#humans are space vikings

[even-any-explain-bit]

#guitar #kuromi #treasure planet #orange #humans are space oddities #my gifs #doki doki literature club #hanbin #blackbonnet #roleplay #lily evans #viking barbie #buy my videos #wall art

[tyrannuspitch]

in order of least to most galaxy brain:

loki has npd because he's evil

loki does NOT have npd because he's NOT evil!!! he's just traumatised and compensating for his self-loathing. thor is evil, he can have the npd

loki has npd because npd IS a trauma disorder which compensates for self-loathing

loki doesn't have npd because his npd traits are too superficial and unstable, but he has bpd with narcissistic traits

loki does have npd (and bpd) because the diagnostic criteria for npd are unreliable on account of their bias against the patient; if you read first-hand accounts you find a much more nuanced picture of the illness

thor is not evil. and he has bpd with narcissistic traits

#space viking tag #yeah still thinking about this #i'm not like HUGE on diagnosing characters (and i reserve my right to change my mind again) #but i do find specific diagnoses to be an interesting lens for character analysis #and also interesting as just. a phenomenon. human emotions #hmm #meta #lens: modern psychiatry #ch: loki #ch: thor

[quasi-normalcy]

Things that I SWEAR I'm not making up about the Star Trek franchise:

A shifty alien bartender, his brother, and his nephew were what happened at Roswell

There are three mutually contradictory canonical explanations for what exists at the centre of the Galaxy, none of which are "A fuck-off gigantic black hole"

Two of these things are, respectively, God and the Devil

(The crew got along well enough with the Devil, but Spock had to blow-up God with a torpedo)

One of the most compelling and sympathetic characters in the franchise is a hologram of Professor Moriarty who gained enough self-awareness to realise that he didn't need to be evil just because he was written that way

If you fly too fast, you turn into a salamander

(Said salamanders are actually the inevitable endpoint of human evolution)

The universe is balanced on the back of a giant koala (why is it smiling? What does it know!?)

There have been three separate groups of Space Nazis (not just aliens with a fascist government; literal Nazis with armbands and swastikas)

There are also: two (2) cowboy planets, two (2) planets that are just post-apocalyptic versions of Cold War-era Earth, one (1) planet ruled by Chicago mobsters from the 1920s, and one (1) version of Earth where the Roman Empire never fell

The Roman planet has its own Jesus

There is an anthropological law governing parallel planetary development that holds that planets are likely to recapitulate eras from Earth history

Because of the intervention of an ancient race of ur-humanoids, most sentient races in the galaxy look like human actors with rubber prostheses glued to their foreheads

There are so many planets centred around sex and hedonism that people in the fandom use the term "Roddenberry Sex Planet" to describe them

Jack the Ripper was an alien ghost

Amelia Earhart was abducted by aliens

If you have a high ESP score, you turn into a god when you try to fly outside of the Galaxy

The major antagonists are: Space Vikings/Samurai, Space Romans (not the Romans mentioned earlier), Space Fascists (not any of the nazi groups mentioned earlier), the Space British Empire (ruled by goo people), and Space Bees (except you'll turn into one if they sting you)

Klingons have two dicks

Borg assimilation can be catalyzed by eating car batteries

[pastel0rchid]

A Gift from the Gods (1)

Hiccup x F!Reader

Story Summary:

Centuries ago, the gods granted your family a gift. But everyone else saw it as a curse.

You are the last of your clan because others find your family’s gift as anything but. Your life has been filled with hiding in the woods, away from the Vikings who threaten your existence. The forest quickly became your safe space.

Everything in your quiet life suddenly changes when you are spotted by a Viking and his Night Fury, who quickly notice something strange about you.

You had wings… dragon wings.

Word count: 1.1k

Warnings: Blood

Next Chapter

The forest was unusually quiet, the only sounds being heard were the rustling of leaves and the occasional skittering of an animal. Suddenly, there was the sound of quick footsteps, bare against the grass as they weaved through the thick foliage, running away from whoever was chasing them.

Branches snap when being pushed against, occasionally scratching against the figure breaking them as they hope to get through and evade the threat. The roar of multiple dragons interrupts the once-quiet forest, birds scattering into the air at the sound.

You had been spotted.

The day had started like any other, foraging around for food, and interacting with the local wildlife. Making it to a familiar clearing, your fingers had barely grazed against the berry bush that you had come across before you heard the familiar sound of dragons. Quickly taking refuge behind a thick patch of bushes in the tree line, you fold your wings against your back as much as you can to make yourself seem smaller.

Two dragons suddenly land in the clearing where you once stood, your eyes take them in from behind the leaves and branches. You had never been able to learn about the different types of dragons during your childhood, and now you are only able to identify them by their characteristics. The strange thing about these dragons though, is that they had humans riding on their backs. It was something you had never seen before.

There was a blue one that you promptly called ‘Spike’ due to the spikes on its tail and the crown of spikes coming from its head, ‘Spike’s head twitched slightly as it looked around the clearing. Its rider, a Viking with her blonde hair in a singular braid going down her back, hops off of her dragon before looking over towards her fellow rider.

“What are we even looking for again?” Her voice cuts through the clearing, your body instinctually shrinking even further behind the bush at the harsh tone.

The brunette rider, who was atop a black dragon (you called him ‘Night’ due to how his scales were as dark as the night sky), climbs off to stand beside the blonde.

Your eyes take in the two dragons and their riders, your head tilting in curiosity at the red that replaced the black on one of ‘Night’s tailfins. You also take in ‘Night’s wings, noticing how similar they looked to the wings that were attached to your back.

“We haven’t explored this island yet, Astrid. Who knows what new dragons might be living here.” The brunette says, with a hint of excitement in his tone, towards the blonde who you are now guessing is named ‘Astrid’. His eyes trail over the edge of the forest line, your heart stopping momentarily at how his eyes unknowingly meet yours through the leaves and branches before moving on towards Astrid, her arms crossed across her chest.

“It’s been months since we’ve discovered a new species, Hiccup. What do you think makes this island any different?” So the brunette was named ‘Hiccup’… what an interesting name.

The voices of the riders slowly drifted into the background as you focused on the two dragons as they interacted, it was cute how they played together while their riders talked. You watch as they begin to nod their heads at each other, almost like it was a symbol of playfulness, a small smile twitches at the corner of your lips. You had seen other ‘Spike’s doing this with each other, and it seemed that ‘Night’ had picked up on the movement.

You freeze at ‘Night’ stopping his playful nodding and suddenly looking over towards the bush that you were hiding behind, the dragon’s pupils narrowing at the sight of you. The dragon suddenly leans his head down, stalking slowly towards the bush as his eyes remain locked on you, a deep growl rumbles from his chest.

