#no points for originality but dammit he always got the spirit
Note
Sorry to bother - feel free to ignore. I’m trying to write an orv fic bc. I like them. And I’m having trouble understanding why with the regression depression it’s the happy memories that get yjh the most. Best I can figure it’s bc he can use the bad memories to propel him forward - like he’s doing this to avenge them. But the good memories force him to realize these people are gone and he’ll never see them again. Do you have any thoughts? Thanks!
i think that's definitely more or less accurate! i think the 'those people are gone and he'll never see them again' bit you've pointed out is the critical piece here. ill stick my further thoughts below the cut. this is really long because i've pulled a LOT of long chunks of text from the novel to shore up this point. i just got home from work so my thoughts are gonna be a little bit incoherent here. skip to the end if you're not interested in reading all the segments i pulled from the text. spoilers all the way up through chapter 508
first things first, let's just go back to the novel and look at all the bits where YJH's depression gets brought up
“Maybe Yoo Jonghyuk-nim has already repeated a few lives. You have fought against terrible enemies and struggled against the beings of this world to save people. Enduring alone, lonely memories… We respect your sublime spirit.”
This jerk, such skillful flattery. Yoo Jonghyuk would be moved to tears if he heard. Later when he was depressed, I would have to tell him these words.
“But Yoo Jonghyuk-nim should’ve realized it from your past regressions. Even if you have an outstanding miracle, you alone can’t fight against the disasters that will come.”
Plus, he was right.
- from ch 48
「 Everything is twisted because of this person. 」
「 It is different from what I know in the earlier regressions. The amount of information available is too limited. I can’t save the world like this. 」
What was this?
「 The reason I was hurt by the Salvation Church was because we spent too much time in the last round. It was a mistake to train for 100 years then. My mind was permanently damaged. 」
「 Maybe it was a mistake not to get the Absolute Throne. 」
「 I will start from the beginning again… 」
Dammit, the regressor’s depression had begun. Was it due to the mental attack? I cried out in fear of what he would decide. “I’m hurt you jerk!”
- from ch 140
「 Those people can’t save the world, even with 100 trucks. 」
「 Once again, the answer is regression… 」
“Now now, our Supreme King isn’t in a good mood right now so back off. Do you want to die?” I personally stepped forward to get rid of any causes of depression.
- later on in ch140 as well
This jerk, he was always so impatient. He had been given time to rest but he was still busy thinking. Regardless of his depressed state, Yoo Jonghyuk was Yoo Jonghyuk.
“Before that, let’s take a moment to breath. The view is great.” I said while sitting on the roof railing.
Yoo Jonghyuk asked me, “What are you up to?”
“I’m just looking at the world. Isn’t it beautiful?” The city of Seoul was destroyed by the monsters. I quickly added, “It was originally a beautiful place.”
“I don’t like landscapes.”
“Why?”
“They are things that will disappear someday.”
I thought I had a bit more understanding of the third regression Yoo Jonghyuk after fighting against Shin Yoosung. I wanted to believe he was a person who could love this world without giving up or feeling despair.
I told him, “However, we need to protect these things.”
“Kim Dokja, you don’t know.”
This might be my misunderstanding. Yoo Jonghyuk could give up at any time because he was still in the midst of his regressions.
In the end, Yoo Jonghyuk’s purpose was to prevent the ‘destruction of this world.’ Paradoxically, he could give up on this world at any time. His essence was regression and this fact would never change.
“No, I know,” I replied.
“What?”
“The fact that you can regress at any time means that death is meaningless.”
I looked down at Lee Seolhwa caring for the injured. Lee Seolhwa was feeding her boiled soup to an unknown person. Despite her efforts, there was a high probability that the character would die. Even if they lied now, they would die tomorrow. If they miraculously survived tomorrow, they would die the day after tomorrow.
It was the same in the fourth regression and the fifth regression. There would always be ‘death’ in the world of Yoo Jonghyuk, even after passing the 100th regression.
“If there is no sense of death then the value of life also disappears.”
- ch141
There was the vague belief that he could do better in the next round with more information. It was easy for him to give up on this regression if something went wrong.
This was the precursor symptom of ‘regression depression.’ Some of the contents of Ways of Survival passed through my head.
It was around the 48th regression. Yoo Jonghyuk had consulted with an incarnation of the constellation ‘Discoverer of the Subconscious’ on the ‘regression depression.’ At the time, he seemed to be speaking like I was now.
I continued speaking, “Yes. It might be as you say. If you repeat it 10 or 20 times then it will surely get better. You’ll be exposed to more scenarios and see more of the future. The real problem is when you someday save the world in this manner.”
“What does this mean?”
“At that time, do you really think you saved this world?”
“…”
“Do you think you will be able to keep the same mindset after repeating it 100 or 200 times?”
“I won’t regress that many times.”
I silently stared at Yoo Jonghyuk.
「 …Don’t tell me? 」 Yoo Jonghyuk’s eyes slowly widened.
I kept speaking, “Are you having nightmares these days?”
“…”
“You won’t be saved, even if you save the world. The moment you save the world, the worlds you have forsaken will come to you. Despite saving one world, all the other worlds you abandoned will drag you to hell.”
- from further down in ch141
「 Yoo Jonghyuk felt lonely as he saw these watches. They got their time back but he still wasn’t
living in this time. Yoo Jonghyuk suddenly thought. If so, where do I live in those countless hours? 」
It was the monologue of Yoo Jonghyuk, who once saved the Demon World. It was also one of my favourite scenes from Ways of Survival.
I suddenly seemed to understand a bit of his mind. To the regressor Yoo Jonghyuk, the time in these worlds didn’t belong to him. In a life that could go back over and over again, the present time was meaningless.
Once this was over, I would ask Aileen to make me a watch. If he had something like this, he might become more attached to this world. Maybe the regression depression would get better…
- ch 207
A person who regressed more than a thousand times. A spirit that had become insensitive from the hundreds of suicides and tragedies that an individual could suffer. The extremely widespread regression depression…
「 Yoo Jonghyuk of the 1863rd round is the despair of the world itself. 」
- ch 285
Abnormal condition? There was no way. Who was the 1863rd regression Yoo Jonghyuk? This was Yoo Jonghyuk who was the Ruler of the East Hell and killed the Devil of Principles. There was no one among the constellations who could place an abnormal condition on the present Yoo Jonghyuk.
Yoo Jonghyuk’s eyes were blank.
I felt uncomfortable like something was stuck in my throat. No, there was. There was only one person who could cause an abnormal status in Yoo Jonghyuk.
+
* The target is suffering from ‘regression depression’ due to an unknown cause.
+
It was Yoo Jonghyuk himself.
Regression depression. The spirit of the man who had been broken over 1863 lives made the regression depression almost a passive, low level skill. Once he fell into the depression, his consciousness was caught in the weight of his memories and he couldn’t wake up.
[Kill him! He isn’t invincible!]
The ruthless strikes caused Yoo Jonghyuk’s body to bleed little by little. It was strange. Originally, the regression depression shouldn’t occur in this situation. In the 1863rd round, Yoo Jonghyuk had learnt how to manage this disease.
- ch 286
then this REALLY LONG BIT from 287. it has stopped letting me indent for some reason so i guess ill bold this.
I knew how to wake up Yoo Jonghyuk from his regression depression. In other words, it meant I also knew how to sink him deeper into that melancholy.
I saw Yoo Jonghyuk’s fingertips moving and opened my mouth. “Do you remember? The 33rd round. You cleared the 40th scenario and Lee Jihye said this.”
Yoo Jonghyuk’s eyes dimmed and his moving fingertips stopped.
「 “It would be nice if Master didn’t have to go to the next round.” 」
“Think about it. You weren’t always unhappy. Right? In all the rounds, there were moments when you were happy.”
Yoo Jonghyuk’s expression was becoming stiffer.
“The 173rd round. You protected Earth for quite some time. You also saw Lee Jihye receiving her high school diploma and Lee Seolhwa smiling at someone’s child.”
「 “Jonghyuk-ssi, are you happy that you’re alive?” 」
Every time I spoke, Yoo Jonghyuk’s expression collapsed. It wasn’t despair that broke down Yoo Jonghyuk.
“The 383rd round. You finally cleared the 75th scenario. Fortunately, nobody died in that round. That was the first time. Then Lee Hyunsung told you.”
「 “Jonghyuk-ssi, I won’t forget today until I die.” 」
The feather-like memories sank into his head.
“Then the 498th round…”
Yoo Jonghyuk’s palms moved to cover his ears. The usual Yoo Jonghyuk wouldn’t have fallen from this much. Now it was different. I held his hands and kept talking. “That happened 10 times.”
A human sank deeper into the water just because of the weight of these feathers.
“Twenty times.”
My breath clogged up and my lungs tightened. I could feel what Yoo Jonghyuk was going through. Only I could feel it. The most primitive darkness at the bottom of one person was swallowing his ego greedily.
“100 times. It repeated over 1,000 times.”
All those words were destroyed. All the happy memories flowed back to a time they could never return to. Through the countless regressions, the meaning of happiness faded. All the values he preserved became pieces of torn paper.
“Yoo Jonghyuk.”
Yoo Jonghyuk’s self was sinking into the deep sea. It was to a place that he could never come up from without someone’s help.
“Have you protected all the things you wanted to keep?”
I looked at Yoo Jonghyuk’s miserable face and thought: Don’t worry Yoo Jonghyuk. I’ll do the rest. You stop and rest.
[Your understanding of the character ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’ is increasing explosively.]
Yoo Jonghyuk’s empty eyes were showing memories of losing his master. I didn’t use Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint but it wasn’t hard to read.
「 I want to die. 」
「 I want to finish all of this. 」
「 If only I can never wake up. 」
A few drops of rain fell from the sky. It was black rain made from the blood of the demon kings and constellations. Liquid also flowed onto Yoo Jonghyuk’s face. Yoo Jonghyuk’s gaze lowered and finally fell on me.
I was looking at the moment a human’s spirit collapsed. There was a broken voice. Like a creaking machine, Yoo Jonghyuk stammered, “Wh,at… should, I, d…o?”
i think this one is obviously very important.
then, the 'have you protected all you wanted to protect' stuff obviously reaches its culmination in the finale
⸢The regression depression.⸥
That was the only weakness of Yu Jung-Hyeok, who had repeatedly regressed for a very long time.
[In the 173rd turn. You managed to protect Earth for a pretty long time. You got to see Yi Ji-Hye receive her high school diploma, and you even got to see Yi Seol-Hwa smile with another’s child in her arms.]
The light in Yu Jung-Hyeok’s eyes was wavering.
⸢It wasn’t despair that could defeat Yu Jung-Hyeok.⸥
⸢Small feather-like memories settled down inside his head one by one.⸥
The ‘Dokkaebi King’ was using the exact same method I relied on back then.
⸢The breathing got harder, and the lungs were getting tighter.⸥
⸢A man drowning in water would sink even deeper under the surface from the weight of a mere feather.⸥
I couldn’t afford to idly watch on anymore. I shouted at Yu Jung-Hyeok, telling him to wake up, and not to fall for such an illusion.
However, my voice couldn’t reach them as if a non-conductive barrier was set up between us. And the ‘Dokkaebi King’ was smiling away, perhaps to mock this entire story.
[Yu Jung-Hyeok, have you protected all that you wanted to protect?]
Slowly, Yu Jung-Hyeok’s knees sank down.
I roused the Status of Fables. I needed to undo that ⸢Stage Transformation⸥ right now, But, how should I…
Grab.
There was a hand still tightly clutching mine. It was Han Su-Yeong.
“That’s not a battle you can interfere in.”
“But, if he’s left alone….!”
“….Even a star that can’t be seen still emits light. You said that, right?”
….A star that can’t be seen?
Her words made me look back at Yu Jung-Hyeok once more.
His gaze being lowered had come to a stop. Blinding sparks were completely enveloping him.
Tsu-chuchuchuchu….
Something was waking up his fading consciousness.
[Great Fable, ‘Ones that Remember the Apocalypse’, has begun its storytelling!]
That was a Fable I wasn’t aware of.
As the sparks lessened gradually, several silhouettes revealed themselves. Now that I took a closer look, Yu Jung-Hyeok wasn’t alone. No, four others were standing beside him.
A tall man, a young man with blonde hair, a girl with a ponytail, and finally…
[[He couldn’t protect anyone. That’s why he now stands in this place.]]
….An Archangel with blindingly-pure wings.
Astonishment quickly dyed the Dokkaebi King’s expression.
The Fable from the destroyed 999th turn was now burning brightly like the conflagration of end times on the edges of the Archangel’s blade.
[[Because he believes there are still things left to protect.]]
- from ch 508
Now here's a couple of tidbits about depression when it comes up for Other entities:
The fastest thing to get shaved away after becoming a Constellation was their own ‘Fable’. The more a Constellation depleted its story, the weaker its power would get. They would grow bored, disinterested, fall into depression, or lose themselves in tedium.
Constellations would desperately seek out other Fables in order to escape from such a quagmire. In other words, they would search for a new tragedy to escape from this horrible eternal cycle, even if it was only for a brief moment.
- ch 498
⸢[Constellation, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’s’ ■■ is ‘Something that can’t be found’.]⸥
I had read what his ■■ was from the original novel. His description showed up when he became Yu Jung-Hyeok’s ally for a little while during the 1863rd turn.
⸢The evil dragon suffering from the worst possible depression in this <Star Stream>.⸥
The reason why the ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ believed his age to be 15 was simply that he’d not be able to continue on if he didn’t.
A life stretching for thousands, no, tens of thousands of years, made an originally solitary dragon into such a creature.
In order to stop itself from decaying, he chose not to age. He chose not to lose his curiosity of the world. He chose to torment Incarnations or play bizarre pranks. And for his final prank, he even chose to betray the ‘Absolute Evil’, too. He stood on Yu Jung-Hyeok’s side and while mocking the <Star Stream>, breathed his last.
- ch 503
okay so
i think there are a couple of different ways to look at the regression depression in line with each of orv's 'themes'. of course despair at losing his comrades is the main primary emotion here, but there's subtler stuff going on here too.
for starters, the foundational components of any creature within the star stream is its stories. the more your stories are known and shared the more powerful they are, etc, etc. time and time again their shared stories are the thing to save them and ground them. but as we see with the hellscape of eternity, yjh begins to become isolated from the interpersonal aspect of the story as he loses the people he originally formed these stories with. the stories are how people communicate. as YJH progresses through his regressions he is unable to relate to the 'story' in the way you are supposed to, and this essentially causes a complete ego death. life no longer has any meaning for him, because he is fundamentally incapable of connecting with people. the [impossible communication] of a life and a burden that can't be shared.
then there's the [samsara] aspect - being worn down by the endless repetition of fate. everything is the same, over and over again, and yet we still delve into it hoping to get something new out of it. maybe the story will be different this time. ABFD was able to stave off depression by keeping himself in a state of permanent novelty - there was still something left to discover - but as YJH progresses through the regressions and falls deeper and deeper into repeating the same pattern, the tedium becomes too much. he has nothing new to experience. he has repeated everything this reality has to offer - or so he thinks - and it shows no sign of ever changing. if it's the same every time, why stick around? why not go again? it doesn't matter. none of it matters. you are just part of the wheel.
and if we think of it in terms of [good and evil] we see yjh slowly become something that almost any human being would call a monster. as kdj says in that conversation with anna croft near the end, "can you really call someone a human if you have to look so hard to find their humanity?" as far as it goes. yjh commits some atrocities! Because of said aforementioned removal from reality and ego death, he is able to fully justify any action it takes no matter how horrendous. and yet his noble goal never changes. undeniably, what he is by the end is some sort of monster. but still, of course, just a man. and he knows this. he feels himself slipping a little bit more, every regression. he knows its coming. and he doesn't want it. he wants to maintain his humanity.
but really i think we can almost best think of yjh's regression depression as almost his equivalent to the [fourth wall]. whereas the 4th wall is a unique passive skill that protects kim dokja by preventing him from fully conceptualizing what's happening to him as 'reality', the regression depression harms yjh by preventing him from conceptualizing what's happening to him as 'reality'. in a sense, his friends and loved ones have almost become 'characters' to him as well, as he already knows the way this story happens. he is an outsider, observing these beings interact with each other but not quite the same as them. he is an anachronism. this isn't his present. this is a present, one he can take or leave at any time. the thing yjh does in his later regressions - using people as tools - is something kdj does in the beginning of his journey. because, well, it doesnt matter if this isn't the 'real world'! they mirror each other.
that ended up being so much longer than i thought it would im sorry. i hope this was even like 10% helpful.
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Mamihlapinatapai
Mamihlapinatapai (n.) - a look shared by two people, each wishing that the other would initiate something that they both desire but which neither wants to begin.
(Origin: Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego)
"Dammit Ivar, I can't fast forward my commute. I told you, I'm on my way and I'll be at your place in half an hour." she yelled as she picked up his FOURTH call.
"You said that 31 minutes ago. At 17:34 you sent a message you'll be at my place in 30 minutes. It's 18:05 and you said you'll be here at six but the metro connection isn't perfect so you'll text when you'll get on the metro and to add 30 minutes to that."
"I swear, Ivar...you need to relax. The party will be great and besides no one is coming exactly at the agreed upon hour. So, take a deep breath, we still have 54 minutes to set everything up." She laughed as he cursed - another minute down.
"Where-" he was interrupted as the bell rung.
"I'm here." She exclaimed as she came up the stairs.
"C'mon, c'mon, get inside." He rushed her, grabbing her bags.
"Shoes off!" he barked as she stepped in his apartment.
"Yeah, yeah, I know." She waved nonchalantly at him as she took off her boots.
He rushed her to the open space where the living/dining room was to put her stuff on the couch, while he went down the small hallway to the kitchen. He grabbed two chopping boards and knives, while she put some music on, before she joined him in the kitchen.
"I can't believe I let you talk me into making a vodka bowl." Ivar grumbled as he was cutting the watermelon.
"Blame yourself. You wanted party ideas and I suggested some. Not my fault you decided on this one." She stuck her tongue out.
Ivar hollowed out the fruit and started cutting the meat and other fruits that would be served additionally to the bowl, while the 'idea master' started preparing the chocolate cheesecake she was known for.
She dipped her finger in the cheesecake spread and tried it.
"Perfect." She hummed.
"Can you put it in the freezer so it'll be ready sooner?" He asked, nervously looking at the clock.
"This is a party, get in the right mood, so you don't spoil everyone's fun night." She rolled her eyes at him.
"I'm relaxed." He crossed his arms over his chest. A sly smile graced her face as she took the bowl of chocolate cream, scooped a little on her finger and pointed it at his face.
"Don't you d-" he started but she was quicker then his warning. She started laughing as she spread the cream over his nose, her finger still extended. He grabbed her arm and pushed the finger to her cheek, smearing some of the chocolate cream over her face as well, making her stop. A small shock replaced a burst of laughter all too quick, Ivar participating in the lovely sound booming through the apartment.
The doorbell pulled them out of their laughter bubble as he rushed to the front door, letting everyone inside. Ubbe and Torvi stared at the relaxed, smiley figure in front of them and couldn't believe that was Ivar. But as soon as he yelled to take their shoes off they knew that was still Ubbe's baby brother.
The guests arrived one by one until everyone was present and the real party began. There was music, dancing, drinking, games, talking and most importantly food.
As always the night ended in playing Activity - 4 teams and everyone was competitive, most of all Ivar. And as always, she was stuck with him. She didn't mind as she found his competitive spirit and outbursts funny. Plus, they were on the same wavelength.
It was a tight race - Ivar took the last card, to wrap up the game. They were doing quite well, they were tied with the champions, Ubbe and Torvi, but Ivar was having none of it.
"Okay, you got this. We got this." Ivar cheered. Booze and almost winning pumped him up. Ubbe turned the clock and Ivar started moving, trying to show the word on the card.
"Person!" she yelled out, the alcohol made her louder. He shook his head and held out his hand. He then went on the ground to insinuate a smaller human holding the hand.
"Parent!" Ivar nodded. And then he stopped. He couldn't remember how to show the other part. He looked at the card again and then at the sand clock.
"Tick-tock." Ubbe mocked and received a death glare from his little brother. Ivar hunched and walked around.
"Bad posture?" Ivar shook his head.
"Deformity?" she tried, unsure.
He then showed the parent again and repeated the hunching move.
"Old?" She tried again. He snapped his fingers and circled his arms to insinuate to try new versions of it.
"Old parents? Parents that are old. Gra-"
"Time!" Ubbe yelled and Ivar groaned.
"Grandparents! Come on! She was just about to say it!" He tried, but Ubbe wasn't having it. Ivar slumped back in his seat and felt her patting his arm in condolence.
Ubbe and Torvi won the game at the end solidifying their winner status, which was also the perfect excuse for Ivar to throw everyone out. They made such a mess he needed to start with the clean up as soon as possible. The only one allowed to stay was her - she was also spending the night as she usually did when they had these get togethers. She lived far out of the city center and he was always a bit scared for her. His apartments always had at least a couch. This one even has a spare bedroom.
As they cleaned up, she poured them a glass of wine and they sat on the sofa, recreating the evening they had. Her legs twisted under her and her shoulder perched up on top of the sofa, while he had his legs on the floor. It made him nervous when he saw people put their feet on the couch, but even if he yelled, she wouldn’t listen to him, she was used to sitting that way. So the only option was that he got used to her feet on his couch.
"Thanks for everything today." He said with a smile.
"You're moving-in party was a success." She smiled at him.
"Thanks to you." She rolled her eyes at him.
"This was all your doing, I just supplied a comment here and there." She glowed, she loved organizing parties.
"We make a pretty good team." He commented, smiling into his glass. She nodded as she took a sip of her wine.
"I'm glad we're friends." He then leaned close to her.
"Is that so?" He questioned, his head centimeters from her. Suddenly it got uncomfortably hot and hard to breathe. It might have been the alcohol or maybe it was just the fact that he smelled so good, but she crashed her lips onto his. His hand immediately went to her face, mouths opened and their tongues met. The sweet taste of wine lingered on their lips, but the acid kick stayed at the ends of their tongues.
