#make Albert pay for his crimes

[missglaskin]

Yandere S.T.A.R.S Team (Resident Evil) platonic headcanons

Note- I am back (It's been years), this has been in my drafts so I said fuck it/this is so messy and the timeline/canon may not be accurate but enjoy! This is mainly platonic, but w/some characters it could be interpreted romantically

Characters; Albert Wesker, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Rebecca Chambers, Barry Burton, Joseph Forest, Brad Vickers, Forest Speyer, Richard Aiken, Enrico Marini, Kenneth Sullivan, Edward Dewey

The first person you perhaps meet is Albert; he is the leader of the S.T.A.R.S Team. Not only do all the recruiters get approved by him, but he also overlooks all your tests. He greets you like any other, but gradually something takes a hold of him. He's in denial at first, even seeming harsh. You may initially believe he didn't like you; oblivious to the countless files and cameras hidden everywhere.

Having the rest of the team be just as enamored was not on the table. You are immediately welcomed by the team and Rebecca is the first to befriend you since you two are the youngest of the team. Like how Richard was tasked with watching over Rebecca, he’s tasked with the same responsibility over you (even if Wesker preferred to do it himself).

Chris can't help but grow quickly fond of you. He positions himself in the role of your protector; feeling the utmost responsibility for your happiness and safety. So if you have any problems - whether it's with Chief Irons or getting in trouble for say, breaking a rule; trust he'll be quick to intervene and 'save' the day.

You're all Chris ever talks about to Claire and before long, the two of you cross paths. Claire, like her brother assumes herself in the role of being your friend right away. She occasionally pays you visits and you can be sure that you will receive calls from times when she's unable to visit. Claire expects Chris to keep her informed of you at all times.

Barry, Enrico, and Kenneth all take fatherly roles; they look at you and already placed adopted papers on the table ready for you to sign. It makes it all the harder for Wesker to have any absolute control as they all put their foot down.

Barry adores you and it’s not taken lightly when it’s said he treats you as his child, probably cause he views you as actually one of his own. He invites you to a family dinner, introducing you to his family who all naturally take a liking to you. Barry insists on his house always being open if you need a place to stay or run into trouble. 

Since Barry sees you as his own, there is a never-end to his dad jokes. Even when you comment on how terrible it is, he likes seeing the smile on your face. Trust you'll be invited to every birthday, barbecue, or any family Burton event.

Enrico while he adopted a fatherly role, he was a bit reluctant to get so attached to you. He’s the few in the team who's fully aware and doesn't hesitate to call out the others when he thinks they are going too far. He worries a lot about your safety, and most times it's Enrico who comes out on top of arguments on who gets to drive you home. 

Kenneth as the oldest of the team, feels the most responsible for you. He is aware just like Enrico and doesn't wish for you to be scared of him or the team. He wants you to come to him whenever you need anything, even for small tasks such as finding a specific file. Like Enrico, Kenneth has no problem telling the others to back off if you need space.

More trouble comes along when Forest and Joseph come along. They develop their tendencies the quickest and tend to be the most clingy out of the team. They (along with Chris) become your partners in crime.

Joseph is someone you can always count on to make you smile even in the most serious of situations; he doesn’t care when others lecture him for it. You're not safe from his teasing. Granted you're not the target of his pranks but he likes to poke fun at you from time to time. It's why no alarms are ringing in your head when he says something questionable, assuming he’s just being Joseph.

You're not safe from Forest's playful teasings either. He can be a little annoying, poking your cheek or trying to tickle you when wanting your attention. Like Joseph, he's very affectionate, putting his arm around your shoulder and resting his head on your lap if you allow it. The others lecture him for doing it so publicly but Joseph knows it's jealousy talking more than anything.

As said, a squad of its own is formed; Chris, Joseph, Forest, and you. While they tend to be jealous, the three are okay with sharing when it comes to each other. Forest and Chris enjoy competing in shoot training and showing off who can do it better, inviting you to place bets. They're happy to show you all the gun's tricks and let you choose your weapon's signature.

Joseph, being a mechanic, can't always spend as much time with you. But he'll eagerly drag you into teaching you the ropes, whisking you away from the other two. He beams with pride when you grasp something from his impromptu lessons. Even if he's not exactly teaching you anything, he's happy to chat about anything as he works. 

Jill becomes someone you’re close to, someone whom Chris and Barry trust to leave you alone with. She’s not afraid to whisk you away from the others when she wants to and won’t hesitate to call out anyone selfishly taking your time (Uhm Joseph). 

Most of all, Jill loves having girl time with you. She's there for any fashion advice, gladly taking you shopping to revamp your wardrobe. If you're unsure how to do your makeup, she's eager to help, though Jill never wants to teach you so you can keep coming to her.

Jill is also willing to use any excuse to have you stay over at her place anytime even suggesting sharing an apartment to ‘save money”. And if you think Wesker’s the only one with a bunch of files, Jill has a hidden drawer filled with everything she has on you. 

Brad becomes incredibly attached but is a bit shy about approaching you. He'll do little things to make your day better, like bringing your favorite coffee (watching you do it too many times) or organizing your desk just the way you like it.

Brad tries to agree with everything you do, supporting any ideas you bring forth in, team meetings and hesitates to snitch on you, always trying to talk to you first to prevent trouble (aka punishments). Similar to Kenneth, he's aware of his tendencies and doesn't want you to fear him.

Richard is the softest guy on the team as said, was tasked with watching over you and quickly grew fond of you, He has made it well known that if you ever need help you can seek him out even when you get in trouble, he’ll gladly keep it hidden from the others to avoid you being in trouble even taking the brunt of it.

If you find yourself spending time with Richard, trust that Rebecca is there, too, being the sweetest in the group as well. Initially, she might not fully grasp her tendencies, but once she does, her sole concern is your safety and happiness. She frowns upon hearing Jill and Chris discussing ways to keep you confined and is the one who tries to reassure the others not to be too 'harsh' on you.

Edward may appear intimidating, but he's actually a softie at heart. While he might not warm up to you as quickly as Forest and Joseph did, given some time, he grows fond of you and eventually places him as your trusted friend. He's aware that his demeanor can be intimidating and desires nothing more than for you to feel comfortable opening up to him, always offering a smile whenever he sees you around the RPD.

----------------------------------------------

Chief Irons has learned that you're the one person he can't even dare to go near. You might be a troublemaker, breaking every rule in the book, but Albert will put his foot down to ensure nothing comes of it. It's enough that the rest of the team has a dislike towards Irons, and he, along with everyone in the RPD, knows that crossing you means crossing the Stars team.

Wesker also keeps the extent of his monitoring and knowledge of you a closely guarded secret. He's aware that Kenneth, Enrico, Richie, Edward, and Barry all vocally dislike the idea of 'stalking' you in such ways (they all do but try to keep it as ‘morally right’). In his grand plan, he hopes to lure you away, but he must do it in a way that won't raise suspicion.

You have the most protective people watching over you. Even a simple accident like someone spilling a cup on you puts everyone on high alert.

Your favoritism doesn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the RPD, sparking rumors around the station that Edward and Barry quickly shut down whenever they hear someone bad-mouthing you.

Chris and Forest, on the other hand, can be incredibly impulsive, leading to all sorts of issues that Wesker and Enrico have to deal with. Jill and Joseph even got in trouble once for punching someone.

That means going on no dangerous missions; the one thing they all agree on. Wesker ensures that all your missions are carefully managed, eliminating any risks of you being in danger, and he pretends not to know what you mean if you ask. The other members are willing to gaslight you, suggesting that you just happen to get the easy ones, even Rebecca and Brad.

They're all eager to fight each other to train you, each claiming they're better at teaching you self-defense. Chris and Forest are the ones who usually end up teaching you since they're often the first ones to arrive. But everyone knows that if Wesker insists on training you, they can't object. And it's probably for the best, as some (Uhm Richard, and Edward) will pretend to lose or go easy on you because they don't want to "hurt" you.

The team normally doesn’t go out, but they all want to spend time with you. Usually, all of you go to diners (except for Wesker, wonder why). There's a little argument over who should order you to prove who knows you the best.

Your seat is chosen to please everyone, sometimes between Jill and Chris, other times between Richard and Rebecca. Another silent argument happens when they debate on who should pay for you; Enrico succeeds by slipping the payment to the waiter when the others aren’t looking.

Everyone always makes sure you come home safe. You expect numerous calls from everyone checking up on you. They all secretly know you're fine, as they're in cahoots with each other, but they just want to hear your voice.

There's also a chance that if Richard, Forest, or Jill are the ones bringing you home, they'll make some excuse about needing to stay overnight because they're tired or the weather is bad.

 If you need someone to drive you to the station or pick you up, perhaps because you can’t drive, they're all willing to fight each other once again to do so. They've left important meetings or appointments countless times just to rush to your aid. It's almost always Wesker, Richard, Enrico (and sometimes Chris) who beat the others in picking you up.

Once again, you're always taken to events that the teammates have. Brad is getting takeout, he's on his way to pick you up since he assumes you're also hungry. Forest wants to go out for a drink, prepare for him to be at your door, and when you attend together, he’s protecting your drink with his life and will even pretend to be your boyfriend. Barry has a baseball game he wants to attend, so why not come with him and his family. 

Jill needs to pick up a new outfit or something in the way, she decides to take you as well. Rebecca comes along, and sometimes the three of you have spa days in the process. Rebecca also loves going on road trips with you; there needs to be a person or two with you to ensure nothing bad happens. Rebecca once brought you to her favorite team's basketball game and the two of you shared those nachos and fries. It was Rebecca's happiest memory.

Movie nights are a must. Brad and Edward agree with anything you wish to watch, while Jill and Joseph are fighting over which ones to watch. Chris and Forest are trying to get your attention more than actually watching a movie. Meanwhile, Rebecca is actually enjoying the movie and wants to talk to you about it later on. She and Richard ensure you have your popcorn, and Richard brings your favorite bakery treats.

Expect to be always praised when you're around the team. Wesker himself praises you for a job well done whenever you find a clue or bring him the right file. Richard, Edward, and Rebecca are the most vocal. Also expect Chris and Barry to give you a pat on the back, while Forest and Joseph jokingly pat your head.

Wesker has you as his right-hand assistant, even when it’s not officially confirmed as such. You're tasked to help and stay by him whenever he needs assistance. He pretends not to see everyone side-eyeing him when he places your desk right next to his, but then again, they all ignore his stare when they come to your desk for whatever excuse they need.

The best people to comfort you are Barry, Enrico, Kenneth, and Richard. These men hate seeing you in tears. Brad will try to make you laugh while hugging you, while also finding the right words to comfort you. You can lie to Enrico, and he'll still know; he's memorized your body language, pulling you into an immediate hug before the tears even come. 

Kenneth's ability to comfort shines in giving the best advice and solving any issues you have. Richard will sit next to you and listen; it could be the middle of the night, and he'll gladly answer any call or stay up to do any activities that will cheer you up.

Something everyone has huge arguments about is punishments; it gets heated at times. These discussions are, of course, not done in your presence.

Wesker is open to punishments, Chris and Jill agree with precautions, and Barry may reluctantly agree but claim he wants nothing to do with it. Brad and Rebecca voice their disagreement but can’t really intervene. Edward and Richie, like Barry, say they want nothing to do with it. Forest and Joseph don’t like it but will let the others make the decisions. Enrico and Kenneth are the most vocal against such decisions.

-------------------------------------------

Everything is going well in the team until the mansion incident.

You had to be with the Alpha team, unaware of the fate that fell upon the Bravo team, as there was no way Wesker would have let you out of his sight.

You had to witness Joseph get mauled by the zombie dogs, and if it weren’t for Wesker shooting the one coming at you and Chris pulling you along, you may have been a victim of it. Getting into the mansion has them immediately checking for injuries, only to realize you are just shaken up.

If you try to suggest coming along with Chris to check on what’s happening, Wesker immediately disapproves, even pulling rank to have you stay by him, and Jill agrees. Chris assures you he'll be just fine.

Things happen and it may lead you to be separated from Wesker and Jill. It makes all of them panic and look for you. Chris is nervous but assumes you must be with either Wesker or Jill. Jill and Wesker are trying to remain calm as they search. There is a chance you will meet Rebecca, who informs you of Edward's death, and this leads to you reuniting with Chris. 

Alternatively, you may come across Barry, who refuses to leave your side, leading you to reunite with Jill. Both scenarios will have you meeting Richard, who immediately embraces you upon seeing you safe. You may also encounter Enrico, who seems hesitant to inform you of who he believes is responsible for the situation.

Forbid you get injured at any moment in the mansion, everyone will be in panic. Barry will try to reassure you, holding your wound while Jill rushes to get any herbs. Or Rebecca will try to tend to you while Chris silently panics in the background, refusing to leave your side. Richard will insist you stay in a room for your safety while he tries to find Rebecca or first aid. Enrico tries to remain calm, bringing you along with him as he rids the area of any zombies, fearing the risk of leaving you alone.

Soon enough, you will find out about Wesker's involvement, and his first act is to keep you as a hostage, even knocking you out. He’s merely bluffing but needs to keep the others away. If he encounters Enrico, he is well aware the man knows he’s a traitor and will kill him in front of you. After all, you will know the truth either way.

It all ends with Wesker believed to be 'dead,' killed by the tyrant, and the mansion about to blow up. You and everyone mourn all those who you have lost, and you are surrounded by the remaining survivors as they try to comfort you and tend to any injuries you may have gained. 

You are too lost in your grief and all you have experienced that you don’t realize the eyes all watching you, as they all make a silent vow to themselves to forever keep you safe. And most of all, you don’t know that Wesker has been reborn, getting out of the mansion as he plots his revenge.

@aphroditelovesu @yanderes-galore @gwynsly @tiddlybops

[silentcrowsilentravens]

Stars alpha reacting to their partner pulling a Richard and sacrificing themselves for them?

"Pulling a Richard" lol.

I'd like to apologize in advance to Lisa Trevor for this.

Joseph Frost, Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, Brad Vickers, Barry Burton, and Albert Wesker reacting to their s/o sacrificing themselves to save them.

(Gender ambiguous).

Warnings: death, blood, gore.

Masterlists here!

Joseph Frost

Arklay Mountains. It’s the evening of July 24, 1998. Led by Captain Wesker, you and four other members of the S.T.A.R.S. Alpha team are searching for signs of Bravo team and pilot Kevin Dooley, with whom contact was lost the day prior. 

You trudge through the tall grass, gun unholstered and flashlight scanning over every dark shape in your path.

A persistent sense of unease hangs in the air. You’d be hard-pressed to think of another time you’ve felt so on edge while on the job. 

There's shifting behind you. You whip your head around.

Joseph is standing there with his gun. "Jumpy?" he teases half-heartedly. You roll your eyes at him and resume what you were doing.

"Hey... wait a sec..." He motions for you to come over.

"What is it?" You point your light down as you approach. It catches a metal object laying in the grass between you. It's a gun. A standard-issue Beretta.

