#his dad instincts are top tier

[cry-ptidd]

Cuddling & actual intimacy

[apollosgiftofprophecy]

I live for all these ships with Apollo like Apollo and Thanatos, Cupid, and even the most dumpsterfire ship of all time Copollo (I go feral over these two)

But one ship that stood out to me was Boreas and Apollo, and apparently the Boreads describe Apollo as "Beloved of our sire" And the fact that Koios is basically Boreas' boss makes this so much more better

So basically I'm asking for Boreas and Apollo headcanons 👀

(And if you take fic reqs, I wouldn't mind a fic with these two)

Apollo is SOOOOOO Shippable lmao XD He has such a variety of lovers and that really allows us to be able to explore a variety of relationship!

Healthy or toxic, lmao XD Copollo is Top Tier imo

and on the topic of Boreas, I have one extra thing to add there because I personally headcanon that Lelantos, titan of air & moving unseen (and apollo's uncle), used to be the head of the wind gods but was stripped of his title by Zeus post-titan war because he sided with Kronos.

So therefore, both of Boreas's bosses are relatives of Apollo's lmao XD

HEADCANONS, EH?

ahem

Imo, Hyperborea was some sort of courting gift or something Boreas gave Apollo. Because here's the thing with Hyperborea:

It's the One Place Boreas does not blow his winds, hence its title of Eternal Spring.

Boreas's palace resides at the southern border of Hyperborea, with gryphons who live in BOTH places.

Three of Boreas's son are PRIESTS of Hyperborea, and serve Apollo when he's there.

Three of Boreas's daughters joined Artemis's hunt (Oupis features in my fic Shattered Minds, btw!)

Hyperborea is literally "over the north wind" in Greek.

I think we can all agree winter is the time Apollo and Boreas hook up lmao XD

Boreas ALSO, in some versions, is a suitor of Hyacinthus, but he clearly doesn't hold any ill-will about Hya & Apollo because let's be real, he would have picked Apollo too XD

So imagine this. Hyacinthus & Apollo making out. Then Apollo & Boreas making out. HECK HYACINTHUS & BOREAS MAKING OUT.

THIS MEME IS THEM

ALSO I RAISE YOU-

Zephyrus has a crush on Apollo :3 (It makes sense. also Apollo is widely associated with spring and Zephyrus is the SPRING wind, and likes pretty guys and Apollo is the prettiest so-)

I blabbered about that in the Discord with @xxzephyrbreezexx and our fellow Discord user whom I don't know if they have a blog here 😭 KNOW I AM POINTING VIOLENTLY IN YOUR DIRECTION

You are Zephyrus. You have a crush on Apollo. You also get a crush on his boyfriend.

AND THEN YOUR BROTHER FUCKS BOTH OF THEM

The Hyacinthus Debacle, as I have dubbed it, also created a bit of a rift between Boreas and Zephyrus, which is Sad because they are usually associated with each other in literature, art, ect :(

Family dinners are Awkward. Even more so when Boreas brings Apollo along to the dinners hosted at his place.

They became Especially Awkward when Helios and Selene were still around because then Boreas would have to deal with Helios's Dad Instincts kicking in and staring him down.

(Helios is Boreas's uncle btw!)

(I have a Boreas thing planned in my Helios fic eheheheh. It's funny, don't panic)

And whenever Apollo pops in the visit Eos about light-related things or Astraeus (Eos & Astraeus are the winds' parents) it Still Is Awkward because Zephyrus just. BOLTS out of the room.

He is simultaneously Gay For and Terrified of Apollo.

Also if Asteria tags along with Apollo (because she is shooting stars/night prophecy and Astraeus is dusk/stars) she gives Zephyrus The Death Stare.

He is equally terrified of her, minus the horny.

Cupid/Eros, eh?

...are you in the Discord by chance? Because the fellows I mentioned previously and I have also discussed this👀

We get Boreas in my next fic, btw! :D No ApolloXBoreas, sadly, but I do have plans on incorporating them into a fic!

Perhaps my revolution fic, because I am getting Ideas concerning Boreas, Apollo, and Koios... >:3

[hiwelcometothemonstersancturary]

What are your thoughts on Poppy’s and Catnap’s sibling dynamics and the shenanigans they get up to? Do they give their dad a headache?

Across all universes where Poppy and Catnap/Theo are on good terms and refer to each other as brother and sister, they give their parent(s) the WORST of headaches.

In normal Angel saves everyone/Poppy Worldwide AU, they tease and annoy each other a lot (affectionate), as all siblings do. Poppy is always stealing Catnap's eyeliner. He's always stealing her nail polish. Poppy is the one who suggests they do something stupid, but in a way that makes it sound like the rational thing to do. "Theo", she calls him. "We should bake a four tier chocolate cake! There isn't anything to celebrate just yet, but we should learn how to do so anyways".

"A... Four tier chocolate cake? With your baking skills?"

"Have you stopped to think that dad and mom would need a four tier cake for their future wedding? They'll need us!"

And then Catnap, on all his glory, accepts the idea, except they should make just two tiers so they won't waste food if things go wrong. They spend HOURS in the kitchen, which would be a big deal if it wasn't for the fact that it was 2 AM. Anyways, they burnt the cake, half of it was undercooked, and it was way too sugary, but the fact that they didn't burn the whole kitchen down made it clear to them that they COULD do it. In theory. In practice Picky, Long Legs and Dogday banned them from the kitchen, and Angel was just horrified that these two were left unsupervised in the kitchen.

Poppy was also sent flying more than once from her INSISTING that Theo should run as fast as possible, with her using him as a ride around the farm. Did she learn from that? No. Did Theo learn from that? Also no.

Catnap, most of the time, knows when one of Poppy's ideas is just stupid. He does so anyways because he wants to see the results, because after 10 years working as a cult leader he really, really wanted to act more reckless without it hurting the cult. Poppy likes the idea of offering Catnap guidance, being older for far longer, but she doesn't have the sharpest self-preservation instincts, while Catnap is always thinking about consequences and what is best for everyone. "You should relax more" / "I'm trying, but I can't" is a good description for their dynamic.

Catnap doesn't like asking Poppy for advice. The only ones he doesn't mind are Dogday, Angel and the Prototype. Poppy feels like having to ask your sibling to drive you somewhere, and that sibling can and WILL tease you for it. Meanwhile, Poppy really, really wants to connect more with Theo, mostly as a way of coping with the fact that she wasn't there to watch him grow up, and believed him to be a monster for most of the past 10 years of her life. She doesn't like to be reminded that their first few months post-rescue were messy and of constant side eyes and bickering, and neither does Theo.

Catnap will refuse to admit it, but he looks up to Poppy a bit. She's content with her body and somehow is able to cope in mostly healthy ways. She was trapped for 10 years in a glass case and is somehow not only a bit of a social butterfly, but someone whose company is good to have.

They both really care for each other, despite the strange first year, and give their parents SO MANY headaches. In Great Escape AU, it's Poppy and Catnap sharing the same braincell and coming up with increasingly over-the-top and stupid plans to make it so everyone is able to escape PlayCo. They give a headache to the Prototype with how reckless they are when together, and when Angel comes into the picture what was bad somehow gets WORSE.

