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#I know it's not a new suggestion but I seem to know a lot of people who haven't considered the possibility
kelaeri · 2 days
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The Many Languages of Dick Grayson
Apparently, according to Nightwing #54, he can speak 12, so I went on a little quest to see just how many I could identify.
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Starting off with The Essential Batman Encyclopedia, the entry for Dick Grayson lists him as being trained in French, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Mandarin, and Cantonese with having some proficiency in an unknown Romani dialect. Given there are multiple examples of him speaking these languages throughout the comics, I am inclined to trust this claim. To start, we've got several examples of French (Gotham Knights #14, Detective Comics Annual #12, Nightwing #73, Grayson #10-- also featuring Spanish)
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In Grayson #1 he speaks Russian only briefly, but in Detective Comics #36 he speaks it throughout.
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As far as the Chinese languages go, while I believe Dick can speak Mandarin and/or Cantonese fairly well (Batman/Superman World's Finest #3), his Hanzi recognition and literacy could use some work.
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Similarly, when the Titans head off to Japan in Titans Annual #1, we have Nightwing speaking Japanese in battle; however, when it comes to the prospective job of being a manga translator in Nightwing #125, he claims he doesn't know Japanese, which leads me to believe he is only proficient in speaking Japanese/Chinese and struggles with the writing systems.
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So what about the languages not covered in the encyclopedia? To start, we have another romance language: Italian (Nightwing #72).
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Followed by some alleged German (Nightwing #51, JLA #44)
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And conversations in Farsi (Robin #175)
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While I've seen some Tumblr and Reddit posts claim he knows Kikuyu, The Power Company: Manhunter #1 only says he "brushed up" on his Kikuyu before going to Kenya, so it is unknown how much of the language he actually speaks, but to me it doesn't seem likely to be a lot.
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He also, to some unknown degree, speaks Tamaranean-- at least enough to hack into an alien computer (Action Comics #842).
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As far as unspoken languages go, Dick is fluent in ASL, which is proven numerous times when he communicates with Jericho (New Teen Titans 1984).
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And lastly, the two languages that remain rather uncertain are Romani and Cant-- largely due to the nature of the languages themselves and their representation in comics. "Romani," for instance, has several different dialects, and when Devin Grayson introduced it for Dick (Gotham Knights #20-21, Nightwing #91), she never specified which, and based on the lines she wrote, her research into the language was questionable at best. Writers since have recognized Dick's Romani heritage, but have not otherwise suggested he retained much of the language to be considered fluent.
Cant is an even wider term than Romani and can be seen as more of jargon for a particular language than a language itself, sometimes even being called a "pseudo-language." The colloquial term for American circus cant is Carny, or "Carny speak" as Boston Brand puts it in Batman: The Brave and the Bold #14 when he and Nightwing encounter a kid who speaks it.
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So... this leaves us with 11 languages Dick has notable proficiency in: English, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, German, Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Farsi, and ASL. And ~3 languages he has unknown proficiency in: Tamaranean, Kikuyu, Romani, and Carny/Cant (if you want to count it).
Maybe memory-loss Dick was including either Tamaranean or Kikuyu in that count from Nightwing #54, or maybe he knows some other language we haven't seen yet. Given how close the family is to the Al Ghuls, I personally think it would be cool if one of them was Arabic.
But anyway, hope you enjoyed this post! A lot I've seen covering this topic are very surface-level and label some of his more iffy languages as "fluent," so I hope this cleared things up. I've read tons of Nightwing, and I swear there are more examples, but sifting through the 1,000+ comics I've read of him is a lot haha. If y'all know of some others, let me know!
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What if Class of 09 Flipside was made by a Woman?
I liked Class of 09. I liked it's snappy dialogue, I liked it's social commentary of high school and women's experiences with creepy men and adulthood, I liked how it gave such a compelling main character where you know she's awful yet acknowledge that she has her reasons without justification. I like Class of 09, both the original and re-up. What I don't like though, is Class of 09: The Flipside.
Setting my personal disgust with the feet routes and the 'Palestinian slave trade' comment aside, the writing in Flipside just is completely different from the last 2. Instead of focusing on the biting social commentary of the woman experience, it instead prioritizes shock value with only some form of substance (e.g, jecka seeing nicole's suicide, jeffrey's death, the ending messages apart from the creator) And you know what else sucks? We never actually got to explore Jecka properly of who she is as a character, her relationships with her family, friends, former friends...Sure, we get doses of her life like her dad which does do what the game promised: Change how we saw the Class of 09 story before. We now understand why Jecka was terrified of the cop's yelling, not only because an powerful authority abusing his power but also experienced it before. See, this was the stuff I expected from Flipside. This was what the game should've prioritised in. Instead, it seemed like the creator would rather showcase his fetishes and spite people that don't like him or the game. From that there on, I keep thinking to myself: 'you know, this game would've been better had a woman wrote this.' But can they?
I'm a woman experienced high school before, even tried to fit the class of 09 writing style on my characters in my own personal time. Given how a lot of class of 09 fans are disappointed with the new game and I want to get into writing publically, I figure that I be the one to rewrite Class of 09 The Flipside in hopes of re-capturing the essence of the first two games alongside the game's intentions itself. Even though it's still in development, I've already outlined the routes/endings so far for you all to get a peek:
Route 1/Ending 1 - Invasion of MySpace: The foot route will be replaced by Jecka taking and making videos/pictures in order to make money after being fired from her job. Think of it like a late 2000s or early 2010s version of OnlyFans. This would help remain the social commentaries of men’s creepy behaviour to women alongside how their safety is affected. There’ll be an option of whether to go to the creepy man’s house or go home. If she goes home, she finds Nicole giving her dad a handjob with a dead expression. It ends with Jecka killing herself and implies that Nicole followed her too (not half naked though, just in regular clothes cuz I'm not a freak unlike someone)
Ending 2 - MurderSpace: If Jecka chose to go to the creepy man’s home, she gets murdered and placed like a doll in the man’s basement. 
Route 2/Ending 6 - Breaking the Wounded Heart: Jecka finds herself to work with Karen and Ari at Dominos. Overtime, they start to form a bond and Jecka herself starts to mature and finds Nicole to be unbearable. Jecka finally breaks off her friendship with Nicole and cuts forward to the future where Jecka currently lives a peaceful yet boring life, reflecting on the past with Nicole, wondering if she’s really better off without Nicole because while she’s now in a stable life without the chaos, it's the chaos that entertained her: Nicole entertained her. And now it’s all gone. But in the end, it suggests that things are much better with Nicole gone as it cuts to a phone beeping and Jecka looking down at it with a smile while Ari is by her side. Yes, this is the route where Jeckari is canon. I know this sounds too sweet for Class of 09 but I want it to still match the vibe with it being less shocking but more real in a way. Something too realistically depressing but still mundane. This is what I planned to be the saddest but best outcome of the game. The most real I should say. 
Ending 5 - Was it all worth it?: If Jecka chooses Nicole over her new friends, it ends with her and Nicole being homeless smoking drugs in an abandoned forest with Jecka reflecting on whether or not she made a good choice with Nicole before commenting on needing a Xanax to distract her from the regret and pain. 
Route 3/Ending 3 - Fuck Men!: Jecka gets into a relationship with a presumably kind-hearted gentleman. Nicole tries to warn her but Jecka won’t listen. She then is coerced by the man into doing sexual favours for his economic gain, making her become a sex trafficked victim.
Route 4/Ending 4 - Drunk Drive Delivery: Same route where Ari dies but instead the ending changed to Jecka being arrested for 6 months where the ending monologue would showcase her conflicted in anger and regret. Plus, it plays more to the idea of Jecka ‘dying at 21’ logic with being forced to work: adult party culture: that kind of thing. 
I'd be happy to hear any feedback or/and ideas for this rewrite.
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tenjikyu · 3 days
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Okay! With your earlier reply in mind, here is my second request *slides it across the nonexistent table*
I've been having major Mitsuya brain rot so obviously this request will be about him :>
Picture this: Final timeline adult Mitsuya doing all his fashion designing stuff x house spouse (gn version of housewife/househusband).
Genre can be fluff, maybe a bit suggestive if that's okay with you, I don't mind either way, I am just dying for some Mitsuya works cuz I swear I've read most of the gn and male reader x him fics out there and I am starving for new content with him
Hopefully this was coherent and had at least something you could work with (if you need anything more specific, I can send another request)
— 🎭
𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘍𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘏𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥
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౨ৎ ⋆。˚ mitsuya x GN!housespouce!reader , pure fluff n slightly suggestive but it’s nothing more then kissing, I 💗 mitsuya omg, still haven’t rewatched Tokyo rev I’ve been slack 🙁, short n sweet but I was struggling to finish it and I didn’t wanna keep the people waiting much longer so I do apologise.
౨ৎ ⋆。˚ I’m so sorry for how long this took!! I desperately wanted to get this out before it hit the 1 month mark but I’ve been super duper busy with personal shit! Hope it’s still good enough lmao.
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Takashi ironed the fabric with the upmost care, fondling the silk around the board with a low heat level on. The design itself was a dress resembling a lotus flower. The top was beaded with pale pink rhinestones and the bottom consisted with an array of green silks and gems. It had a sharp yet form fitting feel and anyone could tell the designer put the upmost love into the piece.
A gentle knock came from the other side of his work studio, and there was only one person it could be.
“Here darling, I made you some miso soup to have. Light enough it’ll keep you full but still good for dinner”, your voice charms his ears. Ever since moving in with him, you’ve taken on the role of housespouce. You clean and cook for him, in order to provide the best possible space for Takashi to work in.
It had been twelve years since the two of you got together in middle school. You were the schools vice president, and he was a gang member. Despite the opposite worlds, you hung out frequently and even babysat his sisters when he was unavailable. The day Takashi knew he wanted to some day marry you was the day he came home to his two younger sisters resting in your lap, washed dishes and comfortably lying on the futon.
Now, the two of you reside in an upper class place with lots of room for Takashi’s designs, and none of them are anything short of ethereal. Behind every design he creates, inspiration of you seeps through the thread and needle. Your favourite flower, animal, colour and styles all influence Takashi’s dresses and all of them are of the highest quality.
So, whenever you come into the studio, Takashi gives you a big grin and awaits a hug from his favourite partner.
“How’s your day, darling?” He asks you, and you smile gently at him.
“I’ve missed you, I can’t deny. It seems you’ve been locked in here forever”.
“I apologise my dear”.
“I know another way you can’t make it up to me..” you grin at him, and his cheeks flush with a pink hue.
Kissing his Adam’s apple gently, you guide him up and out of the studio, into your bedroom. Lying his cherished body onto the bed, you feel up his torso as you continue to litter him with small hickies.
