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into-unfathomable-life · 2 years

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Today I finished the first season of OB: The next chapter in Realm.fm, and I felt the need to express a bit of the tornado of ideas I've got myself trapped in. I'm no cultural journalist to go and try to make a heavily-well argumented-dense critic, but in my humble opinion as a consumer of the original series and an audiovisual professional, this is a shit-ton of work that pays off greatly.

My first and most relevant thought during the whole season was that these writers (beautiful people Malka Older, Madeline Ashby, Mishell Baker, Heli Kennedy, E.C. Myers and Lindsay Smit) were so loving and responsible about the truth of these characters that matching the care Maslany puts in everything she touches transported me in a heartbeat into a world I had been missing for a bit now. The humor was there, the wit and the danger, the political statments that soak and base every characters' decisions. They show such an smart sense of timing when introducing new characters as well as letting the old ones make their big entrances, and this keeps you there, wanting for more, being promised almost nothing because they didn't owe us shit, but still found a way to give us new nuances of personality among the clones, new ways of aproaching the same old problems and furthering the discussions that were left open in the TV show.

I am almost in love with the swift in protagonism and activation among the old characters. The fact that Cosima stands first in the first chapters and the detail and effort put in the portrait of her happiness with Delphine strikes me hard personally as I adored these characters and I'm profoundly grateful for the intention of justice that this steady life represents for a couple that was heavily beaten up during the show (not by the writers and directors but by the fictional forces). I love every entrance of every Clone Club sestra - eternally charismatic and multi-layered Allison, twisted and stubborn and wounded Rachel - but when I thought that Helena wouldn't be up for this adventure, her coming down of the truck in her wild hair and parka (and the boots that once belonged to Allison) made me shiver with a sort of simple, joyful happiness that I understand as a gift from the team of this podcast and I am grateful again.

There are several other ideas that I find just right, some new and some old ones that still amaze me: the growth and codependency of small Clone Club Charlotte and Kira, the concept of modern/choosen family, the resistance to structural violence of a minority based on a trust net and their natural skills, the redemption that this concept offers to heavily traumatised undercasted ones as Helena, Rachel, potentially Vivi, and how this interacts with the universal, odysseic concept of coming home; the smart use of Donnie, Art, Felix and Delphine as support as always, offering familiarity but also space for the developpment of those who carry on with the story this time (even though it unsettled me a bit the fact that Delphine didn't suspect a thing about anything when she was so close to the real deal, but that's me respecting and expecting too much about this character anyway) or the effort in documentation needed to talk this much about academic environment, big corporations, northern-american politics and inmigration policies that surely could be addressed more realisticly with even more time than 11 one hour and a half episodes, but still serves to infuse life to this ever-expanding world that could go on for ever. Well not for ever, but I'd like to think that.

Chez Cophine. We were in the right hands all the time, I knew it.

So, I've needed time to come around and sit to listen this properly, but now I think is one of the finest products I've consumed in some time. Only a new, natural step forward for a franchise that have always proved itself to be supported by senseful creators and technicians with a formidable work ethic, tremendous ambitions and love. Now I am equally terrified and excited to listen to Season 2 because I know that some of the old cast actors will voice their characters, but I am not ready for this to be finished. Still, here I go, expecting as much quality as these creators have proven themselves to be capable of providing.

Just one, I'm a few, no family too, who am I?

#orphan black #realm.fm #podcast #fangirl pouring thoughts into this place what's new to that #malka older #madeline ashby #mishell baker #hely kennedy #e.c. myers #lindsay smith #tatiana maslany #orphan black: the next chapter

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sestrahulk · 2 years

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Tatiana Maslany behind the scenes of her new podcast, Power Trip, premiering july 21st [x]

#Tatiana Maslany #Power Trip #Podcast #Orphan Black #Orphan Black: The Next Chapter #Clone Club #She-Hulk #She Hulk #Hulk #Jennifer Walters #Marvel #Marvel Cast #MCU #MCU Cast

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harleysalicent · 6 months

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not Kira being a judgemental atheist rn as if she wasn’t lowkey psychic as a child 😭

like I respect she’s a scientist and that’s her belief and this show has always been rooted in science but you cannot tell me they never implied Kira “just knew” things sometimes

now she’s the type of lesbian who won’t believe in astrology but will be able to accurately predict everyone’s signs

