#and Barbara's English voice

[spoocys-glade-of-dreams]

Rayman Head Canons: Voice Claims Part 2

So a little note before we begin, Rayman Retold had a few faces that were introduced in Rayman 2. I found out that The Great Escape (PS1) and Rayman Revolution (PS2) versions had completely different types of voice acting when it came to the English dubbing. A few of the credited voices had "Rayman 2," but not really anything specific. I'll have to rely on clips and I might not have much info on the voice actors in question.

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Admiral Razorbeard:

I've changed the voice claim from when this post was first made. As much as I loved the previous one, I decided to go back to giving Admiral Razorbeard the voice he had in Rayman Revolution.

Razorbeard was going to be another major villain within the Rayman Retold Project I was working on. Despite his defeat, he was going to return sometime down the line alongside his wife.

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Jano, The first Nightmare:

Jano actually has 2 voice claims: One when he speaks English, and one that is his native Nightmarish tongue.

For his English lines, I did research and my results were pretty empty. considering Jano actually had 2 English voice actors that depended on which version of Rayman 2 you played and they were VERY different voice portrayals.

Here's the differences between the Rayman 2 playstation games with Jano's English voice:

When Jano speaks English, it's the voice he had within Rayman Revolution, or the PS2 version. It's the language you hear him use the most when he's communicating with members of the glade that enter his lair.

Within Rayman Retold, his native tongue is a language only used by creatures of nightmare origin. It's mostly referred to as “Nightmarish” but doesn’t actually have an official name. for Jano, its the “Raymanese” voice sound effect he had from Rayman 2.

You don't normally hear Jano pulling the nightmarish language and the voice that goes with it unless he is in a fit of rage, or he’s attempting to corrupt those into his puppets.

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Barbara the Barbarian:

Kelly Macdonald. If you don’t know who Kelly Macdonald is…then allow me to post the clip that pretty much speaks for itself.

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Ales Mansay the Teensie Magician

Jess Harnell.

I blame this on when I was shown scenes from Sophia the First, and when I was picking up Ales' Pig Latin voice lines from Origin one night. I couldn't unhear this since, and now I portray Ales with the same vibes and personality as Cedric.

[s-ublimewrites]

writing sonnets (melissa schemmenti x f!reader)

synopsis: your students tease you relentlessly and melissa can't help but to join in

words: ~1.4k

warnings: none i think? wholesome borderline crack

note: im not sure i ever actually gender the reader here? but f!reader to cover my own ass<3

Don’t get it twisted - you love the inquisitive nature of your students, you really do. It’s something every eighth grade English teacher longs for. But your fourth period class has a certain knack for getting you off topic with their curiosity. On this particular day - a Friday, so blissfully close to freedom - you have relinquished all control and let them fall down the rabbit hole of fanfiction, of all things. Leave it to middle schoolers. 

They had only been learning about first, second, and third person narration - so innocuous, you didn’t see how you could possibly be derailed. Maybe you’d make it through the lesson, and you could relish in the four minutes of silence you get between periods, and-

“Where is second person narration used?” Angel doesn’t bother raising his hand, and you don’t bother admonishing him.  

You think briefly. “Honestly, not many pieces of published works use it - not that I’ve seen, anyway. We don’t talk about it much. I’ve really only seen the second person used in one place.”

You intend to leave it at that, but of course, Angel pushes. 

“Where?” he asks. 

In the second you use to inhale before tackling the question, Kennedy takes the liberty of answering: “Fanfiction, duh. That self-insert stuff.”

You can’t help it - a laugh bubbles out, and this is the moment everything begins to spiral. 

“Yeah,” you collapse into your desk chair, “Kennedy’s right. Fanfiction.”

Kennedy takes the opportunity - it’s been presented to her on a silver platter, really. “You know about fanfiction, Y/L/N?” 

“Sweetheart, my generation invented fanfiction. And I’m a writer. This was my game before you were even born.”

Angel is on his feet, his hands slamming on his desk and his voice rising with excitement, “WHERE CAN WE READ YOUR FANFICTION?” 

“Oh, my God, no. You can’t. It’s not on the internet or anything, I’d just, like… send it to my friends, or whatever,” you insist, hands coming to cover your red face as you laugh. 

The class, buzzing with chatter and giggles, continues to harass you. “So, what, Ms Schemmenti reads your fanfiction?”

Your hands are still covering your face. “No, Ms Schemmenti most certainly does not!”

“That’s because the fanfiction is about Ms Schemmenti. Y’all see how Y/L/N be looking at her in the halls,” someone says, and several others voice their agreement. 

“She’s down bad for real.”

“What?!” your head snaps up, eyes searching for whoever made the comment. The bell rings before you can get your answer. “Get out of my room, you absolute little monsters. Have a good weekend, please read chapter th- oh, okay, you’re gone. Cool. Awesome.” 

You look at the camera. It zooms in on your red, deadpan face. You drop your forehead onto the desk. 

-

When you walk into the lounge at the end of the day, you slump into the chair beside Janine, who’s engaged in a conversation about a scrabble tournament (sober scrabble - boring) with Jacob and Gregory. Barbara listens, not contributing, surely stockpiling the information so she can tell Melissa later. Melissa, who is thankfully not in the room at the moment. You think you would burst into flames. 

Janine halts her conversation about triple word scores when you throw yourself down into the chair by her. 

“Rough day?” Janine asks tentatively. 

“Long. The kids were focused on literally anything other than The Outsiders.” 

Janine nods. “I get it. Fridays, y’know? It’s always hard to keep them on task.” 

“Well, Y/N,” Jacob starts with a smirk, “my students were actually pretty interested in the topics of your class today. It’s all they could talk about when they sat down for seventh period.” 

You glare at him hard and warn, “Jacob. Do not.” 

Janine looks back and forth between you both and turns to Gregory. “Is there something I’m missing?”

“No,” you say sternly. Your eyes don’t leave Jacob’s shit-eating grin. “Not a thing.”

Jacob, it seems, has exceptionally few survival instincts and carries on giddily, “Y/N’s students found out she writes fanfiction-“

And, oh, good, Barbara is listening now, too. “Fan-fiction?” 

“Why is everyone saying that word today? It’s all I’ve been hearing in the halls since, like, fourth period.” Melissa asks, striding into the break room and taking the seat next to you. 

“I’m going to have to transfer schools,” you say, closing your eyes. 

Melissa pays this no mind. “All the older kids keep looking at me, too. It’s weird.”

You glare daggers at Jacob, whose face must hurt from the width of his smile. 

“So weird!” Jacob says innocently. 

Melissa narrows her eyes. 

“Why are you being weird? And not normal Jacob weird,” she questions, turning to you. “Why is he being weird?”

You slam your boot into Jacob’s shin under the table. “He’s not. No one’s being weird.” 

Melissa’s eyes flick back and forth between the two of you suspiciously. “Okay, someone tell me right now - what the hell is a fanfiction, and what does it have to do with me? And, apparently, Y/N?”

“Melissa, I am so glad you’ve asked, allow me to explain-“ Jacob starts, leaning across the table toward Melissa. 

“Oh my God,” you cut him off. Time to swallow your pride. 

You explain the situation… sort of. You explain in a watered-down way that incriminates you less. 

“So, yeah, they found out, and because I said ‘friend’ they connected it to you, and they misconstrued the whole thing, and it’s literally not a big deal-“ you're rambling and she knows it. 

“Wait,” Gregory stops you, “so this is why I heard Angel say ‘Y/L/N be writing sonnets about that red hair’ during lunch?”

Janine raises her eyebrows. “‘Sonnet?’ Pretty good vocab word.”

“Thank you, Janine! And thank you for focusing on the important part of the matter at hand: my impeccable teaching skills.” 

“So,” Barbara chimes in, “do you or do you not write these little stories about Melissa?”

“Barbara!” You’re mortified. “No! I do not!”

At long last, Melissa speaks. You don’t need to look at her to know there’s a smirk on her lips. “She doesn’t need to. Clearly, the material writes itself.”

“Melissa,” you plead. 

Melissa laughs that laugh, the one that makes the corners of your mouth turn up despite your discomfort. 

“Maybe that could be your end-of-the-year writing project for the kids - make them write that fanfiction,” Melissa teases. 

“You’re just as bad as Angel!” You laugh incredulously and let your hand smack Melissa’s shoulder. The others don’t miss the way Melissa doesn’t break your fingers at the gesture. 

In fact, Melissa's eyes soften as she bumps your shoulder with her own. “No, no, I can see it - newbie woos the Philly Eleven. There’s potential there.” 

You roll your eyes. “Well, I am pretty charming.”

“I’m going home,” Barbara stands up with a polite (if somewhat exasperated) smile, “Very glad we got this out of the way. Have a good weekend, everyone. Y/N… call me later.”

Barbara pats Melissa’s shoulder with a pointed look toward you, and takes her leave rapidly. 

“Uh,” you stare after her. “Yep. Bye, Barb.” 

Melissa’s eyebrow quirks up. “What was that?”

“Dunno,” you reply. “I’m sure you’ll know everything approximately five minutes after I hang up with her, though, so don’t worry.” 

Janine butts in (ah, yeah, the nerds are still here), “You guys call Barbara? Can I have her cell number? I always want to ask her but-“

“No,” you and Melissa say in unison, and Janine sighs heavily. 

You heave out a sigh of your own. “I need to go home - moreover I need to be somewhere no one is asking me about my nonexistent fanfiction habits.”

You stand, and Melissa stands with you as you both gather your belongings. “Impossible. I have your phone number.”

You “accidentally” smack Melissa with your purse, and Melissa “mistakenly” shoves her chair into your leg in a way that makes your knee buckle, and the rest of the Abbot crew watch the scene in morbid fascination. Because the cold hard truth is that if anyone else had dared to do… well, any of this, Melissa would be shoving her earrings into her pocket and removing her heels. Fight or fight instinct, y’know? 

Instead, though, she just swears at you in Italian as you head for the door, grinning widely when you return the sentiment in plain english. 

Ava entering the lounge halts you in your tracks. 

“Y’all will never guess what Angel just emailed me,” Ava exclaims, holding up her phone. “Did you know he knows the word ‘sonnet’? Proud of him.”

“Forward me that?”

Another smack from you. “Melissa, stop!” 

[theowlwrites]

Shall we dance? // Bailamos?

Melissa Schemmenti x F!Reader

Cariño: Term of endearment, can be translated as honey/ dear/ darling.

~Just want to clarify that I love Mexican and Italian culture. 🫶🏽

Warnings: no physical description of reader, it is mention that her nationality is Mexican en 2 occasions, consumption of alcohol. Angst, fluff, and a little smut at the end?

Summary: Reader is the new Spanish teacher at Abbott, she goes to a celebration of 5 de Mayo at Barb’s house, were things turn interesting with Melissa.

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“Come on!” Janine was trying for the hundred time to convince you to go to this little get together at Barbara's house “It will be fun!”

Today was 5 de Mayo, and for some reason, in the States, they celebrated it. You have nothing against it, but back in México it goes like any other normal day. Despite that, seeing all the decorations with Mexican themes made you miss your home.

“I've already told you” You close the folder you were working on a look at her “I can't go, I already made some other plans”

The truth was that you didn't have any plans, you just don't feel part of the teacher group just yet. You are the new Spanish teacher at Abbot, just entered this year. Everyone has been nice to you, especially Janine and Jacob. You also have a good relationship with Gregory, but you aren´t really close. When it came to the older teachers, you have no issue talking to Barbara, she is really nice, she sometimes even asks you to help her with her Spanish. But Melissa, she was a different story, she isn´t exactly mean, but she likes to make clear that she preferred anything Italian over Spanish, and that Italian cuisine was better than the Mexican. You never argue, mostly because Melissa intimidates you, but not for the reason she intimidates the other younger teachers, but because you have the biggest crush on her.

So going to this 5 de Mayo party to Barbara's house looks like the perfect place for Melissa to tell you over and over again how Italians do it better. Not really something you are looking forward to.

“Leave the booze to me Barb, I know a guy that can get me the best tequila” At that moment Melissa and Barbara were entering the teacher’s room, interrupting you and Janine.

Barb looks directly to you, ignoring Melissa “Oh good, I was looking for you dear” She takes a sit next to you. “Please can you take care of the music? Maybe you can play some Spanish bangers in that Walkman of yours” She meant your Spotify. All eyes were on you know, making you feel the pressure. “You are coming… right?”

“You know Barbara… I… I don´t think I can make it, I have to...” You were avoiding looking at her, you couldn´t lie to her face, actually you couldn´t lie to anyone’s face, you were a terrible liar.

“Okay, what is it?” Melissa´s voice came from behind you, then she walked to your side and took a sit in front of you. “Why don´t you want to spend time with us?”  She had her glasses over her head, leaving a few strands of hair free next to her face, she was raising an eyebrow. She was looking hot.

“It´s not that” Your voice comes out weaker that you expected. “I don´t know, it makes me feel a little… homesick, I guess” It wasn´t entirely a lie, but you couldn´t tell the redhead that she makes you nervous to the point of almost forgetting how to speak English.

“Oh darling” You felt Barbs arm wrap your shoulders. Melissa was still looking at you, but this time with more gentle eyes that before “I can imagine how you feel, but I think this could do you good. You can show us a little bit more of your traditions, I would love to hear about that”

“Yeah girl… we can get to know each other a little bit more” Melissa winked and eye at you, which made your heart beat faster.

With a big sigh, you finally agree “Okay then, I´ll be there at five o´clock”

“You won´t regret it, amigo!” Janine says

“Amiga… with an a” You laugh.

“See you at five o clock then, dear. Don´t forget the music.” Barbara smiles, pleased that she convinced you to go and leaves the room with Janine. Leaving you with Melissa, who was still looking at you.

She stood up and grab her bag, carrying it on her shoulder. “See you soon… cariño” You were so glad that Melissa left immediately after saying those words, otherwise, she would have noticed how your face turned red as a tomato.

Later that day you were at home, putting together a playlist of spanish music. You added some ballads, some more mariachi music, and algo some dancing music, like salsa, cumbia and some bachata, just for fun.

