#making her seem volatile and insane

[buckybarnesb-tch]

Alpha!Aemond Targaryen Meeting His Omega

~Everyone was so thrilled when he presented at 16 as an Alpha, the Targaryen's all being Betas for many years

•He was the first to be an Alpha in many years and his father was thrilled most of all, Viserys immediately throwing him a party a week later, complete with a huge feast and everyone in the realm that could make it

•Aemond was not at all happy that his elder sister had come with her family but Viserys insisted and they all congratulated him and he could hear from where he sat Rhaenyra warning Luke to stay as far away from his uncle as possible, that he would be even more volatile now and she was correct, his hate for the Strong boys burned hotter than ever

•Every Omega from every kingdom was brought with the important houses, and not just family members but Omega servants as well, Alphas could not be married off politically very often as there was no way they could be with anyone but their mates

•Aemond had often made comments about how he would do his duty, marry who he was told to and strengthen their family but now he couldn't imagine such a thing, his Omega was what he wanted and he would settle for nothing less, no matter what his Hightower grandfather thought about it, and for once his mother seemed to be on his side

~His father was happy of course but so was his mother, who looked forward to seeing her son happy, especially after seeing him in such pain for so long, hiding himself from the women in court after what Lucerys had done to his eye.  Most women couldn't stomach looking at it but Alicent was comforted by knowing Aemond's Omega would see no disability like everyone else did

•Aemond however was still concerned about it, before he had healed and could wear the eye patch the women that had seen his wound had been horrified, some even becoming physically ill

•He knew he would wear the eye patch every moment of every day if he had to for his mate, even if he had to sleep with it on to comfort her, he would never see her look at him like that

•He hated the idea that he was supposed to try and find his Omega here though, what are the odds his mate just so happens to be here tonight?  He thought it was ridiculous and would much rather be outside the castle, searching for her outside the Red Keep however he was proven wrong fairly quickly once everyone arrived

~Her scent was like nothing he had ever imagined as he sat at the head table people watching

•He wasn't mingling, still getting used to the truly insane sense of smell he now had and controlling it as it was in overdrive surrounded by all these people, his brother Aegon being one of the ones that bothered him most, heavy wine, sadness and whores.  Aemond wasn't sure how he could smell either sadness or what a whore smelled of but he did and he hated it from the moment Aegon arrived once he'd presented

•The smell overcame him a moment after the Stark family was announced in the hall, Cregan Stark and his family arriving along with their Omega servants, every family only having one, maybe 2.  Honeysuckle, mint and a sweetness he couldn't quite place and suddenly he was rock hard and completely alert

•His mother seemed to notice his change in demeanor as he straightened up, looking at where the Starks had walked to, standing from his seat and stepping around the table

•Aemond paid attention to no one's words or congratulations as he took steps towards that heavenly scent, becoming agitated instantly as people kept moving, that is until someone whistled, so loud almost every Omega groaned, their sensitive ears probably ringing worse than Aemond's

•"It seems as if my brother has caught the scent of something delicious!"  Aegon cackled, drunk as hell but for the first time maybe ever, Aemond didn't mind as he had frozen the room, even if everyone now stared as he moved towards the doors, seeing the head of the Stark family and looking at the faces around him. 

"My Lord Stark, present your Omegas to the Prince, if you would please?"  This time it was his mother who spoke and everyone shuffled back from the family, watching closely as Cregan Stark pulled a boy and a girl along.  Aemond recognized the girl as the Stark's niece but the other was very clearly a servant, although as they met his eyes he felt nothing.  Stark was looking around to his wife as if searching for something and that's when Aemond smelled it, the scent was fading, no longer in the room with them and faster than anyone would have deemed humanly possible, the one-eyed Prince was sprinting from the room after that delicious smell

~Aemond had heard of Omegas running when they smelled their Alphas, some said it was because they wanted their Alpha to chase and catch them and show he was a strong mate, he knew better however

•Aemond didn't need his Omega to tell him, he knew she was afraid.  She had probably come here with a promise from House Stark that it could never be her, what were the odds that out of the dozens of Omegas here that it was her, and now here she is with everyone searching the room for her while her Alpha stalked closer as if a dragon on a hunt, his Omega was probably terrified

•He turned down a corridor and moved quicker as the scent became stronger, knowing he was practically on top of her as he opened the door to the kitchens.  He didn't make a sound as he stepped in, seeing her filling a teapot with water, her face scrunched up adorably in frustration.  "Dōna mirre?"  She gasped, dropping the pot and whimpering which sent a tingle down his spine straight to his cock.  "No need to be afraid, I won't harm you...I know what I look like but you have nothing to fear from me, never you."  He swore.  He couldn't quite read her face in that moment but she wasn't running, he thought that a good sign.  "May I know my Omega's name?"

She paused before responding but not too long. “Y/n...my name is Y/n my Prince-"

"No need for such formalities, not between us...I am aware of what you must have heard about me but please? I ask that you give me the chance to prove that it is all untrue...at least most of it." She giggled at that and he decided right then that it was the sweetest sound he had ever heard.

"I will not judge you on the words of others, that wouldn't be fair...if you promise me the same...I can only imagine what people are saying about me, the prince mated to a servant wench from the North, I-"

"Don't you ever say such a thing about my Omega again!" He demanded, walking closer and stopping himself before he touched her, looking down from his 6'2 stature and noticing she couldn't be taller than 5'4. "You, Dōna mirre, will be a Targaryen by weeks end and anyone who would ever say such things will have their tongues removed." He instantly expected fear as he realized he shouldn't have gone so far while trying to make her feel safe but once more she giggled and he knew he was going to have to survive dinner with a raging erection. "Do you think we could go back to the feast? Guards will be sent to find us if they haven't already-"

"Lest you steal my virtue on the kitchen floor?" She was teasing him and he loved it, smiling for the first time in a long while.

"I wouldn't do you the dishonor of even bringing it into question. Come, I'll have someone bring you tea." She smiled up at him, taking hold of his offered arm and walking back.

~Aemond escorted her back and when guards opened the doors everyone's eyes turned to them as they now all sat down to dinner

•His Omega clutched tighter to his arm as she felt the stares and he pulled her closer to his side as he guided her to the head table and around it to sit down themselves

•"My son!" His father waved them over and he kissed her hand.

"My father wishes to meet you, just breathe, it will be quick, I promise...my mother less so." She pinched his side as he teased her making him squirm before guiding her to the king. "Father. This is Y/n, my Omega. Y/n, this is my father."

"My king. It's an honor to meet you sir." As his sweetling went to bow he held his arms out, pulling her close and hugging the small girl. Had it been anyone else but his father he would have broken his hands at this moment but the growl that built up from his throat was uncontrollable leading everyone in close proximity, his mother, siblings, Daemon and nephews to look at him stunned though his father just laughed so hard he was thrown into a coughing fit. "You should sit my king." His Omega reached for his glass and held it up for him to drink making the sickly man smile and do as she requested, sitting with her assistance and taking a drink.

"A true, sweet Omega you are my dear. No more of this 'my king' nonsense, you are family now. 'Father' will do just fine, daughter in law." He held her face in his hands and everyone that looked on could see how happy Viserys truly was.

"I do not wish to offend my king, I-" he looked up at her, eyebrows raised and she quickly corrected herself. "Father...thank you for your kindness. Please don't let me interrupt your meal, I'm sure we will have plenty of time to know each other."

"Yes. Of course we will." As he turned back to the feast Aemond took her arm again, pulling her close though she was snatched by his mother who turned the Omega to look at her.

"You are just lovely my dear. Exactly what I pictured for you my sweet boy. You and I will get together tomorrow Y/n, we must start planning the wedding-"

"Mother!"

"What? Would you like to wait a few moons for your wedding my son? Or would you like to get on with it quickly? If so, it must be discussed, we'll need time to get everything in order." She looked at Aemond expectantly, knowing her son wouldn't want to wait long for the event and also knowing that if Y/n's heat hit her before the wedding no one would be able to keep her son from his Omega, better to get it done now, the Prince understanding her meaning instantly.

"I don't need much your grace, it can be small. Just family and a septon, it doesn't-" his Omega stopped when she once again saw the whole family staring making Aemond growl on purpose this time. "Or it could be large, why not?"

Aemond spun her around to face him and turned her face up, thumbs brushing her embarrassed red cheeks. "Whatever it is, as long as I'm with you it will be perfect my Dōna mirre." Rhaenyra, Helaena and Alicent all let out a small 'aww' at his display and it only made the Omega blush worse.

"What does that mean?"  She finally asked him as he sat her in a chair by his side, the opposite side Aegon was on.

"Sweetling.  My sweet little mate, too sweet for someone like me."  She took hold of his hand and pulled it close to her chest, holding onto him tightly.

"That's the second time you've put yourself down my mate and I will not have it.  You are wonderful!"

"You are too kind my darling but you see the same face every other person does and it's appalling, I'm not-"  The next thing Aemond knew his Omega had slapped him right across his cheek, head turning with the motion, not out of pain but more shock.

"I will not sit here and listen to this!"  The slap had alerted the looks of several people, his mother now looked on as well as Rhaenyra and Daemon, and his siblings though it didn't stop her as she grabbed his face, whispering too lowly for them to hear but Aemond absolutely heard it, every word.  "You are lovely!  You are a strong, handsome Prince, a dragon rider that sits atop the largest dragon alive!  Your lost eye is unfortunate and unfair, yes, and your nephew should pay for what he did but whatever disability you think it causes, you are wrong.  From what I understand my Alpha is the most skilled swordsman in Kings Landing, men fear you, and women, real women know how attractive you are."  Y/n turned his face towards her but moved her hand so no one else would be able to look upon his scar as she turned the eyepatch up to reveal a beautiful sapphire to her view.  "These ladies in court, they have their sensitivities, they faint at the sight of blood, flinch away from violence but a real women knows that scars on a man are arousing."  Aemond was stunned by this, she was right though, the only women who had ever seen it had been his family and a few ladies at these kinds of parties.  His mother had been right, his Omega wasn't disgusted by him in the slightest.

"I had thought I would need to wear this even in my sleep to avoid scaring you...I-"

"You will do no such thing, I would look upon my Alphas face every chance I get!"  She wasn't whispering anymore and he could see from the side even his nephews now looked at them.  "You are handsome and anyone who says otherwise will have words with me."  He saw her turn her head towards Aegon, looking also at Jace and Luke before Aemond turned her head back.  "My Alpha."  She whispered, leaning closer and rubbing her nose against his and he found it adorable.  "It is a lovely face you have...and after our wedding, it is a face...I would happily ride." 

And just like that his cock was practically screaming for attention again as he pictured his gorgeous Omega riding his face.  Unable to take in air as her pussy suffocated him in the most glorious way, her juices covering his mouth as he shoved his tongue as deep as her quivering cunt would allow, arms wrapped around her thighs and holding her down on him as she writhed like crazy and he could only imagine what noises she would make as he-

"Alpha?"

"Hmm?"

"You're imagining it, aren't you?"  He nodded his head, not having it in him to look sorry as she smirked, leaning close and pressing her lips to the scar under his sapphire eye. "Good. I'll be imagining it tonight...Alpha." Aemond growled as she set his eye patch back, calling him 'Alpha' had been doing things to him and she was lucky he hadn't carried her off already. He leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers roughly, pulling away as she whimpered, grasping onto whatever semblance of control he had left.

If this is what he already feels for her, he doubts he'll make it to the wedding.

Dōna Mirre-Sweetling

It actually means 'Sweet Thing' but there's no translation for the name I wanted so that's the closest I can get and I'm going with it.

[extravalgant]

speaking more from my last post about shadow magic and its just. so interesting tbh. like the first mention of shadow magic comes from khrysalis when we enter the eclipse tower and it gives us interesting looks into how shadow magic as a whole is regarded in the spiral...

its so insane to hear that its a forbidden magic and that grandmother raven and BARTLEBY of all people forbade it to be taught. raven i could probably understand, but considering we are now bartlebys scion... it's hard to think about the possibility that he didn't trust us before. an outsider from the spiral learning a forbidden magic...

i think what's also interesting is the fact that the shadow magic the wizard learns is a wholly unique one. shadow magic corrupted the moon magic inside the tower, so there's a possiblity that our wizard only knows this specific subset of shadow magic—one that's been permanently altered by moon magic in the eclipse tower, and one that can only be taught by sofia darkside.

it makes me wonder if velma knows the same kind, or if hers and the wizard's shadow magic is different... is one more volatile than the other? or if there's no difference at all and im looking into it too much lolol

knowing this and knowing raven forbade anyone in the spiral from ever learning shadow magic, it would make a little bit of sense for how hostile she initially seems towards the wizard... if we take what we saw from the book of secrets, then we know that magic law states that nothing is an accident—magic is reactive and 'sentient' to a certain degree, so there was no mistake in the wizard freeing grandfather spider from his prison using magic, because that's what they wanted.

granted it was for other reasons... but it doesn't paint a pretty picture of any of us. the wizard learns shadow magic, the wizard frees spider, and then spider goes on to say that theyre his favorite.

i think what makes this particularly more tragic is the fact that the wizard didn't even have a choice. sofia says this herself!

they need to learn it. the sword of kings isn't enough. being a child of prophecy isn't enough. they failed once before, and theyre not eager to fail again. theyll try anything, and everything, and that includes... freeing grandfather spider.

which, you know, speaking of backlash... sofia mentions it too lol.

which is interesting to me... i always complained that the morganthe fight needed a bit more oomph—which, i still believe it does, to some extent—but i think how she died was a fitting end to her. crushed underneath the weight of her own powers, her own shadow—her backlash. she was the instrument of her own defeat, and, well... that could have very well been the wizard. she's our reflection, our parallel. i think it's why the wizard never mentions or claims that theyre the one that did her in—because they technically... didn't, but they also did. which is cool!

much to think about....

[allmyloveandyours]

Bullying, Harassment, and Misunderstanding on Astro Tumblr: Zeldas Notes Edition pt 1. The Catalyst

Hi! Normally I don't like to get myself involved in online drama since, well it's the internet and drama isn't fun. I shouldn't need to explain myself any further.

