#fly on maximum ride

[junpeijackflash]

Welp, I Guess I’ll Talk About My Maximum Ride Rewrite Now

I promised I’d post about my rewrite soon, totally not expecting to do it for at least a few weeks. Then I opened up my doc after like a month and wrote two chapters in two days.

So, now equipped with a stronger drive to write (at least for now) I’ll share some details on my rewrite project. I’ll be putting this under a cut because holy fuck I did not expect to write this much:

The full title for the series is going to be Fly On, Maximum Ride. The individual book rewrites are going to be from song lyrics (or song titles? haven’t decided). Incidentally, the “Fly On” part of the title also comes from song lyrics.

Why, you may ask, am I doing the cliché AO3 “song lyrics as the title” thing? Because music ended up having a larger impact on this series than intended. What started out as me listing each flock members’ favorite bands and songs somehow wove so deeply into them that I cannot remove it.

(I’m aware kisses4butterflies on AO3 also has a music thing going in their rewrite. I came up with my version independently, and I do think it’s cool we had similar ideas)

Now to what people actually care about: the story and characters 👀

First off: Jeb never died/faked his death. He is still living with the flock as we speak, leaving the house every so often to get groceries or supplies for the flock. Sometimes he’s gone for a few days, sometimes weeks, sometimes a bit longer. But he’s still a part of the flock’s life. He trains them, teaches them, makes sure they’re healthy, rewards them when they do good, etc.

Ari sadly does not exist. I could’ve tried to come up with something for him, but I removed him from the plot so early on there’s no way to squeeze him back in. Maybe he could’ve been living with the flock as a normal human kid, but I feel like that would’ve just made him Gazzy Without Wings so :/

The house is…different. I don’t want to say much on that now, but just know the flock isn’t waking up with the sun or going on daily flights around the Sangre De Cristo Mountains. They go outside to train and occasionally play, but only when Jeb lets them.

Max, Fang, and Nudge are probably the only real physical fighters of the bunch. Iggy’s extremely good at assembling traps and weapons he can use, but he doesn’t have the same training as his siblings. Gazzy is training to be a good fighter, and training with Iggy on building things (he’s much more eager about the bombs than Iggy is), but he’s still a kid and he’s still learning. Angel is a six year old, and she’s also slightly lagging behind on her motor skills, so safe to say she is not good in a fight.

The flock still looks somewhat human-like, but not enough that they pass 100%. Their wings are massive, for one, and they can’t just fold them up into their backs. They need bulky jackets and pants to squish their wings inside if they want to hide them. They also have feathers along the backs of their arms and legs. Their pectoral muscles are larger and they have broader shoulders, all to help support the wings. They have smaller and rounder bird eyes with raptor vision, and they’ve got hollow bones and air sacs just like birds do.

In terms of what birds the flock’s wings are based on: Max = golden eagle, Fang = peregrine falcon, Iggy = osprey, Nudge = american kestrel, Gazzy = red tailed hawk, Angel = ferruginous hawk. Their eyes also match the birds they’re based on.

Everyone in the flock has pretty noticeable scars. Max has a large one on her cheek. Fang has several long ones across his chest. Iggy’s eyes are basically a scar on their own. Nudge has scars on her hands that flare up in pain. Both Max and Gazzy have scars around their neck in the same places. Angel doesn’t have scars yet, but she’s going to get some soon.

The kids fully believe they’re freaks of nature who cannot live outside of their home or else they’ll be hunted down or taken back to The School.

The flock all consider themselves siblings. This does in fact mean no Max-Fang romance. Honestly I wouldn’t know what to do with it even if they weren’t siblings. I have 1 (one) planned romance in book 2, and it doesn’t involve either of them.

There’s not de facto leader, since Jeb is still there. Max, Fang, and Iggy all take up different roles when he’s gone to help around the house.

Max and Fang do have a really close bond, though. They were cage neighbors at The School for as long as they can remember, and they developed a very close friendship, always looking out for one another, always ready to do anything to save each other. Even now, four years after leaving The School, they’re constantly there for each other, helping deal with trauma the only ways they know how.

Of course, when Max and Fang aren’t physically or mentally able to help, Iggy’s there to be the emotional support for his siblings. He’s one of the oldest kids, so he’s treated as such, James. Admittedly, there is A Lot to Iggy that won’t get unpacked until after book 1. But he’s still very blind. Still very skilled. Still very gay.

Nudge, being one of the younger three, got to have a slightly happier childhood, free to play with dolls and be a kid. She still struggles with nightmares and flashbacks, but not to the degree that her older siblings do. Now that she’s getting older, she has to train more, something she hates. Just like in canon, she really just wants to be a normal girl. She’s scared of people, but also fascinated by them and wishing she could live like they do.

Gazzy barely remembers anything from The School. It definitely had an impact on him, but the few memories he has are implicit childhood ones that are more sensory than anything. He’s the most innocent of the kids, but he’s also very aware of his siblings’ struggles and tries to help when he can. He’s willing to fight, despite his total lack of experience.

Angel, unfortunately, absorbed plenty of bad memories as a baby, when she couldn’t control her powers very well and overheard everyone’s nightmares. She’s aware of what happened at The School, but she tries not to bring it up because it makes her siblings sad. She still has nightmares about it, still remembers things she shouldn’t. However, memories don’t quite compare to experiencing the real thing... 

Gazzy and Angel are indeed biologically related instead of just found family. I’ve put a bit of emphasis on that being different. Not in a way that invalidates found family, don’t worry. It’s just that I personally believe if you already have a found family dynamic and are now including blood siblings, there should be some significance to it, because otherwise why do they need to be related if everyone is already family? Basically: Gazzy and Angel are very very close. They love each other, they play together, they barely ever argue or fight. They’re babies, and I will protect them (I say as I put them through several back-to-back traumatic events)

Speaking of biological families…uh, most of the flock doesn’t have any. Max isn’t Jeb and Dr. Martinez’ kid, the flock doesn’t go on a hunt for their parents that goes nowhere. In this world, a good chunk of the test subjects made through donor eggs and sperm that’s been genetically altered in advance and raised in artificial wombs. Yeah, sure, they’ve got donor parents out there somewhere, but it’s not top priority for most of the flock. They’ve got guardians looking out for them, and when they don’t they’re just fighting on their own.

Despite not being related to Dr. Martinez, Max is still Latina. I didn’t change any of the races - Fang is Asian, Nudge is black, Iggy and Gazzy and Angel are white - except for adding some clarification on Fang, since Asian is a very broad term (he’s got DNA from Southeast Asia and East Asia, more specifically The Philippines and South Korea). Again, stuff that will be more relevant after book 1.

Some kids are donated by real people, though, usually altered in very, very early stages of development and monitored heavily until they’re born. Families sign a waiver promising a nice paycheck to cover all medical expenses, and a disclaimer of possible permanent damage to the body or death. There is one member of the flock who was donated to The School this way. I’m not telling who yet.

Ohhh boy the Erasers. I have so much to say about Erasers, but I’ll have to keep it short. 

When I started this rewrite, I had the question: “Why do we never see newly made Erasers? They can’t just start out as full-grown adults.” So, in this rewrite, we have child Erasers, which the flock refers to as “dogs”. They age quickly, so they do look like full grown adults when they’re three or four, however it doesn’t last long, since rapid aging doesn’t exactly stop. They live for roughly seven years max, but most of them outlive their fighting use before that. 

Full-grown Erasers are stronger, tougher, and are experts at following orders since it’s all they know. Dogs, on the other hand, are wild and violent. They’ll tear into anything they get their hands on and they’re harder to control, since they’re still learning. Itex utilizes them both.

Also of note on Erasers: they’re officially just Lupine hybrids, and the Eraser nickname was made up by the various children at The School, because they only ever came to the cage room to take away the unfortunate kids who didn’t live long enough, or the kids who were too sick to keep on living, effectively “erasing” them.

The School is a nickname that Gazzy came up with after they left. He still didn’t really understand the bad place they came from and how it was affecting his siblings, but kids on TV always talked about school like it was the worst thing in the world, so he figured that must be where they came from. He used it a lot, and it stuck with the rest of the flock too. 

Did I mention there’s more mutant kids? Because there’s more mutant kids. A LOT of mutant kids. 296 of them at The School alone, with over half of those being Erasers/dogs. They have to make a lot, since you never know which ones will succeed, which ones will be used for non mutation-related testing, and which ones will fail.