He soon follows your lead, pressing a loving kiss to your cultivating lips. You swear there’s nothing closer to heaven than this man’s touch, and you’re convinced you’ve ascended as he grips your cheeks to deepen your kiss.
“I’ve missed you too, darling”, Takashi presses another kiss to your collarbone and manoeuvres his hands around your waist, and you sigh gently at his grip.
“I promise you I’ll give you what you want, after we eat dinner “, you giggle, and his pout is nothing short of cute.
“So you lead me to bed and suddenly leave me high and dry? I’m hurt baby”, he chuckles out, pressing one last kiss to the wedding ring on your finger.
“After dinner, I’ll give you all the desert you desire my love”.
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myers-meadow · 2 days
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Fear and wonder: Jonathan Crane x reader pt. 2
Part one here
Summary: After your bad day, your boss up and quits. What a relief! Later during the week, you go to a concert and meet someone. Jonathan doesn't like that much, though.
This is a slice of life insight into life as Jonathan Crane's best friend - who he has a terrible, obsessive secret crush on.
Warnings: for this chapter, some jealousy starts setting in, some very 'protective' best friend shenanigans. Fem reader.
Divider by @saradika-graphics. Reblogs, comments and feedback are very appreciated! I'm so insane over the Jonathan x best friend reader - the intimacy of knowing each other so well, of his obsession just growing and growing, him controlling every aspect of your life, but how could you notice? He works from the shadows, he is a master manipulator. Ugh god I just love him ok
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The Monday after that bad day, your boss didn't show up to work. It was weird, but it was too much of a relief for you to ask questions. Besides, you didn't know her well - and why would you? There were whispers in the break room, but you let it all pass you by, just glad to have her off your back. The intern who messed up apologised to you - they'd heard about the treatment you received on behalf of them the week before. All seemed well.
Later that week, a lot more relaxed, your friend Morgan invited you out to see her girlfriend's band play in a pub on Wednesday. She texted you the address and you went there straight after work, picking up some fries for Morgan and yourself on the way there. The band was great fun, and beside you in the crowd Morgan beamed with pride. After, you got to talking with the bass player, who bought you a drink or two, and put his number in your phone.
During work the next day, you couldn't help but think of what a great night you had, and you texted Morgan a 'thank you for inviting me, it was a great time!', before texting Georg the bass player that it was a great show and other formalities. His reply was immediate. If you would like to go out for a beer sometime? It had you smiling all day.
The only night he was available was on Friday, and he'd visit family in another state for the whole month after, so begrudingly, you called Jonathan that evening. After some small talk, you finally dared to get to the point.
"Something's come up for tomorrow, do you mind we meet another night? I'm free all weekend." It was implied the weekend would be at least partially spent with him already, as that too grew into your routine. The Friday night would often turn into a sleepover, as you'd have a glass of wine or two, or make yourself a mojito, and it was just easier to stay over, or let him sleep over. Some nights, when you missed your bed and looked forward through a relaxed morning sleeping in by yourself, it felt like maybe it had grown into too much of a routine. At least, that when you kept your drinks to non-alcoholic ones, and got up to leave at 1 am, that Jonathan's twinge of disappointment was just a hint too intense. It was too subtle to even consciously register, but here you were, treading lightly when cancelling your weekly Friday meet-up, as though you didn't meet up two times a week every week ever since meeting him.
The slight pause at the other end confirmed your suspicions. "Of course we can reschedule," he said, emotionlessly. "What's come up? Is it work?"
"No," you shook your head even though he wouldn't be able to see it. "Something social." Even through the phone, you imagined him frowning. "What would you like to do on Saturday? I saw adverts for a new horror movie in theatres, we could see that, if you're in the mood for a film," you suggested, hopeful that a subject change would work to distract him. 
"Who are you meeting?"
You hesitated before answering. Something about his tone, as impassionate as it was, felt off. "Someone new I met," you decided to go with the truth. Knowing him, he'd read you like an open book on Saturday anyway. 
"I see. Well, I'll see you Saturday then. I'll think on what I feel like, talk to you later. Goodbye." And he hung up without another word.
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Even as you enjoyed your cocktail with Georg, you couldn't help but feel a bit restless. This indeed was you and Jonathan's night. But you weren't together. You've never had this kind of friendship before, this intense. It was hard to put your finger on what exactly it was, and you racked your brain on what it could be - thinking of the many times there were hints of possessiveness, of how he preferred you to see him as often as you could - instead of other friends. It made you space out a bit, but as soon as you zoned back in, you were taken with Georg's kind eyes. His gentle features, the softness of his features and his body, the strenght in his arms were all so different from Jonathan, Georg lacked the sharp edges and was all the more endearing for it. After two drinks, you reluctantly called it quits, citing having to get up early in the morning, although that wasn't necessarily true.
Georg wanted to drop you off safely, or perhaps he hoped to get invited in for a nightcap, but as you reached your door, he politely only kissed you. You looked at him for another moment, fumbling with your keys. He chuckled as he watched you, shuffling his feet. Was he as nervous as you were? God, it's been ages since you'd been with someone. Perhaps you should. Even if only because you wouldn't see him for at least another month. Live a little, you told yourself. Do what feels right. Every thought about consequence, about the morning after, all dissapeared as you wrapped your arms around his neck for a much deeper kiss. His hands groped you all over as you finally managed to get the key into the lock properly, and he was eager to get you to bed.
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Jonathan didn't feel like the movies. Instead, he choose a quaint tea house. You'd been there before, just once. It was a little higher end than you'd prefer, but their tea selection was incredible and really high quality. Everything else, including the jam for the scones, was made themselves, as well. The café had no background music, so when you sat down at a table with him, the chatter of the people around you punctuated the slight discomfort you felt. A tension that was punctiated by how you still buzzed from last night. And fron this morning at the breakfast table - God was he good with his tongue.
"So," Jonathan started, leaning forward over the tiny table in between the two of you, "how was your date?"
"Date?" you echoed, stalling to buy more time.
He nodded, reaching out for the menu and flipping through casually, as though he wasn't eyeing you like a hawk, observing every microexpression. "You always dance around the subject of dating when you're with me. I wonder why."
You considered him for a moment, rubbing your lip. Of course he noticed. The downside of having a psychiatrist for a friend. How could you navigate this best? Coming off accusatory was a bad idea, as was being apologetic because that would admit some kind of guilt you didn't have. You mean, you felt a bit guilty, but only because it felt like one measly date soured Jonathan's mood to the point of ruining your day together. Honesty and vulnerability have so far proven to be the only cure for one of his moods. "I haven't noticed, I don't tend to date that much," you admitted. "Perhaps I'm private about that part of my life, even with you." The way he glanced up at you, just briefly, taken aback at your careful phrasing, you knew you had him. "My mom was very controlling while I was in uni - as you well know, so perhaps I still feel the need to 'hide' it, or pretend its something it's not."
His hand found yours, giving it a brief squeeze before returning to the menu. "You know you don't have to do that with me. Mask, I mean."
Was his use of the work 'mask' here a personal one, or professional? You gave him a smile. "Baby steps," you breathed, relieved. "Which tea are you getting? The 'orange bliss' sounds really good. It's a green tea though." You scrunched up your nose a little, not fond of how bitter green tea could sometimes get.
"The 'autumn spice' would be more your taste," he directed your gaze to a black tea further down the list. "Anise, orange as well, cinnamon, fennel, cloves..."
You pressed your finger to his suggestion. That did indeed sound wonderful. "Which will you have?"
He hummed, eyes scrutunising every option. "I choose this place for their variety, but now that I have to make a decision..."
"I can choose for you. And we can share, too, if you want."
With a look to you, eyes dancing over your face, he shut the menu suddenly. "Alright, you choose."
When the waitress arrived at your table, you ordered your autumn spice, and a peppermint-rose white tea for him. 
"No treats? No cakes?" Jonathan asked you teasingly, referencing the last time you two were here and you wanted to try everything they had.
"I'm sweet enough for two," you joked, glad it seemed he was back to his usual self. You wouldn't call him cheerful, but at least he wasn't being passive-agressive anymore. The two of you chatted idly, about your weeks and your it was still so strange your manager just disappeared like that.
"Well, not that I'm complaining," you said, wryly. The server came back and set the teas out for each of you. You thanked her and she was on her way. They let you have bigger pots of water, with smaller cups, and your own saucer of tea leaves. "God, that smells good."
Jonathan followed suit, pouring steaming water over the leaves after putting them in the sieve of his cup. He poured yours too, like the gentleman he was.
"I'm curious to taste what you choose for me," he murmured, inhaling the steam, watching the subtle colours of his white tea swirl in the glass. His glasses fogged up a little.
"You still didn't tell me how your date was," he said, gaze sharp behind his glasses. You swallowed. "You said it was someone new and special."
Some part of you sensed it, yet were too afraid to confront the thoughts surrounding such discovery: what if Jonathan's protectiveness hid... love? A crush? What would that mean for your friendship? Not to think of how much Jonathan didn't seem like the person to be relaxed about the topic of dating in the first place. He seemed to know obsession, and only that - if his work was anything to go by.
"I really like him, we had drinks at that place Vee likes to go to."
"Who is he? Anyone I know? A friend of a friend?"
You shook your head. "No, we met at a concert last week. His name is Georg, with the beautiful rolling r," you gestured as you spoke, unable to stop a smile from forming. "He plays bass guitar in Morgan's girlfriend's band. They're quite good, too. A heavier version of indie rock, with some post-punk influences."
He clicked his tongue, before leaning forward to take a first, careful sip of tea. "Do you think you can trust him?"
"You sound like my mother."
He looked at you, blinked and let the accusation slide. "I worry about you, considering your past love life. The last one ghosted you after you slept with him, it was painful." He raised an eyebrow at you. Ouch. "Will you see him again?"
"I hope so. He's in a rather different field work-wise, but I understand not having personal and professional intersect, and we had such interesting conversations about that. How's your tea?"
He decided to go along with you and let the subject rest for now, his expression softened a little. Even thought it's only been months, once you started paying attention, it was rather easy to read him. Perhaps it was around you that he felt comfortable, and didnt try to hide so much of himself anymore, you thought aimlessly. The idea of that tugged at your heartstrings as he combed a hand through his hair. He tried a good sip of tea. 
"Hot," he grimaced, but then smiled gently. "It's wonderful. The freshness and sweetness combine really well with the white tea. Here, give it a try."
The tension dissapated and you were more than glad for it. Eager, you took the tea glass from his hands, not failing to notice the way Jonathan looked at you as you tried his tea. It was warm on your tongue, indeed, the flavours were delightfully light and airy.