Joseph bends down to pick it up, which is when you realize that it's attached to something.

It's...

It's a hand.

A human hand with no human attached to it.

Joseph drops the severed part in shock. Both of you jolt away from it with a yelp.

Upon further inspection, realize that you know who it used to belong to. You recognize the fingerless glove and the wristwatch. They're part of a S.T.A.R.S. uniform. More specifically, the uniform of Edward Dewey from Bravo team.

For a moment, the only thing you can hear is the wind and your heart pounding in your ears. You can do nothing but stare in disbelief. 

There have been a lot of deaths lately. Gruesome ones. 

You’ve seen the crime scene photos.

You’ve seen the crime scenes.

They’re difficult to stomach.

But the feeling that washes over you here and now is particularly visceral. Every last drop of blood in your body has run cold. You feel dangerously close to hurling.

Edward is someone you see almost every day. He...

He’s a great man. A friend of yours.

He can’t be...

You finally manage to tear your gaze away and look at Joseph. 

“...Eddie can still be kicking,” he says blankly. “Guy doesn’t need both hands to live.”

Yeah. 

Yeah, Edward can still be out there. Alive. Hopefully. He's tough...

...

Is that...

...growling you're hearing?

Out of the corner of your eye, you realize something—multiple somethings are rapidly approaching. Joseph notices just a beat later than you do.

“Joey, watch out!” With all of your might, you shove your partner out of harm’s way.

He hits the ground. 

A bloody creature collides with you, its sharp teeth sinking into the exposed skin of your forearm. You cry out, wrenching your arm to the side in a desperate attempt to make it release you. It does, tearing a chunk of flesh away in the process, and quickly latches back on.

A second beast joins in, causing you to lose your balance and fall.

Followed by another one.

And another.

And another.

There are so many. They look like dogs and smell like rotting corpses, but you aren't paying much attention to that. You're in so much pain, it's difficult to think. They're quite literally eating you alive and all you can manage to do is flail about, weakly attempting to get them off.

Joseph shouts your name in alarm, scrambling to pick up his gun. His weapon-mounted light illuminates the mass of creatures pinning you down. Blood and viscera glisten.

He fires round after round, trying to kill them.

Jill, Barry, Chris, and Wesker rush over to help.

Your screams abruptly stop, cut off by an awful, strangled, gurgling noise as a set of teeth manage to rip your throat out.

"No!" Joseph keeps firing, unable to process it all. Just because you've gone quiet doesn't mean you're dead, right? Right? There's a chance you're still alive. There has to be! "Get off! Get off!"

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

"Joseph, it's too late!" Chris grabs Joseph's shoulder, trying to make him stop. Joseph won't. "We have to go!"

This can't be happening. This can't be real. You're not gone. You're not!

The remaining beasts turn their attention toward the rest of the team.

Finally, Chris and Barry seize Joseph by the back of his tactical vest and physically drag him along as they start running. He doesn't stop calling your name, doesn't stop reaching for you even as your body becomes further and further away from them.

"Brad!" Chris shouts as their helicopter abandons them. "Brad! Where's he going?!"

This night can't get any worse. They end up seeking refuge in a mansion. The moment Jill slams the doors shut and locks them, Joseph plops down on the floor, breathing hard and cradling his head in his hands.

He can't believe it. You're gone just like that. It all happened so fast... And if you hadn't done what you did, it would've been him instead.

He wishes it were him instead. His eyes begin to burn.

Jill Valentine

It's the dead of night in the summer of 2005. You and Jill are stranded in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea on the Queen Zenobia, which just narrowly avoided being completely obliterated by the Regia SOLIS.

Unfortunately, the ship still ended up getting caught in the shockwave of the blast, leaving you to deal with even more water pouring into the ship.

It's time to clear out and fast.

Both of you are swimming through the flooded corridors in search of an exit when eventually, you make your way into a room that has yet to fill completely. The surface of the water is in view. You speed up, sparing a glance over your shoulder to where Jill ought to be.

She isn't there.

You come to an immediate stop, a jolt of panic passing through you as you spin around in an attempt to locate her.

You find her a little ways back, having fallen behind because she's busy grappling with a sea creeper that's caught up to her. Damn things!

It's gotten ahold of her legs and she's fighting to keep its wide maw away. Despite their spindly limbs, earlier encounters have let you know that they're rather strong.

There's already been quite a stretch between this and the last opportunity you got to get some air. In the time it would take you to pop your head out and swim back to help Jill, it could already be too late.

With that thought at the forefront of your mind, you ignore your body's desperate pleas to breathe and make your way over.

You unsheathe your Bowie knife. Using all of your might, you drive it straight into the B.O.W.'s soft shell.

Blood turns the water red. The creature reels back with a high-pitched cry and you take the opportunity to seize your partner.

With a tight grip on the equipment harness strapped to her back, you begin to swim upward, pushing yourself to go as fast as you can.

You're so close. Fresh oxygen is just within reach when something grabs hold of your ankle and sharply tries to yank you back.

Looking down, you find the same sea creeper giving things another go.

'Get offa me, dammit!' You slam the heel of your boot down on its covered head until it releases you, then kick away.

You lift Jill and force her above the surface, managing to get her arms hooked onto a ladder leading up to a catwalk.

There's yet another tug on your leg, far harsher than the last.

You release Jill, not wanting to risk pulling her down with you.

Bubbles begin to stream past your parted lips and water floods your lungs. The burning in your chest is beginning to worsen exponentially as you're dragged away, simply unable to hold your breath any longer than you already have. You're certain this is it for you.

Jill coughs and sputters. As the darkness begins to fade back to the edges of her vision and she's able to form a thought other than 'I need air or I'm gonna die down here', she processes that you haven't resurfaced along with her.

Her still-pounding heart leaps into her throat and she curses, diving back down without a moment's hesitation.

Her eyes instantly lock onto a red cloud in the water, which both you and the sea creeper are in. It has you in its grasp and you aren't struggling. You aren't moving at all.

As Jill closes the rest of the distance, she continues to hope against all hope that she can save you.

The handle of your blade is sticking out of the creature's back. She yanks it out and plunges it into a new spot, tugging you free and kicking the thing as hard as she can, sending it into a wall.

With you in tow, Jill makes her way above the water and back to the ladder.

You aren't breathing anymore when she successfully gets you onto the catwalk. She hastily begins to perform CPR, determined to fix that. She has to.

Unfortunately, she can't. It's already too late for you.

Finally, resignation begins to set in and she lets her hands still on your chest.

Jill is no stranger to losing people, and there's a persistent nagging fear in the back of her mind about losing more. You've often been at the forefront of it.

She's always tried to push it aside, though, always hoped that it wouldn't come to pass.

Her fingers tremble slightly as they curl into fists. She lets her head hang.

If only she hadn't let that damn B.O.W. catch up to her...

There's a lump forming in her throat that she tries to swallow as she stands, sending you a silent apology for letting you down.

...

Even if she wants to stay here with you, she knows this ship isn't going to last much longer. Cursing under her breath and blinking away the tears beginning to form in her eyes, Jill keeps moving. She has to...

Chris Redfield

"We're picking up a large bogey on radar. It's heading right for you!"

Just when you thought shit had already hit the fan, that message came through on comms and not even a minute later, a tandem rotor helicopter appeared, dropping off another absolutely massive—probably a good thirty feet tall—B.O.W. onto the team's already full plate.

Echo needs three anti-aircraft guns taken out before further help can be given, so everyone tries to provide cover for Finn as he sets the charges needed to blow them up.

The wrecked buildings around you provide little cover from the ogroman, which is intent on crushing the lot of you.

Chris points out a weakness that can be exploited: Soft, exposed red flesh around where a big metal connector is sticking out of its back.

You and a few others distract the beast with bullets. Chris manages to leap onto its back while you do so, ripping out a bit of protruding bone and driving it straight into the weak point. The process is rinsed and repeated a few times before the ogroman dies, dissolving into a foul-smelling, steaming goop that leaves you coughing.

Two anti-aircraft guns down, one more to go.

Everyone's comms crackle. "There's another giant B.O.W. closing in on your location!"

A loud roar rings out.

A massive hand grabs onto a rooftop, sending shingles raining down onto a few j'avo.

"It's the one we lost at the Two of Hearts," Piers points out.

Chris orders the team to prepare to engage. You follow Finn to the last gun, making use of an underground passage that leads you into another building. When you're standing on the top floor, the target of the objective comes into view, sitting on the ground below beside a barricade.

"Let's try to make this quick."

The ogroman has other plans.

Finn and Piers, a little ways ahead of you, head down the ladder.

You and Chris are stepping out from behind a partially destroyed wall when it turns and spots you there.

The two of you begin to unload your clips into it, not getting too many hits on that weak spot thanks to the way it's positioned itself.

Click.

Click.

Click.

"I'm out!" you announce.

"Me too," Chris says. "Look out!"

A massive hand shoots out toward you.

You both dive out of the way in time. You land back behind the wall, and Chris is still out in the open stretch. Another hole is smashed into the building.

The ogroman draws its arm back, then raises it up and prepares to sweep it across.

"Chris!" You don't even think, you just act, launching yourself back onto your feet and sprinting toward him. It'll hit him if you're not quick enough!

The arm grows closer.

With mere seconds to spare, you shove Chris back to the floor.

All the wind is knocked out of you as the ogroman makes contact, sending you sailing straight over the edge.

You make a graceful arc before colliding harshly with the pavement down below.

"Shit!" Chris shouts your name in alarm.

He needs to get to you.

"Cover me!"

He slides down the ladder while other members of the team show up to keep the ogroman busy.

A red puddle has begun to form beneath you. By some miracle, you're still responsive, but only barely.

"You're gonna be alright. You're gonna make it. Just hold on, okay?" Chris begins to drag you over to cover. You let out a groan, unable to process any of what you're hearing. "I need you here." Speaking into his comm, he calls for urgent first aid.

Before long, your feeble movements begin to peter out. Chris feels his stomach drop.

"No... No, come on. You have to stay with me. You have to!" You mean so much to him. He can't lose you. He can't. Not like this.

One last raspy, rattling breath leaves your lips before you're gone.

The grief, the devastation is like an instant weight settling upon Chris' shoulders. He slams his fists against the ground and cries out, leaning down to rest his head against your chest.

This is his fault... He'll never forgive himself.

Brad Vickers

"Pizza's here," you announce, shutting the apartment door with your foot. It's late in the evening, and you and Brad decided to call in and order one for dinner.

(Both of you also went ahead and ordered one for Brad's friend, Jill, who has scarcely left her home since being suspended. Brad would've been as well, had he joined in on the shouting match she and three other S.T.A.R.S. members got into with Chief Irons over the mansion incident. You know Brad still feels guilty about it).

"Brad. Pizza." You pop open the box and waft it in front of his face before placing it on the coffee table. He snaps out of it and sends you a small smile.

"You pick out something for us to watch already?"

"Uh-huh." He places the TV Guide down and picks up the remote. "They're showing one of our favorite flicks tonight, actually."

"Yeah? Which one?" You plop down beside him on the couch with a few paper plates in hand.

...

Hours have passed, and you've fallen asleep living room. The movie has long since ended, the remaining half of dinner is sitting abandoned, and Brad is snoring lightly beside you. You might've remained that way until morning...

...if not for a loud noise from somewhere on the street below waking you up.

You slowly straighten up, removing your head from your partner's shoulder.

Then, you begin to process the not-so-distant sounds of chaos. There are sirens and people screaming.

'What is going on...?'

An orange glow is bleeding from around the edges of the drawn curtains. You get up and pull them open. Multiple fires are burning.

You hurriedly wake Brad. "Hey. Something is wrong," you tell him as you drag him over to the window. "Very, very wrong. Look."

"Holy shit." He blanches. "We need to go."

You throw on a coat and shoes while Brad puts on his S.T.A.R.S. getup. He grabs his Beretta. All you have is a pocket knife.

The two of you make your way out of the apartment, hurriedly heading down the corridor and into the stairwell.

When you reach the emergency exit at the bottom of the stairs, you encounter a problem. Before Brad even gets the chance to push the door open, something rips it off the hinges. It's a huge figure clad head to toe in a black outfit, which is dotted with small yellow hazard symbols and staples.

"S.T.A.R.S...." it growls.

After a moment's hesitation, Brad seizes you by your sleeve and begins to high-tail it toward the front of the building. Time to try the front doors instead.

The thing gives chase. It's fast. Surprisingly so.

Brad aims his gun over his shoulder and opens fire. The bullets appear to have no effect. Not good.

It lifts its hand. A thin tentacle shoots out quick as lightning, wrapping around one of Brad's ankles and tripping him up. He lands harshly on the floor, his weapon slipping from his grasp. It begins to drag him.

"Help!"

You stagger to a stop, whipping around and grabbing hold of him. All that accomplishes is making the pursuer pull you along as well.

"Let go of him!" You take your blade and slice the appendage in two. The half still attached to it retreats. You help Brad up.

"S.T.A.R.S.!"

A new tentacle pops out of its sleeves. The moment you catch a glimpse of it, you put yourself directly behind Brad.

Rougher than before, the pursuer swings its arm back, yanking you over to it.

"Brad, run!"

Brad doesn't. He freezes in place.

It picks you up by your face, squeezing so tightly that it feels as though your skull might shatter. You struggle. "Run! Before it gets y—"

Your sentence is cut off by the tentacle going straight through your mouth and out the back of your head.

You're tossed aside, dead as dead can be.

You land facing Brad, your face stained red and your eyes wide open. He feels himself begin to shake.

Then, he runs.

This can't be happening. This seriously can't be happening!

He should have stepped in to help you. Doubly so after you had done that for him.

He should have done something. Anything but just stand there! What the hell is wrong with him?!

'Oh, god...'

When it seems that he's finally lost the pursuer, Brad slumps against the wall and slides down it until he's sitting. Alone in a random building, he cries harder than he has in a long time. He's so incredibly angry with himself for practically letting that happen.

There's a hole in his heart where you used to be that can simply never be filled again. You're gone. Gone. He can't believe it...

Barry Burton

As the Starlight slowly sinks into the waters below, explosions rattle it, illuminating the pitch-black night sky with bright oranges and yellows.

You, Barry, Leon, and Lucia stand safely aboard the deck of the Umbrella submarine Barry hijacked. Admittedly, you're still a little mad that he scared you again. A few years back, when you were both part of S.T.A.R.S., he pretended to betray you and the others the same way Wesker had.

He did it to protect your daughters and kept the ruse up long enough for Wesker to let his guard down. Tonight, he pulled a similar stunt. He made a fake deal with Umbrella and acted as though he was going to hand Lucia over to them, abandoning you and Leon on the ocean liner in the process.

"Sorry, honey," Barry says, noticing the sour look on your face. "I couldn't risk them finding out."

You sigh. "No, I get it. I just can't believe I fell for it again, even if only briefly."

"I guess I must be that good of an actor, huh?"

"I wouldn't go that far," you tease lightly. "It was just the panic of it all..."

"Ouch." Barry puts on a hurt expression.