Anyways tldr they're stupid when together.

[pompyoly]

Redacted Headcannons pt 2

As Gavin and FL get older, Gavin alternates his appearance to make it seem like he is aging too(he knows FL is gonna die someday he just won’t accept it)

Sam thinks about what could happen after he and Darlin left the house of Solaire

Gavin, Asher, and Guy sometimes wear croptops and paint their nails

Huxley doesn’t work out he’s just naturally buff, but he does drink protein shakes or smoothies and go on morning runs

All of the D.A.M.N. crew is used to Gavin making out with FL anytime anywhere

Darlin sometimes gets scars that they don’t even know about until Sam points out that he can smell the blood on them

Milo had a mullet but decided to cut it after he accidentally cut too much off(he wore a beanie until it grew back close enough to make it into a mullet

Darlin is academically smart, but people’s opinions about them cause them to lash out and make bad decisions

Gavin has an incubus mark on his lower abdomen

Darlin would often avoid hangouts with the wolf pack due to feeling unwanted

Cutie felt conflicted and confused when Geordi got mad at them for reading his mind, causing them to stop using their powers when Geordi left

Porter stares at Treasure when they sleep not in a creepy way but more of an admiring type of way

Milo snaps at sweetheart but always feels bad and apologizes after especially when he’s not mad at them(he can tell when he goes too far when their aura changes a different color)

Lovely and Vincent play hide and seek in the woods(it drives Vincent’s primal instincts, making it more fun)

Darlin isn’t good with kids they don’t hate them they just aren’t used to being around them(the kids in the pack think they’re cool and berates them with questions)

Freelancer always includes coworker whenever the D.A.M.N. crew hang out no matter what they’re doing

Sam gives advice that he learned growing up in the South (he often gets looked at like he’s crazy but the advice does work)

Darlin's parents were in the pack but got banished due to abuse towards Darlin, who later got adopted by Gabe and Mrs. Shaw

Guy laughs about things at the worst times, and Honey hits him to try and get him to stop even though they think it’s funny too

Baabe helps Asher dye his hair, even helping him cut it if it gets long enough

Darlin and Asher are naturally fast even without their werewolf abilities

Milo and Darlin don’t wanna get married(they don’t care about traditional marriages, but they do have promise rings)

Darlin tilts their heads, and death stares at Alexis whenever she’s around(they have thought about just punching her and dealing with the consequences later but never acted on it due to Sam and David telling them to "behave"

FL celebrates Xavier’s birthday with Huxley

Sweetheart's dad worked in the department and died on the job, sweetheart carries a picture of him in their car

Asher only eats puffy chips and refuses to eat anything else

Sweetheart has a model walk with top tier fashion taste(they hate the color orange on clothes)

Micheal once asked Angel if they could try and get back together, and David stopped him before he could even finish his sentence(Micheal fumbled HARD)

Milo’s father hates interspecies only accepting sweetheart for the sake of Milo but once got into an argument with Darlin over Sam(Marie apologized on his behalf, and Darlin and her have a good relationship)

Damien got confused when FL accidentally mentioned Caelum, and FL just told him that he was a friend of theirs and Gavin’s(Caelums their adopted son)

Darlin has a fear of abandonment they had a panic attack the first time Sam and them got into a serious argument about Darlins recklessness

[itookyoudown]

for the ask game: top 5 justified episodes?

oh lordy this is so hard to choose. i'm not answering this with any thoughtfulness just going with gut instinct.

5: Full Commitment, season 2. this is my guilty pleasure and comfort episode because of how western it feels and how much tim gutterson we get :)

we even get raylan talking to dan!! i just love how all the pieces of the plot and characters come together in this episode. this also sets up and kicks off the finale of Bloody Harlan. really the last three episodes of this season feel like a mini movie to me, they all flow together brilliantly.

4: The Promise, season 6. this isn't my favorite season or even my favorite season finale, but it's one of my favorite episodes because of how bittersweet it is. it was the perfect wrap-up for a perfect show and the final scene is my favorite final scene in any show i've ever watched.

some characters survive, but nobody really wins and i love that. it feels like such a real true to life ending.

3: The Hunt, season 6. the episode that cinched boyd's characterization and showed us two flavors of domesticity horror (raylan and winona with willa's heart murmur reveal and trying to navigate co-parenting along with raylan's lackluster fathering VS boyd's abduction, terrorization, and assault of ava).

this is the most thriller-esque episode of justified to me and truly does verge into lowkey horror at some points. it shocked and numbed me the first time i watched it and the reality didn't really click until the second rewatch and by the third time it truly sunk in.

the fact boyd became the type of man his father and his brother were...utterly devastating and really changed my perspective on his character. and he chose it, he plotted it and organized it in a cold fashion. it's heartbreaking and at first you can't believe it but upon rewatches of the show it revealed to me that yeah...yeah. boyd was always capable of this and it's no surprise this is where he and ava ended up.

outlaw king and queen they never were and never would have been.

this episode is also fascinating because you can see critic response to it as a disturbing time capsule. look at reviews of this episode back when the show was airing...be prepared to be sickened by how often boyd assaulting ava is framed as "making love" or a reunification/rekindling of their relationship 🙃

this episode is always difficult for me to rewatch, but i still love it.

on a lighter note, i also delight in raylan being a fail dad and with city primeval fresh in my mind i love how it really does confirm his work over family priority from the get-go lol.

2: Outlaw, season 4. in general this is a solid af episode of justified in the best season of the show, but it ranks so high in my mind because it's the culmination of Arlo and Rayan's relationship. look, the truth is abuse is so rarely accurately portrayed in media. usually, it's revenge fantasy or feel-good simplification that reduces things down to evil monsters and pure perfect victims. and i get why that happens, i get it, most people find it healing and those stories do need to exist i'm not knocking them.

but justified has a complex and multilayered way of dealing with abusive relationships (they did it with boyd and ava too) that actually digs into how complicated and messy and painful they truly are.

the fact we get to see Raylan grieve Arlo in such an understated but devasting way...holy shit. one of the best moments in the show imo. because it doesn't matter if you hate your parent and they were shitty and abusive. you still loved them. you still love who they were in-between the abuse and maybe you don't grieve the person they were but you grieve what could have been and what you never had with them.

1: Decoy, season 4: all-time best episode of justified and top-tier episode of television everywhere. the episode is really the pinnacle of justified's genre (neo western). e v e r y t h i n g about this episode honors justified's storylines and honors characterization. heart and soul and brain all in one go.

it respects the lawmen and the outlaws in portrayal. the writing is tight, the dialogue is outstanding, and it comes with one of justified's most iconic and thematic shots (the stairwell scene).

