#now: answer time!

[stiltonbasket]

prompt for qiu haitang shen yuan:

I want to know more about the bingqiu side of that death and resurrection!! The realization Binghe actually changed for him... without Shen Yuan even intending that?! And after decades of Shen Qingqiu revealing himself to be the same he always was 😮‍💨.

Shen Qingqiu seems very aware of the physical and reputational harm he has done and could do to "Shen-furen" but is missing the context for half the times he's disappointed them. It seems Shen Yuan became aware of what he could be the moment Shen Jiu was set to be peak lord, but was still open to being friends at least? They believed their Shen Jiu could be different. Until he wasn't. At all.

Anyways. That rejection of vengeance has to have done Shen Yuan in romantically (even if they didn't know it). Also Shen Yuan's self-sacrifice dialogue has to have been peak in this au: "I doubted you for 0.05 seconds! Never again! Shizun is sorry you sweet perfect adorable little sheep! Be the bestest demon lord EVer!"

Also: It was always my headcanon that the reason Binghe couldn't bring Shen Yuan back easier was that his soul was already in the mushroom body from the death, so only something that could pull his soul out of it would work. With no mushroom body...

am I just mixing canon and fanfic? Or did something in the au send Luo Binghe in the direction of the Mausoleum first thing? Wait who's the one who ends up resurrecting them? Binghe or Bingdad?

part 1 | part 2

Don't cry, Binghe. Shizun was the one in the wrong.

It's all this teacher's fault. Don't cry.

Luo Binghe stares down at his Shizun's pallid face in a daze. A month has passed since that horrible day in Jinlan—an interminable month filled with nothing with darkness, now that the bright candle of his beloved's life has been extinguished by Binghe's own hands—and in all that time, he did nothing but sit by Shen Yuan's bed and fight Liu Qingge when he broke into Huan Hua to steal her body.

"It wasn't your fault, Shizun," he whispers numbly, reaching out to touch Shen Yuan's cheek. "This Binghe was the one who failed you."

"Palace Master," a low voice says near the door, as Luo Binghe draws Shizun's blanket up over her chest. "Mu-fengzhu is requesting entry to Madam Shen's room, Junshang. And Liu Qingge—"

Luo Binghe blinks.

"Mu-shishu?" he mumbles to himself, running a trembling hand through his hair. "Mu Qingfang said yesterday that there was nothing to be done. What does he want to see me for?"

Gongyi Xiao looks more discomfited than ever. "That—I heard him speaking with the girl Junshang brought back to serve Shen-furen. It must have something to do with her."

Sha Hualing? Luo Binghe rises from Shizun's bed, confused. He brought Sha Hualing back to Huan Hua to bathe and dress Shen Yuan in his absence, since none of the female Huan Hua disciples are trustworthy enough to be left alone with her; and she had been instructed to speak to no one but Gongyi Xiao and Luo Binghe himself while she was at the palace.

What was she doing with Mu Qingfang of all people?

"Send him in," he says tersely. "And send a group of disciples out to the front gate to delay Liu Qingge."

Gongyi Xiao bows and retreats; and a moment later, he returns with Mu Qingfang trailing at his heels.

Mu Qingfang offers no greeting, and Luo Binghe does not expect one. He looks at Shizun's still body for a little while, watching as Luo Binghe's long fingers smooth away the death-bruises on her back, and then:

"There is something I must ask you, Your Excellency."

Luo Binghe's gaze remains fixed on his master's skin. "What is it?"

"Shen-shixiong told me that you were not felled by demons at the Immortal Alliance Conference, as Qiu-shimei told us. He claimed that he threw you into the Endless Abyss; was he speaking the truth?"

"He was," Luo Binghe hears himself say, as if from a great distance. "But Shizun did not lie, either. She was unconscious when I fell—she did not see what happened."

"He also said—" and here Mu Qingfang's voice falters— "that he caught you in the act of forcing yourself upon your Shizun, and that he would not have laid a hand on you otherwise for fear of angering her."

"That is not true," Luo Binghe says quietly. "But I suppose he had every reason to think so. I did not force myself upon her; Shizun was willing. And as for Shen-fengzhu being unwilling to lay a hand on me—well. In that respect, Mu-shishu must know Shen Qingqiu better than I."

