#i think my explainations made it more confusing actually

[griffongrey]

I understand your frustration re: lack of integration with previous worldbuilding, and I even agree with parts of it… but tbh i feel like a lot of these specific examples were explained within the games.

I agree, I wanna see a varterral again. Though, I'm not sure I agree with the implication that the varterrals already being in the lore is incompatible with having magical robot guardians in Veilguard. Especially considering we also got those freaky fade-touched plant monsters, which feel very much like lower-level, non-boss-battle versions of the varterrals, at least to me. After all, varterrals are described as "spirits born of wood and stone and air". Still would have been cool to see an actual varterral as an area boss.

Still doing their thing, I imagine. But the merchant houses have never been the focus of Antivan plot-lines in the games, so I don't see how this is an issue for Veilguard? It's always been about the Crows. The closest we got to focusing on the merchant houses was with Josie's companion quest in Inquisition, and even that was more about the Orlesian end of the issue, for obvious logistical reasons. I do have my issues with the way the Crows are written in Veilguard, but can you honestly say, given everything we learned about them in the previous games, that something like "the Crows rule Antiva" is not a) an extremely in-character claim for an Antivan Crow to make, and b) arguably accurate from their perspective, considering their power and influence over Antivan politics?

The Lighthouse exists to be a safe haven for refugees in the war against the Evanuris and to be a base of operations for Solas' rebellion, as stated in multiple codex entries. Solas has been using it as his secret base leading up to Veilguard, because he can't use Skyhold now that everyone knows about it. How is it contradictory for Solas to have had multiple fortresses for multiple purposes? I seem to recall the Inquisitor capturing plenty of keeps and installing soldiers in them during Inquisition.

Forgive me if I've missed something, but I don't remember anything that said Emmrich was never part of a Circle?

I agree, the Lords as a whole are kind of a mess. I think there's a Codex entry or missive or something somewhere that mentions what the Felicisima Armada are up to, but... yeah. It's a mess. Could you clarify what you mean by Taash and Shathaan's timeline conflicting with Kirkwall's? I'm not disagreeing, I just didn't pick up on any discrepancy here, so I'm not sure what specifically you're referring to.

The titan in the Descent dlc being awake and moving was a highly unusual outlier, which I feel was made fairly clear by everyone — even the dwarves from Orzammar — being extremely confused by how weird and unprecedented it all was. Because of what we saw Solas and Mythal did in the regret murals, the other titans — at least, this was my understanding of things — are either dead or dormant, like a volcano. Harding connecting with the titans when she came in contact with the lyrium dagger was what "woke up" the one in her personal quests. As with a lot of questions about the titans, though... we don't really know the answers, because the dwarves themselves don't know the answers. Hence, Harding's frustration when she tried to research them. I wouldn't call that bad worldbuilding; I'd just call that an intentional mystery.

I do think one of the things that made me saddest about Veilguard was the sheer lack of continuity. And I'm not even talking about worldstates.

Where are the Varterral? Why is Arlathan forest guarded by magical robots instead?

Where are the merchant princes of Antiva? You know, the people who really run Antiva? Not the king, not the Crows?

Why does the Lighthouse exist? Wasn't it implied in the last game that Skyhold was Solas’s fortress? The place where the sky is held back?

Why was Emmrich never a member of a Circle? Why have we forgotten that Nevarra had Circles (although presumably those who managed to become Mortalitasi had much greater freedom than mages elsewhere, they would presumably also all be Harrowed mages from the Circles in Nevarra originally)? Why have we forgotten that Cumberland was home to the College of Enchanters?

Where is the Felicisima Armada? That Isabela was part of? Why does the timeline of Taash's storyline and their mother's work with the Lords clash completely with the Kirkwall timeline?

What do you mean, the Titans are done? Then what was going on with the Titan in the Descent? The one that woke up and started moving around and got soothed by reconnecting itself with Valta? It seems like that Titan was very much alive and well, where are the others? Given that lyrium is alive and the Titan's blood, I can only assume that anyplace where you have actively growing lyrium, you have a living Titan? Why can't the dwarves reconnect with them?

A lot of these are little things...but they all add up. This, combined with the fact that quite a lot of the characters don't seem particularly integrated into the world of Thedas either...

[omgfangirlland]

YOU ALWAYS UNDERSTAND WHAT IM TRYING TO SAY AND I LOVE YOU FOR IT!! (Yes, i was talking about the Demogorgon)

OMG.. I need more part of this! PLEASE MAKE A PART 2!?

-🔱

Here's part two of this drabble!

(I almost didn't see the one about the date- which is funny considering what I had planned since yesterday :)) but that will be a part three- this is getting too long)

ALSO- none of my drabbles are spell-checked beyond once as I write- they'll never be, so, sorry for any weird misspellings or nonsensical stuff- tho' if someone comments about one of them I'll explain/edit.

Cetanu expected a lot to happen when he took four Young Bloods off the mother ship to hunt, get some more experience before they'd have to go off to get blooded-

He expected the little menaces to butt heads, to argue over who actually killed what, to whine and pout, to try and show off by doing stupid shit- their ship crashing, his hellhound running away wounded, and then finding the mutt in the arms of a Soft Meat wasn't part of it.

The Elder Yautja was war-worn, one of the few survivors, scarred and named after their god of death himself due to the life he'd had so far. And yet, Cetanu felt like he was growing sloppy, maybe it was his ego, maybe he actually thought that by now, nothing would surprise him. He should have known better... And about now, he realized he shouldn't have left the Young Bloods without supervision.

Maybe that's why he walked around without his cloak activated, why he let the surprise clearly show in his body language- maybe the crash affected him as well- but he's sure every one of his kin would let the shock settle in at the sight of an Ooman babying their hellhound as a Xenomorph and infantile Demogorgon snuggled at her feet- and the Flerken lazing around in the window didn't help his confusion.

Was Cetanu offended that his companion barely acknowledged him and just snuggled closer to the human? Yes. Very much so. His mandibles clicked together in annoyance before his eyes settled on the human.

They had a code- and while his clan had been exiled from Yautja Prime, they weren't Blad Bloods. They followed the code; he did. You were clearly not even an unworthy opponent. He remembers Ooman's having a saying- lover, not a fighter- and that seemed to fit you. He can't imagine any other reason why these dangerous aliens lie belly up at your feet, why the Xonomorph didn't attack him on sight. You clearly bewitched them somehow. He called for his hellhound again, from a safe distance, just in case.

The tall alien seemed to sputter as his pup whined loudly, much like a husky would, and just wiggled in your arms until its back was turned to his master. Cetanu was stunned- he knew the little bastard had always been hard-headed, but this was just a straight-up tantrum.

Another call for the hellhound earned a huff from it, and as your eyes locked with the old yautja, he just flung his hand in a show of "Are you seeing this?" You just gave him a shaky smile. "So- he's yours?"

You must be a witch. He refused to believe otherwise, that he simply folded because you smiled at him, a human!... The tea you made was good, however, he did not enjoy the metal straw you gave him with it. "Oh- I think I have some stuff that may help in the shed."