"It almost tastes like a floral tea. Is that lavender?"
He smiled, almost proudly. "Very perceptive."
"Here, try mine," and you let him have the first sip. He nodded after he tried it, pushing it back to you.
"Very strong flavour. It's good, you'll like it."
And you did. It was exactly the tea you'd been craving; sweet yet spicy, warming you all the way down as you drank. The smile was audible in your voice as you said: "You know me so well."
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clarisse0o · 9 hours
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Camp Wiegman-Part 80
Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle
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Alternative Universe: Military School
Words: 5K
Masterlist
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Saturday, April 16; 5:30 PM - Porto Airport.
Here we are, in Porto. I can hardly believe it. I mean, I'm from Portugal, but I've never been here. It's always been a city I've wanted to visit, and here I am. Lucy smiles at me to reassure me.
"Are you ready?"
"As if I had a choice."
She laughs softly and steals a kiss. She's lucky I love her madly. In a few minutes, we're going to get off the plane and meet her parents. Despite her teasing, I can tell Lucy's been nervous since yesterday. She gave me a little rundown of what to expect, and honestly, I have no idea how to act.
"I love you. Don't forget that."
"I know."
We exchange a smile, and we walk hand in hand down the disembarkation corridor. My hands are sweaty. There are people all around us. When we reach the hall, I let Lucy take the lead in looking for them, as I've never seen them. All I know is that her father is really tall and her mother have white hair.
"I see them! Are you coming?"
"I'm right behind you."
She guides me while I keep looking around for them. I finally smile when I see Alexia running toward us. I barely have time to let go of my girlfriend’s hand to catch her in my arms.
"You’re finally here!"
I let out a sigh. I had forgotten they arrived before us. That’s great news.
"Hey. I’m so relieved to see you."
"Me too! I have so much to tell you."
"Really? Did you have a good week?"
I almost forgot she spent the week with Jenni and her sister. I imagine she has lots to share.
"It couldn’t have been better. And you? You look like you got some sun."
"A little, yes," I giggle.
I glance over her shoulder to see Lucy standing next to her parents and Jenni. I smile especially when I see her in the arms of a woman I assume to be her mother based on her appearance.
"You’ve already talked to them, I guess?" I ask Ale.
"Yeah. Your mother-in-law is a bit... I don’t know. Intimidating? She’s something else."
"Thanks, Ale. That’s really reassuring," I mock.
"Sorry," she laughs. "Just giving you a heads-up."
I nod. Anyway, Lucy already warned me that her mother would be the one to intimidate me the most with her cold demeanor. In a way, it reminds me of Lucy when we first met. She was the same, so I guess it’s not insurmountable.
"Her dad, on the other hand, is adorable. He hasn’t stopped chatting with us."
I glance at him. Once again, Lucy warned me not to judge by appearances. He reminds me of my dad, but even more impressive.
"That’s something, at least."
"Come on, I’ll go with you through this tough moment. We’ll chat later."
I nod. I can’t run away forever. Alexia links her arm with mine to guide me. I let her. I’d rather do that than have time to overthink. Lucy smiles immediately when she sees us. Ale lets go of me when my girlfriend reaches out her hand. I take it and don’t hesitate to snuggle against her.
"Mom, Dad, this is Ona, my girlfriend. Ona, this is Diane , my mother , and Kim, my father."
"Hello," I say timidly. "I’m happy to finally meet you."
"And we are too. Lucy has told us a lot about you. Don’t be shy around us. We’re glad Lucy’s brought someone home."
"Well, that puts a lot of pressure on me."
The words slipped out, but they seem to amuse her father, who catches me off guard with a hug that tenses me up. Lucy smiles with amusement beside me. Maybe this trip won’t be as bad as I feared. Well, except for her mother, who has been staring at me the whole time. Lucy’s father saves me from having to approach her by suggesting we hurry home. Lucy kisses my temple, wrapping her arm around my shoulders as we walk.
"You’re doing great, honey," she whispers. "You’re perfect. Just keep being yourself, and everything will be fine."
Her words give me the strength I need for what’s ahead. The non-interaction with her mother bothers me a bit, but I suppose I’ll have to get used to it for now. Lucy said not to expect much from her at first.
"You all must be starving," her father says as we head toward the exit after collecting our bags.
"Oh, yes, you’re not kidding," Jenni replies. "I’ll be glad when we’re home."
"You’ll have to wait a bit. We invited your parents for dinner tonight. We thought it’d bring back good memories."
"What a great idea. Are we having a barbecue?"
"Of course. You’ll help me grill the meat."
"Gladly!"
It seems like everyone’s looking forward to tonight. I really hope everything goes well.
Saturday, April 16; 7:30 PM - Bronze House.
Lucy loved my house, but she didn’t do too badly with hers either. It’s a small house with a lovely, well-kept garden. Like me, they live away from the city, in a very friendly neighborhood. It’s peaceful. You can’t hear anything, even though we’re outside sipping a drink for now. The Dads and Jenni are handling the grilling. Jenni looks a lot like her dad. The mothers are, to my relief, inside preparing salads. I have some breathing room and, more importantly, an escape from my mother-in-law’s watchful eyes. She won’t stop. I feel like she’s scrutinizing my every move. It’s very unsettling. Thankfully, Alexia keeps me relaxed with casual conversation.
"I need to use the bathroom before we sit down," I tell Lucy. "Can you show me where it is?"
"I’ll come with you."
"Oh no, you don’t have to. Just tell me."
"Sweetheart, I’m coming with you," she insists. "We’ll be back in ten minutes," she tells Ale.
"No problem, I’ll check in on the others in the meantime."
She winks at me as we walk into the house. Lucy takes me upstairs, which feels strange at the moment. But then she opens the door to the bathroom, right next to her bedroom. At least now I know I won’t have trouble finding it if I need to during the night.
"Thanks."
"Is everything okay, love?" she asks, stopping me with her question.
"Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t it be?"
"Well, you’re not as cheerful as when we left Lisbon."
"Well… your mother is quite the character, but I’ll be fine."
She chuckles softly, sliding her hands around my waist.
"I know, I’m sorry if she’s making you uncomfortable."
"Oh no, don’t apologize. It’s not your fault, and honestly, she’s not making me that uncomfortable. I haven’t even spoken to her yet."
"You’re right," she sighs. "I know she likes to observe before acting, but she’s never been this intense. I’ll say something to her eventually."
"No! Please don’t, Lucy. I don’t want her to think I’m playing the victim or anything."
She sighs heavily. I cup her cheek, and she looks up at me.
"And then what? I’m not going to let her create tension between you two during this trip."
"Well, I don’t know… Maybe she’s waiting for me to approach her? Maybe I should make the first move. What do you think?"
"I’m not sure you’re ready to—"
"Ready for what?" I interrupt. "I think I’ve been through enough to handle a conversation with your mom, Lucia."
"That’s not what I meant," she sighs.
She averts her gaze, clearly thinking it over. I can tell she’s nervous. Either she’s hiding something serious, or she doesn’t think I can handle her mother.
"Okay… If you feel like facing her, go ahead. She’ll appreciate the gesture."
"Thank you."
I smile and kiss her gently.
"Can I use the bathroom now? »
"Yes," she laughed. "I'll wait for you."
She let go of me, and I hurried to take care of what I needed to do. I washed my hands and came back out. Lucy was leaning against the door, looking deep in thought. I stood in front of her and wrapped my arms around her.
"Hey, how are you?"
She shrugged.
"I don’t know. It’s always strange coming back here."
"I can see that. We're far from peace and quiet, huh?"
"Yeah," she chuckled.
I gently stroked her hair, full of love.
"Do you want to talk?"
"No, it's fine."
"Okay... You know I love you, right?"
A small smile formed on her lips.
"Yeah, it seems like it..." she replied playfully.
"You think that’s funny, huh?" I asked, pulling away a little.
"Just a bit."
A small gasp escaped me when she flipped the roles. I found myself pressed against the wall, speechless as she kissed me softly. I kissed her back with growing desire.
"You’ll never love me as much as I love you," she teased.
"Wrong. I already love you more than you love me."
"No, I don't think so," she teased back.
"Girls! We're ready to eat!" Ale called from the stairs.
"Well, duty calls, it seems."
"Yeah, convenient for you."
"I don’t know what you’re talking about. Let’s go fill our stomachs instead of arguing over a debate that, in my opinion, has no possible outcome."
I chuckled softly.
"You're just afraid to lose, that's all."
"Are you done yet? I might start thinking you’re doubting my feelings."
She stepped back, crossing her arms. She was truly adorable when she pretended to sulk. Usually, it was me in that position. I tilted my head, smiling.
"Are you kidding? After our nights at the beach, there's no way I could ever doubt your feelings."
I moved closer to her again, pressing our bodies together. Her hand gliding over my hip caught me off guard, and once again, she had me pinned against the wall. My breath was short, but I let her kiss me once more, tenderly. I felt myself surrender more and more, and I loved it. I had developed an unshakable trust in her. Last week had truly been paradise. For the first time in a long while, I felt like I had fully found myself again. We were in perfect harmony, and nothing made me happier than knowing we’d be living together permanently in just a few weeks. I snapped back to reality when Lucy started to venture a little too far along my neck.
"Lucia," I whispered.
That didn’t seem to stop her, but a pinch on her butt certainly did the trick.
"Hey!" she protested.
"You made me wait for nights last week because we were under my grandfather's roof. Don’t think you’re going to get away with it any easier here."
"And what, exactly? Want me to find us a beach?" she teased.
"You’re ridiculous," I giggled. "We almost got caught more than once last night, remember?"
"Oh, come on, it was kind of fun, wasn’t it?" she teased, letting her hand wander under my shirt.
"Sure, but you weren’t the one half undressed when it happened."
"True," she laughed.
I gave in to her lips one last time. That’s when we were interrupted by the sound of a throat clearing. I panicked a little but relaxed when I saw Ale standing there.
"So, this is what you've been up to this whole time? We’ve all been waiting for you."
"Sorry about that," Lucy laughed. "We’re coming."
"I hope so!"
She turned around without checking if we were following. I was ready to go, but Lucy held me back one more time. I thought we were done.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Forget about all that for now. Don’t worry about my mom tonight. Focus on me, okay? I want us to have a good evening for our first night here. Can you do that for me?"
I took a deep breath but nodded.
"Okay," I murmured. "I’ll try."
"Thank you. I love you, don’t forget that."
I smiled as she kissed me one last time. Now it was time to keep my promise. I just hoped her mom wouldn’t traumatize me.
