#comic 3151

[dogstomp]

Dogstomp #3151 - August 17th

Patreon / Discord Server / Itaku / Bluesky

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

Holy Nightwing! I'm...Bruce

by Night_Skye_Gazing Typical Nightwing and Batman behavior where they get hit with a gun, run tests, nothing happens, and then they wake up in each others beds. Not the worst thing, but low-key traumatizing waking up in bed with you momish person. Also low-key traumatizing having your son's boyfriend try to have good morning sex with you, not knowing you're not your son. Bruce and Dick swap bodies and wake up in each other's beds because of it. Will there be any emotional conversations because of this? Of Course!... not. They're bats, they don't talk. Words: 3151, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: DCU, Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Wally West, Selina Kyle, Zatanna Zatara Relationships: Dick Grayson/Wally West, Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne Additional Tags: body swapping, Magic, that's not the point, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild Sexual Content, Implied Sexual Content, Somewhat explicit- But not really, That's all the way at the end, Implied/Referenced Torture, it's in the past, Dick Grayson Calls Selina Kyle "Mom", Dick Grayson Calls Bruce Wayne "Dad", Kinda, Not Beta Read via https://ift.tt/6uvnZK0

[ao3feed-thor]

Tony Stark The Prince of Atlantis

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/oYRIQrD

by AniAuthor

Tony Stark: Prince of Atlantis" is a story about a young man who discovers that he is the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, and the rightful heir to the throne of Atlantis. With his newfound powers and responsibilities, Tony must navigate between his life as an Avenger and his duties to protect his people and his home in Atlantis. As he faces new challenges and threats, Tony learns to balance his dual identity and becomes determined to use his powers to defend both worlds. The story is a thrilling adventure that combines mythology, superhero action, and the importance of fulfilling one's responsibilities

Words: 3151, Chapters: 7/7, Language: English

Fandoms: Iron Man (Movies), Captain America (Movies), Black Widow (Movie 2021), Thor (Movies), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Hawkeye (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Aquaman (2018), Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, WandaVision (TV), The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV), Ant-Man (Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies)

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/M

Characters: Tony Stark, Poseidon (Percy Jackson), Amphitrite (Percy Jackson), Howard Stark, Maria Stark, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Vision (Marvel), Peter Parker, James "Rhodey" Rhodes, James "Bucky" Barnes, Wanda Maximoff, Steve Rogers, Clint Barton, Scott Lang, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Thor (Marvel), Hulk (Marvel), Brunnhilde | Valkyrie (Marvel), Loki (Marvel), Groot (Marvel), Peter Quill, Nebula (Marvel), Gamora (Marvel), Rocket Raccoon, Drax the Destroyer

Relationships: Pepper Potts/Tony Stark

Additional Tags: Civil War Team Iron Man, Team as Family, Civil War Team Captain America, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), No Bashing, Tony Stark is a God, Tony stark beats thanos, Tony Stark Lives, Natasha Romanov Lives

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/oYRIQrD

[those70scomics]

Those ‘70s Comics: 3151

Inspired by episode 703 -- “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"

[ao3feed-scarletvision]

Chasing Gold

by ww713

Steve Rogers just wants a friend, someone to connect with. Olivia Harrington is his charming, overly enthusiastic neighbor, who doesn't recognize Steve at all. But not everything is as it seems, because of course it isn't. And Tony is sticking his nose in places where it shouldn't be, because of course he is. Natasha and Sam are just trying to bring Steve into the times, because...well...it's about damn time.

Some Steve/OC, but ultimately this is Bucky/OC, because I am Bucky trash.

