#and I knew that this game is dark but goddamn that one ending Quinn gets in the demo

[sunshineneedsaplacetokeephernsfw]

Quinn is now my new comfort character!

Say hello, everyone!

I originally wasn't going to include that last image, but Quinn greeting Julian like that was so funny I decided to keep it

From Particles of Reality (a game that is a dark, twisted otome that is very much 18+) and belongs to @arewar

[not-a-robin]

Ranking Gotham rouges:

1. Poison Ivy 9/10, has never attempted to kill me and she cares about the environment

2. Catwoman 9/10, she’s just stealing from rich people

3. Harley Quinn 8/10, has never tried to kill me

4. Two-Face/Harvey Dent 8/10, did try to shoot me once but at least he’s straightforward, he also did kill someone I knew but really he did me a favor with that shit

5. Freeze 8/10, someone should just give him the money at this point man

6. Oswald Cobblepot 7/10, has never tried to kill me and honestly in terms of mobs in the city his isn’t the worst it could be

7. Clayface 6/10, more annoying than anything else

8. The Riddler 5/10, GET TO THE FUCKING POINT, istg he’s like those pop up ad’s in mobile games but in human form

9. Mad hatter 5/10, similar to riddler

10. Scarecrow 3/10, I’ve never really experienced fear toxin first hand and I feel like if I had he would be lower

11. Bane 1/10, for personal reasons, fuck you.

12. In last goddamn place to no one’s surprise, joker. -1,000,000,000/10 I hope someone beats that smile off of your face while beating you into a grave.

Got a little dark at the end! Uhhh lmk if I should rank more things

[release-the-mccracken]

Berquinn Playlist

Bert: Quinn ended up giving me a ride up to my parents' house. It was a beautiful night. I remember the moon was out and there was something different about this person that I'd met and I knew that we were going to write beautifully together.

I take your hand, lead you out to the street. To tell you that your golden hair and pale blue eyelids make me feel like I might go wild. Cheetah print makes me a liar. So I tell you I just like you for your smile.

Every time we lie awake, after every hit we take. Every feeling that I get, but I haven't missed you yet. Only when I stop to think about it, I hate everything about you. Why do I love you?

I promise it will be the last time, that I do all the things that I said that I wouldn't do last night. Then I lose my shit and I slam the door. And I ask myself, "what'd I do that for?" I wanna cause a scene just to feel alive. Maybe I'm only mean 'cause I know you're mine.

You got so down I couldn't get high. You make it harder and harder for me to know who I am, so this time I gotta hear it if you give a goddamn. Your violence feels like kisses to me. Your silence makes it harder to breathe.

You promise me Heaven, then put me through hell. Chains of love got a hold on me. When passion's a prison, you can't break free. Oh, you're a loaded gun.

Got a girl with California eyes and I thought that she could really be the one this time. But I never got the chance to make her mine because she fell in love with little thin white lines.

I'm afraid of all I am, my mind feels like a foreign land. I've spent all of the love I saved. We were always a losing game. Small town boy in a big arcade, I got addicted to a losing game.

Come to me in the night hours. I will wait for you and I can't sleep 'cause thoughts devour. Thoughts of you consume. I can't help but love you, even though I try not to.

The past few months were pretty rough, a couple times wished we both were dead. I never cried like that before. I thought my eyes would pop out of my head. Not just preparing for nightmares, but nothing feels alright now. The length of my hair or the fit of my clothes. And crying like a baby solved nothing.

This is the last time you say, after the last line you break. You say it helps you write your rhymes, whatever helps you sleep at night. You say that you love me. You won't remember in the morning. I'm not gonna stay and watch you circle the drain.

And I ain't seen a light of day since, well, that's not important. It's been long. And I was feeling Whitney, me and my homies sip Houston. Cars and clothes, thought I was winning. You knew I was losing. You told me to wake up, but my clock always stays on snooze.

And I can't see you here, wondering where am I. It sort of feels like I'm running out of time. I haven't found all I was hoping to find. You said you gotta be up in the morning, gonna have an early night. And you're starting to bore me, baby. Why'd you only call me when you're high?

You missed a lesson on looking out for yourself, may not be on the up and up, but I'm on the up and out. So take me to the far side of the beach before it falls into the ocean, before you notice I'm eroding.

Can't walk into my closet without seeing your face. 'Cause all my favorite t-shirts are all your favorite band names. You put me in a Heart-Shaped Box, now you only ever call me when you're high. You know you ruined Nevermind. Now, every song's about you in my mind. But the worst thing that you ever did? You ruined Nirvana. And I can't forgive you for that.

I ain't seen the sunshine in three damn days. Been fueling up on cocaine and whisky. I wish I had a good girl to miss me. Lord, I wonder if I'll ever change my ways. Since you've been gone, my world's been dark and grey. You reminded me of brighter days. I hoped you were coming home to stay.

Never made the wind blow, never made a heart grow. Never made a dove take flight. Never made the sun rise, still can't get my heart right. Only ever made mistakes. So I can see the sunshine, breaking through the skyline. I can feel the warmth it brings, I can't help but stop and think.

Quinn: We made a tape and I remember driving around day and night listening to that tape. And just driving up into the mountains.