Your heart begins to race as the dragon gets closer to the bush, ‘Spike’ soon following behind him with her tail raised and her spikes at the ready to attack. Slowly and carefully moving your arms and legs, you try to silently move further into the treeline and further from the dragons and their riders.

“Toothless? What is it, bud?” “Stormfly, what’s the matter?”

You could hear the dragon riders cautiously speak towards their dragons, following slowly behind them as they try to find out the source of the dragons' sudden mood change.

A twig snaps under your foot, a miscalculated step that could cost you your life.

Stormfly flicks her tail quickly at the sound, the spikes that were once on her tail flying straight toward you, as Toothless opens his mouth to shoot a plasma blast. Astrid and Hiccup quickly grab out their weapons once their dragons start the attack.

You managed to use your left wing to block your body from Toothless’ blast and most of Stormfly’s spikes, but you weren’t quick enough to stop one of them, the sharp edge slicing through the skin of your arm as it whizzes past you, warm blood quickly trickling down. A hiss of pain leaves your lips before you cover the oozing wound with your hand, your gaze snapping back to peak over your wing towards the dragons who charge towards you.

Reacting swiftly, you jump up from your hiding position up to your feet and begin to run through the trees. Your heart beats loudly in your chest as you can hear the dragons and their riders following after you. Swerving through the trees, you glance back over your shoulder, a mistake, but it lets you notice that the spikes on Stormfly’s tail got stuck between a tight pair of trees, Astrid staying back to try and help free her dragon.

Without looking towards Hiccup and Toothless, your gaze looks ahead a bit too late, a low-hanging tree branch almost hitting you in the face if you hadn’t ducked. That slip-up was all they needed when you suddenly felt a body slamming into your back, forcing you down onto the ground.

The both of you tumble slightly on the way down, your quick turning causing you to land on your back, but hands quickly grab your shoulders and slam you down. Your eyes snap wide and a sharp cry leaves you as you feel fingers digging into the wound on your upper arm, forest green eyes meet your own as he holds you down.

The pain is a sharp stab, and tears quickly form in your eyes as you keep eye contact with Hiccup, who begins to observe you now that he’s up close and personal. It’s almost as if he doesn’t realize that his hand is slowly getting covered in your blood, his focus mainly on the wings that sprouted from your back, squished between you and the dirt that had been uprooted in your struggle. The both of you don’t even realize that Astrid and the dragons have finally caught up, Hiccup being the first to talk between the three humans.

“What are you?”

#reader insert #hiccup x reader #httyd x reader #i finally did it #my masterpiece

[lord-of-the-prompts]

A-Z ALTERNATE UNIVERSE IDEAS:

A

afterlife

alien invasion

all female

all human

alpha/beta/omega dynamics

always a different gender/sex

amnesia

ancient era

angels & demons

animal shelter

another world

antique shop

apocalypse

army

arranged marriage

artists

art school

asgard

assassins & hitmen

atlantis

B

babysitters

bakery

ballet

blind date

boarding school

bodyswap

bookstore

bounty hunters

boxers

boy band

british

C

celebrity

character/actor swap

christmas

circus

civil war

coffee shops/cafes

college

cowboys & aliens

covid 19 pandemic

creatures & monsters

crime

criminals

cults

D

dance battle

dark fantasy

detective partners

different first meeting

different powers

dragon age

dungeons & dragons

dystopian

E

elfland

enemies to friends to lovers

everyone lives/nobody dies

F

faerie

fairytale

fake dating

fake relationship

fandom fusion

fans & fandom

fantasy

farm/ranch

firefighters

fix-it

flower shop

foster family

futuristic society

G

gangster

gang world

genderbending

genderswap

genie/djinn

ghost hunters

gladiators

gods & goddesses

gothic

guardian angel

H

harry potter and 1400s witch trials

heaven & hell

hollywood

horse racing

highschool

historical

hogwarts

homless

hospital

hunger games arena

I

ice skating/ice dancers

immortal

J

journalism

K

kings & queens

k-pop

L

laboratory

lawers

lifeguards

law enforcement

M

mafia

magic

magical creatures

medical

medieval fantasy

merepeople

military

mob

model/photographer

modern setting

monster hunters

mortal

muggle

mutants

multiverse

murder mystery

mythology

N

navy

neighbours

never met

ninjas

noir

noir detective

non-famous

non-magical

non-mutant

no powers

not related

no time travel

O

office

olympus

online dating

ordinary people

orphanage

P

paramedics

perspective change

pirate

podcast hosts

pompeii

powerswap

post-apocalyptic

prison ecsape

prom

psycics

Q

quest

quidditch

R

radioshow hosts

reincarnation

renaissance

restaurant

road trip

roaring twenties

robot uprising

rock star

roller derby

role swap/reversal

roommates

royalty

S

scientists

shakespeare

shapeshifter

siblings

shipwreck

single parent

snowed in

soulmates

space

spies & secret agents

spirits

spy

spyfi

steampunk

summer camp

sun flairs

superhero

supernatural

supernatural elements

T

tattoo parlour

theatre

thieves

time loops

time travel

trojan war setting

twins

U

urban fantasy

university

V

valhalla

vampire slayer

vegas

victorian era

video game world

vigilante

vikings

W

wedding planners

werecreatures

werewolf

western

witchcraft

world war i/world war ii

wormhole

Y

youtubers

Z

zombie apocalypse

#writing prompt #writing ideas #writing tips #creative writing #writers of tumblr #writers block #writing things #writing #writing advice #writing inspiration #alternate universe #fanfic aus #fanfic #fanfiction

[gglitch1dd]

Submitted by @lemon-qu33n : Hi sorry to bother u i was just wondering if u had any fic recommendations. Ive read most of yours and i love them! I was just wondering what some of your favorite fics are?

Hey lovey!! You're not bothering me at all. TBH, I swear people maybe its you, have been asking me.

The reason why I haven't been answering is mostly because I really don't have many fic recs OR many favourites. There aren't a lot of writers that cater to my breeding kink or they aren't for the pairings that I like. I did have a few small favourites but most of them are discontinued and a lot of the bigger finished ones, sometimes I don't finish them.

I don't finish them either because the second hand embarrassment gets too big in one scene so I put it down, but I've got a few.

My number one recommendation is the most twisted story I have ever read and I love it so much. It isn't finished but the writing is exquisite and I one day wish to write a yandere/dark fic just like this. Its so disturbing and literally fear inducing, you literally feel like the reader. I love it. Hope it gets finished soon. I'm not a big fan of Katsuki but this one was delicious.

Love of a Hero by TrashPotatoes

Bakugou Katsuki x Reader

being a new villain was horrible. Your team left you, and Pro hero Dynamight is hot on your trail. The only questions echoing in your mind are: What does he want? How long does he plan to keep you? And how long do you have before you break completely to his will?

