#instead of curiousity of viewpoints?

[humanmorph]

fwiw (& off-topic from the last post but it made me think of this) but you also don't need to sit by yourself forever when looking at or thinking about art. other people think & talk about art too and often love to share. which i guess can & does play back into the search to fully understand or explain, hence it's off-topic, but it doesn't have to i don't think

[sume3luvv]

Echoes of a Nonexistent Heart.

⟢ borders belong to @kodaswrld, @ianrkives, and @carnage-cathedral

synopsis: once, then again.

☄. *. ⋆ o.dazai x fem!reader

story starts at 15!zai and goes to 22!zai later on.

Osamu Dazai does not feel.

A cavity—in which his heart should be—is instead filled with an unyielding emptiness, a void that swallows every flicker of warmth before it can take root.

To him, a heart is too beautiful for such a horrible and cold person such as himself. A feeling too pure for his unforgivable nature.

Rain poured onto Yokohama, the soft pitter-patter of rain hitting the pavement echoing through its quiet streets.

Wet hair clinging to his cheekbones, trickling down his pale skin like unspoken tears, and mixing with the puddles while his soaked clothes sent shivers down his spine. Dazai had a habit of walking by himself in empty street, especially when it's raining. It made him feel something besides empty—he wouldn't know how to put it into words.

A faint meow, nearly drowned by the rain, echoes from a threshold of an alleyway, distant street lamps providing a viewpoint for the young man.

Dazai slowed his steps, tilting his head toward the small feline that huddled in the corner of a beat up box, shivering from its dampened fur. He then crouched down next to the frail and skinny cat, causing it to flinch in fear.

Huh. Dazai wondered if the cat was even more lost than he is. Extending his hand, the cat hesitated for a moment before creeping forward, rubbing its body against Dazai's hand while its tail perked up. Dazai slowly scooped the cat into his arms, his drenched clothing only offering a little warmth.

"Hah... you're a mess." Dazai murmured, though his words lacked any real bite. "Guess we're both strays tonight."

And, for a moment, Dazai just crouched there, letting the pouring rain wash over them both.

Just then, Dazai blinked when he suddenly felt the rain stop. He tilted his chin up to find an umbrella over his head, shielding him from the rain. Dazai turned his head back to meet the gaze of a girl with (e/c) eyes.

"You're wet. You can catch a cold." The girl spoke up, clearly stating the obvious.

Dazai didn't reply, turning his attention back onto the cat in his arms. The girl continued to stand in the same position, holding the umbrella over Dazai's head patiently, as if waiting for him to get up.

"Hah... how generous. Do you always stop for strays?" Dazai asked suddenly, now standing up and turning to the stranger to observe her.

She was an inch or two shorter than him, (h/c) hair, a little bit dampened from the rain, capturing (e/c) eyes, and a school uniform that told Dazai that she's just any average, normal girl.

"Are you not going to say anything?" he mused, the corners of his lips turning into a small smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes. "How disappointing. I thought people who did good deeds would at least wanted a thank you."

The stranger stared at Dazai plainly and offered a small shrug. "Not really. I thought you were some hobo on the sidewalk."

Dazai's his eye twitch at the strangers comment. First, she was trying to save some stray kid and an half-dead cat like it's the most normal thing in the world, and now she's calling him a hobo.

"How hurtful." Dazai said, his lips falling slightly. "Are you just a soul who thinks they can fix people wherever they go? I hate to burst your bubble, but—" He let out a breathy chuckle. "Some thing are beyond saving."

The girl stayed quiet, neither flinching or caught off guard by Dazai's statement. She was calm, and it irritated the brunette because she wouldn't go away. Instead, she adjusted her grip on the umbrella, continuing to hold it over the two of them.

The girls glanced at cat curled in Dazai's arms, then met his empty gaze again. "Then why are you still holding it?" she inquired curiously.

Unconsciously, Dazai's fingers tightened slightly around the dampened fur. He could've simply walked away from the cat, ignoring its helpless sounds and left it to freeze in the cold rain—but he didn't.

Dazai let out a forced chuckle, shaking his head. "Hah, you got me there."

Judging by her unimpressed expression, Dazai could tell that the girl isn't humored. He clicked his tongue before speaking again. "And what now? Gonna offer me a warm meal next? A bed? Perhaps a reason to live?" he let out a mock gasp. "How scandalous, we only just met."

"No," The stranger simple said, shaking their head. "But I do know a place nearby where you can dry off."

Dazai blinked.

That was it? No pitied, sentimental statement—just a quiet offer, one that Dazai can take or leave. An offer without expectations.

How stranger.

How... inconvenient.

"Making me choose, are we?" he sighed, holding the cat closer. "I suppose I can't leave this poor cat out here by itself to freeze in the rain."

The stranger nodded in response. She wasn't expectant of him.

Dazai couldn't help but chuckle, not realizing how an amused smirk crept onto his lips—one that actually seemed genuine. He stepped closer under the umbrella.

"Lead the way, then."

And, for the first time in his life, Dazai walked towards something instead of running away.

Dazai never saw the girl again after that day. The memory of their fleeting encounter faded like a dream, overshadowed by the next seven years of Dazai's life. Odasaku's death and joining the Armed Detective Agency left no room for anything—or anyone—else.

But, at times when Dazai is by himself, deep in thought—his mind would trail back their encounter. He wondered where that girl is now. Perhaps she went on with her life and studied in college, had a family, or is living peacefully in her own presence.

It's crazy an experience so simple is something Dazai's brain found worth remembering, or maybe it's the unintentional lesson taught to him that there's good people in the world willing to help him. He always believed people like those were a dream, but oh boy was he wrong.

Now, twenty-two year old Osamu Dazai walked through the streets of Yokohama, an umbrella hanging over his head to protect him from the pouring rain.

He stopped in his tracks when noticing a lone figure sitting at a bench in a park, her head hanging low. The outline of her figure was somewhat familiar. She seemed to be lost in thought, the air around her filled with a quiet, calm melancholy.

The brunette felt himself draw closer, his curiosity taking over his movements. Dazai stepped in front of her and angled the umbrella to be sheltering both their heads.

For a moment, Dazai thought the woman didn't notice him until she looks up, her (e/c) meeting Dazai's brown ones.

And then it hit him, like a bolt of lightning.

It was her.

"You're going to get drenched sitting out here like this, y'know."

"No shit." Dazai couldn't help but chuckle at the woman's blunt response.

"That's not a very kind thing to say to a stranger who willingly shared their umbrella with you, is it?" he teased, cocking an eyebrow.

The woman didn't reply, seemingly lost in Dazai's eyes. He knew that she found him familiar, almost recognizable.

"What's your name?" Dazai inquired.

The woman paused for a moment. "(Y/n) (L/n)."

It had been seven years since the two had seen each other on that faithful day, and now the tables had turned. But yet, the two were in the same situation, under an umbrella together. He didn't even ask for her name on the day he met her. How silly was his fifteen year old self?

Dazai's lips turned into a small, amused smirk. She no longer wore her school uniform, now a matured woman. Oh, how time flew by quickly.

He also couldn't help but notice how pretty she became over the years.

"Pretty name for a very pretty lady," Dazai flirted casually.

(Y/n) raised an eyebrow, causing Dazai to chuckle.

He didn't know why, but the feeling of something beating inside of his chest began to speed up. It was though his heart, once detached and dormant, had suddenly remembered how to feel—how to hurt, how to yearn. Each beat was erratic, almost out of control compared to the calm, controlled mask he wore.

All he knew that the ache in his chest was unfamiliar. Though, it wasn't an unwelcome feeling. He wasn't sure if it should stop, or whether he should be terrified or relieved.

No. It shouldn't stop. He didn't want to let go of this feeling just yet.

A person who made his nonexistent heart echo, filling the empty spaces he hadn’t even known were there, as if with each beat, something he thought was lost was slowly coming back to life.

"I know a place where you can dry off." Dazai mentioned and nodded his head in a different direction.

"Lead the way, then."

n/a: I wrote this while listening to the Final Duet.

[ebooklibrary]

We Shall Be Monsters by Alyssa Wess

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

Gemma lives with her mother in an isolated antique shop in Michigan, near a small patch of woods that conceals an enchanted gateway to fairyland. She knows she's not supposed to go into the woods - her mother Virginia has warned her multiple times about the monsters that lurk there - and yet defiantly, curiously, she goes anyway.

Virginia understands her daughter's defiance. She knows the lure of the woods all too well. Her own mother warned her about the monsters that resided there, and she also did not listen. Until a witch cursed her true love, Ash - Gemma's father - into the form of a beast in the days before Gemma's birth. And if Virginia cannot break the curse before her daughter turns fifteen, Ash will eat Virginia's heart and Gemma will belong to the witch. So Virginia will do whatever she can to protect her daughter - even if it means stealing Gemma's memories away.

But everything changes when Gemma inadvertently gets too close to the truth, and the witch steals Virginia away instead. Now it is up to Gemma to venture deep into Fae lands to try and rescue her mother and break the curse.

Told in alternating viewpoints between Gemma and Virginia, this lyrical novel is not only a tale of a girl's fantastical quest through a darkly magical fairyland, but also an examination of the complex bonds of love and resentment that lie between parents and their children.

EPUB LINK

[nebulations]

[ID: An Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint comic. Kim Dokja says, "WTF people actually tell their crushes they like them??????" Yoo Joonghyuk, labeled "the crush," looks on curiously. Han Sooyoung sweats and asks, "What the hell do YOU do?" Kim Dokja smirks obnoxiously and replies, "I die? Lmao what kinda question…." Behind him, Yoo Joonghyuk is drawn with comically dramatic shadowing as he reaches out to strangle him. End ID]

Edit: OP kindly added this ID to the og post, so please go reblog from them instead!!

hi gang i am almost done reading orv and it will destroy me more than it already has soon so no worries

[ja-eho]

21st Century Boy

Amidst the absence of illumination, i stand in seclusion. Nevertheless, this solitude shouldn't instill fear or sorrow within me. Instead, it presents an opportunity for profound self-exploration and individual development. I unwaveringly adhere to my own inclinations and principles, all the while honoring the diverse viewpoints and choices of others. Let's eschew irrationality and absurdity in our interactions, opting for reason and sensibility instead.

