#WOULD HE SAVE CARROTS PARENTS LIVES DOES HE EVEN HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO DO THAT | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sxnyarostova · 3 years

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heehee modern hadesephone

dumb idiots who can’t communicate with each other, the fic. featuring persephone struggling with pavlova and hades being a big tough looking softie

When Persephone invites him over to her mama’s house, Hades doesn’t think much about it. Friends always hang out at their friend’s parents’ houses all the time; well, that was the case back in primary school, anyway.

Persephone drops the bomb that Hades’ gut has been subtly expecting when they’re in the car. “Uh, I told my mom that we were dating,” she blurts. “And that you, bein’ the gentleman that you were, y’know, was going to bring dessert.”

Hades, calm and collected as he is, doesn’t show much of how he’s feeling on his face. “What?” he asks. He suddenly looks a lot more nervous and starts fidgeting with the sleeves of his shirt, smoothing out invisible wrinkles and dusting away non-existent speckles of dirt. “Persephone, I- I don’t quite understand.”

“Look, I’m sorry that I threw this onto you this late,” she says, awkwardly adjusting her tote bag, “but I didn’t know how I could say something like this at, I don’t know, a brunch meet-up. Hey, I’ve told my mom that we’re dating because she won’t stop breathing down my neck in regards to when I’m gonna go out with someone.”

He sighs, and Persephone sees something inside of him shift. “So where are we going to get the pavlova?” he says resignedly, rummaging through his suit jacket for his wallet. “I don’t know any good places for dessert, I’m afraid. Never had much of a sweet tooth myself.”

“Oh, that’s a lie,” Persephone huffs, half-trotting in double time to make up for the big steps that Hades takes. “I’ve seen you eat a stack of pancakes drowned in half a bottle of syrup, Hades.”

“My favorite place is an hour from here by freeway,” Hades says, stopping so suddenly that Persephone slams into his back. “Oof!” Persephone exclaims, stumbling backward a little. “Uh, maybe I could just call my kid to grab a cake from the grocery store?”

“Don’t trouble Eurydice,” Hades says. “The girl’s got enough on her plate already. How hard is it to get a pavlova, anyway?!”

(It is, in fact, very hard to find a pavlova.)

Eventually, the pair of them manage to locate one in the seventh dessert store they visit. Persephone triumphantly holds up the decorated meringue in its paper box, and Hades feels his mouth twitch at the corners.

“See?” Persephone says as the two of them slide into Hades’ car. “It wasn’t that hard.”

(Hades doesn’t bother arguing with her as he turns the ignition.)

Demeter’s farmhouse is located in a quiet section of town. It’s a big place, with ornate glass windows and a bright red front door that screams ‘welcome.’ Persephone instructs Hades to park in the driveway, which Hades does so easily.

“Okay, here’s the plan,” Persephone says, looking at Hades. Oh no, Hades thinks. Persephone’s plans are never good. Even so, he nods and indicates to his friend to go on.

“My ma usually doesn’t run background checks on the people that I take home, so don’t worry about that,” she starts. “So long as you can keep a conversation going, you’ll be fine. Oh, don’t bring up anything about the weather lately, either; climate change always gets her in a tizzy. And don’t get her started on Eurydice, because she’ll break out the photo albums and you’ll be stuck here all night.”

Hades makes a mental note of all the information that Persephone has just thrown at him and nods along. “Will we have to hold hands or exhibit any public signs of affection?” he asks, and Persephone bursts into a fit of laughter. “Why did you ask it like that?” she chuckles, running a hand through her scalp. “And no, we don’t. Ma not big on PDA, anyway.”

“What’s PDA?” Hades asks again, and Persephone patiently explains to him what the acronym stands for. “I didn’t know what it meant until Eurydice told me, either, so don’t worry,” she says, jostling him in the side playfully. “We’re both old rocks.”

Persephone gets out of the car with the meringue in her hands, smoothing out the folds of her chartreuse green dress as best as she can. She’s not nervous, but her armpits are sweating buckets.

Hades stoically walks towards the front door like a man to his death. Persephone would laugh, but she’s still got some sympathy left in her. She feels slightly guilty for thrusting Hades into this situation, but there’s nothing that can be done now, right?

Awkwardly, Persephone slides her arm into Hades’. “Look the part, boyfriend,” she murmurs, as she knocks on the door. Hades blushes bright red but does as he’s told, putting on a smile that looks more forced than anything.

“Hi, ma,” Persephone says, greeting the woman who opens the door with a cheek kiss. “Kore!” Demeter exclaims. Hades feels like he’s third-wheeling and interrupting a moment, but he doesn’t say anything, his ‘smile’ never leaving his face.

“Ma, this is Hades. Hades, this is my mother, Demeter,” Persephone introduces, when she pulls away from her mother’s embrace.

Demeter turns to Hades and looks the man up and down. Hades stays mostly still as he’s scrutinised, not even daring to breathe. God, what happens when the plan is exposed? Does Demeter know that this is just a ruse that Persephone’s caused?

Hades’ inner monologue is interrupted by Demeter extending her hand. “It’s lovely to meet you, Hades,” Demeter says, a warm smile on her face as Hades shakes her calloused hand. “I’ve heard so much about you from Persephone.”

“All good things, I hope,” Hades jokes, and Demeter laughs out loud. Persephone does a silent victory dance with her fingers, for this is going so, so well. Screw everyone who doubted them; they’ve got this.

“Oh, they’ve all been wonderful things,” Demeter says warmly, opening the door wide. “Come on in, both of you.”

The house carries the aroma of cooking food and the faint scent of burning incense. It’s all extremely homely and comfortable; the environment of Demeter’s farmhouse does wonders for Hades’ anxiety. “Persephone, put the pavlova in the fridge,” Demeter calls, just as her daughter’s about to close the refrigerator door.

“I’m one step ahead of you,” Persephone says with a bright smile. “Food smells amazing, ma.”

Dinner is amazing. Demeter’s ability to cook up a storm is otherworldly, Hades learns. He’s on his third plate of casserole now and he’s relatively sure he’s still got room for another. “So,” Demeter asks, mouth full of carrot and potato, “how did you and Persephone meet?”

Hades blanches; the two of them hadn’t gone over a cover story before. “Uh,” he says, stuttering. “We met when I went to her diner for pancakes. I was drawn in by her eyes… they’re beautiful. I fell in love with her right there.”

(Most of that sentence is true, save the last part. Persephone’s warm, inviting, and brown eyes are beautiful. They’d hooked him in so much that Hades had frozen on the spot when Persephone came to take his order.)

Persephone feels her breath catch in her throat. “Oh, yeah,” she continues. “I heard that deep voice of his laugh, and that was it for me.”

Demeter beams.

Hades finds that it’s not hard at all to pretend to be Persephone’s significant other. It feels natural to compliment the woman, to exchange loving glances with her. By the time they leave Demeter’s place that night, Hades realises that he’s been infatuated with Persephone for quite some time now; it’s just taken the evening to unearth those feelings of his.

The drive back to Persephone’s house is quiet. Sometime in the middle of the ride, Persephone turns on the radio. Soft country music fills the air between them, slowly easing the tension between them. “I like this song,” Persephone says quietly. “It’s music to my ears.”

“It is music,” Hades deadpans, prompting a giggle from Persephone.

“Tonight was...fun,” Hades says, trying to break the silence. “I enjoyed it quite thoroughly.”

“Did you mean what you told my ma?” Persephone asks. “About my eyes?”

“Yes,” Hades says, swerving towards the highway. “I meant it. All of it, Persephone.”

“Do you want to do this again? Not hang out at my ma’s place, I mean, but somewhere else. Somewhere where we can be ourselves and get to learn to be infatuated with each other,” Persephone says, looking out the window. The stars are out, lighting their way home. It’s oddly poetic to be in this situation with Hades.

“That sounds good,” Hades says, stumbling over his words like he’s a pathetic teenager in love. “That- yeah. Let’s do this again. Next week? I can take you to that dessert place I was talking about earlier. Unless you don’t want to go that far? I’ve- I’ve, uh, got other places-”

“Stop spiraling,” Persephone cuts in. “For the love of God, please stop spiraling. I- yes. I’ll go with you next week.”

Hades beams. It’s one of the most genuine smiles Persephone’s ever seen in her thirty-eight years of living.

(Maybe she’ll be inviting her ma to walk her down the aisle sooner than she thought.)

#hadestown #hadesephone #hades #persephone

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multiverse-madness · 4 years

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Henry Stickmin - Slime Rancher Au

This picture has been a long time in the making and I have a lot to say for this au, individual pictures and info dump under the cut (warning though, it’s pretty long)

General Information:

As you can probably guess, this au takes place on the Far Far Range instead of on Earth. The Henry Stickmin characters are now slime ranchers, each with their own reasons for going to the Range.

It mostly follows the game itself, but with a few differences. In this au, each rancher has the ability to bond with and keep a slime as a pet. This slime will act like any normal Earth pet, but perhaps a bit more intelligent.

Henry Stickmin

The newest rancher on The Far Far Range. He came to the Range because of a lack of opportunities back home (and a criminal record). His ranch is the same as Beatrix’s (the character you play as in game) and the slime he bonded with was the first he came across.

The pink slime and himself were fighting over a carrot, but the slime won and refused to leave Henry’s ranch. The little guy grew on him and they’ve stuck together ever since.

Charles Calvin

He’s practically a veteran slime rancher, though he’s only been at the Far Far Range for less than a year. He first came to the Range with his former employer and adoptive father, Hubert Galeforce, and use to be apart of the army.

The Government section that they had been apart of had been becoming corrupt. Galeforce, who had been a general at the time, had tried to sabotage their efforts to exploit people, but he had been found out. He was immediately demoted and fired, Charles deciding to quit with him. They both came to The Far Far Range for a new start.

Despite all of this, Charles still makes sure to greet any new rancher enthusiastically, offering any help he could. His slime is a phosphor he found that was being attacked by some of the feral largos in The Wilds. He saved it and took it back to his Ranch, they bonded as the phosphor slime had healed. The phosphor’s headset allows it to go out in the day, but it still prefers the night.

Ellie Rose

One of the only ranchers brave enough (or crazy enough) to have her ranch in The Glass Dessert. Luckily, she’s set her ranch in between a few oasises and she has a fountain in the middle of it. Like Henry, she went to the Far Far Range because of a criminal record.

She found her slime when she was looking for plorts to activate the fountain. She fed the first tangle slime she came across, but then noticed the odd colouring of the tangle’s flower. It was a nightshade tangle. She became interested in this rare slime and decided to take it in. They bonded and are now ‘partners in crime’ (figuratively and literally).

Reginald Copperbottom

The current leader of The Toppat Clan. He was born and raised on The Far Far Range in the Toppat’s main base of operation, The Toppat Ranch.

He had found his slime when he was just a child. He had been visiting The Moss Blanket with his parents, but had been separated by some feral pink boom largos. He stumbled into The Moss Flower Field, and found a royal jelly honey slime. He kept it and it had gotten quite a bit of attention from the clan, helping to get him a high position when he was older.

He took over the clan from Terrence and is the sixth leader of The Toppat Clan since they went to The Far Far Range. He was always curious about Earth and the creatures living there.

Right Hand Man

Reginald’s right hand man, he joined the clan soon after arriving at The Far Far Range. Not much is known about his past as he has refused to tell anyone, even Reginald, about his time there. He does answer some of Reginald’s basic questions though, like ‘What are dogs and cats?’ or ‘Are there really no slimes on Earth?’

He was half forced to join the clan, as he had gotten caught trying to steal from them. Randy had been leader at the time and had allowed him to live if he had joined the clan. He had been at odds with Reginald at first, the two having been rivals of sorts. But after some trouble at Ash Isle, they came out closer and with a ruby red crystal slime for Right.

Sven Svensson

Sven is a fairly young and high ranking rancher of The Toppat Clan, he was born on The Far Far Range, but his parents were both Swedish. He used to stay in The Indigo Quarry, but now mostly operates in the Moss Blanket.

He found his slime in the indigo quarry after a bad day. He was alone with a rock slime and very frustrated, so he did the normal person thing and vented to the slime. The slime was a good listener so it became Sven’s pet.

Dave Panpa

He was rather unlucky back on Earth, he had lost multiple jobs despite trying his best, so he thought he might have better luck on the Far Far Range. And he did! For a couple of days... The Toppat Clan raided the ranch he was stationed at, kidnapping him for information.

Of corse, he had only been there a few days, so he had no information. The Toppats didn’t hurt him, but he was stuck in a cell for a while. The Toppats probably weren’t as vigilant with his cell as they would have been if Dave had known anything, so Dave managed to escape.

He didn’t know where he was going, he didn’t have any equipment, all he knew was that he was somewhere either in or close to the Indigo Quarry. He stumbled around blindly until he came across a twinkle slime.

This slime was known as a myth, but here one was, singing while hovering gently in the air. Dave didn’t know what else to do, so he sat and listened to the slime, unknowingly forming a bond with the twinkle slime. (The twinkle slime will not explode in this au)

Dmitri Johannes Petrov

The warden of the one and only prison complex in the Far Far Range. He used to run a prison complex on Earth, but was requested to go to the Far Far Range to take care of criminals and the Toppat Clan. He accepted and has been on the Far Far Range ever since.

He had come across his tabby slime while checking on the new recruits, noting its similarities to cats back home. He decided to keep it as a memory of home and has grown quite attached to it.

