#i will never have children......... i will only have built bears...

[kernsing]

never over the fact that han yoohyun remains also a victim of child neglect/abandonment/having adult responsibilities foisted upon him too young even as he grows up under yoojin’s care. it’s not yoojin’s fault, he did his best and he did good raising yoohyun but. you’re not supposed to be able to hurt your parent, you’re not supposed to learn how to manage your parent’s emotions/wellbeing/public image, you’re not supposed to have to fear for their physical safety and desperately try to figure out a way to protect them, you’re not supposed to be capable of real cruelty toward them, not supposed to be able to fuck up their life. but your parent is your brother who is only five years older than you, and suddenly the new and dangerous world demands you (you who are new and dangerous too) in its spotlight, and you are just a child and he was just a child. the world is so wholly unjust to both of them and i will never fault either for how their relationship was in shambles for three/eight years, even when han yoohyun makes his terrible decisions with terrible consequences, paving the road to hell. you’re not supposed to be able to hurt your parent like that. you’re not supposed to be a brother that he needs to rely on, just as much as you rely on him, both of you abandoned.

haven’t even mentioned yet how you’re not really human you don’t understand humans you try your best for your brother but you Don’t Get It, how and why society works and the full emotional harm its hatred can wreak. you might see it but you don’t get it like physical danger and there is so much of that latter danger in the world now. you might see him and keep tabs on him but you don’t get your brother, that he needs you like you need him because of the very fact that you need him and children realizing their parents are complete emotional beings is not something that should happen before you learn to stand on your own. and learning to stand on your own, paradoxically and inevitably, takes much longer when you are forced to grow up too fast. you are forced to mature too early and so you are immature in ways invisible. so many flavors of terrible responsibilities foisted upon them that no one should ever bear (raising a child while you are a child/the world is on fire and so are you/your parent also needs you to bear your shared emotional burden).

it’s so unfair. i’m bundling them both up in a blanket. han yoojin’s childhood was stolen away so he could give this simulacrum of a childhood to his brother but the world is terrible and yoojin is just a child too and it’s not possible it’s not his fault that the wonderful beautiful childhood he built is not, cannot be the bulwark in the face of brutal reality, that delicate childhood shaped by hands still so small too.

[aemonhightower]

I believe the writers made a significant mistake in turning Alicent and Criston’s relationship into something physical in season two. In season one, their bond was built on courtly devotion, loyalty, and mutual respect—something far more complex and emotionally resonant than a physical relationship. By taking it in a physical direction, the writers diminished what could have been a profound and meaningful dynamic.

Courtly love, in medieval literature, often contains a romantic or even erotic element—the knight is handsome, the maiden fair. Yet, the degree of physical intimacy varies across tales. Some involve consummation and adultery, while others describe a love that is pure and spiritual, focused on admiration, loyalty, and service. When we look at Criston Cole and Alicent Hightower, their dynamic in season one leans far more toward the latter—a deep, almost spiritual loyalty rather than a physical romance. Two key factors make this clear:

Firstly, Ser Criston’s life was nearly destroyed by his previous physical intimacy with Rhaenyra. He would have faced severe punishment, likely being gelded and sent to the Wall, as happened to Ser Lucamore, another white cloak who broke his vows. Criston is so tormented by this breach of his sacred oath that he even attempts suicide, saved only by Alicent’s intervention. His fear of the consequences and his shame show how much physical intimacy cost him, and it seems unlikely that he would risk it again—especially with someone as important as the Queen.

Secondly, Alicent’s own experiences with intimacy are likely tainted by duty rather than passion. Her marriage to Viserys was more about fulfilling her role as queen and bearing legitimate heirs. Viserys was much older and physically deteriorating, a “living corpse,” and it’s doubtful that Alicent ever truly loved him. While she may have had affection for him as the father of her children, their relationship was never about love—it was about duty. Viserys himself never stopped loving Aemma, and their marriage was more of an obligation than a romance. Alicent is also deeply invested in her faith, praying regularly and adhering to her religious values. Given her personal history and beliefs, it seems unlikely that she would engage in fornication, particularly with someone who had sworn an oath to the gods, like Criston. Her faith, her past experiences, and Criston’s own trauma make it improbable that their relationship would turn physical.

One moment in season one epitomises this sense of chivalric, courtly devotion. In episode 9, Alicent says to Criston: "I trust again to you, Ser Criston, and to your loyalty. Everything you feel for me... as your queen." This line perfectly encapsulates the emotional tension between them—it’s a relationship based on loyalty, duty, and perhaps even admiration, but not physical desire.

So, why did the writers make the choice to turn this relationship physical in season two? It seems that the only reason for pushing a physical relationship between Alicent and Criston was to draw a parallel between her and Rhaenyra. However, this parallel doesn’t hold up. Alicent and Rhaenyra are fundamentally different. Alicent fulfilled her duties as a wife and queen, giving Viserys legitimate heirs. Rhaenyra, by contrast, defied the expectations placed on her as a royal woman and engaged in affairs that complicated her claim to the throne. The attempt to equate their situations through a physical relationship between Alicent and Criston falls flat, as it undermines the depth and complexity of both characters.

In conclusion, In season one, the bond between Alicent and Criston was built on something far more profound than physical desire. It was rooted in loyalty, admiration, and the chivalric ideal of a knight serving his queen (the queen that saved and forgave him). A physical relationship cheapened that connection, when keeping it as courtly devotion would have been far more powerful and in line with both characters' experiences and values. The first season laid the groundwork for a relationship built on duty and honour, and that should have remained the foundation of their bond.

[teddydeer]

my real life daughter her name is princess blossom bunny ;w; lil picture of us under the cut!<3

her eyes are a lil uneven she is so perfect

[bramblepatch]

The thing about Omelas is, you know, they really want you to think there's only one kid in a hole.

That's how it's always phrased. The Kid in the Omelas Hole. The forsaken child, if you're feeling fancy. Sometimes if they're feeling really dogmatic, they almost seem to want to tell you there's only ever been one kid, even though that's completely stupid if you think about it. Kids grow up in Omelas. Most of them grow up perfectly happy and healthy, at least until they're old enough to be told about the kid in the hole and then they grow up mostly happy and healthy with a distinct strain of repression. Thinking logically, the kid in the hole must also grow up, or perhaps they don't, but they don't in the way that so many kids in other parts of the world fail to grow up.

And once you've worked that out, once you've realized that every so often they have to find another kid and put them in the hole, well, it's easy to stop there. To feel jaded and sad and maybe angry enough to walk away.

The walking away is important, for several reasons but also this one: walking away means you don't hang around Omelas and compare notes.

Because Omelas can live with there being One Child in One Hole that suffers so that everyone else can prosper. It's a shared shame that you're not supposed to talk about. If you can't live with it, you're suppose to leave. You're not supposed to go to your friends and say, look, I went back to the warehouse in the dock district and saw the kid in the hole again and I'm really struggling with it, because then your friends might look at you like you grew a second head and say, what warehouse.

And then you might learn that they have always known that the happiness and prosperity of Omelas depends on a kid locked away under a law firm uptown. And maybe you ask a few more people and some of them know about the same kids as the ones you and your friend were confronted with, but some of them might know about other kids entirely. And then, perhaps, it starts to become clear that Omelas is built entirely on holes occupied by children and if that's the case, walking away hardly seems like proportional reaction, does it?

If there are many kids in many holes maybe the question of how a kid in a hole is supposed to ensure the prosperity of the city bears some examining. Maybe you start to wonder why you've never seen a kid who isn't prospering except for in a hole. Maybe you wonder if there's other holes and maybe you remember that other places that aren't Omelas have things like attempted prison reform and social services and other such things that you've always been told Omelas doesn't need.