Where do they get the money for so many research babies? The flock doesn’t know any of this, but Itex is massive. Governments are willing to pay outrageous prices to fill their military with Erasers, and the research Itex provides from studying their mutants have cured diseases and provided better medical treatment for ordinary people around the world. The human experimentation is an open secret (though granted most people don’t know the entire process). Most of them can’t do much, however. Itex is very, very old, and it’s far too powerful for your average Joe to stop on their own.

Also there’s no “save the world” plotline. There’s some saving the world in there eventually (not now, but eventually), but it’s not a predestined thing that Jeb tells Max. Max wasn’t created to save the world. She and her siblings were created for something else...

...Anyways, that’s about all I have time for right now. I might post more details later, but feel free to hit me with a DM or an ask if you have any thoughts. Currently the rewrite is sitting at 23 chapters, which means I’m juuust over halfway done with the first draft lol. I don’t know when it’ll be out. I work on and off and I’m not super consistent. But hopefully I’ll have something done within the next twenty years. :P

[maxtothemax]

today i was thinking about the fact that, in practice, the flock probably wouldn't be able to keep up with each other while flying long distances. they probably all have different wing shapes that are suited to different things and catch the wind differently, so they'd all be flying at different speeds

[wallyrudolophwest]

Maximum Ride Avian Americans would probably have hollowed out bones and 12 year old me would have hated this knowledge but now I'm just fascinated

[definitely-not-a-wasp]

Wow they really did just leave Mike in the desert to die, didn’t they?

[wolven91]

They're Good Boys

“Abigail, get away from it!”

The human made no attempt to move away from the obviously apex predator that they had found evidence of, only days before on the latest planet to be surveyed in the oddly unresearched system. The planet was an iceball relatively close to the canid home system Anul. This system had been largely ignored due to the dangerous gravity wells that peppered the whole system. It was only now that they were investigating due to the unusual amount of stranded ships becoming an issue. Mainly because these ships were beginning to contain humans. 

Now the humans were seemingly desperate to get killed as the predator was a gigantic beast, the human barely came up to the top of its leg, its shoulders and back were only just reachable to the shorter human and even to the avian Guelex,  they barely reached its head. The poor avian was currently displaying his stress via extending his plumage to its maximum.

“He’s fine, see; he likes me!” The human shouted back, turning her head towards Faa breifly. The giant predator continued to lick and slather over the human’s ear instead of her face directly.

“It. Is. Tasting. You!!” He tried to penetrate the human’s exceptionally thick skull, but to no avail. The human turned back, reengaging her scratches to the sides of the monster’s face while using a strange voice, one reminiscent of the way one would speak to a young hatchling.

“Oooh, you’re just a big ‘ol space puppy aren’t you? Who’s a big space puppy? Who's a big scary six legged space puppy!?”

The creature collapsed to the ground and rolled onto its back partially, the human, not using this opportunity to flee, instead moved to rake her hands through the fluff that made up the creature’s belly. The set of hind legs began to kick in time to her attention.

Faa felt like he was going to moult at this rate.

“Human Abigail?!” Faa no longer cared for the Human Abigail who had the good sense not to climb on top of the predators. Human Max however, had appeared behind where Human Abigail was currently face deep into the belly of the beast, riding atop a different member of the behemoth’s pack.

“It’s like riding a horse! Only not really and completely different!” Human Max shouted from its back, his legs and stomach were completely obscured by the deep pelt of the creature. He reached down to scratch behind a massive ear, causing the creature to tilt its head and take several sideway steps in that direction.

“See! They’re good boys! It’s been years since I rode!”

“They- They’re not ‘good boys’! They’re dangerous!”

A large branch came flying from behind an ancient tree that had been growing on the ice planet for centuries. Moments later two more of the creatures came bursting from the undergrowth before growling and pulling at either end of the tree branch, fighting amongst themselves. Human Sarah appeared, pushing through the snow that reached her chest.

“Guys, they know ‘fetch’!”

“Awesome!” “Cool!” The group shouted.

Faa simply put a taloned hand on his face and shook his head. If Faa got eaten because of these Apes, he’s going to have words with the God of Challenges. 

This wasn’t fair.

“Faa, look, we can make it all the way back to the ship before nightfall if we take the Good Boys.”

Faa opened one eye at Human Abigail without removing his hand, Human Abigail was currently laying against the creature’s stomach on her back. She looked cosy and warm, ignoring the giant megafauna that was her ‘bed’.

“By riding them?”

“By riding them. We’ll have to give them treats though...”

The creature she was laying against, flinched, and sent her stumbling. It brought its muzzle all the way round towards Human Abigail and began to press it into her at different locations while the giant bellows of its lungs worked to sniff at her vigorously. The others that were in ear shot also took notice, as if understanding her meaning, if not her words. Human Abigail had the good sense to back up from the trio of predators that approached a few steps before falling over backwards into the snow bank.

Faa looked on in horror as he assumed the creatures began to eat Human Abigail, he didn’t even want to say ‘I told you so’, but before he could shout, run or even grumble, Human Abigail’s laughter broke out from below the muzzles that were pressing him into the snow.

“Stop it! Argh! I don’t have any on me ya daft things! Stop licking me! Let's go back and you can come with us! Pleh! Urgh! It got in my mouth! No!”

She had the decency to sound distressed now, but Faa knew she’d not learn from this experience, none of Faa’s team ever did. No wonder these humans didn’t travel in large groups; they hardly got any work done.

[draculaxias]

Imagine.. midnight drive with Zoya 😩❣️ imagine her increasing the speed of her motorbike so that the reader's hug/grip around her waist tightens 🥺 when we are a little scared because she is driving at high speed, she will laugh and say, hold on tight

May I please request some hcs or a one shot abt this..

.. ❝ 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲 .ᐟ ❞ .. midnight driving with Zoya is already scary, she’s terrible driving with cars, so what about on the motobike at maximum speed? Gosh; she’s going to be the death of you (literally)

AAA this is so cuteeeee!!!

As much as you love and adore your girlfriend, it is no doubt that she can be reckless. You can’t be on your way to a date without having to worry about your life being at risk— despite her reassuring she would never crash or put you in danger— you can’t help but think about her not-so-admiring backstories with cars.

Perhaps she was more of a professional with motorbikes, you have seen her in races The Legion holds once in a while and goodness gracious is she absolutely hot racing, she always returns without a scratch or a beat up vehicle. However, your guard is still up when you’re riding with her.

Tonight was no different, part of you wanted to instead be the one driving but Zoya insisted. Well, to be honest the reason you wanted to be the one driving was more because of the speed than the worry of your girlfriend possibly crashing and killing the both of you (you’re probably being a bit too dramatic).

The wind hit your face harshly as you held on tightly around Zoya’s waist. You pressed your face against the back of her shoulder to try and block the wind, from time to time you would take a peek.

“Gosh Zoya you’re going to kill me…” you said once she increased the speed, she was almost going at max— is she insane!?

You could hear her laugh at you, and despite not being able to see her face you knew she was smirking in amusement. She found all this funny; how dare she!

Although you know she doesn’t mean any harm you can’t help but get a bit annoyed. Even so more once realization hit you that it was all done on purpose.

“Then hold on tight babe.. Unless you want to end up flying away.”

“ZOYA I’M SO GONNA KILL YOU!!!” You whined as you wrapped your arm tightly around her waist.

“Oh yeah? Then no dinner at your favorite spot.”

You couldn’t really see but she had a smile on her face almost the whole entire time. Just you being there in general, wrapping your arms around her scared of letting go. She loves it. She loves every moment she spends with you, every kiss, every touch , every word that comes from you; she loves it. She loves you.

Oh how damn cheesy it all is, sometimes she can’t help but roll her eyes at her own ridiculous romantic words. Never has she thought she would have a side like this one before, one of a woman who craves for the love of her partner. Love does change people in a weird way after all.

You pouted “Alright maybe I won’t kill you then… Not that I would seriously anyway, you know I love you too much to do something like that.”

“Oh please even if you wanted to you’re too weak to accomplish that, princess. But I love you too, although you’re seriously a pain in the ass most times.”

“MOST TIMES!? Oh now I’m seriously not forgiving you!!”

