#fictional violence

[mercurynjem]

batman's cape

mentions of guns and violence below the cut

we've all seen panels or read fanfics where there's some sort of danger---batman's working with one of his kids, usually the robins, and there's an explosion or a barrage of bullets and they can't get out of the way fast enough. That's when he wraps the cape around them, with a swift motion of his arm he can keep his kids safe long enough to get them out of there

maybe dick does the same when he takes over. He gets used to swinging his arm to cover damian when he can't avoid a surprise attack, when a bomb is about to go off and there's no time to run. he takes the brunt of the blow just like bruce does for him---did for him. maybe the other siblings with capes do it too. maybe it becomes A Thing.

Then the first time Dick and Damian work together again after dick takes up Nightwing again comes around. There's lots of guns, or some other threat that requires quick cover. Dick jumps in and swings his arm to throw the cape over Damian and he realizes. He doesn't have the cape anymore. Maybe Damian doesn't get too beat up from this, maybe he's hurt enough to be out of the field. Maybe a bullet doesn't even graze him. Dick still beats himself up.

just thinking about the muscle memory that dick may have developed when protecting his baby bat.

[maxdibert]

I saw the "was SWM sexual assault or not" discussion happening in Twitter, and I think a lot of people don't understand how some things don't rely on writer intention to be true. I fully believe that JKR didn't intend SWM to be sexual assault. I think if you'd ask her today, she still wouldn't get it because she's like That, because Snape is a boy and it was the 70s. And none of that matters! Stripping someone off in front of a crowd of people is SA. Full stop. It doesn't matter that it was the 70s, we can absolutely apply today's standards to the past when it comes to sexual crimes.

It's like denying slavery because it was common at the time, or denying that it was wrong to imprison gay people because it was considered normal back then, or normalizing men hitting their wives just because it was accepted at the time. It doesn't matter what was normalized in a given era. Sure, the fact that it was normalized helps us understand why some people overlooked it or weren't scandalized by it, or why the perpetrators didn’t face consequences, but it doesn’t excuse the act itself, nor does it make a crime any less of a crime. It’s absurd. And just because the author didn’t conceive it as such doesn’t mean it wasn’t. How many times have we seen sexual violence normalized or even romanticized in shows and films? Does the intention of making it seem romantic make it any less problematic? Of course not. Feminist circles —especially those focused on how gender roles are portrayed in fiction— have been calling this out for decades. The way certain dynamics are depicted does shape the collective understanding of gender roles. In the same way, normalizing certain kinds of abuse just because they aren’t portrayed as such narratively only serves to perpetuate a collective view that minimizes violence, no matter who it’s directed at. So I’m sorry, but I don’t buy those arguments. I find them far too convenient and, beyond that, dangerous and deeply irresponsible.

[nubsoftherat]

Barry Allen I will put you in Bat-Jail swear to fucking GOD , mother fucker.

If you change the timeline. Ever again. I will destroy you. I will sacrifice you to the Marvel No-Returns hole. And you will be replaced by Wally.

Ps. Say hi to Sherloque for me.

~ Regards, B.

[leolovesthings]

[thishasgonehorribly]

Creatures!

(I feel like throwin' in a quick disclaimer that the game Dwarf Fortress randomly generates words and titles, and I think it's successfully made fantasy nonsense, but y'know, any resemblance to words that mean things is accidental)

Had what I thought were some very close calls with the cave trolls that are wandering around,

but the wiki tells me they currently don't attack dwarfs.

I did get to see one attack a cave crocodile

Then the crocodile found a giant mole to fight with

One of my military dwarfs killed the crocodile, and the mole and troll both wound up in cage traps.

The mole is tamed and just wandering around. I still don't know what to do with a caged troll.

Then some slightly higher drama.

(Then we didn't fight a weremouse, and then we also didn't get kind of weird battle messages about the cyclops getting thrashed to pieces by a weremammoth that wasn't showing up on the list of creatures)

It turns out cyclopses aren't the worst.