Grigori Olyat

He had come to the Far Far Range as Dmitri’s right hand man and muscle. He didn’t have anything to leave behind, so he might as well have gone with him to the Far Far Range. He overlooks the most dangerous prisoners’ admittance.

He found his slime while persuing an attempted escapee. The slime had jumped out of nowhere and tripped up the prison, giving Grigori the chance to apprehend him. He kept the heavy metal rock slime and it now helps him keep order among the prisoners.

((Hope you enjoy this! I do plan to do more characters in time))

#this took a while #hope you like it!#henry stickmin #henry stickmin collection #my art #slime rancher #henry stickmin au #slime rancher au #reginald copperbottom #right hand man #charles calvin #ellie rose #dmitri johannes petrov #grigori olyat #sven svensson #dave panpa #slime rancher secret styles

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johnny-and-dora · 4 years

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you and i are very close

"A younger Holt less familiar with Jake Peralta would reprimand him for being so easy to read – but it seems to be in his very nature to wear his heart on his sleeve, and the truth is, it suits him."

or, jake & holt talk about fatherhood. (post 7x10)

read on ao3 -

“…So that’s the lowdown on the Broughton case. Charles and I are gonna head out and arrest them as soon as the warrant comes through.” Jake finishes, bouncing slightly on his heels as he finishes the update. Raymond Holt leans back in his chair, content with their plan of action.

“Excellent work, detective.” Holt says – but then finds himself mildly concerned when he only receives a subdued nod in reply. While he may deem it an appropriate workplace response to a captain’s praise, it is far from the excessive energy and enthusiasm that Jake usually exudes.

Raymond recalls the previous night’s events – a biological sex reveal party that led to Jake’s father being taken to the ER – and wonders if that might be placating the detective’s usually golden Labrador-like temperament.

“I trust that your father is in good health?” He asks tentatively, gesturing for Jake to sit down- he pauses for a moment before doing so, leg jostling in a way that increases Holt’s concern by 17.5%.

“Yeah, he’ll be fine. Sorry our party was kind of a full-blown disaster. Guess I should have expected that with three generations of Peraltas in the room.” He makes the self-deprecating remark with the light-hearted bravado Holt has come to expect from the detective, though it’s notably flatter than usual.

What’s more, his smile is more of a grimace, and he can’t stop fidgeting with the badge around his neck – a classic Peralta tell. Something is clearly bothering him, likely related to his complex relationship with his father and his own fatherhood looming.

A younger Holt less familiar with Jake Peralta would reprimand him for being so easy to read – but it seems to be in his very nature to wear his heart on his sleeve, and the truth is, it suits him. It is an openness, a trust and a sincerity that Holt has earned over the years as Jake’s superior officer. Though he still finds himself exasperated by his stubbornness and fixation on action films, Holt sincerely values his respect and loyalty.

He frowns, trying to assess the best way to discreetly discern what could be causing the detective’s distress.

“I actually found the party to be rather enjoyable, save the alarming bloodshed. The carrots were rich in nutrition and I thought the cake’s green colour made a very interesting and progressive statement.”

Jake’s lips quirk up a little at that, and he sits straighter in the chair, so Holt must be doing something right.

“Thank you, Captain, but that actually wasn’t our intention. Just another screw-up.”

“I see.” He considers this new information briefly, before attempting to continue the non-case related chitter-chatter, something he usually avoids. “So, you are now aware of the biological sex of your child?”

“Oh, yeah! We’re having a boy.” Jake finally smiles genuinely, and Raymond can’t help but return it. He may not personally care much for small infants, but the thought of the bickering detectives he first met when he came to the Nine-Nine having a child together does inspire some fatherly pride over how far they’ve come.

“My congratulations to you both.” He nods again, but his gaze is still far away. Holt decides to subtly switch tactics.

“You know, whatever doubts may be plaguing you, I am certain you have absolutely nothing to be worried about. Your son is very lucky to have you both as parents.”

“What? I’m not, um, there’s absolutely zero doubts to be found here.” Jake’s eyebrows briefly shoot up to his hairline as he stammers some typically poorly concealed denial. Holt remains neutral, wishing he had done some research on the subject but doing his best to power through.

“It is perfectly natural to be anxious about such things.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the gentle encouragement is all that it takes for a veritable avalanche of emotions to trip over themselves as Jake speaks.

“I guess I just…I want to be the best dad I can be. I don’t want him to ever feel like…like he’s been abandoned or he’s alone. It’s crazy how much I already love this kid and I haven’t even met him yet, but I know I would do absolutely anything to keep him safe. And with my dad talking about this stupid Peralta father-son curse and my grandpa being a jerk and walking out of our lives all over again…I don’t know. I just know that I don’t want to let him – or Amy – down. Ever.”

Holt is admittedly, a little overwhelmed. He and Kevin have never seen the appeal of conforming to heteronormative ideals of family life, and yet he values his place as the head of the chosen family he’s found at the Nine-Nine. The mysteries of pregnancy and childcare are complete unknowns to him, yet he finds himself completely certain that Jake and Amy will be great parents to their future son.

So, Holt does what he has always found it easiest to do, and he tells Jake the truth.

“I am not sure of this family ‘curse’ you speak of, but as your commanding officer for the majority of the past seven years, I know your doubts are ill-founded. On the contrary, the dedication and loyalty you have shown me, and every member of this squad, only makes me surer you will be a great father.”

“Really?” Jake says, hopeful but apparently still unconvinced.

“This job is not an easy one. You and I know both know first-hand how our lives can be affected by circumstances we cannot control. But you would never willingly let your family down, and the fact that you are so committed to doing everything you can for them is a sure sign that you never will.” Holt pauses briefly to let his sincerity sink in.

“Your son is going to love you, Jake. He will grow to enjoy many Thomas Cruise films with you, and I’m sure he will come to share your passion for…the transforming robot sewer turtles?”

“Feel compelled to tell you those are two completely different franchises, but I really appreciate the attempt and I will be emailing Michael Bay’s team about a potential cross-over.”

“Well. Regardless of the specifics of these cartoon turtles, I am sure you have understood my point.”

“Yes. Thank you, sir. I- that means, uh, a lot.” His thanks is, as usual, completely earnest, and Holt finds himself glad to have helped in any small way. He cannot completely solve the detective’s issues with fatherhood, but he is happy to be one consistent and stable presence for Jake to rely on. Just as he knows he can rely on him.

“You are welcome. And you are free to discuss any other personal issues you may have with me, although I assume Santiago may be better suited to such conversations.”

“She’s been telling me pretty much the same thing.” Jake admits, shifting in his seat. Raymond briefly wonders about the intricacies of their home life, whether they will discuss this conversation over dinner or perhaps during the commercials of some form of media content.

“Well, I recommend you listen to her. She has proven herself to be extremely perceptive and is rarely ever wrong.”

“I know.” Jake grins, a very specific smile on his face that Holt recognises has long been reserved for talking about Amy, even before they began their courtship. “Sometimes I still can’t believe she married me.”

Holt thinks of years spent watching them endlessly bicker and argue and tease each other, thinks of the intimacy affection he sees most often when they are inebriated at Shaw’s bar. He thinks of how ragged and distraught they’ve been each time they’ve been forced apart and how relieved they were to be back together. He thinks of officiating their wedding and accidentally intruding on their honeymoon, and above all, he thinks about each moment of their shared happiness together he has been privileged enough to witness.

“I do not believe she was wrong about that either.”

It’s an expression of sentiment which breaches many of his strict rules of conduct and professionality in the workplace, and he’s partly reluctant to be debasing himself so willingly. But then Jake’s eyes are shining with gratitude and his usual enthusiastic bright demeanour has returned and Raymond can’t help but feel relieved.

“Oh my god, I always knew you were our secret number one fan. Charles is going to be crushed.”

“You are dismissed.”

“Noooo, but I really want to stay and talk about how invested you are in our relationship- “

“-Please leave my office.”

Holt maintains his usual stony-faced composure until Jake shuts the door – only then does he allow himself to relax in his seat a little, fondly thinking of Kevin, Cheddar and the family he has found in the Nine-Nine. He makes a note to discuss stuffed animal varieties with Kevin at a later date so that they may have something to present Jake and Amy’s son when he arrives.

And when he gets to meet the newest addition to the Santiago-Peralta family a few short months later, held oh-so-carefully and preciously in the arms of a man he has come to consider a son, it is a meeting that he treasures for the rest of his life.

#b99 #b99 fic #brooklyn 99 #listen. i have a lot of emotions about soon-to-be-father jake and his gay work dad #so here you go #my writing #shut up sian

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our-time-is-now · 3 years

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June 18, 2019: Bea, saviors and carrots

(previous play)

You can find more information about the authors, translators, content warning and additional information about the plays in the pinned post on our blog.

Tuesday, 5:36 pm:

David: *he and Matteo are just returning from grocery shopping, each of them carrying a semi-heavy shopping bag, when he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket* *groans briefly and tells Matteo* Hang on… *puts the bag on the ground and takes his phone out of his pocket* *smiles when he sees Bea’s number and briefly informs Matteo* My godmother… *answers the call and then picks the bag up again* Hey Bea! *continues walking but realizes quickly that walking with the heavy bag while simultaneously talking on the phone isn’t that easy and looks around for a bench or some wall or something*

Matteo: *stops when David does and waits* *only nods when David informs him* *continues walking and notices David struggling and takes the bag from him* *silently pretends to collapse but then continues walking normally*

Bea: David, my dear, hello! How nice that I was able to reach you, am I interrupting something?

David: *protests a little at first when Matteo takes the bag from him because he doesn’t want Matteo to lug so much and then grins when he pretends to collapse* *shakes his head at his aunt’s question and laughs* You’re almost never interrupting… we’re just on our way to the flatshare… we’ve been grocery shopping… *briefly looks at Matteo to see if he can really manage carrying both bags* *then asks his aunt* How are you?

Matteo: *grins very broadly at David* *but quickly sticks his tongue out at him when he looks over*

Bea: Oh, everything’s great. I’m happy to hear you in such a good mood. But if you’re walking right now I’ll keep it brief: I wanted to invite you to my birthday, and, of course, Matteo as well if he wants to?

David: *pulls a face at Matteo but then grins and turns his attention back to his aunt* *frantically tries to remember when Bea’s birthday is and is already planning on telling Matteo the date so that he’ll remember it for him* *is happy that Matteo is also invited* I’ll just ask him, I’m sure he wants to… *grins and looks over at him again* *makes a distressed noise and asks a little ruefully* When was your birthday again? Sometime next month, right? *remembers that it’s always pretty warm*

Matteo: *hears an ‘I’ll just ask him’ and perks up* *then shakes his head in mock exaggeration* *grins slightly but leaves David in peace, after all*

Bea: It’s on July 19th, this year it’s a Friday, but I’ll celebrate on Saturday. But you’re welcome to stay the whole weekend, of course… and by the way, your parents aren’t coming in case that somehow convinces you to come.

David: *laughs at the mention of his parents* Well then I’ll definitely come… *shakes his head and adds* No, but for your sake I would have endured them for a couple of hours, but if they’re not coming it’s more chill, of course… *repeats the date again so he won’t forget it* So your birthday is on July, 19th, but the party’s on July 20th. *feels like he forgot about something* *thinks for a moment and then suddenly remembers their holiday* Oh, no, hang on! Damn! That’s when we’re on holiday! We won’t be back in Berlin until the 21st…

Matteo: *listens to David and can imagine what it’s about, an invitation to Fürstenberg* *then hears the date and immediately shakes his head* *was just about to nudge him when he remembers it himself*

Bea: Oh, man, what a shame. And I was really hoping to finally meet your Matteo, and to see you again, of course. I’m so curious. Are you already busy when you come back or do you maybe want to come visit the weekend after?

David: *smiles when she says that she finally wanted to meet /his/ Matteo and would also be happy for her to meet Matteo* *thinks for a moment about her question about the weekend after, but can’t really think of any plans* *but wants to make sure and ask again so tells Bea* Could you stay in line for a moment? *lowers his phone and turns to Matteo* *smiles slightly* Bea is inviting us to Fürstenberg on the weekend after our holiday. Do you want to go? And do we have time? *looks at him with puppy-dog eyes and hopes that he wants to come along*

Matteo: *looks at him expectantly when he lowers his phone even though he already has an idea of what he’s going to ask* *grins slightly when he asks if “we” have time* Umm… sure I want to, I’m dying to meet all of your heroes… and plans, no, unless you have some short-notice doctor-thing on Friday, but then we’ll just go afterwards. *have finally arrived at the building of the flatshare and with a groan puts down the bags so that he can look for the key*

Bea: Sure… *then hears David ask his boyfriend a little muffled but still well enough to understand everything* *immediately smiles when she hears him* *waits for David to tell her the good news and decides to keep it to herself that she heard Matteo*

David: *smiles quite broadly when Matteo is talking about his heroes and is happy that he wants to go* *stops for a moment when he mentions doctors because he just remembered that the day after tomorrow he really has to talk to his doctor about the testo dosage and if he has to come back before or after their holiday because his usual appointment for the shots would be right when they’re on holiday* *but nods at Matteo’s words and smiles again* Good plan! *quickly kisses him on the mouth and puts his phone back to his ear* Bea? *sees Matteo unlock the door and tries to take one of the bags off him so that he doesn’t have to lug both of them up the stairs* We’re happy to visit you the weekend after and you can already think about what present you want to get so that we don’t buy something stupid…

Bea: Oh, how nice! And you know me, boy, I already have everything I want. You spend money on train tickets, that’s enough present for me.

