#in character snippets

[bruxbea]

@ndostairlyrium tagged me once upon a time but I keep deleting the result because it feels more like Dragon Age than not...which is probably fine tbh: Snippets from Lark under the cut:

“Wouldn’t it be funny if we managed to scale all this just to find there’s actually a path up the opposite direction…? That can only happen to us so many times right?” "And if you had just loaned me your doublet, captain portal wizard wouldn't have slapped my boob by way of introduction. MANY things about today could have gone differently yet here we are~"

“I assume like most cases this can be solved with a combination of enthusiastic wiggling and just a dash of creative vaulting~“

“Not sure if it means anything but I’ve actually been sleeping *better* since being kidnapped by a space mollusk and being held at knifepoint by said Vampire so-“

“Wyll even with horns you’re still the most air-quotes “in the box” one of this group, just breathe and be glad you’re not climbing trees as a lemur. Sorry “Lemure”….wait, I think I’ve misunderstood something-”

“Sure, I may be a Druid but this entire lot can bite me running…” “If experience has taught me anything in life, it’s how to recognize when and where one should be polite. Auntie Ethel positively screams “behave in this house or I will kill you” so let’s just go with it for now. I’m also almost positive she’s a bog witch at minimum so take that with grain of salt…or a brick if you’re brave-”

“...I woke up one morning to discover what I thought to be a snake nailed unceremoniously to the door of the room across from me… The fear that crept up my spine was quickly overtaken by pain as I realized it was in fact the remnants of a tiefling’s tail- my tail…cruelly and brutally severed near the base to be affixed to the door by a sharp bit of metal jammed through its spade…any love I held for the Gate died that day, as well as my ability to sleep fitfully if alone…

“ He may be a little…catty…but I know all too well what it’s like to go multiple days at a time without eating. No one should have to suffer through that, regardless of origin. If it helps him stave off starvation then I see no problem. Even arseholes need to eat. Wait-“

“Harhar indeed, there’s what, seven of you lot all together but NOT ONE of you thought to mention ‘Lark darling, dearest wellness dealer and usually not combative songstress who keeps us all alive and fit, you’re currently only equipped with a stick of cured meats and doing Jack all in terms of damage, maybe back off a bit-“ I mean really! “Shadow Cursed Lands or no, it’s been a few days since we supped together and I don’t want Stari to have to bite through grime or whatever other “Thisobaldian horrors” might have accrued on my person since the last time I bathed-“ “I find it the very definition of rude that we take one afternoon to ourselves to become reaccustomed to city life, maybe enjoy the circus…see the ocean…only to wind up tits deep in raptors and disembodied clown bits…and they weren’t even the sexy kind…”

“Please let them have hot water, clean towels…and cake…I don’t know if I’ve ever had a cake that wasn’t second hand come to think of it…”

“Can we just…take a moment to appreciate how absolutely abysmal the chances of that working in our favor actually were…? Are we to say a prayer, possibly leave a coin…? Maybe we offer them Gale’s underthings, I’m not entirely sure what we should do in this instance truth be told-”

“To be perfectly honest? Not to give everything away Orin, but holding an innocent child at knife point is comparatively tame compared to some of the shet I’ve seen Lae’zel pull when threatened-”

“This outfit cost more coin than I possessed in the last two years combined…wearing it feels like I’m breaking the law somehow-”

[writersbloxx]

Body Language

When someone is…

Nervous/Anxious

Face:

Darting eyes/avoiding eye contact

Rapid blinking

Tense jaw

Looking upwards when talking or fixing eyes on a more distant point

Furrowed (or raised) brows

Frowning

Blushing 

Micro-expressions- quick/short facial expressions like suddenly widening their eyes or a brief grimace

Voice:

Shaky or trembling

Higher pitch or thin

Breathy

Wavering

Raspy or slightly cracked

Hesitant

Speaking quickly or stuttering

Choppy (many pauses in speech)

Shorter, clipped words (staccato)

Gestures/Posture:

Tense, closed off stance

Hunched shoulders

Body is stiffened

Crossed arms

Fidgeting

Touching clothes

Cracking knuckles

Bouncing knee

Subtly covering their mouth

[aroaceleovaldez]

i have suddenly become obsessed with a theme that HoO established but never proceeded to extrapolate on, which is:

You are Percy Jackson, and you have been swapped with a boy who was allegedly everyone's favorite person, but they have decided to replace him with you. They just met you. You stand next to his best friend and the people he's known his entire life. In his home. In his cloak. In his place. They stopped looking for him.

