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octopus-reactivated · 2 years

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🍽 and 📚 for Juli!

🍽 - A special treat of their choice

📚 - A bedtime story

this got long.

Drabble takes place in the future when Juli is less anxious, but is still my beloved blorbo.

Tw: Nightmare, blood mention, sort of lady whump mention? (nothing happened, all in a dream)

Juli couldn’t recall his dream. He remembered only the overwhelming horror he felt and one image that forced him awake.

His hands were covered in blood.

Was it his blood? Did it belong to someone else? First Master? Sir Justin? Miss Decima?

Each answer was more horrifying than the previous.

He tried to calm his breath.

It was just a dream. No point whining over nightmares. And yet sweat covered him head to toe, and his lungs grasped desperately for the air.

Was it really just a dream?

He looked at his hands.

They appeared to be clean, but it was dark. Maybe he couldn’t see blood and he would wake up in the morning and see blankets covered in red stains and…

They were dry.

If he had blood on them he would feel this wet sticky liquid, right?

His hands were clean.

It was just a dream.

Just a dream…

His hands will never be clean again. No matter how long he’ll scrub them with water and soap, they will always be…

Creak.

“Juli?” Soft voice came from the ajar doors. Juli could cry from relief. “You’re okay?”

“I am. Just… a bad dream. Sorry… sorry for waking you up, Miss”

“Don’t worry, i was awake already” she came closer to his nest bed and sat on the floor “What was the dream about?”

“Well…” his mouth was dry suddenly “It was scary, but… I don’t remember why”

For a moment he worried that Miss would get angry at him for not telling her, but she was always so gentle that the worry didn’t last long.

“Would you like something warm to drink?”

“I… i can’t ask for… um, don't want to be too needy, I…” he stumbled on the words

“Let me rephrase my question,” she moved a bit closer. “I suddenly feel the urge to have a warm drink. What do you think would be the best choice for a night like that?”

It was obvious what Miss meant. Obviously, she didn’t get the ‘sudden urge’ but said that to not make him feel bad. She was so considerate.

“Warm milk with honey?”

“Sounds great. C’mon let’s make us some”

__________

The house was so peaceful at that hour.

There was something… there was a feeling he couldn’t name, when he stood together in a dark kitchen, lit up by a single lamp, making up hot drinks together.

It felt like something soft was in his heart. Memory of the nightmare faded away slowly replaced with warmth of sweet milk.

They sat together, sipping from cups, not saying much. There were stars visible through the window. Juli wondered if they could go on a night trip to take photos of stars together one day.

Cups were put in the sink. They’ll wash them tomorrow.

__________

“You want me to stay?” Miss asked. She did more than necessary to calm him down- gave him milk and then tucked him in bed - but he didn’t want this peaceful time to end.

“Yes, please”

“Alright”

She made herself comfortable on his bed, allowing Juli to put his head on her lap.

“Do you want a bedtime story?”

He almost chuckled. He was getting so spoiled.

“Do you know any?”

“Not a lot of Upperside stories…uh… Little Mermaid? There is a story like that, right?”

“There is” he said, sleepy

“So this is the little Mermaid and the Floating Castle story”

“Never heard of it”

“Let’s assume it happened before the main story. Alright listen up: There was a daughter of the King of Silver Coral Reef, she was kind and had a long tail and beautiful silver scales. She could swim faster than any other Mermaid in her kingdom, or maybe faster than any other Mermaid in the whole ocean. One day, her lover felt sick and…”

“Wasn’t the human prince her lover?”

“I don’t know? Alright, this is about her sister then. So her sister, who had a beautiful long tail and silver scales, had a lover who felt ill. No medicine helped him, and almost all hope was lost. But then, Mermaid heard an old legend, about Floating Castle, that submerged only once a year, and only for very short. Inside, there were supposed to be unthinkable riches and a medicine that could cure any illness. However, because the castle submerged only for a while, any Mermaid or Merman who tried to take something from it, couldn’t make it to the exit before the castle resurfaced and became trapped inside. But because Mermaid was so fast she hoped that…”

Miss’s voice seemed to fade away.