[gxthicupid]

Hi can I request a macaque and wukong with a s/o that is the mother of dragons like Daenerys Targaryen from games of trones

Ps: if you haven’t seen of games of thrones I got to say it’s good

୨⎯  𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑴𝑶𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑹 𝑶𝑭 𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑮𝑶𝑵𝑺 [𝑺𝑾𝑲 & 𝑴𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒙 !𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑮𝑶𝑵 𝑹𝑨𝑰𝑺𝑬𝑹! 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓]

ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇxᴛ: ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ, ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ʜᴀꜱ ʙᴇᴇɴ ʀᴀɪꜱɪɴɢ ᴀ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ, ᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏɴᴋᴇʏ ᴋɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱɪx-ᴇᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴍᴀᴄᴀQᴜᴇ?

ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: ᴛʜɪꜱ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴍᴀʏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ꜱᴇɴꜱᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴅᴏ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ <3

➨ Long ago, one winter season, a devastating snowstorm erupted, plaguing the world in an ever-lasting blanket of snow, hail and cold air from the sun's warm rays.

➨ The skies were no longer a comforting hue of blue but a lifeless grey colour. At the same time, all signs of life were extinguished and left nothing but the skeleton of living creatures, only to be forgotten by the gust of wind and snow, leaving it for the land to swallow.

➨ Unfortunately, you were stuck in a forest of death, with the trees' remains that were nothing but hollow and sculptured of their slow agony through the winter. You have lost your way from your home and feared the worst as you continued your path and saw the aftermath when death will sooner or later catch up to you.

➨ In an attempt for survival, you've stomped and held onto the snow below your feet and, with squinted eyes, found a cave nearby, which will keep you warm and safe from the blizzard. Finally arriving, you plopped down in exhaustion and tried gathering a pile of leaves and sticks scattered around the floor to make a campfire.

➨ As the wood crackled and popped crisping sounds, you decided to let your eyes wander around the cave, a glimpse of an abnormally large egg was clenched in the darkest corner. Feeling sympathetic, you decided to allow this egg to sit with you in the warmth radiating from the fire, and with each passing second, you fell asleep with the egg held in your arms.

➨ The morning came, and the snowstorm seemed to be put at a halt; with tired eyes, you looked down at your arms and saw that all you were holding were eggshells.

➨ Worried, you looked around the cave and noticed a dragon cuddling and sleeping on top of the extinguished campfire, and you couldn't help but crack a smile at such an adorable sight. From that moment on, you decide to care for this baby dragon as if you were their mother.   

𝗦𝗨𝗡 𝗪𝗨𝗞𝗢𝗡𝗚

➨ Several years have passed since that life-changing moment. Your dragon has become an adult, growing their spikes and adult scales, wings and maximum size span, and they were so big that you could ride on them.

➨ Speaking of, both of you were flying across the vast ocean to arrive at Flower Fruit Mountain, as it would be the first time you would introduce your dragon child.

➨ You and your dragon child flew through the clouds and dodged mountains and all the lava-covered cliffs, and as you got closer, you admired the graceful and lush view of the Monkey King's home that had begun to appear across the land.

➨ Finally, you arrive at Flower Fruit Mountain, and it looks beautiful once sunset hits. The sunlight engulfed the scenery with a vivid orange, making all the greenery pop perfectly to catch your attention, along with the bold colour of the mountains surrounding the main peak with a crystal-clear waterfall.

➨ The sound of water falling into the bottom pond below was relaxing once you and your dragon landed near the entrance. You could not contain your excitement and began to squeal and giggle the moment you were about to call Wukong.

➨ "Okay, Okay." You tried to calm yourself down to avoid suspicious behaviour in front of Wukong when he got here. "You hide over there, and when I signal you when you can come out, alright?" You spoke to your dragon, and they began to find a spot behind some trees and reciprocate whether their hiding spot was good or not.  

➨ "That's perfect!" You gave a thumbs up for reassurance, and then you began to call out for Wukong and try to spot that cheek monkey. After several attempts, you thought he was not here and sighed a defeated huff. Upon walking back to your dragon, before the arms of a familiar simian.

➨ "Peaches! Good to see you." The one and only Monkey King, Sun Wukong, hugged you from behind as you felt his tail wrapped around your waist affectionately. On the other hand, you nuzzled your cheek against his while gently caressing his face. "Hey Wukong, how's my gorgeous king doing?~" You replied lovingly as you gave him a peck on the nose, and instantly, his fur puffed and a shade of pink rose on his cheeks.

➨ "I'm fine, Y/N, but what brings you here? I don't remember inviting you to come over today." Wukong sounded confused about your unexpected arrival, so your childish smile came back, and you began uncontrollably giggling to yourself as Wukong gave you an abashed look.

➨ "So. . .do you remember I mentioned a surprise guest?" Upon hearing these words, a memory flickered in Wukong's brain from recalling the thought. "Yeah? What about it?". You turned around, placed your fingers on your lips, and whistled loudly before a rustle in the trees and bushes was heard, and your dragon emerged from their hiding spot.

➨ You turned around and waited for Wukong's reaction - and it was priceless. His mouth was left open in awe, while his eyes widened from shock and somewhat intense from the unexpected surprise.

➨ Your dragon approached you in a giddy mood, rushed up to you, and begged for head scratches, so you obliged. "So, what do you think? Pretty neat, huh?" Suddenly, your dragon galloped towards Wukong and gently nuzzled its scaly cheek on the Monkey King's face, mimicking your affection towards him.

➨ Of course, Wukong was taken aback but quickly recovered and began to laugh and have fun with your dragon. "You kiddin'? My lover is an awesome dragon raiser!" He then proceeds to hold you by your waist and happily swing you around as your dragon happily spreads one of its wings around the both of you. Once he lets you on the ground, he kisses you on the lips adoringly.  

➨ "Man, where did you find this little buddy?" He then got comfortable to lend a hand onto your dragon's neck and scratch its spiky chin. "I found them all alone in a cave when they were an egg, and their mother wasn't around, so I took them in." You then used both hands to cup your dragon's cheeks and gently pressed both of your foreheads together while, in return, a low and quiet hum was heard from your dragon.

➨ A look of sorrow washed over Wukong's delighted face in seconds before giving your dragon a sympathetic look. "Woah. . .Sorry there, bud." Your dragon began to cuddle with both you and Wukong. "It's okay. They're doing fine." You continued to play so tenderly as if they were your child, and Wukong watched with heart-shaped eyes and a loving smile.

➨ That's when you noticed him and his tail wagging and those lovestruck eyes, and you felt your heart skip a heat or two. "What's up, Wukong?" You questioned him as he seemed lost in his own world before he spoke, "Y/N. . .You surprised me. And that's what I love you for - that you show something new and amazing to me, and I can't help but fall in love with you again~" His words were so honest while his voice sounded smooth, and a bright blush came upon your face as your face felt hot.

➨ He came up to you, hands on hips, and your arms rested on top of his shoulders before you felt like the world didn't matter anymore. As you both gaze into each other's eyes, sparks are felt between you too, and slowly, you went forward for a deepened kiss.

➨ His hands slowly caressed your sides and back while your hands slithered up his and massaged his head.A fuzzy, romantic feeling swelled up in both of your hearts. At the same time, Wukong began to chirp softly and tenderly hold onto you as you continued to satisfy him and his craving for your touch.

𝗦𝗜𝗫-𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗠𝗔𝗖𝗔𝗤𝗨𝗘

➨ Heavy, grey clouds covered the city of Megapolis like a canopy. At the same time, rain poured down gently, creating a calm and peaceful melody in the air. The damp smell of raindrops satisfied your senses whilst you walked around your neighbourhood and carried a bag filled to the brim with food for a certain. . .dragon outside the city.

➨ As you continued to walk a path leading to a forest close to the city, the weather suddenly made a simple walk into a beautiful experience. The path's towering trees and mossy rocks have stolen your breath from its beauty. In the distance, rumbling thunderstorms could be heard and added a more relaxing mood.

➨ Initially, when your dragon was younger, they managed to live in your home easily. Still, as they grew older, their size suddenly became a problem. Of course, you know having a dragon known by the public will cause a lot of problems, so your dragon stays in a makeshift home you built away from people, where it is safe and spacious for your dragon.

➨ As you continued your quiet journey through the forest, you couldn't help but sense that someone was watching you from afar. Your skin felt a slight shiver, even when the wind wasn't around, and yet, every time you turned to check, you'd just keep walking and feeling some sort of familiarity.

➨ However, in the corner of your eye, you caught the slightest glimpse of a silhouette that somehow looked vaguely similar but disappeared the minute you saw it. You shrugged to yourself and thought it was the forest playing with your mind, but once you turned to face the path, the one and only Six-Eared Macaque was there, grinning as usual.

