#I've known this guy for less than a week but if anything bad happened to him. I'd point and laugh

[tondisus]

I thought I fully gave up on trying to actually learn 2d art but then I saw @rorydrawsandwrites remains au jax and his patheticity single-handedly got me back to drawing and I actually finished? My second ever animation? What is this sorcery?? (granted it's 2 seconds but hey improvement the last one was 1)

I gave him batteries. Varied diet n all that.

[trippinsorrows]

witness

authors note: this is pretty heavy, but it's necessary background and context for the next short i have finished and will post at some point.

again, minimal, limited tags, cause i've been posting way too much.

this one is also in roman’s pov.

masterlist

words: 2k

warnings: angst

In the five years that my children have been alive, I’ve had less than a year of time spent with them. Majority of that time being when they were still babies, far too young to remember anything.

To remember me.

But, regardless of that limited time spent with them then, the two weeks spent now have provided a lot. A lot of memories. A lot of one on one. A lot of bonding. I’ve “known” my kids now for only two weeks, an act of unspeakable violence brining us together but creating some of the fondest, easiest experiences I’ve had in life. Him. Her. Them. Us. It’s been….nice. An escape, to say that least. But, it’s through that time spent with them, that I’ve learned, to a certain extent how to read them.

It’s allowed me to pick up on when something is right and when something is off.

And, something is definitely off with Kaiden.

I’ve noticed it especially over the past two days. So has Solana, but it’s not like it’s something that fully baffles us, either. With what happened, what he’s been through, what they’ve both been through, how could they not be affected in some sort of capacity?

Regardless, there’s something pressing, heavy, and unspoken that settles in any interaction with Kaiden these past couple days. Something present and noticeable, wedged behind the smiles and laughter that we can evoke out of him. That Fetu and Ava can extract.

Regardless, it’s still there.

“Can you try?” Solana asks, leaning back against the counter, ready to wash the dishes used from the dinner we worked together, twins included, to prepare.

I can see it. The weight his unspoken weight has on her. I also know that she’s tried to talk with him but has mostly hit a dead wall.

Desperate. She seems desperate.

“Yeah,” I agree. Her small smile slightly comforting as she mumbles a “thank you” and moves to finish cleaning the kitchen. My gaze remains on her though, something that’s been lingering and pressing, pulling, gnawing at me ever since we landed. A discussion that, on some level, I think she also knows needs to be had. “Sola—”

“Shut up!”

“No!”

The voices of both the twins carrying from where they are upstairs is enough to have both myself and Solana already mid step on the staircase, heading directly towards their rooms.

“Take it back!”

“No! It’s true!”

Kaiden’s room is where we find them, the twins standing in front of the bed on opposite sides, Kaydence sniffling and holding onto her teddy bear. Kaiden is in front of her, his small hand formed into a tiny fist, a scowl on his face.

My scowl.

“Hey hey hey,” I move in between them, focused more on Kaiden and his clearly being angered by something, while Solana crouches down to tend to Kaydence. “What’s going on?”

“Why are you guys yelling at each other?” Solana questions, looking between the two of them. The expression on her face is all I need to see to know that this is out of character for them. The twins don’t argue.

Ever.

“He’s saying bad things, mommy,” Kaydence hiccups.

“No, I’m not,” Kaiden defends vehemently. I move to sit on the edge of the bed, reaching to turn him towards me only for him to lash out once more. “Daddy did it!”

“Don’t say that!” Kaydence shouts back. “No, he didn’t!”

“Yes, he did!”

“That’s enough,” my voice cuts through, my interest—Solana’s as well—more than piqued. “What are you guys talking about?” I have to focus on that versus the fact that something deep within me rages at hearing them refer to him as anything at all, let alone daddy. He’s not. Never was.

Never will be again.

It’s Kaydence, however, turning to Solana, tears streaming down her face and what leaves her mouth next that changes it all. “Mommy, Kaiden says daddy’s the one who hurt you.” Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. “But, he didn’t, right?" She shakes her head. "Daddy would never hurt you.”

“He did!” Kaiden snaps, but I see it. See what’s boiling beneath the surface. See the unshed tears that sit ready and needing though reluctant to fall. “He said—he said he was gonna kill her!”

“No!” Kaydence cries.

“Oh my God,” Solana gasps, hand over her mouth. It’s a heavy situation on all sides. Kaydence’s grief. Kaiden’s anger. Solana’s distress. It’s all palpable and consuming, filling the room, dancing up all of us in one way or another.

A realization that clearly both of us understand and realize has to be the cause for all of this. Kaiden saw what happened that night.

He saw that son of a bitch try to kill his mother.

Try to kill Solana.

My Solana.

“Mommy?” Kaydence heartbroken voice pulls us both from the heaviest fucking realization, reminding us that the time for shock and everything else can wait. The kids can’t. 

I honestly have no fucking clue how Solana should respond, if she should respond, or any of it. This is all new to me, but this especially is unfamiliar territory. I can navigate and finalize deals with anyone, handle myself with the best of the best, remain the last man standing regardless of who my opponent is. But, this? This….I’m at a loss.

I don’t even know where the fuck to begin.

“Y—Yes.” Despite my being at a complete loss, there’s still shock that surges through me at her most unexpected answer. I didn’t know what I expected Solana to say, but my reaction sure as hell confirms that it wasn’t that. “Yes, baby, your dad—he—”

Kaydence’s expression crumbles, her lower lip trembling, “no.”

“Baby—Kaydence!” Solana calls after her as she turns on her heel and runs out the room. Naturally, I stand and start to follow her when quiet sniffling below yanks me to a completely different task. Solana looks over her shoulder, clearly hearing it too. Her shoulders drop. “Kaiden….”

“Go,” I encourage. “I’ve got him.”

She needs to handle Kaydence. Solana looks torn but does as such, offering one last sympathetic look to Kaiden before heading out of the room to find our daughter.

Left alone with just the two of us, I don’t waste any time kneeling in front of him, ready and willing to do whatever it takes to help him, to support him, to make him feel better. Whatever he needs, I’ll fucking do.

For any of them.

“Hey buddy, talk to me.” He keeps his gaze down on the ground, clearly trying to contain his emotions. I fucking hate that shit. Not even involved in his life beyond the infant years, and somehow, someway, he got that repressing emotions shit. He got that shit from me.

My hands move to his shoulders, light, gentle, comforting squeezes. “Kaid—”

“I didn’t help her.”

The frown that’s been on my face since the minute Solana and I heard the twins arguing deepens. “What?” He doesn’t say anything, thus my gentle probing, “buddy, what do you me—”

“He was hurting mommy.” My stomach tightens. If I didn’t understand what he was saying before, I most definitely understand now. “I—I saw him, but I—I was scared, and—and —” He sniffles, the emotions clearly becoming too much for such a young child. As they would for and with anyone in his situation. “I ran to my room.” Jesus. “I didn't—I didn’t help her.”

“Kaiden—” It’s when he finally allows himself to do it. To feel. The tears tumbling out. It’s the same second I gather him in my arms, holding him, letting him just be.

“Kaiden, listen to me.” I haven’t the slightest fucking clue where it comes from. How I go from feeling completely lost and out of my element, to the words, much like his cries of sorrow, cascading out almost naturally. Like comforting him comes second nature.

Comforting my son.

“You did nothing wrong.” And the fact that he thinks he did, thinks that he somehow failed Solana by not “doing anything” fucking guts me to my goddamn core. “You went and stayed safe, and that’s exactly what your mom would have wanted you to do.”

Because there's no doubt in my mind Solana would have taken that bastard beating her 10x worse than he did if it meant Kaiden staying far away and remaining safe. God forbid he did try to "help" Sola that night.....

I can't even think about what that outcome would have looked like.

“But, he hurt her really bad,” he continues to cry, his fingers grasping at my shirt.

“I know he did.” And, I’m going to make that son of a bitch suffer 100x worse what he did to Sola. I wish I could tell him that part of it. But, I can’t. There’s only bits and pieces I can share, one in particular the thing he’s probably looking for the most. A promise. A promise of safety. “But, I promise you, he will never hurt her again.”

Nor you or your sister.

I have to quickly push that away, the memory of Solana sobbing into my chest as she told me what Cody said. His promise. His threats. Not only to kill her but them as well.

I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced such difficulty as I felt in that moment. I wanted to rip him apart with my bare fucking hands.

Still do.

Will.

Kaiden calms down just enough, pulling back as I wipe away his tears. “But—why—why did he hurt her?” He shakes his head, innocent confusion abundant. “Mommy’s the best mommy ever.”

She is. The best, period.

“I don’t know, buddy.” I hate lying to him. Lying, despite the irony of how he even came to exist, is that I hate lying in general. It’s never really been my thing. I’ve never had many reasons in my life to do so. Never had to.

Not until her.

But, I can’t. I can’t tell him the truth, because the truth is far too complicated, too heavy, too muddy for such a young child. He can’t and shouldn’t be saddled with that. Not with what he’s already been through. That bitch beat the shit out of Solana, her injuries something that almost caused her miscarriage. To lose our baby.

I can’t imagine seeing any of that in person, let alone a young child.

I hate that he’s been carrying this the past two weeks. He doesn’t deserve that.

None of them did.

“I hate him.”

Three words that have never felt so relatable. So true.

But, it’s not as simple as that. Even with my limited knowledge of children, even I know that Kaiden’s words come from a place of hurt, anger, and confusion. Perhaps some part of him does hate Rhodes and understandably so.

However, the fact of the matter remains that the bitch is still the man Kaiden—and Kaydence—have grown up knowing and calling daddy. In his eyes, that’s still his father. Someone who, prior to this, he loved wholeheartedly.

I have to ignore the aching bitterness that fills me at such a thought. This isn’t about me. It’s about my son.

My son.

“I know.” It’s all I can say. No agreement or disagreement. I don’t want my personal feelings to influence Kaiden. Again, I recognize this is a layered situation that calls for a tremendous amount of caution, and I won’t do anything to risk further traumatizing him.

Any of them.

Which is why this conversation has only solidified a decision I made as I held Solana’s hand while Michaels and his team worked to treat her injuries.

That that was the last time Cody Rhodes would ever be in the same vicinity as my Solana and my children. Consequences be damned. Gotham could burn to the fucking ground in the war that could ensue once this gets out. I don’t fucking care. I don’t care who has to die, who I have to kill. I don’t even fucking care if it costs me both or either title of Capo or Tribal Chief. I don’t care. None of that shit matters to me anymore. The only thing that matters is keeping them all safe, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

Starting with killing Cody Rhodes.

He might have been their “father” before, but he never will be ever again.

And that’s a fucking promise.

[askthelightsides]

Ok since everyone has to be truth-y, everyone say something nice about everyone else!

Everyone besides Patton: UGGHHH

Patton: Fun!

PATTON

R: He's kind...sometimes to people who don't deserve it

L: He's able to look at a person and figure out the best way they might be able to take information, like the whole puppet thing. In another life I can see where Patton would be a very effective teacher

V: He...he does it best, and if he realizes maybe he's made a mistep he always keeps trying to do better.

J: He's optimistic to a degree that defies any logic sometimes. I don't know whether I respect it or sort of pity it but regardless it's impressive. And he has a good smile.

Ro: It's one per person

J: Then I threw in the smile for free

Re: When you really freak him out his voice goes all high and he does this funny little handwavy thing

LOGAN

Ro: He's harsh sometimes...but I know it's because he wants Thomas and all of us to be at our best.

P: He's so smart and amazing!

V: He's...he's Logan. He can play emotionless all he wants but he's maybe the most caring person I know once you get past all that.

J: He's not a bad person to have a conversation with

Re: He's boring

J: There's are supposed to be positive things, buddy

Re: But he likes boring stuff, I thought that was a compliment! Oh...oh ok! He doesn't mind answering all the weird gross questions I have about random stuff.

ROMAN

Ro: Oh god...

L: Roman is incredibly talented

Ro: Wait, really?

L: So many things Thomas is known for, the videos the musicals the singing the acting...none of that would be there without Roman.

P: He's my hero! The handsomest prince in all the land!

V: I hate to have to admit it but he's funny. Even sometimes when he was making fun of me it would make me laugh.

J: Roman...hmm...Roman has an ego on him, I think nobody would question that-

Ro: This is the compliments?

J: Let me finish! But he is also capable of true selfless-ness that honestly is almost more impressive from somebody less goal oriented.

Re: He was always good at making this fun castle for me to blow up when we were kids!

Ro: Those weren't made for you to blow up!

Re: Oh...well you were good at it!

VIRGIL

P: He's grown so much and that's all him! I just feel like he can do anything

L: He's possibly the most insightful aspect there is and his voice is...incredibly soothing

J: What happened to one each?

Ro: I guess I get called the brave one a lot, but frankly he's braver than I am. I don't have all these things in my head telling me all the ways stuff can go wrong, it's easy for me to do the "brave" thing, he does it even with all of that.

