#torn from his birth family and was too young to even remember his parents or sister

[backjustforberena]

Question: Laena as daddy’s girl and laenor as Mummy’s boy. Do you think they had this family structure? Why/why not?

Scenarios: Rhaenys teaching them how to fly like a badass. Eg. the importance of a strong bond, modifications to the saddle, not flying too high.

Swimming with them as young children in the bay on a hot day.

THIS GOT LONG, I'M SORRY.

META: Oh, boy, thank you for sending this in! And the answer to the first one, about dynamics is: certainly yes. Although, ironically and perhaps obviously given the world they inhabit, they spend more time with the other parent. Laenor spends years with his father in the Stepstones and on the flip side, Laena has a lot of time alone with her mother whilst the men are away.

I remember listening to interviews where Eve would say that Corlys was harder on Laenor than Rhaenys perhaps was, and Steve called Laena "the apple of his eye", and how family and legacy were everything to these two.

Rhaenys's connection to her children is a lot more emotional and typically maternal: it's worrying over their happiness, it's making sure that parameters will be in place if Laena weds Viserys (i.e what Laena says about being bedded), it's wishing Laena home from Pentos, watching her son dance at his betrothal with a smile on her face, hugging him before giving him away, having her heart torn by their misery.

Corlys's relationship is more typically masculine. He wants to provide for them; safety and security and power. Making them good marriages, wanting them to conform to society's expectations because that is what will get them ahead, that will be less painful. He wants his children to be the best of the best. He's got high standards, but never anything that suggests it's crushing or detrimental.

Laena, in particular, sounds a lot like her father when she grows up - talking about Valyrian blood and being more than the existence Daemon binds her to in Pentos. She wants to go home and give birth and have her children raised as Velaryon children are raised. She yearns for her family. She still sent letters to her mother, after all. Letters where she hid nothing - how else did Rhaenys know Laena wanted to return home? But Laena is also a dragon-rider, like her mother. Claimed a dragon, like her mother. Married a man for love, like her mother. Yet she travelled like her father did, and wore her father's house colours after marriage, (except when riding - like her mother).

Laenor is everything a lord would wish for in a son. Most characters note on his goodness. How he is a fine knight. He's battle-tested, with a strong bond with his dragon. He's kind and loves war as his father does. He yearns for the sea and for battle, like his father. He's got armour, like his father, participates in the strategy of the Stepstones and is trusted enough that Corlys goes with his plan. Between young and teen Laenor, he even starts doing his locs like his father. His saddle has a seahorse on it. Yet he's incredibly sensitive, and loves with his whole heart. When his loved one is murdered, he screams - like his mother. When his sister is dead, he dies a little bit with her. He chafes at court because it hurts him, like Rhaenys does. And he goes through great tragedy that was not of his own making.

But as much as I think the parents have "favourites", you don't get the feeling that it's overtly biased, in the way they parent or the way they relate to one another - they don't favour one child over the other. Although, we have very little to base that conclusion on, given that horrifically, we have very few scenes of them as a family unit and they barely speak a word to one another. Except, perhaps in deleted scenes. Overall, to me, the Velaryons came across as a very harmonious family. Neither parent is distant - they're both involved in the decisions that surround their children and always think (albeit perhaps not enough or even correctly) about their well-being and their futures. To the point that it's really the only thing that severs their marriage. Both of the siblings, after marriage, look back to their parents and to things that signify their house - there's no resentment from Laenor for making him marry Rhaenyra. There's no distance created from Laena, knowing they had proposed her match to Viserys. No effect at all. They take comfort in one another. They can't have a family outing without matching either.

SCENARIOS: Rhaenys teaching them how to fly would be amazing. Even in the one scene we have of Laenor and Rhaenys flying together, Meleys gives out instructions to Seasmoke and takes the lead over the fleet. It's very cute. And I can imagine Driftmark has it's own dragonkeepers, but Rhaenys would still take a proactive role in this. I can only imagine how empty the skies felt when her children had flown the nest. And I imagine this sort of lesson is something she now recreates with Baela.

And those kids must swim like fishes. Wild swimming as well. I bet Laenor would do a cannonball and Laena learnt to do an impressively graceful dive into the water.

[mayullla]

Title: He wondered why

[ - Lake (gn!reader) + Lavender (romance) + Diluc + Ice cream sandwiches (arranged marriage au) - ] - Anon's ask

Summary: You and Diluc were bound to each other at a young age, you were inseparable when you were young. Yet now there you were in the arms of another as he watched from the crowd.

Warnings/tags: Alternate universe, Angst, aristocrats vibes / au, manhwa vibes (kinda?)

[ - Fairytale Picnic Event - closed ]

Diluc started to wonder when he saw his hand reach for your back, catching himself when he was just about to call out your name.

He remembered the past when you and he were bound together from birth. Something to make his and your family relationship stronger. It was an arranged marriage decided by you and his parents yet he was never dissatisfied with it, happy that it was you.

He doesn't recall a memory, but the late duke would often mention how adorable you two were. When you were still babies still held by your someone unable to crawl or even speak properly, you and he would always laugh and giggle when you look at each other and would only cry when apart lighting up when you see each other again.

It was adorable his father always told him.

It was cute if not funny that when you learned your first word, it wasn't even mom or dad but each other's names. Diluc name was the first thing you said while your name was Diluc's. Crepus would always tease him about it.

As you grow, still small children Diluc has heard that you and he would play together almost every day, visiting each other whenever you had the chance. Some memories were blurry somewhere not.

Diluc still remembers that time you placed a crown in his head and called him your prince and that time the two of you hid away from the servants of the mansion for a reason you and him don't remember yet the promise the two of you made behind the gardening shed was never forgotten.

Even when Kaeya came into Diluc's life, when he worried that he didnt have enough time for you because of his new step brother you took his hands and told him that it was alright. That Kaeya is family and that he could join you and him, that he didnt have to spilt his time between the two of you.

With Kaeya it became the three of you, sometimes you will fight back with Diluc against bullies that dared to call Kaeya commoners blood. Sometimes it would be Kaeya and Diluc searching for you when you ran away from a party because of some mean aristocratic children jealous because you were close to the duke's sons.

But many could see how you and Diluc were inseparable still. That there was a unique bond that could not be torn apart that easily by others even from titles like family because to you two... you were already family.

Yet how did it come to this?

It hurt him so much when he watched you hold hands with another. The affectionate eyes the two of you exchange. It felt like he was swallowed, deep into the water that he could not breathe yet at the same time unable to react. Move his hands or legs to reach for air because it was too far, he was too deep in the water.

Why does it hurt? When did this happen? Why? How?

Multiple questions kept filtering in his mind as he watched you dance in the ball with your partner, following the music with each elegant step. How others watched you and your partner, some were mesmerized while others talked about your break up with Diluc, that you and he weren't connected anymore… strangers.

He hated that. It wasn't once did he glared at someone who spoke too loud.

Diluc dismissed the looks he got as you danced in the hall looking at his glass drink close to cracking and shattering from the controlled force he placed on it, he didn't want to cause a commotion yet at the same time he wish he could.

He wishes he could.

He wishes he could shout your name, stomp to your and this person who took you away from him. Diluc wanted to take your hand from them and drag you away to a private place and just... kiss you. Tell you promise after promise that he would never leave you anymore, that he was sorry, that you deserved everything that he was wrong… that he doesn't deserve you.

Was it from then? That time he abandoned your hand in rebellion to who knows what when his father died to this secret organization called the abyss?

The world was cruel really, when his father died he was to take the seat as the next duke yet so many were after him, filled with brim with greed and malicious intent while he had to also watch his back from the abyss and find out more about them.

He wanted revenge.

He was still young he felt abandoned by the world, even though there were people who surrounded him he could not see them anymore as he strived to survive. He could not act like a child anymore.

As you grew you became more understanding of his situation (the young you would always ask him to play and pout a little when he would decline), but maybe he didn't take your kindness to heart.

He treasured the drink that he set on the desk that you made for him almost every time you visited yet he wasn't able to thank you for it too stuck in his work. When did you stop doing that? When did it become the servants to do so? When did you stop visiting?

When he asked where you were the maid replied that you didn't come today like you usually would and instead chose to give the maid the recipe so they would make it when you could not come.

The promises that he made with you that you would go out together to a cafe or just outside as a date were instead broken with presents sent to you as an apology. He didn't know that you would look at the expensive garments and pretty aristocrats' gifts with a smile on your face, yet the servant who brought them could not see a single emotion in your eyes, finding these gifts of apologies that were worth so much that a commoner could not dare dream... empty.

That servant could not report it, he could not say the words of the question you asked when Diluc asked him if you accepted the apology gift the tenth time in a row. It twisted his heart as that servant told the duke that you have accepted the gift.

“This garment is gorgeous… Tell me. Did he choose it himself?”

Only later did Diluc hear about this question when he heard that servant talk to the head maid Adelinde about it. How pitiful the duke and his partner were, as they were slowly driving each other away.

It was no one’s fault, he had many things to do too much to hold yet would not give the load to anyone. You were patient with him yet the 1 year turned to 3 years turned to 7 years to… There was nothing in this relationship anymore, far from what everyone in the house who watched you grow hoped for.

Diluc was appalled by this, he could not understand what the servants were talking or maybe he just choose to ignore it. Ignore everything, ignore how the conversation between you and him was getting shorter and shorter, as your visits get rare and rare.

How you and he would pull away from each other after the first dance in some mandatory party that he was forced to attend. While you would chat away with your friends and he would return to the mansion soon after for work because he was busy.

There was nothing, nothing in this relationship. But Diluc chooses to ignore it.

Was it really a surprise when you asked him to break the engagement? That time Diluc could not see, that his own ignorance had turned to blindness when he demanded the reasons to why you would betray him like this. Why you would leave him.

Yet now he could see the smile on your face, how your mouth was a little parted as if you were laughing yet Diluc could not hear it because he was too far away. He could not remember your laughter, his heart was surprised when he saw the shine in your eyes something that was gone for a long time had returned yet not because of him but someone else… he was the one who cause them to disappear.

Diluc took a step forward yet he could not continue. So he took a step backward disappearing from the ball leaving nothing but rumors and gossip.

Note: This was supposed to be a happy little thing- till I lost my 50/50 on Kazuha's banner and got Mona. ^^ (I genuinely wanted to yeet my computer for a moment there- *goes to a corner sad-*) I would like to imagine the partner being Mona who stole the reader away-

I don't write a lot of gn!readers tbh so just in case you spot something do tell me so that I could edit it.

[camille-lachenille]

New theory just dropped: Erestor is one of Dior and Nimloth’s sons.

I know that Erestor Caranthirion or Erestor as a loyal Fëanorian are the two most popular versions of his backstory in the fandom. But bear with me; there is a discarded version of the Legendarium where Erestor is a Peredhel, kin to Elrond. My brain latched in this tidbit of info and here’s my reasoning: Eluréd and Elurín’s fate is unknown and it’s widely accepted that they died a terrible death in the woods. But what if one of them survived and took a new name and, decades later, found his last surviving relative in Middle-Earth?

Eluréd and Elurín wandered in the woods, scared, cold and hungry, fleeing from the bad Elves who wanted to kill them. They tried to eat whatever plants they knew were safe but Eluréd ate the wrong ones and died, leaving his brother alone and even more scared and traumatised. Elurín continued to wander until he was found by a group of Sylvan Elves who took him in. Despite being young and not understanding why the bad Elves destroyed his home, Elurín knew that telling strangers his name was dangerous, so he picked a random name: Erestor.

Erestor grows up with the Sylvan Elves, slowly forgetting the worst events of his life. His foster family only ever knows he lost all his family during the Second Kinslaying and they put his weird growing up timeline and other Peredhel traits on the account of trauma (because for sure being the only survivor of his family and almost starving to death in the woods would mess up with the health and development of a child so young).

Anyways, fast forward to the War of Wrath: Beleriand is less and less safe and some of the Sylvan join the remaining forces of the Noldor to fight along the Host of the Valar. Erestor is amongst them, he fight with everything he has in revenge of something he can’t quite remember. The new star in the sky calls to him, looking achingly familiar, and he often spends nights simply following its course, struggling with the muddled memories of his early childhood. That’s when he learns Elwing survived the Third Kinslaying (Erestor was sick when he heard of it) and her sons, his nephews, may still be alive.

One night, Erestor is summoned by Eonwë and presented with the Choice. This comes as a shock, and the decision is painful but, in the end he choses the fate of the Eldar. Not as much for him as for his twin who never got to live to make the choice. Erestor, Elurín in this moment, swears to live for both himself and Eluréd.

It’s only after the war ends that Erestor meets Elrond; they are assigned to the same team of supervision while Gil-Galad builds Lindon, and soon become friends. Erestor is torn between telling Elrond his identity or keeping quiet, because he sees just how much his nephew (and it is a weird thing to have a nephew, when he grew an only child) struggles to reconcile his birth heritage and the culture he grew up with, and later with the death of Elros. And Erestor can relate in a way, because he too was sundered from his twin brother, the last of his family.