You are Jason Grace, and you have just found out you have a long lost sister who completely replaced you in her life with this girl you just met. Your lives and personalities are mirrors. She is you, living the life you were robbed of.

You are Annabeth Chase, and you have just become starkly aware that you have been inhabiting the void left behind by your best friend's long lost brother. You and Luke were just replacements for him. Now you have to look him in the eyes when he has nothing and know you took that life from him.

You are Piper McLean, and you have just found out your relationship is fake and built entirely on the memories of Annabeth Chase. You have been given a boyfriend when hers has been taken away. You have no idea how much of it is real or not but regardless you feel like if your relationship isn't exactly in their image that you have failed.

You are Leo Valdez, and you have just learned that you are the echo of your great-grandfather. You are not your own person. You just exist to be a mirror of him. A doppelganger. An actor and stunt double facing all the danger he never had to but wearing his face. To be there for his best friend decades later simply because he couldn't. You are playing a role. A seventh wheel and a pawn for a goddess who carefully sculpted your entire life for her own purposes.

You are Hazel Levesque, and the only reason you are alive is because your brother couldn't save your his sister. You are a consolation prize. An apology. Your existence here is misplaced in every way but you inhabit it anyways.

You are Frank Zhang, and you are a shapeshifter. Inhabiting your own body feels strange and clumsy when you could be literally anything at any time. You are anything and everything and live your life with the simple certainty of knowing exactly how you will die.

[all-purpose-dish-soap]

if the military wanted you to have a wife, they'd issue you one. Soap's heard that saying once or twice.

and here you are. claiming to be his... issuance.

you tilt your head. "you don't remember signing up for the program?"

no. no, he doesn't. his eyes dart down to your lips for a fraction of a second before returning to your eyes. he'd remember that. more to the point, he'd remember whatever he did to deserve this. he looks you up and down again, disbelief and desire flashing across his face, and not in equal measure.

you’re like if someone wrung the starry slurry of thoughts constituting what makes a perfect woman directly from his brain matter, let it ferment and clarify like honey wine, put marriage papers in her hand, and dressed her in a… in a fucking… are those stockings stretching up under your skirt?

hell’s bells. you’re one part girl next door, one part muse—the one his hand can never quite shape on the page to match what’s in his head—and several shades of his favorite porn star. an old-fashioned pin-up doll in the flesh.

"you're not John MacTavish, then," you say, peering down at the papers in your hand with a small frown. "so sorry to bother you—"

“no, hold on.” he takes a step closer. “i’m him, aye. but the program...” the application questionnaire. filling it out was nothing more than a drunken bet with Gaz, but yes, he dimly remembers it. doesn't recall turning it in, but maybe he was drunker than he thought. “it's real?"

“completely real. i was selected for you based on the preferences you specified,” you tell him. you shift the clipboard into your other arm, pleasant smile turning into a frown. "but i couldn't possibly ask you to sign a marriage certificate sponsored by a program you don't even remember applying for."

oh, that is rich. you don’t seem to see the humor here. it’s absurd. have you not seen yourself? he'd be daft to pass on someone as bonnie as you.

not to mention you seem more than a little disappointed at the idea of being turned down. that fuels his ego even more.

 "you're sayin' you're a part of that military partnership program, aye? and you were handpicked as my spouse based on a few questions?"

you helpfully produce a copy of his responses in pink triplicate. sure enough, he recognizes his own drunken scrawl.

none of the questions have anything to do his preferences looks-wise. career aspirations, communication preferences, hobbies, his ideal saturday night. his sleeping habits. this is a psychological profile. CIA shite, as Gaz would say.

he doubts his drunken self read more than a few lines of this paperwork while he was constructing his dream girl in the survey blanks.

as he studies the page a little too closely, your small frown turns into a frustrated scowl. "john? um, i mean."

it instantly pulls his eyes back to your lips.

you twirl a strand of hair around your finger. "it’s nice to meet you,” you say in a tone that makes it clear what you’re really saying is ‘hey, stud, i'm looking forward to the honeymoon.’

that’s your attempt, at least. but Soap sees more than you mean to show. the way you play that card--the way you twirl your damn hair--is the clumsiest, most blatant attempt to flirt. somehow, that's what catches him off-guard the most. It makes his heart squeeze. god, are you nervous? you?