He had never heard any story similar to this one. A thought occurred to him.

“Miss?”

“Yes?”

“Where are you really from?” he asked half-asleep.

She stopped for a moment, then smiled, and said something, but Juli fell asleep before he could hear the answer.

__________

Acctually, it turned out pretty nice, i'm gonna put taglist on this one.

@kim-poce @whatgoeswhumpinthenight @kween-pinescales @wolfeyedwitch @myst-in-the-mirror @dont-touch-my-soup @obsessedwithegos @cicatrix-energy @whump-blog

#title me miss #Juli #Decima #comfort ask game #whump #blood mention

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winterlovesong1 · 2 years

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🍯🐓🐑 for the ask game!

Answered sheep (what is a comfort item you own?) here

Honey: What is one thing you like about yourself?

I’m a very loyal person. I have a very small circle of friends for a reason. And I love them hard. That might not be my favorite thing about myself but that’s a favorite characteristic of mine.

Chicken: What is a comfort movie/show for you?

ND feels obvious but other than THAT … you can’t go wrong with Sound of Music, I grew up watching that so it reminds me of my childhood. Also Julie and Julia is like…it just reminds me of my mom which then makes me get emotional so maybe not comforting in the typical sense but comforting because it’s a memory and invokes so much to me personally…

Also Pride and Prejudice- any version. And Little Women - any version. Or Sleepless in Seattle or You’ve Got Mail.

I’m rambling now…

Comfort asks

#ask answered #comfort ask game

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inky-duchess · 5 months

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Warm and Cozy OC Asks

Here are a few asks just to get your OC cozy.

Do they get cold easily?

How do they warm up when cold?

Do they wear jumpers (sweaters)? If so do they fit perfectly or are they baggy?

Do they have a favourite hot drink? Tea? Coffee? Hot chocolate? Hot cider? If so, how do they take it?

It's cold and wet outside, your OC has just come in the front door. What do they do to get warm?

What's your OC's idea of a cozy night in?

Does your OC have a particular trick to get them asleep at night?

Does your OC wear pyjamas to bed? Do they have a favourite set?

What side of the bed does your OC sleep on? Why is that?

Does your OC nap easily?

Does your OC enjoy a cuddle?

Does your OC enjoy a particular gesture of affection? Does it calm them?

What makes your OC feel safe and secure?

What are some of your OC's comfort foods?

How much does your OC wrap up when they go outside? Hat, scarf, gloves and multilayers or is the cold anything to them?

How light of a sleeper is your OC?

Can they fall asleep anywhere? Or are do they need an optimum condition to sleep in?

What does a lazy morning consist of?

Does your OC prefer early nights or late mornings?

Do they hog the blankets?

Does your OC have a favourite pillow? A favourite duvet set? A favourite cuddling toy? Blanket?

How would they solve the one bed and two people scenario? Could they share a bed?

Does your character have a favourite place to chill?

Where does your OC sit of there's not enough chairs at a gathering?

What's something your OC does to wind down after a long day?

Is your OC the one who recieves the jacket or gives the jacket in their relationship?

What does your OC get any winter illnesses? If so, how badly do they get ill?

Your OC has the sniffles. How do they handle it?

Your OC has a sick day off. How do they spend it?

Does your OC play with the thermostat/heating constantly or are they rigid about it's use?

#OC asks #Warm and cozy oc asks #Character asks #Comfort asks #Cozy #Warm #Fluff #writing #writeblr #writing resources #writing reference #writing advice #ask answered questions #writers #writing advice writing resources #spilled ink #Ask game

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nat20composure · 3 months

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Astarion and Agency- The Necessity of Discomfort to Self Discovery and the Infantilization of Victims

Minor Astarion discourse ahead that mentions the treatment of SA victims post-abuse:

I want to open this post up just with like. The statement that I don't think there is a correct way to enjoy media and that I LOVE to see individual head cannons and takes on characters in media. I think that is also, to a degree, an integral part of video games because of how unique the experience of playing a game will be to every person who plays it. But it has been making me feel so incredibly sad looking through fan content, art, or discourse for BG3 specifically because of how many people have taken the route of infantilizing Astarion.

