#i just need a name for the city… something cool and snappy…

[kirnet]

i still have to tighten everything up but i think i have a fun new setting for a dnd campaign :D it’ll be set in a big magical floating city that is situated in an overlap of a lot of different planes, and where portals to these planes naturally open up. Adventurers are hired to go into these portals and retrieve rare materials or artifacts for magical components and work either as freelance parties or work under companies. And of course there’s gonna be a lot of infighting of different company factions and black markets and sky pirates bc of course i want sky pirates. Also has the benefit of keeping one set location to focus on while still allowing me to send players to cool new locations!

[mooishbeam]

『♡』 Losing Game

♡ featuring: ajax x f!reader

♡ summary: simmering feelings boil over as you're confronted by the man you hate the most; tartaglia, your boss. wc: 3.1k+

♡ cw/tw: afab, degradation, humiliation, creampie, squirting, light choking, sadism, throat-fucking, cum play, fingering, overstimulation, brat taming, mind break, pet names (doll, baby)

notes: hiii, the positive response from the last one motivated me to get this done just in time for Fontaine. kinda long this time so sorry abt that. ajax my beloved <3 art by sonomi_rap5 on twitter comments and reblogs are appreciated!

Working for the fatui wasn’t easy in the slightest, especially when you aren’t on harbinger status. You were sent on long, grueling tasks only to be met with loose interpretations of gratitude and sometimes silence from the higher-ups, in which most wouldn’t even glance in your direction. Pleasant beginnings became a sour afterthought, and your perception of the fatui changed drastically. Your grievances, however, weren’t helped by your quick-witted snappy attitude and competitiveness; Presumably why you ended up under the division of Tartaglia. You assumed a binding contract from the capricious redhead wouldn’t mean much, but that was quickly proven false.  

You'd rather climb every mountain in Snezhnaya than spend a minute talking to that airhead. He was instructed to keep a watchful eye on you during missions despite the competence you demonstrated. It was insulting. Anything he did you could do better. It’d been proven multiple times from the petty challenges you created. How much water you could drink, how long you can stay up. You won every time. How could you not hate him? His feigned ignorance and careless flirtations were enough to drive you mad. “Please, call me Ajax” he’d say, winking. The simpering smile he gave you after every comeback shot daggers in your pride. What made you particularly furious was the incessant drum of your heart whenever he was near you. The warm autumn morning that was his hair. The cool still waves his eyes sent to your core. You couldn’t fall for him, or else he’d have one up on you. You had to be stronger than that. You quelled your stress in a tattered journal gifted years ago. 

“Hey, comrade!” His bubbly tone makes knots in your stomach, and you choose to stay silent. You’re hoping this mission will go without a hitch, as long as he doesn’t get in your way. Ajax lets out a teasing whistle. 

“Yeesh, tough crowd.” As you’re collecting the items needed for the deal, he rocks back and forth on his heels directly in front of you, absent-mindedly watching. 

You whip your head to face him, “You can’t see I’m doing something right now?” 

“Oh, I see what you’re doing. But this isn’t entertaining.” 

“Unlike you, your majesty, I have no choice but to be perfect. I apologize if that’s not exciting enough for you.” You retort with sarcastic curtsy.  

“Haha! You’re always a pleasure to be around, (Y/N). My faithful, kind-hearted companion.” he said with a taunting wink. You're beyond flustered, haphazardly stuffing the remains in your bag and lugging it over your shoulder. 

“Let's go.” You say lazily. He follows closely, arms crossed behind his head. “Calling me like a dog, how romantic.” 

“If you don’t want to be called like a dog stop acting like one.” 

“You could at least give me a treat if I'm gonna be your dog.” He looks at you, making his best impression of puppy-eyes. You bite back a few choice words, and glare at him instead. He isn’t fazed by this and flashes a beguiling smile that makes your ears warm. Glancing at the weight you’re shouldering, he comments, “You sure you don’t need any help with that?” 

“No. The last person I need help from is you.” 

You and Ajax regroup in an alleyway deep in Fontaine’s bustling city. You are assigned to retrieve a rare gem for one of Pantalone’s elaborate schemes, and you quickly prepare yourself for this interaction. Ajax studies you, leaning against one of the walls. 

“Can’t you be a little nicer to your superior? If it wasn’t for me, you’d be in a lot of trouble half the time. You’re welcome.” You scoff. “I don’t know why you’re here in the first place, I have no problem doing this on my own.” 

“I’m sure. Don’t mind me, Ms. Independent.” A sly smirk crawled up his face. “Fucking asshole” you mumble under your breath. “I didn’t catch that. Can you repeat it?” 

“I said you’re a fucking asshole.” After a few moments of silence, Ajax grips his chest in feigned agony. “Ouch. I’m gutted!” 

Just as you're about to leave, he snatches your wrist, now only mere inches away from your face. His hand gently brushes away the strays of hair on your forehead. “There you go, doll. Gotta be perfect for your debut.” A whirlwind of emotions strangles your ability to think clearly, you pull your wrist away and start speed walking, attempting to gather yourself before you get to the jewelry store. 

You enter the empty store and are immediately confronted by the jeweler. 

“Good afternoon, ma’am. Do you have an appointment?” You proclaim your business and appointment under a fake identity, posturing yourself as wealthy. “May I see identification please.” Of course, you say. As you’re looking through your purse you notice something: there’s no identification here. Surely you weren’t that negligent over something so simple. You rummaged through the other compartments, trying to stay calm in front of an increasingly concerned jeweler. But it’s not there. How is this possible. Your nerves are heightened and the anxiety of failing the mission starts to creep in. “I made an appointment with Lottie; she’ll be able to provide reference. I believe I left my passport at home.” The jeweler seems slightly disappointed. “Unfortunately, ma’am, I am not allowed to present any gems without identification.” Your heart beats faster. “Well, sir, I’m very busy and I’m afraid this is my only chance to close on this item. You wouldn’t want to push away a well-paying customer.” 

“I have no choice in the matter. If you have no proof of identification, I must ask you to leave.” Should I take it by force? You thought, thinking about the next possible option. As you’re about to handle the rest physically, the door swings open. Ajax comes up to you, placing his arm around your waist.  

“My love, were you able to get the gem we were discussing?” You’re annoyed, but you improvise and look at him as if he’s the love of your life. “Not yet, dear.” Suddenly, he places a plush kiss on your lips. You’re stunned and speechless, filled with anger and wanting. 

The jeweler interjects. “And are you the husband? Would you happen to have any identification.” 

“Yes, sir.” Ajax pulls out a passport and fake birth certificate unbeknownst to you and begins to close the deal. The rest of the meeting you sit speechless. 

“Thank you for your patronage.” are the last words you hear as you leave the store, Ajax guiding you with his hand. You’re silent the whole way back to your room. 

You turn your bag upside down and begin looking for the mismatched documents. All while Ajax stares at you expectingly. You ignore his presence.  

“So... how about a ‘you’re welcome?’” 

“For what.” 

He lets out a mocking laugh. “For what? I don’t know, maybe saving your ass back there? You froze, and you were unprepared, Ms. Independent.”  

“I wouldn’t have forgotten it if it wasn’t for the obnoxious bullshit you did this morning.” 

“That’s dishonest, I wasn’t even talking!” he pretends to be hurt. “Admit that you need me.” 

“Fuck off.” 

“No.” His light-hearted inflection vexes you and makes it hard for you to focus as you read through the mountains of pages in your folder. 

While your head is down, Ajax comes across the tattered notebook just peeking out from under the bed. Storing the months—no years—of feelings you had regarding the fatui. Regarding him. Some time passes and you finally raise your head, met with the horrifying reveal of him skimming through the journal, mischief coating the deep void in his eyes. You spring up and reach for the book but he’s faster, grabbing your arms and pinning them above your head. 

“This is really good stuff... really good.” You shout profanities over and over, anything to get his attention away from the book. But he continues to read as if you’re not there. When he’s done reading, he lets you go, and you instantly try to swing at him. Before you can land a hit, he grabs you by the throat and stares into your soul, almost as if he’s trying to swallow your being. 

“You’ve been acting like a little fucking brat all over a crush? Not very big girl of you.” 

“I know you think you’re beyond charming, but I promise you don’t have that effect on me.” 

“Really? Let’s play a game then.” He knew you’d accept just to beat him at anything. 

“If you don’t cum by the end of this journal, I’ll apologize for everything. I’ll do whatever you want. But if I win-” he steps closer to you, “You have to do everything I say.” 

You almost burst out laughing. Such an easy challenge, how hard could it be? 

You're panting, trying your hardest to focus on the words that seemed to melt off the page. Your back lays comfortably against his chest, with his legs keeping yours spread. 

“Next page, baby.” 

“Don’t call me that.” Your words are lenient and breathy. Your underwear is still on, but Ajax’s fingers are covered in your slick, playing with the erect nub just enough to make you fuzzy. “You look like you’re tapping out.” 

“This? This is nothing” You respond meekly, continuing the reading.  

“I can’t help but have fe-elings for himph.”  

“There’s some nice things about me in here, why aren’t you always like this?” He says, circling and dipping into your gushy folds, smearing the glossy mess all over your vulva. You try so hard to read the letters, squirming from his touch. The sensation pulsing from your clit to your brain made you incoherent; the more you move, the more he moves. The contents of the journal are humiliating, detailing your romantic and sexual attraction towards Ajax, and your attempts to stifle these feelings. He was getting a kick out of seeing your flustered face stammer over his appearance. He plays with the precum glazing his fingers, widening them to watch the trail it left. Only two more pages left. 

“I-I-” You couldn’t get through the first sentence on the last page. Your thighs are trembling, and your pussy began to twitch. “Uh, s-shit. Ajax, wai-.” He trails his fingers over your clit spelling his name, then pushes two inside, fighting back an amused grin. “You’re almost done” Teasing in your ear. You bite back the moans threatening to escape; at the very least you couldn’t give him that satisfaction. He watches you fall apart, shaking more aggressively before your body gives in and you cum on his fingers.  

“Uh oh, that’s unfortunate.” You try your best to catch your breath, but he rides out your orgasm, making you subconsciously grind yourself into his palm. Then you’re struck with the reality of losing. He licks his fingers clean, eyes rolling back from the taste. “So fucking good, does being a bitch make you taste better?” You were too embarrassed from the loss to retort. “You won.” 

“I did.” He lifts you off the bed and onto the floor, your legs still recovering. He hikes your shirt up, trailing kisses up your stomach until he gets to your nipples. He flicks and sucks one while kneading the other one, occasionally biting the slightly bruising flesh. “Not gonna moan for me, huh baby?” 

“Not in the slightest.” You rasped. He smiles and blows cool air on your tits, sending a rippling feeling down your back. “That’s okay, you’ll give in.” 

Ajax unbuttons his pants, and they drop in front of you. Unsheathing his thick throbbing length, drooling with desire. His balls are full and heavy, and as you look up at him his eyes are clouded with lust. The pretty freckles that dotted his arms and chest are much more visible now, and so are his battle scars. He breathed in deep, "take care of this for me, yeah?” You wanted to say no and say fuck this; but there was another side that wanted him desperately, that needed this.  

You force your jaw open to accommodate his size and push yourself halfway on his girth, feeling his cockhead hit the back of your throat. Once you feel like you got it in, you slobber all over his cock, dampening his balls and begin to bob your head. You stroke with one hand and massage his sack with the other, leading to a breathy whimper from him. “Ah fuck, feels good. Suck it slow, slut.” You begin to move faster while cupping his balls, obscene noises leaving your sopping mouth. You have tears running down your sweating face trying to keep up with the vigorous movement of your tongue. You feel him throb a few times, his moans and grunting getting progressively louder.  

“Need more” is all he says, putting one of his legs on the bed and grabbing both sides of your head. Before you can register what’s happening. Ajax pushes your head onto his cock until your nose reaches his pubes. He lets out a breathy sigh and starts throat fucking you with an animalistic grip. The gagging and spit noises echo off the walls, along with his continuous whimpering. You wanted to hate him, but your blood was buzzing, and your panties were drenched. “Shut up and take it” followed by broken fuck’s and yes’s. He threw his head back, hair slicked and torso gleaming with sweat, “look at me.” You reluctantly look up, addicted to his passionate expression. “I want you looking at me when I cum.” You grip his thighs, and he twitches a few times before spurting white, thick cum down your throat. He pulls out slightly to drag his semen over your lips and then taps it on your face, holding you in place.  

“What are you doing? Clean me up.” he husked. You clean him up without complaint and lick your lips, forced to maintain eye contact with him the entire way.  

In one swoop, Ajax picks you up and throws you on the bed, eager to get your underwear off. “You proved your point, stop being an ass" you slurred out. The room was intoxicating, all you could smell and feel was him. He takes your panties off, spreading your pussy to watch the slippery puddle dribble down your thighs. He shoves your panties in your mouth, “Fucking liar, I know you like it. Can’t taste how wet you are?” He aligns himself with your aching hole, keeping your arch steady with you bent over. Shoving his cock in, moaning from the feeling of your body perfectly molding for him. Ajax starts moving at a rapid pace quickly, his big slender hands tightly gripping your ass. The sound of wet sticky skin slapping together and the squelching from your core made you shudder. It was all too much; you have been teetering on an orgasm since you went down on him, and the way his balls thump your clit make you quiver.  

“Whiny brat. Just needed to be fucked good to shut up, yeah?” he groaned through his words. Tears were coming down your eyes now, you can’t tell if he’s edging you by accident or on purpose. But right now, you’d do anything. He turns your head to face him, gazing at your tear-stricken face. “Aww, you cryin’ for me?” He stops to kiss and lick your tears, delighted by your tenderness. Taking the panties out your mouth, he brings your body flush with his and continues to pump inside with you looking at him.  

“So sweet all of a sudden, where’d that attitude go?” The morals you had for moaning went missing and mewls and soft whimpers began to leave you. “Let it out, baby.” You’re suddenly babbling please’s begging for him to let you have it. “Pathetic, can’t even get off on your own. You need me that bad?” You nod repeatedly, dangerously close to your release. He had a dark look in his eyes and a sinful smirk. “Yeah? Okay, you’ve been so good.” He reaches down and starts to rub your clit ceaselessly, kissing your cheek. Your whimpers become loud shaky moans and he finally lets you have it, shockwaves going through your body as you’re dissolved into pleasure. You pulsate through the explosion, jello-brain and boneless as your cum leaks down his thighs. Just as he pulls out and flips you over. You’re dizzy and drunk off him, legs shaking indefinitely from the intensity. Then he puts it back in. “You can take one more, yeah baby?” Your overstimulated and violent shaking wasn’t enough for him to stop. He wanted you ruined. He keeps going, grabbing your face to kiss you deeply, tongues intertwining with each other. He feeds you deep strokes, tip prodding your spot every time and watching as your tits bounce. You throw your head back, eyes rolling to the back of your skull. You have no thoughts, only his name rings in your head. You can feel the coil inside you winding up, pleasure beyond the searing pain of your swollen pussy. He looks down at you and smiles.  

“Look at me." You can’t hear anything at this point, not even the sound of your own voice. So, it’s a pleasant surprise when your voice carries his name, “Ajax, Ajax”, chanting as if he’s your god. “Fuck. Gonna cum. Let it out. baby” he says grinning. You’re clamping him so tight and throbbing until you ultimately shatter with him, releasing a stream of squirt onto him and the sheets. He bucks into you, letting out thick spurts, panting heavily as he watches you in disarray. You instinctively hold on to his arms, trembling uncontrollably as you try to search for breath and ride it out. You’re completely hysterical and sobbing from the emotion it ripped into you. You were in shambles and Ajax couldn’t help but smile out of happiness for what he caused. “I’m so sorry.” you say repeatedly, eyes shut and lined with tears. He got closer to wrap you in his arms, and you cling to him for stability. “It’s okay, I’m here for you.” 