Recently a well known account @zeldasnotes, has been involved in a bit of drama and has started slut shaming and attacking the character of someone I've recently become friend with for a misunderstanding. This isn't meant to bully her or attack her in any way, however we have recently found out she continues to talk about me, @evangelinesbible, and @d4rkpluto, for the last two weeks. Obviously we have talked about it as well, I'll never deny that, however it's not bullying. She may call this bullying, though.

Obviously that isn't a lot of time but I'd like to get this over with as soon as possible. I believe the only reason she had yet to harass me is because she 1. Doesn't know my Tumblr username and 2. Doesn't have a physical appearance to attack like she does Evangeline.

Before we get started I'd like to give some context to where this conversation happened.

@d4rkpluto made a discord (that is still open btw it's very fun there) that was meant to host a cool yearbook like event for some people in astro tumblr, the cap was put at roughly 20 people. We all tried our best to get to know each other despite some social mismatching such as language barriers (there will be more on that later). Most of us liked to talk about real life problems along with astrology as we were all friends, but Zelda's had become worrying very fast as she would only most post crime (no hate to true crime, but I don't like waking up to messages about a murdered person and how their chart "predicted it", but that's for another part) and her almost insane personal/love life. Eventually, someone decided to ask her about it out of concern. For the record I did not, as I don't know her personally and I seemed like she was someone content with being in bad situations as she never gave a timestamp of the things she talked about.

This is the conversation that occurred when she was questioned about it.

After that we noticed she left the discord roughly a day later (she probably left right after though), and she blocked/unfollowed everyone but me (lmao), and for that week it became a brief inside joke that if you were acting like Zelda, you we're simply being defensive for no reason.

Now that this part is over,

Pt 2. The DMs

Now this is where we get to the part where I drew the line, where I decided to get on my clicky keyboard and say some shit.

To reiterate, this hasn't been going on for that long. Obviously she was still fresh in our minds and we did bring her up. There was no bullying or lying. Simply a couple of jokes about her being defensive. I will admit, I tried my best to not joke as Zelda is clearly a volatile person and if the small jokes got to her, I figured she'd make a fuss. She did.

On July 26th (fun fact, you can look things up on discord chats) at roughly 10pm she had messaged Evangeline.

Obviously this doesn't make us look THE BEST (I'm aware), however gossip is a normal and human thing as long as not done in excess (imo, this was the biggest conversation we'd had about her since she'd left).

Now this is where I officially come in. I'm #1 Timeout Champion (thats the TC in my name).

I was the one who took the screenshots of the discord channel invite post, as I had found it weird she'd made a discord around July 19th soon after leaving ours. Not that it was my business, but it just made me laugh, and I was feeling weird about it. That is the reason likes were talked about.

I will say this did get made fun of because of what was talked about in the screenshot above, as that was after (check the dates).

Shortly after Eva had received that DM, I'd gotten on call with Eva to make sure she was alright, and she had messaged the discord about the message.

This is where we all started accusing each other of screenshotting the chat. I do understand if you have friends outside of a discord, and I do understand defending yourself, I'm not policing who can and can't be friends. If someone was gossiping about my friend, I'd do the same shit.

But it got worse.

I apologize beforehand for the cropping as these are from Eva (obviously).

Keep in mind every DM screenshot I share is sent between 9/10pm-4am for Eva and I while we were on call.

Keep in mind the photo's of Eva's she's referring to are public and things she wore in public and to a concert, a BEYONCE CONCERT, and then posted images of, ON A PUBLIC SITE, SEVERAL might I add.

She did not call Zelda pathetic, but her actions. I believe there is a difference.

I do feel the need to state here that I feel partially responsible for the harassment here, as I try my best to support Eva in any way that I can to achieve her goals, and I did push her to post about herself more as I like her style and think she's pretty. I did not think that it would be brought up in this style.

Because it shouldn't have been. This should've been a civil (albeit catty) conversation of "talking talk about me, please and thank you". I've had these conversations at a younger age and they've gone very well.

But it kept going as Eva defended herself.

I could be wrong about the screenshot thing, however I did find weird posts asking about where the discord had gone, and Zelda said she didn't have one even thought it was roughly and hour after she'd made the post, along with DMs from someone later about the discord.

The last bit is talking about this:

Yeah so they were talking about people they found attractive (Zelda is clearly in the conversation) and Eva was referencing fictional characters. Imma be fr I feel like you can tell she was joking the entire convo was just about their crushes real and fictional, Zelda then talked about someone who was murdered somehow worked that into the convo.

Just thought I'd include that if we're talking about crushes why the fuck is this shit being brought up but that's clearly more personal opinion.

So that's the entire conversation with Eva. It seemed to just be her trying to get Eva on a nonexistent "gotcha moment" and berating hr for her appearance and making an out of context screenshot more out of context.

Meanwhile in the discord, we'd been trying to figure out who had sent the screenshot, as we should it went from them talking behind the scenes (perfectly fine), getting upset (again fine), and then harassing (not fine) Eva, keeping in mind, Zelda is most likely older than Eva.

Eva being 19, an Zelda being between 22-26 based on her history.

Pt. 3: We figure out who it was this gets no cool title

We thought it was roughly 3 people, two who don't need to be involved and but the last will definitely be mentioned: @a-d-noxd-nox.

The first two people were just people in both Discords, one of us just confirming our convo from earlier when I said it was probably darker topics (which isn't relevant to me). From my perspective, I was fine with Adnox. I hadn't talked to her as much but she seemed okay. I'd wanted to get to know her more and at some point we'd spoken about watching Twilight but that fell through.

So we kicked out Ad-nox, and figured out it was her through process of elimination. I'll slowly start wrapping it up as around the time we kick Adnox out, Zelda had stopped. We still don't know why Adnox decided to shit on Eva specifically. I would love to know personally, but Eva herself doesn't care.

After that, we decided to let people in as seen in an earlier screenshot. We'd simply wanted more friends and it felt weird having an astrology tumblr, but not having a lot of people being in there.

So obliviously we asked if they mentioned us (we wanted to know), they had fairly recently, and we got this exchange with Zelda and some members of her discord:

I've cropped them a bit and censored people I don't believe to be relevant but I hate to be the bearer of bad news: No one is bullying you.

No one is mad you started a discord. It was simply funny for reasons stated above.

No one from this situation has sent hate to your inbox. No one cares enough.

No one asked you to post about true crime. I may have interacted with some on a irregular basis because I like to be friendly.\

We have made jokes. Because you lying is funny and Pluto is known for this, same way you're known for doing this shit.

I will once again state: Talking and joking about a situation you're in is human. This is the internet. This is not real life. Slut shaming a girl younger than you and fixating on her body and photos while preaching about being a good person is fuck-awful, along with lying to others about what happened in order to seem like the victim.

You're not a victim. You decided to fight people in the server when asked about why you choose to be in relationships with criminals and hang around generally questionable people. You took it as a personal attack when reaction images were posted. I can understand that may have felt bad at the time, but that;'s the moment we're you send a "Hello, it really hurt my feelings when..." Rather than a "Keep posting those nude photos" conversation. You wanted to your gotcha moment to prove you were right rather an accept this was a situation where no one was the winner.

Blaming your placements for your behavior will get you, a grown woman, no where. Keeping in mind, your chart is practically Eva and I's combined.

So from people who have a "Scorpio MC" (somethings she's blamed for her behavior), and from someone who has "Mercury square Pluto", it's just you. All of this behavior and the body shaming, the lying, to over exaggerating, it's just you.

You went after Evangeline for a reason. You had an existing relationship with Pluto, in which it seems like you guys were good friends before you did this. It could've been dealt with in a proper and friendly manner, but you chose to make fun of the 19 year old with I assume, a smaller amount of followers, and someone who is less likely to fight you, and someone who won't cause shit.

Great. Good Job.

[ffverr]

And while I'm talking about Storm (TW, suicide, depression)

(add you thoughts too pls!)

I think we should also speak more on how much Ororo struggled in terms of mental health during her depowered arc!!

I see it mostly remembered as a period where she was a badass even without the powers but I was surprised to see just how deep her struggle went and how clearly Clermont depicted, on many instances, depression, suicidal thoughts and even what can be interpreted as suicide attempts.

This facet makes the arc all the more inspiring, surprising and powerful as we see an individual who never seemed to give way to despair be seriously compelled to give up.

"A madness. A need to escape that will not be denied"

What makes me go even crazier is the way it is explored through the lense of her flying ability. Whether on Forge's balcony or at the mansion's lake, Ororo's love for freedom and flying is twisted into such an insanely dark and gut churning search for a final moment of lightness and flight before giving up on herself. These scenes will never leave my brain!!!

But it's also a journey with ups and downs, mistakes and delusions, which makes it all the more accurate and impactful.

As her responsabilities towards the team test her ability to lead, this scene can also be fit into the dark allegory of her flight that Clermont is shaping up.

Thinking she is in control and has it all figured out she gambles her life on a frankly badly thought through plan that will most likely kill her.

I see this as...a place holder. If she isn't the goddess anymore and she can't just give up because of that, might as well die heroically still doing her duty as a hero. Storm has always had this wild switch from fearless confrontation to secluded avoidance that I find SO compelling. (And can also be found in Scott, her narrative parallel in terms of leadership)

In the end her revelations on life and death during life-death part 2 are still a very shaky lesson as the brutality of the mutant massacre manages to still rattle her to her core despite her spiritual journey. It's an accurate and really really engaging back and forth.

She confidently claims in life-death part 1, that without her powers she "will fly again". And in life-death part 2, that even powerless she "soars higher than the stars". But in the end these are extremely fragile and volatile mental states that she tries holding onto as she's not yet too far from twisting this lesson on freedom into a final release of her duty, pain and confusion.

[ghost-bxrd]

Okay so I know this wasn’t the intention, but I read the most recent part of Owl Song and now I can’t stop thinking about Ivy, Jason, and Dick.

Like, in canon she fought both of them as Robin (I think??? I’m pretty sure she was around for Dick’s Robin) and she’s one of the better Rogues in terms of motive and morals. She probably cared for both of them somewhat, so how do you think she (and the other semi-decent rogues) took it when Jason died?

Ah I see how it is, we’re unpacking the good questions now!!!

So at first Ivy probably didn’t notice. Let’s be real, she’s got better things to do then play “keeping up with the batfamily”, and yeah, sure, some of her plants have been getting agitated the more days went by without sightings of either Robin or his loyal shadow (either Batman or Talon/Nightwing), but eh, maybe they’re on vacation or something.

But then Batman is back on the streets and it’s BadTM. Even simple thugs need to be hospitalized, more than one comes close to actually dying (one even flatlines for a moment) and Ivy gets suspicious. Not enough to raise any alarms just yet, still, odd. And still no sight of Robin anywhere.

And then the Joker keeps being found. All over Gotham. Her plants her agitated, they keep whispering about the child-from-the-clocktower and the-one-who-is-cold. And even Ivy can’t keep turning a blind eye.

At first she checks in with Harley, but her girlfriend she doesn’t have any insight either having just returned from a mission with the Birds of Prey (timeline? What timeline). So, dead end. And Crane is a no-go because the Bat hospitalized him with way too many broken bones just the other day.

Two-face it is, but Harvey (both sides of him) are equally as disturbed by the Bat’s sudden volatility as Ivy and he is now on board with trying to find out just what made the Bat snap.

(At this point she’s having a veeery bad feeling about this. Especially because even weeks later Robin is still suspiciously absent from the streets, and there are only whispers of Talon/Nightwing and even her plants can’t seem to pin down either of them.)

Next up is the Riddler, who is already neck-deep into investigation (because how dare Batman not appreciate all his carefully laid riddles and instead punch in faces of low time criminals! And also he may be a teeny-tiny bit worried about the sassy sidekick but SUE him, the kid grows on you like a particularly stubborn case of the pocks ok!?) and immediately agrees to a temporary ceasefire.

So now we have part of the rogue gallery joining forces to find out just wtf is going on, and their next bet is the elusive Catwoman.

And let’s say Selina doesn’t know who Batman is but she’s got soft spot for the big burry anyway so she’s CONCERNED ok? It doesn’t take much persuasion to join forces with the rest of the rag-tag group of high profile rogues to figure this out, and her next proposition is this: grill the Penguin for information.

Oswald Cobblepot is SO not prepared for the joint forces of Catwoman, Two-Face, Riddler, Harley, and Ivy and before long he’s telling them what little he knows about the Joker and his excursion to Ethiopia.

And they all just kinda— freeze. Because— what? No, Robin can’t be dead. Robin is magic. That spunky little kid who’d throw pebbles at Riddler, the one who’d always try to pick-pocket Catwoman, the one urging Harley to leave-the-Joker-he’s-an-ass, the one who always drives Harvey insane with his prime numbers, the one who’d stalked all the way into Robinson park just to ask Ivy how to save the little potted plant he’d been gifted—-

No, no he can’t be dead… right?

But he is. And the talon who’d always kept him safe? That one is gone, too. Nobody knows where he went, but Batman is unspooling, and unspooling fast. And the rogues… well, for once they keep quiet. they don’t give Batman any additional grief (god knows he’s got enough) and instead now make it a point to keep kids out of their business in silent solidarity.

From that day forward any and all people who try to associate themselves with the Joker get taken down by them with extreme prejudice. You think Batman is bad? Try spouting some Joker loving bullshit in front of Ivy. She doesn’t even have to ask her plants to gut you and hang you from the carousel at amusement mile like a Christmas ornament. And god forbid you say anything negative about Robin.

[carionto]

Planets and plants are weird

Context one, two and three (the comments here heavily influenced this)

"It caught on fire again!"

Exclaimed Everie for the third time in as many months. His colleagues - Henrietta and Gieverne - are pondering their own problems. The three scientists (plus five currently normal Human not-mutated interns) were busy being frustrated with the dinosaur planet they named Ramforinkus.

Large swathes of the planet seem to just... catch on fire randomly, probably due to the high oxygen concentration. What's weird is that even though the atmosphere is mostly homogeneous the fires don't spread more than about 7-9 kilometers at a time, and only burn the top layer of vegetation. The ferns are quite fire retardant, and the lower levels of the insanely deep forests and jungles are rich in carbon dioxide.