2. This one was amazingly written as well. Kudos to the author!! It's a one-shot though, but honestly, it was a stroke of genius and hopefully it gets a second part to it.

What Once was Mine by Mindninjax

Bakugou Katsuki x Reader x Kirishima Eijiro

Invaders from outer space seek to take over all humans. What happens when you come face to face with the man you love after his assimilation? What happens when he finds out you've been hiding out from the invaders with his best friend who's madly in love with you? And what happens when you realize you may just have feelings for both of them?

3. This one is just pure smut heaven. Indulges the fact that Eijiro is the most HUNG person in the entire of Class A and I love it.

Bad dragon by Makoodles

Kirishima Eijiro x Reader (later chapters include Bakugou Katsuki)

Kirishima Eijirou was a perfect gentleman. He bought you flowers, he opened doors for you, he gave the sweetest goodnight kisses, he ate you out so good he had you seeing stars. You had the biggest, fattest crush on him, and you would be embarrassed about it if it weren’t for the fact that it seemed, at least for the most part, to be reciprocated. The problem was Kirishima never let you touch him.

4. This one was just really cute. I loved it. It was so sweet. fluffy and sweet.

Paws for Panic by Hero234

Kirishima Eijiro x Reader

When chaos strikes and quirks collide, one innocent collision turns pro hero Red Riot into an adorable red puppy! Little does (Y/n) know, that the newly turned pup is none other than her favorite hero, and he understands more than he lets on. Unaware of the puppy's true identity, (Y/n) spends the day pampering her fluffy victim.

5. Fans of Viking Kirishima will love this one. It was amazing and honestly touched my heart in all the right ways, sweet fluffy smut.

Consummation by tothestars00

Kirishima Eijiro x Reader

You and Kirishima have an arranged marriage, however, it is not a loveless one. Now it is the night after the ceremony. And we all know what happens on your wedding night.

6. Another self indulgent on my man Kirishima and why he's every woman's best dream. INTENSE SMUT THO.

XXL by seraphiq

Kirishima Eijiro x Reader

A giant dragon hybrid walks into your adult toy store looking for some help with a problem. A HUGE one.

But those are just like half of my few. Remember I write because sometimes I don't find what I want to read. But people write amazing things!! Pros to these writers!!<3

#submission #glitch recommendation #glitch1d questions #mha fic #mha fic recs

[mochinek0]

Daminette December 2023: 20-Cheese Vikings

Damian held up his old hand held system. Inside of it, he found his favorite game from a long time ago.

'Cheese Vikings!'

"I have not seen this is a long time." Damian whispered.

'I thought Drake stole this. I tried to find it and swore revenge when I found it.'

"Oh, what is that?" Marinette asked, looking over his shoulder.

"It is a transportable video game." Damian stated, "It carries Cheese Vikings."

"Huh?" Mari questioned, confused.

"Cheese!" Plagg shouted, "I heard someone mention cheese! You got me cheese; how thoughtful."

Marinette sighed, "He said Cheese Vikings."

"Ah, those were the days." Plagg announced, "Just pillage and take all the cheese you could eat."

The guardian simply shook her head.

"It's a vide game, Plagg." Mari spoke.

"Oh." the God of Destruction whispered.

"I will get you some cheese when I am done packing." Damian declared.

"Fine." Plagg spoke, flying away.

"What is Cheese Vikings?" Marinette asked, pointing back to the game, "Think it'll still work?"

"I am unsure." Damian answered, We can find out when we have unpacked at the penthouse."

"But-" Mari began.

"If not, I'll never leave." he chuckled, "I'm aware of how competitive you are, Angel. Who knows, maybe there is a game on a console and we can play it on the TV at home."

Marinette smiled, "You're going down!"

"You don't even know how to play it." Damian chuckled.

"I'm a quick learner." She shrugged.

Plagg and Tikki watched from afar.

"You ruined their moment." Tikki sighed.

"What are you talking about?" Plagg questioned, "I made it better!"

Tikki looked to the couple. They were laughing as they packed up Damian's stuff to move in with Marinette.

"They're the grilled cheese and I'm the cheese that glues them together." Plagg cackled.

Tikki rolled her eyes.

TAGLIST: @maribat-calendar-events @animeweebgirl@a-star-with-a-human-name@meme991001@vixen-uchiha@abrx2002@alysrose-starchild@fandom-trapped-03@dood-space@moonlightstar64@saltymiraculer@marveldcedits20@09shell-sea09@icerosecrystal@animegirlweeb@insane-fangirl-of-everything@blueblossombliss@nickristus-dreamer@megawhitleycalderonpaganus@missmadwoman@meira-3919@princessdaisysolosyourfaves@blep-23@fangirlingfanatic@darkhinauniverse@ravenr22@im-a-satanic-ritual@ravennm84@bianca-hooks123@a-slytherinish-gryffindor@starling218

#daminette december 2023 #daminette #damian wayne #marinette dupain cheng #moving in #cheese vikings #plagg kwami #plagg x cheese #damian x plagg #video game #tikki kwami #mochinek0

[nartml]

Toothless (and generally most dragons) lost all his personality in thw.

Gone was the loyal, protective, intelligent, curious, silly, expressive, understanding, and sassy/snarky dragon we adored more and more through each new installment in the franchise.

Who is this puppy in thw and what did he do to Toothless?

Look me in the eye and tell me that if anyone, dragon or not, was to pluck Hiccup off his back and send him into the ocean to die, they wouldn't get a minimum of two blasts in the face.

Yes, Toothless is playful and silly and adorable, but only around the people/dragons he trusts, and especially around Hiccup specifically.

Otherwise, his guard is up, he is wary, and he himself has to evaluate whether or not someone is safe to be around.

"Hey, I guess Dean dumbed him down because he wanted to show the effects of domestication—"

Woah there, big words.

Domestication? The definition of domestication is "the process of taming an animal and keeping it as a pet or on a farm".

That is not what's happening on Berk.

Dragons were never pets to humans. (If anything, humans were their pets.)

They stood by the Vikings' sides out of their own volition, and were free to come and go as they pleased.

We see this clearly in GoTNF.

They wouldn't let a human they didn't trust so much as touch them, let alone allow them anywhere near their backs.

They are the ones that choose their riders, or if they even want one, not the other way around.

And they weren't exactly "tamed" either. Or rather, nobody tried to alter their nature and innate instincts.

In RoB, we clearly see that Vikings are the ones who adjust, who adapt accordingly, because dragons are gonna do what dragons do.

And those instincts of theirs were honed. They weren't tamed, they were trained.

The notion that wild dragons are more powerful because they're wild makes no sense to me, because while wild dragons have raw power and raw instinct, trained dragons arguably have more than that.

