#i spend way too much time doing WALLY STUDIES to try and figure out the simple process of DRAWING ONE PUPPET

[sketchy-tour]

You'd think with how often I draw Wally, I wouldn't feel the need to adjust and redraw his hair a morbillion times

And yet here I am. Doing that. *resizes his pompadore a fifth time on one drawing.*

[moonlit-imagines]

Headcanons for dating Wally West

Wally West x reader

warnings:

a/n: i was debating whether or not y/n is on the team or not n for this im going for y/n being a regular civilian but now im debating making dating hcs for a hero too 🤭

prompt: anonymous: “But if you're still taking requests (and speaking of fast haha), I would absolutely love if you could do a lil' something about Wally West ♡. I love that track star to bits and we're entering my favorite season ever : spooky season (or autumn for people who aren't chronically online like me). So if you'd be tempted to write some fluff/domestic stuff in autumn with Wally, I would be over the moon! 🦊”

wally is so annoying (in the best way!!)

you aren’t too used to the whole idea of dating a metahuman, every day is like an adventure

and for a speedster? you’d be surprised how hard it is for him to find the time

but he makes time

*doorbell rings*

“you’re twenty minutes late” -you

“in flash-time that’s early” -wally, holding a half-eaten box of chocolates “i got a little hungry”

on his “days off,” you could usually find the two of you on the couch with a variety of snacks scattered across the coffee table and crumbs peppering the cushions and floor

“the dog will get them” -wally

“hate to break it to you, but i don’t have a dog” -you

“should i get you a dog?” -wally

he was always so goofy

and affectionate, very affectionate!

he loved to give you cheek and forehead kisses, so many so fast

“how many was that?” -you after noticing repeated pressure on your cheeks

“going on a hundred. i’m trying to beat my record!” -wally

it always ended up tickling and you’d laugh until you fell over

“wally!! wally, come on!!” -you

you’d always get bummed whenever he got called for a mission

especially because it always happened in the middle of something (dinner, a movie, study date, etc.)

then when he came home he’d be a wreck and then you’d be a wreck because you’d see him like that

then he’d have to calm you down and you’d have to help him feel better

“you dont have to do that, im fine! i swear!” -wally while you panic and try to take care of him

being invited to the cave!

meeting the team!

“just because youre meeting a half-kryptonian clone, a martian, an atlantean, some girl with a bow and arrow, and batman’s sidekick doesn’t mean you get to think any of them are cooler than me, kapeesh?” -wally

“oh yes, i know you’re the coolest” -you

the team loves you!!!

“wow, wally, thanks for proving your s/o isn’t imaginary” -artemis

“youre welcome” -wally

“do you want to come bake with me?!” -m’gaan

“please say yes, y/n. i’m so hungry. so so hungry” -wally

“let’s do it!” -you

starting to camp out at the cave while wally is on missions

also once some more dangerous people figured out wally’s identity, you got your own access code to the cave. EMERGENCIES ONLY

you used it to surprise wally once and got a stern talking to from batman. never again

you dont really spend too much time with the team, but you get invited to most of their friendly outings!

and you talk up a storm with the others trying to learn about their lives, which sometimes makes wally a liiiittle jealous

but you want to live vicariously through these interesting people bc ur life is a liiiittle boring

“can you tell me what atlantis is like? what it feels like to be underwater and how your fighting style differs on land?” “what’s your favorite dish to make on mars? do you like communicating this way or the telepathic way more?” “why do you always wear sunglasses, man?” (you know this one dick is like wally’s bestie) -all you

seeing wally less than usual when things start to heat up in his hero life :(

causes some strain and you get so so sad :(

but he always calls you when he can and tries to make up for it

and somewhere down the road when he retires you’re able to spend all your time with him and he makes up for lost time like he promised

ok i’ll stop there. happily ever after.

taglist: @ravenmoore14 // @summersimmerus // @azazel-nyx // @simsrecs // @xoxobabydolls // @ravenstrueluv // @cicatraize // @captainshazamerica // @bad4amficideas // @evilcr0ne // @thedarkqueenofavalon // @elenavampire21 // @jade-178 //

[the1trueanon]

Finally got around to making Sage/Rosemary's Neighbor Chart!! Maybe now I can finally get myself to do her official Neighbor description XD

Welcome Home and all it's characters belong to the great @partycoffin!! The Neighbor Chart template belongs to w i s d o m#0465 (thank you for making it)! Sage and Rosemary belong to me (@the1trueanon) -w-

Here's a further description of all of their relationships for you guys! ⏬

Wally: Sage isn't very close to Wally at first, though he does make it known that he is looking out for her in little ways. Though sometimes it seems almost as if Wally is sad or wistful around her. Despite this and some of his weird behaviors, they end up as rather good friends until Sage starts remembering Rosemary. Wally and Rosemary are very close. When Rosemary was alive, Wally was one of her closest friends and confidants. Now, Wally acts as a guide and companion as Rosemary remembers herself and tries to work out who she is, and Rosemary teaches Wally about the Outside and about himself and all the new things he learns and experiences. The two of them have the closest relationship, and love each other very much. One could potentially call them soulmates @:3

Barnaby: Barnaby and Sage are pretty good friends, though they aren't particularly close at first, They become much closer when Rosemary starts coming back. Barnaby and Rosemary become practically besties, as both of them adore making horrible, horrible jokes together. He's also an older sibling/father sort of comfort figure for her at times. The two of them and Wally hang out a lot.

Sally: Sage and Sally are very close, and end up dating each other! Sally prompts shy Sage to do more things, while Sage is Sally's voice of reason. However, the relationship between Sally and Rosemary is complicated. Though Rosemary and Sage end up as one person and still love Sally, and Sally still loves Sage, their relationship is strained with the introduction of Rosemary. But no matter if they stick together or break off their relationship, Sally and Sage/Rosemary will always be close.

Poppy: As always, Poppy plays a generally "motherly"-like role for both Sage and Rosemary. She and Sage often share recipies, complete with ingredients from Sage's garden. Poppy was also very key to helping Rosemary adjust when she finally came back to herself. When Rosie would have panic attacks or get overwhelmed, Poppy, Barnaby, and Wally were the main three able to help her step away and calm down again. Rosemary finds Poppy's company very comforting and cozy.

Frank: Frank and Sage are really good friends! Frank enjoys being around Sage as she's much calmer and less energetic than the others, and listens whenever they like to talk. The two share lots of gardening tips and ideas, and Sage gives them recommendations on what plants to try out in their garden. While Rosemary is noticeably more energetic and chaotic than Sage, Frank is still pretty close friends with her too. With Rosie's new confidence, she and Frank can now enjoy sassing each other back and forth XD The two are still gardening buddies all the way, and Rosemary even helped Frank with setting up an apiary once for him to study bees!

Howdy: Whether Sage or Rosemary, the general relationship between her and Howdy remains pretty much the same: she's one of Howdy's suppliers! Whether it be flowers or herbs, syrups or supplies, Howdy and Sage pretty much engage in a "tradesies" sort of deal. Sage, of course, still runs her own shop, but a lot of her supply also goes to Howdy's store. A bonus, however, of the addition of Rosemary is that Rosemary now engages in jokes with Howdy and Barnaby, typically resulting in the three of them dying of laughter on the floor!

Eddie: Eddie is probably the neighbor Sage/Rosemary has the least relationship with, though they're still good friends and enjoy spending time together. However, between Sage/Rosemary's work and Eddie's hectic schedule, the two don't normally get to spend time together unless it's in a group. Unfortunately, they're both workaholics 😅

Julie: Julie's bouncy personality typically overshadows Sage's calm and quiet demeanor, so while Julie and Sage are pretty good friends, most people wouldn't particularly recognize it. Sage is pretty good at helping calm Julie down when she gets overexcited however, and Julie -- like Sally -- pushes Sage to come out of her shell. Julie and Rosemary, on the other hand, are very obviously good friends. Paired up with Frank, the three of them can start a teasing spree that never ends! If Rosemary isn't with Wally and Barnaby, you'll absolutely find her with Julie and Frank.

[meruz]

any advice for comic layouts?? i really like the way you do ur comics

this is a really interesting question!! and it took me a lot of thinking as to how to answer.... I don’t know if I can give advice per se because I feel like I’m still figuring out a comics process myself, but I can try to walk you through what I’ve done thus far

Lets take this one page comic..

my comic process tends to be 2 tiered. once I have an idea of what I want to draw, I have a brainstorming/sketch phase where I will essentially just jot down whatever layouts and images first come to mind and experiment with them, making a bunch of drawings that have minor tweaks (shown above as Draft 1).You can see I really wanted to sell the deadpan expression in the last panel so I sketched out a couple different iterations. And I wanted to explore what the latte art would look like and how it would transform. A lot of this is not very well drafted, just ugly shorthand just to see what resonates with me visually. I generally do this on paper (often with pen) so I don’t feel the compulsion to fiddle with any particular drawing too much. less focus on perfecting and more focus on iterating.

Once I think I’ve got a good idea of the visuals, I’ll bring it into the computer where I can copy paste and move things around with transform tools in order to come up with a rough layout. My thought process kind of goes like this

I know I want the 1st and 4th panel to hit hard so I prioritize them in the layout and make them break the gutters. the other panels I keep contained and focus on pacing/contrast to tell their story. I think a comic page can generally have only one or two big moments before it becomes cluttered so it’s important for me to establish those first and work around it.

Similar goes for a slightly longer comic.

The process remains pretty much the same. This one is a scene adapted from a videogame cutscene so I’m working from a bit of a script and a bit of the cutscene compositions. I spend a bunch of time at my sketchbook brainstorming and I figure out pretty early on I’ll probably need two pages between the dialogue I want to fit in, the set up of the threat, and the big line drop. I know I want a panel where asch is standing in the middle of the room surrounded by enemies so I do some sketches to test out his silhouette and try to figure out if I want him to be half turned to the camera or fully turned when he says his big line. By the end of it I’m starting to piece together a layout.

Thought process is as follows:

Every piece of art has to be planned around the format through which its consumed and for comics on the internet its either a scroll or a click. I’m posting this comic in two pages so I want to plan for my impact to be made on clicking from one page to the next which spurs me to put the close-up at the head of the 2nd page. Since I want to build tension up to that reveal I consciously decide to make most of the panels on the first page small and obscure stuff like faces so things feel rushed and uncertain. for comics small panel = fast and big panel = slow. in terms of how the reader processes the information. I save the single big panel on the 1st page for the establishing shot of the conflict and add in a panel at the bottom to start the proverbial drum beat for the 2nd pg reveal.

I make the 2nd panel on the 2nd page a big one to let the page turn line ring in the air and also to solidly establish how the perspective of the battle turns when you realize the character’s resolve.

Of course, I didn’t think any of that stuff to myself as I was making it. I think a common misconception I want to dispel is that, contrary to how it appears when people break down comic pages, few artists will explicitly plan out the way your eye is supposed to move across the page. I think more likely is that if you read a lot of comics and you draw a lot of comics you form a visual (non-verbal! often unconscious) understanding of what has impact and what will create tension and which speechbubbles to read first. And putting it to paper is just trial and error coming off of that instinct. Maybe. I don’t know.

Sorry this is really rambly. And I don’t really have any advice... I guess if I had to sum it up... be aware of what you want the reader to focus on, where you want the reader to gasp and where you want them to laugh. what you want the reader to know vs not know. this sort of stuff should inform your decision making the most.

Also don’t take my advice. There’s a lot of people who are way better at this stuff than me. I recommend reading comics you like and studying them! And heres some resources also I guess

- Understanding Comics/Reinventing Comics/Making Comics by Scott Mccloud

I specifically had Making Comics on my shelf (one of my RISD classes forced me to buy it lol) but the others are great too. I think some may look at the Scott Mccloud books and call them basic but that’s just another way to say /fundamental/. They’re great at explaining the bare bones of comics and entertaining to boot so always worth at least a look, I think.

- Framed Ink by Marcos Mateu-Menstre

This book is less about comics and more about general visual storytelling... iirc Mateu-menstre mainly does storyboarding professionaly. But it’s a great overview of the composition of visual storytelling. This guy is also like a perspective extraordinaire.

- Wally Wood’s 22 panels that always work

This is just this one cheat sheet image but it’s worth studying. Wally Wood was a Silver Age american comics artist who made this page with his assistant in part to coach younger Marvel comics artists.

OK IM DONE TALKING :’ ) happy october everyone

[goldandbluesmiles]

Heading Towards Something Good

Summary: Damian, Father, Family and Affection

Notes: Based on this prompt by @just-an-aussie-otaku Hope I did it justice.

Ao3

XXX

The relationship between Damian, his family, and affection was...unnamable at best.

The League had not been big on displays of affection, praise had been sparse and the only positive touch had been after a job well done. Jobs that had let Damian empty and hollowed out. His mother had tried, but in keeping the balance between keeping her father happy and keeping her son safe, his mother had let normal child-rearing slide.

It was probably why she had sent him to Gotham.

When he had first come to the manor, he had been distant from his family. Then his father had died and the emotions that he had tried to keep a lid on had exploded around him.

And there had been Grayson.

Grayson, who had sat up with him at night, even when he had acted terribly to the older man.

Grayson, who had given him hugs and ruffled his hair even when he had threatened to stab him.

Grayson, who had ostracized one of his brothers for him. Damian himself might not like Drake but he knew how much he meant to Grayson and how much it had hurt the man to drive him away to look after Damian.

Grayson had given him unconditional love even though Damian had made it extremely hard for him.

And now Grayson wasn't there anymore.

He wasn't gone per se. Bludhaven was only half an hour away after all, and Damian could not begrudge him his own life. Damian was also quite glad to get to know his father alone.

However, Grayson's absence was felt. Especially on nights when Damian felt like peeling his skin off.

Grayson had always had an infinity for knowing when Damian needed him. And while Father was there now, he had no such instinct. They simply did not know each other enough.

The only way for Damian to get anything out of him would be to ask.

And really, he'd rather just take comfort from the dark.

xxx

Damian might not have had much training as a Bat but he had more than enough as an Assassin. He thinks that maybe his family had forgotten that sometimes, especially during the time his father was lost in the time stream.

Damian had started to silently creep around the house at night and none of the present occupants of the house had ever caught him. It had allowed him to hear conversations and exchanges he wouldn't have usually been privy to.

One of the first ones he had heard had taken place three weeks after Father's disappearance.

"I don't know what to do Wally, it's just so hard. I don't know how Bruce used to do take care of little me- Yeah okay, I guess he wasn't grieving at the time but still-"

If Richard and Alfred ever figured out that he overheard their conversation they had never shown. Hearing them had given him a new perspective on the first Robin, it had allowed him to appreciate what the older man was doing for him and had brought them closer.

It was this closeness that had allowed him to learn more about the kind of man his father was. Richard had told him stories of how in the beginning he had practically forced tactile affection on the repressed man. By the time Jason had come along, Father had been so well conditioned by his eldest that he had reached out on his own. Both he and his young ward had been at an uneasy middle until Jason had finally succumbed to the comfort. Post-death Jason had a relationship that consisted of barbs and retorts underlined with the care that existed years ago. Drake had been different, he had had parents and Father had been grieving, but eventually, they had been headed to a sort to a resolution that had picked up now that Father was back. Cassandra and Father had their own language, consisting of silent looks and precise movements. Stephanie and Barbara were not his children but they both had history and respect with him.

Damian had no idea what he had with Father.