[sloppy-butcher]

Can I request some fucking happiness like GODDAMN IM SO SAD

coming right up my friend. happiness in the form of cuddling with randomly selected killers and survivors to be listed below (sorry if it's short, I tried something different for this request) don’t be sad anyMORE <3

Seeking Comfort

The Doctor (Herman Carter)

He notices immediately when you slosh into his office after a long day of battling difficulties, shoulders hunched over, and demeanor sour, bringing with you a most depressing mood. He passes a cool eye over your shrinking form as you slowly make your way to the small bench that served as your designated station. Suddenly he calls you over, producing a sound somewhere between a cough and laugh, causing you to look up at him in confusion. Herman pushes back his laze boy from his work table, presenting his empty lap to you. Your questioning gaze flickers between the man and his offer and after only a few more encouraging nods, you crawl your way over to him. Never had he initiated affection like this, almost demanding you to be in his arms. He consumes you completely in his body, swallowing you up in his off-white lab coat and bare arms. The electrodes that protrude out his forearms would spark occasionally and tickle you until your face lightens and a smile somewhat returns. You knew it was secretly Herman himself sending you the fuzzy reminds of energy  In between reading documents and writing down his new observations, Herman often places his head on top of yours, humming and kissing your hair as you drifted off to sleep.

The Hag (Lisa Sherwood)

Lisa tries her absolute damnedest to make you leave her realm with a smile on your face. Though she can't talk and her hugs are not the warmest and her lips aren’t the best for giving kisses, she displays her affection in other manners. She beckons you over to her crouched in the swamp. She takes your hand in hers and with the faintest and gentlest movements, barely even gracing your skin, uses her elongated claw to draw small symbols on your arm with the help of fresh, black mud. You tilt your head and ask her what they mean. She gives you her best smile, a stretched-out display of all her twisted and razor-sharp teeth, and places her unaltered hand over your heart. You can see her sway her head with the ticking of your heartbeat and you realize that it was a spell of protection and repair - or rather a spell for a sad heart. Lisa makes you spend the rest of your time together searching the swamp for fireflies, a rarity in her realm but a blessing none the less. She follows you around carrying with her a dirty glass jar and whenever you managed to catch a handful of the elusive bugs, she’d make you put them inside until the glass glowed a brilliant yellow hue. At the end of the evening, when the darkness that previously sat on your chest has alleviated slightly, Lisa offers you one last gift. She asks you to lean down to her comfortable height and then places her forehead to yours. You hear her breathing steady and become as sure as the sun will rise and the night will end and you know that everything will be alright when she is around.

The Deathslinger (Caleb Quinn)

“Drink up.” Caleb slides you a hefty glass practically overflowing with burning, brown liquid. “That’ll put all yer troubles in the ground for sure.” Wearily, you try to lift the glass to your lips and embrace the blissful effects of the strong alcohol but instead, your hand starts to shake and you get hit with another wave of perpetual exhaustion. The glass clatters to the bar table with a thud and the liquid splashes everywhere. You apologize profusely to the man as tears threaten to envelop your vision. Caleb sighs and moves around the table to your side. You feel his hand place itself gently on your back - a small gesture of comfort and one you clung onto for dear life. “Ay see it’s gonna take an even stronger type of liquor to fix that troubled heart of yours.” You hear him shuffle but could not bear to lift your eyes from the cover of your hands. Something tickles your right ear and suddenly you sense him begin to pepper kisses along your cheekbone. When Caleb notices that he has your attention, his kisses deepen and he starts making obnoxious smooching noises. You couldn’t help but smile and try to pull away from the mocking man, succumbing to his game and forgetting all your worries in the shine of his love. He continues his rampage of wrecking your face with wet, sloppy kisses until you were begging for him to stop. You were laughing, the tears from before having dried up. Caleb smiles, his damaged cheek hurting from the strain. But when he sees how you look at him with happiness returned in your face, he deems it all worth it.

Meg Thomas

Meg sighs and you feel her chest compress and her head lean down to your ear level, her arms sneaking to your sides where she found warmth and structure. Since the first second she saw that slight downwards twinge of your mouth, Meg had not left your side. Right now she had positioned herself to be sitting on the log directly behind you while together you sat facing the campfire. She had her legs on either side of you, effectively making a sort of make-shift barrier between you, her, and the rest of the shitty world. You relax into her, allowing your head to fall back and land safely on her left chest. She retrieves one hand and delicately brushes hair out of your eyes. She was so kind and understanding, caring like a mother and passionate like an athlete. She was persistent even as the wall crumbled inwards and started to bury you in an impossible rumble, she was quickly there to offer you her hand. “It’s difficult.” Meg mumbles so quietly it was more directed towards herself than to anyone else. “It’s like an uphill battle and sometimes it feels like your legs are going to break and you’re not going to make it up.” You feel her hands start to shiver and you go to grasp them in your own. She stops and squeezes you, holding on like a falling child would a tree branch. “But we must keep trying.” You open your eyes again to see her lovingly looking down at you - she was so angelic bathed in the golden firelight. She lowers her face and gives your nose a quick peck. She smells like roses and fresh body wash. Meg smiles and you were infected with her hopefulness, blooming in your chest in the forms of happiness and love.

Ashley J. Williams 

 “What's up, doll-face?” Ash asks as he slides into the seat next to yours. You hurriedly suck back a cry and turn your head away from him, trying and failing to hide your miserable expression. He waits a moment, eyes dancing up and down your shivering body before he exhales audibly. “Rough day, huh?” His comment was rhetorical - it was obvious that you were upset. He runs a hand through his graying hair. He pauses and thinks for a second, a task that he never normally is one to partake in. He goes to speak but stops - no that sounds stupid. Well, what about - no that's insensitive. Again and again, his brain produced and sabotaged all possibilities he had to try and make you feel better. He just wanted to make you stop crying. Ash is very unpracticed in the field of comfort. Yet seeing you so broken, so unlike how wonderful and lively you usually were, pained him more than the awkwardness did. He contemplates another option hen suddenly he feels a small tug at his shirt. Looking over he sees you pleading for him to take you in. His heart jitters slightly but does not stop him from shuffling closer to you and offering you his arm. You grateful wrap yourself around him and soon stuff your nose into his side.  Ash’s metal hand rubs smalls circles on your back and you wonder why he was not always this hug-able. “Don’t get too comfortable, kid. This is a once-off thing.” Though your heart ached from problems unimaginable, his simple abruptness tinged with undertones of sympathy, was enough of a rude-awakening to remind you that you were alive and that you always had him. 

