#I'd be super thankful

[lycanlovingvampyre]

So last year I started listening to Hi Nay and then I took quite a long break. Went back to it today and I fear I have forgotten a lot of the details... Is there a recap of the first 26 episodes, Act I? Season 1?

[crispywizardtale]

BillyBabe ATE

I also feel like this is the best angle of the kiss especially because you can see Phaya gripping Tharn's neck... I'm also kind of obsessed with the way Billy moved his hand to get closer... and that right hand on Babe's back.... it was holding Babe steady but when he slid it down just..... SCREAMS

I also love their reactions after the heated up kiss. Luke they were so proud! (As they should because DAMNNNN) it really shows how close they are. Great job guys!!

[batbabydamian]

Hey, I started reading Robin son of Batman because of your recommendation (I literally have a print of your post on my phone to not forget lol). Honestly? One of the best things I ever read!!!

Thank you for opening my eyes! Damian has been one of my favorite characters for over a year, but I didn't read/watch much of him because of school, life (and probably an executive dysfunction in the mix).

Maya is incredible. I loved her.

I haven't finished all the issues yet, but do you have any other recommendations?

WAH this makes me so happy, i'm glad you still gave it a shot even with how busy life is!! ;v;

i’d love to give reccs, and i’ll try to go a beginner friendly route! tbh you can pick up whatever here, but since you've read R:SOB i’d immediately follow up with Batman and Robin (2011) #1-8! this first arc is what’s referred to in Maya’s introduction, and it's just. so good.

Main Books

Batman and Robin (2009)

Dick as Batman with Damian as his Robin!

#20-22 Tree of Blood: Dark Knight vs White Knight arc is done by Tomasi and Gleason, the team for the next Batman and Robin series

*Batman and Robin (2011)

Bruce and Damian figuring out their relationship as both Batman & Robin and father & son

imo you can enjoy the ride and read straight through this but i’ll add context to avoid as much confusion as possible since there’s the occasional tie-in or offscreen events, like Damian’s death nbd

Batman Incorporated (2012) #1-10

events leading to Damian's death - affects Batman and Robin (2011) from issue #18

kind of a tough read especially with how Talia's written, but a lot of iconic bits like Batcow, Damian's vegetarian declaration, Alfred the cat, "We Were the Best, Richard."

Robin (2021)

another self-discovery adventure, particularly after Alfred’s death and a fallout with Bruce (and questionable writing choices from his last Teen Titans run)

Batman and Robin (2023)

currently ongoing! after a number of events, Bruce and Damian are back as a duo

Damian Dynamics!

Batman: Streets of Gotham (2009) #7, 10-12

arc where Damian meets one of his first Gotham friends, Colin Wilkes

Batgirl (2009) #5-7, #17

Steph and Damian dynamic! "the bad cop, worse cop" dysfunctional duo

Red Robin (2009) #13-14

early Tim and Damian dynamic that of course includes fighting haha. funny enough, accidentally my first intro to Damian LOL

Teen Titans (2003) #89-92

Dick!Batman has Damian join the Teen Titans. Start of Damian and Rose Wilson dynamic that’s extended in Robin (2021)

Batman: Gates of Gotham (2011)

Damian meets Cass and has a brief team up

Gotham Academy (2015) #7

Damian meets Maps Mizoguchi! they have a few other meetings, but outside of that the series itself is a great read!

Robin War Event (2015)

Robin War (2015) #1, Grayson (2014) #15, Detective Comics (2011) #47, We Are Robin (2015) #7, Robin: Son of Batman (2015) #7, Robin War (2015) #2

Duke and Damian dynamic! not exactly beginner friendly but these are the main issues in order for the event! you can also read the TPB version for everything including Tie-Ins

Nightwing (2016) #16-20, #42, #43

#16-20 Nightwing and Robin arc!

#42 Dick on a mission to save Damian! the one appearance of "Wiggles" the dragon

#43 Dick, Roy, and Damian team-up

New Talent Showcase 2018 "Catwoman: Pedigree"

Selina, Damian, and Alfred the cat

Batman: Prelude to the Wedding - Robin vs. Ra's Al Ghul (2018)

Selina, Damian, and Cheese Viking - Damian's fav game shown in Nightwing: Rebirth (2016)

Monkey Prince (2022) #1-4

Marcus Sun Shugel-Shen's main comic, but Damian features as a fun dynamic here before they're in more serious circumstances in Batman VS Robin (2022)/Lazarus Planet event

Superman (2016) #10 - 11

the beginning of the Super Sons! featuring Maya!

Super Sons (2017)

solitary arcs but there’s a few event tie-in issues later

Adventures of the Super Sons (2018)

literally more Super Sons adventures lol galactic shenanigans yeehaw

Challenge of the Super Sons (2020) 

Super Sons time shenanigans feat. the Justice League

Robin 80th Anniversary (2020)

"Boy Wonders" - brief Damian feature as Tim considers his next step in life

"My Best Friend" - Jon's thoughts on Damian and their dynamic

"Bat and Mouse" - refers to Damian's unfortunate Teen Titans (2016) run at the time of release which follows up with Teen Titans Annual #2 where Damian briefly gives up Robin

Extra Comics!

Superman/Batman (2003) #77

Kara and Damian in a Halloween team-up! also the appearance of "Li'l Matches" lol

DCU Halloween Special '09 "Cavity Search"

Damian out on a solo mission for Halloween night. Immediately after is Tim's Red Robin story "Then and Now: Our Father's Sins" which is more somber in contrast but also a good read!

