#and despite everything the fact that there's no resentment between them or anything of the sort.... it really makes me want to be okay

[aratedfreyjablog]

Relationship between Lucifer and Michael + Theory on "God's" Disappearance

PB did a fantastic job with the new event where not only did they drop more lore but also emphasize no side is a complete antagonist/"bad guy". Up to before this event, the angels have continued to set up as petty and villainous being that only wishes to be the eyes of "God". The event shows that isn't really the case when revealing the relationship between Lucifer and the seraphims.

In fact, I can't help but really pity the angels and their relationship with Lucifer. Especially with Michael, it's obvious that he really does love Lucifer in an extremely twisted way. He never once faults Lucifer for anything he does and, instead, blames and kills those around him to be the cause for any actions Lucifer takes that Michael disagrees with/ "goes against 'God's' will". Heck, despite Lucifer being the one to have pulled one of his eyes out as a way to save the remaining two dragons (Gamigin and Serenade), Michael does everything in his power to find Lucifer and tries to bring him back to Heaven from Hell. He still calls him "hyung", which in both KRN and JPN, a guy calling another guy who's older than himself whether being blood-related or not "hyung", "aniki", and so forth is interpreted as being extremely affectionate and close with the other party. He also doesn't frown or get angry at him but smiles and flushes in Lucifer's presence.

The part that makes all of this ever more tragic is that the love between Lucifer, Michael, and the rest of the seraphims is mutual. Lucifer doesn't come to hate them but shows desire for them to realize what they're doing is wrong. It ranges from Lucifer saying to Michael his desires outright to having Michael be the only surviving angel to go to Heaven while killing the rest that were brought down to Hell. He really could've killed Michael and in the event, it was mentioned how Lucifer had felt when addressing Michael was fury and "child-like affection". Not once was the word resentment or hatred used, rather his feeling of resentment/hatred seemed to be targeted toward himself and had caused him to lose his mentality.

This leads to Michael's final action of not knowing how to react or what to do and instead, choose to fly back to Heaven. Before the event, Michael and the other 2 seraphims were portrayed as those that were fanatic purely towards "God" alone and would destroy everything for the sake of "God". So, it wouldn't be surprising and perhaps, event expected, that Michael would at least call Lucifer a traitor and swear he would be the one to take his life. The new event, however, definitely showed that's not the case and the seraphims are capable of being affectionate towards others as Michael ends up crying and leave without a word, seemingly from heart break.

All of this makes me think what Lucifer and the angels had was like the relationship between "God" and the angels. Both loved each other yet even "God" had reached his limit with the amount of atrocities the angels were committing for "his sake". I want to think it's because how precious the angels were to him as were the rest of the races he created that "God" wasn't able to have the heart to actually discipline them. And since he didn't want to lay his hands on them, this issue had become one of the reasons as to why he disappeared along with the possibility of wanting to be with Solomon - to punish them and have them realize the crimes they have committed. Nothing is confirmed and we have to wait for more information to drop but if this ends up being confirmed, it's obvious it only served to worsen the angels behavior.

There's a ton of questions still left that makes future content from PB more looking forwards to! Especially with lore behind the demons that are older than the seven kings as Lucifer ended up being "newest" and seventh king of Hell but is called the oldest from the previous event featuring Orias + Og!Gamigin was the one that found Drago!Gamigin and gave his entire being for the other's survival on top of the already existence hints with Gusion and Satan being king before Lucifer.

#whb #what in hell is bad #maple ramble #whb spoilers #whb lucifer #whb michael

[luveline]

I hc eddie as being a thigh guy & also possibly having ADHD & I can’t stop thinking about him just casually using readers thigh as like a stress/fidget toy. Just constantly having his hand on their leg and squeezing for something to do w his hands

this idea is the best ever anon!! ♡ gn!reader | 0.8k words

Eddie sits at your desk, the two of you squeezed into your rolling chair looking over practice questions so he can maybe finally graduate this year.

"Eddie," you say softly, your elbows brushing. "Is everything okay?" 

He stops twiddling the pencil in his hand back and forth and tilts his head to look at you, dark curls falling away from his face. "What?" 

"Is everything okay? You seem antsy." 

He smiles at you, nearly sheepish. "Fine…" his voice is low with a dejected frustration, "just can't concentrate," he mutters. 

You take his free hand into yours and hold them in your lap, his rings on your skin cold despite the thin protection of your tight pajama pants. "It's okay. Maybe we should take a break."

He drops his pencil and sighs, leaning back in the chair with a sulking frown stretched over his pretty lips. You try not to think about how hot he is and focus on making him feel better, leaving his hand between your thighs to wrap yourself around his upper arm in a hug.

"You'll get it," you murmur into his bicep. "Gotta keep practicing, s'all." 

He grunts his agreement. You close your eyes and breath in his smell, the lingering laundry detergent of his baseball tee under your nose, his skin, his cologne. You don't really notice when his hand stretches out across the dough of your inner thigh, at first stroking small lines and then lightly squeezing. You rub your nose into his arm, your breath huffing out fast when he gives you a good squeeze. 

"You're tickling me," you tell him. 

He rubs over your thigh apologetically, kind for all of a minute before he's back to squeezing. You force your knees together to trap him in place and he still doesn't let up. You don't mind. In fact, you kinda like it, the two of you relaxing in tandem as he works his fidgeting out. 

He pulls your thigh over his and lowers his mouth to your forehead. "You're like a stress ball," he murmurs, lips skipping over your skin with each word. 

"I resent that." 

"I'm serious." His palm is hot and big as he trails a sweeping line from your knee to your inner thigh and back again. "I love your legs." 

You look at him from under your lashes and smile shyly. "Anything for the cause, I guess." Your attempt at wryness is waylaid by your obvious affection. 

He nods eagerly. "Glad we're on the same page." 

He picks his pen back up and starts to fill in the worksheet, slouched, hand still firmly between your legs. You're surprised when he makes steady progress, any crease between his eyebrows quickly eased with a good fondle of your thigh. 

He finishes fast and with minimal advice. You're so happy for him you could kiss him. You would, but you want him to get through the next worksheet too while he has the focus. 

You sit up and he holds you in place as you pull the next task out of your binder and pass it to him. He takes it with a little grumble and you're close to screaming when he flies through that one too, pride and a generous dusting of relief warming your chest. Whether the answers are right or not isn't important, you decide, enchanted by his proud smile.

You feel a similar pride as he sets down his pen and takes your leg into both hands, massaging with a firm pressure. 

"You have magic thighs," he announces cheekily. 

"I think your stress ball metaphor was accurate," you say, feeling a little droopy eyed from all the attention. 

"It was a simile," he says. 

You widen your eyes at him. "My thighs really are magic if you're gonna start correcting me. Wizkid Munson, hello," you drawl teasingly. 

Eddie gets a dangerous look on his face and his hands creep up your thigh, grinning when he says, "You think I'm smart now. Imagine if you didn't have pants on." 

You wave your hands at him and pretend to fall off of the chair, giggling and flushed with heat as he grabs you tightly and wrestles your limp body back onto the chair and into his lap. 

"Where do you think you're going? I need to graduate." 

You don't resist much after that. If he wants to feel you up like this for hours on end every day while he studies, you can hardly say no. It's like he said, he needs to graduate.

#eddie munson x reader fluff #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson #eddie munson x reader blurb #eddie munson x gn!reader #stranger things x reader #stranger things fic #stranger things

[zeravmeta]

i want to talk about jeanne and jeanne alter. first off white woman (laugh track so loud it shakes the building) ok now that thats out of the way what I really want to talk about is how interesting i find the dynamic between the two because for all that jalter is this 2 kool 4 skool edgy jeanne born from a grudge the truth of the matter is that regular jeanne is far more insane than her. jalter is very much this tortured soul born from gilles’ agony but the fact of the matter is that shes actually quite easy to understand. The moment she and her anger are validated she immediately chills because yeah, she was someones idea of what jeannes anger would be, in every respect she is a fake of a fake because the regular jeanne is so insane and inhuman that she feels basically no remorse guilt or resentment for every wrong she committed and was committed against her. jalter is a counterfeit, a fake who unlike every other faker in the series doesnt really aim to surpass jeanne as “jeanne d’arc” (nothing says a faker cant surpass the original), but rather exist entirely independent of jeanne d’arc because her idea of surpassing jeanne is entirely rooted in being jalter instead. Its why in every subsequent appearance she went around jumping between hobbies, learning how to read and write and generally trying to ingratiate herself in every clique she could, she doesn’t want to be just the fake alter of jeanne, she wants to be recognized as her own person separate from jeanne.

and the reason thats so significant is because the original jeanne gave up every bit of herself without a single regret. it’s brought up by mephistopheles in her interludes but the reason why jalter was such an impossible idea to exist is because jeanne is so committed to god and her cause that mephisto considers her lacking in humanity. jalter refers to herself as a mercy born for jeanne because shes someones idea of jeanne having been avenged, jeanne having given in to human anger at being betrayed and thrown away. But jeanne in having never broken was also hollowed out, by her own hand no less. anyone halfway familiar with the apocrypha novels knows that jeanne is genuinely kind but also merciless when needed: she has no issue striking down the children jack creates because they are already forsaken and jeanne knows she cant save them alone, she tells atalante to her face that while god is merciful she very much isnt, jeanne freely admits that she believes humans are ultimately evil despite being capable of good, she doesnt even consider herself a saint because as much as she would have liked to remain a farmgirl she threw herself into a war knowing the death it would entail and was not even phazed by it. jeanne heard gods lament but she was not aided by god, she did everything because she was helping god, and had no issue having a cruel and pitiful death for that. which causes mephisto to call her fucking insane! mephisto in her interludes doesnt try to break jeanne by having her face every horrible thing in her life, what mephisto aimed to do was simply have jeanne admit that she did feel some kind of emotion about it, any anger, resentment, even despair, because jeanne at the very least deserved that. but she never does, which in turn terrified mephisto because he’s someone who ultimately values humanity and in his eyes, jeanne was freely throwing hers away. despite every atrocity she faced, jeanne still did hold hope for humans and was fine throwing herself away for their sakes.

But it’s also why jeanne is so kind to jalter in turn. jalter is the human jeanne wished she could be but ultimately isnt, the version of her who was allowed to be human. jeanne is too unshakeable in her principles to ever let herself break or be broken, but jalter doesnt have that commitment, that sense of duty or even that discipline. jalter, for all that she is an impossibility, is free to be herself, more than anything she allows herself to be free when jeanne never did. jalter might on the surface be the evil version of jeanne but truthfully she is the kindness that jeanne was never afforded, and while mephisto couldn't really break her, at the very least he was able to get her to admit that even if there was no resentment, she did hold a wish to live. and above all, there was nothing wrong with that wish. jalter forces jeanne to acknowledge her because even if jeanne didnt let herself stop and always ran towards her end, there were people who did grieve for jeanne, people who cared about jeanne d’arc the human and not the symbol. when jeanne first meets jalter in orleans, the first question she asks is if jalter has any memories of their past, because those memories of simpler days and simple happiness were enough for jeanne to fight for. and when jalter told her no, and yet in turn forced jeanne to acknowledge her, jeanne had decided to give that simple happiness to jalter.

jalter is not jeanne d’arc, she could never be jeanne d’arc and she doesn’t even want to be her, but jeanne wants to be kind to jalter, because it would also be allowing kindness to herself. and for all that jalter is abrasive towards jeanne, she also knows that her existence hinges on the fact that someone did care about jeanne on an individual level, so no matter how annoying she might find her “original”, the truth is that jalter existing and being happy as herself is also the wish and the validation for jeanne to be happy as herself. jalter might be the dark reflection of what jeanne could have been, but the dark reflection is not an admission of evil or the possibility of revenge, its the idea that jeanne could live for herself and have individual human happiness, and it ties back to what jalter always establishes about herself: once something is born, it cant ever be erased.

once the impossible idea of jalter was born, so too was the impossible idea of jeanne d’arc allowing herself to live as a human.

