#that he is now. if we can't make real threats then what's the whole fucking point of this whole thing.
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if trump does win in the fall, it will not be the fault of people who are against genocide. it will be the fault of biden, his government, and the DNC for holding onto wildly unpopular and horrific policies that are costing them vast swathes of their voterbase.
#chirps#the dems have long since had the problem of people not being excited to vote for them. now they have people#repulsed by the idea of voting for them. due to their policy choices.#DISCLAIMER: i am not telling you what to do with your vote#that's your business. also#it's fucking insane if you're being the dnc's patsy by scolding people in MAY for saying they don't want to vote for biden as the candidate#that he is now. if we can't make real threats then what's the whole fucking point of this whole thing.#also yadda yadda vote in state/local elections regardless#but also. imagine fucking yelling at palistinian-americans for not endorsing the man helping kill their families. LMFAO.#lol. lmao. ha ha ha. ha ha.
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The TWST cast from the original Fyuuture Kid timeline is so Cleopatra by Lumineers coded. They just get their (pregnant) joyfriend ripped away from them, cursed, and then sent back to earth, where they can't follow all in one day. That's gotta be a fucking nightmare. They just lose everything at the same time. Bro. Imagine Jamil or Azul, they had to fight for everything and just when they finally, FINALLY, think they have something that will never leave, it's taken away. Imagine malleus or cater or silver; they've already lost so much, silver just lost his dad and now, when he's going to make his own family, they're taken from him too.
TW FOR SUICIDE.
You wrote one time that of Yuu ever died, Floyd would be quick to follow, so. Did Jade and Azul have to put him on suicide watch? My mind is reeling there were NO WINNERS in this timeline Goddamn.
Sorry for the angst dude I just think about this AU a lot
i am so sorry for making you all live with this many thoughts and just waltzing on off to do fuck all
So there weren't any winners in the original timeline no, but the way things went down sort of prevented the type of outcome you are describing with Floyd due to the potential for hope, that most dangerous of falsehoods. In a way that sort of makes it worse though... so lets talk about what went down shall we?
(I'm going to keep this post to more general information, but I did write some specific ship thoughts I'll probably use for another post later on, I just need to think on some of them more...)
notes: they/them used for Yuu, this is part of my fyuuture kid au which can be found under the series section of my masterlist. This post will not contain discussions of suicidal ideation, but will contain major character death and descriptions of violence. If you are curious about what happened to Yuu and Fyuuture kid, look at this post here.
General Original Timeline Facts
To give a brief re-cap of what happens to Yuu, they were arrested by the Magical Marshall's office and sent back to their world, while pregnant, and cursed to forget everything that had happened to them in Twisted Wonderland. Something I didn't mention in that first post, mostly because I intended to imply it in the answer about Riddle's relationship with Yutu but ended up cutting, is that none of the characters actually know that this is what happened at first. They know that Yuu disappeared, but they don't know that the Marshalls were involved or that Yuu went back to their world, which causes a real sense of panic in all of them because holy shit their spouse and unborn child just went missing and they can't seem to get anyone to take this seriously. How the Marshalls went about hiding this information, and what the general public believed happened to Yuu depends on who their husband was, as did the fallout of their disappearance.
For anyone who might be a bit confused, the Magical Marshall's Office is an elite squad of police officers who investigate magical crime, and occasionally deal with overblots. They are the organization that Deuce wants to join one day, which does mean that the people who made the decision to see Yuu as a threat to public safety and send Yuu home were Deuce's own co-workers and friends.
Deuce is the first to suspect that the Marshall's might have had something to do with Yuu's disappearance, but he isn't able to really do much with that. He tries, but he is stonewalled and eventually fired- though by the time that happened monster attacks started getting really bad in the Queendom and Deuce had a whole other set of questions.
Speaking of those monster attacks, the instant Yuu is removed from Twisted Wonderland Grim overblots I have an idea as to why, but it isn't super set in stone. This "Chimera" begins hunting and stirring up monsters, inciting them to attack civilization while it focuses on trying to "wake up" the Phantoms of the Great 7. These phantoms want to re-join with their respective overblot boy, which is an easier task for some of them than others.
The first phantom to re-appear was the Thorn Fairy's. Malleus chose to seal himself and his phantom in an eternal sleep inside the Briar Valley capital after ordering Sebek and Silver to evacuate everyone who lived there, leaving his people truly leaderless and in shambles. He technically also ordered Lilia to go with them, but he refused. He wasn't able to abandon another Draconia to die alone. A lot of nocturnal fae died to the Phantom before Malleus's sacrifice, but because the problem was more or less contained to Briar Valley not all of the other nations saw the monster problem as a threat. They should have.
The second phantom to re-appear was The Queen of Hearts'. Riddle, having been approached by Deuce with his suspicions regarding Yuu's disappearance and outraged by what he saw as a clear violation of the law (if nothing else) was easy prey and re-assimilated into the monster. The phantom then began hunting down each of Riddle's previous dorm mates to corrupt them into card soldiers for its army, eventually fashioning four lieutenants that were a touch more sentient that the others out of Trey, Cater, Deuce, and Ace.
Certain members of the Al-Asim family saw that happen and quietly, without Kalim's knowledge, arrange to have Jamil killed. This doesn't prevent the Sorcerer of the Sands' phantom from reuniting with him, it just means the monster is puppeteering a corpse. And dragging around a second once it gets its hands on Kalim...
Obviously at this point something of a pattern has been established, meaning S.T.Y.X. is expected to do something. Idia does not actually overblot for a second time thank you very much, Phantom Ortho has a mind of his own and he promised to stay in the Underworld until it was Idy's time. His first order of business is to check in on Vil, Azul, and Leona to make sure they're ok. He manages to make contact with Vil, but the Coral Sea proves impossible to get a message through to and Leona is M.I.A. Literally, he and Ruggie have both disappeared while investigating monster attacks around the slums. Idia has a decision to make, and it's not one he really likes, but S.T.Y.X. has a better relationship with the Sunset Savannah than it does the Coral Sea, so it's off to the Elephant Graveyard while Vil agrees to stay behind on the Isle of Woe under observation for his own safety.
It's a decision Idia regrets later. He gets to Leona in time to help him fight and kill the King of Beasts's phantom, but it costs Leona and Ruggie their lives, and while he's there, the Sea Witch's phantom finds Azul and begins using his magic to drain the merfolk dry. Floyd manages to use his unique magic to distract Azul long enough to allow Jade to escape, who only flees because he thought his brother was behind him the whole time. The oceans become polluted with blot, forcing the surviving merfolk to the surface. Many go to NRC and take refuge in the Octavinelle dorm pocket dimension, resulting in the Mostro Lounge being closed to make more room. Somehow that feels more like a killing blow to Azul for Jade than what the phantom did.
Schools like NRC, RSA, and Nobel Bell become sort of centers for survivors due to the large amounts of mages, magical wards, and artifacts that such schools typically have made them safer than most towns. NRC specifically has seen a large influx of magicless people who run a lot of the things the ghosts used to and runs a lot of normal school classes in additional to the magic program, which shifts over time to be more focused on fighting due to the increased monster attacks.
Also Crewel is now Headmage. It would have been Trein but I don't think he needs the stress. I haven't decided if he is still alive or not, but Vargas and Sam are still kicking.
So to give a run down of where everyone stands in the original timeline in order: Malleus and his phantom are trapped in an eternal sleep, Lilia is dead, Silver and Sebek are alive (at least at first) and trying to help the fae refuges displaced by the Thorn Fairy's Phantom. All of Heartslabyul are overblot phantoms, and actively making the Queendom of Roses unlivable. Jamil was assassinated and the Sorcerer of the Sands's phantom went on to kill Kalim and most of his family. To be clear that wasn't because of Jamil's lingering emotions, but good luck explaining that to most people. Vil and Idia are overblot free, Vil because he is being detained on the Isle of Woe and Idia because of his promise with Phantom Ortho. Leona and Ruggie died fighting the King of Beast's phantom. Azul and Floyd are blot phantoms, while Jade is alive and tending bar at what remains of the lounge at NRC.
Now Epel, Rook, and Jack aren't named in that list. No one really knows what happened to them, but they are assumed dead (or at least Jack and Epel are.) Since this is my AU and I get to give out the information, I'll let you know that Rook is a phantom under control of the Fairest Queen's phantom, Jack is dead, and Epel is alive, but cut off from the rest of Twisted Wonderland by the monsters under the Fairest Queen's control. He's right teed off about that, hey Yutu go get him that ladder he's gonna give Rook a piece of his mind-
I do have some ship specific thoughts but I want to cook with them a bit more... but to maaaybe tease some of them?
Yutu and his friends had to fight the Heartslabyul boys multiple times. Yes this hurt their Yutus a lot, and is one of the main reasons Riddle! Yutu hates his dad so much.
Vil can hear the Fairest Queen talking to him and it's not great for his mental stability. Neither is being cooped up in the Isle of Woe, his Yutu did meet him and remembers it being a terrifying experience.
Jade has a good relationship with Floyd! Yutu, Jade and Floyd are their own people but losing Floyd killed a part of him that was slightly healed by getting his nephew back. He likes to tease Azul! Yutu and told him a great deal about his dad. As for his own Yutu... their relationship is a tad strained by how protective Jade is over his son. He is terrified of losing him and what is left of his pearl...
Not all Yutus are in the same dorm as their father. I haven't decided on where all of them are yet, but I did mention once in my replies that Azul! Yutu is in Savanaclaw. I did not mention that he did intend to transfer but couldn't when he accidentally became the Dorm Leader because he got tired of being mouthed off to and knocked someone out. I have an ask about Cater! Yutu I'm working on but I'll add him here as having been put into Octavinelle, and I think I want to put Kalim! Yutu into Pomefiore but I need to cook more...
#<3 asks#twisted wonderland x reader#twst x reader#future kid au#tw character death#ngl i cried when i was writing about jade#so no one yell at me i am already yelling at myself ok
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You know I wasn't going to post about this, but the more I think about it the more it drives me up the walls
So when Luffy and co release Crocodile from jail, it's specifically under the threat that if Crocodile tries anything funny, well, Iva-chan has a trick up their sleeve to put Crocodile back in-line.
So what the fuck was that actually about? What is Crocodile's secret weakness?
I'm specifically looking at the way this is phrased in the manga, because the anime's added dialogue kinda messes with what's implied here. But what Iva specifically says is that Ivankov in particular holds the key to one of Crocodile's weaknesses, but they'll stay quiet about it as long as Crocodile behaves himself
("Vataashi wa koitsu no yowami wo hitotsu nigitteru", a very clunky but literal translation could be "One of his weaknesses is within my grasp". The way Viz translated the line is a bit different so I'm not bothering with getting a cap of the panel, you wouldn't be able to tell how these lines were phrased in Japanese based on Viz's translations anyways)
(The dialogue Toei added was Crocodile furiously shouting at Iva-chan, telling them to not say anything and Iva-chan reminding Croc to watch his tone or else they'll reveal Croc's past to everyone. A lot of people don't remember this was in-fact added by Toei, hence I wanted to clarify/remind what happened in this scene originally)
And now. Obviously.
When Oda went out of his way to introduce a brand new character whose entire personality is being queer and their power is giving people magic HRT. And then like five chapters later re-introduces Crocodile. And tells us that these two have Secret Beef. And never proceeds to fucking tell us what the hell that was about.
Yes, the natural conclusion one would come to would be that Crocodile is stealth trans. That is basic, good storytelling. You (re)introduce two characters, tell us they have beef, one has a very specific ability; you're supposed to connect these dots in your mind. So that now, if Oda revealed to us tomorrow that Crocodile was canonically trans, it would not surprise anyone because it's already been set-up in the story, by this very scene. It's a logical conclusion.
But. I'm becoming more and more convinced that Iva-chan's blackmail might actually not be about Crocodile being trans.
Like the general fandom assumption for the past 15 years has been that Crocodile's stealth trans, but we actually don't know he's stealth.
He could be openly trans, and between that being a borderline requirement for Crocodad to be real (since he would've been a Shichibukai for years before Luffy was even born) and the possibility that his earring could specifically be a gay earring, like. Yeah. Crocodile could be openly trans. If Crocodile's perfectly happy to let the whole world know he's gay, then him being trans shouldn't have to be a secret either. We the readers could just be unaware of it because it wasn't relevant information to us, and his transition would be old ass news in-universe and not worth bringing up.
And thus, if Crocodile isn't stealth, then Iva-chan can't blackmail him by threatening to out him, becaus he can't be outted.
Now for a while I did considder that Iva-chan could've been actually threatening to detransition Crocodile if he tried anything funny. Surely he would hate that, so much so that he might not have wanted to even hear Ivankov suggest it.
But thinking about it. Unless Iva-chan can use Armanent Haki or get Crocodile moisturized, they shouldn't be able to hit Crocodile actually. Like Croc's Logia makes him impossible to hit unless he specifically allowed himself to be touched. So even if Iva-chan tried to surprise attack Crocodile with Estrogen, Croc should just turn to sand automatically, the attack should not land.
Meaning Iva-chan shouldn't be able to detransition Crocodile against his will, at least not without Haki and we don't know if they can use it, so that can't be Crocodile's weakness either.
And so we have to ask the question. What the fuck is that weakness then that Ivankov mentioned?
All we really know is that Crocodile doesn't want this weakness to be brought up, it's a secret. And for all we know Iva-chan might be the only person in the world who knows about it.
And I just. Like.
There is one weakness, kind of a universal one that many people could have, one that has been brought up time-and-time again post-timeskip, one that has become more and more relevant in the story, especially now at the begining of the Final Saga.
A secret weakness.
If pregnancy is what cracked Crocodile's egg and he transitioned immidiately/soon after giving birth, then it's entirely plausible Iva-chan could know Crocodile had a secret child. And surely he'd want nothing more than for his child to be safe, not end up in trouble because of him.
And Ivankov most certainly could put that child in danger, especially now that Crocodile was officially no longer on the World Government's side, there'd be no protection for the baby. All Ivankov had to do was leak the information out, that Sir Crocodile had a child, and anybody who had beef with him could get their revenge by attempting to find the child.
