Hello System Shock fandom, I will return after Finals this week I swear. My brain has been system shocking as of late and I’ve got some drawings in mind, but (sadly) I gotta focus on Finals first.

In the meantime have a wip drawing of the one and only Dr. Marie Delacroix!! she was 10 steps ahead into the future and her predict game was strong af but nobody but a hand full of people listened to her which must have been so frustrating on her end tbh.

Guess who fell right smack back into BATFAMILY feelings hell?  Who has two thumbs and really thought they were truly out of the DC game, that it had been like ten years since they’d read a single comic, that they were finally safe from crying about stupid bats and birds?  Yeah, that’s right, this nerd.  And now I’m waking up and choosing violence on the rest of you by throwing every I’m Having Dick Grayson Feelings Fic at you that I can find, because this fandom is fantastic for it.   This list will skew towards my fave, but I hope there will be some good Jason, Tim, Damian, Cass, and Steph fic for anyone who wanders by for them!  You just have to scroll for a second first. I probably tend towards a slighty softer view than canon always provides (I will grab hold of Nightwing #100 with both hands and a death grip, though, and you can’t take Dick & Bruce hugs away from me now) but that’s what fic is for!  All the emotional resolution the source material cannot give us itself and I am GOING to inhale all of it like it’s oxygen and I’m on a run.  And then shove it at everyone I can while crying on them, too. BATFAM FIC RECS - BABY DICK IS THE CUTEST FERAL ROBIN I’M NOT HEARING ANY ARGUMENTS: ✦ Stay a Child by ijustwanttodestroy, dick & bruce & alfred, 2.2k      “Redo it,” Bruce orders. “Aw, come on!” Dick dares to pout — a thing that he uses often, and would work on anyone but Bruce and Alfred. Sometimes. Bruce gives him a look. “I’m not going to do it for you.” “I’m going to misdo it until you do,” Dick threatens. ✦ Sweater Weather by MashpotatoeQueen, dick & bruce, 2.2k      Dick Grayson is eight, Bruce Wayne is trying, and there’s a walk home in the rain. ✦ Hay Is for Horses by lurkinglurkerwholurks, dick & clark & cast, 2.7k      The sleepover had been Dick’s idea. In which Clark is a good but very overwhelmed uncle who is Trying His Best. ✦ Eye of the Storm by Janie__loops, dick & bruce & cast, de-aged!dick, 2.5k      Dick Grayson becomes once again a traumatized volatile murderous eight year old, and the only thing more surprising is how adept Bruce is at handling him. ✦ A Blur of Spinning Wheels by chinuplilpup, dick & bruce & alfred, 10.1k      Dick is on the chandelier. An eight year old. A genius gymnast, to be sure, but a child, small for his age and under Bruce’s legal care. On the chandelier. Twenty five feet above the ground, surrounded by glass and kept up by a single fifty-year-old chain bolted to the ceiling. Bruce is going to have to check his blood pressure after Dick is safe on the ground. ✦ The Flame and the Night: A Bedtime Story by WingFeathers, dick & clark, 1.8k      Dick’s thrilled to stay with the Kents, but they go to bed far too early for him to sleep. It turns out to be a job for Superman, who shows Dick the Kansas night sky and tells him a story from Krypton––a story about two gods, called Nightwing and Flamebird. ✦ (T)his Child by shanahane, dick & bruce & alfred, 2.1k      ”I’m here for the elephant,” Bruce says bluntly. ”Elephant?” Haly says. ”We haven’t had elephants in over two decades, what…?” ”The toy. That Dick left on his bed.” OR What wouldn’t Bruce do for… this child? ✦ 5 Times Dick Grayson was in the Newspaper Because of Bruce Wayne by Engineerd, dick & bruce & alfred & clark & cast, 4.7k      Batman and Robin are Gotham’s urban legends, and Bruce wants to keep it that way. “I know that,” Clark said. “But when Robin eventually goes officially public, I want to be the one that does the interview.” ✦ we don’t allow monsters in these walls. by thychesters, dick & bruce, 1.8k     New dad Bruce is still trying to figure things out with Dick. He’s not his dad, not his brother, he’s just … he’s B, the guy Dick runs around with at night fighting crime. He’s worried, and he’s scared, and he’s too protective. Tonight the protective side just won out. ✦ shades of monochrome by renecdote, dick & bruce & clark, 6.1k      He can’t even think, let alone think how to act. His brain is like a broken record, stuck on a loop of blood and ringing gunshots and Bruce is going to die. “It’s going to be okay,“ Alfred says. But it isn’t. How can it be? Dick takes a deep breath and screams for Clark as loud as he can. (The one where Bruce gets shot and Dick cries a lot.) BATFAM FIC RECS - ADULT BATSON AND BATDAD ARE MY KRYPTONITE, I FOLD LIKE WET CARDBOARD FOR THEM: ✦ Ghosts by fanfictiongreenirises, dick & bruce & batfam, 2.5k      “Nights like this, when everything was balanced on the edge of a knife, when Bruce could feel Gotham clawing at them with her claws, he could feel their gazes scraping his back.” Bruce waits for backup with an unconscious Nightwing tucked in his cape. ✦ When I Touch the Water by audreycritter, dick & bruce, 2.7k      Bruce is trying to deal with an old injury alone, and alone is exactly the opposite of how Dick Grayson is willing to let him handle it. But Bruce can’t really complain because it’s nice to see his son again and not fight for once. ✦ Making Time by CaptainOzone, dick & bruce & cast, 6.5k      Bruce does not remember anything leading up to this moment. He does not remember teaming up with Superman recently, nor does he remember being anywhere but Gotham proper. He does remember having Robin at his side. Robin, it turns out, is not there any longer. God does he hate magic. ✦ to love is not to leave by daringyounggrayson, dick & bruce, 1k      Dick called Alfred for a medical consult last night, so when he hears someone at his door, he’s not exactly surprised. What does surprise him is that the man who came to check in on him isn’t Alfred: it’s Bruce. ✦ Olive by Ptelea, dick & bruce, 1.5k      In which Dick and Bruce catch up in the kitchen sometime after episode 11, “Not It,” Dick peppers his speech with condiment-related puns, and Bruce is sort of amazed by his life sometimes. ✦ too lost and hurting to carry my load by daringyounggrayson, dick & bruce, 1.8k      Dick is sick and feverish, and those two things are forcing him to face some previously-stifled fears and insecurities. He really just needs someone to take care of him. ✦ No Other Songbird Like You by SilverSkiesAtMidnight, dick & bruce & damian, 8.5k      The difference between grappling off a building and free-falling off a building is actually a very small difference. Really, it’s just the difference between firing your gun before you jump, like Bruce always insisted on according to safety protocols, and firing after you jump, when it’s more fun. The fun way, ninety-nine times out of a hundred, is totally fine and has absolutely no consequences. ✦ mid-May’s eldest child by one_step_closer_to_death, dick & bruce, 1.2k      Dick’s sick and Bruce takes care of him. BATFAM FIC RECS - EVERYBODY LOVES DICK: ✦ Handle with Care by takadainmate, dick & bruce & damian, 3.4k      Dick is sick. Alfred isn’t around. Bruce and Damian do their best. Damian had known something was wrong. ✦ Off The Record by amathela, dick/donna, NSFW, 1.2k      Dick and Donna work off the aftereffects of a mission. ✦ Rejoice in Youth by FlashThroughLight, dick & bruce & tim & damian & jason & alfred, 6.1k      Dick has been regressed to the age of four, now Bruce and the rest of the family has to look after him until he returns to his rightful age. If Bruce thought teenage Dick Grayson was unruly, nothing could prepare for the storm that is Dickie Grayson. AKA Dick cons his family into giving him hugs. ✦ The Real in Funereal by lowflyingfruit, dick & damian & alfred & tim & jason & barbara & selina & cass & cast, 9.3k wip      Batman is dead. So is Bruce Wayne. And the Bat-family is struggling to cope, both publicly and privately. But crime in Gotham waits for no Bat, and like it or not, new grievances and old, the family must pick themselves up. Gotham needs its defenders, before their grief tears them apart. (Battle for the Cowl AU) ✦ Visions of Sugarplums by CamsthiSky, dick & bruce & damian, 3.7k      See, it happens like this. Everything’s normal for them all—or, well. As normal as a family full of vigilantes can get. But things are running smoothly. He keeps his head up and his ears open, though, because he may be able to move forward, but he isn’t stupid enough to think that he’s not going to hit a bump in the road. He always hits a bump in the road. He just hadn’t expected this. ✦ Safety First by SuperWhoLockianFangirl, bruce & dick/babs & dick/roy & dick/wally, 2.6k      Bruce Wayne can handle lunatics like the Joker without even flinching, but the hurtles of raising a teenage boy prove more daunting. When it comes time to give Dick the “Talk”, he has absolutely no idea what he’s doing. And unfortunately for him, he finds himself repeating the experience multiple times over the years. BATFAM FIC RECS - BATKIDS ALL HAVE MANY SIBLINGS AND THEY’RE ALL PETTY ASSHOLES AND/OR WONDERFUL BABIES AND I LOVE THEM WITH MY WHOLE BEING: ✦ Catch by Ptelea, dick & jason & tim & damian & bruce & cass & steph, 13.7k     Five times Dick caught one of the younger Bats, and one time he wasn’t the one to do so ✦ Stubborn by audreycritter, dick & jason & tim & damian & cast, 20.3k     Dick is usually the one taking care of everyone else and he’s bad at asking for help. So bad, in fact, that he never even actually asks– but Jason shows up anyway. And then Dick returns the favor. And then they both do for Tim. And it’s just going to keep going from there. It’s probably Alfred’s fault. When your butler mom calls and says, "Go check on your brother,” you don’t argue. You just do it. ✦ Without Question by lowflyingfruit, dick & jason & tim & damian & bruce, 6.2k     There is something very wrong with Dick at the moment. He’s doing everything Bruce says without a hint of protest. Tim’s going to get to the bottom of this. ✦ Ranking Robins by Beauty_In_Her_Darkness, dick & jason & tim & damian & bruce, 5k     Buzzfeed has been cranking out quiz after quiz about Gotham’s Bat-themed superheroes. When Jason shows them to his family, him and his brothers decide that not only should their adoring fans get to rank the Robins: Bruce should too. ✦ Carry by Ptelea, dick & jason, 4.9k     Whoever said, “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother,” didn’t have to haul you around. ✦ a pointless resistance by emavee, bruce & dick & jason & alfred, time loop, 26.7k     It starts with a news report running in the background of a greasy little diner, but it ends with Dick dead. Except, it doesn’t stop there. It keeps on ending, over and over. Bruce’s son keeps dying, and nothing he does seems to make any sort of difference. ✦ while you see it your way by irnan, bruce & dick/babs & tim & cass & damian & alfred, 4.5k     Wherein Damian acts his age for once, and - to the astonishment of absolutely no one - it’s all Bruce’s fault. ✦ Manor-Dad lets me drive the Batmobile by loosingletters, bruce & dick & jason & tim & cass & steph & damian & duke & cast, 21.2k wip     Bruce had two options when Dick found the Cave. 1) Tell him the truth. 2) Go along with Dick’s excited “You’re dating Batman!” until he figured out the truth. Several children later Bruce wished he’d gone with option 1) or he wouldn’t have to deal with all his kids believing he and Batman were separate people. ✦ Bomb Sing Se by Cephalogod, dick & jason & tim & cass & steph & damian, 2.2k     The thing was…it wasn’t actually the worst idea. (The bombs in the gauntlets part; Jason had vocally disapproved of every aesthetic decision Dick had ever made since they were teenagers, Dick wasn’t going to start listening to him about that now.) ✦ Above Any Price by centreoftheselights, dick & jason & tim & damian, 1.6k     Dick gets the news that Jason has been taken hostage. This time, he’s going to save his brother. ✦ Upside Down by withthekeyisking, dick & jason, de-aged!dick, 2.1k     Something that was not on Jason agenda for the night, but somehow now is: take care of the de-aged version of his big brother, who is—in his tiny mind—apparently running away from juvie. Because, sure. Why the fuck not. ✦ straight up, what did you hope to learn about here by irnan, bruce & dick & damian & barbara & jason (background dick/babs), 3.8k     (or: Three Conversations Dick Grayson Has About Jason Todd, That One Time A Couple Years Ago When Jay Was Dead, And How Talia Al Ghul Is Why Dick Can’t Have Nice Things.) ✦ Now Comes Good Sailing by geminus_17, dick & jason, 2.3k     Dick and Jason escape to Walden Pond and have a healing talk about the meaning of life and death, and insult Henry David Thoreau. ✦ on the other side by MermaidMarie, dick & jason & tim, 3.6k     In which Tim and Jason are staying up all night in the hallway, after Dick gets his memories back. ✦ Control Alt Delete by audreycritter, bruce & dick & jason & tim & damian & cass & stephanie & riddler, 1.9k     Sometimes the only way to solve an impossible riddle is to give up. ✦ Extension by smilebackwards, tim/kon & dick & jason & bruce, 5.9k     Tim’s going to need to learn to be less conspicuous about this hopeless crush he’s developed; he lives with an entire family of detectives. Or: Tim has a crush on Conner and everyone has something to say about it. BATFAM FIC RECS - JASON TODD IS AN ASSHOLE CAT, I’M GONNA THROW HIM AT DICK BECAUSE IT’S FUNNY (AND MAYBE SOME OF HIS OTHER SIBLINGS TOO): ✦ The 70 Days After Groundhog Day by Ptelea, dick & jason & batfam, time loop, 43.9k      There’s a time loop that only Jason remembers. It acts as a catalyst for changes within the family. Some arguments, some misunderstandings, some bonding, some healing, and quite a lot of conversations that mostly take place over food. Dick POV, focused on Dick and Jason but with the other Bats around and very present. ✦ Fair is Fowl by Lysical, dick & jason & batfam, 4.3k      Dick Grayson is visiting the Manor. Jason Todd has the chickenpox. They might not be brothers, but maybe they can get along for one evening. ✦ Ensemble Performance by lowflyingfruit, jason & damian & batfam, 4.8k      Damian has a deep, dark secret he needs kept from Grayson, his father, and most of all Drake, at all costs: he has, quite unwillingly, been volunteered for a part in his school’s annual musical. As a grouchy dinosaur. This is now Jason’s problem. Or his blackmail opportunity. Whichever. ✦ Home Intrusion by daedalusdavinci, dick & jason & cast, 7.2k      There are moments when the… everything of Dick’s life catches up with him, and exhaustion sinks deep into his skin. However, when he goes dark on everyone else, Jason doesn’t quite get the memo. Rules never seem to apply to little brothers. After two weeks of little more than clipped texts, Jason shoves his way into Dick’s life and gets him up and moving again. BATFAM FIC RECS - DICK AND DAMIAN WERE THE BEST BATMAN & ROBIN, I’M NOT HEARING ARGUMENTS ABOUT THAT EITHER: ✦ 3:16 by partingxshot, dick & damian & alfred & stephanie & cast, 70.7k      The knife pushes thin along Dick’s carotid artery, cupping the indent between neck and jawline—forcing him to angle his chin. The metal is warm, pulled with execution speed from under Damian’s pillow. “Okay,” Dick says quietly, tracking the intricacies of his own heartbeat—counting the space between breaths. “Guess I did need a shave.” (With faltering steps, Dick and Damian become Batman and Robin.) ✦ The R Stands for – by Cirth, dick & damian & bruce & talia, 5.8k      Damian pretends to focus on lacing up his boots as his father tugs Drake to his side, plants a gruff, casual kiss in his hair. Drake’s lips curl into a pleased smile, and Damian yanks the strings so hard his palms burn. ✦ The Rule Stands by Engineerd, dick & damian & bruce & tim & alfred, time travel, 11k      Damian meets a 10-year-old Dick Grayson, and they become best friends. ✦ this tiny little space by Alienu, dick & damian, 2.1k      The landing on his fire escape is nearly silent. Nearly. ✦ waiting for the tides to meet by partingxshot, dick & damian, 2k      Grayson behaves like this sometimes: like Damian needs to be protected. It twists his stomach in sharp and unfamiliar ways. “You leave, then!“ Damian spits. "I’ll—I’ll track Clayface on my own.” Another shudder takes him. The pain floods him all over again. It doesn’t matter: he won’t cry out. The rain pelts the dumpster behind him. It pools in cracks in the concrete. ✦ the city without stars in its skies by Alienu, dick & damian & batfam, 18.5k      (Or, in a world where he was never sent to live with his father, Damian al Ghul is contracted to assassinate one Dick Grayson.) ✦ Catch Me (All Records Indicate) by Engineerd, dick & damian & batfam, 9.5k      Damian had studied each of his father’s prior proteges briefly before he’d left the League of Assassins. Somehow, Grayson in person is nothing like Grayson on paper. OR “Are you sure you can catch me?” Grayson asked. Damian could hear his heart beating. He wasn’t sure. “Yes,” he answered anyways. ✦ Even in the Midst of Grief by Ellegrine, dick & damian, 4.3k      Richard Grayson has never hurt Damian. It’s unforgivable that anyone should believe otherwise. BATFAM FIC RECS - TAKE THE ANGST DIAL, TURN IT UP TO ELEVEN, AND BREAK THE KNOB OFF, MAKE ME CRY ABOUT BATS AND BIRDS, THAT’S WHAT I’M HERE FOR: ✦ Second Generation by lowflyingfruit, dick & bruce & tim & barbara & jason & alfred & cass & cast, aftermath of rape + depression, 108.9k      Nine months after the ‘Blockbuster Incident’, a call from Lockhaven Penitentiary regarding Catalina Flores brings all Dick Grayson’s plans for his future in Bludhaven crashing down. Thrust suddenly into parenthood and hiding what happened to make him a parent in the first place, Dick must decide, adjust, and accept - and no matter what, the family has to pull together to help him. ✦ Savior Complex by Arwriter, dick & bruce & barbara & tim & jason & damian & alfred & cast, 11.6k      “All I did was disappoint you.” He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t catch his breath. “I just wanted to do good. I just wanted to be better and all I did was make everyone angry.” Or: When Bruce comes back from the dead, Dick goes nonverbal. Nobody seems to have the time to notice. ✦ Essential Actions by CKBookish, dick & clark & bruce & wally & cast, 8.8k      Clark shifted his weight making the floorboards creak and groan under his feet. “Dick I hate to see you–” He paused searching for the right word. Dick snorted. “Wallow?” Clark sighed. “That’s not what I was going to say.” “I know. I can go to the barn and hang out there if I’m bothering you and Lois.” Dick pushed himself up. Of course he should have thought of that. Lois didn’t want some random teen laying around her home on Christmas Eve. Dick’s first Christmas without Bruce after he’s fired. ✦ The Night It All Came Crashing Down by chibi_nightowl, dick & jason, rape aftermath/read the tags, 4k      After a difficult night on patrol, memories Dick would much rather forget come to the surface. Thankfully, Jason’s there to catch him before he falls. ✦ The Winter of Our Discontent by BloodFromTheThorn, dick & bruce & jason & tim & alfred, 10.2k      Why did criminals always think that the best time to make a disturbance was in the middle of winter? Between the snow, Clayface and Scarecrow, Dick’s having a really bad day. It really doesn’t help that Batman’s late. ✦ The Universe Doesn’t Get to Take This by fishfingersandjellybabies, dick & bruce & damian, 1.9k      “And they’re so important that you don’t come home to check on your recently un-amnesiac brother? And here, I thought I was your favorite.” BATFAM FIC RECS - THROW BABY DICK AT BATTISON, C'MON DO IT, IT’LL BE HILARIOUS: ✦ In This or Any Other Universe by wildsofmarch, dick & bruce & alfred, 33.4k      Dick Grayson (DCU) accidentally lands himself in Battinson’s Gotham. ✦ I’m a Good Pretender by shipNslash, dick & bruce & alfred, 40.4k      Dick’s mother raised her son to be a star. Dick’s father raised his son to be an athlete. Bruce’s new ward is charming (manipulative), dedicated (obsessive), and way, way too smart for either of their own good. ✦ take these broken wings and learn to fly by fishingclocks, dick & bruce & alfred & cast, 45.5k wip      or, How Dick Grayson Burrowed His Way Inextricably into the Heart of Bruce Wayne ✦ i turned around, there was nothing there by lwbones123, dick & bruce & alfred, 3.1k      the batman got me thinking about battinson with a robin. this is that. ✦ Robin’s Light by iammadeofmemories, dick & bruce, ~1k      ‘Lies still’. Murder weapon still missing, Why riddles? Why leave a code? And why— “B! Whatcha working on?” or, in which I throw nine-year-old Dick Grayson at Battinson.