Mu Qingfang's eyes narrow. "She was willing?" he asks, taking a step closer. "Then, why—?"

"She was unconscious," Luo Binghe groans, pinching the bridge of her nose. "When Shen-fengzhu found us, he must have thought that I dragged Shizun away from the others and...attacked her when I saw that she was too weary to resist. I tried to explain what happened, but he would not listen; and Shizun couldn't defend me, so he kicked me into the Abyss."

"What did happen, then?"

Sighing, Luo Binghe draws the curtain around Shizun's bed before escorting Mu Qingfang out into the hall and explaining the events of the last shichen before his descent into the Abyss. Mu Qingfang is as pale as a ghost by the end of the tale, looking between Luo Binghe and the shuttered door to Shizun's room with pitying eyes: and at length, he bows deeply and does not rise until Luo Binghe orders him to do so.

"I do not wish to speak on the matter any further," Luo Binghe tells him, afterward. "But there is something I must ask you in turn. Gongyi Xiao told me that he saw you speaking with Sha Hualing earlier; why?"

"I asked her if you had found a way to restore Qiu-shimei to life," Mu Qingfang says somberly. "She told me about the Holy Mausoleum; and now that you have explained the circumstances behind your departure, this Mu is willing to help you keep Shimei's body intact until you can find a way in."

"You believe me?" Luo Binghe asks, taken aback. "Just—just like that?"

Mu Qingfang shrugs his shoulders. "My belief in you is irrelevant. I have known Qiu-shimei since she was sixteen; and if she chose to leave Shen-shixiong and return to you on that day in Jinlan, there must have been a reason."

"If she had not come to me, I would have blown the city to pieces in my grief. That was all the reason Shizun needed."

"I have no doubt of it," Mu Qingfang replies, with a wry turn at the corner of his mouth. "But from what Ning-shizhi told me afterwards, Qiu-shimei stopped suspecting you immediately; and before she breathed her last, she asked you to flee and build a life somewhere beyond the reach of the great sects now that she could no longer protect you herself. Was it not so?"

Luo Binghe swallows. Run away, Binghe, Shen Yuan had begged, as she lay dying in Luo Binghe's arms. Run somewhere that they'll never find you, and live a good life for my sake. Please.

The mere thought of her last moments turns his stomach. She had not even been angry at him when she asked if he sent the sowers—she only assumed, because she thought he had the right to revenge himself upon Shen Qingqiu for sending him into the Abyss—and instead of explaining himself to her calmly, he had unsheathed Xin Mo in his anguish and driven his heart to death.

"Why have you condoned any of this?" he asks Mu Qingfang. "By rights, you should be fighting alongside Liu Qingge to lay Shizun to rest, and yet..."

Mu Qingfang sighs.

"Your Shizun was miserable with Shen-shixiong," he says bluntly. "I spent years prescribing prophylactic teas to him, so that he would not carry home some disease from the brothels and sicken her. I watched her come near to bleeding to death under my hands not long before you joined the sect, because Shen-shixiong could not keep himself from whipping his charges whenever the mood struck him; and after he forced you to fight that demon at Qiong Ding, I had to tell Qiu-shimei that she would never bear a living child because of Without-A-Cure.

"It grieved us all to see her mourn you these last three years. She clearly cherished you above all else; so if she could be brought back, and be given the chance to live well at your side, then perhaps..."

His voice trails off into silence.

"It is true that I ought to be following Liu-shixiong's example," he admits, after a moment. "But Lady Sha assured me that Qiu-shimei could be brought back to life in full health as long as her body was properly preserved. I can assist you there; and since I have every reason to believe she would be glad to return to you, there is no need for you and Cang Qiong to be enemies. You and I and my shixiongdi want only the best for your Shizun: so in that, we may consider ourselves united."

With that, Mu Qingfang bows once again before retreating back down the corridor after Gongyi Xiao.

Luo Binghe lets himself back into the bedroom, overcome, and falls to his knees at Shizun's side.

"Did you hear that?" he whispers, pressing her icy hands to his lips. "Don't worry, Shizun. This disciple will bring you back. I swear it."

