#i owed bailey so much money

[ohemgie]

any eden fuckers out there

i don't actually know if i think eden would look like this, i just have a thing for long hair LOL but i know this mf doesn't take care of that shit. uses 3-in-1 ykwim — will color tom prob 🫡 goodnight world

[propertyofkylar]

take fluff whitney im fucking depressed

m!whitney and pregnant f!pc

cw: pregnancy, sickeningly sweet fluff

"Whitneyyy…"

The familiar whine of his girlfriend snapped Whitney out of his conversation.

Since you had gotten pregnant, somehow you’d become even clingier. Whitney didn’t mind, but he would never admit that out loud.

“Whitney,” you repeated as you got closer, ignoring the leers of his friends. “I’m tired.”

Whitney rolled his eyes, but it was all just a show for his friends. He didn’t need any further comments about him getting “soft.”

“C’mon, slut,” he wrapped an arm around your waist and gave your ass a firm squeeze. “I’ll be taking this one home so she doesn’t trip and fall onto another cock on the way. You lot can fuck off, yeah?”

He pulled you away from the school gates and towards his house. That was another change that came about from your pregnancy. You ended up at Whitney’s place most days. That had been Whitney’s doing. The orphanage was no place for his slut during normal times, much less than when she was with child. Whitney’s child.

The thought still terrified him.

How the fuck was he going to be a dad in a few months? Being a dad at such a young age was not part of Whitney's plan. He wasn't sure being a dad was ever the plan. But somehow it had happened (somehow meaning that he found you irresistible, and condoms weren't foolproof) and here the two of you were, ready to bring a child into the world.

Whitney settling down. Who the fuck could believe that?

He had been working, doing his best to make sure you and your baby would live a somewhat happy life. He was saving up money to get you all a flat. He would do anything to get you away from Bailey. Maybe even get out of this town entirely...

The two of you walked up to Whitney's door and he led you inside, grateful that no one else was home. He didn't want anyone bothering you.

You strolled into his room casually, an act that had become second nature to you. Almost immediately, you kicked off your shoes and flopped into Whitney's bed, snagging a plush frog to use as a pillow.

Whitney watched as you snuggled into his own bed, feeling warmth in his chest. It annoyed him how happy you made him feel - and how much he wished he could make you feel the same.

"Ahem." His thoughts were cut short by the sound of his girlfriend clearing her throat. Whitney realized that while he had been daydreaming, you were laying there with your arms stretched in front of you.

Whitney rolled his eyes, kicking his own shoes off and unbuttoning his school shirt a bit before climbing in next to you. You immediately nuzzled your head into the crook of his neck, and he smiled as he trailed his fingers up and down your skin.

He slid his hand under your skirt to grope at your bare skin, but was met with a soft kick to the ankle.

"No funny business," you murmured. "'m too sleepy."

"You're no fun. What's the point of being a slut if you're not gonna put out?" Whitney groaned teasingly.

"Already pregnant," your words were cut off by a yawn. "You've done enough."

"You owe me later," Whitney said, pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

"Kay," was your response. He wasn't sure if you were really paying attention. You really were tired.

You pulled yourself even closer to him and laid your head on his chest. He hoped you were too tired to tell how fast his heart was beating.

"Love you, Whit," you said softly as you fell asleep.

Whitney smiled and placed a hand on your belly. "I love you too."

[brienneoftarth1989]

This a new 12 part series revolving around Miranda Himarson and reader. To sum it up: reader is a gang leader and Miranda goes undercover in the gang. Will the reader find out?

Undercover part 1

Miranda Hilmarson x fem reader

Next / Series

Summary: You’re the leader of the most powerful gang in Sydney. You have recently murdered one of your employees for ratting on you to the feds. You’re not taking any shit from anyone.

Warnings: murder using a knife, torture by water, violence, gangs

Requests open

———————————

“Get it out of here! They are not my problem anymore! And let this be a lesson to the rest of you. Snitches get fucking stitches!” You shouted at your crew as they dragged out the body.

You stood up and the rest of your crew just stared at you not sure what to do next. “What the fuck are you waiting for? Fuck off will you! I’m sure you all have work to do!” You shouted as you made your way to your office.

Being the leader of the most powerful gang in Sydney wasn’t exactly easy. Your father was the original leader of The Wildlings but when he was caught and executed by the government it was your turn to take over the gang.

It had always been your dream to take over the gang but never in your mind did you expect to take over so soon and as you hadn’t had as much training it definitely led you to make irresponsible decisions that would one day get you in trouble.

There were a number of different things your gang was famous for but the most notorious were drug dealing, prostitution and murder. You weren’t afraid to kill anyone that got on your bad side or proved to be a threat to the gang.

You sat back in your chair going over a number of different papers that all had different information on it. You had one peice that told you your list of clients who owed you money, then you had your crew members and then a long list of people that you had killed which were all kept locked away in a safe.

You grabbed a pen and found the name you were searching for. You crossed off the name of the person you had just killed from the crew list and added their name to the murder list. You sighed to yourself. You never liked to kill your crew but when they were threatening yourself and others safety then it didn’t leave you much of a choice.

Now you had another job that needed doing. You scanned over all your documents before jotting down a few names with their addresses as well as a figure that was next to their names. Once you had all the information you needed you picked up the documents and placed them in the safe placing a load of dictionaries and boring textbooks on top.

They weren’t really important. It was more of a distraction if anyone were to break into the safe. You then grabbed your radio which connected you to all of your crew members. “Raphael to my office now” you spoke over the radio.

You knew it wouldn’t be long before you heard a knock on your office door and within a couple of minutes that knock made an appearance on the door. “Get in here” you said to Raphael. He walked in closing the door behind you. Raphael was your right hand man and you trusted him with everything.

“I’ve got two of the lads disposing of the body now sir. I secured it so all they have to do is dispose of it in the location I gave them. Is there anything else I can do for you sir” he asked you as he stood up straight.

You handed him the post-it note with the names and addresses on it. “I need you to go and find these people and let them know I’m getting impatient about my money. No one is to get hurt yet. I want them threatened though” you said sternly. Raphael took the post-it note from you before scanning over the list.

Hester Wheelock - $2787.00

Quincy Spaulding - $1988.00

Arthur Coombs - $209.00

Marlene Bailey - $361.00

Alayna Frank - $1203.00

Raphael turned the note over to check the addresses before folding the note up and putting it in his front pocket. “On it boss! I will be back as soon as I can” he said but just as he was about to turn around you stopped him.

“Oh and another thing! While you’re out scope out the competition as well as a replacement for that rat. This time they are to come by me first. I don’t need no rats in my gang” you sternly told him. “Yes boss, I will keep a good eye out. I will send the right one your way” he said before turning around to leave.

You watched as the door swung shut behind him before you let out a deep sigh. You were absolutely knackered. So far it had been a day from hell and it was only going to get worse. You had been woken up by a phone call at 07:00 by one of your crew members. You had always told them never to call before 08:00 unless it was an emergency otherwise there would be consequences.

You shot up as soon as the phone rang which you answered immediately. “Boss we have a rat amongst the group. I overheard them saying they were going to rat us out to the cops. What do we do sir?” They asked you. As soon as you heard those words you knew exactly what needed to be. “Catch the son of a bitch. Tie them up and I want them in the main hall. Call everyone in the gang and get them down to the hangout immediately” you shouted down the phone “I will be there shortly” you said before hanging up.

It was time to teach this bitch a lesson. You got yourself dressed and out of the door relatively quickly, grabbing your keys on the way out. You ran down to your GMC Hummer EV pickup. It didn’t take long for you to speed down to the hangout and you knew that by the time you arrived everyone would be there.

You entered the parking lot of the building before parking in your usual space. You looked around the car park to see that it was full. Your crew knew better than not to show up because it was basically asking for a death wish. You slammed the door shut before making your way into the main hall where everyone was waiting for you.

“Where is the son of a bitch!” You screamed as you pushed your way through the crowd. When you finally made your way to the centre you found one of your crew mates tied to a chair with their mouth taped shut. You hated doing this to your own crew but if they are a rat they weren’t truly a part of the gang.

Next to the chair was a selection of torture devices. Now the real problem was how you would go about doing this. As you stood in the centre of the circle you could hear quiet mumbles from everyone around you. “Will you all shut up!” You shouted which made the whole place go quiet in an instant.

“Now it seems like we have a rat amongst us! And do you know what happens to rats in my crew? They get fucking killed! So let this be a lesson to all of you. If you plan on snitching to the feds or crossing me this is how you will end up! Now you are all going to watch me so you are aware of what the consequences will be!” You shouted angrily knowing that no one will want to mess with you after this!

You pushed the chair over so they fell back with their head hitting the floor. You then placed a towel over their face. You turned around to grab the jug of water. You slowly started to pour the water over their face which soaked the towel instantly. After about 30 seconds you removed the towel allowing them to breathe.

You repeated this process over and over again making it harder and harder for your prisoner. “Let this all be a lesson to you. I mean it! You cross me and I will find even more creative ways for you to die!” You screamed before pouring the rest of the water all over the towel. This time though you didn’t remove it.

You then turned around to grab your trusty knife before turning back to face them. You walked over to them before whispering in their ear. “Rot in Hell!” You then swung your knife at them. You watched the blade run across their neck before their blood sprayed everywhere.

You wiped the blood off your knife before placing it back on the table. “Get it out of here! They are not my problem anymore! And let this be a lesson to the rest of you. Snitches get fucking stitches!” You shouted at your crew as they dragged out the body.

You made your way to your office to hopefully sort yourself out and finish the rest of today the right way.

[dalliansss]

If you’re up to it, Caranthir and the prompt “I tried to help you once, against my own advice.”

madilyn bailey: wiser album … sentence starters

The bankers' guild of Tirion sent representatives to Finwe's council every week or every month; oftener if things are urgent in Valinor, and they almost never are. But today is a send-a-representative day, and this is how Morifinwe Carnistir finds himself sitting by the long table in Finwe's council room, by the middle section. His eldest brother Maitimo is surprised to see them there, and Maitimo wastes no time circling the massive table and engulfing him in a hug, which Moryo returns.

"Good morrow, hanno, it is nice to see you here," Maitimo greets, pulling back just enough so he can briefly press their foreheads. The gesture, reserved for childhood, has never been seen as such in Feanaro's household. And all of his sons delighted in this small tokens of appreciation, grown elves they are all.

"Good morrow," Moryo returns. He grasps his brother by his forearm and surveys him. Beautifully imposing as always; Nelyo has his red hair styled in Noldorin braids, yet sans his copper circlet. His robes are a deep forest green trimmed gold on a backdrop of off-white Telerin silk for his inner layers, embroidered with a paler gold for contrast. His boots are perfectly polished. Mm. Crisp and everything princely, as it should be for these councils. "Beautiful robe and tunic, hanno, who made it?"

"You, of course," Nelyo laughs.

The rest of the council arrives. Lords mill about and greet each other, Moryo sparing everybody worth his attention with a bow. At once, some of the elves around begin shifting nervously seeing him there and his ledgers. His cousins arrive as well: Findekano and Findarato, who greet him in varying degrees of cheer. These two, Moryo also spares with a curt nod.

Finwe is the last to arrive, waddling into the council in Vanyarin clothes today. Moryo purses his lips and stands with everybody else, and the long morning of council begins. He is here of course to report on Tirion's economic standing so far, and if certain projects submitted the months passed could be funded. Of course, as one of the main signatories for any treasury warrant of the Noldor, Moryo has a say which projects can be funded or not. He approves funding for those urgently needed. The more frivolous, relegated to the whims of lords like Ninimben and Thilior, are rejected. Moryo knows he has long made enemies of the two older elves, but he doesn't care. They are not of Feanaro's people, but Arafinwe's.

It is a long, tiring morning. They end about an hour past the midday meal, and Laurelin has abandoned her zenith to begin her soft waning in preparation for the Mingling. Moryo gathers his ledgers, spares a greeting for Finwe as he passes, and endures his grandfather's pinching of his ruddy cheeks; valiantly bearing Finwe's perpetual complaints of 'he should eat more'.

Nelyo went on ahead with Findekano and Findarato. Moryo is the last to leave the council room, and he descends the steps leading to the palace and finds himself waylaid by Makalaure his second oldest brother, of all people.

Long story short (and because he can read the harrassed thoughts wafting from Makalaure), his brother needs money to fund the costumes for his next opera at the Telerin stage, due in two months.

Moryo frowns. Makalaure (and Curufinwe) have grown up with the terrible notion that debts should not be repaid, especially if they borrow from family. Much less their own brother. If Makalaure coursed this through the budget, it would have been an instant rejection, for him. The theater can recycle costumes. And don't they earn revenue from each show, each elf that watches?

“I tried to help you once, against my own advice," says Moryo after a long silence. "Twenty thousand crowns you owe, and I have yet to see a single coin returned to me."

Makalaure tantrums. Wheedles. Pleads his case. Moryo wouldn't let his brother the greatest musician of the Noldor fail a project, would he? Have pity on his students! His apprentices! His entire music class, whose final project for the semester this show is. They just need costumes!

"If it is your students who need costumes," says Moryo. "Then they can buy them themselves, or make them. For those who have not yet attained Majority, then solicit their parents for the funds. I am not going to let you borrow from me, not until you pay back all that you owe first. You have been given all the extensions for each debt. If you doubt my records, come see me at the bankers' guild. I am there every Isilya, Alduya and Menelya. Business hours only."

He continues walking. Makalaure puffs up his cheeks, determined to continue the harrassment, and waddles after him. Moryo shutters his mind against the relentless beating of his brother's thoughts against his mind.

This will indeed be a very long day. Sigh.

[aimmyarrowshigh]

random ask: tell us about the best comic book you've read recently?

Good question! Honestly, I haven't been reading very much at all this month because my brain is too Consumed By The Horrors to have the ability to focus on anything at all.

I also feel like I've been in a bit of a comics funk ever since finishing Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat!, because it was SO my jam in pretty much every way, and that whole comics Thing where after that run, everything that happened in it kind of got waved away for the next Hellcat runs made me really grumpy. I don't like that immediately after PWAKAH, Patsy's next run was as Iron Man's sidepiece, and then after that she has such a SHARP and COMPLETE tone-shift for the most recent run compared to PWAKAH. Like, I get that they panicked and wanted to make her Sexy(TM) again or whatever, but... blech. Bring back Ian and Tom! Bring back her friendship with Jen! Bring back her friendship with Jubilee! Bring back Bailey! Bring back her doing good and being happy and gaining self-actualization!!!

I mean, I like the haunted house aspect of the most recent run, but it's not my TYPE of haunted house story. ::pushes a glass off the desk like a cat::

I'm trying to think what else I've read recently that I liked as much as PWAKAH. I always like Silk's solo runs. I'm enjoying "Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver" even though the Wizard is a supremely silly villain. I'm really excited for the return of Strange Academy, even if it is part of the Blood Hunt event which... ugh. I mean, I'm gonna read it all. But Marvel Dracula is such a fuckin' nerd (and he owes Moon Knight money).