You didn’t want to talk about it when you woke up. You were hoping he’d be gone, and therefore wouldn’t have to deal with the humiliation. But there he was, watching you sleep just as the sun rose. His ginger hair danced with golden flecks of light, and he looked at you like you were the only person on Teyvat. 

“Creep.” 

  “Good morning to you too, baby~.” 

[fountainpenguin]

Riddle watches New Wish - Post #3

Oh, I was right- Wanda called Cosmo out for his crown still showing. That's a good way to signal to the audience that they're mystical.

Purple toe sandals! The artists were havin' FUN with colored shoes.

I'm a little surprised they went the direction of making Cosmo's design rounder and Wanda's thinner since, y'know... she's always been implied to be bigger than him, but hey! They both look great and I'm excited to see them with new body types.

I am obsessed with the fact that even in the new 3D style, the characters still default to holding their hands in that little bird-wing position. That is A+. Someone put a lot of thought into this.

Hazel, your hallway has a way cool rug.

It's a very snappy, jolty art-style. I think that works. I hope it doesn't make me motion sick, but I think it'll be fine.

SLKDFJ I'm on the floor, we're getting Hazel's parents' names straight out of the gate (Angela and Markus Wells).

AND A ROOM NUMBER? I am getting SPOILED. It's like this was made for me!

Friendship ended with Dimmsdale; my new best friend is city where we have more house numbers than 4158.

Cosmo, you are playing a dangerous game using magic in front of them. What did you need to change that you didn't know before?

Wanda too? Oh baby, we are SO back! Take me back to the days of Wanda cheering for Timmy to pour way too much liquid into his science experiment.

The welcome basket has a portrait of Cosmo and Wanda and they're gushing over it and saying "You're welcome! :)" and Angela is just like "... okay. I'mma head out."

Cosmo was about to floor me by saying Fairies have to be invited indoors, so I'm glad Wanda corrected him immediately.

Tbf, in Fairy World, "Doors are for chumps."

I'm glad Cosmo and Wanda both forgot how to sit on couches, seeing as most of the seating in Fairy World floats.

Mom's a therapist? That's never gone poorly for anyone in my fanfics before! ... Also, that's immediately gonna set up some plot tension when Hazel starts keeping secrets.

HER PICTURE ON THE BOOK IS 2D, I'm cracking up. Seriously, I think the running gag here is that all photos look like this. That is HILARIOUS.

Actually I'm on the floor; there is something so very funny about her giving Cosmo a book and him being excited about it, citing it as a "smart person present," when he's canonically a guy whose deepest, darkest secret is that he writes about astrophysics in a culture where Fairies think stars are also Fairies (alongside his children's books and blatantly 4th-wall-breaking books), so he doesn't let anyone know he writes. Ever.

I know that's not going to come up in this show because that detail is from "77 Secrets of the Fairly OddParents Revealed" (though he's confirmed the author of Astrophysics For Morons which Timmy found in the library once), so... chances are minuscule the writers for this show know he's also an author who likes "smart people books," but... I know. And I love him. Oh, there are places we can go with this!

Them...

sdl;fjk, Wanda swooping in to stop Hazel from poking Cosmo when she suspects something's up.

Oh my gosh, Angela is unpacking an entire box of her books and putting them all on a shelf. This is the best "show, don't tell" I've seen in a while.

Snack break for homemade bread.

[through-rosey-glasses]

PWHL Teams and Which Taylor Swift Era They are in

My sister and I were talking about how Minnesota Frost is clearly in their Tortured Poets Department Era, and that inspired the rest of this post. This is just a fun little thing I did, please don't take it too seriously or personally.

(Also for swifties, I used the old versions of album covers as it refers to that era. Red TV is totally different than Red ya know.)

Minnesota Frost:

Currently in their The Tortured Poets Department Era. Basically messy despite being on top of the world. The album came out after the raging success of Taylor Swift in her Era's tour and winning her fourth album of the year at the grammy's. This new album brings out snappy lines targeted at fans and revelations at how Taylor Swift didn't live up to the ideal many fans had of her. In Minnesota we had the recent firing of the favored general manager and drafting of a controversial player. You can't convince me that Ken Klee wasn't blasting But Daddy I Love Him, as he made all his messy decisions.

Boston Fleet:

Speak Now was a Taylor Swift era filled with spite and determination. The whole album was written by Taylor Swift alone, partially because her ex and some critics accusing her of not being a proficient writer on her own. After losing the Walter Cup, the Boston Fleet have the confidence that they can make it far and the determination to be better. (I also think spite comes naturally to Boston, not like they need a motivation or something.) This era is very youthful but honest, and I think that energy would be great to see in Boston next season. Someone blast better than revenge.

Montreal Victoire:

A personal favorite of mine, the Red Era of Taylor Swift had it all. Heartbreak, style, chaos, parties, love. This era was also risky and complex, Taylor Swift blended country and pop, bringing critical acclaim and a wider fanbase. Montreal has had a fun, but chaotic summer. Their draft picks are a fair mix of old and new. (With that wild Kessel pick) Their name and logo got rave reviews. People see the the good foundation the team has and are waiting in anticipation for what's to come.

Toronto Sceptres:

Reputation is a come back era, and Toronto has something to prove. Following a devastating injury to a star player, the team wasn't the same during the playoffs. This season they are going to have to show that they are still that team. Reputation is a fan favorite album and I have found Toronto to have the strongest fanbase. (They sell out most often and have the largest social media presence.) The team knows they are good and they have the support, they just need to rebuild.

Ottawa Charge:

Folklore is an era of surprising change. During Covid and following the cut short run of Lover, Folklore was an unannounced reinvention of Taylor Swift. It wasn't an intentional change, but one forced by the way of the world. Ottawa needs to find its grove and step into its own again. I haven't heard much from Ottawa on anything really, and I hope its because they got some cool alt indie surprise on its way.

New York Sirens:

Listen I am not only picking 1989 because it has a cool New York aesthetic. This is the era of leaning in and giving it your all. When Red didn't win album of the year, Taylor Swift decided to move to New York and reinvent herself. New York was last in ranking last season, but got first in draft. They have been working off season with insane draft picks and that somehow it worked out trade with Boston. New York has the star power, the New York city life, and the rebranding to help turn them into something new.

[panfluidme]

Robin Them Blind

Master Post

CHAPTER ONE: A CUP OF TEA

It's difficult to lose your parents at such a young age. Unfortunately for Dick Grayson, this inconvenience hit him at the age of nine and he had no where to go. The only place he could ever call home was the circus, so when he heard he would be taken to an orphanage, he did the only thing he could think of. Run. He couldn't go to a place like an orphanage. He would never get to be himself in there. He would be kept in small and cramped rooms, and he wasn't a show tiger. He shouldn't be caged up like that.

He ran and ran. He didn't know where he was going, but he continued to run. With his acrobatic ability, he was too fast for any of the adults to catch him. He hadn't even noticed he wasn't being chased anymore; he hadn't even noticed he ended up in the city that was pouring with rain. With the water in his eyes, from both the rain and his tears, and the lack of oxygen, his vision started to blur and had trouble seeing where he was going. He only ran faster however, not realizing the street light he was head towards.

Dick couldn't go live in an orphanage, and he was willing to die to show that. That wasn't where he belonged. He belonged in the circus with his parents, but they were done and never to return.

Running at full speed, he hit the street light in front of him, knocking him out cold. Everyone passed by with just a mere glance, except for one.

A man old enough to care for the young child noticed him. He went over to him, silently observing his features while thinking. He noticed a small bump on the youngling's forehead and when he gently touched it, he whimpered. The man looked around to see if anyone around was looking for him, but found no one. With sympathy, but mainly curiosity, he lifted the boy into his arms and gently brushed the back of his head to soothe him.

No one paid any attention to the two as he carried the boy away. Maybe he could raise him to be like he is, to be just as ruthless as he. He had been looking for someone for a good while. He took him to an area at the edge of the city where not many people stayed. Once he got to where he was staying, he laid him on the couch, covered him with a blanket, and went to the kitchen to make some tea for when the young boy would wake.

He couldn't be too threatening and snappy right off the bat. The young one wouldn't trust him and would try to run away if he was. No, he'd have to play the long game, but he was very good at that. He was a patient man.

It wasn't long until Dick woke up. His head ached and once his eyes focused, he realized he was in an unfamiliar area. The place was dark and didn't seem to be very welcoming. He could smell something being made, but it was an unfamiliar scent. He suddenly heard heavy footsteps that seemed to get louder with every step.

Fear bubbled up inside of him. Was he going to get hurt?

A tall figure then entered the room, holding a small tray. It was hard enough to see his face with the dark room, but he seemed to be wearing a face mask that really only made his eyes visible. He walked closer to the boy and laid the tray on the table in front of him.

Dick looked at it then looked back at the tall man. Was it safe to consume whatever it was that he brought?

"Drink." the man ordered in a deep, but some what soothing voice.

The young boy hesitated before grabbing the tea. He carefully sipped it. The drink burned his tongue for a quick second, but he quickly found the warm taste ease his mind and headache. He figured that he would need to drink it slowly until it cooled down enough to drink quickly. The flavor was different than what he was used to, but he didn't hate it.

"Do you like it?" the mysterious man asked.

Dick nodded and swallowed the tea in his mouth. "I do."

The man nodded and knelt down in front of his at his level. "What is your name, young one?"

"Dick Grayson."

"What were you doing in the city by yourself, Dick Grayson?"

"My parents died, and I don't wanna go to the orphanage."

"That is unfortunate. I am sorry for your loss."

"What's your name?" Dick decided to ask, looking at the man with wide and teary eyes.

"That isn't important at the moment, but I assure you the time will come," the man assured, "First, I want to know more about you."

Dick tilted his head in confusion. "Why can't I know your name? You know mine."

"Because if I change my mind about you and you knew who I was, I'd have to kill you," he said threateningly, "So I'll only ask you this one more time, tell me about yourself."

Shivers ran down Dick's spine as he nodded. "What do you wanna know, mister?"

"Who were you before your parents perished?"

"I was the Boy Wonder for the Flying Graysons."

The man thought for a moment and nodded. "I think I've heard of you before. You are an acrobat, correct?"

"I was."

"You are a very talented young man."

Dick's face lit up. "Thank you!"

"I can sense that you have great potential." he complimented, "You are amazing as an acrobat, but I believe, with my help, you can become something much greater."

"Something greater? Like what?"

"Some one who can turn a city around. A leader." he encouraged, "A hero."

"You really think I can be a hero?"

"Oh, very much so." he grinned through his mask, "I can take you to my home, so you don't have to go to that orphanage, and train you to be someone no one will ever forget."

Dick nodded quickly. "I promise I'll be the best boy for you!"

"I know you will. But first, you'll need a new hero name. So tell me," he asked, "What is your name?"

"Uh..." Dick thought, remembering what his mom used to call him. "Robin?"

"Robin?" he thought and nodded with approval, "Alright, Robin." He offered him to shake his hand.

He looked at it then grabbed his hand.

He shook his hand and looked at him with slyness filling his mind. "You can call me Slade."

Chapter Two

[xandriagreat]

The Paw | chapter 12

First chapter | Last chapter | Next chapter 

Notice/Warnings: panic, almost death, fluff at the end

▪▪▪

There was panic in the city from the mind controled guinea pigs and the officers were trying to figure out what’s going on.

Chief Misty Luggins was pulling at her hair so much that some of the officers think that she’ll rip her hair off her head like a wig.

She was pacing in her office. 

She was trying to think of where Diane could have gone and she was waiting for Officer Redd, with Doctor Milton Park, to come back or call since they can’t reach her at the moment. 

“Chief!” an officer exclaimed as he opened the door. “Officer Ruby Redd is on a call!”

Chief looked at him. “She is?!”

The officer nodded and both went to where most of the officers were surrounding one of the desk telephones. 

“Ruby,” Chief called out to the phone, “are you and Doctor Park okay?”

“Yes, we’re okay.” Ruby said from the phone. “Everyone was telling me what’s been happening while we were off line going to the place.”

Chief nodded and started, “Okay. We need you to get back-”

“Oh, before I forget!” Ruby said, interrupting. “I got good news and bad news.”

Chief, interested, leaned over the phone and asked, “What’s the news?”

“Good news, Doctor Milton just told me that he isn’t just a survivor from ice, found out who stole the meteorite, and we found The Lost Girls!” 

Everyone started to cheer when they heard that while the Chief smiled, feeling that it was a dream becoming a reality. “Oh, that’s great news, Redd!” she exclaimed. “What’s the other news?”

There was silence on the phone, making everyone worried. “Redd?” Chief asked, worriedly.

“The bad news is... Chief… You're not going to believe who stole the meteorite when we come back... you also need to keep your deal to Foxington and keep your cool when I tell you this news.” Ruby said on the phone, finally after a bit. 

Chief was confused as she said, “Um… sure, I’ll try- wait, who’s Foxington?”

☆◇

When The Paw and The Bad Guys arrived at the electric fence of Marmalade's compound. Diane put the car in park and turned it off while Moe said, “When we get the meteorite, we will take it straight to the police.”

“And I’ll be somewhat forgiven.” Diane said, as she put her hood and mask up while The Bad Guys got their ski masks on. 

They got in the compound by going through the vents. When they got into the room where the meteorite was held. 

It was on a huge metal machine, which was on, giving out electricity and the signal. The machine was also connected to a computer. Everyone noticed that the small craters on the meteorite were glowing blue, like the mind controled guinea pigs’ eyes.

There were a lot of mind controled guinea pigs in the room, just chilling.

Before The Bad Guys and The Paw got the meteorite off of the machine, Pepe pointed at something in a corner of the room and said, “Hey, guys! Look!”

Everyone looked at what he was pointing at. 

It was the Golden Dolphin on a podium.

“Oh, that’s odd.” Diane said before she looked back at the meteorite again. 

The noises around Diane faded to her as she was focused to get her name cleared. She was pulled back into reality when she heard short screams and turned around to see all of The Bad Guys knocked out on the floor.

“Guys?!” Diane exclaimed as she ran over to them and tried to get them up. Then she heard footsteps approaching. 

Panicked, she ran off.

◇☆

When The Bad Guys woke up, their masks were off and they were tied up by rope and hanging upside down. Pepe was the only one with a rag over his mouth, so he couldn’t chew the restraints off.

They were glaring at Pepe, who got them knocked out by touching the trophy which gave an electric shock. 

“It turns out it was a trap.” Pepe said, flatly and muffled. 

“Ya think?” Lou and Stefanie said, both snappy.

“Why did you do that?” Herbert asked flatly, rolling his eyes.

“The pig didn’t deserve it!” Pepe yelled, still muffled.

Then there was a creepy chuckle and all five looked down to see Marmalade, dressed in a yellow gold jumpsuit and wearing some type of electric helmet with some buttons. 

“Well, well. I was expecting to see a different guest but it’s nice to see the Governor and his team.” Marmalade started, smiling at the five of them. “Or should I say The Bad Guys!”

All five were taken back and growled angrily at him, trying to wiggle free but the rope around them was tight. 

It caused Marmalade to chuckle, like it was a joke, as he pulled out Moe’s pocket watch  and said, “By the way, I was impressed by how you disguised the Five Unique Diamonds.” Marmalade got the five diamonds off of the watch, showing them off as he added, “Hiding them in plain sight.”

All five gave grimaces on their faces with the same thought: ‘We’re in big trouble.’