➨ You instinctively freaked out, and the mud from under your shoe managed to cause you to slip and fall. Still, at the last second, Macaque swiftly grabbed your hand and prevented you from getting dirty.

➨ He quietly chuckled. "I'd thought you'd gotten used to my little surprises, sugarplum~" he spoke deeply, as the tone was done on purpose before flashing a pearly smile.

➨ As he helped you stand up, you cupped your face to hide the fact that you were blushing. Unlike Wukong, Macaque was the kind of guy to tease and flirt often, even in the worst times possible.

➨ "Not unless you decided to scare me in a forest. I thought it was someone else." Your stern voice spoke, but you weren't mad; more flustered, actually. "What are you doing here anyway? I didn't think the Six-Eared Macaque would wander around these parts." Suspicion could be heard from your tone as you questioned Macaque under the light drizzle.

➨ "Well, I noticed you waltzing around the city, and I got curious about why you were heading into a forest alone," Macaque said honestly as you patiently waited for his reasoning. "Plus, I got you this umbrella, just in case." Behind his cloak, an umbrella appeared, and he demonstrated it as proof.

➨ "But it's only raining a little." Instantly, the heavy rain began to emerge from the darkest patches of clouds, and a moment of silence took place. A feeling of embarrassment overwhelmed you, and your hands covered your face as you tried to survive the upcoming tease of your significant other.

➨ "Remember, Y/N, never jinx it." You didn't need to look up at him to see that smug look on his face, but the sound of the umbrella popping up made you look up and see he was preparing the umbrella to protect you from the harsh rain.

➨ "I'll hold onto the umbrella. You seemed to be already carrying a lot of stuff anyway." A pang was felt in your heart from this act of kindness. Of course, he'll never admit it, but it was more than enough that he at least gave you moments that reminded you that he does love and care for you.

➨ During the walk, the two of you only listen carefully to the soft croaks of frogs or the soothing whistles of birds up high in the trees. You continued to smile and admire nature, as it is not something you see often in the city. But Macaque, on the other hand, kept admiring you and your beautiful smile as his heart kept fluttering against his chest like butterflies.

➨ "I've been meaning to ask you," Macaque began conversing with you, and you turned your head around to pay attention. "How come you're here in the first place?" You immediately forget that you brought Macaque to your dragon's secret home. Then again, this is Macaque, and you fully trust him to keep your secret until further notice.

➨ "Well, you see. . ." You started strong before stopping yourself, which led Macaque to raise a brow in curiosity. Before you could tell him the truth, you finally arrived at the makeshift home for your dragon and decided to take his hand and lead him inside. "How about I show you." Again, you smile excitedly this time, and you see the slightest glimpse of a flustered face the moment your hands touch.

➨ "So before we go inside, I want you to promise me something." A sincere expression on your face looked back at Macaque, and again, he listened patiently to you as you struggled to muster the words. "When we enter, promise me you won't freak out, okay?" Macaque was obviously unfazed by your words, but you knew that would change when you opened the door. "Don't worry, Y/N," You decided to test him by revealing whatever was on the other side. "I'm pretty sure it'd be nothing-"

➨ As soon as the door swung wide open, your dragon was the first thing to be seen. It appeared to be resting inside peacefully, and Macaque's face was genuinely surprised. You calmly walked in, and sat down next to your dragon as they hummed happily from feeling your presence.

➨ You looked back at Macaque, where he was standing, but he wasn't there anymore. And as you looked around, he was already next to you and your dragon as he locked the door and put the umbrella away.

➨ "So. . .you're a dragon raiser, huh?" Macaque spoke again while you took out some food and placed some in a large bowl for your dragon, and they began to feast on their meal. "Well, I guess you could say that. Are you surprised?" You nervously replied as you weren't sure Macaque was handling the situation well.

➨ "I'm not surprised to see a dragon; I'm surprised you have one." In an honest tone, Macaque responded and seemed to be relatively calm. The conversation went nowhere, so you tried to make your interaction less awkward. "Yeah, I found them alone somewhere in a cave. And you know, a dragon living in the city would be disastrous, so I kept them here to be safe." You briefly explained, and a face of solace looked first at you and then at your dragon before placing his hand on their resting body.   

➨ Judging from his eyes, a memory must be flashing before him, and you didn't want him to feel sad, so you carefully yet hesitantly reach out your hand and place it on top of his hand. He looked back at you with sombre eyes as he noticed your comforting gesture before he smiled and allowed you to continue.

➨ You rested your head on his shoulder and held his hand as his thumb gently caressed your delicate skin. "I love you, Macaque~" You looked at him with adoring eyes as his cheeks and ears grew a soft shade of red, but his eyes were hooded yet inviting for your affection. "I love you too, Y/N." He then kissed you on the head before the both of you brought your bodies closer to each other. 

[lily-radiance]

Picture Perfect Psychopath

Doctor Jonathan Crane/ fem reader.

3.9k words

(So far, this is just a drabble, but I do have an idea of where this story could go. I've been watching The Dark Knight trilogy and got inspired. Reader works at Arkham Asylum as a psychiatrist, sharing the field of study with Scarecrow and old flame Harley Quinn. Likely not canon-compliant. Kinda merged various movies since I'm no comic book expert.)

Arkham Asylum is a cesspool of depraved criminals, as it has been for the past few years. Typical people who are suffering from mental illnesses and were sent away without care were obvious. This institution was the cheapest and easiest way to lock up the sick, even before the creation of the vigilantes. Everyone in Gotham City knew to keep their eyes on the ground and act as if crimes were invisible. If you cause a fuss in any shape or form, don't be surprised if you get dragged away in a body bag. You hated the mere thought of disregarding the pain of the city, but what could you do if no one would listen? Criminals, no matter the type, always have a story to tell.

“Bruce, the next time you interrupt my work for a house call, I'm stealing your Batmobile!”

You've been sitting in Wayne Manor for the past two hours, all because your friend wanted to “check-in” on the status of the newest patients. On any other day, you might have given him leniency, but he's been siphoning you for information without a decent break. Now, you not only have to write and submit a few dozen reports before sunset, all while juggling Bruce Wayne. The billionaire rolls his eyes but smiles, enjoying a day where he can loosen up and act as a person instead of a shadow.

“Nice try, but the garage is foolproof. I learned my lesson when you took my ride for a spin last year.”

You sip the cola in your hand, amused at the memory of speeding around the house and getting the vehicle caked in dirt. You apologized to Alfred when realizing the butler had to clean it afterward.

“Too bad, I was hoping to test the maximum speed,” you said with a chuckle, “I'm kidding, of course.”

“Sometimes, I worry about your coworkers. Do they know how much damage you can cause when bored?”

You glare at him from the couch. Work was something you liked to keep separate from life; he knew that very well. After all, if someone identified Batman successfully, then Wayne Enterprises would crumble in on itself.

“Do you know how much damage you cause when I'm not around to cover your tracks? Honestly, you may give Alfred a heart attack.”

The butler frowns at your humor before taking your empty glass. You notice the lipstick mark left over, reminding yourself to reapply the makeup. Psychiatric professionals do their best to look formal, and this habit has followed them since college. When you consider the many polished individuals at the facility, one is always at the forefront of your mind: Doctor Jonathan Crane. No matter the time of day, his appearance is that of near perfection, or you like to think so. Today, you have a briefing with him, and the idea has prompted you to dress to impress; the shade of cherry red on your lips is a testament to that.

“I'm always careful, (Y/N). I have Gordon, Alfred, and Lucius for that very purpose. You know Arkham is filled with lunatics and, more specifically, the worst villains.”

“We've had this conversation before, Bruce. I'm good at my job, and the people you lock up are kept in the deepest parts. Plus, I always hear exciting stories, which makes time fly by!”

He gives you a stern glance, not happy with your unbothered attitude. You drop the smile and sigh.

“I know you think I can't handle myself in that place. You get up close and personal with villains more often than I do. Every floor has a ton of security guards, not to mention cameras and passcodes in each room!”

Eventually, he gives up the protective demeanor. If you needed his help, he was the first in line. If not, he would be prepared for the future.

“Right, I know you're responsible and cautious, (Y/N). It's still the institution with the most significant number of patients in Gotham, so I want you to stay alert. Tim and the others are patrolling tonight if you run into trouble. Remember, the GCPD is conducting investigations on a possible new perpetrator.”