DCU Halloween Special 2010 "Robin the Vampire Slayer"

a Dick!Batman and Robin story featuring the vampire Andrew Bennett

Cursed Comics Cavalcade (2018) "The Devil You Know"

Halloween themed comic with a sweet short story of Damian alongside Solomon Grundy

DC's Terrors Through Time (2022)

"Trick or Treat" a Super Sons Halloween story

"The Haunting of Wayne Manor" Damian and Deadman story - in the end, Boston kinda refers to Nezha's possession of Damian in Batman VS Robin (2022) which was happening at the time of this release

Batman: Li'l Gotham (2013)

lighthearted series that instantly makes me smile with the silliness and Dustin Nguyen’s art i love this dearly

Secret Origins (2014) #4 "A Boy's Life"

a retelling of Damian's origin story

Detective Comics (2016) #1001-1005

Batman and Robin vs the Arkham Knight (unrelated to the game)

Truth & Justice (2021) #6/#16 - 18 Digital First version

cute story of Damian’s birthday! Juni Ba’s art is so fun!!

DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration (2021) “Special Delivery”

short story about Damian! and poisoned pizzas. completely forgot the artist Sami Basri drew Rebirth Damian here before catboy Damian lol Cass’s story “Sounds” is also cute! Marcus makes his first appearance in "The Monkey Prince Hates Superheroes"

DC VS Vampires (2021)

Damian makes appearances throughout this elseworlds book, but the one-shot DC VS Vampires: Hunters (2022) is vampire Damian-centric!

Batman: Black and White (2021) #5

“Father & Son Outing” short story written and drawn by Jorge Jimenez!

Batman: Urban Legends (2021) #20-23

#20 “My Son” Talia and Bruce focus

#20 - 23 “The Murder Club” 4 Parts

Tiny Titans (2008) #33, #39, #45, #47

a few appearances but SO CUTE, LOOK AT HIM

*Batman and Robin (2011) reading guide

i'm mostly trying to avoid the "what did i just walk in on?" kinda feeling when i first started reading comics LOL i'll list the comics where events take place, but you don't necessarily have to read them to go through this book since things are usually explained as quickly as possible in the first page or so

#0 Someday Never Comes

Talia and baby Damian before he grows up to meet Bruce

#1-8 Born to Kill

just an incredibly solid arc for Bruce and Damian!

#9 Court of Owls Tie-In Issue

Damian VS a Court of Owls Talon. While Bruce is occupied with a home invasion of Talons, Alfred makes a call for allies to protect targeted Gotham public figures from Talons. During Batman (2011) #1-11

#10-12 Terminus

Damian challenges the previous Robins sans Steph

Batman Incorporated (2012) is occurring at this time where Talia has placed a bounty on Damian and there's small mentions of that

#13-14 Eclipsed/Devoured

mostly solitary arc! end of it leads into the Death of the Family event

#15-16 Death of the Family Tie-In Issues

Damian and Joker face-off... Alfred's been kidnapped by the Joker, and Damian goes looking for him. During Batman (2011) #13-17

#17 Life is but a Dream - Death of the Family Epilogue

a sort of subconscious check-in through the dreams of Damian, Alfred, and Bruce. Nightwing (2011) #17 features Damian encouraging Dick after Death of the Family events

#18 Undone "Requiem"

Bruce dealing with Damian's death from Batman Incorporated #8

other reactions to Damian's death: Dick in Nightwing (2011) #18, Tim in Teen Titans (2011) #18

#19-23 Denial, Rage, The Bargain, Despair, Acceptance

Bruce through the stages of grief with some batfam appearances in each. also introduces Carrie Kelley into continuity as Damian's acting tutor.

Batman (2011) #19-20 also addresses Bruce's loss

#23.1-23.4

these could be skipped - villain stories, also related to Forever Evil event.

#24-28 The Big Burn

optional Batman and Two-Face/Harvey Dent arc, #23.1 is part of this story!

Damian's resurrection and return

#29-32 The Hunt for Robin

Ras took Talia and Damian's bodies from their graves, and Bruce goes after him.

-> Robin Rises: Omega

continues events from #32. if you don't want to jump to this, basically, Glorious Godfrey and a bunch of parademons from Apokolips are here for a chaos shard which Ra's put in Damian's sarcophagus. at some point, Bruce gets a hold of the shard where he sees a vision that leads him to believe Damian can be resurrected. Godfrey ends up taking the shard, along with Damian's body since it was emitting the same energy.

#33-37 Robin Rises

Bruce hellbent on retrieving Damian from Apokolips and reviving him

-> Robin Rises: Alpha

necessary to read and continues events from #37! Damian's back with a bang lol

#38-40 Superpower

Damian adjusting to having superpowers and being alive again

Annual #1 2013 Batman Impossible

sweet (and funny) one-shot of Damian sending Bruce on a meaningful scavenger hunt around the world while Damian gets to be the cutest Batman for a bit

Annual #2 2014 Batman and Robin: Week One

one-shot takes place during Damian's absence. after Bruce and Alfred find a mystery gift left for Dick, Dick recounts a story he had told Damian from his Robin days.

Annual #3 2015 Moonshot

one-shot Batman and Robin adventure on the moon!

...and of course after Batman and Robin (2011), Damian's story continues in his first solo Robin: Son of Batman (2015)!

[etrevil]

KOUYOU THE WOMAN THAT YOU ARE 🥰 gorgeous hair, gorgeous nails, gorgeous face

[elitadream]

Guys, you gotta help me choose. Please. 😭🙇‍♀️

I want to share another Mareach piece for my next post, but I don't know which one to pick among the ones I've finished. Should I go with the fluffy and funny one first? The one that's more somber and bittersweet? The suggestive one?

