#jack is a bitter person trying so so so hard to be hopeful and it's so good. it's so good

[loving-jack-kelly]

once again thinking about how jack kelly would not be the person he was without the anger that drives him but at the same time has not yet recognized that anger can be a good emotion. thinking about how jack gets so, so angry on behalf of himself and the people he loves and when it's over feels like he has to apologize for it. thinking about how jack has anger burning under his skin and he hates it even as he learns to use it and control it and keep it in check. thinking about jack learning to understand his anger, learning to know the difference between selfish, unhelpful anger and the anger that can be used to motivate, the anger that deserves to be anger and the anger that would be better expressed as hurt or sadness or disappointment. thinking about jack who is a fundamentally angry person learning to lean into the hope that comes with being angry for the right reasons instead of the bitterness that comes with the anger of despair.

[hotchfiles]

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ❝ [CHOICELESS HOPE] ❞ — six. picket fence dream.

pairing: aaron hotchner x bau!reader. summary: the moment leading up to the kiss, the drumroll, is as good as the kiss itself. it's certainly more innocent. it's completely harmless. content warnings: canon divergent. emotional cheating (not on reader). angst. right person wrong time. it's confession time. no use of y/n. word count: 2k+ a/n: you might hate or love me let's see which is it

      Rossi doesn’t usually come to his apartment, especially with no warning on a Sunday, especially at 7AM, so when Hotch sees his less than pleased expression through the peep hole he knows it’s bad.

      “A crying drunk mumbling fucking mess. Porca miseria!” Dave wastes no time, the words finally free after hours of keeping them in.

      “Good morning to you too, Dave.”

      “Don’t. You know what you did.” Yes, Hotch knew. But he definitely didn’t expect this as the consequence. Still, he couldn’t even feign ignorance.

      “So, you took her ho—” Rossi’s eyes are piercing enough to interrupt him and force an exhale. “Thanks.”

      He is truly grateful, he is not usually one to act out like a child, much less one to leave people he cares about behind like that. You brought up his best and his worst. Much of his strength and thinking power went towards controlling himself. The rest got messy.

      “What are you going to do?”

      “Well, I’ll apologize tomo—”

      “Aaron!”

      “I don’t know. I just don’t. And Beth will be over with coffee in a bit.”

      Aaron watches his much too annoyed closest friend pour himself a sip of scotch, drinking it all in a mouthful.

      “You are throwing away a second chance people don’t normally get. Do you even know why?”

      Of course he knows why. There are many many whys.

      Jack needed the stability only someone out of this godforsaken job could give, and he adored Beth.

      Haley wasn’t an agent and he lost her, being with you was accepting the fact you could leave with him for a case and simply not come back. Essentially getting his son, his baby boy, a step mom that could be taken from him the same way as his mother.

      Beth gave Jack a bigger chance of not losing again.

      It gave him a bigger chance to rebuild his picket fence dream home.

      It was logical. It was the right choice.

      The feeling in the pit of his stomach and the bitter taste on his tongue shows disagreement with that every time he ponders though. And it’s hard to make the right choice when his body and soul begs him not to.

      Before he can even muster enough will power to argument his way out, Dave comes at him with more questions to shake his belief system to the core. “Is this about Haley? About Jack? Or are you really just incapable of letting yourself be happy?”

      Ouch.

      Rossi doesn’t pull any punches, Aaron knows that, it’s why they get along well, no sugarcoating. Doesn’t make it less annoying to deal with it so early in the morning. Especially after the hell night he had trying to sleep and being plagued by thoughts and worries of you.

      “If anything was to happen it would’ve happened before I met Beth.”

      “How could it when you are both idiots?” Aaron simply sighs, not having a good enough rebuttal to that.

      It was a true, he was an idiot, he could’ve gone after you when he got divorced, or after his grief got less painful. But back then he was angry, feeling abandoned by you when he would’ve never done the same to you.

      He begged you to not forget him, to call him. He waited, he called. It was all fruitless as you made your decision to take him out of your life already.

      Now it all seemed too complicated and to act on those feelings would complicate it even more.

      Aaron is saved by the bell, if anyone could consider hearing the knock on his door he knew to be Beth’s, one of the reasons of his internal conflict, being saved.

      At least Rossi leaves him alone for the time being, excusing himself as soon as the brunette enters the apartment with a quick peck to Aaron’s lips. Surely enough, Hotch has to tell her later that morning that no, Dave has nothing against her, he was just moody from being awake too early.

      Luckily most of the day is spent around Jack and what the wanted to do, making it more about spending time with his boy than a date, so he doesn’t have to focus too hard on being a good partner and on not thinking about you. But it’s all he thinks about when Beth leaves at night and he realizes morning come he will have to see you.

      Your eyes don’t meet his for even one second as Garcia presents the case and he knows it then how truly he fucked up. You aren’t angry. You look tired, not your face, not your eye bags. In fact you look as beautiful and put together as you always do, but in the glimpses he catches of your eyes as you talk to someone else, he sees it. And it breaks his heart. You are exhausted, not because of the job.

      Because of him. And the worst thing is, he can’t even leave you alone, being the Unit Chief meant having to talk to his team, it meant to lead. He sighs to himself as everybody gets out of the briefing room and he wants to brush his fingers against yours lightly like old times and make you smile, but most of all Aaron just wants to tell you how sorry he is that this is happening again.

      He can’t do that, knowing right now it would only make things worse, so he just gets up from his chair, grabs his go-bag from his office and follows the motion until everyone is in the jet. There he does his best to suppress what is going on his mind to focus on the case.

      Galena is a beautiful small town, quite romantic even, too bad it is now suffering with the abduction of two children, the case and the BAU disturbing its peace.

      And that disturbance goes well into the night, when no one is able to work anymore and Hotch has to call it a day, figuring out on the spot that Garcia had to book them in pairs, his key card the same number as yours.

      Hotch can imagine Garcia had someone influence her on the chosen pairs, Rossi was practically glowing with childish glee as everyone got their cards.

      Both you and him are too prideful and professional to make a scene asking to switch with someone. You were stuck with him until the case is resolved.

      The two single beds as you enter the room are a relief, but the distance between them aren’t nearly enough in comparison to how faraway from him you wished to be.

      “Just like the old days, huh?” He’s the first to speak, trying to break the tension as he spread the files of the case on the only desk available.

      “Don’t do that,” you reply quickly, your tone as tired as your eyes have been since the first time he saw you today.

      You drop your bag on the floor close to your bed, the loud noise startles Aaron, but you don’t care, body aching and ready for rest.

      “That what?”

      “Talking. Don’t talk to me,” you clarify. Another loud noise, your body dropping on the bed without ceremony. Eyes closed and focused on pretending he wasn’t there.

      He stays quiet for awhile and you think he might respect your request, so you relax in the clean sheets welcoming the slumber.

      Unfortunately for the two of you, now you are annoyed. So annoyed his shuffling around papers make your skin crawl.

      Just like the old days.

      The complete audacity to begin with that as if he didn’t abandon you drunk just two days before.

      You sigh deeply, putting a pillow over your face to try and muffle his annoying overwhelming presence.

      It doesn’t work.

      “God, please, breathe louder, I don’t think Japan has heard you yet,” you shoot at him, immediately sitting up and catching him working the case files.

      “You want me to stop breathing too, is that it?” He doesn’t look up from the papers, annoyed at the childish antics you’re pulling, which irritates you even more.

      “If you could be so kind to, yes!” Your voice is pure sarcasm and venom, reminding him of just how stubborn and strong-willed you can be.

      Just as he stops his writing, pen left to the desk, you get up in a hurry, attempting to go to the bathroom and ready to slam the door behind you. Hotch is quicker, getting up from his chair and grabbing your wrist to stop you from avoiding him even more.

      It doesn’t hurt. His grip is gentle and you know you can easily get away from it. But you don’t.

      “Hey, I’m sorry.” You nod at his apology, but he knows that won’t be all, so Aaron lets your wrist slip from his fingers and waits for the arguing he’s been avoiding to start.

      One beat.

      Two.

      Three beats pass before your mouth moves in sync with your drowning mind, “what exactly are you sorry about?”

      Right to the jugular from the start. He obviously instantly thinks of the easy answer: Everything. But that’s not the answer you’re looking for. Beyond that, he knows it would be unfair for both of you to gloss over the situation once again.

      You know Aaron isn’t stalling but actually thinking by the way his index and thumb rub together, his lips tightly pursued. Your stomach feels like it’s twirling, nervousness making an appearance now that this was about to happen. The talk. The admissions.

      Both of you are aware now shouldn’t be the time to talk it all over, there is a case to work, a hard day to rest from, but this is 10 years in the making. The flight response was already drained, only fight left.

      “I’m sorry for overstepping and turning our friendship into something confusing and uncomfortable,” he says slowly but firmly, but even so Aaron regrets his choice of words, more regret when he catches you rolling your eyes.

      “Confusing and uncomfortable, sure,” you reply with the same sarcasm you displayed earlier, your arms now crossed defensively over your chest, “I hope that’s not the best you’ve got.”

      “I’m trying here and I would appreciate a little less sarcasm.” His eyes are as piercing as his tone, you scoff at the manifestation of frustration, as if he had grounds for that right now.

      Your feet have a mind of their own and you start pacing around the room, “Hotchner, I changed my whole life around ten years ago for the sake of your comfort.” That wasn’t untrue, although it had a lot to do with your comfort as well, but he needed to be reminded of your sacrifices. “And the first opportunity you had to be a dick to me you not only took it but doubled down on it!”

      Hotch knows you are speaking about the gala and before he can control his tongue like he would in a time like this, " I got jealous! It took over me.”

      It’s good that he doesn’t expect that to stop you or take your breath away because if anything, you’re angrier now.

      “You have a girlfriend! You have no right to be jealous of me! You were married, Hotch! And I never did something like that to you.”

      “You left! I love you and you left,” he notices his mistake and quickly tries to recover, “I loved you. You’re back and I don’t know what’s the right thing to do.”

      He sits at the edge of his chosen bed, elbows to his knees, hands to his face and you finally stop on your heels, not knowing how to react to the confession you both have been denying yourselves from speaking out loud.

      You swallow dry, sitting on the edge of your bed, right in front of him.

      “I loveーI loved you too.” Your hands find home on his knees and his drop to hold them.

      “l don’t know what to do. I want to do the right thing.” He sounds pained and you have to fight that desperate lover girl in your mind begging you to tell him to choose you.

      “I can’t help you with that,” it’s what you actually end up saying, “I’m sorry.”

      “I’m sorry too.”