[7ndipity]

Hiiii! Happy New Year and congratulations on the 2K followers!! You totally deserve it, your writing is top tier ❤️ I hope the shipping game isn't over, but if it is, feel free to ignore! :)

I am a college student, and my sign is Cancer, and my personality is basically this: I am a smartass who owns it, clumsy af-always keeps breaking and losing stuff, has a teensy bit of leader instinct, pretty good at speeches, but at the same time I'm pretty childish, and people immediately assume I am very innocent due to my babyface™ when in fact I'm not lmao. I'm very good at using my cuteness to get my way, no one can resist me hehehe and I'd also call myself a pretty good singer! But I can get whiny and pouty when I don't get my way. I am a girlie girl who still loves pink lol! I love reading books so much that I forget the world around me when I start a book. I love music, especially singing. I can also be dramatic af. I am also hopelessly romantic, and want to be swept off my feet. I'm super optimistic, and try to look at the bright side. I can also be crazy and weird at times. Also can get ridiculously clingy - I'm a very lovely dovey person, I'll be randomly hugging and smooching my loved ones whenever I feel like it, and the sort of person to blurt out ily at the most random times. I love it when ppl remember a very teensy weeny detail about me and when they take the effort to try something just cause I recommended it. Especially if it's books and music. I have a very dumb sense of humour, and I tend to be unintentionally funny to people. I've also got a very short temper, and the moment my patience wears thin shit goes down and I turn into a screaming banshee lol.

Physically, I'm a shortie so I get teased very much about it and tho I've gotten used to it over the years it still bothers me. Also super insecure about my thicc thighs and big butt 😩 andddd I have a very tiny button nose which again was the butt of many jokes since school but I've learnt to embrace my cute nose! I do have a nice dimpled smile and that's the only physical feature about myself that I like. My eyes are kinda big too, not bambi-big, but still, pretty big. Again, like I mentioned, I have a babyface so people think I'm still in school 💀 and my high pitched voice doesn't help either.

In short, people describe me as a cute, smart and sunshiney person. I think that pretty much sums me up! Whoops that turned out longer than expected, sorry :(

Looking forward to your answer, and thank youuuu in advance! You're the best 🫰🏼

I would ship you with Jin, and maybe Tae! They're both classic romantics, and are quite physically affectionate, though in slightly different ways, and although they're quite stubborn and dramatic too, I think they would potentially match your energy.

I think Jin's into that classic girly girl vibe(he would also be into princess treatment), so he would find your style and energy quite attractive(Also, I firmly believe that he’s a thighs man, and I will die on that hill) Plus, he would love that you have a similar silly sense of humor, the man needs someone to laugh at his dad jokes!

Tae also has a love for softer, sweet styles, and he’s also has that cuter, baby-ish energy at times, but with that mischievous nature underneath, which means you'd both see right through your games, but you'd still go along with them anyways, lol!(Also Capricorns are supposed to be a good match for Cancers)

Hope this was alright💜

[spook-e-snail]

Also wait what the fuck

Stg I've talked about this before but here we go again lmao >:3

It was late 2021 and some local conventions had just opened back up. This was during the first huge wave of popularity and I was fucking living for it so I did a lil BF cosplay and my girlfriend at the time of course cosplayed GF with me :))

We were like 16 or 17ish back then and of course we did the responsible thing: Skip school for the entire day and not tell our parents we were traveling an hour away to the largest city in the state to go to a fucking anime convention.

The con itself was actually super fun??? Our cosplays weren't like top tier (again keep in mind we were young we did this shit on a highschoolers budget). We met the fucking ninja turtles?????

Anyways though after the con we were super hungry and walking down the street to the parking garage and attempting to find a place to eat because our asses were STARVING.

This super tall older dude (like clearly balding, at least in his late thirties) got our attention as soon as we walked out of the convention center because he did the fucking pico rap at us all the way across the street but like??? With his voice?? (It did. Not sound good. He had to yell it because cars were passing and it just was not a thing you should do with your voice compared to calculator noises or some shit)

I kinda ignored the funny rapping and asked if he knew of any hotdog places nearby. I don't think I was rude or anything but he stopped making noises at us and just kinda hit us with this blank stare. We weren't really creeped out and just kept walking.

The parking garage was like half a mile away so we had a lot of walking to do. We noticed him behind us on the other side of the road a few times but again weren't really creeped out or anything (neither of us had been to a big city before, we had no idea what the hell to look out for).

Once we were like halfway there the street got kinda narrow and had less traffic. We heard someone running and when we turned around the guy was fucking booking it twords us. Thankfully we had enough common sense and survival instincts to realize we were about to get fucking snatched and started running like our asses were on fire. We hid in a coffee shop for like 20 minutes until we knew for sure he was gone.

The best part was me n my gf switched shoes as soon as we left the convention (she couldn't walk that well in heels but I could, we also wore the same size shoes so it just made sense to swap) so for a couple of blocks I was hauling ass in fucking stilettos.

We didn't see him again thankfully but we seen him on the news a year later after he got arrested for attempting (and thankfully failing) to kidnap some different cosplayers at the same damn convention.

Uhhh TLD;r Dumb teenager harnesses the Boyfriend kinnie energy and almost got kidnapped because he wanted to get some chili dogs

Also bonus but while I was looking for pictures from the convention I found a picture of my dad's dog when he was a puppy wearing my fucking pentagram choker

[wouldyoustilllovemeifiwasawyrm]

Okay so uh. Lullaby for a Princess gave me a brainworm: Link as a top-tier dad to his and Zelda’s newborn baby and almost instinctively knowing everything there is to know about taking care of infants (Zelda over here like ‘sweet Hylia I have never been more attracted to this man than I am right now’), but he’s honestly a bit baffled as to why he has this knowledge. But then it starts to come back to him in tiny, vague recollections that he used to take care of Aryll when she was a baby and he’s just lost all the conscious memories but retained the subconscious instincts kind of like with fighting. And oops I gave myself feels and now I actually really want to write this and it may be my next fic after I finish my current WIP

Bestie I am living for this!

Go write!!!!

[todayisafridaynight]

As someone who has been putting Mine and Jo (well, specifically RGGJo, but the premises still apply) in Situations since 2020… It is exceptionally hard to get them in the same room but with the power of mental illness we can make it happen.

Mine started out by poaching more profitable families from under their umbrella organizations, right? The Arakawa Family has always been fairly well-off for a third-tier family (if Masato's allowance is any indication), particularly compared to the Nishikiyama Family who weren't bringing in any profit at all, and Mine has pretty good instincts in terms of sussing out potential.

So it would be worth dropping by the office (probably to get turned away with Yet Another Lecture about codes of honor, Arakawa's pretty old-school). But. You know. Jo Would Be There. I feel like Jo may have considered it a missed opportunity in terms of the family's prosperity (though it's not like he can speak over Arakawa), since Mine's terms are insanely good from a business point of view, although it ultimately proves to be for the best when the Nishikiyama Family and Hakuho Clan dissolve.

On the other hand, very fun to think about what Mine would be in for if he attempted to blackmail them into submission As Per Usual, or what he'd even be able to dig up if he pulled out all stops and looked into them.