At 5:15 pm you were standing outside Barbara´s house, you have already knocked twice and nobody answered. Maybe you had the location wrong, so you decided to call Janine, but just as you were going to press the call button, a voice from behind called you.

“Hey, cariño, it´s over here” Melissa was standing next to her car on the sidewalk, holding some bags that you assumed contained the tequila bottles. “This way”

You followed her to the back of the house, everyone was there, at the patio. No one was inside the house, that’s way nobody heard you knocking.

“Look what I found in your front door Barb” Melissa was referring to you, as she went straight to the table to settle the bottles. All eyes went to you, for second time in the day. Everyone was there already, with the exception of Ava, that preferred to stay at home watching Desperate Housewives than “going to that lame party” (her words). 

“I forgot to tell you we will be at the back. Anway, I´m very glad you came. You bring the music?” 

“Of course,” You proceed to connect you phone to the speaker and start reproducing your playlist.

“Now this is a fiesta!” Said Janine while trying to dance at the bit of one song.

You were standing next to the speaker, watching everyone enjoy the party. Barbara has offered you a plate of mini taquitos, that were actually really good. It was probably the music, the Mexican decoration and even the taquitos that made you feel nostalgic, so your mind started wondering through your childhood memories. All those parties with your family, how your father had taught you to dance in those parties, how you mom food tasted. You were so immersed in you thought that didn´t notice when the redhead went to stand right next to you.

“Penny for your thoughts” Her voice snapping you out from your own mind.

“I was just remembering some childhood stuff, that all” You didn’t dare to look at her eyes. And she noticed it, actually she had always notice it, how you would avoid looking directly at her. She always took those moments as opportunities to look at you with more detail. Melissa hadn´t admitted this to anyone, not even Barbara. but she thinks that you are very beautiful, she´s intrigued by you. She likes it when you speak Spanish, you make everything sound better. But she has no idea how to approach those feelings, so she decides to keep her distance too, by not being the nicest or most accessible teacher at Abott.   She wanted that to change, and she was going to start working in that today. 

“You know… I sometimes feel nostalgic of my home as well.” She drank from the plastic cup she was holding. “I have always lived in Philly, but I don´t see my family as often anymore, and we haven´t had a reunion or a party in so long… I miss that” You looked at Melissa. She was actually telling you something personal, without sarcasm. “But of course, it must be harder for you, being away from your country” She then looked you in the eyes.

“It´s not too bad” You were actually looking at Melissa´s eyes, for mor than 1 second, for the first time, and God they were beautiful, just as her. “I visit them once a year, and they sometimes come visit” There was a silence, both of you looking at everyone else enjoying the party.

“Would you like a paloma?” Melissa asked, with a mischievous grin.

“That´s what you are having?” She nodded. “Yeah, please”

Melissa served you a paloma (soda with tequila), and from that moment you never parted her side. Both of you kept talking, laughing, at some point you teaching her some Spanish, and she teaching you some Italian. It was probably the booze, but you started feeling how Melissa was getting more comfortable around you. She was being handsy, placing her hand around your arm, sometimes over your hand, and some other times around your waist. Soon she started leaning against you, caressing your hair, holding your waist longer. She was flirting. Neither of you were drunk drunk, you were still perfectly conscious and in you five senses, which made you very anxious but excited about this sudden change in Melissa´s attitude.

It was already 9:00 pm, Janine, Gregory and Jacob had already left, tomorrow was school day. Barbara, Melissa and you were sitting around the folding table in the middle of the patio. Your music still playing. The three of you has stop drinking like an hour ago, to sober up, and were just chatting. And even without the effects of the alcohol, Melissa was still being nice to you, maybe a little less handsy, but still very friendly.

Barbara excuse herself to go to the bathroom. A comfortable silence between Melissa and you, when a salsa began to play at the background.

“God, I love that salsa, I used to dance it all the times at parties, with anyone, even alone, I just wanted to dance it” You smile as you remember. Unconsciously you closed your eyes and started moving in your chair, humming the song. Unaware of the way Melissa was looking at you.

“Shall we dance?” You snap your eyes open. She offers you her hand to you, already standing up next to you.

“What?”

“Bailamos?” She repeats, and this time you nodded. She holds her hand until you are standing next to her. She places her free hand on your waist, keeping you close to her, while her other hand holds yours at the level of her face. And you start dancing.

It´s a slow salsa, so it is easy to dance, but you have the feeling that even if it was a faster rhythm, Melissa would dance like if she had done it all her life.

You feel Melissa´s eyes on you, she´s smiling. She moves her arm, so it surrounds your waist. The sudden closeness makes you lose your balance a little, Melissa holds you tighter, preventing you for falling. You both laugh.

Her face inches away from yours, her eyes going from your eyes to your lips. She caressed your cheek with her other hand, and pulls you closer, closing the space between you.

The kiss is sweet, slow. You both take your time to feel it, you enjoy it. Your arms around Melissa´s neck, keeping her close to you. Soon the kiss turns a little more heated, Melissa´s tongue asking for permission to pass your lips, to which you happily submit.

You still can taste a little bit the alcohol from earlier, and you taste the sweetness of Melissa.  Really there is no other way to describe it, it feels and taste sweet to be kissing her like this.

You break the kiss until you realize you need to take a breath, but not breaking the embrace. You are still so close to each other Melissa can basically fell how your heart is beating fast.

“I never thought Italians were this good at salsa dancing” That´s all you said, making Melissa laugh.

“We are good at everything darling, but you do it amazing yourself, cariño, give yourself some credit.” She kissed you again. “Let me drive you home.” Melisas whispered to your ear, you just nodded.

You both said goodbye to Barbara, not without offering to help her clean, to which she refused. Once inside Melisa´s car she couldn’t stop eyeing you, she kept a hand in your thigh. You couldn’t stop looking at her either, and honestly, if it wasn´t for the seatbelt, you would be on top of her long time ago.

You arrive home, Melissa opens your door, helping you out. And before she could say anything, you were kissing her. This time was passionate, full of desire and lust. Melissa was against the car, her hands on your hips. You were leaning on her, your hand on her hair.

“Come inside, please” You didn’t mean to sound do needy, but you couldn´t hide it.

“I would absolutely love it cariño, but tomorrow is school day, and I need another change if clothes. I just wanted to make sure you arrive safe and sound.” She was keeping her hands on your hips, but this time with a stronger grip, trying to create a little more space between you tow.

“Please” You took Melissa´s hands away from your hips, letting you lean to her once again. “Por favor” (please) You whispered to her ear. Now her arms were surrounding you shole waist. You started kissing her earlobe, descending to her neck. Melissa was in a trance. “Te necesito” (I need you)

“You are making this very difficult for me, cariño” Now it was Melissa´s voice the one that came out shaky, which made you feel proud.

“It doesn´t have to be difficult, you can just come in”.

“Let´s make a deal, hon… I promise that tomorrow I will be here, with a bottle of wine, and we can do whatever you want, but you have to promise to speak I little more Spanish to my ear, deal?” That mischievous grin was back on Melissa´s face, and you loved it.

“¿Te gusta cuando hablo español?” (Do you like when I speak Spanish?) You said as innocent as you could.

“I have no idea of what you just said, but keep doing that you will pay the price tomorrow”

“Trato… deal” You agreed. She kissed you once again, this time keeping it less heated and shorter. You took a few steps away from Melissa, trying to pull yourself together, and trying to ignore you soaked underwear. If Melissa wasn´t going to spend this night with you, you had some plans before going to bed, and as if she could read your mind, she added…

“Oh, and cariño… don´t touch yourself tonight, It will make tomorrow more fun” She winked her eye to you. It wasn’t a question; it was an order. “You can do that for me, right hon?” You really wanted to release all this tension tonight, but you couldn´t say no to Melissa.

“I promise” you said

“Good girl” She went inside her car. “See you tomorrow cariño, sleep tight” She left, leaving you horny as hell.

God, you couldn’t wait for tomorrow…

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Okay, so this idea pop into my mind while I was watching Shall we dance?, I really love that movie, and I love Lisa’s character. 🥹

Hope you like it, and let me know if you want a second part 🫣

[carolperkinsexgirlfriend]

Steddie Upside-Down AU Part 50

Part 1 Part 49

Steve feels like he’s drowning, always. It’s just hard to care about school too much when he knows there’s a different universe beneath their feet just waiting to gobble him back up. Barbara is anchor. She keeps his feet on this side of the ground with a roll of her eyes and patience beyond her years for his stupid questions.

Every Thursday is like a mad dash to get all of his homework done. She seems to know that he won’t do it any other day of the week. Too busy drowning, always.

Nancy, having heard the words “Study Group,” had joined by the second week. Barbara had pretended to be exasperated, but seemed excited once Jonathan hadn’t made his own appearance.

Where Barbara was all exasperated patience, Nancy never moves past the exasperation. She tries to beat the answers into his head with an iron fist until Barbara will take over, leaving Nancy to work on her own assignments and stew about Steve’s apparent stupidity.

When it gets too stressful, Steve’s mind drifts to Eddie, down the hall in the drama room, telling his stories with his usual dramatic flair. His eyes would be twinkling as he watches the members of Hellfire stumble around making mistake after mistake. God, he misses him.

But, every failed class is another step behind Eddie. What if Eddie wants to move, leave Hawkins in the rearview mirror, leaving Steve along with it? So, he tries his best. He studies. He tries.

Steve doesn’t notice something has changed until Nancy groands. He looks up, ready to drop his English homework at almost no provocation. Carol has slid into the empty seat at their table and is now dragging notebooks out of her backpack like she was invited.

“Can I help you?” Nancy asks, voice practically dripping with disdain.

Carol looks up at her, eyes wide and innocent. “Is this not a public use libaray?” she asks, fishing a pencil out of her back without looking just so she can twirl it around her fingers effortlessly.

Nancy narrows her eyes. “There are other tables.”

“Steve invited me.”

Steve can’t help the snort. If talking to Eddie about it when Carol had happened to walk by counts as an invitation, who is Steve to deny her? This time, both Nancy and Carol glare at him. He holds his hands up placatingly. They’re like sharks though, and there’s blood in the water. He just hopes not too much of it is his.

“What do you mean you invited her?” Nancy demands.

Steve scowls. “I can invite whoever I want!”

Barbara sighs, rolling her eyes as she snaps her book shut. “Can we just get back to–”

“Is this a lover’s spat?” Carol interrupts, smiling at Nancy sweetly the way she does just before her claws swipe. “Oh, wait no. You ditched him, didn’t you?”

Nancy’s cheeks darken with embarassment, but she says hotly, “I did not ditch–”

Carol doesn’t let Nancy finish. “Did you wait until he was out of the hospital, at least, to fall into Byers’ bed?”

“Carol,” Barbara says, sounding pissed. “Can you shut the fuck up?”

But it’s too late. Nancy gathers her things and stalks out of the library in a huff. Steve sighs.

“Was that necessary?” he asks, plunking his head down on the table. God, why were these people even his friends? He misses Eddie ever more. Eddie would never make things so fucking awkward. He latches onto their connection, letting it warm him from the inside out as he watches Carol examine her nails.

“Sorry for defending you,” she says, like she actually believes it.

Steve sighs again, even more wearily, suddenly too tired to keep his eyes open. “You’ve gotta stop starting shit without all the facts, Carol.” he says, not even opening his eyes to look at her. “We figured it out weeks ago.”

The only sound at their table, in the whole library, is the noise of paper fluttering. He peeks through his eye, sees Barbara has opened her book on the table once more. “Why do you think she’s even here?” she says, glaring down at her book. “Do you think Steve would’ve invited her if they hadn’t hashed it out?”

Carol looks down at Steve’s raised eyebrow, knowing him too well. Because yes, yes he would. Steve had been born with a chronic need to make everyone like him. It’s uncurrable and Carol has spent a not inconsiderable amount of time telling people to fuck off on Steve’s behalf.

He glares up at her, refusing to raise his head. She rolls her eyes. “Fine! I’ll apologize to little Miss Wheeler,” she says. When Barbara and Steve just keep staring at her she continues. “Tomorrow, no way in hell am I chasing Wheeler down.”

“Whatever you say,” Steve says, but he dutifully raises his head and opens his own book when Barbara snaps her fingers in his face.

One second he’s looking down, trying to make out the gibberish words of Macbeth, and then he’s there – still in the library, but it’s gone wrong again. There are vines crawling on the carpet, and it’s dark beyond the red light flooding the cracked windows.

Barbara and Carol have disappeared. He grasps onto the tether in his chest and yanks, hoping against hell that it pulls him back to Will. Back to Eddie. Nothing happens.

He keeps his breaths even and closes his eyes, hoping once he opens them, he’ll be back. He opens his eyes.

It doesn’t work.

Everything’s still red, until it’s not. It’s like something vast has steped in front of what passes for a sun in this place. There’s streaks of red like blood painting the walls and carpet, stripes of shadows interspersed, growing thicker and thicker, like whatever is out there is coming closer.

Steve looks up at the window, horrified. He can’t look away from the window. Just sits there and waits for that thing to come get home. Waits for Eddie to come save him. He can’t look away.

That’s why he doesn’t notice the vine until it’s crawling up his ankle and yanks. He hits the carpet, hard.

“Steve?” Barbara asks. She’s crouched beside him, looking worried as Carol laughs, still in her seat. “Are you okay?”

Steve smiles up at Barbara. “Sorry, must have dozed off.”

She furrows her brows, clearly disbelieving as she asks, “are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine!” he says, sitting up painfully from the carpet. He doesn’t look back at Barbara’s expression, but he can feel her pointed glare. “Fine, I twinged my shoulder a bit.”

“The bad one?” she demands, already pulling his sweatshirt off his shoulder to take a look.

That gets Carol’s attention. “You have a bad one?” she asks, sliding out of her chair to sit by him on the floor. He can tell the moment his injury is uncovered by the way her eyes widen. It’s mostly scar now, red and jagged and puckered around the edges. It’s all edge. “What the fuck?”

Barbara examines the wound, as if she even knows what to look for. She hasn’t ever seen it. In the hospital it’d been bandaged, and now he keeps it covered religiously. “I think it’s okay?” she says, like she’s asking him. He nods.

“Okay?” Carol demands. “What the fuck happened?”

