#dark rogue vibes

[sweeterlink]

I made this epic playlist, so if you wanna feel like you're in a soulsborne game or feel dark and epic, give this a listen!

[moltensmusings]

OK OK it's so hard to choose for fairy tail redesigns because I am obsessed with your redesigns in general lol so I know it's gonna be good. Because I can't choose: cobra or a sabretooth member would be fab!!

Thank you! That's sweet!

I'm going to be completely honest and say I do really like a lot of the original sabertooth designs. Sting specifically might be my favorite character design mashima has ever made. That said, rogue really wasn't not for me. I can't tell if it was the design or my tastes that are the issue here. I think one day I'll go in and sketch the rest of the competing team in my style with some tweaks.

One day I will draw Cobra. I do largely like his designs even if they're safe for mashima.

Bonus: demon Minerva redesign since instantly when I saw sabertooth that's who I thought of

[x-mensirens]

Madelyn transforms into the Goblin Queen

[lehdenlaulu]

Captain Cassian Andor: Soldier Side

smashing pumpkins - bullet with butterfly wings

placebo - the bitter end

system of a down - soldier side

nine inch nails - hurt

muse - ruled by secrecy

woodkid - the other side

muse - sing for absolution

placebo - sleeping with ghosts

lifehouse - near life experience

[yt]

[novadragoness]

I have 2 main styles I often pick between when customizing a videogame character

1) Cute, pink, ✨️girlie✨️

2) Goth, punk, 🦇rougish🦇

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

THE SOLEMN SCARECROW -- REIGNING, ETERNAL PATRON SAINT OF THE AUTUMN SEASON.

PIC(S) INFO: Mega spotlight on illustrations for the Scarecrow, trading card #51, part of "Batman: Saga of the Dark Knight" Trading Card Series by SkyBox and DC , c. 1994. Artwork by Mike Mignola.

MINI-BIO: "Nebbish bookworm Jonathan Crane was predisposed to a life of crime by the relentless cruelty of his peers who nicknamed him the Scarecrow for his lanky frame. As a boy Crane delighted in frightening birds, a pastime that grew into a fixation with fear -- at first as a professor who conducted unconventional experiments on his students, and later as the master criminal who terrorized Gotham City with fear gas, the Scarecrow."

-- "BATMAN: SAGA OF THE DARK KNIGHT" Trading Cards by Skybox, c. 1994

BONUS PICS: Includes the front and back of the card, the original painting (found on Comic Art Fans), and an enlarged version of the illustration (third from the last pic).

Resolution from largest to smallest: 2217x1426, 1039x1411, 1021x1553, & 685x888.

Sources: www.breakoutcards.co.uk/the-scarecrow-51-batman-saga-of-the-dark-knight-1994-skybox-trading-card, Comic Art Fans, Pinterest, various, etc...

[du-hjarta-skulblaka]

;-; one way or another I am GETTING BG3 for my bday and I'm torn between researching a little to see what kinda character to build first and just winging it

[roguelov]

Well trying a new theme and getting some feels for it

[enigmaris]

DPxDC idea that has been floating around my head for a few months now:

Gotham, given its whole... thing with Lazurus Pools and general bad vibes, has a ghostly representative. Lady Gotham, when she bothers to be coporeal, looks like an influential lady from the 1920s, straight art deco elegance. A real classy girl.

Jazz is touring college campuses around the US. She has full ride offers from Gotham University, Metroplis College, and Star City State, to name a few. Danny, upon hearing that his sister is going to GOTHAM of all cities, decides he is going on this trip with her. He might be only 15, but his big sister isn't getting mugged while he has half an afterlife left to live!

Lady Gotham is all a flutter! Why the last ghost king was so frumpy! King Phantom is so handsome and powerful, and he is coming to her city. She absolutely has to show off her best side! She feels like a teenaged girl getting her home ready before a new beau comes to visit. She's flustered, she's nervous.

Meanwhile, John Constatine wakes up with cosmic alarm bells going off because something really, really bad is happening. He investigates to dicsover that for the past three days Gotham has not had a single crime.

No murders, muggings, hell not even a single jay walker!

Gotham the most cursed place on the North Or South American continent is suddenly more squeaky clean than whatever small farm town Superman grew up in.

No crimes, no smog in the air. Crime Lords seemingly gone in a puff of smoke, Assassins asleep in their beds.