Even though I've been struggling to get equipment on my military squads

We did have a dwarven convoy visiting the trade depot at the time, and one of their mercenaries got her teeth knocked out.

(I don't know that much about the other civilizations in The Past Universe, except the Brass Decisions, which are dwarven civilization led by a necromancer, who are conquering everyone. )

This fight was more challenging.

Four people got significantly injured.

The starter dwarf I nicknamed Cranky, a human citizen named Udi, a goblin citizen named Cadem, and Ingiz, another dwarf got "bruised".

I built a little hang out for the ones bleeding injuries

It turns out Udi just got punched with a sock hard enough to bust up his leg, and wasn't infected.

Cadem and Cranky transformed, and gotta hang out in the Ape Corner once a month. I tried to make it nice, but it's a little rough being isolated.

It turns out wild rutherers are harmless

But the caverns aren't short on dangers.

[clarrissanewt]

The Deadly Sonata

Series masterlist/ (part 2)

~previous

Pairing: Regulus Black x fem!reader

Warnings: royal!au, prince!reg, arranged marriage!au, dark themes, angst, fictional violence

To join the taglist, reblog with a '🌙'

A/n- special thanks to @scandalous-chaos for editing this piece!!

Regulus tried not to look at Y/n as she sat beside him, her arms clasped tightly around her legs, her eyes dreamy and lost as they both sat in the midst of the garden.

“Are you alright?” He asked slowly, smoothing out the long folds of her cotton skirt as they fluttered in the light wind.

He would admit he was the first one to reach out. The prospect of making himself look even worse than he was already going to do made him shudder. No remorse was felt when Y/N didn't reply to his letter for weeks. Only guilt. Guilt, that he'd be the one who would stain her future.

“I'm not. You return after months, not even after promising a return, and you ask,” she turned to him with a stoic face, the facade of her emotions gradually overpowering, “you ask if I'm okay?”

“Royal charters,” he lied. “I'm sorry.”

“You’re sorry!” Y/N forced out an angry broken laugh, hastily wiping some stray tears. “It sucks, you know. It highly sucks because I want to hate you after all this, Regulus Black. I bloody want to! But I can't.”

A heavy silence reigned. How was he supposed to break it when he knew it might be the last time he could feel loved without prejudice? Won’t it all look like an illusion to her when he won't be the same as he appears now?

He sighed. He actually needed to. “You know what's so great about the color white?” He titled his head, gently fondling a colorsake rose beside him.

“That's your favorite,” Y/N rolled her eyes. “Of course you will find it great.”

“It feels so pure, doesn't it? It shows everything so truthfully.”

“And it shows stains too. Shows malice without any shame.”

“Will you tell me something if I ask you? As pure as you feel?”

“I will.”

“Was I ever enough for you?” He sensed the caress of her soft hand on his shoulder, her breaths sounding so composed, unlike his.

“No. I won't say it was enough, Reg. You were just too much.”

“It hurts, Y/N...it hurts when I realise I'll never mean that much to anyone else ever,” he chuckled, gently cupping her face. “But what's the point of trying to change myself when it just proves that I'll never be good enough?”

“I don't know what you are talking about,” Y/N replied, still smiling. “Promise me you will return. You’ll come back to see me, right?”

He gently placed a kiss on top of her head. “Not before you find me a way to get out of here undetected.”

* * *

“There's something I'm not being told,” the youngest Black muttered as he eyed Sirius, whose face showed nothing but a crooked smirk. “something about the kingdom, it's future- what's that?”

“Prince Regulus Black,” Sirius sighed and leaned on the wall, “King-to-be, or should I call you 'Majesty'?”

Regulus stayed silent. He knew better than to indulge himself in a mindless scrimmage with his brother.

“Let me guess, baby brother,” the older Black clicked his fingers, “that old hag mother of yours would have fixed a marriage for you? 'Aye, ain't I right?”

“She’s your mother too, Sirius.”

