#but again I wonder if others can shed more insight on this

[ohmuqueen]

Read the whole thread here

Edit: I also found this article from October 11, 2023

#palastine #gaza #free palestine #free gaza #of course I can only understand so much of what all this means #so if you have further insights please add on #if you support genocide stay off my post #what I got from this is that the ICC prosecuting Israel for war crimes is all but impossible #the article I added wasn’t that much more helpful #pretty much confirmed what the twitter thread says #but again I wonder if others can shed more insight on this #it seems we can yell war crimes at Israel a million times but it won’t do Palestinians any good #ICC seems useless

[verosvault]

🚨SPOILERS FOR FANTASY HIGH JUNIOR YEAR EPISODE 7🚨

Dimension20 "Fantasy High Junior Year"

Episode 7 "Stress Tested"

Timestamp: 2:04:46

Video Length: 4min. & 30sec.

Discovering clues about Lucy Frostblade & Principal Grix (Pt. 1 | ‣Pt. 2)

Emily: "As their Paladin, for potentially Paladin, can I give them a Bardic? I know that that sentence makes no sense."

Brennan: "You can give a Bardic if you want."

Ally: "Yeah?"

Emily: "I think it's like corrupted, but like maybe it won't be bad."

Ally: "I don't ****ing care."

Brennan: "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go roll me a corrupted Bardic."

Ally: "It's an eight?"

Emily: "It's a d8."

Ally: "Eight, an eight on the die."

Brennan: "Okay."

Ally: "Okay, so that's a 27."

Brennan: "Yolanda says,"

Yolanda: "Lucy was a wonderful, wonderful student. It's been very hard these last few months."

Kristen: "What was her domain again or who was she following?"

Yolanda: "She worshipped a goddess of giants and giantkin named Ruvina, who was a goddess of winter and sorrow."

Kristen: "Whoa."

Yolanda: "Lucy was not a very happy soul, but was a very kind soul. And her interpretation of that goddess was, 'the winds are cold and we are made to warm each other. And the night is long and that is why we keep the fire lit.'

Kristen: "Wow, that's beautiful. Hard."

Brennan: "Yolanda sheds a tear."

Yolanda: "She[Lucy] was very special. Very, very special."

Ally: "Would Riz have told me already that she tried to put in the-"

Brennan: "We can allow that. Yeah."

Ally: "Okay."

Kristen: "Wasn't she hoping to switch from that though? Was it to something more positive?"

Yolanda: "Lucy would never have switched. No, I don't think so."

Kristen: "Oh, she was really committed to that?"

Yolanda: "Oh, undoubtedly. Her conviction was profound. I mean, it's an ancestral goddess of her people going back a long, long time."

Kristen: "Yeah, I thought so, too."

Brennan: "I'm sorry, she actually says,"

Yolanda: "From the Mountains of Chaos."

Brennan: "She's like,"

Yolanda: "Yeah from the Mountains of Chaos for a long, long time."

Kristen: "Oh, my- I have a friend who's in the office with paperwork and they just said they were sure that they saw a request form going in her record. I don't know."

Yolanda: "Does your friend have something I could see that would confirm that? Nothing ever made its way to me that-"

Kristen: "Oh, it's not in her file or in any of your info on her?"

Yolanda: "Well, it would've needed my approval. When was it submitted?"

Ally: "I give the time."

Brennan: "She looks and says,"

Yolanda: "Well, after that time period, I mean, most of us, we've already submitted our final grades. I just wasn't at school during those two weeks. This is... I need to talk to Principal Grix. This is-"

Kristen: "So she tried to switch her god, but you don't think she would ever do that, and then she died?"

Yolanda: "Kristen, I wanna thank you very much for bringing this to me."

Kristen: "Yeah."

Yolanda: "I wanna thank you very much for bringing this to me."

Ally: "Oh, can I do an insight check and see if she's real?"

Brennan: "Yeah. Yeah."

Ally: "Or if she feels like found out or something? I don't know."

Brennan: "Yeah."

Ally: *rolls dice* "Okay. Insight is, oh, that's a 27."

Brennan: "She[Yolanda] looks upset and frightened."

Kristen: "I don't know much about Principal Grix, but is that someone...?"

Yolanda: *shakes her head*

Kristen: "Or- Up to you, yeah. I just have gotten a weird, he shot a net at multiple students, and then rode out of the room leaving them in the nets. I don't know. I'm just kind of wondering if he has, like, the care capacity for something this big."

Yolanda: "You're right. I won't go to Grix, but I need to find out what is known about this. There should have been a document attached to this that would've said the deity she was changing to. Was that... is that... ?"

Kristen: "They said it was blank, or that they couldn't find that information anywhere."

Yolanda: "Okay. I won't talk to Grix. I'm gonna go talk to Vice Principal Stardiamond, see what we can find out. Thank you for bringing this to me."

Kristen: "Of course. Anything you need help with, I would love- if you need more eyes on the ground or something like that."

Yolanda: "Please keep your eyes open, Kristen."

Brennan: "She leans over and hands you a little token. And you see that there's a small little emblem that just says, 'When the only thing you can believe in is believing' and hands it to you."

Kristen: "What's this?"

Yolanda: "Hold onto it. Hold onto it."

Ally: "Is there a little picture of Bruce Springsteen?"

Brennan: "Yes, you see there is a- tight jeans, bandana. It's the Boss, baby. You head out from there."

#dimension 20 #dimension20 #blog #fantasy high #fantasy high junior year #stress tested #fantasy high stress tested #fantasy high junior year episode 7 #fhjy ep 7 #fantasy high scene #fantasy high junior year scene #dimension20 scene #queue #kristen #kristen applebees #ally beardsley #yolanda badgood #brennan lee mulligan #bad kids #the bad kids #the intrepid heroes #intrepid heroes #lucy frostblade

[none-shall-caricature-me]

I've noticed that, probably due to a desire to alleviate the grim nature of the original, many xuexiao fanfic writers opt to focus on (twisted or fluffy) romantic feelings of the characters. The emphasis ends up being on their romantic / platonic / sexual attraction rather than their incredibly juicy ideological contest and the antagonistic tension mixed with intrigue that Xue Yang shows towards Xiao Xingchen. Basically, there is too much 'lovers / froends' and not enough 'enemies' in their enemies - to - lovers / friends story. (I'm not criticising that. I'm a sucker for their mushier side too. But I'm equally a sucker for a good brutal battle of creeds.)

So let me fill this gap by describing how DELICIOUS the exploration of the 'you're my enemy and u SUCK and your worldview is RIDICULOUS but I LOVE rotating you in the microwave testing the limits of your resolve' aspect is or can be. I'll use some moments from the show / novel that I find striking in this regard.

XXC is very kind but lacks the worldly experience to be spot - on empathetic (as others have pointed out). He's also rigid to a fault. This is a VERY unpopular interpretation of mine but I believe he can be selfish / negligent in his goodness - he sheds caution about possible repercussions on his near ones in his mission to fight evil. He was smart enough to figure out the Chang massacre and trace it to XY. He knows XY is incredibly vengeful and creative in his vengeance. He's had experience with powerful people who will obstruct justice. Yet he goes ahead with prosecuting XY even when Jin Guangshan acts shady and uncooperative. Didn't he consider that this might put a target on his well - known partner Song Lan ?

Welp, then the Baixue bloodbath happens and XXC very understandably blames himself. I know we like to say it wasn't his fault, and of course it technically wasn't, but he did commit a grave error in not thinking through the consequences. It could be a miscalculation, negligence or even cavalier tunnel - vision, depending on your opinion. But anyway, XXC's morale is shattered and as others (like ameliarating) have said, he determined to never end up harming others in his quest for righteousness again.

XY wiped out Baixue for revenge, but also to kill XXC's hopes and vision, again also mentioned by others. May be a stretch, but it could be XY's way of saying 'hah, you don't care to understand why the world is as awful as it is, and then blame ME for doing shitty things to live it up in a shitty world. So let me show you how things actually work, and why my existence and lifestyle are valid.' It's like a really fucked up method of self - affirmation for XY. (Just in case - I am neutral on XY's actions. The novel doesn't give us much insight into his thoughts, so I'll withhold judgement on the nature vs. nurture debate about XY. But he's definitely an interesting character).

Then XY starts infiltrating XXC's life in Yi City. Why does he stick around after healing ? I like to think it's initially because he's a) taking advantage of XXC's generous freebies cuz why not and b) wants to torment him, yes, but he's also very very curious about XXC. Maybe it's because XXC's still out here trying to do good when many people would've either quit and hardened their hearts, or been broken irreparably. So XY think's he'll get both schadenfreude and try to find out why this dumbass saved a highly suspicious dying man and continued on his goody goody quest instead of learning his lesson. The lesson XY tried to teach him. Maybe XXC's whole deal makes XY wonder how his life would be if he'd acted nicer and more socially acceptable. Would it have saved him any pain ? Would he have had true allies then ? Did he choose a life of callous crime because he is weak - willed and 'inferior' unlike the seemingly unbreakable superiority of XXC ?

So he makes XXC kill on 'night - hunts'. Perhaps to prove that XXC got manipulated into doing harm cuz he's dumb or full of hubris and refuses to wisen up, refuses to become more cynical and wary of people. This ties back into Baixue too. Also I think the book mentions the victims are residents who mocked / cheated XXC ? If that's true, it's like XY is 'introducing' XXC to taking bloody revenge just like XY did on the Chang clan and others who crossed him / his pals. Like he's enacting teaching XXC 'look, if you keep up the good deeds, eventually you'll meet someone who ruins you so you destroy that hope for humanity and become just like me. Your way will always end in disaster, and therefore I'm justified in living like I do.'

Of course, in the end XY realises that XXC's drive to better society was his way of coping with the harsh reality of humans, especially after being ousted from BSSR's mountain. XXC didn't want to live in a sordid world. Meanwhile XY's coping mechanism was to extort the sordid world for all he wanted.

There's a tiny moment in CQL where, after the fake night hunt slaughter, XXC walks past a smirking XY and his arm brushes XY's sleeve, whose grin grows larger. It's like XY's relishing in XXC so casually touching and hanging about him totally unawares. Also he's horny for XXC's combat skills.

So yeah. Antagonist obsessed with corrupting his enemy, wrapping him around his finger, but not willing to let go. He ended up being totally down to bask in XXC's obstinate kindness despite that being the very thing he wanted to disprove and destroy.

XXC hesitates to kill XY after the reveal. What does he get from XY? Maybe it was reassuring that someone as hard - hearted and self - centred as his friend was willing to stick around in no man's land with him. It's soothing because it makes it seem like the world isn't that cruel, that perhaps the potential for good exists in people, hence helping XXC cope with his existential anxiety. He has to hold on to that hope even as his friend's identity is revealed, else there's nothing left for him since he can't bear to live in a world of evil and exploitation.

Why didn't XY move on after XXC's suicide ? If all he wanted was acceptance and shelter, he could've found so many other options. No, he was obsessed with XXC cuz he thought that if someone perfectly willing to kill him in the past over morals hesitated to kill him in the end, it must be an actual stable love. Where else, he thinks, would be find someone who loved him enough to not kill him despite them being such hostile opposites by character and circumstance ? Lots of people could love him cuz they agreed with his worldview or found it / him expedient. Who would love him even when their entire identity and misery opposed it ?

#xuexiao #yi city #is this anything #mdzs #xue yang #xiao xingchen #mo dao zu shi #grandmaster of demonic cultivation #cql #the untamed

[talksliketherain]

Rowan Laslow - Dreams

Backstory- Y/n and Rowan have been friends for years. Y/n can read minds and can be put in other people's dreams involuntarily if she does it in her sleep.