When Elrond establishes Imladris, Erestor is the first to help him. By this time, I imagine Elrond has an inkling of who his old friend may be, at the very least that he is a Peredhel too, but he choses not to confront him. They all have secrets after all, and enough grief to last them forever. But he starts talking more openly about his family, how he misses his parents, how much he wants to talk with his mother and hear about her from another source than historical accounts. It still takes the war of the Last Alliance and almost dying for Erestor to tell Elrond who he is.

Their relationship doesn’t really change, because they only ever knew each other as grown men shaped by war but, when he marries Celebrían, Elrond still asks Erestor for his blessing as his eldest relative alive. Erestor cries a little as he embraces his nephew and gives him all the blessings he can think of.

And when Elrond Sails at the end of the Third Age, Erestor goes with him, and they are both eager and scared at the prospect of meeting Elwing after three ages apart.

[bdbdhdjdhdh]

My Hero PSLE: S4E2 "Helen and Ivan had to go and jia sai and mati themselves,"

"Scullyosis," (if you know you know)

-Rosa

So Xiao Ming and gang got to the city gates and were preparing to go in, but then the robot was like "FUCK NO! OUTSIDERS AIN'T GETTING NOWHERE!"

Ah shit. This again. Grandmaster, your turn.

Also yes you read that right. Robot. Apparently since the city gates aren't exactly opaque for some reason, if you peeked through them, you'd see the entire city is being run by robots.

Wah. Exuvia guy here is three generic dna pools ahead of us.

Anyway. So Grandmaster just hypnotised the programming of the robot, and soon it let it in.

What a weird programming. Why the hell wouldn't you allow outsiders in? It clearly isn't hostile because otherwise it would have shot them down or something.

It also didn't recognise Rainslasher as a citizen. It seems to allow no one to go in at all, citizen or not.

Wait-does that mean the citizens...don't have an option of going beyond the city walls?

Anyway now Rainslasher suddenly remember something. "Fu-our masks! Zhi Hua, summon hard masks covering the entire face for us, it should be completely white, leave two holes for the eyes, and one big smiley face across the mouthpart!"

"I have no idea what that means but I guess I'll summon it,"

And so he did and they walked around people's houses normally.

Eh, but the people quite nice leh. They said hi and offered tea and shit. Even though they're all wearing masks and shit, they seem quite nice-and also quite typical.

Cos they're all in families. All adults are already married, regardless of how young they are, and all kids have parents.

Like the dad is the classic "works an office/labour job, reads the newspaper, likes to drink coffee" etc.

And the moms are the classic "does the housework, cooks delicious food, scolds children" etc.

Even the children just look like typical children. Playing all day. Duh.

And the strangest part? No one seems to look different from the rest. No one has a birth defect or losing a limb or paralysed or even just in a different religion or anything-nothing, was different. Absolutely nothing.

And also not forgetting the fact that they literally end every sentence they say with: "Glory to the Heavenly Lord!"

So anyway they continued walking across the streets where all the houses are.

And then 本来好好的, then they suddenly hear a scream from behind them and they all turn to see what the hell is going on.

So there's this girl who has her leg half-destroyed and ripped apart by this beast thingy that is going to maul her apart too.

And then all the moms and dads all either ran away, or covered their kids' eyes first and then ran away.

The beast thingy...kinda looks like a lion and dragon crossbreed bro.

Anyway, of course Xiao Ming want to do something to save her, but now Kiefer berry smart, he say "WAIT NO! There's clearly something seriously wrong with this city, don't show that we're any different!"

Wah now he sibeh big brain sia.

Anyway they don't have to watch her get torn apart by the beast. Cos then some random guy accompanied by a few robot guards walked slowly and calmly up to the beast then.

Then he unsheathed his sword and with one strike, sliced the beast in half, and killed it.

Then he must do the crouching on the ground and sheathing it back like the cool anime husbando always do.

And then everyone around who didn't have time to run away yet, and everyone who was running suddenly stopped in their tracks, and immediately bowed down to the man, chanting: "Oh, great holy Heavenly Lord! Why art thou graced us filthy peasants with thy strength, glory and might?"

So of course, to fit in, Xiao Ming and gang also bow down.

Then the guy-the Exuvia, apparently- told them to silence, and then they all shut up at once.

Then he slowly approached the girl who was about to be mauled apart. She still lying on the ground, cos, ya know...her leg kena mati liao.

And then he knelt down to her, and asked her: "How's the leg? Do you think it can heal?" Aww, he quite sweet sia.

"Uh, no," The girl responded.

"Ah, that's a shame," Then he got up, unsheathed his sword again, and cut off the girl's neck.

"We don't want Uglies," he started to announce to the whole world loudly now, while everyone and Xiao Ming and gang is still bowing down to him, "now do we?"

[ethereumhq]

stats —

SPECIES …………… werewolf ALLEGIANCE …………… werewolf PRONOUNS …………… he/him AGE …………… 28 FACECLAIM …………… jan luis castellanos

casefile —

⟢ Chapter 1

Over two decades ago, when werewolf hunting was rampant, two young lovers met. They bonded, perhaps sadistically, over their love of the hunt and the adrenaline rush that followed. Quickly married, Carmen and Ramón Grimaldi became well known in the werewolf community for their cruel relentlessness. They would stop at nothing. And then they had a child. What could be more perfect than to pass on the family business, as they liked to call it, to someone they could train from birth? By the time Leroy could walk, they had him out on hunts with them, teaching him the ways of how his world worked. That was until a hunt went wrong. The werewolves were bitter, and one day they went for the wrong group - a ruthless group who had lost many and were waiting for their chance at revenge. They hadn’t planned to hurt the child, of course. They were going Ramón. To turn a werewolf hunter would be the best punishment of all. They hadn’t expected the child to be there at all, strapped to Ramón’s back, but by the time they realised, it was too late. The scratch aimed for his back mid fight hadn’t caught him at all, yet had torn through Leroy’s skin, irrevocably changing his life forever.

⟢ Chapter 2

{abuse tw} That moment Leroy’s left was set in stone, although he didn’t know it. No longer would he take over the reputation his parents had built. No longer would his name cause fear through a whole species. No. Because the moment it happened, the first moon after that night, he was no longer their child. The most surprising part of it all, he would later realise, was that they didn’t leave him for dead. He remembers the beatings, unforgiving. That, along with the pain of his first change, were some of his earliest memories. Not that he could know, but it was a mothers instinct that saved his life. She managed to convince Ramón he wasn’t worth it. Let him be someone else’s problem and they could give all their attention to a true heir. That’s what found him, barely of an age to start school, left bloody and broken on the side of the road heading from Obsidian City, out to Carynthia.

⟢ Chapter 3

Leroy would say that was the day his life truly started. He was found, sitting with a small bag of his favourite things, by an older woman. This woman would be the woman he would soon begin calling mum. Without any thought she took him in, the scars on his back a clear indicator of who he was - they’d all heard the stories after all. Soon he had a family. Audrey and Larry Packett were an older couple, who had always dreamed of being able to give a child a good life. They doted on him, spoiled him with all they had, and raised him to be the man he is today. A man who isn’t ashamed of who he is or what he is. Everything he does is an act of thanks to his parents, to support the ones who saved him and loved him unconditionally.  Ever changing and chaotic, Leroy has a rotating roster of odd jobs and hobbies. In the mines, as a bouncer at Howl at the Moon of a night, selling joints on the side - he even takes curious visitors from the city on tours through the Carynthia Scenic Trail and to the diving cliffs, roping in the tips with his easy charm (not to mention flirting... the things he’ll do for a bit of extra cash.)

lee packett is taken and played by harriet

[imalwaystiredzzz]

Ｃ3： Ｔｏ Ｓｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｓａｍｅ ｏｌｄ ｈｙｍｎ

WARNING:  explicit not SFW, Sexual content, yandere themes, unhealthy relationships, noncon, blood, gore

< To sing the same old hymn chapters >

"This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper." - T.S. Eliot, The Hollow Men

Sukuna stumbles upon a village of lowly farmers, he finds it amusing that they begged and would offer him even their beloved daughters in exchange for their lives. He remembers the shrine and the devout maiden.

This time the curse plays god, he lets them live in exchange for a temple fit for a king and a sacrificial maiden every summer and winter. He imagines them crumbling in despair in a year or two, slowly succumbing to the madness of having all this blood in their hands but the lowly village thrives.

In the third life, (y/n) was born in a rich village who worshipped a god that descended from heaven and resided in the temple at the mountain. In exchange for safety and prosperity, the village would offer him a maiden and keep the temple clean.

These sacrifices were bred from the noble family of (l/n), the girls from a young age groomed to be the idea of a perfect woman fitting to be offered to a god. There was no love for the god that your family honored, but fear that resides in your heart. Deep in your bone, you know this is a lie, your sisters were not taken to the heavens by god.

The cicadas sing in summer, as you wear a red Furisode , the flowers blooming in the sleeves like a garden. Your mother thinks red is your color, you don't tell her you prefer the color of the sakura. Your older brothers giggle and talk of how lucky you are to see god, they were picked for birthing the next generation. All eyes are turned to you as the festival for your coming of age began.

Everyone asks what you may wish for and it will be given today, you simply smile and continue to eat small treats, it feels too much like the final supper. You couldn't stomach any food.

When evening came, you were garbed in the finest of fabric you've only seen your cousins, aunts and an older sister wear. It extremely resembled that of a Miko's attire, you hope to bring something to remind of home but tradition doesn't allow it and yet underneath the layers of cloth, you hold a temari ball. The small sounds it makes when the pavilion jolts bring comfort from the fear that's making the tips of your finger shake.

Imagine his surprise when he sees you again in the flesh. Sukuna believes in reincarnation as much as he believes in the existence of gods. Garbed in beautiful robes, the (h/c) woman prostates herself before him. He's amused, here you were offered like a lamb once more.

Sukuna thinks that if gods other than him did exist they must be extremely cruel to curse your soul for a sin he had made. So this time, because he was your god he would grace you with a different torment.

So he doesn't kill you, the curse keeps you isolated in the huge temple. There was the blind errand boy to give you supplies and clean the place once a month, yet he avoids even your shadow lest he wants to incur the wrath of a god.

You feel like you were forgetting how words worked as you haven't talked to a soul since a month of coming here.

It makes you stir crazy and childhood nightmares were resurfacing, waking in the middle of the night wide eyed. You were unsure if it was the same monster or your mind was replacing it with the four limbed god. In the middle of the night, when the marked god wasn't back you would go out and play with the temari ball. It reminds you of home, the bells bring comfort.

Your god, comes and goes on a whim but never stays too long. Sukuna simply checks how you were, with the bonus of hearing your gasp and cries as he takes you to bed - he never did get the pleasure of hearing those pretty lips wail in your first life.

But it wasn't enough. It was never enough.

He get's bored, sometime he contemplates how he'll kill or torture you on the way back to the temple but remembers how you died at his hand the last time. He has yet to meet an interesting toy, the way you interest him.

The cicadas were singing as the heat season ended, the nights were becoming colder and longer. He hears bells, and wonders to it like a moth to a lamp only to stumble upon the (h/c) girl playing in the empty lot, her (e/c) brimming with life and nostalgia.

He slowly frequents the shrine now, from the monthly visits he makes a point to show up at least twice. Sukuna enjoys how you prostrate yourself when he comes, those pretty eyes becoming duller following his form as he goes out the room, the slight hints of clinging. He likes that.

The curse endulge the idea of having you follow him like a god, to sing those hymns and praises in his name, for you to devote yourself to him like he was your world.

Sukuna was selfish and he only knows how to take and take and take.

The snow falls outside the shrine, the sound of footsteps and ring of bells from the familiar pavilion, Sukuna waits for the next sacrifice with you by his side pouring sake. You'd rather be here than alone.

A girl prostrates herself before the god, wearing the same clothes you once don. You'd rather be by his side than alone.

He tears her limb from limb, she cries for help, an arm reaching out to you before being torn and eaten. The floor is red with the same blood that flows in your veins, the devil enjoys his meal.

You'd rather be with the devil than the ringing silence that makes you mad.

He tears your clothes and has his way with your body, next to the mutilated body of your little sister. Tears gathering in the corner of your eye at the unprepared penetration, you wonder how you'll get the blood out of your hair.

The devil likes this too. He keeps you like how one keeps a trained pet.

He stays in the temple a bit longer now, Sukuna boasts about his carnage while drinking sake that you pour for him. You have no stories to tell, and he's not interested. Sometimes he forgets about the first life, sometimes it bothers him.

He tests the water and asks about past lives, but all you can tell him is that you dream of a four armed god, omitting that these weren't just dreams but a nightmare that had his face as the monster. Sukuna was sure that those dreams are memories of the first.