Or maybe you and your friends know about the same kid in the same hole. Maybe there's only one kid in one hole, after all. Maybe it's just not something that's pleasant to talk about, so no one ever does, and there's nothing more suspicious going on than a city where people don't know how to talk about hard subjects.

But you know, maybe. It's weird that they don't want you to talk about it, is all I'm saying. It's weird.

[strangesmallbard]

currently thinking about why some targaryen names are reused and not others. i think it’s mostly intentional, if not always. there are surface-level plot and characterization reasons why, but i also think these choices reinforce certain targ family narratives overall + reveal the patriarchy-laden marrow of the whole thing. none of these thoughts will be in logical order but bear with me LMAO.

i've already posted a bit about aegon, but also: the targaryens are trying to rebirth aegon i again and again and they always fail bc aegon i was always an ideal, not a real person who existed. aegon i was also an imperial conquerer; anyone who tries to live up to him will once again re-enact that violence on themselves, their family, and the people he subjugated. there’s “viserys” and never a living visenya; a warrior queen may have built this dynasty, but only her sons can take her place. the first rhaena targaryen, who had a similar political disposition to visenya, was denied the same power. (she was also named after rhaenys, known for being more gentle and kind-heated despite her own active participation in the conquest).

all three women/girls named rhaenys were, in different ways, overshadowed by male family members. rhaenys became a unwitting martyr to aegon (and visenya's) imperial cause, while rhaenys 2 was denied the throne in favor of viserys. rhaenys 3, meanwhile, is murdered during wartime; her younger brother was (maybe) saved to preserve rhaegar's bloodline. a bit like her first namesake, she becomes an unwitting symbol for oberyn's vengeance.

and there's more! king aenys was considered weak compared to aegon; no other children were named after him. maegor was considered too cruel, even by targaryen standards; no other children were named after him—except, of course, the royal quarters in the red keep are in a building called maegor's holdfast. his legacy follows every targ born since, even though they openly scorn his name. little prince jaehaerys and princess jaehaera both die horribly because of a succession crisis that jaehaerys i helped cause. jaehaerys ii brought his namesake’s incest back, dooming his children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren before they were ever born.

meanwhile, rhaella names dany because the last daenerys brought peace to westeros (according to the targaryen pov); all dany craves is that peace, even though she only knows how to express that desire through the violent vestiges of her ancestors. young griff inherited the Aegon Curse, despite his dubious origins. will it matter at all, in the end? as the banners are raised in his name? and there's the jon snow of it all, the secret targaryen named after his uncle's father figure. not his father's hoped-for visenya, nor another aegon. i hope he doesn't have a targaryen name at all, in the end. i think that would be much more powerful than anything else.

[merao-mariposa]

I'm weak for Phil/Missa with a worship focus

Think about this:

We're looking at the angel of death and a reaper of death.

We are seeing the guy who has survived everything since the beginning of time and the guy who keeps dying, and coming back, choosing what he always wants to return to.

They are united more than they should while one wields a sword to defend those he loves, the other clears the clouds in their loved ones path because he loves them! He wants them to be happy!

They will both forever remember those who were in their heart, The Antartic Empire and Team Vacío Legal lives forever, no matter how much time passes because they were loved by Philza and Missa; the most loyal immortals.

Oh! And something more; the focus on their immortality is so unique! When did I meet him I was told that; “The only thing Phil knows is that he has not died yet” But Missa I think is very aware of his death, he died, he died and he came back with a fourth chance when the others had until the third chance to return and he came back from the dead a fourth time. time, he would do it a fifth, sixth and seventh time he would do it all over again because he cares about.

While Philza in life gives everything of himself for people once they earn his loyalty, trust and appreciation. He won't stop being the same emotional-constipate-crow-dude but God knows he will follow his closest friends to the end of the world, he took the world alongside Technoblade and then he would destroyed another next to him! He is a patient crow, domesticated by death herselft (for whom he is waiting patiently to be with her) staying home and being domestic? He can do it, chaotic raiding dungeons and loting everything that makes his “shiny!” Brain go?, he won't say no. This man can do both if the people he cares ask him.

We have years of lore about Phil, I'll be honest. while we don't have much information about Missa but what we do have comes from HIM and US (his community) do you want a prince-ish son of la Santa muerte? He can be, do you want an labor overexploited reaper? poor thing lmao but here him is! Do you want him to be 26 (or more) meters high? well, ask the admins but no one will deny you //I have seen him ominous, savage, bear hybrid, anguished, violent, etc, the limit is in the imagination!

(You have so many styles)

They worship each other by the way they complement each other. Just by thinking of Philza as the one who has not died, silent and anxious, waiting almost patiently for his complement, his missing half, the father of his children and his husband to return to him after literally being in the center of the end, the end of their life together, the end of watching his children grow and grow, until grow old (even though the mere thought of them aging beyond them breaks him)

After literally being in death and its domain only to choose to return, Missa would never believe in taking away Phil's free will so he's prepared to not see him there, he'll be fine; It is his right. Someone like him with the eternity in front of him would get bored of waiting for a guy like Missa.

Only to arrive and be absolutely adored and hugged till death (again) by his husband. He is happy to see him, he is so glad to see him waiting for him, Philza is happy that not so much of that so-called “time” has passed since the last time he had him in his arms (where Missas belongs to), so happy that their life together is not over yet. A life he loves and a husband he would fight for until he dies.

Obviously he drags him into the house where Missa is absolutely delighted to be welcomed (he always will be) like a crow carrying a new treasure to adore to its hiding place, only that Missa in his soul shines brighter than many of his shinys.

Missa is a reaper of death, literally a part of him feels explicitly built to respond to Phil as his angel or to BBH as a companion of duty, but it's too much, almost too instinctive and natural for him to worship Phil, not that he has a lot of experience but it is nothing like the crush he once had with Quakity, this is more real and deeper than the kiss he shared with Roier.

It's almost like nature for him to adore Philza.

And he doesn't make it any easier for poor Missa, so great and kind, Missa will always be vocal about how incredible and charming his husband is, how much he wants to spend time with him despite the adversities and hazards of the job that he does. prevent, they are worth it as long as he can be under his presence like a cat with sunlight.

It doesn't matter if Phil doesn't want him anymore because Missa is his because he decided it for himself/the skeleton isn't going anywhere, Phil is patient but as long as they are on the same earthly plane of life he is not going to let go of Missa, simply because he is loyal to him (hes also a little chaotic, not above dragging Missa around like putting a collar on a wet kitten)

En conclusión:

DEATHDUO KILL ME YAIIII :DDDD

❗️How we interpret their relationship does not change that Phil took the name “platonic husbands” correctly. (Pissa AND deathduo are totally valid, don't worry, we can get both :D )❗️

[riewritten]

so i went to a remote area this weekend for a field work and i cant help but imagine erwin during the ride... like in an interview he said that if given the chance, he would like to live in a remote cabin, right?

