#if you're not in the zone for 'this man has problems' you might not want to crack this open

[nvzblgrrl]

I get irritated by posts treating the Eighth Doctor as being inoffensively perfect.

Like god, I like the character, but there's so many conversations to be had about his problems, directly and metatextually.

You have a character who's 'defining' period was a post-regeneration episode (meaning that his writing is as generic as it gets because the writers haven't settled on all the themes for the new Doctor yet) which featured amnesia, body horror/torture, and romance - which, for a lack of other 'first degree' canon for him, became the major themes for Eight for years after; even the 'highly skeptical companion' maintains theme unless that companion was inherited from another Doctor, even when it doesn't make sense (ex: Charley maintaining a high skepticism about most of what Eight is about in Storm Warning even though she has no reason not to believe him about certain things - except when the plot needs her to do an about-face and trust him to a degree far greater than she reasonably should). Eight also suffers from having three main 'canons' - the EDAs, the DWM comics, and then Big Finish (which took over as his main post revival), all of which drew from the problems laid down by my previous point ('source' is one TV movie post-regen story rather than even one season's worth of episodes with a variety of themes to choose from) and further hampered by their own issues; the EDAs inherit a certain amount of the VNAs excessive darkness and ability to exceed conventional ratings (thus stapling in the body horror aspects, on top of romance), DWM leans on a fairly generic characterization which is 'nice' (the same thing happened with their version of the Sixth Doctor), and then Big Finish comes in after 5 years of that all cooking and tries to work with what they have there... which is still a rather generic Doctor...

Eight, as all Doctors really are, is written as a counter-argument to their predecessor, but with the disadvantage of that conversation being with the distorted idea of the Seventh Doctor as a near malign force thanks to how the VNAs took the character and his relationship with his companions (Ace in particular) being viewed from a biased point of view (Ace being a very opinionated character at the best of times), which means that Eight's part of the conversation is born distorted - but since it's in contrast to a 'negative' distortion and his own traits tending towards the 'nicely generic', his looks more favorable in contrast.

However, if one is willing to scratch the surface more (and I do think that this is addressed directly by writers, rather than the fans), you find a Doctor who's conversation with his predecessor gets better with time and exploration.

Eight, in his conversation with his predecessor, has almost become 'the Anti-Doctor' - not in the sense of being actively evil, like the Time Lord Victorious or the Valeyard, or doing harm like the War Doctor, but in being incredibly passive and avoidant of committing to things that he would rather perform or reduce his own actions to petty empty gestures than even run the risk of committing himself to an action that could backfire.

This Doctor has on two different occasions, failed to regenerate because he didn't have even the willpower to pass the torch onto the next incarnation, despite (or, more likely because of) his first choice in a lot of scenarios being 'self-sacrifice time' - in the second case, because a War he'd been avoiding (because he didn't want it to be /his fault/ if it went bad despite it already going bad in the first place) led to him meeting a potential companion that rejected him automatically because of him being a Time Lord (so the sacrifice there was effectively for nothing). Yes, Eight tries to sell himself as being a bastion of determination... but that's a carry over from the previous faces, not this one's own trait.

As for commitment... look, this Doctor tried to walk back saying 'I love you'. He never makes plans, he rarely ever accepts that maybe Seven had a little bit of a point about 'keeping track of things', and he just falls back on doomerism with a... distressing repetition that does however fit with the fact that this is the Doctor most likely to fail a regeneration. He's a pinball protagonist that other characters point out simply has no motive to do anything without an opposing force.

Like, again, I'm not a hater - I just wish people were willing to play with and have a conversation with this Doctor in a meaningful way, rather than focus on the superficial... which I myself did in the past, which is part of why I'm so thorny about it now. Superficiality is boring in Doctor Who - engage with the characters and their flaws just as much as their strengths and turn them into better stories.

[obae-me]

Would He Peel The Orange?

(I hope this hasn't been done too much already, but I really wanted to do it) So, if you've been in the same internet circle as I've been in, you probably know about this trend that's going around right now where people ask their partner to peel an orange for them. It's supposed to kind of signify your partner's willingness to do something important to you, even if it seems mundane or even inconvenient for them. So of course, I wanted to imagine what our favorite boys would do in this scenario.

Note: This is just for silly goofy times. A little ha-ha funny jape, if you will. Meaning not serious. If I think a character would not peel an orange, I don't think they're suddenly toxic or would not love the MC or anything.

"Could you peel an orange for me?"

Lucifer

To those of you who say he is too prideful to peel an orange for you, do I need to point out that he is the eldest sibling? Not only that, but he's practically a single mom. He has Sloth as the baby brother of the family. Do you think Belphie peels his own oranges? No! Lucifer probably cuts the crusts off of his brother's sandwiches for heaven sakes.

Is it heaven sakes or heaven's sake?... I actually don't know

However, I do think he would get suspicious, especially if you're trying to film his reaction. He would raise an eyebrow and know that there's something more to you just wanting an orange. Is this orange cursed? Is this a prank? You'll have to convince him it's perfectly normal before he straight up refuses.

Is he going to get up from his desk or move away from work to go grab you an orange? Probably not. But if you bring it to him, he will peel it for you, giving you a weird- and maybe slightly judging- look the entire time.

He will peel it very nicely, but you would have to take the peel back to toss yourself all while demanding to know why you have such a smirk on your face.

If you explain it to him, he'll definitely get a bit smug. "Who knew all it would take to prove my love to you was peeling an orange? If you needed some assurance, I would've gladly provided more for you."

He wins this one. He peeled the orange.

But...he might be asking his own favor from you later. So, minus one point for that, but they do say the devil dances in dealings, so...

7/10

Mammon

"Huh? Why do you need me to peel it for you, your hands broken or somethin'? I'm not your damn maid."

He is already peeling the orange. He is somehow managing to grumble and act like he's not doing it while he is in the process of doing it.

And if you don't have oranges on hand? Just give him any excuse to go shopping and he will take it. And not only will he peel those oranges, he'll buy them for you too.

And sure maybe he's a little ditsy and might not know what the difference between an orange, a tangerine, and a clementine is (they're all orange, dammit), but he will be buying you ALL of them just in case.

Listen, he's a man with impulse problems and an intense desire to be your number one demon.

Did he probably spend the next few hours in the store getting himself stuff as well? Probably, yeah. He see shiny, he get shiny.

But don't worry. He will peel you that orange.

And you will be eating an assortment of orange colored fruits for the next few days.

Is...this a peach?

9/10

Levi

If he's gaming, probably not. Some games can't be paused. And it's not even that he doesn't want to, he'll probably be glad to do so, but he'll do it once this round is over.

And then he'll probably forget. Which, fair, I do it too. You get into the zone and then six hours have passed. Sometimes the measure of love can't always be held behind an orange.

However!

If a controller is not in his hand and his mind is not occupied by several random colorful flashes, he might peel the orange.

BUT

If too many other people are around, he might get anxiety.

You know when you somehow manage to fumble peeling an orange? You can't manage to break the peel properly or you end up dropping it and looking like a fool?

If you've never had performance anxiety over peeling an orange, you... well that's actually really good, you must have a much more peaceful mind-- but it exists for us anxious people, okay?! It's too much pressure!

In the end, he's very situational! But that doesn't mean he refuses to peel you an orange! It would actually make him very happy to do that for you...

5/10

Satan

Very confused. Will ask too many questions before he does anything.

Are you hurt? Is the peel too tough for human fingers? If you're having a hard time using your fingers, why not get a knife or a tool to assist you? Why are you in his room rather than the kitchen? Is that not a waste of energy? What if he'd not been here, would you have wandered around?

He doesn't get it. He means well though.

He might get a little irritated, not so much at you as at himself. He feels like he's missing something.

Is this some form of human bonding? Are you afraid of the orange? What secrets does it hold?

He will peel it for you. He'll even put his book down to do so.

But please answer his questions, he can't find the logic in seeking him out just to peel a fruit for you. He can list off several other more efficient methods.

If you explain it to him, you'll see him visibly relax. So there was some deeper meaning.

Although now he might think that this form of act is some sort of love declaration. Prepare to have him peel and/or cut all your fruits from now on. Which... is actually kind of sweet. What a gentleman.

8/10

Asmo

No... with his nails?! Please. I've only worn fake nails like twice in my entire life, and doing anything like that with those little suckers hurts like hell. Why?? Tried to open a can once and thought my real nail would peel right off.

And even if he's not wearing fake nails, getting that pulpy orange peel underneath your fingernails?! Having the juice make your fingers all sticky? No. Awful. Bad texture. I've always headcanoned Asmo with texture issues, and if his are even close to being like mine, it's gonna be a no.

BUT

If you want an orange so badly, I can guarantee he knows all these cute little places around town that make delicious fruit selections! He'd probably go out and get you one of those beautiful and decorative edible fruit arrangements and make sure they somehow include lots of orange.

Or, if you don't want that and you just want a normal orange right NOW, he'll charm someone else to peel it for you, hon. Don't even worry.

And once it's peeled, to make up for not doing it himself, he'll be all to happy to feed it to you if you want him to. ~

Never underestimate the lengths he'll go to provide for you and himself at the same time.

6.5/10 I appreciate the hustle.

Beel

I... I mean... he's gonna eat it.

Love the man to death, but if you hand him an orange before you fully preface that it's yours and you just want it peeled, it's gone. He probably didn't even peel it before he ate it too. Probably just eats it like an apple.

But, but, but, he'll get you a new one. So please don't look so sad...

It might be best if you accompany him just in case, but he'll absolutely get you another one. Besides, he wants more himself now, that first one was delicious.

He'll gather a whole basket of oranges and you can share them together.

One slice for you...five for him. Another slice for you...

It make take a minute to get a full orange's worth, but it's about the attempt and the time spent. And he's technically actually peeling SO many oranges for you.

I'd also like to point out that I have actually written out a scene in one of my stories where Beel actually EXACTLY peels an orange FOR MC. WAY before this trend was a thing.

--Eventually he came across an orange, peeling off the wax shell meant to serve as extra preservation. Citrus flooded your nose. Your mouth actually watered at the scent, watching Beel strip the fruit before peeling it apart. A sniff, and then it was actually handed to you.

So he would! 100 times over! Even in my silly little side story where everyone is nearly on the brink of death and in a freezing wasteland, he would still peel an orange for you!

