#in the end the people's chosen hero turned out to be not who they thought he was and his character turning point to become a hero was...

[cakemoney]

thinking about the whole robpat!batman movie’s thesis being “shit. fuck. turns out this whole time the legacy of my rage and vengeance-fueled vigilante justice has been enabling domestic terrorism by entitled white men. all along what this city needed and what i needed was healing and extending our hands to our neighbors instead of continuing the cycle of trauma and violence” like the movie put their whole chest into that. it looked at their audience and said to their face “you guys never actually understood what batman is about. you saw the dark brooding aesthetic and the toxic masculinity and the individualistic lonewolfism and you see that as something to aspire to, when the point of batman was always Corruption And Evil Exists Within Those With Power And Money Not In Mental Illness, and by missing that and making it all about yourself you became the villain of this story.” in theaters right in front of batman stans. no wonder robpat was cast for this like i’ve never seen someone pull off self-loathing white man so naturally

[ravenclawerised]

Rewatching DS9 again and I am just so interested at how an average Bajoran would view Kira by the end of the series. How an average Cardassian would? We know that a lot of what she does is known to the Bajoran people. Shakaar mentions Furel and Lupaza bragging about her whenever they get news of the station. But lets actually take a look at this:

She is the highest ranking Bajoran on DS9 outranked only by the Emissary

Most times Sisko did anything in the capacity as the Emissary, Kira was one step behind and to the right

She was with Kai Opaka, the most widely loved and respected Bajoran, when she made her journey through the Celestial Temple and “answered the call of the prophets”

She was highly respected (and loved) by Vedek Bareil who was hugely popular on Bajor (he could very well have been Kai if he hadn’t taken the blame for Kai Opaka’s actions during the Occupation)

She and Kai Winn had a well known feud and after Kai Winn’s fall from grace at the end of the show, Kira must come out pretty great to everyone else

She is the one who found and saved the great Bajoran hero, Li Nalas, from a Cardassian work camp and then within a week saved Bajor from a civil war that had been encouraged by Cardassians.

Between her saving Li Nalas and his fellow prisoners AND finding the Ravinok and saving the Bajorans (and Cardassians and Ziyal) from the Breen mines, was she the person Bajorans turned to when searching for their lost love ones? Was she a symbol to those who kept looking for their loved ones because Kira Nerys found those thought to be lost?

She prevented ANOTHER Bajoran Civil War and helped elect Shakaar as the First Minister of Bajor. Again being associated with a widely loved and respected member of Bajoran society.

Kira was in charge of DS9 during Dominion Occupation and started up the station’s resistance cell

She was permitted to use the Orb of Time, one of Bajor’s most sacred objects

She was the chosen by a Prophet to be their vessel during the Reckoning with the Pah-Wraith...and the KAI was on the same station. But it was KIRA who was chosen

She plays chicken with a Romulan fleet...and wins!

She was a key figure in the Dominion War. She started as a resistance fighter who was assigned to a falling apart, unimportant old Cardassain station and becomes the Colonel of the single most important port in the Alpha Quadrant. She is the right hand of the Emissary. She is widely respected by many beloved figures in Bajoran society.

And this list is just the most public things that have happened to her. This doesn’t even take into account any of the stories about her that involve her dealing with whatever BS the Star Trek universe decides to throw at the characters that week. Klingons beam in and fight? Gets stabbed and keeps fighting. Emissary is transported to 2024? Kira is on the team that pulls him out.

By the end of season seven, do politicians on Bajor hold their breath or breathe a sigh of relief if Kira gets involved? Do Vedeks seek her out to ask her about being possessed by a prophet? About her experiences with the Orbs? About Kai Opaka’s last words? Do families still grieving those missing from the Occupation petition her to look for the lost?

And how about the Cardassians?

The Cardassian government would probably never publicly admit to any time she foiled their plans, but Tekeny Ghemor tells her that she has her own section in the Cardassian Central Archives and is a public figure on Cardassia

Would the Cardassians in the Breen mine whisper their thanks among their family that Kira Nerys found them?

Tekeny Ghemor, someone who was respected enough to be considered as the face for the Cardassian resistance against the Dominion controlled Cardassian puppet government, publicly considered her his daughter/family by asking her to participate in the Shri-tal ritual and give her all of his secrets prior to his death (something highly valued in Cardassian society)

She was a part of Damar’s resistance. She helped them fight the Dominion and was with Damar when he died for Cardassia. In the story of how Damar was martyred for Cardassia’s freedom from the Dominion, Kira Nerys, a Bajoran, is heavily featured.

In all Bajoran/Cardassian relations, do Cardassians seek to involve Kira as a woman of her word who will treat in good faith or do they cross their fingers and hope she is nowhere near their business?

Can you tell I think about Kira Nerys a lot?

[yanderelinkeduniverse]

Yandere Sky Headcanons

Sky is, without a doubt, a hopeless romantic when he’s in love. We’ve seen him swoon and sigh dreamily when thinking about his loved one, he’s THAT kind of lover boy. Naturally, when adding a layer of insanity tinged love sickness to that adoration, he’s prone to becoming very affectionate.

Unless you are as dense as a rock, it will be no secret that the Hero of the Skies is head over heels in love with you. He basically has heart shaped pupils whenever he looks at you, cartoon heart bubbles magically appear around his head when in your vicinity and his face turns so red you’d think he had a high fever.

Sky is a devout yandere, obsessive in every way, shape and form, and protective to a fault. Even when not around you, you occupy his thoughts and daydreams to the point where it seems like he’s never not thinking about you.

He’s got a masters degree in yearning from Pining University.

And while he hasn’t lost that many people like some of the other mentally unstable chosen ones in the Chain(namely Wild and Legend), the fear of losing them is very real to him. He’s known the blood chilling terror of being a few steps too slow and a few minutes too late with the only thought in his head being “what did I do wrong?”

Following the conclusion of his first and only journey, Sky has come to accept that he made his mistakes and that he must move on in order to grow, but that doesn’t stop him from taking those lessons to heart when falling in love with you.

We’ve seen multiple times throughout the various installments that one of Sky’s favorite hobbies is playing his lyre. It’s a simple pleasure he indulges in whenever they have a moment of peace and the sound never fails to remind him of his home. But he’s found another reason to love it and that is the attention you end up giving him whenever he plays a song.

He isn’t the best musician in the group, but there’s no denying that the simple melodies he strings together are pleasing to the ears, so it’s no wonder you’d take the time to sit down, listen, and compliment him.

Sky doesn’t see it like that, though.

In his deluded, love hazy mind, all that registers is that you’re there giving him your attention and your praise; two things worth more than gold in his eyes. He’s like a drug addict who just got hit with another dosage. If he had a tail he’d be wagging it so hard it would thump against the log he’s sitting on, so he better consider himself lucky that Twilight is the dog of the group.

Though, if would please you, he’d willingly let you collar and leash him. Tell him to sit and roll over, he’ll do it on command without any shame whatsoever. He’ll even walk around on all fours if you want!-

Anyways-

THIS! 👏 MF! 👏 STEALS! 👏 FROM! 👏 YOU! 👏

I mean, technically it isn’t for long, he won’t permanently take something that belongs to you without ever giving it back(in secret so you never find out it was him), but he WILL swipe something of yours from time to time. Most commonly he’ll take a tunic or shirt from you, something you won’t immediately notice is gone.

When he has a moment of privacy, he’ll take out his little treasure and press it against his face, taking in a deeeeeep breath, and sighing lovingly. He’s got it bad for you and he knows it. If he could he’d use your tunic as a pillowcase whenever he went to sleep, but there’s no way he wouldn’t get caught.

Despite all this sugary sweetness, Sky isn’t solely a soft and gentle boy. If he is provoked, or if you’re being bothered, Sky doesn’t hesitate to step up and glare down the nuisance, all the while keeping a calm smile stretched across his face. This is where his surprisingly deep voice comes in handy, people aren’t expecting a voice like his to come from such a soft face.

Out of all the members of the Chain, I actually think that Sky would be one of the most patient when it comes to people trying to mess with them or you respectively; he’s dealt with Groose’s bullying for a few years, I think he’s a natural at letting nasty comment slide right off him like water off a duck’s back.

However, even then his patience is dangerously thin regarding people. If provoked he won’t hesitate to begin plotting the fool’s demise, whether it be a swift cut to the jugular or a slow, agonizing demise is up to the person in question.

And finally, just a hint, do not try to run from him, it won’t work.

If Fi’s ability to dowse objects and seek them out is based on Sky’s own desire to find them, then if you were to try and run away, he’d be able to track you right down to the exact spot you’re standing in. Because there is nothing and no one alive that Sky wants and needs more than you.

Hide in the woods, in a cave, in a dungeon, in a mountain, it doesn’t matter. He will hunt you down, find you, and drag you back home in his loving, suffocating embrace.

[sserpente]

My little assassin

You share the bed with Gortash after you rejected Bhaal, and the Chosen of Bane makes the mistake of making it known to you that he is rather disappointed in your decision. Perhaps he needs to be reminded of his place...

A/N: I’ve done it. It’s too late now. Gortash wrapped me around his finger. Oh well. Enjoy this little piece. It’s literally based on a dream I had and when I woke up, I was like… 😲 I have to write this!

Words: 710 Warnings: implied smut, mentions of death, blood, murder, decapitation and necrophilia, evil Durge!Tav/Reader (duh)

It was strange, the concept of freedom. Considering all your sins, it was a feeling soaked in both relief and uncertainty to know that the next time your weapon struck, it would be because you willed it so—not because the God of Murder urged you to carry out his bloodthirsty message to the world. But for the first time in too long… you felt at peace, bathing in the silence this new-found freedom brought.

With an audible sigh, you stretched your naked body in the soft satin sheets. Dusk was near, you could see the last sunrays retreating and slowly drowning Gortash’s chambers in comfortable and soothing darkness.

For just a moment, everything felt right. Like you’d never been gone, never been backstabbed by Orin, never been abducted… never ended up with a damn tadpole in your head… never suffered from amnesia.

Your memories were taking their sweet time to come back to you still. But you were getting there. Bits and pieces, crumbs of information your own brain was withholding from you began to form a bigger picture.

If there was one puzzle piece, however, that had already fallen back in place, it was that Enver Gortash and you shared a history that went well beyond an amenable alliance. You were rather unfamiliar with the concept of love and so was he. What you had was a filthy connection made of lust, greed, and lechery. But you liked him—more than you wished to admit. There was no doubt you would viciously slaughter anyone who dared to touch him. Only one person was allowed to kill or fuck him—and that person was you.

“Tell me, what are you thinking about, my little assassin?” His raspy voice was accompanied by the faint rustling of the bed sheets as he turned to face you.

“You. Me. My past. The life that lies ahead of me now that I’m free to do what I wish.”

“Is that so…” he responded with slight dismay, “In all honesty, my dear, it’s a shame you rejected the God of Murder. To be Bhaal’s Chosen… an honour and a responsibility that would have kept you invincible… and more powerful than ever, fit to rule by my side.”

The sudden anger surging within you felt like daggers made of ice boring into your chest. Enver was many things but he was no fighter. He was a cunning politician with a hand for charming people into what he wanted. Before he even had a chance to react, you had already pinned him down on the mattress, straddling him. Your hand closed around his throat, squeezing just hard enough to cut off his air supply but not hard enough to keep him from speaking.

“Do you think I turned good? That I want to become a hero now? That I rejected Bhaal because I could no longer bear the thought of my sins? Oh no,” you spat, “From now on forth, my sins are my own, not Bhaal’s. You’d do well to remember that and respect my decision, Chosen of Bane because as much as I enjoy the idea of your warm corpse drenching the sheets in blood, I’m not much for necrophilia.”

Enver swallowed, and you could feel his Adam’s apple dance beneath your palm. There was a sliver of panic in his dark eyes—it was one thing you liked about him. He’d never underestimate you or what you were capable of. “Of course. You can… let go now, my little assassin.”

You obeyed—for it would indeed be a pity if your renewed companion withered away so quickly. You had no intention whatsoever to kill him just yet, if ever. Still, when you voiced your threat to give your hazardous anger a vent, you knew deep down that you were not lying. “Do not question me again or I will start questioning whether your head should remain attached to your body.”

Gortash laughed, a sound you enjoyed for it usually expressed his admiration for your ruthlessness; and just like that, another snippet of information dripped into your mind. You remembered. You used to enjoy him praising your cruel savagery. You made a good team, you and him. You wouldn’t have it any other way.

[howtofightwrite]

One of my characters is forced to kill one of their childhood friends to save a bunch of people and I'm wondering how quick (or painful) can you make their death with just a knife? Thanks for your input!

I'm not sure exactly how fast a bleedout from a severed femoral or carotid artery is. In the former, we're talking less than a minute, in the latter, death occurs within seconds. Being able to reliably open the artery you want does require a bit of anatomical knowledge, so getting the most value out of a knife isn't something that any character would automatically be able to do.

As for how much it hurts, I dunno. Neither one is particularly high on my bucket list, so I'm content on leaving that as a question mark.

From personal, subjective, experience, the condition of the blade has a bigger impact on how much it hurts. A clean, and sharp blade, fresh from the factory (or carefully sharpened and honed) will hurt less than a poorly maintained blade. In the latter case (or, with cat claws, as I was recently reminded), you can feel the foreign object catching and ripping your skin. It's an unpleasant sensation, and, far more painful than a clean blade.

In fact, my most painful laceration experience came from a hose attachment that came apart while I was using it, and ended up getting jabbed into my thumb. As a safety measure, if you find yourself in a situation like this, turn off the water beforetrying to repair the attachment.