I've been staring at my folder for a solid five minutes and still haven't reached a decision. 🤣

[pianokantzart]

After watching the episode of super show where mario and luigi have an argument, im both interested because that episode was hilarious. But scared if they ever did have an argument in a possible sequel

It seems like the natural route to go down: two close brothers who are normally inseparable having their relationship tested by a rapid succession of life or death situations and the stress of going from common plumbers to being responsible for the safety of an entire kingdom. That's a lot for two guys who haven't even turned 30.

It's not that I don't want Mario and Luigi to have an argument in the sequel... part of me actually really hopes they do! but with the caveat that it's decently written and sticks with the theme of brotherly love that was so present in the first movie.

The Super Mario Bros. Super Show has the advantage of being completely all over the place and extremely silly in tone. The Mario Movie, while not exactly Citizen Kane, is far more grounded and focused. If they're going to have an argument, the writers are going to need to be very careful in how they approach it.

[starflungwaddledee]

referring to the small guy, big guy reblog post:

STARSTRUCK AND DYNA BLADE THAT’S WHO!!! 🦅🦅(eagle emoji)

you know what anon? sure. why the fuck not. i'm not a coward. here you go.

[mo-ok]

guys hELP

[azaracyy]

✦ gods of mischief ✦ digimon survive week 2024 day 3: other digi- er, kemonogami

[agent-gladhand]

Hihi, opening up comms because public transportation has yet to overtake the four wheeled menace, and mine is currently exploding! I need to cover costs so I'm reopening comms a bit earlier than I'd planned to!

I've opened up 5 slots for regular comms and also added an option for a quick doodle of your silly little guy for $10 as an unlimited slot for now! For anyone who commissions me right now, as always, your support is much appreciated!

---

Commission me here (PLEASE READ RULES AND DM ME BEFORE PLACING COMM):

New Emergency Comm Option:

Past Commission Examples:

[chloecherrysip]

all the pain will change into a memory of when we were amazing (mario & luigi-centric post-movie fic, part 2!)

(Part one can be found here!)

(Thanks again to everyone who read the first part and was so sweet about it! Here's the continuation. This is a shorter interlude with Mario and Luigi's family before we get to the main "meat" of the story AKA Mario and Luigi talking on their own in the third part, coming soon. I hope you enjoy, and I appreciate any thoughts/feedback. I will get this uploaded on AO3 as soon as I can as well, if you'd prefer to read over there.)

+

“Hey-o!” 

Things had been so quiet on their long, long, long trek back home that the sudden noise made Mario stiffen as they shuffled through the door, every nerve on high alert for a breathless few seconds. Luigi, who had practically sleepwalked the last block with his head leaned against Mario’s head, using his brother's hat as a makeshift pillow, started too, mumbling a greeting that barely resembled the English language, waving at the front door before realizing he was turned around and swaying around to face the warm light of the dining room instead. It looked like dinner was already over, dishes and silverware being cleared away.

“Look who finally decided to show up! Brooklyn’s brand-new heroes!” Uncle Arthur raised a nearly empty glass of what looked like wine in laughing celebration. “What, you save the city from a bunch of weird turtle goons one time and you’re too good to share a meal with us regular bums?” 

“They were helping with the cleanup,” Aunt Marie hissed, swatting him hard enough to elicit a yelp. “Where were you out there, huh?” She smiled warmly at Mario and Luigi on her way to the kitchen. “Sorry we couldn’t wait any longer. Gramps and Mia needed to get to bed. But don’t worry, we saved plenty!”

“Probably too busy signing autographs for all the bella signore,” Uncle Tony guffawed. “Hard to blame ‘em! Better enjoy it before they figure out you’re plumbers with no money!”

“Heh, yeah. Caught us fair and square,” Mario said, managing a weak laugh. Luigi let loose a tiny, snorting chuckle too, although whether that was because he was backing Mario up or just blindly mimicking what he heard, too lost in his own sleepy little world, Mario wasn’t sure. They were still holding onto one another, which they’d maintained the entire walk back except in places where it was impossible to proceed in that way (ladders and the like). That way, a repeat of the stairs incident couldn’t happen, and Mario had known exactly when Luigi was getting shaky enough to need a break. He squeezed his brother’s hand as a way to check in. It took a few seconds, but Luigi squeezed back gently, which was a small relief.

“Is that the boys!?” Without any further warning, their mother barreled out of the kitchen like a runaway train. She grabbed them in both arms, her shaking grip tight enough that both brothers wheezed from a sudden lack of air. “Oddio, where have you been? You already vanished on us once! My old heart can’t take much more of this.” 

“You’re not that old, Ma,” Luigi murmured, patting her shoulder.

“Sorry,” Mario said as clearly as he could manage with his face smothered in her hair. “Didn’t mean to make ya worry. Just, uh, lost track of time, that’s all.”

“What happened?” That was Dad, moving slower to catch up with her, his brow creased deep. “Are you all right?”

“Never been better!” Luigi insisted, overly bright. The bone-crushing hug had woken him up a little, but now he was using his I’m definitely lying but maybe if I speak at a much higher volume, no one will be able to tell voice. “We were just, y’know, real busy making sure everyone on the block could still…flush their toilets! Everyone forgets how important that is. Can ya believe it?”

“And we had to make sure our friends got home safely too,” Mario jumped in, rubbing his mom’s back with his free hand as she continued to hold on for dear life. You get temporarily swallowed by a giant, man-eating plant in front of your parents one time… “But we’re definitely not going anywhere for the rest of the night, and Aunt Marie said something about leftover food, if you can forgive us…?”

