#come on how do people still want to slander this man just existing in a world full of .... people......

[moeblob]

In case anyone who follows me forgot or did not know. Good lord I love Saizo and bless him for finally getting an alt and also bless him for being the only reasonable adult once again (in the paralogues). This man suffers so much from the people around him and the fact even his alt isn't a vacation but more stress is really funny to me (and bad for him, sorry buddy).

Saizo Dislikers please leave it at the door I don't wanna hear it. I've read enough rude tags on my art of him to last me a life time. o7

#fe heroes #fe fates #moe talks a lot #not art #i just had to say it because i really do love saizo and i really enjoy how much he just struggles with others being themselves #never forget how mad he got at azama for wanting to abandon mitama in their fates paralogue #never forget saizo had to force that man to go help his daughter #never forget that he did name his kid after him to keep the line going but didnt get mad when his kid was like mmm not now #never forget that some of the kids in the game call their dads Father and it sounds super formal yet his son calls him dad #HES A GOOD MAN JUST TRYING OKAY #also never forget he functionally works as a retainer with his ex #come on how do people still want to slander this man just existing in a world full of .... people...... #also after rereading his supports with asugi yeah the dude jumped to conclusions AND APOLOGIZED after learning he was wrong #and yeah he said the different name asugi was much more different and asugi pointed out yet you still use it #so basically never forget that this man is trying his best to respect his sons wishes and knows to apologize when hes out of line #also never forget hes ticklish

[crusty-chronicles]

Airheaded S/O Headcannons #7: Jinx (Arcane)

Starting off on a strong point, you are her everything.

She's known you since the days when Vander was still around.

You were the clumsy kid who competed with Ekko to bring her juice (Even if you always spilled it anyways)

You were the only one who managed to mess up worse than her

And as Powder, she used that to her advantage whenever someone called her a jinx

"Y/n broke five glasses yesterday by just standing, but I'm the jinx?"

But even back then it wasn't coming from a bad place, more of an understanding one.

Zaun didn't take too kindly to screw-ups, and you two were probably the biggest.

You weren't there the night everything went to shit.

So when you showed up to the bar the next day and both Benzo and Ekko were missing, you just assumed they'd quit and abandoned it.

A few days later and a man named Silco came in saying 'the bar was under new management.'

To which you replied with an 'okay!' 😃 just happy to have people again.

Then you saw Powder by his side and raced behind the counter to get her favorite juice

Only to end up faceplanting on the floor as you tripped, then proceeded to try again about 6 more times.

It resulted in Jinx smiling for the first time in days.

From then on, you're hers forever. No take backsies 😡😡😡

Whenever she wants to get away from the hallucinations voices, she'll stop by the newly renovated bar/brothel and watch you attempt to hand out drinks.

Seeing you spill it over the patrons and having them not being able to do a damn thing about it brings her so much joy.

She 100% babies you and makes Silco's henchmen do the same.

You cut yourself with glass?

Don't worry, Mama's here with a very colorful bandage and a kiss to top it off.

Having problems with the Enforcers?

Silco's paying them off (threatening them) so they leave you alone.

Inhaled too many toxic fumes and got sick?

Only soup and warm blankets for you. And cuddles. And mayhaps a bedtime story.

You are the only person allowed to call Jinx 'Powder'.

She'll kill anyone else

In Zaun, you have to be strong to survive.

And in your special case, you've punched someone harder than Vander with his gloves because they said something mean about Jinx.

The patrons at the bar all of a sudden don't wanna fight you when you make a mess.

Silco, although he despises anyone that tries to get close to his daughter, will tolerate you simply because you're too stupid to be a threat.

Although he does also like that you can hold your own if push comes to shove

He doesn't want a weakling to drag down Jinx.

It's a fact that Jinx is a brainiac when it comes to tech.

Whenever she's working on a new bomb or upgrading FishBones, she's always rambling on to you about how it works.

Even if you have no clue and stare all blank faced.

A look she adores and calls your 'thinking face'

She won't ever make fun of you for not getting things right away because you have so much more to offer than your non existent brain.

You've been there for her through everything and not once did you ever call her a jinx

Even now you don't call her by her new name.

She'll be having an episode, shouting at people who weren't there anymore, and you always wait for her to get her bearings with her favorite juice placed in front of her.

Jinx has two rules for any people that cross her path

#1 Don't bring up the Vander incident

#2 Don't call Y/n an idiot.

Anybody who tries the second is immediately shot on the spot.

No slander will be tolerated.

You two haven't officially asked the other out.

It's more of an 'I'm yours and you're mine' kinda thing.

Jinx likes to call you sunshine because you're the only light in a very dark world.

Other favorites include: sweets, baby, tough stuff, and the occasional toots

Jinx has never really had anything to call her own, so she will absolutely get jealous if someone has your attention for 1 second.

Why do you wanna even talk to anybody else? Is she not good enough anymore?

"I'm just trying to earn tips, but if you want me to take the rest of the night off I will. You're perfect, Powder."

And she's sobbing, smooshing herself against you to get as close as possible.

She's got you in a death grip saying 'she loves you so much' and 'that she's sorry' and 'wants you to keep working'.

But she makes you promise to take the next day off so she can spend the day talking your ear off while cuddling.

You're her everything, even if most of the time you're a bigger jinx than she is.

NEXT UP: Giovanni Potage

MASTERLIST

Then we start to circle back around, so stay tuned 🤞🤞🤞

#arcane #arcane netflix #jinx x y/n #jinx x reader #x reader #jinx arcane #jinx arcane x reader #stronk s/o #airhead s/o #arcane x reader

[le-roi-baleine]

I’m just going through tik tok trying to find cute edit of vanijeanne but only found slander.

I’m gonna draw them so much more, lol.

I know a lot of people don’t like them because Vanitas kissed her without consent. And they are right. Vanitas is a piece of shit for doing that to her. He used physical touch to put pression on her and manipulate her. He is a real enculé (sorry there is no word in English for that, and the meaning in English is not really what it’s mean in french)

But there relation moved. He continued to try to manipulate her for his own entertainment, but she grown past that, and answered to all is stupide action with her own power.

Then they get cornered and forced to truly cooperate. Some feeling got mixed but it’s only a little start.

After, when it’s only the two of them. She thank him for saving her friends and it’s when he saw her smile genuinely that he really fall in love (fall so bad that he can’t get up lol, weak)

What more interesting, is really I think Vanitas is a piece of shit for forcing a kiss on her, but Jeanne isn’t clean either. Like she killed eon’s of people (it was for war or because she’s a bourreau, but she still slaughtered living being) she also forced contact with vanitas. We can see that both of them used physical touch for a good. It’s like “un mal pour un bien” what they did is not good, but Vanitas kissed Jeanne to save a man and Jeanne forced Vanitas naked to save him from a death by cold. It’s what I actually love about them. They are not perfect, they made mistake, they could have used other technique, but we come to solution to our problem with what we learn and live. And there reaction really portray that.

As much as I love genuinely kind people in story (like tanjirou or Midoriya) I also love kind people who there image of good and how to optain it is not how most people will portray it.

And all the characters in the cases study of Vanitas have this actually. Like Noé and Roland. So mesmerised by the idea of righteousness that they missed it. Because kindness is far from the context of justice. And that also something we struggle with in our modern world.

But to come back to vanijeanne I love them for what I told but also because I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers and they are literally: Manipulate, gaslight x Manslauthere, girlboss

So people, if you don’t like them… just don’t like them , and stop telling the people who ship them to freaking go die.

Because on all the horrible toxic problematic ship that exist let me tell you this one is definitely like at 1% disgusting.

Like I saw someone shipping Diluc with Diona and I wanted to puke, scream, and ripped out my eyes.

The end. Sorry I just wanted to get it out of my mind.

Have a nice day!

If y’all want to talk about same thing or other things that upsets you on fictional work go on!

It’s a relieve space

#vanijeanne #les mémoires de vanitas #the case study of vanitas #vanitas no shuki #vanitas no carte #vanitas x jeanne

[ariminiria]

I thought we were past the time where reporters no longer slander actors just because they appeared in better adaptations than whatever is coming out this year (I'm talking about that Guardian article where they slandered Elijah Wood for no reason). Man, some people never grew out of the child phase, huh...

They're just digging an even deeper hole for themselves, really. Kinda like Taika Waititi saying he wanted everyone to forget the first two Thor movies and only remember his.

Like let's say RoP was actually going to be good. It's still a terrible PR move and an insult to fans to boast that it would be better than the LotR trilogy. Maybe I could see saying "we tried to do better than The Hobbit", but only in a tone that didn't completely blast The Hobbit, because it's one thing for me as a fan to rip on it and another, far more unprofessional thing, for a studio to talk that way about someone else's project.

But especially with how terrible RoP is, that's both arrogant and disrespectful and is only going to piss off the remaining small percent (if they even exist) of LotR fans who were still holding out hope that it might at least nod to the original, and were maybe intending to give it a try.

Imagine if I ran the Mona Lisa through one of those AI generators and tried to say "DaVinci who? Look at my NEW art! 😏😏" then people would be rightfully pissed, because not only would I be boasting about an adapted art that likely misunderstands the source material, I've also just made the wild claim that the thing I essentially stole and slapped my name on is better than the original.

#hollywood hate #anti rings of power #with a dash of #anti taika waititi

[notsorryiml8]

why does minato get so much slander on this app by kakashi and obito fans?

Interesting question. I may not necessarily be hanging in the same circles of tumblr as you, so I may be wrong, but I haven’t seen a lot of Minato slander, especially from Kakashi fans. His fan base generally tends to be rather chill. However, if push comes to shove, Kakashi fans are passionate and will defend him through thick and thin. But I don’t see them typically intentionally tearing down or attacking another character, especially his sensei. Or maybe I just tend to only see and follow the “nicer ones”🤷🏽‍♀️.

Because most of what I do and focus on is Kakashi-centric, I don’t see a lot of Obito content, unless it’s related to Kakashi in some way with a little Madara thrown in from time to time, so I can’t really say much regarding that space, but even what I do see is more Obito-centric from his fans. I really don’t see the Obito fans that I do interact with going out of the way to bash Minato, either.

That all being said, I don’t want to invalidate you, as I know not all fans are angels - people are human. tumblr is huge and every light side also has a dark side, so I believe there may indeed be some fans out there who do slander Minato, as I’ve definitely seen some fans talk negatively about Kakashi and I’m sure some do the same to Obito. So, it would be unrealistic to not picture the same for Minato.

You don’t mention in what area or ways he’s being slandered, so I can only conjecture as to why and can’t really say why people do what they do, though as I’ve never seen the point in bringing another character down just to make your favorite look better.

Personally, as I can only speak for myself, I have nothing but the utmost respect for Minato and think he’s an awesome character. I think people forget how young he was. Kakashi became a jonin at 9 or 12 - verdict’s still out on that one - which means Minato was his and Obito’s sensei at 19 or 22. And in a war. He lost not one, but two of his students because he was so in-demand that he could only be in one place at a time. The amount of guilt he must have felt is immeasurable. And he kept going.

