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obsessedwithtoomanythings · 1 year

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Keep Your Eyes Open

Pairing: Leon Kennedy x Reader

Warnings: Smut, P in V, female anatomy, reader is called she, lots of talk of guns, but no gunplay (I mean, it’s on the table and it’s in her hand, but it’s never explicitly used for the sexual stuff), dirty talk, crush confessions, Leon asks her out then fucks her.

Words: 4K

A/N: This is my first smut in forever. Cheers to Leon S. Kennedy for bringing back that smut inspiration! Inspired by this post! Thanks to @angelltheninth for letting me write it!

“Listen, you know I consider you a friend… but-” Hunnigan starts, eyes filled with concern as she looks over the piece of paper littered with holes. Let’s just say more of my shots ended up in the wall behind the target than the actual target.

“I know, that’s why I’ve been going every day, Ingrid.” My defense is pointless, and we both know that.

“Your firearm recertification is in 3 days. If your accuracy doesn’t get better by then, you won’t be allowed to carry a gun. Do you understand what that means?” She asks as if I haven’t been losing sleep over the issue.

“I know.” It means I’ll be the only agent in this fucking building who isn’t carrying a gun. “I’ll become ‘the girl who can’t carry a gun’ faster than you can say ‘fuck off’.”

A scowl comes from the agent in front of me. “Language,” she reminds. “Maybe you should ask another agent to help?”

“And let the whole building know I’m about 11 shots away from failing my recertification? Pass. I’ll just go practice some more,” I scoff, before turning on my heel to step toward the door.

“Just think about it! I know a lot of agents who aren’t dicks and who are more than willing to help!” She shouts, but I’m not listening anymore. I step out of Ingrid’s office into the cool hallway, shutting the door behind me with an almost silent click. Taking a steadying breath, my feet begin to carry me toward the place I’ve been seeing in my nightmares lately. The shooting range.

“Hey, rookie!” I hear a voice say, halting me in my tracks before I was able to close much distance between me and the stairs. I turn my head toward the voice. Leon Kennedy.

“What’s up, Agent Kennedy?” It feels formal to call him that, but while we’re in this building, it feels wrong to call him by his first name, given he is technically my superior.

“Agent Kennedy? Feels a little formal,” he says with a teasing tone, and I chuckle at him voicing my thoughts.

“Well, we are at work,” I reply, crossing my arms over my chest. Leon and I have become an unlikely pair of friends. The best agent in practically the entire country and the agent who is about to fail her firearm recertification. ‘Maybe he’d be willing to help me?’ The thought is dismissed as quickly as it appeared. ‘And make him think you’re incompetent? Pass.’

“True. Still feels weird though, Agent.”

“Wow!” I gasp in feigned surprise. “I’m not ‘rookie’ anymore?” A small smile makes its way across his lips as he chuckles.

“You’re definitely still ‘rookie’, just felt like being nice.” His comment is followed by a brief roll of my eyes.

“Okay but seriously? What’s up? I have some stuff I have to do, unfortunately,” I sigh, anxiety filling me again.

“Well, I wanted to see what you were up to.” The smile is still there. Any idiot with eyes can see how attractive Leon is. Bright baby blues, cut jawline, nose that anyone would be lucky to sit on. I have definitely had more than my fair share of daydreams starring the agent in front of me.

“I was headed down to the shooting range. I have my recertification in 3 days.” I pray he’ll opt to find something else to do.

“Oh, that shit’s a cakewalk.” Yeah, for you.

“I really want to practice a bit more. I get nervous before stuff like this.” Admitting this is not an easy feat, my cheeks dusting a light pink in embarrassment.

“Okay,” he says, and for a moment, I think he’ll depart with a ‘good luck’ and a wave. Why the hell would I be so lucky? “I’ll come with. I’ve taken that test a few times so I’ll be able to reassure you that you’ll pass with flying colors.” My eyes widen significantly, and the nerves suddenly take over my tongue.

“N-no!” I stutter, much louder than I intended. His eyebrows furrow over in confusion at the sudden outburst. “I-I just assume you’ve got better things to do.” Smooth.

“Not really. I was hoping to spend some time with you, so it’s no big deal.” Kill me now. He moves toward me, wrapping an arm around my waist to turn me and walk toward the range. Maybe it won’t be so bad.

This is going worse than I could have ever imagined. The target has maybe 3 holes in it and I’ve unloaded a whole clip of 15 shots.

“Well, it’s better than the last clip,” he chuckles, eyes still locked on my practically unscathed piece of paper. The shots didn’t even hit anything vital. I drop my head to the countertop in front of me in defeat.

“I may as well just hand over my gun right now,” I mutter into the hard surface below my forehead. Leon’s hand rests on my back comfortingly before he speaks.

“No, come on. I’ll help you,” he says, bringing the target closer to switch it out for a new one. I turn my head toward him with raised eyebrows, mostly in a ‘how can you possibly fix this?’, my temple resting against the cool surface now. “I noticed a couple of things you can fix that’ll help.” A sigh, forehead back on the counter. Leon pats my back again. “Seriously. Come on.” I rise up again, cheeks red from embarrassment as he pushes the target back to the required distance. Not that I think I’d do any better if it was closer.

“Leon, it’s pointless.”

“No, it’s not. Raise the gun.” I roll my eyes and do as he instructed. “Okay, first off, you’re locking your elbows. Loosen up.” He says, tapping a finger in the crook of my elbow. A chill runs down my spine at the contact. ‘Wow, it’s been too long since I got laid.’ I drop my elbows slightly, noting that it definitely feels awkward.

“This feels weird,” I mutter. Leon smirks.

“I’m sure it does if you’ve been firing with your elbows like that. Loosening them helps with controlling movement caused by the recoil.” He explains, and I’m grateful he’s actually telling me reasons, as it’ll make it easier to remember. “Do you fire with your feet like that?” I glance down at my position, my feet across from each other, shoulder width apart.

“Yeah?” I say, forming it as a question.

“Bring your dominant foot forward. It’ll steady you more,” He says, his tone definitely airing more on the professional side.

“Sir, yes, sir.” The words are mumbled with a light giggle at the end, and a small smile raises the corner of Leon’s lips.

“Okay try firing now.”

I squeeze the trigger slowly, the jolt surprises me which causes my eyes to close for a split second, and to steady myself, I accidentally move my feet back into their original position. The shot lands in the wall. Again. The disappointment on my face must be tangible from a mile away.

“Okay, I think I can fix this actually,” he says, and I sigh in defeat.

“Yeah I’m sure you can, super cop.”

Suddenly, as if the world is working against me, his much larger frame is pressed against my backside. Feeling his chest rise against my back and his hips grazing my ass, I breathe in a quick gasp. Completely enveloped in his scent, hard lines of muscle and heat practically radiating from him, it’s a miracle I don’t melt into a puddle right here on the concrete. His hands find my ear protection, removing the makeshift headphones from my ears, much to my confusion.

“The problem is,” he says, his breath tickling my ear, and I swear he can feel the shiver that runs down my spine, pooling in my panties. “You’re scared of it.”

“W-what?” I stutter, completely affected by his presence.

“You’re scared of the gun. The recoil scares you, and so does the sound of the shot,” he explains, voice barely above a whisper. “I think you’ll find the sound isn’t nearly as loud as you think.” His arms come up, fingers grazing along my skin which causes goosebumps to rise across my arms. He rests his hands right below my elbows, the warmth practically seeping into my bones. “Let me take the recoil. Just focus on keeping your eyes open.” His words send a wave of heat through my spine and I try and fail to not shift against him. His leg shifts forward, forcing my dominant leg into the position he recommended earlier, which presses his hips tighter against me. I almost topple over from the overwhelming sensation of heat from him mixed with his intoxicating scent filling my senses, and for a moment, my vision blurs and I squeeze my eyes shut to clear the sight. Like flipping a switch, his fingers graze my chin, lightly pressing against the edges of my jaw to get my attention.

“Leon, I can’t-”

“I believe I asked you to keep these open, sweetheart.” The agent’s voice is rough in against my ear, and I can feel the vibrations from his words rumble through his chest against my back. It feels like I peel my eyes back open as they beg to remain closed, and I attempt to get my focus on the target in front of me instead of the man behind me. “Now, squeeze the trigger.”

As I do, his hips move forward against me, and I release a gasp. Focusing on keeping my eyes open. The shot rings out, not nearly as loud as I assumed without the ear protection on. Exactly like Leon said. It makes contact with the paper, inches from the paper’s bullseye. My jaw drops at the sight. I actually hit the target.

“Good girl,” he mutters, arms dropping to rest against my waist tenderly. “Told you. You were focusing on it too much.” I feel my arms relax, pointing the barrel of the gun toward the counter as I attempt to turn around to face him, but his frame is like a brick wall.

“Leon,” I begin before another intake of air comes from my chest as Leon’s lips land on the soft skin of my neck. The reaction is immediate, my hips canting back toward him as I set the gun down.

“Nuh uh, baby. Pick that back up and finish unloading the whole clip,” he breathes into the column of my throat. “Want you to get used to this stance so you’re ready for your exam.” The light kisses quickly dissolve into small nips and bites, a moan tearing from my lips as my head lolls back, resting on his shoulder. He stops immediately.

“Leon wait-”

“I told you to finish firing the clip. It’s only 14 more shots. I think you can handle it.” A breath breaks from my chest as I lean forward, arms coming back up into the position Leon had put me in, although his hands remain on my hips this time. The gun goes off again with a bang once, twice, three times, landing in similar spots as the first shot, although they are definitely getting closer to the edge of acceptable. They are hitting the target though. As I squeeze the fourth shot, the man behind me pushes his hips forward again. “Stop thinking, sweetheart.”

“You know, if you wanted to fuck me, you could have just asked me to dinner.” The words come out much more breathy than intended, and I feel like I’m waving a neon sign that says ‘I want you to fuck me’. He chuckles lowly against me, his breath tickling my ear once again.

“I wasn’t sure how you’d take that,” he admits.

“But pushing your hips into me isn’t more forward than that?” I tease. Fifth shot. Only 9 more. He shrugs.

“I came up behind you to gauge the reaction before I did that though, didn’t I?”

“And what did my reaction tell you, Agent Kennedy?” My words are much softer now as if talking louder would shatter the mood of the room, which is alight with tension.

“That you want me to fuck you silly.” Sixth shot. “Did I read that right, rookie?”

Seventh shot. I nod gently, trying not to seem eager, despite the fact that my panties are practically ruined by this point, heat gathering in my lower belly and twisting.

“Leon, can we just-” His fingers skim over the waistline of my skirt, just barely dipping below it.

“No. Not until I know you’ll pass that recertification.” He’s gone back to nipping at my neck until he finds that patch of skin where my neck meets my shoulder. A moan leaves my lips unbidden, and I can practically feel his smirk against my skin. “Go on, sweetheart.”

Eighth shot. More than halfway done. His hand drops down further into my skirt until it’s grazing across the damp spot on my panties and I feel more than hear the low groan that he releases. “Fuck, baby.” My arms go lax as his fingers draw a single circle over my clit through the delicate lace before he moves to remove his hand altogether.

“Leon, no,” I protest as he presses his lips against my ear, intentionally using a low rumbling tone.

“Finish. Firing.” The command springs arms back up into position.

Ninth shot. Tenth shot. Eleventh shot.

“Doing so good, baby,” The praise goes straight through me, a wave of arousal leaking through the lace. Hands dropping back down to my clit, Leon pushes my panties to the side easily, swirling a finger through the wetness pooling there before bringing it up to press cruelly against my nerve endings. “Is all this for me, sweetheart?” Twelfth shot. I nod, lips pressed tightly together to muffle the squeaks and sounds attempting to leave my throat from his attention. Thirteenth shot. One more.

As I squeeze the trigger on the final shot, Leon’s fingers press into me harshly, hitting that sweet spongy part inside unintentionally and it causes a jolt in my limbs. The shot hits the wall with a pop. I hear a brief ‘tsk-tsk’ in my ear before he speaks.

“Reload.”

“But I-”

“I said, reload. You’re gonna do all fifteen again.” Dread takes over and I feel tears pool in my eyes in frustration, and Leon coos in my ear at the sight. “Oh, poor baby. You can do this.”

“Leon, please, I can’t. I need-” I gasp, setting down the gun on the counter being careful not to flag either of us. (cause gun safety is a thing).

“What do you need, baby? Tell me.” Cocky asshole.

“You.” The word is nothing but a plea.

“Aw, baby. How about I give you what you need, and then you fire off those fifteen shots? That sound like something you can do for me, pretty girl?” I nod eagerly against his shoulder before his hand is between my shoulder blades, pressing my chest to the chilly countertop.

“What about the door?” I ask, breathless and red in the face.

“I locked it when we came in here,” he mumbles as he grips the hem of my skirt and brings it up until he can see the damp lace covering me. Did he plan this? The question surfaces but before it can leave my mouth, my panties hit the floor around my ankles. “Fuck, I wanna taste you,” he whispers, more to himself than anything, but I groan in protest.

“Please just fuck me, Leon,” I practically beg, impatience leaking from my pores at this point.

“I don’t know babe, I’m kinda hungry,” he says, and I don’t need to turn around to know his signature smirk is plastered on his face.

“I will let you later, I promise. I need you right now. Inside.” His chest presses to my back, bringing his mouth close enough to hear him as he speaks.

“Later? You saying you want more than just this?” The clinking of his belt is audible over my heavy breathing because of course, I’m the only one out of breath. I nod. “I wanna hear it, sweetheart.”

“Yeah. I like you,” I start, arms splayed out flat over the top of the counter, fingers searching for purchase.

“Maybe we should get dinner after this then?” He asks, still smiling. I nod.

“Fucking finally,” I mutter and upon hearing this, Leon laughs. Not a deep chuckle, not a teasing sound, a real laugh. An almost embarrassed laugh. Hands finding my waist and giving them a reassuring squeeze.

“Took my time with it, didn’t I?” He asks, and I can hear the nerves in his tone. He’s embarrassed. Like, really truly embarrassed.

“Yeah, you sure di-” The words are cut off as he presses the head against my entrance, dipping the tip in for the briefest of seconds before pulling out and repeating the process. It feels like hours of this torture, his teasing thrusts and slight grazes over my clit before he finally, finally, slides in to the hilt, bottoming out in one stroke. We both release groans at the sensation of my walls molding to accommodate his length, twitching, and spasming as I tighten unconsciously.

“Holy shit, pretty girl, I wasn’t expecting you to be this tight,” he growls into my spine, hunched over my frame as he collects himself. When he does, he leans back, hands moving from my hips to grasp my shoulders, bringing my front away from the surface til I’m practically upright, his cock still nestled snuggly in my heat.

“What are you-”

“Now, reload the gun.” His tone sends a wave of slick down around his length, and he rumbles a groan against my collarbone.

“What-”

“I told you that you were gonna fire off those fifteen shots.” My hands shake as I grasp the glock in my hands, reloading and then trying and failing to return to my stance, so I opt to just position my arms correctly. “Good girl.”

My finger in place, I take a deep steadying breath squeezing. Leon pulls his hips back and slams back home as the shot rings out, and I stop a scream from ripping free as my hands fly back to the counter.

“Lee, you can’t just do that.” The words come out as more of a moan than actual words, the syllables slurring together like a girl who’s had one too many drinks.

“Yet you still hit the target,” he says proudly. I look up and notice that there are fifteen holes in the paper. Sixteen total shots were taken and only one missed. Shit if I had known this is how to get good at shooting, I would have asked sooner. “Come on. You got fourteen more, sweetheart.”

The other shots follow the same routine as the first.

Shot.

Thrust.

Praise.

By the time I’m on the last three shots, my whole body feels like it’s on fire, every inch covered in sweat from his punishing thrusts, tears dripping from my eyes.

“You are doing so good, baby. Three more.” He sounds as wrecked as I feel, voice gravelly against my pulse. His hands grip beneath my elbows again, pressing them back into the correct form. “You are so close.”

The bullet hits the paper with an audible pop. His cock slams back into me, tip hitting my cervix hard enough that I’m pretty sure it’ll be bruised. Broken moans fall from my dry lips, mouth feeling akin to sandpaper.

“Good job, baby. Two more.”

“Please just come for me Leon, I can’t anymore,” My arms droop, barely able to hold the weight of the gun that I’ve grown used to by this point.

“Come on, you can do this. It’s just two more shots. You are doing so well,” he reassures before sinking his teeth into my skin, leaving a plethora of bruises and marks across the tender flesh.

“What if I miss?” I ask, anxiety poking through, mind locked on how he stopped last time.

“I won’t stop this time. You’ve more than made up for the shot you missed earlier.” I sigh in relief. Forcing my arms back up, I try to steady myself before Leon’s fingers find my clit and I squeal, completely losing my aim due to the tight circles he’s rubbing. “Take the shot, baby.”

I fire, bullet catching the edge of the bullseye and I feel a swell of pride before Leon presses a deep thrust accompanied by a swirl on my clit, and his name spills from my lips as a plea.

“Please come for me, please.”

“Tell you what, if you get a bullseye, then I’ll cream this little pussy, how’s that sound, baby?” The pace of his fingers doesn’t change, and I can really only nod, mind barely able to remember why we were in here in the first place.

Taking aim. Deep breath. Squeeze.

The bullet lands dead in the middle of the red target. I practically drop the gun from my fingers, relief overtaking my senses.

“Atta girl,” Leon groans, pressing my frame onto the counter as he picks up speed to a fast pace, leaning down to crowd against me. My fingers reach up behind me, bent at the elbows, to cling to his hair that grazes against my temple as my eyes squeeze shut. His name is a broken sound coming from my lips as the coil in my gut tightens with each twirl of his fingers and each pass of his tip against my sweet spot. “Open your eyes when you come for me, rookie.”

Most of his words are just a jumble as the coil snaps and a scream rips from my already sore throat, but I can make out a ‘good girl’ and ‘creaming my cock so good, gorgeous’ here and there through the haze of my orgasm. It takes a few more thrusts before Leon groans and curses, lips pressed to my spine as he spills himself inside my still-spasming hole.