"... Thank you." The robotic voice of the translator on his gauntlet answered as he typed, completely refusing to acknowledge the Flerken you called old boy even as it sat on his shoulder. He realized quicker than anything that happened since the crash that you, in fact, didn't know what dangerous aliens had taken in as... pets. He couldn't help but glare at the Xenomorph that kept handing him a ball, patiently waiting for him to throw it with a wagging tail.

And, as it turns out, he did find something that would help, he just wishes he could have told you not to follow him, but his mutt- that will be getting benched for a while when they get back- was insistent on not leaving your side, flopping to the ground and screaming if he tried to grab him. Cetanu gave up quick.

When Cetanu and you finally reached his crashed ship, his shoulders slumped at the sight of the youngest yautja, a male, screeching his lungs out on top of the ship's wing, not yelling anything specific, just screeching, while his middle siblings, a female and another male, were tussling it out on the ground. The oldest un-blooded, another female, just watched the chaos with a bored expression.

As soon as the youngsters saw him, they froze. The youngest stopped mid-screech, jaws still wide open, while the middle young bloods stopped their fighting. Their eyes immediately went straight to the human and her dangerous team of aliens.

They were more confused than their elder. But they rolled with it- it's what they did, they adapted and survived. Still couldn't not be weirded out by the quadruped Xenomorph helping them out with the rebuilding of the ship. Speaking of- it took them a week to fix enough for one flight back to the mother ship. It would have taken longer if it weren't for you, helping them buy what they needed, because they sure as hell didn't know what the closest Ooman equivalent will be.

As the days passed, the un-blooded also noticed a few things. How unsure- insecure, you were of your abilities and of how smart you actually were. How Cetanu clearly cares for you, and how his hellhound always found a way to push you into the older Yautja. They also noticed how your family, which they knew you had, didn't care for you. But that's fine. They'll be your family, and they'll make sure their Elder finally has someone by his side.

The first to join the hellhound on his mission of making Cetanu fall for you was the youngest, Yadaedh, who decided that the meat you made on the grill, with your Ooman seasoning, was too good to just leave behind. The oldest, Ni'yteer, was second, as she simply folded over as soon as you smiled up at her and complimented her strength, if her Leader's brother won't have you, she will. The twins, Ve'sto and Echa, decided together that Cetanu was simply stupid, and he'll die alone if they don't intervene and give him a push to see that the soft meat clearly was into him.

While the younger ones took care of Cetanu, Ni'yteer was on you like white on rice, and she dug in as soon as she heard how much you liked looking at the stars. "Do you want to travel space?" Her voice was deep, growly, as the mask translated at the same time she spoke, and you just shrugged. "It'll be fun, I guess. But I can't just up and leave."

"Why? Your family won't care." It was mean, but true, and Ni'yteer knew you needed to hear that from someone else. She could see it on your face. "I know..." You almost whispered. It still hurt. "But I can't just up and leave the other animals." And there it was- that would be easy to fix. Ni'yteer patted her shoulder, clicking her mandibles in a soothing manner like her mother used to.

Cetanu, on the other hand, was ready to tape the youngsters' faces shut. Yes, he knew how soft you were, you were a human, and yes, he knew how nice your hair and hands felt in his, and YES he knew Ni'yteer wanted to court you- Wait- His head snapped towards Echa, clicking maddly. "What?"

And if Echa could smirk, she would have. "Oh yea- after she gets blooded, Ni'yteer wants to come back and claim her little Ooman-" That seemed to do the trick as the elder dropped the tools he was holding and went back to your home. Mission accomplished.

They don't know what happened, how it happened, but the relationship between you two definitely changed. Longing gazes and flustered touches, and a promise that he'll come back. And you just smiled, heart heavy. You didn't believe him, not when your own family didn't, but the three days left were spent in bliss.

The first thing he did when he stepped foot on the mother ship was grab his sister, the leader, and pull her into a private room and childishly threaten her that if she didn't give him a space for his mate and her pets, he'll run away to Earth and elope. It was childish, unfit of him, but he couldn't let someone else take you, Ni'yteer or some other human.

His sister just stared at him. "... Someone fell in love with your ugly mug?"

He got a new space, a whole wing just for him and his lover- the perk of being the little brother of the leader. It, however, took another week before everything was up to par- wall enclosures for the snakes fit with everything they'll need that will keep the air pressure at the ideal Pascal they'll need, the chickens had a space of their own, as did the Demogorgon, big enough for the thing to fit and do as it pleases once grown.

The Xenomorph did take everyone by surprise. "What do you mean your little Ooman tamed it?!" Another elder almost screamed at the information, and Cetanu shrugged. "Exactly what I said."

When the mother ship landed, it did so quietly, but not unseen. And when you opened your back door and saw Cetanu- not even caring when Fluffs and Goober sneaked past to run in circles with Predator- you started tearing up. He did come back, and not to just leave you again, but to take you with him- you and all your fur babies.

By the time Bruce and the others reached the place, the ship was gone, and so were you. Someone took you, his baby- the child he didn't even know moved into the fucking forest to take care of cryptids. That won't do.

...Cetanu's sister was ready to fight him for you if he ever made you sad, and you stopped cooking and making those sweet things you humans were enamored by.

"She's OUR human now-"

"No."

"Yes-"

I am a female yautjas being bigger and stronger truther 😩Ni and Cet are long "haired" and Ve'sto has one side longer than the other.

Y'all seemed to yearn for this part- so I hope you don't mind the tags @lotsakitties @demis2955 @rad4bean @bunnymysteriously

[aventurineswife]

hii this is my first time requesting, like ever. idk how to do this umm anyway

I'm gonna start a teaching degree next year so I just thought...what if there was an aventurine x teacher reader and aven is trying to help their kid with their homework but finds he's miserable at explaining? I feel like he'd use casino analogies and it would just make things more confusing lol. the reader will have to step in and help!!

Not Everything is a Gamble

Summary: When Aventurine tries to help your kid with their math homework, he quickly realizes that his talent for strategy and high-stakes gambles doesn’t translate well to explaining long division. His attempts—full of casino analogies and unnecessary dramatics—only leave the poor child more confused. Thankfully, you step in to save the day (and the math lesson), proving once again that some things are better left to the professionals.

Tags: Aventurine x Reader, Fluff, Domestic AU, Established Relationship, Aventurine Being a (Chaotic) Parental Figure, Math Struggles, Humor, Soft Moments.

Warnings: Mild Swearing (Aventurine being exasperated), Brief Mentions of Gambling (Used as an analogy), Implied Physical Affection (Light teasing, a forehead kiss), Overly Dramatic Explanations Courtesy of Aventurine.

A/N: Don't worry, you did a great job at requesting this for a first req! Also, good luck on you teaching degree!! 💖

The living room of your cozy apartment was bathed in the warm glow of the overhead light, casting soft shadows over the furniture. A stack of workbooks and scattered pencils covered the coffee table, a battleground where numbers waged war against reason. And at the center of it all sat Aventurine, arms crossed, an exasperated sigh escaping him as he leaned back against the couch.