I've been following you for ages now. I think from an old tumblr collaborative project of over 5 years now? It introduced me into Pokémon creepypastas when I sought out more of the genre like it and I wanted to thank you.

Your progress through writing stories really has improved and Monochrome has me in a vice grip. I entered in when PIKACHU was caught and near went full strings and corkboards trying to figure out the backstory Cody hid that was developing.

I'm excited to see what lies at the end. Fear it too as death feels inevitable in an emotional and story ending sense. Keep on doing what you do, I'm rooting for you and eager to see how this pasta will turn out at the end with everyone's contributions.

thank you for the kind words!! it always warms my heart to hear that people are still being introduced to the pokepasta fandom through my stuff. thanks for sticking around me for so long!!

i'm glad you're enjoying reading monochrome just as much as i enjoy working on it!! it's really fun leaving bread crumbs of backstory and seeing peoples' theories about it!

the truth will rear its ugly head in one way or another, and i can't wait to see how people will feel about it. (i think it's going to be a bit controversial, but i think it's ok to have a controversial plot reveal as long as it was properly built up, which i definitely have been working very hard and very carefully to do!!)

i'm just as excited for the endgame as you are. no matter which ending people choose for cody, it's definitely going to hurt in the best way i can make it. i sincerely wanna thank all of the askers who helped this story turn out exactly how i hoped it would. let's hope i can stick the landing!!

Avatar Quaritch x Navi Reader

Given Enough

Master List for Given Enough

A/N: First off thank you EVERYONE who kept up with this series for your comments and likes. It's on of my first and completed series. Please make sure to check out my fandom master list as well! I am taking requests for Miles Quaritch x Reader still. So yeah. You all are amazing!!,

Tag List: @the-wanderer-2022 @zootsutra @anyzandy   @kneelingforvillains @dioriez @mylovelyreblogs @dinobae-replyacc @voodoogoul @freshmoneyalmondathlete @thedumboneforsomereason @world-dominating-kitty @scarletpines @sofiebstar @vampire-hunter @cypherpt5fttaehyung @strangerdeeznuts @simpingfor-wakasa @tranquiiit @ellieparker @girlblogger2002 @happycupcakeenthusiast @willow-sages

Warnings: Smut Mentions of Death, Language.

FINAL CHAPTER

Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 - Love

_5 Years Later_

It has been 5 long years after Colonel Miles Rick Quaritch met (Y/f/n) of the Kamimaljuyú clan since the truth came out, and became one of the people. The 5 years were dedicated to regaining the trust back from the clan. Most importantly his lover. Despite the pain, Rick took over as Olo’eyktan. The air people only prospered under his rule. 

“So after escaping what happened?” Asked the young Kamimalijuyú. Her large eyes light up in curiosity about the past war. How her mother and father escaped the horrid humans to find her uncle. 

“We rode on our Ikrans for a long journey through the forest and over the sea. Until we found the  Mamífero Ka’anal with your Uncle and Jake Sully in the mountains. They planned to come to rescue us but we beat them to it.” (Y/n) said closing her eyes as Quaritch pulled both his lover and daughter closer in his grasp. 

“Don’t give us all the credit. You did most of the work, my love.” He whispered. 

“Mommy if daddy was once human what happened to his body?” (C/n) asked tilting her head. (Y/n) and Quaritch hav never told their daughter the entire story. They knew with time it would unfold. Right now (Y/n) wanted to enjoy the piece before the humans returned who would have new targets in sight, their family. 

“That is for another time peanut.” Quaritch kissed (c/n) cheek. He never felt any type of happiness until now. At night he often will sit on a high peak to gaze up at the star. Millions of miles away his birth planet rotates. Sometimes he can still remember how life was there and feel the soil between his toes. The polluted air in his lungs. Her voice brought them back to Pandora. Quaritch is thankful for this second chance. He built this life. Earth is nothing compared to his people. “Now go see your cousin.” He adds. (C/n) rolls her eyes before jumping up and running out of the hut.  “One day she will have to know. I dread that day.” He whispers into (Y/n)’s ear.

“I know. But time heals wounds. She is part of us and could never hold your past against you… For a long time we struggled- I struggled to trust you again, yet no matter what I never doubted you again.” 

“How are you perfect?” He asked causing (Y/n) to chuckle. 

“I dont know but trust me it's hard.” She replied snuggling into his chest. Rick gently runs his large hand down her side gripping her waist. (Y/n) slightly moved back looking up into his yellow eyes. Quaritch held (Y/n) (e/n) orbs moving his hand below the small cloth that covered her pussy. She gasped feeling his digits rub her sensitive clit roughly. Her back arched like a needy cat in heat. His tail wrapped around yours until finally sliding his fingers into your wet pussy. 

“R-Rick~” (Y/n) moaned loudly, unable to stop. He growled, feeling his cock harden with a burning need to be stuffed inside of her warmth. "Fuck right there." She threw her head back once his thumb began to rub her clit as his fingers showed no mercy thrusting in and out. (Y/n) quickly rolled over on top of Quaritch, capturing his lips. With one quick movement, their queues are connected allowing them to feel an even deeper pleasure. 

"I love you." He whispered against her lips. 

"I love you more.", She replied. (Y/n) steaded herself hands flat against Quaritch's broad chest. (Y/n) moved her lips back and forth grinding against his hard penis. He groaned, gripping her sides. The male felt weak against her touch. She bites her lip pulling his garments off to expose his erection. "Fuck." She earns a smug look from the Colonel. 

"Like what you see?" 

"Have since day one." She replied. With a shy grin (Y/n) took his cock rubbing his length along the lips of her wet cunt. 

"Fucking hell stop teasing me!" He huffed. (Y/n) continued to bring against his cock. Causing Quaritch to lose all focus. "(Y/n)! I'm close! Shit-" He pants unable to stop from cumming. "Darling~"

"I'm not done with you just yet." She whispered. (Y/n) pushed her garment aside and slides down onto his cock with a soft moan. Rick pants are heavily still sensitive from his first orgasm.

He thrusts up going harder and deeper each time. Their loud moans and pants fill the air. "Cum with me." Rick gasped before they both hit climax. 

"Still gave it in ya." (Y/n) chuckled and moved their queues before laying down beside him. Quaritch nuzzled her neck. 

"I'm scared." She admits. 

"Why?"

"The humans will return. Not just for the Sullys but for us too. I can't lose you or (c/n)."

"No matter what happens I will protect this family and our people. We have something stronger no human had when they come here." 

"And what's that, Rick?" 

"Love."

//THE END I LOVE YOU ALL

Fic Writer 20 Questions

thank you for tagging me @forloveofcodywan (i've been wanting to do this one for a while)

under the cut so i don't plague your dash

1.) How many works do you have on ao3?

16 (i used to have >30 but i orphaned half of them bc i wrote them when i was 14 and nobody needs to see that)

2.) What’s your ao3 word count?

162,724

3.) What fandoms do you write for?

star wars all day babey. i dabbled in steve x bucky from 2017-2018 ish, but star wars has had my brain in a vice grip since 2015 (i was another victim to the sequels causing a sw renaissance).

4.) What are your top five fics by kudos?

the right feeling - from my finnpoe days :') this is part 1 of a soulmate au series. this one has 4.7k words.

i think i was blind before i met you - steve x bucky (damn we're going way back, this is 7 years old) modern au with barista steve and college student disaster bucky. 15k words.

please stay for awhile now - finnpoe, again for the win. this is part 2 of the soulmate au series. 5.6k words.

we should just kiss like real people do - finnpoe. this is the fourth and final part of the soulmate au series. hurt/comfort, recovery, all the good stuff. 8.2k words. (i suppose we all needed the soulmate finnpoe fluff in 2016, judging by these stats).

but through it all, i will need you anyways - current codywan WIP!! fix-it fic with just an insane amount of disgustingly tooth-rotting fluff. no clone death, just good feelings. this has been ENTIRELY self-indulgent and i started it when i got initial codywan brain rot. 64k words and counting!

5.) Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

oh my god yes, i love comments and it puts the biggest smile on my face knowing that people took time out of their day to write something nice for my little ramblings :')

6.) What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

jesus, literally none of them. i have to do happy endings, i'm too fragile. closest would be i hate you, fuck you, please never stop looking at me which is wolfwren PWP, except they still kinda hate each other at the end. (this barely counts because i am writing a follow-up that explores more of their feelings for each other and has a happy ending)

7.) What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

ALL OF THEM. idk what to tell you. probably the cheesiest ending is the dinluke modern soulmate au i just wrote - how did i ever live without you?

8.) Do you get hate on fics?

no, thank god. i keep things pretty vanilla and i tag very thoroughly to do my best to avoid any hurt feelings. (also i've just simply been lucky to never experience that)

9.) Do you write smut? If so what kind?

oh fuck yeah. 2/3 of my fics are explicit. mostly m/m, one f/f and two m/m/m. we have fun over here.

10.) Do you write cross overs? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

no, this would break my brain. next question.

11.) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

no, unless it has been and they're very good about hiding it (doubt it, tho. i'd be a weird choice to steal from)

12.) Have you ever had a fic translated?

no, but i would love it!

13.) Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

no, but i have been thinking more and more that i would love to do this!!

14.) What’s your all time favourite ship?

this is so hard. . i think codywan has been the one ship that has just slapped my across the face and gave me stockholm syndrome. I think about them.... All the Time. second closest would be finnpoe, judging on how many stories i wrote about them. and they just fit so well together and i adore their characters and they had so much chemistry and. (i'll stop now)

15.) What’s a WIP you’d like to finish, but doubt you ever will?

my brain will simply not allow me to leave a WIP uncompleted. by god, it's going to happen even if i am chaining myself to my laptop and typing through tears.

16.) What are your writing strengths?

i have received many compliments about my dialogue and smut scenes flowing very naturally :) i try to make them play like a movie and have it immersive enough that a character doesn't do/say something unnatural to make the reader stop and say wait what?

16.) What are your writing weaknesses?

oh god, PLOT and ANGST. can't do it for the life of me. i work best in oneshots so i can brain vomit and move on. i have a hard time planning out fics and i deeply envy writers that can create beautiful long fics in a timely fashion. i deeply lack the patience for something like that.

as for angst, yes i can technically do it, but it pains every cell in my body. just let the sad old gay men be happy.

17.) Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

closest i have ever gotten is mando'a, but it's been very fun to learn!

18.) First fandom you wrote for?

oh boy. one direction (the aforementioned orphaned works).

19.) Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

i am cursed with "i immediately hate everything i write as soon as i release it" syndrome. recently, though, i was particularly proud of safe. warm. mine. because it was very outside of my comfort zone due to the involvement of three people and it was the first a/b/o i have written!

no pressure tags for @veelawings @apricusapollo @shy-wookiee. these are all the mutuals that write (that i know of) and haven't already been tagged (i think)! but please, anyone who i missed or who sees this and wants to chime in and tag me, please do!!!

Tag people you would like to get to know better

Thank you so much for tagging me @litterateur97 😁❤️ This was fun 😁🤩

Three Ships?

Lxmisa from death note. Have been shipping them since 2016 😍. All it took was this below scene 🤭. So even if they don't make sense, I will make them make sense to you 😘

Kaihil from Beyblade. I shipped them when I didn't know the meaning of shipping 😅 Beyblade V-force was streaming on toonami those days. Back then, I liked seeing Hiromi with both Kai and Tyson 😂. Then years passed. In my gap year, I re-watched both Digimon and Beyblade. And my love for kaihil reignited all over again. It only grew stronger when I was browsing ffn and deviant art all night 😍

Ulquihime from bleach. Funny story about them; I wouldn't have shipped them if it weren't for coming across gorgeous art of them by rboz. Wanting to know more about them, I started watching and reading bleach. So imagine my shock and misery when I came to know what happens in the end 😭🥲 but oh well, such is life and Kubo 😒. Still got the wonderful fandom where I can muse about them 😍❤️

2. First ship?

Kaihil was going to be here but I wouldn't count that because the grip they still have on me is insane 😭😍 So I am going to chose Kaede and Dylan from Mirmo anime

I would watch the show after coming back from school 🥹 the Hindi dub made it all more funnier. I was so happy when Kaede and Dylan got together 😭😍

3. Last song?

Dil Kay Isharay (DKI) by Taha G. It's an Urdu song and Taha G is so talented 💛🌻

4. Last movie?

White Chicks 🌚 this movie never gets old 😂

5. Currently reading?

Atomic habits by James Clear 🥲. I am right now trying to fix my routine and failing quite miserably in it. So while the boat is sinking, I am reading the said self help book to see if it would make any difference. So far it has kept me engaged 👀.

6. Currently watching?

Emily in Paris (S2). You have every right to judge me 🥲 but I just wanted to see what the hype was all about. And even though the show is patsy and Emily is starting to infuriate me (like girl you like Gabriel!!! Why the hell are you insistent in getting him back with his ex?! 😭), I can see why people like it. It's overall light-hearted and funny at some scenes.

Other than that, I am binge watching on friends sitcom along with my sister. Also I am watching the local urdu TV drama as well ' Mujhay pyaar hua tha'.

7. Currently consuming?

Roasted cashews 🤤

8. Currently craving?

Chicken Alfredo pasta 😭

9. Tagging now; @jkrobertson @kaflowypiec @neomoreheroes @green-mint @ishkajules @shewhodancedinthemoonlight, @professorchameleon @squicky-fannish-discourse @smoochme @wolborgie and anyone else who wants to do it 😁

Have fun 🌻

Asks for a Fic Writer!

Tagged by @eemamminy-art and @nateharmonica thank you!!

--

1. how many works do you have on AO3? 138! Which is weird cos it feels like only 2 minutes ago I was excited about hitting 100 lol

2. what's your total AO3 word count? 401,149 total

3. what fandoms do you write for? My top 5 written for fandoms are FFXIV (27), Resident Evil (26), FFXII (15), inFamous (13) and FFXV (13)! But I have a load of others as well - atm it's Baldur's Gate 3, alternated with my perennial beloved FFXII

4. what are your top five fics by kudos? Point of No Return - Resident Evil, Chris/Wesker, time travel fix-it fic Aphrodisiac - Overwatch, Reaper/Soldier 76, collaring and gloves kink Like a Drug - Resident Evil, Chris/Wesker, STARS era drug bust Filters - FFXV, Prompto/Ignis, 5 things fic about Prompto's photo taking Between Death and Ascension - Magnus Archives, Jon/Gerry, post season 3 fix it that got immediately jossed upon s4 releasing lol. Honestly I'm amazed this one is here, considering Jon/Gerry is a bit of a rarepair. Or at least, it was back then!! I have no idea of the current state of TMA fandom (and don't wanna know, ugh lmao)

5. do you respond to comments? Always as a rule, but usually quite a long time after I get them lksgfg

6. what is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Has to be From the Flames of the Fire, I Feel You, part 4 of my Sartauvoir/Basch series, because it's the fic where Basch dies at the end, and it finishes off with a notice from Noah about the death and funeral arrangements. I cried on my lunch break at work writing this fucker lmao

8. do you get hate on fics? I've not had anything since my ffn days, where I got a very mean comment about OOC. I mean, it was true, but MAN.

9. do you write smut? if so, what kind? It's very rare that I don't write smut! I think the yuletide fic I wrote was the first time in years lol. Either way, I like to write kinky porn with feelings and character study shit

10. do you write crossovers? what's the craziest one you've written? Not any more, but the craziest crossover with the most specific-ass audience was a British Comedy RPF crossed with FFX, where David Mitchell is a summoner and Charlie Brooker and Robert Webb are his guardians. It's called Spira Infinita, and I never did end up finishing it lmao. Oops. Either way, I had a blast writing it and I still think it was fucking good, all 9 kudos of it!! God... this just made me remember I also wrote a brooker/mitchell crossover with mgs. I was on some shit back then I tell you what

11. have you ever had a fic stolen? Not that I'm aware of! I'm not big enough for that, I think

12. have you ever had a fic translated? I thiiiink someone once asked me, but I forgot which fic it was tbh!