I will say, if anything, I have seen Kakashi and Obito fans erroneously, in my opinion, call Minato a “bad sensei.” I think for the Kakashi fans I’ve seen do that, they’re reflexively being defensive about Kakashi being labeled as a bad sensei for 20 years, like “Kakashi’s not a bad sensei! Minato was the worst, his students died!” I will say I have seen that. But again, it’s erroneous to say that for both. Due to their talents and demand, both were exceptional and exceptionally in demand. Minato in war and Kakashi because he was spread way too thin and was expected to be a sensei and simultaneously a one man team financing the village with solo S-rank missions.

As for Obito, again, I don’t really have an exorbitant amount of interaction with his fanbase. I’ve seen a lot of power scaling between Minato and Obito on other apps, which is not my thing because it can cause arguments, has potential to bring out the worst in people- people are passionate about what they like, and is inherently biased towards a person’s favorite character. But I don’t see a lot of that on here. If anything, even with that, it’s usually the other way around with Minato being praised for his abilities and Kakashi being “slandered” as the weakest thing that has ever existed compared to everyone else. I have seen fans defend Kakashi in that regard, but even then, they’re not insulting Minato.

So, all that to say, I’m not seeing a ton of slander, but do believe it exists. As a Kakashi fan, I think it may be that his fans constantly feel as if they have to defend him and some may get carried away and degrade Minato in the process 🤷🏽‍♀️? But can’t see the chilled out Kakashi-stans just hating on Minato for no reason. And for Obito fans, again, I’m not a huge Obito fan - I don’t hate him by any means; just not a major fan - so, don’t know much about his fanbase.

Any Obito fans or Minato fans or anybody else feel free to jump in.

#naruto meta analysis #Minato analysis #kakashi analysis #Obito analysis

[lumikinetic]

I can’t speak for everyone but I just hate Bruce and think steph’s role as spoiler was really cool & there’s a lot of unexplored ideas that could go along w her identity as spoiler (plus I love the spoiler outfit way more than her batgirl outfit I mean the black shadowy face the hood the belt.. it had it all) Though batgirl 2009 was amazing I just think it’d be cool if she called out Bruce for being a hypocrite and goes back to being spoiler/an independent vigilante. Think there needs to be more independent vigilantes around Gotham anyway like why does every hero need to be connected to Batman

I'm gonna derail onto a soapbox with this first one cause it is literally my number one all time biggest grievance with the way I see people interact with comics nowadays but my sincere and honestly held belief is that there are very very few characters in all of comics you can fully, thoroughly hate with justification. You can say "this character isn't for me" and that's fine whatever it happens, sometimes a concept doesn't make you feel that feeling when experiencing great media and this is why people naturally gravitate towards sci-fi over fantasy or slice of life over high octane action but I truly believe you can't hate most characters. Especially the biggest ones who have been running for 50+ years cause the odds that there is that one run out there that will make you finally Get It™ are astronomically high, and increase with each new writer and THAT is what comics are really about. I'm gonna be upfront w/you, I'm so so worn down by Bruce slander these days, even when I'm not trying to be hostile (like now for instance, I promise) it still comes off as that but god. It really is the lamest, most boring, hivemind-esque stance to take. "I prefer [character] to Batman" yeah sure that's valid I do too, a whole bunch of them, even Batman himself prefers Superman, but when people say "I don't like Batman, at all" all I hear is "I'm not willing to put the work in and actually do the reading". Bruce is cool as fuck as a character as it is, but if you let yourself just enjoy the rule of cool he elevates to 1000. Zdarsky's run has lost the sauce a little bit imo but Failsafe and chasing Joker to the end of existence is still great stuff, and that's just what's happening right now. Great thing about being the guy who oversaturates the DC market: Decades upon decades of top shelf content out there. BUT. The content won't come to you. You gotta go looking.

Anyway Spoiler is cool, yes

The full face mask is cool, yes

I have no preference for the spoiler/stephgirl split. Both identities are good for me she can use whatever. But it doesn't take a whole lot of attention to notice that at the end of the day, it's just a recycled and watered down version of "Laura Kinney is X-23 not Wolverine" or "Miles Morales isn't Spider-Man" and just like those ones, it bothers me. Who cares if both use it at the same time? At best, it adds something new and interesting to the world and offers a dual perspective on what an identity could be. At worst, it's just something inconsequential but in a way that is fun and doesn't detract anything from the story being told. If one Batgirl is preoccupied, maybe in a ghostly magic realm for example, we still got another to do normal Gotham stuff.

Historically, every "Batman-related" character got tired of being Batman-related (or they exploded, sorry Jason) and decided to take the batsymbol and make it their own (or the writers forced it on them, sorry Jason). Batgirl is not connected to Batman. Batgirl is connected to Barbara Gordon. Bette Kane if you wanna get really technical about it. Babs' whole thing is about how she didn't become Batgirl to appease Batman or whatever, she did it because she wanted to and the bat was a convenient symbol that already had some weight to it. Also don't let the internet fool you, Babs' time as Batgirl really wasn't as impactful and iconic as everyone thinks it is and the '66 TV show makes everyone believe. She was in the cape for a comparatively short time before going straight into Oracle. It holds much more meaning to both Steph and Cass, so even then, it's not even connected to Babs, it's connected to Cass more than anything, and only because she was the one who got it first.

I would say Helena B cause she was before Cass but she had it for like five seconds, so. Lol.

#ask #dc comics #batgirl #batman #barbara gordon #cassandra cain #stephanie brown

[epickiya722]

(I warn in advance this is a long post)

I realized how little I see this (mostly because I just don't go looking for discourse), but has anyone actually called out that even the modern day citizens of BNHA are just as to blame as the Pro Heroes and Villains?

No, seriously. I come across quite a bit of Pro Hero slander (some reasons being actually eh to me, "Miruko deserved that hit by Shigaraki" I'm still in my feelings about that... but it's whatever) more than I see of Villain slander.

Yes, the Pro Hero system is flawed. No one is perfect... but the villains are definitely not saints either.

It's what I like about the characters of BNHA. No one is perfect and no one really is a saint. They all have their faults. It makes the story more interesting.

And when I see "villains" I don't mean just the League. I mean the "villains" as a whole.

"The Pro Heroes suck, they just care about the fame". And not every villain has a tragic ass backstory and deserves sympathy.

Overhaul exist, folks. The man literally betrayed the father figure he had. Eri's grandfather took him in and raised him and mentioned that innocent people shouldn't be hurt. But guess what? What in the hell did Overhaul do? He took a LITTLE GIRL and experimented on her, AN INNOCENT LITTLE GIRL, to create a weapon that when you think about it DISABLES PEOPLE!!

But I don't see that get talked about as much as I seen All Might bashing!

I digress though. Back to the main question of the citizens of BNHA.

Bringing back the whole "Pro Heroes care about fame thing". Why do you think some (not all) care about fame? BECAUSE THE CITIZENS PUT THEM THERE. They give them all this support, put these heroes on a pedestal even if they're the crappiest human being on earth. All Might for example. I doubt this man actually cares for the fame, he just happened to become the #1 for a long time. All Might is a flashy hero (he's a depiction of classic American comic book hero), but he's also friendly and when people flock him he interacts. However, this man puts saving people first before wanting to pose for a camera.

Think about it. When Toshinori retired and people found out about his skinner form he could have easily used his status as All Might to get more public attention. Instead, he still did his best to be a hero. He still did his best to help. When Todoroki and Bakugou faced those villains right after getting their licenses, Toshinori told people to stay back and risked his life at one point before Bakugou swooped in.

He gives advice when asked, he still teaches the class, he still sticks around to help.

Then there's All Might in Vigilantes. I recommend reading the series, it's a good read and actually made me think of this whole post really.

In Vigilantes, there's these scenes that actually bothered me. I touched on them during my Vigilantes read (I only have 2 more chapters, folks) and you can find the posts on my blog. Just search "kiya reads" or "bnha vigilantes".

Anyways! There's this scene where All Might sits down to eat, right? And not even before he gets to take a bite he has to leave to save people. AS IF NO OTHER PRO HEROES ARE AROUND! Another scene is how exhausted he looks and Nighteye tells him he should rest. Now some of you don't like Nighteye, but you have to agree with him when he voiced his concern about All Might's health.

Society has expected so much of All Might that All Might can't even sit down for five minutes. He probably didn't even have the goal to be #1, just wanted to be a hero and put a smile on people's faces. That's all. But no! The citizens rely on him way too much to the point that other heroes compete to be the best just to get that same limelight. And the disrespect to the All Might statue. Oh, he was all "BEST HERO EVER" but the moment Dabi puts out a video about Endeavor it's all "HEROES SUCK, ALL MIGHT IS A FALSE GOD" yadda yadda. So just because one Pro Hero messed up, you decide that the Pro Hero who constantly put his life on the line and you the public practically did see as a god is "false"? Hmmmm.

And about that! In the recent chapter, I saw some people were upset that it was said "Dabi manipulated the public". I understood that. He told the truth. But keep in mind a BUSINESS COURSE STUDENT USED THE WORD 'MANIPULATE'. THAT SAID STUDENT WASN'T THERE TO WITNESS WHATEVER HAPPENED IN THE TODOROKI HOUSEHOLD. THAT A WAR IS HAPPENING BECAUSE OF THE VILLAINS. He's going to think Dabi is just lying because one, Dabi is a villain. Two, he is a child. Three, he's on the Heroes side. He's going to think Dabi manipulated the public.

Which plays into the citizens being at fault. They have the right to believe Dabi, but these are also the same fucking people who didn't think Midoriya shouldn't be given a safe haven. A CHILD.

CITIZENS THAT ACTUALLY FAILED MIDORIYA BEFORE NOW.

People want to blame Bakugou completely for ruining Midoriya's childhood, but I guess the damn adults are invisible. They allowed that. They discriminated against Midoriya, too, for being quirkless. There were adults who praised Bakugou for having a quirk but cared little for Midoriya. I'm not talking about Pro Heroes. I'm not talking about villains. I'm talking about PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THE SAME AREA. People. Not Heroes, not villains. Just ordinary people. They failed both those kids.

Oh, oh. Not just Bakugou and Midoriya now.

Years before that, guess who allowed AFO to get his hands on Shigaraki? THE CITIZENS. THEY SAW A CHILD WALKING A STREET AND LEFT HIM ALONE BECAUSE HE LOOKED WHAT? CREEPY? THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A CHILD THAT NEEDS HELP, HELLO?!

Shigaraki's family was just a bunch of ordinary people. His father treated him like dirt, yet when the Heroes are fighting him it's all bad and they should die. Yet, his biological father treated him badly WHILE HE WAS JUST A CHILD. Heroes fighting Shigaraki are literally just trying to prevent more tragedies, doing whatever they can because they're in a HUGE BATTLE RIGHT NOW. Yet, I see them get called trash more than I see his father get bashed. In fact, it's a 9/10 chance I'll cross a hero bashing post than I would a Shigaraki's bio dad getting bashed post.

A Pro didn't help him, sure. BUT NEITHER DID A SOME NON-HERO.

And it's not like people needed to use their quirks! No one needed a quirk to help a child off the street before a deranged villain got to him. No one needed a quirk to tell Midoriya "hey, I think you're amazing as you are". No needed a quirk to be a decent human being!