“I'll take it as a yes. So what's the twist? You love her...but she doesn't love you? How perfect!”

“Sirius, we are diverting from the main topic.” Regulus pressed as he firmly pushed Sirius to the wall, boring holes on his chilled persona. “If it concerns me, I've a right to know.”

“Even if it breaks you? Or your future?”

“You know about it, right?”

Sirius watched as Regulus' expression showed an amalgamation of hurt, betrayal and guilt. “I knew. All along these years- don't go, Reg.”

Regulus paused mid step, knowing whether to trust Sirius when he sounded solemn once in his life. “How can I trust that you are not lying after all this?”

“The last descendant of the throne , believe it or not, is going to change things; I’ve no idea what kind of things, but it’s lethal. Don’t trust Walburga, things are going to go downhill.”

* * *

“I tell you one last time,” Y/N protested hysterically, the dagger firmly held in her grip, “I don’t want to! I’ve my bloody dreams and aspirations. I’m…I’m not ready!”

The maid-in-waiting whimpered in raw fear at the sight of the dagger. Since when Hogwarts taught swinging daggers to noble princesses? Heavy clicks of heels attacked the marble floor at a distance, and if Y/N wasn’t so distracted at the prospect of the pariah news that just suddenly unnerved her, she wouldn’t have been thrown off the ground as the only weapon was snatched out of her fingers and pressed down her windpipe.

“Out!” The voice was so insanely shrill and loud. “My, my,” she heard a small sniff close to her ear, the blade of the dagger digging deeper down skin, “I must tell you, Walburga has a taste- or is it my brother’s? Huh?”

Walburga. It sounded familiar but nothing hit the correct nooks and crannies of Y/N’s brain as something hot trickled down the cut of her dress.

“Who are you?”

“I’d not have been asking that question, if I were at your place, lovey. And importantly, never when I knew who I had made my enemy. Anyway,” she loosened the grip and Y/n fell forward, “Bellatrix Lestrange. And what’s your name, the one who doesn’t know the use of a dagger?”

The feigned sweet voice was so vexing but Y/n kept a straight face. “What do you want?”

“You don’t say that when you will be marrying my brother,” the lady, with vicious black curls, whispered, “or when you don’t know that you are making me see red. Let’s dress up, shall we?”

It was difficult to decide whether it was Bellatrix Lestrange’s deadly esprit or her loyalty to the royal family as her fingers toyed with a rather harsh tug on the string of her gown; a viciously bulky black with a distinct splatter of shimmer, like stars burning through the night sky. Y/N wished it was white, as pure as the prospect of mirth that she could imagine in Regulus’ eyes.

Regulus. For a searing minute, only his serene and ageless smile came to her mind, the soft fondle of his hand, the taste of something indescribable- but everything addicting that rested on his lips as they caressed hers.

What would Regulus think when he realised that she would no longer be with him? Did he love her anyway? With Bellatrix’s unwanted cackles that rained every minute or so, she decided to drop the thought.

“If Walburga would have seen you like this,” Y/n tried not to look at Bellatrix as she licked her lips as if admiring her self made masterpiece, “I’m sure I could have been the mistress. I don’t think my brother would mind having himself a mistress, nor would you, right, lovey?”

“You haven’t done my hair. Who’s this brother of yours anyway?”

“Dumb girl.” Another chortle. Y/n heard nothing but venom in it. “I hope he doesn’t reject the very idea of you tonight. Girls with daggers don’t seem to grasp the idea of secrecy, do they?”

Alright, Y/n decided, as Bellatrix threw her dagger on the bed before walking out of the room, poker face did work on Bellatrix, afterall.

She yearned to shrink back in a corner and cry. What kind of meet required her to be isolated? What would happen today? Would the noble look at the horrendous gash on her neck that Bellatrix gifted her and run away?

She’d owe Bellatrix something if he did. Afterall, she decided to not clean it too.