"He'll want something with you too," Richard had said a little while after the original Batman had shown back up.

Damian had not answered him but that statement was the reason that he found himself slinking down the hallway towards Father's room.

Tonight was not a good night. It was the kind of night that made him want to silently scream, made the glass shards inside of him scrape at his sides and made the insistent buzzing in his head loud enough to drown out his thoughts.

It was the kind of night that Richard would have held him to sleep.

But Richard was in Bludhaven. And Father was just in reach.

The door was open. A few more steps and Father would surely notice him.

For a second, just a second, Damian consider just turning back to his room and forcing himself to go to sleep. However, the idea of being alone in his room again made him want to be violently ill.

By God, Richard had spoiled him. He had never had this problem with the League.

Making up his mind, Damian went forward until he was standing on the doorway to Father's room. The man was sitting up in bed and seemed to be looking at some papers with WE logo on them. It took him almost a minute to look up from them but when he did, his eyes alight with curiosity.

"Damian?" he asked

Feeling a bit panicked he blurted out the first that came to mind.

"Father, I need affection,"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Damian felt his whole body grow still and cold. This was not how he was supposed to say that! He looked pathetic! Father was going to think-

Except.

Except that Father merely raises his arm outwards, a clear invitation to sit with him. Refusing to overthink, Damian moved until he was in the circle of his father's arm. Once he was there, the older man bodily hauled him onto the bed. The reports were moved around until there was enough room for Damian to curl up in Father's lap, right against his chest.

"Oh, baby," said Father, once Damian was settled in his arms, "You only have to ask. I know I'm not good at noticing when you kids need something like this and I try to be better at it. But Damian if I don't notice, please ask if you need me,"

Damian nodded against the older man's chest and his father gently kissed his temple.

"Do you want me to turn off the light or is it okay for me to continue reading?"

"It's alright," murmured, already starting to get hazy. Father was warmer then Richard and while Richard's hugs had been tight and soothing, Father's was all-encompassing and safe.

Damian fell asleep as the glass inside carefully receded and his skin finally felt right again.

xxx

After that small incident, Damian became much more comfortable asking his Father for what he needed.

He even used the same line he did the first night. It never failed to make Father's lips twitch up in a smile.

Usually, they were alone when Damian asked. Just before school in the morning, the study or the lounge in the evenings, their rare lunches together, sometimes in the Batcave after patrol.

But they were always alone. Then came the day when Richard was over. School had been long and tedious. Homework had taken more energy than he had anticipated. All he wanted was to curl up with Father and just spend the evening in his company, however, it happened.

He first checked the study. Father was not there. The next place to look was in the lounge. Damian did find Father there, lying horizontally on the couch, book in his hand. However, he was not alone. Richard was there too, working on his laptop. He hadn't called Damian before coming over which meant the decision was last minute.

Damian contemplated just going to Richard and sitting with him the way they used to. However, his older brother looked busy and Damian was surprised to find that he wanted to sit with Father. Not just because he was the only option, but because it was honestly soothing.

Mind made up, Damian walked over to Father and stood by him with his arms crossed.

"Father, I need affection,"

In response, the older man raised his arm without taking his eyes off the book he was reading. Damian ducked under it and ended up laying on top of his father, head pillowed on his chest.

Damian knew Richard was watching them but with the way his muscles were uncoiling, he couldn't bring himself to care.

Dick, for his part, hid his shock pretty well. On the inside, he was squealing in delight but he kept his composure, occasionally sneaking glances at Bruce and Damian. Bruce kept reading his book and Damian seemed to be texting someone. After every few minutes, Bruce gently stroked a hand through Damian's hair and give his temple a kiss.

So Adorable.

Dick discreetly took a picture. Damian obviously didn't notice and if Bruce did, he didn't say anything.

The picture was later sent to everyone he knew.

And if Damian internally smiled at the copy he was shown by Selina...well no one needed to know.

xxx

Tim and Bruce were sitting in the cave working on their perspective reports when Damian walked to them. Tim side-eyes him, surprised to see the boy in his civilian clothing. Most of them tried to keep both lives separate and Damian especially never stayed in the cave in his civies.

He was even more surprised when Damian climbed into Bruce's lap. There were no words spoken, no indication. He just climbed up there and started reading the case file along with Bruce.

And Bruce. Just did nothing. He just let him sit there.

Had Tim missed something? When had these two gotten so comfortable? He'd seen the picture but this-? And since when did Bruce let people that close to him?

Tim himself was rarely on the receiving end of the closeness.

As soon as Tim had that thought, he regretted it. He knew from stories that Bruce had been a different man before Jason's death. His relationship with Cass was good. Tim had been unfortunate with his timing. At first, they were just professionally linked and by the time he had been adopted, they had had a habit neither one had taken the time to break.

Tim couldn't begrudge the man trying to have a better relationship with the child he never knew he had. He just wished watching it didn't make him feel a little hollow inside.

Still, as the even went on Tim couldn't help but feel a little happy about it too. He loved his family and both of them deserved this.

And anyway it wasn't as if his relationship with Bruce was lacking any love. He was especially reminded of this later on patrol when Batman bought Red Robin his favourite shake 'just because'

xxx

Jason was halfway out the door when he realized he didn't have his keys with him.

Damn it.

This is what happened when he came to the manor as Jason Todd and got comfortable. He started acting like a normal human being instead of the paranoid and cautious bat he was supposed to be.

It's good to keep them separate. You can be just Jason too, son.

And that was Bruce's voice in his head.

Jesus Christ. He really needed to get out of here and get drunk with Roy. Maybe Kori could be persuaded to come too.

He headed to the TV room and was treated to a lightly odd but admittedly adorable sight. Bruce was sitting on the couch with Damian in his lap, both of them fast asleep and snoring lightly with their mouths open. Cassandra was also there leaning into Bruce's side, looking sleepy but awake.

Jason let his lips twitch up at one side and grabbed a blanket from the armchair. He spread it over Bruce and his siblings. Bruce and Damian barely stirred but Cass smiled at him and mouthed 'Thank you'.

Jason gave her a salute, grabbed his keys from the table and headed out again, a little more bounce in his steps.

Later when Roy asked him why he was smiling like a moronic sap, he just grinned harder and pushed the other man to the ground.

It's what he deserved.

xxx

"Oh Hey, Bruce-"

Tim entered the living room and was greeted to the sight of Damian, once again, curled up in Bruce's lap. Stephanie was there too, sitting on a different couch and discreetly snapping pictures of the pair.

He had been hoping to get Bruce alone and while he wouldn't mind Stephanie, Damian still had some problem sharing his time with his dad.

"Tim did you need something?" asked Bruce

"Uh, well I was hoping to show you my report but we can do it later. I'll just-"

Before he could walk away, Bruce's voice stopped him.

"Why not now, Tim?"

He turned back to look at Bruce and saw that he was frowning in confusion. Tim didn't know how to tell him that his youngest was most likely to stab him at his intrusion. And the was Stephanie was stifling her laughter wasn't helping either.

Before he could come up with an excuse, however, Damian straightened up and jumped to his feet.

"Father is right, Drake," said Damian, "Putting off work is not a good look. You just reminded me I have a report on my own to finish,"

Tim raised his eyebrow at the boy. Even if Tim hadn't been trained by the Bat, he could have seen the lie from a mile away. Which meant-

He shared a disbelieving look with Stephanie. Had the Batbrat just read the room?

Wonders would never cease.

Tim sat down with Bruce and they carefully started to go over the reports from WE.

As he was sitting, Tim found himself leaning closer and closer to his dad. Finally, he just decided to take a leap of faith and put his head on Bruce's shoulder. Without any hesitation or lull in the conversation, the older man put his arm around Tim, pulling him close and giving his hair a kiss.

Huh. So it was that easy.

Stephanie raised her camera at them, looking at them in amusement.

Tim looked her dead in the eye and, very maturely, stuck his tongue out at her.

The deep sigh from Bruce did not deter either of them.

xxx

Bruce had noticed how comfortable his youngest had become around him and it never ceased to warm his heart.

They were at a gala, Him, Dick, Tim and Damian. It was late into the night but only halfway through the party and Bruce was chatting with a group of socialites. He was in the middle of pretending to find Mrs. Doser's vacation story interesting when he felt a tug at his side. He looked down to find his youngest standing by him and sleepily rubbing his eyes.

Damian didn't say anything but when he looked, Bruce read his face loud and clear even if that wasn't Damian's intention. Without any hesitation, he picked up the young boy and settled him against his shoulder. Damian squirmed a little but in the end, he relaxed under Bruce's gentle coaxing.

Damian was surprised at his Father's actions. At best he had hoped to have some of his Father's attention, at worst be berated or sent away. He had not expected this and could find no reason for it to be happening. But as the night went on and people merely cooed and awed at them, he figured this was just something people did with their children.

He got an image of his mother carrying him after a brutal training session but banished it from his mind. She had done her best and thinking about it wouldn't help.

During a separate incident, Batman was sitting in front of the Batcomputer having a meeting with the core members of the JL. He was in the middle of explaining the budget when Damian marched towards him wearing a mask and completely uncaring of the faces on the computer. As soon as he reached Bruce he jumped into his lap and closed his eyes. He must have been severely sleep-deprived because it only took his moments to fall asleep.

Bruce was torn. On one hand, his sweet, precious baby was sleeping in his lap. On the other hand, the founding members of the JL were still online and only Hal Jordan knew his identity.

In the end, the meeting continued with Batman glaring every time anyone tried to deviate from the subject.

If he smiled at the string of emojis and supportive texts Superman and Wonder Woman sent him on hs secure computer, it was his own secret.

xxx

Damian couldn't sleep and the most frustrating thing was that he couldn't pinpoint the reason. He hadn't gone on patrol and his day had been relatively uneventful.

He just couldn't find sleep.

Damian finally gave up and padded down to the den. He was surprised to find that Richard was there too.

"I guess we had the same idea, huh?" said Richard, sending him a soft smile

A closer look at the older man's face and Damian knew that Richard had a good reason to not be asleep. His eyes were puffy and face a little pale as if he had been crying.

"Couldn't sleep," mumbled Damian

"Same," said Richard waving his arm to invite him over.

Damian went over situated himself beside his older brother leaning slightly against his arm. They sat there in silence for a little while until Father came into the room.

He stopped in the doorway, almost as if he hadn't expected anyone to be down there.

"Boys," boys he murmured sounding tired but awake at the same time

"Hey B,"

"Father,"

"You know what we should do?" asked Father, taking in both their appearances.

Damian was confused by Richard seemed to perk up.

"Pillow fort!" he said

Father smiled, "Pillow fort,"

What followed was one of the most confusing half-an-hour of Damian's life. He hand never made a pillow fort before but he was good at taking directions and arranged blankets, pillows and support as required. When they were finished, they had quite a big tent with pillow walls, blanket roof, and cushions to keep them comfortable.

"Why is it so big?" he asked

As if on cue, Timothy, Stephanie and Cassandra stumbled into the room.

"See, I told you I heard voices," said Stephanie

"Yeah, yeah," said Timothy, "Are you guys making a fort?"

"Yup," said Dick, "Join us! The more the merrier,"

Damian expected himself to feel annoyance at being interrupted but found that he felt...content.

Now wasn't that a thought.

They had just started to arrange themselves when Jason walked in with Duke right behind him.

"Pillow forting without us," said Jason

"That's not a word," mumbled and Timothy, "And there's room,"

"What do you think, kid?" Jason asked Duke, "Should we grace them with our presence?"

Duke grinned, "I don't know about you but that looks comfy,"

"The Duke has spoken," Jason mock cried, "Make room brats,"

They moved around until Father in the middle. Dick and Tim on either side of him and Damian on his lap. Duke curled up across Tim and Father's legs while Jason took the spot opposite of him. Stephanie and Cassandra ended up curled together on the comfy couch behind Father.

"Good Night, everyone," said Father

There were a few mumbled answers as everyone started to nod off surrounded by the comfort of family.

Damian fell asleep with a smile on his face.

The relationship between Damian, his family, and affection was still unnamable. But he liked to think that it was heading toward something good.

[chromium7sky]

Four-eyes| one shot damirae

A/n: I'm trying to stretch up my writing muscle before continuing other work. Sorry for crappy idea and crappy sketches.

Either her reason is to cut off from social interacting or just the aesthetic, Damian can't help find himself staring at her as she held her book close up, almost buried her face in it.

'What's with the pose?' Damian mumbled as he seen her sit at the living room, while other member interacting, playing even asking question while she simply choose to isolate herself by reading book way to close as if she literally pushing everyone away from her.

Damian as usual goes to the table which situated near the window and put down some document and report for him to finish and compiling. Other than patrolling, working on clerical stuff makes him busy.

Growing up training to kill, social were never be in his dictionary but it seems Raven's effort in social distancing is a bit...annoying as he seen her at the corner of his eyes while studying the statistic of how many times someone try to mess up banking system at the city then he decided to focus on his paper.

-------

He remember when the first time he was sent to teen titans by his father much to his dismay, the member seems to display a tiny of fear as they look at him like seeing a nightmare but for raven, she keep calm.

He thought she's different perhaps because she's the daughter of demons (the worst one), she takes no judgement. But still, he need to be cautious towards her.

Perhaps it is one of her trait where she tries to calm down her team mates if there's inner tension happening. If Starfire unable to calm down the fight between two boys especially when involves with him.

One thing he can't be control is him being hard head and stubborn to the point Raven almost sent him to another dimension. Raven's patience are not infinite and he definitely not going to be overboard with his attitude. Therefore, it train him to tolerate some of member attitude as well as how to cooperate and using other member's ability to achieve the objective of the mission.

He does prepare some plan and blueprint towards the teen titans member for tactical study. Beast boy and Wally simply scoffed as they skim up the document like it was nothing. They prefer to wing it in, as what they told Damian which almost makes him lectured them about preparedness and failure is only for people who don't prepare for any consequences.

However, Raven told him, he should lose up a bit and she does say the others are learning from him being better in tactical as she let him to observe the other member closely when they conducting some mission that involved less threat. She pat on his back, simply said " Don't worry, they got it. They learn it from you. " She smiled.

He felt something after he heard it. What is this flutter feeling in his chest?

His face felt some heat. what is happening?

Trying to avoid Raven from seeing his vulnerable state , he simply let out the sigh and step away from her. At the corner of his eyes he saw her face from pleasant smile to surprised.

Sometimes he cursed his past for not knowing the meaning of emotion. All he learn is vengeance and angry. Only those two. As soon as he move in Gotham, he start to learn respect, family love and worries. The feeling after being praised? He still figure it out what is it.

As time goes by, he eventually try to bond the team, helping them become better. "Dude, even though you'relike some sort of gremlin, I guess you are a good person after all!" Beast boy cracked then turn into a Macaque hugging Damian's face much to his disgust after he improved the shapeshifter's suit.

He sighed.

--------

After two years later, he's begin to be comfortable with the team and almost memorize their attitude and personalities. Somehow, he still haven't figure out Raven. When it comes to accomplish the mission, she glide through the air, launching attack and be as enigma and Raven-y as she can, casting fear towards the enemy. He swore he has seen the method before.

As soon as the mission over, she open the portal pulling the team back into teen titans tower like a worm hole short cut and after that the team disperse at the launching pad, getting rest or shower.

At night the team leisuring in living room but Raven spend her time in her room. But this time, Kori ask him to call her because it is the night of mandatory fun.