[icewindandboringhorror]

(also feel free in the tags to clarify Why you made the choice you made!! :0c)

[et-in-arkadia]

* * *

Mission mode change detected, now in Monument Mode Goodnight friends. After exchanging our final bits of data,

I will hold vigil on this spot in Mare Crisium to watch humanity's continued journey to the stars.

Here, I will outlast your mightiest rivers, your tallest mountains, and perhaps even your species as we know it.

But it is remarkable that a species might be outlasted by its own ingenuity.

Here lies Blue Ghost, a testament to the team who, with the loving support of their families and friends, built and operated this machine and its payloads,

to push the capabilities and knowledge of humanity one small step further.

Per aspera ad astra!

Love, Blue Ghost

* * *

no you are actively crying over a dying robot on the moon i am doing just fine thanks

[somanyfandomsorkinafs]

(I am ~buzzing~ with ideas…. Allow me to release some)

Once Danny was an adult, he decided to join Ellie in her ‘permanent world tour’. It’s better than staying in Amity where the opinion of Phantom hasn’t gotten much better. Besides, the portal caused the veil to get weaker, allow ghost to wreak havoc where ever they want.

He’s met a lot new ghost cause of this too. Old as Mycenaean Greece to non humans who came to Earth and died there. Danny’s learnt so much from them that he’s basically a walking in Encyclopaedia.

So, Danny’s decided “fuck it.” and has it became a part-time history teacher. It’s fun! He knows the details by heart and is able to make it more fun than just droning on about the same old wars and whatever. He enjoys it, the kids enjoy it and the ghosts having their stories told!

Of course, this does cause some problems when people try to correct him. Danny’s argument? “I got them correct sources.”

And when anyone asks him how knows his sources are correct? “My source was there when it happened.”

Cue the dc world thinking that Danny’s just some immortal guy whose decided to use his immortality for good(TM)

[what-am-i-doing-in-this-fandom]

Yeah, I don't know about you, Fidds, but I'd fold at this 🙏

Previous!!

Next!!

First!!

[eridan-ampora]

who did you kill for that url

Is This A Trick Question

[clumsypuppy]

wait for me

[rooniearts]

DADOW!

DADOW!!!!!!

[savanir]

You shouldn't summon a Ghost King

Danny had felt the weird tug to the entirety of himself and instantly knew he was finally actually getting summoned for the first time. 

He'd winced through the whole process, knowing he should have listened to Clockwork and changed the requirements now that he was Ghost King... but even though Clockwork had seemed pretty serious about it, it just... kept slipping Danny's mind.  Listen, it's not that he didn't want to! executive dysfunction is a bitch alright, and it sounded like boring ghost paper work.

And it's been like... months now, maybe even a full year, maybe even longer. People don't really summon the Ghost King apparently, and Danny has been busy! He has school, he's trying really hard to get his grades back up. At some point he just completely forgot about it. 

He's really regretting not taking it as seriously as he probably should have now that he's randomly on top of a skyscraper in some massive city he doesn't recognise. And the city is... for a lack of better words, on fire. 

He can feel the suffering he can hear the screams, there is pain, chaos and fear all around him. Like a physical force pressing down on him.

The sickening part of it all is that he feels stronger than ever like someone injected him with 50 energy drinks directly into his veins but at the same time his stomach is recoiling violently, extreme jitters but not in a good way, absolutely nauseous. 

He's not really listening to whatever is going on directly around him on that roof, that's all far in the distance somehow, maybe he's disociating, maybe something else other ghost thing is going on, but Danny is just floating there in full king regalia. 

All he cares about it is snatching the weird creepy looking grimoire and getting some answers. 

And answers he gets because its very clearly stated in there that the Ghost King (Pariah Dark) wants a tribute to himself. Whomever deigns to summon him must prove willingness to his cause. Aka the whole conquering and genocide and tyranny thing. 

Over five hundred deaths would probably do but over a thousand was preferred, even more was obviously even better. That would show dedication and earn favour and- blah blah blah. 

Danny thinks he's going to throw up. 

It doesn't help that that's when the heroes show up and Danny is very clearly the big bad in this scenario even if it was completely unintentional.

Maybe they'll let him explain? Oh shit, that one looks so upset they're crying- maybe he can just go invisible instead...

This might be the worst night of his life. 

