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#I just wanted to make a huge bowtie on a character for some reason
rayix · 9 months
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Little guy with his bow tie
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troblsomtwins829 · 9 months
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Finally Finished Reading the Design Bibles
I took a lot of notes, and while I do, unfortunately, have to keep my blog spoiler-free for my friend (who has not played 3 yet, but we're working through it) I did want to share some highlights!
Ring on Jak's chest noted to be an "Eco Ring" that channels and holds eco force, which it odd because the Warrior is the only other person that uses rings in their design.
Gameplay note: Lurkers are specifically told to only deal with anyone who strays too far from the village. meaning the village isn't a target at all. Just realized this whole thing is in comic sans
Samos the sage is noted to be a "Scholar" of Green Eco. Skin has taken on green skin after years of exposure. Elements of his design suggest a harmony and closeness with nature rather than the noted potential corruption the human body would inflict upon it.
Kiera wants to be a sage. She also likes investigating precursor technology. These are two conflicting desires that any normal youth would have, however her noted interest in tech and building is more utilized than any eco knowledge.
Samos clearly has no problems with her pursuing this path.
Piercings and tattoos exist in the time of TPL The Warrior wears Three (3) rings, pauldrons, vambraces, and leg guards. Has a similar wrapping style in his arms and wrists to Jak, and is, more or less, the only other person that seems armed and prepared for any form of combat. His hair is also green. Being defeated by Kull was a huge his to his pride. Encountering Jak and Daxter may likely have inspired him to learn form his failure and continue onward
Willard and Gordy are the only other characters with names. Names may be attributed to those in close relationships, whereas strangers or acquaintances use reserved titles exclusively
The gambler made a bet the Warrior would outlast the lurkers and lost. That's why he's poor now.
Mosquito design justified by the utilization of the snoot as a literal bloodsucking eco-eater. Design bible notates the functions of a robot for planet-creation, however the design is distinctly more battle/war based.
Overworld concept art is vibrant and much more elaborate than the prints can give off. Overhead shots give great detail on the overall look of the world, likely able to be pieced together to make a semi-cohesive map.
Personal note: Love the inclusion of stylizing the trees to keep everything on-theme Precursor temple in concept art leaves less that it was built into the mountain and more that it fell and then settled there
Jak's hair is barely up to the Warrior's shoulder.
Renegade Jak is not much taller than his younger self. Notably bulked out in some areas, but also painfully thin despite it. Could be chocked up to the dramatic style change between TPL and Renegade. May need to superimpose over feet vs head to get full scale of actual growth, if I really want to work that angle (I do not)
gets new goggles! Those are different ones entirely!
"Dark Jak is INVINCIBLE!" lol, okay fam. 'Dark Jak' taking an intense physical toll on the body makes sense, given the transformation is due to the over-abundance of dark eco in his system. Dark Jak may act as a release of excess energy as much as a dissociative defense mechanism.
Young samos definitely smokes weed. Sig apparently wears a size 18 boot. (13 inches from toe to heel) Vin wears a bowtie
Torn's Facial tattoos are asymmetrical. Both in concept and on model. (I will never draw them that way)
Torn still has many connections with the KG besides Ashelin. Left the Baron's forces for explained reasons, and wants to take the baron down for those aforementioned reasons.
Ashelin started in the KG as a recruit and "fought her way up the ranks to become a commander." Loyal to a fault, still in contact with Torn even after his desertion.
Note: The only known KG commanders are Erol and Ashelin, with Torn being a former commander himself. These two are the only ones that have unique armour tailored to their position and style. Erol with the racing suit, and Ashelin with a more "horse girl" style. Neither contain any colour consistency between them, suggesting that customized armour is a perk to being at the literal top of the military hierarchy.
All Krimson Guards have tattoos to show their loyalty to the city. Models are all copy-pasted, but it's reasonable to assume they earn/get more when ascending ranks or branching into specialized units.
Design note: Torn has a tall torso, Vin has droopy ears, and is taller than Jak
Mar's own legend has contradictory accounts of weither he died. Precursor stone was attached to his sword. Interesting design choice.
Jak is roughtly tit-height to a Rapid-Gunner Metalhead
racing vehicles are designed with a slimmer, almost body-width footprint utilizing aerodynamics and rudders over the fish design of Kiera's original model. Additionally, riders sit feet-forward in a slouched, almost laying position that puts strain on their neck to continue looking forward. Neither model displayed in the design bible have more than one rudder for mobility, which is understandable considering the high-speeds they reach. that can't be good on your back, though.
HAVEN IS PLACED THREE HUNDRED YEARS IN THE FUTURE. PERFECT. THIS IS THE FKING CONFIRMATION I NEEDED. world concept art shows land outside of haven's walls, and even more, ruined walls, beyond. small areas that look to either be stations or small inhabited areas denote life outside of the city is not only possible, but likely. The Pumping Station is NOT misty island, nor is it geyser rock. based on foliage alone, may be adjacent to the forbidden jungle.
Sewers were MASSIVE in concept. filled with metal-heads, and winding enough to get lost in easily. Would have made a great quick getaway point if there were multiple access points throughout the city Haven Forest is a sacred place, filled with stone effigy's and an offering stand in front of The Tree. A wall may have been intended to be grafitti'd
Stone carvings depicting Mar's legend would be a wonderful touch, if incorporated.
Mar buried at the crotch of a precursor robot behind a MASSIVE door that perfectly illustrates the force required to have protected the city from Metalheads. Port was intended to be a more bustling area, complete with actual BOATS. and common areas! I would have loved to see these get modeled into the game, they'd be spectacular.
The stadium was clearly the favoured child. Drill platform is one of many, sees regular activity during the day.
If Daxter's two feet tall, and each bar is a foot, Jak is Five Feet tall.
Baron Praxis is even bigger than Sig. But still shorter than the Warrior. Kiera and Jak are roughly the same height Onin's outfit is basically the ugly nike shirt Tess is Taller than Jak. Erol is shorter than Ashelin.
Jak continues to wear wrappings up to his elbows despite not strictly needing to. Other concept has his forearms free. Headcanon explanation: Hates looking at his scars, so he covers them up to avoid it being seen or asked about.
There is not explanation for the Precursors. I fking LOVE it.
Every wastelander is designed with their hair either put up or cut short to prevent it from getting in the way. Every one has a a design with a pauldron of some kind, and while their clothing isn't entirely practical, it looks light and airy enough to provide protection from at least the sun.
return of the precursor robot
the proto-names for all of the cars feature animal names! Which, while cute, clearly did not last to the final phase.
"Wastelanders love their off-road vehicles" Sir, THERE IS NO ROAD
lol, kg segway
Precursor ship is fking HUUUUGE
The planet is noted to be "unfinished"
Huge variety of flora and fauna in the wasteland. Despite being a desert, it boasts its own ecosystem of a variety of cacti and also fully fledged trees. Concept art suggests that people are able to tame and mount large desert lizards to traverse the sands (nomadic tribes, likely)
Just from the concepts alone, i can tell the entirety of the wasteland was meant to be much larger and more elaborate than the one we ended up with. More diverse life, maybe less marauders, potentially mounts outside of Spargus, the oasis is an entire area unto itself and in the game it's just a puddle. There is so much more love and care in the crafting of the ideas and concepts of this game that sadly got left to the wayside from either time or money constraints. Haven is in ruins, New areas previously unknown have been uncovered, and there's an entire world out there that has yet to be explored in full. Were this game made today, and given the time needed to make sure it was well-produced and as elaborate as they wanted, it'd easily give Nintendo's LoZ a run for its money.
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fanficwriter284 · 2 years
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Thanksgiving
HAPPY EARLY TURKEY DAY!!!!!! I was gonna post this tomorrow but..............................
The character Gloria belongs to @twyz
The Rays we're celebrating Thanksgiving, getting everything set up, and preparing the food. Tiffany had cooked a turkey and several steaks. Now you may ask why she does this? Well, it's because her husband likes having a variety of meats and would rather sink his teeth into a juicy steak, than a turkey. He wasn't much for poultry. Glen and Glenda had assisted Tiffany with the pies and side trays. Chucky was texting his daughters who were out of the house. Apparently, they had left early to go as they called it a sister bonding spree. They invited the twins, but they didn't bother going, for the sole reason that the two girls left at 4:30 in the morning. Glenda wasn't a morning person and Glen wanted to stay home and just help Tiffany with the meal. Chucky was leaned over the couch and typing quickly.
Where the fuck are you two? Get home now. Before mom kicks your ass
Gloria is typing
We are on the way, Dad.... We would have been home sooner if Chelsea didn't make me dig the damn whole to dispose of the body and she made me take the legs!
Dad is typing
Well hurry your asses up, before your ma finds out
Gloria is typing
We're like 5 minutes away
Dad is typing
Shit, you guys gotta go through the back your ma's gonna go get you
Gloria is typing
We gotta what!
Dad is typing
Shit nevermind you two gotta go through the window, she's calling you how far are you guys?
Gloria is typing
We're here!
Dad is typing
K Ima go open your window
Gloria is typing
K
Chucky went to his daughter room and pushed open her window.
"Here give me your hand and grab your sister.....fuck you guys are heavy"
Chucky hoisted the two up into Gloria's room.
"Thanks Dad"
"Yeah thanks"
"Yeah....and we're gonna talk about this tomorrow but get your asses dressed and head downstairs"
Chucky left the room heading downstairs, leaving the two sister's alone.
"What are you wearing to dinner?"
"Me? Glad you asked! I'm wearing my new brown silk suit with my brown bowtie. AH! Its gonna be great! What about you?"
"Ima go take a quick shower, I'm covered in blood. And well go from there"
".....please tell me you're gonna style your hair"
"YES! God I am"
"And don't wear a hoodie it's Thanksgiving!!! Not movie night. I don't wanna see your grease-stained hoodie anywhere near the table"
"I won't Jesus!"
"Good"
Gloria had a face at her younger sister and headed to the shower. Chelsea carefully changed out of her spotless suit and into her Thanksgiving outfit. Then setting an orange headband perfectly on her head. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her head and applied some perfume. Before heading downstairs, she adjusted her orange bowtie and smiled in the mirror.
"Nice"
"GLORIA WHAT THE HELL! I've told you to knock"
"Hehe sorry, but you look nice"
"Thank you"
Chelsea took a moment to inspect her sister, smirking in approval.
"You clean up pretty nicely, glad you did something with that hair of yours"
Gloria rolled her eyes and hugged her sister.
"Come on lets head downstairs the food should be ready by now"
The youngest Ray nodded in approval and the two met up with the rest of the family.
"Wow! You too look beautiful"
"Yeah, what she said"
"Thanks"
"Thank you!"
"Come on let's eat I'm fucking starving"
All the Rays had sat down at the table and dug in.
Glenda grabbed a large turkey leg and bit into it,
"This is so huge; I don't think it's gonna fit"
"That's what your mom said last night"
All the Rays fell silent for a moment and then began cackling, all except for Glen who was covering the side of his face.
"Oh god why......"
"HAHAHAHAHAH!!! OK YOU GOTTA ADMIT THAT WAS A GOOD ONE!"
"HAHAHAHA"
"HAHAHAHA"
Gloria was snorting trying to hold back laughter from her father's joke, as well as Tiffany.
"AW come on Glen lighten up!"
Chucky took another bite from the leg still chuckling to himself.
"Oh god haha....shit....hahaha.....well Happy Thanksgiving to all ya your asses better be thankful"
"Happy Thanksgiving!"
"Happy Thanksgiving!"
"Happy Thanksgiving!"
"Happy Thanksgiving!"
"Happy Thanksgiving!"
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davekat-sucks · 1 year
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Ngl i feel like Tom Fulp had to back peddle and make Picos school more palatable for a newer audience since the things that are normal on newgrounds don't fly on twitter. Idk if my Pico lore is off but i thought the Nene is homophobic joke came from the fnfHD mod so i don't think i can count that as sanitizing the character but i know Cyclops swastikas had gotten removed in that Pico remake game where Pico and Boyfriend were couple. I remember on Twitter there was a weird move to try and make Picos School more PC for some reason? Like why even bother getting rid of the racist design choices made in a game where it's about a penis alien committing a school shooting?
As for like the KFCs genders i remember ages ago people claimed that Toby had said that you could choose whatever gender you wanted to identify Chara and Frisk as but I've never seen as source for this but it's not like i care I've always referred to Frisk and Chara as female. I know Toby had stated Kris is a "they" in a stream apparently but even then i still don't care and i see Kris as a straight dude. (Ex: him hiding a book with a character with a bikini on it, the love Tea he drink and the stats of it showing he had a liking towards Susie and Noelle, his whole dynamic with Noelle during a genocide route and getting her a ring, the one save point and the queens legs stating something along the lines of "looking at these legs fills you with something" yea yea all that when it comes to fiction i just have a habit of referring too characters by certain genders depending on how i see them. Like Wx-78 from don't starve, the whole joke is that the character is a robot and it's gender is nonbinary, even then i still refer to the character as male due to some dialogue and having an outfit where he's wearing a bowtie with a drawn on mustache even with these examples as to why a huge proportion of people refer to him as male there's still people who'll harp on others for not using neutral pronouns
Exactly. Pico's School itself doesn't take too seriously that it could be on levels with South Park kind of humor. I wouldn't be surprised if Tom Fulp had that in mind during its creation. But yeah, whatever gender people see in KFC, whether it is a boy, girl, or gender neutral, it's different for everybody. There is no evil intention behind it. Some may have done it for self insertion, but when haven't we self inserted in a blank slate-like character for shipping with our faves? Not only does the gender neutral count for KFC, but can extend to ones like Monster Kid too. I remember that the only 'misgendered' mistake Toby had done was that he/him pronouns was used for Monster Kid during the first run print of the Undertale art book that fans got upset when they saw it that Toby/Fangamer had to change it to they/them since MK was also one of the characters that used gender neutral pronouns.
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fakeloveaskblog · 3 years
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Yay lasertag!!! Janus you should totally go visit Remus on the weekend and hang out! Also, maybe invite Remy too, if they wanna come. Then (specially if they don't show) you can plan with them both to maybe go on another hangout with Remus but to somewhere you like and let Remy tag along for the ride if they wanna while u're at it.
(Words: 3153 words)
Janus: "Ah yes! I will let you know that after hanging out with Remus I managed to use my incredible totally very good texting skills to ask the Rems if they wanted to go to an art museum and they both for some reaosn, maybe they are being blackmailed, said yes! I hope it will go g-"
He cut himself off as he saw the two Rems come towards him. He had been waiting outside the museum. (Honestly half the reason he had choosen it was because he knew Remus liked art)
Remus waved at him while grinning. He had on sweatpants, a way too large t-shirt and a necklace made out of animal bones. Remy had their arm swung around him. Even though they had sunglasses on their eyebags were still visible.
“Aight gamers! Are we ready to do an epic art heist!! I got my sunglasses ready!” Remus exclaimed. He didn’t, he was planning on stealing Remy’s sunglasses.
“Partner you’re forgetting that we must first observe the security measures of the museum before we can even start to plan the heist” Janus replied.
“Oh!!! That’s what we’re doing today isn’t it??”
“Correct partner!”
“Babes I dunno why you gotta steal art when I’m standing right here” Remy added while posing.
“Good point. Good point” 
Janus had on a yellow bowtie he’d gotten from Logan, a loose purple shirt and black dress pants. People had to look fancy when they went to museums right? Remy had a skirt short enough to fool god and their boyfriend’s hoodie on (it looked oversized on them but with how skinny they were Everything looked oversized on them).
As soon as they got in Remus started to bounce up and down as he looked at the posters showing all the different exhibitions. There was a modern art one, classical and one smaller exhibition for specifically mosaic works.
“So whatcha you wanna look at Snakey?” Remus asked.
Janus was caught of guard “Why are you asking me?”
“Well you chose how we would hang out. C’mon you deserve to choose this too”
He looked over to Remy who shrugged “Uhm okay. Well. The classical paintings would proably give us the most money on the black market so lets look at those”
“Yay!” 
Remus quickly took on his noise canceling headphones and a chew necklace before doing thumbs up. He firmly took Janus’ hand in his. He sent him a soft smile which made Jan’s heart spin before dashing of with him into the exhibition.
A few big paintings from the renaissance hung on the wall. Remy came a little later since with the cane they walked pretty slow. Remus eyed the paintings from a distance before squinting at them up close. He flapped the hand he was hoding Janus with around.
"Oh!!! This is so cool!!!! This is from the renaissance but it's not using the chiaro oscuro technique like everyone did 'cause Da Vinci would eat their newborn if they didnt!”
"Is that why it's looking flatter than me?" Remy asked.
“YEah!! Augh I love the renaissance!!! Mostly because they were dissecting bodies so much!! sometimes for the sole purpose of drawing anatomy better!! I wanna do that! Or watch someone do that! Getting to see one of those old classrooms where they dissected corpses would be so awesome!”
“Huh good way to get rid of bodies. Great time for serial killers” Janus commented.
He let out a dreamy sigh “It truly was. They’re doing serial killers dirty nowadays”
They went through some more rooms of renaissance paintings. Janus made sure to hold Remus back a bit so Remy could keep up with them. The duke kept rambling about different shading techniques.
They stepped into another room and the style changed. Remus continued to flap his hand nonetheless. Janus was definitely going to have pain in his wrist tomorrow. It was worth it if he could hold his hand though.
Remy leaned their elbow on top of Janus’ head “This is like the baroque time right?”
“YEah!” Remus’ eyes went huge “Bean you didn’t tell me you were into art history??! Do you know about Ruben too?? I like how he paints butts!”
“What? Nah. I just- I can like see it on the clothes in the paintings. Can’t you?”
“Do I look like a time traveling fashiong guru” Janus replied sarcastically “That is honestly impressive”
Remy sunk in on themself and a hint of red appeared on their cheeks “No. Nah. I’m like a total airhead! Completel idiot! hehe I’m like tots sure everyone knows this stuff. Y’all are just bad at fashion. I uh anyway Rem you were gonna rant?”
“I was?”
“Yeah!”
“Oh....Okay!!” He looked around the room before getting caught on a small painting in the corner. He dashed over to it “HANds!”
The painting depicted 2 bloody hands over a table. They were holding onto each other. the red stuck out against the dark background. It was hard to see if they were supposed to belong to two people who were fighting or in love.
Remus looked down at Janus’ hand while playing with his fingers “I think my favorite body part are hands” He mumbled “I mean they’re horseshit to draw but they can do so much”
Janus looked away from the painting as well. He let his crush do whatever he wanted with his hand as long as he kept holding it. the way he held him so lightly but kept rubbing his thumb up and down his skin made him melt.
“Yeah they can do a lot of fucked up shit” Remy butted in. Jan nearly jumped. He’d completely lost himself in adoring his crush.
“Well hands can also be used to give snakes small berries! And to make coffee!”
“Girl I wasn’t starting an argument. But you sure did won it!”
Remus was staring down into the floor as he said “When I become a cannibal I would wanna try eating human fingers first. I’m sure they would be tasty”
“Why was there a when in there?” Jan asked in a small amount of terror.
“Oh yeah babe totally. I will like actually eat a dick” Remy agreed.
“Why is there a will in there? What kind of time tenses are you people on?? Does english grammar mean nothing to you heathens!?”
Remy got a smug look on their face. They poked their finger right into Janus’ chest “C’mon say what you will eat when you become a cannibal”
“Yeah Snakey” Remus squished his cheeks “Say it! Say it! Say it!”
The two of them kept going on while Janus looked like a sour lemon until he finally caved in.
“Fine. I would either eat the stomach or....the buttocks since they would have the most fat and sustain me the longest”
The Rems looked at each other before bursting out into laughter. “He said butT!” Remus cackled out. The other Rem nodded along and pretended to wipe away a tear from laughter.
“Aight babe let’s put the guy out of his misery” 
They motioned for Remus to go ahead. He happily skipped into the next room and grabbed Jan’s hand to take him with him. The snake couldn’t help but notice how Remy stayed behind for a monent.
“Oh cool!! We’re onto impressionism! The first real art style!” He sighed “From impressionism to cartoon furries. How magical the journey of art is” 
(Jan who had a scaley phase in high school chose to not reply)
“I love the music as well. Crazy lads. My favorite lad?” Remus snickered “De bussy!!”
“That’s my porn name” Remy instantly replied, coming up behind them. “Hey that paint lady kinda like looks like Terra” They pointed at a painting.
“....Hey YEaH! I guess my art is timeless!”
Janus looked between them “who’s Terra?”
“Well girl” Remy playfully ruffled Remus’ hair “She’s just Rem’s tots cool like cartoon character. She’s like all over his sketchbook. Makes it look kinda straight if you ask me but she does have like a very cool design so I get it!”
“Oh......Yes...Sounds very....cool”
The group kept going around looking at art. While it felt like lead was filling Janus’ chest. He’d never heard about Terra. He’d never seen his sketchbook. Meaning they had spent time with each other without him.
He pierced his nails into his palms to stop the thoughts. He refused to be some jealous person who didn’t allow his friends to hang out without him.....Still he wish he could have seen the drawings as well....seen them smile together...heard their shared laughter....