Words: 3151, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Marvel, Captain America - All Media Types, Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Iron Man (Comics)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Clint Barton, Wanda Maximoff, Vision (Marvel), James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Pepper Potts, Thor (Marvel), Guardians of the Galaxy Team, Rocket Raccoon, Stephen Strange, Bruce Banner, Peter Parker, T'Challa (Marvel), Okoye (Marvel), Scott Lang, Maria Hill

Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Female Character(s), Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s), Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, Wanda Maximoff/Vision

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Slow Burn, Bucky Barnes & Steve Rogers Friendship, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Memory Loss, Alternate Universe - Mutants, Mutants, Fluff and Humor, Avengers Feels, Trust Issues, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, We Changing Captain America Civil War, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Hydra (Marvel)

from AO3 works tagged 'Wanda Maximoff/Vision' https://ift.tt/34rlKvz via IFTTT

[mislandfelixlestrange]

MATTHEW SKIFF

http://www.ithew.com/

https://design.tutsplus.com/articles/interview-with-vector-illustrator-matthew-skiff--vector-3151

Matthew Skiff is a professional illustrator and graphic artist who regularly creates illustrations for bands for a ranch of merchandise. He wrote the Vector Plus tutorial, "The Creation of a Winged Vector Monster," and in that tutorial Plus members can dive into his workflow. 

I like Skiffs work because it has a bold comic book appeal to it. His work also has a drawn appearance to it instead of being made in illustrator. I also like his use of bright blocky colours and thick black outlines.

[ao3feed-thorki]

read it on AO3 at http://bit.ly/2Il9SDR slamncram (GettheSalt)

by slamncram (GettheSalt)

It's been months since Thor, son of Odin, engineered peace between Jotunheim and Asgard. Peace has come with many perks. Some of those are feasts. Some of those are having Prince Loki, Laufey's runt, in his bed. But Loki visiting Thor's realm for the first time since they've started their secret relationship has an effect on Loki's confidence neither expected, and one Thor is only too happy to kiss away. Among other tactics.

Words: 3151, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Thor (Movies), Thor (Comics)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Thor (Marvel), Loki (Marvel)

Relationships: Loki/Thor, Loki/Thor (Marvel)

Additional Tags: Jötunheimr | Jotunheim, Jotunn Loki (Marvel), Prince Thor (Marvel), Secret Relationship, Sneaking Around, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Blow Jobs, First Time Blow Jobs, Cock Worship, Body Worship, Porn with Feelings

read it on AO3 at http://bit.ly/2Il9SDR

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

Holy Nightwing! I'm...Bruce

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/6uvnZK0 by Night_Skye_Gazing Typical Nightwing and Batman behavior where they get hit with a gun, run tests, nothing happens, and then they wake up in each others beds. Not the worst thing, but low-key traumatizing waking up in bed with you momish person. Also low-key traumatizing having your son's boyfriend try to have good morning sex with you, not knowing you're not your son. Bruce and Dick swap bodies and wake up in each other's beds because of it. Will there be any emotional conversations because of this? Of Course!... not. They're bats, they don't talk. Words: 3151, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: DCU, Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Wally West, Selina Kyle, Zatanna Zatara Relationships: Dick Grayson/Wally West, Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne Additional Tags: body swapping, Magic, that's not the point, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild Sexual Content, Implied Sexual Content, Somewhat explicit- But not really, That's all the way at the end, Implied/Referenced Torture, it's in the past, Dick Grayson Calls Selina Kyle "Mom", Dick Grayson Calls Bruce Wayne "Dad", Kinda, Not Beta Read read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/6uvnZK0

[ao3feed-buckybarnes]

Slow Down Soldier

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2Kj4hdf

by KhaleesiofThemyscira

Everything in his world was a raging storm, she was his anchor

Words: 3151, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Winter Soldier (Comics), Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Captain America (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel, Marvel (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/M

Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Original Female Character(s), Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Scott Lang

Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Female Character(s), James "Bucky" Barnes & Reader

Additional Tags: Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Love Confessions, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Smut

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2Kj4hdf

[ao3feed-clintxnat]

Chasing Gold

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/34rlKvz

by ww713

Steve Rogers just wants a friend, someone to connect with. Olivia Harrington is his charming, overly enthusiastic, neighbor, who doesn't recognize Steve at all. But not everything is as it seems, because of course it isn't. And Tony is sticking his nose in places where it shouldn't be, because of course he is. Natasha and Sam are just trying to bring Steve into the times, because...well...it's about damn time.