Damian keeping his composure, nodded and walked towards her room. He knocked three times, then he heard footstep walk towards the door. " What is it, Damian?"

Damian perhaps jolted a bit as he wonder how could she guess him but quickly discarded as he forget that she, is Raven who can read minds and an empath.

"Its Kori. She said it's Mandatory night." Damian simply state the business. Then he heard silent for a while.

"C-could you tell Kori that I'm not coming?" She spoke behind the door.

"I'll inform to her then." Damian nod and walk away. He inform to Kori about it.

"Ah, too bad. I wanted to show this new movie. Guess it's just us then." She smiled.

"I'm not coming too, Kori. I'm afraid if there's any emergency mission, I don't think she could handle it alone." Damian crossed his arms.

"Raven handle a case during valentine day when she was alone." Said Jackson as came up with casual clothes.

"Which she end up crying after she's back from the mission." Damian sneered at the Aqualad.

"I never knew Damian would care so much for a team mate or...are you planning something else?" Beast boy came up after putting his best clothes and his grin.

"Yes, I'm planning to take over the world, once you're back from outside please do inform me how it went so that I could proceed my plan." Damian said sarcastically.

"Ahah, don't worry, D. We'll buy something for ya." Wally pay on his shoulder.

"Just go." He shoved all three of them as Kori are about to leave the room.

---------

Damian now at leisuring room playing cheesy Viking 3 console mode to passed the time. The tower really quiet as four of them gone out excluding Raven and he really appreciate the moment of silence.

Suddenly he heard a fridge door open. Quickly he put the game on pause, and went to the kitchen.

As he coming to the room he saw the girl with bob hair style with dual color hair consist of navy blue with manogany red ending.

' That's must be Raven.' his heart spoke. As he pulled the chair at the kitchen the table, the girl froze.

"Who's there?!" She spun and held her hand that enveloped with purple energy towards him.

Damian simply stood there and so was she.

Both of them froze.

A moment passed, then another.

And...

"You ... wear glasses?" He rose his brow.

Raven with sweaty face, blink a couple of times as she adjusted her glasses with her other hands.

"Damian, what are you doing in here? I thought you follow others to Mandatory day?" Her hands with energy start to dispersed.

"That explain everything." His lips tug aside.

"What?" Raven confused with the answer he gave.

" The book, the pose, the distance." He chuckled. Then, he looks at flustered Raven.

"What do you mean? you still haven't answer my question, Damian Wayne." Raven getting confused.

"Ah, nothing. I decided to stay just in case of emergency mission and all. I Wouldn't let you handle the cases alone." Damian crossed his arm as he sit at the kitchen counter.

"So...you're doubting me?" It was Raven turn arched her brow.

"I'm not saying you're not capable. I'm saying that you'll need some back up. Two heads are better than one, wouldn't it?" Damian lean back at the chair.

"Never knew you would thought of that, that's very kind of you." She smiled. " An improvement too."

Damian clicked his tongue and looked away, but pink tint start to visible on his cheeks and his ears. Ah, again with this feeling.

He clear his throat a couple of times, then a mug set in from of him. "Peppermint ice tea?"

His eyes looked at Raven as she seat in front of him, with glasses and book on her hands. The Flowers of evil, as he observed the title. "Thank you."

As he sip his tea, he stared at the book. "Flowers of Evil?" As he pointed at the book.

"Yeah, might try to read something like old poem." as Raven looked at the book title.

"I could recommend Robert Frost."

"I did read some of his. The Road Not Taken." As Raven sipped her tea.

"I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference."

Raven blink her eyes as she heard his recitation the last verse. "So, do you take it?"

"Take what?"

"The road less traveled by."

Damian looked at her. " This is the road less traveled by." He smirk as he sip the cup.

Raven try to understand that line but Damian simply silent. He's quite enjoy the company he's having now.

"All these time, I've been wonder what's with burying your face in the book." He rest both of his elbow on the table as well as his chin on his propped hand. " Never knew you were actually Four-eyes, metaphorically."

"Are you, mocking me?" Raven furrowed her brows as she put her cup on the table.

"I found you looks more professional in those glasses." He smirked as he stared at her which leads to Raven unknowingly adjusting her glasses as she looked away.

"The glasses is expensive. I lost mine as I bought to mission when I first join the titans, so I tend to leave it at room and I had to use some of my powers to adjust my visions."

"But you could heal them?" Damian's begun to curious.

"Only limited time."

"Did you know there's is laser treatment for that?"

Raven surprised as she heard it. She seems to be thinking but then she put down her cup.

"I'd rather wear glasses than risking my eyes to go blind." She sighed. "Unless I end up become Bran the third eye Raven."

Damian chuckled. She's indeed full of surprises.

"If you lost your glasses again, do tell me. I might know some excellent optometrist to do excellent job."

"Uh, n-no. You don't have to. I.."

"That's what team mate for right? Helping each other?" He smiled. A genuine smile.

She seems stunned by him. Smiling. Damian Wayne is actual smiling.

"Besides, you in glasses, is a rare opportunity and quite pleasant to the eyes." As he get up and goes towards the sink to wash his empty cup. At the corner of his eyes, Raven were blushed hard then adjusting her glasses.

Shit. He cursed under his breath. She IS adorable IN glasses.

[janedrakey131]

zukka hp au part 12

I think one of my favorite friendships is Katara and Zuko, so time to flesh that out a bit in this au. (Also, thank you to @margaritavilleee for reminding me Katara is definitely a Gryffindor.) 

And one quick question, do you like having links for each part on every post? I’m debating just making one big post I can update with links for all the parts, but if you like the way it is or have a different suggestion, let me know!

If you would like to catch up on this au:

part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5 part 6 part 7 part 8 part 9 part 10 part 11 part 12 part 13

If you would like to join the tag list

Hope you enjoy!

So Zuko doesn’t join the gaang for A LONG TIME

But when he does, he’s really awkward about it

Because he was expecting idk, badass Avatar constantly evading Sozin and his father

And instead it’s just a bunch of meddling kids dragging Aang out of the way

So eventually, when he joins, he was expecting them to just ask him for help when they needed it and to ignore him the rest

But uh, nope

They pretty much all adopt him

Sokka is really happy, but also he’s like Katara why do you talk to him more than you talk to me

Katara just enjoys spending time with Zuko though

He’s older than the rest of the kids and a bit more chill (usually)

He’s fine with just studying together or listening to her try to figure out how she feels about Aang

(She’s definitely listened to him gush about Sokka to the point where she’s like this is weird and uncomfortable, but you’re both idiots)

She sometimes joins Iroh and Zuko for tea

Iroh doesn’t ship them, but Katara is a nice young lady in his book

And he thinks his nephew needs more friends

At some point she has the field trip with Zuko (or this au’s equivalent)

I think this is all pre-getting together with Sokka and pre-shovel talk?

I have to figure out exactly when they’re going to start dating

Anyway, Katara and Zuko like sparring together

Zuko is trying to figure out the limits of his fire magic

Like can he improve on using other kinds of magic, or is he just inherently bad at water magic

And vice versa

He’s not really the research dude, that’s Sokka

But Katara likes working with him, because he’s really intuitive and can make really interesting leaps in logic

I think Zuko likes spending time with Katara because she doesn’t have any expectations for him

Also, she’s just nice to him? And Zuko doesn’t have a lot of people who are nice to him without strings attached

And since they’re in the same house, they see each other a lot more now

He waits for her after class sometimes so they can head to the library together

Zuko starts growing his hair out

So sometimes she’ll braid his hair

Idk, let the dude have some nice soft platonic shit

They eat dinner together in the Great Hall sometimes, too

And idk, they have a system to grab each other’s favorite foods if the other is too far away and then switch

When he tells her about how he got his scar, he has to get Suki to come sit on her to stop her from slapping his family

Then she hugs him

And tries to make his favorite food

She’s too angry though, so it turns out really really burnt

But Zuko just thanks her and eats all of it

She tries extra hard after that to get Zuko and Sokka to stop dancing around each other

Because she’s like you need more nice relationships

And if that isn’t a nice relationship

I will put the fear in you both

It doesn’t work

They’re still both oblivious T.T 

She, Aang, Toph, and Suki all get together with Uncle Iroh and moan about it for awhile

They’re like he finally stopped following Sokka around

So can’t they get together already and put us out of our misery

It’s agony watching them blushing around each other

They’re the zukka initiation squad though

They want to be the zukka protection squad, but the two haven’t gotten together yet

This got off Katara and Zuko’s friendship

But whatever

If you would like to catch up on this au:

part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5 part 6 part 7 part 8 part 9 part 10 part 11 part 12 part 13

If you would like to join the tag list

@topblurryface119 @assyouwishh @aphrcditeee @a-hermit-who-lives-in-your-attic @bring-back-wally @zuko-just-wants-his-honor @youcant-escapefate @iwillgodownwiththisship27 @animegeneral17 @uglybutuwu @cocoa-hooves @errvaaa @floweryrage @syddles-the-squiddles @easy-as @the-celery-stalks-at-midnight @crappyravioli @belonginthesky @grim-cat17 @imsocial-not @svgasuga @vehicularimpact21 @kurooslaugh @grimmjowskitty @spotkidsprout @delievia

[fink-le-freak]

@mikey-putrid and I have this weird little desert town we created called Halflight and I want to share some of the character blurbs we wrote for the citizens

Notable Locations Within Halflight

-Halflight General Hospital

-Halflight Public Library

-Halflight Grammar School

-Halflight Town Hall

-The Flock and Feather

-Dragon's Keep Games and Comics

-Feline Good

-Pins N' Needles

-Ink Addicts

-Rose's Antiques

-Theodore's Oddities and Enchantments

-Kelly's Judo Club

-New to You

-Sunny Valley Nursing Home

Dr. Elsie O'Dalaigh, 54: The town's most beloved doctor. Her dry wit and eccentricities may put you off at first, but she's a very warm and wise woman and should you fall ill or find yourself hurt, you will be in good hands. She's originally from Dublin and has a fair number of stories to tell from her wild youth in Ireland. She has an affinity for all things macabre but especially spiders. You might find her dozing off on her porch swing or enjoying a cup of tea with a friend. You're always welcome to join her and her spouse for dinner.

Dr. Ivan Vasilevsky, 39: A sickly doctor who recently came to town from New York City because the air quality was better for his lungs. He's very brilliant but hardly friendly and very private. Because he's fairly well known, patients come from across the country seeking his care. The only person he seems friendly with is his nurse, Cameron.

Dr. Andre Jimenez, 34: An anthropomorphic parrot surgeon at Halflight General Hospital. He's a total social butterfly and loves to talk, talk, talk. He has trouble keeping secrets and falls into gossip frequently. He's well liked by all his colleagues, all but Dr. Vasilevsky that is.

Johnathan "Johnny" Ross, 20: A cowardly and sensitive young man with a passion for piercing. Though only an apprentice, he's very knowledgeable about body modification and keeps his own piercings immaculate. His motorcycle is also kept in pristine condition. He's also quite shy and is hardly ever seen without his girlfriend, Loretta.

Venus Estelle, 31: A laid back frilled lizard woman that claims to see the future through the smoke from her pipe. She's very transparent and sees no reason to keep secrets about herself. She has nothing to hide. She has a passion for music and plays drums in a local punk band, The Heart Electric.

Kaisei "Kai" Kelly, 56: A very stoic and serious judo instructor. His father was a boxer in Ireland and ever since childhood, Kai has been enthralled by martial arts. He fancies himself a train enthusiast and has a large collection of model trains in his home. His serious nature and brute strength can make him rather intimidating but his husband Rodney finds him cute. He visits his family in Kyoto every spring.

Rodney Kelly, 59: The gym teacher at Halflight Grammar School. Originally from Edinburgh and standing a diminutive 5'2", Rodney more than makes up for his height with personality. He's encouraging, kind, hyperactive and loud. Very, very loud. Fitness has always been an important part of his life, even at nearly 60. He does his best to make gym class a fun place for all instead of a source of bullying and stress for those who don't like team sports.

Jeremy Fox, 19: A brilliant college student neck deep in conspiracy theories. He's very paranoid and distrusting, often to his detriment. He wants to prove to his professors that aliens exist though none of them will give him the time of day. When he isn't studying or trying to prove his theories, he can be found practicing his bass guitar or stargazing. He and his older sister like to unwind by smoking pot and watching sci-fi movies. He's one of Johnny's closest friends.

Jodie Fox, 23: Jeremy's cheerful, supportive yet ditzy older sister and roomate. She let him move in with her after their parents kicked him out for being gay. She doesn't understand a lot of what he talks about but she's happy he's passionate about something. Her bedroom is filled with Care Bears merchandise and colorful collectibles. She's rarely seen without her sticker covered roller skates. The two siblings live in the apartment right above Johnny and Loretta.

Sunny McIntyre, 30: An anthro horse gym rat and fitness trainer. Her cheerfulness is contagious and her motherly nature makes her easy to talk to. Her thick southern drawl might make it hard to understand her though. She always looks on the bright side and doesn't have a pessimistic bone in her body. In addition to being a die hard Bon Jovi fan, she enjoys fishing, hiking and hunting. She also hosts a transgender support group at her house.

Junichiro Oguma, 46: An overworked and underpaid pharmacy technician. Though very good at what he does, he isn't really a people person. He's rather grumpy and has little patience for foolishness. He's infamously difficult to work with due to his perfectionism. He holds himself to ridiculously high standards and gets upset easily when he fails to meet his own expectations. His wit is drier than the desert itself.

Edward Dowler, 68: A retired illustrator living comfortably at the Sunny Valley Nursing Home. He takes his sketchbook everywhere and may sheepishly ask you if you would mind posing for a portrait. He's a gentle soul and a firm believer in the power of pacifism. He's very close to his adopted daughter and three grandsons.

Joanne Lawrence, 47: The owner of Joanne's Diner. She bought the place almost 20 years ago and turned it into a comfortable, 1950's style diner popular among bikers and travelers. She's very blunt and hates wasting time but if you treat her well, she'll treat you well. Threaten her livelihood however and you will pay dearly. Regulars might call her Mama because she takes such good care of them.

Dennis "Moose" Bowen, 52: The cook at Joanne's. He's a people pleaser and will do whatever a customer asks to make sure they enjoy their meal. Hearing someone say they didn't like his food is like a knife through the heart. He prefers to stay in the background and not call too much attention to himself. Joanne calls him Moose because of his large size.

Hilda "Mouse" Calhoun, 21: A demon waitress at Joanne's. Contrary to what you might believe, she's very down to earth and sweet. She's not here for souls or bringing you to damnation, she just wants to serve pancakes and save money for beauty school. Her petite build makes her the Mouse to Dennis's Moose.

Wally Mack, unknown but born before 1956, mentally and physically around 21-24: A living humanoid shadow that can usually be found on a wall at Joanne's. He's chatty and perky and loves to dance. He's able to interact with others through their shadows. If Wally was to touch your shadow's shoulder, you would feel it. He likes to play harmless pranks on Dennis.

Tiffany "Tiff" Cain, 25: An anthropomorphic eagle bartender at her father's restaurant, The Flock and Feather. She also volunteers to work with children with special needs on weekends. She's very patient and a daredevil at heart. Her straightforward, casual attitude makes guests comfortable and keeps them coming back. She may be seen skateboarding around town.

