#and so she doesn't have anyone - no friends at all

[thenerdywriter]

"it was awkward to see colin flirt and behave like a rake" "he gave me the ick" yes ! that is the fucking point!! congratulations! you have the media literacy skills of a fucking monkey because my 4-year old niece could understand it better than you do.

we are supposed to find colin cringey and annoying and get the ick because that is not who he is. he is not anthony, or simon, or even benedict. colin (apart from gregory) is the sweetest of all bridgerton brothers (i'm going by book canon) and his most identifiable character trait is the fact that he values an emotional connection above everything. he runs away to the continent because he wants to feel that emotional connection. he has meaningless sex in brothels because that is the example he has seen growing up, that is the norm. he tries so hard to fit into the norm. he goes out drinking, adopts an entirely new personality, learns flirtations because that is how he thinks he will fit in. he's got armour on, as violet said. he puts everyone's needs above his own, he stops rambling on and boring his family with details of his trip because he knows no one cares. he doesn't talk to anthony or benedict about his heartaches because he knows they still, somewhere in their heart of hearts, view him as the annoying younger brother. he's so devastated by his closest friend not responding to him that he adopts a new personality in the hopes that it might mask the hurt better. he runs after penelope in episode one because he is so attuned to her emotions that he knows she's hurting, and tries to comfort her even when she's spiraling and lashes out. he must have been hurt by her words in the "good night mr bridgerton" scene but he puts it aside to genuinely apologise to her when literally no one else in that family would do that. colin, instead of brooding over his own feelings, goes and corners penelope in her family's garden and apologises to her, disregarding his own hurt at being cruelly dismissed by his close friend.

penelope asking colin to kiss her is not a mark of how "pathetic" she is. she has written and shamed herself in a manner that is almost entirely unsalvageable. she is at her lowest point, and then portia comes in and reminds her of how undesirable she is, and she sinks even lower. she asks colin to kiss her because she sees it as a final act, after which she can quietly wave goodbye to her dreams of ever getting married and leaving her mother's home. colin kisses her because he is also keenly aware of how she's feeling. he knows how hurt she is, he wants to do anything to alleviate that. be it cracking a joke, or kissing her. he is gentle, because he wants it to be something she can dream of when she's by herself. penelope, at this moment, has no hope for herself, and their kiss is an act of letting go for her. no, it's not a pity kiss, no he did not like her after her glow up, he has always loved her. him being struck dumb is a reaction to her physical transformation, nothing more. he does not flirt with her in that ballroom scene, he only approaches her when she's in distress. he's not flirting with her. i can assure you penelope could wear the frumpiest most neon yellow gown of all time and colin would still go "<333 my pen" for her.

colin jumps to catch the balloon's ropes because he sees that penelope is in danger, he does not give a shit about anyone else lmao. he feels temporary relief when he sees eloise run to safety, but the moment he sees penelope in immediate danger, he rushes to take action. afterwards, when he sees that she's being comforted by debling (all my homies hate debling, even if he is aro/ace coded i do NOT claim him) he does not approach her. it would be easy for him to do so, but he does not, because he respects her boundaries. colin bridgerton is the only man in the ton who respects women (the featherington sons-in-laws are too pretty to have a thought) he calls out fife and his friends for treating women like objects and calls them cavalier. the only way he would have been more explicit about his demisexuality was if he tap danced on the club table (entertaining thought, luke newton please)

colin also rapidly takes action, something which no one in the show has done so far. simon would have died instead of accepting his feelings for daphne, daphne would have been content with a loveless marriage forever instead of asking for help. kate would have pushed edwina down the aisle and gone off to india instead of confronting her own feelings, and anthony would have married edwina if she hadn't been brave enough for the three of them to run from the altar and ruin herself. penelope stood on the sidelines for years and loved him quietly because she had no hope of him loving her back. colin, the moment he is assured of his feelings, runs to penelope, almost kisses her in the middle of a ballroom. when he hears that debling is about to propose, he goes to the ball, just to dissuade penelope one more time. he cuts into their dance because he's desperate. when he runs after her carriage, he asks her if she has been proposed to, because he would not have touched her otherwise. he confesses his feelings to her only when he knows that she hasn't gotten engaged to debling, and when she says "but we are friends" he moves away. nothing more. he would have let her go, if she did not return his feelings.

idk whether i should be flattered or offended at people misunderstanding this season because on one hand it is offensive, but on the other hand, it means only smart people get polin. seriously. your minds have been rotted by insta-love and enemies to lovers that you can't even appreciate the innate beauty of friends to lovers. being friends with someone and then holding all those feelings for them. the trepidation of possible rejection. the fulfillment of being loved by the person who knows you the best of them all. the privilege of loving someone whose feelings you know better than your own. love is gentle and kind and yes it is a violent, uprooting force but above all, love does not hurt anyone. it does not hurt you. i could love someone quietly for years and it wouldn't bother me if their feelings were requited or not because my feelings are none of their business and i consider it a privilege to love and be loved by them, even if it is not in the way i would want it to be. polin are privileged in the highest sense. they know each other better than anyone else, they know how to love each other better than anyone else. to think they are rushed or they dont deserve each other is a disservice to both of them. they would be miserable with anyone else.

in other matters, if i see one more person talking smack about luke or nicola behind the safety of their screens i will personally get a bazooka.

[just-aake]

Detecting Love Part 2

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x fem!reader

Summary: Sequel to Detecting Love. Can a spy who's been trained to lie her entire life show the person with the power to detect lies the truth what it means to be loved?

Warnings: fluff, light angst, hurt/comfort

Words: 5171

Natasha Romanoff lies.

Now, that’s to be expected, considering she is one of the greatest spies in the world. Ever since she was a child, she has been trained to be able to deceive everyone she meets.

Lying comes as easily to her as breathing, and deception is woven into every fiber of her being.

A charming smile here. A flirty wink there. 

Sweet words flow from her lips like honey.

Making everyone fall in love with all of the different false personas that she created for herself.

With a life and a past as shadowed as hers, it makes sense why she never even dared to imagine finding a person who can tolerate, let alone embrace, someone like her.

Then, she met you.

With your unique power to literally see through lies, you can detect the truth from her even when she’s at her most convincing. And despite learning about who she was and how she is, you accepted her unconditionally, not just as a friend, but as a partner.

For Natasha, being with someone who can truly see her is scary, and yet, that feeling is also better than breathing itself.

The two of you have been dating for several months now, and Natasha has never been happier.

Even if she sometimes occasionally struggles to express her affection openly in public.

As the two of you stroll through the compound, her eyes drift down once again in contemplation to your hand swinging casually at your side.

As if sensing her silent deliberation, you suddenly ask her curiously.

“Do you want to hold my hand?”

Natasha straightens at your question and faces forward, responding promptly in an even tone, “No.” 

Now that is sure to sound honest to anyone else who heard it, but you’re different.

Natasha makes sure to trail back slightly behind your line of sight in an attempt to hide the glow she knows you’d probably see around her.

You don’t comment on her evading action, but a faint smile tugs at the corners of your lips as you maintain your pace toward the Avenger’s personal elevator.

The two of you stand side by side, waiting for the elevator to arrive when Natasha suddenly feels the back of your hand lightly graze her fingers before quickly pulling away.

She narrows her eyes in suspicion at you, but you maintain an innocent expression, your gaze fixed on the decreasing numbers above the elevator doors.

Facing forward once more, Natasha is about to dismiss the action as an accidental touch when she feels it again – the fleeting brush of your hand against hers. 

This time, she doesn't hesitate to shoot you an accusing stare. Yet, you continue to feign ignorance, your expression a perfect mask of innocence. 

A couple of seconds pass before your hand makes contact with hers for the third time. 

Before you can retract your hand, Natasha swiftly catches it and intertwines your fingers with hers before letting out a defeated huff.

You don’t utter a word about her actions, but a subtle smile curves your lips, exposing your amusement at her reaction. 

With a soft squeeze of her hand, you pull her into the elevator, the door closing shut behind the two of you.

It's moments like these that remind Natasha why she fell for you — your ability to see past her lies, even the most trivial ones.

Once the elevator door slides open to the private floor, the two of you are met with sounds of a heated argument between the Asgardian Avenger and his visiting brother.

“I know you did it, Loki! This is not the first time you’ve taken and hidden a treasure of mine!”

“Oh, would you stop being so dramatic? We're talking about a mug, not some enchanted artifact.”

You raise a questioning brow at her, silently asking her whether you two should come back at another time, but Natasha shakes her head resolutely in response, not willing to let anything prevent her from missing her morning coffee.

As the two of you walk past the brothers, Thor finally notices the new presence in the room.

“Y/n!” he calls excitedly. 

His hand lands on your shoulder, catching you in place between the two of them which in turn pulls your hand from her grasp.

Thor’s other hand points accusingly at his brother.

“Is Loki lying about taking my mug?”

Realizing that you’re being dragged into the middle of the argument, your eyes dart to Natasha for help, only for her to give you a thumbs up in encouragement as she takes a sip of the coffee that she just poured from the freshly made pot.

The other Asgardian crosses his arms and snickers derisively at his brother.

“Do you really think that this simple mortal can expose the literal god of mischief? I didn’t take your stupid mug, and she can’t prove any—”

“He’s lying,” you answer plainly, seeing the red aura surrounding the Asgardian.

Loki shuts his mouth in surprise, blinking at you for a moment in disbelief, before pointing at you with a disdainful look.

“I don’t like her,” he states bluntly.

“Ah ha!” Thor exclaims victoriously. “You did take it!”

The two continue with their arguing as you discreetly sneak away to Natasha’s side.

She hands you a cup of coffee which you accept with a soft thanks before an alarm on your phone rings, showing your reminder for the day. 

You groan lightly in disappointment, causing Natasha to raise a questioning brow at you as she raises her cup for another sip.

“I have some interviews to get to this morning, so I’ll have to see you later,” you tell her before pressing a quick kiss goodbye to her cheek.

“I love you,” you whisper against her skin.

Swallowing her sip quickly, Natasha turns her head towards your direction, the reciprocating words also on her tongue.

“I—”

But you’ve already rushed away around the corner, disappearing from view. 

“…love you too,” Natasha finishes in a soft disappointed tone, her lips twisting at your action. 

Public displays of affection aside, Natasha has no problem wanting to tell you how much you mean to her.

But for some reason, you always seem to conveniently find ways to escape whenever she’s about to say those words to you.

“Now I’m no expert on relationships, but that right there was some cunning evasion tactic,” Loki comments, smirking at Natasha. “It appears that she’s not really interested in receiving such words from you.”

A slap on Loki's shoulder propels him forward a couple of steps as Thor reprimands, “Stop trying to cause problems for them, Loki.” 

He then turns to Natasha with a firm nod. 

“Don’t listen to him, Nat. Y/n loves you.”

Of course, she knows that. 

You whisper those words against her skin every morning when you think she’s still asleep and then again against her lips when you wake her up. 

The problem is that it seems that she never gets the chance to return the gesture before you find some way to rush away from the room or keep her mouth otherwise occupied and distracted.

A thud on the counter pulls her from her thoughts as Loki leans against the table with a mischievous grin.

“That girl can detect lies, right? Then why don’t you just tell her that you don’t love her, and then she’ll see the truth. That should be easy enough for you. After all, lying is your specialty,” Loki remarks before a smug expression forms on his face. 

“Unless that is, the truth is that you don’t actually love her,” he taunts.

Natasha glares at him silently, refusing to fall for his baiting provocation. Not wanting to give the trickster god any more amusement, she quickly downs the rest of her coffee and leaves for the meeting room, deciding to try again with you later.

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

With the briefing finishing early, Natasha decides to visit your office during this break in between her meetings. Conversations flow around her as she walks past the front desk toward the administrative part of the building.

“I’m sorry, miss, but I can’t let you enter without an appointment.”

“Well, is there any way you can just send a message to Y/n to let her know I’m here?”

Natasha’s head snaps up from her tablet at the sound of your name and curiously turns to the person who said it, only for her eyes to widen slightly in surprise at their identity.

Your ex-fiancée 

Stopping in her tracks, Natasha redirects her attention to the two of them.

“What did you need to see Y/n for?” she asks.

Your ex turns to her at her question, and an expression of amazement crosses her face.

“Oh, wow, you’re Black Widow.”

Brushing off her awed exclamation, Natasha crosses her arm expectantly as she repeats, a slight tone of protectiveness entering her voice.

“Why are you looking for Y/n?” 

Noticing her serious gaze and intimidating demeanor, your ex fidgets with her hands nervously as she responds.

“It’s kind of a private matter with an old case that I need her help with,” she explains.

Despite being the one who broke your heart, your mutual break up with her meant that the two of you are still somewhat friends, and as much as Natasha wants to, she can’t prevent your ex from seeking you out, especially since it seems she needs your help.

With an internal displeased sigh, Natasha gestures with her head towards the direction of the elevators.

“I’m heading over to her office right now if you want to come with me,” Natasha offers, nodding at the receptionist reassuringly to indicate that it’s okay, before walking away without another word. 

Natasha hears your ex scramble to follow quickly after her once she processes her words.

As the elevator doors close with the two of them inside, Natasha pulls out her phone to send you a warning text.

I’m on the way to your office with your ex.

A read message quickly appears under her text, indicating that you have seen it, and then a text bubble promptly pops up as you respond.

?!?!?

“So, do you and Y/n work together often?” your ex asks, trying to fill the silence with casual conversation.

Natasha looks up at her question, tucking her phone away. She crosses her arms and leans back against the elevator walls, adopting an intimidating posture, as she gives her a hard stare.

With a calm yet assertive tone, she tilts her head curtly and replies with the truth. 

“She’s my girlfriend.”

An awkward silence fills the small space after her answer, and your ex’s eyes dart around the enclosed space, seemingly realizing she’s essentially alone with the Black Widow who just revealed that she is in a relationship with you. 

Sensing her nervous energy, Natasha relaxes her posture, offering a more friendly demeanor.

“Relax, if I was going to do something, I would have done it already,” Natasha reassures. 

Your ex nods hesitantly, acknowledging Natasha’s attempt to diffuse the tension. After a moment of contemplation, she gathers the courage to speak up again. 

“So, you know about Y/n and her ability?” your ex asks, her voice tinged with curiosity.

“Yes,” Natasha confirms, adding, “And about what happened between the two of you.”

The revelation hangs heavy in the air, plunging the elevator into an uncomfortable silence once again. 