Society as a whole is screwed up because previous generations let it happen. Not just Heroes, not just Villains. THE CITIZENS, TOO!

The citizens rely on Heroes too much and care for the Villains too little and then switch up on them!

It's all connected! You can't expect the Heroes to be perfect or Villains to not be villains out of nowhere just because. Sometimes it's how the people who aren't Heroes and Villains treats them.

#just kiya's thoughts #bnha #mha #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #seriously all the pro hero slander is OUTRAGEOUS #no one ever points about the citizens ever #like the villains should be babied #IF SOCIETY DIDN'T BABY THEM THEN WHY SHOULD I?! #point the finger at them! #i like the villains and i like the heroes but i also acknowledge their faults #and guess what? some of those fault string from how others treated them #PEOPLE WHO AREN'T HEROES OR VILLAINS #JUST PEOPLE LIVING #long post #all might #pro heroes #league of villains #midoriya izuku #bakugou katsuki #yagi toshinori #shigaraki tomura #bnha spoilers #bnha manga spoilers

[bandedbulbussnarfblat]

Beyond Metaphor

here is my fic with Daniel and Lestat. It's set after the interview is over and Lestat finds Daniel in New York.

It’s been a year since the interview.  Daniel’s book based on it came out a few weeks ago.  It’s been hailed by critics as a masterpiece, both for its harrowing depiction of racism and the authentic portrayal of queer identities.  Of course, they think it’s fiction.  Metaphor.  They don’t know the very real danger they’re in.  That monsters do exist out there beyond metaphor.  

The book became a bestseller practically overnight.  Hell, his publicist is telling him about rumors of a movie script being talked about.  It’s all very exciting.  Daniel wishes he cared.  His daughters still aren’t speaking to him, so it’s not like he needs the money.  All money is good for now is to leave his loved ones.  With his health, he probably won’t be around to see the movie get released if it does get made.

Mortality beats a heavy drum.  

Daniel’s worries that the others will come for him.  He did expose them, after all, even if the world believes they are fiction.  He has Armand’s amulet for protection with a vial of his blood inside.  If he were to be approached by a vampire, he’s to break the vial and they’ll know what power protects him.  

As if it would do any good.  As if Armand has ever been any good for him.  Those freshly reborn memories are too painful to contend with, so Daniel forces them back.  

He’s back in Brooklyn, trying not to think of his inevitable demise.  Every day that ticks by brings him closer to death, and really, what’s the fucking point?  He’s bitter and he’s lonely.  He misses people he doesn’t want to miss.  He wants things he doesn’t want to want.

But he’s accepted his fate.  

So naturally, that’s when something has to happen to shake things up.  That something is Lestat de Lioncourt.  Daniel meets him after a book signing he agreed to over in Queens.  He’s just shuffling back into his home, stepping out of his shoes when a lamp clicks on.  

Sitting on his favorite armchair is a blond man with hair down to his shoulders, a strong jaw, and eerie, incandescent blue eyes.  His smile is slow and dangerous with a hint of fang showing.  “I assume I need no introduction.”

“Lestat.”

This isn’t how he imagined dying.  It had never occurred to him that Lestat might seek him out.  His hand goes to the amulet under his shirt and he clasps it.  He doesn’t want to break it, he discovers.  Such stupid sentimentality.  

He doubts it would matter anyway.  Lestat knows Armand.  He was pushed off a tower by him.  

Maybe letting on he knows Armand is a bad idea.

“Daniel Molloy,” Lestat says and smiles, big and manic.  “I’ve read your book.  I must say, I’m not a fan of the slander.”

“You come to kill me?  Go ahead; I’m dying already.”

Lestat makes himself comfortable in the chair.  “I’m not here to kill you.  I’m here to set the record straight.”

Great.  More vampire drama.

Daniel goes to the kitchen; and pulls open the cabinet with the glasses.  “I’m getting a drink.  You want anything?”

It’s just manners kicking in.  He’s seen Louis drink alcohol before, though it doesn’t seem to affect his kind the same.  He’s just pulling out a glass when he feels something behind him.  Daniel turns and Lestat is right there in his space.  He’s so startled, he drops the glass, but Lestat catches it midair.  

“I am feeling peckish, yes.”  Lestat’s smile is predatory and his teeth glint in the low light.  He runs the back of his pointer finger along Daniel’s jugular, down to the old bite scar.

Daniel gets a flash of memory.  Armand making the same gesture while Daniel squirms naked in front of him, so turned on and so ready to be bitten.  Lestat cocks his head to the side, reading his thoughts.  “Ah, one of Armand’s pets.  You’ve outlasted the others.”

Daniel feels very aware of the amulet around his neck.  He wonders if Lestat noticed it.  What would he think, to hear that Daniel wasn’t just another pet, but a lover?  That Armand still cares.  Still wants him.  Is still waiting for him.

“Aren’t you full of surprises?” Lestat says, and reaches for the amulet.  Daniel instinctively jerks it back.  Lestat drops his hand and takes another step forward.  They were already close, now they are practically touching.  “Do you remember what it was like, cheri?  To have his teeth inside you?”

His heart skips a beat and Daniel’s breath stops.  Lestat’s other arm comes around him to rest the glass on the counter.  He leaves it with his forearm resting against Daniel’s side.  His other hand trails up Daniel’s arm over his shoulder to the nape of his neck.  Lestat leans in towards his neck and breathes in his scent.  “I can show you what it’s like, to feel the embrace of a vampire.  You’ve been missing that, no?”

Lestat’s breath ghosts over Daniel’s throat and Daniel tries not to shiver.  “No.”

“Liar,” Lestat chides.  He brings his mouth to Daniel’s ear.  “I think I’ll enjoy taking Armand’s mortal minion.”

Daniel goes to step back, but the counter is behind him.  The hand on his nape tightens and Lestat tilts his head back.  He licks up Daniel’s jugular.  “Don’t fight it, mon vieux.  Let me taste you.”

A ragged gasp escapes Daniel at the contact.  He’s pretty sure Lestat isn’t going to wait for permission.   “Wait-”

Lestat doesn’t wait; he bites down and Daniel’s knees nearly buckle.  There’s pain, but it is extraordinary.  Every nerve in Daniel sings and he hums.  Pleasure unfurls from where Lestat’s mouth is sucking at his neck, traveling down his entire body.  It’s been so long since he’s felt this; he hadn’t realized how he craved it.

His hands go to Lestat’s shoulders and cling and a small moan escapes his lips.  Lestat’s arm goes around his waist and supports his weight.  Daniel feels like he’s in a haze, everything feels good and nothing hurts.  He doesn’t want it to ever stop.  If this is how dying feels, he’s ready to meet death.  

Lestat laughs against his throat and pulls back.  “Louis is too fond of you to kill you…yet.”  He presses a thumb to his fang and rubs it over the bite mark on Daniel’s neck.  It heals instantly, and Lestat steps back.  He returns to the living room and sits down in the arm chair.

Daniel pours a generous drink of brandy and swallows it back.  He refills and comes to join Lestat in the other room.  He sits down across on the couch and looks at Lestat.  “What do you mean, set the record straight?”

“Another book, telling my story.  I will tell it, you will write it.”

“I’m guessing saying no isn’t really an option.”

Lestat smiles.  “Oh Daniel, you know it is not.”

Daniel lets out a heavy sigh and tosses back his drink.  He grabs his laptop and sets it up to record.  “Go ahead.”

“I am The Vampire Lestat. I'm immortal. More or less. The light of the sun, the sustained heat of an intense fire-these things might destroy me. But then again, they might not. I'm six feet tall-”

“Bullshit,” Daniel cuts in.  “You’re 5’10 tops.”

“Don’t interrupt, Daniel,” Lestat says with a warning glance.

“You want me to tell your story, we use my methods,” Daniel says.  “That or walk.”

Lestat’s smile grows.  “I can see why he likes you.  You’re feisty.

“I’m old and out of fucks to give,” Daniel says.  He can’t believe he has to sit here and listen to this guy talk about himself after he just bit him without permission. It’s akin to rape.

“Ah, but you wanted it, mon cher.”

That’s not the point, but Daniel doesn’t press it.  Why bother?  Lestat is a monster; of course he does monstrous things.  Daniel will survive.  He always does.

“You gonna tell me your story or what?”

#iwtv fic

[lovefromyouryoungmom]

4/4/23

Sofia,

Your dad quit his job yesterday, he'd been there almost a decade. To be completely honest he shouldn't have, we don't have the money for it and rent is two days away. However we pulled everything from his 401k and it should be available soon, I just hope soon enough. I'm saying this in hopes that in the years to come we never find ourselves here again, but I want you to know where we come from. If your dad's new business works out and this leap of faith was the right move, I want you to know it terrified us both.

We've been trying to say when, more often. When things work out, not if. Things have no choice but to work out. When, because the universe doesn't like lying and therefore hopefully won't make liars of us. When, because your future depends on it.

We've been jokingly calling cleaning up after you go to bed "the night shift", but it's less of a joke and more just true. Obviously I expect nothing else, you're only a year and a half, you get to make all the mess in the world- your dad, however. I don't know what I expected, well I do but I don't know why I expected anything different. I hoped he'd quit and come home happy finally and we'd spend at least the first day afterwards together, but he spent all day gone just to go to sleep at 4:30pm while I did bedtime and bath and now the nightshift section of the night.

I hope that things are so different as you read this that what I'm saying is laughable, but sometimes I wonder if your dad was the wrong choice. I'm so grateful to him for you and for giving me the ability to be home with you this long, he's a wonderful dad and I'm sure still is, but as a partner, at least in this phase of life, it's complicated. He's just not right, he doesn't fit where we both hoped he would.

Alternatively though, sometimes I think it's just me, that I have higher hopes and expectations than I should. That the idea of a Disney prince is still lingering. And even farther still, he's a good friend. We laugh often and he tries hard to be the person I want him to be. Or maybe all the pain and mistakes we made because we're so young just put a crack in the middle of everything and I haven't given it enough time to heal yet.

I talk often and loudly about changing cycles and breaking generational curses, but maybe your grandparents believed they would too and even if it wasn't enough, maybe they still broke some curses and that's where I find myself as well. I parent better than my parents but my choice of partner followed that same line of bad partners. I don't mean any of this to slander your dad or twist him into a monster, but if we run from the man he used to be and you find those thorns in yourself later without knowing who he used to be, maybe you wouldn't tell us. Maybe you'd think we couldn't possibly understand when really the vines are there from our mistakes.

By the time you read these we'll have long since told you that your dad was an alcoholic, we'll have done our best to teach you about addiction and how heavily it runs on both sides of what made you possible. You'll know the things he did that he regrets and can't take back as a cautionary tale, but I also know you'll be too young to think of me as anything but a mom- I won't exist in the idea of how hard living the other end of those things was. None of this is for sympathy, I don't want you to hate your dad or hate me, but the other side of the cautionary tale of addiction is how much you hurt the people you love, and frequently, how that pain never goes away completely.