In contrast, the scar on my right index finger was almost painless. It was a brand new knife, which I fumbled. (Specifically it's double bladed, and the handle is a little too short for my hand. I accidentally knicked my left hand on the base of the fore-blade, and instinctively, flicked it away, gashing my off-hand.) At the time, I didn't even feel the cut, and then saw what I thought was a small welt... before it started bleeding. There is some truth to the cliché about not feeling a cut when it occurs, but the blade needs to be in immaculate condition for this to occur.

How painful can you make it, intentionally? This is not going anywhere pleasant, but I'm not sure there's a limit. That's not sarcasm. There is a point where too much pain can cause someone to slip into shock and die, but, for someone with sufficient sadism, there isn't really a limit. The problem is that a knife in an experienced and knowledgeable hand can do horrific things to someone without killing them. If the point was to inflict pain and suffering, that could be drawn out for day. Probably weeks.

As for the scenario, I have reservations. I'm reading a lot into the way you phrased the setup, but there is something very artificial and, more than a little cliché, about the villain strong arming a protagonist into violating their morals. Particularly on ticking bomb scenarios.

In a lot of cases, neither side really gets anything of value out of the interaction. The villain gets a tiny bit of room to wag a finger and say, “we're not so different now,” but, really, they would have done that anyway. And the hero gets to have a chunk of their credibility chipped away, for no real benefit. In this case, I specifically mean their credibility with the audience.

The reason I say that is because this is a downright inhuman thing for someone to do. Kill someone who you presumably care about, or save the lives of five thousand randos. One of these things is an abstract concept, and the other is a person.

Now, the problem is, for you, both are abstract concepts. Your hero's childhood friend is not a real person to you. They are, at best, a simulacrum, but one you know is fake. Similarly, the mass casualty event is something you also know is fake. Even more so because you have already chosen the outcome. This means that, for you, this is a simple trolley problem. However, the evaluation would be radically different for your character. In situations like that, it is possible they'd elect to kill their friend on the basis of there being fewer casualties, but that kind of cold calculus is borderline monstrous.

This doesn't mean that you can't create a compelling scenario where a character ultimately needs to put down their friend. But, it is a deceptively difficult scenario to credibly engineer, and even then, can frequently result in massive plot holes. So, it can be done, but proceed carefully.

-Starke

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[creamecafe]

Hey! Can we get a Shuri x F!Reader fic, where the reader is mildly superpowered and had moved to Wakanda per request of the Queen after T'challa's passing to allow Shuri to have one trusted friend with her and she stays with her throughout Shuri's grieving period and fights alongside her and her people out at sea, earning herself the title of 'Hero' in the eyes of the Wakandan's despite not being one of their own, and of course, she and Shuri fall in love with eachother but they dont confess until before Shuri drinks the contents of her artificial heart, and before she goes she tells the reader she loves her incase the plant sends her into cardiac arrest and she dosent get the chance to tell her? Sorry for the long request.

Your the Only Friend I Need

*Spoilers for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever if you haven't seen it yet. You have been warned*

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Navigation | Who I Write For | Shuri Udaku Playlist | Also on Wattpad!

Summary: What the request said (Until I can make up a good summary)

Pairing: Shuri Udaku x Fem!Reader with Super-Powers

Warnings: mutual pining, mentions of death, grief, depression, friends to lovers, and eventually fluff at the end. Also not double checked but I'll have to get to that soon.

a/n: @ackroxia this is an absolutely great idea of a request tysm! And DW about it being so long it's perfect!

The king is dead. T'Challa is dead. It was hard for you to accept the news that your close friend is gone. Especially thinking of how the Queen and his sister are feeling due to his death. You have been meaning to reach out to Shuri but didn't know when the right time was.

She was your best friend. Of course, the right thing to do is bring her comfort but didn't know how.

Your thoughts were disturbed as you hear a knock on your door and you go to approach to see who's there.

You look through the peephole and it was none other than the powerful female soldier group known, as the Dora Milaje. You open the door and allowed them in.

"Okoye and Ayo. It's nice to see you both. What brings you here?"

"Hello Y/N it's nice to see you too," Okoye smiled.

"We are here by the Queens' order" Ayo answered.

Oh no. The Queen. It could either mean something good or bad.

"The Queen. What does she need? How can I be a help of assistance?"

"She wants you to come to Wakanda in order of comfort for Shuri due to her state of the Kings death."

"Of course my condolences to the king. And how's Shuri?"

"Not so well. She spends much of her time in the lab. Rarely gets out to socialize or eat."

"I can imagine the death of her brother and how it affects her. They were really close."

"Indeed they were. We need you to come to Wakanda."

"Of course. I don't mind staying a couple of weeks there to comfort Shuri."

"No, I'm not talking about weeks. I mean permanently."

Permanently? Living in Wakanda permanently? It sounds like a dream because you have been to the country before to fight Thanos and how beautiful it is but to live there permanently never crossed your mind.

"Permanently? Like I stay there forever, leaving all my stuff here and my home?"

"I know it sounds like a lot. But Shuri could really use comfort."

You stopped and pondered a moment to think about the choice you would have to make. Shuri is your friend. It feels like a privilege you are chosen as a comfort to be by Shuri's side in an amazing country.

You took a deep breath in and sighed.

"I will go to Wakanda. For Shuri."

"We will help you bring your stuff."

You then started packing your stuff in order to leave your home and enter your new one, Wakanda. After you had everything packed and head off to the ship waiting outside, just practically calling your name, you looked back at your home and how much you will miss it. But then you remember this is for Shuri, a choice you made. You turn your head towards it and never looked back.

Now you were on the ship settled in and waiting for you to arrive at your destination.

-Time Skip-

You had now arrived at Wakanda and were now in the citadel guarded by more of the Dora Milaje. You walked to the meeting room and where the throne is. The doors opened and there stood the most powerful woman known, the Queen of Wakanda, hence her real name Ramonda.

"Queen." You bow down in respect towards her.

"Y/N. You are a friend to Wakanda and part of this family. There's no need to bow."

"I know but my parents always taught me to respect my elders." I smile at her and she does too

She goes to hug me and I reach in. Her hug was firm but also soft. Once you pulled out of the hug, she put her hands on your shoulders and slowly slide to your hands.

"I thank you for coming to Wakanda. I'm sorry for the short notice, but I just want my daughter to be alright."

"No it's ok I understand. My condolences to you and Shuri about the king, your son. First your husband and now your son. I can't imagine the pain you are going through."

"Well here in Wakanda, death is not the end." She smiled sweetly and cupped my face.

"You are a very strong woman Queen, I always admired that about you."

"You are very sweet Y/N, I always loved that about you."

Your heartbeat happily at her kindness.

"Come I'll let you see Shuri."

You nodded and followed her to Shuri's lab. You forgotten how big it was and how much you missed it.

You climb down the steps and see a whole bunch of technology around you and hologram screens. Then you saw her, Shuri.

"Shuri, I have a surprise for you."

"I don't think I'll be interested mama."

"Why you haven't even seen it yet? It's a special someone."

Shuri turns around rolling her eyes until she stops when she sees you. Her eyes widened.

"Y/N?"

"Hi Shuri," You smiled.

"Y/N, oh my god why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"Well um.."

"I had her come to my request. To comfort you."

"Wait you requested for her to come?"

"To stay with you permanently."

"What? No mama, no you can't do that to Y/N. She can't be here because you want her to, what about her family, her home?"

"Shuri it's ok. I wanted to come here. I chose to. For you."

"But..." Shuri sighed.

"You need someone by you and I will do that." I interrupted her and held her shoulder. "I don't care if I have to stay in Wakanda for the rest of my life. I just want you to be ok. That's what matters to me""

Shuri looked down. She felt guilty that you're willing to leave your home to stay in Wakanda with her. She never had someone be her first priority before, especially you.

"I appreciate it Y/N. Thank you so much "

"Now you see why I wanted her to come here Shuri" Ramonda smiled at Shuri.

"Yes mama" Shuri laughed and you smiled too.

"I'll let you two be," Ramonda said as she left the lab.

You both look as the Queen leaves the lab and then turn to each other and smile.

"Do you want me to show you your room?"

"Yeah of course."

You both laugh as you leave the lab to see your new room. When you both arrived it was beautiful. The windows were big enough to see over the city of Wakanda and the night sky with many stars. You were able to put your luggage in and soon be able to decorate it the way you want. You and Shuri just spend the rest of the day talking and hearing how she's doing with the passing of T'Challa.

The first night of Wakanda has been comforting and soothing. The guards had given you comfort clothing, clothing of their culture, and sandals. The food was just immaculate with the seasonings put into it.

When you first took a bit of the food, your eyes widened. Shuri taking a sight at this laughed.

"Is it good?"

"Good? Amazing! Why didn't I have some sooner?"

You both laugh and continue eating.

After eating, you went to take a nice steamy hot bath and just sighed at the calm and relaxing experience. After you were done, you put your pajamas on and were heading to bed. You went to Shuri's room and knocked on the door. Shuri went to the door and opened it. She smiled when she saw you.

"Hey Y/N"

"Hey, Shuri I just came to say goodnight."

"Well, goodnight to you. And thank you for choosing to stay in Wakanda. " She went and gave you a hug

"Or course," You embraced the hug. "Anything for you."

"I know you probably miss your home and family."

"I do but I can make this my home and find my new family here." You smile

Shuri smiled as well. She was lucky to have a friend devoted as you, especially moving to a whole new country.

"Thank you really. Have a goodnight."

"You too Shuri."

Shuri closes her bedroom door and you walk back to your room. You close the door behind you and go to the window. You take a look at the city with lights in buildings, majority dimmed and majority turned off. You felt fortunate that you would be seeing this view every night from now on.

You walk to your bed and settle in under the blankets. You look up at the ceiling and sighed with a smile on your face.

Maybe staying Wakanda for a long time wouldn't be so dreadful after all as you thought.

Let me know if you want to be tagged in part 2 and 3!

[wayfayrr]

I would dye for you

so this was inspired by a mix of an ask on @cloudninetonine's account and a couple of details from something I did in totk, but there aren't any story spoilers there's just a screenshot at the bottom.

This is a little fluff side story for something else I'm writing, where Wild and the reader get tossed into reader's world and split from the rest of the yandere chain. I might flesh this out into more of an au but as of now but honestly, this idea just lives rent-free in my brain

"so you’re sure, like completely sure this is what you want"

"I want to try something new, besides it's not like I'll get the chance to have you do this for me again anytime soon, is it? And you’re the one who suggested I should change things up so I don’t get recognised, why not do it like this? "

Wild lifted their arms with the giddiest smile on their face, a box of temporary dye held like the most precious treasure they could've found. Deep cobalt blue, awfully reminiscent of someone’s scarf, just enough to cover all of his hair to hopefully stop the instant recognition of him on the streets wherever the both of you go. 

After the initial shock of them falling through the portal with you back into the real world, if you could even call Hyrule fictional after everything you went through there; after their shock and excitement died down to a reasonable-ish level. The both of you decided perhaps something should be done so people don’t instantly recognise him as Link - the protagonist of Breath of the Wild, new clothes helped, but thankfully the modern world has a few more options for disguises. 

"When I suggested dying your hair, it’s not like I expected you to get a colour that bold, wait - where did you even get that from?"

"I bought it when you were looking at the other dyes, it’s such a fun colour not like anything I could get easily at home. You - you’re not bothered are you?"

With that last sentence wild seemingly decided to try his luck with you, looking up like a kicked puppy begging for reassurance that what he did was okay, that he won’t be in trouble for his actions. Begging you to comfort him, to do anything to get them to smile; all the while knowing they've got you wrapped around their finger. you're all his, no other heroes to steal your attention off of him, to steal away your smile, to steal your sweet voice from your lips, no he's got you all to himself…

as they believe they deserve.

You can't even see the countless red flags burying him in a crimson hue, too focused on helping him adjust to this alien world or if the thought ever crosses your mind that he's too happy about being trapped so far from home it's quickly dismissed.

they're a link, noble, courageous; chosen by Hylia herself. you've got to be imagining things. He couldn't can’t be like that.

it's hard not to cave at his face, so you simply end up ruffling his hair and plucking the box from eager hands.

"no don't worry I'm not, it's your hair so you get the final say on anything about it. just kinda surprised you chose this colour is all. ready then?"

Wild's mood instantly brightened at those few words, with a relieved manic, unhinged smile bright enough to blind anyone not used to him but keeping the same begging eyes through it.

"yeah! Of course I am, you're going to be doing it all for me right? right?"

"Well, you know how to use the shower, so you can wash the dye off yourself, no? But I’ll be helping you with the rest of it all."

He doesn’t even speak that time, opting to pout and turn away from you sulkily, like you’ve said the wrong thing, chosen the wrong option.

"Do you want me to even wash your hair for you after?"

"..."

"...please [name]?"

If you didn’t assume it was because you were the only thing they had familiar to them in this world, you could say that Wild has gotten far more whiny and needy towards you. Of course that can still be said, but there’s a sane reason behind it. 

With a playful sigh, you push Wild down onto a chair, gesturing for them to take off their shirt which they do after a moment of hesitation, their face coated by a blazingly hot blush. After tossing an old towel around their shoulders and tugging on the cheap plastic gloves you could finally start getting to work. Using the bottle of dye’s nozzle to pipe it through their roots making sure every area is coated before running the dye through with your fingers coaxing it through every inch of his hair, drowning the sun by submerging it in the deep blue of the sea. 

Wild for his part was relishing every moment in the bliss of your touch, leaning up into your touch like it’ll cure his every hurt, really it’s a miracle they’re still on the chair and haven’t fallen off with how far they’re leaning into you. Having to gently nudge him back to sitting upright, so that the dye’s even and so that he doesn’t slump to the floor. 

Before he gets the chance to really enjoy the feeling of your fingers in his hair, you're already backing off and peeling away the gloves to admire your work blatantly ignoring his pitiful whine towards your actions.