J: Virgil at the end of the day wants what's best for Thomas. There

Re: He's fun to play with! But it's even more fun when he'd play back...he never does that anymore.

JANUS

Ro: Oh god...pass?

P: There's no passing!

Ro: His outfit is kinda fire, in like a Jack the Ripper way

L: He's certainly intelligent, in a cunning sort of way

P: He's a really good listener!

V: I guess he's good at figuring out what people want?

J: He makes sure I don't poison myself more than three a week.

REMUS

Ro: He has a handsome brother

L: Should that really be allowed to count? Forget it, we're almost done here. He...he's capable of coming up with scenarios I could never in a million years think of.

P: H-he...uh...he's real creative and that's nice?

V: He got me one of my spiders...I like my spiders so thanks

J: He's always coming up with new smells I've never experienced before

Re: Awww you guys are making me blush

[olderthannetfic]

I'm a known writer for my fandom. It's a very small fandom, so it doesn't really mean anything, but I got there early and built a nice little following.

I don't know what happened in the past few weeks, but I suddenly started getting a bunch of anon asks in my inbox demanding I express myself on the "issue" that is the current Palestinian situation. I've been ignoring them, blocking the anons, but they just kept fucking coming.

Under my last fic, I got a couple of guest comments accusing me of being antisemitic and a couple of guest comments accusing me of being an islamophobic colonizer. Under the same story!! How???

I had to disallow guest comments and anons, so now I keep receiving insults and demands that I express my opinion through sock puppet accounts. I don't know how many fucking times I've been so far labelled as a Zionist and an antisemite, and the last asks I've received got really over the top and violent, claiming that I'm the reason why Palestinian children are dying and I'm a privileged white woman (I'm not white and emigrated from a third world country, but ok) and I'm contributing to genocide.

And I'm so fucking tired of this internet activism! So, so fucking tired!

Because the reason why I engage with fandom is to take a step away from reality. I watch the fucking news, I spend my due time informing myself about global issues on the internet, I do discuss this shit with my IRL friends and colleagues and family members, I go to protests, and during the BLM protests I was out there helping with water and first aid.

But fandom is fucking me time. It's the time of my day when I unplug my brain and write whatever the fuck I want, reblog gif sets on Tumblr, and watch thirst traps on TikTok. I don't log into Tumblr, the site that cunts use to spread misinformation and fake Go Fund Me's and people who pretend to have written My Immortal to promote their shitty memoir, to receive or do any kind of information.

Stop looking for influencers and random people on the internet to explain to you global issues! Why the fuck are you people so into your own asses that you can't fucking understand the reason why some kid who got famous for dancing while wearing cat ears doesn't want to talk about their opinion about far more serious matters?

Everything has a place and a time, and some people realize that their audience goes to them to detach from reality, rather than being reminded of it.

"Oh, but if you don't talk about it, it means you're supporting the bad guys!" Sure! Because the fucking apartheid is build specifically on me not wanting to use my fandom blog to post pictures of dead children and raped women! Too bad that Nelson Mandela became an activist before the internet, uh? He could've solved a bunch of issues by posting a couple of Insta stories!

"Oh, you don't realize how privileged you are to be able to ignore the issue!" I'm not fucking ignoring it, I'm ignoring it in places where my opinion matters less than zero! And yes, I'm fully aware that I'm privileged to be able to ignore it, but you're disgusting because you're using it as a way to build a following on a blogging platform. Hope that posting pictures of slaughtered human bodies was really worth the 50 followers it got you, Allison!

I don't know if this makes sense. Whatever. I'm fucking pissed.

--

Sounds like a bunch of clowns in a discord somewhere decided to target you or something.

[nosecrinklewrites]

this is the thread the previous ask was about. i've always dreamt about turning my threads into proper fics. until then, i'm posting it here.

pairing: kylux

wordcount: 3473

cw: bad bdsm practices

link to original thread on twitter

---

hux owns a private bdsm club. he's older, doesn't take on subs anymore. enter kylo (new in town). he applies for a membership, gets in, wants a dom. there's a big selection, but of course it's the owner who catches his eye. hux is around most of the time, but rarely takes part in play. these days he spends his time making sure everyone is safe, that security and monitors are doing their job properly. hux runs a tight ship.

it doesn't stop kylo.

even though everyone tells him it's a fruitless endeavor, kylo tries anyway. he puts a lot of effort into his appearance, only takes part in play when he knows hux is nearby, makes it known that he's available and looking for a dom.

kylo's first victory comes when a guy tells him he got a new paddle he'd like to try out; would kylo like to help him out? kylo says yes before he's even checked if hux is around (he's always down for getting spanked). hux watches stoically from the sidelines. he catches kylo's eyes a couple of times. his face doesn't show anything, but kylo would like to think hux is impressed. kylo can take a beating and is proud of the fact; he hopes hux is too. even if hux isn't impressed, the guy with the paddle is. kylo is rewarded with grateful pets when they're done. praise doesn't do much for kylo when he doesn't know if it's genuine, but he appreciates it none the less.

hux is gone by the time paddle guy is done petting him.

his body looks fine the way it is, but kylo puts in some extra work outs. he's been told in the past that the bigger he is, the hotter it is that he submits so willingly. he doesn't know if hux feels the same, but it can't hurt to try.

patience isn't kylo's strong suit, so when nothing happens, he starts to consider other offers. just because hux doesn't pay attention to him, it doesn't mean other people don't.

his first partner is underwhelming, can't take him out of his head at all.

the second is better, but he's too timid for kylo's tastes. kylo needs someone who won't hold back. what's the point of safewords if you keep checking in anyway?

the third is ... the third one is a bad idea. kylo gets a bad vibe from the guy, but gives it a try anyway. he should have stuck with his gut. kylo safewords, but it takes a couple of times for the guy to react to it. his face is one of his hard limits. they talked about it beforehand, but the guy doesn't respect it.

going back to the club with bruises on his face isn't a great feeling; not when he has to face the people who warned him about the guy. kylo is visibly affected, but he decides to hang around anyway. if he'd quit the first time someone broke his trust, he wouldn't have lasted a week. it's not the first time and it won't be the last.

he hangs back and takes it easy for a while. kylo was sort of waiting for his bad luck to hit; it usually does. he figures the guy is it, but he should have known it would get much, much worse than that. hux decides now is the perfect time to introduce himself. or rather, that's what kylo thinks is about to happen. evidently word travels fast and hux pulls kylo aside, asks about the bruises. bruises aren't unusual, far from it, but hux's experience shows through. he can tell kylo isn't happy about them, asks how he got them, who did it. kylo doesn't like ratting people out and brushes it off, insists that these things happen.

hux disagrees.

kylo doesn't think hux is doing it on purpose, but he can't help but cower at hux's prodding. kylo blurts the name of the guy and hux catches himself at the outburst; steps back and apologises. he didn't mean to be forceful, but the club belongs to him and he's not going to sit by while members of his club assault each other. since they're alone, hux allows himself to show how rattled he is. he apologises again and explains that he's had his suspicions, but didn't want to throw the guy out without good reason. he also belatedly realises he never introduced himself and offers his hand to kylo. it's not the way kylo had hoped hux would touch him for the first time, but he's a little overwhelmed none the less; especially when hux tells him he wants to know if anything like it happens again.

kylo fights it, but he tears up a little bit, nods and promises to let hux know. kylo's luck continues to fucking suck. hux doesn't just walk away and ignore kylo being weepy. instead he asks if kylo is alright, if the encounter was worse than he lets on. teary eyed kylo has to admit it's not about the guy, but hux's attention and regard for his wellbeing. after a few moments of kylo sniffling, yet pretending he's not and generally being pretty fucking pathetic, hux says, "he didn't take proper care of you, did he?"

hux is blocking the only exit and kylo is about to have a full on meltdown. he blubbers something about being fine - he's perfectly fine! really! but hux isn't an idiot. he tells kylo he'd like to help, in any way that he can. how can kylo say no to that? so, he finds himself being led down a corridor and through a door with an "employees only" sign. hux takes him to his office. his own personal, private office. it has a sign on the door AND the desk, with his name on it. he offers kylo his desk chair, not the one in front of it. the leather squeaks as kylo sits down. hux hands him a tissue from one of the drawers and sits on the desk, waits patiently for kylo to clean up. kylo feels incredibly pathetic. he's a grown man, he's been punched in the face numerous times, this isn't any different.

"what can i do?" hux asks softly. kylo insists that this is fine, he doesn't need anything, but hux isn't so easily fooled. "what do you like to do to come down? what helps you?" kylo shrugs and is generally useless, so hux starts from the top; lists everything he can think of. when hux mentions kneeling, kylo makes an involuntary sound. hux smiles a little, says, "yeah? i'm afraid i'm a bit out of practice, but i'd be happy to have you kneel for me. if you want."

kylo is out of his seat and on his knees before hux is done talking. the desk is not ideal, hux is sitting much too high up. kylo rests his face against hux's knees, holds his calves in his hands. his posture is terrible, it can't be pleasing to look at, but kylo doesn't care. hux's slacks are silky soft in his hands and he can finally breathe.

"that bad, huh?" hux says and asks if he can touch him. kylo nods against his knees, and hux gently puts a hand on the crown of kylo's head. kylo is instantly reminded why the bad experiences are worth it. he'd happily be bruised for the rest of his days if it meant he got to have this. hux isn't doing much, just moving his fingers a bit, but kylo can feel him all around. hux's presence is tangible in the room, all around kylo's body. hux feels larger than life.

"i will never understand why people mistreat subs," hux says softly, mostly to himself. "even brats are sweet as can be when you know what makes them tick." kylo makes a low sound to convey that he's listening. hux runs his fingers through the front of kylo's hair. "are you a brat, kylo?" he hums.

kylo doesn't want to, but he raises his head, blinks up at hux. "no, sir," he mutters and hides his face again. hux laughs, but kylo can't tell which part he's laughing at. kylo isn't well behaved, but he doesn't consider himself a brat. hux lets him kneel in silence for a while.

"we can move, if you'd like? there's a sofa," he eventually says and gestures over his shoulder.

kylo thinks it over, asks, "what are we gonna do on the sofa?"

"what would you like to do?"

it feels like a trap. no dom has ever given kylo what he wanted just because he asked for it. "do i have to crawl there?"

once again, hux turns it around, "would you like to?"

kylo shakes his head. "the floor's too hard; my knees aren't that great."

"we'll walk, then," hux says easily and reaches down, hands moving to kylo's armpits. (for a wild second, kylo thinks hux will attempt to pick him up like a toddler.) hux makes kylo lean back, away from his legs, and makes him sit upright; offers his hands. kylo's brain doesn't quite compute, so they hold hands for a second, while kylo just blinks up at him.

at least hux finds it amusing rather than irritating. he smiles and says, "up you go, big boy, come on," and pulls gently. the sofa is both exciting and terrifying. kylo isn't quite sure he's clear headed enough to make decisions. he feels sluggish, both because of the crying and the unexpected proximity to hux.

at least hux seems to know what he's doing. kylo has a hard time keeping his head up, so hux cups his face, strokes his cheeks. "would you like to lie on my lap?" he asks.

kylo glances to the sofa and back. he hadn't planned on getting spanked today, but if that's what hux wants.

he nods and waits while hux sits down. hux pats his lap and kylo lies down. hux sits too close to the armrest for kylo to comfortably lie down, but he tries anyway. he's barely settled before hux exclaims, "oh, no, no, darling, no – i meant your head. i want your head on my lap."

kylo frowns over his shoulder, "what?"

hux tries to make kylo turn over, move down the sofa, but physically moving kylo isn't easily done. "lie down, please?"

kylo reluctantly moves, still not understanding what is happening. "do you want my mouth?" hux sighs and cups kylo's face again. "kylo, i'm not asking for sex. i would like for you to lie down, put your head on my thigh and let me pet you for a bit. would that be alright?"

it's a weird thing to ask for when they haven't fucked or anything, but kylo complies anyway. as he lies there and tries to get comfortable, it strikes him just how big the sofa is. hux must have bought it big enough for him to nap comfortably. he looks at the ceiling for half a second before he decides he hates it and rolls over, smushes his face into hux's belly instead.

hux waits until he's sure kylo has stopped moving. "are you done?" he asks, amusement clear in his voice.

"sorry," he muffles into hux's shirt.

"it's alright," hux replies. "you're just a bit big to be a lap dog, is all."

kylo can feel his stupid ears turn red. hux brushes his hair back behind his ear, runs the pad of his finger along the shell of it. it feels hot like burning when hux's chill fingers touch it. thankfully, he quickly moves on and pets kylo hair instead, like he said he would.

it takes kylo an embarrassing amount of time to relax properly. he can't help but be hyper aware of hux's dick being right under his head. it would be so easy for himself or hux to turn his head down.

the repetitive movement of hux stroking his hair is eventually enough for kylo to relax. hux's clothes smell really good, the room is quiet, hux isn't asking him to do anything – kylo almost dozes for a bit.

