#some of those deaths were mercy killings - only some of them could even respond by the end

[pointm4n]

* META WARNING : DARK & MATURE THEMES ( SEE TAGS ).

thinking about the last two years of a.rthur's former military career tonight, and the team he selected for project s.omnacin from his platoons, and the GUILT he feels over being responsible for placing them in that kind of unpredictable and impossible danger. of how he took it upon himself in the end when the tests started to escalate - to go to the 29 marines that remained ( 34 selected alongside their captain : four died during testing : one dropped into limbo and never woke up when the timer ran down ) and ask, if he could, what they wanted. of how he tucked those extra magazines into his belt and shot them all in the head while they were under, bar the three of them that were still lucid and aware and strong enough to get out. thinking about how he burned it all down, how he took everything the military had built over those years and destroyed it - and all the regrets he has because he didn't see it sooner. HE WAS FOLLOWING ORDERS, WHEN HE COULD'VE SAVED THEIR LIVES : he'll never forgive himself for that. neither will the rest of his contingent. 208 marines were informed of their captain's treason, and a.rthur has killed seven of them himself in the thirteen years he's been a fugitive. he will NEVER have the opportunity to explain what really happened to them during project s.omnacin, and he can NEVER go home.

in other words i was talking to fawn about cassandra and wally and mateo ( the survivors ), and now i'm fcking emotional. this man's backstory hurts so much i've been slowly writing it all out in detail and it breaks me. coming soon to a c.arrd near you.

[cloudyyoimiya]

guuuuuueeeeeeessssssssssssssss whoosseeee baaaccckkkkkkkkkkkkk

OK OK BUT HEAR ME OUT BC I HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO STOP THINKING ABOUT YANDERE ODA WHERE HIS S/O GETS IN A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION WITH AN ENEMY GROUP AND BRO GOES INSANE. ALSO THERE IS NOT ENOUGH YANDERE ODA WTF- (at least romantically) ALSO COULD U DO THE SAME PROMPT WITH RANPO???? IF NOT THEN DO JUST ODA >:)) (or whoever else u wanna include >:))

AHHH i’m so happy to see you in my inbox! i really love this request! there fr isn’t enough of yandere oda it’s heart breaking</3. thank you for requesting!

Their Darling Gets Into a Life Threatening Situation; Oda Sakunosuke and Ranpo Edogawa

Format: Headcanons and Scenario

Possible warnings: Yandere behavior, dark content, kidnapping, reader getting slightly injured, blood, violence

Oda Sakunosuke

One day he arrived home to an empty house. Oda frantically called out your name, but you wouldn’t respond. He searched every room, the closets, even the shed outside, but he found nothing. Now he started to panic.

Did you manage to escape?

No that couldn’t be possible.

He looked around the house for any signs of struggle, and he found quite a few. He found some blood, your hair, and a note telling him about your whereabouts.

How did he not notice those things before?

As he read the note, he only got angrier and angrier. He felt as if he was about to explode from how infuriated he was.

He immediately grabbed his guns, put them in his coat, then headed to where your location was. He was beyond furious at this point. He tried to calm himself down, but he just couldn’t. Your life was on the line because he was unable to do the one thing he promised to do; protect you.

Let’s just hope that he felt a little bit of mercy towards the poor souls that he’d be directing his anger towards.

Scenario…

You shuffled uncomfortably in the ropes that you were bound up in. As of now you were sitting on a wooden chair in a dimly lit room. It was cold, and you were injured badly. You felt as if you were going to pass out. There were no signs of life besides the occasional laughter from just outside of the door. This honestly had to be worse than when Oda first took you in.

You were about to pass out from exhaustion, but then you started to heard faint gun shots and people screaming. This immediately put you on edge. The only thing you could do is stare at the door in anticipation. Where you about to die? Was this it?

After one final guttural scream, the gunshots stopped and you let out a shaky breath. Your ears rang at the loud noises that the firearm had produced.

Your vision was starting to get hazy as the door burst open. You slowly looked up and your gaze met a familiar red head’s. There was a small amount of blood trickling down his cheek alongside some stains on his tan coat.

“Oda?” You asked weakly. “You came.”

Oda quickly ran behind you and started to untie the ropes that you were bound in. “Of course I did, darling.”

“I didn’t think you would,” you muttered. You then looked at the door way; the enemies bodies flooded the floor. “You said you wouldn’t kill people… Why?”

Oda finished untying you, then walked in front of you. He then cupped your cheek. “They hurt you.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re about to pass out,” he snapped back. “C’mon, let’s get you back home.”

You looked up at him with no energy left to argue. You nodded, then looked down. “Are you going to keep me locked up again?”

The man only sighed at your question. He then picked you up bridal style and started to walk away with you in his arms. “Close your eyes.”

You did as you were told and closed your eyes. As soon as you left the room you were held in, the smell of death instantly invaded your senses. You scrunched up your face in disapproval. You hoped that you wouldn’t have to smell anything like this again in your life. It made you nauseous.

“We’re almost outside, my love,” Oda said after a while.

Eventually you felt the light invading your senses. You slowly opened your eyes, then immediately closed them. You had to readjust to the light since the room you were kept in was barely illuminated. It took you a few minutes, but you were finally able to open your eyes without the need to squint.

The two of you shared no words as you journeyed back to your eternal prison. You felt weak; you were unable to move, it hurt to talk, and you could barely see.

Eventually the two of you reached Oda’s home. He opened the front door then carefully placed you on the sofa. He ran off somewhere, then came back with a small med kit.

He opened it and took out some rubbing alcohol. Oda then started to treat your wounds. You hissed as you felt the alcohol disinfect your open wounds.

“I apologize,” your captor eventually spoke up. “I was unable to protect you.”

“It’s fine,” you said as you winced. “There was nothing you could’ve done.”

Oda stayed silent, deep in thought. He then took out the bandages from the med kit and started to wrap up your wounds. He started with the ones on your arms, making sure to not put too much pressure on it. He was careful with his movements, not wanting to hurt you.

When he moved onto your other arm he spoke up once more. “I’ll have to keep a better eye on you. I’ll ask Dazai for some henchmen to guard you.”

You hummed at his words. In the moment you didn’t know what to say, so you opted to staying silent.

“(Name)? I love you. Don’t ever forget that.”

Ranpo Edogawa

When he arrived to a quiet, empty house, he somehow managed to stay calm. He immediately put on his glasses and used his ability to figure out what happened.

Ranpo then deduced that some random gang decided to break into his house and rob him. When they realized that you were there locked away, they thought it would be best to kidnap you to get rid of any evidence.

Ranpo calmly headed back to the agency and told them about your disappearance. He of course made it seem like you stayed with him willingly, but nonetheless he told them.

The agency believed him.

Well, all except for one. Dazai didn’t believe he was telling the whole truth, but he wouldn’t pry. He had issues of his own.

The man was strangely calm. You’d think he’d be panicking in a situation like this, but he wasn’t.

He truly is a strange case.

Eventually they tracked down your location, and they got you out of there.

Scenario…

You lay down on the ground, fighting consciousness. You had to stay awake. If you didn’t, well, you don’t know what would happen to you. You were scared.

The room you were kept in was well lit. There was a small bed that was infested with bed bugs, a window with bars over it, and blood all over the walls. Your best guess was that this once served as a torture room. The thought of that alone chilled you to the core. Were you next? You hated that thought…

As you were about to close your eyes you started to hear yelling. You frowned as you managed to stand up from the ground. You then headed towards the door and looked through the small window that it had.

The sight before you was nothing you’ve seen before. It was Yosano, Kenji, Atsushi, and Ranpo. They all were fighting your kidnappers, aiming to disarm and or subdue each one.

Ranpo was the one to notice you watching the four fighting. He immediately darted to the room you were kept in and unlocked the door. Ranpo then opened it and tackled you in a hug.

You winced as you two fell to the ground. Ranpo was holding you so tightly— you felt as if you couldn’t breathe.

“Ranpo,” you said. “Too tight..!”

He immediately loosened his grip then looked up at you. As he hugged you he made sure to avoid any injuries you sustained.

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “Are you alright?”

You nodded. “I’m fine. I’m just very tired is all.”

He looked over some of the injuries you had received. He then looked over at Yosano and called her over.

Yosano ran over towards you with a slight frown. She practically had to throw Ranpo off of your body before she looked at your injuries. Once she noticed a particularly deep cut on your thigh, she used her ability to heal you. If the cut was left was left without any treatment, you would’ve bled out.

Butterflies swarmed you as you let out a relieved sigh. You were still tired, yes, but at least you weren’t on deaths doorstep anymore.

Yosano got up and joined back in the fight. Ranpo then walked over to you and sat next to you. He took out one of your favorite candies from his pocket and gave it to you with a neutral expression.

“Take it,” he spoke. “You look like you need it.”

“It’s not drugged this time, right?” You whispered. “I’d much rather be conscious when you drag me back to your place.”

Ranpo sighed. “It’s not drugged. Don’t worry.”

You slowly unwrapped the candy, then plopped it in your mouth. You then directed your gaze towards the fight with a saddened expression. Most of your kidnappers were currently incapacitated.

“Thank you,” you said as you swallowed the candy.

Ranpo nodded. “It’s the least I could do for letting you get kidnapped and get hurt.”

You only stayed silent.

“(Name), I love you so much. I know you don’t think I mean it, but I truly do.”

requests are back open! i’d also like more yandere requests yk

have a good day/night!

[thatanimewriter]

Hello! If you could, could you write up some Sebastian Michaelis x Fem! Darling angst? Perhaps he was away from her for a mission and missed when she had passed away due to a long term illness and is in denial when the servants tell him that it's been a few days since her passing. Thank you in advance !! ♡

failure

➳ character/s: sebastian michaelis

➳ warnings: swearing, death, violence, angst

➳ word count: 1.1k

➳ notes: thanks for requesting anon! there’s kind of a long backstory, sorry for that??

sebastian hated the idea of leaving you for any longer than he had to be. your sickness fluctuated constantly and he had no idea when you’d die. the only comfort he had in your situation was that you wanted to die in his arms, and he promised to make that happen for you, but he knew his priority was ciel and he knew that he had to assist the brat in investigating this travelling circus.

even if that meant being absent in your final moment.

he left your care to the other servants, and though he didn’t trust them to take care of your health, he trusted them to keep you from harm should this mission go to shit. the usually free-spirited servants kept their guard up while sebastian and ciel were gone, both because they were scared of disappointing him and they valued your life greatly.

the morning sebastian left, he stayed by your bedside, conversing casually to bring you ease. he memorised the small smile that graced your lips and the warm gaze you held when you were together. tracing the curve of your jaw and caressing your cheek with his thumb, he leaned down to give you a final kiss before he left, melting into the feeling of your lips on his. pulling away, he pulled the sheets up to your shoulders, fixing the blankets and smoothing them out. pristine and neat, just like you deserved. what he didn’t know was that he wouldn’t get the opportunity to do that again.

the servants surrounded your bed in silence, lizzy’s heartbroken sobs filling the silence and causing everyone’s throats to tighten, tears welling in their eyes as they tried to hold back their own cries. hours passed of them sitting in your room, glancing at your dead body that looked so much like you were just sleeping. they waited, just in case you might wake up, but it was bard who had to break it to them.

‘she’s dead, guys. we need to move her to the cellar,’ he said, sadness laced through his tone.

‘what do we tell sebastian?’ finny asked meekly.

‘we’ll figure it out... eventually,’ mey-rin responded. silently, bard went to get a stretcher, and soon after, tanaka ushered lizzy to her room, it was getting late and even with your death weighing heavily on their hearts, they knew they needed to move on as best they could.

though the peace you’d passed in was soon disturbed by a group of circus members trying to infiltrate the phantomhive manor. lizzy was asleep and you were resting in the cellar, a sheet covering your body to protect it from other conditions as best it could.

the servants gathered together, discussing a game plan they’d had planned and prepared ever since sebastian and ciel left for their investigation. mey-rin’s keen eye allowed time for this discussion and nothing was necessary to be said aloud. they all knew what to do.

and they weren’t going to back down until each circus member’s blood was spilled and their lives were lost. perhaps they would’ve had a shred of mercy if they hadn’t intruded on the day of your death. perhaps they wouldn’t have gone for the kill every time, firing bullets through the skulls of those with stunted growth, sending grown men triple their size through a brick wall and staining it red or burning the flesh of murderers alive.

but they had the audacity to disturb your soul. and it would be a disservice to both you and sebastian if they left any survivors.

after the mission was over and sebastian and ciel returned to the manor, the damage was suspected, but the sombre looks across all of their faces told another story. mey-rin’s glasses sat on top of her head, finny’s eyes were downturned and filled with tears, and bard was the most representative of a war soldier than they had seen him in a long time.

‘what happened?’ ciel demanded, the usual stern expression on his face did nothing to scare them for once.

‘young master...’ finny began, voice shaking and fists clenched. bard put a comforting hand on the boy’s shoulder and squeezing it to let him know it’s ok.

‘we killed the circus troupe, young master,’ bard began, staring into the captivating blue eye of his lord. ‘but [name] died the morning they arrived.’

the moment your name escaped his lips, they broke down. mey-rin’s knees buckled and finny joined her to pull her into a hug, sitting in their sorrow together, while bard clenched his teeth as tears streamed down his face. 

ciel’s eyes widened, looking towards sebastian. he never really cared about his butler’s feelings, but this was the one thing that made him apprehensive for the demon’s reaction.

‘this isn’t a funny joke,’ sebastian said passive aggressively. he knew it was entirely possible you had died, but he refused to believe it. the servants continued to cry, some hysterical, some not, but it was tanaka who made eye contact with the red-eyed butler and sadly shook his head, a single tear rolling down his face. ‘take me to her.’

bard nodded silently, turning to lead the young master and his butler through the manor and into the cellar. sebastian’s face was stone cold, ready to unleash hell if this was an elaborate prank, but remained quiet as they descended the stairwell.