I understand the instinct to shield or protect an individual that you love and care for. I also understand that because of the nature of the things that Astarion goes through, a lot of people also feel very deep emotional stakes in him. I'm one of the many fans of the character who is a victim of SA and CSA, I really do get it. That is also why for me personally it is so demoralizing to watch so many people treat him like he is a child who cannot make his own decisions or stand up for himself. Part of that frustration stems from it feeling like a media literacy issue, and the other part of that sense of defeat is just because it feels indicative of a broader attitude that people seem to hold towards victims of abuse, particularly those who are victims of SA.

To explain what I mean by people infantilizing him: I see so many people refuse to allow him the opportunity to be hurt, or to feel uncomfortable. They see this character who has been through an immensely horrible and traumatic experience, and their instinct is to try and shield him from anything else that has the potential to upset him. I get that the people who want that aren't doing it with malicious intent, but frankly it is not really...Helpful? To try and prevent victims from Experiencing Discomfort tm. I also think it kind of disregards the entire thesis of Astarion's character and arc.

When you go through something that robs you of your selfhood and agency, the world can become a crushingly terrifying place. In Astarion, that fear presents itself in a desperation for power, control, and at the core of both of these desires- Safety. One thing the game is clear about is that he has a right to kill his abuser. He has a right to escape his situation. A lot of Astarion's personal arc is centered around being able to finally do that. But the game doesn't just leave it off at getting him to safety. So much of it is also about him needing to take responsibility for himself and his actions, with needing to learn who he as a person is.

The inclusion of the Gur children and Sebastian as characters is a good example of ways in which the game gives Astarion the opportunity to take responsibility. I think that if the intention of the arc was meant to be that "Astarion should never ever have to deal with being afraid or uncomfortable again", then the Ascended arc wouldn't Come with such heavy moral ramifications, like sacrificing the other people just like him, killing the victims he lured in, literal child murder. The game infers that he doesn't deserve to die because of the things he Needed to do to survive, but it also makes it very clear that there is a difference between addressing an Active Threat and using your fear as an excuse to hurt others. Breaking that cycle of abuse when he finally gets the chance to is what separates Spawn Astarion from Cazador.

Taking responsibility for himself, and letting himself sit in the discomfort of vulnerability ultimately ends up being a thing that he is very proud of and cherishes. If you tell him you will make sure nothing like that ever again he himself says that he doesn't want you to be his protector. And so it blows my mind when people go into all of these discussions about Astarion with this...Weird moral high ground for never, ever making or letting him make choices that might hurt him?

I see this the most when it comes to discussions about the possible polyamorous relationship with Halsin and the interaction with the drow twins in the brothel. So many people are just...outright angry? At other people engaging with either of those options? And I feel like that anger is one) rooted in the projection of their Own feelings on non-monogamy and what a victim of SA can or cannot look like. and two) Relies on undermining the agency that Astarion BEGS you for at every turn.

When it comes to the drow twins, the game adapts Astarion's response to them based on where he is in his own personal development (a really cool thing imo). Obviously, if he still doesn't feel good or safe about engaging with sex he declines and says you can feel free, though he hopes you aren't just doing it because he hasn't had sex with you. I think this makes sense: He's just gotten out of a situation where his Safety and worth were directly tied to him having sex. I imagine he feels afraid that not wanting to have sex with you makes him replaceable or inadequate because at this point in the game, he feels like that's all he has to offer. The interaction is relatively the same if you ask him for a poly amorous relationship with Halsin: He just asks you to reassure him that you aren't only doing it because he hasn't had sex with you, and then tells you he isn't worried about it otherwise.