The garden still smelled like roses, the harshly sweet waft making it difficult for Regulus to not lose his composure.

“I never thought you would come again. I mean…who are the lucky novices meeting Prince Regulus Black every once in a while?” If fragmentation could be heard, it was right here in Y/n’s voice. How could he make a straight face and say nothing?

“I was just wondering today…”

“Jeez, another philosophy class.”

He smiled with an unspoken melancholy. “You see the stars up there?” He pointed lethargically in heaven’s direction. “You can still see them in the sky after they have burned out. It must be lonely…having no one to miss you.”

Y/n could hear the rush of blood racing through her ears. Maybe it was the last time she could tell Regulus. Last time, before Bellatrix scavenged into her room. “I’d miss you, Reg.”

“You will. I’m sure you will. And I can assure you, you won’t like it. Ever told you that you suck at hiding things?”

She tilted her head in his direction as grey clouds scattered obnoxiously in the clear sky.

“No.”

“You have got a cut…bad one. You can’t hide it from me. Also, ah, black doesn’t suit you.”

“Thanks,” she muttered sourly, watching little raindrops descend onto the ground. “Things have been…hard, I must say. It gets harder when you can’t even make yourself, ah, cry. You know…when you don’t get to feel the release.”

Regulus grimaced at rampant ‘swoosh’ capering throughout the garden. “Your gown…Bellatrix’s choice?”

Y/n was almost going to chuckle out with a jeez, she is sick in the head, when everything clicked to her.

“You are a smart one,” the youngest Black feigned out a disturbed smile, “you don’t need explanations.”

“How…how could you?”

“That last night back at Hogwarts,” Regulus blinked as the rain washed down heavily, as if Zeus himself showed his wrath, “I kissed you and came to the conclusion that sometimes, uh, you know, forever doesn’t last for long.”

“You know I’m not ready!” Wiping tears, Y/n jabbed an accusing finger in his direction. “They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, Reg,” he silently wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed, leaning into his shoulder, “and I was, I was so scared of losing you…it just made my heart numb…”

“I’m not ready either. I won’t expect anything from you. I wish I could atone, but I don’t think the heinous thing that I made you enter even deserves acquit.”

“You made me feel I actually matter.”

“You do,” his voice was close to a whisper. “Rains aren’t common in this season, are they?”

“Not even deceit, I must say,” her voice was cold but Regulus didn’t miss the meek insinuation of ‘I wish, for once, you would love me like this- no strings attached’.

_

tagging some lovelies 🌙: @regulusblackswhorecrux, @rainelikerain, @allyly

[despairmakoto]

btw i think makoto naegi could kill someone with his bare hands/fists if he wanted to he just holds back

[eyndr-stories]

Across The World C1 - The Beginning

Summary:

The gods of this world are ancient, most of them forgotten, or nearly so. Nomen has been taught not to make deals with any old gods, should they be unlucky enough to come across one. However, when their little brother Maribus stumbles into mortal peril, they find they have no real choice but to accept the trials of one such god in order to save him.

This is an original story written by yours truly! I started writing this back at the very start of 2021 when I had a particularly wild and extremely vivid dream. This story is heavily based on said dream! This dream is also why I strongly distrust bunny mascots / anthro rabbits lmao but anyhoo, I think i've improved as a writer since this so the quality may or may not be quite on par with my other stories. I also had some help from my cool aunt Kerry with editing this, so if there's anything amiss here we can totally blame her lmao

That all being said, I do still like this story, and I hope you will too!! Enjoy <3

Things To Know:

major character death (its okay though, they live lol)

blood and violence

happy ending

protag (Noman) is nonbinary and referred to with they / them pronouns

first person POV

8 chapters in total, about 13,000 words in total. So roughly 1600 words a chapter. Lil bite sized chappys!