Steve closes his eyes, suddenly exhausted. From the questions and the walking nighmare he keeps slipping into. “Can we not?” he asks, voice small.

There’s silence. Steve digs his head into the ground and doesn’t analyze it. “Okay,” Carol says quietly.

They settle back into their respective seats, and each pretend to focus as their designated study session time finishes quietly if unproductively. When the hour ticks over, Steve shoves his papers halfhazardly into his backpack, relieved to get out of there.

Carol and Barbara trail him through the hallways like escorts, but leave him two hallways down at the entrance to the drama room with barely a wave. Steve watches them walk away; their retreating backs look odd together, but people probably say the same thing about Steve and Eddie.

When he walks in, Eddie’s packing up his stuff while the Hellfire boys shout at each other. When the door slips shut with a click, Eddie’s head snaps up, eyes shining brightly. They dim a little when he sees how tired Steve looks, but he still calls, “Stevie!” excitedly.

Steve comes in, dropping down on the chair beside Eddie’s to wait, too tired to keep standing.

“You’ve gotta help us out, buddy,” Doug says, dropping awkwardly to his knees beside Steve, prostrating himself. “Eddie’s had to have told you something, right?”

Eddie scoffs, “you know I don’t DM and tell!” he says, like a liar. Both Uncle Wayne and Steve have been subjected to many a planning session is Eddie works out the kinks to his latest campaign.

“Sorry, Doug,” he says, patting the other boys head. “I don’t know shit.”

Doug groans, levering himself off the floor and dropping into the seat next to Steve with a mumbled curse and a pout.

“You should join then,” Jeff says, smirking over his head toward Eddie. “No way would Eddie kill you off.”

When Steve glances over, Eddie’s cutting his hand over his throat in a slashing motion he turns into the world’s most awkward wave when he catches Steve looking at him.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” Steve replies, grimacing. “Bad enough I have to play with those butt munches.”

“Butt munches?” Gareth asks, arms crossed as he scowls over at Steve.

“You know, they’re about yay high.” Steve holds his hand up insultingly low to the ground. He smiles, can almost hear Dustin’s protest in his ear. “Won’t leave me alone for some goddamn reason.”

Doug, Gareth, and Jeff all trade glances Steve’s too tired to even try to interpret. “Freak,” Gareth says, nodding like they’d all agreed on something. Steve would be insulted, but he says it the same way Eddie does; like it’s the highest compliment he could bestow upon anyone.

The other two nod their agreements while Eddie groans and Steve looks between them bemusedly before looking at Eddie for an answer.

Eddie clears his throat uncomfortably, looks down at the wrist that doesn’t have his watch and says, “oh, look at the time!” he throws his arms in the air, yawning theatrically despite it barely being seven at night. “Time to go, Stevie!”

Steve squints up at him, befuddled. “Freak,” he says, sharing nods with the other three. Doug nods like this is serious business, but Jeff and Gareth bite their lips against a laugh as Eddie groans.

“I never should have introduced you,” he says forlornly, grabbing his stuff and linking his arm with Steve’s to lead him away.

Yeah, it’s been a good day.

Part 51

Taglist: @deany-baby @estrellami-1 @altocumulustranslucidus @evillittleguy @carlprocastinator1000 @1-8oo-wtfbro @hallucinatedjosten @goodolefashionedloverboi @newtstabber @lunabyrd @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @manda-panda-monium @disrespectedgoatman @finntheehumaneater @ive-been-bamboozled @harringrieve @grimmfitzz @is-emily-real @dontstealmycake @angeldreamsoffanfic @a-couchpotato @5ammi90 @mac-attack19 @genderless-spoon @kas-eddie-munson @louismeds @imhereforthelolzdontyellatme @pansexuality-activated @ellietheasexylibrarian @nebulainajar @mightbeasleep @neonfruitbowl @beth--b @silenzioperso @best-selling-show

[weclassybouquetfun]

I see dead people and they are in the form of teenagers Edwin Payne and Charles Rowland killed in 1916 and 1989, respectively.

Yes, all eight episodes (too few episodes, I say. A good 13 eps would have been fitting) of DEAD BOY DETECTIVES is available on Netflix.

Series stars George Rexstrew (Edwin), Kassius Nelson (Crystal Palace), Yuyu Kitamura (Niko Sasaki) and Jayden Revri (Charles Rowland)

A bit about the series:

NO SPOILERS

Born out of DC Comics' Vertigo imprint and created by Neil Gaiman with its characters being spun out of the Sandman universe, how divergent is the series from the comics?Not very. They have retained the trio's backstories, but there were story arcs they could not delve into because Netflix's SANDMAN needs to get there first. Other than that, things are twists on canon or new creations.

Of the characters themselves, Neil Gaiman has said Charles was "more or less him" as a boy and in crafting the series characters, the costumes lent a hand. With his buttoned-up attitude, the bespoked suits for Edwin Paine belies his closed off demeanor. Jayden Revri's Charles Rowland had a ska/rude boy looked that was of fashion when he was alive. This was a nod that Revri appreciated as he has explained in the past he's, "half Indian, a quarter Jamaican and a quarter English." Charles also always has red on him as a nod to comics!Charles' red sweater.

While the characters were first introduced in HBO Max's DOOM PATROL, once the plans for a series was announced, it was quickly let known that this incarnation is not in the same universe as DOOM PATROL's characters, despite DOOM PATROL's Ruth Connell reprising her role as Night Nurse in the Netflix series. This series is firmly in the Sandman universe with Kirby (formerly Kirby Howell-Baptiste, briefly reprising her role as Death in the first episode.

Should DEAD BOY DETECTIVES get a second series, Rexstrew and Lukas Gage (who plays Cat King)

have already spoken of their love of Mason Alexander Park's character Desire from the series, with Rexstrew saying he would love to see Edwin's reaction to Desire.

There's no malewife like him.

Other cast members include Briana Cucuo, sister of BIG BANG THEORY's Kaley Cucuo. Briana voices Barbara Gordon and a sundry of other characters on Max's HARLEY QUINN.

Much too hot to be doing voice-work.

Jenn Lyon (Claws), Joshua Colley (Love, Victor) and Max Jenkins and Caitlin Reilly cutting it up in a (literal) small role.

Jayden says he can't wait for fan fiction and edits of Charles and Edwin and says their ship name will likely be Chedwin. Mans don't know what he's asking for!

[formerheroeswhoquittoolate]

okay so for those of you who haven't met me (most of you) I really like thinking about the way people talk (tone, inflection, accent, speech patterns, et cetera) and I'm tired so I'm extending this to the batfamily here we go here's my thoughts, unrequested and only slightly edited:

dick: sounds a bit like a male pop singer (think brendan urie but without the whining or busting his voice with drugs and bad technique). dude has a killer falsetto and can hit some of the highest notes in the house, beat out only by steph. saw a headcanon somewhere about him growing up speaking romani because of his parents and having an accent as a child that comes back when he's hurt or tired and honestly 100/10 it's part of this headcanon (and if you know where this post is please tell me! it's not mine and I'd love to give credit). you can also hear it in the way he says a couple less common words but his accent otherwise sounds exactly like bruce's.

jason: doesn't have the deepest voice of the batfamily; he's third deepest after bruce and duke. his tessitura (comfortable vocal range) is big though and his voice pitch changes a ton with his mood. he's got a soft r that the other bats don't have (think ny or boston) that he learned from his mom. his falsetto is trash but he is one of the better singers in the family. all low notes. you should hear him do the song the dwarves sing in the beginning of the hobbit.

tim: his voice is a little scratchy but it's not too noticeable. damian is the only batboy with a higher voice; tim and cass are at about the same pitch. he's a tad self-conscious about how he sounds in general and heavily mimics so he's got bruce's crisp ts and a softer r like jason's. he says "ahm" instead of "um" and that's not really common in gotham so nobody really knows where he's gotten that from. he's definitely more monotone, for a lot of reasons, and tends to emphasize his words by changing in volume rather than pitch.

damian: he's like twelve so his voice hasn't dropped yet but he wants it to be lower like his brothers. he's got just a touch of an arabic accent so his speech is a little more melodic and much like tim he's a mimic so he has bruce's ts and a few sporadic romani and aave quirks from dick and duke respectively.

duke: second lowest voice of the batfamily. the kid's quiet and his speech is usually peppered with aave although he's often a little self-conscious about it around the primarily white batfamily and especially white upper-class bruce. doesn't sing in public but he's good at it (he refuses to acknowledge this)

cass: okay she hardly ever talks but when she does it's slightly lower in pitch than what people expect. she typically speaks in broken english (well that's canon not headcanon) and it's always the same way as someone else in the batfamily speaks, usually babs, steph, duke, or jason since she spends the most time with them. she's barely ever louder than a kitten sneeze.

stephanie: holy shit the girl talks fast. she's got the highest speaking voice too by a few steps. gorgeous soprano but only about fifty percent of the time. loses her voice completely when she gets sick and turns into a raspy old lady. has an absolute knack for impersonations, not necessarily in terms of pitch but in speech patterns/rhythms.

barbara: right in between tim/cass and steph in terms of pitch. she uses very precise language and there's often random hacker lingo in there. she's also surprisingly loud and can out-shout any of them except for alfred.

and finally, bruce: deepest voice by a step or two. his batman growl is actually slightly higher in pitch if you listen closely enough which jason finds hilarious. he's got very crisp ts as a result of being raised primarily by the very british alfred and he often takes his time speaking especially in meetings.

[bluetooththereptile]

Unneeded embrace (part two)

Yandere batfamily x fem neglected pregnant (now) family member

( English is not my first language so I apologize for any mistakes in the following text.)

Tw:yandere behavior, stress-related disorders, anxiety problems, pregnancy

“I…I can’t do this anymore!” You couldn’t help but cry as you pushed Barbara’s hand back, the red-headed woman sighed and put the fork down “Come on (Y/N) you know you have to eat more than that! you nearly fainted today! and the due date is close!” you shook your head as she wanted to give you more to eat, you felt as if you would vomit violently if you had another bite, just five mouthfuls and you were already disgusted by the sight of the food. Barbara groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose “You’ve lost so much weight already! the babies will be fine since they use the nutritions in your body, but if you continue to refuse to eat enough your will shrink more than you are now! How can you cope with the C-section?” She said now frustrated that she couldn’t do anything about that.

Stephanie rubbed your arm and looked at you with pleading eyes “Come on, eat a little more?” you sobbed and wiped the tears off of your face, the babies inside your belly already kicking around violently as they could the stress that curled in your bones better than anyone, it was both effecting you and the babies but you couldn’t help it, just thinking about what had happened from the first months of your pregnancy made you want to puke from anxiety. You looked at the two women sitting next to you, you were way more comfortable with them than with the others, they still were not going to help you escape or get away from that hell but they were helpful, caring, and also you didn’t have any past bad memories from them. “I can’t!” you managed to say, Barbara put the plate down and patted your belly “Alright, I can’t force you to eat more…” her voice was sad since she knew what you have been through, and that she couldn’t help at any of that.

You unconsciously rested your head on Stephanie’s shoulder and she cooed at your action, resting her head on top of yours. There were moments of silence as Barbara got up to take the food away, opening the door of the room you were in only to see Damian and Angel standing outside of the door they were listening to what was going on “Tell the old man that if he shows up here ever again she’ll have a seizure!” Damian opened up his mouth to protest but Barbara cut him off “If you boys were considerate of her situation you wouldn’t tease her about her husband…” his voice was hushed not wanting you to hear the conversation “You are just some big idiots not knowing how to handle a pregnant woman!” She then pushed the plate into Damian’s hands who clenched his jaw at seeing your sleepy form. Angel couldn’t help but walk inside, they had seen what you had been through as soon as you had come back “home”, they sat at the end of your bed and looked at you, you were not like them, you couldn’t be shaped in the way they wanted, a little more and you would break into pieces…you needed to get away from that cage, you didn’t belong there, Angel knew, Barbara and Stephanie knew it as well but they couldn’t do anything about it, you were trapped there forever…Angel thought to themselves, only narrowing their eyes slightly as an idea popped in their head.

Stephanie helped you to shift in your place, your belly’s weight was overwhelming for you. Seeing Angel you sighed and Beckoned for them to come closer, Angel was a little older than Damian, another child from another woman, at least they were loved dearly by the same father that had thrown you away for years and now had insisted on taking you in, at any way possible. Angel crawled closer to you and leaned to your touch as you patted their head, you both shared the same fate, but theirs was much more bearable than yours.

You closed your eyes to stop the memories float in your head but you could help it, it seemed they were there to haunt you and take your moments of peace from you in the worst ways. The first days you were isolated in your room, Alfred would bring you food, you two had talked for hours and despite your efforts to make him help you get away, the old butler’s response was a no, he knew your escape could cause more harm than good. The family had turned darker in the past years, the boys had grown up and had learned their father’s way. They had captured their own “beloveds” and now that they had you they were going to take you in with full force, and it had affected you more than they had thought it would.

You didn’t talk with any of them, didn’t pay attention to their presence, but you could feel their touches, two agonizing months had passed, and you were tired of Dick’s words, Jason’s efforts to make you pity him! Tim’s tactics that could crack anyone and Damian’s use of Angel…you were tired, anxious, not knowing what had happened to your husband and friends. But last night you had heard something from Jason that had made your heart clench in your heart, now fully understanding what they were capable of. Remembering them talking so casually about killing your husband made your head spin. They were monsters…monsters in love, and they had done anything to take you in.

“Steph! come here for a second!” Barbara called for the blondie and she moved away from you to run out of the room, Now you and Angel were alone, for the first time in years “You need to go” they said, making you look at them with wide eyes “You have to go!” they said, this time more desperately…you both looked at each other and you closed your eyes with a nod, knowing they already had a plan…

[howl-fantasies]

I have a request for headcanons of the Gotham rogues having met the Y/N when they were ig sane aka. not evil and then awhile after just seeing them at Arkham, now knowing they went down the same pit they had.

At least they can be a new rogue!