he runs over the back of his teeth in the split second before his signature lazy smirk slides back across his face. "happy you got paired up with a bloke like me?"

he hands the paperwork back to you. you take it back with great relief and nestle it securely into the crook of your elbow. you’re certain he didn’t sign every single blank he was supposed to, but he won’t remember that. you’ll check the signature lines later and forge his handwriting to finish it.

you smile prettily at him. then you make it a little more coy. you should be bashful--he's handsome. "i'm lucky. you're special forces. i’m a nobody, really. if you want, you could try filing for a spouse upgrade. if you want a really good fiancée..."

“fiancée." Soap rolls the word around his tongue. "is that what i should call you?”

"well. you saw my name on the paperwork," you point out. you know very well he didn't.

before he can ask any more questions, you press a chaste kiss to his cheek and pull away, walking down the hall with documents in tow. his gaze is heavy on your back.

the documents in your arm are real enough. Soap really did complete that questionnaire, just like how he remembers. getting the application turned in is what required a little creative effort.

but as long as nobody looks too closely at the military ID photocopied in the application file, they won't notice that the mostly-obscured face of the soldier who turned the application in doesn't look much like Soap at all.

...

more Soap / masterlist

[carebeardean]

modern!charles would text edwin pictures of, like, otters holding paws with the caption “u & me :—)” & those “me when I look at u:🥹🥰😭” memes Before he even realizes he wants to kiss Edwin on the mouth, btw. edwin thinks he is the Loveliest Best Friend of All Time & saves each & every one to his camera roll

[cassandraclare]

letters unsent

Ty, Ty, Ty.

Your name looks strange written out like that. Like an abbreviation. But Tiberius would be so formal. I never think of you that way. Or, I suppose I should say, I never thought of you that way. Tenses matter in these situations, I guess.

It’s late, past midnight, and I’m sitting on the windowsill in my bedroom at Cirenworth....

[ihavesomejays]

even more amphoreus magical girls because i’m on a roll

[hakusins]

♡ - Hands on Education (Ash & Darcy) (R21+) ♡ - For @fraternum-momentum (hope you have fun with this one mel ♡) Warnings: torture, sexual torture, mentions of dissection, somnophillia, sexual assault, drugging, paralysis, misuse of medical equipment, etc.

You shouldn’t be awake right now. Darcy will be the first to notice you, even before you notice you’re awake yourself, “Shit, Ash - She woke up already," He would call out to the other person in the room.

From where you laid on the unclean hospital stretcher, you can make out that the room was cramped - undeniably so. Especially with how Darcy’s almost hulking figure seems to be covering a large part of the room on your right side. To keep you steady, the larger man would reach down to keep one side of your arm pressed down onto the bed. 

It was a bit of a precaution really. These two already know that you can’t possibly make a break for it at this point. Despite being awake, your head should still be throbbing with pain and your body wracked with exhaustion and not to mention - the only exit in this room is the door right in front of you, where you lie in your hospital stretcher. Blocked by an equally massive, if not taller figure. 

“She’s awake?” The one blocking the exit would say, his visage obscured by the limited reach of the dim lights of the cramped room. It wasn’t until that he walks closer to the stretcher, that ‘Ash’ appearance would finally be visible to you. He was a contrast to his brother, mostly in his eyes - where his’ is a shining white-gray color whereas Darcy is a deep black color. 

“Yeah, what do we now? Should we do it while she’s awake?” Darcy would ask while keeping a steady hand on you. Ash would only roll his eyes in exaggerated exasperation at his brother’s antics. “You’re so fucking vanilla, Darce. Of course not, where’s the fun in her being awake?” 

Out of your sight, you wouldn’t be able to turn your head to see what Ash was reaching for. But there was some clatter of … something against a metal surface. Perhaps he was trying to get an equipment of sorts? Whatever it was, the sound was enough to sting back some clarity in your head and force to you to move. 

You won’t stay alive if you keep still there.

Unfortunately, this revelation came a bit too late to you, as in a matter of seconds, Ash was already at your other side, forcing your bobbing head back onto the mattress, his face now so dangerously close to yours, you can smell the remnants of cigarettes on his breath. “Hm, well I can see there is a bit of fun in her scared little face. Gosh, you’re really fucking pathetic looking, probably would look even more so when you’re choking on one of our cocks while getting your neck sliced open.” 