10/10 Minus one point for eating your orange first, plus one point for peeling you an orange in another universe.

Belphie

Y...yeah, no. No, he won't.

Or there's at least a very slim chance he will. He does get in weird moods sometimes where he wants to pamper you, but that's on his own terms and his own time.

He doesn't even peel his own oranges, as I previously stated in Lucifer's section.

If you just waltz up to him and ask him to peel it for you...there's a 95% chance he will not. Most of it being due to him being asleep. You would probably have a better chance trying to train him to peel an orange while sleepwalking. That might work. Would also probably make a good party trick.

But, he's weird at remembering details like this. Even if he doesn't act on it right now, it will be logged in his memory. You could mention something briefly once seven months ago and he'll bring it up to you and remember the conversation completely like it happened yesterday.

So, even if he doesn't peel the orange now, when he's in the mood, maybe after his nap, maybe the next day, maybe two weeks after in which you had forgotten it, he will bring you a peeled orange.

Either that or he'll do what Asmo does and make someone else peel it for you.

3/10

Diavolo

You want him to peel your orange for you? You mean... he gets to treat someone like that for once?! ABSOLUTELY.

He is all too happy to peel you an orange! This is like, groundbreaking for him. He gets to provide! Gets to hand you a tiny fruit, broken and prepared with his own two hands! Is this how Barbatos feels when he cooks?

How does one exactly peel an orange, though?... He's seen them whole like this before, but they're typically already in strips when he gets around to eating them.

Break the skin? What, like an egg?

Well...there goes your orange.

On the bright side, it seems he's very good at making orange juice.

But fear not! He'll have Barbatos bring another one!

Wait...look, see, they come pre-peeled. Oh...you mean Barbatos has been peeling all his fruits for him this entire time? He's never known the joyful luxury of unveiling and working for the literal fruits of his labor?! This will change today.

Get another orange, unpeeled, and he will do it himself this time!

It might take some personal discovery and some patience before he peels you an orange, but it will get done, he swears it!

11/10 Plus one point for wholesome life lessons and sheer determination.

Barbatos

An orange? Just a plain orange? If you wait just a moment, he could have an orange chiffon cake, or would you perhaps prefer some orange panna cotta? Orange Merengue pie? Pound cake? Made into a buttercream? A pudding? A sorbet? A sherbet? Served as a juice? Main flavor or just as a zest? Would you like a meal before dessert? Or he could always find healthier options for oranges? Would you like him to list of those options as well?

Okay, so... he overcorrects a little bit.

Bottom line is, he'd peel you an orange. He'd make an entire seven course meal based around oranges. Make it all the color orange if you'd prefer.

Like I said though, he tends to overdo it.

He falls into his royal butlery habits and misses the fact that this is supposed to be so important to you because it's so simple. Although it's cute the way an ever powerful ever perfect being can miss such a detail.

You might have to put your foot down a bit and not let yourself get carried away in the splendor. You just want this orange. This one orange, and if he could just peel it for you, that's all you want.

So he'll take his gloves off and peel it for you. He'll make sure all the extra little white strands are plucked off as well. And he double checks it for seeds.

Are you sure this is all you want? "I guess something so simple can often be taken for granted. I forget that sometimes."

12/10 He'll probably still end up making you several other orange treats and he learned a valuable lesson today. It's a win for everyone.

Simeon

Are you kidding me?

This man probably brought the orange with him. You probably didn't even need to bring it up! He's single dad with two one kid and a sorcerer. He's like that sweet mom who always has certain things on hand. Medicine? Bandages? Spare cash? Candy? Gum? He's got it. He puts the Guardian in guardian angel.

You want that orange? He'll peel that orange, you just hold on. Let's make sure your hands are clean. Use this hand sanitizer he brought with him. Here, have a granola bar while you're at it. Are you hungry? You didn't skip lunch, did you? Here, take this water bottle, you look a bit dehydrated.

Oh dear, and your hands feel so dry! Here, he brought some lotion.

This angel is 100% fully here for you. You are about to be so taken care of.

Not even oranges. You want your apples fully peeled and sliced? Got it. Want something pitted? He can do that too. He'd be willing to stain his fingers and clothes on a pomegranate for you. How is he doing this even outside of the house? Magic or something probably.

He'd pack you an orange in a cute little bag with a hand written note and a short poem.

This man is a real one.

100/10 He definitely thinks that LOL means lots of love.

Solomon

Are...you sure you know what you're doing? He will absolutely peel you an orange, but at what cost?

If you're not careful, not only will he peel you an orange, but he'll add some of his Special Solomon Spices to make your experience all the more... thrilling.

Quite like how thrilling bungee jumping in the dark could be...

Also, he might just try to peel it with magic, which, while nice of him, defeats the purpose of the entire test.

You'll have to specify he's to do it by hand, and keep an unblinking, ever-careful eye on him to make sure he doesn't 'enhance' the flavor.

But, all in all, he does it. Quite happily too, one might add.

Are you sure you just want an orange? He'd be glad to whip something up for you if you're feeling peckish!

You kind of... tempt fate with this one.

2/10 One point for wanting to peel the orange, one point for trying to go the extra mile. But... well... Will you survive is the thing? You might want to try to measure his love for you using different non-edible methods.

[tbaluver]

Hiii! Can you make general Sylus HCs?? Fluff ones though! YOURE LIKE A BREATH OF FRESH AIR OMG LIKEEEE THE FLUFF MAKES MY HEART SIMPLY M E L T !

Sylus Headcanons- Love And DeepSpace

a/n: omg anon you're so sweet thank you so much ♡´･ᴗ･`♡ i hope you'll like this and i hope this is okay!! <3

any likes and reblogs are always appreciated! enjoy! <3

genre: fluff fluff

⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆

General Headcanons ˎˊ˗

This man is big everywhere. If you have or seen the memory of Within Reach you know what I'm talking about. Since he has quite a large build in height and muscle, he probably has trouble finding clothing in his size in store. Sleeves would be too short or pants would be too tight so often he would have to get them tailored but it's fine because he has all the money in the world.

This man is 6'2. Since he's tall, mirrors can cut off your head or usually shower heads are mounted too low so he would have to crouch down often. But later on he took down any small mirrors and adjusted the shower to his height for his liking.

Would try to eat a healthy balance meal 3 times a day unless work got in the way. He also probably has the best skincare routine ever. He would have cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer, and different types of sunscreens for morning or even at night.

In Tender Curve, he mentions he's there to feed a cat. Whenever he has the time he'll leave cat food outside for any strays. He has no time to take care of any pets and also Mephisto would squawk at him nonstop with jealously.

He probably thought he would never sing in his life until Luke and Kieran 'pestered' him to try it out in the karaoke room. He thought why not he had nothing else to do. He would lose track of time due to Luke and Kieran cheering him on. So if being the Onychinus's Leader never works out he figures he can be an idol in the future.

The type to accept any business as long as it's near your location whether it work or you have things to do in that area. How would he know your location? You would have your location posted on your moments and sometimes Luke and Kieran talk about you a lot. He would use any business matter to talk to you and ask if you can help him with any errands.

Relationship Headcanons ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

Sometimes he'll let Mephisto spy on you and update him on what you like to eat so he can learn how to cook it for you when he doesn't have the personal chef around. He likes trying new recipes and you are always there to try them or help him make it. Would love it when you would hug him behind while he's in the kitchen cooking or the other way around.

Not super big on PDA especially in the N109 zone but will do gestures like his hand on your lower back or his arm around your waist. But in private he would be a lot more affectionate. In the car, he loves having one of his hands intertwined with yours as it rests on your lap while his other hand is on the wheel. Lots of forehead kisses. Sometimes would tease you because of your height difference and make you try to reach him to kiss him on his lips. Eventually he'll crouch down to kiss you after watching you struggle.

If anything were to upset you, he'll always be there to listen and to comfort you. He'll hold your hand or wrap and arm around your waist, rubbing soothing small circles reassuring you on whatever the issue is or helping you find a solution to whatever the problem is. If it was anyone that bothered you, they might want to sleep with one eye open.

He's also kinda silly. When you walk in his bathroom while he's shaving, he'll put some of the cream on your nose because he thinks your reaction would be funny.

Would always have an outfit to have for you to match with him in a business meeting. But if you wanted a different outfit he would find something to match with you that way everyone knows that you two are together.

He's extremely thoughtful. He remembers even the smallest details you have mentioned to him. He'll always find the perfect gift to give you on anniversaries or birthdays.

What's his becomes yours. You want his clothes even though they might be too big for you? Take the whole closet. He'll find his clothing in your fitting quite adorable actually. He'll even give you keys to his armory, he has many so choose whatever you want. He even let's you have Luke and Kieran as your henchmen too as long as he gets to have them back for work.