13. have you ever co-written a fic before? Yes!! I co-wrote one of my fave Ashe/Basch/Vossler fics with my friend when we got assigned each other for an ff_land exchange - Five Moments of Desire. It was really fun, we had a great time!

14. what's your all-time favourite ship? GOD this is hard!!! I think Nero/Credo tbh, I never get tired of thinking about them, even as sadly underrated as they are. Also Sartauvoir/Basch is highly up there, I've never been seized with such an insane streak of inspiration for a ship. They got me in their clutches and no mistake!!

15. what's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? I don't actually have much in the way of wips, but I do have 5k of a Sart/Basch AU where Sart channels his fenex summoning to bring Basch back to life, but it stalled a little due to a combo of scheduling for other things, other ships taking over my brain for a bit, and honestly the general lack of fandom for them? I have a few close friends I met because of the ship, but getting such low response to things is really demoralising and makes it hard to continue. I DO want to finish it for sure, but atm I am too gripped by other ships so idk if it'll happen.

16. what are your writing strengths? I think dialogue for sure, and characterisation.

17. what are your writing weaknesses? Fight scenes x_x Which is annoying, because I love them and have a lot of sparring/fighting related kinks!!! I persevere, but I hate every moment of writing them lol

18. thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? Uhh nothing I've ever done! I think it'd be fine if you're fluent in that language OR if you have a trusted friend who is, who can give you actual sense-making sentences, but otherwise, do not!

19. first fandom you wrote for? Baby's first fandom was handwritten Redwall/Discworld crossover in reporter's notebooks as a very young child, but my first fandom-fandom was ffvii, where I wrote a frankly terrible Reno/Vincent fic! And idek why cos I don't ship it at all? I think I just had a boner for both of them and wanted to get it out. It is still on ffn alas, but eugh.

20. favourite fic you've written? Honestly I think it's my SartBasch series, Body Politics. It caters directly to my own id, and I think it's really good! I actually planned it out as a cohesive series AND actually finished writing it! Proud of myself lol. And I just.... *clenches fist* love those old men.....

----- tagging people, if u wanna do this, then consider urself tagged!!

The Good Part? (Armitage Summer Splash. Day 28.)

As part of @lathalea and I’s Armitage Summer Splash, I present to you, day 28. 

Masterlist of fics for Summer Splash

Prompts: “Let's skip to the good part.“ / Dream trope.  

Fandom: Spooks

Pairings: Lucas North x OC (Amy Holland)

Warnings: SPOILERS OF SEASON 9. Angst, su*cide, character death, grief. This is quite a dark piece, so read at your own risk. I've given fair warning.

Summary: Amy now knows that Lucas North is really John Bateman, and in desperation, he has taken his own life. Amy is left behind now to mourn for her lover who she never really knew and question her own future with MI-5.

Comments/Notes: If anyone would like to be added to or removed from my tag list, please say. This fic doesn't follow on from any of my others, but I'm still using the storyline of Lucas really being John Bateman. Oh, and Ros is still alive as well.

Amy's whole world had been blown apart in just 48 hours. Not only had she been informed that her boyfriend of almost a year was not who he claimed to be, but he had also taken his own life. Harry Pearce, Lucas' senior manager had spoken with Amy only an hour after the incident.

"He begged for me to tell you that he loved you and was sorry," Harry had said. Even if Harry was a seasoned intelligence officer and spy, Amy could still hear his voice cracking down the phone line. "He couldn't bear the thought of returning to prison."

Then the dream came. Two days after Lucas had gone.

"Let's skip to the good part," he had chuckled, holding Amy in his arms and spinning her around while she giggled. Both of them were suited for their wedding and had matching gold bands on their hands.

There would never be a good part. Amy was left behind now with a gaping hole inside her, a piece of her soul missing. That piece of her soul had jumped from the roof of Thames House.

Ros visited Amy. The two of them were quiet for the first five minutes, hovering over a cup of tea each. It was Amy who broke the silence. "You never really know what to say when someone has passed on," Amy mused. "I remember when my grandmother died, and the whole family seemed to distance themselves from each other. Grief becomes something that you're scared of approaching. It's an elephant in the room that no one wants to acknowledge."

Ros listened, her normally stern face showing much empathy for her colleague. "Sorry never seems to cut it. It feels empty somehow and redundant. I'd feel that it wouldn't be welcome."

Amy's lip quivered and she gripped Ros' arm. "Not from you it wouldn't. You never say sorry unless you mean it. And I can see in your face that you'd mean it. You hear people say they feel anger at the person who has passed, but I don't. I can't feel anger towards him, and I don't know why."

"Don't question your emotions, Amy. Just let them in, feel them. Don't cover them, and don't question."

"I had a dream about him last night. We were married. Then I remembered that I wouldn't be Mrs. North, not really. That part always seems to be something I can't seem to keep a grip on. I have to remind myself that he wasn't really Lucas. But I can't see him as anyone else. How much of him was real?"

"One thing I know that was real and it was how much he loved you. No one can fake that. Not even him."

"We had a conversation once about the difference between men and women. He said that men compartmentalise, and I suppose I can see that. Was that what I was? Did he take me out of the box when he needed to? Then shut me away when he became someone or something else."

Ros sighed. "Try and hold on to the good memories you had with him. Don't wonder on these things right now. If you have to keep him in your mind as Lucas in order to keep your own peace of mind and to heal, then do it. The healing will take time. Harry and I have already agreed that you need at least a few weeks off. There's an investigation going on, and you can't be anywhere near that."

Amy looked at Ros with tear-filled eyes. "I don't think I could step foot back in that building, Ros. Everything would remind me of him. He was such a central part of everything I did there."

"Don't think on that now. Be with yourself for a while, but remember that we're all here for you; me, Ruth, Tariq. We're with you in this."

"Thank you," Amy whimpered, and embraced Ros tightly.

***

Follow Forever tag list: @lathalea @i-did-not-mean-to @middleearthpixie @xxbyimm @linasofia @sketch-and-write-lover @knitastically @meganlpie @guardianofrivendell @lilacpulse @rachel1959 @msjava1972 @asgardianhobbit98 @spidergirla5 @medusas-hairband @enchantzz @luna-xial

Richard Armitage tag list: @eunoiaastralwings @cryptichobbit

Fic Writer Questions (Round 2)

Two years ago, I was tagged in an ask game, and I stumbled upon it again so I decided now would be a good time to update it. This is for my own personal enjoyment, so if anyone wants to take it, it’s up for grabs. Q+A under cut because it’s a bit long.

How many works do you have on AO3?

72, with a 32 increase from last time, and so many more in my list of stuff to write. I am a slow bitch.

What's your total AO3 wordcount?

557,570, about a 200k increase from the last time.

How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

BNHA, RWBY, Arcane/LOL, and Persona 5.

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1. Inko Midoriya’s Home for Lost Children (3,344) 2. Mother Tongue (2,338) 3. A Bowl of Oatmeal (1,065) 4. Tied Up With Strings (746 - this was my first smut fic!) 5. But He Loves You So (720)

Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

I don’t respond to every single one. I mostly respond to people who ask me questions about the fic or how I portrayed one character or another. I also respond to people who say something that wasn’t really on point with what I was trying to write (so small corrections here and there). I like talking to people about my writing but sometimes there’s just nothing to say.

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

I don’t do unhappy endings, same as last time, however I will say my angstiest fic has changed from Luck Be a Fickle Thing (RWBY) to i’ve carved out a place in this world for two (Persona 5). How do you contend with the fact that someone you care about, possibly even fell in love with, is going to die and you know the exact time limit? You make a bucket list, of course. (I copped out though so he doesn’t actually die, but it’s still full of the sense of dread and impending doom of death approaching).

Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you've ever written?

The Quirk Archives is a BNHA/TMA crossover series and I wrote a RWBY one-shot that takes place in the Avatar The Last Airbender universe. Quirk Archives is definitely bonkers because of all the shit going on and I mostly forget about it until I look at my rotation. My answer hasn’t changed from last time and somehow I’m only halfway done with quirk archives.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Thankfully, (still) no. But I have had people asking me to take fics in specific directions and have had to politely decline. Stop doing this. You want something in a fic, either you commission me real money or write it yourself.

Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Yes I have! You know what that’s called? Growth!

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

No.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Me and @palpalbuddypal​ are in the process of making one!

What’s your all time favorite ship?

All the ships I write for hold places in my heart and I will love all of them no matter how much time has passed. That being said, shuake persona 5 has had me in a vice grip since I’ve finished playing royal so that’s my favourite right now. Qrow/Clover from RWBY also has a place in my heart because I love Qrow’s character so much and I wish he has good things by the end of the show.

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

I make the promise to get through all of my posted AUs. So I try not to post things I don’t intend to finish. If I really want to see it through, I will post it as kind of a reminder that the fic isn’t just for me but the people who follow it. So I don’t have anything here. That being said, Inko’s Home is a pain in the ass for me to write.

What are your writing strengths?

I’ve been told I’m very good at “describing sensations.”

What are your writing weaknesses?

I’m stubborn and get through things quickly just to get through my rotation and then get frustrated when I can’t do anything better. I try to meet my word counts but sometimes it’s hard, especially for a fic you don’t like anymore.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

If you’ve read my Arcane stuff, I love having Viktor use Russian words as nicknames for Jayce. Moye serdtse (my heart) is one I commonly use, as well as stuff like Vitya and Viten’ka. I’m also partial to the headcanon of Persona-users being able to speak different languages depending on the origins of their Persona’s names, but I haven’t toyed with it yet.

What was the first fandom you ever wrote for?

.......Supernatural. I don’t want to talk about it. It was when I started writing and it was terrible.

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

It depends on my mood. Sometimes I re-read my one shots and I love them. Sometimes I’m editing older chapters of my long fics and I remember what I liked about them in the first place. Sometimes I come up with a new idea and get stuck on that for a while. Dear Fellow Traveller and Bound to You are up there (I will get around to updating them, I swear!) and are comforting when I do write them. Completed-wise, I’ll have to say both my Persona fics at the moment (Eat Your Heart Out and i’ve carved out a place in this world for two) because they’re my two newest and the ones on my brain. As I’ve said, I love going back to read my work. I write it for me, so just because I’m not currently thinking of something doesn’t mean I’ve hated it (except maybe Inko’s Home it drives me mad).

Review: The Well of Ascension (Mistborn #2) by Brandon Sanderson

Book 13 of 2022

Start Reading Time: 8 July 2022

Finish reading Time: 5 August 2022

Page Count: 590

TRIGGER WARNINGS: VIOLENCE, DEATH, SLAVERY, BLOOD, MURDER, GORE

This is the spoiler-free part of the review. I will put up a spoiler alert before going into the review that contains spoilers.

Guys.

GUYS.

GUUUUUUYSSS!!!!

What even is this book?! It's CRAZY awesome! I don't know another way to describe it. It's kind of slow, but also a million different things are happening at the same time, and it's giving everything (contains mini spoilers without context) ;

an Among Us game,

a secret sibling who's lowkey insane but is also a powerful Mistborn,

a love triangle,

a coup d'etat,

suspenseful political drama,

a tragic love story,

a wedding,

an army of dangerous, emotionally unstable, and uncontrollable giants,

the revelation that mysterious mist spirits have been gaslighting the crew into unleashing them into the world,

oh, and A NEW MISTBORN EMPEROR!!

This book has my jaw on the floor. I get that it's a slow-burn book, but oh my God, when the actions happen my heart was in my throat, I was crying, kicking, screaming, I was doing the most. It is SO, SO GOOD. And even in the "slow" parts of the book, I was so gripped by the story because I love the political drama of it all. And the building suspense that Luthadel will be attacked by not just one, not just two, but THREE ARMIES, and that our beloved crew will most likely not make it alive; if you're not crying, kicking, screaming and throwing up like I was, you may not be enjoying this book as much as I do, or you're just a much better adjusted human than I am.

The book is not flawless though. In fact, I considered giving it a 4 or 4.5 stars due to some of the things that just irritate me in the book, when I had just finished the book yesterday. But, I slept on it, I've processed all of it in my mind, and I ultimately feel that this book deserves every bit of the 5 stars I can give it. Compared to the first book, this book gave me so much more, even if there's not as much light and funny moments or comedic relief in it as The Final Empire, in the end I feel that the drama and suspense, and the action packed scenes of it all more than make it up for the lack of those light and funny moments. Although I am still upset and in denial about those characters' deaths. Hell, I don't think that I have even fully processed in my brain that Kelsier is truly dead and gone, to this day. Yes, I'm that bad and slow at accepting character's deaths and moving on.

Also, this book put me through such an emotional roller coaster that I must admit that this book got me hating on Elend in the beginning, but then turned me into an Elend stan by the end of it. Yes, this is the book that made me love Elend. If you've read my review of The Final Empire, you'll know that I'm actually not the biggest fan of Elend Venture, despite him being kind, handsome, smart and a gentleman. However, the me that I am today is a changed woman, thanks to this book, because now I'm 100% on board with the rest of the fandom, I love Elend too.

I haven't been this hyped making a book review since, well, The Final Empire, which is the first book in this series. But right now, I'm on such a high from this book that I'm sure this is going to be another long, rambling, and overly dramatic review, and I'm not going to apologize for it. So, let’s get into the synopsis and the review:

It's been one year since the night that the Lord Ruler was killed by Vin, and now Elend, who is the new King of Luthadel has established new laws, and an assembly consisting of eight noblemen (including Elend himself), eight merchants, and eight skaa workers. Elend, being a man with strong moral values and sense of justice, desperately wants to rule and lead Luthadel fairly and he wants the people to be treated fairly too, without any discrimination towards any group or any one. It is a noble way of governing, however it doesn't guarantee prosperity and safety to his people, because the truth is that Elend's own father, Straff Venture is actually leading a large and powerful army that's going to attack Luthadel, and he has every intention to dethrone Elend and his government and rule Luthadel himself. And the chances of Elend to successfully defend Luthadel against his father's army are very slim because his own army is so much smaller in number and it mainly consisted of inexperienced young men.

However, there's a glimmer of hope yet for them when a second army seems to be waiting to also attack Luthadel. Breeze was the one who made this second army, led by a dictator named Ashweather Cett, come to Luthadel's outer walls, ready to attack. Breeze explained to Elend who's "shooketh" that Breeze did that, and the crew that by having Cett's army as a third party to their head to head stand off with Straff's army, they have a chance to convince Straff that he should also be concerned about Cett and his large army because Luthadel could fall to their hands, and so that he should be fighting Cett's army instead of attacking Luthadel, thus buying time for Elend and the crew to find a way to better defend Luthadel against those armies. Essentially, they're hoping to be able to politic their way out of the enemies' attacks, and somehow successfully defend Luthadel. Or, in Breeze's own words, "two large, enemy armies are far better than a single large, enemy army. In a three-way negotiation, the weakest party actually has the most power—because his allegiance added to either of the other two will choose the eventual winner." But even then, and even with these people, who had successfully overthrow the Final Empire, they know that their chances of survival are slim at best.

Another issue Elend is facing in his government is the lack of respect from his fellow Assembly members to him as a King. Elend doesn't seem to be able to get the men to listen to his ideas and getting them to agree to hardly any of his ideas. Luckily, a Terriswoman named Tindwyl, who claims to be an acquaintance of Sazed's, came and offered her guidance to Elend, to teach him how to be a proper king so he can be better respected by the Assembly and lead his people better. Although he was hesitant at first, Elend finally agreed to be guided by Tindwyl.

While all of that intense standoff and politics are happening, Vin is busy protecting Elend from misting assassins that both Straff and Cett sent. However, Vin has also noticed that someone is watching her from the dark mists. This mysterious figure seems to have mistborn abilities and Vin realized he never actually threatened her or Elend's safety, he just watches her, and, weirdly enough, spars with her. At some points, he even seemed to be helping her fight those assassins. Vin was very curious to know who this mistborn is and why he's doing what he's doing, but she's also excited because she had no sparring partner since Kelsier died a year ago. Vin has been calling this mysterious mistborn as The Watcher.

Another reason why Vin was excited to have another mistborn to spar with, was because she feels lonely and that no one understands how it really feels to be a mistborn, even though she has Elend. She knows she loves Elend and that he loves her just as much, but she continuously question herself if Elend will ever be able to understand her, and if she really deserves to be the one that Elend loves, when she feels that he deserves someone so much better than her, someone more proper, ladylike, and smart, someone who shares Elend's love of books and politics, someone who's not a mistborn. That's why she rejected Elend's marriage proposal a year ago.

While being confused about her relationship with Elend, Vin also has someone else in her life that almost never leaves her side, and it irritates her as she unsuccessfully tried a few times to get rid of this companion. It's OreSeur, Kelsier's Kandra who now answers to Vin, as he calls her his Mistress. Vin hates OreSeur because he ate Kelsier's body and was pretending to be him when he died. But, OreSeur never leaves Vin's side no matter what she does to get rid of him, so Vin finally relents and lets him follow her around. However, one day, Vin, Elend and OreSeur found out that there's a human skeleton hidden in Vin's room, and they concluded that there's another Kandra in the palace pretending to be someone they know to spy on them. They realize that there's a high possibility the kandra is pretending to be one of the crew members since they're the ones who have access to the important information and meetings with Vin and Elend. However, finding out who the kandra is will not be easy, as OreSeur informed them, the kandra will be highly trained at imitating the person they're pretending to be and there's no way to make sure if one is a kandra or not unless they cut open their flesh. So, Vin, being an already paranoid person as a result of growing up a street urchin in a violent thieving crew, is determined to find that impostor.

