#High-Quality Address Lists

[datatoolsau]

Residential And Business Address Lists

Access verified Residential and Business Address Lists across Australia for precise targeting and outreach. Ideal for marketing, research, and analysis, our platform offers postcode-level data with instant downloads to support smarter campaigns and accurate customer engagement.

[ozsvessalius]

another super insulting part of the watcher situation i haven't rly seen ppl addressing much

ryan deadass saying smth like "nobody else on youtube has made tv quality content"

like... i really feel like it's important to highlight that bc not only do they obviously have no respect for their audience, but that statement shows they have no respect for their peers in the industry, either.

not to mention it is a shining example of bleeding arrogance to such a high degree, you will straight up fucking lie bc you're truly convinced you're that special when you're anything but.

there's been NUMEROUS online creators who were recognized by entertainment industry workers BECAUSE they made tv quality content & even full stop blockbuster quality content.

bo burnham started on youtube & is now one of the most wellknown & loved standup comedians of our generation, with numerous netflix specials & even a movie he wrote & directed under his belt.

the try guys, fellow ex-buzzfeed employees, had their own tv specials on food network (based off their youtube shows, btw) & a documentary made about them as well

rosanna pansino has also been on numerous food network shows both as a host & a judge

quinta brunsun, another fellow ex-buzzfeed employee, went on to create her own whole ass sitcom that has been highly praised

matpat cameo'd in the fnaf movie because of his theories & multiple other fnaf creators had small cameos through the employee of the month board easter egg

markiplier made multiple high-quality shows on youtube & is now working on a highly anticipated movie (he was also planned to cameo in the fnaf movie but couldn't due to conflicting schedules with his own movie)

hot ones got their own tv gameshow due to their popularity & they are still one of the most wellknown, beloved & respected internet shows

many short films made on youtube went on to premiere at film festivals & even in theaters

the hit horror film "talk to me" was created by youtubers rackaracka

webseries of actual fucking tv shows have also existed for literal decades

the list goes on.

to seriously think that overproduced bullshit is all you need to make "tv quality content" is not only tone-deaf, but shows they do not even know what they're talking about. many tv shows & huge blockbuster movies are made with absolutely microscopic budgets & small teams, & they still get praised & awarded for the passion, dedication, & creativity that shined brightly under those restrictions.

the blair witch project is probably the most wellknown & highly praised example of this, but it is far from the Only example

it is a whole other slap in the face, again ESPECIALLY when puppet history is one of their most popular shows, to spit in the face of internet history. to see the success of their predecessors, even ppl they fucking worked with at buzzfeed, & deny them of all their success & efforts to get where they ended up.

no, y'all are not the first people to make "tv quality content" on the internet. FAR from it. because your crap isn't even genuine "tv quality".

but you are the first ones to ever disrespect not only your audience, but your own fucking industry & your peers on this level.

& you are the first & i sorely hope the only fuckwads dumb enough to pull a stunt this fucking stupid, out of touch & utterly tone deaf.

[warandpeas]

If it's possible for you, please consider supporting us on Patreon.

These comics are our passion and we love to publish them for free on the internet. But while they are a quick read, they are very time consuming to create. That's why we rely on the help of this community.

See the many extras our supporters get.

This comic is not only the first Halloween comic of the season, it's also the first comic of this year's WAPSTOBER! That means from today until next Sunday, there will be a new comic every day!

To make sure you don't miss a single post, subscribe to the mailing list:

[fluffywing-e-tarot]

Twins of Seperath Paths: Shen Shi

[Error! Error! Error!]

Shen Yuan wanted to slap the annoying thing making such a sound. Shen Yuan opened his eyes to a Red window in front of him

[System calibration] [System 'error' identified.]

The red screen turned blue in front of him. Shen Yuan tried to understand what was happening.

[Activation code: Dumbfuck Author Dumbfuck Novel. System automatically triggered] [ Welcome to the System. This System operates in line with the design concept “YOU CAN YOU UP, NO CAN NO BB”; we hope to provide you with the best possible experience. It is our sincere wish that during your time, you can fulfil your desires and, in accordance with your wish, transform a stupid work into a magnificent, high-quality, first-rate classic. We hope you enjoy.]

 During the system's introduction. Shen Yuan became aware of a pain in his chest. And what was around him as someone gently pushed his shoulder, “Didi, are you awake?”

[The System was successfully activated. Bound role: Slave of the Qiu Family, younger brother to Shen Jiu, future Chang Quiong Mountain Sect, Peak Lord of Qing Jing Peak, “Shen Qingqiu”, Shen Shi. ]

[As there was an error in the user 002 bound roll. User 002 is granted 1000 B points. [The User was intended for “Shen Quinqui” after he selected Protagonist in the sect.] [Due to ‘error’ in this system. You are granted a specialised quest for continued use. DIE BUT SURVIVE.]

“Didi!” the address is shouted right next to his ear. Shen Yuan jumped, scrambling, but his limbs caught on the large cut in his clothes. His back hit the floor, jolting him. 

“Ow," Shen Yuan said. A Cough slipping from his chest 

“You’ve decided to live.” A young voice spoke. Shen Yuan looked up at a face that had small, sharp eyes despite his age and baby fat. He is handsome. “Get up, Shi, Master says you can't keep lying about.”

[Shen Jiu, Shen Shi's twin brother], the system chimes in. As Shen Yuan is dragged to standing. Then dragged out the door of their Scrappy room.

The Future Scum Villain looks to be ten. But this is a Xianxia novel, so age is Fucked. But also he looks to not had a good meal for years. So he might be older.

“Master Qiu Jianluo said to wash the Floors.” Shen Jiu says, handing over a bucket and a rag. “We need to hurry so we can eat our meal.”

Shen Jiu kneels and gets to work on the wood. Shen Yuan's stomach growls.

Wait. Shen Yuan thinks. This is the scum Villain’s backstory. He was going to discover how the Scum Villian became a scum villain.

“What are you doing standing there? We can't eat if we don't work.” Shen Jiu growled angrily at Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan flinches and starts cleaning. His body wants to eat. While he's scrubbing the floors, Shen Yuan checks on the system.

[DIE BUT SURVIVE] [Quest summary: Find a way to escape the fated death of Shen Shi, blackening the morals of Shen Jiu. For the continued Use. User 002 bound role ‘Shen Shi’ must survive.]

Original Post & Master list

Next Post: Hu Fuzhu

Previous Post: Awakened Demon

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hi! I'm trying to get into writing twst fanfiction, but I'm having some trouble with keeping the boys in-character. What do you think are their base traits? Like, what's the foundation of their personalities?

Hello! I spent a long time debating about whether to respond to this ask or not. Ultimately, a lot of the thoughts I would include in my response are the same as what I have already expressed here. However, I've noticed that this has become sort of a recurring issue, so I'd like to address this more seriously.