#fgo #fate grand order #zerav meta #jeanne darc #jalter #listen jeanne is a saber and jalter is a burning butterfly could i make it any more obvious

[parad-ice-lostandfound]

Prompt: Just some things about the Ramshackle Prefect and Scarabia's vice-housewarden <3

Pairing: Jamil Viper × Yuu / Gn!Reader

Genre: Fluff mostly, a little bit of angst

TW: NA (for now, please let me know if I should add trigger warnings and for what ^^)

Jamil is no stranger to looks of awe and envy. A large part of it is owed to his status as a servant of the Asim family, as well as being Kalim's closest friend and retainer. But when the Prefect looks at him, they look at him in awe of his skills. Of how he expertly manages to tackle every obstacle Kalim unwittingly puts in his way. Of how his hands work quickly and efficiently in the kitchen as he stirs and mixes and makes food for the entirety of Scarabia. Of how he manages to give his best (despite the limitations set upon him by his status) in everything he does. For them, his status as a servant matters little; his hardwork is seen for what it is, and appreciated genuinely.

Jamil takes good care of his looks. As Kalim's retainer, he is required to look after his appearance, lest even the slightest of mistakes bring scrutiny upon the Asim family. The gold trinkets braided into his hair are a symbol of his status and servitude, of pride and resentment, yet he finds that resentment slowly die down as the Prefect plays with the accessories, batting at them with all the curiosity and wonder of a little kitten. His voicing of the fact only gets him a playful pout from them, which leaves him a little weak in the knees and a little short of breath. He thanks his lucky stars that they are both sitting on his bed, for surely his traitorous legs would have given away underneath him had he been standing.

Jamil stays up at night, quite a lot. His responsibilities do not end when the Asim heir finally falls asleep; for some reason, they seem to increase. Between his own studying, making rounds of the dorm so that no unruly dorm members (or housewardens) sneak off in the middle of the night, and countless other tasks, it is a miracle that he even gets time to rest his ever watchful eyes. Yet he smiles each time the Prefect stumbles over to him, half-asleep as they tug at his arms and mumble that he needs to sleep and that they are not taking no for an answer (not that he would say no to such an adorable request) and goes along with what they say.

Jamil is not one to bare his heart to just anybody. It takes time and dedication to peel back all his layers, his self doubt, to truly get him to speak about everything and anything that is bothering him. Yet sometimes, sometimes things are too difficult to talk about, and Jamil is too tired to think about them. So when the Prefect opens their arms, inviting him in their soft and safe embrace, he obliges with a soft murmur that is his thanks to them. They rub his back, and Jamil cannot stop himself from melting under their wordless yet tender care, holding onto his beloved Prefect with all the strength he can muster in that moment.

Jamil is very perceptive; very little misses his keen gaze. He sees how each incident the Prefect invariably gets roped into takes away a little part of them. The light in their eyes is a little dimmer each time they meet his, and their smiles a little more forced as they gently turn down his enquiries about their health. Each matter resolved, each overblot fought saps their energy and shakes their will, and Jamil knows it is only a matter of time before they fall down like a house of cards. He can see them working themself to the bone, running on fumes and sheer determination to save all those who had endeared themselves to the Prefect. So he insists, borderline begging even, to take care of them. Even for just one day, one hour. He just wants to be there for them, the way they always are for him.

Jamil shows his care in subtle ways in public. Carrying an extra lunch for the Prefect, sitting next to them in class, helping them with their studies, all these are ways he shows his favor to them. In private, he whispers declarations of love and devotion to them, reveling in how flustered they get even as his own heart thumps loudly inside his chest. He stumbles over his words when they carefully hold one of his braids up to their lips, leaving a kiss on the dark strands while maintaining eye contact with him; a silent declaration more powerful and potent than any of his teasing words.

#twst #here goes nothing #jamil lovers come get your man #blame my period hormones and the firelit sky event for my jamil brainrot <3 #not quite happy with the last few parts but oh well #twisted wonderland #disney twst #disney twisted wonderland #twst jamil #jamil viper #jamil x reader #jamil x mc #jamil x yuu #jamil x y/n #ice writes #twst writing #my writing

[anthurak]

Something I’ve started noticing upon rewatching Unhappy Campers is that there is an interesting thematic parallel and contrast between the respective conflicts between Moxxie/Millie and Blitzo-Barbie, and how those conflicts resolve by the end of the episode:

First we have Moxxie and Millie pretending to be siblings while Blitzo and Barbie are actual siblings, setting up the parallels. Then towards the end of the episode, we have Moxxie and Millie getting into a big fight, and we learn that something bad happened in the past between Blitzo and Barbie.

And here’s where we get the interesting contrast: After the fight with Millie, Moxxie effectively immediately owns up to his mistake and fully commits to patching things up between them. Ditching everything else and wholeheartedly supporting his wife in her performance just as much as she’s supported him. And thanks to this, the pair end the episode with their bond and relationship just as strong and close as it was before.

By contrast, Blitzo’s attempts to reconnect with Barbie after what happened between them long in the past get thrown right back in his face. Making it clear that this bridge between them has been thoroughly burned by this point.

I think the implication here is that like Moxxie with Millie, Blitzo hurt his sister somehow at some point in the past. Unlike Moxxie however, Blitzo didn’t own up to his mistake and work to try and patch things up between them. At least not before their relationship deteriorated long past any hope of repair. Note also that despite his concern for and wanting to reconnect with his sister, at NO point while talking to Barbie this episode does Blitzo try to apologize or otherwise take ownership for whatever he did. Again in sharp contrast to what we see from Moxxie.

In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out that the whole conflict between Moxxie and Millie this episode is hinting at whatever happened between Blitzo and Barbie. We know that Barbie Wire was the more talented/capable performer between the two, given how she had a successful acting career while Blitzo’s own attempts crashed and burned. So I think it’s no stretch to assume that a younger Blitzo developed a petty resentment towards his sister much as Moxxie develops towards Millie in this episode.

Though I think we can also assume that what happened between Blitzo and Barbie was much BIGGER than what we saw between the M&Ms this episode. Both in terms of how long Blitzo’s resentment was festering, and in terms of WHAT he actually ended up doing. For as much of a dick Moxxie may have wound up acting this episode, he didn’t actually do anything worse than some petulant whining about it.

By contrast, I have a feeling that whatever Blitzo wound up doing to his sister, even if it wasn’t entirely intentional, was a WHOLE lot worse. I mean, something had to end Barbie’s performance career and drive her into substance abuse. How much does anyone want to bet that Blitzo was responsible for that? Certainly it was something bad enough for Barbie to cut off ALL contact with Blitzo and put as much distance between them as she possibly can.

In addition, something else that this train of thought has gotten me thinking about is how Fizzerolli might fit into all this. We know he was in the circus with Blitzo and Barbie, and from the flashbacks in the Season 2 premier, we know they’re all about the same age.

Consider: In the past, Blitzo was part of a close-knit trio with two other imps during his childhood. And in the present he is trying to form a close-knit trio with two other imps.

I don’t think it’s at all a stretch to assume that we are going to end up seeing some major thematic/dramatic parallels between the past trio of Blitzo-Barbie-Fizzerolli, and the present trio of Blitzo-Moxxie-Millie. And that Blitzo isn’t just trying to create a family dynamic with his two employees/co-workers, but specifically (consciously or otherwise) trying to recreate the family dynamic he once had. The family unit he very likely destroyed…

Consider some of the things we already know about Barb’s and Fizz’s past with Blitzo: All three were in the circus together, but both Barb and Fizz were/are clearly MUCH more talented and capable performers than Blitzo, and each went on to have successful solo careers while Blitzo’s own attempts crashed and burned.

Now, this happens to line up surprisingly well with the M&Ms: Despite his neuroses and other hangups, Moxxie is a pretty capable and skilled musician and performer, certainly way moreso than what we’ve seen of Blitzo. And from this latest episode, we know that Millie is actually a VERY talented singer and general performer herself. While we don’t know enough about Barb and Fizz to determine whether Moxxie and Millie are specifically paralleling one or the other, I think taken together the similarities line up very well.

Consider also the hints we’ve gotten that Blitzo and Fizz may have been a couple at one point, which could provide yet another parallel to the M&Ms. As well as the surprising amount of sexual tension we’ve gotten between Moxxie and Blitzo.

Now obviously, I don’t think there are going to be any straight ‘one-to-one’ parallels like Moxxie being directly paralleled to Fizzerolli or Millie being directly paralleled to Barbie. But I definitely think Vivzie and the team are setting up some kind of ‘history repeats’ narrative with Blitzo, Moxxie and Millie in order to explore and confront Blitzo’s deep-seated family trauma.

#helluva boss #helluva boss analysis #helluva boss theory #blitzo #helluva blitzo #moxxie #helluva moxxie #millie #helluva millie #barbie wire #fizzarolli #character parallels #character foils

[ocularpatd0wn]

For Mac, his father was an incomprehensible entity he tried to follow, obey, and please, but from whom he never received a clear sign, guidance, or reward for his efforts. Interestingly, this dynamic slightly reminded him of his relationship with God, so over the years, Mac convinced himself that perhaps, like religious belief, the love between a father and a son was an act of faith, something he had to believe in blindly despite having no tangible evidence of it. Even if his father had never said he loved him, he had to believe that he did and maintain his unwavering conviction despite everything.

(...)

It was well known by everyone that Mac insisted on acting as if he had a good relationship with his father, and trying to reason with him about reality was futile. In the occasions when the gang discussed childhood and the terror of the relationship between parents and children (which often resembled more a competition to see who had suffered more than a liberating release), Mac preferred to stay out of the fight, calling the others ungrateful brats, convinced that there was no worse offense than a child speaking ill of a parent. The rest found this facade ironic, as the absence of love and affection in his home was an open secret. No matter how fervently Mac tried to convince himself that he could find words of love in his mother's silences, or the alibis he sought to excuse the fact that his father had never dedicated words of affection to him, reality came to light in the form of cigarette burns that traversed his skin for not keeping quiet when he should have or the terror that glimpsed in his sincere eyes every time he recounted that his father had come home from prison.

Perhaps the stubbornness with which he clung to the idea that there was still room for love in his home stemmed from the fact that there was a time, during childhood, when Mac believed he had seen in his parents the potential to love and be loved (perhaps not towards him, but between them), although over time that certainty seemed increasingly elusive. He also felt that his father had set a countdown for him to become someone he wasn't, a deadline to discover how he should be, and as the years approached the end of the deadline he had been given, resentment and disappointment had grown inside his father, who never looked at him with even a hint of tenderness again. It was as if during childhood he had had certain suspicions about his son that adolescence had ended up confirming, and the hope that he would change and become what he wished he would be had been buried beneath the certainty that his son was a disappointment.

All Luther seemed to want to give Mac were cold stares, silence, insults, or blows. Mac couldn't even keep alive the hope that, even if he couldn't love him, perhaps in his return his parents would find a way to reconcile to be happy together again, as the only words they exchanged were grunts and insults. The longest sentences Mac heard his father direct at his mother were always about him, blaming her for how she had raised him while he had been absent, pointing out the great disappointment he had become.

"If I had been here, none of this would have happened," he heard his father say one afternoon when he came home from school. He had muttered the words under his breath, but loud enough for Mac to hear from the entrance. "That's what happens when kids grow up without a father to teach them how a man should behave." Mac closed the door behind him silently and walked to his room, pretending not to have heard anything. For a moment, he fantasized about his mother coming to his defense, explaining to his father how he had been a good son during the time he hadn't been there to take care of them, how he had protected her and made money selling drugs at school, but, unfortunately, Ms. Mac only let out a sigh of exasperation and continued smoking her cigarette in complete silence.

Deprived of protection from his mother and feeling increasingly rejected by his father, Mac could only obsess over the fact that the insults Luther directed at him every day now came laden with a new poison, trying to dig into already open wounds instead of drawing new scars. His insinuations seemed to want to reveal that he knew how he felt for Dennis, that he was aware of his desires and impulses. It was as if, despite being locked up in prison for most of his teenage years, his father had had access to every episode of his life, as if he were an omnipresent entity who saw and knew everything.

(...)