Somewhere behind you, you hear the crackle of a radio. "Hey, I'm finally getting through to headquarters," Leon announces.

Barry places a hand on Lucia's shoulder. "I'm sure Polly and Moira will be excited to meet their new sister."

Lucia's eyes widen. "You guys were being serious?"

"Of course!" Your hand lands on her free shoulder. "Welcome to the family."

She grins. A genuine, happy-as-can-be grin.

"HQ, this is Leon. Mission accomplished. We're heading home."

You glance behind you in an attempt to see Leon, but he's standing closer to Barry. Your gaze only finds his shadow. You look away.

Over the sound of the rain and explosions, your ears manage to pick on a subtle gurgling noise.

Once again, you turn your head. The shadow is beginning to change. It's distorting and growing.

With dawning horror, you realize that all of the B.O.W.s haven't been eradicated, that it isn't actually Leon standing with you guys, that he's probably still aboard the Starlight.

"We aren't out of the woods yet!" is all you can manage in warning before the Tyrant finishes turning into its true form, red, intestine-like tentacles shooting out of the wide cavity in its stomach.

Barry doesn't even get the chance to fully pull his magnum from its holster before you throw yourself into the path of danger.

Rather than your husband, the appendages end up grabbing you instead. With how your arms end up pinned to your sides, you can't grab your pistol or knife to try and free yourself.

Panic instantly tightens itself around Barry's lungs. "Good god! Lucia, get inside!" He opens fire on the monster, desperate to make it release you.

It swings you all around, making it difficult for him to get a clean shot. It slowly but surely begins to squeeze you.

A big gray forearm collides with Barry, sending both him and his weapon flying across the deck.

The monster leaps off the sub and into the cold ocean, slowly sinking.

"No, no, no!" Barry practically throws himself over the railing, grasping it with one hand and desperately grabbing for you with the other. Just barely, he manages to take hold of your webbing.

The monster tightens its grip and there's an audible crack. You stop struggling.

...

Barry stills, his fingers going slack. He can't breathe, can't believe it. The devastation hits like a sucker punch to the gut.

Your body fully disappears into the dark waters. This is one of his worst nightmares.

He curses, banging his fist against the sub. It should have been him, not you! Why did you do that?

...He knows the answer. It's because he means as much to you as you do to him.

He knows he would've risked himself like that too if the roles were swapped.

He wishes that they were. What is he meant to do without you?

Albert Wesker

By all accounts, Albert Wesker should be dead. Instead, he's woken up as something else. Something more than human.

And now, he needs to leave this place before it turns into a pile of burning rubble. It isn't clear how much time is left before the self-destruct sequence goes off, but it ought to be enough for him to make it back out the doors.

Most of the bioweapons are easy enough to take out and get past.

There is, however, one problem—one nuisance that is refusing to leave him alone: Lisa Trevor. She's followed him all the way back up to the mansion proper. Since she doesn't have the good sense to give up, he's had to take a different route in an attempt to lose her.

Finally, he thinks he might have. The exit is close. Just down the stairs, in fact. He can see it.

A door behind him flies open. He turns, tightening his finger on the trigger of his Samurai Edge.

"Captain Wesker!"

Oh. It's only you.

Albert is pleased to see that you've made it this far. Not that there was much doubt in his mind that you would. You're one of the best S.T.A.R.S. has to offer when it comes to your combat abilities.

"Where'd—" Your eyes widen before your features twist in concern. "What the hell happened to you?"

It's evident that you haven't run into Jill, Chris, Barry, or Rebecca since everything that happened down in the basement labs. This could work to his advantage. He was hoping to have you join him.

Sparing a glance at the absurd amount of red staining the front of his tactical vest, Albert tells you, "It's nothing serious."

You head closer and stare at him incredulously. It's a lot of blood. As in, more than should be outside of anyone's body if they're still alive. Maybe not all of is his? He isn't acting like he's injured.

"...Alright, if you say so," you reply, unable to shake your worry completely.

"Come with me. We're leaving." Without waiting for another second, Albert starts heading down the stairs.

"But what about the others?"

"There's no point in going after them now,'" he answers vaguely. "I'll explain everything once we get outside."

You hesitate for a moment before beginning to follow him...

...Only to be stopped moments later by an awful, raspy moan and a hunched figure hobbling into the entrance hall with surprising speed.

'What is that?!'

It's clad in a raggedy blue medical gown, wearing a mask that appears to be made of stitched-together human faces, and making a beeline for Albert.

He moves to pull out the gun he just reholstered.

The monster hunches further. A load of worm-like tendrils shoot out of its back.

Everything seems to be happening in slow motion. Wordlessly, you throw yourself between the two of them in order to save your captain from further injury,

As though they were sharp knives, two of the tendrils pierce straight through you. One through your stomach, and another through your chest. You land in a limp pile on the marble floor, blood pouring from your wounds and past your lips.

...

No...

No, this won't do at all.

White-hot anger slowly begins to crawl through Albert's veins.

"You have no idea how grave of a mistake you've just made."

Yet again, he deals with her, this time ensuring that it will be the last time. You watch through half-lidded eyes, unable to truly process any of it. You're teetering dangerously on the edge of nothingness and it's far too late for you to be saved.

Albert just about unloads the rest of his ammunition into Lisa, saving his last bullet so that he can send the chandelier crashing upon her.

"Be a good girl and stay dead." He sneers, then turns to you.

You're already dead. He picks you up.

"Don't worry, my dear. I'll fix this. I will help you rise from the ashes as I did. I will make you something more."

[weebsinstash]

On the other hand, being someone who is chill with being average and a little weird is pretty comforting, albeit not as relatable or drama material. Like you have those insanely smart adopted family members, who are brooding, cool, fight crime, are insanely smart, privileged, rich and accomplished meanwhile Batsis is like,

"I watched some cool True Crime documentaries and helped Albert- Alfred with the laundry. Sorry about your shirt, Damien, added too much bleach. By the way, look at this drawing I made with a following a Bob Ross tutorial on YouTube! Looks kinda wonky but I made it myself, kinda proud of it. No mistakes, just happy accidents. Haha! :)"

By the very next morning Bruce has that shit framed on either on his desk or on the wall in his office and smiles every time he looks at it. Damian is examining the painting, "ah I see--" and waxing poetic about the different little experiential painting techniques you used on the canvas, Dick and Jason and the rest tease you about getting an exhibit at the Gotham art gallery

Like don't get me wrong I tend to write Reader inserts who are typically average (although I'd like to write a few more power fantasies lol) but I just. I feel like any feelings of inadequacy would be amplified by living with this family. For example, I get anxiety and guilt sometimes just knowing if a large or expensive gift has been gotten for me, feeling guilt about it. Just your every day to day life in the Wayne manor would occasionally be filled with all kinds of large and small splendors. A small walk through the house, passing under the crystal chandelier in the grand lobby. A weekly family dinner with actual silverware handed down for generations. Just the ever looming watchful eye of a literal actual butler, a trained professional butler who's been in service for this family almost his entire life

If anything else, I feel like you'd want to contribute in some way. Help around the house, help as a vigilante, do SOMETHING to "pay them back" which Bruce doesn't want to hear any of and also like. Realistically, if we're saying he's full yandere and you're either his adopted kid or a platonic family member or like even a romantic partner, and he's getting you gifts and taking you on trips and stuff, like. The amount of money being spent on you is a figure you will never in your life be reasonably able to pay back and it would STILL be pocketchange to him

You're just like have PANIC ATTACKS out of guilt and shame and you mention the money to Bruce and he's like "oh that? Psssh" like it's. It's nothing to him. It's more money you could make in your entire lifetime and it's nothing to him

Hey, here's a somewhat related and juicy idea. Recently I was thinking of a concept where Reader is a Gotham vigilante, educated and maybe from a well-off family but like, middle class suburbia kind of wealth, not billionaire Bruce Wayne rich. You eventually find yourself catching the eye of both him AND Catwoman and, kind of actually start having a rapport with both of them. You bump into each other on a mission, help each other out, are impressed with each other's work, and suddenly you're bumping into them out on patrol a lot more. Catwoman starts being openly flirtatious with you while Bat simply just, his shift in demeanor is more subtle for people who aren't familiar with him but. Essentially he actually talks to you now, he won't just be silent and mechanical, he'll communicate and banter and make small talk rather than just ordering you around and speaking solely about the current task at hand or future missions.

I picture everyone on a rooftop in the middle of a stakeout and it eventually becomes small talk to pass the time as you almost do a double take when THE Batman starts making idle chit chat with you (really more of you AND Cat, but you being included at all is kind of an honor, really). He's just looking through his binoculars and without moving "any plans for the rest of the evening" and Catwoman looks at her nails and he sees her throw a very obvious Look over to you "well there's a stray little kitty in my neighborhood I've been meaning to scoop up" and she's been calling you Kitty/Kitten so this whole convo has a double meaning for fucking you OR kidnapping you at this point, and you're just like, in full professional mode replying without any hint of sarcasm "that's good, a lot of people don't recognize the dangers of outdoor cats and the significant ecological impacts they can have on their local environments" and Batman is repressing a smirk as Cat is huffing because oh my god now she has TWO dense cuties to look after 😩 (bonus scene where Bruce catches you smirking and realizes you were politely putting her off or at the very least trying to make her focus on the mission and he smiles to himself about what a clever little jokester you are)

Basically the two of them start deciding they want you to be the filling in that BatCat sandwich and just. Imagine they're trying to seduce you and taking their clothes off and Bruce takes off his mask and you're just like "Whoa whoa whoa hold up, BRUCE WAYNE?" And like. YOU INSTANTLY HATE HIM, the switch FLIPS. You either have extremely personal beef with him like his company laid off a parent of yours and sent your family into poverty, or you just like, legitimately ethically hate him as a person, as this billionaire playboy. Like imagine the disgust if he kisses you as Batman and you think it's so hot and romantic and later on its revealed he's Bruce Wayne, who is notoriously An Enormous Manwhore who has kissed like tons and tons of women and been in all these love scandals. I'd feel GROSS?

Like literally you'd go from "oh my god Batman 🥰 he's so cool and dark and mysterious, I have so much respect for him, he works so hard, he's so smart, not everyone can do what he does" to "of fucking course it would be someone like you. Billionaire running around with his custom-made toys. Of course it's you, who else could AFFORD all this shit? No wonder the police just let you do whatever, you could just pay them off anyways! You'd never be arrested and go to jail and be punished like the rest of us, for anything! Of course you're running around in a suit beating people up, men like you always think they can just do whatever they want!!"

Like imagine you were literally about to fuck both of them and you take one look at their faces, "you're a billionaire and you're a millionaire" and just. Leave. Like they're both shocked and appalled because you just DROP THEM for stuff they kinda basically can't control (although a lot of it is like ethics of what they do and have they gain their wealth) and suddenly they're, showing up at your place of employment for lunch or a day-trip, you're trying to do hero patrols alone and one or both of them pops up to try and invite themselves along to qhayever you're doing (which would especially suck because like, Batman specifically could probably do everything you're doing and better so I imagine working in front of him would be extremely nerve-racking. You're just like trying to rewire a circuit board to hack a door and he just points over your shoulder "actually it's that wire" kind of shit and you have to either let him follow you or look like a massive asshole as you tell him to fuck off, which he might even refuse to do, stating that if this is to save lives or whatever then you need his help

Like legit, Vigilante Reader feels like these two rich freaks have basically been toying with you like some kind of pet and in an attempt to cut them out of your life you drive them to actually dig their claws deeper. Bruce meets Selina for coffee to decompress and he's all "so what have you been up to" since she's got this odd little smirk, "oh ive been feeling just awful lately about this little kitty running around all lonely in my nsighborhood so i just HAD to adopt them" and she just hands him her phone with a picture on it and it's. You with a little diamond studded collar that says something dehumanizing like Kitty or Kitten or Baby on it while you've clearly been crying and are maybe even visibly restrained and Bruce is just like "🙄 Selinaaaaa.... can I come visit to 😳 see this cat tho"

[forthevillains]

Devil’s advocate

Murderer Albert Wesker X lawyer fem!reader

If you could go back to when you took the case - you would. You’ve barely gotten the degree to be a lawyer and your time was already about to be filled with work. You were great, you excelled in law, but after a few internship experiences you didn’t expect to be assigned your next client so quickly. It was unusual for someone so young be asked for something like that, not even talking about the amount of money your future client was about to pay.

You took the job almost immediately, glad you’ve caught someone’s eye, but only when you got to know what the case was, you realized how terrible your mistake was. You were to defend a man accused of a murder. Not only that, they also forgot to mention that all the lawyers he’s hired so far have given up. That’s probably why you were asked to do it and why they didn’t provide you with much information at first - so that you didn’t have a choice anymore.

No matter how much you tried to calm yourself down, the fact that you were to meet potential murderer almost gave you a heart attack. You were only an advocate to husbands and wives who either wanted a divorce or stood against it. Once there was a case where it was a thief you were to defend, but nothing as serious as this.

You walked your way through the hallway of the prison, ready to meet with your client for the very first time. Your hands were shaky, legs barely listening to you as you wanted nothing more than to run away, but you couldn’t. You were already here, you agreed to the job. You had to do this. What’s the worst scenario? You lose the case and he goes to jail, which would be well deserved if he was the murderer after all, right?

You were led all the way to the back by the guards where a chair has been waiting for you, only glass separating you from the man and you held your breath for a moment not to let out a gasp as you lay your eyes on him. He was nothing like you expected him to be. Your eyes were locked on his blue ones for a moment before they began scanning his face, his beautiful face. He couldn’t be older than 50, though it was obvious he wasn’t the youngest either. His blonde hair was slicked back, or at least attempted to as a few strands fell in his face. He had sharp features and his look gave away no emotion, absolutely none. He just stared at you, analyzing you.

"There you have him. Albert Wesker, what a son of a bitch.” As the guard spoke, you raised an eyebrow. It sounded as if he mocked you for even being there. "You’re free to ask him questions that you need, but I doubt he’ll cooperate.” And with that, both of the guards left you there with Wesker. With the mysterious man who looked as if no scientist in the world could study enough. He felt like someone unreal to you, too beautiful to even commit a crime as such he was accused of.

As you sat down you could still feel his eyes lingering on you, making you feel cornered even though you were the one that could always flee, unlike him.

"So, mr. Wesker, I am Y/N,” you introduced yourself and gave him a smile to ease up the tension. "I know probably everyone has said this to you, but trust me - I’m here to actually help you as much as I can. And I’ll do everything in my power to do so.” No, not everyone has said this to him. In fact, you were the first one and he took a mental note of that, yet remained silent. No matter how much he wanted to respond to you, he fought that urge.

You waited a second to see if he had anything to say, but as he just continues to burn you with his gaze, you gave up and continued. "So uhm.” You grew nervous. "I’ve been informed that the murder has supposedly happened at the victim’s household where your knife has been found right next to the body. Can you tell me more to that?”