Not proof read! Please do not steal or copy my work! If you have any requests dm me!

———————————

Y/n was sleeping peacefully in her bed, her mind finally calm and blank. She usually didn't read minds because it was invasive and cruel, but couldn't help it in her sleep.

She could see a different person's dream almost every single night. Thankfully sometimes it gave her a break, but when it didn't it gave her secondhand embarrassment.

She had once accidentally gone into Xavier's dream, where she saw him in his shed in the middle of a deep make-out session with a certain Addams girl....

Nobody knew this was a part of her powers, so when this happened she would silently observe their mood after the dream from the night before. It provided a lot of insight into what went on in their mind.

Tonight she was in her best friend, Rowan Laslow's dream. They had been friends since they were kids, and in the past couple of months, she developed feelings toward him.

She saw Rowan walking through a hallway with a girl following him. It looked like the one that led to his and Xavier's dorm. It was. She couldn't see the girl's face, just that Rowan looked flustered.

He was dreaming about a girl. Y/N's heart sank, realizing she was not the one on his mind.

He opened the door and pulled her in by her wrist. She watched as Rowan took the girl and pinned her wrists to the wall. The girl scoffed and turned to push him back up against the wall and pin his wrists above his head.

When she turned to switch places with him, y/n saw.. that it was her.

Y/n then watched herself lean in to kiss him and then get more heated.

Rowan got out of her grasp, knowing he was much stronger and used his telekinesis to guide her body into the air and lower her onto his bed. He then crawled on top of her and began to make out again.

Y/n couldn't believe what she was seeing. Why would he dream this? Was he okay with it? Did he want this?

Y/n saw herself switch positions with him so she was the one on top, sitting on his lap. She had his face cupped in her hands and his hands in her hair. She began leaving hickeys all over his neck and whispered in his ear "You're mine."

She watched as Rowan whimpered and moaned under her touch before answering back "I'm all yours."

Just as Rowan went to take her shirt off, she forced herself to wake up.

She awoke in a panic. Her dreams always felt so real. Everything came to life.

"How am I going to face him after that?" She thought.

Y/n felt like she invaded Rowan's privacy. Yes, she felt the same way, and no she couldn't help it. But it still felt wrong.

She began to wonder. Does he feel the same?

————————————

For the next few days, y/n completely avoided Rowan. He was dumbfounded and wondered what he did wrong.

She usually sat next to Rowan in all of the classes they had together, but went out of her way to find another one so she didn't have to face him.

He ran up to her after their last class of the day.

"Hey, y/n wait up!"

She turned around and walked as quickly as she could in the opposite direction of him.

"Hey, I'm serious. Wait for me!"

She kept walking, not even glancing his way.

Rowan decided he had been ignored for long enough.

"Okay fine. You asked for it."

Y/n felt herself lifting off of the ground. And being led to a nearby classroom. The door opened and she floated in, Rowan following behind her.

He lowered her to the ground but pushed her back against the wall so she couldn't move.

"Rowan this isn't funny put me down! Now!"

"Tell me what's wrong. Why have you been avoiding me?"

She looked up to meet his hurt eyes, and then immediately looked away from them.

"Don't fall for it", She thought.

"I'm just busy Rowan it's nothing now let me go." She pleaded.

"I know when you're lying. Listen y/n I could be here all day, so if you want down, you've got some explaining to do."

She paused and looked up again. The nerdy boy she had always known disappeared. And in his place was a slightly more confident male who was upset she was avoiding him.

She let out a sigh. "What do you feel for me?"

"W-what?"

"I said. What do you feel for me, Rowan?"

His name slid off her tongue like butter. He wished he could hear it over and over again.

"I like you y/n. I have for a while now. What does this have to do with you ignoring me?"

"Rowan...I saw your dream the other night with me in it. Is that what you want? To be with me like that?"

Rowan had to think. He had a lot of dreams about her. He was too afraid to ask which one she meant. He had to count the days she had been ignoring him and thought about the dream from the night before.

Of course, it was the most promiscuous one.

"I want you y/n. I want all of you. Every single atom. I want to be the one you go to sleep and wake up next to. I want to be your person."

Y/n stared in silence trying to process what he said. He liked her back. A lot. The dream was what he wanted.

He took her silence as rejection and lowered her to the ground. He started to walk to the other side of the room.

"Just forget it. I understand."

Y/n stood in place in a trance until she realized he was walking out.

“Rowan. Wait."

He turned to her right behind him, her e/c eyes boring into his. She then grabbed him, pulled him in by his collar, and pressed her lips against his.

He put his hands on the small of her back, then let his hands wander. Every curve, every inch, everything. All of it was being caressed and touched by him. She pulled away, pulling his bottom lip out a little bit as she did.

"You look so cute when you pout." She teased.

"I wonder what it would take to look hot."

"I can think of a few things..."

———————————

THANKS FOR READINGGGG!!!

#rowan laslow fluff #rowan laslow imagine #rowan laslow fanfic #rowan laslow x you #rowan laslow #rowan laslow x reader #wedensday #wednesday characters x reader #Wednesday

[whathebeep]

So I read the fic about the companions reaction to a tiefling Tav coming back to camp after being captured by Orin and it was amazing. I was wondering if you write for Zevlor. If so could you write his reaction. I really wish you could invite him to join your camp after finding him. Please and Thank you 🙏

I can absolutely do that!!! Continuation of Tiefling Tav being de-horned by Orin and Zevlor's reaction 👀

Zevlor thought he had seen it all- been through it all. He had survived Elturel, he had survived the goblin attacks, he had survived the shadowlands and being captured under moonrise towers. Finally reaching the city and being in Tav's camp- it was welcoming. He would fight by your side but also hold back and help take care of and maintain camp when need be- but when Tav returned without their horns...it broke his heart. He had seen similar things happen to other tieflings for many reasons. More often than not it was to break them, to steal their pride and alienate then from their own people. He felt anger, he felt hatred- he wanted nothing more than to find the person who had done this to you and return the favor. He felt angry, protective even- from all you had done to save others, he was almost always proud of Tav- almost like they were his own child. And it truly broke him to see this happen to you.

Yet, ever the leader, Zevlor leaves to be on his own for that day- to process his emotions and not get in the way while the others healed you.

He would have prayed to the vigilant one, to Helm- he in part blamed himself for not protecting those who saved him, time and time again. He remembers the solid right hook you delivered to Aradin. He remembers how you saved not only the tieflings, but also the drove, and the druid Halsin to boot. Tav even saved his people, something he wasn't strong enough to do- and went even further, saving him from becoming a mind flayer. And now you paid the price. Zevlor sheds tears, and in his prayers to Helm, he swears to protect the group to his final breath.

When he returns it's just in time for Jaheira and the others to start coming up with a plan. He offers great insight, and between him and Jaheira they come up with a great plan for keeping watch. Zevlor without a doubt puts his energy towards being on guard all night. He prays to Helm for your protection, and when he has a few hours to himself, be goes into town and gets you an amulet of Helm- more specifically, he gets one custom made by Dammon- it takes a few days but eventually he's given a silver amulet, with the open blue eye of helm, and horns to signify the tieflings Tav had saved time and time again. He got it properly blessed and brought it back to camp.

By the time he gave it to Tav, it had been almost a week since the attack. Tav had been healing well, but was still taking it slow because they had a broken bone in one of their ankles. When he gave it to you, putting it around your neck, he would apologize, but then thank you- thank you for all you had done for the tieflings, for your friends, for the city- for him. He would commend your bravery and name you an honorary Hellrider. In a way he's remorseful he hadn't done so sooner- it shouldn't of taken losing your horns to be recognized in this way. Tav is more than grateful for this, and gives Zevlor a hug.

For the first few days Tav had certainly worn their hair differently, or even wearing hoods and hats, trying to cover their missing horns- but after that, they were feeling a little more confident, and at least began wearing their hair as they had before, the remaining stumps of their horns proudly on display.

#bg3 #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 tav #tav #bg3 zevlor #zevlor #baldurs gate 3 zevlor

[drstonetrivia]

Chapter 231 Trivia

"Aaaaaaaah primitive technology noooooooooooo!"

This is definitely worth looking at closely: we have post-America-arc Chrome shedding a tear, young Suika again, Ishigami Village, the Soyuz capsule…

Oddly, Senku's chest piece is missing and Byakuya's name may be incorrectly spelled in Cyrillic (Б НШНГАМН vs Б ИШИГАМИ)

We get some insight into how the Medusas see things: we already know they can sense EM waves from chapter 229, and especially radio waves, but they may be able to selectively filter which wavelengths they see.

If they could only see radio, then it'd be impossible to see bones as the waves pass right through us. Given the image, it's very likely they're using x-rays to examine the people, but if that's true then the gun would appear as a bright white rather than partially transparent.

It's possible that they can see all wavelengths at once, and they're able to parse what would be "pure white" to us in such a way that they can selectively see the "layer" they want, but even picking a specific wavelength to view would result in the gun blocking the bones.

Alternatively, they only emit a specific range of waves at once and see what gets returned (like radar), but they'd have to know which wavelengths to use without knowing anything first. This echolocation seems slightly more likely since we have panels of them emitting waves.

It's possible that that's why they interpreted the humans as skeletons: they chose to see in x-rays rather than in the visible spectrum (=our vision) and thus only saw bones.

Maybe they assumed both the space suit and "meat suit" (skin, muscle, organs) were the same thing?

It's amusing how the Medusas scanned Senku, but then didn't bother making a perfect copy: the skull is more realistic/less manga, and his hair is upright, despite it being flattened against his head because of the helmet.

Not even they can make his hair look good though…

By mimicking Senku here, the Medusas effectively fulfilled all the previous depictions of Whyman.

Senku uses "me" and "us" here, but he does only mean "me"— the time between his revival in April 5738 and this date* is 10 years, not counting the 7.5 years he spent petrified. Apart from maybe Xeno, no one else shares the same timeline.

*(~Sept 5755, if it's exactly 10.)

List of weapons on the moon:

Grenade-net launcher.

Stone axe.

And the latter was the one that drove them away, haha!

Xeno was one of the ones most excited about what the Medusa tech could mean for humanity, which is why he looks especially grim when they decided to call humans pea-brained one last time before fleeing the solar system.

I have no idea how they retrieved the capsule since it and the Medusa inside seemed to disappear into the swarm, and the one that chose to stay didn't bring it back. It's also definitely the same capsule (with a few new additions) because the broken string is the same.

The capsule got a little upgrade to make it easier for the Medusa to communicate: the speaker was moved to the outside, and was replaced with a tiny Yagi–Uda antenna!

The antenna type is mostly for clarity, because at that range a monopole would have worked, or even none at all.

I'd like to think this Medusa has an affinity for Kohaku, since it chose to give itself up to her. They also had a nice conversation together! :)

(I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact the other two were holding things at the time & Kohaku is the least busy one onboard…)

This piece coming off the main rocket is the ascent stage of the lunar lander. Similar to how parts of the rocket come off when leaving Earth, the ascent stage only gets the astronauts back to the rocket before it is discarded, destined to fall back to the surface of the moon.

The moon bunnies have a little 'x' for a mouth, and the capsule's face has a mouth shaped like that too… Coincidence?

I wonder who drew the face:

Senku, because he had a marker and likes drawing faces on things?

Kohaku, for fun?

Stanley, for the gap moe/Xeno 'x' (and because it seems like something he'd do somehow)?

Ryusui, to welcome his new crewmate?

If we'd gotten a name/species as an answer, then fans would inevitably be disappointed by not meeting them after they'd been hinted at, or been angry at how "unrealistic" whatever they got was.