Some Steve/OC, but ultimately this is Bucky/OC, because I am Bucky trash.

Words: 3151, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Marvel, Captain America - All Media Types, Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Iron Man (Comics)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Clint Barton, Wanda Maximoff, Vision (Marvel), James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Pepper Potts, Thor (Marvel), Guardians of the Galaxy Team, Rocket Raccoon, Stephen Strange, Bruce Banner, Peter Parker, T'Challa (Marvel), Okoye (Marvel), Scott Lang, Maria Hill

Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Female Character(s), Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s), Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, Wanda Maximoff/Vision

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Slow Burn, Bucky Barnes & Steve Rogers Friendship, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Memory Loss, Alternate Universe - Mutants, Mutants, Fluff and Humor, Avengers Feels, Trust Issues, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, We Changing Captain America Civil War, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Hydra (Marvel)

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/34rlKvz

[ao3feed-mcufemslash]

WWE Marvels: New York City

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2EhwVux

by Slytherin_Of_The_Sith

With the Avengers off fighting big space battles and saving other worlds, New York City was left unchecked...open for a complete take-over and chaos. With the Avengers gone, it's up to superheroes like Typhoon and The Valkyrie to keep New York from being the stepping stone for super villains wanting to take over the world.

However, the Queen of Latveria, daughter of Doctor Doom, will not be told no so easily. Along with fellow NYC villains such as The Nightmare, The Queen of Spades and Viceroy...Typhoon and Valkyrie had a lot of work to do to keep New York out of their hands. Easier said than done.

WWE/ Marvel Crossover

Words: 3151, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Series: Part 3 of WWE Marvels

Fandoms: World Wrestling Entertainment, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel (Comics)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: F/F, F/M, Multi

Characters: Sasha Banks, Charlotte (Professional Wrestling), Rhea Ripley, Shayna Baszler, Matt Riddle, The Miz (Professional Wrestling), Baron Corbin, Bianca Belair, Sheamus (Professional Wrestling), Dolph Ziggler

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, marvel AU, superhero au, Heroes & Heroines, Sasha is a dark character, Sasha is literally a Queen, Charlotte aka Valkyrie, Matt Riddle aka Typhoon, Rhea aka The Nightmare, Shayna aka Queen of Spades, Sheamus aka The Tank, Baron is Viceroy, No one likes him still, Canon-Typical Violence, Cross Over, Connected Universe, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags Are Hard

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2EhwVux

[avecorviidae]

Fic: Aubade - Chapter Nine

Fandom: Mob Psycho 100 Rating: M Relationship(s): Kageyama Ritsu/Suzuki Shou Word Count: 3151

Ao3 Link

Ritsu’s lit. analysis class is at eight in the morning because he hates himself, and Shou is still awake at six in the morning because he is, presumably, a masochist, so it’s a happy happenstance that they manage to have breakfast together on the first day of classes.

He’s slumped on the sofa with his terrible, awful, bland granola flake cereal, making an unpleasant face and thinking unpleasant thoughts, because it’s really best to get his morning sulk in before he leaves the house. Better for appearances, anyways; it’s going to be a long day – long semester – of smiling, introducing, chattering, ingratiating, appeasing, socializing.

Shou wanders into the living room with a bowl of some colorful cereal Ritsu hasn’t had since he was six, and says, “Someone piss in your bran flakes?”

“Your face pissed in my bran flakes,” He mumbles, because it is six in the morning, and Ritsu is not legally awake yet.

“There’s nothing you can prove!” Shou replies cheerfully, plopping down next to him. Ritsu’s cereal sloshes around sadly in its bowl. Ritsu hates it, deeply. Why does he buy healthy cereal? Why does he do this to himself? Was it to spite Shou’s bad nutritional choices? To make some psychological ideal of his mother proud? Was it a manifestation of his profound and extended period of self-loathing? All of the above?