They learn to work with other dragons, and they're able to pull off some incredible moves, because their bodies are, well, consistently trained.

They go on dangerous missions on the regular, for fuck's sake. During which, they also have to think. The dragons aren't told what to do, nor are they steered by their riders constantly (and when they are, the dragons trust them to do so)

They can take the reins as well (and when they do, the riders trust them to do so), but most of the time, they both move together in sync, understanding what, and how it, needs to be done.

In what world would such a lifestyle weaken them, or threaten to erase their aforementioned instincts?

I don't get Dean's point.

And Hiccup? What's up with the poor decision making?

Because I know damn well Hiccup wouldn't let dragons take over Berk to the point where, within the first ten minutes of the movie , half of it collapses. An event which apparently everyone is used to, because nobody worries about it.

He put an ocean between Garff and a couple of dragons because of how incompatible they were, in terms of needs and way of life.

He relocated dragons constantly, so as not to overcrowd and/or to protect the Edge.

Even when he was, what, 15 in RoB/DoB, he was mindful of the way he handled situations, to ensure Berk and the Vikings wouldn't be overwhelmed with dragons.

He understood that it's impossible for thousands of dragons to cohabitate with humans, and with each other, peacefully and without chaos.

Not to mention, he respected dragon culture and understood that some spaces were not made for the human eye. He made such a big deal about revering Vanaheim, and you expect me to believe he'd be okay with just exposing a place called The Hidden World, a delicate draconic paradise?

And wow, way to go, let's uproot the ENTIRE village, and go searching for this place that we don't even know for sure exists? Yes, very responsible.

And why not just make a life-changing call without consulting anyone, or thinking it through, based on what you alone think is best, while you're at it? Sounds like a great idea.

It's not like in previous installments he always made sure to have a team huddle to discuss (or at least inform the group of) their next move, even in the tightest of spots and with the littlest time; no, of course not.

His leadership abilities, his tactical and strategic thinking, his caution, his conviction and determination? Gone. Erased.

Who is this guy in thw and what did he do to Hiccup?

And as for Toothless and Hiccup's dynamic in this movie, something that Astrid said bugs me to an unfathomable degree.

"You gave him his freedom back, what did you expect?"

Woah there, big talk.

This paints a horribly ugly picture. It makes Toothless seem like he'd been held captive by Hiccup, that if he could've flown on his own, he would never have stuck around this long.

Which, much like the rest of this movie, is a load of horseshit.

Toothless is just as free, if not free-er than, as the rest of the dragons. Because while all dragons love and trust their riders, and vice versa, nobody has a connection quite like Toothless and Hiccup (save for perhaps Valka and Cloudjumper).

Toothless could've been flying on his own for a long, long time now. But he didn't want it. He was vehemently opposed to the idea.

Why? Because to him, flying was no longer worth it if Hiccup wasn't right there with him. Because Hiccup took the loneliness out of flying. Because Toothless wanted nothing more than to be by Hiccup's side. Hiccup was the one that made flying worth it.

A major theme of this movie is learning to fly on your own. Toothless had to learn how to fly without Hiccup, and Hiccup had to learn how to fly without Toothless (I mean, personally I'd rather them remaining inseparable soulmates that are mildly codependent. I recognize it's not necessarily the healthiest dynamic, but fuck if I care)

Toothless did this through meeting his mate, and falling in love (no matter how horribly written and designed she is, and no matter how I personally would've preferred for the Hicctooth bromance to remain undisturbed).

He met a creature that he wanted to follow and be alone with, a creature that made flying alone, with nobody on his back, worth it.

And more importantly, Hiccup had to realize that he's not who he is because he has Toothless, and subsequently the dragons. It's the opposite.

This is growth, and the realization that they don't need each other is important.

But why the fuck does that mean they have to say goodbye?

I don't need most of the people in my life. That doesn't mean I don't want them here.

The point was that Hiccup doesn't need Toothless in order to be someone.

Not that he didn't need Toothless, period.

(Even if the point was simply that he didn't need Toothless, which I could concede to, that again doesn't mean that Toothless had to leave, and take the entire dragon population with him.

To me, that sends a message of "if you don't need them, then they gotta go".

It's not what outgrowing a friendship looks like, despite the fact that many people choose to interpret it as such.

Sure, this movie shows what outgrowing a friendship is; if outgrowing a friendship means making room in your life for other people. If outgrowing a friendship means you found romance. Which is ridiculous.)

___________________

To further clarify:

I am well aware the shows aren't canon.

This, however, doesn't change the fact that all these series tie in with HTTYD 2 really well, and that they make sense.

They expand on the characters and give us a better grasp of the world in httyd. They allow us to understand everything better.

When you only have, at most, 150 minutes to tell a story, every minute of it needs to somehow add to the plot. To further the narrative. There is very little time for fluff.

In a movie, it's practically impossible to properly explore the characters' different dynamics, to give everyone their own arc, to let the audience bask in the slow moments and to let the characters just be.

In a series, however? Well. You've definitely got time.

For someone who only watched the movies, it would be pretty damn difficult to understand the mis-characterization in say, Snotlout, Fishlegs and the twins.

You don't know these characters that well. You don't know the well-established dynamics between the gang in the same way that someone who's watched the series does.

Which is exactly why I think that people who've watched them are the ones that dislike the hidden world the most.

I, too, am usually opposed to using non-canon material to make a point, but RoB, DoB and RTTE are the only spin-off series from a successful movie franchise I can name that make perfect sense. That succeed in accurately portraying the main cast, in realistically expanding on the secondary characters (like Fishlegs, Snotlout, and the twins, who now have the space to become part of the main cast), and in smoothly integrating new characters.

They also manage to beautifully explore this magical universe full of dragons, adventure, and mystery, while firmly establishing the dragons as an important part of ecosystems all around.

Whether it's subconscious or not, they create an unshakable image of how all the characters think, act, and interact. You spend a hell of a lot longer with the characters in a lengthy eight season series than in two movies.

But it's not a bad thing, because this image carved by the series fits in nicely with the image carved in all the canon installments of the franchise.

Well. Except for one, cough cough.

