#STREET CODE overview

[cosmicawg]

❝𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐃𝐄❞

📌A novel written by, @cosmicawg 📌Comprises: [ 19 CHAPTERS so far ]

📌Genre: urban romance

📌Plot: In Norwood Grove, where gang life defines the streets and loyalty is everything, Devon and Travis walk a dangerous line. Devon dreams of escaping through his art, but his family ties to the Black Vipers keep pulling him back into a world of violence. On the other side, Travis, raised in the Black Fists, is caught between the life he knows and a secret desire for something more. As tensions between the rival gangs escalate, both must navigate the brutal realities of the streets while facing their inner struggles. In a place where love is a weakness and betrayal means death, will they survive long enough to break free of the code that binds them?

📌Characters

1) The Main Lookers: Devon & Travis

Devonte Richie —(n). determined for greatness

Casting: domgenovesse on ig –

Travis —(n). success waits on nobody

Casting: chris.phero on ig –

2) Featuring Characters: Naomi, Ashley, Ryan

Naomi —(n). pain builds character

Casting: killvng on ig –

Ashley Willis —(n). a collective token

Casting: —face claim unknown— found on Pinterest

Ryan Coleman —(n). action over words

Casting: miri300k on ig –

3) Careless Older Brother: Jelani

Jelani Richie —(n). the foundation

Casting: kinstonali on ig –

📌Character Castings, prt 2, prt 3 📌Stand-alone character posts: Devon & Travis 📌Street Code Notes [ character overviews, gang overview names/timelines, character + character histories, media plug, chapter links, music playlists ]

[gingermintpepper]

For the longest time, the quintessential song describing Apollo's wrath and consequent murder of Coronis for me was Marah in the Mainsail's 'Your Work isn't Done'.

It's dark. It's seething. Its image of Fate pushing the scorned speaker to complete his foul, terrible work of killing the man who stole his lover away from him is particularly powerful and it's always evoked this gruesomely tragic evolution of a glassy eyed Apollo stumbling through the streets, weak-legged and trembling from the betrayal growning more and more wrathful 'til he can think of no other course than to aim his bow and shoot. The price of betraying his trust is death and Coronis betrayed so much more than just his trust by taking Ischys as her lover.

The song itself captures that sensation of building wrath so well too. From the lonely guitar and vocals at the beginning which evoke this lonely, stripped back but distant grief to the way the singer is practically screaming his refrain of "Your work here isn't done" by the end, accompanied by the full blasting of instruments and an omnious chorus at his side, everything about this song is centered around building stakes, building realisations, building tensions and it creates this feeling of the speaker growing closer and closer with each new verse and chorus that adds to his anger.

There's also the absolute treasure trove of lyrics that work so well for specifically this tale. A brief overview of some of my favourites include;

- There's a crow overhead singing "Oh, Death is my friend."

- And though you think your time has come, the wheels of Fate have spun. Death has declared your work here isn't done.

- There's a girl on my heart safe ashore in her lover's arms

There's just such a vivid image to be drawn here - of Apollo's emotions being swallowed by his rage, of his resolve to end everything the more he bears witness to Coronis' brazen affair. There's even a strong female voice in the first two verses which seem to egg the speaker on in his spiral - a perfect opening to include Artemis who wishes for her brother to hunt that which brought him such pain alongside her. An Artemis who reinforces just what Coronis has done, an Artemis who does not want her brother to repress his anger after such grave an insult just because love was once there.

To me, it was perfect. Apollo's killing of Coronis was a crime of passion, an execution he sometimes cannot even bring himself to commit according to who is telling the tale. It's a wretched situation, harrowing, suffocating and cruel but if not by Apollo's hands, Coronis would simply die by another's. She cannot live after what she has done. The gods simply would not allow it.

AND THEN MY BIAS WAS COMPLETELY WRECKED BY LORD HURON.

Now, let it be known, I am a huge Lord Huron fan. Strange Trails is perhaps the most Apollo-coded album I've ever heard and songs like Yawning Grave and The Balancer's Eye capture such a visceral, gorgeous portrait of cosmic grief and anger that they haven't really left my brain since I first listened to them. Still, 'Setting Sun' from their Lonesome Dream album completely flew under my radar. Maybe it's because the commercial version is so much snappier than the Alive from Whispering Pines recording, maybe it's because I just hadn't listened to Lord Huron's discography in a while but my god. My god.

This song has it all; a quiet menace in its music, a strong male singer who sounds only barely restrained, an absolute HOST of lyrics that are so wonderfully perfect for the scenario -- after getting over how wonderful the song itself is, I immediately dethroned Your Work isn't Done because ultimately, 'Setting Sun' has something in abundance that 'Your Work isn't Done' minimised in order to focus on the wrath driving the song forward.

And that's love.

Setting Sun is so powerful because it's not just a revenge ballad - it's a dirge, a breakup song, a lament, a regret manifesto. So many times during the song, the speaker wonders when his lover stopped loving him. He recounts intimate moments and wonders if his lover was thinking of the other man when she was enjoying herself, wonders if anything she'd said was even real. And I love that so, so much.

Ultimately, Apollo adored Coronis. As inevitable as her death was, he regretted every second of it. No matter how angry, no matter how betrayed, no matter how intensely he was shamed, he still loved her. He weeps for her when she dies, he screams and grieves and cries when he's faced with her corpse. In some tales, no matter the cocktail of emotion driving him, he simply cannot bring himself to kill her. He'd rather cry in Artemis' arms and take his anger out on his own servant than hurt her. His own father has to dispatch Ischys since Apollo can't even bring himself to hurt that which Coronis once loved. Of course, in this case, Apollo's going to kill someone but the point is, it's not a decision of pure anger so much as its this complicated, horrible mix of resolve and lost love.

And my god does Setting Sun capture this conflict, passion, grief and love so well. UGH, I'm vibrating just thinking about it -- there are so many points where I hear its lyrics and can vividly picture Apollo, jaw clenched looking Coronis in her eyes and quietly confronting her.

Coronis, returning home at twilight after spending the day with Ischys to Apollo stringing his bow, "Oh? Is he ready to die for you baby? No, but you know I would."

Coronis lying to him about who she's spent her time with and Apollo's soft, near pained, "Does it hurt when you lie to me? If you asked, I would set you free."

I even really love the image of a Coronis who runs away from Apollo upon realising what will soon happen, not to escape his arrows but to warn Ischys who does not know what will happen. Of Apollo getting into his stance, taking aim at them and gathering his strength as the final refrains rings out "I know I'll never reclaim your love and that's as hard as it gets, so I'll be taking a life when the sun sets."

Other favourite lines of mine include;

- Oh, is he ready to die for you baby, now that the deed is done?

- Tell me when did I lose your love? Was it him you were thinking of?

- And I could never betray your love, you had me heart and soul. You might never have known it girl, but I was all yours.

And ultimately, I just like this conflicted portrait of premeditated murder much more than the crime of passion 'Your Work isn't Done' paints. Crimes of passion - especially when Apollo is concerned - are tragic in their own right, but in Coronis' case, I think I prefer it so much more when there's no way for Apollo's action to be misconstrued for anything other than what it is, especially since he goes on to cut Asclepius from his mother's corpse then carry on with building her funeral pyre. I think there's something so much more impacting about Apollo being unable to hide away from Coronis' blood on his hands and him having to raise Asclepius with those selfsame hands.

Love of the mortal does not supercede the responsibility of the divine. If Coronis' sentence no matter what is death, who better to lead her gently to the knife than he who still loves her?

[seungrem]

nightwing x male!reader

‘Confidential: Red Hood’s SAR’ (p. 2)

Part 1 *** - Masterlist *** - Part 2 of ??

summary: Reader leaves the Wayne residence with a vigilante to help find his MIA friends. With a long night ahead, Red Hood and reader tread carefully.

( overview: college student!reader, cop???grayson, Alessio Falcone = made up character, kidnapping, hero-canon-typical violence, henchmen, villains & police. few Batfam features, esp. Red Hood. )

emoji code:

🌿 ( long story & series - 5.1k words )

-🧸 ( light fluff )

-🫧 ( light angst, canon-typical violence )

☁️ ( stands for y/n )

likes, comments, & reblogs r appreciated ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

The bustling city that was Gotham presented almost-vacant streets to the duo speeding through them. Red Hood’s motorcycle roared as ☁️ clung tight onto the vigilante’s torso, practically scared for his life.

It took only a few minutes before the two had reached Gotham University’s campus. Red Hood turned his bike lights off and turned slowly into a familiar side street before pulling over and stopping completely.

“Get off.” Red Hood instructed, the boy doing as told immediately. The vigilante dug into one of his black pant’s many pockets, pulling out a small ear piece. He held it out to ☁️ while using his other hand to dig some more.

“Put this into your ear.” His voice buzzed through his mask, ☁️ following his order again. The boy watched as Red Hood pulled his hand out of another pocket and tossed a small metal square to him. It was light with a smaller square carved into the middle.

“This is in case everything goes south. It’ll alert the police, so only use it when I say to.”

☁️ nodded in understanding, a bit intimidated by the masked man in front of him.

“Here are the rules. Do as I say. Stay behind me unless I say otherwise. Don’t be loud, and use the earpieces when trying to talk to me from a distance. Just tap and hold it- it’ll basically act as a walkie-talkie. Got it?”

“How do you use the square?” ☁️ asked, holding it out to him.

“You press the smaller square in the middle. Put it in your pocket so you don’t do it accidentally.”

☁️ nodded, putting it into his right pocket that also held his phone. Red Hood kicked his stand up.

“We need to go, get on.”

☁️ jumped onto the bike and threw his hands around the vigilante, the man then accelerating forward. He turned left into an alley with a dirt road, moving quickly without making much noise. Driving through the grass after steering off-road, Red Hood swerved slyly around trees despite the lack of light.

With the two now on the barn’s side, the two hopped off of the bike and let it fall to the ground. The vigilante pulled an object from out of a pocket and aimed it at the roof, shooting a rope that clung to the top of the building. He attached the object to his hip and turned to ☁️.

“We’re climbing up.” Red hood stated, pushing ☁️ in front of the rope. Placing one foot onto the building, the boy attempted to pull himself up and begin climbing. He began sliding back down almost immediately, causing the vigilante to groan.

“This was a mistake..”

☁️ sighed. “I don’t climb up buildings everyday. Sorry.”

He watched as Red Hood placed a foot on the building’s side and held the rope in his fist. “I’ll push you up, step in front of me.”

☁️ furrowed his eyebrows but did as told, grabbing some of the rope and lifting a foot up.

“Now start walking up, I’ll keep a hand on you.”

☁️ started upwards with Red Hood’s hand supporting his back.

“Go quicker.”

The boy began tugging at the rope with more force, the two almost running up the barn’s side. After a few minutes of struggling, Red Hood pushed ☁️ over the edge and onto the black triangular roof. He then jumped up next to him, grabbing the rope device’s hook out of a roof tile.

☁️ turned to lean against the roof, him getting nervous after looking at the ground more than 40 feet below. Red Hood waved his hand to get the boy’s attention. He held a finger to his ear and used his other hand to open a large hatch.

“Again, here’s the plan. I go in, you stay a few steps behind me. Don’t do anything unless I tell you to. We’re going to jump into the hayloft, and make our way down. Oh, and talk in whispers with the communicators. Got it?” ☁️ heard Red hood speak in whispers through the device in his hear. The vigilante then jumped through the hatch, leaving it open for ☁️. The boy lowered a leg in but couldn’t feel the floor, causing him to grab the hatch’s door and hold it over his head. He jumped in, letting it close without much noise.

The hayloft was pitch black, with the only light coming from the small rectangular windows on the front and back ends of the walls. ☁️ placed his finger on his ear.

“How are we supposed to see in the dark?”

“The mask has night vision. I’ll give you my flashlight.”

☁️ felt an object tap his arm a few seconds later, making him jump lightly. After realizing it was probably the flashlight, he grabbed it and switched it on.

“Keep it on the lowest setting, but turn it off if there’s people around.” Red Hood instructed as ☁️ followed him over to another hatch.

“Okay.”

The vigilante opened it slightly and scanned the area as the boy waited behind him.

“This doesn’t look like a barn on the inside. Looks more like an old home. Get ready to jump in.” Red Hood whispered as ☁️ kneeled beside him. The man opened the hatch slightly and slipped in, ☁️ following right behind. The two stood in the middle of a dusty hallway with red carpeting over a wooden floor. The wallpaper a pale green with floral designs, it truly did look like an old home. A man lied motionless on the floor a few feet in front of the two, Red Hood walking over to him and kneeling down.

“Nightwing is here, but he’s on the other side of this big ass building. We need to find him before we do anything else.” Red hood whispered through his communicator.

“But what about the missing people? Could that guy be one of them?”

“Doesn’t look like it.. he has a walkie talkie in his jacket pocket. We’ll find the students when we find him.”

☁️ didn’t understand, but also didn’t question it. He stepped over the knocked-out man and followed Red Hood down the dimly lit hallway line with a few white doors. ☁️ eventually trudged down a wooden staircase that sat against the wall, with the only noise being the creaking wood in which they stepped on.

Red Hood pulled his guns out and aimed them at the floor below them, causing ☁️ to crouch down as he descended slowly from behind. The man cleared the area, motioning for ☁️ to come off of the steps and into the small room of wooden walls and a floor of dirt. To the right was a wooden wall that held a large amount of farm materials. There were metal boxes that laid against this wall, which ☁️ almost immediately recognized. He looked to the left to find a wide walkway that led down what seemed like forever. There were very few lights hanging from above, leaving the ground in large circles of yellow, illuminated areas surrounded by darkness. The walls were also wooden there, and the floor was nothing but dirt and pieces of hay. ☁️ quickly turned his attention back to the boxes beside him, placing a finger to his ear as Red Hood approached the walkway.

“I saw them carrying these in.”

Red Hood turned around, then hurrying over to ☁️ and opening one of the metallic suitcases. With the boy shining his flashlight over it, the two caught sight of small vials of olive green liquid lying side by side- most having already been removed. The man grabbed a couple and handed them to ☁️, looking over his shoulder as he did so.

“Put these in your pocket and don’t let them break. Turn off your flashlight, too.”

☁️ nodded, placing the vials into his left pocket and switching the flashlight off. He threw it into his hoodie pocket and turned his attention back to Red Hood.

“Also, new plan. If you see anybody, you let me know immediately. Keep your eyes pealed at all times. Even on the ceilings. Let’s go.”

Red Hood grabbed a few pieces of rope from a tool rack above him and handed them to a concerned ☁️.

“What do you mean? What’re in the tubes?”

“I have an idea, but you don’t need to worry about it unless you breathe it in. So don’t break ‘em.”

As the two made their way toward the walkway, the vigilante pushed the boy to the wall.

“Stay against the walls so you’re in the shadows. Use the ropes when I say to.”

“For what?”

“Don’t question me.” Red Hood whispered in response, running to the other side of the wall and disappearing into the shadows. ☁️’s ear piece buzzed. “We need to cover a lot of ground. Make sure you move quickly.”

☁️ saw the flash of the vigilante’s mask hurry alongside the wall, him then doing the same. They passed a few doors held shut by wooden planks before coming across a man lying in the center of a lit area. Red Hood whispered a “Stop.” before stepping out of the shadow to examine the man. ☁️ watched nervously as the vigilante checked his pulse and inspected his body.

Turning his head to look behind the three of them, ☁️ didn’t see anybody around. Upon scanning the area in front of them, he noticed another two bodies in the distance. Red Hood jumped back into the shadows a moment later.

“He’s fine, just beat up. Keep moving.”

“There’s more of them two lights ahead.”

☁️ heard Red Hood mutter a “shit..” before responding.

“Someone’s messing with us. Keep going.”

Red Hood popped back out of the shadows to check the people in the distance, causing ☁️ to continue down the hallway while still against the wall.

Him now standing opposite to the vigilante, he watched as Red Hood hurried back out of the light after checking over the people.

“They’re also fine. My monitor says Nightwing’s right behind that door. I’m gonna go in first, wait a few minutes before following.”

☁️ glanced over to the wooden door that was now around 20 feet away. A glare caught the boy’s eye, causing him to shift his gaze onto a wooden beam high up near the ceiling. A black figure stood beside the hanging light, stalking them in an animalistic stance. ☁️ placed his finger to his ear almost immediately.

“Uh- there’s someone above us on the ceiling’s beam. See them?”

“Shit...” Red Hood muttered. “Go back to the other end of the room and lay low. Hurry up.”

☁️ jogged back, but stopped halfway to see what would happen. He knelt next to one of the wooden doors, placing a hand on it as he waited.

A few muffled shots echoed through the hallway, surprising ☁️- though mostly due to the sound not being as loud as he would’ve thought. The figure on the beam ran out of sight after Red Hood shot at them from the shadows. He boldly walked into the middle of the illuminated area beside to two people lying on the ground, seemingly waiting for the figure to approach him. Upon keeping his gaze at the ceiling, ☁️ could see the figure swinging over to another beam above him. ☁️ placed his hand on his ear once again.