"Wait." Ivar ended the kiss. Her heart was racing, she could feel every beat all through her body. She coughed uncomfortably, but before she could say anything, he grabbed her glass of wine and put it on the coffee table, before grabbing her face and pulling her to him again. She shuffled and sat in his lap, his hands falling to her waist, trying to bring her closer to him.
"You have no idea how many times I've wanted to do this." He said in-between kisses as his hands roamed over her torso.
"Me too." She mumbled as she grinded on top of him, earning a groan from him.
"Wait. Wait. We need to stop." Ivar regained his senses. She stopped moving and looked him in the eye. She exhaled.
"We shouldn't do this tonight." She continued.
"Yeah...we both had too much to drink."
"And our judgement is a bit fuzzy..." He nodded.
"We should get ready for bed." He suggested and she climbed off of him.
"Well then...I'm off." she saluted, awkwardly and turned away. She quickly turned around and planted a quick kiss on his lips.
"See you in the morning." She winked and Ivar chuckled.
A little longer and a little steamy! 😳 Hope you liked it & thank you for reading! 🙏😊
The GIFs are not mine - a big thank you to the creators! 😊🙏
#ivar#ivar the boneless#ivar imagine#alex hogh andersen#vikings#modern vikings#vikings imagine#mamihlapinatapai#short story
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yes! my party composition is similar but i'll sometimes switch out for aveline specifically to gain rivalry with her or i'll switch varric out for bela instead. i assume she was in dai, so what were her thoughts on liara lavellan? how did she react to the dai party? and what can you tell us about liara? :D
my friend you are spoiling me here i love you
she was in inquisition! her initial reaction to liara was "dammit varric you could've told me she was CUTE" bc rian is, above all things, a disaster lesbian. they agree a lot, and liara actually snort laughs at rian's terrible jokes, so she's automatically one of rian's favourite people bc of it. liara is also vehemently, violently anti-templar, to a point where rian is almost taken aback by it bc liara is not a mage (it stems from having a mage parent who was murdered by templars, so. y'know) but she's glad for it.
rian's thoughts on the inquisition companions are as follows:
varric my most beloved. love of my life. my soulmate. we were fated to be the best of buddies
cole is weird but i like him. sweet dude. has not told me it is unjust to steal money from the chantry donation boxes yet, so i like him more than the other spirit in my life
solas is weird. in a good way. i think? he is very cute with lavellan and reminds me of an old, cranky merrill
i am going to torment cullen the entire time i am here ehehehehe suck it noodlehead
leliana scares me. i am also very attracted to her
josephine is sweet. i like her
cassandra is unintentionally fucking hilarious lmao. not cool with her locking my best dude up in my own damn estate though, i will forever be salty about that
bull is dope as hell i love this guy
sera is dope as hell i love this girl
dorian is dope as hell i love this guy
something is Up with blackwall. i don't know what it is but something is Up
vivienne is so hot but so scary and she hates me so much
bonus: holy fuck harding is cute. varric are you seeing this shit, she's so cute
rian was uh. left behind in the fade, but i don't really see it as playing out the way it does in game - it wasn't liara's choice, it was rian's. she refused to let anyone else stay behind, she's already got survivor's guilt coming out her ears. alistair wouldn't be staying behind even if he wanted to lmao
liara is. complicated lmao. if rian is purple, and lyna (my warden) leans red, then liara leans blue, but it's very surface-level blue. she cares, she's full of compassion, but she is also full of so, so much hate. she's able to keep it under wraps, and it's very difficult to tell, but she is so incredibly angry under the surface, and it doesn't make itself apparent until trespasser when she loses her shit and everyone except leliana is so taken aback by it.
trespasser is kinda a turning point for her - she stops trying to fight back against how angry and bitter and in pain she is. the world has taken enough from her, it no longer deserves her understanding or her patience or her humility. she is scary post-trespasser, and not just because she leans into the whole "girlfriend of the dread wolf" thing as a power play. think leliana - how in origins she is deeply wounded and hurt, but still idealistic and willing to try, whereas you hit inquisition and she is brutal - that coldness was always there, she just had other things to temper it with, but she can still be pulled back. that's sort of the narrative i lean into with liara - there's hope there still, but she's definitely been hardened.
maybe obi-wan kenobi is a better comparison lmao. you see how many times that man leans dark side, especially in the clone wars series, but ultimately pulls himself back bc despite his feelings he has a definite sense of right vs wrong? yeah. that.
liara also hero-worships anders and justice. she's got a wee bit of a crush on justice specifically, too, and yes varric has pointed out that she doesn't know what he even looks like but he is the embodiment of justice, varric, how could anything be sexier, cmon
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15.20 Final Thoughts
Supernatural is over, and somehow, despite itself, it did the very best it could to please me. That was always going to be an impossible task. But truly, sincerely, that finale was as close to my desires as the show could ever bring itself to come, and so, so much closer than I ever dreamed it would dare.
I am so, so glad that no other regular characters were involved (Bobby aside, but he was brief). How better to encapsulate their own emptiness? How fundamentally fitting, than in the epilogue to their final battle, wherein the entire world beyond them was erased, the wider universe is merely set dressing for them to move through. And it was so quiet this way. This finale wasn’t overcrowded or rushed. It kept its own peace. And it preserved the tangible claustrophobia that 15.19 invoked: that tangled, lovely, solipsistic, toxic conviction that these are the only two people on earth that matter.
It’s unclear exactly how much time passed between 15.19 and 15.20. I like to think it’s been at least a year, given that they’ve settled into routine and that their grief seems less fresh. (Although yes, the concept of Dean dying on his very first hunt without a resurrection available is hilarious, I must confess.) Their calm domesticity, their peace, was lovely to watch (Sam kicking the laundry machine! Sam with wet hair! Sam running! Sam cooking, Sam looking a little less bulky than usual, and happy!) But man, it really is Dean’s world, isn’t it? Even the DOG, which really, really, really could reasonably have been primarily Sam’s, was Dean’s dog first and foremost. Then on Dean’s say-so, they get in Dean’s car to drive to a pie festival for Dean. Sam is perfectly content to go along with all of it.
As if we hadn’t gotten enough delightful fanservice, we also got one last scene of Sam threatening to torture someone to death. :) what a king.
I love that Dean died to an OSHA violation while fighting a random loose end from season 1 (which, by the way, I CALLED IT, I am so proud of myself). It’s perfectly mundane. I truly and deeply do not understand anyone complaining that Dean should have gone out in a way that’s more epic. He’s been there, done that, guys, and remember how miserable it was? Now there’s no cosmic safety net. Dean died in a broken down old barn, saving some kids. Moments like these are when Dean is at his best, at his most fundamentally sympathetic: when he’s not trying to control the shape of the universe or dictate righteousness or let his anger drive himself down into a destructive spiral. He’s just putting his money where his mouth is. He’s not making a broad moral statement. He’s simply putting his life on the line to defend someone who needs defending. It is not an unworthy end. It’s so much better than going out to, god forbid, God.
Did Dean earn a lifetime of peace? The concept of just desserts is fraught. But I also don’t think it’s something Dean wanted. He wanted to keep killing things in tetanus-infested barns until he died. He got what he wanted. And while the arc of his wants has adapted over the years, MOTW hunting is fulfilling for him.
Dean’s deathbed speech was, oh man. It got me good. Like many of the things I loved in this episode, it was quiet. No desperation, no revising history (or not too much, anyway). Just, “stay with me, please. I love you. Tell me it’s okay.”
The quiet of Sam’s grief, alone in the bunker. How still his face is, until for a little bit it crumples again, and then it comes back and goes still. He’s not trying to control his reactions or press back against his sorrow. There is no work to do, nothing to avenge, no one to find, nothing to defeat. He is alone, and the washes of visible grief simply come and go in waves that he doesn’t try to fight or force.
I need the gif of him flinching at the toaster. His startle reactions are my favorite thing. He’s alone underground, there is not a living soul for miles and miles, he’s just buried his brother, not for the first time, but this time, he knows, for the last. And the goddamn toaster goes off and he cannot control the way his heart leaps up into his throat and the way every one of his muscles tightens.
Sam grows old. Sam. Grows old. Sam grows old! SAM GROWS OLD.
Ohhh my God, Sam grows old. Without Dean! Without hunting! Without Cas! With people outside that claustrophobic world, beyond the four tight walls of SPN, beyond the people approved by Dean and by Fandom, who give him peace and love and fulfillment! SAM GOT OUT. Even with the truly terrible wig the image brings me to actual tears. I cannot believe SPN would allow him to have this. I cannot believe that the show let him be happy without Dean. I want to read the set of novelizations about Sam’s recovery.
Of course this was the only way for Sam to get unwound, and of course it had to happen offscreen in flashes. Thank god for the ambiguity. There’s so much potential there, years and years, we were simply told: and at some point Sam’s life gets better, at some point his mental health improves and he feels safe enough to start a family, with someone, and at some point he has a child, and he dies peacefully, he dies loved and with people who love him, and dammit I’m getting weepy again.
Sam quit hunting. Not in a sudden jolt. We see him leaving the bunker on another job. But when he leaves the bunker, he leaves for good. He has so much knowledge, but he does not preserve the Men of Letters. He does not honor their legacy of extermination and experimentation. Maybe he gives someone else the keys, for the books. Or maybe he’s digitized it all, and maybe it’s done.
Maybe his wife is Eileen, or maybe it’s Amelia, or maybe it’s Piper or Cara or maybe it’s someone new. Maybe it’s not even a woman. And maybe she’s a hunter, but I hope she isn’t, and when Sam tells her, haltingly, in fits and starts, the bare outline of the truth, she looks at him and she believes him. And she understands the shape of the trauma he carries, even if Sam can’t quite speak the details, and maybe Sam goes to therapy. Maybe he doesn’t. Maybe he wakes in pain and fear for many years, but over time, it dulls.
Sam’s son is still a young man when Sam is on his deathbed, probably in at least his eighties. Think about the mountain Sam had to climb to reach that point. How many years and years of work did it take before Sam felt safe enough to want a child? How long for him to gently conquer his terror at the legacy his blood might carry: Lucifer and Azazel are dead, he knows this, but how long before he lets himself believe it enough to permit the risk? And then he raises his child, not in fear and loneliness, but with love and support and care. And he makes sure his son is protected, that he knows to salt his thresholds and ward against demons, but his son will not suffer the way he suffered.
Maybe he untangles his thoughts about Dean, maybe he learns that to feel angry with his brother is not to betray him or to dishonor his memory, maybe he comes to a more complex understanding of their relationship. Maybe he doesn’t. Maybe he simply enshrines Dean, and Dean’s memory becomes ever more golden and untarnished, and the Impala becomes truly an altar. The details of how Sam carries Dean with him—the watch, the car, the absurdly large photos, his son’s name—perhaps these are played straight, and perhaps Sam never finds a more nuanced love. In the meta sense I think we are certainly meant to think this. We are meant to see Dean deified here, canonized into a saint. We are meant to view Sam’s fifty more years of life as worship, as a dedication and an offering.
This is the long shadow of the finale. These are the things untouched by necessity and by design: this is Dean’s apology in 15.18, this is Sam not wanting an apology, and not wanting to hear Dean offer one. This difficult work was always and inevitably going to be elided. But there is so much time, decades and decades, offscreen, for Sam to come to a quieter peace.
I think he can do it.
I think Sam can do anything.
I’m crying again.
I really didn’t think I would cry much about the finale. I thought I would cry at the concept of the show ending, but not at what the ending was. I didn’t think any details would actually affect me. But then Sam got old. I am truly and genuinely hung up on the canonical image of Sam finding peace. Good god. He had GLASSES. Help.
My chief complaint (aside from that absolutely awful Carry On cover, why oh why, they should have just played the original again), if I felt at all like complaining at the moment, would be how happy this ending is. But I can’t begrudge Sam that. I can’t even get too mad at the scene that I was SO SURE I would despise: that of Sam and Dean content in a Heaven that is now apparently Great, Actually (even though a prison dimension with an open floor plan is still a prison dimension, but hey, I guess we humans can’t leave earth either). Supernatural clearly wanted Sam and Dean to not be facing down an abyssally bleak afterlife, and I think I’d be complaining about the lack of bleakness a whole lot more if it didn’t have the (perhaps unintended??) side effect of giving Sam even more freedom from Dean than SPN already deigned to give him. Sam isn’t in a shared cell with Dean. He can be with his friends and his wife and his son.
One of the fundamental questions of SPN is, would Dean ever let Sam go? And it’s a question that the bulk of s13-15 has rendered moot with Sam’s growing passivity, and one that 15.20 neatly dodged. And I’m glad it did, because I wouldn’t have liked whatever 15.20 had to say on the matter. This deflection feels true to the spirit of what the show has become.
It was impossible for Sam to find peace while Dean was still alive. And on its own that kind of says everything, doesn’t it? And Sam is still forever denied the peace he truly longed for. Sam didn’t want death to force Dean’s hand. Sam wanted Dean to want to let him go. But the only way Sam and Dean could heal is apart. The potential of their relationship on earth becoming untangled is forever precluded, explictly. And yet Sam’s freedom is validated, Sam is allowed what he sought in season 1 and season 8, Sam is something beyond a hunter and Dean’s brother, and the show let him be, the show let him grow.
Supernatural said Sam Rights, and the world shook.
#spn spoilers#sam and dean#15.20#final thoughts#sam and romance#sam and peace#just leave me here to die#I did not realize how relieved I'd be#I do not believe how much tension has left me#at the realization that I liked this ending#and of COURSE there are so many people complaining about sam's peace#but guess what!!!#this isn't season 8!#this time the show agrees with ME!#SAM HAS riGHTs!
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2019: Twitter- Eric Kripke
therealKripke: “In honor of #SPN300, here's my original #SPN pitch from 2004. The pilot story is very different, but the tone always rang clear to me. Could never have imagined what this show became and the good it's done. Humbled and grateful beyond words to you all. #SPNFamily @cw_spn ‘[images of spn pilot’s 4pg script]’“ - 12:08 PM Feb 7, 2019
[source]
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Supernatural
Pitch by Eric Kripke August 30, 2004
I. TONE AND WORLD
In one sentence, this is X-FILES meets ROUTE 66. Two brothers, cruising the dusty back roads in their trusty 64 Mustang, battling the things that go bump in the night. But much more than that, it's a show about an obsession of mine...
Throughout the U.S., (especially the MIDDLE, where I'm from), we have a folklore, as uniquely American as baseball, as rich and varied as any world mythology, and almost nobody knows it. For instance, Robert Johnson sold his soul to the Devil, at an abandoned Mississippi crossroads, to be the world's greatest guitarist. But he died violently, poisoned at age 26, screaming about Hellhounds as he choked on his own blood. In the shadowy north woods of Minnesota, lives a creature named the Wendigo. Translated from Native American, it means "evil that devours.” It feeds on human flesh. And even today, dozens of witnesses say it's very real.
There are literally HUNDREDS of these stories and legends and urban legends. There are dark and dangerous things out there in the corners of our country. So here's a show that travels the diverse highways and byways of supernatural America. Black woods, ghost towns, those tourist trap mystery spots. Really, a show ABOUT our country-the bloody, beating heart of America.
Unlike X-FILES, this show isn't Vancouver rainy. It's brighter, more colorful, more VISCERAL, and more irreverent. The humor here is extremely important to me—but it has to arise from the characters and their attitudes. The characters can be funny, but the weekly stories have to be SCARY AS SHIT– I'm talking THE RING; how what you don't see is much more terrifying than what you do. I'm talking about making this series as scary as I possibly can, until you guys call and yell at me.
But I also want the tone to be GROUNDED. Where BUFFY, for example, felt HEIGHTENED, our show should feel like OUR WORLD, real-life America. With a darkness that bubbles and boils just beneath the surface. And I want to keep the weekly stories CREDIBLE- leave 'em with a question mark, the possibility of a rational explanation. Something early X-Files did very well.
Finally, I want this show to capture a certain SPIRIT. For one, that youthful electricity of dropping out and hitting the open road; the freedom of wide-open American spaces. But also, EVERY road trip story-from FEAR and LOATHING to Kerouac to The Odyssey, are inherently mythic quests, hero's journeys, real Joseph Campbell stuff. The way STAR WARS, LORD OF THE RINGS, and MATRIX are all the same story, with the same beats. So our series, too, is an epic hero's quest-- across the United States. Almost like a modern western, and our heroes are gunslingers. Or, as I like to call it - it's STAR WARS in TRUCK STOP AMERICA.
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II. CHARACTERS AND FRANCHISE
Now, let's get into establishing our characters, and launching our franchise.
So if this is STAR WARS, meet LUKE SKYWALKER. SAM HARRISON, 21. Think Jake Gyllenhall, or Tobey Maguire. Smart, funny, handsome, maybe a little type-A. He just graduated Stanford with a 4.0, and now he's heading back down to L.A., where he lives with his Aunt and Uncle, he'll spend the summer clerking at a powerful law firm. And in the Fall... Harvard Law, thank you very much. Pedal to the metal, Sam is cruising the track to success. But, like all good Luke Skywalker heroes, Sam is vaguely restless. He tells his girlfriend, maybe he should drop everything this summer and blow off to Europe. But of course, he doesn't. He has too many responsibilities.
Sam's well adjusted, successful life, it's a real triumph, especially considering his background. Fifteen years ago, his dad JACK became increasingly dark and depressed. He drank. A lot. Until Mom and Dad were in a car crash. Dad was driving. He lived. Mom didn't. That triggered a schizophrenic breakdown in Dad. He swore that twisted, dark, horrific things caused that crash and took Mom away. And those same dark things were chasing after him. Dad was institutionalized. But he escaped. And disappeared.
Sam is ashamed of his tragic past. Hates his Dad, blames him for killing Mom, and NEVER, EVER talks about it.
Now, Sam's mythic CALL TO ADVENTURE, the events that will change his life forever, begin simply enough. When his big brother DEAN rolls into town. Meet DEAN HARRISON, 25, think Colin Farrel. If Sam's the good kid, Dean's the troublemaker. If Sam's Luke Skywalker, Dean's Han Solo. Charismatic and dangerous. Cocky confidence masking a troubled soul. Sam hated Dad, but Dean was older and remembered Dad in brighter days, and he worshipped the man. Sam buried his past and ignored it, but Dean was haunted by it, never quite got his shit together. Dean never went to college. Just sort of traveled around. In fact, Sam hasn't heard from Dean in almost 3 years, which Sam clearly resents.
And now... Dean makes Sam a proposition. Let me drive you down to L.A.- it's just one day, we'll get a chance to catch up a little. Reluctant, Sam agrees.
At first, they're enjoying the electric, carefree pleasures of a ROAD TRIP. Top down, radio blaring, singing their lungs out to AC/DC.
But then... at twilight... on an empty stretch of highway... Dean's driving. And he has to make a confession. (Though I'm sure we'll break this up into a few different scenes.) "Sam. There's something I need to tell you," Dean says. “I went looking for Dad. And I found him. Took just about every dime I had, but I found him. And I've been with him, for almost 2 years." Sam is shocked and betrayed: "what?! Why didn't you tell me?!" But Dean continues: "listen. I know this is hard to believe. But Dad WASN'T nuts.
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Demons really DID kill Mom. Dark, awful things WERE following Dad. I know. Because I can see them. Because they're following me, too."
Obviously, Sam is BEYOND freaked and well aware that schizophrenia is hereditary. Dean goes on, getting worked up-“so Dad figured out how to kill these things, and he showed me how. Until they caught up to us in Baker. They got Dad. Before I got them." "What do you mean, you GOT them?” asks Sam. “I killed a demon. In human form," says Dean. “You killed somebody?!" "No, I killed a DEMON, it only LOOKED human.” (Which could be a scary, visceral teaser, by the way.) Anyway, DEAN continues: “Listen to me, Sam... it was Dad's wish, his DYING WISH, that I find you, that I teach you the way he taught me.” At this point, Sam goes into placating, survival mode. “Okay. Sure. Just calm down." But Sam's terrified-of his own brother.
Meanwhile, as this conversation's going on, Dean isn't going to L.A. He takes a detour-- for all intents and purposes, kidnapping Sam. They pull into a small, faded, all-American town in Central California. It's 1950's American optimism gone to seed. Basically, they pull right into the pilot's SELF ENCLOSED B-STORY. Whatever it is, the story should be simple, giving us room to focus on the brothers. It should be based in Folklore. And it should be personal—the job their father never completed.
Now, here's an example of exactly the kind of story I'm talking about. The real life ghost story of the "Weeping Woman," a sobbing wraith in a bloody white nightgown. She murdered her children by the river side, as revenge against her unfaithful husband. And today, it's said she lures unfaithful men to the river and drowns them. And sure enough, several MEN in this town have turned up dead by the river's edge. Anyway, something like this. And Dean, despite his smart ass jokes and references to the movie Poltergeist, seems to be taking this SERIOUSLY.
But Sam doesn't believe a WORD of it. First moment he's alone, he calls his Aunt and Uncle. “I'm with Dean, I think he's sick.” They tell him—"cops in Baker found your Dad's body. And a truck driver's body, too. Dean's the suspect. You have to get away! Where are you?!” But before Sam can answer-he pivots, right into Dean. Who grabs the phone, SMASHING it, furious: “Dammit, Sam, I'm not insane," Dean says, “Caspar the unfriendly fucker is really out there!"
Then, as Dean delves deeper and deeper into the ghost story, dragging a reluctant Sam along with him... INEXPLICABLE SUPERNATURAL phenomenon begin to occur, which SERIOUSLY RATTLES Sam. We'll have several good, scary set pieces. And soon, Sam doesn't know WHAT to think. And in the B-STORY'S climax, he'll even save Dean at some crucial point. (Though we'll be careful to leave things open ended, with just the possibility of a logical explanation.)
Afterwards, a beat in which Dean, vulnerable, says to his brother-"I've been thinking. And you're going home, Sam. You're smart, and you've got everything going for you. I don't care what Dad said, I can't let you live like this... Still," says Dean, "it was nice having you around. When you're with somebody... you just don't feel as crazy as
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often." Sam's very conflicted, and he feels awful, but he can't just abandon his old life. So the brothers part ways. Sam hitchhikes up the road. Meanwhile, thanks to his Aunt and Uncle, the cops have been searching for Sam, and now they find him.