Meanwhile, Sazed was away on his own journey, teaching the skaa in remote villages about religions and how to read and write, something that Keepers like him are supposed to do. Now that the Lord Ruler is dead, the Terris people are no longer hiding, and the Keepers are teaching people about their discoveries, knowledge, and memories. But, someday Sazed was visited by Marsh who asks him to come with him urgently to a place called the Conventical to find out more about something horrible that the Lord Ruler was threatening would happen in moments before he was killed, so Sazed agreed and they went together. At their destination, Sazed discovered an important message in a rubbing left by someone called Kwaan, someone who admits to being a fraud and used to be The First Witness to the Hero of Ages. And Sazed knows that the message is as important as Rashek's logbook and that he has to return to Luthadel to inform Vin and the Crew about it, so they can know more about the Deepness and the Hero of Ages. But, after he recorded the message into his metalmind, Sazed couldn't find Marsh and decided to travel to Luthadel alone.

However, in his lonely travels, he came across a mysterious skaa farming village. It was eerily too quiet and deserted for a village and there's a strange smell coming from the houses, and inside one of the houses, he found many dead skaa who seemed to be killed in a very strange way, and Sazed is highly suspicious of the mist, somehow, being the cause of those deaths. After leaving the house, Sazed was met with giant creatures who seem to be violent and have moments of violent outbursts toward each other. Sazed recognizes these creatures as Koloss, and they are as dangerous as they seem to be. However, they somehow were able to hold themselves back enough to not harm him, instead they escort him to their leader, who is revealed to be none other than Elend's former friend, Jastes Lekal. From their meeting, Jastes asks Sazed to deliver a message to Elend that he and his army of thousands of Koloss is coming to attack Luthadel and take it from Elend and his government.

When Sazed finally reaches Luthadel and meets with Vin, Elend and the crew, they realize now there are three armies outside Luthadel's gate, ready to attack. Their chances of survival are close to none. Will they be able to defend Luthadel against all of those armies? Who is the impostor among the crew? Who is the Watcher? Will Elend be able to be a proper king? What's gonna happen to Vin and Elend relationship? Is Sazed right in suspecting the mist of killing people? Read the book and prepare to be amazed by this epic ride with Vin and the crew.

🚨SPOILER ALERT🚨

From this point forward in the review, I may mention spoilers, plot twist and the ending. So, if you don’t wish to be spoiled, you can skip the rest of the review and come back to this review once you’ve finished reading this book.

My favorite things from the book AKA the reason I'm losing my mind for the last month:

VIN. Oh how do I put all these feelings into words? It feels like watching your favorite beautiful flowers that you planted from little seeds bloom and they're even more beautiful than you can ever imagine, it will probably make you cry. But it's not even their final form yet, because all of those seeds you planted will make a garden and they will continue to grow and amaze you. That's Vin to me. She continues to amaze me in this book with her character growth, in terms of her allomantic powers and personality, and I know she will only continue to amaze me in the next book. And not only that, even though there are moments when Vin annoys me so much, just like in the first book, I realized that is a painfully realistic depiction of how teenage girl Vin's age thinks and acts. Like Tindwyl wisely said, no teenage girl is stable, some are just better at hiding it than others. And as a former teenage girl, I do concur. Also, we have to take into consideration the complicated and tense position she holds as a powerful mistborn and the Heir to the Survivor. I really cannot blame Vin if she loses it sometimes, and to be honest she deserves all the praise for putting up with all of it and still making some great decisions even if she struggled at first. Honestly, I had to remind myself at times that this girl is only 17 years old.

One thing in particular I have to mention is her relationship with Elend, and the whole "love triangle" with Zane. But first of all, we need to talk about ✨THE INSECURITY ISSUES✨ that both Vin and Elend had, and how it is so painful to read. Both of them thought that the other deserves someone better than them, and felt inadequate to be a partner to the other. And the fact that these two could have easily worked it out if only they'd just sat down and talked it all through, but instead they decided not to, until much later in the book, is so frustrating. At one point in the book, Vin was acting differently towards Elend because she was scared that Elend saw her true self in that one fight scene where she literally blew the head of that misting assassin, and she was worried that Elend only weaponize her and was actually not in love with her (which is the product of Zane's manipulation), and Vin thought herself inadequate to be Elend's lover. While Elend thought that Vin was acting different because he's not King anymore, thus making him no longer worthy of Vin. At that point I was pulling my hair and just wanted to scream WHY CAN'T THEY JUST SIT DOWN AND TALK IT ALL OUT LIKE ADULTS?! Oh right, Vin is a literal teenage girl, not yet an adult. But they truly deserve each other, a perfect match, because both of them think that they're not worthy of the other's love, while the truth is the other one is truly in love with them. This is not cute though, it is frustrating to read. Like, guys!! You're together, you love each other, just freaking talk about your feelings to each other, be vulnerable. JUST DO IT.

But then again, it's realistic. Because communicating well and effectively and being vulnerable is so much easier said than done, and I guess that's just what happens to young people in relationships. And I'm so thankful for Sazed for being such a great relationship therapist for them, he's truly so amazing at almost everything he does. Also, after all that she has gone through, I think it makes total sense that Vin would have an anxious attachment type to her partner, which explains so much of her insecurity. And as for Elend, well, having Straff as a father would definitely affect his attachment style too. So, yes, it is realistic, but that doesn't make it less painful to read. But somehow, through it all, I found myself rooting for them and for their relationship to work, because if after all of those frustrations and emotions, they still don't work out, there's truly no hope for the rest of us.

But then, add the mysterious bad boy Zane into the mix, and make it all the more complicated, why don't you? And this is where I must admit, although I'm not proud of it at all, and this might be just my toxicity coming out of me, but I was kinda rooting for Zane and Vin to be together. I kinda wanted Zane to corrupt Vin, like come to the dark side, Vin! Wouldn't that be soo interesting to read? Lol, JK, I know Vin would never. But it's just one of those "What if" moments for me, because I liked Zane in the beginning, obviously before he turned toxic AF. Anyway, I think it's so, so easy for Vin to decide to be with Zane instead, it might be easier for her, even. Since Zane understood her in ways that Elend just couldn't, and they have many things in common. But, the fact that she changed her mind last minute, and it's all thanks to Elend for allowing her to choose her own ways and promising her that he would still love her no matter what she chooses to do, THEY GAVE ME NO CHOICE BUT TO SHIP THEM!! Honestly, this love triangle and insecurity issues made me see Vin and Elend relationship in a whole new light and contributed so much to my changing feelings and opinions about Elend too. It was an exhausting journey, but I'm glad that all of that whole love triangle happened, it makes the book all the more exciting.

Vin and OreSeur AKA TenSoon bonding over their traumatic and abusive past, and their beautiful friendship being born from that is one of the best things of this book. I mean, just look at the materials:

"“What kinds of things do you like, kandra?” she asked, turning to the creature, who still sat on the rooftop beside her. “What are your loves, your hatreds?” “I do not want to answer that.” Vin frowned. “Do not want to, or do not have to?” OreSeur paused. “Do not want to, Mistress.” The implication was obvious. You’re going to have to command me. She almost did. However, something gave her pause, something in those eyes—inhuman though they were. Something familiar. She’d known resentment like that. She’d felt it often during her youth, when she’d served crewleaders who had lorded over their followers. In the crews, one did what one was commanded—especially if one was a small waif of a girl, without rank or means of intimidation."

"“Anonymity. Hiding, even when you’re with others. Being quiet, unobtrusive. Forcing yourself to stay apart—emotionally, at least. It’s a way of life. A protection.” OreSeur didn’t answer. “You serve beneath masters,” Vin said. “Harsh men who fear your competence. The only way to keep them from hating you is to make certain they don’t pay attention to you. So, you make yourself look small and weak. Not a threat. But sometimes you say the wrong thing, or you let your rebelliousness show.” She turned toward him. He was watching her. “Yes,” he finally said, turning to look back over the city. “They hate you,” Vin said quietly. “They hate you because of your powers, because they can’t make you break your word, or because they worry that you are too strong to control.” “They become afraid of you,” OreSeur said. “They grow paranoid—terrified, even as they use you, that you will take their place. Despite the Contract, despite knowing that no kandra would break his sacred vow, they fear you. And men hate what they fear.” “And so,” Vin said, “they find excuses to beat you. Sometimes, even your efforts to remain harmless seem to provoke them. They hate your skill, they hate the fact that they don’t have more reasons to beat you, so they beat you.”"

"“People are strange, OreSeur, and loyalty is so often twisted. I stayed with Camon because he was familiar, and I feared leaving more than I did staying. That crew was all I had. My brother was gone, and I was terrified of being alone. It seems kind of strange now, thinking back.” “Sometimes a bad situation is still better than the alternative. You did what you needed to do to survive.” “Perhaps,” Vin said. “But there’s a better way, OreSeur. I didn’t know it until Kelsier found me, but life doesn’t have to be like that. You don’t have to spend your years mistrusting, staying in the shadows and keeping yourself apart.”"

"“You are human,” OreSeur said stubbornly. “You can have friends because they don’t worry that you’ll eat them, or some other foolishness.” “I don’t think that about you.” “Don’t you? Mistress, you just admitted that you resent me because I ate Kelsier. Beyond that, you hate the fact that I followed my Contract. You, at least, have been honest." “If you wish, I will free you from your Contract.” “And what would that change?” OreSeur asked. “I’d just get another Contract. By our laws I must wait another decade before I have time for freedom—and then only two years, during which time I won’t be able to leave the kandra Homeland. To do otherwise would risk exposure.” “Then, at least accept my apology,” she asked. “I was foolish to resent you for following your Contract.”"

"Vin nodded. “There were times in my life when I would have given anything to be able to take the form of a dog and just live my life being ignored.” “But not anymore?” Vin shook her head. “No. Not most of the time, anyway. I used to think that everyone was like you say—hateful, hurtful. But there are good people in the world, OreSeur. I wish I could prove that to you.” “You speak of this king of yours,” OreSeur said, glancing toward the keep. “Yes,” Vin said. “And others.” “You?” Vin shook her head. “No, not me. I’m not a good person or a bad person. I’m just here to kill things.” OreSeur watched her for a moment, then settled back down. “Regardless,” he said, “you are not my worst master. That is, perhaps, a compliment among our people.” Vin smiled, but her own words left her a bit haunted. Just here to kill things…."

I love them. I love their friendship. Even if one of them was lying to the other, in the end, I think their friendship helped to save Luthadel tremendously. I was kinda bummed in the end when TenSoon decided to leave after his master was killed and his contract was over. I was hoping that he'd stick around to help Vin, but I'm also happy for him because he finally doesn't have to be bound by a contract anymore. But I truly wish he'll return in the next book. This book did such a great job at humanizing the kandra, because in the previous book I just find them and their concept terrifying. But then we have OreSeur/TenSoon with all of these disturbing information about the kandra and how he was being a truly good friend to Vin, and it's coming out of his own will and not only following his contract, I find myself being so intrigued by kandra and wanting justice for their kind too.

I love the fact that Vin is having all of these identity crises in these books. Like when she was conflicted when she found herself wanting to wear dresses, but she thinks it was all just an act and that her true self is more homely and tomboy-ish, or she thinks that's what she should be and what she deserves. Again, the insecurity issues. Also when she found herself not liking and feeling good about killing so many people, even though Kelsier had no issues doing it, but then she realized she can in fact kill and be okay with it as long as it's to defend the weak and defenseless as she decided it is her purpose. She's okay with being a knife for the skaa and the people of Luthadel. And listen, I'm such a sucker for powerful women and this moment when she realized her purpose while being an absolute badass killing literal giants left and right is just 👌🏻🤌🏻🙌🏻🤯 absolutely iconic:

"She killed koloss after koloss, buying time for Sazed and the people to get a good head start. Something was different this time—different from when she’d killed at Cett’s palace. She felt good. It wasn’t just because she killed monsters. It was because she understood her purpose. And she agreed with it. She could fight, could kill, if it meant defending those who could not defend themselves. Kelsier might have been able to kill for shock or retribution, but that wasn’t good enough for Vin. And she would never let it be again."

And this moment when she gave us absolutely no choice but to stan her. And just the power that that has, the intelligence that that has, the clearance that that has, the access that that has, the influence that that has, the profile that that has, the international implications that that has... :

"Vin paused. “I’ve made some decisions. About who I am, and who I will be. About what I want.” She worked quietly for a moment, and finally got a spark to catch. “I’m tired of putting up with foolishness,” she finally said. “Other people’s foolishness, and my own. I’ve decided to act, rather than second-guess. Perhaps it’s a more immature way of looking at things. But it feels right, for now.” “It’s not immature,” Spook said. Vin smiled, looking up at him."

Our homegirl is finally sure of herself and decided to be the absolute kickass that she was always meant to be. I thought her glow up in the first book was great, this is even better. I just love reading her and fangirling over how badass but also soft, and how complex her character is.

Vin's relationship with the crew, her friends and that "how dare they not let me save them" scene. In this book, we get to see how not only Vin and Elend, but also the rest of crew grew from the end of book 1, and we get a lot more of Sazed, Breeze, Dockson, Clubs and Spook scenes in this, which is amazing and exactly what I wanted to book to have, but we also get to see how their relationship grew. That heart to heart Vin had with Dockson, the realization that Breeze is truly a good man despite his silly behavior, and Clubs being more caring than he seemed to be, how Ham is being more serious and how Spook has grown up. And when the crew decided to save Vin, Elend and Spook and sacrifice themselves to die in the Koloss siege of Luthadel, it's just so heartbreaking but also it shows just how much this crew has turned into a real family, because what parents wouldn't sacrifice themselves for the well-being of their children? And when Vin was running back to Luthadel to save them, I think that's when I cried the most in this book, truly one of the most touching friendship moments I have ever read:

"How dare they! she thought again. How dare they not give me the same chance that Kelsier had! How dare they refuse my protection, refuse to let me help them! How dare they die…. Her pewter was running low, and she was only a few hours into her run. True, she had probably covered an entire day’s worth of walking in those few hours. Yet, somehow, she knew it wouldn’t be enough. They were already dead. She was going to be too late, just as when she’d run years before. Too late to save their army. Too late to save her friends. Vin continued to run. And she continued to cry."

And to think that Kelsier's last words to Vin was how she still had so much to learn about friendship, imagine how proud he would be if he can see her now.

And finally, her "wedding". THAT wedding scene. Is that not the most poignant, raw and beautiful wedding scene EVER??? With all of the spontaneity and the blood and everything. And with the the two of them being there (well, three plus Sazed), it all just feels so intimate and so real, like they don't need anyone but each other (and Sazed to officiate the wedding), they don't need gowns and suits and flowers or any of that, they just need each other and their love is stronger than anything that's going on around them. I cannot get enough of it. I think I read that scene like 50 times now and I tear up every time.

ELEND. Oh wow, what a man, what a transformation. This man was honestly too nice and kind and morally good for his own good, to the point of him seeming to be a pushover sometimes, and I thought he was the epitome of the saying nice guys finish last. I mean, being dethroned because of the laws you yourself made?

But, I must admit, it really shows how morally good he is, which is a great and noble thing, although it does make his character boring. So, two things in this book, IMO, have improved his character tremendously. The first one is, of course, Tindwyl, obviously. And the second one is, being dethroned, because it leads to him realizing that he does in fact want to be king because he knows he had Luthadel and its people's (including the skaa) best interests, unlike other people who want to replace him. Also, it made his personality and nobility shine through, and even for a hater like I was, who hated that he became King instead of one of the crew, because he's a nobleman and seemingly a spoiled heir of a really powerful house in the country, I was amazed that he really wants to lead to improve the quality of the people of Luthadel and to build Luthadel back from the ground to be better for everyone living in it. I was amazed that he doesn't want to be King just for the title and glamour or anything like that. He wants to be king because he knows he had studied politics and good governance his whole life, and that his role in saving Luthadel and it's people was to be its King, and it's more of a form of service than power grabbing thing.

"He looked at Clubs. “And am I a good king, Clubs? In your opinion.” The general glanced at him, and Elend saw a harsh wisdom in his eyes. “I’ve known worse leaders,” he said. “But I’ve also known a hell of a lot better.” Elend nodded slowly. “I want to be good at this, Clubs. Nobody else is going to look after the skaa like they deserve. Cett, Straff. They’d just make slaves of the people again. I…I want to be more than my ideas, though. I want to—need to—be a man that others can look to.” Clubs shrugged. “My experience has been that the man is usually made by the situation. Kelsier was a selfish dandy until the Pits nearly broke him.” He glanced at Elend. “Will this siege be your Pits of Hathsin, Elend Venture?”"

Seeing him fail to keep his throne due to his own goodness becomes more sad and tragic than funny and ironic at this point, and I found myself rooting for him to regain his throne.

"But then the Collapse had come—the rebellion predicted in his books and theories coming to life. His beliefs hadn’t been able to continue as mere academic abstractions. And he’d come to know the skaa—not just Vin and the crew, but the workers and the servants. He’d seen the hope beginning to grow within them. He’d seen the awakening of self-respect, and of self-worth, in the people of the city, and it excited him. He would not abandon them. That’s what I am, Elend thought, pausing as he walked the wall. An idealist. A melodramatic idealist who, despite his books and learning, never did make a very good nobleman."

His character is a really good example of the reason why people say that kindness is a weakness, because good people expect everyone else to also be good, when in reality, some people are just not good, especially people in power. As the saying goes, power tends to corrupt. It got me questioning if idealists can be a good leader. I majored in International Relations & politics, and earned my bachelor degree 2 years ago, and every time I read about Idealism and Idealists, which I think what Elend is, I question if a person can really be an Idealist and be a good leader to their people, because it just doesn't seem realistically attainable, I would imagine that some of the choices you'll have to make while being a leader will sometimes contradict your good morals, but as a leader you must do those things anyway (wow i love how skeptic i sound here, i truly have no faith in politics and our leaders). In this book, from Elend's story, it seems that my hypothesis is true (although this is in no way scientific as this book is a piece of literary fiction). That's why I love Tindwyl for helping tremendously with his way of behaving, talking, dressing and even thinking, so that he can be a proper king, in his own way, and thus being his own kind of King, which is when I fully turned into an Elend stan.

I love when he finally steps into his role as a King and when he visits the Straff camp and threatens his own father, and when he confronts Jastes Lekal and even fights that Koloss. Now that's king shit right there, and he finally has that edge that makes him interesting.