[the-everlasting-dream]

Own Personal Superman (Rafael x MC)

Summary: Jaya discovers that getting locked out of her friend’s apartment may not be the worst thing in the world..

A/N:  This is my submission for the Choices Fandom Game: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words. I was given my picture by my friend and writer extraordinaire @likethetailofacomet The photo doesn’t reeeeally fit but ehh 

Word Count: Elle’s brain cannot be captured in 1000 words ok 3070

Warnings: Swearing

Writer Tags: @speedyoperarascalparty @ao719  @leelee10898 @riseandshinelittleblossom @zaffrenotes @drakewalkerwhipped @stopforamoment @annekebbphotography @lizeboredom @boneandfur @mind-reader1 @jovialyouthmusic @ooo-barff-ooo @bobasheebaby @ownworldresident @hopefulmoonobject @sleepwalkingelite @likethetailofacomet @silviasutton1989 @blackcatkita @blackcoffee85 @kennaxval @andy-loves-corgis @callmetippytumbles @iplaydrake @the-everlasting-dream @brightpinkpeppercorn @agent-bossypants @tornbetween2loves @dcbbw @rainbowsinthestorm @choicesbyjade @breaumonts @thehonorarybeaumont @pixelsandkink @innerpostmentality @katedrakeohd @darley1101 @carabeth @sirbeepsalot @strangerofbraidwood Readers: @cocomaxley @mfackenthal @moneyfordiamonds @romanticatheart-posts  @choicesarehard @gibbles82 @wannabemc2

-

‘Mikey, come on!’ Jaya yelled, pounding on the door of her supposed best friend’s balcony door. ‘I said I was sorry okay? Now let me in!’ 

There was no answer from the other side of the door as there hadn’t been for the last twenty minutes. Jaya shivered against the cold Boston air, wrapping the thin white bathrobe she was wearing tighter against her shoulders in an attempt to protect herself against the wind that whipped across the side of the apartment building. 

When the subject of Michaela’s kink came up, Jaya could never resist a good jab, especially at her equally sassy best friend, driving her up the wall with her teasings about one Dr Zaid Mirani. Usually Michaela would have been up for a good ribbing, giving as good as she got but so soon after the — Jaya shuddered again now at the memory of it — Mirani incident, she should have known better than to believe her friend’s attempt at covering up her feelings. In her heart, Jaya realised belatedly, she shouldn’t have gone too far and now she was paying for it dearly. Locked out on the balcony of her friend’s townhouse dressed in little more than her underwear and a flimsy bathrobe — she’d just come out of the shower — was enough to teach her a lesson and now that it was learnt, she was ready to come back in. 

 ‘Mikey come on dude,’ Jaya cajoled, jiggling the door handle. 'This stopped being funny a long time ago.’ 

 ‘You sure the joke’s over?’ Her friend’s acerbic tone sounded through the door. ‘I wouldn’t trust your judgement with that.’ 

Jaya winced. 'Okay I deserved that. Now can you please let me in?’ 

Something slipped through the mail slot landed at her bare feet. ‘Get yourself out of this one Da Silva. I don’t have time for your bullshit.’

‘Fuck you Michaela Quinn,’ she snapped viciously, raising her fists to rain more blows on the door.

If I end up breaking it, its on her.

Somewhere to Jaya's left, a window was opened and a string of what she guessed were Chinese curses were aimed at her, making her drop her raised arms. As annoyed as she was with Mikey, she wasn’t going risk getting yelled at by her cranky neighbour. 

 It was then that Jaya finally looked down to the object that had fallen through the mail slot at her feet. 

An old school flip phone. 

Why does Mikey even have one of these?  She sighed in annoyance as she glanced through the window at her actual phone lying on the coffee table on the other side of the glass. So close but so far… 

Flipping open the phone, she immediately dialled in Mikey’s number which immediately went to voicemail and she snapped the phone shut, aggravated but unsurprised that her friend had taken the care to block the number before giving it to her. Jaya dialled in another number, Sienna’s, but that got redirected to an automated voice message reminded her that Sienna had changed her number the week past. 

 If only I wasn’t so crap at remembering phone numbers. 

 The only ones she remembered were Mikey’s and her own mother’s —she shuddered at the thought of placing a call to the ever unimpressed Rani Da Silva, not needing yet another lecture about how irresponsible she was, she’d had plenty of those her entire life. Deciding against it, she pushed at the tiny buttons until she reached the phone’s phonebook, hoping that Mikey would have at least been kind enough to put the number of one of her housemates in or at least the building’s superintendent to let her back in. 

 Jaya groaned out loud as she saw the two lone contacts entered into the phone book. Jesus Mikey how long have you been planning this?

Hawaiian Justin Bieber

Wholesome Superman

She cursed her friend silently again for delivering this special torment.  She was in little but her bathrobe, stuck on the balcony of a Boston townhouse and she had two choices: Dr Bryce Lahela or EMT Rafael Aveiro. 