He likes that too. He must have left an imprint on your soul, wouldn't that brand you as his?

More seasons come and go, you count the year by counting the death of your kin but nothing changes.

There was only you, the big empty temple and the four armed god that you worship. You slowly forgot what the outside looks like, but that didn't matter all that mattered was god favors you and keeps you by his side. You cling to him, the way he wants you to. Your now pale hands can't feel anything and the nightmares never stop.

You grew on him, quite like how an owner grows to favor a pet dog.

(Y/n) lasts 7 years before falling sick.

The cicadas sing as you lay on the futon sweating and breathing heavily, you stare at the window the sun is gone. You hear a familiar bell, Sukuna places the temari ball beside your bed, he leaves you to suffer a slow painful death of starvation and sickness.

Sukuna has no use for a sick pet.

He feels a tinge of regret but doesn't linger on it.

He burns the village before the sun rises.

*Furisode : is a ceremonial clothes in Japan for coming of age, coming of age is when a girl begins her menstruation

*Mikos : are shrine maidens, they wear a white top that looks like a yukata and a red hakama. >For visuals in the movie "Your Name," Mitsuha wears these clothes when she was dancing.

*Temari balls are hand balls made by parents and given to children on new year. It can have decorations like bells and contain a parent's wish inside. >The temari ball that you received from mother contains a wish that you die at a young age or swiftly when you're offered.

*Mother, father and the whole village knows what happens to the girls, but she can't say anything coz she's the matron of the family. Sacrifice children are left in religious ignorance.

*Your family often gives birth to females (that's why they were chosen) and the males are required to have many many children since sacrifices take 2 kids a year. That's taking into account you have many uncles and aunts.

[jjkpls]

first love (m)

genre : fluff, angst, light smut

pairing : kim seokjin x reader (f)

word count : 4.6k

warnings/content : mentions of sexual intercourse, mature language, infidelity, separated parents, unresolved past relationship, dad!seokjin, mom!reader

Seokjin doesn't mean to overreact. He knows he shouldn't. Knows you hate it. Knows, because he's been told enough times, that these types of reactions are unnecessary and possibly harmful for a child.

He can't really help it when deep down he knows he was meant to be an actor. Right before his actual birthday, his mother had dreamt of giving birth on a theatre stage, for God's sake.

But his father wasn't into it, given his ambitions, his own growing company and all the promising opportunities he envisioned both for him and for his only son. Therefore Seokjin went to law school, graduated with excellent mentions, followed an accelerated program in business development and managing and joined his father exactly where he was expected.

He isn't exactly complaining.

He likes his job, most of the time, likes the money and luxury that come with it especially and appreciates the work safety.

Now, you can't blame him for being quite the drama queen in his everyday life. All that pent up, buried alive passion for the arts of acting need to express, somehow.

That's what he'd say to you when you used to yell at him for starting weeping loudly in your ear when he'd call you to cancel a date last minute because he couldn't come, instead of just, cancelling it, aplogize, get over it like a normal person.

Or when you'd kick him in the ribs because he'd be all wild gestures and screeching screams when he'd teach your son to ride a bike and he would fall, as he should to learn, making the boy cry even when he wasn't hurt, solely from the projection of his dad's fear.

You're not here to tell him yourself but the glazed, annoyed roll of his son's eyes tells him precisely what you would. Those eyes are the worst. The prettiest he's ever seen. The ones he loves the most. The ones you also wear on your own pretty face.

"Since when?" He has a hand pressed to his chest, preventing a heart attack it seems, gaze wide and alarmed. Timothy sighs.

"A while. They were already together for Valentine's Day-" He explains patiently. That kid is sweet. The way he's slumped over, obviously annoyed to have to be the one telling his dad and having to deal with the consequences but still, he's watching over him with a soft eye, mouth torn in a sympathetic pout. He wouldn't mind his parents to get back together even though he is almost sure it wouldn't be a good idea for the both of you. He's heard tales of dysfunctional families, of parents hurting each other and their children and doesn't want that for any of you. He can't imagine it happen. You two are too good for that. That's probably why you had decided to separate in the first place.

Seokjin is quickly making maths in his head. Not really counting the time but situating himself in that time frame. Where was he at when she was out with this guy? What was he doing?

He may have been in Japan when it started. He remembers a call from you, you were asking him to take Timothy for a couple of days. You sounded embarrassed and he didn't know why but couldn't take the time to investigate, he had a flight expecting him and a conference call waiting to start in a couple of minutes. Important stuff. None of it would have mattered if he had known what you were up to.

"You okay, dad?" Timothy asks, awkward but kind. His mom basically.

"Devastated." Seokjin says with the widest grin on his face. He's not devastated. It'd be ridiculous to be for something absolutely predictable, fair and normal. He's not mad, nor disappointed. You deserve to be seeing people, have them desire you and make you feel good. He wishes it were him but if he can't do that, if you won't let him, he's glad you still can allow someone else to do it.

He's surprised though, he can't lie about that.

Honestly. That's stupid. But he didn't expect one second that you were seeing someone. You never mentioned anything and you didn't look like it. If there's a way you look when you're dating.

He remembers rosy cheeks and short skirts. You were younger.

"You think it's serious?" He asks casually, surprising even himself. His heart is in a turmoil but he showed enough to Timothy, acting like he was half dying, gasping for air and all.

"I don't know. She doesn't want to bring him home yet. Like, introduce him to me. I asked." Timothy, not only is he nice, he is smart. He's thirteen, shouldn't know much about Love and adults' matters yet. He's supposed to still be at that stage when one believes children and adults are two very distinctive race of humans, one that depends on the other and the other having it all figured it out, having reached a certain knowledge and expertise on all things and can't really be wrong on accident.

Timothy knows precisely what his dad would love to hear. And he gives it to him. Not to feed him vain hopes. Not even for this tiny hidden greed to have you back together. Simply because it's the truth and if for once the truth is pleasant to hear, then he should give it. Seokjin's smile only gets brighter. He shares a glance with his son, a glint winking his way and Timothy rolls his eyes, unable to hide the lift of the corners of his lips.

"Anyway, I heard you won that science fair at school?" Seokjin has already left his seat on Timothy's bed. He's rummaging through his leather bag and Timothy knows what it means. He has a present for him. Seokjin always has a present for him. Most of the time, he can justify it by some event or some success Timothy had encountered. The thing is they don't see each other that often, therefore, almost systematically, something new has come about and Seokjin can explain why he's brought a brand new console, a new laptop, a TV for his room or that one limited edition of this way too expensive branded pair of sneakers.

You used to get really mad at that. You'd say that he shouldn't, that he didn't need to bring him all these expensive stuff because what he'd like (it was a long time ago when Timothy was too young to have his own opinion and you would speak for him) is for his dad to be here more often. You'd say he wouldn't have to buy him shit for any other times than Christmas and his birthday if only he could be here for him. His dad would be his present.

It caused a lot of drama, a lot of crying. You had made sure not to scream, not to be too angry but Timothy felt from the way you squeezed him hard against your bosom that you were very upset. His dad had apologized, had said the most with his eyes only for you to understand. Timothy was staring, trying to get it too because he was involved, wasn't he? But that was one of those adults moments he wasn't allowed to participate in yet.

From then on, his dad wasn't late anymore when he'd set dates with him, his phone would be turned off when they were together and he would text him more often.

It was really nice. Because at first, Timothy felt that maybe if his dad wasn't so present it was because he didn't want to. For some reasons. He thought maybe he was too much of a coward or too nice possibly, to leave you two altogether, to disappear from your lives and start another one somewhere else, one he would have chosen and shaped as he'd want. Turns out Seokjin really appreciated his son and the time he got to spend with him. The more time they spend together, the more Timothy is met with awed eyes and whistling lips, impressed as his dad is by his smartness, his humour and hidden talents. He just was very busy. You explained that to him. That he was passionate by his work, that it required a sacrificial amount of time in one's life, and that he shouldn't ever take it personally because even he loved you and couldn't give you that time.

It's the conversation that led him to think that maybe his parents are meant to be, except they won't because... circumstances.

In any case, no matter how often they meet now, Seokjin still brings him gifts each and every time. The difference is that he has to think of a reason, sometimes make one up to not be struck down by your fury.

"Yes, I did."

"Of course, you did! Cause my son is the smartest." Timothy waits for the moment he says that his brain and the magic fuel filling it all come from him. It doesn't come. Instead, a neat white box is held in front of his face. There's a pretty tie made of ribbons glued in the middle, to hide the picture of what's inside, but there's no doubt that this is an iPhone. He rips the tie off and surprise surprise it's the iPhone 12.

"Mom is going to kill you." Timothy says first, before even thanking him, heart pounding from excitement and face split in two by the wide banana grin.

"Probably." He shrugs, unapologetic.

"Thanks, dad!" Timothy doesn't forget to add, eyes shiny and toothy grin even shinier.

He hopes so. That you're going to be mad. You two are too old to have petty fights now. You don't waste your energy in screaming and finding the worst things to say to hurt his feelings. You just cross your arms under your tits, clench your jaws and adopt that pout on your mouth, eyelids low and eyebrows high, the embodiment of condescendence and you look sexy as hell. He smiles and winks at you, calls you by an old pet name and you're swooning even though you try to hide it. No one is charming like he is, and no one charms you as he does therefore he's not too worried.

His son was just going around with this prehistorical device you dared to call a smartphone. With the broken screen, and the non-functioning selfie cam and the safari app needing a good ten minutes to charge one fucking page -this was deliberate as you wanted him to have a phone to call and text you and not go and lose himself on the internet or whatever. He's almost fourteen though and he's doing a great job at school and is such a good kid at home, he deserves it.

"I know and I don't care. I don't need you to tell me my son is good." You are infuriated. The perfect picture of you he had imagined, the only difference is that, you've just walked out of work, you seem to have had a rough day and your hair is a mess. With the wild locks hanging off of your bun, framing your pretty face, you look even better. "I don't want him to have something so expensive on him, first of all."

"His dad is richer than Cresus, what do you expect?" The cockiness dripping from every pore should suffice to make you explode. Of course, it doesn't. He has that stupid side grin. The one he's got you with in the first place.

"And what about- internet and even just the darn AppStore? He's too young to-"

"Are you worried about porn?" He frowns, you flush. That's precisely one of the things you think about. You don't want him to fall upon stuff he doesn't need to see -in your opinion for a good ten years at least- or start taking interest in social medias where creepy fuckers could hang out.

You flush because apparently, it's a word complicated still to hear from him. "I've made a parental software installed in it. And a localisation too. Not that we really need it with him but you know."

"Oh." All tension escapes from your torn face and tensed shoulders.

"Oh, wow, my first love is such a good dad." He mocks, voice high, hardly resembling yours, barely biting back a smirk. He even goes as far as swiping the right side of his bangs back, eyes closed, mannerism insufferable.

"Shut up." More flush. A fist to his chest for punishment. Bad idea. Apparently, he went back to the gym.

"You should be nicer because I have something for you too." He says, eyes glancing mischievously as his hand dips in the pocket of his trench coat. "Well. I don't want it." You cross your arms on your chest again which only serves to push your tits forward to him and he wonders what you're playing at. Probably the same game he plays when he winks and smiles and lifts his eyebrow to you.

"Wait 'til you see it." He sees the moment you realize it's a jewellery box. He reads the instant wild excitement, he catches also the gloomy shadow you try to paint over it because you don't want to accept it. How many times does he need to be told to stop? He won't ever stop.

"You can't buy me, Seokjin." You're eyeing the velour box in his hand, a tiny beautiful red in this large pearly white palm. You want it. You always do. You don't dare uncross your arms though because you know that if you even do something as reckless as taking it in your hand, just to have a look at it, you won't be able to refuse it.

"Of course, I can." More of that smirk. You glare, it makes him wheeze as he does.

You have never ever been able to refuse any of his shiny presents. You're not a gold digger, that's precisely why you felt so guilty all the time, accepting to receive from him things you could never afford for him -or yourself. He's born richer than you'll ever be, he loves to spend it on his loved ones -and on cars and designer clothes- and amongst everything else he loves, he adores covering you in shiny little rocks.

No one has ever worn diamonds the way you do. You look beautiful without them, magnificent with them. They were made to enhance your beauty and you were made to give them sense.

"You're such a dick." You say, tone way too monotonous to still have been in total control of your free will. Your eyes are glued to the shine of the two dainty clear earrings nested in the case. He's holding it open in front of your nose, like a hypnotizing stick. He sees your determination wavers. Your arms have just untied. Your hand is getting close. He smiles already savouring his victory.

"Take them, petal, I don't think your new boy could ever afford them." Your hand freezes mid-track, face falling you look up. He's a bit surprised to see guilt in those eyes. Shame and guilt. Even though, you have the right to see whoever you want. Obviously.

"How-" His head tilts slightly towards the hallway, where the bedrooms and the one Timothy is in, probably playing with his new phone. "Great. Bribing our son into giving you off my personal information."