‘we kept her here to make sure she was safe,’ bard said, taking the sheet off and folding it neatly, leaving it beside your cold body. ‘take your time.’ as sebastian and ciel stood, frozen to the spot at the sight of your corpse, the chef pat sebastian’s shoulder twice as he walked away, implying that he understood what he was going through and that he would be there for support.

the tall butler remained glued to the floor as ciel said his goodbye. he stared blankly until the young boy left, respecting his time alone with his long-time partner. numbly walking forward, he knelt beside you, taking your limp hand in his and pressing a kiss to the back of your hand.

leaning forward, he rested his head on your chest, still holding your hand between his. the only thing on his mind was spoken quietly with a noticeable strain on his voice. and then he lost it.

visceral sobs escaped his throat and his chest heaved as he repeated the same words over and over again as if it would change anything, but it was always met with the echo of his own cries.

‘i’m so sorry i failed to be there. please come back.’

[thecasualauthor]

Hey there! For the ask game: POV (I'll let you choose whose!!😅)

Hi Cam!!

This was super fun to write! I chose to write a POV from one of my fics called Vigil. I wrote it for the HP Rarepair fest several months ago!

Here's a scene from Hermione's Point of View! I hope you enjoy!!

Ask Game!

-----

Hermione doesn’t even remember the last words Harry said to them. 

Everything was a bit of a blur once they’d watch Snape die. Harry had left at… some point, she knew, but she couldn’t place a finger on it. They’d been too busy mourning their dead, too busy planning for the battle that was sure to continue. 

She wonders, sometimes. Wonders if had she and Ron been aware, if they had been able to stop him, would he still be alive?

But wondering does nothing, she knows. 

Currently she sits on the floor of the new tent, watching Neville, Ginny, and Luna speak in low voices by the fire outside. Ron sits beside her, an arm around her waist, grounding her to reality. He’s changed, in the months since they’ve been back on the run. He’s graver, jokes less, and he’s even more protective of their group than he was before all of this. But, Hermione supposes, this is to be expected, considering their best friend has been defeated by Voldemort.

She still doesn’t know how it happened. She doesn’t know if she wants to. The idea of him walking straight into death’s embrace makes her sick. What had been done to him? Had he been tortured? Had he been killed immediately? 

How could it have all gone so wrong?

The thoughts are utterly abhorrent, and she takes a deep breath, trying to push away the haunting thoughts that threaten to consume her. She leans into Ron's comforting presence, focuses on his hold on her, tries to find solace in his warmth amidst the cold, hopeless uncertainty of their situation.

The only comfort in all of this, in this whole mess, is the fact that they've destroyed the horcruxes. The only bit of Voldemort's soul left is the one in his own body, and if they can destroy that, then they'll be okay. 

Unfortunately, that means that they have to find Voldemort, and that's a task that proves to be rather difficult, despite the fact that he's now the leader of the supposed "free wizarding world.” 

Suffice it to say, things are pretty bad right now. 

“Are you ready? For tomorrow?” Ron’s voice echoes in the confined space in the tent, and Hermione keeps staring at the fire outside when she responds.

“As I’ll ever be,” Hermione replies. 

Their plan to capture a low level Death Eater is their first real plan since they returned to a life on the run all those weeks ago. It’s giving them something to go on, though. Maybe it’ll give them a lead to Voldemort, so they can finish him off, once and for all. 

“It’ll work,” Ron murmurs. “It has to.” Hermione swallows thickly, and her mind whirrs through all the possibilities, all the things that could go wrong. She closes her eyes. 

“I know we haven’t talked about this much,” she says. “But if it doesn’t– if there are too many of them, and we get caught…” She trails off, and Ron waits. “If you get the chance– whatever happens, don’t let them take me.” 

At this, they turn to face each other. Ron’s face is pale, and Hermione knows he understands. They both do. They've seen the horrors inflicted by Voldemort and his followers, the torture and suffering endured by those captured. They’ve both had the experience of being held prisoner themselves, even if it was only for a short time. Death would be a mercy compared to what awaited them if they were caught.

"Promise me, Ron," Hermione's voice is barely more than a whisper, her words laden with unspoken fear. "Promise me that if it comes to that, you won't hesitate.” Ron searches her expression with his clear blue eyes, and he furrows his brow.

“As long as you promise to do the same, if the opposite happens.”

Hermione nods stiffly. “I will.” 

She leans back, and rests her head on his shoulder.

He’ll keep his promise to her, she knows. 

She’ll keep hers. 

[melishade]

More Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Shit with spoilers (Because this has officially consumed me). Part 1 of my thoughts are here and now let’s get into Namor. Because a lot of Namor’s actions, were out defense, or an action of an outside force.

I have a vague idea that Namor was some sort of anti-hero in the Marvel Comics, but I didn’t know much else about him. But Ryan Coogler has so far made antagonists in the MCU more...sympathetic. Or at least someone that has a point. I mean it was because of Killmonger that T’Challa decided to open Wakanda to the rest of the world. A villain ended up influencing a hero’s decision by the end of the movie.

But besides that, Ryan Coogler’s framing of Namor is really brilliant because Namor’s actions are out of defense and/or are justified.

When Namor returns to the surface to bury his mother in her homeland, only to find it desecrated, people that look like him enslaved and beaten, and the slave masters calling him demon, he responds by burning everything up there to the ground and preparing for the day of a possible invasion from those same people.

When T’Challa reveals Wakanda to the rest of the world, causing other countries to scramble and try to find Wakanda under the sea, Namor responds by killing everyone that attempts and tries. It might seem cruel, but if a single person on that vessel at the beginning of the movie, made it out and said that there are blue people in the water, his kingdom would have been discovered, and his people would be in danger. He has no choice but to make sure that there are no witnesses. 

T’Challa’s actions are also why Namor decides to approach Ramonda and Shuri after the attack. He’s probably thinking: even if it was an accident, Wakanda put my people in danger. You can help rectify that mistake by bringing me the scientist who helped with creating a machine to find vibranium, so that I may kill them and keep my people safe.

Then Shuri decides to go to Talokan willingly, and Namor responds by showing her the kingdom, and even explaining his backstory, and why he is doing what he is doing. Shuri’s actions are ones that show Namor that she is willing to understand. She wants to find a peaceful way. She wants to know why. Namor even states that he was blinded by hope when addressing his people about Shuri’s escape. He saw Shuri’s actions and responded with hope.

And even though the attack on Wakanda was devastating, and the loss of Ramonda has caused a pathway of anger and revenge for Shuri, it was a valid response from Namor. Think about it this way: Ramonda tricked Namor. Ramonda took Namor away from Talokan so Nakia could break Shuri and Riri out of prison, resulting in the death of two of his subjects. Who as far as we know, were innocent, especially since one of them responded in horror to Nakia when she killed one of their own. Even if Namor was aware that Shuri didn’t want this to happen and was under the assumption that Shuri had no part to play, her mother created a plan that compromised his people and got two innocent people killed. So he responds by invading Wakanda and taking Ramonda’s life. Her death was repayment for the lives that her plan had taken.

And when we get to the part where Shuri is completely ready to end Namor, she chooses mercy. She tells him to yield and they will create and alliance. Namor responds by yielding to Shuri. He knows for a fact that Shuri has not forgiven him for his actions. He knows that it’s because she feels empathy for his people, and that Wakanda has no allies. The world wants their resources. The only people Wakanda can trust, is a kingdom that is exactly like them.

So again, many of Namor’s actions were acts of defense to what was going on around him, and he was thinking of the benefit and safety of his people. I am really happy that Namor is alive by the end of this, because he is a really compelling character. Can’t wait to see him further in the MCU. Also, Tenoch Huerta did a phenomenal job as Namor.

(So tomorrow, I’m going to talk about the ancestral plane scene and You-know-who if you’ve seen the movie already).

[randowhump]

Drabble: A Vivisection Of Me

Cw: gore.

Juno hadn't seen the figure for a while. They'd only go to his cell to give him that weird mush. He could sense the figure was plotting something and he spent several days and nights trying to figure out what they were planning. Even when he tried to talk to them, they wouldn't respond.

While Juno was panicking over what the figure might do next, they were fixing some things in a part of the lab made for surgeries. Cleaning a metal table stained with blood from who knows long ago, brushing away glass shards and dirty needles with some mystery disease, making sure the scalpels were sharp, making sure the restraints were tight enough and making sure everything was sterile.

Once everything was prepared the last thing they needed to do was sedate Juno. A chloroformed cloth should do the trick.

Juno was scribbling in his journal. The drawings weren't coherent, but at least there was something distracting him of the anxiety plaguing his mind. He went to the next page and thought for a moment. Maybe he could write down escape plans, the abandoned lab wasn't that far from civilization, right? And even if it was, it'd be better to die from dehydration or eaten by wolves than to be tested on.

He heard footsteps. Then he heard someone opening the basement door. Then he heard keys jingling. Then he heard more footsteps. He felt a cloth cover his mouth and nose. He didn't try to resist, he knew it'd be pointless. After a while his vision started fading and his eyelids felt heavy. And then he saw no more.

When they were certain Juno was sound asleep, they strapped him onto a gurney and carried him into the surgery room. It'd take a while for him to wake up, so they made some last minute preparations before restraining him onto the surgery table.

Juno slowly woke up. His head hurt, his vision was blurry and he didn't know where he was. He tried to move his arms but he couldn't, and he couldn't move his legs either. As his consciousness was returning he noticed he was strapped onto a surgery table. A Y shape was drawn on his torso and to the left of him was a tray with several scalpels. Seems like his intuition was right.

"Hello again, Juno." The figure said as they were putting on latex gloves. "Hope you slept well. Don't try to break the restraints, it's not gonna work."

"What is this..?" Juno mumbled.

"Just your standard vivisection."

The figure picked up a scalpel and approached Juno, who was breathing heavily. He screamed as they sliced his flesh and begged as they pulled back his skin, exposing his organs. His heart was beating intensely, he was hyperventilating, and the figure was examining his insides like a doordash order. His eyes darted across the room, trying to find an exit.

Oh, how he wished he could be somewhere else. How he wished he didn't need to endure this pain. How he daydreamed of being next to a fireplace with a trusted someone tending to his wounds. How he daydreamed of finding the masked figure once he escaped, beating them up into a paste and killing them once everything was over. How he dreamed of being anywhere but here.

The figure walked away from the surgery table and returned with a needle and string. They stitched up Juno's wounds whilst he shivered from being trapped in that cold room for so long. At least it was over. They covered his mouth with another chloroformed cloth and strapped him onto the gurney.

He woke up again in that same cell he was in for the past few months. Maybe this all was just an extremely realistic dream? One look at his torso said otherwise. Those stitches were definitely real. What else would the figure do? What other ways would they dissect and experiment on him? When would they stop, when he was on death's doorstep begging for mercy? They could probably resurrect him if so.

And what if he managed to escape anyways? Would anyone believe him? Could he have a chance to witness his own funeral? Could he pretend he was an old friend of his, walk up to the casket and see there was no body inside it? How would his friends and family feel if they found out they were mourning someone who was still alive?

[askcharaandfriends]

I'm not sure the analogy fully holds up. Not killing someone doesn't mean there are no consequences. If a trial is so important, you can't forget that those end with punishments. AFAC has a history of characters getting off free. Gaster tortured inmates and children and was not punished. Asriel killed people and wasn't punished. Chara did the stuff they did and were not punished. Asgore turned himself in and his allies got the punishment removed. Unless things changed, it should be the same here

Goldy: Ahh, I love philosophical quandaries within Undertale! Brings me back to when I used them to make Grade-A research papers! Mia's given me the honor of responding to these.

WARNING: TEXT WALL AND SPOILERS FOR AFAC/POTENTIALLY FOR ACAF BELOW!

I'm really glad you've brought up the issue of consequences, because that's actually the answer to the questions you're raising about mercy here. Instead of "Why are they not punished," let's ask "Why CAN'T they be punished?"

Let's start with Gaster. Humoring what would happen if he were punished for his crimes, the fact that some of the kids were tortured would be an angle that wasn't brought up when the world's attention was on Asgore over the kids' fate in the Underground. That, on top of the fact that Gaster was Asgore's employee, would've led to people and officials to believe that Asgore knew about it and withheld information. Asgore would be tried for perjury, there'd be no plea deal this time, and the sovereign status of Monster Town would be imperiled, along with Monsters' legal status. Frisk would suffer the most; at the very least, they'd never see their found family again, and at worst, they'd fall back into Susan's clutches.

And I'm glad you brought up the kids too. It IS worth noting that in AFAC, we haven't seen any resolution YET. Which was honestly, IMO, a mistake on TQ's part in regards to proceeding with the story. We really should've focused immediately on the emotional fallout with the kids coming back and the fact that did so many bad things, instead of... proceeding to a wrestling match over a petty conflict that seems insignificant by comparison.

...Plus, there's no real way to punish the kids that doesn't seem too cruel, or doesn't match the magnitude of their crimes. What would work? Disowning them and leaving them out in the cold to die? How would that sit with Frisk, given what they've been through? Or... Imagine Chara and Azzy going up to everyone they hurt and going like "Hi, I murdered you ala-Saw, I'm sorry." At best, it would be treated as crazy BS, and at worst, it could cause them to recall it all like you've pointed out. It's just better to reform them and help them come to terms, trust issues be damned. After all... "restorative justice," right?