No swear words used, somehow

(lmk if i should add anything, i can't think of anything else)

Ao3 link here

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2

C1 - The Beginning

     Perched precariously at the end of the world, my home was a very cold place to those who don't live there. It featured a steep staircase that spiraled down beside the face of a jagged cliff to an endless expanse of ice. To me any my neighbors, it was warm, made so by the people who lived there. We were always celebrating or giving a lending hand when needed. We learned long ago the need to keep each other warm.

     My brother was like our home; cold on the outside, but kind within. Maribus was achingly shy, never speaking unless spoken to and always keeping a wide distance from the people around him. But beneath his cold exterior was an eager mind and a gentle heart, especially with our mother, who had a way of melting his anxieties.

     Today was no exception as we happily sat with her at the front of the crowd, watching the parade. It was a celebration, of course. Every sturdy storefront had been painted a rainbow of colors. Flags and streamers fluttered everywhere and marvelous floats moved through the streets while performers ran into the crowds with bags of candy and small toys for everyone to share. Everyone was bundled up in colorful scarves and blankets, sipping big mugs of hot cocoa to keep warm.

     A flock of well-trained birds swooped into the crowd, their feathers a deep dazzling blue. My brother grabbed my arm, pointing excitedly at the birds. "Look Nomen! Those are dirodopafowel! They're very rare. Aren't they cool??"

     They were certainly very cool looking, even if I'd immediately forgotten their name. I snapped a picture with my camera just as Maribus leaned into the frame, making a silly face. I laughed and moved to show my brother the picture, but his attention was already elsewhere because at that moment, the star of the parade was making his way down the street on a float shaped like pillars of ice. It glittered in the setting sun, constellation patterns etched in lights along the sides.

     “It’s him!! I can’t believe it’s really him!!” Maribus yelled excitedly.

     “Easy, love,” Our mother smiled and patted his shoulder.

     I studied the man. He was the reason for this whole parade. I'd been told he had crafted a suit that allowed him to survive on the ice. He was here to explore the unknown, to chart past the edge of the world. As the float moved past us, I got a great look at what I realized was one of the most awkward men I'd ever seen in my life. This was the person that would transcend the limits of all people?

     "Make sure you take his picture, okay?" Maribus commanded.

     I tried to be more enthusiastic as my brother jumped up and down and waved at his hero. The man looked uncomfortable as he nodded and waved back, then stared straight ahead as though he'd rather be anywhere else.

     The float stopped in front of town hall. This was the building everyone had to go through to get to the ice. The man looked relieved as he climbed off the float and greeted our mayor, a tall, confidant woman. She turned to the crowd and gave a short speech, something about history being made, but I'd already zoned out. The adventurer smiled briefly before heading inside the building to suit up. We cheered, though I wasn't sure why since we wouldn't be able to see him actually step out onto the ice.

     My brother, with a huge grin and pleading eyes, turned to me and asked, "You got the picture, right??"

     Ah, shoot. Like our mother always said, I'm great to trust with secrets because I can't ever remember anything anyone says to me. While others saw this forgetfulness as the bane of my existence, I liked to see it as a good thing. I had cultivated a boldness, as though my poor memory was part of the plan all along. So technically, I did forget to take a picture of the adventurer for my brother, however, I had a better idea.

     "Not yet my man, because you're getting a picture with him."

     And sure, while my brother looked terrified of having a human interaction, I knew in the long run he would thank me. See what I mean? A good thing after all. I grabbed his hand and we snuck behind town hall, climbing through a not-so-secret hole in the otherwise solid barrier. For a moment, we clung to the wall and each other at the dizzying sight of a white sky and a steep drop into a foggy abyss below. We took a deep, cold breath and followed the long, winding staircase. Down, down, down, away from the sky, then through the thick fog until, with a thud, our feet landed on a heated pier.

   The fog was still thick as we walked the length of the pier and only thinned once we made it to the gate at the end of things. At least that's what it felt like as we stood and stared, our breath puffing into the air. We were at the end of the world. Neither of us had ever been this close to the ice that had defined our entire lives in this small town. The ice almost seemed to have its own language as it crackled and shifted, the sound of it made large and deep as it echoed unimpeded for great lengths. The expanse of ice was so large and infinite, it was like looking at a desert or an ocean. To my brain, it was impossible and beautiful. It was also cold as all f-

     “Excuse me, I need to get by.”