Mine does have a tendency to make way more enemies than friends, too, so maybe someone puts a hit on him and the Arakawa Family (i.e. Jo) is assigned to it. The Only Thing That Can Kill Mine Is Himself (Allegedly) so it wouldn't work out, obviously, but it would be epic… Mine could take him…

Or say Mine recovers from Dying and wants to disappear. The whole homeless quarter thing's a "secret," but the Arakawa Family must have some kind of reputation if people specifically go to them to start their new lives. They could be the ones to ship him off to Yokohama. I've always said that plot point makes it so pretty much any dead character could be brought back if it's believable enough that they could know about the Arakawas.

Hell, Mine didn't HAVE to join the Nishikiyama Family, they were just the first "in" he could find and he stumbled upon them basically by accident. It could've been any family. And perhaps if he joined the Arakawa Family instead, his quest for bonds could've had a bit less heartbreak… one or two new dads who're soft on him because he reminds them of their son… Jo wouldn't have anything to complain about either, Mine'd be the top earner for sure…

Or they just happen to be the two guys at the Poppo who happen to be tall enough to look over the shelves and they spend the whole time avoiding eye contact and then never meet again.

Many such scenarios…

with the power of mental illness literally anything is possible and i know now without a doubt this is SO TRUE

[galactic-aesir]

kamado, going on about how they cant trust this stranger who came from a rift even if he does look just like ingo and how he could be behind it all:

emmet: do you want your ticket punched

ingo, amnesiac but apparently remembers more than he thought he did: emmet.

[lethargical-lily]

Let’s talk about Billy

Would like to preface this by saying that this is not my usual TWST content so anyone who is here for that I apologize. I’m currently trying to create a schedule for it so it will be up and running soon

(If you take a shot every time I say “that’s not an excuse” or some variation of it you’d die)

Okay I’m gonna start this post off by saying this is no way written to defend Billy Hargrove’s actions or even get Billy antis or whoever else to like him, it’s simply to clear up a huge miscommunication in the fandom that I’m honestly tired of seeing.

So it’s pretty clear that a lot of ST things fans hate Billy, and honestly? Fair. He’s kind of a piece of shit I won’t even deny that

He’s coded to be racist or at least act out of some sort of prejudice and somewhat of an abuser so if you don’t like him due to this THATS UNDERSTANDABLE. But you also frequently get onto other ST fans who actually do like him.

So I’m here to tell you why you’re wasting your breath and making the ST fandom very irritating to interact with

From the beginning Billy was portrayed as a Top Tier A hole, threatening his little sister for something minor, trying to fucking run over children, beating the shit out of Steve, just overall a dick. And all of that is 100% true and valid reasons to dislike him

But it was also shown that he doesn’t have a good home life with his dad beating his ass for Billy just, existing. NOW BEFORE YOU LEAVE. That. Is not. An excuse. It never has been and it never will be. He should be absolutely held accountable for everything he’s done up until this point because he’s done a lot of inexcusable shit. So you can shit on him for that I don’t really care

But believe it or not there are actually people who were interested in his character writing and chose to look deeper into him and who he is past what they gave us in seasons 2 and 3😐

Speaking from my point of view, I don’t like canon Billy. Like I’ve said several times he sucked a lot. But to be honest I don’t think that’s who the character Billy actually is. I think that all of that is a response from being abandoned as a child and dealing with years of physical abuse. Again, since I don’t want you to misinterpret my words, not an excuse, but it gives us a lot of background.

Season 2 and 3 Billy does a lot of things that could be born from underlying racism, even if it’s not outwardly said it’s there, but I personally do not think that’s because those are things he genuinely believes himself. If his asshole father sees his step-daughter hanging around a person he doesn’t like due to prejudice, did it ever occur to you who would be the one inevitably getting punished for it? Billy would. Not Max, I don’t think Neil has the balls to lay hands on his partner’s kid but he’ll do it to his own since we already know Max’s mom won’t do shit about it. Not wanting to get his ass handed to him for something that’s not his fault he’s obviously gonna try to cut the interaction between Lucas and Max. Not because he dislikes Lucas, not because he’s racist, but because otherwise he’ll get beat half to death

All this to say, I know he can be better. I don’t think all is lost for him. I think there’s more to him than what we see on the surface and if he were to be separated from the negative environment and allowed to experience life for himself instead of clouded by fear be wouldn’t be such a shit head

Trauma is not an excuse for the shit he’s done, but the moment trauma response/survival instinct gets ugly and isn’t just anxiety and flinching when someone raises their hand, you don’t believe they deserve an ounce of sympathy or a chance for redemption

I know he not only has the potential to make amends with those he hurt but completely forget the ignorant sentiments he’s been forced to abide by. That doesn’t mean any character is required to forgive him or you are for that matter but you really need to understand that when people talk about liking him they’re usually separating canon Billy from the Billy we never got the chance to see.

And I know some of y’all cream your pants at the fact that the duffer brothers confirmed Billy to be racist, but to be honest with you I could not give a flying fuck what the Duffer brothers say. They’ve proven more and more with each season that they may know how to write a story but not a character. If it weren’t for the actors pushing for certain scenes or refusing to do others these characters wouldn’t be half as fleshed out as they are. We owe a lot of the character writing to the people that portray them, therefore i hold a lot more weight in what they say than i do the creators. What the Duffer Brothers say is not Gospel to me, and it would be smart of you to not consider it as such either.

You can hate canon Billy all you want, I don’t care, but don’t get pissy at people who choose to look deeper than the surface of who he is and miss what they could’ve had for him because he was just being built up to be a throwaway.

If they support what season 2 or 3 Billy did that’s a different story, definitely not okay, but I’ve yet to see anyone do that all I see is people who don’t feel comfortable watering down his entire character and role in the story to ‘racist’ because at the end of the day, that truly is just an opinion based on how you choose to read into his character

TLDR; don’t put anti billy crap in spaces that like billy just because they wanna appreciate a character that had potential and is more than what most of you want to see

If you don’t take anything away from this, fine, just be respectful in the notes if you choose to interact

[abbynx]

Being Sorlato’s child + Being babysat by La squadra

A/N: Soooo, this is a direct sequel from the one-shot “Encounter” if you haven’t read it yet, feel free to browse it here 

Genre: Fluff, platonic, wholesome headcanons

- After the encounter, the couple found themselves thinking about it all the time, how different they acted to a child at the face of danger, and how afraid they were and how quick they were to act upon instinct and save you. There was certainly something the couple felt in their chest they can’t fathom but somehow liked the pleasant feeling. 

- One time Sorbet was found lounging around the La Squadra headquarters with a pamphlet regarding parenting whilst waiting for the meeting. When asked why he was reading that he nonchalantly replies that the thing was lying around and decided to read it because, “Why not?” One knows not to question him any further, so they let him be. 

- Gelato was found longingly staring at parents with their kids on the playground whilst on a mission and again, no one dared to speak a word of it. He didn’t leave even if the mission was over, until Sorbet was called in and had to physically drag him away. 

- They both knew it was getting out of hand because all they can think of now was wanting to raise a child of their own but they knew their circumstance were the least ideal to put a child in. For crying out loud, they kill people for a living and they didn’t really want to subject a child into this mess of their’s. 

- “God, is this what baby fever feels like?” 