"That’s the dye in then, so you’ve just gotta wait for a while till it's ready to wash out, won't take long, only half an hour"

they don't even have the dignity to respond to that, sitting there with a sulky pout that goes unnoticed. it takes them a moment for him to shake off the fact that you couldn't just sit there like that for half an hour, before responding.

"So you’re definitely washing my hair for me then?"

"Pfft, yeah someone’s gotta make sure you don’t trash my bathroom with dye. I’ll rinse it off for you in the sink."

"Can you play with my hair longer this time..?"

He would’ve never had the courage to ask that in front of the chain, lest the arguing starts up again. Although now he’d be far more willing to risk that; due to the fact that the two of you’ve been living separately from the chain together for a couple of months now, it’d be far harder to split you apart to the others’ dismay.

The processing went far faster than either of you could’ve expected and soon enough it was time to wash his hair out and see if the dye took to it well, not that there was much of a chance it couldn’t given his natural colour. 

So after leading them to the bathroom and setting them on a chair shifted so they could lean over the sink, you took to work, gently tipping water through their hair to get out all the residue. When the heavy was washed out you switched to massaging his roots till the water ran clear, not a single dash of dye left in sight. Even then you weren’t quite finished deciding to go the extra step, with the conditioner in hand and him melting underneath you.

Shaking him back awake was a new experience though seeing as he’s usually one of the first to wake anyway, then if he were ever to nap it wouldn’t be due to you washing his hair or anyone washing their hair. 

"Hey, link all the dye's washed out now. You've just gotta dry your hair."

"Mh, alright then [name]. I’ll do it."

He’s still drowsier than you’d ever really seen him when you all were travelling through Hyrule but chucking a towel at his head seemed to snap him out of it. Ruffling his hair with the old towel till it was dry enough for him, in other words still dripping wet; he leaned against you with a pleased smile like you hung the very stars in the sky just for him."I love this, it just feels right, thank you so much for helping me like this [name]... And I can count on you doing it whenever I need a top up right?"

so uh, I definitely reacted totally normal when I found out you could dye Link's hair in totk. but on the other hand look at Link with blue hair and tell me I'm wrong - that he doesn't look incredible

[americasass81]

Toys 'R' Us

Warnings 18+ for the following:- Non-Consensual Sex, Dubious Consensual Sex, Kidnapping, M/F Penetrative Sex (vag & anal), F/F Oral, M/F Oral (f receiving, everything else implied), Implied M/M, Choking, Very Mild Language, Restraints, Fingering, Fisting, Anal, Squirting, Use of Pet Names. Seriously do not read if any of this upsets you, the warnings are there for a reason. Feedback is welcomed and any mistakes are my own.

By proceeding you are acknowledging that you are over 18 and are consenting to the content below the cut.

Pairings:- dark!Steve Rogers x Female Reader, dark!Tony Stark x Female Reader, dark!Natasha Romanoff x Female Reader

Author’s Note 1: This is my submission for @jtargaryen18 Halloween Challenge 2023. Having chosen the prompt below, I’m kinda hoping I pulled it and the spooky sense of the season off.  Even if I didn't, I most definitely had fun writing this. Thank so much for hosting this delightful challenge Jamie, you’re an inspiration to so many of us here.  Hope anyone who reads this enjoys 💖

Challenge Prompt:- (The Portal in the Pumpkin: You carve one of the pumpkins Tony ordered, but this one turns out to be a portal to somewhere else...)

Author’s Note 2:- As always, all images have been found through google search.

Synopsis:- Whomever told you Halloween parties were supposed to be fun never heard of those involving Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.  What will happen when you accept an invitation to Tony Stark’s latest shindig?

Total Word Count:- 8,278

The invitation showed up in your mail just like it did every year you had worked for Tony Stark.  But this year should have been different.  Oh sure the heroes had stopped Thanos and things had pretty much gone back to normal.  But what it had cost humanity seemed to have been forgotten by everyone but you.  And here was the proof.

Looking at the red envelope with its gold writing you still couldn't believe this was happening.  Tony was dead after all.  Steve had chosen to abandon his friends and those that cared about him to live in the past with some British dame who promised him a dance but had no idea of the man he had become.  And Natasha? Well Nat had willingly sacrificed herself knowing that no power in existence could ever bring her back.

So whose idea was it then that this Halloween should be celebrated in the same fashion Tony celebrated every occasion ... with a fabulous party that people talked about long after it was over.  Opening up your door now and heading inside your home, the shocks continued to rock your system as you ripped open the envelope and pulled out the invitation you were now so used to receiving.

Except this wasn't anything like the previous ones.

Appearing now in ghostly holographic form and coupled with the time of year it was, Tony's voice sent a shiver down your spine as he reached out from beyond the grave and reminded you just how prepared he was for anything life threw his way.  "Hello darling."  Ugh there it was again you thought, that cringe worthy endearment that even in death was still such an integral part of who he was.  "If you're seeing this then I am no longer among the living, but that hardly seems like a valid reason to let my legacy crumble.  Therefore in true Tony Stark fashion," he continued with his hand upon his heart, "your presence is hereby requested at the last Stark party to be hosted by yours truly.  No need to R.S.V.P., it's not like you would deny a dead man's last request after all."

Watching now as he winked back at you before the recording disappeared and left you on your own once again, you dropped onto the couch behind you and tried to think through your options.  You hated parties after all.  In all honesty it had to be the only part of being Tony Stark's assistant that really grated on you.  Long hours.  Tedious requests.  His never ending flirtatious ramblings.  All of these you took in your stride and even laughed off some of them.  But these parties were definitely something you could do without.

Which you figured was why Tony always insisted you show up.  Mixing with humanity was, according to someone who preferred to bury himself with machines, the only way to experience all the thrills life had to offer.  God even now the thought of Tony lecturing you on always choosing books over partying made your eyes roll.  He really knew how to annoy you it seemed.

Yet even in death, the man still had a point.

You could never deny him anything in life and you weren't about to cheat him out of his last request now.  No matter how painful it would be to attend knowing that the man of the hour wasn't going to be there, you would always show up for him.  Giving one last look at the invitation now and acknowledging that you at least had two day to prepare for this blessed event, you then headed off to bed and figured tomorrow would give you plenty of time to track down something suitable to wear.  After all one couldn't show up to a Stark Party in any old rags.

Greeting the world again on what you thought was the following morning, you were beyond horrified to discover that you had actually slept a whole day away.  Trying to remember now if you had actually gotten out of bed at all, some empty water bottles on your bedside locker and some vague memory of trips to the bathroom comforted you at least with the knowledge that you had left the bed.  But that seemed to be all you did.  Thinking back now on the last activity you could remember accomplishing, throwing yourself into bed after a long and exhausting day at work somehow convinced you now that the invitation you recalled receiving was simply a dream brought about by far too many long days and sleepless nights.  However, rising from the bed and leaving the room, the envelope and its contents waiting on your living room coffee table told you the summons was real.  Tony Stark was causing you problems once again.

Picking it up and now reading through the finer details his holographic presence and your tiredness had previously caused you to overlook, you now confirmed with a deep sigh the last thought you had that night before sleep knocked you out cold ... nothing in your closet would qualify for this event and you would definitely have to go shopping.  Sighing now with the realization that two days notice had disappeared to become the day of the party, you figured you better get a move on.

Calling a taxi then to pick you up in half an hour, you hurried off into the bathroom to shower and dress before heading outside to catch your ride.  Sitting into the taxi then and telling your driver Devon exactly where you wanted to go, you tried to focus on him talking to you about mundane things like the weather or the last football game he watched but the list of various Halloween outfit shops popping up on your phone as you scrolled through Google proved too much of a distraction to really take in much of what was being said.  After all, with the party taking place tonight this shopping trip was the very definition of last minute.  And you despised last minute chores.

Which you guessed explained the headache that was now beginning to form.

At last arriving in the center of the city, you promptly paid and thanked your driver before exiting the taxi and heading off towards the nearest costume shop.  Hoping for a one and done kind of experience, stepping inside the front door at least brought you some comfort when you were greeted by a throng of adults and children milling about through the huge array of colorful costumes stretching as far as the eye could see.  You weren’t the only one it seemed that the spooky season had crept up on.

Walking through the shop now around excited children, harried adults and even more stressed out shop assistants, you made your way to the adult sections and carefully pawed through every single costume without any of them really screaming out ‘pick me.’  Giving up at last when nothing really grabbed your attention, you left the shop and headed to the next one and the next one and the one after that.  Eventually tired out and wondering why you were unable to find a simple costume for a simple Halloween party, you figured a spot of lunch might allow you to clear your head and start over when suddenly a quick glance down a side alley revealed a small shop decked out in pumpkins, spiders and all manner of ghost and ghoulie.

Glancing around now and observing that no one else seemed even remotely aware of the shop’s existence or where you were even looking, you took a few extra seconds to ponder this revelation before swallowing your concerns, placing one foot in front of the other and heading off towards its door.  Placing your hand on the knob then once getting within its reach, you held your breath and pushed forwards.

Stepping inside the first thing that caught your eye wasn’t the smoking cauldrons or the various supernatural creatures displayed throughout but the actual interior of the place itself … it reminded you of a forest.  Decked out with a moss like carpet, the night sky overhead contrasted beautifully with the leaves cascading down the walls in all the glorious colors of fall.  It took your breath away.  In fact you were so mesmerized by the whole scene before you that you actually let out a shocked scream when a hand landed on your shoulder as the owner of the shop made her presence known to you.

“I’m sorry my dear, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” she apologized politely as you smiled back tenderly while you tried to reassure her that no harm had been done.  Starting a conversation then regarding how amazing her shop looked and at the same time how empty it was compared to most of those on the main street, she simply smiled and reassured you that she still turned a nice profit through those that were destined to find this place.  Taking no notice of her exact words however as your attention now fell to the lack of costumes on display, you wondered if she could actually read your mind when she walked over to the door, locked it and then turned her attentive gaze back on you before speaking.  “Now dear, how about you follow me to the back room and we’ll see if we can find something to bring out your spooky spirit.”

Glancing at the locked door now as she simply walked past you while motioning for you to follow after her, your mind quickly debated what you had gotten yourself into before the memory of why you were even on this trip reminded you that you were terribly low on options.  The party was fast approaching and all the other shops you had tried had been woefully disappointing.  This one really couldn't be any worse, right?  So silencing your reservations then and following behind her step by step, thirty minutes later had you endlessly thanking her as you finally had a costume that suited you and the occasion perfectly.  She truly had delivered.  Saying your goodbyes then, picking up a few essential items and grabbing a quick bite to eat, you next hailed a taxi to get you back home to begin preparing for the night ahead.

Opening up the door to your apartment and stepping inside, you put away your other purchases before heading into your bedroom and dropping the bag containing your costume onto the bed.  Sinking into the chair in the corner of the room then, you contemplated one more time about not going to this party before you finally chastised yourself for hiding yourself away from your former work colleagues.  Sure Tony’s death had been hard on you, so hard in fact you sought out a new job even as the Avengers now rebuilt the compound at a completely different site and Pepper had offered you a lucrative position as her own personal assistant.  Still it would never be the same.  It couldn’t be.  Tony may have been a colossal pain in the ass after all, but he did make things fun.  And it was that fun you missed most of all.

Taking off your shoes now that your mind was beyond changing, you then reached for your phone, booked a taxi for an hour and a half later and finally headed off towards your en suite to start your preparations.  Stripping off your clothes then as the shower heated up and sent its soothing sounds throughout the room, you now stood beneath its warm spray and washed off all the grime trying on the various costumes had deposited on your skin.  Grabbing a towel then and heading back to your bedroom, you dried off before retrieving the costume and looking it over once more.  It really was impressive.

At last feeling all the excitement of the evening ahead, you slipped on the black and red leather bodysuit along with the knee high boots before standing in front of the full-length mirror just inside your closet door.  Admiring the way the suit hugged your figure while cupping your breasts in a way that honestly had you feeling all kinds of sexy, you had to admit that nothing looked as good as your legs leading down from the bodysuit to nestle snugly within the boots.  As Tony would say you were indeed a looker.

Genuinely smiling now for the first time since receiving the invitation, you next went about securing the high collar with the adjustable straps provided before taking out the accompanying belt and securing it firmly around your waist.  Watching now as the four sheer drapes cascaded down your thighs and ass, the light make-up and fake blood you then applied finally finished off the look splendidly and you had to agree that the shop owner was indeed correct.  This was most definitely your look.  Checking the time on your phone one last time, you then picked up your jacket and the invitation and walked out the door just in time to sit into the waiting taxi and head off to see what adventure lay ahead.

Pulling into the parking area of the new Avengers Compound twenty minutes later and handing over your jacket and invitation at the door, arriving at the entertainment floor confirmed that you had made the right decision despite the fact that for the first time since you had come to work for him Tony would not be here.  In fact, it suddenly hit you now standing in this room that Nat and Steve also had to be added to the list.  It just didn’t seem fair.  Setting aside these depressing thoughts however in favor of living life large just like your former boss was notorious for, you plastered on your best and brightest smile and walking towards the bar, ordered the reddest drink they had in honor of the vampire princess your costume declared you to be.  Sipping on it slowly then as the taste assaulted your senses and whatever alcohol it contained burned your throat, you took a few minutes to look around the floor and study the lay of the land until a shiver traveled down your spine and a voice in the back of your mind told you you were being watched.

But that just had to be paranoia, right?

