#i refuse to leave this planet without getting to see them live with my own two eyeballs first

[twosetmeridian]

good lord, the color grading of these pics really be making me feel some type of way 😳

[aphrmoosun]

{Noa and the Beast}

Nomae: One shot

• Sipnosis.

Noa is the new leader of the clan, his responsibility was to his own. But an Echo enters their lives and they decide to kill her due to the ancient writings that defined her as dangerous. But when Noa has her in front of him, his world changes completely...

• Pair.

Noa and Mae

• Movie.

Kingdom of the planet of the apes {Half AU}

• Tags.

Nomae, interspecies relationship, interspecies sex, interspecies romance, yes it is a ship fic, smut, romancing, Beauty and the Beast, Half AU, Noa hunt Mae, but the Noa falls in love with Mae, Long One Shot, Writer isn't English Native Speaker, etc

• Other nomae fanfics.

You and Me

No words

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DO NOT COPY OR SHARE IT ELSEWHERE WITHOUT PERMISSION!

• Noa and the Beast [One Shot]

**First Act**

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The day was coming to an end. Noa was returning home with a successful hunt. He and his friends had managed to catch a pair of rabbits and a adult deer, earning them a warm welcome.

The situation was difficult for the village. Since his father had died, he and his mother were the only hope for their survival. They had to lead the rest to survive, and that was his duty as the new leader of the village.

"Well done, son," his mother said.

Noa sat down beside his mother, hugging her and offering her a piece of food, which she refused.

Their happiness was interrupted by some apes who arrived running and shouting.

"It's an Echo! We've seen one near here!"

Noa managed to understand what one of them was saying.

"Calm down," Noa said, standing up and addressing them. "It's probably just passing through. Echos usually move when it starts to get cold."

"This one is different. We've heard it talk! It was settling near the village."

Another ape spoke up, frightened.

"Don't worry, it won't hurt us."

"You don't understand. Echos are evil, the farther away from us, the better."

"If that means underground, even better."

"Yes!"

Many of the apes supported the idea of killing the Echo.

"We can't act impulsively. We need to think with a clear head."

Noa defended the idea of reaching a consensus.

"You're our leader. You must defend our home from those things!"

The ape began to feel the pressure from his village. Everyone wanted to see how the new leader would handle a dangerous situation.

"Fine! I'll take care of it myself." Noa didn't like the idea, but he said, "Tomorrow, I'll go to where you saw it and bring back proof that the Echo is no longer a problem."

Noa received a big ovation, but he couldn't take his eyes off his mother, who disapproved of his attitude.

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**Second Act**

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Anaya and Soona, Noa's best friends, were already ready to go after the Echo. They were determined to accompany their leader, not just as friends, but as family.

The plan was to approach the Echo on foot, without horses, so as not to scare it, and kill it with the arrows they used for hunting. But Noa had taken something else from the village - a remedy that they took when they felt pain, in case he couldn't bear the scene, he would give it to the Echo himself.

It would have been just another Echo, but the idea of being able to hear one talk for the first time had haunted him all night. What if he could talk to it? What if it could defend itself by talking? What set them apart from animals if they couldn't talk?

But his village needed him. They had never encountered an Echo like this before, and it was a danger to his people. It was written that way.

When they were far enough from the village, Noa turned to his friends, stopping them.

"I have to go alone from here."

"What? No, we're not going to leave you." Soona approached him, grabbing his hands.

"Soona, I have to do this alone. I'm the leader now, and I have to be responsible for my words and my responsibilities towards our people. And one of those responsibilities is taking care of you too."

"I don't care about your position. We also want to take care of you."

Anaya joined the two, and they ended up in a three-way hug.

"I'm sure I can handle this. But I need to do it alone." He finally convinced them.

Anaya and Soona walked away, and he began to walk forward. He didn't look back, it would be easier to fulfill his responsibility alone and as the leader he had to be.

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**Third Act**

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He could observe her easily. She didn't seem to have seen him, and she continued with her life as usual. She walked back and forth, going to and from the river near the home she had built.

She was very resourceful. With the help of stones, branches, sticks, and leaves, she had built a kind of settlement near the river. She had everything she needed to survive just a few steps away.

Noa couldn't help but analyze her. From her physical features to her delicate movements. What she seemed to be doing was cooking with leaves and fruits he couldn't recognize.

They had warned him that this Echo was not normal. If she could talk, it was already very different from the ones he had encountered before, but he had never imagined what he had in front of him. If it weren't for her small body, little hair, small eyes, small hands, small waist, the bulge on her chest, and small feet, he could have sworn he was looking at an ape.

But he had to push those thoughts out of his mind. He had come to kill her, and he had already wasted too much time analyzing her.

He raised his bow and placed the arrow right at the Echo's heart direction. His hands were shaking. It was the first time they had shaken like that. He had to admit, this wasn't a normal hunt. He wasn't going to kill her out of necessity, nor did he need her skin or any part of her body. He was going to kill her because he feared her. Not just him, but his people. And that had to be his thought, his people were waiting for him to bring back proof of the event.

His vision became blurry as his heart began to beat strongly, he couldn't look. He released the arrow without being able to see well where it was headed.

"Ah!"

He heard the Echo's despairing cry.

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**Fourth Act**

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Noa found himself in front of the Echo. His blurry vision and sweaty hands hadn't allowed him to hit his target. His main objective was the Echo's heart, but due to his nerves, the arrow had ended up hitting one of her sides.

She looked at him with open, frightened eyes, trembling while she held her side. She had pulled out the arrow and was trying to stop the bleeding.

Noa could have stood there, watching her die from bleeding, but he couldn't help but approach her and offer her a piece of cloth from his own arm to stop the bleeding.

The human looked at him doubtfully, taking the cloth.

"Why?"

He didn't know what to answer. Why had he attacked her? Why was he helping her? Because his heart was in constant struggle over what was right against his mind.

Echos had to be kept away. They wouldn't approach them, and they wouldn't live with them. Beyond the Valley was forbidden to cross because Echos were there.

The elders of his clan described them as monsters that killed each other, creatures that took everything around them and massacred it. Wild animals that would kill their own siblings for power.

But in front of Noa, he saw a smaller creature than him, harmless, and not having harmed them, alone, and with no signs of damage to nature around her. Not even signs of fires or dead animals.

Noa crouched down beside the human and covered her wound, helping her stop the bleeding.

"I don't know why. Neither do I."

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**Fifth Act**

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Noa had decided to move the unconscious Echo to the nest of leaves covered by a roof of branches. At least there, she would be comfortable and covered in case the sun bothered her or it rained. But he had to go back to the village, he had to go back to Anaya and Soona, because if he took too long, he was sure they would come to see what had happened to him, and that wouldn't be good.

He had to do it quickly. Kill the nearest animal he could find, so he would have something to feed the Echo when she woke up, but also use a significant part of it to show in his village, her heart.

A hare had been the sacrifice for his plan, he didn't have time to go for a bigger animal, and with the hare's heart, he was sure his village would calm down.

He took long strides, quickly, so as not to take too long. Right where he had left them, Anaya and Soona were waiting for him. They ran to hug him and looked at what he was carrying.

"Did you do it?" Soona asked, stepping back from the hug.

"Yes."

He was lying. He was lying to his friends for an Echo. But he didn't have another choice.

In the village, they received him as the leader he was. With hugs and praise towards him. He couldn't bear the weight on his chest. He was lying to everyone.

"Son, are you okay?" His mother was the only one who could feel something in him, and she didn't take long to approach him and ask questions.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be? We've gotten rid of that Echo! Isn't that right?"

"Because it's the first time you're acting like the leader of the clan." His mother hugged him. "I know it's hard, going against your ideals to follow the clan's ideals. No one asks if you're okay when you come back, they just receive you as the leader."

"I'm fine, mom."

She was the only one who could discover everything if she noticed his strange behavior. So he had to act normally... how was he supposed to act normally after supposedly killing an Echo that hadn't done anything to them?

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**Sixth Act**

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That same morning, Noa had gone back to where the Echo was. He expected to find her where he had left her, but he was surprised to see her standing, trembling, by the riverbank.

"Hey, you shouldn't be there."

She jumped back, trying to get away from him.

"It's okay, I'm here to help you."

"You're the one who hurt me."

Well, he couldn't deny that.

"I'm sorry. Please, let me help you."

"H-how can you apologize for something like that?"

She had started to breathe with difficulty, holding her wound.

"Sh, it's okay. We'll talk when you're cured."

Noa held her wound again, seeing how it was still humid, and proceeded to clean it, forcing her to lie down on the nest.

The ape had brought new bandages in case he needed to change them, so he proceeded to change them.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you."

"It's hard to believe. Did you think I was livestock or something?"

"No, my village is scared of you, and they wanted me to kill you."

"And, why didn't you?"

Noa continued to change the bandages, unable to look her in the eye.

"I don't know. I didn't want to kill you personally, without knowing you. But it's my duty as the leader."

That information silenced the human. She grabbed his hand with the one he was using to clean her.

"Well, as the leader, stop. You've done your duty, you've tried to kill me, give them that information, and I'll run away from here. That way, you can say I escaped."

Noa shook his head, turning his hand to hold hers.

"No, you're already dead to them."

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**Seventh Act**

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Noa had been going back and forth from the village to where Mae, the Echo, was for a week.

During the day, he took care of his leader duties, and at dawn, he would return to the human's nest, where he would cure her, feed her, and take care of her. In those moments, they would talk, forgetting about the ape's attempt to assassinate her. Mae had opened up completely to him.

A human who had lost her family recently and was trying to survive away from the rest of humans who had hurt her. He didn't understand how they had hurt her if she didn't have that physical aspect, only the wound he had inflicted on her. But she explained that the wounds those humans had inflicted on her were not visible on her body, but in her heart.

Noa felt like seeking out those humans and defending the human to make her feel better. But she told him she was already learning to forget them.

"The wound is much better."

He didn't like how she was healing so quickly. Mae would have to leave when she was fully cured, that had been their agreement, but he wasn't ready to say goodbye so soon.

"Yes, I can do things on my own now. You should rest more at night and not come to see me."

"I don't need to rest. I want to come see you."

"Noa..."

"What?"

The ape continued making the meal, actually watching how the fire was made.

"You know I've forgiven you. You don't have to keep feeling guilty. Forgive yourself too."

"I-I can't. I failed my village. But I also failed you. If only I had shot higher, you would be dead and I wouldn't have met you."

"But you're a good ape and didn't do it. If it had happened this way or that, it wouldn't exist anymore. The reality is that we've met."

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**Eighth Act**

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That day, his mother wouldn't leave his side. She observed him closely without speaking, but that made him even more nervous.

"What? What's going on?"

He stopped in front of her.

"Son, you can lie to the whole world, but not to your mother."

"What do you mean?"

"Your nighttime escapes, the lack of sales, your fatigue during the day. Tell me, son. Where do you escape to?"

"Nowhere, mom. Just... I go climbing alone to relax and sleep."

"Yesterday, you slept very late, the sun had already risen. And you started talking in your sleep."

Noa averted his gaze so she couldn't keep reading him like that.

"Your dreams mentioned Mae's name."

"Oh, nonsense. I don't know anyone by that name."

He turned around, trying to ignore his mother's comments so as not to get more nervous.

"Son, do you sneak out at night to see Mae? Is she the Echo you didn't kill?"

"Mother! I don't know what you're talking about!"

"I've known you since you came out of me. Small, hairy, and noisy. Since you were very young, you showed that you weren't like the rest of the apes. You were very analytical and more intelligent than most. Your father knew that you took twice as long to think things through, just like your grandfather."

"Mom..."

"That's why I knew when they asked you to fulfill this responsibility that you would take your time to think it through and not do it, because you're a fair son of mine."

"Mom, I couldn't kill her. She hadn't done anything to us and lived peacefully alone by the river. She didn't pose any danger like the elders make us believe."

"I know, son. I know you very well."

His mother hugged him, and he took refuge in her arms. Taking a weight off his shoulders since he wasn't the only one who knew about Mae's existence.

And not just the two of them anymore. One of the aoes in charge of the birds had overheard their conversation, hiding from mother and son.

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**Ninth Act**

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That morning, Noa found Mae packed and ready to leave, with her things in a backpack and the fire extinguished.

"Where are you going?"

"I have to leave now, Noa."

"What? No, why? You're still hurt. You can't leave yet."

"I'm not hurt anymore, Noa. You saved me."

"No, no, no, no."

Noa grabbed the girl's hands, trying to stop her.

"We knew this moment would come. I'm very grateful that you gave me the opportunity to meet you."

"No! It's the other way around. I tried to kill you and you forgave me, letting me into your life."

"That doesn't matter anymore, Noa."

"Yes, it does. I came here to kill you because I thought you were an animal, a monster, a beast. And I ended up realizing that the only beast here is me."

"Don't be so hard on yourself."

"I have to be. I can't forgive myself because if I do, I'll think I have a chance with you and it's not like that. I can't, n-no..."

Mae grabbed his cheeks, making him lean his forehead against hers, looking into his eyes.

"You're not a beast. You're my savior, but I have to leave so I don't cause you more problems."

Noa shook his head and leaned in to kiss the human, savoring the sweet taste of Mae's mouth.

They separated as they heard horses and apes cries.

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**Tenth Act**

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Noa was startled. The only apes near the river were from his village. And it couldn't be, they didn't have any nighttime exploration planned.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know."

He turned to the human, grabbing her cheeks to make her look at him.

"Don't worry, you hide. I'll go see what's happening."

Mae looked towards something behind the ape's back, and he turned to see what had caught her attention, finding his friends.

"Noa."

The two apes ran to hug him.

"You don't know what's going on in the village. Maximo told them about the Echo and they're all coming to kill her."

Anaya explained quickly, without taking a breath.

"How did you know?"

"Why didn't you tell us?"

Soona responded with another question.

"I couldn't. She was in danger."

"We're your friends! We would have helped." -Soona raised her voice.-

"It's okay, guys. We'll discuss this later. Now we have to help the Echo." -Anaya turned to Mae.

"You have to distract them while I help her escape." -Noa grabbed Mae's hand.

"No!" -Soona refused.- "You're the clan leader, you have to give them explanations after what they found out. You have to be consistent."

The ape couldn't refuse. His friend was right.

"Mae." -he turned to her, grabbing her shoulders.- "You're going with Soona and Anaya, they'll help you."

"I'm staying with you." -Soona gave him her back as he said goodbye.-

He couldn't make her change her mind, as the apes were approaching.

