#its very obviously a child too which makes it even worse | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

cinnamonest · 3 months

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Lena thank you for the spanking bit, has to be one of fav kinks ever because it just... fits every single yan regardless of who they are??? Kinda like a "universal" thing, just top notch. Do you think we could ever get headcanons for it?

Thank you for this anon, you're absolutely correct it is a top-tier kink

Also I've been wanting to write more about god-era Morax so thank you for the opportunity to do so, I rambled way more about him than the others here sorry lol

As for those who fit the kink best imo I’m going with Childe, Diluc, Ayato and Morax

//major spanking kink material (obviously) but gets kinda bad in severity/intensity, also mentions of hair-pulling, biting, throat fucking, anal, two cocks for Morax again (as always 👌)

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Childe is probably the best one here to end up at the mercy of here for once, for the sake of your poor ass at least.

Not that it isn't still awful and painful — he’s a sadist at heart and just adores making you squeal and cry. What at least makes it comparatively at least bearable is that he tends to use his hand — although that does make it more personable, more humiliating.

He tells you, though, exactly what he intends to do. You're being such a little brat today… come over here…

He doesn't even seem angry, but rather excited. He's all smiley and cooing in a way that feels so utterly humiliating and degrading.

Oh, but please do run. Please, please make it so much more fun for him, run away and try to hide. There's virtually nothing in the world that turns him on as much as either a game of chasing you or hunting you down wherever you're hiding. The fact that you're that scared of getting your ass beaten is kind of cute, actually. Are you that sensitive to pain, or is it more protecting your pride that gives you so much resistance? Not that he's complaining or anything.

He'll even give you a very wide opportunity to run, make sure you have plenty of avenues to do so. His heart rate begins to go up seeing the look of realization in your eyes when you spot an opening to run off, and he'll give you a minute or two of a head start. It doesn't take him long to find you nonetheless, hauling you up over his shoulders and carrying you back to your room with obvious excitement, like a predator dragging squealing, still-living prey back to its den for its inevitable fate.

That being said, doing that will make it worse for you — at that point you probably do deserve a belt at least, you know? Regardless of the instrument of choice though, he keeps you bent over his knee — he can feel your squirming more that way, and he can grind his hard-on into your stomach as you thrash around and squeal. Each strike still lands on bare skin, but rather than having your lower half naked, he likes to sometimes move the hold on your back and grasp at the waistband of your panties instead, jerking them up to wedge between your cheeks, effectively holding you in place and baring your skin at the same time.

He's so mean about it, taunts you that same voice you hate so much—

Aw, are you actually crying? Maybe I'll stop if you beg for something else…

There's no set number or standard of how much you'll be punished for any particular offense, which can be more torturous than anything. At least if you were given a number, you'd know how much more you had to endure. Instead, you just lurch and squeal each time his hand or the leather comes down... you kick your legs and thrash about, to no avail. In fact, you're pretty sure it just makes him hornier, you feel his cock twitch and his breathing grow more ragged the louder you cry out, and his hand on your back forces you down harder.

He’s actually totally shameless about getting off to it, too, so you can’t use that against him.

God, you're so cute when you cry like that... squeal louder for me...

The only real upside is that it's usually abruptly cut off at some point once he's too aroused by it to continue, and needs to just bury himself into your holes. You get slid off his lap onto the couch or bed, barely getting any time to recover — still sniffling and whimpering— before being contorted to whatever position he wants and rammed into without warning… thus for once, him being perpetually horny and having virtually no self-control actually becomes a positive. It still doesn't help, though, that the sex makes his hips smack against your sore ass with each thrust, but crying out about that only makes him go harder.

You know it could be much much worse — he makes sure to remind you that he could easily keep going until you completely break down, but he's so nice and you should be grateful for that — but you're still sore, and it leaves a pinkish-reddish tint under your natural flesh tone — something he likes to point out to you later, groping at your ass and laughing when you jolt at the sting. Your nose wrinkled with your expression of disgust as you jerk your head away from him, and you mutter under your breath.

Bastard...

And then, you squeal and lurch forward as one more harsh smack lands on your backside. You try to ignore the chuckling that follows as your eyes well up with embarrassed tears, and you bury your face beneath the covers of the bed.

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Diluc’s punishments are awful in terms of pain, but thankfully they're over fairly quickly because it's largely an act of momentary fury and irritation, and once he gets that anger out of his system, the punishment will be over, too.

He's still very intimidating about it, and it doesn't help that it's always a sort of spontaneous thing he decides on in the heat of the moment — thus you see the exact moment you know you've crossed a line, but also know (or at least, quickly learn) that there's nothing you can say or do at that point that will get you out of being punished. His eyes narrow and his voice lowers and he tells you to get over here in a voice that makes you feel like your heart just stopped, and your stomach feels as if it twists into a knot when you see the confirmation of your dread when he takes his belt off.

Running is not advisable — it's not like you'll succeed, and you'll just make him more mad. He's rough with how he handles you, dragging you by your clothes and hair over to bed, counter, or the back of a couch, forcing your head down.

How bad any one particular spanking is varies a lot depending on how mad you've succeeded in making him. He's not merciful at all, so he hits with force based on the level of his frustration. Thus, your attitude is important — you can technically commit a lesser offense, but if you keep backtalking and being bratty and fighting it, you'll likely get a worse punishment than you would for a worse offense for which you were apologetic and submitted to punishment easily.

What does change with the severity of your offense is that if what you didn't isn't so bad, you can keep your clothes on, but for particularly egregious transgressions, even in spite of the heat of the moment, unfortunately, he doesn't forget to pull your clothes up or down and off to make sure you're bared first.

He virtually always uses a belt, much to your dismay, and prefers to bend you over various surfaces since he can strike harder that way. It’s painful, you always end up in tears quickly, begging and pleading and spilling apologies for whatever you did, but he never has any mercy on you.

Much like you can’t get out of it to begin with, there’s also nothing you can do that will make it end any sooner than he feels like it. Over and over, grumbling with each strike about how you’re such a brat, how you can’t just behave, how it’s your own fault, until your flesh is reddened and burning badly enough that even when it’s over, all you can do is slump forward and cry.

If he went really hard on you, he might feel a little bad afterwards, getting you a wet cloth to soothe the burn… but he’ll still remind you that you wouldn’t be lying there all shivering and sobbing if you just learned to behave yourself properly.

For him, it’s more of an actual punishment first and foremost and not really an intentionally erotic thing, at first he’s too mad to think much about the eroticism of it… but seeing you lying there sniffling with your butt so heavily marked and welting, admittedly he does quickly get hard… and he’ll get incredibly flustered and embarrassed if you accuse him of getting off to it.

But be careful — push him too much on that matter, and such antagonism might be grounds for a round two on your already-stinging ass.

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Ayato’s punishments are particularly unpleasant, but the thing is that if you're in that situation, you deliberately chose it. Because he's gracious enough that you get a lot of warnings before reaching that point.

If you're being bratty, temperamental, rude, or whatever other behavior he doesn't like, you get a certain look first. The standard half-lidded eyes, unpleased expression, the universal ‘stop that right now’ glare. Maybe a passive aggressive comment if he can slide one into conversation.

If that fails — in other words, if you keep being a brat regardless, deliberately ignoring his warnings — you then get a verbal warning. He'll address you directly if it's just the two of you, but gods forbid you’re digging your own grave by misbehaving in front of others, he waits for a moment where everyone else's attention is on something else before pulling you close in a faux gesture of affection (with a grip harsh enough to ensure you get the message but not enough to alert anyone else in the room to his quiet fury), lowering his voice, whispering directly into your ear.

We’re going to have a talk about your behavior when this is over. Do you understand?

You know by now what a "talk" actually means, and hearing the words makes you stiffen and swallow. Granted, by the time it reaches the point that you've been that bad, you won't escape without at least a few swats, but if you persist, you'll just make it much worse. All you can do is nod your head and wait in dreadful anticipation.

As soon as the company you had leaves, you try to slowly back away, looking for an opening to run, but he has you grabbed by your clothes or hair and is dragging you off before you can even try. The total silence on his end as he drags you over to your room only serves to amplify your dread, and thereby your little whimpering protests.

The primary thing that will make it that much worse is what he uses to punish you, because from the day he brought you home, he anticipated a need for discipline at some point, and thus had a whipping cane custom-made just for you. One of those thin wooden canes designed for no other purpose than infliction of pain and punishment, which he leaves sitting out in your bedroom at all times, making sure it's always within sight as a subtle threat, a reminder of his power over you and that your behaviors have consequences.

He doesn’t raise his voice, doesn’t get heated, yet somehow that makes it so much worse. He’s perfectly calm as he holds you down on his lap, a hand wrapped into and grasping your clothes on your back to ensure you’re not going anywhere with each sharp pain on your bare skin. He’s very disciplinarian about it, ensuring to emphasize the reason and intention of the punishment itself—

Remember that you had every option of avoiding this. This is only the consequence you deserve. Do you realize that?

You nod and whimper and try to apologize, but it doesn’t make each swat any lighter. He’s rather harsh about the severity too, the degree of pain, duration, number of swats and outright humiliation often feel disproportionate to what is in your opinion a mild offense, although you know better than to voice that thought.

You beg, sure, you cry and whimper and say you'll take any other punishment, but it goes in one ear and out the other, your words have no effect, and while his voice has that characteristic gentleness to it, he's still cold and firm in his reply, if he even gives you one.

You're not getting out of this. Hold still.

He does take care of you afterwards, so lovingly and gently it makes you angry. He reminds you again that it wouldn't have to happen if you behaved, that you have no one but yourself to blame, all while kissing your crying face, holding you close and gently massaging the newly formed welts.

He also likes to make you gauge how many lashes you deserve beforehand, often making the total number a certain multiple of how many times you mouthed off or did something against your rules. And of course, whenever there's a fixed number, he makes you count.

Listening to your voice grow more and more shaky and begin to crack, your speech becoming slurred with sobs and oh, how precious is the sudden panic in your voice when you realize you've lost count. The way you tense and start begging and whimpering when he replies—

I suppose we'll have to start over...

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Morax’s punishments are always by far the worst.

That's largely because there's a maddening element of psychological torment involved. It's slow, drawn out, the dread and anticipation are almost worse than the punishment itself. He actually employs a variety of corporeal punishments, each of which make your stomach churn just to think about, but unfortunately, putting you over his knee and beating your ass until there's a deep red hue to your skin is a personal favorite of his.

What makes his style of discipline so unbearable is that you’ll be punished for literally anything. There is no possible offense, no rule to be broken, that won’t earn corporeal punishment of some kind, most usually on your poor ass. You get a very clear set of rules, rules you’re expected to know and obey from day one. Countless little rules, so many of them meticulous and pointless. Things you must do, things you must not do, and rigid standards for your attitudes and behaviors.

Each and every violation is its own offense — not to mention, things like lying when asked about what you did, objecting to punishments, even talking back or trying to defend yourself when accused count as individual offenses too. Sometimes you don’t even realize you’ve broken a rule until he tells you you’re going to be punished for it, and any protest or whining counts as another offense.

Really, you’re lucky if you can go a few days in a row fully able to sit without any stinging pain, and it’s not uncommon for you to earn back-to-back punishments one day after another. You know for a fact that your record of days in a row without ending up laying in bed, whimpering and crying and clutching your backside in pain is a single digit number.

Sometimes, if it’s severe enough, you’ll get put over his knee right then and there, but he’ll also tally up the small offenses and, at the end of the day, punish you cumulatively for every small offense you’ve made, because he can’t allow even the slightest offense to go unpunished.

It’s not limited to things you do in his presence either, because he has ways of finding out everything you do.

Every day that you can't accompany him, he has an established routine for when he returns. Firstly, of course, you're supposed to greet him when he comes in (any attempts to be petulant by giving him silent treatment or hiding away will result in further punishments), but then, as he sits you down, holds you close, he asks you the same question.

Have you done anything you should not have today?

It's a torturous question.

On one hand, you could have very well been very well-behaved, in which case you can answer honestly with at least some confidence (although even then, part of you hesitates thinking maybe you committed some offense unintentionally).

But when you haven't been well-behaved and you know it — that's what's torturous.