[blueboybot]

I want a fic where Danny is adopted but not by the JL but a villain. BUT! It is a very minor villain to the point where people are absolutely gobsmacked when he calls the villain dad, like everyone just stops what they're doing and watches the interaction. Bonus points if they find out that Danny is an absolute powerhouse monster and wonder what entity away from God's light did they fuck to have him.

"That's your son?"

"Yes."

"The glowing white haired teen?"

"Yes."

"The same glowing white haired teen that just froze a star and then ate it?..."

"Yes! And?"

"THE FUCK YOU MEAN "AND?", HE JUST ATE A STAR!!"

___________

Danny in a less than human form: *screeching*

"Scream all you want but you still have school tomorrow and you're going."

Danny: *leaves taking the cold and weirdness with him*

"Sorry about that, he gets a bit cranky when he has to take a nap."

The rest of the villains in the meeting terrified: Oh...

___________

"It would much easier if you got your son to help with your task."

"Absolutely fucking not! He's not going to do ANY vigilante/villain bullshit if I have any say in it."

"You have the ultimate weapon at your side and you-"

"My son is blessing not a weapon, I advise you to NEVER speak about him like that ever again."

____________

Villain, threatening JL Hero: Tell your kid stay away from my son, he doesn't need any of that shit yall bring into his life.

JL Hero: What?

____________

Personally I like to imagine this somebody as Kite-Man but that's just me, use whoever yall like.

[prlssprfctn]

The first time, Tim notices someone observing them from afar, it is when they are all settled for a brief dinner together. It is the middle of the week, and Bruce gathered all of them together to... relax. Which is strange but not unwelcome. Everyone is so involved in chattering and bantering that they don't notice a lingering gaze through the window; they don't, but Tim does.

It takes him a few seconds to figure out that it is Jason.

He is not sure if Bruce reached for him to invite, and Jason just declined, or there was no offer to begin with, but Tim knows for sure Jason lurkes behind windows for a few minutes before disappearing in the night.

And the funniest thing? Tim understands him.

He thinks he is not Jason's replacement — never truly was, despite what the other thought — but in a way, they did swap their places. Because in the past, it was Tim, who hid on the rooftops, staring at Bruce and his family, listening to the snippets of their conversations. And now it is Jason.

It is still different, of course. Tim had a choice, and it was his... enthusiastic project, if anything — Jason doesn't really. But if anyone understands the feeling of standing far away from everyone, it is still Tim.

That's why the next time in happens, Tim reaches out.

It is after the particularly easy mission, when Tim spots the red motion on the rooftop. He slips away from Nightwing and Robin, who debate about something with Batman through the comms, and finds himself standing behind Red Hood.

The way Red Hood taps his fingertips on the balustrade makes Tim remember that he is not included in their comms anymore. He wonders how lonely it is, to hear the voices of his brothers, but never being able to grasp the whole conversation they have.

'Hood,' he calls for him.

To Jason's credit, he doesn't scramble in panic, even if it seems that he is surprised by his appearance.

'Red,' he mutters back, instantly defensive. 'What, came to mock me?'

Tim rolls his eyes; he wishes things would be easier with Jason, but they are not, and he can't really blame him for that.

'Had I ever mocked you?' He copies his stance, arms folding in the chest. When Jason tilts his head, almost asking, "Really now?" Tim rolls his eyes again. 'Okay, I did a few times. But it mostly were jokes about your death.'

Jason chuckles.

'Good one, punk. It changes everything.'

'You like jokes about your death,' Tim protests. 'And I know you allow Arsenal to joke about it, so it is not entirely closed topic.'

'I don't remember allowing you to joke about it, though.'

...

This conversation is so fucking stupid. Tim didn't even came here for this, but-

But fine. He still can win.

'So, you only allow it to your friends. Fine. Let's be friends,' Jason chokes on his own exhausted sigh. 'Do you need some friendship questionnaires to fill to be my friend? I can arrange that.'

Jason kindly flips him off under his breath before disappearing in the night, leaving him alone with whining Nightwing and irritated Bruce in his ear.

The next time he stalks down Jason, who in turn is stalking Damian and Bruce, he shoves in his hand twenty three papers filled with bunch of friendship questions — half stripped from internet, half made by Tim that involve the specifics of their jobs.