This was a party you were actually invited to, you were no one in particular and everyone looked to be enjoying themselves way too much to zero in on you.  No, you figured now with the outfit you wore the shiver was simply your body adjusting to the changes in temperature and as for the voice well, that you were going to write off as your imagination when a cursory glance around the room proved not one single person here was looking in your direction.  You were just another body.  Gazing out across the sea of faces more closely now bathed in the eerie glow of lighted pumpkins and multi colored billowing smoke, another sip of your drink to calm your nerves and it actually warmed your heart to see so many people - superheroes and Stark employees alike - just hanging out and enjoying the spooky season in all manner of costume that now made you feel right at home.

At last leaving the safety of the bar and venturing forth to mingle, talk and get a closer look at some of the activities, you not only discovered Thor’s dark talent for telling terrifying stories that appeared to be frightening even grown ass adults, but it actually made you smile even more to find Bucky and Sam thoroughly outdoing each other in an ever increasingly degrading game of Truth or Dare.  They really seemed to be embracing the spirit of the season.  Which you figured was something you should be doing.

Thinking now to yourself however of just how much Tony and Nat especially would have enjoyed the festivities on display, you were just about to join Wanda, Pepper and some of your former colleagues from before you left Stark Industries to work at the Avengers Compound for a game of 7 Minutes In … when a glimpse off to your left revealed Carol, Clint and Bruce in the throes of carving pumpkins and having a heated discussion as to which one of them was doing a better job.  Deciding there and then that this actually looked like far better fun and also using the excuse to get your hands on a knife, you placed your hand on Pepper’s shoulder and gave her a warm smile in greeting before making a beeline for the three Avengers currently trying to decide what exactly Carol was after creating.

Stepping up beside them now in the hopes of not only settling the argument but also just to see what each of them had accomplished, you too had to agree that the pumpkin was not something recognizable on Earth to which Carol now threw her arms around you and thanked you for stating the obvious.  Apparently she had indeed carved out some alien creature none of you had ever even heard of and neither of the guys had actually realized it.  Deciding now that your detective skills merited some type of reward and pointing out, to his dismay, that it made you smarter than the great Doctor Banner, Carol now reached behind you and picked up the nearest pumpkin for you to try out your skills on.

Taking the knife now offered by Clint, you waited until all three of them nodded their heads for you to begin and so you did.  Slicing off the top and scooping out the insides, you then carved slowly and carefully and fifteen minutes later a tea light nestled inside revealed the Kraken from Norse mythology devouring a ship and dragging it down to the depths of the ocean never to be seen again.  Grumbling between themselves that you were hiding talents from them, the three superheroes now admitted defeat and walking away left you thinking of what you wanted to do next.  Deciding that as grand, successful and fun as your first pumpkin carving attempt had been, it was a bit too dark in your opinion despite the season that was in it and so reaching for the biggest pumpkin you could find you made the first cut thinking that this time you wanted to try something simple and cheerful.

But alas it wasn’t meant to be.  Sliding the knife in and drawing it back out, a gust of wind simply loud enough for you to hear emanated from the pumpkin and as the knife plunged back in and created a larger cut, a portal formed before your eyes and sucked you forwards into the unknown.

Rising to your feet now having been unceremoniously dumped out wherever the portal had ended, you took a few steadying breaths before beginning the task of figuring out where you were and how you were going to make it back to the party.  Realizing also in the same breath the mistake it was to have left your phone in your jacket pocket, you now focused instead on where you might be and the revelation shocked you.  You were standing in what appeared to be a darkened toy store.  Massive beyond belief and covered in cobwebs, debris and all the eerie spectacle of the season, your hopes of getting out of here began to soar as you cautiously made your way down the nearest aisle and headed towards the front of the building.  But that hope did not last long.

Being greeted by boarded up windows that let in just enough light for you to see by, this revelation coupled with a nearby phone that proved to be lacking an active dial tone told you all you really needed to know.  The place was utterly abandoned and you were trapped inside.  Panicking now at the situation you found yourself in, you checked and rattled every window and door you could find for any possible way out but no exit appeared, so you now began searching the surrounding area for anything that might help you escape or at the very least alert someone outside that this place was not as abandoned as it appeared.  Failing miserably however as everything you tried chipped away at your sense of preservation, you finally sent your gaze upwards along the height of the shelving and wondered if you could climb them, reach the roofing system and manage to get out that way.

Looking around once more now at the front of the building which offered no escape and the Halloween decorations adorning this place that now looked far more sinister and creepy the longer they stared back at you, you accepted you had nothing left to lose and so placing your foot on the nearest shelving and reaching up over your head you prepared to climb and get a better view of things above you when the sound of someone chanting off to your left caught your attention.  Stopping what you were doing now and focusing more completely on what was being said, you still couldn't distinguish any one word from another but two facts were undisputed.  And they totally freaked you out.  One, you were no longer alone in this place and two, this new voice belonged to that of the male variety.  Which made you even more uneasy.  Taking a moment now to contemplate this new information in the context of what you were currently wearing and the time of year it was, you waited a heartbeat more before finally deciding that seeking assistance to get out of here was worth whatever danger may be waiting for you somewhere in the bowels of this disused toy store.

Dropping back down to the floor and moving forward now without alerting your unknown companion, you made it all the way to the action figure aisle where the light of a stationary flashlight illuminated the silhouette of a familiar figure standing before a life size cardboard cutout of The Black Widow Natasha Romanoff.  Completely forgetting the unusual circumstances now that landed you in this peculiar location, you hurried forwards and called out Steve Rogers name until a wayward glance beyond him stopped you in your tracks.

Something very strange was happening here.

Looking back and forth now between the man that sparked hope within you and the object that halted your movements, seeing what looked like blood dripping down Natasha's effigy made you want to run back the way you had come when another image caught and held your attention.  At the end of the aisle, four or five feet away now from where you and Steve stood, another life size cardboard cutout also stood dripping in the same red substance, but it was still easy to make out.  This one was Tony Stark.  Moving slowly past Steve now without any interference from him to stand before the image of your former boss, you were just about to reach out and wipe the red liquid from his cardboard helmet when a hand suddenly reached out to stop you and made your skin crawl.

"Please don't do that.  Jamie was very clear that their blood should not come in contact with any other living creature," Steve explained and the shadows dancing across his features as you glanced towards him somehow made him far more terrifying than you ever thought possible.

"Who the fuck is Jamie and just what the hell is going on here?" you asked, turning now to face Steve fully while his grip on your wrist and the bloody scene before you frightened you more than you ever willing to utter.  Especially to him.

Visibly flinching a bit at your language, tone or possibly both, Steve easily composed himself however before speaking.  "Oh I'm sorry sweetheart," Steve began as he now moved both of you away from the figure before you and the temptation you still had to touch it.  "I thought after all the time the two of you spent picking out your costume she would at least have given you her name.  Guess she didn't," he now finished as his tongue darted out to lick his lips while his eyes took in the sight of you for the very first time.

Following his eyes down your costume now as some of the pieces began to fall into place, you still didn't know for sure what puzzle they were falling into though and part of you questioned if you really wanted to find out given what you had seen so far.  But it proved to be a very small part however.  Deciding instead after a brief pause that you just had to know what was going on, you turned your full focus back on Steve now and asked the question he failed to answer once again.

"Well if you really must know, Jamie informed me that very little separates the living from the dead on All Hallow's Eve.  So using a spell she provided, Nat and Tony can walk this earth once again."

Completely horrified now by this revelation, all that it implied and his seemingly cavalier attitude to what he was proposing, your head screamed at you to run but your natural curiosity won out again as more words tumbled from your mouth without too much thought for what you were saying or the consequences they might reap.  "What the hell Steve?  Why would you do something like this?  Have you any idea the forces your actions could unleash?"

Locking his eyes with you now as he contemplated whether or not to tell you the truth, it seemed the truth won out in the end as America's sentinel of liberty began to speak once more.  "What can I say sweetheart?  I missed Natasha.  Hell even on some level I also missed Tony.  I just had to find a way to bring them back.  And this is it.  Whatever it takes," he finished with a cold, almost lifeless whisper and you knew now that all hope was lost.  This man before he was no longer the beacon of hope the world held him up to be and the longer his blue eyes roamed over your barely concealed form the more afraid you became of the circumstances that landed you here and the consequences should you be unable to escape.

Frantic now as your mind wandered back to the feeling of someone watching you as you entered the party, you wanted to tell yourself to shut the fuck up when another round of words left your trembling lips.  "It was you?" you stated almost as a question as more pieces of this puzzle made themselves known to you.  "You sent the invitation.  Organized for Jamie to find me.  You were watching me at the party too.  Oh god," you shuddered out suddenly as a final thought revealed itself to you, "you left that cursed pumpkin for me to find.  You wanted me here."

Backing away from him now as you no longer wanted to hear anything he had to say, you finally took off at a run not caring where you were headed, but only made it three aisles over before a heavy body slammed into you and brought you to the ground.  Trying desperately now to fight him off but failing miserably given his power, size and the position you found yourself in, you might have feared for your life as a crazed looking Steve turned you over and brought his hands around your throat if not for the words that settled in your ears as his fingers started to squeeze.  "Rest easy now sweetheart, I'm not done with you yet and there's at least one person both of us know who will be overjoyed to find you here."

Clawing at his hands now as your vision began to blur and his words frightened you more than any revelation so far this night, your fingers eventually fell from his as the cold embrace of darkness finally claimed you and his satisfied smirk was the last concrete image your mind captured.

Regaining consciousness some unknown time later to find Steve with his back turned towards you staring into space, you might have been horrified by the fact that your body suit was all that remained on your frame now if not for the fact that being practically naked was not your worst condition.  Ignoring the super soldier who seemed to have taken leave of his senses, your eyes now took in the makeshift scene all around you and it was worse than the one before he choked you out.  Following the line of your limbs, you quickly discovered that the drapes that earlier fell from your hips now tied you down to what looked and felt like the base of a fourteen foot trampoline.  Which didn't bode well for you.

Determined as a result to remain as quiet as possible so as not to alert your unhinged captor, you pulled your arms and legs towards you and while there was some tiny movement allowed, the fabric didn't even tear.  Which only confirmed that you weren't going anywhere anytime soon.  Meaning you were now in serious trouble.  Tired now from all the exertion this information and running from Steve had cost you, you relaxed back down on your makeshift prison and figured it was maybe time to try and reason with the man responsible for your current situation since you had nothing else to lose.  “Hey Asshole,” you began as a means of grabbing Steve’s attention though you knew once again that your attitude had not been well received by the noticeable tension that seemed to settle in his shoulders, “you maybe want to tell me why exactly I’m tied down here.  Surely you’re not going to go so far as to sacrifice me?” you now asked and you hated yourself for the tremor you knew he must be hearing in your voice.

“Sacrifice you?” Steve now asked as he turned around to face you before jumping up onto the trampoline and kneeling down between your open legs.  “Oh sweetheart don’t be silly.  Jamie doesn’t practice that type of magic, but you will have to contribute … something,” he now answered and as his fingers began gliding over your bound figure you suspected that his next answer was not going to be something that was going to excite you.  Even if you hadn't been tied down.

Listening intently now as the terror began to build, Steve informed you that come midnight Tony and Nat would step through their blood soaked cardboard cutouts and rejoin the world they gave their lives for.  All that then had to be done to seal the resurrection spell was for the two of them … well in this case the three of them, to spend the next twenty-four hours ravishing each other's bodies and yours so Jamie could harness the energy of said couplings for whatever purpose she required.  Finishing off this revelation then by leaning forwards and placing a kiss against each covered breast, you wished you could headbutt him in retaliation but the other questions swirling in your brain took priority.

Plus there was the fact that your current position didn’t allow you the strength to inflict that type of damage on him.  Still, telling Steve in no uncertain terms that you would tell Tony and Natasha what he had planned, you also told him that he had to be even more deranged if he thought the flimsy drapes tying you down would remain strong enough to hold you for that length of time.  His answer to this remark however only served to  shock you even more.

Glancing at his watch now before releasing a laugh that sent a chill through your very soul, Steve now seemed to take perverse pleasure in settling his lips against your ear before explaining the lengths he and Jamie had gone through to secure your participation.  “Oh sweetheart, your little shopping trip to Jamie’s did more than enable you to purchase this delicious covering.  The drapes while looking flimsy to you are actually enchanted to hold you forever until one of us releases you.  And as for telling tales to Tony and Nat," he continued with a tsk tsk sound, “well … try to reveal anything too detailed about your participation or Jamie’s involvement and all anyone will hear is you moaning, pleading and begging to be fucked harder.”

Rising off the trampoline now and heading back to the spot he had previously been watching from, your mind began to swirl with everything he had just told you but as a whooshing sound now broke the silence settling around you and Steve again, this new development now told you that the time you had left with full control over your voice was just about up.  So with very little choice left available to you, you swallowed your fear and asked Steve the one remaining question that haunted you the most now.  “Steve, what happens to me after twenty-four hours?  Will I actually survive what’s coming?”

Torn between answering you now and giving his full attention to his two friends whose cutouts you just now noticed standing a few feet away, a quick glance at the shimmering effigies and his watch told Steve he still had some time.  It couldn't hurt then to give you another piece of information, right?  Sighing again at your persistence before turning back to face you, he simply told you now that you would indeed survive but all four of you would then be bound together forever and beyond.  Informing you also that the question and answer portion of the evening was now officially over, you would have protested this final statement vigorously if not for the skeletal hands you now watched emerging from the cutouts before you.

This shit couldn't be real.

Following your frightened gaze and high pitched screams now to also witness what you were seeing, Tony and Nat emerging through the blood soaked veils should have been a welcome sight except for what actually appeared in their stead.  Disheveled skin, protruding bone and wispy strands of hair, you now felt bone chilling fear for the first time in your life at the prospect of having these creatures anywhere near you.  But Steve it seemed didn't care.  Moving forward now one step at a time for every one they took in your direction, you ignored Steve’s actions and his previous comments and pulled harder against your bindings until a new phenomenon drew your attention to what was taking place before your eyes.