- The couple has discussed about this, over and over than they can recall. When Gelato would suddenly mention, “You know, if we were to have a son I think that you can teach him how to ride a bike. That’d be sweet to watch to be honest.” or Sorbet saying, “If we were to have a daughter, I get to threaten her boyfriend to bring her back home before dinner.” 

- Once again, they were out to go on their once a week date all to their selves and decided to go to the same restaurant they had to stop in to save the child. And on their way their, what are the odds, the aforementioned child coming up to them and greeting them. 

“Ciao signore Sorbet! Signore Gelato!” 

W-was this a sign??? 

 "Ahh, Y/N!" Gelato was practically enthusiastic, he can just pick you up, but of course, he has to bind himself down. 

 "Out in the middle of the night again, I see." Sorbet points out. 

 "Aheh, yes sir..." You sheepishly responded. "But I really have to do everything if I want to graduate elementary with high marks." 

 - After a brief chat, weather, school and whatnot, once again you went on with your merry little way. After that, it was back for longing and yearning for the couple. 

 - The rest of La Squadra noticed this, but didn't knew how to help; until Melone picked up on the signs the couple were exuding: Sorbet reading the parenting pamphlet, Gelato longingly gazing towards parents bonding with their children, the two of them talking away about 'If we were to have a child...'— why, Melone's diagnosis: Baby fever. 

 - Melone somehow came up with an elaborate scheme involving an orphanage, did a couple of research. Due to some... Fortunate moment, somehow, someway, the figure running the same orphanage you resided in has made quite the list of enemies all his years. 

 "Melone you know that you can just tell them it's okay for them to adopt the child, right???" Risotto looks up from the detailed, complex document sent in by Babyface's user. 

 - Yes, it was stupidly complicated and a lot of work compared to just simply signing papers and adopting the child. The paperwork would be, again, stupidly complicated, but at least it doesn't involve bloodshed. It's not like the couple shied away from shedding blood but that wasn't the point. 

 - Capo Risotto had to consider their circumstances to adopt a child. Like I said, the dilemma was killing them and simply can't act out of selfishness and adopt a child just because they wanted to, it wasn't the same as a adopting a pet.

 - Cue the four hour meeting with the couple, discussing about what they can do and what they cannot do. Risotto was most certainly happy for the two of them to be adopting a child of their own, taking care of them and along of those lines but again, the fact they are a part of a crime syndicate and there were a lot of things they discussed about. 

 - After that, everything was settled and got started with the process of adopting the child. They didn't have to chose, they already had their eyes set on a specific kid; Y/N L/N, age eleven, abandoned by their parents when they were born, who adores reading and loves (insert food) and— what? They've done their research!

 - The couple was just beyond elated!

 - Through the process of adopting you they learned you were six 

 - Now that fact was uncovered, they were now more concerned and pissed why the orphanage would neglect a first grader and let them return from school at eight in the evening. And the fact that they met you under the circumstance of danger, pretending to be the couple's kid in desperation. 

 - Needless to say, a lot of things are going to change in your life, especially at the aspect of your security. They are a part of those people you should fear at night, admittedly gelato has almost pulled a gun on you that fateful night out of sheer jealousy, and didn't even register the fact you were barely half Sorbet's height.

 - First and foremost, you won't be staying in school longer than six thirty, as the couple takes turn on picking you up. They understand and adore the fact you're a hardworking kid thriving to have a scholarship in college despite being a literal first grader, but being a little kid walking alone in the middle of an evening is frightfully concerning. And in those times wherein either sorbet or Gelato picks you up, they'd buy you treats you want but not enough to spoil your appetite for dinner. 

- You did not hesitate to address them the way you addressed them that one fateful night when they tucked you in your new room for the very first time.. Gelato cried after that and Sorbet had to hold him to his chest to clam him down. Ugh, you were so effortless at making the two of them so soft. 

 - They're underpaid, not broke, so the couple spoils you in an overwhelming rate, the entirety of La Squadra were beginning to get concerned. Proscuitto scolded the two that they might spoil you rotten, but they reassured them you weren't. 

 - Speaking of La Squadra, the couple considered them as their family. Sorbet and Gelato did not hesitate to introduce you to them not as La Squadra, but as your uncles.

 - All of them were touched that Sorbet and Gelato want them to be a part of their child's life, that one of them would often volunteer to watch over you if the two were away. The couple were not going to introduce you to them as assassins and took advantage of your gullible nature as a young child. they don't intend to hide it as a secret from you. Perhaps someday they'll tell you their line of career, but six was not the right age to do so. 

 - Which brings us to their circumstances, the fact that they're assassins and how it is not an ideal career for people who has an attachment outside of their jobs. They were extremely careful in terms of that, wanting to protect and prevent others from using you against the couple. Well, now there's now a fate worse than death if ever that happens. 

 - With new responsibilities, Risotto understood them and gave them less jobs in order to take care and watch over you. But there were times where the two were both absent, prompting one of La Squadra to babysit you.

- Melone, Formaggio and Proscuitto are top picks for babysitting duties! but, of course, there are disadvantages. Melone is... Melone. Formaggio can and will act as a kid rather than an adult. And Proscuitto, well, he can be a bit too domineering. So yes, they are A-tier babysitters, nonetheless. 

 - B-tier babysitters would be Illuso, Pesci, and Ghiaccio. Illuso can be a bit too dismissive, Pesci will be too anxious and overprotective-- like in an extreme rate, and Ghiaccio... Hide your copy of Merchant of Venice, and you'll live another day. 

 - S-tier would be Risotto, except the fact that he is always busy. He is good with kids and he can guarantee their safety, I mean, need I say more?

 - Under no circumstances, are they allowed to swear around you. The couple already had restricted their foul language around you, and they expect the others to do so as well. Ghiaccio is highkey sweating when you started saying bullshit whenever you're frustrated. He profusely begged you not to day that again in exchange for ice cream. 

“Bullshit!” Ghiaccio’s heart skipped a beat after hearing your small voice whisper-shout on the dinner table as you attempted to solve a rather difficult math problem. 

 - Your relationship with them was well. They were protective of you, love you and support you. They're very affectionate, but not in an overwhelming amount... Well, at least they try to hold back but all they want to do is to spend time with their baby and love them unconditionally, as they should. 

 - Padre Gelato is more of a fun dad, very playful and energetic. He likes lifting you up to his hip before gently nuzzling his nose against yours. Dad jokes subconsciously slips from his mouth, be careful. He does a lot of cool tricks with his butterfly knife, twirling the sharp blade around while you stare in awe, whilst Papa Sorbet was more concerned that he'll accidentally cut himself, or that you might try the trick unsupervised. Needless to say, Padre was responsible enough to keep his knife in his pocket at all times to prevent that. 

“When will you teach me how to do that, Papa?” 

“When your old enough, N/N.” 

 - Papa Sorbet is a bit more reserved, but certainly not distant. He will not hesitate to kill someone who tries to hurt you. So he's the perfect person to serve as your teacher, as he helps you with school work and help you learn other practical things: cooking, baking, doing laundry by hand (which product is more effective to get blood off clothes), self-defense, etc. 