A lot of people have taken the expression of that insecurity in combination with him still allowing you to go forward and do these things as him just "sucking it up" because he's afraid of losing you. (I am aware Shadowheart says he wouldn't be able to handle it when you ask her if you can date both of them- But keep in mind, Astarion says she wouldn't be able to either, and THAT obviously isn't true of her. For the purposes of this discussion I'm only including interactions with Astarion as a judgement of his character.) I understand that concern, but I feel this take disregards so many other points of dialogue, and is also continually rooted in the baseline vilification of discomfort.

To further go into it, the way that he speaks about both of these interactions changes significantly if you speak to him about it once he is completely free from Cazador, and has had time to allow himself to start reconnecting with himself and his sexuality on his terms. He has absolutely No reservations about an open or poly relationship with Halsin, and says he trusts that things will be ok because he one) feels secure in Your relationship and two) Knows Halsin is experienced and trusts him to not be a messy bitch about it.

I think that shift, in combination with the in game explanation of why he isn't ok with being in that sort of relationship with the other Origin Characters (for Lae'zel and Wyll, he says they'd never agree to that. For Shadowheart, he says she's not experienced with open relationships and that he doesn't think it'd work out. For Karlach, that it would break her heart. And for Gale, he says you need standards.) is a pretty good indicator that he doesn't actually care about polyamory or monogamy. I think the vilification of that choice relies on you picking and choosing when you do or do not believe Astarion or just outright not liking non-monogamy in the first place. This interaction has more to do with the player's choice and comfort level, and so is not as important to the broader discussion I am trying to have in this post.

The interaction that is more pertinent to not Allowing him to make decisions is, I think, the drow twins. If you interact with the drow twins after the completion of the Cazador questline, he is outright giddy at the prospect of interacting with the Drow twins. Specifically stating that he is excited to see how he likes these sorts of things now that he's free.

NOW- I do NOT think that he enjoys the act. The game makes that abundantly clear, and I'm not arguing that he has a great time. He obviously does not, and dissociates during it. That being said, allowing this interaction to happen does not make a player evil or selfish. You are not playing the hero if you decide to moderate his choices just because you do not think he is ready for it. Once again, no one is evil for Not doing it either, and I am not saying anybody has to want to. I am just saying that treating this choice like it is an evil choice to make relies on completely disregarding what He wants to do.

Astarion says so many times in the game that he is anxious about finally having the freedom to find out what he wants to do, and I think that his excitement for the drow twin exchange is one of the opportunities the game gives him to make a choice. He makes that choice- And it sucks for him. He doesn't enjoy the act, and having done it he would be able to move forward knowing that. I think it's really cool and important that the game represents that facet of recovering as a victim. While you are trying to renavigate who you are, you are going to make a million new choices you never had before. And sometimes those choices are going to suck ass. It would be a different matter if he knew these things would hurt him and went ahead and did them anyway. But so many people expect him to move forward avoiding even the Potential of being hurt, and I think that is extremely reductive of his arc and who he is.

Beyond the matter of interpersonal relationships, the choice between Ascending or not Ascending Astarion is not a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils. It is a choice between his fear and his humanity. Between letting his trauma and his fear define him for the rest of his immortal life, and allowing him the vulnerability of deciding who he is when he isn't running from the world. When he's willing to listen to the parts of himself that want to do right, that wants meaningful connection, that wants to be proud of himself. That wants to meet himself. To confront who he is when someone else isn't deciding that for him.

Astarion as a character is extremely ambitious, inquisitive, and adventurous, three traits that only become more and more evident as he breaks free from letting his own fear dictate how he lives his life. I don't understand how so many people can see him and want to take the core of his character away from him, when he spends the entire game fighting desperately to take it back.

Victims are not casts of the abuse they have gone through. Their shapes may be changed by the hands of others, they may have to relearn how to be the person they want to be. But they are not broken or irreparable or fragile. They do not need to be freed from the grip of one person to be held tight in the grip of another. It is so fucking unfair and self-important to think that your hands will be the ones that fix them. That your hands know better than theirs. I think the kindest thing you can do for a person is to trust them with themselves, and to listen when they tell you who they are and what they want. Please listen to the voices that have only just learned to speak. It is the only way they can get better at doing it.