Craning your neck now around Steve’s considerable bulk, your eyes widened in utter disbelief as you watched the desiccated corpses of two people you thought you’d never see again somehow absorb the blood that previously covered their cutouts and complete their transformations.  Reaching their friend and former teammate then, Tony and Nat embraced Steve in all their former glory and as the three friends focused on their own reunion you now wondered how long you had until their attention fell on you and whether this transformation was real or simply an illusion.

Fearful now that the answer to this unvoiced question would end up being the latter, yet not liking the former prospect any more either, you foolishly tried once more to free yourself from your confinement until Tony separated from his friends and locked his gaze on you.  “Well now darling, aren’t you a sight these once dead eyes thought they’d never see again.  Capsicle you really have outdone yourself,” Tony now added as he walked away from Nat and Steve and closed the distance between you.  Feeling your heart now pounding in your chest the closer he got to you as Natasha helped Steve strip out of his clothes, Tony at last reaching the trampoline and placing his hand upon your ankle told you one thing at least.  This was no illusion.

Completely naked, warm to the touch and looking every bit as human as he had in life, the smirk you never admitted to loving graced his newly restored features once again as he watched your eyes travel down his impressive physique to settle on his equally impressive package.  It was better than your dreams.  Calling for the others now to hurry up, Steve and Nat standing beside him equally naked now left you feeling positively fully clothed in the bodysuit that moments earlier had felt like nothing more than a glorified swimsuit.  But you knew it wouldn’t last.  Watching now as their hungry eyes raked over your bound and covered form, all three heroes nodded silently to each other now before Tony joined you on the trampoline and ripped the bodysuit from you.  Begging now for them not to follow through with what they had planned, it was Natasha that set out to put your mind at ease.

“Princess please, look at you.  Look at us,” she continued as Steve and Tony reached out and helped her up on the trampoline.  Dipping ever so slightly now from the combined weight of all four of you as Tony remained between your legs while Steve and Nat rested on either side of you, the redhead licking a stripe along your neck made you cringe in disgust until she started speaking once again.  Then you wanted to vomit.  “Do you see Tony’s package princess?  Tell me you haven’t fantasized about it buried deep within your flower.  And what about Steve?” she asked, reaching across your body then to place her hand around his glorious erection.  “Imagine this rod splitting you apart as you beg the guys to fuck your brains out.  Not that we'll be able to hear you much with my pussy dripping all over that sweet and talented mouth of yours,” Natasha finished with a laugh before her lips crashed against yours and her tongue invaded your mouth and tickled your senses.

Drawing back to let both of you breathe then while letting go of Steve’s equipment, the three heroes exchanged looks once again as Tony now made room for Natasha between your legs while Steve moved closer to fondle your breasts and replace Nat’s lips with his own.  Fighting off Steve’s advances now as his tongue darted out against your lips but failed to breach your oral cavity, he finally managed to penetrate your defenses however when Natasha bent down between your legs and buried her head against your intimate area.  Moaning out then as her lips descended over your folds and began to lick and nibble an area no man or woman had ever touched orally before, Steve took full advantage of your slippage and gliding his tongue over yours began to seek out any participation from you on his end.

Squirming now to get away from Steve’s skillful hands and Natasha’s talented fingers and mouth, you actually lost control of your senses when Tony attached his mouth to Nat’s private area and sent her moans reverberating through your pussy in a sensation overload you had never experienced before.  One that made your head spin.  Grabbing a hold of the drapes now as you and Natasha were pulled apart, you couldn’t tell where you ended and Nat started and at this moment you couldn’t really care.  Feeling your orgasm growing stronger and stronger as Natasha's tongue and fingers continued to assault your core, Steve now suckling on your breasts while Tony worked Nat towards her own release confirmed all that they had told you ... it was going to be a fourway.

But it didn't end there.  Hearing a female voice chanting in the same language you had heard earlier, a cracking sound joined the slapping, slurping and moaning sounds coming from all four of you and you figured now that this was the energy harnessing part of the spell that Steve had previously mentioned.  At least you might have accepted that explanation had your mind been able to focus completely on anything other than the sensations currently pulsing throughout your system.  Biting along your chest now so that your mouth was free to give a voice to their efforts, moaning out now just like Steve had promised as their manipulations of your body continued to push you higher and higher, you cried out your release and created a vice-like grip on Natasha's fingers as a powerful orgasm ripped through you and threatened to knock you out once again.  But it wasn't going to happen.  Continuing to fuck you through your high as Steve now egged her on and Tony increased his eating out of the redhead sandwiched between the two of you, one more powerful, never-ending spasm starting in your head and thrumming downward towards your toes and you felt the dam burst.  Literally.  Squirting out all over Natasha's face as she in turn released into Tony's waiting mouth, all three heroes now smiled in satisfaction at the moisture leaking from you and dripping down Natasha's face.

Laying atop you now as Steve moved forwards to taste her release on Tony's face, you would have chosen that moment to close your eyes to the scene before you if the redhead didn't have other plans.  Moving her body along yours as the guys now watched in rapt attention, her bringing her lips against yours should have made you thoroughly repulsed but instead it turned you on.  And the words she uttered next just added to your overall confusion and humiliation.  "You taste wonderful princess, don't you think?  I'm glad I got to sample you first," she finished with a wink as she then flopped down beside you and began discussing with the guys how all of you should proceed from here.  Deciding it was only fair that Steve should get to taste your nectar next, Tony and Nat now snuggled up on either side of you as the super soldier made himself comfortable between your legs.  Feasting on your pussy then as Nat and Tony showered your upper body with nips and kisses, you actually began to wonder if Steve required any air to breathe at all as your body responded to his stimulations and his face seemed determined to breach your entrance.

Begging him to stop eventually as you couldn't take much more, an imperceptible look towards his teammates had Tony holding down your hips while Nat placed her lips over yours to easily silence all of your objections.  No longer able to do anything now but feel each and every sensation swirling through you, your body finally succumbed to Steve's unrelenting torture as wave after wave of unending pleasure crashed throughout your body and you at last surrendered to the multiple orgasms competing within you for the title of strongest one.  Pleased with himself now at the effect he had on you as he collapsed exhausted between your legs, you hoped now they would at least let you rest a bit before starting up again.  But this was not to be part of their plan it seemed.

Having followed the rule of ladies first and then rewarding Steve for all that he had accomplished so far this night, Tony had waited patiently to taste your honeypot. But it seemed his patience now had run out. Returning to their starting positions as Natasha whispered in your ear how she had never tasted anything quite as exquisite as your pussy, Steve devoring your mouth once again did nothing to distract you from Tony's mouth attaching itself to your dripping folds. Acknowledging now for the first time that Steve and Nat were clean faced, the feel of Tony's goatee against your oversensitive lips was an altogether different experience. As were his skills. Realizing now that the previous two heroes had pulled you apart without ever actually manipulating your clit, Tony's nibbling on your bundle of nerves along with the tingling burn created by his facial hair added a whole new sensation to the pulses taking place within your core and as every muscle in your body began to tighten you knew you were in trouble. This was shaping up to be your most powerful release yet.

Successfully pulling back from Steve's mouth now as the pressure began to build throughout your system, you fought as best you could against Tony's hold even though it was an action that ultimately proved futile. Adding his fingers now which then became a fist as his tongue, lips and goatee all continued to aggravate the nerve endings his friends had previously sparked to life, you this time welcomed the darkness that surrounded you as fireworks burst behind your eyes and what felt like electricity crackled everywhere from your head to your toes. You had never in your life come so hard and part of you hoped you never would again. It was beyond draining.

Releasing the drapes then that tied your now limp body to the trampoline, the heroes began to use you in earnest now as each of them took turns to become acquainted with all of your holes and each others.  Twisting and turning you now in ever more creative ways as each of them tried it seemed to outdo the other, all you could do now was try not to pass out again as one orgasm ended and another one began.  In fact, so coordinated and determined were they in their dominance of you that at one stage in this bizarre ritual with Nat sitting on your face while kissing Steve beneath you and Tony somehow also sampling Natasha's nether regions, both of the guys' cocks buried in your pussy at the same time had all four of you joined as one.  And it wasn’t the only time this happened.  Another time, Steve buried in Nat's ass and Tony buried in yours while you and Nat pleasured each other seemed to you like something out of a pornographic movie. But this too had actually been real.

Losing track of all the times each of you had come now as well as trying not to think about the consequences of all the loads the guys had deposited within your core, you suspected this part of your ordeal was coming to an end however as the crackling energy you vaguely remembered noticing earlier coalesced into a shimmering barrier surrounding the trampoline as Steve and Tony both released one final burst of cum each against your shuddering walls.  Exhausted now to the point of being nearly catatonic, yet also eternally grateful that you had indeed survived, your body covered and overflowing with cum could not shut off the new round of questions forming in your brain as Steve and Tony nestled against your sides while Natasha lay down between your legs and rested her head upon your stomach.

Breaking the silence to ask what their plans were now that the twenty-four hour sex marathon had secured their resurrection, no amount of thinking or deducing on your part could have prepared you for the answer Tony furnished you with however.  Informing you that a house had been secured in your name somewhere in time, all of you would live comfortably on a secret fortune that Steve had amassed while populating this new time period with the next generation of earth’s heroes.

Strenuously protesting this idea while simultaneously groaning at the thought of all the sex that would be required to accomplish this goal, Tony and Nat peppering your skin with kisses did very little to distract you however as Steve reached under the trampoline and retrieved a bag containing four time travel suits with corresponding GPS wrist straps.  Slowly backing away from their location now as you all dismounted the trampoline, arguing with Tony that this whole idea of starting over was beyond absurd as the three heroes proceeded to suit up, a stern look from Steve as he moved to block your escape attempt told you no more insolence on your part would be tolerated going forward.  Informing you then as he grabbed a firm hold on your shoulders that you could either get dressed on your own or be dressed, it was Nat now who tried to smooth things over by appealing to your gentler side.

"Princess, forget what happened these past twenty-four hours and listen to your heart.  Now tell us you don't want this.  This world believes us to be dead so we can't stay here, but elsewhere together a life with Tony, Steve and I awaits where you will be treasured beyond your wildest dreams," she finished and as all three heroes now stood awaiting your answer you simply countered by asking where the exit out of here was and would they even let you reach it.

Smiling at you now as Steve flat out told you you weren't going anywhere but with them, suiting up and following on as he led all three of you farther into the store and back to the storage area, all four of you then stood on the waiting quantum generator, synced up your GPS wrist straps and shot through the time portal to emerge in a wooded landscape with an impressive cabin decked out in all the splendor of the spooky season.  Resigning yourself now to the future they promised as Steve confiscated all four wrist straps, a change of clothes inside the house had you wondering how long you could survive this nightmare before you lost your mind and whether or not your new reality came with heroes that could offer some assistance.

Tagging: @jtargaryen18

[malthemagnifisent]

Pairing: Aerin x Male!elf Mc (Cyrus)

Plot: After so many relationships and friendships ruined by the interference of his brother, Aerin was determined not to let anything ruin Cyrus’ opinion of him. He couldn’t abide the thought of the one good thing in his life being turned against him, and perhaps that left him with more anger and possessiveness then he realized.

Content warning: Mentions of Baldur abuse, and very slightly 18+ scene at the end, but nothing really happens. It’s mainly just kissing and Aerin like unties MC’s pants.

Tag list: @zhoras-bitch @rosepetals1 @saibug1022 @oh-so-youre-a-nerd @baldwinboy5ive (enjoy)

Baldur had always made sure to ruin any little thing that Aerin had to himself, and that included every moment, gift, and even person that Aerin found some enjoyment in. He’d destroyed Aerin’s favorite toys when they were young, and as they grew older, he took away even his peace.

The worst of all had been when he’d ruined the one good relationship in Aerin’s otherwise miserable life. He’d formed a friendship, perhaps even something more, with the son of a nobleman, and for a while, Aerin had been almost happy.

Then Baldur had found out, because he always found out, and before Aerin even had a chance, his brother had crushed the relationship in his hand and left Aerin floundering.

Somehow his brother had managed to wheedle his way under the skin of his friend, whispering all sorts of lies in his gullible ear, until finally his one bit of solace had turned away from him with nothing but anger.

In Aerin’s mind, everything of his was going to be ruined eventually, and Cyrus was no exception. Even with Baldur gone, he couldn’t discount that somehow Cyrus would be turned against him, and perhaps his fears drove him rather mad at times as jealousy and possessiveness became all too easy.

Everyone wanted Cyrus; that was a fact. He was smart and beautiful, brave beyond belief, and the hero of Morella, to top it all off. People wanted him, and Aerin couldn’t blame them, but still, Cyrus was his; Cyrus had chosen him, and he would be damned if he’d let anyone take him away.

There was a party in the castle of White Tower, and Cyrus, as usual, was the center of attention. He smiled politely as he talked with pushy nobles, all of whom wanted just a minute to speak with the famed hero of Morella.

Aerin would have been at Cyrus’ side, but just a moment ago he’d been sent for drinks, and as soon as he’d left, partygoers had descended like vultures. If he thought Cyrus’ minded, then Aerin would have hurried back, but as it was, he didn’t think Cyrus cared that he was being swarmed by admirers.

It took him some time to find a waiter through the thick crowd, and when he did, it was to the realization that he’d completely lost sight of Cyrus, so despite his best efforts, he may have been rather short with the servant as he snatched up cups of wine and hurried back through the crowd.

Realistically, he knew nothing would have changed in just those few seconds—that Cyrus would still be standing where he had been before, laughing and smiling until all the warmth of the room seemed to be coming from him.

That’s what he expected, at least, but when the crowd parted, he had a sinking feeling as he realized Cyrus was no longer standing among the chatting nobles.