“I swear, kid, math was never this convoluted when I was your age,” he muttered, peering down at the long division problem that had been tormenting him for the past ten minutes.

Your kid—your bright, curious, and currently very confused child—tilted their head, squinting at the notebook as if sheer willpower would make sense of Aventurine’s… unique approach.

“It’s not that hard,” they offered hesitantly.

“Oh? Then why don’t you explain it to me?” Aventurine shot back, arching a brow with that ever-present smirk.

You, having observed the scene unfold from the kitchen, finally decided to step in before things spiraled further into mathematical chaos. You knew Aventurine meant well—his rare attempts at ‘parental guidance’ were oddly endearing—but you had a strong suspicion that his particular brand of logic was about as effective as using a deck of playing cards to explain algebra.

Sure enough, you arrived just in time to hear him say, “Alright, kiddo. Think of long division like a high-stakes game of poker.”

Your child blinked. “What’s poker?”

You pinched the bridge of your nose. “Aventurine.”

“Hold on, hold on,” he said, gesturing dramatically. “Say you’ve got 728 chips, and you need to split them evenly among—uh—four very impatient high-rollers. The goal is to divide the pot without ticking off any of the players. Because if you mess up, well…” He dragged his thumb across his throat in a mock gesture of doom.

Your child looked horrified. “Do they… do they die?”

“No!” You intervened quickly, shooting Aventurine a glare before kneeling beside your kid. “No one’s dying, sweetheart. Let’s—let’s try a different method.”

Aventurine huffed, flopping back against the couch dramatically. “You’re killing my creative process here, sweetheart.”

“I’m saving my child from growing up thinking math is a life-or-death gamble.”

He chuckled, running a hand through his tousled hair. “Fine, fine. Enlighten us, oh wise educator.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the fond smile tugging at your lips. Turning back to the workbook, you grabbed a fresh sheet of paper and began breaking down the problem in a way that actually made sense. Slowly, methodically, you guided your child through the steps, drawing simple diagrams and using real-world examples that didn’t involve high-stakes casino games.

Aventurine watched the entire process with a contemplative look, occasionally nodding along.

Finally, your kid beamed, tapping their pencil against the completed answer. “I get it now!”

You grinned. “See? Not so scary, right?”

They nodded enthusiastically before turning to Aventurine. “Your way was… cool, but kinda scary.”

Aventurine chuckled, ruffling their hair. “That’s my signature style, kid. High risk, high reward.” Then, with an exaggerated sigh, he leaned into you, draping an arm over your shoulders. “Guess I’ll leave the teaching to you, love. Can’t have my bad habits rubbing off too much.”

You smirked, leaning into him just slightly. “Smartest thing you’ve said all night.”

He pressed a lazy kiss to your temple, voice dripping with amusement. “Careful, darling. If you keep flattering me like that, I might start thinking you actually like having me around.”

You rolled your eyes, but the warmth in your chest betrayed you.

Maybe math lessons weren’t Aventurine’s strong suit, but as far as family moments went? This one was perfect.

[vividraft]

DAYS OF KNOWING SATORU GOJO !! highschool au. ..!

a/n: still need to figure out a proper layout... but yay! first fic in months! want more?

Day 1

the first time you talked to gojo, he was sat next to you

the teacher had moved him to the front of the glass due to him talking in the back…

he leaned whispered, leaning over to you, asking if you had a pen

without a word you had handed him one, and kept looking at the board

gojo had kind of a reputation as a... rule breaker. or fuckboy if you will. best not to get too involved

Day 11

you had to work on a presentation together…

whenever you tried to find a time you two could meet up, he always had detention… what was this guy doing ?!

“don’t you worry, cutie, I’ll make sure to do my part, you can trust me! do I not look trustworthy?”, there he goes with the random nicknames again…

Day 13

after a bit of chatting gojo managed to get his number into your phone! now you guys can text about the project!!

his first text was something along the lines of ‘hey qt could u send me the notes again?’

you rolled your eyes but sent them to him anyways

Day 15

you managed to find some time to meet up in the library

… and my god was this guy LOUD

"ssh! gojo, we are in a library!", you whisper shouted after earning a side eye from the librarian

he laughed LOUDLY

"come onnn no one actually cares"

you started looking for a spot in the furthest corner of the library. let's not disturb anyone

Day 16

working with him was HORRIBLE

you barely got anything done, spent most of the time trying to avoid his bad pick up lines, and trying to explain simple stuff from class to him

you made him promise that on presentation day, he would have his stuff done

let's hope for the best

Day 19

presentation day came and went and it was...

...horrible to say the least

gojo barely had anything done, and left you standing there stupid. your grade ended up at a mere 63%...

you were reasonably upset with him, so you stopped talking to him during class

but it didn't matter, it's not like you guys were even friends in the first place

then why does he seem to be doing weird things to get your attention..?

Day 26

a horrible day... your necklace seems to be missing, and you have no idea where you could have left it

but then you remember! you took it off for gym class earlier today!!

but there's no way you'll get into the gym now, but what if someone will steal it?? and it's way too late now...

until...

"hey my favorite teachers pet! what's that sour look on your face for?", gojo leaned down mockingly. "I'm not a-- whatever", you sighed, and turned back to nervously fidget with your pencil. But Gojo's eyes seemed to be prying,, until you finally told him.

"I think I left my necklace in the gym, and someone will probably steal it if I can't get it back first..." "Then why not get it back now?", Gojo looked at you like a curious cat, as if he was genuinely confused. "It's way too late, no one is in the gym anymore. I probably won't be able to check until after the weekend", your mind seemed to be trailing off as you stopped talking. "Well? Then let's go get it, no?", Gojo got up from his chair.

A moment of silent passed where you just stared him down with your mouth slightly open in deep set confusion.

"Are you insane? We'll get into huge trouble if we sneak into the gym", you turned towards him. "Ah whateverrr, no one will catch us! I'm like a professional ninja", Gojo stood there proud with his chest out.

"...Yeah no.", you turned back to your desk.

"... Well if you're seriously not coming, I'll go look on my own", Gojo decided as he walked off. Your head shot toward where he was previously standing, as you realized he was seriously sneaking into the gym.

"Wha- Gojo! Wait! You don't even know what it looks like-! Gojo!!", you jumped from your chair darting after him.

When standing in front of your schools gym, Gojo pointed toward an open window. He placed himself below it, to give you a boost. You looked at him dumbfounded. Was this man serious?

You took the offer, and climbed through the window. He followed without needing any help whatsoever.

When inside, you headed straight for the girls locker room, and Gojo followed. Even with no one here, it felt strange seeing a guy looking around the girls locker room. "It feels way cleaner in here than in the guys locker room", he stated. You left it uncommented, though for a moment you wondered what the guy's locker room looked like.

You looked around, checked the lockers, any shelves, and below the benches. And sure enough -- there it was. Your beloved piece of jewelry.

Now that you finally had what you were here for, you noticed how nervous you were about being somewhere you clearly did not belong.