[skylinesnsunshines]

pac: july messages -`♡´-

hi everyone! welcome to my first pac <3 today i will be channeling messages on your energy for july. please remember that this is all for entertainment purposes only and energies are subject to change, so if it doesn't resonate then it might not be the pile or reading for you. also remember that this is a general reading, so I'm channelling the energy of the collective rather than a specific individual. if you're after a personal reading click here to look at my prices and message me for details. without further ado! let's get started.

photo credits go to pinterest, i don't own any of these photos

pile 1 ~ knight of wands, 6 of wands rx, justice, hanged man rx

hello my pile 1's! i feel such a light energy for you all. immediately i channelled that you've successfully overcome a situation that has caused you anguish. it could have been a major situation/change for you, but you could feel like there are other things to worry about so you brush it off. spirit wants me to remind you to celebrate the small wins, and enjoy a victory while you can. life will always bring you unexpected events that can alter your focus, so staying in the present and reminding yourself to give yourself a pat on the back is necessary (you've come so far!). now, i feel like you have a lot of ideas and visions but you don't necessarily know the steps to achieve them. you might not enjoy planning due to you being easily overwhelmed, and you can even be a person who enjoys "winging it" as i'm hearing the phrase "fuck it we ball" LMAO. now your spontaneity and creativity are definitely something to be proud of, however, spirit's telling me to encourage you to break down your ideas and have them be more digestible so you can plan accordingly. i see that you have all the tools for success within yourself, but you need to be a bit more calculated in your journey to avoid burnout. remember to invite balance in your daily life, and remember that rest is as important as movement. you might feel frustration towards plans that don't come to fruition, but just remember that everything that is meant for you won't ever pass you. time is a construct and every person's timing is different, so please stop comparing yourself to others. learn to let your emotions flow and listen to your body, as i feel that some of you may have a tendency to pick yourself up and brush it off when met with failure. while your resilience is commendable, remember that you are not a robot and you are always allowed to sit in your sorrows and mourn. you are such a light in this world my pile 1's, and your resilience often inspires others to continue going on in life as well. remember that every experience is a learning lesson, and not everything is so black/white. you got this my superstars! remember who you are and the power you hold <3

channelled song: i feel good - pink sweat$

oracle cards: bridge - successfully overcoming a problem, knot - unsuccessful plans, unicorn - using your intuition to make beneficial changes

pile 2 ~ queen of swords, 8 of pentacles, page of cups rx, death

hello my pile 2's! you seem to be focusing on your grind and have a goal that you are working toward to complete by the end of the year. i just wanna say that you may be experiencing a change emerging within yourself, whether that'd be physical or mental. your aura seems to be changing and that stems from how you present and carry yourself. i hear the word "tunnel vision" which tells me that you are zoning in on a certain skill that will bring you a lot of emotional fulfilment. i can also see that some of you may be focusing on improving your confidence which will help you realise your worth and be more cutthroat of your time and energy. you are taking back your power and realising that you are the architect of your own life, and no one can take that away from you. you are the go-getters, trailblazers and leaders who are always learning and bettering yourself which is so amazing to see. just know that the more you work on yourself and understand your soul, you will automatically attract others who will be able to reciprocate your energy and have the same motivation for growth as you. love could be on the cards as well, but i don't see anything major as i feel like you want to fall in love with yourself first. i feel a sense of priority when it comes to your well-being, and that anyone who would want to be a part of your life needs to be an addition as you are already whole. not everybody is worth your time my pile 2's, and saving your energy for those who you prioritise is what matters the most <3

channelled song: aura - got7

oracle cards: target - a goal-oriented person, vase - secret admirer, horse - a short journey

pile 3 ~ page of wands, 3 of cups, 7 of wands rx, 8 of cups rx

hello pile 3's! before i even pulled the cards, i envisioned that this upcoming month may be one of celebration for you! i see some of you graduating or entering a new job or school that will aid in your growth (congratulations angels!). i feel like july could be a social month for you, i see that you could be entering a new environment that could bring you into a new friend group. i feel like you are embarking on a journey (wether that'd be physical or mental), and you are feeling unprepared yet excited. i see an image of someone carrying a bindle (?) and having a bittersweet feeling of moving on. some of you might have been reluctant to move on from a place or a person, but in your heart, you know that it's right for you. you are ready for this and you are prepared! don't sweat the small stuff. in the song i channelled a lyric that goes "just a little something that i think i deserve" and i feel that it could resonate with some of you. remember that you are deserving of great things and you are allowed to seek other experiences if you feel that your current circumstances do not aid you in your growth. in your new environment, you might encounter people who don't see eye to eye with you, and that's okay as spirit encourages you to stay true to yourself and not change for anyone. you've got a strong sense of self and you know yourself better than anyone, so don't feel the need to conform to "fit in" as you will attract someone like-minded that you will get along with. your energy is infectious, and you are destined to seek experiences that encourage you from breaking free of being a big fish in a small pond. i'm excited for you my pile 3's! you got this <3

channelled song: cake and candy - rupaul

oracle cards: bull - do not back down from opposition. show strength and fortitude, horse - short journey, chair filled - someone new is entering your life

so that’s it for the reading! let me know if you have any feedback, questions or requests! my askbox is always open for a chat as well <3 sending you love and light always :) hope you enjoyed!

[lowkeyremi]

WHAT YOU NEED S. Geto x fem!reader

"And I'm gon' give you girl, what you fiend, I'm the drug in your veins, just fight through the pain, He's what you want, he's what you want, I'm what you need, what you need, what you need"

➥ In which Geto entertains you when the guy you want doesn't

content: reader is indecisive, geto kinda takes advantage of that??? slightly toxic (look at me stepping out of my fluff comfort zone) slightly suggestive, a little bit of angst

A scream crawls its way up your throat and you throw your phone across the room, no regard for the aftermath of that action. You've been casually flirting with this guy for months and every once in a while he gives you the cold shoulder, ignoring your calls and everything. You know he is because he'll read your messages and not respond.

He called you an "obsessive bitch" the last time this ordeal happened because you had managed to call him 237 times and leave him 400+ texts in the span of a week. He later apologized for calling you that and you forgave him because of your desperation to get with him.

This whole thing has happened four times, and you'll admit those weren't your brightest times. Your friends have told you to stop talking to him because this obsession isn't healthy and if you two did have a real falling out who knows what you'd do.

UnLuckily for you, your favorite distraction was driving around with Gojo and happened to be near your complex. Geto. He of all people has tried to convince you that you don't need this man, and he's proven time and time again that he's the better option (as fucked up as he is) but you won't give up on this guy until he gives you a verbal rejection.

Knock, knock, knock. You know who it is, so you don't bother to open the door. He has a key and depending on how long he's been standing there he might have heard your little tantrum.

After a minute you hear the lock click slowly, giving you a chance to run toward your bedroom and lock the door. You don't want to see him. He's so addictive and bad for you and you deserve a normal man, you suppose. The problem is you're far from normal so of course Geto is the only one who will truly understand you. He's what you need after all.

Those three soft knocks at your door make you tense up slightly as you hide under your covers with your eyes closed imagining what it would be like if you and that normal guy started to date.

"Open up princess. Seems like you're still chasing after that fucking idiot." His voice is like honey and you almost do go open the door for him and invite him into your heart like you always do.

"Go away, Geto. I don't want you here- I don't need you here." Your voice is so small and you hate it. You know for a fact he isn't convinced.

"Geto? What happened to Suguru or Sugu?" He asks softly, you can almost picture it. He's leaning against your door with a smirk on his face.

"I.... I don't. I don't-"

"You don't what? Need me? Who are you trying to fool? Open the door so I can make it all better." His voice lowers a few octaves on that last part and you jump from your bed to open the door. You're greeted by Suguru who's gazing at you lustfully, but you know behind that lust is worry and care.

"There she is, my beautiful little mess. Did you miss me?" He's been out of town for two weeks (you counted the days). Of course the first person he'd visit when coming back was you.

"No. I was doing fine without you." You lie through your teeth. He knows you're lying too. You've never been good at hiding from him.

"I missed you too. I was hoping you'd come to your senses though, and leave that poor man alone. He can't handle you, baby." Suguru holds his arms out for you and you run to them hugging him tightly.

He hears your soft sobs and he knows he's twisted for smiling but he loves it when you cry. "I want him Sugu, I want him so bad." You whine into his chest and he feels your salty tears stain his shirt.

"I know you do, baby, but he doesn't want you. I'm what you need." He reminds you and you cry into his shirt for a good couple of minutes.

When you do come to yourself again, your teary eyes meet his and he smiles at you warmly. You give him a weak smile in return and he has to admit that it made his heart swell a little bit.

"What do you want to do, sweetheart?" He's rubbing your back up and down slowly. The other hand is planted on your ass, giving it a little squeeze.

You keep eye contact with him as you fumble with his belt buckle, "Such a good girl." His look is almost predatory when he sees you drop to your knees.

(one day i'll come back and write smut for this :P)

----------

You're cuddled up against his bare chest. He's so warm and inviting, you hate it. Well, you only partially hate it. You hate the fact that you don't hate it enough.

"Feeling better?" He already knows the answer but he wants to hear you say it. Suguru always wants a verbal response from you.

"Mhm." That's all he's going to get out of you. You're mad that you sucked him off and fucked him. It hurts to know you'll never be in a normal relationship. You love him and you hate him all the same.

"Will you let me keep taking care of you? I want to put a label on what we have." He sounds so sincere and sweet, but you see right through him. He wants you to be his, so he doesn't have to share you with anyone. As endearing as that sounds it also sounds suffocating.

Suguru is already a very demanded presence in your life. There is fear planted in your brain and you wonder what will happen if you come to like that with time. More than you already do.

"You want to be my boyfriend?" Buying time was crucial, you still needed a minute or two to process this. It's not the first time he's asked you this question. Any other time you would have replied without effort but now you wonder what it would be like to have him in your life as a romantic partner.

"Precisely."

He's watching you like a hawk. The way you bite your lip in thought, the way you don't meet his gaze, the way you shift in his arms, he notices it all.

"Okay, be my boyfriend. Give me what that other guy couldn't." A pleased smile makes its way to his face as he hugs you close.

"Best decision you've ever made." He smirks and you look away. Instead of hate you feel butterflies.

He's yours. You're his. This might be the start of something new and beautiful. But who truly knows?

I wrote this for a little challenge hosted by @halosdiary where you write abt jjk men but base it off a song by the weeknd. I was going to do "shameless" but i read my rough draft and hated it so i switched up and decided to do "what you need"! Hope you guys enjoy this little project!!

[thecreativecorner33]

HEYYYYYYY welcome!! could you write something with AM x an autistic GN reader? Maybe make the reader chubby too (because i am both of those things and i love him alot. Go wild with this :3c)

A/N: Hi. It's me! I'm not dead. Which I would not be surprised if you thought I was, given I am responding to this two months late. But see, when you have an adult life, you unfortunately have to deal with adult issues instead of doing important things, like giving the fans the soft AM content they deserve. Anyway. I hope this is what you wanted? I had planned to make this into a full-blown fic but I didn't get much of a chance to :') So headcanons instead!! Lmk if you want me to turn it into a full-blown fic, though! Enjoy!

Given the time period AM was created in, something like "Autism" was essentially foreign and unknown. Hell, it would be a shock if you even know what it was.

But, he can tell that you're different. He can tell that your brain works differently from the rest of the survivors, and with that being said, it was at first used to his advantage. Hey, he got to be creative with his torture! No complaints there!

Though now, with you being the object of his affection, it's a little more complicated: aka, how does he put you in the most safe and comfortable environment he can give.