It appears the plant-life maintains some sort of semi-gaseous moisture layer that traps the CO2 below, but releases it once they detect their upper leaves are burning, quenching the flames. The burnt leaves fall down and create a kind of natural fertilizer.

In a similar manner, the algae layer covering every body of water we could discern also regularly catches on fire. This, however, burns up almost the entire area, which can be from a few thousands to several hundreds of thousands of square kilometers, creating a very awful sludge layer that slowly sinks and poisons the water. Well, it would be poisonous if this planet had any kind of fish or other fauna. As it stands, it just becomes a very healthy source of food for the algae spores.

Due to this volatile nature, the local atmospheric composition shifts quite wildly in short bursts, rendering it impossible for any unshielded creature we were planning to introduce to survive. Even if we made it fire resistant (which we did after quite a few trials) we have so far been unable to make one that can breathe air that has almost no CO2 and high O2, to almost the inverse.

Even by Human standards, we have to admit that this is, in fact, a Deathworld.

In the upper layers that is.

It took Gieverne almost a month to get approval to transfer the station here plus a nightmarish effort to actually tow it through hyperspace. We are not giving up that easily.

The lower layers, especially down by the root systems, are actually quite stable. And the soil is incredibly rich. Okay, the air down there is almost entirely unbreathable for any known species within the Galaxy, save for some extremophile bacteria, but it is a stable impossibility, and we can work with that.

If we can't have flying dinosaurs here, then we'll make burrowing ones! Henrietta finished a mug of extra strong cup of cocoa and muttered ominously, to the dismay of her intern:

"Mark my words, Ramforinkus. You will either sustain dinosaurs I make for you, or I'll remake you into a world where the ones I grew up with in picture books can live on."

[maxislvt]

She Drains Me Slowly

Summary: As much as you loved Wanda, you could no longer tolerate being her puppy. The way every vampire in a 20 mile radius gawked and fawned over you like some teacup poodle was beyond humiliating. Even with the promise that no "low level" vampire would put their hands on you, you still found yourself being stroked and cooed at by complete strangers very often. There was only so much you could take before you would snap. You decided to give yourself a break, but your owner had other plans.

Tags: aggressive behaviors, series typical manipulation, mommy kink, nonsexual pet play

A/N: no more than 20 of y'all could've seen this when it first came out. so I'm posting the final part again! Hope y'all enjoy it. I will take drabble/headcanon requests for vampire!wanda :)

Series Masterlist

You had lasted all of three weeks before you were officially done with Wanda's antics. You loved her, you truly did, but she was starting to become suffocating. You couldn’t go anywhere or do anything without her around and her rules were absolutely insane. What was once sexually liberating and tastefully degrading was now dreadful and distasteful to you. You didn’t want to be a doll or a pup or whatever nickname Wanda could come up with to make you fall back into her arms. No more pet names, no more rules, and definitely no more collars. Just time to exist as you were without Wanda constantly looking over your shoulder. As much as you wanted that, you were deathly afraid of how your lover would react. Wanda had become increasingly volatile and possessive. The slightest misstep or the smallest hint of disobedience would land you a punishment. Logically, you decided to just leave the second you got an excuse. Thankfully, it came quickly. You had to get some books for your classes in the upcoming semester. Though you would usually just find a free PDF online or borrow some from the library, you had to get some fresh air and head back into town. You missed your friends. Wanda never officially barred you from calling or texting them, but it wasn’t the same as spending time with them in person and it wasn’t easy to do when she literally stood behind you the entire conversation.

Your plan was simple. You would be a good pet all morning until Wanda left for work. Then, you’d get ready and leave. Maybe you’d talk to some friends after you got the books, but you wouldn’t spend more than a couple hours in town. It was a long walk from where Wanda lived to the edge of town and then an even longer walk from the gate to the library. You wouldn’t have time to do everything you wanted, but something was better than nothing at all.

The start of the day was pretty off. Wanda guided you through your morning like normal, she seemed more dominant than usual, but you thought nothing of it. You and Wanda ate in complete silence. That was the first red flag. Wanda would normally ask you about whatever your latest fixation was or give you the rundown of her schedule for the day. The second was her lack of guidance when you two went to brush your teeth and clean your faces. Wanda was most dominant during that time. She’d put toothpaste on your toothbrush and guide you through the intense facial routine she had set for you. Today, she just guided you to the bathroom and left you to your own devices. You never realize how poor your self-care skills were until she reprimanded you for almost washing your face with moisture and then putting on toner after your sunscreen. The worst of it was Wanda had almost no care for getting you dressed. She haphazardly threw your outfit together and was strangely rough when dressing you. To say your feelings were hurt was an understatement, but Wanda seemed to be nothing but a blood sucking brick wall. You held your tongue and decided it would be better for the both of you to just let her leave.

Wanda leaving was by far the worst “best” thing to happen all morning. She lingered around for hours just stomping and huffing as she washed the dishes, gathered her keys, and put on her shoes. Occasionally, you two would lock eyes and she’d have this weird expectant look on her face. You would turn away out of confusion then she would sigh obnoxiously loud before finding something else to do. Eventually, she stormed out the house in a quiet rage, making sure to slam the door hard enough to shake what felt like the entire house.

Finally, you were alone.

There was an unmistakable, but now unfamiliar burn in your chest. You were abandoned. Alone, frustrated, and nearly naked in what now felt like a stranger's house. You wanted to cry, but decided not to waste time. Your body dragged itself from the couch, through the living room, and finally to your closet. The grandness of where you were had been lost on you until that moment. The distance was nothing when you excitedly ran around it, but now it seemed endless as your feet dragged you across it. Dressing yourself had a weird melancholic freedom to it. You didn’t think too much about what you put on as long as it fit comfortably and actually covered your body, it was good.

You found yourself storming out the house the same way Wanda did. Angry and without care for anything else. You stomped through the house and slammed the door just as she did. It didn’t carry as much weight since she wasn’t there to see your acts of aggression, but it at least made you feel better. You found yourself stomping all the way down the hill and to the gate. It was a difficult feat and you felt ridiculous, but you held your ground. You stopped at the gate to catch your breath. Just as you were about to attempt to yank off the lock and run off, you heard footsteps. Your blood ran cold and you were frozen in place.

“That was a good show, puppy. For a moment, you really had me thinking you were actually trying to escape.”

The mere sound of her voice made your throat tighten up. Her voice had a deceptive sweetness to it that you were all too familiar with. It terrified you. Your grip on the lock tightened. All you had to do was pull it and walk away. You were leaving for a good reason. There was no reason for her to be upset with you, all you had to do was explain yourself. Yet, something was screaming at you that Wanda wouldn’t listen to you. Your body wanted to run. So that’s what you did. Shaking arms steadied themselves and pulled down with strength that surely wasn’t yours. Your legs bent, ready to speed off the second there was enough space in the gate for your body to slip through.

Instead, your body tumbled back from a push that seemingly came out of nowhere. Your head hit the ground in seconds. If it had anything other than grass and dirt, you surely would’ve cracked your skull. Your trembling arms struggled to lift you up off the ground. Your vision was slightly blurred, but it was clearly Wanda in front of you. It was like she magically appeared in front of you. “Wanda, I was just-”

“Just what? Just running away like some untrained mutt?” Her grip on the bars of the gate was strong enough to make the metal bend. “I feed you, bathe you, and keep you happy and you try to leave me,” She shouted before slamming the gate behind her. Wanda walked over to you and grabbed you by the front of your shirt. It was tight enough to restrict your breathing. There wasn’t a word in the English language to describe how angry Wanda was. Your plan to escape wasn’t a secret by any means, but she had given you a chance to be honest with her and you still decided to be sneaky and underhanded. She lifted you up with god-like strength so you were face to face. “There isn’t anything — or anyone — that you need that’s outside that gate. You hear me?” She wasn’t satisfied with the meek nod you had given her in response. “I said, do you hear me,” She repeated with more emphasis. “I have no problem breaking stupid mutts like you. So I suggest you behave yourself.”

“Yes ma’am. I’m so sorry, I promise I won’t act out again, I just needed to get my–” Your rambling was cut off by Wanda tightening her grip on your shirt. Your hands gripped onto her wrist as you were forcibly dragged back up the hill. Wanda had never been so careless with you. Even with the roughest punishment, she was careful to never push your boundaries. Now, you were just a rag doll for her to take her anger out on. “Please, I just wanted to get some books for my classes.” Lying to Wanda was always a dangerous game. She could find out the truth at any given moment and then your fate would be in her hands. It was your fault. That’s what you had convinced yourself. If you had just been honest with her, maybe she’d let you go. Wanda wasn’t cruel unless you forced her hand.

Wanda practically threw you against the floor of her house. She gently closed the door this time before turning towards you. Her tongue pressed against the inside of her cheek. “Don’t worry about that. You won’t be leaving this house without me any time soon,” She asked through gritted teeth. She slowly stepped forward. For a moment, the corners of her mouth turned upwards. The sight of you trembling and attempting to escape her was addictive. She stepped forward again. Then she took another one. And another one. Then two more after that. And before she knew it, she had you trapped between her and the front of the couch. She slowly bent down so the two of you were face to face. Her hand snaked to the back of your neck and gripped it tightly. “I don’t wanna treat you like a mutt. I want you to be my good puppy and my perfect doll, but I have to punish you when you act out.” Her hand moved to the front of your neck and slowly began to squeeze.

Most people would’ve fought back. Clawed at her hands and tried to kick her off. Yet, you stayed still. You let Wanda’s strong hands wrap around your throat and selfishly steal your breath away. Even when your vision became speckled with black spots. You took your punishment like any good toy would. Any praise or degradation from your owner had fallen on deaf ears as your body lulled into unconsciousness. Death very well could’ve been knocking at your front door, but you were strangely okay with that. If Wanda wanted you dead for your betrayal, so be it.

Wanda finally let go when she was sure you had been knocked out. There was nothing but silence. Had you not been right in front of her, she would have thought she had been sent to the past. Back to when she was cooped up in her mansion with no one to share it with. Her hands cupped your face. It would’ve been sweet if you weren’t passed out by her own doing. It was just possessive now. One hand pushed you forward into her chest and the other stroked your hair. “Oh puppy, you don’t have a clue how much you mean to me.” You were the love of her life. Even if she demoted you all the way down to a mutt and would strip you of any freedoms she had given you once before, she still loved you. It was just a kind of love you would have no choice but to get used to.

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

When you woke up, you were surprisingly comfortable. Wrapped in fluffy warm sheets and surrounded by the relaxing scent of lavender and french vanilla. Had your legs not been throbbing from bruises or your neck not burned from being choked, you would’ve thought your failed escape plan was just a bad dream. Your hand blindly reached out for the warmth of your owner. You knew she wouldn’t be there, but you held out hope. A sigh escaped your lips as you forced your aching body to sit up right. There was no telling how long you’d be in trouble, but you would rather start your punishment now than hold it off. Walking to Wanda’s room felt. Your body weighed like a ton of bricks and your vision seemingly failed to recover from being knocked out, but you pushed forward regardless. Fortunately, your treacherous journey was cut short. The second you walked past the door to Wanda’s study, everything felt better.

She knew you were standing there, but decided to see what you would do. Maybe you’d start crying and beg her for forgiveness or maybe you’d keep up your little tantrum of independence and demand she apologize to you. Though you had repeatedly shown that you couldn’t be trusted, she wanted to give you the chance to redeem yourself naturally. Her eyes stayed focused on the monitor until you tugged at the sleeve of her suit jacket. "Is something the matter," She asked innocently. She knew exactly what was wrong. You wanted to be coddled and cuddled like you were the most precious thing on Earth, but knew it wasn't the treatment you deserved. " Use your words. I know you're just a mutt, but mommy doesn't understand pointing and pouting."

The use of such an honorific caught you off guard. Wanda had never used one before. She was your owner, but she never called herself that and you weren't obligated to refer to her as such. "I..Can I sit there? On the bed, I mean…Can I sit on the bed, please?" You tensed up underneath the hand that touched your face. It wasn't as warm and adoring as you were used to, but you were overjoyed to be touched again.

Wanda forced you to bend down to her eye level. "You can sit, but I need you to be extra quiet so I can work. Okay?" She normally wouldn't accept just a nod as confirmation, but you were clearly too shaken up for any proper discipline. Her chair rolled back so you could comfortably lay down in the bed underneath her desk. It had gone unused since she rarely worked from home. "This is a bed meant for a puppy and not a mutt, but if you behave I'll let you keep it." Wanda gave you a quick kiss on the lips before she pulled her chair back up and went to work.

Despite the trouble you put yourself in, not much changed. Wanda still checked on you every few minutes and mandatory snack breaks were just as consistent. What used to be cookies with milk were now bowls of fruit paired with water because "only good puppies get sweet snacks" as your owner bluntly. Wanda's break was usually reserved for "playtime" but she decided it was better to clean up what mutt she brought home instead.

Part of you worried that it would be a repeat of earlier. That you'd be carelessly tossed around and left to your own devices again. Fortunately, Wanda could extend her kindness to even the most disobedient mutts. She ran your bath with the same bath and bubbles you had grown to love. Your underwear and the tight fabric around your chest were removed with such care, you almost forgot why you wanted to run away.

Wanda guided you into the bathtub, taking extra care so your disoriented body wouldn't slip. Normally, she would get in with you, but there wasn't enough time for that. There was barely enough time to properly attend to you, but she was more than willingly to keep a few stuck up vampires waiting if it meant taming your disobedient soul. The pristine white suit jacket was carelessly discarded on the floor. She carefully unbuttoned her blouse and rolled up the sleeves. A smile spread across her face at the way you excitedly extended your arm out for her to wash. "You wanna be mommy's puppy again real bad, don't you," She teased as her fingers squished your cheeks.

You giggled at the strange affection. Your heart soared at the softness, but something in the back of your head had convinced you there was no need to talk. It was soft and corrosive. If you just played with the bubbles and let Wanda do whatever wanted, everything would be fine. Wanda would only be mean if you were mean to her. Just be good, that's all you had to do. For a moment, you wondered where the voice was coming from. You looked to Wanda, assuming she could hear it too, but all you got in return was a dotting look. It warmed your heart just enough to forget about the voice. "I'm sorry about this morning…I should have asked first."