Genuine liberation, for me, lies in the practice of self-restraint, empowering me to make conscious decisions and act with unwavering intent. Curiously, it is within the confines of such self-control that i discover a remarkable emancipation, liberating me from impulsive whims and superfluous distractions that obstruct my journey forward.

An unbridled roar doth resound, a symphony of emotions cascading through the vast expanse of silence.

— Lone Wolf, 2022

[justonemorechapternicercy]

Three Is Not a Crowd 12

(Previously on TINaC)

Nico felt like he was going to pass out. Or going to be sick. 

He should be over this. He was in a healthy relationship with his high school sweetheart, he knew how to go on a date, damn it! Percy and they have already been kissing and decided they were in a committed relationship together. They were living together for months, they knew each other for years, he didn't have to impress Percy, because the older demigod already knew him at his worst.

So why in Hades was he so nervous about a fucking date?!

"It's okay, Nico. You've been in love with Percy for basically forever. It's okay that you feel nervous. Gods, even I'm nervous about it, as it will be such a new experience. Adding another one into our relationship, even if it is Percy Jackson - no. Especially because it is Percy Jackson -, is something new, something we never really expected to happen. But it is going to be okay. I promise you," Will declared, squeezing his hand in support.

"What, suddenly you got another power from your dad?" Nico snorted, voice dripping with sarcasm, but he had to admit, Will's words and conviction helped him relax a bit. His nerves were still not quite okay, but he didn't feel like he was going to pass out before they could meet with Percy anymore.

They were going on a date, and because it was going to be their first official date together, they planned it to be romantic. They were going to start in an Italian restaurant - Nico's choice, of course -, then they were going to watch the sunset from the best viewpoint on the hills - Will's idea -, then they would walk on the beach - Percy's part of the date -, then they would go home together, and… well. They would decide what they were going to do then.

The date might have seemed too low-key for some - Hazel certainly thought so -, but it was perfect for the three of them. None of them were comfortable with over the top dates, and in the future, they might go on a more extravagant date - Nico was already planning to take his boyfriends to Venice, and give them the whole romantic experience -, but for the first time, they wanted something enjoyable, something where they could be themselves.

—

They were on their way home from the beach. Since it was a nice night and the apartment wasn't too far - and they didn't want the official part of the date to end -, they were walking home, breathing in the fresh air. In the end, they didn't go up to the hills, they decided, it would be just as pretty to watch the sunset from the beach, watching as the ocean swallowed the sun-

Nico shook his head. It sounded more romantic when he didn't put the image into words. Now all he could do was try and failing not to imagine his boyfriends’ dad together, instead of focusing on his two amazing partners. Sometimes he was fucking tired of his own mind…

"I like your jacket," Percy turned towards Nico, stroking a hand over the leather curiously, as if he just realized what was on Nico.

"Are you cold? Do you want it?" He asked, already starting to take the jacket off, but Percy's hand stopped him.

"No, it's okay! I'm not cold, I just really like this jacket on you. I think I never told you, but it looks great on you!" Percy laughed freely. Nico was mesmerized; watching Percy laugh was something he could never get tired of.

Will made an amused noise, closing the distance between him and the other two.

"He looks really good, right?" The blonde asked proudly, touching Nico's elbow briefly. "But you look breathtaking too," he complimented.

A blush covered Percy's cheek as he smiled bashfully. "You charmer," he laughed, but squeezed Will's hand in a loving, thankful manner.

Nico smiled at them, utterly charmed by his boyfriends, and put his arms around their shoulders.

"You two are so cute," he informed them with a wink, pulling them closer to him. "I adore you two," he confessed. Percy's eyes were sparkling as he let out a helplessly enamored sigh and pushed his face into Nico's neck to hide his warm face, breathing him in.

"As nice this is, we should head home before we get cold," Will, their resident doctor said, pulling his light jacket tighter around him.

"I'm staying here. This is my home now," came a muffled reply from Percy, who was still hiding in Nico's embrace, relaxed and perfectly content.

"As much as I love this, I can be your home in a warmer place as well. Let's go, okay?" Nico stepped a little bit back, keeping one hand on Percy's waist. The older demigod let out a little noise of protest when Nico forced him out to the cold, but he sighed, and let himself to be pulled home.

"Yes~ home. Where the bed is. And you two. In the bed. Together. With me," Percy realized it suddenly, with a delighted smile.

"Yes," Will chuckled but shook his head at Percy's antics. "But no naughty things today. You look like you are about to crash at any minute. Don't think I don't know you didn't sleep well this week," explained the doctor-in-training with a strict voice. Nico had to agree. As much as he wanted to do other things in the bed with Percy in it, he looked like he was going to sleep as soon as he found a flat surface - or even before that.

It was okay. Percy's health was the most important thing.

Even if the son of Poseidon gave them a look as if they betrayed him, protesting that he didn't need to sleep, that he was perfectly fine.

"Percy, it's okay," Nico took his hand, squeezing it gently. "You had fun this evening with us, right?" He didn't want to, but he couldn't help with the tiny worry that crept into his voice. Percy just nodded, eyes wide and innocent.

"It was great! The food was amazing, thank you for taking me there! I never knew that place existed! And then watching the sunset together, it was so pretty! Almost as if Apollo knew that we were on a date and wanted to make sure he gave the prettiest light show for us." Nico knew for a fact that it was exactly like that. His adorable boyfriend asked his father to make sure Percy had the best date with them, and Apollo agreed to do that. Of course, not before he teased the Hades out of the two of them, and conned Will to go and bring a new sibling of his to Camp Jupiter, who recently lost her mother. "So, yes, it was perfect," Percy exclaimed, his eyes showing his happiness.

Nico couldn't help but pressed a light kiss on his forehead.

"Then we are glad. Unless you suddenly decide you don't want to date us anymore, we will have many other occasions to end our date differently, but now let us take care of you. Okay?" Nico swiped away a stray lock of hair in Percy's face, gently, caressingly.

"Okay," Percy breathed, then he was leaning in, his soft lips meeting with Nico's, gently, sweetly.

Nico held him a bit tighter, never wanting to let him go. But he had to.

"Home. We should go home," he said in a decisive voice. One hand still intertwined with Percy's, he took Will's hand with the other, and lead them home. 

-

#no map was used for the date

@takaraphoenix it's your turn now 💕

[nebulations]

[ID: An Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint comic. Kim Dokja says curiously, "I wonder how Lee Seolhwa and Yoo Joonghyuk are doing..." and Shin Yoosung perks up and exclaims, "Ah!" She pulls out her phone to show a picture of Seolhwa smiling and holding hands with a blank figure labeled Y/N and exclaims, "Ahjusshi! I heard that Seolhwa unnie is dating someone! They went on vacation. (I don’t know about Joonghyuk ahjusshi though...)"

Dokja, a shadow stretching from him, says, "Oh. I see." Behind him is a collage of imagined Dokjas looking despairing over a broken heart containing a smiling Joonghyuk and Seolhwa, overlaid with the all-caps text "OTP is dead?"

Shin Yoosung cheerily waves, "Bye ahjussi!" and Dokja pensively contemplates, "..but if Yoo Joonghyuk isn't with Lee Seolhwa then..." He imagines Joonghyuk surrounded by sparkles and with his chest bared and thinks, "Maybe his personality could use some work.. But with his looks he'd be dating someone by now, right..?"

He then looks with surprise over a corner to encounter a sparkle-surrounded scene of Joonghyuk and Han Sooyoung with their heads leaned together. Joonghyuk looks down at Sooyoung soulfully while she laughs with a hand on his chest. Dokja hides behind the wall and wonders with shock, "With... HAN SOOYOUNG?!" Behind him, the real Joonghyuk and Sooyoung are arguing, looking annoyed and aggravated.

Dokja, sweating, goes, "No, that's... hard to imagine working out.." and envisions Sooyoung crossing her arms and exclaiming "Yoo Joonghyuk! You're an annoying prick!" plus Joonghyuk glaring "Han Sooyoung. You are intolerable." to equal cartoony versions of them being "lovey dovey" and sharing a censored kiss. A cartoony, flustered Dokja waves the thought away.

Then he looks back and thinks, "Well, if they're happy then.. I'll be a little lenient on our company's no dating policy..." He walks in behind them to catch Sooyoung saying, "Blah blah that's fucking dumb. Right, Kim Dokja?" Dokja, looking disinterested, replies, "ugh, leave me out of your lover's quarrel."

Sooyoung turns to him with incredulous disbelief and raises a middle finger. "Shut the hell up??" Dokja grins, laughs, and returns her middle finger while Joonghyuk emits a question mark.

Then Dokja looks at his phone before beginning to grin increasingly obnoxiously as he says, "Should I leave you two alone this time, haha. Am I your guys' third wheel again? It's okay, I don't wanna get between you two! (Get a room alreadyy.)"

Sooyoung and Joonghyuk look at each other silently, Sooyoung looking bewildered and exasperated and Joonghyuk with his eyebrows coolly raised. Sooyoung runs a hand through her hair and says, "..Kim Dokja, did you develop a new strain of idiot?" Joonghyuk, looking put-upon, says, "A common case for him." Dokja looks offended before they both move around him, and Dokja goes "What-" as Sooyoung takes hold of his coat.

Sooyoung kisses Dokja on the cheek, leaving him blank with shock. Joonghyuk takes Dokja's chin to kiss his other cheek. Dokja is left standing small and comically stunned against a white backdrop.

