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ghoulsbounty · 4 months

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OMG IM SO EXCITED TO FIND SOMEONE WHO’LL WRITE BOYD CROWDER.

Can I request some fluff about going to sleep with Boyd (like actually sleeping lol), like him and the reader have a fun and flirty relationship and she knows about his criminal enterprises (S4 vibes with the pocket watch UGH). Maybe he comes home late or something and is just all over the reader but not in a sexual way, just like a missing and wanting to be close to her way.

Out Of Time

Boyd Crowder x GN!Reader

Warnings: slight spoilers for season 4, a little angst if you squint but just pure comfort and fluff (Boyd is in love)

Word Count: 2K

A/N: Anon, thank you for my first Boyd request and simultaneously igniting a burning passion within me to write more for this man. I kept the reader GN because there wasn't really any need for gender descriptors, and yes I did make that gif just for this fic 🫡 I’d love to know what you all think to this, and feel free to send me more requests 💌

Boyd sat silently on the edge of the bed, his gaze lingering on your tranquil, sleeping form. The mattress creaked softly under his weight, causing your steady breathing to hitch momentarily before settling back into a gentle rhythm. He brushed his fingers across your cheek, a surge of longing filling his heart. He had missed you. Those brief moments in the mornings, stolen before you left for work or he had to attend to his business, were never enough. Yet, he cherished every fleeting second, treasuring these quiet moments when he could simply watch over you.

He knew you held no resentment towards him, not even when he returned home later than promised, body weary and mind burdened by his actions, like tonight, and countless other nights. He understood that you wouldn't pry, wouldn't demand every detail of his whereabouts, because that wasn't your way, and for that, he was deeply grateful. It meant you could stay just a little bit safer. You never asked for more than he could offer, only requesting that he come back to you when he could, to reassure you of his presence, to let you know he was still breathing.

Of course, he would. He'd move heaven and earth, and blow the top off that damn mountain just to fulfil his promise to you. No matter the challenges, he would find his way back to you, and you'd greet him with open arms, washing away his sins and soothing his wounds with tender kisses. You'd offer him everything a man like him could ever desire, and he knew deep down he never deserved it.

He didn't allow himself to linger on the thought of not being worthy of you. You'd never insinuated it, not even during the fiercest arguments. You never stooped to using his vulnerabilities against him. It was evident to all that Boyd's Achilles' heel was you, yet you always made him feel invincible, as though he could stand against any adversary in Harlan County. And there were many, especially with the Oxy trade dwindling with the arrival of the new preacher and the drastic measures Boyd had to employ to protect not just his business, but your shared future together.

You often credited Boyd with rescuing you from a life confined to cleaning tables in seedy bars, but the truth was far deeper: you had saved him. Boyd harboured no illusions about his criminal past; he knew the trajectory it set for his future. Yet, it was you who prevented him from plunging too deeply into the shadows of his upbringing. The thought of returning home to you, regardless of the hour, was the sole beacon that guided him through the gruelling days of battling for control over Harlan County. He fought not just for the people or for himself, but for you, and for the possibility of a family you might one day bless him with —that was what made every struggle worthwhile.

You stirred beneath his touch, your lashes fluttering as your eyes slowly opened, bleary and seeking. A smile graced your lips as you spotted him, reaching out to rest your hand on his thigh, as if confirming he was really there.

"Was wondering when I'd see you," you murmured, your voice husky with sleep. Leaning in, he pressed a tender kiss to the tip of your nose.

"Time ran away from me," he confessed, his gaze soft as he regarded you. "I'm sorry, darlin'."

You studied him for a moment, the urge to inquire further tugging at your thoughts before you decided to let it go. "Time can be a tricky thing."

Allowing him to guide you up, you melted into his embrace as he held you close. His gentle fingers traced soothing patterns on your back, smoothing the fabric of his shirt that you wore to bed each night under his touch.

"I left dinner for you in the fridge," you reminded him, pulling back slightly to meet his eyes. "I'll join you."

He shook his head, drawing you back into his arms. "Not hungry," he murmured, planting a soft kiss on your neck. "Didn't mean to wake you."

"Well, you failed miserably," you teased, a playful chuckle escaping your lips as he shook you in his hold around your waist. You could feel his smile against your skin. "How could I sleep with you hovering over me like a ghost?"

He chuckled, releasing you and gently nudging your shoulder. You settled back against the pillows, observing him as he rose from the bed.

"You'd scold me if I didn't kiss you goodnight," he remarked, a fond smile on his lips as he removed his pocket watch and set it on the bedside table. He held your gaze as he began to unbutton his waistcoat. "You ask every morning."

You hummed in agreement, running your thumb over the smooth surface of the brass watch. In the early days, you had made it a habit to stay awake during Boyd's late nights, eager to be alert in case his dealings took a dangerous turn and he needed to be patched up. It had occurred a few times, though not recently. Boyd Crowder was the sharpest mind in Harlan—few managed to outsmart him.

Your new job had demanded more from you, and though you had offered to resign, Boyd had insisted that one of you must earn through legitimate means. He had encouraged you to attend training school, funded the evening studies through unconventional channels and sang about how this new role was going to be a step in cementing the future you'd both dreamed of. Nevertheless, it had taken a toll on you, and you found yourself less vigilant than you were before, despite the anxiety that had kept you alert during those initial months, worrying about his safety.

He didn't mind, of course. He reassured you that he was simply grateful to return home to you, for the comfort and warmth you provided him, and for the graciousness with which you welcomed his associates, despite your reluctance for your home to serve as a meeting place during desperate times. He never made you feel inadequate, even when he was out risking his life to carve out a brighter future for both of you.

You had both settled into a familiar routine, one that left you both yearning for more but ultimately grateful when the day ended and you found solace in each other's embrace.

As the covers shifted, a chill swept over you, but Boyd swiftly slid beneath them, now dressed only in his underwear, and nestled closer to you. He gently retrieved the pocket watch from your hand, leaning over to place it back on the table, before wrapping his arm around your waist. You lay on your back, gazing up at the ceiling, your fingers tangling in his thick hair as he nestled against your chest, finding comfort in your embrace.

A myriad of thoughts raced through your mind, a multitude of questions that remained unspoken as you focused on the steady rhythm of your shared breaths. Sometimes, you felt the urge to uncover everything, to strip away all secrecy and confront the raw reality of what Boyd endured each day. Yet, you quickly reminded yourself—that wasn't your place. Your role was to support him while maintaining a certain level of ignorance. It was crucial, Boyd had insisted, in case you were ever questioned about him. Which you were, often, if not by nosy neighbours from the holler then by your lawman colleagues. You had been prepared for every instance though, it was Boyd who had thrown you into the belly of the beast after all.

You loved Boyd deeply, trusting him with your life because you understood it was the thing he valued most. If he required you to play a part, then that's what you would do. You'd remain silent, tend to his wounds, and hold him close, serving as the anchor he needed to prevent him from drifting too far out to sea.

His lips traced a tantalizing path over your collar bone, up your neck, and across your chin until they met yours in a soft, lingering kiss. A contented sigh escaped you as you melted into him, his hand exploring the contours of your body, caressing your side, gliding over your stomach, and tracing down your thigh. He grasped, stroked, and savoured every inch of you, his tongue intertwining with yours in a passionate dance.

Your hand slipped from his hair, instead cupping one cheek as the other tenderly stroked his jaw, rough with the stubble that grazed your thumb. He moaned against your lips, a sound laden with desire and need, but reluctantly pulled away, pressing one final kiss against the corner of your mouth before meeting your gaze with weary eyes.

"How long do I have you for?" he inquired, his voice heavy with longing, and you glanced over to the clock beside the bed. The red digits stared back at you, marking the finite moments of your togetherness as you let out a resigned sigh.

"Four hours," you replied, meeting his gaze once more. He nodded, a solemn smile touching his lips as he sank back onto the mattress. Extending his arm, he invited you to snuggle against his chest, and you accepted, finding solace in the warmth.

"What if you didn't go?" he murmured, his voice tinged with a hint of uncertainty, his fingers tracing soothing circles on the top of your arm. You chuckled softly, tightening your embrace around him as the notion settled into your mind.

"I'm not sure the Harlan County Sheriff's Department would appreciate their employees playing hooky," you replied with a teasing grin. "Even if it's just a lowly trainee like me."

"Oh, I'm sure Mr. Parlow could manage without you for one day," he replied with a playful smile, then his expression turned mischievous as he looked down at you. "Perhaps I could persuade him, given our history."

You shook your head, a glint of amusement dancing in your eyes. Boyd always teased about using his influence to manipulate your work schedule—leaving early, extending your lunch break—but you were adamant about keeping your relationship with him separate from your professional life, regardless of his hand in it. You knew he could pull strings if you asked, but it was important to maintain a sense of independence.

"You did mention we needed to keep Shelby on our side," you reminded him with a playful smile. "I'm pretty sure that's how I ended up agreeing to those early shifts in the first place."

He chuckled softly and leaned in to press another kiss to your nose. "You've got me there, darlin'," he admitted, his voice tinged with affection. "Just wish I had more time with you, is all," he whispered, his thumb gently tracing along your lip before stroking down your chin.

You bit your lip, weighing the possibilities and outcomes in your mind as you gazed up at him. "Perhaps just the morning wouldn't hurt. I'll bring them coffee to make it up—do you think that'll help? Maybe Shelby won't be too upset," you proposed, searching his eyes for reassurance. His gaze softened, a bright grin spreading across his face.

"Oh, baby, I don't think anybody could stay mad at you," he declared in wonderment, and you couldn't help but chuckle. He wasn't merely being sweet—being Boyd Crowder's partner came with its perks as well as its drawbacks, one being that those who didn't want to cross him tended to steer clear of you. It seemed that extended to the Sheriff's department as well.

"I'll call in the morning," you decided, determination firm in your voice.

You rested your head back against his chest, snuggling closer into him as his arms enveloped you, his chin resting atop your head as he spoke softly. "I do believe this'll be the best sleep I've had in a while."

You smiled contentedly against him, feeling the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat beneath your ear. Closing your eyes, you surrendered to the embrace of sleep, your dreams filled with the promise of the morning ahead, shared with Boyd, where every moment, no matter how seemingly ordinary, was something to look forward to.

#boyd crowder x reader #boyd crowder x gn!reader #boyd crowder imagine #boyd crowder fic #fic request #walton goggins #gn reader #justified #justified fx #justified fanfic #justified x reader #fluff fic #comfort fic

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ballad-of-birdy-lamb · 1 year

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hi!! i thought i'd send in a request for lucy gray baird! i was thinking maybe hurt/comfort set in the arena, where reader gets injured and either lucy helps them or has to leave them alone for a bit for whatever reason? gn reader preferred but i don't mind too much!

can't wait to read your writing in the future! no pressure to write this specifically though, of course <3

— @aubeystawby

I'm so excited to write about Lucy Gray, she is such a cool character. And thank you for reposting my requirements list! Also, I'm sorry if she's OOC, I've never written for her and haven't read the book in a couple of months.

Lucy Gray Baird x Gender neutral! Reader (hurt/comfort)

Warning: mention of murder, blood, description of wounds, spoilers for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and hand-holding!

Keep in mind: the story can be taken in a platonic or romantic way. There are no kissing or romantic gestures but the way it is written can be taken either way.

