#b is surprisingly the calm one re the kids growing up

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Squaaaaaaaad!! My fave twins Lyric & Legend are preteens. Let the shenanigans (and random photoshoots because I'm already obsessed) begin. Happy Birthday!! 🎉

[arhvste]

Hi! I saw your Dad hcs and istg I wanted more 🥺 can you please make a part two with Sakusa (God i love this man) Hinata, Bokuto and Ushijima (do add more if you want) your works are amazing but the Dad hcs got me 💘

i re-read all my work last night and i consciously kept spelling sakusa’s name wrong 🤠 like i know his name i know what it sounds like but i kept getting mixed up between sasuka, sakura and sasuke because they all look the same to me 😳 I'm sorry sakusa pls forgive me 😼

also i will be doing ushijima in a seperate post for dad hcs with two other haikyuu boys a bit later so dw i haven't accidentally missed or ignored it! :) 

-

SAKUSA, HINATA AND BOKUTO AS DADS

-

SAKUSA

the two fo you only have one kid so far

a 3 year old girl 

you plan to extend your family soon though 👀

you already KNOW this man gets your kid every vaccination available for their age 

he is very protective over his daughter 

boys near her daughter at the playground

NOT on his watch 

he will simply scoop her up and suggest she play somewhere else 

this man doesn't care how mean it may seem

he’s not having his precious daughter surrounded by disgusting b-boys 🤮

“have they had their flu jabs? when was the last time they washed their hands? they're breathing their gross little germs too close to her”

“sakusa, they’re 3.”

sorry but no dating for your daughter 

sakusa teaches his little girl the concept of “boys have cooties” from a very young age 

this man is nothing but proud when that concept sticks with her 😈

“d/n, are you excited for pre-school?”

“daddy said there's going to be boys and boys have cooties so no 😠”

as she gets older though he does become more lenient with her and who she makes friends with 

he’ll secretly love it if you brought her to his games

he’s not huge on pda at all

but he won’t mind being caught on camera embracing the two of you when the team win 

atsumu is not allowed near your daughter when she’s a baby

“omi omiiiii why can’t i ‘ave a look t’cha daughter?”

“because she has been vaccinated and i fear your disgusting germs may be strong enough to over power it”

when she gets older though she straight up approaches atsumu on her own 

“so you’re the rat my daddy talks about a lot? you don’t look like much of a rat?”

atsumu doesn’t know whether he’s flattered that sakusa talks about him or offended that he refers to him as a ‘rat’

he won’t encourage your daughter to play volleyball

he wants her to pick her own hobbies and not feel pressured by his influence on picking an activity she’ll enjoy

secretly hopes your daughter takes up an individual activity like painting or something to keep away from other germ infected kids

but if your daughter does happen to pick a team sport he doesn't complain

she just has to wash her hands before she comes home and have a shower when she comes in

he is a very very proud father 

he may not be very expressive about it 

but he absolutely brags about his kid to other people

“my son won maths star of the week!”

“yeah? well my daughter won student of the year, highest achieving in her class and had 4 boys confess to her this week so”

he does make sure his daughter knows he is very proud of her despite his petty bragging

anything she does he takes pride in her 

it’s her who makes him want to have another kid

so get ready for round two y/n because when sakusa wants something he’ll make sure he gets it 😼

-

HINATA

now, you may think hinata would be nothing but pure chaos with his kids 

but

he is actually very responsible 

it’s hardly a surprise though because he grew up with a younger sister whom he took care of a lot 

from the second your triplet boys are born hinata is on it 

at first when you found out you were having triplets your mind went blank

“so like, 3 little shoyou’s running around my legs? 😀”

“ma’am are you okay?”

“i’m finE :)))”

surprisingly  two of your sons took more after you

but the youngest one 

phew 

he doesn't have an off switch 

he’s just like his father 

but that’s what makes him so loveable too

hinata is a doting dad 

he also encourages his kids to go out and make as many friends

he explains all the opportunities he had growing up and how far these opportunities took him to reach is goal

and this is all because he was open to meeting new people and being friendly with them

he makes sure his kids grow up with lots of aunts and uncles surrounding them

he wants his sons to grow up in a close environment 

your kids have so many aunts and uncles because hinata makes a new friend everywhere he goes ufshfi

your oldest son takes a liking to kenma the most 

your second oldest takes a shine to uncle oikawa

and the youngest?

uncle kaegyama ofc 😈

lmao when kageyama holds one of your sons for the first time he holds it by the leg with a straight face 

nobody thought they’d ever see hinata having to show kageyama how to hold a baby properly 

kageyama is lowkey excited he’s the fav but he’s so awkward fjishsgjh

bring your sons to his games 

he will absolutely smile and wave at his kids whenever he scores

and will pull them out excitedly into the arena when they win 

he has you all plastered on his social media 

he thinks everyone should know that you guys are the light of his life

he already had a fulfilled life before his sons but you gave him a whole new concept of love and excitement when they were born

you guys will totally take a vacation to brazil at some point 

hinata wants your family to meet all his friends over in brazil too 

hinata is mr worldwide 😎

with hinata as a dad, your kids will grow up in a very nurturing home

he wants the best for your kids and will teach them from an early age that any goal is possible 

and he’ll support them in every single way he can

-

BOKUTO

hinata as a dad isn’t chaos 

bokuto as a dad certainly is

he’s basically a child himself 

you guys have 2 kids

a 5 year old son and a 6 year old daughter

bokuto will try and BEFRIEND your kids

“kou baby, they're your kids not your friends”

“uh says who?”

“biology??? their dna?? the birth certificate??”

he literally lets his kids do whatever they want forcing you to be the bad cop (im so sorry)

your kids want ice cream for dinner?

consider it done

they want to adopt a snake?

bokuto has excitedly taken them to the pet store to pick out one each

you’re always the one who has to say no because if you didn’t these kids would be off the r a i l s

the first time your kids cries he cries

the first time your kids talk he cries

the first time they walk he cries

he’s full of emotion and the love he holds for your kids is often expressed through tears of happiness

when you leave bokuto and the kids alone 

things will go smoothly

until one of them starts crying and bokuto can’t stop them

then the other one starts crying and he is clueless on what to do 

he doesn’t want to call you because he doesn’t want to look pathetic 

so he calls the next best option 

uncle akaashi 😼

akaashi is like a walking parent website hfdjbgu

he literally instructs bokuto on what to do through the phone 

and if they still won't calm down akaashi will just sigh and agree to come over

you come home to the sight of akaashi reading a story book to your two kids who are staring up at him in awe from the floor

along with your husband 

“am i interrupting?”

bokuto will break out into smiles and practically pounce on you when you come home

“everything was under control wasn’t it? right akaashi?” :D”

akaashi will just sigh and give a small smile

“yes bokuto-san, everything was under control”

you give akaashi a small smile of apology and he’ll often join you for dinner

yeah your kids spend a lot of time with uncle akaashi but you know who’s adamant on being the favourite uncle?

uncle kuroo ofc 😎

he will spoil tf out of your kids 

we love rich, capitalist uncle kuroo

and he’ll tell them things about bokuto to irritate him

“kids, your dads a criminal he doesn't pay his taxes”

“taxes?”

“money everyone has to pay the government - basically it’s illegal and i think you should call the police on your dad 😈”

you actually have to stop your kids from calling the police on their dad fbhjdsfgu

again, another dad who wants nothing more than for his kids to come to his games

“HEY HEY HEY THAT”S MY FAMILY!!!”

no boundaries with pda

will pick you all up and shower you all with affection when they win

would love if your kids took up volleyball

would tell them it’s the best sport to play 

and they actually listen to him hduigefuiew

your son becomes a middle blocker 

and your daughter becomes an ace 

bokuto could die from happiness 

he will absolutely teach your kids and play and bring them to msby practices so they can watch up close and play along too

if bokuto is the father of your kids 

good luck but have fun with it

because while yes, he is still your big baby that needs taking care of from time to time

he is also an extremely loving father who would gladly give his kids the world and all the stars

[alexlabhont]

I didn’t mean to fall in love with you

Chapter eleven

Book: Queen B - Choices (Universe)

Pairing:  Poppy Min-Sinclair x Trans!Male MC (Beck Hughes)

Genre: Canon re-write (Because I can)

Rating: Anyone can read it, really

Tags: @dopeyouth @theymakemegayer @save-me-the-last-dance @poppysmc (If anyone want to be tagged in or removed, just tell me)

This is me trying to write by and for the Trans community, specially FTM community, meaning, trans guys, but I actually took the liberty to use They/them pronouns for everyone out there who´s interested (Also, the name Beck was the most neutral one I could find, trying to use the cannon Bea Hughes)

If you have any comment, PLEASE BE RESPECTFULL and patient with me. This is also my first english fanfic and english is not my mother language, so… i’m sorry fo the grammar errors. I also installed recently Grammary, so… hope its worth it.

This chapter contains some sensitive topics about tragedies and sex insinuations, I really didn't want to write it down with details both out of respect. I mean, personally, I didn't want to explain what's "under" in a fanfic, but if you do have doubts or curiosity, ask away in chat, especially if you are starting hormones, there is a lot for you to know about down there because it definitely changes something. Also, this other topic might touch a nerve and I really didn't do it without respect to the victims, so I'm sorry if it feels like that.

Previously

----

Staten Island it’s the third-largest borough in New York, but it is the least populated. The northern part of the island is the most urbanized, with some areas of somewhat decayed housing blocks that didn’t attract attention at all. It was… ok? quiet? She wasn’t sure exactly what to say about that place, but what was another thing she wasn’t sure about? Well...

“Are you not going to tell me what are we doing?” Poppy asked once again, feeling irritated as they both walked through the breeze but warm streets. At first, she thought they were taking the bus but Beck asked something to a random guy and started walking for a really, really long time, what was all this about? Beck looked tense, kind of nervous, and that alone made her feel strange, unnerved. "Are you alright?" Poppy asked again, but this time she sounded worried.

"Yeah, I'm just…" They exhaled in an attempt to draw their nerves away from themself. "I'm pretty nervous. I've never done this before." Beck chuckled.

"Do what?" Poppy frowned, curiosity floating in her mind strongly, to be honest, she had never seen them so tense before, even though they were trying to look calm. Beck smirked and took her by the hand.

"Come on, I have to show you something."

"Is it too far?"

"Are you already tired?" Beck replied, mocking her with that sassy smile of theirs.

"Me? Absolutely no." She said, raising an eyebrow. "I could literally go for miles."

"I'll have to prove that myself." Beck winked and she couldn't help but laugh.

"You're a dimwit."

"Yeah" they shrugged. "I'm cute, though.”

“Barely.” She rolled her eyes, trying to suppress a smile but failing in the process so Beck laughed at it. Suddenly an unexpected drop felt swiftly in her nose, making her look up to the sky where a big, grey cloud was still above their heads. Soon, she felt raindrops in her hair, her clothes, her shoes!

“Oh, shoot. This is not good…” Beck said while they both walked faster, reaching out for cover in a shop awning.

“You think? These Jimmy choo are not even in the market yet!”

“Well, we don’t want them to be ruined, don’t we?."

"Of course not! What kind of dumb ques—"

Poppy didn't get to end the sentence, Beck took her by the wrist and started running full speed and nonstop. "Beck!" She screamed, the rain pouring down her body while that asshole laughed like a devilish kid. "Beck Hughes, let go of me this instant!!"

"We're almost there!" She heard them saying without turning to see her.

"Where are you taking me?!"

Beck slowed down little by little until they both stopped in front of a tiny, old, yellow house with barely two floors. Beck took the keys out of their pockets and opened the door, allowing Poppy to get inside the dark and quiet place.

“So… here we are.” Beck spoked turning on the lights.

The place that received them was the living room, but it was not an ordinary living room, it had neon lights currently exposing a purple color, a keyboard piano, a couple of guitars, and an old-fashioned mended couch with a lot of patches over black leather that actually looked really well together. The walls were exhibiting posters, framed cool landscape black and white photographs, and a Youtube silver plaque. She recognized the place right away.

“Wait… this is the place where you record your music.” She asked. Poppy watched Beck’s videos a lot recently at first the blonde was searching for information, then, to find a flaw to criticize with Chloe, but sooner rather than later Poppy found out… Beck was actually a really good musician, so sometimes when she was completely sure she was alone she’d listen to their songs while doing cardio or homework or whatever she was doing. “I was wondering where you found the location.”