The last panel simply shows icons of their heads. Sooyoung asks, "Hey, can we just order chicken for dinner this time?" and Joonghyuk frowns, "No. I already prepared for tonights dinner." Sooyoung shouts an incoherent "UGHGGH" of frustration. Dokja still looks shellshocked. End ID]

Edit: OP kindly added this to the og post, so please go reblog from them instead!!

in my yhk stupid era

[5-puthyyy]

When's the new rushman sequel out? can we get a sneak peek?

well, i've written around 20k words of, well, it's word vomit at the moment lol. i might limit this sequel to three chapters, and work on another separate one? the settings are way different so i think separating would be better. i got big plans for my Crusher universe don't worry, it's just taking a while to write haha.

i guess i can spare a tiny teaser ;) keep in mind this in unedited and might change by the time i start uploading...enjoy!

The Rushmans Sequel *UNTITLED* Teaser

“14 children?” Natasha finally speaks up in a stunned tone, open-mouthed as she sits up on her elbow a little. You raise a brow at her, scoffing slightly at her reaction. You’re half joking, amusedly admiring the astonishment on her face.

“That’s your take?” You question with a chuckle as she shuffles to sit up on both elbows. Your eyes drift to her longer red locks, gently swooshing from side to side. The duvet miraculously stays stubbornly over her chest; you almost pout angrily, scolding the sheets for denying you that sight.

“But...14?! Seriously?” Natasha exclaims, letting out a breathy laugh of disbelief. To be fair to her, it is an unusually large amount of kids. But for its time, it’s not as abnormal as it is now. A soft smile etches onto your face as you reach a hand out, fingers brushing over her sharp jawline.

“Baby, it was the 17th century.” You sweetly explain as she leans her face into your touch. She puts all her weight onto your hand, tiredly closing her eyes as your thumb brushes over her plump lips. Just as you lean in, she pulls back, dropping her head onto the pillow with a pondering sigh.

“Did men love their wives simply because they looked pretty and gave them heirs?” She questions, not really asking you but thinking about how much the world has changed. You sigh as you mirror her position, stretching your arms behind your head.

“I’m sure it was deeper than that. Love is not simple, and it never has been. It’s deep, and irrational, and chaotic. People go to war over love, kill and lie and-” You reply, providing something of an answer for her question. But she interrupts you quickly, almost curiously. You’ve lived a longer life than her, so she knows your mind and views can border traditional at times. Nat’s never looking for an argument, but instead you’ve noticed she says certain things to try to persuade you to...almost reform some of your viewpoints. You don’t mind it, but there are things you like about yourself that you don’t necessarily think need to change.

“But none of that is good, is it?” Nat challenges in a gentle tone, careful not to push too hard.

“I-I suppose not. But that’s not the point.” You argue back, standing your ground. It’s romantic. How is it not romantic to kill for someone? Die for someone? Dedicate your entire life to them?

“Then what is the point? If you really love someone, will you make them go through that pain of having 14 kids? Kill other people in their name, putting those deaths in the hands of the person you love?” Natasha interposes, putting her argument forward. Now that you think about it, she does have a point. Logically, it doesn’t look like love on paper. But love is not logical. What’s more impulsive than killing someone? Killing someone for love.

“I-I don’t know.” You whisper, stunned a little. But your voice drops even more in volume as you turn your head to face her. Scanning every feature that you’ve already memorised at this point, you gulp as you confess to her. “I’d kill for you.” You declare, staring up into her eyes with nothing but vulnerability. You’ve slowly been bearing your soul to her day by day, but no matter what each time the fear doesn’t go away. Fear of rejection, fear that you’ll scare her away, that she’ll change her mind. She does exactly that, clearing her throat as she sits up. The sheets drop but your eyes don’t leave her face after hearing her reply.

“You technically would have if Meyer went through with it.” She remarks ambivalently. It’s hard to tell if she’s being serious or not, but it’s been months since then and the two of you still haven’t talked about Wand- it. Any of it. It’s been tense at times but you’ve been waiting for her to bring it up; you can’t risk her running off if you say the wrong thing at the wrong time.

“Nat-” You begin, but she interrupts, abruptly climbing off the bed to stretch.

“I’m kidding. It’s a joke.” She teases, looking over her shoulder with a small smirk. Right. So this definitely isn’t your opportunity to talk about it. How would you even go about that? Have you left it so long that there’s no point to even talk about it anymore? It’ll just open up old wounds and no one wants that.

“Right, yeah.” You murmur, clearing your throat as you sit up. As you glance over her body, you think about how her skin is your canvas. Her back is scattered with healing hickies, scratches from your nails - evidence of your intense passion for her. She knows you love her, despite the fact that you still haven’t said it to her. And you know she loves you. But there’s always some level of tension when silence falls over the two of you which is why you escape for a run and Nat leaves to buy unneeded groceries. It’s a routine both of you have slowly become comfortable with.

[nebulations]

[ID: An Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint comic of Kim Dokja speaking to Yoo Joonghyuk while they both sit in Dokja's hospital bed. Dokja looks down, blushing, and says, "Hey, Joonghyuk. I wanted to tell you something." Joonghyuk looks at him curiously.

Dokja's lengthy internal monologue fills the entire background of the next panel, essentially saying that he's been selfishly holding Joonghyuk back from happiness while blaming himself for hurting him, and that by confessing, Dokja can free Joonghyuk from obligation. Out loud, he only smiles, tenderly and tiredly, and says, "Yoo Joonghyuk, I am in love with you."

The style turns cartoony for a panel as Dokja clutches his chest and thinks, teary but relieved, "This should be enough to get Yoo Joonghyuk to step back..." A sparkle floats beside him as he says out loud, "It was not right to hide it from you." A note adds, "Ah... It hurts a little... 💔" Joonghyuk blushes lightly, emitting an ellipsis.

Then the style goes back to semi-realistic as little hearts and flowers surround Joonghyuk, who blushes while smiling with contentment as he says, "Hm. (Good.)" Dokja, hand still at his chest, flushes hard and says shakily, "... Eh?" He goes, "W... What's with that face?" as he stares with a shocked smile, thinking "Wait wait wait" over and over.

Joonghyuk turns to Dokja, serious and blushing, and takes his hands as he exclaims, "Kim Dokja! How do you feel about a spring wedding? (We should start planning it out now.)" Dokja, blushing hard and stunned, goes, "Huh?!" The final panel is once again cartoony as Joonghyuk stands up, looking excited and determined, and exclaims, "Time to plan a wedding!" Biyoo cheers, "Congrats, Father, Captain!" Dokja is left on the bed, surrounded by woozy spirals and question marks as he mumbles, "Wha? Hu~h?" The mugs they'd been holding lie discarded on the floor.

The bonuses are the entirety of Dokja's internal monologue and an alternate version of panel four. The full monologue reads:

"I have been thinking this for a while, but... Haven't I been selfishly holding Yoo Joonghyuk back from pursuing the love of his life until now? He is such a devoted and loyal man, and he cares for his companions a lot, has suffered so much, and I have been the cause most of the time. This regression and the source of it all. Clearly he has spent so much time chasing after me even through space and time but... He could have had a life. Loved someone, settled down. Instead he had to suffer longer than necessary out of obligation. I caused his regressions and his pain, and he was still fooled into caring for me. He was shackled to me and I was too selfish to want to distance myself all this time, living on borrowed time and too stupid to realize what these feelings even were until now. I have to fix this and set this man free, but if I simply step back, he will never allow me, this stubborn fool. He is too loyal, even to this rotten existence of mine who caused him so much grief. I demanded all his focus and was too greedy... No more, though. I will confess these feelings I holds for him, expose this shameful desire and let him see all of it, and he will be the one to step back and put some distance between us. It will hurt but this is for his happiness and I have already asked for too much as it is. I will grieve and let him go, and I know that despite everything he will still make space for me in his life even then, because he is kind and I am not a good enough person to say no. It will be enough to have him in my life like that. I cannot ask for more when he has given me so much already. This will be my goodbye. Yoo Joonghyuk, please, be happy, even if it's not by my side..."

The rejected panel, which takes place after Dokja says "It was not right to hide it from you," is unshaded. In this version, Joonghyuk smiles at Dokja while blushing and says, "I've been waiting for a long time to hear you say it, Kim Dokja. I am in love with you as well. (Have been for a while.)" Dokja, extremely flustered, exhales a contented-looking spirit and babbles, "Ha haha what." End ID]

Yoo Joonghyuk is now planning to cook the wedding reception meal.

So this stemmed from me realising that most of the time, Kim Dokja in fanfics (or fanart) doesn't quite confess and keeps all of his feelings buried.

I also thought, though, that he would choose the opposite way too -confess his feelings, pretend it to be not as important, not as big, as a way to distance himself from those emotions, ready to take some embarrassment and shame due to the confession in order to feel less pained when inevitably (in his mind) those feelings are rejected.

Takes control of something horrible and shameful for him so it will feel less raw and visceral, less 'i'm being perceived'.

Except he absolutely does not count on Yoo Joonghyuk having feelings back so of course he's blown away by YJH accepting and coveting that confession that he's been waiting forever to hear.

extra: the background from panel 2 since i handwrote that, and a rejected panel.

[canonconspiracy]

Stepping The Line of Shojo (Akaashi Keji x Fem!Reader)

Fanfiction By: @rmorningstar21

Fandom: Haikyu!!

Pairing: Akaashi Keji x Fem!Reader (Time Skip)

Cross-posted on my AO3 under Haikyuu!! x Reader Oneshot collection (rmorningstar21).

Warnings: Tenma meddling!  Honestly, no real warnings in this one besides spoilers for the manga time skip (which, actually puts us in 2018ish).

AN:  The collection itself is still on hiatus until I finish a few things, but this one came to me ridiculously quickly and I couldn’t set this on the back-burner.  Thought this was a cute concept.  

Word Count: 2554

"Ten, was that the door?" You asked your roommate with a quirked brow, popping your head of y/h/c locks from your room.  Even despite your words, your focused roommate had seemed to be non-moving, sitting at his art desk with an intense gaze in his eyes.  You nearly sighed in aggravation, though his absent words cut you right off.  

"Yeah, can you get it?" He asked, his grey eyes glancing up to you for a split second before glancing back down to what he had been working on.  "It's my coworker." 