#I find it funny how next chapter and echoes just never elaborated on Kira’s psychic-ness #kira manning #orphan black #orphan black echoes

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thundergrace · 2 years

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#listen to this shit cause i need season 3 #cophine #i wasn't even fucking with them again until this #really really got things against Delphine #orphan black #orphan black the next chapter #cosima niehaus #delphine cormier #tatiana maslany #evelyne brochu

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atheychan · 3 months

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So is anyone else kinda offended Darros didn't include Delphine in the list of scans of brilliant scientists to print?

#orphan black #orphan black echoes #spoilers #or maybe she never got a scan done bc of all the shit with Next Chapter and biometrics

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nezoid · 2 years

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Happy 1st Mother’s Day to Delphine and Cosima! 💐

I wish we could see them with their daughter, Gabriele! 🥹👶💗

Come on @orphanblack: Echoes, do us a solid and bring back #cophine and give us wife/mommy Cophine! 🙏🥺🤞

#evelyne brochu #enchantée #tatiana maslany #ditto obvs #cophine #orphan black #cosima x delphine #Cosima x delphine moments #orphan black the next chapter #orphan black echoes #delphine cormier #cosima niehaus #baby

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rcarx · 2 years

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i was listening to the orphan black podcast where tatiana maslany plays all the characters, and my immersion was broken when she slips up on her french accent when playing delphine.

and god, that's a testament to how often im hearing the french accent these days because of my french colleagues from the french company im working at

#you could argue that delphine has been married to cosima for a while she's gonna lose the accent #but it completely sucks me out of my immersion #i didn't even notice it the first time i listened to it #but how it's so blatant to me #when she pronounces the random r in her words #orphan black #orphan black the next chapter #personal #tatiana maslany

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redheadgleek · 2 years

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I've only got one more of Chris's audiobooks (Struck by Lightning) to listen to on my drive to work. I'm really going to miss his voice.

#chris colfer #he's really a talented voice actor #and he makes his stories come alive #it's delightful #i can only listen to audiobooks/podcasts when i'm driving #i have plenty of other books to listen to #the hobbit and the lord of the ring trilogy #read by andy serkus is next #followed by jonathan strange and mr norrell #which i tried reading and enjoyed but i got bogged down #and aristotle and dante dive into the waters of the universe #hopefully driving out to yellowstone in a month #but i'm already planning on binging on orphan black: the next chapter then #always a case of #too many books and not enough time

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ygsunflower · 1 year

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So is this scientist/doctor woman Gabriele? As in Delphine and Cosima’s daughter. Do we know if Echoes follows/acknowledges The Next Chapter storyline? Because if this woman turns out to not be related to Delphine, I, for one, am not gonna be convinced… Just look at them!!

#orphan black #orphan black: echoes #orphan black: the next chapter #delphine cormier #cosima niehaus #cophine

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grnolan · 2 years

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God help any Clone Club kid who gets a family tree assignment in school.

#Orphan Black #tag: orphan black #ob next chapter spoilers #just to be safe since i'm not sure how recent some of this information is #and yes i know that there's like 200 other clones but give me a break

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bvidzsoo · 9 months

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Black Ocean

Black Ocean is a series of 8 connected oneshots happening in the same universe. Are you ready to dive in the lives of eight notorious Pirates known as Ateez?

Author: bvidzsoo

Pairing: Ateez members x female readers

Status: finished

A/N: I will start a taglist, so if you're interested, please comment on this post! Because this is a multi-chaptered series of oneshots, the female readers will be given names which will be used only if they get mentioned in a different members oneshot. You can read them as stand-alones, however, some happenings from previous oneshots will be mentioned here and there, so everything will be connected still. (divider)

1.Park Seonghwa

◆Compass of our hearts

Summary: Park Seonghwa was an orphan. The day Captain Kim found him on the shore the only thing he had with himself in the little basket was a golden compass, his mother's name craved inside it. Seonghwa cherished it dearly and worked hard to find out where he belonged to. However, as a pirate, you make a lot of enemies and you decided to make Seonghwa yours the day you stole his compass. It was your first mistake, you messed with a feared pirate. Your second mistake was not realizing that Seonghwa would find you, and take his compass back as well. (Reader is called Kim Bora in the following oneshots.)