“Wait, how did you know that we were coming?” Moe asked, looking around confused. 

Marmalade smiled sinisterly as he put the diamonds in his suit pocket and said, “Oh, on the news talked about the jump of Diane’s transportation and I thought that she was coming for the meteorite or going to attack me after what happened.”

The Bad Guys stared at the Professor and then Lou asked, “I have a question, it’s about the flower of goodness talk. Was it all lies?”

Marmalade grinned evilly as he answered, “Yeah, pretty much. I never thought of what’s ‘good’ for others. Only what’s good for me! Like a million and billions of dollars!” Then Marmalade’s body shook from a shiver down his spine as he laughed. He started to leave the room when the doors opened and Cuddles stepped in. 

“Hey, wait!” Stefanie called out. Everyone looked at her as she asked, “Is your helmet’s light supposed to be blinking like that?”

Marmalade, confused, took off the helmet and looked at it. 

His helmet’s light was blinking quick. He sighed as he placed it back on his head and pressed one of the buttons, making the blinking stop. 

Before Marmalade left, he smiled and looked at Cuddles, who was by a dashboard with a lever. “Oh, Cuddles,” he started with a sweet tone then the tone became dark, “finish them.” Then the doors shut behind him.

Cuddles nodded, smiling darkly as he pushed down the lever, lowering The Bad Guys down. 

All five looked down and saw the floor open up and a lot of spinning blades, ready to shred them to pieces. They all screamed in fright as they struggled to free themselves from the restraints as they were lowered closer and closer to what seemed like their inevitable doom.

Then there was a loud THUNK, making everyone look up at the vents above. The loud thunking sounds continued until it stopped at the vent lid. 

Cuddles, curious, went under the vent lid to see what it was. Just as he did that, the vent lid was kicked off and landed on Cuddles hard, knocking him out. 

Then popped out from the vent was Diane, her hood and mask down.

The Bad Guys gasped, “Diane!”

“I got it.” the fox said, waving at them, her tail wagging. She quickly went to the dashboard lever and pulled it up, closing the door to the spinning blades just in time, saving the five of them.

The Bad Guys, relieved to be alive and happy to see her, finally get out of their restraints by hopping out of them or by Diane uniting the ropes. 

“You came back!” Moe exclaimed at Diane when everyone was out of their restraints. Diane smiled softly and replied, “I actually never left.”

The Bad Guys smiled and felt so grateful that they did something that surprised Diane. They pulled her into a hug.

Diane froze for a moment before she hugged them back, feeling happy and almost feeling tears in her eyes. 

After the hug, Diane said, "Alright, let's get the odd rock and go."

[alice-in-wonderart]

I have found your blog and I love it!! Good look with it! Can you do headcanons for pregnancy and post-delivery for the juniors? (I see you write about them, and I don't know which other characters you are comfortable to write for). Thnkx~

I write for right about all characters! The Nies, the Jiangs, the Wens, the Lans, even all of the Jins (except Jin Zixun he can go be mean somewhere else) + Yi City power characters are all characters I write for ✌️ (I may have missed a few names) That aside, thank you so much for reading my stuff! I'm glad you enjoy them ❤️❤️ Aside from having 0 time management skills, running such a blog is so much fun! Here is your request about the Juniors being...well- themselves.

Ouyang Zizhen

You're what now?

OYZZ.exe stopped working.

Then he realised three fundamental truths at the exact same time. (if u get the reference, bless ✌️ )

Once the realization of the situation hit, his eyes watered and a loud, yet emotional whail escaped his lips, before engulfing you in a big hug. He was going to be a dad! You two were going to have a baby. And then realization hit him again.

Shit. He was going to be a father. A father to a baby - his baby. That was a lot of responsibility he was about to take. A lot of work, a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of time and energy. Babies are hard.

And then realization hit him a third time. He was going to have an actual family with you. And you were the mother to his child. YOUR child. He almost couldn't believe it.

Cue OYZZ becoming 70 times more affectionate and careful. You want to go outside? By all means, but let your gentle lover accompany you. Just in case, y'know. You want something sweet? By all means, what kind of sweets does the queen desire? You need new clothes because of the baby bump? By all means, what kind of silk do you want? Colour? Pattern? Style? You want to sleep? 3, 5 or 50 pillows?

OYZZ is a walking panic bomb when it comes to your pregnancy. Conveniently, he also knows how to mostly hide said panic. But you being in pain, having morning sickness and and in general feeling off is not something he signed up for. So, he will dote over you as much as humanly possible.

But then judgement day arrived. And he was out of it. He somehow never considered the fact, that you were going to one day have to give birth to that baby.

You have never seen a more distressed looking man than OYZZ when he finally got the permission to see you. His eyes were puffy, his lips were quivering and he was so pale, he could easily pass for a corpse. It seemed as if he was the one giving birth, not you.

And he immediately dropped to his knees next to your bed, gently taking your hand in his. You were alive. You were alive and argueably healthy and that was what he needed to hear.

But then! In comes the medic, holding your child in pure white blankets, gently letting you take it. And the moment his eyes landed on that baby he knew, that his heart was stolen once more.

"Congratualtions! It's a girl."

Guess who is about to become "Daddy's little princess".

Jin Ling

"Hahahahahhahha. Funny. Oh wait, you're serious?!"

PaniK

What do you mean you're pregnant? When did that happen? When did you learn? How were you sure? Wait, you were how many months in?!

Give him time. It's not, that he isn't happy. He's just panicking like crazy. Of course, once the initial mental breakdown™️ wears off, he'd come up to you and give you the most emotional hug you've ever experienced. He'd hide his face in your hair, as he mumbled into you how incredibly grateful he actually is.

Now, as the Lanling Jin Sect's leader, of course it was expected of him to have an heir, so such news travelled quickly. Immediately this became the gossip of every household and ultimately led to you receiving a metric ton of gifts from all over the place. Jin Ling would also make sure you were living the most lavish, yet healthy lifestyle possible.

The truth is, he was utterly terrified. After all, he grew up without parents, lived only with his uncle and as a result was quite hot-tempered. More than anything, he wanted to be the best dad possible. He wanted his children to grow up in a loving family, with their parents next to them, with a mother to care for them and a father to teach them. And he was afraid whether he was capable of even being a good father. But of course, you knew he was going to be the best father in the world.

Now, speaking of hot-tempered, Jin Ling honestly would throw more hissy fits than you. In fact, he'd get more mood swings than you too. In fact, even when pregnant, you're the calm one. Because if you think he's snappy and over-protective of you usually, wait 'till you see him once he learns you're pregnant. Hoo boy.

He was at work, dealing with the pressures of leading a sect when one of Lanling's servants hurriedly burst into the room, giving him the news that made his tough guy act crumble in seconds - his wife was giving birth.

At the time, he was surrounded by now Sect Leader Lan Sizhui, (idk it's a hc), Nie Huaisang and of course - his uncle, who all ushered him to go see you. Thus, he stormed out, running towards the nursery like his life depended on it.

"What do you mean I can't enter yet, my WIFE is in there." You haven't seen scary until you've seen Jin Ling, amidst an utter mental breakdown, being held down by a few nurses, trying desperately to stop him from going in.

Once they DID let him in, he'd be by your side in 0.001 seconds, only to see you holding not one, but two babies.

"A-Ling, look. They're twins. Say hello to papa, little ones." For once, Jin Ling didn't mind the tears that began falling from his eyes, as he gently held one of his two sons in his embrace. Perhaps, being a father wouldn't be that bad after all. Not with you by his side.

Lan Jingyi

*dramatic gasp*

For once the loud, wild Jingyi was left speechless, unmoving, utterly starstruck by the news. He'd never admit it, but for a while he'd been dreaming of having a family with you. So, when you told him the news, his heart skipped a beat. His dream was coming true.

And then, with the biggest smile on his face, he'd lift you up, carrying you to your now shared room, stating how you shouldn't strain yourself and how he'd take care of everything you need.

"Er-gege, I'm only 3 months in, it's barely noticeable yet, I can take care of myself."

Denial.

Lan Jingyi will be there for you at the cost of right about everything, even if it meant breaking Lan's rules, much to yours and everybody's dismay. Macho man™️ will protect his darling flower. What he wasn't ready for was how complicated pregnancy actually is.

Whenever you're more moody, he'd be quick to anger as well, so small and pointless arguments wouldn't be uncommon. But for every little argument, there is also a sleepless night where he'd cuddle you, whenever your stomach would hurt, or you'd feel uncomfortable.

Now Lan Jingyi is a cool dad. He is a cool dad before he is officially a dad. Whenever you two are alone, lying in bed, he'd lean in to rest a hand on your stomach. And he'd always give a happy yelp whenever he felt his little one move. And gosh, how much he'd talk to the baby. He'd tell your stomach stories of his great adventures, he'd joke around and believe me, he's planned every family outing for next 10 years.

Absolutely everybody thought it was going to be a boy. Ouyang Zizhen and Jin Ling even bet on it, OYZZ being ABSOLUTELY sure it would be a boy.

Giving birth was a whole new adventure. He'd wake up much too early for his liking with you frantically shaking him awake.

"The baby is coming." "Who's coming?" "The baby." "THE BABY?!"

Cue, Lan Jingyi losing his damn mind. He'd be up and running in a blink of an eye, casually scaring the medics and waking up the entire Cloud Recess in his hurry. Don't run in Cloud Recess? He's not running. He's SPRINTING. Do not shout in Cloud Recess? He's not shouting, he's SCREECHING. Do not speak out of turn? FOR GOD'S SAKE MY BABY IS COMING. And he'd be like that the entire time, until he's allowed to see you. He'll write the rules a thousand times if he has to later. He won't, Lan aren't heartless.

Seeing his healthy little baby, he was right about ready to pass out. He almost didn't hear you joking how your little girl was a loud crier and was about to be just as wild as her dad.

" Wait. It's a girl? We have a little girl!" Cue Ouyang Zizhen screaming in misery, as Jin Ling victoriously smirks his way.

Lan Jingyi on the other hand couldn't have been happier.

Lan Sizhui

QWQ

"This is the best day of my life, I can't believe we're going to have our own family!"

With a bright smile, he'd pull you in for a sweet kiss, shaking with excitement. Honestly, he'd have the best reaction out of all the Juniors. He's a family guy, who gets to witness true love everyday around his fathers, so having a child of his own with you was one of his long-term goals. He was old enough and wise enough to be absolutely ready to embark on an adventure through fatherhood.

Lan Sizhui would be so loving and gentle with you. You'd have him wrapped around your finger, he'd respond to your every beg and call. He'd minimize any work-related travelling to make sure he could be as close to you as possible.

When he wasn't there, he'd assign his cultivation partner and trusty bestie Lan Jingyi to take care of you and look after you. Did you necessarily need it? No. But you understood his worry, so you let him be.

He'd be there for you when you were feeling down, through your mood swings, morning sickness. He never complained, never fought with you, never gave you anything short of his unconditional love.

In fact, he was so SO compassionate, that he'd get pregnancy cravings WITH you. Nothing like the two of you, sitting awake at 2 am, (uncommon for him) eating chocolate-covered cucumbers and apricots.

Similarly to Lan Jingyi, everybody were already 100% sure the two of you would have a little girl. With Sizhui's sweet soft-spoken behavior and big warm heart, having a little gentle flower to spoil rotten seemed like the obvious outcome.

Lan Sizhui, on the other hand, refused to give into all of those "what ifs". Only time could tell. Besides, he'd be just as happy and proud no matter what gender the baby would be.

With his careful planning and skillful avoidance of any travelling, thankfully he was there when the due date was up. On the outside, he remained as calm as physically possible, but oh, on the inside it was a storm. Few could see through his façade, but by the trembling of his fingers, discreet chewing on the inside of his lip and eyes darting all around him, his true feelings came to light.

And when he finally got to see you, you've never seen him more unlike himself. With a worried expression and hasty movements he'd make his way to you, trembling hand reaching out to cup your face. He'd leave a gentle kiss on your forehead, before turning to the newborn in your hands.

"Sizhui. Say hi to your son."

A single tear rolled down his face, carrying the weight of all of his love in it. One look at his child and his heart was pierced by a million arrows. At that very moment he vowed, that he'd protect this child with all he's got, teach him all he knows and love him with all of his heart.

Thank you for reading~

[yandere-mha-blog]

Chapter 9: Test

words: 2257

The news story about U.A having a false alarm quickly died down as you were changing your bandaids, this isn't how you thought life on the run would be, why was it so boring, still not like you could do much while you were healing, Hawks was out doing who knows what, and you looked down at your thumb, still black and blue. You had rummaged through all his stuff the only thing you found weird was an endeavor plush that was stuffed in his pillowcase.

Finally, Hawks came back, he opened the window and stepped in

“Heyo i'm back,” he said

“I can see that,” you said

“Hey what's with the snappy remark?” HAwks asked

“I am bored, what else is there to say, you left me in here with nothing to do, meanwhile you can fly around all you want,” you said crossing your arms and glaring him down

“Sorry sorry, here I got you a gift.” Hawks said handing you a box, you shrugged and opened it up to see a glove, well it sorta looked like a glove, there was a place for it to wrap around your wrist, and your left thumb, you decided to try it on.

“Okay now flex your fingers like you usually do.” Hawks said and you did, and your long-lost thumb talon came out with your other fingers.

“Oh wow.” you said looking at it “Is this my talon?”

“Yup, I found it and got a broker to make it, I also got you a few other things if you are going to go out with me.” HE said handing you night visors, a thick jacket, and nonslip boots, and a belt for some weird reason.

“I can understand everything else but why a belt?” You asked

“OH easy, there are two ports where I can put my feathers in, so I'm not yanking you out with your shirt, also here is a book.” HAwks said handing you a medical book

“Oh thanks, but I already read this,” you said

“Drat.” HAwks said, so anyway get dressed in your new rags, we are heading out, you said you were bored right.”

“Finally.” you thought

“The break out of a college student from the Hero public safety commission with the help of the high-rank VIllain nighthawk has no new updates, if you have any information please contact the HPSC we asked a couple of her classmates and this is what they had to say.”

“I mean she was always very quiet and attentive with her work, never would have thought she would do something like this.”

“I didn't really notice her that much, she never really talked to the other class members.” “I just invited her out to drink one night and next thing I know she is being arrested.”

Your dad turned off the tv and sighed to himself, he never would've thought that any of this would happen, it really did come out of nowhere. Still, he knew you and he knew the HPSC, truth be told he always thought you would make a good hero but after the loss of his wife and your mom he never wanted that life for you, so he was more than relieved when you never showed any interest in becoming one yourself. Still, the fact that now this was where you were in your life just made him even more on edge, he just hoped you were safe where you were.

And right now you were on top of a building looking down at the people walking around, some were drunk and happy, where others were drunk and toppling over and vomiting on the side of the alley wall. Some high school girls were out late and came out of an arcade holding a new stuft animal and looked happy, while some guy who was holding a bunch of gacha capsules looked pissed off.

Oh, the duality of humans.

“So how are you enjoying the nightlife?” hawks asked, as you pressed your hand against your chin and kept looking down

“Hmm I'm just people watching.” you said “Beats doing an all-nighter before a test, but why are we up here again?”

“Good question.” Hawks said leaning over the side and placing a hand on your head and turning it towards a man “That's why we are here.”

“What about him?”

“I have been getting information on this guy for a while, he is well, why else would I be tailing him.” Hawks said

“Just looks like an overworked businessman.” you said “but looks can be deceiving.”

“Yup, he is overworked to the point where he makes other people's problems, he got off with a slap of the wrist after attacking a middle school student, and well you were people watching those two girls right, look who is he following.”