“Yes… but also no. I mean, I do the videos here, but I have an audio booth upstairs. It’s actually a quiet neighborhood so it came in handy.” Beck took off their jacket, reaching out their hand to ask for Poppy’s. They both were wet, but not a lot, her shoes survived perfectly because they entered the house before a loud thunder sounded, followed by a deluge. “Damn, we do really dodge a bullet out there.”

“Yeah.” Poppy said, hugging herself. Without her coat, she felt a little cold. “Do you own this place?”

"No, this is my uncle’s." Beck whispered with reverence and a sad smile on their face. "My dad's little brother. He passed away."

"I— I'm sorry, Beck…" she managed to say, clueless about what exactly would someone do in this kind of situation.

"I didn't remember much about him, but my mom says he used to make these guitars out of plastic bottles as gifts for me to play them. She said I would go to the kitchen and play one for her to hear. She also said the sound was awful and she begged him to stop making them." Beck's smile was soft, turning on the heating, proud even though they were chuckling a little, spreading the same smile to Poppy. " 'I'm telling you, this little pal has talent.' he would say."

"Sounds to me like he made it to annoy your mom instead." Poppy said jokingly.

"Totally, he was a prankster." Beck replied, the emotions coming out from their eyes were difficult to tell. "And was one of the few dudes back at Farmsville that didn't want to settle down. The black sheep in every family… and the reason why my parents didn't want me to be here." Beck clutched their jaw, walking away from there to the kitchen. Poppy followed them in silence, feeling like it was something very private for Beck, seeing that vulnerable side of them again, but not hiding this time. "He was murdered years ago here in New York in a shooting. In Farmsville shootings don’t happen, so… They said it was dangerous going out of the farm to the big cities. That he brought this on himself... Took this out of the wrong way." The anger in Beck's voice was palpable in the air.

"Seriously? How can they be so selfish?" Poppy asked, how can someone be so fucking self-centered and dumbass to take a tragedy and blame it on one family member? She thought these things happened exclusively around that bunch of tight-ass people inside her parents’ social circle, but not inside a family farm.

"Back at home is different from here. Is a small town where everyone knows each other. They love routine and hard work and the good customs and shit… So when anyone goes against it… well— it's not funny."

Something clicked inside Poppy's mind.

"But then… How are you here?" Beck smiled but it didn't reach out to their sad eyes.

"Because I almost got killed."

Shock. Poppy couldn't help but feel agitated, her heart pounding loud against her chest and that same protective feeling that almost made her stab Bennett crawled its way towards her own core.

"What?" Poppy babbled, froze. Beck shrugged, with a weird grin as if they didn't know where to start, they caressed their neck, searching for the better way to put the puzzle together. They reach out for Poppy's hand, and she took it right away intertwining her fingers with Beck's.

"Coffee?" They asked. "It seems we will be stuck in here for a while.”

"It sounds nice." The words abandoned her mouth so fast that she even surprised herself, another red alarm ringed inside her mind, but now was not the time, so she ignored it again. Beck smiled and turned on a little coffee maker, bringing two mugs in silence. They both sat down on the surprisingly comfortable couch, Beck’s eyes were attentive at the black drink and the tension was still over their shoulders, she could see it so easily that Poppy wished for someone to take that weight out of Beck, so she took both cups and put them aside, sitting over Beck’s lap and intertwining her fingers with theirs, playing with them. Beck smiled a little and took a deep breath.

"I started to realize something was off inside of me when I was in high school. I mean, ‘till that day I was considered normal. I was the kind of child that played sports, climbed trees, and did hard work gladly. You know, average farm kid." Beck said, but even as they seemed to be calm, Poppy could feel the sweat in their palm, and a little shivering all over their body. "But I grow older and changes came, and puberty and—"

"Hey" Poppy stopped them from talking faster and faster. "You don't have to"

"I want to. " Beck interrupted, begging Poppy with their eyes. "I want you to know my past. I mean… if you want me to tell you, that is."

Poppy could have thought anything at that moment. She could have thought that she made it, that she had accomplished her very goal and knew she was about to have first-hand information to use against Farmsville, that she was spectacular for making it this far. She could have thought that now nobody would take her number one spot from her, or that she loved to have a new puppy to use in any way she wanted. But no.

All in what she could think about was Beck's heart opening up to her, trusting her for real this time. The connection intertwining both of them in a way that made her skin chill. Third alarm, but she muted it again.

"So? What are you waiting for? Go on." Poppy rolled her eyes, Beck had a goofy expression for a couple of seconds until Poppy smiled, squishing slightly their hands for reassurance. Beck's eyes glowed happily in which was the cutest gesture Poppy saw from someone that wasn't a dog in her entire life.

"I managed to handle myself a little for a while, but it definitely didn't last long. I was so afraid, I felt lost, and insecure. I didn’t know what was happening to me, why did I feel that way, trapped in my own skin... I stopped having friends because everyone could see how weird I was and nobody wanted to talk to me, except for this one girl: Bree Matthews."

Beck’s jaw tightened, their eyes wandering all over the place because of the nervousness.

“So, Bree and I started to hang out. Chill some time round. We were close, I mean, really, really close. She was the one who I told about my dysphoria first, and she was totally supportive. She helped me understand what I was going through, sometimes she would borrow her brother’s old clothes to give them to me and helped me pick my very first short haircut. Bree was my safe space in a town where I’d be mistreated just to use a bathroom. I kinda felt for her… so one night into the forest I kissed her. And~ it wasn’t a good idea.”

“What happened?”

“Well~ Daniel and his gang came into the picture and intimidated her, so she sold me as a pervert, a weirdo, among other… awful things. Can’t blame her, Daniel was a wrecked truck whenever he wanted so… yeah. My family found me eight hours after, all beat up from head to toes. I was unconscious and with an actually broken rib.” Beck tried to joke, but it was so bad at timing it actually made it worse for Poppy to hear. “I~ I almost die.” Beck sighed, as if with that they could put all that behind. “Anyway so she apologized to me through a phone call because she wanted to kiss me too but, you know, shit happens; I got better and now I’m in New York doing what I love so… Happy ending, right? It was funny, they didn’t let me use the bathroom but they all thought I was “male enough” to beat the crap out of me ever since.”

Poppy stopped playing with Beck’s hands, making them do the same. They told the end of the story so lightly as if they were talking about a T.V. show they just watched and not some really cruel harassment they went through for a long time. The strawberry blonde was a lot of things, bad things, but the things that beast did to Beck just because of their dysphoria? That was a whole new level that Poppy would never stoop into.

“How can you joke about things like that?”

“Well, I figured I had two ways to address the problem: Being insecure or making the most out of this. That’s why I do music. Yeah, my songs don’t talk about the transgender community directly, but I make sure everybody knows who am I. What I am. I write songs for people out there that feel just the same as I do. Not only transgender people, but the whole LGBTQ+ also needs representation! Folks having their back! And if I can reach at least one soul and show them that no matter how they were born, they can make it… Hell, I could die happily.”

The fire in their eyes, the passion radiating strongly from their body, from their words. It was impossible for Poppy to look away from Beck. Of course, Beck didn’t care about a spot in the T list, or and stupid award. Beck was more into their music, making their voice be heard. That was why they did claim to care less about competition, Beck was climbing their way to the top because of their conviction and resilience. It was curious how the more she learned about Beck, the more she felt drawn to them.

“You are so brave, do you know that?”

“And it only took me a delicate rib and trust issues.” Beck claimed proudly as if it was a bargain.

“Trust issues? Beck, you’re one of the most confident people l know!” They began to laugh, the blonde could feel their laughter below her because of the slight belly-shaking. “It’s irritating.”

“I am really amazing myself.” Poppy rolled her eyes at the flirty smirk Beck flashed towards her. “But I’m not insecure about myself… most of the time. I do have a hard time trusting in people. I mean, Daniel didn’t have a hold on me… Bree, on the other hand…” Beck shrugged. “But I do trust you, Poppy.”

Something inside the blonde felt off, those words accompanied by that good-natured smile made Poppy feel a bit guilty. Like, yeah, she was just trying to archive exactly that for her own benefit, it should feel like a win, right? But no.

“You haven’t done anything wrong, yet.” She said to herself. “For all we know, this is just some casual date.”

Maybe… give up? Maybe actually try and date Beck?

What could possibly go wrong?

“I trust you too, Beck.” She replied without a doubt. So she tossed her golden locks over one shoulder, leaning down to kiss Beck’s lips. She soon felt them kissing her back, sweetly, calmly at first but then it was obvious they both needed more than that. Poppy let go of Beck’s hands to place hers in their Beck, while they grabbed her by the waist. The heat soon took over her body, especially after they responded to it by biting Poppy’s bottom lip, making her moan. Poppy knew right away there was a change in Beck’s behavior, they were more confident, more secure, they actually felt ready and she had to say, that was a very welcome and pleasing development. But they were shaking still.

“What 's wrong? You don’t want to—?”

“No. No, it 's not it. It 's just…” Beck took a deep breath avoiding Poppy's gaze for a second before looking at her pleading while keeping hold on her. “I don’t want you to see me differently when you look at what I have beneath the clothes.” They confessed.

“I won’t. I promise.” She said, caressing the hair in the back of their nape. “This is just you, with all letters.” She smirked, trying to lighten the mood and she succeeded. Beck grinned from ear to ear, relieved, kissing her passionately, hungry and the Poppy did the same, tasting their tongue with hers. The caresses between the two became more intense and she couldn’t stand the fever growing anymore, so she took the edges of their favorite black t-shirt and pulled up, revealing Beck torso for the very first time.

She understood right away what Beck meant. Cutting through their chest there it was a thin, darker line, a scar that was slowly healing, but nevertheless it was there easy to pinpoint. It was strange, she had seen a lot of those mastectomy scars on google but Beck chest looked different somehow, strong, gym crafted, and the scar actually was interesting, sexy even.

“I don’t know what you were so scared of, Hughes. Hell, you’re hot as fuck, I hate you.”

Beck chukled, their confidence coming back.

“Yeah, well… There is not an ugly part on this body afterall.” They grinned.

“I’m going to erase that obnoxious smirk of yours.”

“You will?” Beck grabbed a hold on Poppy’s hair and pulled slightly but demanding backwards, exposing her neck to them to kiss and lick, causing a shaking sigh that turned the heat even higher for both. “Show me then.” They whispered over her skin, their breath brushing bristling her body.

Poppy pushed them down on the couch, kissing them hardly. This was war now, and she would definitely win.

----

Next

[gangrenados]

May I pretty please with extra cherries on top ask for the full sfw alphabet with Dickiebird? 🥺🥺 But if not (and I totally understand) can I please have A, B and C? Thank you 🌻

So you got me with the cherries ngl. Hope you like it!! 💖

Warning: this is super long so sorry about that 😅

Activities - What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?

He isn't too picky so even a spend a noon with you without running for your life it's a good start.

Dick likes to take out to wander around to city and search for hidden gems, it could be looking out for new restaurants (nothing too fancy) or look out spots. Those dates are always fun.

Beauty - What do they admire about their s/o? What do they think is beautiful about them?

He admire how you can look at the bright side even when the situation is too gloomy. Your optimistic way of seeing life has stuck with him in one way or another, giving him hope that maybe nothing is entirely lost.

Comfort - How would they help their s/o when they feel down/have a panic attack etc.?

Dick wouldn't leave your side, too scared that might get worse. If you're sad he's going to let you cry or rant about what's bothering you if you feel like doing it, if not then he's going to hold you until you don't need him anymore.

But if you're having a panic attack Dick is going to do his best to help you calm down. He's gonna point at random things in the place you two are and ask you kindly to name them so you can on another thing, also he will help you to control your respiration.

Dreams - How do they picture their future with their s/o?

Dick dosen't really like to think about the future, it scares him. However, he hopes that his future with you would be full of love and peace, just the two of you having a happy life together without fearing for someone coming up to tear apart that happiness.

He sometimes daydream about you and him living a happy life together, married and with a child, maybe two. Yeah, that's his happy little fantasy and he craves to have one day...

E qual - Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?

Dick is a man that likes to have control over everything so he dosen't feel like his life is falling apart, he might end up emotionally blackmailing you without noticing which lead to him avoiding you until he finds a way to end with that behavior.

However, that dosen't mean that he will force you to follow his lead, he dosen't want to make you upset or uncomfortable in some way.