At the station, Sam tells the cops, Dean's in Colorado by now. But a patrol car has spotted Dean's parked Mustang at a nearby motel. The police grab SHOTGUNS, they're going to take Dean with force. And in the face of ONE PASSING COP, Sam sees-a glimpse. A shimmer. Something DEMONIC and INHUMAN flashes across the cop's face-and then it's gone, just as quick. Did Sam imagine it? Is he going insane, too? Or is Dean really in danger? Are dark, awful things really after him, like he said?
This is Sam's crossroads moment. And he makes a decision-he takes off. Steals a car. Beats the cops back to Dean. Warns him at the last minute. It's very TIGHT and very HECTIC, but Sam and Dean get away. Escaping by the skin of their teeth.
As we leave Sam... he doesn't know if he's losing his mind. He doesn't know if Dean's a hero or a homicidal schizophrenic. All he knows is-Dean's his brother, and he needs help. And for now, that's enough.
III. THE SERIES ITSELF
I think the overall GOAL here, is building an engine that gives us SELF ENCLOSED STORIES. I am gonna pitch some very simple mythology, but STAND ALONES are a format I really believe in, they're the shows I loved and grew up on. Like the best EARLY episodes of X-FILES.
So basically, our two heroes, avenging their parents' death, cruise the golden backroads of America-picture chrome diners and bucolic farms and dusty Route 66 towns. Places that are mythic and American, but also haunting, in a way. Places where horror can strike in broad daylight. Sam and Dean are kind of like classic gunslingers, or dragon slayers, finding-and KILLING—the monsters of American folklore.
So first question-how do they find the damn things? Dean tracks these creatures in a low-tech way. He scans obituaries for strange deaths. Dean also has a loose network of contacts - defrocked ministers and trailer park psychics, who impart information to our heroes whenever necessary.
Second question-how do they KILL the damn things? The answer—they have no fucking idea. They're outgunned and desperate and in completely over their heads. They don't have a WATCHER, like in BUFFY. They don't have an OBI WAN. They're on their own. Each week, they gotta figure out what the hell they're dealing with, and how the hell to kill it. And a lot of the time, they're wrong, and they have to improvise. Whether it's finding a ghost's remains - and burning them into dust; or loading a shotgun with silver buckshot, our guys will do whatever it takes to get the job done.
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@pieman1112 ll Plotted
“GET OUT OF MY DAMN FACE, FREAKSHOW!” Nobunaga’s shout echoed through what remained of the blasted apartment building, frustration and panic coming to a boiling point of fury. The flaming blades surrounding guitar sliced through the Laḫmu’s upturned jaw like butter, and she abruptly jerked it out of its torso in a single motion.
“Ugh - just- FUCKING DIE!”
She was in no mood to be playing games, finding herself clawing at the strings of her bloodied instrument to discharge the heat building up inside of her, incinerating the neighboring beast with an uncontrolled, reckless blast. The remaining embers bounced off the nearby concrete wall, but she hardly noticed the burn at this point. The only thing in her mind was a strange mix of rage and desperation, the endless chittering and scraping of the insect-like on the floors making feel sick to her stomach. Worst of all was their damn laughs, - high pitched and shrieking mockery at the woman desperately tearing through their numbers. Incapable of empathy, even among themselves - they’d rather stay and watch her franticly search for the brother she’d left behind here not an hour before. ( So funny! So funny! She searches but does not find! Ehehehe! )
“SHUT IT!”
Another decisive blow, this time in the shape of a raw slam to bash the thing’s deformed mouth to a pile of broken teeth. She let out another feral cry into the air, the mana manifesting in her from her starting to build to an almost painful level. She’s got to release it somehow - cool herself down before Heshi-Kill Hasebe decided to burn her from the inside out. This madness has never been harder to control, and its far removed by what she can usually channel into a few guitar rifts or killer vocals.
“Dammit! Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT! WHERE ARE YOU?! ”
He had to be here. He had to be because he wasn’t dead. If he had died, his spirit origin would simply have returned to her- she would have felt it. It happened all the time, and she’d have manifested him again, just like she always did.
But the things - these damn monsters loved to toy with people. Kill and disect them slowly in the cruelest ways imaginable. And if that wasn’t bad enough, they’d spawn more of their kind out of the very corpses after the ‘fun’ was over.
She didn’t know what would happen to his spirit origin if that were case - and she was feeling the very real fear of losing her brother forever.
“Nobukatsu! NOBUKATSU! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?”
Voice cracking. Flames forming at the points of her hands. She really was going to lose her fucking mind if this kept up.
#sooo the madness enchantment she has in this case is definitely impairing her ability to think#because she can't reason that he might have just...left. or be somewhere else#oh yeah btw one massssive detail i forgot to mention about these things#is that when they kill people they have the ability to spawn more of them out of the dead bodies#so it kinda explains why she's freaking out so much more here#pieman1112#THE Nobu Rock n' Roll! [ Summer Nobunaga ]#probably the most serious thing i will post as summer nobu for a while laskjdfla#v; Retired Servant#Servant Manifestations [ Threads ]
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Losing The Lot
Fandom: Love365 Masquerade Kiss
Pairing: Kazuomi Shido x MC
Word count: 4,043
Warning: NSFW Smut
Written by: darkmindsotome
Tagging @voltage-vixen as requested. Prompt #7: Strip poker
Darkmindsotome Masterlist
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Losing The Lot
My laptop beeped ending the latest transmission from the EAC. I closed the device and slid it under the seat of the car that was currently winding its way through crosstown traffic in the rain to take me back to my apartment after successfully completing my latest mission.
I closed my eyes and rolled my neck, sinking into the cushioning of the backseat. I didn’t typically find all missions exhausting but being a spy was both physically and mentally demanding. I watched the streetlights blur against the rain on the window, happy to finally be able to relax.
My mind wandered wishing for nothing more than to sink into a hot bath and then curl up on the sofa with a big tub of Lady Borden ice cream and binge on Mission Impossible films. My phone vibrated next to me and when I saw the caller my heart jumped.
“Welcome back.” A voice I had missed hearing for the last few days spoke before I had even placed the phone near my ear properly.
“I won’t ask how you found out I was back in the country again.” I smiled. Despite how exasperated my words sounded I was seriously happy to hear the voice of the man I loved.
“Can’t a guy take an interest in his Girlfriend these days? Did you get me a souvenir?” Kazuomi sounded like an excited child. His energy and upbeat attitude brushed away the tension in my body.
“You wanted a souvenir? Kazuomi I was on a mission, not a vacation.” I playfully chastised him knowing full well any kind of reprimand from me would go unanswered as it usually did.
“So you didn’t get me anything at all?” I could practically see his pouting face even over the phone.
My wonderfully mischievous guy who worked harder than he showed to anyone. A man who was at the top of official lists as one of the world’s most wanted bad guys. Who was labelled a playboy the world over and covered in multiple gossip columns constantly never showed this kind of vulnerability to others. He was far from pristine white, his actions were always a little shady but I trusted him. I felt a warmth bloom in my chest as I thought about it.
“I didn’t say that.” I laughed our conversation was coming to an end as my car had stopped at the curb of my apartment and I knew I would lose reception for a few minutes as I entered the building. “I’ll bring it over to your place tomorrow.”
The door to the car opened and instead of seeing the driver, I saw my boyfriend.
“Why not just give it to me now?” He had a look on his face like he had just pulled off the biggest prank of his life and the smile could have made my knees buckle had I not already been sitting.
He was outlined by the lights behind him that were casting a shimmering aura over him. As if he needed to be painted in a sexier manner. This guy was a walking advert for sexual desires and just oozed appeal. A natural charmer I really would not be surprised to discover his friend's claims that celestial beings had fallen under his spell.
“What are you doing here!?”
“Is that any way to greet your man? Although I have to say you look good even when pulling that face.” He winked at me his brown hair was caught at the moment between lightly damp and becoming unstyled by the rain. A few droplets of water fell from the tips of it and ran down his neck finding the open collar of his shirt and vanishing beneath it.
“You!” I gave him a light slap as I got out of the car pretending not to notice that I was jealous of a raindrop. My eyes fell on a familiar vehicle and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “I can’t believe you showed up in the limo.”
“I never go anywhere without it.” He shrugged as if this sort of thing was normal for everyone. If there was one thing he enjoyed it was opulence and dammit if he hadn’t provided a good show of it to the point where very little was able to still shock me. He bent over and grabbed my suitcase from inside the car, tapping the roof after he shut the door sending it on its way. “Come on let’s get inside before we both drown.”
He grabbed my wrist with his free hand pulling me towards my building. The warmth of his grip where his skin touched mine had me willingly follow him in a trance. I really was a hopeless case.
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The door unlocked with a click that was lost against the sound of the downpour of water. We both walked in and Kazuomi put the suitcase he had pilfered from the car next to the kitchen counter. I closed the front door behind us only to find myself wrapped up in a pair of strong arms and my damp bare neck claimed in a rush of fiery kisses.
“Mhm, Kazuomi…” I purred as he chased away the chill on my body from the rain with his lips. I loved his kisses, I’d never met someone who kissed like him before.
“No one says my name like you do.” He returned my purr with one. Even as his lips travelled over my skin his hands began pawing and kneading at me through my damp clothes. The cold fabric clung to the flushed flesh under it. “How long are you planning on keeping me waiting?”
“Waiting? On what?” While is still had enough of my senses to talk back I did. This was our little game that fuelled the fire in both of us. An endless game of cat and mouse where neither of us was willing to simply give in.
“My souvenir of course.” He buried his head in the crook of my neck before drawing back to capture my ear lobe lightly between his teeth, giving it a gentle tug. “But if you don’t have one… I guess I could claim you instead.”
Before he could latch on to me and make it impossible for me to move I spun around in his arms and placed a finger on his lips enjoying his reaction as he wondered what I was doing.
“As tempting as that is I do have something for you.” I made sure to rub myself just a little against him as I pushed him back. There was no way I was going to make getting things all his way that easy for him, I never did.
“Oh?”
I moved past him and clipped open the suitcase searching for the gift I’d found for him. A rectangular box slipped out from under some of my clothes and I picked it up suddenly feeling a little nervous about giving the third richest guy in the world something so pathetic.
“I didn’t see anything that really got my attention but I found these and thought you would probably like them.”
“A deck of cards?” Kazuomi didn’t display any of the elitist reactions I imagined. Instead, he looks seriously amused and happy with his souvenir.
“Their special cards, here see?” I keep forgetting this guy can be so incredibly down to earth it naturally makes me smile as I pluck the box from his hands and crack it open to remove one of the cards.
After rubbing the image on the card the figure that was once dressed in fanciful clothes and opulent robes revealed more and more skin. The idea was the longer you played with the cards the more of their secrets the heat from your hands uncovered. I thought that concept alone was so incredibly Kazuomi I just had to get him a deck.
“Impressive.” His eyes light up at the new discovery reminding me of a kid watching a magic show for the first time.
“You like them?”
“My beloved brought me a gift of course I love them.” He held the cards in his hand and dragged me back to him with the other. It was such a smooth and fast movement I could feel my insides jolting at it. He bent down to whisper in my ear. “You really are a naughty girl though. To think you would get me a gift like this. I hope you’re ready for a game.”
His voice was intoxicating, neither of us moved our eyes remaining locked as the heat between us ignited our competitive natures.
*
The clean apartment had become a mess in a matter of a couple of hours. Items of clothing were dotted around like breadcrumbs trailing a path to us as we sat either end of my white corner sofa playing Texas hold ‘em.
After scrambling around in drawers and cupboards looking for something we could use in place of betting chips we found a bag of candy and split it 50/50.
Several hands later, most of the clothes on the floor were mine. I had played several card games in the past and I was confident enough to say I could put up a good fight. It was, however, just my luck that my charming boyfriend also had a reputation for never losing. This fun, kinky game was rapidly becoming my waterloo.
I was now left with only my shirt and underwear while Kazuomi was only missing his jacket and waistcoat. His brown eyes were paying way more attention to me than his own cards. It was really distracting and I kept fidgeting in place, willing my mind to focus on the cards and not the impossibly attractive man in front of me. How was he even winning when he wasn’t even paying attention anyway?
“You look like you have something to say.” He was still smirking after watching me lose my skirt. I made sure to stay out of his reach as I disrobed but that didn’t stop him from making some suggestively sexy gestures of his own like licking his lips and slicking back his damp hair from his face. I don’t know if it was the time we spent apart or what but he looked so different right now, my heart started to pound so hard I could feel it.
“What makes you think that?” I shrugged trying to hide how hot I was getting while I shuffled the cards.
“You are giving me the most adorable glare. I just love it when your little miss perfect mask slips off.” He had crawled towards me over the sofa on all fours like a prowling lion. It would only have taken a small pounce to have me trapped under him, an idea I can’t say I minded at all but the game was not over yet.
“Just deal the cards.” I shoved the shuffled deck towards him and watched as he calmly rolled back into his original seat accepting them.
“As my Lady commands.”
Competitive spirit reignited we returned to our little game. It is probably about this time that a normal person may consider the fact that this was not going well and forfeit. As a certain hardened gambler playing me so often remarked though part of the fun in a game was never knowing how things were going to turn out until the very end.
I think at this point from the heated stares and the way in which we were responding to each other’s every move there was no question where this was going to end. It only remained to be seen who was going to come out on top?
After checking my hand, I was a little relieved to see some good cards, King and ten of diamonds. The smiling face of the girl dressed in the increasingly dishevelled robes of the King looked back at me. I know I got these cards for Kazuomi as a kind of novelty gift but honestly even I’m a little turned on looking at them.
Kazuomi didn’t exactly have the unreadable poker face I had seen at Masquerade when playing cards there with other people. It was not deadpan but it may as well have been for all the hints it was giving away.
He was smiling serenely. Every now and then he brought his hand out to take a drink from the table, pulling it back, brushing lightly over his own thigh drawing my attention to the growing bulge in his lap. It was subtle enough that he could still claim he had no idea what I was referring to should I bring it up.
I was more than familiar with his little teases at this point and refused to acknowledge it, my eyes returning to the game as the next cards flopped onto the cushion between us after we each threw in some ‘chips’ to bet. I was looking at more diamonds Queen, eight and four.
This should be easy I was holding a great hand so far. I nearly smiled imagining that I might get him to remove some more clothes. To hide it I instead licked my lips and rubbed my thighs together adjusting myself in the seat. When did I get this wet? Embarrassment suddenly hit me and I could feel the heat rising from my core to colour my face.
“Call.” He announced his move and I could hear a little strain in his voice.
Glancing over I could see the same anguish of forced restraint that I was feeling. I nodded not trusting my voice currently to not blow my cover and reached out to turn the fourth card. Three, another diamond. I could feel my body unconsciously relax a little after seeing the new card.
There was only really one card that could beat me now, I end up putting half my chips in the pot and he calls again. I look over at him, his wolfish grin had grown and dammit if he didn’t look like the very definition of lust in a dictionary.
Eight of clubs fell on the river. This changed things a little there could be the chance he may have three of a kind here I decided to play it a little safe and just make a small bet.
“Call.”
Again? Seriously? I ran some very quick calculations that honestly made very little difference to the commitment I had as to how to play my hand.
“King high flush” I flipped over my cards smiling as I called it out. I felt the rush of anticipation coursing through me. There was a very low chance I was going to lose, 2% in fact.
“Nice! Very good hand.” Kazuomi nodded still smiling.
“Thank you.”
“Not quite good enough though. Ace high… flush.” As he flipped his cards over I couldn’t take my eyes off them and the defeat it dealt me.
“Wha-? No way how many times is that you’ve won?” I pouted far from ready to give up on the game between us it was like a new fire had been lit. I had been so close that time.
“I haven’t been counting. I would say I’ve at least won enough to enjoy a good show.” His eyes had turned predatory as he provoked me.
“Well, I suppose I should continue the performance then.” I raised myself to my knees, remaining on the sofa.
Walking my fingers up the front of my shirt and slowly unbuttoned it. My eyes never left him as I let the fabric glide downwards before dropping to the floor. I felt a new rush of excitement that had nothing to do with a card game. His predatory look and that smile on his face had morphed for a fraction of a second revealing how he was also struggling to keep himself in check.
“I would be more than happy to call it here if you don’t want to continue.” I decided to push a few buttons. It isn’t very often I got to see him this close to the edge after all.
“Oh? Are you admitting defeat?” The crack in his mask sealed shut behind a reinforced veneer.
“Never, I’m in this till the end.” My firm denial brought back his smile.
“Then it’s a race to the finish. I’ll warn you now I won’t hold back.” Kazuomi’s voice issued his warning like a devilish promise sending a shiver straight up my spine. His curved lips had me thinking of his kisses and how badly I craved for them to be covering me right now.
“That makes two of us.”
The next game started and it felt like a slow torture. I had Ace of clubs and a King of diamonds, another decent hand. Luck seemed to be at least interested in keeping these matches between us close.
I bet and he calls. Ace and three of clubs falls on the flop with the Ace of diamonds. It looks like I could be in with more than a slim chance here. I tap my hand to signal a check. He bets and I raise then he does something he hasn’t done all night.
“All in” His bet throws me for a loop.
I check my cards again quickly wondering what could actually beat them. Pair of aces or deuces… that made two hands that could trump mine. There was still a higher chance of me being ahead right now.
Looking up at my boyfriend who was still as unreadable as before, I found him enjoying watching me waver on this last game. If he loses after calling 'all in' that was it. I would not only have won the hand but he would have to strip completely. My crushing defeat could become a momentous victory in the blink of an eye. 95% chance.
“Call.”
After making my bet the cards move again, the five of diamonds appears on the turn. Victory was so close I could almost feel it.
“Check”
“Check” Our call was in unison and you could cut the sexual tension with a knife.
Everything was dependant on this last card. The chances of failure were slim and then it hit. Queen of clubs fell on the river. My hands tremble a little as I turn over my hand.
“Ace King, that gives me three of a kind.”
“Jack five,” Kazuomi's words sounded muffled in my ears as I looked at the cards he held. My eyes blew wide at the hand he hit back with. Of all the low blows to be given tonight. “Flush, I win.”
“Jack and Five of clubs? No way!”
“It was just a lucky hand.” He chuckled seeing how animated I was.
“That is more than lucky that’s unbelievable! Why the hell did you play that?” I wasn’t trying to be a sore loser. I just couldn’t believe he kept that hand going through the game until he got lucky on the river.
“I’m a great believer in being in it to win it and this was the last game of the night. I figured if I was going to lose I should make it memorable.” He shrugged the grin on his face turned into a shit-eating smirk. The look was unashamedly seductive it should have been illegal.
“Loose? You didn’t though you totally destroyed me!” I huffed scooping up the cards and candy from the sofa and putting them on the coffee table with an artless thud.
“I’ll happily hear your complaints in bed. Right now I’m claiming my winnings.” He took my petulant act of clearing the sofa as an invitation not waiting for my reply.
In his impatience he threw me back on the sofa, climbing on top of me silencing any protests I might have by kissing me ferociously. Our bodies became a tangle of limbs, stroking and grabbing at each other. This was more our MO. Passionate, wild neither of us willing to let the other win even now. The spy and the ex target, Kazuomi and me.
It was a no-holds-barred battle between equals. I found myself wondering if we would ever reach a point where we weren’t playing these games. If he would become the focus of one of my missions in the future placing us right back at the starting point. So many ideas and concerns, worries for another time. Right now I was more than happy to just focus on the man I loved.
My hands travelled over him pulling his shirt free of his trousers and snaking up under the fabric. His taut muscles flexed under my touch as he moved unperturbed locating my weak spots. He trailed kisses from my ear to my collarbone and tried to go lower only to be yanked back up as my hand gripped tight on his belt preventing him.
“Have I ever told you that I love how unpredictable you are?” He kissed me hard, his tongue twisting against mine in a way that had me breathless as it brushed over the roof of my mouth.
“Have I ever told you that you talk too much?” I somehow managed to backtalk him. His hands traced the edge of my bra, releasing the clip at the same time as I unbuckled his belt. My hand slipped down grasping his hardened length he had been flaunting throughout the game. His hips bucked pushing it into my palm as he groaned. “Mmm god, I missed you.”
“Missed you too.” He kissed me quickly before pulling back long enough to pull his shirt over his head, the buttons were apparently too much effort to bother with. “You have some time off now right?”
“Mhm, until the next mission at least.” I nodded and pumped my hand a little. The lust in his eyes had turned them nearly black, I bit my lip.
“So there’s not a problem in me keeping you up all night then.” His hand plunged into the thin fabric of my panties. The pad of his thumb brushed over the bundle of nerves as he slipped his fingers deeper inside.
“Ah! …. Kazuomi” I cried out my body writhing under his touch. I wanted more, I wanted him.
“Yeah?”
“I L-” My words, the ones I never said outside of the bedroom were cut off with a growl from him.
His teeth sunk into the flesh of my bottom lip leaving it feeling deliciously sore. I felt his hands move to shove the waistbands of his boxers and trousers free of his hips. The removal of the restricting clothing had his arousal standing to attention pressing into my inner thigh. My body clenched around the fingers buried inside me.
“How much more were you planning on making me fall for you? Careful with all that cute stuff it kills me.” Kazuomi removed his fingers, my body naturally chased his desperation taking over wanting to reclaim the friction it had lost.
The sound of fabric tearing should have concerned me but I was past the point of caring about a destroyed set of lingerie. He pushed into me slowly I didn’t think I could have gotten any hotter but as I was forced to stretch around him I felt like I was being filled with liquid magma. Sweat was prickling on my skin and I willed my eyes to remain open. I wanted to see him.
Our heavy breathing, pants, moans and cries rang out. Each of us taking turns to tantalise and tease while our bodies rocked harder and harder together. My vision sparked white as an orgasm claimed me. Kazuomi helped me ride it out against him before joining me in my euphoria and falling flat on top of me. Our bodies were still joined together, muscles twitching and the sweat running freely combining our scents in the air. My heart was hammering in my chest, my pulse throbbing in my head in the aftermath of the wave that had washed over me.