It takes a few moments for us to move again, deep breaths the only audible sound in the silent room. He’s the first to move (him and his damn stamina), sitting up to stand before slowly pulling his length out, watching as his seed trickles out slowly and groaning at the sight. Leon reaches down, pulling my panties back up and adjusting them into place tenderly, mindful of the soreness he had no doubt was blooming. With a small tug and some slight wobbling on my end, Leon helps me into a standing position facing him now, small of my back barely resting against the edge of the counter as his hands hold me steady.

“You alright?” He asks, and I giggle and smile in response, leaning my face forward into his shoulder. He chuckles to himself, pressing a kiss to my hair. “I mean it, you okay?”

“Mhm. I’m good. You owe me dinner though.”

“Of course, need me to carry you?” I nod through a wave of sleepiness.

“Wait,” I say, hands on his chest as he looks at me, blue eyes shining with concern. “Can you kiss me?” I ask, shyness returning full force, and he laughs again. In favor of answering, he leans forward, pressing his lips against mine in a sweet, tender kiss. His lips are dry, as evidence of our exertion. We pull back from the kiss with dumb smiles decorating our faces, and he pulls my skirt down to cover my panties, planting another quick kiss on my mouth.

“So where do you want to go to eat?”

I step out into the hallway, flat shoes making far less noise than my usual heels. Leon looks at me expectantly.

“So?” I skip up to him, lips finding his as my arms wrap around his broad shoulders. Pulling back, I shoot him a smile before speaking.

“Guess who just passed her firearm recertification with flying colors?” I tease.

“Nice! See? I told you, cakewalk.”

Tags: @house-of-kolchek

#leon kennedy #leon kennedy x reader #leon x reader #resident evil fanfiction #leon kennedy smut

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ssahotchnerr · 11 months

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I know it’s cliche but I am SO in love with the idea of BAU!reader going undercover because she resembles the victims that their unsub is targeting.

It makes hotch so damn nervous. He’s been in the field for a long time and he knows going undercover is part of the job but he has a hard time maintaining objectivity when it comes to you and the thought of something happening to you while you’re undercover makes his stomach drop out from under him.

He’s always been a focused man but it’s hyped up to an 11 when you’re well-being is on the line. He knows your capable, of course. He wouldn’t have brought you on to the team if he didn’t believe in you but it doesn’t make it any easier, watching these vile men leer at you like a piece of meat and knowing he’s just supposed to sit back and watch it unfold.

breathe

cw; bau!reader, worried aaron 🫶🏻, takes place in a bar ps hehe i live for the aaron and dave playful banter 🤭

"breathe."

the words easily slipped past aaron, as his sole focus was on you and you only.

"hotch."

again, aaron provided no response. in it's place, his jaw only tightened, the arms crossed against his chest hardened in anticipation. dave was almost positive he hadn't heard an exhale escape from the start, or any indication aaron was in fact breathing.

"aaron. breathe."

aaron's eyes whisked over to dave's. there was a slight annoyance present, but lighthearted all the same. or, as lighthearted as it could be under the circumstances.

"i know." aaron mumbled, his eyebrows raising slightly as he held his stare onto you - navigating through the crowd of people in the bar, making yourself as subtly noticeable as you possibly could.

it was true - he had full faith in you and your skills, of course he did. aaron had no doubts you would manage to acquire the unsub's interest, bait him in, and finally put this case to rest.

however, it was the unknowns he was worried about, the things that weren't in your control. what if the unsub pulled a smart move, what if something didn't go according to plan.

whaf if, what if, what if.

"but i still don't like it." he stated bluntly as you found a seat at a lonely table. it's location could be within the view of anyone in the establishment, and as you were the definition of the unsub's type, it was only a matter of time now. he also tried not to think about all the other's eyes who had been glued to yourself all night.

you were his, he kept repeating to himself.

as you scouted the place, your eyes managed to find aaron's for a spilt second - he and dave were not too far away, same as the other team members, in favor of your safety - which caused his heart rate to instantly calm. just a bit.

you had given no indication you saw him, no visible acknowledgement to not give away your cover, but because he knew you, he knew what you were silencing voicing.

calm down. i'm going to be just fine.

aaron finally let out a breath. again, he had complete trust in you, and his heart warmed how you had managed to read him and his current anxieties over the present situation. if things were to go haywire, he was at a close enough range to act fast. you were in his line of sight. you were safe.

his want to protect you would never falter, and while aaron could never actually have full control of the concept, he would always do what he could. and besides, the fact you didn't always need him - you were strong and capable on your own - would always cause a surge of pride to ripple through his chest. he was in a relationship with a total badass, what more could he ask for?

"okay." he breathed out again, as a man made his way up to you. "here we go."

#aaron hotchner x reader #aaron hotchner #aaron hotchner fluff #aaron hotchner imagine #aaron hotchner x you #criminal minds #criminal minds imagine #criminal minds x reader #criminal minds drabble #aaron hotchner drabble #hotch imagine #criminal minds fanfiction #aaron hotch x reader #criminal minds x you

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lili-of-the-wildfire · 5 months

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okay fine, u all forced my hand in this one. these are MY azzie headcanons, mostly based on what’s canon in the books but i’m nothing if not a woman who would have been forcefully lobotomized so there’s also some delusion sprinkled in. enjoy 😙 (not proof read or correctly punctuated or even coherently arranged, we die like men on this blog)

* he may be a bit quiet in some situations, especially when meeting people who’s intentions he hasn’t quite figured out yet, but if he does nothing else, he’ll offer up a small smile in greeting. he’s not just going to sit there aloof in a corner, sans introduction.

* he’s a total vibe reader tho, his line of work has made sure of that. like he just knows when something is off about someone even if there is evidence saying otherwise. and he’s right every time, damn him.

* he tucks his hands behind his back out of habit, not necessarily shame. he used to be far more insecure, but as the centuries dragged on, he’s become less and less ashamed of what was done to him as a defenseless child.

* that’s not to say he’s fully healed and moved forward, just that time has given him some perspective and wisdom.

* (btw he loves hand massages with your lavender and lemon verbena lotion and he is not afraid to admit it)

* when he gets himself into trouble he tries to slink off into the shadows slowly, instead of disappearing all at once. nobody has a problem calling him out on it, but sometimes he honestly does get away with it.

* he has TASTE! he took one look at cassian and feyre’s gods awful decorating and didn’t even remove his outside clothes before he was fixing it.

* he and his mate’s house would look like something out of a Williams Sonoma holiday catalog.

* the two of you would put up lebron numbers on a joint pinterest account in a modern au.

* he’s quick as a whip with his dry humor and comebacks, and while cassian may be his main target, the two of them combined?? Mr. your mother and Mr. two hundred years at least TOGETHER? jesus it’s a wonder rhys came out of Illyria with the ego that he did.

* he differs from his brothers in that PDA is not his jam. he’s not getting blowjobs at the dining room table or fucking in tents while people die outside. he’s definitely not fingering you for the first time in a shabby inn, either. he’s more publicly reserved than that because he favors romance more.

* you know how rhys/feyre and cassian/nesta fucked before they were in any sort of relationship? azzie’s not doing that with someone he genuinely wants to pursue a relationship with.

* consider the following: does a man who’s spent centuries pining after the same woman come off as anything other than a romantic? no, lovely reader, not in the slightest.

* he’s got the softest heart, i just know it. while he’s kind, he has his reserved exterior, but i think once you get past that as a relationship develops, he’s so tender and thoughtful.

* his gift to nesta was so personal and thoughtful despite their superficial relationship, and he expected nothing in return. imagine what he could come up with for someone he knew on a more personal and intimate level!!

* his gifts may not be as over-the-top extravagant as Rhys would prefer, but they’re so well-planned and personal because he actually listens to you! and he watches you! and he takes the time to actually think about what would be useful and meaningful for you (Mor could NEVER, luv u tho baby)

* while he’s not overtly sexual, Azriel is a FLIRT! a shameless flirt! he doesn’t need to resort to poetry because when you exasperatedly tell him “stop trying to distract me, I’m busy!” he just arches a thick brow, looks you up and down and says “make me.”

* BROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

* And your cheeks heat a bit because he’s looking at you like he knows exactly what you’d taste like and he’s starving for it and then he just laughs and you realize you’re a fly that got stuck in those honey-trap eyes again

* So you huff and roll your eyes, turning to leave the room but a hand on your wrist tugs your momentum backwards and suddenly there’s another hand cupping your cheek, thumb stroking along your jawline.

* A deep hum rumbles from the back of his throat, his gaze dragging from your mouth up to your eyes, “Do that again, I like watching your eyes roll back for me.”

* ladies/theydies i am PROFUSELY sweating !!!!!!!!!

#azriel x reader #azriel #azriel fanfic #acotar

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romanreignseater · 1 year

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Our Reflection.

Jey Uso x Black Female Reader

Rating: 18 +

Warning: Probably my dirtiest story yet. It’s just pure filth. Brace yourself.

“Being two beautiful people in a relationship causes us to look in the mirror quite often. So, why not take a chance and fuck in front of it.”

A/N: They need to stop targeting our Bloodline hero, Mr. Main Event Jey Uso. That’s my man and I got his back. Sorry… I’m in my feeling about NOC 😭. Had to write for my him, but I also got a Jimmy fic coming out soon, so stay tuned. Also, I didn’t forget about my Dean fic it’s still coming out as well.

GIF: @jeysuso

“You really think you could guess my Chipotle order?!”

My husband, Jey, smiled through FaceTime. “I feel the vibes right now, like that telepathic shit.”

I couldn’t even contain my laughter at his remark of us being telepathic. “So, what do I want then baby?!”

“Well, obviously you always want me that’s a given.” I rolled my eyes at slick comment and he cheesed real hard.

“Okay then with yo fine ass, what do I want?!”

“I thought I was handsome.” His hand over his heart as if he were hurt. “You’re actually an idiot.” Jey soon began sniffling like he was going to cry, eyes closed and all.

This boy really in the middle of Chipotle actin a fool.

“Okayyy… handsome.” He peeled one eye open and smirked at me lovingly. “What. Do. I. Want?!”

He opened his mouth, giving me a long and very dramatic pause just to say, “I can’t tell you that mama. But, I know you always get chips and guac, so that’s all you need to know.”

This boy better get my burrito.

——————————————————————————

Roughly about two hours later, I began doing my makeup. My girls invited me out to a quick little lunch.

I’ve been waiting for Jey, but my chipotle STILL… had yet to arrive. I wasn’t gonna sit around and not get me something to eat. So, lunch with my girls it was.

Trin was on her way to pick me up, so I had some time to kill. The 28’ inch jet black silky buss down was laid, and the all black outfit was hugging my curves in all the right places. My top had a heart cutout right at my cleavage showcasing my ample breasts and my leggings were definitely holding my ass tight.

As I looked in the mirror, making sure everything was looking right before I continued my makeup. In the mirror I could see Mr. Main Event Jey Uso standing in the doorway admiring me.

Looking down at his reflection, I could see a Chipotle bag in his hand. But, when looking up I could see his bottom lip sheathed behind his teeth.

Turning back around to the mirror continuing my makeup, “Look who decided to show up.”

I could hear Jey’s heavy size 13 feet nearing me. Looking up from my eyeshadow palette, my husband’s big frame could surround my entire body. He stood behind me with his hat on backwards, gold link chain dancing on his neck, Niu Tat crop top, and black cotton Nike shorts.

“And where yo’ ass think you going looking this fine?!”

Jey pressed himself against my backside, and I could feel his heavy member stabbing me in the ass. The bag of food was placed on the counter and Jey’s hands were placed on the counter in front of me, practically trapping me between the both of them.

“I hope you got what I wanted sir.”

I continued doing my eyeshadow and Jey looked at me with utter confusion. He pushed my hair behind my ear and whispered, “You ain’t answer my question.” (Just imagining this is Jey’s voice 😩).

“And I don’t want to, your ass took forever with my food.”

Jey’s lips soon traveled down my neck, kissing, licking, and sucking at it passionately. I completely ignored his gestures, and he could tell his neck kisses weren’t working.

“I got you a burrito, I felt that telepathic shit.”

“That’s cute babe, but I got plans to go eat out anyways.” Turning around I swiped a little eyeshadow on his cheek. I giggle as his face remained stone cold.

“So… who you got these ‘plans’ with?!”

“Nunya.”

Jey’s face changed from a sly and hard stare, to a completely hard stare.

“So you’re telling me… you going out to eat, looking all good, smelling all good, just to make me upset cause I brought your Chipotle late?!”

I paused brush strokes and looked him in his eyes in the mirror. “I still would’ve went out with the girls, even if you brought the Chipotle earlier. So… I don’t know what you want me to tell you.”

“What I’m gonna tell you is what I’m gonna do to you.” Jey begins to sort of pace around me back and forth. He then walks back behind me and bent my back over the counter slowly.

“What are you doing boy?! I got a lunch to go to.”

My breasts were soon pressed against the counter, and Jey’s knees spread my legs apart. His grip on my back arrived to the back of my neck and my breathing became heavier.

He bent down to my level in front of the mirror, looking me in my eyes and said, “Imma eat this pussy real good, fuck you real hard, you finna eat this burrito, and then I’ll think about letting you go out,”

His commands made me very upset, but also really wet.

“I don’t know what the fuck you think you’re doing, but I gotta finish getting ready.” As I tried to get up from my bent position, I couldn’t. Jey’s strength totally overpowered mine and there was really no way I’d get up.

“Yo’ ass ain’t going nowhere.” I yelped as a smack was placed on my ass. A couple more smacks were laid upon my ass and tears began to well up in my eyes.

“Aww, you crying and I didn’t even fuck you yet. And to think yo’ ass was tryna run from this dick. Tsk tsk tsk.” I looked up at him with fury.

Jey’s hands went from the back of my neck to my clothed, pulsing mound. Massaging it ever so gracefully. Goosebumps arose from my arms and Jey chuckled, practically enjoying the reactions I was trying not to give him.

Jey shocked me by ripping my leggings straight down the middle, panties and all.

“JEY!! WHAT THE FUC-.” His large and bear like hands covered my mouth, nearly my entire face. “Shhhhh.” He placed a kiss on top of my head and his fingers traveled from my neck to my cunt.

Rubbing my slick juices all over the entirety of my pussy. “Unhh, oh my g-.” I moaned through his hand, but I soon stopped moaning as Jey paused his ministrations. Looking at him with pure anger, he took his wet fingers into his mouth and sucked on my juices.

“That shit tasty mama.” Even though, he was pissing me off, he was just so irresistible. “I’m about to go to town on that pussy.”

I watched as his head dipped down and he was at level with my pussy. I felt him spread my lips apart and his hot breath cascading it. His thick thumb traced my pussy lips gently and he pressed it against my clit.

“Gotta taste it before I fuck it huh?!” As I tried to get a word out, he dived right in. He spread his mouth over my center. My hand traveled behind and was placed on the back of his head while he went to work. He drooled all over this pretty little pussy, causing me to whimper and whine for him.

Jey slurped on me a little more before bringing his hand up to meet my ass with a stinging slap. I continued to breathe deeply as he was really eating it from the back.

He feasted wholeheartedly on me, not stopping. This pussy belonged to him all day, everyday, whenever he wanted it, and he damn sure was getting it now. My legs shook as I felt the pressure build up. “Unhhhh, I’m cumming Jey.”

“Cum for daddy mama.” His saliva drooled from my ass to my clit, making even more of a mess. Just absolutely tonguing me down to the max. I came all over his tongue and I shook with pleasure. But, I soon screamed as he didn’t stop.

The overstimulation was getting to me, and I knew I was going to burst. My ears to deaf the other sounds, the only thing I could hear was the gushy noises coming from his filthy mouth.

“Oh my god, I’M CUMMING AGAIN!!”

“Go on baby.” My pussy lips quivered as Jey continually made out with it sloppily. I reached my high and squirted all over Jey’s face.

I had an out of body experience as Jey rubbed me through out the rest of my orgasm. My ass gained a couple more abusive smacks and Jey’s shorts were dropping.

Lifting my head up and arching my back for me, Jey told me his exact plans. “I’m for real about to get balls deep in my shit, ya understand me?!” My eyes lowered and breath staggered as I tried my best to look at him in his eyes.

“Ya understand me princess?!”

Gulping, I accept his orders. “Yes daddy.”

“Don’t be running now.”

I couldn’t really make no promises of that, cause if he got to hitting that spot; which I knew he would, it would be a wrap.

His swollen mushroom tip glided against my cunt savagely, spreading my juices all over his tip. Jey soon pressed his tan brown dick in, gently massaging my walls instantly.

He smacked my ass once more. “That ass juicy just like that pussy.”

“Just fuck me boy.”

“Don’t mind if I do.”

He pushed my chest deeper into the counter, getting in a few solid strokes of that monster dick before gradually picking up speed. He starts stroking me so good, and the pleasure is near unbearable. “Okay baby, stop I’m cumming.”

“Already?! I barely started and I’m having fun.”

My little manicured hands were placed upon his rock hard abs trying to get him to stop. “I’m serious STOP!!” My pussy was getting obliterated and Jey had yet to stop. I began squirting all over his cock and my whole body began to convulse.

“Damn girl… I was about to get my leg up on the counter so I could really hit that shit.” My breath was sucked out of my lungs and my heart felt like it had just stopped. Jey held onto the sides of my stomach and waited for my breathing to calm down.

“You better be ready now, cause ain’t no stopping.”

He placed his length back into my cunt, stretching my walls to accommodate his meaty girth. My head was soon lifted and held in place as Jey fixed my vision to him and him only in the mirror.

“I know how much you like to look in the mirror, Imma really give you something to look at.”

Jey’s foot was placed on the counter right beside me and my head nearly fell, but he was quick to catch it. My toes curled and my brows furrowed. “Daddy, you’re so deep.”

“I know baby.”

He plunged into my cunt so devilishly, “It feels like you’re in my stomach.”

Jey plunged forward so his stomach was placed against my back. He cupped my cheeks, “I know, cause I am in your guts.”