"Echo. It's better if you get on my back and I'll run." -Anaya offered her back to Mae, and she got on without taking her eyes off Noa.-

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**Eleventh Act**

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The group of apes arrived, finding Noa and Soona together. Both apes were standing side by side, bearing the gaze of the rest.

"Where is she?"

"We know, Noa. The Echo is still alive."

"We have to kill her before she attacks us."

"She's a demon."

Several apes spoke at once.

"Silence!" -Noa shouted, making them all quiet.- "She's not a demon! We're the ones who pursued her and tried to kill her without harming us."

"She'll do it, it's written."

"The elders say so."

"The elders are wrong!" -Noa shouted again.- "And the laws are wrong!"

"Noa, step aside!"

Several apes approached violently. He couldn't let his clan lose respect for their leader.

As the leader of the eagle clan and respectful of his clan's ancient tradition, he began to sing. He still hadn't joined with any bird. Due to his father's death, he had decided to wait out of respect for the previous leader. But now... it was the only solution he could think of to regain his clan's respect.

He continued singing, and no eagle came.

"It doesn't work like that!"

"What eagle would want to join you after you betrayed us?"

The apes' voices enraged him. His voice rose above theirs, and a large eagle with a strong presence landed on his arm.

When Noa looked up, he was surprised to see the eagle Sun, his father's eagle. Known as the strongestin its nest and stubborn like his father. Everyone feared and respected it.

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**Twelfth Act**

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Most of the apes kneeled before Noa, who stood proudly, looking at the eagle on his arm.

"It can't be, the eagle Sun has finally chosen its new master."

"It can't be, Noa, he's a traitor."

"Maximo, stop talking like that about the clan leader. He's already proven with actions that we should trust him."

One ape began to defend him, and most of them joined in. Noa knew he had regained his title as leader.

"We can't forgive his lie!"

That ape, Maximo, ran forward. Noa saw his intention to go after Noa and Anaya, so he stood in front of him, growling.

"You're not going to pass!" -he shouted, making Maximo take a few steps back.- "The Echo is my responsibility." -Noa began to address everyone.- "If anyone has a problem with her, they should come to me and I'll resolve it."

Maximo walked away with his head down.

The rest of the a apes roached to congratulate him on his union with Sol, and Soona stepped aside, observing him. In the end, it hadn't been necessary to help him; he was the clan leader, and she regretted having doubted it.

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**Thirteenth Act**

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The next morning, Noa met with Mae again. Anaya had told him the location where she had hidden her, in the cave where the three of them used to hide as children when they wanted to escape from their parents or play pranks.

Anaya had confided in Mae about the location, knowing how important it was to her friend Noa.

The ape and the human looked at each other intensely when they met. Mae was sitting on a rock, holding a piece of fruit, and had heard him enter. She was anxious to see him.

"Noa!" -she stood up, looking him up and down.- "Didn't they hurt you?"

"No, no, Mae." -Noa put his forehead against the human's, closing his eyes and breathing in her scent more closely.- "Y-you, are you okay?"

Mae let out a laugh.

"I'm fine. You faced your clan for... for me."

"Yes, for you. But I know that's not as scary as riding on Anaya's back and climbing up here with his rough scaling."

"Anaya took good care of me, you don't have to worry."

"I know."

Neither of them wanted to break the silence that followed. They hugged, feeling each other's skin so close. Mae's breath hit Noa's lips, and he couldn't resist anymore, leaning in to kiss her again, this time knowing every centimeter of her lips and mouth as he introduced his tongue.

"Noa."

Mae whispered the ape's name, and she pulled away, placing his lips on her cheek.

"You shouldn't kiss me like that. And I won't be able to leave if we keep doing this."

"Then don't leave. There's no need, no one wants you to leave. Come with me and live in my village, with my clan."

"No! Noa, I don't want to bring you more problems."

"You're not going to bring more problems." -Noa hugged her.- "Since I met you, you've brought nothing but joy and laughter and good thoughts to my life. You've made me happy, and I don't want to lose you."

"Okay."

Noa shouted happily, hugging the girl and lifting her up.

"You make me so happy, I love you!"

Mae looked into his eyes, unable to respond since she had lost her breath.

The human leaned in, kissing him again, this time with tenderness, and pulled away after a few seconds. As if her lips had given him strength and air to speak, she responded.

"I love you too."

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**Final Act**

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Mae moved in with them. The village had welcomed her with open arms when they saw her arrive with their leader.

Noa's mother received her literally in her arms, in a strong hug.

"Welcome."

The Echo, the beast everyone had feared, had found a place in everyone's heart. She had sought her place in the village and now fulfilled her responsibilities so that no one would ever have to take care of her again.

A certain leader wasn't very happy about it, since it meant they spent less time together, but he was happy seeing how everyone had learned to love her.

There was even a moment when he felt jealous of the attention she gave to the other apes.

Mae dedicated herself to healing and feeding the smaller or injured apes, or those who were lonely. This made her spend more time with others than with him. But he couldn't say anything, he had to fulfill his clan duties too.

At least he had the hope of ending the day and finding her in his nest again.

"Noa."

Mae sighed in his ear. Noa couldn't help but lie down next to the human and kiss her from her cheek to her neck. He had seen her sleeping already, but he missed her and needed to feel her in his arms.

He placed himself on top of her, lifting her clothes and pushing them aside. It wasn't the first time they had done it, but he had understood that those garments were important to cover the human's attributes. For the apes, it was rare to see those clothes, but Noa's ego grew when only he could see her like that.

Naked, trembling from his kisses and caresses, and so sensitive that she responded to every touch he gave her.

He introduced his virility, making her moan, making them both moan. His thrusts were quick and concise. That night, he needed to feel her with urgency. The desperation in his chest to make her reach climax and hear her scream his name.

"Noa!"

That scream and the contractions of the human's vagina around his penis made him come with a grunt.

"Mae, Mae."

He leaned on her, placing his elbows on both sides of Mae to avoid hurting her, and waited for his heart to calm down after coming.

"I love you."

He heard Mae.

"I love you too."

The ape responded before falling asleep next to her.

His life had taken a huge turn since the Echo, his Echo, had entered it. From believing he was going to kill a beast, to believing he had become one, to falling in love with an Echo. She had saved him from drowning in a life full of desperation and lies. She had entered his life to make the monsters that haunted him disappear. Mae was, is, and will be the love of his life forever.

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END.

[pinkcowzz]

something about tim & dick’s relationship makes me feel so. !!!

they are both such complex characters and it really makes my heart feel so heavy to think about them for too long.

like. dick created robin out of his parents blood. the costume was inspired by his family's colors. the name was one he was given by his mother and the only reason he took up the role was because he wanted to get justice (revenge really) for his parents death. he was taken in by bruce who was SO YOUNG at the time and who was still learning how to cope with his own loss still. their relationship was built off of that shared grief and understanding. but then one day, dick learned to let go of that grief. he was able to not let it consume and control him. and he grew tired of living in the dark nest that bruce built for them. and bruce doesn't know how to deal with someone else he loves leaving him so he kicks dick out. like yes bruce is dick's father figure of course he is. but he was also his brother in a weird way. dick didn't want or need for his parents to be replaced so bruce offered him something different. he offered him a partnership. and partners are supposed to be equal but somehow bruce ended up placing himself higher than dick and it was suffocating so he had to leave.

and in dicks absence, bruce finds another kid. this time, it's a kid who does need a parent. jason's relationship with bruce is so different than the one that dick had and i have to imagine that it hurt. it hurts to see your father be better for someone else. it makes you think why? why not me? why wasn't i good enough? and to make matters worse bruce gave away dick's blood without a second thought. jason is given the mantle of robin and my god i cannot imagine the pain it caused dick to see someone else flying around in his colors. that was his name. and dick is still just a kid. yeah he's like legally an adult but his prefrontal cortex was nowhere near developed. so he's bitter and short and rude to jason. he has to take time to get used to having another kid at the manor and another kid in his colors but its fine! its fine! he does come around eventually and his guard starts to come down and he commits to being there for jason. but it was too late. dick leaves the planet to be a hero and when he comes back? jason is dead. the kid he was just starting to get used to is dead.

not only is he dead, but he's already in the ground and bruce? bruce goddamn wayne didn't even bother to tell him. how in the world could bruce ever consider them partners. as far as dick was concerned bruce was just as good as dead to him as jason was. and it hurts. it hurts to not be able to go home without seeing the ghost of a kid you chose not to protect, the ghost of a kid who died too soon wearing the same colors that your parents died in.

so dick doesn't go home. he doesn't speak to bruce. he builds himself a new life, the teen titans become dicks home. and he's okay with this. his origin is so similar to bruce's but he refuses to be the same as batman. so he faces his ghosts. he doesn't let them haunt him. he hears about haly's circus potentially getting shut down and he goes to deal with it.

and here is where dick meets tim drake for the first time. tim who tried to help him save haly's circus (albeit he accused the wrong guy but he was trying). tim tells dick that he needs to save batman.

and so dick brings him back to the manor. where tim tells dick just how important he was to his childhood. tim explains how that night at the circus shaped him just as deeply as it shaped dick. tim shares this complete and utter faith in robin, as if robin is enough to save batman from his own grief. but dick knows this isn't true. dick was barely enough to save himself from his own grief much less bruces. but nonetheless bruce saved dick when he was at his absolute lowest. gave him something to believe in. so maybe, just maybe, he can try again for bruce. but not as robin. it can't be robin. his partnership with batman died when he was kicked out and it was buried when he was kept out of the loop about jason. but tim knows that batman needs more than nightwing by his side. so he takes up the robin mantle. he takes it upon himself to 'save' batman. and in a way, he does. he helps bring bruce back from the edge.

and dick. the last time someone took up his families colors, someone died. and he refuses to allow that again. he refuses to be the reason that tim suffers. so he becomes the older brother he couldn't quite bring himself to be for jason. and to tim? he's wearing the mantle of two robins on his back.

his own standards are set so high and he tries his damndest to meet them every time that he puts on the mask because he knows where the colors of the suit came from. he knows why dick created this identity. he was there. he saw the grayson's fall.

and for a while, things are good between them. things are great even.

then the attack at titan's tower happens. and tim is told that he is just a placeholder (not a replacement like fannon likes to claim, but the words jason todd used were placeholder). and seeds of doubt start to be planted. was he ever wanted? was he ever truly appreciated? he did steal the suit the first time he put it on. was it fair for him to wear the colors that were born of dicks blood and that jason died in?

then tim loses his whole support system. stephanie. bart and kon. his dad. and finally, bruce.

dick has been so committed to never being like bruce. he has been so dedicated to relying on those who offer him help. nightwing is pillar in the hero community, but batman. batman was the foundation. he is considered a founding member of the justice league. he doesn't want to take up the mantle. it had never been in his plans. but jason proved too unstable to take up the role and of course he can't ask tim to. so he dawns the cowl he has grown to hate.

this just leaves one little problem. damian.

damian who has just been dropped off on bruce's porch by talia. damian who grew up in the league of assassins and is so out of place in gotham that dick doesn't know what to do. he never asked to be batman and he definitely never asked to be a father. yet here he is. having to do both. so he does what bruce did all those years ago and provides damian with the mantle that he created in order to give this kid some sort of outlet. he knows damian needs it.

by some unfortunate twist of fate, dick has unknowingly created such a painful parallel between his own firing and tim's.

and then tim discovers that bruce isn't really dead.

and this kills dick just a little bit more. of course he wants to believe tim. of course he wants his dad back. he wants someone else to be the one to make these hard calls and he wants someone else to parent damian. he doesn't want to be the one who has to fire his little brother in order to save the other.

but he can't take that chance. he can't risk the hope. because losing it would actually ruin dick. so he tells tim it isn't possible. because to dick? it can't be possible.

and this just furthers the wedge between the two of them. tim feels abandoned and lost and he feels as if he has nothing left.

and dick doesn't understand why tim can't see that he's right here. he's right here tim i'm still here why aren't i enough for you to stay?

anyway this got away from me a little bit but god their relationship could make angels weep it truly makes my heart stop if i think about it too much.

[kaijuparfait]

I saw ur tags about indulging in the body horror aspect of the Symbiote/Host dynamic and im just here to say: do it >:3

YES.

GOD. ok so. I've always enjoyed the concept of body horror, not all the way, but it looked cool in art! But! Recently Symbrock (and Venom as a whole) has turned that up to 100- both in a "Wow! Cool alien creature biting people's heads off! >:D" way, but also in a "The goo is in his organs, his tissue, his cells... how romantic!" way.

And, if you'll excuse me, I'll only be talking about my (limited) knowledge/headcanons with Symbrock because I haven't read all the comics yet so this is all with Eddie and the Venom Symbiote in mind-

Firstly, I don't think I've ever seen anyone mention how the Symbiote can enter/exit it's Host's body through their skin, without damaging the Host. There's no wounds, just the easy slide in between layers of cells, Venom can be as solid as they want but can also come together so seamlessly, its like watching someone fold a deck of cards.

Even on a psychological standpoint, the idea of actually being "Venom". Singular. Not "We" are Venom. But the idea of two beings, from different sides of the universe, coming together perfectly as one being, one mind, one consciousness. A bit of an OC ramble, I have this OC that goes into this idea of acting as one being and I'll talk about them later but WOAH is it fun. The sheer intimacy of it.. not losing your own self, but simply combing it with another to create something- someone new.

Ok onto the actual body horror-

I am not normal about the Symbiote literally being in Eddie's blood. Blood is everywhere in the body, anywhere you poke, blood will come out- and in that, the Symbiote, ready to heal the wound.

Speaking of healing wounds, and also this post because I keep rereading it, it makes me ill, the Venom Symbiote truly sees it's Host as it's home. and that does something to me. The way it keeps the body healthy, like how you would clean your house, no longer having to worry about illnesses or infections; how it heals any injuries, like fixing a broken wall, repainting it, like there was no damage in the first place.

Knowing it's home so well, able to know what's wrong and how to make it right. Complete and utter devotion to it's beloved home, the one that keeps it safe, willingly, lovingly let's it- wants it inside to keep it safe. To know that something that could tear apart planets if it so wanted to, something that bares it's rows of teeth as a natural expression, something that has destroyed countless lives- to know something like that gently rests in the space between your organs because it wants to. And how much you want it to too.

And this goes both ways too! When they're Venom and get hurt, they way the Symbiote peels away from the body is.. its amazing that the Symbiote can be torn away from it's Host. When Eddie gets hurt, the Symbiote comes out, from inside- When Venom gets hurt, instead of blood or organs, it's Eddie at the center, but he acts as the same anyways. Eddie is the Symbiote's life, he is it's heart, carefully tucked away and protected.