You looked ahead and sure enough there they were laughing amongst themself as they were taking turns squeezing the stuft animal they won, now some random guy was coming to ruin their night, it was crowded, but the fact the girls had already made four left turns and the man was still about ten feet behind them was concerning, the two of them were just looking at the different shops, window shopping. Then the two waved as one of the girls held a cab and the other walked in the other direction towards the train station, and there was the man following her.

“So what are we going to do?” you asked,Hawks just gave you a pat on the shoulder

“I think you mean what are you going to do?”

“Me?” you asked “But I have not fought anyone, well I have but not like this, what if he overpowers me, You saw how easily Akio was able to overpower me.”

“You got nothing to worry about, think of this as a test run.” Hawks said as you followed him through the top of the buildings, he had two feathers and each side of your belt that was in a compartment so flying around was getting easier since he was basically piloting you around the area “And besides if the situation gets out of control I'll swoop in and handle the rest.

You nodded your head, still, he did look like an out of shape middle-aged man, you walked down the fire escape and waited for the man to walk by, Hawks gave a thumbs up and sent a few of his feathers into the man's back shoving him into the ally way and into a brick wall, he was all yours now.

“What the...what happens, who are you?” the man asked

“That doesn't matter,” you said as you flexed your right hand your talons shooting out the man backed up

“Hey look, I don't want any trouble.” He said, “I'll hand it over okay.” “I'm not interested in your money.” you said ‘i saw you stalking that girl what were you planning on doing to her.”

“I- I wasn't stalking anyone,” he said as you raised your hand and slashed his chest

“I hate liars.” you said as he held his now open wound, now tell me what were you planning.”

The man was just gasping, you didn't even cut him that deep, just a warning scratch, what a baby, Hawks was looking down, you looked hesitant would you kill him or let him go after roughing him up a bit, he placed a hand on his chin and continued to watch.

“I'm telling you I wasn’t doing anything-” he said before you gave him a swift kick to the chest causing him to fall on his back, you loomed over him “Please just let me go.”

“No, you won't learn your lesson, you hurt women with your hands so you don't need them anymore,” you said grabbing his wrist and pressing your fingers to the wrist before flexing your nails, bones could heel, tendons and ligaments were harder. The man cried out in pain as someone stopped and looked down the ally way

“Hero, we need a hero down here!” the person yelled as you let go, leaving the man on the floor and hawks using his feathers to fly you back up and the two of you getting out of the scene of the crime as you hawks gave you a thumbs up.

“So what exactly did you do to him?” he asked

“Hm oh simple I cut his tendons and ligaments that connect to control hand movement, see bones can easily be fixed, but tendons and ligaments once they are slashed it's really hard to get them working again if you aren't a hero with the top medical practitioners in the region.”

“Huh smart, I would have just cut his hands off, like your idea though,” Hawk said as he picked you up from under your arm and lifted off

“This is very effective, using the two on your sides is cool but this takes less work.” Hawks said as you grabbed the sides of his arm and looked down at the city till he landed on a building far away from the scene of the crime, he pulled out a napkin and started whipping the blood off your hands “still I think this partnership is going to work out just fine.”

“You think so.” you said,” still hawks I have a question, what is your real name?”

“Whatcha mean my real name, just call me Hawks.” he said

“...but Nighthawk is what the commission calls you, I call you hawks because saying Nighthawk is just ridiculous to say every time, you do have a name right?”

“Hawks is a good name for now.” He said as he perched himself by the side of the building “you came up with that name so ill use that.”

“But...okay I can tell you don't want to tell me.” you said, “you sure are secretive.”

“Add that mysterious charm to me, don't you think?” he said, “your charm is your smart wit, glad to see you're not wasting it anymore.”

“Thanks?” you said, “still, I can't help but feel sad.”

“Sad?” Hawks said, “Why are you feeling sad?”

“My dad mostly... can't get him out of my head, he is most likely shocked and worried and upset, i mean who wouldn't be.”

“Ah come on Chickadee, I'm sure your dad isn't upset.” Hawks said

“How would you know?” you asked

“Well mostly I left a feather in the house, he is mostly worried you are going to get hurt.” Hawks said

“You put a what in his house,” you said

“A feather I can kinda hear people talking through them if I really focus, mostly through vibrations.” HAwks said

“Like how an eardrum work,” you said, and hawks nodded

“Yes, like that.” Hawks said patting you on the head with a wing and pulling you in closer “We have a lot of work to do, I'm sure the HPSC is still on the lookout for you and I am not about to let someone else get in there grubby little mitts.”

“HAwks, why do you hate them so much?” you asked, he sighed

“Well guess I can tell you this story.” Hawks said, “See my dad was an assassin for hire and one day got caught, man I was so happy that he was gone, my mom wasn't, we had to go on the run, she had me steal things for our survival, one day when I was walking back to see her, I saw a crash about to happen, so I used my feathers to save everyone, but then the HPSC got a hold of the incident and started looking for us even harder, my mom was upset and she...well I wasn't any use to her, so she just tossed me to the side, so I had to fend for myself that day on and evading them, the more I ran the more I saw how messed up they were, seeing them go down was the thing that was making me keep going each day.” Hawks said

“You never saw your mom after that?” you asked

“She tried looking for me, once she learned that they would have paid her a great sum of money if they could take me in, she tried to help them find me, never did, I almost turned myself in for her, but I kept remembering her words when she shoved me away.”

“What did she say?”

“I don't need you anymore, what good are you if you aren’t of use to me, what makes you think i would want a brat like you around now that the whole damn HPSC is looking for you.” Hawks said as his wings dropped, you walked over and pet them

“I'm sorry you had to hear that from your own mother.” you said as his wings got puffier “Not every parent deserves a child.”

“I'm...okay now, I've been preoccupied with life and all.” Hawks said, “I just want to see a world where there isn’t a real need for organizations like the HPSC to exist, maybe one where heroes can just relax, and where good people can just relax.”

“Well I'll be here to help see that though,” you said

“Thanks, partner, I'm glad to have someone next to me for this.”Hawks said, pushing his night glasses up and taking in the bright lights of the city, with you next to his side.

[inkrabbit]

Even if I Die Tonight - Snippet

I have 2 other snippets I've worked on, but I'm deciding to post this one. Maybe I'll post the others, maybe not. They might not be the same when I actually get to them in the story, but this is the idea/premise I have for it now.

Summary: This takes place right after Dan loses a fight with a stronger criminal, only to be saved by Richard.

Word count: 1,727

@rentheisopod @kukukape @luciewarrenx3

He's out of breath, clothes sticking to his body. The old fire inside of him is slowly going out and he's so tempted to just give up right here. The laughter that was once so faint is right behind him, heavy footsteps walking around so the man stands before him, clicking his tongue.

“Aw, poor little Irish,” The blade of the ax comes to rest on his shoulder, and a chill crawls up his spine. He feels the man trail it over his jacket, the tip making contact with the base of his neck before sliding it up and trailing through his hair. He can't respond, too exhausted to form the words. Moving the ax so it's back to resting on his shoulder, Vincent crouches down, smiling at him. “You really are stupid, ain't ya? Followed her around blindly. Didn't even check to see if you were her bait.”

He doesn't want to hear him anymore. His eyes slip shut, and he tries to focus on anything other than the weapon that's still close by his neck. He tries to think of the group, his family, his little brother. But it only scares him more. What would happen to all of them? He was sure DedSec would continue on, but he couldn't imagine how his family would react. He was terrified of leaving Sam alone.

“Look at me!” The command is enough to bring him back to reality, and he winces when Vincent grabs his face, forcing him to look up. The man is looking him over, a wicked grin on his face. “Ya know, I think red is your color.”

He gathers the blood in his mouth, spitting it into the criminal's face. It's enough to make him recoil, releasing his grasp and shoving him back. The wind is knocked out of him when his back makes contact with the floor, and the lights hanging above are blinding. He supposed this was it, hearing Vincent let out a string of insults. The ax scrapes against the ground, and his heart picks up when he doesn't hear it anymore. Tired hazel eyes stare up at the man, weapon resting against his shoulder as he towers over him. It's when he hears that familiar click in the distance that hope surges through him.

“Ya should've saw the warning signs,” Vincent sneers, readying himself to strike. With the last of his strength, Dan forces himself to turn at the last second, the ax coming down with a force that shakes the surrounding ground, implanting itself in the floor and he can't help but flinch violently. Vincent's low growl is cut off by the sharp sound of Rabbit's old rifle, and he hears the bullet rip through the man. Another shot rings out, and when he hears the man finally fall to the ground, he lets out a shaky breath he didn't realize he had been holding in. Still, he can't bring himself to roll back over or even get up. He feels so weak, and it looks like his vision is getting darker.

He perks up at the sound of footsteps, hissing when a hand grips his shoulder and rolls him onto his back. Richard towers over him, the rifle slung over his shoulder as he admires the cuts and gashes that decorate his body. A scoff escapes his lips.

“Look at you,” he sighs, kneeling beside him as he starts to undo his tie. “Even with eight years of military training, you let some brute get the better of you. I would've expected more from someone who excelled in hand-to-hand combat.”

Dan rolls his eyes, pushing the man back and groaning as he uses the last of his strength to sit up. It's a lot harder than he thought it would be, his body throbbing and on fire. If it wasn't for Richard gently pushing his upper back, he wouldn't have made it. The tie is wrapped around his bicep, covering the deep gash he had received from the ax catching him.

“Yes, I've read over your file,” he continues, “Why exactly did you assault your lieutenant?”

“'Cause he was a cunt?” His reply is bitter and snappy, the memories of his lieutenant being enough to reignite that fire inside of him and give him the extra strength he needed to finally stand up. Richard helps him still, pulling his arm so it's around his shoulders as he hooks his own arm around his waist. “Used to get off on kickin' around the homeless. One day, I just... snapped.”

“Nearly killed him, too,” he adds on. They're slowly starting to walk out of the compound, Richard stopping anytime the man needed a moment to collect himself. Once past the high brick walls, they finally stop. Dan leans against the wall, sliding down and sitting on the ground. He feels exhausted, his eyes starting to droop. Richard moves beside him, crouching down and sitting on the balls of his shoes.

“Bastard would've deserved it,” Dan breathes out, staring absentmindedly at the treeline before them. “Thought I had killed him, when someone managed to pull me off. Couldn't recognize the fucker's face when I was done.”

Silence falls between them for a bit, and it's enough to coax Dan into letting his eyes slip shut. The cool breeze sends a shiver up his spine, washing over the blood that's drying against his skin. Hearing the leaves rustle in the distance, it's all so calming. He's so tired, and the peacefulness of the world around them is enough to lull him into slumber.

“Come on,” Richard's firm tone is enough to bring him back to reality, the man once more helping him up and forcing him to walk. He blinks his eyes open a few times, lids heavy and sticky from the blood that's covered his face. “What was your home life like?”

“Me home life?” he repeats, glancing over to look at him. “With me family and all that shite?”

“Yes, your family,” Ah, he knows what he's doing now. A small smile spreads across his face, letting out a soft chuckle. “Do you have any siblings?”

“Little brother, Sam,” he confesses, “Haven't talked to him much after... well-”

“I understand,” He seems to know what he's trying to describe, and he notes how the man's lips purse in disgust. “What about your parents?”

“Hate me da,” Dan grumbles, his own smile falling at the thought of the man. “Always fought with him. Heh, he used to put cigarettes out on me when I was a kid. Didn't stop until I got old enough to fight back.”

“Christ. No wonder you're the way you are,” Maybe he was right. It was no secret to Dan that his childhood wasn't the most joyful. He had often found himself hiding away in his room when he was younger, desperate to escape his father's wrath. “Suppose we're just... different people. I had my fair share of abuse as a child myself.”

“Oh?” Now this was a surprise. Dan always assumed Richard had the perfect little family everyone dreams of. The white picket fence and the loving, doting parents that you find in those cliché movies.

“My mother was... well, she left much to be desired,” he grumbles, those dark eyes cast down to the ground as they walk down the path. How far were they exactly from London? Maybe a five minute walk? Would he last until then? “My father died when I was fourteen, and she just got worse. Always made me feel like I wasn't enough, so I studied more to prove her wrong. Deprived myself of a social life in order to graduate with honors.”

“At least ya did better than me,” he laughs. The talking actually helps. He's able to focus on something other than the searing pain that's coursing through his body. “Dunno how I graduated. Would go out every night, just to get away from me da. Got in so much trouble.”

“What was Ireland like?” A soft hum reverberates in his throat as he thinks.

“Beautiful,” he breathes, “Me brother and I used to go hiking a few times a week. Swim in the lake nearby, anything to get out of the house. Used to stay out all night.”

“Do you miss it?”

“Yeah, every day. But... London needs me.”

“You seem very ambitious to help the city.”

“'Course. You've seen all the shite that's going on.”

“Yes, I have. And I know we have very differing views.”

He can hear the ambiance of the city now, that familiarity washing over him. He focuses on keeping his eyes open as he walks, listening to the soft bustling of London that slowly grows louder as they get closer. All he wants is to go home, lay down and fall asleep. But with how Richard keeps jerking him around here and there, he assumes he won't be able to rest anytime soon.

“I suppose we're even now. My life for yours and all that,” Richard finally says softly, “Though, I do suppose I did more work than you. Got my hands dirty and killed a man, whereas you just opened my cell.”

“Ah, shut it, Rich,” He didn't want to hear that snide attitude as the man led him back into the city. A soft chuckle rings out, but it doesn't last long before it's cut off abruptly.

“That's... the first time you've used my name,” Had it been? He supposed he was right. He hadn't spoken much to the man, and he had even referred to him by his last name when he unlocked the cell in the safehouse. A soft huff escapes Dan's lips.

“Well, guess we're on first name basis now,” he jokes. It's getting harder to stay awake now, and he's stumbling here and there. He can feel Richard pull at him, trying to keep him upright, grumbling softly. Was it about how heavy he was getting? Even if he wanted to know, he can't ask. His knees buckle beneath him and he falls forward, feeling his arm slip away from the man's shoulders. The world around him goes black as he hits the sidewalk.

[skinks]

I had a REALLY intense beatles phase in my late teens and i had the hots for paul mccartney and one time i found this story where this woman said she met paul at a party in 65 and he took her home and they talked until the sun came up and then he got a call telling him to come to the studio and he started to say he had to leave and she was like "not before you fuck me" and he laughed and then he DID and he left her alone in his house after and she stole his underwear (1/2)

(which she kept for decades until her husband threw them into their muddy front yard one day in a fit of jealousy) and a teapot and it always made me absolutely FERAL with jealous horny rage and like?? just this incredulous feeling of How On Earth Did That Really Happen and anyway bill hader’s dumpster mattress one night stand story is my new version of that (2/2)

The fucking journey this just took me on, holy shit. Did she at least get to keep the teapot?

I love that you had an intense teenage horny phase for a Beatle, I had one for Bob Dylan and I remember watching one of his electric era tour documentaries and being HORRIBLY jealous of the 60s girls hanging around outside his hotel... anyway that’s besides the point

I UNDERSTAND!!!!! THE MATTRESS STORY HAUNTS ME.... Bhader knows what he’s doing, he can try to couch it in as much self-deprecating oh-I’m-just-an-awkward-nerd fronting as he likes but he KNOWS what he’s doing and that woman knew it too. You ever notice how it’s the most competent ones who don’t feel the need to loudly prove themselves by being anything other than humble?? What did he SAY in that club! “It was going well,” he says, what does that MEAN, BILL, what did he fuckjfdkjcnnfkcning do that convinced this woman to leave the club, go to her place, lift a bed onto a car, go to HIS place and move furniture when she was literally moving to a new city the next day all so sHE COULD FUCK HIMMMM HOW IS HIS GAME THAT GOOD I FEEL LIKE A CHARACTER IN AN EDGAR ALLEN POE STORY BEING SLOWLY DRIVEN MAD BY THIS UNANSWERED MYSTERY

Ok sorry, I’m back. This is making me want to read a fic where (before they get together) Eddie watches an old interview of Richie telling the mattress story and he’s a seething ball of jealousy too. Then Richie comes out, he and Eddie sort their shit and get together, and one day Eddie laughingly comments that he had no reason to be jealous after all since Richie was obviously making the story up.