Wesker’s eyes lit up at your question, but still - he refused to talk. It’s not like he was scared to do so, or that he wasn’t in the mood to talk, no. He liked to mess with people who came there. It was much more enjoyable to watch them struggle with silence rather than the truth or his believable lies. And seeing such a pretty little lamb like you be caught in his trap - he couldn’t let such an opportunity go to waste.

You waited again, expecting at least the slightest of answers, even if just a single word, but nothing came. Your frustration grew and the pen you’ve been holding in your hand to write down important notes seemed like your best friend in the world as you kept rolling it between your fingers to ease up the tension you felt. And he was watching that. Wesker watched every single movement you made as if he was watching his prey.

"Okay fine,” you said after a while of silence and that made him shot up his eyes back to yours. It felt as if he was piercing right through you again. You knew you’d be seeing his eyes in your dreams, or rather nightmares tonight if he didn’t stop doing it. "That was probably too much for a start,” you sighed. "We should probably get to know each other a bit more so that you could trust me at least enough to talk.” He didn’t need to trust you to speak up, but he enjoyed watching your cheeks flushed in embarrassment as you attempted to make him talk. He found it quite adorable.

"If you don’t want to say anything about yourself in return - it’s alright. But well… If you don’t like lawyers, it’ll perhaps calm you down a bit that I’m technically not the stereotype yet, because I’ve not acquired the ability to be that good of a liar for now, nor do I care about the paycheck more than my client’s comfort,” you chuckled at your own joke and even though you didn’t notice, the edges of his lips twitched upwards at that moment. You couldn’t even notice because he immediately went back to acting emotionless. But you were right - he hated lawyers. "Just two years ago I was still just a student and now I’m trying luck with what I’ve been told I’m good at. I live uhm… alone, with just a cat and a dog that are the closest to family I have. I also love to read, all sorts of books, actually, I might even bring you some if you’re a reader as well. Oh and my favorite color’s red." As you spoke, he watched you with admiration. Wesker was too surprised as who the hell sent him such an angel. You were by far the weirdest and sweetest lawyer that he’s ever met. Offering him your stuff only so that he wouldn’t die of boredom?

When you looked at him again, you expected at least a response to that, even if just a nod of his head. But as much as you got your hopes high, nothing happened once again. "Right… It’s okay, it’s okay.” You muttered, rather to yourself than him as you weren’t sure if he was listening at all. Though he was. He heard you loud and clear, his interest in you growing each second. "Now, can you at least tell me an alibi as to why you weren’t in the house of the victim? It would really help me, having something to work with.” It was clear the hope was slowly becoming nothing but a mist that’d soon turn into nothing.

Again. It was no use. Again and again, as you asked, he kept quiet. And you grew so impatient that you just got up and threw your notebook at the chair behind you with a loud smack. "Alright, I tried in here and obviously, you do not care, so I hope you have a good time in jail because I have nothing to defend you with.” You said, trying to sound rude, yet even then you couldn’t leave out wishing him good stay, not a bit of irony in your voice. You truly meant it. But as you were to leave - you finally heard his voice. And it felt so unreal you thought you were dreaming.

"I’m looking forward to it, dearheart.”

It sounded so good to you and you hated it. "Oh so now you talk?” You turned back to him and got close to the glass, placing your hands upon the desk before you so that you could lean even closer towards it. "Are you doing this for sport or what?”

Wesker only smiled, his eyes sliding lower, to your cleavage area before looking back up into your eyes. You gave him the perfect view as he was sitting before you and you were leaning forward. "Though I gotta admit you’d really look good in red.” Now you were done with him. That was the last straw. You shook your head, you couldn’t believe it. You got your things and left immediately. Little did you know that it was indeed just a sport to him. He was rich enough for the government to overlook his crimes, he was powerful enough to protect himself, he was smart enough to cover up any murder he’d commit. He didn’t need you, but the way he lived was quite tiring so he’s decided to have a little fun for once.

Something similar happened the second time you came to visit him, to gather more information to work with. It was useless, this man was inscrutable. Not only was he paying for your services more than he should, but he also made you feel desperate at how hard he was making it for you. He spoke a little more this time, but it was nothing even slightly connected to the case. What an asshole… All his questions considered only you, he did not let you know a thing about himself. You wanted to quit so badly. Only being in Wesker’s presence was unbearable as he kept giving you looks, basically stripping you off everything you had, including your sanity.

And even as your worries grew, the day of the trial has come. It had to one day, but you felt as if it wasn’t enough time for you. You had no idea what to do at all, sure you’ve read all the files containing as much information as other people gathered, but you still wanted to hear your client’s opinion, you wanted his voice included in yours as you spoke, you wanted to do him justice - whether that be losing or winning the case.

When you found your seat next to your terribly annoying client, you couldn’t help but look away dramatically. That made him chuckle.

"Nervous, dearheart?” Oh how you just wanted to slap him, no matter the tingles that spread in your stomach every time he spoke. His voice was deep, raspy, basically being the only indication of his age. But did you love hearing it. If only the words that kept coming out of his mouth were different…

"Not that I’m the one who should be,” you snapped at him. But deep down you knew he was getting to you. His words were like stabs to your back and you knew they’d lead to your failure.

Still. You tried your best during the trial. Though, it was difficult, having that man seated right behind you as you stood in front of the judge, feeling his piercing gaze on you even with your back turned to him. Wesker couldn’t have been more entertained. Whenever you turned to him to see his reaction to your words, it was all the same. The cold look of his eyes, corners of his lips twitching upwards with each word that left your mouth, knowing full well he’s guilty, knowing that you’re doing your best to cover up what he’s done. It was a funny game to him. Nothing but a game where he couldn’t lose whether you succeeded or not.

Halfway through, you seemed to have lost it all. You ran out of information, unable to argue, yet you still tried. Until finally, you were interrupted by the judge himself and you had to stop. The verdict was obvious. Albert Wesker wouldn’t be going home today.

And even though you should’ve enjoyed the bastard’s imprisonment, you felt bad about yourself. It was selfish, yes, but the loss meant no good for your career.

Your fists clenched at each side as you were sitting beside your beyond irresistible client.

"You did a good job considering you’re inexperienced,” he whispered towards you.

"Enjoy your jail time,” you proceeded to say through gritted teeth which only earned you a satisfied chuckle from him.

"Don’t worry about me, dearheart. We will meet again soon enough and maybe then you’ll reconsider your attitude.” The way he said those words so calmly made you shiver with unease. You had no idea that it was no threat, he just had informed you of his plans. A little sneak peak of what’s in store for you and you have no other way than to buy it.

The murderer truly came for you, just a few days later he stood outside your apartment, freed of all the restraints, waiting to finally get to know you on a deeper level and make you enjoy every single bit of his company that you’d be granted. You couldn’t say no, he’d make sure of it….

[fancyfeathers]

Idk where the fuck this came from but…

Stuff the darlings do in my The Games We Play of Dust and Ash (Yandere Moriarty the Patriot) series

James’, Moran’s, Herder’s, and Louis’ darlings have all gotten high before in the basement when James and Herder were gone, Moran was not gone and he laughed his ass off when he found out and Louis was the one who caught them. No one knows where they got the stuff.

Louis’ darling will read spicy books that are written in French and Louis doesn’t know what they are about so he asks William. She does this for this purpose as to make William’s life a living hell.

William’s darling will get burn out when she is stretching for ballet, so many times William has found her in various poses that she stopped in mid stretch and find out she has been like that for hours and she can’t feel her feet anymore, when she says this it always gives him mini heart attacks.

Sherlock’s darling writes letters to William’s darling and pays kids in her neighborhood to go out in the middle of the night and slip them into her bedroom window, since William’s sleep schedule is all messed up he never notices and William’s darling hides them underneath the carpet in their bedroom. A lot of the time these are two letters, one to William’s darling from Sherlock’s darling and the other one to Albert’s darling from Mycroft’s darling, her sister.

The darlings of the three Moriarty brothers always insist on getting their own compartment on the train ride to and from Durham because one compartment for all six of them would be much to crowded for eight hours, and also so they can close the curtains, lay out the pillows and blankets they brought all over the compartment and play games for the train ride and or gossip of talk about things the brothers would not approve of. Most of the time by the end of the trip is they find the three of them asleep and brothers have to clean up their darlings’ mess before the train stops.

Mycroft’s darling sneaks out of her house to go visit Sherlock’s darling at her apartment across town. Normally she will be gone for days and by the time her caretaker, who she is staying with until she is married, tells Mycroft that she is gone, she is back in her room at the estate by the time he gets there like nothing ever happened. On one of these outings, Sherlock’s darling took her to a cabaret where she met Moran’s darling and the three of them got drunk back at the apartment and this was Mycroft’s darling’s first time getting intoxicated.

Sherlock’s darling has spiked Sherlock’s tea before to see if he would notice, to see how sharp he was, he did notice, so while she wasn’t looking he swapped their cups but before she could drink it he slapped it out of her hand and it broke on the floor. Miss Hudson was pissed.

Milverton’s darling and Sherlock’s darling are sisters and Sherlock’s darling has offered to try and frame him for a crime and her sister tells her not to because Sherlock’s darling is employed at one of his newspapers and could make her life a living hell. Also no one knows Sherlock’s darling has a sister, not even Sherlock, well Mycroft’s darling knows but has no clue who she is.

James’ and William’s darling have talked shit about people they worked with at the opera together, but they both agree that the orchestra conductor was hot. They have said this in front of James and William

Moran’s and Albert’s have gotten drunk together before, but no one knows about it since it was in Moran’s and his darling’s room and many people in the house were gone besides Louis. Though Albert did notice a bottle of wine missing from the cellar.

Louis’ darling had accidentally almost burn down the kitchen. She was making tea for herself and reading too close to the stove and lit her book on fire. When Louis rushed in and out out the fire and asked if she was okay she just cried about her book. The next morning she woke up to see a new copy of it on her nightstand.

William’s darling, the shyest little thing, she has the mouth of a sailor, but only in French because the stage hands and the ballet mistress at the opera swore so much in French that she picked it up. At first she thought no one could understand her but then she learned that Albert’s and Louis’ darlings also spoke it but she didn’t care what they heard, then she found out William spoke it…

[ananiel]

Hello hello

I have decided that instead of an entity reader, i shall change it to a witch reader!

I won't lie, it took a while for me to picture this in a way that it would make sense, as even with witch reader, some things added up wouldn't make sense, and leave some holes that i dreaded to look at, or even to write while realising them.

This can be read individually or, for better understanding, You could click on the iguro obanai!reader Fics to understand them better!

Hope everyone Will enjoy!

Yan Louis x witch! Reader

Tw : yandere themes, obbsesion, abandonment isues, use of strong words of hate, read at your own risk

Thank You @kanroji-san for giving me this idea of an au!

---------------------------------------------------

"Louis... Louis stay with the children... Stay with Louie and Hugo... Care for them, care for them please... I Will return with their mother"

Louis still remembers the Words of his brother before he left with sherlock ți go search for their missing lover.

He heard the Words ringing into his ears almost everyday, almost everytime he looks at the children.

He felt hopeless, he felt like... The children needed a father, that the children needed a mother... And he wasn't that... He wasn't either one of them.

He was afraid to be, afraid that his brother's children would forget about him, and he couldn't have that, he couldn't do this to William. Maybe to sherlock, but not to William.

Louis took over everything, he took over the lord of crime, as Albert wasn't really paying attention to what was happening inside the manor, instead opting to help his brother on the wild goose chase that they seemingly were trying to do after the lost darling.

Managing kids, Managing adults as if they were children, he was overwhelmed, even if he didn't want to say it, even if he tried to act like that wasn't the case... He was just... Getting tired. William was... He doesn't know where, he couldn't send letters...

He was so alone... Alone... Like he Will be... If William's plans succed and be ends himself... He might get used to this torture, maybe so it wouldn't be that hard for him.

Rearanging the papers around William's study, he stumbled upon difrent flying books, spell vials and an adress... That he never heard of...

Weird... That place is not from London, but from deep, deep far away, in a forest...

IT would take a while to get there... He couldn't leave the kids and the lord of crime operation on hold... But the curiosity...

He could leave the missions... Not the kids...

No... Not the kids... But to travel that far with two infants for something like a mysrhical place?

Was he that desperate to understand his brother?

.

.

.

Louis embarked on the train with the two babies in one of his hands while the other was carrying a laguage with their esentials.

Many stared at him, some women dotting and describing him as a very good father, carrying for his children.

Louis only turned his back at them, pulling the small paper with the adress written on it.

Louie was more loud than Hugo, Louis noted, but to his surprise, the closer they got to the adress, they both started to fuss, as if remebering the place, as if feeling the presence of someone important.

The more he got closer. The more distinguish did the hut in front of him look. It looked like out of a fairytail... A witches' shop... How interesting

Louis entered and he could sare he saw two colored eyes staring at him for a second, which made the babies jump, only that before he could take a second look, another woman flew in his view... One with a witch attire... Black cap, a plain dress and a hat. She touched her wand, looking at him, but then, let it go, as she looked closer at him...

Louis was distracted, but the children were not which made you rapidly take them from Louis' hands and into her own

"Heavens...I thought you were someone else... How can i help You?"

"Louie, Hugo! It's a pleasure to finally see You! Ah, it's better when there's no tummy keeping us apart! "

That surprised Louis, especially as the children seemed to calm down. Looking at you, he could see a rather unease when You told him to take a seat at a slightly floating table, You fluttered your wand. Closing and locking a back door... But he wasn't paying that much attention anymore, that unease slowly fafing away.. As what caught his gaze was you... You, such a sweet thing... You took the children from him with such ease... As if You knew they were making him hard days.

You were a natural... Like the missing mother of this father role that he refused to accept out of fear of demaging the relathionship William has with them.

"so... May i ask what relathionship You have with my brother?" he hated saying that, for some reason, it hurt to say that.

She looked surprised, unsure of what to say for a little while before replying

"oh Yes, Yes. Your brother... Well um, i help him with my magic?"

"You do?"

"Yes"

"nothing else other than that?"

"no?"

He somehow found relief in that, You only felt more preasured, thinking he caught your lie of you not working with William, but rather, William discovering You because of something that You took part in... The escape that made him leave his home with everyone behind.

"Why don't You come to the manor... I've taken his place for now... And... We could still work togheter"

You took a big gulo but then nodded, looking at the back

"sure, sure, let me get my... My stuff"

As You got up, Louis tried to follow, making You flich and put a hand on your wand

"want me to help?" he asked, as he felt that You leaving him would hurt. Even if it was for a few seconds.

You reasured him that it was ok and left, coming back the moment he wanted to come after You... And that's how You left

Left to the place You helped your friend escape from... Her prison soon going to be yours... But... For The kids and her... You could do it.

On the way back. It so happened that most of the people that saw Louis with the two babies, now see You and him togheter, each one of you holding a child...

That was good, Louis though, no one would bother either one of you.

.

.

.

Days passed since You entered the manor...days that counted to weeks... Weeks that counted to months...

You accepted the kids with open arms, as they were part of your dear friend... And got to make a good team with Louis...