I reached up to run my fingers through my man’s soft brown hair knowing him to be a man of his word and looking forward to the rest of our night as we pushed each other to the brink, jumping together into paradise. I was finally home.
---
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Cuddles and Snuggles
Request : ‘Hey I saw a post asking for idea submissions. How about Ego-Flap-Bang of Arin and Dan going back to Arins house after recording and them and Suzy have a cuddle sesh’ by @optional-adventure
Type : Fluff & Cuddling
Pairing : EgoFlapBang (Arin/Suzy/Dan)
A/N : okay I know I write a lot of cuddle fluff fics but I had to do this one ;-;
“God. After that shit, I could probably sleep for a thousand years.” Dan commented in the passengers seat. He let out a yawn, which caused Arin to yawn as well.
Arin ended up giving into the contagious yawning and kept his eyes on the road. He groaned playfully, “Dammit, dude. You can’t just go yawning like that. Stop it.”
Dan laughed, eyes closed. “My bad, my bad.”
The two men had just finished all the recordings they were meant to do today. They’d fallen back on episodes due to life’s many problems and had to record more than they originally planned. Needless to say, they were pretty beat.
Nevertheless, Dan’s hand lazily rested on Arin’s thigh. His hands were fixed on the wheel, so Arin’s lap was the next best bet. On the way back, they quickly called Suzy to let her know they’d be home soon and mentioned getting dinner.
Suzy could practically hear the tiredness in their voices, especially Dan’s. “Don’t worry about getting dinner. I’ll make something tonight. Plus, you guys sound worn out.”
“Are you sure?” asked Arin, who groaned out another yawn. “I don’t mind, yknow.”
Suzy nodded on the other end. “I’m sure. Get home safe, okay?”
Dan sleepily smiled, eyes still shut. “Thank you, Suzy.” He said in relief.
Arin smiled, also relieved. “Thanks Suz’. Love you.”
At this point, Dan could only muster a soft and lazy “yeah” as he was drifting away, the sleep trying to claim him. Suzy softly chuckled, “Love you guys too. I’ll see you when you get back.”
The call ended afterwards. Arin eyed Dan, who was pretty much nearly asleep at this point. He couldn’t help but smile to himself a little. Dan was an easy victim when it came to sleeping. It didn’t take much for him to fall asleep when he got tired.
Dan looked beautiful while he slept, Arin noted. He kind of looked like a sleeping beauty. Of course, he looked beautiful all the time. He couldn’t help but admire him.
The drive thankfully didn’t take much longer, ten minutes at most. He pulled into the driveway, the gravel crunched under the tires as they pulled to a stop. Arin twisted the key out of the car and the vehicle fell silent. He moved to wake Dan, lightly tapping on the sleeping man’s shoulder.
Dan stirred after a moment, soft groans and yawns left his pressed lips. He sat up and slowly stretched while his body came back to life once more. “We’re home.” Arin said, Dan now rubbing his sleep ridden face. His eyes opened, revealing that they indeed were back home.
Once they came through the door and into the house, the warm scent of stir fry filled the air. Mochi was the first to greet them, rubbing against Arin’s pants leg. Suzy followed behind the small kitty, happy to see them home and well. “Gosh, you guys look more tired than I thought.”
The mention brought a deep yawn from Arin, who nodded and stretched again with arms above his head. “Yeah, it’s been a long day.” He agreed.
Suzy’s lips pressed together. Her brows furrowed as she seemed more concerned. “You look like you’re gonna pass out any minute.” She murmured, “Do you need to lay down?”
Arin noted his wife’s concerned gaze and blinked, “What about dinner?”
Suzy reassuringly smiled. “We can always heat it back up later. Besides, you guys have been put through the wringer today.”
The idea sounded great to both of them. A nap sounded really good right about now. Another yawn sounded from the two men, who were only getting sleepier by the minute. “Alright, if you say so.” Arin replied.
Suzys eyes lit up happily and her features tilted into a smile. Honestly she would’ve gotten them to bed in one way or another. “Plus, I’m probably taking a quick nap in an hour or so anyway.” She nodded, feeling a bit tired herself. Taking care of and running her own clothing line wasn’t easy. Sometimes it was difficult and took a toll on her.
“Why don’t you come to bed with us?” Dan suggested. Since all of them were sleepy, he didn’t see why they didn’t just sleep together. “I mean, we’ve all been busy all day and are about to pass out so might as well do it together.”
The idea sounded very appealing. Still, work was the main thing on her mind. Being Suzy, she often had trouble knowing when to take time for herself instead of work. She seemed unsure. Arin could tell.
“Hey,” Arin knew that look in her eye. “You can finish your other work later. I think we all need a nap.”
“Alright.” She let out an unpleased sigh.
Dan grinned. “That’s the spirit.”
-
Upstairs, Dan was the first to fall onto the bed. He was greeted by the comfort of the warmth of the newly dried blankets. Suzy must’ve gotten done with laundry not too long ago. He let out a faint happy sigh. Home sweet home. Arin shook his head as he looked down at his lover, who was face first into the bed. He leaned against the doorway a moment before he joined Dan on the bed.
“I swear, this bed has never felt so good.” Dan commented, voice muffled from his face being buried in the sheets. A slight chuckle left Arin in response. He couldn’t help but agree. It felt so soft and warm, like a cloud almost. A cloud he could rest on for ages.
Suzy came through the doorway, a smile crossing her lips as she noticed how Dan was pretty much embracing the bed as if he never been in one before. Arin made room for Suzy to have her own spot in the middle. She snuggled into that open spot, where Dan finally got up and turned around. He laid back in that one spot and brought an arm around her. Before he knew it, his eyes were closed again.
Arin smiled warmly and moved in, doing the same. Soon enough, Suzy was wrapped in the embrace of her two lovers. She wasn’t exactly sure who to cling to so instead she raised her arms up to rest on their heads, one hand for each head. Her fingers gently carressed their hair, her own eyes shutting.
“Oh, now if you do that I’ll really fall asleep.” Arin’s comment brought her to laugh softly. Suzy grinned widely. “Do you want me to stop?”
Arin quickly shook his head and nuzzled in close. “No, I never said that.”
Dan, with another yawn, agreed. “I like it.”
Suzy chuckled and shifted, continuing the soft patting as she slowly yet surely fell asleep.
#shipgrumps#game grumps#egobang#egoflapbang#polygrumps#fan fic#fan fiction#fanfiction#lgbtq#polyamory
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V. The Venom
“I can’t see through his eyes again!” Amelia complained. “You must’ve known that we would have this issue when I sent him on this quest,” she fussed at The Cat.
“Perhaps, if I knew what your intentions were, I might have known what information you needed,” Samantha said, smoothly.
“Withholding information could result in Simon’s death. Do you WANT that on your head?”
“Simon isn’t going to die,” Samantha said, but she did worry. A blood oath… That was a risk that Simon never should have taken and had he consulted with her, she would have been vehemently against it. She had confidence, though… Simon would either do what needed to be done to survive, or he would at the very least die for something he believed in. She didn’t like that option nearly as much. “What is it that you think we could do to help him?”
Amelia pulled a necklace from the liquid in her basin. “Find him and deliver this to him. Tell him never to take it off.”
“What does it do?” Samantha wondered.
“Do you want him to live, or not?” Amelia asked, shaking the necklace angrily in The Cat’s face. Samantha took it and slid it onto her own neck, then hopped onto the ledge and out of the window.
It would take her no time to find Simon. A familiar always knew where their spirit human was, but on those little cat feet, it would take her far too long to run. She twinkled a moment, with green smoke coming up around her, and was carried away by it, and replaced outside of a cottage. She approached and bumped into a barrier. “Hmmm…” She pulled the necklace off, buried it in the dirt and attempted again. This time, she walked straight through.
Samantha was not expecting to hear what she heard whenever she entered the cottage, undetected, but it was a welcome sound - Simon laughing. It wasn’t hard, but it was real. She could tell. She looked to see what he was laughing at… who was more like it. It was her. The Princess.
“Shut up!” She squealed. Samantha hid to take a look. The Princess had her feet in a soaking bowl, while Simon rested on a nearby cushioned seat with the widest smile on his face that Samantha could ever remember seeing.
“Your feet look like the consequences and repercussions,” Simon said.
“Of what?”
“NAME SOMETHING!” He said and laughed again.
“You know what… I am a dancer and I’m a free spirit. My feet look like this because they’ve worked hard my entire life!”
“You have MAGIC! There's no acceptable reason that your feet should be like that!” He was laughing harder now, until he noticed Samantha and he stopped.
She approached and sat on his lap. The Princess stared at her, she looked back at the woman. Simon collected Samantha and said, “I’m going to put her outside…” Grace nodded. She heard him outside ask, in his lowest whisper, “What are you doing here?”
“You left something important behind,” Samantha said and uncovered the necklace. Simon picked it up. He had never seen the thing before in his life. It must have been from Amelia. “Now, put it on and don’t take it off…” She wondered if he would be forbidden, when he tried to cross the threshold again. Soon enough, that was answered. Simon groaned in pain, with his skin burning and he took the necklace off. “Well… wear it whenever you’re outside of that barrier.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t know, but I’ve been told that it is urgent.”
Grace stepped outside and asked, “What’s the problem, Simon and The Cat?” Samantha poofed away into a cloud of green smoke. Simon was surprised. She just left him? Just like that? Grace was waiting on an answer.
“She gave me a necklace, but I can’t bring it through. I don’t think it’s dangerous. Just… I guess it has too much conductor’s magic,” he answered honestly. Getting her to trust him was going to take telling the truth here and there.
“Lemme see it.” He held it up in the moonlight. She looked into it and saw herself. She began to pose into it and kiss at her reflection. Simon was annoyed. He snatched it back and put it in his pocket. “It’s for spying. It can’t pass the barrier, because that would violate my solitude spell. I was very shocked that your cat was able to come in, but then again, she IS made of natural magic. She left before I could pin down a strand, though.”
“What does that mean?” He asked, defensively.
“It’s like tracing her back to where her magic originated… like to find out who you stole her from.”
He was angry now, “She’s been with me my entire life!”
“Okay, so who your parents stole her from…”
Simon reached out and was knocked across the grounds. Grace sighed. At this point, there was no need to go help him up. He knew not to try to attack her. She went back into her cottage and waited for him to come back.
He hit the barrier and grunted, “Dammit!” Then tossed the necklace to the ground and stormed inside. "Don't talk about my parents!"
"You don't even know them, Simon. They could have been scandalous rascals!"
He was furious, but he’d already hurt himself reaching out for her too angrily, so he simply smirked and said, “Your feet are scandalous rascals.”
“STOP TALKING ABOUT MY FEET! They’ve got character!” She whined, folding her arms. Simon kneeled in front of her and held his hands out in front of him. Runes on his wrist glowed and he stuck his hands into the water. “Simon!” the water bubbled, but didn’t heat up and Grace removed her feet, reflexively and saw that they looked sloughed and smoothed. She hadn’t seen her feet be this soft and flawless since she was a girl. “What did you do?”
“I healed them,” he said.
“Where did you steal the magic to do that?” She asked.
“Just… say thanks. Your feet are now as beautiful as the rest of you.”
She blushed, but she was frustrated. “Please, don’t ever use that kind of magic on me without my consent again. I’m disappointing enough to my mother without adding magical tainting."
"What's disappointing about you? Aside from those gargoyles you called feet?" She kicked him and he caught her foot and cradled it. "Really. What's your mom's problem. I watched everybody fawn over you all day."
"I'm supposed to be a queen of the One someday. By now, I should have been married, made whole by my soul mate, with child, and ready to ascend to the throne someday, raising my child to do the same."
"You're too young to be married! You've barely lived yet."
"A princess's life is doing what her kingdom needs. But, my soul mate died, and the One never revealed another… and all of the suitors are not powerful enough to make into a king… but… I may have to settle. I only have a few more years. If I turn 21 and have no heir, my parents will have to look outside of our house for my successor. I'll be the first queen who didn't put a Monroe born on the throne."
"What's so special about the Monroes?"
"We're descended from the original witches. There were certain families, descended from them, with natural Magic. Many have faded away. Some have married non-magical and evolved into blended families. The Monroes have never yet done this. We're the oldest of the natural magic families and the… purest…"
"That only comes with high concentration of inbreeding."
" No. That's not true. We've had seers to help guide us in order to avoid that. They get someone with natural magic for us to breed with. Then, a priestess intertwines our destinies. We're raised to be the person who completes the other. Our marriage is preordained by magic and our consummation is the fulfilment… but, my soul mate got sick when I was young and we lost him." She pulled her foot back. "And, now you know most of my flaws."
"Those aren't flaws. We're magic, Grace. We should be able to write our own destinies! Your mother is disappointed because she's weak."
"You've felt her magic. You know that isn't true."
"Her magic is wasted on someone so easily controlled. You're an amazing witch. This place doesn't deserve your power."
She smiled and flicked his ponytail with her fingertips. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up. You're not so bad, for one of them. Tomorrow… would you like to come to the fair with me?"
"Fair?"
"Yes. It's a gathering that the natural witches have to share our gifts with each other. You seem recovered, and you haven't left, so… one day of fun should be… nice."
"Go to the fair with you, as your guest?"
"Yes."
"Okay…"
"Thank you for my pretty new feet." She left through the curtain and he saw the glimmer of her vanishing. He couldn't help but to smile… until he felt a sharp pain in his armpit. He held himself and looked in the mirror.
The veins looked like vines pulsating with the venom of the blood oath. Holding himself, he went outside and picked up the necklace. Maybe this was helpful? He put it on his neck. Nothing seemed different.
But, on Amelia's end, she could see everything that the pendant pointed at, and she could sense through Simon's contact with it that he was in pain. He formed his fingers to try to conjure up something to allow the pendant into Grace's cottage. Amelia noted and assisted him from where she was. He got passed the barrier and looked at his infected wound in the mirror again. Amelia was standing behind him and startled him. "Amelia!"
"You're supposed to get close to her without letting her into your head. You're making yourself ill by not doing that. You'll die before you even have a chance to strike."
"She's trusting me. She asked me out on a date tomorrow. Is there a way to slow down this venom?"
"Yes. Succeed. Gain her trust, get close, kill her. Don't let her destroy what we've built."
"What if… I mean… she doesn't seem to be a threat. She's a powerful witch, but she doesn't even understand her own power. They've raised her to be a babymaker…"
"One way or another, Simon, if you don't destroy her, she will destroy you."
"I'll take her out as soon as I can. She has a very strong protective spell by her mother…"
"Kill the mother, end the protection."
"Acknowledged." Amelia faded from behind him in the mirror. He tried to address his throbbing armpit, but it was no use. The magic of the blood oath probably set out against him for helping Grace earlier. All he did was make her feet nice! He took a potion for the pain and got some rest. He had a date with a princess tomorrow and she'd have a date with death...
#AU Infinity Train#Infinity Train#Nesha Fanfiction#Infinity Train Fanfiction#fics#Intertwined by Nesha
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JACKSON
Summary: Briana and Jensen sing Jackson at JIB
Written for: @atc74‘s Duet Challenge Reboot
Warnings/Tags: Fluff, music, singing, suggestive not-so-platonic friendship but it really is platonic.
Characters/Pairings: Briana Buckmaster and Jensen Ackles
Word Count: 1300
Song: Jackson by June Carter and Johnny Cash
Look, I know we work well together. I get it. I’m all too aware. Maybe even a little too aware. Screen or stage, it doesn’t matter where we are. When the two of us are together, filming, singing, or just kickin’ back and havin’ a few drinks, everyone in the room feels it. Call it what you want, but whatever it is, it’s palpable.
I’m not quite sure where it started either. Maybe it was that gag reel. Those fuckin’ donuts, man. Jensen’s a pro when it comes to comedy. He’s taught me a thing or two. I never realized it until he pointed it out on set a few months ago. A reel of our outtakes would last hours. I wish I had one. You know, for the rougher days. Especially now.
I know our personas on the show have a platonic BFF thing going on. But off screen, things definitely took a turn at JIB that year we sang Shallow. I’ll never forget it. It was Jensen's idea. In fact, he was the one that insisted I lay down an album. Never in a million years did I think I’d get back to my original dream.
But you know how Jensen can be. Persuasive and supportive and charming. I’m no dummy, I know what I look like when I look at him. And I know that gleam in his eyes, the hint of that confident smirk. And dammit, do I definitely know what I look like when he looks at me like that. It’s gotta be subconscious. We don't mean anything by it. We’re like family. He’s another big brother to me, and I’m a second little sister to him.
Not sure why my mind wandered there of all places. Nerves. Rome's not a huge gig, but it's a special one. After last year, we wanted to keep up the duet. And yet, as I stared at the sliver of blinding light between the curtains at the top of the stairs, I couldn’t help but think about—
"Ready, Buckmaster?"
Like struck glass, my rambling thoughts shattered into a million tiny glittering pieces, shimmering as they faded to nothing. Though darkness encompassed us both, I knew Jensen stood beside me. A deep breath steadied my heart. “Yeah.” A hard swallow caught my voice. "Yeah, I'm good."
“You’re in your head is what you are,” Jensen retorted. “What’s got your tongue?”
Despite my best efforts, I sounded far more unsure than I felt. “Nothing… just… last minute practice. You know. In here. Not that that makes any sense.”
Jensen scoffed as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “Of course it does." He paused. "Nervous?"
Stalled. I never stalled. "I… don't know," I stuttered. "Maybe? Couldn't really tell ya. Been a hot minute since I last felt any sort of nerves."
"I hear you," he said with a squeeze of his arm. The din of the tiny convention room filled the silent void between us until he shifted. From my shoulders to my hand, the warmth of his grasp slid into my palm. "You know what to do. Eyes on me. Nobody else is there." He paused once more as a cast member introduced us. “It's just you, me, and the music.”
With a reassuring squeeze of his hand, I said, "Right. Music. Us. That's it." Careful steps carried me up the stairs to the stage. Jensen trailed behind, his hand still clasped in mine as I turned over my shoulder and said, "Let's do this."
The sliver of light widened and revealed Jensen's brilliant smile as I pulled the curtain aside. "Go git it, sister."
Like a dial on a speaker, the dull roar of the crowd cranked to eleven and slammed into my chest with all the force of a speeding truck. And in that moment, with Jensen trailing behind me, tension seeped from my shoulders. The twitch in my fingers settled as I wrapped them around my mic. The uneasy flutter in my stomach quieted as I grasp the stand. And the lights. Thank god for those lights, brighter than the noon-day sun. A sea of black and white spread out before me, silhouettes in an endless ocean. Calm. Sweet, sensational calm.
The rhythm section drowned out the crowd, started without warning. That churning beat and strumming guitar drove the opening bars right on into the chorus, and so, we sang.
We got married in a fever
Hotter than a peppered sprout
We’ve been talkin’ ‘bout Jackson
Ever since the fire went out
Yeah I’m goin’ to Jackson
I'm gonna mess around
Yeah I'm goin' to Jackson
Look out Jackson town
The gig always felt different than rehearsals. No matter all my prep, it still felt entirely different. Granted we only ever sang to tracks in our practice, but that was enough for Jensen. He was a natural talent. He didn't even need to try. And maybe the first couple of runs I tried to live up to some crazy uncommunicated expectation I thought he had of me. But another one of Jensen's many talents is reading people like open books.
Memories of those rehearsals flooded my mind as I turned to him and sang my verse.
Well go on down to Jackson
Go ahead and wreck your health
Go play your hand you big-talkin' man
Make a big fool of yourself
Yeah, go to Jackson
Go comb your hair
He always let me ruffle his hair.
Honey, I'm gonna snowball Jackson.
He always winked.
See if I care.
Something about the live shows hooks me so hard into the moment that I forgot to experience them. Forgot to be in the moment. I get caught up in the performance, get the lyrics right, don't get too creative, no obnoxious arpeggios or ridiculous embellishments. Keep the audience engaged, breathe, breathe again, long line, don't forget to breathe. Breathe, Briana. God dammit, breathe.
When I breeze into that city
People gonna stoop and bow
HA!
His dark glare snapped to me, accompanied by a mischievous grin. By the middle of his verse, he towered over me, that glare far more devious than it had started.
All them women gonna make me
Teach 'em what they don’t know how
Yeah, I'm goin' to Jackson
You turn-a loose-a my coat
'Cause I'm goin' to Jackson
No acting class can teach you how to push away from an attractive man as you sing to his face.
‘Goodbye,” that's all she wrote!
My turn.
But they'll laugh at you in Jackson
And I’ll be dancing’ on a Pony Keg
They’ll lead you ‘round town like a scolded hound
With your tail tucked between your legs,
Yeah, go to Jackson, you big-talkin’ man.
And I’ll be waitin’ in Jackson
Behind my Japan Fan
Another run at the chorus reunited our voices. Enough voices to be heard in the audience joined us, too. Jackson wasn’t just a song to me; it was a story. On the surface, it sounds like a quarreling couple who married too fast and in the midst of lust rather than love. But then we sang together.
Yeah, we’re goin’ to Jackson
Ain’t never comin’ back
Jackson reignited their love. In the end, they found each other in Jackson. And that’s the story I love to tell.
Jensen finished the song in casual Johnny Cash fashion and the accompanying rhythm section faded away, overwhelmed by the crowd cheering and clapping.
And just like that it was over. Another gig in the books. Jensen smiled, waved, kissed the top of my head. And I hugged him the only way I could, around his waist like a kid sister.
Because, despite the way it always looked, that was all we’ve ever been. Big brother. Kid sister.
Kindred spirits telling stories with song.
Feedback is appreciated! Feel free to reblog, too!
If you want in on any of my tags (Sam/Jared, Dean/Jensen), send me a DM or an ask!
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The Girl in the Forest
Chapter 9: Spirits of the Past
// Story Masterlist //
Fandom: The Originals
Pairings: Klaus Mikaelson x Original Female Character
Pronunciation of OC’s name: Ma-leh-nee
No real warnings for now!
Requested tag: @queenmj10
~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~
Chapter Summary: Maleny's past comes back in the form of angry women whose pain will feel quite real.