#and don't get me started on the rest of the cast's characterization #along with their dynamics and interaction with each other #my anti thw agenda #thw criticism #thw slander #thw salt #this rant is a mess #and possibly nonsensical #and i possibly veer off topic a million times #not sure #hiccup haddock #toothless #exactly because i love them so much do i hate this movie with such vitriol #analysis #long post #gratuitous use of the words “dragons” and “humans” #the hidden world #rtte #httyd rob #httyd dob #besides #if the series were canon then thw would make significantly and i mean SIGNIFICANTLY less sense #still the fact that you don't even NEED to bring them up to explain why the movie sucks is a pretty good indication #that even without their existence thw would still suck #though it would be less obvious #hictooth

[autisticlalna]

Twitch SMP Lore Transcript Masterpost!

welcome to the cozy town of Aquarium Gravel! we've got time loops, alternate reality selves, eldritch horrors, places that Should Not Be, possession, cool item symbolism, things pretending to human that very much are not, and a guy that hallucinates scarecrows talking to him.

as someone with a burning drive to analyze as much lore as i can get my hands on, as well as someone who has trouble tracking down specific clips in hours-long VODs to back up my analyses, i decided to start transcribing VikingPilot and Rubyco's lore!

this is a bit of a massive undertaking, and there are likely going to be mistakes due to length. shoutouts to Rubyco and ghostsgone for the help on this project!

right now this only covers Viking and Ruby's plotline - if other people want to transcribe the lore streams from the other Aquarium Gravel members i 100% encourage it because everybody's got a really cool story to tell! however, i have given myself one heck of a workload, so i don't think it's in the cards for me. i would love to see it though

this post will be updated as more transcripts are finished! in the meantime, here's what we have so far!

TRANSCRIPTS:

Jan 29 - It's just so you. - A hypothetical future. Feb 8 - It's gonna be great. - Ruby confronts Viking about his weird behavior after he gets an IOU out of Miyaki. Feb 15 - Sleepwalk - Viking and Ruby investigate the strange signs Ruby leaves while sleepwalking. Feb 20 - Signposting - Ruby meets another Viking. Feb 21 - You see me. - Sapphire leaves a message. Feb 28 - Biking Pilog - An error in the timeline. Feb 28 - You belong to me. - Jay has an encounter. Feb 29 - What are you running from? - An introduction to Fiv, and a conversation with Sapphire. Mar 4 - Time and Space / The Clocktower - Viking and Ruby find a clocktower and get more questions than answers. [WIP, 1/2 done] ▷ [ Navigator & Sapphire's conversation ] Mar 10 - Snails. - Aquarium Gravel has a snail infestation. Mar 19 - Homesick - Fiv finds common ground with Ruby... or a Ruby, anyway. Mar 21 - Changed Your Mind - Fiv wants out of the deal and Viking wants to know a little more about his business partner. Mar 27 - Vintage and Ruby go on a date. [WIP] May 23 - Ruby remembers, Viking dies, Navigator returns, and Sapphire argues. [WIP]

#leo.txt #Twitch SMP #vikingpilot #rubyco #meta analysis stuff #BEHOLD. WHAT IVE BEEN WORKING MY ASS OFF ON. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA #tsmp #bell noises! #clock noises! #tsmp lore transcripts #leo.pdf

[kandisheek]

FIC REC WEEK 11 – A/B/O

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: AvengersNewB

When I'm in the mood for some really great A/B/O dynamics, I always turn to Ven. She really has a gift when it comes to turning tropes on their heads and making them her own. And I love, love, LOVE the way she writes omega Tony in particular. She's incredible, and her fics deserve all the love in the world.

Here's some of her work that I think you should check out:

Must Be True

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: E Words: 8,793 Tags: Lingerie, Praise Kink, Protective Steve

Summary: When the stakes are too high, Tiberius Stone offers his omega, Tony, as a little side incentive to close important business deals. Tonight’s business is an arms deal with the Avengers, and the alpha they’re meeting is Captain America.

Reasons why I love it: Ugh, Tiberius is such a piece of shit. Ven really captures that essence here. And oh my god, poor Tony, but at least he makes the best out of a horrible situation. I'd read a million more words in this universe, and I really hope you give it a shot too, because it's awesome!

Braid

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 2,378 Tags: Vikings, Arranged Marriage, Sharing a Bed

Summary: Viking Arranged Marriage AU - Young omega Tony is traded to the Vikings by Stane, for safe passage and gets married to alpha Steve Rogers the captain of the chiefly vessel.

Reasons why I love it: This one is so goddamned sweet, it almost makes me want to cry. I never knew I needed to read about Tony braiding Steve's hair, but I did, and Ven made the perfect version of it. The whole setting is amazing, and Tony's insecurities and doubts feel so real, it's like they're jumping out from the screen. I love this one more than I can say, so please go and experience it for yourself!

Never Enough

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 4,639 Tags: Insecure Steve, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of Mpreg

Summary: "Tony, what I'm trying to say... I think you should have a baby even though I apparently can't have one. At least in the near future. I think...I think…" He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath." I think you should get bonded again"

Reasons why I love it: It's honestly refreshing to see a fic where Steve is the one who is completely insecure in their relationship. Their emotions read very true to their characters, and I love how Tony is so quick to reassure Steve that all his doubts are unfounded. Plus, the ending is so sweet it makes me want to scream into a pillow. This fic is amazing, so go ahead and read it!

Restless Gravity

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: M Words: 10,929 Tags: Warlord Steve, Temporary Amnesia, Cyborgs

Summary: Omega Tony Stark gets bonded to a human-hating space warlord, to get his people a new home after the destruction of their planet. Warlord - Arranged marriage AU, with a bit of a twist.

Reasons why I love it: This fic has it all. Amazing worldbuilding, a great plot twist, identity porn, incredible characterization and wonderful dialogue. I love this one to pieces, and I hope you go and read it, because it deserves all the love in the world.

Love of Inconvenience

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 4,856 Tags: Marriage of Convenience, Immigration, Mutual Pining

Summary: Tony had a plan; bond with Steve to keep him from deportation until he could find Steve's childhood friend Mr. Barnes. Temporary. For convenience. The plan did not entail falling for this perfect beautiful omega.

Reasons why I love it: Oh my god, this fic just makes me want to grab them and smash their faces together. It's so good! The way they finally get together in the end is so satisfying, and the journey there kept me hooked the whole time. I love this fic so much, please go and give it some love!

#marvel #stony #fanfic #fic rec #fanfic rec #ficrec #a year in fanfic recs #a/b/o

[bleedingichorhearts]

Hey, I figured I would pop in to say your stories are amazing! Thank you so much for sharing them! I particularly enjoy your one shots! I hope you have a great day!

but if I may pose a question, when the lady wakes up from her ordeal in ‘biter’ how furious will she be. Winter coats are expensive and now there is a big mouth shaped hole in it! Not to mention blood. She will probably be preoccupied with her new wolf ‘neighbour’ hanging around though!

𝕭𝖎𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕸𝖆𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖊: 𝕷𝖞𝖈𝖚𝖘

𝕬𝖚𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖗: Hello there, lil’ Anon! I shall put two of your questions together, and your interest in my story’s and my oneshots are greatly appreciated. I hope you find a very lucky $20-$50 or a penny at the end of a rainbow for your day today, or through out the years.

