#practically-an-x-man

Was it worth it?

Claire lay in the grass, the blurry sky above her. Her now-useless wings lay limp against the ground, in the same tatters as the jacket they'd ripped through when she transformed into her fairy form. Though she was sure she'd injured them in the fall, her legs just felt numb and tingly, as if she'd sat for too long and they'd fallen asleep

"Claire?"

Vaguely and distantly, Claire heard someone calling her name, but she was too sore to look up, too tired to call back.

"Claire? Claire, where are you?"

Rae. Claire recognized the voice as it got closer, and soon enough, Rae's beautiful face was leaned over her own,

"Oh, Claire." Rae sat next to Claire on the grass, cupping her girlfriend's face in her hands. "You're so pale."

"It's okay." Claire managed half a smile. "I'll be fine, I promise. Fairy wings- they don't feel anything."

"You're bleeding."

"I fell out of the damn sky, what do you expect?" Claire chuckled darkly, her laugh turning to a cough. "Is Audrey...?"

"She's sleeping." Rae replied. "But alive."

"I'm so tired. I could sleep for a hundred years and still not be rested enough."

"You can't sleep now."

"Concussion risk, right?" Claire looked up, her skinned palm finding its place resting in Rae's hand.

Rae nodded. "You did a good thing. You probably saved Audrey's life."

Claire's wings twitched, trying to find flight that would never come to them again. "My dad told me never to bring my wings out in the warm months. Guess he was right. It was like they were made of paper. I got Audrey out of the way, but then, they just... tore."

"You must have fallen, what, twenty feet?" Rae looked up at the tower where the battle had taken place. "You probably shouldn't try to get up yet. There's an ambulance coming, they'll look you over, make sure there's no permanent damage."

"Fairies are made of stronger stuff than humans." Claire moved to prop herself up on her elbows. Rae put her hand on Claire's chest.

"Don't. Please. For me."

"I just can't stop thinking about it." Claire looked up at the stars. "If I wouldn't have intervened, Audrey would've... I don't know. But I can't help but wonder, was it worth it? I'm never going to fly again. What's a fairy without her wings? Is that selfish of me?"

"No. Don't think like that. At least, not now." Rae stroked Claire's mud-streaked hair. "It's okay to have complicated feelings about this."

"How are you so normal about this?"

"Honestly?" Rae cracked a grin. "I'm repressing all my emotions until I get home. Healthy? Probably not. But if I just don't think about it, it's fine, right?"

Claire managed a small smile. "Probably not, but whatever."

Sirens rung out in the distance. Rae stood up. "That's probably the ambulance. I'll go get them."

Claire's eyes widened as reality started to settle in. Her wings were irrevocably broken, and she could barely feel her legs. She'd never fly again, and she wasn't even sure if she'd walk, either. Could she even go home to Pixie Hollow? Would her magic even work anymore?

Audrey was alive. Her best friend and roommate wasn't dead because of her, but still, the cost was impossible to weigh. Was it worth it? Was it worth it to tear apart a fundamental part of herself to save someone who was only nice to her about 50% of the time?

Claire didn't know. She wasn't sure if she'd ever know, and as the paramedics strapped her onto the stretcher, that same question kept revolving in her mind.

Eobard gave her the implant after the first time she snuck out.

Sivonne had slipped out her window to go to a party with some friends, like any fifteen-year-old would, and had come home visibly intoxicated, even if he didn't acknowledge that he had noticed it. It was a liability, and she needed to be reined in before something went wrong.

He phased it under her skin in her sleep, because he knew she'd notice an incision in the morning. She healed fast, of course, even without her speed awakened yet, so by the time the morning came, there was no evidence that he had done it.

It was something from his time, a device from the 22nd century that Eobard had rebuilt from scratch in case something like this ever happened. He needed to stay in control of that girl-thing, the abomination that he had created. Right now, he was toeing a fragile line with his identity, and his so-called daughter made everything a million times more difficult.

If only he could tell her everything. Then he'd be able to blow up in her face like he so desperately wanted to. He could bellow, scream with all his rage, eyes blazing the fiery red of the Negative Speed Force that she was born from.