He doesn't expect anything to come after it, but in two weeks after Jason returns to the city after his mission with Outlaws, Tim finds these papers filled with surprisingly neat, calligraphic answers.

And he gets the printed copy of the same questions, with one page of an additional one, written in the same handwriting, and with a little sticky note atop of it.

Your turn, Timbo.

Tim smirks.

Oh, he will so drag Jason back in the family, somehow.

[rocketbirdie]

face value

[obsessedwithstarwars]

Okay you can’t tell me that Vlad doesn’t have an organ somewhere in his mansion. Upon learning of this, Danny would teach himself how to play the Haunted Mansion theme on the organ and play it at 2am.

Vlad Masters is away on business in Gotham, and the Fentons are coincidentally there for a symposium on ecto-activity. So it’s perfect! Except he goes to the wrong house, er mansion.

Honestly, Danny thought it was one of Vlad’s many mansions. Scaring the old man is his favorite activity after all. There’s a higher amount of ectoplasm here, so it has to be Vlad’s place right?

When Bruce comes out (on one of his few nights off) and sees his carbon copy playing the organ, all thoughts fly out of his head. Danny finally looks up and also blue screens. They stare at each other for what feels like an eternity until Danny’s cell phone rings (the ghostbusters theme??) and he panics. He jumps up and makes a break for the other door rushing through apologies “SorryWronghousegottagobye!” And runs out of the room. “Wait! Who are you?”Bruce exclaims as he rushes after him. They’re on the second story in one of the rooms he rarely uses. How did he know where the organ was? No matter. He’ll catch the kid on the stairs.

Except the kid is already almost at the bottom. How did he get down so effortlessly? The kid practically floated down the stairs.

Bruce gets to the foyer just in time to see the kid realize the door was dead-bolted in multiple spots. He won’t be able to undo them all before Bruce catches up to him.

He slows down and stands behind a pillar, assessing his next move. He needs to be careful here. This is a child after all, no need to spook him any more than he already has. He needs to slowly approach, and ask his questions.

But then the kid does the unexpected. After looking around frantically, he takes a deep breath. Two rings form around his middle and travel up and down his body. His black hair turns ghostly white. He looks back, almost directly at Bruce. His eyes widen as if he realizes he’s being watched. He whispers, barely loud enough to hear, “I’m so sorry, please don’t follow me.” Then, he backs through the locked door and vanishes.

[sinsydia]

Bonus image 🖤

The end :3

Pt 1 / Pt2 / Pt 3

[abd-illustrates]

Sorry to bother you. I wanted to ask if you were willing to give advice on how to avoid the 'Friends Who Never Hang' tropes? Because I'm hesitant to make more main characters because I'm not sure if I can make their bond close between all of them and you seem to have a grip on the Heartless gang's relationship. Thanks.

I had to google what that trope meant haha - but that's a rlly interesting question!

At least for me and my storytelling preferences, I think my stance would be that there's actually no need to worry about making a close bond between *all* of your main characters at all!

It's a bit hard to articulate, and I'm definitely thinking from more of a manga mindset so bear with me lol -- but trying to make sure that everyone on your main cast all get along with everyone else on the main cast, and feeling the need to give a 'proper' spotlight to every possible combination of characters to convince your audience that 'they really are all friends with a close bond, see how they all hang out!?' Can run the risk of looking like this:

and leave your story feeling bland/stagnant as you kinda slog through unnecessary scenes between characters just for the sake of proving that they do all interact an adequate amount.

Whereas - (again, at least in my experience) - building a group primarily around their ties to your Main-main character(s) like this:

is a method that leaves much more room for you as a writer to both focus on the character that's specifically meant to be at the forefront, while also making it easier to explore which other combos could then actually be fun to give more screen time to in order to *build up* those close bonds, rather than worrying about the end result and just trying to make everybody get along right from the get-go!

(Also! Don't feel like if you start out with a bunch of varied colorful connections that they all have to be turned into bright green friendly bonds by story's end! Making some characters a bit closer over time but still not besties is a-ok! They can unite for a common goal but still get on each others nerves forever! There are no rules! Be cringe, be free!)

[demaparbat-hp]

On your most recent From the Couch post... is that a dragon tattoo I see poking out of Zuko's collar? ...................may we see more of it?

You may see all of it.