"god, i missed this," hux whispers. maybe he thinks kylo's asleep or maybe he doesn't care that he hears it. it makes kylo's chest hurt a little, he can hear how heartfelt it is. he didn't give much thought as to why hux doesn't have subs anymore; figured he just didn't want to.

"missed what?" kylo carefully whispers back.

hux's hand stops moving for a second, before going back to petting kylo. "taking care of someone," he says softly.

"you mean you've done this before? the--" kylo gestures to his hair and the desk.

"of course," hux smiles and strokes kylo's cheek with the back of his fingers. "i take care of what's mine."

"what about sex?"

"what about it?"

"do you do that before or after the ... the 'taking care of'?"

hux furrows his brows. "i always do it after sex, but i like to do it without sex being involved at all, too."

kylo doesn't understand, exactly, but he keeps his mouth shut. bdsm is a sex thing; it always comes back to sex.

hux runs his thumb along the bruise on kylo's cheekbone, applies pressure until it hurts and kylo flinches. kylo glances up at him. "who told you it has to hurt?"

"it's sort of implied, isn't it?"

hux puts his head in his hand, breathes slowly and deeply for a moment. "explain."

"i mean," kylo says, bites his lip, tries to get his words in order. "spanking always hurts. getting tied up pinches and hurts, too. i guess kneeling doesn't have to hurt, but i've got bad knees, so it does for me."

a vein starts to pulse in hux's temple and kylo stops talking. it's unnerving that hux isn't looking at him when he speaks.

"do you like when it hurts? does it bring you pleasure?"

kylo doesn't know how to answer that. it's not about the sub, is it? the doms do what they enjoy and the subs are just along for the ride, aren't they?

hux lowers his hand and looks at kylo. "i'll take your silence as a no."

"i like getting spanked?" kylo tries.

"we all do, sweetheart. doesn't mean you're a masochist."

kylo feels very stupid and very small and not very good at all. he tucks his face back into hux's belly. hux cups the back of his head and lets him stay there. kylo doesn't understand why hux is so patient. kylo loves these in between moments during play, when he gets to kneel or be petted or just lie on his dom for little bit, but no one has ever let him do it for this long before. and hux said he didn't want sex! the whole thing is very confusing. everyone he's talked to says that hux is an amazing dom and has so much experience with bdsm - but this isn't bdsm at all! he's just petting and holding kylo! maybe it's a weird kind of bdsm kylo doesn't know?

"kylo, i ... this is wildy inappropriate and i apologise, but i would like to ask you to cease looking for a dom," hux says. "i don't think it's safe."

startled, kylo peeks up at him, "why?"

"please don't take this the wrong way, but you don't know what you're doing. there's nothing wrong with that, we all have to start somewhere, but i can't vouch for every single dom in my club. you need someone experienced, someone to guide you," he says softly. "you being as submissive as you are, i don't want anyone to take advantage of that and hurt you," once again, he brushes the bruise on kylo's cheek, "not more than you already have been."

one of the buttons of hux's dress shirt is right at eye level and kylo pulls on it, pops it out of the button hole. "maybe you could do it," he says quietly. "be my dom."

hux's mouth turns down a little. "it's been a long time for me. i'm not sure i'm the right person anymore."

"what if i want you anyway?" kylo asks. he gets a couple of fingers inside hux's shirt, before hux stops him and pulls them back out.

"i'm a busy man, kylo."

kylo reaches for the next button on hux's shirt, pulls it open. "what if i'm really quiet?" he puts his nose through the opening in the shirt, nuzzles against the soft skin of hux's belly. "i'll just be in your office, waiting for you. you don't even have to pay attention to me."

hux threads his fingers through kylo's hair, tugs gently. "that's not even a little bit true," he laughs. "you need attention like breathing. don't think i haven't noticed you before, kylo. you're a loud and demanding little thing, aren't you? greedy." the tone of hux's voice; he says 'greedy' like other people say 'beautiful'.

kylo salivates. "please? i'll make it worth it," he begs, nips at hux's skin.

"you're making it really hard to say no, you know," hux groans, but doesn't do anything to stop what kylo is doing. hux sinks deeper into his seat, makes more room for kylo. he keeps petting his hair, but complains about kylo's manners. "you've had doms before, haven't you? why didn't any of them teach you how to behave?"

"many have tried," kylo says, embarrassed, "but i'm not good at following instructions."

"problems with authority?" hux guesses.

kylo sits up instead of replying, dislodges hux's hand. he opens more buttons and pulls the shirt tails out of hux's slacks. "being disciplined doesn't work very well with you, does it?"

hux is still wearing his jacket, so kylo can't do much. he pulls hux's shirt open and pauses.

"you're pierced."

"i am," hux says simply, eyes still on kylo's face. "no one's ever tried to understand you, have they?"

"what's there to understand?" kylo asks absently and touches one of the nipple piercings. "a sub's a sub."

"what? no! kylo, what the--" hux takes a deep breath, calms down before he goes on. "i thought archie might be an option for you, but holy-- this is way above his paygrade."

kylo pouts, "did i say something wrong?"

"no, honey, no, it's not your fault," hux assures him (and pulls kylo's fingers away from his nipples, puts them on kylo's lap).

"who's archie?"

"cardinal. he's been talking about you for months."

"good things?"

hux smooths the hair off of kylo's forehead. "very good," he smiles. "he asked me for advice. he's been subbing for a long time, but he's a switch and wanted to get back into being a dom. he asked about you, but i don't know you, so i recommended some i do know."

"i didn't know you did that kind of thing," kylo mutters.

hux nods, holds kylo's fidgeting hands. "i like being involved. i know almost everyone here. i approve all the memberships myself."

"is that why you don't want a sub?"

hux looks pinched for a moment. "it's not that i don't want one, but i don't think it's fair to them. i would feel awful taking on a sub, knowing i might neglect them because of my work."

kylo's pout deepens. he really wanted it to be hux. kylo thought hux was one of those cold, severe doms who knows what they want and won't settle for anything less than perfection. kylo is very much into that, but now that he has spoken to him, hux is not like that at all! he's everything kylo didn't know he wanted.

hux nudges his chin and kylo looks up. "you'll find someone. i promise. i'll keep my eye out, if you want? help you look."

"but i want you."

”kylo.”

"i know," kylo says hastily. "i know you're busy, but whatever time you have, i'll take it. please?"

hux sighs again, runs his fingers through his hair, makes an attempt to button his shirt. "it's really not a lot. i'm here late, almost every night."

kylo takes over, buttons the shirt for him. "i'll find a hobby, it's ok."

"alright," hux chuckles and sits up. "on one condition."

kylo perks up, but forces the hopeful feeling in his chest down. "anything."

"if you feel neglected, you tell me, and i'll do what i can to find someone else for you."

the moment stretches between them until kylo whispers, "what are you saying?"

hux takes kylo's hand where it rests on his thigh, brings it to his lips, and kisses kylo's knuckles. he smiles softly and winks, "you got yourself a dom, sweetheart."

[thefemcelthatdeservesbetter]

Um i haven't been on tumblr in so long

Summer has been going fine... I think. I felt a lot better because i had fun thrifting... After going on a small vacation trip I've been just staying at home doing nothing.

I was at the mall once, as i walked by a guy i noticed he smiled, looking at me. I wasn't quick to react so i only smiled back for a second.. i felt so insane my heart was beating so fast but yeah.. Later on i realized he didn't smile at me he just happened to look at me while laughing with his friend. Ugh. But it's fine.

I think that buying clothes makes me a bit happy, i feel like they could maybe make up for my lack of attractiveness. I don't want to consider myself a loser or an incel anymore even if it means becoming what i hate about girls my age. If i become a bitch will i fit in???

I thought maybe the only reason i feel bad sometimes is because I'm lonely, kinda?? If i had friends to hang out with i wouldn't care about the way I'd look, I'd just have fun. My bestfriend's never available and I'm starting to feel like she doesn't like me anymore. We never text, barely once a week or less. I know I'm super boring but i can have conversations sometimes. But it's she doesn't even want to. I know she has other friends and she texts them all the time probably. I don't know how to be funny, I don't know how to be interesting. Especially over text ... Because when you're with your friend irl, you're stuck with them, if you don't wanna get bored, you HAVE to talk. Since they'd be fine with anything to be kept entertained, i can just yap about some show i watched or food i ate.

However when you're texting they can just ghost you or leave you on seen... Every time i send her a reel she doesn't even text me back but just emoji reacts to it, with the same stupid meat emoji. I wonder if she even watches them. I mean.. the least she could do is give her opinion on it??? I don't know..

I feel like we're so different. She texts that dude she used to like (who is the same dude that was ashamed to be my "friend") and when i realized that, i was like oh ok. He initially was MY friend, not even a friend, a classmate. I'm not saying that in a "ohh im so jealous he's MY friend not HERS!!!!" way. I'm clarifying that because it sounds like it. I'm jealous, yeah but not about him specifically. It's just that, I've known him for longer than her, they don't even go to the same school, they're not even SUPPOSED to know each other. He didn't text me once this summer even though we're "friends", oh yeah right, except for when he wanted to know my results on final exams. While he texts HER , probably everyday. Just like how he snaps girls in my class. I'm not jealous, like jealous, I'm just confused on why am i the only one treated differently.

I don't know if it's because of how i look or if I genuinely act like a retard. Am i not fun???? Am i boring??? Am i not girly enough??? Am i not enough of a teenager?? Is it my body? The way i talk? I'd like to understand why. I'd like to know what they have that i don't.

My best friend has mental illnesses, she says she feels empty and depressing stuff like that. When I'm normal, I'm psychologically healthy. People usually mock people that are mentally ill but oh it's TOTALLY fine because she's "hot". She's "a baddie" so she can be fixed. I'm not jealous, just envious that they have a different treatment. I'm not thinking "they don't deserve it" but just why not me too.

I keep asking myself what about me i have to change to be like them. Am i not mature enough?? Do i not look mature enough? Am i too much if a kid??? I want to be the "omg i wanna be her friend so bad" girl and not the "ah that's the retarded weirdo of the class". Why are teenagers complicated like that?? I wish i was more confident. I think that it influences the way people treat me too, my lack of self esteem and affirmation makes them feel superior.

I'm so nervous about back to school. I'm finally entering highschool and uhh I don't know how to feel about it. I don't want to. I'm worried of standing out tok much, I'm worried of not standing out enough. I want to be noticed, just not in the wrong way. I don't wanna be a stuoid loser anymore. I want to weak make up too and dress pretty and do everything other girls do. I want my highschool years to be just like in movies. I wanna make girl friends who i can talk about girl stuff with. I want friends who will hang out with me all the time, and throw slumber parties with them. That's lowkey so unrealistic but i still hope for it a little. I'm afraid it'll actually be the worst years of my life.

I need to put on weight and buy some makeup. I don't think i even care about boys anymore. I just want to fit in and have friends. Boys at my school are so lame, that's why I don't have a boyfriend. I don't need one, I'm super young.

[dollsonmain]

Trying to get a protein shake down because I can't tell if this wobbliness is literally "I am Dying", or if it's just "I'm starving because I can't eat." It's going down ok even though I really don't like this stuff. It's pea-based and it tastes like it. It's chewy.

-

My temp's dropped back down in to too-low territory but that's my normal, so that doesn't really mean anything.

-

I should have known That Guy wouldn't be giving up his share in his late father's house. I THOUGHT he'd decided to sign it all off to his sister, but no. They're selling it right now and plan to split it 50/50 which makes sense, like, I'm not saying that's the wrong answer. It probably will sell pretty high despite being derelict, just because It's a property in Philadelphia.

Either way I got pissed at him yesterday because he came home to me still VERY sick and demanded I scan a whole packet of papers for him.

The only reason I didn't tell him to do it himself is that I have ponies pending rehairs ON the scanner, and he doesn't know how to use to scanner. There are like 10 buttons to push for every scan and it's tied to a different power strip than anything else which has to be turned on. I set it up that way because otherwise the scanner squeals constantly.

It was less draining to do it myself than to try to show him how and listen to him mantrum his way through the process.

But I am also annoyed that he insisted on using MY email to send that information so now I'M getting all of the group-emails about the sale of the house and it's not my house nor am I getting any of the money from it's sale. There is literally no reason for any of that to be going to my email.

Also what's going to happen if I get so sick I have to go to hospital for a while? He'll be in my hospital room hounding me for my PC password I bet.

I really should set him up with a proton mail or something. He HAS other email accounts, he just refuses to use them.

-

Might have a bead on the cause of the bad smell. It miiiiight be the cleaning cloths. Since I've been sick, no one's been doing any of the stuff I normally do, and that includes washing the cleaning cloths that I'd used two weeks ago. It's possible they're rank.

I'm so very tired but I'm going to try to get those washed and see if that makes any difference.

(just finished protein shake.... feels bad)

Then I might crawl back into bed for a while and see about getting a shower and washing the sheets later.