Sunday, April 17th, 08:30 AM - Bronze House
I groaned as I felt movement beside me. I reached out to place my arm over Lucy’s body, but I realized she wasn’t lying down anymore.
"What are you doing?" I mumbled.
"Shhh, go back to sleep."
"Where are you going?" I grumbled, blinking as she tried to get out of bed.
"I can't sleep anymore. Jenni texted me. We’re going for a run."
I sighed contentedly as she stroked my head. It felt so good. I closed my eyes again.
"You're leaving me alone?"
"We’re just doing a quick loop around the neighborhood. You won’t have to leave here without me, okay?"
"Hmm..."
I heard her words, but I was too tired to process them. Lucy chuckled at my response.
"I love you. See you soon."
I felt her lips against mine. I let out another small groan as she finally got out of bed. I wasn’t able to stop her, but instead, I slid over to her side of the bed, hugging her pillow to me. On the one hand, I hated that she left me alone for her morning runs, but on the other, I loved being able to enjoy her side of the bed in her absence. Without fully realizing it, I drifted back to sleep.
Sunday, April 17th, 09:00 AM - Bronze House
I stretched out in the big bed, realizing I was alone. I vaguely remembered why, thanks to Lucy’s departure. I sighed and reached for my phone. It was still early for me, but I could hear movement in the house. There was noise coming from downstairs. I didn’t know when Lucy had left, but I didn’t particularly feel like waiting for her up here. Knowing Alexia, she was probably still sleeping. She loved to sleep in as much as I did. Or, maybe she had gone with the others. That was a possibility too. I waited for a while, but eventually decided to get out of bed. It was ridiculous to stay there, and with a bit of luck, Lucy’s dad would be downstairs. I took the time to get dressed and make the bed before heading to the bathroom next to the room. I brushed my teeth and fixed my hair before heading downstairs. After all, I was at my in-laws’ house, and the least I could do was look presentable. My feet led me to the kitchen after I noticed the living room was empty. I instantly regretted leaving the bed when I saw that the only person there was Lucy’s mother, who had, of course, already spotted me.
"Good morning," I said, a bit awkwardly.
"Good morning, Ona."
"How are you? Is there anything I can help you with?"
The woman smiled. That was a first. I hadn’t received a smile from her yet. I’d had a pleasant evening yesterday, but I’d had to ignore her to avoid feeling uncomfortable.
"Lucy told us that you don’t particularly like cooking. Maybe you could set the table, if you remember where the silverware is."
I blushed furiously. Lucy had really told them that? We were going to need to have a little talk.
"Y-yes, of course," I stammered.
We’d put the dishwasher away last night, so I remembered perfectly where everything was. I moved toward the kitchen to start looking for the plates.
"So, she was right?" Lucy’s mother asked.
I swallowed hard. Had she painted me as some sort of failure to her parents? I felt embarrassed by the answer I was about to give.
"Yes, it's true. I never really took the time to learn how to cook, but I do help Lucy from time to time since we moved in together. Well, on weekends, at least," I added, unsure of how much she actually knew.
I prefer to stay honest. It’s not by lying that I will gain her sympathy. She doesn’t respond, so I step forward to the table to set down four plates.
“Are you planning to take care of my daughter?”
The question catches me off guard. She stopped what she was doing to look me straight in the eye. I realize she’ll probably judge my answer if it’s not what she expects.
“I understand you might feel uncomfortable with my behavior,” she continues. “But you have to understand, I only have one child. It’s my duty to know if she’s in good hands.”
I take a deep breath. In a way, I’m glad she started the conversation. I would have never had the courage to do it myself. Besides, the question was simple. I just needed to answer from the heart.
“I love your daughter, so of course, I’m going to take care of her. She’s my priority.”
“You love her, huh? So, you’re not with her out of interest?”
“What—what? No!” I reply, offended. “Lucy has given me so much, and I have genuine feelings for her. I would never use her.”
“Really? So there’s no ulterior motive? Not even a financial one?”
I laugh bitterly. This woman is something else. What does she think? I can see that my attitude doesn’t please her, but I can’t help it. I close my eyes for a moment, clench my fists, and collect myself.
“No, none at all,” I reply more harshly than I intended. “If you know so much, I imagine Lucy has also told you about my father’s death... So you should know I inherited everything from him. Even his house in Lisbon, so you can understand that I’m not in need financially.”
I don’t like that she’s doubting our love so much. Plus, forcing me to talk about my father—that’s the last straw. Unexpectedly, her eyes soften, which is rather disconcerting. Up until now, she’s only looked at me with judgment and coldness.
“I did hear about that tragedy. My condolences. I’m also sorry for attacking you like this, but I’m still Lucy’s mother, and I have to protect her. She’s been through enough, but you seem to be good for her.”
Her words make my heart skip a beat. What does she mean by “been through enough”? Is she referring to her relationship with Keira? I don’t know why, but since what Lucy told me last week and how she’s been acting since we got here, I have doubts that it’s just that. Something else must have happened here too.
“I observed you a lot last night. I can see that you make my daughter happy, and after this conversation, you seem like a remarkable young woman. Know that Lucy needs support, even though she’ll never admit it.”
I struggle to hide my surprise. Until now, I never noticed that Lucy needed support. On the contrary, she’s always the one who’s supported me.
“Don’t look so surprised. You’re already supporting her without even realizing it, so keep it up. The only thing I’ll ask of you is to never betray her or break her heart.”
I blink several times. Am I to understand that she’s finally giving me her approval? It touches me in a way, considering the person standing in front of me. I blush despite myself and nod.
“Absolutely not, ma’am. I wouldn’t even think of it. I love her far too much to do something like that. I fully intend to keep Lucy by my side forever.”
She nods calmly, with a small smile.
“Good. I’m trusting you with my daughter, then. Take care of her. And you can call me Diane from now on.”
A weight lifts off my shoulders at those words. The conversation is going well.
“Welcome to the family, Ona.”
Definitely going well. Her words warm my heart. She’s clearly offering me recognition. I smile gently.
“Thank you... Diane.”
“Do you like pancakes?”
“Oh yes, especially Lucy’s,” I admit enthusiastically.
“Well, you’ll have to settle for mine today. But they shouldn’t be much different from my daughter’s since I’m the one who taught her.”
I smile softly and nod. I continue setting the table, and when I’m done, I hear the front door slam. My girlfriend’s laughter and Jenni’s echo in the hallway before they appear in the room.
“Hello!” she says cheerfully.
Her expression shifts to surprise when she sees me here. She wasn’t expecting it. After all, she asked me to wait upstairs. But that was out of the question for me. I wanted to take the opportunity to talk with her mother, and now that’s done.
“Hey,” I greet them.
“Oh, you came downstairs after all.”
“You told her to wait upstairs?” her mother scolds. “I wasn’t going to eat her.”
“Oh, with you, who knows,” Lucy laughs before coming over to hug me. I let myself relax until I catch a whiff of her scent. I grimace and try to push her away, but she holds on tighter.
“You stink,” I point out.
“What? You don’t like my natural scent?” she teases.
“Yes, but definitely not your sweat.”
She laughs before kissing me. Her lips carry me away every time. It’s as if I melt in her arms.
“Everything okay? She didn’t torture you too much?”
“No,” I giggle. “Everything went fine.”
She nods, glancing briefly at her mother, who doesn’t seem concerned about us.
“Are you and your girlfriend staying for breakfast, Jenni?” she asks instead.
“No, I’m heading home. I’m expected there, and I need a shower too.”
“Great idea,” Lucy comments. “We’ll take one as well. See you this afternoon?”
“Yeah, we’ll text to figure something out.”
“Okay, sounds good.”
“See you later.”
She turns around and leaves as if it’s nothing. Something tells me she feels right at home here. She seems very comfortable and well-accepted by my girlfriend’s family. Lucy catches my attention by kissing my cheek.
“Are you done here? Will you join me?”
“Oh, um…”
I blush. I think I understood what she meant earlier when she said “we” to Jenni. I glance at her mother for some sort of approval. She doesn’t seem to care. She’s not even looking at us. I turn back to Lucy, who has a mischievous expression.
“We can’t do that,” I say softly so only she can hear.
“Come on. No one’s upstairs, and we can talk about what happened while I was gone.”
She teases me, playing with the hem of my t-shirt. I shake my head, but Lucy isn’t giving up.
“Mom, will you call us when it’s ready?”
“Yes, go ahead. We’ll call you when it’s time.”
“Perfect, thanks.”
Lucy grabs my hand and leads me upstairs before I have a chance to understand what’s happening. I hardly recognize her. She’s never been this persistent. We arrive upstairs, and she guides me into the family bathroom.
“You’re exaggerating. We can’t do this here.”
"We're not going to do anything. I just want to take a shower with you. Is that too much to ask?"
She tilts her head while teasing the back of my bra under my t-shirt. I roll my eyes but smile nonetheless. She seems to really want this moment, so I give in.
"Just a quick shower, but don’t say I didn’t warn you."
"Thank you, my love. I’ll go get some clothes. You get the towels ready."
She gives me a quick kiss before disappearing into her bedroom. A pretty spacious room, by the way. It’s about the size of our room in Manchester, with fairly neutral colors. Actually, it resembles her apartment’s style a lot—minimalistic, but very pretty and harmonious. I listen to her and go in search of the towels. This room has a bathtub, a shower, and some storage cabinets. I hope she doesn’t get any ideas when she sees the bath... She's been quite playful these past few days. I jump when arms suddenly wrap around me from behind. I didn’t even have time to look before she’s already here.
"Haven’t you taken your clothes off yet?" she whispers.
"I was waiting for you. And honestly, I haven’t even found the towels."
I turn around to face her and also to check if the door is locked, which it is.
"Did you lock it?"
"Of course. Now, undress."
She kicks things off by stripping off her clothes, letting them fall to the floor. Unlike her, I plan on putting mine back on, so I fold them neatly. Meanwhile, she turns on the water and checks the temperature. I feel happy to be getting more comfortable around her. She makes me feel wanted. It's been a long time since I’ve felt that way.
"So, where are the towels?" I ask.
"Right here, look."
She points to a cabinet right next to the shower. I grab two for later. When I turn around, Lucy already has her hand on my waist.
"You're really eager today," I giggle. "What’s going on with you?"
"I don’t know. I just want to spend time with you."
"Quick, remember," I say as she pulls me under the water.
"Promise," she laughs. "Just a shower," she murmurs against my lips.
I smile as she kisses me, closing the door behind her. We try to share the water jets as best as we can. The space is smaller than anything we’ve been in before. Lucy keeps her promise and just focuses on washing me. She takes her time, lost in thought. I know she enjoys doing it, so I don’t say anything. I like it too. The way she looks at me makes me feel like a wonder of the world. It’s so crazy, considering how much I dislike my body.