You nod to his speech, tapping your heels underneath the coffee table. He is about to give you another piece of information, but the sound of the front door opening and hurried footsteps is your cue to leave. Barbara Gordon, Tim Drake, and Jason Todd enter the room, waving a synchronous greeting in your direction. Your phone beeps in your jacket pocket, and you fumble the device when the caller is listed. Barbara notices your excitement and chuckles, watching as you answer the phone.

“Hello, this is (Y/N) (L/N); how may I help?”

“It's Dr. Crane, as you probably knew judging by how quickly you answered. The administration got caught up in other matters, so it's just you and me. Don't be late.”

The voice catches you off guard, your heart beating too quickly regarding the abrupt message. You lose your ability to speak, and like everything else, he's already caught a glimpse of it.

“Doctor—what about the meeting on security clearances? We still have much to discuss with the board; isn't this important?”

“I've already taken care of most of the concerns. Currently, my priority is talking to you about your individual endeavors regarding Arkham. Do you have an issue with this?”

As he asks, you know he's not looking for an honest answer. You swallow your pride, although tempting to draw on this further.

“No, Doctor. I'm on my way right now.”

“Good, I have high hopes you'll be fascinated by my newest work.”

You have nothing else to add as he hangs up, an annoying habit you wish didn't leave you bitter. Barbara steps over, raising a brow in examination. Your behavior, coupled with the alluring cosmetics on your face, indicates an attention to detail made to attract. The young woman tilts her head, examining your efforts, and pauses. She prevents your curiosity by grabbing a maroon scarf hung on the hat rack and placing it on your neck. As she wraps the fabric loosely around your collar, she discreetly whispers, “In case whoever you see leaves a mark or can't keep you warm. It also matches your lipstick.”

The redhead winks at you, knowing that finding worthwhile men in Gotham is a rare treat. If only you knew who you were falling for, maybe someone else could have turned your head. The likelihood of your coworker getting obsessed with another pretty face was nonexistent, especially when he knew every method of pushing your buttons.

Gotham weather stands to be frigid regardless of the season, and the cold water on your cheeks proves it. Hurriedly, you head to your car, jumping in the driver's seat and turning the hot air on. You flip the sun visor down, using the compartment mirror to double-check your appearance. You smile, wink, and perform other expressions to understand if this is too much. It's not like you dressed yourself in fancy attire, but the makeup sensation tells you this is different—the scarf clings to your shoulders, adding an extra layer of comfort.

The City appears as dreary as ever, with gray clouds looming over the skyscrapers. You knew this landscape was not as picturesque as the Bahamas, but it was familiar. In this place, you felt like a necessary presence, that your actions were genuinely helping people live. Others complain that they think soulless thoughts and have no purpose in a city of thugs, but they don't see the possibilities. No, you appreciated the constant ebb and flow pattern because it meant everything was up to chance. Unlike Harvey Dent, you had no interest in flipping a coin to decide your fate; if you wanted something and could achieve it, why worry about the downfall? Bruce told you to avoid trouble, and maybe if you tried harder, you could, but curiosity always took control. The night turned Gotham into a place of both dreams and nightmares. When the streets glow amber and the windows shine with the moon, the law is subject to change.

Rain slams against the windshield, the downpour forcing you to drive at a snail’s pace. Common sense doesn't stop other drivers from taking risky turns; some cars cut in front despite your right of way. You honk your horn at the reckless speeding, internally regretting this venture. At least twenty minutes have passed since you left, and yet you're still running late. Luckily, most security guards let you pass immediately, while one or two demand identification. If you weren't so anxious, you would see the multiple faults that made Arkham���s reputation. People were lazy, some slacking without a care. Others were too busy dealing with life changes to support this institution.

The repetitive sound of your heels clicking on the tile floor draws someone's attention. Unfortunately, you can barely avoid this girl regularly, so it makes sense that she would be another obstacle.

“Woah, pudding, you getting ready for the runway or something? I haven't seen you wear red in a long time. It makes a girl wonder, what's the occasion?”

Harleen Quinzel stands in her cell, dressed in a jumpsuit that does her no justice. Her usually dyed hair is unkempt and faded, now a dirty blonde with pigment spots. Despite her living situation, her personality is still bubbly. She holds a bent cigarette and takes a drag, then tosses the leftovers underneath her boots. The woman approaches the metal bars, wrapping her hands around two and leaning through the gap. A stream of smoke is exhaled into your face, the delinquent playfully puckering her lips.

“I have a critical meeting with Dr. Crane, and it was supposed to be with the rest of the board until something got in the way. I'm running late, and if I don't get to that office in time—”

Harley raises her index finger, pressing against your lips to stop your words.

“That does sound like a pretty jumbo deal, dollface! From one doctor to another, rescheduling an administrative meeting is unnecessarily convoluted!”

She moves her hand to cup your jaw, tilting your face in multiple angles to glimpse your handiwork. A smile spreads across her lips, her tongue licking the front of her teeth. It makes you nervous, and she knows it.

“I mean, he said he ‘took care of it,’ but I don't know if that necessarily means it was rescheduled. The board could have discussed several possibilities, so I can't guarantee anything.”

You don't know what she's trying to prove.

“Something tells me your lover boy isn't inviting you for a simple coffee. No, with a mind as unpredictable as his, I bet you'll leave here with more than a headache. That is, if you leave at all, dollface.”

Her voice digs further into your mind, higher-pitched as she giggles to herself. You adjust the scarf to distract yourself, but she won't let this topic rest.

“Harley, as much as I appreciate what I assume is a concern, I know what I'm doing.”

“Sure you do, pudding. You think he's all sweet and charming, right? Doctor Jonathan Crane, who wears a nice suit and never gets his hands dirty? He probably compliments your work and swears to get back to your questions. I'll even bet he holds your hand a little too long when he shakes it, and you don't say anything because you want his hand on yours.”

She sees the blush rising to your cheeks and continues to torment you. You can't breathe clearly, not when your lungs burn like this.

“Oh, I bet you want him to do all sorts of things to you. When he holds your hand, do you imagine it somewhere else on your body? Do you think he'll have you by the waist while his other hand traces your neck? Will he squeeze your throat and bruise the pretty skin, rubbing his tongue up and down? Will you let him devour you as I did? I bet you'll have his handprints on your thighs for weeks, the dirty little secret that you keep to yourself?”

She plays with the ends of your hair, curling the strands around her fingers. You haven't been this close to her in years, and your proximity reminds you why. Getting close to villains is a quick path to insanity. You step away from the cell, regaining your focus. A pair of footsteps echo down the stairwell, slow and precise. When you turn, your coworker is impatiently waiting, a scowl etched onto his features as he stares between you and Harley Quinn. The blonde enthusiastically waves at him, earning a glare.

“Come along; we have lots to discuss and little time to waste. I thought I clarified that I wanted you in my office five minutes ago.”

You follow his figure, a knot in your stomach at his unusual mood. The doctor could be a pain when it came to protocols, but you two got along reasonably well. He gave you criteria to follow, and more often than not, he liked to debate your findings. You hoped this was a quick conversation, but then it didn't make sense that he instructed you to take a ferry for something he could have said on the phone.

“Yes, I had to drive through the rain and rush in traffic. I wasn't counting on the weather to be so awful or for Harley Quinn to pull me aside.”

He waits by the top of the stairwell for you, watching as your heels tap the concrete. It amazed him: the concept of walking on elevated stilts that could snap like a twig. You don't miss how he scans your legs or how the muscles in your calves tighten. He extends a hand, presenting the cordiality that made you admire him in the first place. You hesitate with trembling fingers, muttering a quiet “thanks” as he holds your palm. He's warm, and it gives you too much satisfaction. Instead of letting go, he merely continues walking, carefully trailing his fingers over your radial pulse. Each thrum of your heartbeat is now in his possession of knowledge, tipping him off on your anxiety. The door to his office is down a corridor, only accessible to visitors and himself.

“Had you considered wearing gloves, Doctor? You might want to invest in case the temperature drops. If you can't use your hands, I suppose the mind is sufficient, but exhausting yourself unnecessarily is no good to anyone.”

You sit in one of the two chairs, removing your scarf and placing it in your lap. Crane takes his place behind the desk and falls into the chair, folding his hands on the flat surface.

“Believe me, if I could grab a few extra layers, I would have. I was visiting a friend when you called, and since you requested I hurry, there was no point in going home to change. I've lived in Gotham for a long time, and a storm isn't enough to stop me from doing my job. Anyway, you said there was something you needed me to examine?”