I've recently been getting a lot of people requesting that I basically tell them how to write the Twst characters. Tens and tens of them, in fact (too many to include all in one post). Sometimes it's an ask like, "please list out strengths/weaknesses or a summary of their character traits", and sometimes it's more specific like, "here is a prompt I am working on; how do you think [character] would act in this situation?" I'm NOT comfortable with either type of ask and refuse to answer asks of this nature.

I want to be clear: this is NOT the same as asking for general writing advice; this is literally just asking to be spoon-fed the answers. There is a difference between seeking advice on how to overcome writer's block or asking what are techniques to show, don't tell (which is general writing advice) versus asking someone to specifically instruct them on how to write Leona Kingscholar from the hit Disney mobile game Twisted Wonderland. The former is okay with me, while the latter is not.

While I am flattered that people care about my opinion and hold it in high regard, I am not here to be a cheat sheet, and nor are my opinions the "most correct". There is no single "correct" way to write a character, and even if there was, it's certainly not mine. Only the Twst devs themselves are the "most correct", as whatever they produce is what ends up as canon.

As I have said in my previous post on this topic, having someone else tell you how to write does little to help you. Writing is a skill, and skills are not inherent. They are something you train in, practice, and learn. Looking at a bunch of adjectives will not help you write or understand the characters any better than you currently do. If anything, it just means you don’t develop or practice your critical analysis skills. In a worse-case scenario, it devalues what a writer does, as it places the burden on them to condense what they know into a laundry list of characterization--as if it doesn't take us tons of time to hone those writing skills. The only real way to get the results you want is to do your own research, develop your own interpretations, and practice, practice, practice. There is no magic pill or shortcut or streamlining or easy way to do it and come out with a quality result. You have to be willing to put in the time and the effort to learn a skill, and that extends to writing, be it for this fandom, another fandom, or even for non-fandom writing. Think about it like this: when you're writing a good research paper, do you go and ask a single other source to gather all your data and summarize it for you? Of course not. You have to go out and manually collect the resources, do the reading, take notes, and gain an understanding of those resources. Then you use your newfound knowledge to summarize and to synthesize your own conclusions in your research paper. The same logic applies for writing in fandom.

I'm not sure why there is this sudden interest in shortcuts. Is it social media shortening our attention spans? Is it the rise of A.I. like ChatGPT making people more reliant on and more comfortable with summaries? Is it that people are concerned with nailing characterization or instant success the first time around? Is it that the internet's so much crueler with comments + feedback that we want to avoid OOC-ness as much as possible? Is it that I just so happen to like talking about character analysis so people think I must know everything? It could be any of these reasons or a combination of them--but whatever the reasoning is, it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It's concerning to me that it seems like people are becoming less and less interested in thinking for themselves and instead are increasingly reliant on others telling them how to create. You NEED to fail and get stuff wrong. You NEED to be able to have the courage to try things on your own. Don't be afraid of failure--failure isn't inherently a bad thing, it is how we learn, grow, and shape our own styles and ways of thinking! I definitely was not perfect when I first started out. I had to fail and stumble and struggle to get my craft to where it is today. So did every single one of your favorite creators. Artists had stick figures, writers had their first words. No artist or writer started off making masterpieces. Arguably, they still don't. Every creator is continuously learning and trying to improve their craft. It's not as though they hit perfection one day and decided to stay stagnant. I feel that it devalues what we make when we try to boil down all the skill we've developed into easy "answer keys" for others to digest. Again, you can ask all you want and seek out as many shortcuts as you like, but that's not going to be properly absorbed into your brain unless you walk the walk for yourself. You can't assume that learning these things will be as easy as reading a summary, memorizing a tutorial, figuring out what brush someone uses, etc.--it wasn't for the people you're asking for this advice from either. Failing is normal and expected. You will also never be able to create something that pleases everyone or something that everyone agrees with--so instead of trying to appeal to an unseen audience, please focus on creating what makes you happy. You have your own creative journeys ahead of you, so don't be scared to walk that road! It can be tough and you'll hit roadblocks and challenges--but overcome them, and you'll become even stronger and more skilled than you were before.

Best of luck!

[datatoolsau]

Australian Address Database

Access a reliable Australian Address Database with verified residential and business records. Perfect for targeted marketing, logistics, and data-driven planning. Instantly download postcode-accurate address data tailored to your campaign or business needs across Australia.

[plethoraworldatlas]

Conservation groups filed objections this week to the U.S. Forest Service’s proposed final management plan for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests in western Colorado. The plan would allow commercial logging on more than 772,000 acres of public lands, including mature and old-growth trees — a 66% increase from the current forest plan.

“A sizeable area of our beloved forests could be sacrificed to commercial logging at the expense of our already dwindling wilderness areas, wildlife habitat and recreation,” said Chad Reich with High Country Conservation Advocates. “Outdoor recreation is a far larger economic driver for our communities than the local timber industry that benefits from cutting these forests. The Forest Service would’ve known that if it had conducted an economic analysis, as required by law.”

Under the proposed plan mature and old-growth forests, which store massive amounts of carbon, could be commercially logged. Forest managers would not be required to identify and protect old-growth and mature trees. Steep slopes across the forests, including Upper Taylor Canyon and Slate River Valley, could also be logged despite the high risk of severe erosion and threats to water quality.

“The proposed plan directly violates federal policy on protecting mature and old-growth trees as a cornerstone of U.S. climate action,” said Alison Gallensky, conservation geographer with Rocky Mountain Wild. “The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests boast the highest carbon sequestration capacity of any national forest in the Rocky Mountain region. Despite this the Forest Service has failed to ensure these vital carbon sinks aren’t logged and sold.”

Objections also challenged the Forest Service’s failure to take urgently needed climate action by prohibiting new coal leasing in the plan.

...

The Forest Service recommended adding only 46,200 acres of new wilderness area in the final plan. The community’s conservation proposal had called for more than 324,000 acres of new wilderness lands. In addition, the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative offered a broadly supported proposal for new wilderness and special management areas in Gunnison County that was mostly excluded.

...

“Community members proposed special management area designations to protect pristine forestlands in the North Fork Valley from logging and oil and gas drilling,” said Peter Hart, legal director at Wilderness Workshop. “The Forest Service ignored those proposals and chose not to protect those areas in the new plan.”

The groups also raised concerns about the plan’s failure to address the myriad needs of plants and animals that depend on the forests.

“Over 20 years ago Colorado Parks and Wildlife reintroduced Canada lynx to the San Juan Mountains,” said Rocky Smith, a long-time forest management analyst. “This is a great source of pride for wildlife lovers in this state. Lynx are federally threatened and depend on mature forests with large trees. This plan allows for logging that could easily degrade or destroy much of the best habitat for lynx and their main prey, snowshoe hares, and undermine Colorado’s hard work to reestablish and maintain a viable lynx population.”