"Well, since you asked so nicely," you replied with an eye roll, reaching a hand to straighten your y/h/c locks out as you closed your door quietly, making your way to the main door through a couple of the rooms.  The apartment you shared with Tenma had been quite large for the two of you, but as you both preferred your own working space, it was the perfect size.  "Did you at least leave a cup of coffee for me?" 

"Could you brew a pot while you're out that way?" He called out quickly, though you could tell by his absent tone that he had still been focusing.  

"Yeah, yeah," you replied, before placing your hand upon the chilled door handle.  Turning it, you opened the door rather carelessly, knowing that it had just been someone from the Shonen company that Tenma worked for.  As your y/e/c eyes landed upon who stood at the other side of the door, they widened for a moment, your face indescribable.  

Akaashi blinked upon recognition from behind his glasses, curiosity clear in his deep blue eyes.  "Maybe I have the wrong address," he openly questioned, overthinking the moment that he saw your familiar face.  A tinted blush rose in his cheeks as he moved to adjust his glasses, clearing his throat.  "I'm sorry-"

"Akaashi, get in here," Tenma called out, overhearing his coworker's confusion.  "Y/N/N is going to brew some coffee if you want some." 

"Ah, yes," he spoke, "Coffee would be great if it's not an inconvenience." 

You stepped aside, allowing Akaashi to walk in as you still held the dumbfounded expression upon your face.  "It's nice to see you, Akaashi," you said finally as you watched him standing in the front room a little awkwardly.  "Tenma's right through those rooms."  

Akaashi bowed to you formally, a soft, awkward laugh escaping his lips.  "I'm sorry for being rude," he said softly.  "It's really nice to see you again as well, Y/N." 

"No worries at all," you reassured him as you guided him through the first room, though you pointed further as you stayed in the kitchen to brew up the coffee.  As Akaashi's footsteps traced back to Tenma, you finally allowed your guard to be let down for a moment, crimson blush flourishing against your cheeks as your y/e/c eyes were wide.  Even if you were to spend the rest of your day cooped up in your room, you still would need to walk past the handsome male in the first place to get there.  

I wish you'd learn to warn me, Ten, you thought to yourself in your fluster, though you tried your best to focus on the task at hand.  Within a few minutes, the coffee was made, and you pulled out one of Tenma's cups for his coffee.  For Akaashi, you went into your own stash, grabbing one of your favorites to send Tenma a little S.O.S. You never allowed anyone to touch your cups, especially your roommate, and you hoped the astute male would notice.  

Akaashi took his coffee with the slightest hint of milk and no sugar, you recalled from your days as manager of the high school volleyball team, and despite your jittery hands, you managed to make it as such.  Tenma took his coffee with significantly more sugar than Akaashi, but no milk, and it was a coffee you had made plenty of times, over and over, in the last year of rooming together.

You left your cup in the kitchen so that you could have two free hands to carry their coffee, silently handing the two their coffees and receiving varying thank you's.   Internally, you had been panicking, while externally, you looked calm as the day was long.  Striding back out to the kitchen, you grabbed your coffee, before heading back to your room.  

Before you were able to get a hand upon your door handle, Tenma caught your attention.  "If you have nothing to do today, maybe we can bounce some ideas off of you," Tenma suggested, a glint of mischief in his eyes as his gray eyes met your own y/e/c eyes.  "You followed the men's volleyball circuit in high school, didn't you?"  

Y/e/c eyes widened before narrowing upon your mischievous roommate.  Before you had the chance to say anything, Akaashi chimed in, completely unknowing of your plight.  After all, he had been your plight. 

"You were our manager after all, Y/N," Akaashi chimed in heartily.  "It would be informative to get your viewpoints." 

If Tenma had been the only one to chime in, the only one to show an interest in your opinions, you knew exactly what you would have said to get yourself out of the situation.  Don't take my day off for granted, Ten, is what you would have said, though you held your tongue.  Instead, you thought to yourself that just maybe you shouldn't have sent your roommate the sign that you were in a pickle, realizing that instead he was using it to your disadvantage.  For whatever reason, Tenma wanted to poke the flustered feelings inside of you, and surely you would make sure he got an earful later.  

"Yeah," you replied, a crack to your tone as you forced your lips into a smile.  Though your exterior had an attempt at calmness, you found your exterior slowly beginning to break.  Your grip tightened upon the coffee cup in your hands, but your other hand slipped from the doorknob, y/e/c eyes scouring the room once more to find where around your own desk you placed your chair.  Grabbing it quickly, you flipped it around backwards as you leaned yourself against the backrest.  Taking a sip of your coffee, you forced your smile to stay.  

The first questions, first ideas, had not been strenuous for you to answer.  With the way that they were working the idea, it had been placed around Bokuto, whom you had watched as the manager all throughout high school.  Graduating a year before Akaashi, you had an extra year of your knowledge of the ace player.  Even so, you admitted, it had been the second year and forward that the team truly shined.  

"How about you look at these panels and tell us what you think," Tenma said, motioning to his desk.  Catching the glint of mischief in his eyes, you had to wonder if it had been the fact that you would have to get closer to the two to look over at them.  "Akaashi here is our editor, but I want to know how you feel about the storyline so far." 

Setting your coffee cup on your desk, you rose from the chair, striding over to Tenma's desk.  The way that Tenma moved to the side made it so that you were the closest to Akaashi as you hunched over the desk, the slight heat from the man causing your breath to hitch in your throat.  As your y/e/c eyes slid across the manga panels, you tried your best to hide your fluster, no matter how much you were thinking of how close the previous setter had been.  

"The team learned more into the second year how to account for the mood swings," you murmured as you glanced over the pages.  "Though, as a whole, it's well-made, clear and concise." 

As you shifted further down to what Tenma seemed that he had worked on once Akaashi came in, your cheeks darkened in blush.  Y/e/c eyes shifted from the page to shoot a glare at Tenma, tight lipped before you moved back to your seat.  When you sat down, your expression had changed back to that of a guard, though your words had a slight bite to them that you knew your roommate would catch.  

"So, you are basing it off the second year," you spoke.  "Though, based on your ideas, I would have assumed you to focus solely on the Ace." 

"It takes six functioning players to make a team," Akaashi confirmed, though you were sure he had not seen the debauchery that Tenma planned to tease you with.  

"Even so, the last panel teeters the line of Shojo," you spoke absently, glaring at Tenma as you had not thought of the consequences of pointing it out.  It was a rough depiction, and clearly wasn't something Tenma would have been keeping in the panel lines.  Even so, speaking those words, you watched Tenma's lips draw upwards, your face draining of it's color as you watched Akaashi move to see what you had been speaking of.  

"You may be right," Tenma confirmed as his gray eyes switched to see Akaashi go wide-eyed at the frame in question, "but personally, I'm thinking of making that big enough to frame it." 

Akaashi cleared his throat, straightening himself back out upon his chair as he questioned Tenma.  "How accurate is your depiction, though?" He questioned curiously.  "The panel itself is based off of a much later look, and therefore wouldn't fit into the proper timeline." 

Pinching the bridge of your nose, you moved your free hand to grab your coffee of your desk as you spoke.  "It should definitely be removed, as it takes away from the actual storyline," you exasperated.  

"I'm unsure of what Y/N/N looked like her second year of high school," Tenma spoke with a shrug, moving himself back to where he had been sitting previously, "but I'm sure the rest of it was accurate." 

Deep blue eyes shifted from behind black rimmed glasses to you, while deep gray eyes shifted maliciously to you as well.  Both men awaited your refute, or your answer, as you found your stomach churning.  A complete minute passed as the two awaited your answer patiently. 

You sat with wide y/e/c eyes in disbelief, your breath hitched in your throat.  Akaashi was rather astute, and yet, surely he had never caught your stray glances in the past.  Tenma had a bit of a mischievous side you rarely saw, the man typically pretty laid back.  Even so, he still had golden intentions, and a knack for getting under your skin.  

"The writing itself is a little over the top," you finally replied, your y/e/c eyes shifting from the two as you found yourself shifting under their gazes.  "Though the concept itself holds accuracy, yes." 

Tenma smirked coyly before standing to his feet, his tired expression shifting to you before shifting to the hallway.  "I'll let you two chat for a bit," he spoke, shrugging his shoulders as he walked out of the room, towards his own room.  The silence that Tenma left in the room could be cut like a knife, weighing on the two left.  

"So," Akaashi finally spoke, breaking the silence, "You've had feelings for me since high school." 

Akaashi always had a way of being far too blunt for his own good, and this was something you had been far too used to.  Normally, Akaashi had been pointing out a fault of Bokuto, though, so you never felt the same chill of actually having the words used upon you.  Your voice came out as more of a squeak than anything as you simultaneously bit your lip.  "Correct," you spoke, before mentally slapping yourself.  Trying to calm yourself, you reminded yourself that it had been all Tenma's fault that you were stuck in this position.  Knowing that, your following words came out with a little more bite.  "Tenma didn't tell me you were coming over, and I'm sure once he put two and two together, that's why I was brought out to bounce opinions off of." 

Akaashi found himself laughing, his lips curling upwards as a small hint of blush stretched across his pale cheeks.  "With you, I always over-thought a lot in high school," he admitted through his laughter, his lips still holding a smile as it stopped.  "I thought you'd be interested in someone more brazen, like Bokuto." 

"On the contrary, I don't think I would have been able to handle his energy," you replied with a soft chuckle, fondly remembering the difference between the year before Akaashi joined and the year that he had.  "You always had something about you that made me go shy, and I thought it was pretty obvious." 

"Now that you mention it, I noticed that, but I always thought you just didn't like me," he admitted sheepishly.  "I'm sure you were more into my look during high school, though.  You...you've only gotten more beautiful, but I-." 

You quirked a brow at his second sentence at the start, blush coating your cheeks at the word beautiful, but by the point that he started refuting his own looks, you set your coffee down.  Moving to Akaashi, you had been a little bold, pressing your finger against his lips to stop him from belittling his appearance as you shook your head.   Reaching a hand out, you offered him to his feet, where he still stood about a head overtop of you.  