“Of course, of course.” She finally stepped back, but not before one good, firm pinch of the cheek between her fingers for each of them. “You’ve worked so hard, my brave boys. You must be about ready to turn inside out from hunger already. Sit, sit, I’ll bring it to you—”

“Actually, Ma,” Mario interjected as gingerly as possible. “It’s been a really, really long day. Could we, uh, maybe take the food in our room? I know, I know, you don’t like that, but if anything gets messy, I’ll take care of it, promise—” 

“Ya can’t be serious!” Uncle Tony spoke up all of a sudden, his chair screeching against the floor as he jumped up. “You two still gotta give us the whole rundown of where ya been! Where did that angry, spikey dragon-turtle-guy even come from?”

“And the tiny kid who looked like a big ole mushroom with legs!” Uncle Arthur added.

“What about that giant monkey in the tie?” Aunt Marie piped up, half-laughing in sheer disbelief as she came back into the room. “He could talk! And not just little words, no — if I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was hittin’ on me.”

“Look, I get it, I get it,” Mario insisted as good-naturedly as he could manage. He started to inch towards the hallway with Luigi in tow, who he could feel becoming jittery from all the new noise. All he needed was a few good, firm excuses, a clear escape route, and they were home-free. “It was pretty crazy stuff, right? But seriously, we’re dead on our feet as it is—” 

“Then sit down already and take a load off!” Uncle Tony insisted right back. “We’ll make coffee!” 

“Nooooo, no coffee for me. Now!? I-I think I might shake right out of my skin if, “Luigi started to joke, only to squeak when Uncle Tony grabbed him by the shoulders and tried to steer him around anyway.

“C’moooon! A story like this can’t wait,” Uncle Arthur groaned. “This is the wildest thing that’s happened since Gramps’ teeth were eaten by that dog on the subway! Have some pity for your elders and their boring lives.” 

“We’ll tell ya all about it tomorrow, I swear!” Mario said a little louder, desperately trying to sound casual even as the words scraped up his throat. It was too loud, too bright. A new wave of dizziness swam over him; everything was starting to seem more and more like a dream, his vision smearing at the edges. The only thing that still felt solid, real was his hold on Luigi. He stayed focused on it like a lifeline, even as they were jostled around. “And you’ll understand then why we need to sleep for a million years and then some, I swear, ‘cause we, we’ve really gone through the ringer here...”

“Don’t you think you’ll feel better if you just sit down for a minute?” Ma asked, smiling warmly. “Besides, I wanted to know a little more about that princess—”

“Ya gotta eat anyway!” Uncle Arthur downed what was left of his glass in one swig. “Don’t make us beg!” 

“Forget the coffee. We’ll break out the Sangiovese and that’ll loosen you up real good,” Uncle Tony snickered.

Their uncle grabbed at Luigi again, pulling him along harder this time — hard enough that he panicked, his flailing hand struggling for a better grip on Mario’s before they were ripped apart. And that reminded Mario’s fuzzy, exhausted brain of something. A feeling he didn’t know how to describe in words but that cut into him like a knife between his ribs just the same, bone-deep and blindsiding and instantly overwhelming. He thought of—

(pink clouds and faint swirling light and green pipes and weird wind tunnels he could practically swim through and black shadows like soot in the air and lava glowing and Luigi shouting his name, Luigi panicking as he tried to calm him down, Luigi’s hand warm and snug against his because nothing could hurt them if they were together and nothing was going to separate them as long as Mario was strong enough, steady enough to make it that way but then there was a sound like thunder and the pressure grew and grew and grew and grew and GREW AND)

His body acted on its own. With both hands, he wrenched Luigi back towards him a few stumbling steps, out of Uncle Tony’s hands. “No!” He yelled, a hoarse, guttural sound. 

Silence, save for car horns on the street outside.

Clarity came over Mario in a slow, creeping wave, quickly turning into a feeling of horror as he registered the way everyone had frozen in place around him, staring with wide, frightened eyes. Even their parents looked stricken. Luigi’s tired expression had flooded with worry too, but there was a glint of something warmer there as well — understanding. I felt it, his eyes said to Mario, as clear as day. I remembered too.

“I-I’m sorry, but we really, REALLY need to take a rain check, all right?” That was Luigi, breaking the silence, talking way more assertively than he usually ever did at home. Most of the time, the others drowned him out, but now, he had everyone’s undivided attention, insistently pointing with his one free hand that wasn’t still clinging to Mario’s. “We, me and Mario here, are a little loopy, all right? Not thinking straight in the least! It’s been a hard day — a hard couple of days! Three days, in fact! Maybe three days, or two! Heck, I don’t even know what day it is anymore! That’s how out of whack we are! Do ya get it already!?” 

“Easy there, Lu,” Mario whispered. There was so much frantic gesturing going on that Luigi was starting to throw himself off-balance, swaying dangerously. He still felt ashamed, raw inside from the outburst, but Luigi jumping in had lessened it to the point that he could breathe again, at least. His amazing brother really was full of surprises today, it seemed. “But he’s right. I…it’s just been a lot."

Some glances were shared around the table. Surprisingly, it was Uncle Tony who spoke up first. 

“Y’know what? You do look like you’d be shoo-ins for a zombie movie, no makeup needed.” He clapped them lightly on the shoulders one more time and then sat back down with a backwards wave of the hand. “Don’t worry about us. Go on, get out of here.”

“Get plenty of rest,” Aunt Marie said, her smile plainly apologetic. 

“Man, that just gave me deja-vu like nobody’s business,” Uncle Arthur laughed. “Remember when they were tiny, Tony? We couldn’t peel them off each other for anything in the world.” 

“Oh man, do I,” Tony snorted. “Not without them scratching and screeching like stray cats! Might as well have made you two — whaddya call it again? — conjoined twins and saved a couple steps.” 