Honestly, Natasha knows she shouldn’t keep putting your ex in these awkward positions with her responses. 

However, just because you are on friendly terms with her doesn’t mean Natasha has to be, especially considering she never held any goodwill toward the woman before.

Natasha redirects her focus to the digital display above the door, silently cursing and blaming Tony for the sluggish pace of the elevator. 

“I-I honestly did love her,” your ex confesses, breaking the silence once again.

At her statement, Natasha regards her with a raised eyebrow, silently prompting her to elaborate on her sudden declaration.

"I mean, Y/n’s great. It’s just…it got hard to imagine being with someone who always knows if you’re telling the truth or not,” your ex explains with a small sigh, offering a tiny sympathetic shrug before asking. “I’m sure you understand that feeling too, right?"

Irritation flares in Natasha’s chest at your ex’s words, her protective instincts surfacing in defense of you.

"Maybe the fact that she can see someone for who they truly are is what makes being with her so special," Natasha counters, her voice firm with conviction.

The remainder of the elevator ride passes in tense silence until the doors finally open with a ding, signaling their arrival at your floor. 

Throughout that time, one part of the conversation continues to bother Natasha, and she finds herself asking, wanting to know the answer.

“Did you tell her often?”

“What?” your ex asks, blinking in surprise and caught off guard by her sudden question. 

Natasha presses her lips together momentarily in displeasure at the topic before clarifying, “Did you tell Y/n that you loved her often, you know, before your feelings changed?”

"Oh, um, kind of," she admits, a faint chuckle escaping her lips. "It’s actually kind of funny. Y/n would always have this cute little shy smile whenever I said it, so I ended up saying those words to her a lot."

The irritation in Natasha’s chest intensifies at her answer, and her feelings must be evident on her face because your ex starts waving her hands frantically in a slight panic.

“But I’m positive Y/n won’t react the same way if I said it now,” she adds quickly.

Instead of responding, Natasha leaves the elevator without another word. 

Your ex’s reassurance does little to ease the irritation that she feels at not yet having been able to say those words to you herself.

The two of them arrive at the door of your office, only to find it locked with the lights turned off.

Just as Natasha is about to text you to ask you about your whereabouts, you emerge from around the corner, skidding to a stop in front of her.

Confused at your flustered state, Natasha gives you a questioning look as she asks, “Why are you rushing?”

You take a couple of deep breaths to catch your breath before answering.

“Because…I didn’t want to…to leave you waiting.”

Natasha feels her heart flutter at your words, her posture relaxing for a moment.

“…wow…you look good, Y/n,” your ex comments.

Natasha’s body immediately tenses again at the reminder of your ex’s presence, and she becomes further annoyed when she takes in the state of your appearance that prompted the remark from your ex.

You are in your usual workout outfit, a standard black tank top, showcasing your body with a gleam of sweat still on your skin, evidence of your workout session.

As if sensing Natasha’s increasing irritation, your ex gestures awkwardly in fear toward the waiting area some distance away.

“I’ll just wait over there.”

Natasha watches your ex walk away with a slight glare in her eyes. 

When she turns back to you, her expression instinctively softens with affection and curiosity.

“Where were you?” she asks.

“My last couple of interviews had to cancel, so I decided to go train for a bit,” you answer with a slight shrug. “You know, since you suggested that I try training whenever I’m bored and have some free time.”

Natasha's lips twist slightly in conflict at your response. She's happy you took her suggestion to heart, but now she's also upset that it led to you appearing in front of your ex in such a state.

Gesturing toward your ex, you ask, “Did she say why she’s here?”

Natasha sighs and shakes her head.

“She only mentioned that it was an old case that you can help her with.”

“Okay,” you say, nodding in understanding, probably already knowing what she’s referring to. 

Then you look at Natasha with a cute tilt of your head. 

“After I finish up with her, do you want to go out for some lunch?”

A small smile forms on Natasha’s face, her earlier irritation melting away at your suggestion. 

However, she knows she might not have enough time to wait and go out before her next meeting.

“How about I go ahead and pick up some takeout first, and then we can have lunch in your office when I return?” Natasha offers as a compromise.

You smile at her in response and press a soft kiss against her cheek.

“It’s a date.”

As you’re about to move past her, Natasha presses her hand firmly on your shoulder, stopping you and pushing you back to your original position.

You give her a questioning look in confusion.

“Did you take my hoodie again?” Natasha asks accusingly. 

Your eyes dart guiltily to your office before you mutter under your breath with a soft pout, “Maybe.”

Natasha nods slightly in contemplation, her eyes glancing at where your ex was waiting and then back to you.

“Put it on,” she says plainly.

You raise a brow at her in confusion and gesture to your body.

“Nat, I’m covered in sweat. I didn’t get a chance to hit the showers before you texted,” you explain.

“That text didn’t mean that you should come here all hot and sweaty in front of your ex like this,” Natasha remarks pointedly, crossing her arms.

A teasing grin pulls at your lips as a look of understanding crosses your face.

“You think I look hot right now?” you ask happily.

“Seriously?” Natasha deadpans. 

Unbothered by her signature intimidating gaze, you pull her closer by the loops on her belt and lean in with a slight tilt of your head.

“Are you jealous?” you tease lightly, your bottom lip caught in between your teeth as you try to hide your pleased grin.

Natasha rolls her eyes, though her lips quirk up briefly in amusement. She knows whether she responds truthfully or not, you probably already know the answer without the help of your ability, so she responds instead.

“Keep it up, and I’ll just come back with one takeout box for myself,” she warns.

You laugh lightly at her response, nodding your head in concession.

“Alright, I’ll put it on,” you promise, before leaning in to press a soft kiss to her lips. 

As you pull away, you whisper, “I love you,” the words brushing softly against her lips.

Natasha’s eyes had fluttered closed at the touch of your kiss, but they snapped open when she remembered she wanted to say those words back to you too.

However, to her disappointment, before she realized it, you had disappeared from her side. 

Turning around, she finds you already in your office, putting on her hoodie.

A mocking chuckle sounds beside her, and she turns to see Loki leaning casually against the wall.

“Oh, you didn’t even try that time,” he taunts.

Without hesitation, Natasha raises her wrist and shoots a widow bite at him. It flies through his body, dispersing the apparition that he had left there.

Groaning in annoyance at his presence, Natasha quickly leaves to go get your lunches before he can reappear and provoke her further.

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

“So this is the one lie detector that you can’t beat,” Fury comments with intrigue, as he examines your file.

Natasha closes the folder promptly and takes it from the table in front of him, stating firmly, “Her name’s Y/n, and no, you can’t have her. She’s just going to help review the list of potential recruits for you. Nothing else.”

She gives him a pointed look, stressing, “Especially not any SHIELD interrogations.”

Leaning back in his chair, Fury chuckles amusedly and raises a brow at her.

“Protective, are we?”

Before she can affirm the lengths she would go to minimize the risks you have to take, the door slams open, and you stroll in, giving her a wave and a charming smile. 

You stop in front of her, taking her hand suddenly in yours and giving it a light swing. 

“Ready to get started?” you ask. 

Natasha’s eyes narrow in suspicion. Something about your behavior was off and unlike you. 

She examines your expression critically, and then in one swift, fluid motion, she grabs your wrist and upper arm, pivots on her heel, and shifts her weight, seamlessly flipping you over her shoulder. 

With a resounding thud, Natasha slams you down onto the meeting table, the impact rattling the room.

Fury whistles lowly with a slight wince, a mixture of sympathy and admiration in his tone.

“Tough love, huh?” he remarks to her.

Natasha rolls her eyes at his comment and shakes her head, reaching to her side to grab something. She takes one of “your” wrists and snaps a golden cuff onto it. 

Immediately, the figure on the table shifts from your face and form to Loki’s. 

His eyes glare at her as he gathers his bearings, giving a slight grunt of pain when he moves.

“As if this woman knows anything about love,” he scoffs, standing up from the table with a groan.

Fury hums curiously at the sight of the trickster god, turning to Natasha.

“Who let him in here?”

Natasha sighs as she crosses her arms, replying, “Unfortunately, Thor and he are on friendly terms at the moment.”

Loki raises his hand and waves his finger at her in reprimand.

“Exactly. Now, is this any way to treat a guest of yours?” he taunts with a smirk before his eyes drift to the cuff on his wrist. His expression falls in recognition. “Where did you get this?”

A smirk forms on Natasha’s face as she answers, “Thor lent it to me when I asked. Since I know better than to just take his things.”

The cuff in question is an enchanted artifact that temporarily blocks the magical abilities of the wearer as explained by the god of thunder.

Loki scoffs in disbelief, placing one hand on his hips while waving his other wrist at her. 

“Hilarious, now take these off,” he demands.

Natasha’s smirk remains fixed as she shakes her head.

“I don’t have the key,” she admits, tapping her chin thoughtfully before revealing, “It must still be with Thor. But I’m sure you’ve already apologized to him for earlier, so you’d have no problem asking him to release you.”

Loki scowls, his expression darkening with disdain, and then he swiftly turns toward the exit.

“It’s no wonder that girl doesn’t want to accept any love from the likes of you,” he spits out angrily.

Natasha’s lips twist downward at his words, but before she can respond, a knock on the door interrupts the tense moment. 

Taking a calming breath, she calls out, “Come in,” already knowing who it is.

You open the door at Natasha’s invitation, only to dodge out of the way as Loki storms past you out of the room, muttering angry curses under his breath.

Turning back to Natasha, you notice the telltale red aura fading from around her and wonder what was the lie that you assume she had just told him.

As you approach her, Natasha’s contemplative, sullen expression quickly shifts to a neutral one when she catches your concerned gaze.

Before you can question her about it, Fury claps his hands firmly, looking between the two of you.

“Alright, let's finish this quickly then.”

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Seated on your sofa, Natasha hugs a cushion pillow closer to her chest, seeking comfort as Loki’s harsh words echo in her mind.

Is it just a coincidence that you manage to avoid her every time she’s about to say those words to you? Or is it possible that the truth is you don’t actually want to hear those words from her?

You place a bowl of popcorn on the table in front of her, snapping her out of her spiraling thoughts as you finish explaining what your ex needed from you.

“So, I just need to submit my notes on the case so that the court can close it out,” you explain.

Natasha hums absently in acknowledgment, but her mind drifts back to her insecurities.

Was Loki just messing with her or were all of your previous evading actions really on purpose?

Unable to bear the uncertainty any longer, Natasha decides to settle this once and for all.

As you take your seat next to her and start the movie, Natasha initiates her plan. She quickly maneuvers herself over your lap, straddling you as her hands rest on your shoulders, pressing you firmly against the sofa with her body.

Your hand automatically rests on her waist and begins tracing light patterns against her side, but your lips twist into a small pout of confusion as you remark, “As exciting as this is, I thought this movie was your favorite.”

Natasha closes her eyes briefly, internally groaning at your adorable words and how incredibly in love she is with you. 

If only you could hear it from her for once.

Determined to not fail this time, she tries again.

“I lo—”

Her words are cut off, swallowed by you, as you pull her down into a deep kiss. 

Instinctively, she melts against your body, sliding her hands to caress the back of your neck, pulling you closer to deepen the kiss as she gets lost in the feeling of your lips moving against hers. 

Then, realization hits her, and she snaps her eyes open and pulls away. 

“Hold on, I’m trying to tell you that I—”

“I know,” you interrupt, your hand covering her mouth to stop her mid-sentence. 

That’s when Natasha sees it.

The fear in your eyes.

“I know,” you repeat, giving her a look of understanding before swallowing nervously. 

You close your eyes as your head drops to your chest, a sad chuckle escaping from you. 

“You know, in all my life, I have never been afraid to discover if someone was lying to me,” you admit, shrugging lightly. “I’ve always known that people can lie, so it’s never really surprising or hurtful when it happens.” 

You let out a weary sigh and look up to meet her gaze with a sad smile. 

“Except for that one time.”

Natasha knows what moment you are referring to — the night your powers revealed that your ex no longer loved you.

The memory flashes in your mind, vivid and raw, as if it happened only yesterday. The betrayal, the heartache, the crushing realization when the red aura appeared around her after she uttered those fateful three words to you.

Your attention returns to the woman in front of you, the one who helped heal your heart. The one who now holds it. 

The one who also has the power to hurt you in the exact same way, even though you know she won’t.

“I love you so much, Natasha,” you say with breathless adoration and honesty, but your expression pinches in fear as you continue, your voice trembling slightly. “But I don’t think I'm ready to hear it from you yet. Just…not those exact words.”

You sigh sadly, understanding how unfair your words are to her, and your chest tightens guiltily as you apologize, “I’m sorry. Look, I’d understand if you want to leave.”

You look away from Natasha, your mouth pressing together tightly, fighting the urge to cry. 

The silence stretches out in the room before Natasha gently cradles your face, bringing your gaze back to her.

“You make me happy,” Natasha declares firmly.

You give her a confused look at her words.

“Wh-what?”

Ignoring your question, Natasha continues, asking meaningfully, “Am I lying?”

Your eyes observe her for a moment, but you don’t see any indication of a red aura appearing.

“No,” you answer in confusion.

Natasha nods before continuing, “I don’t mind that your powers reveal truths about me, like the moments when I want to hold your hand or when I’m jealous.”

She tilts her head at you in question.

“Am I lying?” she asks again.

Still not seeing any red aura appear around her, you shake your head at her in response.

Natasha rests her forehead against yours, letting out a deep breath, before continuing, “I’m afraid that one day…” she pauses, taking in a shaky breath to prepare herself for what she’s about to admit out loud. 

“…one day you’ll wake up and decide that because of who I was, who I am now is not enough for you to stay with me anymore.” 

Your eyes widen in surprise, and you go to reassure her, “I wouldn’t—”

“Am I lying?” Natasha interrupts, not wanting you to worry about comforting her at this time.

Your eyes soften sadly when you see the vulnerability and fear in her eyes at her words. 

You reach up to cup her cheek, your thumb caressing her face gently in comfort as you whisper, “No.”

Leaning against your touch, Natasha lets out a steadying breath to compose herself for the final part of her point.

“So when I say I can wait…” she pauses, looking into your eyes with a serious and determined expression, making sure you can see the sincerity of her next words. 

“…I’ll wait for as long as you need so that one day I can say those words to you…am I lying?”

You watch her carefully for a moment, but nothing appears to counter her claim. Realizing her intentions to reveal her feelings in another way, your heart fills with love and adoration for her as you answer with a soft smile. 