OH OH OH! In a RARE FOR ME departure from Marvel, I read DC's graphic novel "Whistle," which I mostly read because I love e.lockhart and also stories about Jewish teenage girls, and I loved it. LOVED it. Highly highly highly recommend.

Also recommend the novel "Winter Soldier: Cold Front." I cried.

I'm still enjoying the current run of Doctor Strange, and everything starting with The Death Of Doctor Strange/Strange Academy in... 2022? 2021? Whenever that was. The DODS: Spider-Man & Black Cat issue is one of my all-time favorite comics issues. I really enjoyed last year's Scarlet Witch run, although I didn't love the Contest of Champions event as much as I wanted to love it.

I enjoyed Avengers Inc. a lot! I do feel like it was hampered by being a miniseries instead of a longer run, because the big reveal(s) weren't given the space they needed to have the gravity and weight they deserved, IMO, given the characters involved and the huge pendulum swing that happened, but. I did enjoy it overall. I like mysteries and I like Janet, so that was fun.

What I'm most looking forward to at the moment is the novel "What If... Wanda Maximoff and Peter Parker Were Siblings?" by @seananmcguire because OH MY GOD. EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT IS MY FAVORITE FOOD. I WANT TO EAT IT ALL RIGHT NOW.

[krikeymate]

dredge au (me again):

im thinking of all the ways richie can come back and terrorize the girls bc i love angst so this is what i came up with (which probably isnt very good but hey):

Amber lives on little Woodsboro, and she hears of these new comers. she herself was from the mainland, a long time ago, and she hasnt seen Sam and Tara for a long, long while. but it’s unmistakable, the love they have for each other, Amber would recognize it anywhere, shes never seen two people be so devoted to each other.

She remembers that Richie had an interest in them, back when she was on the mainland. and so, she writes a letter, sends it off with an uknowing traveling merchant, the letters R.B. on the seal. she tells this merchant that the dockworkers would know who to give it to.

Richie receives a letter, from someone he knew ages ago. A young woman, who he had the great (mis)fortune of knowing years ago, when she was so young, so innocent. The letter tells him where to find Sam, where to find his prize, but the letter is also a warning.

‘The sea must grant you passage. You need to give something it wants, in exchange for your safety.’

Enclosed in the letter, he finds a ring with the initials S.P.

‘Bring this to the Collector, before you take your revenge. He has a special interest in it.’

And so, with only the knowledge the letter provides him, he takes his leave, and makes haste to Woodsboro.

My dear intended, we're engaged now, sorry, don't make the rules.

Anyway. I love you? This is a great call.

I think I made their ages 20 and 15. Canonically Tara is older than her peers but here she gets to be younger. Amber is 17 and left 2 years ago under a scandal. The Freemans are well-known merchants, and their daughter being caught in bed with someone (Ritchie) other than their intended (Wes, of the Hicks, son of the one law enforcement officer not under someone else's payroll and due to follow in his mother's footsteps (they want him under their payroll, hence the engagement)), was quite the scandal. It reflected poorly on them, so they sent her away, to live with her trader uncle, Dewey. (He's got something going on with the mayor of Greater Woodsboro, it seems, always exchanging letters with G. Weathers, but neither leaving their respective islands).

The arrival of the Carpenter sisters causes quite the stir, it has the town people in a tizzy. Newcomers are rare. Newcomers that stay are rarer. Newcomers that stay and fish and live never happen. Amber used to play with the sisters as children, before social convention kicked in and she was reminded they're not the sort of people one of her status associate with. She would still enjoy the younger sister's company on occasion, she enjoyed the look of awe and admiration she would send her way as she gave her a taste of the other side. The older one was trouble.

She receives monthly news of the happenings from back home, from family, from friends left behind. The news that Tara Carpenter has fled engagement from Ritchie of the Bailey's, and that he's offering a reward for knowledge of her whereabouts, is intriguing. (They don't like to lose what is theirs, and a substantial debt was wiped clean, they're owed their reward). She pens him a letter.

He offers money - of which he has plenty - of the opportunity to leave the godforsaken little island she is trapped on, to move back to the mainland, to a city, if only she would be so kind to reveal the location of his intended. He sends it with gold, weighing the letter and his words.

She sends him back a location, a warning, and a special ring from her uncle's hidden collection. She tells him to bring her money with him. She's learnt so much about the sea and its magic since she's been here, she's sure it will eat him alive. But not until she gets her money. Perhaps it will even leave her the boat.

[chicken2potato]

9/29/23

Don't get me wrong, I love Mk. I really do. But sometimes man... she just kind of makes me hate myself a little.

The day that I applied, I had gone over to her apartment that night. I was so excited. I always knew that after leaving CBC that I would want to go back some day. I don't want to be stagnant and stay at Sam's Club for the rest of my life. I want to grow and help people. I was so excited. After I applied, Bailey and Hana cheered with me and gave me high fives. Even baby James gave me a high five and then the cutest fist bump ever. They were happy for me and excited along with me.

But not mk...

I sat down on her couch and excitedly asked her to guess what I did. She asked what? I said "I applied to college!!". She just snickered and said "With what money?"....

Ow...

Instead of being happy. Instead of being proud of me. Instead of being a good friend. She was a pessimist. She was already being a downer and not believing in me. That really hurt...

So many people don't understand the fucking strength and balls it took to get away from CBC. I was in a fucking cult. I was brainwashed. Like I literally ruined so many fucking relationships for that religion because I really thought I was doing what I was supposed to. Both in high school and in college. I have some relationships that will never be the same because of my position in the church.

So I was fucking emotionally exhausted, more than ever, once I left. I knew in the back of my mind that one day I would go back to college and get better and do better. I just needed time to figure out what I believed and to rest from being so burnt out.

And now I feel like is time. I've had over a year or so to live and do and breath how I want. I don't feel exhausted nearly as much and I finally have a ferver back to do more.

And she just said "with what money?". Like... girl there's grants and scholarships and FAFSA... why is that your first fucking thought? Why would you say that? Why not "oh my god, I'm proud of you", or "awesome, when are you starting", or "oh that's awesome, I'm sure you'll do great"???

And she does this all the time with any big life thing that happens to me.

Last year, when John and I were talking, we had been talking for almost three months when she mentioned her Halloween party. I had talked to him for a bit now and things were kind of looking like they were going into a relationship. I had asked her if I could invite him to the party. I wanted my friends to meet the guy that I had really liked and really wanted them to get along and such. And she said, "I mean, I guess, if you guys are still together by then."

Like, girl what???

I'm not the type of person to just jump from fucking guy to guy. Before John, my last boyfriend was FIVE YEARS before that. Like what do you mean?? She said some other things too that made it seem like I'd be onto a new guy next month. Like girl??? I don't give my fucking heart out like that. Five years!! Since I've even told a guy that I've liked him. And you're making it sound like I'm a fucking pussy play or something.

Even after John, there was Rowan, and then Nate. And I don't really count Rowan. Not because I didn't like him this time around or any dumb shit like that. But because I had loved him still, ever since high school. To me, that wasn't new. But Nate was. So in the last 6 years, I've liked two other guys. And I've only had two boyfriends. And even with girls, there's been a few flirty flings here and there but like... I'm not a hoe??

She just makes me feel like she thinks I'm ruining my life all the time. And it makes me sad. When things ended with Rowan this last time, she really made me feel like shit...

When Row and I started talking at the beginning of this year, I just knew something was going to happen and a part of me knew that if we had dated, it probably wouldn't last long. And after he broke up with me in May, I knew I didn't want to tell Mk.. she would have made me feel like shit..

When we got back together later on, I knew it was going to be longer, but I still didn't feel like he was going to stay that long. That night, after the letter, when I went over to his place, I knew we weren't going to last. I can't tell you how I knew, I just did... so, the next morning when I woke up before him, I decided to myself, that no matter what, no matter how long the relationship was going to last or not last, no matter what was going to happen, I wasn't going to enter into this with a naive heart. I wasn't going to enter into it thinking we were going to last forever. I wanted us to. I really loved him. But sitting there and looking at him, knowing him, knowing how he had left before, I knew it was only a matter of time before he left again. But I told myself during this time together I was going to love him and cherish him and be everything I possibly could for him while I had the chance.

A week or so after he broke up with me, I was sitting in the car with Mk talking about Dy and her new man and stuff and how she's just kinda making bad decisions. Mk said "You know I hate to say it, but I'm getting tired of saying 'i told you so' to everyone. To Dy, and James, and Will, and I hate to say it, but to you, too." I told her to hold the fuck up. She was trying to fucking say that she "told me so" with the whole Rowan situation. Bitch????? I didn't even tell you we were dating until like TWO WEEKS after we started. Girl.. and like I said earlier, I wasn't going into this thinking it was going to be all sunshine and rainbows. I knew eventually he would leave again, but I was going to enjoy it while it lasted. I told her like you can not tell me you told me so because I knew from the beginning and I didn't go into it thinking he was going to be changed. I was so fucking pissed.

Why does she act so fucking entitled and indignant? Why does she think she's better at making decisions about my life than I am?? It's just so infuriating how she treats me like a fucking child sometimes. Like she doesn't even know me. I have so much I want to accomplish and do. And going to college is the first thing. I have so many aspirations and it's like whenever I tell her them she just shoots me down with doubts and what ifs and koda you can't do that. Fuck her, man. Fuck. That's so mean to do to your best friend.

There is so much I want to do. I want to go to college. I want to go into the Air Force. I want to do the Peace Corps. I want to impact others and live a meaningful life.

I want to mean something to others, too...

Nate.

I thought he was so awesome...

It's kinda ironic. The night before things happened with us, I told him about how my ex left me so many times for other girls and how it impacted me because I truly thought I was going to marry him. And Nate was like "oh, you don't deserve that you're amazing" blah blah blah. And then dude fucking went and left me for his fucking ex. Foreshadowing much?

He had told me he wasn't ready for a relationship and then like four days later his ex girlfriend posted a picture of them together on his Snapchat..... after he had told me he couldn't go see her. After he had told me he was done with her. After he had told me he wasn't ready for a relationship. And then fucking told me he was talking to her again and trying to work things out.. Only to come over the next day to help me with my Xbox and proceed to fucking make out with me and put his hands down my spandex. Like bro??? I was so dumbfounded when he kissed me. Like didn't you just tell me you were trying to fix things with your ex???

AND THEN

This boy starts putting waters in the fridge at work for me.. AS IF THATLL HELP

Like sir. Wake the fuck up. You fucked me over. You lied to me. You think putting waters in a fridge a couple times a week is going to just like smooth it over?? And then he told Meghan that he liked me as a friend. Funny cuz just a week before he was making out with me and idk about other people but I don't go making out with my fucking friends???

I'm just so tired. Literally every person I've ever loved or liked has left. Even family.

Mom. Dad. Ryan. Rowan. Jacob. Nate. John. Abby. Luc.

It just hurts, man. Like, I'm trying so hard to be enough. I'm trying so hard to be the good person and loving and shit. I'd give my all to anyone and I have done my best to do just that... only for them to break everything off in a single conversation... why am I so disposable? Why am I so easy to forget? I try to be the happiness they need. I try to be the thing that keeps them going. I try to be the good daughter. I try to be the good sister. In the end, it amounts to nothing. I'll never be good enough. Perhaps thats why Mk always says those things. Maybe she knows I won't be any good at college again. Maybe she knows I'm no good for anyone. I want to be. I want to go home at night, to the person I love, and be held in their arms, and feel perfectly safe and loved.

I've been drowning myself in books. Trying to escape, because I know if I sit with my own thoughts, it won't be good. I keep thinking about Rowan. And I'm trying so fucking hard not to. I truly can't seem to get him out of my fucking mind. I wish that I could just go over there, give him a hug, and we'd never let go. I miss him. So fucking much and I don't know how to make it stop. I don't know how to move on. And I get this makes me sound pathetic and stupid to be so caught up in someone who hurt me so much. But hes the only person who I've ever felt loved by. Truly. Especially in high school. When I lived with him, I've never felt that before or since. I don't know if that loves still there. I miss it. I miss him. The old him. The old us, before all this fucking complicated history shit happened. Back when he was my besterest friend. Back with I could trust him with anything. Back when we confided in each other bout the deepest parts of ourselves. I miss someone loving me, seeing me, knowing me. I miss being open and honest to someone like that. I miss the love. I miss the friendship. I miss his fucking laugh so much. 😭😭

I know I wrote him saying fuck him and fuck this and fuck that.. I know.. I was so fucking mad.. it was like the millionth time he had done that to me and I was so angry and hurt and I wanted to make him hurt, too. I shouldn't have done it. I should have let some days go by so we could cool off and potentially talk about it or something. I don't know. I worry about him. I've had a bad feeling about him this past month or so.. I've looked at his Tumblr before and didn't see anything.. but each time I go to look, I'm scared at what I might see? I haven't looked in awhile.. I just want him to be okay. I wish he could find happiness. I miss him and I hope he's doing well.. maybe I am pathetic and stupid for saying this... I can't help it.. he was my everything at some point or another.. I can't just make that go away..

I need to go to bed.. I need these thoughts to stop. It's like they're encircling me. That's why I read. I can escape. I can pretend that I'm not actually one bad day away from doing nothing for forever. Books are my solitude.

[msclaritea]

‘The Little Mermaid’ Criticised By Marcus Ryder For Erasing Slavery – Deadline

"The Little Mermaid has been criticized by a prominent media diversity advocate for failing to acknowledge the horrors of slavery in the Caribbean.

Marcus Ryder, an influential British campaigner who also chairs the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, celebrated the casting of Halle Bailey but took issue with the film’s glossy depiction of racial harmony.

After watching the Disney remake with his six-year-old son, Ryder felt compelled to write a blog about the movie, which he said missed an opportunity to gently educate children.

Ryder said The Little Mermaid appears to be set in the 18th century at a time of African chattel slavery, but the fictional Caribbean islanders close to Atlantica live in a world free from human rights atrocities.

“I do not think we do our children any favours by pretending that slavery didn’t exist,” he wrote in the blog, titled ‘Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Caribbean Slavery, and Telling the Truth to Children.’

“Setting the fantastical story in this time and place is literally the equivalent of setting a love story between Jew and Gentile in 1940 Germany and ignoring the Jewish holocaust.”

Ryder acknowledged that The Little Mermaid is fantasy and the story does not need to be assiduously faithful to history, but he argued that children are not well served by overlooking the past.

He said that Disney could have set the film in Haiti after it had overthrown the shackles of slavery, with Ariel meeting her prince against the backdrop of burgeoning racial harmony.

“We owe it to our children to give them the most amazing fantastical stories possible to help their imaginations grow,” he said. “We do not do this by ‘whitewashing’ out the difficult parts of our history. We do it by embracing our rich history and empowering them with the truth.”