“There was that one time we were babysitting at the park down the street—” 

Mario didn’t hear the rest of the conversation. “Come on,” a familiar, gruff voice said near his ear, followed by two large arms herding him and Luigi away, their mother following close behind. “Get yourselves into the kitchen already.”

“I’m sorry, Dad,” Mario couldn’t help but insist once they were there, heels squeaking on the faded linoleum. Several of his stern talking-to’s over the years had started out much like this in the past; speaking up right away and defending himself before the inevitable yelling happened was practically second nature. “I didn’t mean to yell, I swear, it was just—”

“Never mind that,” the older man cut him off. There was something soft in his tone, softer than Mario could remember hearing it before, and that was when he realized that he'd misread the situation entirely. His dad's eyes were dark with concern, not anger. "Now come on. Give me your gloves, and shoes too. Both of you."

Mario and Luigi glanced at each other and then down at themselves in confused unison, dimly registering that yes, they were still wearing all of that, having forgotten to take everything off at the door like they usually did. Some slow shuffling later, and it was gathered in a pile. Their dad plucked their hats off their heads as well (also missed), tucking everything in the sturdy crook of one arm. He used his free hand to ruffle their hair and pat their faces, one after the other.

"You did good out there," he said, "but what matters most is that you're all right. That's always gonna be what matters most to us. I just," he swallowed slowly, thickly, "I want to make sure you both know that."

For one very brittle moment, as his dad held his face in his big, warm palm, Mario genuinely didn't trust himself to not start either laughing or sobbing right then and there — maybe a crazy mixture of both. The feeling passed, thankfully, but he still managed a wobbly smile, a small nod.

“Now go and wash up. Ma will get the food ready.” Sure enough, their mother was already bustling around like a madwoman, plates clattering and half-empty pots simmering again on the stove. “Luigi, you first. Datti una mossa.” 

“Yessir!” Luigi looked back at Mario before going, a tired, reassuring, still slightly worried look that said I’ll see you in a couple of minutes, okay? Mario reflected it back, and their dad walked Luigi out of the room, towards the hallway.

“Just promise me you’ll tell us what happened tomorrow, all right?” Mario's attention returned to his mother, who was finishing stirring some reheated sauce with a little too much shaky speed before coming over to him, smushing his cheeks in both hands. “I don’t care how old you two get. You're still my babies, and babies shouldn't keep secrets from their poor mother."

“I promise, I promise! You’re gonna pop my teeth out, Ma!” Mario half-laughed, gently tugging at her wrists so he could talk more clearly. “Definitely tomorrow, okay? Right now, I…I don’t know if I could tell ya if I tried. It’s just a crazy blur, and I really gotta process it all myself, still. We just need a little time."

“I understand.” She drew him into another hug. Mario couldn’t help but sink into the familiar warmth, clinging to her. He’d been so worried about Luigi that he’d never even considered the idea that he might never see his parents again either. The realization hit harder than he’d anticipated. “Besides, I know I have nothing to worry about when you two are together. You do such a good job of looking after your brother.” 

(Or even worse, what if he’d been able to come home in the end — but alone? What if he’d had to sit his parents down and tell them that Luigi was…) 

There it was again — that sudden, sour feeling of wanting to cry, such a heavy wave inside him that he had to clench his teeth to the point of pain to hold back a gasp.

Stupid, he thought bitterly, almost angrily. What did he even have to be crying about? Once again, he weathered the rush, kept the walls intact by a hair. He closed his eyes and just let himself be held.

“Of course, Ma,” he croaked. “Always.” 

[welcometogrouchland]

SPOILERS FOR THANKS TO THEM (obviously)

hello i was reading this lovely post (by @lollytea) that gave a good breakdown of the writers intent behind this scene, and i thought to myself “gee, i love it all in concept, but i wonder if they could’ve executed it better by emphasizing all of the things hunter’s fighting for in the actual moment itself?”. then i remembered that i have the power of editing, and made this! complete with the cheesy white vignette toh likes to stick on flashback scenes that i love jgvhnfchgfc

[peaches2217]

Traduzione, Per Favore?