The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests also provide habitat for the iconic bighorn sheep and lesser-known species like the Grand Junction milkvetch and the Tundra buttercup. These species, among others, need special designation the Forest Service grants to plants and animals when there is concern about their ability to survive in the area. Many struggling plants and animals were left off the list in the proposed final plan.

“Without the species of conservation concern designation the Forest Service has no obligation to make sure the plants and animals continue to exist locally,” said Chris Krupp, public lands attorney with WildEarth Guardians. “In many cases, the agency decided not to designate wildlife, plants or fish merely because it had no data on their population trends. Without species of conservation concern designation, the number of bighorn sheep in GMUG could dwindle down to almost nothing and the agency wouldn’t have to do anything about it.”

[stephreviews]

Steph's Weekly Watchlist (Mar. 17)

So many shows are starting this week! Whoooo! I'm so ready!

QL Dramas - Currently Airing

Lost in the Woods (Wed, Airing: 1/7)

This one looks like "Tale of Thousand Stars" style, except Fifa did not want to go to the town. Honestly same bruh. It doesn't look high quality, but I'll give anything a shot. Also, this got delayed by 1 week. So hopefully it's airing for realsies.

My Golden Blood (Wed, Airing: 2/12)

This show had a lot of hype but fell flat for a lot of people. This episode pretty much met my expectations LOL. I knew GMMTV's first real foray into CGI was not going to be pretty, but what I wanted was gay Twilight and God damn it that's what I'm getting.

Secret Relationships (Wed-Thur, FINALE)

It's interesting how differently all 3 men are treating Daon. Honestly? I'm not sure how I want it to end anymore. Soohyun forcing himself onto Daon was Not It. Jaemin is The Worst. But also like....it would be kinda messy and fun for Daon to pick one of the red flags, you know?

Top Form (Thur, Airing: 1-2/11)

This show looks really interesting! It's another meta (a few of these have come out of Japan recently, but I think this is the first out of Thailand), where it's two costars dating. See the extended trailer here.

Sweet Tooth, Good Dentist (Fri, Airing: 1/12)

I'm so excited for this show! Much like My Golden Blood, they released a behind the scenes episode. Mark is an amazing actor, but has been stuck as a side character for literal years. I neeeeeed to see him as a main. Watch the trailer here!

Flirt Milk (Sat, Airing: 9/10)

I binge-watched the 8 episodes of this show that are out this week one day when I was bored, and damn this show is so stupid. Nothing makes sense. I honestly feel bad for the actors. The actors are doing their best with a script that feels like it was either AI generated, or written by somebody who wrote like a single short-form fanfiction and then thought "I can write a 10-episode drama".

Every conflict resolves in 10 seconds or less so for some reason there's a billion things going on and way too many characters for 10 episodes. That wig and fake beard? Absolutely hilarious. Frankly I have no idea what the lesbians are doing there and how they're related to the guys. Took me forever to learn Phra Rong's name. Phra Rong was harassing Pai at the cafe and for some reason I can't figure out decided to flirt with him? I'm very confused. I feel like I'm on multiple drugs.

Perfect 10 Liners (Sun, Airing: 22/24)

Okay I just KNEW that bullshit with the mom was going to come back during this arc. I mean, we all knew Faifa's issues stemmed from the way his mom picked him up and threw him away as she pleased, but the way Yotha and Newton treat him? No one thought to call or text him when she couldn't come to visit? Also, this entire time that Faifa has been courting Wine, Yotha has been threatening him and telling him to not hurt Wine. What about Faifa's feelings?? Like my dude. Gun cares wayyy more about Faifa than Yotha does. I need an episode where Yotha gets a reckoning.

Ossan's Love TH (Mon, FINALE)

This episode took me on a wild ride. Honestly this whole show has been a wild ride, but I think it's the first love triangle I haven't hated, and I'm the number one love triangle hater. Kongdech is kinda pushy, but he doesn't let it affect how he treats Heng as his boss. They also address how Heng doesn't set boundaries and never says no. Mo also has flaws and never speaks his mind. It's three messed up adults colliding in a way that's funny, but relatable. This episode, we finally see everyone address their issues head-on....and then Heng gets amnesia!

QL Dramas - Catching Up

I see it as a win that this list keeps getting smaller 🥹

Fragrance of the First Flower SS2 (Tues, Airing: 9-10/12, Me: 1/12)

Reverse With Me (Wed, Airing: 7/8, Me: 1/8)

Exclusive Love (Fri, Airing: 7/12, Me: 1/12)

Us the Series (Sat, Airing: 10/12, Me: 1/12)

Other Dramas

The Witch 마녀 (COMPLETE)

This was an amazing show. It kept me guessing until the end, and I was surprised by how romantic it felt despite the leads barely interacting. My only critique: they introduced a second couple in the last two episodes. Either don't introduce them, or have a few more episodes to tell their story. I hate when a couple gets thrown together for no reason. The main couple, however, was amazing and perfectly developed. See my full review here.

The First Frost (COMPLETE, Me: 2/12)

I only had a chance to watch episode 1 this week, and I already got sucked in. The cast is high-powered, the chemistry is chemistry-ing, I love my girl besties, the cinematography, everything! I just need a day where I can binge cause I know myself and I will not be able to hold back.

Boys Journey 2 (Fri, Airing: 8/10)

They finally (!!) divided the boys up by their branded pairs and sent them on a scavenger hunt. We got lots of cute moments, like feeding each other and cuddles and hungry baby Pooh (that boy is a black hole). This show continues to be a hilarious addition to my Fridays, including the hashtag (#BJOuting)

(side note - I thought it was hilarious how Joss was shirtless for basically the entire episode of My Golden Blood. Will this be a theme? If so - I'm so on board.)

[rq-nursedolly]

Psychosis-Induced Dementia Syndrome (PIDS)

— What is it ?

Psychosis-Induced Dementia Syndrome (PIDS) is a medically unrecognized identity characterized by a complex interplay of psychosis, trauma, and dementia-like symptoms. It occurs in individuals who have experienced untreated psychosis in emotionally neglectful environments, leading to the development of this syndrome. PIDS typically manifests after prolonged exposure to stress, where the individual’s cognitive and emotional well-being deteriorates over time. The syndrome primarily affects cognition, memory, and emotional regulation, leading to significant challenges in daily functioning.

— Diagnosis Criteria :

01 . History of Untreated Psychosis: The individual must have a history of untreated psychosis, which was not medically addressed or diagnosed at an early stage. 02 . Emotional Neglect: The individual must have experienced an emotionally neglectful environment during their development, which exacerbates the impact of untreated psychosis. 03 . Onset of PIDS Symptoms: PIDS symptoms only appear when the psychosis has become sufficiently severe to be noticeable and investigated medically. The syndrome is characterized by cognitive decline, disorientation, hallucinations, and memory issues that are evident only after psychosis reaches an advanced state.