Ryder posted about the blog on Twitter, but received blowback from users on the social network, who said The Little Mermaid should be treated as nothing more than a fairytale. He later deleted the viral tweet because it had been “widely misunderstood.”

In a Twitter thread clarifying his comments, Ryder said he enjoyed the film, which he praised for its portrayal of Black beauty and its on-screen diversity. He raised questions, however, about diversity behind the camera. Rob Marshall and David Magee directed and wrote The Little Mermaid respectively.

“The sad reality is this great film left me concerned that Disney did not take seriously this very sensitive time and place which due to the atrocities that happened there should be treated very carefully – especially for impressionable children,” he wrote.

In a statement to Deadline, Ryder said: “The whole affair points to how important representation is. And even though it was no fun to be the target of the Twitter onslaught, the positive I hope it demonstrates to film studios is that if you increase diversity you can get a loyal and committed audience that will defend your film vociferously from even the slightest perceived criticism, that is the type of audience engagement money simply cannot buy. Even if in this case I think the perceived criticism was misunderstood.”

Disney has been contacted for comment.

Ryder is Head of External Consultancies at the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity. He has previously worked at the BBC and chaired the Royal Television Society’s Diversity Committee."

I'm so glad this man, Marcus Ryder, MBE already got shellacked for trying to wedge a serious subject matter into a child's story. Britain needs to stop coming after Disney and child content as it's currently done in an age appropriate manner. That country has lied about so much of it's history, including gay history, it's pathetic. I am planning to post some examples at some point in the near future. Seriously, FUCK Britain!

[love-toxin]

defilement -- bailey

rq: "what are ur thoughts on bailey i want him to fuck me in his office so bad 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺"

warnings: virginity loss, dubcon, essentially prostitution, unprotected sex, mild degradation, bruising, rough sex, sex over a desk, afab reader.

word count: 2.4k

"It's time to pay up." 

Bailey's breath puffed against your skin, raising the hairs on the back of your neck. It wasn't going to be an easy task to get out of this one.

You had been weaseling your way through every payment, whether you had the money or you had some creative way to get around it, and last week you'd only just gotten lucky by managing to pawn off some "lost" items to that greasy fence in the back of the pub. You were just lucky some of it was pretty valuable, and you wouldn't have to try and sleep with him to get the last of what you owed.

But not this time. Between your debt and Robin's, you knew there was no way you were gonna scrape up enough to pay by Sunday. That didn't stop you from trying, but at last that hand had come down on your shoulder and you felt yourself shake in Bailey's presence. Anyone with a brain knew not to fuck with him when he was owed something. You opened your mouth to speak, but it wasn't even worth trying–he could tell what your answer was by the fear glimmering in your eyes, and his lips split into a shit-eating smirk as he reached into his jacket for what you knew he always kept on hand. 

"W-Wait-! You can have me! I'll pay you with…with…"

You fully expected him to ignore you and tie up your wrists anyways, but he actually stopped. However, the narrowing of his dark eyes down at you did not soothe your worries, and in fact, it only frightened you even more to feel him lean in enough for a few loose strands of black hair to brush against your cheek.  

"And what makes you think your body's worth it?" 

Suddenly, with his face so close to yours, you found it much more difficult to breathe normally. Your chest heaved and you started to shake as he drew the coarse rope down the skin of your arm…and it was then that you managed to speak out. 

"M..My virginity…you can have it."

That silence was by far the most stressful few moments of your entire life, amplified by a thousand compared to the adrenaline you felt just before you robbed someone blind. Bailey's lack of expression blinded you to his true feelings, blocked you from the thoughts that swirled in his head and the decisions he was making that would decide your very life, and yet you first felt his answer not in his words but in the deep, shaky breath he exhaled as his eyes drew downwards towards your skirt. 

"Well, I guess it'd be remiss for me if I didn't bother to check first." 

He grabbed you by the arm and half-pulled, half-dragged you down the hall towards his office, either oblivious to your stammering and pleas for him to loosen his grip, or just so apathetic he couldn’t bring himself to care. If only you had caught a glimpse of the crazed expression that flashed across his face as he did so, so unlike him that it undoubtedly would have terrified you, maybe even to the point of trying to get away after all. But within seconds he had shoved you through the office door and slammed it shut behind him, looking down on you with a sick glee that he was quick to smother as he loosened his tie with deft fingers. You rendered yourself momentarily useless by falling forward and landing on your hands and knees, pain shooting up your legs in a way that made you stop and whine on the floor, but Bailey remedied that by grabbing a fistful of your hair and yanking you back up to your feet. His strength was just as intimidating as ever, and even more intimately so when it barely fazed him to throw you forward hard enough that you had to brace yourself against his desk to keep from crashing into it. 

“Bailey-”

Your caretaker silenced you with a deep kiss as you turned to face him, lustful and fueled by passion like you didn’t even know he was capable of, even if this was just going to be a business transaction.

It certainly didn’t seem so, though, by the way Bailey tore your skirt off your body and let it fall to the floor, his destructive hands only stopping when he got to your panties and his fingers hovered over your hips. He lifted you with relative ease on to the desk itself, but when it came to him ridding you of your last item of clothing separating the two of you, he simply changed his course of action at the last moment and slid a finger underneath them to prod at your slit. 

“Hm…mmh?”

His noises seemed performative, the hum of intrigue he let out accompanied with a terse glance up to meet your gaze, before he shifted it back down to your nethers. But the wicked chuckle that erupted from him when he prodded deeper and found what he was looking for…nothing could have prepared you for the anxiety that it spurred within you. Something that sounded like “So you are…” escaped his mumbling lips, and with his other hand slipping from where he’d placed it on your thigh to keep you from closing your legs, he pulled your panties all the way to the side and bared you completely to him. It seemed the semi-gentle fingering was not for your preparation but entirely to confirm his own inspection, and in a gesture that seemed almost magical by how quickly he freed himself from his tight pants, Bailey removed his offending hand from its place inside you and replaced it with the tip of his cock, rubbing stiffly against your clit before sliding it downwards to press into you. 

“Brace yourself against me,”

Perhaps you really did garner some sympathy in his eyes, as Bailey paused for a moment to guide your arms up and let them hook around his neck, your faces suddenly so much closer for the second time as he started to split you apart. 

“Too tight….loosen up, for fuck’s sake…brat,”

How he could be complaining at this moment was lost on you, when you were the one gritting your teeth and squealing uncontrollably as he tried to push his way inside you with something far too big to take. Your body guarded you from him two or three times more, his efforts not to tear you causing him to slip back out each time he tried…but with one good, harsh thrust that ripped a shriek from your throat, Bailey finally bullied his way into your cunt and moaned so deeply his eyes rolled back as you felt each other for the first time. He could do nothing but breathe, his dick twitching so violently within you it seemed like he might not last, but with a minute or so to even himself out he brought his eyes back to yours and stared right into your soul. It would seem within the bounds of his character to say something derogatory, to mimic your sniffling or mock your tears–but he instead pressed his mouth to your cheek, kissing each one dry as he started to move. He muttered in your ear that you would get used to it, and you did as soon as a few thrusts in, his slow pace gradually picking up faster and harder until his desk legs were scraping against the wood floor in time with him. 

This was it. The purity you had so closely protected all this time was sullied, taken by someone you didn't even like, much less loved. Both emotionally and physically it still hurt, you wouldn’t lie–but somehow Bailey’s brief moments of tenderness actually served to calm you, and you managed to squeak out a bitter moan of his name into his lips as you met them with yours. And thankfully he seemed to enjoy that, his fingers digging into your hips and leaving what you knew would be bruises you’d have to try and cover from your friends, especially Robin. God, what would Robin think if he knew what you were doing–that you were willingly having sex with the man who was extorting you, and enjoying it? 

It was a horrible image, but you couldn't stop yourself from imagining it--Robin's shocked face as he watched you through a crack in the office door, humping yourself against Bailey's cock as he ordered you to keep your mouth shut. He would be absolutely devastated, completely appalled, and you wouldn't be able to stop because it….it felt really, really good. Was sex always supposed to feel like this? Like your mind was being stirred up and dizzied with pleasure, and your body craved so much more that you were meeting each thrust eagerly? The stretch of his cock forcing itself inside you was once painful, but now you just wanted more, you wanted him to fuck you loose enough that it would never sting when he first slid inside again. Each movement inside you was like he was molding your cunt into his own toy, and even though you felt that deep sense of shame inside you for thinking it, the warmth of him holding you and pushing you into kissing him made you cling so hard to him that you didn't want to let go. 

“Wrap your legs around me,”

Bailey grunted with a kiss to your throat, pushing you back far enough in the process that it proved easier for you to lift each of them and rest them on his hips, keeping them in place by hooking your ankles together against his back. It seemed to allow him deeper access, since by now you felt the ache even more in your deepest reaches as he battered your cervix with that monster he called a dick. If it wasn’t biologically impossible, you would have been worried about him squeezing himself right past that soft little barrier and plunging his cock into your womb, to leave absolutely no boundaries between you to prevent his seed from spilling inside you. That was not a worry you wanted or needed to fret about for the moment, so you said nothing as he threatened you with his orgasm, and demanded you tell him whether you were close or not.

“Useless brat..” 

He groaned, and much to your mixed pleasure and displeasure he found your clit with ease, and ground his thumb into it in circles that sent your head spinning. He managed to find a rhythm that had you clenching your walls around him in sync with his relentless bucking into your pussy, creating a pace with which you couldn’t even think of keeping up with. And when he angled himself all different ways until he hit that spot that made you grind back against him and cry out…it was all over for you. Your end came quickly and without warning, the orgasm so hard and sudden that you couldn’t hope to keep your legs up. You couldn’t even speak, barely breathing as your body convulsed and your cunt spasmed around him, Bailey’s hoarse promises of cumming inside you falling on deaf ears. He did as he pleased, and held you down against him like a lifeless doll as he let loose torrential spurts of hot cum, each one splashing inside you like molten liquid and blowing every sensible thought from your ecstasy-addled mind. 

Such a turnover from the world you once knew to the one you had now been introduced to, it was understandable that you would black out for a little while, your body exhausted up until the very moment you opened your eyes and realized they had been shut for a while. 

"Fuck…fuck, shouldn’t have gotten carried away..” 

Bailey’s mumbling to himself was just barely audible, his face obscured as he fiddled with his cuffs, which now seemed to be the only thing out of place. Your eyes fell closed again and when you woke with a jolt, you found yourself cleaned up, but still half-naked. All traces of what Bailey had done to you were gone, save for the fact that your skirt was still gone and your panties were damp with sweat. And the man himself stood by, his hand having rested on your thigh up until the moment you opened your eyes. Despite that, he seemed calm as always…and before you could say a word, your heart jumped into your throat as he produced that dreaded length of rope from his jacket and blocked your escape out of the room. 

"Well, it'll be a little easier for you in your new home, with that little doozy out of the way." 

He snickered, and grabbed you by the collar as you jolted forward to try and get away. It proved no issue for him to slam you back down into the desk, and he stood once again between your legs–but this time, it was his arousal over yours as you flailed and squirmed to try and get away, while he took great pleasure in the way you inadvertently ground up against his cock through his pants. It was obvious you wouldn't be able to pull the same trick twice, though.

"I won't lie, that tight little cunt of yours was worth it–but you're just so naïve it hurts. Stay still." 

"I-I'll do anything, Bailey, please!" 

You choked out, panic leaving your mouth dry and making your stomach churn as if you were going to throw up, even moreso when he dragged the length of rope back across your skin. You had no idea what he planned to do with you, but you really, really did not want to find out, and you swore to yourself that you would do absolutely anything to avoid that terrible fate that he had lined up for you. 

"...Fine. If you're gonna go that far, then go sell yourself. You've got one day, I wouldn't fuck it up if I were you." 

And like a miracle, the rope slid off your skin once more and Bailey moved back, but not before you felt the twitch of his cock inside his trousers from being pressed up against you. That was all you needed to get off the desk in the hopes of getting out as soon as possible, although you found yourself stumbling on unsteady feet that resulted in you grabbing hold of Bailey, and leaning against him as you quivered and willed the strength back into your legs. He was like a brick wall, unmoving and stoic as you clutched at him for support, until he leaned down and muttered into your ear in a way that made your blood run cold.

"If you do, I'll make sure you really hate me next time, brat." 

[whispersofrot]

any ideas for life with the school lI's after graduation? Doesn't have to be domestic

This was so ridiculously fun to write ty anon. I tried to keep this more when they’re like 19-22ish. If anyone wants the LI’s in a more well established life later down the road lmk.

Putting my answer under the cut bc this ended up being roughly 1k words.

Robin The Orphan

True to their boy/girl next door personality, I think Robin would find a life befitting of that trope. They wait tables at the cafe during the week. They use whatever money they have leftover at the end of the week to help out the kids at the orphanage, but after their debt's payed off they make sure Bailey never sees a cent of it. Robin also shares a small house/apartment with a few of the other kids you grew up with. 

Low Love: Robin dreams of moving out of this shithole town, after a while their need to get out overpowers their want to help the orphans and they start saving for the big move. If you ask them not to they'll listen, they've always looked up to you after all, but with how little you speak to each other these days, is it worth putting Robin through the pain of staying?

High Love: Robin starts dividing up their savings into funds for the orphanage and funds for their own cafe, or taking over at Sam’s(but that might require pc’s help in convincing that selfish bastard to hand it over). They’ve found comfort in the simple routines involved in their work, and found that their regulars are completely unphased when they crossdress on the clock. 

(Love the idea of Robin owning a small cafe and sharing an apartment with the pc above it. Like that’s such a cute idea)

Whitney The Bully

Looking at the way Whitney operates in the game, I don’t think it’d ever be made too obvious what they do with their life. I could see them hopping from job to job a lot, because they can’t seem to keep one longer than six months. They still roam the alley’s, but you typically only find them at night.  

Low Love: When you go to the pub to visit Landry, you’ve got about a 50/50 chance of seeing Whitney. You don’t know exactly what they’re doing, but you do know Landry’s been complaining about a new contact of theirs. If you try to confront Whitney, they’d either tell you it’s none of your business (low dom) or pick a fight to shut you up (high dom).

High Love: Most of the above is still true, but they’re more open about their more questionable side gig. You don’t know the details, but you do know finances aren’t a thing Whitney’s concerned with despite their inability to keep a job. At high love if you ask them about it they’ll just smile and insist that their pretty little slut doesn’t need to worry about it. 

(I also like the idea of Whit working at the pub when they’re a bit older and have sorta ‘calmed down’ a touch)

Kylar The Loner

After school I think Kylar would either become more involved in whatever their parents are up to(which we don’t know anything about besides that they happen to be powerful/influential) or become self employed in one way or another. I think the rest of their routine would be pretty similar.

Low Love: Kylar becomes more of a genuine threat to your day to day life around town, street encounters happen regularly(among other things). I think they’d also interfere more with your work, spreading malicious rumors to keep people away from you and breaking into wherever you live on the regular to mess with your personal belongings. Kylar might also try to threaten anyone you do have high love with. I honestly think you’d have to dismiss them at low love just to be able to have a functional life in town.