2.Choi Jongho

◆Lullaby of the seas

Summary: Choi Jongho could be described as a dreamer; he loved folklore and fairytales. His father was a sailor and often brought his son out on the sea with himself, thus they lived off of selling fish and pearls. Jongho was well raised and always kind, a very hard-working son, therefore it came as no surprise that he accepted the job offer of a mysterious pirate when his father's house got destroyed by a storm. Jongho was quiet and didn’t bother others, did his job very well and secretly fantasized about meeting a mermaid one day. There was one tiny problem though, the seas they sailed had no mermaids in them, only vicious sirens out for the blood of unassuming pirates and sailors. (Reader is called Sunmi in the following oneshots.)

3.Choi San

◆An Imprisoned Nightingale

Summary: Choi San was everything you needed him to be. A hunter? He’d hunt down anything for you. An assassin? You wanted someone dead, he’d do it. An inside man? That information you needed; he’d bring it to you. He was a mercenary. Ruthless, fearless, uncaring, unfeeling. All he dreamed of was money and power. Everyone who heard his name feared him, people stepped aside on a busy road for him, women never approached him out of fear of being captured and then sold by him. You loved singing, despite working as a waitress, you dreamed of performing on a stage one day. Your whole life you've worked hard, knowing that one day you'll be discovered and your life would change; you'd become a performer for the wealthy. And your life did change, but instead, you became a prisoner, soon to be sold off by nobody else than Choi San. (Reader is called Im Ara in the following oneshots.)

4.Kim Hongjoong

◆The Nightfury

Summary: When Captain Kim died Hongjoong was only fifteen years old. He couldn't let his father's name go in vain, he took over the ship and became the next Captain Kim, better known as The Slayer. Everyone feared Hongjoong and his crew, Ateez. Everyone except you. You met in an Inn when you both were younger and tricked him into threatening an innocent man, and then you robbed him. You thought it was funny how such a powerful and feared man was so easy to play with, so you started your little game of sabotaging Hongjoong's affairs, unknowing that you were playing with fire. Would The Nightfury or The Slayer win once their swords clashed against each other? (Reader is called Lee Yuri in the following oneshots.)

5.Jeong Yunho

◆Irrevocable Love

Summary: Jeong Yunho was always protective of what was his. After his mother's death he stopped living a happy life, his father an alcoholic, his best friend was his only hope. The two of you had grown up together and you couldn't imagine living your life without Yunho, so when he tried to sneak onto the Pirate ship and leave without you, you were beyond hurt. Yunho only wanted to protect you, but he wasn't going anywhere without you. And so, the two of you joined Ateez on their adventures, starting your own love story at the same time. (Reader is called Bae Taeri in the following oneshots.)

6.Kang Yeosang

◆Salty tears, agog whispers

Summary: Kang Yeosang was forced to flee from his once very familiar life as he killed his father. He didn't mean to do it, but he harmed his mother and Yeosang just couldn't sit and watch anymore. You have never had an easy life. You were sold off at a young age, then bought, then sold, then bought again and sold again. It was a neverending cycle. You were just a toy for men to use and then disregard of; you wanted to disappear. And one man almost granted your wish, he killed you, or so he thought...and so did you. But an angel, a kind-hearted man, saved you from your terrible fate. You found a family, just like he did so many years ago. Yeosang was your angel. (Reader is called Jung Hana in the following oneshots.)

7.Jung Wooyoung

◆Heavy is the head that wears the crown

Summary: Jung Wooyoung was a prince. Raised to be a King one day. Except that nobody asked him if he wanted to become one, it was his duty. Wooyoung thought he'd be able to travel the world, sail out and go on adventures, however that is just not how his story was written. So, one day, when he was only thirteen years old, he decided to take the pen in his own hands and change his own story. He became a Pirate. You, you were also a princess, soon to become Queen. Your groom disappeared when the two of you were thirteen and you figured you wouldn't get married now, so there was no reason to stay at your castle and live a boring life. You ran away, living quietly and humbly. That is, until Wooyoung came stumbling through your living room door. (Reader is called Oh Haneul in the following oneshots.)

