#i just judge characters how i would be judged

[the-thing-withfeathers]

exceeded caution: part 1

she would have chosen the devil

series masterlist | next part

summary: when your relationship with the younger carpenter sister fails, what happens when thoughts of her older sister start to take over your mind? 4.1k words pairing: tara carpenter x f!reader into sam carpenter x f!reader warnings: toxic relationship, cursing, fighting, alcohol consumption, drug consumption, frankie mentioned, out of character tara.

a/n: this is actually such a bad first chapter because its mostly set up but i promise the next chapters are so much better. but ily carpenter sisters mwah mwah.

•*¨*•.¸¸♪

couples fight, right?

that’s how they show they care, right?

that’s what you were always taught when talking about relationships.

you and tara had started off as friends with benefits. you met early in freshman year and the attraction was instant.

when you started to meet her friends, you quickly learned about their experience in woodsboro. you had known about the notorious killer but you never thought you would find yourself amongst the people associated with the incident.

as time went on, you decided to shoot your shot with her. your feelings became deeper than the desire to satisfy each other in bed.

you asked her out on a proper date after chasing her halfway across campus. you were sweaty and panting but when she delivered a kiss to her cheek with a "yes, i would love to", you knew it was worth it.

after a few dates, you learned that tara had a fear of getting close to people. she told you about amber and how she'd developed issues with commitment after that disastrous relationship.

so when you and tara started fighting at a higher frequency, you thought it was just because you didn’t want to lose each other.

you chalked it up to the perpetual state of stress she was in due to her sister being overprotective and not letting her go out as often as she used to.

then you started noticing the cracks in your theory when tara started fighting with you over the smallest thing. your jacket didn’t match her skirt, you chewed a little too loud, you handed her the wrong coffee order.

you did your best to calm the girl when she was in her angered state, your efforts proved to be futile when she would just kick you out of her room and you’d have to do the walk of shame out of her apartment.

only to make things worse, you usually bumped into sam on the way out. you knew your girlfriend’s older sister was overprotective of her and you were worried about what she thought of you.

sam often watched you leave from the kitchen, shooting you a look that you couldn’t decipher.

𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩

"there's a party tonight for halloween, we should all go." mindy proposed to the group. it was a frat party, and you hated frat parties.

"we should!" your girlfriend, tara, exclaimed.

"is sam even going to let you out of the house?" chad asked, chuckling softly at tara's excitement.

"uhh... that's an issue for later." she said, looking away. you saw the gears turning in her head.

"you're not gonna tell her, are you?" you asked her, you knew her all too well. she turned to you with a small glare on her face.

"and what of it?" she said, snapping a bit. you seem to have taken her out of deep thought. you should have known that would be her response.

whenever a sore subject would come up, you tried not to bother her too much about it. you should have held your tongue, knowing you were talking about one of the sorest subjects— her sister. you frowned at her.

"i was just trying to tease, tara." you clarified. "it's okay, i won't judge you for it. i know sam's been overprotective recently."

tara seemed to back down from her anger when you said that. she just turned back to her phone as you turned back to your uneaten lunch.

you agreed to the party under the impression that it might be good for you and tara. it might be nice for her to get out of the house for once and spend time just being a young adult.

"i'll go as a cowboy." chad chimed into the conversation again. you had no idea what you were going to put together at the last minute.

"i'll throw together a pirate outfit." tara shrugged her shoulders, thinking back to her own closet.

"maybe i could be the parrot on your shoulder." you joked at her, she rolled her eyes at you with a small smile on her face.

"please don't." she laughed softly. you loved her laugh so much, and you loved being the reason for it. you’ve grown to cherish those little slivers of happiness between the two of you.

“okay.” you retreated your statement. “i’ll go as an angel.” you grinned. you had a dress waiting for you back home and some spare angel wings you used for a previous costume party.

𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩

you were on your third drink of the night and had your arms around chad and ethan, singing the lyrics to sweet caroline. you three were swaying together on the dance floor.

mindy and anika looked over you three and rolled their eyes. it’s like they were meant to be.

you realised that your girlfriend was nowhere to be seen, that was concerning. she’d usually be joining you three in your antics.

you turned around to see her at the drinks table, talking to a taller man in a white shirt. you recognized him from somewhere but you weren’t entirely sure.

you opted to trust tara instead of the sinking gut feeling you had. she tended to get angry at you when you acted impulsively, you wanted to avoid that tonight.

you stepped away from the boys and made your way over to mindy and anika. you put your arm around mindy, you both had a great relationship— it was like you were her non-sibling twin flame.

"hey spoilsport. you suggested coming! why are you hiding all the way out here?" you asked her, leaning your head on her shoulder. you spotted a smile creep up her cheeks.

"because someone has to make sure all of you get home safe and sound." she poked your nose and you pulled your head back reflexively.

"that shouldn't stop you from having some fun with us too." you prodded more, trying to get her to loosen up.

however, mindy's point proved itself when you heard commotion come from the stairway. you turned your heads to see chad and tara along with the man in the white shirt by the staircase.

"holy fuck, is that frankie?" mindy asked.

it was like a jolt had electrified your entire body.

frankie.

you should have listened to that gut feeling. it got worse as you spotted tara by his side, his hand wrapped around her wrist.

you felt a fire rage in your belly and an overwhelming concern for tara. you made your way over only to already hear chad telling him off.

"what's going on?" you asked as you approached, standing shoulder to shoulder with chad.

“none of your business.” tara spat out at you, you looked at her with worried eyes. you never provoked her when she was like this but you realised the gut feeling not only applied to frankie but also tara.

“chad.” you called the boy’s name out, indicating that you wanted an explanation.

“frankie was trying to take tara upstairs for god knows what.” chad glared at the man a couple of steps above him.

your jaw clenched and fury filled your pupils.

“she wanted it, dude.” frankie shot back, “she asked me to.”

you looked over at tara only to see that she wasn’t looking at you, she was looking down at the accumulating crowd.

“tara, surely not.” you said, almost pleading. it was a contrast to your angry stare.

she didn’t respond.

she didn’t say a word.

“bro, shut up. she’s drunk and she isn’t thinking straight.” chad fought back at frankie. you snapped out of your thoughts and looked over at the two men.

“he’s right. she isn’t capable of making decisions. you have no right.” you said.

“whatever.” frankie rolled his eyes and pulled tara up the stairs, causing the shorter girl to tumble.

chad snapped and grabbed frankie by the shirt, throwing him down the stairs. you immediately went to check on tara.

“hey, love. let’s get you up. are you okay?” you asked her but you were simply met with silence and her trying to yank her arm away from your touch. she helped herself up but not without struggling.

you watched the altercation between chad and frankie go down, the two boys shoving each other back and forth.

you looked over at tara. you had almost forgotten the look on her face when you asked her if she was really wanting to go upstairs with frankie. she was inebriated, she wasn’t thinking clearly. she didn’t mean it— you could tell yourself that all you want but tara was never one to hide her emotions— especially if it was annoyance.

your thoughts were cut short when you saw sam carpenter walk straight in to the party.

fuck.

you couldn’t zone in enough to hear their conversation from the stairs, but your eyes did enough when they saw sam tase frankie’s balls.

you almost laughed at the sight of the man falling to the floor, but you knew you had to do something.

you stepped in suddenly, holding the older carpenter’s shoulders.

“let’s go. we don’t need any more trouble.” you thought you would be met with a scolding but sam simply nodded at you. she walked over to tara and helped her down the stairs, practically dragging her out of the party.

“sam, let me go!” your girlfriend protested. you followed behind the sisters along with chad, ethan, anika, and mindy.

tara managed to break herself free from sam’s grasp when you were all outside on the street. you stopped in your tracks and it landed you beside sam.

“tara, really?!” sam yelled at her sister, “sneaking out?! i had to find out from quinn that you were here. what if something happened to you?!”

“nothing was gonna happen, sam!” tara rubbed the inner corners of her eyes, trying to wrap her head around the situation.

“really?! cause i don’t think that guy was gonna let you go easy!” sam gestured back to the house. “and what were you thinking?! you have a girlfriend.”

“oh please, she won’t care.” tara scoffed. you were standing right there, but it was like she looked straight through you. how could she say that about you?

“right.” sam stopped her before she could say anything else. “i’m taking you home.” she said. she turned around to you, making eye contact. your breath hitched in your throat. “and you too. c’mon.”

you had to oblige, you weren’t going to fight against an angry sam.

𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩

the car ride was more eerie than silent.

despite the looming quiet, you looked over at tara in the rearview. she was staring outside the window in the backseat while you sat in the front. sam had forced her into the back, saying she didn’t wanna get thrown up on.

you looked over at sam, her eyebrows furrowed as she drove you both back. you wondered what was happening in that head of hers. she had been through a lot too. her protective nature was a product of everything that had happened in woodsboro, you found your concern growing for her too.

you helped tara up to the apartment with sam. at one point, you gave up and decided to princess carry her. she protested at first but realised she had no other choice.

you put tara down on her bed, taking off the bandana that covered her hair. you went into her closet to grab some clothes for her, kneeling down about to help her.

she suddenly turned away from you.

“tara, please. let’s not fight.” you pleaded with her, wanting to get her comfortable more than anything.

“fighting is the only reason i stay with you.” she mumbled.

“what?” you looked up at her from your kneeling position, trying to help her take her shoes off.

“you’re so nice all the time.” she glares at you. “you’re too different from her.”

oh, her. you knew.

“but i like controlling you. it’s almost too easy.” she had a venom-laced tongue tonight, the alcohol allowing the toxin to seep through your skin. “but i feel absolutely nothing for you.”

you finally knew the reason for your fighting.

“i almost even hate you sometimes though.” she admitted. “i only said yes to going out with you cause we were in public. if it was anywhere else, i would have rejected you.”

you were silent, you were stunned.

“i’m too young to settle down too, y’know?” she followed up, it was never-ending. “nothing was gonna happen with frankie. i knew better— he’s disgusting. but you had to end the fun when i was finally allowing myself to realise i had other options.” she scoffed.

her words didn’t make sense to you. she wouldn’t do that, she couldn’t do that. surely she had some heart in her.

you felt disgusted with yourself. you stepped back and had to hold back from saying anything. it was late, they had another roommate who was asleep and sam was waiting for you in the living room to take you home.

when you stepped back, tara rolled into bed, pulling the covers to her chin. you stared at her, tears forming in your eyes from what she said.

you were being used.

and she played you like a fiddle.

you were dressed as an angel, which was ironic.

because tara would rather have the devil.

you had tried to be the best possible person for her. you took everything she’s been to into consideration, always looking after her. but you realised she didn’t want that, she wanted someone else.

you covered your mouth to stiffle sobs that threatened to escape your lips.

you walked out of her room only to nearly come crashing into sam, who was leaning on the wall by the doorway the whole time.

𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩

sam had previously been in the kitchen, preparing a glass of water for tara. she realised you were taking a bit longer than she expected, she figured you fell asleep next to tara.

she knew the nature of your relationship with tara. she had to listen to tara’s entire thought process of saying yes to you asking her out. she even discouraged tara, letting her know that it wasn’t fair to you.

but tara always had a mind of her own.

when she heard soft voices, she decided to come and check on the two of you. she stopped walking and listened in when she heard what you were talking about.

oh, she felt sick.

she felt sick hearing her younger sister say those words to you. she always cherished tara. she missed her sister that wasn’t capable of hurting a fly but quickly let those thoughts go when she acknowledged that the girl that she cared for was gone.

she leaned against the wall and heard your footsteps quickly approach. she didn’t expect you to almost crash into her, her hands flew to your waist, stabilising you.

she hadn’t gotten a good look at you earlier, you were dressed as an angel. a part of her almost smiled at how pretty you looked. sam always thought you were pretty, her eyes weren’t painted on.

“hey…” she said, watching you wipe your tears away. “here, take this.” the water meant for tara quickly changed ownership.

you declined the water, shaking your head and waving it away.

“please. you’ve been crying.” you hated that sam carpenter caught you in this state. you hoped to compose yourself before seeing her again.

“sam, it’s fine. let’s just go, please.” you brushed past her, she quickly turned and followed you out. she grabbed her jacket and her keys before following you downstairs.

𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩

“you didn’t deserve that.” sam broke the silence. you slowly turned to her and just stared, you were still trying to find the words.

“sam…” you started.

“no. it doesn’t matter.” she interjected. “i’m sorry about tara.”

“it’s fine. i can handle it. she's right anyway."

“it’s not. and she isn't."

you felt yourself crawl back into your shell. the order in sam’s voice, like she was a general, made you feel like you couldn’t say a word.

“you deserve better than her." she suddenly turned to look at you, her glare wasn't like tara's though. hers was more angry at you for saying those things about yourself.

"she's just stressed." you try to justify tara's actions. you still harboured feelings for the girl. it was going to be hard to see it any other way.

"don't try and do that." sam shook her head, pulling up outside your apartment. "you're a grown ass woman, you know better than to try and justify someone hurting you."

you'd never seen that side to sam before. she was always tara's timid older sister, a strong but silent type. you didn't expect to hear her suddenly standing up for you.

"i just need a night, sam." you didn't want to talk about it anymore, it was all too much for you.

"get some rest." she nodded at you while you pulled at the door handle, unlocking it and hopping out. you leaned down and poked your head back into the car.

"thank you for the ride home. i appreciate it. i'll see you soon."

sam nodded at you. "goodnight."

"goodnight, sam."

𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩

tara thought her eyes were burning in the sunlight. she felt herself wither away as she was hit with a pounding headache.

her throat was dry but as she blinked away the exhaustion, she realised there was a glass of water by her bedside. she practically leapt for it, chugging it all in one go.

she was still in her clothes from last night. she got up to change into something more comfortable and take her make-up off. it was the weekend so she had nowhere to be, deciding to dedicate the free day to recovering from her wicked hangover.

she walked out of her room to see sam making breakfast. she could literally eat anything right now.

sam looked just as exhausted as her.

memories started flooding in from last night, the fight that ensued coming back to her

"jesus sam, no way you actually used a taser on someone last night." tara grumbled as she took her seat on the dining table.

"i absolutely did. and i'm not regretting it." sam retaliated, setting a plate down in front of tara. "eat up. you're gonna need the energy for today."

"why? what's today?" tara asked, already wolfing down the food in front of her.

"do you really not remember anything from last night?" sam asked her, sitting down beside her with her own plate of food.

tara shook her head which led to sam explaining what you two talked about that night.

tara was horrified. she felt so guilty. sure, she knew she didn't lie completely, but she knew you didn't need to hear that.

and it was too late to take it back now.

𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩

five knocks woke you from your own slumber.

you groaned and pushed yourself off the mattress, glitter still coating your eyes from your costume last night. you immediately rolled into bed after changing last night.

you threw the door open, a frustrated look on your face.

tara.

oh, and sam around the corner.

sam shot you a sheepish wave, you waved back at her. you knew the only reason that tara was here was because sam brought her. while you appreciated the gesture, you knew there was only one way this was ending.

"you shouldn't have kept this going for as long as it did!"

you yelled at tara. you two had been going at it for ten minutes now, you were sure the entire apartment complex could hear the two of you. and you knew they could hear your heart breaking.

"what the fuck was i supposed to do?!" tara exclaimed back. "walk up to you and oh hey, i don't actually have any feelings for you?!"

"yes! exactly that." you shot back, scoffing and crossing your arms across your chest. "you should have been honest with me, tara."

"i couldn't. you... you were good for me." tara whispered, her anger subsiding. "you were kind and just what i needed after everything that happened. i thought that maybe i could grow to have feelings for you."

"you shouldn't have taken that chance. you basically lied to me for months." your posture straightened, your jaw tightening. "it wasn't fair."

"i know... i know..." tara said, trying to calm you a bit more. "i'm sorry."

"you know that sorry isn't gonna cut it, right tara?" you huffed, shaking your head at her. "we're done."

she stared at you for a beat, she didn't believe that you ended it. you were so quiet all the time, always kind and happy. you never took the initiative, she thought she would have to do it. to say you surprised her was an understatement.

"i understand." she nodded. "i'll go."

"yeah... you'd better." you weren't going to stop her, she was the last person you wanted to see.

you opened the door for her and saw sam avoiding your eyes around the corner.

𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩

three weeks later, you hadn't seen much of your friends. you decided to be the one to keep your distance, you hadn't even seen mindy all that much.

it wasn't until you heard your phone buzz on a random friday morning that you realised that you were missing your dear friends.

"come over tonight, we're watching a movie." a text from mindy.

"we're?" you responded. you knew that mindy would pick up on what you were putting down.

"yes. tara will be there. but we haven't seen you in ages. i'll put you on seperate ends of the room." she typed quickly.

"okay. what time?" you missed your friends more than anything, it was worth seeing tara if it meant you got to see everyone else too.

"4 plus 3." mindy replied, you chucked your phone to the side and sighed. you had to spend the rest of the day psyching yourself up to face everyone again.

𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩 𓆪𓆩

you arrived at the twin's place at exactly seven sharp.

you walked in and saw that everyone else was already there, surrounding the television.

"bystanders reported seeing the killer with a black cloak and sporting the infamous ghostface mask."

oh no. oh no no no.

you knew all the stories, you'd seen what the killer had done to the carpenters and the twins. and you couldn't believe that he was back.

silence coated the walls of the room, everyone was too shocked to say anything.

tara ran out of the room into another area of the apartment, mindy and chad following behind her. sam walked out the door. you wanted to go after tara, but you thought you might make things worse in that sector. she already had the twins following her, and sam had nobody.

you trailed behind sam. she ran down the stairs, sitting down on the end step, her head falling into her hands. you slowly approached, sitting down on the end step beside her.

"i'm so sorry." you whispered, looking straight ahead.

"its never gonna fucking end." sam sobbed out, her fingers tangling into her hair.

you sat in silence, your palms flat on your lap. you didn't know if you should do anything or say anything.

"there's nothing i can say or do to make this better... but i hope you know, there's more of us now. no way in hell are we leaving you alone in all of this." you said, determined. "you aren't going to go through this alone, sam."

sam peeked her head out. your words were something she had heard before, but coming from you, she felt different about them. she knew you didn't know how to reassure her, you hadn't been through the same thing. you two only knew each other in passing, but she appreciated it.

she turned to you, and you turned to her.

this was the closest you two had been ever.

had she always been this beautiful?

had you?

you shook your head to shake away your thoughts, now was not the time. you could tell she was also trying to push her own thoughts away.

"thank you, i appreciate that." she whispered, a small but genuine smile flashed at you.

"do you want to sit here for a bit longer?" you asked her.

sam begun to think that tara was right. you were incredibly kind and considerate, you could read people like they were an open book. she nodded at you and you nodded back at her.

you two proceeded to sit in a comfortable silence.

you could hear thumping above you, knowing that the twin's apartment was active with stress and fear.

but you couldn't move. you had to be there for sam.

and you meant what you said.

no matter what, you weren't leaving.

•*¨*•.¸¸♪

author's journal i actually am also unsure about this set up for the series. i hope my writing gets better as it goes on but the set up was a bit rough to write and even read. but i promise better content soon y’all 😫 i also would have written a longer drunken argument scene between tara & reader but i needed some sam emphasis, this might get edited in the future

on another note, okay yeah i have so much love for the carpenter sisters actually. this idea came to be out of nowhere when i was watching scream vi to fall asleep and i immediately told emma about it so everyone say ty emma ilysm liefje. she's had to deal with all my bullshit recently so this entire series is dedicated to her <3

another thing is heaps and heaps of credits to @shdysders one of my current favorite writers because the drunken argument scene is hella similar to theirs from one of their fics, if only (which you all should read btw.) thank you babes.

andddd let me know if you wanna get added to the taglist for this fic also and i’ll be more than happy to oblige <3

[mindmelter]

A Body Stealer Tale: Fugitive

"I only have four available at the moment. I don't hunt like I used to." I say, guiding the man to my basement, where four men are standing frozen in only their underwear.

"It's fine, they all look good." The man says.

He is a fugitive, one of the most wanted men in the country. The kind you see on the news, his face plastered everywhere, but no one knew the truth. No one knew the lengths he would go to escape. That’s where I come in. I don’t judge them��how could I? That’s not my role. My job is simple: I help them find a new body to hide in.

"Would you mind giving me their info?" The man asks.

"From left to right, we have Ethan. He's 19 years old, fresh out of high school, and I got him at a small beach town where he was spending his summer surfing and working part-time at a café. His bodysuit is smooth, with just the right amount of muscle definition, and that wavy hair makes him stand out. He's the perfect body if you like that carefree, beach vibe.

Next is Jake. At 22, he's fresh from the military, built like a rock. I picked him up after he finished his last tour. The tight buzzcut and his stocky build give him that no-nonsense, tough look. If you're into strength and durability, Jake's bodysuit is the one for you.

Then, we have Cole. He's 24 and hails from a small Texas town, hence the cowboy hat. I found him working at a rodeo—he's got that strong, silent type charm. His broad shoulders and muscular chest give him a powerful presence, perfect for anyone wanting that rough, country boy look. You won't be bothered by anyone if you pick him.

And finally, there's Luca. At 23, he's got a natural good-looking face that makes heads turn. I got him right after he graduated college—he was modeling on the side to make ends meet. His suit has that classic, athletic look, with just the right amount of body hair to give it character."

The man looked thoughtful, like he was having a hard time picking one. He inspected them from closer and pulled down the underwear of each one to inspect their junk. After a while, he finally decided.

"I think I’ll go with..."

[temis-de-leon]

Male!MC as the future king of the Devildom

Characters: Diavolo x male!MC (established relationship) with stellar cameos from Lucifer, Mammon, Satan, Asmo and Barbatos

Main Masterlist

@beawesome04: Hello! I was wondering if I could request a one-shot of Diavolo reacting to being in another world where he meets the Male! Reader as the Future King of Devildom! Only that instead of the reader being the kind-hearted transfer student (Basically how MC acts in game), this Reader is a lot more serious and isolated. Hope this is good!