Like I'm just saying. This could line up nicely, actually
#Moon posting#OP Meta#Sir Crocodile#Crocodad#Keyword COULD#I know one might WANT to argue that surely Ivankov wouldn't put someone's child in danger#But Iva-chan can be mean or cruel if they feel like it. Remember they had no intention to help Luffy nor Bon-chan Luffy not begged....#...for them to save Bon-chan while HE was on death's bed. And they did forcibly transition that prince (to be fair he did attack first etc)#Point is; If Crocodad Real then Iva-chan would know that Crocodile's Secret Child would be 17 by now#And even if they did leak the info about the child's existence as long as they don't know the child's name it might not do that much damage#Like it could send people on a wild goose chase to find the child but without any leads how could anybody find the kid#And again. The kid would be 17. Surely that's old enough for them to defend themselves if they did get discovered#And hey what's the alternative here. Ivankov outting a fellow queer. That's not exactly great either.#The blackmail's gonna be kinda fucked up regardless but also Crocodile did attempt to nuke 1 million people so who cares about his feelings
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You can't always get what you want | Chapter 9 of The Princess and The Duke.
Pairing: Dave York x F!Reader
Summary: Your relationship with Pete grows tense, Nancy meddles, and you wonder if you'll ever get what you want. Maybe you'll get something you need.
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, well, you might find
You get what you need
Word Count: 8.4k
Warnings: strained family relationships, abusive parent, threats of physical harm, abuse, mild violence, language, felonies being committed, mild smut, blue balls, angst, shock/dissociation, Police Station/Police Procedures,
Tags:
Author’s notes: Co-written by @angelofsmalldeath-codeine. Things aren’t getting easy quick, sorry/not sorry. The angst and drama will end, we promise. Follow @vi-notifs and turn on notifications for updates when new content drops!
[AO3 link]
<- Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Next Chapter ->
“Pete, I gotta stop,” you wheeze as you double over, stepping off the path and onto the grass of the park. Your lungs burn as you suck in large gasps of frigid air. Texas may be warmer than New York this time of year, but you had a gym membership there. Now you’re being forced to run, outdoors, in the winter.
“Come on, we’ve barely started,” Peter goads you as he jogs back towards you. You look up and groan as you straighten up.
“We’ve been jogging for an hour, Peter, I don’t do cardio, you know that.”
“Well, you should probably start, it’s good for you.”
“I understand the need for cardiovascular fitness, Pete,” you grumble as you glare at him, “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“Fine, let’s call it a day then,” Peter sighs dramatically but you know there’s no malice behind it. You’re pretty sure he’s just thrilled you even said yes in the first place.
“Shower back at mine, then get some lunch?”
“Oh, does this mean I finally get to see this new apartment of yours?”
“It’s been two days, Pete. You make it sound like I’ve shut you out intentionally.”
“Ash has seen your new place,” he says with a pout as you stroll back, arm in arm as you try and leech some body heat from him.
“Ash also helped me move in,” you point out with a nudge to his ribs.
“Sorry I’m not privileged enough to take a whole afternoon off to help you move, who moves on a Monday anyway?”
“Yeah? And who has random Wednesdays off to go jogging?” You throw back at him, and he rolls his eyes.
“You try being an ER nurse, I am at the mercy of the shift chart. I cherish my days off where I can get them,” he shoots you a glare and you concede defeat with a sheepish grin.
“It was all very last minute, I’m sorry,” you say as you stroll down the street, only a few blocks away from your apartment now.
“I wasn’t fishing for an apology,” Pete squeezes your arm, “But thank you.”
“I know, you’re not precious, but I do know I’ve been spending more time with Ash lately and I am sorry if you’ve felt left out.”
“Bitch, are you dying? Where’s this coming from?”
You laugh as Pete teases you. You’ve missed this.
“Note to self don’t be nice to Pete, ever again.”
“Ok, I deserved that,” he says with a scoff as you reach the stairs leading up to your building, “Damn this is nice!”
“Yeah, I got the rent cheap because of that double homicide last year,” you say with a shrug as you head up the steps.
“That was your place?” Peter steps back onto the curb and you groan as you look down at him from the stoop.
“Pete, please,” you rub your hand over your jaw in frustration, “Not you too.”
“You definitely have ghosts,” Pete responds with an indiscernible look on his face, “That’s fucking sweet.”
Pete bounds up the stairs and practically vibrates next to you as you shake your head. You unlock the door and check your post, as he hovers over your shoulder.
“So, have you had any paranormal events yet?”
“No, Pete, ghosts aren’t real,” you almost wish he was as superstitious as Ash, “Besides, what would that even look like?”
“I don’t know.” Pete sighs dramatically as if you’re spoiling his fun, “Cupboard doors opening on their own, cold spots, fuzzy lighting?”
“Pete, those things happen daily, I’m living in an apartment building, in Austin, with a corporate landlord.”
“That’s what they want you to think, it’s all about subverting-,”
You’re making your way to the kitchen when you hear the sharp intake of breath from Peter. You half expect him to be pointing to the corner of the room, imagination running wild at something invisible there. He is pointing to something in the room, mouth agape as you raise an eyebrow at him.
“Tell me you haven’t sat on these chairs?”
“Why wouldn’t I use furniture in my own home, Pete?”
“Because these are antiques!” He looks at you like you’ve just kicked a puppy.
“Pete, Dave said I could take whatever I needed, he didn’t mention anything about antiques.”
You shrug defensively as you meet his murderous gaze.
“Bitch, your sugar daddy stepdad gave you over eight Gs of pristine nineteenth century furniture,” he cocks an eyebrow at you, “And you don’t even know what you have?”
“I’m not an antique nerd, sue me,” you shrug as you fill two glasses of water and place them on the counter before heading to your bedroom ensuite. You try not to let his comment about Dave get under your skin, but it stings.
“Did your fancy law education in New York not teach you anything? Or did y’all just have IKEA furniture to snort your coke off?”
“Jesus, Pete,” you snap, “I didn’t do that shit. And no, funnily enough I was negotiating contracts worth more than a billion dollars a pop. I didn’t have time to have hobbies, or addictions.”
“I’m just being a salty bitch,” he grumbles as his face softens, “I want a sugar daddy that will buy me antiques.”
“He’s not my sugar daddy Pete, can you cut that out?” you say as you gesture towards your bedroom, “I’m jumping in the shower, can we talk properly about it over lunch?”
“Sure,” Pete says, his face pensive as you turn towards your bedroom.
You shower quickly and pull on some loose sweatpants and Dave’s USMC hoodie without thinking. You pad back into the open plan space to see Pete leaning against the counter, swiping through something on his phone.
“Alright, shower’s free,” you say, breaking Pete from his doom scrolling.
“I won’t be long.”
Pete waltzes into your ensuite and you can’t help but smile as he starts to sing.
~*~
“You got eyes on her?” Dave speaks into the concealed earpiece as he sits at his desk at the office. Each screen is set up to monitor two separate sets of surveillance feeds. The right one cycling through downtown Austin, where Nancy has been circling the same block for the past hour. He’d caught a glimpse of you and Pete in the neighborhood, missing Nancy by a few minutes as you’d ventured further into the city.
He tries not to think about it, because he knows exactly what street Nancy is on. If his suspicions prove true, she’s trying to find where you live. It feels like a betrayal, he’s tried so hard to keep his distance. He’s not once asked for your address, purposefully keeping things vague when you have spoken.
Now he fears Nancy is about to throw all that hard work away.
The other screen is locked in on an industrial lot on the far side of town. A black SUV is parked in a side street, the target arrived last night and hasn’t shown signs of movement since. Dave’s focus is divided, and he knows it. Anxiety claws at the back of his mind as he tries to manage both situations unfolding in front of his very eyes.
“Nancy’s just slipped into a building, boss,” Ari’s voice comes back in his ear, “Resnik must have given her the address.”
“He’s not that stupid,” Dave growls but doubt worries at the back of his mind. He’s been chasing Resnik for the most recent set of photos and there’s still no sign of them.
“Maybe not, but she’s gone inside an apartment building. Do you want me to get a closer look? Assess the situation?”
Dave sighs, a gust of frustration billowing from his flared nostrils as he pinches the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.
“Do it,” He snaps as he notices movement on the other surveillance feed, “I need you to handle this Ari, we just went hot.”
Dave ends the call before patching back through to Kovak.
“You seeing this?” Dave asks as he minimizes Nancy’s surveillance feed, pulling up street level CCTV to replace it. He must be focused now, one slip up and this could go south quick.
“Yep, target’s on the move,” Kovak confirms as Dave nods to himself.
“Tail him, I’ve got eyes on street cams, the moment he stops I need you on him like a rash.”
“Got it, boss,” Kovak says, the sound of his engine starting as he begins to follow the SUV.
Dave watches as Kovak’s small hatchback comes into view on the CCTV. Of all the team, Dave trusts Kovak the most. He’s efficient, details oriented, and most of all someone Dave would consider a friend.
“Stay safe out there, happy hunting.” Dave says with finality before settling into his position as overwatch.
~*~
Nancy loiters across the street from your apartment building, her phone out as she flicks through the digital copies of the photos the PI sent over last night. She seethes at the images of the movers taking the furniture up into your apartment building. The loveseat and chairs were supposed to be hers, when she eventually divorced Dave. She was going to take him for everything she could.
But she puts her bitterness aside, looking between your building and the next unit over. She’s eighty percent sure she has the right place. The building number was obscured in all of the photos, but the steps and entryway look right.
She taps her foot, sure enough of the building, but still doesn’t know how she’s going to gain entry now. She flits across the road, narrowly avoiding getting hit by a Door Dash cyclist and leaps up the steps, immediately she finds the building’s intercom.
She smirks at the fresh label for apartment 2B. Your initial and last name spelled out for her. She tries the door but is met with resistance as the magnetic lock holds firm. She curses under her breath until she sees the USPS van pull up down the street.
Nancy pretends to rummage in her bag, huffing and puffing as she waits for the postal worker to ascend the steps. The man pays her no mind as he buzzes the Super’s office. There’s a brief exchange through the intercom before the telltale drone of the lock being deactivated sounds.
“I just found my keys,” Nancy laughs aloud, jangling her own house keys in triumph at the disinterested postal worker. She sneers at his back as he pulls out the mail for the building, paying Nancy no attention as he goes about his business.
“Have a lovely day!”
Nancy shouts at him as he leaves, waiting for him to close the door behind him before slinking over to the mailboxes. She sees yours, apartment 2B, and sees the corner of a manila envelope sticking up in the mail slot. Nancy can’t help herself; she thrusts her hand into the slot and gently eases out the envelope.
“Texas Board of Law Examiners,” she reads aloud as she sees the inked seal printed on the top corner of the envelope, “What are you up to?”
She tears open the letter as she ascends the stairs, she snorts to herself at the bundle of documentation. It’s the approval to have your Universal Bar Examination transferred from New York to Texas. She stuffs the paperwork back into the envelope, filing it away mentally to use against you later.
She reaches your apartment door, trying the handle just in case, but it’s locked. She searches under your doormat and on the top of the doorframe for a spare key but finds nothing.
“Guess we’re doing this the hard way,” Nancy smirks to herself as she gets out a screwdriver and a hammer from her purse.
~*~
You throw down your cutlery in triumph as you finish up your meal, Peter is still pushing his salad around his plate as he mopes over his phone.
“Pete,” you groan as you hail the waiter over to get the check, “Stop being such a clingy bitch, he’s at work, not shagging his assistant.”
“You don’t know that” Peter narrows his eyes at you as he locks his phone, “I just haven’t had a connection like this before, he makes me crazy.”
“You were crazy before Alex,” you raise your eye as you kick him gently under the table, “What’s really got you strung out?”
Peter scowls at you for a moment before sighing and seemingly conceding defeat to your withering gaze.
“I’m going to propose,” he says, his voice barely more than a whisper and your eyes go wide as you try not to scream in delight. You know Peter will kill you if you make a scene in public.
“Fucking hell, Pete. How long have you even been together?”
“Like six months,” he says with a grimace, but you shake your head, your cheeks hurting from how hard you’re smiling.
“Have you picked out a ring?” You ask as you hand the waiter your card, Peter goes to protest but you shake your head, “My treat, I’ve made a lot in tips this month.”
“Thank you,” Pete’s face softens, and his eyes are glassy, “I’ve got a few options, I wanted to see if you would come ring shopping with me?”
“Of course, when?” You’re practically vibrating in your seat as you try and contain the excitement.
“Next weekend? Saturday?”
“Deal, holy shit, Pete,” you say with a sigh, “Who would have thought swinging-dick Peter would be the first of us ladies to settle down?”
“Oh, shut up, you’d be settling down if you weren’t thirsting over your stepdad.”
“Pete, come on,” you slump back in your seat, “It’s not like that, can we just celebrate you right now?”
“You said we’d talk about it properly over lunch. Here we are, so what’s there to even say?”
You suck on your teeth, trying to fight the urge to snap at him.
“Dave’s not some creep preying on his stepdaughter,” you say, knowing he’s not going to back down on it this time so you might as well get it all out in the open, “I care about him, Pete. It’s not about some kink, or the money. I like him for him, and I believe he feels the same way.”
“I’m just saying,” Pete says with his hands raised, “semantics aside, it’s still creepy. He knew where you were on your birthday, came storming up to us like a man possessed. He just gives me a vibe and I’m not into the whole stepcest thing either, hun. Even if it was juicy to watch Mike almost piss himself.”
“After almost getting fucking,” you lower your tone as you lean forward, “gang-raped a few months ago, I’m not exactly pissed that he came looking for me when I was vulnerable. He’s in some government department, Pete, he has to keep tabs on his family.”
Pete raises an eyebrow at you and cocks his head to the side.
“Exactly, his family.”
“Do you know what?” You snap, your chest tight with shame and embarrassment, “You seem to have made your mind up already. I don’t know why I bothered. This is some Nancy level judgement, Pete. I expected better from you.”
“Babe, that’s not-,” Pete starts but you cut him off. You can’t shake the truth from his words, it’s the rot at your core you’ve been ignoring for months. But it doesn’t take the sting out of it, if anything it festers deeper as you’re forced to confront it “I don’t want to hear it Pete, not now. I’ll see you around,” you snap as you storm out of the restaurant, tears running down your cheeks as you step out onto the sidewalk.
You power walk home, ignoring the incessant buzzing of your phone in your pocket. You know it’ll just be Pete, or Ash, and you just want to be alone. Somewhere in the back of your mind you think you’re overreacting, but Pete blindsiding you like that set you off. It’s the kind of shit Nancy pulls all the time, and for one of your supposed best friends to do it to you cuts deep.
You storm through the door to the foyer, not bothering to check the mailbox as you ascend the stairs two at a time. You’re about to fish your keys out of your sweatpants when you see the damage to the doorframe. The dark paint splintered, with jagged slivers of wood jutting out where the catch once was.