[kakusu-shipping]

For the OTP au ramble me and greed or me and sanji!!!!! (Or both even!!! Either would be exciting!!~ :3)

Logically I know Greed better because I've known of him longer and you've seen more of his show than Sanji.. but I'm doing Sanji anyway because he's my Blorbo-in-law and I love him

Ask from here (still open to Moots)

Coffee Shop AU - Cafe worker Sanji and regular Zayne makes the most sense to me, I imagine he's working under Zeff in this modern style relaxed AU. You drop by on your way to collage to get a baked good for breakfast, chat him up, and walk on. He is hopelessly pinning over your oblivious ass.

Highschool AU - Bad Boy Zayne, Straight A Sanji!!!! Nerd Sanji!!! Sanji with glasses!! Sanji who knows exactly what he wants to be when he graduates and won't let anything get in his way!! Until he's forced to tutor Punk Zayne in math.... Aah so cool <3

Rivals to Lovers AU - Less literal fist fight rivalry and more... Professional Chefs who are in constant competition, on interviews playfully bashing eachother, or duking it out on cooking shows. Or maybe even just rival restaurateurs. Your shops just happen to be across the street from eachother so you're constantly fighting for customers.

Enemies to Lovers AU - Nooo this one's haaaard it'd have to be a Friends to Enemies to Lovers or I couldn't handle it!! Zayne corruption arc post leaving Sanji when they were kids, he was captured by bad pirates or tricked or something and becomes a big main villain for one of the seasons so Sanji has to reach out to you and remind you of the good times to get you back!

Soulmate AU - Sanji seems the hopeless romantic type, daydreaming about a beautiful soulmate who'd come whisk him off his feet and carry them off into the sunset. This during Jaded Zayne arc of not being super into the idea of romance, marriage, sex, etc would be very funny to me. He just goes on and on with rants of his future love and you are NOT listening dskjfkdsjgf

Single Parent AU - SINGLE DAD SANJI!!!!! Divorced Sanji specifically his wife is alive and they get along fine it just didn't work out. I think he'd have the CUTEST baby girl to ever live. Bright blond hair big blue eyes. Maybe Kindergarten teacher Zayne... Aaaa that's so cute <3

Doctor AU - Scrappy Zayne, Doctor Sanji who's so fucking tired of this dude coming in with a broken nose and a twisted ankle and a busted jaw every few weeks. He's so jaded, he just assumes you're some bar fight guy, until he's walking home late and comes across you standing up for some girl who was getting harassed by a drunk and taking a hit for her. Take you home, patch you up <3

Bodyguard AU - Aaaah you both have such Princely energy it's hard to put one of you as the Guard for the other... But I put you in a lot of the fighter roles so far so it's your turn to be protected! Bodyguard Sanji, but more like... Black Butler style. He's also your chef and helps you dress in the morning and brings you your tea. He's the ultimate right hand man.

The last two are both canon to your S/I so we'll leave it at that

[cuban-feminist-that-gives-a-hoot]

Persona 3 Reload *SPOILERS*

So, I've let this sit for two weeks now and I think it's time for me to finally dish my thoughts. There will be spoilers for those that either haven't finished Reload or those who haven't played any version of Persona 3 at all. If you haven't done either one, I highly recommend you stop reading and go finish it *now*. This is your only warning at this point.

Have you finished it? OK, good. Let's get started.

Persona 3 Reload is a really, really good game. It makes what was once old new again and playing through P3R gave me the same strong feelings I had back when I first played Persona 3 FES. It was like meeting an old friend again after they got themselves both a makeover and nearly 20 years passed between the last time you saw them in person.

Let me get my nitpicky stuff out of the way before I heap the praise it deserves.

I straight-up did not like them taking away school club choice from us. How dare they?! I wanted to do Kendo and Photography like I did in FES, yet I was stuck with Track and Art? If I had to be stuck with a culture club, music should've been the canon club of choice. Our protagonist literally wears headphones all the time! You can't show me the music room at least thrice and tease me with us seeing it, yet not joining the club.

I hate the name change for Operation Babe Hunt. What's wrong with calling it Operation Babe Hunt? The name was fine! It was the creepy behavior of the boys and the transmisogyny that was the problem in it in the original, not the name!

The AI programming is shit. Look, a majority of folks bitching about not being able to control the characters in the original game and FES are being whiny babies that don't know how to use the tactics menu. It's a nitpick because I know that the game has decidedly gone for direct control, but honestly? I would've loved the sophisticated AI that Persona 3 and 3 FES used to be utilized.

Folks bitching about the High-Cut Bikini honestly just need to calm the fuck down. You don't have to use it if you don't want to. Whatever happened to the "Don't like? Don't use!" mindset? You're not being forced by evoker-point to use it.

The music is a downgrade. Lotus Juice is fine as always, but the new singer had a tough job to take over for Yumi Kawamura and fucking failed. The new songs that Yumi never sang are fine, but the new versions of the original songs? Oof. It is bad. Mass Destruction was whack and the less said about her version of Kimi no Kioku, the better.

So, yeah, those are my main nitpicks. Now onto the praise.

The voice acting is top-tier. And I need to put it in a second post because it would be too long. Just know that the English dub is fantastic and no one misses in it at all.

The extra scenes and hangouts we get with the boys are perfect. It fleshes out the guys in ways I wouldn't have expected. For example, I never knew Akihiko was adopted and has parents until Reload put that in there. Do you want to know where that information was originally known? In an artbook and a drama CD! Thank you, Reload, for giving us this vital information I never knew about.

The animation where there's a fusion accident is the funniest fucking thing they've added to the game. I love it, it's hilarious.

They made Shinjiro's death even sadder than the original. For those who have not played the original/FES, Shinjiro has enough strength to walk off before dropping dead under a streetlight. It was a more surreal, trippy moment for his death than anything else because of the art direction in the original/FES. In Reload? They went with what was shown in the movies, with Shinjiro dying in Akihiko's arms. If I had a nickel for every time the edgier of the two men in the ship die in the other's arms, it'd be two nickels. It's not a lot, but it's weird that it's happened twice now. Not to mention the link episodes with Shinjiro are killer. You actually get to see how Shinjiro would look in his school uniform and, fuck, seeing baby Shinjiro, Mitsuru, and Akihiko together is just... it breaks the heart. And that conversation with Mitsuru the day after when you go in Shinjiro's room? Fucking ow! Way to break my heart, Shinjiro.

I'm glad that you *can* save Chidori's life. My Junpei/Chidori heart is so happy about that. And Junpei's second theurgy? Heartbreakingly beautiful, whether Chidori lives or dies.

I am so glad the game allows us to ask why Takaya doesn't wear a shirt. Strega's motivations have always been clear to me from day one. But Takaya, why the fuck do you not wear a shirt?

But yeah, those are my thoughts. It's a good remake. If you're not certain it's for you, try it out on GamePass. Otherwise? Buy it, you won't regret it.

[scrapyardboyfriends]

I honestly think out of the main British soaps (Eastenders, Hollyoaks, Emmerdale, and Coronation Street), Emmerdale may be the worst out of the lot rn. I feel like the other three soaps have AT LEAST one or two storylines that are kind of interesting and keep people watching, but Emmerdale just doesn't have anything! It's so boring. I watched the national television awards and even with the brief snippet they showed of Emmerdale, it looked like the most basic and boring soap out of them all. Not to mention that Emmerdale's ratings have lowered and the buzz around the show is poor compared to the other soaps, even Hollyoaks which has always been the underdog. I've lost so much interest in the show, I've basically stopped watching. They really need a huge overhaul. I just hope they're starting to realize that a big change needs to be made. I think the best way to do this would be to completely start fresh with new showrunners. Eastenders had a huge overhaul and even though the show is not my fave, they've done a good job at starting fresh and creating buzz for the show again.

I'm glad they didn't win anything at the NTAs last night. They certainly didn't deserve it. I feel like they're just floundering right now. They really do need a complete overhaul with someone coming in with a fresh vision and plan for how to rehabilitate the show.

I haven't watched in over three weeks now. I mean that's also cause I kind of fell down a Red White and Royal Blue rabbit hole and suddenly had new tabs to refresh but also because the show is garbage and there's really not a single storyline that I read about that makes me want to actually watch.

I have zero interest in this Lydia story because I just don't think it should be happening in the first place. It's bad enough that it's yet another rape story but it's that on top of her being basically off screen for months and then coming back not only to this but to revisiting the whole stillborn baby plot too. It feels like they're just stuck with all of these characters and only know how to give them one story and so they just continually go back to that well and pile on more misery and it's exhausting.

I'm annoyed with what they're doing with Gabby. All they do is have her throw herself at unavailable men. At some point, maybe it would be nice if a guy actually liked her back. Radical thought. Maybe her character could actually grow?!? Not to mention, her continued hatred of Nicky and trying to screw him over is just boring. Everyone else has moved on. It's not like he wasn't being manipulated into it all anyway. I wish they'd just had them become friends.

Anything with random plot gangsters is a no go for me. The fact that it also involves Nate is just doubly bad.

I truly could not care less about Amelia.

I know the Cathy actress needed a break for exams or whatever so they shipped her off in the middle of her story but the fact that they're bringing her back just to finally give her the diagnosis we've all known about for months and she knew she had already is just silly. I'd rather have her learning to adjust rather than lashing out over a diagnosis.

I might watch some of the stunt week just to see Chloe die if that actually happens. But I just could not care less about that love triangle. It's so tedious and boring and none of these people work together and I wish they'd just let everyone move the fuck on.

I can't believe they're going back to the David and Victoria well for his exit. They truly have nothing to do with these characters. It's just sad.

I think the only thing right now that might get me to watch again is if they actually brought Amit in for Jai and Suni. The fact that they killed Rishi off and then the whole story seemed to just die with him is so wild to me. I have to assume that it's going to come back but it's just so dumb that Jai spent his last weeks with Rishi hating him for this lie and then turned around and decided he would just continue the lie with Suni. It's kind of ridiculous. And while I feel like it all has to come up again and they have to bring in Amit eventually, I could equally see it being forgotten about entirely because these people suck that much.

So yeah...they really have a whole lot of work to do.

[misty-groves]

OC scene pt.2

Lily approaches the group after last night's introduction as if she's known each one of them her whole life. Unbothered by the stares they all revieve.

"Morning boys." She greets, sitting down beside Lloyd with her tray in hand.

"Morning, sparkles." Kai greets back on reflex.

"Uh- hey Lily." Jay manages, looking to Lloyd and Cole in confusion at the woman's behavior.

"How's your restaurant going?" Kai asks.

"Restaurant?" Cole asks.

"Mhm, I run the Waterlily diner in jumanakai." She says with a wave of her hand, "Don't worry too much about it."

"That's a concerning sentence." Jay says, eyes wide as he stares at her. "Why woukd there be a reason to worry? What-"

"Guys, Lily's restaurant isn't bad." Kai says, "I still want an explanation on this, Lily."

"What part?"

"The powers, you being here, where the Anna is- all of it."

Lily sighs, her eyes scanning the group. She seems to be thinking, though the silence that is over the group is anything but fun and comfortable.

"Anna is staying home with Max."

"Max? Do you have a- kid?"

"No. Well- sorta... Max was in the comic shop when you used that magic tea? Anyways their still young. I wasn't letting them follow."

"Oh. I'd always wondered what happened to them." Lloyd admits quietly.

"Max works with us." Lily shrugs, "As for the powers I was instructions not to tell anyone."

"I bet Anna knows." Kai says with a glare into his cup.

"Only becuase I caught her using her own."

"What?"

"I'll explain that one when this is all over. I'm here because of you, Kai. This whole thing reeks of trouble."

"So why are you here?" Cole asks, obviously not following.

"The more help you have the less fucked you are. Kai, even after last time- I'm not just leaving you to get hurt."

Kai looks away, shame bubbling from his stomach. He's not proud of last time- words still burn his mind when he remembers.

The blowout fight had been the gossip of the two for weeks.

"Well... Thanks."

"Just promise you'll try not to run in without thinking." She pleads gently, "I'm only so capeable."

Kai softens just a little, for better or worse he's probably always going to have a soft spot for Lily. "I'll decide."

"Oh, I know you will hot shot."

"So... do you have like- nature powers or something?" Kai asks, leaning back.

"Hm- no. I've got the element of magic, which has more restrictions than you'd think."

"Bummer."

"Magic?" Cole asks, "Do you glow?"

"When I want to."

"Huh."

"You're all missing the point. We need to figure out what to about this whole mess." Lily says, waving her hand to emphasize.

"She's right." Kai says, "Are we still planning to use teamwork? Like, how does that work?"

"We're all fucked." Lily mutters.

[howlingday]

And I'm gonna save this ship!

---------------------------------------------------

Ren: And you're sure you want to go on this mission?

Jaune: It'll give me time to think about what to do next. Or maybe it'll distract me enough to not worry about it.

Ren: If you want, Jaune, I can ask Nora to-

Jaune: Ren, don't. You and Nora have two kids, and adding a fully grown one isn't going to make anyone feel better.