8.Song Mingi

◆Fine Line Of Our Worlds

Summary: Song Mingi didn't choose to become a Pirate, but after getting saved by the crew, he decided to stay. Nobody at home would miss him, they didn't like him much. However, he would miss his riches dearly, teeth always aching for gold and money. He was a little kleptomaniac, it's mostly why he was punished so often back at home. But here, with Ateez, he was free to do whatever and he loved the idea. You were also rich, very rich. You had ties to the royal family, but never said much about it since it was due to your mother's bloodline, who died giving birth to you. You were daddy's little girl, always getting whatever you wanted, never reprimanded for anything. But your life was boring, you were closed inside your mansion's walls all day long and the only people you could torment to have fun were your maids, who grew tired of your antics. Let's not forget the fact that you also loved stealing. It started out as a little talent of yours when you were just a child, but growing up you realized it became a very unconscious habit. And one night, Mingi seemed to come into your life just at the right moment, sweeping your off your feet, quite literally, and taking you onto a Pirate ship, your fates interlacing forever. (Reader is called Yoon Areum in the following oneshots.)

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redrose10 · 4 months

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Chapter 7 is here! It’s a little shorter that the previous ones. Next chapter in a few days as usual. I may not respond but I do read all the comments and messages and I appreciate them.

Yoongi X Female Reader. CEO/Arranged Marriage AU

Summary: You were selected to marry the wayward CEO/Billionaire/Heir, Min Yoongi. You went into it with an open mind and heart determined to try and make it work. Yoongi on the other hand had no intention of ever letting you in let alone allowing himself to fall in love with you. Slowly you start to associate the smell of cinnamon and vanilla with the feelings of hurt and sorrow.

Word count: 1,338

Warnings: (May get updated as chapters progress): Arranged marriage, cheating/infidelity, hints of smut (Probably won’t get very explicit but we’ll see how it goes), Sexual Assault, Brief mentions of death, Reader grew up an orphan, General Angst, Swearing

You did a lot of thinking on the bus ride home. Yoongi had tried calling you multiple times. He must’ve tried Jimin too because he also conveniently called which you decided to answer.

“Hey Y/N what’s going on? Yoongi just called me really upset. Something about you leaving and he can’t find you.”

“He lied to me. He used me. I feel stupid and gross.”

“That doesn’t seem right. Are you sur-.”

“YES JIMIN! I saw the text message.”, you said trying to lower your voice back down after receiving some glares from other passengers.

“Okay okay. Where are you now?”

“I’m on a bus. I’m gonna go pack up some clothes and then find somewhere else to stay. I’m not spending another night with him.”

“Y/N I think maybe you should give him a chance to explain. If you told me months ago that Yoongi did this I wouldn’t question it but I just don’t think this is him any more.”

You gave him nothing but silence in return.

“Alright well be safe Y/N. My doors open if you need it. Call me.”

The bus had to make several stops along the way so the ride home took longer than you would’ve liked. When you finally entered the penthouse Yoongi was already sitting at the kitchen table. When he saw you he jumped up and ran over,

“Y/N are you okay? Where did you go? Please let me explain.”

“Explain what Yoongi? How you lied to me? How you used me? How you’ve been trying to ruin my life for the last year?”

“Y/N, yes I’m the first to admit I didn’t treat you like I should’ve. I know that and I’m owning up to it. I swear on everything I didn’t sleep with her.”

“Okay Yoongi. Say I believe you, which I 100% do not, how do I know there aren’t other women? How do I know you aren’t lying to me about all of this right now? You don’t exactly have a good track record.”

“Y/N I promise you. You have to believe me.”

“Not good enough.”, you laughed.

You ran off to your room stuffing several days worth of clothes into a bag to take with you. As you were zipping it up a patch of gold at the bottom of your closet caught your eye. You smirked as you grabbed the gold wrapped box and your bag and walked out to the living room to find Yoongi.

He was sitting on the couch staring down at the ground.

“Here, Happy Anniversary.”, you said handing him the box.

He looked up at you with furrowed brows.

“Seriously take it. I already spent the money on it so you might as well have it.”