His hands trembled slightly on the long stems of the wine glasses, but he paid it no mind as he set them down on the first table he saw before walking up to the dispersing crowd of men and women.

“Where’s Cyrus?” He snapped, glaring at one of the women he knew had been surrounding his friend. (or lover perhaps, he didn’t know what to call him.)

She looked at him with a familiar expression of distaste, one he’d gotten used to seeing from everyone whom he used to know. Not everyone had been as forgiving as Cyrus, and there were still people in Whitetower who saw him as nothing more than a corrupted prince who’d almost ended the realm.

Luckily for him, along with that hatred came a sense of fear, and usually he would have detested that anyone was still afraid of him, but now he was grateful for it, as it had the noblewoman responding in an instant.

“He went to the garden; Lord Edric accompanied him.”

That was all Aerin needed before he turned sharply on his heel and stormed out of the doors and into the cool evening air. His hands had clenched into tight fists, and each breath was a pain to draw in.

The scar on his chest ached, stretched as his lungs expanded, and burned in the cool air, but all that was what he’d grown used to; he’d come to expect that pain. What he couldn’t accept was the fear and misery of having the one truly good thing in his life taken away.

Lord Edric was a familiar name to him; he’d been friends with Baldur; that is, if anyone could really be considered friends with his late brother, and Aerin couldn’t stand the thought of him being alone with Cyrus for even a solitary moment.

God knows what he would say, what poison he would whisper, what lies he would tell, and how he might turn Cyrus against Aerin like Baldur had done so many times.

He stumbled over his own feet slightly as he heard Cyrus’ voice ahead of him, sounding clearly through the garden where no other sound but the wind could possibly be heard.

As he rounded a grove of trees, Aerin heard Lord Edric laughing and spotted the pair standing a few feet away, a good distance between them but not enough for Aerin's liking, not when Lord Edric could reach out and touch Cyrus if he tried, not when he could see the fine details of Cyrus’ eyes or smell the scent of the bath oils he used.

Those things weren’t for him; they were for Aerin, all for him.

Then Cyrus laughed at something Lord Edric had said, and Aerin couldn’t breathe anymore. He cleared his throat and stepped toward them, his head held high and his dark eyes fixed on Edric with the same kind of disdain he used to wear when he’d been so full of corruption that there had been no anger or hatred to feel.

“Aerin, I’m sorry I wandered off; I needed some air, and Lord Edric said he would show me the gardens,” Cryus said, his smile turning real, softer, brighter, and so much warmer than the false happiness he’d been showing before.

Without giving it much thought, Aerin strode forward and met Lord Edric’s eyes. “Leave us; you’ve taken up enough of his time,” he said, to the silent indignation of Cyrus, who seemed to be struggling with what to say.

It wasn’t often that Cyrus was left speechless, and if Aerin wasn’t so filled with anger and jealousy, then maybe he would have had room to feel proud of himself.

Lord Edric appeared ready to argue, but Aerin refused to give him a chance, the same way he refused to let Cyrus be taken or ruined. He raised his hand and nodded pointedly back toward the castle doors, where light was spilling out into the gardens and the sound of the party could still be heard.

“The hero of Morella has more important things than standing here and talking to you, Lord Edric,” he said, which finally seemed to get his point across as Edric’s lip curled back before he took the time to nod toward Cyrus.

“I’ll see you back at the party, I’m sure,” was all he said before he finally obeyed Aerin and walked away, leaving Aerin standing in a cloud of his own jealousy that anyone would take up Cyrus’ time, time that would be better spent with Aerin himself, time that was precious, as he didn’t know how much of it he would get before Cyrus was no longer his.

Silence prevailed for one long moment before Cyrus spoke. “That wasn’t necessary,” he said, looking at Aerin with such obvious disapproval that he almost felt bad for a moment.

Only a moment, though.

“You should stay away from Edric; he’s not as nice as he looks,” he muttered, turning to look over at the castle, where Edric had retreated and was luckily no longer in sight. He must have followed Aerin’s instructions and returned to the party.

Cyrus suddenly stepped in front of him, and Aerin was forced to confront the disapproval he’d been hoping to avoid. “Do you not trust me to figure that out on my own? What did you think was going to happen?” He asked, placing a hand on Aerin’s shoulder and holding him gently in place, as if Aerin would have left, if he would ever leave again. He would stay rooted to the spot as long as Cyrus wanted.

“He was friends with Baldur; years ago they were close, and besides that, you’re-“ Aerin broke off, breathing heavily, his head hanging low so his eyes could focus on the hand that still rested on his shoulder, the gentle weight helping him stay steady and warm even as a cool breeze blew around them.

Quirking a single eyebrow, Cyrus leaned down a little, and Aerin was forced to meet his eyes. “I’m what? Gullible?” He asked, already trying to piece out what Aerin had been about to say, but predictably he was failing, and Aerin should have been content to let him keep wondering, but for some reason he couldn’t.

Before he even knew what he was doing, Aerin was speaking, spilling his fear and anger, every word laced with jealousy and a sort of possessiveness he didn’t know he had in him. “No, you’re mine; you’re mine, and I can’t have you taken away,” he snapped, though as soon as the words left him, he felt bad for how they’d sounded.

To his credit, Cyrus didn’t even react; he just continued to stare at Aerin, clearly waiting for something better—some explanation that made sense and wasn’t just Aerin’s fear of being abandoned.

Cyrus suddenly gripped Aerin by the upper arm and pulled him deeper into the garden, behind another grouping of trees, so no one from the castle would have a chance of seeing them. “If I remember correctly, I’ve never been the one abandoning this relationship; that’s always been you,” he said, and perhaps it was a low blow, but Aerin couldn’t deny its truth.

He had been the one to run before this; he’d been the coward; he couldn’t handle his feelings well enough to keep Cyrus close, but now he was here to stay, and whenever he was determined to stick around, things inevitably fell apart.

“Every friend I ever made was driven away; Baldur got in between every relationship I started to build; I don’t know how he did it, but every time he made them leave,” Aerin said, shrugging his shoulders to break free of Cyrus’ grasp.

He couldn’t stay still when he talked of Baldur; even the mention of his brother set him on edge and put him into a state of such nerves that he simply had to move. Bakdur’s presence used to mean almost certain punches, so sitting down had never been an option; standing still was no better either, so pacing was the easiest.

“And what? Do you think he’s still pulling the strings from beyond the grave?” Cyrus asked as his hand suddenly settled on Aerin’s chin, and he was held in place by slim, cold fingers, pressing indents into his pale cheeks. “Your brother has no power over me; he never did.”

Swallowing thickly, Aerin reached up and grabbed Cyrus’ wrist, pulling the hand from his chin so he could step closer, crowding into Cyrus’ space like it was the most natural thing in the world. “You’re mine; I will not give you up,” he said, his free hand now tangling into the front of Cyrus’ shirt, clutching tightly at the rich fabric.

“No one is asking you to give me up,” Cyrus responded, his cool fingers enclosing slowly around Aerin’s wrist, gently tugging his hand away so the space between them was clear and Cyrus was free to lean down and rest his forehead gently on Aerin’s. “You think Lord Edric will steal me from you?” He chuckled, the notion seeming absurd the longer he considered it.

Aerin made a sound of frustration, and in an act of desperation, he pulled Cyrus closer and pressed their lips together. It wasn’t anything like their other kisses, though that was to be expected, as kissing Cyrus was never the same as it had been the time before.

Cyrus was so easily distracted from his earlier indignation as he grabbed Aerin by the waist and began to walk slowly back. The trees rustled above them, and the sounds of the party swelled for a moment before suddenly Aerin’s back was pressed against a tree, and he could think of nothing else but the hands trapping him there.

A hand snaked into his hair, and Aerin was lost in bliss as Cyrus trailed his lips down across his neck, sending fire skirting across his skin and making him crumble under the anticipation of being further burned alive under Cyrus’ touch.

The kiss broke, and Aerin whined in protest, as he always did, because he’d be happy to continue until he ran out of air. It wasn’t an unpleasant thought to die with Cyrus kissing him.

“Everyone wants you; you know that,” he said, his breath ghosting over Cyrus’ lips as he refused to lean back; he couldn’t bear the thought of stepping away.

Cyrus chuckled softly and shook his head. “I do not know that; I know you want me, and that’s what matters,” he said, pressing another soft kiss to the corner of Aerin’s lips.

“When people are near you, they can’t keep themselves from looking, and I can’t stop myself from wanting to hide you away, because for once I have something that is all mine, and I want to keep it that way." Aerin knew it was probably a bit much, that no one wanted to be kept on such a tight leash, but he couldn’t help the way he felt, the jealousy that tore out of his chest anytime someone made Cyrus laugh.

He wouldn’t have blamed Cyrus if the man decided to leave him, if he fell for the charms of one of his many admirers. Any of them could have given him more than Aerin could offer, but Aerin wouldn’t let go without putting up a fight to keep him.

“I never noticed when people were charmed by me; I’ve always been too busy checking if you were watching,” Cyrus mused, like his words weren’t everything Aerin needed to hear, as if they didn’t fuel every bit of desire and need he had.

Aerin tried to stop the shaking of his hands, but it was no use, and instead he employed the nervous energy as it should be used by pulling Cyrus down into another heated kiss. His fingers fiddled gently with the ties of Cyrus’ silken pants, giving every chance to pull away before he tugged at the fabric and began to open the ties.

“You’re mine,” he whispered again, his hand moving gently along the exposed strip of skin where Cyrus’ shirt had ridden up.

His hand dipped lower, and Cyrus shuddered against him, his forehead coming to rest on Aerin’s shoulder as his breaths began to shake.

“Yours, all yours, Aerin.”

And just like that, Aerin was insane again, driven mad by want and corrupted with possessive emotion that he knew no amount of light could cure. This was here to stay; this longing was never going to fade.

Cyrus was his, only his, and he’d be damned if he let him be taken away.

[kaseyskat]

Okay so related to my post from last night, I wanted to elaborate on my thoughts very specifically regarding Sparrow and Hero and the messy messy nuance surrounding their relationship that often goes overlooked in the name of simply attaching the "bad parent" label to Sparrow and calling it a day. I've talked about this before, but I'm feeling it again lmao.

Sparrow's relationship with Hero is nuanced. It was destined to be nuanced the moment it was revealed that a prophecy would deem her the Chosen One. Now, I know we still don't know exactly when the prophecy was given to the twins or even what the full prophecy entails, but we do know it shaped Hero's life in an irreparable way. I don't need to tell y'all that much though, because everyone in this fandom knows that, they know what the prophecy did to Hero but I've been surprised time and time again that nobody thinks to dig deeper into their motivations: aka, why did the twins feel it was necessary to raise Hero the way they did? The easy way out is to say they are both horrible parents and call it a day (if anything is said of Lark at all- it's kind of appalling that most people absolve Lark of all blame and solely pin everything on Sparrow when they've always done everything together).

So let me explore one of the what-ifs. Say you are a kid raised as a normal kid having a normal life. One day, though, when you're a teenager, you suddenly inherit the legacy of your parents- their monsters, the end of the world, everything. Pretty akin to how s2 starts, in fact! Except while this is so sudden for you... turns out they knew the entire time that you would inherit this mantle, and they did nothing, said nothing, and now you're completely unprepared to face an eldritch monster that even your father and uncle couldn't defeat on their own. That would be pretty bad, right? Bad parenting on their part, knowing that this would happen and doing nothing?

"But that didn't happen!" you tell me, arguing in my tags and in comments under my posts. "Hero didn't have to face the Doodler!" Sparrow and Lark don't know this. As far as we know, they received a prophecy either right before or right after Hero was born saying she would be the one to face the Doodler. Normal wasn't in the picture, it isn't a question of if that would happen, it was when. What if Hero was a toddler? A child? A teenager? What if the two of them died and she was all alone in this fight? This prophecy was the only tell of the future they have, and it said that their firstborn would be the one to face the Doodler and finish the battle Lark started.

And speaking of Lark; I've said this before, but one of the more underrepresented aspects of Lark's character in the fandom is him feeling helpless as a weakness of his. He doesn't like being put in a position where he can do nothing- this being very apparent in recent episodes, when Sparrow was taken and Lark was left alone panicking. This is how the rogue card took affect on him in the first place, because he hated feeling helpless when Walter was injured and it invoked his rage at Henry for putting him in that position in the first place.

And the twins are no stranger to being dropped into a situation unprepared. They were only kids in s1, thirteen years old at the oldest, younger than the s2 teens and yeah they did their best and rose to the top but that doesn't mean they weren't kids in a world they knew nothing about. They have both been in Hero's shoes, with one caveat: they were the ones who could prepare her in a way that they were not, to ensure that no matter when she faced the Doodler, she would be ready, she would never feel as helpless as they had when they were also just kids.

And yeah, maybe they took it too far, pushed her too hard. But that's never the argument I see online- that the twins should've been more in tune with Hero's mental state and adjusted her training accordingly. Instead, all I ever see is people bashing them for training her in the first place, comparing them to the other kiddads... except even then, the other kiddads didn't have nearly as big of a stake in this as the twins did, nearly as much of the pressure. The world at the time when the kiddads inherited DADDIES didn't need Taylor or Link to be ready to face the Doodler, but the twins knew for sure that it would need Hero, and they had to raise her accordingly. What if it had happened when Hero was six? Or ten? Or thirteen? Would it have been fair to her then to go into that fight untrained? The twins could never have known that it would be Normal and his friends to actually step in and help the Doodler, at the time they couldn't have known that Normal would need to be involved at all!

And, in the end, Hero's training did stop. Again, we don't know exactly how it happened, but we do know Lark and Sparrow, and I can imagine we all agree that it would've been Sparrow's call, not Lark's, to prioritize Hero's mental health and let her finish her teenage years as a normal kid. And accepting that they shouldn't involve Hero meant they had to find an alternative solution. That solution, what we see in canon, was genocide.