“Ah, it won’t be that bad,” Shou offers, with a commiserating smile that is entirely false and betrayed by the sadistic glee in his eyes.

Ritsu grouses, “I have to pretend to be people. All day.”  The cashmere sweater is making a reprise today, pushed up to the elbows, paired with khaki slacks – for fuck’s sake, khaki slacks. Next to Shou, decked out resplendently in ratty boxers and a faded anime t-shirt, Ritsu feels like a show pony. A sweaty, grumpy show pony.

He manages, though. He always manages. Shou sends him off at the door with a surprisingly genuine, “Good luck, don’t kill anybody,” and then the week’s started, and it all blurs together. Sit down center-left in lectures, phone away, planner out. Polite eye contact with professors, nodding and smiling, quiet laughter at bad jokes. Ask a relevant question about the syllabus, then shut up. Agreeable but not obnoxious. Complimentary but not kiss-ass. Figure out who’s going to be a battle and who’s going to turn into a letter of recommendation.

It’s normal.

It’s exhausting.

-

“What classes do you have tomorrow?” Shou asks, snapping Ritsu out of a daze. He looks up from the book in his lap, notices he’s left his fork dangling halfway between the bowl and his mouth, and shoves a bite into his mouth. Carbonara tonight, apparently not traditional to the true Italian dish since it’s got garlic, and bacon instead of pancetta or guanciale, but it’s fucking delicious, so Ritsu’s not complaining.

“Uh...” he has to think for a moment, try and remember what day it is. “Lit. analysis in the morning, psych in the afternoon.”

Shou frowns, pouting comically. He’s sat cross-legged on the floor, bowl in his lap, close enough to the new TV that Ritsu wants to channel his mother and warn him about his eyes. “Aw, you never come back for lunch when you’ve got stuff in the afternoon.”

Ritsu shrugs. “It’s just easier to stay on campus than catch a bus there and back again. Besides, I’m usually busy between classes.” God, is he busy. Meetings with advisors, meetings with study groups, meetings for group projects, tutors and guest lectures and events, it’s a fucking nightmare. He scrubs a hand over his face, sighing. He’s only a few weeks in, it shouldn’t be this bad already.

“Lit. analysis, huh?” Shou says, cutting through Ritsu’s train of thought immediately, because Shou’s got this way of saying things just so, so that Ritsu knows some shit’s about to go down. He finds himself smiling before Shou’s even said anything particularly ridiculous yet.

“Yep,” he replies, hefting the book, “Hence, the Poems of Doom.” The reading schedule for the lit. analysis class had very rapidly become completely unmanageable, hence why Ritsu is going cross-eyed trying to read thirty poems the night before class.

Shou shoves his bowl to the side and leans towards the sofa, making grabby hands at Ritsu. “Please. It’s my favorite thing, you have to let me–”

“No!” Ritsu laughs, holding the book out of reach, “I have to take it seriously, I’ve got to talk about this shit in class, you can’t ruin it for me–”

“Just one poem, please, Ritsu–”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“Suzuki!” Ritsu gasps as the book goes flying out of his hands and shooting straight into Shou’s. Shou is on his feet in one bizarre, fluid motion, book held open in one hand, scrutinizing the poems held within. Ritsu watches, bemused, as he paces the floor of the living room, the book held aloft, arm outstretched, chin up, every bit a Hamlet preparing to lament Yorick.

“A- hem,” Shou coughs, pausing mid-stage, glancing up at Ritsu expectantly.

Obediently, Ritsu straightens in his seat, puts on a veneer of mild interest, raises an eyebrow to say, at your leave, Hamlet.

With a great deal of solemnity and gravitas, Shou begins.

“Piggy to Joey, Piggy to Joe. Yes that’s what I was – Piggy to Joe.”