This may not be a satisfying answer for some, but the alternatives are much less so.

I love this admission of Kohaku's, does she not have anything to think about!?

#trivia #dr stone #chapters #231

[shoot-of-corruption]

The traversal between realms was a mild discomfort, but one she paid no mind to. The things she sensed upon touching Mariku’s hand, however, left her wanting to recoil the moment she let go. Thankfully, he appeared more focused on their new surroundings than the quick withdrawal of her hand.

Once she was able to push aside the sensation of taint, she was able to appreciate the sight. The small clearing he'd brought her to was…breathtaking.

She ignored Mariku entirely as she walked towards the water, lightly trailing her claws against the bark of the tree beside it. The calm and serene of the place enhanced by Khonsu's light gazing down upon them.

A quiet laugh reminded her of why she had been brought to this place.

"I can't believe you... you have maneuvered yourself into some mess... and for that no-good asshole...Can't say I made good experiences with him... or whatever is or was left of him at this time…"

Irritation flooded through her, causing her fingers to flex, driving her claws deep into the bark. A low, bestial growl rumbled unbidden from deep within her chest as a warning.

She kept her gaze across the water, using it as a focus to keep her temper in check.

“No-good?” she seethed. “You dare to judge and condemn without asking what led him to striking a deal with a dark god? What led to the shattering of his very soul?”

She released her grasp on the tree, turning quickly to face Mariku.

“These eyes of mine are inherited from my father, Anubis…and they allow me to peer into the very depths of one’s soul.”

Her eyes glowed bright like blue embers, standing out in stark contrast to the dark around them.

“You were an enigma at first, but touching your form has shed new light as to how a soul could be its own being without a physical shell to contain it. Honestly, I should have figured it out the moment I realized you were chained to the Shadows.”

Her body shook with frustration, her hands clenched into tight fists at her side.“

YOU HAVE COMMITTED YOUR OWN SHARE OF ATROCITIES! YOU WILLINGLY ENSLAVED YOURSELF JUST TO SURVIVE! HOW CAN YOU JUDGE HIM, WHEN YOU ARE NO DIFFERENT!?!”

@sesshy380-rp (if you wanted ;) )

Mariku seemed surprised for a moment, the fact that the being before him was utterly focused on the beauty of their surroundings and then snapped at him for hailing a comment on that thief of all things caused him a mild emotional carpet burn.

But that wasn't all. He had gotten a glimpse on this ones heritage and was mildly surprised by it. Child of Anubis. Straight up. No wonder he wasn't able to feel her out. He had never come across something as oddly as that. And here she was... enraged... looking at him, spitting out her poison in his face. It was endearing almost.

He laughed lowly into her face again, as if that was the funniest thing he had heard for a while and rubbed over his eyes for a moment.

"Are you counter-judging me on the basis of survival? Alright. two can play that game." His hand slipped down again and he sent her a toothy smile. "Zorc Necrophades has fucked up a grand few lives, darling. The thief and I and even the pharaoh aren't the only ones. All of us are just alive to tell the story." He smirked at her widely. "Alive... well at various states, really."

"You know next to nothing about me... and apparently you have no insights on what became of your precious thief a few millennia stuck in a dark artifact. I can tell you. I met him. He paired up with my other half so they could annihilate me. They wanted to throw me to the shadows for merely existing as I am." He chuckled dangerously.

"I can tell you that some things went awry with him alright, people don't end up backed up in a corner like that, but at least he had his own life, his own decisions and his own part of a soul. I was born a slave and all I wanted was to be free. That didn't interest him one bit and it interested nobody else in the aftermath of my story."

His teeth seemed to grow sharper with his rising aggression in the moonlight and it was like his nose was twitching and curling in his aggravation just as well, ready to go for the throat so to speak. He couldn't care less if that was a descendant of a god.

The gods hadn't helped him and he had been forced to be their follower against his will for a long time. "All I am trying to do here is damage control. Do you think I want Necrophades out and about, you idiotic dolt?! He would rape this land and off every living creature one after the other and plunge this whole world in chaos and darkness." He snarled that out. Apparently she had thrown some salt into wounds.

"The only way I can assure he is kept where he is and staying alive is to keep him where he is under all circumstances. The moment he gets out FOR REAL, I am dead meat. THAT is my only goal. To think I would be so stupid to commit in enslaving myself to a creature like that." He huffed. "At least I realized what a completely backhanded nutjob that derivation of dark god is! Actually... no... I hope you do find him. I hope you see what that monster made him into. So you can judge him based on that." He was obviously trying to force his energy into barking and not biting... because he looked very eager to tear her face off. He knew how cruel those words were, but he was riled up enough now to not care about one or two casualties... that had hit him low in the stomach. As if he had had an actual choice to ever decide anything that happened to him... "Seems the righteous soul you knew is all too happy to offer more innocents up to the darkness now... because he didn't even care that his host was on the line either. And if anybody ever was an innocent one... then it was that one. Touched by darkness and still pure as can be." His snarl grew just a tad darker. "What are one or two more corpses to walk over in a grand scheme, right?"

#sesshy380 #sesshy380rp #oop #you hit him in the jewels #and he is not taking it well #X'D #lashing out with anger #saying things he'll most likely regret #sometimes the anger gets the upper hand #this is one of those sometimes #ic #rp #ask

[shadowflash]

looking at arval's bits of wisdom to shez with the "hi epimenides. guys say hello to empanada." lens in hand is great.

if you're doing multiple playthroughs and are interested in trying to figure out what's going on with them and epi, i would encourage you to think about epi when you read arval's lines! it's admittedly not much when you have questions about just what is going on with them exactly, but doing so provides a lot of insight for who these characters are beyond "shez's cute magical companion who wants to kill this one person really bad" and "guy who kinda randomly reveals himself in the bonus chapters and says a bunch of mysterious shit".

anyway, once again here's some more about those two from me:

I think this camp dialogue is very telling! You can get it by talking to Arval at the base camp instance right after killing Jeralt:

I think Arval / Epimenides' ability to sympathize with Shez here implies that Epimenides likewise lost something important to him. Whatever it was, these lines hint at something interesting: The feelings are clearly a big part of what guides him in his quest to destroy Sothis.

Of course, from our perspective as players, this is a very "no shit" kind of observation to make but I think it's of interest to point this dialogue out and connect it to another one. Specifically: When Arval (as an extension of Epimenides) comes to shed tears after The Ashen Demon, or Sothis rather, is slain:

For all his talk about trying to save the world from whatever this false god has to do with it, it can be confusing to look at them be overwhelmed with such feelings. But if the idea is that he's driven to seek revenge just as he is also driven by the righteousness we see of him in his paralogue, then those feelings are.. actually still kind of weird!

Of course, there's the whole "revenge is meaningless and it won't bring being back what was lost" concept going for this whole thing.. but I wonder if there's anything more to it. After all, Shez is left wondering if there was any other way of solving this whole conflict, if doing it like this was just some big mistake.. So it wouldn't be surprising if that's what Arval / Epimenides felt as well (though they're ultimately cool with the way things turned out in this scenario, unlike Shez and, well, Shez presumably moves on since they don’t really think about this for the remainder of the story).

If from their end of things, they're able to feel regret over killing Sothis, doesn't that imply that their feelings towards her are more complex than we would normally be inclined to believe? Maybe the "sorrow and regret" he, Epimenides, feels is about how he had reluctantly concluded that killing Sothis was the only answer to whatever problems her very existence poses.. Like, maybe he had also wished he could solve things in another way--but that way just didn't exist. Plus the track used to back the latter dialogue is "Tears in Moonlight", so that could mean.. something.. Or maybe I'm reading too deeply into this and those feelings are more straightforwardly about Sothis, or something about her existence, wronging him and the other humans -> Driving him to seek revenge against her for ~1000 years -> Plainly being overwhelmed with relief (+ emptiness of revenge plot fallout feelings) over completing his great mission. Whoooo knows!

#arval #epimenides fe #i post so much about them im sorry i dont control what i get fixated on #also i love them. i give a fuck. i care. #few3h spoilers #fire emblem three hopes spoilers #few3h #fire emblem three hopes

[spiritualeden]

[aetherarf]

If you’re comfortable writing this, can you write a part 2 of the cheating scenario on Diluc’s side where the reader thinks about what he said more after leaving and realizes he didn’t consent to what happened and they go back to him?

Of course!! I guess I ended up making him the more redeemable... i should mention the last part of that story was very much him trying to... well. the warning will tell you.

[[ WARNING: ANGST, MENTION OF SELF HARM, MENTION OF R@PE ]]

[[ Summary: After a mistake, one where he could barely think and essentially poisoned by alcohol... you realize, after some thought, that it wasn't so much he cheated, but he was... sick. Literally.

Part One Here

Word Count: 1'962 ]]

You had left him, in a fit of anger and pain and betrayal. He told you that he cheated, and while, a little later, you could commend him for telling you so bluntly, without any flowery extra dialogue or excuses, only the pure truth...

That doesn't change what happened. If it happened once, it'll happen again.

You sat alone, glad you hadn't taken him up on his offer to move in just yet... You had a few things over there, that you were probably never going to get back... but that was fine. Things could be replaced. Sadly, time couldn't be.

For awhile you just minded your own business, guiltily thinking over everything. Were you good enough? Is that why he cheated? Or were the two of you nothing?

You found yourself walking to the Angel's Share, wanting to see some old friends to talk to... just to feel a little better, but you froze as the door was open--What were you doing, walking right into his establishment that he often bartended...

No, but he wasn't here. Charles was sitting there, and he glanced at you, a look of... pain, perhaps? in his eye, but he said nothing, pouring a mug for some random man, who took it and walked off immediately.

You decided to just leave, without a single word. No one stopped you, but why would they?

That night, you instead went to the Cat's Tail, not touching a drop of alcohol, simply some non-alcoholic, but sugary sweet drinks as you pet the kitties, leaving for a few moments to get them some treats. It was a nice distraction, even if that fluffy red cat in the corner kept reminding you of Diluc...

Moving was sounding like a tempting option, but you'd give yourself a few more days at least before making a serious decision. Your heart was aching and tender, you needed at least a little time.

The next day, you went out, stocked up on food, and did nothing but hide inside from the rest of the world. The next, you didn't even leave, you just hid.

Finally, you decided to try Angel's Share. You weren't as familiar with the people in the Cat's Tail... and maybe Kaeya was there? He knew Diluc better than even you, and he could, maybe, give some outside insight... even if he hated your guts, he could at least shed some light onto the reality.

You dressed oddly, trying to hide from the world in a hood, head lowered. As you walked in, however, you realized this was unnecessary, as Charles was still working the counter.

You took your hood off, and sat at the bar, "Hey, Charles."

"Greetings," he said, having been putting something under the counter as you sat down, "What do you want?"

"Is Kaeya here?" You asked... he looked at you oddly.

"No, left in a rush. Some Knightly business." He probably knew more, he was a smart man who knew when to speak and when to seal his lips.

"... has, uhm," you felt like an idiot, but you wanted to ask, "Has Diluc been around? I haven't heard of anything about him lately." Not a total lie, there was always gossip about him. But--he sighed, and shook his head.

"No one in Mondstadt has seen him in a few days."

Your heart sunk--you aren't even entirely sure why.

"Some wonder if he died, and they're trying to figure what to do with the Winery," He looked at you oddly, "Some say he's sick," He began cleaning a glass, "Some say he's just left on some private business. But that's all I heard."

You knew that, just before... that night, there had been high-strung gossip about some drama, about how Diluc had caused issue with the Knights again ( something thrown drastically out of proportion ), and if there was sudden silence...