Your heart stills in your chest and fear descends into your gut. 

“But that’s not what I want to do,” All you can tell now was that Ash’s lips were close to your face now, you don’t see where Darcy has gone as all your focus is on the scarred lips that have now pressed against the side of your face, his hand forcibly tilting your face to look the other way so he can whisper into your ear, “We’re going to have fun puppy, and we’re going to do something I always wanted to try, alright? My baby brother might want to play with you a bit more when you’re awake though, so try to not die after we play, understood?” 

He would pull away, but he won’t re-position your head back to where it was resting. Instead, you will feel a sharp sting into your neck as something was injected into you. “Shh…. You’ll be asleep for most of the time. So don’t complain about it too much, yeah?” 

Unfortunately, the drug wasn’t an anesthetic but a paralysis drug. Which means you are aware of everything and anything happening to you. 

In your state, you can hear the two of them speak, but there was nothing you can do. 

You accept your fate.

“You know, Darce. We’ve missed on so many things together… how many years has it been, brother? Remind me again.” 

“…. Five, I believe…. Perhaps even seven, if we count the two years where I’ve located you but I wasn’t able to meet with you-.” 

Ash didn’t wait for Darcy to finish, already going on with his monologue. You hear a lot of shuffling in the room as the two men moved around the room. “Seven fuckin’ years, Darce. Seven. And just like that I missed out on all the things I should’ve taught you as an older brother.” 

“Ash, listen - where the hell are you going about this-,” “Let me finish, baby brother.” Ash’s voice was steady and sound. It commanded everyone’s attention. 

“To make it up to you, I’ve decided, why not catch up on everything now? Come here, you can be her first and while we’re at it.” There was rustling, like clothes falling to the floor and the weight of someone else climbing onto the stretcher.

It was unclear if it was Darcy and Ash at this point, but - then - you felt it, the cold hiss of a knife grazing against the skin of your pelvis as your clothes were brushed aside to expose your body to the two. “I’m going to be a good big brother and show you how to properly pleasure a woman’s body. We’ll even get a live demonstration when I cut her open and we can see how her body responds to getting raped in her sleep.”

There was a pause as the knife was repositioned on your pelvis. 

“This should be a good place to cut, right?”

There's no saving you.

[wishfulsketching]

Ohhhh man I'd forgotten about Lu Zhen and Long Min! Love those boys 💕 I rlly missed reading their comics 🥰

THANK YOU! THANK YOU THANK YOU! I love you

Here's a little comic I did long ago but it was "too messy" to post but eh, here ya go. Context: dragons "kiss" by booping noses

Long Min realizes he has feelings.

And here's a even older doodle of Long Min's and Lu Zhen's first meeting

Lu Zhen had feelings from the start

[demaparbat-hp]

Oh, Lala...

[kettlefire]

As Good as Good Gets (DP X DC Snippet)

Richard "Dick" Grayson is the golden child. In the eyes of the public, and in the eyes of the league. Dick is a sweet, caring son, a man who went from being a sidekick to being a hero. The pipeline from Robin to Nightwing had many people applauding his dedication to keeping Gotham safe.

No one knew the full story, not truly. No one but Bruce Wayne himself. And maybe a certain butler. Many don't know that Dick only became Robin to stop him from hunting down and killing the man who killed his parents.

No one really knows about the harsh fights and arguments he has had with Bruce. The times when Dick would find himself cut off from the Wayne name for a week or so. No one knows that the first person Dick warmed up to was Alfred. Having been bribed with cookies.

Things weren't always this good, trusting, happy relationship between Bruce and Dick. It had been a rough ride, a complicated one. But that was okay, because it got better.

Dick stopped being so moody and angsty. He grew up, he learned, and he changed. He became an older brother, found people that needed him. Needed him in a way that the citizens of Gotham didn't need him.

His brothers like to call him annoying. A goody two shoes who Bruce trusted more than everyone else. They couldn't fathom how someone like Dick could be so stupid and bubbly at all times.

All times, except when shit hits the fans. Despite the name calling, despite coining Dick as the stupid Wayne. They all knew better. They knew that when it mattered, Dick Grayson always pulled through. He was a force to be reckoned with when needed.