Finally, it's worth noting that practically NO ONE in Undertale is completely innocent. Papyrus threatening Frisk with death traps. Toriel doing literally nothing when she could've done SO MUCH to stop the war effort, or even just destroy the Door to Snowdin long before the second kid fell down. Sans doing absolutely nothing to honor his promise to Toriel. MTT exploiting his workers and abandoning his family. Alphys committing fraud and unethical experiments of her own; come to think of it, we forgave Alphys, so why not Gaster?

And finally, the fact is, every single Monster is more than happy to live on the Surface, enjoying a freedom that was bought with six counts of infanticide. Undertale is a metafiction that makes the player question our justice, and when we imagine the aftermath, we realize that not only is it not perfect, but that pursuing it can even lead to unjust ends.

Imagine that for a moment. Justice being a bad thing. Something that would necessitate an "escape clause" to knowingly subvert, pervert, or even avert its course. The ends do not justify the means, they simply outweigh them. Which is why I am inclined to say "So what?" to the myriad crimes we see before us in the story, callous as it may seem.

And that's why I love this game so much. I live for this. In the end, there is no justice. Only endings, and the resolutions we seek.

Hope this answers your question. TLDR: Justice itself would've been the biggest antagonist of all if we hadn't stepped in and swept it all under the rug.

[adventism-atheism-orthodoxy-me]

Problems with Penal Substitution

The penal substitution view was completely absent from the church for over 1,000 years. It was only in the 11th century that Anselm of Canterbury began to introduce the groundwork for this kind of theology to the West. Nor was it fully developed into the doctrine we now know as penal substitution until the 16th-century Reformers came along. To this day it has never been accepted in the east (nor has it ever been fully accepted by the Roman catholics).

1. Penal substitution compromises the deity of Christ and puts a rift in the trinity.

If Christ died for, and is our solution to, our sins against god the Father, then what about our sins against Christ? He’s just as god as the Father is. or our sins against the Holy Spirit? With penal substitution, god is pitted against god, either dividing god (and thus destroying the Trinity) or saying that Christ isn’t fully god.

2. with penal substitution, God is bound by necessity.

If god’s justice demands that He punish sin, then there is a higher force than god—necessity—which determines what god can and cannot do. Calvinists will be quick to argue, “No, justice is an aspect of god’s nature. There is no necessity laid on Him from outside His nature.” The problem, though, is that if I do “A” then god must do “B.” If I sin, god must punish. He does not have the freedom to do otherwise. Thus god’s actions are bound and controlled by some- thing outside of Himself, i.e. my actions. This becomes even more confusing if we add in the calvinistic notion that god foreordained my sinful actions in the first place, thus forcing Him to respond to them. Furthermore, it is often argued by the Reformed that god is sovereign and doesn’t have to save anyone if He chooses not to. on the other hand, He does have to punish sin. So god has to punish sin, but He doesn’t have to save sinners. It’s very interesting that justice (or at least what the Reformed see as justice) becomes the defining characteristic of god rather than love. Justice forces god to respond to our actions, but love does not.

3. Penal substitution misunderstands the old testament sacrifices.

The old Testament sacrificial system was not a picture of penal substitution. god was not pouring out His wrath on the animals in place of the Israelites. He didn’t vent His righteous judgment on the animals, sending them to hell in place of the Israelites. on the contrary, they were killed honorably and as painlessly as possible. Their life (i.e. their blood) was offered to god as a sweet smelling aroma. The resulting meat was good and holy—not just worthless carrion fit for dogs and vultures. Such is also the case with Christ’s sacrifice: it is a holy offering of blood to the Father, not a means whereby god can vent His wrath.

4. Penal substitution misunderstands the word “justice.”

A quick perusal of the psalms and prophets will reveal that the word “justice” is usually coupled with “mercy.” Justice really means to show kindness and deliverance to the oppressed, and to right the wrongs done to them. True justice is destroying our oppressors—sin, death, and Satan—not punishing us for the sins to which we are in bondage.

5. Penal substitution misunderstands the word “propitiation.”

propitiation should not be thought of in the classical pagan sense, as if our god were some angry deity who needed appeasing and could only be satisfied through a penal sacrifice. It’s really quite different. propitiation (greek hilasterion) is also translated “mercy seat.” The mercy seat covered the ark of the covenant, which contained a copy of the ten commandments—the law. While the law cried out against us and demanded perfection and showed us our shortcomings, the mercy seat covered those demands and our failure to live up to them. Was the mercy seat punished for our sins? of course not. likewise, christ’s blood was not the punishment demanded by justice, but rather the ultimate mercy seat, covering and forgiving our sins. This is why “propitiation” is sometimes more accurately translated as “expiation” in some versions of the Bible. (“expiation” implies the removal of our sins, while “propitiation” implies appeasing an angry deity.)

6. with penal substitution, God does not show unconditional love.

With penal substitution, god Himself does not show the unconditional love that He commands us to show one another. There is a big condition attached: god must have an “outlet” to vent His wrath. His “self-giving” love is only made possible by His “self- satisfying” justice.

7. with penal substitution, God does not truly forgive.

With penal substitution, the debt is not really forgiven; it’s just transferred. But we are commanded to forgive as god forgave us. If my brother offends me, should I demand justice and vent my wrath on someone else? Should I beat myself up? No, obviously we are to simply let it go and graciously accept the offense.

8. with penal substitution, God changes.

According to penal substitution, god is angry with us because of our sins. But once He expresses His wrath in His Son, He is no longer angry with us. Now He loves us as He loves His own Son. In other words, He changes. First He’s angry with us, then He changes His mind and decides to love us. But how can this be if god is love? How can a god who is infinite, self-giving love ever vary in His degree of love towards us? Besides, not only is god love (1 Jn 4:8, 16), but He’s also unchanging (Mal 3:6) and doesn’t change His mind (Num 23:19).

9. Penal substitution makes the resurrection unnecessary.

According to penal substitution, salvation is made possible only by a legal exchange. We are counted “just” and “forgiven” only because god’s wrath has been poured out on Christ instead. Since hell is said to be a punishment for sins, and since our sins have already been punished in Christ, we are free to go to heaven. The resurrection then becomes simply a nice bonus, nothing more than a “proof” that Christ is divine.

10. Penal substitution makes the incarnation unnecessary.

Was it Christ’s physical suffering or spiritual suffering which atoned for our sins (according to penal substitution)? If physical, then anyone who has suffered physically more than Christ (and there have been plenty in the history of our race), is exempt from hell, since they already paid for their own sins. If it was Christ’s spiritual suffering that counts, then He didn’t need to be incarnate. (After all, the demons will be punished without needing bodies.) The incarnation becomes just an “add-on” to help us out a little more.

11. One person cannot be punished for another. contra penal substitution, the Bible tells us that one person cannot be punished for another. each one shall die for his own sins:

In those days they shall say no more: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” But every one shall die for his own iniquity. (Jer 31:29-30) Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; a person shall be put to death for his own sin. (Deut 24:16) The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. (Ezek 18:20)

12. Penal substitution makes death a punishment rather than a result.

God said, “In the day you eat the fruit, you will surely die” (Gen 2:17). He did not say “I will kill you” but rather “you will die.” To walk away from god (i.e. to sin) is by definition, death. death is the realm of “Not god.” likewise, if I pull the plug on my own life support system, the result is death. No one else is killing me. If I jump off the roof, after being warned by my mother not to, and I end up breaking my leg, does that mean that my mother broke my leg? No, that was simply the result of my own choice. Christ gave Himself up to death. If death is an active punishment from god, then Christ was punished by His Father (per penal substitution). But if death is the result of sin, then it is an outside enemy, and not god’s own wrath.

13. Penal substitution undermines union with Christ.

If death is a punishment for sin rather than a result of sin (continuing with the last point), then it makes little sense to speak of being united with Christ. St. Paul says that we were united together in the likeness of His death (Rom 6:5). He also says “I have been crucified with Christ” (Gal 2:20). If death is a punishment, then St. Paul is saying “Christ and I have been punished together.” But again, why would two people be punished for one person’s sins? perhaps it makes more sense to say that Christ, in union with our humanity, experienced the consequence of death, and through His death, defeated death for all of us. Besides, if we really believe that Christ defeated death, then we certainly can’t say that death is a punishment sent from god, or else we’d be forced to say that Christ defeated something that god willed for us. But Christ and His Father are not at war with each other. on the other hand, I will certainly confess that there is a substitution as well. Christ experienced the consequence of sin (i.e. death), as a substitute for us, so that we don’t have to experience the ultimate consequence sin (i.e. eternal death). But note that Christ is taking on the consequence of sin in our place, rather than the punishment for sin in our place.

14. Penal substitution was absent from the entire Church (both east and west) for at least 1,000 years.

To quote from the Theogeek blogsite, “If the apostles taught penal substitution as a central part of their gospel, then it seems almost entirely inconceivable that the generations that came after them and spoke the same language had, worldwide, managed to universally forget the major and central part of the gospel and replace it with something else entirely.” So what was Christ’s death for, if not to satisfy god’s justice? The purpose of Christ’s atonement was to defeat death and forgive us of our sins. It was the presenting of Christ’s blood, His humanity, to the Father to restore the unity that we had broken. It was a sweet-smelling aroma, a sacrifice acceptable to god.

The depth and purpose of His sacrifice is far beyond the scope of this little book, but one thing is for sure: it was not about punishment. And when punishment is taken out of the equation, things look much different. We can no longer say that Christ was punished in place of John but not in place of, say, Judas. But we can say that Christ defeated death for both John and Judas, both of whom will be resurrected regardless of their acceptance or rejection of Christ (even though it doesn’t guarantee that they’ll both enjoy their resurrection).

-- From the Book, Reconsidering TULIP, by Alexander Renault

[princeofgod-2021]

LIGHT OF LIFE 347

John 1:4

TOO LATE 10 – AGENTS OF CHANGE? 2

Eze 14:19-20 “Or SUPPOSE I WERE TO SEND A PLAGUE INTO THAT LAND, AND POUR OUT MY RAGE ON IT WITH BLOODSHED, killing both people and animals. EVEN IF NOAH, DANIEL, AND JOB WERE IN IT, AS SURELY AS I LIVE, DECLARES THE SOVEREIGN LORD, THEY COULD NOT SAVE THEIR OWN SON OR DAUGHTER; THEY WOULD SAVE ONLY THEIR OWN LIVES BY THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS. NET

God rarely harms or resists men who attempt to stop him from carrying out His judgement on people, because it basically shows that someone sees and acknowledges God’s “pains” and as such, respects Him for who He is.

Exo 32:30 And on the day after, MOSES SAID TO THE PEOPLE, GREAT HAS BEEN YOUR SIN: but I will go up to the Lord, AND SEE IF I MAY GET FORGIVENESS FOR YOUR SIN. Then Moses went back to the Lord and said, THIS PEOPLE HAS DONE A GREAT SIN, MAKING THEMSELVES A GOD OF GOLD; But now, if you will give them forgiveness—but if not, let my name be taken out of your book. BBE

However, the scary thing about being too late is that, even if God does [seem] to respond to pleas and tempers down His judgment, you soon realize that the judgement is only merely delayed.

Exo 32:34-35 So now go, lead the people to the place I have spoken to you about. See, my angel will go before you. BUT ON THE DAY THAT I PUNISH, I WILL INDEED PUNISH THEM FOR THEIR SIN.” AND THE LORD SENT A PLAGUE ON THE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY HAD MADE THE CALF – THE ONE AARON MADE. NET

It seems simpler here, as the Bible did not say that God killed or destroyed them, right?

He only punished with a plague. The issue here was that the primarily intended judgment was to be DEATH.

Exo 32:7-8,10 The LORD said to Moses: Hurry back down! Those people you led out of Egypt are acting like fools. They have already stopped obeying me and have made themselves an idol in the shape of a young bull. They have bowed down to it, offered sacrifices, and said that it is the god who brought them out of Egypt… and I'M ANGRY ENOUGH TO DESTROY THEM, SO DON'T TRY TO STOP ME. But I will make your descendants into a great nation. CEV

Moses pleaded with God, and the God of Mercy let go about the issue of killing them outright.

Exo 32:11,13-14 But Moses pleaded with the LORD his God and said, " LORD, why should you be so angry with your people, whom you rescued from Egypt with great might and power?... Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Remember the solemn promise you made to them to give them as many descendants as there are stars in the sky and to give their descendants all that land you promised would be their possession forever." SO THE LORD CHANGED HIS MIND AND DID NOT BRING ON HIS PEOPLE THE DISASTER HE HAD THREATENED. GNB

But when God finally decided not to let the Israelites enter the “Land”, Moses’ pleas could only stop instant judgement; they still suffered the judgement of Death Penalty, extended over time.

Num 14:11-12 The LORD said to Moses, "HOW LONG WILL THESE PEOPLE TREAT ME WITH CONTEMPT? How long will they refuse to trust me in spite of all the miraculous signs I have done among them? I'LL STRIKE THEM WITH A PLAGUE, I'LL DESTROY THEM, AND I'LL MAKE YOU INTO A NATION LARGER AND STRONGER THAN THEY ARE." GW

You need to follow this “process” carefully to get the points: Moses had used similar “lines” before with God in Exo 32:9-14 in pleading for Israel, and it “worked”, as God “repented of the evil”.

Num 14:15-16 Now if you put to death all this people as one man, then the nations who have had word of your glory will say, BECAUSE THE LORD WAS NOT ABLE TO TAKE THIS PEOPLE INTO THE LAND WHICH HE MADE AN OATH TO GIVE THEM, he sent destruction on them in the waste land. BBE

But Alas! This time around, God’s forgiveness was not forgiveness at all; it was merely delayed [and redesigned] judgement.

We all know how Prison could be: some Judgements are instant death; some are locked up with hard labour, and no mercy handouts than prison food and some senseless Human Rights, till death.