"Sorry for taking up your time, thank you, I remembered I have something to do," He just nodded as you pushed yourself up, rushing out of the building.

Charles just shook his head, knowing better to even mutter... someone always liked to listen.

...

"Master Diluc," Adelinde said, her voice soft, "Do you need anything."

"I'm fine." He said, weakly. His skin was pale, and he looked beyond just sick. Too much alcohol, even a glass caused him to spew blood, from his dramatic moment where he wanted to spew out his insides to stop breathing, it had taken a massive toll on his body.

However, he had done little to nothing, too weak to fight it. A broken heart plus physical damage was a battle seldom won. But, he would, somehow, even if another part of him died.

He knew better. After... after what had happened, the only other time he truly tried at intimacy ended to agonizingly, he shouldn't have tried a second time, but he did.

He would not try a third.

The door to his room opened, and Adelinde walked over, the sound of hushed whispers, before it clicked shut and she turned back to Diluc.

"You... have a visitor."

Diluc was silent.

"It's... them." Adelinde said, with no small degree of fear and worry, and for the first time, he pushed himself up--his head was reeling, flopping back onto the bed, his hand over his eye, groaning.

Blood loss did that.

"Did they," he inhaled, "Did they say what they wanted?"

"They said 'just to talk.'

He, much slower this time, shifted to sit up. "Have them sit in the main room and wait, I need a moment."

"Are you alright alone?" She asked, as though it was not the only thing he had asked for. His silence was enough to tell her, and she left the room, the door clicking behind her.

He got dressed--Tempted to wear his normal coat, but he opted for a simple outfit that looked decent enough. He was too tired for anything else. Finally, he got up, and walked slowly, wondering if he should have had you come straight in... but, no, he knew better to ask of that.

You were sitting, waiting and twiddling your thumbs, looking up as he walked by. You stood, but he sat down in a chair near to you, but giving you enough space that you'd have to stand up to reach him...

A tactical move.

You sat back down, trying to just get a little closer.

"I'm very tired," he said, "So please tell me what you need from me."

His words were harsh, he was not trying to send you away, to scare you off. He enjoyed, to a degree, seeing you close once again, but it was agony as well, ripping his heart in two. He would not prolong the conversation, but he would not force it to a halt.

Emotions were hard to endure.

"I-I just... I didn't hear anything about you recently." You were worried.

Were you afraid of having to live with the guilt of an unstable man?

"I'm sick, and weak, but fine. I've just been recovering."

You swallowed thickly, "May I ask what from?"

He hesitated, tugging at his sleeves, wishing he had put on a pair of gloves to fiddle with, "Alcohol reaction. It tore up my insides quite badly." He explained, "I'll be fine in a week or so."

... You knew it hurt him, but... this bad?

"That's... okay." You didn't know what to say... and finally sighed. "I want to... I didn't, I left too soon. I didn't... think about you at all, and I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I cheated, that's all there was."

If he was honest, he felt disgusted. He didn't... he didn't remember the face of the woman--was it even a woman? But he felt... awful, sick, torn up. Just like...

The first time.

He shuddered.

"Is that all?" He asked.

"I want to know what happened," you stated, half wanting to hope maybe it was a misunderstanding. If he had, while in his drunken, and admittedly air deprived state, kissed some woman and thought it was you... You could forgive that.

However, he just looked down.

"I..." he swallowed thickly, "I don't remember much. I was pressured into drinking alcohol, and I couldn't spit it all out."

"Who pressured you?"

"I don't remember. It was... some sort of tense situation. I think there was a man, and a woman, and she wouldn't drink it. It was... tense... I think I drank it. She was upset, and eventually ran off, I don't remember."

"... Was it drugged?"

Diluc's eyes widened for a moment.

"I," he struggled to think, "That may have been why I drank it, to... stop her from drinking it."

You were scared to hear the rest of the story.

"I drank it, Charles was there, and I went to the back. I don't-everything was fuzzy. Someone's mouth... on me, then they..."

There were tears in his eyes, and he wobbled a little in his seat.

"I'm sorry, I... I don't think I can keep speaking, it... hurts."

"It hurts?"

He nodded, tears on his face, with all the vulnerability of a young child who was scared and alone.

You weren't stupid.

"Did you... want it?" You asked, and he shook his head,

"No," he was choked up, openly crying as he tried to hide it, "No, no... I didn't."

You didn't care about this distance, standing up, gently resting your hand on his leg, and then holding him. He hugged you, but he felt so weak.

"I'm so sorry," You felt yourself tearing up--you had to be strong. Not only did something horrific happen to him, which he could scarcely speak of, but you had made it all worse by punishing him for it.

"I want to be there for you, I want to take care of you... I'm sorry, I fucked up. I understand if you're upset, or mad, and if you don't forgive me..."

Suddenly, and for only a moment, his hug had crushing force, pulling you closer.

"I just don't want to be alone."

"You won't be alone," you cooed, sweetly, "Do... you want to go to bed?"

He nodded, weakly whimpering, and you helped him to his feet, the two of you walking ahead to the bedroom--Not missing how badly he struggled. You knew his allergy to alcohol was bad, but this bad?

You made your way in, ignoring the harsh and confused looks of the staff, shutting the door behind you.

Everything looked the same as you left, and you helped him sit down, how he... slumped, weakly.

"Do you want to get undressed?"

Slowly, he nodded, and you started with his shirt, pulling it off, tossing it to the side, resolving to let the maids deal with it later... But, you froze, seeing bandages on his arms, you grabbing his hand and pulling it a little closer to you, looking at it.

"What happened?" You asked, and he was... quiet.

"I felt..." He was trying to think, and refused to look at you, "Unclean. I... In a moment, I... thought I could claw it off."

"... Is this why you're so weak."

Slowly, he nodded, and then looked up at you with the look of a puppy that was about to be punished, "Are you mad at me?" He asked, voice aquiver as he was about to cry.

Are you mad, you thought, yes, but only at whoever hurt you.

"No," you said, sitting down beside him, hugging him, feeling him lean his weight into you, "But I want you to look for help, someone who can help you."

He nodded, still weakly holding onto you.

"I didn't think it'd happen again."

Again. How horrifying a single word could be.

"You don't have to deal with it by yourself, this time."

#genshin impact #diluc #genshin diluc #diluc x reader #genshin diluc x reader #angst #angsty bark #hurt and comfort #// thats a tag now #bark writes #??? #fluffy bark #// for the end #// tossing in some other messed up hcs i also have but havent talked about

[jule1122]

March Meta - Greg Manes

My first real meta so be gentle:)

My favorite minor character is Greg.  I mean what’s not to love about Greg?

He’s kind

He’s handsome and sexy

He gives great hugs

He’s a badass when he needs to be

Feel free to tell me all the reasons you love Greg.

For me it all starts with the hug.  The hug with Alex in 2x10 is by far my favorite moment of the season.  The whole scene is so important to me because of what it tells us about Alex and how Greg is really trying with him.  He knows what he wants for Alex and what Alex needs to do, but he also recognizes that Alex can’t do it alone.  He acknowledges Alex’s abuse at the hands of Jesse more directly than other characters have, and tries to take some of the burden living with that from Alex: If you can forgive him, you should. Cast off the stone. Let me hate him for you. I owe you that much.

I think many people would tell Alex not to forgive Jesse, to keep hating him, but that takes a toll on Alex, and Greg is willing to take some of that weight for him.  And then he gives Alex the best hug in Roswell history.

One thing I noticed when thinking about this meta is how Greg takes his cues from Alex.  He waits until Alex approaches him and brings up Jesse before saying anything.  He reaches out to shake Alex’s hand and lets Alex decide he’s ready for the hug.  It’s obvious how much Greg cares, but he doesn’t push Alex.  Alex is the one to mention the drive to Roswell isn’t that bad, opening the door for Greg to visit him. And once Alex invites him into his life, he is a consistent presence.

Let’s talk briefly about CrashCon.  Greg’s whole focus is on doing the one thing he thinks he failed to do in the part - protect Alex.  Both physically protecting Alex from Jesse, but also protecting Michael so Alex doesn’t have to live through the tool shed again.  Side note I would love to know how and when Greg learned about Alex and Michael and just how much he knows.  More importantly, when he kills Jesse, Greg is following through on the promise he made to Alex.  We know Alex is capable of killing Jesse and would have done it to save Michael, but it would have been another trauma between them.  And something Alex may not have been able to get past.  Greg takes this burden both to protect Alex like he wishes he had and also to keep Alex from living with the emotional consequences of killing Jesse.  He tells Alex: I should have defended you from him a long time ago.  Greg defended him the best way he could be removing Jesse permanently as a physical threat.

And while I wish we had a hundred more scenes with Greg and Alex, the one we did get in Season 3 was wonderful.  Again we see the benefit of Alex talking to someone who has known him his whole life, who lived in that house with him and who loves him.  Jesse is dead, but Greg can see that he still has a hold over Alex, that even without Alex knowing it, he has been trying to beat Jesse by being a better version of him.  Well, then, you should've joined the Navy, or the Marines or even the Army. When you joined the Air Force, you were following in his footsteps.  He’s not being critical, but pointing out the flawed thinking in that decision so Alex can start really moving forward.  His final piece of advice to Alex is one I think we really see play out in the rest of the season:  Stop listening to Dad's voice in your head and start listening to your own.  

I love Greg for his heart and his insight.  I hope Season 4 brings us more Greg and Alex scenes.  If nothing else we deserve to see his reaction to Alex being happy with Michael.

#roswellmarchformeta2022 #rnmmarchformeta2022 #greg manes #alex manes #rnm 2x10 #rnm 2x12/2x13 #rnm 3x03

[mynameisjag]

Because I can't get B.O.W!Ethan out of my head, here's more.

Ethan's team name is Vallhund.

"Feral in sight."

They were the newest batch of soldiers that were commissioned by the B.S.S.A. Top models and they were proud of it. Equipped with the best the company had to offer and continues training to keep them in line.

Not that the humans around them were aware of that, not when they were suited up and given directions to 'blend in' with the rest of the populace. A mission to see if their kind can work with the others without being noticed.

So far...most of everybody ignored them...

Except for the Feral that was heading their way.

He wonders if maybe they should find a different term for what the asset is. Just because he wasn't made in a lab like them and preprogrammed, didn't mean he was some untrained animal.

But...Feral...seemed right...

Especially since he decided on his own to leave his handlers group and head over to theirs without permission.

Figured a B.O.W would recognize another even when they all were fully armored.

The visored helmet turns to study each of them with a slight tilt and he can feel his heavy hitters tense up.

The Feral can act on his own...he can attack on his own... He may be more compact built then them but he is known to take out other B.O.W.s without instructions from their superiors.

"Identification?"

His mind races for the information he is asked in their own tongue, "Test Field Commander 158 of Squad 12. Identification?"

"Vallhund, Scout of Hound Wolf Squad. Mission?"

"Current Protocols in Group Behaviors. Mission?"

"None Active Momentarily, Awaiting Orders," there's another tilt of the pointed helm, "You are...human watching?"

That would...be the best way to describe it, so he nods, "Affirmative...learning social behaviors that would be beneficial to possible missions with conjoined squads."

"Sounds boring."

An actual snort comes from behind as one of the heavy hitters moves from his place on the wall to stand beside him and stare down at the Feral, "Humans...predictable...boring..."

Another nod and Vallhund's visor screen flicks with information, "Squad 12? Last mission was successful with no casualties. Impressive."

Of course. They were made to be the best and the confirmation sends a little buzz of something pleasant through his systems.