Matteo: *refuses to let David take a bag* *but pushes David around so that he is holding the door open* *then grabs both bags and walks past David into the building and up the stairs*

David: *grumbles at Bea’s words about the present and grumbles because Matteo won’t let him help* *then sighs at his aunt* Okay… *is probably going to draw something and get a bouquet of flowers once again* I suggest I’ll call you again once we know when we’ll arrive… *hurries up the stairs behind Matteo who is surprisingly fast* *wants to take the bag off him at least for the last few meters but doesn’t really have the chance to because he’s already almost all the way up*

Bea: *laughs slightly when he grumbles* You know I’m happy about flowers and a drawing. See you soon, my dear! Have a nice rest of the day!

Matteo: *puts the bags down again once he reaches the door and unlocks it* *wants to pick both of them up again but David is faster* *laughs* It doesn’t matter anymore now… *enters the apartment after him and lets the door fall shut* *follows him into the kitchen and puts the bag down on the counter*

David: *says goodbye to Bea and puts the phone back in his pocket* *is just in time to grab one of the bags and carry it into the kitchen* *laughs at his words and shakes his head* Noo, I’m sure you would have collapsed on the last few meters… *puts the bag on one of the stools and then steps behind Matteo at the counter and wraps his arms around him* *kisses his neck and murmurs* … and I can’t be responsible for that… *kisses him again and murmurs a little more quietly* Thanks for carrying them!

Matteo: *laughs and nods* I’m sure I would have, thanks my savior. *smiles when David wraps his arms around him and puts his hands over David’s* *laughs quietly* You’re welcome. *turns around in his arms and wraps his arms around David’s neck* So, I’m going to meet your godmother soon… anything I need to know?

David: *smiles when Matteo turns around to him and nods at his statement* *thinks for a moment and then shakes his head* Nothing important… Bea is a registrar and lives in a small house with a garden in Fürstenberg… it’s somehow really quaint and full of stuff at her place… and she’s really cool, talks a lot and has always been there for me. Exactly what one imagines godmothers are like. *laughs again and says* I’m really happy that you’re coming along and that you’ll meet each other… maybe we should take Laura along – then I’d have all my saviors around me! *laughs quietly*

Matteo: *smiles when he tells him about Bea* Sounds nice. *then laughs out loud* All of your saviors, huh? Maybe we should get this printed on t-shirts! *kisses him quickly* You don’t even have to be saved, you loon.

David: *laughs at Matteo’s idea about the t-shirts* Oh yes, please! In trans colors! *smiles when he gets a kiss and pulls Matteo a little closer* *then hears his words and gets a little more serious but is still smiling a little bit* *has a firm conviction that Matteo has definitely saved him but knows that he would immediately disagree if he would tell him that* *therefore simply says* Not anymore… *smiles again and gives him another kiss*

Matteo: *laughs at his suggestion* Unfortunately those colors don’t suit me, at all… *tilts his head a little* *can imagine what David is thinking* *smiles at his answer* *kisses him back and then kisses him again* *then slightly nudges him with his nose* Okay… and now you can decide how I’ll save you from starvation… what do you want me to cook?

David: *draws up his eyebrows in skepticism when Matteo says that the trans colors wouldn’t suit him and only says* I think you can wear anything!! *grins while he says it* *then gets another kiss and smiles when Matteo nudges him with his nose* *loosens his grip around him, lets go of him slowly and thinks* Hmmm… maybe that tarte you were talking about? We put the ingredients for it on the list, didn’t we? *turns to the bags and starts to unpack the things* *turns his head back towards Matteo and says in a good mood* And you can decide what I should help you with! *has planned to look over Matteo’s shoulder while he cooks to maybe one day be able to cook, himself*

Matteo: *only laughs and shakes his head* Liar *nods about the tarte* Yep… but I’ll need the recipe for that, I can’t make it by heart… *only shakes his head when he says that he wants to help* *grins* You can print out the recipe for me. And then you can sit down over there so that I have something pretty to look at. *laughs and slightly nudges him with his hip when they want to put something in the fridge at the same time* *sees David’s disapproving look* Okay, okay, if there’s something you can help with I’ll tell you, but I haven’t made the tarte that often yet…

David: *looks at Matteo disapprovingly when he says that he’s not allowed to help but nudges him back with his hip* If you won’t let me help I’ll never learn and then you’ll have to cook for me for the rest of your life! *but then nods satisfied when he says that he’s allowed to help, after all, and grins* Yeah! *then turns toward the door and says* I’ll just go and print out the recipe… *has already left the kitchen but sticks his head back in* Oh and could you and your super-brain do me a favor and remember Bea’s birthday? Would be really nice if I wouldn’t forget it next year for a change… *grins again and then disappears* *briefly wonders if it was July 19th or 20th and hopes that Matteo has paid attention*

Matteo: *theatrically clutches his chest* Oh now, how horrible! *then nods when David says he’ll go print the recipe* Yes, in a big font, please! *wants to already wipe down the counter and goes over to the sink when David sticks his head back in* *laughs at his request and nods* *then calls after him* The 19th, by the way! How did you remember birthdays before you met me?? *rinses the rag and then wipes down the counter*

David: *didn’t answer Matteo’s question and instead went into his room to print out the recipe in a big font* *a short while later returns to the kitchen, where Matteo has already prepared everything, and puts the recipe down for him* *then takes a carrot, simply because it was lying around, leans his back against the counter and starts to absentmindedly turn it around in his hands* *returns to Matteo’s question from a minute ago and says a little bitterly and sarcastically* My mother always reminded me about family birthdays – of course always with a reproachful undertone why I couldn’t manage to remember them myself… *didn’t have many friends whose birthdays were worth remembering* *continues* At some point I even wrote them down but it’s no use… then I forget to look at the note. *grins slightly and then shrugs* And now I have Laura and you for the dates… *then looks over to see what Matteo is doing and waits for instructions* *puts the carrot back to the others*

Matteo: *splays out the recipe* Thanks… *then looks at it to see what has to be done and starts* *rolls his eyes when David tells him about his mother* Damn I really want to meet her one day… it’s not important to you that they like me, right? *shakes his head disapprovingly* *but then grins slightly and nods* I’m happy to remind you. *points to the carrots* You can peel them if you want…

David: *laughs when Matteo asks about his mother and shrugs* If one day they annoy me so much that I want to completely terminate all contact with them, then you’re welcome to rage and riot as much as you want… *looks around for a peeler and sees that Matteo has already put one out* …but she would complain about it to Laura and I’d be sorry about it for Laura… *starts peeling the carrot bot isn’t really happy with what he’s doing* *tries something different that works better* …whereas… Laura can actually defend herself pretty well… so *grins slightly* …rage and riot as much as you want. *is finished with the first carrot and is quite happy with the result* *holds it out to Matteo* There still has to go some at the top and the bottom, right?

Matteo: *hums slightly when he says that it wouldn’t be completely okay* No, no, then I’ll rather hold back… but only a little. *had already turned his attention to some other vegetable and didn’t really pay attention to what David has been doing* *then looks at the carrot he’s holding out to him* Ummm, yes? You can chop off the ends but the rest has to be peeled… *then watches him peel for a moment and realizes how his heart skips a beat because he does it so incredibly complicated* Noo… *laughs slightly and takes the peeler and the carrot out of his hands* Look, like this… *briefly shows him how to do it faster and more efficiently*

David: *grins slightly and says* A little bit is okay… *wonders when Matteo and his parents will meet in the first place – probably only when it can’t be avoided anymore, at all* *nods about chopping off the ends* *then eyes it and realizes that there really is some peel left* *was just about to remove it when Matteo takes the carrot and peeler from him* *only briefly looks at the carrot and realizes quickly how Matteo is holding the carrot and peeler but then only looks at Matteo and has to smile* *somehow can’t tear his gaze away from him because he looks so incredibly good when he’s so focused*

Matteo: *has peeled the carrot, puts the peeler back down on the counter and reaches for the knife to chop off the ends* And voila… the carrot’s ready! *holds it out to him and only then feels like David isn’t really focused* *looks at him and lifts his eyebrows* What?

David: *hears that Matteo has finished peeling the carrot and only nods* *grins slightly when Matteo looks at him and lifts his eyebrows* *shrugs and acts all innocent* Nothing… *quickly presses a kiss on his mouth and keeps grinning* I just like looking at you when you’re so concentrated…

Matteo: *lifts his eyebrows again when he hears his “nothing”* *but then gets kissed and has to smile automatically* *feels a strange flutter in his stomach when he hears David’s words but shakes his head* You like looking at me when I concentrate on peeling carrots? *slightly tilts his head* Is that a new fetish we have to talk about? Is that exclusive to concentrating on vegetables or does that also entail other things? Like, for example, fruit? Or spreads?

David: *grins and nods at his question about the carrots* Exactly like that… *but then gets more and more skeptical when he hears his other questions, pffs once, tilts his head and says sulkily* Haha… *looks at Matteo reproachfully, turns away from him and reaches for another carrot and the peeler* *does it the way Matteo has showed him – because he DID pay attention – and is happy about the fact that it’s really working better this way* *ignores Matteo*

Matteo: *grins slightly when David turns away sulkily* Oh, come on… you can tell me… *continues doing his thing with the vegetable he’s occupied with* Is it exclusive to the kitchen or other things as well? What about when I concentrate on tidying up? *turns around and only sees David’s back who is ignoring him* Or to making the bed? *no reaction* Vacuuming? *still nothing* *puts his peeler down and steps behind David* And what about… when I concentrate on you? *slowly wraps his arms around his stomach and puts his head against his shoulder* *kisses his neck and then his ear* *whispers* Come on…

David: *finds it hard to ignore Matteo completely but is incredibly happy with himself that he really manages to ignore him while also perfectly peeling two more carrots while Matteo is talking some nonsense* *then feels Matteo step behind him and is still able to ignore his question but realizes that his concentration on the carrots is subsiding somewhat* *unfortunately has to stop peeling when he feels Matteo’s arms around his stomach and his head on his shoulder because he’s simply so in love with this idiot and simply can’t manage to ignore him when he’s that close /and/ also starts kissing his neck and his ear* *eventually grumbles quietly* You’ve ruined my Matteo-concentrating-sight… go away! *but contrary to his statement leans slightly against him*

Matteo: *laughs quietly at his grumbling* Sorry… won’t happen again… I promise… *ignores his “go away” and instead kisses his neck again* Let me make it up to you, ok? *kisses up his neck wherever he can reach* *murmurs quietly* Do you still want me to go away?

David: *briefly closes his eyes when Matteo starts kissing up his neck and tilts his head a little so that he has better access* *has to grin when Matteo asks him if he still wants him to go away and makes a grumbling noise* *puts the carrot and the peeler down because now he can’t think about peeling carrots anymore and slowly turns around – which proves to be difficult as he’s half stuck between Matteo and the counter* *puts his arms around Matteo’s neck and tilts his head again so that Matteo can continue kissing him there* *runs one hand through Matteo’s hair and mumbles* All right… you can continue…

Matteo: *grins slightly when David only grumbles* *already knows this grumble and continues* *but then pulls away slightly when David turns around* *looks at him challengingly and grins in triumph when he tilts his head* *is already kissing his neck again even before David gives him permission to do so* *kisses up to his ear and murmurs* We could also cook later…

David: *presses even closer to Matteo when he starts kissing his neck again* *still has his eyes closed, one hand buried in the hair on his neck and at some point slips his other hand under Matteo’s shirt at his back and tenderly runs his hand over his bare skin* *gets goosebumps when Matteo kisses up to his ear because it tickles a little and tilts his head slightly so that he can also kiss Matteo’s neck* *grins slightly when he hears Matteo’s words and kisses up his neck, up his chin until he finally finds his mouth* *pulls him even closer while kissing him properly, then pushes away from the counter and takes a step towards the kitchen door together with Matteo* *briefly pulls away from the kiss and says a little breathlessly* Now I can’t concentrate on peeling carrots anymore, anyways…

Matteo: *feels slight, pleasant goosebumps when David’s hand slips under his shirt* *kisses him back and stumbles backwards when David pushes off the counter* *grins as if he had just won the lottery when he hears David’s words* *murmurs* That’s it… *grabs his hand and quickly pulls him into his room*

(next play)

#Druck #druck og #matteo florenzi #david schreibner #davenzi #davenzi plays

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neoyi · 4 years

Note

I hope your okay with another ask! “:D I hope this is a simple enough ask; Any general headcannons for all the knights? (or at least your favorites?)

Simple ask indeed, but general enough for me to fill a textbook. Admittedly a lot of my headcanon is centered on either Propeller or Specter Knight because I’m not nearly as invested in the rest as I am those two. But still, what headcanons do I have? Okay, I’ll try and write one headcanon for each knight so I don’t go overboard.

1.) King Knight: ...is smarter and cleverer than he looks and acts, but has a problem of not applying himself because he’s so delusional and one-tracked in his goals. King Knight is very determined and we see in spite of a doting mother, he doesn’t lack independence. Look in his room and you can get an idea of what he does. He works out, he draws, and he’s handy with tools. He cares for his rats! They may be his subjects, but if his pets aren’t kept in good condition, then they’d be dead weight to him, so he knows how to properly care for his animals. It’s possible he likes animals; he shows more affection to spinwulves than he does anyone else. And of course, if you should choose, he can Joustus, a game that generally requires strategy. King Knight is kind of like that guy who has a degree in like engineering or something/ It he could just utilize it properly, he could get him a very good job, and a cushy life, but he rampantly chooses not to because he’s that much of a BONEHEAD. He’s dumb in a different way and it’s holding him back.