Num 14:20-22 Then the LORD said to Moses: IN ANSWER TO YOUR PRAYER, I DO FORGIVE THEM. BUT as SURELY AS I LIVE and my power has no limit, I SWEAR THAT NOT ONE OF THESE ISRAELITES WILL ENTER THE LAND I PROMISED TO GIVE THEIR ANCESTORS. These people have seen my power in Egypt and in the desert, but they will never see Canaan. They have disobeyed and tested me too many times. CEV

You need to read further to hear God swear passionately about dealing with these people. Pls read.

Num 14:28,29,34,35 Now give them this answer: 'I SWEAR THAT AS SURELY AS I LIVE, I WILL DO TO YOU JUST WHAT YOU HAVE ASKED. I, THE LORD, HAVE SPOKEN. YOU WILL DIE AND YOUR CORPSES WILL BE SCATTERED ACROSS THIS WILDERNESS. Because you have complained against me, none of you over twenty years of age will enter that land… YOU WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR SIN FOR FORTY YEARS, ONE YEAR FOR EACH OF THE FORTY DAYS YOU SPENT EXPLORING THE LAND. YOU WILL KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE ME AGAINST YOU! I SWEAR THAT I WILL DO THIS TO YOU WICKED PEOPLE WHO HAVE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST ME. Here in the wilderness every one of you will die. I, the LORD, have spoken.' "GNB

Now, the people themselves tried to plead on their own behalf, but it was too, too late, forever!

Num 14:40-42,45 And EARLY IN THE MORNING they went up to the crest of the hill country, saying, “HERE WE ARE, AND WE WILL GO UP TO THE PLACE THAT THE LORD COMMANDED, FOR WE HAVE SINNED.” But Moses said, “WHY ARE YOU NOW TRANSGRESSING THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD? It will not succeed! DO NOT GO UP, FOR THE LORD IS NOT AMONG YOU, AND YOU WILL BE DEFEATED BEFORE YOUR ENEMIES… So the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country swooped down and attacked them as far as Hormah. NET

Pls understand folks: when Judgement is set in motion, non-conformity with the judgment is SIN itself.

Imagine that when Moses pleaded for himself, or when these people tried to appease God, it was accounted sin.

May we not offend God to the point of no mercy, in Jesus name.

Join us on Wednesday as we proceed with this compelling Subtopic.

Keep Shinning!

Brother Prince

Monday, May 01, 2023

08055125517; 08023904307

[pet-genius]

A complex and many-layered thing

But Harry’s anger at Snape continued to pound through his veins like venom. Let go of his anger? He could as easily detach his legs. . . .

This is the first Occlumency lesson. Harry is right, of course. Feelings don’t go away because you want them to. To let go of them when they’ve not been addressed or validated can be as hard as detaching a leg. And yet, it’s what Dumbledore asked Snape to do, and it’s what Snape had to do to survive the first war as Dumbledore’s spy. You have to ask yourself… how?

Trapped animals chew off their own legs to escape. It’s a sacrifice they make to survive.

If there’s one thing in a fic that turns me off it, it’s the idea that Occlumency shields are a thing, that Severus was so gifted at it because he’s got some power like Second Sight or being a metamorphagus. I always preferred to think of Occlumency and Legilimency as skills that can be learned, even if some have more aptitude for it than others.

Severus entered Hogwarts with the kind of life experience that primed him for developing these skills, and left it with even more. Occlumency is magical dissociation, a post-traumatic coping mechanism, and Severus has C/PTSD. More under the cut; tw: just general angst.

To survive, he would have had to develop a knack for telling how explosive and unpredictable people feel. Over his life, he faced at least two egregious examples of what Pete Walker, author of “Complex PTSD” calls “the Charming Bully”.

Especially devolved fight types can become sociopathic. Sociopathy can range along a continuum that stretches from corrupt politician to vicious criminal. A particularly nasty sociopath, who I call the charming bully, probably falls somewhere around the middle of this continuum. The charming bully behaves in a friendly manner some of the time. He can even occasionally listen and be helpful in small amounts, but he still uses his contempt to overpower and control others. This type typically relies on scapegoats for the dumping of his vitriol. These unfortunate scapegoats are typically weaker than him. […] He generally spares his favorites from this behavior, unless they get out of line. If the charming bully is charismatic enough, those close to him will often fail to register the unconscionable meanness of his scapegoating. The bully’s favorites often slip into denial, relieved that they are not the target. Especially charismatic bullies may even be admired and seen as great.

These would be James Potter and Tom Riddle, who are distantly related, I might add. Harry inherited the tendency to default to the fight response, but since he grew up the scapegoat and not the golden child, he never becomes quite as appalling, and after all, a fight response is normal when they are after you. Even so, Harry, who has both James and Voldemort inside him, triggers Severus to no end. It’s not a coincidence that the memories Harry sees when he is with him are largely horrible, and vice versa. There had to be happy or at least neutral or even boring moments, but these two detest each other, and they know they detest each other. Negative emotions and associated memories are so close to the surface they can’t be contained. This is the purpose of the Pensieve in this context - to contain the emotions. Since Severus knew what was in there when he pulled Harry out, my theory is that you don’t suddenly forget the memories you placed there, but rather you make them less fraught with emotions.

“Get up!” said Snape sharply. “Get up! You are not trying, you are making no effort, you are allowing me access to memories you fear, handing me weapons!”

Harry stood up again, his heart thumping wildly as though he had really just seen Cedric dead in the graveyard. Snape looked paler than usual, and angrier, though not nearly as angry as Harry was. “I — am — making — an — effort,” he said through clenched teeth.

“I told you to empty yourself of emotion!”

“Yeah? Well, I’m finding that hard at the moment,” Harry snarled.

“Then you will find yourself easy prey for the Dark Lord!” said Snape savagely. “Fools who wear their hearts proudly on their sleeves, who cannot control their emotions, who wallow in sad memories and allow themselves to be provoked this easily — weak people, in other words — they stand no chance against his powers! He will penetrate your mind with absurd ease, Potter!”

A lot to unpack here.

“Memories you fear,” “weapons”, “easy prey”.

Fearing your own memories, viewing your own lived experiences as weapons to be used against you, being easy prey… Severus could not be speaking louder of himself here. He is the one whose mind had been penetrated with absurd ease, he is the one who handed weapons to Voldemort, and he is the one who had to do the psychological equivalent of detaching his own leg – again and again – to survive.

I’ll argue that Severus developed a fawn response and a flight response, as fighting had never really worked out for him if it was possible at all. He had at least two more people I’d describe as bullies in his life, Tobias and Lucius.

Again from Pete Walker:

These [fawn] response patterns are so deeply set in the psyche, that as adults, many codependents automatically respond to threat like dogs, symbolically rolling over on their backs, wagging their tails, hoping for a little mercy and an occasional scrap. Webster’s second entry for fawn is: “to show friendliness by licking hands, wagging its tail, etc.: said of a dog.” I find it tragic that some codependents are as loyal as dogs to even the worst “masters”.

Remember what Sirius called him? Lucius’s lapdog. Bellatrix called him Dumbledore’s pet, Dumbledore said he dangles on Voldemort’s arm, the narrative compares Snape to a rabbit in SWM and Harry compares the Half Blood Prince to a beloved pet who had gone feral (yes, this does mean a lot to me on a personal level, yes my username is not a coincidence).

His unconscious fawn response might have been his undoing, drawn as he was to figures like Lucius and Voldemort. As an adult, I think he utilized the skills he had developed to survive in order to stitch these people up, and involuntary dissociation and fawning became Occlumency, which to me, is his signature magic. Harry needed only to banish Voldemort from his mind; Severus could not settle for this. He had to give Voldemort something, and knowing how to fawn meant knowing what to give him and how to draw himself in such a light that Voldemort would believe it. We see how he wanted to be seen by the Death Eaters: a self-serving coward who sought to hide behind Dumbledore’s apron, playing his pet. But that’s Pettigrew, not Snape. Imagine the self-immolation, the self-violation, it must have taken to convince everyone that you’re an ersatz Wormtail! Snape is a man and a prince, and the text recognizes this as Harry calls him, in the end, Dumbledore’s man, the bravest man, and as that chapter is called “The Prince’s Tale”. Voldemort thought Snape was nothing more than a “good and faithful servant,” and that his last words were “My Lord”.

But Severus had an unequaled gift for Occlumency, specifically against Voldemort, because Voldemort could not legilimens what he couldn’t feel; and he couldn’t feel love, grief, guilt, and remorse. This was Severus’s secret weapon, which would not have worked against Harry - who can feel these things, and who is also Lily’s son. I can prove it. The first time Harry gets the hang of Occlumency is after Dobby dies:

His scar burned, but he was master of the pain; he felt it, yet was apart from it. He had learned control at last, learned to shut his mind to Voldemort, the very thing Dumbledore had wanted him to learn from Snape. Just as Voldemort had not been able to possess Harry while Harry was consumed with grief for Sirius, so his thoughts could not penetrate Harry now, while he mourned Dobby. Grief, it seemed, drove Voldemort out . . . though Dumbledore, of course, would have said that it was love. . . .

Harry learned to dissociate, though fortunately in a healthier way than many of us ever get to.

Of course, Snape was a good and faithful servant… to Dumbledore, which brings us to the flight response. The chapter wherein he escapes after killing Dumbledore is called “Flight of the Prince”. He should be fighting, he had just proven that he can cast a killing curse, and yet he flees. He can literally fly, in fact: He, Lily, and Voldemort are the only ones we see pulling this off.

As a child, we see this too: He copes with his home situation by reminding himself “it won’t be long and I’ll be gone.” He is thrilled when he imagines Hogwarts, his escape; he follows Lily out of the carriage instead of confronting James and Sirius head-on (which might have saved them all a lot of pain eventually). But this doesn’t work out, we see that in terrifying detail. The next attempt at an escape is joining the Death Eaters, but this too doesn’t work out.

He can’t flee anymore.

“Severus, you cannot pretend this isn’t happening!” Karkaroff’s voice sounded anxious and hushed, as though keen not to be overheard. “It’s been getting clearer and clearer for months. I am becoming seriously concerned, I can’t deny it —”

“Then flee,” said Snape’s voice curtly. “Flee — I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts.”

Shortly thereafter:

“Severus,” said Dumbledore, turning to Snape, “you know what I must ask you to do. If you are ready . . . if you are prepared . . .”

“I am,” said Snape.

He looked slightly paler than usual, and his cold, black eyes glittered strangely.

He was ready, and he was prepared. He didn’t fly; he walked toward what might well have been his end with open eyes, armed only with the strength of his mind. Before Voldemort killed him, he looked pale, again, and terrified.

“I sought a third wand, Severus. The Elder Wand, the Wand of Destiny, the Deathstick. I took it from its previous master. I took it from the grave of Albus Dumbledore.”

And now Snape looked at Voldemort, and Snape’s face was like a death mask. It was marble white and so still that when he spoke, it was a shock to see that anyone lived behind the blank eyes.

I ask myself if this was the moment he realized he had been betrayed, that by giving Dumbledore a painless death he had secured his own. Maybe he wasn’t pale because he was scared; maybe he was pale because he was shocked. He was at his absolute limit, Occluding with all his might when he could have easily saved himself. The dam is about to break. All the memories he feared, all the weapons, the entire content of his heart is about to spill through - literally.

He fawned for Voldemort, the worst of all possible masters, but in the end, he was Voldemort’s undoing. All the ways in which he was weak and powerless against Tobias, James, Lucius, et al., proved to be part of goodness and source of his power. It doesn’t surprise me in the least that Snape is so loved. I’ve never actually seen such love for any other fictional character. He represents a kind of courage that many of us need to get by, lest we simply become evil or give the fuck up (“I wish I was dead”). A kind of courage rarely celebrated. The more time I’ve spent in the fandom in general and in the Snapedom in particular, the more I am convinced of this.

[imtooscaredforthis]

Unknown Caller

Ghostface x Reader Smut

Summary: Late at night, you start getting texts from the serial killer and your stalker, Ghostface.

Mentions of: Threats, Death, Stabbing, Sexting, Phone sex, Knife play, Oral Sex, Voyeurism, Recording w/out Consent and Danny being super horny

Word Count: 2.4K

With an exhausted groan, you collapsed back onto your bed, letting the mattress suck you in. It had been yet another long, shitty work day, leaving you mentally drained and wanting to sleep.

The only thing that kept you from sleeping was how gross, sticky, and sweaty you felt from walking around in that shitty waitress uniform. It was a summer day in Florida, after all. Of course you would be burning your ass off. And somehow, the urge to take a shower overpowered your fatigue.

So after an extra moment or two of laying down, you got up, grabbing your phone and a towel, heading into the bathroom and locking the door behind you, just in case any unwelcome visitors came in. You knew exactly who that visitor was.

You tried to shake the thought of the masked murderer, not even daring to think his name. The last thing you needed tonight was having him come around. Maybe he would just give you a break for once and leave you alone. Maybe…

Sighing, you tapped at your phone, playing some music and stripping down. Stepping into the shower, you turned the heat all the way up, letting the hot water pour down onto your skin until it turned red. You washed off all the stress and trouble from the day, finally being able to relax.

Once you got out of the shower, you slipped on a black lacy bra with matching panties, using a robe to cover it up. You had grown used to spending the nights alone, with no one to take home, no friends to speak with.

You lost them all, since they all thought you were being crazy and paranoid about being stalked by Ghostface. Even after one of your dear friends died, (the only one who believed you) they still thought you were crazy. In fact, they thought you killed him. And the cops were no help either, thinking all the threats were just some prankster or copycat.

So now, here you sat on your bed, scrolling through social media, when you got a text.

Unknown: Evening, gorgeous

You stared at the message blankly, feeling your heart drop in your stomach. It was him.