“No, you’re not lying, Natasha.”

She gives you a gentle grin and cups your face, pressing a soft kiss against your lips before admitting, “That’s because when I’m with you, Y/n, it never feels like I’m living a lie.”

A breathless, awed gasp escapes from you at her words, and you can’t help but pull her in closer, her red hair falling around you like a curtain.

“I love you,” you whisper against her lips, the words filled with genuine adoration for the woman.

Natasha smiles softly at your words and closes the distance between the two of you once again, her kisses tender and filled with all of her unspoken feelings. Her lips move against yours with gentle urgency, conveying everything she can’t yet say aloud.

The warmth of her touch, the sincerity of her kiss, and the way she holds you protectively — all of it reassures you. 

It doesn’t matter that those three words haven’t been spoken explicitly — her actions, her presence, the look in her eyes says it all already.

Natasha may be considered one of the greatest spies in the world thanks in part to her exceptional ability to lie, but even she can’t hide the truth from you.

Without needing to hear her utter those fateful three words aloud, you already know the truth in your heart.

That Natasha Romanoff truly loves you too.

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

a/n: Thank you for reading and for all the love that you all gave to the first part! I hope you enjoyed this one too!

[ch6sos]

₊˚⊹♡ dad!nanami headcanons

summary: simple headcanons of nanami being the Best Dad ever <33

cw: all in lowercase because i was a bit lazy i am sorry-

3.5k words oopsies not too much but still a good enough number yuh

dad!nanami who cries upon seeing his newborn baby girl, grateful that she was born.

dad!nanami who climbs inside of his daughter's crib/bassinet while she cries and just gently puts her on top of his chest, softly caressing her fragile head and giving her soft kisses.

dad!nanami who is so patient with his baby. when she cries he doesn't get frustrated or mad, he tries his best to make her feel better by reassuring her with words or giving her favorite toy.

dad!nanami who loves looking into his daughter’s eyes because she has his sweet amber eyes in doe form.

dad!nanami who coos at his baby all the time, his most genuine smiles stemming because he's happy to have such a blessing in his life.

dad!nanami who has his baby on his lap while she gets shot with a needle at the doctors, and proceeds to glare at them or try not to cry because of the small wails of his baby girl.

dad!nanami who always carries his baby with him in one of those baby wrap carriers. he even brought her to work once, and the baby just relaxed with him while he typed away at his computer.

dad!nanami who once felt lonely as an only child, wants to have another baby or adopt one because he doesn't want his daughter to grow up feeling too alone.

dad!nanami who lets his daughter pat his face with her slobbery, sticky hands, but scrunches his nose up at her and gives her small kisses.

dad!nanami who gets home from work and immediately grabs his baby girl, collapsing on the couch and lays with her while he has her lying on his chest, and drifting off to sleep with his suit on.

dad!nanami who spoils his baby, with clothes, toys, and more, and enjoys seeing the gummy smile on her face.

dad!nanami who goes through instagram or social media, sees babies on his explore page everywhere, and begins to have more baby fever.

dad!nanami who gets sad when his baby is sick, and immediately starts trying to make her feel better. he has to sneakily give her medicine because she refuses to drink it, and remembers that his parents told him once that he was the same way, he was a stubborn little baby.

dad!nanami who finally has a use for the random pairs of baby shoes snuck away in his closet; he doesn't have to buy them because he thinks they're cute, he now has a daughter who can use them.

dad!nanami who once always had a stoic look on his face, but as soon as he had his daughter, the most genuine smiles ever come out of his face. his friends and people around him are surprised, as they never see him smile.

dad!nanami who is desperate to get off of work just to see his baby.

dad!nanami who bought a bed extension so that he could keep the baby close to him on most nights, even though the baby has her own nursery.

dad!nanami who lets his baby girl chew on his ties, even though they're expensive. 

dad!nanami who is an absolute softie for his baby girl. even when she is chewing on his tie, when she broke something, he could never be too angry at her.

dad!nanami who is overwhelmed with emotion when he realizes his baby has spoken her first word. as he hears the faint "yes!" escape her lips, he is filled with joy and tears. He gently scoops her up and spins her around, a mix of laughter and tears escaping from him.

dad!nanami who is overcome with emotion as he watches his baby take her first steps. he sits on the couch, eagerly waiting for her to clumsily make her way towards him. a wide smile spreads across his face as he extends his arms to welcome her into his embrace. tears well up in his eyes as he feels overwhelming joy. his daughter, seeing her dad cry, becomes emotional as well, and joins in with tears of her own.

dad!nanami who does not trust almost anyone with his daughter, only his partner and ino. 

dad!nanami who notices his daughter babbling at something, and notices that she was babbling at an old photo of him and haibara. he smiles fondly, gently whispering in her ear.

"yeah, that's your uncle. he would've loved you so much, sweet pea."

dad!nanami who bursts out laughing when he sees his little one trying to slap gojo in the face, gently kissing the top of her head. 

"attagirl. you're so smart. i'd love for you to do that more."

dad!nanami who lets yuji see his daughter, and closely watches him as he takes care of her. he smiles fondly though, knowing that yuji was another reason why he wanted a kid.

dad!nanami who, on his daughter’s first birthday, had a small little gathering for her, and chuckled as she looked out of it and stoic, almost reminiscent of his personality.

dad!nanami who prepares himself for the "terrible two's & threes", knowing that his daughter may be more temperamental around this time. though, he doesn't need to do much because he does gentle discipline.

dad!nanami who blinks, and all of a sudden his baby isn't one, two or three, but now is five, entering kindergarten.

dad!nanami who looks at his daughter, smiling gently as she grabs her backpack and they head inside of the school. but then frowns and kneels when his daughter begins to cry a bit.

"listen, my love, i know it's scary. being in a room with strangers your age. but i promise, everything will be okay, alright? you’re such a brave girl, i know you are. no need to be nervous, okay? you’re smart, you’re the best, so i know you will have friends right away."

his daughter immediately smiles a bit, and she gives him a soft kiss on his cheek and nose. 

"okay... i love you, papa... so much. bye bye.."

dad!nanami who is still parked in front of the school building for a while, overwhelmed with emotion, tears streaming down his face as he realizes just how much he loves his daughter and how quickly she is growing up.

dad!nanami who sits down and looks at his baby girl fondly while she blabbers about her first day at school. 

dad!nanami who is basically a second teacher to his daughter, he teaches her how to read and she always enjoyed reading ever since she was way younger, so she is advanced for her age. he smiles when he hears this at the parent-teacher conference and rewards her.

dad!nanami who nearly faints out of joy when he realizes he's gonna have another kid. 

dad!nanami who loves to fix up his daughter’s hair, running his hands through it, and gently kissing the top of her head while she sits on his lap.

dad!nanami who puts his daughter on top of the stool so she can watch him cook/bake something for her.

dad!nanami who tells his child that she is going to have another sibling, which immediately resorts to talks about where babies come from.

dad!nanami stalled on the question, trying to think of how he would tell her the answer to that question. the stork? magic?

dad!nanami who, on his days off, takes his daughter out onto an adventure, taking her to the park, going on the swings, and getting frozen yogurt and pastries from his favorite bakery.

dad!nanami who does anything for his daughter, dresses up as a princess, dresses up as a superhero just to play along in her games.

dad!nanami who takes his daughter trick or treating and secretly has a rivalry with all the kids in that neighborhood so he has to obviously make his daughter the best costume. 

dad!nanami who proudly takes a picture of his daughter holding up any achievement they earned from school, and posting it on his facebook, instagram, whatsapp status...

dad!nanami who smiles when his daughter asks "do you got games on your phone, pa?" just for it to be candy crush.

dad!nanami who makes sure his kids aren't on technology at a young age because he wants them to live their youth not on social media.

dad!nanami who only shows discipline by showing disappointment in his face. if his daughter cries at his face he would immediately soften up and begin carrying her, smothering her with kisses.

dad!nanami realizes his second child, his son, is a carbon copy of him, from his hair to his eyes, to his facial expression and attitude, he was the same as him.

dad!nanami holding his two children as he reads a book on the couch, each on the side of him.

dad!nanami who officially retired to become a househusband, and stays home to take care of his children. he still receives big money!

dad!nanami who chuckles at his son as he eats food with a slightly grumpy expression, reminding him of how his mother told him he used to be like that.

dad!nanami who does not have a favorite because both of his children are his top priority in life.

dad!nanami who watches with a fond smile as his daughter shows kindness to her little brother. he tries to hold back his tears, but they fall anyway, causing his two little ones to cry as well.

dad!nanami who goes out with his little ones and has his son on the baby strap thingy and his daughter holds his hand as they walk.

dad!nanami who talks about his daughter and son in every conversation he has with people, and spends time rambling about them, about their achievements, about how cute they are...

dad!nanami who plays peekaboo with his son chuckles when he bursts out giggling.

dad!nanami who takes pictures of his son, but he always has a small scowl or a serious expression on his face. he smiles at the sight of it.

dad!nanami who once got visited by gojo, and while his daughter took a liking of uncle gojo, his son does the same thing that she once did when she was younger, sticks out his tongue at him, and looks at him with a grumpy expression.

"next time, you should bite him." 

dad!nanami, who somehow knows about the mom gossip because they believe he is the only man ever to be allowed in the mom gossip, so he somehow knows... everything about the neighbourhood.

dad!nanami who notices his kids have taking a liking to bread, just like him, so he begins to make his bread and feeds them it.

dad!nanami who plays music while he cleans, and then smiles widely when he notices his son, dancing along to it. he then grabs him out of the crib, and slowly dances with him in his arms.

dad!nanami who once wakes up to see his three loves, his partner, daughter, and son made him breakfast in bed. he happily gives them all a kiss, thanking them.

dad!nanami who sees his son playing with his watch, and sees him trying to put it on. he laughs at the sight, knowing that his son will probably turn out to be exactly like him.

dad!nanami watching as his son crawls ontop of him everytime he's on the couch or in the bed, and he smiles fondly.

dad!nanami, who unknowingly fell asleep many times with both of his kids on top of him, his partner having a whole collection of the pictures.

dad!nanami who lets yuji sees his new son, and watches as yuji got better at handling and holding the newborn. he looks at them with so much love, knowing that in the future, yuji will also guide him like his little brother.

dad!nanami who used to have drinking as pastime before having kids, but completely stop as soon as his daughter was born. 

dad!nanami who spends moments reading to both of his kids, or singing lullabies so they could go to sleep.

dad!nanami who smiles when he realizes his first son's word was not dad, but his name. he heard yuji say "nanamin", and then he copied his words, only saying the min part.

"no, no baby. it's dada... da-da!"

"min!" 

dad!nanami who doesn't care, he just tries not to tear up again at his son who said his first words.

dad!nanami who watches his son, does the same thing his daughter did - looking and pointing at a picture of him and haibara. he smiles sadly, yet finds solace in the fact that both of his children have somehow acknowledged his best friend whom he lost so long ago.

"that's your uncle haibara. he would be so happy to see that you know who he is, bubba."

dad!nanami looks at the picture of haibara, with a frown on his face. he can't help but feel saddened that his friend never had the chance to grow up alongside him, and was left behind in the past. he reflects that haibara would have been glad to see him happy for once.

dad!nanami hears a faint murmur, and it seems as though his son said "haibara." picking this up, he tries not to cry.

dad!nanami who teaches his curious daughter how to cook, since she loves watching him as he cooks. they then take up the food to his partner.

dad!nanami who sees his daughter one day comforting her baby brother from crying, exactly like how he used to comfort her as a baby. he feels his heart explode from how cute it looked.

dad!nanami who blinks again, and all of a sudden his two children are 8 and 13, but no, he doesn't have just two children. he has an additional one, this time another girl, who is two years younger than her big brother.

dad!nanami who takes his children to the beach to make sandcastles, and lets them do whatever they want to him. so of course, he gets buried with sand as they laugh at him.

dad!nanami who prepares for his daughter's adolescence, understanding that she's experiencing growth hormones and puberty. he willingly provides period products for her and supports her through any challenges. when she becomes more irritable, he addresses it with understanding and patience, not taking it personally.

dad!nanami who raised a son who reads at a seventh grade level as a third grader. 

dad!nanami, who also has his youngest daughter, who is only six years old, reading at a third grade level and his eldest daughter, who is an eighth grader almost reading at a college level.

dad!nanami who lowkey interrogates his teenage daughter's friends when they come over. she tells him to calm down, and eventually he does. she always asks him why does he do it.

"it's obvious, sweet pea. you have to be careful with who you surround yourself with, especially at your age. when i was your age-"

"okay dad, i get it, you're old!"

"hey, i'm not THAT old."

dad!nanami who prepares michelin star level meals for his family, his daughter occasionally helping.

dad!nanami who notices that his son grew up to be similar to him; stoic yet caring, smart and respectful...

dad!nanami who buys everything for his kids; when they have a new interest they have to get ready because he's going to bombard them with merch of it.

dad!nanami who is respectful of his adolescent daughter's privacy; though occasionally worries about her and wants to know about her life.

dad!nanami who does his youngest daughter's hair, and reminisces about how he used to do his eldest daughter's hair when she was the same age.

dad!nanami who gathers up his kids and they keep haibara in their remembrance, and he tells them stories about haibara of when they were teenagers.

dad!nanami, who observes that his adolescent daughter is going through an emo phase—albeit one he is familiar with.

dad!nanami, who enjoys showing his children affection by hugging and kissing them from time to time, wants them to be able to communicate their feelings effectively, as he was not able to do when he was younger.

dad!nanami who raised a non-ipad kid family, he limits their technology use and makes sure they're living offline more than online.

dad!nanami who makes christmas an absolute experience for them. he dresses up as santa, has a whole neat pile of presents for each of them, and prepares them a fancy christmas dinner.

dad!nanami who doesn't believe in birthday celebrations for his kids because they share his preference for low-key events. however, he shows his love by taking them out for a special meal or getting them whatever they desire.

dad!nanami who enjoys spending quality time with his kids. he loves playing Scrabble with them, and even though he's a scrabble master, he lets his kids win to boost their confidence and make the game more enjoyable for them.

dad!nanami who sees his eldest daughter come home with a bunch of flowers and letters on valentine’s day…

“i wanna see who these are from…” 

“dad! they’re nothing.”

“do you like any of them? if so, what are they like?”

“daaaaaad!”