EDIT: AO3 link!

~~~

“What would my name be in Italian?”

Mario studied the princess’ face briefly. Her sapphire eyes sparkled in the afternoon sun, full of sincerity and curiosity; he almost wanted to make something up, something exotic-sounding yet convincing enough that those crystal eyes would shine even brighter.

But she was far too clever for that. She’d see right through him. Or worse — she would be so giddy that she’d believe him, then eagerly relay what she had learned to Luigi, and then his brother would never let him live it down. Mario, impulsive as he could be, knew how to calculate risk and reward, and that was one risk not worth taking.

“...Peach.” Uttering her name sent a chill through him that he only barely repressed— no, that felt so wrong, far more intimate than he was permitted to be with her. “Principessa Peach,” he corrected, and he pulled his cap from his head, absently fanning himself with it. It was a warm day. He could easily pass the color he felt pooling in his cheeks as a consequence of the weather.

The princess’ face fell. “Oh,” she said, soft, but curt. Her brows furrowed, and her lips gathered into a gentle pucker. Suddenly, Mario was happy he hadn’t given into his earlier temptation, because how many people had ever seen the beautiful and regal Mushroom Princess pout?

It caught him off-guard enough that he chuckled, and that in turn softened her downtrodden expression. For a moment, she graced him with a gaze full of the fondness and warmth he’d become so familiar with… and then the pout returned with an indignant force. And, of course, that only made hiding his amusement that much harder.

“Don’t look at me like that!” she chastised, though the dimples that formed in her cheeks betrayed her lack of sincere ire.

Mario, already luckier than most, supposed his day couldn’t get much better than this. 

Oh, he was so glad she had expressed interest in learning his native tongue. It was an interest she’d held for some time now, she had confessed — “It never felt right to ask,” she admitted one day, looking down as she tapped the tips of her fingers together, “since it’s one of the few things you and Luigi were able to bring from your birth world. I… felt that asking to partake in it would be overstepping.”

Mario had never seen it that way. To him, it was one more thing he could share with her. One more wall between them that didn’t seem quite so insurmountable anymore. 

Granted, he didn’t fancy himself much of a teacher, so he mostly just taught her assorted words and phrases over their bi-weekly tea and pastries (merenda, as she had learned last week; today he was greeted with an uncertain yet cheerful “Facciamo merenda!”, and were he any bolder, he would have asked her to repeat it over and over again, just for him). And as endearing as it was, the thought of the princess privately straining to overhear one of the brothers’ personal conversations just so she could enjoy the foreign melody of their otherworldly tongue, he certainly enjoyed this approach much more, and could say with certainty that she did too.

Still, as she sipped at a fresh cup of peony tea, something a hint sour lingered in her expression. 

“You’re disappointed, Princess?” he guessed. She hesitated for a moment, clearly prepared to deny the accusation, but she sighed instead and leaned back into her chair.

“It’s so silly, I know.” She shook her head with a small grin, as if in disapproval of her own behavior. “I just thought… well, I’m named after a fruit. Surely you have a word for ‘peach’.”

“Yes,” Mario agreed, pulling his hat back onto his head now that he was properly cooled, “in which case you would be Principessa Pesca. But you’re not a peach, are you? You aren’t small and round and fuzzy.”

“No,” Peach agreed in turn, “that would be you.”

The force with which she clapped her hands over her mouth sounded downright painful. 

In the ensuing silence, they gaped at one another, him in astonishment, and her in pure, stupefied horror; the white silk of her gloves only served to make her flustering features look redder still. And that did him in.

The shock of her response melted into pure mirth, and Mario buried his face into his hands, his shoulders shaking and his breath coming in gasps. “Hey, there’s a new phrase for you to practice!” he offered where he could find air. “You can tell people, ‘Il mio amico Mario è tondo e peloso, come una pesca!’” Somehow, he found himself hoping she actually would. Never had he been so delighted to be 5’1, over two-hundred pounds, and scruffier than his own father. 

And that was before the most wonderful, most heavenly sound he’d ever heard even hit his ears. Once it did—

It was like windchimes on a cold winter morning, singing out into bright and beautiful emptiness. Like laying out on the rooftop of the high-rise he and Luigi once inhabited and watching the stars, forgetting about bills and budgets and feeling for one fleeting instant like he was alone in the universe. She was laughing, really and truly laughing, bent ever so slightly forward under the weight of her amusement, eyes screwed shut and brimming with unshed tears.

Mario forgot his own amusement, even as Peach sputtered apologies and wiped at her eyes. He’d never heard her laugh. Giggle, yes, but nothing like this.

She looked up at him, eyes still brimming and squinting, face still pink with shame and humor. Her light lipstick was smudged at the corners of her mouth, and he noticed now that it stained the palm of her right hand as well. This was, to some extent, the most human she had ever looked.

A dull but urgent pain coursed through Mario’s body, and only then did he realize he’d stopped breathing.

He could die, he thought as he sucked in a breath as quietly as he could manage, he could honestly die here and now, and that thought didn’t worry him nearly as much as it should have.

“...Princess.” Mario scrambled his head for ideas. He needed to hear that laugh again. “What… what would my name be in English?”

Peach looked confused for a moment — right, it wasn’t called English here, though what it was called had escaped his memory — but she connected the dots quickly enough, and her lips began to quiver.

“...Mark?”

"Oddio!" Mario called, almost choking, because a well-meaning but sheltered Brooklynite had once suggested the brothers advertise themselves as Mark and Louis to attract more business and fewer bigots. Had Luigi told her that story?

The laughter began anew, with renewed vigor, and Mario stifled as much of it as he could into his glove just to hear hers better. It was even more wonderful the second time.

“No,” she said as the last of her giggles died down, “I can’t see you as anything but Mario. Your name is perfect as it is.”