Hisao Nakajima-Stewart, 33: The recently appointed head librarian at Halflight Public Library. He's rather sarcastic and moody but becoming a father has softened him up. He's very passionate about high fantasy and hosts Dungeons and Dragons sessions at his house every week. He spoils his chihuahua, Kotori, rotten with all kinds of pretty dresses and toys. He loves his husband, daughter and newborn son dearly.

Delwyn Morgane, 29: An employee at Dragon's Keep Games and Comics. When his shift ends, he dons a full suit of armor and obsessively hunts down dragons, or at least tries to. He's yet to actually kill a dragon. He's quite handsome but has a few screws loose. He plays Dungeons and Dragons with Hisao and friends every Thursday night.

Klaus Brunsvold, 70: A quiet and hardworking man originally from Norway. English is not his first language but he's slowly improving thanks to his coworkers. Though he might look imposing, his warm smile puts people at ease right away. He works at the cat cafe, Feline Good, as a barista and gleefully serves customers fattigman and slices of ostekake. Goria says he has "big grandpa energy".

Jonas Ostergard, 61: A blunt, reclusive man that's easily recognized by his towering height and voracious appetite. Standing 8'2" in comparison to his wife's tiny 5', he's one of many oddities in this town. He's absolutely enthralled by zombies and robots and fills notebooks with detailed diagrams regarding them. He's often seen at the Flock and Feather, chatting up a storm with his friend Tiff. He has autism, ADHD and intellectual disabilities.

Jamie De Luna, 18: A scrawny young man enamored with anime and martial arts. He's a bit hotheaded and immature but nonetheless determined to become an MMA fighter. His younger sister Tala is his biggest fan and supports her nerdy big brother all the way. He loves cheesy kung fu movies and takes them very seriously. He thinks very highly of his judo teacher Kai and seems to think of him as a father figure.

Goria Stout, 15: A high school student and part of Hisao's Dungeons and Dragons group. She's partially an ogre, 25% to be exact, and admires her ogre grandfather greatly. However, at the same time, part of her has been made to feel ashamed of her pointed ears and blue skin. She's rather lazy and self centered, but occasionally shows a more warm side. She wants to study magic and become a feared sorceress but just doesn't have the natural ability to do so. She frequents the comic shop and is the only one that believes in Delwyn's quest to slay a dragon.

Wesley Eldridge, 19: The bratty and materialistic son of billionaires left to play in mommy and daddy's mansion. His parents are constantly traveling the world, so he spends his days lazing about and relishing his family's wealth. He's notoriously snobbish and will have no part in anything, or anyone, he deems beneath him. He's had a fondness for unicorns since he was a child and even owns a purebred Irish unicorn named Divinity Diamond. He's very protective of her and has no qualms about sending his guards after you if you dare harm her.

Renwick Ozul, 25: E-boy and aspiring model with a sour disposition. He's distrusting of others and keeps people at a distance, except for his close friend Missy. Despite his cold and calculating online persona, he's quite insecure and struggles with his body image. He can be rather rude and nasty but has his moments of vulnerability and kindness.

Chelsea Montgomery, 23: A quiet young woman who keeps to herself. Some people say she fades into the background. She's very creative and resourceful, cleverly finding solutions to most problems she faces. Her interests include anime, cosplay, drawing and video games. She's great with kids and would like to be an art teacher one day.

Dallas Silvers, 27: A monster hunter and unofficial sheriff of Halflight. She's bold and quick witted, outsmarting any beast that threatens the town and quickly subduing it or killing it. Her talent with a rifle is nigh unmatched in town. She's the second oldest of 11 children and adores her older brother, the bounty hunter Smokey Silvers. She finds it difficult to be open about her feelings but loves her family dearly.

(Characters below belong to my friend @mikey-putrid, follow him he's cool)

Brody Erickson-O'Dalaigh, 47: The town's resident maternal figure and unofficial monster hunter (or befriender, really). Their spunky, adventurous attitude often gets them into shenanigans, but they always manage to pull themself out. They are kind and loving towards everyone. No matter who or what you are, you are always invited to Brody's for a nice meal.

Landon Borowick, 26: Brody's, often unwilling, sidekick and a security guard at the local mall. He's a cowardly young man who would rather stay home and get stoned, but thinks of Brody as his hero and therefore ends up getting dragged along on their adventures. Despite his fearful nature, Landon is a physically intimidating person who will do anything to help a friend.

Darcy Cooper, 16: A rough and tumble student at Halflight Grammar School. Darcy moved to Halflight with her mother to open up a bakery, which doubles as their home, and she often makes deliveries on her bike. Her warm and friendly personality helps her to make friends easily. Usually covered in bandages, Darcy loves practicing stunts on her skateboard, as well as watching anime and playing video games.

Loretta Sims, 20: Johnny's girlfriend, aspiring cryptozoologist and collecter of cool antiques. Loretta is shy and timid, preferring to blend into the background and not draw attention to herself. She loves spending time in the forest and working on her ever growing scrapbook. She's never far from her beloved boyfriend.

Cameron Payette, 28: A nurse at Halflight General Hospital and Dr. Vasilevsky's live in assistant. Having grown up with 15 disabled and ill siblings, Cameron has developed a love of helping people, keeping them healthy and cheering them up with a silly song on their trusty ukelele. During their off time, they enjoy video games and sci-fi movies.

[novaviis]

I'm obsessed with your Sick!Dick Au!!!! Question: how would Dami feel about what's happening to Dick?

...fuck, y’all really gonna get me started. 

Sick!Dick Au

Damian doesn’t want to be at the Gala that night. He’d rather bedoing a million other things, and while he recognizes the importance ofFather’s public persona, the whole affair is so unnecessarily gaudy. So, heputs up with it, but just barely, with absolutely no patience for paparazzibeyond playing his part. He certainly doesn’t have any patience for Grayson andWest and their prodding at him to lighten up. The two of them are unbearabletogether, even more so at a public event like this. However, Dick did promiseto let him in on a smuggling case if he behaved, so he complies.

At some point Wally makes a commentabout giving the press what they want andgrins as he tugs Dick up to the dance floor. Cameras go off as they start todance together, and Damian is honestly too busy scrolling through his phone topay much attention. He’s sitting at the table with Barbara, Cass, Duke, andTim. At least Todd was allowed toreject the invitation. Father is off somewhere in the ballroom crowd, probably talkingbusiness or taking questions. Damian would honestly much rather be with him andtaking part in those discussion than being confined here. So, he keeps himselfbusy until he hears Barbara say that something is wrong in aforeboding tone. 

Damian looks up just in time to seeWally struggling to hold Dick upright, calling Dick’s name as he slumps againsthim. Now, Damian prides himself on being prepared for anything, calm andcollected in any situation, but he hesitates. When Barbara takes control,already pushing her chair away from the table, and tells him to go find Bruce,Damian doesn’t argue - because Dick is on the floor now, convulsing, and thereisn’t time. Damian sprints through the ballroom, shoving Gotham Elites out ofhis way until he finds Father holding a glass of wine and laughing in a groupof men and women. The moment Bruce sees his youngest son running to him inobvious distress, that laughter dies and concern takes its place. He sets hisglass down on a table and ignores everything else as he knees down and braceshis hands on Damian’s shoulders, asking what’s wrong.

“Father, it’s Dick, hecollapsed on the dance floor, I think he’s having a seizure.” 

And then its the chaos of flashingcameras and Father’s commanding voice, and Damian standing back watching asDick slowly comes to, and the paramedics coming and going with Dick on astretcher, and the tense car ride to the hospital, and Wally’s distressedpleading to be let into the room until finally he gives in and just tells themto go. Even Damian can tell that Father is ready to tear the place down boardby board at this treatment, and he has half a mind to stay behind with Wally(not out of comfort to West, of course, but for the principle of the matter).In the end though, he follows his family to Dick’s room. He’s already almostrecovered by the time they walk in. 

That’s how it starts, from his pointof view. 

See, the thing is, Dick is the onlyone in the family who isn’t hell-bent on reforming him, or understanding him,or trying to make him something he is not. With ‘Grayson’ he’s justallowed to be himself. He can let his guard down, even if just a bit, when whenhe doesn’t let itdown, Dick doesn’t try to make him. He just lets Damian be, doesn’t try to understand him, because he already does. So… needlessto say, even if Damian doesn’t admit it outright all the time, they’reclose. 

And having seen Dick like that, notbecause of any enemy that Damian can take down but because of something thatnone of them can control, is hard. Damian wantsto be able to fight, threaten, beat, and intimidate this thing looming overDick’s head, but he can’t. So, at first, he ignores it. Grayson will be fine.He is fine. 

But slowly, he’s not. Father forceshim into retirement as Nightwing, he’s put on sick leave at the GCPD, and hiscondition worsens. It doesn’t happen all at once, it’s over the course ofalmost two years, but when it starts to go downhill, it’s noticeable. Everytime Damian sees Dick, it seems like he has just a bit less energy, that he’sjust a bit paler, a bit more pained. Damian notices how Wally is so hyperawareof Dick at all times, like he’s waiting in dread for him to collapse, andreally, Damian cannot blame him.

Damian goes over to Wally and Dick’sapartment one afternoon, because he’d gotten into an argument with Bruce andjust wants to be out of the Manor for a while, maybe go through a few casefiles with Dick while he’s there. Dick gave him a spare key ages ago with theexpress permission to come by whenever he wants or needs to. So, when hisknocking at the door receives no answer, he figures that no one’s home, anduses his key, thinking he’ll just wait on the couch until Dick gets home. 

When he walks in, the lights are allout, so for a moment he assumes he was right - but he can hear sound comingfrom the bedroom. Dropping his bag and kicking his shoes off at the door, hewalks slowly toward the bedroom door, but before he can knock, Wally opens itfrom the other side. He looks almost haggard, the worry lines on his face deep. 

Wally pushes his hand back throughhis hair, looks back over his shoulder into the dark bedroom, and back atDamian. “Hey, sorry Dami, Dick’s, uh… he’s having a rough day,” hewhispers.

Damian looks past Wally into thebedroom. Dick is laying in bed, leaning halfway off the mattress as he wretchesviolently into a bucket, before rolling back and holding his head. He’s sweaty,and his breathing is hitched and uneven, and his teeth are clenched so tightthe veins in his neck stand out. “I can… I apologise, I should havecalled first, I can come back another time-” 

Wally waves off his apology, tellinghim its fine and that he can stay here as long as he needs. The couch is allhis. Dick just probably won’t be coming out for a while. He can help himself tothe food in the kitchen, but if he’s going to watch TV or listen to music, wearheadphones, and try to keep the lights off. Damian complies, sending one lastglance into the bedroom at Dick, before Wally closes the door and heads back totend to him. 

Damian ends up falling asleep on thecouch that night. When he wakes up in the morning, he’s got a blanket over him,and Dick is making pancakes in the kitchen. Dick tells him good morning, andthrows a pleasant apology over his shoulder for not being able to see him lastnight. Damian tells him not to be an Idiot, Grayson. And there hadbetter be blueberries in those pancakes. 

Damian doesn’t want anything to dowith the impromptu “Wedding” at first. The whole event just seemsdepressing, and he mentions that they shouldn’t be doing this “just incase something happens to Dick” as he’s watching Wally and Alfred set upchairs. Wally freezes at the comment, closes his eyes, and tells Damian heknows. That’s why they’re not. In the end, even Damian has to admit that itended up being a nice evening. 

And then, several months later, histeacher answers a call from his desk, and walks over to Damian’s during a studyperiod to tell him he’s wanted down at the Office. Damian doesn’t think much ofit until he’s walking down the halls of Gotham Academy and sees Duke, Tim, andCass all headed in the same direction from the High School wing. When they getto the front office, Father is there. Dick was admitted to Intensive Care.

Damian spends most visits sitting ina chair in the far corner of the room, arms crossed over his chest, lookinganywhere but at his brother’s bed. Tim gets frustrated at one point, tells himhe’s being childish and selfish, spending all of his time avoiding Dick like he’scontagious, but Bruce breaks them up before a fight can break out, and takesTim aside in the hallway. Whatever he says must work because Tim leaves himalone after that.

He can’t help but feel a littlebitter toward Wally, too, when he leaves. Selena tells him one night that he’strying to find answers, to save Dick, but all Damian can think is that heshould be there. He begrudginglyaccepts it though, but West had better get back with help soon because heabsolutely refuses to watch the most important person in his life waste awaylike this.

He tells Dick as much one night beforeVisiting Hours end. He is absolutely forbidden from dying.

[m00nslippers]

Congrats on 300 followers 💜 for a fic request, could you write some jaydick in the young justice universe? Pre-jason’s death, maybe dick teaching him some moves?

THIS TOOK ME FOREVER BUT I DIDN’T FORGET!!

Alright so Jason in particular is quite a bit younger than Dick at the time of this, Jason 13, Dick 17, so this is more like pre-slash than outright JayDick. So sorry if that isn’t what you wanted but I think it makes more sense that way. I hope you enjoy it!

JayDick, Young Justice fic

- - -

It had been almost a year since Dickcame home from a month-long mission with his Young Justice team onesummer to the surprise and insult of a new kid in the batcave,training in something that resembled Dick’sold uniform.

Yes, Dick had been operating asNightwing for over six months and working nearly exclusively out ofHappy Harbor. Yes, Barbara was spending more time with Young Justiceas well, leaving Bruce as Gotham’s sole vigilante more often thannot. Dick acknowledged that, even agreed that the idea of bringing insomeone new was a good one. Bruce acted as if he were implacablestone more often than not, but the man wasn’t infallible orinvulnerable and Dick would honestly feel more comfortable knowingsomeone was watching Batman’s back in the field when he wasn’t there.

But the fact that it was a new boybrought in right under his nose,living in Dick’s house, wearing his uniform, using hisname, smiling at hisfamily…well, he’d been pissed. He and Bruce had foughtbefore, but not like this. Dick hadn’t even known he had it in him tohate Bruce like that, even if just for a few days.

So yeah, Dick didn’t take it well. Hesaid and assumed some things about Jason and Bruce that were way outof line, and he and Jason were off to a rocky start as the kidreacted to Dick’s initial hostility with mutual enmity. Therelationship never really recovered, even once Dick cooled off.

And he’d thought that was fine. Dickhad plenty of friends, it was alright if he didn’t get along withthis one person. As likeable as he was, and as much as he tended tolike people back, it was just inevitable that Dick would eventuallycome across someone he couldn’t stand. It was nobody’s fault,except for maybe Bruce’s.

Dick had been content to let his andJason’s relationship remain a distant one.

Then one afternoon Dick was laughing onthe beach at the Young Justice compound, the sun shining hot and thewater glittering and cool. M'gann and Conner were splashing eachother in the water as Zatanna, Barbara and Artemis heckled them fromnearby. Wally kept trying to disrupt it all with the wave from hiscannonballs and Kalder surveyed it all with a quiet smile, swimmingeasy laps nearby.

After a while, Wally managed to annoythe three girls enough to have them bodily shoving him onto shore ashe grinned and said something to his girlfriend that had Artemiskicking sand in his face with a shout. Then Dick’s best friend wasstumbling up to the beach umbrella and sitting down next to him inthe shade, dusting sand from his hair with a snicker.

Wally met his raised eyebrow with a wrysmile and said, “Damn, guess I’m banished up here to Gotham.”

Dick laughed. “It’s just as well,Wall’. Your shoulders are already as red as your hair. Put some moresunscreen on.”

Wally laid back on the towel under theumbrella with a smirk. “Naw, no sun in Gotham. I’m safe up here.”