#astarion #astarion bg3 #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #astarion ancunin #I know this is kind of overdramatic #but like pls pls pls pls #ask yourself why you feel the need to protect victims from the experience of growth #and then consider if that attitude is a fair or helpful one #because freedom includes the right to make choices. even stupid painful ones.#that being said this essay is more for people who played the game exclusively making choices they thought would make astarion comfortable #like ascending him or not participating in polyamory #this essay is NOT for people who just ascended him for dom dialogue with him #bc I think it is a bit silly to tell people who wanted a toxic make him worse dynamic #that they are enabiling toxicity and making him worse #this is just an alternative pov for people who genuinely think it is for the best to do these things

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emry-stars-art · 4 months

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for the mistletoe kiss, 2 for Abby and Kevin 👉🏻👈🏻 her hugging him after Kathy’s show lives rent free in my head

You’re so right for this omg 😭

#LET THIS MAN ALLOW HIMSELF COMFORT OR I STG #ILL ZIP TIE ALLLLLL OF YOUR SHOES TOO TIGHT #I have strong emotions about this 😂😭#fan art #my art #aftg #all for the game #kevin day #abby winfield #asks #mistletoe ask #requests #chibi #digital

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lilybug-02 · 2 months

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Wait so how do you know for sure the sprite is Ralsei? No hate, I do believe you haha, but I too am a lore scientist and I wanna know your evidence. Does it show up in-game? I could definitely believe that I saw it in-game and forgot about it :P

YES. Finding legitimate sprites directly from Toby Fox games can be surprisingly difficult. There are so many fan-made character sprites, that it can be hard to differentiate from the real ones!

Guess how many are NOT fan-made? .....only one 🗿

...(please don't question why google is in italian)

Official Websites like Spriters Resource (Ralsei's Offical Sprite Sheet) are very helpful in this regard :)

They may even include unused file graphics. Like this unused face of Ralsei.

Sprite legitimacy is a big rabbit hole that I personally don't have enough knowlege on :( ((BUT OH MY GOSH The internet is notorious for reposting fan-spriteworks without sourcing. It can be really hard to find the original artist.))

It's also HILARIOUS how many people have redone Ralsei's sprite. It is quite obvious from my Ralsei poll and through his mass of fan-redesigns, that many people in the Deltarune community REALLY LOVE his Chapter 1 sprite more.

Ralsei sprite fan-art is amazing and I personally want to mod it into my game bc it looks so good. Below I have some really cool fan-sprites I found and the artists who made them!

Left (Ralsei Ch 2 redesign- metr0nix727), Middle (Ralsei based off Ch 1- larituca), Left (Full Ralsei Chapter 2 Sprite sheet with Hat- artist unknown**)

**this sprite sheet was submitted through Sprites Resource but I traced it back to TaxeisNotOkay, who I presume to be the original artist. I could not find any other information regarding the full sprite sheet, so feel free to correct or inform me if you find anything!

Looking back at Ralsei's Chapter 2 head sprites..... they just don't look as good as they could in my opinion. I dont like them :(...uhhh NO HATE OF COURSE!!..ahklasdkflansdf I'll go jump in this hole now.

#I want to reiterate I do not hate people who like Ralsei's Chapter 2 design. But I myself have MANY criticisms for it-#I have a lot of other criticisms for Deltarune in general!! And thats okay!!! No game is perfect. <3 #But Being able to voice my criticism definitely makes me feel less alone.... I want to feel comfortable expressing my thoughts and feelings #.....Idk I think its important.... QwQ...ahh sorry...anyways....#You got me rambling again uwu #This was a super interesting deep dive into sprite work! SO thank you to whoever asked!! <3 #deltarune #deltarune fanart #sometimes its almost like the community itself makes better content and i get....conflicted... idk man..... :(#deltarune sprite #fanart #ralsei #ralsei deltarune #deltarune ralsei #ralsei sprite #bread #bread rambles

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c-hrona · 4 months

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knives and vash, number 4? 🥺

:3c (requests closed)

#trigun #mistletoe ask game #chronart #i don't know if you meant shipping or not but #i'm not comfortable with Vash and Knives ship soooo #this is what i interpreted #i'm sorry i should have been more specific #(IF that's what you meant i don't want to assume)#anyway hope this is good anyway!!!#also!!! rem cameo!!!