[goodolddumbbanana]

WHOOOOO, SOLAR DIDN’T FALL FOR THE BULLSHIT NEXUS TRIED TO SPEW-

I am so happy!!!!!

Damn Nexus delulu really went off the cliff, am I right? Become a God???? That dude is not only trying to be worse than the person he hates, but he also wants to compete with his God Complex with his Dad.

Solar heard so desperate. I bet he really got triggered back to his Moon, and his Sun.

Solar be like if I have 1 dollar for every person I care about because of me went crazy, it is weird that I will have 2 dollars.

And the way he stabbed Nexus and realized nothing worked? That Nexus turned worse because of himself, not because of someone else? Haha, that dude went straight to murder. Guess he has learnt his lesson with his Moon somehow. Once my boy tastes blood, it just keeps going like that I guess...

But... Seeing Nexus to be this cringe and ask Solar to come and work with him... And just flushed away his family and blamed Sun for being scared of him and pushing him away while in reality, Sun rarely mentioned Old Moon anymore and that is just Nexus being self conscious?

I want to say I am surprised but honestly, I had guessed this for like several days before. It actually turned out better than I expected though. I guess I just expect the worst, that Solar will be captured or such or he is too weak to kill Nexus - his used to be friends, family once again.

Although it is really a concern that Nexus can talk into Solar's head. God knows if he will whisper something really stupid for Solar to do something stupid... And I guess the shards things Sun can detect properly related to Star power.

Cuz even the Astral Bodies couldn't realise Nexus is here, but Sun can, so I guess... Sun will be more in danger than he is now, especially after Nexus stops avoiding him.

I still don't get it. Why does Nexus keep threatening everyone but leave Sun. He wants to hurt Lunar, Earth (again), bashing off Moon's head, Dazzle and Jack, but he never mentioned what he would want to do to Sun? Maybe it is the mercy for someone who is used to his brother?

Cuz the way Nexus keeps repeating himself that Solar is his brother, Solar is the only one he cares about is bull. We both know it is bull. And also weird.

Because in the dream he had, he lost Sun and he just totally wiped off Solar's existence. He was screaming his lung out that he wanted his brother back. And while with Earth and Lunar, their sins were wanted to do nothing with him, then with Sun, he mentioned Sun only liked him because of pity.

I guess in some twisted levels, Nexus really understands Sun, and still misses Sun, somehow. But he feels bitter towards Sun too, like he is never enough for Sun.

While Solar still very couldn't accept the fact that Nexus becomes this egomaniac, and the conversation was just end ups with Nexus laughing and mocking Solar runway. With Sun, they understand each other too well which leads them to really don't need to say anything, and just accept the fact that Nexus is already gone.

And.... If before it is Sun and Solar hopes to somewhat bring Nexus back, now in that boat the only one person left is Sun.

Sun seems not surprised when hearing what Solar says is really sad. He also seems like he wants to say something more... I really hope this Endgame will be Sun stop Nexus because for real, right now, it is only Sun does not totally give up or want to kill Nexus.

Surely he is angry at Nexus for stabbing him in the back. But like Nexus used to say when approaching Dark Sun, even Sun in his head isn't that mean.

Please Tsams, let Sun and Nexus have one big fight!!!! Please Sun!!!!

Note: it is really hard warming to see how Sun and Solar get along really like siblings. Solar pouring water on Sun's head and both three of them hang out? Peach!!!

And... Nexus really calls Dark Sun his partner huh? Guess he still feels lonely somehow with his new shiny self destructive power.

I wonder what kills him faster, his negative star power or Dark Sun will betray him in the end or Solar and Moon and the Astral Bodies will come to get his ass.

It's really just screaming Eclipse-has-star-power-v2.

I feel bad for Nexus, that dude has none of origin thoughts in his head. Becomes God? Creator. Consuming Star power? Eclipse. Pushing everyone away and becoming the biggest ass of yourself and doesn't even care if it kills you or not because you to blind on hating yourself? Old Moon.

He just continues to do what he has seen. For someone who doesn't like to be a puppet on strings, he really let himself play like a fiddler a lot.

He rather let himself drown in his delusional freedom (thinking he is the one who controls when in fact he knows Dark Sun is just using him. And maybe this is better because Dark Sun doesn't care about him. He doesn't want anyone to care about him...) than let himself be loved.

And that's really sad and like Solar said, pathetic.

Solar: Is there anything this situation can get worse?

Life be like: Bet.

I really think it is foreshadowed for something really bad will happen in the future.

[mothwingwritings]

F for Jack Hanma (▰˘◡˘▰)

Hell yeah, here I come with the Jack goods. (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

Warnings: Mentions of fighting/masturbation

Fight: How would they feel if their darling fought back?

It would get him very excited, for multiple reasons. 

First and foremost it pleases him because it shows that you have some manner of self-preservation, and that puts him at ease. You are such a small helpless thing compared to a man like Jack, and he worries that (god forbid) if you were to get separated from him and someone were to get ahold of you, you could easily get very hurt. Knowing that you have at least some knowledge of basic self-defense lets him breathe. You may not be able to put a dent in Jack himself, but you can potentially stun a random Joe off the street enough to escape to safety should the need arise, and that knowledge brings him comfort.

He also thinks it’s kinda fun when you fight back. Jack’s thirst for strength was originally born from a desire for revenge-both against the man who assaulted his mother, and against the life that cursed him with such a weak and fragile body. What he once strived for as a means of retribution quickly took over most of his life, making him the man he is now.  He no longer seeks strength as just a means to contest his fate, but because he wants to. He loves to fight, the thrill of taking down an opponent one of the only things that truly gets his blood pumping. You have no hope of hurting Jack in any capacity, but he thinks it’s endearing that you try. He does his best to hide how much it pleases him when you lash out, not wanting you to be offended by how cute he finds it. He knows you are attacking him because you are truly angry, and that to you this is all very serious. But honestly, it’s like a bear versus a field mouse. How can he not find the attempt adorable?

He also won’t deny that he finds it sexy as fuck. That feral look in your eye when you go to lunge at him just does something to him. Again, he doesn’t want to make light of your feelings of rage but… Goddamn. When you look at him with that the all-consuming fury reflected in your eyes, labored breathing, a thin layer of sweat covering your heaving chest from all the exertion…  Can you blame him for getting hard? He definitely uses it as masturbation fodder if he can’t have you in person.

So overall Jack likes it when you put up some resistance, but it does make him feel a little bad how easy it is for him to overtake you. He can tell how hard you are trying, and even though your loss is inevitable, he knows how bitter defeat tastes. He may try and humor you every now and again and let you land a solid hit, but he’s no good at acting and his pain threshold is so fucked at this point he knows he won’t be able to convince you that you ‘hurt’ him. It worries him, because he knows seeing just how little damage your blow causes will probably make you more distressed than anything, and he doesn’t really want to stress you out more than necessary. But you’ll get over it. You don’t really have any other choice.

[k0koii-yu]

I think I now get where all the Angela hate (and mischaracterization) came from

(Posting another ramble dedicated to my beloved yay)

I might sound like I’m beating a dead horse here since the Angela hate has died down as of recently but I still can’t help but wonder why she had received that much hate in the first place. What warranted her to get this much hate even until recently, whereas other characters who are written similarly to her, or have done much worse, are not as actively hated? Where did the popular fanon conception of her— one that portrayed her as an abuser, stalker and even r wordist at one point— also come from?

After some thinking and also me having known this fandom for 3 years up to this point, I think(?) I was finally able to trace where all this hate came from and where the infamous fanon version of her came to be.

CW: spoilers for WE and mentions of abuse/stalking/sexual assault and other potentially triggering themes. Please proceed with caution.

Also note: I do not intend to harass or call anyone out with this. Therefore, I will not be naming any names (if any) nor will I mention any works that can be triggering. This is simply a meta analysis trying to dissect a character’s fan reception, and while I may give my own thoughts somewhere down the line, I will also try to be as objective as possible with my observations.

0. Pre-C42

Before C42 came out, Angela did not receive as much hate. She wasn’t as popular as Jack or Elliot either, yet people didn’t have a reason to hate her at all prior to IPS. It was likely because she didn’t have much to remember her by other than being “Lars’s wife” or the S3 coroner, either due to the fact that she doesn’t have as much screen time as compared to other characters, or simply doesn’t have anything that makes her stick out as a character or as iconic as others in the team (e.g. Jack, Elliot and Marina for their designs, Lars, Carmen and Elliot for their attitudes towards the team and other people around them in general).

This, however, will be a topic of discussion again in a while, so please keep this in mind as we move on to the next point in this analysis.

1. The aftermath of C42 and C56

This seems to be the starting point of this whole hullabaloo, and understandably so. Angela had just murdered someone, betrayed us, and tried to frame other people for it (C42) and of course, people were upset about it, yet there were still those who had hope for her and tried to sympathize with her. And then came C56, where she returned, but as a colder, more aggressive version of herself that has pledged loyalty to SOMBRA and was willing to carry out their orders so dutifully that she was willing to plant a bomb. This, of course, likely fueled the hate and people had more of a reason to hate her when she made fun of Dupont’s death. Although one take in particular did stand out to me (and not in a good way):

The idea that she doesn’t genuinely love Lars.

Yes, I do understand that this is a very old take from 2016 and things may change from there, but I would just like to highlight how dangerous it is to perceive characters this way. Takes like these erase the complexities of her writing and essentially reduce her— someone who has had to make a lot of hard decisions to even be with Lars, which became the basis of the person she was up to that point— into a nothing more than a caricature of how people think morally gray characters should be based on whether or not they are deemed “good” or “bad” in the traditional sense.

I also do think certain plot holes in PS’s handling of her character in the final case also contributed to it. It felt ridiculous to see how a character whose most defining trait is being family oriented suddenly turned cold and bitter towards her old team, unhesitatingly claiming that they were enemies now as if their previous friendships did not matter. Maybe this was where the idea that she’s manipulative and/or possessive came from: since she was still clinging onto Lars and the triplets (that her literal last wish was to see them again) while showing this lack of compassion that would be unnatural to her past self.

With that said, the fact that she wasn’t as memorable as a main character but was more iconic as a traitor/antagonist did contribute to mixed opinions from the fandom back then. While a lot of people seemed to be mad at the things she’s done, there were some who thought it made her more interesting as a character. I guess it depends on subjective interpretation in this case, though unfortunately, back when WE first came out, many people fell into the mindset of black-and-white morality, and end up hamfisting complex and nuanced characters into extremes based on whether or not they like them.

2. Fanon/“Yandere” Angela

Following the events of WE, this seems to be a very common fandom perception of her. This subject is somewhat hard to accurately put into words, but I will try my best to give my analysis and thoughts on it, so please correct me if I get something wrong.