Oh. Oh what if they thought he was annoying. What if they preferred being without him. What if he’d forced them to come here today. What if-
“Hey snakey wanna look at the modern art as well?” Remus interrupted.
“What?” 
Without realizing they’d gone through all of the classic art. Now they were in the last room with not much more than a giant painting the size of one of the walls and a bench.
“That sounds horrid!”
“Yay!”
Remus quickly continued of into the next exhibition. Janus still had the taste of lead filling his throat as he went to follow. Until he realized Remy wasn’t there. He turned around and saw them sitting on the bench in front of the painting. They were leaning their arms on their cane.
“It would probably give us a lot on the black market” Jan said while sitting down beside them.
“Mhm. It’s pretty. I just like wanted to look at it some more” They lied.
“Understandable” 
The painting was pretty much a big flower field with a summer sky shining down on it. Janus noticed how Remy forced deep breathes through their gritted teeth. Their brows were furrowed and their hands kept shaking.
“Are you alright?”
“Of course!” 
“I have some painkillers with me. Would that help agains the pain you’re totally not in?”
They glanced over to him “Girl what you doing walking around with painkillers?”
He looked at them with the most deadpan expression “Remy I’m overweight. You can not phantom how often I get knee pain" He took out a pill and held it out to them "Here"
"There's really like no need! I can like handle it"
Even more deadpan "You shouldn’t have to ‘handle it’. It's 1 painkiller dear. I'm not exactly becoming a saint because of this"
They hesitantly took it "Thanks"
He did fingerguns "No problemo"
They stayed sitting for a bit so the pill could kick in. Jan shuly glanced over to admire them every now and then. Remy kept looking down into the floor while picking at their skin.
“I’m sorry” They said it in a much quieter voice than their usual high pitched one “I tried to do everything right so I wouldn’t ruin everything. I even went to bed early so I wouldn’t get tired....I...I really looked forward to getting to be with you two”
Janus heart beat faster. He pulled himself together to comfort them “You haven’t ruined a thing”
They hid their face in their hands “I’ve been tired and out of it all day. I keep like slowing you down. Don’t think I haven’t like noticed how much you have to hold Rem back from going faster! I’ve just been making this all much worse than it should have been”
“Well you’re here aren’t you? I for one appreciate you simply being here. You don’t have to do anything to make me appreciate you, don’t even have to talk. I hope you know that”
“....really?”
“Oh no darling I totally expect you to win the nobel prize while in a kind of pain I can’t even imagine being in on a daily basis”
Remy chuckled “Thanks”
“There’s really no need for that. I am at any and all times doing the absolute minimum to be counted as a decent human being”
“Sure snakey-babey” They had a soft smile on their face.
They moved to hug him. Their arms wrapped around his back and they muffled their head right between his man titties. Janus sat still for a few seconds, too flustered to think before moving his arms around them as well. A hand on the back of their head, another on their lower back. Their skin felt so cold against his.
Remy closed their eyes and let themself calm down. They could feel Janus’ breathing against their hair.
“I think my fav like human part is the chest” They mumbled out “‘Cause I can hear the heart beat. It reminds me I’m- we’re still like alive”
“Like a bloody biological seashell”
“Exactly” They pressed themself closer. “I like being with you” It was nothing more than a whisper, like it was a secret “When you’re here I feel a bit less like a rotting corpse”
Janus held onto them harder “Well I-I try my best”
“I know babe”
His heart was beating out of his chest. The people around them must think they were a couple. He closed his eyes and focused on Remy’s touch, on Picani’s words from their last session. He managed to push enough of the shame away and focus on the happy butterflies in his stomach instead.
Remy moved away. The moment broke.
“We should probs go find Rem before he starts like eating the art”
“haha yeah” Janus did thumbs up but kept sitting. He’d gone full idiot.
It wasn’t until he saw Remy straining to stand up even with the cane his brain kicked back in.
“Is there some way I could help?”
They didn’t answer. But they did lean their arm around his shoulder to let him carry some of their weight. They slowly but surely made their way to the modern art exhibition.
Remus was sitting crosslegged in front of a weird statue, he was doodling in his sketchbook but shone up into a smile when he saw them.
“There you are! I was starting to think that either the zombie apocalypse had started or you were making out somehwere”
“Oh yeah babe. Full tounge” Remy joked back. Jan let out an inhumane noise.
He closed his sketchbook “I think we’re done here. You’re looking tired beanie. We can come back some other day”
Remy held back the urge to lie that they were fine. Instead they weakly nodded.
The gang left the museum. Right beside it was an ice cream shop. Remus got 3 scoops of a worryingly weird mix of flavors. Janus got 1 scoop of lemon. Remy didn’t feel like eating.
They sat down on a couple of benches right outside. Remy laid down with their head leaned onto Remus’ thigh. He chewed his ice cream while calmly moving his hand up and down their back.
Soon enough they were deep asleep. Janus quickly laid his jacket over their legs. He didn’t want to accidentally see anything under their skirt without their consent.
Remus stared at him like a blood sucking eagle while smiling “Soooo now when beanie is in dream land.......Do” He stopped to giggle “Janny. Janny. Do. Do you like someooooonnneee??”
Janus just blinked at him for half a minute. This was too much. This whole day was too much. He was a wreck. His crush was asking him THis?! While his other crush was laying in his crush’s lap?!?
“Why- Why- What- Who are you working for?! The fucking FBI??? Are they after me?” He desperately tried to joke it away.
“No. No. But seriously JanJan!” He wiggled his shoulders around in a stimmy way “Do you happen to like anyone with a name that starts on R????”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Janus kept glancing between his two crushes while his blushing could be seen out into space. He wanted to lie but his mouth wouldn’t move.
Remus leaned closer and whispered “You’re into Remy right?”
He nodded. A breathe of relief went through him. At least Remus didn’t know he liked him.
“OH I KNEW IT!” Remus yelled out in excitement while flapping his hands.
“Shh! Shh!” Janus scrambled to cover his mouth as Remy stirred for a moment. “Shhhh!” They cuddled closer to their friend and fell back asleep.
“I knew it!” He giggled “Or I mean Remy knew. They told me they thought you were into them”
“WHAT?!” 
Now it was Remus that covered his mouth. He was full on cackling “Yeah! They said it was really obvious! But good for you snakey! I’m sure if you murder their boyfriend you can get them in no time! Or you can become a fab homewrecker!! I can help you buy a nice sexy dress and all!!”
Janus paled in terror “How- In- What- In what way did they say it was obvious?”
“Oh y’know-”
The notif on his phone went off. He checked and his eyes went wide. He carefully moved Remy’s head onto the bench before standing up.
“Sorry snakey! Ro needs super duper emergency help! Gotta go!! See you later! Don’t die!”
Remus left him just like that.  Right after dropping THAT bomb on him. Janus sat unmoving. His mouth was slightly agape in shock. His thoughts were runnig around screaming nonstop.
He sat like that for over 20 minutes until Remy let out a yawn and slowly woke up. They took off their sunglasses to rub their eyes. Just seeing their vibrantly green eyes made Janus panic even more.
“Did Rem disintegrate?” Their voice was hoarse from sleepyness. Janus pinched himself to hold back the uhm feelings.
“He- he uh he went he went he sure did went yeah”
“....Cool!”
They stretched their joints, they all cracked. They looked to Janus and moved closer. He couldn’t breathe. They knew. They knew. They knew.
“Girl are you feeling okay?” They pressed their palm to his forehead “You’re like super hot. In both ways! Maybe you should like go home and rest. I gotta get home before my boyf gets home anyway”
“Y-yeah” Was all Janus could get out.
“Cool. OH! By the way! Girl!!! We haven’t like hung out just the two of us right?? We should tots do that! Just like tell me whatever you wanna do and we can do it!”
“Yeah”
“Awesome! Well I’ll see you on that hang out then”
They hugged him for just a few seconds but for those seconds Janus felt like he was in heaven.
They got up and left. Janus slumped over on the bench. His heart was going crazy. They knew. They knew and now they wanted to hang out alone with him. He turned to you. His eyes were wide and panicked.
Janus: “W-what am I supposed to do? I don’t know any good hang out plans! Do you know any??? I’m- this is all- how did they even know I like them! Oh I’m sounding like an overdramatic 13 year old.....This totally isn’t really overwhelming. I would hate getting Logan cuddles right now!”
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I Wonder What It’s Like (2/3) - fic
Characters: Damian Wayne, Jon Kent, Kathy Brandon Pairing: jondami Summary: Damian is a mess. A big, sappy, romantic mess. A/N: This hot *~garbage~*. Sorry.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three
~~
He was just walking down the hallway in their team’s shared apartment. A loft that overlooked the city of Chicago, the ridiculous rent paid for by his father, no questions asked.
The little kitten he’d found on patrol the night before was pattering excitedly after him as he walked, Titus protectively on the little thing’s tail while she meowed loudly. Damian was laughing as he walked, and had just felt her jump at his ankle and stumble, so turned to make sure she was righting herself.
But then he froze.
In his attempt to glance down at the kitten, his gaze caught movement nearby, in the bedroom he was passing.
Jon’s bedroom.
The door was open and Jon stood there in front of a mirror, fiddling with the collar of a white dress shirt he was already practically busting out of. Not that Damian noticed the shirt too much. No, he was too busy staring at the perfectly form-fitting black slacks that hugged Jon’s ass and thighs – and that in the mirror he could clearly see they were not buttoned yet.
“Jon…”
He felt the name come out of his mouth without consent, and instantly snapped his lips closed, practically sucked them between his teeth.
Kept staring, though.
Refocused back on the shirt, on the sliver of chest he could still see, and the muscles rippling as Jon shifted. Stared at those long fingers fumbling against each other. Felt his breath catch in his throat, as Jon slowly glanced over his shoulder at him.
Jon blinked and his face brightened, and Damian – motherfucking Damian goddamn Wayne – felt his knees go weak as Jon smiled at him. As his violet eyes shone, and absolute joy radiated from his being.
“Hey, D.” He said. “What’s up?”
“Nothing, I…” Damian cleared his throat, thanking his lucky stars. Jon had heard him, but he hadn’t heard his…tone. Good, that was good. As he exhaled his relief, he glanced down and saw the kitten, Titus still tight on her heels, stomping forward into Jon’s room. “Theadora!”
The kitten mewed grumpily as Damian stepped into the room and swooped her up into his hands. She wiggled even as he held her to his chest, and tried to bite at his fingers.
“We do not enter rooms uninvited.” He scolded, touching his finger to her nose. He looked back up at Jon. “My apologies.”
Jon snorted. “You know you and your animals are welcome any time. I don’t mind.” He turned back to the mirror. “In fact, I enjoy it. Always a nice break.”
Damian hummed, biting the words on his tongue. A nice break from what, doing nothing? No, that would be rude. He was working on not being rude, on saving the sarcasm for when it was warranted, not every word out of his mouth. He was better than that. He should be better than that.
(Especially to Jon.)
“…What’s the occasion?” Damian nodded towards him. “I don’t recall you being much into suits.”
“I’m not. It’s some shindig at the Planet. Mom’s getting an award. Again.” Jon chuckled as he rolled his eyes. “She said since I’m barely home any more the least I could do is come tonight.”
Damian couldn’t stop his eyes from darting downwards again. “I doubt it’s an…ahem…open-trouser affair…”
Internally, Damian winced at himself. It wasn’t sarcasm, but it was still rude. Jon wasn’t an idiot. Obviously he wasn’t done getting dressed. There was no need to tease. There was no need to open his stupid mouth.
But Jon laughed anyway. “I’m getting there, I’m getting there.” He stuck his tongue out thoughtfully, returning to his task at his collar. “I’m going to tuck my shirt in, but I can’t get these stupid buttons up top, here.” He tried for another second, then spun back to Damian. “A little help?”
Damian felt himself smiling, almost instinctively stepping forward. “Sure.”
Jon cooed as he grabbed Theadora from Damian’s hands, petting her as Damian took over button duty, gently folding the little round plastic through the fabric of the shirt. He ignored how close he was to Jon’s skin, how easily it would be to reach out and just touch him.
(Just caress his jaw, just lean forward and kiss him, just–)
The buttons were finished, and he quickly stepped back. Jon twisted his torso back towards the mirror. “Perfect.”
But then he turned back to Damian with a sheepish grin. “Help with one more thing?”
Damian shrugged.
And he watched, almost bewildered, as Jon didn’t give his kitten back (much to Titus’s disappointment in the doorway) but instead placed her on top of his head, right in the center of his nest of curls. Then he turned towards his bed, hastily shoving the shirt tails into those unbuttoned pants before grabbing a red ribbon that was lying across his comforter.
“I know you’re going to think it’s cheesy, but it’s kind of an inside thing between me and my dad.” He spun around, balancing Theadora perfectly, and held the ribbon out. “But I never learned how to properly tie one.”
Damian glanced between Jon’s kitten crown, and the ribbon in his hand. “A…bowtie?”
“It’s a thing, I promise. Inside joke.” He walked closer. “Please?”
Damian sighed, annoyed that his default exhale made him sound put off, when in reality, he really wasn’t. Not at all. He was happy to help.
He was always happy to help Jon.
But he took the ribbon and looped it carefully around Jon’s neck. Ignored the urge to pull the other forward with it, ignored those thoughts already popping back into his brain, and began to knot it.
“…I’m really only going to make my mom happy.” Jon let out his own sigh as he finally buttoned the stupid pants. Damian was happy to have a task, anything to stop him from looking down again. “These things are so boring.”
Damian snorted. “Welcome to my life.”
“Hey, I bet your dad will be there. And Diana. Apparently this is like. A huge award. Wouldn’t be surprised if Bruce Wayne showed up for some reason. You know, beyond my dad inviting him and Diana as a friends or something.”
“Unfortunately I do not know my father’s schedule.” Damian hummed. “I can call and ask if he or any of the family are going. While my siblings are complete Neanderthals, they might ease some of your boredom.”
“Or better yet…” Jon grinned. “Why don’t you just come with me? I’m sure no one will mind if I bring a plus-one. Besides, it’s been a while since you’ve been home too, right? Might be nice to see your dad.”
Damian laughed before he thought about it. “Absolutely not.”
And he wanted to absolutely stab himself, immediately, at the disappointment that flashed through Jon’s eyes, the way his smile faltered just a little. All because Damian laughed.
At him. In his face.
God, he was the worst.
“I mean,” Damian coughed. He slowly pulled Jon’s bowtie through its last loop, and then carefully tugged Theadora from Jon’s hair. “I’m on monitor duty tonight. And the girls are already out for their own night off.”
Jon’s grin, though it never disappeared, softened now. “D, when was the last time you took a night off?” Damian opened his mouth to answer, but no sound came out because he didn’t have one. “The world would survive if all four of us were out acting like normal people for one night.”
“That’s how all apocalypse stories start, isn’t it?” Damian mumbled, keeping his gaze lowered. “Besides, if it’s like you said, half of the Justice League will be at this event. Someone needs to be out there watching.”
“No one said it had to be you.”
Damian glanced up, felt his cheeks warm as he realized Jon had stepped closer. Was staring gently down at him, that simple smile still on his face.
But Damian was a coward.
Emotions were a weakness. Wanting was selfish, and selfishness was unbecoming. Rejection was a useless pain and so easily avoidable.
He would not mess this up. He would not mess up one of the only friendships he had. He would not mess up Jon.
So he stepped back, an apologetic smile on his face. “Enjoy your party, Jonathan.”
He scurried from the room with his pets before he could see Jon frown.
~~
“Damian?!” Jon practically screamed, even over Maya’s attempts at soothing him. He smacked his hand against the door again. “D, please, just open the door!”
Damian, instead, turned away from it, rubbing his fist angrily against the tears pouring from his eyes.
“He just wants to help.” Kathy whispered from the desk. “You know him.”
“And he knows me.” Damian spat. “He knows better than to do this.”
“You just heard your mother might be dead, what else did you think he was going to do? Shrug it off and go play video games?” Kathy snapped back. “You’re his best friend, of course he’s going to want to comfort you. Take care of you.”
“I don’t need it. I don’t need comforted. I don’t need…” His face twisted in disgust. “Taken care of.” He shook his head. “I don’t even need you here.”
“Well, sucks I was there when Batman called and can move faster than you, huh?” Kathy smirked. “Jon may respect your boundaries, but that doesn’t mean I have to.” She let her smile drop. “Besides, I know what it’s like. Losing…questionable family. Not knowing how to feel about it. I…I get it.”
“…I know.” Damian sighed. Sniffed and ran his hand across his nose. “I know you do, Kathy. And I…despite everything, I do appreciate it.”
“Damian, please!” Jon whined.
“I can’t.” Damian whispered, twisting purposefully away from the door. “I…I can’t look at him right now.”
“Why, because he’s trying too hard? Or because he wouldn’t get it?”
“Both, maybe.” Damian shrugged, reaching for the tissue box on his nightstand. “And because…it’s embarrassing.”
“What is?”
“I’m mourning the not-yet-confirmed-death of a mass murderer, and here the son of fucking Superman wants to make sure I’m okay.” He shook his head. “This is not worth his time. I’m not worth his time. When’s he going to see that? Why does he think I am?”
“He’s your…best friend.” Kathy reiterated, but she seemed to struggle with the words. Like best friend wasn’t supposed to mean that. “He just wants to make sure you’re okay.”
“I am okay. I’m always okay.” He dabbed the tissue at his eyes. “I have to always be okay.”
“Why, because you’re the son of Batman and anything less than okay is a weakness?” Kathy mocked. “I thought you were over that line of thinking. Years ago.”
“It’s…I am, it’s not just that, it’s…” Damian sighed, dropped to sit on the edge of his bed. He pulled the photo of him and his mother back into his hands, the one he’d had in his desk drawer up until his father had called. “If I’m okay, people think I’m good. That I’m a good person.” He gently touched Talia’s face. The smile was warm in this photo. It wasn’t always. “If I’m not okay. I’ll…then I’ll go back to being bad. I’ll lose control. I’ll…be that monster again. The one I used to be.”
Kathy blinked. “And?”
Damian waited a beat. Listened as Jon continued to bang on the door, desperately call his name.
“Jon deserves better than a monster as a best friend.” Damian whispered.
“Wha…that’s it? You have to be okay for his benefit?” Kathy drawled. “That is the most convoluted bullshit I’ve ever heard. Especially because Jon loves you no matter how messed up you are. Jon loves all of us, no matter how messed up we all are.”
Damian remained silent. Listened as Jon pleaded with him still to open the door.
“Meanwhile he’s crumbling at the mere idea that something’s wrong with you and he can’t personally fix it.” Kathy grumbled, standing from the chair. She paused there, for a moment, looking between Damian and the door. “…You know?”
Damian glanced up at her.
“If you asked me, it almost sounds like you’re more upset about upsetting Jon than your mother potentially being dead.”
Damian didn’t answer the accusation, just shrunk deeper into himself, into his own brain. Let guilt swirl in his gut, both for Jon and Talia.
He closed his eyes. He truly was a monster, wasn’t he? In more ways than one.
After another second, Kathy sighed, and Damian opened his eyes to see her moving. “…You two, I swear.”
Damian watched as she walked over to the door, throwing it open.
“Jon!” She yelled. Jon jerked back at her tone. “Give it a rest, okay?!” Gentler, as he lowered his hand. “He’s fine. He just needs a little time to himself.”
Jon, the epitome of a kicked puppy, glanced over Kathy’s shoulder. “D?”
Damian sniffed, wiped at his eye. “It’s fine, Jon. I’ll…be out later.”
“You shouldn’t be alone right now, D.” Jon rattled off immediately. “I can-”
“You can leave him alone.” Maya cut off, pulling Jon back. “Now you saw him, okay? With your own eyes. He is alive and he’s in his room.”
“Damian…”
“Don’t worry on my account, Jon. Please.” Damian tried, offering a weak smile. It just made Jon frown deeper. “I’m fine. In fact, feel free to take Kathy with you.” Kathy glanced back at him. “I give you full permission to give him all the details of my father’s phone call, and everything we’ve talked about, if you believe it will help.”
Kathy looked at him for a moment, then rolled her eyes.
“You need therapy.” She sighed. Then she turned to Jon. “Both of you.”
Jon blinked dumbly as she took his other arm and began to pull him down the hall. Maya leaned into the room to grab his doorknob and gave him a wink.
“Preferably some couples therapy.” She hummed. “And, like, soon. Or Kathy and I are gonna lose our minds.”
She pulled the door shut. Damian just sighed, rubbed at his tears, and stared at the picture of his maybe-dead mother.
~~
Damian Wayne didn’t dream.
He had nightmares. He had flashbacks, absolutely. He woke up in cold sweats, screaming, crying, whatever. You name it.
But he didn’t dream. He had nightmares, or nothing at all.
So…this didn’t make sense. This didn’t make any sense. He was lucid, he knew this wasn’t real. He recognized it as a dream.
Because he didn’t own an antique shop.