2.) Plague Knight: ....and Mona does not want children. They knew right off the bat and decided then and there once they were officially dating. They aren’t the type of people to be parents and kids are...well, little things running around ruining science experiments and throwing shit around. Besides, Plague and Mona already throw shit around, why should those little bastards have all the fun?

The closest the two come to having “kids” is creating imperfect clones of themselves as they get older. Most of them were merely tasked to finish what they themselves started and keep mad science alive. As centuries pass, the clones would keep creating more clones to continue their work. Each clones were a little less perfect than the other, and in time, they’ve more or less reduced to Blorbs. Specter Knight, still around centuries later, occasionally would check on them (if not at first to keep them away from the public since they carried Plague and Mona’s chaotic desire to raise Hell), but soon decided they were now harmless enough to be left alone to their own device.

3.) Treasure Knight... and Propeller Knight are rivals and they both haaaaaaaaaate the other’s occupations in the pettiest of ways. They’re pirates, so they automatically have a rapport, but Treasure Knight finds it insulting that Sky Pirates are A Thing. Pirates belong in the SEA. They fight giant squids and bury treasures deep in the heart of lost lagoons and islands. SKY Pirates? What the heck is even a SKY pirate? What does a SKY Pirate even do? Where’s the big ocean with all the Mystery and Scary Ass Sea Creatures? They fly with birds???? There’s Mountains?????????? They don’t even have GIANT squids, just medium-sized Sky Squids. And Floating Islands? That’s just cheating.

Every single one of their meeting inevitability end with the two having a pirate match to secure the most gold or engage in a duel. Sometimes Treasure would win some, other times Propeller would. They would keep this fierce competition until they died.

But

That doesn’t mean neither one disrespected each other. From Treasure’s personal perspective, Propeller Knight is many things - frivolous, fancy, and shallow - but he is still a PIRATE. Sky Pirates are Dumb, but they’re still PIRATES. Propeller Knight goes by his own code that Treasure personally doesn’t get, but he respects the hell out of him because Propeller sticks by it and uses his piracy to achieve his goals. When push comes to shove, they can, have, and will shake hands through mutual kinship.

There is one thing both Treasure and Propeller can 100% agree on though: Subterranean Pirates are the WORST. Why is that even a THING?!

4.) Mole Knight: ...is not just digging in the Lost City because he “claimed it” as his own nor because it’s a good place to practice his superb digging skills, Mole legitimately and genuinely is curious about the history behind it. He’s an archeologist; a man thirsty for knowledge. He knows a lot about history in general, but his expertise lies in the Lost City.

Post-Shovel of Hope, he learns to share his findings with others. His obsessive need to keep the ruins for himself dissipates over time and he learns the value of teamwork. There are others like him who shares his love for knowledge and past civilizations; Mole is incredulous to know there are other working theories he never considered! In the end, it is not his pride that mattered most to him, but his passion to uncover and preserve this beautiful, ancient world. After all, he has ancestral ties to the Lost City and the best way to keep that alive is by sharing his knowledge with others.

6.) Tinker Knight: ...once invited his friend Propeller Knight over to show him something he invented. It would be handy because he needed a way to record his many inventions. He shows off a projectile that displays a moving image on a screen. He calls it...”Moving Pictures!” Propeller is amazed; this could, indeed, store information in ways the written word cannot.

Propeller asks him after, “Tinker, my good friend, have you considered using this Moving Picture for purposes other than recording?”

Tinker is puzzled, “What more could I use it for?”

Propeller chuckled, “Perhaps you can devise a story out of it. Like a stage play, only using these, er, what did you call them? “Celluloid”, to capture a story. We could have words written on the screen after a person speaks since it’s silent.”Tinker is flabbergasted. No, he only intended it to be used to archive his inventions and ideas. Why would anyone want to make a story through his Moving Pictures?Propeller, not listening (of course) sighs, “And you cannot call it Moving Picture, it’s too mouthful. Come on, Tinker, you who speak so pragmatically, would know to shorten it. Perhaps we can call it “Movers.” Or “Mov ‘ems.” Oh! I know, “movies.”

“That is a bad idea. I do not like it at all.” Tinker scoffed.

“Well, it was worth a shot, “Propeller shrugged, “How goes that rocket blueprint of yours? When will my dreams come true; that I shall one day reach the Moon?”

7.) Polar Knight: ...My headcanon is that he is too secretive to have a past that could be told... Also I haven’t really thought too much about this guy. Get back to me when I play his story mode in Showdown.

I do personally believe he is NOT related to Shield Knight though. He likely knew her, but only through proxy from Shovel and Black Knight.

8.) Propeller Knight: ...has always had a beautiful face. He takes great care to ensure it looks nothing less than perfect. But living a life as a pirate comes with drawbacks. One day, during a time of great grievance in his life, Propeller Knight comes face-to-face with a foe most personal. The battle is horribly one-sided for Propeller was at his lowest. He lost concentration and with it, an eye.

The first few days wearing that unsightly eye patch was too much to bare. He had to readjust to his newfound vision for one, but his face - no longer perfect. He questions so many things in his life; he’s made so many sacrifices, so many enemies, and lost a few good people in his life under various circumstances. Him losing an eye seemed paltry in comparison, but it symbolized the decisions he’s made and he has to live with it. Who is he? A Pirate? A Prince? Neither or Both? Does he fight against the corrupted nature of the Rich and Powerful even though he once lived among them?

He can’t answer them now. All he can do is slowly let the scars heal. He will not take for granted the friends, family, and love he has in his current life. They will be his rock and he will carry them to the winds. Propeller puts on his eye patch and stands up. He can still look at the setting sun.

9.) Shovel Knight: ...I don’t think he’s a fish person. But I’m boring and think all the knights are human.

10.) Shield Knight: ....spent some time suffering nightmares. She would wake up and remember that she hasn’t been trapped for a while. The Enchantress is a distant memory, but the events are still recent that she still endures these horrid flashbacks. Shield Knight imagines she’ll never really get over them, but her determination is strong and she knows little by little, the nightmares are becoming less and less of a occurrence.

Recently, she’s been taken to gardening. Shovel introduced it to her. They don’t really have a home since the two are always on the go, but that little farm house Shovel vanished off to years back still remain. So they often return and plant new crops. Shield found it patronizing and difficult at first, unsure what Shovel saw in it and how it could help her. Now she finds it therapeutic.

Nowadays she can go alone and pick out fresh carrots and potatoes without Shovel at her beck and call (so she lets him sleep in a bit.) It feels good. It feels peaceful. She could get used to this.

11.) Black Knight: ....I imagine he’d be the type to sacrifice himself so Shovel and Shield can be happy. Maybe one day he does exactly that. It also meant saving the world as well. Black Knight regrets a lot of things, but this he does not...

12.) Specter Knight: ...”You will not remember me centuries from now,” He proclaimed one day. For one who was always sure of their relationship, this was a particularly alarming moment of vulnerability from Propeller.

“What?” Specter Knight tilted his head in confusion.

“You once told me you shall always carry me in your heart; that way you will remember me long after I’ve passed on,” Propeller elaborated, “But be real. Undead immortal or not, you cannot think to remember who I am thousands of years from now. It will be so long and you will have done so much by then.”

“Propeller...” Specter was incredulous and frankly, kind of hurt. Why would Propeller assume this of him?

“It is alright, you are not obligated to do so. I want you very much to live a wonderful life long after I am gone,” Propeller smiles, “Make friends, have adventures, help people....fall in love again. It is alright if you forget me because you will have a life fulfilled.”

Specter is silent and for a while, it seemed believable what Propeller said would be true. He lowered his head, then remembered he was sick of it, sick of feeling sad when it took years to learn how to be happy. He stared intensely at Propeller and sternly told him, “No.”“ Excusez-Moi?”

“I will help people, I will make friends, I’ll go on grand adventures, and yes, maybe I will fall for another centuries down the line, but you are a damn fool if you think I will forget you,” Specter clutched his chest, “Thousands of years from now, if I am still wandering this strange planet, I will still remember you.”

Propeller looks at his lover, stunned. He is touched. This is the kind of grand romantic gesture he lives for, but he tears up not out of joy, but somberness, “...I appreciate the thought, Donovan, but it’s alright if you cannot keep this promise. I’m just saying.” Specter sighs and wraps an arm around his husband.

~*~

Ten thousand years, the sun is red and the planet drying. Very little life exists, and Death walks collecting the last remaining souls. He eyes the massive star, forever looking like a malicious red sunset (he loved the sunset...) Soon, it would go supernova and perhaps, perhaps he can finally rest for good. Then he can be with his loved ones.

Wind is rare nowadays, but whenever he feels a breeze his way, Death knows who is watching him.

He has not forgotten him...

#shovel knight #specter knight #propeller knight #order of no quarter #neoyi talks

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quirkycombatants · 4 years

Text

Spoilers: Noburu’s Backstory

So I usually don’t tell people the whole truth about my muses, or give all the details about their backstory, because 1. they tend to be super long, and 2. it makes it easier to react more naturally to things when they’re not considering information they don’t have. This prevents bias, but also metagaming. In any case, I felt that enough threads have been done the last few days that it was time to put down Noburu’s actual backstory, with explanations of how and why he is strong, and how and why he is the way he is.

Major spoilers lie below.

First, let’s talk about Noburu’s family. He claims he does not have one, save for his brother and father, who abandoned him as the false heir, and will one day return to slay him for his weakness. This, Noburu believes. He believes this completely. It is also a lie.

First, his brother. Noburu never gives details on his brother; not his looks, not his fighting style, nothing. Only that he is stronger than Noburu and the favorite of his father for having a quirk. In truth, his brother does not exist. Noburu is an only child, and his brother is not real.

Noburu has dissociative identity disorder.

To quote WebMD:

Dissociative identity disorder is thought to stem from a combination of factors that may include trauma experienced by the person with the disorder. The dissociative aspect is thought to be a coping mechanism -- the person literally shuts off or dissociates himself from a situation or experience that's too violent, traumatic, or painful to assimilate with his conscious self.

Research indicates that the cause of DID is likely a psychological response to interpersonal and environmental stresses, particularly during early childhood years when emotional neglect or abuse may interfere with personality development. As many as 99% of individuals who develop dissociative disorders have recognized personal histories of recurring, overpowering, and often life-threatening disturbances or traumas at a sensitive developmental stage of childhood.

Dissociation may also happen when there has been persistent neglect or emotional abuse, even when there has been no overt physical or sexual abuse. Findings show that in families where parents are frightening and unpredictable, the children may become dissociative.

It is now acknowledged that these dissociated states are not fully mature personalities, but rather they represent a disjointed sense of identity. With the amnesia typically associated with dissociative identity disorder, different identity states remember different aspects of autobiographical information. There is usually a "host" personality within the individual, who identifies with the person's real name. Ironically, the host personality is usually unaware of the presence of other personalities.

Incorporating all that, Noburu’s brother is his second personality. It is the personality that allowed him to cope with the killing that he did during his childhood years in the underground arenas. Consider the details that Noburu gives about his brother:

Noburu’s brother is stronger than Noburu. Noburu’s brother is more brutal than Noburu. Unlike Noburu, who doesn’t like to kill, Noburu’s brother kills willingly and readily, and without remorse. Noburu’s brother is more emotional than Noburu.

In truth, Noburu’s brother is the repressed personality that covers the parts of Noburu that allowed him to survive in death matches. Noburu, forced to kill and do so to survive, separated himself from what was occurring. His ‘brother’ is thus responsible for all the blood shed. The deaths that Noburu caused he associates with his brother.

There’s another aspect to it. His brother is ‘strong’ while noburu is ‘weak.’ His brother is ‘powerful’ while Noburu is ‘careful.’ He is the opposite of Noburu, because Noburu has defined himself as the peaceful one, the one who possesses no malice towards anyone, while his ‘brother’ possesses only the urge for violence towards others.

In truth, Noburu’s brother does not actually have malice towards others. But that will be discussed later.

Noburu’s brother is Noburu. But the brother was a coping mechanism, and something that was encouraged to develop by Noburu’s father. It was specifically cultivated, in order to be controlled, because his father feared what would happen if the secondary personality consumed the main personality. Thus, the rules for his brother coming out, unknown to Noburu are:

In the arena, when you must defend your own life, or when you must defend something so precious that you cannot live without it.

It was his father’s belief that this would keep him safe; after all, it would keep it contained to the arena, and it would ensure that his father would be safe since he was something that Noburu would be unable to live without.

This would be his ultimate mistake.

Noburu was never meant to become attached to anything other than his father. He was never meant to feel anything like attachment towards anyone or anything. In reality, he became attached to a dog that would come by to where Noburu was kept by his father. Noburu understood that this animal would be killed, but it showed him affection, which was new to Noburu. and so he began to value the dog, and was careful to keep it away when his father was going to come around.

When his father found it, he attempted to make Noburu kill the dog. Noburu refused. His father then decided to kill it himself. This activated the last part of the indoctrination: defend something so precious that you cannot live without it. To Noburu, this dog was so precious because it showed him something unique, and thinking it was entirely unique in doing so, he could not live without these feelings of affection.

Thus Noburu killed his father.

Noburu does not believe he has done this. To him, both his father and his brother are alive and merely waiting to return to kill him. But Noburu, under the guise of his ‘brother’ slew his father. His father of course, had a quirk, that part Noburu is accurate about. His father’s quirk really was the ability to see into the future up to three seconds at all times. Which means that Noburu had to fight in a way which made it impossible for that quirk to stop him.

