point about it being retroactive justification still stands, though.) even so, i think post-death note light takes to this justification so easily for a reason: again, his desire to be seen.

before the death note, light takes a very understandable if somewhat flawed/juvenile approach to this sating this desire, specifically in how he aims to excel in every single system he is presented with, whether that be academics, sports/physicality (not just tennis, but physical attractiveness/neatness/cleanliness), and social interactions. it's that last category that i think is the most notable here, as light wants to succeed socially on multiple levels: on a personal scale, he aims to be pleasing and charming and polite to everyone he speaks to, for the sake of manipulating them, sure, but also so that he can extend that victory past personal relationships and into something Greater, into the Image of Light Yagami as the studious, respectable son. it isn't just enough for him to do well, he needs the reputation to go along with it, and the recognition and respect that comes with it.

this is part of the reason why the lind l. tailor moment is such a beautiful part of the writing of death note, as it is a moment where L simultaneously fucks light over massively, pinpointing his location and sending a squad his way in an instant, but also a moment where L gives light exactly what he wants: recognition. L doesn't just establish himself as a rival to take seriously w/ this move, he also reveals kira's existence to the world, that the deaths are the actions of a single person consciously and carefully acting and not just some divine power. he see's light's humanity, the potential cracks in his ego and temper, the overwhelming humanity of his ideals, efficiently using such traits to get kira to reveal himself in the first place.

i tend to take a lot of light's explanations of his actions to ryuk with a grain of salt as i think he is a lot less skilled at planning than he lets on, with his real skill being his in-the-moment acting & reactions, but i'm inclined to believe him when he tells ryuk in ch1 that

as a justification for not writing more specific deaths and therefore hiding his existence for longer. keep in mind, kira is established on the internet long before L enters the picture & the lind l. tailor incident-- light is utilizing the death note to push himself into the spotlight of the entire globe, not just the limited social sphere he grew up with.

(sidenote1: i think you can also definitely read into this on a more internal level of why light would want to be recognized so badly in the first place, considering how busy soichiro yagami most likely is and what their relationship looks like throughout the series. i don't think there's any evidence that he's actively neglectful necessarily, if anything light is described as being pretty spoiled & soichiro cares about him when he's around, but it still feels notable to me how empty his life is pre-death note. you can just Feel the silence as he goes through the motions in the first episode, barely talking to anyone as he ghosts his way through life. he might be succeeding in everything system he approaches technically, but that sure as hell doesn't make him happy. whether or not the death note makes him happy is a whole nother question...)

ANYWAYS. this is all to say that light's ideals give him a pretty clear win state, both in terms of what he actually, physically wants in terms of world domination/godhood, but also emotionally when it comes to what truly satisfies him. on a meta level, kira gives light really good motivation-- for the sake of his ideals, for the sake of trying to create his vision of a utopian society, for the sake of being Seen, he needs to keep writing names and out-thinking anyone who tries to stop him. on an internal level, it just starts getting complicated when the one who Sees him best is the one who fully dedicated to stopping him.

speaking of which.

2. L's goals: no real win state?

the lind l. tailor moment is such a fantastic instance in the story because it really works both ways in setting up the rivalry/mutual satisfaction that L and light grant each other. i've already described what light gets out of it, and simultaneous terror and delight that he gets out of it, but this is mostly an L post so let's talk about his side of things.

to my understanding, if what light fundamentally wants is to be Seen, what L fundamentally wants is to Win. ok, yeah, the way he says it is that he "hates losing," but same difference.

the problem with this desire is that in order for L to win or lose, he needs circumstances under which those options are the two main choices in the first place-- he needs a game, someone to test himself against, a challenge(r). when lind l. tailor dies and L proves kira's meager human existence to the world he practically sounds like he's cumming his pants, so i think we can assume kira stands as a particularly alluring challenge for him.

this also explains why L gets so depressed and frustrated with light over the course of the yotsuba arc. not only is light somehow out-foxing him by creating a circumstance under which he can claim not to be kira and actually be correct insofar as his memories are concerned, light has also set the game so that he's stepped off the board entirely, trusting his planning and his own non-death note influenced psyche and denouncing his role as a player entirely. in a way you could read this as light utilizing the one strength he has over L to his advantage: not just his awareness of the supernatural, as people often say, but the fact that kira has goals outside of winning, which can't really be said for L (or at least not without some additional extrapolation/interpretations of his inner psyche).

this is why my main claim here is that L doesn't really have a clear win state. for kira, winning consists of a few clear, distinct things: a utopian world, free from crime, under the reign of kira, where light has the control & worship of a god. for L, winning is a lot less distinct: really just. not letting light do all that. as this other post points out, it really isn't that far off to assume that L's motivations might've shifted from his initial state goal of executing kira, particularly as he gets more attached to light on an individual level, even if it's more as a rival than a true friendship. L is a liar and a troll, yes, but he still has "flashes of sentiment," and it makes a lot of sense to me that so many people see L winning as him stealing light away for himself to be locked away for the rest of their lives.

(sidenote2: i believe it was one of the jdramas (?) that actually does portray L winning but specifically at the cost of his own life, which again fits considering everything i just went through. i don't think L is actively suicidal at the idea of no longer having kira as a rival (well. <3< rival, the children yearn for kismesissitude), but. well, see the final section of this essay where i talk more about boredom for more on that.)

ultimately, light and L kind of suffer for the same reason: living for the rivalry, but also because of that never being truly satisfied no matter which way they come out in the end. the tragic yaoi of it all. i guess one of the conclusions here is that you should read this fic time speaks by aSmallMoon333 for a fascinating evolution of the rivalry past the supposed ending point of canon. anywho.

3. L's death: a failure of writing, or character?

hot take (??? genuinely can't tell if this is hot anymore so ig mean this like, partially sarcastically) but L's death is kind of really fucking unsatisfying, especially if you're witnessing it for the first ever time. i remember distinctly reading the manga back in high school and being really caught off guard by it, despite already having been spoiled about it, and while i pinpointed the cause initially being the fact that light doesn't even bother to write down the damn name himself, i think there's a lot more to this than that.

i've been writing about this idea of L not having a clear win state primarily under the approach of character analysis, looking at L's motivations and emotional desires to see how they inform what him winning would look like, but you could very well read this as being a flaw in the writing surrounding him as well.

L's not really a moral character, primarily because that's one of the main ways he's a foil to light-- where light is painfully, excruciatingly human, naive in his ideals, dedicated to them at all costs, L is a lot more apathetic, perhaps not to the same degree as near sometimes comes across (though he has more to him too, even if the anime doesn't really give enough time for that), but still enough to be generally considered a pretty amoral character. L definitely comes across to me as the type of person that understands the world deeply on an intellectual level, but struggles to meaningfully emotionally connect with it. the way he interacts with people is the clearest example of this, again making him a foil to light in that he gives no shits about how people view him and prefers staying hidden as much as possible, creating detailed psychological profiles of the criminals he follows but still misreading details in-the-moment while speaking to people (the autism. the autism), but i think this could very well extend to how he views morals as well, deciding that kira is evil on a logical level because people dying=bad but not really emotionally connecting with that. like,

yeah yeah they're both JUSTICE!! or whatever, but is this really true? not to get into an in-depth discussion on the nature of ethics & morality in my tumblr essay (though i actually wouldn't mind doing that...), but as the series and especially the yotsuba arc goes on, it becomes more and more clear that L's lack of attachment to people extends to his lack of attachment to traditional ethics. time and time again, L does shady shit for the sake of finding kira, whether that be covering the yagami household in a truly absurd number of cameras, recruiting actual criminals to help with the investigation, or chaining some kid to him 24/7 for weeks on end. this is a large part of the reason behind why i question what winning would actually look like for L-- would he be willing to turn kira in, should he get sufficient evidence to put light through the actual justice system? even if he is willing to give that rivalry up, i have a hard time believing he wouldn't want to confirm the death by doing it himself or something. but if that's the case, then why bother waiting? clearly, he's pretty fucking sure that light is kira, and he basically does figure everything out by the end of the yotsuba arc. so, why? is he waiting to prove it to the task force? is he still waiting for light to incriminate himself? but that seems like an awfully stupid thing to still be waiting for. what does L actually want here?