Even though Eddie doesn't particularly enjoy eating people's brains, he comes up with a compromise for the 2 of them anyways, he buys tons of chocolate for it to eat too, and that adds up for a guy that is living in a one room flat. and AND AND I will never get over how, in LTBC, Venom leaves all the red m&m's, because the red dye is said to be harmful to humans in large amounts, so even though it's one of the few things it needs to live, it refuses it to keep Eddie- it's Host- it's home safe.

and, I mean, Venom totally could eat Eddie if it so wanted to, in the first movie, Eddie's literally going through.. several organ failures- but Venom puts him back together, back better! and i am suddenly ill-

excuse my weird ideas but hhhhhh Eddie being torn apart and put back together..... yeah. how much trust is needed for that? how much love is shown from letting it consume his flesh and bones, from it eating the thing it loves the most, from it knowing every ridge and curve of every organ and cell to put everything back where it was?

how much love is needed to destroy something, to be destroyed, and come back together?

also Trust Exercise is a dang good fic, i need more of this. please. or i'll start making it myself (i'll do it anyways)

This, too, can go both ways, I am a big fan of swapping how Eddie and Venom and portrayed, both in canon and in fanon, just for the fun of it- and I'm just saying... let Eddie tear apart the Symbiote! maybe Eddie wants to rip it apart with his teeth and bare hands! Let them fight and rip each other apart, but with love <3 (oh fight/sparring scenes between friends/lovers, how i love you so)

you can't really see it well, and i'll make a better show of it later, but my design for (movie) Eddie has sharp teeth and that isn't for no reason. I.... ADORE the idea that, after being Venom for so long, Eddie starts adapting parts of them into his "normal" body- sharper teeth, clouded eyes, maybe even some of his skin is pitch black too, just because it makes him feel like Venom in his everyday life, even a little bit.

ough i need to lay down after that but- THANK YOU so much for asking me this, this was such a treat to let out, it's like a weight has been lifted off me lmao

i'll probably have more on this topic later on, but i'll probably use those ideas for art/writing, i love thinking about them :3

EDIT: ALSO ALSO ALSO the way the Venom Symbiote literally goes against it's very nature to love Eddie, it goes against what every other Symbiote does, it betrays it's entire race and planet- JUST TO BE VENOM WITH EDDIE <3

[silverpelt3600]

(Halo 2x4 spoilers)

ALRIGHT NOW, this is a stream of thoughts and was typed as I watched so this is a little incoherent.

- First of all, new intro??!?&??!! His helmet slowly covering his face while he looks at the camera?!!?! THE HALO IN SPACE?!?!!??!

- John tackling the invisible covenant was sick af, and taking him out without armor was even better (I love him he’s so awesome)

- The scene with the woman in the shop is such a good reminder of the time difference between the events of Halo and today. Puts it in perspective tbh. Also her refusal to leave was reminding me so much of the woman in the glassed planet at the start of this season. Harder to leave someone behind when it’s in your own city.

- Okay everything going on just in those like 10 seconds of seeing Cortana again was insane. Like WHAT

- Okay the part where everyone is in the bunker, the Corporal is such a good character to help humanize the situation more, especially when placed next to John. The contrast is crazy. Also “the suits are gone”, um, sorry, excuse me? This has been so stressful without anyone in their armor and now they straight up don’t get it??? Just give me a heart attack and knock me out now. And the “you were right” was SOOO satisfying. HE TOLD YALL SO!

- Watching John’s face during the speech to the marines breaks my heart. Seeing him truly take in the amount of lives in that room, and then when he got called up? Not to speak but just to let them see him??? Whole scene damn near made me cry.

- Lmao Soren “Small business owner” my ass.

- the moment I saw the gas come out from the fuel line disconnecting made my heart drop. Knew exactly what was gonna happen :(

- John fighting the covenant like a badass? GRABBING THE SWORD?? MAKEE???!? VANNAK???!? Forever cursing that they didn’t have their suits >:(

- And then the episode just ends because the writers are mean! What the hell! D:

The amount of liked characters dead at the end of this is hurts my feelings, and I am personally offended. Good episode tho 10/10

[cevansbrat0007]

I'm obsessed with this series. I'm such a sucker for love that's given often and shown so freely. Andy and Reader are each other's world. I feel like they're the type of (one day) elderly couple who if one passes, the other is following right behind in a few days to months.

I can't wait to one day read a little drabble about them when they're old and retired, maybe having their kids and grandkids over for christmas and their kids' POV watching Andy and Reader sway and canoodle under a mistletoe.

At Last...

Summary: True love stories never end...

Warning: the following answer contains talk of death as well as celebrations of love and life. Read at your own risk. Takes place in my ongoing Growing Pains Series. __

Thank you. It makes me so happy that you've fallen in love with Growing Pains as well as Andy and Reader's love story. Those two are so incredibly and irrevocably devoted to one another - they really are each other's entire world.

If I'm being honest, I have thought about what the end of their time on this planet would look like. And Baby Girl always outlives Andy. Not just because she's a few years younger than him, but because there is just no other way.

He could never live without her. Not even for a month, or a couple of days. So, when the time comes and life finds him on his deathbed, they make a plan.

They're both such stubborn people, you know? So damned headstrong even up until the very end. Andrew Barber doesn't want to go.

Not yet.

But while his spirit remains young, his body is old. After all, fighting your way into your nineties is no easy feat. But he's also got four children right here in this realm to take care of, and an errant wife to look after who is just as much of a brat as she's always been.

And the doctors, well, they don't understand how he's made it so long. From everything indicated on his chart, he should've left this world days ago. But somehow Andrew Barber continues to defy the odds.

That stubborn ass ogre.

But he's also in pain. Even as he's fighting, refusing to give in. However, it's not sustainable. And Reader knows that her Big Man needs to rest. She spends every day by his bedside, rarely leaving for more than a few minutes at a time. It's been a few days since she's been able to catch a glimpse of his beautiful blue eyes, every once in a while, she's treated to a gentle squeeze of her hand.

Baby Girl knows her husband better than any other person on the planet. She knows that in order to leave her behind, even for just a little bit, she has to give him a purpose. So she crawls into bed with him, bad hip and all, and tells him her plan.

It's just between them - this task that she gives him.

She tells him to go on ahead and get their home ready - their dream home. And start decorating it the way he knows she'll like. She even promises not to get mad if the color schemes aren't quite right, because she'll just fix it all when she gets there.

Simple as that.

And while he's taking care of the house, the next thing she wants him to do is find Jacob. Wherever he is. Because she expects him to be at the dinner table sharing a meal with them for her first night in their new home.

And in return for doing all of that, she'll handle everything else with BiBi, KitCat, RoRo, and A.J. and all of their precious grandbabies. She swears that she will make sure that every single little detail is taken care of, and when it's all done...

She'll come find him. And when she does, they'll share a dance in their kitchen to the tune of their favorite song - At Last by Etta James. Baby Girl goes on to assure him that it will be the first of many.

Some time later that night, her sweet Andy Bear takes her up on her offer. But not before opening his eyes one last time to see her sleeping in the chair at his bedside. Now that makes him crack a smile.

Because in the last dream he had he could've sworn he told her fine ass to get to bed. A real bed. Not a chair.

His sweet, beautiful girl never fucking listens.

Reader knows when he leaves. She later describes it to their children as feeling his lips brush her skin, right behind her ear. His favorite place to kiss her.

She and the kids keep the actual ceremony small, but then they throw a party - a celebration of Andy's life. And after that, Reader spends the next two years making sure everything is in order.

Just like she promised.

Andy comes to her in her dreams every now and again. And in those dreams he always looks like he did when they first met - her handsome man.

And when it's finally her time, Reader passes on surrounded by their babies. But she tells them not to worry, because their father has been sitting by her bedside for the last few days. She knows they can't see him...

But she swears he's right there. And he's brought along Jacob. She tells her sweet babies that she's finally ready to join the love of her life. They even share a little laugh when she tells them how their father keeps pestering her all because she owes him a dance.

And when she takes her last breath, the sweet sound of Etta James is playing softly in the background. Bianca and her siblings sit there quietly for a few minutes after her passing holding hands and reveling in the fact that they know their Mama went home.

She's finally back in the arms of the man that she loves. They have no doubt that their Mama and Daddy are finally sharing that dance. And wouldn't you know it...

Somewhere in the great beyond, they were right. Their Mama made it home at last. And she left the light on for them too. Just like she told them she would.

[youling-the-ghost]

sfth incorrect quotes pt. 3 because I have no life :] (the link I used to generate these)

*obligatory "none of the shipping quotes are me actually shipping them"

AJ: Fruits that do not live up to their names; passionfruit, grapefruit, honeydew and dragonfruit. AJ: Fruits that do live up to their names? AJ: Orange.

Sam: Yo dumbass, get over here. AJ: Okay- Luke: *gleefully runs past* I’m coming! AJ, sadly: I thought...I was dumbass...

Sam: Do you take constructive criticism? Tom: Not without crying.

Tom: Luke, take out the trash. Luke: Sure. Sam, will you go out on a date with me? Luke: *seductively takes off glasses* Luke: Wow... Sam: *blushes* Haha...what? Luke: You're really fucking blurry. AJ: Why don't humans have a specific noise that means "there are bees here, let's leave immediately." Why are elephants more advanced than us. Tom: We do have a specific noise for it. It sounds like this: Tom: "There are bees here, let's leave immediately." Tom: Do you care if I take the skin off this Furby? Tom: I want to make him a god. Once he is free of his sinful flesh, he can begin a path towards enlightenment. He will take care of us. Tom: I also want to softhack his circuits. Luke: I literally could not care less but never say anything as frightening as that ever again. Tom: Here is my wall of inspirational people. AJ: Is that a picture of you? Tom: Yes, I am big enough to admit that I am often inspired by myself.

Tom: Anyone else feel good when their brain releases a bunch of endorphins? Luke: Can't relate. AJ: Why would my brain release a bunch of dolphins? Sam: Hey, wanna help me commit arson? Tom: What the hell!? Sam: Oh, sorry, my bad. Sam, whispering: Wanna help me commit arson? Tom, whispering: Of course. What do you need? Luke: I’m scared that when you become rich and famous you’ll be embarrassed by me. Tom: Oh Luke, I’m already embarrassed by you.

Luke: What, I can’t be in a bad mood? It’s like people think, “Oh, Luke is such a nice person, Luke is so happy-go-lucky! Luke can’t be in a bad mood!” Well, you know what? Luke CAN be in a bad mood. And right now, Luke IS be in a bad mood. Luke: The only thing I'm guilty of is being adorable...and also assault with a deadly weapon. Tom, seeing a banana on the car seat: What the FUCK?? Tom, buckling the banana up: Fucking buckle UP, it’s the LAW! AJ: Not to brag, but I can go into the Spirit Halloween without crying. Tom: I feel like I can be myself around you. AJ: You’re weird and quiet around me. Tom: Yes. AJ: *Reading a letter* Tom: Well, what does it say? AJ: It’s a confession letter. It turns out Sam killed my pet rock. Luke: I refuse to apologize for being weird or off-putting. That’s actually your problem. I’m having a fantastic time!

AJ: How long do you reckon it’ll be until Tom finally snaps and commits murder? Luke: I’ve been going through life assuming it’s already happened at some point and it’s just that no one was ever able to trace it back to him. Sam: You know my motto: carpe diem, carpe noctem, carpe coles. Tom: Seize the day, seize the night, what’s the last one? Sam: Seize the dick.

Luke: Watcha doin? Sam: Stealing my neighbour’s cat. Luke: Scandalous. Luke: Can I help?

AJ: Why's it called an oven when you of in the cold food and you of out hot eat the food? Sam: ...What??? Tom with a gun to Luke's head: What happens if I pull this trigger? Heaven? Luke: Bold of you to assume I'll go to Heaven.

Tom, at Starbucks: Can I get a venti vanilla latte with um, seven espresso shots. Luke, in line behind him: Jesus Christ, just do cocaine.

Luke: I’m this close to falling in love with Sam. Tom: Your fingertips are touching. Luke: Exactly.

Tom: You believe me? Luke: Tom, you’re the last good person on this planet. I‘d believe cartoon birds braided your hair this morning.

AJ: My head hurts. Sam: That’s your brain trying to comprehend its own stupidity. Tom: Ok so, apparently the "bad vibes" I've been feeling are actually severe psychological distress. Tom: What must it be like to live in your head? Are there happy ponies in there? It’s really something how utterly delusional your optimism is. If I didn’t hate you so much, I might even be impressed.

AJ: Huzzah! I got a heavily qualified and slightly sarcastic compliment from Tom! Sam: How petty can you get? Luke: I once edited a Wikipedia article to win an argument I was wrong about. Tom: I am going to cry. I’m going to cry until I can no longer physically cry anymore because all the water in my body is gone and I die from dehydration. Luke: Are you okay? AJ: Did you actually just ask him that? Like, you need that to be answered otherwise you won’t know? AJ: *spins around in chair ominously* I’ve been expecting y- *chair continues to spin* shit *tries to stop spinning* shit *tries to grab a table to stop spinning* sHIT *falls out of chair* Luke: So, you’ve finally arrived- Luke: Here to save prince- Luke: I’ve been waiting for this day- Luke: Stop skipping my dialogue- Luke: Seriously, stop- Luke: MOTHER FU- Tom: I need you to come meet me, and I need you to come alone. Luke: And I need you to be less vague and weird. Tom: Things will get better! The Squad: Tom: Okay, maybe they won’t. Tom: But they will be terrible in new and interesting ways!

Tom: *fast-forwards all the way through the movie* Sam: You can't just skip to the happy ending! Tom: I don't have time for their problems. Luke: Hey, quick question. How petty am I allowed to be?

Sam: Tom annoyed me today so I told them that I can’t wait to see what they have planned for our special day tomorrow. AJ: There is nothing special about tomorrow. Sam: But there is something special about watching the color leave their face as panic takes over. Tom: You know, Sam, when you generalize, you tell general...lies. Sam: ... Sam: Are you trying to teach me moral lessons through puns. Luke: Of course I have a lot of pent-up rage, you fool! I've been the same height since I was twelve!

Luke: Hey guys, what are your favorite kinds of pudding? Tom: Pudding deez nuts in your mouth? Is that what you were about to say? Do you gain joy from tricking your innocent cohorts? What if I actually wanted to tell you about my favorite pudding?