A tall, curly-haired brunette strode down the hallway of an elegant two-story house. Her emerald green dress swayed with the small winds the open windows allowed in. Being night, few guests lingered outside their rooms bidding each other good night.
"Evening, Miss Alarcon," a blonde woman greeted.
"Evening," the brunette politely greeted back as she passed by.
"Valerie!" another woman, a ginger, called from the junction of hallways. She motioned to 'Valerie' with a hand to hurry and get closer.
Valerie looked around and finally came over to her friend, "What is it, Lola?"
Lola deviously nodded for Valerie to head down the hallway, "I'm a messenger, apparently. You are being waited on."
Valerie had a pretty good idea of just who was waiting for her, "If my father asks, I have already bid goodnight."
Lola chuckled, "Yes, yes, go on," she pushed Valerie off.
Valerie tried to keep her walking pace normal but the excitement was making it completely difficult. She made a turn for the hallway leading to her room when she felt someone yank her back and up against a wall.
"Do you ever greet like a normal person?" asked Valerie, her position apparently not as surprising as it would've been to anyone else.
"I thought you realized by now that I am no normal person," Klaus countered with one of his devious smiles Valerie grew to be fond of.
"Well, you said it, I know about that but no one else here does," Valerie tapped her fingers along his arm, "You have to be careful there. One of these days you'll be caught."
"I've had enough experience to be sneaky," Klaus assured and peered to the next hallway, "Which is why you're friend, Lola, does not remember telling you to come here."
"You compelled her you sneak," Valerie pretended to be mad about it, but her laughter ruined it completely, "I'll have to punish you for that."
"Your methods are not the best, love," Klaus smirked, inching closer to her, "But you are more than welcomed to try."
"I take that as a challenge and you know me, I love a good challenge," Valerie smirked right back, her hands moving up to his face.
Without further words, the two kissed passionately. In a second they were no more in the hallway but in a room, attempting to 'punish' each other with trailing hands and lips.
Maleny woke up with a gasp and sat upright, her eyes blinking rapidly while her mind caught up with the rest of herself. Once she was back in order, she leaned on the headboard behind her, heavily sighing. Her face warmed up in mere seconds as the memory flashed through her mind again.
"Stop it," she ordered herself, "Just stop it! Stop it!" she rubbed the sides of her head frantically, "Stop it!"
~ 0 ~
The next day Rousseau's was the host place for Kieran's Irish sale wake, honoring him of course. While everyone was having what seemed to be like fun, Cami was not. She sat at the bar, waiting for Maleny to accompany her. Apparently the brunette was running late which made Cami suspicious due to the fact Klaus, Elijah and Hayley were already at the place. An hour had passed before Cami decided to go up to the group and ask about her cousin's whereabouts.
"We thought she was already here," Elijah confessed, slightly embarrassed none of them had noticed the missing woman.
"I haven't seen her either," Hayley shook her head.
"Okay," Cami turned on Klaus, "that leaves you. Where's Mal?"
Klaus waved the blonde off with the bottle of scotch he held in a hand, "How should I know? She practically ignored me this morning, much like the previous day and the night before. You know, I always thought it was a common courtesy to acknowledge the person that saved you."
Cami tried not to be as sour as she wanted to be for the sake of her uncle's passing, "Give her credit, Klaus, she just lost her uncle. Not everyone is happy to see a family member dead."
"Hey," Hayley cut in, making them both look at her, "She's here," she nodded at the entrance where Maleny had just entered in...with Riley right beside her.
That only irritated Klaus more and confused Cami.
"Ah, see," the hybrid began, "She's choosing to spend time with the stranger. The very person who was supposed to care for her while your uncle was transitioning."
Cami looked at Elijah and Hayley, all agreeing it was pure jealousy Klaus was speaking with. Cami decided to leave things as they were and promptly left the table to greet her cousin.
"Hey you two," she clapped each on the shoulder, "Where have you been?" she looked at Maleny in concern.
Maleny sighed, "Sorry, I had a rough night and yesterday I was busy taking care of uncle Kieran's funeral preparations and…sorry..."
"She called me to give her some cheering up," Riley added afterwards, "I'm no psychologist but I have my ways," he leaned to Cami and whispered, "Ice cream," both chuckled lightly.
Cami sobered up rather fast and moved closer to Maleny's stool, "Are you okay?"
Maleny looked at Cami with a face, "Our uncle just died and you're really asking that?"
"I meant is everything okay with…?" Cami nodded to the Mikaelsons' across the room.
Maleny cast one quick glance before shaking her head, coughing awkwardly as she tried her best to keep any blushes away, "Don't know what you mean."
"Yeah, she's not a good liar," Riley stood up from his stool, "I've been trying to get her to talk for hours and I've got nothing."
"Let me try then," Cami said and got a nod in agreement. Riley quietly went off and left Cami a spot beside Maleny.
"You're not getting anything out of me, Cami," Maleny announced just as she received a drink from a bartender.
Cami studied Maleny's movements carefully and in no time came to the conclusion that what ever bothered Maleny it wasn't their uncle's death. She had to admit, reluctantly, that Maleny had been strange and it was not from the Kieran's death. All day yesterday Maleny had preferred solidarity for some reason, and though her claim of taking care of preparations for a funeral were true, it still didn't explain her sudden distancing from Klaus which had started literally out of the no where.
"So, what supernatural problem do you have that's new?" Cami raised an eyebrow, lowering her voice, "And don't try to lie to me because we all know how that worked out last time you kept the curse from me."
Maleny swayed her head debating how she should go through it, it was no easy topic to discuss, "You're not…"
"Maleny," Cami sharply said.
Maleny turned her stool to face the blonde, "I really can't say anything…" her eyes wandered to the side. Klaus was heavily drinking and she really hoped it wasn't because of her. Then again she shouldn't feel so important around him. Being saved by him didn't mean anything. She was just a potential asset, one that needed to be solved in order to be used.
Cami followed Maleny's gaze and felt pretty dumb for not figuring it out earlier, "Right, boy problems."
Maleny shifted on her stool, "Don't call them that. Just don't mention it at all around here where vampires could eavesdrop at any moment."
Cami could understand that. The place was filled with vampires and humans - even Marcel had been allowed back in the quarter for a day since he had been so close to Kieran. Clearly Maleny was having troubles that included Klaus and the last thing she wanted was for the very man to hear them.
Thankfully, a distraction came up when Marcel decided to give a speech. He stood near the casket of Kieran holding a drink in hand, "I know I haven't been around these parts lately. It's a testament to Father Kieran that we could come together and share a drink, and a story or two. Kieran rolled into town on a rusty old cruiser after his daddy died twenty-five years ago. And dammit, that guy could party! That was, of course, before he took his vows. But, even then, he was committed to the Quarter. He knew that this town needed him. And, we still do. To Father K!"
Like him, the rest of the guests raised their drinks, "To Father K."
Overwhelmed, Cami rushed off to the backroom. Maleny quickly left her drink and ran after her. However, upon arriving they both found Francesca there as well, drinking to herself.
"What the hell are you doing back here?" Maleny wasted no time in asking.
"I don't understand, who is she?" Cami looked at Maleny in confusion.
"The person in charge of the human faction," Maleny crossed her arms, glaring at Francesca, "A place that does not correspond to her."
Francesca maintained that common fake smile, "Well, I was elected, fair and square."
"Right," Maleny nodded sarcastically, "and I can fly. Let's be honest here, you're not here for my uncle. What do you want?"
"I like getting to the point as well, Miss Woods," Francesca stepped forwards, "I need Kieran's key, the one he always wore."
Maleny blinked, stunned, "Excuse me?" she would've thought no one else knew about the key.
"Well, the key is part of the faction, a place I hold-"
"Not for long," warned Maleny, "Don't forget you're only there until one of us," she pointed between herself and Cami, "can take the place. And as for the key, neither of us have it. You do remember our uncle was hexed which sort of messed with his mind. We don't know where a lot of his things are now. So, you can go," Maleny stepped to the side and motioned for Francesca to get moving.
Maleny was genuinely surprised Francesca could keep up that nonchalant smile and it made her wonder what else the woman could uphold. As soon as Francesca was gone, Cami turned Maleny around, suspiciously looking at her, "What key is she talking about? And who the hell is she?"
Maleny sighed, rubbing her face in an attempt to gather seconds and think of something to say, "Well, for starters, she's the leader of the human faction until one of us can take the place."
"When did this happen?" Cami blinked, feeling once again left out of important issues like those.
"I don't know, weeks ago? I really don't keep up myself. I found out by her as well when Elijah had that party for the factions," Maleny sighed, "But he said that once I broke the curse I could take her place."
"What about me?"
"Do you really want the position?" Maleny honestly asked, "I know it's not my place since I'm not related but do you think you can handle it?"
Cami shifted, unable to answer at the moment. She wanted to be involved in matters like these but at the same time she thought the best thing was to stay away from it all. She was only a human, what could she really do?
"You don't have to answer right now, Cami," Maleny assured, sensing Cami's indecision, "Elijah is keeping a close eye on her in the meantime."
"So what about that key she was talking about? Do you know where it is?"
Maleny really did not want to lie anymore to Cami. She was tired of having arguments with her and just wanted to live peacefully even if it wouldn't last for long. But she did make a promise to Kieran not to tell Cami about it. She decided that she would go figure out what the key opened up and if it was too dangerous she would keep Cami in the dark. It seemed like the only thing to do.
"...no, I don't," she finally answered Cami, "Guess he forgot to mention it or something..."
~ 0 ~
After some time, Maleny walked out of the backroom of the restaurant. Cami was already back in the main room and even chatting with Marcel. Maleny hurried to the bar for a much needed drink. However, midway through, she saw Genevieve walk into the place and immediately capturing the attention of the Mikaelsons' at their table, also including Hayley. In one of those, Klaus even gave a small wave to the ginger at the doorway. Unaware, Maleny huffed angrily but her mind decided to remind her once more...
The scene was a lovely, 18th century small town with bustling horse carriages passing by. In a small tea shop with tables outside were many refined customers happily conversing amongst each other at their respective tables. However, there was one table of two women where it seemed to be going wrong.
"Cordelia?" a middle-aged brunette woman insisted for her daughter's attention, "Cordelia!?" she finally shook the young woman beside her until the woman snapped out of whatever trance she was in.
Cordelia, a petite blonde, turned her head to her mother, startled by her mother's infuriated expressions, "Mother? Have I done something?"
"I have been trying to get your attention for a good five minutes while you stare into nothing," her mother yanked Cordelia's arm harshly as a punishment.
"Ow!" Cordelia rubbed her arm and scooted on her chair away from her mother, "I'm sorry, mother. It won't happen again."
"Honestly," her mother stood up, "your attention is awful."
"Mother," Cordelia flushed with embarrassment as the eyes of the customers starting gazing upon them.
"Don't 'mother' me," snapped the brunette, "you have thinned my patience, Cordelia! What is to become of you if you cannot handle a minimal conversation with your own mother!?" but she didn't give Cordelia a chance for a defense, "I am weary. I need a distraction," she nodded to a small dress shop across them, "Stay here until I return."
"But mother," Cordelia called as her mother stormed off in senseless anger. Cordelia sighed and shifted on her seat, apologetically smiling at the other customers. She picked up her cup of tea and took a small sip in hopes of making everything return to normal. As her eyes gazed from one customer to another, she happened to notice a man across her own table staring at her. Slowly, she lowered her cup and had a better look.
He was handsome. Very.
The man sent a small wave at her along with a devious smile. Feeling herself blush, Cordelia smiled a little before looking down and pretended to fix something on her lap. Once she felt like she could handle another look, Cordelia returned her gaze up only to find the man was walking towards her.
"Afternoon," the man stopped beside her table.
"Afternoon," Cordelia gave a small, polite nod in return. She felt entranced by the man's piercing blue eyes staring at her so intensely, "I, um, I hope you are not upset with the spectacle my mother and I just gave. I give my sincerest apologies if we have interrupted your meal."
The man lightly chuckled, apparently not as upset as Cordelia thought, "I know what it is like to have a mother that...is difficult to handle."
"You do?"
"Oh yes," the man nodded, "That is why she is no longer with me or my family."
"You are new in this town," Cordelia realized after a long study of appearance, "My family knows just about everyone here but...I don't think I've ever met you before."
"My siblings and I just moved here a couple days ago and we are just settling down."
"Oh, well, welcome," Cordelia smiled, "I am sure you will like this town."
"Oh I already do," the man admitted and reached for Cordelia's hand, startling her with the unannounced action, "I am Klaus Mikaelson, pleasure to meet you," Cordelia blushed as her hand was given a gentle kiss, "Will I have the honor of knowing your name?"
Cordelia bit her lip to avoid a shaky, nervous laugh from escaping her lips, "Cordelia de La Flor."
Maleny snapped out of her memory and inhaled deeply. She spared Klaus one more look to see if he'd caught her - thankfully not - and hurried to the bar again. She had to figure a way to push those memories away for a while.
~ 0 ~
A rather reluctant Genevieve made an entrance at the compound after being sought out - or nearly attacked - at the Voodoo shop earlier in the day by the two Mikaelson brothers. Elijah was waiting for her at the rails since he smelt her presence from his own room, "And so?" he asked the ginger.
Genevieve stopped at the center, clearing her throat, "The dreams about your father have nothing to do with any of the witches nor your other enemies. It seems the purgatory in which all supernatural creatures are sent to is being disintegrated. The spirits are not interested in leaving calmly."
Elijah looked at Klaus who was coming out from a downstairs room, heading directly towards Genevieve, though having heard Genevieve's explanation perfectly, "She's telling the truth - apparently," the hybrid agreed, "I made a call to a reluctant Bennett who told me the exact thing."
Genevieve sighed, "So, am I in the clear, Elijah? Or is there a new conspiracy you two would like to threaten me over?" she hadn't been pleased to be accused of causing the two brothers radical dreams of their father. Still, it had given her a chance to start getting closer to them.
Elijah studied his hands to show his disinterest of the woman, "Nothing springs to mind at this precise moment…"
Genevieve rolled her eyes, having to swallow down her snap, "Oh, gee, thanks. I have to get back to the girls," but before leaving she made one last petition to Klaus, "Perhaps tomorrow, after the funeral, you and I could spend some time together. Alone?"
"I suppose we'll have to see," Klaus shared a smile with her.
Genevieve sighed in annoyance and turned to leave, coming to find Maleny entering the place. The brunette contained her irritation and instead muttered, "Well you two don't waste time," she told the two.
"I was just leaving," Genevieve announced and continued walking off.
"Oh no, please," Maleny called after her but received no response, "don't mind me," she then directed a look at Klaus, "I was only coming in for some things Cami and I need for tonight. You do remember, right? My uncle died?"
"Now you remember I exist?" Klaus snapped, startling Maleny, "Because for the past day you've not made one single action that would make me think you know I'm still alive."
"What are you talking about?" Maleny frowned, "Of course I know you 'exist'. With the broodiness you carry around how can I not know you exist?"
"My apologies," Klaus sarcastically responded, "Perhaps I'll try to be more like that Riley fellow, hm? He sure seems to get your attention."
"Is that what you think this is about?" Maleny raised an eyebrow, "Riley?"
"Usually it's I who makes some sort of mistake but this time it is all on you, Maleny," Klaus full blown accused the brunette, "I spend an entire day with you trying to help your uncle live and when he attacked you I saved you. I asked nothing in return and yet that very night you decided to start ignoring me."
Maleny blinked, "I-I didn't ignore you…" but as her mind thought a little more she could see how it would seem like she did ignore him.
"Save your excuses, I don't need them," Klaus muttered and walked past her instead.
Maleny turned around, feeling guilty for what she'd caused...because it was her fault. Elijah, who had remained up above and listened to the entire conversation gave a deep, loud sigh as he went for the stairs.
Maleny crossed her arms and frowned, "Elijah, do something," she told him, knowing she sounded like a child at the moment.
"I'm sorry, Mal, but it does seem like Niklaus is right this time," Elijah met her halfway, "Is there something bothering you? Perhaps something he did?"
"No, no," Maleny shook her head, "He's done nothing wrong. This is all me, I swear."
"Then you may want to tell him that. Over the course of these weeks my brother has...become more attached to you," Elijah was careful to choose his words, "More than an 'asset' you have turned into hope. Every action you choose regarding him has a special effect."
"Well I'm sorry but this is all too much for me, you know!" Maleny exclaimed, unused to feeling like the bad guy in the stories, "I'm sorry I've caused such turmoil here and with Klaus. Believe me, that was not my intention. But how do you think I feel? I'm the one that's jumped body to body and lost memories. I'm the one that's cursed."
"It cannot be easy, I'm sure, but...like you said, you are the one that jumps from body to body. But, Niklaus is the one that lost you every time," Elijah knew those words were bound to make her think more, perhaps even feel more, "You cannot remember until much later in your life but my brother is the one that has had to continue living on. He's had to move on from your disappearances and deaths."
Maleny felt that more awful after hearing what was a clear truth. However, she didn't intend on being a fool, "Then you do remember that I am not every woman he's ever slept with. Seems to me like he moved on very well."
Elijah, by now, was used to talking about the closeness between his brother and her so he didn't hesitate to respond with, "It goes beyond that, Maleny, and you know it. Perhaps a womanizer but that was usually right after one of your," he tapped her forehead, making her smile and feel like a child again, "disappearances or death occurred. He was hurt. I'm not justifying him, but it is a powerful reason."
Maleny considered everything he said and came to the conclusion that, once again, he turned out to be more right than wrong. She sighed, "I hate when you go all big brother and mediator on me. I remember that, you know," she pointed an accusing finger at him, "and I'd like for it to stop."
Elijah chuckled, "I'm afraid you'll be stuck with it for a very long time."
"Thank you," Maleny honestly said, "I have to get some things and go back to Cami but I promise that after the funeral I will try and talk to Klaus and explain what's really going on."
Elijah nodded, "I think that's a very good idea."
"But," Maleny warned, "if he inches any closer to that stupid ginger I'll forget everything and show him what it really means to be ignored by me."
"Wouldn't be the first time you ignored him for something," Elijah informed, studying her intently, "Have you remembered more about your original life?"
"Um, some things, yeah," Maleny smiled, "It's slowly coming back and yeah...I did remember some times when Klaus and I had some arguments. He was always a broody, inconsistent man - still is."
"He was only broody when you weren't around or when you were angry with him," Elijah pointed out, thinking perhaps she hadn't remembered that detail yet.
"Honestly don't know how I handled him back then," Maleny mumbled and went off towards the stairs.
However, Elijah had one last thing to say and was satisfied to see her freeze, "You loved him with all his flaws like no one else did."
Maleny glanced over her shoulder, unable to look at him anymore, "Well...I don't remember that," lie.
Elijah smirked, "Oh but I think you do - at least your subconscious does. Why else would you be so crossed with Genevieve?"
"Because she's rude, she's evil, she mistreats Davina, she's an enemy - Elijah, this list can go on forever and none of them include me being in love with your brother," Maleny huffed and hurried to the stairs.
Elijah snickered to himself, watching how Maleny practically dashed towards her room. History was repeating itself and he for one would love to see it front row.
~ 0 ~
Later that evening, Maleny was returning to Rousseau to begin the casket sitting between her and Cami. As she reached to open the front doors she felt something weird within her chest - like a sensation. She looked around but saw no one out of the ordinary and decided to forget it and just go in.
She never saw the witch standing across the street, wearing a smirk on her face.
Maleny stopped inside when she felt a small throb at the side of her head, indicating a new memory was about to infiltrate her mind...and it scared her.
Cordelia was fixing a strand of her blonde hair that seemed to want to stick to her face at all times. Irritated, she tried tucking it behind her ear only for the curl to make its way back. She would've kept at it if it hadn't been for someone tapping on the door of her balcony. She turned around, ecstatic to find Klaus standing on the other side. She hurried over to open the door for him, "How do you do that?" she asked him in awe as the hybrid stepped inside.
"A trick, my love," he turned to face her just as she closed the door, "and one I shall keep using to see you each night."
She giggled as his arm went around her waist, bringing her closer to him, "It's quite late, Klaus. What are you doing here? My parents may be asleep but there are guards watching the place."
"What? Can't I come bid goodnight to my favorite girl?" he teased with his one of his smirks Cordelia had grown to love.
"That depends how exactly you plan to 'bid goodnight'," she played dumb as her arms snaked around Klaus' neck.
"A little of this," Klaus began to kiss her, muffling her laughter, "and a little of this," he turned them for Cordelia's bed and continued to kiss her. Standing just at the edge of the bed he pulled away and rested his forehead over hers, "And I think you know how it will end."
Cordelia's lips raised into a smirk, "Oh yes," she began shaking off her dressing gown, soon acquiring help from Klaus as the two continued kissing.
"Mal? Maleny!" Cami's shouts finally managed to break Maleny from her memory.
The brunette looked around, momentarily forgetting where she was. She rubbed her neck and felt her face warm up as she the memory replayed in her mind. When will this stop? she thought.
"Mal?" Cami walked over to her cousin, concerned, "Are you okay? What was that?"
Maleny dropped her hand from her neck and straightened up. This was not a topic she wanted to discuss with anyone; it was simply too awkward and embarrassing, "I'm fine," she plastered on a smile for Cami and headed for the coffin across the place.
~ 0 ~
The next day the funeral procession continued with a street parade in which Kieran's casket was being brought towards the cemetery. Hundreds of the community gathered to accompany the two remaining O'Connells'. While Maleny and Cami were at the front of the line, Klaus, Elijah and Hayley were located at the very end of the line.
As they walked, Cami kept looking at her cousin the more Maleny coughed, "You okay?"
Maleny nodded, waving her off with a hand while she continued to cough, "Yeah, probably just caught a cold or something."
"I would say it would be with everything you drank last night, but that wouldn't be right," Cami sent her a sharp look, still mighty upset Maleny refused to tell her what was bothering her so much.
"It's not the time, Cami," Maleny sighed, hugging herself. Then again, no matter where they were it would never be the time to tell her cousin what ran through her dreams lately.
At the end of the line, Klaus and Hayley were having a heated discussion over where Hayley would reside for the rest of her pregnancy. While Klaus adamantly said she would stay at the compound, she disagreed and swayed more for the Bayou where her pack resided. The conversation was getting more out of hand and eventually began to attract the eyes of the people in front of them.