^^^ this last entire paragraph was basically my motivation for writing this, btw. ultimately, i still don't know if i have a conclusion that i'm really satisfied with, here. perhaps it really is just that light isn't the one to pull the trigger in the end, the nerve of a move that bitchy that kinda instinctively icks me out. or maybe ohba just wrote it bad!! idk. final thoughts-wise.........

one satisfying thing: in a way, light wins because he wins over people (namely, the rest of the task force), which tracks. the only reason why he keeps winning post-L death is because of this win, actually, which keeps him going for years despite the fact that he's doing objectively a dogshit job as L, as near so sweetly points out.

one unsatisfying thing: you could read L as losing because ohba doesn't actually have all that extensive of a view of what a good view of justice would look like, particularly in opposition to kira's view. in a way, L kind of just ends up representing a return to the status quo, where the criminals that kira is so desperate to purge are simply dealt with in the usual way & their crimes are a fact of life. perhaps this is asking too much, the rivalry alone is fun enough to watch without having to get too in-depth asking question about ideal global justice systems and the nature of crime & criminals. i genuinely do think a part of my frustration here is just that light was too much of a bitch to kill his main rival by his own hand, despite holding himself to a more respectable Standard in desperate moments prior (e.g. not taking the eyes deal w/ naomi misora). but it's at least an adjacent question, and maybe establishing more clearly what L's true win would've looked like could have made light's eventual victory just a bit more satisfying, instead of feeling like it comes out of nowhere after his extensive planning miraculously works perfectly according to keikaku. it's almost the marvel problem as is... but i digress.

bonus: boredom

in my recent reread/rewatch of the series, i keep getting struck by how much i really like the beginning of death note, like the beginning beginning of the series and when each main character is initially introduced, especially light and ryuk.

i don't think it's too much of a stretch to equate "boredom" with "depression" in this context. long before L is introduced to the series ryuk is the one being presented as light's equal and opposite-- parallels from opposite worlds, mutually disgusted by their own kind and the miserable state the world around them has devolved to. for L this sentiment is a bit less overt, mostly because again, apathy, but the fact that he spends the majority of his time hyperfixated on the worst parts of humanity speaks of something. perhaps i'll have more feelings about this upon rereading the ending, as that's a bit (a lot) fuzzy in my mind, but it's one of the main points i emotionally resonated with the strongest, a point of connection i keep coming back to.

light really is just a kid, at the core of everything. a teenager that did everything he was supposed to and still couldn't make himself happy with it. that's the real tragedy of death note to me, that for all he did to create a better, more ideal world, he never felt all that happy with any of it. not that he would admit that. but what is light yagami's greatest skill if not his denial...

[neinofthem]

brief vent in your inbox- it's such a big pet peeve to me when people take things like the cat's paw scene as essek instantly being in love with/wanting to bang caleb when matt confirmed he's demisexual. like, we'd know how wrong it'd be to ship beau with a man, but people won't show the same respect for essek's demisexuality

you’re actually so correct. like essek was definitely manipulating caleb on actual purpose. he had his own reasons for sort of flirting that had nothing to do with attraction or lust or anything, he very plainly wanted to get in good with the nein to figure out how they worked and how to swing that to his advantage. to me he reads as a very. ‘use everything at my disposal’ sort of person, and what he had at his disposal was looks, charm, etc. also, caleb was trying to set up a honeypot which essek definitely clocked and was playing into. maybe he thought caleb genuinely wanted to fuck him or whatever, it doesn’t really matter, the point of playing along and doing their batshit mating ritual wasn’t oh wow love at first sight it was oh, jesus, these people have never had a relationship that wasn’t wildly toxic and now they’re trying to bait the other into thinking that they have their shit together and should be trusted with capital S Secrets.

this to me also reads as a symptom of the woobification of essek thelyss, where he goes all doe-eyed over caleb immediately when, at first, it’s canon that he absolutely hated awllll of them very much. caleb intrigued him, yes, but caleb did not compel him to make any genuine overtures of friendship or romance or anything of the kind until much later. this might stem from the need to make essek into the more submissive (in a personality sort of way) between the two in regards to their eventual relationship, which echoes back up along the timeline and makes people think that their relationship has always been like this (with caleb the self confident wondertherapist there to coach essek through unlearning a century of bullshit while essek simpers helplessly under caleb’s fucking electric blue gaze or whatever).

this interpretation of them is problematic even when it’s wayyy postcanon, but people look at this very inaccurate summary of their dynamic and go, ‘oh, shit, essek must have been hiding his inner softboy all along, this changes their whole story’ which, no! if he wasn’t a bad person who did bad things for bad reasons in the beginning (yes I know that this is oversimplification, it’s going to be ok I prommy), then his redemption holds no weight! what’s the point of a narrative about change and growth and building a better self if the character most central to this theme didn’t have to actually make anything new, he just had to scrape away a layer of mean exterior to get to the gooey domestic homemaker big sweater wearing pet name calling somftboi interior? no point. there is no point. fuck!

[sexiestpodcastcharacter]

Sexiest Podcast Character — Unscripted Bracket — Round 3

Propaganda

Amber Gris (The Adventure Zone: Ethersea):

Middle aged woman who punches sharks to death. My hero

If you love me you'll vote for amber gris I swear to everything holy on earth amen

Amber is butch, instant win

Vote Amber Gris <3

Amber Gris has a negative charisma modifier and she pissed her pants on purpose in order to trick a guard and knock him out. She tied up a dude. She once killed an evil magic shark (they're out for murder. not like real sharks) by punching it and then picked it up and smashed it into another shark, also killing it. She talks in a southern accent. She calls people guppy because it indicates a lack of respect. She has a big pair of magical green arms that come from her stomach. She got a fancy jacket and immediately ripped its sleeves off. She has a gay thing going on with one of the political leaders in the city. She gets in fights with people and doesnt do vulnerability and tries to lay low and not get in any social trouble she doesn't have to. She jumped through a portal into a new world because she could. She's now the god of said world, alone with only afformentioned political leader, who was previously possessed and she had to fight. She spends her time in a bar called the Cloaca. She calls people she doesn't like claspers, because it means shark penis. She and her friend, an old man named Uncle Joshy, sneak attack each other and yell VIBE CHECK! She tries to talk fancy to impress people and she's really bad at it (verily).

Ibex (Friends at the Table: COUNTER/Weight):

Ibex is the confident, ambitious, and charming (manipulative) candidate for the Divine mech Righteousness. He wears a red suit and a floral scent, and always looks extremely put together and sexy.

Ah, the classic choice between literally who? and one of the hottest men ever described

Ibex literally menaces the entire cast of COUNTER/Weight and remains a sexy bastard the ENTIRE TIMEA He is the TIME PROVEN STANDARD of an Austin Walker Boyfriend Character. Do it for Austin Walker.

Ibex's character was created to fulfill the description "seductress." He haunts the narrative. He's incredibly good at schemes. His whole shtick is that he's the one guy who didn't die young piloting a cool mech. The other characters hate him so much but in like a hot begrudging way. The person who plays him said the following which is so fucking funny:

[devotioncrater]

no okay i will fucking say it. i don't like dottie lasso. she's manipulative & toxic & passive aggressive & borderline narcissistic.

in every scene, in every line she says? it's all to undermine ted. she doesn't respect ted, doesn't care for him unless it's to boost her ego or to boost her image of Mother. she drags him down to make herself feel Tall, or at the very least she drags him down to justify the way she feels Small. "you think you're better than me? remember your roots" type beat.

ted's on edge the moment she gets there. is it any wonder why? he has to walk on eggshells with her because she leaves him guessing and whatever he guesses will always be wrong. for instance, ted picking up her suitcase yet she waits until the last minute to say "not on the bed!" right before ted lets go of the handle.

she says one thing but means another ("wish i went to the game"). she guilt trips him ("ooh is it all my fault?"). she makes shit up about him to humiliate him to his team (the story about him with the car/bruce springsteen/etc). she purposefully does the opposite of what he asks (mae in the pub). she has these passive aggressive slights disguised as care (the newspaper clippings on top which she 100% planned, the way she asks if he has any of his episodes still but hates the fact he's in therapy).

it's insidious too, the way she charms the team. the way she charms rebecca and trent. everyone loves her, how could they understand why ted's upset with her? not lottie dottie! she'd never hurt a soul. she seems like such a good mom. ted, you're just like her!

she's actively taking advantage of ted's good standing in a covert way to paint ted in a light he doesn't want to be associated with. he could shout about practice all he wants, but while his mother is the center of attention, does anyone actually listen?

then when ted confronts her? he tries to meet her at a neutral level. "thank you but fuck you". but what does she immediately do? she drags him down to her insecure lows by more or less calling him a hypocrite. the entire time she's there not once does she bring up henry unless it's convenient for her to. henry is the only leverage she has towards ted, and she knows it. she catches ted in a vulnerable state and takes advantage of it. "your son misses you".

she does not give a fuck about her son! she doesn't! she went to the club to poison the water, she has no interest in actually supporting ted or the team. and then! and then! in a show of narcissistic manipulation, she blames that on ted! "you always get so nervous" and "i need to catch up on sleep". ma'am you haven't seen your son in 3 years at least and you don't want to spend time with him??? and then to compensate for it by cooking a meal? fuck off, it's so superficial.

but that's what these types of mothers do. for every stab wound there's a bandaid to cover it. you can't be mad at the knife-wielder if they're also the medic. "they must've not meant it since they're doing xyz for me".

they'll say "sorry" and the argument fizzles out exactly how it happened at the end there because technically you can't say anything else! they apologized, didn't they? let's not hold grudges now. look! see! she complimented your therapy even though she hates it. that's progress right? yeah there's no deep heart-to-heart, no actual repair there, but maybe one day, right? right?

for her to leave a note without saying goodbye? how could ted be mad at her for doing that if she made his favorite bread? she has him on an emotionally manipulative yo-yo.

and the role reversal? the way she plays helpless at the beginning? again, zero respect for ted by dropping in out of the blue with no prior warning. he's forced into this carer role with her. he's a fixer & a people pleaser because that's how she conditioned him to be on the off chance she'd reward him with (superficial) connection

[sophiasharp]

Thinking more about my role swap au, particularly how much Wyll would probably fucking DESPISE Astarion at first.