Its so freaky. Even Batman is spooked and he is never spooked by anything.

Constantine is certain some demon or other nefarious being is harnessing Gothams cursed energy for some evil plot. Gathering the power to use it like a nuclear blast. Batman is concerned about mass mind control.

Lady Gotham is doing the metaphysical equivalent of hiding all of your stuff in a closet before a guest comes over because you dont have time to actually clean. She had to shoulder the thing closed! She just knows that when the lock fails there will be a huge mess.

Jazz and her family are just surprised about how nice Gotham U's campus is. She'd heard it was so dark and dangerous, but everyone is smiling and pleasant to her! Danny is just happy Jazz is safe from various villains.

So we have Batman investigating his rogues gallery for mind control plots, Constatine hunting for demons, Jazz and her family taking a walking tour of Gotham U, and Lady Gotham using every bit of her ghostly powers to make sure her damned, cursed city doesnt embarrass her in front of her crush!

[friskalicousbiscuits]

Neglected The Mask!reader x platonic Yan!Batfam

Ch.1 Ch.2 Ch.3 Ch.4 Ch.5 Ch.6 Ch.7 Ch.8 Ch.9 Epi

I’d also like to say this Reader is Gender Neutral or at least you can pick your gender. Most of the pronouns are “you” and when they are referred to by other people, it’s “they” so… Yeah! Have fun reading and tell me if there are any spelling mistakes or things that don’t make sense.

Chapter Eight

[Name] Wayne - The Mask (Unpossessed) POV

8:01pm - Friday

You stared after Alfred, watching the butler go. He was certainly furious with the way he was stomping down the hallway.

Shoot.

You numbly walked into your room and sat down on your bed next to the lump of Skillit. You wanted to do that too. Crawl under your covers and just hide away forever.

Shoot!

Ace leaned over the lump to lick your hand. He wanted pets. His paw even reached over Skillit to paw at your hand, nails leaving small white lines on your skin.

Shit!

You leaning over Skillit and picked the dog up cradling it like a baby as you stared at a random wall. His tongue starting out to lick your cheek, startled you out of your daze. You moved Ace under your face was in his chest fur. You sat there for a moment…

…before screaming as loud as you could into the fur.

You got a couple hairs in your mouth, but spat them out as Skillit shot up in confusion, blanket still over his head. He pulled it off. “Wha— what the fuck was that?!” He looked around.

“Nothing.” You said quickly, slowly pulling your face off of Ace and putting the dog back onto the bed. “Skillit, what time is it?”

“Uh—” He leaned over to check your alarm clock. “8:03?”

“Is it dark out?” You asked putting your head in your hands, running your hands down your face.

He glanced out your window. The sun had already gone down. “…Yes?”

It was your turn to shoot up, only you were standing now. “Good! Then get up! We’re going shadow hunting!” You slammed open the nightstand drawer, and grabbed the mask.

“What’s got you so pumped up? Is a talk with your dad that bad? …or that good?”

“No, just— just get up!” You demanded and pushed the mask on, practically relishing in the feeling of it spreading over your skin like it was an addiction being satisfied.

[Name] Wayne - The Mask (Possessed) POV

8:05pm - Friday

They’re getting the heck outta this house! Thats it! That dried out leather bag of a man completely ruined all the vibes. They couldn’t stand to be in this aura anymore.

They pulled an oversized baby chest carrier thing out of one of their pockets. Noting their suit. Funkalicous as always. Blood red with thin black lines running diagonally. Not their most charming one but they felt like shooting some bats out the sky tonight, it wouldn’t do to have any blood visible.

Mask? Masky? They didn’t really have a name yet, now that they thought about it. They just decided to go with Masky— picked Skillit up and shoved him into the carrier, ignoring the protests. As for Ace, who looked up at them, tail wagging slowly, they simply gave him a pat.

What? It’s (technically!) their dog. You’re not gonna hurt their dog.

They then hopped out [Name]’s window and flew to the city, flapping their arms like a bird. After a few minutes, they landed and got to work. They pulled out some comically large binoculars and looked around for Shai. Little bastard evaded them during the day, but as your true self, they’d be damned if he evaded them at night.

First though, they went to Chinatown. Why? Well, they were hungry for some chicken skewers. By the time they landed there, Skillit had stopped struggling too.