"Everything okay?" I ask.
"Of course," she says, smiling softly. "I’m with you, so everything’s fine."
She says that, but I can tell something’s bothering her. She kisses me, so I stay quiet. I rinse off once she’s done. Now it’s my turn to pamper her. I start with her hair. I smile when I see her close her eyes. Looks like someone really needed this. I understand better why she insisted on having me with her. I take advantage of the moment to kiss her shoulder.
"Don’t start if you want me to stay calm," she mumbles.
"Oh, but you will stay calm. It’s my turn to take care of you."
"Really, hmm?"
She sighs in contentment as I give her a scalp massage. I start to wonder if she’s simply letting go...
"Yes. I know how to do it, and you seem to need it."
"You’re right."
I smile. It’s rare for her to admit things like this, especially so easily. That must mean it’s true.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I whisper.
"No."
"Ladies, dinner will be ready soon," comes the distinct voice of Lucy’s father, interrupting us.
"We’d better hurry up," my girlfriend advises.
"Okay..."
I let it go for now. She really doesn’t seem to want to talk. I get the sense I’m not the only one who’d prefer to escape the past... I finish washing her quickly so we can get out. The last thing I want is to upset Lucy’s parents, even if everything seems to have settled down.
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arcticwolfpaws · 2 days
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Chapter 9: Father's love
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here's your link lovelys!
https://archiveofourown.org/works/56481082/chapters/143531686
P.O.V: Bruce Wayne.
I had just finished a meeting when I look at my phone, I was expecting a call from Alfred telling me that he was home with the boys, instead what I saw was a missed call from Jason, as soon as I got another call from Jason.
“Jason?” I asked as I picked up the call, he sounded out of breath as he spoke and I could hear the concern in his voice.
“I can’t find Faraj. I went to talk to his little Friend from the Gala but they haven’t seen him since lunch.” He stated, I felt my heart sink. Had I done something wrong? Had he run away? I worried, “Shit.” It was soft but I knew it was Jason, I stepped into my office.
“Jason? What’s going on?” I asked feeling the panic starting to rise, despite that I took a deep breathe, I couldn’t panic no matter how much I wanted to. I had to keep my head on straight he was a kid and if he was trained like I suspected then he wasn’t going to be hurt without a fight.
“I just found Faraj’s backpack… Kinda looks like someone kicked it.” He had mumbled the last part and I heard the fluttering of paper and the sound of the plastic glasses case on the concrete.
“Is there any sign he was hurt?” I asked as I paced around my office, the pause that followed made my heart sink but Jason spoke again.
“No, there’s no blood nothing that suggest… odd.” He trailed off, I sighed heavily before shaking my head, I knew that didn’t mean a lot drugs wouldn’t have left a trace of a struggle. “Is Croc out of Arkham?” I was jerked back to the call by Jason’s question.
“Yes I believe he is, we’ll see if he’s turned over a new leaf.” with my statement Jason hummed, “I’ll be down to the school in fifteen.” I told him hanging up before calling Alfred, he was quick to pick up but sounded a bit winded.
“Hello sir, I was just about to pick up the boys.” I nodded at his statement giving the phone a soft smile.
“Thank you Alfred, however something came up and I’ll be handling it today.” There was a pause after I spoke before Alfred cleared his throat.
“Did something with Faraj?” He asked sounding suddenly worried and I sighed, of course he’d figure it out after all Alfred always could read me like an open book.
“Yes.” as short as my answer was Alfred knew me well, as I stepped into my car and turned it on my phone was switched to the radio.
“I suspect that this isn’t a simple fight.” He stated I sighed before shaking my head before remembering I couldn’t be seen.
“I wish it was that simple,” I stated, and with that I hung up as I pulled up a teacher stood looking nervous, Jason was be leaning on a wall his arms crossed I was hopping that he had some more information on what happened.
“Mr, Wayne.” She stated I nodded not thinking there was much going on with it however she started to speak again. “You’re youngest… We had a problem some… boys seemed to have carried him off..” She sounded worried but I perked up someone knew what happened to my son. How ever knowing that other kids were involved worried me,
“Boys?” I asked and she seemed ti wince before clearing her throat,
“Yes Sir, they have been pulled aside and the police have been called, The camera's show the four boys carrying your son off school grounds and coming back without him.” I felt my anger rise, Had they handed him to someone? Had my imposer shown up and taken him? I took a deep breathe, I had to stay calm even if calm was the last thing I felt. I frowned at the women,
“I was made aware that I was missing a child,” I stated nodding to Jason, she looked nervous and turned starting to walk inside.
“Please follow me.” I followed her waving Jason to follow as well, as we passed the principles office I saw the 4 boys sitting there heads down, I was quick to note that one of them had a cast on his wrist. This had been planned this was revenge wasn’t it. I frowned at the thought but shook it away quickly as I stepped into the office, I spoke before the principle could.
“And what are you going to do to prevent this in the future?” my tone was sharp, I didn’t take the safety of my charges lightly and the school knew this as I had been through something like this with Jason except that Jay could and had fought back and made enough noise to get someones attention.
“I well more camera’s for one.” They stated quickly I raised a brow, “And of course we’ll have more then one teacher at the gates to ensure this doesn't happened again.” I nodded that was better, beyond that I’d have to talk to Faraj.
“That’s a start, but I’ll be speaking to the cops about this if I find my son has been injured.” I informed him and he nodded swallowing hard he spoke.
“Of course and they have been called, the commissioner said he was going to come out himself as this involved one of your boys.” I nodded at that before walking outside and waiting on them. I was pacing Jason was leaned against the wall, I should be out there looking for him, I needed to find him… my son… Jim’s personal car pulled up and I looked up as another cop car stopped as well 3 more drove past and seemed to be spreading out. I stopped as Jim stepped out and walked up to us.
“Mr, Wayne we’ll find you’re son, I’m going to go inside and talk to the boys and see what they know.” I nodded he started to walk past and I had to speak up letting him know what I had noticed.
“Faraj had gotten into a bit of a fight previously and broke a boys wrist I’m worried this is some kind of revenge.” I stated, And I heard Jim sigh heavily,
“I’ll look into it.” He stated before walking out of sight the other officer trailing him. I had things to do and I needed to get Jason home, I sighed I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to find him and we still had a few hours before dark and I wanted to look for him myself.
“We can go.” Jason stated and I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose, “I can start looking, I might be able to find him faster then-” I raised my hand and he stopped talking.
“We’ll see, right now I need to get you home and you need to get you homework done.” I stated firmly as I lead him to the car opening the passenger door, I sighed as I closed it once he was in, I wasn’t leaving him, I’d come back do my own look, I told myself as I got in the car.
🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇
When we were half way back I got the first call from Jim, Jason was quick to pick it up for me while I kept my eyes on the road.
“Jim, Have you found him.” There was a heavy sigh and a long pause, my stomach dropped as my mind cycled to the worst out comes, he was murdered or those boys had essentially sold him to someone like the joker for some sick experiment.
“Those boys managed to pry open a man hole cover…. They said they wanted to scare him that they knew croc was in Arkham.” I was quiet, that was a hell of a lot better then what I was thinking, Waylon had never hurt a child before and I didn’t think he’d start with Faraj. Jason seemed to pick up on the same thing and relaxed himself.
“They did what?” I was still angry depending on how he was thrown in he could have been hurt badly, However I knew if he was all I had to do was ask Waylon.
“I have my man looking but all we found under the man hole was some blood.” My heart sank again, I hoped he wasn’t badly hurt but the fact that he wasn’t there told me that he’d either wandered off likely in a daze and blindly or that Waylon had found and taken him.
“I want charges pressed.” I stated not leaving room for argument, I doubted I would get any however, I knew fully well if it had been Barbra he would have done the same thing.
“Already done,” He stated and shook his head. “At the very least I hope to scare those boys straight.” I caught the implied but if he’s badly hurt it could be much worse for them. Any other day even with Jason I hadn’t pushed for action with Jason or Dick as they had Handled it themselves. Four boys… Faraj was fairly small I couldn’t Imagine how intimidating that might have been for him.
“Good,” I was going to add more but there was some shouting and Jim sighed before speaking.
“I have to go.” He hung up quickly, I sighed and Jason spoke in an almost small voice,
“I gave him ear plugs… maybe if I hadn’t he’d have heard them sneak up on him.” I frowned and shook my head before speaking,
“I don’t think that would have changed much Jason, there were four of them and even if one of them wasn’t doing anything he’s still smaller then all of them. Even if he has training I wouldn’t expect him to be able to take more then two of them out before the other two caught him.” I stated but I could tell it was little comfort to him, I sighed Alfred was waiting and had opened the door as we walked up to it he frowned after he didn’t see Faraj.
“Where is the young master?” I took a deep breathe,
“Jason home work.” I told him and watched him walk off, “A group of boys pulled open a man hole cover and threw him in.” I wasn’t sure how Alfred would react but he very quickly didn't look pleased.
“Those roughens,” He scoffed, “Should I start dinner? Or will you and master Jason be looking for Master Faraj?” His question brought up a good point I didn’t know how long it would take to find the albino, if he was scared he might not listen to anyone… not even batman… I paused I had to think about that for a long moment. How did I want to handle this?
“I… I don’t know, I might have to call, Clark or Diana. They won’t be as intimidating to him.” If I ended up resorting to that then I’d have to find some way to explain to Faraj and the rest of Gotham why they were here. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up at Alfred,
“We will find him, He doesn’t know the city well if he has made it out of the sewer he is likely looking for something familiar and safe if he sees a cop he is likely to try and speak to them.” He pointed out, and hearing someone else say that soothed my nerves a little.
“Jim has half the force out looking by now, an eleven year old who doesn’t know the streets well is bound to find trouble…. That in mind please do start dinner, I’d like him to come home to a warm meal and a safe bed.” I stated and Alfred nodded walking past me to the kitchen, Once I was alone again the worry started to creep up again, I knew he wasn’t sold but if he walked into the jokers gang, I sighed heavily I didn’t really want to do it but calling Harley might be the best thing that I could do, That was If she was staying true to her word and staying away from the joker. I started to pace again, the last thing I wanted was to put him at risk. I was holding my phone when it started ringing Lucius Fox the caller I.D read, I sighed shaking my head as I picked it up.
“What’s up?” I asked and there was a long pause, before Lucius spoke.