High Love: Kylar’s trying to live out their domestic fantasy. Any debt you still owe to Bailey they’d get rid of as soon as possible, even if they have to use their parents' money to do it. Much more insistent in celebrating your relationship(marriage as soon as humanly possible, gift giving regularly, living together, etc..). Kylar would be much easier to manage/keep happy after high school, they’re easier to avoid while being easier to please. On the flip side, I think refusing to participate in more domestic tasks regularly might set them off, so while you can avoid raising jealousy when out and about, the moment you get home it can be all too easy to significantly increase their jealousy. 

(I also think at this point high love high jealousy Kylar would be more prone to genuine outbursts, they’ve lost any subtlety they’ve had before. Probably rambling about how they’d never dream of hurting you while doing exactly that.)

Sydney The Faithful/Fallen

Sydney’s involvement with the temple is much more passive now, with corrupt Sydney leaving it all together and pure Sydney getting too caught up in college/work to do much more than their monthly inspections. If they’re not in college I think you could find them at the school still, they’ve replaced the old librarian. They’ve found themselves more interested in the temple's history rather than its current practice; you can find them at the lake on the weekends. 

Low Love: Syd always flew under the radar so I don’t think you’d really run into them much. Other than at the lake you might run into them at Sirris’s shop on occasion, but other than those two options I honestly can’t see them doing much else around town. 

High Love: Your relationship hasn’t done much to change how busy Syd is, but now you can accompany them to the lake or to visit Sirris. If you’ve kept them pure you can choose to help them out at the temple when they have the time to volunteer. At the lake they might tell you about some old secrets of the temple, fidgeting with their pendant as they tell you about what lies beneath the lake’s surface. You can’t tell if they believe it or not.

[necros-writing-stuff]

OH OHH I HAVE AN INCEST ASK FOR BAILEY--

Being Baileys sibling, yeah yeah I know already done- but growing up in the orphanage with Bailey, you go on innocent among the town and Bailey protecting you the best they can, keeping you a virgin until they just can't take it anymore-- now you're their fucktoy they take their stress out on.

Bailey waits until he knows that he has power. The moment he's established as the orphanage caretaker, working for Quinn (but likely for himself behind the scenes), he'd do it.

Their entire childhood had been spent as his innocent, protected sibling. When Bailey couldn't watch them, he'd pay Eden with some chocolate or spare pocket money where he could to fill in his role for the day. He was worried, honestly, that Eden would fall for them and take them before he could, but luck was on his side because Eden was preoccupied with trying to survive his own hell.

Eden's fucked off now. So it's just the two of them. Bailey and his little sibling against the world. Its so cute to see them come into his office, pop a pillow on one of those wooden chairs and lean a head against his shoulder as he works. Would they find him disgusting if they knew what thoughts ran through his mind? Not like it would matter.

He finds a day with just a little bit of spare time, inviting them into his room to watch films and catch up. Cuddle under a blanket like they're kids again. This is what he's owed, he thinks as he pins them to the bed. For keeping them safe and pure, this is his payment.

The poor thing is so confused when they end up trapped beneath his frame; Bailey had always found wrestling games boring. So why was he pinning them down right now?

They're unable to stop him as he grinds against their pelvis, his hard cock poking them in the tummy as they whine and writhe, begging for him to get off. Yeah, he'll get off. Just not the way they're begging him to.

They're so scared, so shocked that they freeze. It must be a betrayal to them, but he knows they'll act like nothing ever happened after this. They love their big brother too much. Not to mention how innocent and clueless they are, they'll likely start thinking they deserve it. That this is normal.

That's exactly what happens. From then on, it's always the same. He comes to them, has them strip as he just takes his cock out of his slacks and then he uses their holes to his heart's content. So tight, so warm and they make such pretty sounds for him, too.

Begging, for more or for him to slow down, even if before they start and once they end there's just a dash of regret on their face, the knowledge that somehow, this is wrong instinctually settled in their mind. So Bailey reassures them. It's normal for them. To love each other, as they do.

There's nothing more satisfying than watching them walk out of his office, knowing that beneath their clothes they're dripping his seed. Marked, is what they are. His property. And unlike the orphans, this one won't earn their freedom.

[angrelysimpping]

can i request bailey being a tsundere towards the pc?

They don’t like you.

They refuse to like you.

Liking people only gets Bailey hurt in the long run. Liking one of their own brats would make things worse. 

So, they ignore you. 

They shove past you in the halls. 

They only say as many words as they absolutely have to when they talk to you. 

They avoid going into the garden when you're out there, even if it is their favorite place to smoke. 

It works, for a while. 

Bailey can go on pretending that they don't have a soft spot for you.

And you get to be blissfully unaware about said soft spot. 

Until you miss a payment. 

Bailey’s surprised when tears well up in your eyes at their appearance. Sure, they’re intimidating, but they’ve never elicited such a reaction from you before. It’s when you whimper out that you don’t have the money that Bailey understands, a pit forming in their stomach. 

They sigh, running a hand through their hair before they gesture for you to follow them. 

They don't bother to make sure you follow. They hope you don't, honestly. If you don't follow them, it'll give them an excuse to get rough with you. 

But you follow. Slink into their office behind them and shut the door when they tell you to. 

You're shaking by this point, can’t look Bailey in the eye, heart beating so loud you can’t hear a word they say.

It’s only when Bailey sits behind their desk and pulls out a stack of papers that you snap out of it.

“W-what?”

Bailey’s eyes narrow, “Were you ignoring me?”

“No! I just, I was, I didn’t mean-”

Bailey waves a hand dismissively and your mouth shuts with an audible click.

“Go through these. Make sure every blank is filled.”

Bailey can see the gears turning in your head. They know you’ve probably heard what they do to the brats who don’t pay, how they get taken out of the orphanage with bags on their heads and on a lead of rope. 

And here they are, having you do paperwork for them.

You’re smart enough not to question it, taking the papers and sitting quietly on the sofa in the corner. 

After you finish sorting through the papers, Bailey sends you out with a warning not to say anything about your punishment and a reminder of how much you owe them next week. 

They’re surprised when you show up the next afternoon, asking if you could maybe do some more paperwork in exchange for lowing your payments. 

It goes against their better judgment, really. They’ve been operating on the idea that avoiding you is their best course of action. But, well, it was nice, having you in their office yesterday. Calming, almost. 

And fuck if it wasn't nice that they didn't have to waste time checking over those papers. 

So, they let you in. 

They still shove past you in the halls, still mutter swears and threats under their breath, still avoids you outside of their office as much as they can. 

But inside their office? They're quiet. A silence that becomes more comfortable, familiar, with each of your visits. 

And Bailey can sneak looks at you while you go through whatever paperwork they've given you. 

If sometimes they think about you sitting at their feet? Leaning back against their legs, head resting against their thigh? Their hand running over your hair while you each do your own work? Well, those thoughts are a bit harder to push away than they'd like to admit, but it doesn't stop them from letting you back into their office and handing you a stack of papers day after day. 

[renegadewangs]

Van Zieks - the Examination, part 9

Warnings: SPOILERS for The Great Ace Attorney: Chronicles. Additional warning for racist sentiments uttered by fictional characters (and screencaps to show these sentiments).

Disclaimer: (see Part 1 for the more detailed disclaimer.) - These posts are not meant to be taken as fact. Everything I’m outlining stems from my own views and experiences. If you believe that I’ve missed or misinterpreted something, please let me know so I can edit the post accordingly. -The purpose of these posts is an analysis, nothing more. Please do not come into these posts expecting me to either defend Barok van Zieks from haters, nor expecting me to encourage the hatred. - I’m using the Western release of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles for these posts, but may refer to the original Japanese dialogue of Dai Gyakuten Saiban if needed to compare what’s said. This also means I’m using the localized names and localized romanization of the names to stay consistent. -It doesn’t matter one bit to me whether you like Barok van Zieks or dislike him. However, I will ask that everyone who comments refrains from attacking real, actual people.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

How the turnabouts have turned! It's time for Twisted Karma and His Last Bow!

Episode 2-4: Twisted Karma and His Last Bow

With Van Zieks's tragic backstory (…) exposed, it's time to head on into waters we've charted before, waaay back in the very first Ace Attorney game: The Prosecutor becomes the Defendant. It all starts off with some shenanigans which appear to have very little to do with Van Zieks (the arrival of Mikotoba and Jigoku, the Red-headed League, a missing prison warder, etc.).. Ryu does still run into Van Zieks very briefly in Stronghart's office, with Susato noting that there appears to be an awful lot of tension in the air. I expect Van Zieks is questioning that decision to leave Genshin Asogi's son in his care, but even so, he's very civil towards Stronghart. Susato also notes that Van Zieks gives Ryu a cold stare as he leaves, with Ryu wondering what he's done to earn that. This may also be a result of him being besties with Kazuma, since Van Zieks had already buried the hatchet towards Ryu for the most part. When Ryu asks about the decision to leave Kazuma in Van Zieks's care, Stronghart explains it was to best keep an eye on this 'mysterious amnesiac with no identifying papers'. Well OK then. Stronghart also explains he made Kazuma wear a mask because he didn't want to “burden Van Zieks with tiresome explanations about why he had an Eastern appearance.” … I would assume the very simple explanation is that it's because he's of Eastern descent, Stronghart. Regardless, the Lord Chief Justice has high hopes for Kazuma's future and isn't at all bothered by the fact that the guy has gone missing for a little bit.

Things take a turn later when Gina Lestrade comes barging into 221B with some pretty shocking news. Inspector Gregson was murdered. Yes, THAT Inspector Gregson. The suspect has already been arrested:

It's true that to the average civilian like Gina, Van Zieks's name is pretty much synonymous to the Reaper (of the Old Bailey). Even so, to have her outright calling him by that title adds a sort of emotional distance that's really striking. Gina explains they caught him at the scene and there were several witnesses, but Ryu thinks to himself that there's no way Van Zieks would have taken Gregson's life. So naturally, we owe it to our good pal Gregson (who actually was just coming around and being nicer to Ryu) to find the truth. Time to go have a talk with Van Zieks in prison!

… Okay that's funny. Don't worry, Barok, one day we'll all look back on this and laugh. Anyway, Van Zieks says he's in the last place on earth he'd want to be, with the last person on earth he'd want to see. And this line can easily be misinterpreted as Van Zieks saying he hates Ryu more than anyone else in the world, but what he's actually saying is that Ryu is the last person he wishes would see him in this troublesome situation. Ryu says he couldn't very well not come, but Van Zieks tells him to go home since it has nothing to do with him. Susato interjects, pointing out that Gregson has helped them out on numerous occasions and so, they're indebted to him. She pleads for Van Zieks's help with the investigation and he's silent for a moment, only to say: “There's really nothing I can tell you.” Which I suppose means he doesn't think he has anything helpful to say. Ryu asks about what Van Zieks was reading when they came in and assumes it to be a case report. Van Zieks says the Yard wouldn't share case details with a suspect (keep that one in mind) and explains it's a letter from Albert. Dear Professor Harebrayne has arrived in Germany safely! Ryu notes that Van Zieks usually never minces his words, but they seem to have less bite than usual now. No wonder, really, since he's in prison for the murder of an old friend. Van Zieks asks how much they already know about the case, so the two of them go through the facts and Van Zieks says they're well-informed. He's got nothing to add, because... Well.

Oh, this is going to be another one of those cases, huh. Susato asks what Van Zieks was doing at the crime scene in the first place, but Van Zieks points out he doesn't need to answer that, as they aren't representing him. When asked who is representing him in court, he says it'd be anyone other than Ryu. That said, he doesn't actually have any representation because of his reputation as the Reaper. Sixteen people he's prosecuted have mysteriously died and now that he's actually been apprehended for a murder, that whole Reaper ordeal is sure to be thoroughly examined.

BOY, have we got news for you! When it's pointed out that Van Zieks didn't actually have anything to do with those mysterious deaths (right???), he replies that no one wants to know the true identity of that killer more than he does, but it seems things may come to a head before he can uncover the truth. Van Zieks basically tells Ryu to leave, but being the kind-hearted gentleman that he is, Ryu offers to advocate for him in court. Van Zieks asks whether Ryu trusts him, which is a pretty fair question to ask. He's built up so many racist scumbag points and has such a bad reputation in town, it would be weird for Ryu to trust him unconditionally. Luckily, Ryu has been paying attention just as much as I have; he's heard Van Zieks speak in court and seen the way he treats people (uhh, English citizens, anyway), so he doesn't believe this 'Reaper' has it in him to take a life. Unfortunately, Ryu also has to acknowledge that feelings can't be used as evidence in court. Van Zieks considers the offer gracious, but...

“Not the police, not the judiciary... And not you Nipponese.”

One more scumbag point for putting “you Nipponese” in its own category for no reason. Either way, this man has built up such high defensive walls, you could see them from three galaxies away. Trusting no one is a pretty drastic way of living. Ryu thinks to himself that there's a chasm between the two of them that's 'just too wide and too deep'.

As a sidenote, presenting the attorney armband doesn't lead to any interesting conversation this time, but we can also present the Red-headed League advertisement! Van Zieks surmises that if it were a Black-headed League, Ryu would join without delay, which Ryu then confirms. Van Zieks says that sadly, his hair is neither black nor red. He goes into a most curious identity crisis of sorts, where he looks quite anguished as he wonders which coloured league he should join instead. There have been several debates over his hair color, actually, from lavender to purple to grey. Regardless, Susato points out that “people are troubled by the most unexpected problems at times.” It is unexpected, since Van Zieks needs neither the money nor the company that he would get from joining any such league. It's just the principle of the matter, I suppose.

Over by the crime scene in Fresno Street, Gina gets a little razzled when she suspects Ryu is thinking of defending “that Reaper bloke”. Susato points out that if “Lord van Zieks” really is responsible for the crime, he'll be judged fairly in court. This gets Gina to calm down again, because she really wants to know the truth of what happened and much like Van Zieks, she must know that getting the truth is what Ryu does best. A bit of conversation later, Gina points out one more interesting thing; Gregson apparently held a lot of respect for 'the Reaper'. “I take my hat off to that fella,” were his exact words, apparently. Ryu is skeptical, as am I, because I've seen the way Gregson talks about Van Zieks behind his back.

Gina explains that's exactly why he respected Van Zieks. That's... a little weird and ambiguous. So either he respected Van Zieks's ability to stand tall despite all the public scorn, or he respected the fear he struck into people's hearts. There's one more option; Gina keeps talking about the Reaper instead of Van Zieks, so it's possible that Gregson was talking about the actual Reaper. This seems unlikely, though, since he didn't seem to enjoy being part of the Reaper organization.

And now that we know Van Zieks is the defendant, one might be wondering: Who is the prosecutor? Who is the antagonistic force who will try to stop Ryu from uncovering the truth? Well, we find him over in Stronghart's office. Apparently he took an express train back to London from wherever it was he's been these past few days.