Richie looks at him weirdly. “I didn’t make up—that story did actually happen, Eds, I only changed it so people thought I went home with a chick.”

They are lying in bed. Eddie’s eye starts twitching. “Pardon?”

“Yeah?” Richie stretches, draping his right arm over his own head to scratch his left ear. Eddie will not be distracted by his chest right now, what the fuck. Richie squints at the ceiling. “I think his name was... Marco, or something. At least, that’s the name he gave to quote unquote Chris.”

“Marco, okay. Huh.”

“I wanted to be Lance or something cool, but my friend said I inhabited Chris better, I dunno. I didn’t even tell him why I needed a fake name, he was just like, big into method.”

“Yeah, mhmm.” Eddie sits up, nodding. He can’t stop nodding. His head feels like a champagne cork fizzing at the top of his spine. “So you, you uh—you were such a fucking player in your plaid and your baggy jeans that, that, that were the only things you even owned back then, Rich—don’t try to deny, it I’ve seen the pictures—that you convinced some guy who was moving town the next fucking day—”

Richie’s eyebrows shoot upwards. It makes his eyes look rounder, more delighted. ���Convinced? Eddie—”

Eddie can’t stop, twisting the sheets in his hands til his knuckles go white. “Yes, convinced, you convinced him to go pick up some dirty mattress right off the street with a complete stranger even though you always make such a big deal about how awkward and nervous and repressed you were, you still, you still—”

“I was probably on molly or something at the time, man.” Richie’s beaming up at him. He pokes Eddie in the arm. Eddie feels how tense the muscle is, and fights to relax. “I’m kidding, at worst it was just a little tipsy driving. A little Wacky Races. Just call me Dick Bastardly.” Richie grins at his own dumbass joke, poking Eddie some more. “And it wasn’t just the mattress by the way, it was the whole bed. That’s a key detail. Headboard and everything.”

“The headboard?!” Eddie tries not to yell, but it comes out louder than he means to anyway. More of a shriek, embarrassingly. He lurches around in place to glare at their own flat bar of wood behind them. He holds onto that thing! It supports him, even when Richie’s fucking him into the wall!

Betrayal is neverending today, apparently. Eddie turns his glare onto Richie, who is laughing. “Stop laughing!”

“Your face,” Richie gasps. He covers his own face, then changes tack and yanks Eddie down over him to cackle into his flaming-hot throat. “What’s the problem! You’re acting like this is the same fucking bed, oh my god, you think I haven’t at least changed my mattress since I lived like a—like a Beavis and Butthead parody in Westwood, fifteen years ago?”

Eddie squirms miserably. Not even Richie’s broad nakedness against his can salvage this, he’s well and truly destroyed their sweet afterglow with his stupid overreaction. Feels like being fifteen again, ruining clubhouse hangouts with his snappy sulking as soon as Richie mentioned some girl at school. “No! No, obviously fucking not, just. I dunno.”

He doesn’t really deserve the gentle tease in Richie’s voice. “What don’t you know?”

“I don’t know!”

And that’s the part he hates most.

“Okay, okay. I think I do. Jesus, you’re actually jealous,” Richie breathes. He bites his lip, the way he does when he’s so happy about something he’s making a real effort not to talk over it. He’s still a little sweaty and pink from their Friday night activities, bedraggled hair and no glasses. The expression always scrunches his left eye into a full squint, something Eddie finds so helplessly appealing he can’t imagine what it’s like to watch that interview and not feel jealous.

Eddie grunts, shrugs as best he can under Richie’s heavy hug. Fucking Marco.

Richie’s hand is firm on the back of his neck. There’s pressure from his thumb at one point of Eddie’s jaw, the soft part between ear and bone that has him gulping open for Richie’s low murmur, “Eddie baby, don’t be jealous.” Their mouths meet and Eddie sighs into the slick warmth of it, feeling grateful and abashed and idiotic all at once.

They separate with a little snick of spit. Richie lids his eyes open just a touch, looking drowsy with affection. Eddie lowers his forehead to Richie’s shoulder and speaks to his collarbone. “I just—I hate it when you act like people are just doing you a favor for, for liking your shit or fucking going home with you when clearly it was—you’re fucking hot, Rich, and, and sexy when you’re not trying to be, and you were hot back then too, but you still act like it was a miracle anyone wanted to even touch you when I—I always would’ve picked the stupid dirty bed up off the street too. For you. And I wouldn’t’ve moved town the day after. So.”

Richie doesn’t speak for a moment. There is a cloud above their shared, clean bed, implicit with shared memory of all the times they dirtied each other’s sheets with grass stains and grubby feet, chip crumbs and even tears, just once, just before Eddie really did move town and forgot all the things he cared about so much more than he ever cared about getting sick.

He would never leave again though, is his point. Richie always seems to know what he means before Eddie does. He tries to think it loud enough, brings his hand up blindly to Richie’s face and strokes back his hair, not because Richie is a mind reader, but because he knows what it means that Eddie has never wanted to touch someone else like this.

Eddie’s spine then, curving under Richie’s knuckles like brushing a shiver along a set of wind chimes. His hand lands on Eddie’s tailbone, an X marks the spot that still throbs with loosened heat and pleasure from his orgasm. Lying on your front is bad for your posture.

I’m not lying on my front, Eddie thinks, with a little of the vicious defiance he doles out to that cloying voice sometimes, the one that tries to ruin quiet moments with its fretting. I’m lying on Richie’s. He’s good for my posture. He’s gonna snap my spine back into place and this time I’ll let him touch me.

Richie presses their temples together, small-voiced. “I guess... I find most of the flattery shit hard to believe. I didn’t like myself or the stuff I was making, so I’d automatically assume they were lying, y’know? If I agree it implies I believe them, which makes me feel like some giant, arrogant dick—don’t say it.” He pats Eddie on the ass. “But, on the other hand, if I think I’m somehow important enough for people to lie to, that’s kind of an arrogant dick move too.”

Eddie pushes up to eyeball him. “Even with sex? That’s so fucking dumb.”

This second ass-pat is harder, more of a stinging smack. Richie’s guarded look coils into a grin again at Eddie’s bared-teeth hiss. “I never said it wasn’t.”

“Well, I mean, what do you think it meant that fucking Marco—” Richie snorts at the projectile venom burning acidic holes through Eddie’s voice, “—was clearly willing to catch fleas or goddamn tetanus just to fuck you? What about me? You think I’m pretending it’s good just to encourage your weird, unnecessary inferiority thing? ”

“No, you’re right,” Richie laughs. His snorts have bubbled into full-blown giggles now as he squints down at the mess between their stomachs. “That’s pretty hard evidence you’re providing there, Eds.”

Getting harder too, rubbed up against the soft crease of Richie’s hip. Eddie can feel the lingering red throb of heat on his ass, like closing his eyes and still catching the gold-coin flash of the sun branded on the inside of his eyelids. Richie digs his blunt nails into the stung tenderness of his skin and gently pulls Eddie’s asscheeks open. He feels Richie’s quickened breathing against his wet mouth, and wonders how to ask for another spank in a way that isn’t gonna make him want to enter witness protection afterwards.

“I can’t believe you were jealous, you’re the last guy in the world who needs to be jealous,” Richie moans. Eddie feels the vibration of it on his tongue, now sucking on the knot of Richie’s adam’s apple. “Wait, can you really get tetanus from abandoned street beds?”

“Ugh!” Eddie bites him there and pulls off slowly, sucking so the stubbled skin of Richie’s strong throat is released from his mouth’s suction with a wet pop. Richie’s hips flex against him. “I almost wish this was the same fucking bed just so I had something to throw out into the yard!”

“O-ooh, how telenovela of you, I like it.”

Oh Christ, Eddie has to put some kinda stop to this before Richie starts speaking Spanish. He needs to last. He needs to beat Marco. “I’ll throw you out with it,” he says, too breathy and honest for anywhere else but here. “Trashmouth. Sweetheart.”

Richie’s face is flushed, eyes dark and desperate. He grips at Eddie’s ribs so hard Eddie feels them bending. “Dumpster diver.”

Eddie rolls his hips down, plants his palms on either side of Richie, shoves them under the pillows. He braces his elbows hard into Richie’s shoulders and grinds their sweaty foreheads together, but whatever aggression there is within him is softened by his catapulting heartbeat, harmonising with his own laughter. With Richie’s, always.

“Nah, ‘fraid the only thing left to remember that half-night stand with Marco is, well.” Richie looks down between them again, eyes almost crossed. “It’s me. My dick, more specifically.”

Eddie can feel as much. Another wave of possessiveness froths through him, crackling in the pockets of his joints, feels like cartoon steam whistling out his ears. “It better not be half-standing because it remembers anything about fucking Marco,” he snarls.

Richie raises his hands in a down boy gesture. It shifts his arms and shoulders in the way that sometimes makes Eddie wish he were a door, just so Richie could ram him open, and so he pins Richie’s wrists to the bed instead.

“Please don’t throw my dick out into the yard, babe,” Richie says.

“Gonna give you something to remember this fucking bed by,” Eddie says, and slides down Richie’s body to do just that.

[fortheloveoffanfic]

Protective Service

John Wick x Reader (A/n-random fact, in reality, The Irish is actually from the West, i.e, they’re called the Westies, but this is fiction so *shrugs*)

Masterlist   Chapter 1   Chapter 2   Chapter 3  Chapter 4  Chapter 5

Warnings- Tension?

Chapter 6 Jealousy And Other Sharp Objects

A week has passed, and things between John and Y/n had gone back to the way they used to be, as if she hadn't opened up to him, in a way she usually didn't to anyone, as if they hadn’t seen each other in a light that would blur the lines of what they were. Of course, the apathy exchanged immediately afterwards should have been telling enough, and for the most part, it was, at least for the first four or five days. It hadn’t even bothered John until, late one night, when he was heading to Y/n’s home office for confirmation on a work matter.

He was just walking up the hall, hands slipped coolly into his pocket and a file wedged between his arm and his side, almost near the door when it opened. He was wholly expecting Y/n, and was a little taken aback, even if he didn’t show it, when Donavan walked out instead, buttoning his wrinkled white dress shirt and blazer draped over his crooked elbow as he nudged the door closed behind himself. Both men brushed past each other hastily, not wanting to share the same square footage for longer than absolutely necessary and an irrational wave of jealousy surged up in him. Reaching the door, John could even hear Y/n shuffling around, probably just getting dressed. Still though, he knocked.

It took a minute, but eventually her voice rang through, cool and unaffected as she permitted, “Come in.” Drawing in a sharp breath, John pulled the door open, not sure if he should keep looking or turn away when he caught her in the midst of pulling on her thin chiffon blouse. She wasn’t half as exposed as she was during their shared evening in the kitchen, but there was something about knowing that Y/n had just been with someone else that made it seem wrong for John to look. Though he didn’t have much time to think on the matter for the minute she’d finished fiddling with the stylish ruffles at the neckline, Y/n moved to lean against the lip of her desk, breaking John’s thoughts as she ran her fingers through sex mused hair, “What do you want?”

Unable to keep the edge of unwarranted envy to himself, John lounged on the leather upholstered sofa kept against the wall, setting the file next to him before leaning back and crossing one ankle over his knee, “Does he know?” Nonchalantly, he nudged his head towards the door.

Her reaction wasn’t what he expected and Y/n quirked a mischievous smirk, her lithe fingers finding a half drank glass of Cabernet near some disarrayed papers, swirling around the remainder of her drink before slowly bringing the glass to her lips. Y/n’s gaze holding John’s didn’t waver, nor did the mischief reflected on her features, “Know about what?” Feigning innocence didn’t really suit her because even then a dark, menacing mystery lurked beneath her façade and Y/n didn’t look any less the vixen that she usually was. 

“Don’t do that,” John huffed. It was a battle to maintain some semblance of dominance over the situation, neither of them wanted to be at the other’s whim and it only then dawned upon John that it was a miracle that they’d existed in the same space for just over two months without getting into a fight. They’d come close though, two personalities that alike were bound to clash. “You know exactly what I’m talking about,” he persisted, not phased in the slightest by her behavior. 

“Why would he need to know?” Finishing off her wine, Y/n replaced the glass on the surface with a quiet thud, “Who I fuck isn’t his business, and its not yours either,” folding her arms, Y/n’s smirk widened a bit when upon noting how John stiffened slightly, “Are you jealous, John?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” John fired immediately, sounding more defensive than intended, “It’s just,” clearing his throat, he pondered only for a second before voicing his suspicions, “I don’t trust him.”

Smoothly, like aged whiskey over ice, Y/n chuckled, rolling her gorgeous orbs, “Donavan? You don’t trust Donavan? Now who’s being ridiculous?” Pushing off the edge, Y/n sauntered around the desk, easing into her chair, “He’s loyal, there’s no reason to doubt him.”

“I’m just saying,” pressing the matter was fruitless, yet John still continued, “You should keep an eye on him.”

“Stop it,” immediately, her tone grew firm and her jaw tightened, “Don’t do that,” exasperated already, Y/n threaded a hand through her loose tresses, “Is this what you came here talk about?”

Now, equally irritated by her dismissiveness, John’s voice took on a new harshness, “No,” He stood, swiping up the manila folder and taking long strides towards her desk, “These are the specifics for Vienna next week,” he offered hastily, the folder almost falling to the table top during the trade off, “Review it, tell me what you you think in the morning.”

Sighing heavily, Y/n almost felt guilty about the turn their conversation had made, but something stopped her, leaving her to try to call out to him in a tone tinged with annoyance as he headed for the door, “John-”

“Good night, Y/n,” he cut her off, stalking out of the room, leaving the door open.

The next week, Vienna. It was the morning of Y/n’s second meeting with the High Table and like the first, the hours before had brought a sense of dread with it, the only thing soothing her in the tiniest bit was that John would be right outside the door that time. They still hadn’t ironed things out after that late night in her office, once again sinking into a state where words spent between them were short and few. Usually something like that wouldn’t have bothered Y/n, but somehow, being at odds with John wasn’t the same; she secretly wanted him to care and not knowing if he still did was disheartening.

The whole thing had made her more snappy than she usually was; her quick temper grew shorter, her sharp words were given a new edge and her moments of quiet were vastly extended. For the most part, it made those around her even more willing to back down instead of pushing an issue. All except one.

The three of them had gathered at Y/n’s room that morning; Donavan to brief Y/n on the fast approaching meeting and John to leave with her when she was ready. “The mayor of New York is requesting your audience; at the charity gala next month,” Donovan casually eased in as they ate at a table near the room’s living room window.

Scraping her fork against the delicate china, Y/n’s absent gaze snapped up, focusing on the source of the words, “You can tell the mayor to go fuck himself.”

“Vila-”

Without letting him finish, she was cutting him off, “Donavan. I’m not interested, okay. We stay away from politics.” Clearly over the conversation, Y/n stood, taking her plate over to the room service cart, refilling her coffee afterwards.