But here he was, behind the counter of one, refurbishing an old cabinet, carefully painting along its edges, listening contently as a pair of customers were rung up.
By…by Jon.
“Thanks for stopping by K.W. and Sons. Have a great day!” He called as the old couple waved and walked out the front door, bell above the door chiming. As soon as the door slammed shut, Jon gave a happy sigh. Damian, still facing the cabinet, sensed more than heard Jon turn around. “…I still can’t believe you did it.”
“Hm?” Was all the response Damian had.
“I cannot believe you found the book Mr. Hamada used to propose to his wife.” Suddenly there was a weight on Damian’s back, arms wrapping around his waist. “Like…how do you find that? How do you even know where to start looking? They didn’t even realize they’d accidentally given it away until three years after the fact!”
“Well, for starters,” Damian laughed as Jon kissed his cheek. “It’s nice to know a private detective or two. Then it’s just a simple retracing of steps.” Damian placed his paintbrush along the edge of his paint tray. “Also – the internet is a great tool. There’s only so many books with the phrase ‘will you marry me?’ written in English and Japanese in the front cover. That kind of thing goes viral all the time.”
Jon hummed, leaning his chin into Damian’s shoulder. “Mrs. Hamada cried when I brought it out. It was sweet.”
“Such a shame I missed it.” Damian drawled cheekily. Jon squeezed his sides.
“Don’t be rude.”
Damian turned his head, keeping his smirk. “You love it when I’m rude.”
Jon hummed again, glancing downwards. Damian was so distracted by the lashes splaying across his rosy cheeks that he didn’t notice Jon dipping his finger into the pastel teal paint until he was dabbing it against his nose.
“I don’t know if I said love.”
“I don’t know.” Damian said thoughtfully, leaning over until his nose brushed Jon’s, smearing the paint against his skin as well. “I think you did.”
“Nuh-uh.”
“Yeah-huh.”
“Nuh-uh.”
“Yeah-huh.”
“Nuh-uh, times a thousand.” Jon countered, dragging his nose along Damian’s jaw to make a bigger mess. At the same time, he squeezed Damian’s torso again in an attempted tickle. “No take-backsies.”
And despite the childishness, Damian laughed, leaned into Jon’s embrace. Accepted paint-filled butterfly kisses and real ones too. Gently twisted in Jon’s arms to face him completely, and take a tender hold of Jon’s face.
He had a beard here. A small one. And it was graying. How old were they? Do you age in dreams? Damian found himself not caring.
He let his laugh drop into a sigh, stroking a thumb across Jon’s face as he stared into his eyes. After a moment, he smiled. “I love you.”
Jon beamed. Like it was the first time he’d ever heard it. Like it was the only thing he ever wanted to hear in his whole life. He pressed his forehead to Damian’s and closed his eyes. “I-”
“I love you too.”
Damian jerked, his head shooting up.
Wha…what?
He blinked rapidly, wiping at his lip instinctively. There was drool there. Since when did he drool while he slept?
Since when was he sleeping?
He blinked a few more times, the room becoming clearer. It was still a dark space, but he recognized it. Their apartment living room. The girls were in the loveseat nearby, also asleep. There was light coming from the TV across the room.
Oh yeah. It was their monthly team movie night.
“You okay?” Came a whisper to his right. He flinched again, spinning around to see Jon staring down at him with an amused look. Damian let his eyes dart around, and the situation became clear.
He’d fallen asleep during the movie. On Jon’s shoulder.
And dear god, he was drooling.
“Uh…y-yeah.” Damian stuttered, throat dry. “Is the movie over?”
“Just about. Guess I’m the only one who made it.” Jon laughed softly. “I don’t blame you though. It’s pretty boring.”
Damian nodded silently, trying to look at anything but Jon. Glanced over to their teammates. No modesty there, Maya had Kathy’s head pressed to her breasts, her own legs contorted around Kathy’s waist. He frowned – there was no way that was comfortable for either of them. Freaks.
“You can…uh…go back to sleep, if you want.” Jon murmured. Damian turned back to him as he yawned. “I was about to fall asleep myself, actually. And…honestly, I don’t feel like getting up to go back to my own bed.” Even in the dark, Damian noticed Jon’s cheeks brighten. “And, uh…you’re warm.”
Damian smirked. “That might be the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
Jon snorted, fiddling with a nearby blanket, and throwing it over the both of them as Damian resituated himself closer. Without a word, Jon slouched, throwing his arm across the back of the sofa, forcing Damian closer into his side.
“Team slumber party.” Jon said absently. “Been a while since the four of us did one of these.”
“Indeed.” Damian breathed. His heart was pounding as dared to lay his head back on Jon’s shoulder. Waited for the other shoe to drop, waited for Jon to say something. To tell him off.
Instead, Jon just…leaned his head against Damian’s in return. Whispered: “Goodnight, Damian.”
Damian – giddy, frozen, and oh-so pleased – just closed his eyes once more.
“…Goodnight, Jon.”
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spiralhigh · 3 years
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ranking the sdr2 cast by how much their formal wear hits
this is just my opinion, but my opinions are great and i know what i’m talking about! this will be long so it’s under a cut
S TIER:
s tier is reserved for only the best of them all, the cream of the crop, the fit that i would gladly lay down my life for. s tier is the crown jewel. s tier is what everyone else should strive to be... but only one can take the prize.
#1: AKANE OWARI
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the undisputed champion. this look is everything to me. EVERYTHING. the red-trim cape with the fur. the contrast of the airy, gathered blouse with those skin-tight shiny (leather? vinyl??) pants. the pumps. the belt that screams disco style. the necklace accentuating the tasteful titty window. the red white and gold color scheme  are you FUCKING WITH ME miss owari this look could bring ARMIES to their KNEES in an INSTANT. whoever drew this deserves full creative control of the danganronpa franchise and i’m not kidding
A TIER:
a tier is for the fits that frankly own bones. they’re not as jaw-dropping and legendary as owari, but they’re still razor as hell and deserve to be met with riotous applause.
#2: KAZUICHI SOUDA
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kazuichi, i didn’t know you had it in you, but this FUCKS. the character of the pins on the lapels, the sneakers, and the mispinned tie. the absolute CLASS of the suspenders, watch, and tiny round glasses. the handsome slick in the hair now that the greasy beanie is gone. the tasteful highwater. he looks like the host of the larry king show if the larry king show was exclusively about ska bands and he has never looked better
#3: HIYOKO SAIONJI
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tell me this isn’t the cutest shit. the colors here are EXQUISITE. the bright notes from the blue on top, the way the soft pink is a perfect middle ground of the pink + white flowers on her sleeves, the subtle way the green in her bow matches the green in her collar, the white petals breaking up the sky blue that might otherwise look out of place? remarkable. stunning.
#4: PEKO PEKOYAMA
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the ELEGANCE is EVERYTHING here. the monochrome is offset by just a splash of red that ties everything together with her eyes and the flower in her hair, the checkerboard pattern is visually interesting but not distracting, and her hair in that loose ponytail with the little white ribbon? ugh. ADORABLE! but most of all, look at those BOOTS. those CUTE LITTLE HEELS on those SICK LACE-UP BOOTS..... QUEEN shit!!!
#5: CHIAKI NANAMI
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rounding out our a tier is chiaki in this adorable little dress just LOOK at her!!! she looks like a little rose, a perfect flouncy skirt with a glittery mesh overlay, a fun and fresh over-the-shoulder collar, a fucking big old bow tied in the back?? i can literally feel the way this dress would feel in my hands. it’s simple and perfect and frankly a GORGEOUS color on her this is flawless
B TIER:
b tier is a perfectly respectable place to be. these fits lack the lustre and flavor of the a tier entries, but they’re still dressed to impress and they still look fine as hell.
#6: TERUTERU HANAMURA
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say what you will about teruteru (and i do) but this suit is ADORABLE and it fits in with his theme + talent better than any other mfer on this list. the tasteful white/brown/red palette gives it a flashy chocolate cookie look, which is amplified in the fun pattern on the jacket. the chef’s hat switching out for a little top hat and the way the cumberbund looks a lil bit like a chocolate bar is also VERY cute
#7: THE IMPOSTOR
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now on its own, the suit is just alright. a vibrant pinstripe blue three-piece with the classic red tie wouldn’t land the impostor in b tier on its own... but that FUR COAT, LUXURIOUSLY DRAPED OVER THE SHOULDERS does WONDERS to pull this look together. not only is it worn with “yeah, it’s real mink, no, you can’t touch it” confidence, but it also ties the otherwise arbitrary white loafers into the structure of the look. it’s subtle and class as hell.
C TIER
c tier is full of looks that are... fine, but ultimately either are boring, lack cohesion, or have a confusing design choice or two that make it hard to get all that amped about. c tier is a passing grade, but nothing more.
#8: NAGITO KOMAEDA
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there’s a lot that’s good about this outfit, but there’s also a lot that doesn’t really work. let’s start with the good: the slutty loose bowtie and collar, the tight-fitting vest that ends before the hipbones so you can see the belt, the cute little ponytail? (chefs kiss) exquisite, all of it. but the suit itself is boring as sing, and who the hell decided to put the t-shirt symbol on the sleeves??? was it to add visual flavor to an otherwise bland suit? this does NOT have the black/white/red elegance that peko had.
#9: FUYUHIKO KUZURYUU
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the silver and gold mob-boss look, complete with matching shoes vest and fedora, are a nice nod to fuyuhiko’s talent! the plaid is teetering on the edge between fun and garish to me, but the fact that it’s consistent and the only pattern means it isn’t too offensive. quick question though: why are his pant legs rolled up like that?? this isn’t a cute “cuffed at the ankle” look, dude looks like he had to wade across a pond to get to the venue. what gives
#10: GUNDAM TANAKA
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out of everyone here, gundam’s suit might be the most boring of all. the scarf is just his normal scarf. the red tie and trim don’t do anything to tie the look together. the only mild point of interest is the asymmetrical vest, and i can’t even tell if that’s intentional. simply put, this “““fancy”““ outfit isn’t even in the same ZIP CODE as the level of ostentatious chuuni that gundam serves us every single day in his casual wear. maybe even worse than being ugly... it’s disappointing.
#11: IBUKI MIODA
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now, look. is this dress buckwild and ugly as hell? yes. but you know what else it is? it is IBUKI MIODA’S DRESS. there might not be a single cohesive thing about this dress aside from its color scheme. the huge poofy ruffles of the skirt and arm things with the spiked bow and corset are baffling. the artist somehow managed to draw the awkward, clumping shape of the skirt to make it look exactly like an emergency cosplay sewn four hours before a convention. frankly, i can’t justify ranking it as a c! but i’m doing it anyway, because the sheer level of craftsmanship demands it, and in this house we respect diy queens that are totally off the shits.
D TIER:
d tier is for outfits that aren’t offensive, exactly... but like, they sure don’t look good! d tier is not a respectable place to be. those in d tier won’t be laughed out of the ceremony in shame, but they should really run their outfit by someone else first next time.
#12: NEKOMARU NIDAI
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now don’t get me wrong: i have nothing but respect for the titties-out look. keeping the shirt unbuttoned all the way down to where the lapels of the jacket end? that’s sexy as hell. however, this flawless idea has a confusing execution. why emerald green and orange? what’s with the... long-sleeved printed (hawaiian?) shirt? why the red pocket square? and the jacket itself, while fitted perfectly along the chest and midsection, has a weird, unflattering scallop shape flaring out at the bottom. i want to like this fit, but there are just too many bad choices.
#13: HAJIME HINATA
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oh, hajime... literally nothing about this ensemble is it. the creamy manila suit might have had potential if there were literally any color variation in the vest (or potentially shoes) to give it a little more shape, or even if you just went with a white shirt underneath it! i could get behind a light, off-monochrome look! but that leprechaun-green shirt is downright perplexing to me. it looks like a mistake! did you get dressed in the dark? did you spill something on your other shirt? this is a mess.
F TIER:
f tier is inexcusable. f tier should never have happened. how does it get this bad. who did this? who’s responsible for this?
#14: SONIA NEVERMIND
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y’know, the colors are pretty! i dig the white and teal! but... girl... what the fuck is this construction. the ruffles are all over the place. the bodice looks like it has less fabric than space it needs to cover. the bottom half of the skirt looks like it was sewn on as an afterthought because the top half was too short for dress code. what’s with the weird choker collar detached from everything else. why is the hairband a slightly different shade of green. so many decisions were made here and none of them are flattering
#15: MAHIRU KOIZUMI
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yknow, i like the idea behind this. i can see what you were going for! the dress on its own might have worked, even! but everything else about it is just... so ugly. what the fuck is happening with those shoes??? the sheer black tights aren’t the sexy OL look you think they are. the collar of the dress looks like it’s... braided for some reason??? those earrings are so huge for no payoff, statement jewelry with nothing to say, and worst of all... that headband. GIRL. that headband and that belt...... there’s nothing here. also i love orange but it’s not her color.
and finally... the worst.
#16: MIKAN TSUMIKI
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what the fuck. what the fuck is this. this is straight up cheap rubber fetish gear. why is the HAT rubber? that skirt ruffle makes this look like fucking polly pocket clothes. why the fuck is she wearing that. the clothes are so bad that it makes her hair look like rubber too. was she dared to wear this? is this some cruel punishment? i don’t even know what to say. this is the worst possible outfit. there is not even one redeeming quality about it.
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kurtstinypurse · 4 years
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blaine in s6: a journey thru plaid
While digging into season 6 as I so often do, I couldn’t help but notice how much plaid Blaine wears. Typically known for his bright colors, bowties, and the occasional hat, Blaine's sudden affinity for plaid - as well as darker and more muted colors - got me thinking. As I dug deeper, I realized that Blaine wears plaid in all but one scene with/about Kurt leading up to their reunion kiss, and then his wardrobe changes again. What could this symbolize? 
Warning: this could be totally reaching (okay, it absolutely is). I fully believe RIB did not do most things intentionally, but filling in the gaps of Blaine is one of my favorite things to do. At the same time, the wardrobe department kicks ass, so I wouldn’t put it past them to have done it on purpose. 
Thanks to a meta post exchange with @spaceorphan18​ for getting me to finally finish this post off after sitting in my drafts for the better part of the summer!
This is pretty long, but the screencaps should be worth taking a gander at, at the very least.
My general thought is that plaid symbolizes Blaine’s desperate attempt at a new life - a new life without Kurt. Moving back to Ohio, working at Dalton, dating Dave (the big whopper here). Blaine is in a dark place after his breakup with Kurt - it had to have been bad for him to drop out of NYADA and move back to Ohio, and it was bad enough for him to need therapy (the therapy he already so badly needed, but that’s for another time). Bowties come in and out throughout season 6 - sometimes a bowtie is the only plaid, and sometimes there is no bowtie at all - but regardless, the plaid is oddly consistent.
Dave wears a lot of plaid. He’s a simple flannel guy, we all know that. History aside, we find out that Dave is pretty damn understanding of Blaine’s situation with Kurt in the end. While he and Blaine are together, he seems happy, agreeable, and easy. Blaine craved something easy after the struggle of breaking up with Kurt and everything that led up to it, too. Dave was really different from Kurt, too, yet somehow he was intrinsically connected to Kurt, which was an odd transitional state that likely helped and harmed - either way, he didn’t quite fit Blaine. Dave wore plaid, so then Blaine wore plaid. The plaid/color pallette were really different from his usual choices, and they didn’t quite fit him, either, but there Blaine was, trying to make it work in an attempt to move on. You can read more about my general Blainofsky meta here.
Here are most of the outfits (with some notes):
Pre-Season 6: The Breakup
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The breakup finds Blaine in a plaid button down, bowtie-free, and a dark maroon cardigan. Though it’s pre-Dave and pre-season 6, this can foreshadow what’s to come, at least the loss that’s about to occur. The general color scheme and lighting of this entire scene is very dark, too. The breakup wasn’t out of nowhere - their relationship had been in a dark place for some time (and you can read more about my analysis of their breakup & reunion here).
Blaine & Rachel at the Lima Bean
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Our actual first look at Blaine in season 6 is when he updates Rachel about what she’d missed and tells her about the breakup. Plaid bowtie.
Blaine meets Kurt at Scandals
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This is a tough scene for Blaine, and it’s one where I would’ve liked to see more of his perspective. Like I’ve said before, I don’t think he ended up dating Dave out of spite or “revenge” towards Kurt. He had no reason to think Kurt wanted anything to do with him, let alone he’d be coming back to Ohio. It’s more likely that things with Dave took off and snowballed, and it wasn’t until Kurt wanted to meet up with him at Scandals that Blaine had an “oh shit, this might hurt” moment.
Outfit-wise, this is his first deep-dive into muted plaid, and of course, Dave is right there with him. 
Blaine yells about Jane 
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Alright, look. I’m not trying to say this theory is perfect, and it’s a bit of a shame it takes a hit right off the bat. But this is the only time Blaine doesn’t wear a lick of plaid between 6x01 and 6x08. There may be a reason, and there may not be. He’s definitely projecting here, and he’s making an unfair stab at Kurt by accusing him of poaching Jane on purpose after seeing Blaine with Dave. Regardless of wardrobe, it’s a bold indicator that Blaine’s not as over Kurt as he might think he is.
More plaid along the way...
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Klaine in the Elevator
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It’s interesting how not Blaine-like Blaine looks in this scene. Shirt unbuttoned, bowtie off, all frazzled and muted colors. Visually, he looks nothing like himself, and he’s never been more in denial of his feelings for Kurt than in this moment - and like it or not, healthy or not, a huge part of who Blaine is is his love for Kurt. 
“This doesn’t mean anything.”
Yeah, okay.
More plaid in between...
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Blaine breaks up with Karofsky/runs to Kurt
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Not only do we have a plaid shirt in these scenes, we have the bowtie from the proposal. It’s a great connection here between what Blaine’s holding onto in his present - Karofsky - and what he’s finally learning to accept and hopes to grab onto for his future - Kurt. This is a pivotal moment for Blaine, but it’s not quite time yet for him and Kurt.
(Also, can I just say, his face here hurts my heart)
Kurt runs to Blaine/Klaine reunion kiss
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Finally, finally, the moment has arrived, and “everything’s fine now” (yeah, okay, I’ll let you have that for now, Kurt), and they’ve gotten their acts together. Aside from “Somebody Loves You,” this is the most colorful Klaine scene we have, and finally, too, Blaine is sans-plaid. We’ve got bursts of color from the wildly decorated apartment, echoed in his stripes, we’ve got the blues and the yellows that carry over from their long-ago proposal outfits, and it’s all happy and beautiful and birds chirping and the rest of it! (Hmm, birds.)
Post-marriage outfits
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Something interesting here is that Blaine’s wardrobe has definitely evolved from his McKinley days in particular. Gone are the crazy bold color combinations and flashiness, and though the color- and pattern-mixing and color-blocking remains, he tends to wear darker tones. I’d like to think part of this is him accepting himself - although he didn’t spend a lot of time single after the breakup with Kurt, removing himself so far from Kurt in many ways did give Blaine the opportunity to grow without him for the first time in ages, and there are definitely indicators of that, though I would’ve loved to see more of it on the show.
I’ll admit, I first thought that the plaid rarely reappeared after the wedding, but upon closer inspection, it’s definitely still there - but there’s something to be said for the fact that I missed it. Apart from his outfit when Sue gives them a honeymoon, plaid is no longer the mega-standout and focal point of his clothing. His wardrobe evolves again, and though he retains the plaid, his style once again looks more like him. It’s a matured amalgamation of who he once was, who he tried to be with Dave, and who he is now and will continue to become. 
But if Blaine’s growing, and if Blaine’s learning to accept himself, he no longer has such a need for flashiness and to stand out. He’s growing up, and he’s maturing, and you can see that in his clothes, though he still retains his own quirky flair. 
As an aside, I’m a huge proponent of Kurt and Blaine continuing therapy, both separately and together after the wedding. A girl can dream that they learned from their mistakes that a ring or two isn’t a quick fix. At the end of the day, though, season 6 offered an important journey that Kurt and Blaine so desperately needed in order to come together again in a healthy, compatible way, and I do think they learned a lot from their time apart.
Blaine is a tough nut to crack in a lot of ways - there is so much under the surface, and there are so many gaps to be filled in. It’s the unfortunately inevitability of Blaine being characterized in retrospect, considering he was never meant to be such a permanent fixture to the cast and to the show. It’s difficult finding ways to anchor a character that lacks a foundation, especially a character as dependent on another as Blaine is to Kurt in so many ways. However, I find it really interesting to weave the thread between everything Blaine offers and make it make sense - and his wardrobe in season 6 is an interesting parallel in this part of his journey.
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epicspheal · 3 years
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Hey! I remember a while back I read a fanfic of yours regarding twilight wings- the unofficial Raihan episode. In it their was an oc of yours, and I was wondering if you have any more? I like making oc's myself and it's fun to see other people's ideas and stories.