It's a gamble. He asks every single day, so him asking itself is not a dead giveaway that he knows what you did. If he doesn't know — well, you might be able to lie and get away with it. Inversely, how unfortunate would it be if you told him, and it turned out he didn't know, and then you had to suffer when you could have gotten away with it?

On the flip side, if he does know — well, you'll soon be squealing like a stuck pig regardless, but things are much, much worse if you try to lie. You would know — you've taken that gamble a few times now and lost.

He seems to have ways of finding out everything — you only lied when you were absolutely confident, thinking there was no way anyone saw the thing you did, only for your stomach to lurch when you feel the soft stroking against your thigh stop, and are met with a low voice—

…Is that so?

And the tone, the way he says it, you immediately know you've messed up.

Of course, you could hypothetically keep denying it, but entrenching yourself further in a lie is, by that point, the worst decision you could make — you would know, you tried that once and you couldn't sit down normally for over a week. The best thing to do now is to confess… you won’t get any mercy or a lighter punishment, but you’ll avoid the additional punishment you’d get for doing anything else.

But even then, he can’t even give you the decency of forcing your body to bend and getting it over with. It has to be drawn out, torturing you to the greatest degree possible — sometimes, he does this by delaying it, telling you he has something else to do first, leaving you to sit around and wait in anticipation for an hour or more. If an offense is bad enough, one session might not even be enough, and you're told that you'll get another one tomorrow, adding to your dread.

But most of the time, the torment comes from forcing your own participation. He keeps you firmly in his lap, reaching down to grope at the flesh where your butt meets your thighs.

What do you think you deserve to have happen to you?

Another test, a question for which you’ll only receive something worse in addition to whatever will happen already if answered incorrectly. There’s only one right answer—

…Y-you should... punish me...

On the bright side, he’s genuinely pleased once you start learning well enough to know what the right answer is.

You’re stood up, guided over to the drawers, hands firmly on your shoulders to ensure you don’t get any ideas about running. You hate that one drawer, it makes your stomach churn just to look at. He has a damn collection for you— leather straps, whipping canes, paddles with holes in them just to hurt that much more. He tells you to pick one.

That, too, is a test— you know which ones hurt more. You're supposed to gauge what you deserve based on the severity of your offense, and he'll be that much more displeased if you go too lightly on yourself, and will consequently be more forceful, which you do not want. Eventually, you manage to make your choice, biting your lip, pointing with a shaky hand, tensing as his hand runs motions that would be soothing in any other context up and down your thigh, pausing to grasp at the fleshy part of your backside.

Then you're led back— sometimes to face the wall or bend over a counter, but most often he prefers to keep you over his lap. Not that you'll be forced down either— not unless you make that necessary, which of course, you do not want. Unless you want it to be that much worse, you follow the commands— pull your robes up, the waistband of any underwear down, bare your skin (always, no matter how mild the offense), lay down on your stomach, put your hands behind your back so he can grasp your wrists.

And even then, even then you have to be tormented further.

Now, what did you do to deserve this?

You recall to the best of your ability, hoping you didn't forget anything, lest you be accused of trying to be deceitful in hopes of escaping consequences, which will add another tally to the list.

It’s painful. It always is. You've reached a point where your resolve to not cry and squeal is defeated pretty early. You used to try your best not to for the sake of your pride, but you know by now that it will go on long enough that your tears and crying out are inevitable.

He manages to somehow be so stoic and calm and yet somehow so, so cruel about it.

Does it hurt?

Your shoulders quiver with little sobs, you go tense as he gropes and kneads at the raw flesh.

Y-yes, it hurts, it hurts so bad, please no more, please—

You cut off with a high-pitched cry as the stinging pain strikes again. And again. And again. It's always so much, so unfair compared to the weight of whatever you did. That slight pinkish undertone isn't quite satisfying enough either, he never stops until there's a deep, deep red tone to your flesh.

If you've been especially bad, you may have to count… but he actually tends to prefer not giving you a set number. You're more fearful that way, uncertain of how much more you have to endure.

You're certain he gets off on the pain for one thing, the sound of your cries and the way you jolt and squirm, but the humiliation is worse than the pain itself, for you. He knows that, revels in it. He's told you before—

You're such a prideful little thing… that will certainly need to be fixed.

Repetitive subjection to something so inherently humiliating and vulnerable, and being made to break down, any semblance of toughness and dignity being torn away at his hands, is a way of slowly breaking down your pride. You know that, it makes you so angry, but you can't help but let that vulnerability be exposed every time, to act in such a way that ensures he knows how badly it humiliates you.

Your go limp with exhaustion when it finally stops.

What have you learned?

You can barely speak, voice hoarse from the strain of your cries and speech muffled by sniffles and sobs.

I'm sorry… I won't do it again…

And then, he has the audacity to be so, so sweet to you. Looking down at your tear-streaked face, smiling— no, smirking, a belittling, amused expression— leaning down to kiss your forehead.

Poor thing.

Kneading at the sore flesh in spite of how the touch makes you wince. As if it isn't his fault, as if he had any mercy on you the whole time you were begging for it to stop.

It only makes you angrier. More than once now, you've earned a second round for how you reacted to his undeserved kindness. So ungrateful.

It's never a solitary punishment either, always coupled with something else, always something equally humiliating and discomforting, if not painful. You know he gets off to it, because the second punishment is almost always a direct sex act of some kind.

You'll take his cocks down your throat, grabbing your skull and fucking your face without any restraint, forcing you to swallow every last drop of seed, even forcing your head down to lick up whatever you spill off the floor. Your saliva just provides the lube to force you to bed and fuck you until you can't even stand, and all the while his hips bounce off your poor ass, each movement stinging against the sensitive flesh. He'll bite your flesh, unnaturally sharp teeth even piercing you skin, leaving you covered in marks. If he's feeling really, really mean, you don't even get the semblance of pleasure of it ramming into your poor sore, raw pussy— you'll take both cocks into your tight little ass instead, a stretch that makes you squeal and thrash and cry. Your legs kick and you lurch forward, desperate to pull yourself off, but you're jerked back with a growl as he slams into you, completely bottoming out. Eventually, you give in as the stretching pain ebbs away and trying to take whatever pleasure you can from the faint stimulation to spots of pleasure through the walls of flesh. But the act is utterly humiliating nonetheless, your hole left twitching and gaping for hours as cum leaks out and onto your skin. You can't even sit for days, both your poor asshole and backside sore and tender.

Your embarrassment and resentment builds. You loathe him for it, feel so humiliated and angry at yourself and how deeply you dread the punishments that it makes you nauseous.

And thus, in one particular incident, fed up and filled with spite, you made the greatest mistake of your entire time trapped with him— you decided to run, seeing that for once you had an opening to do so.

A stupid choice, really. You don't get far. Not even a full ten steps.

You know immediately that you have severely, sincerely fucked up. The sheer harshness with which you're grabbed, the back of your clothes grasped and twisted with unprecedented force, the draconic growl to his voice that makes your blood run cold.

Oh, dearest, you have no idea how badly you've just stepped out of line.

His other hand latches onto your throat.

You're going to be sleeping on your stomach for quite some time, won't you?

The statement alone makes tears well in your eyes, any bitter pride quickly crushed. You shake your head profusely, start begging for forgiveness, but you know in your heart that it's far too late for that… it still doesn't stop you from whimpering and apologizing as you're dragged back down the hall, no doubt to one of the worst punishments you've endured yet.

#man this was unholy levels of degen even by my content's standards #from what little i know i feel like the two new guys would also fit this so maybe ill add them later

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mumms-the-word · 1 month

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Shadow Curse Events Pt. 1

Ketheric, Selûne, Shar, and Aylin

I’ve played through the game a few times at this point and I always find myself struggling to understand the timeline or at least order of events that occurred with the Shadow Curse. I know some things conflict because there was one version of the story in Early Access (the version where Halsin accidentally killed Isobel) and it was heavily altered for the final version of the game, and some things just got *gestures vaguely* waved away, but I keep wanting to make sense of it anyway.

So that’s what this post (edit: I mean series) is going to do. After the cut, obviously. Long deep dive post ahead! Picture of a tired Ketheric for attention and because same bro c':

TLDR: These events happen either in the 1370s or the 1390s. Ketheric loses Melodia (his wife) and Isobel (his daughter) and turns to Shar. He captures Aylin, then builds a Big Dark Justiciar Army, training them and forcing them to kill Aylin over and over. Meanwhile, a Selûnite resistance is brewing in the town, and it's kind of making everything worse. One Selûnite rebel even goes so far as to make a deal with a devil. And all of that is BEFORE the Harpers and druids arrive as an army.

We don’t have dates, unfortunately, aside from knowing that the shadow curse itself was unleashed about a century ago, so “timeline” would be a loose term to use if/when I use it. But I have two theories about when it happened.

One theory is that because the Spellplague was happening between 1385-1395 DR (during which there was neither a true Weave nor a Shadow Weave, which is what the shadow curse is made of), the shadow curse likely started around 1396-1399, just shy of a full 100 years before the game’s events in 1492. But that’s just me conjecturing based on the idea that if the Shadow Weave is gone…how does the shadow curse stick around?

The other theory is that the shadow curse was unleashed sometime between 1371 and 1374. This is because a) Dark Justiciars were still being sent by Ketheric Thorm to destroy Moonhaven (the Blighted Village) in 1371 (Ketheric writes a letter about attacking Moonhave and a journal dated 1371 boasts that Ilyn Toth, the basement apothecary-necromancer dude, got killed by Dark Justiciars) and b) because Khelben Arunsun himself, the literal Blackstaff (super powerful and very old wizard), wrote a letter negotiating surrender on behalf of the Harpers.

We cannot be party to the suffering of the people of Reithwin, and indeed, of the great loss of life that this war will visit upon the Sword Coast - and, perhaps, beyond it. So it is written, and so let it be done, Khelben Arunsun, on behalf of the High Harper Council and its allies.

Wiki says Khelben broke his alliance with the Harpers in 1370 due to some disagreements, but it’s possible his splinter faction was at the battlefield with the other Harpers. I doubt he was there personally, but who knows. I wouldn’t go any earlier than 1371, though, because Baldur’s Gate II happens in 1369, and Jaheira would have been too busy dealing with those events to deal with Ketheric too. But it can’t be later than 1374, because Khelben Arunsun dies in 1374.

(I have questions about how the shadow curse survived the Spellplague and the loss of the Shadow Weave, but the answer to that could simply be All Magic Was Weird and Unstable at the time…plus Thaniel was already in the Shadowfell by this time, so the land couldn't heal.)

So it’s either 1371-1374 (because of the Khelben timeline, and I guess the Spellplague didn’t affect it) or it’s 1396-1399 (because of the Spellplague, but the writers just forgot Khelben was dead by that point, or maybe his ghost wrote the surrender notice idk). Both are good enough for Halsin and Jaheira to talk about things happening “a century ago,” but you can see why I’m avoiding dates.

But let’s push it back a few more decades. Back when Ketheric was a Selûnite and Isobel a very small child.

As we’re probably all well aware, during this time, Ketheric worships Selûne along with his wife, Melodia. At some point, he even commissions the local Mason’s Guild to build Moonrise as a testament to Selûne herself, according to Morfred the mason (who you can talk to in House of Hope, it’s pretty cool). Ketheric and Melodia have Isobel, but then Melodia dies while Isobel is still pretty young. Ketheric remains a Selûnite, mostly for Isobel’s sake, until she dies too.

Ketheric: I’ll tell you a story, True Soul. About a man who sold himself piece by piece. He had…everything. A wonderful wife. A brilliant daughter. They lived not far from here. His wife died too young. Grief tore through their home like a thief, snatching away the scent of her hair, the rustle of her skirts. But the man did not break. He could not break. His daughter needed him whole, after all. She grew up—grew strong. Challenged him. Filled his heart with such joy it supplanted all sorrow. When she was killed, the man…he tried to remain whole, but it wasn’t possible. Do you understand? Player: So the man fell to pieces. Ketheric: The pain was unbearable. All-consuming. He decided he’d do anything for reprieve. First, he sold himself to the goddess of loss. But the pain did not subside, no matter his obscene feats of devotion. Then a new god came—a god who promised the man something wonderful: his daughter. Her life returned. Imagine it. He would have to give everything: his body and soul entire. He did not hesitate. Not for a moment.