LIVING IN THE CABINS OF TROST

ERWIN SMITH X GENDER NEUTRAL READER

TAGS: post-canon, erwin lives agenda, fluff, age-gap (lol rie tell us what we don't know!), love confessions, basically jus wholesome stuff

WORDS: 2k

in a setting where erwin lives and can retire from being a soldier, with which he eventually builds a simple cabin of his own in the outskirts of trost district to enjoy a simple life in the rural. you, on the other hand, are a researcher who came all the way from the stohess district, interested to study trost's advanced agrarian reform program.

their advanced practice was what saved trost's economy from titan invasion years ago, but sadly not every district in paradis would like to apply it in consideration to the nobilities. in principle. you'd like to have it implemented to the rest of the paradis island which takes pride in its rich agricultural resources. and to know the bounties of trost to the fullest, you'll have to live with them for a month.

lo and behold, you'll come across the erwin smith as one of the residents. usually, he doesn't talk much to people, let alone from outsiders, but the villagers love him because of his kindness and intelligence; they're confident that if there's someone who could help you the most, it'll be no other than this man. moreover, erwin welcomed you with open arms as he's very intrigued to know how the educational system in paradis has been doing since his last involvement in the academe (before he enlisted as a soldier. pretty long time, isn't it?)

he doesn't want the residents to treat you as an inconvenience so as soon as he learns your university isn't funding student researchers, which makes you lack the resources to rent a dorm in trost, he gladly opens the spare room he had built inside his cabin at your disposal (he had built that room so levi, hange, and others could sleep somewhere comfortable whenever they go visit him).

what a kind man he is, but you can't help but be bothered because not only is he so kind for reasons you're yet to unveil, but you are to live with him! a very handsome middle-aged man who is unreasonably single, especially in a period where people as young as sixteen are already bearing children! maybe the sheer change paradis had become since the walls collapsed has something to do with it?

it isn't long til you learn that he is none but the very commander who had contributed the most for the freedom of paradis! he suddenly blurts out over breakfast that he was the 13th commander. the 13th commander of the scout regiment. you took history classes really well so you know what the 13th commander has done; it's just that you never remembered his name because as far as you are concerned, the former commander opted to not get his name published in books. the long list of his comrades were there, but not their commander, making your teachers speak of him so highly--an amalgamation of what a real leader must be. goodness gracious. the way you started shaking over the coffee and bread erwin had prepared made him panic.

"oh no, was the coffee too strong for your liking? i'm so sorry." and when you eventually cry and utter praises and gratitude for serving the country well, he starts laughing—boisterously so, a laugh he had never done during his prime years—and pats your head. "well, our efforts have never gone to waste because of smart students like you, no?"

to integrate more with the trost community, erwin fetches you to other neighbors using his old car every morning (he bought it for a discounted price at an auction—scratch that, the merchant almost gave it to him because he was a huge fan. had erwin been a boastful bastard, he wouldn't even bother paying for it). he says the ride to another farm takes around half an hour, so you two take your time talking about a lot of things such as erwin's previous profession, his favorite areas on his lawn, the things he'd like to do in the future to make his little paradise even better to live in, and more. how badly you yearn for a life like his.

and when late afternoon comes, erwin would pick you up from the neigborhood so you can accompany him to the wet market approximately an hour away. erwin usually takes this chance to talk to the merchants because he supplies them his harvest at a low price for extra income (what a strategic and simple man he is!) then you two would restock condiments and other needs in the house that his small farm couldn't provide. the life erwin has is tiring for you who's basically raised in a highly urbanized area, but that doesn't mean you don't enjoy it especially with erwin's company.

one of the best things he had ever shown you is the tiny river surrounded by giant trees where he takes a bath. the scenery makes you feel like some sort of deity in an urban legend. the sun would peak behind the leaves and onto the water, then the water would bounce back its light towards your glimmering eyes—full of adoration at god's creation. the river is quite cold and sometimes the breeze these trees exude freezes your skin. but it feels so fresh, so pleasing to look at, and you wouldn't mind if you're not accustomed to taking a bath in an open area. no reason to be scared, too, as the singing birds and cicadas keep you company. not far from here, you could also hear erwin chopping wood. of course, he's just there, ready to rescue you if you slip on the rocks or some intruder tries to come at you.

one of the best tasks he had entrusted you with (which you asserted to be tasked because you couldn't fathom not paying him rent) is plucking ripe fruits from his farm. in your hometown, every need comes with money, but here, one could survive with just the gifts of land ripened by their hard work.

"it makes your research more valuable, doesn't it?" erwin affirms, "imagine every citizen in paradis being able to live a life not based on money once the government appreciates agrarian reforms more, given how rich our country is with natural resources."

the distance you had with him as he intricately teaches you how to cut fruit from its stem, his appreciation for your principles (which students from the urban area often laugh about), and the way his hands brush against yours while he's correcting your posture because the way of cutting needs to be precise so the stem could still be capable of bearing another fruit—it all fills your heart with sheer warmth. when night comes and you're alone in your room, you finally deduce what you feel for him—it's not just mentorship that you want from him, or his kindness, or even his farm.

you want him as he is. you want to give back all the help he has given you by loving him with all your heart.

as the research is about to end, you realize that you soon will be bidding him farewell to go back to your hometown, to live a boring university life, to take a bath in the constricted bathroom of your dormitory, and to live a life where you have to take money out of your purse every time you want to eat. it filled your heart with sorrow. you hope you can stay with him.

on one of your final days in erwin's house, you wake up with rain so strong tip taps of water can be heard from the roof towards the wooden floor. erwin knocks and asks if he could fix it as you eat breakfast but as soon as you open the door for him, you start crying.

"i'm sorry, it happens a lot during rainy days. i should've warned you." perhaps he's thinking that an urban girl like you would deem living in this wooden cabin overwhelming, but it's rather far from it. "I'm thinking of replacing the roof with cement instead of mere iron strips, but I can only do that when summer comes. you might not be here anymore by that time, though."

"can i just live here for good? i don't want to go," you wail, the attachment and adoration you have for this new friend flowing through your tears. "i want to live here for good."

"because you want to witness the renovation of my roof...?"

"no!"

erwin is surprised at your sudden rise in tone, but eventually he smiles despite not understanding it all, "i'll consider, but only after you let me fix the hole in your room."

it took you five minutes of wailing (and erwin's gentle taps on your shoulder) before you step away from the door and let him in, with which he whispered a small praise, "good girl. now come on eat your breakfast and drink your coffee. we'll talk after i'm done here."

his voice sounded so warm, deep, and gentle in that particular remark.

you manage to do what he asked of you, albeit with little hiccups. to be honest, had erwin lacked the academic knowledge to help you finish your research, your stay in his home would've lasted longer. but he's such a smart man—even on par with your actual research professor—that it even makes you wonder if his parents were formerly part of the academe, too.

when erwin learns of that fact, he laughs in guilt, "i'm sorry! i admit i got too caught up with your research. you should've shooed me away when i got too invasive! is that why you were crying?"

"no! it's because i want to stay with you longer!" you cry, albeit impulsively, because you are drenched in cold water as soon you see erwin's surprised face.

nonetheless he's able to compose himself, "seems like you loved living in trost, hm? it's okay, you could visit us here even after your research is—"

"i meant you! i want to stay with you specifically!" you blurt out. oh god, did bathing in the river give you a bravado as strong as erwin's? you're not usually this blunt.

"why, if it's fine to ask?" erwin starts, his face more serious this time around, albeit there's a tinge of expression you couldn't quite decipher.

you wouldn't be able to take this back. you wouldn't be able to take this back. you wouldn't be able to take this ba— "because i like you." you wouldn't be able to take that back! "oh god," you covered your face in embarrassment. "i-i'll be back! i'm sorry!" then you stand up from your seat and hurry towards the door.

you run to the secluded river to wash your face from embarrassment (or perhaps drown in it for good), but after a throaty scream of shame, you notice a presence behind you.

"e-erwin!" you screech in surprise. "i-i told you i'll be back soon!"

"repeat what you just said."

"the what?"

"what you said before running off. repeat it." the expression on erwin's face that you couldn't quite decipher earlier is much more understandable now.

it gave you more courage to admit, "i said i like you."