She regretted telling Michaela about her crush on both very attractive, very available men who both seemed to show interest in her. She was drawn to them both in different ways after hanging out one-on-one on separate occasions and she just couldn’t choose. She was hoping that by waiting it out a solution would present itself and she would get to avoid making the decision.

Right now, if she wanted to get off this goddamn balcony, a decision had to be made. Mentally scanning over their schedules in her head — Mikey would have never let her hear the end of it, if she knew Jaya actually committed both men’s timings to her memory — she groaned again and made her choice. 

The phone rang and rang as Jaya paced to small balcony, anxiety welling up in her. What if he didn’t pick up? What if he couldn’t come? What if he didn’t want to? She was so wrapped up in her doubts that she hadn’t realised he’d picked up at first. 

‘Hello?’ 

���Rafael, hi, its Jaya, Jaya Da Silva from Edenbrook,’ she began, tucking her hair behind her ear nervously. ‘Uh… how are you?’ 

His chuckle echoed through the speaker. ‘I’m good, little surprised. How are you?’ 

‘I’m uh good…’ Jaya blurted out reflexively, her voice going up higher at the end as a gust of wind blew a chill up the flaps of the robe. ‘Uhh..’ 

Rafael’s voice sounded concerned now. ‘Um Jaya… is everything okay?’ 

She squeezed her eyes shut, running a hand over her face as she cursed her supposed best friend for the hundredth time. ‘Umm Raf… are you busy now?’ 

‘No not really, what’s up? Do you need help?’ 

She didn’t deserve him, she’d gotten herself into a ridiculous situation and she had her own stupidity to thank for that. That and one Dr Michaela Quinn. She took a deep breath and decided to bite the bullet. 

‘See its actually a real funny story…’ 

Rafael listened patiently while she blabbered on in the most roundabout way of describing her current predicament, hoping he would not think it was a prank call and hang up the phone.

 ‘…so yeah. That’s what… That’s me right now,’ she trailed off awkwardly, stomach in knots. 

 ‘Well I can’t say this is one of the strangest call outs I’ve had in my career,’ he replied good-naturedly. ‘Why don’t you text me your address and I’ll drop by your place, pick up some clothes and come rescue you.’ 

‘That would be amazing,’ Jaya answered, relief immediately diffusing from her body. She thanked him profusely and hung up to text him the address. Sliding down into a sitting position seemed to be better defence against the cold and Jaya leaned back against the brick wall.

Rafael Aveiro was one of the sweetest, kindest people she’d ever met, his inclination to help people was boundless and that was one of the things she’d admired most about him. Unlike most guys he was also honest and open, not afraid to get real about his family life like he had on the helicopter ride they’d taken together. His childhood stories had seemed so sweet, she didn’t want to ruin the vibe by telling the truth about hers. Everything about him was just so wholesome — hence Mikey’s nickname for him — Jaya didn’t want to complicate things by bringing him into her own problems. But she’d done just that and now he was going to see her in little more than her bathrobe. 

Jaya sighed, dropping her head in her hands. Why do I always seem to get into situations like this? She hadn’t realised she’d dozed off until the phone in her lap started to buzz and she almost dropped it in her eagerness to answer the call. 

 ‘Hey are you here?’

‘Yep just walking around the back,’ Rafael’s deep voice sounded out. ‘Your roommate Sienna gave me a bunch of clothes while Jackie stared me down the entire time. I don’t think she likes me.’ 

Jaya couldn’t help but laugh. ‘She doesn’t like anyone.’ 

‘Where are yo- Ah I can see you.’ 

 A glance downwards brought Rafael’s dark head into view and as he climbed up the metal staircase, Jaya wrapped the bathrobe tighter around her, trying not to focus on the way his arms flexed. 

 ‘Hi.’ HIs eyes scanned over her outfit. ‘Do I wanna know?' 

'Just call me Trouble,’ Jaya replied, as he passed her the small duffle bag with her clothes in it. ‘You stand guard, Turn around. I’m going to change.’

‘Yes ma’am,’ he chuckled, dutifully turning away to give her some privacy.

Shivering slightly against the cold, Jaya hastily threw on the jeans and top her roommate had picked for her, thanking her lucky stars that Sienna had picked out her outfit rather than Jackie or Elijah. ‘All done,’ she announced preemptively as she stood hopping on one foot as she tried to slip her sneakers on, eager to get out of this embarrassing situation. Rafael has only just turned when her toe caught on the metal railing and she tipped off balance. Jaya shot her arms out to brace herself for impact but it never came. Instead she found herself in the strong arms of her latest savior, bodies pressed together closer than ever before. 

 ‘You okay?’ Rafael asked, looking down at her with a paramedic’s concern as he helped her regain her balance. 

 ‘Y-yeah,’ she mumbled, driven to speechlessness with him just inches away, unable to stop her eyes from sliding down to his lips and the prospect of kissing him seemed much more appealing. ‘You’re like my own personal Superman.’

 His lips curved up into smile. ‘Does that make you Lois Lane?' 

She shrugged, not trusting her voice and together they climbed down the staircase to where his car was waiting. As soon as she shut the door, Jaya’s sense seemed to flow back to her.

‘Thank you for that,’ she blurted out after giving him the address to her apartment. ‘You didn’t have to help me out you know. I know its your day off and you’ve probably got better things to do than to go around saving-’ 

Rafael gave her an easy smile, holding up a dismissive hand to pause her ramblings as he began to drive away from Mikey’s townhouse. ‘Jaya its fine. I didn’t mind at all really.’ 