"I got it. Let's get out of here, quickly", you said, and Gojo nodded.

You were quickly walking back to the window you originally came through, when you halted, and Gojo did too.

"You hear that?", you asked, but Gojo just nodded and held a finger to his lips to let you know that being quiet, is a really good idea right now. You tried to control your breathing, and listen for anything that might point toward someone being here, but your heartbeat was way too loud in your ears.

Gojo's eyes widened, and before you could react he shoved you behind the next corner.

"What are you doing here?", your heart dropped into your stomach when you recognized the janitors deep and steady voice.

"Ah, Mr. Anderson! I was looking for something I had lost earlier. Didn't find anything though", Gojo replied without missing a beat. "You know you're not allowed in here alone? Way past schools over? I hate to be filled with so much prejudice, but your reputation makes it hard to believe you were in here for only that", you listened to the conversation. Why was Gojo trying to take the blame at all?

Your mind was racing with any way you could help, but you couldn't think fast enough.

"You wound me! Do I really look like so much of a troublemaker?", Gojo's voice followed, laced with fake hurt. "You don't, but your record surely does. You know, maybe I should take you to the principal for this", your eyes widened when you heard this. "Whaaaat? That's not fair! You don't even-", Gojo was cut off "Yeah, no. You're coming with me young man. Who knows what you were doing in here"

And after a little more whining, and some feet shuffling, the voices distanced themselves from you, and you were left alone in the gym again.

Your legs gave out, and you slid down onto the floor leaning against the wall, clutching the necklace you came here for. Your hand was still clasped over your mouth, and eyes still wide.

'Quick, get up.', you told yourself. Let's get out of this gym.

So you did. After a couple attempts, you managed to climb out of the window again. Your feet landed in the grass, and you finally felt like you could breathe again.

Did Gojo really just take the blame for something? Something like this?

part 2? <3

[sturnzsblog]

empty dreams and false promises 26

summary: y/n life changes and not for the best she is forced to move in with three people that she barely knows. She ends up falling for one of these strangers, but who will it be?

Warnings: mentions of death, stalking, drugs ( not actual use) and smut! this is for all parts of the story! please let me know if i missed any!

It had been three days.

Three days of walking on eggshells, three days of trying to breathe in a house that felt like it had no oxygen.

Every morning, I woke up with a plan. I was going to talk to them — apologize, explain, beg if I had to. But every day ended the same: shut doors, blank stares, cold shoulders.

I wasn’t sure when the silence started to hurt worse than the guilt.

Maybe today would be different.

⸻

The house was quiet that morning, sunlight spilling through the kitchen windows, but no one saying a word. I lingered by the counter, waiting for someone to walk in — heart racing like I was about to face a firing squad.

Chris walked in first. He looked right past me, grabbing the orange juice and pouring it into a glass.

“Hey,” I said softly.

He didn’t look at me.

“I know you probably don’t want to hear from me again,” I tried, “but I really am sorry—”

“I told you I don’t want your excuses,” he cut in, setting the carton down harder than necessary. “We’re good.”

I blinked. “We’re not good, Chris.”

“Well, we’re not anything,” he said, turning toward the hallway.

I reached for his sleeve, but he pulled away.

The sound of his door closing made me flinch.

⸻

I found Matt later in the backyard, sitting on the porch steps, head tilted back toward the sky like he was trying to breathe again.

I took slow steps forward, the wood creaking beneath me.

“Matt?” I said, standing behind him.

He didn’t look back. “What?”

“I want to talk.”

“You always do.”

“I’m serious,” I whispered.

He stood and turned around, arms crossed over his chest.

“You already said you’re sorry,” he muttered. “Now what?”

“I didn’t mean to hurt either of you,” I said. “The night of the party—what happened between us—it was real. It wasn’t fake or something I regretted. And I didn’t plan what happened with Chris either, I swear. I was overwhelmed and—”

He stepped forward suddenly.

“You think I care if it was planned or not?” he said, voice low. “I kissed you, Y/N. I kissed you because I like you. And for one second, I thought maybe you liked me too.”

I nodded. “I do.”

His laugh was hollow. “Yeah? You kissed my brother the same night.”

“Matt, I’m—”

“I don’t want to hear it,” he snapped.

I gently reached out and touched his shoulder. “Please—”

He flinched and stepped back like I’d burned him.

“Don’t fucking touch me.”

His voice cracked. Not loud, not angry — but broken.

He walked back inside, leaving me standing on the porch with my hand still outstretched and my heart sinking.

⸻

That night, I sat curled up in the guest bedroom, staring blankly at the ceiling.

I’d tried twice. Shut down twice.

Maybe I was the problem.

Maybe I was worse than I thought.

I got up and wandered the hall. Chris’s door was cracked open — I caught the flicker of a muted movie on his laptop. For a second, I stood there, debating. Then my feet moved before my brain caught up.

I knocked gently and pushed the door open more.

“Chris?”

He didn’t turn.

I stood in the doorway, hands twisting at the hem of my sweatshirt — his hoodie. He noticed it. His jaw tensed.

“I just… I wanted to say I never meant to play either of you,” I said softly. “I was just confused.”

He didn’t look at me.

So I added, “But I know now that being confused doesn’t mean I didn’t hurt people.”

Still nothing.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and backed away.

The house felt empty after that.

I went to the den, needing a second to breathe.

I didn’t expect Matt to follow.

But he did.

He stood in the doorway, looking hesitant. “Can I say something?”

I nodded slowly.

He stepped in, hands in his pockets, eyes not quite meeting mine.

“I meant it,” he said. “When I kissed you. I meant every second of it.”

“I know,” I whispered.

“And I still do. I don’t care if you were confused, or drunk, or sad… I kissed you because I care about you.”

I didn’t know what to say.

“But,” he continued, “if you’re already choosing him, just say it. Don’t string me along.”

My lips parted, but I didn’t get a word out.

Because behind him, in the hallway, stood Chris.

Frozen.

Watching.

Matt followed my gaze, then turned and saw his brother standing there. Neither of them said anything at first.

Chris’s jaw clenched. “You told her how you feel?”

Matt didn’t back down. “Yeah. I did.”

The tension in the room thickened. The weight of everything pressed down on my chest.

“Chris—” I started, stepping toward him.

“No,” he cut in, voice quiet. “It’s fine. This just confirms everything I already knew.”

I reached for him. “Wait.”

But he was already walking away.

Matt looked at me.

And for the first time, I couldn’t look back.

Because it wasn’t just about guilt anymore. It was the realization I should’ve had sooner.

Only one of them ever made me feel safe in the chaos. And he’d just walked out the door.

oop!

janae 💋

taglist 💋

@n00dl3zzz @pip4444chris @sturnzzlovee @bernardmatthews @badbishkayleee @katiebae333 @dummyslut00 @eszt1

[scaraobsession]

Categorically Yours⎯ ♡

⎯ 02. oh wow ;-;

Note: If future written parts don't live up to this one, it's because I used 110% of my sleepless brain for this one and the perfect flavour of insomnia is hard to recreate.