"as a...?"

the mood is ruined when you suddenly let out a chuckle, "what do you mean 'as a?' i know we have a bit of a generational gap but i'm certain what i said was clear enough!"

this is the first time you've ever seen this man flustered. all this time you thought of him as someone who knew everything astutely. he walks closer until you're centimeters apart, eventually he smiles in realization. then he cups your cheeks, "finish your research and come back here. you'll hear my answer by then."

"huh?" you scorn, "why don't you answer now while i'm still—"

a kiss on your forehead cuts you off. it lasts for ten seconds or so—you know because you started counting it out of fluster. while on it, he rubs his thumb on your cheeks in circular motions. the sensations render you in a haze. as soon as he withdraws, you bury your head on his chest, taking his scent in even though you don't understand what's happening. "what i could offer to you is nothing in comparison to the life ahead of you in stohess. do what you must there. submit your research, advocate for your principles until your voice reaches more people, and if by then you still can't stop thinking of me, by all means, stay by my side for good."

"how can i be sure that you're not married the moment i come back?!"

he chuckles, then places your hand on his chest. his forehead bumps on yours, a knowing smile plastered on his lips, and his eyes reeking of adoration. "because my heart has been yours the moment you set your foot here."

p lease i encourage everyone to continue this fic for me because as much as i love the prompt i donT HAVE THE TIME TO TURN IT INTO AN ACTUAL THING 😭😭😭 PLEASEDKDKSED

🔖 @xiaotopia @cadenza-damour @rinamars @grimistheangerinmystares @suntizme @onasvigo @inkofteyvat @aeanya @watyousayin @collinnmckinley @frenchdyer | SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE TO MY STORIES

[kittenfangirl20]

Cult of the Lamb Au

Adam cried as he was led to his soon to be death. His ex-boyfriend Steve has him tied up and was walking him to an altar to be sacrificed.

Turns out he was part of a fucked up cult and didn't handle rejection well.

Steve: My perfect all mighty gods, Lilith and Alastor, please accept this sacrifice as a way for me to express my gratitude to you.

Lilith: We accept.

Steve stabbed Adam in the heart and Adam died.

Only, not really. He opened his eyes and came to a world of white where he met a man, equally dressed in white.

Lucifer: Hello there.

Adam: Who are you? Where am I?

Lucifer: Limbo. And I'm Lucifer, a powerful demon. I want to give you the gift of life once more, for you will never die. What they did to you was wrong.

Adam didn't understand: Why me?

Lucifer: I need help taking down Lilith and Alastor, you are perfect for that. I only ask for a few things in return.

Adam: Such as?

Lucifer: You start a cult in my name to increase our power and become my bride for everlasting protection. I will give you a crown that will give you otherworldly power.

Adam didn't have many choices. Good thing this demon was very handsome.

Adam: I accept your conditions.

Lucifer grinned and waved his hand. Him and Adam were back on Earth, Adam now wore the red crown that marked him as Luicfer's top follower and bride.

*Adam was dressed in a gown of black and red to go with the red crown, he looked at his husband for guidance, his body had changed as well giving him the parts of a man and a woman*

Lucifer: That is for when you are ready to bear my children.

*Adam nodded*

Adam: That makes sense.

Lucifer: I won’t force you to lie with me, but I know you will eventually come to my eventually.

*Adam blushed thinking of being under this beautiful being, it already excited him*

Adam: What will I do first?

Lucifer: You will recruit followers to our cult and we shall have a temple built as a place of worship. There they will give tribute to us in the form of gifts and sacrifices.

*Adam walked amongst the people the next day, he placed his hand on his chest, it still had the scar from where Steve stabbed him, Adam felt anger towards Steve, luck was smiling upon Adam when he saw him talking to a young man, Adam grabbed Steve from the man and to Adam’s joy Steve looked shocked*

Steve: I killed you.

Adam: You did, but I serve one who would like to see Lilith and Alastor dead. I should kill you now, but I can wait until later for that. Go and tell them that Adam and Lucifer are ready for them.

*Steve was horrified by the power coming from Adam now, this Lucifer was a powerful being*

Young man: If you are looking for members for your little cult I would like to join.

Adam: Of course, what is your name?

Young man: My name is Anthony, but everyone calls me Angel Dust.

Adam: Then welcome to the Cult of Adam and Lucifer, Anthony. For being our first follower, you will be blessed.

Angel Dust: Cool.

*Adam took Angel Dust back to Lucifer, Lucifer was pleased to see that Adam already had a recruit*

Lucifer: I am so pleased with you my lamb, soon we will have many followers.

*Lucifer kissed Adam which made the new young co leader of the cult make happy noises, he already liked being Lucifer’s bride*

@things-arent-what-they-seem66

[evilminji]

Guess what color the Metorite Vandal Savage cuddled with, was?

Did you guess Ectoplasm Green?

Because it waaaaaaaas~ And! Thanks to a Certain Episode That Shall Not Be Named, we know that meteors and other space rocks CAN be Ecto-ranium!

Which!! Suggests OTHER Ecto-Elements may be floating about in space! Not in large amounts, but! Absurdly rare does NOT mean they never land on earth! Consider the various kryptonites! Rare! Still land on earth. Not all are immediately harmful to Kryptonians.

So? What other Ecto-Elements could land on earth? Perhaps one that... unlike Ecto-Ranium... that hurts Ghosts and Limnals? CREATES them?

Imagine if you with? You are Savage. Tired. Sore. Cold. The glowing rock... is WARM.

FEELS warm... deeper even then your skin. Like... like a blessing. Like the Sky Gods have sent you warmth and safety. Chosen you. You are so tired. The rock calls to you. The night is cold. Your body heavy. The light... so... so soft and pretty...

You wake up... Different.

Stronger. Smarter. More AWARE.

As though power has been poured into your veins. You no longer age. Are the ONLY of your kind. Wouldn't it be easy to make assumptions? For Obsession to twist your mind and time to alienate you from humanity? They are infants compared to you.

Isolation HAS been PROVEN to drive humans insane. And in so many ways? He is Isolated. Trapped without access to the Zone, the Realms Infinite. He is the only Man in a sea of violent, gibbering, ever repeating zygote. Thoughtless repetition of history's mistakes, played out before him, like Humanity itself is smashing it's head against a wall again and again and AGAIN.

Nothing new under the sun. Alone, decade after decade after century after millenia. Hungry for the presence of other people, their EMOTIONS and LIFE, but equally unable to bear them. Starving slowly.

Every war, each battle, a feast of SOMETHING that fills his stomach for years. The extreme emotions and sudden ends of Death releasing SOMETHING into the air he can not explain. Can not name. It fills him.

He is Chosen.

He is insane. An inherently social creature driven mad by social isolation. A ghost trapped in flesh, slowly warped by the filters of human perception and prolonged starvation. But... not alone... not forever...

A little town.

In that country built on mass Graves, that thinks so very highly of itself. Founded by witches. A town of CHILDREN. Stumbling and new. Like HIM.

Some stronger then others, as tends to be the case, some clever and sure footed. So many will not stand the tests of Time. They are too weak. But... BUT! Oh~ LOOK At Them! A Tribe of Children.

They will live FOREVER.

They must be protected. As he walks amongst them, he can see them struggle to understand themselves. To hide their greatness from the reactionary masses. Already the children have drawn the attention of some governmental branch of this or that. Were too inexperienced and without leadership.

No Father to guide them. No patriarch.

The best they have is a floating child. "Phantom". Children guiding children, truly it is madness.

As he stands on the steps of the halls of their little town's government hall. Do you think Vandal Savage smiles? Pats the head of a passing child, after he catches her, to keep her from stumbling? Is he the very picture of a pleasant, gregarious man?

How trustworthy.