Man, this kid was such dead weight when he didn’t have his powers! They didn’t know how you actually liked him!

Everyone in the crowd, upon realization a rogue had literally dropped in on them, scattered immediately. Masky walked over to woman at a stall. She was frozen, figuratively. Freeze was still in Arkham.

“Three chicken skewers miss!” They flashed their permanent grin. Sometimes, they truly wished they could be rid of it, but then again, why not grin when you were having fun?

The woman shakily gave some to them. Masky held them between their fingers, opened their mouth way too wide and chomped down before pulling the skewers out, revealing them clean of any meat.

“Give me one too.” Skillit demanded the lady with a rather grumpy face. The woman between Masky and Skillit.

“You heard the little scamp!” Masky exclaimed. The lady handed one over to Skillit almost immediately. “Thanks a whole bunch.” They said, flapping their arms again to fly off.

After that, they went to the Bowery, then the Diamond District, hovered around Gotham’s police precinct for a moment too, baiting officers to shoot at them and mocking them when they missed. Skillit complained the whole time.

Gods, this kid could be a buzzkill.

Finally though, finally, they found Shai. The little bunion was flying around one of Gotham’s bridges. You made sure to cram the thing right back into Skillit.

Now, for some fun!

John Constantine - POV

12:34am - Saturday

Tonight was the night. They were finally gonna catch these bloody bastards. Well, banish one and unmask the other.

John had drawn two magic circles. Extremely complicated ones. One was for banishing the shadow thief back to the land of shadows. The other was for forcefully, separating the mask and its user.

Now all they had to do was make sure they were led this way.

All of the bats plus John started with following the mask, sure, the guy’d come out a little earlier than normal, but this was a problem they all needed to get rid of immediately.

They watched as the masked shoved the shadow thief’s shadow into a suspiciously calm little boy. They also watched this boy transform into a picture perfect copy of the shadow thief.

Also, Robin gasped for some reason at seeing the boy?

Was it possession? Or was that actually the depowered shadow thief? Whatever, it didn’t matter to John. To the bats it might, but to him?

No.

They finally put themselves into action by fighting. Again. He knows it’s a common theme between the skirmishes, but they did need to isolate the thief and get them onto the magic circle.

It… wasn’t easy though.

Half the bats, they’d even brought the daytime one and the one in red that hated all of them, fought the masked. They also for some reason brought in this really religious man dressed in all red and yellow. He didn’t have a bat logo, but was welcomed, so there’s that too.

Safe to say, while the people corralling, the thief were successful, they still got embarrassed severely. The same goes for all the people fighting the masked.

At least, after around an hour of fighting and jumping from rooftop to rooftop, they finally got the thief to accidentally stand over and the magic circle. John started chanting immediately. The masked seemed to know what was happening too, and immediately focused on John. Unfortunately for them, fortunately for John, everyone immediately started jumping them.

The thief banged on the invisible barrier of the circle. It couldn’t get out.

Christ. It looked like a kid. One that sort of looked like a blue-tinged corpse.

Even when the masked got a shot in from afar with a toy gun that actually shot real bullets, John didn’t stop.

John watched as both the kid and its shadow continued screaming, cursing him out, and making crude gestures. The light of the circle got brighter and brighter as a hole opened above it. The kid slowly started to float. They struggled hard, trying to stay in the human world, flying downwards, but the portal’s pull kept getting stronger and stronger, judging by the pieces of concrete picked up from underneath the kid. Eventually, a piece smack to the boy in the face.

That was all it took as the boy got caught off guard and flung into the portal along with its shadow.

“Skillit!” The masked yelled, rushing over and now standing over the desecrated magic circle, looking to the sky. The portal was gone now. “…shit!” They cursed before turning to him. “You.” Thankfully, the masked didn’t get to do anything as the bats went back to lunging at them. They fought for longer, them aiming shots at John whenever they could before they finally pushed them into the circle.

John started chanting again. Though this time, it seemed that unlike the thief, the masked struggled more.

They all watch the thing come undone from the back of their head. [Color] hair and [Color] skin from what he could tell. He made note of that. He didn’t get to see much more, though, as they suddenly spun and were all of a sudden dressed as a firefighter. They pulled a hose from somewhere and sprayed the circle, just as their bask almost slipped off. When the magic faltered due to the circle being erased, the mask snapped back onto you quicker than a rubber band.