You cast a protective glance over at your bedroom window, which had the curtains drawn and the blinds shut, as an attempt of giving yourself some sort of privacy from the stalker. Was he out there? Waiting outside the window to peek, or behind your door to jump out at you. Even though he’s been doing this for a while, you’d still never get used to it.

Swallowing the lump in your throat, you began to type up a message to respond to him. You learned the hard way to answer his texts and calls.

(Y/N): What do you want to torture me with now?

Even though you were still quite afraid of the killer, there were times where you found him a complete nuisance, and got the guts to told him. This was one of those times.

Unknown: C’mon, don’t be like that. I have fun with the games we play. But I want to try something different tonight.

(Y/N): Like what?

Unknown: Like how I can see what you’re wearing and can’t help but wonder if you put all of that on just for me

You felt your face go a bright red, looking around and grabbing the hem over your robe, moving it over, attempting to cover up your body.

Unknown: There’s no use in covering it up now, I’ve already seen everything and it’s gotten me so hard

Looking at the text, you blinked a few times, making sure this was real. Maybe it was just some weird sex dream. You pinched yourself. Nope. This was real. The feared serial killer of Roseville was sexting you.

Unknown: You look so cute like that, all surprised and scared, it makes me want to cut you up and fuck you until you can’t walk.

Unknown: You’d like that, wouldn’t you?

Your mouth went dry as you tried to think of something to text him back with, your body running hot with arousal. You can’t believe this is turning you on. It really shouldn’t be.

Unknown: There’s no need to be so shy, (y/n). You know we can be honest with each other.

(Y/N): Yes I would

Unknown: Good girl

Unknown: My cock is just throbbing thinking about how nice and tight you would be, how good you would squeeze me, how I’d love to fill you up with my cum. And you’d love every second of it, wouldn’t you, baby?

(Y/N): Fuck yes

You rubbed your thighs together, feeling how drenched you were getting, a silent moan leaving your lips, not even realizing he was paying attention to every little detail.

Unknown: Shit, that was so hot. I’m really turning you on, aren’t I?

Unknown: You want to touch yourself don’t you? Want to get off on the dirty things I’m telling you? Well you can’t. Not unless you beg for it like a good girl.

You would object, but you knew you were too far in to stop yourself. It had been quite a long time since you had done something like this, and a part of you felt desperate. So, you did it. You begged.

(Y/N): Please, Ghostface. Please let me touch myself.

Unknown: Good. Go ahead, but take off that robe. You won’t be needing it.

Moving your arm out, you shrugged the robe off your shoulders, spreading your legs ever so slightly. Might as well give him a show.

You ran your hand down your stomach, moving it down to your hips, and then your thigh, while your other hand stayed high on your chest, running your finger over your clothed nipple. After a moment or two, you dipped your finger under the fabric, running it up and down your drenched slit. You played with your clit, leaning back and moaning softly.

Unknown: Fuck, I just want to run my knife all over the curves of your body

Unknown: Put two fingers in

You did as told, pushing two fingers into your opening, thrusting them in slowly. You didn’t even notice the distant flash of a camera recording you peeking out from behind your window.

You shut your eyes, biting your lip and arching your back, as you began to pick up the pace. The sound of your phone chiming managed to make you open your eyes, and snap out of your little fantasy, looking down at your phone.

Unknown: You look so fucking hot right now, I want to come in there and ruin you

(Y/N): Why don’t you?

Unknown: It’s tempting, but I need to do one thing first.

Unknown Number is calling…

You picked up, slowing your fingers. “Why’d you- why’d you stop?” He questioned between groans, his voice strained. So he was touching himself too.

“I didn’t know if you wanted me to-”

“Keep on going. Don’t stop. Add a finger.” He instructed.

An image of Ghostface stroking himself popped into your mind, making you pick up the pace. A string of mewls and whimpers left your mouth as you went even faster, feeling yourself grow close.

“You sound- shit, so nice babe. Makes me want to- even more-”

“Fuck, I’m g-going to- ah” Your body froze up, feeling yourself clench around your fingers.

It seemed like he was close too, considering how much he was panting, low groans and grunts. There was a brief silence on the other line, and you wondered if he hung up on you. But then, he spoke. “I’m coming in.”

He ended the call and you felt your heart leap in excitement, calming down from your high, and preparing for him to come in. You looked from the window to the door, wondering where he’d be entering.

A few minutes went by, and he still hadn’t shown up. A part of you wondered if this was some sort of sick game to humiliate you. If he was just going to leave you all alone.

“Miss me?” A familiar voice whispered into your ear, making you jump.

“Jesus don’t scare me like that.” You muttered, turning to face him.

“Why so grumpy? Is it because I kept you waiting? So impatient, so needy. I love it.” He grasped your chin, tilting your head and making you look up at him. He ran a gloved finger over your lips, tracing your cupid’s bow.

You felt your body grow hot at the contact, your thighs clenching together. He noticed, moving his hand away to finally give you what you so desperately craved. Grabbing your shoulders, he pushed you down on the bed, straddling you.

Slowly, he ran his knife over your skin, tracing it from your throat, down to your collar bones, and to your chest. It seemed he was being merciful tonight, because you could barely feel the blade against your skin, only a light tickle.

Moving his weapon to the middle of your chest, Ghostface sliced open your brassiere, splitting it in half and revealing your breasts. Well, there went your good underwear.

He ran his finger over your nipple, watching it harden under his touch, pinching it softly. The killer studied your expressions closely, taking in every single detail. The way your lips parted slightly, the way your cheeks heated up, and the way your eyebrows knitted together. God, you were so adorable.

Ghostface shifted his attention to your panties, cutting them off on the side, and pulling them down to your ankles slowly. He moved his hand back up to your opening, running his finger up your wet slit, feeling how soaked it was.

“So wet, all for me? I must’ve really left you waiting. Guess I better get to it then, huh?” His voice was smug, low, and full of mischief. You knew he was playing with you.

He rutted against his hips against you, making you whimper slightly. You knew he wouldn’t do anything, until you said it. “Please, fuck me, Ghostface.”

“Danny.”

You felt your eyes widen at his words. “What?”

“Call me Danny.” In all the time that you had known him, you never got a name out of him. But he was telling you it now. Why? Why was he doing this?

You were too busy processing what just happened to notice the sound of his buckle clicking, and his knife dropping onto the floor, while he was now holding his phone instead. The flash of a camera burned into your eyes, making you look up at him and snap out of your thoughts.

“What’re you doing?” You asked, squinting at the light and covering your eyes with one hand trying to hide the glare.

“Makin a little movie.” He grabbed your hands with his free one, moving them from your face and pinning them above your head. “And you’re the star. Aren’t you excited?”

“I- shit-” Before you could even respond to what he was saying, you felt his cock press up against your soaked folds.

He moved his camera down to your breasts, watching your chest heave, before moving it back up to your face. “Now what’s the magic word? C’mon, you know what to say. You’ve been saying it all night.”

“Please, Danny.” You begged, bucking your hips up against his hardened member. “Please what?”

“Please just fuck me.” You rolled your head against the pillow. He was driving you crazy at this point with how much he was teasing you and making you beg.

Finally, he gave you what you had grown desperate for, entering you with a rough thrust. It was painful at first, the killer not showing any mercy, but you forced yourself to grow used to it.

You moaned out, the feeling of fulfillment overcoming your already sensitive hole. You arched your back, grabbing onto his forearm, digging your nails into his muscle under his robe.

Tears began to stream down your face as you babbled, incoherent words slipping from your lips. It was too good, and you couldn’t think of something, anything, to say to describe it. He was fucking you stupid.

He zoomed in on your tears, watching as your eyes rolled to the back of your head. “Damn, baby. Is it really that good? Do you love getting fucked by my cock that much?”

You didn’t speak, not even sure if you could. He pinched your nipple, making you yelp. “Y-yes! Its- it’s so g-good.”

Danny moved his free hand to your clit, thrusting even deeper, until he hit just at the right spot. You cried out, clenching around him. Moaning out for him to please never stop, to keep going.

“Oh baby, you think I could stop? Not with the way you’re clenching around and calling out my name, begging for- shit.” He grunted, feeling your walls begin to massage him, you were getting close. And so was he.

He nestled his head into the crook of your neck and shoulder, pulling his mask up his face, and biting down, breaking your skin and drawing your blood, his movements growing even harsher. While you dug your nails into his back, reaching your orgasm, Danny not too far behind.

The half-masked killer wiped the blood from his lips, grinning down at you. “There, I marked you as mine. You’re my little slut, got it? Say it.”

You nodded, eyes still shut, your mouth open with only moans and gasps escaping. You forced yourself to speak, voice all hoarse and raw. “I’m your slut, Ghostface- Danny- whatever, I’m all yours.”

“That’s it. Such a good girl. Fuck-” His thrusts grew sloppy, and he rubbed at your clit even harder, making you climax once again with him. He pulled out, releasing on your stomach, and ending the video.

He pressed a rough kiss to your lips, before readjusting his mask, cleaning himself off, and fixing his clothes up. All the while you laid there, nude, panting, and coming down from the intense high you just had. You felt another flash blind your eyes, and the sound of a camera clicking, knowing he just took another picture.

Moving aside your curtains and blinds, Ghostface unlocked your window, pulling it up and stepping through. “This was fun. Let’s do it again sometime. See you soon.”

[favoniuscodex]

just a scratch [childe, diluc, xiao]

prompt: you get injured. of course, your partner doesn't like that. characters: childe, diluc, xiao w/ gn!reader word count: ~1.9k words warnings: descriptions of canon-typical violence, near-death injuries, kinda angsty? but things end up okay. death (not any major characters) a/n: :) first actual non-event piece in a while huh? dainsleif, kaeya, and zhongli in part 2 because this was getting pretty long LOL i haven't written anything action-y like this on my blog before (i think?) so lmk if you like it! :)

childe

don't fall in love with your underlings, la signora had warned the eleventh harbinger. they're supposed to be disposable.

now, as childe watches your form crumple to the ground, a sick and twisted part of him wishes he listened to her. childe couldn't remember who was wrong in this situation. were you the one out of place? or were the treasure hoarders? you were typically the known variable, but the ones who were in debt to childe weren't, which meant that your response to them would be predictable at best.

what childe hadn't calculated, however, was the way a treasure hoarder managed to slice at the back of your knees and force you to the ground. you had always been quick on your feet, but the treasure hoarders were faster. upon seeing the indebted, useless, vile treasure hoarder clamber over your back and rush to attempt to slit your throat, childe sees red.

and, for the first time in several months, he transforms. in a flash of neon purple electro energy, childe reappears in the foul legacy form. even from the viewpoint of his increased height, childe can still see the fear in your eyes as you strain against the treasure hoarder above you. but, with your legs out for the count and your weapon pinned underneath you in your fall, you have little to no leverage.

it enrages childe. you, one of the best fighters he knows, deserved better than to be taken down by some filthy, lowlife treasure hoarder. you and childe had so much left to do, so much left to see, and childe had so much he hadn't yet told you. with the fury of a grecian hero, childe throws his spear forward and watches as it flings the treasure hoarder on top of you off with ease. in response, you begin to seek safety, dragging yourself off to the side while childe finishes off those dumb enough to even think about harming you.

sure, should childe collect his debts rather than seeking revenge? yes. but, will the tsaritsa necessarily care? no. she is the goddess of love and childe lives to serve. you watch as you see the anger poured into each hit as he finishes off the rest of the treasure hoarders. his transformation and method of fighting is complete overkill, but you realize that childe is only doing this to send a message. however, your ogling is interrupted by another fatui agent capturing your attention as they approach you to assist you.

the agent picks you up and you take one last look at childe before promptly passing out in the arms of your ally. by the time you awake, you're nestled securely in an infirmary bed. bandages coat your legs, but you wiggle your toes, sighing in relief as you see them moving. the noise of your sighing alerts the man sitting next to you, whose attention immediately snaps up at the sight of you.

childe, you acknowledge. his eyes are rimmed with red and you've never seen your lover worse for wear, but before you can extend a hand to cup his face, he's extending his towards you. childe's hands gently wrap around yours, as if he's afraid to squeeze too tight, and he sends you a weary smile.

"did you finish them off?" you ask softly and childe nods.

"good," you respond and childe merely echoes your statement in a soft tone. his face contorts with anguish and, as he holds your hands, childe cries with relief at your safety.

diluc

it was always the fatui, huh? fatui this, fatui that. living the life of the darknight hero meant that diluc would never truly get a break but man, he was irate that the fatui had the audacity to ambush his travels, especially with you by his side. but, with a vision strapped to your hip, you were more than capable of holding your own, especially as you materialized your weapon into the air.

"i do not wish to fight," you hiss at the fatui skirmishers who surround you and diluc. "but the fatui have never been respectful of people's wishes, have they?"

diluc's back rests against yours as the two of you brace yourself for the battle about to occur. the fatui strike first, raising their weapons and the clash of metal against metal echoes through the air. pyro energy combines with the energy of your vision as you and diluc battle the snezhnayan infiltrators.

"fuck," you whine and diluc hears the noise of you hitting the ground, followed by triumphant laughter of the fatui agents. in a rush of panic, diluc sends far too large of a blast at the fatui before him, but he doesn't regret it after he whirls around to see your crumpled form on the floor. a fatui vanguard raises their hammer over your head and swings down, but diluc's claymore interrupts its path.

"i'll kill you," diluc promises the agent in front of him. "don't even think about touching them."

the skirmisher's lips quiver in concern at the steely nature of diluc's words, but before he can beg for mercy for attempting to kill what diluc treasures most in the world, diluc casts a wave of pyro energy at them, sending them stumbling back. the redhead hesitantly steps over your hunched form to glare daggers at the three fatui left standing.

blinded by his own rage, diluc incinerates the grass before him, focused only on protecting you and keeping you safe, even if it results in him pushing himself too hard. after everything the fatui has done to him, diluc feels incensed by the fact that they even think they could get away with this. it isn't until he feels your hand wrap around his ankle that he's taken out of his own infuriated trance.