For those who don’t know, this is what a yandere is supposedly defined as:

TL;DR: yanderes are known to be violent, possessive and obsessed with a particular love interest. This may even go to the extent of hurting any potential “rivals” or even their love interests themselves.

If you have been in the fandom long enough, and especially if you’re into WE or Angela, you might find that there have been numerous fanfics that described her this way: as an absolutely horrible person who abuses and even stalks Lars in some, along with getting upset when others get close to him.

It may have originated from Wattpad, where there were two fics (afaik) focused on the concept of Angela being a yandere in itself. This, and considering the fact that there is barely any fan material of Angela (most especially fics) and that almost every fic that has her in it at the time either has her play an antagonistic role or use her as a plot device (usually for other ships to happen) may have contributed to the whole idea of her being a “yandere” that was almost universally accepted as the basis of her character in fics.

There is also that perceived manipulation and “sociopathy” from earlier that may have contributed to the idea of yandere Angela. A common fandom perception of her is that Angela has a warped idea of what love is and ends up displaying unhealthy/dangerous behaviors towards Lars as a result of her obsession (which she perceives as “love”). And as a result, she ends up resorting to actual criminal behavior in some of these fics: stalking Lars, physically abusing him and in one extreme case, even raped him. (Disclaimer: I will not be naming any of these fics since I do not condone hate or harassment towards the authors, nor do I want to further trigger anyone reading this by openly naming said content.)

This may have also been a big factor in contributing to Angela hate as the normalization of this depiction of her has led to people almost unanimously accepting this as her actual character.

I would like to say that I very much disagree with this take on her character. While yes, it is true that Angela does have questionable morality (e.g. she understands that what SOMBRA did to children is wrong and actively condemns it, yet was willing to blow up the Bureau hq knowing that Elliot and Sanjay are inside), her love for Lars seems to be genuine and even healthy for the most part. Time and time again, she has shown that she really loves him— hell, her laptop password even has his name on it.

3. Popularization of these misconceptions

As these fics were the only depiction of Angela in the fandom for a time, they are, by far, the most infamous depiction of her. This, along with the “I hate her because she’s a bad person and did bad things” majority, has then led to her getting this much hate from the fandom.

Moreover, there was a time in 2023 where there’s an influx in WE-centered fics, and that also resulted in most of the anti-Angela fics for the most part. This may explain the more recent hate directed towards her as compared to characters from other seasons.

Conclusion

Much of the hate towards Angela in particular stems from both severe misinterpretation of canon events and her character’s actions/intentions, and this version of her being extremely popularized to the point where people treated it like it’s actually her. The former mostly applies to around the time WE was still ongoing to after it ended (2016-2017 ish) while the latter could explain the more recent hate. Fortunately, it seems as though more people have the media literacy to read along the nuances of her character and understand her intentions before forming an opinion.

Anyways this was A LOT— probably even longer than the Carmen/Angela post but I’ve been thinking about this for just as long (there was a time I was afraid to admit I liked her because of how hated she was). Thank you for listening to my TED Talk, I guess.

[robertdowneyjjr]

cackling at the thought of steve doing everything he can to not only get into tony’s good graces, but also maria’s. all while howard is just amusedly watching in the background.

so part 4 of the soulmates au @stark-and-shield @polizwrites @soliloquent-stark

(parts: one, two, three)

the next morning, steve quietly eats a late breakfast in the kitchen nook of the stark mansion while howard sits across from him reading the news on his tablet. sometimes steve wishes he could be a normal person again instead of jacked up on this super serum, because with the amount he’d been drinking the night before he’d be hungover as hell and that would be the only thing he could focus on. as it is though, he’s as sober as it gets and all he feels is embarrassment for being so dramatic and whiny the entire night he was out with howard.

he tries to ignore it all and focuses on stuffing his face with the massive omelette that jarvis had made for him. then he regrets it immediately when maria swans into the kitchen looking all elegant and beautiful while steve’s cheeks are puffed up from all the food he’s shoved in his mouth.

“good morning darling,” she greets her husband with a kiss on the cheek.

the joy evident in howard’s expression at this simple gesture once again reminds steve of his bad luck with his soulmate and he wonders for the millionth time if he’ll ever see the other man again. he’s trying really hard not to be jealous, but it’s hard when he feels so damn lonely all the time.

“steve, did you sleep well?” maria asks as she pours herself a cup of coffee.

steve hurriedly swallows his mouthful of egg and wipes his mouth before answering. for some reason maria always makes him feel like a chastised schoolboy even though she has never been anything but friendly to him.

“good, thanks maria. how was your night?”

“oh just wonderful,” maria gushes. “tony and i had a lovely time at the opera. howard, dear, tony told me the most fabulous news. he’s met his soulmate!”

howard grins. “that’s great! i’m happy for him. he’d been waiting for a long time,” he says.

again, steve can’t help but feel bitter about his own life. he forces a smile and softly responds, “good for him,” and hopes it doesn’t sound as condescending as those words could sometimes be.

“yes, well, he can tell you more about it some other time,” maria tells howard. “tony and i are going for brunch with ana in a bit. he should be coming downstairs soon.”

a few minutes later, steve’s ears perk up at the sound of unfamiliar footsteps approaching the kitchen. he’s never met howard’s son before despite having come out of the ice for two years already now. he knows howard and tony had a strained relationship that has steadily on the mend, and steve is looking forward to finally getting to know him.

“morning, mama. morning, dad,” says a voice that steve swears he’s heard somewhere before.

a man with dark hair and darker eyes turns the corner into the kitchen and steve’s jaw drops.

“you!” he exclaims.

tony stares at steve for a few beats. “you,” he says flatly.

“i’ve been looking for you.”

“right. well now you’ve seen me. mama, shall we go?” with that, he turns around and leaves the kitchen just as quickly as he’d entered it. maria follows him, but not without a knowing smirk directed at steve.

“what was that all about?” howard asks.

“it’s. it’s him, howard. your son is my soulmate.”

“you mean tony is the one you so casually yelled at in the middle of a busy street in new york city? the one who now has what is undoubtedly an awful reminder of how you met? tony. my son. he’s the one you’ve been looking for all this time?”

“yes! it’s him!”

steve smiles broadly and hope blossoms in his chest. his luck might just be turning around. howard will help him. he just knows it.

but howard just laughs loudly, guffaws shaking his entire body as he shakes his head.

“well, good luck, pal. you’re gonna need it.”

———

howard does the opposite of helping steve.

steve shows up to the mansion more often now despite knowing tony doesn’t actually live there. his hope is that at some point he’ll run into his soulmate again. tony’s close with his mom. he has to visit somewhat often, right?

“maria says we’re going to have to file a restraining order if you keep showing up like this,” howard says one day. “tony agrees with her.”

“howard, please! i just want some time with tony! why won’t he even give me a chance?” steve cries. this amount of whining coming from a grown ass man like him is unbecoming, he knows. but he doesn’t really care anymore.

“don’t worry steve i won’t actually file a restraining order against you. but if you’re going to keep coming over then at least bring some beer or a pizza with you, will ya? it’s the polite thing to do.”

he sends flowers to tony’s office everyday, and with them a note telling him he’ll be at the coffee shop where they first met, waiting at the corner table. tony never shows up.

“does he really hate me that much? did i really ruin it all right from the start?” steve asks.

“you know what, the hating you part is probably my fault. sorry buddy,” howard tells him, clapping him on the back.

“howard, what did you do?? if it’s your fault then you have to help me!”

“hmm, no. maria says she’s having fun watching you grovel and as my soulmate and love of my life, she’s the one person i’m supporting in this entire situation.”

“what the hell, howard!”

“if and when she decides you’ve done enough to atone for your sins then i’ll be here for you.”

“you’re a terrible friend. i’m going back into the ice.”

[ryuichirou]

well now you should share the cast’s reaction to lilia smacking their butts lmao

Yeah I think I have no choice lol the Pandora’s box is open. I don’t know what it is about Lilia that makes us keep coming back to the “he smacks butts” agenda, I guess it just fits since he is a playful grandpa…

The descriptions won’t be long this time, because well there isn’t much to describe, but:

Riddle – he jumps in shock and makes a funny noise. And he is always so stiff, serious and concentrated that doing it to him is kind of fun, because he gets angry... Lilia would’ve done it more often but he doesn’t want to give Riddle too hard of a time for some reason.

Ace – he also jumps and makes a funny noise, and then starts yelling and swearing. Deuce and him both are kind of too easy as targets, almost boring. But Ace will complain about it for a long time after that.

Deuce – pretty much the same as Ace, but when he sees who smacked him, he starts apologising + feels quite embarrassed because of his overreaction…

Trey – he would get startled, but then try to laugh it off and say “why me though?” or something among the lines. He knows that Lilia does this type of stuff, so it was bound to happen sooner or later, but he kind of hoped that it wouldn’t…

Cater – he also hangs out with Lilia often enough to know that he does that, so Cater’s kind of paranoid around him sometimes and tries to block the access to his butt like standing next to the table all casually. If he does get smacked, he’ll just go “oh nooo, poor Kei-kun’s butt”… just like Trey, he really hoped it wouldn’t happen to him :”(

Leona – I don’t know if Lilia would smack him, it would probably be reckless in terms of politics lol But if he did, Leona would be so shocked that he would either get super mad and hide somewhere mumbling to himself, or somehow get amused by that.

Ruggie – he would jump and yelp and then get pissed off… why are all the senpais in this school such creeps… please leave this guy alone…

Jack – his tail and his ears get stiff in a very funny way, his hair stands up as if he just got electrocuted, and his butt clenches visibly. He doesn’t expect this type of treatment, so he’s never prepared for that. Then he’ll get mad and turn around to bark at the culprit, but see Lilia and get confused because he can’t act disrespectfully towards him. He’s similar to Deuce in a way… His butt is hard to smack because of the tail...

Azul – he would make a surprised sound, but then close his eyes, breathe deeply, put a smile on his face and tell Lilia that it was a very funny prank, but he would appreciate it a lot of Lilia refrained from doing that to him ever again. He would try so hard to word it in a sickly sweet, polite way, but it would be very obvious to Lilia that he’s pissed… it’s kind of funny how pissed he got…

Floyd – Lilia would get a surprised “uwaah?!” from him, but after that Floyd would either complain about this being annoying, or get angry/playful at the same time and try to smack Lilia right back. He hates being the one who gets smacked, he prefers to be the one who does the smacking!