— Symptom List :

Nocturnal Disorientation: The affected individual experiences disorientation, confusion, and difficulty in navigation during the evening and nighttime hours. This often includes getting lost in familiar surroundings and being unable to recognize places or people. Hallucinations: Visual and auditory hallucinations are common, especially at night. These hallucinations can be vivid, leading to fear and anxiety. Wandering Conversations: Conversations often become fragmented and incoherent, with the individual jumping from one topic to another without a clear connection. This symptom is particularly pronounced in the evening. Memory Issues: During the day, affected individuals have relatively normal memory function, recalling recent events, conversations, and daily tasks. However, as the day progresses towards evening, memory issues become more pronounced, with gaps in recollection and confusion about the present. Stuck in the Past: In the evening, the individual may display confusion about the current time and place, becoming fixated on past experiences or events. This often results in repetitive questioning about familiar situations, people, or memories. Emotional Instability: Mood swings and emotional instability are common, with rapid changes between sadness, anxiety, and agitation. These changes are often exacerbated by the approach of nightfall. Insomnia: Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep is common, often due to the increased disorientation and hallucinations at night. Cognitive Decline: Cognitive functions such as problem-solving, decision-making, and abstract thinking can deteriorate over time. This decline is particularly noticeable when the individual is under stress or in a high-stress environment.

— Treatment ?

Psychosis-Induced Dementia Syndrome (PIDS) is generally considered a chronic condition with no known cure. Treatment primarily focuses on managing symptoms and improving quality of life, as the syndrome itself cannot be completely treated or reversed. Individuals typically learn to live with the symptoms, utilizing strategies to cope with cognitive decline, emotional instability, and episodic confusion.

@ credits to armyflags for the flag < 3

[librarylexicon]

hi! i'm one of those insane people who got into dc via seeing tumblr posts and going "huh these tropes seem like they are tailor made to get me obsessed" but was too intimidated by the volume of comics, and instead read the wikipedia pages of like 20 characters and dove right into fanfiction after. but i've been finding myself getting more and more frustrated with fanfics that are of the "i ignore canon entirely" variety and more and more curious about aspects of canon that are only brushed upon in fanfic. i kinda want to get into the comics but the amount is just. overwhelming. i don't really know where to start, both in regards to the timeline and where to actually find the comics to read. can i ask you for recommendations? if you don't have the time or inclination, no pressure, just delete this ask XD. thank you!

Hi! I'm glad you asked! I've had this ask sitting in my box for a little while because I've been working on redoing a Batfamily comics reading guide I made for my sister back in 2019 to get her into reading comics (it worked). Here is the reading guide, which is currently complete up to the No Man's Land section:

There's a lot of info in the guide to get you started (especially regarding your second point of where to actually find the comics to read), so I'll just address your first point (the timeline) here under the cut by providing an extended summary of events. There are spoilers ahead, but it's a useful read if you're the kind of person who likes to see the big picture before delving in. Warning: it's long!

The Timeline

(Most of the comics mentioned below have been bolded in the reading guide, so should be easy to find and read.)

Batman and Batfamily comics are old. Batman and Robin have both been around for over 80 years. Does this mean you need to read every comic since 1940? Absolutely not! For comic book reasons, there have been several mainstream continuities throughout the years, one after the other, but the best place to start is directly after the universe-rebooting event called Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1986, which established a new continuity known as Post-Crisis. Don't try to read that comic, just trust that it happened. You don't have to read every single one of the comics listed here, especially if you already know some context from fandom (like who's who), but these are the ones most important to the Batfamily mythos.

Origin and early years

Start your Batman reading journey with Batman: Year One, which documents the origin and first year of Batman, establishes his working relationship with Jim Gordon and introduces Selina Kyle (Catwoman). There are many stories capturing Batman's earliest years, the best of which are Batman: The Man Who Laughs (where he meets the Joker for the first time), Batman: The Long Halloween and its sequel Batman: Dark Victory.

Dick as Robin

Dick Grayson, a young acrobat, is introduced in Batman: Dark Victory when Haly's Circus comes to Gotham and his parents fall to their deaths before his (and Bruce's) eyes during their trapeze act, and he comes into his own as the first Robin in the superb one-shot Batman Chronicles: The Gauntlet. You should also read Batman: Ego for an excellent dissection of both Bruce and Batman. Other high quality Dick!Robin stories that flesh out this period and establish Bruce and Dick's relationship are Robin: Year One, Batman: Grimm (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #149-153) and Year One: Batman/Scarecrow. Also a good read around this time are the three Halloween stories by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale (who created The Long Halloween and Dark Victory) collected in Batman: Haunted Knight. Lastly, a natural companion to Robin: Year One is Batgirl: Year One, starring Barbara Gordon, Jim's daughter-slash-adopted-niece.

Jason as Robin

Bit of a timeskip here. By now, Dick's been Robin for six years or so (sources vary), and Jason Todd is introduced in Batman (1940) #408-409 and faces Two-Face in #410-411. There are some fun Jason stories in Detective Comics (1937) #569-574. To see what Dick's up to at this time, read Nightwing: Year One, and also check out Batman #416 for an alternate story of how Dick and Jason meet.

A new Gotham vigilante, Huntress (Helena Bertinelli) is introduced right around here in Huntress: Year One, and Barbara Gordon (who by now has retired from being Batgirl) is shot by the Joker and left paralysed from the waist down in Batman: The Killing Joke. A good Jason!Robin story that slots in here is Batman: The Cult, before the tension between Bruce and Jason is raised in Batman #425-426. Finally, Jason's life and short-lived career as Robin are permanently ended by the Joker in Batman: A Death in the Family.

Aftermath

Bruce is straight up not having a good time right now. He's mourning his kid, the Joker is still at large, he's sans both a Robin and a Batgirl, and he's accused of treason in the character study comic Batman: Blind Justice (Detective Comics #598-600). Sometime later, Dick Grayson (who is sort of estranged from Bruce and has been hanging out with his Titans friends for years) returns to Gotham in the fantastic Batman: Year Three (Batman #436-439), which retells Dick's origin (with some contradictions to other stories listed here, because that's just the nature of comics) and deals with Dick's parents' killer, Tony Zucco, possibly getting parole. Look out for a cute cameo in this one, but don't worry if you miss it – it'll come up again.

Noticing Batman's increased brutality in the wake of Robin's death, a precocious thirteen-year-old named Tim Drake bursts into the narrative when he hunts down Dick at Haly's Circus in the seminal Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying. Batman: Dark Knight, Dark City (Batman #452-454) is a good solo Batman story from around this period, and Batman: Rite of Passage (Detective Comics #618-621) and Batman: Identity Crisis (Batman #455-457) are defining stories for Tim's pre-Robin period as he explores who he is and who he wants to be. (Specifically, Tim's mother is killed and his father is left paralysed.)