He is the best boyfriend in the history of boyfriends. He's loving, supportive, attentive, trusting, romantic, respectful and just every good quality a partner should have, he possesses, and Vin is so very lucky to have him, and vice versa. I already explained in length about why I love Vin and Elend relationship so much, and part of that is Elend being the absolute best boyfriend, and then later, husband, to Vin:

"“I believe,” he said firmly, “that Vin is my wife, and that I love her. Anything important to her is important to me—and anything she believes has at least that much weight of truth to me. ""

And finally, him being a Mistborn and an Emperor in the end of the book. One of the reasons I'm so excited to read the 3rd book is to see how being a Mistborn Emperor will change him. Will he still be acting according to his good morals? Or will he turn to be more sinister? After all, he had been through a lot in this book, and he had decapitated his former best friend. I can't wait to read about him in the third book.

SAZED AND TINDWYL. Oh, do I even have the strength to talk about these two? I'm still reeling from Tindwyl's death and how Sazed now seems to be depressed. Just thinking about their love story just brings up all of these emotions in me, and her death is one of the reasons I was going to give it 4/4.5 stars. I mean, WHY DO YOU GIVE US THIS BEAUTIFUL LOVE STORY IF YOU'RE JUST GOING TO TAKE IT AWAY BY THE END OF THE BOOK?!!

I guess, all I can say is that it was fun while it lasted. I was so rooting for them to be together, I was rooting for them even more than I root for Vin and Elend. If anyone deserves to be happy in this series, it's Sazed. So, reading about him being happily in love with Tindwyl was such a great thing, but then Mr. Sanderson took it all away from me, just like he took Kelsier away.

ORESEUR/TENSOON. Yes, I know I have explained in length about how much I love Vin and OreSeur/TenSoon's friendship, but I think I need to also point out how awesome TenSoon is. I think he's so funny, every time Vin tells him something that he thinks is untrue or disagrees with, and Vin tries to convince him, he'll just shrug and say something like "Okay, Mistress if you want me to believe that, I will." CAN YOU BELIEVE THE SASSINESS!! You know that he's ABSOLUTELY judging her and her opinions and actions lol. I love his dry sense of humor. Also, I was so moved when he told Vin how he was abused by his previous masters, honestly, we need to fight for justice for Kandra, as well as for Skaa. It's truly time for these noblemen to stop abusing other beings and treating them like they're beneath them. Like I said before, I hope TenSoon comes back in book 3.

THE CREW: BREEZE, CLUBS, DOCKSON, HAM, AND SPOOK. I'm so happy to get more of these guys, and I miss their late night meetings so much, especially the funny banter from Breeze and Ham, and from Spook. It was some of the only light scenes in this book, and I really appreciate it. I also really appreciate that more sides to these characters that we didn't get in the 1st book, like how Ham is actually a great family man, how Dockson still despises noblemen even though he supports Elend and his kingdom, how Spook is actually just like other teenage boys who are looking for approval and wanting to be something more than an average boy, how Clubs loves to be an artist and cares more than he seems to be, and how Dockson is truly a good guy and is actually more sensitive and soft, and he is terrified of being a coward.

This crew has a special place in my heart, it's always a joy to read about them, and the heartbreak that I had to suffer due to Clubs and Dockson's deaths is excruciating. I was actually in shock and sobbing when I read their death scenes, it was sooo embarassing, thankfully nobody saw me. This series is so brutal in terms of killing off its characters, much more brutal than TSA, and I was caught off guard reading it. I trusted Mr. Sanderson so much that my favorite characters won't be killed off, and now I have trust issues. But this time, I'm not in denial. I can accept that they have died. They died heroically, and I can have peace with it, knowing that they're reunited with Kelsier and Mare in the heavens.

I love that Spook is playing a bigger role in this book than the first book, but his scenes are still too few for my liking. I hope we'll get more of him in the third book, as he deserves better.

ZANE. Listen, I want to preface this part by saying that I know Zane is awful, rotten and an asshole. I know, in this part, I might come across as a Zane apologist, but the truth is I absolutely do not condone any and all heinous acts that he's done in this book. But, you have got to admit that there are so many layers to his characters that I think we need to discuss. To me, he's the true main villain of this book. Yes, we have Straff, Cett, and Jastes, and their armies, but IMO, none of them posed a bigger threat than Zane, except maybe for the koloss. But I think, so far in this series, no character is as complex as he is, and he is the most interesting character in this book, to me. The guy is kept hidden his whole life because he was born illegitimately, and because his father is a power hungry sociopath. Imagine growing up never receiving any parental or any kind of love, and being abused. All the while, he was being weaponized, and knowing the sole purpose of his entire existence is to be his sociopath of a father's weapon. And knowing that his father never loved him, ever. Your worth is only as good as your powers. And watching someone else, your half brother, getting the public recognition as your father's son and heir, with all of the riches and resources you never had, from the shadows. Can you blame him for being so delusional that he convinced himself to be insane? I cannot even imagine how lonely and depressing that must've felt.

Also, can we talk about how shitty Straff actually is? On my list of the most hated characters/villains, he's listed pretty high up there. From book 1, we've learned that he's a shitty father to Elend, for trying to assassinate him, and when that failed, for leaving him in Luthadel hoping that Elend will die, among other things, notably his shitty treatment of skaa. But in this book, oh my God, is he just the absolute worst of the worst. If there's a person who's read this book and doesn't hate Straff, immediately I will not trust that person, based on that information alone. He's just the absolute worst, and his death scene is the most satisfying scene to read in this book, I had a great time reading that.

Okay, back to Zane. So, when he thought that Vin could be his ticket to a new and better life for him, it was just so sad. Reading about him wanting Vin to be with him so bad that he manipulated her and even in the end, wanting to kill her because she won't go with him, while it's repulsive and it boils my blood, it's also very sad, for him. And to think that, in the end, he still could not kill his ultimate source of pain and suffering, which is his own father, means that after everything he's been through, he still loves his father, and what blows my mind is that he even still thinks of him as his "father", even though Straff has done nothing anything parental or even just nice to him. I'm glad that in the end he was killed by Vin, because at least his suffering ends there.

In the first book, I mentioned how Reen (Vin's late older brother) deserved better, and how he's a really interesting character, for being morally grey and mysterious. I feel the same way for Zane in this book. He could have easily been a much more sinister and evil character, like killing Elend for being the heir for his father, or harming someone else in the crew, etc. Not saying that makes him good and that we should have given him an award for being not as big of a jerk as he could've been.

However, I do think he deserves recognition for that. Or maybe I just like morally grey characters, okay? Get off my back.

Speaking of my back, I'm also curious to find out what was that spike on his back? Is there a story behind it? Will we get more of Zane in book 3? But he's dead, isn't he? Is he coming back to life in book 3????

As much as I love this book, we need to mention the things that I don't really like in this book...

WHY OH WHY did Vin only realize that she could control the koloss after Clubs, Tindwyl and Dockson is killed? WHYYYYYY. I might be able to accept that Clubs, Tindwyl and Dockson are dead, but I think their deaths were unnecessary. When I read that scene, where Vin realizes that she had the ability to control the koloss, I was like SCREAMING. Like, you could have realized it sooner, Vin, COME OOONNNN. I was MAD. And to think that they knowingly sent Vin and Elend and Spook away so they could survive, and they knew they themselves would die... I really felt what Vin said, how dare they not let her save them???!!!

What is the point of Allrianne Cett? I feel like she's an interesting character, but was not treated well in this book. Her relationship with Breeze does not contribute anything to the plot, and when she asked her father to help Elend's army in the end, Cett didn't do it because of Allrianne, but because of his own political interests. She has allomantic abilities but is only using it for her own interests, and not contributing anything to help save Luthadel. So, I'm confused as to the purpose of having Allrianne in this book. Maybe in the third book she will play a bigger and more important role?

What is happening to Marsh? I swear to God, he deserves better than being an antagonist. I was already suspicious of him when he came and asked Sazed to come with him in the beginning, I felt that something was clearly off with him. But after everything he's been through, if he becomes a villain just because of some spirit or due to being an Inquisitor, I'm gonna riot, because MY BOY DESERVES BETTER, GODDAMMIT.

Here are my favourite moments from the book:

Everytime Vin and OreSeur/TenSoon are bonding.

When Elend came to Straff camp with Vin and threaten him with Vin's powers.

When Sazed asks Tindwyl to stay, after she asks him to.

When Vin blew that misting assassin's head in front of Elend (it's a bit dark, but I love it when Vin turns savage like that).

When Elend came into Jastes' camp and confronted him, and this scene happened:

"Elend groaned quietly, slowly becoming aware of the hard, ash-packed earth and weeds eaten down to their roots. A fallen twig was scratching his cheek. Odd that he would notice that, considering the pain in his chest. He stumbled to his feet. The koloss he’d attacked did not rise. Its companions stood, looking unconcerned, though their eyes were focused on him. They seemed to want something. “He ate my horse,” Elend said, saying the first thing that came to his clouded mind. The group of koloss nodded."

Vin & Elend's "wedding".

When TenSoon helped Vin, out of his own will.

That last fight scene between Vin and Zane, when Vin found a way to win a fight without atium against another mistborn who has atium.

When Sazed used his metalmind's powers and fought the koloss, even though he was never fought before.

When Vin was killing the koloss and saving Sazed.

When Vin finally kills Straff (that shock on his face worth all the atium lol).

And finally, here are my favorite quotes from the book:

"Anyone can claim loyalty, Vin thought. If someone has a “Contract” to ensure their honor, then all the better. That makes the surprise more poignant when they do turn on you."

"“Mistress!” OreSeur snapped. Vin spun. A man landed quietly behind her. He looked…familiar, for some reason. He had a lean face—topped with dark hair—and his head was cocked slightly in confusion. She could see the question in his eyes. Why had she fallen down? Vin smiled. “Maybe I just did it to lure you closer,” she whispered—softly, yet loud enough that she knew tin-enhanced ears would hear her. The Mistborn smiled, then tipped his head to her as if in respect. “Who are you?” Vin asked, stepping forward. “An enemy,” he replied, holding up a hand to ward her back. Vin paused. Mist swirled between them on the quiet street. “Why, then, did you help me fight those assassins?” “Because,” he said. “I’m also insane.” Vin frowned, eyeing the man. She had seen insanity before in the eyes of beggars. This man was not insane. He stood proudly, eyes controlled as he regarded her in the darkness. What kind of game is he playing? she wondered."

"“And your friends?” Marsh asked. This touched on something more personal. Sazed looked away, thinking of Vin, and of his vow to Kelsier that he would protect her. She needs little protection now, he thought. She’s grown more adept at Allomancy than even Kelsier was. And yet, Sazed knew that there were modes of protection that didn’t relate to fighting. These things—support, counsel, kindness—were vital to every person, and most especially to Vin. So much rested on that poor girl’s shoulders."

"“Kelsier was a great man,” Vin said quietly as Elend began to stroke her hair. “But…there were things about him, Elend. Frightening things. He was intense, reckless, even a little bit cruel. Unforgiving. He’d slaughter people without guilt or concern, just because they upheld the Final Empire or worked for the Lord Ruler. “I could love him as a teacher and a friend. But I don’t think I could ever love—not really love—a man like that. I don’t blame him; he was of the streets, like me. When you struggle so hard for life, you grow strong—but you can grow harsh, too. His fault or not, Kelsier reminded me too much of men I…knew when I was younger. Kell was a far better person than they—he really could be kind, and he did sacrifice his life for the skaa. However, he was just so hard.”"

"She closed her eyes, feeling Elend’s warmth. “You, Elend Venture, are a good man. A truly good man.” “Good men don’t become legends,” he said quietly. “Good men don’t need to become legends.” She opened her eyes, looking up at him. “They just do what’s right anyway.”"

"Breeze shrugged. “Manipulation works so well on a personal level, I don’t see why it wouldn’t be an equally viable national policy.” “That’s actually how most rulership works,” Ham mused. “What is a government but an institutionalized method of making sure somebody else does all the work?”"

"“You have good ideas, Elend Venture,” Tindwyl said. “Regal ideas. However, you are not a king. A man can only lead when others accept him as their leader, and he has only as much authority as his subjects give to him. All of the brilliant ideas in the world cannot save your kingdom if no one will listen to them.”"

""... Understanding theories of politics and leadership, Elend Venture, is not the same as understanding the lives of men who lived such principles.”"

"“Mostly, they talked about why the nobility were privileged and the skaa cursed. I guess they wanted us to understand how fortunate we were—though honestly, I always found the teachings a little disturbing. See, they claimed that we were noble because our ancestors supported the Lord Ruler before the Ascension. But, that means that we were privileged because of what other people had done. Not really fair, eh? Vin shrugged. “Fair as anything else, I guess.” “But, didn’t you get angry?” Elend said. “Didn’t it frustrate you that the nobility had so much while you had so little?” “I didn’t think about it,” Vin said. “The nobility had a lot, so we could take it from them. Why should I care how they got it? Sometimes, when I had food, other thieves beat me and took it. What did it matter how I got my food? It was still taken from me.”"

"“Is that all it is, then?” Elend asked. “Expressions and costumes? Is that what makes a king?” “Of course not.” Elend stopped by the door, turning back. “Then, what does? What do you think makes a man a good king, Tindwyl of Terris?” “Trust,” Tindwyl said, looking him in the eyes. “A good king is one who is trusted by his people—and one who deserves that trust.”"

"“Why?” God asked. “Why won’t you kill him?” Zane looked down at his feet. Because he’s my father, he thought, finally admitting his weakness. Other men did what they had to. They were stronger than Zane."

"Ham chuckled again. “That probably wouldn’t make for a very dignified retreat—getting slung over Vin’s shoulder and carried to safety.” “Better than dying,” Elend said, obviously trying to act good-natured, but flushing slightly at the same time. He loves me, but he’s still a man, Vin thought. How many times have I hurt his pride by being Mistborn while he is simply a normal person? A lesser man would never have fallen in love with me. But, doesn’t he deserve a woman that he feels he can protect? A woman who’s more like…a woman?"

"Vin studied the plump man, ignoring her headache, feeling a newfound sense of admiration. She’d always wondered just a little at Breeze’s placement in the crew. The other men were all, to an extent, idealists. Even Clubs, beneath his crotchety exterior, had always struck her as a solidly good man. Breeze was different. Manipulative, a little selfish—he seemed like he’d joined the crew for the challenge, not because he really wanted to help the skaa. But, Kelsier had always claimed that he’d chosen his crew carefully, picking the men for their integrity, not just their skill. Perhaps Breeze wasn’t an exception after all. Vin watched him pointing his cane at Ham as he said something flippant. And yet, on the inside, he was completely different. You’re a good man, Breeze, she thought, smiling to herself. You just try your best to hide it."

"“Vin isn’t…like other women.” Tindwyl raised an eyebrow, her voice softening slightly. “I think that the more women you come to know, Your Majesty, the more you’ll find that statement applies to all of them.”"

"I’ll do what I can, make the decisions as I see they must be made, Elend thought. Then accept the consequences."

"“It’s interesting,” he said, turning the coin in his fingers. “Many Mistborn stop seeing the value in coins. To us, they simply become something to be used for jumping. It’s easy to forget the value of something when you use it so often. When it becomes commonplace and convenient to you. When it becomes…just a tool.”"

"“All people are more complex than they first appear,” Tindwyl said. “Allrianne, for instance, is eager and young—perhaps a bit too outspoken. But she knows more of the court than many would expect, and she seems to know how to recognize what is good in a person. That is a talent many lack. “Your king is a humble scholar and thinker, but he has the will of a warrior. He is a man who has the nerve to fight, and I think—perhaps—you have yet to see the best of him. The Soother Breeze is a cynical, mocking man—until he looks at young Allrianne. Then he softens, and one wonders how much of his harsh unconcern is an act.” Tindwyl paused, looking at Vin. “And you. You are so much more than you are willing to accept, child. Why look at only one side of yourself, when your Elend sees so much more?”"

"“I feel uncomfortable in these clothes, sometimes. Everyone expects so much more from me when I wear them. They expect a king.” “When I wear a dress,” Vin said, “they expect a lady. Then they’re disappointed when they find me instead.” “Anyone who would feel disappointed to find you is too dense to be of any relevance,” Elend said. “I don’t want you to be like them, Vin. They’re not honest. They don’t care. I like you as you are.” “Tindwyl thinks that I can be both,” Vin said. “A woman and a Mistborn.” “Tindwyl is wise,” Elend said. “A bit brutal, but wise. You should listen to her.” “You just told me you liked me how I am.” “I do,” Elend said. “But I’d like you however you were, Vin. I love you. The question is, how do you like yourself?” That gave her pause."

"“Kill me, and you die, too,” Elend said. “And not just you. Your generals. Your captains. Even your obligators. She has orders to slaughter you all.” Zane took a step closer to Vin, his feet crunching slightly on the packed-down weeds that made up the floor of the camp. “Ah,” he whispered, “clever. No matter how strong your opponent is, he can’t attack if you’ve got a knife at his throat.” Zane leaned even closer, and Vin looked up at him, their faces just inches from each other. He shook his head in the soft mists. “But tell me—why is it that people like you and me always have to be the knives?”"

"“Your Majesty,” Tindwyl said carefully, “there is nothing immoral about securing your power during a time of chaos. People react irrationally during such times. That is one of the reasons why they need strong leadership. They need you.” “Only if they want me, Tindwyl,” Elend said. “Forgive me, Your Majesty,” Tindwyl said, “but that statement seems somewhat naive to me.” Elend smiled. “Perhaps it is. You can change my clothing and my bearing, but you can’t change the soul of who I am. I’ll do what I think is right—and that includes letting the Assembly depose me, if that is their choice.”"

"“You understand very little about women, Elend Venture—especially young women. To them, their competence has a surprisingly small amount to do with how they feel about themselves. Vin is insecure. She doesn’t believe that she deserves to be with you—it is less that she doesn’t think she deserves you personally, and more that she isn’t convinced that she deserves to be happy at all. She has led a very confusing, difficult life.”"

"His world is of papers, books, laws, and philosophies, she thought. He rides the words of his theories like I ride the mists. I always worry that he can’t understand me…but can I really even understand him?"