Jade – he would also politely ask Lilia to not do it, but it would be easier for him not to sound as bitter as Azul. Which doesn’t mean that Jade won’t get annoyed, of course, but ultimately what Lilia did was chaotic enough to be amusing. Still, he would want to smack Lilia back, but not as openly and immediately as Floyd.

Kalim – he would just laugh and say that Lilia is funny… and then try to repeat this prank on Jamil!

Jamil – “oh so this is where Kalim got it from, I should’ve known”. He is disappointed, but not surprised. He would make a small surprised “uh-??” though, so Lilia would like his reaction lol Jamil needs to get spanked more often.

Vil – another person who’s disappointed but not surprised. He doesn’t like being butt-smacked or surprised, but he knows that it’s just Lilia being Lilia. Despite the fact that Vil doesn’t want Lilia to do that, his reaction has this vibe of “is that all?” that Lilia finds very provocative, so he’ll absolutely try to do it again.

Rook – I feel like if Rook gets butt-smacked, he pretty much allowed it, because he would’ve noticed that there is someone lurking in the shadows and watching him. He is a hunter, so he knows how this game works. But he’ll still act surprised and compliment Lilia’s hunting style, thus ruining his desire to prank Rook ever again lol

Epel – his reaction would be so delightful to Lilia. The cute squeal, the jump, the angry blast of unfamiliar swear-words, the realisation that he’s just yelled at Lilia of all people, the innocent eyelash flap, the puppy eyes… such a wide range of emotions. Epel also wouldn’t get over the butt-smack easily, replaying the whole thing in his head over and over again, getting both quietly angry and kind of shy about it. There is a certain fun-loving bone in Epel’s body that got tickled by Lilia doing that.

Idia – one of the butt-smacks that I actually drew lol Idia’s classic: a “HIEEEE-!“. He might rant about how childish it is afterwards, or he might actually be so shocked that he won’t say anything. In any case, he’ll actually enjoy both physical and emotional aspects of this whole thing. But he absolutely won’t admit it.

Ortho – his radar is too strong, so just like with Rook, if Ortho gets smacked, he allowed it. He would probably be nonchalant about it, because it’s not like he feels anything (I don’t think Lilia would even go for him lol), but he might try to act surprised.

Silver – drew this one too! He is almost scarily nonchalant about it, because he is so used to it, but it’s not impossible for Lilia to spook him with a butt-smack and even wake him up when he’s falling asleep while standing. Lilia’s smacks are possibly even kind of comforting to him sometimes, which is…eh…

Sebek – his reaction is similar to Jack’s, but kind of more dramatic lol Even a little bit too dramatic, so Lilia doesn’t usually tease him with butt-smacks.

Malleus – drew this one too~ he is the reason we got this ask hehehe. But Malleus was never spanked by Lilia even as a kid, and even though he would’ve hated that if it had happened, now that he sees that this is Lilia being playful, he really feels left out. Well, he won’t feel left out for long!

[it-happened-one-fic]

Hours in the Moonlight: Persevering Afterlight - 12. Hunter Becomes The Hunted

Summary: There was only so much a person could really prepare themselves for having to kill, even if the target was a crazed vampire that would doubtless harm incalculable others if left alive. And matters only become worse when there is a surprise to accompany such an unpleasant evening.

Series Type: Gender-neutral reader/ Vampire AU/ series/ romantic/ angst/ angst with comfort/ fluff/ sfw/ platonic interactions too!

Trigger Warning: Vampire

Word Count: 1552

Hours in the Moonlight Master-List

I stiffened as I heard what sounded distinctly like a roar. My arms tightening slightly as Jack skidded to halt at the exact same time a second sound filled the air, this one more of an enraged shriek.

Wordlessly, I slid off Jack’s back, and he looked my way. I nodded at him before handing him the slip of paper, doing my best to keep my hands from shaking or showing any level of the concerns I currently felt, “Go on. You don’t have much time before you’ll need to be getting back to your clan. And tell them not to try and visit me tonight. There won’t be time.”

Jack nodded solemnly but stopped me with a hand to my wrist, gentle but firm as he pulled me to a gentle halt as I started off towards the sounds, “Be careful, Y/n.”

I met his golden-eyed stare silently, before nodding with a slight smile that barely made its way to my face, “I will. Thank you.” I stepped backwards, away from him, as I pulled my wrist free of his grasp, “I’ll see you tomorrow night, Jack.”

He nodded once more, a myriad of emotions battling there on his face, as I turned and trotted off into the darkness. Knowing he stared after me until I rounded the corner and left his view.

I could only hope he’d do as I requested and not follow me.

It was ridiculous, knowing that everyone knew who I was and what job I had, but I still wanted to keep those I’d befriended as far away from this job of mine as possible. Though I doubted there was any way of hiding this from Leona since he was already here and had already seen me during my debut.

But I didn’t want them to think of me as the executioner of their people, even if that’s what I was. Even if that was what Crowley had made me.

I ran through the dark streets, following the sounds and pausing only to pull out the crossbow Rook had given me. It could only handle distance attacks, but if that were possible, that was what Rook had recommended.

From a more cold perspective, it was easier to kill a vampire from a distance by pulling a trigger than plunging the same stake into their chest, and it was certainly safer.

It wasn’t long before I ran across them, coming to a halt as soon as I spotted the two men facing off.

 Leona stood, breathing hard as he stared across the space at the other vampire. He had bloody marks on his arms from where claws had been dug in, and a certain degree of frustration played its way across his face.

At odds with him, the other vampire appeared to almost revel in the fight. Purely mad, with ripped-up clothes as he licked his lips excitedly. 

I almost grimaced at the sight; it was horrifying to see that the disease that helped them to survive for such a long period of time could also reduce them to such a state.

This was the vampires that came to mind when one considered the horror stories that were always so popular. Monsters that lived off the lifeblood of others without a single thought to the death, sorrow, and pain caused by their actions.

One of Leona’s ears twitched, and I saw him glance my way without actually turning his head. Almost like he was trying to keep the other vampire from noticing me.

He swallowed like he was trying to down a bitter medicine before he slowly nodded. I pressed my lips together, fully understanding his meaning, before I lifted the weapon and aimed. 

I had no doubts that Leona had done his best, but now it came to this. One of the leaders of the clan had agreed, sentencing this vampire to his execution.

My eyes widened though as a sensation like someone running a cold finger down my spine shuddered through me.

The vampire’s eyes, reddened with madness, shifted to where I stood, and time seemed to slow as his grin spread. I distantly heard Leona shout something as deranged delight splayed its way across the vampire’s face before he moved.

I fired, but wasted no time in throwing myself to the side. Somehow already realizing that stake would not reach its mark.

Cracks shuddered through the wall I’d just been standing in front of as the vampire slammed into the stone. He hadn’t been holding himself back at all when he’d thrown himself at me.

High, deranged hissing filled the air as he pulled his hand out of the stone, and I realized, with a creeping horror, he was laughing.

He twisted, his eyes somehow glistening under the little light that surrounded us as I shoved my hand into my bag. My hand closing around a new stake, the smooth wood oddly warm in my cold hand. Almost like it was promising me that so long as my aim was true, it would be reliable.

“And so,” I felt myself freeze as it spoke. My eyes going wide at his raspy words, “The precious little morsel of a hunter becomes the hunted.”

I stepped backwards as he faced me fully, almost seeming to gloat in its power as it fell silent. Spreading his arms like he was telling me to take my shot.

I faltered slightly as I went ahead and pulled my weapon the rest of the way out of the bag. This one had more sense than the other one’d had.

“Leona, are you sure you can’t get this one back?” My voice wavered a bit but was respectively level as I spoke. But adrenaline was rapidly taking over as a cold calm crept into my mind that I knew would flee the very instant I felt safe.

I’d been here before. Treated like prey before a vampire. I recognized the feeling now, but it was different now. I knew how to fight now.

Leona was standing on the other side of the vampire from me, his voice practically a growl as he responded, “Positive…. Just do it, Herbivore.”

I nodded, waiting for the very second the vampire shifted, preparing to launch to throw myself forward.

It was like barrelling into a wall, and I felt the man grasp my shoulders, his claws easily tearing through my shirt and slicing into my skin.

He inhaled sharply, breathing in deeply as if he were smelling something delightful as soon as my blood touched the air, and I grimaced, fighting to push the stake into his chest.

He hissed suddenly though and curled around me slightly, and somehow I could tell his attention had shifted from me to where I could now hear Leona snarling behind him. 

  I hadn’t time to question any of it though as I continued to push forward. Grimacing against the pain in my shoulders as the vampire stumbled backwards. Losing his footing as he focused on whatever was happening behind him.

His back hit the earth hard, and he gasped, jerking forward from the pressure of his fall and shoving himself onto the stake.

His eyes found mine as I stared down at him in slight shock, my hands already beginning to tremble as his blood bubbled up around the stake. And I saw nothing but hatred in the depths of those eyes as he hissed, snapping at me before falling backwards, impaled on the stake by his own motions.

I jerked myself off him, further tearing my shirt from where his claws had still been dug into my skin as I whirled, only to see Leona fighting another, new vampire.

My breaths came in pants slightly, and my legs were already trembling as I darted towards where my bag lay abandoned, the crossbow ready to load and fire in an instant.

My hands snatched at the weapon as I ripped another stake from the bag and loaded it hurriedly. My hands slipped on the wood as I silently cursed myself for not being more deft.

I raised it, leaning back to fire it as I shouted, “LEONA!!”

The young man let out something disturbingly akin to a roar, his large fangs, larger than the ones on the woman he was holding off himself, bared. He shoved one foot against the other vampire, kicking her off of himself.

The other vampire slammed into the abandoned crates with a shriek, and I aimed, ready for her the very second she emerged from the wood. But she wasn’t looking at Leona. No, she was looking at me and barreling forward. A maniacal grin on her face, like she didn’t see the weapon I held aimed at her. 

I fired in a panicked rush, but there was no way I could miss, and the stake found its target as she bore down on me.

She fell forward, landing on me as she already began to dissolve into ashes, and I felt the crossbow fall from my numb fingers.

The words from the previous vampire danced through my mind like a bad omen, mocking me as I stared at the ash that now covered my lap that had been a vampire.

“And so the precious little morsel of a hunter becomes the hunted.”

If you would like to read more:

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[daveysjackie]

My Memory Is Your Canvas

A person is presumed dead seven years after their disappearance. It’s been eight years since Davey’s fiancé, Jack, vanished.

When Davey woke, he was alone.

Like he had been for the last 8 years.

He turned from his back to look at the empty space on the right hand side of the bed.

I have to sleep on the right, Dave! I’m a rightie and you’re a lefty, it only makes sense.

As always, the engagement ring on his finger was heavy with the weight of sadness and regret.