Vladimir Masters must look up from his work, at his overly ornate desk, and meet the eyes of something far, FAR worse then himself. Know in that instant, as like recognizes like, that a monster has stepped foot into his office. What choice does he make, I wonder?

When his instincts scream this... this is likely it. You have no escape. This thing will go through you, continue on, consume and control until it has it's fill. You are an obstacle it seeks to... Remove.

What does he do then?

In that moment... does he think of the Family his Obsession cradles so dear? The woman he loves, unknowing of this danger? The children, the SON, no doubt first to be targeted after he falls?

I imagine he does.

He cares little for Jack Fenton. But Vladimir Masters, in his own twisted way, does love Jack's family dearly. He sits at his desk, brought from home, bought with stolen wealth, and smiles a businessman's polite smile. Let's his hand brush the decorative bobblehead of to the side. Slips his finger, intangible, just beneath the surface of the plastic...

..to the emergency switch below.

Flick.

Messages Sent.

Three phones light up, dispite having blocked his number. The screen fills with simple messages, repeated and bold.

RUN. GO NOW. I'M ALREADY DEAD.

RUN. RUN. RUN.

PLEASE.

RUN.

@stealingyourbones @hdgnj @ailithnight

[elrielffs]

How the next two books will go according to antis:

Gwynriel: Azriel telling Elain like, "Hey I know we almost bonked on solstice but I've only been lusting after you for two years now. Even though you don't like your mate you should be with him because Rhsyand daddy told me you should. People hate Cassian for this but will love me for it so begone THOT. I NEED MY MATE." And then Gwyn will be to Azriel like,"Hey, I know you can't look at me and I can't look at you without both of us thinking of the worst day of my life and you didn't give a shit that I was in the BR but we are both Canythian! and your shadows like me and I have PLIABLE BONES to bear all YOUR CHILDREN! And even though you've known about me for years and never checked up on me, I'm your mate!" And they have kinky sex that fixes Illyria and Nesta becomes High Queen. Nesta rejects the bond with Cassian and dates Eris. No mention of Emerie in these theories ever so she's just there to go yah GIRL POWER.

Elucien: Elain will be like,"Oh Lucien, I know I've wanted nothing to do with you these past few years but that's because you're so sexy. Azriel Scmhazriel. You could totally beat him in a duel! I see the error of my ways AND IM SO SORRY I DIDN'T BABY YOU AND IMMEDIATLEY GROVEL AT YOUR FEET. I know you participated in my trauma but that's okay. :) You're are sweet baby angel Lucien. I never made my own choices and I won't now! I'm ready to leave the life I've built behind for me here with my family, nephew, gardens and friends to go to the Human Lands. Oh Jurian? The guy who made a gang rape joke about me? Yes, he will be my bestie cause god knows those two dark wraiths only spent hours with me and baked with me aren't my friends! They're Rhysands friends and Vassa and Jurian are YOUR friends so it's okay. Oh we need to go to Day Court because Helion is your daddy. I like it here. I hated Night Court even though I said I'm apart of it! Black does NOTHING for my complexion. Oh Koschei? Zap. Done. Let's go steal Spring Court from Tamlin cause I like flowers." And Lucien will be like,"Oh Elain, even though I can't stand being around you and constantly compare you to my ex and traveled to a whole nother continent, I'm ready to accept your groveling for not immediately being a good little mate. I've never done anything bad ever. I have no agency. I'm just a wittle baby. Vassa? Nah, I hate her pussy boooooo. Only your majestic mate pussy can make me happy. Nothing else. Nope. Not at all. Helion's my dad? Oh well I gotta go be close to my family so we are going to Day Court but not you Elain. Your family sucks! Nesta said so. She was going to be my mate first you know but she would have turned me down instantly cause she doesn't understand I'm THE BABY and my happiness is all that matters." And Lucien becomes High Lord of Day and Elain High Lady of Spring and Koschei is handled in two pages.

FIN.

[celestesinsight]

Salaar Analysis!

Time and again, we were told in the movie about how dangerous Shouryangas were! How even if only one of them survives, they would come for revenge! Raja Mannar used the darkness of night to kill them all in their sleep. Even after thinking he had wiped out all the Shouryangas, he still lived in fear for 25 years, built walls and gathered an army. He was not unjustified in his fear too as Bhaarava and others were biding their time for revenge.

But it is interesting that all Deva, their true leader, cared about was Varadha, not revenge. When Aadhya asked Bilal if Deva knew that he was the rightful heir to the throne, he didn't reply. The movie ended with a suspense that Deva might have promised Varadha the throne, being unaware of his own claim.

I believe that Deva was fully aware of his identity. First of all, the scars on his back and sword ritual he performed during climax, proved that Deva's knowledge about its Shouryanga identity.

Secondly, only children survived the massacre. If Deva's birth and identity wasn't a public knowledge in the tribe, how could Bhaarava and others be aware of Deva's identity, with no surviving adults to tell them the secret.

Most of Deva's time in Khanshar was either spent with Varadha or sitting alone on the cliff, looking over the entire Khanshar. This fixation of Deva made me feel that Deva also wanted to take Khanshar from Raja Mannar as revenge, not for himself but for Varadha.

Varadha had given up his right to be a Dora and most probably his only chance of being his father's heir by throwing away the bracelet.

It was clear from the first scene that Varadha, being the child of the second wife, didn't enjoy the same power and prestige as Rudra. But Varadha could have a chance at being the heir if he could prove himself stronger than Rudra. Because in Khanshar strength prevails over everything. But he gave up his chance when he threw away the bracelet.

And Deva understood it very well. When Varadha threw away the bracelet and Ranga's father picked it up, Deva lowered his head in helplessness. He couldn't bear to see Varadha giving away his rights and only hope of life with dignity for his sake. He looked up only when he heard his Amma cry and went to hug her and cried in her arm. He was crying due to his inability to not only protect his mother, but also Varadha. That's why he shuddered when Varadha touched him to assure him of his support. There was a rage and determination in his eyes when Varadha asked them to leave immediately. And he didn't promise his Amma that he would never return to Khanshar, but promised Varadha instead.

That was the moment, Deva stopped being a person and became a weapon in Varadha's hands. Baba and Varadha realised this and named him Salaar. It was clear from Amma's dismay that she realised it too.

And that was the moment, Deva decided to give the entire Khanshar to Varadha and he was only waiting for Varadha to ask for it. That's why he asked why he didn't call him sooner, when Varadha questioned why he didn't come sooner. Deva was waiting for the last 25 years for Varadha to decide he wanted the throne and call him.

The scene when Deva stepped into the gates of Khanshar again was juxtaposed with a young Deva stepping out of Khanshar. When young Deva was stepping out he was looking back with determination and rage. His dialogue that walls were made to prevent people from getting in, not from getting out, further emphasized his understanding of Raja Mannar and his character.

During the climax fighting scene, right after Varadha declared that he wanted everything he was looking at, the scene changed to Raja Mannar telling Radha Rama that everyone was after his throne and then showed Deva's devilish smile, the reaction to Varadha's declaration. His reaction in the scene was like Varadha had finally said the words he was waiting to hear for so long.

Thiru was not correct, when he said every Shouryangas wanted revenge except Deva. Deva wanted revenge too, but not by burning Raja Mannar with his throne like Bhaarava and other Shouryangas. But his method of wreaking vengeance on Raja Mannar was to take his prized throne and give it to the son, whom he considered as a disgrace and let bullied since childhood. The son who was supposed to be his most promising legacy, if only he wasn't loyal to his most dangerous enemy.

In the childhood scenes in 'Sooreede' song, when Varadha ate the morsel of food meant for Deva, he playfully charged at him. But then in the next sequence, he himself gave Varadha his share. Varadha never had to take anything from Deva, he would give it to him voluntarily, be it his share of food or the throne of Khanshar.