You feel like you’ve been doused with cold water as you step back against the wall behind you. You fumble to retrieve your phone, ignoring the multiple missed text messages and calls from Ash and Peter. You pull up Dave’s contact and hit call. It immediately diverts to voicemail, you call again. Voicemail. Your lip trembles as you try to decide what to do. You contemplate calling Ash, but you don’t want to have to deal with her guilt tripping you over Pete, not today.
“I’m calling the police,” you call into the apartment as you knock it open with the toe of your shoe. You wait for a response before dialing 911.
“Oh, honey,” your mother’s voice echoes from inside and you freeze, “It’s just me.”
“What are you doing here?” You ask, voice low as you slowly make your way into the apartment. You keep your phone in one hand, keys held tightly in the other.
“I just thought I’d stop by and see your new place, I see Dave helped you out,” she says with a huff as she nods at the love seat and armchairs.
Nancy is leaning against your kitchen counter, fingertips drumming on the surface. A bright smile plastered across her face. You note the claw hammer protruding from her purse and your stomach churns. One arm is held behind her back, like she’s trying to hide something from you.
“How’d you know I had a new place? How’d you get my address? And Dave just let me take some stuff from his storage locker, he doesn’t even know where I live,” you say with as little accusation in your voice as you can muster. You know this look, the smile that hides the rage so well. Nancy is livid and you stop yourself from asking if she’s had anything to drink.
“Oh, I just asked around, shame Dave gave you these. I was going to make sure I got them in the settlement,” she says cheerily and steps forward, closing the distance between you and you take an instinctive step back.
“And the door?” You tilt your head over to the door.
“Oh, it was like that when I got here, nasty neighborhood you’re living in,” she says without a moment’s hesitation. You might have believed her if not for the evidence sitting pretty in her purse.
“Mom,” you groan, “please leave, I’ve had an awful day and I just want to be alone right now.”
“So, what is this?” She ignores your question, producing the envelope from behind her back and your jaw tightens.
“You went through my mail?” You hiss, rage building inside you as you feel the last tethers of restraint snap.
“Oh, don’t be like that, I did it all the time when you were growing up,” Nancy waves you off, pulling out the paperwork and pretending to read over it.
“Put that down.” You snarl, your fists balling at your sides as you try not to completely lose your shit.
“No.” Nancy looks at you, all pretense of kindness and motherly instinct gone in a flash as she holds your gaze, “You need to admit you’re fucking Dave, on record, because I’m divorcing him and you’re going to help me take him for every penny he has.”
“What?” You ask, dumbfounded as you try and fathom the depth of her derangement.
“You heard me,” she snaps, toying with the corners of each sheet of paper with her manicured fingertips, “Help me take him down, and I won’t shred your application, I know how much this stuff costs. Anders paid for your New York ones after all. What did you do to get Dave to pay for these? Let him fuck your ass? I never did let him do that.”
“Fuck mom, I don’t need to know what you let Dave do to you or not. I paid for these myself,” you say, jaw clenched as you hit dial on your phone.
“I call bullshit, there’s no way you’re not fucking him. You’re wearing that god awful hoodie of his for Christ’s sake, I’m not blind. Are you just using him for his money, or are you doing all this just to slight me?”
“Slight you?” You almost laugh, “I don’t need to do anything to slight you, Nancy. You've made it clear that I do that by just existing. Get out of my apartment, now.”
“What did you just call me?” Nancy snaps and you see her bravado falter.
“Look, I won’t do it, divorce him for all I care, but don’t you dare bring me into it,” you say as you hear the call handler ask what your emergency is.
“My mother has broken into my apartment; she has a hammer and I fear for my safety.”
“Are you in immediate danger?” You hear the dispatcher ask and you suck in a deep breath.
“You wouldn’t dare?” Nancy screeches as her face morphs into a mask of desperation, “I’m sorry, forget I said anything. Here, have the forms.”
“I am, please send help.”
She tries to crowd you, practically throwing the papers into your hands but you shake your head at her. You give your name and address to the call handler before looking Nancy in the eye.
“It’s too late for sorry, Nancy,” you spit, stepping further into the apartment, “I’m not a child anymore, you can’t use me like this.”
“You ungrateful bitch,” Nancy snaps and you barely dodge the slap that comes flying at you. You stumble back, clutching your phone for dear life as you stumble towards your bedroom. You can hear Nancy calling from the kitchen, but you throw open the bathroom door, locking it behind you.
You slump down onto the floor and cry, deep, throaty sobs that wrack your whole body. All you can do now is wait, and hope Nancy doesn’t rip down this door too.
“Miss? Are you still there?” You hear the muffled voice of the dispatcher and bring the phone back to your ear.
“Yes, I’m here, I’ve locked myself in the bathroom,” you respond between ragged breaths as you close your eyes.
“Stay on the line with me, ok? I’ve got officers on the way to you now.”
~*~
“Kovak, sitrep.”
Dave’s eyes burn as he rakes over the surveillance feeds, the SUV entered a parking garage ten minutes ago. Something is off and he knows it.
“Found the car boss,” Kovak’s voice rumbles in Dave’s ear, and he can already hear the disappointment in his teammates tone.
“Abandoned?” Dave asks, already knowing the answer.
“Affirmative,” Kovak says dryly, “Next move?”
“Return to the office; we need to regroup.” Dave sighs as he lets out a heavy sigh. He’s sweaty, tired, and most of all furious that he lost the target. It’s been weeks since the last sighting and this was the best shot they had of getting him.
“See you back at the ranch, boss.” Kovak signs off and Dave takes out his earpiece before throwing it into the top drawer of his desk.
He looks at the time and groans. It feels like hours have passed, but it’s only two in the afternoon. He fishes his phone out of his pants and his heart rate skyrockets as he sees the missed calls from you. He pulls up the security feed from where Nancy was last seen, and he curses at the scene before him.
Three police cars and an ambulance are parked in front of the apartment building, a crowd has gathered around where the police cordoned the area. He feels his blood run cold. Immediately he calls you, but it goes to voicemail. He dials Ari instead.
“Boss?” Ari answers on the third ring.
“What the fuck is going on down there?” He snarls into the handset as he shrugs on his suit jacket, already shutting down his computer.
“Shitshow, boss, you get our guy?” Ari asks, and Dave almost snaps at him but just manages to keep his cool as he locks his office door behind him.
“No, what’s going on, Ari? Details, now.”
“Nancy showed up around lunch time, the girl an hour or so later. Next thing I know the police are here.”
“Was it just my fucking wife? No one else?”
“Just her, but it can’t be good, boss,” Ari says and Dave sighs, he knows Ari can’t get anywhere near the building right now.
“Alright, thanks, Ari. I’ll be there soon.”
“I’d hurry, you might miss your wife being taken out in cuffs.”
Dave smiles to himself at the mental image before hitting the stairs, he’s too anxious to wait in an elevator.
~*~
“Open the door you, fucking bitch,” Nancy wails as you feel her assaulting the door with her whole body.
You’re braced against it, your feet planted firmly on the tiled floor, as you desperately try to keep her out. Your body aches. You’ve been talking with the dispatcher for the whole time, but topics of conversation are wearing thin.
“Officers are arriving on scene any minute now, stay put.”
You don’t have time to thank the dispatcher before Nancy launches into yet another tirade.
“First you fuck my husband, now you call the cops on me. What kind of a daughter are you?”
You don’t answer, she can’t have any proof that you and Dave have slept together, but you don’t know what you could say to appease her right now. Your mind is focused on just surviving, not letting Nancy through the door. There’s nothing else you can concentrate on. “Police!” You hear the shout from beyond the door, followed by a yelp from Nancy.
“Hello, officers, what can I do-?”
“Get on the ground, hands behind your head.” The officer barks and you slump back against the door.
“The officers have arrived, they’re dealing with her now,” you say in a hushed voice to the dispatcher, your body is tense as you wait out the standoff.
“Stay put until an officer gives you the ‘all clear’, ok?”
“I will.”
You hear the static snap and chittering of a taser being deployed before the dull thud of a body hitting the floor. You can’t help but let yourself smile at the image of Nancy being tasered on the other side of the door.
You hear the officers on the other side of the door as they maneuver Nancy’s unconscious form. A soft knock at the door startles you and you haul yourself up onto your feet.
“Is she gone?” You call through the door.
“She’s being taken to the patrol car, she’s out cold. You can come out if you want?” The female officer informs you.
“Ok I’m coming out,” you say, both to the officer and into the handset.
“I’ll leave you with the officers on the scene, take care,” the dispatcher says, and you thank her before pocketing your phone.
You open the door gingerly, eyes flitting around the room to check that Nancy was really gone.
“You got someone you can call? We’ve got an EMT on their way up, so stay put. We’ll need to take your statement down at the station too.” The officer asks and you nod, you’re pulling your phone back out when a call comes in.
Dave
You answer without hesitation.
“Fuck. I’m so glad you called.”
“I’ve been calling you nonstop, kept going to voicemail,” Dave’s voice is close in your ear, and you feel the rush of serotonin flow through you. It’s like he’s already there, anchoring you.
“I was on the phone to the police,” you say with an exasperated huff.
“You ok? What’s happening?” Dave asks and you hear the distorted rumble of his Mustang in the background.
“They’re waiting on an EMT to come check me over, Nancy broke in and started making threats. They’ll want me to make a statement down at the station.” You say as your voice breaks a little, the severity of the situation finally catching up with you. You’re following the officer out of your room when you see the shredded pile of paperwork at the foot of your bed. The Texas Board of Law Examiners logo is visible, confirming that it was the paperwork Nancy claimed it to be.
Way to go mom, adding mail theft to your rap sheet.
You think to yourself as you make your way to one of the armchairs.
“What’s your address? I’m coming to help.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. She’s already trying to bully me into helping her take you down,” you say as vaguely as possible.
“I don’t care,” Dave says with conviction, and you close your eyes. You’re too tired to argue, and the offer is too tempting. You need him, now more than ever. You give him the address as you set yourself down on one of the armchairs in the main room. An EMT appears in the doorway and makes a beeline for you once the officers let him in.
“EMT is here,” you say absently as you feel your last reserves of adrenaline ebb from your body, “I need you.”
“I’m coming, hold on.”
“I’ve got to go, thank you for helping me, Dave.”
“Don’t mention it. I’m a few minutes out, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
The EMT checks for any obvious wounds, asks if you’re hurting anywhere. You say you’re fine, you let him check you over for concussion. He asks where you are, what your address is, standard triage as you comply numbly.
You hear a commotion from the hallway and turn towards the door. The moment you see him your resolve shatters. Your eyes are wet with tears and his face falls in despair. His soft brown eyes are wide, his mouth pursed into a thin line as he looks you over.
“Dave.”
“I’m here,” he says softly as he flashes his badge at the officer at the door.
“Sir, we need to take her to the station. Are you her boyfriend?” The male officer from before says as Dave steps over the threshold.
“I’m family,” he says, and you note the strain in his voice.
“We need to take her down to the station, sir.”
“I’ll take her, 5th precinct, yeah?”
“Yes, sir,” the officer confirms and Dave nods.
“Alright, come on, we’ll get this over and done with, together.”
The drive to the station goes by in a blur, Dave doesn’t press you to talk. You barely register the fact that he’s on the phone, talking to someone about counsel. You don’t notice you have arrived until he guides you by the arm into the precinct. As he hands you over to the detectives on duty, he reminds you not to speak to anyone until you’ve got legal counsel.
You’re sat at a desk in the middle of an open plan room – you vaguely remember it’s called a bullpen – as you wait for the detective to come see you. Your head feels like it’s floating, your body slumped as you try and stay focused, but everything just feels off. Your fingers don’t feel your own as you flex and bend them in front of your face.
“Miss?”
You look up to see a woman, not much older than you, hovering at your elbow. You smile absently at her and wonder why she’s bothering you. There’s a nagging at the back of your mind, you’re in a police station, something happened.
“We need to talk about what happened,” the woman says as she takes a seat next to you. You like her necklace. You fixate on the silver Tree of Life hanging around her neck as she speaks.
“Can you tell me why you called the police?”
“I don’t know, I-?”
“Not another word,” Dave’s voice booms from over your shoulder and you look up to see his face stony, “Her legal counsel is on the way, she isn’t saying anything else until they arrive.”
“She’s not under arrest, Mr-,”
“Special Agent York, CIA,” Dave cuts her off as he pulls his coat to the side, revealing his badge as he looks down at the detective.
“Agent York,” the detective glowers up at him, “respectfully, why is the CIA even involved here?”
“That,” Dave says with a click of his tongue, “is above your pay grade.”
“Dave?” You say softly as you shudder from a sudden chill, “when can I go home?”
“Soon,” he says, his face softening the moment he catches your gaze, “Here, I’ve got to go speak to the Watch Sergeant, if your counsel – Jimmy – arrives before I’m back, you can trust him, ok?”
“You are coming back through, right?” Your voice is meek and wavering. Something deep within you resents how pathetic you sound, but you don’t have any energy to truly care.
“Of course,” he says softly as he takes his jacket off, draping it over your shoulders, “I’m just upstairs. I’ll make sure someone brings you some coffee, ok?”
“Ok,” you nod as you slip your arms into the sleeves, immediately pulling the fabric around you. You smell like Dave, fresh perspiration, his spiced body wash, it grounds you. Dave leaves without another word and you watch him go.
“He’s a protective one, isn’t he?” The female detective asks, and you nod slowly. She’s pretty, with long dark hair and soft brown eyes. Her suit is tailored and her heels low. Focusing on her seems to help you come back to your senses a little.
“He’s a good man,” you respond with a nod as you bury your nose in the collar of the jacket. You don’t want to be here, you just want Dave, you want to go home.
“So, who is he to you?”
“I’m not saying anything without legal counsel present,” you say, eyes narrowing as you try and figure out her angle. The familiarity of the legal process bringing you back to yourself a little more. The sound of the bullpen is suddenly loud in your ears. You can hear telephones ringing off the hook, the smell of coffee and fried food invades your senses.
“Alright,” she puts her hands up, “I was just trying to make conversation, you don’t have to do everything the CIA agent says, you know?”
“I know,” you say firmly as you sit up straight, “I may be the victim here, but I’m not jeopardizing my case by saying anything until my counsel’s here.”