"“He’s a good person, Dox,” Vin said quietly. Dockson looked away. “I know that. But…well, every time I talk to him, I see Kelsier standing over his shoulder, shaking his head at me. Do you know how long Kell and I dreamed of toppling the Lord Ruler? The other crewmembers, they thought Kelsier’s plan was a newfound passion—something that came to him in the Pits. But it was older than that, Vin. Far older. “We always hated the nobility, Kell and I. When we were youths, planning our first jobs, we wanted to be rich—but we also wanted to hurt them. Hurt them for taking from us things they had no right to. My love…Kelsier’s mother…. Every coin we stole, every nobleman we left dead in an alleyway—this was our way of waging war. Our way of punishing them.”"

"Vin shook her head. “He knew who Elend was, and knew that I loved him. In the end, Kelsier was willing to admit that a good man was worth protecting, no matter who his parents were.” “I find that hard to accept, Vin.” “Why?” Dockson met her eyes. “Because if I accept that Elend bears no guilt for what his people did to mine, then I must admit to being a monster for the things that I did to them.” Vin shivered. In those eyes, she saw the truth behind Dockson’s transformation. She saw the death of his laughter. She saw the guilt. The murders."

"“A ruler should only lead by the consent of the people he rules.” “I do not disagree with that, Your Majesty,” Sazed said. “Or, at least, I do believe in the theory of it. Regardless, I still do not believe that your duty is to do as the people wish. Your duty is to lead as best you can, following the dictates of your conscience. You must be true, Your Majesty, to the man you wish to become. If that man is not whom the people wish to have lead them, then they will choose someone else.” Elend paused. Well, of course. If I shouldn’t be an exception to my own laws, I shouldn’t be an exception to my own ethics, either. Sazed’s words were really just a rephrasing of things Tindwyl had said about trusting oneself, but Sazed’s explanation seemed a better one. A more honest one. “Trying to guess what people wish of you will only lead to chaos, I think,” Sazed said. “You cannot please them all, Elend Venture.”"

"Finally, she shook her head. “This…thing between us, Zane. It isn’t what you think.” “What do you mean?” he said, stepping forward. She looked up at him. “I love Elend, Zane. I really do.” And you think that means you can’t feel anything for me? Zane thought. What of that look I’ve seen in your eyes, that longing? No, it isn’t as easy as you imply, is it? It never is."

"“While the Lord Ruler lived, I could never inherit,” Zane said. “You know how strict the obligators were. I grew up in the shadows, ignored. You lived on the streets—I assume that was terrible. But, think of what it would be like to be a scavenger in your own home, unacknowledged by your father, treated like a beggar. Think of watching your brother, a boy your same age, growing up privileged. Think of watching his disdain for the things you longed to have. Comfort, idleness, love…” “You must hate him,” Vin whispered. “Hate?” Zane asked. “No. Why hate a man for what he is? Elend has done nothing to me, not directly. Besides, Straff found a reason to need me, eventually—after I Snapped, and he finally got what he’d been gambling to get for the last twenty years No, I don’t hate Elend. Sometimes, however, I do envy him. He has everything. And still…it seems to me like he doesn’t appreciate it.”"

"Vin stood quietly. “I’m sorry.” Zane shook his head sharply. “Don’t pity me, woman. If I were Elend, I wouldn’t be Mistborn. I wouldn’t understand the mists, nor would I know what it was like to grow up alone and hated.” He turned, looking into her eyes. “Don’t you think a man better appreciates love when he has been forced for so long to go without?”"

"“And yet, here we are,” Breeze said. “I spent all day making skaa feel better about the fact that their families had been slaughtered. You spent all day training soldiers that—with or without your help—will barely last a few heartbeats against a determined foe. We follow a boy of a king who doesn’t seem to have a shade of a clue just how bad his predicament is. Why?” Clubs shook his head. “Kelsier. Gave us a city, made us think we were responsible for protecting it.” “But we aren’t that kind of people,” Breeze said. “We’re thieves and scammers. We shouldn’t care. I mean…I’ve gotten so bad that I Soothe scullery maids so that they’ll have a happier time at work! I might as well start dressing in pink and carrying around flowers. I could probably make quite a bundle at weddings.” Clubs snorted. Then he raised his cup. “To the Survivor,” he said. “May he be damned for knowing us better than we knew ourselves.” Breeze raised his own cup. “Damn him,” he agreed quietly.""

"Tindwyl sighed softly in the dim room. “Why do you never defend yourself, Sazed?” “What defense is there?” “There must be some. You apologize and ask forgiveness, but your apparent guilt never seems to change your behavior! Do you never think that, perhaps, if you had been more outspoken, you might be leading the Synod? They cast you out because you refused to offer arguments on your own behalf. You’re the most contrite rebel I’ve ever known.” Sazed didn’t respond. He glanced to the side, seeing her concerned eyes. Beautiful eyes. Foolish thoughts, he told himself, looking away. You’ve always known that. Some things were meant for others, but never for you."

"Sazed shook his head. “I am not a man from one of your biographies, Tindwyl. I am not even, really, a man.” “You are a better man than they, Sazed,” Tindwyl said quietly. “The frustrating part is, I’ve never been able to figure out why.”"

"“Give me an excuse, Sazed,” she whispered. “I should…very much like it if you stayed,” Sazed said, one hand in hers, the other resting on the tabletop, fingers trembling slightly. Tindwyl raised an eyebrow. “Stay,” Sazed said. “Please.” Tindwyl smiled. “Very well—you have persuaded me. Let us return to our studies, then.”"

"When you can’t have both freedom and safety, which do you choose…?"

"Vin gripped her knife with a shaking hand. She was growing tired of games. Elend had almost died. She had almost failed. Part of her, a burning part, wanted to do what she’d first been inclined to. To go out and kill Cett and Straff, to remove the danger the most efficient way possible. No, she told herself forcefully. No, that was Kelsier’s way. It’s not my way. It’s not…Elend’s way."

"“I have no wish to see you dead,” he said, turning. “And I certainly don’t want to see harm befall Elend.” “Oh?” Vin asked. “Even though he’s the one who had all the privileges, while you were despised and kept locked away?” Zane shook his head. “It isn’t like that. Elend is…pure. Sometimes—when I hear him speak—I wonder if I would have become like him, if my childhood had been different.” He met her eyes in the dark room. “I’m…broken, Vin. Maddened. I can never be like Elend. But, killing him wouldn’t change me. It’s probably best that he and I were raised apart—it’s far better that he doesn’t know about me. Better that he remain as he is. Untainted.”"

"“I had a chance to obscure a piece of the law,” Elend said. “At the last moment, I could have made the Assembly take me as king. Instead, I gave them a bit of information that was true, but which ended up costing me the throne.” “I’m not surprised,” Tindwyl said. “I doubted that you would be,” Elend said. “Now, do you think I was foolish to do as I did?” “Yes.” Elend nodded. “But,” Tindwyl said, “that moment isn’t what cost you the throne, Elend Venture. That moment was a small thing, far too simple to credit with your large-scale failure. You lost the throne because you wouldn’t command your armies to secure the city, because you insisted on giving the Assembly too much freedom, and because you don’t employ assassins or other forms of pressure. In short, Elend Venture, you lost the throne because you are a good man.”"

"“It’s easy to believe in something when you win all the time, Jastes,” Elend said, opening his eyes. “The losses are what define a man’s faith.”"

"Elend closed his eyes, pausing as he leaned a hand against the stone wall. I’ve been ignoring her lately. I’ve helped the city…but what good will it do to save Luthadel if I lose her? It’s almost like I don’t know her anymore. Or did I ever know her in the first place? It felt wrong to not have her with him. He had come to rely on her simple bluntness. He needed her genuine realism—her sheer sense of concreteness—to keep him grounded. He needed to hold her, so that he could know that there was something more important than theories and concepts. He loved her."

"She nodded, relaxing a bit beneath his arms. “I think…” she said. “I think I have to leave Luthadel.” “Leave? And go where?” “North,” she said. “To Terris.” Elend sat back, resting against the wooden wall. Leave? he thought with a twisting feeling. Is this what I’ve earned by being so distracted lately? Have I lost her? And yet, he’d just told her that he’d support her decisions. “If you feel you have to go, Vin,” he found himself saying, “then you should do so.” “If I were to leave, would you go with me?” “Now?” Vin nodded, head rubbing his chest. “No,” he finally said. “I couldn’t leave Luthadel, not with those armies still out there.” “But the city rejected you.” “I know,” he said, sighing. “But…I can’t leave them, Vin. They rejected me, but I won’t abandon them.” Vin nodded again, and something told him this was the answer she had expected. Elend smiled. “We’re a mess, aren’t we?” “Hopeless,” she said softly, sighing as she finally pulled away from him."

"“And Lord Venture fell in love with you,” Sazed said, “because you didn’t act like the other women. Despite Lord Kelsier’s interference, despite your knowledge that all noblemen were our enemies, Elend fell in love with you.” “I shouldn’t have let him,” Vin said quietly. “I need to stay away from him, Saze—for his own good. That way, he can fall in love with someone else. Someone who is a better match for him. Someone who doesn’t go kill a hundred people when she gets frustrated. Someone who deserves his love.” Sazed rose, robes swishing as he stepped to Vin’s chair. He stooped down, placing his head even with hers, laying a hand on her shoulder. “Oh, child. When will you stop worrying and simply let yourself be loved?”"

"“Few things are. Yet, I tell you this, Lady Vin. Love must be allowed to flow both ways—if it is not, then it is not truly love, I think. It is something else. Infatuation, perhaps? Either way, there are some of us who are far too quick to make martyrs of ourselves. We stand at the side, watching, thinking that we do the right thing by inaction. We fear pain—our own, or that of another.” He squeezed her shoulder. “But…is that love? Is it love to assume for Elend that he has no place with you? Or, is it love to let him make his own decision in the matter?” “And if I’m wrong for him?” Vin asked. “You must love him enough to trust his wishes, even if you disagree with them. You must respect him—no matter how wrong you think he may be, no matter how poor you think his decisions, you must respect his desire to make them. Even if one of them includes loving you.”"

"Tindwyl stood outside, arms crossed. “I think I would feel more comfortable in this city,” she said, “if I didn’t know that our Mistborn had the volatile emotions of a teenage girl.” “Lady Vin is more stable than you think,” Sazed said. “Sazed, I’ve raised some fifteen daughters,” Tindwyl said, entering the room. “No teenage girl is stable. Some are just better at hiding it than others.”

"“At first glance, the key and the lock it fits may seem very different,” Sazed said. “Different in shape, different in function, different in design. The man who looks at them without knowledge of their true nature might think them opposites, for one is meant to open, and the other to keep closed. Yet, upon closer examination, he might see that without one, the other becomes useless. The wise man then sees that both lock and key were created for the same purpose.”"

"She had to decide. Elend was the one she wanted to be with. He represented peace. Happiness. Zane, however, represented what she felt she had to become. For the good of everyone involved."

"“Zane?” Straff called from inside the tent. Zane paused again. “Why?” Straff asked, looking out through the slit. “I sent assassins to kill you. Why are you letting me live?” “Because you’re my father,” Zane said. He turned away, looking into the mists. “A man shouldn’t kill his father.” With that, Zane bid a final farewell to the man who had created him. A man whom Zane—despite his insanity, despite the abuse he’d known over the years—loved.""

"Zane stood, leaving the mistcloak behind. He turned from his father’s camp, leaving behind that which he had known, instead seeking the woman who would save him." "Zane took her hand, forcing her to look at him. He did look like Elend—like a hard version of Elend. Zane had been broken by life, just as she had been, but both had put themselves back together. Had the re-forming made them stronger, or more fragile? “Come,” Zane whispered. “You can save me, Vin.” A war is coming to the city, Vin thought with a chill. If I stay, I will have to kill again. And slowly, she let him draw her away from her desk, toward the mists and the comforting darkness beyond. She reached up, pulling out a metal vial for the journey, and the motion caused Zane to spin suspiciously. He has good instincts, Vin thought. Instincts like my own. Instincts that won’t let him trust, but that keep him alive. He relaxed as he saw what she was doing, and smiled and turned away again. Vin followed him, walking again, but she felt a sudden stab of fear. This is it, she thought. After this, everything changes. The time for decisions has passed. And I made the wrong choice. Elend wouldn’t have jumped like that when I took out the vial. She froze. Zane tugged on her wrist, but she didn’t move. He turned toward her in the mists, frowning as he stood at the edge of her balcony. “I’m sorry,” Vin whispered, slipping her hand free. “I can’t go with you.”"

"“I love you.” Vin paused, looking at Zane. He looked angry. Desperate, even. “I believe you. I still can’t go with you.” “But why?” “Because it would require leaving Elend,” she said. “Even if I can’t share his ideals, I can respect them. Even if I don’t deserve him, I can be near him. I’m staying, Zane.”"

"“You’ve been playing with me,” she said. “You drove a wedge between me and Elend. You made me think he feared me, made me think he was using me.” “He was,” Zane said. “Yes,” Vin said. “But it doesn’t matter—not the way you made it seem. Elend uses me. Kelsier used me. We use each other, for love, for support, for trust.” “Trust will kill you,” he said. “Then it is better to die.” “I trusted you,” he said, stopping before her. “And you betrayed me.” “No,” Vin said, raising her dagger. “I’m going to save you. Just like you want.”

"She’d tricked him, defeated him somehow. And now he was dying. Finally. “You know why I thought you’d save me?” he tried to whisper to her, though he somehow knew that his lips weren’t properly forming the words. “The voice. You were the first person I ever met that it didn’t tell me to kill. The only person.” “Of course I didn’t tell you to kill her,” God said. Zane felt his life seeping away. “You know the really funny thing, Zane?” God asked. “The most amusing part of this all? You’re not insane.

"“I’ve realized something about Kelsier,” she said quietly. “I always focus on the wrong things, when it comes to him. It’s hard to forget the hours he spent training me to be an Allomancer. Yet, it wasn’t his ability to fight that made him great—it wasn’t his harshness or his brutality, or even his strength or his instincts.” Elend frowned. “Do you know what it was?” she asked. He shook his head, still pressing the cloth against her shoulder. “It was his ability to trust,” she said. “It was the way that he made good people into better people, the way that he inspired them. His crew worked because he had confidence in them—because he respected them. And, in return, they respected each other. Men like Breeze and Clubs became heroes because Kelsier had faith in them.” She looked up at him, blinking tired eyes. “And you are far better at that than Kelsier ever was, Elend. He had to work at it. You do it instinctively, treating even weasels like Philen as if they were good and honorable men. It’s not naiveté, as some think. It’s what Kelsier had, only greater. He could have learned from you.”"

"“I believe,” he said firmly, “that Vin is my wife, and that I love her. Anything important to her is important to me—and anything she believes has at least that much weight of truth to me.""

"Sazed felt a chill. “Tindwyl,” he said quietly. “Why did you stay? There is no place for you here.” “There is no place for you either, Sazed.” “These are my friends,” he said. “I will not leave them.” “Then why did you convince their leaders to leave?” “To flee and live,” Sazed said. “Survival is not a luxury often afforded to leaders,” Tindwyl said. “When they accept the devotion of others, they must accept the responsibility that comes with it. This people will die—but they need not die feeling betrayed.”"

"“They expect to be saved, Sazed,” Tindwyl hissed quietly. “Even those men over there—even Dockson, the most practical one in this bunch—think that they’ll survive. And do you know why? Because, deep down, they believe that something will save them. Something that saved them before, the only piece of the Survivor they have left. She represents hope to them now. And you sent her away.” “To live, Tindwyl,” Sazed repeated. “It would have been a waste to lose Vin and Elend here.” “Hope is never wasted,” Tindwyl said, eyes flashing. “I thought you of all people would understand that. You think it was stubbornness that kept me alive all those years in the hands of the Breeders?”"

"“Do you know why I love you, Sazed?” she asked quietly. “I cannot fathom,” he answered honestly. “Because you never give in,” she said. “Other men are strong like bricks—firm, unyielding, but if you pound on them long enough, they crack. You…you’re strong like the wind. Always there, so willing to bend, but never apologetic for the times when you must be firm. I don’t think any of your friends understand what a power they had in you.”"

"Why am I doing this? she wondered. Why push myself so hard? Spook said it—Luthadel has to have already fallen. There is no need for urgency. And yet, she ran. She saw images of death in her mind. Ham, Breeze, Dockson, Clubs, and dear, dear Sazed. The first real friends she had ever known. She loved Elend, and part of her blessed the others for sending him away from danger. However, the other piece of her was furious at them for sending her away. That fury guided her. They let me abandon them. They forced me to abandon them! Kelsier had spent months teaching her how to trust. His last words to her in life had been ones of accusation, and they were words she had never been able to escape. You still have a lot to learn about friendship, Vin. He had gone on to risk his life to get Spook and OreSeur out of danger, fighting off—and eventually killing—a Steel Inquisitor. He had done this despite Vin’s protests that the risk was pointless. She had been wrong."

"Soldiers dropped their weapons and fled. Others remained, frozen with terror. Sazed stood at their back, between the horrified soldiers and the mass of skaa. I am not a warrior, he thought, hands shaking as he stared at the monsters. It had been difficult enough to stay calm inside their camp. Watching them scream—their massive swords out, their skin ripped and bloodied as they fell upon the human soldiers—Sazed felt his courage begin to fail. But if I don’t do something, nobody will. He tapped pewter. His muscles grew. He drew deeply upon his steelmind as he dashed forward, taking more strength than he ever had before. He had spent years storing up strength, rarely finding occasion to use it, and now he tapped that reserve. His body changed, weak scholar’s arms transforming into massive, bulky limbs. His chest widened, bulging, and his muscles grew taut with power. Days spent fragile and frail focused on this single moment. He shoved his way through the ranks of soldiers, pulling his robe over his head as it grew too restrictive, leaving himself wearing only a vestigial loincloth. The lead koloss turned to find himself facing a creature nearly his own size. Despite its rage, despite its inhumanness, the beast froze, surprise showing in its beady red eyes. Sazed punched the monster. He hadn’t practiced for war, and knew next to nothing about combat. Yet, at that moment, his lack of skill didn’t matter. The creature’s face folded around his fist, its skull cracking. Sazed turned on thick legs, looking back at the startled soldiers. Say something brave! he told himself. “Fight!” Sazed bellowed, surprised at the sudden deepness and strength of his voice. And, startlingly, they did."