“And yours is too!” Glancing down, Mario caught sight of a miniature tart on the tiered tray between them, lemon-flavored, from the looks of it. “You have a lovely name, Princess,” he assured her, plucking the delicacy from its resting spot. All that revelry had made him hungry again. “It needs no translation.”

“I’ve learned today that I especially like hearing you say it.” 

Mario blinked, the tart in his hand suddenly forgotten.

Peach’s eyes locked onto his and commanded his full attention. She dabbed a cloth napkin at the corners of her mouth, correcting her makeup, and smiled softly. A feeling not dissimilar to his earlier air-deprived pain returned, as though his entire abdomen were being tied into knots like a big balloon animal, though he knew for a fact he was still breathing.

“You needn’t be so formal all the time, you know,” she said. When she set her napkin back onto the table, she looked once more as she always did: perfect, as though she were carved of marble. “You are my friend.”

Was that… an invitation? Mario gulped at the thought. He knew full-well how Peach cherished him, and she in turn knew he loved her just as much (and then some, but that she would never learn about, he’d decided long ago). But she was still… and he was just…

“I’ll… keep that in mind,” he finally said, nervously glancing back to his tart, “Princess.”

The silence that fell between them as he chewed wasn’t uncomfortable, per say, but it felt oddly heavy. Something in Peach’s smile changed, and she glanced down as well. But before he had time to analyze what that change was or why it made his chest feel tight all of a sudden, she reached for the teapot sitting beside the tray.

“Now,” she said, leaning forward to fill Mario’s half-empty cup, “walk me through that last one again, please?”

Mario raised an eyebrow, because speaking through a mouthful of lemon curd would be unbecoming. He wondered for a moment if a bout of such poor manners might make Peach laugh again. 

Peach struggled through a few syllables as she refilled her own cup: “Eel-mee-oh, um, ah-mee…”

Mario made a noise of understanding, swallowing the last bite of tart and wiping the crumbs from his mustache. If he couldn’t hear her laugh again yet, he could at least hear her still-untrained accent, and that was almost as good. “Il mio amico Mario,” he started, initiating a call-and-response sort of game. And when she learned what she was saying, she laughed once more, a sound Mario knew he would be addicted to by day’s end.

Maybe one day he could return the boldness she’d shown in teasing him today. Maybe one day he could accept that invitation, could call her la mia amica Peach instead of la principessa, could really and truly feel he deserved her presence, her companionship, her friendship. 

One day, maybe.

[stardestroyer81]

Can I offer you a nice transfem sheep in this tryin' time? 💙🏳️‍⚧️✨

[somegrumpynerd]

I FORGOT THAT 04.04 IS A RAT DAY SO HAPPY (late) RAT DAY

Oh shit I never heard of this before :o That's awesome happy rat day everyone!! (Except if you're in my timezone and it ended an hour and a half ago oops)

[knifemartin]

knifemartin is back!

knifeprompt ahoy: Something Something Wilde is hurt or sick and Zolf can't heal him because anti-magic cuffs.

ohohohoh!!! content warnings for open wounds and stitches and blood, a lot of blood

Zolf looks around the room, hand on the wall for support, panting from exertion. His magic fizzes beneath his skin as he takes in the scene: bodies, Barnes in the corner, more bodies. He can hear Carter's footsteps in the hallway as he checks the coast is clear, and they’ve become a fairly competent trio as of late that it takes him a moment too long to remember Wilde’s with them this time. 

“Zolf,” Barnes is saying urgently, kneeling in a pool of blood, but Zolf’s already there and channelling positive energy before Barnes can get anything else out. Wilde wasn’t even meant to be on this mission, there’s a reason he stays on the sidelines and directs them, he’s not meant to get involved in the combat– 

Barnes shifts aside, the wound in his flank already knitting together from Zolf’s magic, but Wilde doesn’t move. Zolf swallows, his throat dry and heart racing, as he drops to his knees and reaches for his friend. 

Wilde’s already gone a pallid white, except for where he isn’t- except for where he’s bright red and spilling out all over the floor. 

“No,” Zolf whispers, barely registers his own voice, and he reaches for Wilde’s face. At first he thinks it’s split in half, or that his skin is peeling off, but then he sees through the blood and can make out the bone beneath the flesh, can see the gash for what it is. It pulses, still bleeding, and that means Wilde’s still alive, not dead yet– 

“Zolf, that’s enough,” Barnes says sharply. “It won’t work, he’s got the cuffs.” 

He hadn’t noticed he was doing it, the positive energy flowing out of him but bouncing right back off Wilde, doing nothing at all. 

“Fuck,” Zolf hisses, then, “fuck.” 

“Direct me,” Barnes orders, because Zolf’s the one with healing knowledge, Zolf’s the one who has to be in charge right now. 

“Shirt.” Barnes doesn’t wear armour, and his shirt is off and in Zolf’s hands instantly. Zolf presses it to the wound in Wilde’s face, applying as much pressure as he can without suffocating the poor man. It soaks through in seconds but Zolf hasn’t got anything better to use, hasn’t got anything at all because usually he can skip past all this and just help fix the problem– A hand on his shoulder, and he turns his head to see Carter with a potion. 

“Good. I’m gonna hold him still, alright? And keep applyin' pressure. You pour it down his throat. Barnes, hold his body down in case he reacts.” 

Zolf holds his hope, holds his breath, holds Wilde’s face as Carter pops the vial and carefully pours the potion into Wilde’s mouth. 

“C’mon,” Zolf whispers, his eyes flicking all over Wilde’s face, scanning for any change. Einstein had said the potions worked in Rome where magic hadn’t, but they’d never actually gotten to test it before now, had always put it off for another day, and now there might not even be another day– 

Wilde spasms in Zolf’s hands, blood gurgling from his mouth as he tries to inhale, but there’s too much fluid in the way so it comes out more as a strangled cough. The potion’s done nothing but coagulate with Wilde’s blood, dribbling down his chin and into his wound. Zolf needs to keep applying pressure, but he needs to clean the wound, and he also needs to stitch Wilde’s face back together.

“We need to get out of here,” Carter says quietly. 

“I need your shirt,” Zolf counters. There’s blood between his fingers now, and he knows that’s to be expected from a facial wound, this much blood, but it does nothing to soothe his rising anxieties. They need cleaner cloths, and more of them, but they can’t move Wilde like this and it’s a decent trek back to the inn. “I need– I-” 