But maybe I feel differently in your time. I'm what now, 42? 43? Older? Tell me, my love, did I get wiser? Am I less incredibly dramatic? Did I do a good job being your mom? A secret from future to past, a whisper, a thought, was I the mom you needed? I have this foggy idea of you, criss cross on your bed reading these and rolling your eyes at how dramatic I was when I was younger. All those times I've probably called you dramatic, I'm sure a phone call or text to tell me I was really the dramatic one isn't far from your mind. I hope you do, I hope you call me and laugh at me and call me ridiculous and I hope I remember standing here, in our kitchen with soap on my hands, KNOWING damn well I am dramatic and knowing that you will be as well. I wonder how close the image in my head is to what's happening right now for you. Do you have someone with you? A partner? A friend? Are you loved and cared for and do you have someone to love and care for? Are you gay? Straight? Asexual?

It's nothing to you, the blink of an eye. But my god my way around is going to be quite long and also far too short all at once. I want to know you so badly. Do you have short hair? Long hair? Did it darken with time? What do you do? Are you in college or a career that you enjoy? Are you happy? I worry about you so much. All the time. Every second of every day and in every dream I have. I guarantee that even in your time you're still in every dream I have. You are so beautiful in yourself right now, I can't imagine how blindingly amazing you are reading this.

I love you so much. I hope you're happy, I hope me and your dad are happy.

I'll see you on the next page my love

[versadies]

Hello Dan, (not you father... I should stop with the dad jokes— AYYYY👈👈)

Okay, this will be a long ass but I'll try to make it straight to the point and complete. So be prepare as I put my heart and souls on this ask. 👁️👁️

I'm a sucker for childhood friends to lovers Au and mY GOD— Do I fall in love the fact that we save Thoma from the bullies and y/n and Thoma become best of friends after that, even though Thoma is pining for y/n already which makes it more better. 😊❤️❤️❤️

But you dare hurt our boi Thoma, huh? 🙃

Ayato, why the fck your dating y/n anyways if something about "your sister will get an arrange marriage and then you'll help her by getting yourself in an arrange marriage because you love your sister", Hm?? 😊🔪🔪 🔪

I get that you want be selfish for once in your life, but what you did was shtty. I'll hate you for that forever. And that poor women Chiisato(?) she genuinely loves you yet you kept the fact that you have a past lover and broke up with them for only... A few days ago???!

Ayato being rich, perfect, handsome— BULL SHT. Thoma your perfect for just being you!!!

Honestly, the whole arrange marriage exist because Chiisato's father wants like power of both companies right? WELL FCK THAT! You need no man or arrange marriage to make your companie successful! You can be a strong, independent, boss girl Chiisato! You no need Midato!!! 😤🔥🔥🔥

JUSTICE FOR CHIISATO GUYS!!! 😭 ✊✊✊

I'll bet my ass she'll btch slap the hekk of Ayato when she fines out about between Ayato and y/n, go girl runn!!!! 🏃🏻‍♀️ 🏃🏻‍♀️🏃🏻‍♀️

End of Ayato slander rant.

So... We met Diluc before huh? That's very lovely. I would love to see more interaction with him soon. It was so sweet of us to return his father's pocket watch! 😍😍 😍

I love the fact Thoma still loves us regardless of us being together with Ayato and still care about us as a best friend or lover(if possible). Guys, that unconditional love right there, they will be there for you in your worse and good times, will push aside their need to help you with yours (of course you better do the same thing). THOME BE A WHOLE PACKAGE AND KEEPER YO!! 😭 💞💞💞

Okay done.

Oh and Dan? Best fanfic I ever read in my entire life. I can't really express much how much I love everything about it but I'm sure other of your followers have better way of expressing it. 😊

Thank you, love and I hate you /hj

you putting sm effort into this is literally enough for me to know how much you love this series HELPPPP – im really flattered and happy that you took the time to do this, it means a lot esp since this is literally my first series ever and i was nervous it'll suck AHSKHSH

honestly when it comes to thoma, all i could think about was childhood friends to lovers au, and i wanted to put that in his interlude and that's what i did <3333

i honestly just think it didn't hit ayato that his sister will have to go to an arranged marriage until his parents brought it up, and i remembered his voiceline about how he didn't want ayaka to be in a political marriage so i took that reason (however this does not justify his actions for hurting y/n) as well as his undying love for his family, so overall he really just chose his family over y/n :(((

as for chisato..... i have no statement for her /gen, like idek what to say about her HELP AHAHSKHAK

between me and you, diluc's interaction was literally a last-minute plan when i was writing the fic. i thought it would be great if i added a small snippet of reader actually meeting the one (and ehe, let's just say this part is sort of important)

im glad you noticed that!!!!! i made sure to emphasize thoma's loyalty and he's indeed super loyal to us <333

your words made me smile a lot !! i'll sleep a lot better knowing that not only i made people go crazy over the angst, but also how people like you showed your love to my series <333 it means a lot to me !!!

thank you, continue suffering and loving this series /hj

#— ( chatting with penpals 😌 ) #— ( about . evermore )

[thefanficmonster]

Hello Vy! I hope you're doing well! Since the Pride Month slowly comes to its end, i'd like to share some of my thoughts with you about the LGBTQ community, if you don't mind.

This is actually a good thing that the LGBTQ community exists because now people of different sexualities can finally find their safe place. They can finally feel that they are loved, cared for, understood and accepted. Now they know for sure that they are not alone, that there is a huge amount of people like them all over the world. These are all incredibly wonderful things.

But it's very unpleasant to realize that within the community itself some people still remain unaccepted. I am talking about the non-acceptance of asexual folks. Being misunderstood and rejected by straights they experience the same things from the side of queer people. It feels like asexuals cannot find their safe haven anywhere. Neither inside of the community nor outside of it. I am an asexual myself and know that many people like me have heard just a bunch of foolish phrases like: you don't want to have sex with anyone?! you probably haven't met the right person yet…What the hell? In this case, i can say the same nonsense to some, for example, lesbian: so you like women, don't you? you just haven't met the right man yet or you're simply dissapointed in men. But that's not true. You are a lesbian because you were born that way.

Sexuality is something innate. No one chooses their sexuality just like no one chooses the color of their eyes or hair. But still, we always have this choice: either we begin to hide our true self and live in fear and suffer from it, or we can accept ourselves completely and live freely and happily. For this, goddammit, the LGBTQ community really exists! For helping every person with some different sexuality to fully embrace the skin they are in and let them know that they are not alone, to let them feel that this community of people is their safe space and here they are safe, loved, accepted and understood.

I wish all people in the LGBT community become a little bit more kind, patient and understanding to each other! I hope it is possible.

Happy Pride Month!

Hi dear Margaret! I'm so honored to have received this heartfelt, raw and honest message from you.

I, for one, have had very little real life exposure to the LGBTQ+ community IRL because of the area I live in but from what I've gotten the chance to experience online, I can say that this is one of the most wonderful things I've ever been a part of - a community with no other intentions than to make everyone feel confident in themselves and valid. To remind everyone that they are loved no matter how cruel the world can be and how disheartening things can get.

But unfortunately, this time last year, my inbox got a fair amount of anti-asexuality propaganda messages that enraged me. I never thought (had never heard of this phenomenon before that. I apologize for my at the time ignorance) that the community that is meant to be inclusive of everyone would be so avid to excluding people and gaslight them as well as undermine their emotions and identity.

I myself am not asexual but I stand by all my friends, fans and mutuals who are and who have experienced slander like this. I'm so sorry you have to face this sort of judgement and misconception from the very community that is supposed to be accepting and welcoming for everyone.

I hope things will change in the future but until then just remember that you're not alone. That for every acephobe out there, there are 10 people who support, love and care about you and believe that you are nothing if not loved, important and VALID.

Asexuals, aromantics and all the all the people who fall under the ace aro umbrella have always belonged and will always belong in the LGBTQ+ community.

~ Vy 💌

[seamless-socks]

so knowing what i know about tumblr, i prolly missed an ass load of tags. if you see this and don't like… uh… sadness? death? more sadness? shitting on the old man in the sky (if he or she or whatever it could be even exists)? dying men who are a little bit irish and also texan somehow??? flee my friend!!! fleeeeee!!!

still here? too bad for you. this is unrefined, utterly. i wrote it at four am and merely reread it. once. please leave constructive criticism. i know it's not good, don't tell me for fuck's sake, not without some advice. i'll accept slander disguised as helpful tips but JUST BARELY AND YOU'RE ON THINNNNN FUCKING ICE PAL

I screamed at first. Flailed wildly, struggled to tear off my suit before Allen had stopped me. Shouted curses through my visor at the cold, unresponsive stars scattered throughout the black. Tear tracks ran down my face, little salty trails that had long dried. My strangled gasps had calmed down to even little sips of oxygen.

To be honest, I didn't much see the point. We were gonna die anyways. They'd left us behind. How the fuck could they have left us behind? How little did they care about us that the moment the first signs of danger appeared, they'd cut us off and disappeared? How were those the people I'd come to know over the past few months?

"Hey. Max." Allen. Shit, that guy couldn't let a man throw himself a pity fest in peace. Too good for this business, I always thought.

Allen and I were tied together at our waists using our severed o2 cords. It left our hands free and kept us from drifting out of range of one another. I'm pretty sure no one wants to die alone.

Don't look towards Eleanor.

I didn't look towards Eleanor.

"What," I snapped over my intercom with more bite than I'd intended. I immediately regretted it when Allen didn't reply, going silent except for the faint sounds of his breathing. Shit, shit, no, I didn't mean it--

"Got anyone special waiting for you back home?" His question was so surprising I couldn't help but let out an embarrassed laugh.

"Oh, fuck, no. Why, you interested, big boy?" I heard him inhale sharply, and I could just picture him stammering in my head. Wh-- huh, no-- I didn't-- I wasn't-- Max, now is not the time! Unfortunately for my own amusement, I didn't really feel like teasing Allen while we were waiting around for our respective imminent demises. "Aha, no, don't worry, just kidding with you." I sighed. "Tell you the truth, nah. If I had a man waiting for me, this is not the business I would have gone into. Only one waiting for me is my cute tabby cat, Arnold, but my asshole of a sister and I agree on one thing-- that girl deserves a good home. I'm not worried about her."

Allen chewed his lip. "I take it you and your sister aren't particularly close?"

I shrugged, trying to push the memories away. "Yeah, not really. Madds was… yeah, doesn't matter how we got like this, honestly, but there ain't much coming back from it." I gave a short, dry laugh. "Especially not now. What about you? Got someone I should know about so I can tease you in our last moments?"

"…" And I fucked up again. I was really good at that, it seemed, but hey, he'd asked first. Why ask if you didn't want it turned around on you?

"…Okay, promise me you won't laugh." Well, that got my eyebrows shooting skyward. Starward. What fuckin' ever.

"Not so sure how hard that'll be, but sure. I'll do my best."

He took a deep breath and then let it out explosively, causing the intercom to spaz out for a second. I winced at the white noise before it cleared up. "Alright, okay. Well, I'm not sure it counts, but… no, really, promise me you won't laugh."

"Cross my heart and hope to die." I started making an X over my heart but couldn't quite reach. Clumsy thing, spacesuits are. "…Eh, I'm with it in spirit. Seriously, though, I won't laugh. It'd be a real douche thing to do right now."