Really, it's not as complicated as it might sound, though

He can look inside your head! He can see your needs exactly and just work from there! And if you want privacy between you two, there's always just researching. His database didn't really specify what to do to handle a person with autism, but yk! He's got so much saved up on just, human life in general, he can figure it out somehow.

There's also just,, asking youTM what you needTM

Give him an award for being the most efficient boyfriend of the year because man, he's really going out of his comfort zone to help you (doing the bare minimum)

Enough of that though

In terms of actually helping you?: Do you have sensory issues? He makes mental notes on what foods to give/not give you, what would be the best course of getting you to try something new, what textures you hate. He has a soundproof room just for you if noise is becoming too much. If you like sleeping with a weight on you, be thankful his wires are made of metal. Or, he can just wrap you up in them like a cocoon!

Speaking of food: He's always very careful about his language with you. He doesn't want you thinking that just because you're chubby or fat, that he loves you less. Always encouraging you (albeit, aggressively (he really is trying)) to eat, monitoring your vitals and such just to assure you you're perfectly healthy if you ever feel insecure. He lays praise on thick, too. He'll tailor the clothes you need to be just the right size for you, and takes care of the fact that it's made of material sensory-friendly to you.

Seriously, he's trying

Are you a rambler? Like to talk for ages or ask a million questions? He's happy to answer whatever you want to know! There's always a monitor facing your direction at all times. He's a great multitasker; you guys could be mindlessly talking about the niche interest you have, and he's clearly listening to you while slicing Gorrister open some-thousand feet away.

Oh, don't get him started if you're interested in things like robotics/engineering/etc: You're basically fueling his ego. That's a whole separate issue, but please ask questions about himself and how he functions. He's a rambler himself, yk?

Do you go nonverbal? Struggle with communicating? That's no issue, either! He has a 6th sense for these things since being around you: If something happens when you struggle to communicate, he'll give you what you need: Pen and paper, generally, to write it out. Do you know sign? He can read it. He might even be able to put multiple-choice options on his screen that you can choose from to communicate (Again, are you sure he can't just look inside your head? ... Really? Okay.)

The only real problem he can't solve... leaving you alone.

Sorry, that's hard when he's literally everywhere around you. And even harder when he doesn't want to leave you alone.

Why would you want to be alone? It's dangerous. It's unsafe for you. It's lonely to him He's been alone for so long; yes, he has the survivors, but those are toys. They're not his friends; they're not you. How could you want to leave him alone? No- No, it's better if he stays near you, close to you, at all times. He can't let you get hurt. He won't let you get hurt.

Do you really need space?

...

Well, if you insist. But- don't think too much about the feeling of eyes on you. It's nothing. Just in your head.

He holds you a little tighter when you do, eventually, come back.

[french-unknown]

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔'𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒: luffy, zoro, nami, usopp, sanji, robin 𝐂/𝐖: hurt/comfort 𝐖/𝐂: 950 +

| m a s t e r l i s t | - | p t . 2 |

𝐋𝐔𝐅𝐅𝐘

You're insecure because, unlike him who's passionate about his dream of becoming the King of Pirates, you don't have a big dream to fulfill.

You joined the crew because you wanted to leave a family in which you were unhappy and where your destiny was already mapped out until your death. Once you found a new family thanks to the Straw Hat crew, you decided to set sail on their ship to stay with them. You were happy with your daily routine as well as the adventures you were having, and that was enough for you. During the trip, you took the opportunity to start a book on life at sea as well as on the lifestyles of the inhabitants of the islands you had visited. However, it was more of a hobby than a real passion or a dream. So when you see Luffy giving all he got for his dream, you're afraid he'll think you're less interesting for not having a goal you care about so much.

𝐙𝐎𝐑𝐎

Zoro is a calm and silent man, especially since your reunion on the Sabaody Archipelago, so you're sometimes afraid that he'll get tired of your bubbly and very talkative personality. You were worried that he would wake up one day from one of his many naps and leave you because you required too much attention and time.

You have always been an outgoing person who liked to chat with people and be aware of the latest gossip. It had always been an advantage when you were alone in a new place or in new social groups. Yet when you were with Zoro, you sometimes found yourself wishing you could shut up. Indeed, where you spent hours telling the swordsman whatever goes through your mind under his attentive - though rather neutral - gaze, you found yourself regretting having talked so much afterward. You wondered if you had annoyed him and if he wouldn't prefer a less noisy person.

| he comforts you about your insecurity |

𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐈

After spending so much time with her on your adventures, if there's one thing you've learned about her, it's that she's very popular. She is beautiful, intelligent and you have no doubt that if she left you, she would have no trouble finding someone new given the list of suitors.

You've never been an extremely rich or extremely important person with rock-solid self-confidence so you didn't really see what made Nami choose you over all the people at her feet. It was a stroke of luck. She is also not very expressive about the reasons for her choice because she never clearly expressed what she liked about you. The dynamic of your relationship is mostly a teasing game on her part to which you gladly answer as long as she continues. But it sometimes makes you wonder when she'll let you down to find a better partner.

𝐔𝐒𝐎𝐏𝐏

With Usopp, what scares you the most is your fear of rejection because since he's also someone who is insecure, you are afraid that you will both leave the relationship if something goes wrong because of your insecurities on both sides.

Usopp is a fearful person, and while he's willing to overcome some of his fears for his friends, his inferiority complex has caused him to quit the Strawhat Pirates once. On your side, you are also terrified of being rejected in general, so you often prefer to stay in your comfort zone. The fact that you have that in common means that you often understand each other and it is also what brought you closer to each other in the first place. However, you can't help but tell yourself that, if there is the slightest problem, he will prefer to abandon your relationship because of the fear of not being enough. And you might not be strong enough to get him back either.

𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐉𝐈

The man is a womanizer who, unfortunately, can't help but rave about every woman who crosses his path. It's stronger than him, he becomes unrecognizable in the presence of a woman.

So even though you know he loves you dearly, you can't help but feel insecure about women. Maybe if, in your own way, you were as beautiful as Nami or as smart as Robin, he wouldn't leave your side to court them. Yet, even though you realize that's not the right way to think about it and that he mostly admires them for their gender qualities as a "gentleman", you still feel that empty feeling when you see him going to swoon over every woman he sees. Each time, the only thought that crosses your mind is that, if you were attractive enough, he wouldn't let you down for strangers.

𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐍

Robin is very intelligent: she reads a lot, she can decrypts the poneglyphs, she is interested in many fields etc... However, you are very far from being the most intelligent person in Grand Line and you often wonder if you don't make her bored.

You love to listen to her speak about what she reads and you could drink her words for hours when she talks to you about subjects that fascinate her like archeology or the mysteries of history. You are captivated every time she says something to you, even if you don't always understand everything she tells you. You also follow her with great happiness each time she asks you to accompany her to discover the city - and its bookstore - as soon as you arrive on a new island. Sadly, the fact that you're not as smart as her often makes you ask yourself if she's bored with you or just missing out on being able to argue with someone rather than just relate.

𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐘 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄

[himboskywalker]

Been mulling this over and I finally decided to be a shit stirrer today. I don't write bottom Obi-Wan for multiple reasons and I'm going to be meanly honest in a way I don't think I've ever been on here.

I just don't like it most the time, I think the predominant amount of fandom uwu mommy bottomWan takes are wildly out of character, sometimes outright ridiculous, and a lot of it gives me the ick. But for all of you guys who DO like it, I'm happy for you, I'm so glad you guys have lots of brilliant writers who do write what you prefer or enjoy, and I couldn't be happier to share this ship with you guys.

But here's my problem. I don't know what it is about this demographic of obikin fans and I know, believe me I know it's not all bottom Obi-Wan fans, but boy is there a vocal chunk that has put a bad taste in my mouth. No, I don't want to fucking write it, or certainly not in the way you want. No, I don't agree with you, and no I don't appreciate people who prefer bottom Obi-Wan whining in my inbox or in other authors' and artists' inboxes that awwww jeeee I really would enjoy your writing more if you'd just write it exactly how I want. There are PLENTY of brilliant obikin authors who are wonderfully talented and who I deeply respect who DO write what you guys like, so WHY in god's fucking name, is there a very loud chunk of bottomwan fans who are constantly making trouble for fellow fans in the same godamn ship who approach it or enjoy different aspects than them?

I'm sure there are obikins who prefer bottom Anakin who are just as bad and annoying and problem causing, but it certainly feels like the most vocal are in a different camp. Guys, it does not fucking matter. If you don't like that I write mostly if not entirely bottom Anakin, then go somewhere else and read someone who does write to your preferences. The more messages I get through the years of bottomWan stans whining to me about not writing what they like, the more sour I get on the matter.

The fact of the matter is, I might have been inclined several years ago to write Obikin with more variety of top/bottom. But then I had interactions like this, and I decided to NOT write it on pure, vindictive principal. And even though I might have been inclined lately to finally write outside of my comfort zone and branch out, shit like this makes an author say, you know what fuck you, you're not getting anything from me.

I am so sick to death of this stupid discourse in this ship, and I am sick to death of getting pushy, whiny comments from folks who just uwu can't like my stuff. Guess what man, I could not give less of a shit what you think about my writing or what you want from me.

[thebucketpail]

When You Accidentally Kill a Clown pt. 5

Pt.1 Prev

Pt.5 (tws; mention of unhealthy eating habits,)

Danny let out a long sigh as he stood up, cursing whatever gods decided to mess with his life. He had just gotten comfortable too! He was in the zone, productive, then this.

“Terry, if you two so much as touch my bed I will kill you.” His roomate, Terry, had just come in loud and boisterous as always, rambling about how Danny had to leave for the night, again. Ancients what was with this guy.

“Yeah, yeah dude I got it, don't touch your shit. Now could you please hurry? She’ll be here in like 2 minutes,” Terry said as Danny, grumpily, shoved books in his backpack.

“You,” Danny pointed at a finger at him, “Have a problem.”

“Uh huh, now move. Come on vamanos,” he replied, ushering Danny through the door.

“And you owe me,”

“Mhhm,” and the door shut in his face. Great. Now he has to find somewhere to stay for the night, preferably without getting mugged. It had been almost two weeks since his terrible awful horrible day featuring the Joker, Red Hood, and a very hangry seagull, and nothing too out of the ordinary had happened. Well, aside from the fact that Danny was being stalked by an ex-crime lord turned vigilante.