YOOOOUUUU!!! Though before we can address his presence properly, we need to discuss the new case. Stronghart wastes no time asking Ryu and Susato whether they've heard “the sickening news about the Reaper's latest devilry.” Which stands out, to say the least, since Stronghart has always been a strong supporter of Van Zieks up until this point. When Susato points out that surely he doesn't believe it, Stronghart says he believes only in facts, which all point to the unavoidable accusal of Lord van Zieks. Someone sure had a quick turnaround when it comes to his number one prosecutor, geez... Stronghart points out the irony that there's no salvation for anyone prosecuted by the Reaper of the Bailey, and now the Reaper himself must stand in the dock. Just as Van Zieks had already alluded to, Stronghart now claims the public will want answers about those mysterious deaths. Ryu and Susato both point out that which had been rubbed into our faces several times already; Van Zieks denies any involvement, and also there have been several investigations into whether he had anything to do with it. Stronghart kind of brushes this off, though. Turns out, Van Zieks is being traded in for a newer model number one prosecutor: Kazuma Asogi! Which seems weird at first glance, since Kazuma is a defense attorney, but Stronghart considers that a bonus:

“A devastation combination, wouldn't you agree?”

I do agree. Granted, it seems Van Zieks had already figured out the defense's strategies too, he just never actively used them to his own advantage. It also turns out that Kazuma personally requested the prosecutor position for this trial. Susato thinks it's pretty unprecedented to grant a newcomer exchange student such a request, but Stronghart offers some petty excuse about how this way, it won't look like the judiciary are closing ranks. Kazuma, who assumes his friend will take on the defense, says he'll see how Ryu's skills have been honed after practicing law in England for so many months. (Uhh. Actually, bestie, it was only about two months of being a defense attorney and six months of disbarment.) Ryu notes that Kazuma is being hostile towards him and wonders why. On a final note, when asking Stronghart about the gun found at the crime scene, we're told that it's issued to all members of law enforcement, including prosecutors. Van Zieks claims to have lost his. That's a troubling claim indeed, because it's difficult to prove or disprove. GOSH, if only fingerprints were allowed in court.

As Ryu and Susato turn to leave, Kazuma stops them. He once again states he wants Ryu to witness this trial as the defense counsel, to “see how it ends”. Since Kazuma has a very distinct vision for how he wants it to end, I guess this means he intends to confront Ryu with Van Zieks's guilt and have his bestie see that a man like him is unworthy of his trust. Either that, or he expects Ryu to use this trial to find the truth of what really happened with the Professor ten years ago, just as he used Albert's trial to dig into that incident. Still though, this reads as pretty scummy to me, because it means he wants Ryu to lose a trial and lose some of his belief in his clients. In the trial itself, it seems to me that Kazuma desperately believes Van Zieks to be a horrible person deserving of the guilty verdict. Therefore, he in no way can hold hope that Ryu will prove him wrong (unlike what went down in case 2-3 with Albert). Anyway, Ryu says that Van Zieks would never put his fate in his hands.

“... It's not easy to see behind the facade sometimes.”

Case 2-3 already told us this, but it's nice to have it confirmed by someone who was closer to Van Zieks. Because remember, Kazuma spent three months by Van Zieks's side (and even fighting by his side), so of course he would know more about his personality than we do. Kazuma hands over a photograph of Barok when he was younger and

GOOD LORD, HE CAN SMILE. Or he could when he was younger, anyway. Kazuma states the picture was displayed in Gregson's office. What he's 'trying to say' is that if Ryu really thinks he can trust “the Reaper” (distancing choice of words again), he might find that some straight talking will change his view. I got the impression we've been straight talking Van Zieks ever since we first met him, but okay. Let's take the picture and back to the gaol we go! Van Zieks is once again reading from some paper and Ryu points out that either he's an incredibly slow reader or it's an incredibly long letter, but either way, Ryu might even be able to read English faster than him. Naturally, this was said loud enough for Van Zieks to overhear.

Scumbag point for hypocrisy, but also a scumbag point for “Nipponese”. When Ryu asks whether it's still Albert's letter he's reading, Van Zieks says he had the case report brought to him in secret. So wait, the Yard does share case details with its suspect? Hilarious. Once again, Van Zieks insists the situation has nothing to do with Ryu, up until the prosecutor's name is revealed to him. And so, the masked cardboard cutout student has become the master! Ryu notes that all the color drained from Van Zieks's face, which is pretty impressive when there's barely any color there to begin with. Ryu has the opportunity now to thrust the photograph into his face, so let's do that. He's immediately alarmed, since he assumed it to be lost and would never have expected Gregson to have it. When Ryu says that Gregson had a deep respect for him, he dismisses that as nonsense, only to correct himself. “There was a time things were like that.”

Van Zieks thanks Ryu for that nice glimpse into the past, and Ryu thinks to himself that there was a glimmer in Van Zieks's eyes- a brief twinkle. He considers that “an insight into the true nature of this man known to all as the stone-cold Reaper of the Bailey”, with “the true nature” being highlighted as orange. So this right here is undeniable; this is what the narrative is illustrating to us now. The true nature of Barok van Zieks is that of someone who was hopeful and jovial; kind-hearted, as Albert knew him. What we see now, that harsh exterior full of harsh words, is not his nature at all.

Van Zieks is more willing to talk now. He once again speaks of Klint, rehashing the same story we've heard several times already. Van Zieks claims there's not a single day where he doesn't curse the name Asogi. He considers it a cruel twist of fate that the man's son intends to crucify him in 'some kangaroo court'. Clearly, he doesn't think highly of the upcoming trial if he refers to it as a kangaroo court, but that's likely because he knows he isn't the real killer. When Ryu points out that he still doesn't understand why Stronghart apprenticed Kazuma to Van Zieks, the explanation is that “it's what he does”. Van Zieks believes that Stronghart knew Kazuma's true identity from the outset, but still provides no real explanation as to why Stronghart 'did what he did' and even assigned Kazuma as the prosecutor this time. Van Zieks goes on to contemplate the name Asogi some more and calls it 'the epitome of his bane'.

I've talked before about how utterly flawed it is that Van Zieks attributes Genshin's crime to his race and/or cultural upbringing and proceeds to tar every single Japanese person with the same brush. There's no need to go into this again; we all know it's wrong. Turns out, even Van Zieks knows it's wrong, but we'll get back to that momentarily. First, Van Zieks needs to talk about Klint even more. (good lord...) He explains that Klint van Zieks was hunting down a mass murderer and “assigned to the investigation as his partner was a certain visiting student dispatched by the Yard.” This was Genshin, of course, and I believe this is the first time it's said that he too was looking into the Professor case. So Van Zieks already mentioned in the previous case that the Japanese students had left a deep impact on him, and also that he once toasted friendship with a Japanese person, but now we have this:

“But none of us saw the true nature of the man.”

True nature is once again in orange here, but this time as a red herring. Van Zieks believes that the Professor murders were Genshin's true nature, when it isn't quite true at all. Regardless, since Van Zieks was still in university at the time the exchange students were in the country, I don't think he would've had that much contact with Genshin. I expect he encountered the man on rare occasion while Klint associated most with him. Every meeting was enough to foster this respect and friendship, though, so it's clear that young Van Zieks was easily influenced and had a very open mind towards a foreign exchange student. But then, that's what makes the next portion of the story all the more damaging.

“My esteemed brother... The people I believed in... And any semblance of right prevailing over wrong!”

As Van Zieks also already alluded to in the previous case, he found himself in a very dark place. That isn't surprising. Every positive thing Van Zieks knew in his life, from his family to his closest friends, was ripped away from him in extremely close succession. What must've been the final nail in the coffin was Genshin outright admitting to his crimes. It erased all doubt that perhaps there was some sort of misunderstanding or a frame job. Going over everything Van Zieks has said so far, it seems he didn't just blame Genshin for the tremendous loss he suffered; he blamed himself. He must believe that his trust in Genshin blinded him to this supposed 'true nature', just as it must've also blinded Klint, and that the whole tragedy could've been prevented if only he'd been more cautious. So now, in present day, he no longer trusts anyone. He outright says so.

Van Zieks goes on to talk about how he was the one who prosecuted the Professor. Since he'd only just graduated, such a thing usually wouldn't be allowed, but he “beleaguered the ascribed prosecutor until he consented.” This person was Mael Stronghart, who back then was apparently still no more than a prosecutor. A highly accomplished one, but a prosecutor nonetheless. Since Klint was the Director of Prosecutions (or Chief Prosecutor???) at the time, that means he actually ranked above Stronghart. Interesting. Regardless, since Stronghart agreed to let Van Zieks lead the prosecution and instead only acted as an advisor, Van Zieks now feels indebted to him. That certainly explains why he's usually so good about following Stronghart's orders and not asking questions.

“And, of all things, as a lawyer.”

Ahhh, this is the part where Ryu enters the chronology. Our protagonist points out that he's felt Van Zieks's animosity since the first time he faced him in the courtroom; his obvious deep loathing of Japanese people. And here comes perhaps one of the most important, yet most overlooked lines Van Zieks will ever utter in these games:

“But for so many years, that hatred had festered inside me, I could no longer control it.”

So here, Van Zieks admits to two things. First of all, he admits that he was wrong to hold such deep loathing and by extension, to give that loathing a voice. He's a man of logic, after all. To cling to something which he refers to as illogical is about as wrong as one could get. Not only that, he admits that this was an unstoppable force he should have controlled, but was too weak to do so. The hatred overpowered him and did away with common sense. He behaved stupidly and irrationally because for ten years, hatred and negativity was all he knew. But what's even more striking here is Ryu's answer, which is also often overlooked:

Ryu, bless his heart, doesn't blame Van Zieks for succumbing to this weakness. Bear in mind, he's the victim here. Van Zieks wouldn't have encountered many other Japanese people in those ten years, if at all. This means the first person he lashed out against was Ryu. Naturally, Ryu can't speak for Susato or Soseki, who received their own verbal assaults and might have different opinions on the matter. Ryu is just one man, but in our narrative, he's the main protagonist and the main target of these outbursts. Is it misleading and perhaps even problematic in the grand scheme of things to have the protagonist sympathize with such motivation? Well, that depends on many different factors. There's no easy answer for this because it's a nuanced, cultural sort of thing. Personally, I was a bit bothered by it, but not to the point that it ruined the experience for me.

Van Zieks admits that just as the Japanese were the bane of his life, Kazuma Asogi must believe Van Zieks to be the bane of his. He is, after all, the Reaper who sent his father to the gallows. Van Zieks thinks that Kazuma intends to take revenge in court and... Really, this is true.

There's a quick bit of conversation about Gregson now. Turns out, the only reason the Professor was caught at all was because Gregson forced an autopsy on Klint despite it being considered the highest taboo at the time. Van Zieks says that as a result of Gregson's powerful conviction, he could avenge his brother's death. He looks quite torn, a bit pained. He must believe he owes Gregson something for this. The conversation then moves on to Van Zieks's revolver, which he claims to have misplaced an undetermined amount of time ago. “I must have stowed it somewhere, I suppose. Or left it somewhere, perhaps.” Van Zieks clearly doesn't think highly of firearms as a weapon, since he's constantly carrying a sword around instead. Susato points out that Ryu has a talent for misplacing things in common with Van Zieks, which leads to one more scumbag outburst.

… Dude. Come on. You just admitted it was illogical. You came so far! Scumbag point for you. Still, as the conversation rounds to a close, Van Zieks utters the words “Mister... Naruhodo”, much to Ryu's surprise. This is the first time he's actually said Ryu's name! Van Zieks once again reiterates that he's lost all confidence in England's judiciary system. He doesn't trust the police, the judiciary or lawyers. Even so, there's still one thing he's willing to believe in.

“That which you see in the eyes of another across the courtroom: a simple determination to know the truth. From the very first time we clashed in the Bailey almost a year ago now... I couldn't deny it, even though I dearly wished I could. 'Here is a loathsome Japanese... who has absolute integrity as a lawyer.' There are only two other men I've known with that same look in their eyes: my brother, Klint. … And Genshin Asogi.”

This is interesting. So at first when he saw that look in Ryu's eyes, he must've been reminded of Genshin. And again, this is why he directed such hatred towards Ryu; he saw someone who wasn't alive anymore. But now he recalls that Klint also had that same gaze, and so he wants to believe that Ryu is not similar to a deceitful murderer, he's instead similar to his beloved brother. (Boy is he going to have to reevaluate how he judges people when he finds out that his beloved brother was the deceitful murderer.) Van Zieks says that when he saw the photograph, he was reminded of a time when he could laugh, free of the shackles of mistrust which plague him now. This is very relevant since Van Zieks indeed can't laugh anymore. We never see him do it. He can't even smile.

“But at times the mire into which I've sunk makes it almost impossible to breathe.”

Someone please get this man to a professional therapist. If he means that in a more literal sense and he does occasionally feel like he can't breathe, that's telltale signs of panic attacks. It could just be, of course, that he's being overdramatic and the “impossible to breathe” bit is just fanciful wordplay to go with the mire analogy. Still though, considering he's also mentioned being in a dark place and that he's willing to die so long as it serves a useful purpose, and that he drinks his wine to stave off tedium... He's clearly depressed. But then, he seems to know it. He acknowledges that the way he is now is not the way things should be, and that he needs to fight to overcome it. And so:

“... In tomorrow's trial... Will you advocate for me?”

Boom. Swallowed his pride and turned to Ryu for help because he knows it's what's best for him. He no longer trusts anyone, but he's willing to trust Ryu because once he starts opening up again and has that trust repaid, then perhaps things can gradually go back to the way things were when he was younger. Mind, he still hasn't apologized for his actions, but that doesn't change that Ryu at least is willing to extend a hand to Van Zieks. It's a little sad that Susato doesn't properly form her own opinion on this and instead just goes along with whatever Ryu says. I would've liked to know just how she feels about Van Zieks's attitude and whether or not he deserves to be helped. She doesn't object to it, at least, and since Susato usually always speaks her mind, I can only assume she genuinely agrees with Ryu's sentiments.

The next day, in the defendant's lobby, it's remarked there's a 'menacing tension' in the air and Ryu surmises out loud it's the result of the menacing appearance of the defendant. Well-deserved, that remark. Touché. Van Zieks asks him for a little more courtesy in a polite enough manner, but considering the lack of courtesy he's shown Ryu over the past 8 months, that's hypocritical. He informs Ryu that this is a closed trial without a jury, which bums me out because it means no more Summation Examination. I would've liked to see Asogi react to that. (S)Holmes comes in and has the weirdest little banter with Van Zieks that I honestly can't... really decipher. There's several things about it that really strike me as being off:

- “And I you. I see London's celebrated great detective is as active as ever.”

- “Oh, you exaggerate, my dear fellow. Compared to my paltry engagements with a few trivial cases... The Reaper's overbearing presence is a far greater deterrent to the black roots of crime in our capital. And whilst I may not agree with your methods... There is at least one point on which I would readily commend you.”