A/N: cannot believe that the roulette worked

.

It wasn’t the first time his eagerness had gotten the best of him, but to be fair, what else was he supposed to do when the circumstances of his life forced him to be so lonely and bored? With Barbatos and Lucifer always reminding him to do his work every hour of the day, who was he to ignore such tempting opportunities?

Plus, it wasn’t like he went searching for the mirror.

He had been merely strolling around the castle, hiding from his butler, when an old wooden door closed with a thud and left him trapped in a dusty room. Everything there had aged badly in abandonment except the mirror. It was a heavily magically charged object and its golden frame shined in the dark, engraved with creatures and symbols from the three realms that merged at the top. One of the corners showed a dragon curled around a lamb, both resting in a peaceful embrace, and he couldn’t help but think about you.

Sadly, sneaking around and having secret dates left you with an obscene amount of schoolwork, just like him, and although you always said you were aware of the consequences, he knew he should be more responsible. His burdens were too heavy to share and the last thing he wanted to do was selfishly take the time you could use for leisure.

Something changed in front of him and he finally realised that the mirror hadn’t shown any reflection until then, but it wasn’t entirely accurate; his eyes weren’t golden anymore, instead a light shade of brown, and he was wearing the generic RAD uniform. However, when he looked down, it was still red.

Diavolo hummed, too intrigued to turn around and continue his little escapade. In the blink of an eye, he switched to his demon form and although the mirror followed his movements, it didn’t change his appearance.

He turned back and stared again.

He looked human.

And just like that, as if his revelation triggered the powers of the mirror, a wave softly covered the surface of the glass and turned his reflection into a blur. A light showed in the middle while the room remained in the dark. Diavolo could only look, mouth agape and eyes open wide, as the brightness in front of him grew and slowly disintegrated the glass, shards turning to ashes before falling to the ground.

Then, in the span of just a second, the light engulfed him and he disappeared.

.

.

Powerful magic sucked him out of the room, pulling him through a suffocating white tunnel until he fell backwards on something soft, which, judging by the duvet and the pillows, was a bed.

Your bed, if he remembered correctly. How would he be wrong, anyway? It was the most recognisable room he’d ever seen. The bedding was pink and there was a tree above him; it was unmistakable.

The change of scenery brought a wide smile to his face and he wasted no time in getting up to search for you, but he was soon met with disappointment.

While it was true that you were the one who did most of the visits and he only went to the House of Lamentation on celebrations or for meetings with Lucifer, he had seen your room enough to know this wasn’t your room.

Just like his brand-new brown eyes or his black uniform, there was something familiar about his surroundings that slightly unnerved him, like the pictures on the walls. His face was plastered on all of them, mainly with the brothers, but there were some with the angels, Solomon, Barbatos and you as well. Not as many as he’d like, though, and while you looked happy in the pictures, your smile wasn’t as big as usual.

And your eyes had also changed, hadn’t they? Were your canine teeth sharper, too?

“Dia!” sang a voice from the other side of the door, making him jerk in surprise. “Are you coming out, hon’? You’re supposed to be at the castle in twenty minutes; let me see what you’re wearing!”

He stood there, unable to say anything coherent while frantically looking around for clues. There were clothes his size scattered around the room and his DDD, if that was even still its name, was charging on the table.

“You’re awake, aren’t you?” Asmo talked again.

“Me? Y- Yes, I am!”

“Then come out, silly, I want to see you”

“Yeah, I figured” he whispered to himself.

He was wearing the black uniform, but it was wrinkled and the shirt had partially come out of his pants. “The other him” had probably been napping before changing places. Was he in that dusty old room in the castle, then? Was he about to get lectured by Barbatos once he was caught sneaking around? His trusted butler would probably guess the unusualness of the situation, however.

Though Barbatos would probably lose his mind once he realised the prince was lost in an unknown location.

Diavolo was sure everything would be okay.

Smiling in uncontained excitement, he hurried to the table, looked at the screen and let his heart hammer against his chest as he read the messages; Lord MC was asking him whether he wanted to stay for dinner or not and he’d be crazy if he ever rejected that offer, especially in the strange circumstances he was living.

“Hey, Diavolo! Check this out!”

“Mammon…!”

The cheery demon opened the door with a slam, entering without any care in the world while flaunting a shiny black card. Asmo trailed after him with a frown on his face, but his brother wasn’t paying him or his protests any attention.

“I got Goldie back, so you better get ready to leave the house and go to the casino. I didn’t work hard to earn this money for nothing!”

Diavolo smiled back at his grin but didn’t say anything and watched instead as Asmo laughed in incredulity and mockery. Soon the room was filled with jabs and well-thought insults while both brothers went at each other’s throats, and before anyone could do anything too drastic, Satan appeared at the door and rolled his eyes at the spectacle.

“You want us to believe that you earned this money legally and honestly?”

“Why would you say it like that? You make me look like a thief!”

“That’s what you are, you useless scumbag!”

The argument didn’t show signs of dying any time soon so, suddenly remembering that he was supposed to be at the Demon Lord’s castle in just a few minutes, Diavolo silently grabbed his phone and tip-toed towards Satan, who was waiting for him with a hopeless expression.

“So many years have passed and they still manage to embarrass me…” he lamented with a frown before swiftly closing the door and inviting Diavolo to walk beside him. “I thought you had plans with MC, aren’t you running a bit late?”

A wave of excitement flooded his veins at the mention of your name, but he forced himself to calm down. It wasn’t you who he had plans with, after all; it was another version of you that had every right to sit on his throne and bear what was otherwise his title. Did you have a demon form too? Were your duties as demanding as his? Were you as eager to run away from work as him? There was only one way to find out.

“I fell asleep” he ended up answering with no intention to continue. If Satan had expected a longer explanation he said nothing, but his silence was telling enough.

The Avatar of Wrath had stayed quiet because he wasn’t surprised. This Diavolo, the human version who was so similar yet different to the demon prince, overslept and wore a wrinkly uniform. He lived with the brothers and had no responsibilities other than being a good human world representative and surviving every adversity that was thrown his way.

How exciting!

They were at the main entrance before he could realise it and if he thought his day couldn’t get any better, he was very wildly wrong.

“Diavolo!” called a voice from the top of the stairs. “Where in Lord MC’s name is Mammon? Have you seen him?”

“Of course!” he answered with uncontained glee and Satan stared at him with raised eyebrows.

Although not as exhausted as his other version, Lucifer looked the same. He was even grumpy and everything! A deep frown on his face as he gracefully walked down the stairs, all the while mumbling insults and curses against the second born.

“So? Where is he? And don’t bother hiding and defending him; you know there will be consequences for you as well if you help him”

Diavolo had to bite down a giggle. There he was, his best friend, looking at him with darkness in his eyes, a mean smile and arms crossed over his chest. His words undoubtedly carried a real threat, but Diavolo was so thrilled about his adventure that he simply could not take him seriously.

“You will find him in no time, I’m sure” he laughed, leaving the eldest brother unimpressed and the younger amused. “I’m in a hurry, though. Lord MC is waiting for me”

That seemed to do the trick. Lucifer’s eyes opened wide in shock and one of his hands clutched his chest while the other hastily pushed Diavolo towards the door.

“Well, don’t keep him waiting then” he said in a scolding tone. However, once they were finally out of the house, his voice turned lower and softer. “See if you can distract him a little bit. Barbatos has been trying to get him out of his office, but you know how he is; if our friendship was closer, I would’ve tried myself, but I think that’s a job for you”

He tried not to stare in confusion, but the words had left him speechless. So far, the alternate universe shown by the mirror had proven to be one where Diavolo was in your place and you in his, so Lucifer’s plead was nonsensical in his head.

He would never barricade himself in his office for more than necessary, let alone turn down Barbatos’s advice to rest, so why did you? It didn’t make sense to see you, a human so cheerful and kind, as someone so closed and isolated; but seeing you doing so in a universe where you were supposed to fill his shoes was way, way more perplexing.

“Is everything alright, Diavolo?”

“Are you feeling okay?” asked Satan leaning over his brother’s shoulder.

They were both looking at him with worry and, thankfully, no suspicion. However, if he didn’t try to act more casually, someone would eventually figure out that he wasn’t the Diavolo they loved.

He knew very well how his version of the brothers, and everyone else for that matter, would act in a scenario where your safety was in question. He was in no hurry to discover if these alternate versions would react the same way.

“I’m fine” he said quickly, trying to downplay his behaviour. “I just didn’t sleep very well, that’s all”

That appeared to be enough for the moment.

Satan smiled and waved goodbye, wishing him a nice evening before entering the house. Lucifer crossed his arms again before bidding farewell.

“Please, do have a good time”

Then his eyes went back to the darkness.

“Rest assured, however, if I don’t find Mammon, there will be a proper punishment waiting for you upon your return”

And that time, he did feel chills up his spine.

.

.

His excitement had run down by the time he finally arrived at the castle.

While the city’s skeleton remained the same, the ambience reflected a side of the Devildom that he had never known. His kingdom was alive, full of colours even in eternal night and perpetually changing alongside those who populated it. This land, however, was muter; more elegant than casual. Every demon wore their true forms and spoke in mellow, cautious voices, blending in the dark and the breeze and moving as fast as he blinked.

It wasn’t dark or gloomy, as he saw various open stores and restaurants at full capacity, but it was certainly tamer… Conservative was the word.

Just like his Devildom showed the way he ruled as the future king, its alternate version was an obvious example of your leadership.

An uncomfortable feeling settled in his stomach. Just how different were you?

He took out his phone, fingers just a tad uncoordinated due to nerves, and sighed when he saw no messages from you. You must have been used to his human version’s tardiness. There were, however, at least a dozen messages from Asmo; a mix of crying stickers and pleads that didn’t help ease his mind. He decided to read only the most recent ones.

Did you seriously leave the house wearing your wrinkly uniform?? I could’ve helped you choose something better! At least you’re already dating and you don’t have to impress him… But next time I’m making you even more beautiful! Also, insist on the foam party!! Lucifer will kill us if we do it at the HOL, but we need MC’s permission to use The Fall! And you know how he is.

And then more crying stickers.

Did he know how you were, though?

His mind went blank when the castle’s door appeared in his line of sight. There was no time to back down and he didn’t want to do it either, but would he be able to if he ever wanted to return?

Closing his eyes as he raised his hand to knock on the door, Diavolo searched for that deep root in his chest that connected every piece of his body and soul. It felt crimson and black, like coagulated blood, but also white and golden; hope for his future and his crown. While settled at the deepest end of his heart, its energy moved with tendrils; you would compare them to axons whenever he tried to explain it to you.

He searched and searched and bile went up his throat when he found nothing. His breath quickened and cold sweat covered his skin the moment he couldn’t transform into his demon form; the fear hitting him so forcefully that he felt himself grow lightheaded, falling forward against the door with his whole body.