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shkika · 5 months

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they are really sapphic actually

#ddlc #doki doki literature club #ddlc sayori #ddlc monika #sayonika #i cant believe this game just released!!!#anyway ive been working hard past few days so this is my little doodle for today #too tired for asks rn super sorry!! i wanna release new pages the beginning of next week and thankfully i got some comms and all that ^^#i love these two sm! actually this is one of my first comfort ships ever!!!!#i think about them to this DAY #soo important to me forever hehe

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wolfeyedwitch · 2 years

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soft words of reassurance for bailey (either canon or pariah prisoner version)

Pariah Prisoner, Part 4

So... I'm gonna just... deliberately misuse a comfort prompt in the name of furthering my plotline. Sorry. I promise I'll have more comfort soon. I have Plans. This also serves as my WIJ Day 6 entry for the prompt "Hold On".

Shoutout to anyone who can tell me the two TV shows I referenced here. Bailey is a nerd.

CW: blood, injury, swearing, implied past torture/abuse, (concussion, broken nose, dislocated shoulder already happened and are mentioned), stabbing

Masterlist

---

“Okay,” Bailey muttered, trying to gather their thoughts. The scattered ideas felt like stained glass, sharp-edged and glittering. They wanted nothing more than to sit down and think of nothing while waiting for the worst of their pain to pass.

But they couldn’t. Their directions, their powers, were the only things that were going to get the heroes out of here.

There was a job that needed doing, so they would do it. It was as simple and difficult as that.

“Escape Plan A failed,” Bailey said, mostly to themself. “So we’re moving on to Plan D.”

“What happened to B and C?” Foxfire asked.

“Not applicable,” Bailey said. They wanted to make a joke of it, but it wasn’t the time. Anyway, they doubted the heroes would get the reference even if they made it.

“Okay, I’ll bite,” Icarus said. Bailey warily gazed at him, wondering if he was being metaphorical or literal. “What’s Plan D?”

Metaphorical, then. Bailey let out a little sigh of relief. “Plan D is sneaking our way upstairs and going out through a window.”

There was a long moment of silence as Bailey worked on the door’s lock. Eventually, they turned to look at the heroes, who were giving them looks with varying shades of concern and doubt.

“What?” they asked.

“Could you elaborate on that plan?” Tempest asked.

“Because it seems a little…” Foxfire broke off.

Icarus finished for them. “Iffy.”

Oh. Well, that was fair. “There’s a set of service stairs. The lock for them is like this one, set into the wall, so Slipknot didn’t bother to set up cameras for them since they were the only one who could open it.”

The lock was an utter pain in the ass, honestly. It was barely more than a common turn-lock deadbolt, but the placement of it made it very secure. Slipknot could just reach in and turn the thing; Bailey had to work through a good few inches of wall to get at it.

Finally, they got a hold of the knob for the lock and started twisting. As they worked, they continued explaining. “Security is a lot tighter on the lower floors, since, you know, more likely area for breaking in and out. Which is why we’re not going there. There are enough blind spots on the higher levels that we can get to a window.”

The lock finally turned, and Bailey resisted the urge to pump their fist in triumph. They turned to face the heroes.

“The windows are reinforced,” Tempest said. “Shatterproof.”

Bailey gave a little nod. “Yeah. All of them. I have a plan for that too, though. That’s the part where timing is gonna be tricky, because I’ll have to get something, and it’s somewhere that’s monitored. We’ll have a small window of time to break the window and jump out.”

“Um…” Foxfire said. “Gravity?”