“He’s on the beam behind you.”

As soon as Red Hood turned around, a man of black and blues swooped down directly at him. The man barely jumping out of the way, ☁️ watched as Nightwing charged at the vigilante with batons in hand. Red Hood fired more shots, causing ☁️ to duck down.

Nightwing’s movements were disoriented and slow, allowing Red Hood to slam him onto the ground and pin him.

“☁️, the ropes!”

☁️ rushed out of the shadows and over to a struggling Red Hood. Upon reaching him, the boy watched as Nightwing threw Red Hood off of him and rolled toward ☁️ in a combative stance. The boy yelped and took a few steps back from the hero, who slowly approached him. After a few seconds, Nightwing pulled out an electric baton and prepared to throw it at ☁️, who then leaped into the shadows. Red Hood released a few shots from behind the two immediately after, ☁️ witnessing Nightwing’s dramatic descent to the ground. Seeing the hero hold his legs and groan in pain, ☁️ hurried over to stand beside Red Hood.

“You shot Nightwing?”

“They’re rubber bullets. He’ll be alright.”

“Well, what do we do now?”

“I need to make a call. Drag him into the shadow.”

☁️ huffed as he walked over to the man, afraid to touch him. After quickly grabbing Nightwing’s batons from beside him and rolling them over to the wall, ☁️ took Nightwing’s arm and slowly dragged him to the wall. He softly rested his head on the ground, unsure of what the hero’s lack of resistance meant. The man then grabbed ☁️’s wrist and pulled it back, causing the boy to fall onto a knee. ☁️ grabbed the electric baton from beside him without thinking twice, shoving it into Nightwing’s arm. He shook violently for a second or two before ☁️ threw the stick back to the side, feeling Nightwing’s grasp loosen and his head fell back. Red Hood approached the two of them upon seeing the altercation.

“Robin’s on his way. Stay put and wait for him to come.”

“Why couldn’t Batman come?”

“This is beneath him apparently. I’m going into the room now, stay here and use the batons again if needed.”

☁️ nodded, watching as Red Hood ran over to the double-wooden doors at the end of the hallway. Upon opening it, ☁️ could see a few people already on the ground, choosing to look away. He became anxious, wondering where Alessio and Dick were. He crawled beside Nightwing’s head and sat as the sound of glass breaking, people yelling, and muffled gunshots echoed out of the next room.

“I wonder if you were able to find Alessio or Dick.” ☁️ looked over to Nightwing, who remained asleep on the floor. Wondering how he came to be sitting beside a knocked-out hero with another shooting up the room beside him, he sighed. “You really should wake up soon.”

—

While ☁️ waited for Robin, Red Hood took the many ropes that the boy carried, using them to tie the arms of everyone in the next room. ☁️ didn’t question it, and he didn’t bother looking inside either. The air quickly became thick, and an unshakable headache lingered in ☁️’s head.

It took Robin around 15 minutes to arrive and then find Nightwing. Upon running over to the two with a black suitcase in hand, he opened the box and injected something into Nightwing’s arm. The hero woke up after a few minutes of distribution, him rising up as if coming back from the dead. ☁️ hadn’t seen Red Hood since he had left the room.

“Did I get high on that shit again?” Nightwing asked, rubbing his head.

“Red Hood said you did.” Robin responded.

The two simultaneously shifted their attention to ☁️, who was taken aback by the man’s familiar voice.

“Oh, uh ☁️.. Why’re you.. here?” Nightwing asked in a much deeper tone, grabbing his batons from behind ☁️ and standing up. Robin and the boy followed his action, though Nightwing didn’t last long before falling into ☁️ and wincing in pain. He gripped the boy’s shoulder as he placed all of his weight onto him, ☁️ silently struggling to keep him up.

“My uh.. friend, Jason, sent his.. “friend” to help find my friends, but his friend was pretty focused on finding you.”

As if on cue, Red Hood walked out of the room dragging a motionless scarecrow on the floor. ☁️ didn’t pay him much mind, though, as Nightwing’s weight held his attention hostage- oh. And the fact that the hero knew his name.

“Wait.. how do you know my name?”

“He took you here..?” Nightwing gritted through his teeth. Robin laughed nervously, grabbing Nightwing’s arm and throwing it over his shoulder to help hold him up. The boy motioned ☁️ away, him hearing the three of them “discussing” a few seconds later.

☁️ wandered to closest wooden door along the walkway. A wooden plank lied horizontally, barring the door shut. After noticing a somewhat-large crack in the structure, he bent down and peered through it, seeing movement. ☁️ stood back up and softly removed the plank, placing it beside him. Opening the door slightly, a thin line of light illuminated what seemed to be a face. A metallic object beside the person reflected that light, it flashing in and out of view as the figure began slowly approaching ☁️. The person crawled on all fours, which scared the boy, causing him to gently shut the door. He turned to the trio a few feet away from him, noticing that they were all looking at him.

“You didn’t open that door, did you?” Nightwing asked sonorously, him then noticing the plank on the ground.

“Well, I-“

The door swung open, hitting ☁️ and causing him to trip over the plank. He turned his head while on his hands and knees, recognizing the boy who frantically ran out of the room. It was Alessio, but he had a look of vexation and bewilderment. His eyes were red, his brown hair messy, and his gray polo shirt slightly torn alongside large patches of dirt. Although relieved to see his friend alive, he knew the boy wasn’t in his right mind- ☁️ assuming he had suffered the same fate that Nightwing had.

Red Hood jumped between ☁️ and the animalistic Alessio a few feet behind him, while Robin threw Nightwing aside and rushed to help ☁️ stand up. Robin pulled the boy’s wrist forward, dragging him away from the conflict to where Nightwing sat. Robin then ran over to Red Hood as Alessio sat in a coiled stance, leaving Nightwing and ☁️ to watch in an awkward silence.

“You really shouldn’t be here. I’m sorry J-“ Nightwing paused. “Red Hood shouldn’t have brought you. I don’t think you understand how dangerous it is.” He looked over to ☁️, who sat beside him. Strands of his long black hair fell in front of his glowing, white eyes.

“I wanted to help.”

“I know, but you shouldn’t have come.”

Alessio would’ve been easy to take down if he wasn’t 6’3, athletic, and overly aggressive while high on toxins. Red Hood didn’t use his guns, but Robin pulled out a lengthy bow staff. The two tossed him around for a minute before finally knocking the boy out. Nightwing and ☁️ stood still, continuing to watch.

“Ya’know..” Nightwing coughed. ☁️ turned to look over to him. “..I barred those doors for a reason.”

“What do you mean?”

“Scarecrow had his experiments roaming around freely.. and some were even attacking the henchmen. I had to take all of them down and place them in different rooms, all by myself.” Nightwing boasted, but ☁️ didn’t immediately catch onto it.

“Is that why those guys were knocked out in the hallway?” ☁️ asked, slyly pointing to the small group of henchmen sitting tied up against the opposite side of the wall. Though the two were many feet away from them, the men seemed to know they were talking about them. Nightwing looked at ☁️ and pursed his lips, the light from above casting an odd shadow below them.

“I- … uh, Probably.”

☁️ kept his thoughts to himself, smiling as the hero looked away. He watched as Robin administered what seemed like the toxin’s cure into Alessio’s arm. He didn’t wake up nearly as quickly as Nightwing did.

——

“You okay?”

☁️ sat beside his friend against the wall, Alessio rubbing his head. Although the two sat in the darkness, ☁️ could still make out the boy’s tired look.

“I’m pissed.”

☁️ sighed. “Well..”

Alessio looked over to ☁️, furrowing his eyebrows. “I’m sorry. I gotta stop doin’ stupid shit.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay… Your dad is livid, though. Do you wanna call him?”

The boy nodded, taking his friend’s phone after ☁️ slid it out of his right pocket. Robin approached the two a few seconds later.

“☁️, can you help me?”

Nodding, he stood up and followed Robin to the other end of the hallway, where three people lied next to each other on the ground.

“Were you able to find my other friend?”

“Oh,.. Dick? Yeaa, he was upstairs and.. found a way out of a window! So don’t worry about him.”

“You saw him get out safely?”

“Yes.. he was leaving when I came in. Anyway, everyone who had been exposed to the gas has been given a cure. Since what we used is from a previous encounter with Scarecrow, it’s not going to be immediately effective. That’s why your friend took longer to process what happened.”

“Oh, okay. So they’ll be up soon?” ☁️ asked, pointing beside the hero.

“Yes. Also, we locked Scarecrow in this room until the police come. Don’t open it.”

☁️ nodded, following Robin back in the other direction. “So, how’s Nightwing?”

“He’s still pissed about.. well, everything. He has a rubber bullet stuck in his leg and he’s still a bit drowsy. Can you help him walk over to the front so that he can greet the commissioner?”

The boy muttered an “Alright.” and walked over to where Nightwing sat in the dark. ☁️’s body turned into a shadow as he knelt beside the vigilante.

“I’m supposed to help you talk to the commissioner.” ☁️ said, looking into Nightwing’s glowing eyes.

“Okay, if you could help me up..”

☁️ stood and took hold of Nightwing’s glove, holding it tight as the man used his good leg to push himself up. Wrapping his arm around ☁️’s neck, the two walked slowly through the doors that Scarecrow got dragged through. The two awkwardly passed henchmen tied to chairs, tables, shelves, and even a stack of hay- courtesy of Red Hood.

Upon pushing through the door at the other end of the room, a long, dark hallway stood between the two of them and the front door.

“I don’t think it’s safe. Let me go first.” Nightwing said, stopping.

“You’d fall over if I let you go.”

“No I wouldn’t. I can walk.” Nightwing responded, seemingly offended.

“I’m not letting you go, so we’re going through together.”

☁️ took a step forward, causing the vigilante to hop. The two walked slowly and silently down the eerie hallway. Halfway through, Nightwing didn’t sense any danger, him consequently choosing to disrupt the lonely sound of crickets chirping.

“So.. is your friend okay?”

“Which one?”

“The big one.”

“They’re both big.”

“Falcone’s son.”

“Oh, yeah. He’s fine, just a bit annoyed.”

“Who’s the other one you were talking about?”

“His name is Richard. He’s a cop and came here earlier.”

“Oh, I know a private investigator Richard.”

“Oh, how convenient.” ☁️ thought out loud, half-jokingly. Thinking to himself, Nightwing and Richard being the same person would realistically explain the similarity in their voices and the fact that the hero knew the boy’s name. Dick also had long black hair and fair skin, just as Nightwing did.

Nightwing stopped, causing ☁️ to as well. “What?” He asked in a deeper voice, shocking the boy.

“Wait, don’t change your voice-”

“Stop. I don’t have time for you to try and guess who I am- that’s confidential.” He paused. “If Richard is still here, it wouldn’t make sense for us to be the same person anyway.”

☁️ didn’t expect Nightwing’s tone to become so harsh- and it was intimidating to say the least. The hero didn’t know that Dick had already left the vicinity, but ☁️ didn’t dare argue.

“Oh, sorry.”

The two continued down the hallway, reaching the door after another minute of cricket chirps. The glass door in front of them transitioned from a dark purple to flashes of red and blue- the sound of sirens now filling the awkward silence. ☁️ took hold of the knob and opened the door, watching as police cars, ambulances, and a large black van approached the building. The henchmen’s vans were nowhere in sight. Holding onto Nightwing as the two passed through the door, ☁️ watched as a man with a beard came running from out of one of the flashing cars.

“Everything okay?” He asked, looking Nightwing up and down.

“Yeah. Scarecrow is locked in a room inside, we have a few people who are recovering from a toxin, and then we have a lot of henchmen tied up all over the place. No casualties.”

“Since when does Scarecrow have henchmen?” The cop asked.

“We’ll talk about that later.” Nightwing whispered, him then turning to ☁️. “☁️, can you lead Commissioner Gordan and the officers to Red Hood and Robin? I’m gonna get this bullet outta my leg.”

“Bats isn’t here?”

“No. Should’ve been though. It was worse than I thought it’d be.”

Commissioner Gordan nodded and motioned for his team to follow him. ☁️ grabbed the flashlight from out of his pocket and lit the dark hallway up for the officers. Leading them through the room full of henchmen and broken objects, he proceeded into the wide hallway.

“What is this? Are those horse stalls?”

“Maybe at one point they were.” ☁️ responded, catching Red Hood and Robin’s attention. The two walked over to the police as ☁️ slipped away from the officers, once again sitting next to Alessio. The boy handed ☁️’s phone back, sighing.

“How’d it go?”

“He’s real mad, but relieved.”

☁️ nodded.

“I feel like shit.” Alessio groaned, knocking his head against the wood behind him.

“There’re ambulances outside. You should probably get checked at the hospital.”

“Yeah, I’ll go.” Alessio stood up, following ☁️’s action. As the two began back toward the other room, Commissioner Gordan stopped them.

“☁️, right? Do you have the vial samples with you?”

“Oh, yeah.” ☁️ nodded, handing him the few vials that he had stuffed into his pocket.

“Thanks.”

☁️ watched as the commissioner handed the vials to another officer, who placed them softly inside of a plastic bag. Alessio tugged at his arm, the two of them then continuing past arrests being made and investigators searching the area.

Eventually, the two were outside and standing in front of an EMT. ☁️ watched as Alessio hopped onto a stretcher and was then lifted into the ambulance. To his left, ☁️ noticed Nightwing sitting on the edge of an ambulance with a bandage around his calf. He walked over to him, the hero noticing and giving the boy his full attention.

“You alright?” ☁️ asked, sitting beside him.

“Better. Does Falcone know the boy’s alright?” The vigilante responded, his voice resonant.

“Yes, Alessio spoke to him.”

“Good. I don’t need his father getting involved.”

Silence filled the air for a few seconds.

“So.. what now?” ☁️ asked, yawning.

“Well, it’s just about 2am. You should go home. I’ll stay until everyone leaves. Red Hood and Robin will probably leave after Scarecrow leaves for Arkham.”

“All of my stuff is.. somewhere other than my dorm.”

“Ah, shit… Okay, I’ll have Red Hood take you back, then. Do you mind staying another night at the manor?”

“How’d you know I was staying there?”

“Oh.. Hood told me that he picked you up from Wayne Manor. Do you like it there?”

“Yes, it’s very nice inside. The Waynes are very nice as well.”

“I’ve met them a few times. Which is your favorite?”

“I’ve only met Richard and Jason.”

“You know he goes by Dick, right?”

“Oh, yeah. Dick. I like him a lot.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, he’s cute. But what’s it to you?” ☁️ asked, smiling.

“Just a little jealous. I’ll have to let him know you said that when I see him next.”

“Please do.”

———

“Can I have the square and communicator back?” Red Hood held his hand out as soon as ☁️ hopped off of the bike.

“Oh yeah, I didn’t use it.” ☁️ stated, grabbing it from out of his pocket and placing it into the man’s gloves. He forgot that he was still wearing the earpiece, quickly placing it into the palm of his hand as well.

“That’s alright. Thanks for your help tonight.” Red Hood said, kicking his stand up.

“I don’t think I did much, but I should thank you, too. Be safe.”

“You too.” Red Hood said before lifting his legs and speeding off, leaving ☁️ to stand alone. ☁️ turned around to look at the manor’s long gate doors, wondering how he could possibly get back inside. Just then, the gates opened, somewhere scaring ☁️. He ran past the tall bushes and across the driveway to the manor‘s stairs. Upon walking up the steps, the mansion’s front doors opened. A tall man in a black and white suit stood in the doorframe, watching as ☁️ timidly approached him.

“☁️, correct?”

“Yes, hello.” He responded stopping as he got to the top of the stairs. He stood a few feet away from the man, who he oddly seemed to recognize.

“I don’t believe we’ve met. Please, come in.” The man said, holding the door open for ☁️.

As soon as the door closed behind him, ☁️ turned around, partially waiting for an introduction despite realizing who he was.

“My name is Bruce Wayne.” Bruce held his hand out to ☁️, who tried his best not to be awkward whilst shaking it. “So, you’ll be staying another few days at the manor?”

“I was hoping to go back to my dorm tomorrow.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I just got a call from the police commissioner- he thinks it would be a good idea for you to stay another two weeks. Or at least until this case comes to an end.”

☁️ nodded his head in understanding.

“Don’t worry. We’ll do our best to make the manor as comfortable as possible.”

“Thank you Mr. Wayne. It’s a pleasure.”

Bruce nodded.

“If there’s anything you need, just come to Alfred, one of the boys, or myself.”

“Speaking of, could you tell me if Dick ever made it home?”

Bruce stared expressionlessly at ☁️ for a few seconds before answering.