Dick rolled his eyes, finding hisfriends’ continued misconceptions about Gotham amusing, but he couldadmit that the whole afternoon had been light and friendship andcamaraderie and fun—everything Gotham wasn’t.

Everything Gotham wasn’t.

And for somereason, even though Dick had hardly thought of the boy who’d takenhis place in months, his mind flashed to the darkness of Bruce’sstudy, the perpetual marine-layer dulling the sky to gray, and theeery, lonely creaking of the stair steps of the manor. And heremembered there was a kid back there, living in the city his friendsjokingly called ‘the underworld’, living with the man most of themwere still scared of, and fighting a losing battle against crimewithout any of the things that Dick had in front of him.

And suddenly hefelt guilty and selfish.

Wally frowned atthe visible drop in his friend’s mood. “Hey, you okay bro?”

Dick said, “Yeah,sure,” with a tight smile. Then he stood up and walked toward thebase with Wally asking him where he was going as he answered,“Nowhere, I’ve just got to make a call real quick.”

Dick pulled out hisphone, dialed a number, and on the pick-up he said, “Hello, Alfred?It’s me, Dick. I think I’m going to come home for a few days.”

- - -

Dick made his opening move on thechessboard. Across from him, Jason examined the board a moment beforemaking his own. They were in the library of Wayne Manor, which waspretty much the only place Dick ever saw Jason outside of training orgrappling over Gotham rooftops, where he was nearly always wearing amask. It was strange to realize it, but Dick had never really takenthe time to look at the kid, take in his face, his mannerisms, reallycommit the essence of what made him Jason toheart. Dick was starting to realize he’d never committed to anythingabout Jason until now.And it was beginning to occur to Dick how unacceptable that was.

The kid was a middle schooler to Dick’ssenior in high school. Jason’s hair was perpetually messy. He wasskinny but his shoulders were already broad enough, his legs longenough, that he’d probably be huge when fully grown. Jason chewed onthe inside of his mouth when he was thinking and he had a way ofstaring intensely with sea-glass colored eyes at things when he wasconsidering them, and Jason was alwaysthinking, alwaysconsidering. He didn’t seem to trust much of anyone or anythingoutside of Bruce and Alfred. Around Dick, the boy’s muscleswent stiff with nervous energy, but his cheeks blushed endearinglypink when Dick had smiled at him, maybe for the first time.

This was all information that Dickshould have known. It was all things he’d learned since coming backto Gotham.

Dick made his next move in silence andexamined his opponent as Jason did the same. This was his third nightin the Manor and their fifth game in that time, and Dick wasbeginning to see Jason’s style. He was slow at the start, feeling outhis opponent, but brutal in the attack and willing to makesacrifices, making excellent use of traps. He was good. Reallygood for someone who’d just started. Dickwas still better, but that was beside the point.

“So, what were you thinking of doingduring summer break? That’s coming up, isn’t it?” Dick asked aftermaking his move. He scored one of Jason’s pawns, but the kid didn’treact to the steal. All within his calculations for acceptablelosses, apparently.

Jason narrowed his eyes at Dick withsuspicion, mid-reach for his piece. He truly had an intense starethat nearly gave Dick a shiver when it was aimed at him. Jasoncautiously made his move without taking his eyes off Dick andanswered, “Patrols. Maybe go to the library. Catch up on schoolwork. Help Alfred around the house.”

Dick raised a brow. That all soundedso…lonely. As he expected, everything Jason did was either alone orwith one of his guardians, neither of which were especiallydemonstrative or openly affectionate people. God, the situation mightactually be worse than Dick had thought.

He lined up his knight to steal Jason’sbishop. “That’s it?” Dick asked. “That’s all you plan to do?”

Now Jason was outright glaring, hisvoice hard and clipped. “Yeah, it is. What’s wrong with it?”

Dick raised his brows at the hostility.He supposed he should expect it, given their relationship but theglares and sharp words felt like knives stabbing in to him.

“Nothing, just thought you might wantto get out of Gotham. Get out from under Bruce’s thumb, you know?”Dick shrugged. “You’re a kid, you should have some fun. Go to thebeach, make some friends, that kind of thing.”

Jason released an annoyed sigh,lowering his eyelids to a harsh stare. “I don’t want in yourJustice Club, Dick.”

Dick hadn’t thought he was being soobvious in leading up to an invitation to the Young Justice base inHappy Harbor, but he was starting to recognize Jason had an extremeability to read people, which made subtlety kind of pointless. Hecaught on to people’s motivations and actions too quickly for it towork very well, and because of his background, he interpretedanything but extreme bluntness as manipulation. It really just wentto show that Jason and Dick weren’t having enough interaction if hewas walking himself into traps like this after knowing the boy nearlya year.

Deciding that any denial on his partwould just result in further suspicion, Dick decided to put all hiscards on the table. “Oh come on, you’d love it! People your own agewith the same experiences you have, people you can trust with yoursecrets. I know everything Young Justice had to offer did me a lot ofgood back in the day—is still doing me a lot of good.”

“Not interested,” Jason fired back,taking his bishop out of harms way and threatening Dick’s knight withhis rook. The expression on his face had somehow gotten more intenseas if he wanted it to be known that he planned to block outeverything Dick had to say by focusing on their game.

Dick chewed his lip, trying to figureout why the boy could be saying ‘no’. When he was Jason’s age he’dleapt at the chance to work with other teen heroes. He’d known Jasonwas a different person from himself, but Dick had thought that desirewould be a universal one. “Any particular reason?” he asked,trying to feel out the issue. “Maybe I can do something about it.If it’s the distance from home, or maybe you’re shy, or—”

Jason’s brows snapped together andscowled, tone becoming hostile as he growled, “Look, I’m not a kid,okay? And I’m not fucking shy. I don’t need you looking out for me.”

If Dick still qualified as a kid—whichhe was pretty certain he did to most people—then certainly Jasonwho was five years his junior did too. But he didn’t think thatopinion would go down very well and he was already on shaky groundwith the kid, so instead he said, “Everyone needs someone lookingout for them.”

This was apparently the worst possiblething to say, because Jason stood up abruptly from his chair,knocking it over onto the patterned parquet floor with a racket thatmade Dick flinch. Jason did an amazing job at looming over theirchessboard with a baleful glare, looking bizarrely intimidating for athirteen year old.

“I have people looking out forme,” Jason snarled as Dick blinked at him. “I’ve got Bruce andI’ve got Alfred, people you don’t seem to give a damn about anymore.At least they want me, want anything to do with me, unlike youhave for the past year. You think you can just waltz back in hereafter all this time and I’ll fall at the legendary Dick Grayson’sfeat and accept the crumbs from your hand?”

Jasonpushed away from the table, sounding disgusted as he looked down hisnose at Dick. “I’m not anidiot, okay? People who suddenly start acting nice after beingcomplete assholes from the moment you meetthem don’t mean anything good. I don’t need youor your approval, or whatever this…thingis you’re trying to do all of a sudden.So just fuck off back to wherever and leave me alone.”

Andwith that the boy whirled onhis feet and walked out of the room, leaving Dick alone with anunfinished chess match and an upended chair on the ground.

“Fuck,” hecursed to himself.

- - -

Dicktook a few hours to analyze where he went wrong before confrontingJason again. When Bruce invited him to patrol with him and Jason, hedeclined, causing Bruce to raise a surprised eyebrow. Raiding thekitchen for snacks and munching alone in the breakfast nook as hewaited for Jason to get back, he turned the conversation over in hishead and eventually realized where he’d made his mistake.

So when he heardthe sound of the passage moving behind the clock in the study acrossthe house, and then the steps of someone lighter than Bruce going upthe stairs towards the bedrooms, Dick thought he was as ready as he’dever be. He made his way to Jason’s room, found the door closed withlight peeking from the seams and quietly rapped his knuckles againstthe old wood and asked to come in.

No response.

Dick frowned andopened the door only to find Jason’s room empty of any occupants, buthis nightstand light was on and the window was open with the curtainsfluttering lightly.

Alarmflooded through Dick’ssystem with the possibility of Jason having been taken or run away.Hiseyes quickly darted around the room, noting that all of Jason’sthings seemed to still be there,including a guitar, a large collection of books, a red hoodiehanging from his desk chair and his backpack with his homework. Asound came from outside the window and Dick ran over to lean out andsighed in relief as he saw Jason layingdown on the roof of the room below, looking up at the star-filledsky.

Dick considered amoment before climbing out after Jason, laying down next to him onthe slanted roof with the boy glaring silently all the while, clad ina loose shirt and pajamas and no socks similar to Dick’s own shirtand boxers.

“Hey,” Dicksaid, feeling oddly nervous. “How was patrol with B?”

“Fine,” was thesingular, unfriendly response as the boy looked away from him tostare towards the treeline obscuring the city lights of the islands.

“Niceout here, huh? I used to walk around on the roof a lot, too. Alfredhates it, though. He says it’s dangerous, as if grappling across thecity isn’t way more dangerous, you know?” Dick chuckle fell flat asJason stayed silent.

“What do youwant?” Jason finally asked after a few moments of awkward tension.

Dicksighed. “Look, I…I can see why your angry with me, whymy actions seem suspicious. Whenwe first met, I didn’t leave a good impression. I was pissed withBruce for giving away something that was important to me withoutasking. He shouldn’t have done that, but that wasn’t your fault, andI took it out on you. It made me too blind to see that even thoughthe way Bruce went about it was wrong, that he’d made a gooddecision. You’re a good Robin, Jason. AndI’m glad you’re here to watch Bruce’s back forme and carry on the name.I’m sorry I didn’t give you a chance, and I’m sorry that it took methis long to apologize. Thatwas something that I needed to say and that you needed to hear beforeI tried to act friendly. It was selfish of me to think I could justskip that step because it seemed easier than saying I was wrong.”

Jason stared atDick, chewing on his lower lip for a while as his eyes got red andglassy and he blinked is gaze away from Dick’s face to stare hard atthe trees before pretending to wipe something from his eyes. Withonly a bit of a sniffle, he finally croaked a quiet, “Okay.”

“Okay?”Dick repeated. “So…we’reokay? You’ll rethink my invitation to Young Justice?”

Jasonsighed. “You don’t need tosuck up to me by letting me tag along withthe ‘big kids’. I said we’recool now.”

Dick couldn’t helphis expression from contorting into something like disappointment.“Sucking up has nothing to do with it. You’re my legacy, right?Don’t you think we should get to know each other? And the rest of theteam has to meet the new Robin too. What if something happens to meand they need your back-up? Robin always has a place in YoungJustice, he’s a founding member.”

Jason’smouth tightened, eyesshifting to Dick and then away again guardedly.“You don’t think…I’dbe in the way?”

Dick smiled,finally feeling like he was on solid ground. “Jay, you are alreadygood enough to run with Batman, you won’t be in the way, you couldn’tbe,” he said with complete sincerity. Bruce knew what he was doingwhen it came to training. Jason already knew more skills than most ofthe powered members on the team, and the war-zone of criminality thatwas Gotham city gave its vigilantes more experience than almost anyother city on Earth.

Dick scooted closerto Jason until their elbows were knocking and nudged the boy until helooked up at him. “This is just between you and me,” Dickconfided, “but a few people are thinking about leaving orgraduating to the Justice League. We have a few names of kidsshortlisted for the team, but no one who can lead. We’re going to beshort-handed really soon. You’d be doing me a favor, to be honest.”

That wasn’t hisinitial reason for inviting Jason, but now that it had occurred tohim, the team really could use him. Artemis and Wally were bothquitting to go to college and he’d been talking with Aqualad about along term undercover project. Everything would fall on Dick prettysoon. He’d talked with Barbara about making the YJ full-time for herbut she wasn’t sure how she would hide that from her dad so it mightnot work out. Having another bat to rely on would be a godsend. Andthen he’d really get to see what Jason could do.

Dick repressed awry smile at the thought. Bruce would be so annoyed that Dick wastrying to steal his new kid for the team.

Jason snorted. “Youhardly even know me. Why do you think I’d be good at leading?”

Dick shrugged.“Partly because I trust Bruce to only work with the best people.That includes you, Jay. And the rest…call it a hunch.”

Theboy raised a dubious brow. “A'hunch’? Batman let’s you get away with 'hunches’ does he? He’salways riding my ass about having 'evidence’ for my conclusions.”Dick could see that. Jasonseemed like the kind of person that intuited things without beingaware of all the steps his mind was taking, but Bruce liked facts.

Dick smirked.“That’s the awesome thing about Young Justice—no Batmanglooming-up the place.” Not all the time, anyway. He was stilltheir League contact but mostly only the leaders had to deal withhim.

Jason hummedacknowledgment at the validity of his point. “You make anattractive argument.”

“Well I’m an'attractive’ guy,” Dick replied, bobbing his eyebrows suggestively.

Jason made a faceand a smile started tugging at his lips as he tried to suppress itand a pink blush colored his cheeks. “Don’t do that,” he said,clearly having trouble not laughing.

“What,this?” Dick gave his most over-the-top flirty look and bobbed hiseyebrows again and Jason couldn’t hold it in anymore and let out asnicker and then a laugh, andnow Dick was grinning too. Thoughit was the dead of night, it felt like the sun had come out.

Hecould have had this months ago, Dick realized. He’d been an idiot tolet this drag out so long, thiswas worth so much more than his anger with Bruce. This was somethinghe’d been missing but hadn’t even known he’d wanted.

“When do you getout of school?” Dick asked, suddenly feeling as if the day couldn’tcome fast enough.

“Endof the month. But I was thinking of doing tutoring over the summer. Iwant to get ahead in class,” Jason confessed, looking embarrassedand Dick realized this might be connected to the story Bruce toldhim, about how Jason had been out of school while on thestreets and he’d had to playcatch up on top of his Robin training before Bruce would let him goin the field.

Dickshrugged. There was nothing wrong with getting ahead but he figuredany fears Jason had about falling behind again were baseless. Brucehad spoken about Jason’s good grades and how well he was doing,which at the time had seemed like bragging and pissed Dick off but inretrospect might have been Bruce trying to get him to pay attentionto Jason.

“I’mnot sure you really need tutoring,”Dick said, “I knowyou’re smart and pickthings up quickly. But if you want to study, I could help you. OrArtemis or Wally could, I doubt they’d mind. Wally seems like a dork,but he’s actually a big science geek.”

Jasonconsidered this, biting his lip before saying, “Okay.I mean, I guess I could. If your sure.”

Dick grinned.“Awesome. The day your school lets out, its a date.”

“A date. Right,”Jason repeated shyly, freckles standing out in the distant light fromhis window.

Dick caught himselfstaring before he shook his head clear and stood up, balancing easilyon the steep slope of the roof as he stretched. “Alright, it mightbe summer but it’s getting pretty cold out here, I’m going to headin. You coming?”

Jason shook hishead and looked back toward the dark treeline. “I will in aminute.”

“Then I guessthis is goodnight, Jay. I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”

“Okay.Goodnight…Dick.”

- - -

Hope you liked it!

[camsthisky]

Batfam Feb (2018) Fic Recs

Sorry for such a long wait. I forgot about January, so to make up for it, this is a little longer than the past rec lists. 