[kneelingshadowsalome]

Idea I've had for highschool sweetheart to make könih further rot in guilt because it's silly and amusing that I simply had to share <3

In cliques of the nature of his bullies there are always the internal dynamics people outside don't see. Like how one person is never felt true compliments, only back handed ones if not just straight up insults. Fed lies about how no one else would ever be friends with them, the punching bag of within the clique to keep the glue of the group strong and firm. Naturally it would have been the shyest and most bookish person within the group. But you've known these people your entire life they didn't always act like this they used to be kind and good. (right? they, they were kind once right?) so day dreams become an escape because how could anyone be friends with you? How could anyone tolerate you? Especially after you were around the clique, how could you ever approach the quiet boy who you knew they picked on. He must hate you. You longed to be friends (don't delude yourself you didn't wish to be friends you wished to be lovers but start small right). How could you ever approach him. And then graduation comes and you're abandoned. You can heal and begin to find your personhood. You can pick the shattered pieces of your confidence up off the floor and glue your life back together. It takes years but eventually you gather up the courage to reach out to the boy after he misses the reunion. You want to apologize for your passivity at least. You must after all. (You were children and both victims in your own right but how could this ever be spoken of? You must play the role of the bystander because who would ever believe otherwise? You may have healed but there are still cracks of course.) and much later maybe he learns all this, maybe he reads it in a journal or a letter addressed to him, maybe you finally get the courage to tell him. And the guilt and rot grows like fungus over his heart, eating his anger alive and churning out something like grief in return. Not that you'd noticed the anger, you just saw the second chance, of course he would be wary of you, of course he would have changed over the decade, but a decade of growth was only done on the foundation of the boy you loved before. How could you not love the man he's become now?

tee hee I'm going insane I hope you enjoy my little ramble

Yes yes yes the delicious reveal of how it was for her, that she wasn’t having a happy time in the clique, that she, too, was suffering! ❤️‍🩹

In my opinion König would eventually come to his senses. If we’re treating this scenario with actual seriousness, he would eventually see that what he’s doing is useless and stupid and hurtful and unjust to both of them. I mean he’s clinically insane, he’s nasty and troubled and traumatized and works for a fucking PMC and tortures people but... he’s not rotten to the core. König is like a stray dog that bites if it feels like it’s about to get cornered and beaten again, and that’s his viewpoint with high school sweetheart actually. It may sound silly and misplaced but he’s just too triggered to see that he’s about to do a royal fuck-up with her.

And the unbearable shame when he realizes? When he faces the thing he has become? It’s simply too much to bear, he has worked so hard on himself & to put that shit behind him, he’s built confidence from scratch, he’s built actual, physical muscle just to feel better about himself, he probably joined the military because it was his middle finger to the world. Yes, he had aspirations and actual passions concerning the sniper dream but he’s also driven by this need to prove a shitload of people wrong.

And in walks this babe who reminds him of a time when he was nothing. Absolutely nothing. How do you love that? Because ultimately, it means you have to love yourself and who you were before you became the incredible Austrian Hulk. At the core of it is a 6 feet deep insecurity because König doesn’t feel he’s worthy of her at all.

I think the only thing that would cleanse his heart from pain is the revelation that she suffered too. As sad as it is, that’s what makes his heart crack open because then he gets to play the savior. But then comes the “Do you still love me even if I almost turned into the monster I always battled against” part… Because König would pay her authenticity "generously" by revealing the bully he almost became. And I think that’s when high school sweetheart really needs to ask herself if she’s up for this kind of shit, if she’s actually ready to love this man who isn’t as cool and tough as she thought he was, who is deeply flawed and resentful and childish and cruel.

Part of her probably knows that already and even loves his flaws, but loving König is like loving that stray dog. He’s gonna bring fleas and dried-up mud into your house eventually. Especially if you feed him and give him a scratch… Put a nice, cosy bed for him by the fire... Tell him he's cute when he whines next to your bed... Teach him it’s ok to prefer to sleep with you instead :/

[midnight-omega]

Male Omega hc

I wrote these a while ago and never posted them. Male omegas and female alphas are my favorite dynamics and my favorite pairing fr so I wanted to do an entirely separate post on my boys

Pretty long so bear with me under the cut also its fairly nsfw at some points reader beware

🍥 Omegas in general are considered a rarer dynamic but when adding primary gender to the statistic male omegas are one of the rarest of the 6 gender/dynamic combinations

🍥 Male omegas typically cannot impregnate. It can happen in extremely rare cases but it’s so unlikely no one really considers it a thing. They are biologically built to conceive and bear pups even tho this is a little more challenging for them

🍥 Male omegas have wider hips than an alpha or beta male, but narrower hips than a female beta or omega. This can make it difficult to give birth naturally. It’s possible and happens all the time! But sometimes it’s just too narrow and a c-section is needed

🍥 Male omegas have lower fertility rates than their female counterparts. They’re more on par with betas fertility wise which means they aren’t likely to have litters (3-4 pups) like females can. Males usually carry 1-2 pups at a time and anything more is considered a high risk pregnancy

🍥 Over the course of their pregnancy they do develop breasts

🍥 They’re much smaller than the other dynamics, more on par with a female alphas, but they do lactate

🍥 This is a permanent change! They do not reduce after the first pregnancy

🍥 This physically marks males who have carried a pregnancy at least until 3rd term, and those who haven’t

🍥 Unfortunately male omegas suffer from body dysphoria at a higher rate than other gender/dynamic combinations

🍥 There’s a lot that goes into this and it differs from omega to omega, but it boils down to masculine body parts that function and a more masculine stature vs how feminized the omega identity has become and the feminization of bearing children. 

🍥 Pregnancy and the development of breasts makes this a lot worse

🍥 Binders are rather popular and easy to find because of this. It’s highly recommended to use these instead of resorting to your own tactics to avoid any bodily harm

🍥 Top surgery is also available for male omegas who feel strong or crippling dysphoria, but they won’t be able to lactate afterwards. More traditional packs/religions frown on the surgery for this reason and prefer binders as a solution

🍥 Pharmacies, department stores, lingerie stores, anywhere you can buy a bra or healthcare products will probably sell some sort of postpartum binder!

🍥 Speaking of lingerie stores, stores that specialize in omega lingerie typically carry two styles of bottom for every top. One that accommodates afab anatomy and one that accommodates amab anatomy

🍥 Some omegas feel the opposite kind of dysphoria tho, where we just talked about those who are unsettled by their more “feminine” parts there are other’s who identify with their omegean side more and find their more masculine parts more upsetting

🍥 Tucking is a common solution, though this is kept kinda on the down low in omega only circles. You won’t find this sort of thing advertised in common media

🍥 I mentioned earlier that male omegas are p much sterile, so this makes them really popular hookups especially for other omegas going through a heat

🍥 In some areas male omegas are more demanded than alphas when an unmated omega wants a partner for heat

🍥 Not only is there really no pregnancy risk with them, but some argue they make better lovers in general since they understand the vulnerability of penetration/heat and how to work the anatomy since they’re built similarly 

🍥 The concept that male omegas do not get as much pleasure out of penetrating compared to receiving is a myth! Both kinds of orgasms are equally pleasurable and some males only enjoy penetrating just as others only enjoy being penetrated. Its a personal preference!