Ren: I never implied it would. I'm simply offering my home to the man who made it possible for me to have a home to begin with.

Jaune: I... I appreciate that, Ren, but I think I need to get things figured out.

Ren: ...You're hoping Weiss takes you back, aren't you?

Jaune: I... Maybe? She said some pretty awful things, Ren, I mean, I didn't exactly say anything nice, either, but-

Ren: You had a fight, Jaune. It's happened to all of us. Even Nora and I have our disagreements.

Jaune: Yeah, but you guys are perfect for each other. You guys literally grew up together.

Ren: And you and Weiss didn't spend any time together?

Jaune: ...

Ren: ...Let's focus on the mission. It'll be a long three weeks.

Jaune: Heh. I guess this is our first guy's night out in a while, huh?

Ren: Please don't break out the family photos this time...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ruby: Weiss? ...Weeeiss~?! (Pulls out key) Weiss, I'm using the key you gave me in case of an emergency! (Puts in) And this time, it's actually an emergency! Kinda... (Opens) Weiss?

Crick!

Ruby: (Notices broken glass) Weiss? (Crescent Rose wielded) Weiss? (Gasps) WEISS!

Weiss: Ruby... I fucked up...

Ruby: WEISS! (Checks her) Are you hurt? Who did this to you?!

Weiss: Ruby...

Ruby: You're covered in blood, but I don't see any wounds. Are they still in the room with you?!

Weiss: Ruby...

Ruby: Hang on, Bestie! I'll get Jaune and he'll-

Weiss: RUBY! (Shoves away) Fuck off!

Ruby: Huh?

Weiss: I'm... I'm not hurt. I'm just... I'm only a little drunk...

Ruby: But... the blood-

Weiss: It's WINE, Ruby... Wine and fine and dine and... and... and wine.

Ruby: But... I thought you hated drinking.

Weiss: I also hate Jaune! (Sniffles) Jaune...

Ruby: Did... Did you guys have a fight?

Weiss: We... He... We... Hrk!

Ruby: Oh no! (Carries Weiss) Keep it in until the toilet! KEEP IT IN UNTIL THE TOILET!

..................................................

Ruby: So, you and Jaune broke up because lien got bad?

Weiss: That's not really the issue, but yes, our income did play a role in our tete-a-tete.

Ruby: Your what?

Weiss: Our fight. He decided to take that long mission in my place, against our agreement.

Ruby: But... aren't you still healing?

Weiss: I'm fine.

Ruby: The doctor said-

Weiss: I'M FINE.

Ruby: ...But you're not. You had to stay off of missions for at least a week for your leg to heal.

Weiss: Well, my rent can't afford another week. And Jaune had already been on two missions, so I had to-

Ruby: Wait. If Jaune is going on that mission, doesn't that mean you should be relaxing?

Weiss: I don't relax. I am Weiss Schnee, and I-

Ruby: Drink until you're a mess on the floor?

Weiss: ...

Ruby: It's okay to ask for help, Weiss. I'd be more than happy to-

Weiss: No. I don't need yours or anyone else's help.

Ruby: Weiss...

Ruby: That's so dumb.

Weiss: Excuse me?

Ruby: For as long as I've known you, you've always needed help! You needed help at Beacon. You needed help at Haven. You needed help at Atlas. Heck, you needed help just ten minutes ago!

Ruby: And it's okay to ask for help. It's not like anyone is going to think less of you if you do.

Weiss: ...Except me. I'm always going to think less of myself if I do.

Ruby: Okay, that's... a lot more complicated than what I was expecting.

Weiss: Because this is the real world, Ruby. I have bills to pay, mouths- Er, one mouth to feed now, and no amount of charity is going to change the fact that I couldn't keep my family together.

Ruby: Your family... of you and Jaune?

Weiss: ...

Ruby: Oh... Oh, this is...

Weiss: More complicated than you thought?

Ruby: WAAAY more complicated. This is a boba situation.

Weiss: Oh, right, you and your sister's code.

Ruby: You wanna use it? I won't charge you anything!

Weiss: Another charity?

Ruby: More like... a gift. From your bestest bestie better than the restie~!

Weiss: I'm not calling you that.

Weiss: But... I think I will come up with something similar to boba, thanks.

Ruby: How about... uh... Honestly, all I can see is broken glass on the floor.

Weiss: Hm...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ren: So... Have you thought about it?

Jaune: I haven't stopped thinking about it.

Ren: Did you come up with a plan?

Jaune: I'll give Saph a call. I hope she doesn't mind me taking the guest room again.

Ren: She hasn't before, right?

Jaune: No, but... I was thinking about what Weiss said. I know Saph is always going to be there for me, but I shouldn't be relying on her so much. If I can't eat, then I'll just go hungry.

Ren: Or you can ask Nora and I. We have plenty of leftovers.

Jaune: Yeah, but your kids-

Ren: Shouldn't be foraging the fridge like raccoons past their bedtime.

Jaune: Heh heh... Who do you think they got that from?

Ren: I hope you're not impying my wife taught them how.

Jaune: Oh, of course not, Ren! Especially since I don't need to imply anything when she told me herself.

Ren: Heh heh heh... That does sound like her. And speaking women in our lives.

Jaune: Ren, I appreciate it, but I'm fine. I'll... I'll talk to Weiss and see if we can salvage what little of our friendship might be left. I still love her, but if she doesn't want, or in her words, "need" me in her life, then I'll stay out of it if that's how she feels.

Ren: ...I think I have an idea of how she feels.

Jaune: Huh?

Nora: YOOHOO~! BOYS~!

Kids: DADDY~!

Weiss: ...

Ren: (Hugs kids) Have you been good to your mommy?

Nora: You kidding? Every day, it's been, "When's Daddy coming home?" and "I miss Daddy!"

Ren: Was that them or you, Nora?

Nora: Heeheehee... You know me too well~!

Jaune: ...

Weiss: ...

Ren: ...Let's head home. I've been eating nothing but rations for weeks.

Nora: Yeah, me too.

Ren: Huh? What is that supposed to mean? (Leaves)

Jaune: Wei-

Weiss: I was wrong.

Jaune: !

Weiss: I was stubborn and... selfish and... angry and... just... horrible to you. So, if you don't want to be anywhere near me anymore, then I won't force you into anything. I just... hope we can still be friends.

Jaune: ...I'd like that.

Weiss: Here.

Jaune: ...Why are you giving this to me?

Weiss: Because it's your key.

Jaune: Yeah, but... I left.

Weiss: Yes. And now you're back. If you don't want it, then I'll give it to the landlord.

Jaune: ...

Jaune: I have spent... the last three weeks making plans to call Saph, or a hotel, or somebody in town who can give me a shower and a bed for the night in exchange for favors and you handing me this... It just feels... off. Like, one day, we're fighting and I leave after throwing you my keys, and the next, you're apologizing to me and handing me my key back.

Weiss: I suppose in the grand scheme of things, yes, that is what happened. However, more accurately, what happened is we had a fight, you left for three weeks, and I'm here to welcome you back and apologize for everything I said in our fight. You were trying to help and I shouldn't have brought her into this.

Jaune: To be fair, I brought your mother into this, too.

Weiss: That was... also something I had to process.

Jaune: I'm... sorry for bringing her up like that. Despite everything, I know she meant a lot to you.

Weiss: Thank you. And I'm sorry for bringing up Pyrrha like that.

Jaune: Thanks.

Weiss: ...

Jaune: ...

Jaune: So, uh... Is my shampoo still there, or did you sell that?

Weiss: Everything is the same as you left it. Save for a few pictures, missing from the shelf. I'm still trying to decide what new frames to use.

Jaune: New frames? You broke picture frames?

Weiss: No, you did when you left.

Jaune: But I didn't... Oh... Ah... Sorry about that.

Weiss: It's fine. Emotions got the better of ourselves then.

Jaune: I'll pay for-

Weiss: What you're paying for is rent and dinner. That's all you'll be using your lien for until further notice.

Jaune: ...Okay.

Weiss: ...Of course, if you have an idea for the frame, I'd gladly let you pick. Along with what underwear I'm going to wear.

Jaune: Alright, that's fair.

Jaune: ...

Jaune: WAIT, WHAT?!

A Quiet Home

Jaune:*walks in* Hey, I’m back.

Weiss:*writing*….

Jaune:I umm, got some food. Saph said she always makes too much so-

Weiss:You should’ve turned it down. Your nephew is a growing boy.

Jaune:She wouldn’t have offered if she couldn’t help. How’s rent looking?

Weiss:Despite my colossal fuck up on the mission, it’s covered.

Jaune:Hey, what’s important is-

Weiss:Jaune, don’t patronize me. I screwed up, got my leg hurt, got the client hurt, and lost the target. *puts pen down* Thankfully I found another high paying one. It’s a three weeks long and I’m-

Jaune:Actually…I put in a request to take that mission too. Client said he’ll think it over.

Weiss:*turns around* Excuse me? You’re taking my job line ups? You went in the last two missions. It’s my turn to-

Jaune:You need a break.

Weiss:Tsk, not this shit again. I just had a break!

Jaune:Crunching bill numbers is not a break. Weiss, your head isn’t in the game, and that’s fine. After all, your mom…

Weiss: “My mom” nothing we aren’t talking about this. There’s nothing to talk about. She lived drunk and died drunk. Predictable ending.

Jaune:Weiss-

Weiss:Give me space! And cancel your request while you’re at it. You’re in no condition to go on another assignment so quickly.

Jaune:…I’m not letting you go on that mission.

Weiss:Sorry, you’re not letting me? *stands up* I don’t remember needing your approval.

Jaune:That’s not what I-

Weiss:No it was, or else you wouldn’t have applied for the same mission despite our agreement. I made one mistake and now it goes out the window?

Jaune:You’re angry.

Weiss:Of FUCKING course I’m angry! I’m trying to keep these lights on and not burden others while you’re bringing in leftovers and stopping my job!

Jaune:You’re not doing your job! You’re running away from your problems!

Weiss:Oh you’re one to talk! The only reason why you’re here is because moving back in with your folks would be too much to handle.

Jaune:I moved in with you because you needed a roommate! My girlfriend was cutoff and alone and I could help! All I’ve been doing is trying to help!

Weiss:I didn’t ask for your help! I was handling things just fine!

Jaune:You were struggling.

Weiss:AND I’M NOT NOW!? Does it make you feel a little better to say you tried. Can’t help but I want to fix things huh?

Jaune:That’s not fair.

Weiss:Oh now we want to be fair? After intentionally making my job harder? For someone who is “trying to help” it never really works out for you now does it!? Not for me not for P-

She immediately covered her mouth, scared and shocked from the venom that almost slipped past her lips; this carelessness was given back with a stare of contempt that ate at her.

Weiss:I-

Jaune:There was a never a second I thought you were broken, or needed to be fixed. Guess that was my fault. Looks like your father did a number on you after all.

Her blood went cold. Weiss’s cheeks began to burn red as her anger boiled over.

Weiss:And yours never cared to do a swing to begin with.

Jaune:Speaking from experience?

Weiss:Get. Out.

Jaune:….

Weiss:I SAID GET OUT! I DON’T NEED THIS FROM YOU! I DON’T NEED YOU!

Jaune:…Good, cause you don’t have me. Sell my stuff for all I care.

He reaches in his pocket and throws his key at her. Weiss catches on reflex before hearing a thunderous boom as Jaune slams the door on the way out that shakes the room and cause a picture to shatter. The room is deathly silent as Weiss stares at the door.

Weiss:F-FINE! RUN BACK TO YOUR FAMILY!

………..

Not knowing what to do, Weiss simply grabbed her broom to clean up the mess Jaune made. Glass was half hazardly swept aside as she picked up a broken frame holding a photo of her laughing with Jaune, their face covered with cake from their house party with a banner overhead.

“A year of memories and miracles”

Weiss’s hand began to tremble until the picture slipped from her fingers. A giant pit filled her stomach and threatened to gag her as her knees fell to floor and her hands covered a ghastly wail. Finally, her breath was robbed and tears broke through shaking eyes filled with dread over the reality that was flooding in. The miracles were gone, and the memories, now bittersweet.

[scarletcomet]

i wish i had someone to talk to. I'm just so overwhelmed. i don't know how to feel or what to do. i've spent most of today crying and just thinking.

[robinismywife]

[ 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 ] (p.2)

PAIRING: Elvis Presley x fem!reader

SUMMARY: Y/n invites Elvis to her 20th birthday party in hopes to gain his attention. However, it leads to bigger things than she could even dream of...

WARNINGS: mentions of drinking / vomiting, kissing, Elvis being a flirt ;)) If I missed any inform me!!

A/N: Hi!! Thank you so much for the support you showed to my idea! I can't believe you keep showing me so much love every day and especially to one of my favourite things I've ever written Young and Beautiful!! It means the world to me truly! I apologize for taking so long but this whole series needs a lot of planning! I hope you like this as much as I do and get ready for the rollercoaster that's to come <33

WORD COUNT: 3k

[Young and beautiful] (p.1)

(the gif isn't mine!!)