The heavy hitter beside him nods eagerly, getting his own dose from the interaction, "Yes. Did you really work with an older model of the T series?"

"Chaser? Lovely fellow."

He shifts, glances from the small B.O.W to the squad he came from, noticing the Captain was frowning at them with a look he wasn't experienced enough with humans to recognize.

"He doesn't know if you're worried about that. For the most part, everyone assumes your squad is the silent standoff type," Vallhund waves at the humans and the Captian gives a quick smile and nod refocusing on the other humans, "with your squads successes and low causality rate, people are less suspicious about you being B.O.W.s and leaning more into you trying to be the new upstarts."

"Humans...are very strange..."

He has heard of the dislike of their kind and givin the past representation, he can not blame them.

But for them to be upset over them being replacements, they were made to protect human kind. It will be their lives given, shouldn't they be glad not to lose their own anymore.

For them, this was literally what they were made for...it was programmed into their systems that dying for the cause was honorable.

No more human casualties from their side, human soldiers no longer having to step into battle only to lose their lives and never see their families again, no more life altering injuries chased by phantom pains.

His kind were made for the sacrifices that humans will no longer have to pay...

It will be an honor to fall in battle one day.

His helm turns back to Vallhund, he was once human...perhaps he could shed some insight to those they protect.

"Perhaps future missions requiring our squads partnership together will be beneficial to both sides?"

He can't see it...but he knows the other B.O.W. is smiling up at him before giving what he has studied, a friendly pat to his arm.

"Love to work with your squad sometime, big guy."

Its a strange feeling he has never encountered before but...it feels...nice...to have confirmation that the other is willing to work with them.

They could only do so much in watching the humans before them...to actually join them in battle side by side...is a venture that is surely far off in the future...but it is one he is willing to be the first to head down and open the path for others.

For the humans, he is willing to sacrifice any comfort he has to keep them safe.

#ethan winters #resident evil #chris redfield #B.O.W.s Squad #drabble #ethan is basically in the same position as leon #do what we say or your family pays for it #yall name them for me

[the-melting-world]

IX. The Hermit | Shelter from the Storm

Asra x Reader

Enjoy these daydreamy highlights from Asra’s Route! Masterlist

In-Route Prompts & Options Selected Prompt: “We should go home and rest.” Options: “We should go to the shop” / “We should go to the palace” Prompt: He wants to introduce me to his oldest friend Options: I’m happy / I’m nervous *Coins* Prompt: “Don’t tempt me” Options: “Come lay by the fire” / “Don’t take too long” Prompt: Asra can’t look away... Options: “Like what you see?” / “I must look a mess.”

~ 1.3k words

****

As you and Asra approach Vesuvia, you see that there are red storm clouds brewing over the palace minarets. When you start asking questions, Asra hesitates.

“We should go home and rest.”

You wonder, is Asra simply deflecting? Or is he being genuine about the two of you needing all of your rest and wits about you when you come before the Countess? In the end, you decide to take him up on that offer instead of suggesting that you head to the Palace.

The two of you take the path through the forest. Somewhere along the way, Faust appears. You’ve never seen her so chipper as she greets you and Asra. Not long after, the air grows heavier and it begins to rain. Asra says that the two of you can wait out the storm at his friend’s place.

Suspicious, you think. Who lives all the way out here in the middle of the woods? There’s not really time to probe him with questions. The worsening weather forces the two of you to run through the rain, hand in hand, while you leap over roots. Asra calls forth a floating glow-orb to light the way.

Asra, who is grinning and enjoying this more than you or Faust, wheels you out of the way of sudden downpour of water from a canopy of leaves overhead. Close one.

The two of you huddle under a dryer tree to take a break. “We’re almost to my friend’s place,” he says as he glances around, as if he’s getting ready to do something.

“How come I’ve never met this friend?” You tease him.

Another one of those glimpses of sadness flickers across his features before he mumbles, “He’s not much of a people person.”

Before you could press the issue any further, Asra is drawing you in and humming contentedly as he bathes your cheeks and chin in the rainwater clinging to his own. Then he kisses you for real and you kiss him back, guiding his spine against the trunk of the tree that shelters you both from the rain.

You blush at the soft smack of lips when the two of you finally break apart. He gives you an encouraging smile and pulls you out from under the tree. He leads you to a hut made of stone, pulsing in magical wards that Asra takes some time to unlock.

You enter the hut and it’s like night and day. The protective stone walls and the woodsy dryness in the air is a stark contrast against your cold, soaking bodies.

Once again, Asra gives you the chance to test your elemental skills. Your spirits lift at the opportunity to help him get warm instead of the other way around.

While you conjure the flame needed to warm the hearth, Asra explains the spell that his friend is under and the reason why you’ve never heard of him. You process what he tells you and… it’s so sad, is all you can think.

You assure Asra that you’re happy about meeting his old friend. And you are, truly.

This seems to put him at ease. He’s excited about the two of you becoming friends as well. Muriel is his name.

As much effort as you’ve put into getting the fire started, you’re still cold. Before you know it, you’re snuggling up under Asra’s arm. Still it’s not enough. Asra promises to be back with more wood. You decide to shed some of your wet layers in the meantime.

You’ve pulled your shirt over your head when you realize Asra hasn’t left. He’s still at the door, staring at you in a way that makes you forget the two of you were ever roommates. Determined to keep the moment from becoming any more awkward, you stretch out beside the fire, tip your knee towards the ceiling and add a slight arch to your spine.

“Did you leave something behind?” You meant it as a joke, but then Asra leans his back up against the door for support and lets his heavy gaze slowly drift over your body. He shakes his head once.

“Don’t tempt me.”

There is a slight purr behind each word, altering his usually airy voice.

Before you can stop to think about what it could lead to, you beckon him back towards you.

Asra’s purple eyes turn to magenta flame as he comes and lies down beside you. Soon his arms are wrapping around you and his forehead comes to meet yours.

“Oh, you’re so cold” He chides. In a way, it almost sounds like he’s blaming himself. You play it off. It’s not that serious and besides, you don’t really notice the cold. You raise Asra’s spirits again with a little game of footsies. But it doesn’t last long before Asra’s tilting your head back and filling you up with his warmth. He’s determined to warm up every part of your face. Carelessly, his lips move over your blushing skin. Every spot he greets spikes heat at your core. Now he’s onto your neck. You whimper in confusion when he suddenly breaks away.

“Let me get some of these clothes off.”

Asra mutters something else – something about the furs while you’re lying on your back, trying to catch your breath after all of that. How can he manage to busy himself with some household task seconds after bringing all of the heat in your body to the surface? You take a moment to swallow and try not to stare too hard at him while he’s taking off his clothes and hanging them over the fire.

Asra muses, “If we weren’t in my friend’s living room right now, we could…” he lets the thought linger in the air.

You lift an eyebrow. “We could what?”

Asra bites his lip and breaks eye contact. He shakes his head, chuckling, “Nothing. Forget I said anything.” Soon he’s back with a massive, smoky gray bundle of fur.

Whoever this Muriel person is – he better not come through that door. You’re too wrapped up in heaven under these furs with Asra, listening to him recall a time when he used to yearn to be close to you like this. The two of you help yourself to more kisses, the slow and lazy kind. You could stay like this forever…

It seems as though the same is true for Asra. He can’t take his eyes off of you.

“Like what you see?” You ask, hoping he’ll give a little insight into whatever is going on behind those otherworldly irises.

Asra’s answer is immediate. He loves what he sees. He loves everything he sees in you.

But then he takes it back as if he’s said something wrong. You thought he was being sweet and playful, but now that you’re turning his words over in your head, you understand how they could be taken the wrong way.

But… even if you had registered his words that way, did it feel wrong?

As always in these strange moments, Asra finds something else to do. He gets up to leave and tells you not to open the door. Not even for him.

“Especially not for me. I’ll open it myself. If I can’t do that… it isn’t me.”

This gives you goosebumps because... what in the name of the gods was going on in this desperately dark and eerie wood? What could possibly be walking around wearing Asra’s face?

After Asra leaves and you’re still shivering over what he told you, someone enters the hut. It has to be Muriel, who else could it be?

Before you get a chance to explain yourself to this guarded fortress of a man, he takes one look at you and speaks in a way that reminds you of the sigils on his door – meant only to keep everyone out.

“You’re not welcome here.”

#the arcana #asra x reader #asra #asra alnazar #asra the arcana #asra fanfic #asra fic #asra fanfiction #gender neutral reader #gn reader #the arcana fic #the arcana fanfiction #asra route #asra's route #asra x apprentice #my writing #asra x mc #asra’s route #muriel the arcana #muriel #muriel of the kokhuri

[lumina-rose]

Tear You Apart

Chapter 3/4

AO3 Link:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32168824/chapters/80048179

Pairing:

Laszlo x Reader

Summary:

Mere months after the conclusion of the Beecham case, Dr.Kreizler and his associates are asked once again to solve a new series of murders that plague the streets of New York. They are joined by the alienist’s new assistant, who’s presence soon unravels startling revelations. Not only within the case, but also within the mind of one of their own.

(This story is set between the events of Season 1 and Season 2)

Warnings:

Murder Mystery, Graphic Description of Corpses, slight dark!Laszlo (kinda. Think Will “This is my design” Graham), Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut (MINORS DNI), Minor Violence, Friends to Lovers,Assistant, Boss/Employee Relationship,Tension, Sexual Tension, Mutual Pining, Kidnapping, Sexual Assault, Implied/Referenced Abuse

(More Future Warnings TBD)

Notes: 

Adding an extra warning for this chapter, just in case.

This chapter deals with themes of violence, kidnapping, captivity, non-consensual touching, non-consensual groping, and implied abuse.

Chapter 3: Lily

Dr. Kreizler was not a man who considered himself superstitious.

Ever since he was a boy, he clung to his curiosity, searching for answers through science rather than religion in order to understand the world around him, even if it left his reputation tarnished to the more traditionally-raised, God-fearing socialites of New York. Yet, even as a child, there had always been a darkness that surrounded him, drawing in trouble wherever he went. No, Laszlo was not superstitious, but there seemed no other term to describe himself other than cursed.

You had been missing for two days, and even logic and reason could not explain why history seemed destined to repeat itself.

Following your night at the opera, Kreizler had thought it odd that you had not appeared at the Institute the following day. You had not seemed unwell, during your outing- quite the opposite, actually- and yet the fact remained that your presence was notably absent. At first, the alienist pushed his worry aside. After all, you had spent what was supposed to be a night of rest by his side. He reasoned that perhaps you had simply drained yourself, driving yourself to exhaustion with both the investigation and the concern you had displayed for him. But what truthfully unsettled him was the lack of warning of your absence. It was unlike you.

Regardless, even with your absence, Kreizler quickly worked through the day's sessions and duties, leaving most of the day free to continue working on the investigation. Your theory the day before had intrigued him, and gave valuable insight into what the killer's motives and background could be. With a newfound momentum, Laszlo called for Stevie, sending the ward to gather his colleagues here at the Institute, in order to follow this new train of thought. He also instructed Stevie to find you, deciding that it would be best to check on you, if only to calm his own anxieties. With that, all that was left to do was wait.

Marcus and Lucius were the first to arrive, punctual as always.  Not wishing to waste any time, the twins immediately went to discuss their new findings with the doctor, picking out bits of information that may be relevant to figuring out the killer's identity. Kreizler listened, drawing connections to their findings with the theory you had created. John was the next to arrive, quickly followed by Sara. The two had not had much to work with, in terms of narrowing down who the killer may be, but found a couple police reports and articles that had spoken about similar incidents. Laszlo nodded, giving his own opinions and comments occasionally, but his mind continued to drift elsewhere. He had pulled out his pocket watch, when he heard a new set of footsteps. Quickly, he looked up, only to see Stevie once again. Ushering the boy inside, he asked if he had found you.