 ‘You’re way too nice for your own good,’ she told him after a pause. ‘Paramedic, part time Superman, nicest guy alive. Are you sure you don’t have some super dark secret you’re hiding under that nice front?’ 

He laughed at her words. ‘If I do, I’m yet to find it.’ 

Jaya stroked her chin thoughtfully. ‘I mean what gives? No one is ever just that nice.’ 

‘I’m not just anyone Jaya,’ he smiled again, eyes twinkling as he stopped at the lights. 

 ‘So who are you Rafael Aveiro?’ She propped up an arm on the centre arm rest, leaned in closer and narrowed her eyes at him. 

He mimicked her expression, arm next to hers. ‘Guess you’ll have to stick around long enough to find out.' 

‘Is that how its going to be?’ 

‘That’s how its going to be,’ he shared her grin. 

Still chuckling, Jaya settled back in her seat and they shared a comfortable silence for a few moments. ‘So what were you going to do on your day off? Y’know, if you weren’t saving a damsel in distress.’ 

‘I was going to go hiking with some friends, I like to get out on my days off. I drive around this city all week but I never get to see it properly.’ 

She felt a rush of guilt flood through her. ‘I’m sorry. I must have completely ruined your plans.’  

‘No, no its fine,’ he started to say but she held a hand up. 

‘No its not. Please go on your hike. I’ll feel terrible if you don’t get to go.' 

‘Only one one condition.’ He raised his chin at her. 

‘Name it.’ 

‘You join me.’ 

 Jaya’s eyebrows shot up. He couldn’t be serious. ‘You want me to come?’ 

He gave her another smile. ‘You doing anything for the next few hours?’ 

‘Noo...,’ she admitted, hesitating for a moment before looking at Rafael’s boyish grin. Spontaneity was the last thing she usually did but this time she couldn’t help but grin back at him. ‘Alright lets do it.’

-

‘So do you always take girls you’ve just saved on long hikes in the woods?’ Jaya asked, trying to hide the fact that she was panting a little. 

 Rafael grinned back at her from where he was a few paces ahead, pausing so she could catch up. ‘You’d be the first.’ 

She raised an eyebrow amusedly. ‘In that case, I should feel special. By the way do you know where we are going? Because I have no idea.’ She paused for a moment. ’This is the dark secret you’re keeping, you brought me all the way out here to kill me and dump my body in the woods.’ 

‘Is your sense of humour always this morbid?’ He shot her an amused look. 

‘Why do you think I became a doctor? Death jokes for days sonnnn,’ she winked. 

Rafael studied at her thoughtfully for a long moment as they walked. ‘Did little Jaya always know she wanted to be a doctor?’ 

Jaya felt her cheerful demeanour drop as the lump in her throat began to build and suddenly it was much too hard to swallow. ‘I uh...’ 

She felt tears prick the back of her eyes. She was not going to cry about this. Not here. Not in front of him. He didn’t need to be drawn into any more of her problems. 

‘I guess its just something I…always knew I’d do.’ She looked up to see him eyeing her carefully and she silently hoped he wouldn’t push her. 

 ‘I see,’ he replied, nodding in understanding and they continued on for a few moments up the incline. Anxiety rippled through her as Jaya tried to find the right words, hoping Rafael wouldn’t think she was brushing her off or that she was rude or — 

‘I-Its just… My childhood was a bit… turbulent. I’d rather not talk about it if that’s okay with you?’ 

 ‘Jaya,’ Rafael caught her hand, making her look back at him. ‘You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to okay?’ 

She nodded, squeezing his hand a little and they continued their walk. Jaya glanced down at their clasped hands and couldn’t help but smile a little at the sight. She took a deep breath of the clean air, doubting that the EMT had any idea how calming his presence was. She was already starting to like him a lot more. Eventually, guided by Rafael, they made it to the top of the hill overlooking the entire Boston area. 

 ‘Wow,’ Jaya breathed, sinking to the ground and taking in the view. ‘Its breathtaking.’ 

‘Its one of my favourite views,’ Rafael put in, sitting down next to her. ‘Whenever it gets too much, I like to come up here and it reminds me how small my problems are in comparison.’ 

She nodded. 

Right now, all the things weighing on her mind, the competition for the place on the diagnostics team, the feeling of never being good enough, her struggles with her mother and her childhood, the duty she felt to herself to always be the best and do the best all didn’t seem so bad. 

‘Perspective.' 

He nodded and they sat together for a while in a comfortable silence. At some point Jaya looked over at him, the setting sun caught perfectly on his dark eyes and she felt the overwhelming urge to kiss him. Rafael let her take him in, smiling a little. 

Then almost magnetically, Jaya felt herself drawing closer to him and slowly tantalisingly the space between them decreased and his lips were on hers in a soft slow kiss. His hand came up to caress her cheek slightly and she placed an arm on his bicep as they parted. 

 ‘Wow,’ she breathed after a moment, eyes flickering open to see him looking at her tenderly. 

‘Yeah.’ He ran a thumb over her cheek and Jaya leaned in again, wanting more of him but he gently stopped her. ‘If its okay, I’d like to leave it there for today.’ 

‘Ookay…’ Her mind clouded over with doubts. Was she a bad kisser? Did he not like her? 

Rafael seemed to read her mind immediately. ‘I like you a lot Jaya but I don’t wanna rush this. I made that mistake before and I don’t want to make it again with an amazing woman like you. Is that okay?’ 

Jaya breathed a sigh of relief. ’That’s completely fine. Go as slow as you need.’ 

He smiled softly at her before getting to his feet and pulling her up. ‘I should get you home before your roommates start to worry.’ 