“okay, fine. i’m sorry, sweet pea. i just can’t believe my baby is growing up so fast.”

dad!nanami who once saw his son in his closet, putting on one of his suits.

trying not to chuckle, he covers his mouth. “bubba, what is this?”

“my clothes.”

“oh? YOUR clothes? you have great taste, son.”

dad!nanami who realizes that his children are different in their own ways— his eldest daughter is emo like he once was, listening to my chemical romance, occasionally wearing his old jewelry and some of his old clothing, but she was not quiet like her father, she was bubbly and loud, the complete opposite of him.

his son, on the other hand, is more stoic, much like him. his son takes some time to smile, but around his father, he is a smile machine, especially when nanami tickles him or plays with him. he also enjoys reading a lot and is classy, just exactly like his father.

his youngest daughter, she is ambiverted. while loving interacting with people, there are times when she needs space or does not like talking to people. she is like a balance of both of her siblings but is not that developed yet. she is also a huge foodie like her father.

dad!nanami who has their drawings and report cards on the fridge, it looks like a mess because it is covered with achievements.

dad!nanami who still wears the handmade jewelry his children had to make during a kindergarten activity class.

dad!nanami who raises a house where everyone does something, they all clean, cook, and do chores.

dad!nanami who has several parenting books (even though he doesn't need them) but uses them to better understand his children and improve his parenting skills.

dad!nanami who raises his kids with so much love and affection; always making sure they're okay, comforting them through their hardest moments and making sure they treat others the way they want to be treated.

dad!nanami who is now older, his eldest daughter 24, his son 19, and his youngest daughter 17, seeing how his children grew up to be such amazing people.

he sees that they grew up to be such respectful individuals, feeling content that he and his partner did such a wonderful job.

he sees how his daughter, who is engaged to her significant other, has grown up to be such a lovely person—working her way up independently in the world while attempting to do good for the world by pursuing a law degree.

his son, who is a carbon copy of him in terms of looks, has also grown up as a person. he is strong when it comes to academics and has grown to become more sociable yet still introverted. he became an empathetic, considerate young man who upholds boundaries and constantly watches out for those closest to him, just like his father. he also grew up to be an animal lover; which is why he'd love to become a veterinarian.

his youngest daughter, who is currently a teenager but almost an adult, has grown up to be unbelievably intelligent. plays chess with her dad 24/7; honor roll, is the equivalent of someone that princeton university would accept …. she puts a lot of effort into her success and aspires to write in addition to running a flower shop (him core).

dad!nanami who loves all his children, so so much, and would do anything for them.

a/n im going to kms

[angry-fandom-mom]

Okay I got another hot take and it's about Charles again

Take his reaction to the Cat King and Monty going after Edwin. That man was very blatantly jealous. It was not subtle. His facial expressions, angry tone, threats towards the Cat King, as well as accusations say it all. EDWIN HIMSELF picked up on the irrational anger and called him out for it.

Now, one could argue that the anger in Charles didn't stem from romantic feelings. That maybe Charles just felt threatened or protective because he's Edwin's best mate and didn't want his attention and time being taken away or somebody to move in on his best friend position.

...I call bullshit on that for one reason. Niko.

Niko and Edwin grew very close very fast. It is clear their friendship is so special and they have an amazing connection. Edwin was alone with Niko a lot both on cases and hanging out with her in her bedroom and they spent a large amount of time together. Edwin very obviously adores her and vice versa.

Just look at them, they're adorable! And Edwin, who is very reserved and doesn't offer physical affection to basically anyone (except Charles occasionally), gives it to Niko and has no issues with her touching him. But Charles has absolutely no issue with Niko, never shows any signs of anger towards her and also rather likes her.

Why? Well, Niko's a woman. Whilst it is clear Edwin loves her very much, he is also clearly not attracted to women so she is not a romantic choice for Edwin... so she is not a threat in Charles' mind.

Funny that Charles gets so worked up over two men that have a romantic interest in Edwin and also Edwin potentially being interested back, but has absolutely no problem with Niko becoming so close to Edwin.

Potential love interests for Edwin are a threat to Charles but new friends for Edwin are not.

That doesn't smell very much like just platonic feelings and motives to me Charles, just sayinnnnngggg

[dcxdpdabbles]

Hi! I love your writing so much!! I'm currently loving your freelance inventor series! I don't see a lot of danny/bruce fics so it's always fun when you post one!! What danny thinks of the justice league, does he think they're just Bruce's extreme sports friends? Or his kids friends parents?

Danny first meets Bruce's extreme sports friends when Dick plans to introduce Wally-his first boyfriend- on a water skiing trip. It went a little hair-walled due to the misunderstanding.

He had been around the manor with some free time, so he asked Bruce if he could join once Dick brought up the trip and made a comment on how important things he needed to talk about.

Usually, Danny wouldn't have bothered, but because it was so long that thier friendship had started he felt like it was a good time to ask.

At first, both the Waynes appeared to be dancing around the subject that, for a second, Danny thought they didn't want him there. Not wanting to make them feel pressured—and a little embarrassed he had assumed he could tag along—he backtracked quickly, making up an excuse about flying out to see Dani.

There was an awkward dinner that evening, so Danny left immediately. He had planned on staying the night at Wayne Manor, but he felt he had overstayed his welcome from his silly request. Instead, he rented a hotel room in the more dangerous parts of the city.

Danny had been on the hotel's phone line all night, attempting to find a plan to take him somewhere close to Dani. He could fly with his powers the rest of the way, but he needed to create some kind of paper trail.

While he listened to the hold music of the airline representative, he felt a wave of shame. At that point, Danny had only known Bruce and Dick for a year- but with various breaks in between visits- and had thought that made them closer. Who did he think he was?

Bruce wanted their relationship to stay as business associates who occasionally hung out but nothing as important as a vacation trip. Danny had just been the idiot who thought himself more important.

Well, he would not be making the same mistake. He would only come back if it involved his work and would find his own lodging from now on. The Waynes had likely not know how to say no to him.

Idiot, Danny thought, pacing in his room and wiping away tears. Idiot. Stupid. Moron. Of course, Bruce Wayne doesn't think of you as a friend! Get a clue!

"Thank you for waiting, Mr. Fenton. A first-class plane ticket to Calais, France, has been booked for you on Monday, July 7th. Would you like to make this a round trip?" the cheerful woman asks him, and he sniffs.

"No. It's a one-way. I won't be coming back here for a while." The words feel like knives in his chest

She doesn't notice as she chirps "Alright then, that has been done for you. Thank you for using Wayne Airlines!"

Ugh, he even used Bruce's planes by accident. At least this will be the last thing he annoys the man with. The following morning, bright and early Danny is out the door with his suit case. He makes it all the way to the lobby where he bumps into a fretting Dick and some red head kid.

"Danny!" Dick cries. He flings himself onto his waist, squeezing with all his might. Danny is flabbergasted. "Danny, I only wanted Bruce to go on the water ski trip because I wanted to tell him about my boyfriend! I haven't told him I was bisexual yet, I wanted to tell him on the trip, but I made him swear not to mention it to anyone else, but then you asked to go, and Bruce couldn't figure out a way to tell you no without revealing that I wanted to talk about something important-but then you got sad, and then Bruce got sad and I-"

"Babe." The redhead cuts in. "Breath"

"Danny, please don't be mad at Bruce because of me!" Dick cries, rubbing his face against Danny's stomach. "I promise we didn't want to exclude you!"

Danny's heart melts, both by how cute Dick is and the knowledge that Bruce was just a good dad and not any of his insecure-inspired conclusions. "Oh, Dick. I'm sorry you felt that. I promise I'm not mad, and I'm so proud of you. Thank you for sharing that part of yourself with me."

He leans down to hug the boy, grinning as the ten year old sighs. Then he directs a glare at the redhead. He looks about twelve and frankly, Dick is far too young for a boyfriend. "Who's this?"

"I'm Wally West-"

"I asked Dick"

"Oh."

Dick leans back. "This is Wally. He's my best friend and boyfriend! Wally, this is Danny- he's like my second dad."

"It's nice to meet you, sir!" The redhead gulps as Danny's eyes narrow.

"Pleasure." He says in a voice that means anything but. "Dick, sweetie, how did you get here? Does Bruce know where you are?"

"Wally and I...ugh took a cap." Dick everts his eyes. "Bruce was talking to his friends trying to convince them to go on the trip too. He wanted to prove you were his special friend to his regular friends."

A thrill ran through Danny. He was Bruce Wayne's best friend!? "You know I think I can take you kids back home myself. Maybe we can still make a water ski trip!"

Both boys blink owlishly. "Yeah...maybe. Let me just call Uncle Barry to make sure he's going, too."

Wally sprinted to the front desk to borrow their landline while Dick stayed behind, babbling to Danny about how he knew he was bi and how he met Wally. Mentally, Danny was drafting a lecture to give Bruce for allowing his boy to date a co-worker and friend's nephew, especially at this young age! He didn't let his thoughts appear on his face, only nodding and smiling between Dick's word vomits.

Meanwhile, on Wally's side, he uses the Justice League hotline to speak to his Uncle. His call was transferred to the meeting with all the original founders as he used the emergency code accesses Barry had taught him.

His call was placed on speaker for everyone to hear.

"Code Teal for B! Code Teal for B!" he hissed into the phone. The rest of the members sat up straighter and sent Batman looks of alarm. Code Teal was a spouse or lover who thought a hero was cheating on them because of the mission's old hours. We needed to come together to cover for them.

Batman was hiding his face in his hands. ".....Confirm Code Teal."

"Oh and before I forget Code Artificial red for Dick and me" Wally shouts, ignoring the imploding shouts from Batman or Uncle Barry.He hung up not wanting to explain that the boys had chosen to use Fake-out-make-out in order to convince Danny to stay.

He wouldn't mind dating Dick, but maybe later when they were both older. Not that Danny needed to know that.

[fourmoony]

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬

james potter x f!reader, modern college au, 1.3k

cw: smoking, past rejection, implied self-esteem issues

summary: reader isn't as subtle as she thinks about her crush on jamie

James is propped up against the hood of his car when you pull into the space next to his. He's talking to Sirius and Remus, who stand a few paces in front of James, both smoking a cigarette. Technically, they're not supposed to smoke on campus, but you doubt anyone would be stupid enough to mention that to Sirius Black and his infamously smart-mouthed boyfriend.

James turns his gaze to you as your engine cuts out, keys jangling in your hand and he lifts his hand in a wave. You wave back, half focussed on collecting the multitude of things on your passenger seat and stuffing them into your bag. The carrier bag in your footwell snags your attention, heart stammering a little with the reminder of what lies inside. It's cool. In your opinion, a very cool poster. One you know James has been looking for, for months. His favourite band.

But there's a voice in the back of your head, one born of being fourteen and asking a crush out, only to be told you'd gotten the wrong idea. A voice born of years of being lusted after, but not wanted. It's a voice that tells you James might assume you got this poster because you fancy him and find it weird.

And, sure. You might have went to the lengths of scrolling the internet for hours and paying extra for express shipping because you couldn't wait to see his smile when he unveiled it, to watch his eyes crinkle at the corners with excitement. There's something so overwhelmingly pretty and soft about James Potter. You've been living with that heavy admittance in your chest all semester and next week, your final term of sharing classes with James will end and you want him to remember you. You want to be able to say you tried.

But you don't want him to know all of that.

With a glance, you look back to James. He's waiting patiently for you, still talking to Sirius and Remus. The bag crinkles when you pick it up, the anxiety prickling over your skin like a heat rash. His friends offer you kind smiles when you exit the car, bag slung over your shoulder and the framed poster in hand. "Your engine doesn't sound great, love. You checked your oil recently?" Sirius asks, foregoing a proper greeting.

James laughs at the same time Remus rolls his eyes, akin to a love sick fool even when he's pretending not to be. "Ignore him," Remus drawls, flicking his cigarette to the ground, "He's decided he's going to be a mechanic."

In the year you've known Sirius Black, he's decided he's going to be an artist, then the lead singer of a band, then a lawyer, then a pilot, and now, he's going to be a mechanic. You hope, one day, that one might stick. Though, you've seen how much he loves his motorbike and would put money on the mechanic idea sticking around for a while longer than the time he wanted to buy a zoo.

"Oh, right. You can have a look if you like, but Jamie filled the oil last week." You tell Sirius, who scowls at his best friend.

James smiles kindly when you settle beside him against his car, leaning over to bump your shoulder with his bicep. His height difference is nothing, compared to Remus, but you still have to look up to meet his kind eyes. "Hi." He says.

"Hey."

Sirius scoffs, "Hi."

James pointedly ignores him, "What's in the bag?"

Your eyes nervously flick to Sirius and Remus, the former becoming incredibly interested in what's in the bag as well. Remus must sense your hesitation, because he grabs his boyfriend by the wrist and turns to walk away. "See you later, Prongs. Bye, love."

Sirius can be heard causing a scene even when Remus has dragged him half way across the student parking area. You smile after them fondly.

"You gonna make me guess?" James asks, pushing off of his car to stand and face you.

You have to crane your neck even worse to meet his eyes at this angle, but it's worth it. They're so light in the morning sun they look crystallised. He looks amused, lips twitching as he looks down at you. Heat prickles over your skin as he assesses you. "What's in the bag?"

You hand it to him, wordlessly, and nod for him to look inside. He pulls the frame, turning it until he can see the poster inside. His brows furrow, then lift, his lips parting in surprise. Genuine joy passes through his eyes and you wonder how someone can be so readable, so expressive. His beauty astounds you.

James looks at you, mouth opening and closing like he can't find the words.

"It's for you," You offer, rather dumbly, "Obviously."

James laughs a little breathless, the sound sending your heart slamming into your rib cage. "Where on earth?" He asks, bewildered.

"It's a secret. But I know how long you've wanted one, so I had it framed for safe keeping."

"Thank you," James slides the frame back into the bag, sets it to lean against the front of his car. "Seriously, thank you."

You shrug, hoping it's somewhat believable. "No big deal."

James rolls his eyes at your nonchalance. "Can I hug you? Is that too much? I feel like I should hug you."

You laugh, the feeling of anxiety lifting as James reaches forward to wrap his arms around you. He's warm and soft and smells like cologne and freshly washed clothes. His arms squeeze you tight, his nose buried in your hair where he's hunched over.

"Let me take you to dinner or something, as a thank you." James says as he pulls away, unlocking his car to place the frame safely in the passenger footwell.