“What else do you need first?” Barnes asks, and Zolf steadies his breathing, forces his eyes away from Wilde’s face. It could be anyone, he tells himself. Don’t get caught up in it being him.

“Wash your hands. Soap and water, two buckets if you can manage it. Clean cloths. Any mundane medical supplies you can find, but come back here before you go lookin. Um. Check we’re alone?” 

“We are,” Carter assures him, and then he’s gone. 

It feels like hours before he returns, but he does so with a bucket in each hand and a promising expression. He sets them both down at Zolf’s side, then immediately turns and leaves, presumably off to find medical supplies. 

“Wash your hands,” Zolf tells Barnes, and once they’re clean he gets him to hold the clothes in place so Zolf can wash his, too. 

He peels the shirt back slowly, careful not to tug at the wound as he does so. It seems, for the most part, to have stopped bleeding, and Zolf lets out a heavy sigh of relief. 

“Bucket,” he says, and Barnes slides the clean bucket over to him, moving their used one out of the way. The water’s lukewarm and soapy, and Zolf swirls the cloth around for a moment before pulling it out, wringing it dry. 

“Hold still,” he murmurs, though Wilde isn’t awake to hear him. 

The wound starts to weep again at the pressure change as Zolf runs the cloth over the bridge of Wilde’s nose, getting as close to the damage as he dares. He moves carefully, dabbing the blood away so he can see the extent of the damage. 

It’s a deep cut, running from just below his right eye, down his cheek, and slashing the corner of his mouth. It’ll need stitches and time, and even if Zolf could use his magic, it’d leave a nasty scar. 

Zolf puts the cloth back into the bucket, squeezes water through it, brings it back to Wilde’s face. It’s slow progress, so much blood all over him, the bucket turning red with it, Zolf’s fingers stained too. Can’t go any faster without risking more bleeding. No use going any faster, Carter’s not back yet with anything to stitch him up with. Zolf forces himself to take a deep breath but the smell of Wilde’s blood fills his senses and he exhales sharply, turning his head so he doesn’t blow onto Wilde’s face. 

“What can I do?” Barnes asks, his voice filling the room, and Zolf had almost forgotten he was there, that it wasn’t just him and Wilde alone. He’s about to shake his head, but Carter bursts back through the door, a tattered first aid kit in his hand. 

“Mostly potions, but there’s some mundane gear in there too,” he says, and Zolf takes it eagerly. Carter’s right- more bottles of potions than Zolf cares to count, leaving them to roll from the kit for Carter to pocket for later. Fat lotta use they are right now. 

There’s gauze, though, and cream, and- sutures and needles. His hands don’t shake as he takes them out, threading them, preparing them for Wilde. He takes another deep breath to ground himself, because despite the smell, he still needs the air. Wilde lays like a rag before him, ready as he’ll ever be.

“This is gonna hurt him,” Zolf says, his voice raw and vulnerable, cracking open and spilling out the feelings he was trying to bury. “Can you– he might lash out.” 

Barnes straddles Wilde’s legs, holding him in place, and Zolf brings the needle to the bottom of Wilde’s wound. 

“Three, two, one,” he whispers, mainly for his own benefit, and pierces Wilde’s skin. 

Zolf’s hands are steady and controlled, but that barely seems to matter as Wilde’s arm swings up, knocking into anything he can find. His eyes are wide and glassy, unfocused as he wakes, processing nothing but panic and pain. 

“Wilde, hey, yer alright,” Zolf says urgently, switching the needle to his left hand so he can cup Wilde’s face on the unharmed side, brush his thumb over his cheekbone. “Look at me.” 

His breathing is ragged, chest heaving, and his eyes dart around frantically until he finds Zolf, locks onto him. 

“I’m sorry. You’re okay, you’re gonna be okay, but– it’ll hurt, alright? Do you trust me?” 

He gets nothing but a small whimper from him, has no way of knowing that Wilde’s even heard him, let alone grasped what he’s saying, but he has to keep going. He withdraws his hand and resumes his stitching. 

Wilde cries out again, his mouth pulling the wound open wider, and there’s nothing Zolf can do to ease his pain. “I’m sorry,” he says again, and Wilde’s hand flies up to tug at Zolf’s sleeve, desperately trying to pull him off. His grip is weak, barely strong enough to even find purchase, does nothing to pull him away. 

“Stop,” Wilde begs, or tries to. The word comes out mangled, the shape of his mouth unfamiliar in this state. 

“It’s okay, you’re okay,” Zolf promises, and it’s not true yet but by his god it will be. Carter scoots in closer, gently easing Wilde’s head up and into his lap so he can hold him still. Zolf hums a thanks, unable to say anything more, and keeps stitching. 

Wilde’s delirious, ebbing in and out of consciousness and pain as Zolf makes his way up the wound, pulling it closed so it has a chance to heal on its own. The air is thick and dusty, and their equipment almost certainly isn’t sterile; it’s gonna get infected, and it’s gonna be a bitch to heal. 

But Zolf’s done all he can, utterly spent from the concentration, and Wilde seems more or less asleep by the end of it. He takes the cream from the kit and dresses Wilde’s wound. His skin blooms with the faintest tint of pink beneath the pressure of Zolf’s finger, and relief courses though his blood, sparking in his bones. Alive.

“We can move him now,” Zolf says quietly, still not looking at either Barnes nor Carter. A heavy moment of silence falls between them, then Barnes steps in. 

“We can rest here. No one will be in. Would that be best?” 

Zolf gives a shake of his head. Wilde needs comfort and decent rest. They’re gonna have to make it out of the compound eventually, and the sooner the better. It’s been cleared out now, and they have to take advantage while they can. “I can carry him. Best we just get home.”

Carter gathers the rest of the medical supplies and Barnes picks up Zolf’s glaive from where he’d dropped it to the ground in a rush to get to Wilde’s side, and carefully as he can, Zolf slides his arms under Wilde’s frame. 

He’s not a heavy man, despite his height, and Zolf’s strong. It takes nothing to secure Wilde in his arms, the uninjured side of his face resting against Zolf’s chest. He whimpers slightly at the movement, so Zolf tucks his chin over the top of Wilde’s head and holds him that much tighter. He’s not sure if it’s his own heartbeat or Wilde’s, but either way he lets the steady tha-dumb guide him from the building, back to somewhere safe.