Gliding one hand along the arena wall, you covered your eyes from the sun. The sun beamed down onto your skin, bathing you in warmth, but it wasn't pleasant. The midsummer heat and the humidity in the arena made it unbearable. It felt disgusting being in the sun from how little you had eaten in the past couple of hours.

When was the last time you had eaten a full meal? Maybe the night before reaping day. You couldn't have eaten anything the actual day from nerves. Your mentor barely gave you food from the days in the monkey house. The closest semblance of food you had received was from Capital citizens, which was minute and didn't help your appetite. You just had to hope your mentor pitied you enough to feed you now.

Hunger pains washed over your body, climbing through your body in waves. You wrapped your arms around your stomach, hoping the pains wouldn't last as long as the last time. Your prayers weren't answered, rather, the pains lasted nearly twice as long. Loud and deep breaths were heard coming from you as you keeled over.

When the hunger pains had left, you glanced around the dirt-covered arena, wanting to find any semblance of food. Perhaps another tribute willing to trade food for something. But what would you give? The only thing you had was a roll of bandages and a small knife. You could always threaten them. But it probably wouldn't have worked, the other tributes presumably had more than you. No point in that option.

You reminded yourself to stay focused, being in your head was not somewhere you wanted to be, especially in this place.

Your eyes glide over the surrounding area. The walls looked the same, a beige and dirty tone, it seemed to suck life from the already lifeless building. But the vibrancy of the six flags of Panem hung on the walls brought it back. Or rather five flags. One was gone and laid over several bodies in a large area of the arena.

Reaper’s graveyard. It brought a sense of disgust to you. The idea that they will always have Panem over them, even in death, made you pity them.

You didn't feel to count the bodies, rather, your eyes were drawn to a body in a small corner of the arena. It was a male tribute's body, several water bottles lay next to his body. You gave up discerning the identity of the tribute at the sight of a handkerchief over its face.

Buzzing sounds filled the silence as you looked up at a drone slowly flying toward you. It held a bread roll in its metal claw. A grin crossed your face as you reached your hand for the drone. At the sight of the bread in its metal hand, your mouth watered. Thank god your mentor had mercy on you. You held your hand out before it dropped the roll into your hand. It left as quickly as it had come but you didn't pay any mind to it.

You were swift as you took large bites out of brown bread. The stale, crumbly bread fell apart in your mouth but you kept eating. It didn't matter that the food wasn't the greatest, it was good you were even given food at all. Your fingers tore the bread apart rapidly. The feeling of hunger made the bread taste twice as good.

You were barely three-quarters through the bread when the small sound of metal hitting concrete filled the air. Your body stiffened. Silence filled the emptiness as you looked around quickly.

Your eyes trailed over the walls of the arena, then to the tunnel entrances. Your grasp on your knife tightened as you listened for anything else.

You were expecting one of the tributes to come running at you with a blade or an axe. Hell, you were expecting Reaper.

But the idea of someone getting their hand on a trident wasn't something that crossed your mind.

Heavy footsteps overtook the quiet and they grew closer. You didn't take a chance to look at who was running after you as you run for the channel entrance. A boy's voice yelled for another tribute, the boy calling for Coral. It must have been Mizzen. He was the only tribute that was allied with the girl tribute. And he was the only other tribute with a trident.

It took barely a second for the trident to be thrown through the air and hit your leg. Your body hit the ground roughly as you cried out. Pain flowed through your body as you reached back for the weapon. You peek at the boy running for you, and you were correct. It was Mizzen. You pull the trident from your leg harshly.

The pain grew worse as the air touched delicately at your bleeding wound. You got up and threw the weapon in another direction. It wouldn't be smart to take the trident with you. The situation was already bad but it would be worse being hunted for taking someone's stuff.

The trident hit the dirt-covered ground loudly. Mizzen was quick to rush for the skewer. It gave you little time to run since it seemed he wasn't willing to leave you alive.

Your footsteps were heavy as you dash through the flickering tunnels. Reaching down to hold your wound, you turned corners swiftly and continued running.

Agony crept up your leg and sprouted in your nerves as you ran from the boy. Mizzen’s shouts filled the flickering channel as you rush past corners. It took everything in you not to scream and wail from pain.

Hot pain wafted through your body as you limped through the tunnels. You took swift turns around the corners, wanting to get rid of your attacker. Heavy gasps left your lungs, not only from running but also from agony in your leg.

The lights shine down onto your blood-covered limb. Your face contorted in agony as you held your leg with one hand. Mizzen’s footsteps slowly quieted as you ran deeper into the dark tunnels.

When you were sure Mizzen and Coral had given up their chase, you finally stop running and slow to a walk, a slow and painful walk. You ground your teeth as you took in deep breaths. Think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts. You reminded yourself.

You ultimately looked down at your wound, taking in the damage done to your limb. It was far more disgusting than you had thought. Blood ran down your leg, soaking your socks in reddish-pink tones. The trident had torn the muscles in your leg and putting any pressure proved painful.

Blood ran down your ankle and gradually covered the dark cement floor. Your breathing was heavy as you tried to unroll the gauze from your pocket. Tears cascade down your face as you hurriedly wipe dust and dirt from your wound, pain welling from the scratchiness of your clothes and the dirt.

You take deep breaths, trying to think happy thoughts so you can continue. You knew you couldn't be in the same spot for long. Another tribute would find you fast, and they wouldn't have mercy on you.

You looked at the remnants of the bread roll in your hand. The deep brown crust had become maroon from the blood it soaked up. Its insides were a pinkish hue. You cursed to yourself and threw the bread angrily at the wall, it hit with a soft ‘splat’.

You rigidly reached back into your pocket, withdrawing a small hunter's knife. Reaching for a piece of clothing, you cut at the fabric quickly. Threads came undone as you slash hastily but it didn't matter. You needed to make a tourniquet.

The soft clicking could barely be made clear. The tapping of shoes. Looking around the dingy hall, you're quick to grab your knife. Your breath is rigid as you give your best effort to stand. The pain in your leg seemed to claw at your body and nerves. You whined in pain but kept standing. Your good leg held most of your balance, while you kept your free hand against the curved wall. Your exhalation came as a pant.

You glared at the figure, guiding your knife to the woman in the dark. “Stay back!” You screeched, jutting the knife at the girl. She held her hands up, as though she was getting caught for something. You were still on guard when you started to piece together who the girl was. Her dress was vibrant, contrasting her tan skin. Oh, you knew who this was.

Lucy Gray.

It was obvious the arena warmth and stress had affected her. Her dark hair was tangled, and her forehead was sweaty, though her dress stayed vivid. You were slightly surprised she hadn't been killed yet, her dress could have given her away. But it must have been her sneakiness that kept her alive.

Even if she was a nice person, you knew not to back down. No matter how nice she was, you knew her survival was always number one for her. No matter how sweetly she spoke, you didn't want to look away from her out of worry she would attack.

Lucy Gray stepped into the light, showing herself fully. There were no noticeable weapons on her. The only thing pointing out that she had something on her would be one side of her rainbow ruffles hanging lower than the other. Something was in her pocket.

“(Y/n), I know how scared you must be. I saw your interaction with Mizzen, it didn't look too pretty,” Lucy Gray spoke, acknowledging the gaping wound on your leg with worry. “Yeah, no shit,” You retort, keeping a hard expression as you exhale through your teeth.

“I can help you, I have water to clean your wound. Plus, I want you to be my ally for the rest of the Games. I lost my District partner and you're just as alone as I am,” Lucy Gray seemed saddened at the mention of her District partner. Wasn't it Jessup? You couldn't remember properly. You stared daggers into her wordlessly. The only sound that could be heard was your loud breathing.

Your brain gradually shifted from her hurting you to the idea of partnering with her. Lucy Gray was popular in the Capital, everyone knew that. Partnering with her would have a lot of benefits since she has a lot of sponsors. Which meant food, lots of it.

Blood dripped onto the floor in large droplets, but you didn't pay attention to it. The only thing you were worried about was Lucy Gray. “(Y/n), if you don't let me help you, you're gonna bleed out,” she muttered and took a step closer. At the small action, you slashed at the air in front of her. You blinked lazily. Your breathing grew staggered as you slowly became lightheaded. You swallow thickly as you fall over onto the hard concrete.

Your body hits the ground with a thud. Silence follows as Lucy Gray peered down at you. She is quick to get closer, reaching into her rainbow ruffles to grab something. As you recover sluggishly, you immediately swing your knife at the closeness between you and the girl. Seeing her reach into her pocket, you sliced at the air near her with more intent.

You pointed the knife at Lucy Gray, giving her an angry yet weak stare. “Get away! Stay back!” You exclaimed as you used your free hand to trudge your body along the dirt floor. The dirt gradually covered your clothes as you tried to move away from the girl. You groan as the skin near your cut got dragged along the cement flooring. Tears ran down your face from the pain but you kept going. Pushing yourself farther from Lucy Gray, even if it was only a couple of inches.

Your body grew weak as the soreness in your body grew. Lucy Gray watched you closely, acting as though you were a hurt animal. You used your free hand to wipe the tears

Yet, she didn't try to hurt you. She simply gave you a saddened look as she tried stepping closer. “I'm not going to hurt you,” Lucy Gray spoke in a soft tone.

“How... How should I know you won't?” You bellow, your words coming out slowly from the pain of your wound.

Lucy Gray expressed her tenderness with a slight smile. She calmly reached into the ruffles of her rainbow dress. Your eyes stay fixed on Lucy Gray, the knife never pointing away from her. She didn't mind the knife and your angry gaze. She must have understood your fear, this was the Hunger Games after all, and you couldn't trust anyone. She finally pulled her hand out of the ruffles, attaining a clear bottle of water and a dark compact. She shook her colorful skirt, hoping to prove she had nothing else.

“I don't have anything else, see?” Lucy Gray smiled graciously, putting the compact back in her pocket. Her movements were slow and steady. She kneeled, laying the clear bottle on its side, and rolled it to you.

You eye the bottle and Lucy Gray, looking between the two swiftly. Your body grew weak as your arm holding the blade faltered. “(Y/n), I don't plan on hurting you. I know you don't trust me and I respect that, this isn't the place to trust anyone,” Lucy Gray took a step closer.

The lights in the tunnels flickered as you gaze up at her. Each second gave the impression of hours. Each time you blinked, it felt like a day. You lowered the blade bit by bit until it rested at your side. You placed yourself against the wall and grabbed the water bottle, acting as though you were reluctant. Lucy Gray looked pleased by you wordlessly accepting her offer, so she sat down next to you.

Some part of you wanted to push her away, maybe even point the knife at her but you were too weak. Instead, you held the bottle to Lucy Gray, letting her take it from you. She took it from you carefully, as though the small action of taking it too fast would hurt you.

You kept your focus on her, even if your vision was dazed and a bit blurry. The girl poured water onto her dirt-covered fingers, washing the soot off before turning the bottle to your wound. You braced yourself as you felt the lukewarm water run against your injury. Waves of discomfort washed through your body but you didn't try to stop Lucy Gray from helping you.

Her touch was gentle, her fingers caressing the skin around the bloody injury. The blood stains on her fingers greatly contrasted with her tan skin.

Every touch on the sensitive skin and flesh was painful. Lucy Gray was careful, her touch was only uncomfortable. She took the knife from your grasp and brought it to finish cutting the clothing you had started. But she didn't use it immediately. She set the cloth onto her vibrantly covered lap, reaching for the roll of bandages.