 She didn’t want their evening to end but she wanted to respect his request to take it slow so she allowed him to lead her back down the trail, keeping his hand firmly in hers until he chivalrously held the car door open for her to get in. 

A short drive later, they were standing outside her apartment building and he came to stand in front of her. 

‘Thank you for the save Rafael Aveiro.’ She look up at him, smiling. 

 ‘Thank you for the hike Jaya Da Silva.’ 

Again Jaya felt the urge to kiss him again but squashed the request down. ‘Is a goodnight kiss out of the question?’ She whispered, silently hoping he’d indulge her again. 

 ‘I think I can handle that,’ he grinned back dipped his head down to capture her lips again. 

Jaya rest her hands on his strong chest as their kiss was soft and sweet just like the last time. Just like him. 

 As they parted for the night, Jaya couldn’t help the smile on her face. She was looking forward to seeing a lot more of her own personal Superman in the near future.

[parabataisarah]

BOOK 3, CHAPTER 4

Masterlist here.

Tag List: @brightpinkpeppercorn​, @roonarific​, @sceptilemasterr​, @endlessly-searching-for-you​​, @irrelevanthough​​, @likethetailofacomet​​, @indiacater​​.

Reactions under ‘Keep Reading’ cut.

- Alright, sorry for the delay in the next two chapters. Your girl got busy and had no spoons to be able to sit there with enough attention for the books.

- ‘You’ve only just departed the atoll when the sea splits apart and a familiar, many-toothed maw rises!’ IT’S FUCKIN’ CETUS ISN’T IT??

- I fuckin’ knew it.

- “Oh. Bloody. Hell.” Malatesta, I know the pain.

- “Cetus! I swear on my mother’s grave, I will cut off your head and mount your skull over my throne!” YOU TELL ‘EM, VARYYN!

- Like hell I’m letting you get the Island’s Heart, fish boi.

- MALATESTA FUCKIN’ DO NOT GIVE CETUS THE HEART!

- You. Absolute. Drongo.

- Y’all can bet I’m chewing him out for doing that!

- Michelle backing me up is the reason I wake up in the morning.

- We’re gonna go overboard, aren’t we?

- I’m not letting them crash into the rocks!

- Told ya we’d go overboard.

- ‘You’re being... kissed?’ One can only assume you’re getting CPR, so yeah, I mean, one of the names for CPR is “The kiss of life” so...

- Aye! Sean! Baby! You gave me CPR and brought me back!

- I love ES MC, but boi, do the exude BDE sometimes. Big Dumbass Energy.

- Oooo, who are you??

- “Actually... he’s kind of cute, don’t you think, MC?” Diego, I love you dearly, but I AM IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH SEAN! And I ain’t gonna say that this stranger is cute when my boyfriend is right there.

- I do personally conclude he is cute, but still.

- He is cute. Fudge. I just got the full body of him, and Ooof.

- Although I do think he’s cute, I also think he’s a bit suspicious, so.

- Quinn, you just saw a cute boy and you don’t want us to scare him away. I love you, but don’t.

- Hey there, Kele.

- WAIT! IT JUST CLICKED! ISN’T HE THE DUDE THAT I SAW AT THE END OF BOOK 2?? HE WAS SMOKING A CIGAR RIGHT???

- He thinks it's 1941??? Oh, honey, no.

- Okay, I get that it’s a chance to spend time with your LI, but why do you have to choose? Like... All four of you go and then spend time with your LI when you’re there??

- ‘You waggle your eyebrows suggestively, causing Sean to chuckle and kiss the top of your head.’ I am... so soft for this dork.

- “I can think of something useful for you to do.” ‘Sean raises his eyebrows at you with a flirtatious grin.’ Why did I have a feeling that picking that option would lead to something like that?

- ‘He swings his arms under your legs and hoists you up!’ He’s a dork. I love him.

- So, MC gets out of Sean’s hold before he closes the gap and kisses her, and this dork... “Oh, that’s just mean.” It’s all under consideration, baby 😂

- Sean and Aleister have so much in common, I just... Goddamn, do not be making me cry, PB.

- I love these two dorks. Please let them be happy.

- You know the music they play for the “sexy times”? I always end up jamming out to that for a few seconds. It’s a good tune, don’t @ me.

- ‘Romance Up! Sean is now serious with you!’ HECK TO THE YEAH BOYO!

- I need some art of Craig trying to play a guitar please 😂

- If Craig was horrible at playing the guitar, and Jake was worse than him? Oh, boy.

- “Coconut milk. And love. Always cook with love.” THAT’S IT, PACK YOUR BAGS AND GO HOME. RAJ IS THE MOST PRECIOUS CHOICES CHARACTER!

- Can I hug Raj again???

- A ghost? Does it mean that Star Man that keeps offering us the Embers of Hope??

- I wasn’t gonna pick to fight it. If it is a ghost as Kele says, then how are you supposed to fight it? Last time I checked, we don’t have any Ghostbuster gear.

- Even if this ghost is a friendly ghost, I AM NOT GOING TO MAKE IT ANGRY! So, we offer a tribute?

- God, I miss listening to Jason Mraz. Thanks, Jake.

- ES MC is fearless. We’re going first, lads.

- I WAS SO CONFUSED FOR A SECOND! MC STUMBES INTO A WALL AND HER HAND CAME AWAY BLOODY. The wall has blood on it. Great. I’m feeling the Harry Potter love/references here.

- “STAY AWAY” Too late, we’re already here.

- I ain’t touching the fountain, don’t know what’s under the dark green water, and I don't wanna know.