I couldn't see his face, but I swear he smiled. "Thanks. So there was this boy, right? Grade one, I walk up and ask him, do you wanna be friends? Just like that. And he just goes, sure! And that was that, we were friends. Kids are sweet like that, huh?" I grinned and nodded before remembering he couldn't see it. "So we hung out every day at school afterwards. I can't really remember what we did that first year, but it must've been fun, cuz when grade 2 rolled around, I was over the moon to see we were in the same class again. We talked at lunch breaks, and in class, when they let us. Holy shit, we talked so much. I don't think I've ever talked to anyone else in my life as much as I talked with him."

"What did you talk about?" I hummed, crossing my legs.

"Oh, things. It wasn't really important. Whatever caught our interest. What would you do if you had this power, what if you turned into a dinosaur, what's your favorite book, that sort of thing. We just went really in depth, like ridiculously in depth for a couple of… what, five year olds? But it was fun. Made me look forward to coming to school more than I already did."

"Aw, Allen, you were a teacher's pet?" I groaned mockingly. He laughed.

"Yeah, I guess that's what you'd call it. We both were. Quiet, liked to learn. Don't think the whole 'opposites attract' thing is true, to be honest. Third grade rolled around, and we both discovered that we loved to write stories. They were dumbass stories, but we were in third grade, what do you expect? We encouraged each other and I think my enthusiasm might have carried on to him, because later on, turned out he didn't really wanna write anymore. But that's not relevant right now. We made up this game where one of us would create a scenario and the other would pretend to be a character in the scenario, like writing a book in real time."

"Holy shit, Allen, you were a nerd even in third grade!? I mean, knowing you, yeah, but I thought that was more of a high schooler thing."

"Hey, I said no laughing! I know it was stupid."

"Sorry, sorry. You know I'm not serious. Just teasing and all. Sorry."

"…I don't mind, actually. Takes my mind off the… all this."

We both went quiet. I could feel the weight of the stars pressing in on me.

"…Anyways. Fourth, fifth, sixth, we got better at writing and critiqued each other's work. Made some comics together at the start of class, while the teachers were getting the other kids to calm down. Some of them I've still got at home, actually. Maybe I can show them t…."

…

"Ah. We kept playing that game, by the way. Had some real wild times, or as wild as you could get when it's all in your head. Looking back, he's the only person I really talked to those whole six years. Teachers liked me, sure, and I guess my classmates did, too, but all they remembered me for was being that slightly weird quiet kid who hung around his friend all the time. I think it fucked me up a bit when we went to different schools. I made some new friends, but it got a little exhausting keeping up those friendships, and I wasn't getting what I wanted out of them, so I just stopped talking to them. First year of high school rolled around, and when it was over, it really hit me. We hadn't talked in months. Hadn't met in a year. I didn't make any new friends. I don't see the point in talking about it now, but well. After that, I just drifted on through. Grades slipped. If I'd been better about keeping them up, maybe we'd never have met." Maybe he wouldn't be dying here with me, was what he was saying. "Ah, shit, sorry, that came out wrong--"

"Allen," I silenced him. "Don't worry. I get it. Keep going. Or don't, whatever you want."

He cleared his throat, and I couldn't help but notice his voice becoming a bit more warbley as he continued. "Shit. Well, it wasn't until grade twelve happened that I realized I wanted to die."

He stopped abruptly. Jesus fucking christ. That was… Jesus christ! I mean, now was as good a time as ever to spill your guts, but I'd never imagined Allen of all people…

"Fuuuuck, sorry. Shouldn't have told you that. That was rude."

"I don't mind. I think if it's helping you, it's good. Is it helping you?"

He sniffed. "Yeah."

"Okay. You can go on," I encouraged him softly. When did I get so calm and nurturing all of a sudden? Since your best mate admitted he wanted to kill himself, and hasn't told you it ever went away. Asshole.

"So I dropped out of school and became a cargo shipper. Kept drifting along, got caught smuggling goods with a shady crew, sentenced to shipping essential supplies through dangerous quadrants. You know how it went after. Things got better, I guess? And now… shit, now I don't wanna die, but if we get out of this mess, what the fuck am I gonna do with my life? Just keep drifting along? If my friend saw me now, he'd be a helluva lot more disappointed than I could handle. I miss him."

"What was his name?" The quiet question elicited a burst of laughter.

"And that's the real kicker-- for being the main part of my life I enjoyed the most, I can't remember. I can't remember his fucking name. It's like some huge, cosmic joke-- or maybe a twisted story with a solemn, shitty old moral at the end." Allen suddenly snarled, becoming more bitter than I'd ever heard from him. "Agh, if there is some grand old fuck up there, I'm gonna kick him in the jewels a few times. Bastard's an asshole."

That surprised a cackle out of me. "Oh, I'd drink to that. A real cunt." I raised my fist and shook it into empty space comically. "Hear that? Suck my big one, God!"

Allen was laughing with me. "Yeah, go find yourself a real hobby instead of giving kids cancer and shitting on the homeless!"

I laughed harder. Fuck, why hadn't he shown this side of himself back when we were living together on the ship? Cuz he was scared, probably. You're not the most welcoming kinda guy, if you haven't noticed. From what he's told you about his youth, are you really surprised?

We chuckled together for a good while after, a soft, tender thing between us. It was comfortable. Given more time, maybe I could've been the friend Allen needed. Given more time, this conversation never would have happened, and I wouldn't have seen this side of him in the first place. Given more time, I'd just keep on being a right old cunt like I'd always been.

The air felt thinner. The laughing had tired me out, and no matter how deeply I breathed, I couldn't get the ache out of my lungs. "Welp. I think this is it," I chirped, trying to keep the fear out of my voice. "See you on the other side, Allen."

"Same to you, Max."

"…Uh, and if you happen to hear any delirious apologies about Madeline… ignore em, please. That'd be embarrassing."

"After what I just told you? Couldn't embarrass me if you tried, whoever Madeline is."

"Oof, I wouldn't be so sure of that. You don't wanna test me."

"Haha, you're right. I don't wanna test you."

We both subsided. I had a bit of a stupid smile on my face while black crept in on the sides of my vision. My lungs constricted and my breaths turned to gasps turned to wheezes. Muffled came the sounds of Allen going through a similar crisis, but I didn't have the brains for much sympathy at the moment. Mostly just a bunch of 'oh, wahhh, I don't wanna die' nonsense. Well, not nonsense. I don't wanna die. Don't think Allen does, really, either. There's no light at the end of the tunnel. A bunch of little ones, maybe, holes poked in a big old black blanket thrown over sticks by a couple of little kids. They're laughing. They're smiling. I can see wisps of Allen's curly blond hair, and the tangled brown mat of my own.

Everything's gonna be fine, I wanna tell him. We'll meet again.

#uhhh #death #existential dread? but only a little #i mean they're bros about to die #my writing #astronauts #but i didn't research SHIT #ngl i don't really like this one. i'm more of a funnies and gore writer than a dread and sadness writer and yet #i always write that latter #tw #cw #whatever.

[koorinohebi]

Riding on a Gamble ⩥⩥

⩤ A starter for @lovedloyalty ⩥

I’ve had it! Hands to her hips, she looked down as a loud exasperated growl reverberated from her throat.

Of all the Alters that she’s had to deal with-- and there have been quite a bit-- why does this one give her such a hard time ALL the time? Now, it would have been fine if they were in Chaldea, a place where she can tolerate almost anyone’s attitude, but having been forcefully rayshifted to some unknown singularity wasn’t the best time for her servants to give her the attitude. Kiomi has been separated from the rest, with no one but HIM around to help her. She wants to stick together to find others, and he was just being plain difficult. How hard was it to follow a request-- not even a command-- a request, to keep an eye out for any enemies or rouge servants lurking by?

She’d have let his verbal lashings and complaints go had he not compared her to Takechi for the nth time. Marching over to where the Alter was, annoyed master grabbed him by the scarf, yanking him closer in the process. “What the fuck is your problem?” With the numerous times she’s asked Izo Alter this, this may as well have felt like a deja vu.

Clicking her tongue at him, Kiomi pushes the Alter Ego back before pointing at him indignantly.

“Takechi this, Takechi that, you always compare me to Ruler like a possessed man, and I get that you’re a seething ball of rage and revenge, but I am not Takechi! I at least have more balls than him when it comes to sticking with my men!”

“I don’t know much about this Samurai shit, but if I was one, I wouldn’t let my sword rust, let alone leave it in some rut to rot away into obscurity.” She vents, sick and tired of this constant slander. “Listen here, Izo. I’m not asking you to like me. I’m asking you to suck it up for a little while and follow me, at least up until we meet up with the rest.” Slowly, she was beginning to simmer down. What kind of reward could she promise to get him to cooperate? What would work? Shaking her head, she sighed. “Alter Ego or not, you’re still you. So if you want to kill me, then do so. By all means. But not at this time.” Everyone was going to disappear at the very end anyway, right? This seemed like a fair compromise. “I’m not ready to die at the moment. I’m not yet done fighting for you and for all of my servants.”

In the first place, Kiomi was never really concerned about humanity or what’s left of it. What she wants is to preserve the world where her servants exist-- a place where they’re etched in history, a place where even if people may forget-- time and the world will always remember them. Turning back, she would start to walk, hands behind her as she gazed up at the sky.

“One day, Yoshifuru… a day will come when people will celebrate you, or at the very least, care that you existed. People will visit your grave with flowers, and even some sake-- and look past the gruesome facts about who you are. I'm willing to fight and protect a world like that.”

“Whether you care about such things or not, I want you there with me every step of the way. See what one stupid girl is willing to throw away and give up to make such a pipedream possible. If you’re not satisfied after my goal’s been accomplished-- then I leave my execution in your hands. I will not die unless by your blade. I'll even cast a geas on myself if I have to just to see it through.” Once more, Kiomi would face the servant, a glint of seriousness reflected on those silver orbs. The time for requests were over. "I will embrace all of your hate for me, for Takechi, and for the world that betrayed you. I'll accept all of it."

“So come. I am not the strongest master, but I will make you the strongest servant. Take a gamble on me. I'll make you win.” She was stamping her authority on the matter, but not to the point where it would activate a command spell to bind him to her words. More than in her dream, Kiomi believed in Izo and all of his possibilities.

#⩤ Starter ⩥ #lovedloyalty #Alter Ego || Okada Izo #Singularities || Main #To each their own devices || IC : Kiomi #BOLD WORDS KIOMI. BOLD WORDS.

[plan-d-to-i]

(google translate again, yeah)

(I forgot to thank you for the last answer, I really didn't know that the drama used the music of my compatriot, it was a pleasant surprise for me)

I don't know if anyone has asked you this before, but do you think JC was good with WWX as a kid?

I mean not just their childhood, but the time of their training in Gusu.

I really love JC, and I understand perfectly well that he is the most dick in character, but I love him precisely during my studies at Gusu, I can not give any arguments that then JC was directly GOOD to WWX, but he is clearly cared a little about him and even ... worried? at least that moment after the punishment where JC helped WWX get to the room...

Yay - I'm so happy to hear about Stravinsky :)

Hahah loving jc as the dick that he is is the way to do it! go for it. :) also, sorry this was so delayed I wanted to reread the Cloud Recesses arc so it would be fresh in my mind before answering.