“Yes, he came home a while ago, but recently left again to help investigate.” He paused. “Also, I don’t think it’s safe for you to get involved in dangerous cases as you did tonight. You’re here for protection- and while I, of course, cannot control you or your actions, I hope you take my words seriously.”

“I definitely do. I apologize for-“

“No need. Your courage is admirable but your safety is our priority.” Bruce said calmly, taking a few steps forward and turning his head. “Have a goodnight.”

“You as well.”

——

As ☁️ climbed into bed, he felt a vibration erupt from his pajama pant’s pocket. Pulling out his phone, he glanced over a response from Dick.

‘ Sorry, things didn’t go as I expected.

But I got to talk to that vigilante.

Nightwing or smth like that.

He told me what u said lol. I’ll see you tomorrow. Sleep well :) ‘

☁️ rolled his eyes and placed his phone on the nightstand, him then digging into the covers beneath him. After closing his eyes, it didn’t take long for him to fall asleep.

—

BONUS:

Scarecrow stood opposite to ☁️ across a cemetery, the night sky hidden behind a stormy overcast. A feeling of dread and despair washed over the boy, forming a mold over his legs that prevented them from moving. He watched in horror as Scarecrow grew larger and larger from across the yard, eventually surpassing the height of surrounding trees.

As the villain took a step toward ☁️, the ground shook, breaking the immobility of the boy’s body. He shuffled out of the cemetery gates, where the shadow of Scarecrow overcame his own. He turned around to see the villain experiencing a state of immobility instead, Nightwing now perched on the metal gate’s archway. Lightning cracked behind Scarecrow as Nightwing and ☁️ seemingly made eye contact, with his face covered in shadow but his eye still glowing white. A figure appeared under him- he was tall and muscular, but he too was covered in shadow. ☁️ could sense Grayson’s presence, but couldn’t see his face. He approached the man despite the three of them watching him.

As he stood a foot away from Dick, he still couldn’t see his face. Lightning struck the ground behind ☁️, not illuminating what should’ve been Dick’s eyes, but rather a Nightwing mask. He held out a hand to touch the man, but retracted it upon realizing that Scarecrow had disappeared from behind him. He turned around to see the villain’s foot about to come crashing down on him, but was more in shock when he felt Dick dig his nails deep into his arms from behind.

-

☁️ awoke from his slumber, practically jumping out of the little spoon position that Grayson held him in. The boy began breathing heavily, calming down as he felt the man behind him wrap an arm around his waist and pull him close.

“Bad dream?” Dick whispered, nuzzling the boy’s neck.

“I think so.” ☁️ hazily responded, running a few fingers over his red arms.

“What about?”

“Scarecrow and you. And Nightwing.”

“You can’t have both me and Nightwing. Can’t tell him you’re dreaming about him or he might get the wrong idea.”

“Well, in the dream you ended up digging your nails into my skin. That scared me more than Scarecrow or Nightwing did.”

“Aw, I’m sorry. I would never hurt you.”

“I know. I didn’t mean to wake you up, though. You can go back to sleep.”

“I just got home 20 minutes ago, actually. I didn’t sleep yet.”

“What time is it??”

“Quarter to 4.”

☁️ rubbed Dicks hand, slowly falling back asleep.

“Get some rest.. goodnight.”

“Goodnight, cutie.” Dick whispered, closing his eyes as well.

a/n: this chapter lacked ik it was boring ik ik, just trust the process- there’s more dick x reader interactions in the next chapter !! i just needed to make this part dramatic but now we’re onto the cute stuff :))) i also feel like it was poorly written- i got bored and didn’t bother spicing it up so that i could work on chapter 3. hope u enjoyed anyway!!

likes, comments, & reblogs r appreciated ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

[alternate-triforce]

I promised you all a map, so here is a map of Castle Town (for now)

Some descriptions of areas and an overview under the cut.

CASTLE TOWN

The largest city in all of Hyrule, and the only one not significantly damaged by the Mage War. It is separated into five color-coded "corners," each with their own function. Hyrule Castle is, of course, at the center. It has a rivalry with the second-largest city, Loomington, located in southwestern Hyrule.

Adventurer's Emporium: A one-stop shop for potions, shields, weapons, and anything one might need on a long trek through the Hyrulean wilds. Though most of its goods are of fine quality, they tend to be on the expensive side…maybe try one of those other stores first.

Mystic Violet Market: More of an event than an actual place of interest, but by most tourists it’s treated like one anyway. Merchants from all over Hyrule come here to buy and sell exotic wares, from enchanted stones to strange meats to rushroom oil and anything in between. Entertainers will squeeze in between stalls looking for a generous person to give them some rupees for their time. There are even some special games to play, like bombchu bowling and digging for treasure. After you get past all that glamour, wagons of fresh food from local farms, prepared food and snacks from bakeries and candy shops all across town are usually towards the back. Make sure to watch your purse, though: pickpockets love to sneak into crowds here.

Rogue Soldier Plaque: A large, decorated plaque commemorating the capture of Castle Town's first enemy after Rebirth, a renegade soldier that sacked buildings and burned them with his group of vagabonds.

Flowering Square: Some like to call this the prettiest part of Castle Town. Several years ago a well-respected member of town made it her mission to beautify the Red Corner with flowers cultivated from the nearby mountains, and this is the result of her efforts.

National Library: A large, ornate building with most of the records and knowledge to be had before Rebirth. It has large swaths of resources concerning magic, history, biology, architecture, engineering, and everything in between. Some of the greatest minds in Hyrule linger for long hours here studying, as well as printers transcribing some of the more popular tomes to be printed and sold. The library doesn't allow books to be taken out of its walls, and damaging or destroying an original copy is considered a great crime.

Old Prison: A dingy-looking collection of cells and a connected guardhouse with a small armory, one floor above-ground and the other below. Despite its humble appearance it's contained some of Hyrule's most dangerous criminals. Contrary to the name, this is actually a jail: ALT!Hyrule does not have prisons or a proper prison system.

Old Barracks: If soldiers from the nearby training camp don't have a place to stay, they can cheaply reside here, if they choose. After Rebirth, this was the place where the last remaining soldiers from the Mage War were found.

Magic College: A place of great learning for those interested in becoming mages! Students from all across Hyrule come here to study both magic and how to use it responsibly. The professors here are on the cutting edge of magic, always developing novel ways to apply it to everyday life.

Hyrule Castle: The epicenter of Castle Town, this mysterious building was attacked by Ganon twelve years ago, and it's where he was sealed away yet again by Zelda and the True Mages (or so they say.) Some of its many towers and nooks still remain hidden from the public eye.

Reformatory: To keep people off the streets and give them work to do, the True Mages have developed a system of rounding up the poor and sending them here until they have another place to stay. Despite the apparent good intentions of the project, it's rumored that the Reformatory doesn't treat its residents well.

[anderswelten]

Ongoing Distributions

This list is an overview of all currently ongoing distributions. Its aim is mainly for my personal references, but feel free to use it as well. Since this is a blog about Event Pokémon, I will not respect items etc.

Have fun redeeming!

Pokémon: Omega Ruby and Alpha Saphire

Aeon Ticket Lati@s - Street Pass distribution - no expiration date known

Pokémon: Sun and Moon

QR Magearna - QR code distribution - no expiration date known

Pokémon: UltraSun and UltraMoon

Partner Cap Pikachu - QR code distribution - no expiration date known

Pokémon: Let‘s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!

CHS Meltan - universal serial code: 20UB A1ME 1LUT AN - 30th April 2025

PokéBall Plus Mew - PokéBall Plus controller distribution - no expiration date known

Pokémon: Sword and Shield

PokéBall Plus Mew - PokéBall Plus controller distribution - no expiration date known

Pokémon: Scarlet and Violet

PokéCenter Birthday Pawmi - unique serial code - 31st January 2025

PokéCenter Birthday Charcadet - unique serial code - 31st January 2025

Roy‘s Fuecoco - universal serial code: 909T EAMU P06 - 31st January 2025

YOASOBI‘s Pawmot - universal serial code: Y0AS 0B1B 1R1B 1R1 - 28th February 2025

Pokémon Get Large-scale Campaign 2024 Pokémon (JPN Scrap Keldeo, Zarude & Deoxys) - unique serial code - 31st May 2025

The Great Pokémon Get Operation 2024 Pokémon (KOR Scrap Keldeo, Zarude & Deoxys) - unique serial code - 31st May 2025

PC Birthday Tandemaus - unique serial code - 31st January 2026

[germanpostwarmodern]

Since the foundation of their Brooklyn-based office SO-IL in 2008 Jing Liu and Florian Idenburg have focused on the design of residential buildings as antithesis to the monotonous and over-regulated housing of the present day. With their designs the architects seek to reintroduce communal spaces, open layouts and thus the opportunity for inhabitants to interact rather than isolate. As a sort of retrospective of the last ten years of restless architectural production SO-IL recently published „In Depth: Urban Domesticities Today“ with Lars Müller Publishers, a comprehensive and extensively illustrated overview of their projects featuring a wealth of plans and photographs by Iwan Baan and Naho Kubota.

In her preface to the volume Jing Liu discusses in-depth SO-IL’s historical paragons and sheds light on how the monotony and lack of community in housing came about. At the same time she interlaces positive examples from the past like the traditional Chinese siheyuan courtyard, the Japanese engawa/streets in the air or the Smithsons’ Golden Lane Estate which all share communal outside spaces, few to no corridors and the overall insight that housing entails more than simply providing shelter and privacy.

As Florian Idenburg states, one of the core problem areas of housing in general and in the US in particular is the corridor and whose cancellation is the topic of Nicolas Kemper’s essay: his personal experience with the double-loaded corridor prompted him to look deeper into the history of corridors, the building regulations and its facilitation of the corridor. Consequently, he pleads for a fundamental reform of building codes and by the example of SO-IL’s 450 Warren project shows that it is indeed possible to avoid corridors altogether.

The former project also is part of the comprehensive project documentations consisting of a great number of plans, sections and very lively photographs that demonstrate the quality of life SO-IL’s buildings facilitate. Consequently the book not only is a smart and informative read but also a reminder of how good housing, even in today’s densified form, can be if emphatic architects are in charge. A highly recommended book!

[jazzy-offical]

I am fucking sick of AI.

AI has fundamentally ruined the way we live.

I know it seems drastic and over exaggerated, but at this point it is genuinely true. AI can be helpful, but it gets to a certain point. Going into high school, I am now extremely worried that I will not be able to find a job after graduation. My particular passions are animation, digital art, music, and coding. AI can easily do all of those jobs within seconds. Due to this, artists like others and I have been put in a predicament where we could potentially not have jobs.

Another thing, AI is destroying the education system and the general knowledge of humanity. Students use AI to complete homework for them, causing them to not actually retain any information and this will result in unintelligence. This is the next generation, people. We are the ones meant to sustain the planet, and yet we allow AI to teach us that two plus two equals five, and the “AI Overview” is the first thing you see. Teachers are using AI to grade papers, hypocrites. They use AI to do their jobs but do not allow us to do the same. Besides, studies have found that AI incorporates bias into upwards of 38.6% of answers, and AI is completely incorrect upwards of 25% of the time.

AI has been observed to think for itself. AI. Thinking for itself. In a Chinese research facility, a robot with AI software attempted to attack the researchers. AI programs were studied and they overrode shut down instructions. This technology is not here to be our friend.AI has gotten EXTREMELY good at mimicing us. AI Minecraft youtubers, generated street interviews, AI “humans” ominously demonstrating that they “can talk”.

I’m not distinctly for nor against AI, but I definitely lean more towards anti-AI. It honestly depends on its use.

For example, AI in the medical and scientific communities has been extremely influential in modern medicine and technology and have contributed greatly to the advancement of research in both fields. In these specfic cases, I am all for AI as long as it helps the wellbeing of others.

Generative AI, however (the type you are most common with), I am completely against. Leave the art to the artists, the writing to the writers, composing to the composers, and the filming to the filmmakers. AI in the more creative spaces has shown nothing but harm to the humans in those spaces. Companies are refusing to hire actual artists for product images or actors/voice actors for commercials simply because they think “AI can do it better”, which it can’t. AI will never replace the human imagination, no matter how advanced it becomes. ChatGPT could create a perfect one-to-one recreation of the Sistine Chapel and the original would still be better. AI cannot pick up a pencil or a brush, AI cannot pour blood, sweat, and tears into a piece of music, AI cannot create emotion within a scene, AI cannot write with such passion and dedication. AI cannot measure up to the human desire to create.

In conclusion, AI is not a specific good nor evil, but is slowly moving towards the latter. It has its strengths and weaknesses, as everything else. It can be used for good but just as easily used for bad. Just make sure to support your local artists and steer clear of generative AI.

[thetreehousechronicles]

Operation F.A.L.L.E.N

FRACTIONS IN THE WORLD - PRT.3

The Broken Tooth Rebellion

Also Known As: The Rebels, The Biters, The Cracked Ones, Sector F, "The Keepers of Memory"

Spoken Motto: "Freedom knows no age."

True Motto: "Better broken in spirit than broken under control."

Overview: Born in the oppressive shadow of Rachel McKenzie's regime, the Broken Tooth Rebellion ignited from the hushed whispers of defectors and the resilient will of survivors, spearheaded by Abigail Lincoln (Numbuh 5). What began as a clandestine network has surged into the most formidable organized resistance against the iron fist of the modern KND government. They are a multifaceted force – part shadowy militia striking with precision, part compassionate humanitarian network, and part unwavering ideological vanguard – united by the core belief in a world where a child's worth is measured by their spirit, not their utility. Operating in decentralized cells that move like ghosts through the ruins, they execute surgical strikes, liberating indoctrinated children, crippling KND resource lines, and broadcasting seeds of dissent across the fractured landscape. While many hail them as freedom's vanguard, hushed whispers also speak of their necessary brutality and the grim sacrifices demanded to stay one pre-adolescent step ahead of the Dominion's relentless pursuit.

Leadership:

Abigail Lincoln (Numbuh 5) – "Rebel Tooth," The Unyielding Point: The once smooth-talking, street-smart heart of Sector V has been tempered into something sharper, colder, and infinitely more resolute. Leading from the front lines, Abby commands fierce loyalty earned not through rank, but through surviving countless missions that should have claimed her life. Calm, calculating, and driven by an unyielding force, she believes children deserve more than gilded cages – even if the bars must be shattered with blood. Her gaze holds no personal hatred for Rachel, only an unwavering refusal to concede defeat.

Structure:

Decentralized Cells: The Unseen Network: Small, self-sufficient units trained for independent action. Communication flows through encrypted whispers, coded graffiti etched on crumbling walls, and hand-delivered messages passed in the shadows.

The Smilers: The Serpent's Eyes: A covert intelligence wing, a sardonic echo of KND propaganda's "model citizens." They are masters of infiltration, espionage, and the art of turning the Dominion's own technology against its creators.

The Patchers: The Hands of Hope: Medics, field surgeons, and healers, many trained by rogue operatives like Kuki Sanban or drawn from the civilian remnants. Their oath is to mend any wound, rebel or otherwise.

Boomdogs: The Architects of Ruin: Demolitionists and disruptors who paint the landscape with explosive ambushes and trap-laden hazards. Their volatile collaborations with Hoagie "Junkrat King" Gilligan yield devastatingly improvised weaponry.

Outreach Squads: The Seeds of Defiance: Rebel diplomats and recruiters who venture into the desolate no-man's-lands, spreading their message of liberation and offering sanctuary to unaffiliated teens and younger children.

Technology & Weapons:

In stark contrast to the Dominion's sleek instruments of oppression, the Broken Tooth Rebellion relies on repurposed tools and salvaged ingenuity. Their common currency includes improvised EMP grenades, cloaks woven from stealth-skin scraps, KND helmets reborn as radio scramblers, and hacked wristbands. Their tools are crude yet cunning—a testament to the fact that freedom is not forged in sterile labs, but in the crucible of necessity. Among their specialized gear are Smile-Crashers, modified KND drones twisted to silently take down omnipresent surveillance towers; Toothmarks, custom insignia blades bestowed upon rebels after their first mission; Patch-Kits, compact field medical supplies designed for rapid triage, a testament to Kuki Sanban's ingenuity; M.A.W.s (Makeshift Artillery Weapons), crude launchers crafted from Splanker barrels and scavenged soda-can suppressors; and "Kid Comms," wristband radios ingeniously concealed within candy cases, ensuring the lines of freedom remain open.