    We spun around, jumping at the voice of the very man we were waiting on. I admit, the suit was pretty impressive and complicated up close, intimidating even.

     "Brother. I mean... sorry, my brother, Maribus, would like to get a picture with you. He's a big admirer of yours, would you mind? We'll be quick."

     “Fine, fine, but hurry." The man spoke impatiently. "I need to be out there before it turns dark.”

     I looked down at my brother, who stood speechless and unmoving. He couldn’t take his eyes off the suit. I gently pushed him toward the man. "Go on, it'll be alright."

     My poor brother looked liked the chill had gotten to him. He stared at me numbly.

     “He’s just shy and such a huge fan,” I explained as I focused the camera on the two of them. “He wants to explore just like you, when he gets older.”

     “Is that right?” The man looked down at him, not unkindly. I capture my brother staring open-mouthed at the adventurer as he said, “Perhaps we'll meet again... on the other side.”

     Then he moved passed us, pushing the gate open and climbing down the ladder, landing with a clunky jump to the crackling ice. He held up a hand in farewell, then turned and disappeared into the fog that was quickly rolling back in. It was much thicker than before, and I worried we wouldn't be able to see the steps leading us back to civilization.

     I took my brother's hand. "Come on, let's get out of here before mom realizes something's up."

     My brother jerked his hand away and covered his face. "Why couldn't I talk to him? What's wrong with me??"

     "Aw, Mar…" I had never seen him this mortified or angry with himself. It felt like my heart was cracking the way the ice was.

     “Hey.” I pulled his hands away from his face and squeezed them in mine. “Nothing is wrong with you, got that? You were just nervous. It's a really big deal meeting someone you look up to. Anyway would feel that way.”

     We climbed the staircase in silence. These were the times I wished I could be as soothing as our mother. I never knew the right things to say or do to ease the coldness that could sometimes grip Maribus so tight that he closed himself off until no one could reach him.

     When we got home, he ran to our shared room and slammed the door. My mother glanced over, a question in her eyes, but I shook my head. It wasn't until later that night when I was helping her with the chores that we talked.

     “Your brother hardly touched his dinner. I even made his favorite soup.”

     I sighed. “Well... we sort of snuck over the wall behind town hall to take a picture with the explorer on the pier.”

     “WHAT?!” Mother nearly knocked over the mop bucket.

      I strategically moved out of her reach. “We made it back didn't we? It’s fine. But he got tongue-tied as usual and is super embarrassed and maybe feels like he messed up his one chance to talk with his hero.”

     “Never again. Do you understand me Nomen??" Mother's voice was low and hard. "Never again do you go out there. Especially not with your little brother.”

     I tried for nonchalance, even though inside I was shaken by how angry she sounded. “Okay, okay, never again.”

     When I finally turned in for the night, my brother was already in his bed with the covers pulled over his head. I hoped he was sleeping and not reliving his lost chance. I climbed as quietly as I could into my own bed and, exhausted, fell into a deep sleep.

     My dreams were troubling. My brother was curled up, frozen on the ice and I couldn't reach him no matter how desperately I tried. A full moon hung over him and when I focused on it, I realized it wasn't actually a moon at all, but an eye staring back at me. I stumbled backwards when the eye spoke. “Go to the pier if you wish to save him.”

     As the eye closed, my world went dark.

     My own eyes flew open as I sat up in bed, panicked and sweaty. The dream felt so real, and I shivered when I noticed how quiet the house was. A sheet had tangled around my legs and I kicked at it as I stumbled from my bed, crossing the room to where my brother was sleeping. I just needed to see for myself that he was okay. With a shaky hand I drew his blanket down to find only his pillow.

     My brother was gone.