We know this story. Ketheric turns to Shar and everything goes Very, Very Badly. But the exact details/order of Ketheric's Sharran days are a little hazy. So here's what I've been able to piece together to sate my own curiosity.

While Ketheric is still a faithful (but waning) Selûnite, Dame Aylin visits as an emissary of Selûne. Moonrise/Reithwin is a Selûnite refuge and the Thorms are allegedly devout favorites of the moon goddess, so it's a big deal. While she's there, she and Isobel fall in love. Ketheric disapproves, in part because Aylin is immortal and Isobel is not (Isobel and Aylin both say this in dialogue).

Plus, and this is a personal opinion, I think Ketheric might have seen Aylin's interest in Isobel as another thing Selûne was trying to take from him. It isn't enough that Selûne let Melodia die, now her daughter is trying to woo his daughter and take her too.

But then Isobel dies. Somehow. The launch version of the game isn’t clear how. Aylin mourns but Ketheric spirals. He turns to Shar, hoping she will force him to forget about Isobel, but he doesn't. Nevertheless, he becomes a zealous Sharran.

[A journal spanning years, beginning with the birth of a child and ending with what appears to be a series of dateless tragedies.] How can she be gone? Where did she go? The Moonmaiden cannot be so unfeeling - so cruel. Not toward her most devoted servant. Not after Melodia. It makes no sense. It makes no sense. I won't survive it. That much I know. Forgetting is the only possibility. The embrace of oblivion. The reprieve of nothingness. It would not be possible for a man to survive knowing what he knows. Knowing what can be lost. Shar understands that. Hers is the only mercy I can comprehend. My mind is full of holes - yet not enough. The emptiness. The time. The nothingness. And still I remember. Still I remember it all. There is no mercy in this beating heart. There is no mercy in life at all.

He builds the Gauntlet of Shar (or maybe renovates and Shar-ifies it, maybe it was already there) beneath the Thorm mausoleum, connecting it to the much more ancient Grymforge area. Grymforge becomes a kind of base or stronghold for the Justiciar army while the Gauntlet is designed to test their mettle and prepare them for the task that will make them official Dark Justiciars—killing Aylin, though it's not clear when Ketheric and Balthazar lure her into the Shadowfell.

I'll get back to that later.

We know that Grymforge was used as a Dark Justiciar stronghold and possible training ground because of all the Sharran stuff we find there. It's like super obvious. The feasthall room, the dormitories, the weapons that lay everywhere. There's basically a whole Sharran city in the Underdark beneath and near Reithwin, some of which we can see from various points in Grymforge. In fact, if you go through the poisoned room where Nere is, you can see the Gauntlet down below.

(It's a little hard to see here 'cause I play on console but there's a glimpse of the giant Shar statue that takes up a ton of space in the Gauntlet. Somehow, the two places used to connect.)

Ketheric's new Sharran teachings are ruthless and vicious. He encourages his Dark Justiciars to kill a Selûnite once a tenday or more as part of their training and service to the Lady of Loss.

The Law of Nightfall: From the moon falls the foulest of lights. iIt peeks through cracks and fissures, illuminating the most remote recesses of the Underdark. Light bestows hope, a pernicious notion which must be extinguished. At the darkest hour, pray to your Lady and feast in Her honour. The second day after, slay a disciple of Selûne. If none may be found, a Lathanderian or Mystran are an acceptable offering. Do this once a tenday, and the Lady of Loss shall know you.

Reithwin and the surrounding village soon become a hunting ground. Most people convert. Those who don't get hung in the square as examples (according to a shadow memory). All faithful Selûnites are forced to practice their devotion to the Moonmaiden in secret, led by Morfred the mason and his brother Halfred the innkeeper of Last Light Inn. Halfred hides Selûnite relics beneath Last Light (you can still find them) while Morfred plots a true resistance.

[Hidden amidst columns detailing the income and expenditure of a tavern is an aside, written in tiny, urgent handwriting.] I have concealed the sacred relics of our revered goddess in the darkest corner of this place. Morfred, my loyal brother, seeks to forge a network of allies to stand against the oppressive reign of Ketheric Thorm. Sadly, fear has gripped the hearts of many, turning them away from our cause. I cannot truly blame them, for trepidation fills my soul as well - but I must put aside my own fears and reunite with Morfred in the bowels of the Mason's Guild. Together, we shall preserve what we can of the Moonmaiden's light, and hope that the banners of the faithful soon rise against that treacherous dog, Thorm.

But as time goes on, Morfred grows increasingly distressed with the events happening in Reithwin and the ease with which people are eager to switch faiths.

- How quickly things change. The Thorms are Selûnite through and through - or so I believed. Perhaps Ketheric only converted for Melodia, and with her death - and then his daughter's - his faith died too. But to turn to Shar? It beggars belief. - Ketheric's Justiciars are growing greater in number, and more determined to rout out any traces of Selûne in Reithwin. Why do they think this town was built? One cannot rip out the foundations of a building and expect it to remain standing. - Brother and I remain the last two bastions of Our Lady of Silver in the town. A few - the trusting few - come to worship in secret by moonlit nights. Others - converts, all. Whether they truly believe, I cannot say. Impossible, isn't it?

(Don't worry, the second page is further down lol spoilers!)

Life is not going well in Reithwin, even if you're not a Selûnite. Ketheric is determined to destroy all traces of Selûne and treason of any kind. His Dark Justiciars begin tormenting citizens to reveal pockets of Selûnite resistance. He also suffers no treasonous word against him, even if the citizens in question aren't Selûnite. We see a glimpse of this and of the Justiciars' cruel influence during the questline with He Who Was and Madeline, who ratted out her friends' innocent(?) complaints about Ketheric to some Justiciars, resulting in their brutal deaths.

Eventually Morfred realizes that the Dark Justiciars are too powerful to resist and turns to Raphael, offering his soul in exchange for something to destroy the Dark Justiciar army.

- Sick of standing idle while Justiciars gain power in our humble town. What will become of us if we allow it? I met a man who was no man. Touched by a devil. Or maybe worse. But he offered me something I couldn't refuse - help. - The time is now. Ketheric's Justiciars, their stronghold in the temple below - they will be wiped out. All of them. I didn't ask how. I just want them gone. Let the Harpers have at Ketheric now. They'll make short work of him.

You can ask Morfred about this in the House of Hope, actually, where he confirms the details. I mean, he's in Raphael's house, so it's pretty obvious the he did, in fact, make a deal with him.

Infernal Mason: When tragedy came, my master fell into darkness and despair. He marshalled a great army to ruin the world and bring all into shadow. I could not let it happen. I sought out the devil Raphael and signed an infernal pact with him. He promised to destroy my master’s army, and I promised him my soul in return. The devil was true to his word. Fiends slaughtered my master’s forces, but he endured somehow, and blighted the land.

The Fiend in question here is Yurgir, who ends up crashing through Grymforge and the Gauntlet to kill all Dark Justiciars in his path. (He misses one, because Raphael is a sneaky bastard who let one get away by turning him into a swarm of rats, but I digress.) We know Yurgir caused the destruction in Grymforge, too, because of the Merregon masks and hellbeasts we find around the area, and the fact that if you pass all the checks with the Duergar mason examining the stone, he helps you piece together this narrative:

Stonemason Kith: An ancient city, hewn from the stone by the disciples of Shar, later abandoned. Untold centuries later, a new tribe revives it. Fresh walls, fresh sculptures...until a great hellbeast charges through, toppling the walls and crushing the people! Heh - that explains the infernal plate I found. Perhaps you might have use of it.

Further proof that Grymforge and the Gauntlet were once connected...somehow.

Anyway, by the time Yurgir is called in, Morfred's already been found out. Thisobald overhears him drunkenly complaining about Ketheric in the Waning Moon and informs Ketheric of his treachery. Ketheric orders a raid on the mason's guild, leaving Halfred the lone source of Selûnite resistance. It's unknown what becomes of Halfred, but considering the fact that the inn was still taking guests (like Art Cullagh) and housing the Harpers right before the shadow curse descended (there's a shadow memory of a Harper toasting his comrades in Last Light right before the battle with Ketheric long ago), it's likely he's a victim of the curse and not Justiciar brutality.

I’m not sure which is worse, honestly.

It's unclear when Morfred dies, though he admits to witnessing the first part of the shadow curse (i.e., "...but he endured somehow, and blighted the land"). But Morfred's deal coincides in some ways with the arrival of the Harpers and druids. I think he probably makes the deal with Raphael before the Harpers officially march against Ketheric and then gets caught after he hears rumors of the Harpers.

Raphael makes good on his deal around the same the Harpers arrive, perhaps a little afterward. This means Yurgir's slaughter of Justiciars in the Underdark must happen concurrently with the battle happening topside between Ketheric's army and the Harpers/druids, meaning Ketheric is losing his army on two fronts at the same time. Victory seems assured for the Harpers and druids, but of course we know now that Ketheric had a way of cheating death already in place.

He had already imprisoned the Nightsong in a Shadowfell soul cage.

Again, we’re not sure exactly when this happens, but it’s after Isobel dies and before the shadow curse, which unleashes with Ketheric’s supposed death in the battle against the Harpers and druids. However, Aylin herself says that Ketheric and Balthazar lured her into the Shadowfell under the pretense of saving an innocent.

Dame Aylin: He and his loathsome advisor Balthazar lured me into the Shadowfell, claimed they'd found someone in need of my aid. There they trapped me in their infernal cage. I was killed, murdered, made dead, over and over and over by Justiciars of every make and kind. I was reborn, for it is my nature. And Ketheric fed upon my immortality all the while.

This makes me think that Aylin wasn’t aware of Ketheric’s conversion yet, so it must have been very soon after, because otherwise, why would she trust a known Sharran telling her to enter the Shadowfell, the realm that is entirely under Shar’s control? I also suspect Ketheric built (or renovated) the Gauntlet around Aylin after her capture, perhaps at the behest of Shar due to their collaboration in making up new Justiciar teachings, or perhaps out of a sick, vengeful desire to see Aylin tormented for daring to love his daughter.

If this is true, then there’s a very real chance that Ketheric was unkillable before he truly started to torment Reithwin town, and well before the Harpers stepped in to take him down.

Anyway we at least know that Ketheric trapped Aylin in the Shadowfell before the big battle against the Harpers because a) both Isobel and Aylin talk about her being there for a century and b) because Ketheric is already using her invulnerability to survive assassination attempts on his life prior to or during the actual battle against him and his army:

23 Elient The Harpers came too close - they poisoned Father Ketheric himself, yet he professes no ill effects. Malus insists it a fluke. Doctor he may be, but he is no less a fool for it: Father has achieved that of which I can only dream: immortality. I have long suspected. I can guess Father's purpose, but I cannot fathom the means.

This brings us to the eve of the battle itself. But this post is already hella long, so keep an eye out for part 2, all about the Harper and druid battle against Ketheric!

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spectres-n-soap · 1 month

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Times Long Since Past - Soap x You x Ghost

Content Warnings - Angst, hurt/comfort, fluff, therapy, pregnancy

A/N - Not gonna lie when I say I nearly cried writing this part.

Series Masterlist

Main Masterlist

The therapy office was located in a strip mall that had obviously once been a 1950s era housing estate in the past. You glance around the parking lot before Simon places a hand on your shoulder and pulls you from whatever pit you were trying to sink into. “Don’t stress.” He mutters and you roll your eyes.

“When in the history of the world did that ever make someone not stress?” You ask and he shakes his head but you can see his eyes crinkle just slightly. You sigh and look at the general area where the office was as your hand rests on your stomach. “Do you really think this will help?”

Simon nods, “It helps.” You sigh again before you nod and begin walking towards the office. A bell jingles over the door when you enter the office, Simon not far behind you and keeps the door open for you so it doesn’t bang into you. The receptionist smiles at you, a well practiced kind smile as she gestures for you to come forward. The waiting room was comfortable, only one other person sat in one of the chairs mindlessly flipping through the magazines.

“Name?” The woman asks and you try not to let the happiness in her voice grate on your soul. Would you be happy like her again? You give her your name and she nods as she types it into the computer, “Date of birth?” You mindlessly rattle it off and give her the time of your appointment (in fifteen minutes) and she smiles at you, “Alright, if you could fill out these forms,” She passes the forms on a clipboard with a pen. “And take a seat. The doctor will be with you shortly.”