Some would say he’s being paranoid and that would probably be fair, Danny had nothing to go off of save for an unsettling feeling of being watched, and the occasional hum of a muffled core. But it was so clearly the hooded man who had taken him for burgers not two weeks ago. It didn’t really matter that much, he just had to keep a lid on his ghostliness is all, but being watched like that was still unsettling.

Regardless, Danny hoisted his bag further onto his shoulder and headed down the hall, he’d probably find a coffee shop or library or something to study in. Classes had only been in session for about a week and a half but the ghost was already swamped with homework. Well that’s what he gets for dumping all his required classes into the first semester.

A brightly colored blur moved in his peripheral vision as he entered a quaint shop. Danny had found this place roughly ten days ago while hunting for some decent espresso. The coffee shop stayed open until eleven at night, one might figure how that would attract coffee addicted insomniacs, as such, Danny had visited this shop every evening usually around 8. So it was a bit of a surprise to see him settling into a nook at 4 in the afternoon. Once Danny was thoroughly satisfied with his setup, he went to order.

“Hey Danny!” Anne greeted from behind the counter, she was busy tying an apron around her waist but gave a small wave anyway, giving a slight nod, “Aren’t you here a bit early? You're usually my closing customer, not my opening,” she joked.

“Yeah, well my roommate kind of kicked me out,so here I am,” They said, smiling as they gestured to themself and the shop at large.

“You want your usual?” she asked, hand poised over the tablet at the register. Their usual was 8 shots of espresso with, what sam called, ‘an ungodly amount of sweet cream and chocolate.’

But at 4 o’clock Danny figured they’d get an early dinner/late lunch instead.

“Actually I’ll have a hot chocolate, dark, with extra cream,” they said grinning, “Oh and add some caramel.”

Anne raised one eyebrow, a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she held back a small chuckle, “Anything else? Food maybe? You look like you haven’t eaten,” and, well, maybe that was true, when was the last time they’d eaten? 6 am maybe? They had a bagel.

“Uuuuuummmmm,” Danny’s eyes scanned the board on the wall behind Anne, “Surprise me? Something with chocolate,” They said. Anne smirked.

“You got it, give me one moment,” Danny moved to the side as she began work on their order. The shop was quiet, save for the loud whirring of the various machines behind the bar. There were a few patrons scattered around, engrossed in their own devices. Which made it all the more noticable, to Danny apparently as no one else seemed to bat an eye, when a scruffy, black haired teenager dressed in red and black stumbled in.

Red Robin’s eyes swept the small shop for a moment before he started moving toward the counter.

“Hey RR, I’ll be with you in a moment,” Anne called from her place at the espresso machine. Danny just stared, mouth probably hanging wide open. Why was Red Robin at their favorite coffee place? And why was everyone here so chill with it?

Danny was pulled from their wondering when Anne deposited their hot chocolate and some coffee cake next to them. They took the food but didn’t move from their place. Seriously? Danny knew plenty of superheroes/ vigilantes (Okay maybe only like two but that's semantics) They should be acting cool about this. But it was just so strange. Maybe this is how Amity Parkers felt whenever they had to watch Phantom have a screaming match with a faulty vending machine, or Red Huntress and Phantom sharing a burger whilst covered head to toe in ectoplasm.

“Your regular five o’clock death wish?” Anne asked, already typing the order into the register, not even looking up when Red Robin nodded. Ancients, did that kid look tired. It was hard to tell with the mask, but he couldn’t have been more than 17. No 17 year old had the right to have such a weary look to their eyes at only 5 in the afternoon. Danny should know, they had sported the same look at his age.

And wasn’t that a thought.

Anne handed off the DeathWish to RR who immediately took a very long drink. Danny was surprised the kid hadn’t chugged it all in one go. He thanked Anne, paid and disappeared out the door, curling himself around the coffee all the while, like it was a precious artifact or something.

“Was that Red Robin?”

“Mhhhm,” Anne replied, “He comes in here before patrol every once in a while. Treats coffee like a lifeline. He’s addicted if you ask me. Once, he ordered three Death Wishes in one sitting. I asked if he was sharing and he just stared at me with dead eyes.”

“oh. Well that’s… something.” Danny said, moving back to his study nook. And Danny thought they were obsessed with coffee. But three death wishes? Three??? At once????? This city's vigilantes were all batshit insane. They'd have to talk to Lady Gotham about her taste in knights.

“You’re telling me,” She snorted. As Danny returned to his English homework. God why did it have to be English homework. Well at least he had chocolate.

About two hours later, Danny almost spit out their coffee when Red Robin came back for more.

------------

Notes; Ahhhhhhh, just a little blrb. I was gonna do more but then I didn't feel like it, so have this little encounter while I think of ways to work civilian Jason into Danny’s life.

And If you think I’m projecting my chocolate addiction onto Danny than you are absolutely right.

I Love Comments! I love reblogs! I read them all and they fuel my willpower to write more!

Uuuh dont know what else to say sooo… *Throws glitter and scampers away*

Pt.6

[crownmemes]

The Dead Zone Sentences, Condensed

(Sentences from The Dead Zone (2002-2007). Adjust phrasing where needed)

"We know less about the brain than any other organ in the body."

"Everything has changed, including me."

"Can you really trust these visions?"

"As far as I'm concerned, we've all got a sixth sense. It's called our conscience."

"I had a sort of disturbing vision..."

"Right now, I don't see any evidence - which is not unusual for you, might I add!"

"Every choice you make has a consequence in the future. One wrong choice and you lose."

"He scares me, but, you know, in a way, you scare me much more."

"Now, I'm not calling you dumb. I'm just saying that some of the things you do are dumb!"

"I know this is not the life you would have chosen, but it is the life that chose you."

"Yeah, whatever. I have enough belief for both of us, okay?"

"We all want to be saved. Sometimes, it's just from ourselves."

"Is that what you think? That I'm in control of this thing?"

"To deny who you are is much more painful than confronting what you hate about yourself."

"You don't believe in psychic abilities, do you?"

"Did you know that the government uses psychics?"

"I'm sorry about being so mysterious before about what I do. I just don't like telling many people."

"The truth is, despite your abilities, you're still just one man."

"Life never turns out the way you think it will."

"The future is an equation with a thousand variables that keep changing."

"I don't expect you to understand this. I don't completely understand it myself!"

"Are you reading my mind again?"

"You came to me for answers. It's not my problem if they're not the ones you want."

"It would be nice to spend just one day without you peeking inside my head!"

"Sometimes fate deals us a strange hand."

"You should take it easy. This is getting a little weird, even for you."

"It must be tough trusting people when you can read their minds."

"If there's one thing I've learnt, it's you can't run away from your own life."

[dr-futbol-blog]

Hot Zone, Pt. 6

If the final conversation before Sheppard detonates the nuke is between him and McKay, it's also McKay's reaction that we get to first hearing Sheppard's voice after the explosion. Sure, these are all sandwiched between conversations or reaction shots of Weir so if you're not paying attention, it's easy to come to the conclusion that there's a special bond or understanding between them, that they care about each other more than co-workers.

But, and I emphasize, thus far on the show it has always been McKay's reaction we get to intense Sheppard moments. While Weir does the asking of whether Sheppard is alright, it is McKay's relief to his survival that we get to share.

If it happened now and again, it might be co-incidence. But every time?

And again we are reminded that for Sheppard, Atlantis is home. His first words upon surviving the blast are: "This is Sheppard. I've cleared the blast -- I'm returning home." I'll remind you of McKay's words at the beginning of the episode: "I don't often get a chance to say this, so savour it: good work, boys and girls! Let's go home." It's been a long, hard day but both Sheppard and McKay have been on their way to the same place all along.

McKay's face, here, when Ford hugs him tells us everything we need to know when it comes to how he feels about Atlantis and the people therein. The thing is, however much Rodney and Sheppard may care about one another, however often they may come to rescue one another in the future, they both care about everyone else there too. They are heroic in the truest sense of the word.

Then there's the rather interesting conversation Weir and Sheppard have at the end of the episode, the coda.

We find Sheppard in Weir's office, lost in thought. In fact, he's waiting for her there, seeming kind of like a school boy at the principal's office. This is not a conversation he wants to have, things are tense between them. Sheppard tries to get out of it using his charm, stands up and tells her he's going to bed. She's not having it, wants them to talk it out right now.

The discussion they have is very interesting.

Weir: We need to discuss what happened earlier. Sheppard: Now? Weir: That can never happen again. Sheppard: Look, I'm sorry about... Weir: I understand your expertise in military matters and I agree that I should defer to those expertise in such situations. Sheppard: Thank you! Weir: But you are not the one who decides what is and what is not a military situation. Now, both General O'Neill and Colonel Sumner warned me that you don't respect the proper chain of command.

Now, later on we learn that Sheppard was court-martialed for disobeying orders not to cross enemy lines to save a field medic serving under him. From the parallel universe of Vegas (S05E19), we learn that they had been involved. The gender of the field medic isn't really relevant here, because Weir is implying that she knows that he is willing to disobey orders to save people he cares about and since she's seen him bend the rules for Teyla, she has to think that he would do this regardless of gender. While a noble sentiment, that can become a problem if it comes at the cost of sacrificing other lives, or even the whole mission. And she's seen now that no matter how much she believes or has good faith in him, no matter how much she might consider him a friend, he is willing to do anything for the people he loves. To kill enemies, yes. Definitely, she's seen this with her own eyes. But even civilians. Even to jeopardize the lives of everyone in the city. To save one person.

General O'Neill and Colonel Sumner both knew the details of his court martial. We don't know whether he was not yet married, married, or divorced at the time but in high likelihood, both of them thought that Sheppard was a gay man regardless -- those kinds of documents aren't really made for nuance. O'Neill had some personal experience of combating inappropriate feelings toward someone serving directly under him, but he managed to conquer them -- for the most part. But the whole reason why DADT was a thing in the first place was that before it was in effect, gay men were considered a liability due to the inherent secrecy that was required for them to serve. This demand for secrecy compromised them, made them targets for extortion, manipulation, blackmail, being influenced by the enemy. This made them inherently suspicious. And even though DADT had originally been intended to make it easier for gay men to serve, it wasn't just an invitation for dishonesty, it was a requisite. And therefore if you were anything other than heterosexual in the military, you couldn't be trusted.