"'luc," you mutter, but the noise is enough to have his gaze immediately snapping down to you. "don't kill them... it's not worth it."

your face is bloodied from the fall and diluc glances back at the now-fallen fatui soldiers. he's rendered them unconscious, but they'll live to see another day thanks to your mercy. after all, diluc has more important things to attend to, such as getting you medical assistance.

"where did they hit you?" is the first question that leaves diluc's lips as he crouches down to look at you.

"my stomach," you respond, gesturing down to the slowly bleeding wound that stains your outfit. diluc's face shifts in worry as he props you up against the side of the wagon the two of you had been riding in. his hands shakily fumble for the hem of your shirt and he lifts it upwards to expose the injured skin. his breaths are shaky and, even in your disoriented state, you can tell the state of panic he's in.

after all, the sight of someone he loves laying injured before him is something diluc has seen far too often.

"hey," you murmur, doing your best to focus your eyes on him as your fingertips begin to glow with the energy of your vision. "i... can heal it a little. i'll be fine."

your words are slightly garbled and diluc's shell-shocked expression doesn't leave his face until he sees the energy of the vision beginning to repair your wounds. you manage to temporarily close the wound and, upon the cessation of bleeding, diluc snaps back into action.

"you are safe," diluc murmurs, but it sounds more as if he's trying to convince himself. he quickly propels himself upwards and climbs into the wagon, rifling around for the first aid kit within.

"hey," you say when he finally returns with it, nearly dropping you as his hands shake in fear. "i'm okay, diluc. you saved me."

diluc nods, staring down at the box before glancing up at you. you smile reassuringly at him and, despite the pure anguish in his eyes, he does his best to return your smile in the form of a soft smirk of his own.

xiao

"xiao!" you scream as you plummet off the edge of a cliff, having been injured by the stonehide lawachurl you were fighting. you hadn't expected it to be sleeping nearby and, upon your exploration of the area, it angrily revealed itself with a roar and charged at you. you hadn't prepared yourself for a fight with such a massive creature and, as a result, had easily been knocked off the side of the cliff.

the wind whistles around you as you fall and you wonder if your lover had even heard your scream. the adeptus had always told you to call out his name if you ever had an emergency and you figured there was no greater emergency than actively falling to your death. you had just wanted to collect cor lapis. was that too hard to ask?

your eyes flutter closed as you accept your fate, but a flash of green above you pierces through the thin veil of darkness your eyelids provide. strong arms secure themselves around your figure and you hear a grunt as your savior makes impact with the ground. you open your eyes to be met with the brilliant amber ones of the yaksha you held so dear to you. his eyes are blown wide with worry, but he gently sets you down.

"are you okay?" he asks gruffly and you nod, still in shock from the fall. before you can tell him to wait, xiao waves a hand over his face and rematerializes his mask. his polearm materializes in his hand and xiao wordlessly teleports to the cliff you just fell from. anger courses through his veins as the lawachurl screams at him. in his anger, xiao curses back at it before weaving deftly through its clumsy strikes. xiao's polearm pierces it with ease and xiao watches as it falls over, defeated, yet the anger that courses through his veins is a feeling he hasn't experienced in ages.

the only thing that moves him from his spot is the thought of you waiting for him below, so xiao sighs and teleports back down. you rest against the side of the cliff, back propped up against stone. xiao glances you over once more. with no visible injuries, you would likely just have a bruise, but xiao worried about internal bleeding or other injuries mortals would likely face. you were fragile, far too fragile, and xiao had nearly had you taken from him by some mindless brute. his polearm disappears from his hand as he collapses by your side.

"thank you for saving me," you wish sincerely, but xiao lets out a shaky sigh in response.

"i will take you to a doctor," xiao grunts and, before you can insist that you are fine, xiao slinks a hand underneath your knees and behind your back. he holds you close to him bridal-style and, with a flash, the two of you appear in liyue harbor.

"i can walk," you huff, but xiao simply looks down at you.

"where are we going?" the adeptus asks and you can't help but smile. for the yaksha who hates crowds and dislikes liyue harbor, he had no qualms about inserting himself in the middle of it for you. maybe you could feign an injury or two -- just for his sake.

[edenmemes]

ghost of tsushima starters

❝ promise you’ll remain the good man i know. ❞   ❝ only fools have no fear of death. ❞   ❝ i am very much alive. but my patience is dying. ❞   ❝ i’ll make sure you are remembered. as a great warrior...a wise leader. ❞   ❝ the strength we need is all around us. ❞   ❝ the past cannot hurt you. ❞   ❝ this whole journey, and i never asked your name. ❞   ❝ fear drives you to be stronger. fight harder. ❞ ❝ sometimes...our only choice is to walk away from everything we know ❞ ❝ we do what we must. that is why you and i are both survivors. ❞ ❝ i can do good! i just...need practice. ❞ ❝ may your next life be more peaceful than this one. ❞ ❝ i knew it was too good to be true. ❞ ❝ i'll see what i can do. but if you’re lying to me... ❞ ❝ you’re too comfortable with that power. ❞ ❝ don’t ever try to kill me again. ❞ ❝ turn your back on a foe...and you will die with a sword stuck in it. ❞ ❝ youre not slipping away that easily. ❞ ❝ just stay closed. keep your sword sheathed. and let me do the talking. ❞ ❝ the things i saw still haunt my nightmares. ❞ ❝ i dont even know if you're real. ❞ ❝ victories don’t have to feel good. ❞   ❝ killing your own family...it’s harder than you could ever imagine. ❞   ❝ it’s safer for everyone if i just disappear. ❞   ❝ next time, leave some glory for the rest of us. ❞   ❝ peace doesn’t always come quietly. ❞   ❝ some people respond to kindness. others require a glimpse of steel. ❞ ❝ i am nothing if not honest. ❞ ❝ stop using people, and start thinking about how you can help them. ❞ ❝ you’ve had your vengeance. don’t stand in the way of mine. ❞ ❝ you don’t have to do it alone. ❞ ❝ not all words need to be spoken. ❞   ❝ there is time yet for revenge. i will savour their cries of pain when that time comes. ❞ ❝ i have learned to love the cool, damp dark. ❞ ❝ the last thing i saw was faces filled with hatred, rage... ❞ ❝ you didn’t think you'd get rid of me that easily, did you? ❞ ❝ we will celebrate when this is all over. ❞ ❝ what’s wrong with you? one moment we stand shoulder-to-shoulder, the next you’re ready to cross blades. ❞ ❝ a warrior learns from their mistakes, or they are buried by them. ❞ ❝ remember your training...and never leave my side. ❞ ❝ well...i guess this is goodbye. ❞ ❝ your visions will grow worse, driving you to madness and death. ❞ ❝ i can only pretend for so much longer. i’m not like these people and never will be. ❞ ❝ i loved you all my life, but i could never work up the courage to tell you. ❞ ❝ the proud do not last, and the mightiest of us perish like dust before the wind. ❞ ❝ you’re a vision of mercy. ❞ ❝ not bad, but only half-good. ❞ ❝ we make a good team, don’t we? ❞ ❝ an archer’s aim relies not on eyes...but on body, mind, and spirit. ❞ ❝ this is my fight. i don’t need your weapon. ❞ ❝ being right doesn’t always make things better. ❞ ❝ there is nothing easier than to prey upon the vanity of ambitious men. ❞ ❝ you weren’t looking so good. i let you rest. ❞ ❝ your intentions this time were...better than usual. ❞ ❝ what are you not telling me? ❞ ❝ trouble sticks to you like shit on rice. ❞ ❝ it’s strange being back after so many years...everywhere i look brings back memories. ❞ ❝ only a child expects perfection of their elders. ❞ ❝ when this is all over, what will you do? ❞ ❝ you are ruled by your emotion. ❞ ❝ is this how you want to be remembered? ❞ ❝ perhaps great men share all the aspects of their lessers, but more. great wisdom, but even greater cruelty. ❞ ❝ i cannot imagine the burden a leader like you must bear. ❞ ❝ our greatest enemies are the greatest teachers. ❞ ❝ death’s shadow embraces me. hand in hand we walk. ❞ ❝ breathe. you can’t fight if you hold your breath. ❞ ❝ i know you well enough by now, my friend. ❞ ❝ i can’t go back...to what i was. before this. ❞ ❝ i hope you one day forgive me for the choice i made. ❞ ❝ the wounds you dealt my spirit will never heal. ❞ ❝ why did you turn away from me? ❞ ❝ if you can keep moving forward, so can i. ❞ ❝ it’s a bad idea to sneak up on me. ❞ ❝ promise me something. don’t become like me. ❞ ❝ let me undo the damage i’ve done. ❞ ❝ ...and you want me to clean up your mess. ❞ ❝ the path ahead may take a lifetime, but i will walk it with you. always. ❞ ❝ whatever you believe i’ve become, i will always be your family. ❞ ❝ i wouldn’t be here without you. ❞ ❝ i’ll hunt you past the horizon if i must. ❞ ❝ can i count on you to do what needs to be done? ❞ ❝ that’s over now. you’re here. with me. ❞ ❝ i thought i’d lost you, i should’ve known you’d never give up. ❞ ❝ you can’t continue down this path. ❞ ❝ be careful. demons are everywhere and they fear nothing. ❞ ❝ corpses can’t answer questions. ❞ ❝ you deserve greater respect than this. ❞ ❝ it’s just like the stories my father told me. ❞ ❝ what you become tomorrow is your choice. ❞ ❝ just ask the last man who questioned my sincerity. you’ll find his head covered in flies out back. ❞ ❝ you shouldn’t have lied. i still would have helped you. ❞ ❝ we came this far. we’re not turning back now. ❞ ❝ how do we survive if we don’t trust each other? ❞ ❝ without my help, the fear and pain will overwhelm you. ❞ ❝ whatever happens, we don’t retreat. ❞ ❝ the stories are true. i’ve never seen anyone fight like you. ❞ ❝ see how the enemy fear you? you are a true warrior. ❞ ❝ you want to share a drink...with me? ❞ ❝ maybe you should’ve just ran away. like you always do. ❞ ❝ good people have nothing to fear from me. ❞ ❝ your promises are just like you. worthless. ❞ ❝ as you wish, since you asked so sweetly. ❞ ❝ i know better than to argue. ❞ ❝ i hope i can find quiet places like this one, untouched by war. ❞ ❝ we grew up together, but you threw it all away. ❞ ❝ it was so chaotic. i felt you grip my wrist and then nothing. ❞ ❝ desperation can bring out the demon in the best of men. ❞ ❝ i don’t want to leave without you, but...i can’t stay. i hope you understand. ❞ ❝ a grown man, and you still can barely sit still. ❞ ❝ and i heard you had no sense of humor! ❞ ❝ knowing and doing are different. ❞ ❝ trouble follows me everywhere. ❞ ❝ indulging violence weakens the warrior...like too much food or drink. ❞ ❝ i can always tell when you want to ask me something. out with it. ❞ ❝ i am proud to fight beside you. ❞ ❝ i didn’t nurse you back to health to watch you throw your life away. ❞ ❝ all i want...all i need is to start a new life. ❞ ❝ look twice and shoot once. ❞ ❝ i think they’re afraid of you. you can be...intimidating.. ❞ ❝ you don’t even try to hear me. it’s like talking to a stone. ❞ ❝ so you try to kill me? have you lost your mind? ❞ ❝ you’ve sacrificed everything. for revenge. ❞ ❝ we can’t let anger consume us. or blind us to our friends. ❞ ❝ there is only one way this ends. ❞ ❝ i gave you everything. and you threw it away. ❞ ❝ do not question my integrity again. ❞ ❝ your father would be proud. ❞ ❝ the worst one can do is take advantage of their own people. ❞ ❝ you follow trouble. you should ask yourself why.  ❞ ❝ some of my favourite memories happened at this place. ❞ ❝ i told you this was a bad idea! ❞ ❝ keep fighting. we need people like you. ❞ ❝ are you the one who finally kills me? ❞ ❝ a warrior’s most important weapon is themself. lose control, and you risk defeat. ❞ ❝ first, get some rest. this is killing you. ❞ ❝ see that? i told you. there’s always hope. ❞ ❝ i hope the skills i gained through hardship can be of use to the people here. ❞ ❝ you have skill...but you nearly died rushing into battle. ❞ ❝ in the midst of battle, true leaders must stay rooted, stand firm. ❞ ❝ every time i get in a mess like this, i’m as scared as the time before. ❞ ❝ don’t be the next to disappoint me. ❞ ❝ save what we can, but know that everything passes away. ❞ ❝ i hope you understand, this is just a job. ❞ ❝ that’s a sad way to look at the world. ❞ ❝ seeing you like that...i’m still shaken up. ❞ ❝ sit with me a moment. ❞ ❝ doubt and indecision have destroyed armies. ❞ ❝ it’s so painful to...see you weighed down by sadness. ❞ ❝ on the slim chance some good comes of this...lead the way. ❞ ❝ you fought well, but we’re finished. ❞ ❝ the warrior’s mind is quiet but alive, like rustling bamboo. ❞ ❝ i’ve trained with a blade since i could walk. ❞ ❝ the visions...they’re still happening. ❞ ❝ in our world, being intimidating isn’t a bad thing. ❞ ❝ you have a talent. it’s time you use it, for the sake of our land. ❞ ❝ i've tried to teach you all i know...but you act more like a poet than a warrior. ❞ ❝ your path leads to madness and death. ❞ ❝ that’s twice you saved my life. ❞ ❝ these people stay because they believe in you. ❞ ❝ i didn’t choose this life. it was my only option. ❞ ❝ you came at me like i was your mortal enemy. almost broke my arm! ❞ ❝ i could use your help...in the fight ahead. ❞ ❝ you can be a little rough, but you have a good heart. ❞ ❝ i don’t want to kill you, stop! ❞ ❝ what’s wrong? afraid i’ll get more famous than you? ❞ ❝ war brings out who we truly are. ❞ ❝ take care where you place your faith. ❞ ❝ you seem lost in thought. ❞ ❝ i was getting tired of waiting for you. ❞ ❝ without my wisdom, you will lose your soul to madness. ❞ ❝ peace is an unattainable dream...but a dream worth fighting for. ❞ ❝ i’ve killed a thousand men. every death was sweet. ❞ ❝ what is the point of prayer when we are doomed? ❞ ❝ you’re like your father in more ways than you know. ❞ ❝ if you want my respect, earn it. ❞ ❝ and how many wars have you fought? ❞ ❝ you’re quite the butcher with that sword. ❞ ❝ people who sow chaos must be punished. ❞ ❝ i can’t help but wonder if you enjoy the violence. ❞ ❝ i kill only to protect our people. i think about that every time i reach for my sword. ❞ ❝ i'm sorry if my lack of skill offends. ❞ ❝ it’s the first time in days i haven’t felt like i was about to die. ❞ ❝ you fought like an animal...or a demon! ❞ ❝ there’s nothing more painful to me than a perfect bow...ineptly used. ❞ ❝ victory is won by warriors, not weapons. ❞ ❝ i couldn’t leave you to die. ❞ ❝ i made my choices. even knowing what they’ve cost me, i’d make them again. ❞ ❝ when’s the last time you slept or ate? ❞ ❝ you don’t get to give up. this land needs you. ❞ ❝ oh you pretend we are different, but we fight for the same thing. ❞ ❝ there are still places of beauty to remind us of what truly matters. ❞ ❝ true mastery begins where individual ego ends. ❞ ❝ a warrior faces danger with courage and resolve. this is how they endure. ❞ ❝ those stories...they're not entirely true. ❞ ❝ even the youngest warrior needs a full belly and a rested sword-arm. ❞ ❝ bad men are good at hiding their true natures. ❞ ❝ there is nothing left for me here. my hope is lost. ❞ ❝ i did what i had to. for you. ❞ ❝ forgive my manners. i spent all my time alone. ❞ ❝ is that any way to greet a visitor? ❞ ❝ if you continue down this path...you’ll be no better than the enemy. ❞ ❝ i am grateful for the times we share...but, i always want more. ❞ ❝ you lived your life in a castle. it made you soft. ❞ ❝ i used to know what i fought for... ❞ ❝ face them as a warrior with honour. not a monster. ❞ ❝ i don’t take lives, but i am not a coward. ❞ ❝ i wonder if i’ve crossed a line. ❞ ❝ you can’t expect everyone to understand what you’re doing, or why. ❞ ❝ your methods were brutal...impulsive...without honour. ❞ ❝ there’s plenty to fear without worrying about folktales. ❞ ❝ i hope you’ll find peace again soon. ❞ ❝ you do what you need to survive. and yet you despise others for doing the same. ❞ ❝ is that your excuse? your reason to kill? ❞ ❝ we have to keep pushing. even if it costs us our lives. ❞ ❝ cowards without honour deserve no mercy. ❞ ❝ i’ll fight beside you until the end. ❞ ❝ whatever happens, your forgiveness won’t change who i am. ❞ ❝ why should we settle for scraps when we deserve to be legends? ❞ ❝ only cowards strike from the shadows. ❞ ❝ the proud do not endure. the greatest of us fall in the end. ❞ ❝ perhaps some good will come of this. ❞   ❝ you will see nothing but death to the end of your days. ❞ ❝ legacy is more than a name. ❞ ❝ im sorry. i know what it means to lose family. ❞ ❝ one day we'll escape the endless wheel of suffering. ❞ ❝ is that a 'thank you'? ❞ ❝ i know what it means to be hunted. ❞ ❝ you personify fury and regret. ❞ ❝ that's all right. i want to hear you dig your own grave. ❞ ❝ either way, we’ve got nothing to lose. ❞ ❝ i’ve done what i can. the rest is up to you. ❞ ❝ forgive me, but you look fatigued. have you endured much hardship? ❞    ❝ i hope you find true honour in your next life. ❞ ❝ you deserve nothing less than death. ❞ ❝ this is foolish. surrender, and you can live. ❞ ❝ i too have pride in family. and i know what it’s like to live in their shadow. ❞ ❝ you were gone so long, i knew you were in trouble. ❞ ❝ so many of us here owe you our lives. ❞ ❝ what's wrong? what did they do to you? ❞   ❝ you’re lucky to be alive. ❞ ❝ i know your language. your traditions. your beliefs. which village to tame and which to burn. ❞   ❝ i cannot lose you again. ❞   ❝ i don’t seek revenge. but i will fight for peace. ❞   ❝ we will meet again soon. until then...travel safely. ❞   ❝ this is war --- not a test. ❞ ❝ we can save our home together. it doesn’t have to be like this. ❞ ❝ fear is a weapon. don’t let them use it against you. ❞