~600 words, Scara x reader

You stare blankly at the whiteboard in front of the lecture hall. On there, a blur of bullet points and philosophical trivia. God, this class is already so confusing. And it’s only the first lecture at that. Nice start with a PowerPoint straight from academic hell.

These are only the basic definitions — easily doable if it wasn’t for the professor trying to make it as confusing as possible. This guy really wants to sound smart. Circling the topic but never getting to the point and instead getting lost in his endless tangents. He must’ve explained the same concept in five different confusing ways by now.

Looking down at your messy notes, you sigh. Even your pink gel pen can’t save them from looking like they belong to a crazy person. Crossed lines upon crossed lines, question marks on the side and of course the doodles that seem to happen on their own the less you understand.

You hold back another frustrated huff. Hu Tao should’ve been here. Stupid fever. Not that she’d help you get any of this crap — she’d be even more lost than you, probably — but she would’ve made it entertaining. Or at least bearable. Like, at least she’d suffer by your side. But nooooo she gets to stay at home and sleep in while you have to endure a lecture that should be forbidden from ever being held again.

Since focusing is no longer an option, you take a look around. Your eyes land on the desk to your left.

Nothing.

No notebook, no laptop, not even a pen is sitting on the desk. All you see is the smooth wooden surface. That's strange.

This is one of those classes where the professor feels really important, so much so that he won’t publish the presentation slides, because “you retain more if you take your own notes”. Maybe the person next to you forgot their writing utensils. Or is just as clueless as you about the words the professor is spewing.

Curiosity wins and you glance sideways — and oh.

He’s pale, like he hasn’t seen the sunlight in God knows how long. His dark indigo hair falls over his forehead in an almost perfect way. Despite his sharp features, he has an unplaceable delicateness. Not from his expression, but from his facial structure.

And he’s just sitting there. Unmoving, staring at the professor with an unreadable expression. Either he’s in the zone, holding on to every word the professor utters, or he’s in the same boat as you.

You decide to take your chances and open a new page on your notebook, scribbling a quick note for him onto the paper. After hesitating for about a second, you slide it onto his desk.

It catches his attention and he takes out a pen from his jacket pocket.

You look at him wide-eyed. Is this guy serious? Or mental? Doesn’t need notes for this lecture? What if he means no notes in general? He must think he’s a gift from God to academia himself if he actually believes he needs zero notes for a lecture where we don’t get the presentation slides.

Upon seeing your (rightfully so) puzzled expression, he snorts and turns away quickly. You can’t see his face, but you can feel his slightly condescending snigger taking away the last bit of doubt. This guy is some kind of genius. Or some kind of asshole with an inflated ego.

Either way, you outed yourself as completely clueless. And now he probably thinks you’re some kind of idiot who thinks Socrates is a skin care brand. How embarrassing.

previous masterlist next

summary⎯ It starts with a note in philosophy lecture. They sit together once, then again. Now they’re texting, sharing notes, and maybe something else they won’t admit. Minor in philosophy, major in denial.

Taglist:

@bittersweetmiko @lizzie-harper @hntft @bubblebellaz @vlynynynyn @rumitome @qjvt7 @insomniacdaydreamss @vi0let-writes @bananasquash @9meree

[quibbs126]

I have another random thing I would like to share that I’m like, 80% sure I created, but I might have just stolen it from someone else, I don’t remember. But I’ve also convinced myself it’s real when I don’t think it is

Anyways, so: spark pulses (at least that’s the tentative name for it)

Basically the idea is that two bots who share some sort of bond (though not necessarily one as deep as a Conjunx, Amica or creator/sparkling) can basically send “pulses” to each other, which essentially translates to them checking in on the other’s well-being, and/or as a form of small comfort

I don’t know how to specifically describe the pulses, but they’re something like a pulse is sent out by one, and then the other, usually rather quickly, sends another back in response. Also, it probably sounds like the sound the Unowns make in the opening to Pokémon Crystal, if that gives a better visual. But the pulse also isn’t an actual noise? It’s not something someone can hear. There’s also no specific words that come with the pulse, just feelings. But it also is like, some form of noise, along with the emotions. I don’t know, I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like a thought or visualizing something in your mind, it’s not 100% tangible like words or pictures and hard to explain

I should stop trying to explain what they are because I know I don’t know how to. Hopefully that gave enough of a picture though

But yeah, it’s basically just a “hey are you doing okay?” sort of thing, I think I already explained its role succinctly enough above. It’s a nice thing to do for someone you have a bond with, but it’s a relatively small thing

Pulses are almost always answered, but there are cases where they aren’t, the main two being that one is intentionally closing themselves off from the other, probably as a part of cutting ties with them, or the other is physically unable to respond. This does not include one being in stasis/recharge, so more likely reasons are either death or one is in some form of lockdown or in a location where they just can’t reply back and/or get the initial pulse. But someone not responding to a spark pulse, unless there’s very good reason for them not to, is considered deeply concerning

Also responding is like, a semi-conscious thing. People are aware they got a pulse and are responding to it, but they aren’t specifically thinking about if they’re sending a response back or what specifically to send, they just do. It isn’t uncommon for people who’ve recently broken off from one another to instinctively respond to a spark pulse when they didn’t want to

Though in addition to an emotional benefit, the pulses can pose some form of medical benefit as well, as they’re easy ways to tell the health of another’s spark. For example if the pulse is weak or distorted, that usually indicates something is wrong with that spark (though how wrong depends on the level of different it is to normal). Granted, it’s not exactly the recommended method of checking a spark’s health in the medical field, because it relies on a bond to work, and more likely than not, the medic does not know the patient well enough to send them a pulse themselves, and asking a friend for a check-up when they probably wouldn’t know what the spark distortions mean isn’t the most professional, they can have their machines check for spark issues instead

Though distortions can also be an indication of carrying, as when a carrying spark pulses, the newspark mimics the pulse as well, albeit much weaker. However, it isn’t always the most noticeable, as the newspark’s pulse can be so small it goes unnoticed, or its timing will be so close to the carrier’s that it can just be seen as a slight delay or echo on the main spark’s part, or not even be noticeable as a difference. Though it becomes much more noticeable as its own separate thing as it grows

And I think that’s all I have for spark pulses. I don’t know if I explained it super well, but you know, I think the concept’s neat at least

[teh-nos]

started reading about the shakespeare authorship thing and the first argument from a literary person to say Willy S couldn't have written them is "he didn't go to university," at which point i went "oh wow i didn't realise THIS was the level of 'evidence' people meant"

[pup-pee]

i h8 nightwing ((2016)) sm that i would reread it all over again just 2 make a list & point out all the things i dont enjoy in it

[deus-ex-mona]

starting the year ✨wrong✨

[silvery-stars]

would it be sacrilege of me to say that i am kinda hashtag Underwhelmed by the percy jackson show

[milo-is-rambling]

Me when I want to be wanted more than anything else

[nexus-nebulae]

suddenly realising that a decent amount of our system's dysfunctions might be due to OCD 😭😭😭

[no1ryomafan]

(BIG O END SPOILERS, DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVENT FINISHED OR SEEN IT OR CARE ABOUT SPOILERS)

Me and my bf have 5 more eps of big o yet I’ve been thinking about the ending twist a lot and I keep rotating how it’s like- such a double edge sword of a ending.