The party was booming, yet Y/n couldn't help but feel a little dissapointed deep down. She should have known this would happen, her friends told her that this would be a risk but she did it anyway. Now she felt truly stupid, to think that she had any effect whatsoever on the biggest star in America: Elvis presley.

After meeting him a week prior in the studio, she was falling faster for him than she thought. So, her overly eager 19-year-old self took it upon herself to invite the man to her huge birthday party.

Her father was very much against it in the beginning, thinking that Elvis would be a bad influence on his young daughter. Y/n knew he wasn't entirely wrong- Elvis was indeed a couple years older and much wilder, being a celebrity and such. Perhaps it could be very easy for Y/n, an almost 20-year-old that's studying Music theory at college, to stray away from the right path- or at least the path her family expected her to stay on.

In spite of all that Y/n couldn't actually care less. She desperately wanted to be with Elvis and she was going to do anything to win him over. Now that she was thinking about it, this was a very bratty mindset but it's merely the product of her parents great affections and wealth. She wasn't responsible for it, thus she didn't dwell on it much.

"Girls do you think he's coming? Be honest?" Y/n frowned deeply, her hands fidgeting with the red reusable cup in her hands. If it wasn't for the thriving party around her, she would be vomiting in the toilet right now.

"Y/n I can't believe you're still hung up on that guy-" Daphne started, holding a beer can that she'd stolen from the fridge. Y/n was sure her father would be pissed about the fact that most of his precious beer had been stolen by a bunch of sweaty 20-year-olds.

"He's not just some guy, Daph?!" Lily cried out dramatically "He is the Elvis Presley and our Y/n has the chance to win his affections!"

"All I'm saying is that she should be grounded and- " Daphne paused for a second and her jaw dropped the moment she looked behind Y/n "Holy moly, hun.."

"What? What is it?" Y/n turned around and her eyes found him. He was right there, pouring himself a cup of spiked punch. He looked ethereal standing there with his perfectly styled jet black hair and expensive watch adorning his wrist. She could do nothing but turn back around and face her friends with a shocked expression.

"Oh my goodness! What do I do?!" Y/n whisper-yelled at her friends who looked back at her with great enthusiasm.

"What you're going to do is talk to him-" Daphne grabbed Y/n's shoulders viciously

"And you're going to ask him for an autograph- I need it in my collection- " Lily and Daphne smiled at y/n encouragingly, making her sigh in preparation for the possible humiliation.

Y/n patted down her velvety dress and made her way to the bouffee. This could either be a cruel joke on her or Elvis was actually interested in seeing her again. She definetly preffered the latter.

She gathered up the courage and poked him in the back a couple of times. Elvis turned around in surprise looking even more beautiful up close. Y/n could have fainted then and there.

"Hi" She smiled gently, trying desperately to hide the nerves and her extreme enthusiasm

"Hiya doll," He smirked back then clinked his plastic cup against hers "Happy birthday and everythin', hope you're having fun" Y/n really couldn't understand how this man could be so confident and cocky but so awkward at the same time.

"Now that you're here I am" She stated boldly. Y/n might as well jump head first into this, she has absolutely nothing to lose but her dignity at worst.

"Really?" Elvis' brow quirked and he chuckled in amusement "Well, I'm glad to be of service, baby"

Baby. Baby!? Oh Y/n could cry. This was the best birthday gift by far. Not even the hair rollers Lily got her could compete with this.

"So, Elvis, are ya enjoying your time at the studio?" Y/n asked not wanting the conversation to die out. That would be embarassing.

"Yeah, it's good to be back, ya know? Making music and all that- It feels exciting" Elvis spoke looking down at the drink in his hand. He looked absolutely adorable smiling at his drink all shy. Y/n had to fight the urge to smother him in kisses.

"I hope my daddy ain't giving you much trouble, he's always been such a perfectionist" Y/n casually took a sip from her drink

Elvis laughed slightly "Nah, he's great. I'm thrilled to be working with him really- He's a very charismatic man, has an ear for music"

"well, don't you ever tell him that, he won't believe ya" She found herself finally relaxing under his piercing gaze. It just felt so natural to talk with him. "He's too humble, that man"

"Believe me I know" Elvis raised his eyebrows in agreement "if you were in the studio you'd know how many compliments he brushes off"

"I keep having to remind him to take a compliment once in a while- Every Saturday that I'm there it's always the same thing" Y/n grinned, recalling her fathers flustered face.

"You're there on Saturdays?" Elvis' face lit up suddenly

"Yeah, don't ya remember? We met on a Saturday" She stiffled a laugh at his shocked features

"Right- right- I-I-I forgot about that," Elvis cleared his throat a bit and the confident look appeared on his face again "Well, do you sing or somethin', honey?"

"I don't know if I'm any good, but I do a bit of singing, yeah- Why do you ask Elvis?"

"Just wondering," He took a sip of his drink and resumed his sentence "Wouldn't mind a duet with ya"

"Me?! A duet with you?! You're insane Elvis!" Y/n laughed incredulously

"Why not?" He chuckled warmly "I have a bunch of songs that are in need of a voice like yours"

"You haven't even heard me once Elvis! I could be absolutely useless!"

"I'm prepared to take that risk, hun'"

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

And he did take that risk. The very next day Elvis had invited Y/n to the studio to check out some new songs. Now, Y/n and her father had just arrived, parking right in front of the entrance of the huge building. She took a deep breath before they both got out and walked in.

The space immidiately brought a sense of comfort to her. Y/n had been accompanying her father to the studio for at least a decade now. Therefore, some of her fondest memories with her father had been made there.

The two of them greeted the secretery and she waved back hastily in the midst of making phonecalls.

"Are you nervous, sunshine?" Y/n's father smiled sympathetically as he filled some cups with warm coffee.

"Can you blame me?" She chuckled, however, the butterflies in her stomach were still intense

"Well, ya shouldn't worry sweetheart, Mr.Presley is indeed a gentleman"

Y/n smiled at that, recalling the previous night they spent together, talking and laughing. Before she knew it, her father had filled the cups with the warm beverage and they'd reached the studio.

"Good morning boys!" Her father spoke loudly as they entered the spacious room.

There they all were, sitting around the coffee table on comfortable armchairs. On the table a bunch of papers were spread, not leaving much room for the coffee Y/n and her father had brought with them.

The rest of the boys didn't lift their heads, only Elvis did. His eyes landed on Y/n and lit up. For all she knew she could have been a stack of gold by the way his face was covered with admiration. Obviously, she didn't know that Elvis was admiring her and how the morning sun hit her just right as it bled into the room. Y/n looked even prettier than the night before.

"Good morning" She spoke, a lump forming in her throat, as the two other men shifted their focus to her.

Elvis finally leaped up from his chair "Y/n's singin' with me today, boys" then he faced her with a comforting smile "That's Scotty and Bill, you've seen 'em before"

"Yes, I certainly have, pleasure" Y/n shook hands with both of them and the session began.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Y/n was already aware that today she would be surrounded with individuals much more talented and professional than she could ever be. Now, everybody knew that Elvis sang like an angel but when Scotty and Bill picked up their instruments, Y/n swore that she was in heaven. The three of them were magical.

At the moment, they were preparing for a song that seemed to make Elvis unusually nervous. However, he was trying to cover it up by making small talk with The Jordanaires, his background singers.

"Y/n? Y/n?" Y/n's vision was blocked by Scotty's hand waving in front of her face "You're distracted" Scotty told her knowingly, a smirk appearing on his face. He was a very sweet boy but also very disciplined when it came to work. Although, Y/n liked that about him, right now all she wanted to do was stare at Elvis.

"I know, I'm sorry, it's just-" Y/n leaned closer to the guitarist to whisper " Elvis seems nervous- I mean look at how he's jittering"

"He's always jittering, Y/n" Scotty told her as if he was trying to avoid saying anything

"Scotty look at him" Y/n said seriously

"Well, if you pay attention to the sheet music you'll understand" Scotty looked at her expectantly as she examined the paper and Y/n suddenly felt grateful for her ability to read sheet music. Her eyes widened when they landed on the last chord progression.

"Scotty that's a really high note" Y/n spoke in shock

"Yeah, no shit," Scotty sighed "He's been practicing all week"

"Well, a vocal coach could-"

"Help? Nah, he's too stubborn- Says he wants to do it by himself"

"That's stupid"

"Tell me about it," The man shrugged and got up, ready to record "Boys are y'all ready?"

And they began recording. Y/n stood next to The Jordanaires once again to sing the background vocals. The song was going particularly well until Elvis stopped singing mid-verse.

"EP you good, man?" Bill asked, side-eyeing Scotty who shrugged

"Nah, I-I-I just um-" Elvis' eyes wandered anxiously around him until they landed on her and finally seemed to relax "Y/n come 'ere, baby"

"Next to you?" Y/n was getting nervous too now. She was not prepared for this. Doing the background vocals was a piece of cake, but doing a duet with America's best singer was taking it too far. Elvis obviously had faith in her, however, knowing herself Y/n was very likely to ruin the whole session.

"Yeah, we're sharing the microphone," Elvis spoke with his hands resting on his hips and a playful grin "Don't feel right without ya"

"But-"

"Just do me the favor, doll," He pleeded with his eyes, just like a little kid would "I promise this will turn out so good"

Thus, Y/n obeyed. She walked next to him, placing her sheet music on the stand before them. Her hands were shaking quite a bit, making her even more self consious than before. Why was she finding it so hard to be a professional for once? If she actually wanted to follow this profession, she would have to stop looking and acting so mortified.

When Elvis noticed her fidgeting and shaking, he couldn't help but feel the need to comfort her. That's why his large and warm hands found themselves on top of her own cold ones. Something he didn't expect is how well they fit together, just like puzzle pieces. Usually these kind of situations made Elvis want to run away and not look back, but for the first time he felt as if he was doing the right thing.

"You know how to sight read?" He asked her quietly, trying to take her mind off of the singing.

"Yeah, I was in my church's choir when I was younger" Y/n answered, very much aware of her hands being engulfed by his. Not that she minded it, it was just surprising and a bit overwhelming.

"Gospel, huh? Gotta listen to ya sing some of those tunes one day, baby" She didn't miss the enthusiasm in his voice at the thought of Gospel music. Elvis was a very spiritual person.

Before Y/n could answer, the instruments had already started playing the upbeat tune of Now or never.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

"Thank ya fellas- We'll make it big with this record" Elvis chatted with the men around him.

"You're already big, E" Chuckled Bill, taking the last sip of his now cold coffee.

"Nah, I tell ya, boys- I can feel it- This record we're cuttin' will be the start of something big" Elvis' eyes were filled with hope. Now, that he was out of the army he felt unstoppable.

Y/n kept quiet as she picked up her things and shoved them in her bag. Elvis has been praising his friends for at least five minutes, but didn't even look at her after the recording stopped. She couldn't understand what his problem was. He had been so sweet to her, so gentle, and now he's ignoring her. Y/n felt used. Used for the perfect recording and then thrown away. What if she becomes just a name on a list of all the girls the king of rock and roll dated? What if she becomes a bitter old woman sometime in the future writing a book about the "real" Elvis Presley? What if she hates him soon? She should stop spiraling.

Elvis was waving goodbye to his friends as they left the studio, their laughter echoing off the walls. They were alone and Y/n hadn't even noticed how quickly that came to be. So, she picked up her bag awkwardly and headed to the door without a word, as he watched her with confusion.

"Where you going?" He grabbed her wrist with a frown

"Home. I'm sure my daddy's waiting for me outside" She spoke coldly, trying to rip her hand from his grasp. Y/n still had some dignity left and she wasn't going to give in to his tactics.

"Don't treat me like that baby, what did I do?" His frown now deepend as he walked closer to her

"Don't call me baby, Elvis" He was making it extremely hard being mad at him when these nicknames sounded so good rolling off his tongue.

"Why? You don't like it?" Elvis smirked as if he could read her thoughts "You're squirming under my touch, honey" and thats when he held her face with his one hand, as the other snaked around her waist. Y/n hated to admit it but everything that he was doing felt so right.

After a bit of silence and looking at each others lips, Y/n couldn't handle it anymore, she had to say something. "Say something sweet to me, Elvis"

"Hmm," He chuckled lightly "You wanna hear it, don't ya? How good you were, singing your little heart out?" And she couldn't help but nod, all common sense was thrown out the window from the moment he touched her anyways.

"You were good, baby, so so good for me," His lips were now almost on hers, and she was so eager for him to close that gap "You're my muse" and he kissed her.

He was eager, yet gentle. Y/n had been kissed before but this could not compete with the unexperienced and lanky boys from college. Elvis was skilled with his hands as they roamed her body in a way that she had never been touched before. He made her feel beautiful, like he was a sculptor and she was a statue of a greek godess. His touch brought her to life.

"Elvis- Elvis stop-" Y/n pulled away suddenly

"D-Did I do something wro-?"