"Will you two pick another moment to bicker?" Elijah finally cut into the conversation, "Perhaps not in a funeral?"
"It's not my fault Klaus is angry with Maleny," Hayley muttered, crossing her arms and looking at Klaus in the eyes, "Because, yes, I've figured that out. And you don't get to take it out on me."
"Maleny is no where near my thoughts, love," Klaus tried to defend himself but Hayley sarcastically snapped back.
"Oh yeah, definitely. This is just a simple bantering, isn't it?" she raised an eyebrow, "But a little advise, this little attitude of yours is exactly what's going to make that guy," she pointed to Riley who was now walking beside Maleny, an arm around her shoulders, "get the girl and not you."
"This is becoming tedious," Klaus said as a last resort.
But that did not stop Hayley, "While you're here taking out anger on Elijah and I that guy is getting closer to Maleny. She needs someone - specifically you - and since you're not around Riley will take advantage. Think about that for a moment," she then walked to the sidewalk out of line and decided to go up to Maleny herself. She could use a distraction and apart from that she had something to ask.
"Mal?" she whispered as she discreetly got herself back in the line beside Riley, "Maleny?"
Maleny looked at the brunette with a confused face, "Something wrong, Hayley?"
Riley let go of Maleny and slightly slowed down so the two women could talk closer. Hayley sheepishly smiled, "I know this is so not the time but I have to ask. Before your uncle died, did he say something weird about Francesca Correa? I think that she may have been involved in an attack in the Bayou," Maleny was well aware of the bombing that had occurred in the Bayou right around the same time Kieran had died.
"Look Hayley, I don't have proof or anything, but I think you're right," Maleny shook her head, "Francesca is nothing but a fake. I wouldn't trust her."
"Yeah, I figured that much," Hayley sighed.
"If you want, I'd be more than happy to investigate with you-" but Maleny stopped upon a violent cough.
"Mal?" Cami was now fully concerned with her cousin's health.
Maleny continued coughing and suddenly spit out blood. Horrified, she stopped walking, making several of the people behind bump into them, "I don't...I don't understand…" but her words were cut off with more violent coughing.
Hayley looked back at Riley but also saw Genevieve nearby, "You two need to help her and now!" she ordered them then hurried out of the line once again to the sidewalk, "Klaus! Elijah!" she called to them.
In no time was Klaus and Elijah with them. Maleny coughing had ceased when she passed out and fell against Riley and Cami.
"What's going on!?" Cami, alarmed, asked Riley but the man had no idea and responded with a shake of his head. Everything had been just fine and suddenly Maleny passes out?
Frantically, Klaus took Maleny's body from them and ordered Genevieve to accompany them. At this point he trusted the ginger more than Riley - or perhaps that was just his jealousy acting up. Elijah told Cami and Riley to continue on with the procession or everyone would figure out the remaining O'Connells' disappeared. Reluctantly, Cami let them go and took an irritated Riley with them. After everything she heard from Maleny, Cami thought she should learn to trust Klaus a little more with Maleny.
~ 0 ~
Maleny found herself at the compound, over a table, and alone as far as she knew. She knew it wasn't real, everything was a tangy blue and there was an eerie noise filling her ears. She didn't like it one bit.
"Hello," a petite blonde woman stood at the top of the rails.
Maleny immediately recognized her to be Cordelia de la Flor, "How?" was the only word that came to mind.
"Not 'how'," another woman's voice filled the room. A bright ginger woman, dressed in a 1920's flapper dress walked in from the entrance.
"Maya?" Maleny jumped off the table, becoming more confused.
"You meant why," Maya continued with her first greeting, a wicked smile settling across her lips.
"Justice," a dark-haired woman spoke up, recognized as Victoria from another memory. She stood across the rails from Cordelia.
"What's going on?" Maleny demanded but was laughed at instead.
"An opportunity my dear," Cordelia leaned on the rails with a cheeky smile, "Just as the purgatory for vampires is disintegrating, us witches have the chance to make contact with the living."
"But I don't understand...how are you all…?" Maleny stepped back until she was at the center of the courtyard.
"You took our lives from us," Maya glared, "You stole them!"
Maleny quickly shook her head, "No, no, I didn't! I don't remember what happened! Oh, none of this is real - it can't be!"
"On the contrary," the voice of Valerie Alarcon caught Maleny's attention. The tall brunette sat across them, dressed in her period gown as well, "this is very real."
"You've taken a lot of lives, Maleny Rowan," Victoria walked around the second floor, until she came to a stop beside Cordelia, "we are only a few of those you stole from. And while you're here, we'll make you pay hell for what you did to us."
Maleny, terrified, looked from one woman to another, unable to decide what she should do next.
~ 0 ~
In the real world, Maleny's body was placed on an empty table in the courtyard of the compound. Genevieve was pressing a damp bundle of chamomile against Maleny's forehead, chanting some type of spell that would apparently help. However things were not looking well. In frustration and with an immense fear, Klaus bit into his wrist and let the drops of blood dribble into Maleny's mouth.
"C'mon Mal!" he shouted, "Wake up! You can't go, you can't!"
"She's still not breathing," Elijah had listened specifically for Maleny's heartbeat but found nothing, "It's not working!"
Hayley moved up beside Genevieve, frustrated herself, "Are you sure you're doing this right?"
Genevieve shot her a glare, "There's only one way to do this, Hayley. I'm pretty confident."
"Heal her," Klaus yelled at the woman, making her flinch. His anger was seeping through at incredible rates, "Heal her or this is the last spell you do in your lifetime."
With the threat, Genevieve swallowed hard and once again tried her spell.
~ 0 ~
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry," Maleny cried as the different women of her past bodies cornered her.
"Sorry won't return our lives, sweetheart," Maya crossed her arms, "We died because of you! Our lives never got to be lived because of you! And all you have to say is 'sorry'?"
"Wrong choice," Victoria announced, swinging some sort of metal in her hand she'd picked up from upstairs.
Maleny, though terrified, knew that this was still a way for her to die and she wasn't going to let that happen. With boldness gathered she kicked the smallest of women, Cordelia, back. With the distraction, Maleny took off towards the stairs in an attempt to escape.
"Where are you going?" Valerie balled her fist and froze Maleny in her tracks with an aneurysm.
"Ah!" Maleny grabbed the sides of her head, falling against the staircase rail, "Stop it!"
"That's all we did when you stole our bodies," Maya started walking towards her, "We shouted 'stop' in our minds. We shouted for help but no one could listen to us. We were screwed from the start."
"I'm sorry!" Maleny was once again trying to make her way up the stairs through her pain.
"Sorry's not enough!" Maya used her own powers to knock Maleny down the stairs. Before Maleny knew it, Maya's heel was over her stomach.
"Oh, cheer up," Cordelia had returned and with great strength kicked Maleny's side, making her grunt in pain, "You won't die with us - unfortunately."
Maleny's eyebrows raised in confusion. Valerie smirked, "We'll let them sacrifice you again, and this time we'll help them see it through."
"You know..." Maleny realized in horror, "...you know it all, and you won't tell me? Why? Help me stop it! I don't want to keep stealing bodies. Help those women who are to become you..."
"Nah," Valerie decided to follow in Cordelia's footsteps and kicked Maleny again, "We'll let them become one of us to hate you together."
"Broody much?" Maleny blinked.
"Careful with your words," Maya dug her heel a little more onto Maleny's stomach, "We may not be able to kill you, but we will make you suffer."
~ 0 ~
Outside, nothing was getting better.
"What if we take her to a real doctor?" Hayley asked Klaus, seeing Genevieve's spell doing nothing for them, "If she dies here then she jumps bodies again, doesn't she?"
Genevieve's eyes flickered from Hayley to Klaus, having to inform, "It can happen, but I won't let it," just as Klaus moved to pick up Maleny Genevieve shouted at them, "If you move her from here, my spell will break. There won't be enough time to get her to a hospital. She will die."
Without no other choice, Klaus stepped back. He stared at Maleny, his expressions a mixture of prominent fear with regret alongside it. He didn't want her to leave again, never again. Now that he knew most of the women in the past had been her he couldn't bear to see her go again.
After a moment, Genevieve stopped her useless spell, "I'm going to try something else," she announced, "Someone get my bag, the gris-gris pouch! Now!"
~ 0 ~
Maleny swiped her hand over her and managed to knock Maya back enough so that she could stand again, "I didn't mean to do this!" she told all the women, "I didn't choose to do this!"
"But you did," Cordelia glowered as the women began rebranding together, "You chose this lifestyle without thinking who you harm."
"I didn't..." Maleny insisted but at the fury in their eyes she began to wonder if perhaps they were telling the truth, "...did I?" she asked in horror.
"We're all dead," Victoria gestured to them, "and it's because of your stupid choice. You've been stealing lives for centuries."
Valerie raised her fist once again and forced Maleny down on her knees with another aneurysm. Victoria raised the metal pipe she carried, "I think this is far too easy," she smirked as she went forwards.
~ 0 ~
Genevieve had salt spread around Maleny's body and was crushing herbs between her fingers. She laid those around Maleny and started chanting a new spell. She ignored the dark looks from everyone who thought she would let the blonde die and couldn't help smirk when Maleny's eyes snapped open.
"Oh my God!" Maleny shrieked in horror as she woke up.
Klaus sat her upright, rubbing her back till she realized was back, "It's alright, love. It's alright now. You're back with us now," at the sound of his voice Maleny burst into sobs and threw her arms around him, startling everyone there but none more than Klaus himself.
"I saw them! I saw them!" Maleny incoherently put sentences together between her sobs, "And they - they wanted to kill me! I stole! I stole from them! Sacrifices! And my choice!"
Though Klaus understood no word of what she was saying, he nodded his head and hugged her back. What ever happened to her it had been bad - possibly another murder attempt. He once again let it happen so now he would at least comfort her until she felt better, no matter how many senseless things she was saying.
~ 0 ~
As soon as the funeral had ended, Cami dashed back for the compound to see her cousin. Along with her came Riley who had been left distraught as well. Thankfully, Maleny was conscious and in her room, refusing to leave the room anyways but she was alive.
"And do you know how this happened?" Riley asked after Maleny told them how she was rescued by the woman who hated her. Riley sat on a chair beside the bed, holding Maleny's hand, while Cami sat on the bed beside Maleny with an arm around her shoulders.
Maleny shook her head, "No. Apparently, the other side where supernatural creatures go to after dying was disintegrating so it could've been related to that."
"But…" Riley didn't seem to buy that, "...that doesn't seem right. Ancestors, no matter how powerful, can't actually bring a living being to the other side they way they brought you. You'd have to do a spell or something…"
"Well I can assure you that I didn't do it," Maleny sighed. She didn't have much of a head to wonder about how she'd gotten there in the first place. She was just glad she was out of there and hoped to never return.
"But we'll find out who did," assured Cami, "I promise you that. In the meantime," she began pushing herself off the bed, "get some rest please - we both need it."
Maleny didn't have any disagreements there. Cami grabbed her things and headed for the doorway, bumping into Klaus, "Woah," the blonde blinked, "Sorry, we were just leaving. You'll take care of her right?"
Klaus rolled his eyes at Cami's attempt of a threat, "Yes," he shooed her off.
"I mean it, Klaus - this can't happen again," Cami warned him, though there was no hint of anger in her tone that time. She spoke softer, "She might not be as lucky next time."
"Cami," called Maleny, uncomfortable with the way things were heading towards, "Klaus is not here to babysit me. I take care of myself. So please, just go and get some good sleep. You too, Riley."
Riley wanted to keep Maleny calm and so agreed with a nod. He rose from his chair and gave her a hug, "Take care, okay?" Maleny nodded and received a kiss on her head afterwards.
Maleny sheepishly waved him goodbye. Her attitude changed the moment it became just her and Klaus. She coughed awkwardly and shifted on the bed, "I'm okay now," she whispered.
However Klaus was still slightly distracted by the warlock that was walking away. He just didn't trust Riley. While Elijah might say it's simply his jealousy clouding his mind but Klaus was sure there was something else with the warlock. Klaus believed himself always to be right and he was not going to start doubting himself, especially when it concerned Maleny.
But deep down, as much as Klaus denied it to himself and anyone else, some of his dislike for Riley sprung from jealousy. He didn't want Riley near Maleny, it made his blood boil - but no one was to know about that.
Maleny had been staring at Klaus waiting to see what he was going to do next. With another small cough she grabbed his attention.
Klaus pushed himself off the hinge of the doorway and made his way up to the foot of her bed, "I will make this quick so you won't have to endure my presence," he began awkwardly, leaving Maleny to realize he was still stuck on that thought of her, "Genevieve informed us you will be fine as long as you rest and take it easy. There was a spell cast on you by a witch and we will work to discover who it was. In the meantime, as Cami said, just get some rest," and keeping true to his work he turned to leave.
Maleny didn't think it was fair to leave him thinking she purposely ignored him. It was clear he did care for her more than just an asset, and if he thought of her as a friend then she should prove she was worthy of the title, "Klaus, hold on," she called and successfully stopped the man in his tracks. He turned and saw her patting a spot in front of her, "I want to clear this whole mess up. Can we talk?"
"You really should get some sleep," he tried to say but Maleny refused with a shake of her head.
"No, because then you'll be even more broody all night and I won't have it be my fault. Sit," she ordered. So, Klaus returned and sat down as was told. Maleny felt herself blushing even before beginning to speak, "I'm really not trying to ignore you. You know that I've been remembering more and more of the bodies I lived in. And, well…" she pushed some hair out of her face, "...it's...awkward."
"Awkward?" repeated Klaus, still not feeling any better.
"You know, I've been seeing a little bit more of...closer memories of us."
"I don't...understand," Klaus said and his face matched his words.
"Memories of us," Maleny gestured between them, "doing...stuff...together..."
"What? That's it? So you've seen dates, I hardly find that as an excuse to ignore me," Klaus huffed at the idea.
Maleny groaned, rubbing her face as if she were a child, "Klaus, don't make me say this outloud. Elijah's out there and he could listen."
"I'm not following," Klaus declared, not finding it remotely funny.
Maleny lowered her hands, playfully glaring at him, "I'm having...well…" she snatched a small pillow behind her and chucked it at him, "Sex dreams! I'm having sex dreams of us in my past bodies! I'm not ignoring you, I'm just having trouble looking at you because I'm embarrassed!"
For the first time since they had re-met, Klaus was left silent. Out of everything he'd considered being the reason for being ignored...he had never considered that one.
"Please say something," Maleny begged, leaning towards him, "This is already awkward enough. You cannot leave me hanging like this."
"I'm…" Klaus began, still thinking about it, "...sorry…"
It was Maleny's turn to be silent. Her brown eyes blinked rapidly, her mind trying to comprehend, "Wait, what? You're...apologizing? Why are you apologizing? I'm the one that messed up here."
"Because I've forgotten the challenges you are facing," Klaus sighed, still not quite explaining it correctly to Maleny, "Here I thought you were choosing to cast me out for others when it appears that I am bombarding your mind."
"But it's not your fault," Maleny quickly told him before he got any ideas, "I'm just remembering things...that include a lot of you."
Klaus shared a smile with her, "Let's be honest, I am that charming."
"Shut up," Maleny picked up the pillow she'd thrown at him to do it over. Knowing what was coming, Klaus snatched it from the air and put it down, "Cheater," Maleny accused afterwards, "and conceited."
"You used to think the same, love. You remember that now don't you?"
Maleny took a breath as she thought of everything she'd remembered so far, "Oh, I've remembered many things about us," she cleared her throat, "Seeing all that also makes me see how much I stole from those poor women. No wonder they attacked me."
Maleny flinched upon feeling fingers under her chin lifting her gaze up. She met mesmerizing blue eyes, "None of this is your fault," Klaus said in the most assuring way that Maleny nearly believed him, "Someone did this to you and I swear I will find them and make them pay."
Looking for a way to cool her face down, Maleny opted for humor to relieve herself, "Don't forget I want a piece of that action."
Klaus lightly chuckled, "Right, well, I'll let you know. I get too caught up in the moment sometimes."
"Yeah, you do," Maleny agreed without thinking, her mind occupied with memories of the surprise places he would sometimes take her to. Those moments usually ended the way nearly all their nights ended up.
Distraction didn't work. She was blushing again.
"I should...get some rest," Maleny struggled to say in one sentence.
Klaus nodded in agreement, finally taking his hand back, "Of course. If there's anything you need, please tell me."
"I will," Maleny promised with a nod of her own, "And Klaus?" she called just as he stood up, "Thank you for saving me...again," she made a face as she started counting the times he'd done the same, "You should start charging," she added afterwards, making him chuckle.
"For you, it's free. I'll always be there to protect you," he walked to the side of the bed. In the same manner as Riley had earlier, Klaus leaned down and kissed Maleny's forehead. However, Maleny felt this kiss different - a good different.
"That's something that'll never change," Klaus said afterwards, "Hope it doesn't," he mumbled to himself as he walked away. He always enjoyed saving his Maleny - it always led to memorable 'thank you's'.
~ 0 ~
Later that night, at the witches' lycee, Genevieve entered wearing quite the confident face. One of the Harvest girls, Monique, was still working about when the ginger entered and immediately noticed the sudden change in her leader, "What is it?"
"Oh I think I just garnered a lot more trust from the Miakelsons' after this," Genevieve settled her bag on the table.
"How so?" Monique curiously asked.
"I performed a spell on Maleny last night that would put her in a mental trance that only I could solve," Genevieve smirked.
"Why would you do that?" Monique frowned, "That woman is a waste of time in our plans. We have to get Klaus' baby, not his girlfriend."
Genevieve rolled her eyes, "See, this is why you're not a leader. A good leader knows exactly how to puncture the enemy where it hurts. By saving one of Klaus' beloved I can garner not only his trust but Maleny's as well. And as we've seen, if you're good to Maleny, you have a good Klaus on your side."
"I still don't get it," Monique shook her head, "You could've attacked the baby itself instead. Why Maleny? You know one of the ancestors wants her alive."
"Because," Genevieve went around the table and started fiddling with some herbs, "Klaus is becoming more attached to Maleny - the baby is unborn and we can't risk harming her before she's born - so that leaves 'Mal'," she rolled her eyes.
"But no one knows you did this?" Monique raised an eyebrow, finishing in comprehending the elaborate plan.
"If I did, I surely wouldn't be here," Genevieve responded with sarcasm, "The plan was risky but I know how to cover up my tracks. To the Mikaelsons' I'm the woman who saved their precious Maleny. It's the perfect cover up."
Monique still didn't seem too convinced with what Genevieve had done but had no choice but to resign to it, "As long as you get the baby it doesn't matter what you do. Remember your orders or the ancestors will kill you."
Genevieve swallowed hard, remembering all too well what the ancestors wanted from her. She would have to kill Klaus' child if she wanted to continue living.
#klaus mikaelson x oc#klaus mikaelson imagines#the originals imagines#ocappreciation#ocapp#noblecrescentedit#oc: Maleny Rowan#klaus mikaelson x original female character#the originals fanfics#fic: the girl in the forest
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On the topic of BSD mental issues..
Because a lot of people in this fandom just LOVE to bestow their own mental problems on characters and even go so far as to claim not a single BSD character is mentally alright, I went on a little rant to debunk this bulshit of a claim. If you’re one of those who support the “everyone is mentally ill because I said so” theory, don’t even bother reading this, please, and save us both the time.
If you do read, however, please keep in mind those are just my opinions and analysis and why I personally find the claim that everyone is mentally ill bulshit. You’re free to believe what you want but I’ve had multiple people come spurting out insults at me simply for not believing every single character is mentally diasbled.
First, our beloved ADA
Atsushi - He's actually doing really well. Sure, he's not 100% ok but we were given no serious childhood trauma impacts (except for flashbacks that don't really... do anything to him mentally except for motivating him to do better which is, you know, not a sign of mental illness), he doesn't have self-destructive tendencies, he doesn't feel like he owes the society anything but he doesn't slip to nihilism either. His motivations are humane and sane and relatable. I mean, if anyone told you your friends would be in mortal danger if you stay with them, wouldn't you try to get away from them too?
Dazai - Ok, Dazai is far from stable. He still handles his issues surprisingly well though and his constant suicide attempts are really played off as a joke, which is not the best way to handle them but it takes a lot of seriousness from it and kind of makes it hard to believe it's what he actually wants to do with his life. Especially since there are times where he goes out of his way to make sure he stays alive (Dead Apple being just one example).
Kunikida - Arguably one of the most stable characters in the show. Some people claim he has OCD but have you ever seen an actual OCD patient? His love for schedules and hard time when they can't be kept is something that runs in my family and nobody has ever been diagnosed with OCD. People need to realize that having your life planned out is not a mental illness.
Yosano - I'm a little more benevolent about Yosano, especially since she has a more psychotic side to her and she seems actually damaged by her childhood but I stiil stand my point that she is doing extremely well for someone who supposedly has a mental illness. It's almost as if the "insane" side of her was purposedly overblown for comedic purposes.
Ranpo - I know a lot of people say he's autistic but I don't agree with that hc. Why? Well, I have a classmate who's not autistic and she's exactly like him. She's smart, almost genius, has great deduce skills and brilliant crime-solving abilities (tested multiple times with Black Stories or whatever that game is called in english) but she is unable to live on her own. She knows close to nothing about real life, skills used for everyday functioning and as for public transport, she only learnt how to use it recently and she's almost 19 years old. I also have an autistic friend who specifically said he'd find it insulting to hear that Ranpo is supposedly autistic.
Tanizaki - I'm not sure what to say here, Tanizaki is a normal guy. Nothing special about him. He's willing to go great lengths for his little sister but I think anyone with younger siblings can relate to that. At least anyone who cares for their younger siblings.
Kenji - Go on and tell me how Kenji of all people has a mental illness, I dare you. And if you pull out his cheeriness, you're obviously just too depressed to fathom that some people might actually enjoy life.
Fukuzawa - Again, one of the most stable characters in the series. Say what you will but he's not unstable and his ability to stay calm at almost any situation except for when his kids are in danger is just further proof of this.