It opened almost instantly and someone extremely familiar wasted no time in helping him stand.

“Diavolo! Are you okay?”

“I feel awful…”

The words left him before he even thought about them, but he guessed that was Barbatos’s effect on him, no matter the universe.

Gloved hands immediately straightened him, gently pushing him inside before closing the door and taking him to the kitchen, where he was seated and promptly served a warm cup of tea.

He looked up with a raised brow, showing his amazement like an open book, and received a soft laugh in return. The butler was worried about him, but Diavolo could tell he was trying to remain as calm as possible, probably not to freak him out even further.

“We thought you’d arrive sooner, so I prepared it a little while ago, but don’t worry, Lucifer warned me you were distracted by the brothers back at the House of Lamentation. And also that you were feeling a bit under the weather. Is that true? Is there anything I can do to help?”

Diavolo realised in that instant that acting casual would be an impossible feat. If looking at Barbatos was unnerving enough, then spending time with you would likely make his brain stop functioning. You were, based on what he had seen and heard so far, a solemn prince of a lonely nature, which was already too different from what he knew.

Being a magicless human with no definitive allies, he hoped the other version of you would be as wise and understanding as the boyfriend he was happily dating, but chances of survival based on speculation and trust were very slim.

Thankfully, he had the advantage of dating you in both universes. The thought alone warmed his entire body and he had to cover his mouth with a hand to hide his lovesick grin.

“I’m honoured, Barbatos” he said, trying to justify his abrupt giddiness. “Don’t worry about me, please, I’m just tired… And impatient to see MC as well”

There was a beat of silence before the demon chuckled with understanding, seemingly convinced by his answer, but Diavolo knew enough about fake smiles and his butler’s mannerisms to notice the way his green eyes had quickly scanned him from head to toe during that short second. The mixture of the blissfulness that dating you in both universes brought and the fear of being studied by a strange version of his friend was making his heart go crazy.

He asked himself, with unfamiliar horror, if the irregular flutter of his heart was audible beyond the confinements of his chest.

Suddenly, the kitchen door opened and a flow of fresh air entered the space.

“Diavolo, you’re finally here”

“My Lord”

Barbatos bowed immediately, an arm over his chest and another behind his back. You tilted your head in acknowledgement before observing your surroundings with contained curiosity, surely searching for what was taking so long. Finally, after finding nothing, you turned around and gave Diavolo a small smile.

He could barely return the gesture in time.

“I was about to go search for you, my Lord” said the butler with a polite expression, briefly looking at Diavolo before centring all of his attention on you. “It seems you were faster; I apologize”

“You were hosting my guest of honour, no need to apologize”

“Allow me to do so, sir”

“Very well, then”

The reflection of a mirror was not oneself. It was an image in reverse, only similar to reality on the surface.

You were there, but it wasn’t you.

There was no shine on your eyes, nor smile wrinkles on your cheeks. The red uniform looked unnatural on your body, more like a costume than a formal attire, and the way you stood in the middle of the room made him frown in discomfort. You looked regal and imposing, but not like the man he loved.

“Are you okay, Dia?”

Barbatos hummed in amusement before he could answer and you looked at him with a questioning glance.

“That seems to be the question of the day, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean…?”

“I slept awfully” he hurried an answer, but that proved to be worse.

The knowing glint in Barbatos’s stare felt like a sentence, which caught your attention and raised your suspicion. There was an unspoken conversation between you and your butler and before Diavolo had time to say anything else, you looked at him with both arms behind your back and spoke in a non-committal tone.

“Would you please wait outside? It will only take a moment”

He nodded and forced himself to get up from his seat. His body felt like an unoiled engine, joints cracking uncomfortably and making him cringe, but that wasn’t what was making him wince. It was the sensation of having no magic and no support in case anything went bad, of the idea of being perceived as an impostor whose intentions were still unknown.

The silence followed him as he left the kitchen and the last thing he saw before closing the door was the cup of tea he hadn’t touched, still full and no longer warm.

Could he find the dusty room where the mirror was located? He’d probably be able to retrace his steps from his office, but he wasn’t sure if he’d even be able to reach the office without being caught first. One of the servants would eventually see him and report to Barbatos and then it would only be a matter of time before his fate was sealed.

But what other option did he have? Convince you that he meant no harm and that his other version was safe? He didn’t even know if he was safe! For all he knew, the human Diavolo could be experimenting with his new powers and driving Barbatos and Lucifer mad! The other six brothers were probably having a field day, which just made everything worse.

He supposed the best he could do was lay low and get on your good graces, although that might be difficult if he was impersonating your boyfriend.

Quite the adventure, indeed.

Finally, after what felt like hours, he heard the hinges again and saw you emerge from the kitchen. Your calm demeanour did nothing to ease his nerves, but he still placed himself beside you when you started to walk away.  

He tried to ignore Barbatos’s presence following far behind them.

Of course, he had no such luck.

.

.

Somehow, being alone with you didn’t make him as apprehensive as the others had eventually made him feel. Sure, the silence between you was uncomfortable and tense as a string, but at least he could distract himself by observing the flowers in the path and the nocturnal birds flying over your heads.

Just like the structure of the city, the flora and fauna of the Devildom remained the same in both universes, so being surrounded by the familiarity of something so simple was probably what was helping him stay grounded and keeping him from spiralling.

You took him for a stroll through the gardens, distractedly caressing the leaves and the petals as you passed and scratching the surface of the water when you went around the fountains. Not a single word was said, yet your tranquillity didn’t quiver. Perhaps, as non-social as you were as a prince, the silence was your source of comfort.

A long half an hour passed until you finally decided it was time to sit down and have a talk, although it might have been shorter; not once did Diavolo dare to grab his phone and check the time.

The wooden bench was wide enough to sit comfortably without being glued to each other, but he still leaned against the armrest and tried his hardest to ignore the way the ornate iron dug into his skin. You seemed to pay no mind, quietly admiring the horizon while the moon lighted your face and the breeze moved your hair. Diavolo couldn’t help but stare in wonder, wishing his beloved boyfriend was there instead. His fantasy was shattered, however, when you turned to look at him with a hardened gaze.

“Who are you?”

The straightforwardness of the question caught him off guard. He expected you to dance around the topic, maybe even toy with him a little bit, but it looked like you didn’t want to waste any time on the subject.

He didn’t either, not anymore. He longed for the comfort of your presence and the warmth of his magic; everything that was part of him had been ripped away and while it had been entertaining at the beginning, his impatience was running very thin.

Diavolo sat straight, vulnerable and at a disadvantage, but still the future Demon King.

“I am Lord Diavolo, Prince of the Devildom” he said with a secure tone. Your expression changed almost imperceptibly, turning to stupefaction before going back to emotionless. “I’ve been transported to this world on accident and I’ve lost my powers. I mean no harm”

“Incapability to make harm and unwillingness to do so are not equal”

“I don’t want any trouble”

“Why would I believe you?”

“It’s in your best interest”

“Is that a threat?”

“It’s a warning”

He stared at you without blinking, trying to get his point across without showing any aggressiveness; hopefully, his human-like appearance would help his case.

“You are quite bold” you said with poorly contained ire and indignation. Your lips formed a thin line and there was a deep frown on your face; it almost looked painful.

“I am telling the truth. I’m not sure, but I believe your Diavolo is in my world. If you help me return, he may come back to you”

“And if he doesn’t?”

What a great question.

Nothing certain was on the table, only mere speculation. If he was a human living with the brothers while you were the demon prince living in the castle, it was logical to assume the alternate Diavolo was living in a world where he was the prince and you were the human. Where else could he be otherwise?

“I don’t know” he finally said, swallowing hard. “But I’ll be out of your way”

You stayed in silence for a couple of seconds before getting up and pacing for a few minutes. The grass flattened under your feet and the birds resting on the branches flew away. Your frustration would be noticeable even to the most obtuse demon.

“You were transported; how?”

“There’s a room in the east wing of the castle, not far from the office, with a mirror inside. I was running away from Barbatos when I found it. The reflection it showed wasn’t mine and I got curious, then there was a light and it brought me here”

There was a moment of silence where you both stared at each other. Thankfully, your anger had mostly gone away, having been replaced by intrigue and disbelief. It could be his imagination, but Diavolo was pretty sure there was a tiny smirk on your lips.

“You were running away from Barbatos”

“I was”

“For what reason?”

He closed his eyes with slight embarrassment, knowing perfectly well that the lecturing would follow him no matter the universe.

“He was making me work”

“I beg your pardon?”

There it was, the chuckle of incredulity. You raised your eyebrows and tilted your head as if that would help you hear better. The moonlight was crowning you, leaving your face in the shadows and making Diavolo feel incredibly exposed, but he still answered.

“I’ve been working for days on end and I was tired, but I had more paperwork, so I asked for more tea and took the chance to run away when he left me alone”

“You, as the heir to the throne,” you added with scepticism, “didn’t want to do your job?”

“I wanted to spend time with my boyfriend”

“And who that may be?”

“You” he barked, finally gaining the feeling of having the upper ground.

Diavolo watched with satisfaction as you blinked in surprise, petrified on your spot. There was a shift in your eyes, something that softened the accusation in them, and then, slowly, you walked towards him and sat down again, this time closer but still not touching.

“We are dating in your world?” your voice had subdued as well, slightly leaning towards contentment.

“Yes” he nodded, allowing himself to smile a little. “For a few months now”

“Just like us, then”

His heart did a flip at the statement even when he was already aware of the fact, cheeks growing warm and making him grin like an idiot. You didn’t notice, as you were too occupied admiring the moon in amazement.

“What perfection” you said with a voice hoarse from emotion. “To find each other in more than one reality”

Diavolo forced himself to swallow and push down that painful spine in his throat. Meeting you had probably been one of the warmest moments of his life, being surpassed only by the day you shared your first kiss, and he kept both memories in his heart with extreme caution and care.

Knowing that those occasions had happened to other versions of him was just another memory waiting to be stored in his brain.

“Perfection, indeed” he answered with wet eyes and no amount of sadness in them. “One of my finest accomplishments”

You chuckled, what was probably the happiest he had seen you so far, before getting up one more time and offering him a hand to help him do the same.

“Come on, let’s get you home. We can search for the mirror and, if that doesn't work, luckily for us, I have a very talented demon who is an expert on portals to other realities”

Diavolo smiled at your teasing, sniffing and swallowing a couple of more times to fully erase the sudden raw emotion that you had both shared just then. Still, there was a bit of uncertainty left in his mind.

“What if your Diavolo doesn’t come back?”

You stopped in your tracks when you heard the question, but didn’t turn around. It seemed he had already seen too much of your emotions in just one night.

“I thought we made it clear” you muttered while continuing to walk the path. “We will always find each other”

.

.

Taglist: @ilovecandys2010  @ollieoven @kingofspadesdelusion @whimsybloom @sammywo

[blueteller]

Do you know how smart Cale actually is? Like- what extent his intelligence can reach?

That's an interesting question! Let's take a look.