Tim as Robin

(Note: Tim is Robin up until Damian is, but I've split Tim's Robin tenure into multiple sections so that it's easier to follow.)

Now that Tim has officially taken up the mantle, Bruce sends him to train in Paris, where he makes enemies of his own and chooses the bo staff for his weapon in the 1991 Robin miniseries. Around this time, Barbara Gordon reinvents herself as Oracle in Oracle: Year One (The Batman Chronicles #5). Tim debuts as Robin with Batman in Gotham in Batman #465, works cases with Bruce in stories like Batman: Shadow Box (Batman #467-469), and even tackles the Joker when Batman is out of town in Robin II: The Joker's Wild.

Other good stories from this period are Batman: Electric City (Detective Comics #644-646), a character study of Tim's relationship with his dad in Batman #480, and a Batfamily teamup and Nightwing cameo in Batman: The Last Arkham (Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1-4). Stephanie Brown dubs herself the Spoiler to spoil the plans of her father, third-rate villain Cluemaster, in Detective Comics #647-649, and Huntress returns with her unorthodox methods in Detective Comics #652-653.

Next up, the sprawling epic that is the Knightfall Saga. Jean-Paul Valley, a graduate student with a family legacy causing him to be beholden to a lifetime of conditioning known as "the System", debuts in Batman: Sword of Azrael. Batman, who has been overworking himself due to increasing pressures from all sides, finds himself increasingly worn out in the stories collected in Batman: Prelude to Knightfall. (Around this time, Robin also forges an unlikely friendship with Huntress in Robin III: Cry of the Huntress.)

In Batman: Knightfall, a huge Arkham Asylum breakout pushes Batman to his limits, and when he finally returns home, mentally and physically depleted, he finds a new enemy waiting to destroy him. It's not pretty. While Bruce recovers, he appoints Jean-Paul Valley to be Batman to Tim's Robin in Batman: Knightquest. Unfortunately, with the System still active, Tim finds himself increasingly sidelined and Jim Gordon breaks ties with this new, inappropriately ruthless Batman. A lot of things happen, but Bruce eventually returns (and so does Nightwing, yay!) in Batman: KnightsEnd.

Right after KnightsEnd but before the next story, there's a DC-wide event called Zero Hour, in which the universe is destroyed and remade. From a Doylist perspective, this is an opportunity for DC to smooth out some oddities with their Post-Crisis timeline and eliminate any plot elements they were dissatisfied with. Among other things, the murderer of Bruce's parents, who had previously been established as a random mugger named Joe Chill, is retconned to be unconfirmed (naturally, this changed later). You don't have to read the main Zero Hour comic, which is a five-issue limited series numbered in reverse order, but there are interesting crossover issues in the various Batfamily comics that are ongoing at this time, including Tim!Robin solving a case with Dick!Robin in Robin (1993) #10. The main reason I mention Zero Hour is because it explains why there are key differences between early Post-Crisis comics like most of Jason's run and post-Zero Hour comics like Nightwing: Year One. The answer is retconning, and it'll come up again and again. Such is the nature of trying to maintain longevity and internal consistency for comics that never end.

Okay, back to the main events! In what is my favourite comic of all time, Bruce rights wrongs by asking Dick to temporarily be Batman instead of Jean-Paul (yay!), and Dick and Tim grow close as Batman and Robin and as honorary brothers before Dick and Bruce finally see eye to eye in Batman: Prodigal. When Bruce is ready to be Batman again, he dons a new, darker suit (which is very close to the suit in the Tim Burton movies that were popular at the time) in Batman: Troika. Alfred, who voluntarily left Bruce's employ in Knightquest, is persuaded to return to Gotham by his best friend, none other than Dick Grayson, in Nightwing: Alfred's Return. Later, Dick does some soul-searching of his own (and gains a new costume!) in the 1995 Nightwing miniseries, and three concurrent stories in Batman: Shadow of the Bat #46-47, Batman #527-528 and Detective Comics #693-694 lay the groundwork for the dramatic next stage of Gotham history.

No Man's Land

What's up next for Gotham? It's a plague! Dubbed the Apocalypse Virus and otherwise known as the Clench, this plague ravages Gotham in the Batfamily crossover Batman: Contagion, which is followed by a resurgence in Batman: Legacy. It's dramatic, it's whumpy, it's mesmerising and it's pretty great.

By this point, you'll be familiar with the regular cast of characters and can read more of their solo comics at your leisure. There's Batman for Bruce and Detective Comics and Batman: Shadow of the Bat for higher chances of him teaming up with others. Tim's solo comic, Robin (1993), has been going since Knightfall, and Dick's excellent long-running comic Nightwing (1996) begins here. Read Robin for Tim's teenage adventures (skateboarding, making friends in school), family ups and downs (his dad is mercurial, but at least he has a cool stepmother, Dana) and love life (he starts dating Steph) and read Nightwing for Dick striking out on his own in the neighbouring city of Blüdhaven, where he eventually joins the police academy to fight crime from a different angle. (There's also the Azrael comic, which may appeal if you find yourself liking Jean-Paul Valley, but as I haven't read much of it, I make no promises about its quality.)

Continuing the notable Batfamily crossover events, Nightwing has a dalliance with Huntress in Nightwing/Huntress, and a massive earthquake devastates Gotham in Batman: Cataclysm. The consequences of this spin into Batman: Aftershock, Batman: Road to No Man's Land and the sprawling, ambitious epic that is Batman: No Man's Land, in which Gotham is declared no longer part of the United States. Within this year of danger, chaos and political limbo, we are introduced to a silent young woman, daughter of the assassin David Cain. With Barbara's blessing, she comes to live at Oracle's base (the Clock Tower) and becomes the second Batgirl. (Also during this period, Steph gives birth to a baby from a former boyfriend, and Tim – in disguise – gets himself stuck in No Man's Land to help her. It's complicated.)

New Gotham

This, along with the previous section, is one of my favourite periods in Batfamily comics. Many of the solo comics just mentioned are at their peak in terms of storytelling, characterisation and plot development, and several more excellent series begin here, including the family-focused Batman: Gotham Knights and the first ever perpetual Batgirl series for the new Batgirl, who would come to be known as Cassandra Cain. Both series are well worth reading!

Batman: Evolution (Detective Comics #742-750) touches on the fallout of the No Man's Land and rebuilding "New Gotham", and Bruce unwillingly gains a personal bodyguard named Sasha Bordeaux in Batman: A Walk in the Park (Detective Comics #751-752), which of course complicates his nocturnal activities as Batman. Soon after, Jim Gordon is shot in Batman: Offcer Down, and (unrelatedly) Dick and Barbara, who have been having off-the-chart levels of UST for years, finally call their flirting what it is: dating. Also at this time, Bruce has been rekindling his relationship with his pre-No Man's Land girlfriend, Vesper Fairchild.