You were somewhat faster to grab the knife from her, not wanting her to change her mind about helping you. Light glinted off the dirty blade, shining a small light onto the floor. It brought a small ounce of happiness to you. It was childish but it was nonetheless fun to move the reflected light. You twisted the handle and the reflected shine glided over the cement. Even if the blood loss was causing your change in mood, a smile crossed your lips as you moved it again.

Lucy Gray looked between taking care of your injury and at your complexion. The smile brought a small sense of comfort to her. Knowing that you were able to keep your mind off the wound, even if it was childlike, brought Lucy Gray a kind of reassurance. She didn't stress to take the blade from you too.

She instead focused on your leg. She wrapped the bandages tightly around the bloody wound, which caused you to wince. Lucy Gray shushed you calmly. “Take deep breaths, think happy thoughts,” she muttered as she kept up with her care. You nodded. Instead of going back to distracting yourself, you took in the details of her corset.

It was beautiful, the corsets design drew you in. Two snakes tied as a bow, a beautiful primrose in the center, and katniss flowers painted around it. A lovely primrose protected by katniss, ain't that sweet?

When your attention was led back to your leg, Lucy Gray had already finished. Your leg was covered in stained bandages, your thigh tightly wrapped with a tourniquet made from a part of your clothes.

Lucy Gray held the bottle of water to your mouth. You didn't reach for it but accepted her help with drinking from it. There was little left for you but you needed it, your mouth dry from drinking nothing for days.

When the bottle was finished, Lucy Gray smiled and set it to the side. She took your hand and encouraged you to move when she wanted you to. Lucy Gray wanted to move you like a puppet but you obliged. Her hands moved to your shoulder then your back, pulling you gently to face away from her.

The small action made you worry but you were too weak to ask her what she was doing. But your thoughts were answered fast when Lucy Gray pulled your head into her lap. The rainbow ruffles that decorated her skirt tickled the back of your neck.

You could feel Lucy Gray holding you close, yet her arms loose. You watched her as she smiled down at you, your head in her lap. The lively shades of red and purple made you feel as though you were in a flower bed. Lucy Gray’s voice came out quietly, it seemed she still thought you were weak. You were but you wouldn't admit that to her.

“I can get us food when we go into the arena again, but not now. I want you to rest, ok?” Lucy Gray said softly. Her hands were gentle as she touched you, her fingers gliding over your skin.

Your eyes fluttered as you stared up from her lap. The want to show that you didn't want to rest was prevalent in your head, you knew it couldn't be seen on your face. You wanted to grab your knife and force her to take you to get food but you realize it was a bad idea. Lucy Gray has the power in this situation. She could kill you if she wanted.

Your thoughts came to a stop as Lucy Gray started to sing, murmuring the words. The words were difficult for you to hear but it nonetheless brought comfort. She kept your head propped up on her lap. Her fingers traced an indiscernible pattern on the back of your hand. It was calming. And Lucy Gray was so sweet. As you had thought before, she could have murdered you with your weak stare, yet she took care of you.

Lucy Gray kept serenading you in a soft voice. The sound of her voice didn't carry far, it only carried to you and her. Lucy Gray sang for comfort, not only for you but for herself. Lucy Gray’s fear and stress were distinct. Her voice was slightly shaky and so were her hands. They kept grazing your skin, trailing her fingers along your arm. At her evident stress, you shifted your hand to intertwine with hers.

Lucy Gray’s voice somewhat faltered, not expecting your touch. But she didn't pull her hand away. She squeezed your hand and continued to sing. Her voice is stronger now.

Each touch comforted you, it almost made you feel like you were in an entirely different place. You weren't in the arena, you were in her comforting arms. You didn't feel the pain in your legs or the fear of the other tributes. You only felt Lucy Gray’s warmth.

Your eyes fluttered shut as the hymn made your fatigue grow. Your body loosened in Lucy Gray’s arms. She kept you close as the song she sang ended but continued to another. She belted out the tune with sympathy and kindness. Her voice brought so much comfort, the meaning of the song wouldn't have mattered to you. Lucy Gray could have sung about murdering people but it still would have carried a sweetness.

Exhaust filled your body but Lucy Gray spoke again.

“Good night, (Y/n). Sleep well,” Lucy Gray’s voice whispered with the evident sound of a smile. The words conveyed something to your mind, permission to sleep. Her words gave you acceptance to be weak (or weaker than before) with her.

And you finally slept. You slept in her arms, your head against her rainbow ruffles. You imagined you were in a field of beautiful flowers, rainbow flowers. Some part of you hoped that is where you would be when the Games are over.

Feel free to request any TBOSAS content if you liked this!

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mysticmiav · 9 months

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I wanna talk about Inej cuz GOD I love her so much. Her intro scene is one that I think goes not talked about enough which I think is a crime against humanity and I WILL be making my case your honour so buckle up.

This concerns scenes from SoC as well as CK, so be warned, a load of spoilers ahead.

So in that first chapter of SoC we are introduced to this absolute badass of a girl. She walks silently, steals secrets and defies gravity. The name they call her? The Wraith. How badass is that? God spared yall (and maybe even me but especially my parents) cuz if I was still doing gymnastics I would've broken my ankle trying to be a fraction of as cool as she is cuz fuck you Newton and fuck your gravity laws.

She is smart and quick witted; the whole scene at the exchange, Kaz counting on her to take care of the second guard, knowing she'll figure it out and manage, and her indeed making it on time.

But no, not only that. This deadly storm of a girl not only holds this guard at knifepoint, saving Kaz's ass from an embarrassing plan gone awry, being shot and possibly even death. She goes on and says, and I quote, "I like it when men beg, but this isn't the time for it."

????? Weird way of asking for my hand in marriage but all the same, yes.

We get to see that deadly, fear-worthy side of her, we see how she's an actual threat people take into account, cue the slippery edges so as to make her climbs harder (fools really, as if some grease and oil would stop her of all things)

But as if that wasn't enough, we also learn of the beliefs she holds dear and her kindness. The way she hesitates about leaving Big Bol alone after everyone else leaves, torn on saving him, getting him help or putting him out of his misery, and ends up sparing him a parting prayer.

She's someone who's been through unimaginably lot of shit, never seemed to catch a break, from being literally ripped away from her family, sent across the ocean and sold to the menagerie, a never ending stream of painful and shameful experiences in her life as an indenture there, and then trading that life for one of killing and stealing, and despite it all, despite all she's gone through and all she's seen, she holds dearly to her faith, to her memories and her hopes of better days, of a world free from this kind of pain. Arguably even more so because of her experiences.

She wonders if her Saints would forgive her if she took Van Eck's life not out of necessity, but out of revenge. Either way, she was willing to spend a lifetime of repenting and take that chance.

But even beyond that, she's faithful beyond belief. Jan-if I ever commit a hate crime it'd be against this miserable excuse of a man-van Eck, while not having actually broken her legs (although his only reason for stopping being Inej's words) it was evident he was willing to, he was going to, and he made it clear he still might on the next day if she doesn't talk by then.

Fast forward to the one and only "I would have come for you, and if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you," scene (am combusting as well I know).

I find it to be heavily implied which lengths Inej was willing to go before Jan managed to draw a word out of her; her asking Kaz if he would have come for her when she couldn't scale walls or steal secrets for him anymore implies, in my opinion, what she already saw as the outcome of her captivity at Van Eck's hands. She already was thinking of that future, not just because of that growing, nagging doubt of her role in Kaz's life (whether she really was only an investment or if he'd cared in any way more than that about her), but also because no matter what, she wouldn't have given her crew away like that. She already made up her mind; she'd give that icky bastard some locations that had nothing to do with this, and Jan could break every bone in her body but will find no words of hers helpful, and I just worry of and for that girl.

She made that six-story high climb up a burning chimney with a tight time span, she climbed silos that are twenty storys high with an even tighter window of time, she walked a wire on that height and would've walked many more had things gone according to plan (thanks, Dunyasha), she climbed up shipping containers with a knife stabbed at her side, more or less to ensure she did her best for the crew that was counting on her. She would rather end it herself than find herself captive in those enemy's hands, this playing both into her loyalty as well as her history with captivity and what it meant for her.

She is the Wraith, with a reputation that proceeds her, and she also knows how crucial her skills are, how much her crew depends on her, how many of the plans center on and are weaved around her abilities, but she is also fully aware of her limits, fully acknowledging of her betters (Dunyasha you scare me, genuinely). She is religious and holds her faith very dear, but has made peace with the lives she's taken and will continue to take.

Many people see her as Dirtyhand's Wraith and fear her for her association with him, for his uses of her and the things she does at his bidding, but she is scary in her own light and I don't think people should fuck with that.

When she came for Pekka that night, carved in knife right above his heart, promised him a second slash if he thinks of coming back to Ketterdam, she made the once-proclaimed king of the barrel remember pain and fear.

And as if that didn't shake the man enough, she also made sure to replace his son's lion stuffed doll with a fucking crow, so that he'd see it when he inevitably ran to check in on his kid amidst his blood and panic. She gave this man enough mental damage to warrant endless psychiatric help and a lifetime of cowering, fear and paranoia (totally warranted am 100% in support)

She wears her heart on her sleeve; not in the sense of being naive, but in the sense of not being scared of displaying her emotions and thoughts. Her sentiments aren't random, because she always made it clear she cares for the people around her, she will go out of her way to protect them at her own expense and she will nurture those friendships she's built. Her suli subverbs and beliefs don't come off as a surprise, not to anyone around her and not to us as readers because she proudly displays her faith.

Many times, it felt like people, even Kaz, saw her faith as her weakness, something to be exploited, her sentiments something to poke fun at and use to taunt her with, but it's what makes her stronger. It's these thoughts and feelings that keep her going and keep her fighting. It's these friendships and heartfelt moments that she pushes herself over the edge for, and it's that dream just out of reach that rekindles her spirits even brighter than ever, and there's something so beautiful and heartwarming in it and about her that I can honestly spend this new year dissecting and talking about because am insufferable with a rotting hyperfixation. Why are you still here? Jkjk thankyou for reading this brain vomit of thoughts see you in my next tedtalk maybe. Btw if it wasn't glaringly clear I love SoC and Inej lol

#inej #inej ghafa #inejghafa #six of crows inej #six of crows #soc #soc fandom #soc inej #grisha #grishaverse #six of crows spin off #six of crows spoilers #mia talks books ig #welcome to my brain rot #six of crows fandom

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woosaaghh · 9 months

Text

Spoilers for Wyll's story!

I'm so fucked up about Wyll's storyline. He has quite literally never made a selfish choice in his life. He exudes goodness in almost every interaction the player has with him. His kindness is infectious, his optimism is overwhelming. He spends every moment thinking of how to help others simply because he thinks it's the right thing to do. He's been that way since he was a boy, going so far as to be entrapped by Mizora into trading his soul to save Baldur's Gate. He's 17 years old and has never made a selfish decision in his life, but his father can't give him so much as the benefit of the doubt. He makes a life for himself as a savior of the people, and then gets kidnapped by mindflayers and infected with a mindflayer tadpole and his immediate reaction is "Whelp guess I'd better go help these tiefling refugees near where I crash landed from this spaceship."

In my playthrough I saved Florrick with Wyll, speaking with him made her choose not to give up and hold on to hope, she thanked him for helping her see it wasn't too late. What a lovely interaction. That night we spoke to Mizora and she offered Wyll his freedom, I told him to take it. The next day when I entered the city the same Florrick came and literally spat at my Tav's feet, told me that she was there for Wyll's head because Mizora said he killed his father because he was mad with power. The man who saved her life THE DAY PRIOR.