He cautiously grabbed the box from you and tore away the gold wrapping paper. He took off the lid of the black box and chuckled to himself. He held it up to you with raised eyebrows.

“Yeah I thought of the idea a while ago before things started improving between us. But then I decided that I wasn’t going to give it to you after you had actually began acting like a decent husband. I think it’s fitting now though. Don’t you agree?”

“What did you have this special ordered or something?”

“Yeah turns out that when you have money you’re able to get a lot done.”

Yoongi scoffed and set the box down on the table.

“Y/N I know I fucked up and treated you like shit. I admit that. I can’t change it or take it back and I regret it every day. But I was ready to do anything and everything to prove to you how much I’ve changed and how I was going to be better husband.”

“Yoongi, do you know how alone I’ve felt this whole time? How heartbroken I’ve been? How stupid I felt? I’ve sat here and waited for you like a dog and for what? I’m an idiot for staying so faithful to you. Maybe Mia had the right idea. Marry you and get all the perks that come with it but still get to sleep around the town. It’s what you do anyways. I think that’s what I’m gonna start doing from now on too. No more sitting around like a good little housewife waiting for my husband to return. I’m an even bigger idiot for thinking you could change. That you’re capable of loving someone because you’re not. You’ll never love anyone, not even yourself and because of that you will never truly be loved by anyone.”

You felt out of breath but lighter after you got all of that off your chest. Yoongi looked at you with tears in his eyes. The first time you’d ever seen him cry and just like that the weight was back. Maybe you had been a little too harsh but you kept telling yourself he deserved it.

Silently he walked over to the entrance way and began digging through one of his bags before pulling out a package wrapped in blue and purple paper. He walked over and handed it to you. “Here, Happy anniversary Y/N. Now go run to Jimin or Taehyung or Namjoon. Fuck every guy in Korea for all I care any more. I’ll just go back to being cold asshole Yoongi who constantly fucks other women since that’s all you’re ever going to see me as anyways. And maybe your right. Maybe I don’t deserve to be loved.” He turned and walked away wiping at the tears falling from his eyes. You started to reach out to him but ultimately decided against it choosing to just leave instead.

You took the gift and walked out of the penthouse letting the door slam shut behind you. Unwrapping the paper you found a cream colored book that was quite heavy. Flipping to the first page there was a handwritten note, “Y/N, I’m not good with speaking my mind so I figured I better write this down for you to read so I don’t ramble like an idiot. I wanted to get you something for our anniversary that money cant buy because you deserve more than jewelry or designer bags. I hope you like it. I’ve been working with a private investigator to track down anyone in your family that I could. They gave me one of the only numbers they could find. I called it and I was able to speak with your Great Aunt Ellie who had this book and after some convincing she agreed to send it to me. I know it’ll mean a lot to you and I can’t wait to see your beautiful smile as you flip the pages. Love Yoongi.”

You opened to the first page and instantly started crying. A photo album. He had went through all the work of tracking down your family to get you a photo album of yourself and your closest family members. Going through the pages you saw photos of you as a baby and of your parents. Photos of you on vacation and at Christmas time. Some on birthdays. A photo of you and your Aunt Erica sitting next to her hydrangea bush hit you particularly hard. You’d never had any photos of your family or yourself as a child until now. You stood in the hallway flipping through the pages with your sobs getting stronger as you went.

On the other side of the door Yoongi sat down on the couch staring at the box in front of him. He picked up the black bottle that looked back at him with such vengeance. He read over the words painted in silver,

‘Despicable, A one of kind fragrance for Min Yoongi’.

He took the bottle throwing it against the wall watching it shatter into hundreds of little glass shards. The liquid inside slowly descending down pooling on the floor beneath it. He ran his hands over his face as the scent of smoke and dark amber filled the air.

#bts #yoongi fanfic #yoongi x reader #yoongi angst #yoongi fic #min yoongi #yoongi x y/n #cinnamon&vanilla #arranged marriage au #bts fanfic #yoongi au #bts yoongi #bts x reader

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hanihazeljade · 2 months

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Therapy

Tim has been seeing a therapist, and he decided to listen. Finally.