Kyouka - I'd say she might have issues. My afforementioned autistic classmate pointed out that she feels autistic to him so there's that. Also her childhood visibly screwed her over. However, she's still surprisingly stable and normal despite all of that so while she might have some issues, they are greatly balanced by her strong will and natural personality.
Naomi - I wouldn't say Naomi is 100% ok in the head but not to a point where I'd claim an actual mental illness. Sure, I'm not a doctor but nor is anyone who diagnoses her with whatever it is they diagnose her with.
Haruno - And exactly what is wrong about Haruno? She's cute, positive, cheery, hard-working and supportive. And she gets scared in situations that invoke this. Literally NOTHING weird.
Next up is our dear Port Mafia
Akutagawa - No denying it, Aku has serious issues. Again though, he's doing far better than most people with similar problems but that could just be due to him letting his frustrations out via murder.
Chuuya - No issue found here. Sure, he's a little short-tempered but that's about it. A lot of people are short-tempered without being mentally ill. And he could be portrayed with some serious issues due to his origin and past.
Gin - Do we even know enough about her to diagnoze her? All we know is that she's silent, a little shy and that she's always on odds with Tachihara. Make me a diagnosis from that.
Higuchi - Aside from her massive crush on Aku, there's nothing weird about her. She probably picked the wrong job but she's willing to work hard anyway to earn her place there,, which is not exactly typical for people with mental illnesses.
Hirotsu - STABLE PERSON. Just... what else is there to him? He is literally the voice of reason who commands the black lizard solely because he can actually keep them under control. Geez, there is literally nothing linking him to any mental problem!
Kajii - This guy's got issues, no denying it. And I won't even say he could do worse because obviously he could but he's fairly close to being the insanest (is that a word?) he can get.
Kouyou - Oh look, ANOTHER completely stable person. I mean, come on, she's been an executive since Dazai and Chuuya were 15, that's seven years. Clearly she couldn't hold her position if she weren't stable. Not to mention, we saw her being stable in stressing situations so. many. times.
Elise - She's an ability. No comment.
Mori - Yes, he has his issues. But he's the hypercompetent Mafia boss who stayed in charge for a very long time already and there's no sign of anyone overthrowing him any time soon, nor planning to because he's just a great leader, something he couldn't be if he was mentally ill.
Oda - Do I even need to elaborate on this? Oda is very probably the sanest person we got, one who sees the wrongs of his past and does his best to overcome them and repent, all of which goes without him being depressed or self-loathing in the slightest.
Randou - This has been talked about a lot. Randou is sensitive and impulsive and sometimes acts on emotions rather than rationallity. None of that makes him a mentally ill person. It just makes him a person, a human being we can all relate to.
Ace - Ace is a selfish human being who thinks too highly of himself and is manipulative and abusive. Is that a problem? Yes, obviously. Is that a mental illness? Not necessarily and more likely no than yes. He does things for his personal gain and everything went his way for far too long for him to expect it to go any other way. And as we all know, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutelly.
Q - Does anyone really think Q is sane?
Now for the group that so many people dislike it’s honestly sad, the Guild
Francis - Francis is, first and foremost, a very loving husband and father. He goes on this insane mission to Japan to obtain a mystical object he believes is real but never got any deffinite proof of. Is he naive? Perhaps so. And after he loses, he gets depressed and broken because he finds out his wedding ring disappeared, probably because his wife did something. That breaks him. And honestly? He has every right to break down. It's understandable and human and it does not make him mentally ill.
Louisa - While yes, she is very shy and some argue she has some sort of anxiety disorder, all of this can be explained by the fact that she's practically a child. She's 18 dammit. Who could leave their home country at 18 only with an organization of older people, who also all seem very sure of themselves, while having no combat ability and nothing to really bring to the table? If she were mentally weak, there's no way she'd go looking for Francis after his fall, it's actually more likely she'd hurry back home, probably with tears and fear of being arrested if she were to stay in Japan for longer.
Margaret - Name me one thing that makes you think Margaret of all people would have a mental issue. One thing. Most of her screentime is her being a vegetable. And while that is certainly a health problem, not a mental health one.
Nathaniel - Hey, he was completely ok before meeting Fyodor. Being religious is not a mental health problem and f you if you say otherwise.
John - Again, nothing unstable about John. He's not even that selfish, doing what he can to support his family and even picking up the remainings of the Guild to keep the people together and give them new hope because, y'know, hope is very important to people.
Lovecraft - He's not even human. You can't apply human mental health logic to him.
Herman - We've seen him for how much... 2 minutes total? And even from just that, he seemed like a calm and composed guy. No sign of mental problems whatsoever.
Mark - He's hyper, that's what people say at least. But is he really? Kind of hard to believe when all we've seen of him is two scenes of adrenalin rush, one scene where he tries to lift the spirits of his coworkers and one scene where he just decides to go back home because this adventure is obviously over. No sign of mental illness here either.
Lucy - A little more visible traumatic impact than with Atsushi and some abandonment issues, which are completely understandable and relatable. Not necessarily a mental illness.
Poe - Ok so Poe doesn't feel well in company of others and he is a little psychotic when he gets too into his self-assigned role but 1) introverts are not mentally ill and 2) it's completely natural to get carried away when we witness the person we believe wronged us getting some karma back.
The one group that appeared for such a short time, yet everyone seems to love them, the Rats
Fyodor - The most obvious god complex, clearly. He's not sane but he's stable so there's that. Nobody says he's ok, he's clearly not. But he's composed and smart enough to not let his issues control him.
Ivan - Part of his brain is literally gone. He's not ok. he can't be. And unless part of your brain is missing too, you physically can't relate to him.
Pushkin - Actually a stable, understandable character. Weak men are known through all of history to be the causes of major drama simply because their complexes over being weak lead to them finding joy in torturing the strong. It's not a mental illness, it's just bad character.
Oguri - Clearly, Ogugu has issues. Call it survivor's guilt or PTSD or whatever you want, he has issues. Nobody is denying that. Still, he's doing fairly well when not desperatelly trying to seem evil.
I do not feel like doing the Hunting Dogs for the sole reason of me not liking them enough to focus on their mental states but they are pretty much lab rats, artificially enhanced humans and that alone should be enough to explain why I don’t believe in applying normal psychology to them. As for the Decay of Angels, there’s still much more to learn about them so I won’t get into that just yet. And when it comes to the governmental agents, I haven’t read the novels so I only know a bit about Ango and I honestly don’t see how anyone could think Ango has a mental illness.
I repeat again, these are my opinions, based on my experiences and what I’ve studied about mental illnesses (because believe it or not, I study about these things quite a lot). It doesn’t fit except for Tumblr romanticised versions of them and even those are iffy. You’re free to agree and disagree with all of this or with just certain parts but please don’t feel required to share your thoughts, I frankly don’t much care.
With that I bid you goodbye, at least until another thing prompts me to make a long-ass analysis almost nobody will read, nor care for.
#bungou stray dogs#the guild#port mafia#armed detective agency#atsushi nakajima#bsd atsushi#dazai osamu#bsd dazai#kunikida doppo#bsd kunikida#yosano akiko#bsd yosano#ranpo edogawa#bsd ranpo#tanizaki junichirou#bsd tanizaki#kenji miyazawa#bsd kenji#fukuzawa yukichi#bsd fukuzawa#naomi tanizaki#bsd naomi#haruno kirako#bsd haruno#kyouka izumi#bsd kyouka#akutagawa ryunosuke#bsd akutagawa#chuuya nakahara#bsd chuuya
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Hamilton and 10 Other Ways to Watch the American Revolution
https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Hamilton will debut on Disney+ on July 3rd, the start of a long holiday weekend. The Walt Disney Company paid good money for the Broadway phenomenon, a reported $75 million for the rights to the film, which features performances by the original cast (we wrote a primer on the cast and where they are now).
If you’re healthily avoiding crowds and already had your fill of fireworks, here are 10 more movies and TV shows that explore the American Revolution from different angles.
1776 (1972)
Making the Founding Fathers sing was truly revolutionary when Sherman Edwards’s musical debuted on Broadway in 1969. The plot traced how the Second Continental Congress decided on independence; there are lots of fun character moments but really no other story. After the show won the Tony for Best Musical, Hollywood mogul Jack Warner hired most of the cast and director Peter Hunt to make a movie. Then Warner cut a big production number (now restored) to please President Nixon. This is John Adams’s view of history, so he’s the hero and John Dickinson the antagonist—but Dickinson still comes off better than eminent jurist James Wilson. Recognizing 1776 as an inspiration, Lin-Manuel Miranda gave the song “Sit Down, John!” a shout-out in Hamilton.
More of This: For rollicking fun in the 1700s, everybody should see Tom Jones, the 1963 film by Tony Richardson that made Albert Finney a global star.
April Morning (1988) and The Crossing (1999)
Howard Fast, proud leftist author of Spartacus, published April Morning as a novel about the Battle of Lexington and Concord and The Crossing as a nonfiction account of the Battle of Trenton. Now we recognize both as historical fiction. Fast’s robust stories were adapted into television movies with stellar leads: Tommy Lee Jones played a Lexington farmer guiding his teen-aged son in 1988, and Jeff Daniels portrayed Gen. George Washington trying to get across the Delaware in 2000.
More of This: In 1984 and 1986, CBS dramatized the life of George Washington over 10 hours. Barry Bostwick played George and Patty Duke Astin played Martha, so they got the height differential right.
The Book of Negroes
At the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783, British authorities evacuated thousands of Loyalists of African descent to Canada. The names of free black refugees were recorded in a document labeled “The Book of Negroes,” and Canadian novelist Lawrence Hill borrowed that title. (In the U.S., his book was retitled Someone Knows My Name.) In 2015 Hill turned his award-winning novel into a six-episode miniseries with writer-director Clement Virgo. This globe-spanning story follows a woman kidnapped in Niger, enslaved in South Carolina, and evacuated to Nova Scotia; she then returns to Africa to help found Sierra Leone. The Book of Negroes thus explores personal and political liberty, war, and nation-building—but not confined to the U.S.
More of This: The 1990 biopic Divided Loyalties profiles Joseph Brant, leader of Britain’s Mohawk allies during the Revolutionary War. Why do we see such side-eye on the American Revolution from Canada? Oh, yeah…
The Devil’s Disciple
It’s always fun to watch Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas work together, enjoying each other’s company and trying to steal scenes. How about adding Laurence Olivier to the mix as real-life British general and playwright John Burgoyne? All in a 1959 adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s first successful play, set in upstate New York during the crucial 1777 campaign. You might think the battle scenes acted out by wooden dolls are the most unrealistic part of this film, but wait till Lancaster blows up a room full of redcoats and stays on his feet. Because he’s Burt Lancaster, dammit!
More of This: To be frank, John Ford’s 1939 adaptation of Drums Along the Mohawk with Claudette Colbert and Henry Fonda is a better Hollywood movie set in upstate New York during the Revolution, but a more conventional one.
John Adams
HBO’s seven-hour miniseries from 2008 remains the gold standard for Revolutionary drama because of the terrific acting by Paul Giamatti as John Adams and Laura Linney as Abigail Adams. The screenplay throws John into the center of events even more than his own autobiography did, and historical shortcuts often shortchange the facts. But the smart, cantankerous, high-minded spirit of the Adamses shines through.
More of This: Back in 1976, PBS covered the same ground in its thirteen-episode series The Adams Chronicles, which continued into the next two generations. Compare and contrast.
Liberty’s Kids
PBS, DIC Entertainment, and a slew of celebrity voices taught Gen. Z about America’s Revolution in this 40-episode animated cartoon. Three years before Avatar: The Last Airbender debuted, this series showed a bunch of teens navigating a world at war. The young heroes managed to go almost everywhere the action was, and also not to age much between 1773 and 1789.
More of This: For another animated take, seek out Disney’s 1953 short “Ben and Me.” To see teens caught up in the start of the Revolution, Disney also offers Johnny Tremain from 1957. Even better, read the novels by Robert Lawson and Esther Forbes.
Mary Silliman’s War
This is undoubtedly the most historically accurate film about life during the Revolutionary War. Mary Silliman was a housewife in Fairfield, Connecticut. Her husband was a militia officer imprisoned by the British, and she pursued his release while managing their farm and evading a Royal Navy attack. Educated and pious, Silliman kept a journal, which Joy Day Buel and Richard Buel, Jr., studied to write The Way of Duty. That biography was the basis of this independent drama from 1994 directed by Stephen Surjik, whose more recent work includes episodes of Daredevil and The Umbrella Academy.
More of This: The 1997 documentary A Midwife’s Tale dramatizes crucial moments in the life of midwife Martha Ballard while focusing on how historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich recreated that life from the bare bones of Ballard’s post-Revolutionary diary.
Revolution
After making the so-very-British Chariots of Fire, very-British Hugh Hudson turned in 1985 to the American War for Independence. And he cast not-at-all-British Al Pacino and Nastassja Kinski as British colonists caught up in the fighting, plus Canadian Donald Sutherland as a sadistic British sergeant. The result was widely derided as an epic mess, but there are some powerful visual sequences. Hudson later made a director’s cut that’s unusual in being 10 minutes shorter than the original version, as well as more coherent.
More of This: The next time Hollywood tried a Revolutionary War epic with a foreign-born director, Roland Emmerich delivered The Patriot, starring Mel Gibson. Such an invincible hero, such cartoonish villains, such whitewashing of the period’s sticky issues—it made Revolution look better.
Sweet Liberty
This 1986 comedy by Alan Alda hinged on the making of a movie about the 1781 Battle of Cowpens. Alda played a local professor and reenactor trying to stand up for historical accuracy. Michele Pfeiffer and Michael Caine were over-the-top actors come to South Carolina to star in the movie within the movie, and Saul Rubinek and Bob Hoskins played the crass filmmakers. It’s a mild satire of Hollywood clashing with genuine folk, but dedicated eighteenth-century reenactors who trained the troops in The Patriot say this film is the most accurate reflection of their experience.
More of This: For real drama behind Revolutionary reenactments, check out Nyier Abdou and Adya Beasley’s 39-minute documentary Being George on YouTube.
Turn: Washington’s Spies
From 2014 to 2017, this 40-episode AMC series told a highly fictionalized account of the Culper Spy Ring that operated on Long Island, slipping information from British-occupied New York to the American command. Later seasons covered Benedict Arnold’s betrayal and carried through to Yorktown. Though most of the main characters were inspired by real people, only Ian Kahn’s portrayal of George Washington felt deeply rooted in history. But adherence to the documentary record wasn’t the point of Turn—melodrama was, and the plot twists and romantic entanglements are many.
More of This: For more eighteenth-century melodrama, check out the 2013 filming of Moonfleet on Amazon. (But beware: The website offers cast info about Fritz Lang’s 1955 version instead.)
The post Hamilton and 10 Other Ways to Watch the American Revolution appeared first on Den of Geek.
from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/38rGftS
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Blast from the Past Garfield Comics Solve
On March 28, 2017 - Pangent dropped several modified Garfield comics on the tumblr.
Frantic work happened by the team in the discord. You can go find it if you want to relive the chaos.
For some reason, it appears this solve was never posted to the humansoulsarg.tumblr.com blog.
Today, we aim to remedy that situation.
Enjoy!
Pangent comics:
FEED ME:
https://pangenttechnologies.tumblr.com/post/158944128617
Original:
Use a Vigenere cipher to decode the comic. Ciphertext is shown in the Pangent version, the Key is the Original text
Panel 1:
MR TQIAE MVP WWG ZKBKTQIRO ELE A TRXNOBTIQMA HIZ LBSC LB VP GZO MNLM QITQ EZNI.
Hi, there… I’m Jon Arbuckle. I’m a cartoonist, and this is my cat, Garfield.
Panel 2:
OR TPHAFI MNI AHMNNMIUA CAXJ SDTM MBJ TMFK JU CO WWIATJ PPQOBQIA ERVG AAFQNL.
Hi, there. I’m Garfield. I’m a cat, and this is my cartoonist, Jon.
Panel 3:
XDR QRUY XQQYPQC IB CO ERCHATFMW YSDO. NEJV EPU.
Our only thought is to entertain you. Feed me.
Results:
panel 1: FJ AJEJA EJG IJG IJHIJFEJC EJE J ADJAGJAIDJH AAH DJGE JB CJ GIJ EJAJ JAAJ AIJA
panel 2: HJ AIDJBA AHI JCEJCJAIA AAEJ FAAF EJB BAHI JD JA IJAIAA BCJGIJEJ AJJA AJAIJA
panel 3: JJA CEJA EJCEJJJ AJ JA AEJDJAFEJ AEJJ. JAGJ ABA
A1-PF convert (set A=1, B=2, C=3, …, J=0, K=A, … P=F) and reverse, recombine into 3-character groups, decode as decimal ASCII:
panel 1:
109 101 100 105 097 032 057 048 118 049 107 104 105 053 056 098 097 097 051 050 106
media 90v1khi58baa32j
http://mediafire.com/?90v1khi58baa32j
unlockering.zip
panel 2:
109 101 100 105 097 032 119 109 104 098 122 056 116 051 119 103 053 098 112 049 108
media wmhbz8t3wg5bp1l
https://mediafire.com/?wmhbz8t3wg5bp1l
breathless.zip
panel 3:
12 107 100 051 056 104 051 100 100 053 051 053 100
?kd38h3dd535d
Unsure what to do with this at the moment, let’s look at those ZIPs…
unlockering.zip contains unlockering.wav
A Kansas City Standard encoded audio file.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_City_standard
Decoding yields a text file with some Vigenere text at the beginning and an ASCII art picture
Vigenere with key ‘guineapix’:
The ginger one is called Daisy. She is a special needs pig. She has cataracts in both eyes and is blind.
The little one with black nose ears and feet is called Lucy.
The big ball of fluff is Annabel. Her breed is Swiss.
The one with funky fur on the back end and ginger round the eyes is Boris. A neutered boar who lives with the girls.
breathless.zip contains breathless.wav
A Kansas City Standard encoded audio file.
Decoding yields a text file with some Vigenere text, decoded with key 'guineapix’:
Lottie, you’d like this. I was reading a book the other day. We’re in the information age, right? All of us, we’re just bombarded by too much information, all the time. Spam emails and social media. Doing really simple things becomes difficult, or complicated, or distracting. We’re all looking for a way to cut through all the noise. It’s easy to blend in and get ignored. It’s an atmosphere which rewards people who really stand out. You have to be bold and spicy and delicious. You’ve got to be a spirit. Can’t be a ghost. Dick Tracy’s on, I’m gonna shut the TV off.
There are days when I think we could take over Pangent. The three of us. Take it over and make it right. Maybe that’s just a dream. Maybe that’s the thought that keeps me here. Our mutual friend Alex Schreyer has created a culture of secrecy and fear. He learned that from his dad. So we’re scared. Hiding behind layers of security. We don’t talk to each other. That’s not the way to make a scientific breakthrough. We need to share information. We need to talk to each other, brainstorm with each other. Care about one another. We could fix Pangent. Change everything about it. We could accomplish great things. But we’re scared. Scared of what we could actually do.
Lottie, there’s something you wrote for the personality test. Technology. Information wants to be free. And progress belongs to the people. Companies will keep their secrets. They’ll copyright anything they can. But they’ll market it and sell it and blow it up all over the place. Well, information gets out, one way or another. Once you invent something, you can’t uninvent it. Sometimes you have to be real careful with what you put out into the world.
Pangent comic: Pipe
https://pangenttechnologies.tumblr.com/post/158944279592
Original:
panel 2:
NTA FJIAF EXATM QHPR YEBN NWFW
Now Where could my pipe be?
panel 3:
MRFSAJPOJ!!
Garfield
panel 2: AFE JCEJB CJGIJ EJAJ JAAJ AIJA
panel 3: GRONSFELD!!
A1-PF on Panel 2, reverse, and group by 3’s:
109 101 100 105 097 032 053 056 1
media 58?
Aha! Combine comic 2 panel 2 + comic 1 panel 3:
109 101 100 105 097 032 053 056 112 107 100 051 056 104 051 100 100 053 051 053 100
media 58pkd38h3dd535d
https://mediafire.com/?58pkd38h3dd535d
withourterrors.zip
withourterrors.zip contains withouterrors.wav
A Kansas City Standard encoded audio file.
Decoding yields a text file with some Vigenere text, decoded with key 'argentinamayorsassenheim’: (ooh! a combination password)
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
C: Drinking Bird update. Thirteen months without any significant incident. Lucky. I’ll raise a glass to that. The Cube has stabilized to a degree I wouldn’t have thought possible when we began studying it at the beginning of 2017. Reluctant as I am to admit it, Leslie Walsh (aka MayorSassenheim) is responsible for most of that. She’s written code that keeps the Cube stable without real peaks and valleys, and it seems the Cube is capable of learning from that. If I trusted her, I’d leave her to her work and be done with it. I wish I could do that. The situation would be simpler. Officially, I left Project 555 a long time ago.
L: you pinged me
why did you ping me
C: I didn’t.
I was talking about you.
It must have pinged you automatically
L: “Drinking Bird update”
jesus lottie
C: What?
L: you shouldn’t even be doing this
who is that even an update for
C: For myself.
L: of course
C: talking to myself
thinking about myself
it’s what I’m good at.
L: i didn’t say that.
turn your mic on
i’m switching to voice.
C: Over a year without any kind of disaster. Leave me alone, I’m celebrating.
L: You’re lurking. In the shadows of a project you were fired from how long ago?
C: I can do what I want.
L: Yeah, I think that’s actually your job title at this point right? Like we don’t know what to do with Lottie and we don’t want any trouble, so I guess Lottie does what she wants.
C: Leslie, I’ve been avoiding this conversation for awhile, and I’ve thought long and hard about what to say. So, here it is. Fuck off and die, Leslie, and also fuck you.
L: How’s the kid?
C: Beautiful. She’s the sun and the moon and the sky and the stars. She’s about six full time jobs, but Eric helps. He’s not bad at the whole father thing.
L: Good. I’m glad. I’d like to see her.
C: I don’t think that’s a good idea.
L: I wish you’d let me be a part of your life again.