That night, sleeping hugged by Dennis on that wide couch, Mac dreamed of his father's stern gaze, and the insults he had heard him utter to his mother repeated over and over again in an agonizing nightmare. Therefore, once morning came and he had said goodbye to his friend, Mac went to church to confess, anxious to find relief, forgiveness, or guidance to lighten the burden that had embedded itself in his being, convinced that if God didn't punish him for the feelings that settled in his stomach when sleeping embraced by Dennis, it would be his father who would detect them as soon as he saw him and would scold him for it. As he uttered the words "forgive me, Father, for I have sinned," his mind evoked the image of Luther on the other side of the confessional, wanting to believe that his words and the forgiveness that would be granted to him upon reciting the Hail Marys that the priest deemed necessary could be transmitted to his father by the grace of God.

(this is an excerpt of a fanfic i'm writing!! i wanted to share this snippet where i reflect on mac's relationship with luther during his adolescence. i thought you guys might like to read it even if you don't want to read the whole fic!!

but in case you do want to read it... here it is: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48676942/chapters/122787364 <3)

#iasip #macdennis #it's always sunny in philadelphia #ao3 fanfic #iasip fanfic #mine #mac mcdonald #dennis reynolds #luther mcdonald #my fanfic #fanfic #always sunny #it’s always sunny #it’s always sunny in philly #relationship study

[missdrake]

Warnings: TOXIC, ABUSE, FORCED relationship, Yandere

In many ways, Homelander could be considered a unique yandere, since he embodies a lot of yandere traits & types.

His possessiveness shines the most. He owns you. Any friends and families; gone. They don’t care or love you as he does. All your financial needs and resources will all be tied to him. There’s the need to control your every move. And he’ll feel threatened; feel as if you’re slipping away from his control if you were to make a decision without his notice. Homelander doesn’t feel the need to justify his actions, yet he still does. 

Which leads to his protectiveness and manipulativeness. He’s acting in your best interest. Have you seen the world? Have you seen its people? The mud people. Sure, you may be one of them, but you’re not the same as them; you’re different. You need him; you need him to protect you from whatever danger that threatens to pull you apart - even if he has to hold you a little too tight in order to get the point across. 

Your dependence on him is also tied to his dependence on you. It doesn't take long for you to notice his clinginess after being with him for a short while. He’s so emotionally dependent on you and for the strongest being on earth; he’s fragile. Nothing angers him when your attention is away from somewhere. Prepare to say goodbye to any pets you own. Spend a lot of time tending to your plants and they will be lasered.

It’s safe to say the most selfish and impulsive. Everything he does is for his own desire. If he were to do something nice, just know he always expects something in return. Homelander wants you to worship him, to see him as a god and to treat him like one. Failing to comply will result in disastrous results. Homelander acts as a toddler with tantrums. One moment he’s fine, the next moment he’s presenting the body of your dear friend. In the event you anger him too much, he may accidentally break a bone or two, and then demand that Vought heals you. They’re sure to give you an extra bottle of compound v in case anything were to occur. 

Speaking of injuries; Homelander is a sadist to any obvious person. It does not matter how much he claims to love you and care for you as well as the fact that you are the only person he can tolerate; bad habits still appear nonetheless. He sometimes gets the satisfaction of humiliating you or making you so uncomfortable. His jokes are also questionable at best. Such as making one about how funny it’d be to drop you from a ten story building only to catch you at the last minute; anticipating your laugh. 

Sometimes you assume he resents you, which isn't far from the truth. Homelander hates what you mean to him; how you are a weakness. The truth is that he’s obsessed; fixated. You occupy almost every thought in his mind. In spite of all the photoshoots and interviews Homelander have, he will always have time to watch you in secret; stalk you. His team and the surrounding staff notice his blank stare; it’s when his mind goes to you. His ears are always tuned to your heartbeat and voice.

In nature, Homelander is already delusional. Combined with his tendencies, it only exacerbates his delusions. As far as he is concerned, you love him, and that you two have something special between you. That's what he convinced himself with Maeve, despite her apparent resistance to his touches; with Stormfront, despite her obvious manipulations. You're lying, shy, there's someone else, you just need time, you're confused; there are endless excuses he has for you. 

In spite of all his delusions, there are hints of lucidity. His presence causes your heartbeat to pick up; not due to fluster, but due to fear. When he leaves the room, he pretends not to hear your deep breaths; on the verge of a breakdown. And when you break, it's adorable how you think the shower can drown out your cries. As long as you tell Homelander you love him even if it's in a shaky voice and smile even if it's crooked, he'll indulge in the fantasy that you and him were meant to be. That you, him and Ryan will be one happy family. 

#homelander x reader #the boys x reader #yandere x reader #yandere homelander #yandere the boys #yandere #x reader #reader insert #the boys #homelander #yandere imagines #yandere scenarios #imagine #imagines #scenarios

[livstarlight]

In my personal (impossible) dream scenario nashuri evolves like this.

We start with a tentative alliance in which Wakanda and Talokan don’t trust each other at all, they tolerate each other at best, and just because deep down they know that if they want to survive against the rest of the world they have to work together. They are basically each other’s best (if not only) option.

And Namor and Shuri are the prime example of this. She downright despise having to deal with him, but she still does, for the sake of her people, and probably his too, because she is selfless. But of course that doesn’t mean she has to like it and in fact she never misses the chance of reminding him how much she hates this. How much she hates him. [deep down she doesn’t, she’s annoyed, resentful, but she doesn’t fully hate him]

He is a whole other story. He recognizes the benefits of the alliance, he is of course still blissfully impressed by her, taken even, but he doesn’t share her hopeful point of view. He thinks her naïve in some thing, yet still admiring how despite everything that has happened to her, she still manages to see good in the world. But still, he stays, he cooperates, in his own insufferable manner that drives Shuri mad at every chance. Sometimes (more than some) he does it on purpose just to get a raise out of her.

It’s the alliance, the need to join forces that eventually starts bringing them closer in time, and not just them, their people too. It opens both parties to more and more awareness how alike they are, how they are not completely good or bad either, that there is a shade in between. A bridge that can connect them. Namor and Shuri more than anything.

But of course Shuri would rather choke than admit it, would rather set herself on fire than say she doesn’t just understand Namor. She feels for him. He is less blindsided by it, more aware, but you know how it is, honor and responsability for his people keep him from fully giving in to this, besides it doesn’t help she keeps pushing him away every chance she gets. Especially when they seem to make a little progress. What happened between in them the past, the guilt Shuri feels anytime she allows herself to forget even if just for one moment keep them severely apart.

The vibranium disputes happen. They persevere. They win. All the while denying (Shuri), agonizing (Namor) and still subconciously growing closer.

Then Kang happens.

Shuri has to convince him to join forces with the avengers and the rest of the heroes. A lot of talking, of knocking sense into him, has to happen (because yes, this involves Talokan and Wakanda too, all the multiverse is in danger).

Eventually he relents. But just because of Talokan (and because she asked).

Obviously there is a lot at stake. Their push and pull keeps going strong even in the face of the biggest danger staring right at them in the face. War, danger, possible death. She keeps him close, just to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid, yet at safe distance, to make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid.

Something snaps when they are both full into deep. Conflict is around them, they could die at any moment. And that’s when Shuri realizes that she has lost sight of him. Doesn’t know where he is or if he is alright. That she probably should have said something sooner, and she doesn’t know if she will even be able to because who knows if they are both going to survive this. She should have been smarter, learned from experience. That life is short. 

She finds him eventually. They find each other. They both survive. [She still doesn’t say anything, he doesn’t either, but he doesn’t even need to. It has been written all over his face for so long it might has well been there since a particular conversation that involved a tour, a cave and a old bracelet]

It’s the aftermath that helps.

When there is nothing to fight anymore (for now), nothing to hide behind, when everything falls apart. When Shuri lets herself falls apart and accepts it. Him. Because you don’t know how much you have, how important people are to you, how much you love them, until it’s too late. Or you lose them. And truth is she doesn’t wanna lose him.

And the feathered serpent god finally realizes that maybe he has some love for some things on the surface world after all.

#I don't know what this is #why I wrote this #did I just make myself cry? #WHATEVER #I am insane so there is that #namor x shuri #namuri #nashuri #seaprincess #shuri #namor #black panther #wakanda forever #mcu #headcanon #musing

[mariposakitten]

Whenever I see fanon about Wen Ning, it always seems to propose a dichotomy: Wen Ning was a gentle, timid, peaceful soul until Wei Wuxian turned him into a fierce corpse and made him into a weapon. If that had never happened he would have remained timid and gentle and ever so slightly befuddled all the days of his life.

I will say upfront, I am only working with CQL chronology. I understand there are drastic differences between the book and the show; those who know the book better are free to add onto this, either to agree or disagree. But from the perspective of the show: I call bullshit.

This is the man who disobeyed both his sect leader and his sister, putting himself at risk, to save Wei Wuxian from the dungeon-wolf and smuggle medicine to him. Who went against his entire sect again, risked his own life AND faced social ridicule (and it’s anyone’s guess which was scarier), to save Jiang Cheng – not because he particularly cared about Jiang Cheng, but because his friend did. Who risked his life again, and his sister’s life, AND risked his sister’s anger, asking her to shelter and care for the Yunmeng trio. Who died, in the labor camp at Qiongqi Path, because he was trying to protect his fellow prisoners.

Before he was ever a fierce corpse, this man lived and died a hero. The fact that he was by nature gentle and timid just makes his courage more noteworthy – he was scared, genuinely scared, for most of his heroics. He did what needed doing anyway.

And everything, everything he did was to protect others.

Do not let the wide eyes and the babyface fool you. Wen Ning was a badass long before he was reanimated by resentful energy; he was just a quiet, self-effacing badass.

Wen Ning might, in a quiet moment, regret that his natural death was interrupted, that he may have been taken out of the cycle of reincarnation. He might be upset that someone with enough power could control him against his will. He might be saddened that people instinctively fear him or see him as a threat. But I can’t believe that he resents being “made into a weapon" or “corrupted by resentment.”

The resentment  was always there. It is a testament to who he is as a person that he stayed as sweet as he was despite it, but it was no accident that he had enough resentment to revive his own body. A good man surrounded by bad men will always be resentful, and for good reason.

As for being “made" into a weapon? At every opportunity, he put himself between the people he wanted to protect and those who would hurt them. No matter how he felt about the rest of his transformation, I can’t imagine he would be anything less than thrilled about finally having the physical ability to make that protection stick.

Being a weapon that can be wielded by someone he didn’t choose is a problem. Being a weapon, in and of itself, is not.

Wen Ning is not and never was the guileless innocent some make him out to be. He is gentle, yes; he would rather heal and nurture than hurt. He is timid, yes; words hurt him and he fears confrontation. He is good, always and to his core. But he was always strong and brave enough to overcome his fears and stand up for what he thought was right, always determined enough to fight for his people even when he thought he’d lose, and it is a disservice to his character to claim otherwise.

#cql #the untamed #mdzs #wen ning

[st0rmyskies]

Sitting here waiting for the numb half of my face to figure itself out after getting some dental work and thinking about how the boys all handle their shit at the dentist. 

Under the cut because I'm sure some people don't like talking about dental stuff.

Time - Incredibly mistrusting. He hates being in the chair, will stand awkwardly in the doorway until it’s absolutely necessary that he takes a seat. Unless he gets to WATCH the dentist pull up the numbing medication from the bottle he will refuse any injections. Can and has sat through fillings without procaine before. And Time has a fair number of fillings, seeing as his dental health kind of fell to the wayside during his teens. Also has a dental implant or two. It's easy to lose teeth in his line of work.

Twilight - Goes to the dentist every 6 months because he knows he needs to, but doesn’t necessarily relish this. Luckily he takes such good care of his teeth that he hasn’t needed anything major done. The hygienists all fight over who gets to take the cute cowboy each time he comes in. So much blushing and "thank you, ma'am"-ing that it gets the entire office distracted for the afternoon.

Champion - Will sit straight-backed and stiff in the chair, staring straight ahead the entire time. Instant compliance with everything the dentist asks ("Open your mouth." "Spit." "Turn this way."). Even if he white-knuckles the arm rests, he’s not going to complain or flinch for anything: not injections, not drilling, not cleaning. He’s in good oral health for his age. 