In terms of jc the Cloud Recesses arc is perhaps the most 'mellow' we see him aside from the Lotus Pod Extra but for me it's still impossible to find him a worthwhile person. I can already see the faults in his character that I know will only get worse as he grows older. Canonically I don't see how he would have any friends studying in the Cloud Recesses if he didn't come as a package deal w Wei Wuxian. I mean I doubt jiang cheng would have any friends without WWX period. In fact jiang cheng doesn't make any friends over the course of 13 years. He's also unable to find a wife bc of his temperament and behavior...

What we can glean about their relationship in the Cloud Recesses arc (and even the Lotus Pod Extra) is that any time WWX gets a kind word or understanding from someone, jiang cheng scoffs at it. Any time someone shits on WWX, jc is there to agree, to relish the idea of WWX being punished, and shit on him some more. He would be an immensely exhausting person to be around. He doesnt believe in WWX's ideas and ingenuity, (as NHS does for example), he doesn't believe WWX is hurt, he always assumes the worst of him, he doesn't believe LWJ might like WWX. The only thing he ever seems to believe is that WWX will dishonor YunmengJiang and that WWX should be punished. So for a kid who supposedly wants his father's approval so badly he instead constantly acts like his mother's mouthpiece/minion. He reprimands WWX like he's trying to become Madam Yu 2.0. I see jc stans all the time being like oh he had to keep WWX in check bc WWX was such a lOOooose canon, for the good of the Clan!! lol listen JFM didn't give a f...about WWX's behavior (in his letter to LQR) why are you so concerned? JFM would have preferred for jc to try & save his peers in the Xuanwu cave or at least to understand why that was the correct course of action rather than for him to just sit in front of the class in the Cloud Recesses and tell WWX off for giving LQR as good as he got, while actually still breaking the rules himself but eschewing punishment.

salt up here, quotes below :

Even when Nie Huaisang picks up on the fact that WWX is being treated unfairly by LQR, jc dismisses it and piles on WWX instead.

Nie Huaisang said, “Old Man Lan really seems like he’s coming down especially harshly on you. Every time he reprimands someone, it’s always you.” Jiang Cheng grunted. “He deserves it. What kind of answer was that? He can get away with saying that sort of nonsense at home, but he had the nerve to say it to Lan Qiren’s face. He was practically asking for the old man to kill him!”

But does WWX get away with ANYTHING in Lotus Pier? When we know he is punished constantly for EVERYTHING? This is jiang cheng fully being his mother's mouth piece. It's not something WWX would get away with, it's something jc knows JFM wouldn't mind. Which is why he's so pissed off. Which begs the question if JFM would not be upset with WWX's behavior why does jc need to criticize him? Again :

A dark expression shadowed Jiang Cheng’s face, and his voice was filled with anger. “Why are you so proud of yourself? What is there to be proud of?! Is being told to get out some amazing accomplishment? You’re making our entire clan lose face!”

and his glee at the idea that WWX will be punished leaves a bad taste in one's mouth considering how WWX was perpetually punished in Lotus Pier by jiang cheng's mother for... existing.

Jiang Cheng smiled grimly. “Now that you’ve thoroughly offended both Lan Wangji and Lan Qiren, you’re basically dead tomorrow. No one’s going to clean up your corpse either.”

and again

Without the old one, only the young one remained. This would be easy to deal with! Wei Wuxian rolled off the bed and laughed while putting on his boots. “Heaven’s charmed clouds are blessing me with shade.” Jiang Cheng was beside him polishing his sword with loving care when he decided to spill cold water over Wei Wuxian’s head. “Just wait until he gets back. You can’t escape punishment.”

Where others like NHS see value in WWX's thoughts

Nie Huaisang thought for a while. “Actually, I thought what you said was very interesting,” he said, not entirely able to hide his envy and yearning.

jc is always dismissive of WWX's ideas. These are inventions that WWX realizes. Demonic cultivation in the first conversation and The Spirit-Attraction Flag and The Compass of Evil in the second:

“Enough,” Jiang Cheng warned. “Whatever nonsense you spout, you better not head down that sort of dark road.”

-

Changing the topic, Wei Wuxian said, “If only there was something like fishing bait that could draw the water ghosts in. Or, something that could point in the direction they’re hiding, like a compass, that sort of thing.”

“Lower your head and watch the water,” Jiang Cheng said. “You’re letting your fantasies run wild again. Concentrate on looking for water ghosts like you’re supposed to.”

“Hey, mounting swords and flying was also only a fantasy once!” Wei Wuxian said.

He's also a hypocrite. Because even though he berates WWX for misbehaving, he himself breaks the rules. He drinks, he even goads WWX into buying liquor, the only difference is that he doesn't get punished for it, and he doesn't feel like coming forward and getting punished for it :

Naturally, Jiang Cheng was too embarrassed to talk about what Wei Wuxian had been up to. After all, all of them had egged him on to go and buy alcohol, and they all deserved to be punished as well. He could only speak vaguely. “It’s nothing. It’s nothing. It’s not that bad! He can walk. Wei Wuxian, why haven’t you gotten off yet?”

It's no wonder WWX is so impressed by LWJ's integrity in spite of his social status, when he's clearly used to the other dynamic :

“Lan Zhan, I really admire you,” Wei Wuxian said sincerely. “After I told you that you had to punish yourself too, you actually did it. You didn’t let yourself off at all. I can’t argue against that.”

A dynamic which is shown repeating in the Lotus Pod Extra where WWX is the only one to get punished for sunbathing, and which repeats here when Wei Wuxian here stops jiang cheng from confronting Zixuan over YanLi's honor (and jc's) and does it himself.

Zixuan :“Why don’t you ask what about her could make me satisfied?” he said in return.

Suddenly, Jiang Cheng rose. Wei Wuxian pushed him away and stepped between them, smiling coldly. “You think you’re very satisfactory? As though you have the right to be so picky!”

Zixuan: “If she’s unhappy, then let her break off the engagement! I certainly don’t cherish your wonderful disciple-sister. If you cherish her so much, why don’t you take it up with your father? Doesn’t he love you more than his own son?”

After hearing the last sentence, Jiang Cheng’s eyes narrowed, and Wei Wuxian was no longer able to contain his own fury. He flew at Jin Zixuan, his fist raised.

WWX takes the punishment alone. Same way he offers to do when he hurts himself falling from a tree because jc threatened him with dogs. meanwhile jc is gleeful to see him being punished.

[Wei Wuxian] was kneeling on the stretch of pebble road to which Lan Qiren had assigned him when Jiang Cheng walked over from afar and mocked him. “You’re kneeling so obediently.”

“It’s not like you don’t know I have to do this all the time.” Wei Wuxian’s voice filled with schadenfreude. “But this Jin Zixuan guy, there’s no way he hasn’t been pampered and spoiled rotten since birth. No one’s ever forced him to kneel, I’m sure of it. If he doesn’t wind up crying for mommy and daddy today, I’m not named Wei.”....

Wei Wuxian "...It’s a good thing you didn’t do anything.”

“I was going to. If you hadn’t pushed me away, the other side of Jin Zixuan’s face would be hideous too.”

“Stop it. His face is uglier for being lopsided."

WWX is happy to have spared jc from getting into trouble but jc makes the whole thing about himself anyway (like everything else ever) and is upset JFM would rush over for WWX - in his mind. Even though JFM clearly had to rush over to meet with Jin Guangshan not to coddle WWX in any way.

"Jiang Fengmian had never rushed to another clan in less than a day because of him. Regardless of whether what happened was big or small, or good or bad." Never

WWX on the other hand tries to be observant of jc's feelings and reassure him & distract him from his moods :

When Wei Wuxian saw Jiang Cheng’s melancholy expression, he thought he was still upset with what Jin Zixuan said. “You should leave. You don’t need to keep me company any longer. If Lan Wangji comes again, he’ll catch you. If you have time, you should find Jin Zixuan and watch his pitiful kneeling.”

Later in the book after nearly dying in the Xuanwu cave WWX leaves his sick bed to run after jc and comfort him after his mother's rant, even though WWX had to listen to his parents (and himself) being slandered by YZY. jc doesn't spare any thoughts for how other people might be feeling or suffering. His entire perception of the world is centered around himself. To him even WWX's greatest fear doesn't generate empathy, only amusement or later on a form of torture.

From that point onward, they made trouble everywhere together, and if they encountered a dog, Jiang Cheng would always chase it away for him, then enjoy a peal of derisive, unbridled laughter at Wei Wuxian’s expense beneath whichever tree the boy had leapt atop.

he grew up on the streets, often having to fight for food with vicious dogs. After several bites and chases, he gradually became extremely scared of all dogs, no matter the size. Jiang Cheng laughed at him because of this quite a lot of times.

This brings me to the last point. jc's resentment of WWX's interest in Lan Zhan, or in a serious friendship outside of him. I see so many ppl say that bc WWX fought he was kicked out of the Cloud Recesses early... but was he?

Jiang Cheng was somewhat taken aback. “Lan Wangji? What was he doing here? He still has the nerve to come see you again?”

“Yeah, I think his bravery is laudable if he still has the nerve to come see me. His uncle probably told him to check on me and see if I was kneeling properly.”

Jiang Cheng’s instincts were sending him ominous signals. “So were you kneeling properly?”

“I was then,” Wei Wuxian replied. “But I waited for him to walk away a bit, then took a tree branch, lowered my head, and dug out a hole in the dirt near me. It’s the pile right by your foot—there are ant tunnels there. It took me so much effort to find them. Anyway, I waited for him to turn back and see my shoulders shaking. He had to have thought I was crying, so he came back and asked. You should have seen his face when he caught sight of the ant tunnels!

“…” Jiang Cheng said, “Why don’t you just get the hell out and go back to Yunmeng? I bet he never wants to see you again.”

Thus, that evening, Wei Wuxian packed up his things, got the hell out, and went back to Yunmeng with Jiang Fengmian.

Repeatedly throught his stay in the Cloud Recesses even while NHS was observing that LWJ's behavior around WWX was strange and unique, jc was telling WWX he is hated and bothersome. When WWX wanted to apologize to LWJ jc is completely dismissive of it :

“He hates me already? I was thinking of apologizing to him,” Wei Wuxian said.

“Oh, so you want to apologize now? It’s too late!” Jiang Cheng said derisively. “He’s exactly like his uncle. He thinks you’ve been wicked ever since you were an embryo, so it’s beneath his dignity to pay you any attention.”

Later on when WWX mentioned wanting to invite LWJ to Lotus Pier jc categorically says no.

“Jiang Cheng had on a stern expression, “Let’s make this clear. I don’t want him to come, anyhow. Don’t invite him.”

BONUS

jc also always doubts WWX. He suspects him immediately of wrongdoings. He doesn't believe that getting hit with the discipline ruler in Cloud Recesses actually hurt him until LXC confirms that WWX might take more than a few days to heal. He doesn't understand WWX is in actual trouble from the Waterborne abyss and assumes he's fooling around luckily Lan Zhan is there to rescue him:

The disciple’s lower body had already been swallowed by the black whirlpool. It spun faster and faster, and he continued to sink deeper and deeper, as though something hidden beneath the water was pulling down on his legs.