“Well I was going to say I finished that sonar gear you wanted however you sound… Stressed?” I sighed, it was good to know that the sonar was working but that wasn’t my concern right now,
“That boy that I was telling you about… He ran into some trouble.” I started and took a deep breathe, “And I’m starting to doubt that he has extensive training like I thought before.” There was a pause and something shuffling in the back ground.
“But… the Al ghouls wouldn’t have left there child to be raised by someone else would they?” He asked and I paused thinking, There was no way in hell that Talia would let someone raise her child, I knew her well enough to know that she’d see him as the next head of the family however… Ra’s wouldn’t, He’d see the Albinism as a flaw a genetic impurity.
“I don’t think it was a choice Talia made.” at that statement more things felt like they clicked into places, Faraj had called his care giver Willson, the only Willson I knew of that might end up with a child getting mauled…
“I think I’ll be visiting Slade tonight.” I didn’t know why I hadn’t thought of that sooner, If Slade raised him it made sense he would have some level of training but not enough to handle four opponents at once.
“Slade?” Lucius asked and I hummed softly,
“He might be able to tell me more about my son, things he wont tell me.” I had paused to let Fox give his two sense but I started getting another call, “I have to go Jim’s calling me.” I told him hanging up before he could reply. “Bruce here.” I stated as I picked up Jim’s call,
“Mr Wayne, We found you’re son he’s being brought to my office as we speak.” I breathed a sigh of relief, he was safe. I needed to get him still but he’d be safe with Jim.
“I’ll be there right away.” I stated hanging up as I grabbed my keys I paused and circled back to tell Alfred what was happening, he was chopping vegetables when I walked in,
“Alfred they found him, I-” He cut me off as he started making a shoe motion,
“Go retrieve him sir,” He insisted, before getting back to the cooking I sighed and headed out before heading to the car.
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As I pulled up to the station my head lights shined on Jim who was out smoking, I shut the engine off and stepped out.
“Is he alright?” I felt silly for asking seeing as If he wasn’t I would have been told to meet him at the hospital, Even still Jim was very calm about it all.
“Yes, He’s a sleep in my office right now, had one of the medic look at him, he’s got a decent goose egg but he’s not concussed.” He stated and I sighed nodding, “He was also willing to confirm the boys who threw him into the sewer.” He added, I was glad to know he wasn’t going to lie about that. Gordon started to walk and I followed him,
“That’s good,” I mumbled, if he had been trained by Slade I wondered if he was even scared while he was down there.
“You might want to see about replacing his glasses as the ones he has right now are pretty badly cracked and one of the arms broke.” I nodded it was better to have broken glasses. As we got to Gordon’s office I spotted the thin blanket laid over the boy, I knelt next to him and tried to pick him up, he slowly woke up squinting at me as he tried to register what was going on.
“Hmmm, Dad?” He mumbled clearly not fully awake but my heart warmed hearing him call me that.
“Shhh, go back to sleep Faraj I’ll carry you.” I told him softly as I picked up, he whined softly not fully awake, “I best get him home.” I told Gordon softly, as I made sure Faraj’s head was on my shoulder, Gordon nodded and held the door for me as I carried him out, as we got under the bright light he tried to hid his face in my shoulder, I tried my best to move quickly as I tried to let him sleep. I set him in the car and Gordon closed the car door and spoke,
“Those boys are in quite a bit of trouble. However… I would like to know how he managed to walk all the way here and remain unnoticed but I couldn’t get him to tell me.” I nodded before taking a breathe,
“I’ll see about asking him but a doubt I’ll get anything beyond dumb luck.” I didn’t actaully know if he’d tell me about Waylon if he met him. However that would wait until he was settled back in at home.
“Of course. I’ll let you be on your way.” I nodded at Gordon’s words as I got in, Faraj didn’t move at first and when he did I saw those pale blue eyes peaking out of the blanket at me, I guess that despite my efforts the lights had fully woken him up,
“Are you alright?” I asked as I turned the engine on, he paused for a long moment and let out a heavy breathe.
“Mostly, I cut my head and broke my glasses.” I had been warned about the glasses and as I came to a stop I reached out and put my hand under his chin pulling it up to stop him from trying to look at the ground,
“This wasn’t your fault, I wouldn’t ever have excepted you to fight 4 boy on your own even if you can fight and those boys were bigger then you, one of them looked like he was a class above you.” I told him as the light changed I brought my hand back to the wheel, he didn’t drop his head I watched from the corner of my eye as he watched me,
“I did make a friend today.” I smiled even as he spoke softly, It was good to hear he could make friends that he had some social skills,
“Glad to hear it who are they? Is it possibly that young man you were talking to at the Gala?” I asked, I had to pull more of my attention to the road,
“Well, that’s one of them. But the other’s named Janie… she didn’t have lunch today.” he stated I frowned hearing that I’d talk to Alfred I didn’t think a child should go hungry.
“Well, I’ll have Alfred make you a spare lunch.” I told him the conversation seeming to come to it’s natural conclusion, and the car filling with soft road noise before we got caught in traffic, Batman was going to be out late tonight, I sighed and glanced over at him again Wrapped up in the thin blanket, I never thought I would have a child it was one thing when Dick and Jason needed me, I was there ward not there father I can’t replace there fathers. But I was his father he had no one else to learn from and right now? He looked so small to me, So innocent it made me wonder even more how Jason’s father could have been so cruel. The ride was mostly quiet and due to traffic it took us another hour to get home.
The manor only had a few lights on but I was still well aware then Alfred had dinner waiting, as we walked in Jason was by the stairs and he perked up seeing us.
“Faraj!” He chirped I stepped aside and let Jason get a good look, but I had noticed when Jason had yelled that Faraj had flinched, had that been due to the sound? Was that something I needed to worry about? I took a breathe and decided that I would ask Jason if he noticed that as well.
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Bat files
James (Jim) Gordon
Date of birth: November 19th
Job: Police commissioner
Jim is a good man and a better cop having worked hard to handle the corruption within the G.C.P.D, I trust the man with my life and If I thought it was a good idea h would know how was under the cowl but now more then ever I feel it’s better the less people know the better however his daughter is well aware, I might have to ask for her to help me keep an eye on Faraj.
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oddinary4bts · 3 days
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☆last update: 23/09/2024
☆a/n: here is my new masterlist! It's going to be... a lot better than the old one hahaha. Please don't hesitate to send an ask if you want to talk. Fyi, requests are closed at the moment, so please do not send any! I always feel bad when I have to say no to your requests haha
masterlist guide
☆a for angst | s for smut | f for fluff
☆all the content on this masterlist is 18+ so minors, please DNI
☆warnings are on each series/fic directly, not here so please check them out!
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All rights reserved to @/oddinary4bts, 2022-2024. Do not copy, repost or translate.
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as you all know, I mostly post for BTS so here are each of the members' masterlist! In here you can find all one-shots, series, milestone celebrations (you can find the link to the prompt list for the celebrations on each one-shot) that I have written for BTS.
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EMOTIONS OF THE SOUL | a, s, f | one-shot when Namjoon reappears in your life after thirteen years of absence, you find yourself unsure of what he means to you, and of what you mean to him. Anxiety reigns over you, but will it be enough to drag you away from Kim Namjoon? ➳Namjoon's instalment of the Life Goes On series
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CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION | s | one-shot Request!! Could you do 98 on the smut list with namjoon and reader? Maybe he wants to try getting fingered and is a little embarrassed because he’s normally in charge or something? Wherever your inspiration takes you!❤️❤️❤️ ➳part of a follower milestone celebration
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FOREVER | a, s, f | one-shot three years ago, your relationship with jin ended in fights and tears. When life puts him back on your path, you catch a glimpse of light in his eyes that you thought had died when you broke up. Will your relationship blossom into a well-deserved forever or will you lose the love of your life again? ➳Seokjin's instalment of the Life Goes On series
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NOW WE REIGN | a, s, f | one-shot when working on a collab together makes you and Min Yoongi seek comfort with the other, you discover there’s more to life than loneliness. Only, hurdles mark your path in Min Yoongi’s life, and it’s unclear what the outcome will be. Will you be destroyed by him and his world, or will you learn to reign over it, together with him? ➳Yoongi's instalment of the Life Goes On series
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SINFUL LUST | a, s, a bit of f | series in an attempt to spice up your bedroom life with your boyfriend Min Yoongi, you suggest bringing another man into the action. Yoongi seems reluctant at first, but when you mention his friend Jeon Jungkook, he can’t deny his attraction. All that’s left to do is to convince Jungkook into participating...
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THE WORST COWORKER YOU'VE EVER HAD | s | one-shot Ooooh how about a little enemies to ? Smut with Yoongi where OC/reader makes him come his pants? Little sassy/angry/ bratty vibes? Prompt 58 from the smut list? Feel free to adjust however inspires you!! Love your work!! ➳part of a follower milestone celebration
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TWO HUNDRED AND NINETEEN DAYS | a, f | one-shot Ella! Congrats on your milestone, you deserve it! Can I request this one from the fluff list, with Hobi please? 23. “I fell for you without even knowing it and, jesus, does it hurt that you can’t see it.” ➳part of a follower milestone celebration
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I WANT TO BE WITH YOU | a, f, s | one-shot moving to Seoul has always seemed like a good idea, until the bubble bursts when you realize your new neighbor is Park Jimin, and he's not the sweet angel you've always imagined him to be. Will the reality of Park Jimin forever be a nightmare, or will he turn into a sweet dream? ➳Jimin's instalment of the Life Goes On series
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CRAZY FOR YOU | s, a, f | one-shot you’ve known Kim Taehyung your whole life. When you meet again at a party hosted by your best friend, alcohol looses your lips and you spill your secrets to your childhood crush. Will Taehyung give in to your desire, or will you be struck by remorse? ➳Taehyung's instalment of the Life Goes On series
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THE BOY WITH GALAXIES IN HIS EYES | s, a, f | one-shot you had never thought the night sky could be found in someone’s eyes. That is, until you met Jeon Jungkook and his gravity pulled you in. Will he crush you with the galaxies in his eyes, or will you learn to explore his worlds and make them yours? ➳Jungkook's instalment of the Life Goes On series THE FIRST TIME | s | drabble ➳a The Boy with Galaxies in His Eyes story
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SINFUL LUST | a, s, a bit of f | series in an attempt to spice up your bedroom life with your boyfriend Min Yoongi, you suggest bringing another man into the action. Yoongi seems reluctant at first, but when you mention his friend Jeon Jungkook, he can’t deny his attraction. All that’s left to do is to convince Jungkook into participating...