You waddle over to the nearest seat and sit down before you start to fill out the form. Its basic questions and you recognize them all from your psych evals in the military. You bite your cheek before you begin to fill them out truthfully. When you finish, you hand the clipboard back to the receptionist and sit back down.

The therapist is nice. Clinically nice. You want to scream and rage as he calmly asks questions about what brought you here. His voice is perfectly level and you can’t even use it as an excuse for the reason you think he’s judging you. “It's not my job to judge, it's my job to help.” He says when you hesitate to answer.

“I lost someone very close to me.” You answer, picking over the words carefully because you and Johnny hadn’t put a label on it before he had died. Your stomach lurches at that sudden thought and you squeeze your hands into fists.

“I see. Was this person the father of your child?” He asks and you nod tightly. The thought still leaves an awful taste in your mouth.

“He died in action.” You take in a shaky breath, “He didn’t even know.”

“Let's start there. If at any moment you feel uncomfortable we can stop this session.”

You leave not feeling better or worse but like a small weight had been lifted from your chest. As you walk back out into the waiting room with the therapist, talking about the date of your next appointment you see Simon. You freeze, having totally forgotten he had promised to wait for you the entire time. He inclines his head at you and you're brought crashing back into reality.

You climb into his car and as he turns it on he offers to buy some lunch. “Got any cravings?”

“I’m pregnant. Of course I have cravings.” You grumble, “Mexican food. From this little hole in the wall place.” He hands you his phone, which is all kinds of busted up but the screen still works so he hasn’t replaced it yet, for you to type the address into.

You take a seat at one of the outside tables and a young man hands you both a small menu. The smell from inside the restaurant makes your stomach rumble and apparently the baby is into the smell too because they kick at your stomach. Hard.

You wince and bow your head a little as you hiss out a “ Fuck. ” You don’t see the way panic shoots through Simon but you feel his hand grab yours. You don’t pull away.

“Are you okay? Are you in pain?” He asks and you shake your head.

“The baby just decided to do some kickboxing, no big deal.” You let out a tight laugh that hardly seems to convince Simon. “Simon, I’ll tell you if it hurts okay? Promise.” Those words seem to put at ease and the arrival of your waiter draws attention from the way his ears turn pink.

Lunch is quiet between the two of you after that moment partially helped by the way you sort of shovel the food into your mouth. You can’t help the small moan that leaves you as you bite into enchilada and Simon coughs on the sweet soda he had been drinking.

You and Simon arrive back at your flat, takeout box in hand because your eyes were bigger than your stomach and you had ordered another enchilada and he places it in your fridge as you settle down onto the couch. Exhaustion pulls at you despite the good sleep you had gotten last night and you hardly notice when Simon places the throw blanket on your lap.

“You know… you still have some gifts to open.” Simon mutters and you look at him with bleary eyes and make a noise of confusion before you look at what he has in his hands. The gifts from the MacTavish family. Your stomach sinks and your throat closes up at the sight. You sniffle but reach for one of the soft green green eyes.

Inside the first one is a little soft green dinosaur onesie and a few baby books. One of the books has a couple of lullabies and nursery rhymes. The other is easy recipes to make during the first couple months with the baby. More onesies in the next one, soft blues, pinks and yellows, a teddy bear and a card with a heartfelt message from his sisters. Of course a few items such as a milk pump and a diaper bag are already filled to the brim with items.

Just as you think you’ve finished opening everything, Simon hands you a card and one more bag. “The cards from Mrs. MacTavish, the bag is from me.” He clarifies although he really didn’t need to. The bag was a soft gray. You open his gift first and genuinely laugh when it's a onesie with little skulls. You shake your head at his gift before you set it to the side. You carefully pull the card from the envelope it was in and open it. A couple pictures fall onto your lap but you read the message first.

My bairn was a lot of trouble during those first few months. I hope yours doesn’t come with the same mischief for the sake of both of you. I know there is nothing I can say to ease the pain or the hole that Johnny left in you but you’re not alone. You’ve been given a beautiful gift whether he knew it or not. You’ll always have a piece of my wee boy and you’ll always be welcome in my home. I’ve made a few copies of pictures of when Johnny was a wee bairn for you. Welcome to the MacTavish family.

You glance down at the pictures, tears in your eyes as you look through them. You couldn’t help the small laugh that left you at one of the pictures. Chubby baby Johnny pouting in his chosen outfit but the others make tears fall from your eyes. You rub your thumb over one of the photos of him smiling up at the camera, chubby hands holding his foot up.

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misstycloud · 1 year

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Yandere superhero! HC

Imagine just running about your ordinary day life and suddenly everything is turned upside down, what you believed to be fiction and nothing more than child dreams became your new reality. Now you had duties and that was to protect the city and its residents from those who wish to harm them. It’s a tough job, one that no one would be able to handle all by themselves.

Luckily you got your trustworthy companion by your side at all times! You two fit together like pieces of a puzzle; managing to save the day hundereds of times. There was nothing you couldn’t do as long as you had each other. You knew each other well-or how good you can know each other without learning the other’s identity.

Secret identities is one of the top rules of being a superhero. It could be dangerous for your loved ones if your enemies got their hands on that sort of information. They would use your family and friends to blackmail and extort you. That couldn’t happen or all hell would break lose if the city’s heroes were captured and defeated.

In the beginning when you and your partner had first been assigned the role of heroes, he seemed fine with the rule of no knowing who the other person were behind the mask, and you were too. There wasn’t any reason for you to want to find out who his civilian identity was.

But then things began to slowly change.

It started with him wanting to stay together a little longer after missions and you agreed, thinking he wanted to discuss things regarding your work. Which is what you talked about originally until the subjects switched to different topics like hobbies, favourite movies, best book you’ve ever read. Just normal easy stuff, not so hard to answer right? There were millions with the same reply as you so there was no chance he’d be able to guess who you were.

He’d only thought of you as a partner and maybe even a friend up till this point, but new feelings has began brewing and he didn’t know what to do with them. Brushing it off as a silly crush he didn’t do anything else than initiate spending more time together to satisfy him. It didn’t last forever and he eventually needed more.

Needles to say, it wasn’t simple to balance the heroic deeds while exploring these foreign emotions, it made things complicated to focus during dangerous events. That wasn’t good, obviously. What if he messed up and the villain got away? Or even worse, someone could get hurt. Someone that could be you. No, he can’t that happen, he must stay concentrated.

Yandere hero, who wanted to respect your secret identity pact but is dying to know who is behind that mask. He understood it was important, however he couldn’t help it. Convincing you to break that promise is impossible, that he saw. Perhaps he can trick you into revealing yourself? You’d probably see through his trick though.

Because of your good relationship and media, it became common for people to ship the two of you as a couple. Which he honestly didn’t mind one bit, especially now that he realises just how deep his love for you goes. It’s almost as if he’d do anything for you. He wanted the citizens to know who you belonged with and that was made sure when those news articles were posted.

You couldn’t believe it. So much stress all because of a single photo. A picture an anonymous individual has secretly snapped has spread like wildfire under a scorching summer day. You and your partner’s relationship status was the city’s top subject; discussed by so many and apparently very interesting to the old as well.

And what the hell was your colleague doing basically enforcing those rumours? If he kept standing so close to you and swinging his arms around you, everyone would think you’re a pair. Which you were not. You already had someone you were interested in, though you’d not had the courage to make any move since a relationship would be near impossible for you right now. Having to run around and help civilians and defeat bad guys, a romance would not be befitting.

So how are you gonna deal with your friend’s recent antics? He’s trying to hold you at the site even after your work is done, ask more regarding personal life, and you actually caught him attempting to follow you when you were leaving to go home. You couldn’t believe it. Why was he suddenly doing all this? You thought you two were on the same side of things, so how come he is breaking all those promises?

Did he not understand why it was dangerous to reveal your civilian identities and people could actually get hurt if the wrong person got their hands on that information. But all he said was that no one would find out. That it would be fine if you two knew each other for real. It would be good for you to be closer, your work would be easier if you trusted each other more, or something along those lines was what he told you.

You did not agree in the slightest. It was a stupid idea and one you would not comply with. He frowned and hissed, “fine!” and disappeared into the night, leaving you alone on the rooftop with the cold winds hitting you in the face. You thought that was the end of it and life would return to normal.

It didn’t. The next mission he was acting coldly towards you, almost getting himself sliced up as he refused to listen and give you any of his time, claiming he’d do it without your help. Like you predicted it didn’t go as planned for him and you were forced to step in many times before he finally accepted he couldn’t do things alone. You were happy that he returned to himself and stopped ignoring you, until he started his shenanigans again and they were worse than anything he did previously.

After missions your partner lured you away to a secluded rooftop were he’d prepared a table for the two of you. On the white table cloth stood a tall candle, a flame dancing atop it. In the vase next to it was a red rose, fresh with life. Apparently he wanted you to enjoy a nice dinner after a hard day, you deserved it. While you agreed on deserving a little rest, it wasn’t with him you wanted to relax and it certainly wasn’t on some date he’d set up.

Feeling somewhat bad for him as you had to turn him down once more, you talked softly to him and explained to your best abilities that you couldn’t. You wondered if you should’ve made up and excuse first but changed your mind as it would be mean to do and you needed to be perfectly clear with him that you weren’t interested in him in that way.

The horrible sensation of regret filled you when his eyes welled up in tears. You expected him to scream at you, maybe even physically confront you. But bawl? No, that was not what you envisioned. Like before he ran away from the scene and you stood there silent in the dark.

When he reached his home, he ripped his mask off and threw it in the floor, punching the wall with every emotion whirling in his mind. He was sad, so terribly sad. What, you didn’t feel anything for him as he did for you? Not even a bit, an inch? Apparently not, as you had stated to him without uncertainty in your voice. He wanted to scream, hit something. Anything to forget his heartbreak. He’d fucked up. What if you wanted nothing to do with him anymore. What if you replaced him with someone new. A new and better partner.

He couldn’t let that happen. Why can’t you understand how much he loves you, the lengths he’s willing to go in your name. He was a bit ashamed to admit it but he was sure that if things stood between you and being a righteous hero, he’d chose you no questions asked. You were just so much more important than those random people he was forced to save on a daily basis.

Despite the rough conversation you two had the day before, he pushed himself to act completely normal; like it never happened. Although you were a bit worried about him since your rejection seemed to have hit him pretty hard, you let it go as he appeared like himself and you couldn’t let that distract you forever. You had a city to protect and you could not slack off.

You just had to hope his sad rejected state wouldn’t eventually turn into something else. Something like anger. Or worse, madness.

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mynameisnotsoda · 2 months

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Explaining my entire dsmpsona playlist because I can

P.s. every mention of Soda in this post isn't me, i just dont feel like putting c! In front of it every single time LMAO

Also i dont think i ever posted the ref on tumblr!!?!??! Criminal but putting it here is better methinks

I also put this in my studentbur playlist, which feels fitting for both of them. However for Adam its more metaphorical whereas with Soda its more literal.

I have my own shapeshifter lore that's loitering in my brain that i need to write down eventually BUT the basics are essentially that shapeshifters are "born" from the planet. They CAN come from other shapeshifters but only once and most choose not to have a bio kid.

So basically, Soda literally popped out of the ground one day, was found by Sapnap and then adopted by Bad and Skeppy. Soda was maybe physically 9/10 years old and was so curious about the world and excited to experience life. If any creature could possibly be made of pure love, its them.

Growing up Soda got REALLY attached to Bad, they clung onto him a lot and it was to the point where it was probably unhealthy. Of course Bad noticed, which made him actually set some boundaries despite not really wanting to. Skeppy was able to convince him, though, as when it comes to the kids hes the voice of reason.

So, Bad would start off by telling Soda that he was going to be gone, leading up to him just disappearing for maybe a few hours at a time before eventually coming back. Eventually Soda was able to function without Bad, but that ended up backfiring as they just latched onto Sapnap instead.

With Soda's attachment to their brother, they tagged along with him when he went out fairly often but after being weened off of Bad it became more frequent. Soda and Sapnap were practically attached at the hip, regardless of Sapnap's protesting.

With a group of teenagers they were obviously doing some reckless, stupid shit and Soda was just along for the ride! At first Dream and George hated Soda—they were just Sapnap's annoying younger sibling—but eventually they got used to Soda being around. Especially since they may have persuaded Soda to use their shapeshifting for nefarious purposes.