No one in this damned game other than the tadfools are ever willing to give Wyll the benefit of the doubt, nothing he could ever do would be worth them having faith in him. He accepts his banishment as his father doing what he believed was right and never resents him for it, still loves and misses him. He takes on Mizora's punishment for not killing Karlach without flinching because he knows what he did was right and Karlach deserves to live. At the tiefling party he isolates himself to keep from making others uncomfortable with his devilish appearance. And he's so alone: no mother, his father abandoned him, he has been travelling alone for the past 8 years just helping whoever he sees in need of it. Then, when you go through the steps of saving his father, that ass is willing to make Wyll a villain again, until Tav steps in and shares their memories. You needed a stranger to show you all of this to believe your own child wasn't evil incarnate? Was it not enough to have known him, did you ever even actually see your boy when he was in front of you?? Or was he just something to be molded and thrown away when you thought he didn't turn out right?

As someone who grew up closeted and still am to my relatives outside of my immediate family Wyll's tragedy hits far too close to home for me, the idea that no matter who you show that you are or what you do, the people you love the most, who are supposed to love you, are willing to drop you immediately and take back their love because of a single fact about you, without ever trying to understand more.

Wyll's story may not be as hard of a life as some of the others, but it messes me up in a way I hadn't expected. I wish Wyll had more story, and I wish I could use the tadpole to mentally berate and verbally eviscerate Ulder Ravengard for 30 real life minutes about how no matter how honorable and just he may be seen as in the eyes of the people of Baldurs Gate that he'll always be a failure of a man and a father.

(Also, I understand that they all have grounds in reality: terminal illnesses, chronic pain, indoctrination, physical and sexual abuse. But for the severe lack of Wyll content in the game you sort of have to read between the lines for it to hit as hard as it did me, it just made me wish there was more exploration of Wyll's feelings in game.)

#wyll ravengard #baldur's gate 3 #baldurs gate iii #the blade of frontiers #the blade of avernus #my post

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stellar-constellations · 1 year

Note

ive got 0 idea if you takes reqs, but i recently finished your yuri briar x reader AND IM IN LOVE

so.

we got a slightly sick yuri, but what about an extremely ill y/n that yuri has to take care of ? with his stubborness theres sure to be some aruging

of course, if youre not feelig up to oneshots, some cute headcannons for them whould be awesome !!

youre such a great writer mwah i hope you have a good day !! :3

Sick! Fem! (Y/N) x Yuri Briar

This can be read with or without reading my Yuri Briar x Fem! Spy! (Y/N) series: An Alliance (part 1).

Beware! This fic DOES contain SPOILERS for the manga and for the Yuri Briar x Fem! (Y/N) series: An Alliance!

Setting is AFTER the reader rejoined WISE (so Yuri and (Y/N) are married and [Y/N] becomes an official double-spy).

I rarely get sick. I think part of that is because of all the viruses and infectious pathogens I've been exposed to growing up. Growing up in the poor side of Luwen, Westalis. Joining the Westalis military and watching as doctors with not enough medical experience or knowledge bullshit their way through life-threatening procedures or even unknown viruses from Ostania get tons of syringes jabbed in their shoulders. Traveling through countries and hiding in sometimes very unhygienic places as a spy. All of those factors has probably helped with my strong immune systems.

There's been times where I've been sick that it's completely left me bedridden for days, sometimes even a week or two, at a time. Every once in a blue moon, I'd get a common cold or sore throat, but if I can walk, then I can work.

I figured today must've been one of small common cold days when I woke up with a foul taste in my mouth. You know when you're sick and you have that awful taste when you cough? It's taste like that sour, off-putting taste.

I ignored the system and buried my head back into my pillow, hearing the annoying alarm shut off thanks to Yuri.

"(Y/N), it's time to get up." Yuri spoke.

We've both grown used to this routine now. Yuri spends a good ten minutes trying to drag me out of bed while I lay motionless, purposely ignoring him as I try to go back to bed.

Today, however, I feel even more tired than usual. It feels awfully hot under these covers and my body feels really sore, almost numb.

"Come on. Don't start this today! You know we have an important meeting with the Director!" Yuri groaned, getting back on the bed to crawl over to my side and grabbing my arm.

Right, the meeting with the Director. I'm supposed to go over there and discuss any new information on WISE in correlation to the chase with Winston Wheeler (and Twilight).

Me and Yuri finally healed up enough to where we can be sent back to work. I was getting real sick of that liquid diet, I never want to have soup for breakfast, lunch, and dinner ever again (Yuri can agree with me on this). My broken nose is also healed too so now I can stop wearing that stupid bandage.

Apparently, there's been a security breach in the SSS's latest website and I'm supposed to narrow down a list of potential suspects that could've caused the breach. I contacted The Handler last night and had her conduct a list of unfortunate Ostanian civilians to place blame on. I don't like having to bring innocent people into such matters, but I don't really have a choice. If the SSS finds out I'm still working with WISE, I'm royally screwed. The work the agents in WISE are given is far too important to sacrifice, so unfortunately I'm going to have to trade in unsuspecting civilians in order to keep the peace between Ostania and Westalis.

I already know the true perpetuator of who caused that security breach; it was me. I needed information on Winston Wheeler so I hacked into the SSS's security files and emails and got information, then I snuck into city hall and got some public files of Ostanian citizens with the information I learned and was able to identify WISE's mole with just a tad bit of luck. The whole operation almost costed me my head with how I almost got exposed as a WISE agent to Yuri in the sewers along with almost dying to Winston (I'll never say this to her face, but thank God that Nightfall came when she did).

"Fine, fine..." I groaned, moving my hair out of my eyes and slowly sitting up from my bed.

I stood up from the bed and felt lightheaded, whiteish-black dots appearing in my vision as my body temperature raised and a nauseous feeling came over me, my ears ringing as I felt the dull thud of myself collapsing onto the carpet.

I saw nothing for a long time, but a short time as well. I was able to regain my vision and found myself on the floor with Yuri hovering over me.

Damn, I fainted.

I've fainted a lot in my lifetime to the point it's probably unhealthy now. Exhaustion, extreme sickness when I'm bedridden, and sometimes even just from changing position too fast or standing in the same position for too long. By now I'm very aware of the symptoms, I just usually believe I can fight through it and continue on (the amount of times I coaxed myself into believing this then fainting afterwards is absolutely foolish of me by now).

"(Y/N)? Are you okay?" Yuri questioned, a concerned expression on his face.

"I tripped over my feet." I lied.

"You sure stayed on the ground for a while. You weren't responding to me." Yuri responded, a bit suspicious.

"I was hoping you'd leave me alone so I could go back to bed." I lied, again.

"Seriously? Come on, we've got work to do." Yuri sighed, grabbing my nightgown's sleeve.

Luckily my sleeve was covering my arm so he wouldn't come into direct-contact with my skin and feel how hot it is.

"Do we want to cook breakfast or go grab some?" Yuri questioned, lifting me up from the ground with ease, placing me on my feet as I mumbled a "thanks".

"Let's go out. I don't feel like cooking. I'm still sleepy." I responded, watching as Yuri walked to his closet and grabbed a pair of mundane office clothes.

"I was thinking the same thing. It'd be quicker too." Yuri commented.

I inhaled deeply, feeling as though I couldn't breathe through my nose. I still felt light-headed and I feel like I'll topple right over if I take a step forward.

"Can you choose my clothes today? I don't wanna." I breathed out, crawling back into bed and staying above the covers since it felt too hot to get under them.

"Don't plan on falling back to sleep. I will drag you into the car with you still in your nightgown if I have to." Yuri grumbled, shooting me a glare but walking to my closet nonetheless.

He looked through the hanging clothes before grabbing a green sweatshirt and finding a pair of blue jeans on a shelf. He threw the clothes at me as I worked up the energy to get today started.

"You better be dressed by the time I'm done changing." Yuri emptily-threatened, grabbing his own clothes and walking into the bathroom.

I huffed, wanting to do anything but get out of bed, yet I decided to listen to him. He's right, today is an important day. It'll help me prove my innocence to the SSS (and I have to make sure I keep Donnie's little trap shut in case he decides to put his two-bits in and expose that I was gone during the whole mole hunt.

I stood up from the bed, ignoring my wobbly head and aching head as I changed into the clothes Yuri picked out for me. It's funny that even though we're both basically married now (just without throwing a real wedding), we still change in separate rooms. I'm completely fine with that though, it's nice to take things slow.

I grabbed sock and brown boots and slipped them on, then immediately fell back onto the bed to get at least an extra minute or two of rest.

Yuri came out and looked at me, crossing his arms as he stared at me with his laser eyes.

"Are you sure you're okay? Your throat sounds sore. Do you want a cough drop?" Yuri questioned.

"I'm just really tired." I spoke, adverting eye contact.

"Should we get coffee too?" Yuri asked, tying his boots on.

"Yeah, that's a good idea." I nodded, raising my hand up in the air for Yuri to grab.

He grabbed my hand without question and lifted me off our bed, allowing me to plant my feet back on the ground. I reached for my glasses on the dresser (if you wear any) and grabbed my wallet, shoving it into my pocket.

"You're really hot." Yuri commented.

"Thanks." I smiled, still having some energy to mess with Yuri.

"I meant your skin is hot. Are you really sure you're feeling okay?" Yuri questioned, his concerned expression appearing.

"I'm fine! I'd tell you if I feel off, so don't worry about it, love." I spoke, giving him a smile in hopes to reassure him.

His shoulders released some tension, but they still weren't fully relaxed, so he doesn't believe me just yet.

"I just have a small cold, nothing I can't handle. Now let's go, we still have work to do." I spoke, grabbing his hand and leading him to the door through blurry vision.

I bumped into the door and huffed, feeling around for the handle.

"(Y/N), that's a wall. The door is behind us." Yuri pointed out.

On normal days, he'd chuckle about how much of a dumbass I am, but today he seems really in-tune with my physical state.

"My vision is still blurry 'cause I'm tired." I spoke, coming up with that stupid excuse on spot.

"Here, let me help you." Yuri spoke, guiding me over to the bedroom door as he opened it, pushing me through before walking out and closing it behind him.

"I got the rest." I reassured, taking a few steps forward to go to the front door.

I stopped once I felt my stomach start to turn and my vision start to blur once more. My ears started ringing and it felt like I was swaying from side to side.

I took silent deep breaths to calm myself down and hopefully settle my immune system, all while Yuri stood behind me, closely observing me.

"Are you sick?" he finally questioned.

"No." I huffed stubbornly, gathering my energy to take another step.

It was a terrible idea as I immediately fell forward, my body going limp as I couldn't control my feet or hands or anything any longer. Even though I was unconscious, I felt pressure under my head and on my wrist. I saw darkness again and waited for it to pass, before finally regaining my vision once more.

Yuri had his hand under my head, checking my pulse before making eye contact with me as the waves of blurriness started to fade from my sight. He gave me a look I'd never think I'd get shot my way for fainting, he gave me a scowl.

"I'm not sick." He taunted in a high-pitched voice.

"Oi! I don't sound like that!" I huffed.

"You told me you weren't sick. You said you'd tell me if you were feeling off, you little lying brat." Yuri huffed, moving his hand from under my head and allowing it to hit the ground with a thud!

"Ow..." I groaned, reaching up and grabbing my head as my head ached, probably a headache forming. "Jerk! I didn't treat you like this when you got sick!"