“Clever girl, you watch a lot of Law and Order?” She scoffs and if it were anyone else, you’d have probably laughed along. But the comment stings at your already bruised ego, and you’re done being talked down to.
“Actually, I was an attorney in New York up until last year, about to transfer my UBE to Texas.”
“I see,” the detective frowns before shrugging and sitting behind her desk.
“Coffee for you, miss,” a young police officer addresses you and hands you an oatmeal and raisin cookie and a to-go cup of coffee, “Agent York said you might be hungry too. This is all I could get from the vending machine.”
“That’s wonderful,” you peer at his name badge, “Thank you, Officer Jameson.”
“My pleasure,” the officer says with a grin before leaving.
You sit there, sipping on the poor excuse for coffee in your hands as you toy with the wrapper of the cookie. You know you should eat but you’re just not hungry. Your name is called from behind you, and you turn to see a sharply dressed man approach you. His maroon suit is designer, his steely hair perfectly slicked-back, his wingtips strike the bullpen floor like punctuation.
“Morello, I trust you haven’t been too chatty with my client? Coercing her to talk without counsel present is a low blow, even for you.”
“O’Hare,” Morello says, her expression hardening as she looks between you both, “you know I’d never even dream of it.”
“Sure, sure.” Jimmy rolls his eyes at the detective, “I need a room with my client, no cameras, no two-way windows. Complete privacy.”
“Captain’s out all day, could use her office, you know where it is,” The detective huffs as she turns to her computer, pretending to look busy.
“Always a pleasure, Morello. I’ll let you know when we’re ready to talk,” Jimmy says, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he turns to face you, “Follow me, I know this place a little too well.”
“You friends with Dave?” You ask as you do as instructed, you have to work to keep up with Jimmy’s long strides.
“Something like that,” he laughs at the notion, “We’ve known each other for a very long time.”
“Did you serve together?” You ask as he leads you upstairs, gaining a few wary glances from the officers on duty. You reach the captain’s office, and he pauses, knocking twice and waiting a moment before cracking the door open.
“Not exactly,” Jimmy says as he ducks his head into the room, “Come on, this shouldn’t take us long.”
“You sure we can use this room?” You ask hesitantly as you linger on the threshold.
“Oh no, we most definitely shouldn’t be using it. Felicia will kill me if she knows I used her office like this,” Jimmy laughs as he flops down on a sofa to the left of the door, “Morello could have sealed off a break room for us, but she likes to fuck with me.”
“Who are you really?” You ask as you settle on an armchair opposite him. You put down your coffee and untouched cookie on the low coffee table before clasping your hands in front of you, propping your elbows on your knees.
“I’m Jimmy O’Hare, lead partner at O’Hare, Schmidt, and Bowles,” his answer rolls off his tongue, a rehearsed response.
“And I’m to believe you,” you gesture at him up and down, “a prestigious law firm’s partner is just going to waltz in and take my measly B&E, and assault case on? There must be hundreds of these cases daily in the city of Austin alone.”
“True, but most people aren’t Dave York’s stepdaughter.”
Your stomach lurches at the reminder of your relationship and you bite your tongue to stop yourself from lashing out. You’re still too raw from your argument with Peter.
“Surprised you’re not in there with my mom if that’s the tenuous link between us,” you scoff and you notice the way Jimmy’s lips twitch at the mention of Nancy.
“I think you know why Dave sent me to help you,” he says knowingly as he points to your chest. You look down, mortified as you remember you still have Dave’s hoodie on. You try not to react but your eyes narrow at the thinly veiled accusation. You cringe internally as you realize you’re also wrapped in his suit jacket.
“Enough,” you say, your voice sounding stronger than you expected it to, “We need to get this airtight and I want to go home.”
“Suits me just fine, let’s go through the timeline of events, walk me through it.”
You sigh and rub your sweaty palms on your sweatpants before relaying the events to Jimmy as best you can. It takes less than twenty minutes before he’s finishing up his notes.
“And the documentation you mentioned, you said it was your confirmation to transfer your UBE?”
“Correct,” you confirm, eager to be done with this.
“So, it’s a Class A misdemeanor, there are fines and prison time is almost certain, especially with the other felonies and misdemeanors she collected today,” Jimmy says and you’re nodding along almost mechanically as you try and work through this last part.
“Ok, I want to file for a Protective Order, we should be able to get one on the grounds of stalking, and violence, right?”
“I was just about to suggest a PO,” Jimmy nods, taking down a few more notes on his legal pad, “She’ll probably make bail, so it’s in your best interest to get one. Between the 911 call recording and the screwdriver and claw hammer, we’ve got a solid case for one.”
“Ok, are we done here?”
“I just need you to read over and sign this statement, then we can drop it off with the detectives before getting your photos taken. I should have you out of here in less than an hour.”
“Great,” you say as you take the statement from him, you scan it quickly before signing and handing it back over.
“Sure you gave that enough due care and attention before signing?” Jimmy asks with a skeptical twitch of his brow.
“Jimmy,” you sigh, “Can I call you Jimmy?” He nods and you continue, “I’m not stupid, you’re clearly very good at this, and Dave has hired you to help me. I also used to skim read case bundles on the subway on my way to court. I know what to look for and how to make a case. If I took longer to review it, I’d be a pretty average attorney. I’m better than that, and you know it.”
“Dave warned me about your smart mouth,” Jimmy chuckles, and he nods approvingly, “Alright, let's get this show on the road.”
“Smart mouth? I think you meant to say competent?” you sass back at Jimmy and his face lights up, but he says nothing more.
The next hour and a half go by in a blur. You answer follow up questions from Morello, Jimmy interjecting when needed, and get your photos taken. There’s still no sign of Dave as you finish up with the evidence team. Your phone is dead and you’re about to ask Jimmy to call you a cab when you see Dave come through the double doors that lead to the bullpen.
“There you are,” Dave says, his smile radiant as he sees you, “Jimmy, thanks for this. I really appreciate you dropping everything and helping out.”
“It’s no problem, you pay well, and I owe you at least another hundred favors. It was the least I could do.”
Dave nods and pulls the older man into a tight embrace. They separate with a curt nod and Jimmy makes for the exit.
“Oh, and kid?” He calls over his shoulder, looking at you as he goes, “When you’re licensed to practice in Texas, give me a call. Dave’s got my number.”
“You bet!” You call after him before turning to look at Dave. The sight takes your breath away. His hair is messy, disarrayed from where he’s been running his fingers through it all afternoon. His sleeves are rolled up, his top few buttons undone, you can see the glisten of sweat on his brow. All you want to do is reach out and kiss him, pull him against you and fuse your lips to his.
“Let’s get you home, yeah?” He says softly and you let out a sigh of relief. You walk out together into the frigid air, and it takes every ounce of self-restraint to stop yourself from taking his hand in yours. Instead, you opt to bury your nose in the fabric of his suit jacket.
The ride home is quiet, but you don’t mind, Dave parks in your designated bay around back and you are reminded that you need to get your own car soon. He ushers you through the door while he calls your super about the broken doorframe, telling you not to worry and to go and shower.
You shower and change into a pair of loose cotton shorts and Dave’s hoodie. Your bare feet pad noiselessly as you make your way back into the main room of the apartment.
“Thank you, yes, we’ll both be here,” Dave says down the phone before hanging up. He sighs as he pinches the bridge of his nose, not yet noticing you.
“Was that about the door?” You ask, and immediately Dave’s eyes snap open. His gaze lingers and you see the way he swallows, the bob of his Adam’s apple.
“Yeah, they’re sending the maintenance guy out first thing tomorrow, told us to just wedge it shut for now.”
“That’s safe,” you say with a roll of your eyes as you settle down on the loveseat. You rest against the arm of the chair, bringing your feet up onto the cushion as you rest your chin on your knees.
“I can sleep on the couch, if that’ll make you feel better?” Dave says almost a little too quickly before clearing his throat, “Sorry that was a little forward, if you don’t want me to stay here with you, I can get you a hotel room? That way you are safe, and I can be here tomorrow for deal with the maintenance guy.”
“I want you to stay,” you say as you try not to laugh at Dave’s bashfulness.
“Only if you’re sure?” He says as he crosses the open plan room, you can see the hesitation in his face as he lingers at the other end of the loveseat, unsure if he can sit or not.
“I’m sure, sit with me, please?”
Dave lowers himself down onto the couch and you fight the urge to nudge his thigh with your feet.
“Dave?” your voice is barely more than a whisper as you look at him through your lashes.
“Yeah?” He answers as he leans back, eyes closed as he rolls his shoulders.
“Nancy said something today,” you say softly, “I don’t know if it’s my place to tell you, but she all but said she was going to file for divorce.”
Dave says nothing but he lets out a heavy exhale, his entire body shuddering as he seems to sink further into the sofa.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up,” you say as you shrink back against the armrest, you wait for the scolding remark. You brace yourself for the reprimand for bringing such a difficult topic up. Your walls come up like armor as you wait for the inevitable sting of rejection.
“Hey,” Dave’s voice is low, and you blink away unshed tears as you realize you’ve curled up, away from him on the sofa, “What’s wrong, what did I do?” He asks and you look up into his dark eyes.
“Nothing,” you mutter, the guilt and shame bubbling inside you like a festering wound, “I’m just dealing with a lot right now.”
“Talk to me,” Dave says as he turns towards you, one arm stretched out over the back of the sofa. It’s a silent invitation, welcoming you. It feels like home, “Let me help.”
You close the distance between your bodies, pressing into his side, just like the night in the basement after Tristan. You keep your hands balled, tight against your chest, not trusting yourself to hold him. He wraps his arm around you, pulling you in tight as he rests his head against your own.
“This helps,” you murmur into his chest as you take a deep inhale, “Thank you.”
Slowly your hand creeps over his chest, sliding up to his shoulder as you anchor yourself to him. It’s innocuous enough, you just want to feel him, but you know it’s not enough, you want more. You pull back and look up at Dave, his dark eyes searching yours.
His lips are parted as his eyes flit from your mouth and back up to your eyes. There’s an unmistakable energy between you now, something you’ve both repressed for a long time. You tilt your head up, your lips almost touching his as you beg him silently to close the distance.
It’s a soft, furtive, sensation as his lips meet your own. Testing, teasing, as he waits for you to respond. You hold back a whimper as you chase the contact. Your lips collide in a burst of hot, eager kisses. Each hungrier than the last as you move your hand from his chest to his jaw, pulling him to you as his tongue darts along the seam of your lips.
You let him in, his thick tongue claiming your mouth with a fervor that stirs molten desire in your core. Your fingers thread through his hair, holding him to you as you slide onto his lap. Your body moves on its own as you hear him groan beneath you, Dave’s hands move to your waist. You grind down onto his hardening cock and shudder as he bucks up into you. His teeth catch your bottom lip as you scrape your nails through his hair, dragging against his scalp.
Your hands wander down his torso now, pulling on his shirt as he groans into your mouth. Your hands fall to his belt buckle, and you feel him freeze beneath you. His hands gently grab your wrists, pulling them away before breaking the kiss.
“Stop,” he breathes as he presses his forehead against yours. He moves his hands from your wrists to your shoulders, gently putting distance between you, “We can’t do this, you’ve been through so much today, it wouldn’t be right.”
Your eyes snap open and the pain on Dave’s face breaks you, it tears you out of your trance and you virtually jump up. Stepping away from him, bile rising in your throat as you realize what you were about to do, the impossible, awful situation you just put him in.
“I’m sorry,” you say as you stand up from the couch, “I’m sorry, I’m going to bed.”
Dave calls your name, but you don’t turn back as you practically run from him. Shame and self-hatred coursing through your veins as you close the bedroom door behind you. You don’t have to lock the door, you know Dave won’t enter your space, he’s too good for that.
Too good for you.
A small voice in the back of your mind taunts.
It’s hard to ignore it, that nagging anxiety that you’re the bad actor in all this. You could have, should have, let this fantasy go months ago. That all of this is your fault. You crawl into bed, wrapping your sheets around you as you sob noiselessly into your pillow.
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#The Princess and The Duke#TPATD#Dave York Fanfiction#Equalizer 2#The Equalizer#reader insert#x reader#Dave York fic#Dave York fanfic#pedro pascal characters#pedro pascal character#pedro pascal character fic#Dave York x Reader#Dave York x OC#Dave York x OFC#Dave York Apologist#Dave York did nothing wrong#Dave York Pit#pedro pascal#fanfic#ao3 fanfic#dave york#theywhowriteandknowthings#vi writes
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whenever i think of Ironwood's 'grand plan' after he gets spooked by a piece from a board game i always have to laugh because it was never gonna work, it was unsustainable from jump and only got progressively more unfeasible as volume 8 progressed
"we're going to use the staff to lift Atlas into the atmosphere where Grimm can't reach and leave everyone in Mantle to rot because if the poors didn't want to die they should've been born with money like the rest of us"
yeah cool bro, so given what we (finally) see of Atlas in volume 8 they've got some atmospheric control to accommodate for the temperature and presumably thinner air at the height Atlas is already floating at
and what powers that again? right, Dust. cos Dust powers everything
and you would have to assume that to maintain the current level of atmospheric control in a much higher altitude, that machinery would have to be cranked well the fuck up, which means more Dust is needed. and they can't mine for more because... they're up in the atmosphere, and their supply chain and underpaid exploited labourers got left to die on the ground
so power's gonna run out real fast and everyone's gonna suffocate and die slowly (guess Jimmy really wants to beat out Mountain Glenn on 'World's Largest Tomb')
but let's say by some miracle they do last longer than a week up there - food's gonna run out and they're not gonna be able to keep up supply and demand because they can't import any, supply chain is gone and they abandoned the rest of the planet to die to Salem. hell, water is gonna run out
and then the most ridiculous argument for the plan "Grimm can't fly that high". cos like. no. Grimm don't fly that high, because they don't need to. none of y'all were up there. just like none of y'all lived in the snowy tundras of the north so there weren't Grimm up there. until there were - funny how that works. and Salem's specifically been shown to be able to alter the Grimm without much issue - this wouldn't be a "one day the Grimm will adapt and fly that high" it's "give Salem maybe an hour and she'll make something that can get that high"
so yeah, the whole plan is stupid and it's basically just handing Salem the Staff because all she would have to do is wait out everyone dying from lack of air and then just going up there and taking the damn thing (and then dropping Atlas and causing mass devastation on a global scale)
and then volume 8 makes it worse - the shields go down and Monstra gets parked on Atlas. the plan was dead right there, she's already on the goddamn rock my dude - if you lift the rock now then she's still going to be on it and you will die even faster than you were already going to; like even after Oscar blew up Monstra and Salem was reforming, The Coward in Chief wasn't making any effort to scrape her off the side of Atlas before leaving, he just went back to making threats (which included the baffling logic of "Penny, unless you give yourself up now, i am going to blow up Mantle, and then you won't have any reason to not do what i say anymore anyway" as if Penny wouldn't have justifiable reason to decapitate him for doing that)
'the great general Ironwood' who grew up and came into power in peace time - strategically unsound, incapable of taking criticism and dumber than a bag of hammers
what a hero
#RWBY#if there's a lesson to be learned from this#it's that Jimmy's a dumbass#couldn't be trusted with a bag of cupcakes let alone a kingdom
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A friendly reminder I am not to be held accountable for the things I'm about to say. Percy Jackson Season 1 FINALLY (SPOILERS BUT THAT'S THE LEAST OF YOUR PROBLEMS)
The visceral noise I made eating popcorn as Luke said "look you didn't ask to be a half-blood" caused an earthquake in Alaska, I'm sorry I was facing northwest.