"I tried, Dr. Kreizler, but I couldn't find her anywhere." Stevie explained. "Even went by the house a few times, but no one ever answered. Her door was locked, so I thought maybe she came back here."

Laszlo sighed, audibly upset by the news. "Right, thank you Stevie."

This caught the attention of everyone in the room. After the boy left the room, Sara turned to Laszlo.

"Has something happened?" She asked, sensing Laszlo's growing worry. "How long has she been missing?"

The alienist simply shook his head. "Since this morning. At first I thought I was simply overreacting, but now I'm not so sure..."

Saying his admission aloud, Laszlo realized how troubling the whole situation had seemed. He explained where you had been last night, and how Kreizler had made sure to get you home safely after the opera, only to find that you had not come to the Institute today. John stood up from his seat, sending a glance to Sara and the brothers. They stayed silent, throwing silent glances back and forth, as if talking through looks alone. Finally, Sara stepped forward.

"I believe we should go to her home, ourselves. If we find that she is safe, then we can continue our investigation."

"What're you saying?" Lucius interjected, stunned by Sara's proposal. "What would you have us do? Having the five of us show up unannounced to (y/n)'s home might be an overreaction, considering it hasn't even been a day."

"You may be right," Sara starts. "but I'd like to make sure nothing has happened to her. I won't be able to shed the guilt if the worst has come."

Laszlo's heart sank at her words, reminding him of the very same doubts and worries he had told you of the night before.

Moving quickly, Laszlo went to grab his jacket, placing it on as he spoke. "I'm going-"

Once more, Lucius was wary. "Dr. Kreizler-"

"-stay here if you must, Lucius." He turned, leaving no room for argument as he walked towards the exit.

Reluctantly, Lucius followed after Laszlo, with Marcus's hand on his shoulder. Sara and John were already standing, ready to leave with the doctor, the same memory of the Beecham case fresh in their mind. With that, it didn't take long for them to reach your home, a mere few blocks away from the Institute. It was a relatively small building, not like the towering apartments that surrounded it on either side. It was as though someone had taken a cottage from the countryside and placed it right on the streets of New York.

There were no lights on, by the windows. A fact that shouldn't have been strange, considering it was now late into the day. Even so, it caused a sense of looming dread to enter Laszlo's mind. It felt so similar when he had returned to his own home all those months ago, as though time was repeating itself. First with Mary, now with you. As the group called and knocked on your door, drawing the scrutinizing and curious stares of the people passing by, Laszlo concluded that he must have been cursed. How else could he explain the events unfolding? Truly, everyone that was drawn towards him seemed destined to either leave or be taken from him.

There had been one thing that gave him hope that it would be different.

With Mary, she had been a constant, comforting presence. What he felt towards her had not always been there, not until much later after their first interactions, but it had been a source of happiness and warmth. The feeling of being known so completely, without needing so much as a word being spoken. Mary had brought out a kindness in him that even he had feared he did not possess. It had been sweet and somewhat innocent love, regardless of the rather unusual dynamic.

With you, it was a similar feeling, but not entirely the same. Where his feelings for Mary were more subtle, there had always been an underlying want in his relationship with you. At first, it had simply been a need to understand you. How you could be so similar to him, sharing that same curiosity for the human mind, yet still be able to catch him by surprise with your insights. He wanted to know about you, every little detail. Learning what made you tick, what made you happy, and what parts of your mind you had not shown to anyone else. Yet, even that wasn't enough. It wasn't until much recently, had Laszlo deduced the source of this incessant need for you. Where his feelings for Mary had made him recognize the lighter side of him, you made him realize that perhaps the darkness there was deeper than he knew. But he welcomed that new feeling just as enthusiastically, after the events of the opera.

What he felt for Mary and for you were very different, but just as intense. He had hoped, foolishly, that those differences would change something. And yet it seemed as if history was playing out again, as it had before.

"Unlock the door."

Laszlo's words were met with hesitation by the group, before they noticed the clear distress in his expression. Marcus nodded, placing the bag he held down in front of the door, before crouching down to pick the lock. Once unlocked, Sara opened the door, leaning in through the frame to look inside. From what she could tell, the study and kitchen were empty, and she could hear no sounds of movement, even after she called your name. Slowly, one-by-one, the five of them entered your home.

"Marcus and I will check upstairs," Sara decided, earning a nod from the Isaacson brother. "I believe there are a few rooms further back."

As they split up inside the house, Laszlo found himself at a loss. Although he had stopped by a couple of times, he had never truly taken the time to examine the home. Outside of the paintings that decorated the walls and the furniture provided to you, the home was extremely bare. Only a handful of personal items were scattered about, as well as a couple of books he had given you to read. For each and every room the doctor passed, it dawned on him that you had not been exaggerating when you had told him you dropped everything to move to New York. He wondered just how much you had left behind.

"Dr. Kreizler!"

Marcus's voice called out, clearly alarmed, causing the air to still throughout the house. Rushing upstairs,  John, Lucius, and Laszlo all went to join Marcus and Sara, only stopping once they saw the man exit what appeared to be your bedroom. A small bouquet of roses in his hands.

You awoke with your eyes closed. The only thing grounding you to reality was the steady, throbbing pulse in the back of your head, causing a dull ache to pass over you with every beat. With a low groan, you blinked, as you thought about how rough work at the Institute was going to be, if this headache was going to plague you. As you shot up from the bed, letting out a painful cry, you went to raise your hand to you head. Only for them to be pulled back harshly, by a binding pressure against your wrists.

You blinked, and suddenly the pain in your head was in the back of your mind. Your eyes shot to your hands, ignoring the sting of the sudden action. A bundle of knots bound you, as a rope dug into your skin, leashing you to the unfamiliar bed frame behind you.

No. no. no no no. You thought in a panic, realizing the gravity of your current situation.

You took in your surroundings, seated on a small bed in the center of a room. There were no windows, and only a small lamp by the door lit the small space. The walls were bare, save for the portrait of a young woman. The only exit was a wooden door, with cracks forming from the bottom. Your heart racing, you tried to recall your memory of the events last night. What had happened to you? Where were you? Who brought you here?

You remembered the opera, and your pleasant time with Laszlo there, and how he had escorted you back to your home. So why couldn't you remember falling asleep there? Why were you still wearing the same dress you had spent hours deciding on? You had watched the carriage ride far out of sight, Stevie at the reins. You had opened the door to your home, without the use of your key, as it had been unlocked already.

Unlocked. Despite having purposefully locked it before leaving for the night.

"Stupid." Your breath hitched, as you cursed yourself for not noticing such a mistake. You hadn't even realized. Too giddy and tired from the emotional events of the opera.

Your heart raced, as you grew more and more frustrated, causing you to tug at your bindings. But no luck came. You thought back to what you did after entering your home. You had placed a few things down, before retiring to your bedroom, in order to change into your night clothes and sleep. But you never made it that far. In a sudden moment of clarity, a memory returned to you. You had sat down in front of your vanity mirror, before noticing a flash of red in the mirror. A bouquet of roses. Perhaps it was the fear and shock of the realization that the killer they’d been hunting had been in your home that caused you to lose consciousness. However, the pain in your head suggested otherwise.

Whatever the case was, you were now trapped in a room, after being taken from your home by the very person you had spent months trying to find. But aside from the distressing predicament of your kidnapping, what unsettled you most was the sudden deviation in behavior. If you truly had been taken by the killer you were searching for, why were you still alive? Why did he take you? What did he plan to do to you?

You didn't want to wait to find out, but found that you had little choice in the matter. No matter how many times you tugged and pulled at your bindings, the restraint never weakened. You had tried untying the knots on the bed frame, in hopes that you may be able to escape, even if your hands were tied together. The knots however, were tight and overlapping each other, and no amount of strength that you possessed could undo them. In desperation, you looked at the wooden door, knowing that it was all that stood between you and freedom. If you only could unbind your hands. But even if you had escaped, you didn't know where you were, or who's home you were in.

The answer didn't come till what felt like hours later. You had sat yourself up into a more comfortable position on the bed, where the rope would not pull at your now-aching wrists, and jumped as the wooden door suddenly opened.

Your heart leapt to your throat, and all you could seem to do was stare at the figure in the doorway. You were shocked. Your were speechless. You wanted to deny it, to try and lie to yourself by saying that he couldn't be the one who took you. That his presence here was merely some miraculous coincidence. But you weren't that naive. Still, never had you thought the same man who would regularly stop by your house could potentially be a murderer.

"Mr. Arnett." You breathed out, finally.

"Good evening, my dear." He greeted, his tone just as casual as any other time you had spoken. As though it was normal, to have you tied up in a room against your will.

As he stepped into the room, you found yourself growing more and more anxious with each of his steps. He had asked you something, a question you couldn't recall. You couldn't even find it within you to respond, knowing that anything you said might make your situation worse. If Arnett truly was the same man who’d been killing the women of New York, then it’s likely he’d have no issue using that same violence against you. Although, he had already changed his behavior, choosing to attack you in your own home, rather than on the street. That alone revealed that he was unpredictable.

"What..what am I doing here?" You asked, fearfully. You wanted your tone to come off as more questioning, rather than upset. You knew that if Laszlo’s theory was correct, the only reason you weren’t dead yet was because the fantasy behind the murders relied on your acceptance of the man. Still unsure of his intentions with you, you shuddered at the thought of letting the man do whatever he wanted.

"I'm taking care of you."

The vagueness of the answer, and the emptiness in his tone, as he spoke sent a wave of fear over you. The man took a step towards you, right next to the bed you were tied to. You sat up, moving away from him, by instinct. You had hardly noticed the tray Arnett had been carrying, until he placed it down on the foot of the bed. A wide assortment of fruits, breads, and foods were placed onto the tray, along with a single red rose. Taking a seat next to you, he lifted something off of the item.

"A strawberry, from my garden." He explained, as though that was the cause of your nervous behavior.

You didn’t feel hungry, but felt a sense of relief at the act. Only because that meant he didn’t plan on harming you…yet. Once more, he placed the strawberry up to your lips.

Arnett's jaw tensed, as he spoke again. This time he sounded as though he were trying to restrain himself. "You don't need to be afraid of me."

Afraid to anger him, you took a bite, before attempting to distance yourself from him further, if that were even possible at this point. He praised you for the action, as an owner would praise a pet. Bitterness rose from your chest, creating a bad taste in your mouth. Whether it was the fruit he gave you, or the reaction you had to his words, you weren't sure.

"See, I knew you'd be good," He spoke, condescendingly. "just like my Lily."

You swallowed back a grimace. "Lily?"

Arnett blinked, as if confused for a moment, before giving a forced chuckle. His eyes turned to the portrait in the room, of the young woman. "I must apologize, it's rather rude of me to compare you to my wife- ex-wife. "

He quickly corrected himself, before looking back at you, his eyes falling to your wrists. More specifically, the red burns on them, from your previous attempts at escape. He reached out, without warning, before scolding you profusely. He spoke only about how should be more careful, as to not harm yourself further. In your upset state, you didn't even think before instinctively ripping your hands from his hold, not wanting him to so much as touch you.

Arnett's almost-caring expression fell in an instant, before revealing an angered scowl. He grabbed your arms again, only now his grip was harsh and painful. There was no doubt in your mind that you would have bruises later.

"Don't do that." He hissed. "Don't you ever do that!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" You gasped, shaking as you quickly apologized in an attempt to calm his sudden temper. Blinking, you searched for any excuse that might help you. "I'm sorry.. I.. It's inappropriate, I wasn't expecting you to.."