[jinxquickfoot]

@badthingshappenbingo Prompt: Grief/Mourning

Find the fic on Ao3!

Inspired by @16woodsequ's wonderful The Alternate End

Part I: Nebula

He’s put this off as long as he can.

Tony knows he should have done this much sooner. God knows how much pain Nebula’s been in while he’s been skulking in his hospital room, refusing to talk to anyone except Pepper. They’re probably all too occupied with their own pain to care. They probably think he’s angry over the Accords, the betrayal that still lingers there. He's still angry. He hadn’t realized until he was face-to-face with Steve Rogers in the home he’d decided wasn’t good enough for him anymore.

But that’s not why he’s avoiding everyone. He knows it makes no sense—after a long month in the cosmos, wondering who had lived and who hadn’t, he should just be relieved that they’re still here. Relief isn’t the word he’d use, though. It’s resentment.

He doesn’t care that he wasn’t strong enough to go after Thanos. He doesn’t care that the Mad Titan is dead. He doesn’t even care that the remaining Avengers hadn’t been able to win, not in the way that mattered. Tony had known it was hopeless long before they left the Compound. He knows because he’s been fighting this war longer than any of them. He’d known since he’d flown through the wormhole that this day would come if they didn’t pull out every weapon in their arsenal. Ultron, the Accords, scoping the planet for new talent like P—

Tony swallows back images of a dying planet and Mr Stark I don’t feel so good to focus on the project at hand. Nebula is already nervous enough without Tony’s mind being on a past he can't fix. There was never going to be a ‘fix’, this war always had to be won before it was fought, and no one had listened to him.

“We can wait another day,” Nebula bursts out. She’s been quiet since getting on Tony’s operating table, lying still and rigid as Tony tries to get a hold of himself enough to do this. She pushes herself up, swinging her legs over the side. “There is no urgency.”

Tony catches the flippant comment that comes to his lips. He’d gotten Nebula’s entire depressing backstory during their time slowly starving to death in space. He can’t imagine she associates body part replacement with fun and laughter. He nods at her damaged hand. “You can’t do anything with those fried wires. It has to be done sometime.”

“Some time does not have to be today.”

Tony pushes the rotating slideshow of Titan to the back of his mind, moving into her path as she attempts to leave. “Hey. You saved my life in space. I would have died of infection or, if I somehow survived, gone completely insane up there without our invigorating paper football tournament. Let me repay the favor.”

He forces himself to be patient as Nebula stares at her damaged hand. “You want to make us equal.”

That’s not Tony’s MO, but if it’s what gets this done, he’ll take it. “Yeah, sure. Equals” When she still looks nervous, he adds, “Besides, we don’t have to do the actual replacement today. I’m just mapping to get an extent of the damage before we take anything out or put anything in.”

It’s a straight-out lie as he’d been hoping to get this done all in one session, but Nebula’s shoulders finally relax. “Okay,” she allows. “We can do that. And you’ve done this before?”

Tony exhales, reaching for a holodisplay and moving it around so Nebula can see. He’d hoped to put this off until it was absolutely necessary. He doesn’t want to be reminded. He wants to take Pepper and find a cabin in the middle of nowhere and shut out the world forever. He shouldn’t have to fix things anymore. That’s what he’s been doing, for years, and he’s done it alone.

But Nebula shifts on the table, and Tony reminds himself that she wasn’t part of any of those fights, and it wouldn’t help to win the trust of a friend who comes without baggage. Bracing himself, he brings up the schematics for Vision.

Nebula’s breath catches as she takes in the holographic blueprints. “How much did you replace?”

“Replace?” Tony catches on and hurries to explain. “No, no, he was made like this from the start. He’s not a human we… Jesus, we don’t do that here.” He forces back images of a silver metal arm.

Nebula processes that. “He is all mechanics?”

“Was,” Tony murmurs. “Thanos…” He can’t bring himself to end the sentence. The death of half the universe chokes the Compound like a smog cloud, but the overwhelming nature of it has stayed in the abstract. Even now, weeks later, Tony cannot fathom just how huge a loss god knows how many planets have suffered. He can barely wrap his head around the death of four billion human beings.

But the knowledge that one of their own had been murdered in battle… That he can picture. That he can comprehend. Because one of his first ports of call when he could get out of bed without collapsing was Wakanda to retrieve Vision’s body.

He doesn’t know what to do with it. Vision had been very clear that in the case of his death, his parts were to be dismantled beyond repair. Tony knows he’s the best person left in the world for that job. It doesn’t mean he’s been able to bring himself to do it. He’s still not sure if the idea of keeping the corpse of a team member in the basement indefinitely is worse than the empty coffins they had buried on the Compound grounds.

“My father was a monster,” Nebula murmurs, staring at her toes. “I was never going to please him. And yet I tried to anyway. I would have done anything for him.”

“Yeah, I know the feeling.” Tony scrubs at his eyes, zooming in on the blueprints for Vision’s arm that will become the basis for Nebula’s new one. “Here, you can follow along with everything I’m doing…”

He trails off when he hears a sob come from the operating table.

He freezes. Their entire time in space, he had not once seen Nebula cry. Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen him cry, either. It hadn’t mattered up there, not in any way that counted. They didn’t know who was gone. All they knew was that they would be gone themselves in barely the space of a few weeks, and then their grief wouldn’t exist.

But they didn’t die. Their grief didn’t pass into oblivion. They returned here, to Earth, and learned exactly what Thanos had taken.

Tony still replays that moment of seeing Steve sprinting toward the spaceship. Of Pepper following close behind. Seeing Rhodey, calling Happy. Realizing that, by some impossible odds, all the original six members of his team had survived the Snap.

Nebula hadn’t had that. Her team had crumbled in front of her. More than her team.

Tony moves over to her bedside to take her undamaged hand. “Thanos wasn’t your family,” he assures her. “You found a much better one. One who actually loved you. I know the feeling.”

"My sister..." Nebula angrily wipes away a tear. "She should not have shown him the Soul Stone to save me. I was not worth that sacrifice."

Tony squeezes her hand. "I doubt she saw it that way."

He sits and lets her cry into his shoulder as long as she needs to. He could have it worse. He could have lost so much more. He could still lose so much more if he stays in this mindset. He can’t change the past but he can stop it from changing him into a shape he doesn’t want to be anymore. Resentment is corrosive. He can’t afford it to spread when the rest of his life will revolve around construction.

Tony mentally puts aside Nebula’s repairs for another day. He has other building to do, anyway.

Part II: Thor

Clint’s gone and even Natasha can’t find him. Bruce is on the other side of the world, helping rebuild where he can, making vague promises about return dates. Tony’s not ready to face Steve. That leaves one.

The Asgardian refugees have taken over the Compound grounds. They’ve provided what they can for them but Tony still feels ill when he can see how few of them are left. Thanos had slaughtered half of those he'd found on the Statesman and then killed another half in the Snap. Asgard was gone, torn to pieces by an apocalypse they were never going to escape. Living on Earth feels the same way. They’d always known it would end here. Or at least, Tony had known.

He wonders if that is why his grief feels a little more tempered than the others’. This wasn’t a sudden loss for him. It’s the result of slowly losing a war, piece by piece, over the span of years. He always knew that they would only get one shot at victory. He’ll never know the future Strange saw where they scraped a win. He just gets this one and he has to do what he can with it.

He doesn’t find Thor with the rest of the Asgardians. A few conversations are enough to guide him to a tent in the far, far back, stationed away from all the others. Already a bad sign. So is the fact that the tent is dark as he approaches. Tony awkwardly paws at the tent cover to announce his presence in lieu of knocking, then calls out for good measure. “Thor. It’s Tony.”

He doesn’t get an invitation to come inside. He doesn’t get a refusal either. Good enough.

Thor doesn’t move from his prone position as Tony unzips the tent and steps inside. There’s no blanket over him or mattress underneath him, with barely the base of the tent to protect him. “You have a room at this Compound, you know. I built one for you. Just in case.”

Thor doesn’t look at him. He just keeps staring at the roof of the tent. ���I will be with my people. Least their king could do after my brother sacrificed half of them for me." He spits the name of king out like venom. "After I could have killed Thanos when it mattered." 

Tony still hasn't been able to wrap his mind around the image of Loki dying in a heroic attempt to kill Thanos. Whenever he thinks of the trickster god, the memory that tends to come to mind is Loki throwing him from a window or the mass of black clothing at Phil Coulson's funeral. If Bruce hadn't been the one who had told him the story, including Loki handing over the Space Stone to spare Thor's life, Tony wouldn't have been able to believe a word of it.

"I don't have siblings," he says. "And I know things between you and your brother were... complicated. But there were a lot of steps a lot of other people could have taken and didn't. It's not all on you." He's suddenly back on the spaceship again, listening to Strange lecture him about how he wouldn't give up the Time Stone even if Peter's life was on the line. Tony doesn't want to know what choice he would have made if it was up to him. "Guess it's easier to say you'll give everything up to save the world than to actually do it. You gave up more than most already."

Finding the Asgardians a more permanent new home is on Tony’s to-do list, but losing half a population apparently wreaks havoc on a planet’s infrastructure. There’s been so much to do, from getting hospitals up and running, to restarting supply chains for food, to getting entire cities’ electrical grids functioning again. After months of work, the world is somewhat physically functional again. Tony doesn’t know how many decades will pass before the human race emotionally recovers. He knows it will be a long, long time after his lifetime.

“Well. It won’t be tents forever. I can promise you that.”

“Promises,” Thor scoffs. Tony fights the sudden urge to bolt in the other direction. It isn’t right, seeing one of the strongest Avengers and one of the last to lay down in a fight so utterly void of spirit. Then again, none of them are themselves these days. “Wouldn’t make any promises. They just end up broken.”

“A lot of things have ended up broken.” Tony sits cross-legged in the tent, plucking at a stray thread in his jeans. “Luckily, I’m pretty good at fixing things.”

Thor’s next words are a whisper. “There’s no fixing this. It’s gone. It’s all gone, and it’s not coming back, and we’re all just going to have to live with that.”

Tony closes his eyes. He knows that’s true. He knows that they will never, ever get back to where they were. But they can take baby steps in the right direction. He reaches into his pocket. “I know you’ve lost a lot,” he says, the words so unbelievably inadequate that he almost quits then and there. He stays, though. He doesn’t get to quit. That’s not a luxury he’s had since Afghanistan. “More than most of us.”

Thor shifts slightly. “It does not help to compare losses.”

The guilt Tony’s been feeling since he returned to Earth swells, but now is not the time to voice it. “I can’t bring Asgard back,” he says. Even now, with half of Earth’s life lost, he can’t comprehend the magnitude of losing his entire planet. “Or anyone you’ve lost. But I’ve been thinking…” His mind trails to Nebula’s newly equipped arm, which he had put the final touches on that morning. “We have to focus now on what we can get back. Or find replacements for, at least.”

Thor finally looks at him. “Do not suggest that there is any replacement for…” He trails off, anger abating when he sees what Tony is holding. “Is… is that for me?”

“The talking raccoon told me the one you’re using… well, actually, you don’t want to know where it came from.” Tony holds out the mechanical eye he’s spent the past week perfecting. “Besides, I don’t think you’re really pulling off the whole heterochromia look. Thought you looked better in your classic blue.”

Thor gently takes the eye, marveling at it. “Thank you, Stark. And for letting us all stay here.”

“I’m not letting you do anything. I built this place for the Avengers. That includes you. Use this place as you see fit—hm, I could have used some warning there.” Tony barely has time to look away before Thor casually pops his fake eye out, tossing the brown iris aside. Tony waits until the squelching sounds have stopped before he risks looking back.

“How does it look?” Thor asks.

Tony takes in the two symmetrical eyes. To his trained gaze, the mechanical one is ever so slightly glassier. It’ll never live up to the original. But it’s a start. “You look great.”

“I doubt that is true.”

Tony hovers awkwardly, not sure what else to say. “Can I do anything else?” he tries.

Thor is quiet for a long moment before he speaks. “Perhaps…” He suddenly reaches out, grasping for Tony’s hand. Tony lets him take it. “Stay, for a while?”

A part of Tony rebels against the idea. He’s got so many things he’s supposed to be doing, to be building, to be fixing. Then he looks at his friend, sprawled and miserable on the ground, and realizes that fixing doesn’t always have to require tools and a workshop. “Sure. I’ll stay.”

Part III: Steve

Things don’t get better, but they do get easier.

The number of global catastrophes has reduced. Supply isn’t where it used to be, but at least most people have access to food, power and clean water. The daily body count of new Blip-related deaths reduces. Tony had provided whatever resources he could, but even his wealth couldn’t keep up with locating and identifying the bodies. There were those who had died on the roads after drivers had Blipped or had been on suddenly pilot-less planes that had tumbled from the air. There had been those who died in hospitals with drastically reduced numbers of doctors and nurses. And then, worst of all, the orphaned infants and small children who had perished from neglect.

A grateful universe, Thanos had called this. The Mad Titan title has never felt so fitting.

Tony finds Steve by Bucky’s grave.

They’d given each Dusted Avenger a tombstone: a place for the living to mourn the dead. Tony deliberately does not look at Peter’s as he approaches.

Steve must hear him coming but he doesn’t raise his head. He’s bent over a compass, holding it so tightly that Tony fears it might break. He figures that’s as good a place as any to start the conversation. “Careful. You remember you have super-soldier strength, right?”

Steve’s hold doesn’t loosen. “It hasn’t broken yet.”

Tony takes his place by Steve’s side. He wishes the pain of what happened in Siberia would dwarf in the magnitude of the Blip. It hasn’t. It’s just been buried, pushed aside until Tony’s heart has room to feel it again. “Rhodey says you spend all day out here.”

“There’s nowhere else to be. There’s nothing else I can do.”

Tony knows the feeling. “Still. It’s freezing out here.” It’s not, really. It’s just something to say to fill the silence.

Steve pulls the compass close to his chest. “Bucky gave this to me. Two weeks before he died. He was different after Azzano. Like he knew. And he followed me onto that train anyway. ”

Tony casts about for something to say to that. “Weren’t they already… doing stuff to him in Azzano? Winter Soldier stuff? That might be what he had been feeling. Not some kind of death premonition.”

Steve doesn’t react mollified by the words. He doesn’t react at all. “You know he had the offer to go home after Azzano? He could have. He didn’t. Because he chose to follow me. Then, in Wakanda, he was at peace. And I brought a war right to his doorstep.”

“I don’t think the narrative is that simple.”