They then turned the hose onto him with a damn snarl.

The force of the blast literally shoved him off the roof. Bruce leapt down and swung on his grappling hook to grab him before he could turn into the human equivalent of a dropped egg on concrete.

When they got back to roof though...

Bruce Wayne - Batman POV

2:29am - Saturday

…the rogue was gone.

Bruce looked at all his children, plus Jean, and sighed. Damn it. They’d not only gotten away, but they left them all tied up too in some colorful cloth. He tried to cut it with a batarang, but it did nothing. He ended up having to laser through it with a batlaser attached to his utility belt. When they were finally out, Red Robin scrambled up faster than normal and pulled his bat-scanner out of his belt. He held it to his eyes as he examined a part of the roof where they’d all been fighting the masked rogue.

“Bruce! Look at this!” Tim yelled, looking at the dirty roof through the scanner.

Bruce walked over and the boy handed it to him. He looked through it too.

Oh.

Oh.

Finger prints.

Sorry this chapter was shorter than others! I had to take my dog to the vet, chat. He broke his foot because some lady (accidentally, she apologized profusely) stepped on it. Also, SKILLIT IS NOT DEAD. HE CAN COME BACK DURING THE NEXT WINTER SOLACE. THATS WHEN THE SHADOW LAND AND HUMAN REALM ARE CLOSEST FOR HIM TO HOP OVER TO. Also also, I think this is the second to last chapter.

Extra Info:

1.) this is the first chapter you’ve cursed. 2.) the way Ace was trying to get pets was something both my dogs do. 3.) At the mask’s core, it does not truly care about anything other than its user. That’s actually why they actually think Skillit’s dead weight. Yes, they’ll do things like befriend people and stuff, but only because their user, though not entire conscious for the whole possession, wants to. You’re sort of imposing your will on it. It doesn’t like Skillit, you do. It didn’t care to trade innocent shadows for evil ones, you did. The reason Skillit was friends with multiple users was that Skillit actually draws people in. That includes you and by begrudging extension, the mask. 4.) yes, the really religious man brought into fight you guys was Azrael.

[r3ynah]

Substitute

Danny as Phantom, bored out of his mind tried his best to keep his eyes open, this JL meeting, the meeting was about a cause of mind control or something, in short this was just boring,

he was here as a substitute for Constantine because that man ditched the last second, and left Phantom for himself.

His so gonna push the man off the ledge when he sees him.

Danny continued to dissociate, until he heard a familiar name, coming out of the dark knight's mouth.

"Ember? the popstar? batman do you really think she's the one doing this mind control thing?" Flash asked, he was also almost falling asleep until the popstar's name was said. "Man, Ember's songs are such a vibe, hope she's not some supervillain"

"It is not confirmed, All we know is that she might only be a meta civilian that really just wants to show the world her songs" Wonder woman reasoned, from the far end of the table.

"Until further notice, we shall gather some crimes she unknowingly did, and have her quarantined for the mean time." Batman stated at the other side of the table.

wait what? Quarantine Ember? His rogue and friend, no that wouldn't do.

"I need to disagree with you there Mr. Batman" Phantom called out gaining all the members attention

"And why is that, Phantom?" Superman asked for Batman, who only stared at the ghost with curiosity.

"Well, you did specifically said that members cannot, mess with other members rogues" Phantom exclaimed "If you mess with Ember you're practically breaking your own rules,"

"The Ember, is your rogue?" Flash said astonished. "Wait that means she's also a ghost like you, But why are you just letting her go around the world parading?"

"Yes she's a ghost like me, i let her parade the world because she's on a vacation I mean this whole world tour speaks for itself, putting her in quarantine will do no good for her or anyone, and the whole mind controlling thing is so last season for Ember, she just sucks the energy out of people who hear her songs so she herself can have energy." Phantom explained, floating down to sit on his designated chair. "Besides I keep track of her, to make sure she doesn't create havoc and overdue her powers, she hasn't mind controlled anyone that's for sure."

Phantom eyed batman who still remained, quiet, he looked like he was thinking of something deeply, whatever it was Danny didn't care as long as Ember and the other ghosts are safe.

"And how would you guarantee that Ember won't harm any human citizens?" Batman questioned.