Ritsu’s already snickering at the delivery, the overlong pauses between lines, the great lamentation in Shou’s eyes, his voice, the slight, not-quite-European accent on every piggy, but then begin the stage actions, Shou throwing his arms up, wretched as he continues,

"Will he come back again? Oh no! No! No! Oh how I wish I hadn’t been… Piggy to Joe.”

He bows with a flourish, and Ritsu golf-claps accordingly, breath coming in short gasps between laughter. He is completely fucked if this poem comes up in class tomorrow. He kind of hopes it comes up in class tomorrow.

-

He wanders into the kitchen zombielike, putting on the coffee machine and wandering over to the fridge, fully prepared to stare blankly into it for a couple of minutes before realizing nothing’s ever appetizing to him this early in the morning and giving up, resigning himself to chugging coffee on an empty stomach and getting pizza at the dining hall later.

He pulls open the doors and comes face to face with a tupperware sitting front and center, a post-it stuck to it reading in Shou’s impossible scrawl, ‘TAKE LUNCH TODAY’. Ritsu blinks at it for a few moments. It’s the carbonara from last night, definitely. Shou probably didn’t leave the note for himself, because one, he’s just recently gone to bed and as such won’t be up to go anywhere for lunch, and two, because the rest of the leftovers are in a big, clingfilmed glass bowl on the top shelf of the fridge. So that must logically mean that the tupperware is intended for him, which is…

The coffee machine beeps. Ritsu’s not awake enough to deal with the logistics. He grabs the tupperware and shoves it in his bag.

-

TO: YOUR FAVORITE ;) Hey, thanks for the sack lunch today

FROM: YOUR FAVORITE ;) thumbs up emoji

TO: YOUR FAVORITE ;) Wh Why would you not just send me the thumbs up emoji. Why would you type it out like that

FROM: YOUR FAVORITE ;) couldnt be bothered to switch keyboards

TO: YOUR FAVORITE ;) You are inexplicable. I hate you. Anyways thanks for lunch. I heated it up in a study room microwave and stank up the place with garlic, everyone hated me

FROM: YOUR FAVORITE ;) worth it tho

TO: YOUR FAVORITE ;) Oh, absolutely

FROM: YOUR FAVORITE ;) sparkly heart emoji

TO: YOUR FAVORITE ;) Stop

-

It’s normal, and it’s not.

He settles into a schedule, a routine, quickly, and it’s a little disorienting how mundane it all feels. But then again, that’s what life is; it’s just stretches of mundanity broken up periodically by monumentally life-altering events.

He’d read a list once, of the most stressful events human beings can experience. Deaths, natural disasters, divorces, injuries, illnesses. Other stuff too, marriages, pregnancies, changes in routine.

Ritsu’s problems tend to be so extreme, shit like, oh, my new best friend burned down my house and his dad’s trying to kill us all, shit like, every time my big brother has strong emotions it’s a geological event, that it feels like his perception of what’s normal and what isn’t has been warped.

Starting school was on that list. Moving houses, too.

The move was fine, though, is fine. Finding the apartment was the worst of it. After that, it was just learning how to be in a space with another person, and he already knows how to be with Shou, knows the particulars and intricacies of how he operates, and Shou knows him just as well, well enough that they don’t set off each other’s pet peeves, for the most part.

As Shou’s proclivity for cooking had shown, however, that didn’t mean there weren’t surprises.

Case in point:

Here’s something Ritsu would never have known about Shou without living with him: he owns a t-shirt for every day of the year, and about four pairs of underwear.

“Ritsu-kun,” he says, comically demure in the way that says that Ritsu’s going to hate whatever comes out of his mouth next. Ritsu glances up from the sofa, sees that Shou’s wearing nothing but a towel, and decides just to silently raise his eyebrows.

“Now, see, here’s the thing,” Shou says. “I have not done laundry this week.” “I’m shocked.” “I may – hey – I may be running short on, uh. On undies.”