- Should probably look at the shrine, see if we can figure out who it was for.

- Grace’s Pen??? What the??/

- NONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONO, Zahra isn’t dead, right?

- PB if she actually is, I will sue.

- CRAIG, I KNOW YOU JUST LOST ZAHRA, BUT NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO JUMP DOWN THE FUCKIN’ CREEPY FLOOR HOLE!

- We’re all going down that hole. As Diego said, “All for one and one for all.”

- “This is not an ideal cuddle pile.” I WANNA CUDDLE PILE WITH RAJ!

- I’m like low-key mad Raj isn’t a LI.

- We have to avenge her, but we also have to focus! Fudge.

- LET! ME! HUG! CRAIG!

- AYE! Ghost Man!

- Wait what?! How is Ghost Man Zahra???

- You’re about to get your Ember of Hope, Craig, why do I need to help you? I’m gonna get the ring anyway.

- I know it has to touch MC for the vision to work, but at the same time, he didn’t need to show MC.

- Heck yeah! Go Craig!

- Oh! They were playing a video game!

- This Bromance all the ES guys have is just... Amazing.

- “I think I’m in love with you, and I don’t know how to stop. I don’t think I can.” I’m gonna need a moment to get over that.

- Is she actually dead? I’m gonna cry!

- ASDFGHJKL!!! SHE’S ALIVE! SHE’S ALIVE! SHE’S ALIVE!!!

- THEY KISSED AGAIN! YEAH!!

- The Endless is alive? Well damn.

[awfully-sadistic]

How to Start off the New Year

Just... wanted to try another format.

It’s New Years Eve and the ball had just gotten started. Glamorous people from around the globe seemingly felt an urgent call to attend tonight’s gala. It was laughable; celebrities to politicians were in attendance and you could count on a single hand just how many friends you had there.

None.

It wasn’t that the life in the mortuary business wasn’t popular. On the contrary, because you work in Gotham City, business was booming. People in town called on you to take care of... well, nearly anything to deal with the dearly (and not so) departed. From crime scenes to personal funeral services, you were up to your elbow... or perhaps even your eyes in stiffs.

“Doesn’t everything look wonderful?” you hear a tone you immediately recognize. You know the handsome man speaking to you is none other than Gotham’s most wealthy bachelor and beloved man of the century. Normally, you grin and bear it. Good boys like Bruce Wayne weren’t your cup of tea--actually, he was on the entire opposite side of the field. But for some reason, you two always end up running into each other.

Each time, he prompts a conversation.

Each time, you turn around with a polite smile on your face and whether or not, depending on what you have in your hand, you clink your flute against his and reply, “You’ve really outdone yourself, Mr. Wayne.”

“Please, call me Bruce.”

“Haha, no thanks, Mr. Wayne.”

“But I must insist. We’ve known each other for... how many years is it now, Dot?”

“Too many?” you threw out there with a teasing grin that might have hinted towards your true feelings about this playboy and his lifestyle. Yeah, that’s not the life for you and you’ve done everything you could to maintain a professional yet friendly bantering relationship with this man. After all, he does employ some of your business and recommends you to a lot of powerful people himself. For whatever purpose, you don’t give a damn. It’s business and you’ll take it especially if he wanted to put your name out there.

Yet for some reason, he’s awfully persistent. Long ago, he’s learned not to try to tempt you with jealousy by having a woman on his arm when he spoke to you, to get you to notice him like an elementary child playing games, and now he just comes up to you on his own. Perhaps he was trying another tactic with you? You laughed inwardly, locking eyes with the man.

Needless to say, he towered over you. Your eyes kept traveling up until they reached that smug smile and watched as his gaze appreciated your full figure. You were quite partial to animal print so that was what you wore; subtle, not gaudy. Elegant. Sleek. Like a prowler, not prey. It was perhaps bolder than most the white bread women and cookie cutter Stepford wives dared to wear but you liked what you liked and you loved your clothes.

“Like what you see?” you asked with a coy smile on your face. Bruce’s gaze snapped up to yours and you swore he seemed flustered. He averted his gaze and laughed, “You look stunning, Dot.”

“Thanks.” And because he seemed genuine in his compliment, you decided to throw him a bone. “You look quite handsome yourself.”

Bruce chuckled; it was a deep sound, you noticed. Almost quiet. He had to step closer to you in order to keep your guys’ conversation private. There wasn’t a need to; well, perhaps from his side but you didn’t see why. Instead, you took another sip from your flute, keeping your eyes on his from over the rim. You raised your eyebrows at him, expecting him to carry the conversation. Heaven knows you weren’t.

“So, how’s the business?”

You chuckled yourself, a feminine sound that clearly contrasted his own. “Business is good considering I work with a bunch of dead guys all day.”

You watched as Bruce’s brows furrowed and he looked like he wanted to ask you something. “Why is it that you went--”

The lights went out and the room was cast in immediate darkness. You looked around, startled by the sudden interruption. “Is it the countdown already?” you asked.

Bruce’s tone seemed a little more preoccupied, but it might have been because he was confused as well. “...No. It isn’t.” he said before gently touching your elbow and telling you, “Excuse me. I’m going to see what happened.”

You nod, feeling the slight tingling sensation of Bruce’s hand leftover from touching your skin. You cleared your throat and straightened your spine, head looking this way and that. It didn’t seem like the countdown had begun from the look on everyone else’s confused expression’s, too.

BAM!

Doors on the other end of the hall were suddenly kicked in and the people nearest to it seemed to jump... and then came the screaming.