Wanda let out a disappointed sigh. "You really should have, I don't want you to run off and get sick like last time." There was a purposeful air of nonchalant to her statement. She glanced up briefly, happy to see the confused expression on your face. "You remember when we were both really mad at each other and you ignored me for a super long time," Wanda said with faux innocence. It was her fault you had been upset, no sane person would say otherwise. "Then you got super sick and I had to sneak in to help you feel better. You got sick because of our connection." She reached into the tub and grabbed your hand. Her thumb carefully rubbed the bit marks she left weeks ago. "If we stay apart too long or get mad at each other, we'll both get sick and I don't want my mutt to get sick. Then they can't become a puppy."

Had this happened any earlier in your relationship, you would've shriveled up and demanded she talk to you like an adult. Yet, you found an odd comfort in her belittling tone of speech. "Oh, I didn't know that…I'm sorry," You whispered, suddenly ashamed and embarrassed of your previous behavior. You shifted slightly so Wanda could continue bathing you. "I won't go if it'll make you sick." It was an insane promise to make. You couldn't just not go to college. Though your parents were always supportive of your decisions, they certainly wouldn't be happy to see their money go to waste at the whim of a suitor they had never met. Plus, graduating college had been your dream since you were old enough to think — you couldn't just give up on it now with no regrets.

Wanda laughed at your blind dedication. "Oh, sweetheart, I would never make you drop out. We just have to make some arrangements so I can keep up with you," She cooed before kissing your cheek. "I'll have someone go and do all that boring stuff so you can stay with mommy until you have to go back." Wanda left no room for disagreement, which was fine since you didn't have any. Cleaning you up was a destresser that she couldn't go without. Even if she couldn't dress you up like a doll or even collar you like a puppy, taking care of you was fun.

So long as the two of you were connected, you would be anything she wanted.

[notyour-valentine]

The Boy in the Window 14 ~ Tommy Shelby x Reader (Series)

Chapter Summary: Just like Tommy wanted, (Y/N) leaves Birmingham with the children.

Notes: This chapter might feel a little slow, but it will set up the final act. I do not consent to my work being translated, copied or posted elsewhere on this platform or any other.

Here, you can find my [Masterlist] and the [Series Masterlist]

Warning: Canon conforming mention of violence. (18/21+). Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Expect spoilers for Peaky Blinders Season 1-4.

Wordcount: 5321

Part 14

[Previously]

She felt sore. 

It was the kind of sore that one did not only feel in one's muscles after a long day of hard work, nor the kind of sore that made the joints ache after spending too much time on hands and knees scrubbing floors. 

It also wasn't the kind of sore one felt in their head after trying to read in too dim light. 

The closest comparison would probably have been the way one felt going to bed only to wake up with a heavy cold, carrying a dull sense that something was far from alright. 

And (Y/N) felt tired too- so very tired. 

It was the kind of exhaustion that lingered too deep for sleep to fix. 

And even if she were to find a bed to lie down in, sleep would not come. 

For that her thoughts were too volatile, too dark and too terrible. 

A part of her felt like she was being held together by nothing but a few strings, already coming loose at the seams. 

Any wobble, any slight bump and they'd rip, scattering pieces of her by the thousands. 

It made her want to scream. 

Only she couldn't. 

She still had the children. 

Their innocence had softened her clenched hands and had warmed her icy heart in those terrible days past in which she had waited, alone and afraid. 

They had soothed her, at least a little bit, but today they did not even reach her. 

It was as if an invisible but impenetrable wall had made her immune to any emotion apart from the bottomless misery and terror she felt. 

For them though, it was a wonderful, wondrous adventure filled with curiosities and excitement. 

Even before they had stepped out of the house, they had been running around, giggling about buccaneers and pirate ships, never knowing what the black leather bag held. 

In it were necessities for a few days, as well as important paperwork and a lot more money than she had ever held on to at any given point in her life. 

They also didn't know why (Y/N) went back upstairs alone, making sure Emma had truly packed both Duffie and Mrs. Tatters both. The loss of any one of her stuffed animals would be a tragedy to the both of them.

Nor did they have any inclination why she had lingered in the hall. 

And yet the very concrete possibility of her not returning to the house she had been born in, the one her parents and brother had died in, was not the one that frightened her. 

It almost seemed dull in comparison.

They had considered getting the children out of the city as early as possible, but discarded that thought rather quickly. 

 If they tried to leave in the black of night, it could be seen as suspicious and that was a risk they couldn’t take. 

The Shelbys were Small Heath born and bred, but so was Mrs. Changretta. It would be foolish to imagine she no longer had ties to the city, old acquaintances, friends or just people that had grievances with the Shelbys.

And, as Tommy had confessed in the black of night, he had broken the bargain he had made with Luca Changretta by involving the police, which had catapulted them back to square one. 

No rules. No honour. 

It was a tightrope they walked on, balancing the need for their safety with the necessity of not hinting that something may be amiss. 

They simply could risk drawing suspicion of any kind if they wanted his plan, which already seemed insanely dangerous to her, to work.

A woman, however, and two children taking a morning walk was far less dubious, especially since they had gone rather often. 

So for a change, she hadn't cared for the questioning glares that had followed her ever since Finn Shelby had driven her home. 

Once at the yard, she had Curly and Mr. Strong to help her, whether it be with the bag or with the children. 

They said hello to the horses, before making their way to the canal. 

The two men lifted the children onto the deck before Mr. Strong helped her. 

When her heels touched the swaying ground, he held onto her hands, giving them a little squeeze. 

"Tommy's got a plan."

It was meant to be reassuring, but (Y/N) knew of his other plan, the one that would only be fulfilled if his first went horrifically awry. 

And it made her blood run cold. 

Thankfully, Emma and Charlie had a blast exploring the boat before playing "I spy with my little eye" as Curly steered the boat through the canals and away from the city. 

That way they had little time to pay attention to her. 

“I spy with my little eye something that is green!”

“But everything is green!”

“Dark green!”

Listening to their chatter, (Y/N) sat down on a box.

From here, she could rest her arm on the railing and watch the long strands of factory buildings give way to the storage units as they left the heart of the city.

Before long, they passed the one he had taken them to on Charlie's birthday, his shoulders made heavy by John’s absence. 

They had walked for half an eternity that day and now it felt like they had reached it in a matter of heartbeats. 

Only a few weeks had passed, but they felt like an age ago now- when she had started the day early to make sure everything was prepared for Charlie only to end it in his father's arms. 

And on their way back from here, he had held Emma with such tender care, she almost felt ashamed to have once thought that the very hands that held her close could possibly hurt her. 

Don't, she reprimanded herself, forcing her eyes shut. 

Thinking about that would only make it worse. But she also couldn't not think of it. 

She tried taking deep and soothing breaths to steady herself, while listening to the slight splashing of water against the boat and to the hushed voices of the children so that she wouldn't have to listen to her own frantic heartbeat pulsing in her ears.  

Oh God please, she thought, wringing her hands in her lap. 

He couldn't die, he simply couldn't, not with so many relying on him. 

But while it couldn't be an option, it very much remained a possibility. 

When (Y/N) felt the tears come again, she began to count. 

Trying to think of nothing would only lead her down the same treacherous path towards the grim reality of the situation, so she focused on keeping the numbers steady. 

Anything so that the children wouldn't see. 

It wouldn't do to spread her sickening fear to them never, and especially not when they were so excited at the prospect of a little adventure.

Fate and the Changrettas might soon ruin that and more soon enough without her help. 

So (Y/N) sat there, with her eyes closed and counting as the boat carried them further and further away from the city, into uncertainty. 

And she did not move until the boat came to a halt. 

"Tommy said we can stop here.", Curly announced. 

His voice, as always, was gentle and soft. 

When her eyes fluttered open, the light blinded her. 

Curly had taken them out of the city, somewhere deep into the countryside where the straight lines of the canals of Birmingham had been replaced with a wider river, who's edges were no longer lined with bricks but rather bushes, grass and rocks. 

There was no sign of buildings, not even in the distance. Instead, all she could see were the trees that stretched out beyond the riverbank. 

Some towered larger than buildings with stems so wide she could wrap her arms around them without being able to touch her hands. 

There was something intact about this place, as if it hadn't ever seen the sight of people before. 

Curly seemed less in awe than she was, setting the anchor before taking a thick rope in his hands. 

Without a single second of hesitation, he jumped off if the edge of the boat into the shallow water, or ateast that was what she thought. 

Only when (Y/N) leaned over the edge, she could see that there was something not too far below the surface which allowed Curly to cross with ease, to a spot where he could tie the rope around a tree to secure the boat. 

"What do we do now?", Emma asked, tugging at her sleeve. 

This was her first time on a boat and she had taken it in her stride. 

Curly climbed back into the boat, bringing half a puddle with him. 

“I’ll show ya.”, He said, bending down behind a few boxes and returning with a large plank in his hands. 

The wood had mean iron hooks attached at the end of it, which he secured in place on the side of the boat before letting it drop over the edge, creating a bridge of sorts between them and the riverbank. 

Confident in his own work, he checked it with his own weight, giving himself a nod of approval before turning back to them. 

“Alright, Emma, c’mere.”, he said. 

He picked her daughter up in his arms as if she weighed no more than a doll, carrying her over the makeshift bridge with ease. 

But despite his known strength and expertise, while she watched, her heart thundered in her chest. 

“Stay right there!”, she warned Emma when Curly set her down on the green grass. "Don't even think about wandering off."

Emma nodded, although she leaned to both sides as much as she could to take in her new surroundings. 

Curly returned a moment later to fetch Charlie, sitting him down next to Emma who hadn’t dared to move a single toe. 

As soon as they were together, Emma began to whisper and point. 

Now, with her, Curly only held her arm as he helped her over the rather wobbly path. 

“Can we go play now, Mummy?”, Emma asked, as soon as her shoes sank into the muddy earth. 

Her eyes were already shining in giddy anticipation. 

“Not yet.”, she warned, as Curly returned to the boat once more to fetch their things. 

“This is a good place.”, he told her, as she helped him with the bags and basket of food. 

All (Y/N) could see was nature, but Curly led them through the maze of trees to a clearing she never would have suspected. 

A few trees must have been cut off to make room, with their trunks laid out in an almost perfect circle. 

In their midst, she could see the ideal spot for a firepit, that by the looks of it, had been dug long ago. 

“This is an old campsite?”, she asked. 

Curly nodded eagerly. 

“They used to come there, they did, back when they were children.”

A gypsy camp then, or something close enough to make no difference. 

Her eyes narrowing, she glanced around. 

It was close to water, and quiet, far away from trouble. Even as a city girl, she could recognise the bushes and knew that, come spring, they’d promise to hold berries of all kind. 

If she had come upon this place at any time but now, she could have considered it beautiful. 

Together with Curly, she laid out a thick blanket on the ground and while he saw to the fire, she unpacked the food they had brought. 

As they had been travelling for the better part of three hours, the children had to eat, even if the thought of food turned her stomach. 

They, and Curly, ate their sandwiches and then the fruit she had cut up before curling up beside her for some down time after lunch. 

Wrapped in a second blanket, close to the fire, they seemed more than content as she read them another story. 

But they didn’t stay quiet for too long, eager to explore this new place they found themselves in. 

And it would have been impossible for her to keep them close even if she wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around them and cling to them the way she had done when they had been hiding in Emma's bedroom, expecting anything and fearing the worst. 

“Not too far.”, she warned them, before letting them go. 

First, they rushed around the campsite like little detectives, but soon they got an idea. 

“Mummy,”, Emma asked, “Mummy, can we build a hut?”

She nodded. 

Immediately they ran off again, to collect sticks and fallen twigs, with Curly helping them with the larger ones. 

He ran some larger ones into the ground, leaning them against a tree. 

It created something of a triangular shape, with a gap in the middle big enough for the children to fit inside. 

She did not know if it was a conscious decision of his to watch the children, but she was glad he did. 

Keeping her voice calm and her hands steady, her face composed and her eyes dry in front of them had taken such a toll on her it made her bones ache. 

And his attention gave her the freedom to walk among the trees and drop her mask somewhere they would not be able to see, somewhere where she could allow herself to be weak.

Once out of their sight, her fingers dug into the wood of tree to her side, clutching the old wood until she felt the dirt and chipped bark gather under her fingernails. 

It could all be over now. 

He could already be dead by now. 

All these thoughts, all these worries were familiar to her after weeks of the vendetta, but they seemed more daunting today, especially now that she knew what legacy he would leave her with…what he could have already left her with - a child, a little boy who adored, admired and needed his father. 

The last time around she had wondered how she could possibly tell him, but Tommy Shelby had left her with a heavier burden to carry. 

And what if they came for her?

A vendetta was not just between individuals, but between families. 

Tommy had broken the arrangement. And now Tommy had betrayed him.

If his plan had failed, they would be out for blood - for Tommy’s blood. 

Her grip on the old wood tightened as she took a trembling breath. 

God please protect him, she prayed, I know he’s not exactly your church’s definition of a good man, but he’s done good…more good than bad. I think. 

It was not a very good argument, especially not considering who she was bargaining with, and what was at stake. 

But he’s not bad. He does what he has to do to protect those he loves, And you didn’t exactly give him an easy start, now did you?

She sniffled, wiping her eyes with a trembling hand. 

Charlie needs him, she thought. Charlie needs him and he’s a good boy, a lovely, kind boy and he has already lost a mother. He can’t lose a father too. 

That’s when the tears came, the treacherous, backstabbing tears she had vowed herself not to shed. 

You have to let him live for Charlie. 

She didn’t dare ask for her own sake. 

It wasn’t a good prayer, or a conclusive one, but at least it was truthful. Above all other things, it was honest - honest and desperate. 

She took a few moments to compose herself, wiping her eyes and pressing her watch to her eyes to reduce the swelling, and time to get rid of the redness. 

Still, there was no certainty, so all she could do was hope, as she returned to the site. 

The children’s little hut had come along rather impressively with the help of Curly, and they were both aching to show her. 