"If you want to tell me I wouldn't be interested in you because of your glasses, I will laugh right in your face," you replied in a bored tone, your cheeks reflecting the fluster of crimson despite your nonchalant words.  At the point that he called you beautiful, you were almost sure that you knew where this was all going, giving you the slightest hint of confidence.  "For one, I think you've grown far more handsome than high school…"  As you spoke, you moved to press two fingers upon where his heart would be, gently as you spoke the rest.  "But I also fell for what's in here, Akaashi."

Instead of words, instead of overthinking everything you had said to him, he moves gentle fingertips to your cheek, pulling you into his lips.  At first, his lips move untrained, unsure as he tastes you for the very first time.  Something about what you said swelled in his heart, solidified that the woman who stood in front of him had been the same Y/N he fell for.  

At first, you had been taken aback by the action itself, but you soon found yourself melting into the kiss.  Tasting the coffee upon his lips, the two of you melded as one in the moment, your heart beating wildly in your chest.  Arms moved to wrap around the man's neck, deepening the kiss as you held him closely.  

As the two of you separated, he rested his forehead against your own, moving his slender arms to wrap around you.  "Call me Keji, Y/N," he murmured softly.  "Because I'd like to call you mine." 

[lizisshortforlizard]

Living Dangerously - Chapter 11

Jurassic Park’s animal handlers: none of them ever mentioned by name in Michael Crichton’s original novel. Who were they? What were their lives like on Isla Nublar? Did any of them survive the disaster?

A year in the life of those responsible for the care of the dinosaurs. Many people would kill to have their jobs.

But would they die for it?

Jurassic Park novel/Jurassic Park film (1993)

Viewpoint: 3rd person female oc

Warnings: bad language, mention of blood in 1st few lines

Wordcount: ~22.9k (11 Chapters) [incomplete]

Tagging: @howlingmadlady @jurassicobsessor again thanks for your patience in waiting for the new chapter, if you want added to me list of tags let me know!

Read on Ao3

Chapter 10 | Chapter 12

Rainbow In The Dark - Dio

“Ouch! God-frickin’-dammit!” Lori frowned as the crimson beads welled up on the pad of her index finger. Four tiny pinpricks from the sharp little teeth of her scaly prodigy.

The baby raptor looked up at her curiously, not understanding what she had done wrong, why Mom had flinched and whipped the pink wiggling things out of her reach so quickly. She had just been testing one of them, to see if it was good to eat.

Lori continued cursing as she abandoned the baby on the floor, hurrying to the wall-mounted first aid kit for some antiseptic. She’d better be careful, who knew what was in raptor saliva? This was the first one on Earth in seventy million years. She could be toxic, or worse, depending what mystery genes Wu had dropped into the mixing bowl. Luckily he’d be here any minute, and she could ask him in person.

Lori had shunned all help from the other staff and opted to take care of the baby raptor herself. She wanted to be certain this one survived, Hammond personally had told her to do everything she could, use every resource available. But she was starting to regret the commitment. Only two weeks old and the hatchling was already becoming violent. Not to mention big. Much bigger than they anticipated. The creature was fast-outgrowing the kennel she lived in for most of the day while Lori was busy in the lab.

She finished sticking a Band-Aid on her finger and approached the raptor again, trying to finish what she had been in the middle of doing before she was bitten. “I guess you are a predator and all, but could you maybe not do that when I’m trying to exami- fuck! Alright, that does it you little-“

Needle-sharp fangs had snapped shut around another digit. Lori lost her temper in a split second, and as a reflex, before she could stop herself she had raised her fist at the infant. The raptor flinched, but instead of sprinting away or hiding, she ducked her head down and hissed angrily at Lori, sinking back on her haunches.

Unmistakably a defensive posture. Lori nervously took a step back, keeping her voice low. “Alright, alright, I’m sorry. Let’s both calm down, nice and easy. Just don’t bite me again. We’re cool, everything’s fine, baby girl.”

The raptor’s eyes followed her every move, missing nothing, though the head remained still. Her pupils contracted and dilated rhythmically, calculating the distance between them.

Lori felt a chill creep down the back of her neck. This was no longer a cute little baby. This was a predator in the making, a hunter figuring out how to make her first kill.

The raptor ever-so-slowly lifted one foot, then the other, still locked in a staring contest with Lori, stalking her around the room. She was closing the gap between them. The scientist didn’t dare take her eyes off her, mentally noting down every detail of this new behaviour while sidestepping cautiously, leading the baby back to her kennel.

She’s hunting me.

“Remarkable.” Lori whispered.

Now what?

The click as the laboratory door opened caused the baby to raise her head, distracting her long enough that Lori could make a grab, bundling her back into the kennel amid protesting squeaks.

“Ah, Dr. Ruso.”

“Hello, Henry!” Lori slammed the kennel door shut and whirled around, keeping her wounded hand behind her back. “Pleasant trip?”

“Oh, the usual. Is that her?” Wu was already trying to peer over her shoulder.

“Yeah, that’s the one, VM2308. The little cutie.” Lori answered through gritted teeth. God, her hand was throbbing.

“Nice, very nice.” Wu stepped around Lori and admired the tiny creature, who regarded him warily through the bars. Not Mom.

“She’s big for her age. I can assume you added growth genes like we discussed?” She queried.

“I had to. The investors are really pushing for a September opening next year. We need more animals. They aren’t reaching maturity fast enough.”

“Any other rogue genes?” Lori asked, trying to sound breezy, but failing. “Would I be in danger if she bit me, or anything like that?”

“Has she?” Wu turned to her, eyes widening.

“No.” Lori quickly lied, pulling the cuffs of her lab coat down. “But if she did-?”

“There’s no venom or dangerous bacteria present. Except maybe salmonella. But that’s normal for reptiles anyway.” Wu chuckled suddenly, a tad misplaced, Lori thought. “These things are going to be dangerous enough without all that, trust me. They’re going to make a killing.”

“Excuse me?!” Lori yelped in alarm.

“In…profits? The people will be flocking to see them.”

“Oh, right. Yes, of course.” She nodded.

Wu had decided against telling Lori that there was a possibility the added growth genes could also produce the secondary trait of increased aggression. Being constantly hungry, having the unrelenting need to find fuel for their growing bodies could make the animals short-tempered. But if Lori backed out of caring for it now, the raptor could very likely die. That wouldn’t look good for either of them. Nobody yet knew how susceptible to stress these animals were.

“Is she fiesty?” He distracted Lori.

“A little.” She rubbed her sore fingers anxiously, still hidden in the sleeve of her lab coat. “How soon do you think she can go to Nublar?”

“Keep her here a bit longer. Just to make sure she’s going to survive. Besides, the paddock isn’t quite ready.”

“Great.” Lori tried to sound enthusiastic.

“It’s okay. We’re doing well, how about we take a stroll and we’ll talk about the other changes we’ve got planned?”

While Wu was talking, Lori had decided she definitely didn’t like the baby raptor anymore. It was becoming harder and harder to deal with. Never mind, it would soon be Nublar’s problem. Her job was just to grow the damn things.

She paused to glance back over her shoulder as she left the room with Dr. Wu. The raptor regarded her coolly, tiny curved claws clicking on the floor impatiently. Lori was first and foremost a scientist, and she tried not to anthropomorphise. But from the way it was looking at her now, it didn’t seem to like Lori very much either.

***

Lizzy yawned and downed the dregs of her third cup of coffee in a row, then checked her watch. T-minus one hour, soon it would be time to make a move.

She was in a lot better shape than when she had gotten out of bed, but still had dark shadows under her eyes, and was vibrating slightly from a combination of excitement and elevated caffeine levels.

With nothing better to do, and all her colleagues still at work out in the park for the day, she had decided to pass the time until the tyrannosaur arrived with Ray in the control room. She was currently spinning herself around in a desk chair, and quizzing him on what every single button and interface did.

Ray fielded her questions with his usual dry remarks and sarcastic humour, unfazed by her hyperactivity, a constant plume of smoke floating up to join the cloud forming over his head.

Lizzy had pointed and asked “And what does this do?!” for approximately the 32nd time when the control room door opened and Ray stuck his head upright in the forest of workstations to see who had come to save him.

At the sound of Muldoon’s voice greeting Ray Lizzy popped her head up too, not unlike a meerkat, only her eyes and a mess of curls visible over the top of the monitor in front of her.

She stuck a hand up and waved at him mid-chair spin. “Hiya!”

“Still here, Armstrong? Thought you’d be hanging off the railing at the dock waiting for the damn thing to arrive.”

“I’m about to leave, promise. I’m entertaining Ray!”

“And with a sore head? Impressive.” Oh shit, he very much knows.

“My head is fine.” Lizzy muttered, swinging her legs back and forward in the chair. “Never better.”

Arnold took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. “Entertaining Ray is a stretch…she asks a hell of a lot of questions. When do you have her? Next week?”

“Next week.” Muldoon confirmed. “The event of the year, I’m sure. Any word from the ship?”

“ETA still stands, as far as I know.” Arnold clicked at a few icons on his screen.

“Let me know if anything changes. Want a lift over there, Armstrong?”

Lizzy had been planning to take her own Jeep to the paddock. His offer was a surprise, she didn’t think he would want company. But she’d certainly take it. Must be doing something right.

“Don’t mind if I do.” She patted Ray’s shoulder as she got up out of her chair. “You’re not coming with?”

“Nah, I’ll stick to these.” He jabbed with his cigarette at the monitors. “Ray Arnold, Eye in the Sky, signing off. Now here’s Liz with the weather.”

“Thank you, Ray!” Lizzy ran with it, going straight into her best caster voice, waving her hands wildly at the multicoloured screens that illustrated the local climate, putting one hand up to her head and listening to an imaginary earpiece. “And, what’s that- yes, uh-huh, thank you Brad- you heard it here first, a wide system of tyrannosaurs incoming, due to hit Isla Nublar within the hour-“

“Christ, don’t encourage her, Arnold. She’s high as a kite at the best of times. Come on, you.” Muldoon jerked his head towards the corridor.