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THE FORGOTTEN SPACES | a, s, f | series you've been dancing on the same dance crew since your teenage years, and you finally have an important role in it. It feels like life is taunting you when your rival comes back after disappearing for a year, ready to tease you every chance he gets. Will the teasing turn into more, or are you going to take him down with you? ➳sequel of What Was Hidden, a Taehyung fic written by @daechwitatamicrecs
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WHEN THE END COMES | a, s, f | series seven years after you've started dating Jungkook, long distance creates a wedge in your relationship. When the only solution seems to be breaking up, you go your separate ways even though love still lives in the two of you. Will you find a way back together, or has the end come for you and Jeon Jungkook? ➳The Forgotten Spaces' sequel
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NOVEMBER SUN | a | one-shot whenever he breaks, the november sun shines on him. and jungkook chases you across the sky - but you've gone some place he can't reach you now.
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TO GIVE A HELPING HAND | s, a, f | series ch 1 | ch 2 | ch 3 you’re a fan, you're untouchable, yet Jungkook finds he’s far too attracted to you.
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CHASING CARS | s, a, f | series when your brother goes to study on a semester abroad, your life collides with his best friend Jeon Jungkook, who's coincidentally your roommate. Will you survive the collision, or will you crumble into dust?
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COFFEE STAIN | a | one-shot you grief, and it’s the expression of your everlasting love for Jungkook.
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WHAT'S WRONG? | a, f | one-shot hii i have an angsty drabble request for jk x reader pleasee but with a happy ending :) Reader overhears Jungkook talk to his friends and mention how she’s always clinging on to him and doesn’t let him breathe sometimes and that she’s annoying because she’s too loud and energetic. When he comes back home she acts the complete opposite and tries to avoid him without letting him know what’s going on, until he realises that he actually prefers her clingy and loud🥺 Sorry if i went into too much detail ➳part of a follower milestone celebration
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THE BANE OF YOUR EXISTENCE | s, a | one-shot A drabble with jungkook, smut 87 and angst 12 / 99, tysm 💘💘💘💘 ➳part of a follower milestone celebration
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THE COINCIDENCE OF FATE | f | one-shot Hey!!! Do u think u could make an JJK FF about two people falling in love bc of fate and coincidences? ➳part of a follower milestone celebration
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LET ME KISS YOUR MOM | f | one-shot Okay so I saw this pic and almost cried cuz he looks so sweet and happy! Could I get something fluffy about dad jk? Maybe yall went surprise him at a performance or shoot or u can make up something else just the vibes I got from this pic made me (please see the post for the pic) ➳part of a follower milestone celebration
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY | a, f | one-shot In that case I’ll request jungkook x oc with angst and fluff❤️‍🩹 He forgets her birthday😭😭 ➳part of a follower milestone celebration
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I do not have a lot of skz fics so I don't have much to say except that I hope you enjoy it <3
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ALWAYS BEEN YOU | a, f | one-shot when two estranged best friends meet again at their friends' wedding, an old spark reignites. You swear to yourself that you won't fall for Hyunjin again, until alcohol blurs the line between you two. Is it your fault if you find yourself drowning in the familiarity that is him?
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and last but not least, here are my ateez fics! hope you guys enjoy these ones just as much as you enjoyed the rest <3
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LOVE IS A LASERQUEST | a, s | one-shot years after your break-up, Choi San comes to you for help. In an attempt to save his life, you escape to your uncle's cabin in the woods far from civilization. Will nostalgia and longing make you fall again, or is Choi San just spinning more lies to you?
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BE WITH YOU | s, a, f | series coming soon
you've come to the end of my masterlist. if you have any questions, or want to discuss any of my fics, don't hesitate to send an ask!
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moeblob · 8 months
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New OCs
(briefly, humans and supernatural beings have to team up for building better relations with each other and all the supernaturals can shapeshift and take on human appearances but also have their 'original form'.)
OK so I was GOING to draw fanart today - I had a fun idea and everything! But health anxiety (and anti-anxiety meds) wore me out so I kinda .... slogged through OCs as a treat to me. I am going to go to the doctor tomorrow so HOPEFULLY it's all okay.
#my characters#also kite is the worst socially and says things he thinks are surely fitting for a human conversation#but ends up insulting grady with 99% of the comments and that makes grady not fond of him#but then grady is like super pleasant to others and doesnt know how to act around kite and flubs a lot too#its a disaster and the twins are like oh no this is painful#mr tengu that was so tacky you cant say that to a human#mr tengu you cant DO that to a human STOP BEING LIKE THIS#while callum is just like wow this is hilarious thanks for bothering my younger brother its adding character to his life#and kite is stressed because thats the least encouraging thing to hear ever thank you v much hes TRYING to adapt#but also kite isnt his real name and he doesnt know squat about humans BUT he knows they have the internet#and so hes like well the problem is i dont want to actually say my name to you all because what if i am Online (TM)#and so he asks for a new name and then is like he should name me - the tiny one who wants to kick my ass should name me#so grady is like ....... nooooo...... dont............ and then suggests kite bc he's done google research#and kite is a type of bird and according to wikipedia has some familiarity to tengu so therefore yeah#and kite is like !!!!!! DOES HE ! KNOW THINGS ! and happily accepts the slightly researched name while the other humans#are like grady stop that is bullying the poor guy leave him alone pick a normal name!#anyway not drawn yet but there is a human guy partner for the twins and he immediately is like perfect#i know which is which lets go out and explore the human world for your research#and they dont understand how he knows them apart so fast and none of the other humans seem to tell em apart#but then none of the humans are shocked at the guy who knows so the girls are like sir howst do you know#and hes just v casual oh right yeah younger identical twin sisters - i have Practice ! and they are endeared to him haha#anyway if you read all those tags ty#and yes in his tengu form he does actually have the long nose please do not be mad#i just dont draw noses normally and im too tired to practice rn so#i only drew the second one today anyway - the first pic was done a couple days ago but i didnt wanna post on main#but then here i am posting on main#im sorry
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y-rhywbeth2 · 4 months
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'Astarion outliving his friends and possibly SO' is angsty and good for those who like exploring the themes of bereavement and all, and it is a possible outcome (he's not helpless), but it is my firm opinion that there is still a damn good chance that guy is gonna die first and be outlived by them.
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aro-culture-is · 1 year
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quick note - this blog is gonna be sparse again for at least this week. trying new medications and tbh initial side effects are not super pleasant + actual effects build up. as a result: currently as if unmedicated for mental health, with anxiety+ side effect, extra fatigue, dizziness, and fatigue. it's uh, sure something.
totally recognize that most of y'all know we're absent at times due to health things, just wanted to give a heads up that this one is at least anticipated.
#fun fact sometimes condensing meds just means poorer treatment of some conditions#this is a re-expansion + new thing#so that instead of poorly treating my mental health and using an unusually high dose SNRI for another (physical) condition#i will hopefully both be in less pain AND not depressed af AND also have an appetite again#i doubt i will be lucky and not have a fucked stomach due to meds but one can hope that an appetite will allow me to eat foods that upset#my stomach a lot less#my health is forever a massive balancing act#every time a medical thing is like 'so what meds do u take' i'm like here i wrote it down for u#and they're like 'oh. ooookay. let me just...' *five minutes of typing and clicking later*#'so! what did you come in for again? uhuh. you said you experience pain daily? with your chronic pain thing? hm. have you tried yoga?'#/gen#like. straight up every time i say 'i am in pain all the time due to fibromyalgia' they are like 'ooh studies say regular exercise helps'#and like. theoretically yes! but also. i would be lying if i said the fibromyalgia studies i've skimmed don't set off general 'bad science'#alarm bells in my brain#like... cool you performed a fibromyalgia study with... all male lab rats? mhmm? so are you aware fibromyalgia appears to occur#overwhelmingly in women? like. data seems to suggest between 70-85%?#(not that the data can't still indicate things but it certainly makes male rats a poor choice of model for tests on it)#also just... idk i've looked at some metaanalysis and been like 'okay cool theory and for all i know about human bio or bio in general that#sounds more or less correct BUT. you never discussed that one study on this subject that did NOT support your conclusion.#and that's 1) interesting when it was the most diverse group of subjects and the exceptions often teach just as much as the 'rule'#2) just shitty science. tell me how your theory is still credible when some evidence doesn't fit the model.#like... 'given that all other studies were primarily conducted on white american women in their 30s to 40s it is possible that this model#only explains (the early effects of fibro since that's a typical onset period) / (a possible genetic link primarily found in white women) /#(a possible sign of bias in diagnosis that demonstrates the possibility that there are different causes) / combinations of all of those#like... idk a paper that just throws out things that don't support it is a pretty big red flag#it doesn't mean the conclusion is entirely incorrect but it is often important to understand the context in which it applies#like... it's very easy to jump to an incorrect conclusion if you used something in the wrong context#ie: thumbs up is a good job / positive thing in a lot of western civilizations. teenage kee once went to china and discovered it to be#neutral to offensive in many areas outside of major tourist locations that were used to it#anyways i gotta sleep
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theygender · 4 months
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I've got too many games I want to play and not enough free time 😭 I still need to finish my BG3 playthrough but since Endless Ocean: Luminous came out I've been playing a lot of that instead. Also just got back into Wizard101 last night. Started playing House Flipper again last weekend. Still need to finish BOTW so I can start a TOTK playthrough and finish Pokemon Shield so I can start on Pokemon Violet. I've been fighting off the urge to start up a new Skyrim playthrough for weeks. My brother just told me that Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door is getting ported to the Switch. And now I'm suddenly feeling inspired to replay DAI... And throughout all of this I'm also playing the hell out of DragonVale on my phone. Someone just pay me to play video games all day please
#and before anyone suggests it: no i cant try to get into streaming#the way i play video games is extremely frustrating for other people to watch ahdjsksl#no one is going to give me money for producing a video where i spend two hours checking every barrel in the map while juggling my inventory#and then immediately give up on a puzzle and just sit in silence for 30 minutes while i look up a walkthrough instead#i need a situation that pays me $200 a day just to be autistic at the screen alone in the comfort of my own home#rambling#a few years ago i made it a mission to play all of the dragon age games and dlcs in order and i did not complete it#i got all the way to inquisition before i quit#i had already played it on ps3 but i wanted to replay on my new gaming laptop and unfortunately my computer decided it was too complicated#and also i just wanted to play as an elf again and i was resisting that urge bc i played as an elf the first time and wanted something new#so i didnt connect to my character as much#BUT ive learned a lot about optimizing my games from getting bg3 to run on my computer#so i think i could get it to handle dai now. especially if i upgrade to ssd like ive been wanting#and i just saw a dai post on my dash that made me daydream about possible characters and i was struck with inspiration#when i first played through on ps3 i didnt know anything about da lore. it was my first dragon age game#i was just doing whatever i thought seemed coolest#so i basically modeled my inquisitor after my dnd oc and then just picked a vallaslin i thought was pretty#and then when it came time to pick a specialization i was just like 'i mean my hand has rift magic right? seems obvious enough'#but now i know the LORE. and the dalish really interest me. and i want to make an inquisitor thats their own character#i didnt want to replay another elf mage bc i thought it would be too similar#but at the same time i wanted to re-experience dai (and experience trespasser for the first time) now that i knew more about the dalish#(with mods that fix the annoying bits where your character seems to not know about their own religion of course lol...)#i was thinking about that and i just got hit with some inspiration#instead of 'my dnd character but with a cool tattoo and rift magic and they kinda roll with the inquisitor stuff bc idk whats going on'#what if i made a more intentional character with a much different personality and their own backstory#theyre still the first of their clan but i know what that means now so theyre not really into the herald of andraste stuff#theyre a devotee of falon'din with his vallaslin and fittingly choose necromancy specialization (tho theyre annoyed by all the maker talk)#they can look cool and goth and maybe they even make some different choices about the well of sorrows 👀#i could keep rambling but im running out of tags gah#anyways ive got lots of ideas now and i think the playthrough would be unique enough to be worth it