"Really, James, you don't have to do that. It's just a poster." You wave him off, pushing off of the car and collecting your bag.

James follows as you walk, shoulder to bicep, skin brushing and your heart in your mouth from the contact alone. "I'm taking you to dinner. Not because I have to, but because I want to."

You find yourself fighting a smile, "Well if you want to." Your voice is teasing an it makes James smile.

"I do. It's a date." James tells you, like it's nothing.

You've halted in the doorway he's holding open for you, head tilting to look into his face. To be sure. To make sure he's not kidding, to make sure he doesn't mean a 'friend date'. He smiles, knowingly.

"You're not subtle, you know," He ushers you through the door, eager to make it to your class on time, "That poster is not easy to find, nor is it cheap."

"It's what friends do." You protest, cheeks warm and palms sweaty.

You brace for rejection, for a joke, for the 'I just don't see you that way'. But James rolls his eyes, reaching around you for the door to the classroom, "Friend's don't go on dates."

"We haven't been on a date." You laugh, incredulously, leading James to your usual seats.

It's a nice feeling, a warm feeling, to feel suddenly safe within your conversation. To feel the normal level of comfort you do with James, even when putting yourself out there. James frowns, "We've been on multiple dates. The library, the cafeteria, the coffee shop just off campus. We even went to that Ethics seminar that one time!"

It takes looking at him to realise he's kidding, the corners of his lips twitching up until he can't fight it anymore. It should be unsettling, for him to make a joke of it. But as he sits, his hand brushes over your shoulder, a gentle touch that sets your skin on fire. "I'm kidding, when I take you out for real, there'll be no confusion on whether or not it's a date."

His breath fans over your ear, warm and his voice thick and you think you might pass out, saved only by the entrance of your professor. James settles in, sends you a wink that has you more flustered than it should.

"Noted." You whisper, though you don't imagine James has heard you.

[chateaaa]

☆ Pretty boy - R. Itoshi

synopsis: Rin Itoshi, as your cold hearted classmate who has a crush on you ♡

pairing: Rin Itoshi x fem! reader

warnings: fluff (idk kinda ooc of Rin?)

- Rin Itoshi who is your coldhearted seatmate, hates anyone who talks to him and only responds very shortly

• Rin Itoshi who took a liking to you when you became seatmates (even the teachers noticed that)

• Because the teachers noticed that, congratulations, you have now been Rin Itoshi's only partner in group projects everyone was too scared for him to be a partner in projects since he doesn't cooperate and just glares

• Y/n felt bad that Rin always eats alone in class, so she sat down with him (and now he expects your company every lunch time)

- Rin Itoshi who gives Y/n priveileges, such as only letting Y/n drink from his waterbottle which he never shares, Rin also gives Y/n notes especially in subjects Y/n finds hard

• Rin Itoshi who became your "english tutor" since he is good in english, he sometimes teaches you

"you idiot, you got it all wrong..." Rin says as he teaches you about verbs as he flicks your head, trying to hide the blush across his cheeks

• Rin Itoshi who is great at scaring of boys who talks to you, he will be glaring at them and go to his usual cold self if someone is trying to steal talk to you

• Rin Itoshi who always makes sure you get home every. single. day.

• Rin Itoshi who realizes he loves you when you were absent for 1 week, you caught a flu and because of that he's becoming his cold self, without Y/n to cheer him up

• Rin would be so mad at his classmates during the week Y/n is sick, he would silently curse himself hoping he was the sick one

• He always go to your house after class to give notes and medicine

• when you got healthy, he cant hide his feelings so he confesses to you randomly while having lunch and now you both are inlove <3

"Even if the heart stops breathing, You're the only thing i need"

— Hi guys! i wrote this because i was bored, this was actually inspired by my friend! my friend and her crush is literally the definition of sunshine x grumpy so i made this! The song inspired in this book is literally replaying on my head so i gotta write to remove it lol

hope you all like it! thank you so much for reading this story ☁️

[dancing-crystals]

The innkeeper and his wife, the coachman, they were expecting a middle-aged businessman, too arrogant to listen, too cynical to even believe the warnings are well-meant, too confident in his own science and religion to listen to anyone else. Someone with enough worldly experience that he might recognize Dracula as a threat even if he doesn't understand the nature of the threat. Someone important and well-connected enough that he's too risky to kill, old and dull enough not to be interesting enough to toy with.

It was a comfort, to know there was no way to save him. Another comfort, that he would be useful and boring enough to be spared, and canny enough to spot the danger.

Then Jonathon Harker shows up, young and earnest and innocent. He praises the food and asks for recipes for his young bride-to-be back home, and they can see in his face how in love he is. They see too his enthusiasm, his fascination. He blushes when he looks at the women and averts his eyes, he consults his phrase book so he can better give compliments.

He's young enough to be their son. Maybe the innkeeper has a child close to Jonathon's age--a son just starting his own life, a daughter a little younger peeking through the door and sighing at the handsome traveler. Or maybe their child would have been Jonathon's age, if only--but no, they must not think that.

But they do think it, and so the innkeeper's wife begs him to take the rosary "for your mother's sake" and it's not really Jonathon she's talking to. The innkeeper whispers to his friends and customers and old gossips, and they pass it to the passengers on the coach. The coachman is taken back too, the money the Count sent weighing heavily in his pocket. To refuse to drive him means death, to warn him is pointless.

Everyone on the couch is older than Jonathon, old enough to know what the devil in the castle does to the young and earnest and innocent. They all carry their own protections, and one by one they offer them to this poor fool who doesn't understand and wouldn't believe, but he's too polite to refuse and kind enough to see their concern and be touched by it.

The coachman drives his horses like he is fleeing from the devil instead of to him, and they all hope, pray, it will be enough.

[genericpuff]

What are your thoughts on the whole Hestia x Athena thing in LO? Personally it always infuriated me with how hypocritical it was of them to date each other despite them both being members of/Hestia being in charge of TGOEM. It especially annoyed me how Hestia constantly told Persephone that as a TGOEM member she can't date anyone but later saying that her relationship with Athena doesn't count. I give some credit to Artmeis for calling them out when finding out, but it wasn't enough

The hypocrisy is one thing but it at least could have been expanded on as a plot point (Hestia didn't even have the spine to return the coat and apologize, Artemis had to do it ???), but what REALLY ticks me off is that Rachel clearly tried to include queer rep through Hestia and Athena who are two traditionally aro/ace goddesses. So really all she did was erase their original queer identities, both of which are still massively misunderstood and argued over whether or not they're "real". And shit, we even see that in her old asks that lesbian sex "doesn't count" and that asexuality is somehow just a sliding scale / stepping stone towards "becoming" another sexuality (in this case, gay).

Like... you can be asexual and also still be romantically attracted to the same sex, "becoming gay" doesn't automatically erase someone's asexuality. Artemis can be gay and aroace. Lesbian sex is still sex and isn't a "loophole" to retaining one's virginity. To be fair, the whole "vestal virgins are flaming lesbians because you can be a virgin and still have hot lady sex" thing came from an anon, but like... she doesn't do anything to challenge that idea in LO either, if anything it's reinforced through Athena and Hestia using their relationship as a "loophole" within TGOEM (and the narrative never actually stops to analyze that.)

And then the cherry on top is Rachel removing the sexualities - sometimes even entire character identities - from canonically or commonly-accepted queer gods and giving them to others. Crocus is no longer a lover of Hermes, but a one-dimensional nymph who was killed as a plot device and then never spoken of again. Ampelos is no longer a satyr loved by Dionysus, his name now belongs to Psyche, a heterocis black woman who doesn't know how to read and has been basically forced into slavery. All of Aphrodite's children who ranged in gender and sexual identities are now replaced with one-dimensional cutout characters with no specific labels or characterizations beyond the translations of their names. Eros has been reduced to the "gay best friend" whose first introduction into the story is inebriating a 19 year old girl with the intent of dumping her in an older man's car. Apollo has been turned into a generic big bad whose only goal is getting his hands on Persephone and nothing else, with zero nuance to his actual characterization or plot arc, he's just "the rapist" who conveniently becomes a pawn in some bigger nefarious plan that makes zero sense. Dionysus and Achilles have both been turned into babies.

If Rachel wanted queer rep, she was already in the right place. The entire Pantheon was her oyster. But instead she managed to go the complete opposite with it and not only erase the queer identities of Greek gods in LO, but went the extra mile of egregiousness by replacing those queer gods with token-queer stereotypes and one-dimensional characters who are just there to say they're gay for the brownie points before being shoved back into the closet. They're out, but they're still not seen.

[strawberryblue-blog]

could you write something like friends with benefits with marc guiu

You're mine —Marc Guiu.

summary: Marc being jealous of your closeness with other men and making it clear to you who you belong to.

warnings: yes (maybe?) reader x gavi's bestfriend, friends with benefits, jealousy, possession, some toxicity.

words count: +1.7k

The conversation you were having with Lamine was entertaining as you listened to his stories of his childhood. At least forty minutes ago you had joined the young man and Hector who were chatting animatedly.

It was Gavi's birthday party and everyone was present, friends, family and the other players. It was your best friend's birthday so it was your turn to socialize with his teammates and here you were listening to the younger ones. You had known each other for a few years now, while each year you became closer to them.

Especially with Marc. The handsome young man who had all his attention on you right now, staring at you waiting for your gaze too, while you laughed as you listened to Lamine's story.

Out of the corner of your eye you could see how his hard gaze was focused on you, ignoring everyone around him who was conversing with him.

You looked up focusing on his deep black eyes, his jaw was tense and you could see how the veins in his neck were barely marked. A mischievous smile tugged at your lips as his expression told you so much and yet nothing. You nodded listening to the boys talk but you weren't really paying attention as all your attention was on the boy a few feet away from you. You couldn't pay attention to him when his gaze was eating you up, your heart was pounding and your hands were sweating.

White shirt, dark pants, brown hair with that particular hairstyle he usually has. His serious and tense expression made you feel your belly churn

Damn it. He was heaven.

The people around you had moved out of the foreground while you were watching Marc as if he were a prey. You could see how his defiant gaze was dedicating a surge of heat to your body and his lips were soaking with his tongue teasing you.

"Y/n, honey" Aurora, Gavi's sister and your friend, called out to you. "Could you go to the kitchen for more glasses please?" she asked you.

Your head spun looking at your friend and you wondered if anyone would have figured out that you were looking at Marc like that. But around you no one seemed to notice and you breathed easy.

"Sure, right away" you nodded quickly disguising your situation.

The truth was that you needed some air, you felt suffocated before so many people and before his gaze. So you quickly got up from your place, arranging your dress. Gavi, your best friend, smiled at you from afar when he saw you pass by and you smiled back.

Your relationship with all the Paez Gavira's was very close, as you were childhood friends with Pablo and Aurora, you had gone to the same school and grew up together in the neighborhood as you lived next door to their house. Even your parents were here tonight chatting with Gavi's parents while Gavi greeted those who joined the party, so you tried to help Aurora in whatever they needed.

You made your way to the kitchen, which was a little further away from where the party was, so you took the opportunity to rest your head from the hustle and bustle. You reached the shelf and opened the doors, standing on your tiptoes to reach them.

You took them from the bottom of the shelf and carefully put them down, resting them on your chest, closing the door again. A noise made you turn around attentively, thinking someone needed something but nevertheless you found a large figure behind you.

"Damn it, Marc" you muttered in an almost shout as you turned and found the boy so close to you.

Your heart had sped up from the fright but also because he was there. He was so close to you that you could feel his body tense, his breaths ragged and his face indifferent.

He doesn't say anything at first he just takes it upon himself to look at you deeply, that you get lost in his gaze and you can feel everything around him fade away as if only the two of you exist right now. The atmosphere is tense, sticky, you can only hear his breathing soft and strong.

"Were you having fun laughing with Yamal?" he asked seriously with a hard look on his face.

You opened your mouth to answer but shut up when you noticed his ironic tone of voice, he sounded a bit angry and you could see how he really was. What the fuck was wrong with him? What was the point of that question?

"Well yes" you said honestly. Marc clicked his tongue grimacing. "Lamine is great" you nodded.

His eyes darkened even more as you said the words.

He took a step forward, causing you to take one back and crash into the counter. His jaw tensed and you smiled in amusement, thinking that his gazes earlier had been watching you all night.

"Any problem with that?" you insisted, playing innocent.

Marc's hands rested on the counter, leaving you locked in his arms. His face comes close to yours and you swallow saliva, raising your head, challenging him.

"Don't go near him again" he mutters harshly again and you roll your eyes.

It is clear that you and Lamine are nothing more than friends. Just like with everyone else. Even with Gavi.

You hide an amused little smile as you notice what the real problem is, he's jealous. Of course he was. That's why the looks, that's why his expression, that's why his question.

"You can't tell me what to do" Your finger points at his chest and you try to make space between you.

"Of course i can, because you belong to me" He growled and your legs tremble.

You play it off trying to hide how your pulse quickens as his head leans toward yours. He relaxes his lips before leaning close enough to your mouth. A shiver runs down your spine and your legs give out as you feel his palms around your hips. His lips moisten your lips and you stop him.

"Marc..." you warn in a prayer.

His eyes spit fire and you know he's angry that you're stopping him. But you can't kiss him here, not when the other side is full of people, your family, friends and anyone else who might come. Although his look makes you want to grab his neck and kiss him but you can't. It is not right.

"Not here..." You whisper but he interrupts you.

He ignores your warning and kisses you, showing the power he has over you because when his lips touch yours, you let go. The kiss is hard, fierce and fiery. Gasps escape your lips as his hands move to your ass and he squeezes it hard.

You're surprised by the way he's kissing you, he's being rough and wild but you love it. It's as if he wants to prove something to you, as if he wants you to know something. Like he's marking territory, showing who's in charge. You don't know how long the kiss lasts because you forget everything when you feel its taste. His hands play with your skin and you want bring him closer to you.

"Are you jealous?" you ask pulling away from him a little to breathe. Marc pulls away and turns back to your face. Your question makes him sigh and he relishes his lips savoring your taste.

"You're mine" he whispers harshly. You deny biting your lip at the hot image of the boy.

"No, i'm not" you point out confidently. "We are nothing" you provoke him.

You speak truthfully, you two are nothing. You've only slept together a couple of times, but never talked about a relationship or labels. Friends who see each other once in a while? Acquaintances who seek each other out when they need each other? Friends with benefits? Yes, just that. Nothing more.