“This could be good for us,” Donavan reasoned, forgetting his food and glancing at a still silent John before looking to Y/n, “He needs funding for his reelection campaign and he says that if he’s in for a next term he can give us a leg up; an in with the D.A and couple judges on our side just in case.”

“Yeah,” she huffed, “But it also gives him leverage. He can betray us just as easily as he’s betraying them, and one word and we’re over,” taking a long drag of her coffee, Y/n shook her head, “This isn’t a good idea.”

Standing abruptly, Donavan tried to step next to where she stood at the cart, though Y/n simply moved away, walking near to the table, standing where Vienna’s early morning sun would cast an otherworldly glow on her face. Simply taking it all in, John continued reading through the intel he’d had on the other members of The Table as he ate. “It is. Vila,” he whispered the name, hidden affection laced with the word, “This union could give us an edge on the Irish. Fuck the city, you’ve wanted to take time down since you stepped foot in the club house. If we don’t do this with Balinski, they will, and we can’t risk that.” 

“Donavan,” Y/n’s exasperation was audible and John was internally glad that he wasn’t the only one on the receiving end of it, “You don’t understand. We need to be careful with who we trust, and Balinski, he’s not the kind of man we can trust. God,” she scoffed a humorless chuckle, “He’s a fucking politician, we don’t need his type sniffing around.”

“What we don’t need is the Irish with such a big leg up in the game. Look, we already have Staten Island and everything else in the west, but they have most of the east. We work with Balinski, we can take it, and wherever the fuck you want, no questions asked,” anyone from a mile away could see that Donavan was reaching his rope’s end and there was an sense of desperate urgency in his explanations, as if there was a lot riding on Y/n accepting the invitation to the gala, “We can not just hand this over to them, right now, we’re the one’s he’s asking for, but if you refuse this offer, he’ll be offended and he’ll shack up with them just to take you down.”

“There are other ways,” Y/n gritted. She didn’t want to, for even the slightest of a second, think that she might need someone alongside her to help her rise to the top. Y/n worked alone, it was how she had been trained and she intended in keeping it that way. She didn’t need anyone, especially not some sleazy politician looking for dirty money to help him plaster his face on billboards, to help her fight her battles, “And we can explore them when necessary.”

“You don’t understand how big this is for you Vila. For us,” Donavan emphasized, shaking his head and grinding his teeth, “You,” he spun hastily, turning to John, “Since she trusts you so much, why don’t you talk some sense into her?” 

With a hard, cold gaze, John just stared, and Y/n was the one to interject, able as ever to speak for herself, “Talk some sense into me? Who the fuck do you think you are?” Folding her arms and standing her ground, “I don’t need anyone to talk sense into me, and if you think that that’s what you're here to do then maybe you should sit this one out.” For a minute more, Y/n and Donavan traded sharp glares, and again, it was Y/n that spoke, pointing to the door that time, “I mean it Donavan.”

Sniffing for effect, Donavan nodded bitterly, “Whatever you want boss,” the word was said with such disdain that it might have been an insult. And really, it was, considering that most times, Donavan was the only one that ever got a taste of being her equal. That was, until she’d hired John. “But I’m telling you,” he warned pointedly, “You make the wrong decision, it won't be pretty.”

Largely, she ignored him, pretending his words weren’t an omen, rooted to the spot until Donavan slammed the door. Fuming, Y/n suppressed the urge to throw something. She absolutely hated being questioned, her word should have had finality, not room for argument. Yet, when she shifted her gaze, feeling John's stare bore into her, Y/n suspected that another argument was in the making, "What?" She snarled, planting a hand on her hip, "Just say it."

"I know that this isn't my place," John began, standing as he did, swiping up his mug as he walked past Y/n into the living area, "And I hate to admit it," he continued, a begrudged twinge propelling his words, "But Donavan is right. If the mayor wants an alliance, you should give it to him."

Taking another sip from the scalding black liquid, Y/n followed John into the living room, sinking into an armchair; crossing her legs and placing her arms on the cushioned rests. "It's not that easy," turning to face the blank television, Y/n hoped the gesture would guard the first traces of defeat, "I don't need him having leverage on me."

"But he has it anyway," John insisted, going through the weaponry he went armed to her room with, "Think about it, he knows who you are and what you're doing. Balinski can rat anyone out if he wanted to. But he hasn't. Besides,” John was in the process of assembling a gun he’d taken apart for cleaning earlier; his stocky fingers working with precision and fluidity, “If he’s working with you, then you have leverage too, if he’s willing to partner up, then that’s gotta mean he has some skeletons in his closet, and if not, you’ll be the first one. You have the upper hand Y/n.” John cut his words short, putting the gun to his ear as he made a couple more adjustments, “I’m not saying you have to do it,” he sighed as he finally loaded the handgun that would ultimately become part of his on-person armory, “But I am saying that you should think about it.”

Y/n lapsed into a bout of deep thought, pensive stare far off and unintentionally falling to the display on the glass table, littered with an array of guns and blades, along with John’s mug near the edge. He was right, they both were, and Y/n hated defeat, but the more his and Donavan’s words sank in, the more she realized that she needed the alliance with New York’s mayor. If she didn’t take it, he and the Irish would have the upper hand, but if she did, for the price of a small risk, Y/n would have insurmountable power. She’d had to have been foolish to pass it up.

“Alright,” draining the last of her coffee, Y/n carelessly discarded the delicate cup on the end table next to her, standing with purpose, “I’ll do it, and I’ll go to that gala,” she was already walking off towards her bedroom and John had already nodded in acknowledgement when she added, “Under one condition; you go with me.”

“I go where you go, that’s the rule,” he hummed gruffly, not thinking much of it until Y/n turned, leaning against the metal doorframe, her constant, amused stare beckoning his attention.

“No,” a glimmer of a wicked smile tugged at her lips while a mischievous glint danced in her eyes, “I meant you go with me. Invitations for those things are usually for two people, you’re gonna be my…..plus one.”

Straightening his back, John briefly reflected on their conversation in her office and then more so on how confused his feelings towards Y/n made him. Guilt for seeing her the way he did, jealousy when she was with Donavan, irritation during almost every conversation they had and finally something simply…...undefinable. Fondness maybe, likeness, something that made him wish things weren’t as complicated as they were, that Y/n wasn’t who she was so maybe, just maybe, he could give letting someone in another shot. “That’s not part of our arrangement,” he countered dismissively; since she was so protective of her boy toy then should have just taken him anyway, “You should take Donavan.”

“I said I’m taking you,” Y/n turned again, strolling off into the bedroom, “Hope you’ve got a nice tux,” she teased, disappearing into the shadowy dimness before shutting the door behind herself.

*****

Tagging-@harrisongslimited @magnificentclodpiebanana @keandrews @greenmanalishi  @rdjloverxxx @danceoftwowolves  @planetkt @wheretheriversrunintothesea  @jupiterdawngirl

[amethystpath-writes]

Hero Leader Part 4 (Baron x Aldea)

Part 3 here

@silverwhisperer1

******

"I should really punish you for running away from me." Baron didn't bother looking at his captive. He watched out of the tinted window as the world rolled by.

In return, Aldea, who was forced to sit on the floor behind the passenger seat, whispered, "I didn't run. They took me."

It was true to some extent. Michael had dragged her out of Baron's home. She had been reluctant, scared to leave, scared her captor would be angry with her. Michael had seen these situations before, though, and he knew he couldn't leave the girl there. He took her. It was her decision to stay on the team of heroes. She was hesitant to join, argued with Michael, and even Missy about it. It wasn't until James had walked in without his socks and shoes that Aldea agreed.

James was the true reason she stayed. The team needed someone, not to replace James, but to prevent him from overexerting himself. He was always so insistent that he go out and help, but it costed him too much. He would have died much sooner than he was looking at if Aldea hadn't stayed.

"You didn't come back. I call that running away." Baron hummed, finally looking at Aldea on the floor.

She turned her gaze to her crossed ankles. Aldea hated Baron's cool expressions, like he was looking at a poor puppy. Maybe she was one. "I was afraid you'd blame me."

"If I did, it still would have been better that you returned. Instead, you flaunted yourself in front of me on the screen. You were bragging when you joined that little circus."

"I wasn't-"

"Hush, now."

She wasn't bragging. In some way, she was able to simply forget Baron. It took a good amount of time, but she'd done it with the help of the team. As much as Aldea wanted to do things on her own, she could admit- now that she was on the floorboard of Baron's car- that she needed them as much as they needed her. She wasn't bragging when she joined the team; she was adapting.

Michael never would have let her go back to Baron anyways. Sure, Aldea had gotten as far as fighting other villains of nearby cities, but Michael would have known if she left to her captor. He noticed her behaviour changes when she thought about it. Michael always knew.

"What is your greatest fear?"

Aldea startled at the question. It was a question to come from anyone else's mouth. In fact, she could imagine Missy asking her that in the middle of the night when neither girl could sleep.

"Aldea." Short, snappy. He wanted an answer, and now.

"Why are you asking me this?"

He chuckled. "You're scared." Baron shifted in his seat, causing his seatbelt to groan and squeak in protest. His body faced Aldea head on. "Do I need to remind you that I gave you a roof over your head? Food to settle your stomach? A-"

"You sound like an egotistical father," she snapped. "I was happy before you, and I sure was happier after I left. My team-"

"Your team?" Baron's lips settled into a straight line. "So that's why you're still testy, isn't it? You have something to fight for."

She swallowed, shaking her head to herself, but regretting it soon after. Aldea needed to...to stop showing her thoughts. Needed to stop speaking, needed to stop responding to any- everything. She would vow silence, if only to protect her team.

Baron said to the driver, the man who scared Aldea by slapping his hand against the window of the car, "Derek, we have another stop to make."

"Wha-" Aldea sat straight up, eyes wide.

"Near that ruined area on the coast. Call for backup on the radio."

Did she react? Did she stay silent? It was obvious Baron was going after Michael and the others. But they would be in the city, right? The team would be trying to stop whatever destruction Baron left in his wake to draw Aldea out. The only person left at the base would be Thomason. That was okay. He could handle himself. Surely he read something, somewhere, that would tell him what to do if...a possible hundred soldiers showed up to a wrecked bar on a coast with no escape. He was doomed.

Aldea hopped from the car floor to the seat above her. "What do you want?" she asked. Her voice nearly cracked and she could feel a stinging in her eyes and nose. "What can I do to make you happy? What do I need to do?"

Baron sighed with a great amount of content. It confused his captive greatly, he could tell. "Tell me about the one at the bar. The news doesn't talk about him often."

"Because he doesn't talk often. You don't need him." Aldea was in a panic. Why was he asking about Thomason? Why were they going to the base? What was going on?

"That doesn't tell me much. Who is he? What is his power?"

"He doesn't have one," she lied. "He's just some smart kid we picked up a while ago."

"Before or after you ran from me?"

"I didn't-"

He enunciated, "Before or after?"

"Before." Aldea had to be truthful at some point before Baron started fact-checking.

"You said he doesn't talk often?" Aldea nodded. When he did talk, it was either to give information to the team, or it was sarcastic conversation. "I can change that if need be."

Aldea didn't necessarily favour Thomason, but she knew he didn't deserve the treatment she received from Baron. Especially not as young as he was. Thomason, otherwise called AP by the team, acted mature- like a full grown adult- but he was several years from legally being one. "Leave him out of this." He voice turned threatening.

"Why would I do that when you're demonstrating the exact behaviour I'm trying to suppress?" He smiled. Aldea launched.

Something hard pressed against her chest as her face was mere inches from Baron's. She'd hoped to head butt him, but now...she settled back, the barrel of the gun still following her. "On the floor, easy now." Aldea stuck her lower jaw out in frustration. She wouldn't dare say it, but now that she sat on the floor again, she realized Baron wouldn't have shot her. He needed her.

"You don't need any of them," she said, referring to the team. "You have me. You. Have. Me. I will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. Please, please turn the car around."

"It's cute when you make promises to me, but it'll be easier for you to prove them if your teammates are in my grasp." He added, "Just in case you slip up."

Aldea shook her head, thinking of Thomason, specifically about when he got his nickname. She could almost laugh.

'Thomason,' James laughed. 'What parent replaces the P with an A? I mean, come'on.'

'Leave the kid alone,' Missy griped. 'He can't help what he was named. And anyway, he might like his name.'

Thomason stayed silent, reading his paper like usual.

Meanwhile Michael was flipping eggs. He'd already flipped one onto the floor by accident.

'I say we call him P. Give him his missing letter, ya'know?'

'You are so insensitive.' Missy shoed the dog away from the egg on the ground. 'Thomason, we'll call you whatever you want.'

'Don't call me 'P',' he said, lowering the newspaper for only a second. He turned the page, which explained his break.

'Okaaay.' James thought for a moment. 'AP. Keep the weird letter and give you the missing letter. How about that?'

'Sure.'

The memory played in Aldea's mind quickly, in fast-forward. She wished it could have passed by slower. But, she supposed it gave her time to continue and talk Baron out of kidnapping Thomason.

"He's a kid. What could you do with him that would be any help?"

"I took you when you were a kid," Baron said first. "And if your team took the kid in. If you needed him, surely I do, too." He hummed. "Sounds like you care about him, too, and that was the reason to begin with. I say this is going perfectly."

"How can I convince you not to take him?"

"Convince me not to?" He laughed. "You're the one that convinced me to take him. You won't change my mind after that. But," Baron held up a finger. "You will determine whether he's hurt or not." He pointed at his precious captive. "So behave."