- “What an honour. And that would be...?”

- “Your eye for a good lawyer, sir. […] Behind this lawyer there is a very great mind. My own.”

Alright, so... First of all, we know (S)Holmes is super arrogant and would never refer to his past cases as “trivial” in all sincerity. Plus, it's established that he's very weird with compliments, such as referring to Gregson as “the best of those blunderers of the Yard”, so complimenting Van Zieks directly on the effect he has on crime feels off. Aside from that, (S)Holmes addresses Van Zieks as the Reaper and continues to talk about 'his methods', when it's already been established (S)Holmes doesn't believe Van Zieks has anything to do with the Reaper killings. Taking all that into account, I can only really assume that the first half of this above conversation is (S)Holmes being weirdly passive aggressive towards Van Zieks, with Van Zieks being passive aggressive in turn. It really, truly feels as if there was some sort of backstory between these two that they had to scrap at the last second. Regardless, the exchange ends with (S)Holmes warning Van Zieks that this will be “quite a trial”.

Gina Lestrade shows up with Yujin Mikotoba (….. when did they meet???), saying they intend to watch the trial, and I am very impressed with how (S)Holmes manages to disappear from the scene and not say a word when his old partner arrives. Anyway, Gina looks Ryu square in the eye and asks him why he agreed to take Van Zieks on. Everyone's saying it was him who killed Gregson. Considering everyone was saying it was her who killed Pop Windibank six months ago, you'd think she might want to tone down her attitude, but she's clearly in mourning and lashing out. See? People who are hurting can say insensitive things. Ryu insists he doesn't believe it to be true, but Gina demands to know that if it wasn't him, then who?

“An' if it turns out it was 'im wot killed the boss... Then God 'elp 'im!”

It's interesting to remember that during The Unspeakable Story, Gina wasn't afraid of Van Zieks for his Reaper reputation. She didn't believe in the curse and didn't think she would end up like the other defendants. Now, she absolutely no longer gives a damn whether Van Zieks is the mysterious Reaper or not. She only thinks he might be a murderer who took away her mentor and that's what has her judge him so fiercely. Van Zieks remarks on her fiery eyes and tells her that the culprit does indeed deserve every inch of her loathing. “At least that may be some solace to the deceased.” So here, in a roundabout way, it rather looks as if Van Zieks is sympathizing with Gina's anger. At the very least, he's condoning it, just not towards himself.

Entering the courtroom, it becomes clear very fast just how serious this trial will become. Just as was alluded to before, the judge confirms that the 'Reaper of the Old Bailey' has been undermining Her Majesty's justice system and therefore, the people will demand answers on this matter. Ryu thinks to himself the trial will be a lot more far-reaching than just Gregson's murder. Sure enough, Kazuma is at the prosecutor's bench and ready to get that vengeance Van Zieks referred to in jail. Shockingly, the first witness he summons is actually Van Zieks himself. The judge is surprised, but Kazuma explains that as a prosecutor, Van Zieks believes in the oath of office he's taken; he'll be compelled to tell the truth. Because contrary to what happened in Memoirs of the Clouded Kokoro, Van Zieks is against perjury! (I WILL NEVER GET OVER WHAT HAPPENED WITH SHAMSPEARE!) Sure enough, he takes the stand and Kazuma says the court would like to hear him explain some things away.

He really is just brutally honest, isn't he? Both in his courtroom methods and in how he shows his emotions. He doesn't sugarcoat, he doesn't beat around the bush, he definitely doesn't lie... At most, he may withhold some information. Unfortunately, his testimony is mostly useless. The judge remarks that he didn't want to imagine this day would come, but ever since Van Zieks became known as the Reaper, he's been dreading it. The judge, our neutral ground, seems to be convinced that Van Zieks may have actually done the deed. That's not good. Kazuma acts all smug, saying that Van Zieks indeed hasn't explained anything away and that his testimony barely qualifies as an excuse. Van Zieks notes that his 'mute apprentice' has a way with words. Meanwhile, Ryu thinks to himself that Kazuma isn't behaving like himself, which is a sentiment they'll keep repeating throughout the case. … I gotta be honest here, I didn't notice all that much of a difference between this Kazuma and the one from the very first case of the game. I mean, come on, he sliced a man's hair off and cursed his descendants just for insulting Ryu. He's slightly more arrogant here, maybe, but since he was only the assistant there and is a leading counsel here, it makes sense for him to be more proactive and confident in his methods. Then again, I'm not a Kazuma expert; maybe there's something I'm missing.

In his testimony, Van Zieks revealed that he was investigating Gregson, but when pressed on it he won't admit the exact reason for it. He only says he'd identified a distinct possibility Gregson was involved in a case he was investigating. When asked how he even knew where Gregson would be, he openly admits to having stolen into his office and consulted his diary. (“Dear Diary, today I dropped my fish 'n chips on the way to Fresno Street-”) When told that illegally entering Gregson's office would warrant serious consequences, Van Zieks says he was aware of that risk.

The rest of the testimony is pressed without further hitches, though what did strike me as interesting is that at one point, Ryu suggests the gunshot might've originated from outside the room, but Van Zieks immediately says it's out of the question. He shoots the possibility down with evidence only he could have experienced (the bang sounded inside the room and he could smell gunpowder), and in doing so, only implicates himself further. Detrimentally honest, this one. Not only that, but he picked the gun up.

NO KIDDING that was carelessness. Is he related to Miles Edgeworth after all? Kazuma talks about how three street peddlers overheard the bang and burst through the door with some force. Van Zieks states they almost gave him a heart attack in the process (omg) and Ryu thinks to himself: “(But you're supposed to be the Reaper...)” C'mon Ryu, haven't you seen enough of this man by now to know he gets jarred easily?

When the testimony rounds to a close, things get interesting. Kazuma uses his defense attorney skills, as promised. He uses evidence from the Court Record to point out contradictions in Van Zieks's testimony, thereby 'proving he's lying'. Hey, what happened to Van Zieks believing in the oath of office and being compelled to tell the truth? Did Kazuma call Van Zieks to the stand just to expose him as a liar? He wins the judge over quite easily by illustrating these contradictions and casting doubt on Van Zieks's integrity. Tragic, because as Van Zieks says:

Van Zieks steps down from the stand and disappears for the remainder of the trial day. He doesn't even show up during intermission in the defendant's lobby. Characters do still talk about him, though!

I mean... He ain't lyin'. At one point, Kazuma utters the words “the defence is fated to lose. And the prosecution to win,” which once again confirms that Kazuma basically asked Ryu to take part in an 'unwinnable' trial. Which, y'know, is technically fine. Losing a trial isn't the end of the world, especially when the defendant (in Kazuma's eyes) is actually guilty. Still though, personally asking Ryu to take on Van Zieks just so he can watch the man be exposed as a killer is kind of... Kazuma, sir, are you also unable to control your hatred and having it lash out in illogical ways? Is that a parallel with Van Zieks I spy?

The rest of the trial isn't directly related to Van Zieks. It's just a whole bunch of roundabout arguing with street peddlers, red-headed scammers and the revelation that one of those peddlers is actually Daley Vigil, the missing former prison warder. Despite knowing of the dangers, Kazuma asks Ryu to help him forcefully break some of the man's black psyche-locks (c'mon, we all know that's what's impeding his memories) and they send the man to the hospital as a result. Welp. Unveiling the truth is becoming increasingly dangerous in this game and that's really upping the stakes for us.

Into the next investigation day we go! Ryu surmises that it's clear now “Van Zieks definitely didn't do it.” Even so, there are some unanswered questions about the man. What was he even doing at the crime scene and what's with that investigation into Gregson he didn't want to talk about in court? Heading on over to the Chief Justice's office, we overhear him pressuring Kazuma into 'continuing the trial as instructed'. Once he takes note of Ryu and the others, he tells them that he wanted Van Zieks's trial concluded that day and blames 'Asogi's unwelcome inquiries' for it taking longer than necessary. Stronghart's becoming increasingly ominous, here... I don't know for certain why he doesn't just go the extra mile to have Van Zieks proven innocent so he can keep using his Reaper tool to intimidate the masses. I suppose it's because with Gregson dead, he's lost his most important strategist in the killings and the tool of the Reaper's curse can't be used as easily anymore. Assassins probably come a dime a dozen, so Shinn can be replaced, but Gregson... Not so much. Ryu asks Stronghart whether Kazuma truly believes Van Zieks to be the Reaper, but Stronghart says he wouldn't know. He once again talks about the history of the Reaper with its very long run of coincidental deaths and tells us nothing new or interesting.

To prison we go, to visit Van Zieks himself! He's reading a book now, but we're never told what it is. He tries to ignore the visitors, but just as always, eventually comes up to the bars to talk.

YOU FREAKIN- I CAN'T- WHY- How many more times must we teach you this lesson, old man?!!! Thankfully, even Ryu is fed up at this point.

Finally. He spoke up. I've seen a lot of people criticize the fact that Ryu never properly confronts Van Zieks with the damage he's been doing, and on the one hand I would agree. Calling people out on their bullshit is a very useful step in having them notice their mistakes. However, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that is also a very Western view. It's very easy for us to think that Ryu should stand up for himself and call Van Zieks a prejudiced little tosser who needs to think before he speaks, but that simply isn't part of his character. There may be several reasons to explain why he doesn't confront Van Zieks more firmly, but I'd like to focus on just two. The first is that Ryu is an exchange student who came to England as a 'guest' and is facing not just one racist. Not even five or ten. Everywhere he goes, he's surrounded by people just like Van Zieks. We've seen it in the judge, we've seen it in the jurors, we've seen it in Gregson and in witnesses... Ryu is a minority in a very literal sense, since there's only one other Japanese person (two if we count Soseki) we know of in this entire city. There's a very natural, very understandable defense mechanism which may kick in when surrounded by potentially dangerous individuals, and that is to withdraw; to be as quiet as possible and to attract as little trouble as possible, since 'they outnumber you'. Bonus points for the extreme difference in social standing between Ryu and Van Zieks.

There's one other thing which adds to the above. Ryu was written to be your everyday Japanese person, and their view on confrontation is quite different from our own. I remembered this from a job interview I once had with a Japanese company and looked into it again to refresh my memory: Japanese people are non-confrontational. It's very important for them to maintain a sort of harmony during conversation and therefore, they'll rarely utter negative sentiments, such as criticism, in a way that will cause embarrassment to the person they're addressing. Instead, they employ something often referred to as indirect communication. “The pattern of Japanese indirect communication uses far less words to convey intent in a more subtle manner. Indirect communication uses expression, posture, and tone of voice of the speaker to draw meaning from the actual conversation.” This is very deeply ingrained into the Japanese culture and, if the sources I reviewed are correct, it goes all the way back to the feudal days. Mind, this attitude isn't even limited to Japan. I've been told there's several other countries who adopt that very same attitude and if you cause someone else to lose face, it can have some very severe repercussions for you. Kazuma is a bit more outspoken than Ryu, for example when they face Jezail, but this makes sense also, since Asogi was written to be more progressive. It seems to me that Ryu has been using indirect communication quite often already and, since Van Zieks is woefully unequipped to read this type of communication, Ryu has now finally resorted to something more direct. It's still not a sharp call-out, but rather, the above line reads to me as something in-between direct and indirect communication. And it works.

HELL FROZE OVER! We've done it, lads! Or, as Iris puts it:

So even the rest of the cast is acknowledging this is a big deal and we've made tremendous progress. Could someone else have confronted Van Zieks in a more direct, more Western way before this point? Sure. But would he have listened? The judge has already snarked at him several times during trials and it's always been brushed off as nothing. The only person he might've listened to would've been Albert, but what is the narrative significance of having a side character confront Van Zieks? There isn't one. This was a very impactful moment where Ryu himself resorted to a more Western tactic to get his point across and Van Zieks, in turn, finally uttered an apology. So now we get to have an earnest conversation with the man at last. Van Zieks says he was impressed; not by Ryu but by Kazuma. On first glance, this seems like a mean thing to say, but... Van Zieks is already intimately familiar with Ryu's performance in the courtroom. Why would he still be impressed by that? Kazuma, however, he's never seen in action before. Van Zieks thinks it's all rather “sardonic”.

It's called a cruel irony, Barok. A common tool in storytelling. He himself considers it “retribution for having played the part of the Reaper all these years”. So once again it's discussed how the Reaper minimizes the amount of crime in the capital and since that's a goal Van Zieks is committed to, he never said anything to disprove the rumors. Ryu insists that someone else is profiting off Van Zieks's silence on the matter and is basically using him as a scapegoat. As it turns out, Van Zieks wasn't quite as passive about the matter as he's led us to believe.

Hm. Alright, so he thinks it's good the Reaper's curse is reducing crime in London, but clearly he wants the Reaper organization brought to justice. In a way, he's profiting off these 'accidental deaths' since the fear that comes from them aligns with his goal of crime reduction, but he doesn't actively condone the Reaper murders and wants them halted. Since there's so much accurate information about the accused used in the killings, Van Zieks surmised a while ago that someone from Scotland Yard must've been involved in the killings. It's taken him “many years” to identify the central figure in the organization: Tobias Gregson. Naturally, everyone is shocked. We knew Gregson! And sure, he wasn't exactly a kind person, but he certainly didn't appear to be a killer. He was very rough around the edges, but from what we'd been led to believe, he had a good heart. … A decent heart. Mediocre, one might say. Ryu asks whether the reason Van Zieks was investigating Gregson was to expose him as the Reaper, but Van Zieks repeats the notion that the Reaper is not a single person. He doesn't have a doubt, though, that Gregson was a key member of the organization who did all of the planning. Believe it or not, Gregson was the brains behind the killings; the tactician who investigated and plotted, then left the dirty work to an assassin by the name of Asa Shinn. (LOCALIZATION WHY)

So now that we have this information, we can come to a very interesting conclusion. Both Gregson and Shinn are dead now, so by Van Zieks's reasoning, the Reaper is dead. You'd think this is good, but it does in fact make it very difficult to find the truth. Rather, Van Zieks believes that the truth died with Gregson (he hinted as much twice already) and while the seasoned Ace Attorney player knows it won't be impossible to expose a dead person as a killer, it'd be a hectic ordeal. The seasoned Great Ace Attorney player will know the Reaper hierarchy extends just a bit higher and the two who died are only pawns, but... Y'know. Approaching this from a first-time-player point of view, you'll know things will get troublesome.

There's another topic of conversation where Van Zieks once again addresses how sharp Kazuma is in court. He didn't miss a thing.