At first everyone found Soda adorable, their cheery optimism, endless energy and amusing naivety was a part of their charm. But then it became...obnoxious.

Sapnap always had a short temper, he tried his best to handle it, but sometimes he'd just snap at Soda when they became too much of a handful. He was always quick to apologize but it affected Soda deeply.

Soda very much struggled with any sort of negative emotions, when they felt it—it hit them hard. One day, it was enough to send them spiraling, having a panic attack alone in their room. This was also the first time memories of their past lives resurfaced. At first it was rather intriguing, though a jumpscare, but then it just got worse.

It seemed like Soda's lives were always filled with turmoil and a constant feeling of dread. The stronger their emotions became the more fragments of memories would appear. Soda didn't tell anyone about this.

Skipping much further ahead, Soda obviously sided with the Dteam during the revolution. They were family, in Soda's eyes at least. Which made it incredibly easy for Dream to use that to his advantage. He used them in every way that he could to win the war, even going as far as to try and make Soda resent Tommy and Tubbo. Soda was a spy, mostly, turning into a cat to effortlessly infiltrate the enemy. They heard and saw everything, but part of them felt bad for it, so they never told Dream everything. He noticed.

The horrors of being a child soldier.

Dream's obsession with power and control was never obvious, not to his friends and certainly not to Soda. They truly believed he had good intentions despite going to war with Wilbur. Then again, Soda doesn't understand what war really is. But the pressure to keep up with Dream's demands and avaid his increasing irritably became exhausting and overwhelming. Yet Soda believed it was their fault.

Tubbo and Tommy weren't safe from the horrors either, they had that much in common with Soda. The three of them went through hell, basically.

Dream.

Aaaand tumblr wont let me add more songs so im cutting this into parts through reblogs. I'll probably continue this later (bc its almost 2am pFF) and might post the second part before i go to sleep like im doing now :P

I am cringe but I am free

#dsmp!soda #dsmpsona #dsmp #dream smp #dsmp oc #dsmp au

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freyjas-musings · 4 months

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I don’t get why people say elains book is safe the next ? Sjm said she will write for all sisters but she never said they will come out right after the other? And for why she didn’t said yes immediately after asked if we know elains love interest and said it would be lucien, well why would she? What author already tells people what is going to happen in their book before it even comes out?

Its not obvious to me that elain will be next because in the last acotar book their was more of azriel and gwyn then elain?

Nesta and cassian had a bonas chapter and they got their book, azriel has a bonas with both elain and gwyn but who in their right mind still thinks az an elain are “soulmates” after that bonus chapter. The whole time i got the ick while reading how he behaved will elain it was just fuckboh behavior. Rhys is his brother i think id azriel would be sooo in love with elain he would find a way for them? But azriel couldn’t even say anything, he didn’t think about a future with her, just where he pleasures himself to the thought of her and who does that? Fuckboys who don’t want a future with someone sorry but i wouldn’t want to date someone who thinks like that about me.

Sorry for rambling but i just had to get that of my chest 😂😂

Elain hasn't been set up enough to have the next book , I am not sure what popular stuff people are on these days but it must be potent in order to come to that hallucination but its really ok , it's not the worst assumption or theory out there. People can assume whatever they want and have fun while it lasts .

Personally I believe it will be Azriel's book. I often have people trying to pull me into debates but its just obvious its silly to argue about it.

Also, I do condemn Azriels thoughts on Elain in the bonus , it's never ok to treat anyone like an object you feel entitled to. It's still beyond me how someone can read that bonus and think it's romantic, reading badly written books and inexperience in life would explain it though. Clearly they both barely know each other and its not love . As an Azriel stan I would like Az to find that epic , intense , all consuming love that doesn't need to be hidden , for a guy that was locked away as a child for 11 years like some dirty secret it would just not make sense that he has to be a part of " forbidden romance " its just cruel.

Also, I think this fandom takes it too far with the "Fuckboy" image of Az , he is desparate and lonely , he also has a whole lot of unresolved trauma that has left him feeling rejected all his life, Elain lead him on , made her interest obvious so he would obviously think it was worth a shot. I don't think Az even knows what a healthy relationship looks like and Elain clearly has her own set of issues she is dealing with , they are at the best each others rebound.

What makes Az look worse is the fact that SJM changed from a Moriel endgame in ACOMAF which compromises the way the characters look in ACOWAR and I mean both Az and Mor. I am hoping after his book some of that will be amended.

Azriel is a grey character but he certainly is a lot more interesting compared to some other characters from the series who often seem very one dimensional and lack complexity and depth and seriously lack appeal . I truly believe Azriels story will the most intriguing, complex and satisfying journeys and I look forward to it .

And as for the whole Elain book or Az book? As long as people realise it's one OR the other who cares ? We will eventually get both the Gwynriel and Elucien book 🤗

#gwynriel #gwyneth berdara #pro gwynriel #gwyn acosf #acotar #gwyn x azriel #azriel shadowsinger #azriel #post acosf #acosf theory #elucien

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webginz · 20 days

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i had the worst shower ever. i was like, tripping out. reminded me of my "episodes" i had in middle school. just like voices and not knowing where i am. and not being able to get back to reality.

well now im on my way to the dentist, theres no way in hell they wont be able to notice i was just crying. (from fear of going to the dentist, not from the shower thing lol)

im so scared :(

[took out a part here but it was just about stress and disordered eating things from this morning]

then i got to the dentist and it sucked. long dentist story ahead

okay dentist. everything that couldve gone wrong, went wrong.. i tried acting normal, and we had small talk or whatever like normal dentist x ray stuff, but she could instantly tell something was wrong with me, i guess.

she gave me a health form to fill out. i was still chill and this point and was like oh yeah i have blood pressure problems but its only if im up moving around!! so not doing that at the desntist hehe amirite?! i also checked anxiety and i think thats what she wanted. just personal confirmation everything was gonna go wrong.

after she learned i had anxiety, she was nice, too nice imo... like i was a child. im okay with that though i guess. (i mean.. she could definitely tell i was just done crying)

she was like "the xray blanket is heavy and could help with ur anxiety" BUT I WANTED IT OFF AND COULD BARELY TALK SO I JUST NODDED. it made me feel so overwhelmed immediately. THIS IS WHERE EVERYTHING STARTED GOING BAD

im also just constantly aware of my hair and when you lean back on the stupid dentist seat my hat falls off. its like LOOK THE FREAK WHOS SCARED OF THE DENTIST AND PULLS OUT ALL HER HAIR!!

whatever. so there i am on the dentist chair. bald spots for the world to see. xray blanket sensory overload. sunglasses on top of my regular glasses. but im pushing through.

she starts using the tool on my teeth. a metal vibrating thing that sounds like a drill. my worst most awful fear is high pitched drilling noises. if im in a good mood i can put up with them for a bit, but obviously todays not that day. i try not to freak out, but she notices and asks if im okay and im like "yah" (with tears)

but then my mom comes in and shes like "can you not do it a different way?!?!" "shes freaking out" and just making everything WORSE. (used the chaos here to get rid of the dumb xray thing)

ive been on and off hyperventilating through all of this btw... i heard one of the dentist ladies say "shes crying and breathing really fast..." which was like. kill me now please god.

so back to my mom asking "can you not just do it a different way?" they do have a different way btw. without the scary machine! but then dentist lady says "she used this machine the last 2 times she was here? we dont have enough time to do it manually." (proof i was just having a bad day and i totally can be normal!!! but hearing this made me feel awful like i could feel all the dentists were thinking "she did it fine last time why is she carzy today?!?")

she then asked to step away to find the MAIN dentist lady.

at this point i was crying shaking hyperventilating and felt like i was gonna throw up from nervous energy. also my mom is pestering me a bunch (shes concerned but making everything worse, her hearts in the right place tho ily mom)

so big boss dentist lady is here. she says she looked at the xrays (from the beginning, remember?) and i have A GAZILLION CAVITIESSSSSS!!!!!

she says for my dental things from now on i should go to a SEDATION DENTIST!!!!

i was so out of it i didnt even know what to say. well now i do!!!

im not usually that scared. i was having a VERY BAD morning.

the dentist i go to now is all women. the sedation dentist is a MAN, that none of the women there had ever met. I HAVE TO GO MEET A MAN TO SEDATE ME SO I CAN BE ALONE WITH HIM? SO HE CAN DO MY TEETH? i might have a silly joking tone to this post but with this im being so serious. im scared as hell that thats just gonna end with me being raped.

i dont like male doctors/dentists/anything and always have my mom with me when i have to. there was a female assistant when i had my endoscopy and female nurses when i had my surgery. i dont want to be alone, asleep, in a room with a man i dont know. JUST BECAUSE IM SCARED OF THE DENTIST???

god i keep seeing stuff in the corner of my eye as im writing this. i think my psychosis is coming back for some reason.

every things going wrong today and forever

pls like/reply this post if you read it all im sorry for my ranting

#personal #i need a journal im sorry

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yakool-foolio · 7 months

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Okay, now on the other end of things

Morality wise, what about the NDA? Like they're the "good guys" in the story but who's the morally best and worst in your opinion? Also Kurumi as well if you want, because she kind of counts as am honorary NDA member ig?

Ooooooooh man this is a whole other can of worms, isn't it? Ranking the peacekeepers on their morality is much more cut n dry, but there's a whole lot more to think about when discussing the much more nuanced ethics each detective has. So to not devolve into too much chaos, I'll once again only be basing my ranking off of what is seen in canon in the game, so no talk of Number One Yuma (though that is definitely its own decisive topic, which will become evident soon). And as usual the list will go from best to worst, so we'll ease ourselves in before really diving into the nuance.

To start us off is the lovely Fubuki! Oh, you sweet summer child. The most morally sound out of all the detectives. Not a single bad bone in her body. She may be uneducated about many things in the world, but that doesn't stop her from being inherently kind and sweet, even with her unconventional compliments.

Next in line is Halara! I was honestly a little conflicted on whether they would be placed above or below Desuhiko, but I after some thinking, I believe Halara has the moral high ground. Obviously their stinginess and greed lowers their score, but the road is paved with good intentions. The reason they ask for so much money is so they can put it toward a program to help save cats! Even though they have trust issues with people, they care deeply about animals. And once they do gain some trust in human allies like Fubuki and Desuhiko, they say that their companionship is considered enough payment for the time being when partaking in casual investigations.

Climbing down to the next rung is Desuhiko. He's definitely got some issues with his ethics regarding his flirtatiousness. He is not afraid to flirt with any woman he meets and that is not good. Thankfully, he doesn't necessarily force any interaction and does back off when scolded or ignored enough, but that doesn't make his words any less uncomfortable. He needs to learn some self control or else he's gonna get a boot to the head.

Now here's where things get really interesting. Vivia takes third place in moral deviance. This is without going into the possible meanings of the teardrop tattoo, god forbid I bring up the idea of him murdering someone or being part of a gang; things would get much worse if I did. Even then, Vivia's overreaction to Yuma's determination to expose the truth definitely sits him firmly on the lower end of the ranking. He threatened to kill Yuma just so they could go back to living in blissful ignorance of Yakou's involvement in the case. He only resigned from his murderous intentions after hearing Yakou's spirit, calming him down and making him realize that he can't turn away from the truth and has to believe in his heart (kinda gay ngl). Vivia as a whole is harder to exactly pin down with his moral grayness regarding honesty, but ya can't really ignore the intention to slit someone's throat open, can ya?

And now we reach the actual murderer: heyo Yakou. Despite all the manipulation pulled by Yomi and Makoto, Yakou didn't have to kill Huesca. He did it for vengeance and atonement, leading all his detectives into the lion's den in order to execute his plan. Despite taking advantage of his allies, he undoubtedly had good intentions and is a very good soul overall. He wanted to bring justice to his wife who died because of an absolutely awful man and make up for not being able to save her. But murder is still murder, regardless of motive (I would say to put a pin in this, but I don't need to when the topic is coming up again right around the corner).