Disclaimer: I am not a psychiatrist and I just heard on Tiktok about the therapy part of this drabble. The tiktok account was from Dr. Julie.

(Warning: swear words)

Tim knows he is a messed up human being. Being a child crime fighter and then being an orphan is really cool, and depressing at the same time.

Tim has witnessed a lot of stuff that will put people in a lot of trauma. He just quirky like that. But one therapy session definitely change a lot of his thoughts.

It started as a casual therapy of Timothy expected and when she pull out two fish tanks and a toy fish, he was impressed.

"Timothy, pretend that this fish is you." his therapist said as she crank the toy and dropped it in the water tank. "Imagine that this fish tank is your life. When you were born, it's clear and not a single dirty thing in it, but once you grow up, problems starts to create and it can be toxic to you." she explained as she dripped a bottle of brown liquid to the tank. "If the fish is living in a toxic environment, the fish will eventually get sick." she said as she pulled the fish out of the water.

"You pull out the fish of that toxic environment and put in a new clean environment," she said as she dropped the fish to the clear water, "...and it helps. It gets better. But once you return the fish to the dirty tank, it doesn't matter how clean the water in the other tank, it will eventually wear down the fish."

Timothy can see where this is going.

"The fish is you. You were neglected in your younger years and then everything got taken away from you. With everything got stacked up in your life, it gotten more and more toxic, you need to change your environment, Timothy. Take a break for a week, be selfish for a moment and see if it can help you." she said and they end the therapy there.

Timothy should not even thinking about getting a vacation, crime doesn't stop just because you are depressed. But her words echoed through his mind, "Be selfish for a moment." and he filed for a leave of absence and he doesn't wait for it to be approved as he took a flight to Melbourne. He is insane for taking a flight at the other side of Gotham, but he felt it, the electrifying sensation that he once felt running around the Gotham taking pictures of Batman.

He felt thrill and adrenaline in his veins and he found himself smiling at this feeling.

+++++

Melbourne is amazing, except for spiders and the fucking city was almost called Batmania, fucking hell.

That week was spent on sleeping and just sight-seeing and honestly, he wanted to take a break from now.

But just like what his therapist said, no matter how clear the water during his break, now that he is in the toxic tank, he was already tired.

The glare that he got from Bruce and Dick is a little degrading and Alfred's disappointed face was the last string that snap that made him finally realise that he doesn't need them to be happy. He doesn't need a 'family' that the reason of him to go to the therapy.

This is the muddy water for him. Not just the Wayne Manor but the whole Gotham.

He was still in the middle of a lecture of Bruce's when he whipped a white envelope with his resignation letter on it. He is resigning to everything that has connection to Gotham or even the America itself. He just smiled at Bruce and left the cave to go to the garage of the Manor where his Jaguar is.

He sort of black out what happen because the next thing he knew was that he was in a plane to Taiwan. He has no idea but he have a suitcase and himself. He smiled at himself and he is letting the fate be his navigator in this chapter of his life.

#tim drake #fanfic #bruce wayne #chaotic tim drake #unhinged tim drake #therapy fic

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fastlikealambo · 5 months

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Connubium.|| Coriolanus Snow x Black Fem Reader

Chapter Five

table of contents.

Chapter One.

Chapter Two.

Chapter Three.

Chapter Four.

Summary: Stealing from The Capitol is a deadly offense, yet you’ve done it more times than you can count but when you do something you should not have done, Volumnia Gaul decides a fate for you that might just be worse than death.

Notes: This takes place post The Ballad of Songbirds And Snakes and Coryo is in his last year at The University, studying under Dr. Gaul. This will not follow canon, I’m not an expert on all the lore so I apologize if I get things wrong.

Disclaimer: You know Coriolanus is a POS, I know Coriolanus is a POS, please don’t yell at me because this is just a fun little story, something for thee hotties, and if you feel that strongly against President Snow, please let me know if you’d like me to sign you up for tessarae.

Warnings: violence against reader, gore, blood, injuries, bones being put back in place.

18+ only

Thanks for the love and messages on chapter four! If you want to see chapter six, comment or reblog, feedback makes me want to continue!

As you slept, Coriolanus studied you.