“If I had—”

“What?” Tony interrupts him, a little harsher than he means to. “If you had made Wanda kill Vision earlier? It wouldn’t have mattered, Steve. We lost the second Thanos got his hands on the Time Stone.” He ghosts a hand over the scar disfiguring his abdomen. Why? he wants to scream at Strange. Why would you do it? I wasn’t worth it.

“Wanda could have killed Vision the second we knew Thanos was coming to Earth. It wouldn’t have mattered,” he continues. “And as for going to Wakanda—that wasn’t just your choice, Steve. All the Avengers with you chose to do that. T’Challa chose to open his borders to you. Everyone in that battle chose to fight. You didn’t pressgang them. In fact, I don’t think pressganging the Dora Milaje is humanly possible. Wakanda was the most prepared place on Earth to tackle an alien invasion of that magnitude and their technology probably prevented the pre-Snap damage from being even worse. Those aliens would have torn apart the Earth for Thanos.”

Steve is quiet as he absorbs all of that. “You’ve thought a lot about this.”

“Yeah. For six years.” One future where they win. Tony’s been ripping himself apart trying to imagine what it would have been, what step they didn’t take. Maybe there were more futures, earlier in the timeline. Roads not traveled that didn’t end with a line of empty graves.

“I know you tried to prevent this,” Steve says softly. “I have been thinking… Ultron, the Accords, if those had played out differently--”

“Don’t,” Tony cuts him off. He’s done dwelling on this. He can rage and storm and shout I told you so all he wants. It won’t fix anything. “It’s done. We’re here. We need to make what we can of it.”

Steve is still staring at Bucky’s tombstone in a way that’s becoming increasingly unnerving. “This is the second time I’ve buried an empty casket for him."

Tony swallows, all too aware that he nearly made that a full casket in 2016. If Bucky was still here, Tony would have apologized with an arm, like the one he had built for Nebula. But unlike with Nebula and Thor, there is nothing Tony can physically build here to offer comfort. At least, not anything he’s thought of yet. "I know I ruined things that day in Siberia," he manages. "That I made you choose between the two of us. That wasn't fair. That isn't who you are."

"Tony—"

"No, just let me say this. And fine, maybe, we could have made a few more sacrifice plays along the way and not ended up here." If Gamora had given up Nebula, it Loki havd given up Thor, if Strange had given up him. If Steve had given up Bucky, all those years ago, instead of fighting entire governments for his freedom. "None of us had the strength to do it. The only person who did was Wanda and then that didn't even matter. And maybe if we had... well, maybe we stop being the good guys the moment we start trading lives."

He's not sure how much of his own argument he believes. But, for the first time since he can remember, he has more goals than trying to prove that he's right. “I was relieved,” he finds himself saying. “When I stepped off the Benetar, and found out Pepper and Rhodey and Happy had all lived.” He doesn’t mention Peter. He hasn’t been able to put into words what exactly a teenager from Queens had meant to him. “I still feel relieved. And that feels awful. And it also feels awful that it doesn’t feel more awful.”

“I’m glad,” Steve murmurs. “I’m glad you got to keep them.”

Tony keeps an ear out for any bitterness in those words. He doesn’t hear it. Steve is being honest. Tony swallows past the stubborn lump in his throat. “I was relieved as well… when I saw you. When I got my feet back on land and saw you were there. I was relieved.” More than just relieved. In those first few minutes, none of their fighting had mattered. Tony had been grateful to tumble into the arms of a friend—someone else to hold him upright for a few moments.

Steve nods slowly. “I was too. I didn’t want to hope too much, not after weeks of not knowing, not after we’d lost so many. But I couldn’t kill the hope entirely. And then you were there, alive and…” There’s a small hitch in his voice. “God, Tony, if it had been Bucky and Sam and you, I don’t think I would have…”

Without letting himself think about it too much, Tony reaches out to grip Steve’s shoulder. “We’re still here. Still fighting. That’s something. That has to be something.”

Steve nods again. “We’ll make it something.” It’s the first time he’s sounded like himself in months.

“That we will.”

"Maybe..." Steve shifts his gaze, past Bucky's grave to Sam's. "Maybe fighting looks different now. Like... like what Sam did. At the VA." He straightens at little at the promise of a mission. "Maybe it would help."

"I have no doubt it would. God knows how many people out there need someone to talk to." Tony looks from the grave to Steve. “You know, I had the wild idea I might cook tonight. Want to make sure I don’t set the kitchen on fire?”

For a terrifying moment, he’s sure Steve is going to say no. Then, the man seems to pull some of his shattered pieces back together. “Well, we can’t have a fire, I guess. Been putting out enough of those already.”

It’s not a miracle cure. No one is magically better. But Tony gathers whoever is left and makes something hot and homemade with minimal kitchen damage, and for once the conversation is more than about the work they’ll have to do tomorrow.

He can’t fix the world. But he will fix what he can.

[insanelyadd]

Question for your achieves, (not sure if I spelled that right) after like some battle or talking to them do the two oldest siblings stop trying to kill king and destroy their planet or in the end do they get killed or removed from the planet?

OH MAN. Well, if there was some sort of fight between the Archivists and the main Owl House cast, for least amount of complication let's assume that all four of them show up to the Boiling Isles at once, and the Collector happens to be visiting at the same time. It would be HORRIBLE bad luck if they're off and away from the planet because with the evidence that the Collector was there (Archive) but without them being present, and King is still there and alive, they might jump to the worst case scenario "This Titan killed our brother" and. It would end very poorly I will say that.

So anyways, The Collector would obviously jump to defend King and their other friends. Crescent would brush them off and say they can Collect the mortals if they're so important, but King can't be kept alive. Penumbra would agree and attempt to Collect Eda, Luz, and anyone else that's there. I think this would be extremely upsetting to the Collector, which is important, because in the thousands and years since Satellite and Solari have last seen him, they have grown more and more discontent with their mission. They would have privately concluded with each other that if it came down to a decision like the one Penumbra and Crescent made to leave the Collector behind, they would chose the Collector over their duties.

This is actually HUGE seeing as how Collectors as a species spend their extremely long lives in complete dedication to their mission to Collect and preserve mortal life. Choosing anything before their duties is unheard of, even if the thing the put first is their own family. Continued under the cut because it's LONG.

So, seeing how upset the Collector is at the thought of their friends being Collected and killed they would immediately turn on Penumbra and Crescent. This would shock the older two, because even though the twins have always been "Difficult" it was never to the point that they could imagine them defending mortals instead of completing their work. They would get into a fight with them, momentarily distracted, asking them why they would do this. The twins would point out how horrible they're being to their sibling and how they refuse to let themselves hurt him anymore.

They would be evenly matched like this, but I think the main crew and the Collector would all fight against Penumbra and Crescent as well, since Satellite and Solari are (at least for the moment) not an active threat to them. If you add in my HC that if a mortal knows a Collector's True Name it gives them power against them, and you could assume that either during this fight or at some point before the Archivists even showed up, the Collector told them his sibling's names, which would give them an edge in the fight. However I don't think that this edge would allow them to fatally wound them. I think the only people who might be able to kill Penumbra and Crescent are Satellite, Solari, The Collector, and King.

And the thing about that is. Two of those people are just little kids. I don't think either of the kids should be expected to kill them (and neither should necessarily want to), which would leave just the twins. Now Satellite and Solari I think *could* be pushed to killing their older siblings. But Satellite is much more inherently pacifistic and would actively avoid trying to kill them. Solari is basically the only one of the four who has the ability and the stomach for it, she also holds so much against them that she doesn't carry much love for them.

Also, somehow, in this climactic fight I think it could be revealed that Crescent is the person who turned in their parent, Nebula, which lead to their family falling apart and becoming as deeply toxic as it is. She ruined all their lives basically. Crescent has kept this secret for thousands of years so it's definitely NOT HIM revealing it. Someone on the heroes side should figure it out and say it. I want this reveal to happen in this fight because it would make Penumbra turn on Crescent too. Not gonna "redeem" Penumbra narratively tho because every other horrible decision was either hers or was Crescent's and she agreed to it as their leader. But you know.

Anyways this is basically a Kill Switch. As in, when it is revealed, Crescent's death becomes inevitable. Genuinely even Satellite would be angry enough to kill him. Penumbra, who has the best relationship with Crescent at this point would be devastated and in disbelief. She doesn't want it to be true, but it has to be, and she feels like a fool for not having put it together before now.

So anyways Crescent dies and I think Penumbra is fucked up enough that she would just leave. Imagine all the whammies she's had to mentally deal with in an hour "Oh hey my brother is free. Oh what he's defending the last Titan? What the hell now the twins have turned against us? Crescent ruined all of our lives and lied to us about it for thousands of years. Crescent is dead." I think she would go back to the Archive and take a nap for 50 years.

Satellite and Solari. I got no clue what happens to them at this point, like they were totally planning on running away with the Collector when he came home after being freed so they could all escape their older siblings, but what happens here depends on a few things: Would King want them to stay at the BI to defend it in case Penumbra comes back? And would the Collector want them around after everything that's happened, traveling with him as a free agent through space?

That's what I've thought about it so far.

[freelanceexorcist]

FFVII Rebirth spoilers under the cut.

I thought I was watching chapter 1, but I was actually seeing all the Zack Fair cutscenes. Yeah, yesterday was one of those days when giant brain farts are all you have to work with.

But yeah.

So from what I gather so far, any time one choice is made or event takes place, it creates a world where the opposite happened, and the white Whispers are involved in that. In the world where Stamp is a beagle, Zack and Biggs both die. In the world where he’s a Yorkie, they live thanks to the white Whispers.

Black Whispers = inescapable fate, white Whispers = choices and multiple outcomes of events. Black Whispers = weaponized by Jenovaroth from what I can tell, White Whispers = maybe created by the planet because it turns out that doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results really is insanity and the whole cycles/destiny thing was a bad idea after all. Black Whispers = Watashi Sephiroth, white Whispers = Ore Sephiroth.

I think I’ve got it. Zack’s choosing to visit Hojo creates another world where we see what would have happened if he’d chosen to save Biggs instead, and in this world, Stamp is a pug. Yeah, now that I think about it, they kinda beat us over the head with that one.

And then there’s of course The Thing, which I didn’t understand AT ALL without the context from the Zack scenes. The Thing happened in the Beagleverse, which created yet another where Stamp will be some other breed of dog and we seem to see the existence of both of them at once briefly, like we did at the end of Remake. We see the world where Cloud doesn’t get there in time and Jenovaroth holding a bloody sword as Aerith collapses and we see the one where Cloud does get there in time, Jenovaroth is disarmed and Masamune gets stuck in the stone. The final scene before the credits roll where Aerith leaves the party to do what she needs to on her own may take place in this new universe.

Interesting.

They’re going full quantum multiverse on this bitch, it seems, and I. Am. Here for it. I’ll leave it at that because theoretical physics is so not my wheelhouse. And by saying that, I may have spawned a universe where I’m Michio Kaku.

Makes me think, though. If those white Whispers had just paid a visit to the Shinra mansion library and worked their mojo on a  certain someone, it would have spared at least one universe a whole lot of misery. I’m just sa—

Whoa.

Whooooooooaa.

Where’s my speculatin’ hat? No, not that one. This gets the fancy one. Ah…

I’m gonna guess this is how we got Ore Sephiroth. Him losing his shpadoinkles and going HAM on Nibelheim spawned a world where he didn’t. Might have still gone crazy, but didn’t cross the Face-to-Heel event horizon in such a spectacular and devastating way. Maybe he was puzzled by why all of a sudden there was so much wind in a closed basement room and the next thing he knew, he woke up on the floor with Zack and some vampire-looking dude in a red cloak standing over him. Maybe he decides to return to Midgar and throttle the truth out of Hojo instead of spending any more time in that damn basement.

Speaking of Hojo, maybe him refusing to give young Sephiroth any information about his mother besides her “name” spawned a universe where he had some mercy and gave him at least a picture of her, giving us the Ever Crisis world. I hope Stamp is a golden retriever in this world, because if anyone needs the presence of a golden retriever, it’s young Sephiroth.

Because who, I mean who, could turn to the dark side after looking at this even just briefly?

The worlds starting to blur together is why he can be in the Beagleverse as well as his own.

Zack, it seems, can also move between worlds, but it doesn’t seem like he realizes this. Maybe Cloud also has the ability.

Damn.

You want a Cloud/Zack/Sephiroth team-up to take down the final boss of the trilogy along with the rest of the party? Because this is how you get a Zack/Cloud/Sephiroth team-up to take down the final boss of the trilogy along with the rest of the party.

I guess we’ll have to wait another four years to find out if we ever do (only about halfway through all the cutscenes so far so *shrugs*). No problem, I can have lots of fun with it while I wait.

I wonder in Ore Sephiroth’s world, if that ends up being a thing, what Stamp’s breed will be. Maybe an Italian greyhound. Those are some cute little buggers.

I mean, look at this little derp:

Odds and ends:

So Barret, Tifa and Red really did die in the Yorkieverse and poor Marlene is an orphan now. Damn.

“If she wakes up, the scary man is gonna kill her!” So, I guess her waking up would be like sending up the Bat Signal and letting Watashi know where she is.

Look, I got no skin in the game when it comes to the Cloud/Aerith pairing. It does nothing for me, but if others love it, great. But that scene with the photographer? Oh lord, I cringed so hard my face caved in.

And wait, what? How can two Clouds and two Aeriths exist simultaneously in the same universe? We’ve got the two who are comatose and the two who became a couple. Could this be foreshadowing the Reunion and the worlds are already starting to meld together? Seems like it, and that rift in the sky may be part of it.

Which kinda makes me wonder: does this open the door to the final installment having multiple possible endings?

Oh yeah!

That’s all for now. Gotta take a break before this story makes my head explode. If you’ve stuck around this long, thank you.

[unearthlyfromage]

The Costs of Our Hubris; Chapter 3 "Bones and Skin" Out Now!

Shoutout to @trangenderstan, my co-visionist and who I owe this entire thing too, really. This AU wouldn't be the way it is today if it weren't for him.

Read it on AO3 here

Or read it below the cut!

Skittering up buildings and slinking through the shadows of alleyways, an intense gaze peered through every gap and crack of old sturdy walls. He was stalking for another one in a derelict market, a cesspool, a melting pot of neighboring planets all outpouring resources to sell for the highest bidder.

The place reeked of alien meats and vegetables and cheap jewelry, he could smell it all through the large gap between his closed jaws. The closest Stan would ever get to closing his mouth for his teeth were in the way.