“Hey, I haven’t given the shipping forecast yet!”

“Move it, now.”

“We can go live to Kathy for the sport? I hear the compy football league is going pretty well…“ Lizzy was undeterred, knowing full well what she was doing. She would get him to smile, at least once, if it killed her.

“Keep it up. You can bring that humour to the visitor talks you’re going to give once the park opens.”

Oh God no.

“Now, hang on-” Lizzy panicked, finally rushing after him. He’d given up on waiting and she only just caught the door in time, yelling after him: “That’s not in my job description!”

“It is now.” His reply echoed back down the corridor.

The door slammed shut behind the pair of them, cutting off Lizzy’s stream of profanity. Arnold shook his head, turning back to the monitors, pointlessly scanning through the code to kill time.

Interesting dynamic…

Arnold didn’t think he’d ever seen Muldoon that close to showing emotion before. Dangerously close.

***

While she caught up to him on her much shorter legs, Lizzy managed to get a handle on her giddiness and seized her chance. “So, what’s the deal with dinosaurs arriving on the island from somewhere else? You never told me when I asked the first time.”

Muldoon was surprisingly forthcoming. “I told you, watch that language. But since you’ll no doubt find out anyway, the tyrannosaur is being transported over from Isla Sorna, 87 miles to the southwest. She’s been there since she hatched. The laboratory we have here on Nublar is just for appearances sake. Sorna is where they do all the heavy work with the breeding.”

Lizzy blinked. So Hammond owns not one, but two Costa Rican islands, at least. “Wow. Okay. Why have two separate sites, that doesn’t sound very economical? Why not just have it all on the one island?”

“The scale of operation they’ve got over there is pretty impressive. Big facility. Wouldn’t all fit in the one place.”

“So…mass production? How come?”

“If you had to hazard a guess at the infant mortality rate in the lab on Sorna, what would you say?”

“About forty per cent?” She offered, being generous, or so she thought. Wild African elephant calves hovered around thirty. But the dinosaurs weren’t wild. They were artificial. More chance for error.

“More like ninety-eight per cent. And that’s only the embryos. The ones that stay viable until hatching don’t do very well most of the time.”

Failure to thrive. Only a two per cent survival rate.

Shit.

Lizzy thought about the tally of dinosaurs currently on Nublar, ticking away on Ray’s computer screen. Just over a hundred. That accounted for tens of thousands of tiny bodies burned through to produce only a few healthy animals. She felt a bit green, and it wasn’t the hangover making a reappearance.

She shook her head. “That’s a hell of a lot. You’d think that was a pretty good indicator they maybe aren’t supposed to be alive in the present day.”

True, most modern extinctions were caused by man. The dodo, the passenger pigeon, Stellar’s sea cow, gone forever due to human greed. But a lot of people didn’t know there was a natural background extinction rate, some species had just had their allotted time on the planet, and stopped existing thereafter, their ecological niche gone or filled by a different species. And animals such as the Giant Panda were awful at breeding in captivity, despite best attempts to preserve their numbers as their wild habitat was destroyed. The dinosaurs had had their time. It ended sixty-five million years ago.

“Yet here we are.” Muldoon agreed with her.

Lizzy realised as she was striding along that they weren’t headed for outdoors, or even down to the garage. She’d just been following him. “Um, where are we going? The Jeeps are that way.” She pointed down a corridor they’d just passed by.

“Need to get something first before we head out, as a precaution.”

Lizzy assumed it was fine she continue to tag along. He would have left her back in the control room otherwise. She was busy thinking up her next question, when Muldoon spoke first.

“What they’re doing on Sorna, raising extinct species in a lab…I’m anticipating a lot of difficulties for those of us that have to deal with them out in the park. We have no idea how some of these animals are going to fare once they reach full maturity, what sort of problems they might have.”

“Well, we have Gerry Harding, he’s pretty good.” Lizzy mused out loud.

Muldoon shook his head. “I don’t mean physical problems. It’s the inevitable behavioural problems I’m worried about.”

“Behavioural?”

“The thing with running a zoo with extant animals- turn, here-” He steered her around a corner. “-is that you know exactly where people have gone wrong before you, sometimes fatally, so you can pre-empt certain obstacles.”

“That’s a morbid way of looking at it, but sure. I understand.”

“We don’t have that advantage. Some species simply don’t do well in zoos, I can’t see the dinosaurs being any different. Not to mention there’s a few glaringly obvious mistakes with the paddocks that I won’t get into right now. Nothing to do with me.”

He sounded irritated, Lizzy glanced up. Yep, definitely pissed about that. She understood why it irked him. It was what he was known for, enclosure design. Hammond had the best to hand, and didn’t even consult him. What a waste.

Spared no expense my arse.

“I assume you’re telling me all this for a reason?” Lizzy had never been down the corridor they were in before, they had stopped outside a door marked Park Warden.

“Armstrong, did it seriously never occur to you how strange it was to hire an ethologist to be an animal handler?”

***

Thanks for reading!

Hella enjoyed writing this one, wasn’t even in the original draft.

Really invested in Lori and Clever Girl considering they aren’t even oc’s…

[lovingleehaechan]

I adore you. - Jung Jaehyun (Part I)

genre: fluff, angst(?)

word count: 1.8k

warnings: curse words

a/n: happy new year everyone! it’s been so long since i last posted on tumblr let alone post this first part T-T forgive me, it’s been so busy these past couple of weeks. but finally i’ve posted! i hope you like it and tune in for the next part, ba-bam!!! hehe

with all my love, summer x

Jaehyun checks the time on his phone. Eleven twenty-four. 

He can’t help but use the remainder of his energy to sigh. Exhausted is an understatement as to how tired he felt. All day he had been working on an assignment one of his professors dumped on his class last minute. And as much as he loves going to university, it’s one of those days where he feels particularly low and ambushed by the universe. 

He grudgingly gets himself prepared for bed, dragging his feet along the carpet floor. With another helpless sigh he picks up his toothbrush but immediately halt his slow movements when he hears your distinct ringtone blast from his phone. Jaehyun’s ears perk in attention. He wonders why you were ringing so late in the evening, did something happen? Were you hurt? Where the fuck where you? 

His mind urges him to answer quick causing him to drop the toothbrush in the bathroom sink. He couldn’t care about his dirty toothbrush right now. He’s too busy worrying what happened to you. 

“Hello?” 

“Hey…” you answer hesitantly. 

“You okay? What’s up?” he asks in concern. 

“Yeah, I’m just-- a little…” 

Even without finishing your sentence, he knows exactly how you feel. He is never wrong when it came to his gut instincts. Jaehyun knows that you’re craving  for company tonight but your boyfriend isn’t there to provide it. 

“Do you want to go out for a drive?” he interrupts you.

“Hold up-” your voice immediately picking up in tone. “You got your driver's licence and you didn’t tell me!?” 

He shyly chuckles. “I’ve been meaning to today, but this bitch of an assignment didn’t let me.” 

You laugh loudly on the other side, “I’d love to go on a midnight drive with you Jae.” 

He shouldn’t feel butterflies in his stomach when he hears you say that yet he does. His heart is swelling with a good type of emotion for the first time that day. “Get ready, I’ll be at your place in ten.” 

“Okay.. See you in a bit.” you say, hanging up the phone. 

Jaehyun exhales the breath he didn’t realise is holding. He completely scraps his night routine out the window and proceeds to get dressed for your spontaneous adventure. It would be his first time taking a friend out for a drive since passing the test but since it’s you, it makes a whole difference. 

Quickly grabbing his wallet from the top drawer, he quickly makes his way to the car. The winter months were soon approaching with the light winds that blew through his jacket. Being it already past eleven, he takes notice of the amount of cars out. Only a couple every few seconds, unlike during the early hours of the day where they would be bumper to bumper. Once he’s inside the car he connected his phone to the car and blasted some new tunes from Lauv for the short drive to your house. 

It’s quite obvious that Jaehyun had only recently got his driver’s license, though he practiced a lot, he’s still unfamiliar with some of the functions the car had. Nonetheless he arrives at your house without a problem. He reaches for his phone by the clutch and calls you. Within three rings, he hears your, “hello?”, his heart rate racing immediately. 

“I’m here dummy. Right in front.” he says. 

He sees you peek from the living room window to check if he were really there. He chuckles on the mic causing you to laugh lightly. 

“Had to make sure, you’ve fooled me too many times Jung.” you reply, strolling to your front door closing it once you’ve stepped outside. 

Jaehyun hangs up the phone and watches you walk towards the passenger side of the car. You naturally smile at your friend at the driver’s seat, you couldn’t help but make a comment about how he looked like a grown-up. 

“Wow, you really did pass. Congrats friend!” 

“Is that all I get? A congrats? No, I’ll treat you to a meal since you’re driving?” he teases. 

“Alright fine, since you are driving, I’ll buy us food this once. Where are we going?” you ask curiously. 

“Hmm… I’m feeling a little hungry and all I can think of is Mcdonalds at this time. Their chips man, you know how much I love those greasy potato sticks.” 

“Oh! Now that you mention it, I’d love to have them too. Go! Go! Go!” you pointed towards the road with a childlike smile. 

He couldn’t help it but smile with you. After all the work he’s done for his assignment, you were definitely his happy pill. The highlight of his day- no doubt. You notice the songs he has on in the car and take his phone to play some music that you thought were more suitable for your spontaneous adventure. Though you loved Lauv too, his songs didn’t seem to fit well with the atmosphere at that moment. 

“Sure go ahead, take my phone, change the music. It’s not like it’s my car.” he rolled his eyes while he smiles at you. 

“Oh shut up, you know I have good taste in music. I love Lauv but listen, there are songs perfect for night drives.” you explain to your friend. 

He ponders for a while at your reply, after only a couple of seconds, he begins to nod his head in agreement. “You’re right. But make sure you include that one song of his that’s always good to listen to at night.” 

“I know exactly which one, Paris in the Rain?” 