From what I know of IQ scores, anything above 120 puts you in top 10% of the population. So I easily see Kim Rok Soo!Cale belonging in that category; of >120 IQ. However, IQ had always felt a little vague to me. It's nice to have a number to put on a scale and all, but what does it actually mean in reality? Let's try this from a different angle.

Gardner's Multiple Intelligences model of divides talent into eight categories, plus one additional one:

Visual-spatial

Linguistic-verbal

Logical-mathematical

Body-kinesthetic

Musical

Interpersonal

Intrapersonal

Naturalistic

Existential

Why not try to measure him up against each one, as no person is actually intelligent in every way and not even a fictional character can excel in all of them (unless they're a Mary Sue or something lol).

Visual and spatial judgment stands for easy reading, writing, puzzles solving, recognizing patterns and analyzing charts well. I think Cale is definitely a pro in this category; he does loves reading and he's fantastic at analyzing data.

Linguistic-verbal is for remember written and spoken information, debates, giving persuasive speeches, ability to explain things and skilled at verbal humor. And while I constantly make fun of Cale for not being able to explain himself, he IS good at using the "glib tongue" and being persuasive, so I think he is very skilled in this category as well.

Logical-mathematical means having excellent problem-solving skills, the ability to come up with abstract ideas and conduct scientific experiments, as well as computing complex issues. Cale is an incredible strategist able to change his plans in an instant, so he is definitely a genius in this field.

Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence is a fun one, because I think it's the hardest one to judge, considering that he literally changed bodies. It of course stands for sports, dancing, craftmanship, physical coordination, and remembering better by practice rather than learning theory. Cale... does not like that. However, it doesn't mean he's BAD at it. If he was a genius in this field, however, I believe he would like it a bit more. Thus – I suspect he was average. In the past he was forced to exercise for the sake of survival, but once he was given the option of taking it easy, he quit instantly. He is capable, but does not have any particular predisposition for it.

Musical Intelligence drives me nuts, because we literally do not know, and I dearly wish I did. There was not a single mention of it in the whole series. As much as I want to believe in a cool headcanon of KRS being an unrealized musical genius... I think he was probably average or below average in this.

Interpersonal Intelligence stands for communication, conflict-solving, perception and the ability to forge connections with others. And while you might have some doubts about Cale, I say he IS a total pro in this. Those are all leadership skills, and Cale is one HELL of a great leader.

However...

Intrapersonal Intelligence is where Cale is severely lacking. It could be partially due to trauma, but I think at least some of it comes through his natural personality. It stands for introspection, self-reflection, the ability to understand one's motivation and general self-awareness; and that is Cale's biggest weakness, one that might actually cost him his slacker life dream in the end, due to all the misunderstandings he causes.

The last two, Naturalistic and Existential Intelligence types, are also not really Cale's forte. The first is for things like botany, biology, and zoology, paired with enjoyment of camping and hiking – none of which Cale actually does for pleasure, only because he has to. And yeah, farming is in that category too, but it's not like Cale is actually a real farmer just yet. And the second is for stuff like philosophy, considering how current actions influence future outcomes, the ability to see situations from an outside perspective and reflections into the meaning of life and death – and Cale is REALLY not interested in this type of self reflection.

Which leaves Cale with 4 types of intelligence he excels at, 2 which he is REALLY BAD at, 1 where he's below average and 1 he's probably average, with 1 left completely unknown.

Does this make Cale a genius? Pretty much, yes. Does it also make him stupid in very specific ways? VERY MUCH, YES.

[yan-lorkai]

can i ask: leona and tweels with gn! reader who is a writer who is hopeless? like their whole soul is in their writing and they spend too much time overthinking (franz kafka and fyodor reference fr 'cause i love them both)

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ A/N: This is such a mood. I'm the overthinking writer most of the time as in both with my fics and the actual book I'm trying to write. Like, it's just the first draft but I want to be perfect already aaaaa. And you're so real for this, anonie, Franz Kafka and Fyodor Dostoevsky are such good writers, I love them both (⁠๑⁠♡⁠⌓⁠♡⁠๑⁠)

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Jade see the effort you put on your writings and how passionate you are about your work. He is almost the same when he is thinking about his terrariums and mushrooms so he won't judge you or tease you, though there's a part in him that wants to tease you restlessly. He often questions you about what you're writing, about the plot, the characters, if you write just for fun or if you're going to publish it. He likes hearing you talking about it so excitedly. The sound is melodical, soft and happy, while there's tons of ways to punish if you misbehave, Jade would mess your book if you do something he disapprove. That way you'll learn. And then he gets to help you write everything again, his memory is great after all.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Leona think it's both entertaining and annoying how much you overthink every little detail about your book. He see you doodle and writing on whatever you get your hands on; notebooks, sketchbook, your hands, the table, on his arm - even though you only did that once - so you don't forget something you were thinking about or you spend too much time browsing the internet for a specific topic. Your whole soul is on your work and he see it. And he hates it. He wanted you to be this obsessed with him as you are to your little book. Yet, he can't find in himself to tell you this. Not when you ramble endlessly to him while you cuddle him, petting his ears and braiding his hair or ask him to read your work. You're cute when you're overthinking.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Floyd, sweet Floyd, he thinks it's a waste of time to spend so much time thinking about this or that. If you want your book to be this way or have this trope, go for it, you don't have to overthink everything - he says as if writing a book was something easy to do but you ask for him to sit by your side for two minutes, boy's going to be bamboozled. He may have his energy peaks where he will lose focus on what you are saying or doing at that moment or his mood swings, but overall he always remembers the things you said about the book. While Jade take to be your editor, Floyd fits more the role of reader, speaking freely about what he thought about your characters, the plot and all that. He may be blunt in his review but he will not sugarcoat things for you, even more if you want to publish it someday.

[splashstar01]

MBTIs of BBC's Merlin & Arthur Pendragon

Arthur Pendragon (ISTJ)

Introverted (I): Now I know many people see him as an extrovert. I argue he plays extroverted out of necessity. Although Arthur is often in the spotlight due to his royal position, he tends to process emotions and decisions internally. He’s reserved about personal feelings, often keeping a stoic exterior, particularly in moments of vulnerability. His introversion explains why in season 4 finale (the show only has 5 seasons), he told Merlin that Merlin was still his only friend, despite the fact that all the Knights of the Round had already been established! He clearly differentiates knights who would willingly give their lives from real friends. Arthur is so private that he doesn't even tell his wife things. In season 5, she casually said, "Arthur never tells me anything." Arthur only really lets Merlin in. (Because he loves Merlin, duh. lol)

Sensing (S): Arthur is pragmatic and focused on the present. He has a strong sense of duty and tradition, often valuing tangible results and sticking to established systems, like the chivalric code and the duties of being a king.

Thinking (T): He makes decisions based on logic and duty rather than emotions. Arthur strives to do what is right for Camelot and tends to focus on rationality when dealing with political and military matters, even if it means setting aside personal attachments.

Judging (J): Arthur values structure and order. He is disciplined, prefers routines, and is committed to fulfilling his responsibilities as a king. He can be strict, both with himself and others, expecting everyone to uphold the same level of duty.

Merlin (ENFP)

Extraverted (E): I have heard some parts of fandom say Merlin is introverted.... But Merlin has to be the friendliest, most outgoing and open character on the show! Merlin effortlessly connects with others. He’s warm, often initiating interactions with various people across all social classes, and enjoys forming deep bonds with those around him. Basically, the complete opposite of Arthur. Arthur's top knights, Lancelot and Gwaine, became knights for Merlin, because of their friendship with him! Merlin at his best is a happy, bubbly dude!

Intuitive (N): Merlin looks beyond the surface and sees potential and possibilities. He is often focused on his vision for the future, specifically the destiny he believes Arthur must fulfill, and tends to think about the broader implications of events.

Feeling (F): Merlin makes decisions based on his emotions and values. He is compassionate and deeply cares about the people he loves, even risking his life to protect them. His empathy drives many of his actions, as he is guided by his heart rather than just logic.

Perceiving (P): Merlin is adaptable and flexible. He thrives in chaotic situations, often relying on his quick thinking to solve problems on the fly. Unlike Arthur, Merlin isn't tied to structure and routine, preferring to go with the flow and adjust his plans as circumstances change.

Even being complete opposites (they don't have a single common letter in their MBTI), Arthur and Merlin's personalities complement each other in a way that makes their relationship dynamic, powerful, and balanced. Despite their differences, these contrasts are what strengthen their bond, making them effective as partners and allowing them to grow as individuals.

How their MBTIs shaped their love story:

1. Arthur (ISTJ) – Duty vs. Love

Arthur’s ISTJ personality makes him deeply rooted in duty and tradition, which often conflicts with his personal feelings. As a king-in-waiting, he’s bound by the rules and expectations of Camelot. This sense of responsibility prevents him from openly expressing his affection for Merlin, a commoner and servant.

Suppressed feelings: Arthur’s introversion and thinking function push him to hide his emotions, especially his care and affection for Merlin. His loyalty to his role as prince often conflicts with his deeper, unspoken feelings for Merlin. Arthur’s rational side forces him to focus on the kingdom, keeping his emotions hidden beneath his duty to the crown.

Traditional values: As an ISTJ, Arthur’s sense of tradition keeps him from crossing the boundaries of class and status. His love for Merlin, if fully acknowledged, would defy these societal norms, and his reluctance to embrace that love fully reflects his fear of breaking those structures.

2. Merlin (ENFP) – Love as a Driving Force

Merlin’s ENFP personality is more openly emotional and driven by personal values. His feeling and perceiving traits allow him to express affection, even though it’s subtle and often masked in humor or banter. Merlin constantly shows his love and devotion to Arthur by risking his life to protect him and ensuring Arthur’s destiny as king.

Boundless loyalty: Merlin’s deep emotional attachment to Arthur is clear, as he constantly sacrifices his own desires, hiding his magic and risking his safety to ensure Arthur’s survival. His ENFP idealism drives his belief in Arthur as the Once and Future King, and this belief is tied deeply to Merlin’s personal love for him. The idealism of an ENFP is evident in how Merlin sees the bigger picture of Arthur’s destiny but is also fueled by his personal love and emotional bond.

Unconditional care: While Arthur struggles to show emotions, Merlin’s extraverted nature makes it easier for him to express affection through acts of service. He remains unwavering in his commitment to Arthur, which highlights the ENFP’s ability to love deeply and unconditionally, even when the other person may not fully reciprocate outwardly.

3. Their Banter – The ENFP vs. ISTJ Communication Style

The teasing and banter between Arthur and Merlin highlight their different communication styles. Merlin’s ENFP warmth and humor frequently bring out Arthur’s softer, more human side. Arthur’s ISTJ personality makes him reluctant to openly express affection, so their teasing and sarcastic exchanges become a way to communicate affection indirectly. The playful insults act as a cover for their deeper bond.

Arthur’s respect for Merlin grows over time, despite his reserved demeanor, and Merlin’s ability to challenge him emotionally helps Arthur soften. Their banter is more than comedic relief; it shows how they communicate their care for one another in a way that feels safe and acceptable.