Cause like, in this au, Wyll was the one turned into a spawn and forced through 200 years of awfulness, and I think that probably would give him a very different opinion of heroes than the Wyll we know and love in-game.

This Wyll felt a deep sense of betrayal at never having been found by his father or the Flaming Fist- at almost no one being able to suss out his master’s true nature, and those that can either being too prideful in their attacks and getting themselves killed or being in in on the cruelty and letting it continue unfettered.

This Wyll has a GREAT distaste for so-called heroes, convinced that the vast majority of them are self-aggrandizing louts that are just in it for the acclaim.

I say “the vast majority,” however, because I think that the idea of a true hero is still something he clings to at his darkest moments: that maybe there could come a day where someone good and just could do in his vampiric sire for good and finally end his reign of terror, and that maybe, just maybe, he could be recognized as more than the monster he’s been turned into.

This, however, only increases his contempt for those that fail to live up to that paragon status.

Enter this au’s Astarion: the most dramatic bastard to ever play hero.

Wyll’s attention goes STRAIGHT to Astarion once the group reaches the grove, probably having heard tell of the illustrious Blade of Frontiers in the taverns he frequented and being curious as to whether the legend held up in reality.

And oh. Oh it certainly does not.

Adventuring wasn’t really a choice for Astarion. It was either mope about his banishment and his eternal servitude to the Fae till something killed him OR use his newfound powers to earn some respect and get by that way.

Archfey pacts mostly deal in charming those around them, enhancing their presence beyond what a mortal alone could accomplish. As a result, a lot of how Astarion works is by having his reputation preceded him, letting the subsequent fear or adoration do a lot of the heavy lifting in his encounters.

In this way, the Blade of Frontiers is completely an act, one that Astarion profits from by keeping it up. Yes, he’s helping the people at the Grove because it’s the right thing to do, but he’s also totally doing it because he knows they’ll be willing to give him food and shelter despite not having much to go around in exchange for the protection he provides.

Astarion upholds the charade of the Righteous Defender in front of the Tiefling refugees but is quick to show his true, not entirely selfless nature with the other tad-fools since there’s no use in putting up a front when they can literally read his mind and they might all die in a few days time.

And ohohoho man will Wyll have PROBLEMS.

Wyll, in this au, is far from the fairy tail hero we know him to be in canon. He follows a lot of the same playbook that in-game Astarion does for most of the journey. He tries to manipulate those around him into protecting him, will always go for whatever option is more in his favor, and has a very dry, borderline gallows sense of humor that he uses to cope with his situation. In his eyes, though, he comes by his selfishness honestly. Astarion, meanwhile, seemingly shoves his hero status in everyone’s faces while, in Wyll’s eyes, not having truly earned it.

To Wyll, Astarion is a hypocrite of the highest order who works in his best interest and then would chastise him for doing the same.

It makes when Astarion’s fae ties are revealed and he’s punished for sparing Gale all the more satisfying. Wyll damn near revels in Astarion’s transformation into a faerie, watching him struggle to come to terms with the giant ram horns sticking out from his skull and his sudden change in eye color. Because that’s what you get for messing with powers beyond your control. That’s what you get for pretending to be a hero when all you are is a failed magistrate toying with those around you.

That’s what you get for thinking yourself so much better than the monsters you keep for company: you become one yourself.

Wyll finds it funny, a karmic justice for all the times the folk hero had looked down on him for voting for the less virtuous option or for joking about what flavor their companions might be.

It is so very, very funny.

…until it isn’t.

Because the transformation doesn’t force Astarion to drop the hero act like he thought it would. Oh no, if anything it has the only strengthened his resolve to do the right thing no matter the consequences. He wears the mantle of the Blade with more vigor than ever before, earnestly trying to live up to his own impossible legend now that it will never be within his reach.

It makes no damn sense to Wyll. Why bother? Why go to the trouble when you know the effort won’t be appreciated? When everywhere he goes, all anyone will see is a fae creature looking to cash in a favor?

He just doesn’t get it.

He doesn’t get it until they make it to Last Light Inn. It’s there, as he watches Astarion talk to Councilor Florrick, to the High Harper, to Isobel, Alphira, Rolan, Raphael, everyone they meet as the threat of the Absolute weighs heavy on them all, that Wyll hears something in Astarion’s words that he hadn’t before:

Fear. Desperation.

Astarion doubled down on his Blade persona for the same reason he made it in the first place.

It’s all he has left.

And if he doesn’t, then everything he’s done since his banishment will have meant nothing. He’ll have given up his life, his reputation, even his own body for nothing.

But if he can be a true hero, if he can use the power his pact grants to protect those who have none, if he can be the kind, just man that the Blade represented, maybe it would all be worth it somehow.

It truly sinks in for Wyll just how heavily it all weighed on Astarion the day after they first make it to Moonrise Towers. Wyll had gone out into the night searching for any living creature he might get a meal out of within the all-encompassing darkness of the Shadow Curse when he heard groans of pain nearby.

Keeping to the shadows, he followed the noise till he found a disheveled Astarion, pulling at his horns and knocking them against trees in some half considered attempt to pry them from his head. Looking at him closer, Wyll could see bags under his eyes from weeks of sleep made uneasy by the two additions. He watched as frustrated , pained tears gathered in the eyes of the same man that had brushed off any concern from their traveling companions about whether he was coping well with his sudden, agonizing transformation.

Wyll tried to grasp at that satisfaction he’s felt when that liaison of Astarion’s patron had bestowed the punishment for letting Gale live.

Instead, he found a profound sympathy he wanted to bury as soon as he’d found it.

Because he remembered his beginning days as a vampire spawn. How long it had taken him to be able to speak clearly around the new protrusions in his mouth. How he’d cut his tongue on them every other sentence. How he’d succeeded in ripping them out once only to regret it when their absence only left him starved and still expected to entertain and seduce victims anyways.

Wyll backed away before Astarion could notice him, but the sight of his seemingly unflappable companion buckling under the pressure stuck with him. Come the next day at camp, Astarion was back to his usual flamboyant self, all signs of his previous anguish carefully hidden out of sight and out of mind. Things were, as far as anyone else knew, as they’d always been.

And yet, if one knew to look, they might have seen Wyll covering for Astarion more often in fights, taking down enemies before they could get too close to their raucous hero. They might have seen him sneaking extra health potions in his pack when he wasn’t looking, or being the first to assist if he went down. They might have even noticed Wyll collecting bits and pieces of cloth, fabric, and other softer materials that whenever it was possible to scavenge.

About a week later, there finally comes a day where Astarion goes out and Wyll stays back, and after coming back from a long and concerning day exploring the Gauntlet of Shar, Astarion is shocked to find a new addition to his tent: a patchwork pillow resting on his bedroll, thick enough to give the extra support needed for someone with horns like his. When questioning the others left behind, Karlach eventually tells him that Wyll had been oddly absent for almost the entire day.

And when Astarion questions Wyll on whether or not he had anything to do with it, Wyll merely shrugs. “Us monsters need to look out for each other, don’t we?”

[imtooscaredforthis]

The Dark Side of Ghostface

AKA- Me analyzing Ghostface’s character after reading his tome in class 🤭🤭🤭

Spoiler Warning Ahead- Ghostface’s Archives

I’m not going to lie, I’m kind of a perfectionist. I’ve spent a while trying to analyze Ghostface and write him as closest to canon as possible lmfao- and this isn’t me trying to tell people how to write Ghostface..you can write him however you want, it’s just my interpretation…so yeah- Let me know if there’s anything I missed!

I- Daddy Issues + Origin

The only thing known about Danny’s family is his Father, who was also a murderer who loved to share horror stories, just like him.

His father was hard on him, told him terrifying stories of his kills, and was “as tough as nails” - and when your father is a serial killer, a man who’s already prone to lots of violence, you can guess the things he’s done to him

Still, Danny respected his father, but he did kill him, and his father was his first “design” - his first kill - and Danny felt ashamed of the way he killed him.