This brings us to Noburu’s strength. Noburu is quirkless. But Noburu is also a superhuman. It will also explain how Noburu’s ‘brother’ is stronger than he is.

Noburu’s father, realizing that noburu was quirkless, did in fact attempt to overcome this problem. But he did not try to ‘force a quirk’ as Noburu believed. Instead, he attempted to make it so that Noburu would be able to enter the ‘fight or flight state’ instantly.

In Japan, this is called ‘enormous strength during a fire,’ but in America it’s usually referred to as the ‘emergency state.’ Basically, think of how when their child is in danger, a mother can somehow lift a car to save them. Think about how when a person fell out of a plane without a parachute, they somehow survived with other minor injuries. Think about how the original marathon was ran by a man who then died as soon as he declared victory. The truth is that our bodies have limits, because otherwise we would destroy ourselves through exertion. We learn this as children and keep it to this day. For example, the density of a human finger is the same as the density of a carrot. We can easily bite through a carrot, but biting through a finger would be hard for most people. Why? Because our brains are conditioned to believe that we should not do one and easily do the other.

But there’s more than psychology to this. There’s biology too. To do the things in this state, the brain floods the body with endorphins. It then begins breaking down the base proteins that your body stores for emergencies. This is extremely dangerous, because your body is not meant to break down these proteins normally or even regularly. This is how people, even on the point of exhaustion, get a sudden burst of energy to act. It is the last gasp of your body.

Noburu’s father aimed to make it so that Noburu could act in this state at will. In truth, he got close. Noburu’s ‘brother’ naturally exists in this state. It is a state where he is stronger, faster, more lethal than a normal person. But it comes at the cost of his rational thoughts; your body cannot focus on rational thought while it is doing everything it can to survive.

There is one other thing which explains Noburu’s strength, even while he is not in this state. And that thing is myostatin. Myostatin is a natural protein that is produced by the body in order to inhibit muscle growth. Without it, muscles would grow endlessly without end. There are many examples of animals that lack this, and who end up with giant muscles. When working out, our bodies intentionally limit myostatin, and that allows us to gain muscle mass.

But Noburu’s body lacks the proper amount of Myostatin. However his body, rather than grow to extreme sizes, has compressed his muscles. This is why, if you were to compare Noburu with someone of equal height, he would probably weigh somewhere between 100-200 lbs more, though the reason isn’t entirely obvious.

Noburu, from the day he was born, has muscle fibers that are naturally elastic and dense, along with dense bones that are harder and more durable than normal. This is a result of his muscles being forced to endure intense amounts of strain.

This is why Noburu’s father put him through the training he did, and why he didn’t simply remove him. It is true that Noburu’s father wanted an heir. But Noburu’s father considered Noburu his real heir.

When Noburu was born, he weighed over 20 lbs, though was no larger than normal. His birth killed his mother, because Noburu was too strong and caused exceptional bleeding when he was being born, and she was not being born in a hospital.

Noburu, by virtue of birth, was a superhuman in a world of quirks. He was quirkless, but that didn’t matter. He had his powers by virtue of the old way, naturally. He would be considered a superhuman in a normal world. But he is not in a normal world, and so he seems normal.

But Noburu’s strength, reaction time, and durability are many times greater than a normal person’s. This was why Noburu’s father trained him as he did, and why Noburu’s father was unable to kill Noburu despite seeing three seconds into the future. The three second headstart didn’t matter, because Noburu could move faster than he could react.

But killing his father to protect something precious was the final break that caused him to need two personalities. Noburu was ‘weak’ so he had a brother who was ‘strong.’ Noburu was ‘calm’ while his brother was ‘violent.’ And because Noburu had killed his father, he was ‘wrong’ because he was not the ‘heir.’ Thus, he waits for ‘punishment’ for being ‘wrong.’ He is ‘guilty.’ And his brother and father will return to kill him. But he cannot stop growing stronger, because he cannot allow anyone else to deliver punishment to him.

Noburu’s ‘brother’ is a lie. His father is dead. But he does not believe this. Instead, his body and mind have undergone extreme trauma, which has created the ‘brother’ personality that contains all of the times he was forced to kill. It is the ‘stronger’ personality, because Noburu considers his ability to simply kill to be stronger. It is also the personality that formed when Noburu was on the edge of death by his father’s training, to get him through that terrible situation. Thus the ‘state’ of being near death, that state where the body has increased strength and speed to survive, is linked with his ‘brother’ who can achieve that easily.

Noburu is thus the ‘weaker’ brother who relies on martial arts to overcome differences in strength. But his ‘brother’ is actually the one who relies on pure strength. ‘Noburu’ is thus his body and mind’s ‘limiter.’ He is the result of the coping mechanism.

All questions about how he exists, how he can be as strong as he is despite being quirkless, and how he can use the techniques that he can, can now be explained. Noburu is the personality who has jettisoned his ability to feel most things, because the last time he felt affection it resulted in him killing his father. He had fear and anger removed from his mind by his father’s training. He has survived, through a combination of natural genetics and training by his father.

Thus does Noburu’s true story become clear.

#ooc #Headcanon #noburu things

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theonceoverthinker · 5 years

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OUAT 4X03 - Rocky Road

Will Ingrid succeed in ICE-olating Elsa from our heroes?

Shut up! That was funny!

Hit up my review below the cut to find out what we think of her cold con (And to see if I make any more bad puns)!

Main Takeaways

Past

Kristoph and Elsa’s friendship runs the show here and it does so very well. It was a really smart idea tackling the unconventional ways that the both of them grew up as a means of having them bond. And as I’ll go over later, I like the use of trust as a theme in this segment.

Beyond that, apart from a just really solid story, there’s not a lot to talk about here. So onwards!

Present

I remember when I was just a lurker in this fandom, people for some reason were up in arms about why Ingrid froze Marian’s heart and for me, it always made sense. Elsa was getting to be buddy-buddy with the heroes and would soon be welcomed into the town. Because of that, while there was still time for people to be suspicious and doubtful of Elsa, Ingrid froze Marian’s heart so that the ensuing fear of the townspeople could combat the trust that the heroes had in her and give Elsa that sense of rejection. Like, while I don’t like this arc in the sense that it quite literally fridges Marian, it does make sense in terms of Ingrid’s motivations. It’s actually a genius plan on her part and really sets up the type of villain she is. She’s complicated in that she wants her sisters to come to her willingly, but has no problem using her control over memories to manipulate exactly what “willingly” entails.

Snow’s story is really good. I know a lot of people feel like Baby Neal should have more focus, but I feel the opposite. He’s a baby. He’s gonna poop and cry and most of the interesting content regarding him is the reaction of his parents and sibling to his presence. I feel like all we really need are to see glimpses of Snow and David parenting every now and then and this was probably the best of them. That’s because it got right to the heart of the matter: Snow is afraid for Baby Neal because of what happened with Emma. She lives in Storybrooke, Maine, the land where danger goes to have a fucking bar mitzvah! That fear is something clear and understandable and I’m happy that it got the attention it deserves.

Operation Mongoose is born! ...Well, officially now! I like how Operation Mongoose is portrayed as an operation that is in some ways extremely flawed in the places that it’s coming from, but also that involving Henry allows for it to refocus it into something good! It adds a nice layer of complexity to this operation and serves as a reflection of the Regal Believer dynamic!

There are so many good dynamics here, and besides my front runner for favorite dynamic, I really have to give credit to Emma and Regina’s here. While I don’t like the upcoming resolution to their conflict, what I do like is the buildup here. Regina, still angry with Emma, is back to making cutting and snippy remarks and Emma, while not taking them sitting down, does let those words get to her in a way. Those feelings of inadequacy, while the basis of which is wrong, are valid feelings for her to have and how they’re brought up and affect Emma throughout the episode is brutal.

...It should say a lot about how little of an impression Will Scarlet left on me that I kept forgetting that this was his first episode in the main series. I just...I just don’t get it. Well, I get that apparently, Will’s actor was still under contract and thus needed to be part of the main series, but to trap him in Storybrooke in such a tragic way, one that went presumably unsolved until the end of the series (Which was one hell of a jump) was just awful. I loved Will in the Wonderland spinoff and his friendship with Alice so to know that he loses that connection as well as his relationship with Ana really hurts! And to do what? Something that maybe another one of the more sidelined side characters could’ve done in his place? They just did him dirty. That all having been said, within the context of this episode and the arc, he’s...serviceable. He’s himself and Will Scarlet is an enjoyable character. He has good chemistry with Emma and David.

BUT let’s move aside from that to touch upon Ingrid and Emma’s dynamic! I love how just Emma’s appearance is enough to distract Ingrid from her plans. Like, she’s honestly about to freakin’ win and Emma pulls her from victory!

All Encompassing

Trust is the big theme of today’s episode and it gets a nice deep exploration. Elsa puts it best: “When you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, it can be hard to let people in, to trust them. Even when they want what’s best for you.” And this applies to several characters in this episode, namely Elsa in the flashback, Emma, Snow, and Rumple (A weird example, I know, but I’ll explain).

The thing that these four have in common in the context of this episode is that they think they know best, when that’s not necessarily true, if at all. I think in the first three examples, they’re rather self explanatory in the episode. Snow doesn’t want to trust anyone with Baby Neal because of the weight of raising a child again is something that scares her. Elsa doesn’t want to trust anyone else with her mission to get the urn because she feels that as the queen, she should be able to take care of this herself and later that she -- as a magic user -- should be able to use the urn herself to find out more about other magic users. Emma doesn’t want anyone coming along on her current mission so that she can save the day and regain her sense of purpose.

As for Rumple, I think this sentiment applies to him in the sense that the weight of the world for him now is his power and Belle. With Bae (And by extension, so much of his purpose in life) gone, Belle and his power is all he really has left. With the weight of his unhindered power now on his shoulder as it’s a possibility thanks to the hat, he doesn’t want to trust Belle with that information because he knows that if she knows the cost of it, she’ll try to deter him from pursuing his goal (And rightfully so, both with how Belle would act and how just that is). But especially after having his powers manhandled for a year, he doesn’t want to lose his chance of being free of the dagger.

Stream of Consciousness

-”And ice cream.” You know, a lot of people have all sorts of HC’s about Roland after he and the others go back to the EF and I love them, but if I may contribute my own, I want Roland to bring ice cream, the sweetest magic of all, back to his home!

-”Please mom? Regina let me.” Roland, you adorable and conniving little boy! You are going to run the world through three scoops of ice cream and a smile that can melt them!

-I also just realized that with the context of Marian being Zelena, I’m sure she’s just THRILLED with someone else comparing her to Regina! XD

-Marilena, order the carrot ice cream! It will surely leave you STONED! XD

-”There is no problem that can’t be solved with a little ice cream.” This may be my favorite opening scene in the show! XD

-”Any Given Sundae” is one of my favorite puns in this series, and given how much I love puns, that’s saying something!

-”Well, an all too common affliction around these parts.” ...It really is!

-Gotta say, Rumple’s counter to the super power was fucking great! Like, he had that down to a science! I actually HC that he may have given that to her. On some level, he knew she’d be on her own, so he decided to give her some aid in the form of her super power so that she could have a little help.

-”But I wish you the best of luck finding her.” Yeah...I refuse to believe that no one outside of Killian found that one specific line fishier than Ariel in her grotto.

-I’m very glad to know that Storybrooke is anti-wall! :D

-”I’m not worried about the wall. I’m worried about who made it.” I just love this line! XD

-I LOVE Regina’s outfit in Granny’s! Look, I’m a sucker for short sleeves and the vest part of it just seals the deal for me. This is a comfy cozy Regina! Also, Lana is ROCKING that ponytail!

-Regina, you have great taste in comics! Also, you’re kind of as subtle as a brick with your goals, but it works out really well! :D

-I love the slam down of the painting! Regina is 100% right. As someone who just gushed about that office, that painting completely messes with the colors and has got to go.

-”People like me?” “With magic.” I like how Kristoph wastes not even a second before ensuring Elsa that he doesn’t mean “people like me” in a bad way. He really gets his sister-in-law and knows that such talk has the potential to upset her deeply and as soon as he sees an inkling of that, he springs to action.

-Elsa and Killian also have a great dynamic here! XD

-”What are you going to do?” “Something drastic.” I think he was looking for something a TWINGE more specific, Regina! XD

-Okay, so I don’t often like to pick apart plot holes, but why wouldn’t Killian have Elsa secretly listen in on their convo and then tell Belle herself? Like, he promised Rumple “his” silence. He said fuck all about Elsa! XD

-You know, if magic can never be destroyed as Rumple claims, than when his own curse broke, did the darkness equilibrium that I’ve hoped for for so long just sweep the land?! Because I hope so.

-Any Given Sundae has really strange hours of operation! XD

-David, you may be “fine,” but your shirt needs an iron STAT!

Favorite Dynamic

Golden Hook! I’ve waited FAR too long to gush about this rivalry again and now I can!!! This episode is I think one of the bests for their rivalry and I mean that usually, Rumple has far more of a pull over Killian than vice versa because of his magic, but here, it really feels equal because Killian’s win comes from a sensible place. Killian’s been tracking down Rumple and his weaknesses for a century and thus, has an understanding of the man. And so, he’s able to have a real and tangible advantage in this moment, one well prepared. It’s a stupid, dangerous, and even kind of selfish, but it does work out this first time around and it’s fitting of Killian’s character. There’s an actual clash and seeing that confrontation is so engaging.