It's very fun to me personally to see Sparrow's arc come full circle in that way. He gets the love wolf talk from Henry because the twins were going to kill a lot of people in their own quest, he agrees that would be wrong, and then he gets a full arc of realizing that he can't force himself to care about the rest of the world but he does care about his family. He cares about his family enough that he enacts Code Purple to send the Doodler to Faerun and save the lives of Henry, Lark, Hero, and Normal. And, later... well, we know what the kiddads plan was for reentering Faerun and collecting magic items. We know their plan was to blow up the Doodler using the Sun and inevitably wiping out an entire realm in the process. That's not an easy choice to make, and it goes against everything Henry taught Sparrow in s1... but Sparrow was willing to do it because it would mean that Hero wouldn't have to be involved. Sparrow loved Hero so much that he was going to go against his own morals to protect her and stop the Doodler himself.

And like to me. To me? That makes Sparrow a far better parent than anyone else on this app ever gives him credit for. He pushed her too hard, realized he did so, and was willing to commit genocide to ensure she never had to be the Chosen One, to prove the prophecy wrong. Like I said; it is nuanced and there's no telling how different things would've gone if the s2 teens hadn't gotten involved, if Hero had faced the Doodler in combat before she was ready, if the twins had tried the genocide plan sooner. But it does prove my point from my earlier post: everyone wants a morally grey character who is willing to commit atrocities in the name of protecting their family, and here we are with Sparrow Oak Garcia, who fits that bill to the letter, and yet he is villainized, portrayed as a horrible person and a horrible father, and more! And it's really frustrating cause I know if Lark had been the one to make these decisions it would be accepted under the guise of Lark just being "like that" as a character, or people would find it attractive because everyone agrees that Lark is morally grey in an acceptable, attractive way. Lark is nuanced, but Sparrow is nuanced too- but we know, we know that Sparrow loves his kids more than he loves himself, that he'd burn the world down for BOTH of them, and I think it's about time we stop sleeping on him as a character and stop portraying him as a villain in Hero and Normal's story when I truly believe Sparrow stands the biggest chance of all three of Hero's parental figures to reconcile with her and when he's expressed countless times that he wants to make things right with Normal if only Normal gave him the chance.

[mirai-e-jump]

+act Magazine July 2023 Issue ft. Masashi Ikeda Interview (translation below)

Publication: June 12, 2023 (between episodes 15-16)

"First, please tell us how you were chosen for the role, and what you were thinking when the decision was made."

Ikeda: I originally auditioned for the role of one of the main five warriors (kings), and wasn't selected, but, there was an audition for the additional warrior (Jeramie Brasieri). When I was chosen to play the role of Jeramie, I was more confused than excited. Then, the realization slowy began to sink in, and my heart felt full of excitment and anticipation. I've been watching tokusatsu shows since I was a child, and I've always had a strong desire to become a hero. My favorite show was "Kamen Rider 555," and I was such a huge fan that I had all the transformation belts. But even still, it feels strange being chosen to be apart of a hero production.

"After appearing in a Sentai series, many of the actors are still active, as it's considered a gateway to success for young talents. What are your thoughts on this?"

Ikeda: I would like to grow as a person throughout the next year. I'm not content with just being in a situation that's considered a gateway to success, so I want to perform as well as the other actors, and I want to do my best as to not destroy the legacy or quality of the past works that my seniors have created.

"The character of Jeramie plays a very important role, but what was your first impressions of him?"

Ikeda: Since Jeramie is a "storyteller," my first assignment was to narrate the story. What I thought was most interesting, is that Jeramie has been narrating since the beginning with Episode 1. It's unusual for a hero to also narrate the story.

"Your first task was to record the narration, right?"

Ikeda: That's right. Actually, at the time, I myself didn't completely understand Jeramie. I also wasn't familiar with doing narrations, so I had a hard time trying to put Jeramie's character into it. In order to convey Jeramie's emotions, the director gave the advice, "Try moving like you're in a play," so I tried speaking while doing a flashy pose and putting my hand in my hat. It's a recording, so luckily the cameras weren't turned on (laughs). I tried various things out, so it took two to three hours to record the narration for Episodes 1 and 2. The phrase "tosa" was created at that time. It wasn't originally written in the script, but the director had the idea to, "add in "or so it goes" at the end."

"The phrase "tosa" is a strong and memorable one, isn't it?"

Ikeda: That one phrase helped me a lot. The unique way of saying "or so it goes" was the foundation of Jeramie for me, and I was able to envision his character.

"Jeramie is a character of many strong traits. In official material, it also describes him as having an "annoying personality" (laughs)."

Ikeda: Ahahaha! He's pretentious, has a high sense of pride as a storyteller, and has a repetitive way of speaking…Even still, I try to be conscious of the lines I perform, and try to speak in abit of a joking way, or speak with alot of tension when it comes to things he doesn't understand. Jeramie is 2000 years old, he's composed, and enjoys talking to people. That's the kind of character I try to create when performing.

"In regards to Jeramie, what did you and the director discuss about?"

Ikeda: Reading the script, within his annoying, awkward, and narcissistic personality, you can also find a cute and innocent side of him. We discussed how we should remember those points, and express them in order to make him a well loved character. Actually, when I'm told something happy or sad, I react to them honestly and show my true emotions. I'm the type of person who understand emotions easily, so I hope I'm able to show that off.

"How did the other warriors react to such an intense character?"

Ikeda: Everyone said, "You're a nice character. I'm envious" The way he appeared in Episode 11 was very cool, he may be the narrator, but he has an intense presence. He's not just weird and annoying, he wants to help the world for the better more than anyone else. Jeramie's father is a human, while his mother is a Bagnarak, and although he has complex feelings about being a "child of love," he is a pacifist who has a strong desire to help those living in difficult situations, and wants to stop the war between the humans and Bagnarak.

"On the first day of filming, were you deeply moved by the fact that you were finally able to join the heroes you had been longing to work with?"

Ikeda: When I first appeared, I was wearing the Spider Mask that hid my face, so I didn't really feel it then. But, when I was able to let go and take off the mask, I thought, "Uwa! I'm finally going to become a hero!" and an excited feeling overtook me. When we were filming the transformation, I thought, "What should I do? What kind of face should I make when I transform?…" (laughs)

"What kind of things were you conscious of during the transformation scene?"

Ikeda: Jeramie's fighting style is brilliant. He can manipulate spider webs at will, uses his two weapons, a dagger and shooter, he can fly around, and is very smart. When I transform, I don't do it with a lot of enthusiasm, but rather, with a sense of grace. However, the pose is a abit "pretentious" and is kind of annoying (laughs). To transform, I bend my body back as much as I can while saying "Royal Arms." Suspended by a wire, my body flies up, and in a blur, turns into Spider Kumonos, but it's also filmed from the camera above me. It was the first wire acting in my life, and when they first explained the moves to me, I was like, "Eh? We're going to do this?" It was surprising (laughs). Furthermore, my body felt really stiff, and even though they said, "You're not bending at all," I really was bending to my limit…The action director said, "It's difficult for beginners." He also said, "I'm know I'm asking you to do something impossible," but I felt frustrated that I couldn't do it, and my back and abdominal muscles were sore the next day (laugh).

"Do difficult transformation scenes await you in every episode?"

Ikeda: That was the main one for Episode 12, so I won't have to do it every time. However, the director told me to, "Keep my body soft," because it might happen again in the future. That's why I'm going to work hard on my flexibility and try to become even closer to Jeramie.

"What are some highlights to expect in Jeramie's future?"

Ikeda: The relationship between the five kings, Racules, the Bagnarak, and the consequences of their actions, will be the main highlights as the story unfolds. But, how will Jeramie be involved, and what kind of relationship will he have with other Bagnarak? I think it's worth paying attention to see what Jeramie's up to, and I hope you will look forward to the movie being released this July.

[i-bring-crack]

To be fair I did have a lot more expectation on the mother daughter relationship that could have been shown between Chameleon and Zhen because the past three stories have always been about father and son relationships, which had been well done, so I kinda expected their first female one to be done just as well. In some aspects I liked the concept but it also lacked a lot of scenes that would have fit well with the stablished quota. In my part it would have been nice to see it as a reverse Soothsayer and Shen dynamic, but explored through a different complex dynamic. As if, instead of the child turning evil due to their rebellion, it is the parent(and master) who has become corrupted with trying to achieve as much power as possible in order to protect their children. Someone who had at first a noble attitude and was resilient to the struggles she faced (she was short, she was weak. I dont mean to completely take away her backstory in kfp 4 , especially with how much the people on the team tried so hard to put aomething out there), no matter how much it hurt she was still going to become strong enough to protect those she loved, but she slwoly started to succumb to the ambition of power that her own reasons dissipated with time and greed over what others had that she didn't.

And Zhen could have followed on her footsteps for a long amount of time, thinking that well, Chamaeleon is her protector so of course she should be grateful despite the horrible things she does to protect them, just like in the og kfp4 (but not just looting or being the boss of a gang but maybe actively being just as bad as Lord Shen in a different way. Like, Chamaeleon killing so many heroes because she saw them as a threat and they saw her as a threat too, that entire villages lost their protection and even their lives against her troops.) And whenever or not Zhen should be redeemed is another case of its own so ill leave that out of the window. (Mainly bc that new dragon succesor could be interesting, but i feel like it should have been executed later faaaar later and not broken so many plot holes.)

If she gets to be redeemed then (for me for me) i think the trip would have been the last knot or the breaking point to the suspivion that Zhen would have had a long time ago. Maybe her resolution to go against her mother would be sealed when she started to notice that Chameleon no longer cared for her or the family she had protected for so long, even going so far as endangering them for the sake of obtaining more power.

That betrayal would not only reinforce the fact that Zhen would have been so loyal to her mother that not even the dragon warrior would have changed her ways in a simple trip, but also the fact that she had to expirience the horrible side of her own mother to understand even just a hint of what so many people had been afraid of for years. I wish Zhen could have been able to sympathise with someone over that; over having a strict parent who was the only person that wanted to care for you and you owned them the world for that (cough Tai lung cough—) but at the end of the day it felt crushing that you wouldnt be able to meet their expectations (in the case of zhen she didnt become a sorcerer and instead a martial artist, and also betrayal). It would have hurt, and well maybe Po or Shifu himself (in the kidnapped situation they had planned before im going way too divergent) would have told her that the actions of her parents are not her own fault.

Chameleon had chosen to go on a darker path on her own. (I would either like to put it that the chance was there but also wasnt, like she was already strong enough to be respected at some point but her descend to madness blinded her to anything but getting revenge on everyone who thought she was weak. Maybe showing the story of the chameleon through Zhen's eyes and slowly getting to doubt something as time goes on but never truly questions it. As a watcher you CAN see how she is slowly becoming evil, but Zhen had lived with the idea that this was how it always had been.)

But Zhen, probably throught the story finding out the extent of the horrible things her mother had done and not being able to excuse it, as well as being shown the possible chances that there were in life which her mother couldnt afford, realized she had to break that cycle right where it started and put an end to her mother's schemes before anyone else got hurt in the same way they both did. (Because like, Chameleon incidentally letting innocents die for her gains, had become the things she resented and trjed to destroy.)

(Im probably going to do another long post of things i would like to ramble about kung fu panda four, and no hate to the artists that worked on the show. Just like a pinch of salt thrown mostly at certain people but i still get it. From the beggining it was going to be a mess. BUT i liked the pitched in ideas in the interview with the co director and my little dumb brain likes expanding upon weird niche topics so—

I could be nitpicky of other things but the first 3 had been so centered around the relationships of fathers, from strict to spoiled to wise to absent and more, that well, i did WANT to expect a lot of the mother relations when its a trope that has so so many ways to be explored and it DID have a chance through the concepts (a chameleon, supoosedly weak and short and not being able to do kung fu trying to spraise a child [who knows kung fu where did she even learn it??] In a horrible enviroment who doesnt care for them both LIKE PLEASE. Of course i would be interested.)

[sepublic]

            Per my last post, you think Luz ever feared and/or struggled with the accusation, direct or overheard, that people thought she was ‘not like other girls’, that Luz just wanted to be treated like the most special person in the world and was angry she was just like everyone else? And the frustration of No, I’m not demanding to be the most unique person ever, it’s not like Luz chose to be different! It’s not like she ever wanted to be! 

           And she’s not pretending she’s secretly better than everyone else, secretly better than other girls, but at the same Luz DOES feel different and ostracized, frustrated even that people don’t feel the same way or care! Luz isn’t making this up, she doesn’t have a victim complex, does she?

         But Luz isn’t socially experienced enough to put it into the right words what she needs to defend herself, to realize the difference to herself, so she wonders maybe they’re right! Maybe I am just some try-hard poser who wants to be cool, who’s just bitter she’s merely average and uninteresting! Luz thinks, maybe I am just a self-pitying nobody who should know my place, and stop acting like some sort of victimized underdog hero while everyone is else is an NPC; Someone entitled to special treatment despite doing nothing to deserve it, blaming and taking it all out on everyone else!

         When Eda gave that speech to Luz, mentioned that everyone wants to believe they’re special, but in the end you really have to work for that thing. I wonder if it really hurt for an additional reason, even if Luz appreciated and found some hope in the advice. If Luz thought those words low-key vindicated how others dismissed Luz and her struggles as her just wanting to be ‘quirky’ or whatever. And she really wants to say she’s not like that, she’s not this envious and selfish person people claim her to be, but what if Luz is? What if she is a freak and a weirdo, Luz barely knows who she is right now, much less who she wants to be!