Fight - Would they be easy to forgive their s/o? How are they fighting?

Fights are a thing Dick would like to avoid at all cost, so that's one of the reasons he locks up his emotions/ don't tell you when something is bothering him; in the long run all the hidden emotions will explode.

He's bitter and sometimes even cruel when you're in a big fight, his anger blinds him and make him say pretty nasty things that he will surely regret once he has cooled down.

It would take some time for him to collect himself and go to apologize, first he needs to take away his rage and re think everything before he goes to you and he he apologizes you can clearly see how the guilt, angst and sadness is eating him alive.

And I think he will forgive, but forget (in case you were the one wrong) would take a little bit of time...

Gratitude - How grateful are they in general? Are they aware of what their s/o is doing for them?

He knows he can be a pain in the ass sometimes and his temperamental issues dosen't really help, but he's glad that you can put him in place and calm him down and he's definitely grateful for that.

Honesty - Do they have secrets they hide from their s/o? Or do they share everything?

There's a few things that he doesn't want to tell you and will do his best to make sure you won't be able to find out the truth until it's too late. Dick truly believes that keeping you from knowing the truth will make your life easier, he's afraid that you'd get hurt somehow thanks to his erratic life, so this is way of keeping you safe.

It cost him a death near experience to confess you that he was Robin, yeah you're shocked and angry expression had stuck with him since.

Inspiration - Did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?

Before you came in his life he was a man full of rage; he was angry at world and himself for not being able to define what he really wanted. You didn't changed him overnight and sometimes he's back at his old behaviours when he's too stressed, but you certainly change his way to see life in a way.

Jealousy - Do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?

Dick dosen't like to call himself a jealous man because he doesn't get jealous over stupid things. Although it's easy to tell when he's jealous since he will keep you closer to him and his gaze will grow colder, ready to tell the other person to fuck off if they dosen't get the hint that you're with him.

Kiss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?

My boy Dick is a good kisser, he knows how to make you forget about your surroundings with just kiss.

Your first kiss was unexpected and stolen by you during a playful fight, you wanted to distract him and take some advantage. It didn't worked out as you planned since your little kiss transformed into a make out session.

Love Confession - How would they confess to their s/o?

He confessed his love for you by accident, both of you were drunk and having a good time so he just blurted it out with a big grin and kiss. Dick was kind of ashamed for his overly happy behavior, but he was glad that you felt the same way as him.

Marriage - Do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?

Dick wants to get married and all the sweet stuff that comes with it, he has dreamed to have a family of his own for so long and starting it with you would be amazing.

Propose: Dould take you to where your first date was and have a fantastic day together.

He would be nervous, but will try to hide it, remembering the words of encouragement his teammates and family gave him (all of the asked him to not screw it, Rachel made him promise it) so when you noticed his way behavior, Dick told you what was on his mind, how he felt about you and then he proposed to you.

I see him being the kind of husband who is supportive, the one who is always there to bring a hand when you have problems and also kiss you hello or goodbye. Dick would be a good husband, trying his best to have a good marriage and if you have kids, provides them love and healthy way of living.

Nicknames - What do they call their s/o?

Dick dosen't call you by a bunch of nicknames since he finds the majority of them too cheesy. Call him old fashioned, but his favorite ones are: baby, babe, darling when he's feeling cheesy, or even sunshine

On Cloud Nine - What are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?

Dick fall in love hard and he would rather pretend that's nothing is going on until the reality slaps him in the face. It dosen't matter how hard he tries to hide those feelings, the others will start to suspect quickly for his dismay.

Dick is gonna be more calm and even flirty around you, doing his best to not fuck up the moment, also his protectiveness over you will multiply.

PDA - Are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?

It's complicated, Dick dosen't like to be very affectionate with you in front of the team since he wants to keep the leader image, especially for the youngers. So he will settle for having an arm around you and just a simple peck from time to time.

Quirk - Some random ability they have that’s beneficial in a relationship.

Dick has many skills that have been quite helpful, such as his ability to help you keeping your life if a criminal wants to kill you, and even his detective skills have getting handy in more than once.

But you must say that his acrobatic skills surprisingly are helpful too, it always puts you in a good mode seeing him do flips around the place when he's bored, he even tried to bring the flexibility during sex but if you're not as trained as him then it surely ended up being a unique experience; you had a lot to laugh in the aftercare, that's for sure.

Romance - How romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o happy? Cliché or rather creative?

He's a romantic guy in his own way and it sometimes fall in the cliche kind of romance.

If you two hadn't see each other for too long he's going to settle up a nice and intimate date that will involve wine, candles and takeout since he sucks at cooking. After that it would lead to some fun time if you know what I mean...

Support - Are they helping their s/o achieve their goals? Do they believe in them?

Dick may not see you as much as he would like, but that doesn't mean he won't give you support in whatever you may want to achieve, but he has the tendency to be the voice of reason when your idea seems a little bit too irrational.

Thrill - Do they need to try out new things to spice out your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?

Dick needs the thrill to live, he's addicted to it and a routine will bore him quickly.

He would try out some things to make your relationship a little bit more interesting, maybe it would be a new dynamic between you two or something from that sort. However, he wouldn't force you to do the change.

Understanding - How good do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?

Well, he knows a lot about you and it's good at reading you the majority of the time, but this man can be so clueless that it's amazing how much he knows about you, but can pass unnoticed the simplest things.

He tries his best to understand your problems and bring a solution to them or just listen to what you have to say. However, it might be kind of hard for him to fully understand your angriness if your problem is mundane, but he does tries to understand.

Value - How important is the relationship to them? What is it’s worth in comparison to other things in their life?

Your relationship is something very important for Dick and he wouldn't want to be the one who do something to interfere in it, but his vigilante duty tend to step in and steal some of his time with you alongside his training with the Titans and his job.

Sometimes days can go by and you don't hear nothing about him (he says that he prefers not to call you when things are getting out of hands and he dosen't want you to get in the crossfire) or you'll go to bed alone and wake up in the same way. He hates it, but he feels like he's turning back on the city if he doesn't take the high and lows of the vigilante life.

Wild Card - random fluff headcanon but I did a blurb because he's my husband and I love him

Dick couldn't tell how long it has been since he had arrived to your place tired and covered from head to toe in purple-ish bruises. The week hasn't been kind to him, too many dangers trying to damage the city, but he was glad to be resting on top of you, far away from the battlefield for an instant.

The sound of rain crashing against the window was lulling him to sleep, making his eyelids feel as heavier as lead, but Dick didn't wanted to fall asleep. He wanted to make up for the lost time and enjoy your moment together.

The lingering touch of your fingers brushing against his back was oddly comforting, a reminder that you were here and you both were safe.

You kissed him on his head before he failed at his purpose of staying awake and submitted to the luring calmness of the noon and just fall to sleep with warmth sensation of knowing that he could finally rest.

XOXO - Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?

This man is a fan of cuddling with you with his head resting on your chest and your arms wrapped around him as you caress his scalp, yeah that's his favorite way to take a well deserved nap.

He can get pretty clingy when you two are alone, he dosen't see you that often thanks to his two jobs so he wants to make up for the lost time with you. So prepare yourself for stolen kisses and quick hugs that he isn't sure how to start.

Yearning - How will they cope when they’re missing their partner?

He will get himself busy somehow, it dosen't matter if that means drowning in paperwork or doing extra training, Dick wants to keep the fact that you're out as long as possible so he wouldn't overthink.

But when there's nothing left to do, he will listen your voicemails again and even re read your over sweet conversations, but please don'tet the others know about this...

Zeal - Are they willing to go to great lenghts for the relationship? If so, what kind of?

You have become someone important in Dick's life and therefore he wants to keep you by his side as long as possible, so he's going to try to maintain your relationship.

Dick would search for you, it doesn't matter how far you and the dangers he has to face. He wants to know you're still out there, safe and sound and you can bet he will try his best to protect you.

Tag list: @nervousfandom @la-femme-lupita @c0-77 @jasontoddismyhusband

[laboratorium2d]

Children's Animated Series, As Graded by a Parent Who Has Watched Far Too Many of Them

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: The brony thing is legitimately weird, but this is legitimately a great show. The combination of epic-fantasy plots with a deep dive on friendship is a winner (and has also been deeply influential on kids' television). It also makes the obligatory pro-social messages feel earned, rather than an afterthought. The characters are charming, the writing sparkles, and the animation is still distinctive. Endlessly watchable, which is a good thing when your kid wants to watch endlessly. Fake holidays: Nightmare Night, Hearth's Warming Eve, Hearts and Hooves Day. Grade: A+

Avatar: I was fifteen years too old for this when it was on TV, so I didn't understand what the fuss was about. Now I do. It's epic but not grandiose, funny but not dumb, and morally deep without giving into plot gravity. The world-building, the writing, the animation, the voice-acting, the fight scenes, the side characters: everything works, and everything is pulling in the same direction. (The sequel series, The Legend of Korra, is more of the same, with an interestingly updated setting and better music.) If your kids are like mine, they'll want to talk about everything, and so will you. I guess binge-watching is a family thing now. Grade: A+

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: This show is so gay. However gay you expect it to be, it's ten times gayer. It's also pro-diversity along every axis you can imagine, including body-type. It's completely awesome. It captures the uncannily compelling techno-fantasy atmosphere of the original, and it has characters with the same names, but otherwise it's a total gut rehab. The character studies at its core are compelling, even as the overall plot and action hold a young child's interest. It takes lots of anime animation tropes and tones them down to the verge of naturalism, which I wouldn't have thought would work, but totally does. Grade: A-

Wild Kratts: The big kid was learning biology from this show almost from before she could talk. "Giraffe. Long neck. Eat leaves." The premise of the show is genius: animated versions of veteran kids' wildlife-show hosts Chris and Martin Kratt have suits that give them "creature powers," and they travel around the world having adventures with animals. The science is legit and it's presented entertainingly. And the characters are winners, especially the creature-suit inventor Aviva Corcovado and the colorful villains. The only thing consistently annoying about this show is that it can be shouty. Everyone is Just! So! Excited! About! Animals! Grade: A-.

Phineas and Ferb: The Arrested Development of kids' animation, Phineas and Ferb is impossibly dense with overlapping plots, brick jokes, and a large army of recurring minor characters. Every episode features an original song, some of which are genuinely brilliant ("Squirrels in My Pants" is a household favorite). It is also a wholly, completely sweet-hearted show. Even the antagonists -- Candace and Dr. Doofenshmirtz -- are sympathetic, charming, fully-realized, and allowed to grow and be happy in ways that a lesser version of this show would never even have realized was a possibility. The allegretto pacing and intricate writing keep the show consistently fresh. New Disney at its best. Grade: A-

Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom: From the same team who brought you Peppa Pig, but even drier underneath its treacly trappings. The comedic timing is straight out of classic British sketch comedy. The voice actors are clearly in on the joke, which if anything makes the show more fun to listen to than to watch. B+

Dinosaur Train: Sometimes high concepts work. The show 100% owns its message: dinosaur physiology is a diversity metaphor, presented with just the right degree of insistence. The characters are sketched with grace and sympathy, and the science is pitched just right for its target audience. Over the years, the show (like all railfans) has gotten increasingly obsessed with its train equipment: the aquacar, the submarine, the ... zeppelin. The songs are surprisingly catchy, too: our favorite is probably the Dinosaur Train Zeppelin song, which, yes, is a Led Zeppelin pastiche. Grade: B+

Odd Squad: This one really grew on me. If all you've seen is short clips, it just seems like everyone is shouting about math all the time. But the show overall is delightfully goofy, with a real sense of how to string along a running gag, and some genuinely talented child actors. Grade: B+

Creative Galaxy: Despite being a total Daniel Tiger rip-off, down to the animation style, the obligatory song in every episode, and the live-action codas, this one is actually kind of nice. The art projects are well-chosen both to interest kids and also to actually be doable. Fake holidays: Heart Day. Grade: B

Peppa Pig: It took me a long time to appreciate this show's arch sense of humor. Everyone's pretensions and ambitions are punctured; embarrassing mistakes and small indignities await adults at every turn. Once you realize that the show is making fun of most of its characters but loves them anyway, it's much more bearable. Grade: B

Curious George: Entirely forgettable, with two mildly redeeming qualities. George himself is as charming as always, and the jazzy musical score is pleasant. Grade: B-