Warriors - Gets all the dish on the office drama every time he goes. He has his One Special Hygienist that he requests specifically for each cleaning. The day he is diagnosed with a cavity, he is disconsolate and needs a box of tissues. He takes a lil something to take the edge off before his filling appointment and refuses to leave the office without a face mask to hide the fact that half of his face is drooping. Resents being swollen afterward. 

Sky - Is the asshole who hasn’t gone to the dentist since he left home, gets berated by Sun until he finally makes the appointment. He dislikes dentist visits quite a bit and definitely has a wide-eyed look on his face the whole time, is much too chatty with tools in his mouth, and at the end is given a clean bill of health despite his lack of conscious upkeep. Jerk.

Legend - He let his oral health fall to the wayside during his early teens and didn’t pick it back up again until after he started living with Hyrule. Consequently, he’s needed a fair amount of work done but he takes it like a champ. What, like it’s hard? He’s had road rash that hurts worse than this. Just pops in his headphones and vibes while his face gets numb.

Hyrule - Has religiously seen the dentist twice yearly for quite some time, although often it's more than 6 months between visits because life is like that. He and the dentist compare notes on patient stories and treatment options. He usually has some case he wants to consult with them on anyway. His coffee addiction means that he’s had a fair number of cavities as he’s aged. Definitely has fallen asleep in the dentist’s chair. 

Four - Doesn’t like the dentist, but doesn’t hate it. Is very specific about which hygienist he sees, absolutely refuses the ultrasonic cleaner, and is pretty meticulous about most things, including his teeth. Has definitely played with the canister of laughing gas when left alone in the room, and now they don’t leave him alone in the room anymore. Hasn’t needed major work done yet. 

Wind - If this kid could pay someone to go to the dentist for him, he would. He goes only when he’s having a problem and then bitches and bellyaches that he needs work done. He pesters someone into going to his appointments with him so that he doesn’t have to do it alone, and they usually get sweets after, defeating the purpose of dental care.

Dark - Nope. No. Absolutely not. He would need to be heavily sedated for any type of dental work, and even then someone would need to bring him to the office and stay with him the entire time to make sure he doesn’t just up and leave. The chair, the masks and goggles, the gloves and tools, the light over his face, it all brings back bad, bad memories for him. He has a mouth full of veneers and is pretty good about his teeth mainly because he never wants to see the fucking dentist, ever.

#about the boys #hsh #townhouse au #stormy talks

[farfromharry]

Beth [ 17 ] | Dad!Eddie Munson fic

Seventeen, Birthdays and makeups

Word count - 7417

Warnings - minimal angst ig, language?

━━━━━━━━━♡♥♡━━━━━━━━━

November 1995

It had been two whole months since your fight with Beth and the two of you still hadn’t made up. It wasn’t like you hadn’t tried, you definitely had— her? not so much— but you were unable to put so much of a focus on it when you had a very needy newborn to take care of. It was tearing Eddie up inside, he was basically begging you daily to take action, but nothing changed. 

The perfect moment arose as Eddie’s birthday approached. You and Tulip wanted to do something sweet to celebrate Steve and your husband’s shared day of birth– despite the fact the younger man would probably hate that with everything in him. However, it wasn’t up to them, so the two of you planned it all out as a delightful surprise. 

Before the actual date, closer to mid November than late due to Tulip’s impending due date, the four of you– plus your lovely kids– were going to stay in a house overlooking Lake Ontario for a couple days. It was a long drive, almost thirteen hours, which was completely unbearable to the heavily pregnant woman, but you were doing it for your husbands not yourselves. Bat would be staying with Wayne for the duration, the man having quite the soft spot for the feline. You had tried to worm him onto the trip with you, but it’d been met with a hard no from Steve.

The original idea had been that you had the chance to talk with Beth on the drive, when there was nowhere for any of you to run, but she had convinced her pseudo aunt and uncle to allow her to go with them. You were unaware until the time for you all to leave came, your heart sinking as she climbed into the Range Rover beside the two car seats containing the Harrington twins. “What are you doing?” Eddie asked, glancing between his daughter and his best friend. 

Tulip looked a little worried she’d overstepped. “She asked if she could come with us, she said she wanted to spend time with Halley and Lyra. Is that okay?”

You could tell your husband was going to say no, push his daughter to sit through a very awkward car journey for both of your sakes. It was honestly quite selfless of him to be willing to sit through so much tension for so long just so you had the opportunity to make up. However, though you appreciated the sentiment, you were still nervous that forcing this on Beth was only going to make her resent you more. “That’s fine, Tulip. She loves those girls,” you jumped in, ignoring the look Eddie shot you. “Plus, it’ll let Lola sleep if she’s with you.”

There wasn’t much more to debate, and you missed the longing look the nine year old sent in your direction. You wanted to get on the road as quickly as possible and no one would argue with you about that. 

Once inside the privacy of Eddie’s old van, he brought up what had just happened, even as you tried to ignore him by busying yourself starting the shitty engine and such. “Why did you do that? This could have been your moment.”

You were avoiding eye contact with him and he knew it. Instead of looking into those puppy eyes, which you knew would have you spilling your darkest of secrets. As you responded, you quickly checked on Lola, made sure she was okay and still sleeping calmly. “I just thought she’d be happier with them. We have time to talk at the house.”

He noticed you were getting yourself worked up again, and in an attempt to make you feel better, place his hand over one of yours. The look on his eyes was full of love and sincerity. “We’ll fix this. She loves you just as much as you love her.” 

With that you started the engine of the van, leading the way to what would be your home for the next few days.

The first day you arrived, none of you had the energy to do anything. After so much traveling, and pulling over thanks to Tulip’s tiny pregnancy bladder, you were all exhausted– well, all except Lola who had taken many many naps during the journey. It was late when you pulled up outside of the large house, almost nine in the evening which was definitely past all four children’s bedtimes. They were taken straight to bed, Eddie carrying a sleepy Beth while Steve was tasked with carrying both of his twins. The three were staying all in one room, while Lola would be with you and your husband so you could keep an eye on her. 

You and Tulip sat yourselves down to finally have some rest. She stretched herself out on the couch, hands cradling her bump as she tried to fight her drooping eyes. She didn’t want to fall asleep without Steve by her side. This second pregnancy– she wouldn’t admit it happened in the first too– had found her a lot clingier with her husband, specifically when she got tired. It had become almost an impossible task for her to try to sleep without the man somewhere nearby or with a hand on her. 

You had taken a seat in the armchair across from the couch, blanket thrown over yours and Lola’s laps to keep you warm. The November chill didn’t seem as harsh with the warmth from the blanket and the crackling fire. 

Tulip was practically passed out by the time the two men came back down the stairs. She had been watching on as you amused your daughter, your fingers tickling her pudgy belly to hear those happy baby giggles that made your heart so warm. At the sight of his sleepy wife, he was grinning like an idiot, taking big strides over to the couch so he could join her, maybe stroke her hair or hold her as she napped. 

He was careful when he lifted her head to rest it in his lap, trying not to shake her too much in case he roused her out of the content daze she was in. 

In the meantime, Eddie was joining you and your daughter in the roomy chair, beaming at her when she babbled mindlessly to him as he sat down. In a motherly move, you threw some of the knitted blanket over his legs, hoping to keep him cozy. “How’s Beth?” you asked, adjusting your position so your husband could wrap his arms around your frame, tucking you into his side while Lola rested between you happily. 

“She’s okay. Tired. Would probably be better if her mom had said goodnight.” You scolded him under your breath, not wanting to have a conversation like that when your friends were right there. Steve could probably hear everything you were saying. The way he was looking at you both as he subconsciously drew circles on his wife’s arm, told you exactly that. 

It wasn’t his place, but his curiosity got the better of him after he watched the two of you whisper-yell at each other for a few minutes. “What’s going on with you and Beth? Did something happen?” 

You sighed, sinking further into your seat as you hoped to avoid the question entirely. Despite Eddie’s encouraging nudges to just tell him, you were praying the other man would simply lose interest and change the subject, or that if you were silent for long enough he would get the gist that you didn’t feel like answering. Eventually Eddie’s elbow in your ribs became far too irritating to ignore, scowling at him as you prepared an answer for Steve. “She thinks now that we have Lola, I don’t love her cause ‘I’m not her real mom,’ which is crazy.” 

“Is it though?” he asked, seeing the confusion spring on your face. “Crazy, I mean.”

Hearing those words coming from the dad of two, soon to be four, didn’t fill you with much confidence. You were beginning to rethink everything you had felt the last couple months. Was Beth in the right? Were you really picking favorites? 

“I know newborns are clingy, trust me I do– but kids feel left out, it’s not crazy or absurd for her to feel that way.” He wasn’t intending to make you feel bad, but that didn’t mean guilt wasn’t bubbling up in your chest. “I’m not blaming you– either of you. Just something to think about.”

The conversation was cut short when Lola began to babble excitedly, almost like she knew what you were talking about and wanted to make the mood lighter. Whereas Eddie was happy to entertain her in an instant, the smile on your face was much less excited and a lot more forced as you tried to pretend to be unbothered by the information Steve had just relayed to you. That same mood continued for the rest of the night, not that anyone really noticed. Or if Eddie did, he didn’t bring it up.  

The next morning, after everyone was refreshed and feeling much more wide awake– and you were less upset about your conversation last night, you all decided to go swimming. Eddie wasn’t particularly happy about that decision, he was a big hater of anything water, but he was at least a bit grateful that it wasn’t by a beach— god he hated the beach.

You and Tulip had opted to stay out of the water for a little, to her the thought of swimming while almost full term with two babies wasn’t a pleasant one. As for you, you were just happy to observe everyone having fun. Eddie was trying to introduce your five month old to the water as gently as he could, while Steve was occupied with the three kids. He was attempting to teach Beth how to paddleboard, making sure he gave her extra attention after the news he was made aware of the night before. He didn’t want her to feel left out for a second. His own two girls were paddling just a short distance away with their floaties high on their arms, giggling away as the two twins splashed at each other. Although Tulip wasn’t obsessed with the idea of them being ‘on their own’, she did accept that Steve was close enough that he could jump in at any time if they needed him. Plus he was a certified lifeguard, that got him brownie points too. 

As for you and Tulip, you were trying to narrow down the plans for your husbands’ joint birthday surprise. The two of you wanted to throw a mini party, but details had yet to be discussed. Now was the perfect time. 

“What kind of cake does Steve like? I was thinking if he and Eddie don’t like the same, we could make two,” you said. You had slipped in the ‘make’ part so casually that she almost missed it, but luckily she did hear it. Up until this point she hadn’t considered the fact they would be homemade. 

“I thought we were just buying them. Are you making them?” Owning the diner, she assumed you knew how to cook pretty well. Eddie had mentioned to her in passing before that you were the one in the relationship that cooked; he was notoriously just as bad as she was when it came to the skill. They never took the opportunity to learn, or really had to thanks to Petal, unlike Steve and you. 

You chuckled. “Me? We’re making them,” you confirmed. There was no way in hell you were making two separate birthday cakes yourself. She might have been heavily pregnant, but the least she could do is pass you the ingredients. 

The woman pouted, deflating in her seat. “Why me? I can’t bake.”

“He’s your husband, ‘m sure he doesn’t care how good it is. Surely he’d love something made by you.”

“I can guarantee he wouldn’t. He wants nothing home cooked by me, ever.” Her confession made you giggle. You didn’t know to what extent her skill was, didn’t know one time she had set off the smoke alarm burning a meal for Steve, but in your eyes she couldn’t be as bad as your own husband. That was up for debate though. “Did you at least get him a gift?”

She gestured to her large bump, widening her eyes a little like it should have been obvious. You knew she wasn’t much of a material gift giver, so you don’t know why you expected any less. “He’s getting nothing more than his daughter,” she shrugged. 

“D’you think it’s too late for me to try that one on Eddie?” you asked, playfully. You’d already gotten the man you loved a gift, combat boots to replace his old, worn out ones and a signet ring with his children’s fingerprints (shaped into an adorable heart) to commemorate him turning the big thirty.

As Tulip looked over to Lola, she grinned, turning back to you with the same happy expression. “Maybe just a few months too late. But ‘m sure if you're adamant enough you could convince him.”