They even had her climb inside. From somewhere they had gotten smaller logs which now served as tiny chairs, making her feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland after eating the cake.  

“Well done.”, she praised, stroking over the back of Charlie’s head. 

Please, Lord, please. 

But since it was very crammed with her and two children, she soon crawled out again, on her hands and knees, getting dirt all over them. 

The stillness of nature had been her friend before, almost a blessing. When she had first moved out of the city she hadn’t known how lucky she was, but now the whispering of the wind, the groan of the old trees, the faint sound of birds that hadn't chosen to leave for the winter seemed treacherous to her, a calm before the storm, the silence after a catastrophe. 

Sitting down on one of the many upturned logs, she tried to smooth the fabric of her dress down with shaking hands, trying to focus on anything but the noise inside her head. 

The silence didn't help. 

But then it wasn't silent anymore. 

At first it was a distant rumbling, the kind (Y/N) couldn't place, so she had reduced it to the river, or perhaps her own imagination, but it grew ever louder. 

The realisation came all at once, making her jump up. 

"Curly!", She hissed, not daring to cry out even if she wanted to. 

It would only give them away, more than the fire already did. 

She should have realised, she should have known and stopped it. Now it was like a beacon, giving them away. 

"Curly, someone's coming!", She repeated, glancing over her shoulder. 

A frown came to the man's face as he got up from where he had been kneeling with the children, tying thinner branches into knots. 

But then his expression changed.

"Oh it's alright.", He told her with a keen smile and eager nod. 

"Only good people know this place."

She did not share his conviction, but what could she do? 

Run? She wouldn't get far with two small children. 

Hide? Possibly, but then what, and more importantly where. 

All too soon she could see the headlights glimmering, like torchbearers of doom. 

And she froze, too uncertain even to pray, let alone move. 

"Dad!", Charlie cried out, running towards him with open arms, having recognised the car before they could make out the driver. 

Tommy picked him up with ease, setting him on his hip and carrying him back towards the fire. Behind him, the car door remaining open and abandoned, deemed irrelevant in comparison. 

When (Y/N) felt her knees begin to wobble, she braced herself on one of the many felled logs and sat down, exhaling. 

The children’s voices still rung through clear as day. 

“We were on a boat with Curly and Emma and I tried to count all the trees but they were too many and then we played I spy with my little eye but until Emma cheated.”, Charlie rambled. 

“I didn’t cheat!”, Emma snapped. 

“Yes you did!”, he argued, before turning to his father. 

“She said she saw something blue and she meant my eyes even though she knew I couldn’t see them- it was unfair!”

Emma only giggled and shrugged, as innocent as an angel on Christmas. 

“But then we came here and we built a hut, a proper hut! Curly helped us, and you can even come and sit inside.”, he continued, the squabble quickly forgotten. 

“Will you come see?”, Emma asked. 

Tommy’s gaze followed their eyes. 

“In a bit, Emma.”, he said, “Just let me talk to your mum first.”

Lord help me, she thought. 

But the divine intervention never came. 

Instead, Tommy slowly made his way over to her. 

Only when he was standing right in front of her, did she lift her eyes again. 

“You’re hurt.”

It wasn’t a question. 

She could see the swelling where his bottom lip had split, and the way he was slanted slightly to the side with every step he took. 

A bruise at least, possibly even a cracked rib. 

“It’s nothing.”, he assured her.

Despite his words, she reached for her handkerchief, drizzling some water on it before she went to wipe the dried blood under his nose away. Only a little had remained, but it was still there, and doing this felt infinitely better than doing nothing. 

“No one’s gotten hurt but me.”, he assured her in a whisper. 

“Just me - and Luca. He’s dead.”

(Y/N) nodded, not sure how to react. 

The church had taught her to value life, and even without all it’s lessons, she would have felt uncomfortable to find joy in the death of another human, but relief was different thing. 

And she felt relieved. 

More than her body was able to show, maybe even able to handle, as she only nodded once more. 

It wasn’t right to be glad that someone had died, but maybe it was less wrong as long as someone else had died. 

But that was a question for a priest or a scholar, not someone like her. 

She’d tell him and say her prayers, serve her penance, but (Y/N) Hale doubted it would make her feel any different. 

Thank God, she thought, as Charlie pulled his father away, having taken him by the hand to show him a creation of his own. 

Thank God it’s Luca and not him.

~

It wasn’t a conscious decision they made, it just happened.

For a while she had been too drained and too impartial to make any decisions, allowing the children to take the reins.

Tommy hadn't fared much better and so it had been up to Curly, who had indulged them.

Only when the sun was already setting, did they wonder how they would get back.

“I’m not driving in the dark…not tonight.”, Tommy had whispered into the crackling fireplace over which the children roasted the remaining apples, having pierced them with sticks they had sharpened with Curly’s pocket knife.

Tommy hadn’t eaten yet, not a sandwich, not a bit of cake, not a slice of apple.

And yet he seemed to be more gathered than he had been the last time around.

He was focused, still. And his hands did not shake.

But she could see he was tired.

Perhaps because it was the first time he allowed himself to feel the exhaustion of the last few weeks, now, when it had come to the end.

In the end, Curly had taken the car back to the city, and with it the message that Tommy would not return tonight.

Someone had to tell the others he was alright, but something kept Tommy from returning to the city just yet and she did not want to leave him all by himself.

That left only one alternative.

“What if we float away?”, Emma asked suspiciously, kneeling on the bench, her nose pressed to the tiny window from which they could look out.

What Emma tried to see there, (Y/N) did not know.

In the absence of furnaces, of factory lights and street lamps, the only light source came from the sky, and the rest of the world lay in darkness.

“We won’t.”, Tommy told her. “There’s an anchor and the boat’s tied to a tree.”

Still, she frowned, as (Y/N) continued to braid her hair to make sure it wouldn’t get tangled.

“But if we float, where do we end up? All the way in the ocean?”

“It would take more than just one night for us to float to the ocean.”, (Y/N) told her when she tied off the ends.

Emma chewed on that for a moment, climbing into her lap.

Still, she frowned.

“It’ll be fine, eh.”, Tommy assured her.

I hope, (Y/N) thought.

She wasn’t too keen on this idea of his, but it beat trying to sleep outside in the cold, even if they couldn't light a fire in here.

“Mummy, do you want to sleep on the boat too?”, she asked, turning to look at her.

“I think so.”, she said. “I wouldn’t want to sleep out here all alone. I get all cold and scared.”

“I’d stay with you.”, Charlie offered.

When she looked at him, she saw nothing but devotion and loyalty in his bright blue eyes - those darling eyes, which she would never forget.

(Y/N) reached over and gave his hands a squeeze, knowing her attempt at a smile wouldn't be enough.

“That’s very sweet, but I think we’ll all stay here.”

With that, she allowed her eyes to trail over the small space below deck.

It had never looked to be a large boat, but she had not expected it to seem this tiny from below deck.

How on earth this little boat had held all the Shelbys at once, was beyond her.

There was only one bed, or rather a small cushioned bench that could serve as a bed.

Tommy lifted up the lid to reveal some blankets which seemed to be older than he was.

One glance at them was enough for her.

“We will not give them to the children.”, she insisted, her tone sharper than she had anticipated.

He picked one up, and turned it, as if searching for whatever she deemed insufficient about it, but he chose not to argue.

And so the children took the blanket she had brought to keep them warm. She rolled her coat up and tied her scarf around it to create a pillow large enough for the two of them.

For herself and Tommy, who had to make do with the floor, she used the age-old blankets to create a softer surface for them to sleep on, but only after adding the blanket they had used to sit on earlier on top.

It had a few stains by now, but she by far preferred it to any of the other options which had hibernated in the belly of the boat for Lord knows how long.

Best she could, (Y/N) tried to get the children ready for bed.

Thanks to the black leather bag, she could provide them with sleeping clothes, making Emma point at her and cry out: “You knew, Mummy! You knew!”

She did not correct her.

However, in addition to her nightgown and Charlie’s pyjama, she ensured that they both wore jumpers on top of them to keep warm.

Each of them, despite the complaints, had to wear two pairs of socks.

She did not want them to get cold feet during the night.

Once they were snuggled up on the bench and the blankets, (Y/N) knelt down in front of it, first reading the story, then saying their prayer before singing.

Dilly-Dilly was the first choice, and then the Cherry song. Charlie’s favourite.

Not wanting to risk missing another word, he was turned on his side, his head resting on his arm as he watched her, diligently mouthing along to the words.

“A cherry when it’s blooming, it has no stone.

A chicken in an eggshell, it has no bone.

The story of ‘I love you’, it has no end."

The words got stuck in her throat and she had to clear it to be able to finish the song.

"A baby when it’s sleeping has no tears to shed.”

With a shuddering sigh, (Y/N) offered the both of them a smile, before placing their hands back to their chest and leaning over to kiss their forehead, first Emma's, then Charlie's.

“Good night, my darlings!”, she told them with a soft smile. “Sleep well.”

“Good night.”

“Good night, Mummy.”

As soon as she was finished, Tommy dimmed the small oil lamp in the corner.

It felt strange for her to undress in such a small space, with the children so close they could touch her and him not far away either.

She too had brought a nightgown with her, but instead of changing into that, she decided she would probably be warmer if she slept in her normal clothes. So she removed her belt and clasps, only opting to change her blouse for a jumper to keep herself warmer.

Tommy did not have any clothes to change into and so all he did was undo his tie, remove his vest and belt, and get rid of his cufflinks.

He held them in his palm and stretched his hand out to her, allowing her to place her earrings and watch alongside them.

Then, he let the lamp go out, dousing the boat in near complete darkness.

“Oh-oh.”, she heard Emma whisper.

“It’s alright, my darling.”, she assured her, only to feel a small hand searching in the dark for her.

Shifting closer to their bench, she let Emma’s hand clutch hers, holding her arm up.

That way, however, she had moved away from the layer they had made for her and Tommy.

In the darkness it was less that she could see his movement, but more that she could sense him pulling the pile of blankets closer.

Then he sat down, his back leaning against the wall.

(Y/N) drew circles on the palm of Emma’s hand until she could hear her breathing relax and felt her fingers slack.

In her mind, she counted to three hundred, before as gently as if she was difusing a bomb, placed her hand back onto the bench.

She moved in slow motion as she settled down, realising that Tommy had only waited for her.

With all the good blankets given to the children, and the others cushioning the floor, she had mentally prepared herself for a chilly night.

But then she felt the weight and warmth of something on her, first on her legs, then all the way on her shoulders too.

She fabric was coarser than the blankets, and heavier too, but the inside was laced with something softer.

In the end it was more the smell of his cigarette smoke than the fabric that gave it away for what it was.

“What about you?”, she whispered out into the darkness, her voice barely audible as not to wake the children, as her hands ran along the collar of his coat.

“I’ll be fine.”

“You’ll get cold.”

The darkness made her cautious as she reached out.

Her fingers brushed against his side and she pulled back as if she had burned herself.

But then she shifted closer towards him, now knowing where to find him.

It wasn’t right for him to get cold, especially since he had given her his coat for warmth.

“If we turn it,”, she suggested, “it will cover both our chests.”

“Or you just come closer.”

His words cut like a knife and (Y/N) was glad he could not see her face.

She bit her lip until the pain made her focus.

It would only make things harder, but at the same time she did not want him to get ill.

What damage could this do? Genuinely?

They had shared a bed for weeks, had slept in each other’s arms, had found comfort in each other’s embrace.

But that had been before…

Still, she found herself nessling closer towards him.

His arm found hers shoulders and drew her onto his chest.

At least that way, she would not feel cold, and neither would he, but the fact that he held her, and the fact that she could hear his heartbeat, made her own chest burn.

For a few minutes he only held her, and they both listened to the soft, steady breaths of their children.

But then he dared to speak again, his words warm against her ear.

“It was Arthur.”, he whispered. “Arthur who did it.”

(Y/N) nodded.

Arthur was the eldest, and he had been closest with John, especially after the war.

If anyone had to do it, it was right that it was him.

“Arthur did it.”, he said once more, his chest inflating from the deep inhale.

“And it’s over.”

She forced her eyes shut and buried her head in his chest.

His shirt smelled of smoke and gin, of his soap, of green grass - of him.

By now she’d recognise the scent of his shaving cream anywear, but he had said it and it was the truth.

It was over.

End of Part 14

~

Part 15

Thank you for reading! I’d be very grateful for feedback of any kind!

Taglist: 

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[scaly-freaks]

im curious about the relationship between Alicient and Rhaenyra in your fic, it seems like Alicient is trying to save Rhaenyra and her boys, is it out of guilt? And what about Rhaenyra, how does she feels about Alicient now, is the power dynamic (her being a scorned princess and Alicient the most powerful woman in Westeros) stopping her from letting her true emotions show? This context of Rhaenyra losing the war and keeping her head is so underdeveloped yet it's so interesting and intriguing, thank you for exploring it

Aaahhh I just finished answering a comment on AO3 along this same vein! Coinky-dink!

Alicent is - plain and simple - massively in love with her princess still. In fact, Rhaenyra is currently in the same position as Amara, aka this pretty songbird trapped in a cage, being fed lovingly by the hands of her captor who she has complex feelings for (and vice versa). It's almost insane how much Aegon's life parallels Alicent's in this, because he claims to not understand why his mother would be so kind to the sister she helped usurp, but then he's kind to Amara despite making it very obvious her options outside of him are limited.

Rhaenyra definitely is conflicted about Alicent. She notices things like her soft red hair but labels it a taunt. She still remembers burning with jealousy when she found out her father visited Alicent every night after their wedding, and the hell it was to be aware of it. I think when Alicent visits, she's relieved to have another adult on her level to speak to, and she probably wants to give into the Stockholm Syndrome when the Dowager Queen is obviously tender with her (as much as she can be). But it might not be in her best interest to get close to Alicent again. Otto Hightower is still alive after all, and the king would happily go against his mother if it means spiting his sister some more; if anything, when Aegon realises Rhaenyra is opening up to Alicent again (thanks to the spies at Dragonstone) he'd probably shut his mother out of the small council. Currently, Alicent probably mentions things that happen in the small council to Rhaenyra without being asked, and that pipeline of information can be very useful (even if it's just supposedly mundane stuff a lot of the time, for instance grain shortages, or the threat of a plague).