"Oh that's easy, because I already told them what will happen, if they either try to hurt humans" Danny let out a smile that showed all his sharp fangs, his eyes glowed a toxic green, that made everyone in the room uncomfortable, his hair floated more aggressively and uncontrollably. "I think they got the message."

Everyone felt scared at that moment, just who the hell did Constantine, bring in here?

[botanicsoul]

Trinkets

Time skip | Bakugou Katsuki x gn! Reader

-> if you are a trinket lover / blind box obsessed freak! this is for youuuuu ;)

. ݁ ˖.𖥔 ݁ ˖𓂃.☘︎ ݁˖ .𖥔 ݁ ˖𓂃.☘︎ ݁˖ .𖥔 ݁ ˖𓂃.☘︎ ݁˖ .𖥔 ݁ ˖𓂃.☘︎ ݁˖ .𖥔 ݁ ˖𓂃.☘︎ ݁˖

It started small.

A little cinnamon roll keychain on your bag. A Smiski peeking out from your bookshelf. Bakugou didn’t think much of it when he first started coming over. He figured you were just cute. Weird, but cute.

Then, like some chaotic collectible infestation, it multiplied.

He spotted one on your nightstand. A tiny half naked baby with a strawberry hat and dead eyes. He actually flinched.

“What the actual fuck is that.”

“That’s my Sonny angel,” you said, completely unfazed. “I got him from a blind box. I was trying to get the cherry one.”

“There’s more of them?”

“…Yeah?” you said, slowly, like it was obvious. “You’ve never opened a blind box before?”

“No.” His tone was flat. “Because I’m not five.”

But you caught him glancing at the tiny shelf where four more Sonny Angels had mysteriously appeared—cherry, watermelon, a rare sprout head one… and a cursed one with a eggplant hat on that you’d named eggward.

Soon there were Smiskis in your bathroom (they glowed in the dark—how could you resist?!), tiny Sanrio figures peeking out from plant pots, and a few bakery animals lined up on your kitchen windowsill like a cursed breakfast buffet.

There was a Nyota figure holding a star above its head, perched on your bookshelf now. You claimed she brought good vibes. Bakugou wasn’t convinced.

But what finally broke him—what made him realize he was in too deep—was the day he spotted a rogue trinket on his own nightstand.

A miniature hirono figure, next to his alarm clock.

“I don’t remember putting this here.”

You blinked innocently. “He looked like he needed a home.”

——

A few weeks later, you come home after your shift and You step into your living room—and there it is. A new wall-mounted shelf. Sleek. Sturdy. Hand-built. Three tiers.

You cover your mouth. “Katsuki…”

He doesn’t look at you, crouched by the toolbox, eyes still focused on tightening the last screw. “Ya didn’t have any damn space. Those little freaks were gonna start multiplying on the floor.”

You just beamed, walking over and wrapping your arms around him from behind.

“…You love my little freaks,” you whispered against his neck.

“god you’re weird.”

⸻

Later that night, after you’ve lovingly arranged your favorites on the shelf—you spot a small, unopened Pro Hero blind box tucked into your pillow.

Your eyes go wide. “No way.”

Bakugou, toothbrush in mouth, doesn’t look up. “Told that nerd Deku to bring me one from his collab drop. Figured you’d like it.”

You tear it open like a kid on Christmas.

And scream. “IT’S YOU.”

Bakugou looks over—and sure enough, there he is. Chibi him. Little angry face, little gauntlets, little explosion backdrop.

“Holy crap, Katsuki—he’s got a tiny scowl and everything!”

You clutch it like a prize. “This is going on the top shelf.” Bakugou tries to act like it’s nothing. Like he’s not soft. Like he didn’t literally build you a shrine for your trinkets and get you a mini version of himself because he knows how much you love them.

. ݁ ˖.𖥔 ݁ ˖𓂃.☘︎ ݁˖ .𖥔 ݁ ˖𓂃.☘︎ ݁˖ .𖥔 ݁ ˖𓂃.☘︎ ݁˖ .𖥔 ݁ ˖𓂃.☘︎ ݁˖ .𖥔 ݁ ˖𓂃.☘︎ ݁˖

[rheitais]

Dc x Dp Fallen Moons

I know the whole danny & damian twin au is kinda over used. So I raise you this. Dan(Dante) and Danny are twins and deaged, stuck in gotham but they manage to befriend Damian and Jon.