𝕿𝖆𝖌𝖌𝖊𝖉: @kit-williams, @egrets-not-regrets, @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan , @sleepyfan-blog.

Starting with your plot ideas, I write/type almost subconsciously, I write/type as I go. Of course, I have some bullet points down in order to not to forget some details that I think are crucial in the story or have the small idea of the plot ready for me when I started it or get back to it, but, originally. I really don’t have the whole story plot down, but I make it as I go. Probably not a good way to do that, but I suppose it’s just how I write? Perhaps I have a secret mental plot that my silly brain won’t let me see?

Anyways, to your expensive winter coat question.

His little wolf would be quite furious with Lycus if she’s wasn’t wondering why this big Viking man was staring down at her like he just caught his ultimate prize and with the fact that he was an Space Marine she wanted to scold out to of all the humane creatures possible on this world.

Though, she swallows as she fiddles with the snow coat still on her body, her fingers still threading through the open tear on it, taking flakes of her own blood off of it. Her head, looking away from Lycus. Unable to make eye contact with seemingly piecing, ice blue eyes.

Oh, but if only Space Marines didn’t pay enough attention to detail, he wouldn’t be able to hunt, bring that animal to a local Blood Angel and bring back the newly crafted coat to his little wolf. A chuff of a gothic apology being purred at his little wolf. (that she doesn’t understand, but by the tone of his rumbling words, it seems like an apology.)

Also, she will be preoccupied alright. Preoccupied on trying to get the Space Wolf that bit her off her property, but man can that Marine be so stubborn.

He sleeping outside? Eh, no worries he’s sleeping on top of the roof. (Somehow.) Try and mislead him out of the property? Can’t, he has every single rock, every stick pinned down through out the property. Try and juke him out in public? He knows where you live, and your scent. He’s not that worried.

He hums then, every time his little wolf would try and mislead him, a certain smile rising beneath his helmet. He likes these little “games” of yours…

Bastard knows what he’s doing.

𝕬𝖈𝖐𝖓𝖔𝖜𝖑𝖊𝖉𝖌𝖊: This little… plot? Rough draft? May or may not in the next chapter for his story. So don’t expect this to be the real thing.

#Ichor’s respire #anon reply #ask reply #warhammer 40k #space marine husbandry sentience #fanfiction #x reader #reader insert #adeptus astartes x reader #adeptus astartes #space marine #space marine x reader #space wolves #oc: lycus #is that is nickname now? #biter marine? #non canon & canon #sorry if this is not ideal just woke up

[tyrannuspitch]

describing a marvel movie as "cerebral" and getting asked not to come back to film club

#space viking tag #joking. but. okay. having watched thor 1 at a human speed for once in my life. i understand why ppl find it hard to follow sjfjskdsk #it is So busy. and So designed-for-rewatch. #like call it what u like but it's literally Not a film you're meant to ~turn off your brain for~ #it is a film that wants you to think so so hard about character motivations based on information u don't have yet. skfdjk #which is not necessarily a good thing to be clear. but. i like it. #updating my kenneth branagh opinion to 'mad genius' (i have not seen a single other kenneth branagh movie)

[moodymisty]

Author's note: Huge thankies to @commodoreprocrastinator (if you don't want to be tagged just say) for trading Russ ideas with me to help me finish this. A bit of an 'experiment' just setting a scene with him. Enjoy a drabble with the space viking king. I can't wait till I'm done writing warm-up fluff and I can inflict intense psychic damage on people.

Summary: You worry about meeting any of the other Primarchs, which Russ finds amusing.

Relationships: Leman Russ/Fem!Reader

Warnings: None other than typical 40kness, References to traditional courting style stuff like gift giving I guess

The bed is massive; It's fit for a Primarch, and thus it swallows you accordingly. Almost everything around you does, the massive pelt that drapes over the bed as a blanket covers almost most your entire body, though not the entire bed.

On a planet like Fenris you would've needed it and then some to even attempt at staying warm, but here, you find yourself only laying it over the middle of your body.

"Out of all the things I've gifted you, this is the one you like most?"

Russ finds something perhaps akin to amusement in the fact that you behave so differently than the woman who call Fenris their home planet, as you lay on your side watching him enter the room.

"'Out of all of them, this was the most useful one."

You'd brought it all this way to Terra, rubbing your ankle against the back of your other calf underneath the pelt Russ had hunted and skinned himself. The beast must've been massive, if this was only it's midsection.

Your snide comment makes Russ laugh, a loud rumble in his bare chest as he dresses in more casual garb befitting of Terra and the Holy Palace.

"You best keep that attitude in check today. I don't think they'll be fond of your bite."

Russ' reminder serves little more than to strike a bolt of fear and nervousness in you that you'd hoped forgotten for the time being; Pursing your lips as you lean on your elbow.

Right; You're overdue to meet the fellow Primarchs that Russ calls brothers, now that he's taken you on as, what you supposed would be referred to as consort. Not hailing from Fenris, you aren't aware if they have any sort of specific title for what you are to Russ. And as far as you know, he is the only of the Primarchs to do this; Which makes you completely and utterly alone. Being on Terra in the palace also means speaking with one of them is an inevitability, more so than a possibility.

And to think- many of them don't harbor the same, what you wouldn't call easygoing, but wild nature Russ possesses. You remember the fear that had struck you like a bullet upon realizing his eyes were on you for the first time. Before the gifts, the courting, when you were only a speck on a map in comparison. You doubt whichever Primarch you'd be unfortunate enough to face would have the same neutral nature about baseline humans that Russ somewhat has. To think, many humans in the Imperium would never live to even see an astartes, let alone a primarch; And here you are.

A soft bark however thankfully gives you a jolt from your thoughts, looking over to see a massive hound standing at side of the bed. The Fenrisian wolf is still technically a puppy, but he's growing at a rate that's going to have him competing with you in height, if it keeps up. You rub the top of his snout and the complaints turn into a soft rumble in his throat.

Russ, having been raised beside packs of the massive beasts since childhood, had no issue with you keeping the wolf pup that had been your latest gift right beside the both of you.

Some others in the palace were, noticeably less so. Glorious golden halls were quite quickly filled with roaring deep voices and barks; A sign that the Space Wolves had arrived. You're used to the ruckus, the drunkenness and the smell of wet fur, but many are not.

"You don't suppose I could forgo crossing paths with any of them?" Russ crosses his arms and lets out a loud laugh, as the wolf puts one of his paws onto the bed.

"And you don't think I'd take that opportunity myself, if given the chance?" You roll your eyes, despite knowing that he's more than right. The pelt that drapes over his one shoulder shows off most of his arms, biceps flexing as he crosses his arms and jerks his head in the direction of the wolf staring at you both.