“Flight, wind, telekinesis,” Bailey said, pointing to Icarus, Tempest, and themself in turn. “Between the three of us, we should be fine. We don’t need to stop our fall, just slow it.”

Icarus still looked unconvinced, but Tempest just nodded. “Lead on,” he said.

Bailey opened the door, and the group made their way out. Bailey led them through the blindspots they’d mapped to the service stairs. They pressed themselves close to the wall while Bailey opened the locked door.

“If you can open this too, why didn’t Slipknot put surveillance up?” Icarus asked.

“Couldn’t do this originally,” Bailey said, frowning in concentration. The lock was sticking; it probably needed graphite, not that it was likely to get any.

“They don’t know you can open their special locks?” he pushed.

“No,” Bailey said, trying to keep their tone even. He had made them lose their grip on the fucking lock again. “This was self-taught, if that’s what you’re asking.”

The lock finally turned, and they opened the door to the stairs.

Now they just had to go up, and up, and up. Joy.

“How’d you learn, anyway?” Foxfire asked. Their voice was at least something more pleasant to focus on than the echoing clang of the group’s footsteps on the stairs. “It doesn’t look like it’s easy to do, so why bother?”

“Lots of exposure,” Bailey said curtly. Their head (and back, and nose, and… everything, honestly) hurt too much to keep their tone polite.

“Sneaking around behind your boss’s back, Poppet?” Icarus asked snidely.

Bailey couldn’t help but flinch at the name. They resolved that as soon as they were somewhere safe(r), they would tell the heroes their real name. Even if they sided with Icarus and decided to put Bailey down, Bailey was going to go out under their own name.

They weren’t going to remain as what Slipknot had made them into.

“Something like that,” they huffed.

It was the truth… if breaking out of the room they were locked in counted as sneaking behind Slipknot’s back. When they’d moved in, Bailey had only known about the lock on the inside of their door. They didn’t know about the one Slipknot had set into the wall, the one that could override their settings.

And that wasn’t even counting the times Bailey had frequented the cells for various lessons and punishments.

Finally, they reached the floor Bailey needed.

“Is this… a dorm?” Foxfire asked.

“Bigger rooms than your average college dorm, but close enough,” Bailey said. “This is one of the residential floors. There’s a window in the lounge. I just need to get something first.”

“What about other residents?” Tempest asked.

Bailey shook their head. “Not many of them. I wasn’t kidding about these being bigger than your average college dorm. And they shouldn’t be here anyway; this is training time.”

Which, of course, was when they ran into someone.

Viper opened her door just in time to see the four go past. She stared at them.

They stared back.

Viper looked Bailey up and down critically, gaze lingering on their broken nose and stiffly-held shoulder. She seemed to come to a conclusion, and nodded slightly.

“Hm. Seems that what I thought I heard must have been a remnant from that fever dream I was having,” she said, “because I don’t see anything out here.”

Bailey could have cried. Instead, they managed a small, shaky, “Thank you.”

She gave them a crooked smile, showing off her fangs. “I sure hope that my fever dream ends before I have my meeting with Slipknot in…” She checked her watch. “Fifteen minutes. It would be very awkward to have to explain that to them.”

She dropped the pretense and added, “Go. Get out of here.”

“Thank you,” Bailey added fervently, then led the heroes off at a run.

They got to Bailey’s room, and Bailey frantically started looking for what they needed.

“Come on, come on, I know I didn’t get rid of it, where the fuck did I put it after last time…” Bailey muttered under their breath as they pulled out drawers in their dresser.

“What the fuck was that?” Icarus demanded. “You said there wouldn’t be anyone here!”

“Said there shouldn’t, not wouldn’t,” Bailey corrected. “Forgot that Viper is on bedrest and isn’t at training. And that was our new time limit.”

“Honor among villains?” Foxfire suggested.

Bailey gave a half-hearted smile. “Something like that.”

Viper was one of the villains on the team who was halfway decent. She followed Slipknot’s orders, but she never went beyond the minimum necessary damages in training or on missions. Of all the people they could have run into during this escape attempt, she was probably the best option.