"We’ve meant something. It’s all meant something. But was it worth the deaths of her friends? The fall of Luthadel? Without Elend’s protection, even this little village would soon be taken by one tyrant or another. She drank in the sounds of laughter. Kelsier hadn’t given up. He had faced the Lord Ruler himself, and his last words had been defiant. Even when his plans had seemed hopeless, his own corpse lying in the street, he had secretly been victorious. I refuse to give up, she thought, straightening. I refuse to accept their deaths until I hold their corpses in my arms."

"“Our real problem is follow-through,” Dockson said, making a final notation at Tin Gate, explaining what had happened there. He looked over the map. He’d never expected Sazed’s gate to be the last one to hold. “Follow-through,” he continued. “We assumed we could do a better job than the noblemen, but once we had the power, we put them back in charge. If we’d killed the whole lot, perhaps then we could have started fresh. Of course, that would have meant invading the other dominances—which would have meant sending Vin to take care of the most important, most problematic, noblemen. There would have been a slaughter like the Final Empire had never seen. And, if we’d done that…” He trailed off, looking up as one of the massive, majestic stained-glass windows shattered. The others began to explode as well, broken by thrown rocks. A few large koloss jumped through the holes, landing on the shard-strewn marble floor. Even broken, the windows were beautiful, the spiked glass edges twinkling in the evening light. Through one of them, Dockson could see that the storm was breaking, letting sunlight through. “If we’d done that,” Dockson said quietly, “we’d have been no better than beasts.”"

"I shouldn’t think about her, he told himself, closing his eyes. Yet, it was hard not to. Everything Sazed did, everything he thought, seemed wrong because she was gone. Lights seemed dimmer. Motivations were more difficult to reach. He found that he had trouble even wanting to pay attention to the kings, let alone give them direction. It was foolish, he knew. How long had Tindwyl been back in his life? Only a few months. Long ago, he had resigned himself to the fact that he would never be loved—in general—and that he certainly would never have her love. Not only did he lack manhood, but he was a rebel and a dissident—a man well outside of the Terris orthodoxy. Surely her love for him had been a miracle. Yet, whom did he thank for that blessing, and whom did he curse for stealing her away? He knew of hundreds of gods. He would hate them all, if he thought it would do any good."

"Which was more potent? The pain of memory, or the pain of forgetting?"

"This was the Deepness. Mists that killed. Mists that were slowly covering the entire land. The deaths were sporadic; Vin saw many falling dead, but saw others simply falling sick, and still others going about in the mists as if nothing were wrong. It will get worse, the Voice said quietly. It will kill and destroy. And, if you try to stop it yourself, you will ruin the world, as Rashek did before you. “Elend…” she whispered. She turned toward him, bleeding on the floor. At that moment, she remembered something. Something Sazed had said. You must love him enough to trust his wishes, he had told her. It isn’t love unless you learn to respect him—not what you assume is best, but what he actually wants…. She saw Elend weeping. She saw him focusing on her, and she knew what he wanted. He wanted his people to live. He wanted the world to know peace, and the skaa to be free. He wanted the Deepness to be defeated. The safety of his people meant more to him than his own life. Far more. You’ll know what to do, he’d told her just moments before. I trust you…. Vin closed her eyes, and tears rolled down her cheeks. Apparently, gods could cry. “I love you,” she whispered. She let the power go. She held the capacity to become a deity in her hands, and she gave it away, releasing it to the waiting void. She gave up Elend. Because she knew that was what he wanted.""

"Vin shook her head. “I am worse than the Lord Ruler. In the end, maybe he realized he was being tricked, and knew he had to take the power rather than release it.” “If he’d been a good man, Vin,” Elend said, “he wouldn’t have done the things he did to this land.” “I may have done far worse,” Vin said. “This thing I released…the mists killing people, and coming during the day…Elend, what are we going to do?” He looked at her for a moment, then turned back toward the city and its people. “We’re going to do what Kelsier taught us, Vin. We’re going to survive.”"

To be honest, that plot twist with Kwaan's message being corrupted, and Vin and the crew being gaslighted by the spirits into releasing them to the world was not something that I saw coming. But oh God did it make me excited for the last book in this trilogy. I'm kinda not yet ready and sad to have to say goodbye to this series, but also excited to find out how it all will end. So, I'll hold my breath once again and let myself be immersed in this epic fantasy world once again. Hero of Ages, here I come!

PLOT - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

WRITING STYLE - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ENTERTAINMENT LEVEL- ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

BOOK COVER DESIGN - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

OVERALL BOOK RATING - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

very quick scene from time travel boba

for @realizationin321 because they've been so hype and kind on all of my wip ask game posts (ღ˘⌣˘ღ) and i'm not above letting someone enable me

(in reference to this post. Obi is almost 18, Boba is 5, Jango is 22-ish. Obi-Wan has been stuck on Mandalore for almost two years.)

“You’ve never met him?”

It isn’t the first time one of their hosts has asked Obi-Wan this, nearly every Mando’ade that’s realised he only knows what Jango looks like from holos has been curious, but that doesn’t make it any easier to explain.

Hmming, Obi-Wan pulls their thin blanket up to cover Boba better, where he’s using Obi-Wan’s arm as a pillow and sleeping on his back like he has not a care in the world. Across the firepit, their current host lounges across several cushions, Kal Skirata’s gaze as discerning as it is friendly, and though many of the Mando’ade Obi-Wan has met in the past year claimed to personally know Jango Fett, he actually believes it of Kal.

“Truth be told,” Obi-Wan says with a small smile, “I hadn't even heard his name until I met Boba. Last my people heard, Jaster Mereel was the leader of the True Mandalorians.”

Kal snorts. “Jango was Mand’alor for all of a tenday before the Haat’ade were massacred.”

Obi-Wan hmms to himself again, not answering right away, as he brushes Boba’s curls off his forehead; Maker, but they both needed a haircut. “Many say he still is.”

“If he’s even alive!” Kal laughs, though there is no mirth in it. “But he never did pass the title on, so if he is alive, yeah, he’s Mand’alor still.”

The night sounds of the desert outside Kal’s tiny shack are actually comforting in their familiarity, Obi-Wan having grown quite accustomed to them since the start of his mission. Of Qui-Gon’s mission. Force, but is... is Qui-Gon even still looking for him?

He’d heard that Satine had been elected a duchess of sorts, but then nothing else, not with Vizsla and Death Watch keeping Obi-Wan and Boba on the run all over Manda’yaim; surely when Qui-Gon finished the mission, he had told the Council he was still missing?

Obi-Wan isn’t sure, because Qui-Gon certainly hadn’t told anybody after he was stranded on Melida/Daan.

The five year old in his arms snuffles, his closest hand twisting into the fabric of Obi-Wan’s borrowed tunic, and Obi-Wan gently taps his forehead against the side of Boba’s head in an almost-Keldabe.

Kal watches this all silently, but not without a tiny smile tugging at his lips. “Jango would be proud, how well you’re taking care of him.”

Obi-Wan blinks at him. “I’d rather thought he’d have a conniption if he knew who was taking care of him.”

“Hm, you’re not wrong about that. But Jango is weak for ad’e: one word from Boba and he’d be at your feet.” Something sly and amused crosses his expression, and Obi-Wan doesn’t trust it for a moment. Indeed, when Kal next opens his mouth, it’s “So how many Mando’ade have asked if you’re his riduur?”

“All of them,” he sighs. It had taken a little while, and he’d had to ask a random Mando in Cirillia about the meaning of the word, but, yes, Obi-Wan is well aware of the sorts of stories their different hosts are sharing about him. And he can’t even blame them, not when Boba calls him buir just as often as he calls him vod. “Boba certainly doesn’t help matters, with the way he talks about us both.”

“Y’know, I never really expected Jango to physically have a kid,” Kal says, sitting up a little straighter only to stretch out his legs until his boots almost touch the brazier. “A foundling someday, maybe, but he’s not... Kriff, I don’t know the word in Basic.”

Obi-Wan just chuckles, because even at seventeen, he knows the same about himself. “I believe the scientific term is asexual,” he murmurs, “But my people tend to just say Indifferent.”

Kal’s face scrunches, the shadows from the fire cutting him into even sharper relief. “Oh, that boy is far from indifferent.”

Laughing outright, because Boba had once said the same, Obi-Wan decides he likes Kal, even if he maybe doesn’t trust him enough to reveal that he’s a Jedi or that Boba is a clone, that Jango had gotten around his asexuality spectacularly to have a genetic child anyway.

Boba, of course, doesn’t know the details, but apparently Jango had never been secretive about his origins, and Obi-Wan only feels his respect for him growing. Maybe someday he’ll even get to meet the man, and see how much Boba’s hero worship had colored his stories.

“You said you got separated from your mentor.”

All at once, Obi-Wan’s good mood evaporates, Kal clocking the change with narrowed eyes, but Obi-Wan doesn’t know if it’s in sympathy or distrust.

“Over a year ago now,” he answers softly, glad their borrowed blanket hides him tightening his grip on Boba’s skirts.

“Wait,” Kal mutters, “that’s... You’ve been taking care of him that long? You’ve been on the run that long?”

“I couldn’t very well leave him behind, Kal.”

“You’ve been running from Death Watch, from Vizsla, on your own, for over a year.”

He’s quick to shake his head. “No, not alone: we wouldn’t have made it this long if it weren’t for the Haat Mando’ade and the old clans.”

Kal snorts. “That humility is quite the contrast to Jango’s arrogance, vod.”

“... Something tells me he will not return to Manda’yaim the same as he left it.”

Mando’a: Mando'ad/e — lit. “child/ren of Mandalore”, “Mandalorians” Haat'ad/e — lit. “true children of Mandalore”, True Mandalorians (slang shortened to Haat'ad/e) Mand'alor — “Sole ruler”, contended ruler of Mandalore Manda'yaim — the planet Mandalore ad/'e — “child/ren” riduur — “spouse”, “partner”; when gendered in Basic, “husband”, “wife” buir/e — “parent/s”, gender neutral vod/e — “brother/s”, “comrade/s”, “sibling/s”, technically gender neutral but used most often in fandom as “brother/s”

I was wondering what's things you like about each chapters in twst or your favorite event?I like hearing you takes on the fandom.Weather this can be the dialogue,relationships or exposition/world building.

Ex:I like the puns there cheesey but I find there funny or they get a smile out of me.

thank you and have a good day.

So far my favourite episodes in order are 4-6-1-2-3-5

Listen, 6 so far has the highest stakes, the most worldbuilding, lore, a really interesting plot going for it and insight on magic/blot, et cetera.  I also feel like it’s not just an aesthetic/mood thing with seeing that line greeting Ortho at the very end, it feels meta tying into the nature of what TWST’s universe actually is.   Objectively speaking it should be my favourite, but I am biased and still really love the story and drama in Episode 4. Jamil is so fucking extra doing desert death marches because he is That Bitch.

After that, 1 acts as a solid introduction to the initial routine of the story, and I think my favourite thing for it is Hanae Natsuki's performance as Riddle. He really ties it together, especially during the climax when Riddle starts flipping his shit. The intensity and emotion behind his voice really shines for me there.

2 is just. Objectively the worst of the episode writing. It really is. I've got nothing nice to say about how it goes about things nor what it does to the fandom's reading comprehension because it just fucking undermines Leona's character despite it being about him. This just ties into my enjoyment of control because I do enjoy the range of possibilities I can explore by looking at all that lost potential and discussing how it could've been so much more.

3 just honest to god does nothing for me. The Octatrio's whole schtick never appealed to me so I never felt much during their episode. That's really all there is to it. Its writing is fine, and Azul's backstory works well, but ultimately it hinges too much on the edge high schoolers roleplaying as some mafia club for me to have any real investment in it.

5 lost so much potential because 50% of it ended up just being idol training boot camp to showcase how overbearing Vil gets despite us already knowing that long before. It starts out strong, the middle slogs, and by the end it's just hopelessly confused on what characters it wants to focus on and focuses on, frankly, the wrong characters (like, seriously? Epel's magical 180 IMMEDIATELY after literally crying out of frustration, growing up under sexist ideas, having a long-standing conflict with Vil since the beginning of the year? And ONE instance is enough to change Epel's mind? Miss me with that shit, they just didn't want to deal with actually exploring Epel's shitty mindset, and actually having him gradually and NATURALLY learn on his own and just paints all of Vil's bullshit as 'actually correct'. What Vil SAYS is right, about Epel's sexism, yes. But the way he goes about it never gets addressed in a satisfactory way without some other dipshit ruining the scene (usually grim or ace for the sake of 'comedy' or whatever).

Not to mention Deuce having so much spotlight compared to Jamil and Kalim, when in previous episodes the dorm members assisting in other Episodes had plenty of good moments showcasing their skills at their best compared to Kalim getting one (2) meaningful scenes.

I could go on more eloquently about Episode 5's identity crisis but that's a post for another day.

By far and large my favourite event is (again, biased) Al'ab Nariya - it came as a pleasant surprise that it wasn't 100% orientalist bullshit. It's a fun event learning about the Scarabia duo's city AND we get Najma Viper, a true icon.

After that, I think the Star-Sending event is my favourite.  It’s just a fun event with nice insight on characters’ desires (minus Leona, Vil, etc you know the usual characters TWST has a death grip on when it comes to writing them) and ambitions.  Also the outfits slap.

 I do appreciate GM for going against the grain and criticising the usual ‘true love’ expectations of idealising what a proper ‘lover’ (specifically prince but i digress) should be like, and how being uncompromising in that isn’t healthy.  I also think it adds interesting depth to the event characters in it.

Halloween Round 1 certainly happened.  I like Round 2 better, it has a solid start, a fun middle, but the ending feels really anticlimactic even if logically speaking everyone expected it to be that way since it involves the game’s ‘poster boy’ and how hyped up his powers are, alongside playing into that concept of Fae and their fucked up sense of humour/morality.  I REALLY don’t like how they somehow justified all the bullshit that happened considering everyone else thought they were in genuine danger and somehow that was THEIR fault despite the shit going on?  Hello?

Beans Day just doesn’t do it for me lol.

Meanwhile I wish I could enjoy Fairy Gala since it has my faves in it but it's just Advanced Racism/Colourism and I can't wait for another round of bullying the fandom over it if the EN localisation doesn't roll a 20 on intelligence when translating it.

The stamp rally homeland events generally I see being my favourites down the line, but Grim's especially insufferable in the Harveston event and I need to writers to understand having a godforsaken mascot CONSTANTLY interrupting interesting dialogue/scenes to complain about being hungry is just lazy writing and a sign of not having a single funny bone in their body if this is their idea of humourous characterisation.

Take me!

Paul Lahote X Female Reader

Prompt # 8, 5 “Take me, kill me not him” “I Love you; I’ve always been in love with you. I will always be in love with you.”

Word Count: 528

Warning: blood, character death, self-harm

Idea: Some vampire has a hold on Paul, and you offer yourself to the vamp for Paul’s safety. Once the vampire lets him go, he’s able to kill it.

-----------------------------------------------

Your worst nightmare was happening right before your eyes. The love of your life in his wolf form struggling to get out 2 vampire’s grips. You did not know what to do. Until an idea hit you.

The third wife from the legends Billy always told was put into a similar positions’ 100’s of years ago. She watched as her people where slaughtered to death by the cold ones. You knew what you had to do than and there.

“Take me! Kill me not him” You offered yourself to the cold creatures that stood in front of you. Shaking there heads they laughed at you.

“You don’t have anything for use. This beast on the other hand dose” The red headed women spoke.

Recalling the legends ‘And then the third wife did something the cold woman did not expect. She fell to her knees at the blood drinkers’ feet and plunged the knife into her own heart.’

Looking around for the sharpest object you found Paul’s shorts. And inside laid his favorite pocketknife. With all the courage you had you flipped it open, so the blade flipped out. Taking a deep breath, you ran towards them.

“that won’t kill us you human” the other cold one said. But you weren’t intending to hurt them. With about 4 feet between you and Paul you mouth a ‘I’m sorry’ and with it you took the blade and stabbed yourself into your abdomen.

The scent of blood now was prevalent in the air as the vampire’s eyes turned to you fangs barring in your direction. Now focused on you it gave Paul the perfect chance to rip both their heads off. Phasing back into a human as fast as he could once he knew the blood suckers were done for, he returned to you.

“No no no. Not like this y/n. Why the hell did you do that” He shouted knee besides you as he picked you up in his strong arms.

“you would do it if things where flipped” You could barely speak. The blood oozing all over the both of you. The feeling of a void was pulling you away. Closing your eyes became the only thing you could think about now.

“Hey, don’t you do that keep your eyes on me. Come on ill get you to Emily’s and shell fix you right up” his brain was going a thousand mile per hour. He had to save you; you couldn’t die in his arms. This wasn’t supposed to be your end. You were supposed to grow old with him.

“Paul- “you choked blood starting to come up in your mouth. You were running out of time he couldn’t save you.

“y/n don’t you dare close your eyes you hear me. I Love you; I’ve always been in love with you. I will always be in love with you. You hear me” he shouted, tears now streaming down his face as he stood up with you still in his arms. That’s when he felt it, your body going limp.

“Oh god no” crying he sat back down rocking you in his arms as he stroked your hair. “don’t go.”

 --------------------

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Oh lord your work has honestly has got to be one of the things that truly cemented me into being a Jason fan when I started to enter the fandom. I just wanted to ask; Has Dick or Bruce ever seen Jason (or even Jessie; im a fuckibg lesbian for her) while they were at a low point? Or have they ever seen something in Jay's behavior that seriously made them stop and think for a moment?

Oof-!!! o-okay. I wasn't ready for this. So many responsibilities??? Thanks and welcome!  XD 

*****

> Have they ever seen something in Jay's behavior that seriously made them stop and think for a moment? 

This goes for Jay and Femjay 

For Dick: No. Dick and Jason aren’t close. They know each other through Bruce who is this deforming prism between them: lingers even in his absence. This + a lack of a relationship = Dick's empathy sleeping where Jason is involved since day one. Meanwhile, Jason just doesn't trust Dick nor expect his sympathy as the replacement goldfish Bruce picked up (or the outlaw Jason later become). They avoid/ignore rather than seek/antagonize each other (unless the situation demands violence). Hence, it’s not granted Dick could recognize the moment for what it was and not chalk it up as “classic Jason”. 