Mounted on Sandu, Jiang Cheng had risen calmly until he was about sixty meters above the whirlpool before he looked down. Filled with displeasure at what he saw, he shouted and dove down. “What are you up to now?!”

The suction force inside Lake Biling grew ever stronger. Wei Wuxian’s sword was optimized for agility, and consequently, its strength happened to fall just short, and they were nearly pulled to the surface of the lake. Wei Wuxian steadied himself and held on to Su She with both hands.

“Someone help! If I can’t pull him up soon, I’ll have to let go!” he shouted.

Suddenly, the back of Wei Wuxian’s collar tightened, and his body was lifted into the air. He twisted his neck and saw Lan Wangji holding him up with one hand.

He maintains this same mindset when he tries to whip LWJ and WWX as they're attempting to leave Lotus Pier after the ancestral hall confrontation when WWX passes out.

Is jc evil in the Cloud Recesses ? No. He's just an annoying, basic, disagreeable asshole who doesn't bring anything positive to someone like WWX. People like jc become obsessed with kind, outgoing, generous people, people who don't set boundaries on what they give and what others take in their friendships. Even though they're dependent on them for their social interactions, because who else would socialize with them willingly, they resent them in equal measure, but at the same time they wouldn't be drawn to another selfish, self centered piece of shit person like themselves.

On a personal note, even Cloud Recesses jiang cheng is someone I would exclude from any personal friend group. Friendship with him is adding a minefield of jealousies and snide comments to every interaction. Things that then others will need to compensate around because he won't compromise or empathize w issues outside of his own concerns.

Translation source : x

#This is long af because I wanted to have one post where I included everything #I’ve bitched about jc’s behavior in the cloud recesses for a long time so it was time to put down the quotes #mdzs #Cloud Recesses #Lan Wangji #Wei Wuxian #Nie Huaisang #jiang cheng

[jossambird]

The Scent on your coat P4

Summary: You reflect on your life choices, and despite your wants, Life had other plans for you.

Otto Octavius x F!Reader

Words: 2k

Warnings: NS/FW Subjects, No Doc in this Chapter (or is there) but building to the next part, mentions of emotional Reader, heartbreak, yearning for things you can’t have.

Ao3 Fic Link for previous parts, or on my masterlist!

-

“I've only ever wanted you.” You repeated into the silence of your apartment, barely listening to the news that played on tv. Images of various villains flittered on the screen, your eyes falling on the one face you couldn’t stop seeing behind your eyelids. You shut the tv off with a huff, eyes watering at the whole mess.

Hands slinging your blanket over your back, you bundled yourself up and sat in bed, pulling your other blanket over your legs and feet. You couldn’t even begin to find the correct words for just how much you had missed Otto.

Even after all this time, Otto remained as handsome as he had been the last time you had seen him all those dreadful months ago. His soft brown hair that shined red in the sunlight, his gorgeous brown eyes that used to always seek you out in a crowd.

You sighed, replaying his words in your mind. Did he mean everything he had said? He had never been a liar, that you knew…

For weeks after his accident, you had thought him dead. For months, you had listened to the radio and new outlets, slandering his work and very career once he had emerged, tentacles and all, turning to a life of crime.

How long had you mourned him, mourned the fragile friendship you had had together, mourned his work but most importantly, mourned your love for him? It had taken weeks, months even, to finally be able to step back into this laboratory and work, and not be pitied by every living soul here.

They had all known of your deep and dark secret, the love you had held so dear for the Scientist, but stayed silent.. all except for one.

Peter Parker. Sweet Peter Parker, always there for you no matter, always asking if you needed help or a shoulder to cry on, always asking how you were holding up with everything.

It had been Peter, of all people, who had saved you from the endless internal darkness that had started to consume you slowly but surely, depression sinking its claws into you and pushing you towards dangerous thoughts.

He, who had asked you if you wanted to go see a movie together. He, who had walked you home every night afterwards, only ever smiling and offering his arm whilst you tried to say it was okay.

He, who had tentatively asked you if you wanted to be his girlfriend that one summer night after a quiet walk, knowing full well how your heart held a part of itself for another.

It was he, who had kissed your lips, reassuring you that he understood what it felt like, having already lost the love of his life too.

And so, telling yourself that maybe this was what you needed to finally forget Octavius, you had given him a chance; slowly taking your time together and learning about one another, becoming closer and closer by the passing day.

Peter’s secret identity hadn't been kept from you long after you noticed Spiderman arriving at your Oscorp to walk you home, just like Peter did. He had practically fallen off a building when you asked out loud if he was done stalking you like a creep, his laugh echoing softly in the noisy New York streets.

“Aren’t you afraid a villain will come and kidnap me Pe- Spiderman?” You had asked him, grinning even though your heart clenched at the idea of *one* villain kidnapping you. Thoughts like those were burned and shooed away, trying to focus on the good and kind man that loved you.

“Don’t worry, Ill always protect you Y/N.” He assured you with a whisper, bowing his head as you stepped inside your shared apartment complex.

You had come to love him too, in a way, over time.

Your first time together was the moment you realized your heart was irreparable; Peter’s hands were on your hips, holding you softly as he fucked you but in that moment, another man’s name found itself on your lips, a name all too familiar to you, trying to make its way out and into the air between you. You hadn’t let it, swallowing both it and your shame down, sorrow coursing through you as Peter called out your name.

A few days later, on an early September day, as you turned away from the amazing view from your apartment window, the wind blowing your hair from your face, you had felt it; Nervous energy in the air, shudders wracking your body.

Peter Parker asked you to marry him on the same balcony moments after.

No amount of preparation would have ever prepared you for the absolute heartbreak you had felt as the man before you wore bruises shaped like claws, deep cuts and barely fading scars, crooked grin smiling up at you with a ring in hand, waiting.

“I know I’m not him, and you aren’t her, but I'd like to love you for the rest of my life.”

You had sobbed under the loud noise of the shower until the water turned cold, and after.

Though now, sitting here alone in your living room, you wondered why life sought to hurt you so.

Soon you would be married to a sweet man who loved you, adored you, and all fantasies of the tall Doctor Octavius would have to be forgotten and erased.

You sighed again, burying your face into your blanketed hands, trying to will yourself to stop feeling this way. Peter deserved someone who loved him with all their heart, not someone who craved another and had let said man eat them out in their previous work place.

A knock sounded at your front door and you frowned, standing, wrapped in your blankets still, to answer.

Would it be possible… that he would come? Would he knock on the door, or simply open it, hands seeking you out and untying your robe, touching what he had already accidentally claimed?

As you turned the handle and opened the door, your inner shame grew, eyes landing on the smiling face of your best friend Allie.

“Thought Id come see how the bride-to-be was feeling! How- Oh my god Y/N what's wrong?” Allie said in a rush as she saw tears form in your beautiful eyes, stepping inside in a hurry to comfort you. You could barely let out a sob, let alone words, arms wrapping around the woman.

“Y/N, babydoll, what's going on? You can talk to me, you know that right? Nothing leaves this room, only between you and me.” Your best friend whispered, holding you tightly.

She pulled away, arms still wrapped around you but just enough to see your face, and you knew she had figured it out, knew she had pieced it together. “Oh, Y/N… It’ll be okay, it’ll go away.”

What Allie failed to know though, was that you didn’t want it to go away, still feeling his soft but firm fingers holding your thighs and ankles, kisses laid against your skin.

You didn’t want your love for Otto Octavius to disappear, just like the words of love and adoration groaned along your thighs and core, expressive brown eyes seeking yours out in desperation. Desperate for what, you still didn’t know, but it made your heart race, thinking that the renowned Doctor Octavius and villain Doctor Octopus wanted to see you reach ecstasy by his hand and his alone, desperate for only his name to find itself on your tongue.

And you felt even more horrible for it.

*

Allie held you close, blankets wrapped around the both of you as she flicked through channels on TV.

“Want to talk about it?” She whispered, eyes still trailed on the TV but you knew her attention was solely on you.

What was there to say in a situation like this?

“No.” You croaked out, snuggling closer against her in an effort to forget everything, forget the outside world, forget the fact that the very man you wanted most of all was also somewhere out there. You weren’t surprised when Allie sighed, the sound of the TV shutting off. She laid down beside you, worried eyes gazing back at you.

“You know, it's not…” Allie paused, breath caught in her throat at the sight of you.

“It's not abnormal for marriages to be cancelled.” She continued, her eyes flickering over your face for a sign that you were understanding her meaning. You could barely breathe as she waited, the implication of her words sounding out.

“Allie thats- Peter, he-“ you tried, heart breaking at the idea of telling Peter you could no longer marry him. Allie, the beautiful thing she was, faked a gag and rose up, sitting beside you.

“Y/N, forget Pete for the moment okay? He doesn’t exist right here, right now.” She started, turning back towards your surprised visage with a finger pointed at you.

“I will always be here for you. I know you aren’t happy… I just want you to know that it’s never too late to cancel anything.”

You cried that night, silently into your pillow, never acknowledging the words she had spoken. Allie remained with you for the next few days, never uttering another word of the subject she had begun, helping you instead prepare for your wedding.

That night, you dreamt of large hands pulling you close and whispers of love pressed against your breast, heartbeat steady as he asked the one thing you could never lie about:

“Do you love me, Y/N? Me, and only me?” He whispered, lips moving against your collarbone, heated kisses following his words.

“I've only ever loved you.” You whispered back and watched the Otto before you smile, his hold turning bruising.

*

New York, even at night, was never silent. Noises could be heard everywhere and anywhere, people out and about, some heading home and some heading out.

Allie liked the hustle and bustle of the town, always eager to find a new Hole-in-the-wall type of bar or restaurant to get drunk in, and tonight, after saying she wanted to make you feel better with sushi, hadn’t been any different. She hummed under her breath and dutifully followed you back to your apartment, the both of you enjoying each other’s presence.

Convenience store bags in hand, you looked back at Allie as she wobbled, her steps mismatched, a half empty beer can in hand.

“Come on Al, we're almost there!” You laughed, watching her try to Hopscotch along the street. She stopped, eyes wide and smile even wider, throwing the beer can into the air and away from the both of you, making you cringe as it hit the ground.

“Oh my god- Was that a laugh!?” She yelled happily, the smell of beer and sake wafting off of her as she ran up beside you and held you close, arms trapped in her hold. You couldn’t help but smile at your best friend, mouth opening to chastise her for littering but you didn’t have the time; a faint melody met both your ears and Allie beamed, disentangling herself from you. You barely had time to register what song it was before she leaned away, breathing in sharply and letting loose.

“You should have bought her flowers!” She sang out, words echoing in the streets around you. Sang was perhaps too kind of a word though, as she scratchily belted out Bruno Mars lyrics.

“Shh! Oh my god Allie, shhhhhhh! Shut up!” You tried, running after her as she continued back to your apartment complex, uncaring of the people passing you by.

“You should’ve held her hand! Should’ve given her all your hours!” You barely made it in time to her, free hand rising to try and quiet her, heart racing as you imagined someone hearing-

“But now she’s marrying another man!”

Her words felt like a bath of freezing cold water, any remnants of alcohol in your system instantly evaporating.