Bailey continued tearing through their room as they looked; it wasn’t as though it mattered if they made a mess, after all. They wouldn’t be coming back.

“What are you looking for?” Tempest asked. “Could we help?”

Bailey shook their head. “No, it’s— ugh, why do I still have that— it’s small, you won’t be able to help. It’s a necklace.”

“How’s that gonna help?” Icarus asked skeptically.

“It’s a diamond,” Bailey said.

Foxfire made a noise of agreement. “Not tougher than crystallized carbon,” they said.

Bailey smiled. They should have guessed Foxfire was a nerd.

“That won’t work,” Icarus said. “The force you’d have to put behind it—”

Bailey cut him off. “I can do it.”

He scoffed.

Bailey turned to glare at him. “This isn’t just your life on the line here; it’s mine, too. I’m not playing around. So unless you have a better idea? You’re gonna have to go with what I’ve got.”

They turned back to searching as Icarus gaped at them. They knew they still had it; they’d checked when they made this backup plan. And even before that, they wouldn’t have gotten rid of it. Slipknot had it made from one of the diamonds they’d stolen in the heist that led to Icarus’s intervention. It was both promise and threat, and Slipknot made sure that they wore it to every fancy occasion.

It wasn’t a collar, but it was a claim of ownership just the same.

Bailey finally found the necklace, and the group made their way to the lounge to make their improvised exit. The heroes cleared the furniture away from the window. Bailey held the diamond necklace in place with their powers, then struck it like a hammer against a chisel.

The reinforced glass spiderwebbed out from the impact.

“Well, well,” came a horribly familiar voice from behind them. “I have to admit, I didn’t quite expect this.”

Bailey turned to see Slipknot flanked by several other villains, including Viper.

They’d run out of time.

The ensuing fight was as vicious as it was chaotic. The villains weren’t holding back, using blows meant to maim or kill. Bailey did their best, but they were already at a disadvantage with their concussion and injured shoulder. Add to that the worry of protecting the heroes, as well? They didn’t really have a chance.

A stray blow sent the broken glass flying from its frame, and Bailey took their chance. “Go, go, go!” they shouted, practically pulling the heroes out the window with them as they jumped. Something cold hit Bailey’s side, but they didn’t have time to think about it. They were falling.

All of Slipknot’s sadistic training about heights paid off. With the help of Icarus and Tempest, Bailey was able to get all four of them to the ground safely.

And then they collapsed to one knee. Why… why weren’t their legs working?

They looked down to their side, where they’d felt the impact of something cold. The handle of a knife sprouted from their skin like a weed.

That’s not supposed to be there, Bailey thought.

Like a weed, they plucked it from where it wasn’t supposed to be.

That was when the pain truly set in. Bailey gasped at the sudden intensity of it, falling to their hands and knees under the unrelenting onslaught.

Suddenly Foxfire was there, hands warm against Bailey’s skin. They pressed against the wound, making the pain worse. Why were they making it worse? Bailey groaned and tried to push them away, but was too weak.

Foxfire was shouting, but Bailey had trouble focusing on the words. The hero’s face softened with something like… concern? What were they concerned about? Had one of the heroes gotten hurt?

“No, no, Poppet, look at me,” Foxfire said. “Look at me, there you go, keep your focus on me. You’re gonna be okay, just hang on. Hang on!”

Bailey smiled weakly. They rasped, “Bailey.”

“What? Don’t worry about anyone else, just keep looking at me. You’re okay; we’re gonna get you to our medic, just hang on, Poppet.”

Bailey shook their head. “Not Poppet. It’s Bailey.”

Their eyelids were so heavy, far too heavy to keep open. They smiled as their eyes slid shut. “My name is Bailey.”

They were going to go out under their own name, after all.

---

I don't kill my characters, don't kill me please! (Exceptions may apply to irredeemable whumpers. Of which I am not one. Again, please don't kill me.)

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