"I gave him the iPhone after he told me." Seokjin feels the need to precise. His son loves him and he confided for this very reason. He wants to believe. He hopes that it's not because he's worried his dad would have a mental breakdown if he were to learn the news the day his mom would invite him to their wedding or something.

You sigh. You don't know what to say it seems. He doesn't want you to feel upset. He's not going to congratulate you either. He can't.

"Take them."

"He could- he's a doctor, you know." You sound like a petty little girl saying that, fingers aiming for the box but mouth reshaped by contempt.

Thankfully, the mesmerizing glee on your lovely face makes up for this last information.

A doctor.

He snorts, huffs and rolls his eyes.

"Are you really being disdainful over the noblest of all professions?"

"I bet he's not as handsome as I am." Seokjin says, staring away into space in a very Vogue kind of pose.

"And it's relevant because your face saves lives too, right?" You add to his clownery, biting on the smile wanting to take over your face.

"Precisely." You're already putting them on, watching your fingers work in the reflection on the microwave door. He's loving it. One is on, reflecting the light coming from the window, bringing a new sense to your whole stance. You don't look tired anymore. You look very fancy. Sexier than before. Your butt sways a little in excitement when you take a new look at yourself, now beautifully decorated and he's reminded of an idea he once had but never got to realize.

He wanted to have a fashion designer make a garter holder made of tiny diamonds. Solely diamonds. It would fit you just right, maybe a bit tight on you, would dig slightly in the meat of your thighs, enough to look fucking sinful and not too much so it doesn't hurt. He was quite young when he had the idea first and was probably not rich enough to make it happen.

He now owns a few palaces perched on the last stage of skyscrapers in three of the most expensive cities in the world and he would sell one in a beat if it meant he could get that for you and see you wear it for him.

You'd probably end up accepting it and then wear it for your new boy so that's out the question.

He doesn't hesitate when he reaches a hand forward, slip his fingers through the tie holding your hair in a bun and slide it off. You don't even flinch, he's still allowed to do that.

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you." You whisper with a smile, both for the compliment and for the present.

"You went to the hair salon." You nod, forcing yourself not to show your surprise. He doesn't need it to throw himself some flowers, "See? I noticed." He adds with way too much pride for so little.

"Your lenses work, congratulations." Sarcasm is the only answer to his stupidity, you both have figured this out long ago. "Is he nice?" Seokjin can't help but ask. He doesn't want to know too much about him. Kind of hopes that it won't be necessary as the guy won't last too long. But he can't resist his curiosity.

"Yes." You say without much of a hesitation. "Last week, he took me to this nice French restaurant in Songpa." You tell, eyes looking away, a bit pensive, mindlessly playing with one strand of your hair. Your face is taken over by that air. Seokjin realizes then that you really like him.

"I used to take you to very nice restaurants all the time, remember?" He's just messing around now. He knows it's not that relevant. Knows it won't get him higher in your regard,

"And I would spend half the date with the waiter while you'll have yours with your phone. I do remember." Especially given you don't recall your common past the same.

He does remember now that you mention it. His memory has been awfully selective and mainly, what he could picture when he thought about those times, is how beautiful you looked, how much he wanted you and felt like even sitting right next to you, he couldn't satisfy that need, was missing you even if you were right there, and the mind-blowing sex too. The later probably happening because he owed to make it up to you because indeed, his job was on the dates too and you hated that. He remembers the late mornings, the lazy ones, you'd make him carry you on his back because your legs and your hips hurt too badly.

"Ouch!" Toppling over, hand on his bosom where it actually really hurts, he yelps in agony, pretending to have been shot. You giggle and slap his shoulder, pester him to stop when you both hear Timothy ask from his room if everything's okay. You'd think he would know by now that his dad is just a clown whose shenanigans shouldn't be taken seriously.

"Are you seeing someone these days?" What a shame, Seokjin really thought for once he'd be solely cool and collected and handsome. Instead, he can feel his ears start to burn in embarrassment, walks a few steps back, pretending to want to throw a glance through the window when really, he'd do anything to not have see you notice.

"Someone?" He huffs. "Some three, actually some four or five. You know how the ladies get with me-" He sounds dumb as hell. It suffices to make you laugh. You've always laughed at his antics. Even when you were going through complicated times, like the pregnancy and the soon to follow break up, he'd try to dry your cheeks and lighten your gaze, heartbroken as he was to see you like that, and it would always work.

"And I know how bad you are with maths." He nods, doesn't look at you, simply stares at the shiny tip of his italian shoes. "You should call me sometimes, Jin." You don't need to tell him, he knows. You say that to him almost every single time. It's just you being kindhearted, the way you've always been. But first, he hates the idea that somehow, to some degree, it's a pity hand you're holding out for him. And secondly, he knows he'll fuck up if he calls.

He won't be able to talk about his job or politics or what's on the dumb tv these days. He'd probably start by asking what you're wearing and end it all by serenading you. What a bad idea. "You don't ever call, only Tim. Which is fine but-" He is lonely, he does miss you, but he's not that stupid. "I miss you too, you know." You look awfully sincere when you say this. There's still a sad shade to your eyes and he suspects it comes from you worrying about him rather than you simply wanting him more in your life. Maybe it's there for both reasons. He can't be mad at you for caring about him still, can he? Ultimately, it's sweet. It's not your fault he tends to be a loser in his very personal life.

He wouldn't know who he is trying to comfort when he strides forward and place a kiss on your cheek. The other one he's cradling in his palm feels warmer the longer he touches it. He doesn't let it go once he backs up and away. You're looking up to him with your eyes looking all round and childish. Quiet and in expectancy. You look like you do when you would wait for him to kiss you. His thumb brushes over your bottom lip and he smirks.

"Expecting me to kiss you?" He asks with an eyebrow raised high. Pretend judgment in his tone, even remonstrance. As if. "How scandalous, when you already have a boyfriend." You know he's just kidding and he can tell that. He wouldn't play with that if he wasn't sure. He doesn't want to hurt your feelings, make you feel wrong or bad in any way. He loves you too much for that. You could let him kiss you and he wouldn't hold you accountable for it. Therefore he does. Because he's dying to since the last time it happened a couple of weeks back. And when your own lips welcome his, with that much willing and tenderness, he suspects you've had too.

He doesn't allow it to go too far. He thought you would stop him, at some point, but you don't. He's the one pulling away when his tongue, instinctively, means to reach out for your own. He knows what comes after that, and what comes after that and after and after. And even if you transpire guilt and shame, he can sense in the way your eyes stare into his that you would have let it all happen.

He's not lacking in desire, he hopes you know that. Honestly, since earlier, and that random flash of the diamond garter holder, his brain is half clouded by the thought of your thighs and his face buried in between them. You used to make the most delicious sounds, pulling at the root of his hair and chasing your high with your hips. Also now that he's met your mouth again and he envisioned what could happen if he just let go, he can't help but think about that dresser in your room. The gigantic thing you wanted him and Timothy to put together as sort of a father and son enterprise to bound or whatever - he ended up paying a guy to do it for them and they played Mario Kart instead but you don't need to know that. Point of the matter is, that massive dresser has a massive mirror on its door and that massive mirror sits perfectly in front of your bed. And all he can think about is how bad he'd like to fuck you on your bed while you'd watch yourself in it. He'd pull back your hair, hold in tight in his fist like he knows you love so you could see your own cute face while his cock would reshape your cunt to its fitting, all this with the pretty little shiny earrings adorning your ears.

Fuck, what a concept.

And it is to say that right now, he knows, you'd let him. He's not that wicked though. He feels your too weak to resist him today therefore he's not even going to chance it. He doesn't want you to do something you'd hate yourself for afterwards.

"I should go, I still have documents to send for a new contract before-" He takes a look at the expensive watch heavy on his wrist, you roll your eyes. "Half an hour ago, great." He offers you a smile that doesn't reach his eyes no matter how hard he tries before he's off to the hallway, giving you his broad back. "I'm going to say bye to Tim."

"It's just- like that, Seokjin." The words are pretty badly chosen. They don't mean much. Seokjin still gets it though. He can picture you behind him, shrugging your shoulders and tilting your head to the side. It doesn't mean much.

"I know, petal. Don't worry." He throws over his shoulder, faux lightness in his tone even though his heart feels raw. It doesn't mean enough, is more accurate. This kiss like every single one of your shared looks and words and bickering and touches, they all mean that you still fit perfectly good together. However, it's not enough because somehow, someday, you came to the conclusion that you were not meant to be. He's confused as to why and how he agreed with you then. Here's the main reason why he never calls you.

When Timothy looks up from his new phone, wearing your eyes and his smile, he feels a whole new range of pain affected to his sensitized heart. How can you not see that you're meant to be?

A/N: Happy Lunar New Year :) this little thingy was inspired by Arsène Lupin and the relationship between Assane and Claire for those who watched it! I don’t know if i translated well the alchimy and unfightable attraction and connection they still have even after having seperated. ANYWAY, hope you all are doing fine, hope you liked this, LET ME KNOW what you thought, tell me about your day, your resolutions if you have any, what’s the weather like where you at etc lmao xoxo

PS: stay tuned for a new upcoming series i’m quite excited about ~~

[usergreenpixel]

Frev Prompts, Part 8! That’s right, I’m not done with these yet. 😏

71. Lycée Louis-le-Grand, Paris, France. The protagonist is one of its many students in the 18th century and, due to his family’s social standing and his own success in academics, this boy is considered a popular student.

Most other students want to be friends with the main character but he is too reserved and suspicious of their intentions to get attached to anyone. That is until he defends two younger students from bullies. The boys, whose names are Maximilien de Robespierre and Camille Desmoulins, are naturally grateful that the main character defended them, so the three grow extremely close.

But will they stay close when some unpleasant secrets about the main character suddenly surface and threaten to ruin himself and his family? Will the trio be able to solve mysteries that suddenly pop up in the school? And what will become of them in the end?

72. The protagonist has just inherited an estate from their parents, who are among the few residents of France who still possess their noble title and their wealth, both of which their ancestors had reclaimed after the revolution.

At first the protagonist doesn’t think much of it - they’re used to living a wealthy privileged life. That is until circumstances lead them to inspect a boarded up room in the estate, only to find a capsule with a prominent French revolutionary unconscious and trapped inside it, hooked up to multiple life support machines.

To the protagonist’s confusion and horror, opening the capsule reveals that the revolutionary is very much alive, unaware of what happened to him and more than furious upon finding out the protagonist’s name.

Confused, the protagonist attempts to try to both calm the revolutionary down and figure out the reason behind this rage, only to find out that their ancestors were far from innocent victims of Madame Guillotine like the protagonist believed them to be and that their wealth had not been obtained by lawful and honest means.

Perhaps this eye opening experience is exactly what the protagonist needed in order to realize that there’s more to life than being a privileged spoiled brat.

73. For as long as they remember, the protagonist, their parents and their younger sibling(s) have always had a habit of moving from place to place, almost like nomads from movies, even though they live in a van in the modern era and don’t quite fit the part.

As a result of this situation, the protagonist has issues with developing lasting relationships and suffers from the feelings of isolation from their peers and the resentment that their parents keep moving so often.

But eventually the protagonist finally gets a chance to find out the reason why their family lives this way when they get kidnapped by the government to be used as bait to lure in their father.

The protagonist is thoroughly confused as they hear the kidnappers talk about time travel, the French Revolution, a Thermidor survivor...and all of this in relation to the protagonist’s father (or rather, as they find out, their stepfather).

What’s going on? Will the protagonist be able to escape and reunite with their family?

74. Through what can only be described as a twist of fate, the main characters cross their paths once again.

They are identical triplets who were separated at birth and now belong to three different classes. One was adopted into nobility, another wants to take a vow of celibacy and devote their life to God, while the third one is a commoner.

But now that the protagonists have been reunited, their plans change since they have no intentions of letting life tear them apart again.

Together, they become masked avengers and make it their goal to oppose corruption plaguing the high society of France, all while the revolution begins to truly pick up the pace.

75. When the protagonist was merely eighteen years old, they got locked up in a reformatory facility where they are forced to deal with a rather unpleasant company of the mentally ill, petty thieves, prostitutes and other kinds of unpleasant characters.

Their only source of comfort is a peer named Antoine, locked up for having tried to run away from home and stealing silverware. Traumatized yet defiant, he strikes up a friendship with the protagonist and even shares his new writing, Organt, with them.

Now lovestruck by Antoine to the point of obsession, the protagonist is devastated when they part ways and keeps looking for him.

What’s worse, when they finally find Antoine in 1793, he has seemingly changed and not in a good way since he keeps pretending he doesn’t know the protagonist but they are determined to restore the old friendship at any cost.

76. The protagonist, a teenager, is sent to France by their scientist mother to spend the summer break with their maternal uncle and his family.