The whole Wayne family was a force to be reckoned with when called for. It didn't have to be under the guise of costumes and vigilante acts. Whether he was Officer Grayson or Nightwing, Dick was a man with his morals and values.

One night on patrol as Officer Grayson, Dick found someone who needed that force. A force willing to protect and care for the innocent. The hurt. The damaged, yet still good.

It started like any other night. A call of shots fired by an empty warehouse. There was no sighting or knowledge of any rouges being there, so Dick took the call. Told the team he'll contact them if it seems more than just a civilian incident.

The warehouse was dark, reeked of copper and oil. It didn't take long for Dick to find the trail. The liquid he found looked like the person had been dragged before walking. There was a clear struggle, even with the mess and emptiness that was the warehouse.

That wasn't Dick's biggest concern. The concern lay in just how much blood there was. Too much for any normal person to lose and still manage to stumble through the warehouse.

It wasn't just blood. It wasn't that much, but Dick could spot the strangeness in the liquid. The mixed in green that had an eerily similar color and glow as a certain pit.

Without thinking, Dick followed the trail. Barely remembering to make contact with his family. Give them an update on what he found. Words telling him to stay put for backup went in one ear and out the other.

Something in Dick's gut was telling him he couldn't wait. He needed to find the source. Whoever was currently bleeding out in this warehouse. He silenced the comm, moving further through the dimly lit building.

Then Dick found it. Or more so, he found him. It was just a boy. A boy that reminded Dick too much of the youngest Wayne. A boy sat against a wall, looking pale and weak.

Red and green coated the front of the boy's shirt, arms wrapped tightly around his middle. An attempt to stem the bleeding. A puddle had already started to form beneath the boy, and Dick moved without thinking once again.

He quickly found himself kneeling beside the boy, hands carefully reaching out. Before Dick even touched him, the boy flinched. Eyelids suddenly opened, wide and terrified blue eyes landed on Dick's.

In just that one look, Dick knew what he had to do. The haunting, terrified, and pained look in the boy's eyes told Dick everything he needed to know. The boy was in danger. Someone had hurt this kid, and it was clear it wasn't the first time.

The boy struggled weakly against Dick's touch, terrified whimpers, and barely coherent pleas spilled from the kid's lips. It had Dick's heart aching, clear as day the poor kid has been through hell and back.

It took a lot of reassurance, gentle touches, and promises of help before the kid let Dick take a look at the bleeding wound. A promise on Dick's soul had been the final thing that earned him any semblance of trust. A strange promise, but Dick was willing to make it.

That concern turned to pure anger the moment Dick managed to pull the sticky shirt away from the wound. The sight of a Y-incision cut perfectly into the skin, stitches tight on the skin, but blood still leaking heavily from the wound.

It didn't take long for Dick to realize why. Despite the perfect surgical care of the wound, a good couple of stitches had broken. Leaving gaping spots for that red and green liquid to pour out of.

The boy was deathly silent, tears streaking down his cheek as wide blue eyes stayed trained on Dick. In that moment, Dick knew he had to help. Had to get the kid to safety, patch him up, and find out what kind of monster would do this.

It didn't matter if the kid was human or not. It didn't matter if the kid had special abilities or not. No one, absolutely no one, deserved to be vivisected.

The kid was shrouded in mystery, but that mystery only seemed to grow and become clearer when Bruce had entered the scene. The boy had tensed, eyes flashing a bright glowing green.

Lazarus pit green.

It set a pit of dread in Dick's gut. His mind brings forward memories of Jason. Jason, after his revival, after his dip in that cursed pit. The same flash that his brother would get if he got too angry. Too emotional.

As much as Dick wanted to focus on finding who did this, if it had any connection to Ra's al Ghul. He couldn't. Not when the kid tried to get up, to pull away as Bruce and the others made their way closer.

Right now, Dick only cared about making sure the boy was okay. Fixing those stitches, getting him a meal, and a warm bed.

He needed to get this kid someplace where he felt safe and secure. Comfortable and protected. Dick wasn't sure why. Maybe it was the promise he had made, but he wasn't letting anyone get to the kid.

That included his family. As strange as it seemed, Dick put himself between the others and the kid. Shooting them all a glare that they had only ever seen a handful of times.

Dick lifted the poor boy up in his arms, cradling the crying child close as he led the way out of the warehouse. Ignoring the questions or confusion coming from Bruce and the others. As Dick walked, feeling the trembling boy clinging to him, he made a rather obvious realization.