Writer

We’ve got one veteran writer and one newbie today, David Goodman and Jerome Schwartz, as they enter into Season 4. And damn, what a start! What we have here are several really solid narratives that are well paced and balanced. Nothing here felt like a character was being given too much or little focus. Additionally, the conflicts and dialogue make sense for the unique positions of our characters, making this episode feel quite organic.

Rating

Golden Apple. This is a fairly layered episode! Its main draw for me are the fantastic dynamics that we get to see fleshed out as well a theme that is powerful but not too overbearing. All in all, it comes together nicely to deliver a really satisfying episode!

Flip My Ship - The Home of All Things “Shippy Goodness”

Captain Swan - I really do like the exploration as to some of Emma’s distance in starting up hers and Killian’s relationship. By this point, romance has on three occasion spelled doom for whoever she’s been with and she’s nervous about Killian too. She had little control over the fates of Graham, Neal, and Walsh due to her lack of knowledge about the truth of her fairytale background and the danger that comes with it, but Killian’s different. She can make that choice and with all the facts, she’s nervous to make that step. But Killian gets to have a say in this as well. He’s survived so much of the fairytale dangers and his existence is proof of that. And that bit of information, alongside Killian’s just straight-up dedication to her and her growing feelings for him (Anyone else hear the hesitation in Emma’s voice when she pushes aside that she wants a man?), is what finally allows for her to be willing to give them a real chance. It’s no wonder that the ensuing kiss is one that enraptured the fandom and why the line beforehand stuck with us so hard. It’s an optimistic that follows this couple until the end of the series and really feels so equalizing for them. Emma and Killian are trying to help each other, but in different ways and this kiss doesn’t signal the end of that by any means, but that they’re going to change tactics so that they can help each other and be together. And that swell of music makes the moment so triumphant and beautiful.

-----

Thank you all for reading (If you do...honestly, I’m never sure, but if you do, I’m really grateful for you for doing so)!!! Shoutouts as always to the fine folks at @watchingfairytales and to my super amazing buddy @daensarah! Happy New Year!!!

Season 3 Total (29/230)

Writer Scores: Adam and Eddy: (9/60) Jane Espenson: (10/40) David Goodman and Jerome Schwartz: (10/50)

*Links to the rest of my rewatch will no longer be provided. They take posts with links outside of searches and I spend way too much time on these reviews to not give them that kind of exposure. Sorry for the inconvenience, but they still can be found on my page under Operation Rewatch.

#ouat #once upon a time #watching fairytales #ouat 4x03 #ouat rewatch #jenna watches ouat

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coeurdastronaute · 7 years

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Giant: Ch. 12

Tell everybody waiting for Superman That they should try to hold on the best they can He hasn't dropped them, forgot them or anything It's just too heavy for a Superman to lift

The longer that Kara worked it over in her head, the more that she realized how Lena got the opinion that she was second in Kara’s life. Never once, did the hero feel like that about Lena, and if anything, she started to see how she actually was a priority in the CEO’s day. The entire conversation from that night burrowed and infected her thoughts, and while the fight came and they moved forward, Kara lingered, mulling such things over repeatedly.

There were small things, tiny things, that didn’t seem like a big deal, but when she took a step back, saw what they all collectively said. Meetings were pushed in favor of lunches that inevitably lasted too long. Work came home or was delayed in favor of times when it was just them. Lena spent time and effort planning alien amnesty benefits, lobbying for better education and community programs, asking Kara’s opinion on all manner of everything.

She shifted her research and tech to clean energy and health, designating an infinitesimal amount to weapons to help Kara solve problems before they started. If anything, Lena was the proactive one, while Supergirl became reactive, managing whatever disasters loomed. All of it was done to keep Kara safe, to give her more days off. Lena’s life molded to Kara, and Kara wanted to do more than be someone who brought dinner or spent the night sometimes more at Lena’s. She wanted to do more.

Even something as simple as talking, Lena did it. Lena, who was mistrusted by all, who mistrusted all after the betrayal of her own family, never lied to Kara about what was happening. She told her about her father’s letters, the information she knew, told her every time her contacts, who were less than legal, found some kind of whisper of Kryptonite. From the beginning, Lena never shied away from what she did. They weren’t even small things. They were to protect the girl she loved.

“She can help us,” Kara insisted as her sister crossed her arms. “You’ve admitted she’s impressive when it comes to this kind of things. Her network is just… she has it covered.”

“We’re not giving your girlfriend classified information about her father, who already blew up one building before, and is now, we think, planning something bigger,” Alex scorned. “That’s not how it works.”

“She has a right to know, and she--”

“Or she’s involved with him.”

“Alex, are you serious?” Kara actually laughed at the notion. “There’s no way.”

“She just bought a--”

“You are serious.”

“We’ve been tracking him for weeks, and we’re not going to be in the habit of telling anyone who does not work here, about ongoing investigations,” J’onn decided. “And if that means Lena Luthor, then that is what it means, but the DEO is here to stop alien attacks.”

“And attacks on aliens,” Kara added, furrowing as she looked between her boss and her family, then to her friends who all inconspicuously looked away. “That was what you meant to add, right? Protect good, honest people making a living here, just like me? Refugees from unspeakable tragedies like yourself?”

“Of course.”

“Lionel Luthor is planning something. It’s quiet and the attacks that we’ve seen don’t make sense. The leaders we brought in from Judgement keep repeating the same message, and we know he’s working with them. The things they were doing to aliens,” Alex explained. “Lena’s letter sounds like a man who isn’t going to get caught or go easy. He’s dangerous.”

“All the more reason to have her help!”

“She doesn’t play well with others, and refuses to adhere to DEO guidelines,” J’onn shook his head before bracing himself on the table. “I can’t have someone like that compromising the integrity of this investigation.”

“You have to tell her something else, when you go to Metropolis,” Alex said.

“I can’t do many things,” Kara stood up a bit straighter. “But I won’t lie to her, Alex. I won’t do it. I don’t care what that means, but I draw the line.”

“It’s for her own safety.”

“I’m sick of secrets because we think they help,” she threw up her hands. “If I don’t tell her, then she investigates herself, and keeps things from me. She’s been nothing but honest, puts up with so much. I won’t.”

“That’s the job.”

“No,” Kara shook her head and crossed her arms defiantly. “That’s not the job I do. You’re asking me to do the only thing I can’t do. If I trust her, that’s enough.”

With a look, she clenched her teeth and shook her head before leaving them standing there, eyeing her warily, unsure of what she was going to do.

“Kara, wait!” her sister followed, jogging to catch up. “Just wait.”

“I can’t believe you would ask me to do that,” she shook her head.

“It’s for your safety.”

“If you think she’s not worried about that, then you haven’t heard her rant about my fighting style and how I should wear a thicker suit.”

“What if you’re wrong about her?”

“If I was wrong about her, she’s had plenty of chances to stab a Kryptonite knife in my chest in the middle of the night.”

“What if you’re the only one she’d save?”

“Alex, you’re being ridiculous.” Crossing her arms, Kara turned away before looking back at her sister, already so beyond disgusted with the entirety of her day.

It wasn’t an everyday battle, but it still came up enough to bother her. Most were not over the moon about her relationship with Lena, most were kind enough to keep their mouths shut. But when information made its way to them, and Kara was specifically asked not to tell Lena, it reminded her of how people still saw her. It crawled under her skin.

“She works beyond us, the things she does, the people she works with. You can’t be okay with that.”

“I’m not having this conversation,” Kara stomped a few steps.

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to go make dinner at my place, Lena is coming over, and we’re going to plan our vacation.”

“What about Lionel?”

“He’s not invited,” she muttered, stepping outside and taking off a second later.

Even from the hall, Lena could smell dinner and smiled. She nodded a hello to a neighbor who now knew her by name, and adjusted her bag as she debated knocking. The entire day, she wanted nothing more than to see Kara, and now, she felt those little butterflies that came when she knew she was close. Little bits of the day disappeared, and suddenly the mask of the Luthor disintegrated, leaving Lena behind.

“Come in, Lena!” the voice carried through the door. “What’s taking you so long?”

“I heard the banging of pots and pans, and I had to prepare myself for the inevitable mess,” she laughed as she pushed through.

“It’s not that bad,” Kara furrowed as she surveyed the counters and stove and her mess there. “I got you wine. I got me wine.”

“Oh you did?” she hummed, intrigued by the news of wine that would actually make her girlfriend tipsy. “What’s the occasion?”

“Long day at work,” Kara mentioned over her shoulder as she slung a towel on it and stirred something.

Lena tossed her bags on the couch, slipped off her coat, stretched her arms over her head as she moved toward the island where the bottles sat, and picked them both up, comparing them as best she could.

“Do you want to tell me about it first, or should I pour?”

“How about a little of this first?” Kara asked, leaning over, smiling softly. She earned a kiss and struggled to pull away from more of that. “And a lot of that later, if you don’t mind.”

“Never,” she chuckled, letting her girlfriend get back to work. “So wine first then.”

Lena moved around the kitchen, grabbing the corkscrew and glasses, she stole a carrot and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend as she chopped vegetables. She kissed her shoulder through her shirt.

“You’re tense.”

“Long day at work.”

“Which work?”

“Both, actually,” Kara confessed.

“It smells good in here.”

“I got a late start, but it’ll be ready soon.”

“I’ll get the wine,” Lena promised, leaning her forehead against Kara’s spine, letting her chop and just holding her, even with her hands full. It was nice, and it was needed. “Now, what exotic place does this hail from?”

“Garion, in the Summer Galaxy. My parents would go there on vacation. It’s not exactly wine, they aren’t grapes, but it’s a similar fruit.”

“It smells… um… sweet?” she guessed as she poured and tried not to inhale it. “Bitter, maybe?”

“It’s not my favorite, but it’s not terrible.”

“Should I start with my day?” Lena asked, handing over the glass before filling up her own. Kara paused her preparing to take a large gulp, followed by another before setting it down, almost in need of a refill.

“Please. You don’t have jerk bosses and stupid non-disclosure contracts.”

The chopping got a little rougher, and Lena quirked an eyebrow as she watched the hero go at a cucumber with a slight vengeance.

“Alright, nevermind. Moratorium on the work talk. Do you want to hear what I started planning for our trip?”

“Yes please.”

It lasted all of five minutes. Lena digging in her bag and pulling out notes she’d made in a folder. She had a million ideas, but her favorite was a beach house on an island. Remote, removed, quiet, disconnected. Lena pitched it with vigor though it seemed to fall on deaf ears.

Before the plates were made, Kara was into her second glass.

“If the island doesn’t sound good, I was thinking maybe a week in an apartment in Buenos Aires. I remember we had dreams about that place,” Lena continued. “I know it’s a long shot, but I’d love to take you to actual Paris instead of your flyovers. I know someone--”

“Lena, it’s your dad,” Kara finally huffed, unable to hold it any longer. “I was asked not to tell you, but I can’t do that. I told them I wouldn’t, and I signed contracts, and he’s my boss and this weirdly parental figure in my life, which makes this even more complicated, but I am hard to love. I know that. I don’t make it easy, and you’ve never once lied to me, about even the hard stuff, and that’s where I’m at. I wanted to make dinner and have wine, and that was just in me--”

“Easy there,” Lena furrowed at the information. “What’s going on?”

“He’s planning something. We think your brother gave him plans or an idea, or helped him escape. He’s taken up with that group that attacked me a few months ago.”

“There’s no way Lex helped him,” she shook her head.

“What?”

“He blames Dad for killing our mother. He wouldn’t help him.”

“Oh,” she nodded, thinking deeply. “See,” her hands waved. “This is why I said we needed your help with this!”

“I think something is coming though,” Lena nodded.

“You-You do?”

“Do you think I haven’t been investigating my escaped convict, mass-murdering father?”

“Well, I mean,” Kara scrunched up her face and looked for an answer. “You’re a busy woman. I honestly hadn’t thought about it. I was very upset earlier.”

“I see that,” Lena smiled. “Being upset and defending me sounds like another full time job.”

“It is,” she breathed out, drinking the rest of her wine. “Wait. I didn’t mean that. I meant… that the pulling. I’m pulled in half, Lee. Three halves. Lots of pulls.”

“Alright. Hey, calm down sweetie,” the CEO soothed, pulling out a stool and patting it before ushering her to it. “If you don’t want to tell me anything about it, that’s alright.”

“I don’t like that. Telling you things is what I do.”

Lena poured a little more more into her girlfriend’s glass before sliding a plate toward her. It didn’t take much to get Kara distracted with the food.

“There you go, eat up,” she offered, grabbing her own as well. “Remember when we used to have dinner and talk about things that weren’t terrible?”

“That vacation can’t come soon enough.”

Quietly they ate and Lena complimented her girlfriend. Kara smiled shyly and clinked her glass with Lena.

“So today at work, I spent the day planning a small business forum. The idea being we look into some of the smaller business proposals that banks deem too risky. I have a few professors offering clinics for financial stability. Thinking about buying a stretch of empty shops down on Euclid, you know, West End.”

“Wow,” Kara sighed, entranced by the way Lena explained.

“It will help, I think, that part of town.”

“Definitely.”

“It felt good, to do something worthwhile all day. I’m thinking of promoting Jess. But I’ll never find an assistant as good as her. What do you think?”

“She’s smart, good, loyal.”

“Right,” Lena agreed, picking up the plates and moving them to the sink. “I want to put her in charge of this type of thing. But I like doing it, too.”

“This is all I wanted from dinner,” Kara sighed, watching as Lena moved around, cleaning up the mess from her cooking. “Just to catch up with you.”