She was right. You were, and no matter what fantasies and dreams you liked to imagine, you knew that life couldn’t continue like this, childishly hoping and wishing for another man to come sweep you up.

#allie totally not based on a real friend of mine 👀 #otto octavius #doc ock #doc ock x reader #otto octavius x reader #jossambird fic #doctor octavius #minors dni #f!reader #the scent on your coat fic

[nat-20s]

 Part 8 of the wonderful! Au: the boys answer some questions! Up to you to decide if they actually clarify anything!

(also on AO3)

~*~

Martin: Hey everyone! I know what some of you are thinking right now: it's not Tuesday, why is this episode in my feed? I know significantly more of you are thinking: I don't consistently keep up with podcast releases, how much free time do you think I have, buddy? To answer your queries: this is a bonus episode! We're answering listener questions to clear the air and/or have fun. Also, I don't know, around 20 to 40 minutes a week, as that is the average amount of time per episode? Maybe during your commute? My husband's omnipotence has been gone for five years, we just have to guess at that sort of thing now.

Jon: For legal reasons, that last statement was a joke. In fact, to cover all of our bases, we do not guarantee that any of our responses are genuine.

Martin: Just because we say we'll answer things doesn't mean we'll answer truthfully. Though, honestly, I think we might make it more enjoyable if we do tell the truth. Like, I don't necessarily have a fun lie prepared for our first question from konspiracyking97: "What's their fuckin deal anyway?"

Jon: Is this referring to the oblique references  we've made about being from a parallel reality and only ending up here as a consequence of ending one apocalypse and potentially starting another or the general premise of the show?

Martin: Oh, it's gotta be general premise, yeah?

Jon: In that case, I'm Jon, the other voice you're hearing is Martin, we're married, and we talk about things that are..nice? Good? Usually generally but occasionally rather specifically pleasant.

Martin: That pretty much covers it. It's not a complicated show. Uhh, next question comes from Shane: are either or both of you aliens? Nope!

Jon: Well..

Martin: No. We are 100% human people from Earth, we are under no definition extraterrestrial.

Jon: Eh..

Martin: Okay, first off, I know the tone of that 'eh' and "not fully human" is not synonymous with alien, so even if 100% is being a bit generous, we're still from the same planet as our listeners.

Jon:..

Jon: But. We sort of aren't though. Technically speaking.

Martin: No no no no no. I don't care if it's parallel, Earth is Earth is Earth, regardless of whatever nonsense metaphysics might be occurring.

Jon: So what you're saying is that if you got sucked through a portal and landed on an Earth where dinosaurs were still the predominant species, you wouldn't consider yourself to be an alien?

Martin: Nope!

Jon: I'm certain that they would consider you an alien. All of their mammals are probably shrew sized.

Martin: Sounds like a them problem.

Jon: Sounds like a-?! You know what, no, this will be an off the record debate, for now, I suppose I concede that the two Earths and our physiologies are similar enough that we might, maybe, not count as aliens.

Martin: Thank you. Anyway, our next question is from anonymous, and asks, "Is all of this an ARG?"

Jon: A whomst?

Martin: Alternate reality game. It's a method of storytelling that's interactive with audience, and usually has, I dunno, a certain suspension of disbelief to it where it pretends to be something actually happening in the real world until a dramatic reveal. A lot times it was used as a marketing gimmick, but others have done it just for fun. I can show you some examples after the show?

Jon: So it's in essence a more involved creepypasta?

Martin, delighted: Aw, babe, I'm never going to have a handle on what pop culture you are and aren't aware of, huh?

Jon: We were born within a year of each other, and I've told you that I was a deeply morbid teenager, you should probably be able to intuit some of things, love.

Martin: This coming from a man who has yet to see "It's a Wonderful Life", but has seen every film in the "Banjo Cannibals" franchise, including the Easter special. Jesus doesn't exist in the Banjo Cannibals universe, why does it have an Easter special?

Jon: The movies are rather shoddily translated from Russian, so I'm fairly certain the Easter component of that special was invented wholesale in the English version.

Martin: You say that like it answers more questions than it raises.

Jon: Yes, because it does. Oh, and to answer anonymous's question, no, this isn't an ARG. From my understanding of it, if it were, it'd be a poorly constructed one, as there's no real game element to any of this.

Martin: Hmm. Well, sometimes the game component is just trying to figure out what's going on with the story, or if there's any deeper content, and people are definitely doing that with this show.

Jon: That's not by design though. It's more a side effect of us having poor brain to mouth filters, I'd say.

Martin: Harsh, but fair. Oh, this next one is from Zac, no K, who asks, "Are you two actually even married?"

Jon, flat: We are, but it's under false names because this whole thing is an elaborate insurance scam.

Jon, incredulous: Yes, obviously, we're married. What did you hear in this podcast that would make you wonder otherwise, and how do we rectify it?

Martin: Clearly we need to up our quota for how "disgustingly in love" and "horrifically sappy" we are per episode. Which segues nicely into the next question from Gwen, "What's your favourite wonderful thing you've brought so far?" My answer: my husband. He's kind of my favourite in most things, you know?

Jon: Boooooo

Martin: Why, what's your favourite thing?

[Jon reluctantly sighs]

Jon, indulgent: being married.

Martin: A: serves you right for trying to pretend you're the less horrifically sappy and romantic one even though earlier today someone put a love note in the lunch they packed for me-

Jon:- Lies and slander! I have never, in my life, done that, even once.

Martin: Oh, sure, not even once. And you definitely don't reserve the lilac sticky notes specifically for my lunches because you know I like the colour. 

Jon: I..I don't.. you're rather ruining my image here.

[Martin snorts]

Martin: Can't have the audience think that you are, on occasion, an incredibly doting husband-

Jon: -A title I would argue we both share-

Martin: - which is obviously why, even with it being your favourite thing you've brought, being married to me is just a small wonder-

Jon, audibly rolling his eyes: As I already explained-

[A Pause}

Jon: Actually, you're right-

Martin: Wait-

Jon:- I really should have brought it as a larger wonder-

Martin: Wait-

Jon: though I should warn you, I think I'd have far too much material for just one little segment-

Martin: No no no no no-

Jon:- In fact, I think I might have too much material for just one little episode-

Martin: Joo-oon-

Jon: I might have to do a whole series! Where would I even start? I mean I could talk about how every day I get to watch the early morning sun highlight your curls when I get up first, or hear you quietly humming and shuffling around the kitchen when you do, or I could talk about how the lunch notes only started in the first place as retaliation to the notes you would leave on the mirror for me to find, or how every time I get to see you at ease in a way that you aren't with anyone else, it takes my breath away, or I could talk about how cute I find the lines between your eyebrows that you only get when you're thinking something petty, but you know it's petty so you don't want to say anything-

Martin: Okay, okay, Christ, I give !up I surrender, and will cease my teasing on this particular topic.

Jon, probably making the :3 face: You don't have to stop. I mean, I could also discuss how very, very attractive I find your voice when it takes on a teasi-mmph!

[There's a pleased hum, then a pause.]

[The audio quality is slightly changed, as if the recording has been stopped and then started later]

Martin, giddy: Uh, heh, anyway, Eric asked what the least favourite thing we've brought was, and because of Jon's attempt to embarrass me live-

Jon, overlapping: It's definitely not live-

Martin:- on air, I'm gonna say it's my husband.

[Jon scoffs]

Jon : If the past few minutes are any sort of indication, I'm going to go ahead and saying that you are lying.

Martin, sighing contentedly: Maybe a bit, but how was I supposed to resist when your indigance gives you that adorable little nose scrunch? In reality, my least favourite thing was probably, um, mini golf? Which, I still don't think is inherently bad, definitely superior to regular golf, but when it's the only thing a next door two year old wants to do with you, the charm begins to wear off a bit.

Jon: Wow. A rather scathing review of a toddler.

Martin: Not so much a scathing review of a toddler as it's a scathing review of minigolf's inability to keep its appeal after the third time in the same week.

Jon: Mmm, the sound effects rather quickly go from part of the atmosphere to part of the irritation, don't they?

Martin: So what's your least favorite thing we've covered here?

Jon: Oh, love, I'm not going to pretend to have nearly enough memory of what we've covered so far to have a least favorite.

Martin: Really? Nothing that you regret or rescind?

Jon: Well, regret, certainly. It was one of the weeks where you went first, and your second item was mutual aid funds, and what they can do for marginalized communities, and I had to follow it with fucking Slapchop.

Martin, poorly suppressing laughter: In your defence, Slapchop, or whatever offbrand we have, is pretty useful, especially when either your scar or my arthritis is acting up.

Jon: I'm still not convinced you didn't somehow see my notes for the recording and decided you get revenge for the first year that we knew each other.

Martin, no longer suppressing his laughter: Yep, you got me! This marriage wasn't an act of insurance fraud, but it was a near decade long con to humiliate you on a podcast that about twenty people listen to. I'll draft up the divorce papers immediately, and then we can finally go our separate ways. 

Jon: I'm glad you've at last admitted it. Such a weight off of my shoulders. Goodbye forever then.

Martin: Right.

Jon: Right.

[A beat.]

[There's a pfft from one of them, before both dissolve into giggles that lasts a good 30 seconds.]

Martin, slightly out of breath: I can't believe we're the kind of people that talk this much about speciality kitchen gadgets.

Jon: Sorry about that.

Martin: God, don't apologize. I'm, like, deliriously happy with our varying degrees of useful cooking ware filled life. If you had told 25 year old me that one day he'd be debating the merits of getting a tortilla press with his husband, he'd have wept, I tell you.

Jon: Funny, if you told 25 year old me the same thing, he would've said "You don't know the future,piss off" and then quietly have a bit of a panic at 3 am that night.

Martin: I bet you were insufferable in your mid-twenties.

Jon: First of all, who isn't, secondly, I was fresh out of Oxford, and third, I was insufferable in my late twenties, as you can attest to, and I'm insufferable now, as you can further attest to, so extrapolation would indicate that, yes, I was insufferable back then.

Martin: Probably a different kind of insufferable, though.

Jon: There are different kinds?

Martin: Of course! You used to be "prick boss" insufferable and now you're "smug in a way that I can't admit I find hot or it will go straight to your head" insufferable.

Jon, in the aforementioned smug tone: Oh, really?

Martin: See, see! Straight to your head.

Jon: Well straight is probably the wrong descriptor-

Martin: Oof, 4 out of 10 joke, babe.

Jon: That would be a far more convincing rating if you weren't grinning right now.

Martin: It's a genuine review, I'm just well known to be a sucker.

Jon: You and me both, darling.

Martin: Okay, if you're pulling out darling, you're clearly in too giddy of a mood to be focused on recording. Last question, from Jess, "You two mentioned meeting at work, but how did you actually end up together?" That's easy, Jon pulled me out of a hell dimension and then we went on the lam together to Scotland.

Jon: If that's not the way to tell a cute boy you like him, I don't know what is.

Martin: All right, that wraps up this bonus episode, and as the old saying goes, hiding from murderers in a cottage is more conducive to romance than suggesting you gouge out your eyes together.

Jon, cut off: Hey-!

#tma #jonmartin #jon sims #martin blackwood #post canon #wonderful! au #my fic