As for Bruce: short answer is YES. Their whole history is paved with moments where Bruce has (usually late) epiphanies about Jason and himself. And this’ pretty much how Jason got benched after a rapist went flying through a balcony to meet the concrete twenty floors lower.

More to say, so long AF rant below the cut. Mostly about canon interpretation I use for characterisation + some side notes about Femjay at the very end. The essential is above tho.

Starts with “Batman the Cult”: 

Aka Batman goes missing while investigating an underground sect that kidnaps homeless people. When Jason finally finds him, Bruce is a drugged, tortured, half-raving mad man on a pile of corpses who've been living in the sewers for weeks. Jason tries to bring Batman to his senses and at the surface but he's so damaged in and out that Robin has to guide him back home like a lost child. Eventually they get surrounded by the cult members. After a "it was an honor to meet and fight with you sir" Robin got outflanked. Begs Bruce to help as a crowd of drugged hobos tries to literally tear him apart. Jason is like 14-15yo and it takes these three "adult fears" in a row (child going “yolo” + child protecting the powerless adult + watching child get almost killed) for Bruce to finally fight back and save the day.

Which brings us to the following event: The rapist and the balcony :p. Bruce can't prove if Jason committed the crime or not so the act in itself isn't the point. Jason admitting he didn't try to catch the falling rapist, no feeling remorse to potentially causing someone's death is what alarms Bruce here.

Between the Cult and this, for me it's definitely when Bruce first gets blessed with many epiphanies; 1) Jason’s attitude toward death, his or the crooks' lives, his soldier-like devotion to Bruce during the Cult is alarming. 2) Turns out Jason have different opinions regarding Justice, the right to redemption or vigilantism. Opinions that are pretty irreconcilable with Bruce’s. 3) He's not shaking the grip Gotham has on the boy at all (his reason or excuse to take Jason in at first.)  4) Jason's indulging Bruce and playing by his rules because love and respect (he hopes), not because Jason understands or believes in Bruce's methods or share his creeds. 5) He may had been emotionally compromised when he took in Jason (as Dick accuses him to be) and had been making thing worse for the boy, failing Jason as a mentor/guardian and an adult.

As the “greatest detective”, it weighs on Bruce that he ultimately failed Jason in knowing the boy and providing what he needs; his guilt and irresponsibility catching up to him all at once. From Bruce’s perspective, this has cost a man's life and Jason’s “innocence”, simply because he (or anyone) didn’t manage to see Jason for who he is; a more troubled child than he or Dick ever was, and that despite having all the clues in the world to figure it out.  In result Jason and Robin are benched. Jason dies before Bruce can find what he should do. That's it. UTRH could be seen as Jason at a low point I guess. But special mention to when Bruce "walks away" to not choose between Red Hood and Joker before aiming a batarang at RH's gun, Jason sits down in silence and simply gives up; resigned to wait for the bomb to blow up, not caring if Bruce or Joker get away or die with him. A stark contrast to how determined and mouthy he's been until then. Jason "accepts" what he sees as Bruce's choice: that Joker is more or equally as important to him than Jason. Bruce has to pull him away from the worst of the blast so it's fair to say that he must notice. It doesn't manage to make Bruce stops and thinks, but the conclusion to that story on Bruce's side this time is that while Jason is back and alive, the event in UTRH achieved to kill the boy he knew and lost. 

As for femjay, here a bit more trivia just for her AU:

Dick first thought after discovering that new Robin was a tomboy, whom Bruce also addresses or presents as one 90% of the time does alarms him a bit in the midst of his confusion. But when he half-questions Jason about it, she mocks him about this incident and shuts him off with a "none of your beeswax". Fuming, Dick brushes it off as being some kind of pervert game between Bruce and Jason, be it Bruce trying to replace and hurt him, introverted misogyny, lesbian culture or whatever. None of his beeswax. He doesn't look deeper into it. He leaves Gotham and only comes back for her "funeral". As a general rule, looking into Jason- related stuff and not minding his business when she is involved, always ends up biting Dick in the arse.

Bruce never really brushes the subject of what Jason may have done or not in order to survive on the streets for two years or why her parents gave her a boy name. He takes what Jason gives him on this (which is little) and doesn't pry into it further since Jason's medical checkups are fairly good and promising. Jason is a girl who prefers to blend in as a boy and Bruce plays along, secretly relieved because Bruce has no idea how to deal with a pre-teen/teenage girl. So yeah; he's scared and this is a blessing for him and she looks happy like that. Bruce avoids using pronouns to avoid confusion himself (which is partly why Dick got so confused by Jason's gender when they first met).

Nobody but Alfred realizes she starts corseting herself with bandages and a sports bra by the end of second year at the manor. Or that she buys pads and razors on the dozen with who knows what money since she asks for nothing. Old-fashioned Wayne's British butler is barely more at ease with Jason's womanhood than Bruce, but Al does take the initiative to give her an allowance so she can buy underwears when she first arrives. He simply raises that allowance to cover her new needs with a cryptic and awkward explanation. But because Jason doesn't know how to choose a bra she sticks to what she knows, aka; keeps wearing a sports bra and flattening her chest as best as she can while residing at the Manor. By the time she comes back as Red Hood, Jason is too curvy to hide so she doesn't. Also; Talia... While she still was only trying to use Jason against or to win Bruce back, she's appalled to learn what Jason used to do to her breasts, and took pity of her. She forcefully take Jason out shopping for her first actual bra at 17-18 yo and teach her some more basics.

The Pain You Feel

Note: This was supposed to be longer one-shot, but I didn’t find it in me to continue after writing that ending, so yeah. Enjoy.

Masterlist

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Rain pours from the cloudy sky. It’s depressing to watch as an entourage of grievers meets up in the same location, a large tombstone.

“They were taken away from us too soon. May their souls find peace in the afterlife.” A voice states over the tears and rain of the environment. No one’s cries were louder than the small dark-haired girl standing in front. Her once bluebell eyes clouded by a mist of tears and sadness. She looks as if she’s about to collapse, and she would have if it wasn’t for the dark-haired male standing behind her, gripping her shoulders.

“Why, why did it had to be them?” She whimpers, but her voice was cracking. No one dared to answer the young child. They couldn’t; there was no right answer.

Greed? Did her parent’s killer want money? A lost soul? Crime Alley is full of them? There just wasn’t an answer that could be given.

“Bruce, why?” She turns to the male behind her. The male, Bruce, couldn’t look her in the eyes. How could he? Survivor’s guilt, perhaps?

As he formulates an answer, he couldn’t; he looks around for help. No one could.

“It is best for the young mistress to get her beauty sleep. She has had quite the day.” The voice attracts everyone’s attention.

“Alfie, but I’m not sleepy. I want answers.” She’s a smart child, no doubt, and couldn’t be more than six years of age.  Her cries were becoming even louder.

It becomes a tug-a-war of emotions.

Alfred, the family’s butler, kneels to his charge and pulls her in for a hug. Bruce could only grip his arm tightly. This should not be happening. He and his family should not be going through such an event, and yet, here they were.

The child is carried away by the butler back into the manor. The funeral goes on. No one speaks of the child for the rest of the night.

----

From a young age, Marinette has dealt with pain; it was all that she knows. She still doesn’t understand why they try to hide it from her. It doesn’t work.

Marinette watched the aftermath of Thomas & Martha Wayne’s death (her parents) tear the family apart. She, herself, was sent away from Gotham to live in Paris, France, with a family friend who was struggling to have children of their own.

That didn’t last long. Not long after she began to live with them, the wife, Sabine, bore a child. It was a girl. They ended up doting on their young one, forgetting about the older child they have taken in from the bottom of their hearts.

She was slowly forgotten by her brother, as Bruce would visit at random and then nothing. They haven’t spoken in person for nearly a decade. Sure, he would send small gifts on her birthday, but nothing more. And to this day, she believes that it was Alfred that brought the gifts. Never once had she meet the children he had taken into his care.

First, it was Richard, then it was Jason, and finally, there was Timothy. She stopped caring after Timothy’s public adoption announcement and is pretty sure that others showed up after him.

If the pain wasn’t from her close family, then it was from her peers, people who she grew up with and platonically loved. That pain came from an eye-opening source by the name of Lila Rossi. Rossi could lie about anything her heart could dream of, and her peers (classmates) would believe it, even when the facts proved it wrong.

They never bully her, but the emotional impact of them not trusting her and continuously use her for personal gain did a number on her wellbeing and mental state.

She was constantly in a somewhat toxic environment, and that lasted until she was eighteen. And even after that, her emotional wellbeing was damage, and she couldn’t trust anybody.

She was twenty-five when she finally returns to the Wayne manor. It’s been over twenty years since that fateful night. It was her first real home and the start of her life of pain.

Alfred promised her that she’ll be alone when she entered. It was perfect as she just wanted to say her grievances and say her goodbyes to her parents.

The Wayne Garden will always be a beautiful sight. She remembers dancing through the flower beds against Martha’s wishes, but the laughter the two shared told a different story.

There, written in stone, lays her parents’ name. She can barely remember their faces and the large portrait of them did her no justice. It wasn’t real like her memories. It was staged.

“Hi mom and dad, it’s me, Marin Etta…” Marinette struggles to find the words she wanted to say.  

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Chapters: 3/? Fandom: 빈센조 | Vincenzo (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Vincenzo Cassano | Park Joo Hyeong/Hong Cha Young Characters: Hong Cha Young, Vincenzo Cassano | Park Joo Hyeong Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, vincenzo leaves, set five years after he left sk, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, vincenzo and cha-young are exes, they were in a relationship before, Fake/Pretend Relationship, jealous!vincenzo, Jealousy

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO @trynatalktou FOR BEING THE BEST BETA I COULD’VE ASKED FOR. THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO HER!

Summary: Time stops, or so it seems. Vincenzo is petrified, beautiful statue of a man turned into stone. Her eyes follow the high bridge of his nose, the sharp angle of his jaw and the curves of his slender hands gripping the coffee mug. Ah, she thinks. This is how Pygmalion fell in love with Galatea.

listen to this spotify playlist while reading if you want to suffer

Cha-young doesn’t dream that night; she barely sleeps 5 hours before she finds herself knocking on Vincenzo’s door at 6 am. She can’t help it, being in a room just underneath his, so close after all those years apart. Yet, she doesn’t want to show him mercy. She’s here to torment him, the way his absence had tormented her for years. Maybe she wasn’t thinking clearly, maybe she probably shouldn’t seek him out first, or at all. 

In reality, Cha-young knows damn well that she’s trying to find an excuse to be with him, not that she would ever admit it to anyone. 

So there she is, pounding on his door at 6 in the morning. He stands there, wearing one of his expensive pyjama sets, dark circles sitting under his eyes. She can’t quite tell if she’d woken him up or if he hadn’t slept yet.

“Did you even love me?”, she greets him. Good morning is overrated anyway. 

He sighs, letting her through. “You know that.” 

“No, I don’t. I don’t know anything anymore, Vincenzo.”

She stops in her tracks, the world suddenly spinning around her. He’s standing behind her, a mere arm length away. She’s stuck in his gravitational pull, a planet orbiting around its sun. The sharp sensation of her nails digging into her palms is enough to get her moving. She sits on the couch, the same one she’d sat in just a few hours ago. 

“I did. I do.” He clears his throat, looking away. “Love you, I mean.” 

She nibbles on her lower lip, trying (and failing miserably) to ignore his use of the present tense. He loves her, still. She shakes her head. 

“Well, you seemed to be living well without me.”, her expression turns sour. Was it love to hope he’d grieved her loss as much as she had grieved his? 

Vincenzo finally settles in the chair facing her, running a hand through his hair. “There was a point where I wasn’t sure… I wasn’t sure if I would make it.” He winces. “During that time, my only salvation was knowing each day brought me closer to death.” He looks at her, gaze so intense it pierces right through her heart. 

She scoffs, “And I’m the dramatic one, huh?” 

That gets a laugh out of him, and suddenly they’re back where they first started, complicit smiles and knowing looks - them against the world. 

“Coffee?” he asks, eager to keep up the pleasant atmosphere. There’s still a lot that needs to be said, but she relaxes her shoulders, welcoming the lighter turn their conversation is taking. 

“Yes, please.” 

He busies himself with the instant coffee, that same yellow brand he’d gotten hooked up on while they worked together. “So what have you been up to, exactly?” 

“Jipuragi Law Firm just opened a new office in Busan, things are going well. It’s nice, we get to help people who need it. Probably not as exciting as being in a mafia war or whatever.” 

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” he gives her a cup of coffee and sits down next to her on the couch. There’s a safe distance between them, but there’s no point trying to shush the deafening beat of her heart. “Your father would be proud of you, Cha-young-ah.”

“You think?”, she sips on her coffee. She looks up from her mug, only to find him examining her face. His lips curl in a soft grin, and Cha-young thinks that maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be so bad if she kissed it. 

The loud ringtone startles her out of the daydream, and she’s not sure if she’s supposed to be annoyed or thankful. She picks up the phone. “Mmh. Okay. See you soon,” she drags out the last word, using the endearing tone she reserved for those closest to her. Mr. Kwon, her assistant, was asking her to eat breakfast with the team. 

“I have to go.”, she tells him, getting up from the couch. 

He takes her mug from her, “I didn’t realise you were here with someone.” 

She hears it loud and clear, in the way he fakes nonchalance and keeps his voice cautious. He’s asking her if she’s with someone and part of her wants to reassure him that No. There is no one else beside you. But then she thinks of the countless times where she’d cried herself to sleep, memories of them echoing into her mind and his absence carving a hole into her heart, and she can’t help herself. He had wounded her fatally and it was her turn to injure him. 

“Mmh.”, she’s not lying, technically. She’s there with someone, with people actually, just not in the way he means. 

Time stops, or so it seems.Vincenzo is petrified, beautiful statue of a man turned into stone. Her eyes follow the high bridge of his nose, the sharp angle of his jaw and the curves of his slender hands gripping the coffee mug. Ah, she thinks. This is how Pygmalion fell in love with Galatea. 

The empty mug drops to the ground and the spell is broken. Brought back to life, Vincenzo collects the shattered pieces of the cup, and of his heart, too. “Is he a good person?”. Unlike me, he means. 

Cha-young has to remind herself that he deserves this, that this is his fault. “Mmh”, she repeats. “He is.” 

He’s back to the coffee station, his back to her. “I’m happy for you.”, his voice is tight. 

“Thank you.”, she’s almost at the door when she stops. “Maybe...Maybe we could be friends.”

He turns around, finally facing her. The distance between them, from one side of the room to the other, feels insurmountable. 

“Perhaps. If that’s okay with you.”, he answers. 

She doesn’t know what to say, so she stays silent. Is it possible for them to be anything else other than a tragic ending? 

“Perhaps. If that’s okay with you.”, he answers. 

She doesn’t know what to say, so she stays silent for a while. Would it ever be possible for them to be anything other than a tragic ending? 

She finally settles on a simple, “See you around.” An open ending, then. 

She’s cursing herself out the moment she leaves the room. What was she thinking? Cha-young had just lied to Vincenzo about being on holiday with her imaginary boyfriend. No, she corrects herself, she had simply misled him and he should’ve known better. 

She could picture it already; his aggravating smirk, raised eyebrows and insufferable “Oh, is that so?”, after she’d have to inevitably come clean. If only she hadn’t been so impulsive. Vincenzo would figure out her motivations the moment she’d admit to the lie; she wanted to see him jealous, to make him think she was doing better without him, that she was over him. He would see through the façade she had worked hard to maintain. 

Flushing at the thought of the colossal humiliation she would suffer, Cha-young scolds herself. Focus. This was a war that she needed to win. Like a general preparing for battle, she squares her shoulders and summons her most loyal soldier.

“Hey, it’s me. I have a favour to ask. Can you be my boyfriend for the next two weeks?” 

<>

At 37 years old, Kwon Ji-hwan considered himself to be a resilient man with a good head on his shoulders. In the four years he has been working for Ms. Hong, carrying out tasks outside of his job description was far from rare. Those included, but were certainly not limited to: picking her up after she’d drunk too much, infiltrating a yoga class to seduce a corrupt official’s wife, impersonating a law enforcement officer and hijacking an ambulance. In Ms. Hong’s vocabulary, a “favour” almost always meant something illegal. Despite her… methods, Ji-hwan enjoyed working for her greatly. The hours might have been long but the satisfaction of winning against the odds of powerful corporations made up for it. Also, the pay was really good. Still, as used to her antics as he was, he would’ve never expected her to ask something so absurd of him. 

Sitting there, in Ms. Hong’s hotel room (which, by the way, was way nicer than the regular ones she’d gotten for her employees), Ji-hwan cannot believe what he’s hearing. 

“Let me get this right,” he says, adjusting his glasses with his index finger. “You want me to pretend to be your boyfriend in front of your ex, who you’re obviously still in love with even though it’s been FIVE years—” 

“Yah!” 

“—because you want to make him jealous. Did I miss anything?” 

“That pretty much covers it.”, his boss replies, not even bothering to look ashamed. He looks at her, shaking his head. “So, will you do it?” 

He sighs, “What did this guy do to you for you to be so hung up on him after all this time?” 

He was not expecting the sorrow on her face as she answered, “He was there for me during the worst times of my life. We went through hell and back for each other. And then, one day, he left without saying anything.” 

“Wait, just like that? He didn’t even break up with you?” Ji-hwan raises his eyebrows. 

“Nope”, she accentuates the ‘P’. “He simply wrote ‘Live well.’ on a napkin and I never heard of him again. Until now.”

He scratches the top of his head, “What a fucking jerk.” She laughs, it’s rare to hear Ji-hwan swear. Finally, he rolls his eyes. “Fine, I’m in.”

“Yes, I knew you wouldn’t let me down. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She’s doing her little victory dance now, shaking her hips in the least graceful way possible. Like every time his boss convinces him to blur the line of what is morally acceptable, Ji-hwan is regretting this already.

“If I said no, you would have threatened to fire me anyway.” 

“You know it.”