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir: It took me a while to understand what this show was doing. It's very, very French. Grade: C+

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood: Even my kids recognize that Daniel Tiger is needy and whiny. The show inadvertently teaches kids what to be afraid of and how to misbehave. There is also something deeply wrong with the economy of the Neighborhood: everyone seems to have multiple jobs and the public transit system runs on magic. On the plus side, the potty song has come in handy as a reminder: when you have to go potty, stop and go right away. Fake holidays: Love Day, Snowflake Day, Dress Up Day. Grade: C+

Ready Jet Go: I suppose there's some science in here somewhere, I guess. Grade: C+

Tumble Leaf: Reviewers might call this one "gentle," by which they mean "boring." The animation is lovely and the music is calming. But what's the point? Grade: C+

PAW Patrol: Unbelievably, incredibly formulaic. For example: have you noticed that they get in their trucks at exactly the same point halfway through each episode? Just Canadian enough to be noticeably off, but also rah-rah in a George W. Bush-administration kind of way. Sometimes I imagine grown-up versions of the pups. Chase regularly engages in police brutality, Rubble has a drinking problem, and Marshall has joined the alt-right. Grade: C

Nature Cat: Nature Cat is annoying and his friends are worse. I'm not clear on what they're supposed to be learning. And the theme song manages to be both unmemorable and an earworm. Make it stop! Grade: C

Super Why: More like Super Why Does This Exist, amirite? The whole show is oddly paced: I find the story-within-a-story structure confusing and can only wonder how much of it kids actually get. Having each character deal with a different aspect of literacy leaves the show's educational content unfocused. And the Super Letters are like the world's lamest game of Wheel of Fortune. Plus the song is an earworm, and not in a good way. Grade: C

Sofia the First: Empty Disney calories, this show is the reductio ad absurdum of Disney's democratization of the idea of "princess." The plotting, the writing, and the music are technically proficient. The cel-shading effects that give 3D animation the luminosity of 2D hand drawn are lovely. The messages are perfectly innocuous. But the heart of the show is a giant gaping void. Fake holidays: Wassailia. Grade: C

Lion Guard: More empty Disney calories, like Sofia the First but with more obnoxious characters. Inexplicably real holiday: Christmas. Grade: C-

Peg + Cat: All I can remember is that the show is inexplicably drawn on graph paper, and they have a BIG BIG PROBLEM every few seconds. When people complain about STEM, and I remember that this show exists, I have to admit that they have a point. Grade: C-

Martha Speaks: The AV Club's term for this kind of show is "least essential." Even by the standards of kids' shows, the premise makes no sense. Nobody here, human or canine, is remotely sympathetic. And the plot comes to a screeching halt every time it's time for a new vocabulary word. Grade: C-

WordWorld: I have so many questions about this show. If everything is made out of words, what about the ground? The sky? Windows? And what are the letters in the words made of? What is going on with the accents? And who greenlit three seasons of this garbage? Grade: D+

The Adventures of Puss in Boots: This is a weird, weird show. And not in a good way. Grade: D+

Trolls: The Beat Goes On: Quite possibly the most misanthropic kids show currently streaming anywhere. The combination of grimdark setting and hackneyed uplifting plot tropes is somewhere between unsettling and child abuse. Poppy is a walking illustration of emotional labor; Branch has severe PTSD. The show treats both of these as laughable quirks. And I am never going to get used to the Auto-Tune. Grade: D+

Kung-Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny: Pretty much your standard DreamWorks animation. This is not a good thing. Grade: D

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie: The animation and voice-acting are innocuous. But building an entire show around the "if X, then Y" formula led to some disastrous choices. The show taught my big kid how to say things like, "If I see a rock, I just have to bring it home with me." It takes a special kind of kids show to affirmatively instill bad habits. Grade: D-

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2018): An absolute travesty in every possible way. The remake is the direct opposite of everything the original represented: crude instead of clever, manic instead of playful, and mean instead of goofy. Grade: F-

[alolanrain]

Let me introduce the Not Really, Parent Trap!AU, or better known as Reversed Parent Trap!AU. I’ve yelled at a few friends over this, and it’s no where NEAR done for an actual fic to be posted about it since a lot of the characters aren’t completely fleshed out yet. be aware it’s long so it’s under the cut!

So ORIGINALLY this was supposed to be just a Summer Camp!AU 

That quickly derailed into a kinda Reversed Parent Trap!AU 

So this starts after the Sinnoh Arc, it’s just the start of summer

Ash comes back to Pallet Town and buys the Ranch, it’s literally double the size of Pallet Town+the surrounding farms and product fields that make up MOST of Pallet Town, and the Castle literally takes up around ⅓ of the plot of land. 

Ash successfully revamps the entire place and land, making it habitable for everyone on his team and himself. This also equals refurbishing everything with the best quality shit he can get

So Ash spends a VERY pretty penny for everything, though admittedly it doesn't make a HUGE dent in his bank account from how often he gets paid a shit ton during his travels and the added bonus of being the Orange Archipelagos Champion AND the Chosen One

Who knew dying for a Regions sin pays well? 

He gets contacted by Gary a month later, it's near the middle of summer and Gary wants to re-open the Oak’s Summer Camp from their childhood. But he doesn't have a place to do it

Ash immediately offers his place, plus he has a plethora of Pokemon in and out of this Region they can use as example

They reopen the camp with just thirty spots available, no more than that since it’s just him and Ash for three weeks, teachers usually have up to a class of fourty at most so it will be fine

The kids come and they actually fall into two groups immediately, which ends up pretty easy for Gary and Ash to pick what group goes with who for most of the week

It ends up pretty odd group numbers though, Ash ends up with 18 while Gary gets 12 kids

Most of Ash’s kids already KNOW Ash, either from meeting him through his journey’s or knowing him from birth and up. Pallet Town IS small after all

They all range from ages (at the beginning of the summer camp ordeal) 5 to 11 ½ years old

After the first summer, the same group of kids always come back to Gary’s camp because it’s dope.

But having a Champion there as their “counselor” is doper 

Which makes Gary beg Ash to come back and help out at the summer camp every summer for three weeks 

Ash ofc says yes, it gets him away from Drake and Lance’s nagging and gives him a good break and spend time with Gary and his Pokemon

It does get out of hand at least once a day, but their KIDS there's nothing really Gary and Ash can do to completely stop it 

So like, Ash and Gary are around 15-16 ½ at the beginning. It originally started because Gary was feeling super nostalgic at the time and thought it would be fun to do it every other summer or something 

THAT plan quickly went out the window and both found themselves coming back to Ash’s ranch every summer to set up and do it

It quickly grows and becomes to be really famous from all the good reviews and how because a lot of top elite society people surprisingly came from Pallet Town in general *side eyes Lance, Drake, and Agatha* 

But its mostly because a Champion is there and they get to talk to another Oak and stuff that’s more close to their age 

I’m also adding in Ash/Raihan in here and forcible folding in the secret marriage!AU into here as well 

Raihan and Lance knew each other through Lance training at Hammerlocke gym when the Champion was younger and Raihan soon came over to train with Lance during the off season for Galar, the summer and half of fall. Lance noticed that Raihan would stammer and get weird every time Ash was visiting the castle. So being the giant meddler of a Godfather that he is, Lance pushed and pushed until Raihan agreed to help Gary and Ash out during Camp time 

Lance also makes it up and offers a visit, which both Ash and Gary happily agrees because they actually have a few kids thinking about going into the dragon tamer route later in life and it would be a great learning opportunity for them 

Soon Raihan isn’t spending time at the castle anymore, he heads straight to Ash’s ranch the same night the Galar League ends for the year. After party be damn! He has a summer camp to help set up for 

Raihans followers actually like the little cameo’s the kids have during a small vlog or a photo bomb with them doing something stupid before Ash or Raihan notices 

Even if Ash is in the middle of a league, he will ALWAYS come back to help out with the summer camp 

He even brings his friends with him and they help out as well 

Ash’s Pokemon A D O R E the kids, even his more reserved Pokemon like Flicker and Sceptile like hanging out with the camp kids during the night and early morning when they calm down and get tired 

The remaining 12 out of 30 kids always get put with Gary after both found out just how bad a lot of kids from the group of 18 home life is, Ash is more emotionally equipped to handle them and Gary wanted the more knowledge driven kids anyways

Raihan is permanently in Ash’s team as his second in command, but that doesn't mean Raihan can’t help Gary every now and then when Ash has everything handled 

The Group starts referring to Ash and Raihan as Mom and Dad respectively… but like on accident and then in private when it’s only to another Group member or to themselves 

NEVER to Ash or Raihans face on purpose 

Fast forward four years from then. All the kids have experienced their first journey, and some even their third journey

Ash and Raihan are now secretly married. The ones that know are;

1) Mr. Goodshow because he officiated and ordained them on Ash’s-no, THEIR, Ranch. 

2) Ash’s mom because she had become a mom to Raihan as well and its ASH”S MOM. she would maim him if he got married without her being there. Even though originally Ash and Raihan just wanted to sign the marriage license at Mr.Goodshow’s office in Sinnoh and leave it at that. No wedding, no nothing

3) Gary and Daisy because their practically Ash’s siblings and Daisy had physically and verbally threatened Raihan more so for Delia’s sake. She was the main driving force for a wedding, even though it felt like pulling stubborn, rotting, fractured teeth from both Ash and Raihan about the specific for their wedding 

Ash “ q u i t s “ the summer camp after the Kalos Arc 

More like Gary shoved him out and employed actual trained employees and counselors, also moving the camp to the old camping grounds Gramps used back then. Ash still lends a few of his more friendlier Pokemon at least once a full week out of the three for Gary to use 

also , mostly, because Chosen One and Champion duties are more important now since Ash is Champion of TWO whole set of islands 

The camp group as a whole dwindled down to a measly 10-14 every year after the original OG 18 group had left for their journey

But Ash still always plans around the summer because all the kids still come to the Ranch for the FULL Summer now

Raihan makes it his fucking MISSION to always be in Kanto during the off season. Friends and expectation of the Galar League be fucking D A M N E D once those last round of fireworks are shot into the air. Raihan is out of the building and passed the reporters and interviewers in SECONDS and it always leaves everyone guessing what has him so worked up about 

Its because Raihan misses his husband and kids, dammit! Especially because they don’t call him as much as they do Ash 

Yada, Yada, Yada - something happens and somehow everyone that’s been a part of each evil team past comes to stay at Ash’s ranch for some kind of “Group Therapy” which Ash was essential BULLIED into letting people stay at his ranch 

And it’s during the fucking S U M M E R 

When his fucking K I D S and H U S B A N D comes home 

To say he’s peeved is the biggest understatement of the year

But Ash isn’t going to say NO to his kids! Their his kids!!! And he’s their safe haven besides traveling the world and most of them a still pretty fucking young 

So the kids come, armed with the knowledge of everything that's going on and they don’t have to some at all because of the danger imposed by the evil team leaders being there

Surprise to EVERYONE else there, they come to the ranch fucking angry and pissed for Ash’s and Raihan’s sake

Also their encroaching onto THEIR turf 

Which is like… the BIGGEST fucking no in their book 

But anyways, they continue and help Ash around the ranch like they always do. They just snark back at all the adults because their not Ash OR Raihan so they won’t listen to any of them 

Gym Leader be damn 

Elite Four be damn 

Champion be damn 

Their not mom and dad so the group turns a deaf ear to them 

But before they came to the ranch that summer, one of the kids spot something flashing around Raihans neck during one of his gym battles they decided to watch out of pure boredom 

And so, as the little shit that they are, goes and screen shots and zooms in 

ONLY TO SEE A FUCKING R I N G ON A CHAIN 

So they send it to the chat and one of them is like 

“Holy-fucking-Arceus, that’s a fuckING WEDDING RING” 

Cue utter 

C H A O S 

And so it isn’t until that summer that they see Raihan and storm up to him 

Did i mention Rose is Raihans dad in this? Because that’s also an important part of why Raihan only wanted the bare minimum of possible people to know 

And they started begging and demanding if Raihan is married 

Raihan is internally panicking up a storm on the inside while trying to doge the questions

Also while trying to make everyone in the room as disinterested as possible 

But the kid is persistent 

And everyone’s watching because it’s lunch time and 90% of the people there have never been to Pallet Town before so they don’t know what restaurants are good 

So Raihan goes:

“What ring? I don’t have a ring! You’re probably hallucinating from the het, why don’t you just go lay down or something?” 