"I didn't lie when I got sick!" Yuri retorted.

"Y-yeah... but..." I paused, thinking of something to say. "Just shut up and help me!" I huffed.

"You're lucky I'm a nice guy." Yuri muttered, grabbing my hand and picking me up, throwing me over his shoulder.

He opened our bedroom door and placed me back down on our bed, making sure to keep the covers off me. He walked up to his separate nightstand and picked up the phone, sliding the rotary wheel to his desired digits until he raised the phone up to his ear.

"Hello, Director? This is Yuri Briar speaking. Me and (Y/N) Briar are going to take the day off, she's terribly sick and I don't trust her to be by herself. We can reschedule the meeting another day?" Yuri spoke

"Oi! I hear you!" I huffed, throwing a pillow at him (albeit weakly).

"Yes, that was her. She sounds terrible, huh?" Yuri spoke, now just taunting me.

"You're a horrible man..." I grumbled.

"Yes, sir. Thank you so much." Yuri spoke before hanging up the phone. "Looks like you're going to get your shut-eye after all."

"Thanks, Yuri!" I smiled.

"Do you think you can stomach anything? Do you want some soup?" he questioned.

"Yeah, I guess." I sighed.

"I'll go make you some. Now, you change into some more lighter clothes so you won't be as hot, then you can go back to sleep." Yuri ordered.

It really wasn't something I'd fight him on as I nodded, taking the pajamas I was wearing earlier from Yuri's hands. Yuri left the room as I changed, then got back into bed. I closed my eyes (taking off my glasses if needed) and listening to Yuri's command on some shut-eye.

Yuri woke me up sometime later, gently shaking me awake.

"Hey, wake up." Yuri spoke, coaxing me to waking up.

I opened my eyes to see Yuri's face. He picked me up from the bed and took me out and into the dining room, sitting me down on my dining table seat. A bowl of simple broth sat in front of me, something simple that I wouldn't throw up.

"You can eat on your own, right?" Yuri questioned.

"Nope." I smiled.

"Of course..." Yuri grumbled.

He grabbed his chair and pulled it up close to me, our knees touching as he lifted my chin up and grabbed the spoon.

"You should keep your distance if you don't want to get sick." I spoke.

"Don't worry about it. The only time I get sick is when Yor is out of town." Yuri spoke.

Right, I remember having to take care of him when Yor left a few days for her job at city hall. He's surprisingly easy to take care of since he doesn't talk as much when he's sick due to his aching throat. I thought.

"Open up." Yuri commanded.

I didn't put up a fight as I opened my mouth, taking a sip from the spoon.

"It's pretty good, Yuri." I complimented, opening my mouth for another spoonful.

"I got the recipe from a cookbook." Yuri admitted, scooping up some more and putting it in my mouth.

I finished the bowl and thanked him as he picked me up and carried me back to our room, placing me down on the bed.

"I'll be back. You just hang on a second." Yuri spoke, walking out of the room.

He came back with a towel and some medication in hand.

"Do you like medicine?" Yuri questioned.

"No, who does?" I questioned, looking at him funny.

"I mean, will you put up a fight?" he questioned.

"...I mean, I guess not since it's for my health?" I muttered.

"Good." Yuri smiled, twisting open the cap and pouring the dark red liquid into a small medicine cup.

He raised the spoon to my mouth as I sighed and opened my mouth, drinking the liquid. It tasted disgusting and I hated every drop of it, but I understood it was for my health.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Yuri. You didn't have to take the day off too to take care of me, but you did anyways. I appreciate it greatly." I smiled.

"It's the decent thing to do." Yuri muttered, not taking the gratitude.

"Don't underestimate your kindness, Yuri. I was just messing with you when I said you're horrible." I admitted.

"I know that much, dummy." Yuri huffed, flicking my forehead with his finger.

He pushed my chest for me to lean back on my pillow, then grabbed the cold wet towel and placed it on top of my forehead.

"Now get some more rest, I'll come check up on you in a bit." Yuri spoke.

"Thanks again, Yuri. I love you." I smiled, watching as his face started to match his eyes as he covered his mouth with his arm to hide his smile.

"Whatever... I love you too." He muttered softly, but I could still hear him.

The whole day Yuri tended to my needs as I got my well-deserved rest. It's nice to finally be able to sleep all day again, the last time I did that was years ago.

I can't remember the last time I was cared for when being sick. Before the war when I was a kid, I remember being bedridden for three days and being unable to do nothing. My dad was out working and my mom was sleeping because she worked night shifts as a nurse (she was able to find a hospital that allowed married women to work there), so she slept during the day and went to work at night.

My younger siblings couldn't take care of me because they were too young to have any medical knowledge. My older sister was out collecting rocks and my older brother was out with his friends. Even if they weren't busy, they still wouldn't be able to help me since they've never gotten sick (or at least didn't remember it).

Even after joining the military and ending up getting the Spanish Flu I wasn't care for. It was actually a miracle I survived it because of my age and size. I must've found a lucky penny or something around that time because I luckily didn't have any severe symptoms, but after seeing all the people dying around me from the illness, I took absolutely no chances to being transported in the crowded nursing tent. I stole a small tent and ran far out into the woods along with a bottle of medicine, eight water bottles, four cans of tomato soup, and a blanket, spending five nights out there before I finally felt better.

Because I didn't allow myself around any others to worsen my sickness, my Memory T-cells were able to identify and grow an immunity to the disease and I was able to overcome it.

Even when I became a spy, the first few missions I got sick pretty often because of all the traveling and sight-changes I had to endure, but I soon grew accustomed to the constant change in scenery all around Westalis and Ostania that my immune system was eventually able to get used to it.

But even then, it's nice to be cared for and pampered. The last time I got fed by someone was when I was two. The last time someone tucked me in for bed was when I was three. I never did have someone make me soup for when I'm sick, or give me a wet towel to place on my head, or even just give me a bottle of medicine.

Even those the gestures might be small and "what a decent human being does" as Yuri said—it means the world to me. To be swaddled in the warmth of protection and love, something I was once sure I'd never be able to experience again until I met Yuri Briar.

The ring on my finger isn't just a ring; it's an everlasting vow between two lives now connected through life and death, sickness and health, wealth and poverty. It's a pledge of undying adoration, sincerity, unwavering loyalty, and shelter; all of this for Mr. and Mrs. Briar to share with one another.

BONUS: Headcannons about Yuri and (Y/N):

Yuri and (Y/N) have their own seats at the dining table they silently assigned to themselves. Yuri's seat is the closest to the front door, he chose this seat in case (Y/N) ever does try to run away to go back to WISE (in actuality, it's so he can protect her if an intruder ever breaks in from there).

Believe it or not, Yuri and (Y/N) aren't much of physical lovers. The love languages in their relationship is quality time, acts of service, and (shockingly) words of affirmation.

(Y/N) can't detect sarcasm despite being sarcastic herself at times.

(Y/N) used sleeping as a coping mechanism growing up. She used it to escape from reality; the hardships of money and war, deception and betrayal. She slept so much she learned how to lucid dream on her own. Now she sleeps because she's tired often due to work.

(Y/N)'s always tired no matter how much sleep she gets; 30 minutes to a day. She once slept for 22 hours once and woke up feeling miserable. She slept for twenty minutes while waiting for a target during a mission and still felt like total shit; so no amount of sleep can truly make her feel 100% awake.

(Y/N) has problems with memorizing people and their names so she focuses on a certain attribute that helps her recognize a person (ex. someone's hair color, the shape of their eyes, their jacket).

(Y/N)'s memory isn't good either, she'll be in the act of cooking then forget she's cooking and walk away. Yuri now supervises (Y/N) to make sure she doesn't wander off and let the smoke alarm go off again.

If (Y/N) had the option to go to the past, future, or stay in the present, she would choose staying in the present in a heartbeat. She believes if she goes to the past she might mess something up that would make it so Yuri and (Y/N) never met, and she doesn't want to go to the future in case she discovers something then accidentally messes up the future by going to the present and changes actions that would've led her to something happy in the future to something disastrous instead.

Yuri's side mission in life is to try to discreetly find out (Y/N)'s favorite flower without being caught. He wants to surprise her but refuses to ask her for the answer. So far it's been a month of trying.

(Y/N) has absolutely no idea when she's being flirted with by someone other than Yuri because she doesn't believe it's possible that someone could actually have interest in her (she still secretly questions if Yuri's proposal was true or if it was a gig to gain trust for their contract).

Yuri has memorized every speckle of color in (Y/N)'s eyes because of how often he stares into them. He is a firm believer of giving someone his attention when they're talking with him.

Yuri does, indeed, like to mess with (Y/N) because he thinks it's cute when she gets frustrated.

When (Y/N) gave Yuri's mother brownies as an offering he cried in his car the entire time that (Y/N) talked to Yuri's mother. That day was the day Yuri started to lower his guard without even realizing it.

Even though Yuri and (Y/N) bicker a lot, they're very aware of their true feelings since they always look at each other's eyes when talking (the eye is the window to the soul after all).

It's a known fact that Yuri and (Y/N) always work with each other at the SSS. They help each other with listening to bugged rooms, Yuri listens and (Y/N) writes. Whenever they do interrogations, they're always in the room with each other in case one of the interrogators decide to get hostile. During raids, (Y/N) prefers to be lookout while Yuri heads into action. Even though (Y/N) doesn't like Yuri fighting with the possibility of getting injured or possibly even killed, (Y/N) doesn't like fighting up close due to the hostility she experienced in the military (the same applies with guns due to this).

Yuri learned about (Y/N)'s dislikes towards guns and does his best to get them both out of raids or missions that involve them. He doesn't want to have her forced into a situation that makes her uncomfortable or feel threatened.

Yuri and (Y/N) have come to the comprise that Yuri cleans and (Y/N) cooks after Yuri complained a lot about (Y/N) doing all the housework. Yuri doesn't like the thought of using (Y/N) like that, even if they live in the 1950's.

As previously mentioned in this fic, (Y/N) got the Spanish Flu. She got the Spanish Flu by walking into the nursing tent to bring a sick comrade in. While she was in there, she saw someone have a terrible reaction to the vaccine they were given, foaming through their mouth and blood pouring out of their eyes and nose, that started her intense fear of needles (want to know how Yuri helps? Check out this fanfic along with the head cannons in it!)

Yuri and (Y/N) like watching sci-fi movies and debating whether the events could one day be true or not. These debates get very heated, logical, and serious; some are still ongoing to this day.

Yuri's ([Y/N]'s really) teddy bear (teddy bear is introduced in the Yuri Briar x Fem! Spy! Reader series, part 9) is named Graham Cracker because of the fur's color (Yes, [Y/N] named it).

(Y/N) once had a dream of being an astronaut because she loved the stars so much. Now, she's not exactly sure what she wants to be career-wise, but she wants to be truly happy and have an ordinary life (which means ditching the SSS and WISE).

Yuri once took (Y/N) out on a roadtrip to go to a space museum out of Ostania. In the middle of the night he stopped the car on a hill and prompted (Y/N) out of the car and pointed up at the stars. Yuri's mind has the image of her stargazing engraved in his mind. (Y/N) had never seen as much stars as she did then and she started crying hysterically because it was the most considerate and romantic thing anyone had ever done for her. Yuri now takes (Y/N) out to see the stars at the same hill at least once a month.