She'd taken a risk that he didn't want her to- what if her power had activated that night, under the stress of her intoxication? She could have killed everyone in that room without even realizing it. Then, the jig would be up. He'd have to somehow explain how and why his child, whose legal documents were fairly solid but he was sure wouldn't withstand a thorough searching, had somehow turned a bunch of drunken teenagers to ash.

Speculation would fall on him, and then he'd be ruined. At the very least, his backup plan and final weapon would be either killed or thrown in a cell so dark not even the Speed Force itself could find her. No, it was better this way.

The implant would allow him to monitor everything that she saw, and to potentially blur out anything that could cause her psychological stress. He'd taken out that feature, of course. He wanted her broken. He wanted her traumatized. He wanted her angry, and willing to fight.

He'd altered it, in turn, to allow him access to her somatic nervous system. Just a flick of a switch, and she'd be a prisoner in her own body. Something tempted him to use it next time she had to interact with the Rathaways, but it was too risky. Best to leave it for emergencies.

The next morning, Sivonne woke up, a little itchy under the skin but unaware that anything had changed. There the implant stayed, where Eobard would sit, checking her activities on his tablet as she went about her daily life, away from him.

He watched her as she trained in her Muay Thai lessons. He'd given the man, who definitely wasn't running covert recruitment for the League of Assassins under the guise of a martial arts training facility, a few thousand dollars in exchange for teaching his creation some techniques certainly weren't developed by the League, and how to handle melee weapons, since ranged ones would be soon useless, considering the powers that lay just under the surface.

It was unfortunate that the man would have to be taken out of the picture soon. Eobard knew that he had taken an interest in Sivonne, but he wasn't about to let his property be stolen by a group that would be all but gone by his time. No, she would never be part of the League of Assassins, and Eoabrd would be sure of it. He had a file, after all, one he'd made of all the man's illegal activities. One fax of that to the police, and it'd all be over for him.

He watched, the first time she had intercourse, with abject interest. He considered stopping her then and there, since she didn't really need that kind of distraction in her life, but decided against it. They were being safe, after all, and there was no risk of pregnancy, both with Sivonne's lack of reproductive systems (designed by him, of course), and the fact that they were both biologically female (on the surface, at least). It was too much of a risk for him to intervene, so he averted his gaze, but kept the tablet within arms' reach.

The girl's name was Regina Rivera, a grossly overweight girl in Sivonne's year who spoke English with a thick accent. She was a recent immigrant from Puerto Rico, and while Eobard hadn't met her yet, he knew that Sivonne had become quite smitten. It was strange, really- when he'd written her genetic code, he hadn't intended for her to be enamored with women, let alone to have any sexual interests in the first place. Oh, well. Some things were both by nature and nurture, and his abomination of a daughter's preferences were certainly one of them. So long as she stayed safe, it wasn't his problem. He'd likely have to kill her eventually, anyway.

He watched as Rivera slowly integrated in with Sivonne's small friend group. Out of them all, Eobard liked Max the most- underneath that so-called "dweeby" exterior was a cunning and ruthless spirit most didn't notice. He didn't know why she chose to associate with such complete and utter social outcasts, though. She had the physical strength and charisma to climb the social ladder and make connections that might actually mean something someday.

These people didn't matter. He had to remind himself- after all, they were all dead for centuries where he was from, even if they were mere children, high school sophomores and freshmen in this time. But these people were influencing Sivonne, even as much as he tried to keep their influence at a minimum, softening her hard edges that he'd worked so hard to sharpen- but none were as much a bad influence as Rivera.

Over the years of watching and observing, even after Sivonne got her powers and started her ill-advised misadventures in vigilantism, Eobard's opinion on Regina Rivera worsened. Throught the years, he tried prompting multiple times for Sivonne to separate herself from the girl, but each time was met with accusations of "classism", because Sivonne, of course believed he disliked her partner due to her lower socioeconomic status.

While it was true that he would prefer she choose a partner of similar status and values to his own, or better yet no partner at all, that was not what he hated about Rivera. No- Rivera was a goody-two shoes little bitch who influenced his would-be weapon in all the wrong ways. Rivera was good. Rivera was sweet. Worst of all, Rivera was soft, both in spirit and body.