Mistakes Were Made by CaramelMachete Words: 7,369 Summary: Nightwing joins Jason as Robin and Batman for a stake-out. When Batman gets called away, Nightwing and Robin are unable to follow Batman's orders. They bite off a little more than they can chew. So, how much first aid training does Robin remember anyway? Jason worries that if he can't handle this, maybe he's not fit to be Robin after all. Comments: This is a great Dick ad Jason bonding fic, and I think I’ve read it before, but I don’t think I’ve rec’d it. The characterization is amazing, and it does a good job juggling the strained dynamics between Jason, Dick, and Bruce. It’s from Jason’s POV as Robin, too, which I don’t think we see enough.

been trying to do it right, been living a lonely life by streetlight_skeletons Words: 2,287 Summary: “Kid, what are you doing out alone?”

Even in the cold, shivering, the boy glared defiantly, the white lenses in his mask pushed up, and pushed out, “I- I’m not alone. Batman’s here”

To his credit, his voice seemed to shake from the cold and not paralysing fear, which Selina had expected. She grinned, looking around her mockingly. “Well, I don’t see him, do you?”

“He’ll- He’ll find you and beat you up if you hurt me,” the boy informed and, of that, Selina had no doubt.

Or,

There's an injured bird, but it wasn't the cat who did it Comments: I need more Robin Dick and Selina interacting. Also the fact that it’s hurt/comfort and Bruce is like an overprotective mother bear? Gold.

Brunch with Bruce by DawnsEternalLight Words: 2,014 Summary: Dick's overworked and exhausted, but he's not going to let that (or a cold) keep him from having lunch with Bruce. Comments: Dawn always manages to hit me right in the feeling with her fics, because sick, overworked, tired Dick and overprotective and worried Bruce is one of my biggest weaknesses.

The Blame Game by DawnsEternalLight Words: 5,669 Summary: While on a case together Jason gets hurt, and Dick realizes he's sicker than he thought he was. Comments: Dick and Jason angst!! This plays off the events of Batman #16 with Bane, and it’s done wonderfully. It was disappointing that we didn’t get the full account of what happened in comics, and this is a great insight into what could have happened! Plus, all of the hurt/comfort and angsting between brothers is amazing.

Scatter the Heavens into Stars by DawnsEternalLight Words: 2,416 Summary: Dick is getting over fear toxin, and finds the best way to do that is work a little and spend time with his dad and little brother. Comments: Cookies!! Dick spending time with his family!!! Cookie Dough!! His family loving him!!! Dick eating the cookie dough!!!!!!! I’ve read this no less than six times since it’s been posted.

Foreign Object by audreycritter Words: 86,122 (37/37) Summary: Bruce Wayne deals with a serious illness, one that threatens the most crucial part of himself. He and the family try to cope with their own fears and expectations about it and then the aftermath. This is written partly as character study, partly as family drama. Originally posted to tumblr. Comments: I’m going to be honest and admit that I had a really hard time starting this fic. I’ve read other things from the Cor Et Cerebrum series, but I hadn’t gotten to this one since it hits so close to home. However, I read this entire fic in one night, and it was absolutely worth it. The characterization is so on point, and there’s a balance of hurt, comfort, angst, fluff, and everything else.

Cold Hard Want by audreycritter Words: 12,310 Summary: “Are you happy?”

“I...I’m getting there.”

A follow-up to DC Rebirth Batman #35, in which Bruce recovers from being stabbed in the back and Damian considers the elusive nature of happiness. Comments: Holy shiitake mushrooms. Okay, so I’ve read this a few times, because it’s so good. Damian’s emotions are so real and present and I feel like I’m riding or dying along with him. It’s like I’m in the story and I’m seeing everything unfold, and my heart hurts for every single one of them. For Bruce, Selina, Dick, and Damian. It’s just so good.

Every Fiber of My Being by scxlias Words: 21,376 (5/5) Summary: As much as Dick and his siblings have argued, Bruce has never budged on his "Keeping Secrets Policy". There's not a person alive outside of the family that knows the secret identity of any of the Bats. Not even Dick's boyfriend. Dick understands the need for some secrets, knows that keeping their identities safe keeps them and their loved ones safe, but when he takes up the cowl, team dynamics aren't the only things that begin to change. Comments: This is a birdflash fic that I absolutely love to death. It’s an AU of the batfamily never telling anyone their identities, and it’s absolutely heartbreaking. You can feel how absolutely alone and stressed Dick feels as the weight on his shoulders grows heavier and heavier, until he’s just about to break, and it makes my heart hurt.

Fallen Bird by Croppmar000 Words: 2,887 Summary: Something had happened, something bad. Dick was a wreak. Nothing like this had ever happened before. Batman's birds didn't just die. Comments: A YJ fic that deals with Jason’s death and how Dick reacts to it. I love that it’s Wally and Roy that are there for Dick. I just love their friendship so much.

The Joys of Fatherhood by theragingstorm Words: 2,408 Summary: Young Bruce Wayne has a chance encounter with two small children, while all of them are still ignorant of how important they’ll become to each other. Comments: This is a cute little fic. It’s probably an AU, but it’s still cute nonetheless. It’s a “if Dick and Babs met as small children and hide from their fathers as they go absolutely mad with worry” fic, and it’s the cutest thing. Especially when Bruce comes into it.

Two Dead Birds by InsaneTrollLogic Words: 29,034 (15/15) Summary: There's some lunatic in red helmet running through Jason's territory. He wants to think it's a copy cat.

He's wrong. Comments: A Jason-centric fic. I’m not usually too big on fics that don’t have a lot of Dick in them, but this is a very good fic in my opinion. Jason’s characterization is very well done, and I love Dick when he comes into it as well. Time travel stories are also one of my favorite tropes though, so maybe I just have a weakness for it. The only thing is, it ends in a slightly open-ended way, and I’m not sure if that means there will be a sequel of if it’s just how the fic was meant to end. Either way, it was worth the read.

Catch Me by TantalumCobalt Words: 1,453 Summary: He hates these nights. When he’s stretched thin from chasing leads on three cases, when he’s trying to wrap things up as quickly as possible because he’s hyper conscious of what date is approaching, when a severe thunderstorm has driven him off the streets and back to the Manor. Comments: Again, stressed, overworked, tired Dick is my weakness. And Ren does a really good acknowledging the Blockbuster situation and the effects it has on Dick.

The Bat's Crest by lilylamaire Words: 168,328 (29/?) Summary: Tragedy strikes the hero community when Bruce Wayne commits a crime so heinous even the best start asking for blood. However, as the heroes try to recover from the hit and carry out justice for their friends, a random assortment of people start acting oddly, including the current Speedy Tim Drake, a child hostage in Gotham, and a young man from an unremarkable circus amongst others. All of them seem intent on saving Bruce Wayne from the grasp of the Justice League for no apparent reason, going as far as betraying their previous allegiances.

Unknown to the Justice League, these people are equally confused. Clearly they're stuck in another dimension, but how do they get back? How did they even get here? Who else is stuck in this world? And how long will Tim's patience last? Back home, the Bat was a planetary symbol that struck fear in the hearts of criminals. In this new world, it has no meaning, save for the handful of stranded souls. Comments: Okay, so this fic is Tim-centric, and it has a lot of Damian in it, too. I was a little disappointed because I’d hoped that there would be more Dick Grayson in it, but it makes sense why there isn’t. And it's a very good fic to address the problems of what would happen had Bruce Wayne not become Batman. It kept me on my toes, and when Dick does come in, I definitely think it’s worth the wait.

All your resolve (dissolves) by animegoil Words: 5,424 Summary: Season two: Tim watches Dick fall apart. Comments: Another YJ fic. I think this is one of my favorite topics to read about. Dick was under so much stress during the time while Bruce was on Rimbor, and I don’t think it’s addressed quite enough. This fic is one of my absolute favorites to go to when I think about Dick in season 2, and it does a really good job with Tim’s POV and his helplessness of being unable to properly figure out why Dick’s so stressed. There’s a lot of levels to this fic, and I honestly think it’s some of the best writing I’ve ever read.

The Wayne Family Ghost by pupeez4eva Words: 1,713 Summary: In which Bruce realises that having a legally dead son, who regularly hangs around the family, might be slightly problematic. Comments: This fic is kind of hilarious. I don’t often read funny fics, but Damian getting in trouble for accidentally including Jason Todd in the family and Bruce having to deal with the fallout is always great.

Pixar by ChimaeraKitten Words: 3,076 Summary: Sometimes, favorite movies are influenced less by the movie itself, and more by the people one shared it with. (batfam + Favorite Pixar movies) Comments: This is literally one of the cutest fics out there. It addresses each individual kid with Bruce, and I love that I get emotions about each kid through their favorite movie. Chi does the dynamics between all of them really well, too.

Monkey by ChimaeraKitten Words: 570 Summary: Dick has a new shirt. Comments: Baby Dick is so cute and Bruce is such a good dad in this.

[themoneybuff-blog]

Struggling with money anxiety and finding balance

On Saturday evening, I had a chance to chat with my friends Wally and Jodie. You might remember them from a reader case study from last August. They're the couple that wants to get their finances in order but they're worried because they're starting with less than zero. When we chatted in August, Wally and Jodie had over $35,000 in debt. They had variable incomes, but somehow seemed to spend exactly what they earned about $3000 per month after taxes. Worst of all, they were behind on some payments. Now, eight months later, their situation has improved. Over smoked German sausage and beer, Wally and Jodie told me about their progress. (My dog, Tahlequah, was eager to take part in the conversation. Or maybe it was the sausage she wanted?)

Taking Baby Steps Based on your advice, we've worked hard to increase our incomes, Jodie told me. We've both been picking up extra shifts whenever possible. And I started a second job that pays pretty well. So, you've been able to get a gap between your income and your spending? I asked. You bet, said Wally. By working more, we don't have time to spend much money. In August, we didn't have any gap between our earning and spending. Our gap was zero. Now our gap is almost $2000! And we've been using the debt snowball method to get out of debt. We've already paid off a bunch of smaller stuff and now have $438 extra per month for debt payoffs. Plus, we have an emergency fund. This all sounds amazing, I said. Great work! It is amazing, Wally said. This is the best shape I've ever been in financially. But we're struggling to figure out what to do next. What do you mean? I asked. Well, said Jodie. We're getting married in September. We don't know how much to budget for that. Meanwhile, we still have a lot of debt. We owe about $10,000 on Wally's car. We had to replace my Mini Cooper last winter, and that brought us another $10,000 of debt. Plus, I still owe on my school loans. I did some mental math. While the couple's cash flow has improved, I was a little nervous that they hadn't actually decreased their debt since the last time we talked about money. That said, I know Jodie's old car had been a thorn in their side. And they have paid down nearly $10,000 in miscellaneous debts. The real issue is that we can't seem to find balance, Wally said. We're burned out. We've been working so much that we never have time for ourselves. Or each other. It's affecting our moods and our attitudes. Yeah, I said. That's tough. Wally nodded. Now I have a friend who wants us to fly out to his wedding, he said. We've done the math, and we can't afford it. He's offered to pay for the trip, but we don't know how we feel about that. We want to go, but even if we do accept his help, it'll cost us a few hundred bucks plus whatever income we lose while we're gone. What should we do? Jodie asked. We thought saving more would reduce the stress, but we're just as anxious as ever. Well, maybe not anxious in the same way, I guess, but still. We're worried about money even with a $2000 gap each month. Trust me, I said. The money worry never goes away. Everybody has money anxiety, no matter how much they earn, no matter how much they have saved. [embedded content] Worrying About Money Do you worry about money? Wally asked. Yes, of course, I said. I'm basically financially independent, but I still have money anxiety. In fact, I'm so worried about it that this year I'm tracking every penny I earn and spend. And, just like you, there always seems to be something that comes up for me to spend on. There's my heart-attack scare, which now looks like it'll cost me $7500. I just paid a huge tax bill. And there's all of this travel I've committed to this year. It's always something. Should we fly to my friend's wedding? Wally asked. I haven't seen him in a long time. I can tell it's important to him for us to be there. That's a tough call, I said. And it's an example of how personal finance isn't just about the numbers. There are relationships and emotions to consider too. From a financial perspective, I don't think you should go. But it'd be hypocritical of me to tell you that. My cousin Duane is still fighting cancer, but he wants to make another trip to Europe next month. At first, I was reluctant to join him. Like I said, I'm trying to cut expenses this year because I feel like I'm spending too much. But you know what? I'm going. So, you see, my advice and my actions are at odds here. I didn't know how to tell Wally and Jodie, but my biggest concern with their situation is that it seems like they're getting ready to stop the race when they've barely begun. They're not out of debt yet. They've made some excellent progress, but there's still a long way to go. They've spent eight months on this project. From the looks of it, they have another eighteen months to go but that's if they use the gap they've created to accelerate their debt payments. If they don't choose this route, it's going to take them even longer. At the same time, I get where they're coming from about feeling cramped. Sure, there's a finite amount of time until they get the debt paid off, then they can loosen up. But when you're in the thick of it, eighteen months can feel like eighteen years. Finding Balance The key, of course, is to find balance. And I think that's what Wally and Jodie are trying to do. They're not trying to quit the race early. They don't want to get behind on payments like they used to be. They don't want to spend their emergency fund or to stop their debt snowball. What they want is to find a balance between today and tomorrow. I didn't mention it to them at the time, but I think they should look at the balanced money formula from Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Tyagi's excellent All Your Worth.

Warren and Tyagi argue that in order to achieve financial balance, your after-tax spending should be allocated like this: At least 20% should go to Saving (which includes debt reduction).No more than 50% should be allocated to Needs (which includes housing, utilities, healthcare, basic food, and basic clothing).The rest around 30% should go to Wants (which is everything else). Warren and Tyagi are adamant that less than half your budget should go to Needs. If you pour too much toward necessities, you don't have room in your budget for fun or the future. The authors are just as insistent that you should build room into your budget for Wants. You should ask yourself, they write, are you making enough room for fun? Wally and Jodie aren't spending much on Needs at the moment, but they're not spending much on Wants either. They've been pumping most of their money into Saving (in the form of debt reduction). This is a Good Thing. But maybe it's too much of a good thing? Making a Plan On Sunday morning, Wally sent me an email. After meeting with me, he and Jodie formulated a plan: Until their wedding in September, they'll keep their debt snowball where it is today: minimum payments plus the $438 they've freed from satisfied debts.They'll use an envelope-like budget for entertainment, travel, gifts, dates, and personal items.With the rest of their monthly gap, they'll create a dedicated savings account for their wedding. After the wedding, they'll throw this money at debt. This seems like a good, purposeful plan to me. It balances today and tomorrow. And you can be sure that I'll follow up with them in the fall to make sure they've stuck to the plan that they've remembered to prioritize their debt snowball again. In the meantime, I sent Wally this Reddit post in which a young guy realized that by pushing for a 65% saving rate, he was miserable. He writes: I'm currently shooting for a 55% saving rate and I cannot tell you how much more I enjoy life. I went from feeling like I couldn't spend a dollar that wasn't strictly budgeted, to travelling with friends, going to concerts, and enjoying the pleasures of life. That 10% made all the difference in the world As for me, I still feel anxious. I've done a good job of controlling my small, everyday expenses this year, but the big stuff is still stressing me out. I need to heed my own advice and find better balance. That will come, I think, as I consciously make better decisions about future large expenses and as I work to increase my own income.