In Joker: Last Laugh, the Joker decides to go out with a bang in when he finds out he's apparently suffering from terminal brain cancer. The theme of family is explored in Batman: Gotham Knights, with Bruce offering to adopt Dick (at long last) in Batman: Matatoa (Batman: Gotham Knights #16-17). And then a secret threatens to tear the Batfamily apart when Bruce is accused of murdering Vesper Fairchild in Bruce Wayne: Murderer?, eventually prompting him to drop the Bruce Wayne identity completely (this made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move) and become Batman full-time as he goes on the run in Bruce Wayne: Fugitive. Eventually the murder is solved and the murderer is accounted for, and these two stories are probably my favourite Batfamily crossovers ever. They're so juicy and get to the heart of everything I love about each member!

The excellent Bruce & Dick comic Batman/Nightwing: Bloodborne fits somewhere around here, as well as Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's beautifully drawn and critically acclaimed Batman: Hush, which touches on Bruce's on-again, off-again relationship with Selina Kyle. Around this time in the Nightwing comic, Dick's life has been on a downward spiral for months because of a multitude of factors, including losing his girlfriend, his day job, his circus family, his apartment building and more. This is also where the villains Blockbuster and Tarantula are prominent.

Over in Robin, Tim's father discovers that Tim is Robin and demands that Tim give up the mantle, which he reluctantly does. This results in Bruce offering the job to Steph, driving a wedge between her and Tim. Her tenure as Robin is short-lived for several reasons, and all this leads into the mega-crossover Batman: War Games, in which a massive gang war breaks out in Gotham and Tim's sort-of girlfriend, Darla Aquista, is killed. By the time the dust settles, Steph is (believed) dead, Dick temporarily gives up his Nightwing mantle to work for the mafia (yup), Barbara and Jim leave Gotham and Tim's father is murdered in the DC-wide crossover Identity Crisis, resulting in Tim and Cassandra relocating to Blüdhaven, effectively sealing the breakup of the Batfamily. War Games is followed up by Batman: War Crimes, which is included here for timeline reasons and not much else.

Batman's pretty much all alone in Gotham again, right? Time for somebody else to return. Someone who's been haunting the narrative all these years. Yup, in the wake of the gang war, when rival mob bosses are vying to wrest control of the city, a new crime lord emerges in Batman: Under the Hood: the Red Hood, who turns out to be Jason Todd, back from the dead, and no longer a boy in a yellow cape but instead a ruthless, hypocritical murderer with a chip on his shoulder and no qualms about stabbing Batman's allies. (For more about Jason between his death and return to Gotham, read Red Hood: Lost Days.)

Lastly, there's a DC-wide event called Infinite Crisis, which shakes up the whole DC Universe and leads to Batman, Nightwing and Robin taking a trip around the world for a whole year. (Infinite Crisis also kills off Tim's best friend, Conner Kent/Superboy. Tim's really going through it at this time, poor guy.) Oh, and Blüdhaven is razed by a bomb during Infinite Crisis as well. Yup.

One Year Later

(Disclaimer: it's been a while since I read this period and this one beyond it.) After a year away from Gotham, Batman, Nightwing and Robin return, and Bruce adopts Tim (at long last) in Batman: Face the Face. I'm sure this happy-ish period is going to last, right? Well, the very next story is Batman and Son, in which Bruce learns he has a young son named Damian, who is the child of Talia, daughter of Ra's al Ghul (Batman's currently dead, formerly immortal nemesis of League of Assassins fame). Damian and Tim instantly don't hit it off – rather, Tim is friendly until the bratty and hostile Damian reveals himself to be a murderer and attempts to kill Tim. Of course, Bruce doesn't take kindly to this, and Damian eventually goes back to live with his mother.

Also, during the year the others were away, Cassandra was brainwashed and became evil because of Deathstroke and DC Editorial (this made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move). Later, Bruce adopts her in the otherwise mediocre 2008 Batgirl miniseries. There's a lot of complicated stuff around this time, such as Steph being retconned as Alive All Along and returning to Gotham in Robin: Violent Tendencies (Robin #170-175, Robin/Spoiler Special), Dick relocating to New York and having a mediocre run in Nightwing, Tim having a new black and red Robin suit to honour Superboy's death, Tim struggling mentally and trying to clone Conner(!) and revive Steph, his dad and Conner, Ra's al Ghul coming back from the dead (again) and trying to use a younger body (Damian or Tim) to stabilise his form in Batman: The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul, and Bruce tackling the criminal organisation known as the Black Glove in Grant Morrison's Batman R.I.P.

DC-wide events once again have consequences (hooray) in Final Crisis, in which Batman dies. Is he dead for good? Well, this is comic book land, so probably not, but in the meantime, the public can't know that either Batman or Bruce Wayne have died. Hush masquerades as Bruce Wayne (long story) and the Robins battle it out for the mantle in Batman: Battle for the Cowl. Despite Tim's pleas, Dick refuses to become Batman, resulting in an imposter Batman who shoots to kill taking centre stage. This impostor turns out to be Jason, who fights first Tim, then Dick, the latter of whom defeats him. Against Bruce's wishes in his will, Dick becomes the new Batman, and Damian becomes Robin at his side.

Damian as Robin

This new status quo, also known as Batman: Reborn, marks the start of several new series, including Red Robin and Batgirl (2009). Red Robin stars Tim as a deeply unreliable narrator in his new title of Red Robin in his grief-fuelled efforts to gather evidence that Bruce is not dead, while Batgirl follows Stephanie Brown as she becomes the third Batgirl under Oracle's tutelage, the pair of them working out of the Batcave.

Dick, Damian and Alfred have relocated to the penthouse in Wayne Tower and operate out of the underground bunker. Dick and Damian's rocky partnership develops into an unlikely yet compelling and heartfelt bond in Batman and Robin (2009) as they tackle a plethora of villains, including Professor Pyg and Red Hood (again). And where is Cassandra Cain? Sidelined again! She gave up Batgirl for Steph, on Bruce's request, and now goes by Black Bat, though we don't see much of her for Editorial Reasons (sigh).

This being comics, Bruce doesn't stay dead for long, and with both Tim and Dick (separately) discovering evidence that Bruce is not dead, just lost in time (yup), they work together to bring him back alive. I don't pretend to remember all the intricacies of how this works, but you can read about Bruce's journey in Batman: Time and the Batman (Batman #700-703), Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne and Bruce Wayne: The Road Home. It's long and complex and honestly reading Grant Morrison's writing tends to do my head in.