Hi there!  You have...opened the floodgates (in a good way). I have quite a few champion OCs. I’ll focus on the various champion OCs I have since I’ve mentioned this on my blog before the champions of Pokemon remain my favorite class of characters as they have so much potential as we’ve seen with Leon in SwSh. This is going to be a somewhat long post as I have 5 champions to talk about (plus there are pics here, most of them commissions from some very talented artists that I’ve tagged as I can’t draw)
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(There’s Marsha and her starter/ace Rosemary the Audino with @hayleyb100 ‘s character Richard. Thank you HayleyB for drawing this! And if you guys haven’t please check out her amazing art and stories)
I’ll start off with the OC you mentioned in your ask...Marsha (full name Marsha Miller). She’s the Alolan champion that we see in my Conviction, the Raihan twilight wings episode (also shameless plug for my fic). Like many champions she’s a mixed type trainer, but she does have a slight preference for fairy types on her team. Unlike the SM/USUM protagonist, she actually hails from Unova but her family is military (her father used to serve under Lt. Surge before becoming a lieutenant himself) and so she’s lived in Unova, Kanto, and Alola. Before she ended up becoming Alola’s champion, she was content with being head of the cheer squad at her high school while in Kanto (before her family announced moving again and she was needless to say, quite upset at the prospect of throwing away her cheer captain title). Back when she lived in Unova, she would often stop by her grandparents herbalist shop to learn about various medicinal herbs.
I hint to this a bit in my Convictions fic when Marsha asks Raihan a question about him becoming champion elsewhere, but Marsha has a huge bout of imposter syndrome from being the first ever champion of Alola as she doesn’t feel like she measures up to the legends like Red or Blue or known superstar champions like Leon and Cynthia. A lot of her character growth comes after she wins the title as she learns to work with Kukui to help build up the Alola League and make it famous. Luckily she happens to be a pretty friendly, if somewhat reserved character making it easy for her to befriend the likes of Leon and Raihan (and she also gets them to be a couple). Both Leon and Raihan give her tips they’ve learned from being in Galar to help boost the reputation of the Alola League. Back in Alola she is good friends with Mallow, Plumeria and Mina as they often visit Mallow’s restaurant to eat and catch up. She ends up being a big sister friend to Gladion, Lillie and Hau (being in her late teens when she first met the kids) as well as Iris when she meets her at the champion’s conference. 
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(Credit to @roseltheteacup for this amazing sugimori style artpiece of Calla. Please check out rosel’s artwork as well) 
The next one is my probably my most well-developed champion OC and my version of Victor/Gloria...Calla Okoro. She’s the Sword Hero of Galar to go with Hop’s Shield Hero. Calla is a baby genius with an IQ of 162 (so she’d qualify for MENSA in the real world) and graduated college at the age of 12 with a degree in chemistry, a year before she ends up taking on the gym challenge. Her favorite type is poison and she decided that she would take on the gym challenge by using only Poison types, refusing a starter from Leon to train up her Budew and other poison types she found along the way. 
Her knowledge of poison types would become very useful towards the end of the challenge and Eternatus awakening and possessing Leon , however this girl struggled so much at the beginning as the poison types she caught don’t really get good until they evolve. It was also a testament to having book knowledge of Pokemon and type advantages doesn’t equate to automatically winning a battle. She struggled especially at Kabu’s gym, resulting in her first official loss (outside of losing her second battle to Hop at Magnolia’s house due to his Rookidee being super effective against her Budew nicknamed Sabi). Calla is persistent though and patient so she worked with her team developing a killer toxic stall strategy (that helped her be the first person to take Leon down). As champion Calla uses her position to promote science and eventually goes back to school to get PhD, becoming the first Galar champion to also be a professor. When Calla is not doing Pokemon battles or giving science demos, she tends to enjoy doing backflip competitions with Gordie or rocking out at Piers’ concerts with Marnie and Hop and Bede (Bede will deny hanging out with them) 
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(thank you RPG Picrew, I have yet to get official commissioned work of him done) 
This is Jabari Revere, my Kalos champion OC and part of the Kalos 5. I’m still working on his backstory and personality as I replay Pokemon Y (I tend to replay the games for my champion OCs to build up their teams and get a sense for the personality). Jabari is a water type champion who enjoys his days swimming in the ocean and surfing on his Mantine, nicknamed Monterey. Like Serena from the anime he is a bit at odds with his mother Grace for wanting him to take up the family tradiiton of Rhyhorn racing. However unlike anipoke!Serena, he did have a goal of training water type Pokemon with the aim of becoming a water type champion just like Wallace from Hoenn. Jabari is definitely an easy going fellow, which helps him befriend Serena, Tierno, Trevor and Shauna as well as Grant and Clemont. Unlike my Galar champion Calla, he is more willing to use Pokemon other than water types, such as when he fought Korrina at the Mega Evolution tower using the Lucario who was attracted to his aura, or when he rescued Yveltal from Team flare and let it get revenge on Lysandre 
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(this piece was done by @snowythesoft aka ChibiGirl! Thank you again for this and also please check out her art as well)
Yes, you’re looking at a robot. His name is Valen and is actually my first non-self insert Pokemon OC. After watching the first Pokemon movie and seeing Mewtwo be a Pokemon trainer, and also after watching the Watson computer on Jeopardy, I came up with the idea of “what if someone made a robot as a Pokemon trainer”. Hence Valen, the world champion of my version of the Pokemon World
Created by Molayne and Sophocles at the request of Red and Blue as a new fixture for the battle tree, Valen quickly began to learn from the some of the strongest trainers how to battle (with a frequent opponent being Marsha as she needed someone who could challenge her in battle). Once he figured out how to consistently beat the likes of Red, Blue and Marsha in battle...it was a wrap. Valen travelled to every known region and soon became the undisputed most powerful trainer in the world defeating every last living champion. He even took on Leon, Cynthia and Red in a triple battle and won. Despite his absolutely monstrous skill Valen is an absolute sweetheart and always compliments his opponents in battle. He also loves bowties, with his first gift being the red bowtie he sports from Sophocles do not touch or harm that bowtie if you value your life, it’s one of the few things that will actually piss off this gentle giant of a robot.
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(credits to the VillainSona Picrew)
So this is my final non-self insert champion OC,  His Royal Highness Jack, Duke of Stow-On-Side. In a discord server and on some messages here on tumblr, I’ve described Jack as the unholy combination of Caillou and Jack the Ripper.  Jack hails from a disgraced family of aura guardians who learned that they could use their aura powers to create shadow Pokemon. 150 years prior to the main Sword and Shield story line his family managed to beat back the Hammerlocke Royal family (aka the great Raihan’s family) from Stow-On-Side and Ballonlea to claim the two towns for themselves. When Peony stepped down as champion Jack ended up taking the champion title. Now Jack is actually a legitimately powerful trainer without the need to shadowfy his Pokemon, but he does so anyway to ensure absolute control and to hopefully make his royal family the absolute rulers of Galar (his actions would years later inspire Sordward and Shieldbert, the Dukes of Motostoke). He even bribed gym leaders to be extra difficult on challengers he deemed to be a threat (so Leon, Raihan, Nessa and Sonia got hit hard with this).
Jack’s misdeeds are pretty vast. The reason why Sonia is so unconfident in her battling skills? Jack ambushed her in the wild area and destroyed her in a match while mocking her. Why does Leon have that perfect image as champion? He’s trying to build back the reputation the Galar league has after Jack nearly destroyed it’s rep on the world stage with his actions. Why are Leon and Sonia so insistent on you focusing on the gym challenge and leaving the problems to the adults? The adults during their gym challenge were either on Jack’s side or were actually useless against him and his shadow Pokemon. To quote my friends in an rp server I’m in “Jack is the absolute worst”  So that’s all of the champion OCs I have. As I continue to write more fanfic will definitely see all of them pop up in various stories. 
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boyy-wonder-grayson · 4 years
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Dust in the wind (part 1)
Summary: Dick and the reader are celebrating their wedding went something unexpected happens. This is basically the plot for infinity war but with Dick.
Requested: yes by  @bub
Parings: Dick Grayson x Reader
Warnings: angst, character death, implied smut but nothing really
Notes: Sorry for any mistakes and thanks for the awesome prompt i’m happy enough with what i came with so hopefully you guys enjoy it too!
*gifs belings to @riseofnightwing​
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The dark blue curtains billowed as the gentle breeze of the morning summer came pushing through them. Dick had just woken up from a deep sleep that left him surprisingly well rested. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and grabbed his phone from underneath his pillow. 7.45 am it read, it was still early to start the day, so he stayed in bed for a little while. He soon fall asleep with the sound of the waves crashing down into the shore. He woke up, for the second time, around 10 am. He felt a hot body pressed to his side and when the sleep finally left his body, he realised that his girlfriend was clinging onto his side. One of her arms was draped across his chest while the other was underneath her head. She was snoring lightly -a fact she would deny till death- and her hair was sprawled on her face. Dick chuckled at the sight of the sleeping woman and pushed her hair out of her face trying hard not to wake her up, but failing. She stirred awake and looked at Dick with a sleepy grin on her face "morning you" she said moving closer to Dick despite the hot weather. He couldn't understand how she was not dying in this heat, it was 10am and he was already sweating. Dick didn't like hot weather. At all. But he was not going to complain when her best friends and teammates decided that he and Y/n needed a well deserved vacation from the craziness that San Francisco had to offer on a daily basis. 
"Wanna go get breakfast?" He asked her kissing her forehead and untangling himself from her grasp to get a better look at her. Even with her hair sticking up in all directions and her eyes half closed, Dick thought that she was the prettiest girl in the world. 
She grumbled in response and rolled over to get out of the bed 
"I'm gonna take a shower" she said rummaging through her clothes looking for something clean enough to wear. They were on vacation there was no way they were doing laundry. "And you're joining me" she finished looking over her shoulder and throwing Dick a seductive wink. This made Dick sprint to the bathroom running after her. She squealed when Dick picked her up and threw her  under the cold water. 
He lived for moments like this; where the only thing that could happen to them was to run out of food. Dick promised himself, and her, that they would make the most out of this mini vacation, and he was going to fulfill that promise. 
He got out of the shower first, leaving her alone to actually take a shower. With a towel around his waist he sat down in front of his bag and looked through it for the black velvet box. Inside of it was a beautiful ring. He put it on his jeans pocket and got dressed.
That day he was going to propose to Y/n. It's been long overdue and he was scared shitless, but excited at the same time.
After a big breakfast that included almost everything on the menu -because they were on vacation goddammit they were going to eat until they exploded - they decided to go to the beach to enjoy some summer sun and maybe swim a little bit.  They picked a spot away from everyone and settled on the sand. Dick wasn't a fan of the beach to be honest, but when she gave him puppy eyes and pouted her lips there was no way in hell, he would say no. 
It was night time when Dick's plan took action. They were going to eat at some not-so-fancy-restaurant and when the night would come to an end, he would propose.
Nearing the end of the evening, Dick and Y/n walked hand in hand on their way back to the hotel. Dick kissed her intertwined hands and stopped in front of a little plaza near the hotel. The place was beautiful, full of flowers and trees. 
"Y/n I've have been meaning to ask you something and to be honest I don't know how to start" he laughed "we've been together for almost four years and they were the happiest four years of my life" he said looking at her straight in the eyes.
"Yeah they were okay" Y/n joked making Dick rolled his eyes
"I'm trying to be romantic here" he complained trying to suppress a smile.
"Like I've said, those four year have been the best of my life, and it all comes down to one essential factor in my happiness: you" he reached inside his pocket for the back box. He kneeled in front of her and Y/n was trying real hard not to cry, but failed miserably. 
"So what do you say? Will you marry me?" He asked. Y/n was sobbing by now, trying to contain her happiness but it was just too much. She nodded furiously and let Dick put the beautiful ring on her finger. He got up and pressed a kiss on her mouth a wiping her tears away, trying not to cry himself.
"I love you so much Dick" she said kissing all over his face. "So, so much".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's been three months since Dick proposed to her and the preparations for the wedding where making her insane. There were so many things she needed to take care of. The venue, the cake, flowers, everything, and the most important item: the dress. To be honest she wasn't really expecting to ever get married specially in her line of work. Heroes don't tend to live enough to get married and have a family, but for some divine reason she got lucky enough to meet Dick. 
It was a good thing her father in law was a billionaire and offered to take care of all the expenses. Still, she didn't want a big wedding. Just the team, Bruce and of course Alfred. She didn't want to draw unwanted attention either. A superhero wedding? Yeah that kind of stuff draws the attention of the worst kind of people, so she opted for something simpler. Dawn and Donna and even Rachel helped her with most of the details,like which flowers did she want for her bouquet,or what kind of flavour the cake was going to be. Doing this kind of task gave her a sense of normality that she didn't have much of in her life. None of them had it, so everyone jumped to the opportunity to take their minds off of their hectic lives.  Even the boys would help.
Y/n was getting already under the covers when Dick got out of the shower. She was too engrossed with whatever was on her phone that she didn't realized that Dick had been staring at her for the past minute. When she finally put her phone down she noticed the weird look in her boyfriend's eyes
"What's up?" What are you looking at me like that?" She asked confused
Dick chuckled and moved closer to her "nothing it's just,I still can't believe we're getting married" he said looking down.
"I mean that sort of thing doesn't happen to people like us you know?" He reflected looking at her with soft eyes "ever since I started doing this-this job I never thought that I'd ended up engaged with the most beautiful woman on earth"
Y/n rolled her eyes trying to hide the fact,that even after four years Dick still managed to make her blush "you're a sap" she giggled "but I understand what you mean,I think the same way. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever met Dick" she laughed at the last part making Dick playfully pushed her, so her back was now flat against the mattress. 
"Mm you really think I'm the most beautiful ?" He asked kissing her neck
"Of course babe, the prettiest" she laughed, but soon turned into a tiny moan when he bit down her neck 
He kept on kissing down her neck all the way to the valley of her breasts. Y/n sighed in content. She couldn't get enough of him.
Eight months later
" Are you nervous son? Bruce asked fixing Dick's bowtie, just like he used to whenever little Dick attended a gala. He appreciated Bruce being here, truly. 
"A little, but that's good right?" Dick asked looking at himself in the full length mirror.
Bruce laughed at his son and patted his shoulder "it's perfectly normal, it's not everyday someone like us gets married, so it's always a blessing" he said reassuring the brown eyed boy.
Dick nodded and gave Bruce a hug before he went to see her new daughter in law. Jason bursted into the room telling his brother that it was time. He was getting married today, and he couldn't be any happier.
Dick stood on the altar anxiously tugging at the sleeves of his black tuxedo. When the music started to play he looked up and he swore he had died and went to heaven. There she stood with Bruce on her side. She had asked her if he could walk her down the aisle and Bruce was touched by the proposal. When she reached Dick he couldn't help but shed a few tears. She looked beautiful in her white dress that she spent months looking with Dawn and Donna's help. 
She gave her bouquet to Donna who was one of her bridesmaids along with Dawn. On Dick's side Hank and Jason stood behind with huge smiles. Everyone was happy for them,truly.
It was halfway through the vows that something went wrong. Really wrong. 
Y/n was the first to notice, because she felt it deep inside. The panicked didn't seem to wait much longer to break. 
"Dick what's going on!?" Y/n asked walking closer to his soon to be husband
"I don't know" he replied clinging onto her for dear life "we need to get out of here now!" He screamed the last part for everyone to hear. 
They didn't make it too far from the altar before Y/n tripped making Dick panicked as he tried to pick her up, but she felt like dead weight.
"C'mon baby get up we need to leave" he said grabbing her by the waist,but Y/n shook her head.
Dick tried again, to lift her up but to no avail. She couldn't move
"Dick I'm scared" she cried as he desperately tried to wipe her tears away.
"It's fine,I promise it's okay" he shushed her. His watery eyes made it difficult for him to look at her. She took her last breath before she became nothing but dust. He didn't understand what just happened. He looked around and saw that it wasn't only her that had disappeared. Dawn, Rachel, Jason. They were all gone. Dust. 
He grabbed a fistful of ashes that only moments ago were his girlfriend. 
This wasn't supposed to happen, they were supposed to get married and have a long life together. Dick screamed and cursed at God, at the sky or whoever did this. 
He felt a hand softly touching his shoulder and saw a concerned Bruce, who was just as confused and scared as Dick. 
"I don't know what happened here son, but we need to leave. Now" he said making Dick stand up
"No!I can't leave what if she gets back?I need to be here, for when she gets back!" He cried yanking a fistful of his hair. Trying desperately to make sense of this situation. They've never faced something like this before. 
"Son i understand but she's g-" Bruce was cut off by Dick's harsh response
"Don't you dare say it Bruce!" He cried "she's not gone, she can't be" he shook his hand as he finally broke down and fall into his father's arms. 
He was getting married five minutes ago and now the love of this life was dead and he couldn't understand why.
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softbiker · 4 years
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Steve Rogers Oneshot
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Warnings: some strong language, mention of super soldier butts
Word Count: 2.7k
Summary: Steve Rogers takes a coffee break. It’s good to try new things.
A/N: This is a continuation of Extra Whip - so I recommend reading that first in order to be familiar with who the reader is! It takes place in the same universe as @kentuckybarnes​ Agent 28 and @nacho-bucky​ Agent 41, with permission from both :) At the moment, my plan for these two is a series of one shots; connected by characters and certain events, but not a strong overarching plot. Let’s keep it fun okay? (Can’t believe I’m posting this before I’ve had my coffee but hey, I’m excited). Enjoy! 
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A month goes by.
In missions, gunpowder grit beneath his fingernails; in Stark Foundation fundraisers, his bowtie digging too tight at his neck; in karaoke nights - and avoiding karaoke nights, sneaking up to the roof with Bucky for a smoke. Somehow the habit crept back in, between the two of them.  Deeper than muscle, it’s a bone memory - shoulders pressed together on a fire escape, nostalgic for nicotine and other things that won’t roll into cigarette papers. No one knows about their little habit, except for maybe Nat - who cares less about their upstanding reputations than everyone else, and she’ll even share a pack every once in a while. Steve marvels at cigarettes now, the way he marvels at everything that should’ve killed him before he became a miracle. 
So February passes. He eases up on Health Food Reform, satisfied that the good habits seem to mostly stick. 41 continues to slurp on her spinach milkshakes during briefings, and it brings out his big brother smile every time. Every time he wonders who might have made it for her. 
March blusters in with excessive force, with the wind whipping storms on every front and a crisis on every continent. For the first two weeks of the month, Steve doesn’t set foot at the compound, shuffling between safe houses and sleeping on the quinjet, his neck aching in complaint. The team forgoes their long-anticipated weekend retreat to Tony’s cabin in Aspen in favor of a terror attack in Johannesburg. 
“Man, I was not made for this kind of heat,” Sam mutters, tugging at the harnesses of his uniform as sweat streams down his neck and into his shirt. 
“You would’ve been in the hot tub in Aspen, anyway,” Clint teases, taking stock of his quiver, his words slurred by the bubblegum in his mouth.
“Yeah, with a couple of snow bunnies, that’s for damn sure,” Sam bites back, shoving his goggles into a side pocket on his tac pants. 
“Focus, Sam,” Steve sighs over the comm. He’s got eyes on them - opposite rooftop, approximately 100 feet above the epicenter of the chaos. “The sooner we wrap this up, the sooner you can sit in a jacuzzi with your rabbits.” 
Tony’s laughter over the comm line is so loud, Nat has to remove her earpiece for a full minute. 
“What?” Steve turns to Nat, bewildered. She’s got a white streak of dust in her hair. “What? What did I say?” 
She just shakes her head, taming the curl of her lips with a click of her tongue.
“Nobody tell him,” Tony insists, his voice still a wheeze. “Jesus, I am gonna hold onto that for weeks. That’s going in the digital scrapbook - F.R.I.D.A.Y.?”
“Already saved the audio file, boss.”
Steve just hangs his head, resigned. No chance of living that one down. 
Hours later, they pile into the quinjet in beleaguered pairs, Clint propped on Sam’s arm, 28 with Natasha - both dusty and bruised but no major injuries, followed by Wanda and 41, with Tony bringing up the rear. Steve takes stock with a keen gaze as they trudge up the ramp into the jet, Buck slouched in the seat beside him, his flesh fingers blackened with gunpowder. More than 10 hours on the ground, with thousands of safe civilian lives to show for it - but no arrests had been made, no suspects found, no bad guys to put away. Not today. A stalemate, which Steve hates. He loathes the ambiguity, the loose ends of this job, the way the world can just never stay safe. 
A knee jostles against his own, and he looks over at Bucky; he’s got one eye cracked open, narrow window on a sky blue gaze peering back at Steve. 
“You good, Rogers?” he mutters, lazily rolling his jaw. 
“Me? Yeah, Buck, I’m fine.”
“Uh huh. Well quit grindin’ your teeth like that.” Bucky sighs and lets his eyes slip closed again. “The one thing your ma never had to fix, those damn perfect teeth.”
It draws a dull, tired smile, just like he intended, and Steve elbows Bucky in the ribs - the two of them exchanging a couple of tired blows, before settling into their seats, pressed against each other shoulder to knee, like they’re still trying to fit in a foxhole. Steve takes a little of Bucky’s weight as he leans over to let 28 pass them and settle into a seat across the aisle, buckling herself in and sending a tired smile their way. 