He slides a manilla folder towards you, numerous papers spilling from the seam. You take the hint to inspect the documents, flipping through the pages and absorbing the content. MRI scans, coupled with test results and psychological jargon, cover the sheets. You wrinkle your nose in focus, recognizing the highlighted areas of the brain as the amygdala and the frontal lobe. The human brain structure separates information based on its importance, using the amygdala for the fear response and the frontal lobe for rational thought. If one of these locations is compromised, whether by neural chemicals or injuries, the body cannot regulate its reactions to stressful environments. You continue reading, wholly fascinated by the hypotheses listed. The last few pages are still being worked on, primarily blank except for messily written notes. While your train of thought is still understandable, you remove a pen from your coat pocket and begin scribbling. He stares in amusement, pride blooming at your coinciding wonder.

“Doctor Crane, this is beyond incredible! If you were to develop this drug, who knows what group might want it? Not to mention the possibility of designing a formula with the opposite goal of annihilating fear entirely!”

He doesn't bother to hide the smirk on his face as you supply him an ego boost. Initially, he worried you would have an adverse reaction given your good-natured spirit, but those doubts were put to rest by the sight of your smile. The longer he allows himself to relax, the more his eyes are drawn to your lips. Red was a beautiful color on you, contrasting the dim aura of this hospital. As you revel in this energized state, you do not anticipate the foreign sensation of his mouth against yours. Recognition dawns on you as the scent of his cologne lingers, and the papers fall to the ground. You cautiously lean into his touch, grasping his shoulders to bring him closer. The fabric of his shirt bunches as you dig your fingers into the material. He has no qualms with your proximity, but he recognizes the trepidation in your movements for what it is: the worry that you'll scare him away. It's ironic, and it tells him that the only way to disprove your doubt is to make sure you know that this encounter isn't based on the heat of the moment.

He kisses you harder, pushing his tongue inside your mouth. You gasp in surprise, allowing him additional access, as well as the ability to overpower you. Never had you thought that the absurd fantasy of him kissing you would come to fruition, and certainly not in his office over research data. This was supposed to be a dull day of filing paperwork and overhearing business, not the instance where your co-worker, technically your boss, would be sharing saliva. His lips travel to your cheek, then your jaw, trailing down your neck. He has to remove the scarf and unbutton your collar to reach the desired location. You tilt your head back, moaning as he grows closer to your carotid vein. Similar to your earlier encounter, he locates your pulse, biting and sucking the skin as your heart rate increases. You admittedly have no idea what you're doing, but you do know that the image of him making out with you is extremely hot.

Yet, rational is a demon that you cannot leave behind. You're a scientist through and through, which means taking time to analyze the effects of this situation is necessary. Gently, you press against his chest, halting his actions and putting space between you. He looks down at you quizzically, adjusting his glasses that had fallen from the bridge of his nose.

“We could keep going with this course of action, not that I would complain, but maybe we should consider what we're getting ourselves into. I mean, we work together, and if we pursue a relationship, that could cause an entire slew of issues. Let’s cool our jets and think about this objectively before getting too deep.”

You feel a new weight on your chest as you try to analyze his expression. Most days, you could guess his emotions based on small talk, if he even spoke to you. Unfortunately, he's again acting like a blank slate, unreadable as the silence grows longer. Somehow, this enigma of a human specimen has become a magnetic field, drawing you in despite your better judgment. It's not that you don't want to see where this night goes, but the idea of committing to him, especially in the workplace, sends a chill down your spine.

“I see what you are getting at, (Y/N). It's not a problem if you want to think this over. Honestly, I prefer my opinion, but I see no fault in mulling it over. We wouldn't be scientists if we didn't leave decisions up to logic, would we?”

He seems calm enough, and that takes some of the pressure off. You breathe out a sigh before stretching your neck, still a bit unsure of what to do. Another beat of awkward silence follows before you work up enough courage to face him. Blue eyes catch your thousand-yard stare and dart back to the ground.

“It's getting late. D-do you need anything else from me, Jonathan?”

He is not expecting you to refer to him by his first name despite the circumstances. The sound of your hesitancy is still cute, and he wasn't expecting his name to sound so good on your tongue.

“No, I have everything I need. Do you want me to drive you home? The weather is still raining cats and dogs. Not only that, but Gotham is dangerous already, and I wouldn't want you to get hurt.”

The offer seems adequate, and you know precisely the dangers lurking outside. If not for crime and insanity, you wouldn't have a job, but that doesn't mean you want to get caught up in legal shenanigans.

“I drove to the docking bay with my car, so assuming you drive, that would leave one of us without our respective vehicles…”

“You're partially correct. I take a taxi to get around town most of the time so that I won't abandon my car here. Then again, if I drove your car, I would still have to call a cab at one point or another.”

His analysis has you pondering the options until you decide to wing it. You've already made out with your boss, how much worse could it get?

“Screw it, I'll call you a taxi myself. If the weather gets too bad, you can stay at my place for the night.”

You pick up your scarf from the chair, throwing it around your neck in preparation for the cold air outside. The hallways are still empty, and for once, you're glad since the quiet gives you space to think. All that's left is to descend the stairs, pass security, and get the hell out of there. You place your hand in your pocket to grab your identification card but pause as your co-worker is two steps ahead of you, already swiping his badge across the checkpoint. That's right, he has a higher security clearance than you; no wonder he's always early to the office.

“There ya’ are pudding! How'd that meeting go—”

Harley Quinn wastes no time in asking questions as soon as she sees you approach. The doctor next to you gives her a scowl like last time, but the reason behind it is different. Before, he was irritated by her peppy attitude, and now it's jealousy. The blonde’s expression turns into a frown, but covers it with her usual distaste for nitpicky professionals. You would find their disagreement amusing if not for your fresh taste of humanity from the critical doctor, his shell still rough around the edges. You let your mind wander, barely recognizing the arm around your shoulder until you feel the support of his body against you.

These moments are the ones that make your heart race and your mind split. You know this guy, right? He has to be one of the good men in this rotten city. If not, what would you do anyway?

If you like this check the updating version on ao3: Click

[kryptonitejelly]

HONEYMOON FLY!BOY JAKE!!!!

it is honeymoon flyboy!jake

ugh to be walking around the streets of Italy with him 😭 in summer. it’ll be so warm that all you living in are thin sundresses, that have jake constantly touching some part of you - because you look equal parts sinful and equal parts like an absolute dream. he’ll have his arm wrapped around yours constantly, or around you, or shamelessly throwing a squeeze to your ass - because Italian man be damned, Jake was happy for them to look, but touching or approaching absolutely off limits.

you wanting all the gelato in the world, but deciding half a cup in that it’s too cold for your teeth and palming the cup off to your husband who chuckles because he knows this is going to happen and just accepts it.

nights with jake sitting on some sort of terrace or on a cosy restaurant at the edge of cobblestoned streets, sipping on ice cold prosecco and splitting the most satisfying plate of pasta, or a pizza between you both. topped off with an assortment of antipasti, cold cuts, sun dried tomatos, olives.

jake will be in a tshirt, shorts and sneakers in the day - always with the shades and cap, and you absolutely find yourself adoring it because he looks good in his flight suit and uniform (basically everything or nothing) but something about him so dressed down makes you 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 because this is jake, just your jake - at easy, himself, and those tight tshirts well, you aren’t complaining.

or evenings when he is in a linen shirt of sorts, one too many buttons open - not something you can hate either.

or, or, days at the beach where your husband’s body is just on bull display, abs rippling in the sun. you see all the italian ladies looking on, and so does jake - but all that makes him do is pull you from your beach chair and onto hips lap; leans up to kiss you, as his fingers duck beneath the strings holding your bikini bottoms together at the sides - he mouths at your neck, gaze falling on the people darting glances towards both of you. his way of telling the world that you are his and he, is yours.

and of course, the honeymoon sex - sex with jake is always mindblowing, but the honeymoon sex, boy does he take his time to savour you. slow, languid thrusts, letting you take your time to ride him at your own pace the sheets pooled around your waist, eating you out and make sure you cum at least twice on his mouth before he even enters you. there would for sure be days when most of your day is spent the both of you just naked and in bed, you thoroughly fucked out but your body always ready for more of jake.

i can see jake throwing toys into the mix because the man isn’t insecure in the slightest and honestly just wants you to experience maximum amounts of pleasure.

touches in the restaurant or bar, his hand sneaking up your dress, fingers skimming over your underwear, thumb brushing against your breasts from over your thin sundresses. your hand palming his bulge through his shorts.

and of course there is the fucking you over the balcony of your hotel, dress up and bunched around your hips, underwear pushed to a side, breasts almost spilling out of your dress.