His strokes just absolutely brutal, grabbing my hair, and smacking my ass digging off in my pussy. Balls sticking and slapping against my clit, providing an entire new sensation.

Pounding my g-spot like there was no tomorrow. Both of us moaning and watching one another reflections in the mirror. I watched Jey’s stomach tensed admiring my thickness spreading me all the way out, my cunt tightening as he slid in and out of me with ease.

“That pussy so wet baby, that shit talking to me huh?!”

“Yes daddy all for you.”

“I know that’s right.”

My body went limp and my eyes rolled into the back of my head. My knees threaten to give out, but Jey’s vice like grip on my hips lead me to continue to stand upright. “I’m cumming so hard daddy, you’re fucking the shit out of me.”

“Yeah, let the neighbors know my name mama. Scream for me.”

With a loud cry, I squirted all over his length, nearly pushing it out. Jey began to chuckle as he sped up his pace, clutching my ass cheeks for dear life. Moaning sweetly as he released heavy spurt after heavy spurt into the warmth of my sweet little pussy. Pulling out with one final smack to my ass, his cum dribbled out of my hole onto my clit.

Grabbing my cheeks harshly, he kissed me sloppily. Spit all over my lips and around my mouth. “I love you baby.”

“I love you too boy.”

As we looked into each others eyes, we could hear the loud banging of the front door.

“Y/N!! GET YO ASS DOWN HERE!! Are you coming or not?!”

“Tell Trin you already did.”

Rolling my eyes once more at my husband, but his big smile got me every time.

——————————————————————————

THE END.

MY TAG SQUAD: @cyberdejos2 @thesamoanqueen @nayys-world @mzv11 @babybatlover @vogueyonce @harmshake @harlem11680 @seeingstarks @thewarlordsworld @alyyaanna @southerngirl41 @christinabae @pitlissa22 @thealliasylum @fame-ass-ers @iluvthebloodline @jeyusos-girl @ah-fin3sse @solosikoasgf @msbigredmachine @rollinsland @angelicflower2020

#jey uso #jey uso x reader #jey uso fanfic #jey uso smut #jey uso imagines

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blushweddinggowns · 9 months

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Despite the fact that he had been spending the past three years intermediately dealing with the supernatural, Lucas had to admit, his life was going pretty damn good. Like okay. Yes, he almost certainly had a case of PTSD going on from all the demons and monsters he’d been forced to encounter, and the murders he’d unfortunately witnessed.

But like, besides that, his first year of highschool was kind of awesome? He made it on the basketball team, varsity, despite being a freshman. Something that hadn’t happened since Steve was in school. And yeah, maybe he was a benchwarmer in a way Steve hadn’t been, but whatever. He was still on the team!

Max freaking Mayfield was somehow still his girlfriend, a miracle in and of itself considering all of the insane shit she’d gone through. He was, for literally the first time in his life actually within the popular crowd, or at least popularish, all while not having to give up any of the silly, nerdy things that used to make him a target in the first place. And okay, maybe he wasn’t expressly advertising the full extent of his obsession with Hellfire with his teammates, but whatever. What they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them. Besides, his best friends would always come first, even if they were all really annoying about his new interest in sports.

Everyone except Steve, who was the only one outside of his dad who was actually proud of him for pursuing something new. And that wasn’t even mentioning how the guy had taken the time to practice with him every weekend for months in preparation for try-outs. And he knew so freaking much. That was one perk of having a head basketball coach that had been around for twenty years, the alumni were definitely able to teach you all their plays. Lucas could nearly read the head coach’s mind by the time the official season rolled around, all thanks to Steve.

Steve who, in Lucas’ humble opinion, did not get enough credit for being their coolest friend. Yeah Eddie was great, more than great, he was awesome but… Lucas couldn’t help but think that it was Eddie who was lucky to have Steve, not the other way around. He loved both of them to death, but it was Steve who got his ass handed to him by Billy Hargrove to keep Lucas safe and who fought demodogs with nothing but a bat. All in the same day. It was Steve who helped to keep his dumbass sister alive when she thought it was a good idea to get involved with the Upside Down shit, and who hit a possessed racist with a stolen car right before he almost killed them all.

Lucas thought he was badass, even if he kind of acted like a lame, overprotective dad half the time. Steve had earned the paranoia when it came to their safety, especially since he was one of the only reasons he and all of his friends were even alive.

He was just… cool. And probably none of his friends would agree with him on this, but he was kind of… suave? With the hair and the cool car and the no-fucks-given attitude. And yeah, maybe working at a video store in a silly little vest while living in his boyfriend’s lap didn’t exactly match the image, but whatever. Steve would always be cool to him, even if the rest of the world couldn’t see it.

He would be the coolest person he knew if he wasn’t aware of a literal superhero and his own super, awesome girlfriend. But he was a solid third place. Max, El, then Steve. And maybe it was a little insane to put Max above the girl with superpowers, but hey, she’d earned it. And he was horribly biased, but sue him. Not many people could roll with the punches in the way that girl could. Or be that funny while going through such a few hellish years.

Lucas was just happy that she lived near Eddie and Steve, especially since her mom’s embarrassing mental breakdown. He kind of hated the woman for making Max’s life more difficult than it already was, but he kept that one to himself. It wouldn’t help anything but God, did he wish that she could get it the fuck together for once in her damn life.

Even with her shitty mom, Max was never alone, not if Lucas could help it. Though things had been pretty rough for a second there. She had dumped him pretty soon after Billy had passed away, not that he minded. Lucas was willing to go through their stupid cycle of breaking up and getting back together for the rest of his life if it meant being with her. But that last time had felt too… real for his liking. Not because of anything he did, but just from the fact she couldn’t handle having a boyfriend, her mother’s marriage falling apart, and the guilt from her step brother dying all in one go.

Though eventually she did reach back out and they at least got to stay friends. A friendship that didn’t last long. He had really tried not to let his feelings get in the way of being there for her, but the love he had was too obvious to be ignored forever. He was just lucky as fuck that she still felt the same way. And Lucas hadn’t been messing around when it came to his second chance. His dorky side had definitely come in handy for his overnight transformation into the best boyfriend ever. He forced Eddie and his own mom to give him some cooking lessons. Because if Max’s shitty parent couldn’t provide what she needed, then fuck it. Lucas would. And the smile she would give him every time he’d bring her a homemade lunch or dinner was so worth Erica making fun of him for being whipped. He was even taking notes on all of the successful relationships he knew, going as far as interviewing his own parents and Steve and Eddie like the little weirdo he was. But all tips were necessary for him not to mess this up.

And it did help. He got her to open up, slowly but surely. He got the chance to actually be there for her, and that’s all he really wanted. And it had been so freaking worth it. She was smiling again, laughing and being herself despite the crappy circumstances surrounding her life. And outside of Steve and his dad, she was the only one who actually gave a shit about his basketball games. She was always at every one of them with no complaints, despite the fact that he knew it wasn’t her thing. She would even get mad at the others for not taking it seriously on his behalf, and she had forced Dustin and Mike to start going through intimidation alone.

She was always able to say the quiet part loud, a talent that was definitely a godsend for his current situation.

Lucas had a lot of patience. It was something he prided himself on, something that took years to cultivate. But he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t pissed that his friends weren’t even considering rescheduling Hellfire to go to the championship game, even if he was having a hard time specifically saying it.

Max did not have that same problem.

“You’re telling me you can’t stand up to Eddie Munson of all people?” Max asked, hands on her hip in a certified Steve stance as she stared his best friends down, “Are you freaking kidding me right now?”

Lucas didn’t know why having your girlfriend fight your battles for you was considered emasculating. From his point of view it was pretty awesome, especially with how scared Dustin and Mike were looking.

“He can be intimidating when he wants to be!” Dustin tried, cringing at the way Max glared at him.

“The guy who cried at Splash is intimidating to you?” She asked, incredulous, “That guy? Fucking really?”

They both shrugged, but at least they had the grace to look a little guilty now. But Max still wasn’t having it, “You know what? I don’t even know why I’m asking you guys. Move.”

She barreled past them, not even looking back to see if she was being followed. She was; all three of them were too invested to see where she was going with this. She went straight to a pay phone, dialing the number while mumbling rude comments under her breath.

She was so freaking cool. Had Lucas mentioned that he loved her?

She perked up when the call was answered, sighing into the phone, “Steve? I need a favor.”

from the latest chapter of this fic

#steddie #steddie fic #lucas sinclair #lumax #stranger things #the universe trapped in your skin #the last of the four!#you'll pry my insanely long posts out of my cold dead hands #max mayfeild

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leonstoenailunderhisbed · 2 months

Text

Insurgency: Long Live The Queen

Summary: A totalitarian regime reigns over a South American country in which the virus is being distributed to its citizens at the pretense of a “cure.” Leon was sent to retrieve a sample of the virus mutation when he stumbled upon a group of anti-government activists whose main goal is to overthrow their government. Will Leon help the cause or will he fall down with the government as well?

Warning: Mentions of mature themes. Read at your own discretion. Slow burn. Age gap (Leon is 38 and reader is 21+). Reader is female.

Word count: 5,105

A/N: how we feeling about this so far? :3

[part one][part two][part three][part four][part five][part six][part seven][part eight][bonus]

“The whole question here is: Am I a monster, or a victim myself?” - Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment.

Leon was put into a room after you guys reached La Sénte. He was given food and water as well as a bed for him.

What a nice welcome, he thought.

You were currently in a meeting room with Yarina and other Insurgents.

“The president is on to us. She knows we’ve been the ones targeting her military. From now on, we’ll be facing death head on. This is no time for hesitations. We must act or die,” Yarina stated as she looked down at the papers scattered on the table.

“Yarina, we can’t risk losing people. We will be outnumbered if we want to go to the city states-“

“Enough,” Yarina slams her fists on the table, “We cannot sit back and watch as President Mendez treats our lives as rag dolls. Yes, there’s a chance we will die but I’d rather die fighting than die a coward.”

Silence overtook the room, the atmosphere was tense and heavy. Ever since the President had broadcasted the message of public executions, everyone’s been at edge. Including you.

“Why don’t we use the American?” One of the insurgents spoke up, he seemed to be the secretary of Yarina. “How do we use him exactly?” She asked.

“A life for a life. We send a message to President Mendez demanding that she freed all the captured civilians. In return, we’ll give him to her-“

“A swap,” you interjected. “It won’t work-“ you turned to look at Yarina, “Listen, those soldiers- they’re nothing like the ones we’ve seen. San Bandero is protected by tanks and endless troops. We’ll die the second we step foot there.”

Yarina hums and brought a hand to her chin as she thought hard.

“We’ll split up,” she pointed to the map, “Half of the available Insurgents will storm right into the city with our bomb artillery. I’m talking tanks and rocket launchers. The other half will go underground and perform an evacuation for the remaining citizens who are unharmed. I want this to be quick and efficient. We have no room for mistakes. Prioritize the children.”

Everyone nodded and began to scurry out of the meeting room to prepare for battle. “Y/n, can I talk to you for a second?”

You stopped walking and walked back towards her.

“I heard about what you did for Josue, that was really heroic of your part,” she said quietly.

“It was nothing, really,” you muttered back with a short nod.

Yarina chuckled and patted your back, “Humble too. You never fail to surprise me.”

She cleared her throat before continuing, “Listen, I didn’t just held you back to talk about your accomplishments.”

You could only nod slowly in silence, “I actually wanted to let you know that if I were to die tonight… I want you as our leader.”

Your eyes widened at her statement and you felt your throat run dry, “Yarina… don’t say that. How are you sure you’re-“

“Y/n. There is no guarantee that I’ll make it alive after the mission. The President is on to us and once she finds out that I’m the leader, she’ll kill me.”

You could only stare at her in silence. What she said was true. If President Mendez were to find out that Yarina was the leader of the rebelling group then she’ll most definitely die.

“Okay,” you nodded and agreed quietly, “I’ll do my best to be a good leader.”

Yarina smiled softly and squeezed your arm, “Good, now let’s get this mission over with.”

Leon heard the sounds of footsteps through the halls.

They must be making their next move, he thought.

He wondered how exactly everything started. Getting captured by a group of people who want to overthrow the government wasn’t really on his to-do list. But alas here he was.

The food was way better than other times he’s been to other missions. He had to give you guys credit for having edible bread and good chicken.

You were put into the group of Insurgents who will storm right into the city. Currently, you seating in a car with other members. Weapons in hands and boxes full of explosives ready to be used.

As you were driven there, the sun began to set. You’ve gotten used to fighting in the dark. It was better since the soldiers’ helmets didn’t really allow them to see at night. This was your advantage.

As you neared the city entry, everyone jumped out of the car and proceeded to blend in with the trees and bushes that surrounded the area.

Hiding behind a bush, you kept watch as the person next to you took out their rocket launcher and shot the city.

Multiple bombs were set off, each hitting a different thing. Buildings, tanks, soldiers- anything they can shoot. The ground shook and insurgents ran out of their hiding spot and began to attack the confused soldiers.

Your weapon ready in your hand, you shot the soldiers in front of you. You managed a few headshots. It was good that you had improved your skills ever since this whole thing started, it was good you were becoming alive.

As the insurgents in the sewer system began to drive the citizens of San Bandero out, they felt the ground shook. They needed to get out of there quickly before the roads collapsed on top of them.

“Madam President, there’s an attack in San Bandero. A group of rebels are shooting out soldiers and bombing out buildings. Do you want-“

“No,” the President cut the assistant off. She was angry, more angry than anyone has ever seen her. She stood up and walked towards the window to see. And sure enough, fire and smoke came out of San Bandero.

“Find their leader and bring them to me. I will end this once and for all,” the President said as she walked away from the window and back to her desk.

You and Yarina were fighting back to back as the soldiers tried to pounce at you both.

“Fuck! I’m out,” Yarina exclaimed as she tried to shoot with her gun but no bullets came out.

You took Yarina by the arm and dragged her into a collapsed building, giving both of you enough time to reload your weapons.

Yarina was busy reloading her gun as you kept watch, “Yarina…” your eyes widened as you stared at the TV on the tower. Yarina grew confused and then looked out towards the TV as well.

It was a video footage of the sewers- the citizens walking while the insurgents helped them out.

“Citizens of Pruye, let this be a reminder that traitorous acts do not go unpunished. Everyone in relation to rebellion will face consequences,” the President spoke.

Suddenly, a bomb fell down from a plane and into the roads. You and Yarina took cover behind a fallen piece of debris. The ground shook tremendously as heat and light took over.

You couldn’t hear anything for a good minute, only the constant ringing. You peeked at the scene and saw that the bomb had fallen right on top of the people evacuating. Your eyes trailed towards the TV and couldn’t help but let out a soft sob.

Children, women, men and insurgents lying dead on the floor. No trace of life after the explosion. Smoke and ashes filled the air and your hearing got back.

You heard Yarina scream and turned your head over your shoulder to find Yarina being taken away by two soldiers, “¡¡Come mierdas- todos ustedes!!”

You were about to start running towards her but another soldier lunged at you, pinning you the ground. You gripped their wrist and tried to not let them stab with the knife they had in their hands. With as much energy you could muster, you harshly threw the soldier off of you and shot them in the head with your gun.

You looked back at where Yarina was last seen but she was gone. Panic and anxiety coursed through you. You didn’t want to think about it. But you knew Yarina was going to die.

It’s been three hours since Yarina got captured. The remnants of San Bandero were the only thing that remained of what was once a lively city. Now it was just debris and dead bodies all around.

Some insurgents were being treated for their wounds and others were patrolling the streets. You were sitting down the sidewalk as you contemplated what to do.

It wasn’t until the TV on the tower turned on and President Mendez spoke,

“Citizens of Pruye, with every heartbreak comes good news. Although a city of ours has been destroyed, we too, have something that is worth destroying for those who oppose me.”

The camera pans to Yarina kneeling down before a soldier who has a gun pointed at her forehead. Her hands were tied behind her back as she had a piece of cloth around her mouth, gagging her.

“Yarina…” you whispered as you stood up and stared at the screen.

“Let this be a lesson for all. You cannot win a helpless fight,” the President continued.

The soldier hooked his finger around the trigger all while Yarina maintained eye contact with him. She didn’t fear death, she wasn’t scared in that moment. Yarina is a smart person, she’s known all along that by starting this rebellion she’d face her ultimate death. Not once did she flinch nor did she beg for mercy.

She took a deep breath and let her body fall to the ground after the soldier pulled the trigger. The bullet penetrating her skull, sucking the life out of her. A poodle of blood surrounded her head as she died with her eyes opened.

Gasps and screams were heard from the other insurgents around you. You, yourself, felt anger. Anger at yourself, anger at the government, anger at the whole world. But beneath all that anger, was a girl who feared and cried. She was hurt- you were hurt. And nothing is this world could do anything to settle the turmoil inside you.

Leon was brought to the meeting room right after everyone reached base. News of Yarina’s death reached everyone, including him.

You stood at the center of the table, the proclaimed new leader. Your whole demeanor changed, you were serious and angry. Your eyes held a pain that only Leon could guess and relate to, because he also knew what it felt like to lose people right in front of your eyes.

He didn’t say anything and allowed the insurgents to pull him in front of the table.

“Change of plans,” you started as you began to motion for everyone around the table, including Leon. He raised a brow but obliged.

“Everyone knows San Jolonia has medical supplies and weapons we can use. If we are going to fight Mendez, we must be ready,” your brows were pinched together and your tone was serious and a little terrifying to some.

“But San Jolonia has been abandoned. The President ordered for people to leave the city,” one of the insurgents said. You nodded, “I know, hence why I need to take this opening and take as much as we can- guns, medicine, food, clothes. I won’t let anything go to waste.”

“Wait… you’ll go by yourself? Y/n I don’t think that’s safe, you saw what happened to-“

“I know,” you mumbled and stared down at the map in the center of the table, “San Jolonia is abandoned. Plus, the American is coming with me.”

The insurgent’s eyes widened and Leon only stared at you with mild shock.

“Y/n- you can’t trust him. What if he-“

“If I wanted to kill her, I would’ve done so already,” Leon interjected. He stared at you and you stared back, the tension high.