And for the nature v nurture debate for Danny, I guess we have an answer…both. Not only did he get his Homicidal tendencies from genetics, but his father literally taught him to kill too

Danny’s father affects his perspective greatly, especially how he views life and humanity, saying that humans are “intrinsic killers”

II- The Design + How Danny views murder

It’s easy to tell that Danny is a narcissist and a psychopath, I mean, he literally writes about his murders in the paper

He sees his murders as a story, a design, art, something to keep the suburban community aka the majority and the ordinary at unrest. He sees it as a favor, help keeping their lives interesting by scaring the shit out of them

Danny goes after the ordinary, someone most people can relate to, and someone who doesn’t deserve to die, because it makes it just the more terrifying

He follows his victims routines, plans out the murder in his head, pictures the kill, and the headlines he’ll write about it and then executes it

III- Personality + Pet Peeves

Danny is a perfectionist, but he also seems a little more restrained compared to the other dbd killers. He stalks his prey, holds back and plans his kill, waiting for the right moment…for the most part.

His “normal” personality- Jed is a charming and kind, but non-threatening presence and he knows he has to seem like that to avoid suspicion, duh, and easily manipulate people, so they’ll just be like “oh good old Jed, he wouldn’t hurt a fly” bullshit

But what really pisses Danny off when people don’t fear Ghostface, when they view him as an “urban legend” - OR when ordinary people or losers try to act like killers, like him (EX: “The three stooges” who talked about killing and had the pictures of killers up on the wall…killers that Danny admired and deemed “legends” and he went fucking crazy, stabbing one of the men in the face so many times that he was unrecognizable)

Danny wants people to take what he does seriously, he is aware of the impact of his actions, and what he’s doing, so if and when he finds out someone is laughing about it? Laughing at him? He gets pissed

So there are certain triggers that can make Danny snap, just like anyone else. But when he snaps…he becomes very violent, much more violent than usual

Because Danny takes his designs seriously, does this mean he’s a serious person? Not at all. He’s cruel, and taunts the men he kills in the arcade, and also the man he killed in the hardware store

He’s having a very fun time, as you can see here, humming to himself and doing his little taunting wave before he kills the poor man working at the register (RIP Cashier)

IV- Killing + Entity’s Favorite

Most of, if not all the things Danny does have to do with his design. He’s either writing, searching for his next victim, stalking his next victim, or killing

There’s not a lot of Danny’s life that doesn’t have to do with murder, especially since he was raised to be a killer

Which is why when he was a perfect candidate to be taken by The Entity. While some other killers have been brainwashed or turned into monsters, Danny’s mental state doesn’t change in the slightest, when you read the quotes of his add ons

In fact, he enjoys The Entity’s dimension. It’s a place where he can murder and stalk and do as he pleases, and doesn’t have to worry about getting caught or pretending to be normal. He can just be his murderous psycho self.

[funkyllama]

Can I just say...between Arthur, Phil, and my Louis....Eloise has terrible luck in the relationship department

(Louis isn't looking that bad now is he lol)

omg- I forgot to answer this!

So, In My Humble Opinion: Arthur was her best "boyfriend," not only because I find him to be a very hot man, but also because he respected her without wanting to change her. Their break up, while kind of forced onto Elle, was entirely just. I think Eloise recognizes that now, seeing that he's been allowed at her events. Arthur jumped way too fast into wanting to be married and Eloise only realized after the breakup that she even liked that idea. He is still trying to get over her in his own story, which you can read on @prydainroyals. Louis, well. I don't know how I'd rank him in comparison. I think it's safe to say that if they weren't in the same circle, they would not of been with each other. Louis was very vocal in being there for a fun, not anything meaningful. Though, they did have the most chemistry of all her relationships and I feel as though, if they had not been forced apart, they could of had a good thing. Though, I think a happily ever after for them, like Eloise must have been hoping, plays into her naivety. Her reaction to learning that she was pregnant wasn't good, but she followed that up with hoping without doing or saying anything to anyone until it was too damn late. I don't mean to blame Eloise for everything wrong with that situationship, but Eloise was just making stupid decision after stupid decision. After looking back, I'm like why do ya'll like her?!?! If I was reading this story, I'd be rooting for Adrienne. lmaooo. That being said, Philippe is by far her worst partner. I'm genuinely shocked that so many people were rooting for them up until he went mask off with Freddy. Sure, he entered the story as Prince Fucking Charming, but c'mon now. He came upon her in an incredibly vunerable (ripped from S&S) moment and decided "I want her," no. That doesn't happen. His own father was vocally against their relationship, and not because of Eloise's stupidity in the last act. No, it was because Henri found his own son's actions so reprehensible that he lectured him loud enough for Viola to hear. Let us not forget that Viola, her best friend, did a 180 from actively encouraging her to being all, "ma'am please take a pause." OH AND---- they literally got engaged after the lowest point in their relationship, which left Eloise questioning if he even liked her?!?! Goodbye. Literally, cast that man into the fires of hell. He deserves worse, and his own daddy knows it. He's manipulating a grieving, first time mom, no thank you. No wonder he gave Freddy such an Ick. Philippe may be falling (in love) for her in his own way, and being a good stand in for the deadbeat mentioned above him, but that does not undermine his horribly manipulative and abusive actions.

@empiredesimparte has nothing to do with the evilness of Philippe's character, this is of my own making, please don't come for herrrrrrr. Also, go read mr Napoleon's coronation from the beginning, it is AMAZING. mentioning @armoricaroyalty bcs I did mention Freddy multiple times.

[princelylove]

Interesting headcanon for yandere Jotaro and yandere Noriaki, I also agree that both of them are very competitive, I think they will even use stand to "fight" each other behind your back or just simple using it to gain attention from you. I see Noriaki might use Hierophant Green to trip you so he can be the one help you stand up and take care of you. For Jotaro, I have this headcanon for him, he actually a good artist, do you remember how great his drawing about the fly in Egypt. I think he will use Star Platinum to help capture your beauty in his art and he will give you the best art to show how he adore and love you (after so many drawings, I headcanon he has a sketchbook full of art about you).

I know you said it's not high chance they will corporate together but I think if they do it, they will be unstoppable. The protective side of Jotaro and the manipulate side of Noriaki combine perfectly together. Do you think they will corporate if some special situation happen, for example another person also interested in you and try to steal you from them?

P/s: I enjoy talking to you very much, looking forward your answer >v<

How adorable, anon. 

Really, the only thing stopping them from being an unstoppable force together is their differing views on what to do with you. If they weren’t so firm on their position, you’d be sitting between them every day for lunch listening to Noriaki like he’s a podcast. 

You’re so right about Noriaki tripping you so he can play prince charming. He might even grab you with hierophant green to move you as he sees fit. Too handsy with someone else? Hands are suddenly kept to yourself at your sides. You can’t see stands, he thinks, so it’s harmless. It must be a little muscle tick or something. Are you feeling well? He doesn’t mind giving you some extra attention and care. 

That’s a cute headcannon for Jotaro, actually. He probably taught himself how to draw alone in his room. I don’t really think Jotaro was into videogames or sports in his youth, canonically he knows how to play neither of them, so he spends his free time drawing and listening to music or watching movies. He probably learned how to draw from those books about airplanes and ships he reads, he sketches like an engineer would. When he meets you, his sketchbook slowly goes from ships and fish to teaching himself how to draw humans, with you as his main model. It’s entirely from memory, so your nose might be a bit off, or maybe the length of your nails, but he’ll get it eventually. Suppose it doesn’t matter, since he hides his sketchbook in all of his school things so his mother doesn’t find it and fuss over her baby finally having a crush.

Noriaki hates that. He hates it so much that he’s adamant on actually showing you his own “sketches.” (Completed pieces with thirty hours put into them.) Look, he got every detail about you perfect. Isn’t it lovely? He loves painting stills of you doing what you love. This way, if Jotaro ever does show you his little drawings, it’s like he’s copying Noriaki’s hobbies at a beginner's level. He's happy to give Jotaro some tips if he asks!

They absolutely would work together if someone else tried making a move on you, undeniably. Noriaki only lets Jotaro have his little fantasy of playing hero and protecting you because he’s useful for keeping lowlifes away. Jotaro allows Noriaki’s crush because he thinks Noriaki isn’t bold enough to really tell you how he feels. It’s like a “enemy of my enemy is my friend” kind of situation, to them. Their friendship was going very well before you came into their life, they bonded enough to respect each other, but you’re certainly a stressor on whatever sense of friendship they had. 

Noriaki is fairly happy to let Jotaro do the dirty work and claim to be nothing like him. Jotaro scares off any potential suitors with his presence, his body language is practically screaming “Fuck off.” If someone’s stupid enough to persist after Jotaro’s initial warnings, then they’re in for a beating. If they STILL persist after that, Noriaki will step in. 