ugh, to be on honeymoon with flyboy!jake 😮‍💨

[transgender-scout]

we all know that maximum ride is really Not Good. but i feel like it REALLY started going downhill when the flock no longer had to work to survive.

like. the first book. they had to scrounge and steal to get any kind of money to buy food. most of the time, they either ate whatever critters they could catch or dumpster-dived for whatever they could get. and they described camping in the desert, or the woods, or breaking into an unused house to sleep for the night. it takes most of the first half of the book for them to reach the school because they can't fly half as fast as a helicopter, and they have to stop and rest between flights.

but after book 3, when they're more in the limelight, they're staying in nice places, they're constantly eating as much as they want, they're flying in private jets to wherever the plot needs them... i don't know. it just takes away from the sci-fi "kids on the run saving the world" ness of the story.

i don't know how to describe it without sounding insane but it doesn't...feel super earned? when watching a movie or reading a book, the main character is fighting tooth and nail to reach their goal. i love at the end of a story, after the dragon has been slain, seeing the characters finally getting to relax and be safe, knowing they'd beaten the evil.

flock helps in taking down itex at the end of the third book, which doesn't exactly save the world, but now they're all kind of chilling like the world has been saved. they're still doing stuff to save it (allegedly) but they're doing it while kicking back in the hotel penthouse and ordering room service, knowing they're going to take their private jet to go kick the big bad's ass.

i miss the dirty pigeon children i had to shoo away from my trash can in the middle of the night.

[junpeijackflash]

Oh yeah, now that I’m using tumblr again, I should probably mention:

I’m not doing my Maximum Ride rewrite anymore. It was getting too stressful and started effecting my real life health.

I’m getting better, don’t worry. But if I have MR rewrite-ish stuff I wanna talk about it’s probably gonna be about Hawk, and it’s not gonna be a full fic.

[warsofasoiaf]

I just came across this bit of reddit dribble and was curious what your opinions were:

“Tywin doesn't think he's smarter than he is. I'm not just saying this because he is actually pretty smart, but because he doesn't overestimate his intelligence or it's ability to get him and his family out of trouble. So much of what he does in the series is defensive actions based on the assumption that his enemies know what they are doing and are smart enough to be threats.

You have to remember, he doesn't actually start anything. He sent the Mountain to raid in the Riverlands because Cat kidnapped Tyrion unprovoked. That actually gave him Casus Belli against the the Tully's at minimum, and the Starks once Jamie confronted Ned about it and Ned backed up Cat, and the Arryns once Lysa imprisoned Tyrion. Tywin tried to avoid open war by raiding instead, as a means to pressure Hoster Tully to influence his girls to let Tyrion go. It was an action that could be easily walked back if Tyrion was released, allowing everyone to move on. Everyone involved should have recognized that Tywin was within his rights to outright invade the Riverlands in response to the kidnapping, and his merely raiding was restraint meant to leave room for de-escalation. The problem was that Lysa was insane, Cat and Ned were morons being manipulated by Little finger, and Hoster was incapable due to illness. Tywin overestimated the intelligence of his opponents in this instance, by a lot. He also never underestimates the Tyrells, unlike everyone else, because he understands how cunning Olena is and how she runs the House. While everyone else assumes the Tyrells are jokes, Tywin understands that he has to keep them happy. He likely figured out that Olena was the mastermind behind Joffrey's death and chooses to scapegoat Tyrion to maintain the alliance.”

Holy moly, this is a bad read. Alright, let's go start to finish.

Tywin specifically sent Gregor Clegane under unmarked banners to raid the Riverlands. This is not a means by which to pressure Hoster, because theoretically, Tywin isn't doing anything - these are supposed to be brigands, not Tywin's household guard attempting to influence Catelyn's behavior. Now, of course, everyone knows that this is bullshit, it's not like you can confuse the Mountain that Rides for anyone else. But if Tywin has the casus belli, as OP suggests, why does he command that they fly no banners? He knows that he can't do it, hence why he creates the fig leaf of deniability.

The idea that the raids were meant as restraint for de-escalation is positively laughable. Tywin is conducting a chevauchee, which is warfare in the medieval era. Even if we take Tywin at his word that he was wronged by having his flesh and blood kidnapped, he's not "de-escalating," he's going further up the escalation spiral: kidnapping to war.

Moreover, we actually see what de-escalation looks like, because Hoster Tully attempts to do so. That's right, "incapable due to his illness" Hoster Tully responds to Gregor Clegane's raids by attempting to de-escalate: by seeking the King's Justice. He sends a delegation to Robert's court (and he believes he'll be appealing to Robert, not Ned sitting while Robert is faffing about on a hunting trip) to beseech the King's Justice. This is specifically what you do to de-escalate, you appeal to the next rung up the feudal ladder first. However, to Tywin, beseeching royal justice makes him look weak and reminds him uncomfortably of his father Tytos, who was so weak that Aegon V needed to intervene in the Westerlands. As many meta writers, including myself, have written, Tywin has a strong emotional fixation on the projection of strength, responding to any hint of weakness with maximum brutality to ensure that he is feared and no one doubts the capability or might of House Lannister.

Regarding Olenna Tyrell, that's an invention of the show. In the books, Tywin and Olenna don't interact, rather they foil each other's plans. As to believing that Olenna was actually guilty, Tywin's characterization actually goes against that. If Tywin believed the Tyrells would kill Joffrey, he'd destroy them, because you don't raise your hands against the Lannisters and live.

Thanks for the question, Anon. Go dunk on them.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

[outoutdamnspark]

I’ve talked about Lickitung!Submas, but what about Haunter!Submas?

Ghostly, mischievous gremlin men that live in an old, abandoned section of the subway, reveling in the darkness and all the people they can spook when they feel like haunting busier parts of the train station. They sometimes ride the trains at night just to watch the world flying past outside the windows, or scare the shit out of anyone that looks like they’re up to no good, harassing passengers, picking pockets, and the like. They aren’t mean or malicious, but they’re Haunters, mischief runs in their metaphorical veins. 

Imagine them looking far less human than what’s considered socially acceptable, with spiky spectral bits and large eyes, teeth too sharp and claws to long; maybe their hands aren’t even attached and it’s just a faint trail of glowy who-knows-what that “connects” their clawed hands and jagged forearms to the rest of their bodies, like sentient marionettes. Their legs, too, maybe, there's just part of their thighs visible before the turn transparent just above the knees, ending in feet that don’t look like they belong to a body, appearing seemingly out of nowhere at the end of invisible legs and never touching the ground.

Their heads could be disconnected, too, for maximum monster effect. There’s a smokey purple-grey mist that drifts from their necks, reminiscent of their time as Ghastlies, but there’s no visible neck - maybe no neck at all, and they can carry their heads in their hands just for funsies if they get bored of keeping their heads where they normally belong. Like the Lickitung boys, their tongues are long and thick and prehensile, good for pulling faces and poisoning anything that annoys them. 

Give me ethereal, partially incorporeal, gradiently transparent ghoulie train men to quench my Halloween thirst~

Imagine sneaking into their part of the subway on a dare, or maybe you get lost, or you follow the sounds of groaning and ghostly shrieking because you’re looking for cheap thrills, only to be surprised by a pair of handsy, curious, trickster ghost-type hybrids who both know hypnosis and have been absolutely yearning for a new plaything…

[ladylooch]

I have thots….

Mile high club

Timo is an obvi choice but may I present to you Barzy? Or MILES

And obvi if we’re talking OC’s for sure lio and con

Mmkay back to my bevies

😘🍻

I am having tequila high noons tonight… so it’s gonna be lit 🔥

The way you are making me choose about who to write this about.. what a predicament. 

But… my Woody girls are thirsty…. So let’s go with Miles MF Wood.

“Surprise!!!!” Miles yells as your sneakers hit the tarmac. The last fifteen minutes have been very confusing to you. You had arrived at the airport in Boston, ready for your new adventure together in Colorado. But everything took an unexpected turn when the car continued onto the tarmac of the airport. You were shuttled to a specific hanger that holds a private security area and the nicest airport lounge you have ever seen.

“We are flying private.” He wiggles his thick eyebrows at you.

“Baby, what…. This is… so…”

“Free!” He grins. “Paid for by our new team as a welcome to the Mile High City.” His arms stretch out to the side. The gap in his teeth is extra pronounced with his excitement. 

“Oh my god. I’m finally dating a real superstar.” You snort as you poke his stomach. His smile falls off. 