Tucking a stray curl underneath the silk on your hair, he studied your face. The stressed expression you had concerned him, he fought the urge to smooth the knitted space between your brows.

He could do this every night.

Courtships were quick affairs in The Capitol, arranged and wed within weeks, hours even, depending on the wealth of each party and what could be gained.

A wealthy orphan such as yourself worked in Coryo’s favor, no parents to impress, no dowries, just you and your ability to control a room.

Coriolanus had plans for Panem and he needed someone at his side who could stand with him, without fear.

President Ravinstill represented the victory of war, old and bloated, a reminder of the dark days.

You would be the face of his Panem, bright and beautiful.

Yes, you would do just fine.

The smell of smoke interrupted Coryo’s study and he untangled himself from you to go to the window, throwing open the curtains.

The sun had yet to come up but a fire in a visible quarter of The Capitol raged, illuminating the sky and from the Plinth’s window he could see multiple hovercrafts carrying water to douse the flames.

“Coryo?”

You stood next to him, watching the fiery scene and he took your hand in his, rubbing circles on the back of your hand.

A knock on the door brought you both from the window and you opened it to see Mrs. Plinth, a worried expression on her face.

“There’s been a bombing, it’s all over the news. Peacekeepers want everyone in their own homes within the hour. I’ll get you some food to take home, dears.” She said kindly.

Too quickly you were standing outside, Coryo’s suit jacket draped around your shoulders, waiting for your car.

“ I was going to ask you to lunch with Tigris and Grandma’am but I think we’ll have to reschedule.” Coryo said.

“You’ll just have to make it up to me, Coriolanus Snow. If waltzing and a bombing are typical society affairs, I’m eager to see what happens the next time we’re together.”

With a kiss upon your hand, Coriolanus helped you into the car, noticing it was driven by a peacekeeper.

Peacekeepers weren’t usually drivers.

“Excuse me, if I’m going to meet Dr. Gaul, I’d like to change first.” You said, wanting very much to get out of a dress you’d been in for far too long but the peacekeeper kept driving right past your residence.

“Where are we going?” You asked but as usual, you were ignored and the car continued past The Corso,eventually coming to a stop outside a familiar looking building.

Even in the dark, you knew where you were and a fear you hadn’t had in years greeted you like an old friend.

The Arena.

A peacekeeper opened the door and three more took hold of you, yanking you of the car. Your claims that you could walk just fine went unheard as they dragged you with purpose into the massive yet crumbling amphitheater.

Nothing could quite prepare you for the scope of it, having only seen it back home on a tv that turned off and on during the games if you didn’t kick it three times. You couldn’t remember the last time it was used but there you were, taking in the sights while they shoved you through the turnstile.

“Enjoy the show!” A broken down robotic voice said.

“My little thief, right on time! Don’t you look pretty?” Dr. Gaul said, pointing to a spot for the peacekeepers to throw you down.

“What is this, why am I here?” You asked, standing to your feet, looking around at the empty structure.

“As you well aware, there was an attack on The Capitol this morning, a poorly constructed bomb killed two Capitol citizens. Imagine my surprise when we caught the animal behind this, I found out he’s from your district!”

“Dr. Gaul, I’m not behind this, you have my parents, I’m already risking everything-

“Oh no young lady, we know you weren’t behind this, we just need you to clean up a mess for the glory of Panem.”

A familiar voice and the sound of marching feet echoed throughout the arena and out of the shadows strolled President Ravinstill and his guards.

Of course, they would be working together.

“I believe you’ve already met President Ravinstill so no need for introductions. Gentlemen, if you please!” Dr. Gaul called out and from another corner came muffled screaming.

Two peacekeepers dragged a badly beaten man in front of you, one eye swollen shut, the other widening in recognition.

District 6 was big, but you knew him, he worked on delivery trains.

You used to see his children chase after the hefty freighter, waving to him on his route.

“If you’d be so kind, dear girl.” President Ravinstill said, placing a handgun into your shaking hand.

No, please, no.

“I don’t want to do this, I don’t need to do this, you have guns, you do it.” You stuttered.

“Just pretend he’s a morphling, that worked the last time, didn’t it?” Dr. Gaul asked. President Ravinstill walked up behind you and wrenched your hands into position, the gun on the man’s forehead but you dropped the gun, a missed shot ringing in the air.