“Shou.”

Shou throws his hands up defensively. “I thought I had enough, but my last pair had a big hole in them! Look, I don’t wanna go commando, it’s uncomfortable! Whatever, I’ll just reuse yesterday’s–”

Ritsu’s up in an instant, shaking his head. “No, no, nope, gross, fucking fine, I’ll lend you a pair.”

He goes digging in his drawers, throws a pair of old briefs at Shou’s head, who promptly gives a peace sign and disappears back into the bathroom.

“Jesus fuck.”

-

Other things, tiny things.

Ritsu tries putting on classical music to concentrate, and Shou wanders around the house conducting it, flourishing a pencil, spinning and waltzing and directing an imaginary orchestra, inevitably distracting Ritsu more than whatever he put on the music to drown out.

After far too long sitting in the Corner of Shame in the living room, they finally decide that Ritsu’s books cannot sit on top of a box containing an unassembled bookshelf all year, and attempt to build it. They get the shelves down alright, and then manage to attach the legs to the side of the shelf instead of the bottom. Shou declares it modern art and walks away to make dinner. Ritsu’s too tired to argue; he just puts his books on their sad, sad shelf and calls it a day.

Shou sheds, which as someone who has had sleepovers with the guy, was not news to Ritsu, but it becomes apparent and stunning just how thoroughly Shou’s hair has invaded every aspect of their lives. It’s in the shower, in the sink, on the sofa cushions. As Ritsu’s about to leave for class, he notices a red hair on his sweater, and holds it up for Shou’s inspection. Shou snatches it out of his fingers, says, “Wow, rude, I was looking for that.” Ritsu sighs, gives up, and decides to buy a lint roller.

The apartment is small, the kitchen especially is not built for two people to be in it at once, and Shou, in chef-mode, has this brisk nature about him, always gives these brief ‘passing behind you’ touches to Ritsu’s back if he’s moving around him. Ritsu, if he’s willing to admit it to himself, is becoming weirdly attuned to the touches. It feels like his skin knows before it happens, starts to prickle and stand to attention, and they always linger after Shou’s moved away, his aura clinging, vibrant and fluid against him.

It’s these times that he notices, really notices Shou’s aura, but it doesn’t feel foreign so much as more intense, but always familiar, always there, sunlight twisting around his fingertips. He can see it when he squints.

Your aura always looked a little like your brother’s, Shou had told him, once. Like, similar because you’re brothers, yeah, but I figure both of you living in the same place for so long, you just rubbed off on each other, it got all mixed.

It does feel different, now. Ritsu’s and Shou’s both. It hovers around Shou’s shoulders like a blanket of static, purple and a hundred other colors, runs through his hair and dances between his legs when he walks. He wonders if Shou feels it too.

-

They hit autumn proper, and Ritsu gets a few days off. Without having to worry about getting enough sleep, he ends up staying awake with Shou, gets dragged off into the city in the dead of night to satisfy Shou’s wandering tendencies. After the summer of the Sauna Apartment, it’s nice to be able to bundle up, even if Ritsu’s not the biggest fan of the chill pricking at his cheeks, making his nose start to run. Shou, as ever, seems mildly ignorant of the temperature, throwing on a thin jacket seemingly for aesthetics more than anything.

When they’d gone for walks in Seasoning, even in the middle of the day, it was never a busy affair. Honestly, Seasoning might’ve had more spirits in it than it had people.

Grain City was a much different affair. They lived close enough to GCU that they were well within the bounds of ‘college town,’ so all of the main streets had a sleek aesthetic, the buildings new and flashy. Urban vegan marketplaces, cute little coffee shops, clothing boutiques, the sorts of places him, Shou, and Mob get dragged to by Teru for ‘double dates’. They’re nice, but not the kinds of places Ritsu would go of his own volition, not when he could be elsewhere, in private, without the stress of performing being alone in public. And it is public, even at this time of night; the street is well-lit, most of the storefronts still open, ready to entertain the night owl crowd.