He could almost imagine the horror it would be if his daughter became like her partner. Sickly-sweet, doe-eyed, graceful, and obese in a way that revealed her soft, feminine nature and interest in things, like music and the arts, that while perhaps valuable to society as a whole, his genetically engineered terror of a daughter had no place engaging in. Perhaps it was the fact that they were such opposites that drew them together in the first place.

When Rivera confronted him with the knowledge of his secret, a moment he knew was coming from the moment he watched through Sivonne's eyes as she revealed the secret of her telepathic powers, he knew it was time. With a flick of his hand on his tablet, Sivonne was summoned from... wherever she was to the room where Rivera had confronted him.

It only took a swipe of his finger for Rivera's heart to be clutched in Sivonne's hand, still giving two more last, pitiful beats before falling to the ground with Rivera's body. The fleshy mass made a sickening plop, and Eobard was more than happy to finally be rid of her.

Sivonne's eyes were wide with terror, but that was the only emotion her face betrayed, as every muscle in her body was now under his control. She was truly his now, and only his. She'd learn her place soon enough, once her spirit had been broken and she'd been turned back into the barely-sapient shell she'd been intended to be.

"Now, Sivonne." Eobard knelt down to her level, voice purring like the cat that caught the canary. "I believe that you have a lot of work to do, to make up for your friend's betrayal."

He'd force her to commit atrocities, until that was all she knew how to do. She'd terrorize Barry Allen and everything he knew and loved, and once that was done, she'd bring him to Eobard, where he could finally kill him and finally lay this whole feud to rest. Then, Eobard would retire and, for the first time in the centuries that made up his temporally confusing lifespan, he would sleep well- but not before terminating his creation, of course.

I wish more people understood that Corinthian only wants attention and approval from his creator. He wants to be recognized as a useful entity and wants people to see the world as he does, and yet it does get misconstrued the wrong way. Deep down he does have a heart of gold for children, though and would be as kind as he can to them. If he found one abandoned, he would do his best to take them home, because that is the person he is. 

That being said, I headcanon him as being great with children and also being a great father (hence why I gave him Levi in my New Beginnings Universe) and treats them the way he would have wanted to be treated and loved by his creator. This nightmare is also an amazing cook. I know one of my friends here can attest and agree with me. I am looking at you @novaracer

In the Sandman show, I like Corinthians' interactions with Morpheus. It is interesting to see how he simultaneously loathes, somewhat respects, and admires him. It is an interesting power dynamic at play and Boyd and Tom are phenomenal at portraying them. 

I think it would be fun to see him interact more with Hob, especially since I tend to write Hobrintheus x reader fics (maybe I should create an OC specific to that polycule hmmm). Hob clocking him on the dot and nodding to Morpheus who rolls his eyes like “this is the sexyman you were ashamed to show me. About time he showed up.” I think along these lines if Hob and Corinthian did have this interaction, they would so gang up on Morpheus and play pranks on him. At the same time, though, they would desperately try to get the poor lad to rest. Needless to say, they would both be very goofy, yet serious and casual, definitely mess with Morpheus to keep him on his toes while also looking out for him. 

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Morpheus (Dream of the Endless) 

Morpheus happens to be the type of person I gravitate towards in fiction. A concept of an idea, not even really human, tall, pale, dark eyes, eyeliner, deep resonant voice and had a long dark coat and color palette. Not to mention a tad dangerous if you peeve him. 

I wish more people understood and took into account how awful Morpheus’s marriage record is and how petty and arrogant he is (especially in the comics). We can see it weed out through season one, but he is a class A jerk so I would greatly hesitate to consider him as marriage material until Hob mellowed him out (definitely would marry Hob no questions asked). 

Morpheus likes to sit in a dark ominous looking chair and knit together mini shadow nightmares for his partner(s). I for one think it is cute and a way he can be inspired to ease his mind for a moment. I also think he is also a grade A clinger, though you cannot get him to admit it. He adores the loving touch of his partner(s) but it does take him quite some time to get there, due to his understandable mistrust of humanity. 

In the Sandman show, I enjoyed Morpheus’s interactions with Jed. The small smile he gives the kid is reminiscent of the way he knows how dreams can be a comfort for young kids and I like how Jeb admires him as a hero in some subconscious manner. I wish this man would interact more with his family. I really hope we get a few flashback scenes of the chaotic family dinners and the ridiculous outfits he sports.