... Dare i say, You were co parents at this Point... Usually Hugo and Louie would sleep to Your side as You and Louis cuddled on the other side...

You started to trust him ... Your friend never told You what exactly happend, why she ran away but didn't take the kids, why she ran from her lovers...you knew they were "like the demon snake" from her words... But she didn't go into details... Maybe if she did... You two could've been Free togheter... Maybe she knew that if there is an emtpy Cage, there needs to be someone traped there, someone else, because until the Cage isn't ocupied, there is still a chance of having your freedom stripped away.

He loved You... He was obssesed with You... This playing parent that he never wanted to happen niw is the best part of his day, of his life...

He thinks about you two togheter... The shoping became a list of ingredients combined for You two, the chores were done in two... Everything... Everything was perfect... A dream come true.

IT was so beautifull, so heartwarming... He started fantasizing, planing, planing if William comes to take his children, of starting your and his own family

If William doesn't... You'll raise the kids, maybe having more later... Yes... Yes... Now Louis understood everything, understood his brother... Understood the need of having little ones... He still remembers the talk he had to suffer then, in which William ragged about how cute a pregnant lover is, how stunning...

Yes... He thinks he gets it now... And he understood why William left... Because children Will be... There can be another child... But never, never another You... And he understands that now, as he watches You put the children to sleep in their cribs... And to return in his arms, in your bed, in your room, just like a family would.

[giggly-squiggily]

I don’t know if you’re up for this hc, so if not you can just ignore this! ^^

When the Moriarty bros get a rare day off from all the crime consulting they do. They just hangout with each other… and maybe indulge in some of the childish things they used to do as kids.

There aren’t that many folks who write for Moriarty the Patriot so I was quite happy when I saw it on your fandom list! ^^

(Headcanons to Dabbles: OFFICIALLY CLOSED)

AHH THIS IS PRECIOUS! I love the brothers so much! And aww! Thank you anon! I don't often get MTP prompts and requests, so this one was a pleasant surprise! I'm glad seeing them on my fandom page brought you some happiness! I hope you like it :D

It was such a rarity for the Moriarty household to take a day off. Even rarer for all three brothers to be home to enjoy it.

Albert looked up from the pages of his novel, watching the two blonde men before him chatter on about nothing. The conversations usually involved crimes and planning, but from what he gathered, it was reminiscent. Something about lilies and warm tea and Jack’s terrible attempts at making biscuits.

“You always hid them away in various plants, brother. He’d assume I was the one who did it more often than not.” Louis recalled, unable to fight off a small smile as Willaim laughed. “I could never tell which was worse- his wrath at us wasting food or choking them down at all.”

“He never did show mercy. Say-; there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while now, Louis.” The characters in Albert’s novel were slowly becoming less and less interesting the more he heard. He kept his eyes trained on the page but tuned in.

“What is it?” Louis asked, ever curious. There was a moment of silence. He dared to peek- only to find two sets of red eyes on him.

“Do you think our dear brother here is still ticklish?” William smirked, sending shivers down Albert’s back.

“I can’t recall. Perhaps we should find out?” Louis suggested, smile identical. He knew he should have just kept on reading.

“Maybe we shouldn’t. This story is getting good; I’d hate to lose my pa-Ahage!” The brunette tried to shift, but his brothers were far too quick for him. Soon he was giggling in his novel, hiding his face within the old parchment as they squeezed and pinched at his knees. “Aheahhaahha, coohohohme nohohohow gehehehntlemahahah, thihihis seems a bihihihiht muhuhuhuch!”

“Not at all. How is that book of yours Albert? You seem rather interested in that page- given I haven’t seen you take your eyes off of it for the past quarter hour.” William teased, one hand pinning his leg while the other continued to squeeze his knee.

“Do you find it boring? Or perhaps you were too busy listening in?” Louis added, forgoing pinning Albert’s legs as he gently prodded and pinched at his hip and waist. “You needn’t hide. We would have happily let you in on our conversation.”

“I wahhahahsn’t hihihihiding! Aheahhahahaa! I wahahhas juhuhuhust wahahahiting fhohohohor my mohohohoment!” He cried out, dropping his book in his lap. The words briefly confused the pair, and that was all the time Albert needed.

“Whoa- Albert!” William yelped as he was dragged over, Louis no different. Soon they were laughing just as much, their elder brother’s fingers dancing over ribs and flanks alike. “Oohoohohoh dehhehahahhhahr!”

“Aheahhahahha! Nohohoohoho, Ahahahahalbehhehert!” Louis cried out, kicking his feet and burying his face into his brother’s shoulder. “Mehehehehrcy!”

“Sorry, gents- I’m unfamiliar with the word.” Albert laughed gently, relishing in their giggle fits. “Besides, I recall all too well those dreaded scones- and how you two seemed to love hiding them away in my pockets when I wasn’t paying any mind. Let’s see how long it takes you two to remember that.”

[finchfvkingcortes]

my favourite moments from uksies (april 5th)

-race fiddling with the printing press and being told off by bill

-he then slinked over to spot like a kicked puppy and she patted him on the back

-hannah humming to herself as she walks to let jack into the office

-finch desperately trying to get davey to shake his (spit covered) hand and throwing up his hands in frustration when he won’t

-tommy boy offering finch his cross and finch kissing it

-crutchie muttering “for fuck sake” under his breath when les runs back to davey before their exit after the world will know after trying to get les to go with him

-katherine saying “the guy who paints places he’s never seen is calling us crazy” to davey instead of jack

-finch walking away with his papes balanced on his head during the finale

-finch holding onto crutchies hand for the longest time after he helps him up when morris pushes him

-on “you have laid claim to our world” roosevelt points at the newsies. henry points at himself, says “me?” and looks very pleased

-when jack introduces roosevelt mike quickly fixes his hair and turns to adjust jojos waistcoat

-jack tells davey “I told you” after shaking roosevelts hand (when he makes the carriage ride joke)

-the way romeo is enamoured with the bowery beauties

-at the end of king of new york when the lights are lowering finch is less then a foot from the ground and still spinning scarily fast

-he is the only one still going so fast which makes it hilarious to watch

-jack and davey leaning against pulizters desk and jack leaning his head against daveys on “no bodies like us”

-albert definitely doesn’t pay

-finch begging jack to not go for morris after he pushes Crutchie and getting v annoyed when he does

-the way finch is seconds away from a panic attack 90% of the time

-“🎶he 🎶 got 🎶 elected🎶”

-hannah telling bunsen to hurry up when they exit after pulizter asks to talk to jack alone

-matthew slipping as he comes off the ramp after letter from the refuge and you could hear him and whoever was helping him off (I think it was george) giggling

-romeo having to hold finch back from running to help crutchie when he calls to him for help

-albert holding up his hands like he’s been accused of a crime on “just give me a water”

-jack showing katherine his bag with “the world” printed on it on “I work for the world!”

-splasher lying stretched out on his stomach on the ramp and just generally being adorable

-crutchie blessing himself and praying under his breath during jacks speech to the scabs

-he then whispers thank you when the scabs join them

-jack not fighting when he’s led off by the delanceys

-mack having to hold spot back to stop her going at jack during the rally

-lindsay putting the olivier award on the stage after the bows instead of a pape

-the delanceys are so Sexy™️ I won’t apologise for it

-the way finch says “…gets me a little jittery”

-jack purposefully choosing to single finch out when the boys are hiding on “whose got brooklyn?” finch is not in his line of sight (he’s behind him) and he deliberately whirls around to ask him (rather then just happening to see him)

-buttons and mush putting their bags on their heads to hide on “whose for brooklyn”

-also them nodding very animatedly with the bags still on when finch is talking

-daveys “why don’t you come home with us- fordinnerImean” in one hurried breath

-watching jacks face when pulizter threatens crutchie, davey and les with the refuge is heartbreaking

-davey standing behind les with his arms around him and his chin on his head

-jack standing barely visible in the scaffolding reading the letter during letter from the refuge

-finch ruffling mikes hair after the world will know

-just albert and how unhinged™️ he is

[willshipanything-blog]

Breaking the Rules- Chapter 21

Penultimate chapter!! (Besides a couple little epilogue things I have planned). Al has just revealed his plan to confess his crimes- how will y/n ever stop this mad scheme?

Full tags, as well as the fic if you prefer, is on AO3 here. As usual, minors please DNI!

Full Tumblr chapter index can be found here.

Hope you enjoy lovelies! 💜✌️✨

Chapter 21- The Depths

“Take that mask off.” 

The fire in your voice was low and rumbling, a biting warning that you hardly thought yourself capable of. Your initial reaction at his affixing the mask had been terror, but a scorching fury had lit inside you at the audacity of Al to try this, after all this time. You’d had enough of this. 

Of Al attempting this confession, of him even thinking about throwing everything -throwing you- away after all this time. The warning had little effect and Al, wearing the familiar horns and expressionless face, came closer. 

“I’m serious, Al. Take. It. Off.” 

Another step towards you.

Al remained undeterred, his eerie silence reminiscent of nights spent watching silently as you cried yourself to sleep on the mattress. If he was trying to evoke those memories, it was working. Cruel bastard. You slammed your good hand on the table, but as you used the force as leverage to stand, an agony speared through your arm. Al had reached you, had gripped your hand before you could stand. The tight grip had provoked the still-tender muscles in your dislocated finger and you jolted, an electric current tearing through your bloodstream. A sibilant hiss escaped through your teeth at the pain, which had forced you back onto the chair.

“I’ve got to finish this, Y/N. To pay for my crimes.” 

“That wasn’t you. It was-”

“The Grabber?” he asked, a theatrical air of incredulity heavy in his voice. “Not Albert Shaw? They’re one and the same, sweet. You need to stop pretending those are two different people,” he leaned closer, “It’s all me.”

No. You’d seen the change, that almost physical manifestation of the otherness that enveloped Al like a black shroud of fog in the past. In the past, though. He might be using the same mannerisms and voice, but this was all an act. The mask wasn’t some summoning device; it didn’t automatically call on the Grabber to appear like an evocation of some paranormal being. 

“It’s NOT you, Al,” you hoped the repetition of his name might break the mad spell he was trying to hold himself in, the lie he was telling himself to make all of this seem justified. Did it make it easier to betray you like this if he played such a role? 

“Stop kidding yourself. Look who I am-” here, Al nudged open the wooden box with a knuckle, plucking out an item at random (the blue choker necklace) and shaking it wildly in front of you. “Look at what I’ve done! You want me to tell you how I killed each of them? Why not read that note again, huh? Or I could tell you all the details I didn’t put in that confession.”

You’d already looked away by this point, eyes scrunched closed and head shaking, trying to refute Al’s words by purposefully ignoring them. But you knew them to be at least somewhat true- your shameful averting gaze was in part because you had no retort, no justifiable defense for what he was saying. You felt the tears start at the outer corners of your eyes, tumbling down your cheeks before a much rougher sensation met your skin. 

“Look at me!” Al roared, gripping your face between his thumb and forefinger, the course fingertips digging into your cheeks as he forced you to face him. Your eyes stayed closed. His voice again, softer but infinitely more lethal, spoke:

“Look at me, little bird.”

You opened your lids slowly, discerning those still-blue eyes behind the mask. Heavenly, you might have thought that shade, had they not been sitting beneath literal devil horns. Deep blue, with no trace of that hunger or feral rage that signified the Grabber. Al was angry, perhaps at what he thought to be a hopeless situation, but those emotions were Al’s alone. Not the Grabber’s- no matter how much Al pretended to still house that monster within him. 

“Please take off the mask, Al.” It was more desperate and pleading now, spoken through hiccuped breaths, your tears still tracing downward paths down your face. You knew Al’s hardened resolve had already set like cement; unyielding. He didn’t answer you as he released your face from his grasp, finally letting go of your injured hand too. 

You shook the pain away from your hand, looking up at Al, who stood silently over you. He sighed heavily and rolled his shoulders, as if sloughing off the last remnants of himself. His eyes closed behind the mask, and as he opened them, he spoke. The voice was barely an imitation anymore, any attempts at theatricality and grandeur erased by the hoarseness, that clear distress of his words. 

“You gonna be my good girl one last time?”

You had no time to react before he pounced. 

Quick hands had grabbed and lifted you from your seat before implausibly strong arms wrapped around your body. You’d been so numbed, paralyzed by his cutting words about that fragile dichotomy between Al and the Grabber, that his sudden lunge towards you had blindsided you. 

“Let me GO!” You roared, your legs kicking wildly in front of you, your arms squashed too tightly under his grip to help you wriggle free.

“I- am letting- you go,” Al huffed from behind the mask, his winded breath the only sign of a struggle; his strength seemingly carrying you with ease across the kitchen, towards the wooden door waiting for you in the corner of the room. Once there, his arm had to reach out to twist the doorknob, yet with just one arm around your torso you were hopelessly outmatched. You pried an arm free, desperately clawing behind you, as if the possibility of ripping off that demonic mask might snap Al out of this madness. Your frantic mauling only served to bend your injured finger out of place once more, tearing a howl from you. With the wooden door open, Al’s free hand moved to muffle your groans. 

All too much. The pain shooting through your arm, the tight grip around your body, the suffocating hand stifling your shouts, the dizzying ordeal of being carried back towards that prison you’d spent too long in. And the worst part of all of it: that Al had planned this, wanted- thought he needed this to happen.

It wasn’t the sick perversion of actually wanting a victim in the basement, carrying down your unconscious body like he had done nearly a year ago. It wasn’t the heated passion like he’d shown just a couple of nights ago, where he’d nearly dragged you down those stairs in a sudden burst of fury. This was an entirely different purpose. A kindness, in Al’s eyes- to keep you there one last time, to present you as the Grabber’s unwilling cohabitant. A short stint in those depths, to save you from a lifetime of being with him. 

You felt your body still, felt the damp air, and realization hit. The realization that Al had already kicked open the metal door at the bottom of the stairwell. The realization that you were already in the basement. The physical pain of your injury, along with the growing hopelessness of the situation, meant that you’d not fought hard enough to stop this insanity. Another sickly sensation as you felt your body teetering, discerning that Al was leaning forward, dropping you to the floor, his weight on your back pinning you to the cold stone. Hands retracted, but the weight holding you to the floor only allowed a thin rasp of a breath to plead with Al. You’d always used your words before, unable to match the bestial strength on full display now, so you choked out your plea.

“Al, don’t. Please-”

“Enough.” 

The coldness of that voice from behind was a steel blade in your back. He wrestled your hands behind you, though the pain of your twisted finger paled in comparison to the agonizing realization of what was happening. With both your wrists clasped in one of Al’s, you heard a fumbling and then a staccato rip of duct tape. The noise was enough to spur your body into a fresh convulsion beneath Al. The sudden struggle seemed to catch him off-guard, and he had to pacify you with a forceful grip on the nape of your neck, pushing your cheek into the cold floor. Still reeling, your ragged breaths unable to scream but your last bit of strength still pushing against him, and Al loosened his grip on your neck, only to push down even harder a second later. Your head collided with the floor, a dull thunk followed by a high-pitched buzzing in your ears. It was just hard enough to daze you, and when the buzzsaw in your brain came to a halt, Al had already tied your hands behind your back. 