🍥 The omega micro penis is also a myth. Omegas are smaller on average but they’re really not much smaller than an average beta

🍥 Keep in mind that when concerning length most alphas are showers and most omegas are growers. Your omega man might end up bamboozling you :))

🍥 Omega cum is clear or opaque. No/little sperm = no white

🍥 Male omegas are at the very bottom of the unspoken hierarchy. Normally the male takes place above the female, but it’s not the case with omegas who’s primary biological function is to conceive. Since female omegas are better at that they’re considered above males

🍥 Male omegas are very rarely represented in leadership positions because of this. Even within packs it’s extremely rare to find a male omega in a place of power/respect

🍥 This also contributes to a lot of the adversity they face. Males are at a higher risk of mental illnesses, suicide, sexual abuse, drug use, and face higher incarceration rates

🍥 Lightening the mood a bit…

🍥 Males have a deeper purr than females. It tends to be quieter too, but that can vary from person to person

🍥 Male omegas growl at anything. Any small inconvenience or discomfort grrr… they can whine and keen like all omegas but on average they tend to be more gruff with vocalizations.

🍥 Male omega fashion varies widely from place to place. They can be more masculine coded or more feminine depending on the dominant culture of the area. Neck covering is popular with all omegas, so high necked outfits or matching chokers are always in style.

🍥 Weddings and mating ceremonies are similar in variation with options for more feminine coded or more masculine coded outfits. Jumpsuits with pants partially concealed by the top flaring down is the style for male omegas.

🍥 feminine coded examples:

🍥 A more masculine coded example thank you kpop ur visuals are unparalleled bc i could not find more masculine ones for the life of me until i remembered ab6ix the future world tour in seoul donghyun booby titty outfit:

🍥 Male omegas can be referred to as wife/mom or husband/dad depending on the preference of the individual. If someone needs to clarify which of their dads gave birth to them they’ll use the terms dam and sire, otherwise parental names are a toss up

🍥 All omegas have nesting instincts, if they don’t suppress them, but males and females have slightly different habits. Male omegas tend to pick very closed-in areas with one entry/exit. They also keep their nests extremely hidden, it’s unlikely you’ll know where it is unless you’re mated to or a child of theirs.

🍥 Males need just as much affection, attention, and physical touch as females do. If they’re aloof don’t let them fool you

🍥 If alpha male dude bros can be compared to overexcited dogs then omega males can be comparable to cats

[blueiscoool]

Ramses II’s Long-Lost Sarcophagus Has Finally Been Identified

An Egyptologist recently concluded that a fragment of an overlooked granite coffin bears the great pharaoh’s name.

Ramses II, a pharaoh who ruled in the 13th century B.C.E., is one of ancient Egypt’s best-known rulers. The 19th-Dynasty king expanded Egypt’s territory into modern-day Syria, fathered some 100 children and boasted one of the civilization’s most ornate coffins. But the carved granite sarcophagus built to house that coffin has never been identified—until now.

Frédéric Payraudeau, an Egyptologist at France’s Sorbonne University, recently re-examined a sarcophagus fragment found in the ancient necropolis of Abydos in 2009. At the time, experts posited that the engraved stone box had held the remains of two different people at different times, per a statement from the French National Center for Scientific Research. The second occupant was Menkheperre, a high priest who lived around 1000 B.C.E. But the first proved to be more difficult to pin down: Archaeologists only knew that they were a very high-ranking figure from the Egyptian New Kingdom, reports Live Science’s Jennifer Nalewicki.

Ramses II's cedar coffin.

When Payraudeau studied the sarcophagus fragment’s inscriptions, including a previously obstructed and misidentified cartouche (an oval that typically encloses a royal name), he realized the hieroglyphs bore Ramses’ name. The scholar published his findings in the journal Revue D’Égyptologie.

Ramses’ reign lasted around 67 years, making it one of the ancient civilization’s longest. Dubbed the “builder pharaoh,” Ramses commissioned many temples throughout the region. As Payraudeau says in the statement, finding an ancient Egyptian site that isn’t marked with Ramses’ name is rare. The king even added his name to monuments built before his rule.

Ramses’ death in 1213 B.C.E. left a layered physical trail, thanks to multifaceted Egyptian entombing techniques and numerous pillagings of the Valley of the Kings, which held his and many other royal tombs. The pharaoh was buried in a gilded wooden coffin that was nested inside of an alabaster sarcophagus and a larger granite sarcophagus. Later, the coffin was stolen, the alabaster sarcophagus was shattered by looters and the granite sarcophagus—from which the fragment in question originated—was reused by Menkheperre.

As Payraudeau explains, the Valley of the Kings was plundered numerous times during ancient Egypt’s 19th Dynasty, an era of economic and social crises that led to scarcity, forcing even royals to reuse funerary objects created for their predecessors.

In 1881, Ramses’ mummy and coffin were discovered in a hiding place in the temple complex Deir el-Bahari, which housed the remains of 50 other members of the nobility, including the pharaoh’s father, Seti I, according to the Egypt Museum. Since then, the gold coffin and Ramses’ mummy have been exhibited at museums around the world. Whether the sarcophagus fragment, which is currently stored in Abydos, will one day go on display, too, remains unclear.

By Sonja Anderson.

[resident-quilt]

Shrue’s descent into radicalism and what the Silt Verses says about our world today

(also, regarding the giant poem that the episode titles make) ITS A TUMBLR ESSAY BABYYYYYYYYY

Kill your gods. Starve them out, topple their statues, forsake their comfort— Kill the stories that gave birth to them. Tear away your flesh that bears their marks.  Adjudicator Shrue, Ep. 43

The Silt Verses is a story born of its time, to a 21st century world which is slowly decaying—and everyone in it is doing their part to help it decay just a little bit faster. It speaks of capitalism, of corruption, of power and belief and environmental destruction and the rift between generations. When Charles tells Val he can’t really stand behind the idea of a family (“You wonder about what kind of world we’re bringing children into, y’know?”) I had to pause and gather myself; it’s something we hear from so many Gen Z’ers today.

But then Shrue’s speech came, and it made no sense.

Shrue calls for an end in any form it can be given. They call for the loss of all faith and love and community in the world; they call for us to kill the stories of our history, to kill the figures we believe in and the ones that give us hope. Anything, everything, all we can give to stop the decay and degradation of the world. They demand us to defeat the corrupt system we have built by trading our lives to do so.

If our words and stories sustain them, let us fall silent. If our communities rely on them, let us drift apart and die, lonely, in the polluted wilds amongst the howling winds of long forgotten deities.

It made no sense because TSV, most simplistically, embodies “no ethical consumption under capitalism”—and this solidly did not fit. So I cast about for an answer to what it all meant, because TSV had grown to be more than the “folks, look where capitalism got us” which I thought it to be. And Shrue's “we can’t do anything to escape the system but die” was just too flat a conclusion. 

Then I fell upon the poem compiled from each episode’s title.

It begins with the start of humanity: a story of things that have happened, things people have believed, things which have roamed the land from then til now. 

Let me speak first of revelations, and next of dark deceit. Then I’ll speak of champions, of lovers, gods and beasts.

And so the poem continues in a description of this story, until it eventually twists to become entirely self-destructive around Chapters 18-24. It's a reference to how everything in the TSV universe seems to eat itself: their system of gods, sacrifices, even the characters themselves.

If I could trace with bloodless fingers, if my hands could shape the flow, I’d bear this song to the precipice and rend us both to dust below.  We’d both go plunging downwards, one final fall from grace— I’d howl, I’d scream, in victory, and we’d be gone without a trace. 

At Chapter 25, we get a respite from the story. We get a short poetic break which concludes that yes, we’re doomed to die—but we continue as we are despite it, and write our story even if it’ll be lost in the end. It’s a classic conclusion that a lot of literature and poetry fall to, because it’s so very human. It’s a cliche, and it’s a cliche for a reason. 