The kid reaches up on their tippy toes and flattens Raihans baggy shirt to show an outline of a small circle on his chest 

“That ring.”

Que Raihan starting to show his panic because now the have EVERYONE’S attention and he and Ash don’t want to come out just yet 

ESPECIALLY LIKE THIS 

Ash is outside with most of the kids since their helping him clean his Pokemon 

But Raihan is saved by the kid declaring they WILL find out who he’s married to

Thankfully not outright guessing Ash in anyway, which is weird how he and Ash ACTUALLY legitimately adopted three kids out of the group already 

So now everyone is watching Raihan and he damn well knows his reaction gave his lanky ass away 

They, especially the Galar League members, start to grill Raihan but he keeps shut and runs away as fast as he can with his metaphorical tail tucked between his legs 

And after a week or two they spot Ash walking into the dining hall shirtless because one of his Pokemon accidentally ripped the shirt to shreds 

Ash being him, forgets he has the ring on his neck while walking into the dining hall during lunch since he’s so used to the weight 

Now the kid who spotted the ring first just dropped their plate on the table and before either Raihan or Ash could gently scold them, they start stammering while jerkily pointed to Ash’s chest 

Soon they spit out;

“Ring! Ring!! Same ring!!!” 

The rest of the kids, who were dragged into guessing who married Raihan and also who now know what Raihan ring looks like, lose their entire SHIT 

They soon surround Ash and start congratulating him and Raihan, who’s upstairs on the third floor and putting some newly hatched baby dragon Pokemon to sleep, and Ash openly panics MORE than Raihan did 

One pipes up is Raihans last name is now Ketchum instead of Rose 

Ash goes from blushing to complete tomato red in the face the fastest anyone has seen it go before 

He soon ducks his head a mutters its Ketchum now and the kids happily start freaking out even more 

Everyone ELSE on the other hand is in absolute shock 

Rose is filled with rage because Raihan was supposed to go to one of his biggest investors youngest daughter when they both reached the age of 25 

Ash and Raihan are respectively 20 and 22 now 

Rose also doesn’t “condone” LGBT+ people in the slightest 

So to have his own son, who Rose hasn’t seen in fucking years on the man’s own free time might I add, to go behind his back and betray his father like this? 

Utterly shameful of his son to do so 

Though there IS nothing Rose can do because he no longer has the connections he had before and is still handcuffed on the daily 

A bunch of other people are in the range of angry to sad because they had crush’s/were in love with Ash and to know Ash has been off the market completely for a VERY long time is actually… quite off putting because Ash never spoke up about it 

And when one of them speaks up and questioned Ash on why he never told them, or even INVITED anyone else to his fucking WEDDING ash juts kind of… laughed nervously and shrugged 

Saying something on the line that half of his friends wouldn’t believe him, or would bombard him with questions as they are now 

He then breaks down everything, explaining that his marriage is a VERY personal thing to both him and Raihan. Both loved revealing in the fact that this is something that is just between THEM, including a few necessary people, and that they don’t HAVE to share it with the world 

Ash also explains how the Galar Region isn’t really accepting of LGBT+ people, and how would they take it knowing that their strongest Gym Leader is gay and married to another man?

Also that if word had spread around enough, bad guys and evil teams would start to target Raihan since he’s Ash’s husband and that Raihan also works in a different league 

The kids soon feel guilty, the one that pointed out the rings feels even more so, but it’s quickly soothed a little by Ash who told them that he and Raihan were going to tell them anyways 

“So can we actually call you Mom and Dad now?” 

One of them pipes up

Ash laughs and agrees 

Raihan soon comes down and is greeted with a bunch of kids/teen waggling their eyebrows at him with smirks, a sheepish looking Ash, and a good majority of the rest of the people having existential crises 

So he walks forward and sweeps Ash into a sweet kiss, soon pulling back and muttering how he’s been wanting to do that since the start of the summer. 

[junionigiri]

217 (continued)

Spoilers---

Aizawa: and this is why my son is the best boy in the world

Nezu: okay, we'll process the adoption papers immediately

Haha, seriously though who took that photo of Shinsou? The panicked one, right after Monoma yells for him worried that he might have been seriously hurt?

And where... where will Shinsou go? A or B? (I'll be happy either way but pls,,,, B, where his bf is)

And here we have Present Mic pointing to a student-fan (??? Srsly who is this girl), and then verbalizing the entire world's thoughts re: Dadzawa and Shinsou. So glad to have this canon confirmation of how similar they are.

Also... how similar is this shot to this one:

Same "I'm ignorin the hell out of you, loud blonde bf" pout, same squint. The scarf just ties it all together hahhahaha

Lots of things to dig here: the implication of Aizawa doing something "again"--taking someone under his wing, or fighting for someone? And who is this Shiragumo? Is this the other loud looking man in Aizawa's flashback from the previous chapter?

In any case, the way Aizawa looks downcast and how he avoids the conversation seems like it's a sore spot from a long time ago. Ahhh when are they gonna show this backstory? I can't wait!

Poor Mic tho! But I appreciate how he makes the effort to be there for Aizawa, even though he can be such a rude husband friend.

Surprisingly, they made room for Monoma's visit to Eri in this chapter! With Mirio and Deku in tow. After insulting Monoma's "mental stability or lack thereof" and Aizawa mentioning that he doesn't trust Monoma for the integrity of Eri-Chan's mental health (Huhuhu Hori I know u meant it as a joke but... pls, stop), Monoma tries his hand at copying her quirk, grows a little horn, and... is unable to use the quirk, because it's an accumulative one.

I love these scenes because again, we learn more about Izuku's quirk through the deductions of a smart blonde boy in his vicinity. Aren't you amazed that Monoma is able to say as much just by a single touch? I'm as happy as Deku that he didn't blow up when he tried copying the quirk... I can only hope that we get to see more of Monoma's deductions about OfA should these two interact again in a battle setting.

And the frame above is one of my favs tbh. See how Monoma's gentle with Eri, giving her that charming and calm little smile as his horn disappears??? He isn't mentally unstable Aizawa, he won't be bad for Eri, he will be a good brother figure for her too!!! I hope this isn't the last that he interacts with her T_T

This is painful... hearing just a little bit of Aizawa's negativity makes Eri super guilty about her existence. Poor kid. She needs all the support she can get and I hope they mention how they're helping her cope with all the trauma she experienced

Now I appreciate Deku's attempt to comfort her by telling her that she will be able to understand her quirk better in the future! But I also appreciate how Monoma's nudging Aizawa and giving him a stern look like "dude don't be such a downer to your kid" and Aizawa looking awkward and maybe a little remorseful of what he did. Parenting is hard and he isn't perfect and overcoming his pessimism won't be natural and easy, but he tries his best for Eri and his 20... 21... 22+ teenage kids. And all that at age 30. Brother I'm rooting for u.

All in all... a lot happened in this chapter... a lot of things to unwrap and unfold and I can't wait to find out more!

[heyheyitsstillgay]

Ghost Weed - Unbe-leaf-able

Phandom Phic Phight Entry #3 based on a prompt by @bouhoue - Maddie decides to plant some new flowers in the garden...

#TeamGhost team leader @ibelieveinahappilyeverafter

Previous Entry ; Also available on FFN ; Next Entry

Words: 1,933; Status: Complete

TW: Blood mention, Ectoplasmic gore

Physics, specifically about space? Danny loved it. He wasn't sure any other kid smiles over homework like he is right now but who cares? Sure, his English was due sooner, but he was enjoying himself for once. A rare moment of actual happiness, he was going to savour it.

Ah, that's that ruined, he thinks to himself as a familiar bubbling suddenly presses against the back of his eyes. He gasps as his throat cracks. Grasping shaking hands against his desk, he jumps out of his chair and darts out the door. A viscous liquid drips down his oesophagus as his feet slam against the steps of the staircase. He doubles over as he swings the front door open. Choking against the water in his mouth (Blood? Ectoplasm?), he forces his feet forward and past the threshold of FentonWorks.

Twitching fingers clench around the phone in his pocket as the halfa gasps for air. Stumbling down the street to get further away from the stinging that's encompassing his skin, shaking fingers tap against the buttons of his device.

"What blossoms?" Jazz exclaims, voice laced with concern. A quaint straw hat adorns her head, it's rim is decorated with a sweet floral ribbon. The sun is comfortingly warm on her arms and legs, a light breeze brushes her skin like a soft blanket. It was a beautiful summers day, she'd be happy to be spending it in the garden if her mind wasn't swirling with worry over her little brother.

"Blood Blossoms." Sam replies, reaching down to pick another flower head.

She brushes the petals softly with fingertips that are free of her black lace gloves. The jostle of the plant disturbs the pollen, it shifts upwards in the breeze, seeming to hum and almost glow a soft mesmerising gold.

"They're not harmful to humans at all so you don't need to worry about that. It's just called that because of its deep red colour and the pattern of black droplets near the base." The goth girl raises the black netted veil of her hat so it no longer covers her face, she takes a pinch of petals from the flower and places them into her mouth. Jazz's eyes widen at the sight but she doesn't comment as Sam chews and deposits the rest of the flower into the basket she's holding by her elbow. Swallowing, Sam continues "that and they're known for repelling ghosts. In times of disaster or plague people used to throw Blood Blossoms or their seeds onto the bodies of the dead. It was supposed to deter spirits from coming to the area and making things worse. They grow quite well in corpses," The Fenton girl grimaces while Sams tone continues as though they're simply discussing the weather rather than quite gruesome suffering and the image of death. "Obviously. Like Poppies, blood makes for a good fertiliser, y'know?" "Why are you eating it then?" The ginger interrupts, preferring not to be any more disturbed than she currently is.

"It's the best way to get rid of them." Sam responds, plucking more of the plants from their stems. "They were good in times of famine too, they're fibrous and nutritious and totally vegan. Wanna try?"

Jazz was presented the flower as though it wasn't something her brother described as 'Horrible, makes my blood simmer and expand as a super heated gas while my skin tries to peel away from my body. Like being electrocuted to death. Again.'

"I'm good." She forces a smile and gestures for the offending plant to stay away from her, Sam simply shrugs and places it in the basket with the others. "The pollen's quite pretty." Jazz quietly concedes. Sam smiles with gritted teeth.

"The pollen's the bad part." The goth laughs emptily, "It can phase through a ghost's skin, it reacts with the ectoplasm and gets in the way of their powers and, well, any function actually. It makes them seize up and saps at their energy. It's like ectoplasmic hay-fever but instead of making your nose run it'll destabilise ya." She grasps at the plant stems again, harsher, significantly less care than before.

"Thanks so much for your help guys, I never thought mom would choose to spend a summer's day gardening, but of course, if she did it'd be to bite me in the ass specifically." Danny laughs as he enters the back garden later on. It's perimeter is a state, black stems poking out of the soil. Tucker smirks, just glad that he got to hang out with Danny all day rather than deal with a flower that continues to haunt his nightmares. That says a lot considering he hunts ghosts with his friends on the daily.

"Stand back Ghost Boy." Sam smirks, hoisting two overflowing baskets of plant life into the air and edging her way around the house. "Your parents had planted enough for several months worth of salads, or, enough to eject your soul from your body." She makes finger guns as she backs out of the gate to head back to her house.

"You okay Danny?" Jazz asks, brushing her damp palms against her shorts and keeping her distance from the halfa, just in case.

"Yeah, it's barely noticeable at this point. Currently, the most threatening thing about being here is being found at the scene of a pretty horrendous ghost-plant-crime by our parents." He turned to head into their house, "When they notice, do you think we can convince them it was attacked by a local pro-ghost dog?"

Vines slunk towards him from every angle. The once comforting glow of the ghost zone around him became tinted red. Thorns pierced his ankle as a heavy stench of rot assaulted his nose. Vines pulled against him. Thick air surrounded him, weighing down his limbs. A scream tore from his throat while ectoplasm squirted from him. Breath taken away, Phantom looked down his wispy distorted form to see the curled, spiked, black vine protruding out from hi-

Danny's eyelids snap open. Chest heaving ragged gasps as he moves his hand to hover over his heart and core in an attempt to calm himself. Tongue heavy in his mouth, he shakes off the frost that has crystallised in his dark hair and sits up in his bed.