"Riposte" I'm sorry, no I'm sorry no-
Also, the background of the sword fighting scene was very pretty.
Poseidon showing up for his son!!! Letts gooooooo! THE WEIGHT OF THE OCEAN UPON YEE!!!
Right in the heel, it's gotta hurt!
Percy asked his uncle to please return his mom, wholesome family gold.
"He'll kill you." "I done to stop running from monsters." "You're gonna need all the luck you can get." The show gets why these two work. Friends before anything else.
Glory as a theme is something that I like that the show highlights more. But Grover is right. at least send an insurance email or something. A quick "on my way, please don't kill anyone"
Dropping the master bolt on some poor dudes desk, legendary.
Olympus is so fucking beutiful omg
I'm gonna cry if Luke and Percy are in the same scene as each other in this episode again. ILL DO IT! THAT'S A THREAT!
The dead silence, I'm shitting omg... yes I know what happens and?
Followed by "I didn't steal it! Neither did any of my friends" IM GONNA CRY! IM GONNA DO IT
The pin strip suit, the sky blue paisley tie, the presence, the voice, THE KING OF THE GODS PEOPLE
Lotta talk for someone so small and scary
POISIDEN GETTING BETWEEN HIS SON AND HIS BROTHER I'M GONNA THROW UP
POSIDEN AND ZEUS SPEAKING GREEK I'M GONNA PISS
THE SEA DOES NOT LIKE TO BE RESTRAINED (🎶BRING ON THE MONSTERS BRING ON THE REAL WORLD!!!🎶)
SALLY JACKSON TEACHING PERCY GREEK I'M GONNA-
"Of course we dream. why do you ask?" "Do you ever dream about mom?" ;-;
Thalia looking strudy as ever.
"Ready?" NO FUCK YOU NO
Another reminder I am not to held liable for anything I might say, you need only see how many times I've listened to "Last day of Summer" from The musical to understand how much I've thought of this moment in fictional time.
Confirmation that Luke was indeed what mattered most in the end? I'm gonna make myself cry shit-
Honestly, this Percy might be too smart for his own good. Bro's never gonna live this heartbreak down.
"You...I'm here to recruit." I- fucking- AHHHH
"OUR WAY OUT" RICK YOU BASTARD I HOPE YOU ROT IN ASPHODEL
"Stop saying "we"!" "It’s the word Zeus fears the most."
AND SHE HEARD EVERYTHING! Wasn't she supposed to be watching Clarrise? He'll, if Percy could figure it out, I'm sure Annabeth would. It's worth it to see that LOOK on Luke's face. I'm sorry. Feel the weight of your actions, man.
Miss my old friend the pit scorpion but I also like my new friend "the first scars we gave eachother"
He knows Luke won't hurt him physically, but the psychic damage hurts more and has lasting status de buffs.
"Just be a kid" that's it
"I'll find you" that's it
Promising to meet again next summer...Percy just you wait.
THE FAKE OUT OF A LIFETIME
"Grandpa" "don't call him that"
They are the ultimate mother son duo
BLUE PANCAKES!
Kinda hate that Sally didn't intentionally do a murder, or at least she has a lot more possible deniability now, but I hope she still makes a sweet sale on that sculpture!
And that's it! Fuck it's over what to do now... RE READING THE LIGHTING THEIF LIFE BLOG COMING SOON! As well I'll probably drop a summary of my thoughts on the whole season at some point soon! Happy Finally, y'all! Can't wait to see the discorse!
#percy jackson#pjo#percy jackson and the olympians#pjo fandom#pjo tv adaptation#pjo disney+#luke castellan#percy jackon and the olympians#annabeth chase#grover underwood#thalia grace#pjo spoilers
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Kinktober Day 14 - Orgasm Denial
Ghost x Soap - 0.7k (on ao3)
summary: Simon enjoys punishing Johnny. (Ghost POV)
cw: dom!ghost, sub!soap, light degradation, cbt
Johnny’s wail is agonized when Simon pulls the fleshlight off his cock, his back curling to try and protect himself from what he knows comes next.
“Settle, Johnny,” Ghost scolds, placing a heavy hand on his throat and shoving back so Johnny is forced flat onto the bed again and held down. “Don’t try and hide your little cock from me, I’m not done playing with it.”
The series of slaps laid across his shaft make Johnny want to die. All he can feel is the consuming need to come, to get off, to orgasm, to finish, to find some sort of relief. But all his poor cock gets is Simon’s abuse, harsh slaps with ringed fingers and the occasional sharp pinch to the head of his cock. The pain makes him writhe, makes him teary-eyed and desperate.
“Please, please, ple- Ghost, Simon, please-”
“Shut up,” Ghost rumbles, the hand around his throat squeezing tight and silencing Johnny’s pleading. “I don’t care what you have to say. I’m not using your mouth right now, I’m using your cock. Don’t make me gag you.”
Johnny whines at the threat even though he knows it’s not real - Ghost has been threatening him with a gag since they started this whole process, but Johnny knows he enjoys the sounds of pain too much to muffle them. Still, he cuts himself off at a nasty look from Ghost, ducks his head low and glances up through his lashes to look as pathetic as possible.
He can’t keep his knees spread like Simon wants, keeps trying to instinctually squeeze them tight to keep the onslaught of blows away from his cock. It fucking hurts, leaves his cock red and swollen from more than just his arousal.
“Hmm,” Ghost hums, giving the underside of Johnny’s cock a final slap that drags the tops of his rings over the sensitive underside and ignoring the ensuing yelp. “Let’s get you a little softer, Johnny. Wanna work you up again.”
That gets another groan from Soap, hands rattling in the cuffs behind his back. He knows what's coming next, tenses nearly every muscle in his body and squeezes his eyes shut, unprepared for the sudden-
The ice-pack is dropped right on his dick unceremoniously, leaves Johnny crying out and wiggling around on the bed. He sobs a little, tries to beg through his tears but can’t do much more than whine. The cold is sharp, the pressure against him all the heavier because of it.
He gets desperate, tries to buck the icepack off of him and ends up squirming like a fish on a line when he can't get the right leverage.
“Watch it,” Simon growls, wrapping a rough hand around Johnny’s balls and tugging down. That gets another sharp noise of pain, gets his hips to stop bucking in hopes his poor balls will be let go. They aren’t, and the cold of the icepack rests even lower on his shaft.
Ghost keeps him there until he’s gone soft, no praises or comforting touches allowed. It makes the whole experience more, makes Johnny feel like he really is just a cock and balls for Ghost to play with.
“There we go,” Simon says, finally pulling the ice pack away and ignoring Johnny’s grateful moan. “Nice and soft. Your cock’s much cuter like this, Johnny. Maybe I should lock it up, hm? Keep you soft for me all the time?”
That gets another whine, this one nothing but pleading. Last time Ghost had locked his cock up, he hadn’t come for weeks. Wasn’t allowed out of the damn cage except for showers, when Ghost would wash him and it out. He couldn’t even take it off to piss, the damn thing has a slit at the top just for that. Watching Ghost walk around with the little key around his neck, out for everyone to see…
So Johnny doesn’t like the cock cage. He tries to beg his Lieutenant not to cage him up with his eyes, but Ghost doesn’t even bother to spare his face a glance.
“Let’s get you goin’ again, boy,” Simon smirks down at Johnny’s dick, playfully nudging the limp thing where he's dropped it to rest between Johnny's thighs. “Wanna hear you scream some more.”
#kinktober 2023#ghoap#ghostsoap#ghost x soap#soap x ghost#hehe#bo writes#john soap mactavish x simon ghost riley#john mactavish x simon riley#soap mactavish x ghost riley#kinktober day 14#ghostsoap smut#ghoap smut#cod fanfic#call of duty fanfic
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Snippet - Beyond Threats - Forward but Never Forget/XOXO
And then a warlord proposed an, er, 'alliance'...
Forward but Never Forget/XOXO
Snippet:
Her smoky laugh hides a hundred knives. "I knew you’d catch on."
The sun crests and the sky catches fire. Zaun comes to life in slow-motion: a city of shadow and ember. The heady sting saturates in Silco's lungs. He can feel the moment building in Ambessa's body: all the secret parts gathering momentum, every seasoned sinew committing itself to a single goal. By contrast, Silco's own body lounges against the rail, at ease in a world that is anything but.
In his mind, he scents the waters. In his bones, he feels the currents. In his heart, he waits.
"Your backing,” he murmurs, “has been invaluable."
"My backing,” Ambessa says, “won your city, boy."
The 'boy' is not quite a bullseye. But it's a near miss. Silco keeps his smile. "This city was won by my daughter. By her hand."
"And now there's no putting the genie back in the bottle." Ambessa’s mirth is a hairsbreadth from malice. "Mark me, Eye of Zaun. Your city’s ascendance will not be a slow thing. It will be sudden and brutal. Your daughter will take the same trajectory. She will ride the tide. Or drown everything you've built."
"Unless you put her on the right path."
"I'd put her on the only path that matters: War."
Silco feels the key against his heart, under the folds of his coat. "Jinx's path is her own."
"Only if the city is yours to watch over."
“Isn’t it?”
“With shifting winds,” Ambessa closes the gap between them, "come storms."
No near miss, but a warning shot.
Silco's lip quirks; his voice dips. "I thought we were beyond threats."
"We are," Ambessa purrs. "I'm offering a trade: my resources in exchange for yours. Jinx is yours. But shadows ill-suit the light of genius."
"Zaun thrives in shadow."
"And Zaun will thrive in the light." The heat is gone from her voice. Now it's all honey. The same pitch as Mel's: persuasion made liquid. "You and I, Silco, can do more than pull together our ends to make a whole. We can make the sun rise on your city. We can make it set on empires. And your daughter is our key."
"’Our’?"
"Our nations are entwined by trade. A common enemy twines us closer." She leans in, their faces inches apart. Red sunlight dances between them; their breaths weave a binding knot. "Jinx would twine us closest."
"Do you speak of alliance? Or union?"
Silco’s idle query hides a challenge. Ambessa meets it dead-on.
"Union," she says, "and all the spoils that come with it."
"You think too highly of me."
"On the contrary. I see you for what you are."
"A Sumpraker in a suit?"
The choice of words—Sumpraker in a suit—stops her short. A tiny current of déjà vu. She can't place it. She doesn't like it. Her burning-gold eyes go molten; her tone grows husky, dark.
"I'd wed a devil," she says, "if he is the man to light the fire."
"Fire is easily doused," Silco retorts. "A husband easier replaced."
"No schweinehund could replace my schatz. I mourn him. He and I were a fine match." She lays a hand on his shoulder; lingers on a hard tendon. "A fine fuck, too. I won't deny him his due. But it's been a long time. Too long, for my liking. Dalliances have their charm, but there's no substitute for the real thing." Her voice drops the full octave from insinuation to invitation. "Tell me, Eye of Zaun: have you ever bedded a warlord?"
Silco does not answer. He looks down: the railing, his hand. There are no rings. Only calluses and scars.
No substitute for the real thing.
"We've been allies for a time," Ambessa goes on. "Enemies for longer. But our desires run parallel, and the horizon is clear. I need a consort. Someone with cunning, cruelty and the conviction to stand at my side." She squeezes the tendon, just shy of a bruise. "Someone who'll give as good as they get. And you, Silco, are a rare breed. In sixteen years, you've never backed down. Always struck the next blow. A man like that has the makings of greatness."
"Flattery, General Medarda?"
"Fact.” Her breath is the hot kiss of a matchhead. "You hold value in my endgame."
Silco gives a muted chuckle. "Ah, to the crux."
"This is no courtship. It is a proposal of shared conquest."
"Conquest is the prerogative of starvelings."
"You claim no appetite?"
#arcane#arcane league of legends#arcane silco#silco#forward but never forget/xoxo#forward (never forget)/xoxo#arcane jinx#jinx#arcane ambessa#ambessa medarda
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Hi! Thanks for your last response. I have another question but more so for the writer in you. In an AU where after both marriages to Daemon and Laenor Rhaenyra has had no children at all but not of her own free will (so no kids with Harwin), how would that affect the characterisation of Viserys, Rhaenyra, Alicent, Aegon?
I have my ideas of course but I'm curious what you think 😀
Okay I had to think about this one a bit but I actually think that in this scenario the Dance probably wouldn't have happened.
If Rhaenyra has no children at all, Aegon is her heir by default. In this situation, it's not really worth risking a war to put Aegon on the throne earlier, especially because Rhaenyra now has an actual vested interest in keeping her brothers alive. The thing is, although sometimes we hear that Rhaenyra had to have children to secure the succession, the succession was secure through her brothers and their children, strictly speaking. Having your very own bloodline on the throne is not strictly necessary (just look at Elizabeth I), it's a want, not something needed for the good of the realm. So in this situation its in Otto and Alicent's best interests just to wait her out. Worst case scenario, Rhaenyra outlives Aegon (and if he's still hard drinking in this world, this isn't unlikely) and Aegon's child succeeds him which means....
If all else remains the same, the thing to do would be to pursue Baela as a bride for Aegon (how convenient for me!). In this scenario Daemon isn't getting any closer to the throne than that unless he attempts to usurp Rhaenyra with the Velaryons, and for all that he sucks I just can't see him doing that. A Baela/Aegon match would be a smart move in any scenario, but in this one it's ideal because the only real threats to the succession now come from the Velaryon line and Daemon's chaotic self, and if you neutralize the Velaryons you neutralize Daemon too because any resistance Daemon could possibly mount would always depend upon Velaryon backing. Otherwise he's just one guy with a dragon. That said, if Rhaenyra dies at a normal-ish age, Daemon is likely going to be long gone by then, so he's really kind of a non-issue in a world where he only has the two daughters by Laena.