He accepts a Starkpad from Tony as he passes by on his way to the cockpit. A swipe of the screen reveals a face - a white man, late 40’s, dark hair with white streaks at the front. Nothing noticeable about him otherwise. Beneath the face is a name: Israel Hayes. He stands and stalks his way up the aisle of the jet, careful not to disturb any of his sleeping teammates as he follows Tony. The Iron Man suit dissolving back into the nanite housing unit on his chest, Tony is left only in a soft black shirt and pants - he looks vulnerable, small, when Steve leans into the cockpit, his shoulders crowding the space. 
“This our guy?”
“Seems like it. F.R.I.D.A.Y. cross-referenced his known aliases with similar activities in Europe and Asia - but he’s good. Never shown his face good.”
“Not even on CCTV?” Steve quirks a brow.
Tony shakes his head, lips pursed. “Nope. My guess? He’s got some kind of algorithm like the one SHIELD instituted for our agents in the backseat. You know how we never know what a SHIELD agent looks like?” He gestures towards the passengers with his thumb and Steve nods. “Same thing. As soon as his face is captured on a camera, his server finds it and scrubs it clean.”
“That possible? For someone who’s not SHIELD?”
“If he’s got the connections it seems like he has? Then yeah.” Tony huffs out a breath. “Not that I’m worried - F.R.I.D.A.Y. has found smaller needles in bigger haystacks.” 
Steve just nods, staring at the man’s picture on the tablet in his hands. 
He stares at that tablet for days - at briefings, at the picture, at news headlines, at the picture, at a Buzzfeed article comparing his butt with Sam’s and Bucky’s (sent in a text attachment by Sam, accompanied only by the peach emoji), and once more at the picture. 
He stares at it till he sees the man’s face behind his eyelids, till he could sketch it on a napkin without looking. And he does, actually, by accident - in the margins of his notes during a security briefing with Fury, he glances down to find his fingers tracing the deep set of the man’s eyes, the dark shadow of his brows. Algorithm or no, he won’t be able to hide forever. 
It’s the algorithm he’s thinking of as he continues to take his notes in the meeting, the sketch staring up at him in stark blue pen; there’s another face he wanted to look for, more than once he’d decide to search the SHIELD records, before changing his mind - just opening his browser and poising his fingers to start the search has him feeling like a damn creep. Like the internet stalker in that show Wanda was obsessed with. His ma raised a gentleman - there’s no way he was gonna be that guy.
The next morning, Sam begs off on their run, and Bucky is mysteriously absent from his room when Steve knocks, so he goes for his run alone. It’s not so bad - he’s got a fancy pair of headphones that Tony made last Christmas, and he loves watching the sunrise over the city. He even turns and crosses the bridge into Brooklyn, making a lap through Prospect Park before looping back towards Manhattan. Not so bad. Good, even. Really, really good. 
He slows down and stretches in front of the tower, propping his legs up on the bench out front and massaging his calves. There’s a little bit of a burn, but it melts at the pressure of his fingers, and the pleasant kind of soreness settles in. The kind he’s enjoyed and lived in since his body became sturdy and strong and decidedly anti-fragile - he’ll never say it out loud, but he still gets a little thrill when he manages to break a bone or dislocate a shoulder, goosebumps of pain shooting down his spine as he pops them back into place with a grunt of satisfaction. 
Hand hovering over the biometric scanner, he’s about to go back inside, take the elevator up to his room and hit the showers, when he sees someone at the crosswalk just a block down. 
Pink hoodie - huge, practically a dress - with a denim jacket tugged over it, bare legs trailing down into white combat boots, a backpack slung over one shoulder. She spares little more than a glance at the cars along the street before striding forward, nose turned up and arms crossed in a way that’s so New York it makes him do a double take. That early morning pout, tired eyes, like she’s not totally awake yet. Her steps firm and determined in those heavy boots, she makes a beeline for the green siren across the street, never once glancing his direction. 
It’s the first glimpse he’s had of her in a month. 
Not for lack of trying, but have you seen his schedule? He’s barely been stateside at all for nearly 3 weeks. Not to mention that one of Tony’s interns is always eager to volunteer for a coffee run, and he’s not sure what he would say, a good reason for him to insist to go by himself. 
With a glance at his phone - not due for a meeting for 3 more hours - he takes a deep breath and marches down the street, hands in his pockets, shoulders tucked. Less threatening to the passersby, who notice him, but say nothing. They’re in his neighborhood after all. 
A bell chimes above the door when he walks in, and the same “Welcome to Starbucks!” greets him, but he’s only half-listening as he scans the cafe. She’s at the register, chatting with the barista there who hands her a steaming white mug. 
“Ugh, thanks Chase, you’re a lifesaver,” she sighs, taking a sip. 
“Hey, it’s all part of the job,” the barista jokes back, adjusting the cap on his head. He’s noticed Steve hovering 3 feet back, waiting his turn, and his eyes switch between Steve and the girl in front of him rapidly. 
Their conversation ends, and the girl - the agent - takes her coffee to sit at a small table by herself, close to the windows, far enough back in a corner that she has a view of the whole cafe. Which she scans now as she sits, noting the two regulars in the opposite corner enjoying their customary flat whites, and…Captain America.
Interesting. 
She waits - he knows she’s waiting when he approaches the table, and she pretends not to know that he’s walking directly towards her, nose still tucked down towards her book, one hand poised at the handle of her coffee mug. 
He clears his throat. 
“Good morning,” she smiles when she looks up, the light from the window back-lighting her eyes, and the glow stuns him. “Haven’t seen you around for a while.”
“Haven’t been around,” he shrugs. Are his cheeks hot? He gestures towards the chair across from her. “You mind if I sit?”
“Not at all,” she shakes her head. He slides into the seat and she replaces her bookmark, setting the book aside. Valley of the Dolls. He’s not familiar. 
“Here for your morning Cappuccino?” She quirks her eyebrows as her smile stretches, just shy of goofy. Quite proud of herself. 
“Ha ha. Never been a big fan.”
“No?”
He shakes his head. “First thing in the morning? I like a dark roast. Something to really wake you up, you know?”
“Hm,” she muses. “Sure, I understand.” 
“What about you?” 
“Me?” 
“Your coffee, I mean. You, uh…like coffee?” Smooth, Rogers.
“Oh, yeah. Love coffee.” There’s a laugh behind her smile, and he wishes she wouldn’t hold it back. “Here lately, I’ve had a thing for tall blondes.”
The flush on his cheeks inches down his neck.
“Huh?”
“Tall blonde Americano to be specific - you should try the blonde espresso, it’s really good.” She takes a sip of hers, hiding her dimple behind the mug. “And I always add an extra shot. I like ‘em strong.” 
God, even his ears are red, he knows it. The hell did he think he was gonna do when he came in here anyway, sweep her off her feet? He’s never been that good with dames, not even-
“I’m only joking-” she cracks up a little, giggling. “Sorry, the opportunity was too good, I just couldn’t resist.”
He sighs in relief, offers an embarrassed smile, and manages to relax a little in his chair. 
“So…why are you here? Really?” she lifts an eyebrow, leaning one elbow on the table. 
“Well…” and here it is, here goes nothing. “I thought - that is, I wondered, um, if you…might want to…get to know each other a little better.” Ouch. Thank God Bucky is nowhere near here. 
“Get to know each other?” 
“Yeah. Just, I mean, as friends.” 
“Huh.” 
Steve’s smile is sheepish, but it’s the one that always worked on his mother, and it seems to work on her. He can see the suspicion melt from her eyes, the interested quirk of her mouth as her fingers tap against the table. 
“I’m flattered and all, really, but you should know that virtually everything you could want to ask me about…my past, my qualifications, my education, my current assignment-” she lifts her hands in a helpless gesture. “It’s all classified. Probably above even your clearance.” 
“Classified?”
“There’s a reason why we never met, Captain.” He takes comfort in the fact that her smile is a little rueful. 
“Oh.” He sits back in his chair, a thoughtful frown on his lips. Looks out the window at passing traffic as he thinks. 
“Alright, then - how about a recommendation?” he turns back to her, eyes lit with curious confidence that catches her off guard. 
“A recommendation?” she repeats, bemused. 
“Coffee,” he grins, like it’s obvious, a wry quirk to his brows. 
“Coffee,” she echoes again, chewing her lip as she returns his smile. 
“Yeah - I always get the same thing,” he shrugs, eyes dancing. “Figured maybe I should branch out.”
Something she can tell him. Something they can share. 
A quick glance at her watch - 20 minutes before she has to clock in. 
“Alright then.” She stands from her seat, cracking her knuckles. “You wait here - I’m gonna pop behind the bar and make you something.”
He watches as she crosses the cafe, rounds the bar and gets to work whipping up…something. The steamer hisses as the milk is foamed, espresso grinding, and he can see her reach for some kind of syrup to pump into the cup. It only takes a minute or so before she’s done, returning with the cup presented triumphantly to him. The name “Cap” is scrawled on the front of the cup. 
“What is it?” 
“Just taste it first.”
The burst of caramel sweetness on his tongue nearly makes him gag - it’s a lot, whatever this drink is. It’s practically a dessert. Not bad, but he’s not sure how anyone could drink this in the morning. When he says so, she laughs out loud, head tipping back and mouth wide open. 
“I make those for 41 all the time,” she grins. “It’s not an official menu drink - I invented it for her.”
“Yeah I can see this being her drink.” 
“Oh, and when you go back to the tower, will you take her these?” She hands him a pastry bag. “I know they’re her favorite, and we had some that were about to expire.
He glances in the bag - two cookie dough cake pops and one birthday cake.
“I guess it’s not just Clint that spoils her, huh?” 
Across the table, she just smiles and shrugs. 
“I’m just here to make coffee.”
He takes another sip of the sugary concoction. 
“Sure.” 
152 notes · View notes
axwalker · 4 years
Text
The trade 13
Synopsis:  Liam is running for Cordonia’s presidency. To assure his victory, Constantine makes an arraignment behind his back for him to marry the rich ambassador’s daughter: Alexis O’Brien. Due to her father’s threats, she has no other option than to seduce Liam Rhys. But what happens when she falls in love with his best friend? (AU)
Pairings: DrakexMC
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A/N: I took some liberties with Leo’s and Liam’s characters. In this AU their age difference is two years instead of six, and I made up their middle names.
I’m using Grey’s Anatomy prompt asked by @mskaneko​  : If you love someone, you tell them. Even if you’re scared that it’s not the right thing. Even if you’re scared that it’ll cause problems. Even if you’re scared that it will burn your life to the ground, you say it, and you say it loud and you go from there. (In bold) 
I love to picture FC when I read fanfic so I added a mood board with mine at the beginning. 
Warnings: I love drama and chaos so this will probably get a bit dark. In this chapter there is mention of rape, if you get triggered by this issue, don’t hesitate to send me a message and I’ll be glad to explain what happens without reading it. A lot of angst and heartbreak
NSFW 🍋🍋🍋
Please note that this is my first series and English is not my first language. I really love ALL kinds of feedback.  Don’t hesitate to comment!
Disclaimer: Some of the dialogues and settings as well as most of the characters belong to Pixelberry (except for Alexis O’Brien and her evil father George O’Brien JR).
To catch up: Masterlist
Thanks to @pedudley​  my awesome beta reader, your comments and encouragement mean so much.  And of course, to @mskaneko​ for this beautiful mood board, and all the other great edits and mood boards 💕💕  Love you girls!!
Tags: @burnsoslow  @mskaneko​ @drxkewalker @pedudley @fromthedeskofpaisleybleakmore @pug-bitch @lauzales @desireepow-1986 @yukinagato2012 @kingliam2019 @i-bloody-love-drake-walker  @speedyoperarascalparty @drakewalker04 @ac27dj @ravenpuff02@msjr0119 @texaskitten30​ @loveellamae​ @texaskitten30​
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March 2003
Constantine had been preparing for this day since the revolution had stolen him the throne that was his by birthright. After the monarchy had been overthrown, he had sworn to himself that he would be back to rule his people one day, so he had spent the last nineteen years of his life building a strong political career. And, there he was, about to become Cordonia’s third democratic president. He smiled at the irony, all that blood spilled by the revolutionaries had been for nothing. One way or another, he had been born to lead his country.
His eyes drifted to his two sons. Leo and Liam, so similar in appearance but with such contrasting personalities. 
Liam was sitting calmly next to his stepmother, not a hair out of place, his suit perfectly ironed. Leo was the opposite. Despite Regina’s efforts, Leo’s hair was all over the place and he wasn’t wearing a tie anymore. Constantine scoffed; they were going to appear in live television in a question of minutes.
“Leonard Alistair Rhys, could you care to tell me where your tie is?”
Leo jumped at the mention of his middle name. He knew it meant trouble. Plus, he hated it, he had been given the dreadful name of an old, forgotten ancestor, while Liam shared his middle name, Fabian, with one of Cordonia’s greatest kings.
He answered smugly despite the fear his father inspired in him. “I left it in my room, it didn’t suit my wild personality.”
Liam laughed quietly to his brother’s answer.
Constantine snapped his fingers at Jackson, his personal bodyguard. “I need a tie for him, now”
Then he turned to his oldest son. “You may think that this is simply about the tie, but it is not. It’s what the tie represents.” He arched one brow scornfully “You will never achieve anything important, Leo.  You have no discipline, no self-control, no respect. The monarchy was abolished because of nobles like you. I couldn’t see it back then, but they had a point. If the revolutionaries had lost, you would be an heir right now. The next Cordonia’s king. A terrible thing for our country. But thanks to the new democracy your brother who is far more capable and responsible than you can lead this country one day if he applies himself and works for it, as I did. I was against the revolution, but thanks to you I realize now, that they were right”.
Leo’s fists clenched; he was trembling with rage but didn’t reply anything. He was used to his father’s contempt and sourly remarks. He had been his favorite target since he was a little boy and his mother had left, something his father blamed him for. Leo didn’t cry, he had never given him the pleasure of his tears before, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to start now.  
Jackson came back minutes later with the tie.
“Put this on, now, Leonard. We will talk about your punishment later.” Constantine barely looked at his oldest son for the rest of the ceremony.
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After the scandal exploded, Leo Rhys left the ballroom discretely through a backdoor. As he loosened his bowtie, he smiled to himself, the look in his father’s eyes had been priceless. He couldn’t help but feel slight remorse thinking about Liam. Frankly, he would’ve liked to avoid hurting his younger brother, but Liam had interfered with his destiny to be the next Cordonia’s king, so he had become collateral damage. It was too late for regrets anyway, it was done, the wheels were in motion.  
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Franz and Mara took Alexis and the Rhys outside the ballroom, followed by Rashad, Maxwell, and Drake.
When they reached a private room far away from the public’s curiosity, Constantine turned to the three friends.
“This is a family matter, leave us alone. I’ll call you if I need you, Drake.”
Drake’s eyes drifted to Alexis’s face. His heart tugged seeing how hard she was working to keep a strong facade, he needed to be there for her.
“I need to be here, Constantine. I’m the Chief of Staff of Liam’s campaign, this concerns me too.”
Liam stared at Drake, fully aware of the real reason behind his concern. “You heard my father, Drake. This is a family matter.” He entered the room and closed the door behind him.
“Fuck this!” Drake was about to barge into the room, but Maxwell stopped him on time.
“Do you think she needs the two of you fighting right now?”
“You know Constantine as well as I do, Maxwell. He’s going to blame her for everything. She has been through enough!”
Maxwell placed his hand in Drake’s shoulder. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but Liam is there. He won’t let Constantine hurt her. You’re just going to make everything worst Drake. Please, wait here with us.”
Drake sighed and leaned against the wall.
Constantine was so furious that he needed a minute to gather himself. Alexis had become a huge liability for his son’s campaign. In spite of her father’s money, Liam had to get rid of her. Regina served him a scotch that he gulped down.
“Could you care to tell us what you were doing in your underwear with Tariq, Alexis?”
She took a deep breath and answered in a calm, poised voice, “I was about to take a shower when Tariq barged into my room and tried to attack me. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Liam took a step towards Alexis placing his arm around her waist. “I was there that night, father. Alexis is telling the truth.”
Constantine scoffed looking around the room. “Where the hell is your father?”
Alexis chose to tell him a version of the truth. “He wasn’t feeling right, he had to go back to Cordonia City.”
Constantine answered angrily “He’s like the rats and the cockroaches that leave the sinking boat before anyone else, isn’t he?”
“There’s no need for insults, father.” Liam raised his hands. “We will deal with this ourselves.”
“Don’t you understand, Liam? Your chances to get elected just got cut in half. And all thanks to this … this whore.”
Liam was a man that rarely lost his nerves, but at soon as he heard his father’s words, he cut the distance between them in one step and took him by the lapels of his tuxedo’s jacket. “You say another word against my fiancé, and I swear to God, I’ll forget you’re my father. Do you understand?”
Regina squeaked. “Liam! Stop, please!”
Both men stared at each other until finally, Liam let Constantine go.
The older man went to the bar and poured himself another scotch. Then he turned around with a mocking smile in his face. “I would love to see if you defend her so ardently after I tell you why she has agreed to marry you.”
Liam looked at Alexis and saw how pale she had turned. “Alexis? What does he mean?”
“I’m sorry, Liam I…” Alexis couldn’t find the words to explain to Liam what was happening. 
Constantine was faster than her.  “George confessed a few days ago that he was pressuring his daughter to marry you for political reasons. Alexis accepted because, apparently, she needs money.”
Alexis couldn't believe her ears. “What? That’s not true! You and my father were both pressuring me, and it wasn’t for money.”
“But they were pressuring you”. Liam’s voice was cold and steady.
“Liam, please I-“
“Do not believe a word that comes out of her mouth, Liam. You need to break up the engagement now. This little whore has done enough damage as it is.”
Liam didn’t even think about it. He raised his fist and punched his father in the jaw.
Regina gasped in shock. “God, Liam! What are you doing?”
“Liam is confused, Regina.” He turned to his son rubbing his jaw. “If you want to believe her, it’s your problem, but she lied. She doesn’t want you, the only thing she cares about is being First Lady.”
Liam turned to Alexis. “I just want to know if you only agreed to marry me because your father asked you to.” Before she could answer, he raised his right hand. “Just say yes or no, Alexis.”
She looked at him directly into his eyes, unable to lie to him any longer. “Yes.”
Liam felt something breaking inside of him. “I see. I knew you were not in love with me yet, Alexis. But I thought you felt… something. I didn’t know you were doing this only to help your father’s political ambitions.” He looked at her with utmost contempt “Please, leave”
“Liam, let me explain.”
“Didn’t you hear me? Leave. Now.” He turned his back to her, refusing to break in front of her.
She tried to approach him, but Regina got in the middle.
“It’s better if you leave, darling. Don’t make things harder than they already are.”
Alexis turned around, feeling angry and defeated. She left the room furiously slamming the door on her way out.
Drake and Maxwell looked at each other and followed her.
“Blossom! I’ll go look for the car with Rash and meet you here. If you go through the front door, those so-called journalists won’t let you leave.”
She stopped walking and nodded. Drake went next to her, he needed to hold her and make her understand that she wasn’t alone, but he would have to wait until they were alone, another scandal would destroy her.
“Lexie, are you okay?” He brushed her hand with his fingers.
She hugged herself “No, I’m not. Liam knows everything.” Her eyes watered, Abigail was the only thing in her mind. “I can’t talk right now.”
“Go with them to Ramsford. I’ll drive there in my jeep. It’s better if we don’t leave together.”
“No, Drake. Don’t worry about me. They have a crisis inside, and Liam is going to need you.” She knew that if she threw one look at him, she wouldn’t be able to hold her tears any longer, so she jumped into Maxwell’s car without turning around.
Rashad, Maxwell, and Alexis arrived at Ramsford after a long, silent ride. She got out of the car and after thanking the couple, went to her room.
Abigail. She didn’t even know how to contact her, how to warn her parents. Her daughter needed her and, once again, she had failed her as she had done when she had been born. Alexis paced around the room, incapable of staying put. Her eyes were puffy and swollen after all the tears she had spilled on her way back from the engagement party.  She couldn’t believe that everything was over, but Liam was too sad, too disappointed and he wasn’t going to forgive her. Maybe if she offered something else to her father, he wouldn’t harm Abigail. She was willing to do anything he asked of her if that meant to keep her daughter safe.
“O’Brien let me in.” Drake knocked at her door. 
“Don’t worry about me, Drake. I’m fine.” Alexis was terrified about what could happen to him. She could only imagine her father’s revenge after Drake had beat him up.
“I’m sorry, but I won’t leave you alone. I will sleep outside your door all night if I have to.”
She debated with herself a little longer, torn between the urge to see him and the need to protect him.
When she finally opened the door, he approached her and cupped her face to wipe her tears away. Then, he pulled her to him enveloping her with his strong arms, making her feel instantly safe. Despite that, or maybe because of it, she began to cry again. Drake's heart broke at the sound of her small sobs. He rubbed her back as he talked to her.