"Someone's coming" They both quieted down and the sound of a man's laughter reached their ears. Y/n could recognise that laugh anywhere "My daddy's coming!" she whisper-yelled.

They both jumped off of each other, adjusting their clothes, just in time. Her father marched in still chuckling to himself as the two stood in front of the door uncomfortably.

"Hiya kids," Y/n's dad lifted his head and looked between the two of them, now looking uncomfortable himself. The tension was so thick Y/n could cut it with a knife.

"Everything alright, Elvis?"

"Yes, sir" Elvis nodded a little too aggresively

"Ready to leave, sunshine?" Y/n nodded now as well. After waving goodbye at an overwhelmed Elvis, she grabbed her fathers hand and they walked out of the studio.

When the both of them finally got in the car Y/n sighed, looking through her bag for her compact mirror. She prayed her makeup wasn't too messed up. They were almost caught, but there was something thrilling about the whole situation.

"You know you can talk to me right, sweetie?" Her father looked at her with a frown, and when she nodded in return he continued talking.

"Cause, if Mr.Presley is not acting appropriately- If he's being weird- You know boys, at his age, want different things-"

"Daddy!" Y/n looked up at him with shock written all over her face "I got the message- Can ya just drive us home please?"

"Sorry sweetheart"

Actually, Elvis was being quite inappropiate, but she liked it. It would be their secret. After that kiss Y/n felt like a whole different person, like something had awakened in her. She wasn't sure how to stop it, not that she wanted to. Elvis helped her feel so wild and alive. She felt as if she had spent her life living under some rock, and he took her out of that monotony. Y/n couldn't wait until the next time she would see him.

[quirkless-accident]

Honesty is the Worst Policy

Let's hear it for drabble #50! I've been super excited for this one. Words cannot describe how much I appreciate all of you. Your support and enthusiasm makes writing these much more fun, and I'm happy that you all are as excited about these as I am!

-----------

The day had started off normal. Great, even. But he should have known to wait for the other shoe to drop.

It happened during lunch. He had gotten a stain on his blazer, and, well, his parents already didn't like buying him things, and it's not like he could afford another. So he was doing His Best™.

He had been chatting actively with Tucker, Sam, and another one of Sam's new gen ed friends, who had reached over him to slap Tucker, and had used his arm as leverage.

But he hadn't noticed. Nobody had. Not until he had gotten slammed into a wall by Bakugou and his dumb explosions during Foundational Heroics.

"Are you okay?" Uraraka had asked, hands hovering over him.

Yeah, I'm good, is what he had tried to say. What had come out was, "No. My head hurts, I'm tired and I'm pretty sure at least one rib is broken."

That had been more than enough for him to get his ass sent to Recovery Girl. And like always, as the end of the session she asked the same question.

"Anything else, Dearie?"

And he tried to respond with his usual, "Not today! Maybe tomorrow I'll have a concussion for you!"

And then she would swat him with her cane and send him on his way. What came out, however, was nothing like that.

"Not anything you can fix. I'm kind of a biological anomaly that can't be fixed."

He fled before she could ask him questions. She would probably tell Aizawa about it later, but that honestly sounded like a future-Danny problem. Present-Danny was currently trying to get a hold of Sam.

"Aren't you at training?" She asked him.

"Bakugou broke my ribs and I had to get them fixed," he says, and he can't tell if it was against his will or not. "But something is wrong. I can't-the words that I want to say aren't coming out. I just told Recovery Girl I was essentially a freak of nature. And I didn't want to."

"Sounds like Shinjistsu accidentally activated her quirk," Sam replied. She sounds far to calm about this for Danny's liking.

"Okay. Where is she so I can turn it off?" He'll apologize for his snappiness later. Right now he needs to get his brain fixed so he doesn't accidentally spill anything terrible.

"You can't. It has to wear off on it's own. I think she said it lasted a week? Maybe a month? I'll have to double check with her. I think part of it is answering all questions directed towards you, too. Honestly, obviously."

Danny wanted to scream out in frustration, but instead of doing that, he forced himself to take deep breaths. "I'll have to give you my phone, then, just in case," he said. "And I have to tell Aizawa. Maybe if I'm lucky he'll excuse me from class until it wears off."

"Why don't you just tell him the truth?" Sam asked. "I mean, if anybody is going to believe you-and help you-it's gonna be the guy who got totaled by a Nomu for you."

"Because he might tell my parents and they already don't like me. And you know how they feel about Inviso-Bill. I don't really wanna be strapped down to a table and experimented on, Sam."

"Ugh. Right. Listen-I'm super sorry but I have to go. But talk to Aizawa, I'm sure he'll help you out."

-------

Sam is a big fat liar.

He had turned over his phone to her after telling Aizawa who told him he still had to attend class.

"Whatever petty teenager bullshit you have going on isn't important enough to have you skip out on class," he had said.

It wasn't too bad at first. For the first two days he wasn't asked too many questions. Not any that he wouldn't have answered honestly anyway. And when they got back to the dorms, he would hide away in his room and work on homework to avoid a mental breakdown.

Aizawa had notified all of the teachers, but none of his classmates, per Danny's request. The less questions he got, the better. And man, were they good at asking needlessly invasive questions sometimes.

It was on the third day when everything went to shit.

He was walking into class, debating on whether or not he wanted to invest in some kind of muzzle when he was hit with a question by his least favorite person.

"Danny-what bra size is your sister?" Mineta asked him from across the room. His voice carried, and nearly everybody went quiet, but Danny saw red.

"I don't know. I don't care. But if you ask me anything like that ever again," he let his eyes flash a dangerous green, "then I'll punt you into the fucking sun."

"Geez, no need so be so sensitive. Why is your quirk so creepy like that, anyway?"

"Because I'm dead."

The words had left his mouth before he could even properly process Mineta's question. And it was said with such a finality, such a certainty, that even if he hadn't been under the effects of a truth quirk, he's pretty sure a couple of them would have believed him.

"He, yeah, right," Mineta said. Danny could practically feel Mr. Aizawa's gaze on the back of his neck despite the fact that he was hiding behind his desk in his sleeping bag. "Tell us the truth."

"I am."

He's starting to think that maybe he should have let Aizawa tell the class he was under the effects of a truth quirk.

"Oh yeah?" Kaminari asked. "How'd you die?"

"I got electrocuted with millions of volts of ectoplasmic electricity and it bonded to my DNA."

There was a bark of laughter and a couple of applauds from his friends for committing to what was obviously a very hilarious bit. But the more he spoke, the more he could feel Aizawa's gaze boring into him.

But thankfully, he was saved by the bell.

---------

"Class dismissed," Aizawa drawled, but his sharp eyes were sitting firmly on Danny, who didn't move an inch. "Fenton, stay behind."

He wanted to punt Mineta into the sun. It hadn't been a threat when he said it earlier. It had been a promise.

The class cleared out quickly enough. His friends only lingered for a couple of moments before being dragged away by other classmates. The entire time, Danny stared at his desk, unable to look up and face his teacher.

Because Aizawa knew he had been telling the truth. Had known that he couldn't lie. And now he knew he was a freak and he was going to tell his parents, and when they found out they were going to strap him to the table in the basement and-

"Danny, breathe," Aizawa told him, stepping into his vision. Danny squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.

"I don't need to," he said against his will. "Fuck."

If Aizawa had a problem with his swearing, he didn't show it. Instead, he sat down in the chair in front of Danny's desk and placed a warm hands over his cold, trembling ones.

"Are you okay with answering a few questions?" He asked. And, wow. Danny hadn't been expecting that. He had been expecting a full-tilt investigation into his weird tragic backstory. But Danny could see it. It was the illusion of choice, whether Aizawa saw it like that or not. He could answer yes, and spill his guts. Or he could answer no, and be pestered about it later, and with his terrible luck, he wasn't going to count on that being a time where he was vulnerable.

So he nodded his head yes.

"What did you mean by you being dead?" He asked. Danny just shrugged.

"Exactly what it sounds like," he says. "Sort of. I'm half dead."

"How did-how did you survive?" Danny didn't miss the hesitation in his voice. The uncertainty of the words coming out of his own mouth. And Danny couldn't blame him, not really. If he was Aizawa, even with a truth quirk playing a part in all of this he wouldn't believe a word he said either.

"My parents are ghost hunters and they experiment a lot with ectoplasm. I think a lifelong exposure is the only thing that saved me. Er-well, half of me, anyway."

"So your other half-your Phantom form...That's your ghost form?"

"Yeah. My superpower is dying on command."

"That's not funny."

"I'm not trying to be."

A tense silence fell between them. Danny met dark eyes, but the only thing he could see in them was genuine concern. And...And maybe Sam was right, he thinks. Because the only thing Aizawa has ever done for him is help. Whether it be from a panic attack or a walk to Recovery Girl or giving him harder course work because everything else was just to easy. He helped Danny in any way he could.

Could he help here?

Danny averted his gaze to his shoes.

They were bright red with black laces, and more bulky than the average shoe. There was only one brand that sold half-decent shoes that fit the feet of quirkless people, and they only came in one color. It was a constant reminder that he was different. Even with the power that he had now, he was still different. Because he had things that he didn't need, like an appendix, wisdom teeth, an extra toe joint.

He's seen Midoriya with the exact same pair. There was an understanding between the two, though they hadn't talked about it. Maybe after all this was over he would spill his guts to him. But right now, he needed to spill his guts to Aizawa.

Because if anybody was going to help him it was him.

-------

Aizawa wanted to throttle the people who hurt his kid student. From the beginning Danny's been a twitchy, anxious mess, just like Midoriya, but he had passed it off as social anxiety because he wasn't the one breaking his bones every day.

And he wasn't stupid. He noticed the shoes. He and Midoriya had the same ones. As an Underground hero he's seen more than his fair share of quirkless murders or suicides. Always young. Always powerless.

But these kids have power. Almost too much, if he was being honest. He figured that maybe they just had abnormally wide feet, and needed the extra space. But after hearing Danny's confession-about his parents, about his death, he was cursing his past self for being so ignorant. He should have looked at the signs and connected the dots a lot sooner than this.

And the worst part was that he was telling the truth. There's no way he could tell a lie.

"Why...Why didn't you say anything sooner?" Aizawa had asked him.

"Because I didn't want you telling my parents," Danny answered.

"Are you safe at home?" Fuck, was this kid abused? It happened often with quirkless kids. And he could see it being a super awkward conversation with his parents that he was just a late bloomer. A late bloomer with a quirk directly tied to their profession.

"I don't know," Danny answered. "Probably not. They're not good parents."

The words seemed to slip from him without consent, and Danny's eyes widened, as if he was just realizing this for the first time. It was a possibility-it's not uncommon for the abuser to make their victim completely rely on them, or to make them think nothing was wrong.

"If you elaborate-depending on what you say-I can get you out of their custody by the end of the week."

"Including my sister?" Danny asked. His voice was quiet, and he was suddenly met with wide, blue eyes. They looked absolutely desperate for help.

"Including your sister. So...Do you want to elaborate?"

"Yes."

"Are you okay if I record this conversation? It can be used as evidence later."

"Yes."

"Okay," Aizawa said, starting a recording on his phone. "What makes you feel unsafe in your home, Danny?"

------

They had talked for hours. Long past the normal time for a teacher and a student to be speaking. Maybe he could just pass it off as a tutoring session. It was no mistake that Danny was working on more advanced math and science classes. Growing up in a lab gave you a leg up on some things, he supposes.

He was drained, and all he wanted to do was eat and go to bed. Maybe he could skip the shower and just take one in the morning. He hadn't gotten to gross from training.

He held a hand over his mouth as he let out a large yawn, while his other opened the door to the dorms. It was around dinner time, so the common room was in full swing with students milling about here and there. Danny genuinely enjoyed his time with all of them, but tonight he just didn't have the energy. Maybe he could sneak upstairs and just have a big breakfast. That could work, right?

"Hey, Danny!" Uraraka greeted. "Did your talk with Mr. Aizawa go okay? You were gone for a long time."

"Yeah, it went...Really good, actually. But I'm really tired so-"

"-What did you guys talk about?" Kaminari asked him.

"About how my abusive neglectful parents inadvertently caused my death."

"Wh...Bro, are you okay?" Several others were starring at him now, and-oh, that's right. They didn't know he was under the influence of a truth quirk.

"Not currently, no. I had a really emotionally draining conversation with Aizawa and I'm tired of being so open and vulnerable with everybody."

"Then why don't you just shut up?" Bakugou barked. He got a couple of glares from his friends for his trouble.

"Because I got hit with a truth quirk and now I'm forced to tell the truth. It'll last for another...four days? That's what Sam said, anyway."

"So if we ask you questions you have to answer truthfully?" Sero asked.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"So...You're actually...Dead?" Ashido asked him. She looked like she was about to cry.

This was going to be a long night.

"Half dead," he corrected. "It's why I have so many powers that aren't linked together."