"Bring the wolf; It'll keep half of them away. They hate the stench." You were planning on doing so anyways, but it's good to know it might keep unwanted eyes off of you. At least a few.

Fully awake you decide to leave the bed, only to find yourself unable to simply throw your legs off to the side and stand. You throw the gifted pelt off of you and to the side, looking over to your primarch.

"Help me out of this massive bed; I'm swimming in it."

Russ smiles just enough to show teeth as he leans forward to grasp your right thigh. Your nightclothes bunch under his tight grip as he roughly pulls you closer to him and onto the edge of the bed. Just as he lets you you realize his face is close enough for you to quickly lean forward, giving him a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth. You can still feel his rough beard against your skin and the wild strands of unbraided hair flowing over his shoulders.

"Little thief," He growls.

He watches you with raised brow as you ignore his teasing accusation and slide the rest of the way off the bed, until your bare feet finally touch the floor. Shortly thereafter he elects instead of give you a kiss proper; Large hand cupping your jaw as his lips fully meet yours. His left knee has to nearly meet the ground for him to do so, with the sheer difference in your heights.

"Now get ready; Before I lose my patience for this and throw you to the wolves while I get some ale."

#Leman Russ x reader #warhammer 40k x reader #primarch x reader #wh40kcrack #reader insert #reader #mywriting

[andreal831]

Elijah and the Red Door

Elijah Mikaelson's red door is metaphorical and people take it too literal sometimes.

Initially, it was a physical door from his human days where he first kissed Tatia and then inevitably laid her body after her death. Shortly after, the door became a representation of the hidden space in his mind that Esther created so he didn't have to live with the fact that he accidentally killed Tatia. It inadvertently became a place where Elijah hid away memories he couldn't handle remembering.

In Season 2, Esther forces these memories out of Elijah, making him remember Tatia's death and the rest of the memories he had hidden there. We only see two memories on the show come forward -- what he did to Tatia and to Aurora. The show doesn't tell us if any other secrets were kept there. But we do know that even before this Elijah remembers a lot of things he has done in the past that he regrets, such as leaving Aya behind, not preventing Klaus' curse, and Celeste's death. So it doesn't appear that he had a lot of hidden memories there. I think killing random people ranks under these events.

When Hayley goes behind the red door, I've seen a lot of people say this is a memory of his, however, I believe it merely represents the monster he is afraid of becoming but believes he is deep inside.

First, the timeline doesn't make sense from what we know of their life. The Mikaelsons are turned sometime in late 1001, we don't know how much time goes by between when they are turned and when they have to flee North America, however, the red door is not created until Tatia's death. Quickly after her death, Esther chains Klaus' wolf side, Klaus kills Esther, and then they have to flee North America. We next see them about 6 months later in Europe, having traded their Viking clothes for more peasant-like clothing. While it's possible they held on to their Viking fighting gear, we don't see it again.

Additionally, we see Elijah scold his brothers for not being careful with their killings. If Elijah had massacred a whole village and then forgotten, Kol and Klaus would have been quick to remind him. They wouldn't let Elijah get away with scolding them if he had been just as bad, if not worse. Potentially Elijah could have snuck off without them realizing, but it is clear from Kol and Finn that they have all stuck closely together. Also, "Red Door Elijah" is seen as being irrational. I don't think he would have cared to keep it a secret.

Finally, at the time Hayley goes in there, the memories have already been released. It is no longer the place where he keeps memories he fears.

So instead of what Hayley sees in his mind as a memory, I see it as the place where he kept his remaining fears locked away. He feared becoming a monster who had no remorse. He kept his fear of being a monster in the same place he had kept the memories of his most monstrous deeds. He was in Viking gear because he feared becoming his father by hurting the people he cared for in the name of power/strength.

I know people want it to be a true memory so they can say Elijah is worse than Klaus, but those actions don't make sense with his character. All vampires have the potential to become a "red door" version of themselves, but it is their desire to be better that separates them. Klaus allows himself to live as a remorseless vampire for a thousand years, while we see Elijah constantly struggling with his decisions and regrets. Yes, he does become apathetic to human life, but we still see him having some standards -- like stating he doesn't feed from children.

If Elijah truly was the monster behind the red door, we would have seen it when Hayley died in season 1 or 5, when Dhalia was nearly killing his whole family, when Celeste died, when he thought Klaus drowned his whole family, when Marcel or Lucein was upgraded and attacked him. There were so many opportunities for him to be angry/scared enough to lose control and even turn off his humanity (if that's possible) but he never did. Klaus teases him about it one of the few times we even see his vampire face because it is that rare for him to even lose that much control in a fight.

So no, I don't believe Elijah ever murdered an entire village just because. Do I think he is capable, yes. If he felt it would save his family, he would do it. And he likely left villages behind knowing Mikael would do just that. But with the timeline and the character of Elijah, I don't see him even losing control and doing that himself.

#tvdu #elijah mikealson #tvd #the vampire diaries #klaus mikaelson #the mikaelsons #the originals #hayley marshall #the red door #kol mikaelson

[sarnai4]

Match Made in Valhalla

A very underrated duo to me in RTTE (spoilers) is Dagur and Sleuther.

The way Dagur got both dragons was honestly perfect to me. He started of with a Gronckle because no one in their right mind would give him a dangerous dragon. Then, what does he do? He Dagurs all over the place and somehow makes a Gronckle cool enough to even outmaneuver a Razorwhip. After that, he gets his first already cool dragon. That's fun as it is, but the emotional side makes it so much better.

They're kindred souls. It's possible that Sleuther (or Strykie as I prefer since Dagur always calls him that) used to be less violent before he was captured, but that's not the Triple Strykes we know. We see the one who is ready to kill anyone if he needs to. No hesitation, just violence. Does this not sound like early Dagur? On top of it, they both had adjustment periods with the Riders. Strykie was so difficult for them to train and Dagur still isn't someone you can really tell to not do something if he wants to. Putting these two together shouldn't work. If anything, it should cause them to just be more aggressive since neither really wants to stop, but look at that adorable picture. They're able to understand each other more than the other dragons or Vikings could. As great as Shattermaster was, we didn't see these tender moments between him and Dagur. They were great friends and he was a great starter dragon, but these Dagur and Strykie can relate to the anger they have inside and help keep it down.

We've already seen that Dagur has nightmares. A headcanon of mine is that they both do. Whenever fatigue hits them so much that they can't remain awake to avoid that anymore, one stays guard for the other. When Strykie has a nightmare about his time being forced to fight, Dagur can soothingly wake him up and assure him that he's safe now. When Dagur has a nightmare about (pick a topic. There's plenty to choose from), Strykie is able to do the same.