         And it all just plays into that core desire, that fundamental wish to be understood. For people to not misinterpret Luz in bad faith, to treat her struggle as real and care enough to find out. To know that Luz’s issue isn’t from entitlement, but from a real and profound loneliness that was legitimately cast upon her by others; Luz didn’t choose to be ‘special’, all she did was embrace that to cope with being different, as everyone else decided for her! Luz just wants to be taken seriously, both her wish and her struggles, and not be downplayed, demonized even, as some kid with delusions of grandeur.

         (It’s always the people who aren’t something that are gaslit into thinking they are; While those who never meaningfully considered themselves that most certainly are, yet aren’t called out for and/or admit to themselves as being the very archetype they perpetuate, the one others hold themselves back over for fear of becoming.)

         Like sure, back in the day Luz wouldn’t have turned down being a special Chosen One either, but there was more to Luz than that, rather than this limiting, shallow stereotype; That’s not who she is, Luz just wants people to understand what she really wants and is struggling with! It’s not that Luz necessarily wants to be the coolest, most unique and special person in the world, she just… wants to belong and be told that her existence isn’t a lonely abnormality, while still having meaning! That’s all!

        So it feels so good and so right to be told; I know who you are, I recognize and see you. You’re not the freak people claim you are, nor are you the bitter and entitled brat they jeer you as. You’re not making anything up, your struggles are real and valid. You’re valid. Luz doesn’t want to be better than everyone else, just worth something, anything at all. And for so many people, in her life and in real life, she’s everything to them.

[cosmicjoke]

Eren Yeager: A tragic Villain:

I really do feel bad for Eren. Being faced with what you are, and discovering it to be what Eren did, a person capable of and, worse still, willing to murder untold numbers of people for nothing more than a selfish desire, would break anyone's mind.

Eren hates himself. I think he's always hated himself, to some extent. We see bouts of his self-loathing throughout the story, moments of guilt and shame in him when, again and again, he manages to get people killed who are trying to keep him alive, guilt when he realizes those people died trying to rescue him because he ran ahead and acted out and did what he wanted without thought to the consequences for others. It was a point of amusement for a long time, how Eren constantly ended up getting kidnapped. But he gets kidnapped again and again because he isn't thinking about how his choices impact others, he's only thinking about what he wants to do. Like when he turns back during the female titan arc and needs to be rescued by Levi and Mikasa, instead of giving meaning to the deaths of Levi's squad by using their sacrifice to flee, or when he's fighting Reiner and gets kidnapped, resulting in numerous deaths. He becomes so overtaken by his desire to destroy, whether it's his perceived enemies or the titans or whatever, that he becomes blind to everything and everyone else around him. We see from the earliest moments of Eren's introduction that he's being faced with the truth about himself, but in small enough doses that he's able to pretend he's something else. He's able to pretend he's a hero for a time, even, fighting as a member of the Survey Corps against the evil of the titans, for the cause of humanity. But there's these periodic episodes when he comes up against the truth, and those episodes leave him feeling what will later become full blown self-loathing. He has moments of self-doubt, thinking himself unworthy of the role he' s been given as humanities savior, a feeling which is worsened when he realizes, after finding out the truth about what his father did in stealing the Founder, that he isn't special, or specially chosen. These bouts of self-hatred only last a short time though before he's able, again, to dismiss them and convince himself he's still fighting for what's right and good. He decides, even if he isn't special, he and his friends can still work together and achieve victory over the titans. All of that is shot to shit when he touches Historia's hand and sees the future, though. He can no longer pretend he's anything but what, deep down, he's suspected about himself all along. A person selfish enough to destroy everything to get what he wants.

And though he tries lying half-heartedly to Armin about the reason he enacted the Rumbling before confessing the truth, he's always known the real reason, and knowing that is what drove him farther and father away from the people who cared about him. He must have been crushed by an unimaginable sense of shame. And that's part of why I sympathize with Eren while feeling no real sympathy for Zeke. Both of them were monsters, but Eren was a monster who knew he was a monster, and who actually felt genuine remorse for it.

He confesses the truth to Ramzi in Marley. It wasn't an epiphany he had while talking to Armin. He knew from the moment he saw the future that what he was going to do wasn't for altruistic reasons. He knew he wasn't going to do it to save Paradis, or to give his friends long, happy lives, or to save the Eldian's. He knew it was wrong, what he was doing. He knew it was beyond redemption. He knew it was evil. It's why he calls himself a half-hearted piece of shit when he rescues Ramzi from those men beating him up. Because he knows he's going to murder this kid, and him rescuing him in that moment is nothing but pure hypocrisy, a facade to hide behind to make him feel better about himself in the moment. It's why he says what he does to Reiner, about them being the same, why he accuses Reiner of also being a half-hearted piece of shit. Because Reiner went ahead and launched a second attack on Paradis, after getting to know and becoming friends with the Eldian's on the island, after realizing they weren't devils, but human, the same as anyone else, but going through with another attack anyway because he, like Eren, prioritized his own, selfish dream to be a "hero" over the lives of people he cared about. It's not a coincidence that both Eren and Reiner begin to spiral mentally, and become so much more subdued and withdrawn later on. They're both suffering deep depression, rooted in horrific guilt over the realization of what they are. It's why Eren starts to laugh hysterically when Sasha is killed, because once again, he's faced with the brutal truth about himself, that he's going through with his plan for nothing more than his own, selfish need to see a world wiped free of people, the consequences be damned, including getting his friends killed. His laughter is driven by self-disgust.

Eren genuinely cared for and loved his friends. But when he saw the future, he realized he was willing to sacrifice them and everyone else for his own, personal freedom, an idea of freedom he couldn't separate from what he'd seen in Armin's book, a world "unspoiled" by humanity. Eren realized he was a truly bad person, and he wasn't made that way by anything or anyone, he wasn't shaped into a bad person by his experiences or his circumstances. He was born that way, and that realization destroyed him. He still had enough goodness in him to feel genuine, devastating guilt over what he was, over what he'd been born as, over what he wanted to do, but it wasn't enough to overcome his horrific nature. He couldn't change the future because that future only existed in the first place because it was what he wanted to happen. He tells Armin he tested it again and again, and the outcome was the same each time. That's Eren realizing that it isn't changing because he never wanted it to change. He wanted it to happen, and the guilt he felt, and the love he had for his friends, wasn't enough to stop him from wanting it, wasn't enough to stop him from doing all he could to make it happen, and that was the truth Eren had to face and accept about himself. He really is a tragic character, in that sense. Because he's a bad person. A very bad person. But he's got just enough goodness inside him to hate himself for it.

[kineticallyanywhere]

Tell us more about Doodler Normal Kinetic i beg of you

First thing to note: Doodler Boss Normal would not survive contact with Canon Normal

Cause the thing with this version of Normal, I think, is that the situation to create it is so specific; and in a way that I've never thought about before, for a narrative? I'm sure it exists somewhere, because what story framework doesn't already exist somewhere but like.

this version of Normal only happens in a world where all 4 anchors are broken with violence and not a single other person is questioning that decision by the end. (which I don't think is going to happen! for the record!) in this world, Normal presents himself as a last bastion of empathy, but where in any other story that would look like a shining knight with their Chosen One sword and shield and righteous strength, in this story it looks like a kid ready to turn into an eldritch monster because the eldritch monster is the only other creature he can find that makes any sense to him. a character who, written in words, is a paragon hero who's virtues refuse to crumble. but because of the Ao3 CSS skin of the world he's in, he gets all the style and flair and trappings of a villain.

(which, again, I don't have reason at the time of this writing to think that this situation would happen; that there isn't going to be at least one other person on Normal's side. It's all but impossible to predict any of these kids and I think they all have good hearts, even Scary. Link right now is an unsettled weather vane in a storm, Taylor for all his swagger doesn't seem on the side of brutality, and then like... Hermie???)

that said! In a world where sometimes you can't decide if you want to sit in your disappointment or scream at the top of your lungs, there's falling back on your new frienemy-of-the-family monster bro

(anyone with a writing bug and time, feel free to use any, all, or none of these ^^)

for thoughts on where this AU would end up, anyone can obviously take it anywhere but I know the version I would make would have a happy ending (I am allergic to writing tragedies, sue me). I guess it would be a story where finally snapping and letting out some Oak Anger and not apologizing (because while it's not okay to be cruel it is okay to be angry) is what gets characters to come to terms with each other and better understand each other and meet each other in the middle and even come to terms with themselves and what version of expressing themselves makes them happy and comfortable and best able to love themselves and the people around them.

all of that admittedly wrapped in a gift box with the catharsis of a character saying "I'm not okay with how you're treating me" in a very badass fashion, as we all wish to do one day.

also for those of us who would die for Scary but also want to take her by the shoulders and shake vigorously there's the Rule of 3s for swiping the Goth Crown from Scary a THIRD TIME

all of her put-on apathy and tiredness and lashing out but from a genuine place, simultaneously forcing her in front of a mirror and asking her to reach back for the part of herself that started the day of the debate "bright eye-ed and bushy tailed" so that she could even stand a chance at getting through to Normal??? The ways to talk about Scary skyrocket even higher. to be clear, I don't want this as a form of stealing Scary's narrative, I want it as a way of taking Scary's narrative and hitting the NOS. give her just about everything she wants, for everyone to agree with her and listen to her and think she's right and enforce the belief that she has any power over what's going on and then see if she even likes it. See if she likes herself and see how far she's willing to take the identity of goth punk seeker of darkness. ask her where the line is. show her the road she she's taking and ask her where the line is. canon parallels and connections between normal and scary are a whole other post I can have and will drive to work in the morning writing the meta in my head, the way Normal is a previous version of Scary cranked up to 11 and the way Scary makes herself into a person that Normal has every right to be but isn't becausehe'shumanandflawedbutsogoodatheartandnevergivesuponothersnotevenherandAUGH

[ecargmura]

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Episode 12 Review - What Makes A Hero?

What makes a hero? To be chosen by a legendary sword? To help people in need? To be the one who defeats the demon boss? There aren’t any specific requirements, honestly. However, in this world’s case, Himmel fit two of those categories and he was revered as a hero for the rest of time. Which option does not apply to him? The first one.

Frieren and her party reach the Village of the Sword where they meet the 49th village chief, a little girl. She was a bit upset that Frieren took too long to return to the village, as she promised she’d be back; though, this was in her grandmother’s will. Basically, this part of this episode emphasized a lot on Himmel’s sword, which was said to be the legendary sword, but his is a replica. Himmel set off on a journey to become a real hero because a boy named Heiter told him he’d only be a fake hero if he wielded a fake sword; said Heiter is the same Heiter in the party. Despite Himmel becoming revered as the hero after defeating the Demon King, it turns out that he did it without being the chosen hero; yes, the legendary sword has yet to be pulled out from the stone slab. Himmel actually failed to pull it out, signifying he wasn’t the chosen hero, but still became the hero everyone needed. Frieren’s words about heroes being romanticized is correct. That was why the legendary sword tale was passed around, so that people would assume Himmel was the one who pulled out the sword and defeated the Demon King without knowing the full truth; it’s like saying “history is biased” in a way.

Anyways, I thought Stark was going to pull out the sword, but it makes sense why he wouldn’t. The main reason being that he doesn’t have self-worth; it wouldn’t make sense for someone with rock-bottom self-esteem like Stark to suddenly have the courage to pull out the sword. The second part of this episode emphasized this. As Fern contemplates on what to get Stark for his birthday, Stark tells her a bit of his past and how he was the runt of his family and how he was never valued by his family save for his older brother Stolz. In fact, before the second part came, Stark stared at the sword and thought about his brother and how heroic he was. He probably thought if someone was a good candidate to be the hero and pull out the sword, it’d be Stolz.

Stark’s low self-esteem came from how his father viewed him as a failure. Fortunately, Stolz was a very good older brother and treated Stark kindly. He didn’t care if Stark got his pure white cloak muddied, he still taught his little brother how to stance properly when wielding a weapon. He didn’t care if he told Stark to run away and only save himself; as long as Stark was alive, that mattered most to him. He didn’t care if he was the only one celebrating Stark’s birthday by making him a large hamburg steak; as long as Stark enjoyed his birthday meal then that mattered most to him. It clearly showed that while he was the village’s pride and joy, he was still human enough to value Stark as both family and a warrior. At least Stark finally realized as he had his birthday patty that he was actually valued by both his master and his brother. It’s ambiguous if Stolz is still alive or not. If he is dead, then Stark has a reason to go to Aureole as he can meet his brother’s spirit there. I’m glad that there was at least someone kind in Stark’s life before he met Eisen. Stark really needs a confidence booster; I hope that the more he travels with Frieren and Fern, the more confident he becomes.

Though, I do wonder why Fern keeps accusing Stark of being a pervert when he’s anything but. Okay, he did make boob and poop jokes when it came to the clouds, but Stark is just a childish and immature person. He was only trying to be nice to Fern but gets called a pervert three times. You know who’s the real pervert? Frieren. It makes sense she’d have some perverseness in her as she’s lived for a millennia. The way she smugly looked at Fern as she tried to hand her a clothes dissolving potion was hilarious in execution and payback. Frieren is the first person to get naked in this show, albeit by force.

The animation in this episode was really good from small details like Fern’s dangling sleeves to intricate stuff like the fight against the monsters. Madhouse really does deliver when they want to. Also, there’s also that scene where Frieren looks at a ring in her bag. That ring appeared in the opening and she did hold onto it in an early episode. I can tell it’s an important item later on.

Overall, I did like the lesson that this episode told: not all heroes are chosen. Some heroes step up when they are needed and become the ones everyone needs. I don’t mind the chosen one stories (and I still do like them), but it’s nice to have fantasy stories where the hero wasn’t a chosen hero. I do wonder if the chosen hero in Frieren’s world will appear one day. If they do, will they join her party? What are your thoughts on this episode?