4. Trust and Emotional Vulnerability

Arthur (ISTJ) is slow to trust others with his vulnerabilities, given his reliance on structure and duty. But over the course of the series, he opens up to Merlin more than anyone else, showing a side of himself that he hides from everyone, including his wife and family members (like Morgana and Uther). Merlin’s warmth and loyalty gradually create a space where Arthur can be emotionally vulnerable.

Merlin (ENFP), in contrast, is more expressive and emotionally open from the beginning. His challenge lies in getting Arthur to see past his role as a servant and accept him as an equal in friendship—and potentially in love. Merlin consistently puts Arthur first, and Arthur, in return, eventually trusts Merlin above all others, including knights and advisors.

5. Protectiveness and Sacrifice

Arthur’s ISTJ sense of duty makes him protective of those he cares about, even if he doesn’t vocalize it. His actions speak louder than words, as he consistently risks his life for Merlin. This protectiveness is a manifestation of his deep, unspoken love for Merlin. However, Arthur often couches these actions in the context of duty—saying he would do the same for anyone in Camelot—when, in reality, Merlin holds a special place in his heart. He was about to abort a mission, causing hundreds of deaths, all for Merlin. Also, in one scene, as they were fleeing from a monster, Merlin fell and Arthur went back for him, a mere "idiot" servant. In that same scene, a knight fell (knights are the bread & butter of Camelot), but Arthur just kept running with Merlin....

Merlin (ENFP), with his focus on emotions and the bigger picture, sacrifices everything for Arthur. His feeling-based decisions make his love for Arthur a central motivation for everything he does, even if it means hiding his magic and true self. This constant self-sacrifice for Arthur’s sake is a key expression of Merlin’s love, a classic ENFP trait—giving up his own needs for those of someone he cares deeply about.

6. Destiny and Fate – The ENFP Belief in Idealism

Merlin’s ENFP idealism sees Arthur as not just a king but the Once and Future King, destined to unite Albion. This belief in Arthur's potential drives Merlin’s unwavering devotion, and his love for Arthur is inseparable from his belief in their shared destiny. Merlin’s visions of a better future are rooted in his love for Arthur, and it’s his idealism that keeps him fighting for that future.

Arthur (ISTJ), being more grounded, is less concerned with abstract concepts like destiny and fate at first, but over time, Merlin’s unwavering belief in him helps Arthur grow into the king Merlin always knew he could be. Arthur begins to rely on Merlin’s intuition and instincts more and more, eventually embracing the destiny Merlin foresaw for him. Though Arthur may not openly express it, he comes to understand that Merlin’s faith in him is born out of deep love.

7. The Final Goodbye – An Emotional Climax

The emotional 'I love you': In the final episode, Arthur’s ISTJ stoicism breaks as he finally acknowledges the depth of his bond with Merlin. When Merlin reveals his magic, Arthur is hurt and betrayed at first (typical ISTJ reaction to broken trust), but eventually, he softens, realizing that Merlin has been protecting him all along. In his final moments, Arthur shows his vulnerability, thanking Merlin for everything—a rare moment of emotional openness for him. He simultaneously mouths 'I love you.'

Throughout the series, Arthur’s ISTJ sense of responsibility made it difficult for him to prioritize his personal feelings over his role as king. But as he faces death, duty and love become inseparable. His final act of trying to kiss Merlin shows that, even though he had been bound by the expectations of the crown, in his last moments, his love for Merlin overrides those constraints. His inability to express affection easily is part of his ISTJ personality, but in his final moments, he sheds that restraint, finally allowing himself to express what he’s likely felt for a long time. For Arthur to mouth 'I love you", even silently, is monumental. It’s a complete surrender of the emotional guard he’s maintained, signifying not just love but trust, vulnerability, and a breaking of the social norms and responsibilities that have constrained him. The fact that he chooses to say it at the very end shows that he always cared deeply for Merlin, but only now, when there’s nothing left to hold him back, can he express it.

Arthur, having always struggled to communicate his feelings, finally mouths the words "I love you" when it’s too late to make a difference. This is reflective of his ISTJ personality—he needed to be pushed to the very brink of death before he could allow himself to be emotionally vulnerable and express his love. The timing makes this moment all the more tragic because Arthur had to die before truly opening up.

The almost-kiss: Arthur’s instinct to pull Merlin in for a kiss reflects the ISTJ desire to do things physically, practically, and decisively, even in the most emotional moments. It also shows how Arthur, who had been in control of so much of his life, wanted to take control of this final expression of love. Yet, his inability to complete the kiss mirrors his inability to fully express his love for Merlin throughout their time together—blocked by the weight of his responsibilities as king.

For Arthur, to attempt to kiss Merlin in his final moments is a gesture of complete vulnerability. An ISTJ like Arthur rarely breaks emotional barriers, but in this moment, he lets go of everything—the crown, his duties, his stoic exterior—and reaches for the person who has always been there for him. It’s the ultimate sacrifice of his own emotional walls.

Arthur’s attempt to kiss Merlin shows that he is finally willing to defy the traditions and expectations that have held him back for so long. As a prince and then a king, he was expected to follow societal norms, but in his final moments, he’s free of those chains and can express his love for Merlin without fear of judgment or duty holding him back. The kiss is the ultimate acknowledgment of the love he had hidden behind his royal duties.

Throughout the series, Arthur has hidden his true feelings for Merlin behind duty, status, and responsibility. His inability to express affection easily is part of his ISTJ personality, but in his final moments, he sheds that restraint, finally allowing himself to express what he’s likely felt for a long time. As he faces death, duty and love become inseparable. His final act of trying to kiss Merlin shows that, even though he had been bound by the expectations of the crown, in his last moments, his love for Merlin overrides those constraints. Arthur, true to his ISTJ nature, often preferred action over verbal declarations of emotion. By attempting to physically pull Merlin in for a kiss, Arthur shows that his love for Merlin transcends words—it's something he feels deeply and wants to express through connection, even when he doesn't have the words to say it outright.

Merlin's internal turmoil: As an ENFP, Merlin had always worn his heart on his sleeve, even when his love for Arthur was expressed through loyalty, service, and protection. The fact that Arthur finally mouths "I love you" just as he's dying would shatter Merlin’s heart, as it represents the culmination of everything Merlin had been hoping for but never dared to fully expect. Merlin, the dreamer and idealist, had believed in Arthur’s greatness, and now, in this moment, Arthur’s love is revealed, only for it to be taken away immediately in the "bury (or kill) your gays" trope.

For Merlin, the attempted kiss is heartbreaking because it represents the closeness and intimacy they could have had if circumstances were different, as Merlin said, "I always thought if things had been different, we'd've been good friends." ENFPs, with their emotional expressiveness, seek connection and intimacy in their relationships, and Arthur’s attempt to kiss him in his final moments is a bittersweet acknowledgment of the love that Merlin had always known was there, but could never be fully realized. The fact that they were so close to expressing that love makes the loss all the more devastating for Merlin.

A Tragic Love Story Cut Short

The final scene where Arthur mouths "I love you" and attempts to kiss Merlin before dying is the ultimate expression of their hidden, unspoken love. Arthur’s ISTJ personality, which had kept his emotions guarded for so long, finally breaks, allowing him to express his true feelings. Meanwhile, Merlin’s ENFP nature, always driven by emotion and idealism, is left devastated by the cruel timing of this revelation.

Their MBTI types add layers to this tragic love story. Arthur’s love, expressed at the very end, shows how hard it was for him to balance duty and emotion, while Merlin’s eternal grief reflects the ENFP’s idealistic belief in love, crushed by the harsh reality that they were too late. Their love was always there, simmering beneath the surface, but in the end, fate allowed only a fleeting moment of acknowledgment before tearing them apart.

After Credits/The Once & Future King:

1. Merlin’s ENFP Hope and Eternal Longing

Driven by Idealism: Merlin’s ENFP personality is defined by hope and idealism, traits that keep him believing in Arthur’s eventual return. Even though Arthur died, Merlin’s unwavering belief in the prophecy—that Arthur will rise again—fuels his determination to keep waiting. For Merlin, his love for Arthur and his faith in the prophecy are intertwined, so he continues to hold onto the belief that their story isn’t over.

Endless Loyalty: ENFPs are known for their loyalty to people they care deeply about, and Merlin’s waiting for over 1,500 years is the ultimate expression of that loyalty. He never moves on, because his heart and soul remain connected to Arthur, and he believes that their bond transcends death and time itself.

Living in Grief and Hope: As a feeler, Merlin experiences the full emotional weight of Arthur’s loss, but his belief in Arthur’s return sustains him. The fact that he has to wait so long makes his grief even more intense, but the hope that Arthur will rise again keeps him going, even after centuries of loneliness. His ENFP nature ensures that his love for Arthur never fades, and he continues to hold onto the possibility of their reunion.

2. Arthur’s ISTJ Rest and Duty to Return

Waiting for the Right Moment: Arthur’s ISTJ personality means that, even in death, he is waiting until the precise moment when he is needed most. His sense of duty to Camelot and to Merlin persists, even after death, as he waits for the time when his kingdom—or Merlin—truly requires him. The prophecy reflects Arthur’s ISTJ nature, as he will return to fulfill his duty, not a moment too soon or too late.

Faith in Merlin: Even in the afterlife, Arthur’s deep trust in Merlin remains. Although he is resting, there is an unspoken understanding that when he rises, Merlin will be by his side, just as he always has been. Arthur’s loyalty and sense of responsibility mean that he trusts Merlin to carry on until the moment of his return.

The Final Act of Duty and Love: Arthur’s rise will be his final act of duty as king and as a friend and lover. His ISTJ sense of purpose and structure drives his eventual return, knowing that Merlin and the kingdom will need him again. When he does come back, it will be out of love for Merlin and a deep sense of responsibility to his people.

3. A Love That Survives Time

Merlin’s Endless Vigil: For over 1,500 years, Merlin has waited, watching the world change, but his love for Arthur remains constant. His ENFP personality clings to the belief that the prophecy will come true, and when Arthur finally returns, it will be the culmination of centuries of waiting. Merlin’s idealism, rooted in his deep emotional connection to Arthur, sustains him through time. He doesn’t seek out other connections because, in his heart, Arthur is the one he’s waiting for.

Arthur’s Timeless Love: Even though Arthur is resting, his love for Merlin isn’t diminished by time. When he returns, his ISTJ loyalty will kick in, and he will fulfill his promise—coming back to be with Merlin and to save the kingdom when it’s needed most. His return is not just a matter of destiny, but also a testament to the bond he shares with Merlin, one that surpasses life, death, and time itself.

4. The Ultimate Reunion

The Prophecy Fulfilled: When Merlin and Arthur finally reunite after over a millennium, the moment will be one of overwhelming emotional release for both. Merlin, with his ENFP emotions, will have spent centuries holding onto hope, and Arthur’s return will be the answer to his deepest longing. The reunion will allow Merlin to finally let go of the grief he’s carried for centuries, knowing that Arthur is back by his side, just as he always believed he would be.