“I saw what happened to one of your people,” Leon continued just a little bit softer. The atmosphere turned solemn and some insurgents looked away as he began to talk about Yarina.

Leon sighed, “I want to help.”

You furrowed your brows and narrowed your eyes in skepticism, “Why?”

“Because no one should deal with this type of control. You are fighting against a dictator and you’ll need all the help you can get…” he exhaled and looked away briefly, “I’ve seen people die in front of me as well. Feeling helpless and unable to do anything to save everyone… it’s a shitty feeling.”

Your face fell and you nodded slowly, he looked back at you from across the table, “Let me join you. If there’s anyway I can help, I’ll take it. No more innocent lives need to die.”

He was right, in a way. If you want to bring down the government, you’ll need help. And Leon was an American soldier. They’re known to be ruthless and strong. It would a great asset to have him.

“Okay,” you nodded, “untie him.”

An insurgent went behind Leon and untied his hands. He massaged his wrists and then looked at you.

“You and I are leaving tonight, do not be late,” it was the last thing you told him before you left the room.

You waited for Leon at the gate, it was dark outside. The night breeze flowing gently through the trees and grass. Leon approached you as he was checking his gun.

"You ready?" you asked him before opening the gate. He nodded at you, "Yeah, let's get this over with."

Since it was nighttime, you decided not to use a vehicle. It was dangerous already if the soldiers were to notice a vehicle roaming around, then they'd most likely shoot you. So, you settled on foot.

As you and Leon walked through the forest, he couldn't help but make small talk with you.

"So..." he started quietly as he pushed some branches out of his face.

"So?" you mumbled as you led the way, "Whatever you want to say, just say it."

He hummed and chuckled faintly behind you, "Aren't you the nice one..." He shook his head and walked beside you.

"Listen, I don't doubt your skills or anything..."

"But?" You raised a brow as you glanced at him before looking back at the forest.

"But don't you think you should... take a break? I mean- a lot has happened to you and not taking the time to process what just happened can cause you to-"

You stopped and turned to face him, "I didn't ask for a therapist. I'm fine- we need to push forward."

He sighed and watched as you walked ahead of him. He sighed and followed behind you.

You both reached the outskirts of San Jolonia, abandoned and ruined. Must've been President Mendez's doing.

"Don't stray off too far," you said as you walked towards the entrance of the city state, "I don't you to get lost so just keep close."

Leon nodded and silently walked behind you. It was completely silent, except for the sound of your footsteps. The night was cold and the air was soft. You walked towards an abandoned pharmacy and began to stuff your bag with as many things as possible. Leon stood behind you, keeping watch in case something were to come out.

There was a strange peace between the two of you. Like as if both of you already knew what the other thought. When you're involved in a battle, it can help bring people together.

And Leon couldn't help but feel sympathy for you. You were young, too young to be in something like this. Sure, wanting to fight for your freedom is a noble cause. But he also understands the pain that comes with it. He's conflicted. He wants to help in two ways- wants to fight alongside you but he also wants to avoid a war. But you seem set on the idea of war and there's nothing in his power that can change that.

You weren't dumb, you knew Leon thought this. It was written in his face. The man had a great sense of justice and only cared for the lives of the unfortunate. If you had to guess, you'd say he probably feels a lot of guilt. A guilt that kept on piling up as the years went by.

"We should camp out, it's getting late," You broke the silence and walked towards another abandoned building.

One of its walls was collapsed while parts of the ceiling were missing. You stepped inside the ruined building and began to set up a fire. Leon was too far behind, he walked slowly as his eyes looked around. It wasn’t everyday that he would get pulled into events like this.

After you started a fire, you sat in front of it and began to pull out some food you brought, “Hungry?”

Leon looked at you and shook his head no, “I’m good, thanks.” He went over to sit next to you as you shrugged, “Suit yourself,” you muttered under your breath before you took a bite out of a piece of bread.

Leon stared at the fire in silence. He was aware of the occasional glances you’d throw him but he hasn’t said anything, yet.

You sighed and looked back at the fire, remaining in silence once again.

“Why are you here?” You mumbled and looked at him.

“You told me to come-“

“That wasn’t what I meant,” you cut him off. “What made you come to this place?”

He looked back down at you before shrugging faintly and looking back at the fire, “Got sent here. Wasn’t really my choice.”

His voice was quiet and the light from the fire highlighted his features. You never actually sat down to get a good look at him but now that were, you couldn’t help but think hoe handsome he was. His foggy blue eyes piercing down at the flames as his dark fringe fell down the sides of his face. His stubble had been growing for a while- maybe even before he got sent here.

You exhaled softly and looked back at the fire, “So you were forced…”

He nodded, “Yep. I mean, it’s also partly my fault in a way. I work for the government and I get these… missions. Shits crazy when life hits you with the consequences of your actions, don’t you think?”

“I guess…” you mumbled and looked down at the bread in your hands, “So, you’re like a personal soldier or something?”

Leon chuckled and looked at you for a brief moment, “You’ve been watching way too many American movies.”

This time, you smiled softly and looked back at him, “What can I say? You Americans are the leaders of entertainment.”

That caused him to smile back, “Good point…” he exhaled softly before looking back at the fire, “But no. I’m not a personal soldier or whatever. I’m just an agent. I work in the defense department, lots of fighting.”

You hummed quietly and looked back at the fire in silence for a moment before speaking up in a cautious tone, “Was it your dream to become an agent?”

Leon felt his body freeze at that question. He blinked slowly as his expression fell slightly and then looked at you with a pained expression, “No, it’s not.”

Your own expression mimicked his as he continued, “I wanted to be a cop. Like the ones in Brooklyn 99 or Chicago P.D. But after…” he quickly trailed off, deciding whether or not he could tell you about Raccoon City.

“After?” You asked,

“After Raccoon City,” he replied quietly.

You were aware of what happened in Raccoon City. It made global news how the U.S. nuked it’s own people. But no one knew as much as Leon and you could tell that it left him with a big weight on his shoulders.

“When I escaped Raccoon City, my whole life changed… I was no longer the 21 year old rookie cop,” his gaze trailed on, no long focusing on the fire. Right now, he was somewhere else.

“I met this girl, when the whole Raccoon City thing started, she was like 10 or 11- and I couldn’t help but feel… anger. Not at her, obviously, but at everyone else. Children died that day, sisters… brothers… everyone died and I couldn’t save them,” he inhaled sharply,

“It felt like everyone moved on and I’m still stuck in that same fucking time-loop…” he looked down at you, “Not a day goes by where I don’t dream about it. About everything.”

You stared back at him and watched as his eyes told the story. His raw emotions emanated from within, “To this day, I still see them. Every figure and shadow of what remained of that goddamn city. The guilt to not have been able to help… it hurts more than anything in the world.”

He turned to look back at the fire in silence. You’ve never seen someone so hurt. Although it took you by the surprise, you couldn’t help but feel bad for him. All those years that went by and he’s still in the same place.

“Is that why you’re helping us? Because you don’t want to feel guilt?” You asked quietly.

He nodded, “If I can help… I wouldn’t let the opportunity pass by. I’ll take hold of whatever chance I get to save people.”

You stared at him for a moment in silence. It was very noble of him basically risking his life for people- dangerous but very noble.

"You know," you started quietly, "I didn't even know how to fight before.. all of this even started." Leon raised his brow at you and then chuckled. He shook his head and stared back at you, "I can tell. When we first fought, you had so many openings."

You rolled your eyes at him and then looked back at orange flames, "Give me a break. I was just some random girl working in a canteen... before chaos took place," memories of when the soldiers first came with their tanks filled your mind. You sat there in silence before finally saying something. If he basically trauma dumped on you then why shouldn't you as well?

"My brother died from a soldier," you mumbled softly as you fiddled with the bread, "He was out with his friends one night and some soldiers came up to him. They tried to arrest him but he resisted and eventually... he got shot."

The words barely came out of your mouth. It was painful to rethink about all of the deaths that happened, but Leon knew that. He understands the pain.

"I'm sorry about your brother," he mumbled. You swatted your hand in the air before looking back at him, "He wasn't the only one I lost. I lost my two friends from my job... we got bombed and one of them got squashed by a building and the other... bled to death..."

Leon remained silent as he listened to you. He may not have been there when all of that happened, but he knew the pain.

A dry chuckle escaped your lips, "And now Yarina is dead, and I became the leader of her group... I feel like life is mocking me. It's like, 'Hey! You lost your friends but don't worry! You'll lose more people'... These types of battles don't go well- i know that. But a part of me wishes that i should've just left. Left for America for a better future... Instead, I'm stuck here leading a rebellion." You took a bite out the bread and got quiet. Leon was just watching you, reading you. He could tell you were in a lot of pain, more pain than you believe.

He sighed and looked back at the fire, "Life's been shitty to the both of us, huh?"

The ends of your lips curled up slightly as you nodded, "Pretty much."

"You look young... life can get better for you, trust me," he mumbled softly.

"I don't feel young. Does it ever actually get better?" you asked as you turned your head to look at him.

He looked back at you and shook his head, "No, it doesn't... but you learn to live with it."

"I don't want to live with it... I want to forget everything ever even happened. I want to live a normal life..."

Leon looked at you with sad eyes, "But that's not the case, is it? You can dream all you want but the hard truth will always drag you back to reality... and it's a reality you must live in."

You stared into his eyes for a moment in silence as he stared back at you. The atmosphere was complicated. One minute you were cautious of him and then the next you express your inner emotions to him. And now the tension was high. For what? You don't know but you could swear you saw his eyes drift down to your lips.

It's not like you were a virgin, you had your own experiences. But yet, you felt something starting to build inside you and you could almost see it in him as well. Feelings were growing when they shouldn't be.

Your eyes drifted down to his and you leaned a little closer. But your subconscious mind pulled you back. You turned your head away, "We shouldn't..." you whispered.

He looked at you for a moment, his eyes lingering on your lips, "Says who?"

"This is wrong. It feels wrong... I mean, we're in the middle of an incoming war. Is it even okay?"

Leon brought his hand to your cheek and gently forced you to look back at him, "You're not killing anybody. It's okay," he whispered as his thumb caressed your cheek.

You swallowed and allowed him to gently pull you towards him. You closed your eyes and felt his breath on your face as he brought you two together.

His lips landed on yours in a soft kiss. Lips so soft and tender despite the environment. He kissed you gently and brought you closer as you rested your hands on his shoulders. His free hand traveling to your waist, giving it a gentle squeeze. You gasped softly against his lips and he took the opportunity to bring his tongue inside your mouth. His tongue entangled itself with your tongue. It felt so intimate yet so calm. He was kissing you as if he didn't want to hurt you. You've been hurt far too much already but this kiss felt like a band-aid on top of your scars.

He pulled apart to catch his breath, eyes opening to look at your face. Your cheeks were flushed and your eyes were already staring at his. He brushed some hair out of your face and tucked it behind your ear. There was a moment of silence as the two of you just sat there staring at each other.

"Rest," he whispered, "We still have a lot of things to do tomorrow."

You nodded slowly and laid down on your side, giving your back to Leon. You closed your eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Leon watched as you fell asleep, he took off his jacket and laid it on top of you. So many thoughts lingered in Leon's mind but he also had questions about your previous conversation.

He knew death was inevitable but seeing everyone- including you- fight with so much resolve made him believe that you had the opportunity to do something he couldn't.

To save people.

He wasn't jealous or mad, rather, he felt a sense of guilt. He didn't want to see you die. Leon wanted to see you and the rest of your people overthrow the government. He beg the heavens above to let you live just a little bit longer if it meant seeing you free this country.

He'd plead to whoever.

An announcement alarm went off and the TV from the tower turned on. Flashing images of people lined up, kneeling down with bags over their heads, with soldiers behind them pointing their guns at their heads.

You woke up as stared at the screen, which Leon did was well. The two of you watched as the soldiers began to shoot the people one by one. Their bodies falling limp against the floor and letting the blood pool around them.

Your heart felt heavy and you tried to move but couldn't. You were frozen in place.

"We've captured more traitors who must pay the price for their treason," President Mendez said.

You felt anger. Some were children.

In a fit of anger, you took your gun and dashed out of the ruined building you were in. Leon followed behind you, "Wait- where are you going?"

You ignored him and kept walking. He ran behind you and pulled your arm to stop you, "Y/n..."

Eyes welling up with tears of anger, you looked at him with so much anger, "Those were kids. And she's killing them like pieces in a game. I need to do something-" you harshly pulled your arm away from him and ran towards the tower. Leon quickly caught up to you and hooked his arm around your waist. He hoisted you up in the air and you thrashed in his hold.

You cried. Sobbed and screamed in anger. The once silent abandoned city was now filled with your angry screams.

"Let me go!" You struggled against him, but he didn't move. He knew you were going through a meltdown, and it wasn't safe for you to act in a fit of anger.

"I said let me go!!... let me go," your head fell forward as he slowly put you down on the floor. You clung to him as you cried loudly. You were so angry and hurt. This was the last straw for you.

It was heartbreaking, really. There was nothing you could do except watch as these innocent people died. President Mendez won this battle but you vowed to yourself that you'll win this war.

War.

You declared war.

Both you and Leon walked back to base. Something changed in you as you walked through the halls and towards the meeting room.

You slammed your fists on the table, "Send a message to the president," you started with anger on your tone and face.

"Tell her that tomorrow morning, we will start a war. And we will win this war."

The other insurgents looked at you and then at Leon who stood behind you. They all stood still and you only got more angry.

"I said- send her a fucking message that says we declare war on her. Now."

#leon kennedy #leon s kennedy #leon scott kennedy #resident evil #id leon kennedy #leon kennedy x reader #leon kennedy x y/n #leon kennedy x you #leon s kennedy x reader #leon smut #leon #leon kennedy smut #di leon

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kradogsrats · 2 years

Text

Aaravos and the Purpose of Dark Magic (It’s Control)

Okay, buckle in because, like Viren, I’m back on my dark magic bullshit. We’re gonna do some thinky-thoughts about what the nature and effects of dark magic are, and why it was specifically created to be that way.

So first to clear up a few assumptions: most of what we’ve been told so far about the history of Dark magic--and what the principal characters believe to be true--is partial or incorrect.

Specifically:

Humans were solely responsible for creating dark magic: False. We’ve suspected for a long time and it now seems pretty clear that Aaravos had at least some hand in creating dark magic.

Before dark magic, humans were miserable outcasts struggling for survival: False. At the time of dark magic’s inception, humans were doing quite well for themselves. Elarion had been a thriving city for hundreds of years.

Humans had no other magic than dark magic: False. There were human primal mages.

So here’s the truth, or some shape of it based on what we have so far seen: before dark magic, even before the dragon monarchy, Elarion had become a thriving city. Humans were on the rise--they had access to magic, though the path to being a primal mage was long and arduous.

Eight hundred years after the founding of Elarion, the dragon monarchy was put in place--and given the subsequent pattern of escalation, I would not be surprised if Aaravos had his fingers in that. Then 200 years after that, Aaravos was involved in the creation of dark magic, whether he created it entirely himself or influenced its creation. Everyone then freaked out, humans were driven from Xadia, Elarion was (maybe) destroyed, etc. etc.

We still don’t know what Aaravos’s goal in all his manipulations is, but it seems to heavily involve humanity and Xadia being pitted against each other. He spends the 700 years after the expulsion of humanity apparently playing both sides, presumably in escalating conflict. It’s almost certain that he was responsible for both Luna Tenebris’s death and Queen Aditi’s fate, either to create chaos in Xadia that humanity could take advantage of, or possibly even introducing a third front in the conflict if dragons and elves could be turned against each other.

So simply by introducing dark magic when he did, Aaravos was definitely escalating the frictions between humanity and elves. He surely knew that the mechanics of it would be repulsive to the other peoples of Xadia. He probably knew that the staff would further escalate the conflict when it came to a head. And ultimately, even if everything after the creation of dark magic was by chance, Aaravos could not have gotten a better result if he planned it: the world is split into two explicitly enemy factions that he can play against each other at his leisure, and as a bonus, humans have been destabilized in a way that makes them reliant on dark magic to survive for the next few hundred years.

That second part is important, because we also know that dark magic is a means of control. It opens you to Aaravos’s influence--up to and including total erasure of your free will.

Therefore, Aaravos grows more powerful the more dark magic propagates. Zubeia says he targeted mages as being susceptible to manipulation, but I think, in the case of dark mages, it was more than that. He deliberately made dark magic to be this way, and we can see it in how dark magic affects people.

To start with, we’ve been told that dark magic attracts a certain personality profile--this actually could be said to be one of the earliest things established about the setting, given the concept pilot and the way proto-Claudia leans in to the magic while proto-Soren shrinks away from it. This is mostly a similar profile to the way Zubeia describes mages Aaravos’s targets: insatiable thirst and fascination with magic, etc. However, with the introduction of dark magic, you get an additional facet--a person pursuing dark magic instead of primal magic is one who wants something badly enough to take shortcuts and make tradeoffs, and to continue to do so as long as what they want is held in front of them. Whether that is a desire driven by greed, fear, pride, or whatever doesn’t matter, the desire itself is a shared attribute that Aaravos can easily exploit.

We are also told that dark magic then amplifies the emotional traits of its users. So whatever fears or desires, whatever insatiable thirst initially lead someone to dark magic are only going to intensify--Viren’s pride and persecution complex, Claudia’s fear of loss and desire to prove herself, etc. These are features, not bugs. The vector for manipulation already exists, and the dark magic persistently reinforces it.

Viren’s spiral through the first arc is a good illustration of this: he gets progressively more and more... like that, because his grief and anger and paranoia are in a full feedback loop. But in addition to his emotions and desires being amplified, he’s drawn more and more into Aaravos’s influence. Even given that Viren must already have been compromised on some level to even consider doing something as dumbass as an unknown blood ritual offered by someone he knows nothing about and can’t speak to, that Viren of season one would be asking a lot of questions that the Viren of season three does not.