He must’ve noticed the glances the two of you had been occasionally sending his way, because his eyes were fixated on you both firmly, even as Lola whined for his attention. Or at least that was what he thought she was beginning to blubber for. The woman beside you obviously had to take every opportunity to tease her best friend, even if the intense staring wasn’t bothering her as much as she let on. “What’re you looking at, ugly?”

He rolled his eyes, ignoring the way you didn’t even try and protest to her words. Instead he chose to fire back where he knew it would strike a nerve. “Look Lols,” Eddie cooed, bobbing the girl in the water carefully. Her eyes followed where he was pointing, as did all of you that were curious, until they landed on Tulip on the deck. “A beached whale.” 

There was a series of gasps from you and the two other adults. It was the first time Steve had taken his attention away from the kids since you first got into the water a couple hours back. There was a proud grin plastered on the metalhead’s lips, but it would be quickly wiped away at the threat of death from the woman. Although he did try his hardest to prevent it, not exactly in the most moral way though. “You can’t hurt me, I’m holding a baby,” he announced, holding Lola up to where the two of you could see her better than before. 

“Are you using your infant as a shield?” Steve asked. 

He held no shame as he nodded. But just like clockwork, the girl in question began to cry, her gaze searching for her mother. You were quickly on your feet, meeting your husband halfway so you could tend to your baby. “Not anymore,” you grinned, taking the little girl whose arms were outstretched to you. Her eyes had been growing much more watery as her feeding time approached. Unfortunately for your husband, that meant he no longer had a shield stopping his best friend from giving him a piece of her mind.

If it wasn’t so much work for the pregnant lady to even think about, she would have attempted to kill him in some way– maybe drown him for the convenience of it. He was lucky, this time, but that didn’t mean he’d be protected the next. 

That didn’t mean he was safe from her children though. In an attempt to protect their mother’s honor, the two little girls went right for him. They made battle sounds as they basically threw themselves at him, knocking him back in the water. The sight produced a lot of laughter, none of it from Eddie though who was being used like a jungle gym by two four year olds. She cheered them on, ignoring her best friend’s playful pleas for her to call back her army. 

They ceased a little while later, growing bored of their Uncle Eddie and ultimately deciding they needed to bother their dad again– though he was more than happy to have their company. That was when your husband decided to take to entertaining Beth, trying to make sure the girl felt included to the best of his ability. 

He’d noticed how she had stayed away from him when he had been cradling the five month old, barely even looked at him in fact. This wasn’t the relationship he expected his daughters to have. She had been much more interested in hanging out with the Harrington twins. The two four years being more like her sisters than Lola was. It broke his heart to think, and he couldn’t even imagine how it made you feel. He noticed the looks, the frowns that you thought no one saw when you looked at her. When you first properly talked to Eddie about Lola, you gushed to him the idea of the two girls being the bestest of friends– the way you wished you could have been with a sister if you had had one. To know that fantasy of yours was rapidly going down the drain must have been ruining you inside. 

If anyone had taken to counting the longing looks you and Beth sent to each other throughout the day, they would have been up in the millions by now. It was clear to everyone that you both missed each other, and no one had any clue why you were letting this mini feud go on for so long. No one was more confused than the father of the child himself. 

Most of the day, besides lunch and the frequent bathroom breaks– specifically for Tulip, was spent in or beside the lake. All went well for the most part, but it swiftly came to an end when Steve brought up the brilliant idea of putting the grill to good use. Any single one of you would die for the Harrington man’s cooking, especially his currently pregnant wife. The second the words left his mouth, it was like a competition of who could get out of the water faster.

You would have joined them, had it not been for the man blocking your way on the deck. He thought it’d be fun for the two of you to have your own swim in the lake, just the two of you. And you would have agreed, had he informed you it was going to start with him tackling you in off the deck. 

“What are you doing?” you asked, eyeing him warily as he approached you on the end of the dock. Your eyes were narrowed in his direction, suspicious of every move he made closer to you. He shrugged, trying to act as innocent as he possibly could, but his acting skills could use some heavy work. The mischief in his eyes was blatant, and only someone with an ulterior motive would smile at someone like that. 

He wanted you to think he was only going in for a hug, and maybe if you hadn’t already suspected he was up to something, you might have. When his arms reached out for you though, you took a step back, pointing your finger at him sternly as if to tell him to quit while he was ahead. Your motherly authority didn’t work on him though, he knew all the weaknesses you possessed that would convince you to forgive him in the long run. “I’m not doing anything, I swear.”

“Eddie,” you cautioned. 

Your warning was completely ignored as he lunged for you, tackling you into the lake below like his plan had been all along. As the two of you emerged from underneath the water, he was giggling like a mad man, putting a little bit of distance between the two of you so you didn’t kill him straight away. He’d experienced enough attempted drownings for one day. 

The sound of his laughter was contagious, but you were supposed to be mad at him. You were trying your hardest to hold back the laughter that desperately wanted to leave your lips, but it was becoming close to impossible the longer he grinned at you with that dreamy smile. 

“You’re an ass,” you complained, chuckling towards the end of your words. He didn’t care, you could call him anything in that moment and it wouldn’t change the love he was feeling for you. Not even when you splashed him as some sort of payback. When he finally deemed it safe, he closed the gap between you, his arms snaking around your torso under the water. Yours looped around his neck, the two of you now so close that your noses almost brushed against one anothers. 

If you had looked hard enough, you would have seen Tulip standing at the door of the house, video camera in hand as she caught the sweet moment on film. There was a warm smile on her face as she captured the sight, but the little girl next to her was staring at you both in almost a hateful scowl. Beth couldn’t help but wonder why you had enough time for Lola and her dad, but not for her. Did you love them more than you did her? She didn’t know what she needed to do to get attention from you at this point, but she had a feeling that the empty spot on her wrist where her half of your matching bracelets used to be, might help. Losing it wasn’t intentional, but surely it would only work in her favor. 

The two of you planned on getting out early, but were given reassurance from Tulip that her and her husband could watch your kids. That was all you needed to be given the green light to act like carefree kids for a little bit. 

Eddie might have been turning thirty, you close behind, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t take a second to feel like the twenty year old kids you used to be– only this time without a toddler to care for. If you and him had started dating earlier, back in highschool, maybe you would have gotten more moments like this. Moments where you frolicked in Lover’s lake, splashing each other in the hot Hawkins summers to cool each other down. Where you made out under the school bleachers and maybe made fun of the jocks. Where you went on late night drives together to get away from your overbearing families. 

None of that was to say that you didn’t love where you were with him now, or that you didn’t love the child that became yours when you and your husband got together. But sometimes you wondered briefly what would have been of your relationship if Beth wasn’t involved from the beginning, if she had been born later– come from you instead of the wretched woman she had to call her birth mother. If you and Eddie had just been regular, non parent, twenty year olds dating, would you even still be together now? 

“Hey,” he whispered, bringing you out of your head. You flashed him a smile, brushing some of his wet hair out of his face. His bangs were blocking his view from how the water had shaped them. He resembled a drowned rat a little you thought, but you wouldn’t tell him that. “You looked a little in your head, y’okay?”

You nodded. “Perfect.”

The next day was party day. The first thing the two of you did was send your husbands out on a wild goose chase with your kids. You didn’t care what they did, as long as they were gone for long enough for the two of you to make two cakes and put up some decorations. 

You started with Eddie’s, a chocolate cake with chocolate icing. It was simple enough, bland even, the kind of thing you were always whipping up in the diner. That was where his love for the flavor cake had stemmed from, all those nights together the two of you spent eating leftover cake after closing. Who was there to tell you no? The owner? 

Although the baking would have been easier with four actively working hands, you still appreciated the way the woman was handing you ingredients as you required them. You tried to encourage her to join you, you tried so hard, but you hadn’t realized how truly poor her skills were when it came to baking. All you’d had her do was crack an egg into a bowl, and somehow there had been more shell than yolk, so you allowed her to continue sitting it out. It was going to work best if you baked and she just sort of sat there, sneakily tasting the batter. 

“So, where’d you learn to cook like this?” she asked out of curiosity. 

“I was alone a lot as a kid, and my mom had a lot of cookbooks lying around, so I pretty much taught myself the basics so I could survive,” you explained. You didn’t mean to make the mood so sullen, but she did ask. “After that, the diner’s old owner and his wife taught me. I started working there when I was fifteen. They basically raised me for a while, so they were happy to teach me.”

The woman frowned. She didn’t know how she managed to do it, but almost every person she had befriended had a sad, difficult, upbringing. It really put things into perspective for her, but she worked to make sure none of her friends, or her kids, would ever have an experience like that. “Maybe you could try and teach me, if you’re up for it. I know both me and Eddie would benefit from a great teacher.”

She delved into a story about a time where Steve had attempted to teach the pair when he and Tulip first moved in together. Apparently it ended in tears and an almost fire because they were just that terrible– though she didn’t tell you who the tears were from. You had your suspicions though. From that day on, he had banned Eddie from basically ever stepping foot in their kitchen again and Steve was now the designated cook for the Harrington family. 

While Eddie’s cake was in the oven, it was time to start on the other mans, confetti cake with strawberry icing. You’d learned from his wife that it was his favorite, though you didn’t sell it at the diner. That led to a bit of a time wasting conundrum where the two of you had to scour through various cookbooks the place housed for some sort of recipe. It definitely deducted some time that would have been very useful, but that didn’t matter now, there was nothing you could do to get it back. 

When everything was in the oven, it was time to decorate the place with the minimal birthday banners, balloons and such that you sneaked onto the trip. This was where Tulip’s help really came into play. Your job was sticking up banners so the woman didn’t have to stay on her feet for too long, while she took to blowing up the colorful balloons. You already knew Lola was going to have a field day when she saw the bright inflatables. To be fair, so was your husband. The last thing you had to do was ice the cakes, and you had to do it rather rapidly if you wanted it to be finished by the time the pair walked through the front door. You didn’t do anything special, nothing more than a happy birthday for Steve, and a happy thirtieth for Eddie. 

It was safe to say when the two walked back through the door, they were surprised. Both of you had made sure not to spill a single thing to any of the kids. You knew them all too well, if you told them anything, there was no doubt at some point during the day they would relay the information back to their dads— on accident or not. You couldn’t risk it. And you were glad you hadn’t when you saw the look on their faces.

“Surprise,” you cheered, engulfing Eddie in a tight embrace before doing the same for Steve.

After moving away from the brunette, your husband pulled you back to him, itching to have his arms around you. You leaned back into his embrace, watching the kids run in and immediately take to the decorations around them. You turned in his hold, grinning up to your husband. “Happy birthday, honey.”  The smile on his face couldn’t have been any bigger if he tried. Instead of verbally responding, he was drawing you in for a sweet kiss. 

When you pulled away, you leaned away from him. “I can’t wait for you to see your gift.” Even though the man was turning thirty, he was still a child at heart, even more so a boy. You knew he had turned your words into something they didn’t mean based on the smirk on his face. “Oh? Why? What is it?” You rolled your eyes at his insinuation, walking away from him, taking the babbling baby with you as you went. 

From your place against the counter, you could see your friends and family enjoying themselves. Beth was singing along to a song on the radio with your husband, the pair mimicking the guitar in the background with matching grins and similar laughter. The Harrington twins were arm-wrestling (and winning) with their father while their mom watched on fondly, her hand resting subconsciously on her bump. And Lola was chatting to herself and giggling in your arms. Eventually, you could see the growing restlessness in everyone, especially Tulip who just wanted some cake. 

Handing Lola to a passing Tulip, you made quick work of placing the candles on both of the cakes and lighting them. Steve and Eddie turned to you after you’d dimmed the lights, eyes lighting up as you walked to the dining table with two cakes in your grasp. Being a waitress really paid off at this moment. You set them down and motioned for them to blow out the candles, the camera you had tucked in between your arm and ribs recording. 

The kids were more than eager when they finished, basically jumping on you to cut the cakes. When you did so, you made sure to serve them the dessert first. When Beth begrudgingly walked up to you with her hand out, you swallowed. The blue jewelry piece that usually adorned her wrist was gone, and it made your heart constrict. You knew that she was less than pleased with you, but you never expected her to do such a thing. That bracelet, as childish as it may have seemed, meant that she had finally accepted you. You had placed so much importance on it and you didn’t expect her to just rid herself of it simply because she was mad at you. 