“Shhh, everything will be fine, baby. I promise. Cry all you need to cry but know that I will do whatever I have to do to fix this.” He placed small kisses on the top of her head. “I promise.”
“How?” She spread her arms wide. “There’s nothing we can do. Liam hates me now, so it’s over. Over. My only solution is to beg my father for forgiveness and comply with whatever he asks now.”
Drake shook his head furiously “No! There’s no fucking way that’s going to happen, O’Brien. That man is seriously deranged! Only god knows what he’s going to ask from you now! Forget it, I won’t allow it!”
She glared at him “I’m sorry but you don’t have a say on the matter. You have to understand that Abigail is my priority and I will do everything it takes to keep her safe. I don’t even know where she is Drake, I can’t even warn her...her mother.”
He cut the distance between them taking her in his arms again. “Well, you have to understand that you’re my priority and I will do everything it takes to keep you safe. I’m serious, Alexis, anything it takes.” He cupped her face with both hands and looked at her. “I love you. We’ll find a solution together, but now you need to eat something and rest, you seem exhausted.”
“I love you too, Drake” She said as he wiped another tear off her cheek.
“Would you let me stay here with you, Lexie?”
“Yes, I’d like that” She gave him a small smile.
God, he loved her so much. “Perfect, why you don’t go get ready for bed. I’ll go to Beaumont’s kitchen to get us something to eat.” He took off his jacket and his bowtie before leaving the room.
She took a long shower. When she came back to the room, Drake had lighted the bedroom’s electric fireplace and had put some sandwiches and a bottle of whiskey on the small coffee table. Alexis had changed into a huge t-shirt with the inscription “Everything I need to know I learned by watching 80’s movies” printed on it and a pair of mini shorts. He blushed, remembering how soft her long, tanned legs felt around him.
He cleared his throat before speaking. “What’s your favorite?” He pointed at the t-shirt, grinning.
She looked at him. “I know what you’re trying to do, Drake. I really appreciate it, but nothing is going to take my mind off of Abigail”
He got close to her “I know how worried you are. I do. And I promise you that tomorrow we will spend the day trying to figure this out together.” He rubbed her cheek with his thumb. “But you won’t solve anything tonight, O’Brien. Please eat something and try to rest.”
They sat on some cushions in front of the table and started eating the grilled cheese sandwiches he had made, in comfortable silence.
“Back to the Future,” Alexis said. 
He looked at her “What?”
“My favorite 80’s movie, Back to the Future.”
He grinned. “Chicken, Mc Fly”
She squinted at him. “Nobody.Calls.Me.Chicken”
They both laughed locking eyes for a few seconds. He placed a strand of hair behind her ear before speaking again.
“Mine is Indiana Jones.”
She giggled. “Figures, Walker”
“Why?” He asked, puzzled.
“Why? Seriously?” She smirked “A movie about a lonely, hot-headed hero that protects everyone around him?”
He chuckled.“I don’t need to protect everyone around me, O’Brien. Just you.”
She sat in his lap and gave him a soft kiss. “Thank you for everything, Drake. I don’t even know how I would’ve dealt with all of this without you.”
Drake smiled at her. “There’s nothing to thank me for, Lexie. I love you.” He gently rubbed her back. “Now, let’s go to bed, you need a good night of sleep.”
She rubbed her eyes. “I don’t think I can sleep now, I’m too anxious.”
He kissed the top of her head, before speaking. “What if I look for a movie on Netflix? You might fall asleep watching it, baby.”
Alexis shrugged. “It can’t hurt.” 
Drake grinned at her, placing a small kiss on her nose. “Perfect, Lexie.”
She began to undo the covers when she saw him taking off his clothes. 
“Are you giving me a strip show, Walker? Because I don’t have any dollar bills.” She smiled.
He chuckled. “Get your head out of the gutter, O’Brien. I’m not going to sleep all night in a fucking tuxedo.”
“Hey, I’m not complaining,” Alexis teased. 
They went to bed together. Alexis snuggled against Drake and he held her while they watched “Back to the future 2”. Both of them enjoyed the intimacy, the proximity to the other. Drake revealed in the sensation of having her in his arms. He swore to himself that he would never let her go again. An hour later, he smiled content, Alexis had fallen asleep. He watched her for a few seconds, admiring how serene, and peaceful she looked. After placing a loving kiss on her forehead, Drake turned off the computer and put it on the bedside table. Then he went back to bed and carefully pulled Alexis against his chest, he needed to feel her close to him, safe and sound in his arms.
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Hakim knew that restoring the monarchy was the right measure for his country. Thirty-five years ago, when he was young and idealistic, he had been one of the few nobles involved with the revolution but now he saw the errors of his ways. Democracy hadn’t solved the numerous problems Cordonia had, worse than that, it had added several more. Corruption was a sickness at every level of the state and liberal ideas like gay marriage or abortion rights were threatening the conservative values he cherished so deeply. The old noble houses like his continued to rule in more ways than one but they were losing more and more power every day and depended on the elections. Of course, he had considered forming an alliance with Godfrey Amaranth but that would only have fixed the problem momentarily, and he needed something permanent. Something that would bring the monarchy back, along with all the old titles. He sighed thinking about his father the old Duke of Castelraillan and how that title would be inherited by Ezequiel one day.  
Hakim remembered the day he had approached Leo Rhys to help with his plans. The idea was actually quite simple, he would help Leo claim his right as an heir to the old Monarchy and in exchange, Leo would have him as his closest advisor. Hakim wasn’t worried, he knew Leo since he was a small boy, as long as he had enough women and scotch, he would be easy to manipulate. The first step was to ruin the reputation of the candidate highest in the polls, Liam Rhys. It was a pity, Liam would have made an extraordinary king in other circumstances. The second was to create a scandal big enough that it would make everyone question their democratic leaders and the third, well it was the most extreme but undoubtedly the most effective of the three.
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Alexis laid down restless with her eyes open, she had slept exactly three hours before a nightmare had woken her up. Fortunately, Drake was still asleep, he was exhausted and worried about her, he definitely needed the rest. Drake’s concern for her filled her heart, no one had ever cared so deeply about her before. Liam might’ve thought he loved her, but the truth was that he didn’t even really know her. Of course, that didn’t help diminish her guilt. Alexis knew that she had deeply hurt him, and she wasn’t going to forgive herself. She rolled over to look at Drake, and couldn’t help the smile forming in her lips, she had never imagined she could love someone with such intensity before meeting him. She stroked his face with her hand, and he opened his eyes.
“Hi,” he looked at his phone. “It’s only 4 o’clock, Lexie. You can’t sleep?”
She ran her hand through her hair “There are too many things on my mind. I’m sorry that I woke you up though. Go back to sleep, Drake.”
He lifted his upper body with an elbow and leaned down to kiss her. She tugged his hair and soon the soft kiss became hungry, passionate.
“I need to feel you, Drake.”
He slid his hand under her shirt, her naked skin underneath was unbelievably soft. “I need to feel you too baby.” He pulled her shirt over her head, the smell of cherries washing over him.
“Fuck, Lexie you’re gorgeous.” He ran his hands all over her body, almost desperately. When he finally found the hem of her short, he softly stroked the skin under it, locking eyes with her, enjoying how her breath hitched with the mere touch of his fingers. He lowered himself, covering her stomach with soft kisses, savoring her soft gasps, until he reached her lower belly. He carefully undid the knot of her shorts and pulled them down with her underwear, as he kissed the inside of her thighs, her knees, her calves. She was lost in his touch, barely able to moan. Then he made his way up kissing the length of her legs all over again until he reached her core.  
She wasn’t able to think anymore. “Oh god!” Her voice sounded raspy, foreign.
“You make me insane, Lexie” He took his time kissing the hot skin around her core, taking pleasure on how wet she already was. He sank his head on her until his tongue found the little nub inside of her making her moan harder. Drake thrust two fingers inside of her curling them as his tongue continued to pleasure her and she came hard, losing all control of herself.
When he felt her become undone under his tongue, he couldn’t take it any longer. He placed himself over her, as desperate as he was to enter her, he took a second to watch her. She looked like a goddess with her messy hair framing her beautiful face and her eyes closed as she tried to stabilize her breath again.
“Open your eyes baby” He whispered, and she complied, her already brown eyes, darkened with lust.  
-For me. That look is only for me- he thought, feeling himself grow harder.
Drake didn’t stop looking at her for a second as he positioned himself over her entrance, teasing her with the tip of his cock before slowly sinking into her.
“God, Drake! I need you!”
He growled at the sound of his name falling from her lips. He thrust into her as she moaned his name over and over again.
“Come for me, Lexie,” he whispered, and she moaned again. Sliding his arm under her back, Drake pulled her closed to him and pounded mercilessly into her, capturing her lips until her walls clenched on him. Soon, Alexis was too far gone to care about her screams.
“DRAKE! DRAKE!”
“That’s my girl.” He growled coming right after her.
He held her close to his chest, their bodies covered in sweat as they tried to even out their breath, and he noticed her eyes fighting to stay open.
“You need to sleep, baby” He laid down wrapping her body with his arms and kissing her nape.
She felt her eyes closing. “I love you, Drake”
“I love you, Lexie.” He whispered before falling asleep next to the love of his life.
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Regina Rhys wasn’t used to making important decisions on her own, she had always let others, especially her husband to make them for her. That was the reason why she had kept quiet when she had found out that Constantine was trying to buy a wife for Liam. A few days later, she had heard a conversation between George and her husband and had discovered that they were blackmailing Alexis into accepting their deal. Regina ignored the secret they had over the poor girl, but it had to be dark because she had barely protested. For all those reasons, she had been tempted to defend Alexis the night before, but she knew her husband would never forgive her and she definitely didn’t know how to confront him, so Regina had decided to wait until the morning to speak alone with the man she considered her son.
Liam hadn’t slept all night, his mind was consumed by her and all the moments they had spent together. If he was true to himself, he had to admit that she had never really told him that she loved him. She had been kind and gentle, but a wall had always been there between the two of them. He couldn’t understand why he felt such a powerful need for her, for someone that was so clearly not interested in him and so obviously…infatuated with someone else. He threw his glass furiously against the door. It was his fault. Everything had been perfect until he had decided he liked her too. Liam knew Drake was a womanizer, just like his brother. And even if he thought he was in love with her, eventually he was going to get tired of her as he always did, and she would end up sad and alone. Not that her fate mattered to him anymore. Liam took another tumbler from the cabinet and poured himself a glass of scotch.
Regina found him in his office, nursing the glass. “Good morning, Liam. I brought you a cup of fresh coffee.”
She removed the scotch from his hand and gave him the mug, squeezing his shoulder.
She cleared her throat trying to summon her courage. “I want to tell you something about Alexis.”
He looked at her expectantly.
“Your father and George were blackmailing her. I know it isn’t money, Liam. They mentioned an old secret. Your father told George that she had asked him to stop the engagement because she didn’t want to hurt you. I think you should go and talk to her. I’ve known the ambassador for a long time now, and there is nothing he wouldn’t do for money or power, including hurting his own daughter.”
“I don’t think I should talk to her, Regina. She doesn’t care if I love her or not” His voice sounded hollow, hopeless.
She approached him, placing her hand in his shoulder “Liam, If you love someone, you tell them. Even if you’re scared that it’s not the right thing. Even if you’re scared that it’ll cause problems. Even if you’re scared that it will burn your life to the ground, you say it, and you say it loud and you go from there.”
“I already did, and it didn’t change anything.”
“I’m only telling you all of this because I think you deserve to have all the information, what you do with it, only concerns you, Li.” She rubbed his shoulder and let him alone so he could think.
Drake felt her absence as soon as he opened his eyes. He sat on the bed and found her wrapped on a blanket watching absentmindedly through the window.
“Hey, Lexie.”
She turned her head towards him. “Hi, Drake”
“Come to bed, baby”
Alexis went to him and sat on his lap looping her arms around his neck. She rubbed his stubble with her nose. “You’re so handsome in the morning”
He teased her. “But only in the morning.”
“Yes, you lose all your charm at noon, like a reversed Cinderella.”
They grinned at each other, but he noticed that her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “What were you thinking over there?”
“Abbie … and Liam”
He furrowed “Liam?”
“Yes, how sad he seemed last night, all because of me”
“Because of both your fathers, O’Brien.”
“I accepted the offer and no matter the reason, I hurt him.” She sighed “And Abbie, she will be eleven years old soon, what if she never gets to ...”
Drake lifted her face up to him and locked eyes with her. “Hey! Look at me, Lexie. I swear, I would keep you two safe.” She tried to shake her head but he cupped her face. “I swear it on my life, okay?” He kissed her softly “This morning I thought about contacting Damien, he’s a friend of mine in New York and he’s a PI. He’s the best there is, and I’m sure he will help us find her. I promise I’ll help you fix this.”
“And my father?”
“I will deal with him.”
Alexis was about to respond when her phone rang. She saw the name and the screen and answered immediately
“Hi, Liam.”
Drake stood up from the bed and angrily started to dress. He didn’t want to hear their conversation; he knew how it would end. If Liam was as in love with Alexis, his Lexie, as much as he was, he wasn’t going to go without a fight.
She finished her call and sat next to him on the couch. “He wants to talk to me in person. He asked me if I could meet with him today at noon at his office”
Drake cocked his brows as he asked the question he already knew the answer to. “And you accepted?”
Alexis hugged herself. “You know I did, Drake.”
He answered bitterly. “Yes, I forgot that we were just friends, O’Brien”
Her heart sank at his words. “Drake, please. Don’t do this now”
He shook his head. “I know it’s difficult for you, Alexis, but it’s damn hard for me too. Can’t you see that I die every time that I have to see you two together?” He raised his voice “Every time he touches you, I want to fucking kill him. He was my best friend, and now I want to end him every single time he dares to look at you.”
She approached him and rubbed his face with her small hand. “You know, I love you, Drake.”
He took her hand between his closing his eyes. “Yes, I know you do now.” He muttered.
“What does that mean?” Alexis asked, glaring at him.
He took a sharp breath. “It doesn’t matter, Lexie”
She took his head between her hands. “I love you, Drake, you have no idea how much.” She stood on her toes and kissed him tenderly. “I will never, never, stop loving you. Please, never forget that”
“I know, baby, I know” He kissed her forehead “I’m sorry. Let’s focus on Abbie right now”
She smiled at him.
“What, O’Brien?”
“I like it when you call her Abbie”
He smiled back at her “We’ll find her, Lexie. I promise”
They decided that she was going to ask Maxwell to lend her a car so she could go to Cordonia city by herself. He would go later, so no one could see them arrive together.
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Alexis steadied her breath to calm herself before entering Liam’s office.
“Hi, Liam” His heart skipped a beat just hearing her voice.  
“Alexis, sit please”
She sat on the couch he was pointing at.
“Something to drink?”
“Do you have whiskey?”
He scoffed “Yes, I do”
He poured a whiskey for her and a scotch for him before sitting next to her on the couch.
“I talked to Regina, she seems to think that my father and yours are blackmailing you”
She gulped her whiskey before speaking. “Yes, they were, they are. I don’t know how much Constantine actually knows, but he’s definitely aware that my father was forcing me.”
He spoke with an icy tone. “With what exactly? What was so important that it was worth your happiness and mine?”
“Almost eleven years ago, I was … attacked and I got pregnant. Obviously, I wasn’t married, so my father wanted to avoid a scandal. He was ashamed of me.” She took a deep breath refusing to cry in front of Liam. “When my daughter was born, I had to give her up. My father knows where she is, and if I don’t do what he says, he … well my daughter won’t be safe anymore”
Liam couldn’t believe what he was hearing, he settled his glass on the table and took Alexis’s hands, squeezing them softly.
“I’m so sorry, my love. I can’t even begin to imagine what you have been through” He wanted to hold her but he wasn’t sure that she would accept it. “Can I hold you?”
Touched by his concern, she nodded. “Yes.”
Liam took her in his arms trying to erase the past, trying to make her understand how much he loved her. It was comforting and kind, but she couldn’t feel the same sense of security she did when she was held by Drake.
Liam broke the embrace and looked at her. “I’m here for you Alexis. I told you I loved you, and I wasn’t lying. If you want to, we can still get married.”
“Even knowing that I … that I’m not in love with you?”
He took her chin between his fingers. “Yes, I want to help you, and I will. I imagine that your father wants to control the commerce we have with America.”
She nodded
“And he wants us married as some sort of guarantee for him”
“Yes, your father told him he would convince you to give him all the access he needs”
Liam stood up, his hands tightened into fists.
“I want to marry you, Alexis, more than anything, but we can’t let our fathers control our lives.”
“I know, Li, but I have no option, if we go against him, he will harm Abigail. That’s her name.”
“I’ve known George my whole life. I know he would.” Liam took her hands again and kissed them softly. “Marry me, Alexis. Marry me and I swear, I won’t let him harm you or your daughter. We will make them think that I will go along with their plans, but we will be looking for her and gathering evidence against them. I’m sure we will defeat them at the end. Together.”
Alexis didn’t have another option. As much as she loved Drake, she had to accept. “I can’t even begin to thank you, Liam.”
“I’m only going to ask you one thing, Alexis.”
She looked at him expectantly.
“That you try. That you really try to fall in love with me. I promise I won’t pressure you. I won’t be expecting anything from you on our wedding night, or any other night for that matter. Not until you’re ready. But, other than that, I want us to be a real couple, I want you to be honest with me.” He rubbed her cheek with his thumb. “I want us to go in dates, and get to know each other better.” He lifted her chin to him “And for that to happen, I need you to stop seeing him, for good. Can you do that, Alexis?”
Her heart tugged, learn to live without Drake would be the hardest thing that she’d ever have to do, after giving Abigail up. But Alexis will do it for her.  
“Yes, I can. I just need to talk to him one last time.”
Liam shook his head “I don’t think it’s a good idea”
“I’m only telling you because you want me to be honest, but I will talk to him one last time, whether you like it or not Liam. He deserves to hear it from me”
“When?”
“I’ll go to his office now.”
He poured himself another scotch. “I’ll be waiting here.”
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Drake was unable to work or focus on anything related to the campaign. All he could think about was Alexis, and her discussion with Liam.
Suddenly, he saw her standing at his door.
He stood up to join her.
“Come in, O’Brien” He was about to ask what had happened with Liam, but he saw it in her eyes.
“He wants to marry you.”
She nodded. “He wants to help me, but he wants us to try to have a real marriage.”
Drake scoffed. “Of course, he does.” He pulled her close to him and kissed her, only her lips at first, but after a few sweet seconds, he let his tongue rub hers, at first softly, almost delicately but fast the kiss became hungry and burning. She parted from him, panting.
“He asked me to stop this, us. He’s going to help me, but in exchange he wants me to stop seeing you.” Alexis took a deep breath. She was going to need all the courage, she could muster. “Drake, listen to me. I need you to quit this job that you hate so much, and finish your veterinarian degree.” She rubbed his cheek. “I need you to live your life and forget about this horrible world.” Her eyes were filled with tears but she forced herself to keep talking. “If you love me, if you really love me, please just leave me here and try to be happy with …with  someone else, anywhere else.”
He shook his head. He wasn’t going to lose her. “I told you before that that’s not happening Alexis. Forget it.”
“Drake, we can’t be together. We just can’t.” She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “It kills me too but If I have to live my life seeing you being miserable here, I won’t be able to do it, and if I leave with you and something happens to her, I’ll die.” She was openly crying now. “Can’t you see that no matter what I choose I lose something?”
His chest tightened “I know, baby.” He kissed her front.
Liam hadn’t been able to wait in his office for more than a few minutes. The jealousy was killing him. He decided to go to Drake’s office when he got to the threshold and saw him holding her, he approached them almost shaking with rage.
“Do not touch her!”
Alexis gasped “Liam, it’s fine. We’re just talking”
“She doesn’t belong to you, Liam” Drake balled his fists
He tapped a finger into Drake’s chest. “She sure doesn’t belong to you either”
“Get your fucking hands off of me, asshole!”
Liam took Drake by the lapels of his jacket “Or what, Drake. What are you going to do?”
Drake took a swing at Liam connecting his fist with Liam’s jaw, so the blond man hit him back “I’m going to kill you”
Drake grappled him and they fell together to the floor.
Alexis yelled. “Fuck! I can’t take this anymore. Stop or I swear I’ll fucking kill you both myself!”
Both men stopped, panting. Liam threw her an apologetic look.
“Alexis is right, we can’t keep going like this” He turned to her. “We need to talk, darling. Please leave us alone.”
She nodded “I will, just please don’t kill each other”
Drake looked at her cleaning a drop of blood from his swollen lip “Don’t worry, Lexie. We won’t”
Drake stood up from the floor and extended his hand to Liam.
Liam took it .“You still punch hard.” he rubbed his chin.
“You haven’t lost your magic touch either”
Liam sighed “I guess you know everything about Alexis’s story”
“I do,” Drake replied simply.
“I can help her, Drake. I have the resources to do it, and if we marry her father will back off.”