“I didn’t even need to give you hints.” he laughs out loud. 

“I’ve lost count how many times you’ve said you want to have that song playing in your car while you drive at night. You specifically said night.” emphasising the word to remind him that you know him a little too well.

Jaehyun merely chuckles at your reaction. Any time he’s with you, he becomes soft. His tough exterior is broken down with your presence and he knows exactly why. You have no idea you have his heart in your hands. How could you though? Having a boyfriend erases thoughts that your best friend even has feelings for you. 

You both talk about your day like usual, never getting tired of hearing what normal and boring things you did. Jaehyun talks about his frightening driving instructor for his test as well as that last minute assignment his lecturer gave his class a few days ago. You on the other hand couldn’t help but rant about the few small things that bothered you throughout the day, like people walking too slow on the sidewalk or when you notice that people chew with their mouth open. 

Jaehyun couldn’t help but laugh loudly at your description of a couple of strangers eating their food at a restaurant you work at. While you on the other hand couldn’t resist laughing along with him. His dimples popped out with his smile and your automatic reaction was to poke it. That caught him off guard causing him to stop but he chuckles instead. 

Pulling up to the drive-thru of the Mcdonald’s you googled earlier, he asks you what you’d like to eat. 

“Bro, you already know I want nuggets and chips with a whole lot of barbecue sauce.” 

“How many nuggets do you want?” 

“Maybe… 20?” 

“Jeeez 20? Are you sure you can finish that?” he pretends to be surprised. 

You hit him on the shoulder, “bitch just get me my nuggets and we won’t have a problem.” 

A pleasant chuckle resonates from his mouth and shakes his head accordingly. 

Jaehyun orders the food and when its time to pay he looks at you expectantly. 

“Oh right, I said I’d treat.” you grin sheepishly. 

“Ye-huh,” he nods and takes your debit card from you and handing it to the staff over the window. 

You both wait for your food in the following window which comes rather quite quickly and thank the lady as Jaehyun drove off somewhere undetermined. You’re distracted by the food to take notice of where he was driving to, but it didn’t matter because you trusted that he would choose a location you both loved. 

There was a viewpoint on top of a hill by the motorway that allowed cars to park and look at the night skyline. It was one of the many places you both talked about driving to years ago and now that one of you finally got their drivers licence, what else is there that could stop you? 

As you munch on your third nugget and chips, you look up when he says that you’ve arrived. Your jaw dropped. The nugget you were holding also dropped to the floor of his car and your eyes widened in awe. 

“Jae..” 

“If I asked you where we should go, you wouldn’t have known so I figured why not here.” 

“Damn, this is beautiful.” 

Jaehyun was tempted to tell you that you were more beautiful but his heart held him back. You couldn’t peel your eyes away from the view and he couldn’t take his eyes off you. Looking at you and his heart swelling with emotion, it was almost too unbearable. He can’t hold you close. He can’t kiss your forehead and tell you just how much he felt for you. 

You turn to him abruptly, making him look at the bags of food he ordered. 

“Are we gonna be able to finish all this?” he asks, inspecting each bag. 

“Of course we are. If we don’t I can take it home. My boyfriend is getting off work soon and he’s always complaining that he’s hungry after.” 

“Right, that’s fine.” in his monotone voice. 

You’re unaware of the change in tone but you distract him by shoving a nugget in front of his face, urging him to eat. 

His dimple makes another appearance when he smiles and takes the piece from you. You grab his phone once more and play another song that fits the setting. 

The night goes on with endless conversations and eventually empty paper bags, once filled with warm treats. You yawn as you look out at the city lights and Jaehyun doesn’t fail to notice your eyelids falling closed slowly. 

“Do you want to head back?” he suggests.

“I think that’ll be the best. It’s already-- what? Fuck it’s already four am. I should really head back now. My boyfriend must be wondering where the heck I am.” 

“Sure thing. Seatbelt.” he reminds you. 

You buckle your seatbelt and he starts the car. 

The drive back was quiet and fast. Jaehyun glances at your sleeping figure next to him, fighting the urge to reach out and caress your cheek. 

If only he wasn’t driving you back to the apartment you shared with your boyfriend. 

If only he can take you back to his house and hold you to sleep. 

If only he can kiss you goodnight and wake up next to you. 

If only he was able to tell you how much he loves you. 

[lyinginbedmon]

It continually baffles me that the most popular Dr Stone ship is Genku, when the closest Senku comes to expressing any remote shred of sexuality in 24 episodes is "thank God I didn't have to snuggle the beefcake asshole for warmth".

I think Gen is almost certainly gay, I'll definitely grant that. He's intensely queer-coded with an overt and express fondness for Senku. He regularly uses familiar honorifics for other men, dresses flamboyantly (or at least as much as you can in a stone age world), and has exaggerated emotional mannerisms. At least in the language of anime, that’s a pretty big clue that he’s not straight. So sure, I’ll definitely grant that Gen makes a lot of sense in a m/m ship.

But Senku doesn’t make sense in any kind of non-platonic ship, at least to me. Senku is genuinely the most asexual character I've seen in anime in a long time and he doesn't even fall into the trap of just being antisocial or robotic.

This is brought up repeatedly throughout the first season, with other characters curiously wondering if Senku’s concern for a woman is because of actual romantic or sexual interest in her, only to be rebuffed when he presents some utilitarian objective. But whilst that would usually mean he’s a one-track mind sort of character with no real “humanity” under the hood beyond his obsession, he does a lot more than that.

Moving from least-telling to most, let’s start with Homura. Senku knows very little about her, save that she’s a de-petrified modern human with a strong association to his enemy. Nonetheless, despite knowing that and that she’s unlikely to even try it anyway, when he’s showing candy floss to the villagers he goes miles outside of safety with two of his most important workers to set up a stand presenting her with some too. There’s no meaningful “rational” explanation to this, it doesn’t make any strategic sense.

Next: Christmas lights. Making lightbulbs is a meaningful step on Senku’s roadmap. They extend the productive hours of the day and can be used as simple indicators in more complex systems, and they help train Kaseki in delicate crafting work. But he didn’t need a solid hundred of them, nor to string them together with wire he’ll probably need elsewhere, nor to hang them up in a huge tree in the cold winter weather. And he certainly didn’t need to assemble the whole village together for a test of whether they even worked. This only makes sense if he has compassion for the villagers, moreso even than the furnaces he installs throughout the village.

Finally, and most significantly: Suika’s glasses. Senku has shown significant affection for Suika throughout their association, calling her Detective Suika on several occasions in deference to her deductive skills, but this takes the cake. After realising that Suika’s watermelon accessory is to curb her nearsightedness, he crafts lenses (which is a useful step in his roadmap, though that’s a side-benefit here) to correct her vision. Simple enough, and he explains it later as levelling up her labour potential, but how he presents the lenses to her makes all the different: A picnic.

This is a significant deviation for the “logical” viewpoint. Senku and Chrome lead Suika out to a field of sunflowers, literally since she is deprived of her watermelon sight aid in this trip, and they sit down for a picnic when Senku gives her the lenses so she can finally see properly. He could have just handed them over in the lab, where he’d also have been better able to adjust or test them, but he took her to a beautiful spot in the wild instead. This shows that Senku has a deep empathy with other people, and puts his ardent lack of sexual or romantic interest in even stronger contrast.

Senku makes friends, and he does so abundantly, but I think he should be considered aro-ace otherwise.

[katyspersonal]

sdjhfdshfgds LOOOOLLLL Bloodborne "fans" in your dream had an option to write a believable thesis on why Micolash and Maria would not mesh well as people at all considering their viewpoints on criminal curiousity of men at least, or explain convolutions of Micolash becoming a huge Kos admirer whereas Maria is a criminal against her and her fish folks, but instead they literally said:

A boring fan is a boring fan, even in a dream.....

(Anyways Maria x Ludwig or Maria x Brador are way better for bisexual ships for her sorry :pensive: )

Dude I had a dream last night and the only thing that I can remember from it was that fromsoft did a poll for who would be best with Lady Maria and somehow none of the characters won (I think they were all tied) so as punishment they heavily leaned into Micolash/Maria which everyone hated because everyone agreed they were gay

[crackimagines]

Idea for Child!Byleth: Byleth at the Monastery Ball? Perhaps they feel a bit awkward and out of place considering everyone is older and they have never attended one before? But then of course, everyone flocks over to them

Child!Byleth Post Masterlist here!

I love that idea! I was actually planning to do something with child!Byleth for the ball, but had no idea what. I guess this’ll do!

Thanks for the ask, anon!

—–

Child!Byleth at the Monastery Ball HC’s

child!Byleth Professor AU

—–

- Little Byleth HATES dressing up. He views it from a mercenary viewpoint. If you’re not always ready for battle at a fancy event like this, then you’re open to attack, even with guards like the Knights of Serios around. So on that note, he brought his usual outfit to the ball.

- He’s never actually been to a ball before. Byleth’s only heard about them from Jeralt a few times, and they sounded boring. 

- The dancing is far more prim and proper, and not as fun or wild as the mercs dance at inns and the such…not that he ever danced, anyway.

- Regardless, it was his duty as Professor to show up, much to his dismay. His awkwardness only intensified when literally everyone else was dressed up so properly, and were far more older.

- Not to mention taller. Good goddess, what were these kids eating?

- He watched the students dance in the center, seeing as he never saw this type of dancing before it intrigued him. 

- One detail he did notice that it was always a guy and girl pair up. On that note, he was sure most of them were couples with the exceptions of people like Edelgard and Dimitri.

- And it was here after taking that note, he was very grateful no one was asking him to dance.

- He thought too soon.

visual representation of Claude about to ruin Byleth’s night

(Claude) “Heeeeey there, teach!~ Enjoying the ball?”

(Byleth’s head) Please, no.

(Byleth) “Ah, Claude. I am, thank you.”

(Claude) “Ya know, you’ve been looking at that dance floor for a bit now. Care to join in?”

(Byleth) “Hah, no. I’m far too young for these things. More importantly, I have no one to dance with.”