A more intimate sensation now, as Al held your bounds hands lightly. If it seemed a kind gesture, that fallacy was erased a moment later as he pulled at the ring on your finger. His ring, the gold band he’d given as a promise, was pried from you. Your finger felt suddenly cold, exposed. He’d gifted you the ring as a promise to keep you safe. But what good was that when Al saw himself as the danger? What good was any of it when you were drawn to that danger like a moth to a lethal flame? 

“No more of my broken promises.” In saying that, Al couldn’t see the cruel contradiction that leaving you would be the biggest betrayal of all. Still, if he cared about promises at all, didn’t that show that he was still Al beneath that mask? Maybe there was time to stop this ill-conceived scheme. 

Your body jolted again, this time with a pressure on your arms as Al grabbed them, heaving you across the room. Your bare legs scraped against the grimy floor as you were jostled before Al tossed you onto the mattress a few feet from the floor where he’d wrestled you. The familiar feeling of the damp, worn bed as Al threw you down was a sickening déjà vu. Instinct had you scrabbling back towards the wall, feet slipping on the dirty fabric until your head and hands hit stone behind you. A scene you’d seen dozens of times lay before you- Al standing there, fully masked, looking down at your weak, helpless body on the mattress. Somehow, knowing Al’s intention to give himself in, knowing you’d soon be without him, made this more terrifying than any of the earlier encounters. With the spool of tape still in one hand, Al retrieved something from his back pocket with his other, pulling out his small switchblade. Your pleas, desperate wriggling and heavy tears weren’t enough to stop his advance, and he strode over the mattress, dropping down with his knees astride your thighs, eye level with you. 

“He’s not there, Al. You’re just pretending. Don’t act like the monster we both know is dead.” you croaked.

Blue eyes in the mask’s shadow looked back at you silently. The slight tilt of Al’s head had you wondering whether Al was still embodying those impish mannerisms, or whether he was really considering your statement. 

“It’s who I need to be right now, dove.” His admittance that it was an act was little comfort when his refusal to give up that role was so evident, and you crumpled as he said those words. Perhaps he wanted to console you with a soft touch, but his resolve won out, and he got to work quickly as you cried to an unresponsive audience of one. 

Some of the work was already complete: your bruises from Naughty Girl, taken willingly, would tell a different tale than your twisted game. The handprints still red and visible on your buttocks would be unexplainable as anything other than abuse to those outside of this room. The dirt and grime from your writhing on the basement floor was an extra little touch, more evidence of mistreatment. But Al had other lies to tell, and worked quickly to write the false tale. Your shirt first, Al tearing it at the collar, creating rips with his small blade. When he was done, there was more skin exposed than covered by the remnants of the cotton material. Your underwear next, which he whipped down your legs, discarding to the side. That image would leave no doubt for whoever found you, deducing what vile acts the Grabber inflicted upon you in this room. Hell, you even had his seed inside you from this morning. Who would believe that such an act was consensual, given the state of you now? 

He seemed to think twice about his next move, before slow hands approached with the switchblade. You held your breath as Al drew near, the indecisive knife hovering over your neck, then chest, before Al chose the spots carefully. A couple of skillful nicks on your upper arms and thighs shocked more than hurt, the shallow cuts bursting with small patches of fresh red on your skin. A few fresher wounds that the Grabber had inflicted, giving more credulity to the fabrication that you were still a captive. The cuts barely even hurt. Not compared to everything else.

“Go deeper,” you sobbed as Al made a small incision above your knee, stopping when he heard your words. “If you’re really doing this, I’d rather be dead. Cut deeper.”

“No more killing,” Al said, folding down his knife and retreating it back to his pocket. “You’ll appreciate this one day, dove. You’ll see it was the one good thing I ever did to you.” 

No retort you might muster would be enough to sway him, your mind too jumbled and shocked to form any sort of coherent argument. Your stomach lurched at the inescapable truth; that Al’s confession was coming to fruition, that he was about to lock you down here, and end it all. 

“Shit-” Al had risen, looking towards the metal door before turning to you again. “Sorry dove- I broke the door lock. Can’t have you going anywhere until they find you.” In an instant he was on you, another stretch of duct tape unwinding with a cracking rip before he quickly wound a length of it tightly around your ankles. 

“Al!” you pleaded as he secured your legs, running out of energy, out of ideas. “I won’t be able to stand it, seeing you go to jail. Everything that will follow-”

“You might not see me do any of that,” he explained as you gave a pained, confused look, “If I put up enough of a fight, if I’m a big enough threat, they might just shoot on sight.”

That dizziness returned without a fresh bump to your head, the idea of not just being away from Al, but him not existing at all…. It felt like you had no more cards to play. What else was there to say to persuade him apart from your true feelings?

“Al, don’t do this. I love-” a swift shadow lunged at you. Al’s hands moved to silence the tail end of your admission, one over your mouth and the other cupping the back of your head. He knew the pain of those words, what pain it would cause for him to hear those three words on your lips one final time. 

“NO!” he cried, bringing the masked face close to your own. “You think you love me. After this, you’ll realize you hated me all this time. Then you’ll forget me, and that will be the happy ending you deserve. You don’t need me for your happy ending.” You stilled beneath him, even as the tears dripped over his fingers that covered your mouth. It really was over. 

Through your tear-soaked lashes, you looked up at Al and nodded, showing him you were pacified, and he moved his hand in understanding. 

“If you’re going to say goodbye, do it as Al. Don’t let my last memory of you be of this- this thing that I don’t see you as.”

Al tore the mask away from his face, obeying your final request. His eyes matched yours in their tearful state. 

“Thank you, dove. For not seeing me as the monster.” And then he rushed at you. His lips crashed against yours, harsh and desperate and so full of love and loss. You returned the kiss, straining against your bonds to try and hold him there forever if it meant never leaving. But after a moment, he tore himself away and you released a keening wail. A quick rip of tape and Al covered your mouth, muffling your cries beneath the gag.

He kissed your temple before rising, walking briskly towards the door as if scared he might change his mind about the whole confession. You moaned desperately through the tape as he retreated. One last, lingering look and a final goodbye. 

“I’m sorry, dove. I love you.” 

And with that, the metal door closed. 

If the closing of that metal door felt like a death sentence, it was the least he deserved, Al thought as it shut with a dull clang. But she deserved so much more, so much better. Even from behind the door, he heard the muffled screams of his love. It broke him to know how much she was suffering, even if she’d been through worse at his hands in the past. But the quicker he worked, the sooner she’d be free from her restraints and from the basement. From him, too. 

He strode briskly through the house to the bedroom first. The first scene to set up. From the bedside drawer, he pulled out the handcuffs he’d been chained in just yesterday. One bracelet he looped through a headboard slat, the other left open on the rumpled sheets. The very picture of an unwilling bed partner. From the box in the closet he pulled out a few more things he scattered on the bed; some lengths of rope and some toys they’d played with during the game. Along with some risque underwear he’d bought her as a suggestive gift (also thrown on the bed), it painted a sordid, disgusting picture of the things he’d subjected this innocent girl to over months and months of captivity. Al could already picture the scandalous headlines he’d probably never live to read. 

In the kitchen, Al placed the duct tape and knife from his pockets on the table with the mask he’d thrown on there minutes earlier. The confession, the wooden box and the alternate faces of the mask still sat, waiting to become evidence once Al finally did what was needed. He removed the pink-jeweled ring from his pinky finger- her ring, which he’d taken early in her captivity. First, as a cruel taunt that no one was coming to save her. Then later, as a promise that he’d be the savior she needed. What a hollow promise that turned out to be. Al put the pink morganite ring in the box with the other trophies, the silver band hitting the base of the box with a sad clatter. He put his own gold band inside too, not wanting to mar the ring his little bird had worn for so many months. That ring was an empty promise too, a past relic now. Al didn’t deserve to wear such a thing. It joined the other ring before Al closed the box. 

He collected the photographs of him and his dove from the kitchen fridge and the frames in the living room- a few snapshots that he’d need to dispose of. Over the sink, he held a match to the small polaroid of her and him in an intimate, comfortable lover’s embrace, watching the edges blacken and disintegrate. Wisps of the photo fell into the sink, followed by tears as he watched it burn slowly. 

As the orange flame began to eat away at his image on the polaroid film, Al thought about what was coming, and how he deserved every punishment. But to have gotten her so deep in this web, to give her hope of a future after he took her old life away, only to throw her back into the unknown, was just as callous an act as kidnapping her the first day he set eyes on her. Still, he hoped that one day, she would move on. She might mourn him a little, but in the end they’d be wasted tears. 

The fire had all but erased Al in the image, moving to devour his dove next. It was his greatest magic trick he’d ever performed, Al thought. Though truly, more hypnosis than real magic. What was more incredible- that she’d fallen for him in the first place, or that he was pathetic enough to believe it could last?

The last scraps had burned out, and he scrubbed the sink of any sooty remains to finish his task. Al went to the white phone in the living room, picking it up and carrying it with him to his armchair, the corded wire taut, but just long enough for him to use the phone from his chair. One hand lifted the receiver to his ear, whilst the other hand reached towards the rotary dial.

[seeingteacupsindragons]

Perhaps some of you remember that time I wrote up an entire essay for the TVTropes forums to get William cemented as a Magnificent Bastard because you literally have to get fictional characters vetted by people who care an absurd amount about this to add them to the trope page.

I am now back on my bullshit, and just got Albert confirmed (Louis is in the works, but the voting looks good for him so far). I did his write up today and it should be up later this week? I enjoy the short version as well.

And now:

The Work

Moriarty the Patriot is a (very loose) retelling of the Sherlock Holmes stories combined with James Bond set in the late 1800s, focused on Professor James Moriarty and exploring his motivations.

The Character

This post is to open a discussion specifically on Albert James Moriarty, older brother of Professor Moriarty (who we already confirmed) and one the Professor's Co-Dragons. Albert is the original "Moriarty" family member biologically who took the other two in as children, and is the leader of MI6 for most of the series.

Why Is He a Bastard

I mean, he kills his own younger biological brother and his mother by hand and then arranged for the entire rest of his family and servants to die in their sleep in a fire. So like. Is that enough?

He also took two orphan kids in, then basically said, "Hey, in exchange for getting your little brother heart surgery he needed to live, help me murder like so many people. Kthx."

He tends to come off colder than either of his brothers, which is sort of impressive since they're all murderers.

I like Albert, but he's certainly a bastard.

But Not That Bad?

Much like his brothers, Albert is trying in a very fucked up way to improve society by murdering people he thinks are making society worse. He is...trying to help in a Pay Evil unto Evil sort of way.

Honestly, Albert is the Moriarty brother who gets the least amount of sympathy from fans, although this shifted a fair amount after it was revealed he has severely untreated OCD, which is a massive contributing factor to his need to eliminate the hypocrisies of all these abusive nobles who keep going to Christian churches. But it's not like most people with OCD are murderers, so there's a limit to how far this Freudian Excuse is going to take him.

Is He Charming/Magnificent

Albert is, according to an official Japanese fan poll, the second most popular character in the series (second to the protagonist of the series, who won by a landslide). This seems to track from the interactions I've had with people. So people are charmed by him.

Albert is also in the series pretty much assigned to "socialization" on behalf of everyone else. He doesn't seem to really like it very much, but he gets along with people rather well. According to his official character profile, he's still getting asked out and courted even after losing his title and going to prison for the murders, so apparently people are really into him.

He also has a similar flair for the dramatic to his younger brother. This is absolutely a man who is going to revel in elaborate schemes and acting a part. While he often asks his brother to arrange details and plans, he always shows up to convince people that he's just so worried about his kidnapped brother, please help him, and oh, gasp, people have died, how tragic.

But Is He Brilliant?

This, I think, is a key factor in Albert's case here: Most of William's subordinates are very subordinate to him. It's made clear that William expects all of his crew to be able to think and plan for themselves and make their own decisions, but the series doesn't always take time to show that off for everyone. Albert does get that time.

Albert often sees opportunities before he engages William for a plan to make it work. Manipulating Mycroft Holmes into getting MI6 created so he could lead it was Albert's idea, and he executed the plan (and he leads MI6 when it's not doing Lord of Crime business), even if William came up with many of the details to help him out. Albert is the one who sees the potential in Adam Whitley and brings the topic up to William.

Also, Albert was the first person to bring William's dreams of killing nobles and creating a brighter world into fruition and set it into a tangible, real path. He and William are frequently tagged as the only two who originated the entire plan.

Albert is a brilliant opportunist and an excellent man to have making sure everything goes off without a hitch, even if the details of getting things done aren't really his forte.

He's brilliant.

What About His Competition?

Most of the nemeses in the series are focused on William, and Albert is his subordinate. Basically none of Sherlock or Milverton's attention ever splashes Albert's way. The person he really engages with in a competitive dance with is...Mycroft Holmes. And while Albert doesn't exactly win, neither does he lose to Mycroft. They come to a couple of agreements and passes to work together and watch to make sure the other isn't getting in their way.

Verdict:

Yes.

[dekheinjee]

I rarely see anyone talk about chapters 62-64 so I'm going to do it myself. Be prepared for a VERY long post (and possibly full of grammar mistakes). These chapters are severely slept on which I don't understand because it shows us a different side to Albert's character and how special his relationship with Liam is.

We all know that Albert has always hated how this world worked. He hated how there was no equality anywhere, especially as he saw firsthand how much his family cared about status, how they tortured their servants, and then he found out a close friend of his was only friends with him because Albert came from a family of high status. At first he tried to bring change in the society he lived in by forgiving a thief and paying for all his previous crimes. Then he covered for that thief from a nun when he was trying to commit a crime again. But then that man goes and kills someone so Albert starts second guessing if he really could bring any good change in this world. He then concluded that this world truly was as rotten as his father and brother claimed. And this thought depressed Albert so much to the point that he was ready to end his life because he felt he was too useless. But at the end he couldn't gather up the courage to do it and this made him feel worthless too.

But after that, he met William and Louis. And he saw something in Liam that made him think he wasn't alone. He felt like he had finally met someone who shared the same thoughts he did.

They start to get talking and discover they have the same motives. The only difference is is that Albert had given up hope on changing how the world works but William hasn't. In fact, he had actually made progress by winning that trial in court. Besides this, Albert also saw how William was always solving everyone's problems and making their lives slightly better and easier. That's what attracted Albert towards William.

This is why I think their relationship is so pure. William gave Albert the courage and energy to take action on what he's always wanted to do. That's why Albert made his family adopt Liam and Louis.

A year after, Albert grew more and more tired and frustrated with his family. The way they cared so much about wealth and status and how they couldn't bring it in themselves to have even a little bit of sympathy for the poor.

But he found himself unable to take the first step he needed to get rid of his family. And that's where Liam came in.