“So if there’s a stranger following you, what do you do?”

“Cling to the nearest person I see and pretend that I know them?”

 - They both tuck you into bed after reading you a bed time story, though it only lasted until you were nine because you insisted you were already grown up (cue, Gelato hiding his face on Sorbet's chest because his baby is all grown up--), but some things don't change because by bed time, they just check up on you even if they won't tuck you in to sleep.

 - Extremely supportive and encouraging. Like, they're basically the gasoline you pour on fire to intensify the fire of your passion. Like, they'll cheer you on sport games and competitions, tries their best to attend recitals, etc, etc. Though sometimes one is missing due to missions, sometimes both, but in the end of the day, you were confident that they would have loved it. 

 - Unbeknownst to you, at the end of the competition, a certain figure will come behind you and lock you on a headlock before harshly rubbing their knuckle atop your head. Uncle Formaggio can be a mean sometimes. So yes, if ever the couple is absent from your competitions, one of your uncles would volunteer to go. 

“‘Sup, little sport?” 

“Uncle Formaggio, my hair--!”

 - The first time you celebrated your birthday with your new parents was your seventh. They wanted to throw a goshdarn ball, but you insisted to keep the party amongst yourself. Just you, your papa and padre, and your  seven weird uncles. You were already a big family, and you were happy with that.

[parachutingkitten]

Y'all suck at dissecting Kai's character, so I guess I have to do it.

And I'm not even a Kai stan. He's a bottom tier ninja for me, which I guess means you can trust me, cuz I'm not biased, but also why am I the one doing this? I don't know about y'all, but recently on my dash, the method by which Kai fans try to make him sound good is... saying the writers hate him, ignore him, and that he isn't written well? Which... I mean there is a little bit of truth to, but like yikes guys, is this the best you got? Kai is a wonderful character with plenty of attention from the writers, a meaningful piece of the cast when put in secondary rolls, fairly consistent character writing with actual progression and valuable qualities that help the team without having to be the smart one- despite what some posts might tell you.

Let's get one thing cleared up: Ninjago isn't the best written show. By high level Hollywood standards, most the character arcs are kinda weak or too heavy handed, character consistency can be iffy, and most things serve the plot rather than the characters. There is no character you can point to and say "wow, this character is written so well! No complaints!" Nya and Jay were butchered by their weird love plot, Cole's one season doesn't actually give him an arc, Zane's been nothing but the robot numbers guy for like 10 seasons now, and Lloyd seems to be incapable of doing anything but relive the same one piece of dad angst for depth. Sorry, it's true. All the characters suck when you look at it from a large scale writing perspective. So when I say Kai is well written, I mean by ninjago kids show standards- cuz that's the scale we're working on. No, you couldn't drop Kai into a well written drama, but as far as ninjago goes... he's got a lot going for him, and by no means is he the biggest victim of poor writing.

(fair warning, wall of text below)

The title is a bit disingenuous. There are plenty of good Kai character break downs. What I am presenting here is a more positive perspective. On the whole, I will tend to give the writers the benefit of the doubt, and credit for what they do right writing is hard guys. That's what I'm doing here. I don't see much sense in getting mad the writers on behalf of Kai, or any other character. Ninjago is a simplistic ensemble show that works because of the identifiable simplicity of its main characters with some deeper layers hidden underneath if you keep watching. They've given us a damn good show with some damn enjoyable characters, so here are some criticisms I feel are a little flawed:

First, let's get the 'focus' thing out of the way. Apparently there are people saying Kai doesn't have a season yet? Which... what? I mean, I get that the pilots aren't a full season, the first two seasons, though he is the central protagonist, aren't "Kai seasons" as we've come to define ninja focus seasons, season 7, though he gets majority focus, he shares with his sister. But like... did y'all just forget about season 4? You know, the season where he had the title card, was on the box sets, got the love interest, and the majority of the A-plot? not to mention it's the best season don't @ me Like... if season 4 isn't a Kai season, I can make a damn good argument that season 3 isn't a Zane season, and I doubt anyone wants to go down that rabbit hole. I really can't wrap my head around this one. And I get that the fandom hates season 11 for some reason, but like you can't just pretend it doesn't exist. Kai has a consistent arc across 30 episodes in which he takes his powers for granted, loses them, and learns that, not only does he have value within the team without them, but that his element is intrinsically a part of him that he reclaims, bringing them back more powerful than ever, and with new respect for them. That's one of the most solid arcs in the whole series- the location is even thematically connected to his element. That's some good stuff right there! (Quick plug for season 11 if you haven't watched it in a while. Give it a rewatch, you might be pleasantly surprised)

Not to mention the writers give him fun side stuff all the time. Lots of fears of tech and water to overcome, a deep protective streak with Lloyd, becoming a chancellor, having a true potential actually relevant to the plot as a whole, blacksmith responsibilities, befriending dragons, hanging out with his dad. Not to mention actual focus stuff we haven't talked about yet, like his whole "my dad is evil" phase, and his "I might be evil" phase with him and Skylor. And on top of that, even when he doesn't have an explicit side plot, he's always just a fun and dynamic side character to make jokes or give exposition.

Now, into character stuff. Let's start with Kai's hot headed-ness. Some people say he's been loosing this quality, and I will admit, that's true! But those that claim this makes him inconsistent... I strongly disagree. In early seasons, Kai's temper would lead him to snap at his friends or make stupid decisions that set the team back (see episode 2 Zane freak out)- these are bad things. These are character flaws, yes? Now, in newer seasons, people say that he's inconsistent, cuz sometimes he'll be hot headed, and sometimes he won't. I'd say, this is exactly how being hot headed... works? It flares up without warning, and as an individual gets control of it, it'll pop up less and less often because they're channeling it into productive things - like say directing the anger towards an enemy (see season 11 end freak out). Kai has gained control of a character flaw, and though it still pops up on occasion, the fact that it's a once in a while kind of thing speaks to his growth. I have a little brother who has this exact personality, and watching him grow up, I can tell you, this is how it is. He used to snap all the time, and he still does sometimes, but much less frequently, because he's a more mature person with better control of his emotions. This is a good thing. This is overcoming personal flaws. This is progression we're seeing.

And while you're hyper focused on this one aspect of him, things like his cocky confidence haven't changed a bit. I mean, that season 3 bit between him and Pixal, and his season 11 "fire maker" streak have the exact same energy. You can not convince me otherwise.

Another adjacent quality that hasn't been dampened is Kai's impulsiveness. This can be a good quality of his, he'll get into a fight without thinking, getting the jump on the enemy. Good stuff. But, this has become such a well defined trait of Kai's that it has been used in a comedic capacity. This is what happens when a character is extremely consistent to the extent that both the audience and the characters in universe would be able to predict their actions. Kai's impulsivity used to be a more serious quality that put himself and others at risk, and was a big power move whenever he did something rash, but it's become such a staple of the show that it's now being used for comedy. That isn't Kai's impulsivity going away, that's Kai's impulsivity being recontextualized for the sake of the show. The season 9 "Who's stupid enough to jump on that thing" isn't a joke at the expense of Kai just for being dumb, it's a joke at Kai's being so predictably impulsive that everyone already knows he'll be the one to put himself in an insane amount of danger without thinking twice (you know, something stupid that might get him killed). But because in this instance, the danger is warranted, this is bravery. It's a complement to his character- it's what ends up defeating the colossus. Why are some people so bothered by this joke?