( I'm thinking of them liking each other romantically beforehand and then Y/N poof is now not sane- like oops but you can still date 🤷‍♀️ )

Hi dear, thank you for your request! And so sorry for the delay! I like the concept, it's a really plausible one. The idea of them meeting each other again in Arkham and bonding because of their common misfortune and spiralling to hell is a very good one! *Barbara vibes here*😂

I made scenarios with the reader being friend or sort of with the villains first, since I thought it would be fitting, I hope it's ok for you dear. I went with: Ed, Oswald, Victor and Jonathan. Tell me if you want to read more headcanons with other villains.

So here it is:

Warning: violence, blood, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, Arkham (hey, it can be traumatising, ask Oswald and Ed), English is not my first language I'm working on it.

Word Count: 3.685

GOTHAM VILLAINS HAVING MET THE READER WHEN THEY WERE SANE

EDWARD NYGMA / THE RIDDLER

You were Kringle's coworker and met Eddy at the GCPD.

Even if you worked with the other woman you were never really close, mostly because of the awful way she treated Ed at first.

Even if he was a dork, you used to find him endearing and always gave his riddles a shot, succeeding or not to answer correctly.

If you were good at riddles, Ed would immediately become your partner in riddle-crime, always searching for a good one able to stump you.

If riddles weren't your forte, he appreciated your effort and gentleness. You really were trying and he really loved the spark of comprehension in your eyes when he would give you the correct answer and how you would facepalm and curse at how obvious it was when you were thinking about it.

Your closeness would earn you a lot of teasing from Jim, Harvey and the other cops, most of the times it would be mean remarks targeting Ed, though.

But you both knew the truth: Nygma was still obsess with Kringle. You, on the other hand, always had a soft spot for him. You didn't need to be a genius, though, to know your attraction for dear Ed was only a one side one. So you never told him anything about it.

When Ed started to lose it, you truly were horrified. Why? How? What was happening to him? You did your best to team up with Jim in order to bring your lovely co-worker back to you.

You already know the result: it will be an epic fail. For Jim, you and finally Ed who will be send to Arkham.

Then, your own little descent into hell happened.

Without Ed, you were now the new GCPD's scapegoat. Those guys never learn anything, right?

Hell at work and in your personal life: losing a close relative, meeting someone who hurt you badly, money issues, illness... choose your weapon and be ready to see your uneventful life burst into flames for the worse...or maybe the better?

You would wreak absolute havoc in Gotham, so much, Gordon himself had to go after you and managed to arrest you.

"What happened to you Y/N?! Ed wasn't enough? Why did you have to follow his path?!" He asked-yelled, the deep hurt visible in his eyes.

Goodbye Gotham, hello Arkham. Guess who you met again here?

“No waaay ∼ Look at you my dear, you are positively stunning!” His taunting voice would call you from the other side of the refectory. “Did you missed me so much you decided to pursue me here? My, oh my, I’m honoured!” *Yes, you can hit his pompous ass, please do it*

Riddler had to stop his mocking, though. When he saw you so numb, his felt his heart clench painfully. He appreciated you a lot back then. And seeing you so hollow made him drop his cocky act. 

“Are you ok dear?” He would ask, joining you at your table and cautiously seating in front of you with his brows furrowed. “What happened?”

And you would tell him. How your life became a living hell when he was gone. How everything crumbled around you until your mind didn’t have any other choice than snap. 

Goodness. He empathized. He truly did. His own snapping was relatively fresh after all. 

He would make his own little mission to protect you from Strange and his little human experiments, he would try his best to lift your spirit and even create special riddles only for you. Don’t worry about answering wrong, you wouldn’t die for it, he swore. 

Now that Kringle was out of the picture, Ed would finally see you. See how you were always kind with his dork him, how you tried to save him when everything went south for him, how you would discreetly wrinkle your cute nose when something was bothering you but you were too polite to point it out loud. God what was he thinking while running after his previous doomed love when you, who never tried to change anything with him, was just under his nose. He would feel like the biggest fool into the whole city let me tell you. 

He wouldn’t mind you being now judged as insane. He wouldn’t mind your illness. He would only mind how a blushing mess he was gradually becoming when you were near him. And he would only mind about ensuring your security: inside of Arkham, outside of it when he would convince Oswald to get you out too. 

Be ready to be the one receiving muffins with a bullet in it, flowers, poems, and any romantic gift you can think about. 

Bonus: he will always keep a picture of the two of you inside of his wallet. You both were in Arkham’s uniform at the cafeteria while he was teaching you how to play chess with a paper handmade one he created just for you. He would never admit it to anyone but he thought you were the cutest thing in your uniform. 

--

OSWALD COBBLEPOT / THE PENGUIN

You fist met Oswald when he entered the little tailor shop you owned.

He needed a new suit for his grand debuts in the mafia’s world, when he started to work for Fish. 

He wouldn’t be very kind during his first visits. But he came back every times, finding your sense of fashion and sewing technique terrific. 

He finally decided to compliment them once, bringing you to talk about a lot of things: suits, buttons, and more dangerous subjects like his mother and his growing criminal career. Nothing too touchy, though. Oswald is a cautious little thing and he also didn’t want you to sell any information or, if you really were as kind as you looked, make you a target if anyone wanted to hurt him. 

Soon, you would become his little secret. His breath of fresh air. He would even try to hide your friendship to his dear mother, too afraid she insults you or demand him to stop seeing you. 

But Gertrude is perceptive in her own way and would suspect something. Because of Oswald’s stupid happy smile whenever he was putting one of your creation, she would stay silent and let him think he was so good at keeping secrets. She swore to tore you apart if you ever dare to break his lovely son’s heart, though. 

Your relationship reached an important point when he would met you just after Fish defeat and flee, thanks to Victor. His clothes and face were a total mess. 

So you patched his suit and him, without asking questions you knew he wouldn’t answer. 

But he decided to speak. Well, not really speak, he vented. His nerves cracking and his temper starting to get the best of him. He always tried to keep it tamed near you, too afraid about your possible reaction. 

You didn’t run away. You let him yell, smash his hands and fists against your furniture, and offered him some tea, fruits and biscuits. 

“Poof” angry Oswald was now tamed. You’re a wizard/witch reader, be ready to receive a letter from Hogwarts in the following days.

After this, Cobblepot’s fondness for you will know no limit. As his dear friend, he would always make sure your shop and you were ok, even when everything around him was burning. 

But Gotham is Gotham, you know. Trouble, misery, and disasters always find their way to you. 

It started with an arson. Your shop was burned to the very ground. By who? Oswald swore to investigate and help you build it back, even better than before. 

But he wasn’t that rich at this time, so you did what any citizen would have done: you called the insurance, you went to the illustrious Gotham Central Bank and ask for their help to lend you the funds you needed. 

Condensed, their answer was pretty much a: “LMAO no fucking way, please go die somewhere in the dark alone.” Pretty much. With prettier and complex words, but the meaning was the same. 

Oswald was livid. You too. But you’ll eventually find a way to back up on your feet. Right? *Spoiler: no*

Your chance definitely left you when a few weeks later, Oswald get caught and sent to Arkham, letting you all alone to deal with your problem and Cobblepot’s foes who somehow had heard about you. 

Domino effect. It would always be your answer to the “What happened to you?” inevitable question. You lost it. You snapped. Nobody, except Oswald, was keen on helping you in this hell hole. Nobody would care if you were to die alone in a dark and shady alley. 

Why would you care about robbing the bank then? And other banks, galleries, rich people in town? Money was the key. You needed money. In fact, it became your obsession. Money will guarantee you a home, you will never lose yours ever again. Money will guarantee you security, power, and quick solutions whenever you may be in need for one. 

You get caught too. Your total obsession for money making you the perfect new candidate to the only asylum in town. Not like you cared. Your precious money was safe, you made sure of it. But from Arkham, it would be a little bit difficult to reach. 

Life decided to stop being a bitch when you saw your dear friend again. 

“Y/N?!” You heard him yell when you were escorted to the cell next to his own. “Oh my god my dear, I am so sorry I wasn’t here for you! But what are you doing here! It must be a mistake! Guards! Let us go this instant, we aren’t mentally ill for heaven’s sake!” 

Like Ed, Oswald will make sure no harm was done to you in Arkham. Yes, he would even protect you from Jerome. He would never let the freak touch a single hair of your head. You were too precious. 

Oswald would also make sure to get you out. Even after Strange little mind game on him. He would never forget you or judge you a bad influence for him. 

Of course he’ll notice your newfound obsession for money. But he understands. Better, he will make sure to help you make and steal a lot of it. 

He asked you to move in with him during his mayor campaign, implored you to stay during his Gotham’s throne conquest - for your own security. In fact, he will want you with him at all times. You, his dearest friend. The only one who, he knew, would never turn their back on him. 

Be ready to catch him facing empty chairs a few times when you come back home. “Don’t panic, he’s practicing his confession,” Olga told you in her language that you obviously don’t understand a word about. 

Gifts. Gifts everywhere. Everyday. For no reason. He likes to spoil you rotten. “Can’t you see this boy fell head over heels for you, idiot?” Would sigh Olga every time. Of course, both of you will miss it every time, demanding her to speak in freaking ENGLISH... Poor you guys... It will take ages. 

--

VICTOR ZSASZ

Victor met you for the first time at the Lady's illegal casino.

You weren't an assassin yourself, by no means. Just here to work as an accountant. You knew about the Lady's business and ensure she never had any issue with her money, writing her contracts for her and it was all.

When the most famous assassin in town showed his bald head in the casino and the Lady wasn't here, he pretexted he was "just passing by" and got lost here. Dude... I mean...

You had to facepalm. Which made him laugh like an idiot. You knew who he was, but also were accustomed to assassins at this point so it wasn't like you were going to pee in your pants while being in front of him. He liked it.

You introduced yourself properly and explained you worked for the Lady and was aware he was supposed to come to see her.

You offered him a drink on the house and humor him with small talk while waiting for your boss.

When she finally showed up, the three of you moved in a seclude area to talk business. Something about a contract the Lady wanted to make with Victor, with the benediction of Carmine Falcone.

He was amazed by how composed and organized you were. Clinical. Like any good assassin should be, even if you weren't one. He absolutely loved your quick wit and the dark jokes you would offer from time to time to help lightening the mood when tension was getting too intense. Damn, you were good!

Victor being Victor, he quickly became fascinated by you, following you everywhere in town with or without you knowing.

You caught him stalking you once when you stopped by a pizza truck, asking for a calzone.

"Add one pepperoni please. Oh! And a milkshake too." Came his voice from behind you, making you jump out of your skin and curse him like a sailor.

"What the hell?! Are you following me? I mean, for real?! DUDE!" You yelled in pure outrage.

He wouldn't even try to hide it. Simply offering you his irritating "Uh-uh".

"What for? Plan to kill me or something?" You asked.

His long silence wasn't mean to threaten you, no. He was admiring your nerves of steel. Also questioning your sanity a bit, truth be told. But since you made him a really good impression so far, he decided you were impressive.

"Not today", he just said with a shrug. Ok, so he wanted to play friends or something so stupidly mondain like this. Again, you decided to humor him.

Guess what, after a few times of totally not planned encounters, you started to really get close to each other. Even exchange numbers at some point.

He would always find the time to pay you a little visit at the casino at the end of your shift and appreciate the strange normalcy it gave him.

Everything was fine until one day, the Lady's illegal casino was under attack, getting nearly everyone killed brutally.

You survived somehow. You weren't an assassin but it didn't mean they didn't taught you a thing or two, like surviving *the irony* or using weapons.

When the GCPD FINALLY arrived, they caught you, covered in blood and utterly shocked. You were still processing everything happening and your world falling apart.

Your distressed attitude and shock were the main reasons why you were send to Arkham, in hope they would help you to get through it and release you after it.

They didn't plan the bloodbath would have turned one very dangerous switch inside of you. The blood, the thrill, the smell of powder, the pure rush of adrenaline. God you wanted more.

A month later maybe, guess who also found his ass in the same facility? But yes of course: Victor Zsasz.

His goofy grin threatened to split his jaw in half when he saw you: "Hey Sweets! Knew you survived!"

It wouldn't need much for him to understand what switch was activated inside of you. And he was positively thrilled by it!

He offered to train you, respected when you declined joining the Zsaszettes and came with another idea: introduce you to Falcone/Oswald (depending on where you want to stand in the timeline) and make you their brand new accountant-assassin.

Be ready to find him glued to you at anytime, you were his little secret crush back then, you're now his new God/Goddess and nothing will stop him to worship you properly, not even you. You'll see you were made for each other, eventually.

--

JONATHAN CRANE / SCARECROW

You were Jonathan's classmate and friend.

You weren't as easy spook as him so you often where his emotional support and bodyguard, especially at school with bullies. No need to be a total badass, your fondness for him was enough to give you the courage to shut up the boys or girls making fun of him and you, or give them a proper beating if you feel like so.

His sensibility always touched you deeply, and you were always here whenever he needed to vent about something or talk about his fears.

This is how you learned about the arson taking the life of his mother. The gradual shutting of his father and his obsession with fear and how to tame it.

When it was only researches, you found yourself really interested in Jonathan's father discoveries, as much as Jonathan himself. He was always a little genius in science and physics. Share it with him or not, your interest for the fear field wasn't feigned.

He gladly explained whatever you didn't understand and even suggested a few theories, sharing them with you.

It could have stayed this way, a passion, a subject of research. But it had to escalate when Jon's father started to look for unwilling test subjects.

You weren't aware of it at first. Unsuspecting, until you found Jonathan doubled in half on the floor of the school's bathroom one day, crying like a river and mumbling nonsense about him being a monster and going straight to hell.

You rushed to him, crouching at his level and tried to shake him out of his shock. "Jon'! Hey! Look at me! What are you talking about, you're no monster! Something happened? Please talk to me."

Poor boy was an absolute mess but managed to hear you and let you help him to sit. And he spoke. Oh good lord, he spoke for an hour or so, telling you everything about his father and what he was doing to poor gothamites. How he was forced into this total craziness and how he started to fear his father will ask him to use you as a test subject one day.

Horrified. That's how you felt, frankly. You had to stay silent for a good five minutes to process everything your friend just told you.

But you liked Jonathan, and he wasn't responsible of his father madness, right?

You comforted him, swearing it was not his fault and he wasn't a monster.