Since controlling outside elements isn’t working, it’s time to work from the inside out. He’ll make passive aggressive comments to you about the person, but mask it as just regular social shaming. You can’t blame him for talking badly, he doesn’t mean to be rude, it’s just.. Have you seen the way they talk to our teachers? They don’t participate in classroom cleaning at all, either. 

If that still doesn’t work, and their darling doesn’t pick up on their “hints”... Well, they suppose they can make a deal of some kind.

[dairy-farmer]

Ya know what Bruce would absolutely do? When Tim first shows up and insists on being Robin, Bruce would say no and then try to think of contingency plans on how to stop Tim from going out as Robin

Just saying no won't keep him off the streets, asking nicely won't work, and he can't just lock him in the Manor... Wait

Bruce might not be able to lock Tim in the Manor against his will, but what if he has a reason he needs to stay in the Manor at all times?

It's decided then; he'll knock Tim up ASAP and then he'll never be able to leave the Manor, least of all to go fight crime! He'll either be too concerned about the baby, his paternal instincts kicking in even at the young age of 13, or he'll simply be too big to move much, Bruce's giant baby practically dwarfing the rest of Tim, making it impossible for him to waddle anywhere outside of the Manor

(and once the baby is born, Bruce knows Tim will want to get back into shape and join him out on the streets again. So Bruce will simply have to make sure Tim doesn't get that chance. It's a good thing the Manor has so many rooms, Bruce has a feeling they'll be seeing a big expansion in the family over the next few years)

one of my favorite things in the world is bruce impregnating tim as a way of trapping him 😈😈😈.

"the third robin's the charm" is not something that bruce is willing to take a chance on because he drove the first one away, he got the second one killed. who knows what horrible fate awaits innocent tim. tim who won't listen to him when he tries to listen, who won't listen to him when he demands.

like all robins before him tim won't obey him.

so bruce has to take drastic measures. his hand has been forced and he has no choice. he goes through every option he can think of. keeping him forcibly tied up or stuffing him in a bunker and throwing away the key is unfathomably cruel. breaking a limb wouldnt work, he'd just heal. removing a limb would be crossing a line. poisoning tim with medicine and "daily vitamins" until he's too ill to move is plainly unethical. tim will always find a way to go out as robin, he'll always find a way.

....unless. unless there is something more than him at stake.

a different kind of responsibility and duty. one that would guarantee tim being confined to the manor for months at a time and even afterword it would take months before he could venture out. tim is small and pregnancy would be rough. so would the post-birth of trying to get back in fighting form. tim also likely has a lingering complex from his parent who always left him for work. would tim be willing to do that to his baby?

if bruce just drugs tim and dumps him at a college party for frat boys to use him as a cum dump he'd be able to get him pregnant. but then tim would just get an abortion. the father of his baby had to be someone he cared for and respected, who he'd listen to if they asked he have the child.

someone like...him. because while tim may not listen to him and may sass him, he does think bruce's words hold a lot of weight. if bruce asks him, begs him to keep the baby then....there's a good chance he would.

bruce can't say that he doesn't enjoy fucking his would-be robin.

tim, despite how mature he tries to project himself as, is still a child. children are easy to manipulate, they're easy to convince to take their clothes off and to get into bed with bruce, a stranger.

the hero worship helps a little, it may have worked better if he was dick. but bruce accomplishes it. first he fucks tim just to get him to like and enjoy it. if it's bad then its unlikely tim will want bruce to do it to him again when bruce has to get him pregnant again.

so bruce makes sure tim likes it. he kisses tim and holds him, he laps at his little pink cunt and he fucks only half his cock into his tight little hole because he needs to work tim up to fuck him with the full length of it.

bruce makes it good, he gets tim hooked on it like how drug dealers get their clients hooked on smack.

pretty soon tim is approaching him, initiating sex with him, asking bruce if he can climb on top and sit on bruce's cock. that's when bruce stops using condoms, he fills tim's head with stuff about how sex feels so much better without a barrier between them, how the orgasm is better, how much bruce likes it.

bruce has never fucked someone without a condom. tim is his first bare pussy and as he cums deep into that little hole he resolves to never again have sex any other way.

its no surprise tim gets pregnant pretty quickly even though he's barely started getting his period.

the positve pregnancy test lies discarded somewhere on the floor as bruce fucks tim again and tells him to keep the baby as he caresses tim's cheek and presses his tongue into his sweet mouth.

bruce's plan may be deranged.

but at the end of the day his robin is safe and he's having a baby.

a baby. the first wayne baby in decades and the first of many to come.

[mayisgoingnuts]

Honestly yeah lmao

And for Angel and Husk—

So I inspired Angel by Jessica Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit in this AU—while I had no particular inspiration for Husk besides Eddie Valiant from Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Ray Charles (dude who sang Hit The Road Jack).

Angel in this au is still an inappropriate film star, pole dancer, etc etc—and he still has that sassy charm to him. He mainly acts this way as a front with other people like in the original show, but he can also be REALLYYYY threatening when pissed, and that's usually when his past as a guy from a mob family comes out. He's also more of a shitty person here? Just because he's been in Hell for a long time, so he's bound to lose any sort of kindness he might have had before. He's very rude to Charlie at first and is actually kind of passive aggresive with her sometimes, but grows from this over the show and grows to like her. And when he's not putting on a front, he's very vulnerable and miserable—just to show how much Valentino's treatment of him has effected him. He can also sing pretty well unsurprisingly—and can actually play the saxophone.. for some reason.

Due to his past as a mob family member though, he still has some pretty fucked up tendencies, and due to being sus of Sir Pentious when he first arrives, he basically pulls him to the side and attempts to torture him incase he might have some info (with Vaggie joining him until Charlie puts an end to it). Angel really sees nothing wrong with the way his family taught him during the earlier seasons and always acts like people are over-reacting when they point out this behavior of his. But once again, he slowly learns that it isn't okay over the show, and grows from it.

He's also still an alcoholic and drug addict here, because he wants some feel of escape from all the stuff Valentino makes him do, but he's so convinced that Val loves him due to Valentinos manipulation. And it's even worse because Valentino always acts like nothings wrong whenever other people are around, and even if people knew what he was like, they could basically do nothing about Val due to him being a fuckin Overlord and this being Hell. (Angel's voice is also the same in this rewritten version btw, but with a minor distortion/other voice playing in the back anytime he talks)

As for Husk—he isn't that much different here since I don't see much wrong with him in the show? But he's also very depressed due to losing his position as an Overlord, and holds some slight arrogance due to being once in that position. But he of course grows from this, and realizes maybe all of his confidence was just some stupid front he was putting on for himself so he didn't have to confront his insecurities (which were basically about him dying alone and pathetic in the real world, and he also had a kid in the real world, so he hates himself for leaving her up there). Also he's a little more frightened of Alastor here, and usually just kinda tries his best to shut the fuck up when he's around due to being afraid of what he might do with his soul.

As for Loser Baby in this AU—I think the problem with it was that the poppy beat and light-hearted lyrics made people take it kinda wrong? As an SA victim, I did get the message that it was supposed to be like "Hey, you aren't alone—I'm in the same situation too so don't worry, we're in this together. But I can see how some people would misinterpret it here. So instead of a song number, it's more of an emotional scene where Husk first explains he was an Overlord once, and then tells Angel that he belongs to Alastor now, and tells him that there's really nothing either of them can do about their situations due to their respective tormentors being overlords—but that Angel's pain is valid, and that he's not in this alone. And THEN that's when the sharks come in and the fight scene happens.

Angel's outfit is SO good tho ksjdksjf

But DAMN POOR SIR PENTIOUS D:

[inkwolvesandcoffee]

Modern Werewolf!Robert Dudley

TH Masterlist

Note: I haven’t seen The Virgin Queen (2005) and therefore have taken great creative liberty concerning the mini series and actual history. Also, the gif above kickstarted the idea and then I got carried away… again.😅😹

- Robert is endlessly curious about humans. He can often be found observing them from between the trees of the family mansion.

- Btw, the grand house is merely a façade, serving only to lend credit to the respectability and longevity of the family. They are ancient, thoroughly well-bred toffs. Nevertheless, they prefer the forest and their Wolf forms over human civilization.

- However, it seems Rob is the one to break that cycle of intimidating distance between the pack and the people living in the outer boroughs of London.

- He can be frequently found wandering around, popping in and out of cafés and bakeries or visiting markets.

- He’s somewhat of a foodie, but a terrible cook and baker. Honestly, can you blame him? He’s been raised with a silver spoon (and on raw meat).

- Nevertheless, he’s picked up baking because of you. Robert was over the moon with your apple pie and cinnamon tea, which he chose the autumn afternoon he walked into the bakery you had recently started working at.

- When you said you’d made the pie fresh that morning he instinctively knew he’d found his teacher. So after using his natural charm (and maybe some manipulation of his scent), he talked you into teaching him.