“I have a better idea. Let him up, gentlemen.” Dr. Gaul said and clapped her hands.

“Enjoy the show!”

Peacekeepers filed into the arena, blocking off the exits and breaks in the concrete where the floor and tunnels caved in, forming a circle around the perimeter.

A peacekeeper unlocked the cuffed man and heaved him to his feet in front of Dr. Gaul who pointed a gloved hand in your direction.

“You see her? We’ll pin all of your mess on her and you’ll get to see your family again. All you have to do is kill her and everything is forgiven. ” Dr. Gaul whispered into his ear.

Surely he couldn’t actually believe that?

He took a step in Gaul’s direction and for a moment you believed the rebel in him saw through the lies and he’d take out Dr. Gaul and President together.

Was this the moment a rebellion was born?

But then you saw it, a shine in his uninjured eye, that told you this was just a man who wanted to go home.

“Young lady, I suggest you run.” President Ravinstill instructed.

If he couldn’t catch, he couldn’t kill you.

So you ran.

Shoes off, you ran with him on your heels, climbing up a piece of debris towards what was left of the stands, dress and skin ripping as you climbed this way and that, trying to tire him out. He stumbled but kept up the pace and you brought your bleeding hands to a corner to get further up but a warning shot made you freeze, unable to climb any higher.

That split second of indecision worked in his favor and the man grabbed your still tender ankle and brought you back down to the same level as him.

His hands were around your throat, slamming you back on the concrete before you had a chance to get back up, kicking wildly and scratching deep into his arms, the world around you starting to blur.

You weren’t a fighter, that morphling was drugged out of his mind, you couldn’t steal your way out of this.

Would they let your parents go now?

What would they tell Coriolanus?

What was the point of any of this?

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw a broken arrow, probably left over from the games, and as he pressed harder, anguish grunting escaping his bloody mouth, you let yourself go limp beneath him.

He would go no further.

The moment he loosened his grip ever so slightly in victory, you drove your thumb through his bad eye and as he tried everything, slammed you into everything but you wouldn’t let go until the last minute, letting him shove you into a pile of rocks, something in your shoulder popped, causing you to scream.

When he came at you one last time, you drove that arrow into his throat, watching him sink to the ground, jerking and gasping until President Ravinstill took a gun from a peacekeeper, aimed it at the man from District 6, the husband and father, one shot to make him lie still.

It wasn’t fair.

“Well done little thief, you would have made a fantastic tribute! Allow me.” Dr. Gaul gave no warning before she popped your shoulder back into place.

“It’s quite remarkable, all that Capitol finery, and you still reverted back to your most natural form.” President Ravinstill marveled, looking your bloody and bruised body up and down.

You were going to be sick.

“Do you see why I chose you now? You will do anything to survive, the ugly brutal things Capitol citizens don’t like to think about except on that very special time every year, and that’s what Panem needs alongside Coriolanus. Beauty is one thing, but brutality is what keeps the mice at bay.” Dr. Gaul said and clapped her hands once more, the peacekeepers moved from the exit.

“Go to him, little thief. Go to him and remember the only standing between becoming Mrs. Snow or ending up like your district friend here is your cooperation.” Gaul said and without another word you turned and stumbled out of the arena.

“See you Monday, young lady!” President Ravinstill called out.

You wandered through the streets of the Capitol for hours till you found yourself in front of Coryo’s apartment and more or less crawled up the stairs.

Before you could lift your hand to knock, the door flew open and Coriolanus enveloped you in his arms, your unrehearsed sobs stifled into his chest.

“Who did this to you?” He asked voice colder than you've ever experienced, touching you all over, cataloging each and every bruise and blood stain. At the noise, Tigris peeked her head out of her room only to come racing out fully when she saw you.

As you collapsed into their embrace, you had one thought in your head.

Dr. Gaul and President Ravinstill were very much like mice.

To get rid of mice, you would need a snake.

That’s Chapter 5! As usual if you’d like to see Chapter 6, please comment or reblog! Thank you for reading :)

#coriolanus snow x reader #coriolanus x reader #coriolanus x you #Coriolanus snow x black!reader #coriolanus snow x you

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