Drake scoffed. “He’s a fucking monster, he won’t just back off. He will keep on asking things because he knows she will do anything for her kid.” He smiled “When she loves someone, she’ll do anything for them”
Liam poured himself and Drake a whiskey. “I love her, Drake.”
Drake gulped his glass. “I know, Liam. I love her too”
“I will help and marry her, but we need to try to be happy, and that won’t happen if you stay here. We were friends, almost brothers, for a long time. I’m asking you for that friendship and for the love you have for her, to leave.”
Drake didn’t want to renounce to her, she had become everything to him, but he wondered if that gave him the right to be an obstacle to her happiness. Right now, she loved him but if he left now, maybe one day she would be able to be happy with Liam. The thought of them together was almost unbearable, but he didn’t have a real choice. He reminded himself that her happiness and safety were the only things that really mattered to him if that meant that he would have to look out for her from afar … he would do it.
“And the scandal?” Drake asked.
“I’ll ask Alexis to give a statement to the press of what happened that day with Tariq. I’ll be there for her. I’m sure they’ll believe her. In any case, Franz and Mara have investigated and they found other women that he has attacked and that are willing to come forward.”
Thinking about Tariq made Drake’s blood boil. “And that asshole? Have you found him?”
“Franz has some leads, apparently he’s in America. In Los Angeles. I swear to you I’ll find him, and he’ll pay for what he almost did that day.”
Drake nodded. “I’ll work in your campaign until you find a replacement for me. After that, I’ll leave.” He took a sharp, painful breath. “If she has to marry you, she deserves at least the opportunity to try and be happy.
Liam placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I appreciate it, Drake-“
Drake raised his hand interrupting him “I mean it, Liam. Make her happy, she deserves…” He stopped himself “She deserves everything, give her everything.”
Liam stared at Drake stupefied ���I didn’t know how much you actually cared for her, Drake. I promise I’ll do anything in my power to make her happy”
Drake stared at his former best friend “I don’t care for her, Liam. I love her. I’m crazy about her. She’s the only reason I’m leaving. Her”
Drake stood up and left the office, Alexis was waiting outside. He looked at her one last time, trying to take her all in, trying to print her image in his brain so he would never forget one single part of her. He had never felt anything so painful before. 
They locked eyes for a few seconds, both understanding that it would be for the last time. Both trying painfully not to take the other in their arms. Alexis felt like something inside of her was dying at that moment. 
Finally, Drake shook his head and left her there, broken.
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George entered the rich mansion limping, he also had a swollen eye and a fat lip, all of it, courtesy of Drake Walker. The butler took his coat and walked him to the room where the meeting was being held.
Hakim cocked his brows when he saw the injured ambassador enter the room.
“Is everything alright, George?”
“Perfect. Let’s go straight to the point.”
Hakim nodded. “As my daughter told you, I and some other important people have formed an alliance that will overthrow the democracy. Our plan is to restore the monarchy and give the throne to his rightful heir, Leo.”
George looked at Hakim with obvious contempt. “Leo Rhys? Please, Hakim. Even his father thinks he’s a useless drunk.”
“He is going to give this revolution what it needs, a real cause. There are a lot of royalists in the streets, and they will follow the real heir blindly. Plus, Leo is very easy to manipulate, we will marry him with someone adept to the cause”
“Like your daughter?” George smiled thinking about all the nights he had shared with the beautiful brunette.
“My daughter just ended her engagement, she’s not ready for another one. But we’ll find someone else, someone from an old noble house.”
The American ambassador raised his hands smiling. “It was just an idea”
“The real question is why do you want to join us. Your daughter is about to marry, Liam Rhys”
“After what she did with that Tariq his chances to be president are almost zero, and I need to be in the winning team. I would contribute with money to fund your little movement and you already know what I want in exchange of my…help” He sneered. “And don’t worry about my daughter, we can still use her as an advantage, I‘m sure that I can convince her to help us betray Liam Rhys, she will give us anything we ask.”
Hakim furrowed. “How can you be so sure?”
He gave him an arrogant smile. “Believe me, Hakim, I know. There’s just one more thing I need.”
“You’re already asking us to control all our commercial deals with America. What else could you possibly want, George?”
“Kiara told me the last stage of your plan. I know you are planning to attack Liam Rhys’ headquarters the day of the election.”
Hakim looked at him, thinking that George was going to ask for protection for his daughter, but the rich ambassador had someone else in his mind.
“Well, that day no matter what happens, I need you to kill Drake fucking Walker first”
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returningwriter · 4 years
Text
Forever By Her Side
The final part of my By Her Side series of stories, the previous part being Suiting Up For Her but this can be read as a stand alone piece of superCorp wedding fluff if you like. As always enjoy!
Lena fiddled with her bouquet of white roses as Ruby, standing in front of her, half-turned and gave her the thumbs up. The teen had jumped at the chance to be her brides’ maid along with Sam, of course, and glancing to her side she received a kind smile from J’onn who was fixing the black bowtie of his tuxedo.
“Ready for this?” he asked her in that deep and soothing voice, and she could only nod because she was worried that if she started speaking now, she might cry.
It had been two years since that day in the DEO hospital room when she’d learned that Supergirl was her Kara. One year since Kara showed up at L-Corp in that damn blue three-piece suit with a nervous expression on her flawless face and fogged up glasses. 12 months and fifty-eight minutes since Kara Zor-El had gotten down on one knee and presented her with a modest diamond ring on a reporter’s salary. Nine months since they’d started planning for this day, and now roughly ninety seconds until she’d walk down the aisle and marry her blonde reporter slash superhero.
“Break a leg,” Ruby whispered mischievously when the doors swung open and the music started playing. Here comes the bride, dressed all in white, escorted by a Martian space-dad and wearing a simple floor-length white dress, with bare shoulders and the shape of the House of El crest on the middle of her breast, and with a garland of white flowers in her raven-black hair.
They were getting married in a small country church outside of Midvale, but the small venue was packed to the rafters with their friends and family. Both sides of the aisle were filled with smiling faces sitting on slightly uncomfortable wooden pews, people she’d met over the last two years, and come to think of as her friends. Barry flashed her an enthusiastic thumbs up which made her laugh especially when Iris slapped him for doing it.
Glancing up at the altar she saw Kara, her Kara, with her blonde hair cut short for the occasion and held up in a tight bun. The statuesque blonde was wearing a fitted and pressed black tuxedo that showed off her broad shoulders and narrow waist via a blue cummerbund, but the blonde was pulling nervously at the collar of her starched white shirt and if she’d worn glasses those would have, no doubt, been fogged up.
The blonde’s sister, also decked out in a black tux, was rubbing her back and whispering words of encouragement. Or knowing Alex Olsen-Danvers it was more along the lines of something like last chance to fly away now. Filling out the ‘groom’s party’ was Kate Kane, grinning from ear to ear at the sight of her best friend being a bundle of nerves, while dressed in a punky looking black suit.
The master of ceremonies that was overseeing this unorthodox wedding was Brainiac himself, or as she called him, Dox, with Nia beaming proudly at her man from the first row of pews. Taking her place with a smile at the flower-strewn altar under white draped silks hanging from the beams in the ceiling she handed Ruby her bouquet. Turning to face her wife to be, she saw that Kara had a House of El crest pin on the lapel of her black tuxedo jacket. She was after all not only marrying Kara Danvers, but also Kara Zor-El, the one and only Supergirl!
“Wow!��� the blonde mouthed at her and she allowed herself to blush in front of other people for maybe the first time in her life.
“Thank you,” she mouthed back as Dox cleared his throat and Kara stood up a bit straighter as Kate rolled her eyes.
Kate Kane didn’t believe in marriage, but the Batwoman of Gotham had become one of their closest friends through the years. Even though there had been a bit of jealousy on her part at the start, she’d come to see that the dark-haired woman was honorable, brave and she couldn’t wish for a better best friend for Kara, aside from herself of course.
“Dearly beloved, friends, family and assorted allies of questionable character,” Dox said formally and the crew of the Waverider cheered at that last part.
The poor man had worked on that line for days, Nia had told her in confidence last night when they had shared a glass of wine together in her hotel room while Kara had been secluded with Alex and Kate at the sisters’ childhood home. With tradition dictating that the ‘groom’ was not allowed to see her before the wedding.
“We are gathered here today to join these two…” Dox went on but was interrupted by a shout from the gathered attendants.
“Idiots!” Sara Lance shouted from the right side of the aisle only to be shushed down by Ava.
“These two amazing women in a union of mind and spirit,” Dox went on without missing a beat.
“Now, on Kara’s request I will keep this short,” he then said with a sly smile, and Kara looked like she was about to vibrate out of sight because the poor blonde girl was visibly wracked with nerves. Kara could face down monsters and demons, gods and alien conquerors without blinking, but this moment clearly set her nerves racing.
“Lena, as they say, ladies first,” he said and motioned for her to recite the vows she’d spent the past two months writing and rewriting.
“Kara, my Kara,” she started, and right away Kara’s blue eyes were glistening with tears as a few of the attendants gave various oohs and aaws.
“When I met you, you saw the light in me, you saw past the name, past the bravado and saw the girl hiding behind my walls who only wanted to be loved,” she went on and the church had gone quiet.
“You’ve been my hero, my rock, my darling, and it would take me a thousand lifetimes to fully thank you for what you’ve done for me,” she said softly and paused to take a quick breath for effect. All those lessons learned from doing public speaking as CEO of L-Corp coming in handy.
“When you proposed to me, looking so nervous with your glasses fogging up, you said please,” she laughed at the memory of Kara down on one knee and she would never forget those simple words. Lena Kieran Luthor, you are the most amazing being I’ve ever met, and will you marry me, please?
“Now let me say please, will you please be my wife for forever and a day, and in turn, I promise to have your children and to stand by your side against whatever may come?” she asked and looked into Kara’s glistening blue eyes and the blonde was silently nodding.
“Kara, would you like a moment?” Dox asked but the blonde firmly shook her head and squared her broad shoulders and pulled at the cuffs of her shirt.
“Lena, you are the smartest woman on the planet, yet for some reason, you’re choosing me, so I guess I must be doing something right!” Kara joked in that strong voice of hers and a ripple of laughter went through the gathered crowd.
“Every day I wake up and when I see your face I think how even the sun is humbled by your brightness and beauty. You are my everything and the reason I fight,” the blonde went on and her strong voice carried through the church.
“People call me a hero, but they don't know that you are my hero. You build me up when I’m down, you encourage me to fly higher and you are the giant whose shoulders I stand on,” Kara said and that strong voice rang like a bell in the small church as it was her turn to have her eyes water with unspilled tears. This girl was incredible!
“When I look towards the future, it’s a future with you, it’s always been with you, and now you’ll be stuck with me as we move towards a new dawn. Together we can not only dream of a better tomorrow but make it a reality. Because together we are invincible!” the blonde finished and you could hear a pin drop in the church as the butterflies were swarming in her stomach.
“Someone was putting that Pulitzer to good use,” Dox observed dryly and motioned for Kate to bring the rings.
The short-haired hero padded down her suit theatrically before finding the two golden bands in an inside pocket on her jacket and with a wink handing them to Dox. First, he handed her Kara's ring, a slightly wider and more rugged-looking one for her heroic wife to be.
“Lena, repeat after me,” he said and she nodded, unable to look away from Kara’s beaming face.
“I, Lena Kieran Luthor,” he said formally, and she placed the ring at the tip of Kara’s finger just like they'd rehearsed it.
“I… Lena Kieran Luthor,” she started but her voice caught in her throat before she repeated the line and felt weak at the knees. This was really happening! In a few short sentences, she was going to be Lena Kieran Zor-El .
“Take you, Kara Zor-El, as my wife and partner,” Dox said and she pushed the ring halfway up Kara’s finger.
“Take you, Kara Zor-El, as my wife and partner,” she giggled at that and for some reason, she felt lightheaded.
“Before this gathering of friends and family and in the eyes of Rao,” he declared, and she nodded.
“Before this gathering of friends and family and in the eyes of Rao,” she repeated firmly with all the love and conviction in her being and pushed the ring all the way down on the blonde’s finger. Stuck with me now darling, she thought to herself.
“Kara, can you please repeat after me?” Dox asked while handing the blonde a ring and Kara nodded like an eager puppy.
“I, Kara Zor-El,” he said again just as formally and Kara with a shaking hand placed the thin golden band at the tip of her finger almost touching a manicured red nail.
“I, Kara Zor-El,” Kara said with a huge smile on her face no doubt from using her real name in front of so many people.
“Take you, Lena Kieran Luthor, as my wife and partner,” Dox repeated and she felt Kara’s warmth as the blonde pushed the ring halfway down her finger.
“Take you, Lena Kieran Luthor, as my wife and partner,” the blonde said with such conviction and steel in her voice that again it rang like a bell through the church.
“Before this gathering of friends and family and in the eyes of Rao,” he said again, and Kara’s million-megawatt smile was out in full force.
“Oooh, you betcha! I mean, before this gathering of friends and family and in the eyes of Rao,” the blonde hero blurted out before laughing and pushing the ring fully onto her finger, sealing the deal.
“Since I doubt anyone has the reproductive organs of sufficient fortitude to object to this union, I now declare you joined as partners before Rao and this assembly, you may kiss!” Dox declared and in a rare display of open emotion he raised his arms triumphantly up over his head in celebration as a cheer went up in the church.
Kara wasted no time, grabbing her and pulling her close so their noses bumped against each other which made them both giggle like a pair of schoolgirls. This was real! They were married and now came the fun part!
“Ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it for the Zor-Els!” Alex shouted with her fist in the air and the cheers grew even louder as their friends and family rose to their feet, clapping, whistling, and hollering as they celebrated with them. With a few of them thinking that, yes, the two dorks at managed to do it!
“Stuck with me now,” the blonde whispered, and before she could reply with something clever, she was being dipped down and kissed hard on the lips. Pawing at Kara’s strong arms before burying her fingers in the blonde’s short hair she kissed her back as their friends and family cheered them on.
“Ready to face the rest of our lives together Mrs. Zor-El?” Kara asked when she let her up for air again with her red lipstick smeared across both their lips.
“Of course! I’ll go anywhere with you!” she laughed, as Kara took her hand in hers and she squeezed it.
“Let’s run towards it then!” the blonde declared excitedly to which she nodded with a huge grin while gathering up the front of her dress so she wouldn’t trip over it.
Then, laughing together, they raced down the aisle into the sunshine beaming down outside the church as their friends shrugged before they race after them. Forever by her side, who would have thought when this all started that she would get to spend forever by her Kara’s side!
The End
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ahtohallan-calling · 4 years
Text
chapter 16 of don’t read the last page is here!
masterpost
[kristanna / m / multichap / modern au with actress!anna and vetstudent!kristoff]
“I mean, even if that is what she’s filming today,” he said to a cat recovering from minor surgery as he held out a toy for it to bat around, “it’s not a big deal. I mean, she’s an actor, right? And anyway it’s for the movie, so no one else will see it yet, and everyone will know it’s fake. So it doesn’t bother me.”
The cat stopped playing and gave him a look that said even I know that’s bullshit, buddy.
Kristoff had always been a patient person. He wondered sometimes if it had started when his parents had adopted his oldest sister, or a few years before that when he had been a ward of the state waiting to be wanted, or perhaps he had just been born this way, stoic and solid, slow to anger and quick to forgive.
The magazine display in the checkout lane was testing that right now. 
She had been excited about that photoshoot with People just a couple of weeks ago. “They want me to be on the cover!” she had called to tell him on her way home from Sam’s office. “And do an article about, y’know, my rise to fame and stuff. I mean, it’s not Vogue or anything so it’s not a huge deal, but still!”
He didn’t really recognize her on the cover. They had slimmed her down for some reason, when just last week she had come home from a doctor’s visit upset because the doctor had told her he was worried about the rate at which she was losing weight when she had already been slender. “I just don’t have time to eat on set sometimes,” she had explained to Kristoff as they went through the grocery store together, both of them in sweatshirts with the hood pulled up. “And then I’m dancing all day, and then I’m stressed as fuck, and I just…”
(He’d packed her lunch every day since then and left a note in each bag. She sent him a picture one day of all of them taped up around her mirror.)
Somehow worse than that, though, was the little blurb in splashy pink letters: Anna Arendelle Rises To Fame...And Falls In Love? Find Out More On Page 36!
She’d done the interview before the Hans debacle, and when they’d asked if she had ever been in love before she had said, “Oh, absolutely. And it’s the most amazing, wonderful thing that’s ever happened to me. I’d take that over the fame any day.”
It had been romantic when she had told him about it later that night when they laid tangled in bed together. It was less romantic now knowing that it was followed up in the article with a whole paragraph about her New Year’s duet with Hans Westergaard.
Between the two of them, they had almost all of the magazines on the rack covered, most of them promising “details about their budding romance inside!” One particularly abhorrent one actually had a picture of Kristoff next to her one day sitting on a park bench; he’d had his hood on, and she’d made the mistake of keeping hers off and leaving that unmistakable red hair on display. Still, he had no idea how anyone would be stupid enough to think he was Hans, considering he had a good five inches and thirty pounds at least on the other man. Then again, the same magazine promised proof Prince William was a lizard.
He turned that one around so no one else could see it, and then picked up a Twix-- Anna’s favorite-- and threw it in the cart. On second thought, he grabbed another; he needed one, too.
---
"Damn, is that really gonna work under latex gloves?"
Kristoff jumped and slammed his laptop shut. "Jesus, didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to look over people's shoulders?"
The vet tech grinned. "Yeah. But I think when you see your favorite intern looking at engagement rings, you can make an exception. That bloodwork came back clean, by the way. We can send him home tomorrow."
"Thanks, Ryder."
The other man plopped down in the seat across from him. "Pay me back by finally telling me more about this girlfriend."
He groaned. "Why are you so invested in this?"
"I already watched all the good stuff on Netflix. Now I'm bingeing coworker drama. Casey and Paul are fucking, by the way, which is why--"
"They suddenly both started volunteering for kennel clean-up, yeah. Obvious."
"So give me something better to talk about. Like why you were seriously looking at a heart shaped stone."
"It's romantic!"
"It's cheesy. She'll hate it. Probably."
"How do you know so much about women?"
Ryder waggled his eyebrows. "I'm kind of a love expert."
"Didn't you tell me once you were perpetually single?"
"Exactly. I know exactly why to avoid all the bullshit. Stop changing the subject. What's her name?"
"Anna," Kristoff said before he could stop himself, and Ryder grinned.
---
had to talk to hans today bc we r shooting stuff together again
he was super apologetic
said it was a waiter who filmed n leaked it n that he called the company
.
Do you believe him?
.
idk
he said the bowtie thing was to match the confetti not me
i think i believe that part at least i mean why else would he have had a silver one lying around
.
Maybe he already had some ready no matter what color you wore.
.
idk i think that’s too creepy even for him
it is right?
god i can’t think about that today
He waited a long time before texting her again, keeping his focus on the puppies he was giving their first shots instead of why today was apparently the wrong day to think about just what Hans would do to capture her attention. As hard as clinicals were and as exhausting as it was, this was the work he had dreamed of doing his whole life, and the fact that it required his full attention when he most needed a distraction from the rest of the world was the cherry on top right now.
But then the puppies were vaccinated, and it was already four o’clock, and all that was left to do for the day was check on the animals who were staying in the kennels overnight, and his mind couldn’t help but wander as he went from cage to cage.
“I mean, even if that is what she’s filming today,” he said to a cat recovering from minor surgery as he held out a toy for it to bat around, “it’s not a big deal. I mean, she’s an actor, right? And anyway it’s for the movie, so no one else will see it yet, and everyone will know it’s fake. So it doesn’t bother me.”
The cat stopped playing and gave him a look that said even I know that’s bullshit, buddy.
Anna had gotten home before him for once that night. She was already in the shower, and she didn’t emerge until he’d already cooked dinner and was half-considering digging in to his plate. “Oh! Hey, baby,” she said as she came into the kitchen, still only wearing her towel. “I thought I heard you in here.”
“Jesus, Anna, how hot did you have the water? You look like a lobster.”
“Nice to see you too,” she said, trying to tease, but she looked away from him instead of coming over to greet him like she always did with a kiss.
He went to her instead and stood before her, not touching her like his heart was screaming for him to do; she leaned away, just barely enough to confirm his suspicions.
“You had to do a kissing scene today, didn’t you?”
She only nodded.
“It wasn’t really you guys,” he said softly. “Just your characters. Did he-- did he try anything?”
“No, not at all. He was a perfect gentleman, and it went just fine, and after he made sure I wasn’t bothered since he knew I was kind of upset about all the hubbub but...I don’t know, Kris. I don’t know what’s acting for him and what isn’t.”
A tear slid down her cheek and spattered on the floor. Still he didn’t touch her, waiting to let her make the first move. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”
“Me too. I’m sorry I...god. I’m sorry for everything.”
“I’m not upset about it, though,” he lied. “In case you were worried.”
She stepped closer to him then, pressing her still-damp forehead against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her, letting his thumb rub gentle circles over her shoulder. This is why, Kristoff, he reminded himself, this is why you can’t tell her.