Author: J.D. Roth In 2006, J.D. founded Get Rich Slowly to document his quest to get out of debt. Over time, he learned how to save and how to invest. Today, he's managed to reach early retirement! He wants to help you master your money and your life. No scams. No gimmicks. Just smart money advice to help you reach your goals. https://www.getrichslowly.org/finding-balance/

[webcricket]

The Devil in the Details

Characters: CastielXReader

Word Count: 1693

A/N: One-shot inspired by 12X12 Stuck in the Middle (With You) – consider this your spoiler warning. I hesitated to post this fic, since there are so many other amazing reader insert “re-writes” of the most epic Cas scene ever. But after re-reading and editing it, I think it’s different enough to share. Script straight from the episode is italicized and not mine. Obvious angst (You saw the episode, right?! Right?!), also fluffy flooff.

(GIF source @subcas)

Let me tell you a story – the unlikely story of Lucifer’s underling, Ramiel, Prince of Hell, who unwittingly used one of heaven’s most unyielding weapons to unleash the undying love of an uncommon angel. And how the King of Hell, Crowley, unquestioningly the luckiest upstart crossroads demon ever to usurp the underworld, gave this unparalleled love an opportunity to unfold with nary a soul unpeopled in the undertaking. You could say the match was made in heaven, but the devil was undeniably in the details.

Castiel, fallen angel of the Lord, former soldier and commander of Heaven’s divine army, recent (only in practical terms of eons of existence) sufferer of human weakness, the seraph with too much heart, remained stoic even in the face of certain death.

“Crowley’s right, you should go.” Cas pressed his dimming blue eyes shut, gasping against the flood of pain surging in his chest.

Your affect remained strangely numb as you processed Crowley’s words. Dying, Castiel is dying – maliciously stabbed by Ramiel with the lance of the archangel Michael, doomed to rot from the inside out. Crowley lies, you told yourself. He’s a demon, a poor example of one at that, constantly sympathizing with Winchesters. Demons lie. Cas can’t die. Not now. Not like this. We’ll find a way to save him. We always find a way. Your shock cold fingers clasped over the angel’s sticky, bloodied hand. “I’m not leaving.” You peered helplessly between the angel’s anguished aspect and the Winchesters, eyes beginning to pool with tears you refused to acknowledge. The Winchesters stopped the apocalypse, killed Death, reconciled God and the Darkness, survived death (more than once) - surely they could save one injured angel. “We’re not leaving, right?”

“Cas, come on.” Dean backed up your words.

“No, you listen to me.” Cas growled through the agony. “Look, thank you. Thank you. Knowing you, it-it’s been the best part of my life. And the things…the things we’ve shared together, they have changed me.” Stifling a groan, he somehow summoned the composure to quiet his quaking frame. “You’re my family.” Expression watery, his focus flitted to you, regard dropping remorsefully when he met your dewy eyes. “I love you.”

A sob shattered your bosom, tears flowing freely. You squeezed his hand tighter.

“I love all of you.” He closed his eyes, mustering the courage to send his loved ones out of harm’s way, to ask them selfishly to abandon him. “Just please, please. Don’t make my last moments be spent watching you die.” Desperation grated in his tone as he attempted to appear unwavering in his request. “Just run. Save yourselves. And I will hold Ramiel off as long as I can.” He struggled to push himself upright, failing in a fit of coughing as you helped ease him back to the tattered couch.

“Cas, no.” Dean shook his head.

“Yes.” The angel panted from the futile exertion.

“No.” You sniffled, flattening a palm to his shoulder.

“You need to keep fighting.” He avoided your gaze, frightened to see the emotion in your features after his dying confession and final request – knowing one look at you would be the undoing of his resolve.

“We are fighting. We’re fighting for you Cas.” Sam firmly countered.

“And like you said, you’re family, and we don’t leave family behind.” Dean added sternly.

The angel trembled, breath shaky, glancing between the brothers, understanding nothing he could say or do would sway the decision - Winchesters were a stubborn lot.

Dean, Sam and Mary left you and Cas alone while they clustered to confer on a plan of action.

“Cas?” You brushed the sweat-slick hair from his forehead, willing him to look at you. “Angel?” You normally playfully teased him with the title, eliciting an eye roll or narrowed scolding squint in answer. But your tone was different now, the returned affection you shared for the angel unhindered.

He dared peek into your countenance, eyes brimming with tears, finding a modicum comfort in the soft familiar lines of your aspect. “Y/N. I-I’m sorry that it’s going to end like this. I should have…I never meant for it…”

“Shh angel, save your strength.” You gently pressed a finger to his lips, leaning closer, rubbing small circles into his arm. “You’re my world Cas. I…”

The King of Hell interrupted the moment, unceremoniously crashing screaming through the wall of the barn, landing in an unconscious heap at the base of a tractor.

Ramiel entered onto the scene via the new egress in the wall.

You cupped a palm to Cas’ cheek, compelling him to focus on you. You’d wasted so much time skirting around your love for the angel, believing he could not possibly feel the same. If this was the end, all the time you had left to spend together, you weren’t going to squander a second more. “I’ve got you, angel. I love you. It’s just us now, okay?”

Cas nodded, acquiescing to your touch, weakly resting his hand over yours, the tiniest of smiles tracing his mouth in defiance to the pain.

You searched each other’s eyes, chasing the eternity you’d been denied.

Cas knew without a doubt that your soul would persist on, lingering in perpetual peace and contentment. He hoped perhaps your nook in Heaven might even give you more time with him. Or rather, a representation of him constructed from your memories - an ideal happily ever after if that’s what your heart truly desired. Of course, angels didn’t have souls, and for him, this would be the it - the end of his story. The idea of your Heaven, however, comforted him as the black fissures in his vessel crept up his neck and cheek. Eyes fading, head lolling, he gagged as thick black began to ooze from his mouth.

“Cas!” Ramiel defeated, the lance of Michael clattered to the cement floor, Sam racing to the couch when the angel cried out.

Dean and Mary followed closely on his heels.

“Right here buddy. Hey we’re here Cas.” Sam crouched, settling a palm on the angel’s knee.

You clutched at the angel’s tattered shirt, uselessly trying to loosen his clothes to allow him to breath.

“We’re right here buddy.” Sam’s voice faltered.

Cas’ eyes rolled back, body seized in a convulsion.

“Do something!” You bawled, blinded by the sting of tears.

“Hang in there, alright?” Sam looked franticly at his brother. “What do we do?”

Dean’s chin dropped, resigned to the angel’s fate. He reached out to hold your shoulder.

You flinched away, wringing Cas’ arm, trying to pull him out of the seizure. “Castiel, please! Don’t go!” You collapsed, clinging to his torso – a pure blue light suddenly radiating against your tightly closed eyelids.

Taking a few tentative breaths, the angel’s strong arm wrapped protectively around your back, glinting blue eyes lifting to Crowley, the now broken lance spinning in his grasp.

“Magic’s in the craftsmanship.” Crowley stated matter-of-factly.

“Cas?” Dean tore his eyes from the demon to the apparently healed angel.

Cas stared, disbelieving between the King, the Winchesters, and your crumpled figure clutching to his chest.

“Oh.” Crowley shrugged. “You’re welcome.” Disinterestedly dropping the lance, he disappeared.

Marching shell-shocked from the barn en masse, no one said a word. Against all odds, Ramiel was dead. Against even greater Biblical kinds of odds, Castiel was alive. Dean said you were going home, but that wasn’t exactly true. There was a hunter back at the cabin, Wally, that wanted last rights of a hunter funeral. It wouldn’t do to have demons swarming around at news of the death of a Prince of Hell and an empty meat suit with a hunter’s face laying invitingly out on the front porch.

Hours later, exhausted, achy, filthy, caked in blood and numerous other substances you didn’t intend to attempt to identify, you slumped into the backseat of the Impala, door held open chivalrously by the angel.

The atmosphere in the car remained oddly still as Dean turned onto the highway. After a few minutes, he switched on the radio. “You guys mind?”

The murmur of collective disapproval vibrated the cabin.

“Fine.” Dean begrudgingly switched the dial off. “But when I fall asleep at the wheel you have no one but yourselves to blame.”

Sighing, Sam slouched against the window, fitfully adjusting to find a comfortable position in the seat to try and get some sleep.

Approving of the idea, you closed your eyes, rolling your head to rest on Cas’ shoulder.

Cas peered down at your lap, sliding his outstretched fingers across your thigh to nudge yours. “Y/N?” Something had just occurred to him - something huge. Despite having said he was okay in the barn, the angel didn’t quite feel normal after he’d been miraculously healed. He felt fine, but different. Different, but not abnormal. He’d finally pinpointed the source of the peculiar feeling.

“Hmm?” You hummed, inching your fingers to intertwine with his.

“Can I tell you something?” The angel’s blue eyes fixed steadily on you when you opened your eyes.

“You’re okay, right?” You sat up, clutching his arm, a rush of worry zinging you to alertness.

“Yes.” He wound his arm around your shoulders, snuggling you into a warm embrace. “I’m better than okay.”

“What are you talking about Cas?” Dean’s gruff voice interceded with concern.

Cas met the elder Winchester’s gaze in the rear view mirror, an unusual full smile blazing across the angel’s face. “The power in the lance healed me.”

“Yeah, we got that buddy.” Dean half-smirked, wondering if the angel had gotten a few wires crossed in his close brush with death.

You curiously studied the angle of Cas’ stubbly jaw, surprised to hear an unmistakably familiar wave of celestial intent whisper in your mind, encouraging you to trust him, that everything would be alright - to hold on.

“No Dean, all of me.” Cas gave an exaggerated wink. Wings healed by the power of the archangel’s lance, the long forgotten flutter of angelic flight filled the air. Dean slammed on the brakes, sending Sam’s sleep-limp frame crashing to the dashboard. Throwing his arm back across the seat for leverage, he whipped around to gape at the empty backseat.

[andrewdburton]

Struggling with money anxiety and finding balance

On Saturday evening, I had a chance to chat with my friends Wally and Jodie. You might remember them from a reader case study from last August. They're the couple that wants to get their finances in order but they're worried because they're starting with less than zero.

When we chatted in August, Wally and Jodie had over $35,000 in debt. They had variable incomes, but somehow seemed to spend exactly what they earned — about $3000 per month after taxes. Worst of all, they were behind on some payments.

Now, eight months later, their situation has improved.

Over smoked German sausage and beer, Wally and Jodie told me about their progress. (My dog, Tahlequah, was eager to take part in the conversation. Or maybe it was the sausage she wanted?)

Taking Baby Steps

“Based on your advice, we've worked hard to increase our incomes,” Jodie told me. “We've both been picking up extra shifts whenever possible. And I started a second job that pays pretty well.”

“So, you've been able to get a gap between your income and your spending?” I asked.

“You bet,” said Wally. “By working more, we don't have time to spend much money. In August, we didn't have any gap between our earning and spending. Our gap was zero. Now our gap is almost $2000! And we've been using the debt snowball method to get out of debt. We've already paid off a bunch of smaller stuff and now have $438 extra per month for debt payoffs. Plus, we have an emergency fund.”

“This all sounds amazing,” I said. “Great work!”

“It is amazing,” Wally said. “This is the best shape I've ever been in financially. But we're struggling to figure out what to do next.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Well,” said Jodie. “We're getting married in September. We don't know how much to budget for that. Meanwhile, we still have a lot of debt. We owe about $10,000 on Wally's car. We had to replace my Mini Cooper last winter, and that brought us another $10,000 of debt. Plus, I still owe on my school loans.”

I did some mental math. While the couple's cash flow has improved, I was a little nervous that they hadn't actually decreased their debt since the last time we talked about money. That said, I know Jodie's old car had been a thorn in their side. And they have paid down nearly $10,000 in miscellaneous debts.

“The real issue is that we can't seem to find balance,” Wally said. “We're burned out. We've been working so much that we never have time for ourselves. Or each other. It's affecting our moods and our attitudes.”

“Yeah,” I said. “That's tough.”

Wally nodded. “Now I have a friend who wants us to fly out to his wedding,” he said. “We've done the math, and we can't afford it. He's offered to pay for the trip, but we don't know how we feel about that. We want to go, but even if we do accept his help, it'll cost us a few hundred bucks — plus whatever income we lose while we're gone.”

“What should we do?” Jodie asked. “We thought saving more would reduce the stress, but we're just as anxious as ever. Well, maybe not anxious in the same way, I guess, but still. We're worried about money — even with a $2000 gap each month.”

“Trust me,” I said. “The money worry never goes away. Everybody has money anxiety, no matter how much they earn, no matter how much they have saved.”

Worrying About Money

“Do you worry about money?” Wally asked.

“Yes, of course,” I said. “I'm basically financially independent, but I still have money anxiety. In fact, I'm so worried about it that this year I'm tracking every penny I earn and spend. And, just like you, there always seems to be something that comes up for me to spend on. There's my heart-attack scare, which now looks like it'll cost me $7500. I just paid a huge tax bill. And there's all of this travel I've committed to this year. It's always something.”

“Should we fly to my friend's wedding?” Wally asked. “I haven't seen him in a long time. I can tell it's important to him for us to be there.”

“That's a tough call,” I said. “And it's an example of how personal finance isn't just about the numbers. There are relationships and emotions to consider too.”

“From a financial perspective, I don't think you should go. But it'd be hypocritical of me to tell you that. My cousin Duane is still fighting cancer, but he wants to make another trip to Europe next month. At first, I was reluctant to join him. Like I said, I'm trying to cut expenses this year because I feel like I'm spending too much. But you know what? I'm going. So, you see, my advice and my actions are at odds here.”

I didn't know how to tell Wally and Jodie, but my biggest concern with their situation is that it seems like they're getting ready to stop the race when they've barely begun. They're not out of debt yet. They've made some excellent progress, but there's still a long way to go.

They've spent eight months on this project. From the looks of it, they have another eighteen months to go — but that's if they use the gap they've created to accelerate their debt payments. If they don't choose this route, it's going to take them even longer.

At the same time, I get where they're coming from about feeling cramped. Sure, there's a finite amount of time until they get the debt paid off, then they can loosen up. But when you're in the thick of it, eighteen months can feel like eighteen years.

Finding Balance

The key, of course, is to find balance. And I think that's what Wally and Jodie are trying to do.

They're not trying to quit the race early. They don't want to get behind on payments like they used to be. They don't want to spend their emergency fund or to stop their debt snowball. What they want is to find a balance between today and tomorrow.

I didn't mention it to them at the time, but I think they should look at the balanced money formula from Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Tyagi's excellent All Your Worth.

Warren and Tyagi argue that in order to achieve financial balance, your after-tax spending should be allocated like this:

At least 20% should go to Saving (which includes debt reduction).

No more than 50% should be allocated to Needs (which includes housing, utilities, healthcare, basic food, and basic clothing).

The rest — around 30% — should go to Wants (which is everything else).

Warren and Tyagi are adamant that less than half your budget should go to Needs. If you pour too much toward necessities, you don't have room in your budget for fun or the future.

The authors are just as insistent that you should build room into your budget for Wants. “You should ask yourself,” they write, “are you making enough room for fun?”

Wally and Jodie aren't spending much on Needs at the moment, but they're not spending much on Wants either. They've been pumping most of their money into Saving (in the form of debt reduction). This is a Good Thing. But maybe it's too much of a good thing?

Making a Plan

On Sunday morning, Wally sent me an email. After meeting with me, he and Jodie formulated a plan:

Until their wedding in September, they'll keep their debt snowball where it is today: minimum payments plus the $438 they've freed from satisfied debts.

They'll use an envelope-like budget for entertainment, travel, gifts, dates, and personal items.