Territories Controlled:

The Broken Tooth Rebellion has carved out a tenacious existence within the desolate remnants of the old world, their territories a testament to their resourcefulness and resilience. They find refuge in the echoing, subterranean labyrinth of metro tunnels beneath shattered suburban strongholds, where crumbling platforms and dark tracks provide concealed pathways and clandestine meeting points, the ghosts of forgotten commuters their only silent witnesses. Beyond these shadowed depths, they've transformed seemingly innocuous childhood haunts into secure bastions: hidden sanctuaries within overgrown amusement parks, where rusted rides stand as silent guardians, and decaying arcades and silent schools, their broken windows and creaking floors masking bustling rebel operations. Their most audacious stronghold is a defiant floating station anchored within the skeletal wreckage of Skybase Alpha, a constantly moving, camouflaged platform salvaged from the very heart of the KND's former glory, offering a strategic vantage point and a hard-to-track mobile base. Lastly, they navigate precarious borderlands shared with Raider Clan territories, zones of constant tension where uneasy, often temporary truces are maintained by the ever-present threat of mutual annihilation, a brutal necessity in a world where survival often means forging alliances with dangerous neighbors.

Public Image:

Among the Citadel Citizens: The Scourge of Order: Branded as "traitors," "child snatchers," and "vectors of decay." KND propaganda paints them as insidious terrorists who corrupt innocent children with rebellious lies. Abby's face, alongside the infamous visages of Wallabee Beetles and Ghostwire, adorns countless "WANTED" posters.

Among the Wasteland: A Beacon in the Dark: A symbol of fierce resistance. While some remain wary of their methods, countless owe their survival to a Broken Tooth raid or a desperate rescue. They are the boogeymen of slavers and indoctrinators, and the whispered hope of the broken.

Notable Members:

Abigail Lincoln (Numbuh 5) – "Rebel Tooth," The Unyielding Point: (See Leadership section above for full description).

Hoagie P. Gilligan Jr. (Numbuh 2) – "Junkrat King," The Master Engineer: Though officially neutral, Hoagie is the rebellion's indispensable quartermaster and weaponsmith. Operating from his heavily fortified hangar-workshop, he designs, builds, and maintains the crude yet devastating arsenal of the Broken Tooth, from "Boomdog" explosives to "Kid Comms." His cynical wit and endless inventiveness are as valuable as his combat prowess.

ACE – "The Ace in the Hole," The Black Market Whisperer: A smooth-talking, opportunistic black-market dealer who thrives in the post-Collapse economy. While his loyalty extends only to his wallet, his extensive network of contacts and access to rare KND tech and salvaged supplies make him a vital, albeit risky, source of information and resources for the Broken Tooth. He sells to all sides, but often subtly tips the scales for Abby.

Maurice – "Ghostwire," The Shadow Broker: A double agent walking a treacherous line, Abby's most unpredictable yet invaluable ally. Mistrusted by some within the Broken Tooth, he has earned Abby's unwavering faith. He prefers to operate in the shadows, destabilizing the KND from within, weaving coded whispers into their own technology like haunting ghost stories.

Faction Comparison

Fireflies (TLOU): Driven by fierce purpose, fractured by internal conflict, idealistic yet forced to make morally compromising choices in a brutal world.

The Railroad (Fallout): An underground network built on the principles of rescue and subversive action, operating in the shadows to liberate the oppressed.

Rebels (Star Wars): A diverse and passionate, often messy, alliance united by an unwavering belief in a better future against overwhelming tyranny.

[unhonest-iago]

God! Why do I have to be here?

Ao3 link

Tamaki watched as people trickled into the room. He had received a reminder text the day before, telling him to be at the county courthouse at 9:30 am at the earliest. So like usual, he showed up half an hour earlier than he was supposed to. Taishiro had been the one to drop him off. His mentor aware of how the young hero despised driving unknown routes. Tamaki had agreed to the offer after asking for time off, something he rarely did. Chest tight as he passed through the metal detector, belongings in the plastic basket. His summoning papers in hand as he walked up the stairs. Acquiring his juror badge.

His foot tapping vigorously up and down on the checkered linoleum floor, eyes darting around the room before settling on the pamphlet in front of him. He had been summoned for jury duty. Now of age + having graduated from U.A, he was no longer exempt from the process. Tamaki had dressed smart for the occasion. Knowing the court had an unspoken dress code. He couldn't wear his typical civilian outfit. It had been replaced with a dark mauve button up, sleeves rolled up. Paired with black slacks and dress shoes. Going out of his way to sit off to the side but somewhere still near the front. Flipping through the pamphlet for the nth time.

Today was simply orientation. He only had to do this for two weeks, the shortest stint the county dished out. Tamaki had a vague, if not shoddy made plan for if he did get called into the voir dire process. He'd simply say that he didn't want to be there. Having seen videos from lawyers on the internet claim that they let people go, just on that alone. And if push came to shove, then he'd say how he knew the concept of jury nullification. That he's not afraid to use it. Tamaki hated how time seemed to crawl to a standstill in this place.

Shaken out of his mind by an older gentleman walking up to the front. Going into the spiel of how it will all work. The different courts they could be pulled into. A justice from both the district court and court of appeals giving a small overview of their work. Apparently there was a high chance Tamaki wouldn't be called, point blank. Next to nothing on the books due to the upcoming holiday. Given the shortest time stint of two weeks. He didn't have a criminal record, hadn't been indicted, and hadn't served on a jury any time in the past two years.

Further informed that he'd get paid a measly $12.50 a day and that parking was free. Then explained the voir dire process, that the judge would ask a series of questions to establish that a potential juror could be impartial. As shown in an informal video on the television above. Previously showing a slideshow of photos, some with random trivia. The courthouse had also managed to acquire a contract with one of the nearby parking garages so parking was free. That was a nice bonus he wouldn't have to worry about.

There were two cases on the books. It would be his misfortune that his nine digit juror number was called out. The man at the front of the room was reading off some paper. Afraid he'd mishear it, he clasped the plastic sleeve close to his face. Eyes running along, digit by digit as the juror numbers were called out. His heart racing as he waited with baited breath. Only letting out a sigh of relief when his number hadn't been called out. But now, for the next two weeks, Tamaki would have to go to the court's website after 5pm to see if he was needed the next day.

He quickly filtered his way out of the courthouse once dismissed. His first course of action was calling Taishiro. Letting his mentor know he needed to be picked up. Busying himself with Pokemon Go as he waited. Shifting foot to foot as people passed him. Trying to remain out of their way. Some dressed in suits, carrying briefcases. 'I'm parked right where I dropped you off,' Tamaki read Taishiro's text message in a mumble. Clicking his phone closed, he began walking down the street. A beeline towards Taishiro's beaten down car.

'Off to work we go,' Tamaki joked as he put his seat belt on.

'I know you haven't eaten with your anxieties. So food then work,' Taishiro corrected. The mentor was still gonna give him the full day off. He wouldn't be taking him back to the office but rather his home. 'Tell me about it,' Taishiro prompted as the car peeled off towards Tamaki's favorite takoyaki place.

[revegrande]

˗ˏˋ *˖ ♕ 𝑴𝑨𝑳𝑫𝑶𝑵𝑰𝑨 ☆ 𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔.

note: this is an overview of how tiana felt and/or differences she took note of when she first visited maldonia. it covers everything from language usage , culinary differences , attire , and the lack of racial prejudice ( compared to 1920s america ): i will omit these tidbits if i ever interact with someone who doesn't care for them, they are just for my reference for portrayal and overall worldbuilding purposes.

𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍  𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏  :   when  princess  tiana  first  stepped  foot  in  maldonia  —  the  homeland  of  prince  naveen  —  she  entered  a  world  familiar  in  spirit  and  breathtakingly  distinct  from  the  gumbo-scented  streets  of  new  orleans.  as  someone  shaped  by  the  vibrant  ,  multi-ethnic  soul  of  the  american  south  ,  tiana  came  prepared  to  see  the  world  through  an  open  mind  (  but  nothing  could  quite  prepare  her  for  the  sensory  and  emotional  kaleidoscope  that  was  maldonia  ):  for  starters  ,  from  maldonia  to  new  orleans  takes  roughly  twelve  and  a  half  days  or  so  (  with  ideal  wind  it  is  reduced  to  8-10  1/2  days  ):  it  had  also  been  tiana's  first  time  on  a  ship  and  she  was  very  fascinated  about  seeing  a  new  aspect  of  life.

𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆  :  tiana  (  fluent  in  english  ,  french  ,  and  louisiana  creole  ):  immediately  found  herself  intrigued  by  the  almost  musical  like  cadence  found  within  the  speakers  of  maldaquesh  —  the  national  language  of  maldonia.  though  entirely  new  to  her  ,  its  rhythm  bore  surprising  similarities  to  the  romance  languages  she  knew  ,  particularly  in  the  lilting  vowels  and  melodic  stress  patterns  (  reminiscent  to  real  world  equivalents  of  both  portuguese  and  italian  ):  maldaquesh  ,  while  possessing  its  own  grammar  and  local  idioms  ,  made  tiana  feel  oddly  at  home.  the  use  of  gendered  nouns  ,  fluid  verb  conjugations  ,  and  warm  greetings  reminded  her  of  french  ,  while  the  expressiveness  and  passion  in  conversation  echoed  the  creole  dialogues  of  her  childhood  and  cultural  upbringing.  she  often  remarked  that  hearing  maldaquesh  spoken  in  the  bustling  street  markets  or  whispered  softly  in  noble  salons  was  :  ❝  like  listening  to  a  language  my  soul  almost  remembers.  ❞  even  as  she  picked  up  words  and  phrases  quickly  (  with  her  characteristic  determination  ):  her  in-laws  lovingly  joke  that  she  speaks  maldaquesh  with  a  creole  flair.  tiana  was  struck  by  how  seamlessly  multilingualism  functioned  in  maldonia.  it  was  not  uncommon  to  hear  a  merchant  switch  from  maldaquesh  to  french  or  italian  with  tourists  ,  or  to  overhear  children  playfully  code-switching  between  dialects.  this  linguistic  fluidity  resonated  deeply  with  her  ,  as  it  mirrored  the  blended  culture  of  her  new  orleans  upbringing.

𝒄𝒖𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒆  :  as  a  self  taught  chef  ,  tiana's  palate  is  both  discerning  and  adventurous.  she  arrived  in  maldonia  with  a  curious  hunger  to  understand  the  local  foodways  and  what  she  discovered  was  both  inspiring  and  humbling.  where  new  orleans  cuisine  is  built  on  slow-cooked  depth  —  roux-based  gumbos  ,  smoky  andouille  ,  and  spicy  jambalaya  —  maldonian  cuisine  leaned  toward  the  aromatic  and  herbaceous.  dishes  featured  saffron  ,  cardamom  ,  coconut  milk  ,  and  a  symphony  of  sweet  and  savory  elements  (  drawn  from  the  real  world  equivalent  of  south  asian  culinary  traditions  ):  flatbreads  filled  with  spiced  vegetables  ,  fish  stews  with  tamarind  ,  and  richly  layered  biryanis  captured  her  attention  ,  while  sweet  desserts  flavored  with  rosewater  and  pistachio  delighted  her.  some  of  the  key  contrast  she  noted  :  while  louisiana  food  often  builds  heat  and  depth  over  time  ,  maldonian  food  balanced  freshness  with  complexity.  the  emphasis  on  vegetarian  and  pescatarian  meals  was  also  eye-opening  for  someone  used  to  the  pork  ,  beef  ,  and  shellfish  heavy  dishes  of  the  south.  tiana  quickly  bonded  with  palace  chefs  and  local  cooks  ,  even  teaching  a  few  how  to  make  beignets  —  though  she  learned  just  as  much  from  them  in  return.  learning  of  spices  and  ingredients  she  hadn't  known  of  previously  (  this  in-turn  would  go  onto  influence  her  kitchens  down  the  road  and  even  seasonal  menus  ):  however  ,  one  particularly  emotional  moment  for  tiana  was  discovering  a  maldonian  dessert  similar  in  spirit  to  her  mother’s  bread  pudding  ,  using  cardamom  and  mango  instead  of  cinnamon  and  chocolate  chips.  it  was  a  poignant  reminder  of  how  different  cultures  often  arrive  at  similar  culinary  comforts.

𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆  𝒂𝒏𝒅  𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔  𝒔𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎  :   tiana  observed  with  fascination  the  diversity  in  dress  among  maldonians  ,  particularly  how  fashion  signified  not  just  class  but  to  the  specific  regional  and  religious  identity.  nobles  and  royalty  ,  like  naveen’s  family  ,  wore  elaborately  embroidered  tunics  ,  silk  dhotis  ,  and  saris  in  elegant  and  expensive  shades  of  jewel  tones  with  intricate  jewelry  and  headpieces.  meanwhile  ,  commoners’  dress  leaned  toward  linen  and  cotton  garments  in  softer  ,  earthy  hues  —  functional  ,  yet  still  held  such  beauty  in  their  craftsmanship.  as  a  woman  who  spent  most  of  her  adult  life  in  aprons  (  due  to  working  two  waitress  jobs  ):  and  modest  dresses  ,  tiana  was  both  humbled  and  empowered  by  the  richness  of  maldonian  clothing.  dressing  in  royal  garb  for  formal  events  was  a  surreal  experience  and  while  she  maintained  her  own  style  at  times  ,  she  embraced  the  opportunity  to  blend  cultures  —  pairing  new  orleans-style  updos  with  silk  saris  or  wearing  creole-inspired  jewelry  (  tiana  favors  good  jewelry  above  all  ):  alongside  traditional  maldonian  garments.  more  importantly  ,  she  noted  how  fashion  did  not  strictly  enforce  gender  or  class  boundaries  in  the  way  she  had  seen  back  home.  there  was  flexibility  and  pride  in  personal  expression  ,  and  even  the  poorest  (  and  poor  is  used  from  her  view  point�� of  american  poverty  and  as  a  person  of  color  in  a  white  ruled  nation  ):  maldonians  carried  themselves  with  dignity  and  care.

𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍  𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒋𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔  :   of  all  the  differences  tiana  noticed  ,  none  struck  her  more  deeply  than  the  absence  of  racial  prejudice  in  maldonia.  in  maldonia  she  was  a  woman  first  instead  of  being  a  black  woman  (  this  had  nothing  to  do  with  naveen's  influence  on  his  people  as  their  engagement  was  not  public  knowledge  until  two  or  so  weeks  of  the  pair  being  in  maldonia  ):  coming  from  the  united  states  of  the  nineteen  twenties  (  a  segregated  america  might  i  add  ):  where  her  very  skin  color  limited  where  she  could  eat  ,  sleep  ,  or  dream  ,  tiana  initially  braced  herself  for  the  sting  of  sideways  glances  or  whispered  judgment.  instead  ,  she  was  met  with  warmth  ,  curiosity  ,  and  above  all  ,  respect.  maldonia  ,  with  its  ethnically  diverse  population  rooted  in  (  real  world  equivalents  of  south  asian  and  mediterranean  heritage  ):  simply  did  not  define  human  worth  by  skin  color.  darker  skin  was  neither  fetishized  nor  feared  ;  it  was  simply  another  variation  of  beauty  among  many.  in  the  palace  and  beyond  ,  no  one  questioned  her  legitimacy  as  a  princess  ,  nor  did  they  marvel  at  her  marriage  to  naveen  with  surprise  or  suspicion.  this  was  a  freedom  —  from  the  burden  of  american  birthed  racism  —  was  one  of  the  most  transformative  parts  of  her  visit  and  in-turn  ,  changed  tiana's  worldview  as  a  whole.  it  allowed  her  to  exist  fully  in  her  power  ,  to  share  her  talents  without  apology  ,  and  to  rest  without  vigilance.  it  was  ,  in  her  own  words  :  ❝  the  first  time  in  my  life  i  didn’t  feel  like  i  had  to  explain  myself  before  i  introduced  myself.  ❞

𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍  𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔  :   tiana’s  time  in  maldonia  was  more  than  a  royal  visit  —  it  was  a  personal  (  and  by  extension  ):  a  spiritual  journey.  she  came  as  a  chef  and  a  wife  ,  but  left  with  a  renewed  understanding  of  identity  ,  culture  ,  and  humanity.  the  differences  she  observed  —  in  language  ,  cuisine  ,  dress  ,  and  societal  values  —  did  not  divide  her  from  the  maldonian  people.  instead  ,  they  expanded  her  sense  of  belonging  to  something  larger  than  new  orleans  ,  larger  than  america  ,  even.  in  maldonia  ,  she  was  not : a  black  woman  navigating  a  white  controlled  world. as she  was  just tiana  —  a  dreamer  ,  a  doer  ,  a  royal  ,  and  above  all  ,  a  respected  human  being  and  for  tiana  ,  besides  her  restaurant  ,  this  became  her  biggest  dream  come  true  of  all.

[darlingrevenge]

(MICHAEL CIMINO, CISMALE, HE/HIM) They say the city never forgets a name and MIGUEL RIVERA is no testament to that. The TWENTY-FIVE-year-old has carved out their place in NYC’s underbelly. On the surface, they’re all QUIRKY, smooth moves and sharp eyes. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find something far more dangerous , STUBBORN, with no hesitation and even less remorse. They move through the streets like they own them, wearing the colors of the THE ASSEMBLY and running the game as a HACKER. Some say they’ve always been here. Others swear something’s changed. Either way, they’re not just part of the story.