Rhaenyra's figured out by now that her stony attitude keeps Aegon's attention fixed on her alone, to make her life a misery, but that lessens the attention that might fall on her boys (hunting down the Strongs, or taking away the two youngest). He hates her and she wants to keep reminding him of that so the others can go free.

I think she also is aware Aemond and Aegon aren't the bestest bros in all of Westeros (unlike Sunfyre and Aegon) so Rhaenyra could very well decide to sit back and wait for something to go down between them. If it does, she has two legitimate sons from Daemon who are still technically in the male line to the throne (Egg is currently 5th and Viserys is 6th, so it's really not that far considering how volatile dragon wars are and how suddenly infants can die - Jaehaerys is still at a very vulnerable age).

Despite it all, deep down, Rhaenyra knows Alicent better than anyone else currently alive (because how much does Otto truly know his own daughter when he can't even predict when she'll go against him). She still makes exceptions for her, decides that it isn't Alicent's choice to do this to her, that Alicent is still just the nervous, nail-biting, people-pleasing tender young girl she used to be. She's giving into the Stockholm to feel less lonely and return to the old warmth of her childhood companion that she used to know.

p.s. Alicent definitely chose to do all of this to her, to be a part of why Rhaenyra is currently in a cage, but that's the complex nature of the situation I suppose.

[be-the-glenn-to-my-maggie]

Hey, so I saw your post about some fics demonizing Neytiri. That has actually been one of my major fears as a fic writer, attempting to balance Neytiri's extremely valid trauma and the POV I'm writing from (that is typically flawed in some way). I was wondering, since you seem very well-versed on the topic, what do you define as "demonizing" for Neytiri? Is it ok to write from a perspective where a character doesn't really like or trust her, as long as the trauma is noted? Do you have any resources so I can educate myself to properly write this kind of character?

I really want to make sure I'm doing right by Neytiri and improve as a fic writer overall, so any advice you could offer would be very much appreciated!

Whoa, what a complicated and nuanced question. A great one! And I'm super flattered you came to me! Just one I'm going to try to answer to the best of my ability. I'm assuming you're referring to Norm's pov in your fic?

First of all, I do not want to at all proclaim to be an expert on generational trauma; I am not a person of color, and I have been lucky enough to have a very normal and healthy family. I just had a best friend growing up in an abusive household and took steps to educate myself best I could to understand the situation, which I believe anyone would do. So I'm just gonna try to word vomit out my thoughts for you, please ask questions or challenge any of what I say if any of you see anything you think is incorrect. Buckle in, this will be long.

What do you define as "demonizing" for Neytiri?

Demonizing means portraying someone as wicked or threatening, as evil or worthy of contempt and blame.

For me, demonizing for Neytiri is the trend I've seen lately of portraying her as this unyielding, animalistic type character who's hatred of humans, Spider specifically, goes so far that she gets physically violent with Spider and eventually ends up tearing apart her family. In these fics, Jake is always a sad sack loser bystander, loving his wife too much to step in but of course shamefully knowing how wrong what she's doing is. Infantilizing poor white savior Jake Sully, being brow beaten by his mean indigenous wife into neglecting a child is a weirdly strong take in this fandom. Often Mo'at is a wise elder chiding Neytiri for being unable to get over her prejudice. Mo'at and Jake understand Neytiri as much as anyone would, they wouldn't shame her. To me, it's an extremely reductive and frankly borderline racist characterization. When paired with a sympathetic view of Quaritch, it is at best irresponsible and at worst knowingly dangerous.

Neytiri is representative of an indigenous woman. I feel like I don't have to explain why making her violent, volatile, and completely unreasonable is a little bit of a harmful caricature. In these fics, for me, Neytiri ceases to be a person. She looses autonomy to sort of represent this monolith of hatred and prejudice that has hurt our little baby boy Spider. It's crazy to me that people can't apply the exact same empathy they have towards Spider (saving Quaritch) to Neytiri (not being able to trust Spider). They are the most foil of foil characters. Their storylines are extremely similar, if I'm being honest. Essentially, ignoring the fact that Neytiri is a member of a minority community being actively genocided by Spider's people is intentionally reductive. If you can empathize with Spider, and ESPECIALLY if you find Quaritch sympathetic, finding Neytiri's actions unforgivable is racism, plain and simple.

Also, side note, the lengths people go to where Neytiri just literally will not budge under any circumstances at all is INSANE.

(I read a fic the other day where she gave Spider to child protective services behind everyone's back. That's LUNACY. She only came around after she almost lost Tuk when Tuk was suddenly born prematurely and Mo'at came in and was like "Eywa made it so you can never have kids again because of what you did, have you learned your lesson yet?" Like?? I do not understand the HATRED some of ya'll have for her, the suffering you all think she deserves. She's having an EXTREMELY NORMAL trauma reaction to surviving GENOCIDE? Examine yourselves greatly).

But where I was going was Neytiri is the same character who pushed her parents to let them go to human school, fell in love with human Jake, defended him and trusted him despite her family, mated with him and lost her religious position because of it, and then had a bunch of part human kids with him, and adopted a fully freak of nature kid born of a human she loved and respected. She has human friends, she wears and uses human tech, and she forgave Jake after he had betrayed them. Basically what I'm saying is Neytiri, despite her continuous trauma, is the most open and curious and non traditional Na'vi of all time. Girl is READY to meet new people and learn new shit, and to be open to everyone. Sometimes I think about a no trauma Neytiri and I get emotional. I think it's crazy to say she would never budge on Spider, if it wasn't for his dad I'm pretty sure she would've softened lonnnnng ago, if not having liked him from the get go.

Um, that got way too long I have too many thoughts. Second half of your question.

Is it ok to write from a perspective where a character doesn't really like or trust her, as long as the trauma is noted?

This is a tricky question, because technically there is nothing you can't do as a writer. Of course, it also means there is nothing anyone can't criticize you for writing. Like, Colleen Hoover can say she's writing realistic depictions of domestic abuse until the cows come home, I'm still going to say she's romanticizing and normalizing it in a super callous way. Neither of us can stop the other. So yeah, of course you're okay to write from the perspective of a character that doesn't like Neytiri. I just think the point will be what your prerogative is. One of my MFA professors says it in a way I like and I'm sure I've referenced before, if you aren't trying to make a point about something that might have to have a trigger warning then don't include it. I always say I would take it a step further; if your point is to defend that thing, don't do it. So for me, my big points would be try not to project my own feelings onto the character either way; if the character is wrong about something and the narrative intends to show that they will either learn, or we the reader will grow past them. But to be sure what you feel the takeway of the piece is is what you wanted it to be, I guess.

Do you have any resources so I can educate myself to properly write this kind of character?

Well, I have a few on white writers writing BIPOC characters and the ethics of that if you're interested in that. But I don't have any on specifically writing generational trauma. I guess I'd say reading and absorbing are my biggest tools; so reading books/watching movies or TV that use the speculative to translate generational trauma, and learning about and taking in the real life examples the character is based on. Read up on some genocides, and indigenous people today and how their lives are still affected. Even just watch the news; we're witnessing a very public genocide being pushed right to our attention right now. And of course, that is not the only genocide happening rn, it's just the only one we're talking about, so there's plenty of real world case studies unfortunately right in front of us.

[happyk44]

Jason has rules that you can't eat anything after 8 p.m., even if someone is going to starve to death, no one should break this rule.

Coral just wanted to have a snack and so she took a cookie and, of course, she doesn't care that the clock says 8:10...

as a result, Jason runs after her and yells that he will fry her, Percy runs after both of them and yells so that Jason doesn't dare touch his sister.

Hazel and Nico just watch tiredly and wait for the opportunity to intervene at the very last moment.

Haha, I don't know about that rule for my concept of Jason. I feel like wolf instinct is making sure everyone eats (Hazel and Nico 100% share this instinct, but more on a grandma level than wolf baby). But I do like the idea that he's a lot looser when it comes to Coral. Like you'd think he'd be more stiff because her nature clashes against his and he'd want to restrain himself more against his instincts. But he doesn't have to - not with her. Because she can handle whatever he throws at her, and he knows that and understands it doesn't bother her (and that trying to lecture her on the right way to do something means nothing to her, especially if a personal rule beholden to Jason and not society as a whole).

So, lol, I'm imagining him calling up Hazel, like, "hey we gotta track down Coral, I need to go batshit insane for ten minutes", and Hazel's just "oh my god I didn't sign up for this shit", and then they find Coral, Coral explicitly and purposely breaks a rule in front of him then handles it easily when he snaps, while Hazel stands back, looking exasperated like her dad when he has to be the older brother, and makes sure they don't murder each other or accidentally hurt someone else.

Because at his core Jason doesn't want to hurt anyone. Sometimes an execution seems like the only proper response, and he doesn't really like that about himself - but in the same breath, he also knows he's one of the few people who won't be affected by it because it's the right thing to do/the law requires it as punishment, so if it becomes the only possible outcome, or something that's voted on, he always volunteers himself to be the one who holds the knife, or syringe, or whatever they use, idk how they'd handle the death penalty. It's a complicated to understand that the way you think is best might be dumb while, at the same time, holding it in such high importance that it baffles you other people don't agree.

(Fun fact: My OC, June, has so much love for the world but her gut instinct is violence every single time, no matter how minor the rule, because of reasons, and this causes her so much internal pain that sometimes I get mad at about it, lol)

I think, unlike June, Jason has more stages in his idea of justice. Teaching people about morals and ethics, showing them the difference between right and wrong, explaining the importance of the rules - these are likely his starting points. It might be that his gut instinct is violence but he's taught himself better ways to start off (which June, unfortunately, is not capable of, due to the way I've structured her story). He's also softer because while he feels the urge to be the leader, he doesn't necessarily want to be. Sometimes he wants collaboration. It can be difficult at times, yes, but that's how Jason is. He wants everyone to be equal. I don't think he has OCPD but I do think he deals with some traits of it, varying in intensity at certain times.

Thalia would be different - in what I remember of canon, she's more volatile, more insistent on being in charge, was immediately promoted to Lieutenant and there's never any indication she was unhappy about that. So, whether she has it or not, maybe OCPD traits are much stronger and prominent in her than in Jason.

She might have a harder time letting go of the reigns, or accepting collaborative efforts than he does. She might have a higher sense of superiority than he does - in part because she's the daughter of Zeus and gets pedestal-ed for it, and in part because any possible OCPD traits push that sense of "I'm right and everyone else is wrong". She might get more anxious when things aren't orderly or perfect, or focus too much on the small things.

Which works out - you know, everyone is different, it wouldn't make sense for them to be the same.

With my Neptune girls, Coral is on the more extreme end of szpd, but Melpomene exists in more of a middle ground, with a higher prevalence for ASPD traits than Coral (I'll go into that in a separate post when I have time, but was thinking about ASPD as a Neptune/Poseidon/Ares thing as well, which, haha, comorbidity among personality disorders is common so why not, and it was fitting Mel's character as I was developing her, so double why not 🤷‍♂️).

But, lol, not to get off track, yeah, I think the idea of Jason using Coral to blow off some steam because she doesn't have the emotional capacity to be bothered by his neurotic tendencies blowing up at her is a good concept. And Percy stumbling into the middle of this with zero awareness because Coral didn't think to say anything about it the last time they talked, seeing Jason chasing his sister around with a whip of lightning, is so funny.

He'd be so confused for a hot second before jumping into action. And then Jason would be yelling at him that she broke a rule (a stupid, silly rule that makes no sense to most people), and now Percy's chasing him yelling about that's a dumb rule, and Coral agrees, which ofc, makes Jason even more upset, and now he's chasing both of them, and Hazel is in the background just fully, "ugh, if I knew being Pluto's child meant I had to deal with this shit, I would've stayed dead. Or asked you to train me yourself instead of sending me to Camp Jupiter" and Nico is nodding along, going, "This is why Dad doesn't talk to his family unless he has to"

It's how they bond as cousins 😂

[sadesluvr]

the afton family before elizabeth and evan/cc were born ™️

( a ramble, featuring a crack headcanon at the end)

-

the shining is my fav film ever and i’m surprised the comparison hasn’t been made yet bc jack/danny’s dynamic is almost parallel to william/michael’s

on the surface you have a somewhat charming, perhaps a little eccentric man who has the family to match, but deep down is an unstable, volatile father who hunt down their sons and essentially takes out their bloodlust on them, forcing them to fend for themselves

this scene in particular feels like an interaction between them (william/michael) - jack/william on the verge of a breakdown and their sons fearing for their lives, but also seeking comfort ? it’s so subtle, but unnerving

eventually both sons kill their fathers (peepaw seems to always respawn but let’s ignore that) both with a natural, but opposing element (ice vs fire)

-

wendy is interesting because we obviously don’t know what mrs afton was like but i can imagine something similar to how wendy loves both of them but loves her son far more / driven to chose between the two

perhaps the marriage between wendy/jack is similar to william’s (if you like angst)

also their husbands are just insane ™️

-

also this picture is making me laugh bc michael has definitely given peepaw that look before??😭

young mikey probably had a similar hairstyle and everything too

-

jack nicholson could’ve 100% played william afton bc he’s jack freaking nicholson and plays those roles so well

-

shitpost/crack headcanon:

the movie came out in 1980 so william watched this and was like “he’s so me <3” at jack

he came to work the next day telling henry about this amazing film he watched

henry: 😃👍

henry: i watched sesame street :)

[fallenstar193]

Secret’s of the Night Part 2

Micheal Corleone x Female Reader

Synopsis: Y/N and Michael’s relationship has deepened much more. Though the cracks begin to show behind closed doors. But even so, nothing will tear them apart.

Y/N and Michael weren't what people would call a happy, well-balanced couple.

It wasn't because they didn't love one another, which they did, nor because they weren't happy in each other's arms, which they were. But no matter how much they adored one another, their relationship was anything but well-balanced and normal.

Michael had grown as a Don more and more so with each passing month, his need for control and violence becoming second nature to the young Italian-American man.