Maybe the eldest son really was more like Bruce than he expected. Just a few short moments the the boy, a boy that Dick didn't know his name, and he was ready to pull out adoption papers. To give the boy a safety he so desperately needs.

Give him the chance that Bruce had given him all those years ago.

[ddeck]

pains me that there's simply not enough info on star wars in-universe entertainment and pop culture for my liking. i want to know what star wars version of the godfather looks like. i wanna know what kind of space fanfiction a pantoran teenager would read, the kind of space tiktok edits they would make. i want to know the star wars equivalent for whatever the hell that is happening with ben affleck and matt damon. i want to see a coruscant news outlet publish an article with a headline "M'ett Sp'Amon not wearing a wedding ring again during another visit to Beng Spifflek's house. which could mean nothing"

[writersbloxx]

Character Building

Some things to think about when building/describing a character:

Physical traits

Hair: color and length. Maybe it's natural, maybe it's dyed

Build: height, weight, muscle

Face: maybe they have a longer nose or forehead. Think about specific features like freckles, gapped teeth, jaw shape, acne scars, lip shape

Eyes: eye color, shape, 

Backstory

Where is your character from?

Do they have family? How has that affected their personality?

What are their goals?

What are their likes/dislikes?

Strengths and weaknesses

Age

Personality

Voice: is their voice deep? Lilted? Strained?

How do they react to stressful situations? 

What do they wear?

Are they kind? Meaner? Restrained? 

How do they move? If they're older maybe they're a bit slower. Maybe your character is clumsy or move awkwardly

Body language/face: is your character normally more serious? Do they have RBF? Maybe they smile more or their face is more relaxed at rest. Maybe they leave their hands on their hips a lot, or prefer them crossed or in their pockets.

How are they perceived by others? How do they view the people around them? 

Should I dive deeper on some of these?

[bookished]

( a collection of fun and adventurous dialogue prompts. adjust phrasing as necessary.) feel free to make edits to better suit your muse, but please don’t edit or add on to the original post <𝟑 if you like, please consider supporting me through tips, it's highly appreciated.

"Want to try sneaking into the movie theater?"

"There's this exclusive sky bar on the top floor. I bet if we act confident enough, we could just walk right in. Ready to blend in with the high rollers?"

"You know the 'Staff Only' areas in aquariums always look so intriguing. I've got an idea involving lab coats and clipboards. Interested?"

"There's a secret passage in this art gallery that leads to a hidden exhibit. I overheard the curator talking about it. Shall we go exploring?"

"I've always wanted to see a movie from the theater's projection room. I've got a friend who works here – you get what I mean?"

"So, that exclusive restaurant is fully booked for months, but I may have 'borrowed' a couple of names from the reservation list. Feeling adventurous?"

"The old amusement park's been closed for years, but I know a way in. Imagine having all those rides to ourselves under the moonlight."

"I heard there's an underground speakeasy in this library. Apparently, you need to whisper a password to the librarian. Wanna try our luck?"

"Remember that fancy pool party we weren't invited to? I've got two waiter uniforms and a brilliant plan. You in?"

"There's a secret rooftop garden on top of that skyscraper. I bet we could talk our way past security if we pretend to be lost interns."

"I know this sounds crazy, but I found a hidden door behind the museum. Want to see where it leads after closing time?"

"The local TV station does live broadcasts from that studio. I bet with the right timing, we could sneak onto a set during a commercial break. Ready for your 15 seconds of fame?"

"I discovered a hidden hot spring in the woods just outside town. It's a bit of a hike, but imagine a midnight dip under the stars."

"There's a secret room in the library that's usually locked. I copied the key while volunteering. Want to see what forbidden books they're hiding?"

"Remember that fancy cooking class that was full? Well, I may have found a way for us to observe from the kitchen's back entrance. Hungry for some culinary espionage?"

"I know how to get onto the roof of the tallest building downtown. The view of the sunset from up there is incredible. Shall we?"

"There's a masquerade ball at the governor's mansion tonight. I've got two masks and a wild idea. Care to crash a high-society party?"

"My friend works at the zoo and says we could help feed the penguins after closing time. Interested in a secret animal encounter?"

"I heard this old theater is supposedly haunted. Want to sneak in after hours and do some ghost hunting?"