Sometimes Yuri goes on complete rambles about Yor, specific adventures he had during missions, some biology facts he remembers from school, or even just Ostanian politics and (Y/N) would look at him with the world's brightest eyes and soft smile. Once he notices, his voice becomes softer and he stumbles over his wording a lot. (Y/N) will bring him back to with a soft "go on, love" despite hearing this subject hundreds of times before, and it'll officially explode Yuri's mind and heart.

(Y/N) got Yuri into Frank Sinatra and Doris Day songs. Yuri's mood could be terrible but if he hears any one of their songs he'll immediately start cheering up because of the memories their songs bring. His favorite is "Fly Me to the Moon" from Frank Sinatra and "It's Magic" from Doris Day. (Y/N)'s favorites are "Blue Moon" from Frank Sinatra and "Dream a Little Dream of Me" from Doris Day.

(Y/N) absolutely loves Christmas music. She loves decorating the apartment with festive lights and baking holiday foods. Yuri used to be indifferent about the holidays but now he can't wait for the next Christmas because of the first Christmas they spent with each other and the Forger family.

(Y/N) was given the code name "Vixen" because of how she lured and deceived others. She stuck to using her looks as a form of deception since she had a hard time switching personalities due to her morals and how opinionated she is.

(Y/N) hates receives gifts because it feels like she's indirectly using someone for money, being too needy, and now has a debt she needs to pay.

(Y/N) and Yor meet up every weekend after work to talk about work, their family, and get to know each other better since they're in-laws. (Y/N) still finds Yor scary, but now she's determined to protect Yuri because of how kind-hearted and nurturing she is. (Y/N) makes sure to walk Yor home so Yor doesn't get into any danger (unbeknownst to [Y/N], Yor is the true danger).

(Y/N) meets up with Camila and Yor once a month to teach Yor a new recipe. It's a really good bonding experience and it gives (Y/N) a healthy amount of social interaction without having to try and lie to anyone for ulterior motives. (Y/N) loves being able to call therm her friends since growing up she didn’t have any (that are still alive, that is. Twilight and Franky are like brothers).

Thank you so much for requesting! I love writing for Yuri, especially because of how dry the Yuri train is on Tumblr.

Want more Yuri content? Check out the Yuri Briar x Fem! Spy! reader series: An Alliance! Or perhaps something short and sweet? Check out another adored request WITH more head cannons!

Have any other requests? Check my masterlist to see the characters I write for: Masterlist

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vmplvr1977 · 9 months

Note

If Josie is in Clarke’s head, can she know when they fuck and read Clarke’s mind when she thirsts over Lexa ?

Oh, definitely! And she's gonna give Lexa shit over it in the next chapter! I don't normally do this, but I decided to add a snippet from the next chapter in my answer... it's not edited, so please forgive any errors.

Spoilers for the next chapter below the cut!!

"Ugh, you two are fucking insatiable," Her mother groaned, prompting an eye roll from Lexa.

"Stay out of my head, nomon," She grumbled. Her thoughts regarding Clarke were private, and the last thing Lexa wanted was her mother rummaging around in her mind while she lusted after her mate-to-be.

But, of course, her mother insisted on being obstinate. "I can't really help it, especially with you both drooling over each other nonstop. Do you have any idea how many times Clarke thinks about doing the nasty with you?"

Lexa fought the blush that dared to give her away. "We are not having this discussion."

Determined to change the subject, and avoid her mother, Lexa strode towards her cottage. She should have known her mother wouldn't drop the subject. Josephine Lightbourne was a bloodhound when it came to sticking her nose in her daughter's personal matters. Today would be no different.

"Oh, we are definitely having this conversation," Her mother insisted as she trailed behind Lexa with a determined gait. "Because you clearly haven't thought this out. Do you want to be knocked up for the next millennia? Cuz that's where this is headed."

Lexa let out an exasperated huff. "You must be joking, nomon! I'm a vampire, not a,"

"No, you're a Prime. Meaning you're just as capable of popping a few dozen pups out as the next omega," Josephine retorted. "I'd suggest you practice safe sex, but we both know that's out the window— especially with your 'you can only cum inside me' rule."

Her mother rolled her eyes, while Lexa's cheeks burned hotter than ever. This was a nightmare, one Lexa hadn't considered until now. She knew her mother could enter hers or Clarke's mind whenever she pleased. But she never imagined her nomon would stick her nose into Lexa's sex life.

"I'm not being judgy. Clarke's one hell of a catch," Her mother continued. "And no offense to your previous lovers, but you pretty much traded up from a rickety hunk of junk to a Ferrari."

Lexa didn't spare her mother a glance as she entered her and Clarke's cottage, slamming the door in Josephine's face. It was a major downgrade from the penthouse in Polis, but their hut was cozy, with room to grow. With the prospect of splitting time between the forest and Polis, Lexa had considered turning the extra bedroom into an office.

She'd hoped her mother would get the message and this discussion was over. But Josephine Lightbourne was almost as determined as Clarke. So, it was no surprise that Lexa's mother was sitting across from her with a smirk the moment her daughter plopped onto the couch.

"Go away," Lexa demanded.

"Look, I get it," Her mother offered. "You've been avoiding alphas since you were a kid, and Clarke's fucking irresistable. She's got your inner wolf ass up and tits out, which is totally understandable."

"Please stop," Lexa begged, burying her face in her hands as if it might make her mother vanish. But she knew better. When has Josephine Lightbourne ever let go of anything?

"Just between us girls, I kinda love your mate's body," Her mother smirked. "I mean, look at her, all muscly and confident. And she's good with pups? What girl or guy wouldn't fall for that?"

Lexa followed her mother's gaze out of the window, finding Clarke trotting proudly on four feet. It wasn't lost on Lexa that the wolf likely overheard their conversation. Knowing Clarke, the alpha didn't care if Lexa's mother knew they were fucking like rabbits.

In fact, she was reasonably confident Clarke was proud to be the one who sent Lexa tumbling over more times than the vampire could count. Wolves weren't ashamed of sex, as it was a major part of their lifestyle. Normally, Lexa wouldn't bat an eye on the subject. But this was her mother drooling over Clarke, making it wildly inappropriate.

"But you gotta be smart, Lex. Clarkey's got the equivalent of two state-fair size watermelons for a ball sack," Her mother unabashedly offered, further mortifying her daughter. "And you're letting her nut inside you?!"

"Oh, gods!" Lexa covered her face once more.

"I feel sorry for whoever has to clean your sheets," Josephine mumbled, shaking her head as she watched her daughter's lover rolling around on the ground.

"I'm begging you, nomon, please stop!" Lexa pleaded, refusing to meet her mother's gaze.

"And let's face it, you two have a lot of sex," Her mother continued. "When you're not, Clarke's thinking about it— like all the fucking time. Seriously, being in her head is like watching a fucking porno marathon."

"Em pleni, nomon (Enough)!" Lexa didn't mean to shout, but it seemed like her only option.

Still, it didn't deter her mother in the slightest.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm all for having a million grandkids running around, which is a low number given how insatiable you two are." Her mother rolled her eyes. "But I don't think you've thought this whole 'only cum inside me' rule of yours through— especially with her rut coming."

#f: whims/winds of fate/destiny #t answers stuff #josie being /that/ mom #wanheda's dagger 🗡

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sulatni-flerida11 · 10 months

Text

Spoilers for Secret Life Session 8

~ Cleo's POV

Video Transcript

Cleo: *coming from Scott's place* Good things.

Etho: Status report?

Cleo: Scott gave me a stack of bones to use for our wolf spawner.

Etho: *pause* Really? Was he trying to get you into his favorites book again or what?

Cleo: I mean, Scott's always one of my favorite people and I don't think we'd ever attack each other unless it was like... y'know, you guys [Etho & Grian] against him [Scott]. That's it.

Etho: Mhm.

Cleo: Team first; You know me...

Etho: Mhm, mhm...

Cleo: ... and Scott's always on that second tier of people I don't attack.

Etho: Yeah. He's your Bdubs, basically.

Cleo: Yeah, he's my Bdubs, yeah.

Something about that conversation made me think "Huh... that's a really good way to put their dynamics."

Bonus points for Grian promising his loyalty to Cleo and Etho, followed by all three of them agreeing they'd stay a solid team until the end.

Cleo's sentiments about Scott matches Etho's sentiments about Bdubs, too (the "team first" part). We already know that Etho would defend Cleo & Grian no matter what from Session 7's apocalypse. For Cleo, I'd say the main way they proved it was her unwillingness to kill Etho to get more hearts as a red name this session (which was Scott's suggestion).

The whole server's on red now. Next session is gonna be the last one, and if it isn't, then I'll be amazed.

One last thing, but Etho and Cleo's conversation that I put here (check smaller text below) just reminded me of Etho thinking that Gem & The Scotts wanted to take Cleo along in their trade in Session 2 (?), which made Etho immediately defensive of her ?? Then Cleo and Etho go "No I'm not leaving [the other]!" "We're besties! We're besties now!"

(It was the "Really? Was he trying to get you into his favorites book again or what?" part... ngl it made me laugh a bit upon realizing LMAO)

I'm gonna miss their duo when the season is over :') Fingers crossed that they'd still have interactions like this in future seasons (or maybe even Hermitcraft?) because their dynamic is everything to me.

#secret life #secret life spoilers #they literally just uploaded a bit ago #zombiecleo #ethoslab #grian #bdoubleo100 #scott smajor #i really want cleo to win this season #if not them then etho #please team roomies make it to the final showdown #trafficblr #sulat ni flerida

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makeste · 11 months

Note

Just out of pure curiosity, isn't this a horrible way to experience the story lmao?

I'm not saying it's for everyone, but it's worked for me personally so far. more than I would have expected, tbh!

honestly though, this might sound kind of backwards, but a big part of my decision to read these chapters early had more to do with me NOT wanting to be spoiled. let me explain.

I went on hiatus from the BnHA manga beginning in January 2022. I remained completely spoiler-free for almost eight whole months without the slightest issue. then August happened. :')

the thing is, despite my taking a break from the manga, I didn't stop reading fanfiction. in fact I probably read more fic than I usually do, because I missed the series and the characters. it may sound odd that I had the time to read fic but couldn't use that same time to catch up with the manga instead, but they're very different things as far as mental load and time commitment. one is very passive, almost relaxed, while the other requires me to be quick-witted and mentally engaged (at least if I want to do a halfway decent job). something which I wasn't really capable of being at the time. so yeah.

anyway so at the time I generally thought of fanfic as a relatively safe activity, spoiler-wise. and to be fair it was. right up until the single most popular character in the series fucking DIED in the most grisly way possible while fighting the main villain, right in the middle of everyone's fucking summer break. after which pretty much the entirety of fandom erupted into "BAKUGOU DIED??!" and "HE DIED THINKING ABOUT IZUKU??!" and "BABY BOY WANTED ALL MIGHT TO SIGN HIS TRADING CARD?!?!" and "RAIN!?!?" etc. etc. pretty much 24/7 on all social platforms for weeks on end.

so what I learned from that experience is that no matter how good you are at dodging spoilers, it is literally impossible to do so when something THAT momentous and life-altering happens your favorite character who also happens to be fandom's most beloved blorbo. hell, I didn't even get spoiled on AO3 initially; they got me over on YouTube of all places. literally nothing I could do to prevent it. and after that, no matter how meticulously I avoided all of the fics tagged with "362: Light Fades to Rain spoilers", I still kept getting caught off guard because people would casually drop spoilers into untagged fics as well. so I had a bunch of additional little details spoiled for me unexpectedly and I was pretty much defenseless against it. pretty much the only way I could have avoided it all would have been to stop reading Kacchan whump entirely. which, idk about you, but to me that would have been a far more horrible fate. :p

anyway so fast forward to last month, and Kacchan finally came back, and you bet your ass I spoiled myself for it immediately. because I knew it would still take me forever to get caught up The Right Way, and in the meantime I would once again be leaving myself at the mercy of the internet. at least this way I have control over where and when and how I find out. and I got to experience the moment via the manga itself, rather than a third party. and I have to say, this way was vastly preferable to the alternative.

and at the end of the day that's pretty much the same rationale I had for giving in and reading 404 - 406 as well. I knew that once Kacchan was back, the pace of the Final Battle was going to start picking up, and things were going to start happening, and I'd rather read all of those things for myself! like just for example, there's close to a 100% chance the "Kacchan" line from this week would have been spoiled for me in someone's fic if I hadn't read 406 beforehand. just little things like that. anyway so this way, no matter what happens to Kacchan and Deku from this point forward, I'll get to read it fresh and experience it in a way that I unfortunately never got to with the chapter 362 moment. and so to me, that's more than worth the trade-off.