Once more, you cursed yourself for coming up with such a weak excuse. However, even as you closed your eyes, you felt the grip on your hand lose its hold. When you looked back at Arnett, his scowl had disappeared. He thought for a moment, before a slight smile crept over his lips.

"You don't need to worry about such things anymore, my dear." He sighed. "Now that you're here with me, you won't have to feign innocence for the sake of appearances. We can speak freely now."

As you stared into his eyes, you came to understand that in some twisted way, his mind had made up a lie: making him believe you held some form of silent connection with him. Twisting your interactions into subtle advances, when they had merely been polite conversations. Every small talk in the study of your home, he had taken it as a sign of reciprocated affections. Rather than what they were. And he truly believed that lie, which was what frightened you the most.

You were silent, as he ran a thumb over your injured hand. It was meant to be a comforting gesture, but you viewed it more as a threat. You knew that if you pulled your hands way, as you wanted to, you'd be met with more aggression. Eventually, his focus returned to the tray he had brought in, handing you the rose as he placed another fruit to your mouth. You were fighting back a mixture of emotions, as you attempted to process the situation. You wanted to snap, and tell him that he didn't need to feed you himself. You wanted kick and fight, if only to save your pride. But you knew that none of these actions would help you, and would more likely cause Arnett to harm you.

Instead, you tried to refocus your frustrations into questioning Arnett's plan for you.

"Mr. Arnett, I..I find myself at..at a loss as to why you've brought me here." You muttered, weakly. "Surely, it's not simply to 'speak freely', as you put it? I can't help but think there is another reason.."

The older man scoffed, as if surprised you even had to ask.

"Well, I've been left with no other choice, haven't I? You're forced to spend every day and night fretting over the little problems of a half-crazed alienist, who insists on keeping you by his side." He grit his teeth, looking  around the room for a moment. "But that no longer matters. You won’t need to worry anymore about Kreizler taking his liberties with you, my dear."

The bruising grasp on your hand returned. His voice and expression reflected anger, though it didn't seem directed at you this time. His eyes were still staring off at nothing in particular, and it seemed as though he wasn't even aware of the venom in his tone. Ignoring your pain for a moment, you feared what he meant, upon mentioning Laszlo. Was he merely speaking his suspicions out of a jealous delusion? Or had he known- had he seen- your actions with Laszlo at the opera last night?

You let out another pained gasp, causing Arnett to release his hold on you. This time, he stood up, staring down at you with regret and fear. Almost dejectedly, he grabbed the tray once more, and made his way back towards the wooden door. But not without looking back at the portrait once more.

"Lily was as delicate as you."

A time passed before the door opened again.

You had fought to stay awake, in order to try and defend yourself against Arnett, even though you were essentially at his mercy. But the reality was that you were exhausted. Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. The stress of the case, Laszlo, and your own current situation had left you utterly broken. As sleep came for you, your eyes fogged with tears, as you thought back to the happiness you felt just a night before.

When you finally awoke, you heard a loud thud, as though something had fallen somewhere in the building you were being kept in. Your heart pounded, half hopeful and half afraid. The wooden door to the dim room opened, your heart sinking as you faced Arnett once more, his face red with anger as he began yelling out, seething with every breath.

"He comes to my place of work, accusing me!"

Arnett raves, red in the face, as he circles around the room. His sentences slur together, his words coming out faster than you can understand them. You sit up quickly, bracing yourself, as it's all you can do in the moment. The man's eyes were wide and his gaze flicked from place to place, as if searching for something as he continued to ramble on. You noticed how his hands were clenched, his fingernails digging into his palms and his knuckles becoming a white color. Fearing what he may do, you kept your mouth shut, hoping in vain that he might forget that you're there.

"-Slandering my name and reputation!” He heaved out a heavy breath, before his stare finally finds its destination on you.

Whatever pleasant facade the man placed on for you before was gone now, overcome by his anger. He rushed forwards, pushing you back against the headboard of the bed, placing a hand on your face, pressing hard on your cheeks and jaw. Startled, you froze, unable to even move, except for the trembling throughout your body.

"Who is he to you?" He demanded, an accusatory glare cutting through you.

You choked out a reply, asking who or what he was talking about. That only made his grip stronger, squeezing against your bones enough to make them ache.

“That damned Kreizler!” He spat. “Is he truly so dependent on you, that he cannot go a single day without you?! Is your company so enjoyable that he cannot help himself?”

Arnett’s words were spiteful and insulting. Not only towards Laszlo, but yourself as well. It seemed that while Arnett did not seem to know the extent of your relationship to the alienist, the suspicion was enough to drive him over the edge. You only feared what would happen, should he learn what occurred at the opera. As your mind raced with your thoughts, you hadn't noticed how your captor now moved over you, trapping you under him. His spare hand trailed over you, his glare burning holes into you as he grabbed at your form. Your mind went blank, and all you could hear was the heartbeat that now pulsed in your ears. You twisted and turned, biting into your cheek as your body moved on its own, trying to do anything to get him off of you. A quick slap stunned you, causing you to recoil from the force.

Still, Arnett seemed lost to his ramblings. “He claims himself a gentleman! Tell me, do you enjoy the attention he gives you? Perhaps I’ve been mistreating you, perhaps you enjoy the way he takes advantage of you-“

Mistreatment was an understatement, but you dared not speak your mind in this moment. The feeling of his spare hand pushing a trail up your leg sent a wave of disgust and fear through you. Desperately, you spoke, saying anything that came to mind, hoping to calm the clearly unhinged man.

“No, no Mr. Arnett, please!”

You cried, gasping as your throat seemed to close off on its own.

“You’re- you’re right! He’s- He’s not a gentlemen, not like you. Louis-“

You barely registered what you were saying, only focusing on pleading for your life. You continued, speaking whatever you thought the man would want to hear. As soon as they left your mouth, you hated every lie you spoke about Laszlo. How you were catering to Mr. Arnett’s sick fantasy. It seemed to work, however, as the man paused his assault on you. His grip on your chin lifted your gaze up to him, making you stare through tears to look him in the eye.

Your voice shook as you spoke, going on and on about how you were being mistreated and how Arnett was a gentlemen, as much as it pained you to do so. You empathized the phrase, hoping it might somehow make him stop. His actions were abhorrent, yet he seemed to pride himself on being the gentleman he had tricked you into believing he was. You played into Arnett's fantasy, making yourself appear as some damsel in need of saving and that Arnett was the man who would do it. All you could do was hope your words satisfied him.

His hand released its hold on your leg, but you did not allow yourself to sigh in relief. The hold on your chin disappeared, as he gently placed his palm against your cheek. A soft smile met his lips, yet his eyes remained vacant and cold. His voice was distant once more, as if remembering something.

“You truly are just like my Lily.” He pressed his lips against you, holding you there. You didn’t move. When he finally parted, he gave a reassuring smile, something meant to comfort you, before saying: “He won’t mistreat you anymore, my dear. I’ll make sure of it.”

The older man stood up, smoothing a hand over his suit, before turning from you. Your heart sank at his words, leaving you in despair even as he left the room. Pulling your legs up to your chest, you cried into the wrinkled fabric of your dress, muffling the sound in order to keep Arnett from hearing you.

It felt like years, as another day passed. Your heart ached along with your shoulders and wrists, as you stared blankly at the wooden door. There were moments when you asked yourself if this barren room would be the last thing you saw. If the painted, empty eyes of Lily Arnett would be staring down at you, as you joined her in death. But there was hope.

Arnett’s outburst had been sudden and terrifying. But in his state, he’d given you the knowledge that Laszlo and the others were close, already questioning the man. Already suspecting the truth. You just needed to keep him satisfied, until your friends could figure out how to find you. If they found you.

When the wooden door opened once more, Arnett was bringing in another tray of food and water for you. As he came into the light of the lamp, your attention was drawn to the cut along the man's temple. Given your situation, this shouldn't have surprised you, but in all the time you've known the man you’d never seen the man with even a scratch on him, despite the violent attacks he had carried out. Before your abduction, you knew the man to be of good standing in the eyes of society. Someone obsessed with his reputation as a proper gentleman. Someone who’d never be caught up in a fight, not one that would cause such a wound.

You ask what happened, less out of concern and more out of curiosity, desperately wanting to learn what you could about the events playing out in the world outside of the small room. Your words seemed to fall on deaf ears however, as Arnett silently approached, not answering you. Instead, he lifted the food for you to eat. Slowly, you took a bite, not wanting to upset him further. After finishing the bits fruit and bread he initially offered, you found yourself growing more and more restless, due to his unsettling silence. As he lifted another fruit to you, you turned your head slowly, until eventually you found yourself looking up at the woman in the portrait.

Twice now he had mentioned his late wife…Lily. Some deep-rooted part of you felt as though her death had not been some random accident or illness, given how Arnett had consistently been comparing the two of you. No… By now, you suspected that perhaps the poor woman had shared your fate, falling victim to her husband's erratic behavior.

You opened your mouth, your throat dry as you carefully said: “I…I realize I never asked about your wife, before. If it is not too upsetting, tell me, how… how did she pass?”

Arnett blinked, as if snapped from his silence. A vacant expression crossed over his face, sending a frightening chill through you. It was identical to the one Laszlo had at the morgue, as the alienist was trying to gain insight into the killer’s mind. You had trusted Laszlo, but it was different now. Now you looked that very killer in the eye.

“I believe I told you. She was delicate." He paused, staring you down, before glancing away quickly. "Now eat.”

A horrible pit in your stomach grew, as your mind raced to create images of what you suspected befell the late Mrs. Arnett.  If his lack of hesitation of using force against you was any indication…It was slowly becoming evident that perhaps she may have been the first. The catalyst that created the man you faced now. You swallow back the lump in your throat, speechless. In your shock, you had forgotten what Arnett had ordered you to do. It was too late to fix your mistake, as the man quickly took your silence as refusal. In an instant, the tray was shoved aside, slammed to the floor, as his form climbed over you.

"You ungrateful bitch!" His hands clamped down on your throat, using a strength that felt as though it would snap your life away at any second. You hands pulled down on the ropes, having enough length to allow you to claw at his grasp. “Do you know how much trouble you’ve caused me?"

You struggled for breath, your heartbeat becoming the only sound in your ears before a slam at the door snapped you from your panicked state. A voice- no, voices- spoke loudly. You didn’t process what was said, only that the weight of Arnett shifted. You found yourself placed between Arnett and the unknown parties, a sharp pressure against your neck. As you gathered your senses, you realized the pressure was a knife, one Arnett had kept hidden away. You weren't sure if he had it before, or if he had planned to use it against you before being interrupted.

John and Sara stood before you, the woman aiming a gun towards Arnett. Though, with you placed in between them, the weapon was also directed towards you. You wanted to scream. You wanted to cry. If you weren’t so focused on the knife’s weight against you, your heart surely would have leapt with happiness. They had found you! But the confrontation was not over.

"You have no right, breaking in here!” Arnett seethed. “I’ll have you arrested!”

Sara was quick to respond, not even flinching from his words. “Call them if you like, but I doubt the police would be interested with us, upon finding a woman unwillingly locked up on your property.”

Arnett shook his head, his breath coming out in heavy exhales. His voice was shaking. Out of anger, fear, and confusion. “No, you’re wrong! She..she wants to be here! Tell them!”

The knife pressed harder against you, as Arnett whispered unintelligible words against your ear. You gasped, closing your eyes, as if everything would disappear if you didn't watch. Another sound of footsteps grabbed your attention, forcing you to look up once more. A third figure emerged through the door, joining John and Sara. He stopped dead in his tracks, however, upon seeing the tense stand-off between them and Arnett. With you at the center.