It’s one of those things that does being meta or rather the “nothing was ever real to begin with” trope very well because of how it’s handled, it doesn’t use it as a excuse to be cynical or rip away character agency, rather it *lets* most of the cast have a reaction to the reveal that everything was fabricated. There’s definitely probably been other series that also do this yet this was the first time I’ve seen characters actually get the chance to fully react to just being characters and it’s so interesting. The reveal also doesn’t feel entirely like a asspull for this reason next to the fact they actively build up to this twist literally starting in the second half.

But the downside of this, despite it actually being a well written and executed take on the trope, it still makes things more convoluted than it should be and if you don’t like this trope this ending can still genuinely be a turn off, especially because as much as this reveal doesn’t ruin the characters or the journey they went through, it does still ruin a few established plot points. (Androids and megadeuses connection are not explained ever despite it seemingly being important, the people coming from another country feels like a red herring especially with Angel being apart of them given what her actual role is revealed to be, how ‘memories’ work which is a primary theme of this show gets fucking confusing with this new reveal etc)

Big O still one of those mechas that are worth the watch given how unique it is compared to others but I can’t lie, it’s hard to expect everyone to like it given how it ends, especially since some people may find the first half boring and then be disappointed the plot heavy part lead to this or vice versa, maybe they prefer the slower first half and didn’t like things getting convoluted.

[kthologue]

then and now — gojo satoru

synopsis. only satoru gojo would be jealous of himself.

contents. fluff, lovesick!gojo, mentions of pregnancy, time travel inaccuracies probably, not proofread :x

you’re not quite sure how you ended up here.

one minute, you were curled up in bed, fighting a wave of nausea courtesy of the growing child of the strongest inside of you. the next, you were wandering toward the kitchen, wondering what was taking your husband so long to bring you the damn breakfast he promised — only to find him standing rigid in front of the stove, staring down…

himself.

you blink.

twice.

“satoru, what’s taking so long—”

your voice dies in your throat the second your eyes land on him. no — not him, but a younger, wide-eyed, hopelessly awe-struck version of him. standing in your kitchen, mouth parted, face pale, and gaze locked entirely on you.

you freeze.

he stares.

you stare back.

and then—oh no—he starts to smile. bright. dopey. disbelieving. there might actually be drool.

the younger gojo looks at you like you’re made of stars and everything he’s ever wanted in life, and you’re only in your husband’s oversized tee shirt. 

he looks like he’s about to fall in love with you on the spot.

then comes your gojo.

he appears behind you like summoned by jealousy itself, pressing flush against your back, arms encircling you. his chin hooks over your shoulder as he narrows his eyes at his teenage self with all the warning.

“oi,” your husband growls low, “eyes off my wife, you brat.”

the trance breaks instantly.

“what the hell—she’s my wife too!” younger gojo snaps, voice cracking in disbelief.

“like hell she is,” your husband shoots back, his hand sliding possessively down to cradle the swell of your belly. “i put a baby in her.”

you choke on air.

teen gojo’s eyes drop down—

—and bug out.the younger gojo is practically gaping, his eyes wide in disbelief, as he stares between you and your husband. "y-you let this man impregnate you?!" he blurts out, the crudeness making you flush with heat.

you feel the immediate rush of embarrassment. “i—how— satoru, explain.”

both of them whip their heads around at the mention of his name, as if they were no more than dogs waiting for a command.

your husband rubs your back, “i guess my younger self must have managed to travel to the future.”

you’re gaping at the two men.

the younger version of him is practically wagging his tail, a wide grin tugging at his lips like he’s just won first place in something that actually mattered. he looks completely lost in his own world to understand his future self’s subtle jab, and you could swear you hear him whispering under his breath, breathless and giddy—“i did it, i did it, i did it.”

“ah,” you slowly try to rationalize. “satoru, i know this might seem strange, but—”

“no, no,” your husband cuts you off with a tight squeeze around your waist, leaning slightly into you. “i’m satoru. he’s just gojo.” his tone makes it clear who he thinks should have the honor of the name, but his attention never leaves his younger self, and the muscles in his jaw are flexing.

the younger gojo squints, confused, then his face contorts with a mix of irritation and amusement. “since when did i become so uptight?”

your husband snorts. "yeah, well, you have a lot of growing up to do."

the younger gojo mutters, crossing his arms and leaning back, his posture almost defensive. "i get it. you put on the blindfold and suddenly you're mr. 'i've got it all figured out.'"

the tension in the room thickens, palpable between the two men.

"yeah," the older gojo retorts, voice steady but tinged with a bit of pride. "and i also got the girl of my dreams."

the younger gojo’s eyes narrow, his voice rising, "she’s my dream girl too!"

the older gojo shifts, locking his gaze on his younger self. his expression hardens, becoming a little sharper. "she’s my wife. not yours."

you sigh, exasperated, stepping between them. “oh, for heaven’s sake. you’re both the same person. you’re arguing with yourself.”

younger gojo leans forward slightly, eyes fixed on you. “i could love you just as much as he does, you know.”

your husband scoffs, clearly unimpressed. “please. you don’t even know what to do with her yet.”

“try me.”

“enough!” you snap, your glare cutting through the air like a blade. there’s no mistaking the warning in your eyes, a silent promise that things are about to escalate if they don’t stop.

both satorus fall silent in an instant as they both straighten at your words.

“me and the baby are starving,” you declare, your tone laced with a hint of challenge. “and if neither of you plans on helping, i guess i’ll have to do it myself.”

the younger satoru’s eyes flicker to your growing belly, then back to you.

in an instant, they’re both at your side, moving in synchrony like two halves of a whole, each hand hovering near you, as if they could protect you from something, but you know the truth. it’s not about protection. it’s about proximity—about the excuse to touch you.

“you know,” the younger satoru murmurs, a playful glint in his eyes, “you’re even more beautiful now. who would've thought you could get hotter?”

your breath catches at the unexpected compliment, and before you can stop it, your cheeks flush, a warmth spreading through you that has nothing to do with the heat of the room. “t-thank you,” you mutter, not quite looking at him, trying to hide the effect his words have on you.

your husband, who’s been standing just behind you, makes no attempt to hide his irritation. his gaze sharpens, but his voice remains smooth, controlled—too controlled. “it’s no surprise, of course,” he says, his hand sliding around your waist in a possessive gesture, pulling you a little closer, a subtle but undeniable claim. “you’ve always been breathtaking. she’s glowing, don’t you think?”

you feel his lips brush against your temple as he says it, and though his words are directed at the younger satoru, they’re meant for you—just the two of you, wrapped in this small, intimate moment. his grip tightens ever so slightly, a silent declaration of ownership that you can feel in your bones.