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palms-upturned · 3 months
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Sorry for being late today coming online, a lot has happened and I am trying to think about the best way to organize this blog going forward. For now though I will try to get the list updated quickly and read through my messages/@'s
#meg talks#mainly thinking about how best to spotlight people's fundraisers because so many are gaining and losing traction periodically#and some of my posts seem to get more reach than others#mostly what troubles me is i think that the more campaigns i boost the less effective it is for each campaign#i think that the small batches of donation matching campaigns that i organized with other people was the most effective thing so far#bc it guaranteed at least one donation to each campaign#i think i'm going to try to make other small batch posts too each day#like ''here are some campaigns that are close to their goal/low on funds/almost to the halfway mark or some other milestone/etc''#but idk. i just feel troubled and i think some people who have reached out to me think i have more reach than i actually do#i have less than 3k followers and a lot of them are inactive blogs from over the past ten years#ofc that still isn't nothing and im going to keep doing what im doing but im afraid people might be reaching out to me#thinking that i'll be able to give their campaigns more visibility than i actually can#im grateful that my master list has gotten some traction but the longer it gets the tougher it is to single ppl out#i don't know. if people have suggestions please let me know#for now i would really really appreciate volunteers to help w the donation matching campaigns#if i can have ppl committing to donating like 5 bucks to a handful of campaigns once or twice a month#then at least that's something that IS guaranteed u know... though i feel ashamed that i quit my job#and can't guarantee much myself until i find a new one#idk im just troubled and i'm not going to stop boosting campaigns but i hate the thought of getting ppl's hopes up and not delivering
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songofwizardry · 10 months
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folks i have so many pretty stickers. what do people put stickers on? i have a couple on my laptop but i don't wanna like. overcrowd it yknow so i gotta find more places to put stickers. please provide suggestions
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fuckyeahgoodomens · 3 months
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David Tennant interview at the British LGBT Awards, June 2024 (x)
Int: You being an ally to the community isn't something new. You've been doing it, but recently you've obviously really stepped up for trans and non-binary people in a time that's so, so needed. What made you do that?
David: I don't know that I feel like I've done anything that I wouldn't just sort of be normally doing. I mean, it's for me it's just common sense that there's there should be any suggestion that people aren't allowed to live the life they want to live and and to be who they want to be with and to express themselves wholeheartedly. I mean, as long as you aren't hurting anybody else, everybody else just needs to fucking butt out. I don't really understand why...
Int: ...it's controversial.
David: Yeah, there is and the thing... the thing, if there's something that's particularly sobering and depressing, it's that certain debates are being weaponized by certain elements of the political class, often for no... it seems it's not ideological so much as opportunistic. And I just think that's pretty disgusting, really.
Int: I couldn't agree more. What message would you like to send out to trans youth?
David: Please don't feel like you're not loved and that you're not accepted and that you're not... you know, most people in the world are good and kind and just want you to be able to be who you are. Most people in the world don't really care. I mean... you know what I mean?
Int: We're all narcissistic.
David: Exactly. Everyone's so self obsessed that really, the sort of noise that comes from a certain area of the press and of the political class is... it's a minority. It really is. And please don't let that make you feel diminished or dissuaded or discouraged, because, you know, you just... you have to be allowed to be yourself, and you are, and you are yourself and you must thrive and flourish, and we're all here for it.
Int: Amazing. I think, yeah, it's so important .I think sometimes it feels like there's so many people, but it is a minority. It's such a minority.
David: It's a tiny bunch of little whinging fuckers that are on the wrong side of history and they'll all go away soon.
Int: Like what happened with gay people 20 years ago.
David: When I was a kid, when I was a kid, exactly. You know, I was at school when Clause 28 came in and it all felt like being gay was something to be terrified of. And gay men in particular were demonised as paedophiles and now that just feels historic and ludicrous and, I mean, I don't see all those... all those battles aren't won, but we're in a very, very different place. And I feel like.I feel like history is on a progressive trajectory and it might get knocked sideways now and again by people for all sorts of reasons, which are often quite selfish and quite, as I say, not coming from a place of any sort of genuine belief system, but other than a place of opportunism. And that's something that we... I hope that in 20 years time, we're talking about, you know, these culture wars as something of the past.
Int: I believe we will. I'm a huge Doctor Who fan, so.
David: Oh, good, me too!
Int: You are my Doctor.
David: Oh, thank you very much.
Int: But recently, obviously, you came back for the 60th anniversary and you got to work with Yasmin Finney.
David: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Int: What was it like working with her?
David: Oh, she's brilliant. She's fantastic. Yeah. And she's in the show again now, she's back in it, so that's fantastic to see. She's lovely, talented, cool as a cucumber, articulate, brilliant. I learned a lot from her as an actor and also as someone who, you know, who's become a sort of de facto activist just because of who she is and where she is, and she becomes a sort of symbol of hope, and she's wonderful.
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reasonsforhope · 10 months
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No paywall version here.
"Two and a half years ago, when I was asked to help write the most authoritative report on climate change in the United States, I hesitated...
In the end, I said yes, but reluctantly. Frankly, I was sick of admonishing people about how bad things could get. Scientists have raised the alarm over and over again, and still the temperature rises. Extreme events like heat waves, floods and droughts are becoming more severe and frequent, exactly as we predicted they would. We were proved right. It didn’t seem to matter.
Our report, which was released on Tuesday, contains more dire warnings. There are plenty of new reasons for despair. Thanks to recent scientific advances, we can now link climate change to specific extreme weather disasters, and we have a better understanding of how the feedback loops in the climate system can make warming even worse. We can also now more confidently forecast catastrophic outcomes if global emissions continue on their current trajectory.
But to me, the most surprising new finding in the Fifth National Climate Assessment is this: There has been genuine progress, too.
I’m used to mind-boggling numbers, and there are many of them in this report. Human beings have put about 1.6 trillion tons of carbon in the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution — more than the weight of every living thing on Earth combined. But as we wrote the report, I learned other, even more mind-boggling numbers. In the last decade, the cost of wind energy has declined by 70 percent and solar has declined 90 percent. Renewables now make up 80 percent of new electricity generation capacity. Our country’s greenhouse gas emissions are falling, even as our G.D.P. and population grow.
In the report, we were tasked with projecting future climate change. We showed what the United States would look like if the world warms by 2 degrees Celsius. It wasn’t a pretty picture: more heat waves, more uncomfortably hot nights, more downpours, more droughts. If greenhouse emissions continue to rise, we could reach that point in the next couple of decades. If they fall a little, maybe we can stave it off until the middle of the century. But our findings also offered a glimmer of hope: If emissions fall dramatically, as the report suggested they could, we may never reach 2 degrees Celsius at all.
For the first time in my career, I felt something strange: optimism.
And that simple realization was enough to convince me that releasing yet another climate report was worthwhile.
Something has changed in the United States, and not just the climate. State, local and tribal governments all around the country have begun to take action. Some politicians now actually campaign on climate change, instead of ignoring or lying about it. Congress passed federal climate legislation — something I’d long regarded as impossible — in 2022 as we turned in the first draft.
[Note: She's talking about the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Act, which despite the names were the two biggest climate packages passed in US history. And their passage in mid 2022 was a big turning point: that's when, for the first time in decades, a lot of scientists started looking at the numbers - esp the ones that would come from the IRA's funding - and said "Wait, holy shit, we have an actual chance."]
And while the report stresses the urgency of limiting warming to prevent terrible risks, it has a new message, too: We can do this. We now know how to make the dramatic emissions cuts we’d need to limit warming, and it’s very possible to do this in a way that’s sustainable, healthy and fair.
The conversation has moved on, and the role of scientists has changed. We’re not just warning of danger anymore. We’re showing the way to safety.
I was wrong about those previous reports: They did matter, after all. While climate scientists were warning the world of disaster, a small army of scientists, engineers, policymakers and others were getting to work. These first responders have helped move us toward our climate goals. Our warnings did their job.
To limit global warming, we need many more people to get on board... We need to reach those who haven’t yet been moved by our warnings. I’m not talking about the fossil fuel industry here; nor do I particularly care about winning over the small but noisy group of committed climate deniers. But I believe we can reach the many people whose eyes glaze over when they hear yet another dire warning or see another report like the one we just published.
The reason is that now, we have a better story to tell. The evidence is clear: Responding to climate change will not only create a better world for our children and grandchildren, but it will also make the world better for us right now.
Eliminating the sources of greenhouse gas emissions will make our air and water cleaner, our economy stronger and our quality of life better. It could save hundreds of thousands or even millions of lives across the country through air quality benefits alone. Using land more wisely can both limit climate change and protect biodiversity. Climate change most strongly affects communities that get a raw deal in our society: people with low incomes, people of color, children and the elderly. And climate action can be an opportunity to redress legacies of racism, neglect and injustice.
I could still tell you scary stories about a future ravaged by climate change, and they’d be true, at least on the trajectory we’re currently on. But it’s also true that we have a once-in-human-history chance not only to prevent the worst effects but also to make the world better right now. It would be a shame to squander this opportunity. So I don’t just want to talk about the problems anymore. I want to talk about the solutions. Consider this your last warning from me."
-via New York Times. Opinion essay by leading climate scientist Kate Marvel. November 18, 2023.
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driftwooddestiel · 5 months
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oh yeah i have an acquaintance in basketball now thank god. my extrovert friend is friends with someone who’s on the team and that person also doesn’t really know anyone on the team so yippeee now we both sort of know someone on the team
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