David Zachariah “Walking Mouth” Jacobs, will you marry me?

He looked at the painting, hung on the wall that was opposite the bed. Jack had painted it the entire month after proposing. Apple blossom trees (Davey’s favourite) under a bright sky. Two familiar silhouettes danced in the shade.

His second alarm went off, awakening him from the memories that clouded his mind.

He checked his phone, realising Katherine had texted him, enquiring as to whether their plan of going out for coffee was going ahead.

In all honesty, he wanted to cancel. It was coming up to Jack’s birthday and the depression tended to hit him hard.

But he’d already cancelled on his two best friends multiple times recently and they practically had to force him to agree to today.

So, once Davey confirmed they would see him there, he freshened up, throwing open the curtains and opening the window, a smile flickering on his lips as the warm air brushed across his face, reminding him of a happier time.

How’d you never learn to ride a bike? Les and Sarah both ride. C’mon, summer is a great time to learn. No. You’re not getting out of this, Jacobs. If you manage to keep your own balance for five seconds today, I will pay for all our ice-cream for the rest of the summer.

Davey only managed three seconds that day but Jack still insisted on buying all their ice cream. He proposed the last day of summer as they shared an ice cream cone in the park.

“I miss you, Jackie,” Davey whispered into the wind.

——————————

“No.”

“Davey, you can’t cling to false hope.”

Davey glared at Spot who just glared back. Katherine sighed loudly, pulling their attention towards her.

“David, you led the investigation. It’s been eight years.”

When Davey didn’t say anything, Spot gently rested her hand over his.

“We all miss him. He was my brother. But you have to move on with your life.”

Scoffing, Davey couldn’t help but sarcastically quip, “That’s easy for you two to say.”

“Davey-”

“You have Race and your siblings. You two are trying for kids. And Kath? Your father is retiring at the end of the year. Your brother is set to inherit the company and promote you to his right hand woman. And you’re going to ask Sarah to marry you at that big Christmas party. You both have lives to continue with other people. Jack was-” Davey sucked in a harsh breath. “He is my everything.”

Katherine and Spot stumbled over their words as Davey abruptly stood and left.

——————————

It was getting late when Davey arrived home.

Working in the Missing Persons department of the New York Police still stung a little. Especially since the only missing person he hadn’t found was his own fiancé.

Yes, it felt great to see family and loved ones reunited after terrifying experiences. But now, the scenes were tinged with bitterness.

No matter how he felt, it didn’t change the fact that David Jacobs was one of the best. So when he saw the front door of his apartment, he instantly noticed the new scratches around the lock.

He rested a hand on the gun he wore in his holster, slowly walking in, taking in the damage.

Thick mud had been tracked down the hall. Surprisingly, most of his possessions seemed untouched.

Still suspicious, he followed the mud, careful not to disturb the prints or touch anything else.

He was led to his own room and immediately noticed what had been taken.

The painting was gone.

A laugh escaped him.

Only two people knew that the painting had actual value alongside sentimental. And Davey sure as hell hadn’t told anyone. Which only meant one thing.

“Jack is alive.”

(Feel free to send me asks about this AU)

[dearmahiru-archive]

Hiii :3 For the Milgram ask game: 5, 14, 19 for Mahiru and 9, 12, 16 for Shidou?

omg hi hi hello hello :3c

5. favorite voice drama line/moment?

Mahiru: Kotoko-chan’s acts aren’t a problem, either. I think she’s fighting for her own cause as well. So I don’t blame her. Because I also think that I… that my love isn’t wrong. I don’t want to be shamed for my love.

Mahiru: Yeah. Es-kun, you’re working so hard… You’re doing great. Es: …! Mahiru: …Oh my… are you crying? Es-kun… Es: I’m not! Mahiru: You’re putting up a tough front.

(*kicking, crying, sliding down the wall dramatically, banging my head on the wall, ripping my hair out, screaming, punching air, rolling in dirt, eating sand angrily*)

i am so normal about this :) i expected mahiru's second voice drama to lean in thick on guilt-tripping and having mahiru be bitter but no. not only does she not get angry but instead she just forgives everyone involved. what the actual fuck

14. any headcanons on their appearance?

went :0 when i saw this question and went to go finish this little edit i was working on! i really really love the idea of mahiru having tan skin and her being a gyaru when she was a younger. i was actually hoping to make some blasian edits for the milgram cast (since i'm blasian!) but i'm a bit worried about being sent hate </3

19. what do you think their childhood/teenage years were like?

well you see (*shuffles through seven pages worth of self-projection*) it all started when she was born─

kidding kidding! i imagine that, during her years at an all-girls school, mahiru was apart of a popular clique but felt detached from them because they often took advantage of her. coupled with her sheltered upbringing, depression, and insecurities, this manifested in her strong desire to feel and give love to someone.

i also like to think teenage mahiru's hair was a little bit longer!

9. do you forgive/not forgive their crime on its own?

oh god this is another hard one─ um. i feel like if i was asked this about a real life person then my initial reaction would be, "this should not be my business." it feels so deeply personal to the people involved in the case that my input would feel grossly inappropriate.

i will say yes if only because it was for love. because, if asked if you could forgive someone's murder if it was out of a love, wouldn't you naturally want to forgive them? shidou's entire case is so messy but if i forgive mahiru for her twisted perspective of love that hurt people then i can surely forgive shidou. though, i do understand why someone else wouldn't be able to forgive him.

12. what do you wish would be discussed more often about them in the fandom?

hm, i'm not quite sure if there's any more discussions to mine? out of all of the characters i think shidou's treated mostly fairly, just plagued with the organ harvesting theory and amane discourse.

i personally would love to see more discussions about mahiru and shidou's parallels! i adore the similarities between fuuta and mu, so it saddens me that i don't know enough about shidou's character to draw the same for shidou/mahiru. if anyone wants to enlighten me i'd be thrilled!

OH AND THE JACK THE RIPPER REFERENCE IN HIS NAME!! it's very funny to me he's the only character who, to my knowledge, references an serial killer. buddy my bud are you good.

16. how do you think they actually sing in regular life?

boooring answer i imagine his voice would be similar, he'd just be more amateurish and hit the same notes as easily. i love this question though because it popped up the image in my head of shidou being taken to a mixer and awkwardly trying to do karaoke.

[dearestones]

Off With That Contract! (Riddle Rosehearts and Prefect + Octavinelle Interaction) Chapter 9

Warnings: N/A.

@hisredhysteria/@herdisturbedheart Request: Anything Riddle.

Summary: Sometimes, in order to get around a rules lawyering octopus, you have to find yourself a lawyer. The closest one just happens to be one Heartslabyul Housewarden Riddle Rosehearts.

.

.

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CHAPTER NINE—WE’LL SMOKE THE BLIGHTER OUT!

“In return for voiding all contracts made within this recent school year and a ban on seeking out students for deals, I get to keep my business, my reputation, and I still have free reign to make more contracts so long as people personally come to me for them.” Each and every word that passed through Azul’s mouth must have felt like sandpaper scrubbing his throat raw. For a child of the sea, Riddle knew that it must have been painful. 

However, despite his pride at knowing that he had won, Riddle could understand. It hurt having to confront his inner demons and acknowledge that he wasn’t perfect after his Overblot. It was especially hard knowing that his mother’s way wasn’t the only way. 

Apologies tasted bitter on his tongue, and it was an uphill battle convincing himself that reparations were needed and he had to do the majority of the work. 

Azul would learn—maybe not the lesson that was intended for him, but he would learn that he couldn’t count on just his contracts. 

“Correct. We also have to address that you have not offered compensation for the Prefect’s help yesterday.”

Azul’s lips pinched before an overly saccharine smile spread across his features. "Ah, but I fear that I have already compensated the Prefect in full plus interest. After all, I have not only listened to your demands, Riddle, but also had to deal with Leona's complaints as well."

"No," Riddle shook his head. "No interest. Besides, you still need to—"

The Prefect tugged on the sleeve of his dorm uniform, the tentative touch causing Riddle to look at them in confusion. They whispered, "Just Jack. I got everything I wanted."

Riddle kept their gazes locked, making sure that he hadn't misheard or misinterpreted their words before facing Azul once more. The Octavinelle Housewarden was studying them with that unfathomable gaze of his, as if he was trying to decipher how their relationship came to be and if he could possibly jeopardize or capitalize off it. Not that it mattered, Riddle hoped that the Prefect would be smart and refrain from ever interacting with cecaelia unless it was required.

"Add that to the contract."

Under his focused gaze, the dark lettering upon the golden parchment began to lengthen and stretch, a flurry of letters spreading across the pages as if an invisible hand were writing them. Riddle had always been praised for the quick, but ruthless efficiency of his Unique Magic. A simple evocation and he could render any magic user practically helpless. However, with Azul's power, his required more concentration and precise detailing. Just like its master, the power was intricately detailed and required a lot of forethought and bargaining before one could arrive at the conclusion that they could engage with the Unique Magic.

A snap of Azul's fingers. "Are we now satisfied?"

Riddle nodded an affirmative while the Prefect eked out a high pitched "Yes!" to which Floyd snickered.

Leona had long since hung up, citing that he trusted them to get the bare bones of what he wanted too. Surprisingly, Azul had aided Riddle in saying that he should be present as well, or at the very least leave behind concrete instructions through text or something, but Leona had simply laughed before hanging up. Presumably, the lion beastman had also turned off his phone and decided to sleep (oh my, was it almost one in the morning, already? this was not going to end well for Riddle or for anyone else who was included in this strange endeavor). Furthermore, Riddle had checked Magicam and several other group chats before he came to the conclusion that his theory was true.

Leona was not active in any of them.

Had Leona left the negotiations up to Riddle and the Prefect because he had trusted them? Or was it because he truly did not care after making sure that he had gotten all that he wanted from the so-called Cephalopunk?

Ah, the intricacies of such a lazy, hands off Housewarden never failed to impress.

"Now that all matters have been settled, I believe that our business has finally reached its conclusion." A pen that looked like it was made out of a fish's skeleton materialized in the air in front of the Prefect. "So, do we have a deal?"

There was a slight hesitation where the Prefect's eyes flickered from the pen to Riddle, but in the end, they made the ultimate decision to sign the document. Their strokes were shaky, almost scratch-like. Their handwriting was more than likely a product of the tense atmosphere, of how much was resting on this one decision.

And then, as the Prefect fumbled handing the pen back to its master, it was finished.

Floyd took that opportunity to slump over the couch, his tall, lithe form spilling over Azul until his head landed in Azul's lap. If his uniform had been rumpled back when his shift had first started, it was now completely ruined. Several buttons were left unbuttoned, his bowtie was nowhere to be found, and his hat had fallen into Jade's waiting hand.