Arthur’s ISTJ Return to Duty: Arthur’s return will be a moment of intense duty and purpose, but also of love. His ISTJ nature ensures that he will rise again when Merlin (the last remaining piece of Albion) needs him most. Their reunion will be both the fulfillment of a prophecy and the completion of their love story.

5. Symbolism of Eternal Love

Waiting as a Form of Love: Merlin’s long wait for Arthur shows that love isn’t confined to one lifetime. His waiting is a manifestation of his deep, undying love, and it reflects the ENFP’s capacity for emotional endurance. Even though he’s spent centuries alone, his heart remains tethered to Arthur, and when Arthur finally returns, it will be a moment of profound emotional catharsis.

Arthur’s Duty Transcends Time: Arthur’s ISTJ sense of duty extends beyond the grave, showing that his bond with Merlin is eternal. His return will not just be about fulfilling his destiny as king, but also about being reunited with Merlin, the person who has always been by his side. This reunion will be the ultimate proof that their love and duty to each other cannot be broken by death or time.

Conclusion: A Love That Defies Time

The prophecy of Arthur’s return turns their story into an eternal love saga. Merlin, driven by his ENFP idealism and emotional depth, waits for centuries, believing in the prophecy and holding onto the love he has for Arthur. Arthur, waiting in Avalon, as the prophecy foretold, remains loyal to his duty and his love for Merlin, waiting for the moment when he is needed most.

When they are finally reunited, it will be a moment of ultimate emotional release, where centuries of love, hope, and loyalty finally come together. Their story is one of timeless love, with their bond surviving beyond life and death, waiting to be fulfilled in a future where they can be together once again.

[cemetegee]

Determinism in TLT

The three people who actively follow my blog will know it, but for the others I'll say it: I don't judge TLT characters personally. (Except if I want to make a point or if I want to provoke a little.) That's not because I think their actions are not bad (they often are). But thing is, I think the characters are hardly made to be judged.

We can, for example, take Ianthe, my blorbo, my wife and my love. It was, all jokes aside, surely a horrible crime to kill her cav. Besides of that, it would maybe really have been better, if she hadn't saved Jod. (I mean, we didn't know it back then, but it seems obvious regarding NtN, even if it's understandable that she doesn't wanted her loved ones to die.) She has a lot of complicated character traits as well.

But if we look at where she is from, it's obvious that she had to be like that to survive. She is manipulative? So is her sister and probably her whole House. She is unnecessary eager to reach her goals (on cost of others)? Surprise, that's what her sister is like and her whole House too!

It's extremly obvious, that all characters are basically caricatures of how their Houses are. Palamedes, the scholar, the Warden... Dulcie, the beauty that blossoms and dies... Oh, even Silas. You would think it was extremly stupid of him to fight Ianthe, but actually, based of all what we know about him, I really think he had no other choice (technically, but not practically) as fighting her for his beliefs. It's so obvious, that even the characters themselves talk about it at a point:

That means: Ianthe is maybe a questionable person, but she wouldn't have been, if she had grown up on the Sixth. Palamedes is a (comperatively) sweet person, but he isn't like that because he naturally is like that, but because he's grown up on the Sixth.

[Let's make a sad little literary class trip:

Palamedes even says himself in TUG, that from (House specific) point of view, Ianthe is not wrong. It's a very interesting moment, because a character of the series admits, that (in TLT) moral is not static, but a question of the point of view. (What's made by the circumstances (in TLT).)

]

And that's what Determinism means. It's the idea, that people don't (only) do things, because of decisions, but because of their circumstances. The idea of Determinism is really important for leftist ideas because it enables ideas like: if you put a bunch of people with no money and boredom in a quarter, crimes will happen. (The idea shifts the attention from decisions to the circumstances.)

Even if the characters of the TLT universe are able to make decisions (maybe), I think it's pretty obvious how much the books are influenced by the idea of Determinism. And therefore, even if some of the characters awake the wish in me to... Oh! What did I want to say? Anyway, I think it's important to regard the context of the characters. It's possible to judge them, but it's also interesting to do it not and look at their reasons. (What doesn't apologize them, but makes them understandable)

This post is involuntary sponsored by this horrorshow interesting post of @swordrogue. I just couldn't get it out of my mind. Please go read it, it's very interesting

[nunalastor]

Serial Roommates

Guy: *looking remarkably chill for a guy shackled to a chair with guns aimed at his head*

Vox: *pouring himself some scotch* I guess this explains why the old timey prick never gave me a second glance…

Guy: Oh really? Do tell!

Vox: His heart already belonged to another and to the guy who almost exposed me no less? What a freaking joke!

Guy: *snorts* Woah there, Big Shot! Al and I are not “together,” never have been! We are just friends!

Vox: ALASTOR MUST BE IN LOVE WITH YOU! THERE’S NO WAY ANYONE WOULD GO THROUGH ALL THAT FOR “JUST A FRIEND!”

Guy: *gives him a long look at that is somehow both mocking and pitying* Huh. You’ve never had a meaningful relationship in your life, have you?

Vox: *glares at Guy, and starts chugging the scotch*

Guy: *conversationally* Ya knows, Voxy-Boxy, Al was always an excellent judge of character; he could read people like a book. It’s how he was able help me whenever I got stuck on a particularly difficult case. It was almost like he had a sixth sense exclusively for scumbags. So, imagine my surprise, when I found out that my best friend and the creepy cultist  that I was investigating used to be attached at the hip!

Vox: *says nothing, just starts refilling his glass*

Guy: It just didn’t make sense to me that Al would fall for any of the crap you spouted. He would- no, he should know better. But now, after our talk, I think I finally understand.

Vox: *despite himself, Vox listens, curious*

Guy: I think the reason Alastor got so attached, whether he realised it or not, is because he saw a bit of himself in you.

Vox: WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU GABBING ABOUT?!

Guy: Your self-worth is dependent on other’s validation or attention.

Vox: *bluescreens for 0.5 seconds, before sputtering back* I- He- HA! Did I hit you too hard? Do you have brain damage? Alastor is the vainest motherfucker in the pride ring! He doesn’t need anybody!

Guy: Oh, he’d love that you think so! Can’t have anyone else knowing “the truth,” can he? Can’t help but notice you didn’t contradict that about you.

Vox: I… I DON’T NEED TO EXPLAIN MYSELF! IT’S OBVIOUS TO ANYONE WITH A BRAIN HOW STUPID YOUR “DEDUCTION” IS!

Guy: *widens his eyes in “shock,” like the gullible puppy many mistake him to be* Gawsh, ya thinks so, Leader? That’s funny… I coulda sworn I hit da nail on da head!

Vox: *recognises the persona Guy played when they first met* Tch, can’t believe I ever fell for that…

Guy: Think about it. It explains the cult, the stalking, the hypnosis, the deals... It’s all about you being control. You force people to love you, because you are afraid no one would give you a glance otherwise and you’ll be alone.

Vox: *flinches* S-SHUT THE HELL UP!

Guy: *ignores him* You and Al really are similar in that aspect. Needing to put on a show to seem “worthy.” The sap believes that if he is no longer seen as “strong,” if his friends no longer see him as “useful,” then he will be abandoned.

Vox: *seems to be recontextualizing previous encounters*

Guy: *shakes his head sadly* Al’s always struggled with setting boundaries, continuing to let Mimzy use him as a guard dog no matter how many times it landed him in the hospital; so, honestly, I should’ve been more surprised that he’s the one who broke it off with you.

👀

[michaelawinter]

Andre Nikto head canons

We have little information about Niko but here's what I've gathered..

((Also I'd like to kindly add, hi, hello, my name is Mika and I am a Bosnian. The chances of me adding some accurate slav head canons are always high but never low!!🙏🏻 ALSO IM TERRIBLY OBSESSED WITH NIKTO SO IF ENJOY THIS AND YOU WANT DATING NIKTO HEAD CANONS PLEASE LET ME KNOWWW))

Genuine head canons:

Andre Nikto (Никто) is a (scary) Russian military man, roughly 193/194 centimetres (when you compare him to Simon's height) He suffers with acute dissociative disorder (better said DID) yet is still serving the military cause of how he preforms during battle.., so the military still views him as a ideal soldier for combat despite his disorder..

No hate but from what I've seen in some art works claiming it's his "face reveal" you people have to understand that under his mask, his face is disfigured.. so, no he won't be an attractive super model under that mask of his..

I don't think you people are aware how badass Nikto is as a character, almost SIMILAR as Ghost who's in the military for the same reason as everybody else, to risk their life.

Although judging by Nikto's voice lines, he doesn't care who he's killing..if it were up to him, if his teammates serve him zero purpose he'd care less if they die..(after all, you're just a target..) but being a professional, he can't allow that to happen to his teammates

If you look up closely, Nikto wears a military uniform that is different from everyone else with MP-0 written on it. Now if you don't know, MP stands for Military Police (enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state.) and zero next to it meaning "nothing" and this is important which is what Nikto refers himself as..

Yeah so about that..

I have a theory about Nikto's nickname

After being captured and brutally tortured with whatever sick tendency mister Z had in store for him. It was Mister Z that couldn't really get much Information about Andre.

They would start torturing him while repeating to Andre that he's nothing, he's no one, what he is is nothing but what he is is everything. Those words play in the back of his head and they never seen to go away.

(This is extremely relevant cause Mister Z tried to get to know a bit of Andre by looking through some research come to find his citizenship and language are censored making him a nobody. Keep in mind, if he found any information about Andre viewing from personal life etc. it will be used as blackmail..)

After recovering his scars and taken to therapy after 7 years he was diagnosed with DID

NOW moving on to the DID part

(What I said about the fact that people overlook Nikto's disorder, I mean it..

Some don't really write about his disorder which is fine but when someone does it gets messy. )

Alters aren't easy to deal with, it's actually gonna haunt you till the day that you die cause there's no cure for it. And in Nikto's case it's from PTSD and Nikto is very aware of his alters..

Let me tell you how Nikto's disorder affects him. Switching can be consensual, forced or triggered, Nikto values silence as much as the next person cause he's dealing with much inside his head already. The kind of guy that would "watch TV" while dissociating with a 100 yard glare with very slow blinking and a slight headache..

There are times where his personalities would correct him when hes referring to himself (example: I'm up..(his personality correctes him) WE'RE up..)

"He made us do this" (and other voice lines I can't recall..)

Maybe cut bits of an apple with a knife and eat it while watching TV..

He has medication prescribed for him but he didn't wanna depend on medications cause they're just drugs..they're nothing to him but just drugs..

He has dissociative amnesia too, sometimes he would wander around confused maybe even annoyed. The amnesia appears to be caused by traumatic or stressful experiences endured or witnessed..Although the forgotten information may be inaccessible to consciousness, it sometimes continues to influence behavior

Like I said he likes quiet people, someone who doesn't waste their air on small talk..

Example; don't really talk to him about the weather, unless you have something interesting to say but if the conversation is gonna go nowhere , don't talk..he finds that a waste of time

People assume just because he's Russian that he likes vodka, he doesn't like vodka...-He doesn't like any alcoholic beverage cause it makes his problems a lot worse,...maybe If you were lending him some as an offering, he'll take it but he has SOME self control, he's okay with coffee, though..