At first the youth is sure that this will be yet another summer in France and nothing unusual will happen, only to be proven wrong when their mother goes missing and they begin to get followed by suspicious people.

As if that wasn’t enough, the teenager soon finds out a few shocking things. Not only is their uncle not actually their mother’s half-brother but he is actually a man from the past and used to be one of Napoleon’s marshals. The protagonist’s aunt is also from the past and, as the teen finds out, so was their currently missing father who was actually a prominent participant of the French Revolution.

Hoping to find both their parents and thwart the plan of their stalkers to steal their mother’s time machine and travel to the French Revolution to change its course, the protagonist joins forces with their aunt, uncle and cousins in this dangerous situation.

77. After the end of the French Revolution Charlotte Robespierre, left with no family and fearing for her safety, moves in with a man and his daughter, the heroine of the story, essentially becoming the girl’s stepmother.

As the heroine matures, she and Charlotte develop a close bond and Charlotte develops maternal instincts towards this young girl, seeing her as the daughter she never had and planning to make her her heir.

So, when the heroine falls in love with an extremely suspicious man, Charlotte opposes the union and while everyone sees her as the jealous wicked stepmother, the girl herself realizes that she is doing it for a much more selfless reason and something is genuinely wrong with this guy.

Together, Charlotte and her stepdaughter decide to investigate the suspicious suitor…

78. The protagonist is excited.

After years of living with their adoptive family, they managed to locate their biological parents and are getting along pretty well with them without severing ties with their adoptive parents.

But when the revolution comes knocking, the protagonist is torn between their royalist adoptive parents and Jacobin-supporting birth parents.

The protagonist loves everyone in their family but, unfortunately, they will have to make a hard choice for the first time in their life.

79. When the protagonist, an orphaned street urchin, rescues Jean-Paul Marat from an assasination attempt, they don’t expect anything to come out of the situation and move on with their life.

But when Marat rescues the protagonist from bandits later on and recognizes them, he decides to take the youth under his wing. Thus the protagonist ends up in the care of Marat and his family and even becomes fascinated with science thanks to their guardian.

Marat, his wife and his sister slowly find themselves attached to the protagonist and become determined to raise the kid despite all the revolutionary madness and danger that surround them.

Perhaps, this is the protagonist’s chance to have a real family and a place to belong at long last.

80. 1812. The Patriotic War against Napoleon’s army is in full swing on the territory of the Russian empire. On the side of the French emperor is the protagonist, Brutus, a 19-year old nephew of Louis Antoine de Saint-Just himself.

Severely wounded in a battle, Brutus ends up being rescued from certain death by a surprisingly sympathetic “enemy” who nurses the young man back to health and hides him.

Having recovered from his wounds, Brutus decides it’s high time to return to his family as they probably think he was killed.

Now that the war is over, returning seems like an easy task but the young man’s rescuer warns him that his journey won’t be easy and gives him a small cross as a memento so God can protect Brutus on his journey.

And so, with said cross on his neck, meager possessions and some food, Brutus embarks on a long and challenging journey home. Along the way, he will face plenty of trials and tribulations, make new connections and maybe even find love.

But will he make it back to his family safe and sound?

[thefierboys]

1978 Thomas Slater

Rough wood under my skin, that little chip in the handle someone should have smoothed out but must not have gotten the chance. My fingers gripped tighter to make up for the dead weight of a metal wedge at the opposite end. Readjusting my hands as left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot... Step one in front of the other. No matter how much I wish I could stop. The look of concern melting into a look of fear, one after another... Little faces hoping I would stop and save them or make a joke rather than painting their hot blood across my skin in the cool night.

I betrayed them. I didn’t want to. I didn’t mean to. But I slaughtered them, still.

The sickening feeling of her ribs cracking and giving way, the way her chest opened up to me while I swung relentlessly. The way her eyes revealed her heart breaking at it being my doing that she... That I was killing her. I murdered my girlfriend. The love of my life. The woman I would have gladly got down on one knee for. Her flesh splitting open to each swing of the axe and the gurgle of oxygen bubbling blood out of broken lungs.

I’m sorry, Cindy. If I could have stopped, I would have. I would never have hurt you if I could have done something about it. If only you knew. But it’s too late now.

Now there are families torn asunder where laughter no longer rings through their halls. Weary hands and weeping hearts that will never get to witness their bloodlines grow. There will never be graduations, marriages, or parties. No children of children. No holding loved ones while they cry from a bad breakup. No staying up until the sun rises or watching stars shoot across the night sky. There will be no holding hands or hugging tight or whispers of ‘until next time’. Only a final goodbye unuttered. No chances to give a final ‘I love you’ or to remind them to look both ways when crossing the street because you only want them safe.

No. I took that from them.

I took the ones who needed me most. Who trusted me. I watched them shed tears of fear and pain as I split their bodies and let them lie upon the ground in pieces.

Their parents will suffer at the loss of not only their children but the loss of a chance to find out why. Why did I do it? Why did I steal the greatest gift they never got to bid farewell to? Why did I take their treasures and dash their lives like broken pottery? Why, why, why?

How could I do that? How could I steal what was most precious and throw it away without another thought or care in the world? Why did I wrench crying children from the bosom of safety and leave them breathless and bleeding out on the cold dirt, awaiting confirmation that, yes... that is your babe. That is the child you held crying and comforted. That is the son you taught to ride his bike, the daughter who needed a little extra story time at night, the child who was just trying to find themself in the world.

That young child... So small and helpless... So trusting... There’s a mother who spent hard labor, blood, sweat, and tears birthing that treasured creature. There’s a father who would hide his exhaustion just to smile at the little human who brought him gifts of stories and toys and things they’d found fascinating. The nights spent cradling a crying baby, the hours spent watching smiles, hands held, the tinkling of children’s laughter, the questions left unanswered... What else had I stolen from you? The curiosity. The pure goodness. The kindness. The future years of living the human experience. The good and the bad. I took it all.

You remember the babe you held close. I remembered the sound of blood dripping on wood and axe through their young bodies.

What did they do to deserve this? Why did I do it? Even I don’t know. And now I’m lost to the darkness. I hear only tortured screams and endless agony. I remember the wood in my hands. I remember watching their faces and being unable to stop. If only I could have stopped.

I remember the love of my life crumbling beneath my hand. I remember the tears in her eyes as she reached for her sister while I just kept swinging. I just kept swinging. I couldn’t stop.

I stole them all. And just like those before me... no one was safe. Not children, not the love of my life, not even myself.

So, while you sit and cry and wonder why. While you look for answers and think of me as a monster. While you go about your life with no other options left... While the town continues to crumble... Know this...

I hate me too.

[chilling-in-the-dark]

The Batboys Growing Up as Yanderes Part 2: Dick Grayson

This is a yandere story; it mentions elements of obsession, passiveness, death, murder, attempted rape (Not by Dick but still Its there. I will Italicize this scene so that you can read around it if you need to.), birth control tampering, forced pregnancy(?), kidnapping, and physical abuse. If any of this is triggering for you, I understand, and you don’t have to read it.

As always, feedback is welcomed.

P.S I’m giving into temptation and posting this early, so enjoy this a day before it was scheduled.

Mrs. Wayne had been asking about having a child for over half a year, but Bruce was understandably nervous about the idea of fatherhood. Still, he’d also promised his wife that so long as she was good, she could have anything she’d ever want, and now she wanted a baby.

Once Bruce warmed up to the idea of having a kid, he and his wife found something out; Bruce wasn’t sure if it was a blessing or a curse, but his wife was infertile.

Bruce had taken Mrs. Wayne out to Haley’s circus, the same one they’d gone to every year growing up, to try and help her forget about her condition even if it was just for the night. Bruce sometimes wondered if the trapeze being sabotaged that night was fate because his wife had gotten the child she wanted after all.

Dick had thought he was normal for most of his life, that he didn’t have any of Bruce’s tendencies, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Growing up in the circus, he’d never stayed in one place long enough to grow too attached to anyone outside of his family.

After coming to live with Bruce and his wife, Dick hadn’t met anyone he truly clicked with, sure he’d had friends in the superhero community, but none of them were people he could genuinely fall for, they were all too strong-willed.

When he was fourteen, Dick’s tendencies finely woke from their long slumber, because he’d at last seen someone who brought out the darkness in him.

When you transferred to Gotham Academy, you were one of the scholarship students. At first, you’d wanted to turn down the offer, because you’d been nervous about going to a school full of snobby rich kids. You Had heard the horror stories from other kids in your neighborhood who attended with the same scholarship, but you realized that this was your only opportunity to claw your way out of this godforsaken city.

You should have turned it down because you were going to meet a fate worse than the streets of Gotham, no, Dick Grayson was going to become obsessed with you, and there was no going back from that.

Dick thought you looked like a cute little mouse the way you shuffled about the school, trying your best to be invisible as you made your way through the halls, but that just made you more conspicuous.

The kids here walked with their chins held high and posture so stiff it looked like someone had replaced their spine with a steel pipe. They didn’t tuck their chins down and clutch their textbooks to their chests like a shield.

It started out slowly with dick watching you shuffle around the school, you were so painfully shy, he would have felt bad if it weren’t so cute. None of the other kids would mess with you, though, or really even talk to you because the glares Dick sent them could rival Batman’s.

At least that’s what Dick thought until he heard you scream,  he ran to the sound, and when he rounded the corner in the boy’s locker room, Dick found the worst slimeball in school trying to stuff his hand down your pants while his buddies pinned you to the ground. They’d stuffed a dirty gym sock in your mouth to prevent any more screams from leaving your throat.

As Dick watched tears well in your eyes he realized that for the first time in his life, he truly and completely wanted to kill someone, you were his, even if they didn’t know it yet, heck you didn’t know it yet, but you were, and no one was allowed to touch you. These boys were about to learn that the hard way.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Dick’s voice echoed menacingly around the locker room. You’d seen him around but had never had a conversation with him, then again, you could have said the same of the boys who held you down now.

“Only having some fun with the little scholarship bitch who doesn’t realize the only way she’ll be able to leave the gutter is by laying on her back. If you keep your mouth shut, I might even let you have a turn.” Dick punched him in the jaw, not even thinking about how he was going to cover this up, but you were his damn it, he wasn’t going to let anyone else touch you.

It was all he could do not to kill them then and there, but no, that would have to wait until nightfall when he could put all of the skills he learned from Batman to use. The next day three bodies would be found, with one of them missing a hand, but all of them nearly torn to shreds making identification impossible. Dick had been careful in making sure no one could track it back to him.

As much as Dick hated the idea of other guys touching you, at least one good thing had come out of it, in his opinion. You started clinging to him and following him around like your life depended on it. Also, you jumping whenever another guy came within five feet of you was a perk.

Determined to make the most of this, he started acting like your guardian angel, and of course, you fell for him, how could you not. Dick was sweet and charming, always respectful of your boundaries, or so you thought anyway. It wasn’t long before you started dating, and Dick couldn’t have been any happier, he’d even gone all old school and given you his class ring. Was mine the only school that had freshmen buy class rings? Sure, it was more of a way to mark you as his, but still, if someone didn’t know about Dick’s tendencies, it would’ve been sweet.

The next few years of your life passed quickly, and Dick kept up the act of the sweet boyfriend you thought he was. That is until the two of you were seventeen, and you’d let it slip that you wanted to go-to metropolis for college.

It had taken everything in him to bite back his temper. No, if he wanted you to stay around, he needed to play this smart; he couldn’t just take you, unlike with Mrs. Wayne, someone would notice if you went missing. So, Dick came up with a plan, one that would likely get you disowned by your family, and if he was lucky, keep you by his side forever.

All he had to do was tamper with your birth control, and if you think being on some kind of IUD or implant is going to keep you safe your wrong, Dick isn’t against drugging you to remove it and replace it with a fake. If you insist on him using condoms, well, it’s not too hard to poke holes in them.

It isn’t long before you come to Dick with tears in your eyes and tell him the words he’d anxiously been waiting to hear. “I’m pregnant,” Dick shoves down the sick surge of satisfaction that wells up in him when your voice cracks. Now wasn’t the time to let his cover slip, he had to play this right.

It was time to put all of those acting skills Bruce had him learn to use. He did his best to look nervous, he bit down on his lip for a second as if thinking what to say when really, he’s had this planned from the moment, he decided to get you pregnant. “It’s all going to be ok, sure we're a bit young, but Bruce was already married by the time he was our age, I’m sure we can figure this out.” Dick wrapped his arms around you before continuing. “I mean a baby isn’t the worst thing in the world, is it?”

“But what about college Dick, this could ruin our futures.” Dick brought you into a hug to conceal the satisfied gleam in his eyes, ruining your future had been a part of his plan.

He made gentle cooing noises as you sobbed into his shoulder, clutching him like your world depended on it. It had taken a bit of convincing, but you, being his submissive little mouse, had agreed to keep the baby.