It was strange, hearing these words coming from his own mouth. It wasn't hard to talk about with Sam and Tucker since they were there when it happened, but telling his classmates was a completely different experience. He wasn't stressed necessarily. It was just odd that his normal anxieties about being caught were overridden by the quirk.

And, maybe, there might be a small part of him that was tired of hiding. He trusted his friends. Everyone in this room, with the exception of a tiny purple menace, he trusted with his afterlife. If anybody was going to hurt him over this, it wouldn't be these guys.

"What was your quirk before you died, kero?" Tsu asked.

"I didn't have one," Danny answered automatically, and okay. Maybe things would change now. Because he definitely didn't want people knowing that.

He noticed the way Midoriya and Bakugou flinched, but it was missed by everybody else, who's attention were all laser focused on him.

The class was stunned into silence. The only sounds they could hear was Danny's rapid, panicked breathing. He didn't want this. He didn't want to talk about his quirklessness. It had caused so many problems for him his entire life. Why was talking about his death easier than that?

He would have to answer that question later. Because now, he was too distracted by Midoriya standing up. He slowly walked over, and when he got to be arms length, he held them out.

His arms were littered in self-inflicted scars from his bones breaking over and over, but with his sleeves riding up, he could see the edges of starburst scars and permanent red handprints.

Danny opened his own arms out, and Midoriya crashed into him. His ribs were thankfully fully healed. otherwise the hug would have been painful with how tightly Midoriya was squeezing him.

He's not sure how long they stood there for. It could have been seconds or minutes, but he didn't care. The only thing he cared about was finding comfort with the one other person in this entire school who could understand him.

Because being quirkless in a world full of superheroes was a fate worth than death.

It was abusive parents. It was being berated every day by peers. It was hard fists and brutal kicks in back alleys. It was the threat of death looming over their heads every time they were out and about. It was the ache in their chests when they read an article about another quirkless death. It was the silent mourning as peers mocked the dead the next day and pretending that it didn't bother you. It was starring over the edge of a roof and thinking, maybe today's the day. And, unless your last name was Fenton or Midoriya, it was unescapable.

At least with death, he had been, in a way, set free. Because now, he knew where he was going when he finally passed. The illusion of peace was broken right alongside him when he activated that dumb portal.

Eventually he and Midoriya let go. Unsurprisingly, Midoriya has tears in his eyes, but he's got a small, watery smile, and Danny thinks that, yeah, with someone who understand by his side, this will be easier.

------

The rest of the week is a little rough. The class did not take his death as lightly as he thought they would. Thankfully they had banned Mineta from even being in the room. And they had promised not to tell anybody outside of the class.

And though things were a little weird, it wasn't all bad. Aizawa, as promised, had gotten custody of him and Jazz. Over breaks and some weekends, they would be staying with him. And Hagakure, who's been pestering him about his nonexistent love life since the start of school, finally got him to confess about his crush. Danny avoided her for the rest of the week, and prayed to whoever was in the sky that she didn't spill the beans.

Todoroki was, oddly enough, a silent comfort. Whenever things were getting to be too much he would ask Danny to help him out with something random. In the end, they would just sit in one of their rooms and sit in a comfortable silence, or sometimes they would invite Izuku-because that's who he was to Danny now-and they would talk about shitty fathers with unrealistic expectations.

Danny found the whole ordeal oddly freeing. It was like he could breath properly again for the first time since he got his powers. He hadn't realized how much those secrets sat in the back of his mind, taunting him about his peer's reactions. But now that it was out in the open, there wasn't anything to fear. Not really. The people who knew all cared about him, in their own ways, and he trusted that they would protect his secret.

After all his dirty laundry was aired out, the rest of the week wasn't super terrible. But the best part was when how he found out the quirk wore off.

It was a bright Saturday, filled with a warm breeze and laughing classmates as they all hung out in their various friend groups. The girls were having a picnic, Kaminari, Kirishima, and Sero were actively trying to piss Bakugou off, and Midoriya and Uraraka were laughing at something Ida had said-and judging by the boy's face, he had no idea what was so funny, which sent his friends into another round of hysterics.

Sam, Tucker, Shinsou, and Shinjitsu, who had apologized profusely, sat with him under the shade of a tree. He was half-asleep next to Shinsou, laying in the soft grass and being lulled to sleep by the sounds of Sam talking and Tucker tinkering.

Hagakure, Jirou, and Momo walk up to them, all looking a little too smug.

"So, we Danny, we were talking about what you said to Mineta a few days ago," Jirou says, and wow, she's not trying to hide her mirth at all.

"Which part?" Danny asked, still half asleep.

"When you said you would punt him into the sun," Hagakure said excitedly. "You were under the truth quirk. Does that mean you can really do that?"

"No, I was just talking out of my ass," Danny said. The sarcasm was more of a reflex than anything, but it was enough for him to jolt upright a moment later.

"Hagakure, gimme a lie."

"Uh, you can't punt Mineta into the sun?"

"I can't pun Mineta into the sun," Danny repeated. He couldn't keep the grin off of his face as he jumped up. Without warning he picked up Hagakure excitedly. He repeated the phrase, growing louder every time he said it. The attention of his classmates were on him again, more confused than anything.

"I don't see why you're cheering about that," Uraraka tells him. Danny sets Hagakure down and runs over.

"It means I can lie again! I'm more than capable of punting him into the sun but now I can say I can't!"

In all his excitement, he wound up in a jumping circle with all of the girls, save for Jirou and Momo, who had a finger on her chin in deep though.

And after, Danny will be pestered about how he can go to space, unharmed. About how, yes, he doesn't need to breath in his ghost form, he's dead, so he can last long enough to get to the sun. And Aizawa will give him a half-concerned raised eyebrow and makes him promise to not actually commit to such an act.

And later he will also have to go to court against his parents and admit to them that he is no longer fully human. He will have Aizawa and Jazz by his side, as well as Nezu. And he will fight great, wonderful battles that bring the rest of them to their knees, but Danny has always been stubborn, so he refuses to go down. And when the ash will settle, he will stand tall as a glowing beacon of hope.

But that's for future Danny to worry about.

Right now, Present Danny is just excited that he can punt Mineta into the sun.

[ladyluscinia]

I've been thinking about it and I do still like this analysis - especially the "How Izzy Might Function on the Queen Anne" bit - but given how controversial this topic has gotten since May of 2022 I want to pull a few of the implicit points into plain text:

1) Everything here about Edward needing Izzy applies specifically because Edward is Blackbeard. He picked the most high-profile, high-stakes, 24-hour-stress career he could possibly come up with. If Edward the regular pirate had childhood trauma, ADHD-esque struggles, and a bad week then he'd probably be fine? He's charismatic, a good fighter... maybe he has a zero energy day and skips dinner, or a too-much energy day and gets assigned extra work for being annoying as fuck? He's a grown adult, and dying in a pirate raid is a possibility but not a mental health symptom, yeah?

But Blackbeard doesn't get off days. Blackbeard always knows how to destroy their enemies and pull off an impossible save! Blackbeard never loses, or feels fear, or has anything less than perfect control of a situation.

Blackbeard is an impossible ideal before Edward has any mental health struggles, and a death sentence if he fucks up. That's the whole plot of 1x04. Edward needs someone because he built himself an infallible persona that embodies awe and terror, not because he can't take care of himself as a regular human guy. And all the above reasons why Izzy works for him to fulfill that need apply.

2) This was in my tags but Edward likes Izzy as a person, too, especially for the things that people would think are "weak". He likes that he's sentimental. He likes that Izzy's not a sadist and shares his theatre gay tendencies. Edward's a legendary pirate who doesn't kill people and is basically an effects-heavy scam artist. He genuinely enjoys a guy that respects him for what he's proud of like being "the greatest sailor he's ever known" instead of judging him for "outsourcing the big job".

3) Edward is actively supporting and involved in the dickishness of Izzy's leadership. He's the boss. He even uses it to boost his rapport with the crew like a proper con man. You can't get mad at Izzy for pulling Fang's beard without acknowledging Edward implicitly approves of Izzy doing so when it happens (and has done worse himself - he made Fang kill his dog).

4) This isn't really a point but I enjoy this fun headcanon that Ivan is a union guy and want to link it here. 😘

I've been thinking about whether Izzy is manipulative - yes and no, still pondering - and that led to how Izzy interacts with others, and then trying to suss out how Izzy functioned as a First Mate at all. So thoughts I've had:

First and foremost, in command Izzy functions as part of the Edward-and-Izzy unit (aka Blackbeard). He's not equipped to function on his own, but neither is Edward. The difference is that Edward can hide that fact for longer because he's the one with the instant charisma whose issues trip him up later, while Izzy cannot take control of a situation for the life of him but probably doesn't suck once he has it and a clear goal. This is, I think, the root of why Izzy struggles so much on the Revenge. Edward effectively abdicates his role as unquestioned top of the hierarchy, which cuts Izzy off from the source of his authority.

And while Edward can keep riding charisma / the Blackbeard mythos / his relationship with Stede to stay on top anyway, Izzy is left to fend for himself in his personal hell.

Izzy is small, and loud, and mean. He wants people to do shit because he tells them to and he knows what he's doing, but he has zero patience to actually persuade people of this. He dresses like a goth businessman which is very professional and also really not that scary. No badass scars or huge visible tattoos. His only real ability to enforce his will is with a sword - usually overkill and counterproductive - or with the threat of punishment - toothless against Stede's crew because they know the Captain won't back him.

Basically he needs people to respect him, but they are immediately primed not to due to all his Izzy-ness, and the very laidback and consequence free situation in the show deprives him of any method of proving his worth. (Worth he hasn't had to prove in fucking forever because he's fucking Izzy Hands, right hand man to Blackbeard!)

So what would Izzy be like in a different situation? Like aboard the Queen Anne?

Well Izzy is kind of a shit manager of people no matter what, but I think an established hierarchy would help him a lot. No one is going to love Izzy, but if they have to obey him, then they are more or less forced to observe that he's a dick who knows what he's doing instead of just a dick. Then suddenly there's a reason to put up with him. Also in a stricter hierarchy he probably wouldn't have to directly manage or interact with everyone. People have pointed out that Izzy doesn't do work himself, but "delegator of tasks" is a job of its own once the sphere is big enough. And often the overall delegator has smaller "team lead" style workers below him - people who do work but also can be in charge of making sure a bigger task gets done.

Izzy probably didn't interact with the base labor force on the Queen Anne beyond a knowledge of who's who. He'd just know a small group of guys he considered competent and reliable, and then assign everyone else to them. After all, Izzy doesn't have to personally check every sail stitch. He just needs to know William won't let anybody else on sail duty fuck up, and be satisfied with what he sees when he passes by.

And Izzy is a lot nicer when he doesn't think people are fucking up!

In episode 4, the main notably not-dickish interaction is when Buttons spots the Spanish and shows them to Izzy (aka does his job). Izzy gets pissed but doesn't take it out on Buttons at all. Just runs to tell Edward because that's the chain of command. Buttons -> Izzy -> Edward. This is because Izzy, for all his dickishness, is not a sadist (and really good that he's not, because it's the main thing keeping his management style functional). He doesn't punish people for the sake of punishing them or for shit they can't control. Still not great at positive reinforcement, but you can absolutely have a "good" working relationship with a boss who ignores you as long as you do what you're supposed to.

(And now we're back to Edward-and-Izzy as a unit, because Edward is great for the morale boosting that Izzy can't provide, and Izzy can just work on keeping Edward happy and the crew neutral but functioning when he isn't. Still not easy, but at least possible for him to succeed at.)

This theory is also somewhat backed up by Fang and Ivan, who seem to fall in Izzy's category of "competent and reliable" crew. Other than yanking on Fang's beard - which was a deliberate reminder of hierarchy and light punishment for questioning Edward - he seems to have great faith they will do what they are told without micromanaging and he effectively promotes them to the task of managing Stede's crew in the absence of clear leaders. Unfortunately, Fang and Ivan both fall into the muppetverse and simultaneously realize Edward won't enforce Izzy's authority on them either. They don't seem to hate Izzy, but they aren't inclined to defend him. Not a great trait in the only muscle he has to lean on.

In the end, I can see how Izzy's whole deal would work in a system that he was already integrated into. If you are a new sailor on Blackbeard's crew then the First Mate is a dick, yeah, but he doesn't talk to you. The Captain trusts him implicitly, everyone knows better than to openly disrespect him, and the senior crew who you report to have an established professional rapport with him. And then he leads a raiding party and you go "Oh shit this guy is so good at murder" right before he pays you a lot of money.

Whereas if you are Lucius, this small angry man follows Blackbeard onto your ship to rescue your Captain out of nowhere, spends a day getting increasingly anxious as his Captain ignores him and really shatters the terrifying myth of Blackbeard, moves onto your ship but isn't really given any authority over you, and then yells a bunch. He can kill people, yeah, but you don't have any particular knowledge of or respect for that skill, and you have no reason to think he's allowed to kill you. He's just a dick trying to force you to respect him, and you are Lucius and live to be a bitch right back.

No wonder Izzy just wants to go home.