And here's the actual mass-murderer: Yuma! Now I know this may come as a shocker (or not depending on how much this game has been rotating in your brain like it has with mine), but Yuma is far from innocent, as much as we love to call him 'baby.' With the help of Shinigami, Yuma has killed many culprits. It can be argued that the very first reaping of Hitman Zilch doesn't fall under the same umbrella of awareness of his crime, but he still killed him! And afterward, Yuma made the decision to enter the labyrinth knowing that the culprits would die. He didn't have to use the labyrinths. It's especially egregious in chapter 3 when help was already on the way and would've put a stop to Dominic smashing Yuma to bits since they had the culprit with them! A death could've been avoided, but hindsight is not Yuma's Forte. And like I said, this isn't even talking about the corrupt fuckery of the WDO and what Yuma might've done as Number One.

#gotta love our devious detectives #just a bundle of loveable misfits #i just realized i forgot to mention kurumi but uh she's tied with fubuki #not much going on with her and its not at all her fault she ate people as much as that would add some spice to her ranking #rain code #rain code spoilers #fubuki clockford #halara nightmare #desuhiko thunderbolt #vivia twilight #yakou furio #yuma kokohead

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justastrugglinghotchocolate · 18 days

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Yall the 80s rock au has not left my brain so here’s some random ideas:

Dorian is a rising pop star (possibly even moving away from being a child star) who meets Basil in the same way he does in the book. Basil paints him and then introduces him to Henry. The only difference is that Basil does this out of the belief that Henry might be able to talk Dorian out of becoming a full pop star. Obviously, that doesn't happen. Henry becomes Dorian's producer/songwriter while also taking on a more mentor-like figure for Dorian. A lot of the songs Henry has Dorian perform are much more provocative and explicit than what Dorian used to do.

Basil is still an artist, just with a small expansion from portrait painting. He still does that, but now he also doubles as sort of a talent scout/Henry’s designer/muse (he doesn’t know, but all of Henry’s songs are complaints about/odes to him and their relationship).

Henry was specifically a punk rock star in the 70s, in lieu of the Sex Pistols and the Clash. Henry was popular because he was controversial, charismatic, and pretty, all things that captured the hearts of the UK. However, much of popularity was contained in the UK, though he had like one or two world wide hits. Still his name is still considered legendary for the time.

By the time Dorian meets him through Basil, Henry has long stopped performing his own songs, more or less writing and producing them for other stars. He despises Pop as a genre but since that is what sells now, he has had to pivot away from punk. Dorian becomes a sort of new hope for him because Dorian, being pretty and charismatic, could be the mix for the two genres.

Also this AU/Adaptation would take more of a focus on the complicated rivalry/relationship between Dorian and Henry. Because Henry, despite being hopeful of what Dorian could be, is also very resentful for the fact he is basically making his own replacement. I am using the “Henry as a bitter ex” characterization, so, along with that whole thing regarding Basil, now Henry literally has to watch Dorian reach higher heights in the same career he had. I think that conflict would take mainstage in the third act, replacing the Hetty Merton thing.

Dorian's corruption is a mix of the og book’s and 80s entertainment industry. While some stuff is definitely Henry’s fault, a whole lot of it is also just the entertainment industry being an exploitative place in general. Dorian grows worse as the years go by and Basil’s portrait of him does its usual thing.

CW: for mention of false accusations and grooming

Also, I think I figured out a way Basil doesn’t die! So England in the 1980s also had a moral panic regarding the LGBTQ+ and grooming (exactly like the ones of today). When Basil finds out about the portrait, Dorian doesn’t get the chance to murder him (for reasons) so instead, he outs Basil and falsely accuses him of grooming him, Basil’s rep is shot to pieces and he has to flee from his home country because no one is willing to believe his side of the story (except Henry, but at this point he is far too involved with Dorian to make a difference. Maybe this is the point where Henry’s dream breaks or something else which transitions into the third act.)

#the picture of dorian gray #80s rock au ig #idk what to call this #i am giving it to the world because there is no way in hell I am writing this fanfic too---I have too many lol #dorian gray #basil hallward #henry wotton #80s au #music industry au #feel free to add other stuff too!

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heartlvrrss · 7 months

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Doodle (part 1?)

Pairing: Haechan x reader

Word count: 1417

Genre: fluff, attempted and horribly failed comedy

Warnings: swearing, cringe and theres no kiss in this part </3 let me know if i missed any!

••••••••

A light hits my face, making me immediately move my tired arm to my face, hoping to block the horrid light from my eyes for the hope of at least getting a few more seconds of sleep.

Well that’s what I was at least hoping for before a loud voice had to interrupt me, which of course belonged to lee donghyuck, who, was also my longterm friend since middle school when we met through an awkward encounter of when my boyfriend of 2 months broke up with me, 13 year old me was obviously heartbroken and what made it even worse was hyucks loud ass laugh that could be heard from across the globe. We somehow became friends shortly after, which made me become bewitched under his charm and somehow gain a life long crush on him.

Resuming to the current situation in our 3rd year of college, here I am trying to ignore his desperate whines to get me up, there was a reason i decided to not get a roommate but if a knew hyuck would technically be the same thing then maybe i would’ve opted for the roommate option earlier on.

“wake up” haechan screams into my ear for about the millionth time making me inch one bit closer to slapping the shit out of him

“Lee donghyuck will you please just shut the fuck up, its saturday for gods damn sake.” The annoyance evident in my voice

“but you promised to take me to the new cat cafe” the grown ass man whines

“Do I fucking look like your sugar mommy to you?” istg if he says yes ill slap him

“youre not but, I am willing to take the offer just incase” that’s when I slap him for real making him let out an exaggerated yelp

“thats it. Ask one of your other hoes, im not taking you anymore”

Sadly, it seemed to not work as here I am walking with this absolute man-child to a cat cafe, once we arrived there I (obviously) firstly looked at the exterior, it was a cute little pink and off white cafe with a rusty pink chalkboard sitting outside for todays menu, a few white tables and seats with some flowers on each table to decorate it,

“It’s so cute” I squealed

“I told you it would be nice” hyuck replies but I just ignore him.

As we go in there were a few people already sitting there, eating a pastry or drinking something with adorable cats on their laps. We walked to a table by a window and grabbed the menus, taking a look at them before a waiter comes

“Hello, have you already decided on what to order yet?” She asks,

“Just a few more minutes please” I reply before she says something again

“Ok, also you too are a very cute and good-looking couple” she smiles not knowing of my mini heart attack that I’m having right now,

“Oh, we’re not a-” I answer back in shock before being interrupted by hyuck

“Oh god, she’s like a sister to me” he says in a (fake but i’m to dumb to realize) disgusted tone which, to be honest, it hurt quite a bit but I brushed it off, there’s no way I could still have a crush on him after all this time, right?

“My apologies” she smiles back before leaving.

“Well, have you decided on what to eat yet?” I ask trying to brush off the heartbreak and embarrassment rushing through my body at that second

***** (Time skip cuz Im not gonna put that much detail into that one scene)

It’s Monday (sadly) and I’m being dragged from my beloved bed by haechan as usual, earlier then usual to class,he wanted to ‘be early’ though I know it was probably to chose who would be his new girlfriend (It’s taking me a lot to hold back from slapping him and telling him I’m right here) because it’s apparently been way to long since he’s had a girlfriend (literally like 9 months).

“You know you could’ve just went alone without me” I whine

“I might look weird if I go alone won’t it look weird when I go alone and just look at other girls”

“No it would make me look like a creep”

“Do you know how many people think we are dating? Like 5 million, I think you would rather want to be a creep then a cheater to people who don’t know us”

“Now that you say that, you’re sadly correct? Y’know what, leave I’ll do this myself” He replies while trying to push me the other way

“Can you stop pushing me you shithead? Just in case you forgot we have the same class!”

********

“Can you please stop hitting me!” I complain to Haechan who’s been hitting me for almost the whole lesson

“I’m bored”

“And I’m trying to learn, so please for the sake of others and me would you please stop”

“How would it hurt others?” He says in a blunt voice

“How am I gonna support my future family because I’m getting rejected at every job because I didn’t pay attention during class?”

“I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to support us”

What the actual fuck. “Lee Donghyuck.”

“Not the government name. Scary.” He says in a ‘scared’ tone yet I could hear the smirk on his face.

***********

I don’t know why I even chose to accept to go to a party with hyuck but here I am walking with him to the party

“Why did we have to walk?” Haechan whines

“Because you need to get up and walk, exercise is important”

“Don’t act like the last time you even went near a gym was when you wanted to get something to eat from the mcdonalds next to it”

“Oh, look! We’re here!” I say trying to change the topic of this convo

“Don’t try to change the subject!”

***

“Hyuck stop drinking, you’ve had so many shots I’m not even sure how you’re even alive right now” I complain to him

“You’re not my mother” he whined, clearly drunk.

“Do you want to end up like him?” I point over to mark who’s on the couch next to a bucket of puke grasping onto staying awake which the possibility of that happening is less possible than him getting hoes “Cause I don’t feel like taking care of you in that state” I look over to haechan who is trying to look like hes asleep, keyword; trying.

“Stop pretending to be asleep, you know that trick never works on me”

“Damn it” he replies clearly bummed out about the fact it didn’t work as usual

“Now get up, I’m not going to let you stay at this place any drunker than you already are

“I don’t wanna” He has the nerve to reply knowing he’ll oblige anyways the second I say it again

“It isn’t choice get up” This time he thankfully gets up, slightly staggering before I let him hold onto me for support

“I’ll call a cab” I say after we walk out the door and he just nods most likely not listening yet still looking at me like a toddler seeing it’s favorite cartoon on tv

“You’re really pretty actually” He says out of nowhere breaking the silence

“Hyuck it’s not the time for jokes right now, you’re just drunk you’re speaking nonsense” I say, brushing of the butterflies in my stomach

“I’m not lying though” Haechan whines like a child “Couldn’t you tell that I’ve liked you ever since I’ve met you?” he says again in a more serious tone this time

“I thought you were just joking all the time when you flirted with me, besides you’re always ‘girl hunting’” I mutter, still a bit shocked

“I only do that because I think you don’t like me back”

“I thought I was pretty clear about my feelings too”

“Not really” he mutters but I choose to ignore it

“Let’s talk about this at my dorm, the cabs coming” I say still in a tiny bit of shock

“I wanna talk about this us now though”

“Fine”

“So, are we like a couple now?” I question

“I hope we are” he smiles at me

“Let’s talk more when you are sober ok?”

“I’m sobering up though” he pouts at me

“Barely.”

*****

The end? (I might make a part 2 when theyre like a couple idk or the next morning, yall decide)

#Haechan x reader #nct dream x reader #nct dream imagines #nct dream fluff #nct dream scenarios #lee donghyuck x reader #nct dream #127 x reader #nct x reader #nct imagines #nct u #nct 2023 #nct 127

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columbocorners · 8 months

Note

What are your thoughts on Otro after listening to the the episode?

Everyone thinks he is the worst (he is a terrible psychologist, I’ll admit to that) but he very obviously has unresolved childhood trauma that is making him act up.