Sometimes during the first trimester, when you were trying your best to hide the symptoms of early pregnancy and come up with excuses to cover for your frequent Doctors’ appointments, Dick felt the slightest tinge of guilt. He’d done this to you, you didn’t want it, he knew that, but he’d done it anyway.

That feeling was quickly replaced by the surge of possessive pride he felt when he remembered that it meant the baby was always going to tie the two of you together, your DNA and his intertwined for generations to come.

The oh my god, what have I done feeling stayed around a little longer the first time he heard the baby’s heartbeat, but then there was also amazement because there was really a little human growing inside of you. He was going to be a dad. He wanted a little boy with his hair and your eyes.

Before Dick knew it, you were twelve weeks along and starting to get a baby bump. You were freaking out while trying to figure out how to tell your folks. Dick knew that he’d have to stage telling Bruce to keep you from getting suspicious, but his mentor already knew, because A he’d helped Dick with his initial plan to get you pregnant and B, he was Batman.

When you’d finally gotten to the point where you couldn’t hide your pregnancy anymore, the two of you arranged a sit-down dinner in a popular restaurant with your parents and The Wayne’s both being in attendance. You’d been hoping they wouldn’t make a scene in public, boy had you been wrong.

Dick pulled you into his arms as your parents screamed at you about how you were destroying your life over a guy, one who’d probably leave you before the baby was even born. Then they gave you an ultimatum, get rid of it, or don’t come home. It was only a stern glare from Bruce that kept Dick from flying across the table.

Yes, this was all going according to plan, but that didn’t mean he wanted you to cry, only he was allowed to upset you, and even he drew the line at doing so while you were pregnant. When your parent’s shrieks turned toward Dick, how they’d never liked him, that they knew something was off with him and how they wouldn’t be surprised if he’d gotten you pregnant on purpose.

After that night, you had come to live at Wayne Manor with Dick, and he couldn’t be more ecstatic then the first morning he’d woke with you by his side where you belonged. At least that’s what he thought until he was holding his newborn daughter in his arms.

When the nurse handed her to him, all thoughts of wanting a son evacuated themselves from his mind because she was absolutely perfect. She had a full head of black hair, along with your mouth, Dick's nose, and his mother’s eyes, which had made him want to cry the first time she looked up at him. You’d named her Mary in honor of Dick's late mother.

You’d tried to leave Dick after you’d heard him talking to her about how he’d been so glad everything had gone as planned. Your mouth had gone dry when you realized your parents were right about him, he wasn’t a good man, no he was insane. Dick Grayson was no better than the Villains he fought.

So, one night when he’d gone out on patrol, you’d slipped and tried to pack for both yourself and your six-month-old because there was no way you were leaving Mary in the custody of this maniac. Just as you were about to pick her up and make a break for it, Dick came up behind you.

You felt his anger as it permeated the air, sending a chill up your spine, slowly you scooped Mary up and turned around to see your boyfriend standing there in his vigilante gear while looking at you like he was contemplating all of the horrible things he wanted to do to you. This was the first time you’d been truly afraid Dick might hurt you. You couldn’t believe you’d ever let him within five-hundred feet of you.

“Where do you think you’re going,” Dick's voice was colder than you’d ever heard it before, then again, you’d never tried to leave before either.

“I thought you were supposed to be on patrol?” You asked, trying and failing to divert the subject.

“I was,” Dick growled, “but Alfred called and said he saw you packing, so I rushed right home.” Dick ripped his mask off, throwing it across the room. You shouldn’t have been surprised Alfred was in on this. “I’m only going to ask you this nicely one more time, where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m leaving Dick,” Your voice was strained as you fought to keep from trembling.

“No,” Dick barked moving to stand closer to you

“I heard you talking to Mary the other day, and I’m not letting my daughter grow up with a father who thinks that it’s ok to impregnate his teenage girlfriend, because she wants to make a better life for herself.” Mary sensing your fear started letting out tiny whimpers, this brought her father’s attention to her for the first time since he’d entered the room.

“Put Mary down,” Dick ordered, not wanting his daughter to get hurt in the crossfire.

You’d tried to refuse, but Dick wasn’t having it, he’d forced your daughter from your arms, and while he’d been gentle with her, he didn’t offer you the same courtesy. He lay Mary in her crib, making soothing noises as he did so.

As soon as she was no longer in his arms, Dick’s rage returned to him as he grabbed you by the back of your neck and pulled you out of the room and down the halls, not caring one bit if he hurt you.

It wasn’t long before you were thrown into a room, you’d never seen before. Your upper body collided with the bed in a way that you were sure would leave bruises for weeks.

“Maybe some time by yourself will give you an opportunity to think about how good you’ve had it up until now.” With that last statement, Dick slammed and locked the door.

Tags

@yanderepeterparker​​​

@idkmanicantenglish​​​

@prettyafghan

Grow up as only

@neon-phosphorecsent​​

[simplicity1511]

Yashahime EPISODE 1 Review

I just finished the first episode of Yashahime and OMFG!!!!!!!

There are so many emotions running through me right now as someone who watched the original series on YTV Bionix. I remember being like 5 and 6 and staying up late to watch it, sometimes even falling asleep before it aired. It’s original air time was 11pm but by the time I was around 8-9 years old, the show started airing at 9pm. 

I remember asking my aunt to wait up until I finished my favorite show before I went to bed because we were going to the airport that night to visit my cousin who had recently given birth to her second kid and I was tagging along. I remember it being the episode Kohoku regains his memories. Good thing I didn’t miss it but I sure do remember being disappointed that I wasn’t seeing InuYasha and the gang that episode.

Speaking of our boy Kohoku, it looks like he has a new weapon (that is correct, ladies and gents, our boy appears in the first episode!!) However, not adult Kohaku, our itty bitty boy from the original series.

For those that didn’t get a chance to read the manga, there's an epilogue chapter that deals with the root demon that our gang ends up fighting in the first episode and it appears to have maybe merged with the Tree of Ages. I suspect this because it shows a hole in the tree in the same location as Kikyo’s arrow had been when she shot InuYasha to it. I’m curious to see what shit this root ends up stirring.

However, the most interesting thing I discovered was not from the episode itself but  from the opening sequence as well as the next episode preview. From the looks of it, it appears as if all three girls have a pearl, Towa’s is Silver, Setsuna’s is Gold and Moroha is Red. Now given the fact that in the original series pearls played a role not once but twice in the series, both in the beginning and end, and they appear multiple times in the opening and ending sequences of the show, we know they're going to play an important role. 

The first time they appear in the original series is when our sexy Sesshomaru was trying to look for Tessaiga. In this case, the pearl was located in InuYasha’s eye and led to the land of the dead which is where we come across the bones of Inu-Pops.

The second time is when they looked for one of the last shards of the jewel which just happened to have been in the possession of the demon who created the pearl who was also located at the grave of our beloved Inu-Pops.

We also know that this demon had a son who was continuing his work at creating pearls as this is how we learn that his father, who had created InuYasha’s pearl, had already died. The most logical conclusion is the son most likely created the pearls for our three ladies. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that in the opening song, you will notice that at some point Towa’s eye starts glowing, and it has a similar appearance as InuYasha’s did when we see the pearl first appear. We know these pearls have strange abilities and for whatever reason each girl was given one. Given the fact that the girls have no knowledge of their parents, it appears that this was most likely hatched by our boys to help their daughters in whatever way possible. Much in the same way Inu-Pops gave his two swords, Tessaiga and Tenseiga to his two sons to protect them and teach them something even if he wasn’t around to do it.

Now speaking of our boys, Sesshomaru is still as sexy as ever and it appears as if he tries to stay close to the village in order to reach Rin as swiftly as possible. That or he has some teleportation ability we don’t know about but with how fast he moves, he might as well have it.

For those of us who grew up with InuYasha being torn between Kagome and Kikyo and the constant conflict that it caused throughout the series, it was kinda refreshing to see it again and see how they both behaved as adults regarding those emotions

I found Kagome’s handling of it really fascinating because by this point she’s already sorted out her feelings for Kikyo, yet InuYasha still thinks that Kikyo causes Kagome pain which in the beginning she did but Kagome has moved past that pain and she knows who she is as a person beyond just being her reincarnation. 

I think it’s further indicated when we first see Kagome and she shows the twins a kikyo root which is supposed to be good for coughs and fevers. When it panels to Sango we can see the surprise on her face as to hearing Kagome mention Kikyo’s name (you know it was an intentional  reference especially if you’ve read the manga and know what kind of demon Miroku and InuYasha  are fighting). Knowing this, still didn’t keep me from being surprised. I feel like just like the plant, Kagome has come to admire Kikyo’s strength as a priestess, something she’s trying to achieve herself as a Priestess in Training.

The original series dealt with a lot of Kagome’s identity being referenced as Kikyo and other characters trying to erase her individuality as just another copy of Kikyo. Something that Naruku did pretty frequently especially using the feelings Kagome had towards InuYasha against them on multiple occasions using Kikyo.

Just like how in the first episode of the original series where InuYasha kept calling Kagome, Kikyo when they first met, Kagome has to tell off the root demon and clarify that she is Ka-go-me, NOT Kikyo. 

I really liked all the symbolism this episode had and the references to the original series especially given that Towa ends up encountering a broken seat from a bike in the Feudal Era and as we know Kagome has had her bike destroyed and replaced, many a times throughout the series. 

The fact that Towa is someone whose been raised in the future by the brother of the woman who travels to the past is very interesting given the fact that she is the daughter of Seshomaru whose InuYasha’s older brother who besides Kagome was the only other person to be able to travel in time.

I’m wondering what makes InuYasha/Sesshomaru’s blood special as it appears as if all three girls were able to travel to the future so if Seshomaru himself had tried going through the bone eaters well, could he too have travelled to the future like InuYasha? 

Kagome was able to travel due to the Jewel of Four Souls and once that was destroyed her connection to the past was severed so I’m curious to see how the past and future end up connecting the three girls together because it was Kagome and InuYasha’s love in the end that reopened the well three years later. However, we know in the current timeline that the well is closed which makes me wonder what kind of fate these three girls share as the Half Demon Princesses (also Princesses of what may I ask?)

On a final note, in both series there are demon birds, the first a carrion crow demon who likes shiny things like the jewel, another an owl who is wise and has knowledge of the past. I suspect that this demon will play a key role in how this story ends up progressing, much in the same way the crow did.

Being a long time fan of the show, I remember being really sad when the series ended and frustrated when they didn’t defeat Naraku by the end of the original anime run. My head would constantly have ideas of what their future would have been like once the pesky fellow was dead and once I had gotten a computer (at age 11) and I discovered manga sites, I finally got an answer to my question.

Then a few years later, teenage me finally got those last chapters animated. I was finally blessed with my ending so I’ll be real frank with you when I say I was not happy this show was coming. While everyone else was freaking out that Seshomaru fucked someone, I was wondering, what could have caused Kagome and InuYasha to abandon their daughter which would be totally out of character for the both of them especially given InuYasha’s childhood. I doubt he would have abandoned his daughter given having lost his mother at such a young age himself and never knowing who his dad was until much later in his life. He would never want his own daughter to experience the loneliness and struggle he did before he met Kagome, Sango and Miroku.

Now having watched the first episode I can’t say my fears are dissipated for this unwanted sequel series as we have yet to know what happened so the possibility that its a shitty reason for why Moroha is alone is still high meaning the possibly my favorite characters are shit on is still there.

This series means a lot given the time I watched InuYasha my family had recently immigrated to Canada and while most people were into Pokemon at my age, which don’t get me wrong, I was too. 

I was far more fascinated by a girl who travelled through time in a fantasy world where she meets a cute dog demon boy and develops strong friendships, a budding romance and never loses herself. To a little girl who was also in a strange new country of her own, she was my role model. 

She’s the reason I wanna learn archery at some point in my life and helped me to grow to be the strong independent woman I am today.

Even at 24 years of age, this is still my favorite series and I love all the symbolism and references to the old series while also having its own fresh perspective that Yashahime provides. It doesn’t mean that my skepticism has been cured.

When I watched InuYasha, I got Kagome, Sango, Kikyo, Kaede and Kagura (her death is still so beautifully tragic) and now a whole new generation of girls are going to get Towa our leader, the calm and cool collected Setsuna and our charge first and ask questions later Moroha (just like her dad :’). I can’t wait to see how they grow and hopefully how their beloved parents grew.

InuYasha for me was my first conceptual understanding of anime and where my love for it came from. I’m looking forward to seeing how this story progresses. But I won’t be afraid of criticizing it regardless of the good first impression I got.

Also, does anyone else get reminded of Miroku’s wind tunnel when they see InuYasha’s Meido Zangetsuha? Just me?

Now time to listen to that opening and ending on repeat.

See You Next Week!

[supernaturalnovelsandmore]

Supernatural Novel: Heart of the Dragon

Welcome to my not-quite review of the fourth Supernatural novel, Heart of the Dragon.