#bnha 406 #bnha 362 #bnha #boku no hero academia #bnha spoilers #mha spoilers #makeste reads bnha #asks #and honestly these last few chapters have been so self-contained #and focused pretty much exclusively on this one battle #that there really haven't been *that* many spoilers for other things #and the few things I don't yet have context for have been easy enough to piece together even without #so yeah all in all it really hasn't been that bad #and still hoping to finish catching up within a few weeks' time so then this will all be moot

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dwarvendiaries · 11 months

Note

how in BLAZES do you play CDDA? i have no idea where to start and everywhere i try to go to loot inevitably has me overwhelmed by zombies

Didi's Guide to Cataclysm DDA

Summary

Get Water, food, shelter and security

Get a weapon

Expand your map

Find a vehicle

Improve your base

Avoid fights

Raid towns at night

The Beginning

I'm going to expect that you understand the basic controls here and that you're playing with the default world settings. Obviously, I'll be giving some mild spoilers here, so if you want to learn the game pretty much how I did by going in blind and learning most of this stuff by trial and error, this may not be the post for you. This will mainly be about basic survival and not about late-game secrets.

Ok start up a game. I usually hit play now [o], because I like the randomness, but since we're doing a beginner introduction I'll use the default scenario.

You have survived the initial wave of panic, and achieved (relative) safety in one of the many government evac centers.

Ok, take stock of your character and make friends with your companion if you can. Having a travelling partner can be quite useful as they can train you in skills you don't have and help you overwhelm enemies. This character is quite strong with firearms and has survival skills, however he's not good on rough terrain.

In addition my threat failed

Survival in cataclysm is like real life:

Water

Food

Warmth and Shelter

Security (from Zs)

Try and get these in this order and then you can start doing the fun stuff.

Starting in an evac center makes gives us water, food, shelter and a bit of security. Since we're planning on going outside we'll need to pickup 2 bottles of water and 4 protein rations. Having at least one flashlight and a jacket is also useful but not necessary.

I would usually pick up a first aid kit here, but I've got a flamethrower so that's not possible. First aid kits act as a backup plan for when you ever get hurt.

Next I survey my surroundings, I pull up the main map then go use any maps provided to maximise my range, in this case the road map to the refugee center.

As you can see there are two towns nearby. Towns are useful because they can provide valuable goods, but I wouldn't suggest going anywhere near one:

Without a weapon

Without a vehicle

During the day

This is because 1 zombie is an annoyance, many are lethal. If you have a weapon you stand a chance of beating any zombies that run after you when you are noticed

If you have a vehicle you create a barrier between you and the zombies. I wouldn't recommend leaving an unarmored vehicle in the town centre because Zs will smash through it to get to you.

Last, zombies can't see well at night. This means running away from zombies is much easier at night. This makes raiding the outskirts of town is useful strategy at night. However, you might want a watch to keep track of time to make sure you get back before sunrise.

Now to go outside:

Typically I'd head to gather supplies if I had obvious objectives but in this case I've got the refugee center nearby. So I'll go towards that an grab some stuff on the way.

Getting supplies:

Bodies - likely to have a few scraps. Can useful to fill out odd stuff and get some cards and clothes.

Underbrush- examine this to find random items can be useful in the early game.

Buildings - occasionally these have a few monsters but most the time they have useful supplies

Shelters- LMOE and evac shelters contain a lot of valuable supplies and can be used as bases

Watch out for monsters! Do not approach them unless you know you can win the fight without getting hurt. If you have a camera use it to catalogue various creatures.

We're here

The refugee center provides a community hub for survivors. It can be useful for trading miscellaneous items you find and getting quests. It also provides a safe place to sleep If you're too far from any other shelter. If you want the Free Merchants faction to get angry at you, you can steal a car from the front lot just make sure it doesn't have a working security system.

Remember to use C to chat. I go over to Smokes the shopkeeper to buy some goods.

Smokes has ammo, tools and clothes. Right now I need additional carrying capacity, some tools and some ammo.

Carry containers are very useful as they allow you to take more supplies with you. Getting a good backpack is pretty essential.

Tools help you with craft and construction allowing you to do things you couldn't before and upgrade your base.

Ammo is very useful if you have a gun, always have little more than you think you'll need. Beware gunshots will attract the attention of Zs!

At the moment I don't have enough stuff to trade but I'll come back later.

I go around ask for missions and open the missions menu (M):

At this stage basic fetch quests are a pretty good way of improving rapport with NPCs. I'd suggest doing them one at a time and if an opportunity come up completing one you hadn't planned for.

I head north. Loot some corpses of a drug deal outside the gates and find a lorry.

I guess this is a good time to break off I'll explain my thoughts on vehicle use.

Next post on the 20th

#cdda #cataclysm dark days ahead #game guide #ask #my asks

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ineffable-endearments · 1 year

Text

This is not meta, I'm just venting boringly and feeling very sorry for myself YET AGAIN lol. Season 2 spoilers.

If I'd known for sure. For the past two years. If I'd had a vague idea. "Season 2 will end on a big cliffhanger." "Season 2 will end in a bit of a dark place." "Season 2 is gonna be a tough one."

I'd have experienced some sadness and disappointment on hearing that news, but it would have happened slowly, over time. I'd trade away a few of the deliriously excited moments I've had over the past couple of years in order to soften what I'm feeling now. Of course, that would go against many fans who would have wanted to be totally unspoiled, and it wasn't the way Neil and the rest of the creative team wanted to tell the story, so that's okay. I accept it and can't blame anyone for how they approached it.

Like I said, I did know that act 2 of 3 usually ends with a massive flare-up of conflict. But I'm not a professional storyteller; knowing that fact in the abstract didn't keep me from wondering if maybe you could get around that somehow, or if maybe it could be...mitigated.

Rob did say "it will break your heart." That definitely put me on the alert a bit. But since it wasn't particularly corroborated by anyone else, it was easy for me, in an excited and hopeful state, to wonder if maybe he was talking about something that happens mid-season.

Intellectually, I KNOW how good this development could be for the overall story. I know. I know. But it doesn't fix the uncanny sadness of losing a favorite fantasy - losing something that only ever existed in my head, that is technically still there but feels changed now by this knowledge.

Almost nothing ever seems to get my blood pressure up in a way that I'm conscious of - but this season does. Sometimes, when thinking about it or worrying about the future, I can feel my heart start to pound and the blood rushing up the sides of my throat. Even now, two days later.

What's more, I'm realizing that I am just not very good at catching certain details. I didn't even notice, for example, that Aziraphale and Crowley were on the opposite sides from where they usually are during the ending credits. I completely missed a number of plot threads that were left hanging and didn't even notice a bunch of dialogue that is demonstrably bizarre. I was hoping to do more analysis and probably will continue to do it anyway because I can't help it, but it doesn't feel great knowing that I might be wrong about most things because I am maybe just not that good at analysis.

These characters, Aziraphale and Crowley, really do feel like two halves of me. And I'm stuck with all these massively strong, frankly irrational feelings about where they were left off, fractured.

It's weird having big feelings about this because people in real life don't get it, and they would not be totally unreasonable to wonder why I can't just compartmentalize and let go. My partner and family have been incredibly sweet, have never belittled me for feeling strongly (about anything), and have in fact been very reassuring. But I'm still aware that they would be a bit bemused and maybe concerned if I voiced the continued intensity of my feelings to them.

Anyway. That's what I'm doing here. If you've somehow read to the end, thanks.

#personal #go s2 spoilers

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angelofchaos001 · 5 months

Text

Wave to your local chaos idiot!

Hi, I'm Angel, artist, writer, and dumbass extraordinaire! I mainly stick to Fandoms for my works, since I'm not the best at coming up with strictly my own ideas (Ask some of my friends, I've been trying to make my own world not based in any fandom for two years now with almost no success). Just because I stick to Fandoms does not mean I don't enjoy seeing stuff outside of Fandoms, I love seeing fun ideas bloom into something the creator truly enjoys!

Like my profile says, here's some basic things about me! I go by She/Her, and I'm somewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum (Still questioning it, it's just not straight I know). I'm a minor, and a furry as well, but some other neat things to know that aren't on my profile include that I'm American (Send help this country is burning down), and neurodivergent (Anxiety is amazing).

Also, wave to your other local chaos idiot, @doodlebug091 (My beloved)

I'm on ArtFight!

Wanna try your hand at my shipping bingo card?

I migrated from Fandom to Tumblr, though you can still find me on the former as Angel Of Madness 001. I've even spotted a few people I know from Fandom on here!

When Can I Talk to You?

You can send in asks whenever they're open! Here's a list of some stuff I do commonly.

-AU/OC Ramblings (I'll talk about my things for hours if you let me)

-Roleplays (I'm bored usually)

-Legitimate questions (Of course, I don't bite!)

-Talking about my interests (Fuck yeah, I'd love it)

-Art requests or trades (Yep! I don't do art for money yet, mainly due to lack of a proper online money service such as Venmo or Paypal)

Don't feel like you have to stick to the list, either!

Here's some other questions to get to know me better!

What do you do on Tumblr?

I write fanfiction, make OC's, draw/write comics, and make AU's for various pieces of media I enjoy. I also love to find others who make similar content, especially AU's, since others' ideas can be so cool at times.

Tumblr happens to be my catch-all for sharing new ideas, making jokes, and meeting others who share my interests.

What do you enjoy outside of the internet?

When I'm not online, I like to keep a busy life still! Usually I'm drawing-traditionally or digitally-, reading, cooking, or thinking up new ideas for my art, AU's, or other projects! Sometimes, I hang out with my friends, though we mostly keep in contact through the internet.

Obviously, I also like to game. Excluding my video games, I play Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons the most. Including them, however, I mostly play Rain World and Pokemon. The kinds of games I tend to like are ones with heavy lore, but from an actual gaming standpoint I tend to play 2D and 3D platformers, deckbuilders, and turn based RPG's.

What do you want to do in life?

My hope is to become an ecologist, since I've loved animals for my whole life and have been branching that out to loving anything nature related. Biology often finds a way to creep itself into my fictional works, and I tend to look at things through a very scientific eye.

Tell us some more hobbies!

Alright, okay. I love Dungeons and Dragons, even though I'm stuck as the forever DM. I sing, travel, play the violin, and love watching mildly educational YouTubers (Oversimplified and such). I'm also quite the animal lover, with two precious cats and five snakes!