In my opinion, this is not because Aaravos has actually done very much in the way of earning his trust. It’s because his influence has wormed (ha) its way deep enough that he can just say shit like this:

That is not the face and words of someone who thinks he needs to be subtle. He knows that at this point, he could literally punch Viren in the dick and Viren would be like “yeah, great idea, thanks.” I won’t say that Viren would be making good decisions without Aaravos nudging him, but I don’t think he’d be making the same decisions--by fairly early in season three, it’s clearly Aaravos’s plan that’s being implemented and Viren is just along for the ride as a figurehead and eventual fall guy (ha).

We even have a visual marker for the progression of Aaravos’s influence over Viren--Viren’s corruption. Now, my belief is still that the visible physical effects of dark magic corruption are basically magic overdose to the point of tissue damage. Corruption explicitly builds up and gets more severe with continued dark magic use, producing effects like being able to sense magic and cast small spells without primal reagents. But we are told explicitly that Viren is corrupted “inside and out,” so there is also an internal, mental/spiritual effect of consistent, repeated dark magic.

This internal corruption isn’t “evil”--this isn’t a setting where “good” and “evil” are absolute, tangible forces, for one--it’s Aaravos’s influence. Sympathy, trust, receptiveness... it’s all laid in with the dark magic corruption. One very subtle but also quite explicit place we see this is when Claudia and Soren argue in season 4--Claudia describes the belief that humans have always been and will always be persecuted by elves (and that Aaravos is a savior) in terms of generational trauma, and as something she knows to be the truth on a physical, bone-deep level. And Soren doesn’t get it:

The dark magic corruption that Claudia carries is enough to make her instinctively believe Aaravos’s version of the narrative so deeply she’s not capable of questioning it. Soren, unaffected, is able to step back and say, “that sounds fake, but okay.”

So the use of dark magic is emotionally cyclical, and the corruption builds with its use, and Aaravos’s potential hold over every dark mage only increases. This is all by design, laid out by the one who designed it. It’s serving its purpose.

But back to the possession for a moment: “Callum only used dark magic the one time and that still left him vulnerable to full possession by Aaravos!” I hear you cry, “Why doesn’t Aaravos ever possess Viren the same way?”

Well, he almost definitely does, he just goes to some effort to keep Viren from realizing it. We have two occasions where Viren exhibits the same eye-glow effect as Callum does while possessed:

One is here, where Aaravos has Viren very blatantly resist arrest, basically eliminating any chance he has of talking his way out of Opeli’s treason charges. Viren explicitly thinks he’s still in control here, that Aaravos is just offering up his power and knowledge to him. He argues with Aaravos that he can continue to fight, and even win the battle--but that doesn’t suit Aaravos’s purposes as well. Viren alone and on the run is a lot less useful than Viren positioned within range of the throne, even if he’s imprisoned.

And the other time is at the top of the Storm Spire, where Viren is in so deep that he still thinks all of this is somehow for his benefit:

There’s actually a close-up shot of Viren’s eyes going from dark magic purple glow to Aaravos blue/iridescent. They very specifically and deliberately showcase the moment it happens. But Viren still believes he’s the one steering.

So why does Aaravos handle Viren differently from Callum? Well, to put it simply, you don’t need to kick someone’s legs out from under them if they’ll kneel when you ask. Furthermore, one of Viren’s strongest personality traits is that his pride makes him crave control--so removing a level of control as basic as his own bodily autonomy would be an incredibly hostile act in what is ostensibly a friendly relationship. Aaravos maintains the illusion that Viren is the one in control all the way to the end, because forcibly puppeting Viren the way he does Callum is probably one of the only things that could actually turn Viren against him.

Callum, on the other hand, is already hostile. Aaravos knows that he can’t manipulate Callum the same way he did Viren--Callum’s personality and desires are too divergent. The only way he’ll bring Callum to do his bidding voluntarily is through fear, anger, or despair. (CHET fans insert your own meta here.) Forcibly possessing Callum then actually serves that goal, in that it’s a demonstration that a) he has total power over Callum and can do whatever he wants (fear), b) there’s nothing Callum can do to stop it (despair), and c) he’s a massive asshole to everyone Callum loves (anger). It’s a little appetizer, so that when it’s time for the main course, Callum will know what the stakes are.

And where does Viren fall in this at the end of season 4? Well, in this recent interview, Aaron Ehasz describes Viren as having been “forced to make the decision to use dark magic.” This is an interesting phrasing, because it specifically suggests both agency and lack thereof.

Viren spends most of season 4 making the choice not to use dark magic--I’m not going to dig into why, at this time, but between the start and end of the season’s arc he refuses to either use dark magic or even touch either of the staffs. This is most dramatic when Claudia tries to defer to him for the chrysalis-opening spell since he is (in her mind) the more powerful and experienced mage, but he also explicitly refuses the staff when Claudia brings it back from the Storm Spire, and from that point on it is generally Terry lugging it (and frequently the Sunforge Staff, as well) around.

And then this happens:

I need to think about this line for another hundred years or so, because it’s just... so much. So, so much. But a couple immediately notable things:

This the last clear, full line Viren speaks in the season. His only other voice line after this is his “You!” when recognizing Rayla.

The length of the shot in which he reaches to pick up the staff, combined with the music cue, is really over-the-top dramatic. Some of that is due to the drama from the other side, with Rayla suddenly encountering her two-year fixation, but it’s not a coincidence.

And from there, he’s casually melting their way out of the mountainside. He’s back to full-drama magic use--Claudia could certainly have gotten them out of the mountain, if she had to, but now he’s the one taking the lead on magic, again. He’s apparently all-in on freeing Aaravos, given his satisfaction with Claudia’s summary of next steps. And, of course, he’s got his corruption face back on, after us having not seen it all season. In short, while he doesn’t have the posession eyes, he’s still firmly back on his Aaravos’s bullshit.

This also brings in a factor that I haven’t talked about yet--the staff.

The Staff of Ziard, the Relic Staff, whatever you want to call it. (Personally, I’m going to stick with Relic Staff, just because I think focusing on Ziard muddies things too much.)

The Relic Staff, we can pretty much assume at this point, was crafted by Aaravos to be given to Ziard, the first dark mage. And in the same way that Aaravos set up dark magic to his own advantage, he definitely has shit going on with the staff. It has seemingly unique properties related to dark magic, in terms of spells it’s able to act as a power source for--most notably the spirit entrapment (coin) spell, and the massive magic drain spell cast by both Ziard and later Viren. It’s specifically required to open the chrysalis. (According to Aaravos, that is--it could very well be that it will be necessary for something else that he doesn’t want to reveal, and isn’t related to the chrysalis at all.)

At the very least, it makes sense for the staff to enhance Aaravos’s influence over its bearer--it’s a powerful relic, passed down from the first dark mage (even if, as I suspect, history no longer remembers that). People are going to fight over it. It’s going to naturally wind up in the hands of the most powerful person around... who is then firmly in Aaravos’s thrall.

One interesting thread here is, if we work with the assumption that Aaravos is on some level directing both Claudia and Viren’s impulses toward his own ends, is that Claudia spends the whole season trying to give the staff back to Viren. Even after he won’t take it, she prefers using the corrupted Sunforge Staff. Granted, she’s been using that one for two years now and so probably likes it quite a bit, but given the Relic Staff’s nature and properties, I would have expected it to also have the effect that once you’ve got it, you’re extremely reluctant to let it go. In the end, Claudia doesn’t even stop at just pushing the staff back on Viren, she straight-up leaves it behind on the floor.

And Viren--to go back to the interview quote--both makes the choice to pick it back up, and is forced into all that entails. He’s also explicitly not picking it up for Claudia, but for himself. It’s a choice he makes with as much agency as any he has ever made.. but it’s definitely a choice Aaravos wanted him to make.

There was a lot of speculation before season 4 came out that Aaravos would be discarding Viren in favor of Claudia, but at this point I think the opposite is true--Aaravos wants Viren’s hands on that staff, so Claudia isn’t as compelled by it. Claudia is, as Aaravos noted, a valuable asset, but she’s still just a secondary piece being moved around in order to get his real goals back on track. Viren is still central, and there’s some reason for that we have yet to see.

Anyway, both the Relic Staff and dark magic itself were built from the ground up by Aaravos specifically to allow him to easily influence/control humanity and have that control both propagate and filter to the people who would be most useful to him as pawns. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk about how humans are fucked.

#i didn't even get to the part where aaravos is able to corrupt actual sources of primal magic so #the dragon prince #dark magic #viren #aaravos #tdp spoilers #the dragon prince spoilers #did i edit this? at all? ha ha FUCK no

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deathbxnny · 1 year

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I see requests are open now.

Time to traumatize Yanqing again.

Imagine a happy, go lucky boy who isn’t afraid of anything. He smiles brightly and does his best to improve his swordsmanship. But the worst moment of his life, the scarring “canon event” that shakes him to his core.

His gn! S/O, who is a horror enthusiast.

He cannot bring himself to enjoy horror movies like they do. He’s scared of Xenomorphs and Necromorphs make him stay awake all night. Supernatural horror makes him ready to beg Jing Yuan to call a priest or something. And don’t even get me started on the games. He’s wrapped like a burrito as his S/O snuggles him while they play horror games. With his back against his s/o, it’s easier to feel safe. But he always flinched at jump scares and hides his face.

He loves his S/O, but the horror genre might be the death of him.

-----♡

A/N: This feels accidentally targeted, because I am incapable of handling horror of any kind myself. BUT I absolutely adore old rpg horror games like "Mad Father", "The witch's house" and "IB" (I'm obsessed with them, please tell me someone else out there is too-), so thank you for this request! It's honestly pretty tame in comparison to the other Yanqing angst I've been getting.

Content: Mentions of horror Content with no real description, traumatising Yanqing as usual, fluff, kinda unserious, established relationship, sfw

Reader has no set pronouns!

((Not fully proofread))

-----♡

Yanqing was taken very much off-guard by your love for horror, as you didn't seem like you were into things like that at first. He didn't think much of it either, mainly as he just saw it as something you really loved. And so, when you asked him if he wanted to see a scary movie with you, he obliged. He was confident that nothing could scare him anyways... or so he thought.

He died inside when the first jumpscare came in and felt his soul leaving by the end of the movie. He was practically unresponsive for a good 10 minutes afterwards, since he didn't expect it to be this bad... or well, bad in his terms, as the movie wasn't scary at all to you after all. You thought that it would be a good starter movie to ease him into the genre, but were clearly in the wrong.

Which is why you decided that video games might be a better way to introduce him to your love for horror. Who doesn't like games, after all? And surely that would be more fun than just watching a movie. Yanqing for some reason foolishly agreed once more out of his deep love for you and ended up wrapped up in endless blankets, leaning against you, as he anticipated the game to start. It was just a game anyway, how scary could it be?

Very scary, is the answer. Next thing you know, he was slapping his hands over his eyes and letting out screeches of terror. You didn't even get through the first level either. You decided to give him the controller, thinking that if he had more control over the game and, that he'll maybe enjoy it and find it less scary. But that resulted in your controller learning how to fly.

Alright, so, Movies didn't work... games didn't work... perhaps fake supernatural TV shows could? They weren't scary anyways and were all staged, so surely, surely, he'll finally begin enjoying something. And it started off fine enough. He didn't seem concerned, maybe found it even a little stupid and funny, when the actors were being obviously very fake with their reactions. But then the paranoia got to him and he began believing that every little creak and sound in the house was a result of ghosts haunting you two... A very grumpy Jing Yuan was definitely called in panic at 3 am that night and he was NOT happy about it.

Yeah... it's safe to say, that you've given up on trying to make him also love horror as much as you do. But that's okay, because he'll support your interests at all times, with all of his heart... from very far away.

-----♡

A/N: I hope this was okay, because it was actually pretty funny to write lmao. Not very angsty either, but I deserve a break from the pain for the next request I have to do from the legendary Anon lmao-

But anyways! Thank you for the request and I hope you enjoyed it!

#honkai star rail #honkai star rail fanfic #honkai star rail x reader #honkai star rail x you #hsr x reader #hsr yanqing #hsr yanqing x reader #hsr

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tumblingxelian · 2 months

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Okay so, given Mercury Black's and Cassandra Cain's backstories, what do you think both characters would feel after an encounter with each other where neither dies?

Sorry I've been neglecting asks recently, been kind of down and so just doing low effort reblogs with the occasional burst of energy.

Anyway!

This is a fun and interesting question I actually sought help in answering from but a humble good, who always has good Cass takes and loves RWBY!

Off the cuff and for anyone confused, the characters being asked about are:

Cassandra Cain - who was raised by master assassin David Cain to be the perfect killer. She was never taught to speak and only learned through physical action. Because of this she can essentially predict what a person will do before they act and she is functionally the best martial artist in the DC Universe, or always in the top 3. Said body language reading ability though also means she can experience her targets deaths by proxy which... Yeah basically led to her adopting a 100% no kill policy after her first mission. Thus leading her to running away, living homeless for several years before joining the Bat Clan and becoming Batgirl.

Mercury Black - Like Cassandra his father Marcus Black raised him to be an assassin like himself. Marcus may not have denied his son words but he instead stole the manifestation of his soul (His Semblance) claiming it was a "Crutch" and he would get it back eventually. He never got it back & instead had his lower legs mutilated to be replaced with robotic prosthetics which he then used to kill Marcus. Unlike Cass he's not the best of the best, but is definitely skilled & unlike her he's doggedly committed to the role of playing the villain with a veneer of jocularity he uses to hide that he can't imagine any other life.

Conclusion:

So we have two teens/young adults coming from very similar places as far as what they were trained and otherwise horrifically abused to be, but who ended up on seemingly opposite ends of the spectrum.

Cassandra's reaction when encountering most killers tends to be one of two things. A very stern "You need to grasp the enormity of what you are doing and stop or be stopped painfully." Or "Oh, you actually think this is in someway necessary, please do not do this, there is a way out, there has to be."

She's also very chill with people who did kill but choose not too, she's not... Preachy or judgmental in that sense, doing so would be hypocritical in her eyes.

So she'd likely emphasize a lot with Mercury, being able to see him as something of a "Therefore but for the grace of empathic body language go I." So she'd very much want to both stop him from killing but also show him that he can go down another path.

This doesn't mean she'd be inclined to be a doormat, quite the opposite but she'd definitely be working to communicate with him as much as fight him if she had to.

Mercury meanwhile would hate this. He is deep in denial about himself and hates being read for what he is, as local serial killer Tyrian Callows did in Volume 6:

Tyrian: (mocking) Oh yes, the world is mean, and I'm a big, bad man now just like the others. (laughs)

Mercury: (growls as he angrily walk over to Tyrian) How long have you been standing there?!

Tyrian: All you ever learned was pain and violence, and now you're too afraid to leave it. Such a tragedy.

Mercury: You don't know me!

So while he would see the connection the moment he had any details he'd throw up an aloof façade and claim Cass was weak and lacked the stomach for what he does or something to that effect.

Internally he'd be seething with resentment, or more, a blooming sense of inferiority about how someone who proves his beliefs wrong seems to so casually exists and wants to help him of all things.

He'd not welcome or trust her, not a first at least.

#RWBY #Batman #Cassandra Cain #Batgirl #Black Bat #batgirl (2000)#Mercury Black #Marcus Black #Crossover I guess #Text Post #Meta #Analysis #CRWBY #Bat Clan

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azreactstowormtheserial · 6 months

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9 Slaughters, 9 Houses, 9 Tier Lists [11.A-11.H]

Only 1 tier list, actually. Jack made a strong first impression. Let's see how everyone else does. Around the time of 11.D I realized these interludes were structured in a certain way: One of the 8 remaining S9 members recruiting their pick for who should be the 9th. And, if they get their way, 7/8 of these people will die. Each Interlude's them being recruited-- so in a way, this is just one, huge fuckoff interlude for The Slaughterhouse. Lets begin! A -- BITCH [X - SIBERIAN] Yeah, it didn't take long for the warm feeling in my heart on ending base-arc-11 to dissipate. I didn't really know what to make of 'Slaughterhouse 9 is looking for their next member'. I 'kinda thought it was just going to be another villain, not some fucked-up selection gameshow. Someone like Hookwolf. (Huh!) Or, maybe even a fucked-up hero, akin to Armsmaster. But, actually, it's Bitch. They're going after Bitch. Give her a break, Wildbow? Please? Jack made a strong first impression. Let's see how everyone else does. Around the time of 11.D I realized these interludes were structured in a certain way: One of the 8 remaining S9 members recruiting their pick for who should be the 9th. And, if they get their way, 7/8 of these people will die. Each Interlude's them being recruited-- so in a way, this is just one, huge fuckoff interlude for The Slaughterhouse. Lets begin! A -- BITCH [X - SIBERIAN] Yeah, it didn't take long for the warm feeling in my heart on ending base-arc-11 to dissipate. I didn't really know what to make of 'Slaughterhouse 9 is looking for their next member'. I 'kinda thought it was just going to be another villain, not some fucked-up selection gameshow. Someone like Hookwolf. (Huh!) Or, maybe even a fucked-up hero, akin to Armsmaster. But, actually, it's Bitch. They're going after Bitch. Give her a break, Wildbow? Please?

Seeing Bitch smile with her family was nice, though. Even if I think she's wrong, in that being alone from anyone else isn't what she needs. Finding out a little more about her than the snippets Lisa gave us, and her inner thoughts on Taylor, was nice too. And then things, inevitably. went to shit. Not Angelica's Injury or Glory Girl. Siberian.

Oh, no.

That she didn't call Coil, that (spoilers!) she didn't raise the issue in the coming weeks until it was revealed by other means, is telling that she's at a crossroads. B-But, c'mon. There's no way. She'll pick the right path, and use this as the start of a rekindling of her friendship with Taylor-- this being teaming up and beating the shit out of S9. I believe in her! B -- THEO/ONI-LEE [X - JACK SLASH]

Theo, on the other hand, I'm not so sure if I can believe in. Kaiser's Son. Presumably(?) Jack Slash's nominee-- it's left a little vague, given the whole two-years-thing. At least, I think this whole interlude was set in the present day, or at least post-Leviathan. Yep, just checked-- it definitely is. Oni-Lee was Jack's original target, but he wasn't interesting enough. Lucky for him, someone way more interesting was practically handed to him on a silver platter. Theo doesn't seem like a bad kid, especially given his circumstances, but I worry. Jack being a fucked up son of a bitch was fun to watch, though. C -- LABYRINTH [X - Burnscar] This one was my 2nd-favorite. I really like Labyrinth. I think I mentioned earlier that I was hoping to see some more of her? This was exactly what I wanted!