"You sure? I have heard many times how you tell me that you are mine" he says teasingly. His hands move dangerously to your ass and he squeezes you as his lips seek place on your neck, biting your skin.

He's determined to mark you and you know he will.

"Y-yes" you affirm gasping.

His marks begin to burn on your neck and you are not thinking clearly. On the other side of the room are thousands of people, you are supposed to have shown up at the party by now and yet here you still are. You tremble with fear of being discovered but somehow or other it turns you on and makes you feel wanted.

Your "thing" with Marc started after a night of barbecue with your friends, Marc offered to drive you home and he definitely didn't just drive you home that night. You never told anyone, never needed to talk about it because it was supposed to have been a slip of the tongue. But you kept doing it every time you snuck away from your friends. He was good looking and he was what you were looking for in a guy but you didn't want to label him because you knew Marc saw you as his friend to fuck and neither of you were ready for a one hundred percent serious relationship. You were at a turning point in your life and while he was still moving up in football, you were trying to survive by being an average student.

"I have to get back, Marc" you say trying to move. Marc grunts in response.

He smile proudly at your marks, which are now a little more visible though concealable and you're thankful that the party isn't as brightly lit and everyone is too busy to notice them. But tomorrow they'll look worse and you'll have to take time to cover them up.

His hands let go of you and he runs to let you pass. He hasn't said anything else since your last words and you're curious what he thinks about that, however you don't insist. It's not the best place to have a conversation about your "relationship".

You take a few steps away but stop before you walk any further. You turn your body and move closer again kissing his lips softly. Marc reciprocates by grabbing your cheeks and with your free hand, you take him by the hip.

The kiss is soft and delicate compared to the previous kiss, as if it were a first kiss, quiet but deep. You can hear your heart racing as his taste mingles with yours and his fingers gently caress your skin.

You pull away from him when you feel it's enough. If it were up to you you would kiss him all night but you are at Gavi's party and people are waiting for you. You need to get back before they get suspicious and you guys do something crazy here.

You walk with your back to him, trying to calm your anxieties, sighing to recover the air that he took from your lungs. Before crossing the door, you turn your head to see him.

"Take me home tonight, Marc" you mention wistfully with a small smile.

Marc's eyes shine like beacons of lights as he nods smiling back at you.

"I will, princess" He whispers before you nod with a smile and walk away with your heart coming out of your chest with happiness.

You use the code you've always had. But this time you feel it's different. You really want Marc to take you home but not like the other times, you want to go with him, you want to be with him, you want it to matter, to make sense. Just like the kiss they just gave each other.

Maybe it's time to give meaning to your relationship and take a step forward.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for being kind and civil with people who drive me insane?

So this is something that happens all the time and it's a pattern so to save your time, I'll only mention the one incident which that I got called out for several times, it's starting to make me think I might be TA.

I (34F) work in a grocery store. Maddy (???F) works in the security department and is in charge for looking through our grocery to ensure we didn't steal anything (our workplace is uncomfortably strict about this since many employees have stole in the past) She is very rude, I never liked her. She makes me so uncomfortable a lot because she yells all the time. At everyone. She never realized how offensive she is.

Anyway, sometimes I'd walk past her after my shift forgetting that I'm carrying grocery bags etc and she'd yell at me to get back there. It's always embarrassing because anyone who witnesses that would most likely assume I'm a shoplifter because of the way she's yelling. She yells about other stuff too mind you, don't think I always forget the fact I'm carrying grocery. They don't allow us to bring our bags inside and we have to keep them in our locker (according to her, I never heard this elsewhere). She yells at me if I try to take my purse with me if I'm in a hurry. She says it's ~the rules~ and we need to follow them but like, she the only security staff who's this strict about it. The others don't even bother to check our groceries because they trust we don't shoplift and it's actually stupid because we could still shoplift anyway and hide the items in our pockets and they don't perform a body check anyway (they used to in the past but were legally required to stop because of Covid).

How do I deal with her though? Every time she'd yell, I reply to her very calmly and attempt small talk to absorb her anger. For example, if she's angry about my grocery, I'd show them to her and ask stuff like "what is you favorite brand of milk/bread/egg etc etc"

She does engage but it never made her actually stop and think about her behaviors for a single second. I have always stopped to chat with her whenever I can and she always speaks calmly when I do, but returns to yelling when I "break the rules" as she says.

But here's the thing. My patience is limited. I'm like a battery, if you keep charging me, I'll eventually explode. I planned remaining civil with Maddy forever, but enough is enough and I accidentally lashed out. I lashed out on her ONCE only, I yelled much louder than she did, for 30 minutes, lecturing her about work etiquette. She was so surprised and taken aback. She told me "where did this all come from?" Like she didn't see it coming? She seriously mistook my patience and tolerance of her behaviors for friendliness. And that was the last time we talked, I reported her to HR the next day because I don't think she'll ever get the memo, and that's when I learned thst so many employees have complained about her already but they can't fire her because she an outsource and has strong connections in her company, management has already talked to her numerous times but she just doesn't listen, so don't call me TA for not communicating, it doesn't work with her.

My friend Gloria (28F) and many others including our manager (F30s) told me I should've not been chatting with her, I should just ignore her and disengage. They think the fact I'm talking kindly to her will just make her assume she isn't doing anything wrong and encourage her to keep behaving like that, and that she'd think I want to be friends??? None of that is my intention. I just want to be civil to her to indirectly get her to realize her behaviors weren't acceptable. I'm setting a good example for her, to learn from me how she should treat people and soften her heart.

I was called TA because they said I didn't have to be civil with her if I knew I might eventually lash out (but lashing out isn't something I planned??), and I should've just avoided her and set boundaries. Gloria told me it's an AH move to go out of my way to interact to someone I despise when ignoring them is an option and that makes me two faced and makes the people around me wonder if I truly like them or I'm basically tolerating them, but this wouldn't happen if I they weren't rude in the first place?

BTW a similar thing eventually happened with Gloria because her attitude sucked with me and I lashed out eventually because enough is enough, she said she should've known not to trust me because of how I treated Maddy and I shouldn't have befriended her if I "hated" her so much. AITA?

[thewertsearch]

FUTURE terminallyCapricious [FTC] 0:42:00 HOURS FROM NOW responded to memo. […] FTC: HEY BEST MOTHERFUCKING FRIEND. FTC: what all seems to be the motherfuckin problem? :o) […] CCG: OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD FTC: i'm in your future, best friend. FTC: I KNOW WHERE YOU MOTHERFUCKING ARE. FTC: and what you'll motherfuckin do. […] FTC: and also. […] FTC: i'm all about to be meeting up some friends. :o) […] FTC: i wonder if you can all be at with me in time and make me get my reconsider on?

... is it just me, or does it kind of sound like Gamzee's asking for help here?

Instead of directly threatening his friend, he's asking if Karkat will help him 'reconsider' - almost as though there's a piece of him that doesn't want to be trapped in a murderous rage, and it's trying to make itself heard.

Do I spot some ominous purple text in the corner?

I do.

Well, Terezi isn’t the worst person for Gamzee to run into on his rampage. A Seer like her will immediately understand that he's snapped - and she's no slouch in the combat department, either, so I don't think she'll be easy pickings.

Things might get dicey, however, if Gamzee pulls out the power he used against the Black King. We have no idea what that even looks like - but Terezi does, so she at least shouldn't be blindsided by it.

Anyway, what does our resident detective make of the dearly departed Tavros?

Before the full investigation is underway, a legislacerator will always have a chief suspect in mind. The one she will hold guilty until proven otherwise, a process customarily taking place after the execution.

That sounds about right for the Alternian ‘justice’ system. I’d ask what happens if a suspect is proven innocent after their execution, but that presupposes that Alternia even has a concept of 'proving someone innocent'.

In any case, a stopped clock is still right twice a day, and Terezi's corrupt methods have lead her to the correct culprit. What's her next move?

Above, you detect faint traces of what you reckon to be special stardust, such as the kind left behind by the flapping wings of a mischievous fairy.

I knew Terezi’s sense of smell was impressive, but I didn’t think she could go full bloodhound. She really is the most well-equipped troll for this new, more dangerous Veil.

And not far from that, you detect bright trails of white light. It smells... hopeful.

All three killers are in the vicinity, then.

... look at me, already calling Gamzee a killer. To our knowledge, he hasn't harmed anyone thus far - but I'm fully convinced he intends to, based purely on the strength of his most recent Pesterlogs.

The writing there was genuinely impressive. In just a few dozen lines, Hussie has completely sold me on the idea that the funny meme clown is dead fucking serious about violently murdering his friends.

[dollypopup]

"Colin should have grovelled more!" "Penelope folded too easily"

I think statements like this typically come from people who like Penelope. . .but don't really understand her. And don't really understand just why she cares for Colin, and just why him groveling would not in any way bring her peace.

Penelope and Colin are kindred spirits in their loneliness, in season 3 more than any others. Penelope had lost her friendship with Eloise, and Colin didn't really have a close friend circle to begin with. Except with Pen. Pen was the person he could put the mask down for, could open up to, (in particular with their 'dreams' discussion) and that's why he couldn't even entertain the idea of giving up talking to her in Season 2. She is a vital part of his life, and holds so much significance and importance to him.

I imagine that's what made their silence over his travels especially painful for him. They spent such a long time talking after Season 1, and he even informs her that her letters were so encouraging, that it helped him heal something inside of himself. That if she could see him in a gentle way. . .so could he. (And he repays this, because he is honest to god out here acting and looking at her like she hung the moon in the sky). But without her presence in his life, he spiraled. Didn't feel confident in being who he is, and thus put on his persona more firmly. We know this because he wrote in his journal that "I want to be less needy, less insecure, while still maintaining the core of my vulnerability that makes me who I am". That he misses his family, that he misses home.

And we know, from the books, that Home? Home is Penelope. Penelope is his North Star, is his guiding force, and who I argue he feels he needs. In his very first scene, he looks toward her house, tries to find her in the window. When he does not, he returns to his family. In the outdoor gathering, he looks for her and finds her, eager to talk. He states aloud that he misses her, and I imagine he wrote it, too. Not hearing back from her over the course of his travels was surely something that hurt him, but he doesn't hold any ill will toward her for it, only wants to reconnect again. In fact, the one and only time he brings up how he misses her and that she didn't respond, she makes very clear the reason why: she heard what he said and it hurt her. And he's ashamed of it.

Colin hears her call him cruel, and instead of ruffling his feathers about it, instead of getting upset, instead of having a chip on his shoulder as I feel so many men would about it. . .he understands why she does so.

Penelope is a woman who has been largely treated poorly in her society. She feels unheard, she feels undesired, and in her circumstances, and I can't help but ask myself. . .has anyone ever truly apologized to Penelope for hurting her, before? Her mother? Her sisters? Eloise, likely, but. . .anyone else? And the way Colin did? Because of all the characters in the show, Colin? Colin knows how to apologize. He has a lot of practice in it. And very importantly: Colin, a man of privilege in his society, apologizes. . .predominately to women. To Marina, to his mother, and multiple times to Penelope.

Ultimately, Penelope wants to be heard, Penelope wants to be understood, Penelope wants to feel desired.

And Colin checks every single one of those boxes. He informs he is not who he was before, and then he proves it to her. He hears that he hurt her, and he comments on it directly. An entire night apart, and he comes back to her 'Because I embarrass you' with 'I am most certainly not ashamed of you', replies to her 'I am a laughingstock' with 'you are clever, and warm, and I am proud to call you my good friend'. He hears her proclaim her own insecurities, and empathizes so deeply with her. He listens. He understands. He makes clear that he cares for her, and that she *is* desired. 'You lift my spirits' 'I seek you out at every social assembly'. That she helps him see the world in ways he loves, that he sees HER and how much she has cared for HIM, that she makes him feel appreciated, that he appreciates her, in turn.

And then? Then? He shows her. He tells her, and he shows her. His actions all throughout Season 3 reinforce this apology. He continues looking for her in every corner of every ballroom, he continues complimenting her, he laughs at her jokes and respects her boundaries, he is ever so gentle with her, he listens to her with an attentiveness that no one else has ever given her. To Lady Whistledown? Sure. But to Penelope? Who else in the entirety of that ton has listened to Penelope the way Colin has?

Absolutely no one.

Penelope Featherington ghosts Colin Bridgerton for months with no explanation, and Colin comes back wanting to reach out to her, and she finally tells him why.

And he apologizes. Because he listens. Really, truly listens. And really truly cares.

I need you to understand how rare that is, even nowadays, but especially back then. That Colin is the kind of man who can put his hurt to the side and realize he made a mistake, that he said something callous, and he adores her, and he can't lose her, and he has to see her and make it right.

Because that's why Penelope fell for Colin. Not because he's beautiful, not for his charm, not for his family. But for his heart. Because he shows her kindness in a world that so often disregards her. Because he seeks her out and tries to understand her, truly hears what she has to say and compliments her, says he's sorry and looks at things from her perspective.

Because he saw her when she was invisible.

Penelope Featherington, who grew up in a house that made cruel jabs at her, has Colin Bridgerton come to her and say he regrets what he said, and that he was wrong, and that he understands why she's mad at him. Penelope Featherington who has so rarely had much of anyone tell her that they're sorry for what they said about her, sits before Colin Bridgerton as he professes how much she means to him. That he cannot even spend a full day away from her knowing they're on bad terms with each other without making it right. That he sees how she is hurting and he has to in any way he can amend it. She is lonely, with no one really in her corner at the start of season 3, and she feels like she lost it all, and Colin comes to her and says 'no, I'm here and I appreciate you and you are special to me, please let me in and let me prove it'. Is it any wonder why after she shakes his hand, she stands in the sun, and she feels the warmth of it, she can smile? That she can breathe, again? That she can be truly content for the first time in the season?

Because Penelope Featherington does not want Colin to beg. She knows him. She knows the tender, full heart he hides behind the new cavalier persona. She knows the soft underbelly of Colin Bridgerton.

He never had to grovel. All he had to do was love her. Assuredly. Fervently. Loudly. Unapologetically.

And he does.

[dreamsinmoonlight]

I have a yandere alastor idea for you... Could you do it? Imagine the reader being one of the unfortunate people who was killed by the alastor when he was human... Human! Alastor never felt these strong feelings for anyone, until the reader appeared in his life, the reader was a kind and caring person with everyone, always treating everyone the same... Now I imagine when Alastor discovered that these feelings were love for the reader, but the reader rejected him because he already loved other people... Maybe Alastor, in his desperate and psychotic environment, unintentionally killed the reader...