[woulddieforperrytheplatypus]

To distract myself from this awful political scene I'm forced to watch for history class: can you give us some obscure side characters (like, Dr. Diminutive, Newton the Gnu, type characters) you absolutely love for no reason? :) <3

Okay I am literally so late because I was doing my chem reading and my writing hw BUT I can’t refuse a chance to scream about my favorite characters (but y’all can refuse to listen to my scream about them so here’s a cut)

First of all, I want you to know that I haven’t even started listing characters yet and this ask has already lead me to spend almost $4 on Agent P’s Guide to Fighting Evil and that’s why I don’t look at the PnF wiki when I’m tired thank you for coming to my TED talk

I almost feel like I’m cheating by starting with Dr. Diminuitve but HOW CAN I NOT LIKE TELL ME THAT LIL MAN IS NOT THE BEST CHARACTER THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN OKAY FUCKIN DO IT JUST KIDDING YOU CAN’T I mean come on, one of his first lines was literally “I don’t have a Napoleon complex; Napoleon had a ME complex!” I had to check the wiki to see if that was his first line ever and I’m very disappointed that it wasn’t and then in OWCA’s Going Down when all the evil scientists were just vibin against the fence and they started doing that West Side Story snappy walk and Diminutive was so into the snaps that he just didn’t fucking move and then he opened his eyes and the rest of the gang was halfway off the screen fjdskhfkalsfhaskl I just really love him okay the more I think about it the more convinced I am that he’s actually my favorite character

Idk if this counts as an obscure side character but he is incredibly underrated so I gotta throw in: LAWRENCE FUCKING FLETCHER. He’s just such a pure and innocent lil dude. He sees the boys doing dangerous shit and he’s just like, “Well that’s happening,” or better yet, “Hey, that looks fun!” I mean, the airplace? The flying carpet? The monster trucks? He genuinely gives zero fucks and I love him for it. I wholeheartedly believe that Lawrence knows Perry is a secret agent -- or at least that he’s smarter than he acts -- but he’s literally so indifferent to everything going on around him that he never mentions it because life is full of fun and exciting things like that and he can’t talk about them all, you know? And he gets so excited about his antiques and he’s so passionate about history and ughhhh I love him 

I was about to say I feel like I’m cheating by using a special but it just occurred to me that that’s lowkey how I’ve prefaced all of these so no, fuck that, I’m using a special and that’s just how it’s gonna be. CARL FROM THE LAND OF INTERNUS WOULD HAVE MADE A MUCH BETTER ENDING THAN THE ACTUAL BOOK HAD AND FUCK YOU MONOGRAM FOR CUTTING CARL OFF BEFORE HE COULD TELL IT HOW HE WANTED TO

These two kinda go hand-in-hand but Bunka Da Bunkaquan and Sweary the Swan are my favorite alternative Perrys. As far as the specials go, Steampunx isn’t one of my favorites, but Sweary the Swan is just... How do you even describe Sweary the Swan? He is life. He is the reason I wake up in the morning. He is the only thing worth living for. And then Bunka Da Bunkaquan is just so fuckin cute and anyone who disagrees needs their eyes checked. And tbh while we’re talking about Tri-Stone area, I gotta throw in a mention of Doofengung no of course I didn’t have to google what his name was what are you talking about because I love how he just stares at the water and every time it drips he just fuckin cackles lmaooo

Okay one more special (maybe) but Doofenshmirtz in The Temple of Juatchadoon brooo I just googled it to make sure I spelled that right and I did woah my power is unmatched is lowkey my favorite Doofenshmirtz. I don’t know if it’s because I actually like him more than every other Doof or if it’s just because his first scene was with Phineas Ohio Flynn and they knew each other and they had actual interactions throughout the episode and the Doof/Phineas relationship is my favorite underexplored relationship, but Juatchadoon Doof makes the list anyway

The “what did you think, _________ was just going to fall out of the sky?” couple — who 100% deserved that cameo in catu

I’m almost afraid to say this in public, but I actually really like Roger. I was mostly indifferent to him at first, but then Delivery for Destiny happened and I was like wait a minute, why am I sleeping on his man who literally orders boxes just to give to his cat? And once I realized that he was kinda cool, it started sinking in that he was never actually a bad guy. Heinz never even really claimed he was -- if anything, his problem is that Roger isn’t a bad guy, and everyone in Gimmelshtump and Danville knows it. And I gotta give Roger credit for not being too harsh on his brother, because yeah, he can be a little stuck up (I’m looking at you, stupid golf game), but you can’t really blame him for thinking he’s better than Heinz, you know? But at least he’s not a dick about it like their parents are. Also the entire latter half of this paragraph was me trying to find a way to work in the other part of that scene with the cat box and it didn’t work so I’m just gonna tack it on to the end because this isn’t an essay for English class and I can do that lmao. Paul mentions that he just delivered something to a Heinz Doofenshmirtz, and Roger is like 😬 because let’s be real, no one wants to be represented by the type of dude to try to juice City Hall, but he’s obviously not going to say that because he’s still a respectful dude, so he’s just like “Charming... man... isn’t he...” and he’s literally so uncomfortable and it cracks me up every time but also it’s lowkey kinda wholesome because Heinz may make it his life mission to embarrass his brother but Roger doesn’t reciprocate. but I accidentally discovered a few weeks ago that John O’Hurley is a raging Trump supporter so I gotta dock points for that one

In the same vein, Paul the delivery guy. What more do I have to say?

If my love of Roger didn’t turn the world against me, this one probably will, but I’m going to say it loud and proud anyway. I LOVE PETER THE PANDA. He’s just??? so??? cute??? Like when he was tearing apart Doof’s inator and he was just... actually no scratch that I need pictures for this because I can’t explain this in words

THIS IS NOT EITHER OF THE PICTURES I WAS LOOKING FOR BUT LOOK AT THIS LITTLE GUY OH MY GOD

Peter really said “this bitch empty, YEET!”

okay but the ones I was actually looking for are...

I mean, how can you not find him adorable? And don’t even get me started on his relationship with Perry because Meapless in Seattle was just... B R O Perry flew halfway across the country (probably I mean idk where exactly Danville is but they use EST so Seattle is probably halfway across the country?) just to go grab a coffee with him. They went on a lil date at a fancy restaurant I know Dan said it wasn’t a date but he's been wrong in the tiktok comments before which means none of his opinions are canon lmao. They’re just? So? Cute? I don’t even know what to make of their relationship but I live for it.

And I can’t mention Peter without bringing up his nemesis, who, to be entirely honest, I also don’t know what to make of and he’s mostly on this list because I like the line “How did you get chorus girls in here?” and when I downloaded and cut a bunch of songs that you can download from Google Drive here if you want, I specifically kept that part in because I love it lmao (I do gotta point out tho because it’s been bugging me since I last watched the episode: I don’t think we have any proof that Professor Mystery even exists in the PnF dimension. I had just assumed he did for the longest time, but that entire episode takes place in a dimension where Lawrence is a polar bear. Who knows what other differences there are?)

I love all the grandparents and I don’t even have an explanation they’re just all adorable

Okay I know I said no more specials but TECHNICALLY at2d isn’t a special; it’s a movie. I am physically incapable of not brining up the muffin time Normbot and the “I use aggression to mask my insecurites” Normbot.

While we’re talking about Norm, his old head would 100% swear all the fucking time if it wasn’t a kids’ show and i gotta respect it

Dan Povenmire does one line for a dude named Vinnie in Mission Marvel and off the top of my head I don’t remember who he is but it was the beginning of the episode and I think (?) it was during the New York scene and he does it in the Vinnie Dakota voice long before Dakota was even a concept (I’m assuming) so he gets a mention

Jerry the Platypus gives me Paper Jam Dipper vibes and they are both valid as fuck (the fucked up Doof copy is not valid as fuck tho we’re gonna pretend he didn’t exist)

Don is literally the best part of Where’s Pinky and I’m not just saying that because I’ve been watching Whose Line for years and I was super excited to see Wayne Brady in the credits (and the fact that he was also in both the quarantine rap and catu makes me incredibly happy)

Ooh I almost forgot OWCA Files existed but Harry the Hyena playing the trumpet and the subsequent “you’re gonna be wearing that in a minute” is the best part of OWCA Files and tbh just Doof, Perry, and Harry could have carried an entire series by themselves (though I do also love Karen and Maggie)

WAIT A SECOND THE BUG TRIO FJDSAHFLKSAJD I was trying to pick a favorite last time I watched OWCA Files and every time one of them spoke they were my new favorite like I lowkey thought their plotline was boring but the characters themselves were hilarious

WAIT ANOTHER SECOND HOW DID I GET THIS FAR INTO THE LIST WITHOUT MENTIONING MONTY HOLY SHIT I’M SUCH A FAKE FAN BUT I LOVE MONTY OKAY HE IS LITERALLY JUST OZ FROM BTVS EXCEPT MONTY AND VANESSA HAVE BETTER CHEMISTRY THAN OZ AND WILLOW AND NO I WILL NOT BE ACCEPTING CRITICISM

Wait I forgot Vlorkel too omfg these two belong way higher on the list but Vlorkel is the love of my life (and I lowkey wish she had met Steve the giant chameleon because they would have become best friends)

I wanna keep going but it’s currently 1:45 in the morning (this is why I’ve been avoiding asks during the day: I get way too into them and spend a solid hour and a half on them and I’d never get any schoolwork done lmao) and it’s far from the first time I’ve stayed up this late but I figured it was fine because I have no classes tomorrow but it occurred to me like four seconds ago that I DO HAVE A CLASS TOMORROW SHIIIIT I had an anatomy exam on Tuesday during my usual class time (which if you read my tags you might have known about because I was having an existential crisis over it) so he moved our class tomorrow excePT IT’S NOT TOMORROW IT’S TODAY IT’S LITERALLY IN LESS THAN SEVEN HOURS FUCKING HELL I GOTTA GO TO BED ASAP

[ubernoxa]

Broken Voodoo: The story of the rock band that brought rock n’ roll back to life

Chapter 2: Welcome to the Golden Center

Story Sunmary: The 70s and 80s had Iron Madden, Guns N’ Roses, Skid Row and Morley Crue. It’s 2025 and Rock N’ Roll is more alive than ever thanks to Broken Voodoo kickstarting the rock n roll heart.

(MASTERLIST)

I groaned as I heard what felt like the millionth car horn honk from the street below us. I had been in big cities before, but LA was different. It was so loud, I wondered how anyone could get some sleep.

Fuck

I internally cussed as I felt something hit my head. Had I accidently knocked myself into the table?

I turned over to see Seb glaring at me from across the apartment. He looked pissed. If looks could kill, I would be dead, no question.

“Did you seriously just throw a pillow at me?” I shot back at the bassist. What was he 5 years old?

He looked like absolute shit as he propped himself up on his elbows to speak.

“Shut up and go to sleep. Your groaning woke me up. We have a long ass car ride today, so keep your pot hole shut so I can get some shut eye,” he shot back before rolling over.

Before I could think of some snappy comeback, I felt someone tap my shoulder. I looked up to see Oli, his shoulder length brown hair sticking out every which way. It was the epitome of a bed head. A red mug was placed in front of my face, and I quickly accepted it. All hope of falling back asleep pushed off to dreamland as I followed him onto the fire escape which screamed for help as we climbed out the window.

“Don’t worry, I sit out here every morning...it won’t collapse on us, having us fall to our death,” Oli sent me a not so reassuring smile in my direction as I sat down next to him. The fresh air hit my lungs, waking me up. The smell was refreshing, but anything was better than the smell of toxic BO.

“Well, falling to death isn’t on Jax’s schedule for the day, so I think if we don’t die from the fall then he would kill us for delaying his plan,” Oli’s laughter filled the small fire escape we were using as a front porch.

“Yeah...he always has a plan…” Oli took another sip of his coffee as we watched the sunrise.

The air between us was filled with the noise of drivers slamming on their horns and engines. There was something peaceful about watching the chaos unravel below me. A chaos I was eternally thankful for.

“I’d just ignore Jax, he has never been a morning person...plus his girl was working last night, so

He is a little moody. Kinda reminds me of a teenage girl,” I sent a warm smile towards Oli as he spoke. Between the coffee and his kind words, I could tell that he was trying to cheer me up. I appreciated it.

“Well I have a younger sister, so I am used to dealing with moody teanagers,” I took a sip of coffee before looking out at the ally below us. Oli’s laughter drowned out the noise from the cars passing by the street perpendicular to the ally.

“How long have you known each other?”

“Ohh Jax and I go back a few years. At least four of five years now…it’s kinda funny how time tends to blur itself. This is our third band together. I should warn you that this competition might get...might get a little heated,” his last comment caught me off guard.

“What do you mean?”

“The last band Jax and I were in together was called Halleon. Long story short we left because the lead singer was being….” I watched for a couple minutes as Oli seemed stuck, so I added “a jerk?”

“Yeah...a jerk, that’s a nice way to put it,” he smiled back before taking another sip of his coffee.

“Good morning!” I turned towards the window entrance and heard some shuffling from the apartment.

“Looks like Jen stopped by. It’s best if we stay out here, just in case they get….handsy if ya’ know what I mean,” I nodded and laughed at his response.

Jen looked like she walked straight out of a photo shoot. First off her blonde hair that cascaded down her back looked like she just came from the salon. Don’t get me started on how her hourglass figure was perfectly framed by the daisy dukes and crop top she was wearing. She made me fell like I was back in middle school, braces and all. Intimidated was an understatement.

“Andi...right,” I turned around and sent a small smile towards Jen’s direction.

“Yeah, and you must be Jen! It’s nice to meet you,” I sent a warm smile her way as I shook her hand. Like my mother always taught me. It never cost you any money to be nice.

“Yeah, but you can call me J!” I smiled at her cheerfulness.

It wasn’t long before, Jax and Robin showed up with the pickup truck for us to start loading. It felt like hours had passed as we moved our equipment to the trunk bed.

I ended up sitting shotgun in the truck with Oli, eternally grateful that I wasn’t in the lover's car as Oli had put it. Jax, Robin, Seb, and J were in the lovers car doing god knows what.

The car ride there went a lot faster than expected, and I felt the excitement flow through my veins as we pulled up to the venue.

“Welcome to the Golden Center,” Oli said as the stage came into view as they took the backlots. I didn’t need to guess why this place was called the golden center. The stage was adorned with golden accents and all of the railings and fencing were painted a gold color as well. It looked like it came out of a Disney Princess movie.

“Jax said that we had to follow the yellow arrows to sign in and confirm that we arrived for sound check which is in a couple hours,” I nodded as he spoke and we continued to follow the yellow arrows.

Within minutes, we arrived at checkpoint and had to get out of the truck.

“Name and band?” One of the workers asked when I hopped out of the truck.

“Band: Broken Voodoo. Name: Michelle” I replied while handing her my driver’s license.

“So you’re the new guitarist for Broken Voodoo,” I turned towards the guy who spoke, sending a confused look in his direction.

“Why? What’s it to you?” He looked like an 80s wanna be rockstar. With his shoulder length hair tied back with a bandana, I had to double check I was thrown back in the 80s. Don’t get me wrong I didn’t mind his attire, just like every other 80s rockstar he was hot.

All confidence diminished as I felt him look me over head to toe. Unlike him, I wasn’t dressed like a rockstar. I was wearing gym shorts and some shirt I got from doing gymnastics as a kid. To say that I looked out of place next to him was an understatement. It didn’t matter though, I was only playing with Broken Voodoo for one show. This would all be a fever dream to tell my children with I’m old and crotchety.

“Can you blame a guy for being curious?” he shrugged while keeping his ‘cool guy’ composure.

“Be careful curiosity killed the cat,” I added as the woman handed me some badges, my license and had me sign in. Whoever this wanna be rockstar was, he wasn’t as intimidating as the lawyers I worked with.

This earned a small laughter from which I assumed made all of his groupies swoon.

“How about this, my name is Rus, lead singer of Halleon. Now it’s your turn,” he offered out his hand and I shook it.

“Andi, rhythm guitar for Broken Voodoo.” So this was the jerk that made Seb and Oli leave Halleon.

“Nice to meet you,” he flashed me a million dollar smile I could easily see being on billboards when he made it big.

“I wish I could say the same,” I let go of Rus’s hand and turned towards Oli who seemed less than happy to see Rus standing in front of me.

[buzzybeesinlove]

Back To You

you all know why i had to do this. that’s it, that’s the tweet lads

(spoilers for volume 7 chapter 10, takes place right after the end of the episode)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ruby hung back as the people cheered for Penny, a fond smile growing on her face at the proud look Harriet was also sending her. It was good to see the people realising their mistake, realising that Penny is their protector, and always will be.

“Okay, we need to wait for the transport to land and then move these people out of here.” Harriet’s firm voice broke into the murmurs of people, and Ruby saw plenty of heads nod towards her. Ruby sent Harriet a thumbs up, to which the hare just rolled her eyes and turned away- but Ruby knew she secretly really liked her.

Well, she hoped.

“Ruby, that was really great! I have missed working alongside you.” Penny stood in front of her, glowing green eyes seemingly shining brighter. Ruby just waved a hand, a ‘pfft’ escaping her lips.

“Yeah, I guess it was pretty cool.” Ruby replied, and Penny just blinked at her with a smile on her face.

“It was! We make a great team.” Penny commented, and Ruby nodded her head in agreement. And then a sense of something overcame her, a feeling washing over her head down to her toes. Team...

Ruby blinked and sheathed Crescent Rose, panic alighting inside of her.

“Have we heard from Marrow, Nora and... And Weiss?” Ruby felt her throat close up trying to say her name, a cold dread settling in her stomach. Ruby looked at Penny, who tilted her head.

“I am unsure. Perhaps Harriet would know? Or, would you like to accompany me to check on them?” Penny asked it so innocently, as if nothing bad could ever have happened to them. But Ruby knew better- she knew things can change in a matter of minutes. She learned that in difficult ways; at Beacon, then Haven. And here, in Atlas.