“How long has this been stressing you out?”

“Two weeks,” she confessed, running her hands over her face. “Ever since I was following that lead on your mom’s birthday, we’ve been putting a lot into hopefully preventing an attack on aliens by your dad. I’m so tired.”

Lena kept cleaning up, kicking her heels to the side as she ran water and opened the dishwasher.

“Go take a shower, and let me clean up.”

“You’re not worried, are you?”

“Why would I be? You told me the truth, and look at how it tore you up. I trust you, Kara,” she shook her head at the ridiculous idea. “You and me. We’re a team.”

“I meant about your dad.”

“What about him?”

“My first thought was him hurting you,” Kara confessed. “Honestly, that’s most of my motivation to catch him. I want to, soon. I can’t keep burning the candle at all ends.”

She sat at the island and swirled her wine, watching Lena’s shoulders move as she rinsed. In the morning she would have to tell Alex that she told Lena everything, and she still had to tell Lena everything.

“He won’t,” she promised. Even without looking up she could feel Kara’s eyes on her as she leaned against the counter, closer than before. “He wouldn’t.”

“He’s unhinged, Lee. You can’t be certain--”

“I’m the last thing my mother made. He wouldn’t,” she swore. “I don’t want you to tell me the things you want to tell me. I don’t want it to tear you apart. You told me you were looking for him and he’s planning something. Do I need to know anything else?”

“No,” Kara finally sighed. “I guess not.”

“Go take a shower, relax a bit.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Lena assured her girlfriend. “Just trying to get you naked so I can massage those shoulders and enjoy tipsy sex with my alien girlfriend.”

“You should have led with that,” she chuckled and kissed Lena’s temple. “I’ll keep you safe, you know that right?”

“That’s why I’m not worried.”

Kara put down her glass after she finished it, enjoying the feeling of static and dizzy in her blood. She wrapped her arms around Lena’s waist and kissed her neck.

“Do you know what’s better than a hot shower?”

“Clean dishes, stop distracting me,” she giggled as Kara held her tighter and snorted against her neck, causing her to squinch up her shoulders.

“I was going to say a hot shower with a naked Lena in it.”

“Kara!” Lena yelped as she was lifted quickly and slung over a shoulder, spraying water across herself and part of the counter. “You’re a caveman!”

“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Kara countered, easily dragging her to the bathroom. She earned a few slaps as Lena laughed and wiggled. “And I’m going to show you just how grateful I am.”

Gone quickly was the idea of Lionel Luthor and his attack. But as Kara pressed against her in the shower, propped herself up on her elbows, pressed away the hair that fell on her eyes, kissed her. She couldn’t help but think about the threats she’d heard directed toward the girl in her arms.

The office was a testament to her hard work and reserved nature. Situated high atop the new LCorp building in the center of downtown, it looked out at the rest of the city with a kind of magnanimous disinterest, a quiet kind of presence.

The white walls towered, while the art was a nice mix of relaxing and beautiful, pieces from every kind of corner of the practice, it did not impose itself on the space. It was tasteful and pristine, mimicking its owner completely.

Left alone in it, the older Danvers sister was almost afraid to move, and the longer she avoided it, the more she fought against her very nature to investigate. But she wasn’t there for that, and she knew she would never hear the end of it from Kara if she tried something.

Instead, Alex tried to find things that would make her understand why her sister was so head over heels for the notorious business owner. She surveyed the few books that were there, not recognizing most of the titles. She flipped through one, only to be surprised by notes made in the margins of poems, lines underlined, corners folded over. There were different colors of ink, indicating different times it’d been read through. Casually, Alex glanced at the words, the neat little cursive in corners, attached to arrows and lines, before feeling oddly invasive when she spotted her sister’s name on a page.

The flowers were real. Alex ran her hand along some of the petals and smiled at the additions. She walked around, gazing at the diploma on the wall, looking at the awards on a shelf, at the leather chair in a corner which showed the most amount of wear, as if it were a nice quiet corner that saw Lena working late often.

The view was captivating. Alex was almost certain it rivaled the DEO. She could imagine it at night, with the other buildings twinkling.

The office itself lacked much, was nothing but mystery, generic, unobtrusive. But still, Alex looked because she had nothing else to do while she waited. And then she looked at the desk.

The picture frame in the back was almost hidden, but still it was there. It felt like a relic from a long forgotten era, from a parallel timeline in which things would have been very different. Lena, smudged black lines on her cheeks, sweaty and dirty from a soccer game, her uniform red and dingy, with her mother kissing her cheek, a terrorist stood behind her, foam finger in place, smiling wide and warm and genuine, a mass murderer made a face in front, held up his finger to signify number one. All clad in matching red plaid, they looked like a family. Alex imagined that picture hurt to see.

Beside it sat one of Lena on her graduation day, her mother smiling proudly beside her.

The rest of the few frames were Kara. Plain and simple, just moments of their life together. A small one from high school, another that was just a photobooth slip. Another was some gala, both dressed up and smiling politely to the camera. The most recent was what looked like something personal, just a snapshot of Lena smiling so big her cheeks were inflated and Kara happily kissing her cheek. Another was them on their vacation, swim suits and sunglasses on with a beautiful beach and clear water behind them.

Alex found herself smiling as she perused the life that somehow existed in her sister that she hadn’t wanted to see. But there she was, at ease and happy. It was perfect.

“Agent,” Lena greeted her as she breezed into her office. “Not the Danvers sister I’m used to having in my office.”

“I was in the neighborhood,” she decided was the safest bet. Lena moved behind her desk and took a seat, motioning for the agent to help herself to a chair in front of it.

“I’m sorry I was running later than expected.”

“Not a problem. I know it’s last minute.”

There weren’t many times that the two found themselves face to face and without a certain buffer reminding them to be kind to the other. Lena harbored all of the ill-will Kara was too pure to know how to wield. Sitting across from her was the sister who ran away with her own grief, who worked for an organization that was just a sneaky as the tactics she accused Lena of using, who hated the name Luthor.

On the other side of the desk sat someone who witnessed the absolute brutality of the name, someone who feared for her sister.

Both were on pins and needles.

“So,” she smiled and clasped her hands together. “How may I help you?”

Firmly in place was the pseudo politeness that had been bred into her and learned over the course of numerous meetings and dinners she would rather cut her own leg off then partake it, but had to nonetheless.

Alex pursed her lips and took a deep breath. She wasn’t entirely sure anymore why she was there, just that she had to do something.

“My sister loves you very much,” she began. “You’re very important to her.”

“This isn’t one of those, don’t hurt her, talks, is it?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Alex shook her head. “I don’t think it’d be very effective on you.”

She earned a small smile, before Lena caught herself and looked down at the files she’d brought in with her. When Jess told her a Ms. Danvers scheduled an appointment, she’d assumed it’d been a nice visit with Kara, and then she realized the truth, remembering that Kara was across town doing interviews for a piece about the election, and felt a little uneasy to know which Danvers was in her office.

“I don’t remember you much, from before everything,” she continued. “I barely remember the funeral myself, but I’m very grateful that you were there for my sister when I… couldn’t be.”

“It’s ancient history.”

“You’re important to Kara, and therefore you have to be important to me.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, let me finish,” she swallowed. “I know you’ve… I know you’ve tried to reach out, and I’ve disappointed my sister by not accepting them. And I know how hard it must have been to include me, or try to. I’m… trying to say that I--”

“We don’t have to do this,” Lena offered, after seeing how much she struggled.

“She said you asked her when she would stop being Supergirl.”

“I did,” she nodded, waiting to weigh the response.

“I’m glad she has a reason to want to stop.”

“I don’t want to change her. I couldn’t imagine it. I just--”

“No, no, it’s good,” Alex nodded. “Kara has never asked me for anything. We have to be able to be in the same room together without wanting to fight.”

“I don’t know what you think of me, but I don’t dislike you, Agent Danvers. I never have. I know what my name means to your family, to the city. But even if I granted you unlimited, unrestricted access to every single part of my company, of myself, we would still be sitting in this room, having the same conversation.”

“I don’t know. That’d be a start,” she grinned.

“I love Kara. I love her because my mother told me to open up and good things would come. I did and in waltzed Kara. Sometimes I feel like I owe the universe a debt for bringing her into my life. She’s the reason I do most of what I do here at work. She makes me a better person, and I could never do anything that would change the way she looks at me. If nothing else, I hope that makes you at least sleep a little easier.”

Alex listened to the words, and still, she could not let herself believe them, despite how much she did. It was the skeptic in her, the pessimist, the person who saw too much, who knew too much of human nature.

“We need a truce then.”

“Come have dinner with us this weekend.”

“I was thinking of slowly not looking daggers at each other whenever we’re in the same room and a joint custody agreement.”

“Saturday at seven sound good? Bring wine.”

“Oh I will. Don’t worry about that.” Alex stood after a moment, preparing to leave. She couldn’t help herself though, not if they were attempting to be civil. “On your desk, you have a picture of your family…”

“Don’t you have one on yours?” Lena quirked her head slightly, not bothered at all. She fully anticipated running a bug and surveillance scan on her office as soon as the agent disappeared.

“My brother didn’t murder hundreds of people.”

“July nineteenth. From the age of four until July nineteenth, the day my mother died, I had a family. I had twenty years of memories. Twenty Christmases, twenty birthdays, family trips, taco nights, and snow days. My entire family died that day,” she swallowed and looked at the offending frame. “I look at it every day and think of what we could have been, and what I have to be. My brother is a monster, my father is a villain. They still came to my soccer games and sang me happy birthday. I’m the last of my line. I mourn the loss of them both.”

The weight of it must have been unbearable, the agent realized, to lose an entire family, to feel as if to not know them at all, to have it taken willingly. Lena had a heavy past, not just a complicated one, and Alex realized she’d never considered it until she saw that picture and heard the CEO speak so honestly.

“Kara always had a knack for picking up strays,” Alex finally muttered. “She has a way of making everyone her family.”

“She does.”

“You don’t want to be like them?”

“I want to be like my mother,” Lena confessed. “But no. I don’t want to blow up a city or species, or people. I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I harbor no ill will toward any inhabitant of this planet or another. Honestly? I just want to be left alone, and I want to do a little good.”

For too long, Alex stared at the woman behind the desk. She wanted to find the lie, and for her entire being, she wished she had J’onn’s powers to read Lena’s truest thoughts. She fell back on her training, though she didn’t want to believe it, the words seemed true.

“Maggie is allergic to shrimp, if that makes a difference for dinner.”

“Well that is where I draw the line.”

For the briefest of seconds, Lena was sure she saw a smile.

“Thank you for taking the time.”

“We’re practically family. I’m a bit rusty, but I heard that’s what we do,” Lena tried as she walked the agent toward the door.

As quickly as she earned the smile, so too did she earn a scowl, though she found it well worth it.

As soon as the sister was gone, Lena took a few moments and sat behind her desk, careful to look at the old picture in question.

“Once an orphan, always an orphan,” she smiled sadly before tipping it down to the desk, unable to stomach much more thought. “Not too bad for one though.”

With a small movement, she picked up her phone and sent a text to her girlfriend about their new dinner plans before reclining and gazing at the other picture frames and smiling wider.

The clouds hung heavy and low, muting the world in all grey tones. Slowly, Lena stretched and tried to open her eyes as she woke. Her body moved toward the middle of the bed until she sensed she was well past where she should have met another body. Begrudgingly, she opened her eyes finally and growled gently in complaint.

For a moment, Lena held her breath before rubbing her hands along her face in protest of the day. She’d been dreading it for weeks, ever since Kara brought up the mere idea of celebrating Lena’s birthday. All mention of it ceased when Lena reminded her that she didn’t celebrate it very much. Kara had done great the previous year, taking her away for a weekend. But the presents and doting, it just reminded her too much.

Lena wasn’t like Kara. Kara adored her party. She loved the feeling of her friends and family together. She was even actually surprised when Lena led her to the bar filled with cupcakes and everyone she loved ready to celebrate her. Lena even got her a good present, and if no one else had known, they might have guessed that the CEO was actually very good at birthdays. She didn’t care. She got to spend the night wearing a stupid hat beside Kara and she got to take her home, to get all kinds of tipsy, greedy Kara lips and hands all over her body. And she got to make Kara break her own bed, and that was a bit of victory.

But her birthday was a different story. And from just the past few days, the past few calls Kara disappeared to take, and the way she deleted texts as soon as she answered them, Lena was pretty certain that she had something in the works.

With a small groan, Lena finally pushed off her sheets and looked at the clouds outside, grateful that they mimicked her mood.

She pulled on Kara’s old shirt that lived at Lena’s house. It got well worn and many miles whenever Kara wasn’t around.

“Is that… Those are…” she smiled to herself as she looked at the spread waiting on the counter.

There was no sight of her girlfriend at all, just piles of scones and muffins from all of her favorite places. The two cups of coffee were still steaming.

“Hey! Lena, hi!” Kara sprinted through the balcony door as the CEO picked up the first coffee cup and inhaled its warmth. Fruit fell on the floor from Kara’s arms as she balanced two other cups in her hands. “You were supposed to be asleep.”

“I woke up to an empty bed.”

“I was in London, and then… Well,” Kara tried to explain as she bent over and picked up what she could. “I went to get that tea you love, and then the espresso from Rome. The jam from Lyon.”

“Kara, honey.”