Miraculously, Jade had remained upright for the majority of negotiations, even if it had taken at least another forty five minutes for them to finish. There was not a trace of weariness upon his features, but Riddle suspected the obviously fake smile he sent their way was tinged with a seed of malice. 

“If that will be all, everyone?”

As Jade gestured for Riddle and the Prefect to follow him out of the VIP room, the Heartslabyul Housewarden noticed that the Prefect wasn't budging from their seat. In fact, upon closer inspection, it appeared as if the first year was studiously staring at Azul, a contemplative look in their eyes. Had they forgotten to include something in the contract?

"Prefect..." Riddle warned. Patience was a virtue, yes, but that didn't mean that Azul was willing to invest even more time indulging them. If anything, they had gotten lucky because of Leona's interference and Riddle's insistence that they wear down the Octavinelle Housewarden before finally delving into the meat of the matter.

"Just a minute." The Prefect nervously smiled at Azul. "It's not another proposition or anything like that, I promise."

Azul exchanged a half irritated, half bemused smirk at his fellow Housewarden.

"If the Prefect wants to waste more of my time—ahem, propose another business opportunity—then who are we to stop them? Perhaps what they'll say will actually be beneficial... unlike what we've been doing the past few hours." That last part was hushed, but Riddle and the rest of the room heard it all the same.

Even when well dressed and well mannered, Azul could never help himself when it came to spewing out insults.

"It's not…” The Prefect chewed the inside of their mouth. “I'm not going to talk about business. I just wanted to let you know something."

Floyd abruptly rose from the dead, his head nearly hitting Azul's chin as he sat up. "You threatenin' Azul, Shrimpy?"

The Prefect giggled, the sharp edges of anxiety leaving traces behind. "You can stay behind Floyd, but I would prefer it if Riddle and Jade left."

Strange, but doable.

Riddle patted the Prefect on the forearm before heading out with the aforementioned twin. Before Riddle left the room entirely, he was met with the sight of the Prefect leaning over the coffee table, their figure stooped over as they leaned over to whisper in Azul’s ear. Unfortunately, before Riddle could make heads or tails of what his underclassman was saying, his view was obscured by the door. In no mood to be any more polite than he had to be, Riddle did not hesitate in giving Jade the stink eye. 

Despite the intensity of his sour expression, Jade paid him no mind. Instead, the slimy eel stood with his back flush against the door, his eyes closed in concentration. All the while, the customer service smile on his face never faltered. 

"I can't imagine you would be able to overhear what they're discussing."

Jade's sharp smile became sharper still, the tips of his teeth nearly grazing his bottom lip. "I cannot," he confirmed. "Azul charmed these doors to be soundproof whenever he was present. Without him, it would be as if the door had never existed."

Riddle withheld the urge to roll his eyes. Of course Jade would end up doing something so suspicious even if he stood nothing to gain by it. If anything, he was probably stationed by the door to freak out the Prefect and to annoy Azul and Riddle.

Was there ever an end to Jade’s love of chaos. 

No sooner did that thought cross his mind did the door open once more. There was the sound of shocked laughter (Floyd's) followed by the rapid pattering of the Prefect's footsteps walking past the door before shutting it behind them, cutting off Floyd's laughter when it was about to reach an ear splitting pitch.

Jade, with his hand pressed upon his chest, asked, "And what have you discussed with Azul that only Floyd was allowed to hear?"

If Riddle didn't know any better, he would have thought that Jade was jealous of his brother. Often, he was given the impression that it was Floyd who often nipped at the heels of his twin when it came to acknowledgement, even if he wanted to be seen as his own person.

"Oh..." The Prefect backed away from Jade, who still stood rather close to the door, and by extension, the first year. "You can talk to them if you like? It's not like it's a secret, I just felt that what I had to say was embarrassing."

Jade glanced at Riddle, confused delight more than apparent on his angular features.

"Oh? I appreciate the honesty, dear Prefect. I'll be sure to indulge my curiosity at a later time."

After that exchange, the three of them strode down the hallways, the sight of the dark ocean adding to the surreality of what Riddle felt. Not only had he managed to outwit Azul at his own game, but he managed to wrangle Leona to be part of the plot! Ah... but there was no way that he could have done any of this, ventured so far out of his comfort zone on a whim.

He would have to thank the Prefect later and praise them for their insight concerning the Savanaclaw Housewarden. What had the Headmage call them again? A beast tamer? He would have to research that topic at a later date… 

From time to time, if Riddle's eyes rested on a certain area for a beat longer than usual, he could see something stir or swim away too quickly for his human eyes to follow. While his past meetings with the Octavinelle Housewardens were usually scheduled after classes or early mornings during the weekends, Riddle could say for certain that he had never seen the underwater dorm look so peaceful or so foreboding in the dead of night. It was in the wee hours of the morning, yet he wondered if he could stay just a while longer, even if he was still at risk for getting into another unnecessary altercation with the Leech twins, just so that he could admire the view.

Beside him, the Prefect yawned behind one of their hands. It was a slight sound and ahead of them, Jade turned around slightly to give them a questioning look, almost as if he were confused by what he had heard.

"If you would like," Riddle murmured, knowing full well that Jade could still hear him, "you can stay in Heartslabyul. It would be a journey getting back to Ramshackle, especially in the dark."

Stumbling over their words, the Prefect said, "O-oh! I've heard that there aren't any spots available considering your... high standards."

Jade coughed, the theatrics not lost on any of them. "Well, this may not be my place to say, but Octavinelle does have empty dorm rooms available... for a fee, of course! Would you like to hear our hourly rates?"

"Not a chance," Riddle cut in before Jade tried to coerce a sales pitch down his first year's throat. "Besides, you'll find that Heartslabyul can be quite accommodating. Hospitality and reciprocity are some of the common themes that you'll find throughout the Queen's rules!"

"Ah, but wouldn't it be better if I made the decision on my own, Housewarden?" Riddle glanced just in time to see the Prefect grin a grin that was far too impish for Riddle’s liking. A smile of a troublemaker, that one. “The night is still young and—Okay! Okay! I’m kidding!”

The walk back was filled with a far more lighthearted atmosphere. Riddle didn’t know how the Prefect did it, but by the time they had finally entered the portal back to the Hall of Mirrors, his cheeks hurt from smiling too much and even Jade bid them goodbye with a stifled chuckle. 

“Prefect? Before we sleep, let’s head to the kitchens. I think we should celebrate.”

He would deal with the whole bed issue later. 

.

.

.

[PART ONE] [PART TWO] [PART THREE] [PART FOUR] [PART FIVE] [PART SIX] [PART SEVEN] [PART EIGHT] [PART NINE HERE] [PART TEN]

If you want to donate a Ko-Fi, feel free https://ko-fi.com/devintrinidad.

TWISTED WONDERLAND MASTERLIST

[proudfreakmetarusonikku]

some colour themed excerpts I wrote for an activity on Reddit

“Tommy.”

Niki gave a guilty look as she stood on the doorstep to the dirt hovel the boy- just a boy, that was right, he’d never been allowed to get older- as she almost expected someone to answer. Sighing, she pushed the door open.

It was abandoned in a rush, the ghosts of a dead boy still holding through in a half-finished letter on the side, bed half-made, broken disc still running in the jukebox. Dust had gathered over the years, leaving the absence of the bright eyed, loud boy that should have been bouncing around every corner, sun yellow hair and sky blue eyes and skin freckled like the stars, suffocating.

“I.” Her voice dried up in her throat. What should she say? I’m sorry for trying to kill you? I’m sorry I freed that man? I’m sorry you’re dead? I’m sorry I never got to say sorry, for what not only I did to you but what we all did?

She'd hated him, once, but his absence had almost stung harder than Jack's and Tubbo's. Almost. It wasn’t the same sort of longing for friendship, but the bitter, venomous guilt she’d tried so hard to project onto him or Wilbur so she didn’t have to deal with it herself.

“I baked a cake for you,” she settled on, leaving the confectionery by the bedside in absence of a grave. “I know this doesn’t make up for anything, but I want to move on. And… I hope you’re happy, wherever you are.”

As she turned around, her time in this dimension running short, she swore she saw a grinning boy in his old uniform, just for a second.

—

“Tommy. Tommy, Tommy, Tommy…” Dream grinned, jade green eyes sparkling with curiosity. “What did you see?”

“I- I-“ Tommy hyperventilated, pulling his knees up to his chin and hugging them tightly. “I- I-“

Dream kicked his ribs, and Tommy wailed, gagging up blood onto the floor as he crumpled. “Next time, tell me straight away, and I won’t have to punish you. You're not a person now, you’re a lab rat, and you need to remember that.”

—

“Aww, what did you make for me, Mikey?”

The zombie piglin child shyly pressed the drawing into Tubbo's hands, humming. Slowly, he signed the word “family”, darting his eye towards the floor.

“Your family?” Tubbo couldn’t help but be curious about the kid. He and Ranboo had let him stay in the mansion, of course, after they couldn’t find his home, and they’d almost started to see him as a son, but of course, he must have a family back there. It was like a stab to the gut, but it was for the best that Micheal go home, if he had one.

Micheal nodded, his pigtails bouncing.

Smiling, Tubbo opened up the paper, and gasped at what he saw. It was him, Ranboo, and Micheal, in amber and gold childish scribbles. Written next to him and Ranboo, in shakey text, was “daddies” and next to Micheal was “miky”.

Tubbo was tearing up. He'd never expected to be a father so young, at seventeen, but fuck, he loved his little Micheal more than anything, and the idea that the shy kid who still hid under his covers loved him like a father- it was enough to get to him.

Micheal anxiously pawed at Tubbo's fur. “Da-da?” His words had the same clipped tone Techno and Ranboo had, an Enderian accent.

“I'm okay, Mikey. Just… happy.”

—

“Do you know what this colour is?”

“Eau de nil.” Tommy gave an unimpressed glare. “What, did you think I didn’t know colours because I’m a Big Man? That’s a bit sexist, innit.”

Tubbo blinked. “I was just asking a question, man.”

—

The crater was stained by explosions, the colour of ash painting over every flag, every charred skeleton that would have been a house, every bone peeking out that Tubbo could only hope was an animal, and not one of his citizens.

It didn’t get easier. Whoever said that was a fucking liar. Tubbo always found himself back at those ruins, almost instinctively, and each time it felt like a punch to the gut, a sign of his failures. Maybe if he hadn’t been president, maybe…

You shouldn’t be expected to do any different. You were a child. It wasn’t your fault. some selfish part of him says, and he wants so bad to believe it but he can’t.