All for naught, Stan was beginning to realize, as he couldn’t see nor taste any filth in the surrounding area. There was no stench of guilt or pen ink, nor any wild brown hair or large cloaked humans. He’d been at this for months, yet he’d only snuffed out a few dozen of those six-fingered bastards. They’re getting smarter.

Scoffing in disgust at the wasted time, he turned his direction forward from his hiding. He made his form known to the crowds, a curled and twisted figure standing taller among most as he approached the wall of living beings, watching them all part and scramble in fear the moment his clawed and deformed feet disturbed the chaotic river they’d amassed.

Glaring at them all with disinterest and disgust he paid no mind to their frantic chattering in hushed cowering tones, the shining sigil of Cipher on his clothes reminding them to stay away should they have a single coherent thought.

Stopping at a rarities stall, his neck snapped to the cowering shopkeep, the many-eyed man low and away from his table. Sneering at him, he turned and slammed his hands on the rickety old wood, claws tearing deep marks in the grain as he leaned in close.

“I want that.” He growled, pointing to a golden 8 Ball. Gulping down the heart in his throat, the man tore his eyes away from Stan to glance at it, though it wasn’t any longer than a split second, that’s usually all it took.

“F-Fifty, for that.” He stuttered, slowly holding his many hands up to try and calm him. Growling, he reached out to grasp his clothes, dragging him up and through the gap in the table to slam him against the post. Stan got close to his face as the shopkeep yelled in his panic, every inch of him trembling. “Yer payment is your life. Fairtrade?” He grins, and the man nods as he laughs airlessly, gasping and choking on his breath as Stan drops him.

Expression fading to a sneer he watched him scramble back into his hut of a pop-up to grab the ball, setting it down and thanking him profusely. Taking them Stan quickly moved on, stopping to shake it and watch the liquid slosh around, chuckling at the simple Maybe?’ it gave in response. Surely he’d like another one, especially one as shiny as this.

Stuffing it in his bag as he continued forward, ripping into and scavenging every shop of interest until he had about ten or twelve little trinkets of varying shapes sizes, and origins.

Without any other needs, he lumbered to an open rift and crawled through it, leaving a ravaged and panicked market behind him.

It took him a small while of random rift portals to reach where he wanted to pray.

This world was a cold and empty one that he knew well, a scrapyard for abandoned aircraft on a planet doomed to rot uninhabited thanks to the radiation. He liked to stay here often, his own home away from home. Digging his claws in titanium hulls to drag himself up and through the refuse, he stood on top of the hulking carrier to scan the skyline to find his spot.

The rotting and rusting materials underneath his marred and mangled feet groaned and cracked under his weight. He was gone by the time it would’ve caved, jumping and lurching from crash to crash steadily ascending a monstrous mountain, one of the last remnants of the actual ground beneath the refuse, sometimes weaving his way through openings and through ship to ship in a practiced rat crawl to reach his favorite piece of garbage to rest in.

Feet digging into the flesh of the ship that peeked over a cliffside, he swung back and forth to build his momentum before letting go and grabbing at the edge of a spacecraft so high up and embedded in the mountainside he was in line with the mint green clouds. Sighing in contentment as he pushed himself up into his ‘house’, he walked in and smoothed a blackened hand over the cold walls, humming happily.

He meandered his way through, passing by old and desecrated corpses of all manner of beings. Bounty hunters, mostly. People that would come here to try and find him, and the unlucky bastards that did would never leave this derelict planet. All of his most enjoyable chases happened here, times where he’d bob and weave on the ceilings and walls snatching them from above when they’d least expect it, mimicking the sounds of their comrades when all was quiet and dark to watch them get closer before finally realizing something was off, always far too late. His favorite chase was a unique circumstance, one had gotten away. It was the one he wanted the most.

He knows for a fact that six-digited rat will never forget him, even if he did squeak away by the skin of his teeth. He had him by the neck, to the wall, he could feel his heartbeat in the pads of his fingers as he squeezed. If only the rest of his crew were dead, he would’ve gotten everything he wanted out of that rush.

Turning a corner he walked ever deeper into the ship, the further any natural rays of light became the more the walls began to glow, Stan had long since coated the place in bioluminescent plant matter. Be it sap from the planet's weird and warped trees or the various other plant life still surviving on a planet so irradiated. He could see in the dark, but lighting it up made it feel more.. homely, in a way.

Eventually, the metal walls gave way into rock-hard dirt, Stan having hollowed out a cave for praying in. Setting his bag down on a pile of bones, he began to carve new symbols to join the countless others that littered the walls and ceiling, whispering an incantation he knew better than English at this point. The sound echoed and warbled around the room, he didn’t stop etching symbols until he ran out of room, collapsing in the center on a carving of his God as his chanting grew in intensity.

His eyes rolled into the back of his skull as he belted what sounded like gibberish to anyone who didn’t understand. His body contorted as his limbs stretched out, yelling love and devotion for his creator as the bones shook and tremored, begging to come home, pleading for his aid in ode Stan's words garbling through coughs as he hacked up a black, viscous liquid, pooling and squirming and bubbling as the bones raised gently in the air.

Spiraling into a circle on the wall, the liquid burning a trail upwards to stretch and fill the void within, a spark of light bursting from the middle as orange light cracked the black tar and spider webbed outward, shards falling to reveal a portal of bleeding intense colors, the orange and red hues of his true home basking him in its light as Stan finally slowed to a silence, sitting there to sunbathe in the impossible dry warmth emanating from the rift.

Getting his fill, he rose to stand and lumbered over to the bag, grabbing it with a trembling hand as he turned to walk inside, the rift fizzling and shorting out soon after.

The room fell back into its desolation, the bones falling to the floor with hollow thumps, some dry enough to crack and shatter.

~~

They had lost yet another one.

A horrible crime scene awaited the small party of five that descended from the ship to do a welfare check on one of their researchers, a Ford tasked with collecting sap samples for adhesives in their projects.

Standing there in the quiet one-man research station, the red smears along the clawed-up walls and floors and ceilings growing thicker around the site of the body made a chill run down his spine.

The scene was quiet, and anything but serene. Walking through it was a tense dread he would never get used to. The lights along the walls buzzed and flickered, still dull and dim from within. It was a stark contrast to the frantic, clawed-open hole in the side of the building. The odd and colorful forest outside is a stark contrast to the grim murder within. Purple trees have grown into woven patterns and spiraled upwards topped with teal and cerulean leaves, samples this Ford had dedicated his past year to studying. Turning to look down the hall at the lumps of torn-up human meat sprawled on the floor, lifeless and red, he couldn’t help but call that year a wasted effort.

The place was haunting. The conical dome shape of the main room was left marginally untouched by the carnage. There was no struggle, Origin would call it vandalism more than anything else. Destroying books and carving symbols and runes into the walls - incantations that needed further research. Raising the camera with limp hands he took photos, the others doing the same in the other rooms. The only footprints - if he could call them that, the claw markings looked more like hands or a bird’s talons than anything else - were ones leading outside. So either this thing cleaned up and returned to ruin the place, or it had done it before killing him. It's unlikely, given it was clear this one hadn’t even taken his gun out.

It was a growing addition to this creature's Modus Operandi. Rarely, if ever, does the victim get a chance to react past realizing what’s happening to him. Staring despondently at the footprints, he leaned his nose against the dull red fabric wrapped around his neck, eyes narrowing.

“It came in from up there.” One of the members of the small five-person crime scene analysis group piped up, a Stan, one of the very few they have on deck that likes to get more involved. Turning to face him and up at the open AC vent, he hums in acknowledgment.

“Didn’t notice that before. Good eye.” He walked closer to the center of the dome, looking up to peer through as much of the vent as was visible. Dents and claw marks are vaguely highlighted by the small lights dotting the ceiling. It seemed big enough for a person to fit through if they were fine with confined spaces and didn’t have too much mass.

Judging by how the insides looked twisted and bent outwards, he’d guess one of those things wasn’t quite the case.

The Stan, Jellyfish they call him - a comedic nickname that didn’t fit the tall imposing figure, face set hard. “I think we should cut our losses and get out, just in case it comes back anytime soon.” The man wanted to get out of here just as much as Origin did, and he couldn’t blame the want.

Walking along the destruction, nothing was done for a strict purpose. The crunching of glass under his boots and the breeze against his back from the open hole were sensations he could do without. Looking up again at the vent, paranoid more than anything else, he noticed the steady red flashing of the base’s security system. “We could try the cameras?” He turned to look at Jelly and the others he’d been talking to.

Glancing at Origin, he hummed. “They’re always corrupted. So says R, at least.” He turned his gaze to them now, eyes staring squinting in scrutiny at the idea. “Unless these have audio, it wouldn’t be worth the effort.”

Cursing under his breath, he shook his head. “Go grab the feed.” He demands with some air of leadership or power, digging his hands in his pockets. “I have a feeling about this. If it’s a wasted effort we’ll call this one inconclusive just like all the others, and never come back. How is that?”

He could hear Jelly scoff and walk away without another word, but Origin wasn’t looking at him, instead analyzing the disfigured handprint on the wall. The outline of something that was once human, if the shape was anything to go by.

It burned a pit in his stomach, gulping uneasily. His face stayed hardened and expressionless, but he couldn’t stop the uneasy sensation in his gut, the broiling and rolling feeling of discomfort that clawed its way up his throat and made a home in his skull. These scenes made him feel nostalgic, in ways he could never place and didn’t want to think about.

Instead, he turned heel and walked towards the body, arms wrenched tight to his back as he looked down at the mangled figure of himself. The smell was pungent, and the first thing to hit him, but beyond that was the damage done. Torn open and vivisected violently, face torn up and disfigured, the hands were missing. All of these deaths were so personal, so angry, and targeted.

He had a horrible feeling for what or who this could be, and what its intentions would be.

“We have the footage,” he could hear Jelly say somewhere beyond the hall, “we should be going. The people from the medical wing said they would bury the body. Come on boss.” Origin's face tightened at the nickname. He wasn’t his boss, not traditionally at least. He held domain over the prison cells and nothing more.

“I’m not your employer. Don’t call me that.” He leaves the body behind, his navy trenchcoat stained purplish at the ends thanks to the still-drying puddle surrounding the body.

Leaving three of them down on the planet for burial left a foul taste in Origin's mouth, they still didn’t know for certain whether or not this monster was gone. Though if it was still lurking, he had high doubts it would’ve let them romp around inside taking samples and photos and analysis of the crimes.

They sat in silence, waiting for the pod to dock in place and once it had, they gave each other a stiff nod and headed for the hull, their voices chattering in various conversations. It took a while to get used to being surrounded by himself, even if none of these cosmic clones were exactly like him.

Staring up at the large, wide robotic figure standing in the center of the steering column, he took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “I hope you’re done spending quality time with the ship, I require your assistance if you don't mind.”

At first, there was no response. But he knew damn well R heard him. He heard everything in this ship, he WAS this ship… at least in part, when he was docked and controlling it. A synthesized sigh left the robot, relaxing from his stiffened ram rod pose to turn and face him, the only indication that he was looking at him was two LED orbs flashed up on the panel of his face.

“Yes?” his tone was bored, the deep mechanical imitation of a man's voice as he descended the steps and stood opposite him, staring down at him in a cold foreboding manner.

“I need you to watch this footage and tell us what you find.” Origin showed off the small drive, and while R gave no verbal response, he stretched out a metal six-digit hand in emphasis for him to hand it over. “If this is another disappointment, I will refuse to watch anything else you give me.”

“I assure you, this one has promise.” Huffing, the metal man pushed aside synthetic hair to plug it into an empty slot at the base of his neck, staring down at the floor. “Fine. Then you will watch it with me.”

The cameras behind his LED screen, the closest one could compare to eyes, lit up and cast a projection on the metal floor of the ship. Standing up straighter, he tinkered with the opacity and volume, before allowing it to play. Keeping his distance from R, he watched as the researcher, a Ford that hadn’t chosen a unique nickname for himself - most that opt to research off ship didn’t bother - sat there writing down his report for the day.

He remembered that being their first tip something was wrong. They always reported something every day, even if it was just a personal status report. A confirmation they were still alive.

It was normal, for the day-to-day of a research base, and R fast-forwarded until something changed. Stopping at the small squeak of the vent grate opening, Origin was surprised it did have sound.

He leaned in to try and look at what emerged, but it was the same thing it always was. A distorted and fizzling, popping black shape. Stray particulates fade away and ooze off the footage itself.

They weren't quite sure why it was this mass of particles, like a burning singe in an old reel, creating negative space. But they knew it wasn't normal. R had equated it to radiation particles, and seeing it in motion Origin was inclined to agree.

It watched him, whatever it was, and waited for him to get up and walk out. Now alone the thing chuckled to itself, a low and distorted gruff sound that was hauntingly human. It sounded almost familiar, which served to unnerve all the more.

Watching further, it skittered down the wall like a spider, waiting over the doorway for him before finally choosing to strike, jumping him and goring him in the hallway. The sounds of his screams and this things distorted laughter were loud, loud enough for Origin to cringe and press his face into the old fabric of his scarf, closing his eyes. R was kind enough to pause it immediately, rewinding to play the laugh again.

“Something familiar, in that laugh.” He mumbles and stops sharing to play around with it, distorting it further until he plays it again.

Through the static and distortion, the altered and squealing of his screaming and the contorted squishing and ripping, the noise made the baby hairs at the nape of Origin's neck stand on end, there was a sound objectively scarier.

It was once warm and inviting, a comforting hug in verbal form. A sound of nostalgia and sleepless nights together as children. A familiar and frequent sound among the ship's walls. Though it was mangled and bastardized, wrong and distorted, it was unmistakable. It's that gruff, loud bark of a laugh.

Stanley.

[kittygamer2888]

A wiry, gaunt, seven-fingered hand, attached to an impossibly long arm, snakes it's way from a forgotten computer screen. It raises itself up like a cobra, revealing that it's holding something.

It drops the thing, revealing it to be a black cube, about 25^2cm in volume. And then, the hand starts to speak, the joints in it's fingers cracking and popping like a pan of oil as it gesticulates like a salesman. For some reason, the voice coming from it is jarringly normal.

"Maurice, I give you an instrument of victory, the Wonderland Key. A box that can make a perfect world for it's owner, where they are unable to die, forget that this world is fake, leave by their own volition, or be truly contested. All inside of this small, black box. However, they are unable to leave the box once they have made the perfect world for themselves. An illusion of a paradise without flaw, fool's gold for the delusional. If you wish to get rid of your enemies, but find yourself unable to take them out for one reason or another, please, use this box. No strings attached, except the ones you add yourself. See you!"