The latest episode broke my heart, poor Noone “you promised” but we all knew this was going to happen, it was inevitable.

honestly, the chapter five episode had me literally verbally making commentary because I was SO into what the people were doing with that, also just in general props to itsjustjord given he wrote the chapter five episode which is so fucking cool and really shows on some level who in the community of theorists in little nightmares have a lot of credibilities that the people who are promised with making the franchise what it has so much faith in its community to provide them the chance to look into writing it. as a whole, I think otto is a very misguided, genuinely good person who kept going on and doing things that progressively sabotaged whatever collaboration and chances he had of trying to do better. and he is redeemable in my eyes, but it's like, he's too caught up in the way his own trauma and what happened with cece ( cici ) and this world to try and understand and on some level, that slowly reeled its nasty little head more into his work than the idea of actually helping noone. It's so sad because to me, I really think otto acted kind of fatherly to noone, like he genuinely cares for her, as much as he's grown to be so inherently selfish about wanting to find out things about cece ( cici ) and it's like. it's the little things that get me because to me, it could've potentially been so different if he had adult patients but given he works with children and we DON'T KNOW how the other coworkers act, but they probably are a lot less forgiving or even empathic to their patients (referring them by numbers and etc. ) it's like. he is very much a bad counselor, but he definitely does so in ways that just make me go ' he got attached ' and you definitely can see why we don't have a lot of inherent knowledge on what the copy is like, how long noone was staying there, and it's only after finding out about how bad noone's nightmares was that otto went ahead and made it a point of going because before he went, " oh her case isn't that bad, others are worse off " to " I want to oversee this all the way through " and it tells you, as much as it is for personal gain, there is a concern there too. he does try comforting her and doing all of these things to try and just make her stay a little more welcoming because some things should be procedural and a lot more professional but it's like, I think the thing that always got him was him admitting he had no answers to give about her dreams, and reassuring her she wasn't sick or that anything was wrong with her. as well as the moment where he took her to see the reunion room, at the end of the day, even I feel like people forget otto also gifted her that flower in chapter five as a means to try and let her know he was sorry for his actions last chapter, and I just think in general, otto is a bad counselor, but equally as bad with communication and expressing some things and I feel like it comes with the added notion that he wants to have noone actually see him in a good light, so he can help her and solve what his own problems are and what is going on with him but no matter how he strung it, he fucked up. and that is on him, of course I do think some things the two as a whole could've done better but noone went through a lot and she is legit just a child, and otto needs to try and make it up in a better way than simple gifts etc. ESPECIALLY WITH THAT ENDING BUT LIKE .. part two incoming bc I wrote too much btw

#little nightmares 3 #the sounds of nightmares #tson #ln #tson rambles #rambles

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toast-is-ticklish · 2 years

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A Healthy Dose of Condescension and a Healthy Dose of Laughter

Lee! Hunter and Ler! Darius

Lots of fluff and some tickles! Hunter is touch starved and Darius is begrudgingly adopting him

I love hunter so much hes so silly and skrunkly and fjdjdsk yeah

I know it's not lmk but I still hope you guys enjoy! 💖💖

___________________________________________

As Darius watched Hunter screw up his face in concentration, focusing on getting the stitch work just right, he found himself lost in thought.

He was concerned. As always.

He had internally come to terms with the fact that he had grown attached to the Hunter, but still wasnt ready to act like it.

He didn't know how to care for people, and Hunter most likely had no idea how to be cared for. Together they were an impressively emotionally constipated pair.

So Darius would worry, and do what he could in the bubble of their sewing lessons, and watch as the distance between the two of them lessened agonizingly slowly. And they would do their strange dance of hiding behind snarky comments and passive aggression to pretend they didnt care.

Because caring is scary.

Hunters eye bags only seemed to grow deeper every time he came to visit, and Darius just knew if he was aware of that child's sleep schedule he would probably want to throw himself into the nearest ditch and just disintegrate.

And worse, every time he saw Hunter he seemed to have all sorts of new bruises and scrapes and scars littering what he could see of his arms and legs. Even if you discarded the fact that hunter was a child—which you definitely shouldnt—he was treated as if he was completely disposable, despite his high ranking position.

It was maddening to watch. And Hunter didnt even see that it was wrong.

He never considered himself to be a person with any amount of parental instinct, but god did he want to just wrap this child up and take him away from this. Away from everything. So he could make friends and go to school and grow up like all kids should.

"Darius? Are you...good? You're just kinda, staring. At my face." Hunter looked at him a bit awkwardly.

How do you say, 'I'm worried about you and you need to rest' to a child soldier with no self preservation?

"Your eyebags are growing eyebags, little prince. Do I need to tell Raine to give you a bedtime or something?"

Close enough.

Hunter scoffed, looking away with a shake of his head. "I'm not a little kid, Darius. I'm 16!"

Darius raised his eyebrows, looking unconvinced. "Sure, princeling. Let's have a look at your work for today."

Darius strode over and turned Hunters embroidery hoop to face him. What he saw—loathe as he may to use this descriptor—was absolutely adorable. It was a stitched image of a little red bird surrounded by music notes, clearly made with a lot of care. Hunter had made great progress in the last few lessons, and although it could use a bit of refining, this obviously had a lot work put into it.

"This is your palisman, correct?"

"Uhm—yes. Flapjack likes to sing in the morning." Hunter said quietly with a small smile.

He looked up at Darius, somewhat nervously.

"Did I—is it good?"

It was always strange and a little sad to see how much Hunters confidence disappeared when he was without his mask. He was clearly starving for any positive feedback, and he definitely deserved it.

Darius would try his best to accommodate.

"Its excellent, Hunter. I'm very impressed with how quickly you're learning."

The kid soaked up the praise like a sponge, like he always did.

And oh so hesitantly, Darius raised a gloved hand and did something he would never even think of just a month ago. He ruffled Hunters hair.

Hunter stiffened up and Darius felt himself panic.

Had he pushed it too far? Stepped over some unseen boundary? Does he need to apologize?

He quickly pulled his hand away, scanning over hunters face. The kid looked a little flustered and tense, but not upset, thank titan. He seemed a little spaced out but Darius didnt miss the way he drooped at the loss of contact.

Huh.

"Are you alright, Hunter?"

"I'm fine! Aaaaalll good. Yep." Hunters voice was high pitched and tightly strung. He was embarrased then. Darius tried and failed to push back a feeling of fondness.

Suddenly his bird flew over from its perch in the corner of Darius's office, and although Darius couldnt understand what the bird was saying, he could tell it was very excited about something. It flew in circles around Hunters head chirping energetically.

"Yes he is—what?! No I'm not doing that!"

More fervent chirping as the bird hopped on Hunters lap.

Suddenly the boys cheeks and ears turned bright red. What was this bird saying?

"I am not his—He would never say yes to that anyways! I cant! That's just too embarrassing!"

More chirps intertwined with embarrased arguments and Darius decided he needed to put this kid out of his misery, if not out of kindness then to avoid a migraine.

"Flapjack no—"

"What would I never say yes to?"

"Nothing! Ow!" Flapjack tugged on his hair as if to admonish him. It was kind of cute, in a weird way.

"Your bird—Flapjack was it? Is more clever than you may think. The worst I could say to whatever they want you to ask is no, right? I'm not going to spend what little free time I have judging you, princeling."

Darius said, with a healthy dose of condescension.

Hunter screwed up his face as his bird continued to pester him.

"Fine!" He relented, "Its just—could you—"

He sighed in frustration.

"That thing you did to my hair. Flapjack thinks you should uhm. Do it again. If you want."

Darius paused. Oh. The kid wanted him to...touch his hair again? He supposed it would make sense for hunter to be a bit touch starved—it wasn't like Belos was known for his affectionate attitude.

Suddenly Hunter broke out in some awkward, forced laughter. "Ahahahah! Totally weird right! And dumb! And...stupid! Just forget about it!"

Darius supposed he was quiet for too long. Now he felt like he kicked a puppy or something.

"Hm. Well I don't think it's weird or stupid at all."

"Yeah! I mean—huh?"

Darius sat on the futon as Hunter looked at him confusedly.

"Here we are. Now you just.." Darius guided the boy to sit in front of him, almost leaning against his chest. "Perfect. Is this okay?"

"Uhm. Yes, this is fine." The boy was very tense, and it made Darius somewhat sad that this was so...strange and new to Hunter. That someone would want to touch him or give him affection.

Someday Hunter would know that he deserved affection and softness and kindness. Darius would make sure of it—no matter who it would be to give it.

Nevertheless, he began carding his hands through Hunters hair.

The only way to describe Hunters reaction is that he melted. The boy fell back against Darius's chest, though he was sure it was unintentional.

Darius continued to work his fingers through hair, occassionally lightly scratching at his scalp with his fingernails. Hunter would try and fail to stifle a hum, and continue to melt into the touch.

The bird seemed very happy about this arrangement.

Darius would be lying if he said he was uncomfortable taking care of the boy.

He didnt know how long they stayed there before he felt a shuddering against his chest.

The kid was crying. Shit.

Darius knew how to manage with many things. Missions, interrogations, battle, hell even the minutia of spells and curses and healing wounds.

He did not know how to comfort a crying child. Especially not a soldier. Especially not the new golden guard. Especially not the emperors nephew.

But for hunter, he had to try.

"I'm—I'm sorry."

Hunter spoke, and it was a sad strangled sound

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Hunter."

"I don't know why I'm reacting like this. Its childish and stupid."

"Hunter. Touch is not a want. It is a need. One I suspect has not been fulfilled for you. Your reactions are warranted and normal, not stupid."

Darius spoke impartially, as if every word he was saying was a fact. It was all true—but he hoped his tone didnt make him sound too much like he didnt care.

Hunter sniffled, and Darius subtly pulled him a bit closer to offer comfort.

"I'm sorry."

Darius carefully held this broken boy in his arms, and Hunter choked back a sob.

Flapjack nuzzled into the boys cheek, and Darius held him, until Hunters breathing evened out and he fell into sleep.

Thank the titan he did, because clearly the boy needed it. It was clear that hunter was a restless sleeper, as somehow he had tossed and turned enough to end up facing Darius's chest, gloved hands holding onto his shirt. It was endearing—but definitely a bit embarrassing. Darius was just glad Raine wasnt here to take pictures as he rested his arms on the boys back.

It had been a little over 2 hours, and a very stiff Darius had a meeting he needed to start getting ready for. He felt so awful for making this kid get up but there was no way for him to worm his way off the couch without hunter noticing.

"Hunter?" He said, shaking his shoulder a bit, "Hunter I need to get up soon..."

All he got in return was a grumble as Hunter grabbed him tighter. Darius chuckled, giving hunters shoulder a squeeze as he was about to tell him to wake up again—until he heard a curious noise.

A soft squeak, and some sleepy squirming.

This kid had ticklish...shoulders?

"Mmm..feels..fuhuhnny.."

Titan this child was going to be the end of Darius.

But still, he had found a possible wake up method, and he couldnt resist giving this a try.

He brought his fingers up to Hunters neck and skittered them around there, switching between the nails and pads of his fingers.

He was immediately rewarded with scratchy giggles and scrunched up shoulders.

"Ahahah! Whahahah—whahaht ihihis thihihihis?! Ahh!"

"I'm tickling you awake, little prince. I have to say, it is nice to see you smile without the underlying hint of smug brattiness."

"Youhouhoure—whhahat?! Ihihihit feheheeehls weheiheird!" Hunter almost whined through his giggles and Darius was getting confused.

"I'm..tickling you?"

"I dohohont knoohohow whahahat thahahat mehehahahns!"

Oh. That's very sad, actually.

Darius paused in thought. How were you supposed to explain this?

"Well...sometimes when you touch people in certain places it makes them laugh. That's called tickling."

Having to explain that was a little embarrassing.

"Ohoh thahat's... fascinating actually."

"Would you like me to continue?"

"Oh! Uhm—I mean! You can if you want. If that's, uh, normal?" Some color flushed the apples of Hunters cheeks, and Darius took a second to appreciate how he looked a lot less like a corpse.

"Of course, princeling."

Darius may have been a bit late to his meeting.

And when Raine found out why afterwards he may have wanted to die of embarrassment (No. He was not going to let Raine call him Dadrius. Dear Titan.)

But afterwards when he saw he saw Hunters face be just a bit brighter for the next couple days, and when he felt that stupid fuzzy feeling in his chest, he decided.

It was totally worth it.

#tickle #tickle fic #tickle community #lee! hunter #ler! darius #dadrius #fluff #touch starved hunter #toh hunter #toh golden guard #toh Darius

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yandere-sins · 2 years

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What do you have in mind when imagining handmaiden reader's clothing ? Based on your (stunning) writing, she has the same uniform/clothing like the other handmaidens and she doesn't wear heels (the click clack attracts attention). From my imagination her stockings or shoes are high quality since she's the favorite and she has an accessory that shows Tsaritsa's full ownership. I'm thinking of a dark blue choker with a charm similar to the ornaments on the Tsaritsa's cloak. Wdyt ?

Honestly, I haven’t thought about it too much (most of my darlings, especially reader inserts, are blanks, lol) so just thinking about it now, I’d dress her in like a very high-quality, fancy maid outfit? For shoes I was thinking a very small heel (that’s healthy for the foot and since I finished my apprenticeship in a hotel I think they are the most professional) but since its Snezhnaya we are thinking about, I was thinking more about ankle boots with a small, flat heel and obviously really good soles to walk through snow and not slip every step. Then of course stockings or leggins, depending on her mood, but maybe with cute garters or the edges have typical Snezhnayan ornaments or so. Then the maid dress in maybe darker colors, preferably dark blue, but I was thinking a bit more puffy bc it has more layers for warmth and so. Aprons are optional, but could prevent blood from ruining the dress all the time and there are very cute ones out there so they might be an option. And maybe for going out, she has like a cute mantle to throw over her shoulders and that fits with her clothes ^-^

Also, I would totally do something for hair and face, but I also thought it would be really cool to use a veil like what the Mirror Maidens are wearing (just not so big) to conceal the servant’s identities which makes them even more similar to each other but also gives the harbingers less guilt killing them over spilled wine or so lol. Of course, the handmaiden might have a brooch or ornament, or like you say collar, but I don’t think she should stand out more than maybe the head maids.