- By the gods, he’s like a pup when you teach him. Partially because it means you let him into your flat.

- Sometimes you catch him looking around with a dreamy gaze, gone with the fairies until you pull him out of his reverie.

- He always dodges the question what it is he’s thinking of. He also never explains himself when he drops by with mud smears on his face or twigs in his hair.

- Yet, somewhere deep down you know why. After all, you’ve heard the stories and rumours about the Dudley family.

- Robert always wants your opinion on his baked goods. He’ll suddenly show up in front of you while you’re working yet politely ask if you could spare him a minute.

- He loves visiting Borough Market with you and has managed to convince you to go at least once a week.

- And it’s just as well because if you go more often, you’ll certainly feel it in your pocket. Supporting local businesses and artisans is never wrong, but it sure gets pricey.

- Although, here’s where the Dudley riches come in because he pays pretty much for everything.

- What can I say? He’s a foodie and likes sharing food.

- Now, Wolves naturally tend to eat more than humans. Robert, though, takes it to a whole new level on the days before the new moon. He’ll be insatiable, but not only in the way food can cure.😏😉

- (He especially loves fucking after he’s changed back, his senses still heightened and wolf brain still turned on)

- Loves tea time with you. There’s always some new tea and/or treat to go with it he’s discovered.

- It’s honestly adorable how enthusiastic he gets over the simplest things. Believe me, you’ve never seen a man delighted enough to skip around the room like a bouncy ball because of a scone made with the blueberries from his territory.

- And he can’t believe his luck when you tell him about your dream of opening a business there because the man has the funds. All he asks in return is that you run it together.

- His family gives him side eyes because Wolves have no need to bake or put a lot of effort into cooking. They hunt.

- His father is against his growing affection for you, a human. An alpha needs a she-wolf, not a human.

- So Robert runs away, begging you to take him in.

- Happy chappy gentleman with wolfish quirks.

- Loves playfully hunting you and pouncing on you to pin you to the ground.

- More often than not leads to sweet lovemaking out in the open.

- Loves bathing in the nearby lake and swimming with you.

- That’s how you first met. You stumbled across him as he was bathing himself.

- Robert loves to rest his head in your lap, both as a wolf and as a man. However, he tends to do it more as a wolf because it means you’ll run your hands through his fur and he loves that.

- Though simply caressing his hair is enough to make him purr and send him straight into a nap.

- Wishes he was born human rather than as a Wolf, hating his very nature and the expectations his pack has for him.

- “What should it matter this is what makes me happy? Why should this be beneath me? Why shouldn’t I put you first, love you with my whole heart? Why would it be wrong for a Wolf to participate in society, to try and have a normal human-like life? I want to show you at my most vulnerable because I trust you so why would that be wrong?”

- All these “why”’s without an answer he’s left to wonder again and again since Rob met you.

- But the real question is: Why can’t and shouldn’t he be with you?

- Because that’s all he wants.

- To run a small bakery together.

- To be a man.

- Natural.

- Normal.

- And not the next Wolf King.

Tag list: @hecatemoon87 @potter-solomons @babaohhhriley @rose-like-the-phoenix @vir-tual @liliac-dreamer @wandawiccan60 @dreamlandcreations @buttercupsandboys @zablife @mollybegger-blog @hoodeddreams13

[matchagator]

Inescapable Delusions | Ch. 10 | Explicit 21+

There's someone new at the House of Cards, and the characters get the opportunity to meet them. What kind of trouble will this interaction spark?

*This is an explicit story. Minors do not interact*

{Summary:} Enter the House of Cards for an evening of countless wonders and jaw-dropping spectacles. While you become entranced in the various acts, take caution not to fall victim to the illusions or you may end up facing inescapable delusions.

{Main Pairings:} Animal Tamer Jeon Jungkook/ Original Female Character

{Rating:} 21+ Explicit Caution: Read Warnings

{Genre:} Alternate Universe - Crime Circus

{Warnings:} Circus (no clowns), Smut, Abuse, Gaslighting, Rough Sex, Bondage, Rape/Non-con - Freeform, Angst, BDSM, Blood and Violence, Knifeplay, Crimes & Criminals, Sex Trafficking, Death Threats, Nudity, Stockholm Syndrome, Explicit Language, Manipulation, Possessive Behavior, Praise Kink, Abusive Relationships, Unhealthy Relationships, Secrets, Sexual Slavery, Prostitution, Tigers, Elephants, Animal Attack, Virginity, Bad Decisions, Banter, Manhandling, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Degradation, Coercion, BDSM Elements, Whips, Throat Fucking, Unprotected Sex

The big top plummeted into darkness, the audience unable to look at the seated just beside them until a beaming spotlight circled through the crowd, making its way around the ring. The beam swirled until it shined on the center of the arena, a body wrapped in silk disrupting its rays from reaching the ground. The body unraveled, quickly spiraling down to the floor before pulling up to reveal Jimin, his charming shining just as bright as the spotlight. He performed with grace, lifting himself to tangle with the silk and creating illustrious figures with the material. 

His last routine with the fabric involved him climbing the soft fibers onto a high platform. Once he made it safely onto the surface, he bowed as he accepted the applause of the audience, displaying his physique with flare. Across the top of the canopy, another light shined to reveal the circus’ newest addition, Celia. She was an easy recruit for the men and gave them an edge for their clientele as she was one of the rare performers with a darker skin tone. She was agile and lithe, making her an excellent assistant to Jimin.

She stood proudly upon her pedestal, lifting her arms up with a broad smile. “Prepare yourselves for the thrilling trapeze act performed by Jimin and Celia!” Taehyung announced while the pair reached out for their respective bars. They debuted their stunt with another wide bow before they took turns swinging towards each other, nearly kicking each other as they hung from their arms. After a moment of this routine, they leaped back onto the platform, readjusting for their next action.

Celia waited for the signal from Jimin, jumping into the air as she clung to the fly bar. As she floated through the air back and forth, she maneuvered herself upside down allowing her legs to keep her from falling to the apron beneath them. Jimin was also getting into the same position with their backs facing away from each other. With the strength of his core muscles and flexibility in his limbs, he coursed the trapeze to lift higher in the center of the ring so that he could bend and meet the gaze of his partner. It was the moment where his flecks collided with her own, they knew they needed to move on to the next phase. 

Celia relaxed her body, letting her knees buckle as her body propelled in Jimin’s direction. They both reached out, grabbing a hold of each other as they moved in unison. Jimin’s grip was the biggest factor in keeping her from falling into the netting below. They could hear the audience gasp from the transfer and a thrill of excitement shot through their limbs as they swayed back and forth. They gathered momentum, moving into the next stunt as they took up the expanse of the big top’s canopy. 

They hit the peak, nearly brushing against the edge of Celia’s platform as Jimin released one of her arms, slowly twirling her within his grip as if she were a ballerina in a music box. They swung again and Jimin was curling the bridge of his feet around the handles of the bar, the pair only being held up by the strength of his ankles. Celia continued to dance within the air, spinning gracefully in the bright light until finally, Jimin pulled her up to climb up his body. She sat herself on the catch bar, helping her partner as they swung together onto his platform. 

The crowd erupted with applause from their spectacle, some standing on their feet from the elegance of such a death-defying stunt. Jimin and Celia bowed, smiling with a flawless performance as the arena faded back into darkness for them to escape into the rehearsal tent. 

Once they were away from the main area of the circus, Jimin wrapped an around around Celia’s waist, pulling her flush against him. “Should we celebrate a job well done?” His smirk was anything but charming as Celia pried herself from his grip. 

“Probably shouldn’t just in case I get bought.” She smiled as if humoring the idea before turning on her heel and letting the grin collapse instantly. 

Anna peered at the newest female in their midst, becoming curious of her attitude considering most women seemed to kiss up to the male performers of the circus. Maybe she could talk to her during their dinner time. She felt an abrasive push against her back, stumbling on her feet before she could hit the ground. “What the hell?” She whipped her head around to find the offender was Yoongi. 

He curled a brow as if daring her to continue only to find out the consequences of her actions. Anna fixed her posture, her glare still evident in her eyes as she faced the knife wielder “It’s our turn, let’s go.” He demanded. His features were relaxed and impatient. He had no problem putting her in her place again but was also tired of the constant fight she gave him day in and day out. 

She stared him down a moment, battling with herself to lash out, but recoiled when she noticed his hand reach toward her. She flinched away, the fresh memories of their rehearsal resurfacing as she started walking to the curtains leading to the arena. “I’ve been waiting for you.” She snapped quietly to herself, hoping he didn’t hear her and use her words as a means of punishment. 

Yoongi smirked as he watched her walk away, his gaze flickering down to her ass. “That’s more like it.” He clicked his tongue happily, following after her to set up the act. 