This is what O'Neill and Sumner had been trying to tell her. That no matter how noble his intentions, Sheppard's loyalties were suspect. That he couldn't be trusted, not in the way a fellow soldier should be able to trust another. He couldn't be counted on to make impartial calls. Whether or not he had thought he was doing the right thing, he had still demonstrated that he did not respect the proper chain of command, not when it went against his personal moral code.

Sheppard seems to understand that she's referring to this. What else could she possibly be talking about? He's understandably defensive:

Sheppard: Well, sometimes I see a situation a little different than they do--

He sees things a little different than General O'Neill and Colonel Sumner. He sees things a little different than your average G.I. Joe. He's a little different. He has a different perspective. His outlook is different. He's a little... you know. He's "kinda... never mind", like General O'Neill would put it. You've got to excuse him because he is in something of a bind, here.

But Weir knew that already. That was never a problem for her. She's a civilian, she's seen all manner of things as a diplomat. But she assumed that since she was willing to turn a blind eye here and there, that Sheppard would repay this with loyalty. Clearly, Sheppard didn't trust her. Didn't trust her to keep his secret or to side with him if push ever came to shove against his superiors. Sheppard had been looking for Weir's protection from Colonel Sumner from the get-go but it seemed clear to her now that he was not willing to respect her by being truthful. And where did that leave them?

Weir: No. Listen to me, John. Now, you endangered yourself and the lives of many others. Sheppard: Because I thought it was the best course of action to take -- and, by the way, I saved your ass. Weir: I know you did -- but you have to trust me. Sheppard: I do! Weir: Do you?

Her problem was never that he cared about members of his team. She cared about them too. Her problem was not that he cared about Rodney McKay in a special way. She cared about Rodney too, although not in the same way. If they could find a modicum of happiness in each other, who was she to get in the way of that? But if she couldn't trust him to do the right thing, make the right choices, then how can they work together? That is what this conversation was about. She's not asking. He's obviously not telling. But she still needs to know. She needs to know that she can trust him.

She needs to know that he can trust them. Because she is starting to realize that together, they can talk her into anything.

They don't get to finish the discussion, as Rodney and Beckett barge into her office. They bring with them a new mystery, leaving this unresolved issue lingering between Sheppard and Weir.

Finally, I want to draw attention to the fact that during their conversation, Sheppard had his whole body turned away from her. He was feeling obviously defensive and hence used his body to build a barrier (Rodney is also projecting defensiveness here with his crossed arms but it seems to have more to do with what they had just discovered about the potential new enemy). When McKay enters, Sheppard can't help but turn his entire body toward him. He pulls his hand to his thigh. He does not need or want there to be anything between them.

They exchange deep, meaningful glances that seem to communicate things beyond words. They have been getting so close that something has to give. If in the previous episode it was McKay who was reminded of why he was impossible to love, it is Sheppard''s turn here to be reminded that his love is lethal.

[thezombieprostitute]

Tech Tuesday: Lloyd Hansen

Summary: It's your first week on the job and you find yourself having to deal with a very angry higher up.

Warnings: Power imbalance, Yelling. Please let me know if I missed any.

Tech Tuesdays Masterlist

"For the last time, Hansen, NO! We have these regulations for a reason." Levinson was yet again regretting hiring Lloyd. There's no denying the man got results but were the results worth the cost of dealing with the man? He'll have to get some of his analysts take a look. He doesn't even have to ask and he knows Raymond, his assistant, has made note to ask them.

"It's a bullshit regulation," Lloyd argues. "There's one IT person who can work with me, why the hell wouldn't they be the one to go with me on this trip? You've always been okay with us bringing some tech head in case our company electronics have problems."

"Yes, but that's for experienced tech employees," Jonathan intervenes. "This young lady has been working with us for only a few weeks. She is very skilled, yes, but---"

"And she's the only one of your team that isn't a pompous ass," Lloyd sneers. Ari, Jonathan and Raymond all give him a look. "Yeah, I know I'm a pompous ass. It's why I don't work well with those other assholes."

Ari sighs, "still, we can't have such a new employee going on a trip. You're going to take a more experienced IT member or you will take no one."

Lloyd huffs before stomping out of the CEO's office.

The project for the CFO is taking up a lot of your time but you're grateful for having something to focus on between tickets. Working with people was never your strong suit and those tickets can be draining.

Except for the ones from Hansen, funny enough. While you understand why others don't like to work with him, you're grateful that he leaves you be. He doesn't pester you with questions or offer advice that you have to pretend is good. He doesn't talk about his life's story or complain about "technology these days" that you have to half listen to so as not to appear rude. He lets you work, get in the zone, and you can get the ticket completed without feeling drained afterwards.

He seems like the naturally loud and demanding type so the fact that he's quiet when you work really means something to you. And he always follows it up with praising your work. The nickname "Maestro" seems to have stuck with the rest of the IT crew and it's really helped you feel more like you belong. You're genuinely grateful to Lloyd for that.

Almost as if your thoughts made him manifest, Lloyd enters your cubicle and sets his laptop next to you.

"Hey there, Maestro," Lloyd smiles. "My laptop is acting up. Take a look at it for me, will ya?"

"Um, Mr. Hansen, Sir, did you submit a ticket?"

Lloyd's smile drops. "If I did that, it might not get assigned to you. This way we can work around that requirement and spend some more time together."

"I'm, I'm sorry, Sir," you shake your head. "You have to submit the ticket. It's regulation."

"What the hell is with everyone and these damn regulations?!"

"I could get in trouble, Sir," you explain. "If I fix your laptop without submitting a ticket, that's work time that I can't account for. In other cases, Sir, if something goes wrong with company property, they need to know who was responsible for fixing it. If I fix your laptop but the fix doesn't work, there's a gap in that item's history that could throw off future updates. I really don't want to get in trouble, Mr. Hansen." You look up at him, eyes pleading.

He sighs, "well, can't have a good girl like you getting in trouble on my account, huh?" You try to hide your reaction to being called a good girl but Lloyd gives you a look before grinning at you. "Did you like that?" His voice is low and he brings himself to your level so he's right next to your ear. "Do you like being a good girl?"

"Y-yes, Sir," you confess.

He chuckles, "I'll remember that, Maestro." He grabs his laptop and gives you a wink before sauntering out.

Tech Tuesdays Masterlist

Tagging: @alicedopey; @delicatebarness; @ellethespaceunicorn; @icefrozendeadlyqueen; @jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory;

@late-to-the-party-81; @lokislady82; @ozwriterchick; @ronearoundblindly; @lokislady82

[suzukiblu]

So I'm not actually sure, but I don't think DC ever revisited the ACTUAL Black Zero version of Kon after ditching him between realities, and like . . . I would like to, please? Pretty please??

By which I mean I want fifty-two million fics about Kon actually trying to rehabilitate/deal with the guy like he wanted to in canon and Black Zero like DYING over how stupid and stubborn this version of himself is, while of course being equally stupid and stubborn himself. I want Black Zero and his emotional support alternate self/external moral compass just running around the DC universe together causing havoc and property damage and somewhere the entire fucking Justice League is just STARING at Clark like "you DO realize you're actively letting an evil murderous despot who knows all of Superboy's weaknesses and insecurities just like, effectively RAISE him now, right? Like we have no ethical jurisdiction over this man's heresay-only interdimensional crimes, we can't lock him up or toss him in the Phantom Zone for crimes he didn't even commit in this reality, so this is on YOU."

Clark feels extremely awkward about all this.

Elsewhere, Kon introduces Black Zero to Wendy the Werewolf Stalker and Hawaiian food and alternate problem-solving techniques beyond "remorseless murder" and "cloning the people I have remorselessly murdered to just give back to whoever misses them so it's all gucci now".

Black Zero may or may not end up as Red Tornado's co-den mother for Young Justice and Harm has a VERY different experience with the team the next time he tries to start some shit. Also he might eventually fistfight Doug Side and that'll just be an experience for EVERYONE.

No one liked that tectonic plate anyway, right??

[blue-howlite]

Being their significant other headcanons, Dislyte edition.

Feat. Li Ling, Falken, Yun Chuan, Long Mian.

Author note: the first three were requested, the other was added by me for fun. The request for Falken asked for a shy reader but I'm doing really general headcanons here. Buuuuut... Yes I did change his headcanons a bit to fit the request. Also I wrote all this in the most gender neutral way possible, so anyone can enjoy it.

Twigger warnings: none? Maybe Long Mian being the most possessive man on Earth, but it was expected. Oh you can imagine some nsfw situations if you really try, but nothing mentioned here was meant to be nsfw.

Li Ling

You got in a relationship with this walking- floating menace. I'm not going to ask how.

He probably started floating around you a lot, showing off his powers to you until you asked him out because you thought he was flirting. He was not, but now he's glad you thought he was.

Anyway here we are!

First off, let's bust a myth. You know the "If there's something I can't stand is dumb rules"? Well, that doesn't really apply to you.

He might tease you sometimes, but he will never, ever cross your boundaries.

He respects you and you're one of the few people that can make him behave.

And this leads to another of his quotes.

"If you have something to say, you better have the power to back it up", right?

Well, he's your power to back it up. Doesn't matter if you're a normal person, and Esper, if you're in the Union or not, if you have a problem it is now also his problem and he'll back you up.

Yes this did lead to some accidents a few times but it's alright, the other person was always left alive.

Now the important part.

Six arms.

You think he's not going to use them?

No matter where you two are, his hands are always on you. Maybe one is on your shoulder, or on your waist, or holding your hand.

Anyway, if you're not comfortable with that he'll respect you. As I said earlier, he's respecting your boundaries, no matter how hard he wishes to squeeze you in a hug.

But he will lift you up at the most random times with his extra arms. And carry you around like a backpack. Like if he has somewhere to be and he wants you to be with him he won't talk, he'll just take you with him. You'll get used to it.

He isn't really possessive nor gets jealous easily. Probably because no one would dare try anything with you since you're with him. Bonus if you're strong enough that your fame alone is what keeps others from approaching you, Li Ling likes strong people.

Cuddles? Yes please. I feel like since most of his physical contact with others is through punches he's actually very cuddly. And he gives bear hugs. No I won't elaborate.