Well, Burnscar could've gone without the scorching of Faultline & Co. , but. I like these glimpses into characters that I just have, like, no idea how they think/operate. Now I have a little bit more of a picture. Labyrinth's one of my favorite side-(ish, now that she's in the spotlight?) characters

I don't even know what this is. Cauldron? Case 53? Faultline and her group of misfits seem intertwined with it all, all but confirmed in the tail-end of Arc 11. I hope Labyrinth is okay. D -- Armsmaster [X - Mannequin]

" I didn't really know what to make of 'Slaughterhouse 9 is looking for their next member' " This one I did see coming, actually. My first prediction! I should write these down so I can properly say 'called it'! What I didn't see coming was me actually giving a shit.

Oh, Colin. This really hurt to read. Why do you have to be a human being? As much as I hate the things you've done--

I don't know. I've left it a while, and I still think about this interlude. Armsmaster hasn't shown up yet at the point in the story I'm at while writing this (13.Something). I'll write about Armsmaster-- Colin, I should get in the habit of humanizing him, if that's what the story wants-- when he's back. E -- Hookwolf [X - Shatterbird]

I 'dunno, Shatterbird. He called you a slur internally a little earlier, and even self-monologued about 'The Aryan Dream', or whatever the hell he's smoking. This one's a lost cause.

While I don't have much to say about this chapter, other than the spectacular action and Shatterbird's cool power-- we'll get there!--- I really like this kind of manipulation S9 are using on their recruits. They aren't like them. But they could be. I'm really scared that one of them will be. It won't be Hookwolf, though. F -- Noelle [Dinah] [X - Crawler]

Hey, look at that! It's my favorite interlude to date! Yeah, even more than Alec's. This one was peak.

Dinah has my favorite power of any character in Worm. It's just so cool... Probability precognition isn't like, an original idea by any means-- but its just so... agh!! ================================= THE "HE KNOWS" BANNER Hello! Everything written after this point is Az knowing up to 19.3 in plot-knowledge. I'll try and leave things as a 'We'll get to that!', but keep in mind that 'he knows'. ================================== Dinah still has my favorite power of any character in Worm! But 11.f is no longer my favorite interlude... Crawler isn't even present in this chapter, but he's described almost like an endbringer. Near-invulnerable, on a mission to fight the strongest thing in the entire city, and willing to crush anyone that steps in his way.

Oh, Dinah...

... G -- Regent [Cherish] [X - Cherish] Regent's French Canadian? Biggest plot twist of worm so far.

Cherish is great. I love girlboss psychopaths, and she's 'kind of hit the nail on the coffin.

Nominating Alec for the nine out of spite is a take that I'm all here for, though. But what's this now-- Bitch and Alec? Have it their way, and one of them at the very least's dead.

H -- Amy [X - Bonesaw] Not to cut this short, because it's a great interlude and all, but I'll talk about Amy in my upcoming megapost on 12.1-19.3. A lot of ground to cover, I know. Bonesaw, too. Instead, here's my Tierlist of the 9, taking into account their actions throughout Arcs 12, 13 and 14: S [Slaughter Tier!] -- Jack Slash, Bonesaw, Mannequin A [Ahhhhhh Tier..] -- Siberian, Cherish, B [Didn't do that much Tier] -- Burnscar, Crawler, C [Regent-owned Tier] -- Shatterbird

The reason this all took so long is that Worm is really good, and I keep reading it instead of writing about reading about it. Sorry... See you next time for either 12.1-14.X or 12.1-19.3, depending on my attention span.

#worm web serial #worm liveblog #worm spoilers #wormblr #liveblogging #liveblog #az finally finished a wormblr post #we're still going strong baby #can taylor catch a break challenge

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mythandlaur · 11 months

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Code: July Day 7 - Sports

Martial arts counts as a sport, right? (Disclaimer, I don't know anything about martial arts. In fact, I'm absolutely on Jeremie's side, here.)

...

"Hey, guys. So...what did you need me here for?"

Ulrich and Yumi are standing in the very center of the unoccupied gym, with a foam mat by their feet. When Jeremie speaks, they both look over at him in such perfect sync that Jeremie finds himself checking their eyes out of paranoia before the logical part of his brain kicks in.

Though, with the way they both simultaneously smirk at each other like cats that have cornered a very unlucky mouse, Jeremie can't help but wonder if whatever they have in mind might be worse.

"Hey, Einstein." Ulrich sidles over with his fists on his hips (probably because he's wearing his tank top and has no available pockets to shove them in). He looks Jeremie up and down, nodding to himself. "Not exactly gym clothes, but it shouldn't matter too much."

Oh no. Jeremie bristles. "I didn't know I was supposed to change--what's this about?"

"Relax, Jeremie, it's nothing scary." Somehow, the reassuring smile Yumi gives him does not make him feel any less growing dread, especially coupled with the glint in her eyes. "Me and Ulrich were just practicing the other day, and when we took a break, we got to talking."

"She said hey, you know Jeremie's been getting clobbered in the laboratory a bunch lately--"

"Okay, I didn't say it like that."

"--and then I said yeah, I wonder if there's anything we can do to help aaaaaand..." Ulrich gives Jeremie a feral grin. "We realized we've both been practicing silat so long that we could probably give you a few pointers."

Yep. It's worse than XANA thrashing him around the gym like a dog's old chew toy. At least he can't disappoint XANA.

Jeremie takes a step back, holding up his hands. "Why didn't you tell me this before I came?"

"Because you wouldn't have shown up," Ulrich deadpans, correctly.

"Now you at least have to hear us out," Yumi adds.

They both look incredibly pleased with themselves over this little entrapment, and in his heart, Jeremie knows he's already lost--the other Lyoko Warriors are the only people he's met so far that are as stubborn as he is. Which is a good thing, because if they weren't, they definitely would've given up on all this by now.

Still. "I don't see how this'll help. You can't stop a spectre by punching it."

"But you can slow it down," Ulrich counters, "I've seen it."

"Plus it's a great boost to your confidence."

"I'm plenty confident!"

"Sure, but when an attack targets you you fold like a wet rag." Jeremie leans back, surprised by Yumi's suddenly sharp tone. She seems to realize how that sentence had come out and winces. "No, I didn't mean it like that--I just..." She shakes her head, letting her sentence trail into nothing.

Ulrich glances at her out of the corner of one eye, clearly concerned. "Uh--maybe it'd help get Jim off your back about not being good at athletics?" he tries to offer.

"I can't. I'm just not cut out for that stuff, I'm not like you guys."

"You don't have to be," Yumi blurts out. "We just want to teach you a couple basics that might help you out. At least try it. Please, Jeremie."

Yumi's eyes are pleading, and Ulrich's brows are still knit in worry, though Jeremie can't tell who exactly the worry is directed at anymore. He really just wishes he could clip through the floor and disappear, but that's not an option.

After a stalemate that feels much longer than it actually is, Jeremie sighs. "Fine. I'll try it. But I'm telling you it's not gonna work."

The two brighten, and assure Jeremie that he won't regret it.

Jeremie regrets it almost immediately.

Even their pre-workout warmup practically wipes Jeremie out. It's true that what they're trying to teach him is pretty basic--just some stances and movement drills--but the two of them just seem to feed on each other's energy until he can't possibly hope to catch up. Yumi's abrupt transformation from caring but aloof friend to perfectionistic taskmaster nitpicking his posture is downright terrifying, and on the other side, Ulrich just keeps getting more amped up and intense, to the point where Jeremie worries Ulrich's actually going to ask him to spar. Their teamwork regarding his training is admittedly impressive--something Jeremie wishes they'd use half of on certain missions instead of turning them into an Olympic-level social gymnastics routine.

Jeremie genuinely does give it his best attempt, but his hands and legs won't coordinate the way he wants them to, he keeps losing his balance and flopping onto the foam mat like a dying fish, and he's fairly certain his hamstrings are about to start a riot in protest. Frustration quickly settles in despite Yumi and Ulrich's encouragement--they keep telling him things he needs to do better or practice more and he's clearly not good at it why should he bother--

He's not sure how long they go for, though it certainly feels like an eternity. However long it lasts, Jeremie eventually wobbles trying to match Ulrich's wide stance, falls over on the mat again, and simply refuses to get up.

"C'mon, Jeremie!" Ulrich's practically bouncing on his heels. "One more set!"

Thankfully Yumi, though her criticisms had been many, comes to Jeremie's rescue. "Actually, I think that's probably enough for right now."

Jeremie makes a strangled noise that he hopes adequately conveys his relief, rolling over onto his back and throwing his arms out to his sides as if trying to make a snow angel out of the sticky blue plastic. Ulrich looks vaguely disappointed, but nods, stretching his arms over his head. Yumi sits down next to Jeremie, also stretching out to touch her toes. It's probably some fell post-workout ritual, but Jeremie's not particularly interested in moving any more. He's already going to need to wash his sweat-stained shirt.

They sit in silence for a few seconds while Jeremie tries to catch his break, angling his face towards the gym lights to trace the smears all over his glasses. His hair's definitely unsalvageable, sticking to his forehead in messy clumps, and he can feel his own heartbeat in his arms.

He hears the door to the gymnasium open and tilts his head back, worried about a classmate (or worse, Jim) seeing him like this. The blurry shape he catches out of the corner of his eye is a familiar shade of pink.

"Aelita!" Jeremie quickly turns onto his stomach and tries to push himself up--his arms promptly give out and he crumples back onto the mat, groaning. "Bury me with my hard drives."

Aelita clamps both hands over her mouth, though it does nothing to stifle her loud snort. "I was wondering why you weren't answering your phone--no reason, don't worry." She looks up at Ulrich with a raised eyebrow. "What did you two do to him?"

"We were just trying to teach him some self-defense basics."

"Oh boy. I know you guys are coming from a good place, but I feel like you two doing that is like one of us teaching you computer science basics."

So is this what they feel like when he starts talking about math? Jeremie would really like to argue that it can't possibly be the same because at least his rambling isn't physically grueling, but he honestly doesn't have the energy.

"She's right," he says instead, looking over at Yumi. "I appreciate you trying to help, but I'll never be able to."

"We wouldn't have asked you if we didn't think you could do it," Yumi says, somewhat pained.

"Yeah, you've definitely got the stamina for it. Didn't you swim like half the waterways under the factory once?"

"What? When did I do that?"

Ulrich scratches his head. "Um, I swear I remember Odd saying that..."

"No, I remember it too," Aelita hums, putting a finger to her chin. "Because Odd had to bring him all the way back to the factory to run the Return to the Past and neither of them looked very good. It was one of the really early attacks, something about a gas that got into the factory..."

Ulrich snaps his fingers. "The laughing gas attack, that was it."

Yumi grimaces, rolling her eyes. "Ugh. Talk about simpler times."

"Okay, first of all, that was two years ago. Second, it was adrenaline because my life depended on it--which, might I add, would also cover any other athletic feats you might be thinking about as examples. Third, that was swimming, it's totally different!" That was probably the only somewhat-physical thing Jeremie wasn't terrible at. "It still got me, anyway."

"Still..." Yumi trails off again, chewing on her lip as if she wants to say something else. "...This might've been a little...intense. Sorry, Jeremie. How about you get something sweet from the vending machine on the way back, my treat."

The prospect of candy in the near future is just energizing enough to get Jeremie to push himself into a proper sitting position. Aelita laughs quietly behind a hand, though he can't tell if it's at him or not.

"...m'sorry, too," Jeremie mumbles. "Guess I should stick to the computer, huh..."

"Hey, it was your first time. You can't be good at everything right off the bat."

Jeremie bites his tongue.

He drags himself back onto his feet with help from Aelita and Yumi, straightening his glasses and sweaty clothes. "At least you tried it?" Aelita offers.

"True," Jeremie replies with a shrug, rubbing his aching elbow. "But I think I'm gonna keep letting you guys do the fighting, if that's okay with you."

#code lyoko #codejuly23 #yumi's soooooo worried about him and both her and ulrich show it by really aggressively trying something that helps them

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gkt-tummyaches · 8 months

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personalized weapon hcs

the powerpuffs have a special ability each. the powerpunks have the inverse of those abilities relevant to their counterpart [hc]. does that mean the rowdyruffs have a special ability ?

short answer: no. i like the idea of giving the rrb each a weapon more. personalized to their ingredient. (which i have switched up ⚠️ [hc].)

for boomer, he has a multi-purpose shield. the most obvious link to his ingredient this has is the protective purpose - like a snail's shell. however, with the creative liberties i've taken in broadening snail's definition to include 'creepy crawlies', it has two additional functions:

the first is a deployable web that traps targets like a sticky net, very similar to a spider's web. the 'net' is attached to the shield by a thick silk-like rope for reeling targets in, but is easily detached if the purpose is to leave them.

the second is that the shield can split into two blades shaped like stag beetle pincers. boomer can use them as arm-blades (i literally cannot find a better name to describe it. they have handles okay.) close range/melee combat. when done, the blades can be clipped back together to reform the shield.

because i hate him, brick gets the boring option. the 'snips' in the boys' rhyme used to stand for 'snippets' - random things little boys would put in their pockets. because of this, brick has a 30-70 chance on whether what he pulls out of his pocket will be useful in a fight.

the 70% of the time, it's just useless crap. buttons, loose change, lint. a post-it note that's been caught in the wash several times and is now mush. the other 30%, it may not be useful outright, but maybe he can make something out of it; who knew gum can be used in water-based slurry explosives?

(many cartoonish libterties taken with brick's 'weapon'(s), given in the above example the gum used is actually guar gum, not chewing gum you'd find in your pocket. at least it's somewhat fun?)

though there's the option for him to be the handyman in a group dynamic. he could have a utility belt full of actually useful things, with the probability falling down to whether he actually remembered to equip it or not.

butch gets a chain chomp !! a length of chain with a bear trap attached to the end to be more specific, nothing overly unique about it. maybe it has a handle, maybe he just wraps the chain around his hand.

it's pretty destructive if used on real people, so it rarely makes an appearance. the chain-and-trap has the option to become electrified in order to shock whatever it comes into contact with - reminiscent of shock collars used on dogs, and linked to a hc i have abt butch's scarring <3 <3 very very self-indulgent 💚

obviously these weapons are kind of just decorative half the time, given they all meet the criteria for the basic superpowers that the powerpuff girls and powerpunk girls have too. they're essentially useless if the boys are affected by antidote-x, since i imagine these weapons are more like superpower-generated constructs, or are at least reliant on the chem-x aspect of the boy's abilities in order to be 'summoned'.

almost like a green lantern situation ? except the rrb don't have a lantern ring. if that makes sense. (or i guess referencing the object-manifestation ability the girls were seen to have in the 2k16 reboot, but i like to pretend that show doesn't exist. so. dc reference instead.)

boomer's weapon compliments his ingredient. each function obviously relates to some kind of bug (or snail). they're more literal interpretations of his ingredient, as personality-wise it's metaphorical. brick's 'weapon' is a little ambiguous; works neither with or against his ingredient. which i think suits 'snippets' well enough. butch's weapon contradicts his ingredient. bear-traps are things generally used to harm dogs (for this scenario) in the wild and at home, shock collars are used to discipline/harm houehold pets. //🥺 i just think the pattern is cool + wanted to point it out 👉👈 i like that these ideas sort of reflect the impact their ingredients have on them too, like brick being kind of aimless/unequipped for anything beyond his goal; butch's loyalty and desire to please coming back to bite him sometimes; boomer's guarded nature causing him to build many defensive tactics, etc.

#rrb #rowdyruff boys #rowdyruff brick #rowdyruff butch #rowdyruff boomer #butch #brick #boomer #headcanons #hcs

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alovelyburn · 11 months

Text

Rambles about the Millenium Falcon Arc Part 5

...long time no see.

I actually did start writing this a month ago, but it took a bit to get my brain back in the right place after so long away. BUT I’M BACK hi.

Rambles about the Millenium Falcon Arc Part 5

Even though I do think Isidro is meant to evoke Guts he’s obviously not a 1-to-1 comparison, like he’s much more of a chaos imp than Guts ever was. Also he’s scrawny – I do wonder if he should focus more on ranged combat given how good he is with missile attacks. This doesn’t matter at all, but I’m warming up, lmao.

One of the things Miura talked about when he discussed the reason for the reaction for whatever such and such a character was this idea of designing characters to bring out different shades of Guts in order to make him a more multidimensional character. I think this is something he really excelled at – it’s interesting to see his more mentorly side coming out, not to mention the difference between the way Guts treats Isidro and, say, the way Gambino treated him does highlight Guts’ generally better... nature.

And that’s interesting because I’ve talked a lot before about how post-Eclipse (and pre-meeting Griffith) Guts had taken on a lot of Gambino’s traits and attitudes... which is arguably not the best way to navigate the world. But that’s a side of him that comes out mostly when he’s alone and frustrated – when he’s a kid on the road, for example, or after the Eclipse but before meeting Puck. Which is to say, it’s a self-defense mechanism for when he feels lost or angry and lonely without a lot of outlet. When he has people around he chills out considerably, which makes his attempts at being a lone wolf feel a little self-destructive.

I just love how Guts is completely disinterested unless there’s some kind of fight involved. More than that, though, as a pretty straightforward person I suppose he doesn’t have a lot of interest in interacting with people who are wearing a civil mask and carrying ulterior motives.

As for Serpico, it must be odd watching her change so quickly and so completely. This is the beginning of a longer subplot with him watching being weirded out by it and I guess kind of jealous and kind of saddened that Guts and their companions were able to change Farnese in ways he was unable to and thus make her a much healthier and less troubled person.