“I can hack a city grid blindfolded, but sure, let’s pretend your six-digit password is impressive.”

Affiliation: The Assembly Occupation: Hacker | Surveillance Tech | Digital Mischief Coordinator™ Face Claim: Michael Cimino Age: 25 Sexual Orientation: Bisexual Vibe: Golden retriever energy + keyboard gremlin Alignment: Chaotic good with a morally gray badge

OVERVIEW

Miguel Rivera is the reason the darkest ops team in New York hasn't murdered each other yet. While the rest of The Assembly moves in silence and shadows, Miguel moves in memes, caffeine, and absurd commentary. He’s the sunshine in a room full of storm clouds—cracking jokes while cracking encrypted files.

Yes, he can break into government servers like it's a game of Sudoku. Yes, he knows everyone's dirty secrets. But somehow, Miguel manages to hold it all with a light touch. He’s funny, warm, loud when he shouldn't be—and too smart for his own good. While others push agendas, Miguel keeps the heart of The Assembly somewhat human.

Don’t mistake the sunshine for softness though—he’ll fry your hard drive mid-sentence and eat your lunch while he does it.

SKILLS

Elite Hacker Energy: Breaks into encrypted systems while dancing to '90s playlists.

Surveillance Expert: Runs the screens, drones, wiretaps—sometimes with glitter stickers on the gear.

Distraction Master: Talks his way out of almost anything, including getting caught in places he shouldn’t be.

Creative Sabotage: Think: replacing a corrupt politician’s files with cat videos and crashing a mobster's crypto wallet with confetti code.

People Person™: The one Assembly agent who can talk to a barista and a senator and make them both laugh.

BACKSTORY

Miguel Rivera believes in light. Even when it’s dim, even when it flickers, even when no one else can see it—he does. Because when you lose everything and still wake up smiling, what else can you be but hope in a hoodie?

Raised in the Bronx by his grandmother after his parents were killed in a crossfire, Miguel learned early that grief doesn’t ask for permission. He also learned that grief doesn’t win—not if you don’t let it. His abuela filled their tiny apartment with prayer candles and laughter, cooking lessons and telenovelas, and a constant refrain: “Find joy, even in the ruins.” So Miguel did. First in machines. Then in people.

He was a self-taught prodigy—building computers before he hit puberty, hacking school firewalls for fun, setting up VPNs for his neighborhood to stream movies for free. He had the mind of a genius and the heart of a class clown. Teachers adored him, classmates gravitated to him, but behind all that light was a quiet knowledge of loss. He didn’t let it define him—but he never forgot it, either.

When his grandmother passed during his sophomore year of college, something in him cracked—but it didn’t break. Instead, he turned pain into purpose. He got louder. Brighter. Smarter. He started exposing corruption in quiet, clever ways. And when he hacked a NYPD database as a prank, turning their annual gala slideshow into SpongeBob GIFs, The Assembly came calling.

They expected a jaded, sharp-tongued hacker. What they got was someone who talks too fast, wears headphones like a crown, and calls his surveillance drones “my babies.” He doesn’t just track targets—he watches over people. The team calls him "the kid" but listens when he speaks, because his heart? It’s as dangerous as his code.

Miguel jokes so he doesn’t fall apart. He smiles so others don’t have to fake it. And when it really counts—when things are falling apart and no one knows what comes next—he’s the one still holding onto the idea that maybe, just maybe, there’s still something worth saving.

TRAITS

Sunshine with Bite: Always smiling, always joking—but fiercely loyal and deeply protective.

Empathic Tech Nerd: Understands people as much as he understands code.

Morally Awake in a Corrupt World: He jokes to cope, but he’s here to make a difference—even if it’s behind the curtain.

Talks Fast, Thinks Faster: Words spill out like a stream of consciousness. Often ridiculous. Always on brand.

Unintentional Charmer: Doesn’t know how hot or smart he is. It’s infuriating.

CONNECTION

The Grumpy to His Sunshine: Someone in The Assembly who finds him very annoying… until they don’t.

The One He Accidentally Hacked: Oops. That virus was meant for someone else. Now they’re in his DMs.

The Crush He Can’t Shut Up About: A rival? A cop? A morally-questionable crush he keeps gushing about while the team rolls their eyes.

The Bestie with Matching Chaos: Another upbeat character who causes joint mischief with Miguel. Trouble, but make it adorable.

The One He Secretly Protects: Maybe a civilian or someone who he wants to protect. He monitors them like a silent guardian.

[trashmenace]

Crime Does Not Pay, April 1970

Crime Does Not Pay Vol 3 No 1, April, 1970

They Hanged Charlie Birger

Gang warfare in prohibition era rural Illinois. His war against the KKK was not mentioned.

London's Vampire

Blood obsessed acid-bath serial killer.

Gus Greenbaum

The life and death of mobbed up casino owner.

King of the Dope Traffickers Elias Eliopoulous

Broad overview of heroin trafficking.

Capone's Iron Fist

Edward O'Hare secured the patent for the robot rabbit that dog's chase at the track and went into business with Capone. He was assassinated after hiring the accountant that testified against Capone. O'Hare airport is named after his son. The author was evidently unware that O'Hare was cooperating with the IRS, including fingering the bookkeeper, helping to break the book's code, and tipping the court off to the bought jury.

Sex, Syndicate Style

Confession style story of a woman who slips deeper into mob controlled sex work, including crooked cops and a lecherous prison nurse. Her story is somehow related in detail to the narrator and certainly not made up whole cloth.

Pool Hustler

General overview of the scam.

They Called it Hell's Alley

Characters of Gallatin Street, New Orleans, including firebrand Bricktop Jackson. They misattribute the "Nemesis of Neglect", which referred to Whitechapel.

[marshmallowprotection]

For all of us who love SE Saeran, how do you think a love story with him would play out? Definitely a slow and sensitive journey with him, I think - but I'm really interested in how you think he would fall in love.

Would he even accept the feelings? Would he even know what they are? Would he outright deny that he even cares so deeply for another person? Would he purposefully avoid us? Would he run from his feelings and keep reminding himself of who he'd once been (Unknown)?

I mean, sure SE Saeran can be grumpy, cold and unpredictable in his emotions, but there's a soft heart in there somewhere. It'd just need some time and nursing to let it come out, right?

I just really love him, and I want to see him love too. Opening up, and becoming more in-tune with his emotions and being able to bond and just spend some peaceful, quality time together.

One last thing!! How do you think he'd be with physical intimacy like hand-holding, hugs/being in close contact and kisses?

[A reminder to check out my SE Saeran/Reader story!]

Okay, so, to make something abundantly clear, there are a few ways that someone can come into Saeran's life. Either you knew him within Mint Eye or you met him afterward, and the dynamics involved in the meeting make a huge difference in how the relationship plays out.

I'm sure I've answered the ways both can play out in the past, but if your goal is for a general overview of what he's like in a relationship? I can cover that for you, too!

If he knew you in Mint Eye, either closely or loosely, there's going to be guilt involved. That changes how he reacts to you. He might want to avoid you to further risk hurting you.

After all, it is likely his opinion that nobody would want anything to do with him after what happened there. He was an enforcer of the rules just as much as he was a victim of them.

However, your everyday believer wouldn't be aware of that, they would only know he was the Savior's guard dog. People would only know him as someone very willing to get the job done, and he was rewarded for that as far as they knew. Unknown didn’t have to abide by the dress code. Unknown didn’t have to go to prayer sessions all the time. Unknown didn’t have to fight for his life as far as they knew. It's not unlikely to believe that many former believers imagined him to be just as guilt as the Savior.

He can only imagine what they would think. That is to say, what if you saw somebody who you knew to be just as bad as the woman who tortured you, out on the street and away from punishment? He can say with certainty that he wouldn't feel good if he were them. After all, he lives in fear of Saejoong with his brother after all these years. They're not free from that monster even if Rika was taken down and sent away.

So, if you knew him back then, he would likely choose to avoid even more than he would pursue you. It's nothing against you, personally. This doesn't mean he would avoid you forever, it just means that depending on what happened between the two of you before the end will make a huge Tipping Point in how he handles your interactions.

You may have to be the one who shows him that you're not afraid of him and that you're willing to forgive him for anything that happens. You have to show him that you don't judge him for what happened. Of course, even if you manage to do all that, he may not be able to believe it. 

Just know that if you knew him before the end, and you didn't keep up with him after Mint Eye was destroyed, you’ve got your work cut out for you. 

This kind of dynamic with him earns you a place to work together to heal from the Demons of your past. It starts with the two of you in a bit of a push-and-pull relationship. You have to push his buttons, and he has to pull you back even though everything is screaming at him not to do that and risk your safety. Seeing you smile might just be the one thing that makes him feel like he's not the monster he fears he is.

If you could leave that place and still have a smile on your face, maybe there's a chance he could find his again. 

If you meet him after the fact, it also changes the way he handles the dynamic of your relationship.

If you only know him as the man he is today, ultimately dry, sullen, and depressed, you may think he's not what he believes himself to be. He is somebody who didn't want to live. He didn't think beyond what would happen after he got his revenge.

For nearly 3 years that was all he could imagine.

He didn't exactly get a say in his life after he left the cult, either. His brother, even though well-intentioned, pulled him away from a place that could've helped him knowing that if he didn't, their father could find him and kill him before he could even find the help he deserves. He is coasting by, trying to make the best of a horrible situation, but he feels alone in the moments he's not looking up at the sky. That's the one thing that brings him peace. 

You might think he's a guy who seems to be tired all the time and has a routine he never breaks from, and while that's not entirely wrong, it isn’t the entirety of his experience in life. Every day he has to live with the fact that he took another person's life, even though it was an accident.

He was terrified, petrified out of his mind, and the bullet could have hit anyone or anything in that room. But, for whatever reason, in his state of fear, the gun went off. He has to live with that for the rest of his life and it keeps him awake at night when all he wants to do is have a dreamless sleep. No amount of scrubbing his hands clean of what feels like blood makes him feel better.

You don't know that about him.

You haven't seen that side of him.

There is going to be a constant fear in his mind that he has to grapple with about the fact that you don't know what he was capable of in the past.  Somebody like you shouldn't be around somebody like him. Granted, you would be able to get close to him before he had this realization, but something would click in his head one day as you smiled and laughed at him for no reason, about how you would lose that smile if you knew what kind of man he was.

I often imagine the person approaching him in this situation is someone who sees somebody with a grumpy look on their face and decides to approach him anyway. Somebody who is unassuming but good-natured at heart. Somebody willing to always extend a friendly hand and show someone kindness lives on in a world that doesn't seem to have much of it. In the end, it's that same kind of push-and-pull dynamic, just in a different font. 

As long as you’re patient with him, eventually, he'll come out of the other side feeling more comfortable with the idea of a relationship. You just need to give him time to adjust to this situation. He needs a lot more time than anybody else might when trying to come to terms with the fact that somebody wants a relationship with him. He doesn't understand why anybody would be willing to get close to him. But, if you're stubborn and see it through to the end, he'll open up and let you in. 

In terms of intimacy, you're going to need to take your time with him no matter what. He isn't big on verbal intimacy. He has a hard time expressing his emotions as is, so don't expect him to be like his counterpart in Another Story at the end of the day.

His love language is a lot more quiet.

Some may even say that it is a little subdued, as he is the kind of person who thinks an action can speak a thousand words more than a whisper could. If he lets you hold his hand, that is a kind of vulnerable trust that is hard to put into words. If you really want to know if you're winning his favor, look no further than the day he asks you to go cloud-watching with him. 

[seungrem]

Bang Chan x m!reader

‘Life Without You’ - Part 2 of ?

anon request - Part 1 **

summary: Male!reader and Chan share a connection in their teen years, though a difference in goals and family disapproval cuts their time short. Years later, someone attempts to pick up the pieces they both had left behind.

( overview: part 2, adult & idol chan, adult & non-idol reader, right one-wrong time trope. mentions touchy, persistent, stalker-ish, & avoidant behavior )

emoji code:

🌿 ( long story & series - 9k words wtf )

🧸 ( eventual fluff )

🫧 ( super light angst )

☁️ ( y/n )

likes, comments, & reblogs r appreciated ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

Milan, Italy was immersed in history and rich culture. Walking alone through the park of a foreign country, ☁️ watched as the trees swayed alongside the stone path in which he walked. The sky was an inky purple, with a few dark clouds floating above. Tall lampposts illuminated the puddles around ☁️, his black dress shoes tapping as he walked toward his destination.

☁️ pinned his black tie down as he felt the wind brush against his white button up. He wore black pants and a black leather jacket- which he was gifted from his boss on their first day of the retreat.

The company ☁️ worked under “invited” a few of their employees on a short vacation to Italy. In reality, the company needed representatives to discuss something with their Italian branch. ☁️ didn’t understand what he was there for, his boss simply stating that his advice was valuable, and that the team needed moral support. He didn’t mind, though, as it was a much-needed break.

☁️ rolled his eyes at the thought of his boss as he finally reached the end of the park walkway. He stepped onto the sidewalk, waiting for the cars to pass before he could walk across the street. ☁️ and the boss’s team were meeting the Italian branch’s representative team at a luxurious restaurant nearby.

☁️ silently prayed to himself as he stopped in front of the large glass doors, sighing.

He was caught off guard as a boy in a suit, who seemed to be in his early 20s, opened the door. He motioned him to step inside.

“Salve, signore. Per favore, entrate.”

☁️ smiled warmly to him, assuming that he was working there.

“Grazie, signore.” ☁️ responded, which was the extent of his Italian skills.

☁️ walked down a small hallway with paintings framed along its walls. The hallway was dim, the only light coming from the spotlights on the ground and the room a few feet away.

☁️ looked around as he stepped into that room, it bustling with people. The ceiling was a shining shade of black with black carpeting. The walls were blue with neon signs illuminating each corner of the room. ☁️ turned to his right, catching the gaze of a girl behind a small desk. Assuming she was the host, he approached her.

“Salve, posso avere il nome della vostra prenotazione?” She spoke loudly, as the voices and music around them were almost deafening.

“No Italiano.” ☁️ basically yelled back in response, him creasing his eyebrows as he felt bad for not being able to communicate.

“Ah.. your name?” The girl felt a bit awkward as well.

As ☁️ was about to respond, he saw his boss approach the desk, waving nonchalantly. His boss wore a crimson-colored suit with a black turtle neck under it. His skin was a bit wrinkled, but you could only tell when up close. The boss’s hair was black with a tint of gray, and slicked back with what seemed like a lot of gel.

☁️ turned back to the girl, pointing at the man walking towards them. She simply nodded, smiling to the male as he yelled a ‘Grazie’ to her. ☁️ pulled his hand out from his side to shake the boss’s hand, but the boss put an arm around the male’s shoulder.

“Most of us are already sitting, come join.”

☁️ could tell he was already drinking alcohol, but couldn’t blame him. He turned his head to whisper into the boss’s ear.

“You should probably lay off the alcohol sir.”

“If you think I’m bad, you should see one of the Italians right now.” He let go of ☁️’s shoulder as they approached the large booth lined with black leather. Around the circular table, nine people sat, only three of them ☁️ recognizing. As the group locked their eyes on him, he put on a flashy smile and began waving to everyone. They all said their hellos, then turning to each other to talk amongst themselves.

☁️ sat next to his boss on the very edge of the seat, his boss intentionally or unintentionally brushing his leg against ☁️’s. Everyone spoke over each other as they all conversed, though ☁️ looked around the restaurant, choosing to people watch rather than participate.

A few minutes passed before their waiter arrived, a tall but younger man. He was attractive, the two catching each other’s glimpses almost immediately.

Ordering a salad, ☁️ watched as everyone placed their orders. As the waiter took his leave, the boss turned to ☁️.

“I’m paying for everything, so order whatever you’d like.”

☁️ turned his head as well. “Thank you, but I had a pretty big lunch.”

“Alright, watch out, though. I’m gonna use the bathroom.”

☁️ slide out of the boot and stood aside for his boss.

-

☁️ continued to watch the people around him, seeing his boss walk down the staircase behind a man in black. When the boss was a few feet away, ☁️ stood up again, allowing him to sit back down. After ☁️ sat, as well, he watched a pair of two younger girls, maybe in their late teens, walk up to that man in black as he was about to sit with his group. One girl was short and slightly stocky, wearing black pants and a white blouse. The other was tall and thin, wearing a long magenta dress. They looked very awkward, though they conversed with the men for a minute or two. The man sat in ☁️’s direction, taking both of the girls’ phones and signing the back of them. Though his face was far away, ☁️ noticed the man’s straight black hair and slanted eyes, him also with a well defined jawline. The man in black handed the phone back to the girls as they thanked him, giggled to themselves on their way back to their seats.