A nightmare? Not uncommon, and considering the relevant theme he doesn't suspect that one of his enemies is behind it. The ghost boy is still freaked from yesterday, part of him can still feel the itch echoing on his skin.

Wait. Oh, you're kidding. Danny rises from his bed on unsteady legs from the adrenaline dying down. He pads over to his window and raises the blinds. Yeah, not kidding. Anxiety surfaces again and he swears stress is going to kill him before any ghost hunter has the chance. Pushing the heels of his palms into his eyes, he stops when he begins to see stars. Quickly phasing his pyjamas off, Danny throws on underwear, a t-shirt and some jeans. He doesn't bother with socks. Grabbing a backpack he keeps phased into the floor under his bed, he turns invisible and creeps out of his bedroom. The stinging wasn't as bad as last time and it was stupid o'clock in the morning, so the ghost boy focuses more on stealth than speed when he slips out of his home. This time leaving the garden isn't nearly as difficult, the sprouting spectral weeds, for the most part, haven't bloomed yet. His skin itches a slight but it's not incapacitating, either way it's better for him to leave now. Checking his phone and texting his sister to let her know what's going on, Danny decides that 5am is a perfectly reasonable time for a patrol. Sleep is for the weak.

"So, what happened to eating them being the best way to get rid of them?" Jazz asked.

"Well, during our last encounter they weren't planted, they were just kinda scattered. Pass me the stuff?" Tucker reaches his hand towards the canister that the older teen is clutching closely to her abdomen. She hands it over with reluctance clearly written on her face.

"And this is the best plan B that you guys have?" Scepticism is clear in her voice as the Fenton backs away. Tucker responds with a smile like there was nothing out of the ordinary about the situation, he moves towards the flower beds and uncaps the hefty container that Jazz had managed to get a hold of that morning.

"Well, the issue must be with the roots, either that or they're able to reproduce ridiculously quickly," he shakes the liquid onto the flower bed and begins to walk around. Keeping to the edge of the garden, he leaves through the fence on one side, a minute or so passes as he re-emerges at the other side of the house, resuming his dousing of the soil. "We could always try weed killer but, Danny's supposed to be able to live here. Weed killer can take a while and even then you have to top it up sometimes. Your parents might be a bit clueless but surely they're going to get suspicious about why he's never home after one week."

"So you thought about chemicals and after careful consideration decided that this was the best bet?" She wrings her hands together as the boy caps the near empty canister and offers it back to her.

"Yeah, basically." Tucker shifts a small cardboard box out of his pocket, Jazz can't help the hands flying to her face in dismay as the boy removes a small match and attempts to light it.

He succeeds, his smile bursts with pride as he looks back towards his best friend's sister and drops the lit match onto the trail of petrol.

The warm days recently mean the soil is reasonably dry, so the flames catch surprisingly quickly. Wind not strong enough to put out the blaze, ends up carrying it across the plant life as a hazy red smoke begins to plume into the air.

"See?" The techno-geek backs away from the fire, "I told you it'd be fine."

"Yah-huh, and what's your plan for when our wooden fence catches fire?"

"When what now?" His head snaps back to where he had been stood a moment ago. Sure enough, the previously white fence is developing a black char at the base. "Uhhhh, fancy a barbecue?" He shrugs his shoulders and smiles in a way that looks terribly similar to a grimace.

"Okay, you head inside and find a bucket, I'll double check that the whole plot is definitely alight." Tucker giggles to himself as the blood red smoke rises from around the corner of the house, clearly the fire has successfully spread to the front garden too. "Ha! Lets see them grow back from that!" He crosses his arms before reaching for his phone as Jazz rolls her eyes and heads into her kitchen.

The teen clicks on Danny's contact info to tell him they've sorted the situation for real this time. It rings twice before the halfa answers him.

"Hey Tuck, how's it going?" The voice sounds from over the line. Before the teen can answer, a sudden angry screech comes from behind him.

"What! On! Earth! Has happened! To my garden!?" Tuckers eyes bulge in his head and his speech into his phone comes out like a spluttering cough.

"So the good news is the flowers aren't gonna kill you. The bad news is," He takes in a choked breath, "your mom's about to kill me now instead."

[forestwater87]

She really should've been more prepared.

At the end of the day, that's what she'd kick herself for.

Chapter 5: Party

"Well, Gwendolyn. It's a pleasure to see you again, though I wish it hadn't been under such unusual circumstances."

Gwen glanced over at Campbell, trying to figure out what reaction she was supposed to have. On the one hand, clearly they were meeting with the Woodscouts crew to work out some sort of deal, and she definitely didn't want to fuck that up for them. On the other hand, Edward Pikeman made her skin crawl, and he'd tried to kill her boss's son, so it seemed the rules of proper etiquette were a little all over the place.

Campbell gave her a tiny nod without directly meeting her eyes, and she ducked her head, hoping the mini-bow made up for the fact that she couldn't muster up a smile. "It's, uh, good to see you, sir."

"Sir?" He quirked his eyebrow, smirking. "You've got her well-trained, Cameron. Most impressive. But you should watch this one — she's not very reliable."

She almost jumped as warm fingers closed over her own. David was ignoring the conversation between the two gang leaders, watching a family paddle around the lake with a detached, cheerful expression, but he squeezed her hand gently before settling back on his elbows and looking up at the clouds. That kind of affection had grown familiar at this point, and while Jasper had briefed them not to be too close with Pikeman around — he had a less-than-subtle interest in Gwen, and Campbell was hoping to exploit that if at all possible — it was more or less automatic for her body to orient itself closer to his, weeks of playacting creating pathways out of muscle memory.

Besides, it was sweet. She wasn't really used to sweet, and she hated to admit it was growing on her.

Campbell laughed, too loud and hearty to be genuine, and clapped Gwen on the back of the neck with an affectionate shake. "No worries, sport. I keep an eye on my people." And the warning to them both was so clear it chilled the air a few degrees, causing her to instinctively reach out for David's fingers again, because god she didn't want to be here. Gunfights and explosions were one thing, but she wasn't prepared to deal with this kind of manipulative tiptoeing.

His hand met hers halfway, like he’d been doing the same thing, and though they both pulled back at a warning glare from Hook — or Quartermaster, as the rest of the crew called him — it was nice, just for a second, to know she wasn't the only one here in over her head.

Gwen had been specifically told by the Quartermaster not to pay too close attention to whatever Campbell and Pikeman were talking about, and she was more than willing to let their words wash over and away from her, focusing instead on the people dotting the park. For a Saturday in June it was surprisingly sparse, and she began to wonder if that was something one of the crew leaders had designed. It made people-watching easier, at least: a group of kids screaming their way up the shore, two twenty-somethings doing their best impression of every romantic scene from The Notebook at the same time, a dweeby-looking teenage girl fiddling with her slouchy shoulder bag, and a creepy-looking motherfucker who was observing the PDA couple with way too much interest.

She returned her gaze to the kids, noticing with disbelieving amusement that David was watching them as well, a small wistful smile on his face. "Miss them already?" she murmured; if they weren't supposed to be paying attention, they might as well really not pay attention. "It's literally just the weekend, David."

"I-I know!" He blushed, turning away from the lake and pretending to be very invested in something at the other end of the park (while steadfastly ignoring the couple making out). "I just . . . like my job." He shrugged, glancing over at her with a shrug. "They're nice kids. I know it sounds stupid, but they make my day better." Gwen would have to disagree with them being anything but horrible goblins, but she thought it was sweet how much he loved them.

Fuck, David didn't belong here. So why were they?

She eyed the creepy guy again. He'd pulled out something in a paper bag, but she was fairly certain it wasn't a weapon. Still . . . Drawing her knees up to her chest, she wrapped her arms around her legs and fiddled with the hem of her ankle-length skirt, looking around as casually as she could. Just a few inches from her twitchy fingers was a gun (hot pink and lime green, a gift from Jasper) that she really hoped she wouldn't have to use — a hell of a change from just a handful of months ago.Honestly, she'd gotten so used to the calm that she worried she was out of practice.

"It's a very reasonable request," Pikeman was saying, leaning in way too close to Campbell, "don't you think?"

"I think you should know better than to expect reasonable around here, Ed," Cameron replied with a grin, “especially considering you don’t have much room to make any type of request.” Of all of them, Campbell was the only one who seemed completely unperturbed by the weedy little twerp with the Hitler Youth bodyguards.

Turning her mind away from that conversation, Gwen continued surveying the park. Cute kids, obnoxious couple, shy girl, creep . . .

Wait.

Fuck.

"Mr. Ca —" she began, but before she could get the words out there was a blur of motion and a crack, and without thinking she twisted to the side and threw David to the ground, ignoring his startled yelp.

The ground behind them exploded, slicing the air where his head had been and splattering them with chunks of grass and dirt. The second the shot landed, Gwen grabbed David by his collar, hauling him upright and shoving him behind her while yanking free her ridiculous neon gun. There was something almost relaxing about staring down the barrel of that hideous weapon, a strange warm pleasure settling in her chest as she steadied her gun with her other hand and aimed at the bookish teenager's forehead.

"Dead or alive, sir?" she asked quickly, scrambling to her knees.

Of course, there were a lot of people she could've been talking to, which resulted in some confusion.

David gripped her hand blindly, face pale and spotted with specks of dirt like freckles drawn on with a marker. "D- dead?! You're not re-ally going to —"

"Well, it's not my decision, but I think alive would make things more interesting, don't you?" Pikeman interrupted.

Campbell's voice cut through the panic, and she latched onto it gratefully. "Don't worry about her, Gretchen dear. Why don't you just focus on getting Davey home?"

She hadn't even finished saying "Yes, sir" before she snatched David’s arm, shoving him ahead of her as they sprinted to a relatively more protected clump of trees. Behind her she could hear the sounds of returning fire, and she knew the police would be there in minutes.

Which meant they had to be very very gone very very soon.

Unfortunately, neither of them had cars. Why would they, in a city where the traffic looked like it hadn't moved in the last twenty years? But taking the bus was virtually suicide. She yanked her phone out of her purse, putting her gun in her bag and frantically pounding the touch screen.

"Hi Gwen! Having fun yet?"

"Can you get us transportation?" she asked abruptly, grabbing David's wrist and tugging him toward the sidewalk. Maybe they could get lost in the crowd . . .

Jasper laughed. "Are you crazy? The police've already set up roadblocks around the park! You're getting away on foot, guys." There was a few seconds of what sounded like rapid typing, then, "Okay, looks like there's a holdup near Park and Westmore, cops haven't gotten there yet. If you can get out through there before the hole closes, you won't be stopped."

Park and Westmore . . . "Okay, we can do that. But, uh, we might have to borrow something once we're in the road." Some sort of bike, hopefully, something that could weave through traffic without attracting more attention than the average douchebag motorist. "That could get David in trouble."

"Don't worry, we'll make it work. That's what I'm here for!"

Gwen wasn't sure if that meant Campbell would pay off whoever they robbed or just kill them, but decided it was better not to know. "Got it."

"Enjoy the rest of the party!"

She hung up without a goodbye, then grabbed dragged David toward the park entrance closest to the intersection Jasper had pointed out, weaving through trees and keeping an eye out for anyone. Whoever that assassin was hadn't caught up to them yet (between Campbell's crew and the Woodscouts, that girl didn't have great odds), but for a job like this, with so much firepower in one location, she'd be crazy not to have brought reinforcements.

"Gwe — !" David's hand ripped from hers, a bullet tearing through the tiny space between them and turning a nearby tree into wood chips. She whirled around to see another young woman — not the one who'd shot at them — holding a gun in her shaking hands. Her eyes widened when she took in Gwen's weapon, but she kept hers trained on David, who'd fallen to his knees and was pawing at his shirt, but seemed more bewildered than anything else.

"I promise you he's not worth it," Gwen said. She wasn't sure why she was even giving the girl a chance. Maybe David had softened her too much, but she wanted to at least try to let the kid walk away; she couldn't be older than fifteen. "Don't be stupid, you can still get out of here."

"I . . ." David started to climb to his feet and the girl's eyes dropped to him, her finger tightening on the trigger. Before she could shoot Gwen fired, watching her stumble back with her hands over her stomach.

"Come on!" Gwen grabbed him by the wrist and took off running before he'd even regained his balance, and for a second she was worried he'd fall over and she'd end up dragging him along the ground by his face. But he caught himself, his long legs keeping pace even though she was (in theory) in much better shape for this kind of thing.