Okay so as a sidenote, I do really get tired of this. I understand that Casca and Farnese are the most helpless in the group, but the thing where they are constantly the ones targeted for danger is a little meh. You could argue that in the case of trolls it makes sense – given what we later learn about their actions and breeding habits – but it’s still repetitive because they end up being swept up and pulled into troll haven or whatever together again in the future, so like maybe a different plot point? Like the trolls’ presence could have been announced with a battle scene and then Casca and Farnese could have been separated from the group later without eliciting a kind of “oh this again?” type of response, I’m just saying.

Anyway, you know the deal, me and fight scenes are like, eh.

The introduction of magic definitely changed the tone of Berserk. Miura did mention that he made it difficult to manage and slow to start up for balance reasons, and I do think the balance has been largely maintained but it obviously did change the scale of the series and the battles – same with the Berserker armor, for example. This isn’t actually a problem for me in theory but I think the one thing I wish he had done is... I guess better foreshadow the existence of all these things, right?

Like I don’t expect him to have witches in the BSM arc for example – he hadn’t even thought of it yet, he didn’t even know what the main conflict of the story would be until volume 3. But it would have been cool to have more of a buildup leading into Flora and Schierke’s introduction.

Anyway it doesn’t bother me that much, it’s more like the existence of the Hawk prophecies – a missed opportunity that was probably missed just because he hadn’t thought of it yet.

I wonder if Ivalera is going to like, make more of an impact on me during this readthrough. Because honestly, this is volume 24 right? She’s been with them for almost 20 volumes, and I never remember that she exists.

Ah, Schierke. It’s almost fitting that the kind of lighter/less grim tone came in with her because the anime vibes kind of did, too – green hair and all that. I should clarify that I don’t actually mind the lighter tone or the magic or anything, I just think it’s interesting how quickly Berserk went from like grim gritty low fantasy that borders on horror to like epic fantasy adventures. This arc is kind of a transitional point since the trolls are very old Berserk, but obviously the introduction of Schierke and Ivalera really bridge into new Berserk.

Okay this is a little bit of a tangent, but it’s something I was just thinking about today.

So Casca is, for me, uhh... so many a series has a character in it that’s like a major part of the story but you just can’t warm to them and kinda wish they weren’t there because they feel kind of like baggage. That’s how I feel about Post-Eclipse Casca. Like during the Golden Age she served a narrative purpose right, she’s a foil for Guts and then his love interest and then one of his greatest losses. Cool.

Post-Eclipse though I’m just not sure. Don’t get me wrong, I know she’s involved in the story, like half the story is about getting her to Elfhelm. But – and im not sure whether I can articulate this properly but I’m trying – I feel like even though the story revolves around her, she is nonetheless an extra appendage to the plot. She’s a MacGuffin. Her existence causes people to run around trying to do things but she herself is not involved in those things or even really important to them and there’s no purpose she serves in the story that couldn’t be served by something else without much of a change to the core of the plot.

Guts could get to Conviction any way – he could just go there because of the revelation from Griffith, he could get dragged there by Farnese and then escape, he could just be led there by fate – there’s nothing inherent to the Conviction arc that requires him to be chasing Casca. You could say her biggest contribution to the plot post-Eclipse is as a Griffith-obsession-meter, like if he doesn’t care about her, then he’s in full Griffith-fixation mode, and if he’s focused on protecting her, his Griffith obsession is waning.

I don’t know. There is a large part of the fanbase (most of it in the English speaker quarter, in fact) that perceives her as the third protagonist and really puts a narrative weight on her but I honestly think it’s mostly headcanon and cope, lmao. She’s a MacGuffin.

Anyway the reason this section kinda set me off on it is because Casca gets kidnapped or spirited off to Trollhaven twice in this one arc, and she was sexually assaulted twice since Conviction, and she was sexually assaulted and pushed around and used as a MacGuffin for most of Conviction and while this is somewhat true of Farnese as well at this point (the troll thing anyway)... Farnese then becomes a much more formidable person under her own power whereas Casca languishes, gets her memory back, has multiple unconsciousness-inducing flashbacks and then gets kidnapped.

Hmm, I guess the gist of this rant is just “Casca is a character Miura randomly decided to hook up with Guts for drama and then kept around so that Guts would stay mad, and it shows.”

And of course it helps that Casca ends up spending more time with Farnese than Guts so that relationship isn’t’ really emphasized very much outside of a “what is she to you? Oooohh I think I know....” comment every like 8 real world years.

Anyway if she turns out to be crucial in a way that is unique to her later, I’ll be relieved but for now I’m eh.

/rant mode off

So one of the things I really enjoy about Berserk is this feeling that Griffith’s presence, or even the promise of his arrival, inherently changes the world. Before the Eclipse, apostles became more active, and after it they were obviously more present than they had bene before. And after Griffith’s reincarnation, the barrier between the physical and the astral planes start to blur a bit, bringing the monsters out and strengthening the magical gifts of people like Sonia. His presence is such that he changes the world simply by being there... in various ways. Obviously things like bringing the trolls into the world aren’t great, lmao.

And, of course, Guts understands what’s going on even if no one else does yet.

Establishment shot! I’m sort of fascinated by Flora’s mansion if only because it doesn’t actually exist in the physical world.

Now that I’ve gone into that whole rant about Casca, I will take a moment to say it’d be cool if there turned out to be a reason she randomly went digging in the golem – an instinct through her connection to the Moonkid/Griffith, maybe, or just an instinct in general. It’s not something I expect to come up, to be clear – she’s probably just being a curious child since she’s mentally a toddler. But you know, wishful thinking.

This image really sent me off on a death spiral into one of my more obscure theories, which I’m not going to talk about because I hate being wrong about things I’m not ready to be wrong about. But anyway I did look a bit into the meaning of the pentagram which told me... first of all that the use of the pentagram seems to precede any of the meanings we know to ascribe to it, which make sense. But also, that the points of the pentagram represent either the wounds of Christ, the senses, or five elements.

This sent me into a rabbit hole of reading up on elements as understood in different cultures. What I found interesting was like, it seems most places (most) have the same four elements we still talk about today at least to some degree (like it might be wind instead of air, but you know), but there’s sometimes a fifth thing – spirit or heart, for example, in the case of neoplatonic elements, or void/emptiness for Japanese philosophy.

And then I thought about the way Miura liked to combine the philosophies and religious tenants from different cultures instead of trying to fully replicate a specific perspective in his work. Rather the cosmology of Berserk is a little bit of everything, you know? Which made me think... considering the fifth element in Berserk’s world to be Spirit or Emptiness works very well with the way Berserk is set up but it also tends to imply that there’s a fifth elemental lord, unless the joke is that the element is emptiness so the spot for the lord is empty. I’ll probably yada yada more about this when I get to Schierke’s spell in the village because she does say something interesting that I think bears commentary.

But the way Miura repeatedly put the pentagram in a prominent position - even having a whole panel that was nothing but the pentagram, strikes me as interesting and significant.

But one of the things is this: I believe that all religions in Berserk are faces for the same underlying powers – IoE and the Godhand (and perhaps some other servants who fulfill different functions but we don’t know about that). It explains why the old Godhand look like ancient gods, and it explains why Flora triggers Guts’ brand, which is supposed to react to demonic power. Because in the end, she’s still drawing from the same well but in a different way.

Guts being polite as usual, lmao.

It’s interesting that Flora seems to know she’s going to die soon. I know that you could interpret it as her knowing that she is just getting too old and weak, but considering she tells Schierke that they’ll meet again, which refers to the Casca’s Mindscape sequence 30+ volumes later, I assume she has some kind of plug into the future, albeit in a limited way. Skull Knight seems to be similar.

After this Guts says, “It’ll protect against that” with the image of his beast self raping/killing Casca. Which makes me think this scene fuels people’s assertion that he was possessed when he did that, which he wasn’t. But I do think the possessions prior kind of kicked him in that direction and he was unable to extricate himself from it until he was made violently aware of his own dark side and how dangerous it was.

Okay so now we’re going to talk worldbuilding, its my favorite thing.

Bringing this back.

Okay so, I’m just going to break this down into a form I can better reference, rofl.

The Astral plane is, as Griffith would say, where they become one – the afterlife, and also the home of supernatural forces and beings. When someone senses/believes in something that is technically part of the astral world hard enough the thing becomes visible in the physical world, which is why elves have become recognized in the physical world. Later we’ll find out that the astral world’s... stuff used to be a much greater part of the physical world but started disappearing from the physical realm as people drifted from the perspectives that allowed them to be perceived, which continues right up until Griffith brings them back together.

Then the Realm of Idea (the graphic misnames it) is... it kind of reminds me of the concept of the Root in the Fate franchise (and also several actual world religions nevermind that though). The origin of all existence, the blueprint of reality.

And subrealms:

Physical Realm – where people usually are.

Interstice – a shallow level of the Astral Plane that mostly just looks like the physical realm. This is where Guts and Casca are because of the brand. Also where things like ghosts come from when they haven’t realized or accepted their deaths and headed back to the Vortex.

Nexus – a deeper part of the Astral and the space opened by the Behelit/location of the Sacrifice ceremonies. This is interesting to me because Miura once said that in order to injure an astral body, the person trying to injure them has to be in the astral plane as well. Which brings to mind the arguments over whether the Godhand can actually be hurt – people say they must be mortal to some degree because they protect their bodies – e.g Void deflects Skull Knight’s blow and the only time Femto ever defends himself vs Guts is during the BSM arc when the Slug Count uses the behelit to bring the Godhand out. But it makes sense that they defend themselves during Eclipses or Sacrifice ceremonies because during those moments, the entire area is sucked into the Nexus, which means they can be injured in ways they cant be if they’re just walking around on the physical world. Thus, for example, the impossibility of injuring Griffith in the physical world.

The Vortex – A deeper level of the Astral Plane where the megapowers are, e.g. the Godhand, the Element Kings etc. The sea god from the pirate arc, like that.

The Abyss – where the Idea of Evil hangs out.

This page is often cited as proof that there is a heaven and hell, but Flora really is just engaging in conjecture. That said, it does seem like there are places that are more or less pleasant within the astral plane, at least on lower levels like the Interstice, so I suppose its possible that they exist in the Vortex as well. This is one of the areas where I’m the most conflicted because there’s a pretty strong indication that post-death humans lose their sense of self and join the sea of souls where no one has any individuality or identity, but there’s also this comment about karma and such. Plus we do know that some humans do not just melt into the vortex because Flora herself instead became a Daimon although we don’t find that out for a long time.

Right now, I’m sort of operating with the idea that post-death a person retains a sense of self for a certain period of time, during which their experience is dictated by their karma, before they eventually break apart and join the sea. But that’s just a fan wank it’s really an unknown at this time.

This comment is interesting because it brings to mind Schierke’s later comment that the four elemental kings are the same beings that are named in scripture as the four cardinal angels of God. As I said earlier, all religions are one religion.

What did I say the other day? Even witches refer to Griffith as an angel. This kind of burns my bum because people focus on the demon thing very strongly and tend to either ignore the other side of them or suggest that they’re not really angels but are pretending to be – I think Guts even suggests that at one point. But Guts is biased and Flora would know better than he does.

Not for nothing but Guts is being stupid here. Not too surprising, but like what is he going to do, summon them and launch himself at them? They’d crush him like a bug without moving. Come on, man.

But in all seriousness, Guts’ absolute faith in his ability to find a way to win is one of my favorite things about him, but it’s also what leads to him having a mental breakdown when he cant hit Griffith later. I don’t think he’s ever considered the possibility that there’s something he can’t fight his way through.

This also confirms, btw, that Guts hasn’t given up on revenge just put it on hold until he can get Casca to Elfhelm. Otherwise why would he still be trying to figure out how to get at the Godhand? It’s also the best indication that he isn’t only angry at Griffith but at the entire group of them. I assume it’s not dissimilar to the way Skull Knight runs straight at Void if he’s there, but he wont turn down an opportunity to throw a blow at any of them.

So, one of the things that fuels speculation that Casca might be destined to use that Behelit is that... when it comes out, and they’re talking about it, she seems to be drawn to it for no real reason, right, like she just comes walking toward them making interested noises and Farnese has to pull her away.

The obvious counter would be that she comes out because Flora is about to talk about her and Guts’ mission to protect her, but she didn’t really need to be there for that – people talk about Casca and Guts’ relationship or his intentions with regards to her without her being there all the time.

It’s interesting. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but given Miura’s ways it wouldn’t surprise me if it did.

He didn’t listen when Godot told him this before, no way he’s listening now.

But really she doesn’t seem to be trying to tell him to give it up, which doesn’t surprise me – she’s a friend of Skull Knight’s, so I’m sure she understands how pointless arguing with someone in this situation can be.

“The fate associated with it rests in the hands of its master who sent it.” I assume that’s IoE but it does highlight the fact that Slan seemed to be able to affect its reaction/availability to Guts.

When I try to figure out who the behelit might belong to, though, I admit I have a kind of difficult time imagining who it could be aside from Casca or Guts. If it’s Guts, then I would expect it’s there for him to ultimately resist, thus finally breaking the chains of fate that he’s been fighting but accidentally getting further caught in for years. If it’s Casca, on the other hand, I think that ends badly for her. There’s a small chance that such an option could appear for her to give her the chance to turn it down as well, but I’m not sure I believe that she has it in her.

I also can’t think of anyone else that the behelit would really fit in a way that advances the story/moves toward the fulfillment of the narrative promise, really. So I still think the best bet is Casca, though that doesn’t guarantee it obviously. If it’s Guts, on the other hand... well, I guess he’s craving his power right now, isn’t he? I mean in current chapters.

I feel you, Guts.

But no, I gather she means that they’re the servants of the Idea of Evil (unnamed but still), and that they’re mysteries because humans can’t go to where they are, even in astral form, thus they remain mysterious.

Okay translation rant. I wanted to make sure that “If he is the Hawk of Darkness, then he is dreadful” was actually accurate, which it is KIND OF?

What Schierke is saying is

あの者が黙示録に記された五番目の御使いが受肉した姿。。。闇の鷹なのだとしたら者恐るべきことです。

That person is the [incarnated form] of the fifth angel written down in the [Book of Revelation]. If (he’s) the Hawk of Darkness he is.... [dreadful]

So a couple of things. I’m showing dictionary definitions because it’s good to show receipts, lmao.

-The word translated as incarnation is specifically the incarnation of Christ.

-The word used for revelation is specifically the Book of Revelation, though it also means Apocalypse – Utena fans may remember it:

-Finally, the phrase translated here as “dreadful”,

So it does mean dreadful but also fearsome, formidable, like a dangerous or difficult adversary.

So okay one thing I notice about Miura is that he liked to use ambiguous phrasing – the phrase translated as “you’re the only one who made me forget my dream” for example, also means “you’re the only one who let me forget my dream.” Similarly, the word translated as “evil” in a lot of places in Berserk also means “magic” or a supernatural force of some kind, and sometimes it makes more sense that they’d mean magic but the translation still says evil.

I’ll be honest, I think he did it on purpose. Because for example a sentence that means both “let me forget” and “made me forget” reflects the conflict within Griffith himself about Guts’ impact on him and how it affected his goals, which were both burdensome and meant to be his most important thing. So in the discussion of which way it was intended to be read, my main thought is “both.”

How this relates to this sentence is just this: It’s translated as dreadful which isn’t inaccurate but in the context of the discussion Schierke and Flora are having, Schierke isn’t talking about how awful and deplorable the fifth angel is, she’s talking about how Guts has to be crazy to go against him because he’s absurdly powerful. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think her statement is meant to evoke how terrifying he is, either. But even so, and this isn’t the translator’s fault because English doesn’t work the same way Japanese does, but... I can’t help thinking that just saying “dreadful” makes it sound like she’s just saying “he’s awful and deplorable” rather than that he’s a frightening opponent or person. And that doesn’t make sense because Schierke was previously shown to be sort of unsure about whether he would be the savior or (something) else.

It’s also interesting that he doesn’t name some random prophecy but rather the biblical Book of Revelation. And that he didn’t have Schierke refer to Griffith with a normal “incarnation” or “bodied form” or whatever – because there are words for that – but rather as specifically the incarnation of Christ. It does make it very clear (VERY clear) that Griffith here is envisioned as the Berserk equivalent of a Christ-figure as predicted by the Berserk equivalent of the Bible. The fact that he’s served by, you know, apostles should also be a clue about this, but I know people like to suggest he’s an antichrist instead, but I mean...

He’s both isn’t he? I mean I know I’ve talked about this enough but it does make sense that in a world where God is the Idea of Evil, the Christ-equivalent would be a more complicated figure as well.

I just think it’s interesting like... Miura uses a lot of Catholic concepts and imagery in Berserk, but they don’t always mean the same thing as they do in the real-world religion. People often try to read Berserk with I guess real world Christianity in mind, and I get it because of the very obvious parallels, but I do think it’s a bit of a trap.

The thing I wonder a lot – although I guess it’s more like I think about it a lot than that I wonder about it – is the relationship between Skull Knight and Flora. Later I’ll ponder on it in greater depth but it’s interesting to me that even after seeing what happened to Gaiseric she still has this belief that fate can be countered. It’s very different than, say, Skull Knight who kind of lets slip during the death of Elfhelm that fate often cannot be overcome, but that people fight anyway because it’s just the nature of humanity to fight fate (and lose).

Flora’s view echoes Guts’ though, from the Conviction arc when he said he doesn’t believe in causality because he and Casca were meant to die but didn’t. On the other hand... is that really true? Like, Zodd said death would come for him – a death he cannot escape. But Skull Knight was the one who implied to him (right after he left the Hawks) that he could survive it. And if you think about it, given that the demon child/moonkid became Griffith’s vessel there’s a good argument that Casca was always meant to survive, too.

So. I know a lot of people take Flora’s word as gospel, but a lot of characters say things that contradict so they can’t all be right. Though I do think there’s a decent argument that she’s the least biased and her view possibly reflects the attitude that Miura himself brought to the table since he did say he wanted there to be hope in the story, as well.