The strange hand snaps back through the screen, causing it to ripple like a painting from Super Mario 64.

Maurice: "..."

Maurice:

"I think I'll pass.

Living in a world of illusion is like living in a world where I haven't accomplished my achievements in the real world. I WILL win, and I WILL rule this planet.

But living in a world where I haven't truly accomplished it and only it being a mere illusion seems nothing but useless to me.

You can have your little box back, but I refuse to take your offer."

(5/15)

[uptoolateart]

Adrien's Fight for Self-Control - Pt 3

Read Pt 1 and Pt 2

Cataclysm

We can’t look at this subject without examining ‘Cat Blanc’ – particularly that moment when Hawk Moth revealed himself as Gabriel and Cat’s first impulse was to cataclysm his own father, in full knowledge of who he was. He stopped himself at the last second – but it was foreshadowing. Similarly, Cat struggling to decide who he should listen to and obey, Ladybug or Gabriel, was foreshadowing.

Jump to S5, in ‘Destruction’ Ladybug made a complicated plan (again without telling Cat in advance) that involved tying him to Monarch, cataclysm charged as a threat. I think this was probably Ladybug’s worst moment, and I do hope the show has her reflect on things like this, as the series goes on.

Monarch is the one who forces the cataclysm. Adrien has now initiated his own father’s slow painful death, completely against his will. It’s a turning point, because then in ‘Jubilation’ after Cat’s dream is shattered, he knowingly and purposely launches his cataclysm at Darker Owl. He stops himself at the last second, but you can see it in his eyes – he nearly lost control and he’s terrified by the power of his own rage.

As an aside, when that dream fades, we could see this as Adrien being forced to give up the dream of being with Ladybug. It’s no coincidence that the very next episode is ‘Determination’, where he’s moving on to Marinette.

Exaltation

And now we push on to ‘Elation’, a strange title choice in English when the original French title ‘Exaltation’ is a word in English, as well.

I prefer ‘Exaltation’ because of its additional meanings:

1.       A feeling or state of extreme happiness

2.       The action of elevating someone in rank or power

3.       The action of praising someone or something highly

Moreover, in astrology exaltation refers to the state of total awareness in relation to a particular planet – in other words, owning the qualities that planet symbolizes.

Not only was this episode about the joy Marinette and Cat Noir both felt for a while, but Adrien / Cat’s elevation as a person when he exercised the greatest self-control he could.

He gets his wish – Marinette kisses him – but he stops the kiss because it’s the right thing to do (as I’ve discussed in a previous post). He had exactly what he wanted, but he refused to have it on deceptive terms. He won’t push someone else around the way he’s been pushed around all his life.

This is not a needy Adrien / Cat Noir. He’s not reached his full potential yet, but he is definitely well on his journey.

Owning Your Cat Blanc

Finally, I leave you with a brief extract from my fic ‘Breaking Free’, where I explored the theme of Adrien’s need to own his Cat Blanc. The truth is that we all have one and we can’t just get rid of it. That potential is always in Adrien and that’s part of what he’s battling with.

We’re unlikely to see anything like this in the show so directly, but this is what I’m waiting for symbolically, expressed however the writers want to do it:

‘Cat Blanc,’ he said, bold enough to be heard over the sound of metal beginning to collapse beneath them. ‘I’ve been afraid of you ever since Marinette told me about you. But that’s just because I’ve been afraid of losing control. If I’m a blank slate….’ He glanced down for a moment, then gave a brief laugh and met Cat’s eyes again. ‘That means I don’t have to live up to anyone’s expectations. I don’t care what my father thinks anymore.’

He paused and savoured that epiphany. ‘I truly don’t care. He’s not even my father. He’s just the figure in this reality who’s been tasked with raising me. But I’m something beyond just his son Adrien, and he’s something beyond being just my father. There’s more to be explored.’

Then, without giving his former opponent time to respond, Adrien leaned in and embraced Cat Blanc, speaking softly over his shoulder. ‘I don’t want to defeat you. I accept you. You’re flawed – but you’re part of me, and that’s okay. I never wanted to be perfect anyway. I’m not afraid of you anymore.’

Come on, Adrien - you're nearly there!!!

[thetorchwoodarchive]

Happy New Year! The Torchwood Archive turns two today! Thank you so much for continuing to support fic and creators as we catalog our favorite Torchwood stories across different platforms.

Below are fics are recommend by you, or followers and our mods, about change, new beginnings, and/or the new year.

Do Not Go Gentle by Someawkwardprose (JackIanto | complete | 17796 | M)

His hands were shaking. Lisa was dead.

He fished out his lighter from his coat (the nice peacoat Yvonne had bought him for Christmas, year before last) and opened a window. Lit a fag with trembling fingers. Lisa was dead. They’d killed her, the whole bloody team, and he hated them.

Lisa was dead, and he wasn’t.

He watched the smoke twist and curl, dancing out of the open window and into the night.

***

or, Broken, if Ianto Jones hadn't stepped into the Ferret.

a rectangle of a perfectly blue sky by MonsterMince (CarlaJackPeris, JackIanto | complete | 7638 | T)

Jack learns that if he opens his bloodline connection with Carla, then she can help him recover memories of his team. They learn more about each other's lives and loved ones during their trek, and in the end, those memories of loved ones lost drive him back to the Veda to atone and to help them rebuild. For Persis.

From the Dust Returned by Paycheckgurl (JackIanto, OwenTosh | WIP | 11017 | T)

Ianto, Owen, and Toshiko are back…but things are not the same as they were. Team Torchwood tries to adjust to new coworkers, the march of time, and their new hardware while a mysterious computer virus harms more than just computers.

All I can do is hold you tight by Beleriandings (Gwen&Jack, JackGwenIantoRhys | complete | 3084 | G)

Gwen found Jack, as she had expected, on the roof.

Ghost of New Year's Past by Clare_Hope (Jack&Tosh | complete | 2346 | T)

Tosh picks up the ghost machine in the Hub and is shown what happened there on New Year's Eve, 1999.

Auld Lang Syne by BricklingGhost (TeamGwenee) (Gwen&Owen&Tosh&Ianto | complete | 1864 | Not Rated)

Gwen did not fear ghosts. Except for the exact ghosts she wanted to see above all else

Straysverse by NancyBrown (JackIanto, IantoOC, IantoAmy, AmyRory | series, complete | 93,539 | Various Ratings)

Amy recreated the universe and brought back the dead, but the dead don't fit there anymore.

The Blessing of Cruel Angels by Vera (Vera_DragonMuse) (OwenTosh | complete | 8129 | M)

In one possible world, Owen makes a phone call that will change everything.

forever, and what comes after (JackIanto, GwenRhys, Gwen&Ianto, Rhys&Jack | complete, series | 10028 | T)

“Hm, imagine if they did,” Ianto said. “Torchwood would have to come out of retirement.”

In which Gwen and Ianto relax at a spa, Jack and Rhys attempt bad science, and Anwen is just along for the ride.

Sweetness Follows by ShastaFirecracker (JackIanto | complete | 6241 | G)

After one of the most horrific weeks of her life, Rhiannon refuses to let her brother disappear into his mysterious job again without giving her some real answers - or without introducing her to the man he's in love with.

Operation Awesome by A_N_D (Gen | complete | 13958 | G)

"You're going on and on as though traveling in space was the only thing that made Donna's life worthwhile."

"Yeah," Clyde backed her up. "And on behalf of those who haven't, gee thanks for suggesting there's no point to our existence."

"It's really quite illogical to keep saving the planet and then assume that its inhabitants' lives have nothing to value," Luke added.

"So shouldn't we be focusing less on how to get the Time Lord bits out of her head and more on helping her develop here?"

Everything that Donna Noble learned to be on her travels, all that self-confidence, came from within. Just because she can't be reminded of the Doctor doesn't mean she can't be reminded of how awesome she is.

The Children of Time won't leave one of their own behind.

The View From Here by sherlockpond (JackIanto | complete | 2971 | G)

“That view... reminds me of my first day,”

“You too, eh?”

“I think he brings everyone up here,”

“God, he is such a show-off,"

The End is Where We Start From by Aliciajazmin (JackIanto, Gwen&Tosh, Ianto&Tosh, ToshOwen | complete | 2451 | T)

Thanks to the use of nanogenes, Toshiko Sato survives Gray's attack. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for Owen Harper. So what happens next?

All that we have, and all that you need by Beleriandings (JackIanto, GwenRhys, Lois&Team | complete | 7077 | T)

After the 456, Lois goes to work for Torchwood Three in Cardiff. It takes a little bit of adjustment, but she soon finds out that's only the beginning.

A Matter of Choice by thirteeninafez (JackIanto, Gwen&Ianto, Ianto&Martha | complete | 27602 | T)

A story about making difficult choices for the people you love, and the forgiveness that somehow has to come thereafter.

No time like the present by Beleriandings (gwen&Jack, JackIanto, Gwen&Ianto | complete | 1964 | G)

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Gwen Cooper… have you been secretly planning to come out of retirement?”

“Not on your life,” said Gwen. “But I have been doing a bit of… freelancing, I guess you could call it.”

In this new skin that we have grown by Beleriandings (GwenRhys, JackIanto, GwenRhysIantoJack | complete | 15787 | E)

After the House of the Dead, Gwen and Rhys bring Jack and Ianto home.

Children, Daleks, and Mopeds: How Gwen Cooper Got Her Groove Back by Paycheckgurl (GwenRhys, Gwen&Jack | complete | 9603 | T)

Following a disastrous shopping trip that put her at the center of an explosion, Gwen finds a little alien boy.

Or: The series of events in which Gwen acquired another child, had a much needed conversation with Jack, bought a moped, defeated a Dalek with a boxing glove, and learned that loving yourself and saving the world don’t need to be mutually exclusive

A coda to Revolution of the Daleks where I explain why Gwen has a son all of a sudden.

Should I Stay or Should I Go by Paycheckgurl (Gen | complete | 1080 | T)

Martha Jones sets out to freelance. But deep down she knows she’s running.

A Hundred Ways to Say Goodbye by AVAAntares (JackIanto | complete | 10401 | G)

Thirty years after the death of Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness discovers a cache of letters from him.

Torchwood Hall by BricklingGhost (TeamGwenee) (JackIanto, GwenRhys | complete | 10762 | Not Rated)

There is something curious about Torchwood Hall and its enigmatic owner. Heroine in training Miss Gwen Cooper resolves to get to the bottom of the estate's mysterious inhabitants, and finds herself immersed in a world more dangerous and glorious than she ever could have imagined.

[captainstevenjohnstonme]

'Hands Of Vengeance.'

The following story is about a killer who was put to death in the electric chair and then buried in the prison grounds but his hands re-emerge and go on a rampage.

Hope you like it.

'For fucks sake can you motherfuckers strap me in already, I will gladly flick the switch myself to get away from everyone on this fucked up planet.'

Robert Jenkins a huge white prison guard who has worked at San Quentin for twenty years rolls his eyes as he approaches the cell of a condemned man named Elijah Pope.

'Settle down Pope and eat your last meal or I will come in and shove it down your throat.'

'Fuck you Jenkins' Pope screams out 'I asked for a large pepperoni pizza three chicken burgers a tub of chocolate ice cream and a pint of Dr Pepper but what do I get? nothing but a couple of roast potatoes a slice of pecan pie and a can of Pepsi.'

'Go and get the warden right now or I will hang myself with my own shoelaces.'

'You aren't wearing any shoelaces you dumb fuck and you should be thankful for the small portions because come frying time you will be shitting out bricks.'

'Now shut the fuck up and finish what you got before I shove my baton up your scrawny ass.'

Pope stares back at Jenkins in contempt 'Spare me the pep talk you slimy piece of crap just let the warden know that I will see him bright and early tomorrow and when I begin to broil and bubble I will send smoke signals down to hell where all of the fuckers who put me in this goddamned cell will also feel the pain and heat.'

'I have survived this world for 28 years and after I am electrocuted I will become the master of sparks and come back and destroy anyone for has mistreated me.'

'The only person who has mistreated you Pope is yourself , all of your wounds are self inflicted, you committed all of the crimes that put you where you are today so stop your whining and take your medicine like a man.'

As he walks away Jenkin's adams apple bobs up and down in worry because of all the prisoners he has come across during his time in this hell hole Elijah Pope is by far the craziest, meanest of them all so come morning when Pope leaves this earth he will thank the lord when the evil little man is gone for good.

Pope only stands a smidge over 5' tall and weighs about the same as a teenager and who some say looks like Kevin Bacon on crack may be small in stature but don't be fooled he is one of the meanest criminals in America.

He first came under the radar of the authorities when he was only ten years of age when he attacked another boy with a knife after the victim refused to hand over his wallet.

For that crime he spent five years in juvenile detention.

After his release Pope robbed a convenience store of a measly twenty bucks and as he made his getaway he turned and shot the owner and his female assistant killing them both.

After that Pope went underground eluding the authorities , for that crime Pope entered the F.B.I.'s most wanted list.

Between 2007 till 2011 a serial killer roamed the streets of Los Angeles, in that time he murdered 20 known victims but it is believed that the total could reach as high 60.

All victims were young girls with short brown hair between the ages of 14 to 18 years old but luckily with the use of the latest DNA technology Elijah Pope was identified as the perpetrator and he was arrested without incident on 6th July 2011.

A year later despite protesting his innocence 18 year old Elijah Pope is brought to trial before judge Walter B Carruthers a man with little time for the criminals who sit in the dock under his worship.

Popes lawyer Paul Drew is a young attorney with little time spent in an actual courtroom and now here he is defending an alleged serial killer.

The prosecutor a long time trial lawyer named Daniel Hopkins who can talk the talk with the best of them begins proceedings telling the court that Elijah Pope is a predator who took the lives of a innocent shopkeeper and a member of his staff but then he went on to become one of the nations worst serial killers.

Twelve weeks later with Popes lawyer proving to be next to useless when it comes to giving his client the best advice sits next to Elijah as the prosecutor sums up proceedings, 'Your honor the evidence is overwhelming, shoe prints found at many of the crime scenes match the tread on a pair shoes owned by the defendant plus the DNA evidence proves once and for all that Elijah Pope the man sitting next to his lawyer is a murderer who should be sentenced to death.'

'I rest my case your honor.'

'Does the defense have a rebuttal for the court?'