“thank you, dear,” you say, trying to keep your voice steady, but there’s a flicker in your chest that betrays you—something more than just appreciation for the compliment.

as you open the fridge, you don’t notice the younger gojo’s subtle frown at the pet name, nor the way your husband’s chest puffs just a little, satisfaction practically radiating off him. but you do feel it. the electricity. the unspoken challenge. and you can’t help but wonder which of them will break first.

the clink of chopsticks and the sound of your satisfied hums fill the room as the three of you eat breakfast, the tension at the table simmering beneath the surface. the younger gojo eyes the older version of himself from across the table, suspicion flickering behind his sharp gaze.

he sets his bowl down slowly.

“so tell me,” he says finally, chopsticks tapping against ceramic. “how’d you do it?”

the older gojo raises a brow. “do what?”

younger gojo tilts his head pointedly in your direction. “get her. my [name] doesn’t want to do anything with me.”

your husband doesn’t miss a beat. he smirks, annoyingly smug, and drapes his arm around your shoulders, pulling you into his side like a trophy. “i charmed the living daylights out of her. obviously.”

you give him a flat look. 

your husband ignores you. “she thought i was endearing.”

“i thought you were desperate,” you add with a sly smile.

he turns toward you, hand over his heart like he’s been shot. “desperation? is that what we’re calling devotion now?”

“you were on both knees when you proposed,” you point out, smug.

“i really wanted you to say yes,” he mutters, now clearly sulking. he stabs at his food like it personally offended him.

across the table, the younger gojo leans in, chin propped in one hand as he watches the two of you. there's something soft in his eyes now, envy tempered with awe. 

“don’t listen to him,” you say with a playful smile, your gaze softening as you turn to your husband. “i only gave you a chance when i realized how big your heart is. how much you really care. your dedication to reshaping jujutsu society—that’s what made me see you weren’t just a nuisance.”

both gojo's eyes widen in shock, clearly not expecting that.

your husband, though, pouts, his usual smugness replaced with playful mock hurt.

“aww~” he whines, a teasing lilt to his voice. “i think you’ve got a little crush on me!”

you narrow your eyes, a warning simmering beneath your words. “satoru, i’m about to bite your head off.”

he grins, leaning in with that signature mischief. “don’t threaten me with a good time.”

the younger gojo’s eyes dart between the two of you. perhaps his future wasn’t too bad.

[plethorawrites]

Oh, I really, really like your recent blurb! Jason having a secret girlfriend/family is my favorite trope, but it is so hard to find!

Would you write about silly instances where Jason spots his family in public and tries to shuffle and guide you away without you noticing?

Ahh! I feel that validated in both my love of Jason and my love of the secret relationship trope! (This might not be exactly what you were looking for, but I hope you like it anyway!)

The first time it happened was a few weeks into your relationship, back When the two of you would meet for breakfast or brunch at the little cafe, a few blocks away from where you worked.

Jason Todd would always show up, yawning and exhausted from how tired he always was since he hadn't told you about his night job yet. But he was still on time, excited to see you even if he would go straight home and nap immediately afterwards.

The two of you would always spend more time talking getting to know one another than actually looking over the menu and ordering something to eat, but neither of you minded.

Then, one day, while he was looking away from you to hide the smile you had caused, he caught sight of Tim waiting in line to order a coffee.

Without really thinking about it, he grabbed both of your menus, propping them up and leaning over the table, trying to hide both your faces.

You frowned in confusion but leaned in too, until your faces were close together. "What are you doing?" You whispered.

"Nothing," he lied poorly, being his head over the top of a menu to see if his brother was still there and darting his head back down when Tim walked past the table. He let out a breath of relief, staring at you. "You look really pretty this close."

With an amused eye roll you leaned back in your chair, folding your arms and waiting for a better explanation. "You just wanted to talk really close for a moment?"

"Okay, fine," he sighed heavily. "I wanted to look at your freckles, alright? They're adorable. The ones on your nose are really cute."

It wasn't a lie, technically. He did love them. And you actually believed him, he thought. Or if you didn't, you didn't push the topic.

The next time you accidentally ran into somebody was at the mall, when you had dragged Jason along to help you look for a dress for a mystery date night he said nothing about, except for the fact that you had to wear something nice.

It was just his luck that you had picked the same store Stephanie happened to be shopping in as well. In most circumstances, she might not even notice him when they crossed paths in public, but in a woman's clothing store which was relatively empty, there was no way she wouldn't see him when she turned around.

Without warning, he tugged you away from rack you were looking at, pulling you into a cramped dressing room, locking it behind you.

"Wha-" You stared at him like he had lost his mind. "Why are we the dressing room?"

"How do women try stuff on when they can't turn around?" He countered, ignoring your question and planting his hand on the wall by your head to try to give himself more room in the tight space.

"It's typically not made for two people," you explained "Especially not 6'2 men."

He grinned a bit. "Do you like my height?" He asked, enjoying the proximity a bit more than he would admit.

Yes. Obviously. Who wouldn't? He towered over you. His arms could wrap around your entire body without even straining to cover more skin. Plus, he could reach the top shelf so you didn't have to climb on a chair.

But it was still too early in the relationship to tell him that.

"That's besides the point," you muttered. " Why are we in the dressing room?" You repeated.

"I just...always wanted to see a woman's dressing room," he told you, frowning at his own lie.

"Seriously?" You questioned. "You could have at least picked the big one at the end. And you didn't even let me pick anything to try on."

"Right, well..I figured we could try a different store," Jason explained, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear. "Nothing here would do you justice."

You huffed, finding it slightly amusing how foolish he was acting. But frankly, it wasn't terribly bad to be stuck in a tight space with him. So, you waited a moment longer before unlocking the stall.

You still had to find a dress.

Things were peaceful for a bit, you and Jason seemed to be growing stronger in your relationship and things began to get a little bit more serious. Jason seemed to be growing stronger in your relationship and things began to get a little bit more intense.

He knew that eventually he'd have to tell his family about you, but the next time he saw one of his brothers in public, he couldn't help but shy away from the task of introducing you.

In his defense, Damian really wasn't the first sibling you would want to meet.

He'd taken you to a nature preserve, because you said you used to go all the time as a kid but stopped after getting older.

You were practically giddy, feeding the animals from your palm, scrunching your nose when their whiskers ticked you. Jason was enjoying it too, more so because of you than the animals.

But while he was mocking you for your squeals, he heard a familiar voice having a one sided conversation with a lemur.

He turned and there was Damian, having his biweekly visit to see the animals that Father wouldn't let him bring home.

Jason cursed internally, pulling you away from the animals, accidentally spilling the feed from your hand.

"Hey, I stillwanted to see the—"

"I'll bring you back, I promise," he said, cutting you off as he dragged you behind a tree.

You wiped off your hand on your jeans and tilted your head. "What is it?"

"I just think you've been giving the animals too much attention," Jason noted. "I feel left out."

"Oh, c'mon," you rolled your eyes.

"Really," he insisted. "You kissed a sloth and a goat but not me."

He pouted a bit and leaned back against the tree, still holding you arm, though loosening his grip before running his hand up and down your arm apologetically.