[bamboowrites]

SAGAO AU Work 4 - Injuries, angst

Tw: abuse from yanderes, trauma, betrayal

I may have been showing the morale-boosting/fluffier parts, but I think it’s time to show you the alternative. Of how you could have suffered in another direction, both physically and mentally, because of your unhealthy cult following.

They were extremely abusive to you, to someone who’s mistaken as an imposter of their wonderful Creator.

All the characters were aiming to kill you, before the Archons decreed to capture you alive, for public humiliation and mutilation. Not only the ones you raised as companion, but also the non-playable characters. Only a few had clear enough minds, to consider that you might be innocent as you say. Not that they’d have the political or physical power to save you.

Consider this: you were already bloody, all bruised over, and nearly crippled from the shock. Of the betrayal. Some pretended to be your ally, just to turn you in. You barely escaped with your life intact. Through your overseeing abilities, you can see your remaining hp corroding. You have but last few drops of life force in you.

It’s lucky that the world of Teyvat is responding to you, offering temporary solaces from the bosses and hilichurls. They attempt to heal you, and feed you. You didn’t expect the non-humanoid creatures to care that much, and you reconsider your (perhaps misplaced) loyalty to the playable characters.

Yes, you’re benevolent in nature, but the human civilisations of Teyvat has only been taking more and more from you, desiring to harm you as much as you try to lead/protect them in the past. You have never had to sustain your lifeforce by sheer will and support from other old ‘enemies’. Nor had you expected the human authorities to hurt you with your resources.

The gashes might heal, but not your mind. Not that swift, unfortunately. You got captured and tortured for way more times than you could on your own. The hilichurls had done everything in their power to fight and distract the military for your escape. The elemental spirits heal you and give you ‘hugs’. They fight when you have fallen and near losing consciousness.

The mental scars cut deeper than you’d imagine coming from your ‘friends’. Every waking hour covers you in a suffocating canopy of nightmares. Flashbacks of them using mechanical devices and elemental visions to burn you. Sear your skin, stab you, make you pay for not being who they have been waiting for. Their attempts to break into your psyche. Their eagerness to ‘make an example’ out of you for their Lord. To make you suffer so much, that your already mentally unstabilised mind is chasing after suicide. Death. A merciful release is what you mistook death as. You were desperate.

Even if you get to return to complete safety, you would have severe insomnia, ptsd, selective amnesia, trust issues, and tons of scars (inside and outside) to tend to. Much less having to muster up the courage to not be hateful, not to misuse your powers to wreak holy distraction on those who hath wronged You. To be hopeful and guide them back on the ‘righteous’ path. You’re tempted to do the opposite. To kill the world itself by removing you, the world’s stabiliser, from the equation.

But you have to survive, carry on, for the hilichurls and elemental powers that sacrificed more than they could to save you. To live in their stead.

At last, your well-intentions saved Teyvat, but all the damage and weight is crushed onto your frail body. You feel hollow even if they repent and tend to your flinching shell. They ask for you to control, possess their vessels for your warmth, while they chill your heart.

No one said being a god/goddess was good for the deity themselves. Not for you. But for the undeserving. Those who hurt you. Scarred you.

You can only hope to one day, be able to control your cult as to limit their assaults to the creatures who extended a helping hand to you, at your pleading moments. To rein their yandere-characterised destruction in, to suffer in place of the innocents.

You live the nightmare, waking or unconscious, so the others can sleep at ease. You exist to protect and love. To forgive, as exhausting it is to your drying-up, once-generous fountain of kindness.

[monodipita]

ANGEL (Yandere!Angel x Reader)

Words: 1,930

Warning: Yandere content

A/N: This is one of the tamest yandere pieces I've wrote, I think. I hope you enjoy it.

Silence was only broken by the ambient noise that played on the TV and the soft whimpers of someone's voice, otherwise, the air was incredibly still in this apartment.

He stood above them. This poor person who was at the complete and utter mercy of Angel, whose touch could kill anyone if they touched long enough. His deep brown eyes lingered on their body while his hands hovered inches off of their face. Tears rolled down the person's face while they were forced to stare up at him.

"I'm going to ask again. You've already lost about a year of your life with your uneventful answers," Angel spoke. "Please, I've told you again and again, I don't know where [Y/N] is!" The feminine voice cried out quickly after Angel's statement. "But you do," Angel retorted, "[Y/N] has been seen in this apartment complex four times. That means walking by this door four times. Four encounters."

He was trying to piece together something, but you couldn't quite tell what it was. You hovered nearby for the sake of trying to find out what his game plan was, but at the expense of (almost) making your presence known... it wasn't easy getting into this apartment after Angel stepped in, but you wormed in and made yourself comfortable out of sight. You could only pray that he didn't see you, or hear you.

But there was something about all of this that you couldn't quite wrap your head around. Was he trying to figure out if you lived here? Because you didn't. No, your mentor lived here... and it was just normal for you to visit her when you had the time to, outside of work.

"I-I-I don't know..." the voice sobbed, "I have a family! Please don't keep doing this to me!"

It was sickening. Angel was repeatedly threatening this person's life by... touching her. No one could underestimate the power of his hands touching a mere human... even a simple grab of the hand could cost you two months. You could only bitterly imagine what it must've been like to be caressed by him. What it was like to have his face cup your hands. How much of your life would he take away then? You couldn't answer that question clearly, but the person he was interrogating, could.

"No, no no no, PLEASE!" She yelled, before a loud scream erupted from her lips while Angel's hands touched her face. Seconds pass, every one of them feeling like a grueling eternity that made your stomach churn. It was a total of ten seconds before Angel removed his hands. "You're in luck! I only took about a month away. We're nearing that threshold, though, and that can be scary ... so I would start talking now. So, I will ask this question again, Miss. Please answer it to the best of your ability."

He was growing too impatient to keep pestering this person, you could tell. Angel was lazy, and though he surprised you with the amount of effort he put into doing all of this, you knew he couldn't keep it up for long. Especially when it was reaching dead ends like it was now. Angel cleared his throat, "you may be aware of a person named [Y/N] [L/N] that comes into this apartment complex every Tuesday and Thursday around the same time in the afternoons. I know you see [Y/N] because you're a stay-at-home wife. So, I am asking you again. It's... early in the evening," he checked his watch before looking back down at the person. "And [Y/N] wasn't here today. Did something happen."

There was more silence to be followed before the person began to sob again... wail, really. It was distressing to hear. To know that someone was dying because of you really didn't sit well on your mind, or on your stomach.

"This will all be over soon. You've told me all I need to know." Angel's eyes hooded.

"N-n-no, please," the helpless voice uttered over Angel's, "I-I want to live! Please! I don't even know who [Y/N] [L/N] is!! PLEASE, NO!-" Their cries were ... blended, almost. If anyone could make aging be heard, it was Angel, while he took someone's life through simply touching their skin. You still couldn't quite wrap your head around that fact.

You stifled a cry and clamped your hand over your mouth to silence yourself, squeezing your eyes shut. Why? Why would he do this? What did this person do to deserve the touch of death? For just living here, was that it?

A yawn characteristically came from Angel's mouth before he stepped over the person's body, tucking his hands in his pockets as he stopped at the door. He stood there for a moment before he he turned his head, beautiful locks tumbling down his back as he looked around with narrowed eyes. You did your best to stay quiet in the corner you were in, you didn't want to draw attention to yourself and risk him knowing that you were here.

The longer he stayed at the door though, the more you found yourself beginning to question why you were even here in the first place... but you knew why. He was acting strange. He had been acting strange ever since that little date the two of you went on.

Ice cream. It wasn't a very romantic setting and it was actually one he and Aki Hayakawa frequented quite often, but something about this particular day happened to set him off. You treated him to something nice after he proved to be helpful against a devil you couldn't get close to—so it was just the two of you this time, Aki was nowhere in sight. A lot of the time you two spent together at that time was spent toward speaking about things, such as the ice cream you ate, how he saved your life, and how you were thankful that he helped you out.

Angel wanted to know so much about you after that—and was clingy, moreso than what you would've expected from someone like him, who seemed like he couldn't have gave a damn whether someone lived or died, as long as he wasn't bothered. In the days, maybe even weeks after leading up to now, he never really left you alone until you broke off from him to go home for the day. The days you went to visit your mentor, you linked up with him shortly after leaving the apartment complex, some ways away from it. You didn't quite think of it like you were thinking about it now, but looking back on it, there were clearly some things that were wrong here. How did he find out that you were coming to this apartment complex? Was he following you?

"I thought I heard something other than that woman when I walked inside."

"Gah!" You squeaked in fear, making your body jolt as your arm covered your face in self-defense. Angel found you, he finally found you. "F-fuck!"