From both sides, apparently. Screams of frightened men and women accompanied by the sound of running steps headed towards any of the other exits. Your eyes widened as you witness the men who had come in were armed and they were carrying awfully large guns.

“...Goddamn it, Gotham.” you cursed under your breath.

“STAY WHERE YOU ARE!” a booming voice took command right away, and in came the ringleader himself.

Harvey Dent, or rather known as Two-Face, strolled into the room like he had owned the place. Well, after this performance, it certainly seemed like he did. It was your first time seeing the man in person, but you knew his work. A lot of the bodies that ran through you were either his victims or any of the other nut jobs terrorizing the town. But you also knew he was odder than the other villains; sometimes he killed his victims, sometimes he didn’t. Unlike the Joker who left death and destruction everywhere he went or the Riddler that seemed to work things a particular way that either there were bodies or not in any given scheme he thinks of, Two-Face decides his decisions with... well, a coin toss.

It sounded stupid, was your first initial thought.

And then you looked at him and did your own research. Why? Why did he function the way he did? It was obvious he had a gimmick--almost everyone in Gotham did. It was fucking weird. So it didn’t surrpise you he had a whole theme going on. But why the coin flip thing? Why the whole Two sides of everything?

Then, you found out about Harvey Dent. You found out that he wasn’t bad... all the time. To you, it seemed like there were two people in charge of one body. Two minds trying to control the other. It was fascinating. Perhaps it was your way of sympathizing with monsters but Harvey was a pitiable creature that you didn’t quite feel pity for. It was something else, infatuation, perhaps? Hey, if Harley Quinn can become infatuated with the Joker, no one should laugh at you.

But Two-Face was too dangerous to laugh at and it wasn’t like you said anything about your infatuation, anyway.

Two-Face continued to talk, but you were too distracted to really listen. All you could do was stare. You stared at the way he was giving orders, the way he pointed, the way he threatened his lackeys, the way he threatened the guests, the way he flipped a coin and shot a senator in the foot.

You blinked back to the present and it kicked you in the butt. You were being held hostage and you could very much die in this situation.

But he was getting closer. And you could feel your heartbeat thrum with anticipation--was he going to threaten you, too? ...And what the fuck, was this anticipation fear? You placed a hand over your chest and mentally scolded yourself to stop getting horny in the middle of Two-Face butting the end of his gun in some dude’s face.

Two-Face was two people down from you now, flipping a coin, doing some threatening dialogue and making decisions. So far, no one’s died... that was a plus, right? 

He moved again. And one more time...

Until he was finally in front of you. 

It seemed like he was going to take another step before he froze. Your head barely cleared the square cut of his shoulders but then you could see that he was kind of slouching. He stood up straighter and you couldn’t see anything but the end of his tie now.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

You were afraid to look up. Actually afraid. But you weren’t sure what the context was yet. You swallowed dryly, tilting your head back and came face to face with the grotesque appearance that you’ve come to memorize looking at glossy photographs of his mugshots.

“D...Dot.” you said, hoping you weren’t stuttering or your voice didn’t crack.

“Dot...” he repeated. You wanted to lower your head or look away but you couldn’t and took in his entire appearance.

The burned side of his face was so close, his wide eye seemingly staring holes into you. You were looking him in the eyes, you realized with something akin to horror and fascination.

You two just stared at each other for a while. It was.. unreal, to be honest. What was he going to say? What did he want? ...Did he really intend to hurt you?

You got your answer soon enough as he grabbed your wrist and yanked you into his grip. One of his arms came across your front which locked him to you, the other held a gun to your head. Then, he was shouting over your head, barking orders that came from deep in his chest that you felt it against your back. “We’re leaving boys, grab all the valuables before the Bat arrives!”

“Too late.”

A thump and everyone’s heads turned to see that Batman had landed on one of the goons under Two-Face’s command. He cracked the man on the back of his head with a hard punch that you had to inwardly wince. It sounded like it hurt. It must have as the man didn’t get up.

Shots begun to fire; everyone knew the drill. Batman was basically endgame. It was shoot him or be taken down and Two-Face didn’t need to remind his men of that. Batman seemed to weave in and out of bullet fire, taking down the men along with him.

Two-Face’s grip tightened and he backed up, taking you with him as well. You dared a glance upwards and noted that Harvey’s crazed eyes were staring straight at the Batman, bangs falling across his forehead and he was gritting his teeth. “Just had to crash the New Year celebration, huh?”

“Give it up, Two-Face. Drop D--the hostage and get away from her. Surrender peacefully... and no one has to get hurt.”

“Yeah, well, that’s the thing.” Two-Face’s head was near yours now and you jumped, startled that he had got close. He pinched your cheeks together with the hand holding the gun, giving it a playful shake. “I don’t want to.”

You realized too late that while the two were talking, Two-Face was walking you two backwards with his back towards the wall to ceiling windows. You realized too late as Batman reached out towards you, shouting, NO!, that you two were already falling through a hail of glittering glass shards and Two-Face’s cackle.

When Batman ran to the window, ready to grab you or fly after you two with a grappling hook, you two were nowhere to be seen.

The Batman had lost a hostage for the night. It was devastating. He grappled away, intent on finding out what happened to you at all cost. But that... is another story.

It seemed that Harvey Dent got the better of Batman tonight and had escaped with you in his grasp. For whatever purposes, no one could fathom. There had been a glint in the man’s eye as soon as he had laid eyes on you, one that you had hopefully missed. It may seem you had been dressed up as the predator for the night but you were definitely the prey.

and you? ...Well, you would know how this ends, wouldn’t you?