Author: Keith R.A. DeCandido

Timeline: Set after Episode 5.08 Changing Channels

Location: San Francisco, California (Chinatown)

Synopsis: An old foe has come back to terrorize San Francisco, but what is the connection between the Campbells, John Winchester and Sam and Dean? Read to find out!

Warning: Spoilers abound!

Oh, where do I start? Heart of the Dragon has a very different feel to it, one that I'm not entirely on board with. Basically, it's a flashback book that spends the first third on Samuel, Deanna, and Mary Campbell, the second third on John Winchester and the last quarter on Sam and Dean. In fact, out of 28 chapters, Sam and Dean were only featured in about 7 of them. It leaves the book feeling hollow and me, a little meh. But, there are some additional insights into the Winchester family history which I'll try and parse out.

One more thought, I'm glad this is the last book from this particular author. Once again he has utilized a culture/race to tell the story, and not well. When the story is in 1969, he utilizes the world Orientals to explain Japanese and Chinese characters. He might have been trying to use the wording of the day, and that's fine if it's in dialogue, but to use it as a descriptor is problematic, at best. He also plays up multiple stereotypes from the Chinese mob to the Japanese Samurai. I'm hoping this book is the Route 666 of the novels and that they can only get better.

I decided to sort my thoughts within the different timelines, so here we go:

1969: Samuel, Deanna, and Mary Campbell

We open with the family hunting a vampire and Samuel using 15-year-old Mary as willing bait. It turns out to be a nest, but they quickly dispatch them without casualties. Deanna appears to be quite the hunter in her own right (her skill with a Claymore outstanding.) Within this hunt we learn a few things about Mary and the Campbell family.

The Campbells have a strong link to their Scottish heritage.

Samuel hates Christmas

Mary is willful, annoying, and disrespectful, but an amazing hunter who was raised practically from birth to how to hunt and defend herself. (Sam parallels, perhaps?)

Mary learned about monsters at 11 when she saw her parents dispatch an avenging spirit.

Samuel hates the idea of Mary hanging out with any boys, though she has a particular fondness for a John Winchester who works as a local auto-mechanic.

Samuel owns a dry-cleaning business and Deanna substitute teaches to help maintain some kind of income.

Mary often wondered about having a normal life, but would dismiss it knowing she couldn't have that and still know monsters are out there. (Seems like a combination of Sam and Dean here).

Other than that, the hunt they go to San Francisco for seems fairly perfunctory. They do a bunch of research, talk to a few locals. Samuel dons his FBI agent schtick, they locate the source of the problem, and quickly dispatch it. There's nothing too dramatic there, just a lot of backstory.

1989: John Winchester

There's a bit more insight here because now we're getting some insight into Dad John, as well as 6-year-old Sam and 10-year-old Dean. I'll touch on a few points.

Leaving his boys with others: We open with John returning to his kids whom he left at Bobby's while he took care of a hunt. He left them long enough that they were enrolled in school and he planned on keeping them there for the fall semester. He felt bad about using Bobby's hospitality for so long.

Training his boys: "John knew his boys would need to be able to defend themselves against whatever was out there - he'd already started that process with Dean... Dean was a crack shot with John's M1911 and could load the shotgun with iron rounds and fire them off in one smooth motion. Eventually he'd need to train Sammy too. But not yet."

Loving his boys: When he arrives at Bobby's, Sam runs out to meet him and wraps his arms around John's legs as he walks in. Sam also tattles on Dean for eating the last donut.

There are also some fun moments between young Sam and Dean, mostly sibling bickering.

Dean and Sam enjoy playing hide-and-seek among Bobby's car on the weekends and Sam enjoys going to school during the week. Dean, not so much.

Sam proudly shares that he's doing 3rd grade work in 1st grade and then teases Dean about also doing 3rd grade work even though he's in 5th grade (Dean then sticks his tongue out at Sam and says "Screw you, Sammy.") At this John calls them out and both boys are chagrined.

Later on, when John calls Bobby for more information, we find Dean holding a pen out of Sam's reach and teasing him with it.

Of course, that call means we also get this heartbreaking line moment from Dean, who wants to talk to his Dad, but can't before John hangs up. Bobby tries to explain: "'Sorry, Dean, he, uh, was on his way out the door. But he told me to tell you both to behave yourselves and do what I tell you. And that he loves you.' Dean: 'Did he really say that?'"

When Bobby presents the next case, John is torn between wanting to spend time with his kids, but going after something that could cause people to burn spontaneously, in the hopes that it might lead him to the demon who killed Mary. I think the book did a good job of capturing John's struggle between revenge and caring for his boys. He's not the abusive, neglectful father people tend to think he is. He's someone struggling to make things right.

"John didn't answer at first. Instead, he looked over at Sam and Dean in the dining room, playing that oh-so-common game of 'I touched you last.'

Christmas was coming up and he did want to spend it with the boys..."

Finally, when John returns and Bobby and the boys meet him at the airport, we get some additional insight into 10-year-old Dean's thoughts regarding his father and his place in the family.

"Waiting there in the airport, he understood how important it was for Dad to be away so much - more than Sammy ever could. Sammy hadn't really known Mom, since he was just a baby when she died. Dean couldn't imagine that his baby brother would ever truly understand what had happened to her.

If he was honest with himself, he didn't really understand it, either. There were some days - though he'd never admit this to anyone - when he couldn't even remember what she looked like.

Some kind of monster had killed Mom, and Dad wouldn't rest until he found that monster and killed it. Along the way, he'd kill any other monsters who tried to kill other people's moms...

Dad still fought the bad guys and saved people, but he also cared about his sons.

Because Dad was a hero, and that was what heroes did."

2009 - Sam and Dean

There isn't much to write about here, because they weren't featured in the book. I will just add a couple of notes.

Dean recognizes Samuel Campbell in a newspaper article about the killings. (He'd already been sent back in time and met his grandfather).

It's seems reasonable to Sam that Mary and her parents were hunters. What freaks him out is that he and Dean were named after their grandparents and John never told them.

Sam's been a nerd about the American Interstate system since he was 10 and loved poring over maps.

Sam feels more guilt from trusting Ruby over Dean than starting the apocalypse.

Final notes:

This book introduces Castiel who brings the case to the boys attention. We get the same stuff in here that you see on screen, he has issues with personal space, comes and goes at will, and Bobby's still mad at him for not being able to heal his paralysis. He's only there for a few pages, and then disappears again.

Bobby gets a bit more screen time, as a pseudo-dad to young Sam and Dean, and later as their resource when researching the case and it's history. Favorite quote: "As he went into the fridge for butter to spread onto the pan, Bobby decided it was the entire Winchester family that was making him bald."

We briefly get Hurt Sam who is punched repeatedly by a hulk of a man, but with no lasting consequences and very little caring Dean.

We find out at the end that Zachariah orchestrated the whole thing by planting the idea in Castiel's head.

So, like I said at the beginning, not my favorite, but hopefully I was able to share some of the more interesting parts. Read at your own risk!

[aegor-bamfsteel]

Hello! I was hoping to add a bit to your thoughts on Bloodraven. I agree wholeheartedly with you that Bloodraven is a terrible person and made terrible decisions. But I disagree with you that he’s rewarded for it. The novels do quite a but to frame him as an evil person. Yes he’s a magical greenseer and has a lot of magical power, but he’s also a scary tree person with roots growing in him. He lives in a dark cave he can never leave with creepy elves that have probably killed Bran’s friend. There’s also a lot of theories that Bloodraven drove Euron crazy when testing Euron for magical abilities like he tested Bran. GRRM looks to be setting him up as a dark twist to the wise mentor trope while the show treated him like Gandalf.

Hello, Anon! Bl00draven as a villain is actually a very controversial opinion/theory in tumblr fandom, (which is why I misspell his name and use his anti tag) with at least some considering him a straight-up hero trying to save the world, or an anti-hero who commits atrocities to achieve “noble goals” (including, if I remember correctly, the same person who wrote at least part of the theory that Euron is Bl00draven’s ex-student). I believe Bl00draven is “a terrible person [who] made terrible decisions”, but I’m probably in the minority, (you’d probably find a better discussion with people who think he’s a hero in your analysis of how his character is framed), but you haven’t indicated why you don’t think he’s rewarded for his actions. 

I have written about how the narrative protects Bl00draven from the consequences of his actions in the post you’re responding to, in a response to warsofasoiaf, and a response to godihatethisfreakingcat. In summary:

The two times BR suffers any setback (losing an eye; being sent to the Wall for high treason), it ends up working out for him in the end (not being affected by monocular vision at all if he held his own in a second duel against Aegor Rivers, getting a “scary” reputation and possibly greenseeing powers; having 200 of his personal guard and Prince Aemon accompany him, getting to keep the only Targaryen ancestral sword when he’s supposed to be punished, getting elected Lord Commander despite his horrible tenure as Hand, and deserting the Night’s Watch to become an immortal greenseer despite desertion being a death sentence)

When it looks like BR is going to suffer other setbacks, they magically go away (he and Baelor have a dispute over how to treat the defeated Blackfyre rebels, but Baelor dies before he can become king; he mocks Maekar in front of his own son and unsubtly threatens to kidnap Egg, but is said to have become Maekar’s Hand; his spy network fails to capture Aegor Rivers multiple times and couldn’t keep an eye on his ship as it made way for the Wall, but he isn’t punished for failing to do the one job he promised to do)

BR never had to work to gain anyone’s trust or his positions of authority, despite being terrible at his job (his mother was a friend of Da3ron II’s from birth; he was granted an ancestral Valyrian sword as a teenager despite not being the best swordsman; he gets his first Small Council position by age 20; Da3ron II trusts him enough to start a war on his say-so; Aerys makes him his Hand over his more competent brother Maekar; Maekar keeps him as Hand despite resenting him for decades; he’s made Night’s Watch Lord Commander). Maintaining so much power either undermines your claim that the narrative frames him as a villain (if he’s so untrustworthy, why do the supposed protagonists keep giving him jobs?), or it makes the characters who’ve granted him this power into idiots (at least 2 of whom are lauded as intelligent or clever).

Other villainous characters have done less harm than Bl00draven, but are punished for it while he gets to keep his power:

The infamously corrupt High Septon was torn apart by starving King’s Landing smallfolk during the bread riots of 299

The corrupt Rego Draz, who levied high taxes and tolls on the smallfolk (abuse of the smallfolk amidst a humanitarian crisis? sounds familiar), was stoned to death by a starving mob during the harsh winter and plague of 59

Rhaenyra was believed to have murdered Helaena Targaryen, and her husband did arrange for the murder of Helaena’s son (a parent and two young sons murdered in cold blood? sounds familiar). Thousands of smallfolk rioted out of desire for justice for the three, which caused the death of 5 dragons, Rhaenyra’s remaining son Joffrey, and Rhaenyra’s own flight from the capital. She never regained the throne again

Mysaria of Lys, explicitly compared to Bl00draven as Mistress of Whispers, also arranged for the murder of Helaena’s son Jaehaerys, informed on Nettles to Rhaenyra resulting in a warrant for her death (informing on someone to a monarch baseless rumors resulting in a warrant for their arrest? sounds familiar), and may have contributed to Helaena’s suicide that the riots were about. When King’s Landing fell, she was stripped naked and whipped to death as she was forced to walk out of the city.

Tyanna of Pentos, similarly mistress of whispers like Mysaria, tortured the king’s nephew to death (after having him imprisoned? sounds familiar), tortured dozens of men and women including rumored lover Alys Harroway, kidnapped children to ensure their mother’s good behavior while being repeatedly raped, and allegedly poisoned her fellow queens in order to be Maegor’s true wife. She was brutally murdered by the man she sought to influence, her heart thrown to the dogs

Bl00draven deliberately shot 2 unarmed 12-year-olds in front of their father to win a war, ordered the smallfolk back to their lands during the midst of a drought and after the Great Spring Sickness, caused the death of a young man under suspicious circumstances, threatened to keep the son of his rival a hostage, killed a man he promised safe passage to, denied critical aid to the crown’s vassals during ironborn raids, and created a reign of fear and paranoia that resulted in the deaths of innocent smallfolk. Bafflingly, while there are apparently riots and violence and rebellion, he makes routine trips into Flea Bottom to keep the people in line (yes, the smallfolk in King’s Landing are so complacent to authoritarian rulers as I just mentioned) and survives all of them (relatively) unscathed. Not only does he keep his position as Hand, or gained a new position as Lord Commander, but he lives to a ripe old age before running away to the cave to be an immortal greenseer with infinite knowledge. My point in comparing the actions and consequences of characters similar to Bl00draven is that if the smallfolk or the Targaryens were written consistently, he would’ve been horribly murdered for corruption or insubordination long before he ever met Bran. I understand he would have to live into canon era to be Bran’s mentor; but GRRM broke the rules of his own universe by letting Bl00draven get away with too much to be believable while giving him even more power. It is inconsistent writing that makes his survival due to authorial fiat than any skill or allies. That’s why I consider him possibly the worst-written character in the series.