(now currently) the reader became an angel and was chosen to help Charlie at the hotel (of course the reader doesn't know that Alastor is at the hotel and this happens after the battle)...

Now what would happen?

(Fudge knuckles, this, um, it set off something in my head because I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. Admittedly couldn't imagine turning down Alastor but I can try to imagine it for this XD

Um I would have started this earlier but I was watching stuff with my friends yesterday when I got this. Point is I'm creating it now despite wanting to space out my creations, oops~

So i wasn't sure if you wanted the reader to be male or not (since you said "because he already loved other people") so I'm going gender neutral again on this. Sorry if you wanted male specifically >w<

Alastor uses "doe" as a petname for you which yes is female but I like the idea of it so I apologize for that.

Totes writing this after looking deep into my Alastor plushies eyes and while watching A Haunting in Venice. Don't ask why.

Fandom: Hazbin Hotel

Characters: yandere!Alastor, angel!reader

Pairing: Guess

Genre: What genre does yandere being yandere fit in? Hurt? Ain't no comfort here

Summary: Sir Pentious should have told you, oh god, why did he not warn you.)

Oh Doe

Emily assured you this would be a lovely thing; she spoke with excitement and sweetness and love of her dear friend Charlie, of that wonderful princess of hell. And the newcomer Sir Pentious, well he had plenty himself of his time there, of his growing friendships and those strange fascinating souls for whom he'd given his life. For whom he was sent up to heaven, redeemed at last. It was hard for you not to be excited, your wings all a flutter as the portal opened to allow you entrance to Down Below, to Hell. To the Hazbin Hotel.

You found the place extremely warm and it took you a moment to remember that of course it was such. It was Hell after all. You smiled as you did so and approached the hotel, amazed by it's grandness. You'd heard about the great battle between the exterminators and the hotel residents; the loss of Adam had been both a great blow and an admitted relief in some. He had been many things to many people, you mainly saw him from a distance like most angels, but the idea that an angel as powerful as him could be felled sent emotions through Heaven that were less than pleasant. You of course never feared though, a kind soul through and through, one able and willing to see the good and warmth in all. Even, you'd be the first to admit, that of perhaps those who certainly didn't deserve it.

Your eyes found the design fascinating. There was something familiar in it, in the silhouette of it, of the flash of it, the strange apple shaped tower. And the one opposite to it, strange and ominous, and in it something felt as it was watching you with far too much interest. You felt, for the first time in decades, shivers down your spine and could half remember a voice.

"Oh doe, my doe, you have done something terrible. You've broken something deep inside me and you won't even be good enough to fix it." You had not thought about it in a very long time, those words, the last thing you heard from a voice as smooth as velvet, sweet as honey, and poisonous as a viper. It dug deep, it was embedded in your soul, for better or worse, along with all the regrets and sadnesses of a life left unfinished.

"Oh you must be the angel Emily told me about!" You were ripped from your memories by a voice and your wings expanded in surprise as you looked towards the door to see what you had to guess was Charlie Magne herself.

She was bright and cheery, the strangest sight of sunlight in the depths of Hell, but her eyes sparkled and she ran over to you, taking your hands in hers and shaking them excitedly, "Oh, Emily said an angel would come down to help but really after everything that happened, you know with the trial and the fight and all of that, well, who really thought that Heaven would really send down an angel? And to help us no doubt! I'm so excited, seriously, really, just-"

"Charlie," said the voice of Vaggie; she was another angel, Emily had mentioned her, and she looked at Charlie with a soft look before turning her eye to you. It was so....it was hard to describe, not entirely hostile, not certainly friendly; you knew very little of her, of her fall, of what happened, but you suspected that she had less than friendly memories of angels. Still you smiled warmly back at her, not blaming her her feelings, how could you when you didn't truly know her; you certainly hoped to change that with your time here.

She was not the only one looking at you with at least a little suspicion. In the aftermath of battle and rebuilding, there would of course be such for an angel walking up to the hotel. The tall one, the spider sinner Angel Dust, tilted his head at you with eyes hidden by sunglasses, hands on his hips. Beside him was Husk; Sir Pentious had called him the bartender, he had not mentioned how fluffy and soft he looked, with his own wings ruffling behind him with a look even more suspicious than Vaggie's own. To both still you smiled and waved, hoping to make friends, to prove yourself.

There were more; you knew there were because you'd been told. But try as you might, while you remembered Sir Pentious mentioning how Lucifer often was around, not there currently of course, and there was supposed to be a little one-eyed maid named Nifty, Sir Pentious' love Cherry Bomb, you couldn't quite remember who else he mentioned. You knew there was one more, one more resident, one more sinner. Who....who....

"Come on, let me show you around," Charlie said and there again was that bright smile. You liked her, she was a warm kind soul; she reminded you of what everyone always accused you of being. Yet deep down you couldn't help but feel you weren't though, that Charlie was kinder, that Charlie was sweeter.

Because Charlie wouldn't have broken someone's heart like you had.

She dragged you along, such strength for such a small girl, and you were delighted by the beauty of the inside of the hotel as well. Down your back you still felt the chills, still felt the sensation of being watched, but you told yourself it was nothing and enjoyed the tour.

"Husk is the bartender of course, Angel is our resident....well, resident; our housekeeper Nifty is running around somewhere," Charlie said cheerfully, showing you all around, "And my dad is currently at home but he'll be back soon; oh he'll be so surprised to see you, we haven't had an angel here since...oh...well..." she trailed off and looked embarrassed.

You laughed sweetly and smiled at her. "No worries at all princess, I understand. The situation was terrible and on behalf of Heaven, I am so sorry for what happened; you never should have been put in such a position to have to fight to protect yourself like that. But you all survived and Sir Pentious spoke so lovingly of you all, I am delighted to have the chance to meet you and assist you with redeeming souls so they may come to Heaven too."

Charlie looked at you and you recognized it, though it felt strange coming from someone as sunshine as her. It was a look you were well used to, one you had gotten a lot in life, when you helped someone who was down on their luck by giving them everything in your pockets, when you showed kindness and love to any and all around you; people didn't always understand, they didn't often want to. Charlie, you suspected, did on both regards but having grown up in Hell, though she too saw the good in all around her, there still must be a part of her that felt uncertain when faced with a true kindred spirit. You noticed from the corner of your eye Vaggie's expression change, of course she would see it too, to something a little softer but still with plenty of apprehension. You were not fake though in your goodness; you had become an angel for good reason, Sera and Emily had always told you so.

Something felt like it was chuckling and you could have sworn you heard it again. "Oh doe, my doe, how is it you can brighten up a whole room with that bleeding heart of yours?"

"Ooooooh!" Charlie said and proceeded to capture you in a massive bearhug; the strength of a hellborn, especially Lucifer's daughter, was quite impressive and you blinked a few times before chuckling.

She continued. "I like you a lot, you seem like just what we need!"

"Oh great another softie just like our princess," said Angel Dust, walking up behind you both.

Charlie let go of you with a pout. "Angel, what's that supposed to mean?"

"That means you're too soft for your own good and so are they," Husk said, "Which, by the way, what even is your name anyway, angel?"

"You know my name," Angel Dust said playfully and nudged Husk, making the sinner grumble.

"Not you, spider, the actual angel."

"Oh me," you said, smiling again before stating your name.

You didn't expect how pale he got. You didn't expect that someone as furry as him could even go pale. Maybe it was just that his eyes widened and you got the sense he recognized your name; you opened your mouth to ask what was wrong, why he was looking at you like that but he grabbed Charlie's arm, tight if her wince was any indication.

"Princess, we need to talk, now," he said.

"Husk what's wrong?" Charlie asked and Vaggie frowned as the cat-bird sinner pulled her away from you and down the hall.

You watched as Vaggie and Angel Dust threw you a confused look then Husk one before following after him, leaving you there, alone. The hotel was quiet, they moved far enough for whatever was on his mind for you to not hear; you choose that it was probably something important and you weren't too worried. Of course they didn't trust you entirely yet to talk about important things around you, not after what happened. You kept your smile and your faith and decided to take the chance to look about the hotel for yourself.

There were many floors and many rooms. Most were empty, many were locked; you thought to yourself of how beautiful this place would be when more souls came, to be redeemed and finally go to heaven. Oh it would be wonderful, full of voices and singing and laughter and happiness. You know you were chosen for this role but you certainly couldn't have imagined any better one; to help people was something you very much enjoyed doing and this felt like the best way to do so with your afterlife.

Yet the happy thoughts felt...cold here somehow. Colder still as you kept walking. The sensations continued, of being watched, of something staring. You tried to ignore it, certain it was nothing. That surely the shadows weren't somehow watching you; that was all that there were after all, just the hotel and the shadows.

Your own little tour led to a specific door and you weren't too sure what brought you there. By your estimates it was the door that would lead to a room connected to that strange tower, the ominous one, the one you'd felt had been watching you. You stood before the door for a moment, staring at the doorknob before pulling yourself together, your wings fluttering, your heart racing a little. This was silly, you were being silly; you reached out for the doorknob to open the door.

It opened on it's own, before you could even touch it, and from inside you heard something familiar. Jazz music, a taste of home; it touched your heart and your smile turned soft and nostalgic, reminded so much of those days when you'd been alive. Visions of New Orleans crossed your mind and without thinking you stepped inside, entranced by the music; you started to sing along, knowing this song by heart.

"Oh doe, my doe," said a voice and while the music kept playing, you no longer could hear it, for the blood that couldn't rush that did rush past your ears as the good memories faded away.

He'd always played it, a dedication just to you he always told you. That melodious voice, that bright smile; it was tinged, tainted, but the crackle of radio filter to it reminded you of the days sitting in your living room, listening to him talk, never imagining what he truly was, who he truly was. Your dearest friend, for years and years.

"Alastor." The name tasted like fear on your tongue and you turned to stare, with eyes as wide as a deer's in headlights, at the tall figure who stood there, gently closing the door behind you both.

So much had changed yet not much at all. He still smiled so friendly, so warm, and you once believed so much in it, in what soul could be behind it. Until the day he confessed and you, foolish, foolish you, who loved and loved and loved and didn't know yet how to take being loved, had turned him down. He'd called you his doe, then he'd stabbed you through the heart.

His smile twitched and he tilted his head, red eyes focused on you. He wore a monocle instead of glasses, you thought feebly to yourself how you'd liked the glasses; the slightly tattered coat, the neat little bowtie, the essence of suaveness, the sharp claws clenching so lightly a long thin cane with a microphone on the end, it all suited him in some way. You remembered his hair as brown; it now was reddish, red like the rest of him. Red like your blood must have been on his clothes.

"My doe," he said and reached out with one hand, cupping your chin; you were frozen, unable to resist, unable to speak anything but his name in a terrified whisper, "It seems Heaven's sent you back to me."

You didn't want to die. You were sure he would kill you again. But he continued to smile, with those sharp teeth like a sharks he had, and looked you over, examined. "I must say, I'm not surprised you're an angel; you always were one, you just needed the wings."

That hand moved, from your chin to one of your wings and a whimper left you as you felt him stroke your feathers, biting your lip and closing your eyes.

"The question is though, my doe," he said and his tone never changed; it was playful, light, and ever so dangerous, "Do I let you keep them or do I rip them off of you? Can't have you escaping me again, can I?"

"Alastor, please," you whispered, begged, "Please..."

"Though if I did that Charlie might complain," he said and chuckled, "And I wouldn't want that. Promise me then, my doe, promise me you won't try to run away."

"I promise." You just wanted to be safe, you just wanted him not to hurt you. You remembered death, it had hurt so much.

"Good doe," he said and pulled away, patting you on the head, "Now come on, remember to smile; you're never fully dressed without one."

He smiled at you and you smiled back. Not because you wanted to. But because something, deep down, from that day, from all those days you'd spent with him, and all the days you knew to come, that if you didn't, it wouldn't end well.

The door burst in soon after and Vaggie seemed on the attack while Angel grabbed you to pull you behind him, Charlie apologizing over and over, "I didn't know, Husk told us all about what happened, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have let you wander off on your own".

"No worries princess, I was just greeting our new angelic guest," Alastor said with cheer and friendliness.

Husk glared at him, his wings expanded, his eyes narrowed. You tried to reassure Charlie; you couldn't even really reassure yourself. But something in seeing her so worried, Husk so on edge, Vaggie with her spear and Angel standing there as if he could or would do anything, make almost seem like this could still be okay. You could still see the bright side in this, goodness, the light.

Even when facing down the greatest devil you knew.

[sturniolo-fall-enthusiast]

Beer Pong

Request: Hiii!! I'm obsessed with your writing, and I wanted to request something for Matt. Could you please write something where they're at a party, and one of his exes is there, and the reader thinks they're kinda close, so bcs of all the alcohol she drank she gets overwhelmed and leaves the party, not wanting to cause a scene? And then Matt is worried cause he can't find her, but then he finds her outside, sitting on a sidewalk all sad? And he comforts her and stuff? Thank you so much!!

"Why do we have to go?" Matt whines.

"It could be fun." Y/N insists as she finishes getting dressed for the party. "Come on. It's good to get out of the house every once in a while."

"Are you kidding me? There's people out there, babe." Matt groans.

"Social interaction is healthy." Y/N says.

"I have social interaction. I have friends, my parents, my brothers, Trevor." Matt lists, Y/N rolling her eyes at the mention of his dog.

"Hey. I love Trev, too, but he doesn't talk." Y/N says.

"Yes, he does. We just don't speak the same language." Matt says.

"Babe..." She gives him a look.

"I have you." Matt cutely grins, hoping it'll make her change her mind. "You're my favorite interaction of every day. We can stay home and talk all night long." He says, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to stand between his legs.

"Hmm." Y/N hums, a soft smile on her face as she strokes his cheeks. "I love you, too, Matty." She gently pecks him on the lips. Matt's hope rises, feeling like his plan worked. "Now get dressed." She lightly pats his cheeks, walking away from him.

Matt groans, flopping down onto the bed.

"Why can't you just go with Chris and Nick? I can stay here?" Matt suggests.

"Cause I like you more." Y/N shrugs.

"I would hope so." Matt remarks making her smile.

"Please, honey. Just this one party. I really wanna go out tonight, have some outside fun. The moment you're overwhelmed, we'll leave. I promise." Y/N says.

"I'm overwhelmed." Matt states.