C: Well, shit happens.
L: What was I supposed to do?
C: The four of you stole the project out from under me.
L: Is that what you think happened?
C: And now he’s in charge of all of it.
L: Officially, he always was. None of that changed.
C: You took control of my work.
L: And nobody died. Nobody got hurt. Like you said, nothing happened for thirteen months. What should I have done? Leave it all to him? Dammit Lottie, I did this for you. I worked myself to death on this project, just to make sure it wouldn’t kill anybody.
C: It wasn’t your responsibility. It wasn’t your burden to take on. It’s mine.
L: Well, shit happens.
C: This project, it drains you, it changes you. You shouldn’t have had to deal with that. It’s wrong what you did, and it’s wrong what it did to you. To both of us.
L: Lottie, I did my best. Under the circumstances I tried to do what you would do. In my head it’s like I was you.
C: That’s ridiculous. For one thing you’re smarter than me.
L: No, I’m not. My god, I’m not.
C: You are.
L: This is a weird thing to say, but like … do you ever feel like you’re in the wrong timeline? Like you’re in a science fiction book about, what if the Nazis won World War II or something? Sometimes it feels like, this wasn’t supposed to happen. Like everything is wrong.
C: Yes. I do feel that way sometimes. I think it’s called depression.
L: Why do you hate me?
C: I don’t hate you. I don’t want to hate you. We were friends and I love you.
L: Lottie.
C: But we can’t even be friends now and it’s bullshit. It’s him. Alex. And Liam. On their own they’d be almost harmless. The two of them together, they amplify each other’s worst qualities.
L: Oh believe me, I know. Multiplying and dividing by a pair of zeroes.
C: God, them and every other asshole I had to deal with and still stay halfway sane.
L: Project Four.
C: Project fuckin Four! Working at Pangent, it’s poison. It poisoned you and it poisoned me. Maybe I do hate you, Leslie. I hate what you did. I hate that you did it better than I could have.
L: I miss you.
C: Don’t be dramatic. We were only friends to get back at him.
L: We were friends because we were friends.
C: You know what he said to me, a couple weeks before he took control of 555? He said, I know that you and Leslie will always be friends. Didn’t sound great, coming from him. I think somewhere inside me, I made my mind up to prove him wrong.
L: We could have talked this out. Dammit, we were friends. We were supposed to protect each other.
C: Whatever that was, that was a moment in time, and times change. You’re stuck in a moment and you think that moment will last forever. But really a moment only comes once.
L: I saw you, poking around in the code. Like the whole entire time. You weren’t super subtle about it. Were you trying to get my attention?
C: Probably. Yes.
L: Alex saw it too, I’m sure he did.
C: I don’t care.
L: I mean like I kept him from seeing the last build you did. Well, the second to last build. You should really have hidden that better.
C: I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.
L: He isn’t spying on this chatroom.
C: You don’t know that. You fucked me over so many times. You let him in through every backdoor.
L: I let him play. Like, I let the baby have his bottle. It was gonna be a fucked up situation either way.
C: That doesn’t mean I can ever feel safe again.
L: I get that. I’m sorry.
C: You should be. I should be. There’s a lot of sorry to go around.
L: You finished it, didn’t you? 555. That was supposed to be a final build. Then you erased it.
C: I stopped it before it finished uploading.
L: It was a finished build.
C: Compiled without errors.
L: I thought so. What would happen if we ran that code?
C: I don’t know. It’s gone. Deleted. Forever.
L: I have the partial upload.
C: Of course you do.
L: I saw you uploading. I mean I started downloading the minute the transfer started. And yeah, so it cuts off at a certain point. So I found the matching point in your previous build and put two and four together.
C: See, this is why I can’t trust you.
L: I mean I don’t know everything you changed in that build but like I figure it was all pretty top level stuff and bug fixes, whatever was left. My copy is spliced together, but do you think it’s identical to the build you deleted?
C: I don’t know.
L: It compiled without errors.
C: Leslie, no. Oh, I can’t breathe.
L: I’ll ask you again. What would happen if we ran that code?
C: I don’t know. I don’t know if I want to know. It’s dangerous.
L: Of course it is. I mean that’s been the whole problem from the start.
C: Yes.
L: You finished the code. All of it. And then you deleted it.
C: Yes.
L: Are you glad I kept the data?
C: Yes. God, I’m actually shaking. I hope he’s not listening to this.
L: So, what do we do from here?
C: I don’t know. Leslie, I’m sorry for not talking to you like a human being for so long. I didn’t know what to say and after awhile, it was just … I put it off too long.
L: Not too proud of any of this myself. For reals we’ve both got a lot to pologize for.
C: There’s a lot of sorry to go around.
L: Yeah but like, I’d like to see you. You, with Eric, and Rachel, and Sharon too.
C: Who is Sharon?
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
WTF??!!?! Wowzers.
Comic 3: Odie
Pangent Version:
https://pangenttechnologies.tumblr.com/post/158944845847
Original:
Randomiser transcribed/vigenered/A1-PF’d comics 3 & 4, I don’t have copies of the intermediate steps, just the finales:
640114011114754011541010018015017823795018115018019723201111231019017901123101401611230115012301111141148231218923001101811411101511101411231594234111017019911167
Comic 4: Lasagna
Pangent Version:
https://pangenttechnologies.tumblr.com/post/158945180237
Original:
After Vigenering ciphertext with original text, and converting A1-PF:
645111118017970171111151148236456231115013014111115011723201111231019017901123101401611230115012322101110141111167230115018117917231218923001101811411101511101411232594234111017019911167
These final strings may not look like anything, but if you reverse them and manually space them, you get
76 111 99 107 101 114 32 49 51 32 114 101 115 101 114 118 101 100 32 98 121 32 84 114 111 110 32 105 110 32 116 104 101 32 110 97 109 101 32 111 102 32 79 108 105 118 105 97 32 87 105 108 100 101 45 110 45 74 111 104 110 46
76 111 99 107 101 114 32 49 52 32 114 101 115 101 114 118 101 100 32 98 121 32 71 97 118 105 110 32 76 111 114 101 110 122 32 105 110 32 116 104 101 32 110 97 109 101 32 111 102 32 71 105 111 114 103 105 111 32 65 46 32 84 115 111 117 107 97 108 111 115 46
which is of course decimal ASCII:
Locker 13 reserved by Tron in the name of Olivia Wilde-n-John.
Locker 14 reserved by Gavin Lorenz in the name of Giorgio A. Tsoukalos.
Comic 5: Alone
Pangent:
https://pangenttechnologies.tumblr.com/post/158946474637
Original: (with the 'rest of the story’ to trigger your existential crisis)
GU RAT HFR EBA LQI SUI NHE RK UJ RSM OAN LNG CP HCA TNE VRE ZK OU BCI ONT IK SMO MBN ZN NEL MK KNM BQO RET PD NCO RCI OW NH RR TW FRE AWY JXD GN PO EJM HT PP NHO UQA CEN RID EJH SWA LXN HYO VC TI OD SH LEL DKR XAT PM RES FI
which becomes
FD AJA ABA AJA JJA HJA AAA AG BC JAA AJA DAA GI HJA GJA EJA HG BC BJA AAA BC AJA IJA GI JAA BC AJA DJA FAA BC JAA EJA BC JE ID GI CJA AJA IJA IG BC ABA HI BC JJA AJA HAA DAA AJA EAA AJA DAA BC CE ID BC DAA AJA GJA II AAA FG
64 101 121 101 001 801 111 17 23 011 101 411 79 801 701 501 87 23 201 111 23 101 901 79 011 23 101 401 611 23 011 501 23 05 94 79 301 101 901 97 23 121 89 23 001 101 811 411 101 511 101 411 23 35 94 23 411 101 701 99 111 67
Locker 15 reserved by Omega12 in the name of Niklaren Goldeye.
—–
So everyone’s favorite Orange cat gave us bigtime story drops, and three locker reservations. Nice to get those on the books.
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Underworld Ultimatum: The Quest for the Hottest Hades
So I mentioned in a previous big text post that I have some Very Strong Opinions on the interpretation of Greek god Hades shown in Disney’s Hercules film, and now I’m gonna talk about those opinions dammit! But let’s make it a little interesting. I always believe that if you can’t say something nice you shouldn’t say anything at all, so I’m also going to use this as an opportunity to talk about a Hades that I do enjoy. It’s a competition, babey! The Underworld Ultimatum! Or, if you’re preferring to reference a property one of these guys is in, the Hades Cup! (though to be fair this is less of a true competition and more of me showing why I like one and not the other)
First off, it’s the guy who inspired this, give it up foooor...
Disney’s Hades!
First of all, the guy’s design might’ve seemed cool back in the day, but looking back on him he’s kinda bland. Grey toga with accents of other greys, blue deathly pallor, nasty teeth... The flame hair is a pretty good concept, but considering the ancient Greek idea of the underworld probably wasn’t fire-themed I don’t know if it was an appropriate choice. ❌
Speaking of that flame hair, he commits the crime of “blue fire is totally cooler than red fire you guys what is physics?” nonsense. Anyone who puts even the tiniest bit of research in knows that, disregarding chemical compounds that affect flame color, blue flames are hotter than red/orange/yellow flames. Yeah, from an artistic perspective it seems counterintuitive, and blue flames work better with his standard palette, but even with that in consideration they couldn’t’ve made it so his flames turned white when he got angry rather than orange? Lazy... ❌
This is a problem with the Hercules film overall, but this feels like a christianized take on the ancient Grecian pantheon, with a much less horny Zeus in the place of the christian god and Hercules as sort of a Jesus figure. In line with this, Hades is portrayed as an equivalent to Satan and thus is shown to be undeniably evil. This is inaccurate to the actual mythology of Hades, where (and someone with a better scope of Greek mythology can either back me up or refute me on this) he was just a dude who ran the underworld and had no real malicious intent. But of course, a character is themed around death, they have to be a completely irredeemable villain. ❌
AND continuing the villain thing! He ugly, at least according to western society standards and especially compared to the hero and leading lady who are conventionally attractive by those same standards. This is continuing a long Disney tradition that a villain should be ugly. He’s evil, thus he doesn’t get to visit the dentist. ❌
His goals are basically just the same as every other villain, take over the world with some big strong brutes that are locked away by a supposedly benevolent horndog. Well, specifically Olympus, but considering that’s where the gods live and his brief rule subjugates the GODS, if he’d been in the head for longer he’d basically rule the world. Boring, bland, think of something else for once. Or at least have a good reason other than “I’m the villain, world domination for me!” ❌
There’s no real satisfying tension between him as a villain and the hero! His initial direct action against Hercules happens when he’s an infant (speaking of, dude actively tries to kill an infant), and then the next direct interaction between them is like nearly 20 years later and Herc has no knowledge of who this guy is and how big of a threat he’s been this whole time. Call me crazy, but I feel a villain is more effective when the protag is aware of the threat they pose for longer than just “oh he showed up today and apparently he’s been trying to kill me since I was a baby and now he’s got my girl??? guess he’s a bad guy” ❌
Following this point, there’s no satisfying confrontation between Hades and Herc that works to finish off the conflict between them. The major battle that Herc has against him is mainly against the titans, and iirc the only thing that he does to him in the “grabbing Meg’s soul from the soul pool brb” section is punch him in the face. I don’t remember any direct action that Herc does to cause Hades to fall into his soul pool. ❌
He’s voiced by James Woods, who is a major jerk. I’m not going into detail here as this is already long-winded enough, and Google is free. ❌
He’s got Cerberus, as any good interpretation of Hades should. That’s a plus! ✅ Though this Cerberus seems to be based on the “generic mean dog breed” aesthetic, and also I hated fighting this guy in Kingdom Hearts (the original, not the final mix with updated controls, OOF), which leads me toooo...
The guy THEN proceeds to smear his presence all over nearly every Kingdom Hearts game! Like, you’re not needed! Get out! Leave some room for better Disney villains!!! ❌
So nine bads, one good, and that “good” only comes from me liking dogs.
Next up, we have a more recent contender to the Hades mythos in modern media. Showing up outta nowhere in the first entry into a classic series for 21 years, let’s bring our hands together fooooor...
Kid Icarus Uprising’s Hades!
First off...look at this man. Look at this man! Hell yeah that is my aesthetic! Look at all the chaotic colors, the wild anime-esque hair, aaaaa! Amazing design! I would ask someone to get me the name of Uprising’s character designer so I can shake their hand and tell ‘em they did a wonderful job on the Hades look, but they’re probably Japanese and I don’t know a lick of it. Maybe someone at NoA could pass on my compliments... ✅
He does have a flame head form at some point with blue flames, but it doesn’t become red to show his anger so there’s no more of a violation of physics then the rest of his insides are. ✅ And that’s the real problem I have with Disney’s Hades for this particular point, if you’re going to violate physics at least have some damn fun with it instead of just thinking that cooler fire is hotter just because it’s made of warmer colors.
While this Hades is also irredeemably evil, there’s no weird christ-washing of Greek mythology going on here, because the Japanese generally don’t do that sort of thing when throwing a bunch of other culture’s mythologies together. Sure, Kid Icarus includes a lot of Greek mythology elements (Medusa, Thanatos, Pandora, arguably Palutena being based on Athena, among others), but it also incorporates a lot of original elements, such as the Forces of Nature who are not based on any specific Greek gods, the Chaos Kin, the Aurum, freaking space pirates?! And in regards to the Aurum, this Hades is able to put differences aside in order to help the other factions around at the time defeat the Aurum so there’s that! ...though he’s not exactly the best team player, hehehe... ✅
While he does show up out of nowhere after the defeat of the initially perceived villain, Medusa, once he debuts Hades is a constant presence. He’s almost always poking his head into the dialogue to taunt Pit, make some quip or joke, flirt with a female character, give a dastardly threat. Everyone’s always aware of exactly what kind of threat he poses! Good villain writing! ✅
But yeah, speaking of that, he does do the whole “initial villain wasn’t the real villain SURPRISE BITCH” thing that I’m not that fond of. Call it lingering resentment from Twilight Princess where Zant was basically thrown away in favor of bringing Ganondorf back. ❌
This Hades also doesn’t seem to have a Cerberus. Twinbellows is a Thing, yes, but they never show up in the same instance in time. The real Twinbellows is dealt with in the first chapter of Uprising, and the fake version of Twinbellows that shows up in chapter 9 is dealt with LONG before Hades reveals himself. ❌
His goal is to use the souls of everyone and everything that’s died to increase the ranks of his army and in the process throw off the natural order of things, which honestly makes sense as a goal for a malevolent death god. It’s helped by the fact that there’s really no one “good” faction in this game, everyone has their own self interests and Palutena’s just the one that’s most kind to humanity and Pit, who is the protag we experience the game’s events through and thus passes on a little of his bias. ✅
Oh, you want satisfying hero/villain confrontation? The boss battle against him takes up a whole chapter and oooohhhh boy is it a good’un. Do yourself a favor and look up the battle on YouTube, or to avoid a lot of spoilers and gain a lot of context, do yourself an even bigger favor and look up Chuggaconroy’s whole Uprising playthrough. The man goes into detail about everything of this game, not just its characters and basic gameplay. ✅
He eats Pit at one point, and then that whole chapter takes place in his innards. Ew. Gross. ❌
He’s voiced by S. Scott Bollock in the English dub and Hōchū Ōtsuka in the Japanese original. I don’t know whether either of ‘em are jerks, but I doubt they’re as bad as James Woods soooooo... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Setting aside cameos like being a spirit in Smash Ultimate, this Hades has only had a significant appearance in a single piece of media. Even though it’s a tad bittersweet, he doesn’t overstay his welcome, unlike another Hades. ✅
That’s 7 goods, 3 bads, and a shrug. The winner is clear! KI Hades is the victor! Or at least it’s obvious that I prefer him over the Disney version. Rant over, thanks for sticking through my ramblin’ goofballery. It was fun at least, right? I had fun. :D
#disney#disney hercules#disney hades#kid icarus#ki hades#jess discusses character stuff#and how differently two different sets of people can interpret the same core concepts
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Braiding the Fire Lord’s Hair
Summary: Katara convinces Zuko to let her play with his hair. Surprised by how well he likes it, he gives Katara a reward in exchange.
A/N: For some reason tumblr decided to flag the original post, even though it falls into guidelines. So to spite them, here’s a repost of Zuko going to town on Katara.
Warning: lemons
“Don’t make me look silly.”
Katara giggled as she ran her fingers through his black, silky hair. “I won’t. Besides, it’s all in good fun, no one will see you.”
Zuko shook his head, earning a complaint from his girlfriend when she lost hold of his locks. He grinned mischievously at her when she puffed her cheeks out in annoyance. “You know you rarely let me touch your hair. It doesn’t hurt to have someone help you tame it once in a while.” she pointed.
“I don’t need anyone to help me tame it. I do just fine on my own.” He countered.
Katara had to admit that he didn’t need any help. Since she’s known the Fire Lord, he’d always had perfect hair no matter what style he had it in. Now it had grown down inches above his waist. Katara pushed back the bubble of jealousy growing in her chest from how much more manageable his hair was than hers. Today, she wasn’t going to let that bother her. Today she was going to enjoy her boyfriend’s hair to her hearts content.
“Mmm, smells like cinnamon.” she moaned, inhaling the scent of his long hair.
“Did you just smell my hair? Creeper.”
“Oh, hush and enjoy the touch of my magic hands while I attempt to make you look amazing.” she retorted.
“My confidence is soaring.” Zuko stated with sarcasm.
Katara sat on the edge of the Fire Lord’s bed while he was positioned on the floor between her legs. They were getting ready for bed when she stated she wanted to brush his hair for him and suddenly he found himself being used as a styling dummy.
Zuko tried to distract himself from Katara’s bare legs rubbing against his arms. She was only wearing her bindings and he was already in a night tunic and trousers.
Her soft fingers shifted over his scalp and he closed his eyes. She ran her fingers from his roots to his ends over and over until he felt heat course up his back and his muscles tense in numbness. Zuko bit back a moan when she lightly scraped his scalp with her nails. He began to think having her help him with his hair wouldn’t be so bad.
He started to feel his hair being twisted and tugged, his eyes slowly opening as his trance subsided. “What are you doing?” his voice rasped.
“I’m braiding it. Don’t worry, it’s nothing girly.”
Zuko wasn’t sure he liked the idea of getting his hair braided but he was too lost in her touch to complain at the moment. He’ll allow himself to react when he got a look at it.
He felt the end of the braid get lifted and a tie being twisted to hold it in place. “There!” Katara announced, pulling out a hand mirror to show Zuko her work. “What to you think?”
The Fire Lord didn’t think it was so bad. She had given him one single low braid that hung down his back. He typically left his hair in a careless bun when going to bed. “I like it.” he replied. He meant it.
“I’m glad.” she smiled, drumming her fingers lightly on the side of his neck.
“Katara…”
“Yes?” she answered, her voice lowered in a sultry tone.
Zuko cleared the lump growing in his throat and licked his lips. “…What are you thinking right now?”
“Hmm,” she bit her lower lip and averted her eyes as though contemplating what she was going to say next. “I was thinking….how much I love seeing your hair like that.”
Zuko turned around, standing up to tower over Katara as he placed his knees on the bed to straddle her. Katara was forced to lie back to give him room and her eyes turned dark as he moved his braid from his back to over his shoulder. Allowing the end of it to brush lightly on her collar bone. “Is that an invitation for something else.’ He teased.
Katara slipped her legs from between his and wrapped them tight around his waist. “Maybe.” Zuko grinned widely and grinded his clothed erection against her hot center, earning a gasp from his girlfriend.
“You seem to be flustered, Master Katara.” Zuko cocked his head, a sly smirk playing on his lips. “I suppose it’s nothing I can’t fix.” He released her legs from around his waist and slowly made his way off the bed and between her legs which now hung over the edge.
Katara’s mouth released a cry then a hiss as she felt Zuko’s teeth nibble on the skin of her inner thigh. He dragged the flat of his tongue from her mid thigh until he ended up mere inches from her core. His ministrations sent shockwaves up her torso and her mind became numb. Eyes fogged over in a daze of heat and lust. Katara clenched her jaw when Zuko slowly unwrapped her lower bindings, sliding the rest of the loose cloth off with his teeth.
The Fire Lord was pulled in by her scent, anxious to get a taste of the display before him but not without pushing his girlfriend over the edge. He slid his hands up and down her calves, blowing hot air at her exposed curls.
“Zuko….” Katara hissed, teeth clenched. “S-Stop….it…Stop teasing!”
Zuko chuckled as her cheeks darkened. A fine sheen of sweat covered her mid-drift and her toes curled in anticipation. “What good would that do?” He circled his thumb on the back of her calf.
“I s-swear to the spirits, if you don’t get-ah!”
The words died on her mouth before she had time to comprehend the pressure that pulsated on her pearl. Katara gripped the sheets until her knuckles went white as her chest heaved in time with her loud panting. Zuko took her hungrily. There was no gentleness, no tenderness behind his actions. He was aggressive, untamed as he darted his tongue over her nub and between her folds. Katara wasn’t sure how to react to his movements and her senses scattered in different directions.
A loud knock at the door brought her out of her stupor and the fog over her eyes cleared up. “Zuko.” she patted his head. “Stop.” she croaked.
He didn’t remove himself from between her legs but instead blinked his eyes at her once before closing them to continue. Another knock woke her up this time and she bucked her hips to signal him to stop. He took that as a sign to go deeper, completely ignoring whoever was at the bedroom door. “Ugh…s-stop…someone….someone…Ah! Dammit…” she panted.
“My Lord,” a muffled voice came from the other end. “I’m sorry to disturb you but if I could please-”
“Zuko!”
“Um, pardon, Lord Zuko?”
“Yes! Right there…I-I…close…I’m close!”
“Uh…”
“I-can’t hold on….Ah! Zuko!”
“I’ll come back another time!”
Katara heard the scurry of feet fade in the background as white, blind heat obscured her vision and the pressure that released in her nether regions sent waves of tremors through her body.
“You know, that wasn’t very nice.” Katara pointed when her afterglow settled.
Zuko stood up straight, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before giving his girlfriend an crooked smile.
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