But we’ll never be rid of each other, my song, my sorrow, and I,  So I’ll bear it trembling onwards: to drift on, to dream, to die.

With that, the poem progresses forward until it starts addressing our end and what happens when we face that. It screams of last-ditch efforts keep on believing, even as we plunge down and down and the world just gets worse and worse. Shrue’s speech takes place in “One Last Song of Revelations” (the title is so fitting!), where they vocalize their realization that their pacifist attitude isn’t doing shit to change anything. 

But when they switch towards radicalism because it’s, evidently, the only way anything will ever get done—the only way anything will get the exposure to maybe make an impact—they speak of the destruction of society as a whole. Not the eradication of capitalism, nor the installation of kinder gods, nor the lowering of sacrifice ceilings. They speak of true destruction. Utter destruction.

Shrue’s speech isn’t some call to action, nor does it embody any concrete ideology which the writers are trying to convey. It’s just an expression of desperation. Nothing is working; no one is listening. 

What this poem sounds like is a story of how our world goes. It's its birth, its self-destruction, its philosophical revelations, its finale.

When we began following Carpenter and Faulkner in the reeds of the White Gull River, we were consuming a commentary on capitalism. Now, it’s more. It’s a commentary, yes, but it’s not only that—it’s an exploration. The Silt Verses is a tragic exploration of our world as it connects to theirs, of how we’ve been driven so far and been corrupted so deeply that only radicalism makes a difference because only radicalism is what gets the notice and attention to spark moderate change. And that same radicalism is going to destroy the society we have left.

But it’s all the same in the end, because society's collapse was going to happen anyways. So at least someone had it in them to fight for something.

GAHHHH I LOVE THIS SHOW

[ju-vondy]

Into Jason's mind (Headcanon scene)

So, after the release of EP 4 I couldn't stop wondering the reason Jason prefer not commit to a long-term relationship and how he would react when he realize Candy was breaking that barriers down... So I wrote this for the chap. 20+- in my fic and I just HAD to share with you all. I didn't post the fanfic yet once I'm still waiting AO3 invite me LOL. But here you go, I hope you enjoy it:

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Jason was sitting on the sofa in his luxurious apartment, the dim light from the modern lamps casting soft shadows on the walls. He held a glass of whiskey, slowly swirling the amber liquid, lost in his thoughts. The night was silent, interrupted only by the occasional sound of distant traffic.

He glanced at the clock on the wall: 2:45 a.m. Sleep was something that had been eluding him lately, especially with Candy dominating his thoughts.

Jason ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. The goals, contracts and meetings that once occupied his mind so easily now seemed insignificant. His mind wandered incessantly to Candy, to her smiles, her expressions of determination, and even to the moments of vulnerability that she rarely let show.

Looking around, he realized how his personal space was carefully designed to reflect success and control. However, the emotional emptiness remained unchanged.

Jason picked up his phone and, on an impulse, opened Instagram. He looked at his recent posts: several photos of him at social events, with different women by his side. He recalled Thomas's words that he had overheard while the Devenementiel team gathered at the Cosy Bear Café: "Jason is a womanizer…" “He doesn’t seem to commit to his relationships…”

That was true. But why?

Releasing a deep sigh, he leaned back further on the sofa, closing his eyes. His mind drifted back in time, reliving memories of past relationships. Then he remembered the first time he decided not to commit: He was young, ambitious, and... In love with an older woman who had promised to be his partner in life and in business. But she betrayed him, both emotionally and professionally, ruining not just his heart but also an important business transaction.

After that, Jason vowed never to let anyone get that close again. Long-term commitments brought risks he couldn’t afford. He built a life where control and independence were paramount, and where women were only temporary distractions, never real threats to his heart or business.

Moreover, he didn’t have time to dedicate to a partner. His work consumed every second of his day, leaving little room for anything else. And children? The idea of being a father was a responsibility he couldn’t, and didn’t want to, assume. Kids are absurdly expensive and need time, patience—things he couldn’t offer in the phase of life he was in.

Jason also couldn’t ignore the fact that most of the women he met were shallow. They played hard to get, but as soon as he showed some sign of value, some symbol of status, they yielded instantly. Candy, however, was different. Candy never yielded. She challenged him and… That intrigued and attracted him in a way he couldn’t ignore.

She disarmed him with her intelligence, her strength, and paradoxically, with her vulnerability. He remembered how he felt when he saw her wearing glasses for the first time, how that unexpected sight affected him more than it should have. Jason stood up and walked to the window, looking at the illuminated city below. The view was something that always calmed him, but today, even that couldn’t soothe the restlessness within him. Candy’s presence in his life was starting to make him question his decisions.

What was most frightening wasn’t the desire he felt for her, but the fact that he wanted more than just a fleeting affair. He wanted to know her better, wanted to be by her side, wanted to hear her bad jokes, wanted… Commitment.

“Why does she affect me so much?” he murmured to himself, his thoughts returning to the last time he saw her.

They had met at the tennis club last weekend. He still remembered how his heart skipped a beat when he saw her with sunglasses and a hat, an unexpected and incredibly attractive sight. And then, during the match, the moment they bumped into each other and he offered his hand to help her up. The connection he felt at that moment still haunted him.

In fact, all the other moments haunted him. Even though he had shared a bed with several women in recent months, it was always Candy he found himself thinking about. The first time he kissed her in the garden, that night when the explosion finally happened and they released all the tension between them as their naked bodies engaged in heady movements. And then, at the Snake Room, the electricity between them was almost unbearable. The heat and urgency of that moment still made him shudder.

At the opera, the tension between them was so palpable that he could barely focus on the performance. And later that night in his apartment… their bodies fitting perfectly, the way she knew how to touch him in ways he didn't even know he needed. Every encounter with her was a whirlwind of emotions and sensations.

Jason closed his eyes, remembering the conversation with his mother he had earlier.

Since the moment their families reunited again she encouraged him to bring Candy closer, seeing something he tried to ignore. He accepted the mayor's proposal for a partnership with Devenementiel not only for strategy but also to keep Candy close. At first, he told himself it was to destabilize the competing company. But now, the truth was becoming increasingly clear: he wanted Candy by his side for much more personal reasons.

Jason walked to the desk in his bedroom, opening the drawer and taking out a small wooden box. Inside, there was a ring he had bought years ago, intended for a proposal that never happened. A reminder of his failures and fears.

“Candy…” he murmured, closing the box and putting it back in the drawer.

He needed to admit to himself that all this had started as a game. He wanted Candy to accept his job offer to screw up over Devenementiel again, but in the process, he ended up getting lost. She was not just a pawn in his corporate game anymore; she was someone who made his life more complete, more vibrant and his days became easier when she was around. She was someone he didn’t want to lose.

And he hated to admit it.

Jason stood up again, taking the glass of whiskey and heading to the terrace. The cool night air enveloped him, bringing a momentary sense of clarity. He looked at the stars, remembering how his life seemed simpler before Candy entered it. But now, he couldn’t imagine going back to that simplicity.

He knew he was at a turning point. Continuing with his usual behavior meant losing the chance at something real, something he hadn’t felt since… well, since forever. But opening up meant exposing himself again to pain, to risk, to vulnerability.

Jason took a long sip of the whiskey, feeling the warmth descend his throat. He needed a new approach, a new way of thinking. Maybe, just maybe, Candy was worth the risk. Maybe she was different. He just needed the courage to find out. Because, in the end, he was falling for her. And that was the truth he could no longer deny.

This realization hit him hard.

“Damn, Candy,” he murmured, running a hand through his hair. “What have you done to me?”

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PLEASE DO NOT POST IT ON OTHER PLATFORMS without giving credits! This is all my original writing and I would hate to see anyone use it without my permission. Thank u <3