“But I thought it was a sweet and heavy breakfast, so I had another thought to get some fruit. I went to get that juice you liked in Brazil, and I wanted it to be very authentic. I planned this out better, but then I kept second guessing it--”

Lena didn’t care about all of the running around. She found it astounding, but she would have been okay with toast and coffee. She fell in love with the effort, and Kara’s sheepish grin knowing full well that it was too much, and still she would have run out to other corners of the world for more if she had a few more minutes, just to make Lena smile at her like she was.

She slipped her arms around the hero’s hips and kissed her sweetly. Still slightly out of breath and antsy, Kara calmed slightly. She relaxed as Lena tied her arms around her neck and smiled at the idea of being loved so greatly by someone who was so perfect. She held onto the sun.

“Happy Birthday,” Kara smiled as she wrapped her arms around the scantily clad girl in the kitchen. “I love you so much. I’m very glad you’re my best friend.”

“Thank you so much for this. You didn’t have to...”

“Just wait until you see lunch.” Still they hung together, still Lena felt Kara’s heart beating against her own.

“You’re spoiling me.”

“Just wait until you see what I picked out to wear tonight.”

With a kind of smirk, Lena let her eyebrows peaked slightly at the information. Kara kissed her again. Picked Lena right up off the ground and set her on the counter, kissed her harder and earned a moan. She gripped her thighs and she gave her a good morning.

It was one of her favorite things to do, to just pick Lena up and have her way with her. She loved the feeling of her scalp being tugged because Lena was yanking on her head. She loved the feeling of Lena’s grinding hips. She loved the noises, and the way her heartbeat went wild, like raindrops on a tin roof, all out of rhythm and without any rhyme or reason. She loved making Lena feel so good she couldn’t speak. All of it was bonus for Kara, because at the end of the day, she just plain loved the CEO, like every silly story she gobbled up when she came to earth, about soulmates and missing pieces and romantic movie cliches.

By the time Kara finished, by the time Lena caught her breath, she didn’t want to ever leave the kitchen. It was their place. It saw more sex than most kitchens, Lena considered as she sat up on the counter.

Kara warmed their coffee and blushed as she apologized for being so eager, though Lena promised her that if she had to celebrate her birthday, that was the only acceptable way. They had their breakfast, with Lena sampling, while Kara did a great job of cleaning up after her, hungry after her morning activities.

“Now, before you start complaining about your birthday, just suck it up because it is important to me that you have a good day, even if we never talk about it being your birthday,” Kara reminded her girlfriend who savored her cup of coffee from her favorite shop.

“You know I don’t care about it,” Lena shrugged, adjusting her leg under her on the stool as she watched Kara clean up the last bit of what was left.

“Just close your eyes for a second. I’ll be right back.”

“I don’t know why I have to clo--” In a whoosh, her girlfriend was gone, through the window without time for her to interrupt. “Close my eyes. You’re too fast to see.”

With a smile, the CEO shook her head and sipped her drink, sure to keep her eyes closed because Kara would pout and that was absolutely too much to handle.

Stuck there, prepared to pretend to enjoy the day for the sake of the literal child she was dating, Lena pondered her life since the year and change that Kara had made a reappearance. She had a rough patch there, of about four years where everything was just mundane and terrible, with no light, and then the sun came up, and she found humanness again.

They fought, sometimes. Small things, snippy things when both were tired or missed each other too much. They argued about Lena’s non-disclosure policy with the DEO, and they argued about the DEO itself. But it was nothing terrible, both retreating and coming back not a few hours later. Kara couldn’t handle being angry, and unfortunately could always see Lena’s points. In the end, there was that partnership, that come hell or high water, it was them against it all, and Lena was so far in love with the damn hero, she couldn’t imagine a moment without her again. The three years were a dream.

“Okay, just give me a second. Don’t peek,” Kara whooshed back into the room.

“This isn’t necessary.”

“I know it’s not, but I want to, and that should count for more than anything.”

“It does. But I think your present on the counter was more than enough. Plus, I’d like to unwrap you later. So unless you’re naked when I open my eyes--”

“Lena!”

“How can you be so prudish after you just ate m--”

“Lena!” Kara yelped.

“It’s my birthday. You can’t yell at me,” she taunted.

There was some movement in the kitchen, and Lena smiled to herself as she drank the last bit of her coffee, waiting for the reveal. Toying with her girlfriend might be her favorite hobby, especially when it came to explicit things.

“Okay, open them.”

The living room was filled with balloons. A Happy Birthday banner was hung haphazardly from the window where Kara hurried to slap the tape and make the one end stay as she balanced a bouquet in her hand. Abashedly, she righted herself and held out the flowers.

“I got you flowers, because I know you love them,” Kara explained. “And before you tell me I didn’t have to, know that I wanted to. And I also know you don’t like celebrating. Which is why I have a special, non-birthday, birthday planned.”

With a slight movement, she handed her girlfriend the flowers, blushing slightly because she caught green eyes and sometimes it was too much to know that Lena was her’s.

“These are gorgeous,” Lena gave in, digging her nose into the flowers.

“I also have all of the Star Wars movies. We’re going to watch them in order and pig out and make a good blanket bed on the ground.”

“That’s what you planned for my birthday?”

“Well, yeah. I know your favorite things. Nerdy, scientifically inaccurate movies,” Kara smiled at her description of the films. “Terrible food that you’ll spend too long in the gym trying to work off, even though you’re perfectly beautiful. Not putting on pants. And me. And no one else. And talking through the movies. And wine. I have wine somewhere.”

“Seriously? No party, no fancy dinner?” Lena sighed happily.

“Nope. I made too big of a deal last year. This year, is lowkey, but still celebrating. I’m trying to walk a thin line here.”

“This is perfect. My perfect day.”

“I have one more thing for tonight. But I don’t know if you’ll want to do it. And you don’t have to, just so you know. I don’t want you to feel bad if you don’t want to, and you don’t have to just for me. I just thought it’d be a great way to really--”

“Kara, take a breath,” Lena reminded her, watching her sputter and spin out slightly in the Kara way she did when she got nervous. It was too endearing. “I’m sure I’ll love it. You’ve aced the day so far.”

“Two tickets to the game tonight,” Kara breathed, holding her breath. “Hawks and Minutemen.”

“I own the team.”

“I guess I could have just given you the money,” she laughed to herself nervously, fiddling with her fingers. “But I just wanted it to be something I did for you. They’re not good seats. They’re the best I could manage. Did you know it’s a playoff game?”

“I did,” she smiled.

“I want to take all your bad memories and replace them with good ones, Lee,” Kara offered, shaking her head and professing it with such honesty, she was uncertain she knew where it came from exactly. “That’s what I want to do for your birthday.”

It was a simple move, but Lena didn’t care. It was the most she could do. She hugged her hero tightly, wrapping her arms around her, burying her nose in her shoulder, soaking up all of the warmth she could from the girl who used to laugh at cartoons on the weekends.

The day was perfect. It was real, and Lena thought it might have been her best birthday ever, if she was one to keep track of such things. Buried in the nest of pillows and blankets, she half laid on Kara, switching positions often, scratching her back or head, letting her rub her shoulders or knee while she talked through the entire thing.

The game was better than Lena could remember. She enjoyed telling Kara stats and things that she knew the hero wasn’t particularly interested in hearing. She enjoyed being on the kiss cam with her and earning applause. She even enjoyed the fact that they won and Kara promised to take her to the next playoff game.

By the time they made it back to the penthouse, Kara made her wait, made her blow out the candle to a silly little cupcake that they shared while dreaming about the next year of the Luthor’s life, recounting the previous one.

“Well, how did I do?” Kara grinned, tugging the old jersey over Lena’s head until she appeared, brimming and beaming and less clothed. “Not a terrible way to spend a birthday, right?”

“It was my perfect day.”

“Did you get everything you wanted?”

“I didn’t want anything, but I got everything,” Lena promised, returning the favor and tugging off Kara’s jersey. “Except one thing.”

“If you say…” she lowered her voice as her girlfriend undid her jean button. “Sex… you’ll ruin the last present I have for you.”

Little bits of lace appeared and Lena cocked her head appreciatively, proud of her girlfriend’s ability to know full well what she was about.

“I wasn’t though,” she looked back at her, fingers lingering on the waist of the jeans before they moved up her sides, played with muscle and bone and lace.

“Okay, then what did I miss? You have everything. It’s impossible to shop for you, just so you know--”

“Move in with me.”

“You should make a wishlist that you can’t buy anyth--” Kara tried to rant though the words her girlfriend said made it to her ears and took a second to be analyzed and interpreted in her brain and it finally caught up with her mouth. “What?”

“You’re here or I’m at yours every other night. I have a balcony. Or we can live at yours. I don’t care. The point is, I’m in this so damn hard. I want every memory to be with you. I’m so deeply in lo--”

Kara grabbed Lena’s cheeks and kissed her through her smile, so surprised and overjoyed and unsure what to say. It was all of that rolled into one.

“Are you serious, Lee?”

“We have a future. You made me learn that,” she swallowed and shook her head, hands hanging from Kara’s biceps as hands encased her head. “I just want to sleep beside you every night. I want your stupid clothes on the floor. I want you to have more than a drawer because I want to steal all of your shirts when you get them worn in just enough. I want to put you to bed when you work too hard, and I want you to yell at me for leaving dishes in the sink. I want all of it. Good and bad. I just… I want us.”

“You’re serious,” Kara sighed, watching Lena’s eyes look everywhere but back at her because they couldn’t when she was talking about feelings.

“I’m serious,” she nodded, exhaling deeply.

“Let’s do it.”

“Yeah?”

“Of course!” Kara laughed, hugging her tightly, spinning her around. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of it. I just… we kind of already did live together. Why not condense it?”

“Practical of you, Danvers.”

“I’m so happy.”

“Me too,” Lena hummed.

For the first time, she actually felt it, felt that she’d made a good decision, felt that she’d picked right, that she actually had one of those elusive futures that Kara kept talking about constantly. She had a dream, and she had a girl, and she was happier than she’d been in her lifetime.

The thought of Lionel Luthor and his inevitable attack gradually waned from the forefront of everyone’s collective imagination. They all knew it was coming, they just ran to the end of the road with all of their leads, and with the lack of any new information, were resigned to the helpless kind of state in which they distracted themselves as best they could.

The snow finally came after Thanksgiving. The cold and the season generally made it a quieter time of year. It wasn’t the first holiday they’d spent together, though this one felt different, more official, more real, perhaps because it wasn’t the first.

“Mmmm,” Lena hummed against Kara’s ear as lips moved along her neck. Her hips moved of their own accord, uncontrollable save for a certain alien’s will. “I like this,” she whispered, grabbing the back of the couch to keep herself steady.

“Me too,” Kara reached, following her as she moved.

Hands slid under her shirt, a thumb traced along her rib, slid under bra. A little gasp accompanied the teasing.

“But no more decorations.”

“Are you sure?” Kara asked with a smirk, squeezing and earning a tiny moan. “Just a few more.”

“Kara, I’m serious.”

“You said to make it feel like home. I like Christmas decorations.”

“We moved in together, and our first fight is going to be over tinsel,” Lena groaned as her hands knit into Kara’s hair as lips moved down her chest.

“I don’t think we’re going to fight,” she whispered, tugging the shirt off and tossing it somewhere on the floor. “I have a few other ideas.”

“Promise me, no more decorations.”

“I promise not to lie to you,” she countered with a grin. “And not promise something that I’m obviously going to break.”

The Christmas lights all twinkled while the fire crackled. Living together for three months, and Lena thought it’d been going well. Until she returned home from work to find a Christmas tree in a corner, stockings on the ledge, candy canes in a jar on the table. Every day, there seemed to be more and more, which seemed impossible considering they lived in a penthouse and had no yard, but wreaths would appear, and poinsettias would pop up. Smaller trees ended up in different rooms, while tiny little presents began to accumulate in the living room.

“Dammit, Kara,” Lena complained, half-hearted and very distracted by strong hands below her waist.

“It’s our first Christmas living together. I want it to be special.”

“No more decorations.”

“I’ll try.”

Kara’s shirt went next, tossed somewhere. She didn't notice much other than the way the orange glow of the fire looked on Lena’s pale skin. She would have even sworn to destroy every Christmas tree in the city if Lena were to put a shirt back on now. She would never admit it, but it wasn’t far from her mind.

It was a slow kind of session, right there on the couch. Lazy and good, tentative, even. Lena kissed her hard, ground her hips into Kara’s, a slow kind of delicious rhythm that she controlled while her hands rooted in strong shoulders, ghosted over chest, skated up into the nape of her neck.

The fireplace crackled, and Lena couldn’t think of anything other than the feeling of warm lips on her skin driving her up a wall.

“Let’s go to bed,” she whispered, pressing against the girl beneath her on the couch.

“But the movie.”

They spoke with lips trailing, hovering near each other, bumping noses, countering moves like a fight ready to break out, waiting on a first punch.

“Santa won’t bring presents if you don’t go to bed,” Lena chuckled before pressing closer. “And if we don’t go to bed soon, I’m going to need another new couch.”

“But I like this,” Kara growled as her girlfriend’s hips kept moving against her. “A lot.”

“I have something you can unwrap early, since you’re so good,” Lena promised, kissing her once more before she made herself stand up.

From her spot on the couch, Kara tried to think coherently. But she watched Lena unhook her bra and toss it somewhere on her trail to the bedroom. Pants slithered down legs a second later. Kara felt her mouth go dry.

As quickly as she could, she blew out the fire and stumbled down the hall toward their bedroom, nearly tripping as she tugged off her own pants and the rest of her clothes.

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