There are a handful more stories after Bruce's return, including some hugs and heartfelt reunions (yes, really!) and the excellent Batman: The Black Mirror story starring Dick as Batman, but even though this is a really cool new status quo with a bunch of interesting implications going forward, the universe doesn't really stabilise, because we're up to 2011 by now, and the world gets hit by another DC-wide crossover called Flashpoint. Except, this is the biggest one since Crisis on Infinite Earths that I mentioned way back at the beginning, and so everything gets rebooted. EVERYTHING.

Batman and Detective Comics and other long-running comics are cancelled and their number restarted from #1, and many series are cancelled and just never reinstated. This new universe, known as the New 52, sets a new status quo that worked in some aspects but not so much in others. Many changes from the universe we just came from are just jumps that happen without explanation, such as Dick's return to being Nightwing (except now he's red instead of blue), Jason being an anti-hero with a bat on his chest instead of a villain, everyone being younger and closer in age, Steph and Cass being minimised and essentially replaced, and many more frustrating retcons that are confusing and/or illogical. But hey, at least the new Batman and Robin comic (starring Bruce and Damian) and Scott Snyder's Batman run (introducing the Court of Owls) are good! Note: the New 52 was soft rebooted in 2016 to become the current continuity, known at its inception as DC Rebirth, which reintroduced many Post-Crisis elements to mainstream canon.

Duke Thomas? He wasn't introduced until the New 52. Harper and Cullen Row? New 52. Tim being bisexual and dating Bernard? Rebirth, though Bernard was inspired by a very minor character of the same name from Tim's long-running Robin comic. Forever Evil, Spyral and the Grayson comic? New 52. Kate Kane (Batwoman)? She appeared during Batman: Reborn, but she wasn't established as Bruce's cousin until the New 52. Many such cases.

And so, right before Flashpoint is where the Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity ends after twenty-five years, with Bruce as Batman and running a worldwide initiative called Batman Incorporated in Batman Incorporated (2010), Dick as Batman in Gotham, Damian as Robin, Tim as Red Robin, Steph as Batgirl, Cassandra as Black Bat, Barbara as Oracle and Jason as Red Hood (and full villain, not reformed in any way, shape or form). In this continuity, Bruce adopted (in order) Jason, Dick, Tim and Cassandra, and of course Damian is his biological son. It's my favourite continuity, and I hope you enjoy it too.

...And I apologise belatedly for the wall of text.

[flyingfortress1]

Robert "Lucky" Hugh Leckie Research Part 1:

Well, time for everyone's favorite writer and Jersey boy- Leckie!

Born on December 18, 1920, Leckie first shows up in the 1930 census. And yeah, he's the youngest of a LARGE family- including but not limited to, John Jr. (22 years), FIVE daughters, and then our boy Robert at 9 years of age- his mom is like 45 so she probably had him around 39, which is wild (the sister before him is only a year older btw). So, Mr. and Mrs. Leckie were sure fucking busy. Now unusual thing- John Sr (father) is born in Pennsylvania- like all of the Leckies- but when it comes to his father's birth, it is both listed as Ireland and Penn. He's also in advertising- his eldest son is listed as a painter/printer, but same industry so maybe advertising too? The eldest daughter, Marion (19 yrs) is a stenographer- which good thing he's got kids working because that's a 9 person household to support on one paycheck- whew!

We also have- gasp- an address! 146 Carmita Ave- big house, but big family (also pretty house btw), worth $150 (circa 1930). It hasn't been sold in the past 20/30 years so unfortunately we have no interior pics on Zillow.

Moving on to 1940- still in the same house, but now we only have the parents, two of the youngest daughters, and Robert himself.

Some interesting stuff- Mr. Leckie and Mrs. never finished high school, one of Leckie's older sisters has four years of college under her belt, and Leckie must've finished high school very recently, I think- he was in school by March 1940- and his sisters are in college, or recently graduated. Leckie is working 48 hours a week- as a checker in the airplane manufacturing industry- I'm not totally sure what this is, but he may be the guy who double checks the quality of parts before they leave the factory. That's the best a google search tells me. Lot of responsibility for a 19 year old geez. If anyone knows the answer to that, let me know in the comments. HIs father is the pencil industry- as what, I'm not sure, advertiser maybe is what that says?

Now unlike his buddies so far, we do have some idea of what Leckie's childhood was like- because he wrote a book about it. Introducing:

the Blurb: "This warm, delightful story of Robert Leckie's childhood in Rutherford, New Jersey, tells of life with a distinctly likable family -- their pranks and problems, religion and revelries. There was Father ( called Foddy and sometimes :the Pope"), Mother, five sisters , assorted unemployed uncles, and Robert himself. Father held his position with the skill of an Old School Head of the House. "Lord, what a family!" he would say, when Mother learned to drive by complete intimidation of the Mayor of Park Avenue ( the local cop), or when Bojangles, the spaniel who thought he was people, chewed gum or could barely hold his liquor. When the Pink Fairy, the housekeeper who dressed in pink dress, stockings, shoes, fingernails and hair, locked herself in her room each night with a spike and hammer, Foddy-- answering Mother's excuses-- said, "Euphemism, Marion, does not necessarily lead to optimism. The woman's a nut!""

Only problem is it's out of print- and the copy on Amazon is 75 bucks sooo...I'm looking for it though. If you're interested in it, check your libraries and used bookstores! Might get lucky.

[nerdishpursuits]

What really amuses me (or annoys, depending) is that we always manage to look for more than meets the eye, assuming the show has more depth to it, when in truth it’s lacking in so many ways.

We seem to forget what we’re dealing with here. And what that is? Is a novela, pure and simple. A Spanish one, true. But a novela just the same. And while in the beginning, for the most part, quality prevailed? It’s more and more obvious the show is becoming plagued by the inconsistencies of its genre.

We’ll never have a sensitive topic such as SA treated with the care and empathy it deserves (if anything, it encourages the message that victims are better off if they keep silent; the SA itself and the inherent misogyny? they were just background noise for the now 20+ episodes narrative of a woman suffering the consequences of looking for justice that was legally denied)

We’ll never see Fina’s recovery as it should have been treated.

We’ll never see Marta’s own trauma addressed.

I severely doubt we’ll see them healing together in a way that feels rewarding, empathetic and well thought out. We’ll get hints that they spent the night together, that they talked about their feelings and addressed the problems they’re facing. Hints and more hints. Surface level depictions that don’t really bother going beneath the surface. One of those high-speed trains that seldom stop at any station for more than a few minutes, the scenery a blur at the edge of one’s vision. Expecting more? Well, it might be asking for too much. We either enjoy what we can and as much as we can, or we desist. Plain and simple.

As for more of today’s events?

1. Just like Marta is a grown up, capable of making her own decisions? So is Tasio. For Carmen to lay all the blame at Marta’s feet is ridiculous. As is the show persisting in comparing her to Jesús, who is a de facto muderer and whose violent actions don’t have repercussions + let’s add Don Pedro to the list, whose revenge ended with the murder of the one responsible for his son’s death - I doubt there’ll be consequences as, after all, he’s a man and allowed to get away with it. For Marta though? Pandora’s box and all its blessings. May I just say succumbing to rage and helplessness one time, does not a violent person make, nor does it undo the moral tapestry of Marta’s character (for all the show loves to punish her for it).