(That idea takes place right after Pantalone lost the last cloak to Yelan, isn’t it...)

Poor servants, but Childe won’t be doing so good either once he gets reprimanded for the intrusion and is now banned in almost all common areas of the servants xD

And he didn’t even find anything ):

Yeah, exactly. Even the tea knows, everyone knows. But Zhongli is so calm and unconcerned, he just stares off into the sky pretending to think hard before saying he knows nothing. Not one bit. Nada. He wishes he could help, but that’s not in the contract and Zhongli doesn’t like the look in Childe’s eyes. Not something he wants to indulge or get caught up with. So he chooses to stay out for better or worse.

Childe would be sooooooo jealous. And pissed. But mostly jealous xD

He’d totally rip all of these plants out of Dottore’s hands because either Childe has them or no one. Not that he’d dare throw them in the trash, but his point still stands: No one should have anything from his darling. So it’s not such a happy day for the Harbingers after all but if his darling asks nicely and offers something of theirs in exchange, Childe might be okay parting with some of the herbs. But not all, and he’ll still take his exchange reward.

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super-hero-confessions · 8 months

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i really wish more homewell shippers or the boys fandom that use/like homewell type elements like the "good boy" or "sweet boy" stuff were at least more aware of the fact that homewell is a case of grooming--an obvious one--that is not portrayed as sexy. the actor and actress are sexy, don't get it twisted. but the show itself ain't subtle at all.

think of how creepy and uncomfortable literally every scene is made to be between them. not an undertone, they specifically do not play music or adjust the ambiance in a lighthearted or loving way. and sometimes even have sounds echoing eerily, specifically to make it gross and awkward.

i'm already not one for a partner pretending to be a parent, but remember how homelander was supposed to be about eight-fucking-teen in diabolical and how she was teasing him--someone she'd clearly known since he was a child and had acted as a mother figure for--and manipulating him? yeah that. that's textbook grooming. she flat out gave him the mommy issues and kink.

noir enabled the bullshit but holy hell madelyn was so much worse.

this isn't even to say that people shouldn't have fun with shipping or kinks, but just... be aware? please. i've seen too many people up and go "look how much we use homelander's literal victimhood and grooming against him to infantilize and abuse him more while pretending its just so hot and not in the slightest problematic! isn't he so cute?" with their fics or art which let me be clear. would be perfectly fine if they didn't then try to be "holier than thou" about it.

and i don't mean that lightly, i mean it very obviously shows. there are tons of people out there with kinks for control and powerplay, dom, sub, the whole shebang. myself included! i get that homelander is an extremely tantalizing and polarizing character for that and fandom can be competitive.

what i don't get is how so many of the people who get off to the idea of further caging in a character who's been caged and controlled his whole life and making whump of him can be so blissfully unaware that their kink isn't any better or healthy than the ones that let homelander let loose to go full abusive monster or are closer to canon.

or up and try to say it somehow is.

y'all.

it is straight up getting off to the idea of homelander being forced to relive his childhood trauma and exploitive grooming from vought, with a new lover. except things somehow turn out better??? leik bitch what!? you can't be serious. we saying repeated abuse from the "right" person a.k.a. vought 2.0 the trauma bond reignited somehow makes a victim better???

okay.

fine, have the kink. but you can't seriously think that's less toxic than wanting him to be set free no matter how awful that may be for everyone else.

they're both toxic.

y ' a l l.

i have literally seen people trying to say butcher's toxic masculinity hang ups are a reason he would never bottom when him and homelander have the e x a c t same toxic masculinity hang ups. they are both giant insecure cunts who have trouble with vulnerability and became sadistic sociopaths because of abuse, that is the point.

the whole point of this show is to exemplify deeply problematic things and showcase how society and people are so desensitized to those things that they either don't matter to us, slip through the cracks, or shine a light on the hypocrisy of it all. with a few nasty jokes here and there. and for some of you in fandom it sincerely is flying way over your heads like i can't.

you cannot be that dumb i just you can't. please.

like homewell, like top "less alpha than raynor" butcher, indulge in toxic kinks. just try to be aware instead of hypocritical. the show is trying to teach us some things and i think they're worth picking up.

#confession #rant #the boys

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sidesteppostinghours · 2 months

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4 + 5 + 8 + 40 + 34 and I) G) F) for Cyrus Becker my beloved 🧡

afternoon idle!! oh my god questions galore *cracks knuckles* cyrus get your ass over here youre up

4. How easy is it to earn their trust?

Very difficult, and at the same time easier than youd think. he definitely doesnt entertain everybody, but hes not unreasonable. hell hear you out if you give him enough reason to (or if he thinks its beneficial to get to know you. do you see why he gets attached to people hes supposed to be manipulating so often). ortega and mortum required him to establish a relationship, which is how they got so close to eachother so quickly. herald got by because cyrus thought hed be a useful contact in the rangers. chen couldve earned his trust a long time ago, they had to work with eachother a lot back when he still ran with the rangers, but chen squandered it on his suspicions and its been too long for cyrus to have any interest in patching up their relationship. argent has largely flown under his radar, she hasnt piqued his interest more than the passing curiosity of why she wanted the regenerator.

5. How easy is it to earn their mistrust?

the default is mistrust. sorry yall, hes not taking any more chances than necessary. hes a telepath, he knows all too well what secrets other people hide, and hes not interested in giving people a chance to prove his suspicions wrong. but after hes grown to trust somebody? its... embarrassing how difficult it is to lose it. even though his trust is much shakier nowadays, you still need to have fucked up Majorly to get him back to mistrusting you. if you somehow manage to do that,,, uhhhh. what do you want on your tombstone? (ig its technically its possible to not die and even earn that trust back??? ortega managed, but thats ortega and hes statistically more likely to kill you or ruin your life. depends on how badly you fucked up. id say theres a good 5% chance youll survive the experience without the need for intense psychotherapy)

8. What were they told to stop/start doing most often as a child

listen. follow orders. be exactly who we need you to be. cyrus was a deeply rebellious regene, but he wasnt stupid about it. hed go against the mission in secret, and just enough that nobody wouldve been able to trace any problems back to him. that doesnt mean he was never caught, but he was too competent of a regene to be scrapped, which saved him multiple times before. those few times did cause handlers to keep a closer eye on him though, just in case. handlers would usually keep a harder grip on cyrus, hold him to stricter standards. it contributed a lot to his own self talk. SPEAKING OF WHICH:

40. How sensitive are they to their own flaws?

you must imagine me holding him and looking lovingly into his eyes while i dump a gallon of insecurity and perfectionism on him. hes a proud man, he thinks hes better than what other people are capable of, but that arguably makes things worse when he does make a mistake. he of all people shouldnt be like this. add the puppetmaster scar on him and its a hefty load of 'i need to make sure every single step of my plan goes exactly right Or Else." the worst thing about him is that a lot of the petty flaws he thinks apply to him arent correct. AND HE CANT EVEN NAME HIS ACTUAL FLAWS. cyrus you are so smart and walking around with zero self awareness, its the best. please consider stepping into acid.

34. How hard is it for them to shake a sense of guilt?

hohohohoho. well. the first step is to get him to feel guilty in the first place. traditionally immoral actions arent going to get to him, obviously. the thing that springs up guilt for him most often is themmys death. he has. a Lot of survivors guilt about that. especially because hes convinced himself he couldve done something and *gestures to the ask above*. guilt will haunt him for life if it doesnt get resolved in a healthy way, but hes gotten good at burying his emotions a long time ago. even when he feels like that, he reserves a specific time to think about it, otherwise itll impede on his plans in the long run. that designated time is. usually when hes supposed to be sleeping. his sleep schedule is just a little bit messed.

I) Do you prefer to keep them in their canon universe?

oh dude i Love putting cyrus in aus. its so fun to poke him with a stick and see what happens. the first one i put him in was a band au, it helped me figure out how he would interact with herald. basically cyrus was a masked guitarist (for backstory reasons) for a band daniel happened to be a fan of, except the two of them managed to meet at just regular old work, with cyrus not realizing daniel was a fan and daniel not realizing cyrus was from one of his favourite bands. it led to fun, mlb-esque shenanigans between the two lmfao. the second one i put him in was the becker siblings au, which i still have thoughts and emotionsTM about. that au let me indulge in the 'cyrus is an older sibling' headcanon and i will forever be in debt to it for the amount of protective cyrus i got. third and current au im obsessing over is a 'cyrus survives hb' scenario, where ortega managed to stop him before he jumped out the window. i am getting! so much ortega x cyrus content out of that au! and so much survivors guilt cyrus. cyrus 'using' ortega to forget about heartbreak my beloveddddd. he also says 'i love you' to ortega in this au and canon ortega is SO jealous. also x2, hes an alcohol vice step in this au. heartbreak hit hard and the tequila hits different.

aaaand i still like his canon version better. its just so very much him. out of every step ive got, hes the one i get to stay closest to how i envision based on the choices the game offers. plus he caught me completely by surprise suckerpunching me with an obsession over him and i cant Not respect that.

G) What trait of theirs bothers you the most?

not sure whether this means on a character creation level or as a person, but ill answer for 'as a person' because im overall pretty satisfied with how he turned out! but like. god what is there to not be bothered about. my manipulative little shit of a son. ig the trait that frustrates me the most is his self destructive tendencies. like. Sir. are you at all aware of the fact that people care for you and want you safe? and that you can respond to that concern with something other than "i can use this", "sucks to be them", or, "no theyre not"? sir. sir answer the question. hes so empathetic and also literally a telepath but somehow cant compute genuine concern at him. as frustrating as it is though, i cannot deny that it is deeply funny to watch him fumble so badly.

F) What do you feel when you think of your OC (pride, excitement, frustration, etc)?

normal. the ones where people look at me and think "wow, that is a person who is having (a) regular thought(s) about their character! very cool!" you will never see a person who is more normal about their guy than i am (i am grabbing him by the teeth and shaking him like a dog with a very strong kill instinct).

truly though, thinking of him gets me buzzing. hes like a puzzle, i keep breaking him apart and putting him back together again to see how everything works. i have this thing where ill often think about showing character analysis to the characters themeselves, just to see how they would react, and i undeniably do this the most with cyrus. i want to explain step by step (hah) why he is the way that he is now, like the whole timeline is plotted inside my head and its so!!!!! i am!!!!! chewing on him!!!!!

questions from here!

#herald is a lucky bastard #he messed up twice in a row (asking cyrus about his sidestep days+picking him up without consent) but asking for help training saved him #cyrus was straight up being sadistic about it he just wanted to fw herald after those two times and saw training as an opportunity #it wasnt supposed to lead somewhere #anathema vision wouldve fucked him and his guilty ass Up. good thing cyrus is a bastard and abandoned argentine before they crashed 🫶#and because i have an excuse to talk about them again heres some things that ive been thinking about lately:#1. it is So fucking funny to me that all three of them are trans afabs in some way #scientists at the farm in charge of the becker sibling batch: wow look at these three new girl regenes!#cyrus (trans man)/fawn (nb)/river (trans man): . well-#2. brother-madds buckley. just the whole thing. im going to start screaming and punching the floor here #3. WHO WAS THE HG SIBLING THE ORTEGAS SAW IN THE PHOTO. was it just somebody that looked enough like the three to assume it was a sibling #or did it happen to look exactly like one of the siblings. or did they find three photos with siblings that looked like each? I NEED ANSWER #cyrus' is very emotionally intelligent towards everybody but himself #when it comes to himself hes wearing a blindfold and earplugs and pretending nothings wrong #the whole time i was answering that last ask i was thinking about my post talking about how many posts of his were in my queue #god bless that man he never leaves my brain #thank you again for the ask idle :DD #cyrus becker #sidestep #fhr #pulp answers #ask game

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