When he finally stopped crying, you swore to him that you'll never tell it to anyone, not even the police *You were teens. Teens do stupid things like this. Well, adults too when you think about it...*

He would come to you every time his father would terrify some innocent in town, crying for hours on your shoulders.

When his dad used the toxin on him, he was on phone with you, making you yell bloody murder on the other side of the line and dropping everything you were doing to run to his house.

You crumbled when you saw your best friend on the ground under his phobia: a huge scarecrow, yelling, crying and spasming like he was having a heart attack. You rushed to him and pushed Harvey away, "He's my friend! Oh my god! Please do something!" You pleaded in tears, having to be manhandled by Jim to allow emergency services to reach him.

You were at the hospital everyday, hating you for not having call the GCPD sooner. Maybe it would have saved Jon. The guilt was eating you alive. When the docteur told you he was a lost cause, you felt like going into a tailspin. Then, came the numbness.

When Jonathan was transferred into an asylum where visits weren't allowed, you made a new friend: depression.

Nothing could help you, you wanted to die. Die for being responsible of your friend distress, die because all you were able to feel was pain.

You went to his house one day, when the guilt and pain were too much to bear. You found yourself inside his father's old office and started to rummage around his things. There, a syringe. With some shady yellow liquid floating inside of it.

You didn't had any idea about what was inside. But at this point, you didn't care any more. You took it in your hands, looked at it just a second before plunging it directly on your upper arm, emptying it in it.

Your yells of absolute terror were what made neighbors call the police, thinking a murder was happening in Crane's old house. When Gordon and Bullock found you, they felt ice in their veins. You were Jonathan's friend. The one who found him with them that night. The one who always was by his side at the hospital before his transfer. Jim felt he failed you. Harvey too.

You went through the exact same hell as Jonathan. First the delirium, the nightmares... When you finally managed to wake up, your diagnosis was the same as him: a lost cause. Arkham was your new stop. They didn't want to send you to the same facility's Jonathan was in, too afraid it would be too much of a shock for both of you guys.

Oh but fate has its own ways. And you finally saw each other again, years later. When he was now incarcerated as Scarecrow.

He recognized you immediately. Not believing what he was seeing. What happened to you? He tried to find you when he started his criminal career but it was like your very existence vanished from earth.

He was always perceptive. A minute was enough for him to understand: you were exposed to his toxin. Well, to his father's toxin.

He was as sorry for you as he was impress when you explained him you took the same dose of toxin he took a few years back and was still living to tell the tale.

Since you were his friend *cough* and also school sweetheart *cough*, and now totally immune to his fear toxin, he decided it was time for him to take care of you and make sure you were always safe.

Be ready for a clingy best friend-lover, for cuddles every times you two are alone, to weird scary gifts, halloween chocolates, dead flowers and basically any weird thing he would find romantic or cute.

A/N - I hope you liked it! Have a beautiful day/night my dear, take care!

[reissuedmommyissues]

Band Practice

Melissa Schemmenti/f!reader

Warnings: alcohol ig

Words:1900ish

A/N: Listen yall English is my second language and I have not written anything since fanfiction.net was popular. It's also not proofread because I got too shy to show it to my partner/proofreader. Sooooo yeah have fun with that.

Melissa while not keen on newer staff surprisingly didn't hate the recent hire for Abbott. Primarily hired on as the new librarian you had started to double as IT after fixing a couple of computers in the library. Melissa admired that you were willing to do two jobs for the price of one, or at least that's what she told herself she hadn't been actively seeking you out for any other reason than to fix technology and library-related things.

Melissa walked into the breakroom and took her usual seat by Barbara "Hey Barb have you seen our tech guru, I need her to take a look at my projector, blew a fuse or somethin'" Barbara just raises her eyebrows and gives Melissa a knowing look, "Seems like you've been looking for Ms.L/N more and more often as of late" she has no time to respond before you walk in and head straight for the coffee, grumbling about a lack of sleep.

"Woah there hon get into a fight this morning, ya look a bit crazy" Melissa jokes. You turn to look at her in your half-asleep state, gaze lingering for longer than usual, not something that slips past Melissa "Not quite I stayed up later than I usually do, you know night owl and all that" Melissa narrowed her eyes, you hoped she wouldn't push further, the last thing you want is for her to figure out you've been preparing for a gig with your new band. Not that it was bad but you just felt it was dorky and you would rather not have your crush or coworkers comment on it.

"Well some of us were gonna go out for drinks today I was hoping you'd come with" Melissa could feel a blush creeping up her neck, she'd tried inviting you out very casually a couple of times but besides the occasional lunch, you seemed to always be busy. You bit your lip flattered that the redheaded beauty was inviting you herself. But with a gig today you definitely couldn't cancel, you attempt to come up with a decent excuse but in between a lack of sleep and brain cells in the morning you don't come up with much "I'd love to Melissa really but I.... uhh have a thing, after school rain check?" You flash an apologetic smile and are out before she can say anything else.

This put Melissa in a sour mood for the rest of the day, it didn't help that when lunch came around you were nowhere to be found. Melissa frowned maybe you didn't actually like her, she felt like a fool. Maybe she was too old for you and she read too far into your exchanges taking them as flirty, all of a sudden all she could feel were her insecurities swallowing her up.

Barbara ever in tune with her work wife set her book down and cleared her throat. "Girl, what in the Lord's name has got you in such a foul mood?" Melissa huffs and shifts in her chair, "Nothing, absolutely nothing is wrong why would anything be wrong I am living the dream Barb" She knew better than to lie to her closest friend but she hated being this vulnerable. Barb wasn't blind she had been watching both of you closely noticing how you started to buy Melissa pastries from her favorite shop and how she in turn began to bring you some of her famous baked ziti. "Maybe you should ask her when she's free, it seems she's nearly always busy on weekends perhaps she's free other days?"

"I don't know what you're talking about"

Barbara shakes her head, "Look I'm just saying that maybe you should look into it, rather than assuming Y/N doesn't like you" Melissa's eyes go wide "Keep your voice down" She didn't want to embarrass herself over some crush or cause Y/N any issues. "Whatever the deal is doesn't matter I do not want to think about it, I just wanna make it through the rest of the day and get to that happy hour"

************

As if things couldn't get worse, Jacob picked the happy hour joint and it was not their usual spot. Something about broadening horizons and how live music would really benefit them. Melissa didn't like it nothing was wrong with their usual bar and she highly doubted whatever Jacob had dragged them into would be worth it but he offered to pay for drinks and that was good enough for her. Jacob skipped over to their table nearly missing the chair "Wow look at us I love it when the whole Abbott family goes out for drinks, I wish Y/N was here though she's been with us for a while and hasn't gone to any of the happy hours" at the mention of your name Melissa perked up and curiosity got the better of her. "What do you guys think she does, seems like she always leaves right as school ends on the weekends"

"My vote is on stripper" everyone turns to Ava, "what have you seen what she wears it's all baggy clothing we don't know what she has under that"

"I'm not super sure about that, what about a part-time emt that could be it, maybe she's got some scars she's covering up from saving lives" Janine ever the optimist would assume this with little to no context.

Ava pretty convinced she was right follows up "Or she could be one of those strippers that go to your house dressed as an EMT for a lil surprise"

The conversation goes back and forth for a while, meanwhile, Melissa nurses a beer still miffed over your rejection. Barbara notices her friend's discomfort and looks around the bar to see if there is a pool table to distract Melissa. Instead, her eyes land on the stage right as the band starts playing.

"Good god, what is she wearing?" Barbara's shock has everyone at the table looking in the same direction even Melissa looked over confused by the outburst. Come to find you're on the stage concentrated on your instrument, ready for your queue to begin. Gone was the usual oversized sweater and baggy pants instead u wore a long-sleeved crop top and the tightest jeans Melissa had ever seen. She felt silly but she couldn't stop staring at your hands. Your sleeves were rolled up to the elbow revealing defined forearms and deft fingers running across a bass. Even from a distance, she could see you were very good at what you were doing resulting in not-so-tame mental images of your hands undressing her, holding her down, wrapped around her thighs - Jesus she was like a teenager again getting hot and bothered by just the thought of you. Ava must have caught her gawking and leaned over "If you don't get a move on and take her out, I will cuz damn who knew our librarian was this hot"

Melissa glares at Ava has everyone figured her out, she turns back to see your performance not wanting to miss any more of it. She'd never seen you like this so casual, relaxed, and all-around sexy. She wonders if this is why you always left so soon being part of a band would make sense but why wouldn't you say anything, she hopes this is the case failing to push her former insecurities back down. Your band wasn't a fancy ordeal you went up on stage and played some of your songs but mostly did covers. Still, Melissa couldn't take her eyes off you and it only got worse when you started to sing yourself, she was pretty sure you couldn't see her or any of the Abbott staff but the way you were facing and the suggestive lyrics had her feeling like maybe just maybe you could be directing them at her.

As soon as the performance came to a close Janine and Jacob cheered and drew the attention of everyone in the bar including Y/N and the band.

*********

Welp so much for not getting found out. Jay leans over and taps you with a drumstick "Yo Y/N do they know you?" You look back over at your coworkers hoping not to see your favorite redhead, indeed luck was not on your side as you caught her eye. "Uhh yeah those are my coworkers, I'll catch up with yall later"

Melissa looked mad, not sure what else to do, and feeling like you may as well accompany the embarrassment with a drink you headed to the bar and waved her over. "Double shot of tequila and a Corona please" The bartender nods and pours the shot following it up with a swift opening of your beer.

"Suprised you drink considering you've always said no to it" You look over at Mel, she's extremely close due to the crowded bar top and you can feel her press up against you causing your head to spin. You pick up your shot and down it finding comfort in the heat you feel in your chest.

"Yeah I haven't had the time to go out since I've been filling in for the band, I'm sorry" At the mention of that Melissa visibly relaxes, gone was the anger from before, maybe there was still a chance this could go well? "You know you could've just said you had to go practice for your band" she almost sounded shy, "I would've understood if you were busy" You look over at the redhead suprised to see her so vulnerable.

Reaching over you tuck a stray hair behind her ear, "It's silly didn't want you to know because it made me feel like a dork, I've been trying so hard to impress you it felt like a step backward to tell you I have band practice" Melissa feels a blush creep up and sneaks a glance at you. At that almost confession, the proximity between you two, and the sexiest outfit she's ever seen she once again felt like some goddam horny teenager. Capitalizing on the brief liquid courage of the shot you figured why the hell not make a move. In a burst of confidence, you lean into Melissa and pull her by the collar of her leather jacket, still distracted by the tight jeans she barely realizes what you're attempting to do. The kiss is tame, impossibly soft, gentle, and over way too soon for Melissa's liking.

"I.....oh my god I'm so sorry I should have asked" Melissa was stunned and taking her silence as a negative you start to freak out "I've just been wanting to do that for a while and I've wanted to ask you out but you make me so goddam nervous an-" it's then Melissa who can't help herself she pulls you back in by the waist for another kiss, this one was rougher, hungrier she felt a roller coaster of emotions today and this felt like the only outlet. She pulls back to look at you with that trademark Schemmenti smirk "Feelings mutual hon"

You feel your heart swell at her confession,

"Well to make up for all the missed outings how do you feel about going out for dinner tomorrow?"

Melissa leans in very close for her answer "Hon with those pants I'll follow you anywhere"

[linkemon]

Showing affection headcanons 2

Friendly reminder that English is not my first language. You can check my Masterlists both in English and Polish here.

Venti

✧ Clingy with the need of attention - this is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about him.

✧ He has a tendency to act like a child. He is everywhere and needs attention.

Have you seen what is happening in the market? No? You both have to go there now!

Were you watching me doing that trick? Well, see it now!

Are you listening to me at all? That day...

If he has your attention, he feels loved. Therefore, he gets jealous. More for show than for real but guys around you should be aware because he'll give stare at them or he'll just grab your hand and take you away without explanation.

✧ Venti likes to use the wind to pick you up. He'll make your hair look bad in a funny way or lift your skirt for if you wear it (within the limits of decency of course, almost...).

✧ He will sing for you any time of the day or night. Whether it's a private concert or a drunken shanty at Angel's Share, he'll take out his lyre and charm you and others present with his voice.

✧ He often takes you to the big tree in Windrise. Then he gets more serious and instead of quick kisses, before you expect it, he lays his head on your shoulder, reminiscing about older times. Then he also honestly talks about how much he appreciates you and what you have changed in his life.

Zhongli

✧ Master of remembering details. The little things you shared with him, even long ago, turn into something special. Whether it's a gift or a place you wanted to see.

✧ His way of showing affection is to support and care for you. If you're having a bad day at a restaurant, he'll always gently ask how you're feeling. If you want to tell him, he'll listen, if not, he's got plenty of stories to distract you from your problems. Traditionally, he will make tea and then cover you with a blanket and you will sit together.

✧ Zhongli is a person who is used to showing affection more in private than in public but if you like walking around the city hand in hand, he doesn't mind.

✧ He loves to cuddle. You always feel safe in his arms.

✧ When you offered to comb his hair, he agreed and he must admit that he liked it a lot more than he thought. Now he often lets you do it or braid it.

Gorou

✧ If he's happy, his tail starts wagging. This is especially common with you. You can easily tell his emotions by his ears. Ever since a rumor spread among his people that his ears were lucky, you started petting them for fun. Embarrassed, he admitted that he liked it very much.

✧ Since the war in Inazuma ended, you have more time for each other. He especially appreciates being with you. Even if it's just paperwork, he doesn't mind. However, he especially encourages you to climb with him. He will always check the equipment several times and whether you are well fastened. He wants to be sure of your safety.

✧ He often brings you small gifts. Especially shells from the beach or pearls from Watatsumi. At some point it occurred to him that you probably had many of them before, after all, you lived on this island since childhood. He flattened his ears and started promising bringing something else but you assured him that the presents were beautiful and made a necklace out of them. Several people have complained that it looks childish but you don't care.

✧ You are a hero in his eyes since you learned how to cleverly save him from Yae Miko's clutches. The first time he yelled that you were so gorgeous he could kiss you. When you said you may do it, he got so embarrassed that you didn't bring it up again. He's not ready for it yet.