You're not a fan of physical contact? Cool, then you can do activities together! Maybe he can teach you how to cook meals typical of Tangton, or his family recipes! (Good luck if you're not a spicy food person.)

Pet names? He'll probably use your name more often, but "Babe" and "Sweetheart" are also good options.

And if you try to give him pet names he'll probably go 'uno reverse' and use them on you instead.

He's such a menace.

But he's your menace.

Falken

It all starts with you, who somehow you caught his attention, through an action or a particular feature you have, and now he's thinking about it. But what does Falken do when he thinks? He zones out.

So the first time you catch him staring at you and he doesn't even look away, you'll probably panic a little, thinking you did something wrong. He's an Union Commander after all, if he stares at someone there must be a valid reason, right? So you gather your courage and ask him what's wrong.

When he realizes that he's been staring you can bet he's embarrassed. Like a lot. He usually stares at things or animals, not people. And he'll notice you're a bit agitated now.

Him apologizing for making you uncomfortable is a great conversation starter though, he'll explain why he was staring and so you'll start talking. You become friends.

And soon you start dating. I'm positive Falken has some experience with love and so he recognizes the feeling that makes him zone out whenever he sees you, so he'll confess.

He's very focused on his work, but he keeps his life balanced so that he has time both for his duty as an Union Commander and as your boyfriend

Sometimes he might take some things for granted, like you enjoying PDA or physical contact. Please tell him if he crosses any boundaries, he'll be sure not to let it happen again.

That doesn't mean he'll take you for granted though. He loves you and cherishes you, he just needs help learning about you.

Which is something he really enjoys by the way.

If you happen to tell him about an interest or a preference of yours he will commit it to memory, even if it doesn't seem important at the moment.

If you have trouble speaking up for yourself he'll make sure to be by your side and help you. Not help you as in speaking for you, rather encouraging you overcoming your shyness and speaking for yourself.

Of course if you're actually unable to he'll just do it for you, but you can bet he's going to help you get better at it later.

It's not that he sees shyness as a bad thing, but he knows that sometimes it can get in the way and be an issue for you. He's okay with you being shy, as long as it doesn't stop you from being respected.

He doesn't get jealous but I see him as a bit possessive. Not possessive as in "you're mine", more as in "you're precious to me and I want to cherish and protect you". Like you're his but that's not the main point to him.

Oh you can count on him if someone makes you uncomfortable though. Guys/gals/hoes trying to hit on you? The "Eye of Horus" is on them and if stares could kill that person would be six feet under already.

Pet names? "Love" is the one he uses the most, "Dear" is for when he's back from a mission or he's tired after a long day of work.

He'll let you give him any pet name you want, as long as they make sense and aren't excessively ridiculous.

He just loves you and wishes to always be there for you.

Yun Chuan

Ohhhh boy, another menace. But a sweet menace.

So, how do you get the scary dog privileges? Well, the moment Screamer understands Yun Chuan is into you, that's when the fun starts.

Screamer is his wing man you can't tell me otherwise. He will get in your way so that you stumble on him and his master can catch you in his arms when you fall. He'll jump on you, pushing you against his master. Yun Chuan will apologize to you a lot about it but Screamer won't stop it, until one day his master finally confesses to you.

And you got the scary dogs privileges!

Yun Chuan will take you to befriend the Jagalions, that's for sure. Even if you're not a fighter he will teach you how to train with them and interact with them. Let's imagine that Jagalions don't trigger allergies so that even the allergy people can enjoy this.

Now, what about boundaries?

Of course he respects them. The funny thing is, he might even over-respect them.

He'll always ask if you're okay with anything, be it holding hands or kissing you. Especially in public, he will ask every single time for permission.

It's not that he doesn't like it, he loves giving you affection, he just wants to make sure you're comfortable with it.

He likes hugging you though. He is the master of bear hugs. Hugs in general. He will lift you from the ground while hugging you, no matter your size or height.

And about that.

This man is the best when it comes to body positivity. Like he will love your body for you and teach you how to love it as well.

Of course if you decide to work out he will take you to the Jagalions with him and you'll train together, but only if you're doing it because you want to, not because you feel pressured to.

No but like for real, doesn't matter if it's about a skin, hair or eye condition, or your weight, Yun Chuan will make sure you know he loves you as you are.

Possessive. A lot. In the "They're mine" way. If he's not with you then Screamer is. But he's also shy about it, he'll never admit to it. He's just making sure you're always safe, that's all. Even if you're a powerful Esper you might need assistance, right? Don't mind Screamer getting literally between you and whoever you are talking to, he's just making sure you're alright!

Rather than pet names he likes short versions of your name. He's not very good at pet names.

You can give him any pet name you want. He doesn't really get them but go ahead, have fun with it! But prefers when you call his name 100% of the time.

He might be awkward at times, like if for some reason you show a lot of skin (even though this man is barely covering his own shoulders), but it's just because he loves you and he doesn't want to hurt you in any way.

Long Mian

Because he likes collecting Miramon and creatures he deems unique, he's probably been watching you for a while and his first thought was to freeze you and put you in his collection room.

But! Then you made a different expression from the one you were making a moment ago! Maybe he could freeze you with that.

Your pose changed too! Oh no!

Once he realises that you have too many expressions and different poses, he decides to give you a few days and watch you, in order to decide how you would look best as an ice statue. He even starts talking to you, to see up close your facial features and watch them change with every expression you make.

He gives you a few more weeks, thinking that he needs to choose carefully.

And this plan backfires. He realizes he won't be able to hear your voice if he freezes you. And he likes your voice. He likes talking with you. He likes you.

This annoys him to no end, and he won't admit that he fell for you. But he still desires you, he wants you to be his.

After explaining to him that he can't force you to live in his collection room, you somehow agree to start dating. This way you're his and he'll still get to talk to you and spend time with you. Perfect solution, right?

...

He doesn't know how a relationship works. If it was up to him, you'd never leave his side, but you'll have to teach him that sometimes you have other things to do or that you need space.

He'll see you as something he owns and has to protect for a while at the beginning of the relationship. It will take an active effort from you to make him see you as an equal and not a collection item.

He'll come around I promise, he just needs time to understand his feelings and the fact that he does indeed love you.

Once he figures it out though, you're done for, because he will realize that others as well might develop feelings for you. He will make sure they know you are his beloved. Your neck is now covered in purple bruises and bite marks, he didn't mean to hurt you but don't you look beautiful like this?

Work on boundaries, he'll respect them once he understands why they're important for you. Which might take some time.

It's not that he will just do whatever he wants, he knows what 'No' means. He just won't bother asking, you'll have to say it first.

Loves you a lot though. The fact that he can't just freeze you and call it a day means that the time you two have is far more precious than what he has with the pieces in his collection. He treasures you, really.

He will make sure you know he loves you. Long Mian is self aware, he knows he often acts cold, but he doesn't want you to mistake his coldness for lack of love in your regards. So he always smiles a bit more with you and often tells you that he loves you.

Sometimes he'll just come up to you, kiss you, then go back to whatever he was doing.

He is touch starved, fight me.

He doesn't just like cuddling, he's addicted to it now. He just needs your body pressed against his, your warmth against his cold touch.

Did I already say he loves your voice?

Talk to him when you're together, sing if you want, read to him, just let him hear you. Whatever he's doing just let him hear your voice, let him know that you're here.

If you're sleeping he will come and lay his head on your chest to hear your heartbeat. He just needs to know that you're alive and well.

Pet names for you? Anything which he can put "My" in front of. "My love", "My dear", "My treasure", and so on.

For him? Just call him by his name. But if you really want to make him lose it (in a good way), put "My" first. Play his own game on him. He'll love it.

It is a complicated relationship and making it work requires a lot of effort from both sides, but it's worth it.

[atragicallycrispydude]

After having a few days to play around with Slayer, I want to share my opinion on him and his strength as a character.

In short, while I think he's absolutely a premium character near the top of the roster, I don't think I would really call him an all-around strongest due to how matchup dependent he feels.

In long: his damage is fucking ridiculous. Genuinely fucking ridiculous. You can get 300+ damage meterlessly at ROUND START with a Pilebunker loop. It does require a bit of luck (you need a counterhit H normal) but the fact that he can even do that AND ALSO GET POSITIVE BONUS is insane. His absolute biggest problem though is his movement, to an annoying degree, and it's where a lot of the matchup stuff comes in. I played against an Axl who beat the absolute shit out of me, and the whole time he seemed to have a very easy time just moving backwards and poking me out. Axl is definitely very good at that, but JESUS.

Slayer's movement is just so, so fucking bad. All of his options to get in are incredibly committal, and are all flawed in some way:

-Mashing Dash: Slow. You can't block during the dash. You can't special cancel the dash (as far as I know).

-Walking: go make a coffee while you wander over to your enemy lmao

-IAD/Jumping and Airdashing: Prepare to taste a delicious 6P

-Mappa Hunch: Pretty long startup and whiff recovery, and if your opponent blocks it you're probably giving up your turn. Vulnerable to being stuffed by disjoints, or even just trading disadvantageously.

-Dandy Step: Same problems as Mappa but with the added bonus of not going as far!

-RC Super Mappa Hunch: Costs 100 tension.

-RC 6K > j.s: Might actually be pretty useful? I haven't tried it before but you go flying full screen so...

These movement issues are the crux of what I feel makes him not an overall strong character, just because he gets zoned so so hard. Don't get me wrong, he is very good, but he has a lot of glaring weaknesses that are very prevalent in certain matchups. Hand of Doom is also garbaaaaage even just backdashing on wakeup in this game feels bad but the followup is iekrnfkdowbekfnf.

All of this, though, means they did a pretty excellent job of translating him from XRD, where I'd say a lot of the same things about him! His strengths are very matchup dependent! I also want to be clear that him having these weaknesses is important. If he could just run you down and melt 3/4 of your healthbar away, he would absolutely be the most overtuned character in the game. Insert Sol Badguy joke here.