OUCH. So when Ryu first arrived, Van Zieks saw Genshin whenever he looked at him, not only due to his roots but due to 'the look in his eyes when searching for the truth'. Now, he sees Genshin in Kazuma, which surely makes a lot more sense. Van Zieks goes on to say that it's true some of the aristocracy from 10 years ago were problematic and abusing their power. “In a way, Asogi was carving out a canker from society that we British couldn't deal with ourselves.” So here, he sounds almost complimentary of the Professor's actions- specifically Asogi's actions. As if it would've all been well and good, were it not for the Professor's final victim. “But that's precisely why it makes no sense. Klint van Zieks was a noble and upstanding man. He wasn't corrupt.”

Remember way back in The Unspeakable Story when I surmised that Van Zieks boiled Genshin's actions down to his race in order to avoid the belief that there might've been a reason his brother was killed? We see it here again. Van Zieks is in doubt. He may say vocally that “it makes no sense”, but that line in itself is already telling. The fact that he acknowledges it and draws it into question implies to us that he's skeptical of the story. Deep down, he knows something is amiss. He knows there's some sort of explanation he's missing, but if he were to dig too deeply into it, he'd have to acknowledge that perhaps his brother was corrupt. And this still isn't all of it. There's one more thing Van Zieks has to discuss before we can round this conversation to a close. Ten years ago, shortly after Klint died, Genshin saved his life.

There's that phrasing again. “True nature”. It's not in orange this time, but it's there all the same. Van Zieks is convinced that Genshin is the one who had a hidden true nature. In this story, we learn that 'the scum of London' had already targeted him several times even before he became known as the Reaper, simply because of who he was and who his brother was. JEESH. Harsh. So on the night in question, a couple of thugs also tried to kill him (allegedly) but Genshin stepped in to protect him. Genshin became lightly wounded as a result. This is the part where I would have expected them to explain Van Zieks's scars, but he never mentions being wounded himself, so we can't be sure this is when it happened. Curious. This was the perfect opportunity and they let it slide. So anyway, two days after that incident, Genshin was arrested.

Some more telling lines here. Van Zieks thinks he'd never recount the story to anyone; not because there's no need to tell it. It's because it must be difficult to talk about. On its own, that might be a farfetched conclusion I wouldn't make, but Ryu confirms it with his follow-up line: “Thank you... for confiding in me.” We can take this line to mean exactly what it says; Van Zieks confided something painful. He let down some more walls. Growth!

So with all this out of the way, there's a whole load more investigation to do before this case is over. Most of it has to do with Genshin's will, a mysterious trunk belonging to Gregson, the missing time of death on the autopsy report... Nothing too relevant to Van Zieks's character. However, if we go into the prosecutor's office and examine things while Kazuma is there, we do get some fun tidbits about how Van Zieks wouldn't trust anyone else to touch his things and would rearrange it all himself whenever needed. From the sound of it, Van Zieks is very meticulous and a loner, which aligns with what we know about him. Some more conversation later, we reach the topic of the Reaper with Kazuma. He agrees that Gregson was definitely involved in the Reaper organization, but there's one thing that's more important. “Who's been giving orders to the Inspector?” In my eyes, it's a bit of a stretch to assume with certainty anyone was giving orders; Gregson might've just taken up the vigilante justice by himself and found some way to pay Shinn enough money to get in on it. Kazuma insists, though, that Van Zieks is 'the real Reaper'. We as the audience already know that's nonsense, we know Kazuma is wrong. Or perhaps we might think that if somehow Van Zieks pulled the wool over our eyes and Kazuma is correct, that'd be one heck of a wild twist. Kazuma gives no real reason why he believes this, he only goes on to say that ten years ago, it was Van Zieks who 'decided his father must be a mass murderer'. Shockingly, Susato is the one to jump in here and outright say to Kazuma that he's wrong; that Van Zieks only saw that 'justice was done as the law dictates' and he wasn't to blame for Genshin's execution. Kazuma insists that people condemn people and the law is just a tool they use for it. So I suppose that's exactly what he's doing right now. He's condemning Van Zieks, just as Van Zieks once condemned Genshin. We're cycling! And my main question now is this: If Stronghart had been the prosecutor in the Professor's trial instead, would Kazuma be just as vengeful towards him? Because remember, it's people who condemn people. This implies that anyone who had taken on the job of prosecutor at that time is the one who 'decided that Genshin must've been a murderer' and would need to take responsibility in Kazuma's eyes. Kazuma's beef isn't with Van Zieks personally, it's with the prosecutor who used that tool of the law and also evidence.

HAHAHAAA! HAH! If you align this screenshot next to the “Klint van Zieks was a noble and upstanding man” line, you get a wonderful parallel. These two prosecutors are both dead wrong about their beloved family, and they're about to find out in the worst way possible.

One murder mystery spread out over two episodes? You bet! Stay tuned for the last case, The Resolve of Ryunosuke Naruhodo!

[devilishlly]

whatever the opposite of fame-bright is

umm my take on secret evil robin <3 bc i fucking enjoy it i hope this isn't too ooc or whatever.. idk why but i kept cursing to a minimal LOL tw for murder under the cut! (its not bad but yknow)

they weren’t sure how they came into existence, but when they realized they existed, it was awful. a life where no one gave a shit about another person, save for some bread thrown their way when they finally left the little pile of scraps in the abandoned building. the other children to kept them alive till then weren't so much better, taking things from someone who had nothing, beating someone who they felt deserved it- all to gain back some control in their life. at least they were kept alive, alive with little to do but survive.

and was nice. it was nice while it lasted. soon they were old enough for responsibilities. kids with no names had to resort to things like this, and everyone decided that they were the best for this; they looked normal. not too ugly or deranged looking that would send passerbys immediately in a mood, or too pretty and beautiful so that they'd get caught and dragged away. the children brushed their hair, and told them to stand or sit a little off the corner of a nearby decrepit building and look sad, or best of all, empty. and it worked like a charm. they stood there, at the smallest and darkest hours of night, until a lady passed by and stopped to kneel in front of them. eye contact was always the most important first impression, they learned. she smiles and holds out a hand, "what are you doing out here so late?" the child takes the stone they had in their hand and throws it back, gently. the children swarm the woman, and it would have been easy for the woman to fend of a malnourished child, perhaps two. but it was a group of angry, vengeful, hungry children who needed her help in the worst of ways. so they covered their eyes, even when the others took their hands and dragged them back to their place in the abandoned warehouse. with many more times and practice, they stopped feeling bad. the child realized, they needed to live. it didn't matter how, as long as they were. soon they were old enough to go alone. "you're twelve now, you're strong enough," one of the older ones said and handed them a screwdriver, covered in enough rust and grime to immediately infect anyone with an open wound. so they nodded and went to a street like the one they lived on, on the outskirts of the city.

someone older taught them this, to aim left and up against and inside their chest, and drive the sharp thing so deep you could feel flesh squeeze around your hand. it was routine by now, as the man slumped and the child grabbed for the wallet in the man's back pocket of his jeans. tomorrow for them and everyone will pass easier now because of this choice. wiping the blood on the screwdriver on their coat, and pocketing the wallet, the child sighed. but the relief was not for long.

“this wasn’t your first kill, was it, kid?” a deep rumbling voice spoke behind them. panic permeated their senses, so they decided to cry. slowly, of course, like they had been crying this whole time, so by the time the stranger had walked around the corpse, their eyes were already teary. but the man who now squatted in front of them and the dead body shook his head. "sorry brat, but i know what i saw. you can't cry your way out of this one." the child notes that the man sounded disappointed, almost. and coupled with the look of danger the man had, they remained silent. the man takes a cigarette from his pocket. lighting the cigarette, the man takes a drag and looks down on the child once again. "name?"

they didn't know what to say, tears streaked down their face into their small, bloody hands. their voice creaked, like they hadn't ever spoke until now. "i don't have one. call me whatever you like."

"that's a big responsibility," replies the man, exhaling smoke. "you'll owe your life to me if i give you a name."

they smiled a bit. "i can tell that a life like that would be better than this."

the man nods, "you'll be able to live, not just survive- at least until you become of age. but you'll forever be in my debt, and you will forever owe me whatever i demand. is that worth it, to you?" "will i have to kill?" "it won't get that bad." "will i be able to eat?" "more than you eat now, for certain." "that's good enough for me. so then, please name me." "let me think for a moment." the man finishes his cigarette and throws it to the floor. he rises, and steps on it. "your name's robin now. let's go." he turns around and walks, not looking back.

the child gets to their feet, and runs. the man comes to a black car and gets inside of it. so robin gets into the car and they sit. they watch the city fade far away, the sky becoming progressively darker until the reach of sunlight breaks through into daybreak. just forget, robin tells themself. just forget everything in that city, and focus on living in this new town. the man, bailey, tells robin that they are lucky it is the summer and throws a bunch of books at them. robin learns to read quickly. when robin can do simple arithmetics, bailey pulls them inside his office. robin will be enrolled to school and suggests that they get better at knowing things before it starts. before robin turns to leave, they speak. "you've given me a lot, bailey." the man leans back in his chair. "are you trying to ask me for more?" they laugh, dryly. "i guess i can never hide the truth from you. i thought i would be satisfied once i lived normally, but i miss it. the thrill of the life i had before." bailey nods, "i would have figured as much. i saw you smile slightly over that dead man before i decided to get you. you enjoyed it, didn't you?"

"it was... cathartic." "you want some more catharsis, huh?" bailey sounded barely content, but most of all, knowing. robin nodded. "you can help me with some things then- who knows, it could help you know some helpful people in the future. but know that this is just extra work, it won't deduct anything off our agreed debt." robin nods, "that's fine." so then they were put to work, employed as a little assistant who helped demand money, blackmail, manipulate people who were also in debt to the man they were in debt to as well. they enjoyed it, the ability to sway emotions, to see and experience time and time again the feeling of expunging everything from someone. they had nothing, now so will you. revenge on everyone, on the world for letting them have lived the childhood they had. eventually one day, robin saw you. the look of shock and terror on your face told them bailey just imposed the debt on you- easy pickings. they swayed you with their smiles, just like the townsfolk at their lemonade stand. they made you trust them, with their respect and nicety that no one had ever shown you until now. robin knew no one made you special in their lives. you weren't special to robin either they assured themself, but it's easy to pretend when it's someone is so stupid that they'd do anything for you. everything is easier once you’ve faced worse. getting beat, getting molested, getting bullied- everything was easier than that past life of reliance on murder to survive with all those things combined. robin had a roof over their heads, robin finally had a name, and robin had someone like you under their thumb. that wasn't any problem though, robin knew it in their heart as they hugged you and saw the flush in your face when you told them you saw their note and felt the same. it was so easy. it was so fucking easy to get you to shoulder their debt, but things didn’t go as planned, somewhere along the way it stopped being pretend. the coy smiles, the worried hugs, the warmth in their chest in the moment of afterglow melded with the trueness of feeling. but it didn’t matter. things will go on as they should, things will stay the same. well... so long as you did.

[mehbzz]

Started playing Degrees of Lewdity and it has consumed my life.

F!reader getting sold off by Bailey. 18+ nothing too smutty, alludes to noncon, Bailey being Bailey. stole the idea of Bailey calling reader 'treasure' from @angrelysimpping and one of their anons. it's just perfect and I've thought about it for days!

“I’m sorry, I don't have it.” nipping quickly back from the bathroom in nothing but your t-shirt and panties, the last thing you had expected to see at 3am was Bailey sitting on the edge of your bed.

Bailey looks unimpressed at your words and stands with a weary sigh.

“Please, I just–“ You don’t know what to say, distracted by the way he rolls his shoulder and takes another step towards you. You don’t notice he’s backing you up against the wall until your back hits it and you squeak in surprise.

You stutter, desperately racking your brain for something to say that might appease him. A momentary flash of hope giving you the confidence to look him in the eye as you remembered you had a date with Avery tomorrow.

“Tomorrow! I can give it to you tomorrow, please.”

He stops right in front of you and with the wall against your back you're effectively trapped. He's too close and it makes you face heat in a blush.

He twirls a curl of your hair around his finger idly.

“Tomorrow is a new week. You want to pay me tomorrow you owe me twice as much.”

You freeze panic thrumming through your veins. “I- I can't.”

He hums a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. He leans forward and for a second you think he's going to kiss you but he turns at the last second letting his cheek brush just over yours as he leans into your ear. “Too bad.”

The hood is over your head before you can register what's happening. He's spinning you around and rope is wrapped painfully round your wrists, tying you hands behind your back.

He stops, the grip he has on your arms making you wince. “No fight this time? You finally learning your place?” He sounds wary underneath his smug tone as he clicks a collar and leash around your neck, but you don't react. You don'thave it in you to fight this time. You'd been accosted by Kylar on the way home and when you'd refused to go with him he'd pulled a knife on you. It had left you shaken, stressed and covered in a myriad of bruises.

“You know how this works, treasure.” He spins you back round to face him, breath forced from your lungs as he slams you back against the wall. The fear making you freeze, you try to stop the tears that are starting to trail down your cheeks.

“They asked for you specifically, seems your reputation is getting ahead of you.”

He brushes a finger up your exposed thigh and you whimper. It makes him still, hand curled around your bare thigh.

“You are a pretty little thing,” he leans closer pressing himself against you and you feel something hot and hard press against your thigh. He grips your hair tightly through the hood and yanks your head back hard. “Maybe I should have a taste myself, see what all the fuss is about.”

You're crying freely now harsh quick sobs as you try to catch your breath in the claustrophobic hood.

“Hush treasure. I don't know what they have planned for you but be good and I'm sure they won't hurt you too badly.”

He nuzzles into the side of your neck, inhaling deeply before stepping away and yanking you forward with the leash. “Let's go.”

You stumble instantly falling to your knees painfully, no doubt earning you fresh bruises. He tuts, yanking you up by the collar so hard you choke. He gives you a sharp tap to your jaw, not enough to genuinely hurt but hard enough to startle you into letting out a pained whimper. “Cute.” it’s mumbled quietly under his breath and you’re not sure you were supposed to hear it.

He drags you out the back of the orphanage; you can smell the lilies you planted as he pulls you through the garden and out into an alleyway.

You stumble over the uneven ground and trip again, landing painfully in the gravel, definitely slicing your knees on the sharp stones. He huffs in exasperation and kneels down beside you. “We don't have time for this.”

“I- I'm so-“

The slap is hard and takes you by surprise, making you bite down on your tongue. The copper tang of blood floods your mouth and you try pointlessly to fight back more tears.

He pulls you up and you stumble blindly on the gravel as you try to keep up.

“Walk, treasure. If I have to carry you you'll regret it.”

“Finally.” The impatient voice of a stranger echoes in front of you and a cold stab of fear twists your insides.

Bailey snarls as he brings you to an abrupt stop. “Watch your tone.” The stranger mumbles an apology but Bailey ignores it, letting go of your leash to grip your elbow. “Money.” Your face is throbbing painfully from Bailey’s slap and his hum of approval when someone steps forward and presumably hands him some cash sends a shiver of terror down your spine.

He shoves you forward with a sharp push between your shoulder blades and you yelp.