Barbara Pegg

✧ If there's one thing you can be sure of, it's that Barbara will let you know that she loves you. Even if she gets embarrassed sometimes, she is so open that the words I love you are not a problem for her.

✧ Dressing your wounds is also an expression of affection for her. She will always help you when you have an accident or monsters attack you around Mondstadt. Barbara likes to apply bandages and tie mini bows on them. She also used to draw hearts on your cast.

✧ She loves to give you goodbye kisses on the cheek. You, on the other hand, love kissing her forehead. She considers it a very tender and caring gesture.

✧ She composed some love songs for you. You happened to find them by accident in her things. She's only sung one for you so far because she says the rest aren't finished. You have to wait until your birthday.

✧ Whether or not you believe in Barbatos she prays to him for your health and prosperity in all matters.

[vastill]

Guy for telling secrets

Melissa Schemmenti/fem!reader

warnings: none, pure fluff

words: 1700+

My requests are open!!

English is not my first language!!

A/N: i thought maybe i will post some fluff because i have more hurt/comfort and angst to come. i don't know what to think about this one as it is my first fluff. so let me know what you think!!

Melissa was in a good mood when she agreed to that dinner at her place. Now she was regretting.

They all sat in the kitchen waiting for her to finish cooking because of course she declined any sort of help. The music was playing, and conversations about the kids of Abbott were heard in the background as she contemplated what she did.

The ring of her phone startled everyone.

“Hey, what’s up?” She answered and the group of teachers lowered their conversations.

“I’m at home, oh yeah Abbott staff is here, why?” They observed her but her face was stoic as always. “Yeah, sure you can bring her. I don’t mind if you don’t. But you will have to meet them, you know that?” She laughed and the others were curious what was going on. Janine and Jacob look at each other and mouth some ideas. Only Barbara sat with a knowing smile, is there a thing that she didn’t know?

“Okay, I’m waiting. The door is open so just walk in. Yeah, I know, take your time, hon.” And with that the conversation was over, Melissa turned around and all eyes were on her.

“What? Something bothering you?” She barked at them.

“Is someone coming?” Janine asked shyly, she doesn’t want to be on Melissa's bad side, no one wanted to be, but she is too curious for her own good.

“Yeah, so be on your best behavior.” And with that, she went back to cooking.

Some time passed, and conversations started again but everyone had the same question in their mind, besides Barbara of course.

The door opened and instantly they heard. “Aunty? Aunty Mel?” And then someone was running in the direction of the kitchen. Someone really little.

A girl ran into the kitchen and straight to Melissa who picked her up.

“Hiya sweetheart, what was that tantrum I heard about? You missed me that much or maybe your mommy did?” Melissa asked her in the sweetest voice. The girl laughed when the redhead tickled her side.

“Mommy did. I just came with her here.” The girl said with a smile, hiding in Melissa's neck.

“Yeah, sure, put a blame on me, you little minx.” A feminine voice called from the corridor following that a tall woman walked into the kitchen. She smiled at the staff and side-hugged Barbara. She went to stand near Melissa, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek. “I was the one who cried because she couldn’t see Aunty Mel for another hour or so, yes baby?” The little girl raised her head from Melissa’s shoulder and send her mother a glare that was a cuter version of Melissa's. “She is learning that from you, the Schemmenti’s glare.”

“Guys, this is Y/N and that little troublemaker is Lila. Hope you don’t mind a little company.” Melissa tells the others and starts making conversation with Lila. You stand there and just can’t help but melt a little watching how Melissa is handling your kid.

“Y/N, come here, we have a lot to catch up on.” Barbara calls, startling you, and offers you a glass of wine.

But before you can start talking Janine comes up to you. “Hi, I’m Janine, and this is Jacob, nice to meet you. And your daughter, she is really cute! She and Melissa have so good bond, I love it!” Janine rambles and you are smiling at her.

“Yeah, that’s true. Melissa is truly amazing with her, although she can be a handful sometimes and I’m not talking about my daughter this time.” You laugh when you hear Melissa’s grunt of disapproval.

“That is so nice to see that families keep in close contact.” Janine says and you look at her not really understanding, she doesn’t know? You look at Melissa, and she is already looking back with a smirk on her face. She left you with the explanation that you are indeed not sisters or cousins. You shoot her a glare and look at Barbara who can’t stop smiling obviously knowing what's, about to happen.

“I really love to see that sisterhood you both have, it’s truly unique.” Janine still keeps rambling and you don’t know when to stop her.

“You need to stop Janine before you embarrass yourself further.” Barbara said laughing quietly. “They are not a family.”

Janine’s face falls a little but then she is smiling again. “Oh, no no I’m sorry for assuming that right away. But friendship is also really strong even stronger than families.” And then Barbara loses it, she openly laughs. And you are with her, everyone looks at you, some faces full of confusion and others with smiles.

“Oh my dear Lord, Janine. I haven’t laughed that hard since I came back from my cruise, thank you.” Barbara said, face full of amazement. Janine looked puzzled.

Melissa and your daughter are looking at you sharing smiles, happy to see you this carefree. You and Barbara can’t stop laughing for a solid minute. When you lock a gaze with her the next fit of giggles starts, just the thought of you and Melissa as sisters is hilarious.

“I’m sorry Janine, I’m not laughing at you, I promise. It’s just the thought of me and that one as sisters it's cracking me up.”

“What?” That's all Janine can say.

“Oh, as you know Melissa has a guy for everything, she even has a guy for telling everyone that she is in a relationship. And that guy is me.” You said with a big smile on your face watching Janine's’ face change fast from confusion to shock.

“Oh. OH. You two? Oh wow. You need to tell me more.” She said to you quickly.

“No, you don't need to tell her more!” Melissa says cutting the other teacher short. And you just laugh.

“Yeah, she does. How long are you dating? How did you meet? Who took the first step? Where was your first date?” Jacob asked quickly, coming up with one question after another.

“Okay, okay. Slow down. I won't remember your questions. But from the start. About a year. At a bar when Lila was at her grandparents and the Flyers played. Me.” You answered.

“Hey! That's not true! I took the first step!” Melissa shouted from the kitchen where she and Lila were finishing dinner.

“Sure. Then tell me who bought you another round of beer? And send you a little note with it? Maybe the old grandpa who was eyeing you? Hm?”

She just stuck her tongue at you and didn't say anything.

“Yeah, that's what I thought!” You laughed. “Um, date? You can say that was the first because we spent a couple of hours talking. But the official one, the Farmers Market? Right, Mel?” You asked your girlfriend.

“Yeah, that's right.” Melissa confirmed. “It was a beautiful day, and we strolled around the market, buying different foods and talking to vendors. It was really fun and relaxing.” She answered setting the food on the table, your daughter never leaving her side.

Lila loved being in Melissa's house, overall being with her. That brings so much joy to you, seeing them both content with each other. You smiled at the thought of how happy Lila was with Melissa. It made your heart swell with joy to see her so content and happy. You were grateful for the time you got to yourself, but even more grateful for the love and care Melissa gave to your daughter. It was a beautiful thing to witness and you felt incredibly lucky to have them both in your life.

The dinner went smoothly, some more questions about your relationship were answered, and some were cut short by Melissa. But overall it went really great. You and the staff of Abbott started to create a great bond, Lila felt comfortable with her new aunt and uncle as she called them.

After dinner, you helped Melissa clean up while Lila took the others to the living room to show the toys that she brought with her.

“You know you don’t need to clean all of this. I can take care of it.” Melissa said as you wiped the plates.

“Yeah, yeah, I know.’ You said. ‘Mel? Thank you.’ You said turning to look at her.

“No problem hon, but for what?” She asked, clearly confused.

“For including me in your life. For including me and Lila. It really means so much to me, knowing you are comfortable enough to introduce me to your friends. Thank you.”

Melissa smiled at you, putting down the dish she was cleaning. “Of course, you and Lila are important to me. I want to include you both in my life as much as possible. You know that.” She said, coming over to give you a quick kiss.

You grabbed her by her shirt to deepen the kiss, wanting to transfer all your love for her.

“I love you, Schemmenti.” You said smiling against her lips and stealing another kiss on her nose.

Then Lila came running over to the both of you, jumping into the hug. “Group hug!” She exclaimed, giggling. You all laughed and embraced each other.

The others stood in the kitchen doorway not wanting to interrupt your moment. Janine snapped a quick picture, but she didn’t turn off the volume of her phone.

“Delete that.” Melissa said glaring at her.

“No, first send me the picture then delete.” You said.

“I will, I will. We should be going, so we wanted to say goodbye.” Janine said.

You exchanged quick goodbyes with everyone, promising to see them sometime in the future.

After that, you took Lila upstairs and tucked her into bed. Melissa offered to help, but you insisted she relaxes and starts some movie in the living room.

You settled down on the couch together, snuggled up under a blanket. Content with how the dinner went. Proud of Melissa for opening up and overall happy.

As the credits rolled, Melissa turned to you and said, “I love you.”

“I love you more.” You replied.

It was a simple moment, but it meant everything to you. You felt a sense of peace and contentment settle over you as you cuddled with Melissa on the couch. It was moments like these that made you feel grateful for everything you had in your life. You leaned in to give Melissa a kiss, feeling incredibly lucky to have found someone who loves you so deeply and unconditionally.

[galaxymagitech]

Living Ghosts

Written for Dick Grayson Anniversary Week: Day 5 Prompt: Batfam Meets Agent 37

@dickgraysonweek

Summary: Cass is tracking down a metahuman trafficking ring in Hong Kong when she meets a man without a face...a man who moves like Dick Grayson but wrong, wrong, wrong.

Characters: Dick Grayson, Cassandra Cain

Warnings: Implied abuse

Cass crouches behind a large cooler, letting the shadows cloak her completely. She has grown adept at hiding. But she hates it, hates hiding when there are people being hurt every minute she spends waiting in the shadows.

Patience, Batman growls in her mind. She feels Cain’s hand grasping her shoulder and holding her back, fingers digging into flesh. 

A far-away scream. Cass doesn’t even wince. She has heard many, many screams in her life—most of them her own. But that doesn’t stop her heart from tearing itself apart inside her ribcage.

Cass has been after this organ trafficking operation for two weeks. It’s a short time for a police operation, but a long time for Orphan. In the two weeks she’s been working on this, many people have died. All of them because Cass wasn’t fast enough.

Batman would tell her to focus on the Mission—no use punishing herself when there are still things to be done. Cain would tell her to stop being ridiculous.

Cass tells herself that she still has more lives to save, and that she is doing her best, and that she is enough. The voice in her head is her, but it sounds like Barbara. Cass likes that.

Right now, her priority is turning off the automated alarms so she can begin to pick off traffickers one by one. It’ll be fun. Cass doesn’t like hurting, but she does like moving, fighting.

Two guards patrol past. Good. When they’re far enough away, Cass slips out and steps silently through the shadows until she reaches the control room. It takes minutes to disable the alarms. Cass isn’t the best with this, having never seen a computer during her childhood, but she’s adequate. Barbara made sure of that.

With the alarms off, Cass sneaks towards the area where the future victims are being kept. She finds a mass of guards outside one particular room. There are a lot of them. But Cass is good, and she knows it. She can take them.

Like a bullet, she shoots out of the shadows and attacks.

The traffickers fall like dominos. Cass has this under control. She will defeat these traffickers, free the victims, lead them out, and then defeat the rest. Then, she’ll turn them into the police with the evidence she collected. It will go well, and the two weeks she spent on this won’t be a waste.

Only, she hears the sound of fighting from down the corridor, getting closer and closer. Just as Cass knocks her last opponent unconscious, a man backs into view, fighting hand-to-hand with five more guards. Cass watches warily as he knocks each one out. His blows are clean, efficient. He’s not aiming to kill, but he’s clearly well-trained. An unusual combination. He moves like he wants to add in acrobatics but thinks better of it at the last moment—his feet are light on the ground, but every so often he seems to press himself down, holding himself to the Earth. When he’s defeated the last of the traffickers, he walks forward and picks up a hand-held cooler from the ground.

Cass knows there’s an organ in there. Which means…this man is not here to free the victims. He’s here to serve his own purposes.

Cass bristles. “Put it down,” she says in Cantonese. She is not good at speaking Cantonese. English was difficult enough to learn, when she heard only small snippets of it growing up, but learning a second language with entirely new sounds, and forcing her lips to cooperate? It’s difficult. She has struggled with every phrase.

The man turns to face her and—

—there’s something wrong with his face. She can’t make out any features of it. When she tries, her brain just goes fuzzy. It’s like staring at a black hole, only she can tell that there are features, she just doesn’t know what they are.

His body stiffens. Shock. He’s surprised. Cass does tend to have that effect. Five foot five, female, and standing over ten unconscious men. She bets he wasn’t expecting anyone else here, especially not her.

And yet, his surprise seems less I didn’t expect to find someone here and more I didn’t expect to find you here.

Does he know her? He could be from the League of Assassins, but although some of his moves contain slight traces of that fighting style, it’s buried far under other training. Almost as if he was trained by someone attempting to replicate the League’s style. No, this man is not League-trained—or if he was, he was trained very, very briefly.

The man raises the cooler. Cass doesn’t know what he’s trying to communicate. Why doesn���t he speak? She takes in his gray costume, with light blue accents. The gun strapped to his belt. Why does this man carry a gun, if he doesn’t want to kill?

“I won’t interfere,” the man says eventually, in English. How did he know she can speak English? Her Cantonese is not accented with English, but rather the strange accent that infects all of Cass’s speech, a side-effect of her difficulty forming words. His voice is strange, like he’s trying to disguise it. Not disguised in the way of his incomprehensible face, but disguised as if he’s putting on a voice in a play.

Cass believes him. But he is carrying an organ in a cooler. He is not good. And Cass is willing to bet that he does other not good things, if he does this.

Cass chooses her words very carefully. “Died for that,” she says, in English this time, pointing at the cooler.

“I know,” he says, sounding regretful. The way he stands, the way he speaks—it feels familiar, but slightly off. Wrong. So wrong.

“I will stop you,” she decides, and leaps forward.

“We don’t have to fight,” the faceless man insists, dodging her blows. “I just need to take this to my employer.”