"Matt... c'mon, Nate will even be there. You can hang out with him. Or me or your brothers, or even some other people you know." Y/N says. "I can meet high school friends."

"I'm not getting out of this, am I?" Matt pouts.

"Probably not." Y/N shakes her head.

Matt huffs, giving her puppy dog eyes, but she doesn't give in.

"Fine." Matt groans, sitting up.

"Yay!" Y/N kisses him on the head. "Get dressed. You can't wear that."

"Rude." Matt frowns.

"Love you!" She calls out on her way to the bathroom.

---

The four get to the party, Chris going off to find Nate while Nick goes to get a drink. Matt tightly grabs onto Y/N's hand, intertwining their fingers, following her like a lost dog. Y/N guides him through the crowded house, going to the drinks.

She grabs herself a drink and holds one out to Matt.

"Nah." He shakes his head, grabbing a bottle of water. "DD." He tells her. Y/N nods, putting the second drink back and opening hers.

"Come on. See if there's anyone you wanna talk to." Y/N encourages, leading him through the house.

"Matt!" They're stopped by a female voice, both turning to the blonde girl. "Hey." She smiles.

"Oh, hey." Matt kindly smiles. "Haven't seen you in a while."

"Yeah." The girl laughs. "Good to see you again."

"You, too." Matt awkwardly smiles. Y/N nudges his arm with hers, getting his attention. "Uh, Y/N, this-- this is Emma. Emma, this is Y/N, my girlfriend."

"Oh, nice to meet you." Emma politely smiles.

"You, too." Y/N gives her a small smile.

"Emma!" Somebody yells.

"Oh. I'll see you guys later." Emma smiles, making her way to the person who called for her.

"So, Emma... like, uh... like ex-girlfriend Emma?" Y/N asks.

"Yeah." Matt nods. "See? Another reason we shouldn't go to parties. Exes."

"Matt." Y/N lightly rolls her eyes. "C'mon. Let's go find one of your brothers or Nate."

---

They've been at the party for a few hours and Y/N has had much more to drink, the girl needing Matt's help so she doesn't stumble too much.

Matt is playing a game of beer pong with Chris, the two playing against Nick and Nate. Chris does the drinking no matter what so Matt's still sober to drive.

"You're going down." Nick says.

"Yeah, right." Matt scoffs.

"In your dreams." Chris retorts.

"Okay, okay. Less trash talk, more beer ponging." Y/N says, giggling as she takes another sip of her drink.

Y/N cheers as the younger two triplets win, giving her boyfriend a sweet kiss to the lips. They pull away when the boys start gagging and pretending to vomit, Nick throwing a ping pong ball at them.

"Dude!" Matt exclaims.

"Rematch. Rematch." Nate challenges.

"Yes!" Nick agrees.

"No, I'm done. I will remain victorious." Chris states. "I gotta go take a shit, anyway."

"Dude!" Nick rolls his eyes.

"Chris!" Matt groans.

"TMI!" Y/N calls out, chugging some of her drink.

Chris waves them off as he leaves.

"Y/N?" Nick asks.

"No. I have terrible coordination sober, drunk is much worse." She says.

"Which is why it should be you." Nate says.

"Nice try." Matt tells them.

"Mind if I play?" The four turn to Emma as she walks up.

"Yes!" Nick yells. "Yes! Let's go!"

"All right." Nate rubs his hands together as he gets ready for the next game.

"Yeah, sure." Matt nods. She stands next to him and Matt looks over at Y/N who gives him a small smile.

Y/N watches Emma make small talk with Matt, the two occasionally laughing at something. She's thankful when Nick finally finishes setting the game up.

"Here. You go first." Matt gives the ball to Emma.

"Okay." She mumbles. She throws the ball, getting it into one of the cups, earning groans from Nick and Nate.

"All right!" Matt grins, high fiving her as she grins.

Y/N watches the game continue, her mood dampening with each laugh and high five her boyfriend and his ex share.

The game is soon tied, nobody able to successfully sink a ball yet. Y/N watches as Emma whispers tips to Matt in his ear, nobody able to hear over the music.

Matt throws the ball, it landing in a cup.

"Yes!" Matt high fives the girl.

Y/N weakly smiles and starts to walk off while Nick chugs the beer.

"Wha-- hey, hey." Matt stops his girlfriend by lightly grabbing onto her arm. "Where are you going?"

"I'm just gonna go get another drink." Y/N says, giving him a smile she hopes he buys.

"Okay." Matt nods after a moment, frowning. "Be careful." She nods, giving him another small smile before making her way off.

Y/N bypasses the drink table, heading straight for the front door. She shuts it behind her, stumbling towards the end of the walkway and sitting down on the sidewalk. She wraps her arms around her legs, taking a deep breath. Despite her best efforts, the tears start to roll down her cheeks, the cool breeze not helping her feel any better.

---

After a few more rounds of beer pong, Matt notices Y/N still hasn't returned. He tries not to worry too much, knowing she probably got caught up in some sort of conversation or dancing to the music that blasts through the house.

After the game ends, Matt calls it quits, starting to search for his girlfriend. He goes to the kitchen first, but finds no sign of her. He makes his way to the living room, going over to Chris when he sees him.

"Hey." Matt yells over the music, tugging on Chris' arm, getting the younger's attention. "Have you seen Y/N?"

"No." Chris shakes his head.

Matt sighs, going to look around. He asks some people if they've seen her, always receiving a no. His anxiety continues to rise the longer he fails to find her, becoming afraid something happened to her. After checking everywhere upstairs and downstairs, he goes to the last resort, going outside.

Matt shuts the door behind him, breathing in the fresh air that doesn't smell like weed or alcohol. He glances over at a couple making out on the porch bench and grimaces a little.

Matt looks around, spotting the familiar figure sitting on the sidewalk. He jogs down the walkway and over to her.

"Hey." Matt greets.

Y/N winces at his voice, trying to subtly wipe her cheeks.

"Baby, you had me worried for a second. Are you okay?" Matt asks, touching her arm. He frowns at her cool skin and quickly sheds his jacket, wrapping it around her shoulders. "Sweetheart, you okay?"

"I'm fine." Y/N mumbles, sniffing.

Matt frowns as he sits next to her, observing her wet cheeks. Her mascara is still intact since she chose waterproof.

"Why are you crying?" Matt asks, gently wiping the tears off her cheeks.

"I'm not." She insists.

"Okay, why were you crying?" Matt asks.

"I wasn't." She mumbles.

"Y/N/N..." Matt gives her a look.

Y/N glances at him and sighs.

"Go ask Emma." She mumbles, looking down.

"What?" Matt's face scrunches up in confusion.

"You two seem pretty close. Wouldn't wanna get in the middle of that." Y/N huffs, crossing her arms over her chest, partly out of annoyance and partly to help with the cold.

"Clo-- Emma? Baby, it-- none of that meant anything." Matt says, tucking some hair behind her ear. "It was just beer pong."

"Yeah, but you-- you were high fiving her and she was whispering to you." Y/N sniffles. "You were having fun."

"I have a lot more fun with you." Matt says, rubbing her back. Y/N looks at him.

"Really?" She asks.

"Yes." He nods. "I only want you, sweetheart. She's in the past. I don't like her like that anymore. I love you and only you." Matt promises. "No more beer pong or any other games with exes we run into at parties, I pinky promise." He holds his pinky out.

Y/N weakly smiles, sniffling, and she links her pinky with his.

"Pinky promise." She mumbles, the two kissing their thumbs.

"I told you we shouldn't have come to this party." Matt comments.

"Matty." Y/N whines, giving him a look.

"All right, all right. Too soon." Matt raises his hand in surrender. "Maybe tomorrow." Y/N gives him a look. "Or never." He places a gentle kiss to her lips. "Can we go home now?"

Y/N immediately nods, giving him another kiss.

"Thank God." Matt lets out a large sigh of relief. "Let's get you in the car then I'll go get Chris and Nick. Nate will probably come too."

"And we can cuddle all night? Ooh, and ice cream?" Y/N asks as he helps her to her feet, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Yep. Whatever you want." Matt promises, knowing she'll probably fall asleep before they even get home.

[brucewaynehater101]

Just a warning, this au strays a bit close to NSFW territory in that it does talk about Sex Workers, but it does not mention or describe anything specific, mostly just discussing how they operate and some dangers they may face working in Gothem.

So, we all know that Tim would do a lot for the mission right? More than most people would. I mean, just look at Brucequest or the fact he came back after his 16th birthday or his first few months as Robin when he was basically Bruce's nanny. He also has many false life's he can slip into at the drop of a hat such as Alvin Draper or Caroline Hill. So why not add one more to those personas? A woman named Jane Doe, a sex worker who works just outside Crime Alley who everyone knows and knows everyone, but no one truly knows her nor have they ever seen her face, if she even is a woman as she uses all pronouns to get just a little more mystery added to them. Their outfit is constantly changing but also very specific, a short and highly attractive dress that doesn't look cheap and a full face mask in the style of Venetian Carnival Masks, Volto design specifically so that it covers his full face but shows striking blue eyes. Those he has colored contacts that he switches around constantly.

The reason that Tim does this is simple. Information. While Jason may be able to ask the sex workers under his protection questions, they wouldn't be as open with him as they would another sex worker. Tim can get information from them, the clients, the shop owners of the area, the homeless, anyone and everyone who is often on the street or connected to it that none of the other Bats would ever be able to get. And through his... services he gets a lot of information about up coming things thanks to a special discount everyone knows about. If you tell Jane a secret they don't already know, you get 10% off his services. Tell him 2 and you get 20%. So on and so forth, but it has to be things that Tim didn't already know and he's more than happy to hear about which rouges are hiring at the moment and when they stop hiring, after all, what easier way to predict when they are gunna do stuff than by when they get new henchmen?

A lot is known about Jane Doe, yet also nothing is known. Jane doesn't keep any of the money he makes, giving it to the other girls and often extra as well. No one knows where she keeps getting 100s of dollars to just *give* them but she does. Jane has three brothers, a sister, and a father but no mother. They don't know their names, simply knowing them as N, H, C, R, and B. Whoever they are, they're a well off family but they aren't good to Jane, bad enough that Jane feels safer on the corners of Gothem than the comfort of her home. They know from "funny" stories he tells about his family or via them asking about scars he forgets misses when he covers himself in makeup (there are so many, what have they done to you child?) And him always telling something close to the truth.

They know that N is his oldest brother and the only one who cared about him for a long time, who helped him and was the first person who ever made him feel truly happy. They also know that N took something very precious from Jane Doe without Jane's permission and shattered their trust in N. Tim never told them what was taken or that it was Robin, but in a profession like the one he shares with them, they all come to the same conclusion about what was taken and why Jane might seek comfort in this line of work.

They know that H is also his older brother and has hurt Jane often. They know that the slight scar on his neck he covers with a choker or makeup was made by H, as was the bullet scar in his leg. He laughed about that one, telling his friends how H had set down one of his guns after cleaning it, R picked it up and accidentally fired it, and it bounced twice before going clean through Tim's leg. He laughs about how mad H was at both of them and how he yelled at them to not tell B or else, using a mocking tone and laughter that only causes the others to glance at eachother in worry over their friend. Tim makes sure to reassure them that he got to the blood before it dried so it wasn't to hard to clean up. Tim may have read it as anger in Jason's voice when he said to not tell, but actually it was panic and worry about Tim's wound and how Bruce would react.

They don't know much about C, only that she managed to escape the hell hole known as Gothem and lives in another country. Sometimes she comes back for visits and Jane is always very excited when she does.

The other Sex Workers don't like R. They know that R has either threatened Jane with sharp objects or actually harmed her with them many times but has never gotten in trouble for it. Any time Tim has some left over injuries from patrol, he plays it off as either R or H getting agressive with him again and tries to calm them by saying, "oh come on. Both of them have only tried to *actually* kill me twice! It's fine guys, they won't seriously injure me." While having 5 stitches in his arm.

Jane doesn't talk about their Dad much, always getting quiet and looking away when he's brought up. They ask if B has ever hit him and Jane says, "he doesn't hit me anymore." And all of them want to kill him. They want to kill all of them (except maybe C) and bury their bodies where they'll never be found.

Of course, none of the Bats know about Tim's other nightly activities and where he gets his info from, simply shrugging and moving along. Tim is terrified of any of them accidentally finding out. But unfortunately that day could be coming soon as one of the workers goes to The Red Hood and grabs him by the jacket saying, "you're supposed to protect us right? That's what you promised us, isn't it? Saftey? Well one of the others, Jane, is in deep trouble. Their family is gunna *kill* them. Do whatever you need to do to keep Jane safe from those monsters, we'll tell you what we know, but stop them before she's just another dead body in Gothem Harbor. Do we need to pay you? We'll pay you however much it takes for you to make them pay."

This does remind me of a few fics that go over Tim's "Caroline" identity combined with the idea that Bruce was worse to Tim during his Robin years. Some fics do go into Tim having to go so far as actually having sex with people while some don't.

There are also a few fics of Tim going undercover in Crime Alley as a stripper, cocktail server, sex worker, or other when Red Hood finds out and loses his shit.

The idea of Tim using a fake identity to vent about his family issues is a really cool concept! It would allow him to see how the actions done against him were shit and not okay. He may have the mindset that his trauma is fine because it happened to him, but the separation of identities may help start that realization process. I'm also all here for the identity shenanigans of someone trying to save Jane from her family and accidentally going to one of the people who's hurt them. Lovely amounts of mixed emotions there.

This fic/AU would need to be careful to address both the trauma of Tim selling himself at such a young age as well as still treat sex workers with respect, individuality, and care. It would also be cool to see how the inner workings of the sex industry may be affected by Gotham (such as rogues, toxins, corruption, wealth disparity/poverty, etc).

But yeah! Lots to explore in this AU. I wonder if Tim, in this one, cares about pronouns or gender identity. Does he enjoy crossdressing, does he experiment with his gender identity, and does he make distinctions? I think it would be cool to indicate he's closer agender but is fine with whatever. I like to imagine, in this AU, that he simply doesn't care what gender identity he's perceived as unless that identity needs a specific gender.

Anyways, I am curious about how Red Hood reacts to his characterization by Jane. I wonder if she seems to be wary or distant from him before he finds out that's Tim. Hopefully, Jason tries not to take Jane's hesitance personally. Just because Red Hood is established as a protector doesn't mean that Jane would trust him. They may have their own reasons/experiences not to that has nothing to do with the anti-hero.