The performance ran its routine as Anna dully allowed herself to be strapped to the wheel, spinning as Yoongi used her for target practice, but it was the final stunt that she was truly fearing. After her time on the target, Yoongi released her, offering her assistance down like the gentleman he wasn’t for the sake of the audience. “Stay right there.” He spoke low, keeping his voice quiet as he addressed her, guiding her to stand in front of the bullseye of the wheel. 

She inhaled deeply as he retraced his steps back to his chest of weapons and pulled out a shining red apple. Her nerves crawled under her skin, traveling to her throat as he became suffocated by his intense stare. He walked back, almost dramatically before holding out the apple for her to take. Her hand shook as she plucked the fruit from him, staring at it with a severe hatred. 

While Yoongi talked to the audience, introducing the final phase of their act, Anna turned to her right so the main audience could see her side profile. She took a series of slow methodical breaths, settling her jittering limbs as she mentally prepared for his aim to pinpoint the apple she would be holding. She peered at him through the corner of her eye, noticing he was waiting for her to hold the fruit correctly. 

“Shit.” She muttered under her breath, lifting the apple to her lips before expanding her jaw to bite into the crisp skin of the fruit. She continued taking calming breaths through her nose, anticipating the ache in her jaw when his knife made impact with the target sitting between her lips. 

She blinked and just as fast, she felt a painful jolt against her enamel as his blade skewered the fruit. She gasped as her pupils focused on the handle sticking out from the target, her jaw unhinging as the apple fell to the ground with the dagger stabbed into it. Her senses were numb, unable to hear the roar of the crowd as she analyzed the distance between her teeth marks punctured into the skin and the knife. 

Yoongi collected her around the waist, holding her against his side as he waved to the audience. “Smile.” He growled through his performance grin, his hand on her hip squeezing in warning if she didn’t comply. 

Back in the rehearsal tent, Sophie ran her hand along Mambo’s trunk, cooing at the large mammal. “You’re going to be so good tonight, aren’t you?” To say, Sophie was thrilled was an understatement since she practiced for weeks to teach the elephant the trick they would perform for the first time during the show. When they initially introduced Mambo, she simply sat on his hide parading around the ring before Jungkook came out with his tigers and executed daring stunts with the clawed beasts. The visual of the massive animal with a dainty rider pulled the audience in and awed them. Sophie wanted to create a more elaborate spectacle. 

“The crowd will love it.” Jungkook encouraged, leaning over her shoulder from behind and placing a kiss upon her neck. “I can’t wait to reward you after…” He mumbled against her skin, his lips trailing along her barely dressed shoulder. 

Sophie giggled from his affection, stepping away before he could sweep her off into some secluded corner and have his way with her. “Go get ready, you’re on right after me.” She teased, hiding behind the trunk of Mambo from the needy hands of the animal tamer. 

His eyes sparkled with mischief as he loomed closer, “He can’t protect you forever, kitten. You’ll be punished for hiding from me, just you wait.” His eyes darkened as he spoke—his intent to devour her shining in his nearly black irises. 

Sophie bit her lip as her core tightened with excitement from the implication of his threat. She peered around the trunk of her elephant, watching Jungkook prowl toward the Bengal cage as a sensation tingled between her thighs. She noticed Anna and Yoongi come in from the curtain, fixing herself to stand in front of Mambo. She patted his front leg, stepping back as he kneeled. She crawled up along his side and placed her legs around his neck before patting him on the hide to have him standing on all fours again. 

She was proudly introduced with her counterpart as they waltzed through the curtain, breaking into the rays of the spotlight. Instantly, she could hear the crowd gasp in wonder from the impossible vision of the large animal walking so calmly through the big top with a dazzling woman perched on his back. Sophie guided Mambo through the steps, patting him and there to have him switch positions and give the audience a view of the beautiful creature from all angles. 

She leaned in close to the elephant as she rubbed his crown encouragingly for a good well done. “Alright, it’s time for the big finish.” She took a deep breath, hoisting herself up onto her feet and balancing on his large spine. Once her footing was just right and stable, she raised her arms over her head, displaying herself to the audience confidently as she stood on the back of an elephant. She shuffled her feet, slowly turning around as Mambo followed her motions. 

The crowd was vocal from their performance, a collection of oohs and awes echoing through the arena as the elephant moved with Sophie balancing effortlessly. When she stopped turning, she was facing the same direction as Mambo again before she slowly raised her foot, grabbing ahold of her arch and bringing it up over her shoulder. She accommodated her stance for Mambo to raise the same foot even though it wasn’t nearly as high as her own. 

Her heart leaped when she heard the roar of claps surround them, bringing her foot down only to switch to her other. Mambo repeated her actions to the best of his ability, performing in a better manner than most of the others in the show. Sophie dropped her leg, spreading her arms out wide with pride and taking in the love that the audience threw at her. She slipped her legs back around her elephant and then patted him to continue toward the back of the ring where the rehearsal tent was. 

“Good boy.” She cooed, adopting an affection that closely resembled Jungkook after she obediently complied with his demands. She tickled her fingers over the rough skin of Mambo, pride oozing from her pores just as the sweat of heat pebbled. “You were perfect.”

—

It was the first day off after a successful weekend of shows, and Sophie was finishing her routine of caring for Stratus and Mambo. She wandered into the rehearsal tent, moving toward the tiger’s cage in search of Jungkook. As she approached, it was clear that the animal tamer was done with his tasks as well, wiping his hands off with a rag to soak up some of the blood from the cuts he offered the Bengals. 

Jungkook glanced up just in time as Sophie came to stand in front of him, flicking his gaze up and down her figure with a seductive smirk. “Ready for lunch?” He asked, his eyes shining with lust as they both knew lunch was hardly anything food-related.

Sophie bit her lip, batting her eyelashes coyishly as she lingered closer to his built frame. “Starving.” She purred, slipping her hands up his torso and savoring the toned muscle beneath his shirt. 

He tossed the rag onto his chest, ready to pull her in with a kiss, but their moment was interrupted by Taehyung. The ringleader marched toward the couple, impatience etched in his features as he glared between the two. “We’re having a meeting. Let’s go.” He snapped.

Sophie stepped away from Jungkook, intimidated by Taehyung's intensity, but the animal tamer wrapped an arm around her shoulder and began guiding her along with him. The ringleader pressed his hand against Jungkook’s shoulder, stopping him from going further. “Leave your pet here.” He spat, his irritation with the pair evident as he turned his stare toward Sophie at the word pet .

Jungkook bit his tongue, trying his best not to argue with Taehyung as he simply pressed a kiss to Sophie’s cheek. “I’ll be back.” He waited until Taehyung started walking away before dipping down to whisper in her ear. “Go grab some food, you'll need the energy for later.” He grinned with a wink, turning away from her to follow the ringleader.

Anna nearly skipped to the canteen after Yoongi was collected by Hoseok for some sort of meeting, feeling a sliver of freedom from her dreadful rehearsal and training routines with the knife wielder. As she made her way into the large space with a majority of the women enjoying a decent lunch break, she noticed the newest recruit sitting by herself at one of the lunch tables. With her target acquired, she quickly moved to the serving tables to grab her lunch and introduce herself to Jimin’s assistant. 

She grabbed a plate and began loading food onto the plate when she noticed a presence looming over her shoulder. Anna peered to the side to find Sophie shyly grabbing a plate for herself as she nervously looked over the other women in the area. “Hey.” Anna offered, surprised to see her friend in what felt like forever. After their last interaction, which wasn’t left in the best terms, Sophie was mostly isolated as she managed the animals with Jungkook. Then once she was done, he was quick to drag her back to their private tent and exert any remaining energy.

Sophie blinked, almost not recognizing Anna as she stood beside her. She hardly ever left Jungkook’s sight and never had an excuse to visit the mess hall since he always brought food to the tent. The moment she stepped in, it felt like all eyes were on her, and many of them didn’t seem too friendly upon her arrival. Many of the other women turned their heads or glared, making her feel alone despite the abundant population getting their lunch. 

“Hey.” She responded as she took in Anna’s features, noticing she seemed to become slightly frail while Sophie became toned from all her performances with the animals. She could only imagine Anna’s routine with Yoongi was tiring and did little to help her maintain her strength as she lay there helplessly. She wondered if Anna still got herself into trouble just like when they first arrived, thinking that might be another source of her subtle differences. 

Sophie heard some giggling from behind her and looked over her shoulder to see a group of women glancing in her direction, whispering amongst themselves. They tried to hide their laughter behind their palms, but the sound resonated through the air and crawled up Sophie’s spine with a charge of insecurity. Anna could see Sophie visibly shrink as she hunched over her bare plate, staring back at the serving table with a blank expression. 

Anna pressed her lips together, stealing a glance over at Celia before leveling her stare with Sophie. “I’m gonna eat over there if you want to join me.” She used one hand to point in the direction of the mostly isolated table, hoping Sophie would be willing to accompany her.