Liam gave courage to Albert to finally get rid of the people who have been frustrating him, the people who are responsible for allowing this system of injustice and inequality to keep on going.

But as we all know, when he's all grown up, Liam starts to feel all the burden of what he's doing. This is what I love about his character by the way. It's how Liam (and Albert) knows what he's doing is a sin, he knows this is not the honourable way to achieve his goals, but he's aware this is the only way to do it. Albert tried it another way when he was younger, by forgiving that thief, but it didn't work out. So Liam knows this is the only way to do it, and he's ready to be the bad guy and take all the blame after all this is done.

After he made society better, full of kind hearted people and unity, he started to feel the burden of his sins. Even though he's aware he did a good thing, he knows it is still a sin. That's why he tries to end his own life (but then Sherlock saved him and made him see things in a different light but that's a different topic).

And after all this, while Albert is in prison, he starts to wonder if he's responsible for Liam taking his own life (because at this point he, or anyone else, isn't aware that Liam survived and is living in New York with Sherlock). He starts to feel guilt too, and starts feeling worthless again. He blames himself as he wasn't ready to take the steps needed to make his goals a reality, he need Liam to lend him courage.

So Albert starts to blame himself for what happened to Liam. He feels guilty for making his hands dirty, as Liam is the one who executed almost every single plan even though him, Albert, and Louis all were lords of crime.

This panel is just so beautifully sad. Liam tried to solve everyone's problems, he tried to make everyone's lives better. But Albert feels like he only became the lord of crime because of him, and that's what made him so depressed and suicidal.

As he's thinking all this, the door to his prison room opens and William makes an (dramatic lol) entrance. And he convinces Albert that he's not responsible for what happened. William was going to execute his plan of making the world a better place one way or another.

Liam expresses after this how grateful he is to have someone like Albert, how grateful he is that he found someone who could carry the burden of this sin together, and claims he himself is the weak one rather than Albert.

He also claimed he's selfish. He and his brothers were all lords of crime, they all shared the same responsibility of this sin, but Liam wanted to escape this burden and that's why he decided to kill himself. It was done because of his ego.

But he's realised that this was no way to atone for his sins. The only way to do it is to actually live, not just kill themselves to escape it. Albert agrees with this and that's why both him and Liam agree to live and atone, even though they're both aware that the shackles of this burden will never leave them.

All of this makes their relationship so deep and meaningful. The way both of them regretted the way the acted with each other and both of them convincing the other that they weren't in the wrong. And both of their sides are understandable. I think it's beautifully written. This is why their relationship makes me so soft (and why I prefer them over William and Louis even though the latter had a beautiful relationship as well).

Anyways, if you read till here, I love you. I'm aware this post has gotten too out hand jdjsjsk but I enjoyed writing it and I hope you guys liked reading it. Let me know what your thoughts are on this, I'm happy to read different opinions (although just be respectful about it lol. Can't believe I have to say this but some people can get too heated and disrespectful over sharing their thoughts).

[weeinterpreter]

Part 7. The thing about brackets.

What’s a Trope Bingo?

What’s the Evil Association of Evil Villains?

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5][Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8]

A shadow fell over the librarian as she spoke. She stepped to the side.

Butler felt it even before he saw it. His heartbeat increased as manic giggling accompanied the figure, stepping into the light. It was a huge clown. And he was armed.

"Please make sure they don't leave while I'm gone, Vincent," the librarian said. 

Vincent cackled and loaded his shotgun.

"A clown?” Alex laughed. "How is he going to stop us?"

Butler breathed through his nose. He wanted to laugh it off, too. It was a man in a clown costume. There was nothing to be afraid of. It wasn't even the same one. He knew all this. Then he glanced at the clown and felt his hands go sweaty.

Suddenly, he was eight years old again. The strongest eight-year-old there was. He was invincible. Felt like it, anyway. He'd soon learn that no eight-year-old would stand a chance against a full-grown adult with an axe in his hands. The smell of the shrill screams, the sound of the metallic blood rose around him like the walls of an impenetrable fortress. It was all in the past. And so was the trembling child, praying fervently that someone would come and save him.

Artemis grimaced as he tried to move his wrists.

"Butler, anytime now, get us out of this mess," he hissed. "If you couldn't tell, I'm in discomfort, something I pay you to get me out of."

Butler only stared at the chuckling clown. Surely coming up with a plan to rescue them all. He could have at least acknowledged him, though. Artemis turned his attention to the boy, who was tied up next to him.

"I suggest you let my bodyguard take care of the situation," he said.

Alex threw him a sour look, but didn't answer. Misinterpreting it, Artemis felt a jab of annoyance and the urge to straighten his tie that he knew was immaculate.

"Judging from your look, my criminal endeavours disgust you."

Alex snorted. "As far as I'm informed, all your criminal endeavours are hardly successful. That lady is a bigger criminal than your whole association combined."

Artemis couldn't decide if he wanted to point out all his successful missions first or find out how Alex knew about the association. He decided on the latter.

"Your association is interested in us, then?"

"For some reason," Alex said through gritted teeth.

"We can't be that unsuccessful then," Artemis said confidently.

"No," Alex spat out. "The MI6 thought you all so inept at committing a crime, they were more worried that you might succeed by sheer idiocy. We actually thought you had somehow messed up the Internet by accident."

Taken aback by the outburst, Artemis frowned. "Well, we didn't and your anger seems a tad inappropriate."

Red spots of anger appeared on Alex's face, but he kept his voice low. "You're such an idiot."

"Actually, my IQ is higher than Albert Ein-"

Before Artemis could finish, two things happened. First, a bang. Then the crumble of stone. And then…

***

Arno Blunt was many things. He was big, and mean, and deadly. He was a professional. One thing he wasn't, was subtle, though. It was the reason he failed to win the scholarship at university. It was the reason he didn't know how to talk to Sid Commons. And definitely the reason the events in the warehouse went down the way they did.

It didn't take him long to locate and find Butler after he didn't return from the nightly… whatever he did. Arno didn't really care. What he did care was having to pause his favourite podcast on gravitational waves just as it was about to get interesting. The giant man parked his truck with a grunt and jogged to the warehouse. He went to the back and, climbing onto some empty barrels, easily jumped to the ledge of the second storey. After shimmying through a half-open window, it was only a matter of minutes to pinpoint where his fellow villains were.

Sneaking along the metal gangway, high above all the chaos, he was tempted to pinch himself. Surely, he was dreaming. There was no chance a ridiculous clown with a shotgun would antagonise Opal Koboi and Jon Spiro (how did they get there in the first place?), Artemis Fowl and Butler (the Butler), and a random blonde teenager.

Villains. You just couldn't let them out of your sight for five minutes.

Looking around his vantage point, Arno focussed in on the huge number of books suspended in the air. He could tell that the ropes holding them up were industry grade. No point in trying to cut them. Cable brackets, on the other hand, were a notorious wild card in construction. One wrong hit, and the entire building would crumble. Arno learned that the hard way during a stint in Bangkok in 1993. What had started as a scare tactic ended up with the collapse of the hotel complex. Time to see if he could pull it off again. Drawing his pistol, Arno aimed and shot.

And then…

***

Vincent, the clown, stopped giggling to look up. The last thing he ever saw was the ornate decorations of a thousand copies of War and Peace coming at him at an incredibly rapid pace.

***

Arno jumped off the ledge, ignoring Artemis' glare as he loosened his ties.

"May I remind you that this stunt was highly dangerous?" Artemis said in a clipped tone.

"How so?" Arno asked.

"If your calculations had been wrong, this copy," Artemis said, pointing at the book that had landed a hair width away from his foot, "would have hit me in the head. Next time, I suggest you consult me before you decide to kill us all." 

Arno shrugged, swaggering over to Butler to punch him on the shoulder. 

"We'll have to have a talk about those clowns, mate," he murmured under his breath. Butler gave him a sharp nod, busying himself with freeing Opal and Jon. Artemis, in the meantime, inspected the wall of computers before he began typing furiously on the main keyboard.  

Alex jogged over, watching him silently, until Artemis made a disappointed sound.

"What is it?" 

"The program has already advanced too far to be stopped, but…"

Alex kept glancing from the screen to the pale boy with a quizzical look. "But?"

"But I could probably change its target protocol to stream another outcome–"

Arno, who had come over as well, slapped a hand on the console. "Okay, in English would be good, smarty pants."

"Instead of knowledge questions, I can prompt something else to be displayed," Artemis explained. "Are you following, Mr Blunt?"

The giant nodded. "Hey, I understood that. So, what are you waiting for? Change it."

Artemis rolled his eyes. "Would that I could. It needs to be something that someone with a pea brain can understand. Any suggestions, Mr Blunt?"

"How about the time I need to bash your face in, kiddo?" Arno snarled.

"Recognising landmarks?" Alex interjected, while Butler held Arno back. "Or objects?"

Artemis considered it. "I don't have any pictures and it would take too long to download them from the internet."

Opal held up her phone. "What about these pictures I have of Diamond? I've got tons."

"That could work," Artemis murmured.

To be concluded.

[observeowl]

Right By Your Side | Chapter 3 - Allison Bright

Summary: In the world where wearing glasses makes you a different person. You were forced to swallow a pill that turned you into seven years old. Now, you're living with your crush in a small form, what would you do? Who were the ones who brought this to you? And, can you change back?

Chapter summary: Introducing your new identity

Series Masterlist

When I woke up again, I was lying on the same spot as before. Feeling the dull pain at the back of my head. I felt the back of my head, there wasn't any blood but there was sure a huge bump at the spot I was knocked.

I immediately got up and the man was still in the same spot as well. It looked like they weren't going to move the crime scene. I have to get out of here quickly before someone notices and calls the police.

As I ran, I remembered that the pill I was forced to take was supposed to kill me. So why am I still alive? I've got to find Bill to help me, he has a PhD, he should be able to figure out.

I was panting heavily as I ran. I have been running for minutes yet the progress has been so slow. I feel like I should have reached his house by now. I leaned against the glass to catch my breath and glanced at my reflection. I had to do a double take when I saw myself.

I shrunk!

I went back to the size I was in 1st grade/primary school. No wonder I'm taking so long to run, my legs are shorter now.

I continued running and making my way to Bill's house. He didn't answer when I pressed the doorbell. "Hey!! It's me! Open the door! Open the goddamn door!!" I spammed the doorbell and rattled his gate.

"Who are you and what are you doing in front of my house?" I turned around and saw Bill coming back from god knows where. He is in his usual sloppy mess no matter how many I told him to dress properly. He looks like Albert Einstein to be honest.

"I'm Y/N! I don't know what happened but I'm Y/N!" It was weird looking up at an adult since we were normally around the same height.

"How can I believe you?" He looked at me skeptically. He knows that I am an Avenger and people may be out to get him.

"Uhhh well..." I racked my brain to think of something that only I would know. "I know that your favourite drink is tomato juice, you are always coming up with new inventions, you have a mole on your back and-"

"Okay okay, I believe. Let's just head in, yeah?" He unlocked his door and invited me in. We continued talking about the situation for a while as he pulled out the clothes for me that I used to wear in 1st grade/primary school. My parents are no longer around so I would stay with him until I was old enough to live in my parent's house. It was just the next street, but it was nice to have some privacy alone when I was older.

"I am going to make them pay for doing this." Bill could hear the anger seeping through my voice.

"Where are you going to stay?" Bill asked. Before I got to reply, the doorbell rang again.

"Are you expecting someone?" Bill's circle of friends was small and the number of people who would be visiting this late would be even smaller.

"Bill! Are you in there?" We looked at each other as we heard Nat's voice at the front door. I scrambled to find a place to hide as Bill went to open the door. Sadly, we were in his study so everything was exposed except underneath the table.

"Y/N! Are you here?" Nat's voice sounded throughout the house. I rushed to find a disguise and the only thing helping was the spare glasses in his drawers. I put them on but the degree was so high that everything was a blur and I lost balance and knocked my head against the side of the table.

"What's that noise?"

I pushed the lens out of the glasses before putting them on just in time as Nat placed her hand on my arm and pulled me out of my hiding spot.

"Ahhh I see you've found my friend's niece." Bill hurried with an excuse. A friend's niece? Couldn't he think of something better?

"They are away for a business trip and left me to take care of her. But as you know, I can hardly take care of myself. Do you mind helping me with a favour and taking care of her for me?" I looked at Bill in shock. What was he doing?

"I- but it's dangerous." Nat replied.

"And you think it's safe here for her? You know my lab here explodes every now and then. Comparing here and the compound, I think the compound is much safer." Bill reasoned with her.

Nat looked at me before sighing. "I guess... What's your name, young lady?" Nat bent down and asked while I was backed against the bookshelf.

I flustered, glancing back at the bookshelf and took the first two names I saw. "Allison, Allison Bright."

"Nice to meet you Allison. I'm Natasha Romanoff but you can call me Nat." Nat gave me a kind smile and I felt guilty for lying to her. I had no idea how long my body was going to stay in this state, certainly not for a short period of time.

"Alright, do you want to follow me back now?"

"I'll just have a quick word with Bill here." Nat nodded her head and went to her car.

"What the hell were you thinking?" I whispered despite Natasha being away from earshot.

"What? You're able to find more clues with her than with me. I'm sure you will cross paths with them again some day."

"You better not tell anyone about this." I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. "They think I'm dead and I intend to make it stay that way."

"Have fun staying with your crush!" He shouted as I walked out of the study. 

---

Natasha drove us back to the compound and I tried to make some small talks to alleviate the tension. "You were really flustered when you entered the house earlier." I said, secretly happy that she was worried for me.

"I was looking for a friend." Nat said, glancing at me before looking back on the road. "She went missing all of a sudden. I swear when I see her again, I'm going to give her a good punch, she wouldn't be able to see straight." She clenched her fist into a ball.

I shuddered at the thought of getting hit in my seat, maybe not saying who I am would be a better choice.

Nat doesn't know who I am so I took the chance to ask the question. "Do you like her?" I giggled slightly, amused at the situation.

"Ummm... she can be annoying but enjoyable to be around with. She cares a lot for her teammates. She can brighten the room in an instance and I definitely like her a lot." Natasha lists as she drove.

"I'm sure she's doing fine and misses you." I said sadly. She likes you too. I'm right by her side but I am unable to say anything. I just want to comfort her and let her know everything is okay.

"Okay, let's introduce you and get settled in the compound." Nat parked her car in the garage and pressed the button in the elevator to bring us to the living room where only the Avengers have access to.

"Hey Nat, did you manage to find Y/N?" Steve asked as JARVIS notified them of her return with one unidentified individual. "Who's this?" He pointed at me.

Nat began introducing them one by one to me. Some of them weren't here, the compound is a big space after all.

"She's the niece of someone I know of. I'm taking care of her until her parents come back." Natasha explained to them.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? Is there someone else to take care of her?" Tony found this whole situation very compromising. A child shouldn't be near where all the dangers are. If someone caught wind of a 7 year old living in the compound, they are very likely to come for me.