That meant that Y/N had to deal with his volatile mood swings, as well as his late-night meetings and violent outbursts. There was no question he was a different man from the young boy he had once been before his father died. He was even different from the man Y/N had married only a year before.

Being his third wife wasn't easy either. Especially not when the mother of his children was still in his life and loathed Y/N with a fit of searing anger no one could control.

Every time she arrived to drop off the children, Kay made a point of talking down to Y/N, even when Michael warned her multiple times, not to any longer.

But what could Michael do? He had slapped his ex-wife while they were still married, but short of having the mother of his children killed, he couldn't entirely stop that sharp tongue even if he tried.

Once or twice Michael had slapped his ex-wife across the face to calm her down, but this only managed to make Kay's hatred toward Y/N grow even stronger.

"You're just a silly entertainment for him, and little more," She once hissed at Y/N as the children rushed into their father's study to let him know they had arrived.

"I'm nothing of the sort," Y/N hissed back, crossing her arms before her chest. Y/N knew better than to jump at the older woman; it would be insane to attack the mother of Michael's children. She just had to deal with her until her jealousy died away over time. That didn't mean she couldn't talk back to her and put Kay back in her place. "I might have been his lover once, but now I have a ring around my finger. I don't see one around yours."

"I'm the one that divorced him, slut. He wouldn't have given you the time of day if I hadn't kicked him to the curve."

"Keep dreaming," Y/N replied, rolling her eyes and playing with her wedding ring, just to aggravate Kay. "He ran to me whenever you turned your back on him."

The look on Kay's face made it clear she was just about ready to jump on his ex's new wife when Michael entered the living room with his children in tow.

"What's going on here?" He asked, staring harshly at his ex-wife. She just pursed her lips and shook her head forcefully.

"Nothing. I was just about to leave." Kay replied, and Michael agreed at once.

"Yes, you better do that. Children, say goodbye to your mother." He said, and the children kissed Kay goodbye.

"I'll see you on Monday," She told them tenderly, caressing her kids' heads before turning around and leaving the house she had once lived in, yet not before shooting a harsh glare Y/N's way.

If looks could kill... Y/N thought, but she decided to brush it off. After all, Kay was now alone, and she had won the man they were both bickering over a long time ago.

Kay showing up at their place wasn't helping their relationship get any better, that was for sure.

Michael and Y/N seemed to be arguing more and more often. Though Y/N didn't mind him being a mafia boss as Kay had, she did have a problem with him coming back so late most nights, obsessing over his business instead of spending time with her.

His attitude was also less patient than ever and more aggressive, and though Y/N adored being spanked and pinned down during sex, that didn't mean she wanted to have him snapping at her all day long.

"You're becoming a real jackass," He hissed his way one afternoon after yet another argument over God-only knew what.

"And you're being insufferable, Y/N. Can't you give me a little break? I already have enough people wanting things of me. Everyone seems to want something from the Corleone family!"

"It's what you've always wanted, isn't it, Michael?!" She asked back, crossing her arms defensively. "Why do you always have to be so angry, so aggressive? I love being around you, Michael, but you need to remind me you are still in love with me from time to time."

"Oh, don't say that Y/N, you know I love you," He whispered, wrapping his arms around her body hotly, just like he used to back when they were lovers. Michael pulled her into his embrace, pinning the young woman against his chest sensually.

They kissed so passionately, their tongues dancing the same kind of dangerous tango they would every time they were about to make love.

Just then, though, someone knocked at the door, and Michael reluctantly let go of his wife.

"What is it?!" He snapped, turning around and glaring at one of his employees, who quietly entered the bedroom.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Don Corleone. It's time for the meeting you asked me to remind you of."

Michael pursed his lips and nodded, dismissing the man in the dark suit before turning around to face his wife.

"I'm sorry, darling. I'll be back before midnight, and I can show you how much I adore you then," He said, trying to grab her hands, but she stepped back, shaking her head.

"Whatever you say, Michael," She replied sharply, walking away from her darling husband. No matter how much she loved him, she also needed company, and he seemed unable or unwilling to provide her with it.

That was precisely how Y/N began growing closer to one of Michael's close friends, Luca.

Luca was around Michael's age, and of course, belonged to his organization. He wasn't as high up in the family, which meant he had more time than the Don to enjoy his private time. He still hung around the Corleone household often, and bit by bit, he took a shinning for the young, lonely Y/N.

"I can stay for a cup of coffee if you need a bit of company," He offered her one night, just as he was getting ready to leave. Michael wasn't there, as usual, and feeling lonesome, Y/N immediately agreed.

"Sure, that sounds lovely!" She replied at once and asked one of the maids to prepare them two cups of coffee and a few pie slices.

That was the first night they started hanging out together, but certainly not the last one.

It wasn't like they were doing anything wrong. They were never together in her bedroom, always chatting in the living room or out in the garden.

They spent hour upon hour chatting idly, drinking coffee or tea and simply enjoying each other's company. It was nothing more than a simple friendship, though Y/N noticed how he seemed interested in something more from time to time.

Since he never made a move, never attempted to kiss her or even take her hand, she decided to turn a blind eye to this fact. As long as he acted as her friend and confidant, she wouldn't ask him to leave her alone.

She needed a friend in her life, after all, someone to keep her company and make her smile through the day. Michael wasn't there for her, and it wasn't exactly easy for a mob wife to make new friends, so Luca was the best alternative out there.

For a few months, everything seemed to be going well. With Luca there to offer an ear and a friendly smile, Y/N was feeling better about her lonely days. She was even more patient with Michael's erratic schedule and his occasional bad mood.

She assumed he knew about the time she spent with his friend since nothing in that household was truly a secret. Y/N was confident that if Michael had a problem with it all, she would have found out about it a long time ago!

"He's surely happy that I have someone to talk to. We're getting along better now. Since it's his friend, he knows he can trust this man around me," She told herself, though nothing could have been further from the truth.

Because Michael had no idea Y/N had been hanging out two or three times a week with his old friend, and the moment he found out about their meetings, he would immediately assume the worse.

It was a rainy night when Michael entered the Corleone household, escorted by three of his bodyguards as usual. Y/N was chatting with Luca in the living room, giggling at a silly joke he told her.

The instant Michael heard his wife laughing that way, he immediately stormed into the room. Even though the door was open and anyone could have walked in on them, just seeing Luca sitting by his wife's side was enough to make him go red in the face, his lips becoming a thin, angry line.

"Michael, hi! Is everything ok?" Y/N asked, standing up as she noticed how livid her husband is. "What's wrong, honey?"

"What is he doing here?" Michael demanded at once, staring at his wife and then at his friend. "At this time of night in my living room, with my wife?!"

"Michael, it's not what you think!" Luca replied at once, standing up, looking worried and pale. It was then that Y/N realized Michael had no idea about their meetings. Luca had never told him, for some reason!

What was simply an innocent chat among two friends had become something far more suspicious all of a sudden, and seeing Michael's furious expression let her know something awful was about to happen in that room.

"You have no right to be alone with my wife!" Michael screamed harshly, clearly so furiously, so livid and red-faced.

"Michael, it's not like that!" Y/N replied, trying to grab his arm tenderly, but he stepped away. "We're just chatting, we're good friends, and I can speak to him when you are busy!"

"So he's a replacement?!"

"No, it's not like that; I'm serious! He's just a friend!"

"I want to make this clear, Y/N," He said awfully quietly, almost in a whisper, which made Y/N know something horrible was about to happen. "You belong to me and to no one else. You are my wife, and you're not going to abandon me like Kay did. I love you, you are mine, and that's final."

But Michael didn't hurt his wife. He would never hurt her, not in a million years, even if he did sometimes lose his temper. Instead, he turned to face his old friend, who tried in vain to reason with the Don.

Michael refused to listen to reason, and, sliding his hand in his side pocket, he pulled out a gun and aimed it at Luca. His aim was perfect as he shot two single times: One in the heart, the next one through the forehead.

It was so quick, so harsh and cold-blooded that it took Y/N a full moment to even be able to react. She stood there, wide-eyed and shocked until she could finally snap out of it, screaming in horror as she took a step back.

"What the hell did you do?!" She asked, her heart going a million miles an hour.

"Come with me," He demanded, grabbing her hand and pulling at it, guiding his wife out the living room and into the corridor. "Get rid of the body," He told the bodyguards before dragging Y/N upstairs.

Once they had stepped into their bedroom, Michael closed the door behind them and turned to face Y/N.

"You are mine, Y/N, now and forever." He whispered, wrapping his arms around her slender body and pulling her close.

"How could you make such a mess?! I told you we are only friends!" She protested, but he wouldn't allow her to speak any further. He silenced her, not with a gun but with his lips. Their kiss was impossibly passionate, tongues dancing together, his hands caressing her body in ways that drove the young beauty crazy with desire.

He guided her toward their bed, and oh, how he undressed her, how he stroked her gorgeous body. He was filled with a blind passion she could not and would not control. Y/N gave herself into his desires. Though she was mad he had made such a mess, killing poor Luca, she was delighted he adored her in such a way that he would kill to keep her by his side.

Soon they were lying naked on the bed, their clothes pooling messily on the floor.

"You're perfect, my beautiful wife... you're never going to abandon me. You are mine now and forever," He grunted against her skin as he kissed her neck hotly. She closed her eyes and stretched out her neck to allow him to nibble at it with growing passion.

Michael stroked her nipples sensually, flickering them from side to side, claiming over her body as she gave in to the passion of their intense relationship.

He was not perfect, yet he was hers, and she was his, and that would never change!

Y/N began caressing his back hotly as he pinned her hard against the bed, his hands everywhere, her skin so hot, her body so ready for his touch.

She felt his cock pressed against her inner thigh, and oh how she gasped, aching to be fucked, to feel his, fully his!

"I want your tongue on my cock, beautiful. I want to feel your lips wrapped around me," He grunted, sliding off her and allowing her to get between his legs instead, ready to show to her husband how much she adored him, even after the mess he had made downstairs.

She licked it gently at first, enjoying the taste and smell of his arousal. But pretty soon, her lips were wrapped around his bulbous head, and she was moving down on him, taking every last inch into her eager mouth.

Y/N began twirling her tongue around it passionately, bobbing her head up and down her husband's cock. Her lips and tongue explored his length as Michael panted and rested his hand on her head.

She was so aroused by his moans and grunts, and she began moving her head up and down his shaft faster than before, sucking him with an intense, blind passion!

She felt his long, calloused fingers wrapping around her hair, helping her keep up her pace. And oh, how he grunted as she rolled her tongue around his bulbous head, gulping down his precum with delight and arousal.

"Fuck, yes! I need to be inside you so badly!" He grunted, and soon he forced her to slide off his cock, a string of precum and drool connecting his crown to her lips for an instant.

He positioned himself behind her, prompting Y/N to get on all fours, his favorite position to fuck her in. He could spank her so easily while making love passionately to her from behind.

"Oh, god! Yes, Michael, yes," Y/N panted as the Don thrust hard inside her, his cock plunging inside her as powerfully as ever.

And so Michael began to move behind her, his hips rolling all the way back before he thrust hard inside her. With each new thrust, a spank would arrive as well, until her ass was red and sore, and Y/N was dripping with arousal.

"Fuck, your pussy's perfection, Y/N," He grunted, feeling her walls clenching so hard around his cock.

"Yes, yes, yes!" She moaned loudly, panting hard as they made passionate, sensual love. They rarely, if ever, made sweet love. It simply wasn't their style.

"I love you, Y/N... you are mine!" He grunted from behind, plunging himself harder and harder inside her tight sex.

Her stunning boobs bounced back and forth with each new thrust, filling the room with the sounds of their arousal, of their bodies crashing together.

She moaned again and again, throwing her head back and whimpering as his hand came crashing down against her ass. It was so red and sore, but she didn't ask him to stop: she loved every minute of it!

The passionate, wild love for what felt like hours, until their bodies were covered in perspiration and her sex was filled with his cum.

He was so possessive of her, and Y/N adored every instant of it.

They ended up falling asleep in each other's arms, exhausted and elated, feeling that deep connection linking them together forever only grew stronger.

Months slipped by after that fateful night, and though things were never quite easy, something seemed to have improved in their relationship.

Y/N soon began feeling nauseous and uncomfortable, though, her body so overly sensitive to any small touch. Even smells that never bothered her before were starting to be a problem.

She had an inkling about what might be causing these issues, and so, without telling Michael about it, the young beauty bought a pregnancy test.

Sliding into the bathroom late one night, she peed on the tiny stick and sat there, waiting, feeling her heart beating so fast in her chest.

"Oh my god..." She whispered as the test came out positive.

Michael was getting ready to sleep by the time she leaped into their bed, embracing him so tightly and covering his face with excited kisses.

"Hey, hey," He chuckled, holding her close and kissing her back. "What's got you so excited, beautiful?"

"Oh, Michael, you won't believe it!" She squealed, smiling so brightly, so beautifully. "I'm pregnant!"

He stared at her with stunned silence for an instant before a huge grin filled his face, and Michael kissed Y/N once more, this time with an impossible-to-miss glee going hand in hand with his passion for her.

"I can't believe it! It's the best news I've heard in a long time!" He exclaimed, holding her so tightly, caressing her belly, and covering her with sweet kisses.

They made love that night, and the following morning, Michael arranged for them to visit the same doctor that had helped deliver his other two children.

As she laid on the gurney, and the doctor applied a generous layer of gel on her belly, Michael held Y/N's hand tenderly, clearly filled with joy about this turn of events.

But the surprises were far from over as the ultrasound began.

"Here's your baby, here's its heartbeat and... oh, wait!" The doctor exclaimed, continuing to slide the ultrasound probe across Y/N's belly. "Congratulations, mom and dad... it's twins!"

"Twins?!" Y/N and Michael exclaimed at the same time.

"Oh, yes, no question about it... look! Here you have one of your babies, and here's the other!"

Y/N and Michael stared at one another in stunned silence for a moment before an excited smile began to spread across their faces.

"Is that ok?" She whispered sweetly, and he nodded at once, holding her hand even harder than before, with such love and devotion.

"It's more than ok, my love. I can't wait to meet our twins." He assured her, kissing his wife lovingly. Y/N knew that no matter how rocky their marriage could get from time to time, they'd always be together.