With the rest of their monthly gap, they'll create a dedicated savings account for their wedding. After the wedding, they'll throw this money at debt.

This seems like a good, purposeful plan to me. It balances today and tomorrow. And you can be sure that I'll follow up with them in the fall to make sure they've stuck to the plan — that they've remembered to prioritize their debt snowball again.

In the meantime, I sent Wally this Reddit post in which a young guy realized that by pushing for a 65% saving rate, he was miserable. He writes:

I'm currently shooting for a 55% saving rate and I cannot tell you how much more I enjoy life. I went from feeling like I couldn't spend a dollar that wasn't strictly budgeted, to travelling with friends, going to concerts, and enjoying the pleasures of life. That 10% made all the difference in the world

As for me, I still feel anxious. I've done a good job of controlling my small, everyday expenses this year, but the big stuff is still stressing me out. I need to heed my own advice and find better balance. That will come, I think, as I consciously make better decisions about future large expenses — and as I work to increase my own income.

The post Struggling with money anxiety and finding balance appeared first on Get Rich Slowly.

from Finance https://www.getrichslowly.org/finding-balance/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[writetoremainsilent]

3/25/18 unwanted real talk pt. 2

I went driving with my dad today to pick up some pizza. I offered to drive, which I usually never do, but I figured I’d be a better child than I normally was and save my father the pain of having to drive. Also, I secretly fear his driving to an unhealthy, borderline phobia degree. 

Along the way, we talked about my life. He asked me if I had anyone special in my life. 

Immediately, red flags went off in my head, because I never talk about this kinda stuff with my dad. Usually I just ask him how the stock market is and he says they’re stock-y and we move on. I hate telling him about my personal life, because it feels like it’s so forced and that neither of us would rather know. 

Anyway, I tell him the truth. 

“No,” I say firmly, making sure to make eye contact so he knows I’m being honest.

“Why not?” he asks me.

“I guess I’d rather just sit around, study, and play video games.”

“If you say so,” he says, looking over at me with a cheeky grin on his face.

“...yep,” I reply with a frown, upset that he’s trying to tease me. 

It’s true, though. I don’t ever think about looking for a relationship in college, even if this is the prime time to do it. I’m just...not interested. I really like video games, though. There’s really no contest. 

We move on to talking about my future plans of being a dentist, and I decide to be honest with him about that too.

(it is at this point that I would like to time travel back to this instant and punch myself in the face)

“You know, dentistry doesn’t really excite me,” I say, avoiding looking at his face.

I can feel him staring at me, incredulously.

“What, really? Why don’t you switch out? Why don’t you do something you like? Why didn’t you say anything?”

I know instantly that me getting this off my chest isn’t  gonna be worth the worry and concern I’ve given my dad. I immediately calm him down and assure him that I still want to be a dentist (ha) and I lie about how much I wanna be one. I chalk my lack of enthusiasm for dentistry up to it innately not being a very sexy job. I mean, you just look at mouths all day and some of them stink and require more than just brushing, and that’s your life for sixty-five years. 

I then proceed to tell him that most things don’t excite me, which is why I don’t really care about having fun in my career. This is true. If I were to have a dream job that let me do whatever it is that I wanted, I’d still wanna be a dentist. It’s ‘cuz I have zero imagination and there’s nothing that I would genuinely love doing, which sounds stupidly angsty and cringey but nonetheless sincere. 

He says that I spend too much time with my downer friends, which is why I was in such a dismal mood (That’s a jab at you, Wally and Allen). I laugh and agree with him.

We arrive at the pizza place and get the pizza. My poor dad thinks he’s bonded with his elder child. His faith in my future plans and career goals has been strengthened. 

Mine has not.

[totesmccoats]

Batman: Lost #1

A 78 year old Bruce Wayne reads his granddaughter a story from his adventures as Batman, the very first story: The Case of the Chemical Syndicate.

Except, this isn’t Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne was sent into prehistory, where he drew a bat on a wall in a cave, inspiring a tribe of followers.

But that’s not Bruce Wayne either. Bruce Wayne is Batman, and he is trapped in the Dark Multiverse, shown visions of the past, future, and alternate dimensions by the dark god Barbatos to break his psyche. Barbatos taunts Batman through these visions, telling of how Batman had summoned him from the Dark Multiverse, and how he had molded Bruce Wayne from the dawn of history to one day take up the mantle of the Bat and swing open the door for his conquering of the multiverse.

If you have the prerequisite knowledge to understand all the places in from the Batman mythos that this issue plays with and connects, then you will love this issue. Barbatos presents his unified theory of Batman as he drags Bruce deeper in deeper into his own stories, trapping him in inevitability. He breaks Batman by taking away his agency, his ability to prepare, his confidence in his own experience and memory. He confronts Batman with futility. And as readers, Snyder, Tynion, and Williamson take us on a whirlwind tour of Batman, from his beginnings to multiple possible ends.

The team of artists, Mahnke, Paquette, and Jimenez on pencils; Mendoza, Paquette, and Jimenez on inks; and Quintana, Fairbairn, and Sanchez on colors, give each iteration of this Batman story it’s own distinct look and feel, from the golden-age pulp noir throwback of the Case of the Chemical Syndicate, to the hyper digitally-effected detail of a possible future where Damien leads an army against his father. This book is gorgeous from cover to cover, as rewarding just to look at as it is to read.

  Mister Miracle #4

Orion decides to hold a trial for Scott, and appoints himself judge, jury, and executioner, to find out if he is an agent of Darkseid, possessed by the anti-life equation. It’s as much a kangaroo court as it seems, with Orion forcing Scott to answer only in “true” or “false,” but nevertheless, Orion may be onto something. As his questioning becomes more and more leading, he probes into Scott’s serious depression, including his suicide attempt, and posits that he may be feeling as he does because of the anti-life equation.

Honestly, part of me would hate it for a comic that seems to be so sympathetic to the mental plight of those affected with depression to explain it away as a side effect of an evil god armed with an magic equation that makes you hate yourself; but also, Darkseid and the anti-life equation have always been a metaphor for our darkest impulses and weaknesses. “Darkseid is” the part of you that hates yourself and others. “Darkseid is” what causes antisocial behavior. And that’s why the heroes can’t let him win. At the least, you can’t argue that making depression a dictator god who hates the concept of freedom itself is undercutting what it actually feels like to live with depression.

King continues his streak of making comics feel surreally domestic, this time with the simple addition of a veggie platter that Scott and Orion pick from during the trial; and the image of the new gods, in full costume, squeezed together on a couch in Scott and Barda’s living room. And Gerad’s use of repetitive panels in a rigid 9-panel grid masterfully builds suspense, and smart use of distortion effects to emphasize moments where things get particularly tense or revealing, is a masterclass in doing more with less. Despite taking place almost entirely within a living room, this issue of Mister Miracle may be the biggest turning-point in the story yet.

  Ragman #2

The demons – who call themselves the Ruah Tum’ah, Hebrew for “impure soul,” – capture Rory, and try to psychologically break him by pressing into his survivor’s guilt, so that they can claim the rags. But, with some help from the souls of his company, who are trapped in rags and who are the people that Rory feels guilty over surviving; he’s able to see past the ruah tum’ah’s illusions, and absorb them into the rags before they can hurt anymore people.

With the demons contained in his rags, Rory tries to interrogate them for information, but is told that doing so drains the power of the other souls trapped in the rags, which would mean losing his friends a second time – so he plans to get to the bottom of things using other methods.

This issue gives us a bit more explanation to what the rags are and how they work, and I always appreciate a story with some jewish mysticism in it; but the book’s biggest weakness continues to be a failure to tie in Rory’s PTSD with the rest of the story in any meaningful way, and also failing to give Rory much of a character outside of his trauma. Rory’s fighting outer demons, but so far his inner ones remain underdeveloped.

Miranda and De La Cruz are illustrating the heck outta this book, giving Ragman himself an interesting and creepy figure and ways of movement and fighting, but again, without a firm anchor for Rory as a character, none of it really coalesces.

  Wonder Woman #34

Wonder Woman finally meets her long-lost brother, Jason; who was raised in secret by Glaucus (who, wasn’t an Argonaut. Don’t know why this issue insists he was.) to protect him from Hera’s jealousy. He reveals to her that he also has powers, including flight; and the two fly off his boat to a small abandoned island for some sibling bonding time.

When discussing family resemblance, Wonder Woman mentions how she wishes she were taller, which, given that she’s supposed to be a like, over 6-foot Amazon, doesn’t exactly track. Also, I really hope I’m not the only one who thought their discussing seemed to be a little too flirty for brother and sister, because I really don’t want that sorta thing to be projection.

Regardless, at sundown, Jason reveals that he was just keeping Diana busy so that Grail could set up an ambush! Because surprise, Jason’s evil! He and Grail manage to overpower Wonder Woman, Grail pinning her with her sword, and Jason promising to kill her himself.

Feels like this issue spent way too much time spinning its wheels before it’s Jason’s heel-turn reveal. Like, this is the first time we’re meeting Jason; there’s no way that we can learn to care for him enough in the space of 2/3rds of an issue where him being evil would feel like a huge betrayal. Either spend more time building a relationship between him and Diana, or reveal that sooner, you know? Really not the sorta thing you can half-ass.

  The Flash #34

Meena is back, and Barry and Wally are happy to have her, even if Wally is still having a hard time trusting people. But Meena’s return isn’t all good news; she tells Barry that the negative-speedforce is killing him from inside, but adds that if she can study it, she may be able to find a cure.

The three speedsters go to the demolition derby so Barry can let loose and create data about the negative-speedforce for Meena to collect; but quickly loses control over his powers and becomes to scared of the repercussions to continue. But despite Meena telling him that sometimes losing control is helpful, she did get all of the data she needs; and promptly reveals that she’s been working with Black Hole the entire time by ambushing the Flashes with a small army. And then she steals the negative-speedforce from Barry…which, despite giving her more power, might have also saved Barry, so…yay?

Meanwhile, the rest of the CCPD inform Kristen of the mysterious new crime boss moving in on Copperhead’s territory.

There’s honestly just not that much going on in this issue. I’m not even sure if Meena revealing that she’s with Black Hole is even a twist, because I’m pretty sure we knew that a few months ago. Same goes for the negative-speedforce negatively affecting Barry. And the Copperhead turf war. Really, the only thing of consequence this issue happens in the last couple of pages, and even then, it’s more a return to status quo than anything else. And yeah, now Barry considers Meena an enemy, but before this issue, he thought she was dead so…I mean, alive is still technically better, right? After how much I’ve enjoyed this series, this issue is really disappointing.

  Moon Knight #188

The new Moon Knight is off to an amazing start, and its first issue doesn’t even have Moon Knight in it. Instead, we follow Dr. Emmett, a psychologist at Ravencroft Asylum working on the case of a nameless man, Patient 86, a pyromaniac who burned his fellow army officers to death after they bullied and tortured him.

Emmett also has a preoccupation with Marc Spector, and believes that just as he was able to focus his multiple personalities through the symbol of Khonshu to become Moon Knight; 86 may benefit from a symbol to focus on, and chooses the Egyptian sun god, Amon-Ra. But she may have succeeded too much in duplicating Marc Spector’s circumstances.

This is one of the most novel approaches I’ve ever read for a first issue, but one that works incredibly; introducing new readers to the idea of Moon Knight by having his origin told by-proxy through the creation of a foil. Dr. Emmett doesn’t succeed in curing 86, only in creating a second Marc Spector. And by showing us what 86 becomes capable of, it hints as to the abilities and mindset of the Moon Knight that Bemis has yet to introduce.

It also helps that Bemis’ dialogue and narrative monologue are electric, lending Emmett an edge to her professionalism, and giving 86 a personality that gets colder as he identifies more with Ra.

Burrows’ art with Lopes’ colors reminds me a lot of Davis-Hunt’s work on Clean Room and Wild Storm, especially the way they illustrate burned skin, and red-haired women doctors. Sorry, too glib. The comparison is a compliment, and the issue looks great.

  Ms. Marvel #24

Ms. Marvel is able to push the runaway train onto a different track at the last second to prevent a collision, but she and Red Dagger remain unable to stop it on it’s briskly paced run through Jersey. And while they think of what to do about this slow emergency, Dagger notices that Ms. Marvel seems exhausted, and not just because she just lifted a train. He suggests that she take some time to take of herself instead of everyone else.

Ms. Marvel checks in on the engineer, who lets her know that they’ve made the news, which reminds Kamala that she’s no longer Jersey’s favorite hero. But, looking at the railroad map of Jersey also inspires her with an idea to stop the train; guiding it to a hill-heavy corridor and let gravity do all the work.

It’s a great plan, or it would be if Ms. Marvel had factored in the speed gained by the train going downhill before going back up. But she’s prepared for that – mostly.

Ms. Marvel, the character and the series, continues to feel a little lethargic this arc, with the high point of the issue being when she’s forced into reacting by the train accelerating as it goes downhill.

The other bright-side to the issue is Olortegui and Herring’s art. Dagger describes Jersey as magical, and though Ms. Marvel is hesitant to agree with him, the art in the book; which illustrates America’s armpit with a golden-hour glow, and at a scale both intimate in terms of showing small towns, and sublime as the train joggs through open expanses of forest.

  Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #26

I can’t believe that Ryan North and Erica Henderson have made me purchase a Jim Davis product of my own volition, with my own money. You monsters. And the first strip he illustrates is just the first Garfield strip, but with Galactus and Silver Surfer instead of Jon and Garfield! Vile.

Despite that, this is still a very fun issue, and I honestly hope becomes an annual thing. A bunch of bad-guys recently destroyed a library, so Squirrel Girl rounded up a bunch of her friends to contribute short comics to a zine she’s selling to fundraise for repairs. All but one of this issue’s ten stories are written by North; the other is written by Henderson, and each is illustrated by a different artist, ranging from, yes, Jim Davis, to Chip Zdarsky, Michael Cho, Anders Nilsen, and Rahzzah.

Each mini-comic is a burst of the same humor found in a typical issue, but from the perspective of this series’ unique take of characters from Spider-Man, Wolverine, Howard the Duck, and Galactus. There’s even a fake letter’s column, where Tony Stark and J. Jonah Jameson write in. It really is a treat, and a not completely cynical take on the resurgence of zine culture and small-press comics and stuff.

  Injection #15

The Spriggans have opened the Cold House wide open, using it as a portal to this world to slaughter as many people as possible, but Brigid has a plan to stop them. It’s not the smartest plan, but effective: drive back to the Cold House, hoping the car continues to act as a faraday cage protecting them from spriggan attacks, and then slap a construction vehicle into one of the Cold House stones to break it.

Unfortunately, once that problem is taken care of, another one emerges. Maria tells Brigid that Morel has cut off FPI, making everything she just did illegal, and making her an enemy of the state. She and Emma decide to run to Ireland together, but surely that won’t be the end of their adventures.

Barring the opening pages of the spriggans indiscriminately slaughtering people, this really could be the last ten minutes of a Doctor Who episode, with the final pages especially tipping Ellis’ hand. It’s an issue long mad dash implementation of a plan that was made up as the heroes go.

Bellaire owns this issue, coloring the climax of the book entirely in three colors: black, white, and a light blue that make it one of the most bold and striking comics of the week.

Comic Reviews 11/8/17 Batman: Lost #1 A 78 year old Bruce Wayne reads his granddaughter a story from his adventures as Batman, the very first story: The Case of the Chemical Syndicate.