This has nothing to do with anything but the sylph thing kind of freaks me out. I don’t think I could wear clothing that’s coated in little “living” things, eep.

And honestly, wtf is wrong with Puck? HOW DOES HE NOT KNOW THIS, HE’S FROM ELFHELM.

I have such conflicted feelings about how Farnese and Casca just got some silver shirts (and a silver knife). Because the thing is, I understand that Casca uh probably can’t trusted with a weapon right now, and that Farnese isn’t a fighter at all. But I still feel like some kind of, say, elementally empowered weapon would be helpful for Farnese at least, considering how often these two get kidnapped or spirited away or trapped in dangerous situations.

I wonder what the axe did.

This lead in to the thing where his sword is kind of magical from fighting magical things is pretty interesting to me because... for years the theory was that his sword could hurt Griffith because of that. And it seemed like a decent theory but of course is proven completely wrong on every level. Misdirection! That is, unless the “he cut a hair off of Griffith’s head” theory turns out to be true but that seems increasingly unlikely since it hasn’t come up at all.

By having the brand, Guts and Casca are basically just walking around in the afterlife all the time – at least the edges of it, so I guess they ended up in tune with the dead even though they themselves didn’t literally die. It seems the Apostles also kind of walk that line, which makes sense given their connection to “hell” or whatever. It’s kind of wild to think about the house they’re hanging around in not technically existing in a physical sense.

I mean in fairness he only left her behind once, it was just a really long time.

Anyway, this just reminds me of the time I got that Ask from someone kind of ranting about how Guts has to be with Casca because she’s the only reason he’s still human, which was kind of stupid. Don’t get me wrong, I recognize that protecting her is a strong motivating factor for him, but obviously he was already fighting to remain human for the entire series and I also think... the path he has chosen as a defender and as someone who no longer throws his connections away is as much a part of his continued humanity as Casca herself, specifically – that’s why the Beast always tells him to ditch the whole crew not just Casca.

Also, as I recall, Flora had some knowledge that she was going to be killed soon which... I imagine made it somewhat relieving for her to not have to explain why Casca couldn’t stay there. Also...

It lends this bit a poignancy.

Okay so... I often wonder about the specifics of Flora and Skull Knight’s relationship... and to be more specific whether her role in his life was similar to Schierke’s role in Guts’ life. Was she his spiritual anchor before he got eaten by the darkness? If so then you could say she failed, which Schierke is also in danger of doing in current canon since Guts is losing his shit.

There are so many things that make me sad about Miura’s passing. There’s the obvious human element in itself, but there’s also things like how he talked about doing an arc of the Skull Knight’s history, and how on the DVD for the memorial edition ova, a note came up saying things he says may no longer be applicable. I mean for obvious reasons. But does that mean we’ll never know the deal? I hope not. I want to know what Flora did that got her exiled from Elfhelm and what Skull Knight’s goal really is... I mean this is whiny because everyone has the same concerns and thoughts, but you know, just thinking.

And there it is – bringing to question whether Guts is actually acting in free will or not. Because what I get from this is that Flora asks him why he’s trying to get Guts to do certain things or go certain places, and whether it’s because he feels sympathetic or for some selfish reason, and Skull Knight is basically like, even if I didn’t personally lead him around, he may well be led by causality anyway.

It reminds me of the guidebook noting that Skull Knight seemed to be trying to lead Guts in a certain direction.

I think Skull Knight is ultimately meant to be a cautionary tale for Guts, like... this is what he becomes if he doesn’t let go of his anger and choose his connections and humanity instead... which is not what Gaiseric did back in the day. This does kind of make me wonder to what degree I just talk myself around thinking Guts primarily relies on Casca for humanity though, because one major difference between them seems to be that Casca didn’t die but Skull Knight’s wife or whoever that was did.

Although I guess that’s odd too because Dannan seems to be his ex in some way that isn’t wholly literal.

And this is a really interesting bit for me, because it’s Flora continuing/finishing her comment earlier about God giving them fate – the fate called encounters. So when she tells Schierke God gives us fate and we humans choose it, you can suppose that she isn’t so much talking about Schierke being destined to do such and such but rather she’s talking about Schierke having the option to accept the opportunity to know and involve herself in this story or not.

Also, a final little thought-break – the way the witches here talk about God is interesting to me because it does seem like they buy into the “religion” of the world in a way you wouldn’t necessarily expect, right, like Flora directly references fate being sent by God. They also refer to the God Hand as angels, and later Schierke will explain that the element kings are basically biblical archangels by another name.

And that goes back to all religions are one religion – the same elements with different names and viewed through different prisms but nonetheless the same beings. I kind of think of the different religions within Berserk’s world as... looking at something from one angle vs another angle. Like if you stand in front of something it looks one way and you can only see the front and part of the sides, whereas if you stand to the side you see its side and only part of its front and back, etc. Point being, it’s still the same thing, it’s just that different perspectives or belief systems “see” and name different parts of it.

That thought leads me down some interesting rabbit holes with Berserk though.

Anyway, next up, trolls.

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lost-girl-2021 · 1 year

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Would you write reactions, thoughts about Spider from other recom members? Their reactions when they saw him for the first time in that restaurant or something like that.

Here's some quick-ish thoughts on how I think they'd react, partially based on my own experiences as an aunt/significantly older cousin. I don't really know much about the other recoms, but here're some general deja blue thingsss.

I think that beforehand, they'd all be super nervous and excited. I mean, my niece lives on the other side of the country and every time I get to see her, I go crazy because I get so hyped, especially cause it's not super often given school/work/travel costs/etc. So, I think that if I was meeting my nibling for the first time in over a decade, I'd go a little crazy waiting.

I can definitely see them all at target, trying to figure out what an appropriate gift would be when meeting their now-teenage nephew for the (at least for Spider) first time. Is he too old for action figures? Definitely too young for beer, but they can't really think of anything else. Eventually, Z-Dog ends up buying a cheesy Hallmark card and they just stuff it with cash.

I think that they'd have expectations for the kid, but they'd think of him as Quaritch Junior, sarcastic and serious and all that. Then, he ends up being this shy, awkward little guy who spends the first hour practically hiding in his father's shadow.

Definitely an adjustment period. None of them have been around teenagers in a long time, if at all, so they have to figure out what's okay/not appropriate. Some swearing is fine, but they definitely try to tone it down around him. At least until Spider gets ketchup on his shirt and calls it a 'fucking asshole' under his breath.

I don't think anyone was expecting him to have so much hair. None of them had seen Quaritch with anything long enough to curl and Paz had always kept hers braided back or in an army-approved slicked bun. The woman had joked about shaving her head multiple times on hot days. Nobody thought the kid would grow his hair out into a shag, let alone the absolute mane he has.

The name. I think they'd probably all have a little trouble calling him Spider in their heads before meeting him. Like, seriously, this little edgelord is calling himself Spider. (The name probably makes them picture Jimmy from Raising Hope when he was a teenager).

At the same time, I know that I have a hard time picturing my own little cousins/niece/friend's little siblings as anything but the little kid they were when I knew them best. One of my little cousins is literally in high school and I still picture an eight-year-old anytime I think of her. I feel like Deja Blue (and prob Quaritch) just think of the chubby-face little baby from so long ago when they think of him. And then, when they actually meet him, they're kind of shocked.

I also think this would make calling him Spider a little easier, because they have trouble connecting little baby Miles with this skateboarding teenager.

These are all the thoughts I have atm, but if anyone else has any thoughts, I'd love to hear them!

#atwow spider #days into decades #spider avatar #miles spider socorro #avatar #avatar way of water #avatar fanfiction #spider #atwow #atwow fanfiction

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zorilleerrant · 11 months

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“Fuck,” Bernard says, when he first sees Tim. He’s not alone, which is a good thing – that means he wasn’t targeted, which means no one here is trying to make a point about Bernard’s personal life. Not that no one’s been making points, but they’ve been the occasional dig, nothing too personal, nothing even very creative, not enough to bring up more than the occasional what the fuck about someone who hadn’t expressed much in the way of politics beforehand. No one outright threatening Tim, though, just insulting him.

“Hi,” says Tim, with a little smirk, and it’s one word, it shouldn’t be able to sound snarky when he says it, but it does. He’s got a black eye pending, and there’s a smear of blood on his lip that Bernard can’t tell where it’s from (probably he fought back and got punched in the nose, but it isn’t bleeding anymore), but he doesn’t look too roughed up, and probably took a few hits for everyone else around him, given that they include his sister and a couple of his friends.

That’s a little bit of the issue, though, isn’t it. Tim’s freedom Bernard could probably swing – people wouldn’t like it, but they’d do it for anyone else in the Family – but he can’t go letting Tim free all of his hostages, can he? Bernard can say all he wants, oh, that’s my boyfriend, but when he starts adding: and his sister, and his ex-girlfriend, and that guy who hangs out with him a lot who works for his dad or something, and, what, his neighbor? And Tim will probably start adding people onto that, too. He doesn’t know everyone Tim went to school with before they went to school together, or who he’s been in clubs with, who worked with his parents, his squash partners or his business associates or his family friends. (Okay, he’s pretty sure Tim doesn’t play squash, but.) He can’t just let everyone go. That would defeat the purpose.

The crux of the issue is that, though, and how, until Tim saw him here, deliberating, no one knew about any of this. And he knows no one knew, because Tim never said word one about it, and his family would’ve brought up something, even if it were just suspicions, and Robin hasn’t been following him around, either, and Bernard may not know what Tim’s relationship with Robin is, but he knows they’re friends. Someone would’ve been checking him out, at least, even it got kicked up the chain all the way to Batman.

And Batman doesn’t know fuckall about this whole hostage situation, or else he’d have crashed through the ceiling by now. They’re pulling people aside to film them for ransom demands. It’s kind of cruel, Bernard thinks, making them plead for their lives on camera while the rest of the partygoers watch. Of course, the whole hostage thing isn’t actually for the money. Or. Well. It is for the money, it’s just keeping them out of the way while the money man fucks with their accounts, and covering it up as ransom payments is just going to muddy the waters long enough for them to get away. That’s not Bernard’s job, that’s the nerd stuff.

Bernard’s job is a huge problem, because they know he’s the boss’s kid, and while that doesn’t put him in charge (yet), he’s definitely supposed to be in charge of this job. Or, at least, whatever this job looks like to the people who’ve been kidnapped, which he can hope no one’s associated with the Family, or there’s going to be much worse fallout, but that means that it probably looks to Tim like Bernard rounded up his own petty criminals and taught them how to take hostages, and, wow, maybe he should’ve put on a mask instead of deciding the charismatic guest suddenly taking over was the dramatic entrance he should go for.

Anyway, it wasn’t his decision to film people like that, but it looks like it was. And Tim’s giving him sort of quizzical looks, but he doesn’t seem scared, which is good and all, but Bernard’s pretty sure it’s because Tim still thinks he can free him, and maybe everyone else.

Bernard was so careful to pick a party that Bruce replied no to. He forgot to check whether anyone else might be going, because the rest of them hate galas, or at least Tim does, and he said everyone else did, and what the hell? He definitely didn’t notice Luke Fox on the guest list, and he’s pretty sure he would’ve, because that’s the guy who Tim sort of maybe has a crush on, or at least the way he talks about Luke makes Bernard jealous sometimes, which might not be his issue. It’s not like anyone is supposed to get hurt. Tim wasn’t supposed to get hurt.

“Hey,” says Tim, reassuringly, like he’s staring down the barrel of a gun, like he’s stared down the barrel of a gun before, “Bern. Breathe. It’s gonna be okay.” And he pats Bernard comfortingly on the arm, even though he’s very sure all the hostages are supposed to be tied up. He thought Tim was tied up, but he wasn’t looking that hard.

“Are you a crime lord?” Steph asks, from where she seems to still be tied up at least, lounging against a pillar. “Tim are you dating a crime lord? You’re supposed to tell me if you’re dating a crime lord. Or else it’s entrapment.” She grins and then squeezes her lips together into a frown, trying to look like she’s upset about the situation. To reassure Bernard? He isn’t sure.

Cass stares at him for the longest time, like she’s looking into his soul or reading his mind or willing him to spontaneously combust or something, and then eventually says, very quietly, “he won’t hurt us. He doesn’t want to be here.” Which, true or not, Bernard wishes she wouldn’t say in front of his goons, who might hear her. On the other hand, he does want her to reassure Tim, who also seems to trust her the most on stuff like that.

Luke Fox looks at him skeptically. Bernard is about to introduce himself, or get Tim to make introductions, or something like that, but Luke Fox interrupts with, “yeah, yeah, I’m sure they weren’t supposed to find out this way. If I had to use the bathroom, is that something you could make happen?” Bernard has never heard a more blatant escape attempt in his life. But if the goons want to trust the man to use the bathroom, who is he to stop them? Luke looks inordinately pleased when he calls some henchperson over as an escort, even though he’s still tied up, and Bernard doesn’t really want to know what he has planned. At least if he calls Batman or whatever, it won’t be Bernard who screwed up. Technically.

“So, come here often?” Tim says, standing up so he can lean into Bernard’s space. It’s kind of a problem, because Bernard would normally kiss him right about now, but he definitely doesn’t want to do that in front of the guys, because they’re going to make trouble for him, and if they make trouble for him it’s going to get back to his dad, and if his dad hears it’s going to be more of you can’t handle this job and trying to make him give up Tim again. Not that Bernard even wants this job, but it’s the principle of the thing.

“He doesn’t want to kiss you because the goons are homophobes,” Cass says, blithely, not even looking at Bernard anymore, while Steph cuts her off before Tim can react with, “so, wild being kidnapped at two parties in a row, isn’t it?” to which Tim shoots her a scathing glare and she looks caught out, and now Bernard is worried.

“What party did you get kidnapped at?” he asks. He didn’t think Tim had even been to any parties for a couple months, although if he had gone he’d usually just put in a few appearances, make nice, and walk out an hour later, so it’s not like it would take much time out of his day. Kidnapping would, though. Has Bernard been so busy going to his dad’s ridiculous meetings about taking over the city that he didn’t even notice his boyfriend was missing?

“Um,” Tim says, and now Bernard is sure he should be concerned about this, so he crosses his arms and tries to glare enough to seem like he’s serious without glaring enough to seem like he’s, you know, a hostage taker trying to steal everyone’s billions. Which he knows Tim has independently, but he’s not sure about Steph or Cass. They both wear enough designer stuff that they could, easily, but it could just be Alfred shopping for them. He isn’t sure about Tim’s old neighbor he can’t remember the name of, either. He knows Luke Fox is a billionaire, but he also heard a crash a minute ago and is pretty sure the man isn’t here anymore.

“You didn’t tell him?” Steph asks, sufficiently incredulous on Bernard’s behalf that he feels a little defensive of Tim. Cass, at this point, nods agreement to Steph, and Tim shoots her a betrayed look, and the neighbor looks in confusion between the three of them, and then gives Bernard an eyeroll in commiseration, because Bernard is clearly not following the silent conversation, either.

“Okay, look,” Tim says, waving the concerns away, “someone at the last party thought I had the codes to one of the vaults where we keep our proprietary technology, only I never even worked in that department and do you know how often we change the codes, anyway? Plus, like, the biometric data would’ve been hard to fake and I was never in the system. For, uh, for probably reasonable security reasons no one under 25 is allowed into the biometric system.”

“People under 25 do stupid shit,” Cass says, to stifled laughs from all of them. Including Tim. Including Bernard, even, and he glances around to make sure no one saw him. One of the goons is giving him a weird look, but not saying anything, so, right, so far so good. Also it probably means no one noticed Luke Fox jumping through a window. He’s over 25, but not by much, and Bernard wonders whether they count his antics as stupid shit or not.

“Okay, no offense, but what is actually going on here right now?” The neighbor says, flinching when Bernard turns to look at him a little too suddenly. He moves like he wants to hold his hands up in front of him, but he’s tied up like the rest of the hostages, so he kind of just shrugs instead. “Hey, I don’t mean anything by it, man, but what’s happening?”

Tim looks a little embarrassed, like he’s caught out being a bad host, and Bernard’s pretty sure he’s lost control of this whole hostage situation. “Right, sorry, Bernard, this is Kyle. Kyle, Bernard. My boyfriend. And also apparently head of some kind of criminal organization.” He smiles fondly at Bernard, who thinks that might be the wrong response to all this.

“Like a supervillain?” Kyle says, squinting at Bernard and then looking at his friends like they’ve completely lost their minds, which they might have, considering how calm they are. It’s not that uncommon for people in the midst of a major stressful event to try to ignore it in order to cope, Bernard figures, so maybe they’re just traumatized. Kyle sucks in a deep breath, and whispers like he'd rather be shouting. “Are we trusting a supervillain right now? And, like, a brand new supervillain who doesn’t even know what he’s doing? No offense. I don’t think we should probably trust a supervillain!”

“He’s not a supervillain,” Tim says, offended, wrapping a proprietary arm around Bernard’s waist and tugging him close. Bernard appreciates the little peck at his cheekbone, even if he’s not sure he can reciprocate at the moment. “He’s a good guy, and I don’t really know what’s going on here, but I’m sure it will be fine.”

“Are you?” Kyle asks, looking anxiously around at the various goons and the other hostages, including someone else tearfully asking their family to send money before their fingers get chopped off. “Because Luke has been gone for a while, and I don’t know what they did to him! I don’t want to be here. I don’t think any of us want to – do you want to be here? Like, do you need help, or something, because we’ll let you come with us if you let us leave.”

“Oh, yeah!” Tim says, brightly, holding Bernard out at arm’s length and beaming at him. “Do you need our help getting out of here, Bear? Because we can run you away and hide you, or help you reform, or whatever. We��ve done wonders with people way worse than you. Remember Harley Quinn? She’s like 90% fine now!”

“Oh my god, are you as bad as Harley Quinn?” Kyle asks Bernard in horror, while everyone else tries to reassure him that no, obviously not, and Bernard wonders who exactly they’re going to blame the failure of this plan on. He might throw himself out the window, too. (That’s when Batwing crashes through the skylight.)

#look i said something #my writing #fanfic #batman #timber week 2023

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