[tomhollandnet]

[Article may contain mild spoilers.]

“The show, at heart, is a psychological thriller; it is a [series] that navigates this incredibly complicated criminal case with twists and turns at the end of every episode,” Holland said.

But he also acknowledges that the series delves into other genres like whodunnits. As an actor, he said, “it’s really challenging to try and find a way to navigate all of those different genres,” but that “I really like problem solving. It’s one of the aspects of the job I enjoy most.”

Holland’s job is to make the audience sympathize with him and believe that someone with his stature and mannerisms would never willfully harm innocent people. And, since the story is largely told in flashbacks, this meant assessing Danny’s movements both before and after his arrest.

“His physicality was a really important part of bringing him to life,” Holland said. “He has a vast spectrum when it comes to his different types of physicality for different situations … He’s an incredibly volatile character with incredible highs and devastating lows. And I loved playing him in the middle; I thought the subtleties of that character were so fun to try and figure out.”

The actor understood that his own body type allowed for some of this. Best known for playing the also-frequently-socially-awkward superhero Peter Parker in the Spider-Man and Avengers movies where his character is often referred to as “the boy,” he conceded that “I’m a small person; like you put me next to [physically larger Marvel actors] Chris Pratt and Dave Bautista, I look like their son.”

But, with Danny, the actor said “I just wanted him to feel little.” For the scenes when Danny’s in high school, he said, “he does come across like he was the smallest kid in school.”

The British actor also worked with dialect coach Rick Lipton to find the right cadence and accent for a child with this background who also grew up during the 1970s and in the New York City suburbs.

“We went through so many different versions of his voice; some where he was a little more nasally at times and then he was really soft spoken at times,” Holland said, “and we found this middle ground that was tricky because it was somewhat similar to that of Peter Parker. So we decided to really slow down his cadence.”

Seyfried’s Rya also comes into this story with something to prove, and it’s not just Danny’s innocence. A single mother working in a man’s world, Rya becomes hugely invested in Danny’s case.

Seyfried said she prepared for the part by watching a lot of Jane Fonda movies from that era, like Klute and The China Syndrome because “I needed some empowered, late ’70s, ball-busting, unapologetic-woman vibe. And she nails that.”

“My character’s so empowered in a lot of ways and and doesn’t let the men in her career bury her,” Seyfried continued. “She’s the most insanely curious and compassionate woman. And she’s really exactly what Danny Sullivan needs. And it’s fate that they meet, and its fate that she’s allowed to come on board and investigate what’s really going on from a really sympathetic and empathetic place.”

But Rya is not perfect and there are moments, like when she’s working until 10 p.m. and just realizing that her son is still up and watching TV, that are pretty much asking some audience members to judge her.

“She knows a healthy relationship with her son; she knows what that looks like,” Seyfried said. “And she’s not going to give up her dreams to stay at home because she knows that that’s not healthy either.”

The actress, who has two children with husband and actor Thomas Sadoski, added that “it’s bananas that it still seems like we’re not equipped yet as a society to accept both parents being out having job.” (Sadoski also appears in The Crowded Room, playing police officer Matty Dunn).

Other forms of parental guilt and conflict are seen in Emmy Rossum’s portrayal of Danny’s mother, Candy (something the actress and real-life parent also felt, especially since she found out she was pregnant with her second child while filming this show’s penultimate episode).

As the flashbacks travel to the present day, The Crowded Room shows Candy go from a devoted mother who struggles to be there for her son to a stressed out and dead-eyed nurse who sees no way out of her marriage to a man she hates (Danny’s step-dad, Will Chase’s Marlin).

Rossum has worked with age makeup on projects like Peacock’s Angelyne, but said that aging her character over a 10-year-span for The Crowded Room wasn’t so much about getting older. Even though the character at the end of the series is younger than Rossum is now, she said you can see the “wear and tear of smoking, stress, and addiction.”

“We watch as the family secrets and decisions and mistakes that she makes have a really lasting impact on their lives and ended up shattering the bond that is the most profound to her,” Rossum said and added that audiences will see “the parallels that we learn about mother and son and how they’ve both learned how to survive what she calls a cruel world.”

She said she and Holland “talked a lot about how to play denial; how to know something and also not know it at the same time. Because the very state of consciously knowing that thing would be so deeply unsettling and uprooting to your existence and your life and your sense of yourself.”

The crux of Danny’s case lies with his friend Ariana (Sasha Lane), a character he claims actually pulled the trigger but is now MIA. Flashbacks show Ariana revealing to Danny that her childhood was just as dark as his, although she has a more of a keen fight-or-flight response.

Lane, who has a history of doing dark programming with movies like American Honey and has also been outspoken about issues that she’s gone through in her personal life, said that she didn’t feel any added responsibility to do a show like this because “I have to remind myself that, if I were to say that to myself, it might make me feel like giving myself too much weight.”

However, she said “a big part of the reason that I pushed so hard to be a part of this, and wanted it so bad, is because I knew that I would give the care and the passion to someone like Ariana that I felt she deserved.”

She and Holland also like what the show says about our biases toward who we naturally perceive to be innocent or guilty. The trailer sets up a theory that Holland’s Danny is a serial killer and Ariana is one of his victims. In the series, attorneys argue over whether Danny is being given more leniency and attention simply because of his race and gender.

“You’ve always got to dig a little deeper [because] there’s always something that you, yourself, are never going to be aware of about another individual,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how deeply, and how openly, they’ve spoken about something. It doesn’t matter what you were physically seeing in front of your face. You will never have someone else’s personal experience.”

[youngpettyqueen]

finished The Price of the Phoenix! review under the cut-

tldr: this book is gay as FUCK and on top of that its quite good

im gonna get it out of the way right now: Kirk and Spock are gay as hell in this book and its actually insane to read. every interaction between them- whether it be the original Jim or the clone James- was dripping with tension and longing and actual textual love. this was Amok Time levels of "how the fuck did this (insanely gay shit) air" and I applaud Sondra Marshak and Myrna Culbreath for it. Spock's unwavering loyalty to Kirk, both Kirks, and it being his driving force throughout the novel, the mind link between him and James, the raw emotional state he's in... and both Kirks and how they rely on Spock, know him, love him... LORD

ahem. anyways. this is a GREAT Spock novel. the character exploration for Spock here is just so good and so compelling. this is Spock at some of his lowest, barely holding himself together, fighting his emotions down and just trying to keep going. Spock wants Omne DEAD and he wants to be the one to break his neck. he's so viciously furious and grief-stricken, its honestly beautiful to read him in such a volatile state. this isnt a side of Spock we often get to see, and what else could bring him to this point besides the faked death of his captain, the abduction, the cloning... great to see just what will drive Spock to literal murder and vengeance. his POV chapters were my favourite throughout, especially in the rare tender moments he shared with James. so many facets of his character are on display here, and all so wonderful to read

my second favourite part of this novel was the Commander's presence. what a POWERHOUSE she is. I thoroughly enjoyed how she effortlessly manhandles both Kirks whenever she needs to, and how bad this throws him off. she's a wicked fighter, every fight she has with Omne is fantastic to visualize. shes also ruthless and cold, with a lot of great Romulan logic on display. I love love love that she was one of the main characters in this novel, I love how we got to see more of this genuinely fascinating character, makes me wish we got more of her and the Romulans in TOS. her romance with James was predictable, but I found I quite enjoyed it, especially since they made it very clear that she wouldnt be bowing to him, nor him to her. they'll definitely make for an interesting couple

the issue of the two Kirks was a fascinating thread throughout. its quite the moral conundrum- the rights of the original, what to do with James, what rights does he have as a copy, what can they ask of him, etc. I dont think theres honestly a true right answer, and thats the conclusion they all seem to reach, as the best they can do is send to him to Romulus with the Commander as her princeling. its not an entirely satisfying conclusion, but I think thats deliberate, because I dont think there is a satisfying conclusion in this scenario. they cant keep James on the Enterprise, they cant just let him loose, the best they can do is keep him under lock and key and secrets on Romulus as the Commander's boytoy. a fate I wouldnt mind, tbh, but hey thats just me

Bones gets a couple of chapters, and I loved his. his relationship with Spock is what shines most for me from his chapters- his care for Spock is made very obvious, and the two of them are shown to be able to talk with just their eyes, much like Kirk and Spock do. I wish we could've had more with Bones, but that would've thrown off the structure and flow of the story, so I understand why his chapters were limited

Omne himself was an interesting villain. I wasn't super invested in him, but I did find the idea of him interesting. I think he's the weakest part of this novel, in that his whole thing relies on the idea of the alpha male, and a lot of him felt like... how do I describe this. you know when youre a kid, playing some sort of battle with your friends, and you make some shit up like 'oh you cant get through my shield' and 'I have a SHIELD BREAKING HAMMER'? thats what Omne's repeated one-upping felt like, after a point. the fight scenes with him were good, I could very much buy that he was physically stronger than our protagonists, but when it came to his tech and especially his last appearance on the Enterprise... yeah. im not saying I disliked it, but it did feel weak

overall I quite enjoyed this book. it was a slower read, I tended to read a chapter or two before going to bed every night, and I liked it that way. not one I picked up and tore through, but that isnt a criticism. sometimes books just want to be enjoyed slowly, and this was one I felt I wanted to take my time on. for my first TOS book, I thought it was really good, and ill definitely have to look into some more TOS books to read once im through my current to-read stack

[creepedverse]

I think the mods? mentioned that not everyone in the cast is slender sick right? who is or isn’t if this hasn’t already been answered if that has then,,, how does everyone that is slender sick and if the cast that isn’t were slender sick act???

tommie is infected with slender-sickness. when he gets slender-sick, things get blurry and hazy, almost like all of his senses are shrouded in a thick fog. his movements are deliberate, but not of his own accord; while he's usually on autopilot, when tommie is slender-sick he isn't the one at the helm of the ship. he enters a fugue state, and what happens during it, as well as how much of it he remembers, depends entirely on what the faceless man wills it to be.

Dia is not infected. But if Dia were to get slender sick to the point of proxy level it would make her extremely aggressive. She would find any and all reasons of other ppls actions to align w her moral code of “only kill those that hurt others”. The sickness would twist her mind and make her lash out even on her friends. She’d keep herself cooped up in her studio drawing & painting all sorts of graphically gore induced scenes. Her craving for Justice warped as she becomes extremely paranoid to the point of thinking even sweet little Bonnie is against her

Tobin is very Slender Sick and is a proxy (unwillingly). The symptoms he experiences is hostile paranoia, outbursts, coughing fits, nosebleeds, nightmares, pounding headaches, hallucinations, and just an overall feeling like he's losing control/going insane. It comes in waves and depends on factors like stress, how close he is to the forest or other sick people, and how active Slenderman is. When he goes "proxy mode" (AKA when Slender decides to use the boy as his acting hand) he completely blacks out, doesn't have a clue what happened. He'll wake up in dirty gas station bathrooms coughing over a sink, in the middle of the forest with graveyard dirt crusting his shoes, or in some run down motel room with blood on his hands. He never knows who's it is. He also is sort of like Jay from Marble Hornets in terms of obsessively looking into Slenderman and trying to find answers. Tends to dig his own grave yknow

Tali is infected but the infection is dormant, her symptoms are very mild/non existent. She experiences some symptoms when Tobin's symptoms act up, or if people around her are sick. She'll sometimes vaguely see Slenderman from under flickering street lights at night or across the highway standing amongst the trees, but she doesn't think much of it. When she experiences the sickness, it's mostly a dazed headache, coughing, maybe a nosebleed if its intense. Nothing too worrying though, just loses her head a little bit.

Arthur is infected, but his sickness seems to be partially tamed by the medicine he takes for his Tourette’s. Because of this bizarre phenomenon, Arthur’s body physically tries to reject the Slenderman and his effects, which results in him coughing up blood and his hair falling out and turning white. Any way Arthur’s body can, it tries to shed the entity from itself, because it has enough awareness to, if that makes sense! However, the medicine only helps so much. Arthur can still be influenced by the Slenderman. Arthur’s personality becomes a lot more confident, his actions a lot more volatile and dangerous (no regard for his own safety.) While he is still pretty conscious in a slender sick state, his memories and thoughts are all scrambled, jumbled. When it comes to others, Arthur has an easy time remembering who someone is to him if they elicit a strong emotion, whether that be positive or negative. For example, Arthur would go out of his way to protect one of the group because, while he can’t remember exactly why, he knows they’re important for some reason because of the strong emotions he feels for them. He also becomes a lot more prone to tic attacks/being jittery.

Bonnie is infected, but she isn't a proxy cuz the infection only weakens her. She caught it at a young age since her orchard is near the forest.

When she's actively sick, she starts off very panicked, crying, and hyperventilating till she eventually becomes almost zombie-like. She's super lethargic, throws up blood, stumbling all over, but she's always trying to attack whoevers closest. Reaching for knives, guns, and throats. but it's really easy to just push her head back and keep her at arms length...

Bonnie remembers her sickness almost like a foggy dream.

scout is infected and has been pretty much her whole life!!! shes not a proxy or anything but she used to 'sleepwalk' all the time as a kid like waking up dazed in the forest at night or super early in the morning which rlly freaked her out LOL she'd walk barefoot back home lost n sobbing. now she lives more in town so shes further away from the forest n her symptoms rlly calmed down... UNTIL. she got dragged into serious slender business by a certain someone (tobin) and all her symptoms started acting up again LOL mostly paranoia n freaking out a ton, scratching at herself, hallucinating her veins going black, or just spacing out, 'sleepwalking', going into a fugue state etc etc ^_^

Shannon is slendersick, she inherited it from her mother. Her mom was pregnant while having the sickness, and Shannon strives to know more, yet doesn't dare to search for the awnsers just yet. Her symptoms involve randomly passing out and awakening in a different spot, blood stained hands, so she is also an unwilling proxy. Frequent nosebleeds and fatique too. The permanent wound on her arm due to her past with the medical cult, is the first place weirdly black vines start to spread across her body, the normally bruised color turning pitch black. Interesting here is that her plushies have no involvement or duty to slender, the only thing they love and cherish is Shannon and will protect her no matter what or who.