Bl00draven has not committed enough good deeds to be a hero (in my opinion; other people consider keeping Da3ron’s progeny on the throne for a few generations longer to be heroic). But neither has he suffered for the consequences of his actions like a villain. We know that the Freys and Boltons will face comeuppance for their atrocities in the Red Wedding and at Winterfell because it’s already clear they have sown the seeds of their own destruction; the Freys’ violation of guest right contributed to the breakdown of the rule of law that made honorable parley impossible, and their murder of Catelyn Stark led to Lady Stoneheart in the Riverlands killing Freys with the Brotherhood, and their murder of Wendel Manderly led to his father Wyman orchestrating some of their deaths; the Boltons’ role in the Red Wedding led to nearly universal hatred among the northern lords, and caused the mountain clans to ally with Stannis to get them out, and Ramsay’s rape of who they think is Arya Stark just gives them further cause to resent their traitorous overlords. I don’t have to explain how Tywin’s cult of Lannister supremacy doesn’t survive his death as he’s offed in the most humiliating manner by the son he despised, since Jaime, Cersei, and Tyrion are either imprisoned, enslaved, or in a trial for their life by book 5. Contrast Bl00draven, because the family he most wronged (the Blackfyres) are either no longer around or are uninterested in seeing him brought to justice; he certainly sowed the seeds of destruction, but he never reaped them himself (if anything, he got more powerful); instead the Targaryens did. I don’t see how he will be getting any personal comeuppance in the future, unless he is somehow unplugged from the weirwood network and executed as a deserter to the Night’s Watch (the Starks do have a pattern of executing those guys, so maybe it will be Bran’s turn). Until then, I don’t foresee him being a good asoiaf villain either.

[corinthbayrpg]

NAME. Kit Berker AGE & BIRTH DATE. 35 & July 19th, 1986 GENDER & PRONOUNS. Male & He/him SPECIES. Werewolf OCCUPATION. Unemployed FACE CLAIM. Serkay Tütüncü

BIOGRAPHY

( tw: domestic abuse, gore ) Kit was born in Harlan, Kentucky to Abigail and Arthur Weiss. His mother worked at one of the highway diners all day while his father worked in the mines. Mostly anyone under the middle class made a living working in the Harlan Hills. The moment that Kit was the legal age he joined right up with his father. Coming home covered in coal dust and dirt, smoking a cigarette and nursing a beer on the porch. Kit was so tired most of the time that it became real easy to tune out the yelling and screaming of his parents having their nightly domestic. Often ending with a crash of something breakable and his mother weeping in the bathroom with a glass of wine. Harlan County was the kind of place where you don't ask too many questions and you don't stare too long. Everyone kept to themselves, you certainly did not confront your neighbor who you saw coming home late last night covered in blood, and you absolutely did mention a troubled marriage. Everyone knew what was going on; nobody dared say anything. The worst was in church with the side eyes and whispers. 

When Kit turned Twenty-two his father was killed by his mother. Across the dining room table, a beautiful dinner was laid out. His father on one end, his mother on the other. He was talking too much, saying derogatory things. “You’re worthless, you call this food?. What kind of a woman are you?” etc. She must have finally had it and let a shotgun shell cut straight into Arthur’s head. Brain matter and blood splattering the window behind him. Kit hadn’t been home at the time and ended up finding out after getting off a shift at the mine. Called down to the police station, the scene was described to him and told that his mother wouldn’t be going to prison. On the account of claiming it was self defense. Everyone in Harlan County knew she was being abused. It was just a matter of time before she lost it. 

Living under the same roof as his mother was uncomfortable, sure Kit loved her and understood entirely why she did what she did. But there was some tension and uneasiness that Kit would feel whenever he would sit across the table from her in the same spot where his dad got his brains splattered on the dining room window. So he left, quit his job at the mine, took all his savings and headed North. Finding a job up there wasn’t hard. Getting himself sorted on a ranch that raised livestock, most of his duties were fixing things and herding the cattle too and from grazing grounds. The owners were especially nice to him, and they ended up getting pretty close. They were a younger couple who inherited the farm from their family and just needed help around the place since it was such a large property. Kit happily obliged, and of course the paycheque helped. There were a couple of ‘em, people looking for jobs that paid mostly under the table, but they were all good folk. 

There were predators that would come and pick off the cattle now and again, most of the time it was just pesky coyotes who were easy to scare off. But a couple mornings, the farm hands would stumble across the corpse of a cow ripped apart by something much bigger. Everyone assumed it was a bear, and night patrols were set out in the evenings. Armed with a rifle, Kit headed out on his own, riding a horse around the property. Keeping the cows herded closer to the homestead. He could remember the moon being at its peak when his horse started acting strange because he could clearly see the fearful whites of the horses eyes as he was flung from it’s back and hit the ground with a hard thud and snap. His hand catching his fall and snapping under the pressure, letting out a painful cry and holding the broken wrist against his chest, eyes rising to watch his horse running off in the opposite direction, gaze trailing to the tree line where he spotted two yellow orbs staring straight at him. Everything after that was chaos, he tried to get up to run but his legs felt like jello, he went to grab his rifle but it was impossible to hold right with only one hand. The thing got closer and closer, a low growl emitting from it’s form. From a distance, Kit thought it was just a regular wolf, but as it got closer it got bigger and bigger. A massive beast that could fit Kit’s entire head in it’s mouth if it wanted. He clumsily fired off a shot that hit the wolf in the leg, it didn’t even flinch. Lunging at the man who was now helpless on the ground. 

Kit could remember a lot of pain in his arm before blacking out, found only half an hour after the attack since the ranchers heard the gunshot. Miraculously they managed to get him to the hospital without him bleeding out. In the emergency room for only a few days before the large bite wound in shoulder was on it’s way to being completely healed. “A miracle” the doctors and nurses would explain to him as he finally came to with what happened. No matter how much he insisted he could go back to work, the kind owners of the farm wouldn’t allow it and said that he should take the month off after a scare like that. But as the days went by Kit was only feeling stronger and stronger, like a second wind was breathed into him. He left the hospital a week later when they could no longer rationalize keeping him there. But it was in the weeks that followed when he realized something was wrong with him. The full moon approached rapidly as he was tending to the animals making sure they were all herded back before it got too dark. 

The way he felt that night he couldn’t possibly describe, it was a mix of anger, strength, fear all mixed together that sent his body into a quivering mess beneath the full moon. Everything he was feeling was amplified and he had to have thrown up at least once or twice as he curled up in the middle of the pasture. His horse had run off, the livestock wouldn’t come anywhere near him and as soon as the last cloud passed away from the sky and the moon hit its peak, his body snapped and fractured, breaking down on itself. If you asked Kit to recall how he felt in that moment the absolutely couldn’t, after both his legs snapped out of place he blacked out. Only waking at sunrise in a misty field with his face buried in the rapidly cooling corpse of a cow. Luckily no one had spotted him out there in the pasture and while naked and covered head to toe in blood he wobbled back to his cabin on the property, hiding behind the locked door for days.

Irrationally he believed that it was obvious he was the culprit, he was the last one out there, but the body of the heifer was mangled to a point that pointed towards a large animal not a “human” He had to get off the farm, at least for a little while, while no one suspected him. After the first time he went through the shift, Kit had grown to be more careful, making sure he was alone whenever a full moon came around. Controlling his emotions well enough to keep from shifting out of the blue. But the dates slipped his mind, he’d been working so much and was getting exhausted and careless. He never would’ve gone into the city had he known. It was just supposed to be a quick drink at one of the local pubs and then he’d head home, but it turned into a couple drinks and by the time he left the bar the street lights had come on and the moon was rising further up into the sky. He could feel the power tingling down his arms and through his fingers. A change he couldn’t control no matter how hard he tried. He didn’t have many options, peeling away from the streets he ducked into an alley to let the wolf take control under the cover of darkness. It wasn’t ideal and the fear of killing someone in the city was ever present in the forefront of his mind while his body shifted and cracked into a monstrous form of broken bones and torn flesh. 

A wolffish creature emerged from where the small human once was, a mind of its own as he scavenged through the dumpsters and garbage that scattered around him. It wasn’t long before it caught the scent of a human walking by. A poor victim for the monstrous beast.the growl that erupted from the back of his throat resonated off the close walls of the alley way, creeping forward as yellow eyes fixated on the now frightened form of a young man. The moment his victim spotted the wolf, he lunged, hackles raised and long teeth the size of kitchen knives tore into soft flesh. It took every ounce of Kits willpower to tear the beast away from the boy before he could mangle the corpse pass recognition. By the time he left, he thought he had killed him, with the amount of blood he left behind. But the wolf wasn’t satisfied, stalking the streets looking for a feast. 

Again, Kit would wake up surrounded by the sickening scent of blood, however instead of the corpse of a cow, it was a person. A man, no older than 35, body torn to pieces, missing a arm. Looking around Kit felt sick to his stomach when he couldn’t find it around the body and assumed the worst. Crawling to the side of the road he retched whatever remained in his stomach. It took a couple more minutes to realize he wasn’t in a pasture or a forest where he wouldn’t be noticed. He was on the corner of a street, a cross walk just a couple feet down from him where he spotted people approaching, someone had already pulled out a cellphone to record. Panic set in, and again butt naked and covered in blood he made a run for it, luckily he was on the edge of town and could cut through the forest to make it back to the farm. Too bad his wolf self didn’t kill that poor sap just a mile down the road. 

By the time he made it back to the farm it was daylight, the farmhands were already out and about and making it to his cabin was no easy feat. The only way without being seen was to go around the homesteaders farm house, where he saw the wife cooking with the tv on through the big bay windows, while hiding in the shrubbery he could hear a loud travel ad for Greece came on, tickets were cheap for economy, and the exhausted and out of ideas Kit, made the decision to grab what little he had and make a beeline out of the country before he could be identified.

PERSONALITY

+ hardworking, passionate, selfless – nervous, impulsive, stubborn

PLAYED BY NOAH. EST. He/Him.

[shirtlesssammy]

Jack bringing "paradise on Earth" is another unresolved plot. The fact that the ending they wrote for this 3-year-old is robbing him of having a home and a family & making him become God is maddening enough. But writing him as a God that doesn't care about saving people, not even Dean? That's out-of-character- Jack has risked his life to save others' before. It's nice that he rebuilt Heaven but Alex deserved to appear in the finale and Jack deserved to appear in Sam's family photos at least.

I agree that we should have seen Jack in the finale in some way! He’s family! Sam’s one of his dads! I would also argue that we should have seen Amara in 15x19 as well and not obscure the feminine duality of god in this universe. But…*gestures broadly towards the flaming dumpster of the final episodes*

I thought Jack’s promise of paradise came across in two ways. The most obvious here is Heaven. It’s finally a free paradise with the walls torn down. Maybe it’s wide, open, almost infinite. It’s the paradise above.

I think his promise of paradise on Earth is one born of partnership with humans. Jack tells the Winchesters this: “Chuck put himself in the story. That was his mistake. But I learned from you and my mother and Castiel that when people have to be their best - they can be. And that’s what to believe in.” He tells them that he will be in everyone’s hearts. I think that belief that Jack has that people can rise to be their best self is what he planted in each and every person. You get enough people working to be good and kind, and maybe paradise on Earth will come, just because we all believe in it so much. Jack planted a seed - a belief in goodness - in each person. And then he left it up to people to bring that paradise into fruition.

Planting a seed for PEOPLE to grow paradise on Earth works well for this show, in my opinion. Remember when he told everyone to stop lying? Yeah, making people work a certain way isn’t a good option. Jack learned that he can’t tell people what to do or how to be better - but he can believe in their ability to be good, and believe with all his heart.

On your point about Jack not saving Dean, I completely agree that it’s hand-wavy. Dean’s his dad too, despite their fraught relationship near the end. Maybe Jack didn’t know (Chuck didn’t seem to know what they were up to unless he was trying to watch them). But, like, WAVES HANDS ALL OVER THE FINALE DUMPSTER FIRE

Here’s my headcanon.

See, Jack’s a wee bitty baby, but he merges with Amara who is older than their universe. I kind of love this setup. The young balancing the old - the old balancing the young. They can both learn from each other - the wise sage with the bright curiosity of a child. Amara is darkness. Destruction. She’s seen this birth-life-death cycle for millennia and for her - it’s not something to fear. Life on Earth is something precious and ephemeral - just one life stage for our little cicada-souls. So Jack can let Dean die because he sees death differently now that he’s melded with Amara.

I do completely headcanon that Jack saved Cas because he needs Cas the most. Cas is Jack’s emotional and moral touchstone - his primary caregiver. Of course Jack would seize him from the Empty. He needs Cas like a child needs a parent. It’s that simple. And Amara, for her part, probably rolled her eyes and thought…FINE I hope you appreciate THIS GIFT a little better, Dean.