Alicent is probably a lot more chill because her sons are not really in any danger. Instead of being obstacles for Rhaenyra, Rhaenyra instead needs them in order to prove that the succession is handled. Rhaenyra might actually have some motivation to bond with Aegon at the very least, seeing as he is her heir. And honestly, it's pretty likely that Aegon is a bit more well adjusted in a world where he doesn't have a sword of damocles hanging over his head the whole time, and in which his mother can just be a regular old slightly neurotic repressed lesbian (and hell, in this scenario maybe she and Rhaenyra could actually have a discreet affair. hmm...). Viserys probably still ignores his non-Rhaenyra children but maybe that fucks them up a bit less because it doesn't feel like he's actually trying to get them killed, it just makes him more of a regular asshole father (if the regular asshole was a king).
In a lot of ways, this would kind of be a win-win scenario, so it's interesting that so many people jump on the "Rhaenyra had to have kids to secure the line of succession, what was she supposed to do, force Laenor??" thing. Clearly Rhaenyra didn't have to have kids, she wanted to, which is absolutely her choice and her right, but it also makes her a lot like her father.
#asks#alicenttully#are you going to write something like this?#hotd au#alicent hightower#aegon ii targaryen#viserys targaryen
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FSR Rambles 15 times Shadow took the kids
Dark's utterly confused face here sends me every time.
Because DARK knows that Shadow doesn't actually give a rats ass if he's okay. HOWEVER.
This is where Dark's weird understanding of lying comes in.
Because I have faith in you you can see right through Dark's clear lies.
His phrasing is ridiculous paired with his expression being deader than a fish.
Dark is lying through his teeth here and guess who taught him how to do that... :)
Vio and Shadow-
Vaati fell for it. Lmao. Not like he hasn't been betrayed before.
Shadow tries intimidation buuuuut-
Well shit that only goes so far when you haven't proved yourself to act on said intimidation.
Shadow is still afraid of Vaati, and we know from Zelda's fight with him Vaati isn't easy to kill soooooo.
Reasonably so I'd say.
Dark is saying what we've all been thinking "Lmao let's just pull out Vio and the McGuffin sword"
Lol wait- Oh yeah Vio can't because of Dark.
Haha. Woopsie.
Dark going to just deal with it himself and being reeled back by Shadow is sweet to an extent.
Dark's confused about what this physical interaction means, whether or not this counts as a hug. Because let's be real Vaati isn't something he considers as a threat rn what else is his mind gonna focus on?
Shadow's angry Dark's so reckless but Dark's unfazed by the entire situation.
It's sad to consider Dark probably assumes temper tantrums are a normal behavior considering how frequent everyone he's watched so far has em...Just a thought.
Ngl Shadow's use of the word "Fool" in the OG manga always got a laugh out of me. His dialogue is so evil villain I try to capture that in FSR Shadow.
Shadow wanted to try to formulate a plan with Dark to get Vaati to go away but Dark questions why they'd even do that. Flabbergasting the fuck out of Shadow.
Dark HAS no sense of people working with HIM. Obviously Dark would know what team work is since...He's literally watching the team work pride parade but no one has offered HIM team work.
Vaati just bosses him around after all.
Dark's thought process on how his existence works is on full display.
He's alone. He WORKS alone and no body but him is going to get things done. Thanks Vaati.
...There's also the angle to consider he's actually learned this behavior in some capacity from Link...Link HAS been doing this shit by himself for a long time now....
So Shadow offering help is smth that gives him pause.
In the last pane the motif of Dark Link being his own cheer leader/being generally self aggrandizing pops up again.
His wording just being odd aside, he doesn't communicate what he actually WANTS to do, just that he needs Shadow's help getting close...
and from the quotes around help and the knowledge Dark can move fast as fuck on the reader's side, it's implied Dark is just placating Shadow's idea of helping rather than Shadow being actually useful in this interaction. At least from Dark's perspective.
Shield is up boys RUN FOR YOUR LIVES.
Shadow points out reasonably Dark is not being a very good team mate. XDDD
Be nice to him Shadow he's new to this whole "Team" thing.
Panel 2 here is funny because Dark makes the most NON Dark Link expression it stands out particularly just because it's funny but also like, take note of what he called Vaati here.
He just called him "Vaati".
Not "Master Vaati" or "Lord Vaati"
Just Vaati... HMM.
He also flung himself at Vaati full force so there's that.
OH FUCK IT'S YAOI- Oh a serious note...
Prepare to get bamboozled.
Yeah there's a reason Vaati is fucking confused. Dark was taking another conversation out of context to try and comfort Vaati.
So if there was any doubt about if that was what Dark was doing or not: Let me put those questions to rest that is what he was trying to do. XD
The kiss particularly is funny considering...Well yeah Shadow did kiss Vio a lot.
Shadow being, reasonably flabbergasted at this interaction just gets a laugh out of me.
Vaati's got nothing to say that shit hah. Dark isn't making MUCH sense in this interaction.
Dark does show he's still loyal in some way to Vaati though.
Turns out: Vaati's just not in the mood to deal with Dark's nonsensical behavior and points out an...interesting caviat to the whole "let's recruit Dark link" plan.
They have to kill him.
In no uncertain terms, to destroy the curse would be to destroy Dark Link. So having him on your side really doesn't mean anything. As he'll do what he was created for by nature.
In a way it brings you to question how much free will Dark truly has in this equation. Also, it makes you kinda realize in a messed up way Dark and Link both suffer due to the curse. They're chained to each other on a drowning ship.
Shadow's hypocrisy on display again. He JUST helped this dude and now thinks about killing him. XD
But also: What's the answer to this?
It's a train track scenario in a lot of ways.
Also since Dark's a curse, destroying his body or hurting him won't do much good to actually get rid of the curse itself.
His body will just regenerate or he'll retreat into the headspace.
There's also the thought of, if Link died, what WOULD happen to Dark Link...
Dark is insanely hard to argue with. Because dude can read you like a book and play you like a fiddle.
You can't LIE to him and he'll speak how he feels based on what he's seen.
Like, Dark isn't even just slinging the "you're gannon" ace up his sleeve card at him. He's bringing up things Shadow himself has actually DONE. And that pisses Shadow off.
No matter how much Shadow removes himself from his past self, he still DID those things.
And it does bring to question which of these two are more "Moral".
Dark hasn't killed anyone while it's at least heavily implied in the manga Shadow at least COULD HAVE and shows the willingness to do so to Vio at least.
Dark's "reason" for not killing people is "They stop being fun."
Dead people are boring. Like Link's dad. Which is just, a roast and a half.
Dark takes his aim and fires. Bro doesn't miss a shot. He'll drag everyone.
Shadow also has hurt Vio.
Really the idea Shadow and Dark have a LOT in common is a theme.
Like Shadow can get pissed off as much as he wants at Dark, he's done WAY WORSE than this lil demon guy and can't even argue about that.
The question of how much Dark truly means here is also up in the air as Dark will just say things on other's minds.
Reminder Dark is straight terrified of Shadow Link and just kinda shuts down when Shadow gets peak pissed off at him.
Dark sees Vaati as a fool who needs his help, and seeks Shadow as a threat who's going to hurt him.
Usually actions would speak louder than words, but in Dark's case feeling someone's emotions is 10xs more important. And what Dark knows is Shadow genuinely despises him.
Haha remembering the time pig dad abused you.
But this time Shadow takes the place of gannon being the threatening imposing force.
Thought to consider: Shadow's fear of gannon is reflecting in Dark's fear of Shadow link because...Well Shadow is a piece of gannon. They're in a way afraid of the same entity.
Shadow puts the mask back on and tries to be good boy.
Visually Dark's tendency to grab his hat and keep it close is similar to an animal keeping it's tail tucked between it's legs.
Welp, the beans have been spilled. Dark IS still working for Vaati...Kind of.
In Dark's own words it's not "For"
but Dark never makes sense to anyone other than himself so...
He also just, assumes Shadow knows what he's there for. Which is amusing. Dark in general assumes everyone else should know everything he does.
The comparison to Zelda is baffling but if you really think about it, Dark does make some semblance of sense here:
Link protects Zelda.
Dark protects Vaati.
Tis the same thing. According to Dark Link.
Dark Link in his own words is a hero.
Shadow's reasonable question of "What's wrong with you" is such a genuine reaction to that shit it makes me laugh. Dark's actions make no sense to Shadow but Dark's affections for Vaati aren't logical hah.
Dark wants to see Vio tho and Shadow just, shuts down thinking about this situation
He didn't give Dark an answer so Dark just goes to pick flowers. XD
Shadow's in a tight situation here. What's the best course of action?
"What to do with Dark Link" and "How to introduce him to the others" is a very...difficult one to answer.
If Dark was a mindless curse with no person attached it'd be easy to just destroy him guilt free. But he's not.
Shadow can't tell if Dark's behavior is genuinely malicious or if he's just socially inept (Third option Shadow: He's just acting in accordance to the curse.)
And another thing: How does dealing/handling Dark affect how Shadow should be treated?
After all they're very alike.
Final panels shows Dark offering up a flower to Shadow.
This page is both hilarious and disturbing.
Dark offering up the flower with a cute lil hopeful expression, paired with a happy looking eye on his chest.
Shadow accepting it and being like "Ah we're cool then right-"
only to see Dark vomiting up a bunch of flowers is just, funny. I find it very funny.
"You like one!? :D HAVE A BUNCH MORE!"
It's a reminder Dark really has no sense of how horrifying he is as he's trying to be nice here. XDDD
Which Dark being able to be kind (In his own way) is again smth worth noting. Dark isn't stuck JUST making people misseriable as he actively tries to do the opposite.
Dark continuously breathing out pollen is just a very funny thing to me.
The sense of "I've fucked up" seeping back.
I was listening to the song "Nuts" from adventure time while working on these pages. I feel like that song kinda relates to Dark and Shadow's relationship.
"You're so annoying you pitiful old man. I'd like to help you but I dunno if I can. I thought you were nuts. But, you're REALLY. REALLY. REALLY NUTS."
Actual page shit:
Shadow understands what Vio meant now. XD
Running away from your issues just FEELS easier in the moment sometimes.
Shadow's confessions of being "not a hero" and being terrified about their future make Dark visibly sad.
The comment "We are afraid of very different things Shadow Link" is I think the first time really Dark's directly addressed Shadow as such without the quotation marks or general disbelief in that name/title.
If it's not, at least the moment is impactful because Dark is giving Shadow respect in a way he typically chooses not too.
Shadow is very much afraid of Vaati, so Dark not relating to that emotion is a stand out.
Him fidgeting with his hands is a detail I just find cute.
"I feel that thing you hate" - directed at Vaati is Dark confessing he feels pity for Vaati. Since in FS Shadow says he despises pity.
Dark explains WHY he pities Vaati, he just finds Vaati utterly pitiful. XD
They have a little moment of bonding over their shared experiences with Vaati.
Dark mimicking Vaati here showing what he wishes Vaati would say to him:
Dark Link wants praise and affection and relationships with others.
But due to his very nature it's very difficult to actually gain these things, and the people he's spoken to outright deny him of these in any meaningful way.
Shadow's question of "Aren't you afraid of what he'll do" just gets "I like Vaati" in response. Pff.
Yes we know buddy, very insightful.
The 2nd to last panel shows smth very insightful:
Firstly that "Nobody loves Vaati" Any care Dark DOES have towards Vaati isn't just him mimicking someone else as it's safe to say everyone hates that guy haha.
More disturbingly:
Dark Link doesn't consider himself a "Somebody" and starts trailing off at the end of his sentance.
"I think it's sad, but it's his own fault...he rejects the only-"
and then stops.
Dark Link referencing himself as the "person" Vaati continuously rejects but stops before he calls himself a "person" verbally.
You could imagine his continued sentence would be "He rejects the only person who cares about him"
Somebody's hair and eyes changed.
Instead of being white at the roots Dark's hair shifts to being Vio's complete hair color.
This is where we dive into psychological horror realm.
What IS Dark if not a person. IS he a person? What qualities does he have that make him a person?
Dark struggles with the distinction of if he's a "real person" or not but quickly dismisses it as smth Vio has been thinking. Which...Is true but also, considering his line about "Nobody loving Vaati" despite very much so caring about Vaati. Dark's identity crisis isn't exactly smth he has a firm grasp on.
PAGE. LIMMIT. Wrote this while sick so I'm sure I missed shit Aghhh.