Sophie lifted her head to spot the area Anna was referring to and felt the anxiety drift as she realized the table was far from the scrutinizing glares of the other women within the canteen. “Sure, that sounds good.” She spoke softly, turning back to finally place some food on her plate. 

Kiamaly pushed the slop on her plate around with the rings of her fork, the curl of her lip indicating she was disgusted by the food offered to her for lunch. She contemplated how hungry she was, considering if the meal for dinner would be worth the starvation. She sighed heavily, pressing her lips together in aggravation as she realized she still needed to survive rehearsals with Jimin and did not want to endure with an empty stomach. She scooped a small bit onto the edge of her utensil, slowly bringing it to her mouth to take a bite. Her lips encased the food and chewed it between her teeth as her tongue collected the mild flavor of the substance. The tension in her muscles relaxed as she realized the food looked more disgusting than it actually tasted. While it wasn’t exactly the best food, it was certainly edible. 

“Is this seat taken?” She heard from beside her, noticing someone gently place their plate onto the table. She followed up the arm of the voice and found one of the many female performers within their establishment. She vaguely recalled her with the knife wielder, but couldn’t determine a name that was associated with the human target. 

She then spotted another woman move around the table to sit across from them, the young star of the show. “Um…sure.” She didn’t think she had any room to argue as they made themselves comfortable and only hoped their company wouldn’t bring her too much attention. She observed the demeanor of both women and was intrigued to see they were practically representations of night and day. “So, what are your names?”

The younger female with bright eyes perked up, “My name’s Sophie.” She had a small smile over her lips and a slight flush to her complexion. Her facial features were fair and dainty with the exception of her large eyes. Sophie gestured to the woman across from her with her hand, “This is Anna.” In comparison to Sophie, her features were more defined as they accentuated her deadpan expression. She had dark pigment around her eyes, which caused the glaring irises to intensify whenever she gazed over her victim. 

“I’m Celia.” She offered with a tight smile, intrigued to learn more about the House of Cards, but unenthused of the unsuspecting company. During the short time she was there, she tried to determine the dynamics amongst the performers, but with Jimin and Taehyung constantly breathing down her neck, it was hard to figure anything out. She wasn’t sure if these girls were the right people for her to be talking to, but it was worth exploring. “How long have you been part of the circus?” Celia wondered. 

Anna’s eyes flicked across to Sophie, her arms folding over each other onto the table as she leaned over her meal slightly. If she was being honest, it felt like years, but in reality, it was probably much shorter. On their travels, it was hard to keep track of time, and every night, despite how many different customers she serviced, they all tended to blur into one terrible experience after another. “A few months, maybe.” She wasn’t sure, but it seemed like the correct estimate. 

Sophie bit her lip, quickly taking hold of her fork and poking at her food as she remembered the night of their capture. The thought nearly escaped her as she divulged in the comforts Jungkook offered her, her mind barely dwelled on anything from her past or beyond the circus; this was her life now. “How do you like it here?” Sophie offered, trying to escape the dark thoughts of their entrapment. 

Celia glanced around, her eyes calculating before meeting the women seated at her table. “I wouldn’t say I like it, but I can see why some might.” From what she gathered as long as the women put out, the leaders of the circus would deliver in comforts and luxuries. The relationships were mostly transactional and nobody did anything for free. The females might wear pretty smiles, but deep down they’re just looking for their next payday.

Anna perked up, wondering if they had taken Celia just as they did her and Sophie. “So, how did you end up here?” It was clear that Celia didn’t accept the treatment of the men like all the other females, giving them an attitude on a small scale just enough for them to ignore punishing her. 

Celia gapped for a second, trying to think of a reasonable excuse for joining the House of Cards despite its salacious reputation. “Well, it’s better than living on the streets.” She said, shrugging her shoulders with nonchalance. She never had to deal with that particular situation, but she imagined the conditions were far better for whores of a thriving business rather than scouring for clients just to keep warm for the winter. 

“I guess…” Anna sighed in defeat, disappointed by her impression of Celia. She expected someone with vigor and strength, a possible addition to help her combat the leaders of this forsaken circus. Instead, she learned she was just another prostitute looking for food and living accommodations. 

Celia noticed the expression on Anna’s features sink further, the edges of her face rigid as she stared at her plate. “I’m guessing you don’t agree?” She curled a brow, surprised that one of the women seemed so against the lifestyle offered by the House of Cards. 

Anna cringed as she remembered being used by Yoongi and all the others who paid for her like she was nothing more than a piece of meat. “Anything is better than this.” She whispered, keeping her eyes down. 

Sophie quietly ate her food, peering at Anna with every chew as the guilt sat on her stomach. While her friend was barely tolerating this place, Sophie had grown to enjoy her time as Jungkook’s assistant and become one of the most popular acts of the show. “If you don’t like it, why don’t you just leave?” Celia inquired, making Sophie nearly choke on her bite of food. 

Anna paused, ensuring her friend didn’t keel over from the obstruction in her throat. Once Sophie settled her coughing, she addressed Celia. “We tried, but…” Flashes of their escape attempt played in her head, reminding her how they were caught by Hoseok and Yoongi before they were dragged to Taehyung for punishment. She shuddered to think of spending another night on the cold ground with nothing to cover her, assuming that her punishment wouldn’t be worse. “It didn’t work out.”

Celia curled an eyebrow, “They don’t let you leave? As in against your will?” She knew this place had a notorious reputation for illegal activity, but she never imagined they would be holding people hostage. Her gaze flickered toward Sophie, who was unnaturally quiet despite the conversation topic.

“Yeah. No offense, but I wasn’t looking to sell my body and join the circus.” Anna grumbled, assuming Celia was just like the other woman delusional enough to believe this place had any ounce of intent for their well-being. 

However, Celia was enlightened to find the House of Cards had more secrets in development behind the scenes than the performance would ever allude to. It was far more than just prostitution, it was kidnapping or even worse, human trafficking. Celia quickly glanced around before noticing no one was close enough to eavesdrop and leaned across the table to keep her voice low. “What if I told you I know a way out?”

Anna perked up as Sophie felt a sudden pool of dread plummet in her abdomen. The human target went to inquire further on the subject, but the animal assistant intervened. “I don’t think we should talk about this. They threatened to kill us if we tried to escape again.” While that was a factor for Sophie’s hesitance to leave, it wasn’t the only reason for her to stay. Her relationship with Jungkook had become enjoyable as he showed her his love and appreciation night after night. She played a major role in the performances, and had her very own elephant; what more could a girl want?

Anna ignored the blatant warning from Sophie as her rebellious energy was sparked back to life, desperately looking for a way to break free from this hell. She opened her mouth to discuss Celia’s intel further until a boisterous voice echoed through the canteen. “Beautiful!” The women glanced toward the entrance to find Jungkook striding over, his toned legs moving him quickly across the dull grass to their table. 

Sophie watched eagerly as he approached, hoping the others didn’t say anything that would cause him to become upset, but luckily, they settled back in their seats as if they weren’t trying to conspire right under the nose of the men running this place. He arrived at the picnic table and leaned his palms across the top as he hovered over his assistant, examining her plate. “Did you grab enough for me?”

His pretty little assistant smiled softly, lifting the portion for his viewing. “You can have the rest of mine.” She offered, obediently.

Anna narrowed her eyes as she watched the duo, mild disgust reflecting in her features as she witnessed Sophie snap into this dutiful role to appease the animal tamer. Jungkook leaned down, pinching Sophie’s chin between his thumb and index finger before guiding her to meet his charming smile “Aren’t you sweet?” His gaze visibly darkened as the pad of his thumb teased her bottom lip. “Leave it. There’s something else I want to eat.” 

Anna nearly got whiplash as his demand was quickly followed by Sophie abruptly placing her plate on the table and getting up. He marched out of the tent with his assistant trailing on his tail before she could blink, but she did catch Sophie glance back once last time before disappearing out of the canteen without another word. “What the hell?” She whispered to herself, glancing at Celia, who only shrugged in response.

Celia felt the air shift and looked around the canteen to see an intense figure making their way towards the table and recognized him as the knife wielder. “I think he’s here for you.” She nudged Anna’s elbow, getting her attention.

Yoongi had his jaw tight as he finally stood in front of his assistant. “Let’s go, we’re already behind for rehearsal.”

The human target couldn’t hide her eye roll or hold her tongue with the renewed rebellion. “Oh, you mean for all your mistakes? Yeah, 'cause we really need more of those.” Despite her comment, she got up from her seat, grumbling under her breath with annoyance since she couldn’t talk to the newbie anymore. 

Yoongi stalked her as they exited the canteen, waiting patiently until they were outside before jerking her back against his chest, holding her as she stumbled on her feet. His large hand encased her neck, squeezing just enough to get her attention. “The only mistake I made was not putting your mouth to good use.” 

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