With a terse smile, you handed her a slice and watched with a heavy heart as she ran off without a second glance. Steve was behind her in a makeshift line. Having seen the interaction between the two of you, he couldn’t help but ask. “You okay?” 

“‘M fine,” it was an obvious lie, but he didn’t push. He gave you a stilted nod before turning back to his little family. You couldn’t stay in your pity party for too long, this night was about the man you loved and one of your best friends, your feelings could wait. Plating a piece for yourself, you joined Eddie and Lola on the couch– the man doing his best at keeping the infant from getting into his slice. 

Despite this being Eddie’s second baby, he had no idea if they could have sugar this young. Did that stop him from feeding his Lola some of the icing off of his cake? No. The two were sitting together on the couch, her situated comfortably in his lap. He had been trying to eat the slice of birthday cake you cut for him when she had shown a sudden interest in the food. Rather than wind up with a baby hand right in his food, he decided to offer her some of the chocolate icing. He only took the tiniest bit on the edge of his finger, bringing it to her mouth for her to try. He wasn’t surprised to see that she loved it. They basically ended up sharing it. 

The party went well for the most part, despite the prominent ache in your chest the whole time. You didn’t mention it to anyone, just plastered on a smile and let everyone else enjoy the party.

It was that night getting ready for bed when you decided to bring up what had been bothering you. Eddie had noticed, he always notices when something’s off with you. But as usual, he didn’t push it. You could be just like Beth at times, the more he pushed the more defensive and reserved you became; the problem was never solved that way. So he reminded you he was there, but overall let you come to him.

You had been brushing your teeth in the room's adjoining bathroom while he was on the bed with your youngest daughter. Her tiny feet were planted on his stomach, her back leaning against his bent legs, and her small hands clasped in his. He was singing some silly, made up song to her, and she was loving every second of it. She was bouncing along in an attempt to dance as well as a small baby could, she was also giggling loudly at the joy her father provided her with. He was just as happy, cheeks hurting from grinning so hard as he watched her. His new ring, the birthday gift from you, was sitting proudly on his ring finger just above his wedding ring, his shiny new combat boots tucked away in his bag so he couldn’t forget them. 

It should’ve been a moment you watched with silent awe, heartfelt father-daughter bonding time that made you coo. But you were unable to swim out of the thoughts that were drowning you.

Your husband didn’t notice at first, too preoccupied with the little girl. It wasn’t until you called him that he realized you were ready to confide in him, and it was his time to listen. 

“Honey?” Mocha eyes flickered over to your figure, standing there looking like you were holding on by a thread. One look at his sweet face and you were spilling everything. “She took off the bracelet.” There were tears lining your eyes as you spoke the words. The matching blue bands you and the little girl had around your wrists meant everything to you. She had given you yours the day you married your husband, it was the something blue Eddie had told her you needed. She’d been more than happy to oblige. You noticed it was missing when you had handed her a slice of cake, the space on her wrist was barren, no longer resembling yours that you wore so proudly. 

At first he was unsure what you meant, but then his eyes flickered down to your hand that was messing with the familiar fabric on your arm; that’s when it clicked. “Sunshine,” he frowned. Amusing Lola was no longer his biggest priority. The sounds of your cries filled his ears as heart moved the girl to the makeshift crib in the room with urgency, hoping she would fall asleep so the two of you could talk.

Once she was okay, his brain was set on taking all of your sadness away. That was all it was thinking about; you, you, you.

His first plan of action was moving you to a more comfortable place. He led you to the large bed that sat in the middle of the room, the two of you taking a seat together. Your fingers were intertwined with his, his thumb rubbing soothing circles over the back of your hand. “Talk to me.” 

As he listened to you cry, he made a decision. He was going to be the one to put his foot down, take the first step to getting his family back to how they were before this whole, silly mess. He was positive he could make more progress in a couple hours than either of you had in months.

“It’s been two months, Y/N. You have to make up.” You were slightly shocked by the sudden turn in his tone. Before he had been comforting, sweet and understanding to what you were feeling. But now it was like he was sick of hearing it.

You frowned. “I’m trying, Eds,” you defended. You knew it was futile; he was right. “She doesn’t want anything to do with me.” 

He didn’t mean to get angry, he hadn’t intended to at all, but he was sick of hearing the same excuses over and over. If there were less excuses, from both sides, and more actual talking, this would have been resolved days after it happened. “You’re not trying hard enough!” The reaction on your face was far from what he was aiming for, and also considering the baby sleeping in the room, he knew he needed to take a second to breathe. As soon as he felt more relaxed, less angry, he was trying again. “I love you both, but what you’re doing is hurting me too.” 

You hadn’t really thought of it like that before. In your eyes the ones suffering had been you and her, you didn’t bring into consideration that both Eddie and Lola must be struggling because of it too. He must have seen the realization cross your face. “You’re the adult here. She’s only a child, she doesn’t know what she’s doing.” 

He was right, and you knew it. After Eddie put his foot down regarding the fight with Beth, you had no choice but to talk with her, whether she wanted to or not. He essentially all but locked the two of you in a room together and demanded you fix things if you wanted out. She’d been stubborn at first, attempting to call his bluff, but soon realized this time her dad wasn’t going to give in. 

You were the first one to break the silence. “I don’t want to fight with you. I hate that you’re mad at me, Bethy.” She was pouting, just sitting there with a sad look on her face like her father had committed the most unspeakable act she had ever seen. How could he lock her in a room with you right now? She sort of felt betrayed. “Beth, please look at me.”

When she finally did, it was obvious she was fighting tears. She didn’t mean to cry, she was trying her best not to, but the whole thing was so overwhelming. She didn’t want to face the possible idea of you admitting that you didn’t love her. It was such a scary thought. 

“Tell me what’s going on,” you pleaded. 

“I didn’t think you cared about me.” Those were basically the first words she had spoken to you in months, and they hurt to hear. 

You frowned, timidly reaching for her hand. At first you were scared she would reject it, but she was actually happy for you to hold it. “Why wouldn’t I?”

She sniffled, roughly wiping at her tears with her other hand. “Because you care about Lola more.”

If you were talking to anyone else, you probably would’ve scoffed, maybe even laughed at how ridiculous that sentence was. But you knew she was fragile and feeling particularly sensitive, so it would be the absolute worst thing to do.

You shuffled closer to where she was sitting on the bed, wrapping your arm around her shoulders. You weren’t as hesitant this time, not now that she was crying and you felt the overwhelming motherly urge to comfort her. This time around you were also more certain she wouldn’t try and reject your love. “No, I don’t,” you promised. Not a single part of you wasn’t telling the truth. 

She was still trying to find a way to support her worries though. “But, she’s your real daughter, not me. You love her more than me,” she ranted. “You only half love me.” 

“There’s no such thing as half love,” you told her. “She might have been the first baby I gave birth to, but you were my first daughter, Beth. I’m your mom just as much as your dad is your dad.” Maybe that part was a gray area. You weren’t her mother, you hadn’t birthed her, but you were sure all you had done to raise her over the years would classify you as her mom. You had been the one to show her love and care. You earned that title. 

Her wide brown eyes flickered up to yours, tears still lining her waterline. “Do you promise? You love me just as much as Lola?”

“Of course I do. She just can’t do a lot for herself right now, she’s really relying on me and your dad.”

It seemed like the majority of the issue was solved. She had the knowledge of a promise that you loved her just as much as you loved Lola, and that was all she was really asking. Over the next few days she would come to see it in real time too. You and Eddie were certainly going to be more careful about distributing your time between kids. Plus pushing the two girls to bond so Beth could see her baby sister wasn’t all that bad— maybe then she would see how needy the little girl was and understand your side more.

Now that all was essentially calm and sorted, you had the chance to ask about the one thing that had been plaguing your mind for hours. “What happened to your bracelet?” you asked, timidly. You were rather scared to know the answer.

“I lost it,” she admitted, through a sad cry. It made you feel slightly better to know she hadn’t taken it off out of spite, though it meant it was completely gone now. But you could always make another. “It fell off when we were swimming. Can’t find it.” 

“S’okay,” you reassured, offering her the warmest smile you could muster in the moment without crying yourself. “We’ll make new ones, together.” 

She nodded, but she was still very visibly upset. You wiped away some of the tears staining her face, not caring that your hands were now wet. With as much strength as she could, she produced a smile, her own way of telling you she was okay without words. You knew her so well. So well in fact, that you were already anticipating the moment where she would crave your comfort. Ever since being a toddler, you observed when she got sad and cried she often liked to be held after. It wasn’t a problem for you. 

When the moment came only a few short minutes later, you assisted her in climbing into your lap, the girl wrapping herself around you like a koala to bamboo. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her breathing still uneven from the tears. “I love you, mommy.” 

Her apology wouldn’t take back the two months of time that you had missed together, but that was perfectly okay. You believed you could make up for that. All that mattered was that it was all in the past and everyone was forgiven and happy.

You shook your head, securing your arms around her tightly. Having her back in your arms for the first time in months felt surreal. Her head was tucked into your neck, one of your hands lightly resting on the back of it. Your other rubbed over the expanse of her back, like you were checking to see if she was even real. “I love you so much, Beth. You’re my little rockstar.” Your lips pressed to her temple in an affirming kiss, hoping she could feel the love that was currently radiating off of you. There was no better feeling than having your baby back safe and happy in your arms.

━━━━━━━━━♡♥♡━━━━━━━━━

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#eddie munson #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson oneshot #eddie munson imagines #eddie munson imagine #stranger things 4 #stranger things #stranger things fic #dad!eddie #dad!eddie munson

[elliepassmore]

Starling House review

5/5 stars Recommended if you like: dark academia, sentient houses, curses, found family, street smart vs. fantasy smart

I was very excited when I saw people starting to post pics of this book that included footnotes and fun 'non-narrative' bits. I really liked Ship of Theseus and while this book is very different from that one, I think the footnotes and wikipedia article elements are kind of similar, which I liked. Another thing I liked is that, despite having footnotes adding onto the story, the story itself is very easy to comprehend and isn't dense or bogged down in details. I definitely sped through this one!

Opal is a fun character to read from because she's definitely been hit hard by life but is still determined to do right by her brother. She's a good balance of cynical and hopeful and I liked her sharp edges. Opal has definitely got street smarts, which go a long way in protecting her, but even with those she's still unable to resist the thrall of the Starling House. Imo, that house does her just as much good as she does it, and while Arthur does play somewhat of a role in her being happier and more put together, I think the house and feeling like she has a place she belongs is a big part of that as well.

Arthur was a harder character for me to get into the mind of. He's got his own dark past and is haunted by both the literal death of his parents as well as by the greater secrets and mysteries of Starling House. He's more remote than Opal is in his feelings, so I didn't feel as in tune with him, even toward the end of the book. Part of that might come from the fact that, while Opal feels everything despite being street savvy enough to hide it, whereas Arthur is a bit more emotionally closed-off and his studious nature doesn't really lend itself to opportunities that would open him up to others. That being said, I think I did like his character overall and he mirrors Opal quite well. Arthur's also actually quite funny at times.

Jasper, Opal's younger brother whom she has custody over, did frustrate me at times, but I also understand where he was coming from. In a town where nothing is free, even clean air, he has a hard time feeling like his sister taking care of him since their mother died is anything other than something he needs to pay back. At the same time, the love between Jasper and Opal comes through clearly and I absolutely love their relationship with one another and getting to see just how much they each love each other. It's hard to remember at times that Jasper is just 16, but then it shines through in moments of teenagehood, like when he doesn't want to come home from a friend's house.

Bev is the woman who runs the motel Opal and Jasper live in, and she's a bit of a trip. She has a harsh demeanor, but it's clear she cares for both of them and her love language is just insults, lol. Charlotte, the local librarian, is the opposite of Bev and is pretty cheery, though she's willing to go balls to the walls when needed.