What Fandoms are you part of?

Alright, here's the list, broken into sections! Note that these are just the media that I actively talk about/participate in chats about/make AU's or OC's with. I still watch, play, or read other things!

Shows/Movies

-Helluva Boss

-Hazbin Hotel

-Murder Drones

-The Amazing Digital Circus

Games

-Hollow Knight

-Rain World

-Slime Rancher

-Outer Wilds (I'm normal about this game)

-Pokemon

-A Hat in Time

-Inscyption

-Dicefolk

-Worldless (I'M NORMAL)

Books, Comics, and Other

-Bugtopia (gotta love the bugs)

-Wings of Fire

-Warriors (I do not mind spoilers for this one. I've read up to Midnight.)

Side Blogs

@monarchtonone (RW Iterator)

@nine-drops-of-iron (RW Iterator)

@ask-wings-of-rain (Ask, Chat, or RP with anyone from my Wings of Rain AU)

@the-rot-parasite (Ask, Chat, or RP with The Parasite)

@ask-the-splitmind-au (Ask, Chat, or RP with anyone from my Splitmind AU)

Unique Tags

#Wings of Rain (Wings of Rain content, WoF x RW AU)

#season of blood (Season of Blood content, Warriors AU of 'If Scourge Won')

#shared sparks (Shared Sparks content, a Firecracker fancomic)

#splitmind au / #rw splitmind au (The Splitmind AU for Rain World, where Iterators have shared bodies with the slugcats)

Links to all current comics (on Tumblr)

The Story of the Iterators

Within a local group of iterators, there are stories to tell and lives that unfold, hidden just beneath a layer of dust settled on old memories. Taking a glimpse into their lives, these purposed machines of flesh and iron to solve one goal, may reveal why they turned out the way they did.

Shared Sparks (A @firecracker-pup fancomic)

Blight was the lucky pup. The one who survived at the cost of her sister's life. Ever since, she tried to live up to what she thought her sister could have managed, but was stuck in her shadow. Timelines away, Firecracker had been left to the mercy of scavengers after stealing a pearl from them as a pup, only to end up adopted by them. A call inside of it, however, still wants to learn from slugcats the things it never got to.

When their paths cross, when timelines collide, both slugcats get a glimpse into a world they never knew existed, and find similarities buried in the vast differences of their lives.

Season of Blood

Scourge has won the Battle of Blood clan with the death of Firestar and all who oppose him. The Clans are united in the forest once more, but under the cruel rule of the small tom cat. He rules with an iron paw and has no sympathy for others. Every cat has been stripped of their warrior name and given a more fitting one, by Scourge's definition. Many have been killed for displeasing him, or for minor physical imperfections. Anyone with open ties to StarClan have also been killed.

Because of a Medicine's Cat's close ties to the spectral clan, only one remains. Racoon was only a Medicine Cat apprentice when Scourge took over, but now that she's grown, all duties of the job fall to her. Tending to a massive, bloodthirsty clan isn't a small task. It's demanding, exhausting, and the whole time, she has to hide every notion that StarClan still visits her in her dreams. A single meek kitten must find a way to grow up and face the challenges ahead, persist through times of hardship, and find it in herself to risk her life to save the forest-and all the cats in it.

Greenleaf is over. The Season of Blood has begun . . .

All Current AU's (On Tumblr)

Wings of Rain (Wings of Fire x Rain World crossover AU)

Splitmind AU (Rain World, Iterators live in the slugcats' heads as a last-ditch effort to ascend)

Season of Blood (Warrior Cats AU, 'What if Scourge won?')

Starless Nights (Worldless x WoF AU)

Link to fanfics (Yep. I'm on Ao3)

Stranded in the Rain (Outer Wilds and Rain World crossover)

Starless Nights (Worldless and Wings of Fire crossover)

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terramythos · 8 months

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TAYLOR READS 2024: MORT BY TERRY PRATCHETT

Title: Mort (Discworld) (1987)

Author: Terry Pratchett

Genre/Tags: Fantasy, Comedy, Third-Person

Rating: 7/10

Date Began: 1/6/2024

Date Finished: 2/4/2024

Mort, a young man with no clear direction in life, becomes apprenticed to Death himself. While learning the so-called trade, Mort makes a mistake which threatens to rewrite the course of history.

I INVITE YOU INTO MY HOME, he said, I TRAIN YOU, I FEED YOU, I CLOTHE YOU, I GIVE YOU OPPORTUNITIES YOU COULD NOT DREAM OF, AND THUS YOU REPAY ME. YOU SEDUCE MY DAUGHTER FROM ME, YOU NEGLECT THE DUTY, YOU MAKE RIPPLES IN REALITY THAT WILL TAKE A CENTURY TO HEAL. YOUR ILL-TIMED ACTIONS HAVE DOOMED YOUR COMRADES TO OBLIVION. THE GODS WILL DEMAND NOTHING LESS. ALL IN ALL, BOY, NOT A GOOD START TO YOUR FIRST JOB.

For live reading notes, check the reblogs (contains unmarked spoilers).

Content warnings and review (spoiler-free and spoiler versions) under the cut.

Content Warnings: Mentioned -- Suicide, animal abuse. Depicted -- Death (i mean. yeah), animal death, sexual humor, suicidal ideation, fatphobia (kinda).

**SPOILER-FREE REVIEW**

Before I dive into the review, I want to acknowledge that despite several criticisms, I did enjoy reading Mort. It certainly has issues that keep me from rating it higher, but I still recommend it as a fun read despite these flaws.

A major reason for this is the prose. It's difficult to express just how clever Pratchett was as a writer. He has a unique way of presenting scenes and situations which consistently feels fresh and original. Whether it's clever wordplay or a unique spin on tired cliches, he's always catching me off guard in the best way. Saying someone's voice "could have kept milk fresh for a month" instead of "was icy" is one among hundreds of delightful examples. And while there's plenty of witticisms, they feel genuine rather than cynically scripted to appeal to as many people as possible.

Pratchett also doesn't shy away from serious topics despite the general comedic tone, and this contrast makes the grounded parts of the writing all the more poignant. His fantastic style is so omnipresent in his work that to explore it in detail would devour the rest of the review. Even when taking notes while reading I'd have to be selective on WHICH great phrases I wrote down lest I only spend time on them to the exclusion of all else.

One specific thing I like about Pratchett's writing is how specific jokes recur throughout the story but often in ways one doesn't expect. There's a running bit in Mort where characters will call him "boy" or "lad" and he tiredly corrects them with "Mort". As a reader I fully expected him to eventually get fed up and chew someone out for failing to use his name. And… he does! But later the joke is subverted again in a (spoilerific) way I DIDN’T expect, which caught me completely off guard. Setups and payoffs like that are delightful.

**SPOILER REVIEW**

My biggest struggle with Mort is that I found it difficult to care about the plot until the end. There are two things working against Mort's story that made me feel this way.

The first is the main conflict's inciting incident: Mort commits a selfish act and saves the life of a princess who was supposed to die. In doing so, Mort warps reality and the fabric of history itself. The problem is, the only reason he saves Princess Keli is because of a superficial crush on her just from seeing her for a few seconds. The two barely interact before he saves her, and when they do later, there's not any chemistry to make this decision interesting. And yes, I'm aware that this was probably intentional: Mort did something foolish and impulsive and has to deal with the consequences. The problem is that since the rest of the plot hinges on his choice to intervene, and the context around that choice is so lackluster, it brings the entire plot down. I found myself wondering why Mort bothers to keep up the ruse and lie directly to Death when his reason for doing so is so vague and uninteresting. The personal stakes just felt nonexistent to me.

The second issue is how the story is structured. Rather than closely following a standard plot progression, Mort is more like a series of vignettes and scenes loosely tied together. There's nothing wrong with that in and of itself; I'd argue Guards! Guards! follows a similar style, and I'm willing to bet much of Pratchett's work does. The problem is when this lack of focus combines with a weak core conflict. Reality being split and history diverging should be compelling, yet I wondered why I should care at all. The main thing that kept me reading was the clever writing and setups in these scenes. So I found the book fun to read but the story mediocre.

To Mort's credit, the stakes get more personal and involved toward the end. I finally found the story and characters compelling when Mort started to become more like Death. It's jarring when his dialogue intermittently switches to Death's unique typeface. This is probably the only time I've had a font choice genuinely catch me off guard-- unexpected Death dialogue is surprising in other Discworld books, but here it serves a different function because it's NOT actually Death speaking. The true love interest Ysabell also gets a lot of characterization toward the end, which is a shame because she's a great character who should have had plot involvement sooner.

Speaking of characters near the end, it seems like Pratchett suddenly realized the book needed a villain in the third act, so randomly assigned the role to side character Albert. So he's evil for a few dozen pages after showing no indication of this before, then the whole incident with him is resolved by Death with zero problems. It's super weird-- in fact, you could probably cut Albert out of the story entirely and nothing would change. Perhaps I'm missing something but I really didn't see the point of this. There is some context suggesting he is an historical figure referenced in other Discworld novels, so maybe it's more interesting if you've read those. However, having only read Guards! Guards!, this obviously fell flat for me. While inter-book references are fun (I was delighted to see The Librarian, for example), I don't think key components of the plot should rely on them, assuming that is the case here.

On the positive side, there are some small details I loved. One is how Pratchett uses the phrase "There is no justice. There is just me," to refer to Death. Because the moment I read it I wondered when we would hear "there is just us" instead, since the pun speaks for itself. So when we DID get that line during an emotional moment of the story I was cheering and hollering and punching the air and shit. It's one of those predictable things that is nevertheless extremely satisfying as a reader.

Another great detail is that every person has a literal book that describes their life until they die, which is constantly being written. While this is true metaphorically, it's a literal thing in Death's domain. Mort the novel closes with Mort the character seeing his own book and reading from it, and this becomes the narration for the last page or so. It's a clever payoff to a mechanic introduced in the novel.

A last thing to note is that there are still some loose ends. This isn't necessarily a criticism since there is a chance they are addressed in future books, but I'm mentioning them for my own benefit. In one early scene, Mort bungles his job so badly that a witch named Goodie Hamstring successfully manipulates him and escapes dying entirely. Considering the emphasis on this scene and the ominous tone, it isn't addressed at all by the end of the book, so it is possible this character shows up elsewhere.

Something not fully explored is the theme of reality. When Mort rescues Princess Keli, he creates a paradox where multiple realities exist, and one has to dominate over the other, which serves as part of the main conflict. Death's realm is not real despite being a major location in the story-- something that's true in a meta sense (Mort being a work of fiction) but also in the context of the story. Then there's implications throughout the book that Mort becomes "more real" the more he behaves like Death. While Death is the final reality of life, obviously, this is presented more in a mechanical way than a philosophical one. At the end of the story Death gives Mort a pearl of reality that Mort created due to the events of the novel, stating that it can be the beginning of a new universe whenever Discworld finally dies. This is… quite the detail to drop at the end. I feel like reality is explored as an in-universe mechanic rather than a metaphorical theme in the story, which is why it doesn't feel conclusive by the end. It makes me wonder, again, if this is going to come up in a later Discworld novel.

**CONCLUSION**

Overall while I had some issues with Mort as a story, as a reading experience I really enjoyed it. I might delve into more of the City Watch storyline next, since I had a great time with Guards! Guards! and want more of those characters.

#taylor reads #7/10 #book review

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