—

Tommy stood on the beach, a strained smile and tears already starting to form, as Wilbur took his leave. For some reason, he got the urge in those final moments to study everything- the tilt of his brow, the cascading blond locks that hadn’t been cut in months, that gaunt, pale face of his, the deep cerulean of his staring eyes.

Wilbur waved goodbye-

And that would be the last time he ever saw his brother alive.

—

A trail of crimson lead the hunter to his prey, wobbly footsteps in the snow slowly tapering along the same path. Taking the moment to analyse their distance, Dream realised with an amused hum that Tommy couldn’t have been able to do much more than hobble away. The determination of that boy always astonished him.

“Oh, Tommy…” he trilled, sadistic excitement in his voice. it was fine it was fine he could have a little fun he wasn’t a bad person right “I've found you!”

—

Tubbo slipped the silver ring onto one of Ranboo's claws by the light of the fire, and Ranboo did the same with a golden one.

“So… we're married now?” Ranboo twitched his ears.

“Yeah. I mean, I’d like to have a wedding some day, but for now…” Tubbo sighed, leaning onto his friend's- no, his husband's- shoulder. “Shit's pretty hectic. I just- y’know. I thought we should do it, before, y’know. Maybe one of us won’t live til eighteen, till there’s enough peace we can have parties and flowers. I don’t wanna be buried without you by my side.”

“That’s. Pessimistic.”

“Realistic, if you’re to be honest.” Tubbo took a second to take it all in. “So. Marriage. Does it feel like how you expected?”

“It doesn’t feel any different at all, honestly.”

“It doesn’t.” Tubbo leaned further into the warmth of Ranboo's vest. “That’s why I like it so much.”

—

Quackity unfurled his wings for the first time in a long while as he lay on the stone floor of the ravine, breathing a sigh of relief as they freed themselves from their bindings.

Schlatt had made him hide them- ugly things, he said, a disgusting mustard yellow colour that looked unsightly with every suit and left him looking far too hideous to be the eye candy he wanted, but he wasn’t Schlatt's anymore. He'd thrown his engagement ring into the fucking mud, where it belonged, and seeing the empty air on his fingers where the diamond ring used to be felt like a chain cut loose.

“You sure you don’t want a sleeping bag, Big Q?” Tommy said quizzically, tending to the fire.

Quackity yawned, rolling over onto the soft feathers of one of his wings and blanketing himself with the other. “Nah, man. I'm fine.”

“You gusta?”

Quackity laughed. “Yeah, me gusta.”

—

“Tommy?”

The ghost's voice sounded frailer than ever, barely audible from inside the Tnret, and Tommy didn’t move from where he was curled up on the makeshift bed.

“Tommy?” he repeated. “Tommy, if you’re not going to come out I’m going to have to come in because I’m melting in the rain.”

Tommy groaned. “Sure. Fine. C'mon in, Ghostbur.”

The half-melted parts of the ghost immediately sprung back to normal the second he saw Tommy, smile widening across his face. “Hi, Tommy. I missed you and I wanted to give you some blue, because I knew you were upset because…” He scrunched up his face in concentration. “Because of something! I can’t remember.”

Dream, but Ghostbur didn’t need to know that. Tommy gave the ghost a weak grin. “Go ahead then, man. I’m waiting.”

Cheerfully, Ghostbur took some of the sky blue substance flowing out of where a wound would have stood if he was a human, pressing the weird-feeling, sorta powdery substance he seemed to love so much in Tommy's palm. “There you go. Calm yourself.”

—

“… Do you think I look like a freak?”

Tubbo didn’t process Tommy's soft voice for a second, the vulnerability foreign. The idea of Tommy- loud Tommy, excitable Big Man Tommy- ever openly stating his insecurities where anyone could hear… that wasn’t like him at all.

“Course not. Why'd you think so?”

Tommy glanced down at the ground, and Tubbo gripped tighter onto his arm. Surely, he wouldn’t let himself fall from the tower, but Tubbo had thought the same and been wrong once before. “I mean- I can’t grow up, for one. You and Ranboo, you’re all tall and shit and you're not all skin and bones, and you’re getting all- y’know, like an adult, and I still look like a fucking kid. I’m stuck looking like I am the day I died. I look so weird next to you, now. You’re a grown ass man, and I’m a fuckin' teenager.”

Tommy took a breath, tugging on the white ends of his fringe. “And-and you've seen what he's done to me. The bruises, the scars, the white in my hair and how my skin's all grey and sickly looking. And- you can see every one of my bones. I look like I haven’t ate in days, and it’s not- no matter how much I eat, I look like I’m a freak. How do you stand it?”

Tubbo buried Tommy in a hug, holding him tight. “You’re my best friend, man. You could never look- look like a freak to me. Just a Tommy. Like, dude. Do you think my scars make me look freaky?”

“Of course not!”

“Well, there you go.”

—

Tommy clung to Sam's back like it was a lifelife, the foliage beneath his fingers rustling and letting out a soft hiss. The rain fell down in sheets, soaking through the meagre rags he had left and leaving sodden curls stuck to his face, and it was an uncomfortable ride- even if Sam was like a centaur and shit, that didn’t mean he knew how to carry a half-conscious teenager comfortably through the night.

Tommy had never felt happier in weeks.

He was free. He was free and Sam wasn’t going to let him go- go back there. He'd promised. Tommy buried his face into the soft, grass like material that covered Sam like fur- green, but a dark forest green, not his green- and cried, for the first time in a long time, tears of happiness and not sorrow.

[goodolddumbbanana]

TO BE A MIRROR [2]

An Au when Sun is dead (by Nexus), Dark Sun pretends to be Sun while trying to find some way to revive him in secret. Nexus is having a mental breakdown, maybe get some redemption later. Everyone is not having a good time except Sun, that poor boy only when he is dead (temporarily) can get some rest.

It starts with hope and ends up with despair.

Dark Sun would never understand why , out of all variants of Sun. This Sun, or his naive version of himself, is still trying so hard to save 'Nexus' - the 'brother' who already fell gone, the one who claimed he would be different so frequently, ends up doing just the same things every Moon did when things don't go as they pleased. Being a piece of shit and ruining everybody's fun.

He doesn't hate Nexus, not that much as he hated the other Moons. He hated all Moon's variants equally, mind you. But, that pinkish version of his so-called brother recently started getting on his nerves.

He stared become too reckless for Dark Sun's liking. Putting his family in danger isn't a big deal in Dark Sun's concern list, but if what Nexus's tampering pose a greater enemy to approach Dark Sun... Well...It could be a delay for all Dark Sun's plans and a pain in his ass to solve it. Dark Sun wants to stay low, thank you. Not everyone is as dramatic as Moon.

Maybe he had taken the wrong move. Maybe, recruiting Nexus is a mistake, causing him more harm than good.

If this situation continues, Dark Sun will have to deal with Nexus first. Even though it must be a waste of talent, and time. But, oh well, you need to do what you need to do...

Oh, he is getting a side track again. Where was he? Oh right, that Sun, the spineless one, is truly something different. Dark Sun has traveled to a lot of dimensions, it always ends up with Sun kills Moon or the opposite. Or if it is not, Sun would be too scared or stutter to do anything, never see a Sun still think about the others like this Sun. It truly rarely sees a version of himself, after going through so damn craps, still stays the same like this.

It almost puts him in a different perspective, and makes him feel a little bit of pity and...angry for no reason.

-----Some of my rambling words that maybe one day I would try my best to write all of this out.

Anyways, The feeling of emptiness and anger (a little bit flavored of jealousy and bitterness, pity and curiosity) is what makes Dark Sun start to stalk Sun from the beginning. He shows up at Sun's room randomly, he uses Neptor to talk with Sun when nobody is around, and calmly gaslighting him that if Sun talks about these 'Neptor thingy' with anyone, Moon will destroy 'Jack and Dazzle 's new best friends' and it would be all his fault. Also, Dark Sun promised that Sun doesn't have any value in Dark Sun plans so he doesn't need to worry, because if Dark Sun needs anything, he would go to Moon.

So, after a long long ass interaction and episodes, Sun gets used to Dark Sun's bullshit. He talks back, he ignores Dark Sun present, and sometimes, he expresses his thoughts for Dark Sun like he forgets who the person he is talking with.

They both know there have been some changes between them, but both choose to ignore it. They rather believe it is just an illusion than a real friendship.

They’d rather think between them just purely the manipulator and the one who is being manipulated, than both Dark Sun and Sun actually feel comfortable and understand each other.

They are Sun. They are experts at lying and suppressing their own emotions. So, it is no surprise that even with this  information that Dark Sun and Sun actually like to hang out with each other, nothing changes.

Dark Sun still continues his suspicions plans may or may not affect horribly with Sun's life, and Sun still tries to rely on his nonexistent plot amor to find out Dark Sun's secret and how to stop the bigger threats to hurt everyone he loves, and when push comes to shove, he has to realize and accept that he will have to kill Dark Sun just like every of his enemies.

And, it is why the confrontation happens.

Some episodes go by, Sun and Moon figure out there are some sinister reasons behind Nexus going off to madness. Sun wants to try to save Nexus, and Moon just wants to kill Nexus for good..

(MF can't stand the idea of another version of himself just hurting his family and getting free tickets to go back like nothing happened.)

They succeeded in getting into Nexus's lab (it is a trap), but they got separated. (Because it is a trap, Moon, you are dummy)

And because Dark Sun still has some Self destructive tendency he gets from Moon, he decided to be a little silly.

"Dark Sun!!? Why are you here??!"

"Oh don't worry about me. Say, Sun. Consider it my pity. Do you want to know where your New Moon is? "

They have some talk. About some secret unshow things.

And then we see Sun just get out of his trap room, and see Nexus, for the first time since a very long time and boy... It is bad.

Nexus, the one Sun feels responsible for, the one Sun thinks if it is not because of him, Nexus wont turn out that way, is just laughing like a freaking maniac and talking about his evil plan with a bot while dressing in pink.

Nexus despite his downgrade episode, in my AU, Sun is the only person he doesn't want to harm, yet. So when Nexus lost his control, he just hit Sun hard. And Sun dies.

Anyways, while Nexus gets yeet in a different room because he is too unstable (pinkish boy having a mental breakdown about killing the only one who still cares about him) for Dark Sun's liking, Dark Sun walks in front of Sun face.

Sun asks why he is not dead by now, Dark Sun said he has already planted some kind of technology in Sun head that makes Sun stay awake for more minutes than just go poof. Sun is still dead though. It just slows down the process, a very painful process for them to talk, the last talk.