One of the central themes in this book is family, and I loved seeing how family trauma played out differently for Arthur and Opal while also being so similar. Opal only ever knew her mother, and their little family unit bounced around from car to motel, never quite having a stable place to call home. Despite the challenges that came with a free-spirited mother, Opal clearly loved her parent and was devastated by her death, though she willingly fought to keep her brother. On the flip side, Arthur knew and loved both of his parents but clearly felt bogged down by the pressures that come with Starling House. When his parents died, he was also devastated but took up the mantle of responsibility with resentment. Both Opal's and Arthur's actions are primarily driven by their familial responsibilities, and it shows in vastly different ways.

Beyond that, I really liked how the family theme encompassed taking care of one another and how family isn't always the one you're born into. None of the characters in the book live as an island, no matter how much they might think otherwise, and I liked seeing how much they relied on each other and how selfless they could be when it came to one another. Found family is something the Starling House itself seems to call for, and you can definitely see how Bev, Charlotte, Jasper, and Opal make up their own little family, and how slowly Opal and Arthur begin including each other in that 'found family' circle.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and think it was a great read for the end of spooky season. I liked how it was dark academia without being too bogged down in itself and I really loved the characters and their relationships with one another!

#book #book review #books #book recommendations #fantasy #bookstagram #booklr #bookblr #bookaholic #bookish #book addict #dark academia #starling house #alix e harrow #sentient house #found family

[midnighttheroies]

Helluva Boss Theory: What Happened Between Blitz and Barbie Wire

so after the last episode, which was AMAZING like usual, i wanted to do a deep dive into the mysterious relationship between blitz and his twin sister barbie wire and what happened between them to make barbie not want ANYTHING to do with her own brother

Breakdown of what we know

barbie wire is probably the most mysterious character in the show yet next to frizz, we know next to nothing about her or how she ended up in rehab, what we do know is that she is blitz’s twin sister, she used to preform in the circus, and was considered famous and now does drug deals, and wants nothing to do with blitz

alot of people think that whatever happened between the two was blitz’s fault, and i don’t blame those people either, considering how he treated verosika and how their relationship ended, it would safe to assume that blitz was the one who fucked everything up, but i don’t necessarily think that is the case, i think whatever happened between was alot more complicated then we think

theory 1: bucks exploited barbie wire 

bucks is bltiz’s and barbie’s dad, and he’s, ...well not great, if he was willing to exploit frizz for his talent and emotionally manipulated blitzo into doing his betting by stealing from the goetia, despite the severe consequences he would face if he got caught, who’s the say he wouldn’t do the same to barbie?

barbie was known to be pretty talented, we saw that little clip of her on the type rope in season 2 ep 1, i think like frizz she brought in alot of people, bucks saw this and began to exploit her, making her preform and basically milking her for whatever she had, i think as she got older she started to get into drug use as a way to cope with the stress, or bucks put her on drugs so she could be more energized on stage, sending her to rehab and hates blitz for not intervening between her and her dad when things took a turn for the worst

theory 2: barbie hates the fact that blitzo put her in rehab

i got this idea from someone on twitter who basically pointed out that it’s possible that the reason barbie hates blitz so much is because blitz put her into rehab, which i thought was interesting

in hell, drugs and other addictive substances are very, VERY easy to access, you can buy drugs in vending machines for fuck sakes, and i think for harder drugs you would need to go the black market or severe drug deals, it is very likely that when barbie got into fame during her time in the circus, she was negatively influenced by the people around her and started to hit heavy drugs, blitz saw this and tried to get her too stop, and eventually he did against her will by checking her into rehab, but it costed her fame

and now she hates blitz because in her mind, he ruined her fame and reputation, by forcibly becoming clean

theory 3: she blames blitz for whatever happened to their mother/jealous of his relationship he had with her

i’ve seen alot of people point this out, in the episode, their is scene where barbie is yelling at blitz saying she doesn’t want to see him again, she’s pointing at their mother’s chocker

it is very possible that blitz and barbie were doing an act together, something went wrong and it caused the whole circus to be destroyed, killing their mother in the process, barbie had a mental breakdown and went into heavy drugs as a way to cope and ended up in rehab, and hates blitz because she blames him for the incident

or since blitz is shown to be wearing the choker, it’s possible their mother lent it to him as her final farewell gift, we’re not sure if barbie got anything from her but judging by the looks of it probably not, barbie saw this gesture and was hurt that their mother would give something to blitz then her, she turned to drugs as a way to cope and now resents blitzo believing that their mother favoured him over her 

is it possible for reconciliation for the two?

it is very hard to say at this current moment is that is even a question, despite how dismissive she is of blitz, their are a few moments in the episode that seemed interesting, for one, she called him “blitz”, respecting his name change up until he caused her supplier to die, and back in season one where verosika was introduced, she told blitz that her sister says hi 

but if blitz wants any hope of reconciliation with his sister, he needs to respect her boundaries, which he already has a hard time doing, and give her space, even if it hurts him to do so, maybe this is me being hopeful, but i’d like to think their is hope for the two to re-connect, after all, this is a slow burn show through mostly blitzo’s lens, along with stolas and moxxie, and barbie wire is his twin sister, i don’t think this is it for them

i don’t want to jump on “blitzo is 100% in the wrong like always” just yet, i don’t even think whatever between frizz and blitz was internally his fault either, consdeirng how in that little clip in the trailer, we see frizz and blitz dancing and all of sudden frizz dropping him to the ground, taking out his pony you and showing it on display, making a laughing stock out of him,

also, i saw another person point this out on twitter saying how blitzo in a way accidentally saved the people in his life

he saved loona from being homeless or going into another abusive foster home by adopting her, he saved moxxie from his dad and his life in the mafia by telling him about his company and offering him an position, and he’s probably the reason why me and millie met, i honestly think that if it weren’t for blitz, moxxie and millie wouldn’t have ever been together, he saved stolas in a way, giving him the freedom to finally explore himself sexually, since he was forever forced to repress 

i think it’s safe to say that accidentally or not, blitz saved his sister, because it seemed like her life was going down a very dark path if it weren’t for him interfering

#helluva boss barbie wire #barbie wire #blitz #blitzo #helluva boss #helluva boss theories #helluva boss theory #helluva boss blitz #helluva boss blitzo #helluvaboss #blitzo and barbie wire

[mustangs-flames]

About to go insane about this anyways I absolutely adore Ruth and Thatcher's dynamics in this, especially in the way of gender roles and how they both kinda break out of them, especially with thatcher being the emotional one and ruth being the logical one. Ruth somewhat reminds me of my friend in the way that everything in our education system has to be fought for by girls mostly because the system here is very patriarchal and traditional, though that is changing luckily! Thatcher seems to have some sort of innate instinct when it comes to alternates, especially after living around one for so long. He distrusts O'Brien, he immediately feels off about a child from a photo, I think that's honestly very cool!! I also really enjoy Mark's whole relationship with his scars and how the fact that they're there reminds him of what happened, maybe I'm projecting but it seems to feel nice that theres some sort of evidence of his suffering, that he hasn't suffered substantially enough to be taken seriously. That his scars leave no choice but to be taken seriously, if that makes sense. I also love how understandable Ruth's frustrations are, I felt like I was able to connect to her as a character a ton, especially as a trans guy. The feeling of always being cast aside, and the resentment that comes with that. It doesn't make her seem bitchy, honestly it makes her so much more understandable and better as a character, and I adore her for that. She's definitely one of my favourite characters now. Also learning about O'Brien enjoying cats is very fun. Like he's actually just a silly on the inside. He's just like me fr (I stopped breathing when my friend's cat curled up next to me and started purring.) Very excited to see Adam and Jonah's relationship and just Adam in general! /pos /gen Also I think you asked this before but my favourite part was probably Ruth in this chapter along with Old Rugged Cross and Mark's backstory, and his friendship with Cesar. Co dependent friendships my beloved. -Emotionally deranged anon :3 (Also sorry for not asking anything I just wanted to analyse this chapter cuz I don't have anyone else to analyse it to!! I am so normal about this book /pos /gen)

Honestly, I really love getting analyses like this! It's just really cool to have someone engage with the AU in this way /gen

I'm really, really glad you enjoyed Ruth and Thatcher's dynamic in the recent chapter! I love that the 2 of them are so different from each other and yet are very close regardless. Thatcher being very emotionally invested whilst Ruth is more logical and direct in her approach to things was a lot of fun to write - I really wanted to reinforce that Ruth is still in that mentor position despite Thatcher's recent promotion to Lieutenant to add to that friction between them with Ruth being resentful of him. I'm glad she didn't come across as 'bitchy' or anything - that's always a concern considering how fandom tends to treat or perceive women characters, especially flawed ones. So yeah, it's really cool that she's become one of your favourite characters in the AU! She's definitely one of my faves, too! :D

Yeah, O'Brien loves his cats a lot. Earth isn't so bad sometimes - he has nothing against animals, only humans and even then some humans get a pass lol. It's a little complicated like that khsdbdf

Jonah and Adam together won't be appearing for a little while yet - we've got a whole bunch of stuff to get through with Mark and alt!Cesar first - but I'm looking forward to it too! They have an interesting dynamic and it will be fun to show Adam's slow decline into behaving more like an alternate as time passes and how their bond deteriorates and yet doesn't fall apart completely.

Thank you so much for the kind words! And the analysis! It's always really fun to read and answer! :D

#hail true body au #mustang answers! #htb ruth #htb thatcher #htb mark #htb alt!cesar #htb adam #htb jonah

[mandalhoerian]

Death Before Dishonor | 0

Pairing: darth vader x reader, anakin skywalker x reader

Notes: fem!reader, mandalorian!reader, gif used isn't mine!

Summary: You have become the young war hero Anakin Skywalker's right hand in his pursuit to reunite the galaxy in Emperor Palpatine's reign. It's the rumored aftermath of the war between dark and light, but you are a Mandalorian, Jedi and Sith don't mean anything to you, in fact, they are the same existence that led to the destruction of your planet a millennia ago. Their war is something you don't care to know about, you're aware you won't understand anyway, there is a lot you're told to keep your nose out of as just a soldier to obey commands.

One of those things is the distinction between Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker; you weren't told why they must be addressed as two separate beings. Who he is really and who he appears as to the HoloNet confuse you endlessly when they are the same in your mind: both look at you in secret mourning.

You can't afford to find out why.

Warning(s): mentions of death and description of a decapitated head lol

Author's Note: death before dishonor was first published as an OC story on wattpad (shhhh carry on)! it has A LOT of plot packed into it and we start out in the post!rots empire. you'll slowly figure out who you are in this story and how you fit into everything and ~what happened to you~ as the story progresses and surprise! vader didn't burn! mysterious, huh? hehe, you're in for a ride!

I apologize bc i'm not a native speaker of English but regardless, I hope you enjoy this journey and like the story! this is a short prologue yikes

prologue | 1

"YOU HAVE AN ENTIRE SQUAD OF FORCE-SENSITIVE JEDI HUNTERS UNDER YOUR COMMAND, INQUISITOR." Lord Vader's face appears to be expressionless, but the sharp lines circling his eyes keep deepening in distaste as impatient seconds chase each other, carrying the choking question of whether the inquisitor is going to die today to create an example or not. "Need I remind you they were once Jedi themselves. Considering your abilities didn't disappear overnight, I expect results."

The Inquisitor's already uneasy heart, despite his training having shaped him into an impenetrable fortress, trembles under the life-threatening presence of this young man, he almost loses control and the fear crawling out of the depths of his stomach almost takes over him. He needs to remain professional before this thing who can sniff out even the tiniest of heart shivers.

He keeps reminding himself that he is not what he was before as he opens his dry, sticky mouth. "My lord, we've gotten some profound information—"

"I do not care for information, I want those treacherous Jedi dead. Are you capable of understanding me?"

Anger, fresh and smoking, slithers through the corners of the door to his mind, nudging him to make the brothers and sisters pay for his trampled pride. He's paying for their failure, after all - he has nothing to do with this. It's not fair. Feverish and piping resentment penetrates his veins and diffuses into his blood. "Yes, Lord Vader."

Even if the Sith Lord senses what the man is radiating like a beacon, he doesn't comment on it, and that is to remind him of his place: The inquisitor's anger is nothing more than a bug trying to rebel against him. "You were given one job and one job only, and if you prove to be inadequate at it, there is no reason for you to exist, no?"