“Yes, Penny please.” Ruby said, immediately stepping into her space. Ruby looked over Penny’s shoulder. “Harriet, do you think you can deal with this?” Ruby said to her, and Harriet raised her eyebrow, sending her a bewildered look.

“Kid, you can’t just leave. We were assigned together, we need to stay here and ensure these people are safe.” Harriet replied, crossing her arms. Ruby pursed her lips and tried to clamp down the snappy reply she wanted to say.

“But, Harriet...” Ruby’s voice died down, and she really didn’t know how to make her understand why she needed to go, but she was going to try. “I want to check on Marrow and the others.”

Harriet looked even more confused. “He told me they were loading people into the airship just moments ago. They’re fine, Red.” Harriet looked about ready to dismiss the whole thing, as their transport was now beginning to slow down above them and descend. But Ruby made a noise- she wasn’t sure what kind of noise, but Harriet seemed to grasp the desperation in it, because she looked into Ruby’s eyes again.

“Please.” Ruby whispered. “I need... I need to see.” Ruby’s voice broke, and she levelled Harriet with a stare that she hoped told her all she needed to know. Harriet still seemed hesitant, and confused, but the Ace-Op’s eyes remained on her for a little longer. Then, to Ruby’s relief, they filled with some recognition- some semblance of understanding hit her, from somewhere.

Harriet sighed and glanced behind her when the airship landed, the ramp falling down to reveal a couple of soldiers. Harriet squared Ruby with a look.

“We’ll meet you both back in Atlas.” Was all she said, before she began ushering and guiding the people towards the transport, not looking back.

Ruby sent Harriet’s retreating form a grateful smile, out of her own need rather than the hare seeing it. She pressed close to Penny, whose arms circled her waist.

“Let’s go.” Ruby said, and Penny shot up into the air immediately, Ruby clutching on tightly to her shoulders.

They soared above the city. Ruby looked down at the effects of the Grimm attack. Many buildings were destroyed, rubble and debris littering almost every street. Ruby felt bile rise to her throat when she saw a few limbs sticking out under the debris. She looked away immediately and took a deep breath, focusing on the task at hand.

“I believe I see the group, Ruby.” Penny said cheerily, one of her hands pulling away from her briefly to point. Ruby’s eyes snapped towards where she pointed, at Marrow down below, guiding people into the ship. She also heard rather than saw Nora, her booming voice yelling at people to get in.

“Let’s go, Penny!” Ruby said, and with a nod of affirmation, Penny swooped down. People gasped as she and Ruby landed, and Nora simply raised a brow at them both as she ushered the last person on board.

“What’s up with you two?” Nora said, but Ruby paid her no mind. She had one person on her mind, one person she came all the way over here for. Her frantic eyes looked around, landing on Nora, then Marrow, then the people inside the ship.

“Where is...?” Ruby said softly, thoughtfully, more to herself than anyone around her. Penny stood just behind her, patient and looking around as well, though Ruby assumed she wasn’t entirely sure who she was supposed to look for.

Ruby’s heart was plummeting- where was Weiss? Why is no one caring about this? How can they just stand there and-

“Okay, I think that’s the last person.”

Ruby’s whole form seized up, silver eyes widening at the familiar voice. The voice, along with the person, rounded from behind the airship, giving Marrow a glance and a thumbs up, before her gaze moved towards Nora, which in turn lead her eyes to Ruby.

Weiss froze, blue eyes blinking in confusion. She walked a bit closer, eyebrow raised slightly.

“Ruby?” Weiss said, and Ruby stood there, watching her approach her. Her heart had lifted back up again, as if Weiss’ hands were holding onto it and keeping it up for her, as if her voice and that look in her eyes was all Ruby needed to feel grounded after all the mess the Grimm had caused.

“Weiss...” Ruby breathed out. Penny looked between them for a second, and lifted her finger as she was about to comment on something, but Nora just grabbed Penny’s hand, sending her a shake of the head and backing away with her, allowing the duo to have some space.

“Ruby, what are you doing here? You were assigned with Harriet and Penny.” Weiss said, but it wasn’t a lecturing type of voice or a scolding, just wonder and confusion at the situation.

“I know...” Ruby’s voice was a small croak, so she cleared her throat. “I know, I just... I was worried.” Ruby said, and Weiss didn’t seem to get it.

“Ruby, Marrow called in that we were doing fine.” Weiss said, one hand on her hip and the other waving around nonchalantly, eyes rolling in a playful manner. She had a light smile on her face, and Ruby thought she looked beautiful, and she briefly made a note in her mind to always try to make Weiss smile, because she liked when she did.

Her mind came back down to Remnant, and she sighed shakily, trying her best to stand up a bit straighter. Weiss watched her with a keen eye as Ruby’s hand came up to rub the back of her neck, eyes flitting away from her.

“Yeah, of course! You’re right...” Ruby trailed off, not trusting herself to speak anymore than she had to. She flickered her gaze back to Weiss, maintaining eye contact with her as she lowered her hand and chewed on her bottom lip. Absentmindedly, as their eyes were locked- Ruby’s worried silver and Weiss’ sharp blue- Ruby brushed their fingers together, very briefly.

She heard Weiss suck in a breath, and as if all at once, everything crashed down into those stormy blues. 

“Oh, Ruby.” Weiss said in a soft tone. Understanding filled her eyes in that moment, Ruby’s eyes and touch conveying all she needed to know better than words ever could. That was one thing that worked for them- that helped their partnership. The unspoken things between them, how just one look or one touch would show what the other needed to see.

Ruby felt the beginnings of tears in the corners of her eyes, which she desperately blinked back as Weiss delicately circled her shoulders with her arms. Their bodies connected, and Ruby took a shuddering breath as she wrapped her arms around Weiss’ waist, burying her head into her neck. She smelled like sweat and war, but it was the most comforting scent to her at that moment.

“I’m okay.” Weiss whispered into her ear, light and airy and real. “It’s okay.” Ruby felt Weiss’ hand trailing up and down her back, her gentle tone and soft touch combining to relax the tension in her shoulders. Ruby allowed a couple of tears to fall from her eyes, and she felt Weiss flinch when they dropped onto her neck. Weiss tightened her hold around her, and Ruby followed suit.

“I’m sorry.” Ruby said, and Weiss continued the slow patterns on Ruby’s back as she spoke. “I was just... I just... Needed to see.” She sniffled as Weiss hummed in her ear. “I needed to... To see you a-and feel you.”

Weiss pulled back from her, a light blush on her pale cheeks at that statement. Ruby didn’t know why, but she decided not to question it, shaky breaths escaping her as Weiss’ hands lifted to her cheeks, thumbs wiping away stray tears.

“I know.” Weiss said, soft smile aimed at her. Ruby sniffled again, and Weiss’ hands remained on her face even after all the tears were gone. Ruby met her eyes, heart thumping when Weiss pressed their foreheads together, eyes locked. “I’m here, and I’m real. We’re both safe.”

Ruby swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded slowly, Weiss’ soft and alluring voice washing over her and calming her down.

“I missed you.” Ruby found herself saying, almost without really knowing, as if she was having an out of body experience due to Weiss- her eyes, her voice, her touch. Weiss gazed at her for a moment, and they both knew she didn’t mean she missed her in battle, while that was also true. Weiss bit her lip, Ruby’s eyes catching it for a second before Weiss pulled her head away from hers, those lips pressing to Ruby’s forehead in a small, tentative kiss.

Ruby’s eyelids fluttered as Weiss pulled away from her after, body still close but head far enough away to properly look into her silver eyes.

“I missed you too.” Weiss said, and for the first time in a while, Ruby genuinely smiled. Weiss sighed and rolled her eyes at her dork of a partner, pulling away from her and angling her body towards the airship. “Are you stowing away on our ship now? Or do you have other plans?” Weiss said with a playful smirk, gesturing to the ship, but also flitting her eyes over to Penny.

Ruby had forgotten the others were even there during that whole exchange, and she felt heat on her cheeks when she saw Nora, Penny and Marrow just watching them. Marrow with an exasperated look on his face, Penny with her usual cheery expression, and Nora with a knowing smile. What she knew, Ruby didn’t even know, though. Not yet, anyway.

Ruby cleared her throat and looked at Penny, sending her a small smile.

“Is it okay if I hitch a ride with them?” Ruby asked her friend, and Penny nodded happily, throwing them all a hearty salute.

“Affirmative! I will see you all back in Atlas. Good luck!” Penny said. And with that, she dashed off into the air, heading back to Atlas her own way.

Nora looked between them for a minute, before winking at them both and sauntering into the airship, leaving them both a little confused. But all of those confusing things could wait- they had a city to protect and enemies to take care of.

Ruby slipped her hand into Weiss’, whose grip tightened around her own as they walked into the ship together, glancing at each other once they made it inside.

“I think we should take a vote next time when everyone is assigned to a group.” Ruby said, and Weiss just let out a tiny laugh in response. She didn’t say anything back, but her expression and the way she pulled Ruby to sit next to her on the only empty part of the ship on the floor, their sides pressed flush together, Ruby knew she felt the same way.

It was going to be a long night, they knew that for sure. But as long as they were together, Ruby knew they’d be okay. And even if they were separated, Ruby knew they’d find their way back to each other.

Always. 

[stopraidingmyheart]

About the character!

Tagged by the oh so lovely @falloutglow​

Your muse’s name: Loralei (Daughter of the chieftain)/Lo/Moody

One picture / faceclaim of your muse:

(Had to rush this halfway through because I wanted to finish this before I left for the day! Concept tattoos for everyone with one complete and one unfnished!)

Two headcanons you have for your muse?

She...actually has constant dreams of these strange looking creatures looking down at her and her home. Anytime she tries to leave, she can’t because there seems to be some sort of invisible wall preventing her from doing so. She wakes up in sweat because she’s screaming at everyone about what’s happening but no one believes her!

She gets cold super easily because she was spoiled by the canyons she grew up in that were constantly warm! She’ll usually have a jacket with her unless it’s straight up summer in the Commonwealth and will complain the entire time until the coldness is gone.

Three things your character likes doing in their free time:

Drawing/sculpting/tattooing! Loralei is a creative soul and looks for creative outlets. She has a sketch book filled with things from strangers to crushes and...some inner thoughts she’d rather keep personal. She’s also taken up sculpting small tiny statues from the trash/junk she finds throughout the wastes, it’s usually kept together with gum and is usually a horse. Then there’s tattooing! That’s right, she also tattoos. The intricate tattoos that she has, she didn’t do herself, she knows a guy at Bunker Hill who has a whole ass machine and found out a way to make colored ink. He’s her go to. Loralei doesn’t have a machine...yet, she does poke tattoos! Usually will only do small ones because she doesn’t have time for huge ones.

Listening to music/singing/dancing along with it. Loralei...also likes to sing. It’s a hidden passion that she keeps under wraps in fear of ridicule. Only those close to her will hear her small whispers of a song or if she gets swept up in a feeling. Often she’s singing ‘Begin Again’, the likes the melancholy tune and will often hum it while drawing as well. Dancing is much rarer to come by. This girl has great control of her hips. Dancing is such a popular element back at home, it's how they tell stories.

Fun fact...she likes to climb things. I guess parkouring is the word? Loralei has long legs and she has high ass agility too, maxed out. So often, she’ll want to find a quiet spot in the inner cities of the Commonwealth to just...think to herself. So often, she’s scaling buildings in hopes of a finding a good spot and...has anyone noticed the crows around here? Loralei has...they’re...strange. She doesn’t see life behind the eyes of, not like the other birds...she’s just being paranoid. Been around Tinker Tom for too long is all.

Seven people your muse loves/likes:

Deacon - Yes, believe or not...she loves this fool like her own brother...er...if she were close to her brother. They’ve had heart to hearts and she knows things of him that he hasn’t told anybody...and in turn he knows things about her that she hasn’t told anybody. They’re often partnered together because Loralei is able to reel Deacon back in when things gets a bit out of hand. She’ll be the first to tell him when an idea is garbage and yes...she did rip that dumb fake earring out of his ear. No, we’re not going into a raider base pretending that we’re “piercers giving out free cool piercings!”. That’s dumb! That’s stupid! And these raiders don’t deserve to be pierced by anything but a bullet! Plus Deacon helps her bleach her hair.

Glory - aka, Loralei's ’ huge crush. Loralei does develop crushes on women easily, just...be soft with her and you’ve caught her. Only difference between Loralei getting a crush on you...and Loralei wanting to date you is...well you have to be able to deal with Loralei at her worst. At her worst, she can be a challenge. She can be mean and snappy. She’ll out right refuse any help and would rather mope and suffer then anything. So she needs someone who knows how to give tough love while avoiding to step in a certain territory of abuse. Glory knows exactly what type and how much of tough love to give. When Loralei first started bumming around the railroad, after the second week was up, Glory was the first one to tell Loralei to get off of her ass. Gave Loralei this new motto of "Replace the bad memories, with new good ones.". It's why Loralei has fallen deep for her. Glory also helps Loralei shave the side of her head which is often since Loralei's hair grows so fast.

Old Blue - Loralei's soul, the reason she made it past 12. Old Blue is Loralei's big ass horse, he sadly is still currently back home. He's an old man of 23 and has been with Loralei since she was born. They share the same birthday and everything. He's a giant but an absolute sweetie unless you hurt Loralei then he's gonna try and kick you then stomp on you. He saved Loralei from a yao guai attack when she was younger and decided to hunt for the first time by herself. Plan for Loralei is to get a huge plot of land, build a farm there and live out the rest of her life raising horses and radstags. Loralei has a tattoo of him on her right leg.

Desdemona - Des was the one who even allowed Loralei to stay with the Railroad after her ex left her heartbroken. She felt bad enough for her and didn't even make her join. Was surprised when Loralei asked to be an official member. Figured that having a cruel ex who was a synth would be enough for that hate to start. Most people haven't met a synth and hate them. Then she notices the soft looks Loralei gives Glory and...well, that all makes sense doesn't it. Des will often get on Loralei's ass when she's having a particular bad attitude that day.

Tinker Tom - Tom is like an annoying little brother. His talk of aliens is grating to her sometimes, she just wanted to talk about her weird dreams without the "are you sure you aren't alien made? I mean, the fast healing, the blue blood-" but...she loves him like a little brother. She likes listening about his tinkering and is actually drawing her up something in hopes a making a tattoo machine. Safe to say that she does find him charming and someone she cares dearly about.

Freya (her mom) - most of Loralei's childhood is being ignored. She's always been labeled as someone who'll bring you down with her and for the fact that one of her eyes is blue instead of green...was said to bring bad omens. Was almost killed as a newborn but her father refused to ever let such a thing happen. Freya is the only person in the tribe that has the same mental issues as Loralei...but Freya would get caught up in keeping the tribe together and they just...never really talked. Loralei is like that with all her immediate family.

Lulu (older brother) - Lulu and Loralei get along better then the rest of their family. They're still kind of awkward and aren't sure how to show each other affection but when Lulu comes around for a quick visit then they'll often share a smoke together and just...talk about their lives together. One of them is supposed to take over the chieftain role when their parents no longer can but...neither one of them want to.

A phobia your muse has: 

Would it be weird to say meeting the beings in her dreams? She has so many dreams of just beings watching over her tribe. Seeing them as toys...or pawns or...pets. Loralei isn't sure. Just...she doesn't want to meet them. Ever. She feels like she isn't even supposed to know that they're there.

This is a tag free for all! So if you're seeing this, do it! It's a great way to delve into your OCs!