"What are you doing here, [Y/N]?" He asked, "are you here to talk to whoever you're talking to?"

"W-why does that matter?" You stammer, as you find the courage to finally remove your arm from your face to look up at him. Why, he looked mental. His eyes looked like beads against his white sclera. What a terrifying expression to come back to—it made your heart leap into your throat. "I didn't feel like visiting my mentor today."

"Oh. Your mentor."

Silence between the two of you begins to pick up after that. Your heart felt like it was going to explode with how fast it was beating. So many questions had to be asked, but how could you ask them? You didn't even know what to say right now.

"Want to go get some ice cream?" He asked, as if everything that happened didn't just happen. You swallowed thickly at the question asked and looked around nervously. Did you beat around the bush? Agree, and act like nothing happened in this room? Or did you face the fact that what Angel did was unforgivable?

Another gap of silence.

"Angel, you just killed an innocent human being for no reason," you stated the obvious. Your brows furrowed and you stared at him. "Do you have any idea what this means?"

"Mm, no," Angel shook his head, "I'm sure I don't really care, either." He then pointed to the door. "Do you want to get ice cream with me, [Y/N]?"

"A-angel!" You pressed him with your words. "You... you killed an innocent human being!"

"...why do I care?" He gave you a blank stare. "I was doing her a favor. Now, do you want to get ice cream with me?" He extended his free hand in the direction of your body. "I know you're going home soon, since this is your day off."

You stared at him, horrified by the lack of humanity within him. Well, he was a devil... so of course he didn't have any shred of humanity, but still, didn't he feel even an ounce of remorse over what he just did? None at all? "Y-you killed her because of me," you reiterated in a more... significant light. "Why?"

"Because I didn't see you come into the building today, so I went around asking," he responded and sighed before he shoved his hands into his pockets. He would know better than to touch someone he cared for if he didn't want them to die. "She was mean to me, so she suffered the consequences."

Those words worried you. "What do you mean you went around and asked?" You narrowed your eyes. "Did you..."

"Only to those who were rude." Angel calmly stated, "not a lot of them were even subjected to what this woman went through. But I know she saw you... she saw you every time you came up on this floor. I know she did. She proceeded to lie about it, and for lying, she had to be killed." He tilted his head. "Have I answered your questions enough? Can we go get ice cream now?"

So many people had their lives threatened because of you. That was a tough pill to swallow, wasn't it?

The sound of the door opening made your heart beat quicken again. Your eyes shot to the door to see him standing in the doorway with his eyes still on you. "Come on. I want to go get ice cream."

"...why... why did you do it?" You weakly asked him as you stumbled forward to meet him. "Why would you subject all of these people to torture? A-and for... for me..?" It just didn't sound right.

"It may not be a lot, but it's honest work. I try my best to keep you safe. I have to know where you are at all times to do that though, right?" Angel shrugged his shoulders. "Think of me as your guardian angel, maybe that'll make the pill easier to swallow. ...so, can we go get ice cream?"

"N-no," you gently push him out of the way so that you can leave the building. "We won't be doing anything of the sort. I'm going to go to the hunter's association and ask to be reassigned to another devil."

Angel stumbled back, but was quick to grab your arm.

"Not if you want to live, you won't." He narrowed his eyes. "We're together now. If I can't have you, no one else can."

[nastybuckybarnes]

Of Kings and Beasts  -  Nine

Pairing: King!Bucky X Princess!Reader X King!Steve

Summary: Born a bastard of the King of Orlen, you’re thrust to the West to marry the Kings. However, the greeting you get is anything but warm, and your life with the King is far from enjoyable. He knows it isn’t your fault his husband is gone, but that fact alone won’t prevent him from taking it out on you.

Warnings: Angst, Injuries, Fluff, Language, Violence, 

Word Count: 2.9K

A/n: Another chapter is finished!! I’ve got an idea but it’s SO DANGEROUS AND Y’ALL MIGHT HATE ME IF I DO IT BUT ITS SO TEMPTING AND I THINK I’M GONNA DO IT ahem anyway I hope you guys enjoy this!

A/n 2: I’m posting this before work so I’ll reply to asks and comments when I get home tonight! Also, I’ve got the next part of Gangsta written up if y’all want that.... hehe

THIS SERIES CONTAINS SMUT AND DARK THEMES THAT MAY BE TRIGGERING TO SOME AUDIENCES!!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!

Series Masterlist

~*~

“How have you been adjusting to this new home?” Thor asks one morning, a smile on his face. You grin back at him, the weight of Acadia lifted off your shoulders as you take a sip of your tea.

“Quite well. Although Loki has been an interesting addition.” The raven-haired man looks up from his book momentarily and gives you a look, to which you only smile.

From the moment you entered the cottage you knew it would be good for you to stay here.

“Well, we are at your disposal. I will have to go back to Asgard within the weeks to come, but Loki and the Valkyrie shall remain here should you need or want them.” You nod gratefully, looking out the window and pursing your lips as you watch the women spar outside.

“What? What is it?” Thor asks, following your gaze.

“I want to learn to defend myself. To wield a sword and fight off an attacker.” Loki scoffs from where he sits, his nose still buried deep in his book.

“For what reason should a queen wish to learn to fight? You will always have men for that.” Your defence is up in an instant, and you clench your jaw before composing yourself enough to reply.

“I do think that considering both my upbringing and the way I have been treated in my new kingdom, I have every right to want to learn to defend myself. I have many reasons to want to defend myself, none of which concern you, however, if you had the slightest idea of all that I have endured in my short time as queen you would not question me wanting to learn to defend myself. I have been shunned from my palace because my husbands fear someone will kill me. My own husbands have brought me far more pain than I would like to admit. I have every right to wish to learn how to defend myself and I will not hear a word from you about the subject!”

His brows raise to nearly his hairline and he looks between you and his brother before burying his nose back in his book, which elicits a chuckle from the blond king.

“If the situation is so severe that I need be sent away for my own safety, I need to learn to defend myself.”

Thor nods, a strong hand patting your shoulder comfortingly.

“I knew there was a fire in you. I could see it in those eyes when you spoke of running from the Kings. I just needed to find it.” He rises to his feet and straightens his clothing. “Loki does have a special talent for pulling the fire from even the most docile creatures. But I will go speak with the valkyrie. They will be delighted to have a student to train.”

He leaves the cottage to interrupt the sparring outside, and you feel your heart skip a beat at the first piece of control that you will have over your life.

~*~

“If that will be all, You are dismissed,” King Steven says, his voice low and exhausted. The royal adviser bows then heads to the door, hesitating for a moment.

“Forgive me, Your Majesties, but I cannot help but notice the absence of the Queen. Where has she gone?” It’s not the first time they’ve gotten the question in the week that you've been gone, therefore they already have their excuse rehearsed and perfected.

“We simply have no use for her. If she cannot even bear our children then what use is she to us?” Comes Steve’s practiced response.

“We were instructed to find a queen who could produce strong heirs. Our wife cannot. So she is no longer of use to us,” James adds, his voice dripping in boredom as he looks over a document on his desk.

The royal advisor nods then excuses himself, bustling to his own office with newfound haste and purpose.

“It’s been a week and we are no closer to finding who it is than we were when she was here,” Steve murmurs after a long moment of silence, his shoulders heavy with the weight of their decision.

“I’m beginning to question whether it was a good decision to send her along with Thor. Especially after he threatened to make her a queen of his own. What if she were to agree?” James stands up and walks over to his husband, taking his shaking hands in his own and sighing.

“I would not blame her if she were to agree. We have treated her like a prisoner. I have... brutalized her and beaten her and I will never be able to repent. If she were to want him I would in no way blame her. He has provided her with a safe haven. She can confide in him and trust him in a way that she may not be able to again with us.” Steve sniffles and squeezes his eyes shut.

“We need to find who it is that has caused this and we need to make them pay.” James nods, smoothing his thumbs over the back of his husband’s hands.

“We will. But until we do, we must remain strong. The Doctor is recovering and when he is fully recovered we will ask him who it was that attacked him. We will find who is behind this, but we must be patient.”

~*~

“Again!” You raise your sword just in time to block a blow from one of the Valkyrie, grinding your teeth together as you push her back a step then swipe your own sword at her throat.

She hops backward, eyebrows raised in surprise.

“You are learning, Your Majesty. But you still hold back. Why? You cannot be afraid to hurt us,” The Captain says, walking forward and looking at you closely.

“You must show no mercy. Not when you must choose between your own life and the life of someone who means to do you harm. You will fight and you will fight to the death.”

Your entire body is burning with the exertion but you hold your ground, raising your sword and ready to go again.

“That’s what I like to see! Now, we go again!” Brunnhild exclaims, a grin on her face as she takes her fighting stance.

It’s just over two weeks since you began your training and everyone is surprised at how quickly you’re picking up on what’s being taught, but none more than you.

You’re just stepping out of the bath, muscles aching with a new type of strength that the Valkyrie have been beating into you, when your eyes catch a glimpse of movement at the window to your bedroom. A figure clad in all black is moving swiftly away from the cottage and disappearing into the darkness of woods, the setting sun aiding in the camouflage of the person.

Thinking that it’s none other than Loki going to wreak havoc on some poor defenceless wanderers, you don’t question it. Instead, you get dressed into a soft Asgardian gown and start preparing yourself for bed.

You’re just about ready to settle down with a book when a flash of white catches your eye from the window. You hesitantly investigate, heart hammering in your chest as you see a letter tucked securely in the window.

You open it and snatch the envelope before it can be taken by the wind, then shut the window again.

The seal on the envelope is that of Acadia, and your heart is in your throat as you realize that this could very well be a letter from the Kings. You’ve no idea what it may say, and cannot decide if you are more nervous or excited as you open it.

The script is not one you recognize, but your eyes greedily devour every word, the smile fading from your face at what lies on the page in your hand.

Thor finds you sometime later seated on the floor, the letter gripped tightly in your hands and your eyes focused on a point on the wall.

“(Y/n?” He asks softly, knocking against the doorframe to try and get your attention. You make no indication that you’ve heard him.

He enters the room, brows furrowed as he sees what you’re holding. “What is that? What does it say? Is it from the Kings?”

It takes a very long moment, but eventually, you find the strength to speak. But even then your voice is a weak rasp.

“Did you know the truth? Did you hide it from me as well?” Thor is beyond confused as he approaches you, taking the page from you and reading through the contents quickly.

‘Your Majesty,

Do not ask who I am nor how I know where you are, just know that you need be more careful who it is you call your lovers. They have sent you away, not for your own protection but because you failed at the task they wanted you for. They have sent you away because you failed to bear their children, this I promise I have heard with my own ears. I know not what they have told you but it is what I have witnessed. They have said this directly and I have heard it with my very own ears. You would do well to stay away from them, for they are dangerous. But I am certain that you and your late child are more than aware of that.

Consider this a warning, your majesty, for I know you are unsafe. You must take care and be far more careful of who you allow in your court.’

“Loki!” The prince is in the room within the same moment, his eyes full of confusion.

“Have the Valkyrie secure the area and find me the man who sent this! Travel to Acadia and alert the Kings. The Queen is no longer safe here.”

You’re confused. If the kings have directly told someone this, why then is Thor responding in such a way?

Loki is on horseback heading towards Acadia only moments later, and Thor is leaving the room as soon as the Valkyrie enter.

Brunnhild crouches next to you, a frown on her face as she glances at the note on the floor, its words echoing in your ears.

“Do not allow this to scare you, Your majesty. Do not give them the satisfaction of that.” You scoff and shake your head at her, “it is far easier said than done. All my life I have been punished for ever speaking, much less standing my ground. I have perfected the art of cowering, for men wish to do nothing but hurt and maim all so they can gain power.”

She sits down and shakes her head, taking your hand in hers and squeezing it tightly.

“You forget that we are all brought into this world through blood and through pain, your Majesty. We are the daughters of savage women. We are their savage daughters and we will act like it. We will bite and scream and we will take up space. We will not conform to their ideas of what women should be.” Her words are whispered into the still air of the room as if she were hiding them from any listening ears.

“Do not lower your voice for any man. Do not cower beneath them. You are a powerful being. One that can create life and you can also take it away, never forget that.” She pulls a dagger off of her belt and hands it to you, curling your fingers around the hilt before she continues speaking.

“You have the blood of goddesses and witches flowing through your veins. You hold a power that men could never understand. With every step we take, every time we refuse to cower... we honour our mothers, our grandmothers, and the ones before them. The ones who stood and fought and were torn to pieces. We will not be silenced. You will not be silenced. You are more powerful than that. You must remember your strength and your power. Do not let the men convince you that you are anything less than what you are.”

Your eyes sting and your throat gets tight, but she only hugs your shoulders and continues speaking.

“Your power is what scares them. Why else would they try to assert their dominance in such a way? But you will not fall. You will not allow them to treat you like that because you are the daughter of a savage. You are yourself a savage woman and you will act like it. Royal title be damned.”

You sniffle once, twice, three times, then nod, wiping your eyes just as Thor re-enters the room.

The Valkyrie take their leave and the King sighs, crouching down next to you and gently stroking your cheek.

“I’m so very sorry, Petal. You are no longer safe here. If someone was able to bring you this letter then I fear you are in far more danger than we had thought. The conspiracy against the Kings runs far deeper than any of us could have anticipated, and if we are to keep you safe then we must act quickly.” He pulls you to your feet and bustles around quickly, covering your shoulders in a thick cloak and packing a bag of your belongings.

“Wait, where do you mean to take me? If I am not safe anywhere?”

He tosses your bag over his shoulder and grabs your hand, entwining your fingers and giving your hand a soft squeeze.

“The only place you will truly be safe.” You’re still quite confused.

“We make for Asgard.”