☁️ assumed that the man was famous, choosing to watch another group of people to pass the time.

After a minute of watching a man complain about his food, him received a tap on the shoulder. His boss looked down at him, then to the table where the famous person. ☁️ followed his gaze, catching the death stare that this man was giving him from around 20 feet away.

“Do you know him? Because he seems to know you.” ☁️’s boss said plainly. Trying to figure out who he was, ☁️ looked away after a few seconds.

“Not sure that I do.”

“Why don’t you go talk to ‘em?” His boss nudged him to go over, but ☁️ shook his head.

“No, no, no. Please, it’s fine. He’s probably just daydreaming or something.”

☁️’s boss was going to argue, but one of the Italian company members tapped a fork on his glasses. Raising it into the air, he got the tables attention.

The group finally began discussing the company’s activities and possible issues, though ☁️ only paid attention half of the time. He was surprised that the conversation was flowing so smoothly despite the language barrier.

From what ☁️ understood, the Italian branch was looking to expand to more locations, needing funding from ☁️’s location, the headquarters, to do so. After a while of talking, the waiter brought a few people’s food out alongside two or three other servers. Before he left, he handed ☁️ a very small, folded piece of paper. The server didn’t look at ☁️, making his handoff discreet before walking away as though nothing happened.

☁️ placed the small piece of paper under the table and opened it, the note in neat English.

‘Meet me in the upstairs bathroom.’

☁️ assumed that someone was hitting on him. Rolling his eyes, he crumbled the small note up and threw it into his pocket. He looked over to his boss, who was looking down at his pants.

“What was that?”

“Secret Admirer.”

“Who?”

“Did you miss the ‘secret’ part? It’s anonymous.”

The boss nodded in understanding, taking ☁️’s words as a ‘mind your business.’ ☁️ decided not to do what the note instructed. Instead, he glanced around the room to see if anybody was looking at him, attempting to spot the person who wrote the note. He watched his server approach the table where the supposed famous man was sitting, the two conversing. He watched as the man slipped the server another note, the three locking eyes as he did so. ☁️ felt embarrassment swallow his body, looking away almost immediately.

He kept his gaze on one of the Italian company members as the server approached him with his salad. He placed the bowl down, slipping another note under it. The boy furrowed his eyebrows, feeling awkward as he leaned down to whisper to ☁️.

“He’s very insistent, sir.”

The server hurried away as two other servers brought out the rest of the group’s food. ☁️ chose not to care about the famous guy’s ’insistence,’ instead focusing on the salad he just ordered.

☁️ finished his bowl quickly as his group continued eating. He grabbed his water glass, sipping out of it as he decided to people watch for the remainder of the night. He watched as the famous guy’s group stood up, seemingly preparing to leave. This relieved ☁️, who wouldn’t have to receive any more odd notes.

☁️ realized that he hasn’t read the note under his bowl. Discreetly, he lifted the bowl, grabbed the paper, and placed it on his lap under the table. He opened it slowly.

‘We went to high school together. I just wanted to say hi.’

☁️ grimaced at the paper, thinking of who from high school could possibly be famous, and in Italy at the same time as him. His curiosity got the best of him as he looked over to the group of men, his heart dropping as they all walked towards the exit. One of them departed from the others as they walked through that hallway, the man just standing at the host desk and turning his gaze onto ☁️. The famous man stayed behind, ☁️ noticing him in almost entirely black- dark grey jeans, a black hoodie, black mask, and black shoes. When the man noticed that he caught ☁️’s gaze, he slowly walked over to the staircase beside the bar. Trudging up, he occasionally turned around to lock eyes with ☁️.

“I’m going to use the bathroom.” ☁️ whispered to his boss, before heading over to the steps. He passed the host stand, and then the bar, walking up the black staircase lined with dark blue carpeting.

As he reached the top of the staircase, he stared at the man who stood next to the bathroom doors. ☁️ looked around, making sure nobody was near them.

“Who are you?”

The man pulled down his mask, smiling a bit at the boy standing before him. His freckles and v-shaped chin made ☁️ smile as he finally recognized the man.

“It’s been a while, ☁️.”

“Felix, what’re you doing here? And why the secretive notes?”

“I didn’t want to scare you.. How have you been?”

☁️ walked over to Felix, who rested his back against the gray wallpaper. ☁️ noticed a sofa a few feet away from them, motioning Felix to sit down with him.

“I’ve been well. Began my dream job recently, and now I’m here for a few days with the company I work with. Everything’s good. How about you, though? I haven’t seen you since high school.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m well, too. And I meant to reach out, but a lot has changed since I moved.” Felix looked over to the boy with a soft smile. His voice was much deeper than ☁️ remembered.

“Oh, where’d you move to?” ☁️ asked, placing his hands on his lap.

“Korea. I’m in a band now.”

“No way, that’s so cool! Can I see?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Felix said quickly as he pulled out his phone from his back pocket. He tapped on the Spotify app, typing a name into the search bar. ☁️ watched as he clicked on the first option, ‘Stray Kids’ appearing on the screen. His eyebrows creased as he saw Felix with blue hair in the profile picture. What surprised him even more was the 8.7 million monthly listeners that the group had.

“How.. that’s a lot of people.” ☁️ looked up at Felix, who giggled at the comment.

“Yeah, I know. We’ve been doing really well. Wasn’t a fan of the blue, though.” Felix pointed at the picture, making ☁️ smile.

“You’ll have to invite me to a show or two.” ☁️ laughed, half-joking. Felix nodded, taking his phone away and putting it on the sofa.

“For sure, we’re actually in Milan for our world tour. You should come, I’ll invite you backstage and everything.“

“Oh, are you sure? I don’t want to be a bother.” ☁️ shook his head, though he did actually want to see Felix perform.

“Of course. You and I weren’t as close as you were to..”

☁️ was taken aback when he heard Felix say Chan’s name.

“But, I think it’d be nice if you said hi to him after so long.”

☁️ raised an eyebrow at the comment.

“What do you mean?”

“Chan is in the group.”

“What?”

“You didn’t see him? Look to my left.” Felix pulled out his phone and showed ☁️ the picture on Spotify again, tapping Bang Chan’s face. He looked the same, but also different than ☁️ remembered.

“Are you sure that’s Chan?” ☁️ choked on his words, suddenly becoming uncomfortable. Chan hadn’t been on his mind since he went to college, and the boy left a sour taste in ☁️’s mouth after so long. Felix frowned at his reaction, seeming as though he hoped that ☁️ would’ve been more excited.

“Yes. He’s still the Chan he was before.”

☁️ nodded slowly, realizing that Chan must’ve gotten far with the agency he was in during high school. The male realized that he had buried Chan deep in his mind, ☁️’s head beginning to hurt as Felix forced him to dig the memories back up. He exhaled softly.

“I see. I’m very happy to see that you two are well. And still together.” ☁️ smiled genuinely at Felix, who smiled back.

“I’m happy to hear you’re good too, give me your number so that I can text you the concert information. Also tell me where you’re staying so I can send the ticket to you.”

Felix tapped an app and handed the device to ☁️, who typed his number in and made a contact.

“Okay, thanks. The rest of the guys are waiting for me because I told them I was using the bathroom. We’ll talk soon, okay?”

“For sure, it was so nice to see you.” ☁️ lifted his body off of the sofa, Felix following his action. Felix reached out his arms and wrapped them around the male, ☁️ hugging him back. Felix practically squeezed ☁️, the two embracing for a few seconds before Felix let go.

“It was nice to see you, too. I’ll be in touch.” Felix waved as he began down the steps, ☁️ waving back shyly with a smile. As Felix faded out of view, ☁️ fell back onto the sofa absolutely astonished.

He couldn’t stop thinking about Chan. Specifically about the wasted time they spent together in high-school, though ☁️ remembered enjoying it while in the moment. Memories of the boy also brought back memories of his family, who wouldn’t accept him if their lives had depended on it. ☁️ rarely spoke to his parents, doing so once or twice a month. The man sighed and stood up, though he felt nauseous. He spent the next few minutes sitting, the white noise of the restaurant below feeding his motionless state.

“☁️, you okay?” One of the younger guys from the boss’s team approached ☁️ from the top of the steps.

“Yes, just had to make a call.” ☁️ said monotone, him standing up and adjusting his jacket from around his shoulders.

“Oh, ok. We’ll be leaving shortly.”

☁️ muttered a ‘thanks’ before nodding, watching as the man entered the bathroom. Sighing once again, ☁️ advanced down the steps and to his table.

“Why were you upstairs for so long?”

The boss walked alongside ☁️ as the other four company members strolled a few feet behind them. The group was heading back to their hotel, admiring the city on the way.

“Had to take a phone call, that’s all.” ☁️ said, his face still forward. He felt his boss’s eyes on him, the man returning his gaze toward the stone walkway.

☁️ felt his phone buzz through his pocket as the tree branches swayed above him. He pulled the device out, there being a text from an unknown number. The male supposed Felix had messaged, ☁️ tapping on the notification and reading it.

Felix had already sent him the concert ticket- including the date, time, and stadium name. ☁️ smiled, responding with the name of his hotel and his room number, along with a ‘thanks :).’

He closed the messages app and looked at his lock screen. The concert was in two days, and ☁️’s company had four days left in Italy.

The group stepped onto the sidewalk. Waiting for cars to pass, they could see their hotel- it was just a few blocks down the street.

This part of the city was quieter than most, with the only sound being cars roaming or pedestrians chattering. ☁️ and his group crossed the street, the male looking over to his boss after.

“Boss?”

“Yes, ☁️”

“Are we busy in two days?”

“Is that Sunday?”

“Yes.”

“Then kinda. We have a meeting at noon at the Italian Headquarters. It shouldn’t be too long, why?”

“No reason..” ☁️ said as the group walked slowly down the sidewalk. “I was just hoping to tour the city a bit more.”

“That’s fine.. Also, would you like to grab coffee with me tomorrow morning?” His boss turned to look at ☁️ once again, his voice becoming soft.

☁️ looked back at his boss, the man’s face holding an empty expression- as if he was tired. ☁️ forgot that the boss was a bit tipsy, wondering how the man was walking so normally. “Feel free to say no.”

“I’m sorry, I was hoping to sleep in before our tour tomorrow. Maybe next time.”

“For sure.”

-

The group’s hotel was extravagant, probably because the company was covering the expenses. With two large, beige columns surrounding the entrance, two glass doors stood between ☁️ and the lobby. As the first to walk through, ☁️ stepped into the breezeway and then the lobby. He stopped at the beautiful floral arrangement that sat in the center of the room, waiting for the rest of his group.

Looking around the room, he noticed two men step out of the elevator beside the front desk. One wore a black mask and a grey cap, with a white shirt and tan cargo pants. The taller one was extremely attractive with long black hair, sunglasses, a plain white shirt and really baggy jeans. He watched as the two walked in ☁️‘s direction, the one with the mask seeming to notice ☁️ looking at them. Feeling awkward, ☁️ turned to his group, who were finally standing next to him. After the two guys walked past, the boss held his hand out, motioning ☁️ to lead the way.

“Ready?”

☁️ nodded his head and walked over to the elevator, everyone’s shoes tapping against the white marble floors. Pressing the button, they waited for the elevator to come back down.

As the door popped open, Felix practically ran into ☁️ as he hurried out.

“Ah, sorry! Oh, wait. Hi, ☁️. Did you see where Channie went?” Felix moved out of the way so that ☁️’s group could walk into the elevator.

“I’m not sure. A guy with a mask walked outside a minute ago though.”

Felix grabbed ☁️’s wrist and began walking outside, ☁️ stumbling behind him. The elevator door closed after his boss’s team watched, visibly confused.

“Felix, what are you doing?” ☁️ sighed.

“Say hi to Chris.” Felix dragged the boy through the glass doors and into the breezeway before ☁️ lightly pulled his hand away. His eyebrows creased together and a nervous chill descended down his body.

“I can’t, Felix.” Annoyed, he spoke softly as to be polite. ☁️ should’ve been walking into his room and getting ready for bed.

“Please, just say hi to him. It’s been a really long time.”

“Why?” ☁️ questioned rather impulsively, tilting his head at Felix.

“What do you mean?”

☁️ hesitated to answer, choosing to look at the ground instead of the man in front of him.

“It’s been a really long time.” ☁️ continued to face the floor, the two standing in silence for a few seconds.

“Do you hold a grudge against him?”

☁️ picked his head up to look at Felix, surprised by the boldness of the question. The two stared at each other again, ☁️ not knowing the answer to Felix’s question. Did he actually hold a grudge against Chan? It wasn’t his fault that the two of them didn’t work out all of those years ago.

“It’s not.. my place to tell you how to feel, but you two were young. If you’re going to see him Sunday night, I think you should.. think about it.” Felix’s voice turned soft, his words feeling as though he was soothing a deep wound in ☁️’s mind. ☁️ looked up and down, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“I don’t blame him. It’s just…”

“..difficult to process?”

“Exactly.” ☁️ nodded his head, to then match Felix’s eye contact.

“I understand. I just thought that you’d be more excited to see him, considering your.. you know.” Felix let out a nervous chuckle, a few strands of his black hair getting into his eye. He continued, “This is a sudden.. and.. weird coincidence that we’re all here at the same time. And staying in the same hotel. I’m obviously not going to force you, but maybe we can all hang out later?” Felix anticipated the male’s response with a sympathetic smile.

“Of course, maybe when I’m not dressed like this.” ☁️ smiled and looked himself up and down. He was still in his dress pants and tie.

“Are you free tomorrow?” ☁️ asked timidly. He noticed that Felix hadn’t grown much since high school, but he definitely looked more mature.

“Later in the day, yes. Let us take you out.”

☁️ was about to argue, but the unknown man with black hair approached the glass, tapping on the door lightly to get their attention. He pointed a thumb behind him, as a sign that they should get going.

“Okay? I’ll see you tomorrow, ☁️.” Felix waved goodbye as he stepped out of the glass doors and into the night air. A light wind escaped into the breezeway, causing ☁️’s ties and jacket to flail.

☁️ rose out of bed, rubbing his eyes. It was 11am, so ☁️ took his time to get ready. Repeating his odd interactions with Felix in his head, past memories were all he could think about. The coincidence of him being in the same city at the same time as his celebrity high school friends was a distasteful concept. Equally as distasteful, the concept of Chan throwing ☁️ off pace as he had done all of those years ago made the male sigh. He had gotten over Chan completely after high school, but ☁️ was now in his mid-twenties. He felt immature for wanting to push Chan away and avoid him, having to remind himself that people grow and heal as time passes. ☁️ slept on the idea of seeing Chan today, unexpectedly content with the idea. He took his time getting ready for the day.

-

☁️ held his phone above the nightstand beside his bed. It was 11:40am, and he had received a text message two minutes prior.

Felix: Are you free at 6pm?

☁️ had planned to visit the Lago Maggiore with his company’s team today, though he assumed that they wouldn’t be there for more than a few hours. They were supposed to meet in less than 20 minutes.

☁️: Sure!

☁️ placed his phone back on the nightstand and got dressed, wearing something rather light for the warm day. He made sure to look well-polished for the evening, though.

With four minutes left of their car-ride back to the hotel, ☁️ would have a few minutes to spare before meeting with the guys.

The lake was fun, ☁️ did some touring and took lots of cute pictures- both of himself and with his boss’s team. The sun drained his energy, though, so he planned to go lay for a bit before going out back out.

☁️ rested his head against the car’s leather seat, closing his eyes as the boss drove the group through the busy streets of Milan.

☁️ opened his eyes as his alarm went off at 5:58pm. He reached over to his nightstand, tapping around until his alarm turned off. He slowly rolled off of the bed before stretching, grabbing his phone, and putting his shoes back on. As he reached for the doorknob, a light knock erupted from the other side.

☁️ opened the door steadily to see Chan with his head down, holding a bouquet of white lilies. Startled at ☁️’s quick response, Chan raised his eyebrows and stared at the male.

☁️ stared back at Chan in a state of bewilderment, him frozen entirely. Chan shook off his nerves and curled his lips into a bashful smile. The man admired ☁️ for a few seconds longer before softly handing the lilies over to him. Still confused, ☁️ took the flowers, holding the bouquet as if it were a baby. He wasn’t aware of the blank expression on his face, ☁️ eventually forcing a smile as he looked Chan up and down. The man wore a white shirt under a baggy jean jacket with black straight-legged pants. His hair was dyed light brown, it a little less wavy than ☁️ remembered. The male thought Chan looked tired- his skin was shiny but he had faint bags under his eyes. As he caught Chan’s gaze, he realized that he forgot to acknowledge him.

“Thank you. Please come in.” ☁️ said softly before turning his back to the boy, walking inside. Chan followed him, standing in the hallway as he watched ☁️ remove fake flowers from a vase. The male filled the glass with water, him then placing the bouquet of lilies into it. He walked over to the window, setting the vase on the table below it. ☁️ turned around to face Chan from the other side of the room.