Before you hit the ground you smack into a warm chest that chuckles. The hands that caught you immediately sliding down to squeeze your ass, making you squirm unintentionally against the man holding you. The chuckle turns into a laugh, “eager isn't she?” he holds you flush against him, groping your ass once more before shoving you into the arms of someone behind him. You think it’s a woman, you can feel the softness of their breasts pressing against your back and sharp nails that scratch up your thighs to dip under your t-shirt tracing the hem of your panties. You can hardly feel it, you feel oddly disconnected from your body. Your heart is racing but you can feel yourself resigning to your fate. Your tears are drying up, leaving you hiccupping softly as the woman shushes you quietly.

“I want her back in one piece, no permanent damage.” The man scoffs, “Getting a little soft in your old age?” “She’s my highest earner,” Bailey sounds calm but you know him well enough to hear the tinge of anger in the way he bites his words. “Permanent damage will be repaid in kind.”

The woman holding you mutters something in a language you don’t understand and you are surprised when Bailey responds in the same. You think the woman is too as she tenses and you hear her swallow, her nails digging into your hips harshly. You’re dimly aware that it should hurt but you don’t even flinch, you feel exhausted. “We’re-“ “Don’t care.” Bailey’s voice sounds further away, and you’re hit with the foolish urge to call him back. He’s not going to help you, but in that instant he is the danger you’re used to and you feel suddenly terrified that he’s not there. “Put her in the car,” the strange man practically spits the words at his female companion, “the boss’ll be mad if we’re any later.”

You don’t make a sound as she pushes you into the back seat of a car, but the frozen knot in your chest loosens slightly and you start to cry again. “Relax, pet,” the man slides into the seat beside you, pulling you into his side and pushing his hand immediately between your thighs. You’re hyperventilating, stars dotting across your vision as he forcibly strokes you. You cry out as he shoves a finger inside you and he groans, “fuck you’re tight, no wonder the boss asked for you.” “Hurts” You’re going to pass out, the heat from the hood is stifling and does nothing to help your panicked breathing.

The man laughs “Hurts? Oh angel,” he cuddles you further into his side, finger still thrusting and stroking your sore walls “that’s the whole point.” He kisses the top of your head through the hood. The sound of his belt coming undone is the last thing you hear before everything fades to black…

[annab-recs]

Can’t Be Trusted - JJ Maybank

Kooks have never really trusted pogues, but you have gained the trust of some as you babysit and dogsit for them. After inviting JJ over as you are dogsitting, a necklace goes missing and who else would have taken it other than the infamous kleptomaniac, right?

Warnings: some curse words

Word Count: 2.9k+

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"I think someone's mom is home!" You shout from the back door. After playing little game of hide and seek, Austin and Ava wanted to play in their treehouse, so you went inside and chilled out until their two-year-old sister, Aubrey, woke up.

"Okay! We will be out in a minute!" Ava shouted to you as she poked her head out the treehouse window. You rolled your eyes playfully before returning to Aubrey who was still a little groggy from her nap. All she wanted to do was lay in your arms and watch Trolls.

"How were they today, y/n?" Sadie asked you when she walked into her home.

"Absolute angels as always. This one is a little sleepy from her nap, but she just needs cuddles and she'll be fine. The other two are in the treehouse," you tell her as you walk over to where she was standing by the kitchen counter. Aubrey makes grabby hands at her mother and you lean forward to hand her off.

"Hey, I meant to ask you this when you were here last week but how would you feel about dog sitting?" You shot her a weird look as she did not have any dogs, but nodded, nonetheless.

"My sister, Savannah, has three dogs and she and her husband are going on vacation for a week. She just needs someone to let the dogs out and feed them and stuff. I told her about you because you are so great with the kids and I knew that if I can trust you with them, she can trust you with her dogs," Sadie finished.

It was nice to hear a kook say something so kind about a pogue. The adults don't seem to have as big of a problem with pogues as the teenagers do. You were happy to hear that she trusted you so much with her children because you love her kids so much and would do anything for them.

"You can tell her I'm interested," you tell Sadie and she nods.

"Okay, I'll send her your number. Thanks again y/n," she spoke as she handed you some money for your service and you walked out after hugging each of the kids goodbye. 

...

"Okay, so that's all that you really need to know. You can stay here if you want so that you don't have to travel back and forth across the island. Let me show you the guest room." You follow Savannah through her house and to the guest room.

"You can invite your friends like Kiara or Sarah to stay with you, so you aren't too lonely. You can literally do whatever as long as you clean up after yourself, but I know I don't have to worry about anything with you. Sadie talks very highly of you." You blush at the comment and send her a smile. "Do you have any questions?"

"No ma'am. I think I got it all." She smiles at you as Bo, her golden retriever, licks up your leg. The two of you chuckle as you head back to the kitchen.

"Okay well here's the key and the code for the alarm system is 1742. I'll turn it on when we leave and when you get here, just turn it off and then turn it back on at night. Once again, thank you so much for doing this. I could not find anyone and the girl who normally keeps the dogs is going to be gone as well."

"No problem, Mrs. Savannah. I'm extremely excited to get to be with these pups all week next week," you say as you ruffle your hand through Bo’s fur. Her other two dogs, Bleu and Bailey, have been chilling but Bo has been following you everywhere. You said your goodbyes before heading over to The Wreck where your friends were.

"Hello everyone," you announce your presence as your friends greet you. You take the only empty seat at the table that sits between JJ and Pope and sneakily snag a fry from JJ's plate.

"Hey!" He shouts and attempts to grab the fry back, but it is already in your mouth. A giggle escapes your lips as he pouts about his stolen food.

"You owed me that one after all the food I share with you. At least, I have Pope. You'll share your fries with me, won't you buddy?" Pope grins at you before nodding.

"Of course." He slides his basket of fries closer to you and you gladly take one before Kie offers to get you some. You decline, saying you just wanted to tease JJ to which he frowns before ruffling with your hair playfully. After you fix your hair, the pogues ask you about your day.

"I was actually at Savannah's house, Sarah." She shot you a confused look before telling you to continue. Savannah and Sadie are cousins with Ward, so they are related to the Cameron’s. That's how Sarah knows her.

"I thought you babysit for Sadie," she wonders, and you nod.

"I do but Sadie recommended me to Savannah as a dog sitter, so I'm going to be staying there next week while they're on vacation."

"You're basically a kook now, y/n," JJ jokes as you roll your eyes at him.

"No, but I'll be living in the house of one for a week. I'm a full-on pogue right here and you know it." You say as you point to your heart. You had too many responsibilities to look after and pay for to be a kook. You have to help out your dad with money because your mom left you two when you were seven. Things would be a million times better if you were actually a kook but living like one for a little bit would be nice.

...

It was not long before you were living that dream. Savannah left a few days ago and you have been waking up to Bo’s adorable face next to you every morning. As you watched the dogs run around in the backyard, you decided to invite a friend over. You were getting kinda lonely and Savannah said you could invite someone like Kie or Sarah, so you shot Kie a text first.

Y/n: what are you doing tonight? I'm kinda lonely and wanna sleepover with my girl

Kie: my dad has me working all night and then Sarah and I are going to the mainland early in the morning

Y/n: okay I'll ask one of the guys, thanks though

You can't ask John B because you don't want Sarah to get the wrong impression and Pope has work early in the morning with his dad, so your only option is JJ. There is nothing wrong with JJ. You love him to death, but he tends to slip things away without anyone noticing. You want to make a good first impression so that Savannah will want to use you again in the future. You let out a sigh before calling JJ.

"Hello?" His voice sounded through your ears.

"Hey, are you gonna be busy tonight?"

"No, what's up?" He asks as he makes sure to pop the 'p' at the end of his sentence.

"Well, I'm kinda lonely and Savannah said I could invite a friend to stay with me, so I was wondering if you wanted to." You were kind of nervous he would say no but he didn't.

"Yeah sure. I'll be over at like seven and I can bring a pizza."

"Ooo, sounds good. I'll see you then," you said as you salivated at the sound of pizza. You two ended the phone call and went on about your days until he came over. You showed him around the house and introduced him to Bo, Bleu, and Bailey. You made sure to keep a close eye on him the whole night to make sure he didn't snag anything without you knowing.

"Okay I'm stuffed," you announce as you set you unfinished pizza slice down.

"Well, I'm not so..." he trailed off as he grabbed your slice and finished it. You playfully rolled your eyes as you hopped off the barstool and threw the pizza box in the trash. As he finishes, you let the dogs out one last time for the night before bringing them back in, locking the door, and turning on the alarm.

...

After a while, the two of you both get showered and ready for bed. JJ takes one side and you take the other before turning to face him.

"Thanks for staying with me tonight," you whisper, careful not to wake the sleeping Bo that laid between the two of you.

"No problem, y/n. You know I'd do anything for you." His words bring a smile to your face that he can barely see in the low light. You mutter another 'thank you' and then a 'goodnight' as you press your lips to his cheek before turning around and falling asleep.

...

Though the two of you fell asleep separately with Bo between you, you woke up snuggled into JJ's side, your head resting on his bare chest. Bo laid on the other side of him by his leg. You smiled down at the dog as you slid out of JJ's arms. After admiring his sleeping form, you turned off the house alarm and let the dogs out to do their business.

While they were out, you found some eggs and decided to scramble them for breakfast and serve them with some toast. A shirtless sleepy JJ appeared in the doorway as you cooked the eggs. He rubbed his tired eyes before leaning against the counter next to you.

"Whatcha cooking?" He asks as he looks out the window to watch the dogs run around.

"Some eggs. If you want to help, there's bread over there that you can pop in the toaster," you tell him, pointing in the direction of the bread. He nods and does as you asked of him. He looks around in several cabinets before finding the plates and he pulls out two for y'all. He places them down next to you as you finish the eggs and put them on the plates. As soon as you finish with that, the toast pops up.

"Do you want grape or apple jelly?" He asks as he holds the two options up for you to see.

"Grape please." He takes care of the toast as you get two forks and set the plates down on the counter where you two ate last night. You grab two cups and fill them both with some orange juice to complete your meals.

"We do pretty well together," he boasts looking down at the finished product of your work. You laugh and agree before sitting down next to him. As you eat your breakfast, you look around and really take in the beautiful home you have been staying in.

"This place is really pretty," you say softly, still looking around at everything.

"One day, I'm gonna get you a place like this," JJ says as you giggle. He's always joked that you two were going to end up together and that y’all would go full kook. You had always liked JJ but never tried anything. He never initiated anything either, so you just stayed friends. You nodded at him in agreement.

"One day, we will have a huge house and we'll have dogs too," you add on to the dream. JJ wanted to add kids to the dream too but was not sure how you would feel about it, so he kept quiet.

"Yep," he spoke before filling his mouth with eggs again.

...

"Hey y/n! Sorry to bother you but I was wondering if you had anyone over," Savannah asked you through the phone. You felt tense and unsure about what she was getting at.

"Kiara and Sarah stayed with me one night, but that was it. Do you mind me asking why?" You weren't completely lying. After JJ stayed with you, Kie and Sarah spent the night two nights later.

"Well, I can't find one of my necklaces that I thought I had left in the living room on accident before leaving. It was worth a lot of money and my husband gave it to me. I was going to ask if you had seen it and if you had anyone over, would you please ask them if they had seen it too?" JJ's name ran through your mind constantly as she spoke. That little kleptomaniac probably stole it.

"No ma'am. I didn't see it, but I'll ask the girls and get back to you. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Just please let me know as soon as possible," she said before hanging up.

"Fuck," you mutter as your mind races. She probably thinks you stole it and she'll probably tell her sister and you won't be able to babysit anymore which is your most steady and good-paying job. You don't even bother asking the girls. Your first priority is JJ.

...

When you walk up to the chateau, you notice JJ laying on the hammock in the back.

"Hey y/n! What's up?" He asked happily but his face changed when he caught sight of yours. "What happened?"

"I'm going to ask you something and I want you to be completely honest with me." He nods, waiting for you to fill him in on what is bothering you.

"Did you steal anything from Savannah's house?"

"What the hell, y/n?" He asks, anger lacing his voice.

"That wasn't a no."

"No, y/n! I didn't steal anything. Why would you ask me that?" He seethes. He's stood up from the hammock now, too angry to sit.

"Because she can't find an expensive ass necklace and you normally like to steal things. Sorry for automatically thinking it was you," you speak sarcastically.

"I didn't steal it, y/n. I never saw a necklace the whole time I was there. You were with me the whole time. The only time we weren't together was when I was in the shower and when you were in the shower, I was in bed. I promise I didn't leave or go anywhere while you were gone." He stops for a minute as he thinks.

"Is that why you watched my every fucking move while I was there? Because you thought I would steal something?" You stayed quiet which gave him the answer he was looking for. He let out a scoff before continuing to speak.

"You know what? Fuck what I said. That whole dream of you and I getting together one day and living like that. I can't do that with someone who doesn't trust me." His words hurt but you shrugged it off as if it did not matter to you.

"That's fine with me. It was a dumb dream anyway. Like we could achieve that." You scoff before turning around and walking home. Tears streamed down your cheeks. You probably just lost your favorite job and your best friend. Could life get any worse? Your phone buzzes in your hand. Reluctantly you look down at it, hoping it was Kie or Pope or Sarah. Someone who could make you feel better, but it wasn't. It was Savannah.

Savannah: hey just wanted to let you know I found the necklace

"Shit," you muttered under your breath as guilt washes over you and you bolt back to the chateau. You had royally screwed up everything and have to fix it. When you walked to the back where JJ was, you saw him sitting in the hammock with his hands behind his head. He glances over at your approaching figure before returning his gaze to the tree above him.

"You here to accuse me of some more shit I didn't do?" He asks bitterly. You deserve it. You were a shit friend.

"Um, no," you whisper as you shake your head and more tears prick your eyes from all the guilt and shame you felt, "I'm so sorry JJ. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions and I should've believed you. I know you wouldn't lie to me. I was just scared that I would lose my job with Sadie. You know how much I love those kids. I thought I'd never get to be with them again. I know that doesn't justify me accusing you of stealing but I love you and hope you can forgive me."

You wipe away the last of your tears before JJ stands up to pull you into a hug. You wrap your arms tightly around him, glad he seemed to forgive you for your crappy actions.

"I couldn't have stayed mad at you if I tried. I just wish you would trust me more," he whispered in your ear before pulling away from you.

"That's the thing JJ. I trust you so much, with my life and everything, but the things just added up and you'd be lying if you said stealing isn't something you would totally do." The two of you laugh together before JJ pulls you down onto the hammock with him and you lay together, looking up at the sky through the tree branches. A comfortable silence fell over the two of you before JJ decided to speak.

"You stole first," he said softly. You turned to look up at him with a questioning look upon your face.

"What? No, I didn't. What do you mean?"

"You stole my heart," he smiled goofily at you before you roll your eyes and cuddle into him.

"Oh, shut up." You feel his laugh vibrate through his chest.

"I love you, y/n," he whispered as his fingers ran through your hair.

"Love you too JJ," you hummed.