It's relevant cause he stays awake at late hours since he finds it difficult to sleep, he'll stay up late with no music, nothing, just a silent room. It doesn't matter if he tries the military tactic where you just close your eyes and turn off your thoughts, it's very different when you have voices screaming inside your head...

Despite everything he's still intelligent, so being smart + strength + sharp reflexes and you got yourself a criminal

Death doesn't phase him, but to him death is like sleeping, he's not scared of death considering that he's been through hell those past few months.

He likes the simple things, don't complicate anything..because he's quick with catching an attitude..be blunt and forward and stumble over your words..

Nikto shows confidence in the battlefield,just like König, except he has a high rush of adrenaline and will laugh at the enemies death.

Fun fact: in this one comic Price calls Nikto "psycho"

And it's without a doubt that he is one.., a sadistic, sociopathic, psychopath

After splitting, his alters can and will get more aggressive and do more harm and damage to others cause they're doing the most at protecting the host.. (depending on the alter, some wanna protect him while some wanna hurt him)

Oh by the way about the intelligence part, I mean he has a good good memory with remembering faces..

He doesn't like people looking at him funny, he'll get angry really fast and annoyed at the same time.., he won't show hesitation when it comes to approaching you and asking you what are you looking at (it's like trying to avoid eye contact with a homeless man Infront of a store, that's how scared you would be)

He's slow with jokes or any form of humor that you throw at him??? You'll be excited to tell him a joke, and when you do he just looks at you and tells you never to do that again..,or just straight up tell you he doesn't get it...??? and probably trying to explain it either he gets it or not he'll still tell you that it's not funny

He doesn't argue, or he does? Arguing with him will costs you avoiding getting objects thrown at you so you can get out of his sight..tragic, now you have a teammate that hates your guts and won't apologize for it.

[nicco-ck]

Hate it when you got an idea in your head abt what a character would look like but you just can't draw it </3

Anyways if you wish to see my attempt at Lon... go ahead and look... but i don't think i like it

(I need others to give me feedback, either tell me what's wrong and gimme tips on what I can change or tell me he looks perfect and that's how you envision Lon-)

Don't judge pls

Does he give Lon vibes?

I think he looks too much like a sweetheart? Like he just looks like a sweet old man

He looks more like Lon in the second pic I feel

[kitchen-box]

Choises - a study

Harry didn't exactly know when it happened.

It could be in the Chamber or in the graveyard. Or probably both. Yeah, definitely both...

The chalenge that Harry was dealing with this time was worse that the dragon, the basilisk and the dementors combined. Harry didn't think he was exaggerating. Not this time.

He knew he wasn't the most... moral individual out there.

From 'killing and eating the intestines of a rat when he was 6 because he couldn't open the, at that time new, locks, and he hasn't ate in at least 5 days, and he so conveniently found a rat near the playground on the last day of school and fucking Jenna Baker was braging that she got a mouse for her birthday and surely it must be okay that Harry got one as well, as long as aunt Tuney doesn't find out it must be alright. It must!' incident alone you get that he wasn't that great in the morals departament. But in his defence he did fell bad for the rat's death. But he was also hungry and desparate. And the combination of both won over his morals.

At least most of them. He wasn't going to murder a human being. No matter what they did.

Not even him. The reason of his questioning morality, the reason he lived and still lives with the Dursley's over the summer, the fucking murderer of his parents and the guy who killed Cedric, entered him in a deadly tournement and tried to murder and probably will succeed in murdering him in the probably near future and... his current crush.

Oh, and current Dark Lord who is fighting for the death of anyone who isn't a pureblood and at least 50 years his senior. Oh, did Harry forgot to mention that? Opsie!

Which againt brings Harry back to his current dillemma.

'How the fuck did I get here?'

He got a wet dream where Voldemort fucked his guts out. That's how he got here.

And it wasn't even a dream where hot 16 year old Voldemort was fucking his brain out. No - no - no! Harry's couln't be that easy. He got snake head - no nose - red eyes - paper skin fucking Voldemort. That Voldemort was worse.

He knew he was bent, that wasn't really a surprise for Harry, he had plenty of dreams about guys like Oliver and Cedric, but he also had dreams about Cho and even one about Parvati, so he knew he wasn't a real fag, just bent. So a dream about 16 year old Tom wouldn't have been a problem.

But it was a dream about Voldemort, so it was a problem.

He couldn't tell anyone about this. Not Ron, not Hermione and certainly not Sirius.

So 14, soon to be 15, year old Harry Potter chose to ignore his crush.

Like 11 year old Harry Potter chose to ignore every quality that may have had him sorted in anything other that Gryffindor.

Like 12 year old Harry Potter chose to ignore the hatred he had for Ginny for being so stupid to be manipulated by a motherfucking book. His anger at the stupidity of the adults for not realising, at least, what the monster from the Chamber was.

Like 13 year old Harry Potter chose to ignore that his godfather and his teacher nearly killed a man and harmed Harry and his bestfriends.

Like 14 year old Harry Potter chose to ignore his bestfriend's betrayal.

Like 15 year old Harry Potter will chose to ignore that Snape has been a victim all his life. His sudden urge, at Voldemort cowardly departure from Dumbledore, to run after the darkest wizard of the time and beg him to take Harry with him to tell him that Harry loves him .

Like 16 year old Harry Potter will chose to ignore that part of him still hates Ginny, the same part that only wants Ginny for Tom.

Like 17 year old Harry Potter will chose to ignore his bestfriend's second betrayel. His knees colapsing under him and bursting into tears at the sight of his soulmate's body, not for the deaths of his friends and of children like everyone else assumed. No, he wept at the sight of the love of his life, a man he loved as much as he hated, lifeless on the ground. Because of him...

Because of Harry Potter.

The-Man-Who-Chose.

A Tragedy in the form of a Martyr Hero.

Harry Potter turned the Elder Wand, a Legend in form of a Wand, to himself and for the first and last time cast the Killing Curse succesfully.

A Saving in the form of a Punishment.

But that will be later.

Right now Harry is going to stay awake and try not to weep at the thought of loving a man he hated.

[bloobydabloob]

Holy shit I love your Dirk interpretations, it's so true and I could talk about this shit forever. I feel like another part of his character that people seem to forget (along with Roxy for some reason) is that he's from the future in solitude in an apocalyptic wasteland. I just see that part of his character always removed which is disappointing because I feel like that's a pretty big part, especially regarding his themes around technology, his brother's theme of Time, his own isolation, and how he plays in the vastness of the universe and spacetime.

Art I drew related to the subject because I like to respond to asks with art.

But absolutely. I certainly understand where the lack of discussion over his isolation + upbringing comes from, considering a majority of the fanbase that I have seen builds their ideas based on their own version of postcanon. I’m not entirely sure how that would be fixed, but certainly even in the somewhat recent past I would see a lot more content regarding his upbringing both literally and symbolically. I don’t have much to add regarding the things you’ve mentioned, because they just are what they are. Dirk being confined to a singular room left to him by a father figure he never met, in a future where the only other person left on the planet is someone he cannot pursue a relationship of because of himself, with purely 3 robots to keep him companion, one being an exact replica of his own brain who is *also* trapped inside a pair of glasses, is about as literal as it gets to me.

The contrast to me involving the flooded, organic world in comparison to the little speckle of Dirk’s apartment packed with the dude and his technics is not only a representation of his isolation and entrapment within himself, but also of his lack of control. I think his obsession with & themes of control are a direct product in the case of Dirk specifically *of* this kind of upbringing. His themes of technology are also related to his themes around control. So much of his character is actually revolved around this to me like so much. Dirk is so deeply disconnected from humanity in every way and so much of his character + symbolism is based around that.

It doesn’t even have to be about the symbolism or anything though. It’s just pretty *interesting* in the literal sense that he lives in the middle of the ocean in the future. There’s not only a lot to theorise on to do with his young life there, but on how it might affect him in the way he acts for the rest of his life. The latter part is probably what I see mentioned the most by people talking about Dirk regarding this, I’m surprised I don’t see more discussion on the former too though. I really ought to actually talk more about Homestuck stuff on here. I will do it myself.

Roxy & Dirk’s relationship is largely ignored though because there is a narrative a certain demographic spreads that Dirk resented and blamed Roxy for her interest in him, and thus too many people believe that their relationship was or would continue to be an abusive one. Realistically, I believe it’s important to acknowledge that the way Roxy treated Dirk regarding his homosexuality wasn’t right while still acknowledging the obvious amount of respect and admiration Dirk had for Roxy. I mean we have a huge piece of dialogue from their post trickster mode conversations on the quest beds from Dirk purely stating how he feels about Roxy that people completely ignore somehow. I think this usually happens to characters that are women though. I know everyone says it, but it is true. Jane gets the exact same treatment of boiling her down to solely her negative aspects. The things I see completely mischaracterising both of them are horrific.

I mean how much more explicit can it get that their relationship is obviously very important to Dirk? But I digress. I think the best or I should say “most interesting” interpretations of their relationship usually come from DirkRoxy shippers actually.

I would be interested to hear about Dirk’s relation to his brother’s theme of time though. I don’t have any thoughts on this and I don’t recall ever hearing anyone talk about it before. If you or anyone else would be willing to enlighten me I’d be thrilled.

[evenmyhivemindisempty]

My controversial opinion about Hob Gadling is that I believe he’s absolutely the sort of guy that “puts things behind him”, and tries to wash his hands clean of the things he feels icky about. This is implied pretty well in the show, with him blithely moving from soldiering and robbery to printing, from slaving to… whatever it was he was doing in the 19th century instead. That being said, this is not at all the same as actively trying to atone, or even making a concerted effort to be a better person, and I really wish fandom could tell the difference!

[fromtheseventhhell]

What's crazy is that Barristan has the character development that people pretend Jaime has but because he supports Dany and doesn't spend all of his page time talking/thinking about how evil Targaryens are, it gets ignored

[sparky-is-spiders]

Thinking about Jon mourning his relationship with Elias and doing it alone.

Thinking about Jon having so many little fond memories of Elias. Discussions with him when he still worked in research. Little bickering arguments from when Jon was first promoted. His fondness for scheduling. Thinking about Jon missing those times so much that it aches. Thinking about Jon mourning the person he thought he knew, the person he did know, the connection they always had. When Elias is in prison and won't even see him. When Elias is in the panopticon above the world, far away from Jon. Thinking about Jon still caring about Elias, missing him despite everything.

Jon would have all those little memories of Elias, I think. And he would pick over them, and wonder which ones were real (all of them, in a way), and which ones were lies (all of them, in a way). And he would never be able to say anything. Because he's the only one who ever had that connection to Elias, and by the time Elias is out of Jon's reach nobody who would understand is left.

Just. Just thinking of Jon mourning his relationship with Elias, and having to do it alone.

[decamarks]

i have not painted in... ~3 years. anyway here's a ferryman holding one of his many idols