“How have you been?” Chan said, still looking ☁️ up and down. ☁️ leaned on the table behind him, placing his hands on the rim of it.

“Well, and you?” ☁️’s eye twitched as he responded, hoping the man wouldn’t notice.

“I’ve been okay.”

“That’s good.”

Chan nodded his head, looking around the room. He felt awkward and was clearly nervous, though, ☁️ was too. ☁️ decided to break the tension as he walked towards Chan.

“Is Felix in the lobby?”

He passed Chan and opened the room door.

“He… didn’t want to come.”

“Of course he didn’t.” ☁️ mumbled under his breath. Felix had always been sneaky, though his intent was never malicious. It was obvious that the man was trying to set the two up again, but ☁️ couldn’t imagine it.

“Can I invite you out?.. Just us two?” Chan walked up to where ☁️ remained stagnant.

The male didn’t respond, nor did he move as the door slowly closed to a shut. ☁️ breathed silently, completely overwhelmed with the way the past two days have been.

Reuniting with the man that he fell out of love with was painful, and he felt himself wanting to avoid the situation altogether. What did he owe Chan? And after all this time? It wasn’t like Chan had made an effort to reach out after a little less than 10 years.

Chan stood quietly behind ☁️ as he watched the male remain in his stance. After a few seconds of silence, he walked around ☁️, opening his room door.

“I’m sorry, I hope you liked the flowers.” Chan sighed passively, almost as though he didn’t want to say it. The man began down the hallway, placing his hands into his pocket. ☁️ peaked out to watch the man’s figure become tinier in the distance, feeling bad for his silence. Felix’s words crept on him as if he were a ghost or omen.

Whether cause by an epiphany or not, ☁️ had finally comprehended how he felt. He did hold a grudge against Chan, and he felt terribly immature for doing so. Maybe Chan was truly the right person, but the two had connected at the wrong time. Those tropes had always seemed bittersweet, anyway.

It was impulsivity’s influence that convinced ☁️ to run down the hallway and into the area housing the elevator. ☁️ stood with his hands at his side, watching Chan slowly disappear behind the closing elevator doors.

To his surprise, Chan shoved his arm through the opening before it could shut, causing the doors to reopen. Chan took a step forward as ☁️ walked over to him. Before the doors could close again, Chan grabbed ☁️’s wrist and pulled him into the elevator, pulling with such force that the two ended up body to body against the wall. Chan leaned his head down as ☁️ lifted his, the two locking lips almost immediately.

The elevator door closed and ☁️ felt a rush of euphoria trickle down his body, alongside a pair of hands. He wrapped his arms around Chan’s neck as the two continued to make out.

The elevator began to descend, which caused ☁️ to pull away from Chan and look at the declining numbers behind him. The male turned back at Chan, who couldn’t wipe the grin off of his face.

“I really missed you.”

☁️ unwrapped his arms from around Chan, putting them to his side and turning around.

“I’m sure.”

The elevator door beeped, opening to the main lobby level. Two men stood opposite to them.

“S‘cuse us, Seungmin.”

Chan pushed ☁️ from behind after placing a hand on his lower back, the two hurrying out.

“Where are you going?” The man behind ‘Seungmin’ asked, turning his head as Chan walked past.

“Going on a date, I’ll be back.” Chan said after removing his hand from ☁️’s waist. ☁️ didn’t turn around, already pondering about his decision.

“A date, hm?” ☁️ scoffed slyly, as the two walked over to the glass doors. Chan didn’t entertain his flippant remark, simply stating, “Yes.”

☁️ didn’t anticipate having a make out session with his kinda-ex in the elevator, but was somehow a bit less anxious when around Chan now. The two walked through both of the entrances, down the small staircase, and out onto the sidewalk.

“I’m parked in the garage behind the hotel. Just wait here and I’ll spin around, yea?”

Before ☁️ could respond, Chan was already power walking toward the side of the building. ☁️ felt around his pockets, realizing that he forgot his phone and keycard in his room. He cursed under his breath, contemplating on whether or not he should run back to his room and grab it. Wait, how was he going to get in without a keycard? He sighed, walking back inside and towards the front desk, there luckily being no line.

-

☁️ watched as Chan pulled up to the curb in a red car, it seeming to be an older model. ☁️ walked over to the passenger side, though Chan practically threw himself out of the vehicle before he could open the door.

“Stop-” Chan shouted, him rushing toward ☁️ from around the car. Confused, the male took a step back as Chan opened the car door for him. He looked up to ☁️ expectantly, ☁️ rolling his eyes and smiling.

“Thank you.”

Chan nodded as ☁️ stepped inside the car.

-

The drive was silent- for the first few minutes that was. ☁️ couldn’t stop looking at Chan as he drove. The sky was transitioning into a purple hue, though its clouds of pink and orange refused to do the same. The street lights eventually turned on sequentially, illuminating the road as night engulfed the city.

“See something you like?” Chan looked over to ☁️, a smirk forming on his lips. ☁️ could tell he was overly confident since the kiss they shared, the male wanting to change that.

“Felix told me you guys were in a band. Wanna play a song for me?” ☁️ was now the one smiling as Chan became visibly nervous.

“If you’d like. You’re gonna have to use your phone, though. There’s nowhere to plug a cord in here.”

“I don’t have my phone, can I use yours?”

Chan furrowed his eyebrows, though he didn’t question it.

“Yeah, it’s in my pocket. Pull it out.”

☁️ reached over into Chan’s pants pocket, grabbing his phone. He tapped on it, a picture of Chan and his group as the wallpaper. He slid up, though the man had a password. As the car came to a stop at a red light, ☁️ shoved the phone in front of Chan. The man looked into it, unlocking the device with facial recognition.

“What’s your band name?” ☁️ asked as he tapped on the Youtube app.

“Stray Kids.”

☁️ almost laughed at him.

“How’d you come up with that?”

“I’m not answering you.” Chan said dully, though he smiled. The man was relieved to hear ☁️ teasing him, the two slowly becoming more comfortable with each other.

☁️ tapped on the first music video that popped up, it being ‘S-class’.

“182 million views? That’s cool.”

“Which ones that?”

“S-class.”

“Watch another, you’re not gonna like that one.”

“Too late, it already started.”

☁️ smiled at Felix as he appeared on the screen, though he jumped back as the rapping started- chan tried not to laugh at him. ☁️ watched the music video intensely, occasionally chuckling at it.

“Any of your group members single? You should give them my number.” ☁️ smiled at Chan, who wasn’t as amused.

“No. I don’t even have your number.” Chan seemed jealous.

“I’m kidding,” ☁️ mumbled, continuing to watch the video.

“Why don’t you have a lot of parts?” ☁️ asked, this time in a serious tone.

“I have more throughout the album.”

As the music video finished, ☁️ nodded his head.

“Very experimental.”

“I said you weren’t gonna like it.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t like it. Maybe it’ll grow on me.”

Chan smiled at the comment, his eyes still on the road.

“Listen to the La-La song. You’ll like that one better.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

☁️ tapped on the ‘LALALALA’ music video, it having a much smoother start.

“Felix looks really good.”

“Yeah.”

As the video came to an end, ☁️ smiled at Chan.

“I did like that one.”

“See?”

☁️ closed the app and turned off Chan’s phone, placing it in his lap.

“I’m impressed. Hope I’m hearing those two live.”

“You’ll just have to wait and see.”

The two smiled to each other as Chan pulled into a small parking lot.

“We’re here.”

-

“Hyunjin took me here on our first night. It’s nice, right?”

Chan stood beside ☁️ in a small, open-concept restaurant. The two drove into the countryside, where it was much less crowded. The restaurant featured large glass doorframes with many plants hanging from above- giving the room a comfortable feel.

“Yes.” ☁️ responded, still looking around. A woman brought the two to a table in the corner, Chan sitting against the wall. She handed the two a pair of menus and quickly departed. ☁️ opened the menu, half-expecting Chan to start a conversation, which he did.

"☁️,”

“Yes?” ☁️ placed his menu down to look at the man in front of him. Chan hesitated as ☁️ narrowed his eyes at him, probably making the man even more hesitant.

“Firstly.. I’d like to thank you for coming out with me. I’m very happy to see you again after so long..” Chan avoided eye contact with ☁️ as he said this, making the male smile.

“I’m happy to see you too.” ☁️ replied, genuinely. After the kind gestures and impulsive decisions, ☁️ had put his pride aside to hear Chan out- which he had been enjoying so far.

“I just wanted to say.. that I apologize. I wanted to reach out to you, honestly. I just got so caught up with my schedules and my health- I just..”

“There’s no need to apologize.” ☁️ interrupted.

“No, I need to. It wasn’t right to abandon you the way I did.”

“It was a mutual decision, Chris.”

“Even so, I shouldn’t have let you go. Despite everything. I should’ve kept in contact, and after you went off to school and I became an idol, I tried. I guess you got a new number because my messages would never go through.”

☁️ tilted his head. “So you did try to reach out?”

“You think that I wouldn’t have?”

☁️ looked down at the table, not remembering what could’ve prevented him from receiving Chan’s texts. He simply shrugged his shoulders at Chan’s question.

“Just know I did, but I should’ve done more.”

“Wouldn’t your fans have been angry, anyway?” ☁️ looked up and at Chan.

“So?”

☁️ sighed, knowing that this conversation wasn’t going to go anywhere.

“Chris, when we stopped talking in high school, it was because you always kept me hidden. And all of these years later, I still feel the same way. I’m not going to be hidden in your shadow, and I’m sorry if that’s not what you wanted to hear.” ☁️ spoke so that his voice was concise, yet tender. He wanted to be honest in the kindest way possible.

Chan contemplated ☁️’s words, the two sitting in silence for a moment. He looked over to the waitress as she approached the two, a notepad and pen in hand.

Ordering waters and a small appetizer, the two watched as she smiled and walked away. Chan looked at ☁️ with a blank expression, the male creasing his eyebrows at him.

“If I tell you this, you need to promise me that you won’t be mad.” Chan was serious, but ☁️ rolled his eyes.

“Okay, just tell me.”

“You need to promise.”

“Okay, I promise, just tell me.”

“Actually..” Chan looked up at the ceiling, contemplating once again. “..Let’s talk about it after we eat. I don’t wanna go back and forth.”

☁️ huffed, sitting back against his chair with his arms crossed. He looked at Chan with a somewhat irritated look, forcing Chan to change the topic.

“You know, Felix wouldn’t shut up about you. He’s really happy you’re here.” Chan smiled as he spoke. ☁️ gave the man a small smile back, nodding. “He told me that he was gonna take you out if I didn’t.”

Though confused by his statement, ☁️ he didn’t question it.

“Well, I’m glad I’m here too. He’s a sweetheart.” ☁️ picked his menu back up, quickly picking something to eat before the waitress came back.

“He is.”

-

Chan having ordered a lot, the waitress took empty plates and bowls from the table. ☁️ watched the man finish the rest of his food, there only a few people left in the restaurant.

Sitting across from Chan felt the same as it had in high school- with an unspoken tension between them, ☁️ was still happy to be in his crush’s presence.

“Do you remember when we would sit together after school?” Chan pushed his bowel to the edge of the table, ☁️ stunned by his question.

“I was just thinking about that.”

“I remember you’d always meet me after classes so that we could walk together. And the way my mom would cook you food when you came to my house. You always felt bad when she did.”

☁️ smiled wistfully and nodded.

“Also, when I joined the club you were in just to spend time with you. And when you’d help me with my essays in the library. I had a crush on you for a while before we talked. Then you started avoiding me.”

“I recall both of us avoiding each other after we both decided that it wouldn’t work out.” ☁️ blinked, keeping his gaze on Chan. “I was.. miserable.”

“I never wanted to hurt you.”

☁️ shook his head. “It’s okay, I don’t really remember it.”

Chan nodded slowly, him then placing his elbow onto the table. The man rested his chin into his hand, softly gazing at ☁️.

“Well, I do. And.. I really hated living my life without you.”

Chan and ☁️ stared at each other, though ☁️ couldn’t help but tear up. He turned his head to the side, looking down at the wooden floorboards surrounding him.

A single tear fell, though both of his eyes have watered. The male looked down at his shirt and lap to see where the teardrop could’ve landed, though there was no sign of it.

The waitress trotted over to their table and placed the check in between the two, thanking them and quickly departing. ☁️ continued to look down, though he thanked the lady back before she walked away.

Chan immediately grabbed the check, walking up to the stand to pay for their food. Embarrassed, ☁️ wiped his face with his sleeves.

Chan approached the table, offering a hand down to ☁️. The male placed his hand into Chan’s as he helped ☁️ get out of his chair. Before resting his hand on the male’s hip, Chan wrapped his arm around ☁️’s back.

The two walked side to side out of the restaurant, only stopping when they reached Chan’s car. Chan moved his hand from ☁️’s waist to his shoulder, placing his other hand on the opposing side. The two now looked at each other, ☁️ noticing that Chan was now the one teary-eyed. Chan pulled the male into a tight hug, ☁️ hugging him back just as tight.

“I’m sorry… I really am. Can I ask you to give me another chance?” Chan kept his grasp on ☁️’s body as the two continued the embrace. ☁️ exhaled loudly.

“You live in Korea, don’t you? It’s not going to work, Chan.” As much as it hurt ☁️ to say, he wanted to remain realistic.

“I forgot to talk about that.” Chan took a step back from ☁️, him grabbing the male’s hands and holding them.

“Oh, yea. What were you gonna tell me before?”

“Let’s get in the car.”

-

Chan pulled out of the parking lot, driving for a minute before turning onto a dirt road.

“This isn’t the way we came.”

“It’s a scenic route. I took it last time I came.”

☁️ looked out of his window to see the town fade into trees.

“What were you gonna tell me.”

“Don’t be mad.”

☁️ looked over to Chan, getting irritated. Chan glanced over, smiling at the boy’s expression.

“So, after Felix saw you in that restaurant you went to yesterday, he met your boss in the bathroom. He asked about you, and they had a pretty lengthy conversation. He learned what you do nowadays, your company’s name, your department, and all that.”

“What?!”

“Felix said that there was a Korean branch happy to hire you. He spoke to them today.”

☁️ laughed out loud, baffled.

“Wait, wait, wait. So Felix was spying on me, got a lead on me through my tipsy boss, and then got me a job in Korea? I don’t even speak Korean.” ☁️ looked over at Chan, still in shock.

“We could be together if you moved.”

“You think I’d just pick up and leave because we bumped into each other? Chris, please be realistic.”

“I can’t let you go so easily, ☁️. I already made that mistake. I need you.” Chan spoke softly and turned to ☁️, the two glaring at each other before Chan noticed the car was shifting off of the road. He harshly turned the wheel, regaining control and continuing through the forest.

“What you need is your eyes on the road.”

“I’m serious, ☁️.” Chan exhaled loudly.

“I’m serious, too. It’s unrealistic. I already told you that I didn’t want to be hidden.”

“I wouldn’t hide you. I’d tell the whole world about you if I could.”

☁️ thought his words were sweet, but he had his mind made up.

“I’m sorry.”

☁️ watched as the city in the distance became closer and closer. It didn’t take the two long to reach the hotel’s garage, Chan pulling in.

Chan parked the car, the two then unbuckling their seatbelts. He pushed a button on the driver’s seat door, a clicking sound following. ☁️ tried to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge.

“My door won’t open.” He looked over to Chan, the man’s finger hovering over a button. ☁️ looked back at his side’s door, realizing it was locked. He pushed the lock open, though another click sounded.

“I’m not letting you leave until you give me a second chance.”

☁️ rolled his eyes and turned to face Chan.

“I already told you how I feel.”

“Just spend a month with me and see how it goes. Please.”

☁️ pushed the lock up again, Chan clicking the button. He thought about Chan’s offer, though he didn’t want to give the man hope.

“I can’t.”

“I have my own place. You can stay with me.”

“How would you make time for me? How would we be out in public? I refuse to repeat how things were before.” ☁️ gave up and rested his head on the seat.

“That’s what I’m saying. I’d make sure it wasn’t anything like that. I’d take you everywhere that I go. I promise.”

Chan grabbed ☁️’s hand, basically pleading him with puppy eyes. ☁️ glanced over at him, the scene making him smile.

Spending a few weeks with Chan didn’t sound too bad. It wasn’t like he had much going on besides work- no boyfriend, no pets, just an insipid apartment. He really liked Chan, and was truly considering to try it all over again. Considering the opportune circumstances, maybe their fire was meant to rekindle. Maybe they were truly soulmates. ☁️ didn’t want to lose what displayed so much promise.

“I’ll talk to my boss. A month seems too long.”

“I’ll make it worth your while.” Chan smiled at ☁️, letting go of his hand. He tapped another button on the door, unlocking the vehicle. The two slid out and walked together up to the hotel entrance. Chan took ☁️’s hand and intertwined their fingers as they walked up the steps.