I really don't want the twins to get adopted by bruce (even if he tries too). Give them to a rogue or something (tell me who would be a good parent to these chaotic kids) and let it snow ball from there. Imagine how much chaos that would bring. They are Eldritch twins, pretty much pulling the shining moments to scare their teachers. Cue Dick or Bruce picking Damian from school and having the uncanny "something is very much off about them" Fentons trying to introduce themselves and they do it in sync. The uncanny vibes were not on purpose but the in sync was.

I feel like their creep-ish nature should be studied. During lunch one of the other rogues attacks the school. Power was cut off. Damian, Jon and the twins are stuck in the dark but Damian realizes it's not completely dark. No, it wasn't completely dark because the twins way too blue eyes are glowing in the dark. Or when Damian and Jon aren't looking (they are slightly taller than Damian and jon) if a bully is trying to bully them, they would stand perfectly still behind Damian and Jon, staring unblinkingly. The bully swears up and down they saw the void and death in those eyes but there is no proof of that.

Even if they look identical, and can very much play as the other. They do have their moments when they don't play creepy twins. Danny is more quiet, he flinches from time to time at loud noises. Dan wouldn't hesitate to swear at rogues, goons and vigilantes alike. Cue angst here, of before their parental figure found them in an alley way. When they get really emotional Dan eyes glow red while Danny's glows green.

During Bat and birds hour, Oracle and Red Robin try getting footage of the twins but no matter what it distorts no matter how close or how far they are from the lens. Forget recording coming even close to them causes snow and static noises almost blowing up any sound devices they try planting on them.

[Interactions | Masterpost]

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

"GOTHAM CEMETERY?... I COME PREPARED FOR THE RIDDLER'S NEW TECHNOLOGY."

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on the Batman looking his sci-fi best on this Sci-fi Fri, donning heat-sensitive lenses to locate the Riddler and his new light-based holographic technology, from the pages of "Justice" Vol. 1 #2. December, 2005. DC Comics.

Pencils by Doug Braithwaite

Inks/colors/paints by Alex Ross

"A mystery within a mystery... a doll within a doll, representing hidden identities, perhaps? What do you want me to know? I come prepared for the Riddler's new technology. He seems to have adopted a light-based hologram generator. One that will be useless against heat-sensitive lenses. I'm being watched so I pretend not to notice my parents' memorial. I pretend that it means nothing to me."

-- BATMAN on the trail of the Riddler (story/script by Jim Krueger & Alex Ross)

Source: www.zipcomic.com/justice-2005-issue-2.

[abbotjack]

Hi babes!

For your series TLWG, do you think there is a moment or specific time where Jack realized Reader is ‘the one’? Like he knew he had to buy a ring, sort out a proposal, plan his life around her?? Sending you the best vibes today!!! 💕💕

⭐ Send me an ask for the “director’s commentary” on a particular story, section of a story, or set of lines! ⭐

Jack Abbot doesn’t let things bloom.

He lets them function. Survive. Get triaged and stitched and tucked into corners where no one’s going to bleed on the paperwork. He’s a man who operates in utility—his emotions are rationed like hospital inventory, and everything that matters most to him lives in the margins: the off-hours, the aftershocks, the things no one else notices but him. In The Life We Grew, Jack doesn’t get swept up. He gets cornered by clarity.

He’s not afraid of pain. He’s afraid of what comes after it—what people expect when you survive. What they ask you to become. And love? Love has always felt like one more hand reaching for him, asking him to be more than he has left. Until her.

The Reader doesn’t demand his light. She doesn’t try to fix the dark. She walks into the wreckage of his life, clears a desk, and starts building. Her love is infrastructural. It’s the way she annotates his trauma reroute binder with timestamps and follow-up questions. The way she touches him without expectation, and leaves the silence intact when he’s not ready to talk. She is not a solution. She’s the first variable he doesn’t want to cancel out.

Weather is never just weather, every storm is a symbol. And in Jack’s world, love is a slow hurricane. It doesn’t rip off the roof. It loosens the foundation, quietly, over time. Until he looks up and realizes the whole house has shifted. That he's been living in a space where love has already happened, where it’s already holding.

But the moment Jack knows—really knows—isn’t in the trauma bay, or the night she patches his grief without blinking. It’s not in the spreadsheets or the audits.