"Nat..." I tugged at the end of her shirt and gave her the puppy eyes. The power of the puppy's eyes multiplied numerous times in a child form. No one else knows this, but Nat is very soft inside. More than she liked people to know about.

"Don't worry, let me show you to the spare room." Nat ignored them and brought you to level with all the living quarters.

"Level 20 onwards is for Avengers only. Earlier we were on level 20, the boys stay on level 25 except Tony, he lives on level 30. The ladies stay on level 26." Natasha explained. I of course knew all of this but I had to act as if I'm listening to it for the first time.

"I'll ask Tony to grant you access for level 20 and above." Nat said when we arrived at my new room. "Have a good rest, I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast. My room is just two doors down if you need anything."

So technically I have two rooms now. I need to sneak back to my old room to get a couple of things, like cash and my laptop. I can't find my phone anywhere so I need to get a new one, probably with Bill's help. Contact numbers are no problem, I remember them anyway. I never save them just in case some unwanted people hack into my phone.

I let myself sink into my new bed. Tiredness was catching up to me as I drifted off to sleep.

Second POV Natasha went back down to the living room after leaving you at your room. Wanda came back with Bucky from their mission and were resting on the couch when the rest told them about your new appearance. Wanda was nonchalant about it while Bucky was with the majority and disapproved.

"Others wouldn't think that we would bring a child on a mission! It's a perfect cover." Natasha reasoned. She knew that making an excuse for the mission would entice them to agree. A cover was always needed and an innocent child would be perfect.

"But we have to be careful, we know Hydra loves to capture children for their experiments." Steve reminded her. Of course everyone knew that, so did Nat. The Red Room also loves to abduct children against their will and take advantage of them.

"I'll remind her. She's different, I know it."

"You'll be taking care of her then, Nat." Steve needed her to understand that taking care of you was her responsibility and she couldn't just give up halfway.

---

The next morning, Natasha went round to your room to check on you as she needed to bring you to the living room. She knocked lightly on your door but received no answer. "Allison? I'm coming in."

Yesterday's hit to the back of your head was coming back to bite on you. Your head was splitting and the pain travelled down to the back of your neck.

You heard Nat knocking on your door but you felt that any sort of movement would hurt your head more, even the sound of knocking was making you tear up.

"Hey, are you alright?" Nat crouched down at the side of your bed, checking up on you. It hurts so much that you can't speak. Nat noticed this immediately and went to get Bruce as you were in no condition to be moving.

"Allison, you need to tell me where you're hurting or I can't help you." Bruce said. He was unable to rely on his machine to tell him what's wrong. All he had was a physical examination.

"The... back of my head..." You managed to say as you held onto the side of your bed, pressing your head deeper into your pillow thinking the softness would ease up the pain.

"We need to get her to sit up so I can check the back of her head properly." Bruce motioned for Natasha to get to the other side of the bed to prop you up properly without any unnecessary movement or discomfort.

He ran his hand at the back of your head before forming his diagnosis. "From what I feel, it's likely inflammatory or swelling at the back of Allison's head, causing it to press on her nerves." Bruce said as he set you back on the bed with Nat's help.

"I'll prescribe some anti-inflammatory and painkiller through IV drip until she's comfortable enough." He left you with Nat and went to grab his supplies.

Nat wondered when you received such a bad hit to your head, you looked fine when she met you at Bill's house. Since your parents weren't around, she wondered if you were mixed with the wrong groups of friends.

Series Masterlist

[laresearchette]

Friday, November 10, 2023 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: FOR ALL MANKIND (Apple TV+) THE CURSE (Paramount +) EVERYTHING CHRISTMAS (W Network) 9:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT? AFTER THE BLAST: THE WILL TO SURVIVE (ABC Feed) BELLE COLLECTIVE (TBD - OWN Canada) THE CURSE (TBD)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA 007: ROAD TO A MILLION DINA HASHEM: DARK WHISPERS KANDAHAR TREVOR WALLACE: PTERODACTYL

CBC GEM CRIME (Season 2) LE COYOTE TRAMPOLINE GYMNASTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (starts today, goes until November 12th)

CRAVE TV A CHANCE FOR CHRISTMAS EVE AND THE FIRE HORSE FOUR CHRISTMASES GODFATHER OF HARLEM (Season 3, Episode 1) INTO THE DEEP THE JOURNEY HOME LAMBORGHINI: THE MAN, THE LEGEND MIRACLE IN MOTOR CITY ONE WEEK PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH SISU STILL MINE VIOLENT NIGHT

DISNEY + STAR BOBI WINE: THE PEOPLE’S PRESIDENT

NETFLIX CANADA AT THE MOMENT (TW) THE KILLER TEAM NINJA WARRIOR (Season 2)

2023 FIFA MEN'S U17 WORLD CUP (TSN/TSN4) 6:48am: Spain vs. Canada

GRAND SLAM OF CURLING (SN) 11:00am: National - Draw 14 (SN) 3:00pm: National - Draw 15 (SN) 7:00pm: National - Draw 16

NHL HOCKEY (SNWest/TSN4) 7:00pm: Flames vs. Leafs (SN1) 7:00pm: Wild vs. Sabres (SN) 10:00pm: Sharks vs. Knights

NBA BASKETBALL (TSN/TSN3/TSN5) 7:30pm: Nets vs. Celtics (SN Now) 8:30pm: Clippers vs. Stars (TSN/TSN3/TSN5) 10:00pm: Lakers vs. Suns

AMPLIFY (APTN) 7:30pm: Anishinaabe electro-pop artist Wolf Saga draws inspiration for his music from a painting his grandmother bought, which connects him to his culture. This episode features Richard Gracious, Janis Monture, Elder Mary Lou Smoke and Betty Albert.

THE FATHER (CTV2) 8:00pm: A man refuses assistance from his daughter as he ages. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and the fabric of his reality.

7TH GEN (APTN) 8:00pm: Matthew Monias - Mattmac: Many people know Matthew Monias by his stage name, Mattmac. Discover how this Oji-Cree blind recording artist from Garden Hill First Nation is taking the world by storm with his music and blazing a trail with his advocacy work.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF JERSEY (Slice) 8:00pm: La Finn

PLANET WONDER (CBC) 8:30pm: How the language used about climate change affects the motivation to do something about it.

A DASH OF CHRISTMAS (CTV Life) 8:00pm: To apply for her dream job at a foodie startup, an executive must learn to bake. When she recruits a handsome baker to help her, she inadvertently ends up in a Christmas Bakeoff.

FRIDAY NIGHT THUNDER (APTN) 8:30pm: The inaugural NASCAR Pinty's race finally arrives at Ohsweken Speedway and Aaron Turkey proves to be a hometown hero in the historic event. Meanwhile, Joshua Hill hustles to get his car back on the track after getting into a wreck the night before.

THE FIFTH ESTATE (CBC) 9:00pm: The Girls Around Robert G. Miller: In partnership with Radio-Canada's investigative program, "Enquête," "The Fifth Estate" examines troubling claims that a Canadian billionaire had a long history of paying teenagers for sex.

TRANSPLANT (CTV) 9:00pm: Bash reconnects with the man who got him to Canada.

BEAT BOBBY FLAY: HOLIDAY THROWDOWN (Food Network Canada) 9:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Katie Lee Biegel cracks the wishbone with Turkey Day classics and makes this holiday reunion a surprise family affair. Chefs Darnell Ferguson, Bryan Voltaggio and Michael Voltaggio attempt to squash Bobby Flay with a new turkey tradition.

CATWOMAN: HUNTED (Cartoon Network Canada) 9:00pm: Catwoman attempts to steal a priceless jewel.

VIOLENT NIGHT (Crave) 9:00pm: An elite team of mercenaries breaks into a family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone hostage inside. However, they aren't prepared for a surprise combatant: Santa Claus is on the grounds, and he's about to show why this Nick is no saint.

W5 (CTV) 10:00pm: The Mystery Bomber: "W5" investigates the identity of a would-be bank robber who exploded in a dramatic heist.

CRIME BEAT (Global) 10:00pm: Nothing is What it Seems: Part 1: A man walking his dog comes upon a neighbor's garage engulfed in flames; when the smoke clears, a woman is found dead with drug paraphernalia nearby; nothing is what it seems, and police are left combing through a web of lies to find the killer.

[itsytinyspiders]

(Part 14)

Masquerade!

Oh, is that another wild Albert I spy?

I think this is the first time one of the main cast members participate in the transition dances.

And he’s not alone!

I’m not sure if this is a change or not, but how did Albert convince the Prince of Wales to make the “Lord of Crime” the main event? I have questions, Lord Moriarty, so many questions.

Speaking of changes, it seems that they changed the killing mark from a splash of wine to a piece of red cloth, which would be more visible to the audience. I find the change a little ironic, because I’m pretty sure the only reason Irene managed to pretend to have been killed as well was that red wine on a black suit is hardly visible, especially from a certain distance.

Albert’s “Hoh?” gets me every time. Love that the actor made this his little quirk, but now I will be disappointed if I got into Morimyu and there are no “Hoh?” to be had.

Also interesting how Irene hands over a glass of wine to Albert. It can be interpreted as a gesture of goodwill, though Irene could have easily poisoned the glass. Of course, both of them know that she wouldn’t – otherwise Irene would not have accepted the invitation in the first place.

So far, if I were to name one thing I love about plays, it’s certainly the scenes that can be added in the background. In scenes like this one, where the main drama is a conversation between two characters, having supporting actors play out the hustle and bustle downstairs serves as a reminder of the setting. And in productions that have a bit more humor, the supporting actors can perform an entire storyline only visible to those who pay attention.

Irene here is visibly high-strung as she waits for Albert to give his answer. Naturally, she is not portrayed this way in the manga or the anime, as Irene is a skilled actress who can maintain a mask even in times of stress. However, theatre does lend itself to exaggerated expressions and emotions to get the point across to the audience.

Albert on the other hand is just chilling. “Oh yes, the government never had the intention of letting you live, how unfortunate…”

Got a secret

Can you keep it?

Swear, this one you'll save

Better lock it in your pocket

Takin' this one to the grave

-- Secret, The Pierces

Irene: What are you planning to do?

Albert: To change the world through crime. From the roots all the way to the top.

(And then he just struts stage right with overturned wine glass still in hand!)

I also want to applaud the quick costume changes thus far. After the last picture, they skipped to the Moriarthree’s discussion about the contents of the document Irene stole. The discussion lasted barely a minute and Irene is onstage again, now in her signature blue dress and blonde wig.

Love how they created the feeling of an explosion, not only with the lighting, smoke and sound effects, but also by having the 221B actors bring out some random furniture and lay them on the ground – as if the force of the explosion pushed them back.

Look at this smug, smug man. Even the lighting decided to let him have this victory.

As much as I understand Irene’s concern for Sherlock’s safety, especially after the scare she just had, a part of me just wants to laugh.

Irene: You can’t look! The government will never stop hunting you down!

“The Government”: Ah, Sherly. What did I tell you about women again?

The moment Sherlock pulls the document out of the envelope, Albert emerges from the shadows and onto the upper floor.

The Moriarthree spell out the implications of England’s involvement in the French Revolution as the 221B group (plus Irene) digest that information.

Can we just appreciate the fact that we can tell the two Moriarty brothers are only surrounding the document in spirit?

And again, the lighting!

How fitting it is, that when Irene reveals her motivations, the entire stage is dyed purple, except for the white spotlight on her.

And here!

You can see Sherlock realize that Irene is lying when she says that the government will forgive her and ensure her safety. I’m not sure why Irene’s spotlight turned green here, other than to highlight that there is something wrong with her (but why green?)

And John’s realization later too, after Sherlock tells him there’s only one person in London who would want the document and be able to protect Irene.

Also, William just being there unobtrusively in the background as Sherlock confirms that Irene is going to make a deal with the Lord of Crime.

And this shot as Sherlock figures out a plan to save Irene.

[fancyfeathers]

OP IDEA ok so William takes 🩰 darling out to the ball after their marriage. And she is all dazzling (like empress sisi of Austria or Christine daae) and despite her scandalous marriage to William and lower standing in high society, the men are enchanted by her, greeting her and savoring whatever time she can spare them with their greetings. The women, are obviously crueler to her out of jealousy and competition (cuz NO WAY a street rat bagged someone like William lol). Tldr the night is somewhat nice (the glamour and blitz of the waltz) but it was also stressful due to how overwhelmed she felt by the nobles. I like to think William just felt very protective of her to shield her from their eyes , but a tad bit jealous whenever she genuinely smiled or laughed at jokes made by the men

Omg yes she is actually based on Christine Daae so I actually squealed when I saw this. Also in act 2 of Phantom of the Opera when she is engaged to the viscount you can see in masquerade the change when the other girls/ballerinas are dancing how distant she had become to her friends in her engagement, this may seem like nothings but in act 1 after Think of Me, all the ballerinas go to congratulate her showing that they were once friends.

I’m rambling but the Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorite books and musicals

The Games We Play of Dust and Ash (Yandere Moriarty the Patriot Masterlist)

I don’t think William would take his darling to many balls and parties, one because he does not go to many, two he would only bring her if he had to 100% had to because he knows how vicious women of the aristocracy can be and many of the men present attended the ballet where she worked and had relations with some of the ladies these. When he did bring her along it would have to be for some sort of special occasion that couldn’t miss, like a holiday party or a new years ball.

She enters in on her husband’s arm but when they enter the ballroom she is swarmed by other young gentlemen and while it is no crime or scandal to talk or even dance with a married women at a ball William certainly does not enjoy it since it makes her so overwhelmed, she doesn’t know how to handle conversation with people like them, but he has trouble denying the fact that it does make him slightly jealous but he tries to tell himself not to worry since she is his wife after all.

But when they kiss the back of her hand and she smiles at them or when they ask her for a dance and she says yes when William is standing right there…

That irritates him to no end.

But then there are other side of things…

It was after they returned home from one of the parties, she had gone off to the washroom while William was speaking to Albert so he was slightly distracted but he certainly clocked on how long she was gone and her change in expression and behavior, keeping her head low as if she was ashamed, the tears that built up in her eyes that she was trying to hide, and then the flinches of fear whenever someone would touch her. Then when they get home William notices her silence and she has not gotten ready for bed at all, even keeping on her gloves. He tells her to get changed multiple times as nicely but as firmly as he can but she still refuses and then when he is nearing his wits end he grabs her like a parent would with a stubborn child and takes off her glove…

Her wrist was bruised, not broken but at least sprained…

She doesn’t make eye contact with him as her speaks to her, his voice dropping as he stares down at her…

“Who did this to you?”

He is practically disgusted when he hears that she was harassed in the hallway by a few other women, calling her all sorts of horrid names and one of them even shoving her to he ground and kicked at her wrist so she couldn’t catch herself. Needless to say William would be livid

A few weeks later and those women’s families have lost a great some of money in investments and can no longer pay for their daughter’s dowries if they were ever to be married, shame.

From then on William would never let his wife leave his side outside of their home, holding onto her hand or his arm around her waist at any event and this scares away both jealous young ladies and bold gentlemen.