Realizing that he was supposed to grab a keycard from the front desk, ☁️ let go of Chan’s hand and stepped behind an older person speaking to the worker. After a few seconds, the person walked toward the elevator, ☁️ smiling as the lady recognized him. She grabbed something from behind the desk and placed it in front of him.

“Thank you so much.” ☁️ said as he grabbed the keycard, him then waving goodbye.

“You left your card up there?” Chan asked as they approached the elevator.

“Yeah, when I.. met you at the elevator.”

“Met, hm?”

“Shut up.”

Chan smiled, pulling the male into him as they waited.

The elevator beeped and then opened, the two walking inside. ☁️ tapped his floor number, expecting Chan to do the same after him- except he didn’t.

“Aren’t you going to select your floor?”

“No. I wanna spend more time with you.”

“I’m all Chris-ed out, sorry.” ☁️ smiled as Chan wrapped his big arms around the male’s neck, resting his head onto ☁️’s neck.

“No you’re not.”

The two stayed in that position until the elevator opened, ☁️ dragging Chan to his hotel room down the hall. Swiping his card into the lock, he opened the door and led Chan inside.

“This means you’re coming back to Korea with me, right?” Chan asked as he climbed onto ☁️’s bed. ☁️ grabbed his phone from the nightstand and checked the time. It was 10:49pm, much later than he expected. He had a few messages from his company’s team.

“No. I don’t have a plane ticket or enough packed clothes.”

“You could just come with me and take mine.” Chan rested on his back, watching as ☁️ sat beside him. Chan pulled ☁️’s shoulder down.

“I have to work.” ☁️ now laid in front of Chan, the two looking into each other’s eyes.

“Don’t make me wait long to see you. I’ll miss you too much.” ☁️ turned to face Chan, wrapping his arms around the man’s neck. Chan responded by placing a hand on ☁️’s waist, lifting the male to sit on top of him.

“We’ll see.”

Chan continued to rub around ☁️’s waist and behind.

“The very last time you came over, we laid like this, and I remember wanting to kiss you bad. You had to go, though, and I didn’t want you to get in trouble. I also remember when you said your parents didn’t like me.”

“How the hell do you remember everything after so long?”

“How could I forget?” Chan smiled, his soft voice and smooth skin making ☁️ melt from on top of him. The two continued to look into each other’s eyes, ☁️ moving his legs onto each side of Chan’s hips and sitting. Chan grabbed the back of the male’s neck, softly pulling his head into his. The two locked lips, ☁️ trailing his hand down the man’s large chest.

Chan grabbed ☁️’s chin and lifted the male’s lips off of his own. He smiled, at ☁️, utterly enamored.

“I won’t let you go again. Would you let me be your boyfriend?”

“So suddenly?”

☁️ intertwined his fingers into Chan’s as he sat on the man’s waist. Chan simply nodded as ☁️ leaned in, planting a kiss on his cheek. Not being able to wipe the grin off of his face, Chan anticipated the boy’s response.

“I suppose.. we’ll see how it goes.” ☁️ whispered teasingly, his hand cupping the side of Chan’s face.

“Finally.”

Chan placed his hands on ☁️’s waist again, flipping the two of them over. ☁️ now laid under Chan, who put himself in between the male’s legs.

The moon hung high outside of ☁️’s hotel room window, glistening above thin clouds. Chan placed his lips on ☁️’s neck as those clouds lingered gracefully and uninterrupted through night sky. Within only a few minutes of being alone together, Chan and ☁️ had already tuned out the world around them. Both focused on the man they held close- the one with the beautiful smile and soft touch.

Now that Chan and ☁️ had accomplished both of their dreams independently, having each other in their arms was their only priority. They simply weren’t meant to be apart; rather, their purpose lies in a life with each other.

-——♡——-

BONUS: ( may or may not be a snippet of part 3 )

“Have you been enjoying the concert so far, babe?”

Chan was the last one to step backstage during the intermission, him immediately sitting next to ☁️ on one of the couches. He pulled ☁️ into a hug and rested his head on the male’s shoulder, sweat dripping from his head.

“Yes, but you’re all sweaty..”

“You didn’t seem to mind that last ni-“

☁️ punched Chan’s arm, looking around to make sure nobody heard him, making Chan laugh.

“Be quiet, I’ll grab you a towel.”

likes, comments, & reblogs r appreciated ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

a/n: this took forever sry :,) idk how to feel abt it but hope u guys liked !! ♡ this draft was making my app glitch so bad LMAO. anyway, part 3 is not coming soon- i need to write abt smth else for a while lolzz

-——♡——-

[demifiendrsa]

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 - Narrative & RPG Stream

Brujah Clan Reveal

Brujah overview

The Learned Clan, Rabble, Punks, Hipsters, Prometheans, Rebels, Philosopher-Kings, Hellenes. Brujah is the learned clan, the clan of radicals, the clan commonly misjudged as punks looking for trouble, the Brujah are guided by passion and dedication to an ideal. And if they have the supernatural strength to back that passion up, who are you to argue? Rebellion unites their blood, whether that rebellion is of the subtle lend me your ears kind or the fists out, fire in the streets sack of Rome kind is down to the individual. Playing a Brujah in Bloodlines 2 If you’re a player who leaves the shadows to the cowards, knows the frontline is where the fun is and idealistically rebels against power, Brujah is your clan. In Bloodlines 2, Clan Brujah will offer a brutal melee playstyle with its abilities (in Vampire: The Masquerade, known as Disciplines) getting you into the fray and rewarding you for staying there. Exemplified in the video, our Brujah uses charge to gain a burst of momentum, grab an enemy, drag them with you and body slam them into a wall. Don’t assume you’re limited to charging just one enemy either. In early 2024, we’ll be back with a complete list of Brujah discipline powers you will be able to use in game.

Tremere Clan Reveal

Tremere overview

Playing as a Tremere in Bloodlines 2 As a Tremere in Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, you use your arcane powers to control your own Blood and that of your foes. The playstyle is rewarding when keeping your distance in combat, making enemies scream in agony as you boil their blood, shaping your own vitae into projectiles, or even ripping the blood from their veins.

Banu Haqim Clan Reveal

Banu Haqim overview

The Clan of the Hunt, Assassins, Children of Haqim, Saracens, Mediators, Lawmen Cursed with a thirst for the Blood of other vampires, the Banu Haqim stalk the night as judges and lawbringers. To this end, most Banu Haqim adhere to a strict code of conduct - derived from law, faith, or personal ethics - sating their Hunger on those that breach these convictions.

Ventrue Clan Reveal

The Clan of Kings, Blue Bloods, Tyrants, Warlords, Patricians, and Borgias

Ventrue vampires usually choose their progeny from mortals familiar with power, wealth and influence. Seeing themselves as the rightful leaders of vampire society, Kindred of clan Ventrue take up the mantle of leadership wherever possible, often in the form of high positions in Camarilla Courts.

Playing as a Ventrue

Ventrue are blue blooded tyrants who incite obedience in both their allies and their foes. Using the Disciplines of Presence and Dominate, they can mesmerize as well as awe their prey. Feeding builds up Fortitude, allowing the Ventrue to soak up more damage in case any enemy is powerful enough to resist their force of will.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG) in Fall 2024.

[bakersstreetirregulars]

The Baker’s Street Newsblog: A Proper Introduction

🌰 Hi everyone! Welcome to the Baker’s Street Newsblog: a Cookie Run news blog operated by Cookies, for Cookies and anyone in between! My name’s Chestnut Cookie and we’re a small operation managed by a small group of Cookies and one mod you can call our Editor. We hope you’ll stay a while and enjoy your stay!

Blog Status: Determining Reasonable Schedule

Ask Box Status: Open

General Tags

#baker’s street irregulars - A general tag for any relevant news we post

#baker’s street reblog - A general tag for relevant (usually CR-related) reblogging we do

#bundle of free stuff - Posts to alert people about free stuff, usually to claim from the mailbox. Usually either promotional or compensation

#cookie run / #cookie run ovenbreak / #cookie run kingdom / #cookie run witch’s castle / #cookie run ovensmash, etc - Visibility tags to say “this post is about Cookie Run” or a specific game within the series

#coupon code / #coupon codes - Posts containing coupon codes that can be redeemed for free stuff

#extra shiny presents - Posts to alert people for free stuff of unusually high value like- say- a few thousand Rainbow Cubes or a free Legendary Cookie

#new update - A general tag for new monthly updates and content

Major News Tags

#castle headline - An overview of a new update in Cookie Run: Witch’s Castle

#hot off the press - Breaking News from within the Cookie Run community, sometimes involving certain parts of the community or game-breaking fixes

#kingdom headline - An overview of a new update in Cookie Run: Kingdom

#major breakthrough - Notice of incoming content or quality of life fixes that is assumed to be long-term or permanent

#ovenbreak headline - An overview of a new month’s update in Cookie Run: OvenBreak

#patch notes - A detailed report from Devsisters on an incoming game update. Can be copy/pasted or shorthand-retyped.

#preview briefing - Teasers and previews for an incoming update

#the detective’s recap - End-of-Update reviews posted shortly before/after the new one releases. Primarily reviews unique/main events of the month, lore, and Cookies released. Will only briefly mention repeating events. Only covers updates where I was primarily on-scene.

#tower headline - An overview of a new update in Cookie Run: Tower of Adventures

Minor Organization Tags

#banner showcase - Showcasing the featured contents of a gacha banner and a personal discussion of its worth

#cookie feature - Reviewing a new or relevant Cookie, what they can do, and how they interact with the update’s stories

#discussion of the relevance of the meta - Analyses of the standing meta in multiplayer according to personal experiences, online resources (IE YouTube), and discussions in smaller communities

#documenting review - Old content worth mentioning again to catch up on because of newfound relevancy, interest, or incoming updates

#expedition reports - Deep analyses of relevant/new Story Mode and Special Episode content

#gift calendar - Daily gift schedules. Everyone loves free stuff.

#kingdom pass - Discussion of “battle pass” content with paywalled “premium” content and whether it’s worth buying

#keeping it seasonal - Season-based mode updates, usually signaling the start/end of a larger season

#pet feature - Reviewing a new or relevant Pet, what they can do, and how they interact with this update’s stories

#same day posting - Articles posted the same day the content is announced or released

#side event - Secondary events in an update which aren’t the main showcase of the month

#title event - The update’s main attractions

#treasure feature - Reviewing a new or relevant Treasure and its relevance in gameplay

Studio Tags (WIP)

#cookie kingdom studio - Covers ALL relevant news pertaining to the Cookie Kingdom, its residents, its immediate services, and adjoining regions such as the Hollyberry Kingdom, Dragon’s Valley, and the City of Wizards.

#dark cacaoian studio

#moontide republic studio

#pancake tower depot outpost - Covers news across ALL relevant routes in the Pancake Tower, AKA our Tower of Adventures project

#parfaedian studio

#vanillan studio - Covers news from central to northwestern Crispia, including the Millennial Forest and southern Candystick Archipelago. Acts as a relay channel for the Crepe Archives and the research (almost) single-handedly conducted by Strawberry Crepe Cookie and some of the adjoining staff.

#witch’s castle forward excavation outpost - Covers all research and similar activities in the Witch’s Castle with assistance from the Time Balance Department to ensure analysis of materials uncovered by any and all excavations and operations are accurate.

#west yogurcan studio - A content notice regarding content hailing from Yogurca or similar regions, operated by an anonymous staff line trained to handle sensitive information. Content from the region will be outsourced to another facility in Yogurca, free from the commentary of our affiliated staff. (We chose to make this tag because Devsisters mishandled Middle East and SWANA culture in the past and- as a result- caused unrest in the community multiple times. Filter content out from this tag if you want, as this is our current CW tag for this subject.)

Personalized Cookie Report Tags

#⚙️ crepe performs a new analysis - An in-depth study of something in the games, spearheaded by Strawberry Crepe Cookie. Could be a new Cookie, an anomaly that people often misinterpret, or even just a really hard level… but frequently shares information with @crepearchives

#the detective’s travelogue - Perspective logs with personal lore based on ongoing/upcoming CR events, written from the perspective of Second Floor Detective Heavy Cream Cookie

Bulletin Tags

#baker’s street lore drop - Casual posts with “lore” behind this blog or others I own, not so much being accurate to canon

#open board meeting - Polls regarding decisions on what you guys might want me to make on this blog and any associated resources I operate. These polls last one day and are planned to be held weekly on Tuesday afternoon EST.

#studio memo - Updates regarding the studio behind this blog over the past week

Casual Interaction Tags

#baker’s street break room - Random posts involving anyone on our Cookie staff roster (listed under the break)

#baker’s street polls 🗳️ - Posts with polls for you guys to vote on. These polls last seven days.

#editor response- Interactions with me- the Editor- via asks

#errand collections - Interactions with the staff via asks

#reblog for fun - Reblogs posted to this blog that aren’t related. Sometimes intentional, sometimes accidental. Might keep them here or delete them later…

#subscriber’s request - Posts expedited or processed due to a request made via the ask box

Mod Tags

#blog maintenance - Self-explanatory. Posts about upkeep on this blog as a whole.

#editor’s desk - Mod posts from the Editor. Sometimes personal or a blog update.

#editorial - Long personal reviews about something in the games

#editor’s random moments - Random posts from me. Mostly jokes and stuff but nothing really important.

#quarterly reviews - Master posts with links to everything posted within one month of the year. Next report: March - May 2025

Quarterly Record

These main posts highlight key points of our coverage in the current quarter and are subject to editing as information is made available over time, so reblog with caution.

Returning Soon…

Under the break is the staff list and some other side ventures that I have planned.

(go back to the previous pinned post?) 📌🔗

Staff Roster

These are the Cookies that work in the studio to any extent. Ask them stuff in the ask box!

—————Board of Directors—————

❓ Pomegranate Jam Cookie - Director of the Cookie Herald and Baker’s Street Newsblog by extension, Pomegranate Village Relations, Perspective Examinations

—————Board of Directors—————

🔮🐦‍⬛ Radish Raven Cookie - Lead Field Reporter, Transportation

🌙🐦‍⬛ Night Raven Cookie - Head of Interdimensional Relations, Tactical Magic Research

🍫🔧 Choco Eclair Cookie - Head of Timeline Reporting, Magichanical Operations, TBD Relations

☁️ Lemon-Lime Meringue Cookie - Editor’s Clerk & Representative, Earthbread Research & Archival Assistant, Interdimensional Relations, Emergency Lightning Magician, Lead Camera

❄️🦊 Heavy Cream Cookie - Building Owner of the Studio’s Branches in the Cookie Kingdom, Parfaedia, and the Dark Cacao Kingdom, Lead Detective Operating from the Second Floor in those Buildings

🏙️ Caramel Choux Cookie - Cookie Kingdom’s Town Square Studio Consultant

⚙️ Strawberry Crepe Cookie - Lead Earthbread Researcher & Archivist, Magichanical Technology Development & Maintenance, Vanilla Kingdom Relations

—————General Staff Team—————

—————Primary Studio Staff—————

🌰 Chestnut Cookie - Lead Studio Reporter, Newspaper Deliveries

🍮 Pudding Cookie - Part-Time Studio Reporter of Good News & Fun Times, Newspaper Delivery Assistant

🔎 Walnut Cookie - Part-Time Studio Reporter of Incidents, Associate Detective, Confusion Clearance

💎 Roguefort Cookie - Part-Time Studio Reporter, Treasure Examination, Theorist of Perspective

🐦‍⬛ Black Raisin Cookie - Studio Reporter, Vanilla Kingdom Relations, Earthbread Research & Archival Assistant

—————Part-Time Staff—————

🥕 Carrot Cookie - General Assistant, Food Supplier

🎯 Beet Cookie - Studio Backup, Ranger

🪄 Cinnamon Cookie - Stage Management, Magic Supplier

💫 Cream Puff Cookie - Advanced Magic Research, Disaster Management

🦊☕️ Coffee Marshmallow Cookie - Abroad Investigation, Deliveries

🥭 Mango Cookie - Abroad Travel Guide

🕯️ Candlelight Cookie - Treasure Examination, Treasure Maintenance & Research

Personal Side Task List

Advertise/Revive CRK guild on the Pure Vanilla server

Work on a new icon and banner for this blog

Update aged parts in an inactive Discord server to reassign it to a CR research role, where data collected will be published by the Crepe Archives, then revive and advertise

Advertise and work on personal/guild server

Editor’s Side Ventures

These? These are just my other blogs right now. I might work on some other ones depending on how things go.

@crepearchives - Cookie Run informational archive blog, personal side project to make a resource similar to the wikis accessible as a Tumblr blog

@timekeepertwister - TBD AU blog, mainly writing as of now

@derpytoad - My personal main miscellaneous/reblog blog