Also, there's the added cuteness of how they met. Dagur and Shattermaster saved Strykie from getting attacked, then he returned the favor. Strykie is actually the first anything (dragon or character) to choose Dagur, but he did. He waved his stinger and sort of said, "We're friends now." It even took Dagur off guard, but I still think that little moment of Strykie letting him know that he can ride on his back and Dagur realizing that he can is adorable. If I can find an image later, I'll try to add it, but it might have that little search thingy from Pinterest if I can't spot it on Google.

I wish this had been explored some more, so a future fic of mine is going to delve into how they can help one another in these ways. I don't think there's anyone else who could truly get it the way that they would. None of the other humans or reptiles have been prisoners the way that they both have or have done things that would haunt them. Who knows how many dragons Strykie was forced to kill and what mental space he put himself in to be able to stomach it day after day. We already know Dagur has guilt he'll never recover from since he's killed an island + worth of people. Their other friends could support them as they try to change, but they're the only ones who could just look at one another and already know what's being felt because they'd each felt it before too.

#HTTYD #RTTE #Dagur the Deranged #Sleuther #Cute buddies #Underrated

[historia-vitae-magistras]

Part Five: Interrogations

First Installment: Here.

Last Installment: Here.

Current Installment: You are here!

Author's note: Inspired by the 1950s short story "The Man Who Came Early" by Poul Anderson. This installment of the Viking-time-travel au sees Arthur ever so polite, some light torture and gore, some slightly tenderized federal fillet and some primo semi-sane eldritch Mattie. This should be the last use of humans.

21st Century

Washington DC

Diplomatic Security Service

It was easy enough. Two minutes in the car, three key card swipes of Alfred’s ID cards Matthew had lifted from his apartment, four steps past the secretary’s back as she left for the night. Five more as he entered a shitty little office in some shitty little government building.

“Good evening,” Arthur, in the very image of proper manners, greeted the man sitting behind the desk, hand extended to introduce himself. "Arthur Kirkland, I believe I may have some business with you."

“They said you might come.” Corcoran muttered. He didn't shake Arthur's hand. His son’s handler was a paunch-laden man with a red face and puffy hands named Cocorcan in his forties. He was only somewhat familiar to Arthur, as Alfred had been on his best behaviour lately, studying hard to fling himself off the planet again. No one serious had been given the post for some time.

"Did they do? I am glad to hear it! Hopefully, that will help us smooth this along!"

“What… would that be?”

“I haven’t heard from my son, your chief responsibility, in some time.” Arthur had not sat. He ran a finger through some dust on a shelf holding official-looking framed certificates and made a face—Corcoran sweat. Arthur squashed his pleasure. “Now, why would that be?”

“I’m sure service is spotty.” Corcoran tried. And failed.

“Is that so?” Arthur countered. “Are you quite sure about that?”

"It's a space station. How reliable could cell service be?” Corcoran gave a pathetic shrug.

“You may want to consider your answer. You have one more opportunity before I hand things over to my associate, if only because Alfred is ever so fond of the inept fools put in charge of him. Have you anything to say about that?”

“Like I said—”

He didn’t get another word out before the blood had drained from his face. Matthew appeared at Arthur’s shoulder, and Corcoran looked like he’d seen a ghost.

“You’re dead, they dragged you out of Hudson Bay!” Oh, this was going to be fun.

"Is that right?" Arthur glanced at Matthew. Honestly, it was more difficult to keep him alive now that he was grown than when he was small. Well, grown. Overgrown. He took in the lad's height. They would have to talk about that. And the Matthew did look like he’d been dead for a day or two, but that was par for the course for his boy when stressed. Somewhere between refusing to cry and appearing at Arthur's, his face had transformed into the one Arthur had rarely seen in recent years. His son had not been a creature of the shadows for some time, and the sharp points of his face were predatory. “Well, that would explain how uncontrollable he’s become! Made quite a mess. Come back wrong, did you lad?”

Corcoran didn’t respond. He put his hand to his waist, where there would be a service pistol. Matthew was faster, his fingers finding the attaching small joints of Corcoran’s dominant hand and pinching so tightly that Corcoran’s grip jumped open. One smooth motion saw the man’s face smushed against the wall, one arm flailing, the other bent at an extreme angle behind his head. Even the smallest resistance would see the shoulder pop out at a sickening angle. It was Matthew’s favourite grapple. The maneuver didn’t require strength, and he efficiently used his stronger left hand and great height. Smart lad.

Matthew easily disarmed him, kicking the pistol across the floor, then an out-of-date mobile phone. Arthur pocketed both. And then, looking happier than he had in days, Matthew put the tip of his old paratrooper knife against the man’s jugular.

"You can start talking, or I can start cutting." The knife's point rested against the man's skin, and Matt stared hard into his eyes as the Corcoran dragged his head to stare out at Matthew. Matthew hadn’t slept, which would be evident to anyone, but his son was unstable. Arthur knew better. Matthew looked unpredictable, unhinged and half mad, precisely what the situation needed. What had been frustrated tears were now red-rimmed eyes on a sharp, bone-pale face. He looked out of control, breathing hard, his eyes narrow, desperate and… oddly gleeful. “You choose.”

"I'm afraid the lad is rather handy with his whittling." Arthur added as if noting the weather was particularly pleasant that day. He pulled the points of his waistcoat down and leaned over. “Won medals when he was a lad. I suggest doing as asked.”

“I can’t!”

“Loyal to your country, are you?” Matthew asked, his voice hardly audible. Soft and insane. “Might want to give that loyalty a second thought."

Shot through with pride, Arthur suppressed a smile and clicked his tongue in a scolding way, and shook his head, like Matthew was being petulant about naptime. “Just answer a few questions, and this will all go away.”

“You can't do this! It’ll be right to the electric chair for both of you.”

“Just because you kill me doesn’t mean I’ll die.” Matthew’s pressure on the blade increased; just enough that blood trickled down Corcoran’s jugular. The man trembled. Matthew put his face closer to Corcoran’s jaw. “You did something to my brother. My brother. His laughter was the first thing I knew of humanity. And you’re going to tell me where the fuck he is or you will never hear another laugh. Neither will your wife or your children. Anyone who ever knew you will know nothing but the silence I have endured. There will be nothing but winter where you once knew joy.”

Jesus Christ. Arthur blinked, once and then twice. Well, the boys had always been fond of each other.

Corcoran whimpered. Arthur rolled his shoulders and sighed, disappointed in him.

"We wouldn't want you to make a poor choice, would we? My boy is wonderfully creative.”

Corcoran broke.

#my writing || cacoethes scribendi #I have a lot of pent up emotions rn so eriogeorjigjioerg sorry #the dangeld axe to grind: the viking age time travel au #matthew || my country is winter #Arthur and the children || bilge rat and his bouncing baby bilge rats