Cass doesn’t waste time talking. This fight is difficult, and if she pushes her opponent far enough, he may be willing to use that gun on his belt. She will give it her all. But she’s Cassandra Wayne. Black Bat. Batgirl. Orphan. She knows that she will win.

Cass tries to figure out the strangeness of the way the man fights. He clearly is used to having weapons—likely short-range, bludgeoning. One for each hand. Perhaps tonfa or batons or escrima. None of them are common for a mercenary, and the man mentioned an “employer.” He doesn’t seem any worse off with only his fists, though. Notably, he doesn’t fight like he’s used to having a gun in his hands.

Why is a man who isn’t used to a gun carrying one?

Cass dodges a headshot and throws a kick at his chest. He stumbles.

“We don’t have to fight,” the man insists. “If I didn’t know you were here, I would’ve taken them down anyway.” Cass stops, watching him warily. His body doesn’t scream liar, but everything about the man feels off. Familiar, but wrong. She doesn’t know why. And Cass is not inclined to trust anyone she can’t fully read. “I swear, I’m not part of this. We can work together to stop the rest of the traffickers.”

“And your employer?” Cass asks.

The man shrugs. “He won’t be happy, but he’ll have to deal with it.”

Cass points to the gun in the man’s belt. He winces. It seems he doesn’t like to be reminded of it.

Suddenly, the man flies into a blur of motion, shooting forwards and pushing Cass to the ground. Cass isn’t supposed to be surprised like that, but nothing in the man’s body language was indicating an attack. Only, an attack would mean that Cass should be in pain, right now, and she isn’t. Instead, she watches the man do a strange flip over her head and land in front of a trafficker who snuck up on her, hitting him swiftly in the jaw. The mercenary takes advantage of the trafficker’s stumble and sends an elbow flying into the enemy’s skull. The trafficker falls to the ground, unconscious.

In that moment, it clicks. The man’s movements are…wrong. But not so wrong that Cass can’t see.

He’s supposed to be dead. Tim told her that he was dead, over a long phone call where Cass barely spoke. Alfred confirmed it, when she checked in with him during a brief visit to Gotham. And Alfred wasn’t lying.

But Cass trusts herself, and her eyes don’t lie.

“Dick Grayson.”

---

The second Dick sees Cass, he realizes why Helena didn’t let him bring his escrima sticks on this mission, why she insisted that she would be the one entering the trafficker’s lair. Only, she ended up delayed, fighting against some other organization that wanted the organs, and sent Dick ahead. She promised him that someone else was taking the ring down and he didn’t need to waste any time on it. Just get the spleen, pay, and get out.

Dick is clearly failing at this. But in his defense, Dick hadn’t known that Spyral been outbid.

It felt better, fighting for the organ. Still wrong, still dirty, still disgusting, but better than just paying for it. Spyral is a vulture, and so, by extension, is Dick.

It’s a mission, Dick reminds himself. Infiltration and sabotage. He’s here to stop Spyral, and anything he does would have been done anyway. It feels like a pointless excuse, because it is one.

He doesn’t want to fight Cass. He knows he can’t beat her, and he’s not crazy enough to try. But what else is he supposed to do? She rightly recognizes him as a villain, and she’s never been one for letting villains go.

Dick tries to reason with her, and just as he thinks she’ll agree to work together—Helena is going to hate that, but what choice does he have?—he notices a trafficker sneaking up on them. He’s been controlling his movements, his voice, his every action, trying to avoid tipping Cass off to his identity, but in this moment, the trafficker’s raising a gun and it’s his life or hers. And Dick knows that he’ll protect his little sister, even if it destroys his mission.

He turns around to see Cass staring at him, eyes narrowed.

“Dick Grayson,” she says, and he knows that he has failed. There’s a scream from down the corridor. “They need help.” Dick nods. They move forward together.

Between the two of them, taking down the ring is easy. They slip out into the darkness of the night, and Dick tries to split, but Cass catches his arm. “We need to talk,” she says.

Dick sighs. He doesn’t even know if he can return to Spyral after this. He needs to check in with Bruce. Sure, he could make his own decision, but he doesn’t know if it’ll be the right one, and this is Bruce’s mission. Whatever Bruce orders, goes. Dick would love the excuse to leave, but it could very well make everything worse.

Dick lets Cass lead him back to what he hopes is a safehouse. It’s sparse and undecorated and very probably moldy, so Dick hopes that his sister is normally living in better conditions.

“Alright,” Dick says, sitting down on the couch next to Cass with a sigh. “What do you need to know.”

“Stop,” Cass orders. She scrutinizes him carefully and Dick just sits there, waiting for her judgement. And then she leaps forward and wraps her arms around him, pulling him close.

It’s amazing. In Spyral, well, it’s not that he didn’t ever have contact with people, but it was never just a hug. It was never this warm, this gentle, this careful. It never makes him feel like a person. Dick hugs Cass back, holding her close like a lifeline. When she pulls away, she’s smiling.

“Missed you,” she says, like Dick was away at college or something.

“I missed you too.” Dick swallows. He knows that what he did was wrong. He knows that he lied to his family and left them and let them believe he was dead. He’s not expecting a happy reunion at the end of this. But Cass, at least, doesn’t seem to be responding with violence at the moment. “I’m sorry, Cass.”

“Tim said…you died.”

“Bruce—” Wait, no. Dick didn’t rehearse this, he doesn’t know what to say, but he does know that he cannotblame Bruce for this. “I faked it. I didn’t die, not really. It was…an opportunity. To go undercover. We had to use it to our advantage.”

Cass bites her lip. “Lying.”

“I really didn’t die.” His heart just stopped, for a minute or so. It doesn’t count. It can’t count.

“Lying,” Cass repeats.

“My heart stopped,” Dick admits. “There was a bomb that would go off unless…unless I died. Lex Luthor stopped my heart and then revived me right afterwards. I just had a…close brush with death.”

“You died.”

“I didn’t.” Dick shakes his head vigorously. “I didn’t die.”

Cass frowns. “Why do you need to believe?”

She can probably see the desperation. “I…it can’t have been that bad. I have to be fine. And…” Cass is so against killing, she isn’t the person to discuss this with, but…she’s letting him in her safehouse. She deserves to know what a monster he is. “Years ago…I beat the Joker until his heart stopped beating.” Cass presses against Dick’s side. She should be pushing him away, not burrowing closer. “Bruce revived him. He said…he said it didn’t count. I didn’t break the rule.” Dick meets Cass’s eyes, but her gaze is off to the side. She can’t see his face, can he? The Hypnos implant is still hiding him. “If I died…if I died…” If Dick died, then he killed the Joker. If Dick died, then he broke Bruce’s one rule. And after Blockbuster…

…it’s no wonder that Bruce sent him to Spyral. “I trained you to live and I watched you die!” Bruce had screamed. If Dick died, then he’s a killer. A murderer. How could he have expected Bruce to respect his protests, to listen to his pleas about family, when Dick is the very evil that they fight?

“Stop,” Cass hisses. “Your mind is going around and around. You need to stop. You’re…hurt.”

“I deserve to be,” Dick says. It slips out. It stays there. He can’t take it back, but it’s not wrong, so he doesn’t see why he should.

“Do you regret what you did?” Cass asks.

Killing the Joker? Most of the time. Sometimes, Dick wishes that Bruce had let that monster stay dead. Wishes Jason had come back to a world where someone at least had avenged Robin. Wishes that he could have spared Jason the pain of discovering that the Joker still lives. But for the most part, Dick can see the disappointment in Bruce’s eyes and the fear in Tim’s and wishes that he could take it back and never find out what he was capable of.

But then again, he found out he was capable of stepping out of the way only a year later.

“I try to,” Dick says honestly.

Cass lifts a hand to Dick’s face. She’s feeling for his features like she’s blind. The implant can mess with the visual cortex, but not the somatic. Cass is seeing him, as best she can. “Brother,” she says.

Dick smiles softly. “I didn’t die,” he says. “I’m not trying to lie to you, Cass.”

Cass lifts her hand away. “Under…covered?”

“Undercover. Yes. Spyral is…they’re hunting metahumans. They want to discover your identities. Someone had to go.”

“Why?”

“To keep you all safe,” Dick says.

“Spyral is…bad,” Cass says.

That’s certainly an understatement. Dick sighs. “I hate it. But it has to be done. I wouldn’t have gone if…if there was any other option.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

Dick wanted to. He didn’t understand that part, didn’t understand why the family couldn’t know. It’s more realistic this way, sure, but they’re all excellent actors. And Dick knows that after Jason’s death, after Bruce’s “death,” after Damian’s death, yet another death would strike deep.

He wanted to tell the family. He didn’t want to hurt them.

But Bruce said.

Dick doesn’t have an answer for Cass. Any excuse he could try to give would be halfhearted at best, and she’d know it.

“They’re hurt,” Cass says. She points to her heart. “Here. Hurts. Hurt me.”

“I’m sorry,” Dick whispers, voice broken.

Cass pulls back. Dick doesn’t deserve to be near her anyway. “Why?” She asks again.

“Why am I sorry?”

“No. Why did you lie?”

“It was safer,” Dick tries. That’s not the answer, though, and Cass knows he’s lying.

“Lie,” she says, voice hard. “Why?”

“Bruce insisted,” Dick says. He half-expects Cass to call that out as a lie as well, because, yeah, Bruce had insisted, but Dick had agreed in the end. Instead, Cass pulls her feet up onto the couch and tilts back against him.

“Hurt,” Cass says.

Dick freezes. He doesn’t know what Cass is implying, and he doesn’t want to betray himself by answering a question that wasn’t asked. “I’m sorry for hurting you,” Dick says eventually. That’s the safest option.

Cass shakes her head and his heart sinks. “No. Hurt you.”

Dick swallows. “It doesn’t matter.” He forces himself off the couch. “I should go. The organ won’t keep for very long.”

Cass just watches him.

“You can’t tell anyone I’m alive, okay? Please, Cass. I need you to promise.”

“Fine,” Cass says. Dick can’t read bodies the way she can. He doesn’t know if she’s lying. But he does know that he has to go now before Helena gets suspicious. He gives Cass one last hug and tries to remember the feeling of her arms around him to carry him through the rest of the mission. “Love you, brother.”

“Love you too,” Dick says as he leaves.

---

Cass sits alone in her apartment, fists clenched and toes curled into the couch cushions. Dick moved wrong. He moved like a ghost.

And some part of her is overjoyed that her big brother is alive. It’s amazing. It’s a miracle.

But most of her—most of her is afraid.

She said she wouldn’t tell anyone that Dick was alive. She doesn’t know if she was telling the truth, yet. For now, Cass won’t tell anyone who doesn’t already know.

But Dick’s fear, his shame, his guilt is seared to the backs of her eyelids. He was hurt. He was hiding.

Cass has to have a talk with a Bat.

[film-classics]

Constance Bennett - The Hollywood Fox

Constance Campbell Bennett (born in New York City on October 22, 1904 – July 24, 1965) was an American actress born to an aristocratic family of actors of English and Spanish ancestry. Blonde, stunning and honey-voiced, she glided through Hollywood with a sprite-like lightness and definite air of style and sophistication, receiving the moniker, "The Hollywood Fox."

The eldest of three daughters of actress Adrienne Morrison and actor Richard Bennett, she attended the Chapin School in New York along with her sisters Joan Bennett and Barbara Bennett, both of whom were actresses.

She was first Bennett sister to enter motion pictures, appearing in New York–produced silent movies before a meeting with Samuel Goldwyn led to her Hollywood debut in 1924. She took a hiatus during a brief marriage, but resumed it after her divorce.

In the early 1930s, Bennett was frequently among the top actresses named in audience popularity and box-office polls due to hits like Topper (1937). Her contracts with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Warner Brothers, and RKO made her a big star in Hollywood, and her cutthroat contract negotiations earned her the sole female spot among Hollywood’s poker-playing elite comprised of top movie moguls.

By the 1940s, Bennett was working less frequently in film but was in demand in both radio and theatre, and she also formed her own production company, Constance Bennett Pictures, which produced two films. Nonetheless, shrewd investments made her a wealthy woman, even founding a cosmetics and clothing company, called "Fashion Focks."

Shortly after Madame X (1966) was completed, Bennett collapsed and died from a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 60 in Walston Army Hospital at Fort Dix, New Jersey. In recognition of her military contributions, and as the wife of John Theron Coulter, who had achieved the rank of brigadier general, she was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Legacy:

Was the highest-paid actress in Hollywood during the early 1930s

Founded the Constance Bennett Cosmetics Company and a clothing company called "Fashion Frocks" in the 1930s

Formed her own production company, Constance Bennett Pictures, which produced two films: Paris Underground (1945) and Smart Woman (1948)

Made smart business investments, including holding stocks in the historic Arrowhead Springs Hotel

Awarded military honors for her role in coordinating shows flown to Europe for occupying troops (1946-48) and the Berlin Airlift (1948-49)

Nominated as the Hall of Fame: Actress Award in the 1978 Photoplay Award

Has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to motion pictures at 6250 Hollywood Boulevard

[deadbeatbirdmom]

The RWBY Archives Remnant Promenade art book has some interviews with CRWBY, including voice actors. I wish I knew what they said. Unfortunately for me the book is largely in what I think is Japanese.

Arryn Zech's interview mentions Bumbleby because that's one of the few words in English.

Can anyone read Japanese?

Here's Barbara Dunkelman's too:

If someone out there can read Japanese but these pics aren't clear enough for translation, I can try to provide some better pics.

[gretahayes]

You know who is the only person who can ground Tim? Who can get him to listen? Whose authority Tim actually respects enough to stay put? Dick Grayson. Unfortunately Dick lets Tim get away with anything. (No Alfred doesnt have authority on Tim either, Tim can go weeks on crackers and expired coffee, is immune to the Strict Dissappointed Gaze™ and will literally just do his own thing no matter what. Tim has as much blackmail on Barbara as she has on him and so are in a stalemate, Helena technically can get him to chill out for more than a minute with her english teacher voice but its a 60/40 chance of working)

See, I don't think Tim has as much blackmail on Babs as she does on him. I think he's just an ace at getting into stuff he really shouldn't and hiding from her (like during the BruceQuest in RR? Nobody knew where that bitch was, excluding that time he got snapped as Alvin Draper. He really dropped off the face of the Earth for a couple of months). She's got enough respect for him to let a lot of his BS slide, and since people tell Tim a lot of stuff that Oracle can't find out, they trade information and swear not to use it on each other. Tim does respect her authority, because I mean...it's Babs, he adores her. He listens when he's been given no reason not to.