"Wh —" She wasn't sure if his difficulty speaking was due to breathlessness or shock, "what did you — that . . . girl —"

"She'll be fine. I didn't aim for anything lethal." That was a blatant lie, but the last thing she needed was David having a panic attack. They reached the entrance of the park and stumbled into the street, Gwen scanning the frozen traffic for anything they could use to get away. “Fuck fuck fuck — there!” They weaved through the cars, nearly knocking over the bike idling on the other side of the street. “Hey, let us borrow this.”

The woman on the motorbike glanced between them, her plum-lipsticked mouth falling open in a small O. “Um . . .”

Gwen turned to David, a mess of embarrassment and nerves wringing his hands and a few seconds away from tugging his collar over his face, then to the owner of their escape vehicle. With a sigh — Jasper and Campbell really better be able to smooth this over — she tugged her neon weapon out of her handbag. “Not a request, lady.”

The woman’s face paled and she scrambled off the bike, the first bit of good luck they’d had this entire afternoon. Unfortunately she also shrieked, “Gun! She’s got a GUN!” at a volume that could shatter crystal, which suddenly made them the most noticeable people on the street.

With a muttered curse Gwen hauled him onto the bike behind her; she supposed it was also lucky that David looked like a kidnapping victim, even as he scrambled to hold onto her waist and buried his face in her low pigtails.

“Come on come on come on . . .” The bike started with a low hum, and she tried to remember everything her college boyfriend had taught her about riding motorcycles. They only wobbled slightly as she lurched onto the sidewalk, the impact jarring her teeth and making her wish she’d at least snagged the woman’s helmet for David.

But hindsight was a luxury to be enjoyed when not veering through stopped cars and terrified pedestrians.

David’s grip on her waist was almost painful, and despite the wind whipping past them she could hear his high-pitched, panicked breaths against the back of her neck. She wanted to tell him to calm down, if only so he’d stop cutting off her circulation, but there was no way she was going to waste a second on that, not when she could hear sirens growing closer. Silently praying he knew to hold on, she took a sharp right into an backstreet, nearly scraping them off against the ugly brick wall of the building looming above the small alley, and slammed the acceleration. She could see the traffic on Westmore at the other end of the alleyway, cars slowing but still creeping forward toward Park Street, and she sincerely hoped that meant the police hadn’t gotten there yet.

Come on, come on . . . Gritting her teeth, she slowed the bike to avoid crashing headlong into a pickup truck and took the turn out of the side street much more cautiously than going into it. If only she didn’t care about plowing over motorists . . . but “crazed couple faces several hit-and-run charges” was the exact kind of headline they didn’t want.

Unfortunately, that care (plus the few minutes it had taken to “borrow” a motorcycle) meant that the police were just arriving to set up roadblocks as they rounded the corner, sliding into a gap in the traffic as it slowed to a halt.

“What do we do now?” David whispered, still clinging to her even though the bike wasn’t moving. His voice shook a bit, as much as she could hear him trying to hide it.

“I . . .” Fuck, she wasn’t good at this. Well, she was -- getting out of places fast was one of the few talents she had -- but not without causing a lot more harm and attention than they could afford. Scanning the long row of townhouses as they slowly crawled by, she suddenly slammed on the brakes, jumping off the bike and grabbing David’s hand. “Come on, down here!”

“But --” He followed, wincing at the crash as the bike fell over. As they ducked into a small strip of grass between two of the houses, he lowered his voice and said, “what if someone’s home?”

He’d figured out her plan, she realized with a small glow of pride, dropping to her knees and fiddling with the doorknob on one of the townhouses’ side doors. “No one’s been home for a while,” she replied, scowling. Why was this lock so damn sturdy? “The mailbox out front was overflowing. If you ever go on vacation, cancel your fucking mail if you don’t want a break-in.”

David’s nervous frown cleared, replaced with a split-second smile. “That’s so clever, Gwen!”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m a real Rhodes Scholar. Goddamn it!” she hissed as her lockpick broke. She should’ve taken Jasper up on his offer to get her a better one . . .

“Do you need help?”

She did, although what was he going to do, chirp the door open? Still, the cars on Westmore had completely stopped, and it wasn’t like she was getting anywhere. Gwen took a step back and let David take her place, using the time to think through their options.

There . . . weren’t a lot, honestly.

Someone had to notice them careening into the road, and plenty of people had noticed the abandoned motorcycle in the middle of the street, if the honking was anything to go by. They weren’t visible from the road at the moment, but they had five minutes if they were lucky.

There was no other side to this little yard; it backed up into another house, so they’d have to go out the way they came . . . unless they found a fire escape and could make it to the roof, which presented some issues of its own but had more options than where they were standing --

Click. David sprang to his feet as the door swung open, beaming at her like a kid showing off a magic trick. “There we go!”

Her muscles locked up temporarily, so that for a second all she could do was stare at him. Shaking herself out of her shock (and forcibly closing her mouth), she hauled him into the building, locking the door behind them and ushering them well out of view of the sidewalk. “Where the hell did you learn how to do that?”

He flushed. “Oh, the Quartermaster taught me! I was a real rascal of a kid, and, um, Mr. Campbell thought . . . to keep me safe . . .”

She’d been hunting through the front closet, but turned around when he trailed off. His eyes grew distant, and she noticed with some worry that he was still breathing hard. “Mr. Greenwood?”

The formality snapped him back to her, and he gave her a slightly quavering smile. “Of course, Gwen! We’re still working, aren’t we? Not out of the woods yet!”

Oh, fantastic. “You’ve been doing great, boss,” she said, hoping the praise would distract him from what felt distressingly familiar.

She was no stranger to panic attacks.

But of all the fucking times . . .

The grin sharpened a little, grew more steady. “Really?” he asked, and the knot in her chest loosened at the genuine pleasure in his voice.

She tugged a brown leather jacket out of the closet and shrugged into it. (No one was going to see her looking unladylike, and this place was cold. Besides, she liked leather.) “You’ve gotta teach me how you picked that lock. If it wasn’t for you I’d probably still be stuck out there.”

Maybe she was laying it on a little thick, but it was worth it to see him inflate a tiny bit more, straightening his shoulders and tugging at his bandana with a quiet chuckle. “That’d be fun.”

The sirens had stopped, and she risked a glance outside to see that while traffic was still stopped, there wasn’t an angry mob outside their door. The bike was still lying forlornly in the middle of the road. “Looks like we’ll be here for a couple hours, until the roadblock clears.” She led him to the small living area in the back of the building; she really didn’t like those windows by the street. “Can I take a look?”

His brow furrowed. “A look? At — oh!” He reflexively put his hand on his chest, wincing. “Of course.” He took a seat on a small round ottoman, unbuttoning his shirt and folding it before setting it aside. He was starting to look pale again, his movements losing their clumsy confidence and slowing as his brain got tripped up on his thoughts.

Time for another distraction. “We really need to get headsets or something,” she growled, unceremoniously tugging his body armor over his head and kneeling down to take a better look at his injury. It wasn’t bad: a large, ugly bruise from the impact grazing his side, but it hadn’t broken the skin. She’d still bandage it up, if for no other reason than to feel useful. She snagged the first aid kit out of her purse and set it in his lap, hoping the responsibility of holding it for her would help ground him. “We should’ve had Jasp in our ears the whole time.”

It worked; he cocked his head to the side, handing her an elastic bandage. “Did Mr. Campbell not give you anything like that?”

She paused. “I really need to remember my headset.”

David laughed, the sound cutting off with a pained hiss as she pulled the wrap tight and tied it off.

The storm had cleared, at least for now.

She climbed to her feet, setting the remaining bandages on the counter. “We can loosen it later if it’s bugging you,” she said, gesturing with her chin to his side as she crossed over to the couch and settled down. “Compression’s good for bruises, so right now we’re compressing.”

“Thank you.” He was quiet as she rooted out her phone and texted Jasper: ‘couldn’t get out. laying low in a house on westmore.’ She paused, biting her lip and watching David stare at his hands. ‘we’re okay. i think.’

“Hey, boss?” His head jerked up, eyes wide and startled like a deer’s. Gwen grabbed her handbag and tugged A Game of Thrones out of it. (She’d turned her purse into a real Bag of Holding, in part because she wasn’t used to being allowed — let alone expected — to carry around something so cumbersome. The damn thing weighed like thirty pounds, but she’d be lying if she said it didn’t come in handy.) “Storytime?”

David brightened; storytime was his favorite part of the day at work. She was pretty sure he loved it more than the kids did. “Sure!”

With another quick glance out the window (no bike, but the traffic was still at a standstill), she settled back and listened to him read.

They had about ten minutes.

Ten minutes of quiet was a luxury in her line of work; if a mercenary complained about only having ten minutes to relax in the middle of a job, they’d be laughed at and then fired, and mayne shot for good measure. But she must’ve grown soft working for David, or just complacent.

Ten minutes of David’s soft lilting voice -- interrupted by occasional involuntary gasps as the book surprised him while he was reading -- before the peace was shattered with a spray of glass.

Brushing shards of the broken window off her dress with the sleeve of her jacket, she looked up to make sure David was all right; she paused on the way, her eyes landing on an innocent-looking plastic bar. For about half a second her mind whirred, trying to recognize why the damn thing looked so familiar.

Slim, almost dumbbell shape, large round holes —

“Shit, David —”

The world exploded.

Gwen sat up before her head had stopped spinning, hauling herself to her feet by clinging to the wall and trying to ignore the way the room looked like a blazing tilt-a-whirl. There was no way to tell how long she’d been out. She was alone in the room (she suspected the explosion had kept everyone in the road at a safe distance), but she couldn’t have more than a few minutes before the police came in to see what the hell had just happened.

Fucking stun grenades. She’d never liked them, not even back in her mercenary work. Too loud, too unpredictable, way too likely to set things on fire. (Jasper, of course, loved them for all these reasons.)

She couldn’t hear anything except a high-pitched ringing, and she’d never felt quite so vulnerable, exposed even with walls close on all sides and a veil of smoke blocking her from the doors and windows. But she wasn’t hurt, not beyond a few scrapes and an ugly-looking burn across the top of her foot where the explosion must’ve shot some debris. All the flashbang had done was . . . well, flash and bang.

Left her blind, deaf, and unable to walk, but in one piece.

“David?”

Sound was returning, faint and bloody like she was underwater, but clearing steadily. First the sound of sirens, only distinguishable from the ringing by its slight modulation, then a babble of panicked voices.

Closer, with the authoritative blare of a megaphone: “Eight, seven, six . . .”

“David, are you here?” Gwen staggered forward, trying to keep her voice down (though with her muffled hearing it was hard to tell). The grenade had landed on the table between them, so he should’ve been knocked flat by the explosion as well. But as she dropped to her knees — half in an attempt to escape the thickening smoke and half because her balance still wasn’t entirely back — the only thing she found was A Game of Thrones , the edges smoldering.

Okay, she wasn’t going to panic. She was a professional, even if the last several months had been less like a job and more . . . strange. He couldn’t have evaporated even in this extreme heat, so . . .

“Four, three —”

Fuck. Bolting to her feet, Gwen scooped up the book without thinking and lurched for the front door, snagging a chair from the kitchen. She shoved it under the door handle just as the countdown reached “one,” stumbling back and banging her hip against the coffee table without taking her eyes off the door.

“You have had the opportunity to exit the building. Now, we’re coming in!” There was a muttered order and then a thud that made her teeth rattle, but the door held. She breathed a sigh of relief and raced up the stairs leading off from the living room. It was a small townhouse, and she’d bought herself a few seconds.

Which was all it took to realize that this place was spotless, expensive, and completely empty. Wherever David was, it wasn’t here.

Maybe he’d stumbled outside? She could picture it, could see him pressing that stupid bandana to his nose and mouth, delirious with smoke and still reeling from the shock, and staggering into the waiting arms of the police. Even the thought of him leaving her behind wasn’t too crazy; David could be thoughtless, selfish even. (She’d once lost him at the mall for nearly two hours and had eventually found him kneeling by the loading area, holding out a pretzel she didn’t see him buy to a pigeon -- oblivious to her increasingly-frantic calls because he didn’t like his ringtone, so he put it on silent.) The idiot wandering outside with his brain almost literally rattled in his skull wasn’t out of the question.