You sighed, glancing around briefly, not really taking notice of the small, angry child, yelling at some poor worker, before leaning up on your tip toes to kiss his lips very quickly. "Satisfied?"

He smiled softly. "No." He shook his head, pointing to the exit. "Can we leave?" He asked gently.

"Will you bring me back?"

Jason nodded immediately. "Whenever you want," he said.

You gave up and left with him.

Now, if you really thought about it, you could easily put two and two together, but really, the instances were so far apart that you didn't really question the strange behavior.

He had managed to be, for the most part, pretty subtle about pulling you away from his family whenever he encountered them, as few and far between as those moments were.

Like the time you were walking down the street while it was raining and he spotted Duke crossing the street towards your direction. Even though he knew you loved the rain and hated umbrellas, he still pulled his jacket off, covering your head.

"Jay, I told you, I'm fine," you assured him, trying to move it off of you.

"Yeah, but you'll catch a cold," he insisted, pulling even further over your head while blatantly stealing an umbrella from a small stand that was selling them.

He popped it open, covering his own face as you walked past Duke.

"I will not," you told him, finally tugging it off. You frowned, not feeling any rain on your skin. "Where the hell did the umbrella come from?"

"Uh- someone handed it to me," Jason muttered. "Nice man."

And even though he despised running into people he knew because it always put him on high alert, trying to figure out what to do or where to go to keep whoever they ran into from spotting them, sometimes, he actually rather enjoyed the chance to pull you away from the rest of the world.

For instance, when you insisted on going to a carnival, which he wasn't a big fan of at first, until you guys got there and he saw your eyes twinkling at all the lights.

Any thoughts of boredom were quickly drowned out by the sound of your screams on the scarier rides, when you'd reach for his hand. And he bought every single treat you so much as looked at— the funnel cakes, the fresh lemonade, the Carmel corn.

He was watching you pull fresh cotton candy from the stick it was spun around when out of the corner of his eye he caught his brother Dick, along with Wally walking across the fair grounds.

Jason was sure they wouldn't notice you with how far away they were, but he refused to take the chance. So, he interlocked your hands, tugging you into a nearby photo booth as you made a sound of confusion.

"Just thought we should grab a souvenir," he said, beating you to the punch before you could ask what he was doing.

"I'm still eating my cotton candy," You told him. "I should fix my hair too."

Jason got a devilish glint in his eye and ran his hand through your hair jostling it further as you screeched in disbelief. "I think it looks good like that," he admitted, staring at you now that it had a bit more volume.

You blew a loose strand from your face. "I can't believe you did that," you stated. "It's all disheveled."

He nodded, still thinking it looked beautiful. Sort of like how it was when you woke up next to him.

"C'mon," he urged, pulling you into his lap. "I like you this way." He threw a few quarters in the slot and before you knew it you had a strip of three pictures, none of which were appropriate to show to anyone.

A picture of him stealing your cotton candy, a picture of him nuzzling your neck while you scrunched your nose in the way that made his heart clench, and a picture of him tasting said cotton candy on your tongue.

So, maybe it was an over reaction to pull you away from the rest of his carnival when it was huge and chances were Dick never would have even seen you. But God, did he enjoy it.

Then, there were, of course, the far less subtle times which didn't end quite as well.

Like when you just so happened to be walking out of a movie at the same time Cassandra and Barbara were heading into one.

"I think the sequel might actually be better than the original," you told him, arms interlinked as you walked.

"Uh huh," he wasn't paying attention anymore after seeing his sister and Babs at the soda machine, filling up their drinks.

He couldn't exactly pull you into a different theater, especially since he didn't know which one they would be going into.

The next best option? Throwing the empty popcorn bucket over your head.

"Jay?!" You exclaimed.

"It's a discount thing," he muttered vaguely, grimacing at his own excuse. "Wear the bucket out and you get a free movie."

Okay, not the next best, probably. Maybe like...sixth best? Seventh at most.

He pulled you past them, keeping his hand on the top of the bucket to keep it in place while raising his hoodie and keeping on the 3D glasses from the movie until you were past them both.

Once you were, he pulled it off and you were...well, fuming. Rightfully so.

"What the hell was that?" You asked, a bit bitterly, not buying his excuse for a second. "I'm covered in popcorn butter.

He cleared his throat, kissing your greasy cheek and licking his lips tasting a salty popcorn and butter on your skin. "Tastes good, though," he mumbled.

You stormed out on him.

And then, when you chose to walk all the way back to your apartment in frustration, both with his actions and lies, he finally came clean.

"I just... don't want my family to mess anything up between us," he confessed, barely even looking at you.

Vulnerability wasn't his strongest asset, but he was trying. For you.

You washed your face off in the sink for the third time and still felt greasy. Even if you got it all off your face, you'd need a shower to get it out of your hair.

"Why couldn't you just tell me that?" You asked, still confused. It wasn't like you didn't already know who his family was.

"I just- I didn't want you to think I was hiding you," he muttered.

"Jason, you put a bowl of popcorn over my head so your sister wouldn't see me. That's hiding," you stated firmly.

"Yes but it's not hiding out of embarrassment!" He clarified. "My family can be a lot to handle and they might scare you off and they'd definitely mock me endlessly for being in love with you."

His eyes went wide. That...was an accident. He didn't mean to confess that.

You stared at him for a moment, blinking. "Did you just say what I think you did?"

"I uh- well that wasn't..." He cleared his throat. "Yeah," he finally agreed with a slight nod. "But you don't have to say it back or anything, I know I'm not the easiest person to love and it—"

You were already kissing him, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him closer. He was caught off guard, but it didn't take him long before he kissed you back, his hands finding your waist and steadying you both.

"You're stupidly easy to love," you told him, resting your forehead on his.

(+Bonus)

It was a quiet Friday night when the two of you were at a nice restaurant, celebrating a year of being together. The food was good, the music was soft and nice, and Jason was practically a drooling mess over you, like usual.

So much so, he didn't even notice when his father walked into the restaurant with a date of his own.

You did, though. And in keeping with the spirit of what had apparently been a pretty large part of your relationship, even without you knowing it, you slid out of the booth quickly grabbing his hand and pulling him from his chair.

"Hey, wait a second!" He exclaimed as you rushed him out of the restaurant before he got to finish his dessert. "We still have to pay."

"We'll come back tomorrow and pay," you assured him, pushing open the door, into the cold evening.

"What the hell was that about?" Jason asked once you were outside and seemingly slowed down.

You pointed towards the window. "Your dad," you muttered.

He could see Bruce sitting at a table across from Selina, his eyes scanning a menu while occasionally looking up, probably to compliment her or something.

He huffed. "Add that restaurant to the list of places we can't go," he mumbled, shrugging off his jacket and handing it to you. "It got cold outside," he simply said when you frowned in confusion.

You pulled on the nice jacket that matched his suit. "Thanks," you said, wrapping your arm around his, tugging him away from the restaurant. "C'mon, I'll buy some more dessert."

He hummed, and pressed a kiss against your head. "Alright," he agreed, letting you lead him away from the restaurant and down the street.