“Laszlo!” You called, the name falling from your mouth before you could stop it.

A vice grip found the back of your neck, making you gasp in pain. His whisper was erratic but you could just make out: "How dare you say his name in front of me-"

The knife pressed harder, a small sting followed by a warm trickling feeling. His cheek pressed against your ear, speaking lowly. “Tell them you want to be here. With me.”Another pause of silence made him seethe. "Answer me, Lily!”

Arnett’s grip on reality, whatever remained, was slipping as the scene played out before you. Still, you refused. Laszlo was here, They were all here! You were so close to freedom that you couldn't bare the thought of him taking it away. Tears reached your eyes, as you glanced at the faces you've grown to know.

“There’s no where to go, Mr. Arnett.” Sara said, regaining your attention. She looked back at you, rather than your captor. She looked unsure, as she aimed her gun toward the two of you, in contrast to her confident words. “If you truly care for her, as I suspect you do, then let her go.”

“No, nonono..” Arnett’s breaths became erratic. “She belongs with me! Tell them, my dear, now.”

Still you remain silent, biting back a cry.

Arnett snapped, cursing you, as the knife lifted for a moment, before turning fully towards you, intended to pierce your throat. In that split moment, you heard the loud blast of gunfire, followed by the metallic smell of gunpowder. A ringing overtook your senses, followed closely by a burning in your shoulder.

Then...

thud

thud

thud

Your heartbeat signaled to you that you were alive, but you couldn't help yourself but think it was a trick. One last cruel joke for the entertainment of a higher power.

Your mind and vision seemed to blur, as each passing moment came by in flashes. You no longer felt Arnetts breath against your ear, yet the intense pain in your shoulder remained. You felt a pair of arms reach around you, as the restraining pull of ropes on your wrists disappeared. The cool breeze of air hit your face at some point, before the rest faded away to darkness.

#The Alienist #laszlo kreizler x reader #laszlo x reader #laszlo x you #Daniel Bruhl

[gyuluster]

a special night | fluff

oneshot | relationship! au | 1.37k words

s u m m a r y : an intimate insight on the first night of choi soobin’s wedding, consisting of kitchen floors, witches and an eternity of love.

c o n t e n t : FLUFF!!! SO MUCH FLUFF!!! established relationship, soobin is hella nervous reader leaves him, reader is dazed af, just so much fluff ion know what more to tell y’all

a u t h o r ‘ s  n o t e : dedicated to @soobmint​ because her dream scenario is literally the cutest shit ever perhaps cried over it!! anyway ily furry char and i hope y’all enjoy!!!!

CHOI SOOBIN OPENED THE DOOR TO FIND THE WEDDING SHEETS BARE.

He wondered whether his eyesight had failed him - the sun had long set, a noticeable lack of light in his bedroom. He might not have perfect vision, but he would know if the love of his life was in front of him.

But you were not there.

Soobin pondered over the options: maybe you had gone downstairs, looking for a midnight snack because heavens knew you both did not have the time to rest in the whirlwind of activities. Maybe you had gone out for a little walk, perhaps reflecting on the events of today, the consequences of it all.

Or maybe you had taken the keys while he was inside the bathroom, and made a run for it in his new car.

Thoughts swirling still, he left the rose-filled bedroom, and descended down the stairs, nervous hands on the bannister.

Of course, he knew you would never commit such an action against him. Years of loving each other had proved his rather doubtful self-esteem, but when you take a huge step, one can’t help thinking the worst.

A quick turn from the hallway, the groom checked the living room, leaving after finding it empty. The anxiety grew within his gut, the latter option becoming a little too real.

Stop it. You know ____ is better than that.

Soobin entered the kitchen, his mind taunting him further until his lips nearly trembled. 

But then his nerves disappeared when he looked over the doorway, beyond the dining table and in the expanse of the room.

There you were. 

There you were, sat with your back to him, your voluminous white dress spread all around you as it twinkled under the moonlight, gleaming through the wall-length windows. You hummed a melody Soobin knew of all too well, blessing his ears as you swayed your head along to the tune. 

The groom let out a breathy sigh, a smile escaping his lips as he leaned against the doorway. Look at you, he nearly voiced out, watching you idly enjoy your own company. He almost felt guilty for thinking about any other situation. Here you were, simply basking in the light of the stars, who no doubt relished the idea of shedding their shine on you. If Soobin possessed his own light, he would spend eternity radiating it on you.

Why did he not realise? Should have known it was a little trait that you had, settling yourself upon the kitchen floor and just...be. Sometimes you would not do much but just ponder over the existence of occurrences in your life. Most of the time, though, the little seating in the middle of the kitchen would be the time Soobin would ask you of your worries, and you would spill your concerns to him. It was incredibly easy to confide in this man, see, when his silence was so relieving, and his words so comforting. 

He dared a step toward you, and then another; he was slow - soft, as to not disturb you, nearing your dove-coloured figure. Beside you, he settled himself on the cool marble, crossing his long legs, careful not to tear his tuxedo. His knees brushed against yours, and he almost felt like a little boy again when the mere touch sent shockwaves down his body. 

Turning to you, he found himself dreaming along to your humming, eyes rooted to your veiled face. Even half-masked he found you so alluring.

You both sat, cherishing each other’s company under nature’s light, you murmuring Soobin’s few favourites and Soobin simply admiring the way your voice harmonised with his calming nerves. Funny how one person’s every trait can be a remedy for another’s soul.

The boy did not even realise you had ceased until he felt his fingers being interlocked with yours. He blinked, and saw your soft gaze underneath the veil.

“The boys sang it so well today,” you said as a way of greeting.

He knew exactly what you meant. “Fairy of shampoo is your favourite song.” Stroking your fingers, he let a smile work his way onto his lips. “I would be damned if those goons did not perform it at our wedding.”

He heard your chuckling underneath the veil as you turned, facing him fully. “I’m sorry for not being upstairs. I know I must have given you a shock.”

Soobin hurriedly dismissed this, squeezing your hand. “Don’t say that. I was just surprised, that’s all.” He cocked his head then. “My love, what’s wrong? There’s always a reason if you’re sitting here.”

Your own nerves only festered with the endearment. “Ah, nothing big. Just thinking.”

“Anything particular?” 

A ghost of a smile appeared on your face. “Oh you know…” your thumb began stroking the planes of his hand. “That we’re married.”

Soobin did not need to see your face fully to sense your joy as his own heart fluttered with your words.

Married. Committed the last act which declared his attachment to you, his undeterred love for you and everything you represented. It was an extraordinary thing, finding someone who you wished to live with your entire life.

“Crazy isn’t it?” he agreed, looking out to the long windows, and the moon twinkling at him in greeting. “That I am your husband.” He smiled back. “And you my wife.”

“The witch has finally captured the prince for eternity!” you crowed, earning a soft laugh from the man before you. “It is time to put you in the cage of doom!”

“Perhaps I can still escape from this,” he mused, which only had you gasping in mock irritation.

You scoffed, staring at him through the veil. “You’re stuck with me now, Choi Soobin.”

The groom did not banter back, like you had expected.

Only held onto the hem of your veil as he raised it slowly, unravelling your face. His breathing hitched just a little at seeing you washed in moonlight, eyes glistening as if you held an entire galaxy inside them.

He swiped away the fabric, holding onto the hem as he parted his mouth.

“Let’s hope it stays that way forever, my love.”

Suddenly, you felt as if the world had stilled.

It was only an inkling, but you hoped to every celestial power that the universe worked in your favour tonight. Life is hard, the times are difficult but just tonight, you wished that this very night would last a lifetime.

Soobin may have been the realist in the relationship, but becoming married certainly made him wish for a fairytale. It was why when his heart sent a request, his mouth recited in action.

It was why he closed his eyes, and leaned in, brushing his lips against yours. 

The celestial powers had answered your prayers. Time suddenly ceased to exist, everything was no more save for Soobin’s plush mouth upon yours, enveloping you in a sweet kiss. 

You instantly melted beneath his touch, hands clutching his face as if it were a lifeline, your saving grace. The man, despite his shy demeanour, was certainly no monk, with the way his lips moved against yours, in a hypnotic rhythm only you knew the steps of. It was as if you were made for him, his kisses, his every little show of affection which brought you to ruination. 

Soobin at last pulled away, slightly breathless. He rested his forehead against yours, abandoning the veil and resting his slender fingers upon your face, eyes still closed.

“God, ____,” he gasped out, chest rising unevenly. “I just...I love you so much.”

If this whole day had not brought you to tears, this panted declaration certainly did.

A few tears escaped your eyes as you wrapped your arms around his neck. “You better, or the witch will not be amused.”

Spluttered chuckling left your beloved’s mouth, fanning your own. “Then I hope this will change her mind,” he whispered, before capturing your lips once more.

And as you both settled there, upon the cool kitchen floor with nature’s light shining on you both, Soobin radiating his affections, you knew within your very soul that this, him, everything associated with him, will leave you more than amused.

It will leave you forever happy.

#soobin fluff #choi soobin imagines #txt fluff #txt imagines #choi soobin fluff #soobin imagines #txt scenarios #txt oneshot #choi soobin oneshots #soobin oneshots #soobin soft #soobin scenario #choi soobin scenarios #soobin oneshot #choi soobin oneshot #txt.soobin #soobin x reader #soobin x you

[booasaur]

I wonder if we’re starting to see some the friendship dynamic of Lilly and Candace before Astrid became involved. Maybe it’s even hinting at why they broke off their friendship. While I do think Candace is using any excuse to talk to Lilly, so far she’s also been nice to her mainly to get validation for her own feelings. At least that was the bulk of their interactions in this latest episode. Whereas with Astrid, Lilly receives a lot more personal affirmation. Just some thoughts.

Again, as I'm answering this late enough that there've been two eps since you sent this, I do have the be benefit of ep 5's look at their friendship so I can only partially agree with what your post. Yes, a lot of their interactions have been Candace venting to Lilly, but I wouldn't say she's being nice mainly to get validation.

In the latest ep as of this ask, 4, there were a lot of Candace's feelings about Tate, and in other eps about her mom, but those are the two big obstacles in her arc, both that she has to deal with in one way or another to be with Lilly. She finally dealt with one in this week's ep, breaking up with Tate, but her mom's homophobia's already had an impact on their relationship to the point of answering your question about why they broke off their friendship. It wasn't because of Candace always centering herself but her mom disapproving of Lilly's moms. That's what she's grown up with, if she herself comes out as queer, that's going to be very tough and Lilly and her moms will probably be blamed.

It's all part of a bigger story, serving multiple roles, Candace's issues with her mom shed light on Candace, they're relevant to the Fortwell ship, and we're getting insight into Christine and through her, the Big Bad.

And it wasn't ever really implied that if Lilly was unwilling to listen to Candace venting or started talking about her own issues, Candace would withdraw her niceness. In fact, saying that she was a good friend and defending Lilly from the jock in the hallway came at times when there was no indication there'd be more to the convo.

And of course it's not going to be like the friendship Lilly has with Astrid. Candace and Lilly are only rekindling a friendship and the start of something more, while Astrid's been her best friend for years, and shares so much, including at the moment, monster hunting, a huge part of Lilly's own seasonal arc which she can't exactly talk about with Candace.

#replies #femslash related stuff #sent on 20220220 #Anonymous #5 #astrid and lilly save the world #fortwell #astrid and lilly save the world 1x04 #astrid and lilly save the world 1x05 #astrid and lilly save the world 1x06