Tim's used to disappointing parental figures, and his dad nearly hit him on some occasions. A strict look isn't going to stop him from digging his heels into the sand. Makes him doubt himself sometimes, sure, and concede if he's not resolute, but kid's as stubborn as a mule. If Alfred wants him to do something he really doesn't want to, he's gonna have to yell at Tim, which he won't, so they're at a stalemate.

Dick and him just vibe. Recognition of self, enabler's version. Dick figures the kid's got enough people telling him what to do, and not enough people letting him just be. Dick remembers what that felt like, he's not about to impose that on Tim. And Tim turned out just fine (re; not dead or evil), so he's obviously doing something right. Out of the field, he's not bossing this kid around for any reason other than to be annoying or give advice.

Helena sorely regrets hanging out with him (re; he shows up in her home/mission/during her patrol unannounced and she never has the heart to tell him to fuck off) whenever he disregards her advice in favor of doing whatever the fuck he wants, then apologizes later. Tim would much rather ask for forgiveness than permission.

But also: CASS. You can't tell me Tim doesn't do what Cass tells him to, when she tells him to—Cass just doesn't see the need in bossing him around often. She knows he listens to her, why would she bother proving it?

TL;DR Tim doesn't listen to adults in his personal life, but he does listen to his older-sibling figures, which is something that no doubt drives Bruce up the wall.

[nobody-for-sure]

Language Barrier

It’s impossible to replicate everyone’s in-game experiences, character acquisition, etc, so the reader has developed their own. Did I throw darts at a wall to do so? ...No, definitely not, that would be ridiculous, what are you-

Chapter 6

(~2.3k words, see chapter list here)

You turn your head so fast you think you might get whiplash.

Did he just say what I think he said? "Say that again!"

The room goes silent.

Everyone's attention is on you now, but your eyes are focused squarely on Diluc, who looks back at you blankly. He seems to be aware he's done something, but not what, exactly. The room waits with bated breath as he shifts uncomfortably and clears his throat. "...Yzgnc mtuxc, xaue kigxm?" he says finally.

You narrow your eyes. No, that's not it. Surely you weren't just imagining things? You weren't, right? You were almost certain you'd just heard him say 'sorry', and maybe 'you' and 'we' afterwards. The last two you suppose could be words in their language, but the first was too distinct, you were sure.

...Ninety-nine percent sure, anyway.

You shake your head. Let's try this another way. You point to him with one hand. With the other, you fold your thumb to your fingertips to make a 'mouth'. You open and close it a few times, trying to get him to keep talking.

To your right, you hear Kaeya chuckle. "Kboyykxvso. Kbeknz ertu jxgkn ktu kitkztky zau lu xaue nzaus jtg eknz xkbkt ztgc uz xgkn aue qgkvy togmg."

Amber's eyes move to him. "Togzvgi gekgq! Yo yonz errgkx knz ksoz xul ykqup?!" she exclaims, seemingly scolding him. Eula nods sternly at this, and Jean looks exasperated.

Venti, meanwhile, studies you thoughtfully. "Zo yxgkvvg xoknz kigxm yztgc aue uz vkkq mtoqrgz. Jrauc aue kxgi uz kmrajto ya xul g ztksus, xkzygs iaroj?"

Diluc shifts again. "Zgnc sg I jkyuvvay uz qrgz zauhg?" Your focus on him sharpens again. 'I' could definitely be a word in their language too - after all, even English has 'eye' and 'aye' as well - but something about it made you feel that it wasn't.

"Exz mtozgkvkx zgnc aue jogy kxulkh," comes Jean's voice over your shoulder.

Diluc purses his lips before facing you directly. "Sorry xul knz egrkj. Yg you tgi kky, we zon tg jkzikvdkta vsah to knz jgux," he says slowly.

You brighten. "Sorry, you, we," you repeat excitedly, hoping you're actually onto something and not about to look like an idiot. "You said sorry, you, and we, right?"

The look on his face says he did.

"They tgi jtgzyxkjta ksuy lu knz yjxuc so mtoegy," he says, sounding more than a little stunned. "Jtg knz ksgy ykum xul me."

The room erupts into chaos. Everyone seems to be talking at once, and you stare at Diluc in awe. I can't believe it! Who cares if it's just a few words? I can actually understand somebody!

But, wait.

Why can I understand him?

There's no doubt the words he's said are fairly common, so you find it hard to believe no one else in the room has said any of them in your presence. Furthermore, as you listen to the man being bombarded by a barrage of incoming questions, you realize that the words he's saying... aren't any different from the words they're saying. Why would they be? The difference is that, somehow, when he says the words - some of them, anyway - your brain is able to recognize them, and evidently vice versa.

So perhaps rather than 'why can I understand him?', the question you should be asking yourself is 'why can I understand him?'

You gaze leaves Diluc as you glance around the room. Though they haven't done shit for you so far, you can't help but think back to common sagau tropes as you glance over the people gathered. Maybe it has something do with the characters you'd pulled? You had Diluc, yes, but you also had Amber and Kaeya. Although...

Although...

No.

No.

"No," you whisper. "No. Nonononono." You wheel around, startling everyone as you rush back to the table, snatching up the list of Mondstadt characters. Barbara? No. Razor? No. Mona, no, Sucrose, no, Diona, no. "Holy shit." Klee, Albedo, Rosaria, Fischl, Bennett - all no. How was this even possible?

How could you, in all your months playing Genshin...

...manage to get only one Mondstadt character to friendship level TWO?

"Well FUCK."

The thing about charades, you discover quickly, is that you still need to understand the same language. You can mime all you want, but you have no way to confirm or deny their guesses, because fuck if you know what they are.

Everyone's seated around the table now. You're at the end, with Diluc to your immediate left, presumably to translate. As if he could.

After recovering from your little outburst, there was a lengthy period where everyone else crowded around tossing words at the troubled winery owner, and he would repeat them to you, to see how much you understood. Not much, you learned. It was pronouns mostly: 'she', 'him', 'them', 'I', 'we', and so on. 'Please', 'sorry', and 'thank you'. 'Yes' and 'no'. That was about it.

You had no idea if they had any inkling why Diluc was the only one you could exchange a few words with, or if they were totally in the dark. You doubted they knew about friendship levels, but maybe they were at least aware of how he'd been your go-to pyro unit during your Dragonspine exploration days. To be fair, even you didn't know for sure that friendship levels were the answer. But, given the circumstances, it's all that you could think of.

Unfortunately for you, you had never really cared too much about your characters' friendship levels. They weren't useful for combat, the voicelines and backstories were all available online anyway, and you were fine with the namecard you had; so you had a tendency (one you were now deeply regretting) to use the same characters for pretty much everything. Sure, there were several that had gotten at least a couple levels here or there, but only a few were very high or completely maxed. Ugh, I knew I should've put more effort into my teapot.

In any case, you're obviously going to have to make your way to Liyue or Inazuma if you want to be able to hold a proper conversation with someone - and let's not forget finding out what's going on. Your grasp on your current situation is tenuous at best, and every time you think you're certain of something, it's been wrong. You need someone to sit down and explain everything to you... and luckily, you think you have just the person in mind.

Which brings you to now.

Charades with some knights, a vigilante, and a bard is the exact start of a bad joke that it sounds like. This is mostly because every bat of your eyelids is under close scrutiny; every twitch of your fingers analyzed to the nth degree. Often times you pause in your gesturing, trying to figure out how to act something out, and they launch into another round of guesses. "No, no," you say, and they calm down as Diluc repeats this to them, only to perk up again when you absent-mindedly scratch your cheek. It gets so bad that you finally slam both hands on the table with the most deadpan stare you can muster and say, "Would you please stop??"

That, at least, they seem to comprehend, or maybe they were already aware of how over-the-top they're being. Sheepish looks are exchanged, and when Diluc mutters, "Sorry," you know he's speaking for all of them. You sigh and sit back in your chair. Well, it's partially my fault for making it so complicated, you think. Think Razor speech. Forget trying to explain yourself, it's not going to happen. Instead, what's the simplest way to convey that you need to get to Liyue?

Map. You need a map.

This time, you reach for a sheet of paper instead. You see the in-game map every day, so it shouldn't be too hard to replicate, right? Pursing your lips, you start sketching the island the city is perched on, the one in the middle of Cider Lake. Everyone else leans in.

"Yo zgnz jkyuvvay uz kh g nzuuz?" Eula guesses from down the table. "Tg kek xul tg kek, g nzuuz xul g nzuuz - yvgnxkv ktuksuy yo krhoytuvykx xul yonz kzgzy lu yxogllg jtg yjkkt uz kh zrgkj nzoc."

"Yvgnxkv," Jean responds, "zah yzo uuz tuuy uz vsap uz etg ytuoyaritui. Zo jraui uyrg kh g... kamtuz?"

Kaeya chuckles (which tells you that either a) your drawing sucks, b) their guesses are horrible, or c) both of the above). "G nzuuz xu g kamtuz - yvgnxkv xoknz kigxm yo exmtan togmg?"

"Zo yquur g zoh kqor g lgkr," Venti muses. He leans forward. "Errgazig, kxknc kbgn o tkky yonz kxulkh?"

"Ykuj zo quur xgorosgl uz aue?" Jean asks him, as you start outlining your best guess of the lake. By now you're mostly ignoring your audience; as far as you're concerned, no one's gotten it right until someone slaps a map down in front of you.

"Yke, zah o ztgi kigrv zo zke. Xoknz ykigxm mtocgxj yrroqy kxg... skng... o zyap cutq zgnz kbo tkky zo kzoaw g ckl yksoz. Zgnc zauhg aue, xkzygs iaroj? Aue skky uz kbgn g tuozikttui nzoc xoknz kigxm, uj aue kfotmuikx mtonzetg?"

"...No," Diluc shakes his head. "I znmaunz zo znmos kh tg kek, zah zo ztykuj quur kqor yzgnz knz kygi kxusetg."

All of a sudden, Amber snaps her fingers excitedly. "Lu kyxaui! Etg xkjoxzau nzxuc xoknz zrgy jrauc kfotmuikx knz rgoxkg ckob lu zjgzyjtus!" You look up, the certainty in her voice surprising you. She grins and nods at you ecstatically, seeming confident in whatever assessment she's made. Hesitantly, you put down your writing utensil. With your fingers, you make a "frame" around your drawing, before expanding it, hoping she'll get the idea. She nods enthusiastically. "Ut skrhuxv! Rro zkm aue g vgs znmox egcg, xaue kigxm!" She gives you a salute, pushes her chair back, and dashes from the room before you can blink.

...Well, now you really hope her guess was correct. You can't be held accountable for actions taken on your behalf based on misinterpretations, right? Right?

Venti gently nudges your hands to the side to take a closer look at your drawing. "Ng, uy yzgnz enc zo yquur uy xgorosgl!" he says cheerfully, as if everything makes sense now. Apparently he agrees with Amber's assessment, whatever it is. You hope that's a good sign.

Meanwhile, the rest of the room looks stunned. "Cun joj she kmgtgs uz zkm zgnz?" Diluc mutters.

"Yaurgkp?" Kaeya smirks, which earns him a glare.

Jean shakes her head in apparent disbelief. "Khegs kny ygc xoknz ykigxm zyxol rkyykb xul g tuygkx." Eula crosses her arms and makes a dissatisfied noise at this statement, though if anything, you think she actually looks a bit pleased.

A few moments later, Amber returns with a flourish - and a large rolled-up scroll half her height, which Lisa is carrying the tail end of. "O jxgkn xau kozai ygc to jkkt lu g vgs?" the librarian smiles.

"Yg xgl yg kc tgi rrkz," Jean says, and Amber nods confidently as the two of them maneuver the scroll onto the table. It's so big that it will have to be unrolled the long way down the table, so you rise from your seat at the end, moving the papers out of the way and positioning yourself along the center for a better view. With a quick wink in your direction, Lisa dramatically pushes the two ends of the scroll apart to reveal-

-something. It's definitely something.

Your brow furrows as you try to make heads or tails of the lines scattered across the paper. You certainly hope it's not art, because you've never been a fan of those abstract pieces. Thankfully, a gloved hand waves in front of your face, and Amber directs your attention to the far right edge of the parchment, pointing to... oh, there's Mondstadt! Your drawing was pretty good, if you do say so yourself.

But more importantly, that's Mondstadt. You give her an excited nod. So this is a map. It just took you a minute to realize it, because you're not used to seeing it in black and white and... ink, instead of the digital colored version with all the the teleport waypoints. Now that you have a starting point, though, you begin to recognize other things as well. Your eyes sweep the map, picking out rivers and islands and other various landmarks. Some features are lacking in comparison - most obviously, there's no clear way to distinguish climate or elevation, so Dragonspine looks the same as Stormterror's Lair other than its location. Other things are more clearly marked; for example, there's a distinct pathway to Windrise, and another path with a little note next to it that you're fairly certain leads directly to Albedo's camp.

Your eyes wander to the other side of the map, and you feel a little thrill when you discover it extends further than the current in-game release. One section appears to have several large bodies of water, and you imagine that's Fontaine, although there's a region further west that has a number of rivers. Unless... unless those are rivers of lava. Hmm. Yeah, you'll be steering clear of Natlan for a while. As for Snezhnaya... well, it's just very big.

Remembering your initial goal, you quickly trace your finger down through what you now recognize as Liyue. Fortunately, the harbor is another thing that's distinctly marked, along with what you assume is some kind of trade route there. You tap your finger on it a couple times before pointing to yourself hopefully, and then back to the map. I need to go there.

Glances are exchanged. You hold your breath as multiple people start speaking at once, and far too quickly for you to even pretend to follow them. You don't think you can make your message much clearer than that, so you don't know what you'll do if they still didn't get it. But then you feel a gentle touch on your arm, and Diluc gives you a firm nod. "Yes," he says simply.

You're going to Liyue.