Turns out between Dark Sun and Sun, they had made a deal. If Nexus can't change and kill or hurt Sun, Dark Sun wins. And if Nexus comes back to his senses, Sun will win and Dark Sun has to admit not every Moon is the same.

And when Dark Sun looks at Sun's eyes to see some regrets or hatred for Nexus like some symbol of victory, he is surprised because there is none. Just classic good old Sun - in Sun's eyes, he only sees the feeling of shame and guilt and blames himself for not being better, or trying to talk more to Nexus.

And in this moment, Dark Sun snaps. He yells at Sun's face, begging Sun just to just get angry, to just stand up for himself. Don't defend Moon anymore, he is not worth it, not worth for Sun's truth and love, not like that.

But Sun literally only likes a minute to live, the first and the last time in his life, tell Dark Sun to fuck off, so he can die in peace.

But Dark Sun doesn't do that. He is just sitting next to a half broken body of Sun, saying dying alone is very lonely and it is cruel to let someone like Sun, like them, to suffer this fate in the hand of Moon.

Sun asks if Dark Sun has lied about his plans not involving Sun. Dark Sun doesn't say anything.

Sun asks if it is the end for him, the answer is the same. It makes Sun laugh, it is a ugly laugh, the kind of sounds you only hear from a wounded animal.

Then, Sun uses the last of his breath, asking Dark Sun a favor.

And things go to history. Dark Sun accepts his new identity, and while still being manipulative behind the curtain, he takes Sun to a different room in his pocket and lives his life as 'Sun' like a promise for a friend.

[saviourkingslut]

15, 19, 21, 33!

15: favorite movie if we're talking comfort movies, it's singin' in the rain :) but the most beautiful film i've ever seen is in the mood for love by wong kar-wai, so that's a favourite of mine on a different level. there's something sublime about the way it is filmed, the framing, lighting, colouring are all perfect, the interaction between visual and aural components adds this almost otherworldly quality at times, the locations are perfectly chosen, the characters draw you in - and then the story is beautiful too. if you haven't seen it, i would recommend it! another favourite of mine is the ghost and mrs. muir (1947). a wonderful romance with a bitter-sweetness to it (somewhat like in the mood for love in that sense)

19: a fact about your personality i can get fired up really quickly if im talking with someone about something im passionate about and they don't agree with me (like climate change or capitalism or palestine). i don't start screaming or anything, but i can get a little aggressive in my interaction once i start feeling like i have to defend my point. sometimes that can make for lively discussions, but i try to keep in mind not to become too direct and aggressive and consider the other person's arguments, bc even though i may be convinced that im right, i may not be, and even if i am, someone else's thoughts and experiences still matter.

21: what i love most about myself hmm i think the way that there's a couple things that i have some talent for, like writing, or making music, or drawing - i guess i love that im a jack of all trades? the downside is that i never have enough time to expand on all my hobbies, so i stay stuck at the same level forever. haven't drawn or written anything fictional in years, for example. im hoping to set aside some time after work and during weekends going forward to change that though!

33: what words make me feel the best about myself i mean ye olde 'handsome' never hits wrong, but if someone calls me 'determined' or tells me i work like a draft horse (normal thing to say in dutch, like, working hard for long periods of time) that's really what makes me feel proud of myself.

[justonemorechapternicercy]

Have a Hallmark-esque, merry Christmas, dearest @takaraphoenix 💗

Working for Lightwood & Morgenstein, one of the most prestigious law firms in the country, was an honor. Yes, sometimes it was a big headache, most of the time pain in the ass, but for Jace Wayland, it was a dream come true. He adored his colleagues, working with Alec - when he wasn't trying to be the most perfect lawyer in the whole world - was fun, and Isabelle was a goddess among humans. He was on his way to become partner in the firm, as both Alec and Jonathan were going to get the business from their parents; he was earning more money he ever imagined when he was a little orphaned kid hoping for a nice couple to adopt him. He loved his job and adored everything that came with it, but…

That Christmas he seriously thought if it was really worth it. Maybe if he would have lived in a small town, working as a jack of all trades, instead of being a lawyer in a big city, he'd still have the girl.

Jace swirled the whiskey in his glass, the ice clinking as it repeatedly hit the wall. He was staring blankly ahead, sighing. It wasn't like it was a new thing. He expected Clary to leave him, ever since they got together, but the longer they were a couple, the less he was prepared for it. So, when it happened, it hit hard.

Clary had to visit Luke because of some issues she didn't elaborate with the lodge, and what was supposed to be a weekend in her hometown, turned into two weeks just around Christmas.

There was a sharp pinching sensation in Jack's chest as he grabbed the little box in his pocket. It was supposed to be romantic.

He inhaled sharply, and gulped down the whole glass of burning alcohol, before asking for another round. The bartender looked at him concerned, but didn't comment. Good.

Clary and him were like two magnets - he assumed the opposite sides, always pulling each other, but it turned out, they were the same sides all along. Pushing each other farther and farther away until they had no connection to each other at all. It only took one little trip during Christmas to break them apart.

The outside world didn't stop moving. As he blankly stared ahead, outside of the window, he could see the snow falling softly, kids playing and making snowmen, fake Santas collecting for charities. It was a cozy little scene, almost picturesque. He could imagine Clary here. Painting the scenery, being her fiery, lovely self.

It was no surprise she broke up with him. Living in the big city seemed always like her dream, but after rejections and rejections from big studios where she could exhibit her paintings, he felt she started to be disappointed in the whole thing. Being here, reconnecting with her childhood best friend, exhibiting her art in the local community center to sell them and raise money for the lodge was good for her. It worked for her perfectly.

Maybe a bit too perfectly, if Jace allowed himself to be bitter about it. Two weeks here, and she already had a job, a new boyfriend, and a place to live. When they got together, she didn't want to move in with him for almost two years, even when it would have been better for her financially, yet she was already living with her new partner after exactly one day after breaking up with him.

That's what really shows how much better this relationship was for her. If only he didn't buy the ring… if only he didn't come here to ask her to marry him.

His head was throbbing and his heart was aching, but he just wanted Clary to be happy. He didn't make her happy. No point to pretend anyways. He just had to swallow back the lump in his throat just like he swallowed everything. And that time he didn't mean it the dirty way.

"What is a pretty boy like you doing here, all alone?" A voice broke the silence. He was not in the mood to be nice to anybody, especially to someone he didn't even know, so he just ignored the unknown person, hoping he would take the sign.

He didn't.

The person sat down beside him, even when there were a lot of empty seats in the bar. Jace could feel the curious stare, but the longer they waited, the more annoying it became.

"What?" He bit back irritated, not able to take the stare anymore.

"Just wondering how somebody so angelic could look so morose…" the guy commented. The stranger was an attractive man, relatively tall, with mysterious, beautiful eyes and perfectly styled hair, looking like he would fit more on the runway than in the only bar of a small town.

"Mind your own business! Wonder about something else," Jace said a little more forcefully, biting back the colorful swear words he wanted to say. He knocked back the remaining alcohol, but gritting his teeth, he didn't order another round.

Closing his eyes, he sighed. Sure, he was a sarcastic asshole most of the time - it came with being a lawyer -, but this behavior wasn't him.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to-" he started, looking at the guy from under his eyelashes.

"It's okay. I can see you had a bad day, but talking about it might help," the stranger said, more gentle than Jace deserved.

He snorted, shaking his head, "I doubt talking about how my almost fiance broke with me on Christmas day would help. But thanks".

"You are right, that does seem like something that requires more than just one talk. Maybe a second one tomorrow at Moon's Dinner? I'm Magnus, by the way."

Jace couldn't help, but laugh. It was a small, ugly little thing, but it felt freeing. This guy… he was something else, all right. Maybe exactly what he needed.

"That's a date," he joked, and Magnus winked.

[restnowyourhardshipisover]

Hi! Previous anon, I totoally agree, I hope I didn’t misspeak. (English is not my first language). I definitely don’t think Tommy was redeemed, far from it. I think there is so much he could have and should have done to truly earn redemption. He was on the “right” path in a sense during the final. Because although personally I don’t think he could ever (and should never) earn forgiveness, we could have at least seen him try.

Like I love the finale but I hate that nuke. I wish we could’ve just had Dream and Tommy talking (maybe with Punz there to help backup Dream’s point and showcase to Tommy that even a third part/outside sees him as a problem) where Dream could systematically break down Tommy’s victim complex until he sees how much of a villain he truly is. Would’ve been glorious!

Call me biased but I just wish they had scrapped the nuke idea to instead go down a route where Tommy actually does have to work for forgiveness (again, still love the finale! Just a minor nit pick on my part).

Thank you for responding so kindly and for pointing out Tommy’s often overlooked selfishness, it helped to have someone agree with me, so I’ll probably send more asks in the future ^^

Yes please send more asks!!!!

Yeah if Tommy was actually in a place where he'd change it'd be cool to see that. (and to be fair the world there was a lot of simultaneous apocalypses.)

I wish there had been a little more time at least. A longer moment where Tommy listens without editorializing would have been super interesting.

It's hard for me to imagine it though. Dream is not particularly great at articulating his perspective or being persuasive, and Punz is a bit... abrasive and not likely to give Tommy of all people any more chances.

I don't know. I understand wanting Tommy to actually reflect on his actions and repent but it's hard for me to see it happening and feeling realistic. Tommy is really good with rhetoric and with only hearing what he wants to hear.

I guess it's a matter of character speculation: could Tommy work on himself, could Tommy swallow the bitter pill of reality without spitting it up a new delusion where he is and has always been absolutely in the right? Is Tommy capable of an apology or working towards being better? I've always felt given where things ended it's very hard to say.

The nuke to me is in it's own way the ultimate acknowledgement of Tommy's crimes. That by that point he's crossed the line, the dominos are already falling and his fate is to watch them crash as he realizes what he's done.

I personally love the nuke, but that's admittedly because Tubbo's one of my favorite characters so him actually getting his plot acknowledged is important to me, in the same way that Pandora's Vault (beloved torture box that it is) showing up is a big cheer moment for a lot of people.

Tommy plowed a path by beating down the souls of anyone who ever considered him an ally. And in the end, his victims allayed before him. Tommy forces Tubbo to use the nukes. Jack sabotages the nuke in the belief it might finally free him (and free them all) from Tommy. Dream and Punz weren't a threat to Tommy until he attacked.

And the nukes destroy everyone, destroy everywhere. That is what all of Tommy's quest for comfort, all the ways he tried to force people into his little boxes lead to. He dies in a box he orchestrated, by the choices he made and burns the world. All while the realization that he was wrong is fresh and clear.