#fsr rambles#fsr#four swords adventures#four swords returns#four swords manga#four swords#four swords returns au#loz fsr au#loz#shadow link#dark link
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Hello my love! I love the way you write Frank (AND Matt, but im in a Frank mood tonight). I’m not sure if you’re taking requests rn, but if you are, I love to submit one!! Tbh I’m so sick of how douchey guys are these days on apps, and the “oh you just wanted a free meal” behavior and dating rn is the fucking worst. What’s your take on a situation where you’re friends with Frank and you complain about how badly men behave these days, and he offers to take you on a real date and treat you right? Bc I could use a Frank to rescue me and treat me right rn 😫
hello my darling! thank you so much, omg. you're too kind🥺
ok first of all when I say you are PREACHING to the damn CHOIR !!! I tried a few dating apps and I loathed every single one of them. straight up was not having a good time. it was an absolute travesty, so I feel for you so hard right now angel.
this is my first time doing a headcannon so this is super exciting and i'm happy we get to do this together!! because you absolutely DESERVE a frankie to rescue you and treat you right because you are a goddamn CATCH you are a GLOWING GODDESS and anyone should be so heckin LUCKY as to go on a date with you ❤️
headcannon is going to be below the cut bc y'all know I get carried away, especially with my baby frankie
frank castle & dating apps
first things first: frank castle is very old fashioned, so the idea of a dating app probably not only confuses the fuck out of him but also makes him grimace. like the man without a doubt hates texting, preferring an actual phone call instead, and most likely comes up with a million different threats to your security and worst case scenarios when you teach him about online dating
"don't you wanna meet someone the old fashioned way? how can you tell they're not a complete asshole just by a picture and a few words? what if they ain't who they say they are? you still got that knife I gave ya?"
frank already made you share your location with him a long time ago for safety reasons but now makes you text him the address of wherever it is you're going on these "dates" as well as check in with him every hour
he would probably be adamant about coming with you and sitting in a corner somewhere so he could keep an eye on you but you quickly shot that down bc it's frank and he's very hard to miss and you would have a hard time explaining to your date why that big guy across the room looks like he's seconds away from committing murder (you know exactly which look i'm talking about)
frank requests you send him a picture of whatever guy you're meeting just in case he needs to hunt him down find him if you don't check in or something happens, and never hesitates to offer a look of utter disdain and merciless judgment when you finally send it
"really? you're goin' on a date with this? the options on them apps that goddamn bad, sweetheart?"
frank is extremely shameless in verbally eviscerating every single guy you show him or tell him about and never misses an opportunity to make his opinions known
one night you storm into his apartment without knocking (a common occurrence he's finally gotten used to) and plop down next to him on the couch with a glass a wine (he made a mental note to keep the kind you like on hand at all times) and start to vent about your latest disaster date
the guy made you drive nearly an hour out of your way to meet him at a sketchy dive bar, spent the whole night talking about himself and cutting you off every time you spoke, and then had the AUDACITY to ask you to cover the tab because he "forgot" his wallet at home (this actually happened to me once)
frank can't take it anymore. this online dating thing has been going on for months and every time you vent to him about these assholes, it gets harder and harder for him to control his feelings for you because he's supposed to be your friend and the guys you've been going out with look nothing like him and as much as he wants to be with you, he's scared to ruin the one good thing he has. so, frank hatches a plan
"alright, I can't take this shit anymore. don't make plans friday night. we're goin' out."
he says it so nonchalantly, you almost don't catch what he means. you splutter out your wine, staring over at frank because there's no way he just asked you out on a date??? frank catches your look and offers a timid smile, reaching over to squeeze your knee gently
"relax. i'm just gonna show you what a real date should be like. you've been on so many shitty ones, I don't even know if you know what a good one is. let me help you raise your standards a bit."
let me tell you something, frank castle knows a thing or two about romance. this man goes ALL OUT. picking you up at your door (on time, early even), flowers in hand (your favorites bc he actually listens when you talk), is the most dressed up you've ever seen him (it's a dress shirt and jeans but he's usually covered in blood so), opens all the doors for you and pulls out your chair, takes you to a restaurant he knew you would love bc he knows your favorite dish & dessert, spends the whole night asking you questions about things he's always wanted to know about you, makes you laugh with silly jokes and stories, and tells you several times throughout the night how beautiful he thinks you look
you've always had a crush on frank (how could you not honestly) so you were a nervous wreck about the whole thing and what it meant for your friendship and if he was just doing this to be nice because he felt sorry for you or if he actually liked you back
but the date is not only the best one you've ever been on but also the easiest because it's frank and he's your best friend and you've never felt more comfortable or at ease with someone and when the check comes it makes your heart sink because you never want this date to end, even if it isn't real
the entire walk back to your apartment there's a palpable nervous energy between the two of you and his hands are in his pockets but you desperately wish they were holding yours and when you stop at your door there's a million thoughts racing through your head that you wanna say but the look in frank's eyes steals the oxygen straight out of your lungs
"listen I uh...know I said this was just to show you how a real date should be and what not, and I did mean that but...I really just wanted to show you how you should be treated ya'know. how...how I would treat you, if you'd let me. i'd give you the goddamn world if you asked, sweetheart. I don't know if I read tonight wrong, but I know I could be the right man for you, and I think you know that too. at least, I hope you do. there's nothin' I wouldn't do for you, honey. I understand if you don't feel the same way-"
you don't even let frank finish that sentence before you're dragging him down by his collar and crashing your lips together because holy shit frank, your frank, wants you just as much as you want him
needless to say you invite him up and show him just how much you want him despite his weak attempt at trying to continue to be a gentleman
"sweetheart, we can take it slow. I don't mind-" "frank I swear to god if you don't take your pants off right now, i'm never kissing you again." "yes ma'am."
#frank castle#frank castle request#frank castle headcanon#frank castle x you#frank castle x reader#the punisher#the punisher x you#the punisher x reader#the punisher request#the punisher headcannon
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So, Canto 5. Spoilers.
Peak fiction, utterly incredible. My following thoughts will be jumbled but forgive me.
I've sadly not finished the source material, so I won't analyze it from that POV, but just to discuss the continued building of the world of the City, the Great Lake is so well conceived as a setting. The individual Lakes and their Waves, and the Whales that cause them, the variable coordinates and U Corp's monopoly on written data of Laws. You could make a whole damn RPG on the back of this stuff alone, I know TTRPG heads are looking at this and coming up with some homebrews.
I wonder if the Lakes are actually the result of the Whales changing the waters around them? Ishmael theorizes that the Whales parasitize humans out of loneliness, to make others like them (which of course reflects on Ahab as a Whale) and I wonder if the waters of the lake are similarly changed to reflect the Whale? And then I think about how Ahab turned the inside of the Pallid Whale into Pequod Town gah the subtext.
I'm also thinking more about the Sinners as a found family. While they've gotten on well enough since Verg put his foot down it's becoming clearer as time goes on that real bonds are forming. Ishmael was certainly straining those bonds but its a testament to them that they grew stronger after she found peace. I was pleasantly surprised she and Outis found a dynamic as fellow seawomen leading to mutual respect, not to mention what's going on between Heath and Ish (I have never shipped anything harder in my life). And then there's the individual relationships to Dante. Dante and Ish have gotten over the hump, and while she says that if they ever go in the wrong direction "she'll drop a skiff and depart" I feel like Ish is invested in Dante as a friend and will be there for them no matter what, including steering them back on the right course.
We saw it in S.E.A., but it's dawning on me that we get to experience characters post arc and that there are consequences to that. It didn't feel that way as strongly with Canto 1 - 3 because Gregor and Rodya are thoroughly still cooking on their issues and Sinclair feels like he's started his arc to becoming more confident and capable (the part where he actually threatens that guy is just chef's kiss). But we saw a Yi Sang who's actively trying to preserve his new friend group and find the bright side of things. Now we'll have a collected Ishmael who can keep it together and is firmly on Dante's side, which will be amazing come the Heartbreaking if the Heathmael dream is real.
Rapid fire thoughts in no particular order:
Ahab VA is perfect casting, her character is phenomenal, and I can't wait to see how she'll do on Hermann's team. PM is carrying the torch of insane old ladies.
I'm increasingly certain that the plot of Limbus will be ultimately about the multiverse (IN A GOOD WAY) and the goals of the villains and other groups deals with mirror worlds in some way.
I'm thinking about the other 3 Calamities of the Lake, Whales that attack without rhyme or reason. I have to imagine them as other great beasts of literature, so one surely is the Crocodile from Peter Pan. Possibly another is the Dogfish from Pinocchio (adapted as Monstro in the Disney version). Then I don't know, the Giant Squid from 20'000 Leagues Under the Sea (or maybe the "Narwhal" itself)? There's many possibilities.
I enjoy the Middle as a faction, they fit in with the deeply absurdist nature of the City and feel distinct from the other Fingers we know about. Makes me wonder what the actual fuck the Pinky's deal is if they're the worst Finger (iirc).
Love the feeling of Faust and Verg as outsiders Red Fraud Alert there's no way it doesn't come to a head at some point where Vergilius and the group are fundamentally at odds but the group is strong enough that threats won't cut it.
Compass is fire. Love that we're seeing different fan remixes combining the vocal and instrumentals in interesting ways, though I worry for the official version. Fly, Broken Wings doesn't work as well when it just goes through the whole thing without repeating the Broken Wings part, I much prefer an edit that matches the in game version more. I hope Mili sees what people are doing and gives us the heartbeat.
Praying to god we get a Stubb or Pip Outis ID with Pequod Captain Ishmael, but that will likely be end of season. I predict Ish ID to be a powerful SP support ID and will likely be as meta as Nclair (which is cool but also kinda unfortunate narratively, there are some downsides to the Gacha format).
Sentences like "Ishmael totally tops Heathcliff, that guy would turn into a puppy dog at the slightest hint of affection" are insane things I believe wholeheartedly and I love every time a literature person stumbles upon it and has to wrestle with this surprisingly valid crackship not knowing its origin.
All for now but I'm sure I'll think of something else later, can't wait for the Christmas Event (which will likely drop after Christmas but c'est la vie).
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Tbh I wanna see crocodile fight someone so we can see how strong he is because the last time he’s gotten in a real fight was in marineford. Does crocodile have haki? Does he need it at all to survive the new world? Like with most of the relevant pirates knowing haki, retroactively or otherwise, it’s kinda hard to gauge what he’s capable of
Anon I am so sorry I'm gonna go slightly off-topic/become deranged because I've been thinking about writing a whole ass post about this very subject and now you just gave me an excuse to word vomit incoherently instead. So I'm just gonna do that. I'm so sorry
(Hey won't you look at that I actually came back and edited this so it's vaguely legible and there's like a proper point to my thesis lmao)
Also I am. So sorry. For how obscenely long this got. Holy shit I have no idea how this happened I am so sorry
I can not put into words just how badly I want to see this man have an actual, proper 1-v-1 fight with someone. Oda, for the love of god let him fuck up someone, please, I c̵͍͛r̶̢͠a̴͕̾v̷̠͆ḛ̶̐ ̸̤͝t̷̟̋h̷̳̓ḙ̵̀ ̷̱͌b̶͓͑l̸̦̚ô̶̠ȯ̸͇d̴̲̕
No for real though, the one, true, proper 1v1 we ever saw Crocodile have WAS with fucking Luffy and like, to be fair they did fight three times, but still, during Summit War? Sure we see him exchange a few blows but it's never a proper 1v1 because we keep on cutting from one thing to another and the opponents keep on changing etc. So there was no time for a proper battle with anyone
So out of principle alone I want to see him have a proper fight with someone (who isn't a Strawhat preferably) at least once before the series ends (though honestly if we could have more than just one fight scene with Crocodile I would not complain at all, but I might be asking too much at that point)
But also yes. I want to know Croc's actual Power Level in the story right now (and I don't mean that in a powerscaling-kinda way, just in a "I want my husband to look cool because it's what he deserves" kinda way)
Like. The Crocodile we've seen in the past absolutely under no circumstances deserves the fucking unit of a bounty he has on his head right now. And I mean, to be fair Buggy doesn't deserve his gigantic bounty either, canonically the numbers don't matter or mean THAT MUCH-- They just reflect what the WG thinks a person is worth, not the true level of threat the person actually poses
But also. Croc's bounty has literally gotten like 24 times bigger from his OG pre-Shichibukai era bounty. To be fair, according to trivia his OG bounty would've at least doubled had the WG known about Baroque Works, but his current bounty would still be like 12 times bigger than before. And god fucking knows Crocodile does not fucking deserve a bounty this fucking big if he hasn't gotten any more powerful since Alabasta. No amount of hanging around with Mihawk and running evil organizations should beef up his bounty that much
So surely, he must've gotten more powerful since we last saw him action, right? Surely? Somehow?
But indeed, how?
And that's where we kinda get to the interesting part, don't we?
We have no idea what Croc's been up to for the past two years. Like whatever he's been doing, surely it's been better than spending a decade sitting on his ass and barely ever lifting a muscle when overpowering rando pirates attacking Alabasta with his Logia powers, right. Like surely being in the New World alone would be enough to make him break a sweat for a change
But then like, the only two times we have seen Croc post-timeskip (pre-Cross Guild) he has been just sitting around reading the news (to be fair, the scenes were also about him catching the news about Luffy, it's not like he can't do anything else outside of those scenes). So like. I feel kind of conflicted, like on one hand to get stronger then surely he must've been working out or something. But also I do kind of mentally associate Training Arcs with much younger characters, and Crocodile is quite middle aged, like is he even allowed to go through a training arc anymore?? Especially when he's like a such a Proper Gentleman, it's so hard to imagine him to go back to the basics or anything
But also?? How else would he get stronger?? Like?? Maybe there really was?? AN OLD MAN TRAINING ARC??
But also, to be fair
Crocodile did make a big point about how he "keeps on honing and developing his Devil Fruit skills instead of stagnating like some other losers" back when he and Luffy had their first match. So I really would love it if Oda kept that actually true for the character, I'd love to see him actually whip out some new tricks, techniques and attacks instead of us seeing Sables again for the 839423th time
And really he can't really whip out new attacks if he hasn't at least tried to come up with new tricks (and preferably tried them out)
But that was just the basics right, Croc's Devil Fruit capabilities
Then there's the whole mystery of Crocodile's Haki Status. A whooole different can of worms.
Considdering how the only actual damage he seemed to take during the entirety of Summit War was because of Jozu's Haki, and the fact that even fucking Blackbeard can use Haki now, it'd feel deranged if he doesn't have any kind of Haki capabilities. Like everybody knows Haki is going to be Croc's persona kryptonite, including Croc himself! And Haki Mastery really is The Thing that decides whether a pirate crew can actually make it or not in the New World (Kaidou made a specific point about that too).
So surely, considdering Croc's supposed to be A Smart Boy and all, he knows he'll need to actually figure out how to use Haki if he doesn't want to lose another limb, right. Like surely he's figured that shit out, right???
Now people have been speculating for years if both Crocodile AND Moria used to be Haki users who lost their Haki after getting their asses kicked in the New World. Which, in theory would make sense, since Haki is essentially just willpower, and getting crushed the way they did would give them good in-universe reasons to why they didn't use the ability, as their traumas could translate to them losing their wills.
But also it is willpower, that's not really a tangible thing you can really lose, and the idea of "Haki loss" isn't actually canon (yet at least). So although it's great fanon, we can't assume it's true. Like just as an example, we know Hancock can supposedly use Conqueror's Haki but we've never actually seen her demonstrate the ability
And to be fair to Croc (and Moria), the concept of Haki didn't really start to get Truly Solidified in the story until post-War, so expecting Alabasta!Croc to use it a whole decade earlier in real world time would be ridiculous since Oda hadn't figured out the system yet.
And while that is 100% true and fair.
Thing is. Although extremely vague, I do think Oda had been slowly starting to build the IDEA of Haki already in Alabasta. Like we know the concept gets properly introduced during the Skypiea Saga where Blackbeard both namedrops it and we get to see Observation Haki in action, under the name Mantra.