Oh right, cuz for some reason people want to peg Kai as the smart one? Look, Kai isn't stupid, none of the ninja are. All of them have smart moments (all of them have dumb ones too) and Kai can certainly handle himself, but "smart" is definitely not one of his defining characteristics- I think some people are confusing smart for his actual strength. Connected to his impulsivity, Kai has very good simplistic instincts. He sees the big picture and looks at the most surface level solution- which when the situation calls for it, that does indeed make him smart. But the same logic that led him to think "This snake has a glowing target on its head, lets hit it" also led him to think "I'm in a video game, therefore I am immortal." Are you really going to look at me and say he figured out Lloyd was the green ninja through logical deduction and a careful consideration of the facts? No. He had a gut feeling, and he trusted it. Instincts- instincts paired with his impulsive following of said instincts is what leads him to solve problems- and sometimes, that can be extremely effective. This goes for other ninja too. Jay isn't the smartest ninja- I would really only classify Zane and Nya as having intelligence define them (hence their ship name). But Jay is extremely creative and crafty. He also knows his was around mechanics, and as such, this will lead him to come up with creative tech based solutions which are smart. But, idk about you, if I had to point to another ninja as being 'dumb' it would 100% be Jay. Kai is a lot of things. He's passionate and determined and confident and persistent. He's a good improvisor, he's powerful and he's charming! These are all wonderful qualities, he doesn't also have to be the smart one. I am the worlds biggest Pixal stan, and she's a smart, sassy, powerful character, but I'm not gonna sit here and tell you she's also hilarious and adaptable and strong willed. She's a straight man to all the ninja's antics, extremely tied to her samurai x suit, and lets people push her around all the time. That doesn't mean she can't be funny, or self interested, but when she does act these ways, it stems from her other more prominent qualities. That make sense?

And while we're clearing up what Kai isn't, please stop characterizing Kai as an overly protective brother - especially romantically. The only two times he's been romantically protective to Nya are in Wu's Teas which I mean, come on and in the pilots when Jay is literally a stranger. For crying out loud, by the end of the pilot, he's smiling when Jay and Nya hug. That's not overly protective, that's just normal, any reasonable person would react this way, protective. And it's such a great stereotype break for a kids show like ninjago, having an older brother who actually trusts his younger sister to be her own independent person who can make her own decisions. I mean, I guess it's fine if you HC differently but like... idk, I don't buy it.

Now, is there still room to criticize the writers? Yes. Hell yes. But not to an extent greater than any other character. Could he have had more of a defined reaction to events of the most recent season that I won't name for the sake of spoilers? Yes. But could Zane have reacted for more than .5 seconds at being an evil war lord for apparently 60 years? Yeah. Has Kai taken a back seat in the past 4 seasons? Yeah. But so has Lloyd- and he's literally the main character of the show. Not to mention two of those seasons have gone to people who had to wait over ten seasons to get one to themselves, and one of them is a 40 minute special. Kai's doing just fine.

Anyway. Kai is great. He's a fun, stereotype breaking, impulsively driven, ball of energy and confidence who gets a good amount of screen time and some fun side plots.

One last thing to clear up: no hate to anyone. This isn't targeted at anyone specific, this post has been a long time coming, I've just seen some weird overblown claims on various platforms over the past few months and I finally sat down to write about it.

I like the Kai content we have. After all, if the writers were really that bad at writing him, then no one would like him.

Wow this was so much longer than I thought it would be. Um... if you have other long winded rants you'd like to see from me... let me know I guess?

[wanderingchocolateeclair]

*Smoke bomb part 2 electric boogaloo*

What's up it's me ya boi back from the... Basically dead. I'm naming myself god of erasermicjokenight btw. Uhhh anyway! I've actually started a fic, and I'm not going to abandon it this time and then get scared and delete it!

Have some headcanons that will be relevant..... Very soon.

Izuku is closest with midnight, without giving spoilers: same trauma. Izuku's much less anxious around her. Midnight the pro hero is someone he likely wouldn't know how to talk to, Midnight the regular day to day person is someone he could talk to for hours.

Before we continue: fuck canon. All me and my homies totally ignore and steer far away from canon for no reason.

Izuku had a hard time getting to know/being comfortable around Ms. Joke because she has a very similar hair color to [one of Izuku's adult tormentors of whom I will not spoil]. He and Ms. Joke get along well, it just takes some time for him to get used to.

Eraserhead is... Complicated to say the least. Izuku doesn't know what to make of him. He's hard to read, stern, and yet somehow nothing like his bio dad. Izuku trusts him second most to Midnight, and Eraserhead is the one who knows how to help him during nightmares.

Mic is Izuku's favorite to go on car rides and shopping trips with. They always feel like adventures, but safe. He has the most maternal instincts of the four. He's a good soother and on especially rough nights, he sings Izuku to sleep.

Erasermic are not allowed to go to immunization or blood drawing appointments. Eraserhead will absolutely yank Izuku away and berate the doctor if Izuku even looks slightly uncomfortable, Mic will straight up kill a man. Of course Izuku is extremely uncomfortable in any medical facility because [spoilers], so they just hear the cliff notes from Jokenight.

One time Eraserjoke went to get his medications and the pharmacy clerk made a snarky comment about "of course they'd put one of the hero rejects with actual heroes" and eraser had to stop joke from [severely hurting] the clerk.

Izuku eventually starts mocking mic about the "little listener" thing he does with his rescues and there's a family tape of every time izuku mocks him as blackmail.

Midmic are the only two allowed to make coffee. Otherwise eraserjoke will make the darkest most muddy coffee you have ever drank and Izuku will brew coffee with red bull instead of water.

No matter who Izuku is with people automatically recognize them as whoever's child by some random trait.

The fic these will be relevant in is "Betrayed by Hope" on ao3 my @ is charred_entiity at least for now until I FIGURE OUT HOW TO CHANGE MY AO3 @ JEUDCHDKDHLS

Also if you do read that I'm going to tell you now heed the tags I'm bad at writing so it wont be too heavy but also I only write angst so like. Also also that fic has a nonbianary oc blorbo named Achyls that is a scientist. I would recommend getting very attached to that one because they will be important in the future 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

AY HELLO HELLO!

It’s been such a long time! So nice to see you in my inbox again - and with the most wonderful update!

I’d love to read the absolute hell out of this- I loved the idea when you first came into my inbox about it like what- a year? Maybe?- ago and seein this makes me incredibly happy!

Whoever may stumble across this post, go check this out!!

These hcs are top tier I love them and they intrigue me very much <3

[avionvadion]

I had the weirdest freaking dream that El ran away from Mal (like several years after everyone had finished graduating NRC, so they’re all adults and in their twenties) and somehow wound up in the Coral Sea, and Azul just... decided he was gonna be Valerie and Aiden’s new dad. Like.