Grand Inquisitor is now under the pressure of two blazing, furious stars glaring down at him——twin suns, just hiding behind the ugly, yellow eyes belonging to the poster boy of the Galactic Empire criticizing him.

The man he was in the worst of times would pat the shoulder of his clone subordinates and give an understanding, yet encouraging smile, and would say, "Next time we will get them. Keep your head up, soldier." Easygoing but charismatic at the same time. That's who he used to be within an Order of stuck-up bigots.

He resembles a Jedi more as Darth Vader, Grand Inquisitor thinks, in a twisted, extreme way.

The Emperor's right hand is absolutely insatiable, never really satisfied with anything, chillingly similar to the behavior of an eternally hungry black hole, a silent death tramping through the universe and swallowing anything on its way. In his short reign as Darth Vader, he's made history. Nothing could have picked up the galaxy the way he did in the Emperor's name. Nothing.

If this man wasn't held back by a leash, how long would it take for the galaxy to be swallowed down by him?

Grand Inquisitor is back in the moment with a tilt of Lord Vader's head. It was a minefield he was treading on, he didn't know what could tick him off, other than failure that is. Which those idiots already are shameful of. "We will not fail next time Lord Vader, they will not escape us again."

"How many nexts has it been now, I wonder," is the answer he gets, yet the agitated sentence gets less irate towards the end, Vader suddenly getting distracted by something that is not in the bleak and chilled assembly room of the starship.

Soon enough, the mechanical door slides to the left and reveals a Mandalorian inquisitor escorted by two clone troopers belonging to the 501st legion.

Grand Inquisitor's spine unconsciously strengthens in reflex, like he's in the close proximity of a predator, and forces him to stand straighter, taller, bigger, oddly akin to what a prey animal would do, but no matter how much he tries to appear stronger than this particular co-worker, the inevasible truth shows itself even in what she's holding at the moment, a portable freezer containing the head of a wanted Jedi, her trademark.

Her unexpected visit to Marauder is direct defiance to him and his strict orders, yet she stands there like a star hunter glowing with the halcyon remains of her victim, chin high and chest puffed out.

She's there to get the point across with her actions rather than words, and that's exactly what tears into Grand Inquisitor's monster of a bruised ego, twisting his view of the world; now in his eyes, her matte black Mandalorian-type Inquisitorius helmet, with garish red eye-lens strips mirrors cockiness, especially when contrasting the situation he is in at the moment.

Ignoring Grand Inquisitor altogether, "I've captured them all, my lord," she announces, a ringing, clear voice, noised with mechanical static of the helmet, cutting off into the vastly dire conversation between him and his Lord Vader, having halted the latter's growing displeased disposition with the operation not going as expected.

He simply stands there, suddenly the bleak, naked iron walls of the room with little to no furniture except a round table surrounded by uncomfortable little chairs feeling closer and closer, and the unnatural, white lighting from fluorescent lights he didn't pay any mind hurting his eyes. "Captured them all?"

Darth Vader is silent as an invisible ambush ship, his eyes glued to the case she's carrying in her gloved hand.

"Force-sensitive children are being transported to the cells." She goes on with her report as she sets the freezer on the table, and pushes on the buttons to open the lid to show the gory contents of it. "This particular Jedi had been on a spree to collect them. Didn't want to surrender to the empire. Suffered the consequences."

As the Jedi's severed ashen head is revealed to them followed by a hissing sound, slowly taking shape after the thick frictionless icy mist oozing out from the container case thins out, Grand Inquisitor takes note of how much of a clean-cut it was that took his life, such unexpected, thunderous agility she must have possessed to freeze the exact traumatized aghast expression on his face.

For a moment, it is the head of a mannequin rather than an actual sliced member of a human being's body; there is no blood, no actual sign of a struggle, the face looks artificially carved.

This is the quality of her work. Mandalorian Inquisitor operates on a different tier because of this reason: She gets things done.

"What about the other Jedi?" is Vader's question, straight to the point as always.

Mandalorian doesn't even skip a beat in answering. "He was alone with the children, I ambushed him that way in hyperspace. They think he's alive, I've recorded a holomessage of him calling for help and sampled his voice if be needed later on. We can also lure them in that way."

Grand Inquisitor, feeling farther from his title with every word leaving Vader's underling, sees his destruction in her victory, hears the quiet whispers of eventual death calling to him from her greedy, ever-expanding shadow, they tell him and his inquisitors to step up, or they'll be reduced to unnamed, nameless speckles of dust scattered from a red blade's strike. "Perhaps we could have used the Jedi."

"I am." Her retortion, needlelike in lack of respect for the head inquisitor, blows up in his face like a blaster shot, and he feels burning heat throbbing in his temples.

Vader doesn't take his words into consideration. His steely Force-touch stabs into Grand Inquisitor's signature, making him bow down with even the smallest gesture of disapproval. "That's enough, the incapable should learn from the wise."

The wise, he bites back in his head, the Mandalorian girl was just a shell of a soulless being when they had brought her to be trained in the ways of the Dark Side.

It was if a sun had died and left behind a graveyard of unrecognizable remains. The black hole of its former self were hiding in her eyes, pools of ink, devouring any touch of light in their intensity; a miserable veil of a starless, sunless planet's darkest night skies, emptier than a freshly slain star not being able to recognize itself in the mirrors of universe staring back at it. Her Mandalorian brethren would laugh in the face of that pathetic display.

If it wasn't for Lord Vader igniting the spark of a whole cosmos in her hollow rib cage, she would be rotting in dusty corners of the dysfunctional Imperial Senate, invisible shackles would keep weighing her down to rock bottom.

Yet, she is wiser than him? He is supposed to follow her lead, his inferior who had pulled this disrespectful flex of power just to vex the esteemed leader of Inquisitorius?

Sticky green envy chips away at his suppressed fury while he clenches his teeth and accepts what his lord commands.

She watches him like a shriekhawk behind her helmet, and he can't sense what she is feeling or thinking at all.

If it's because he needs more training or she's just an insentient kind of a supreme life form with no will of her own and just exists to serve Vader, he does not know.

#anakin skywalker x reader #darth vader x reader #anakin skywalker x you #darth vader x you #suitless vader x reader #star wars x reader #shai talks: my first post on tumblr #story: death before dishonor #anakin x reader #anakin fanfiction #shai's writings

[cruelfeline]

Forspoken's ending and post-game both pose the same general question: why in the world does Frey let Cuff live? And why does she just... go on talking to him? Interacting with him? Bantering with him?

yes, one could just assume that the developers weren't going to take away Cuff as a game mechanic and also weren't going to record a huge amount of voicework to totally alter their relationship, but shhh we're looking at this as-is from an in-world, character POV

One way we can look at it, I suppose, is by assuming that Frey cannot kill Cuff. Either because he is unkillable, or because she simply does not have the strength to. Perhaps this - binding Cuff again - was truly the only option, and she's simply making the best of an unfortunate situation. If she has to be his prison warden, she may as well make good use of him.

But. Well. We have no confirmatory indicator of that. It's not like Frey tries to kill Cuff and visibly fails, learning that she has no choice but to imprison him again. She just... doesn't seem to try at all. In fact, throughout their battle, she tries to de-escalate things with him, at least twice. She behaves as if she doesn't want to kill him, regardless of her ability.

Why? He horrifically harmed the people and the land of Athia. He harmed and eventually killed her mother. Had a hand in harming and leading to the deaths of what would have essentially been her aunts. He caused the conflict and strife that directly resulted in her being orphaned and left to fend for herself in New York City. Plus... he's just very, very annoying.

So why not kill him?

One can't know for sure, obviously. I expect only the writers know. But, for me, the potential answers are key to what make these two characters and their relationship such a highlight of the game for me.

Cuff is, from what we can tell, the closest companion Frey has ever had. She doesn't seem to have had any friends in NYC. Her Athian friends, while very much present and affectionately thought of, cannot follow her out into the rest of the world where she spends most of her time. Only Cuff can do this. And so Cuff ends up being the one she talks to the most. He ends up being the one who is always there, always present when Frey experiences both triumphs and disappointments, victories and losses. He was there when she first came to Athia. He supported her during that time, ulterior though his motives were. He was there when she struggled with her role in Athia, when she first killed another person, when she learned of her mother's identity. His behavior wasn't altruistic in the least, but he was there. He was, for better or worse, her sole source of stability and even comfort when she was going through incredibly harrowing life experiences.

He was also her teacher. He taught her how to survive in Athia, how to use her powers of traversal and combat. He gave - and gives - constant feedback during battle that is useful, despite being drenched in unnecessary attitude. He taught her about Athia itself, about its cities and people and landscapes and culture. Everything she has become, she partially has him to thank. Again, his motives were anything but pure, but the fact of it is that he is the one that taught her so much of the information and skills she uses to stay alive. He was invested in her, in a more focused way than anyone else ever was.

There's also this sense, to me, that Frey makes a connection between Cuff's acts of violence and her own prior poor behavior. Not in severity, obviously, but in motive. In emotional root. There is a moment between the two of them during their final battle where Frey identifies and acknowledges his anger towards and resentment of the Tantas, seemingly likening it to her own. And another where she admits that, while she may not fully understand him, she can assure him that he is not alone. Suggesting that she sees her old, angry, abandoned self in him and his behavior.

Considering all of those things, it makes some level of sense, why Frey spares Cuff. Why she binds him again, rather than killing him once and for all. She is essentially playing for him the role that Judge Maya Bird played for her: giving him a chance to work through his anger and resentment in a way that doesn't involve destruction. By giving him his own very involved sort of community service. And she's saving the life of the person who, for better or for worse, has been the closest and most intimate friend she's ever had.

Now, from the other side of things: why does Cuff continue to protect her, advise her, and teach her? Why continue to assist yet another Tanta who has imprisoned him and kept him from fulfilling his life's purpose.

On the one hand, there are the practical aspects of the situation. Cuff, as far as we know, is very tightly bound to Frey now. Potentially even more so than he was before: he's gone from being a piece of jewelry to being an actual tattoo. It is possible that, should severe bodily harm come to her, he would suffer as well. If she were to die, he might die, too.

Furthermore, any chance he may have of fulfilling his goal hinges upon driving Frey mad. To do that, given that she is very much wise to his intent, he would do well to lull her into a false sense of security. Continuing to help and support her would facilitate that.

But beyond those practical aspects... well. Hard to say, given that we know much less about Cuff's emotions than we do about Frey's, but there are possibilities.

For one, I feel that it's very likely that Frey has been perhaps the only person who has spoken to and treated Cuff as just another person. Maybe not always politely, but still: she talks to him like she'd talk to anyone else. Casually converses with him. Sometimes jokes with him. Asks him for his opinions on various matters. I expect that this is a new experience for him. His only other identity has been as this ancient weapon, this monstrous, vengeful machine-demon. He was created and then re-released by the Rheddig for the sole purpose of destroying Athia; I doubt they had a nice chat with him before sending him off to do his duty. And in Athia, he was only ever seen as an agent of apocalyptic destruction. Once imprisoned by the Tantas, it's highly unlikely he ever had anything resembling a friendly conversation with them.

With Frey, he has an admittedly fraught but at least semi-stable, not-entirely-antagonistic relationship. He has, to put it in the very simplest terms, someone to just talk to. As a person. Not as a war-machine-demon-creature. And while it's hard to say if that means anything to him, given how duplicitous he is, it's not totally farfetched to believe that it can mean something positive. He certainly does enough casual talking to suggest that he might enjoy it!

So he continues to protect and assist her. Perhaps because he has to, in terms of self-preservation. Perhaps because, in spite of himself, he appreciates having someone around that can listen to his perpetually annoying commentary and offer her own back. Perhaps even, stretch though it may be, because what she said to him during that final battle meant something, even if he doesn't quite know what.

It's such a bummer that this game reviewed poorly. I feel like it ruins any chance for a sequel, and these two characters and their relationship are so fascinating to me.

I wish we could see them continuing to depend upon and influence one another. I wish we could see their relationship grow.

#forspoken #forspoken spoilers #cuff #susurrus #frey holland