“I love you,” she said, sounding so forlorn he could have sworn he felt a little crack open up in his chest.
“Love you too. More than anything.”
---
He still didn't understand exactly how to use Twitter, but he did know enough to understand that when he logged in and saw stuff about Anna before he even searched her name, something big was happening.
Exclusive new behind the scenes photos from Anastasia! Click here for more:
It already had six thousand retweets, and dozens of replies all screaming about the photo of Hans and Anna clinging to one another. They were in full costume, surrounded by cameras, and the photo was grainy, but still he couldn't help but zoom in on Anna's face, the way she gazed up so lovingly at Hans, the same way she used to look at him before she started running so low on time. Now it seemed he only ever saw her when she was asleep or halfway there.
"Didn't take you for a Disney fan, Bjorgman," Ryder said from behind him.
"Not Disney. It's Fox," he muttered, knowing it was useless to rebuke him for peeking yet again.
"My sister works on that set," Ryder said proudly. "She does Anna Arendelle's hair and makeup."
"...Honeymaren is your sister?"
"...what the fuck? I thought I was the nosy one. How the hell do you-- oh my god, is that your Anna? The one you’ve known since high school and you live with and--”
Kristoff stood up suddenly, his chair screeching with the movement. “You can’t tell anyone,” he said, his voice unnaturally harsh. “I’m serious.”
For once, Ryder looked serious. “Jesus, man, no need to go all ‘I’m six-foot-four on me’. We’re friends. I wouldn’t fuck you over like that.”
His heart was pounding. He could trust Ryder-- he wanted to, at least, but it had been a secret for so long, and already even without other people knowing his life had been upended, and if it got any worse he might have to--
“Kristoff. Seriously, man, I’ll forget you said anything.”
Ryder looked wounded somehow as he turned and left. Feeling guilty, Kristoff called after him, “Wait, it’s just--”
Ryder glanced back over his shoulder. “We’ve all got our shit. I’m here to talk if you need.”
He walked away, and Kristoff found himself standing alone in a room silent except for the buzzing of the fluorescent lights and his own breath, harsh and heavy in his chest.
---
Sweat poured down his back as he ran harder than he ever had before, his legs pumping like he was desperately trying to get somewhere that remained forever just out of his grasp. 
He had woken up that morning to an empty bed and a post-it on the fridge with an apology. Meeting with Sam before filming, completely forgot. So sorry xo
She hadn’t even remembered to grab her lunch from the fridge. She probably had forgone breakfast too, and they were in the thick of filming now, doing the huge dance scenes that seemed to take all day and half the night and left her so exhausted sometimes he had to help her undress.
Last night had been one of those nights, and the night before, and this night would be the same, and his lungs were burning, and he’d already gone five miles, sprinting the whole way, and by the end of the day he would be too sore to move, but he still didn’t know what the hell to do and so he just kept running.
---
He was covering the front desk today for the receptionist, whose daughter had just had a baby; normally he wouldn’t have volunteered for something like this, would have wanted to stay doing what he knew best and getting as much experience working with the animals as he could, but as much as he hated talking on the phone to people, he knew he was likely to do more harm than help in the back of the clinic today.
Mercifully, the phones hadn’t been busy so far that morning. He stared, distantly curious, at his hand as it rested on the mousepad, trembling as if he wasn’t sitting perfectly still in a room that was by all standards a little over warm.
A styrofoam cup filled with shitty breakroom coffee appeared just in front of his fingers. “We’ve been taking bets on how long you’ll last out here without falling asleep,” Ryder informed him. “I said another hour, but it was looking iffy for a second there, so I brought you this.”
“Thanks, man.”
He ignored the cup and went back to watching his hand. He didn’t know a lack of sleep could do this. He’d have to keep that in mind next time he was scheduled for a surgery the next morning, would have to find some way to fall asleep in spite of his own mind.
“I, uh, I told my sister I know you. And that I know about it. If that’s okay, I mean,” Ryder said hurriedly. “She’d told me before about hanging out with Anna, and so I just kinda put two and two together and assumed she knew.”
“‘S fine. She’s known the whole time.”
“I, uh, I asked her if she knew why it was a secret. I could have asked you, I know, but, uh...you know how you are with secrets. Figured if I wanted the truth--”
“Just tell me what you want to say. Please,” Kristoff said, taking a sip of the lukewarm coffee in the futile hope it would help.
“Just...that it sucks. Especially with this shit with them saying she’s dating Hans Westergaard. Wish I could tell you ‘I get it’ or something. But I don’t, so I, uh, just...yeah. But I hope the, y’know, engagement ring thing that I saw you looking at that one time...I hope it works out.”
Kristoff ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah. Me, too.”
---
“They seriously won’t just let you call in sick?”
“I mean, I could, but at this point, I’m in all the scenes that are left, and I can’t just halt production for a whole day just because I’m sore, especially when we’re going to Russia in two weeks, and they’re all depending on me, and I can’t just--”
“You sprained your wrist,” he said flatly. “This is more than just being sore.”
“I know, but we already filmed one scene with it, I got Honeymaren to put some foundation on it so you can’t see the--”
“Anna,” he said, his voice so strained she finally went quiet.
He grabbed one of her makeup wipes off the bathroom counter and came back to where she was perched on the edge of the bed. He took the injured wrist in his hand as carefully as he could and started gently dabbing at the nearly-invisible lines of makeup. She winced, and that crack in his chest widened a little more, deepening further as the green and brown smudges faded into view.
“Jesus,” he muttered, and her fingers curled into a fist as she tried to pull away, embarrassed. “Anna, no, I just-- how did you manage this?”
“There was this stunt with the train scene, and nobody else was going to have a stunt person do it, and so I...I wanted to try and see if I could do it, but I just...I don’t know, Kris, I just fucked it up, I guess.”
He bit back everything he wanted to say; what good what it do, anyway, when everybody else seemed to be encouraging her to push herself this way? Instead, he leaned down and pressed a featherlight kiss to her palm. “Let me get something to put on it.”
When he came back a few minutes later with a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel, she had already curled up on her side and fallen asleep, still fully dressed. He sat beside her, lifting her head onto his lap. She still didn’t wake up, and so he carefully raised her injured wrist, holding it gently as he could as he pressed the makeshift cold compress against it. 
He stayed holding her that way, for a long, long time, until the peas had thawed, and then he went to the kitchen and threw them out and leaned over the sink and splashed cold water onto his face, wondering how much one person could bear.
---
Mid-February had finally rolled around with all its gray skies and sappy pink storefront displays. She was leaving in thirty-six hours, and he hadn’t seen her since the night before, because he’d gotten up two hours earlier than normal to come in early so he could leave early and take her out on the date they’d been planning since even before New Year’s, the one to make up for her being gone for the next three weeks and missing their first Valentine’s together.
It wasn’t that he gave a single fuck about the holiday; it was that she did, and so he’d put his heart into planning it all out: they were going to drive outside of the city limits, just enough that anyone who saw them might do a double take but still keep walking, but not so far that they would get back home too late for anything else. He’d found a diner just like one they used to hang out at in high school, one where they could order a giant strawberry milkshake to dip their fries into and spend all the quarters they could find in her car on playing cheesy old love songs from the sixties, one where if they got lucky they could risk holding hands under the table without anyone seeing.
He was already half-dressed after showering off the day’s stress, expecting her to come through the door any minute, when his phone buzzed.
i’m so sorry
He was half-tempted to throw the phone out the window. Maybe if he didn’t read the rest of the message it wouldn’t come true.
He looked again anyway, that now-familiar crack in his chest widening into a full-blown chasm.
i’m so sorry, something happened with the plane tickets and then the schedules changed and so they want us to have a meeting
hans said we can do it at his place (🤮) since we’re all tired of the set
but at least that’s towards where you said we were gonna go 
i’m so so sorry kris can you pick me up from here? ill just ride over with him i guess so i can leave my car here
He sat down heavily on the edge of the bed, putting the phone aside to bury his face in his hands. How the fuck had they gotten here? This wasn’t supposed to happen; they were supposed to move in together, and it would all be fixed, and he’d see her enough, and it was all going to be fine, but it hadn’t been fine for so long he was starting to wonder whether it would be again. 
His hand, his arm, his whole body felt like it had been filled with lead when he picked up the phone to respond. Of course, baby. Just call me when it’s over.
He finished getting dressed and went to sit on the sofa; figuring at least he could turn on the TV and find some stupid show to drown out his thoughts. His eyes flicked down to the Netflix button on the remote; what the hell, he thought, you already feel like shit, might as well see her during it.
He put her movie on, the stupid Christmas one he’d helped her run lines for, and watched her-but-not live through a dreamy, whirlwind romance, even almost smiled at the scene they had read together on his living room floor all those months ago; he closed his eyes for the kiss at the end, even though he’d seen the movie before with Sven when it first came out, he didn’t know if he could take watching it right now.
He kept watching while the credits rolled, jealous of all the people whose names scrolled by for every second they got to spend with her, not knowing how he coveted her time. It was getting dark; he glanced at his phone, expecting to see that he’d missed something from her, but there was nothing.
He went to the kitchen and cracked open a beer; he wasn’t normally one to drink when he got like this, but tonight-- tonight something felt different, like the air was suddenly running out of oxygen, like the walls of this house they had thought would be full of so much happiness were closing in on him.
He finished it; still nothing. It was late enough now she’d be too hungry to wait through the drive up. Fine; they’d get McDonald’s, or order a pizza, or he’d cook pancakes for her-- he didn’t care, he just wanted to fucking see her before she left, just wanted to be with her and no one else and pretend that it could be that way all the time.
He cracked open another beer. Another hour passed, and the frustration that had been pooling in his gut had started to ferment into worry. She was never quiet this long; something had to have happened, something had to be wrong. 
His jaw was clenched; he released it, thinking it would lighten some of the tension coiled tight in every part of him, but it didn’t. He felt hot and cold and too big and too small all at once, a bundle of aching and anxiety bouncing around the prison of his own skull while he waited to hear something, anything.
Suddenly he could take it no more and stormed out the front door, snatching up his keys and heading for the car. He had it started, had his hand on the gear stick to pull it into reverse when a sudden horrible thought hit him: what if she didn’t want him to pick her up? What if she wanted to spend her last nights here with everyone else, with all the other people like her, the ones who kept pushing her and and demanding so much of her, all in the pursuit of-- of whatever the fuck it was that kept her going like this.
He went back inside and sat at the kitchen table, his eyes never moving from the door.
Another half hour passed, and then suddenly it swung open and she was there, her eyes wild and her hair half-out of a ponytail. “Kris, I’m so fucking sorry,” she gasped out, and he stood, striding over to her.
“I-- I rode with Hans,” she explained, already reaching for him, “and then I got there and realized my phone was gonna die, and I didn’t have my charger with me because it was in the car, and no one else had theirs either, and then the meeting just kept fucking going on and on because everyone was asking so many questions, and then I had to borrow someone’s phone to get an Uber and it turns out that that just complicates things and I-- fuck fuck fuck I’m so sorry, I just--”
“I need to go,” he said shortly, catching the door before it could swing shut behind her and slipping out into the night without saying goodbye.
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theclownprnc-arch · 4 years
Note
WAVES FROM A FAR! Hey-o, Roy! Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering how you would rate Joker’s appearances throughout the comics (& other media??) from your favourites to the least appealing o3o ! I’ve been wanting to ask you this for a wee while but I always forgot! Have an awesome week!!
Hello, hello, hello! 
I love me a cool question in my inbox, so that’s not a bother at all!
I started writing down some of my most and least favourite artists from who’ve been drawing this clown and the first thing I realized was the abundance of different designs, which — I think — in Joker’s case are always a hit or a miss. He’s been around in the comics for 80 years now, so I’ll be focusing mostly on his latest appearances from like the last 20-30 years because otherwise, this answer could get really, really long ( and I can already tell that even now it won’t be short either ).
So, let’s start with my least favourite ones ( from ‘meh, can do’ to ‘brb bleaching my eyes’ ):
Mikel Janin who was drawing Joker for a good chunk of Batman’s Rebirth run. It’s just… boring and there’s something off about it, but I can’t exactly pinpoint what it is. Not the worst, but it doesn’t stand out in any way.
Guillem March whose art appeared in Batman vol. 3 #89. The thing is — I really like some of his drawings, but this design doesn’t do it for me. Must be the brows.
Alex Sanchez in Joker’s Asylum: The Joker. Again, there’s nothing too exciting about it and I imagine that’s how Jack Nicholson’s Joker would look like if I were to see him while having a comedown.
Tim Sale who’s responsible for huge-teethed Joker in The Long Halloween. This design is also the main reasons why it took me ages to finally read it. In fact, I’m still not too sure how to feel about it, but whenever I think of Joker’s worst designs this one always pops up in my head.
Frank Miller. Frank freakin’ Miller. The one behind The Dark Knight Returns and the one with this weird tendency for making every character damn wide. I believe that anyone who had to see it deserves a lifelong supply of eye drops because this shit ain’t easy to look at. His Joker is straight outta Botched, I swear.
Now, to the more pleasant part! The order goes from ‘n i c e’ to ‘MMM NICE’:
Stjepan Šejic, the author of Harleen. Not gonna lie, his Joker is a pretty dude. While I’m not a big fan of Joe “Conventionally Attractive” Kerr, Šejic did find the balance where he’s not a total eye-candy because there’s still this ‘Creep Alert’ vibe to him.
Enrico Marini who drew Joker for The Dark Prince Charming. Love the makeup, love the hair and most of all I love his big bowtie with polka dots. I’m so tired of seeing him sporting a simple tie when bowties/ribbons are the epitome of THE Joker look. Besides, I absolutely love the faces he makes.
Jason Fabok, whose art will be in the upcoming Three Jokers. It pays such a great homage to the most classic Joker look most people are familiar with. Like, Joker designs could be divided into two categories — weird-looking dude you could meet in the streets and eerie comic character. The latter can often be a misfire, but Fabok’s just on point. Meanwhile, his Joker is very reminiscent of the one from The Killing Joke, or even the one from the 70s/80s, he still has that… something.
Dave McKean. While a lot of people seem to be not too enthusiastic about Joker from A Serious House on Serious Earth, I love how nightmarish he is. If this clown’s looking like he could be my sleep paralysis demon, that’s what I call an A+ design. He’s unsettling, he’s grotesque, I wouldn’t want to see that guy in the corner of my bedroom. Very nice.
Greg Capullo, especially Joker’s design throughout the Death of The Family story arc. I just love the gory aspect that naturally comes with his sliced-off face ( and that’s also the reason why so many people rate this design as the worst ). Well, it does disgust me a teeny-tiny bit but in the best way. Good stuff.
Alex! Ross! The man, the legend. Usually, I’m not that much of a fan when it comes to realistic art, but Ross’ drawings are always so alive that I can’t just walk by without appreciating it. His Joker is splendid and the unhinged gaze is spot-on, and he’s also a great mix of comic and realistic. Forever in my heart.
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angelhummel · 4 years
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In honor of Darren’s birthday I just wanted to go on a long and personal rant about him. About how I’ve been following him from the start, what he means to me, that sort of thing. I’ll hide it under a cut to save you all from scrolling ten minutes to get past it!
I first became aware of Darren Criss in about August 2009. I was barely into my sophomore year of high school and one of my friends told me about a Harry Potter musical some people made and put up online. I was a huge fan of HP and musicals and my first response was “how has this been up for six weeks and I’m only just now hearing about it??” So of course I looked it up the second I could and devoured every minute of it. I even got my best friend to be as obsessed over it as I was. 
We went from being crazy about the musical to being crazy about the cast. I had bought sticker computer paper so I could print out my own stickers and we decorated our binders with them. One that was a collage of the whole cast, but several more of Darren because he was my favorite. (All the stickers weren’t Starkid related though, we weren’t quite that obsessive.) But we watched all their shows and playfully argued about which member was the cutest or which characters were better, all that good stuff.
She was the same friend that got me into Glee in the first place, so when we heard Darren was going to be on the show, of course we freaked out. We were tuning in every single week to see his beautiful face and hear his beautiful voice, just so we could meet back up at school the next day and gush about how great it was. And like I’ve said before, Kurt was my favorite character from the start. So seeing Darren embody this new character that was destined to get with Kurt, to be his best friend and soulmate and everything in between, it meant the world for me. I found myself tuning in more and more just to see what Kurt and Blaine were up to. Klaine is still, to this day, one of the most iconic, influential, game changing couples ever portrayed in media. They just were the show to me, and they’re a big part of why I’m still so involved in the fandom. 
Glee and Klaine are the only reasons I have friends now. It might sound a little sad, a little crazy, but it’s the truth. When my real life friends weren’t as obsessive as me anymore, I had to wade through the treacherous waters of anonymous online chats to find people who were. I connected to a handful of people from all over the world, and we went from roleplaying two fictional characters in love to getting to know one another and being real friends. (And still roleplaying fictional characters. Don’t judge me.)
When Darren went from Blaine to Hedwig, my admiration for him only expanded alongside the range in versatility of his roles. I’ll admit, when NPH starred in the Hedwig revival, I had no idea what it was. But one of my friends that I met online, he loved the musical. He got me listening to the soundtrack before I even knew the premise of it. I learned all the songs, watched the movie over and over. It quickly made its way up to being one of (if not my absolute favorite) musical. When we learned Darren would be taking over the role, we were ecstatic. 
So much so that I managed to convince my family to plan a trip to NY just so we could see the show (amongst other things). It remains to this day probably the best trip I’ve ever taken, mostly thanks in part to Darren. Getting to see him live was spectacular. He was so captivating, talented, all around amazing. He just disappeared into the role and it was mesmerizing to see, especially coming off of only seeing him as Blaine or a singing Harry Potter. The way he worked the whole crowd, even his improvised moments on stage- it all just lent itself to creating the best experience I’d ever had in a theater. 
I saw the show with my sister and my ex (now and at the time) and we waited outside at the stage door, something I’d only done a couple of times before. And sadly, I was and probably still am the type to freeze up in a situation like this, so I hardly got to say anything to Darren as he came by signing autographs. I had two playbills in hand for him to sign (one for me and one for my friend who got me into the show, because I knew he’d never get to see it), as well as a poster for me. I wanted to tell him to personalize one signature for my friend (Mike) just so it would be extra special, but I couldn’t get the words out. Darren signed what I was holding and moved on, though he did linger near us a little longer because he was talking to my ex about his outfit. He said that he admired him getting dressed up in a suit and bowtie, because no one really got dressed up for the theater anymore. After he really moved on, my ex said he felt like he could just lay down in the street and die because Darren Criss told him he liked his outfit.
But I was stubborn and determined to get the personalized autograph, so I stayed behind. We waited until Darren had gone through everyone who’d come from the show, everyone who’d just wandered up on the street for a chance to see him. He was almost on his way to the car when I reached out over the little barrier and touched his arm to get his attention. I handed him the playbill and he looked confused that I was handing him something he’d already signed. I managed to explain it was for my friend Mike, and I wanted him to make it out to him. So Darren added a “Hi, Mike!” on the front, and even drew an arrow to his name as if Mike wouldn’t know who had written that. I thanked him profusely and was still kind of in shock just from seeing him and actually touching him, and that’s definitely the best encounter with a celebrity I’d ever had. I said like two whole sentences to him, way to go, me!
Darren has truly been a household name in my family since AVPM. My sister and I watched every Starkid production several times. My whole family sat down to watch Glee every week, and then did the same for ACS. When Girl Most Likely came out, my dad took me to go see it (and the closest theater playing it was over an hour away). My parents planned a whole trip to NY just so my sister and I could see Hedwig. And on the day when the LMDC tour was the closest it would be to where I lived, my dad woke me up that morning and said “Want to go see Darren and Lea tonight?” and then drove me to see the concert. 
For over a decade now, I’ve been watching Darren’s star on the rise. He’s tackled about every single project a celebrity could tackle. Television, film, music videos, his own music (solo and in a band!), Broadway (musicals and now a play!) awards galore, and, well, lots of paid advertisement. It’s fine, he can get that coin however he wants. 
I keep saying he should be doing more. The projects he’s tackling now are small potatoes compared to what he should and could be doing. What he deserves to be doing. But at the end of the day, I know this is just the tip of the iceberg for him. There is so much more to come. Look at where he was ten years ago compared to now. And just imagine where he’ll be in ten years compared to now. 
It makes me so unbelievably happy to know that I’ve been in this talented human being’s corner from the beginning. It means a lot to me that I’ve actually got to watch someone go from basically a nobody to one of the most talented people of a generation (and actually be recognized for that talent!) It’s just an amazing feeling, and I’ve never had another celebrity that I felt like this about. Darren truly is an amazing human being. Talented, mesmerizing, magical, charismatic, kind, funny, versatile. He’s so much more than just some celebrity crush to me, and I couldn’t be prouder of him. 
I hope he has an amazing birthday today, and I hope he knows there is so much more to come. I’m going to enjoy watching where he goes from here. I’m so proud of him, I love him, Happy Birthday Darren! As if you or anyone else read this whole thing :P
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