“Oh? You have an angry Yandere dragon after you and your unborn children?? Don’t worry you poor unfortunate soul, he’ll never find you under the sea.”

So she just lives with him cuz everywhere else is too dangerous because Mal might find her and then after Valerie and Aiden are born, Azul helps her raise them and then at some point El and Azul just... get married. It was so weird. And like the twins loved Azul. Uncle Jade and Uncle Floyd too. It was kinda terrifying but also hilarious. And then they had the cutest freaking son together that Aiden and Valerie were super protective over, and another kid on the way.

And then they end up at NRC and Mal finds out about the twins, and Azul’s kid is like yelling at Mal all teary eyed and the twins are like ??? You’re not our dad???? Our dad is an octopus not a dragon???? You might have created us but you aren’t our dad so LEAVE MOM ALONE!!! And Azul is like so proud of the kids but El is freaking terrified.

So it’s like... if El and Mal had a bad ending and he gave into his Yandere Dragon Instincts, and El said NO so she just up and ditched. And Azul was the perfect hiding place and also top tier husband material.

...I need to stop reading manhwa before bed because HOLY FRICK that was a roller coaster.

[jlalafics]

If you're not busy, lovely, how about a little drabble of Peeta and Finnick (preferably just bromance, nothing more, maybe talking about their women or something) to this prompt: Bro we are stuck here for ever why don’t we just take care of each other like we’re supposed to. If you feel up to it. You can use your imagination. Thanks!

I hope you like it! I had a lot of fun writing this too. Funnily, Hubbs told me that he had a similar conversation with one of our friends about this specific subject.

Enjoy!

____

“Thanks for helping out, bro.”

Peeta clapped Finnick on the shoulder, giving him a smile, as they stepped into the room.

“No problem. It can’t really be that hard, right?” Peeta leaned down, examining the picture on the large box. “So, what’s so great about this particular crib?”

“I don’t know exactly,” Finnick replied. “Annie read in some magazine that it’s the top tier when it comes to cribs. I don’t know why we can’t use the one we used for Finn.”

Peeta snorted. “Didn’t you find it on a curb?”

“It was still in great condition.” Finnick shrugged. “I guess it’s different now that this one is a girl. Sugar and spice and stuff…”

“Well, let’s open the box and just spread everything out.” Peeta walked to the door, hand on the knob. “I’m not sure how much room we’ll need so I’m going to close—”

Finnick turned to him, panic in his green eyes.

“Peeta, don’t—” The door made a distinct click. “—close that.”

Peeta twisted the knob, finding it stuck.

“The lock is weird,” Finnick explained. “Annie is supposed to pick up a new doorknob after she and Katniss leave the baby fair.”

“So, we’re here until they get home?” Peeta asked and his friend nodded. “Fuck.”

Finnick chuckled. “I concur.”

++++++

They decided to work on the crib, spreading out the various parts before setting to work.

“So, are you excited?” Peeta asked. “You’ll have one of each. If she’s as great as Finn, then it’ll be smooth sailing.”

Finnick smiled, thinking of his five-year-old. Finn had his looks, but Annie’s sweet disposition—a perfect combination, if he had to say so himself. Their son was currently attending one of the most prestigious elementary schools in the county and doing quite well, according to his teachers.

However, Finnick was worried about the little girl coming into their lives in a month. What would she be like?

“Everything okay?” There was clear concern in Peeta’s voice. “You blanked out for a moment.”

Finnick sat back against the wall of the lavender nursery—Annie was not a big lover of pink—and gave his friend a thin smile.

“I was just thinking that I have no idea what to do with a daughter,” he admitted. “I mean I know women—”

“That is true,” his friend told him.

Before they were married men, they were roommates, living the high life in their downtown loft. Finnick often had overnight visitors while Peeta was constantly pining for his childhood friend, Katniss Everdeen.

Jerk that he was, Finnick really didn’t think about the girls after they left his place. Now, on the cusp of welcoming a daughter, he dreaded the thought of her becoming one of those girls—the one who the guy never even thought about after.

“But I don’t know girls,” he continued. “How do I teach her to watch out for guys like me?”

Peeta joined him against the wall. “What do you mean?”

“How do I ensure that she doesn’t become an afterthought to guys? How do I make sure that she is respected and cherished?”

Peeta rested his head back in thought for a moment.

Finally, he turned to his friend.

“You start with you.” Finnick straightened at the man’s words. “You cherish her, and you treat her with respect. You teach Finn to do the same. That way, she’ll always expect that behavior from guys and stay away from the ones that don’t meet those expectations. She’s always going to be looking for you to be the example.”

“That’s true,” Finnick said quietly. “I’m still a little afraid. I don’t want her to ever get hurt.”

“Kids get hurt,’ Peeta replied simply. “But parents are there to help them get up after they do. You’re going to be there for her.”

Finnick turned to his friend. “How did you get so smart about kids?”

A warmth spread through Peeta’s complexion.

“Katniss is pregnant. We’ve been trying for a while and I had been reading every baby book since we started, only to find out one thing.”

“What?”

“Only you know what’s best for you and your child,” Peeta told him. “In the end, it’s all instinct, as it has been since the moment people started having babies.”

“Wise words, my friend,” Finnick responded. “Congratulations, man. You’re going to be great.”

“Hey—if Katniss and I have a girl, then we can double team our girls’ boyfriends,” Peeta joked. “Idiots won’t know what hit them.”

Finnick smirked at the thought. “I have a bb gun. I can stand it by the door when he comes around.”

“Katniss still has her bow and arrows,” Peeta told him. He looked over at the crib pieces. “How mad will they be if we don’t have this crib finished?”

“Annie made me sleep on the couch two nights ago because my breathing was too loud for her,” Finnick said. “If I don’t finish this, I’ll be sleeping in here until I do.”

Peeta slowly stood up. “Then, let’s do it. I expect you to help me when we get our nursery started.”

Finnick got onto his feet.

“Thanks.”

“Of course, man.” He patted Peeta on the shoulder. “Also, you’re going to be an awesome dad.”

The two quickly embraced in solidarity—

“Are we interrupting something?”

They turned to find their wives in the doorway, grins of amusement on their mouths.

The men pulled apart.

“We’re just two men—secure in their masculinity—who are not afraid to share a hug,” Finnick told them.

“You are two men who haven’t done anything with this crib,” Annie pointed out, hands on her hips.

“How about I paid someone to do this for me and we order from that Thai place you love?” her husband responded.

Annie’s eyes lit up. “Angel wings?”

“One container for you and another container for the rest of us,” Finnick promised her. “Let’s go downstairs so I can order. While we’re waiting, I’ll give you a foot rub.”

That was all Annie needed to hear, pulling her husband out of the room immediately, and leaving the other couple in the nursery.

“Did you tell him?” Katniss asked her husband.

Peeta nodded, putting an arm around her, and placing a kiss on her temple. “Katniss?”

“Yes?”

“I hope we have a girl.”

FIN.