"There's a secret beach hidden behind those cliffs. The catch? We'll have to climb down a rope ladder to reach it. You up for it?"

"I found an old map of the city's underground tunnels. Fancy a subterranean adventure date?"

[nyoomian]

“Most people usually find bird sounds relaxing.”

From The Interpretation of Shadows webcomic [Chapter 11: Red Tape PT. 2]

[ghqstwriter]

“Something’s troubling you.”

When Villain spoke, it was usually with a tone filled with snark at best and malice at worst. However, when they addressed Hero, their voice was nothing but soft. Loving, if one could call what the pair had between them love. Hero would usually smile warmly any time they heard their partner speak to them with such a tone, yet today, Villain was right; something really was troubling them.

There was no point denying it, the evidence was stacked against them. Hero had been gritting their teeth the whole day, and when they had stepped into the room moments earlier, their fingers had jolted straight to their temples in an instant, reflexes already getting used to the pain. Hero let out a small groan, to which Villain wordlessly beckoned them over to the sofa they had been sprawled upon. They obliged, hardly able to keep upright until reaching the seat.

“Is our city’s golden saviour tired, perhaps?” Villain mused. The city’s golden saviour. When the criminal had first used that nickname, it was mocking, dripping with hatred and scorn. It seems it had stuck, even ‘til now, although the bitterness had been washed away, and replaced with a sense of playfulness reserved for those who know you dearly.

“My head’s been killing me, lately. Medic checked me for concussions and head injuries in general, but they think it’s just another stupid headache,” Hero whined, words slurring together slightly. They pressed the palms of their lightly scarred hands over their eyes as they pushed their head further back into the settee. It felt as though even though the darkness was too bright for them. Headaches had plagued them for years, starting up during the first of many academic-related late nights. Yet, now, they had become consistent, and far more inconveniencing.

Villain looked at them kindly. They were probably more than familiar with this kind of ache creeping across their skull, the hero considered silently. The pair were known for contrasting each other in many ways, but one thing they had in common was the lengths they would push themselves too in order to reach their goals. Ambitious to a fault, the both of them.

Instead of speaking up, Villain simply patted their thigh gently, an invitation. Although the two had only been officially dating for a week or so now, Hero had swiftly picked up on how keen their new partner was regarding touch. Specifically, they were gentle, often leaning against the hero’s shoulder or arm when seated next to them, or opting to hold their hand when in public. They hadn’t expected them to be so attached, especially this early on, but it was hardly something Hero loathed. So, they shuffled over, manouvering their body so that they were lying directly in their partner’s lap, gazing upwards. Had their eyelashes always been so long?

The villain’s hand was quick, finding its way into Hero’s hair as though it were a compass in search of North. Their fingers were gentle with Hero’s scalp, tenderly massaging it just as one would stroke a cat lovingly curled up on your lap. Hero could almost purr in response. The tension in their head felt like it was easing, and the throbbing became milder and milder. If Villain kept this up, they wouldn’t be awake for much longer. Who would have thought they could be soothed so easily? Definitely not the hero, who was humming softly in the criminal’s lap. Villain had always had a knack for seeing things in them that the hero couldn’t even spot in the mirror.

Softly, Hero reached upwards, cupping the villain’s cheek with their warm palm and absent-mindedly brushed their thumb across their lover’s jaw, settling just beneath the lips. The pair had once kissed twice thus far. The first was fiery and passionate, the result of desperation turned into aggressiveness. Their lips had met in a wordless competition, convincing the other to melt under their touch and stay out of harm’s way. Then, the second time was a confirmation. Proof from one devotee to the other that what they had shared the other night was real and that yes, I do love you dearly. The anguish, however, had still lingered, clinging onto Hero’s wet cheeks and Villain’s pounding heart.

As the hero inched closer, their free hand interlocking with the villain’s, which had previously been resting on Hero’s hip, Villain could no longer keep themself away from their beloved’s lips. This time, this third unspoken promise, was light, and domestic. Their faces brushed against one another, and despite the persistent throbbing of their head, Hero grinned as though there was nothing wrong. How could something be wrong whilst they were in the arms of the one they adored, safe.

Usually, whenever Hero woke up disoriented, head pounding as though they had made direct contact with concrete, it was impossible to distract themself from the dull pain. Now, as they deepened the kiss, they realised that their mind was only focused on one beautiful thing.