There was another thud, louder and accompanied by the creaking of agitated wood. She hurried downstairs with her mind whirring furiously. If the police hadn’t already realized there was a back entrance, they would soon, and with the shattered window they might not even have to force entry. The right side of the building shared a wall with an identical townhouse, and the left framed the alley — making it her best bet, assuming she could squeeze her way through one of these freakishly tiny windows that cities always insisted on installing. Like there could possibly be too much light with buildings looming in every direc —

Focus, Santos. She lifted the kitchen window as quietly as possible, praying the sound wouldn’t alert the police in the front or back of the building, and slipped outside. It took some careful maneuvering to get her jacket covering the worst of the grass- and burn-stains, but within minutes she’d  ducked out of the alley, doing her best to look like a rubbernecking passerby. As she sidled onto the sidewalk, letting herself get swallowed up by the crowd, the front door to the townhouse opened, releasing billowing smoke from the dying fire.

So the police had found the back door. Saved her a minute.

She stood on her tiptoes, scanning the assembled officers in search of a flash of gleaming auburn, but the only redhead she saw was a cop with pixie-short hair and a too-sharp gaze that raked over Gwen’s clothes and hair. (She quickly checked to make sure her gun wasn’t visible, realizing belatedly that she couldn’t have looked more suspicious if she was wearing an overcoat and wraparound shades.)

The officer nudged her partner, leaning in without taking her eyes off of her, and Gwen turned and shoved her way through the crowd, breaking into a sprint when she heard someone shout, “Hey!”

Despite her lack of recent running-for-her-life, chasing after small children must’ve kept her in decent shape, since she managed to slip free of the police without trouble. But she didn’t stagger to a halt until several blocks from the house, slumping against the brick wall of an ancient electronics store. She fumbled for her phone — maybe David had contacted her, or maybe Jasper had gotten word — and caught sight of something on her hand. Figuring it was dirt or soot or something, she moved to wipe it off and froze.

It was smeared from sweat and friction, but she could still read the note scrawled across her palm in cheap blue pen:

DEG

17 S LIL

sorry

Her brain, still choked with smoke and recovering from being stunned, processed the words in reverse order.

Sorry. Someone was sorry . . . Well, after the fucking day she’d been through someone should be.

17 s l i l. Slil? 17s l—

South Lilac. She’d had a few jobs there, not well-paying but with little competition. It wasn’t a nice part of town, the kind of neighborhood that was regularly in the news.

And the letters. They took the longest to permeate her foggy brain, and when they did her struggling hold on clarity was wiped out in cold white panic.

D E G.

David

Ethan

Greenwood

They had David.

[idolizerp]

LOADING INFORMATION ON INDIGO’S LEAD VOCAL KIM RAEYOON...

IDOL DETAILS

STAGENAME: Remy CURRENT AGE: 25 DEBUT AGE: 20 TRAINEE SINCE AGE: 17 COMPANY: MSG SECONDARY SKILL: Music production

IDOL PROFILE

NICKNAME(S): 

rae-ja (來子): based on his tendency to drop unexpected wisdom bombs, give out unsolicited advice, and implement idioms/sajaseong-eo into his everyday vernacular. the nickname plays off ancient chinese philsophers such as confucius (孔子), mencius (孟子), and latozu (老子). (origin: indigo members)

kim huhuhat (김후후핫): based on his distinctive laugh, which almost always begins with inaudible giggling before eventually bursting into sharp, head-thrown laughter. (origin: fans)

shark (상어): based on physical attributes (origin: fans)

INSPIRATION: his mother park jinsook, a once-aspiring folk singer SPECIAL TALENTS:

impressions of female celebrities (the older the celebrity, the better)

reading with exaggerated emotion

tongue twisters

NOTABLE FACTS:

spent a large chunk of his childhood in lausanne, switzerland

hiccups when eating spicy foods (update: it seems he has cured this issue)

cannot hold his liquor and has the worst tolerance of all the indigo members

it’s rumored that he comes from a wealthy family (the truth: they’re comfortable)

IDOL GOALS

SHORT-TERM GOALS:

improve songwriting skills. win msg’s trust so they hand over more jurisdiction—at least as far as his group’s music and concept trajectory is concerned. bring back the electronic bullshit (but maybe not the dubstep). if growing up in eurotrash switzerland has taught him anything it’s the beauty of electronic done right. make the fusion of electronic, r&b, and ballad a sound to be reckoned with. encourage the other members to participate in defining the group’s creative direction.

LONG-TERM GOALS:

produce more songs for other groups in the company. transition into more behind the scenes work. occupy a senior enough role in music production to participate in executive level decision-making at msg. help steer future generations of idols in the right direction—he knows what it’s like to be mismanaged and would hate for others to experience the same disenchantment that plagued him and the rest of his bandmates for so long. continue to build upon indigo’s foundations to ensure longevity. knows that maybe his goals are idealistic (outward) and restricting (inward), but there simply aren’t any other career options he’d be willing to explore.

IDOL IMAGE

remy bursts onto the scene of winter 2014 with bad boy debonair, mischievous nonchalance, and a penchant for flirtation. play off the strengths and weaknesses of your members, had been their furtive recommendation. here’s the earnest one, the sensitive one, the diligent one, the ethereal one, and now you. you’re sharp edges, a cut and cruel face, thin mouth that only knows how to grin crooked, and tapered eyes whose surest weapon is their wink. hone your artillery, make it yours, and if you can, make them scream.

remy’s never been one for violent metaphors but he runs with this one because his passion outweighs everything else. for the first few years it gets the better of him and he feels some dissonance, has a hard time believing any of what he’s bringing to the stage is coming from anywhere real because of course it isn’t. but in time he learns that this too is part of the art of performance, and that there’s nothing disingenuous about what he’s doing so long as he can differentiate his two egos of what could never be and what actually is. when the music stops so does the charade and this is how he will retain his authenticity.

the public learn the ins and outs of remy, too; the few who care at all take whatever crumbs and scraps they can find, one scattered comeback at a time, to build a more nuanced portrait and uncover the person behind the persona. for the most part their findings are accurate and positive. remy is methodical, prefers to take things a little bit at a time. but is there a reason he takes forever to make a decision? it’s only dessert. it’s called being considerate. his head is in the cloud sometimes, but he’s always thoughtful. must read a lot too, he’s always quoting stuff i’ve never heard of. pretty sure that’s his way of showing off the fact he used to study in europe, never liked elites like him. the only bravado he shows is onstage, not sure what you’re talking about. he’s surprisingly demure behind the scenes. i’ve never seen him cry, not even once. you sure he’s not some kind of robot? i’d pay good money to see a robot with a laugh that cute. weird. i think you mean his laugh is weird.

his reputation—whichever unassembled pieces exist in phone cameras, group chats, morning catchup by the office water cooler—follows remy straight into re᛫group, where he thereupon establishes himself as the show’s sage, a calm meditative tide. the contrasting snarl and bite of his performance style still persists, but the sex appeal stops there. he’s not controversial, not cutthroat enough to propel himself to viral fame. but his character and up-until-this-point unseen predilection for music win him the respect of fellow competitors and the sincere affections of weekly viewers. it’s more than he could possibly ask for.

with indigo’s triumphant return to the industry, remy repays fans old and new by trying his hand at songwriting. building off of the momentum from re᛫group and recognizing the group’s need for growth, msg embraces a brand shift, letting him produce the track for their next comeback. the move effectively solidifies and tacks on a new identity for him as a producer for the group; he acquiesces to the role with ease, and to rave reception. indigo’s reaffirmation in society comes with the affirmative understanding for all of the members that donning their faces, old and new, they’re in it for the long haul.

IDOL HISTORY

a: at five, he is petulant. more than the average five-year-old should be, but who can blame the kid when he feels how jarringly out of place he is in this country and continent, but doesn’t have the vocabulary to express any of it. and so raeyoon prefers to spend his time indoors, in front of the television and away from prying eyes, watching documentaries and music broadcasts he never quite comprehends but thinks he likes the sound of. mother, ever observant from the kitchen, keeps a watchful eye.

b: prideful, not passionate. pride is what keeps him enrolled in piano lessons but keeps him from realizing his potential. his mother sits with him through every practice session, guiding him with an iron will and berating him with an immovable ear. she calls him a technician and so do the judges, but he plays a showstopper in basel and a sonata in bern anyways because people have programs to fill and don’t expect full emotional maturation from a ten year-old. that summer when he takes the train to summer camp abroad—but then, what isn’t abroad at this point—raeyoon distantly wonders where he’s headed.

c: hundreds of miles from home, raeyoon is suddenly compelled to take to the stack of cds that father snuck into his suitcase months ago without ever citing a reason. the cds themselves are bare. the cases in which they are contained are bare save for a rough tracklist penned in permanent marker. the music that he hears isn’t anything familiar. but the voice he hears most certainly is.

d: he passes his audition.

he had gone on a whim. while out shopping for beef bones with grandmother one morning someone had approached him with a business card and while stewing the beef bones back in her apartment he’d asked grandmother to accompany him. he doesn’t remember anything about it beyond a panel of faceless men and his mother’s voice reverberating like a dream in the caverns of his head.

it was never supposed to be this consequential and yet it is, yet here he is feeling the mostsomething he’s felt in his five-thousand-eight-hundred-eight-eight-day life. the news hits him like a brick and his head drops onto the table. grandmother pries the phone away from his hands and dials in another number. with his head still down and eyes closed raeyoon hears her shuffle into the kitchen, open the pot, and plate up the last serving of oxtail soup. he hears the line click on the other end. and then he hears her voice again, so familiar and sweet and real.

e: he blends in here. he laughs thinking back to a decade ago when he’d stood out so sorely, and how that’s exactly what he needs now if he wants a good shot at this. for the next three years, he sharpens himself to the finest point possible.

f: it’s called face. face in the crowd, facing the music, saving face. it’s a word loaded with meanings and potentialities and it feels so wholly appropriate raeyoon almost cries but doesn’t, not yet. he runs through the showcase introduction, performance, final ments. thanks everyone for coming out to support their debut. when the spotlight dims down and the mass of bodies begins to file out of the venue, he spots his mother lingering in the audience, a face in the crowd. raeyoon swallows the lump in his throat. not yet.

g: during rehearsal at a hundred-person venue in gwangju city, a standing light crashes and raeyoon sustains a small injury to his right pinky. no big deal, he tells everyone, it’s not like he’s using it for much anymore anyways, and the appendage is wrapped in gauze and rehearsal continues like clockwork.

he doesn’t notice until a year later, when it’s much too late for buddy tape and a brace, that his pinky never quite recovered right. he opens up a dusty book of liszt arpeggios wondering if maybe now is the time to leverage that skillset, if maybe now he can demonstrate something beyond the technical prowess of his childhood, and fumbles like a clown on the keys. looking down, his pinky tells him the whole story. the first knuckle juts outward and askew with the rest of the finger, like a soul separating from its host.

he thinks back to the past year, and even the year before that, and draws a funny picture not unlike the analogy. it’s not just the finger. negligence is rampant. looking the other way and pretending not to notice everything that’s gone wrong, and everything that could possibly go wrong. what were the meds for, again? chronic pain, allergies, or just insomnia? he forgets. forgets most things, like his pinky finger, like the fact he hasn’t called home in weeks out of shame, and forgets that crying was even an option even though these days he’s got all the time in the world.

h: his saving grace descends in the form of a reality show that sweeps the country and his group by storm. it’s in between mandatory diary entries, the relentless gaze of the camera, stress and sleep deprivation, public defamation, and the thrill of a new stage—another day—that sets raeyoon alight again.

on the last night: a sea of faceless, wailing bodies under the stage, let’s debut, and his mother’s song ringing in his ears. he feels the bodies beside him leave one at a time to claim their spot on the podium, rank five, four, three. he’s tired, hungry, and smiling brighter. two. a rock tied by string. and one. his vision blurs, wet, and opaque. the lump in his throat swells, and he throws his head back to blink away the tears. not yet, not yet.

i: his first hand at production, a first win for the group, and a first concert after five years. it’s nothing short of a miracle, and their story is one that resonates somewhere deep. though revitalized, raeyoon doesn’t hunger for much anymore. but even five years in and with the tides swaying in their favor, he knows better to submit to complacency—scoffs at even the suggestion. with the attention on them—actually, legitimately on them now—the stakes are higher than ever, and he’s simply too grateful to do anything but deliver.