It’s in a moment that isn’t loud. But is undeniably real.

Setting: Sunday afternoon. Summer heat. Their shared house in Pittsburgh—half-renovated, half-lived in. Quiet. Lived-in. Real.

He’s just come in—took the long way home through a storm that broke the heat like a promise—and now the kitchen smells like damp cotton, cracked pepper, and the faint floral trace of whatever lotion she used last. Not fresh flowers. Just her. Skin and comfort and lemon-something from a half-used bottle on her nightstand.

Upstairs, she’s talking to herself. Sorting receipts again. Muttering about misfiled statements and IRS deadlines while half-laughing at her own frustration. Her voice carries down the staircase like static through an old radio—tinny, soft, familiar in a way that guts him.

Jack stands there with one hand on the fridge handle, forehead pressed to the cool metal, not moving. Not even breathing.

Because here it is.

The realization.

Not the dramatic kind. Not the gut-punch, lightning-strike, sweat-soaked-in-the-trauma-bay kind. No. This one’s quieter. Slower. It arrives like a muscle unclenching after a decade-long cramp. It arrives in the hum of appliances and the sight of her receipts laid out across the table in color-coded order.

It arrives when he sees the junk drawer. The one near the sink.

She’d left it open again.

And there—jammed between a roll of Scotch tape, two capless pens, and a miniature stapler—is her spare car key. The ugly one. The one with the chipped unlock button and the Steelers keychain her brother gave her when she first moved to Pittsburgh. It lives here now. Not just in the house, but in their house. In their drawer. A drawer that, if it were only his place, would’ve held nothing but expired batteries, a few rogue screws, and a half-melted pack of mints he forgot to toss after Afghanistan. But now—now it holds her.

He stares at it for a long time.

That key doesn’t belong to a guest. It doesn’t belong to someone passing through. That key says: I plan on staying. And the drawer staying open? That says: I don’t need to apologize for that anymore.

And Jesus Christ, he loves her.

Not the kind of love that burns. Not the kind he used to chase like a fix, like pain with prettier branding. This is the kind that settles in his joints. The kind that smells like burnt toast and Target candles and the warm press of her knee against his under the covers when she’s already half-asleep and still somehow leans into him.

This is the kind of love he already lives inside.

She calls down to him—something about needing her W-2 from last year, the one she meant to scan and never did, the one she’s sure she tucked into the manila folder labeled “2022: DO NOT LOSE”—and he clears his throat, sharp and low, like the sound alone might be enough to shove the weight in his chest back into place.

“I got it,” he calls back, already moving.

She hums. Trusts him to find it. Doesn’t get up. That’s love, too.

He walks to the hallway where she keeps the fireproof box, alphabetized, of course—and kneels beside it. She’s highlighted the document in question. Just in case. He smiles like a man who’s halfway undone.

And when he stands, he sees it again.

That junk drawer.

That key.

That future.

And he doesn’t make a decision. Not right there. Not consciously. But something inside him stops resisting.

Not because it’s time. Not because it’s the next step. But because this is the house they chose together—every wall color, every drawer pull, every creaking floorboard under bare feet. Her laughter lives in the hallway by the linen closet, and her spare car key is tucked into their junk drawer like it’s always belonged. She built this life with him. And somewhere along the way, without either of them saying it out loud—so did his heart.

He won’t buy the ring tomorrow. He’ll wait. He’ll watch. He’ll make sure the feeling doesn’t fade, doesn’t calcify into gratitude or comfort mistaken for permanence. But he already knows it won’t. Because every time he opens that drawer, it’ll be there. The evidence. The symbol.

It’s a declaration.

It’s a door left open.

He won’t pull her into the living room. He won’t plan some big gesture or scripted thing with string lights and speeches. That’s never been how they work.

But he’ll remember this moment—the junk drawer. The rain. The way her receipts are still spread across the kitchen table like she owns the place. Because she does.

Because this was the night he looked around the house they built together and realized he’d stopped surviving beside her and started building with her. No ceremony. No timeline. Just… her. In every drawer. Every corner. Every part of him.

[empyreal-lore]

I don't know what it says about me that I'm reasonably hyped to play a game where you're an agent of the secret police of an oppressive theocratic fascist regime but playing a space capitalist is too morally off-putting

Tbh the only real appeal of Rogue Trader for me Yrliet idc about anything else enough to play it