But already in Alabasta, when Zoro is trying to figure out how to cut steel (to defeat Daz), that whole "breath of things" and hyper-awareness he gains when near death... I'm not the first one to point out how much that sounds like rudamentary Haki. And like, yes, on paper the idea of the battle was that Zoro became strong enough to cut steel. But also, learning to use Haki would be what would allow anyone to cut through a Devi Fruit ability like that. The same applies to Luffy's final attack on Crocodile too, his punch destroying the sand blade that before would've sliced his entire hand in half before is poetic on its own, but makes even more in-universe sense if you considder the possilibity Luffy might have subconciously been using Haki at the very end, his sheer willpower allowing him to punch Croc.
The reason I'm pointing all that out is that I kinda wonder if we might've gotten hints at Crocodile having not just Haki, but fucking Conqueror's Haki in Alabasta
This is based on two things:
First, Crocodile's pet bananawani. Yes, he could just be Really Good with animals and that would be adorable on its own. But we know Conqueror's can be used to intimidate and tame animals, including really fierce beasts. Keeping in mind that bananawani are meant to be one of the few species of animals that prey on Sea Kings, IDK, if you told me the reason Crocodile was able to tame them and keep them as pets thanks to Conqueror's, I would believe you.
It's nothing solid, there's no proof one way or another, but it would make sense in-universe, it is plausible.
Second, this scene.
Does that blast of Ominous Air/Energy on the third page not remind you of one of those Conqueror's Haki shockwaves?
Of course, considdering Luffy was able to knock out Bon-chan with his untrained, uncontrolled Conqueror's in Impel Down (though to be fair, in the Impel Down scene Bon-chan was in rough condition anyways), if Crocodile was displaying his Haki here, either
A) Shit's real fucking weak or
B) He must've intentionally "kept it down" in this scene just to make sure his agents didn't actually pass out on the spot
But of course, if Croc had fullblown Conqueror's that he was able to control that well, you'd think he might've actually used it to subdue weaker enemies at some point or something (though, again, Hancock also supposedly has it and we haven't seen her use it, and if we had seen him use it on Luffy or something then the story really would've ended in Alabasta). So if that really was Conqueror's, I'd personally maybe rather lean on it being weak as hell (especially if Haki Loss was canon) over him having perfect control over it
Of course, just because that ominous blast of air in hindsight might resemble a weak ass Conqueror's Haki Blast, it doesn't mean that's what it was. Just like with the Bananawani example, there's nothing solid here to go off of, it's just plausible
(Also just for clarity's sake, Crocodile doesn't need Conqueror's Haki. I just think there could be evidence to suggest it if you overthink it just right)
All of this to say
Regardless of what Croc's Haki Status was during Alabasta and Summit War, the fact is that the dude really does kind of need Haki just to survive in the current storyline. So if he can't use ANY KIND OF HAKI, I'm just gonna be speechless. Like Luffy could kill him by just farting on him at that point
Not to mention I'd actually love to see the Haki Loss-concept explored in the canon. Like either have it debunked, or somehow confirm it's a thing and show off what a horrifying threat Crocodile can be when he's actually putting his everything into a fight (same for Moria btw, if all he has to protect rn is Perona I'd love to see him go apeship and use Haki to protect her)
BUT THEN THERE'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT DIRECTION WE COULD GO WITH CROCODILE'S POWER LEVEL
OH DID YOU THINK I WAS FUCKING DONE WITH THIS POST? NO, WE'RE STILL FUCKING GOING MAN
So I've seen a lot people speculate about Logia Awakenings and what they could be like. Most people seem to agree on the theory that Punk Hazard being the way it is could be a result of two awakened Logias (namely Akainu and Aokiji) clashing. Similarly that Enies Lobby could be where an Awakened Light Fruit did a thing in the distant past, causing the eternal daytime on the island
I'm not sure I'm entirely convinced that's what Logia Awakenings will be like (some people have also suggested Enel's Final Form was a Logia Awakening, which I kinda doubt but okay), it's a neat idea in any case, we'll just have to wait and see what Oda has cooking for us
Regardless. On a mere narrative level, if they're even possible then I think it'd be cool as hell if Crocodile could act as an introduction to Logia Awakenings and what they're actually like. Because, depending on the role the bastard is going to take going forward, it could prepare us and Luffy for what's to come with Akainu (the real threat)
And again, depending on his role in the story, I think he could be an actual candidate for someone who could deserve to be Awakened-- like the whole Awakening State is sliiightly OP, and Logias are also kind of OP by default. So between OG Croc being kinda weak as hell (by current standards), but also him being an experienced pirate who's known his abilities for god knows how many decades... IDK I think he could deserve The Honors, y'know?
Like compare him to someone like Sabo or Blackbeard who got their Logias only recently and are still learning to use their abilities (more or less). If either of those fuckers somehow Awakened their Logias before Sir Fucking Crocodile I'd be kinda pissed off y'know?
The Admirals are kinda OP to begin with anyways too, I kinda just don't want Smoker to get The Honor of being the first on-screen Awakened Logia either, and really that would leave us with like... Ceasar and Enel as our only remaining options
And Dragon, if he does have a Wind Logia (which remains to be seen)
So. Yeah. If Logia Awakenings can be a thing, I think Crocodile could be the perfect guy to actually introduce them in the story (depending what his role will be).
All of this nonsense to say
Mr Oda, please, I would like to see Sir Crocodile in action pwease
And I want to know what the hell that weird spike thing was
Mr Oda please, I wish to see the Husband and see what kind of tricks he can do now after all these years, please allow him to commit a murder or two or three
#Moon posting#Sir Crocodile#OP Meta#OP Spoilers#Long post#Sidenote but. Like the way people keep on pitching Cross Guild vs the Strawhats based on the bounties etc#Luffy vs Buggy // Zoro vs Mihawk // Croc vs Sanji or Jimbei etc etc#And this is all just. Based on the bounties (Zoro/Mihawk aside)#And there is just this. Absolutely Delulu Part of me that wonders if Croc could actually be above Mihawk in power level#Because we KNOW Buggy isn't actually above Mihawk so the numbers don't actually have to mean THAT MUCH#And if Crocodile hasn't actually done too much shit to earn more attention and notoriety in the past two years#Isn't it plausible the World Government is mistakenly assuming he's weaker than he actually is? Like reverse-Buggy the Clown'ing him??#Like sure Mihawk likes to lay low too but Crocodile doesn't have the title of The Greatest Swordsman of the World on him#I'm just saying it'd be one hell of a twist 'cause nobody would ever imagine Croc actually surpassing Mihawk in power#So if he somehow did it'd be cool as fucking hell bro
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CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE SPOT FROM THE NEW SPIDERVERSE MOVIE OMG
he's one of the bad guys I remember the most from the 90s spiderman show and I LOOOVE what they did with him in the movie. Spoilers below I guess
Did you see how at the beginning we can faintly see sketch lines in his character design as if he was still incomplete or under development??? and then as the movie goes on and he acquires more power and more confidence the sketch lines disappear, his black spots start to grow until his entire body is basically black and we're shown through A SICK ASS DISTORTED ANIMATED SEQUENCE how big of a threat he's become????? THAT'S MY SHIT RIGHT THERE UGHHH THAT'S CINEMAA
And i loooved his personality he was so fucking funny at first. He's the real silly goofy to psychotic beyond repair pipeline like yes go off king, let your darkest desires consume you and swallow you whole. Be a menace about it yess
Also I think he's meant to reflect the central message of the movie which is "do things your own way, don't let others tell you what you are or what you're not" but in the worst way cuz like everyone was insisting on how he's just a silly villain of the week and literally nobody pays attention to him like no one cares (which was extremely funny to me) but then the man says "wait? I think I'm capable of more actually let me try a little something" and now he's a legitimate threat to the multiverse. That's right king! make it everyone's problem. I can't wait to see what they'll do with him in the next movie
anyways I love villains, to no one's surprise. Go watch across the spiderverse now. it's insanely good!!
#across the spiderverse#spiderman atsv#spiderverse#the spot#idk if I'm getting to exited about him cuz he didn't even had that much screentime this time around....#but whatever I genuinely hope they make him a big big problem next movie I WANT TO SEE THAT
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Me screaming about zcx because I need to sort out thoughts about them for a fic I'll probably never write
The fic is centered on fem!zcx as teens, because I can't deal with them as adults, so I am (trying really) going to understand their dynamics and brain problems as teens.
So, starting with the easy one: lan wangji. Teen!lwj biggest issues is discovering new things: sexual desire, attraction, - people, in general. lwj had been sheltered as a kid in a way that didn't let him learn how to deal with the world, imo. Also, he's stuck with Lan 3,000 rules, so puberty is a nightmare for him. I can figure out both his relationships with wwx and jc: both of them, in different way, have shattered his convictions and beliefs and this, plus an amount of sexual attraction he feels for both, is going to make him feel ten things at once. And he's going to like none of this. Obviously, his journey of self-discovery is internal and no one knows about it because lwj's problem, imo, is that he feels a lot and he feels deeply but he can't express himself.
Now comes the problem: chengxian. Imo, one of the biggest formative moment of their relationship is when jfm took away jc's dogs: that day they both learned that jc will lose things for wwx. And it fucked up both of them. Mm, not an hill I'll die on, but imo teen!jc and teen!wwx used to talk about their problems: like, we have the whole 'twin pride' speech, because wwx wants to work out their problems there. And then, during the wedding scene, again, jc brought up problems, that wwx brushed off, but still, they communicated (they also at some point start to misinterpret each other. But that's different).
Their biggest problem, imo, is that they don't feel loved by each other, they feel both a burden for the other AND someone the other would replace easily with someone else (and no, it's not only a jc's fear; like, yes, he's much more likely to get on his own head about this, but teen!wwx passed from being teen!sect heir jc most-important-person to being not-the-only-person for very busy sect leader jc. I've read this on a fic and still hunts me. The whole deal of wwx, in general, is that nothing is as it was and this hurts him but we don't talk about it).
They are a mess. They hurt each other daily intentionally (jc) and unintentionally (wwx). But, they will face so much for the other because their love is stronger. (post res wwx is different- he's so tired and resentful, but we don't talk about it). Their relationship is doomed from the start but the love is there.
(Also, they have shaped each other in irreparable ways. wwx uses emotional manipulation to get his way because that's what worked with jc. jc uses threats because that is what worked with wwx.)
About their pov: mmm, I'll probably found a lot of problems with wwx's pov, because, honestly, how can you write about someone who can't acknowledge ONE emotion and can't do the math (emotionally. In real life I hate math. Also, someone should explain to me how he got from crying jc to noncon surgery. How).
Also, wwx's pov is seriousness treated crackily, while lwj's pov is a teen drama. And jc's pov is a soup opera.
#Mostly it's about#Chengxian#It's incoherent and I am not getting to anything but now I've a headache#zhanchengxian
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Manshine City vs Bastard Munchen Part 2 "Oops I stopped Reading For Two Weeks" Edition
Last time: Nagi stood underneath Reo's window with a boombox and asked him to take him back. Reo, who swore he didn't need Nagi and was going to do this for HIMSELF, flings himself out the window.
I do like that Isagi is trying to master-mind the field 'oooh I can predict your every move!', theoretically Kaiser is doing the exact same thing, and they still fail to account for each other and completely fuck up their Pro Strats. I swear, Kaiser is just if the Isagi That Plays Soccer existed off the field as well as on it.
GOD Reo's inner monologue. "We split up once... we followed different paths..." ONE it's been like a month absolute tops TWO I maintain that Reo and Nagi exist in a totally different genre than the rest of the cast.
(Tbh I'm a little disappointed the Reo-Nagi drama seems to have resolved so easily, though there might still be tension outside of the field. I doubt Nagi's going to try and split up with Reo again at this point. Gotta wrap up these character arcs and move on, save the real meat for Episode Nagi in 4 years. Which is a shame, because given how batshit things were back in Blue Lock Reo absolutely Losing It was one of the things I was looking forward to most. What, he can't be too crazy in the insane soccer manga?)
Kaiser and Isagi, you two are my only hope... I need a murder attempt, c'mon...
I don't know enough about soccer to say if a two-stage volley is an 'insane, godly move' but I think a 5-stage anything has got to be pretty impressive. Who knew Nagi could be bothered to count that high. (I know Nagi didn't actually punt Isagi in the face but it sure looked like it, I was taken aback for a second.)
I love the way Nagi's 'ego' manifests on the pitch too, it's great. Gets really hyped up for a little bit of a game, gets super intense, trashtalks like a champ, I am a GOD routine, scores an absolutely insane fucking goal, goes 'yep that's all I wanted' and powers down mid-game. It's not over yet but he did what he came for! He's just like me forreal
"If not for the simple fact that Nagi doesn't know how to play this game, he would be unstoppable!!!" - Reo Mikage, probably
Agi... Reo... guys... chill
Chris' absolute lack of class is the funniest thing about him. This match is being televised, don't go calling your opponent a slut again.
Isagi "I have every tool I need to beat Kaiser except actually being better at this game than him!" Yoichi
Noa's just watching his team burn around him like "hmm. Excellent."
Chigiri throwing his hat into the 'dumb eye power' ring with a truly outstanding entry.
I know Kunigami is in this game, it just really doesn't feel like Kunigami is in this game. The match is losing track of Chigiri as well, I got a little surprised when he popped back up. I know the lack of synergy is on purpose due to the 'every man's either out for himself or the guy he's mentally ill about' aspect/'build your team around the striker' philosophy, but it does make the teams feel really uneven when the only characters that tend to matter are the Strikers + whoever's supporting them at the moment. It wasn't so bad when they were playing with limited teams, but right now half the teams feel like total space filler.
(The whole 'guaranteed shot' thing feels a bit... insulting to the concept of goalies/defense players too. I don't know much about soccer but it does feel like a major dick move LOL. To be fair, Gagamaru is not a goalie. Does Bastard Munchen not have a goalie better at goal-keeping than 'guy with hard head that doesn't play this role normally'.)
But yeah seriously Kunigami went to an ambiguous soccer torture camp to get his whole personality destroyed and for what. This? He doesn't even get to pretend to be the biggest threat on the field for even one game. Give that man a refund. Or at least some free therapy.
"go... the world's most random shot... even i don't know where it's going!!!" that is NOT impressive that's what i do every time I kick a ball. maybe i should be a pro soccer player. i could beat noel noa
Isagi has some nerve being shocked that Yukimiya is sabotaging him because ~they're on the same team~ yeah okay whatever dude and what was your end-goal here again
man, these matches just keep getting longer and longer despite the fact that they're aiming for way less goals...
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