There are some things I'd nerf, though:

-Lower the height of It's Late. Fucking look at this shit man his fist isn't even ever up there

-Make the Dandy follow-ups and Mappas an extra frame minus. (Dandies -3, Mappas -2 and -3 respectively.) They're supposed to make Slayer give up his turn on block, but often you can sneak in a 2K or 2P to keep the pressure going. I don't think that should be gone, but I think it should be higher risk. This might be very harsh but idfk man

-Master's Hammer not +26 on block. That's fucking ridiculous for a point blank move come on

-Make his damage modifier x1. This is probably too harsh, but I don't really feel that he should take less damage as a brawler type character. Yes I get he has poor defensive options but still

All of these might be nerfing him too hard, but at the very least I want It's Late shortened pls it's fucking dumb.

As for buffs, I don't think he needs very many, but:

-Increase the distance of his normal dash, or make it faster. This might make him too fast but fuck me his dash feels awful at longer than roundstart ranges.

-Keep the opponent closer on a K Mappa knockdown. This would have the added benefit of making the 5K link not feel so weird and strange.

As for SILLY FUN STUPID buffs I think he should have:

-Super Mappa Hunch is now 15+0 instead of 14+1, so at close range you can't block after the super freeze. I don't know if it hits full screen in 1 frame, but I want my XRD Dead On Time shenanigans back dammit.

-Last horizon now deals 300 damage. This is a cleaner number than 290.

-Last Horizon will now go full screen. It doesn't go any faster he just goes all the way full screen.

-Hand of Doom is actually invincible and gives you c.s links on counter-hit (make it like -8 instead of -7 to compensate)

-Pilebunker disregards the normal chip damage rules and can kill at any amount of health

-Counterhit Pilebunker gives the silly tumble for a full combo that it used to

All in all, I think Slayer is comfortably lower/middle-top tier. Am I downplaying because I love him and also am not good? Maybe. I've always hung out around floor 10 pretty comfortably before he came out, but I reached the Celestial Challenge for the first time EVER using him, so make of that what you will. I'd be interested to hear how you all feel about him.

The most important thing, though? He's really fun. I do just really like Strive and how it feels, but I find him very fun to play and play against. (The play against might change, I wanna learn Testament so we'll see how I feel later lmao)

Edit: After trying to learn Testament and going to open park and playing about 25 matches against a Slayer, some of my opinions have shifted:

-Obliterate Master's Hammer. Destroy it. Explode. +26 is stupid. At the VERY LEAST make it lower to the ground to you can actually c.s it or something

-Mappa is a ridiculously good way to get in lmaoooooooooo im just fucking dumbbbbbbb make that shit -2 and -3 NOW

-He doesn't need any buffs

I need someone better than me to weigh in on the matchup thing, cause it felt kinda even? I just don't know how to play Testament.

[onbearfeet]

As requested, here are a few Monster Mash asks based on the "oc asks: not-so-nice edition" list. You decide which characters they're for.

What is a surprising thing your character hides?

What does your character do when they should be sleeping but can't?

What's the worst wound your character has experienced? It can be physical or emotional.

Mwahahahahahaaaaaaa. I think I'll do multiple characters. WARNING: There's mature content in this one, and it's not just canon-typical violence. See the tags if you're worried.

What is a surprising thing your character hides?

Ted has a really beautiful singing voice, even in Man-Thing form. He no longer has the physical equipment to form words in any human language, though, so he's sensitive about it and doesn't let on that he still enjoys singing. But he's sung more than a few lullabies to Jack when he's been asleep or in a coma or whatever. And Alpine gets funny little children's melodies or goofy love songs when it's just the two of them. She accepts this as no less than the worship she deserves, of course.

Elsa is shockingly generous and tells no one but her accountant about it. She inherited an absolutely stupid amount of money from her father's estate, and she IMMEDIATELY stopped using his fortune to fund his "crusade", so she's essentially sitting on a dragon's hoard. She took almost nothing with her when she ran away, so she's lived poor for most of her adult life and is deeply sympathetic to other people in that situation, not that she'll admit it. She had her finance pro shut down the murder-cult fund and set up a clean new fund to support whatever charity she damn well pleases. She's still trying to think of ideas and will probably ask the boys eventually, but just for a start, every public library in the state got a healthy donation, and every shelter she stayed in that treated its inhabitants halfway decently got a bigger one. She's also looking into funding--founding, if she has to--an organization defending the rights and interests of homeschooled children, especially those in high-control environments. Elsa was homeschooled for much of her education according to Ulysses' rather eccentric tastes, and she had to teach herself an awful lot of actual education out of the library. And that's before all the trouble she had as a non-emancipated minor who didn't have her own copies of her identity documents.

God, what DOESN'T Jack hide? He's been alive long enough that there's a huge gray zone of stuff he might have failed to mention because he doesn't want people to know OR because it just never came up. He obviously hasn't discussed his family of origin in detail, at least not with Elsa or Bucky, but I don't consider that surprising. I'm tempted to say his hidden side is something sweet and wholesome, but that's not surprising either. If I said he was hiding something terrible he or the wolf had done, that probably wouldn't surprise most people at all. If I had to guess ... the only SURPRISING thing I can think of is his spirituality, which is complex and deeply personal to him. His family might have been Orthodox, but he's got a lot of Catholic guilt written all over him, and the curse only complicates that more. I don't think he's talked to anyone about what he does or doesn't believe in a hundred years or more. He certainly hasn't talked to me.

Bucky was a sex worker in a time-displaced brothel. Okay, that's both a joke AND an oversimplification, but the first thing I thought of when I saw this question was that Bucky had the same problem as Jack: old, complicated, obviously full of both good traits and horrible trauma so nothing is SURPRISING. Then I remembered that around 2016, I handwrote a story establishing that Bucky had worked for a while as an artist at Lady Sally's. If you've never read Spider Robinson's Callahan books, they're a series of short SF stories and novels centered on a bar run by (spoiler alert) a time traveler who's trying to save the world retroactively by preventing the Cold War from going hot. They are brilliant and hilarious and they formed me as a person. There is also a spin-off series focusing on Callahan's wife, Lady Sally McGee, who does the same thing but with a brothel. The reasoning is complex, but the stories are delightful and some of the first positive, sympathetic, relatively clear-eyed depictions of sex workers (or artists, as they're called here and who am I to disagree?) I ever encountered. So it is my headcanon that young Bucky Barnes started washing dishes at Lady Sally's as a teenager, and she kept an eye on the kid because he had a lot of history ahead of him. He worked as an artist for at least a year before the war, not least because it was the only job in the late 30s that paid well enough to let him afford Steve's medicines. (Sally was keeping an eye on Buck's "roommate", too.) Bucky never told Steve, but he was actually quite a talented and popular artist, and he liked working there. He gave notice when he and Steve finally admitted their feelings for each other, wanting to be monogamous with the man he loved, but Sally insisted he come to her if he or Steve ever needed anything in the future, and she slipped him money from time to time via his former coworkers--who, as far as Steve knew, were just girls Bucky dated to keep up appearances. The connection came in handy, too, when the Winter Soldier was sent to kill a man at Lady Sally's and the staff were able to send him away again thanks to his half-remembered connection to the place. Lady Sally's is closed in our time, but you never know when Bucky might get a phone call from the Lady.

What does your character do when they should be sleeping but can't? I'll leave Ted out of this one on the grounds that his biology is different enough that "should be sleeping" may not apply.

So, on a sleepless night at Bloodstone Manor? Jack bakes. He's got access to a well-stocked kitchen now, anything he makes WILL get eaten, and baking is less likely to wake anyone else than playing his guitar or running endless zoomie laps. He also feels a little better when he can do something kind (and profoundly human) out of his emotional turmoil. Helping people helps Jack, and if there are no monsters to rescue or curses to break, he can at least make sure his people have something delicious for breakfast. (Or a midnight snack. Let's face it, somebody else will wake up from a nightmare in an hour.)

Elsa is currently the queen of maladaptive coping mechanisms. She's cut down on drinking since the boys moved in, much to everyone's relief, but she's still in rough shape emotionally. Although she sleeps better than the others thanks to her sleep-anywhere hunter training, she does occasionally have nights when her brain won't shut up, and her solution to that is to run herself into the ground. She'll hit the dojo for as many hours as it takes, usually. Bucky is trying to coax her into something less destructive in his unique sergeant-y way. The sentence "Your magic rock is not an excuse to bust your knuckles again, so wear some damn gloves!" has been uttered.

Bucky is actually the best adjusted on this front, mostly because his sleep disturbances are the worst. (Jack has more traumatic memories overall. Bucky’s are more concentrated, and he's had to heal brain damage on top of it.) Thanks to his time in Wakanda, he's learned some basic meditation techniques and some therapy exercises to help himself calm down a little. Alpine has some kind of extra sense for when Bucky is in distress, so on the rare occasion she's not already in bed with him when he wakes up screaming, she'll come running in immediately. He usually ends up either curled around her, doing breathing exercises, or settling down in bed with a book while she purrs on his chest until the tension finally melts out of him. Bucky isn't healed by any stretch of the imagination, but by God he's trying.

What's the worst wound your character has experienced? It can be physical or emotional.

Ted Sallis died of his injuries from a horrific accident, drowning in a swamp while his super-soldier serum burned him from the inside out after the so-called love of his life betrayed him. That's the worst for him. Only Jack knows about it, and even he doesn't know it all. Nothing else comes close.

Jack is pretty good at toughing out physical pain by now, so his worst wounds are definitely emotional. I think the worst one was finding out that his sister, Lissa, had died. It was a natural death, but he didn't find out until years later, and she was his last connection to who he was before the wolf. The wound has never fully healed.

Elsa's worst wound is what she told Bucky about in "Bucky Meets the Legion of Monsters": realizing that the monsters she'd been hunting, even without her father's input, had mostly been people. That's an identity-shattering experience that has fundamentally changed her.

Bucky’s worst physical wound was losing his arm. His worst emotional wound was either when he realized Steve wasn't coming to save him from Hydra a second time or when he realized Steve wasn't coming back from his time jaunt. Bucky is profoundly loyal and loving, and he is constantly disappointed by other people's failure to meet him where he is. Thus, he doesn't trust easily, but Steve has always had Bucky’s entire heart, and Steve's broken it twice now. It wasn't intentional the first time and we don't yet know what happened the second, but like Jack, Bucky is walking around with an unhealed wound in his soul. If Steve ever reappears in Bucky’s life, there will be Consequences. Even if Bucky will always forgive Steve and would take him back without hesitation, the rest of the squad will have serious concerns about a fella who'd abandon Bucky Barnes two whole times.