But I’m digressing. Tasio is not a saint and to pretend otherwise is laughable (Carmen herself suspected he orchestrated the entire thing to curry favour with his father? I mean. Her trust in him is somewhere below sea level, no need to pretend otherwise. More so, she seems to forget it was Damián who paid for Tasio’s out-of-jail-card: claiming Marta’s family wouldn’t help him is borderline absurd). Marta didn’t force him to do anything, he chose to help her of his own free will. And at the end of the day? Marta never shies away from doing the hard thing: taking accountability. And she does it every single damn time, no matter how hard it is. (let’s see if Tasio ever gets there, fully). And I now find myself needing a scene where Fina defends Marta with Carmen.

2. They found the most contrived way of using Marta’s journal against her - if it is her journal, that is; for all we know it’s Marta’s calculus notebook (Santiago invading their safe space and just so happening to find it laying there? It’s not only supremely absurd but a sacrilege as well, yet another violation of their intimacy). Rather funnily, this show might be trying to preach violence is not the answer yet here we are, ascending to the next level altogether (I personally don’t see any other way to be rid of Santiago - his demise needs to be imminent and it needs to happen). Not to mention how outlandish it is that a nobody is able to get into Fina’s cell, waltz into Marta’s office or walk onto their property like so? This level of absurd is top-tier for sure.

3. The one consistent thing? Marta’s love for Fina and Fina’s love for Marta. That hasn’t changed and it won’t (it’s very much obvious Marta is nothing but irritated with Pelayo and for good reason: that man is like fungus, chemical treatment needed)

Oh well. Since the inane seems to be the way? Let’s join the circus: Santiago is moved to tears upon reading Marta’s journal and gives them his blessing, for Pelayo and Santiago it’s love at first ‘stache and they buy the property next to Marta’s so they can be felices los quatro, Jesús launches a business promoting hair-growth (dar en el calvo) and Eladio writes a book in prison (from SIcario to NOcario).

On the bright side? Flirty and Horny Fina is back tomorrow? Or so it would seem. She’s been dearly missed 😌 Furthermore? For everything that’s not being said, shown or addressed? It’s still a feat Mafin remains the healthiest relationship on the show. No doubt about it!!!

[vividiana]

chapter 4

a/n: here it is, The Lore Chapter 👀 I couldn’t figure out how to make the formatting work on tumblr, so this post only includes the first scene (below the cut because of major spoilers) and you can read the rest on AO3 🧡

pairing: Astarion x f!Durge · word count: 4.8k

rating: M for now, will change to E (18+)

tags: modern AU, witness protection, strangers to friends to lovers (see AO3 for a more exhaustive list)

summary: It’s been over a year since Eve had to uproot her life and assume a new identity—anything to distance herself from the past she wishes she could forget. When an erratic, if oddly charming, newcomer stumbles into her place of work, she recognizes something familiar within him and the two can’t seem to stay away from each other. But Eve is not the only one running from her past.

An alternative, modern take on the Dark Urge x Astarion romance, filled with friendship, secrets, healing, and ABBA.

chapter-specific cw: nightmares, flashbacks, mentions of past domestic violence, mentions of murder, victim blaming, hate comments

previous chapter · read on AO3 · dividers

The judge clears his throat before addressing the defendant:

“Enver Gortash, the jury having found you guilty of murder in the first degree, trafficking in firearms, forced labor…”

Eve’s throat tightens as she listens to the list of charges, wondering how much shorter it could have been, had she found the courage to act sooner. Had she not been a coward, a mad dog adoring the hand yanking at its leash.

She is safe now, or so they keep telling her. Tucked away in a different building, her back aching against the plastic chair as she watches the proceedings through a livestream.

But despite the physical distance between them, she still feels Enver’s grip on her, as if at any moment he could reach through the screen and drag her right back to rock bottom.

Eve feels outside herself, the judge’s monotonous voice fading into the background. She doesn’t want to focus on the charges, doesn’t want to think about how many of them she was complicit in, how many she could have prevented. Instead, she fixates on the blurry silhouette of the man she fell in love with all those years ago—the first person who made her feel understood. 

The first person who made her feel disposable.

The judge eventually reaches the end of the list, his tone assuming a finality that snaps Eve back to the present.

“...I hereby remand you to the custody of the Metropolitan Correctional Center where you will be held, pending sentencing.”

She watches, transfixed, as two officers approach Enver, prompting him to stand up before closing a pair of metal handcuffs around his wrists—a sight she is sure she’ll be replaying in her mind for years. But before Eve can begin to parse the disarray of emotions that surge in her chest like a tidal wave, Enver’s manic laughter tears forcefully through her thoughts. He struggles against the guards, barking out a plea that feels more like a command:

“Let me talk to her. Let me fucking talk to her.”

Eve grasps her thigh, nails sinking into the flesh as her eyes trace his movements in the courtroom, not daring to blink.

As they escort him away, he spots the camera and looks straight into it, the sinking feeling gripping at Eve’s chest suddenly unbearable. 

He is close now, so close that despite the low video quality, she can see the umber of his eyes, the thin line of the tattoo running down his throat. She swallows hard, reaching up to tug at her turtleneck, pulling it up higher.

“I know you’re watching this.” There is a sick sort of fondness in his tone as he addresses her directly. “After everything I’ve done for you, everything we’ve built together, you can’t even look me in the eye when you fuck me over?”

Gavel against wood. 

“Silence!” 

A commotion.

The guards manage to drag him away from the camera, but there is nothing they can do to stop the vitriol spewing from his lips.

“You think you have the moral high ground, sweetheart? We both know what you’ve done. You might have fooled them all, but you can’t fool yourself, can you? I hope it eats away at you, you conniving little bitch!”

Eve gasps hard as she jolts awake.

Her chest rising and falling frantically, she sits up and looks around the room, noticing the details that begin to ground her. 

Instead of the hard plastic chair she feels the softness of the mattress, the bedding gentle against her skin. Her eyes trace the swirling shapes of wildflowers that adorn her comforter as she takes a deep breath.

She is here. Now.

The trial is long over. It’s Saturday morning and she’s working the closing shift. There was a party last night and–

Fuck.

Eve groans lightly as she remembers driving Astarion home, and the subsequent state of her car. She needs to deal with that as soon as possible, before the heat rises back again after the night. She gets out of bed, the lingering spectre of her dream drowned out by the urgency of the task ahead.

(read the rest on AO3)

taglist: @roguishcat @arzen9 @nerdalmighty ✨ (lmk if you'd like to be added!)

next chapter · my masterlist