Drew begins to stand up but than changes his mind 'No your honor the defense rests.'

Pope can't stay silent any longer and stands 'What a load of absolute crap, I am no murderer, sure I am no angel but as my lawyer if he did a proper job would have found out that I was living in South Carolina at the time that these murders occurred'

Judge Carruthers bangs his gavel in fury ; Young man you are to remain silent in my courtroom or you will be gagged do you understand?'

Elijah knowing that he is fighting for his life sizes up the judge 'I am an innocent man you old fool, the so called evidence is rubbish, anyone could have worn my shoes but it is obvious that you don't want to listen so why don't you spit on your gavel and shove it where the sun don't shine.'

'TAKE HIM AWAY' Carruthers screams at a guard who grabs Pope by an arm and begins to lead him away but Pope can't resist a parting shot at his attorney 'Thanks for nothing I will see you in hell.'

At the back of the courtroom the young man who actually committed the crimes that Elijah Pope has been found guilty of silently leaves unnoticed.

Elijah is dragged downstairs to his cell where he is joined by his attorney. 'I thought that you were supposed to represent me to the best of your ability but all you did was sit there saying nothing.'

'I am sorry Elijah I know that you are upset but the evidence against you was overwhelming there was little that I could do.'

'I am innocent I tell you, why want anyone believe me?'

'Rest assured Elijah that I will appeal the decision so just bide your time and I will do all I can.'

Despite numerous appeals Popes execution is scheduled to take place tomorrow 21 September 2023.

At precisely 4.30 am Pope is lead from his cell by six prison guards.

Fully shackled in leg irons Elijah slowly shuffles down the corridor to his final destination.

Most of the prisoners on death row call out their farewells while the more subdued remain silent thankful that they get to live another day.

Entering the small room and is strapped to the electric chair securely with leather cords.

Twelve witnesses including his parents sit a mere five yards away.

The parents Brian and Maureen Pope struggle to make eye contact with their son as he awaits his fate.

They have a secret a secret that they have kept ever since the day that Elijah was born.

A secret that they plan to keep to their dying day.

At 4.58 warden Ian Baldacci a cruel bitter man who has overseen the executions of 28 men looks over to the phone hanging on the wall half expecting it to ring but as the seconds pass by it remains silent.

A minute later the warden asks Pope if he has any last words 'I surely do warden, everybody knows that i am no angel but I am innocent of murder.'

Taking a second to compose himself Pope turns his head and stares directly into the eyes of the warden' Let me tell you now warden if you flick the switch and send me to my death I will come back from hell and kill you at the first opportunity.'

'Mark my words when I return blood will flow from the bodies of all of those responsible for my demise.'

The twelve witnesses are visibly shaken by the outburst and cower back in fright.

Even warden Baldacci is disturbed by Popes words so when the clock ticks over to 5.00 he hits the switch sending the evil fucker to hell where he belongs.

Pope is slammed back by the charge of electricity with whiffs of smoke escaping from his mouth and nostrils while his skin begins to burn and blister.

Convulsing violently Pope takes one of his last breathes, deep inside his bones crack and his marrow boils.

The leather straps bite deep into Popes wrists and when the skin and tissue melt away the restraints cut all the way through to cauterize and fall to the floor of the death chamber.

Thankfully the curtains have already been drawn so none of the witnesses saw the dismembered hands fall away in a shower of blood and steam.

At 6.07 Pope is pronounced dead by the prison doctor Marcus Clarke who despite seeing many dead prisoners is shocked by the sight of the pair of hands that still twitch on the floor near his feet.

After the smell of death dissipates Popes smoldering body is removed from the electric chair and his remains are carefully into a body bag by two prison trustees, the younger of the two has the ghastly task of picking up the hands before he gingerly places them on the chest of the condemned.

The body bag is loaded into a van and driven 500 yards to the northern corner of the prison where it is parked near to a recently dug grave.

The body bag is lowered without ceremony into the hole while up in his office Warden Baldacci watches proceedings with interest. 'You are where you belong Pope may your body rot and your soul travel to hell.'

Three months later under the cover of darkness a single human hand pokes through the surface of an unmarked grave.

Another hand suddenly appears and they scurry over to the prison wall, then using all of their strength the hands grapple up the wall slip through the razor wire and drop down onto the grass on the other side.

The pair of hands hide in the foliage for awhile than they move forward in anticipation for the arrival of the garbage where they will hitchhike a ride on the first step of a journey along the road where they will seek an overdue quest for a bloody vengeance against those who committed a wrong against Elijah Kevin Pope.

THE END.

Part Two coming soon.

[nomtterwhere]

beautifully kind || druig x reader

summary: druig sees the good of humanity in you every day

word count: 2.3k

a/n: the druig brainrot is alive and well, i am so obsessed with this man. anyway, this is the first of many druig fics to come, so if you enjoy it please leave a like and reblog! and of course, send me your requests! i will always try to get to as many as i can :)

There was a time when Druig would never have considered living among humans. That is, without his own personal touch. They were barbaric, they refused to live peacefully together. He would watch them fight over any and every conflict and see relationships fractured, hearts and bones broken alike. He wanted to erase it all, make them see that they could be better.

And then came you.

The first time Druig saw you, you were helping an older woman shop in the grocery store. Pushing her cart along, you reached the items that were too high on the shelf or too heavy for her to pick up. Every so often, he would catch a glimpse of you as you passed an aisle he was in, and there you were: still at the old woman’s side. He kept an eye on your movements as you walked with her to the checkout line, making conversation as you waited.

Eventually, the bag boy took over. He bagged her items and helped her bring them outside as you waved goodbye to the woman. As you went back to the front of the store to retrieve your own cart, Druig realized that you didn’t know this woman. You must have simply helped her because she needed it. It was such a small act of kindness, one that others wouldn’t even think twice about.

But Druig had come to live for those acts of kindness. Too often he was subjected to the horrors of mankind. He had lived for thousands of years, witnessed countless wars, and was ordered to stand back and watch. In this beautiful moment, this small speck of humanity, he refused to let it pass.

“You know, I’ve heard these come in boxes now. More sustainable.”

You turned your head at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. The man standing beside you wasn’t even looking your way, instead, he was looking forward at the cases of water that you were reaching for. You let your eyes wander, taking in his black leather jacket and black jeans, his hands folded behind his back. He turned his head right at the moment you allowed your gaze to travel back up to his face and gave you a half-smile.

You returned it. “Yeah, I’m not really a boxed water kind of girl. And before you accuse me of hating the planet I do use reusable water gallons. These are just for a field trip I’m taking my students on.”

The stranger’s eyebrows went up. “You’re a teacher?”

You nodded. “Third grade. Shaping the minds of today’s youth.”

“That’s good.” He nodded, the half-smile still resting on his face.

You laughed, shaking your head. “You only say that because you don’t know me. All my friends say it was a terrible idea of administration to put me in charge of children.”

“I don’t know, something tells me you make a great teacher. Someone for kids to look up to.” It was only then that you noticed the lilt in his voice, his accent giving his words a melodic tone.

“And what makes you say that?” You asked, playing along.

“Call it intuition.” He said, finally turning to face you fully.

You tried not to be too obvious as you took him in, though you were sure that you failed. Your eyes lingered on the square of his jaw then jumped to his pink lips, pulled up in one corner, as if he was amused. Black hair sat mussed at the top of his head and blue eyes shined as you made eye contact. His presence screamed unbothered and yet here he was concerning himself with a stranger in the supermarket. At that moment, you knew you wanted to get to know him. This man so fiercely declared that she was exactly who she was meant to be, despite not even knowing her.

You glanced at the case of water bottles, then looked back at him. “You mind helping me with this?”

And with that invitation, you earned your first full smile from Druig. Something told you those were not easily given out and you felt a flutter in your stomach as he answered.

“It would be my pleasure.”

//

“Okay, everyone, time’s up!” You said, and you heard collective groans throughout the room of the students who were still working.

“I was so close to finishing!” One little girl, Georgia, whined as she passed her paper forward.

You gave her an encouraging smile as you collected the sheets from the front person in each row. “And I’m sure next time you will finish. Remember guys, these are all for practice. I want to make sure you’re getting the answers correct, not just answering them quickly.”

“Then why is it called a Math Minute?” Jaime called out cheekily. He was on Minute 32, a good few sheets ahead of most of the class, and was very proud of himself for it.

“Okay, so it’s a little bit about solving the problems quickly.” Your students giggled as you took your place at the front of the room. “But I don’t want you to get discouraged if you’re not as fast as you want to be yet. These Math Minutes are also about perseverance. If you want to move forward, you will.”

You watched small heads nod in agreement and smiled as you walked to the whiteboard, where a small wheel was tacked up, with Low, Medium, High in each third. You turned the arrow to the Medium section.

“The volume in this room should not get higher than this, got it??”

“Happy medium!” Lily said, beaming.

“Correct. You may talk to each other as you wait to be dismissed for recess. Remember, happy medium.” You sat at your desk, ready to check over their answers as soft chatter began to fill the room.

A mere thirty seconds later, a knock on the door interrupted your steady flow of marking. You put your pen down, and quickly walked over to the other side of the room, opening the door to reveal a familiar face.

“Druig.” He had a soft smile on his face. “What are you doing here?”

For the past six months that the two of you had been dating, he had never come to your school before. Though you figured it was only a matter of time. As aloof as his persona is, he’s also very charismatic when he wants to be and passionate. But you didn’t have plans to see each other today, hence your surprise at his standing in the third-grade hallway.

Druig held up a bag and as you looked in from the top, you could see a few containers in it, the smell wafting up into your nose reminding you that you haven’t eaten lunch yet.

“Brought you lunch. Figured you could use a pick me up after our conversation today.” He flashed you another charming smile. “Brought these by too.”

He pulled the arm that was hiding behind his back in front of him to reveal a bouquet of flowers, daisies to be exact, and you tried to contain your gasp. During the kids’ spelling test, you had been messaging back and forth and you revealed how stressed you were with work. You loved your job but the students’ end-of-year exams were coming up and it was more of a reflection of you than them. When you relayed your frustrations, Druig made it clear he wanted to relieve you of that pain but you had assumed he mean when you were home. But no, he was here, flowers in one hand and a delicious meal in the other. It was obvious now that the noise in your room had quieted down, which meant that your students were trying to eavesdrop on your conversation, not allowing you to give Druig the greeting you would have were there not peeping eyes.

“Thank you,” You whispered, taking the flowers from his hand.

You gestured him into the room, knowing the hall would be flooded with third graders soon enough and your class seeing him would supply more than enough eight-year-old gossip for today. Lucky for you, you didn’t have to deal with it right then because as soon as you closed the door behind you, the bell for recess rang.

“Your Math Minutes will be on your desk when you come back from lunch!” You called as you reopened the door to allow them to pile out of the room.

“Is that your boyfriend?” You looked down to see Lily standing in front of you, her gaze turned to your desk where Druig had started pulling out food containers from the bag. He must have sensed her gaze on him because at that moment he looked up and gave her a smile.

“He is a good friend of mine,” Was all you responded with. “Now go outside, I’ll see you when you get back.”

She simply giggled and ran out of the room before you closed the door, no doubt going to tell her friends that she had found out their teacher had a boyfriend.

Turning your attention to Druig, you can’t help but smile as you make eye contact with him.

“Druig, I swear to God–”

“How many times do I have to tell you, love, I’m an Eternal, not a god.” His nonchalant response came as he sat in your chair, focus completely on you.

You hummed in response, unable to form words even if you wanted to. Whenever he had his full attention on you like this, you often found it hard to focus on anything else. His eyes always remained the beautiful blue you had originally fallen for and yet you constantly felt like you were under his spell. He had a way of making you feel special; like you were the only one that mattered. When, in reality, you knew he cared all too much about everyone. Walking towards him, his eyes remained on you, the corner of his mouth turned up.

“Hello, beautiful,” He said, his head tilted upwards as you stood in front of him. His hands reached out, resting lightly on your waist and he tugged you forward slightly, so your body was tucked between his legs.

“Hi,” You said, suddenly becoming shy under his gaze. No matter how many times the term of endearment was used, it never failed to make your skin heat up or remind you of how lucky you were that this man had come into your life when he did.

The always enthusiastic, “beautiful!” when you stepped out in a new outfit to show him despite having spent hours in the mall. The low, seductive “so beautiful,” when you were laid bare in front of him, his hands not knowing where to touch first. The whispered beautiful when you were about to fall asleep and he thought you couldn’t hear him. And this.

“Beautiful” as a greeting, a way to convey how he saw you every day. Your soul was beautiful, you showed him that every time you were together. With every smile you sent his way, with every time you brought in morning coffee for your coworkers, with every gold star you added to your students’ papers no matter the grade. Whenever he looked at you, he was reminded of the beauty of humanity. The capacity for kindness and love that humans hold. The most minuscule acts that too often go unnoticed.

Now, Druig’s thumbs were rubbing small circles into your hips, allowing your body to relax against him, your legs still caged in by his own. His touch was so tender and intentional; every caress was thought about before being executed. His goal was to soothe you and it was working. Your hands found their place on the sides of his neck, your thumbs brushing his jawline.

Without saying a word, Druig knew exactly what you needed and allowed you to pull him close enough so that your lips just barely touched. You released a sigh at the feeling of his lips on yours and surged forward, kissing him properly this time. You felt his grip on your hips tighten as your tongue slipped into his mouth. He was letting you take charge of the kiss, allowing you to set the pace and pressure. The low groan into your mouth indicated that this was something he needed as well.

Finally, you pulled back, feeling more at ease in his presence. You watched as his eyelids fluttered open, a glassy look having taken over his eyes, the look of how did I get so lucky, he explained to you once when you asked why he kept glancing at you.

“Come on, let’s eat.” He whispered, nodding to the setup he had on your desk.

Two take-out boxes sat atop your desk, Druig had already moved aside the papers you were marking up to make room. He got up from your desk chair with a light squeeze to your hips, directing you to take his place, and pulled up a second chair from your TA’s desk. Seating himself next to you, he opened up his own box, picking up a fork with his left hand and resting his right hand on your knee.

You were grateful for the contact and it was moments like these that made you appreciate the small touches even more. The simple act of eating with someone else, but to have a hand on them at all times, was something special for you and Druig.

“I really appreciate this Druig, thank you.” You said, sighing as you take your first bite of the pasta that he brought for you.

“Just want to make sure you’re taking care of yourself, Y/N. But I’m always happy to take care of you.” He responded, giving you a small smile. "What would this world be without your beautiful kindness?"