“Hey.”

“Sorry, you tee’d it up for me.”

You both get settled on the plane quickly taking off before you even register what is happening. Your take off drink of choices was mimosas due to the late morning time. 

“Cheers to our next adventure.” Miles clinks your glasses together. You take a sip, then his tongue chases the bubbles in your mouth, stretching out his seatbelt to maximum length.

“Babe.” You laugh at his aggressive kissing. Your plane is just hitting ten thousand feet and you feel a bit anxious as you always do during the first part of any flight. Something about being in a smaller plane isn’t very comforting to you.

“We are fucking before this plane ride is over.” Your boyfriend’s words snap you out of your anxious thoughts.

“What?”

“There is no way you’re getting off this plane without me being inside of you.”

“Babe!” You smack his huge thigh, glancing back at the flight attendant gathering together your cheese board appetizer. “No way.” You look at the lack of door between the cabin and the pilots as well as the openness of everything. Plus, you’re way too anxious of a flyer. “It would be so obvious.”

“I do not care.”

“Well, you’re not the only one participating.”

“You owe me. A bet is a bet.” Your face goes white. Shit. He is not actually making you pay up for your drunken bet that he wouldn’t go three years without getting replacement teeth. “You’re too vain.” You had giggled at him. Miles never “got around” to getting new teeth… and you didn’t really think anything of it because you love him and he’s so cute and sexy either way that whatever. Who needs teeth?

Damn, when did teeth get so negotiable to you.

Only Miles Wood could do that to you. And only he could make you unbuckle your seatbelt to straddle his lap. His prize for winning the bet was naming a time and place of his choice for you two to have sex. Apparently, this is the time and place. 

He reaches around your body to grab the inflight blanket provided. He folds it around your back. You have a full view of the flight attendant who has the cheese board in her hands, ready to walk it out to you. You make eye contact with her. You purse your lips. She immediately knows and turns around, closing the curtains.

“Oh my god. She closed the curtains.” You put your forehead on Miles’ shoulder in shame.

“Baby, they definitely deal with this all the time. With way grosser people than us. Let’s give them a show.”

“Miles, you fucker.” You whine as you reach for his belt. You cannot believe you are doing this. He is rigid beneath your fingers already panting at what you’re about to do. His blue eyes are wild with excitement as he grins at you. You take him out of his pants, unable to make eye contact with him as you stroke along his taut skin. He chuckles. 

“Baby, we don’t have to.” Him giving you the out makes you want it so much more. Your eyes meet his and he grins wider. “Yesssss, I knew you wanted to.”

“I see why you told me to wear the dress.” You had been debating between leggings and a dress, but he insisted on this.

“I’ve had this planned since I found out we were flying private.” He leans forward, sucking along your collarbone. “Fuck that feels good.” He moans as your fingers wrap tighter around him, stroking his length. “Oh.” He moans. 

“Okay you need to be quiet.” You say pointedly. He’s the loud one in this relationship. 

With his help, you shift your panties to the side. Miles leans his chair back, then guides your hips as you put him at your entrance. Your head falls back as you slide all the way down onto him. His thickness is intoxicating while stretching you to capacity. You roll your head forward again, watching the way his eyes flicker with waves of desire. His lips are pursed to keep his groans to himself.

Miles bucks into you. It’s a little awkward with not being able to move, but you find your rhythm quickly, wanting release.

“Ohhhmygod.” Miles’ head falls forward to your breasts, shoving between them as you squeeze his face between the mounds. “Baby.” He moans into your right breast, leaving a kiss there afterwards. 

Neither of you last long. It feels too good and so public and honestly, you needed this to relax and enjoy the rest of the flight. You rut into him with slow movements to bring you both down gently. Miles comes out from your breasts, puckering his lips for a kiss.

“I’m glad this is how we started our life in Colorado.”

“Me too.” You admit, brushing his curls off his forehead.

[giraffefeather]

Say what you will about the Maximum Ride series, but I loved the concept of flying bird kids but instead of magic, it's science.

Sure, that science might not be foolproof. But it was fun! A scientist magical realism. A sci-fi realism, if you will.

[deathbydarkelves]

🪶☀️Elor'belo -- The Long Sun festival☀️🪶

In a moment of autistic genius, I came up with a whole new kaldorei holiday, centered around a long-distance hippogryph race. Big ol' info dump incoming.

Throughout the year, as the nights and days lengthen and shorten, Elune and the sun (or An'she, as I'll call it/him from now on. I know that's the tauren name but I think it works for the kaldorei to call him that too) are constantly in a race against each other. As An'she tires in winter, the days shorten and Elune overtakes him. Then as she tires in summer, the nights shorten and An'she overtakes her.

So, every year on the summer solstice, the day Elune is most tired from racing An'she, kaldorei hippogryph riders race him in her stead. They race from dawn to noon, traveling east to west and ending at the peak of Mt. Hyjal, the highest point on Kalimdor, to intimidate him with their racing prowess even when he is highest in the sky. Then as he falls, exhausted, Elune can continue the race again. In 7-8 hours, the racers cover almost 350 miles/~560 km. They start in eastern Hyjal the moment dawn breaks, then fly down to Ashenvale, then weave back up through the mountains to the peak of Mt. Hyjal.

Now, since the in-game world is TINY, I've decided to approximate Kalimdor's "real" north-south length to be ABOUT 4,000 mi/6,400 km. That makes it a bit smaller than South America. Or, because this is how my brain processes distance: Sam and Frodo would have to walk their path from the Shire to Mordor 2-3 times (depending on who you ask) to cover the same distance.

With that in mind, here's a rough approximation of the route, using the wonky proportions of the in-game map because I haven't made my own yet (</3):

The race has changed over time. Historically, it went from dawn to dusk, starting in Azshara, going through Ashenvale, some years going as far west as Darkshore, then ending on Mt. Hyjal. But over time and as circumstances on Kalimdor changed, the race was shortened both in time and in length. Lots of riders and hippogryphs alike would become dangerously exhausted during the historic 14-16 hour long race, Azshara is mostly Horde territory now, Darkshore is... not doing so hot right now, and so on.

Here's a, again, very rough approximation of the historical route:

And that's the "official" race, which is often initiated and attended by the High Priestess and Archdruid themselves. There are multiple smaller festivals/races across Kalimdor, but they all follow the same concept: race An'she east to west from dawn to noon, and end at the highest point possible. Some places even still run from dawn to dusk, as some believe the health risks are just something one has to deal with when racing a god, and that they're worth it to race on Elune's behalf.

Besides the race itself, the night prior there's always a huge festival with food and song and dance to hype up the racers. And the night after the race there's even more, this time with additional ceremonies, prayers, and offerings to Elune to help her get her "second wind" as it were.

Importantly, the overall spirit of the race and festival is one of friendly competition. The kaldorei aren't, like, ideologically opposed to the sun lol. It's vital for most life, and they know that. They race An'she to keep things fair between him and Elune.

And, of course, Elor'belo exists as a way for people to get together and enjoy good food and music, and cheer for their favorite racer(s). Here's some of the sorts of characters you might see competing because I need practice drawing hippogryphs anyway:

Miscellaneous notes:

The race distance is meant to be almost the maximum distance someone could ride in the time given. Only about 20% of racers can even do so with minutes to spare, with the remaining 80% finishing in the early-to-mid afternoon. But in the event someone does reach Mt. Hyjal well before noon, there's a second leg that takes them through Nordrassil's branches up to its very top. Very few people have ever completed that second leg before noon, and it's a very good omen for the rest of the year when someone does.

Different species of hippogryphs have different top speeds and stamina levels. Each has its own pros and cons when it comes to a race like this, which relies on both speed and endurance, and you'll always see a wide variety in the competitors.

On a related note: In the days of Queen Azshara, hippogryphs were selectively bred for different appearances and endurance levels, etc., like horses. That practice ended after the Sundering because in the new, more druidic culture of the kaldorei, it became a bit of a controversial topic to breed creatures as intelligent as hippogryphs. As a result most of those breeds are extinct now, but a handful of them are still kicking around with their own self-sustaining populations. That piebald one pictured above is an example.

The quel'- and sin'dorei have their own version of Elor'belo where they race Elune on the winter solstice. Since there aren't very many Thalassian words (with translations), and no fanmade dictionary I'm aware of, I'm thinking of just calling it Elor'elun ("Long Moon").

Baldur by Faun is the song that gave me the idea for this entire thing. I highly recommend giving it a listen, it's a bop.