Shou, after a brief ogle at the bright lights, promptly ignores all of this and starts wandering down back alleys, turning at random into residential areas, climbing over low walls and crossing through deserted parks. For the first few blocks, it unnerves Ritsu, trying to keep track of what direction they came from, roughly where their apartment building is. Back in Seasoning, they didn’t often venture into the city-proper, but on the outskirts, they knew the territory like the backs of their hands. Here, it’s uncharted land, and they’re well outside of Ritsu’s comfortable knowledge of the route from the apartment to the bus stop.

Shou is infectious, though, and Ritsu’s nerves never last long in the face of him, utterly carefree as he trots from streetlight to streetlight. He stops paying attention to the direction, gets caught up in the conversation, stories they’re still managing to tell each other because they talk every day but even stupid shit starts to sound like something he wants to share, his “Oh, did I tell you about the time in this one class–” matched by Shou’s, “So I never told you about this one dude I met in–” , part of the running competition they’ve had since they were thirteen to make each other laugh like absolute idiots.

They’re on some dead-end street, surrounded by mostly warehouses and run-down storage buildings, Ritsu leaning against a street light pole to catch his breath through the laughter, Shou snickering at him, and it strikes Ritsu suddenly. It’s the coalescence of everything – his cheeks aching from the smiling, Shou hovering at his side, close enough to touch, the fact that he’s always close now, just another room over, in the kitchen cooking, in the shower singing–

“God, I missed you,” Ritsu says, with more feeling than he intended, voice rough in a way he didn’t expect, but he means it.

Shou falls silent, swaying on his feet, his expression slowly morphing into a sort of dumbfounded awe, and Ritsu’s so caught up watching his face that it takes a moment for him to realize that he’s not cold anymore.

He barely even has to concentrate to see the way Shou’s aura is moving around them, dripping from his skin like liquid sunlight, enveloping Ritsu in warmth, in the welcome pressure of Shou’s pure joy.

He’s at Ritsu’s eye-level all of a sudden, and when Ritsu glances down, sure enough, Shou’s hovering, toes barely grazing the ground, and Ritsu takes a sharp breath when he realizes this is something else they’ve not had since Shou left, one more thing he took for granted until it was gone. His stomach is already turning in protest, but he holds out his hands to Shou, palms up.

“Alright,” he says, “Take me up.”

Shou blinks at him, says, “You sure?” but he’s already moving to grab Ritsu, hands on top of his, wrapped loosely around his wrists. Ritsu tenses when he feels himself start to float, buoyed by Shou’s powers around him. He wobbles unsteadily, tightening his grip on Shou to keep himself from lurching forward, glaring when Shou snickers at him.

“Let’s go, asshole.”

Shou doesn’t respond, but Ritsu feels a rush of pressure at the soles of his feet, and then they’re up, ears popping with the rush, colder up here he can tell but can’t feel it, can only feel the warmth bleeding into him from Shou’s hands on his skin. They’ve started laughing again at some point, the sound of it hysterical to Ritsu’s ears, and they’re clinging onto each other for dear life as they shoot up, closer and closer, foreheads pressed together, hands grasping, and Ritsu missed this, this thing he only ever has with Shou, the ridiculous adrenaline rush and the lightheaded glee, forgetting about everything else, just having this.

They stop dead and he rocks back, looking at the city sprawled below them. It’s all lights and sounds in miniature, even the skyscrapers dwarfed by the height, and it seems comical from up here, fictional, unreal. Like it doesn’t exist, like none of it exists, while they’re up here.

Shou lifts a hand to his forehead, squinting as he scouts the terrain. “Oh, hey!” he says, grinning, “I can see our street! That’s good, because I had no clue how we were getting back.”

Ritsu snorts, deigning not to mention that they both have phones with GPS. Just slides his fingers into Shou’s, squeezes once. “Alright, lead the way, Sunshine. Let’s head home.”