- WRONG ANSWER.

(Claude) “Then let me help out teach, this one’s on the house-”

- Byleth reached for a pouch of coins and shoved it to Claude.

(Byleth) “Claude, I will give you all my money if you do not-”

(Claude) “’Scuse me! The tiny professor here wants a partner to dance with him this fine night!”

- At least a 7 girls spun around towards his direction.

(Byleth) “CLAUDE-”

- Claude didn’t say anything, instead he just smiled and waved as he was engulfed in the shadow of students wanting to dance with him.

“Oh, how cute! Did you need a partner?” “I can be your dance partner!” “Hey, I got here first!”

(Byleth) “U-U-Um…!”

(Annette’s Voice) “Hey, you’re suffocating the poor guy!”

(Mercedes’ Voice) “Please give him a chance to breathe.”

- For once, Byleth was glad to hear their voices. The girls immediately looked at each other and backed off.

“Oh, we’re so sorry!” “We didn’t mean to do that!” “We just got excited, is all!”

- Byleth took a deep breath and bowed.

(Byleth) “Please do not worry about it. I can dance with all of you tonight. Just a moment please.”

- They all nodded as he went towards Annette and Mercedes.

(Annette) “Hey, Professor!”

(Mercedes) “Are you okay?”

(Byleth) “Um…thanks to you two I am…I uh…don’t actually…”

- He began blushing as he looked to the ground.

(Byleth) “I don’t know how to dance.”

- WRONG ANSWER.

(Mercedes) “Allow us, then! Come on, Annie!”

- He was then dragged onto the dance floor by Annette and Mercedes, and was at the spotlight now, everyone watching him mess up. And true to his word, the students that approached him, he did indeed dance with.

- 2 hours of dancing later, he finally managed to sneak off from the ball, in which Sothis appeared in front of him.

(Sothis) “Leaving so soon? You’re such a downer. Then again, it must be hard being everyone’s favorite.”

(Byleth) “This is a curse…”

(Sothis) “Hah, I don’t know. Being everyone’s tiny professor has its charms, such as those last 2 hours.”

- Byleth rolled his eyes and tried to think of a place where no one would disturb him.

(Sothis) “Where are you goi-…Oh, I see, the tower right?”

- Byleth nodded, and she slowly floated behind him. Taken care not to be seen, he made his way to the tower to find some alone time.

Bonus! - Goddess Tower

As he walked into the tower, it was dark and empty. But the best part, it was quiet.

He sighed loudly, finally able to breathe. His silence didn’t last long, however.

“Byleth?” A girl’s voice called out. Considering it didn’t immediately put him on edge or make his head hurt, it could only be one person…

“Flayn?” He said, turning around. Sure enough, it was her.

“It is you! Are you investigating the legend too, Byleth?”

“What legend?”

“Supposedly, on the night of a ball, when a couple confess to each other on this very tower, the goddess herself ensures that those words are to pass.”

“I see…Strange there aren’t more people here then…”

Byleth said, curiously looking around.

“I wonder what vows youths make to each other here? So, I came here to investigate, and I bumped into you here!” Flayn asked.

“…Huh.” He replied, raising an eyebrow at the coincidence. “You’re…not meeting anyone here, are you, Flayn?”

“Nope. And you?”

“Not a chance. I’m far younger than these kids…I think I am anyway…” He mumbled that last bit to himself, but Flayn didn’t hear him.

“So…what kind of vow do you think you’d say to someone, Byleth?”

“Hmph…hard to say. I don’t really think about this kind of stuff.”

“Maybe it’s because you don’t have a partner…Oh, I know! Why don’t you say a vow to me?”

Byleth didn’t feel his heart beat, but he could’ve sworn it stopped when he heard that.

“W-W-What?!” He screamed out, his voice cracking.

Flayn laughed and continued. “If I were your partner, Byleth, what would you say? I’ll give you to the count of three to say something heartfelt and memorable!”

“N-Now hold on! I told you I-”

“One…two…three, go!”

He looked down on the floor, shutting his eyes and shouting the first thing that came to mind as his face turned red.

As he said it, he thought ‘DON’T SCREW THIS UP!’

“You um…! YOU’REREALLYNICEANDILIKEYOU!MAYWEBETOGETHER?!”

‘I SCREWED IT UP!’

Flayn was silent for a moment until she started giggling, which turned into laughter.

“I didn’t think you’d get this flustered over it!…But, if it makes you feel any better, my heart definitely skipped a beat!” She then smiled at him, putting her hands together.

“Considering this was coming from you, it was really sweet! Heehee, I don’t think I learned much about this legend, but I got a fair trade out of it! I got to learn about you, Byleth!”

His face was burning up as he bowed.

“M-Me too…! W-W-Well, good night, Flayn!” 

He quickly ran out of the room as fast as possible and to his room.

All the while he heard Sothis laughing while Flayn watched with a smile.

(Flayn) “Ha…good night, Byleth!”

he spent the night clutching his stuffed bird in embarrassment, all the while Sothis continued to laugh at the incident.

[davidmann95]

All-Star Superman #2

A scant year to the day since part 1!

All evidence to the contrary I actually have always wanted to go back to this, especially since I keep getting asked if I’ll do so and it stirs my omnipresent sense of guilt over my lack of productivity, and also the last year has not resulted in a mass turnaround of people realizing it’s a for-real good book and not just comfort food so this remains necessary. This isn’t going to be quite as in-depth as the first go-around - both that as the introductory issue and that as the introductory recap had a lot of groundwork to lay - but still plenty to cover, as this issue sets up Lois and Superman’s arcs for the series, which is rooted (amazingly, especially right off the bat, given the book’s reputation of being about how amazing Superman is) in how badly Superman’s let his fears and shortsightedness poison the most important relationship in his life.

If the first issue is the big classic Superman material - Superman saving the day from the monster! Lois and Clark and the rest of the Daily Planet crew! Lex Luthor’s sinister schemes! A ticking clock to doom! - this scales all the way down to the uncomfortably, stiflingly intimate. Classic archetypal Superman stuff gives way to the most Silver Age issue: casual huge ideas, relationship drama, misunderstandings, last-minute reveals that recontextualize the entire issue, and baaaarely latent psychodrama bubbling up at the edges. In service of that the visual framing here is not unlike a stage play, a limited set of physically connected locales as a pair of figures bounce off one another. Quitely and Grant’s work is therefore comparatively subdued next to issue #1, keeping to traditional panel layouts and wide or medium shots with a background color palate of mostly blacks and whites and grays with a handful of other colors popping out...until Lois starts to lose her shit at the end of the issue and we get close-ups and full black and white panels and eerie glowing and dutch angles and that unsettling abstract image of her clenched teeth, as the story starts to squeeze us like Lois’s gut.

She’s right to be unsettled for that matter; she’s alone on Superman’s turf (the one issue where that’s the case other than #6, and that one’s about how Smallville stopped being his home), the weird antiseptic alien lair of the ultimate super-hobbyist, and all the baggage of their relationship is spilling out into the open as she has less and less reason to think the best of this odd man who’s been lying to her for years. Unlike the Silver Age tales this is referencing, she’s absolutely on the money with her complaints about him: he’s been dicking around with her forever and thinks it can all be okay now (His little “What?” on the second page when she bursts his bubble says it all), and he’s awkwardly overcompensating trying to fix it.

While the Fortress tour serves to peacefully acclimate us to how utterly bizarre Superman’s world really gets past the traditional rescues (the little cubic starfield we don’t know the meaning of yet, trophies are floating rather than physically suspended, the glowing flowers in Lois’s room, “The Phantom Zone map room’s pretty dull unless you can see radio-negative anti-waves”), Superman himself is...humblebragging isn’t the right way of putting it, but it feels like he’s working way, way harder than he ever will again in this book to be cool and impressive and assuring. He’s a dope in love, but he can tell something’s up and that super-brain of his isn’t putting the obvious pieces together, or noticing that this is just putting her off further and further until, like Bluebeard’s wife before her, she stumbles through the threshold of the door she was never meant to, even of course in the end he’s still Superman and there’s a perfectly good reason. Not a good enough reason, however, for her accusations at dinner to not hit home - his mind may be expanding, but he’s still way up his own ass here in a genuinely unpleasant way that’ll be elaborated on momentarily. For now he’s left stammering that she should trust him and it’s limp and phony, especially compared to his big entreaty for someone to trust him in #10 (which’ll be right after he finally comes clean with her); while Superman may not be considered a savior figure by his friends in here the way he often is in the mainline comics Lois seems to be the only one who doesn’t look up to him at least a little bit, but that clarity means she’ll call him out where no one else will.

Across the next two pages it’s all laid out, and we get to the roots of where things have gone wrong between the two of them. Lois is paranoid, certainly, the panels are literally squeezing in on her, but with Superman seeming so out-there and alien like never before she would have every right to be even sans alien chemicals. But notably there remains throughout a part of her assuming the best of him wondering if maybe this is just another big misunderstanding or that he’s simply been mutated by the solar overexposure. And in her heart of hearts, she admits that maybe she wants this to be another big damn trick with a completely sensible justification, because the alternative is that this is the new normal and she has to accept that he’s a flawed mortal man. It’s ugly and it’s mean - especially since she likes Clark - and it’s human as hell in the worst, most understandable way. It’s not going to be until said mortality is staring her in the face that she’ll be able to accept it.

Superman, meanwhile...someone could write a thesis on these panels as an articulation of the Superman/Clark dynamic. The Mirror of Truth is actually preexisting, centerpiece of a Jerry Siegel/Curt Swan joint in Action Comics #269 that was later adapted into the Superman newspaper strip where Lois uses it to figure out Superman is Clark Kent until he tricks her into believing the mirror can lie, after which he tosses it in a volcano; here it’s survived, and curiously shows him as Superman rather than Clark, when in the original tale it displayed Kent even though that was fully the era of Clark as a disguise. In here too it’s Superman who’s the ‘true’ identity of the two and which this time is reflected in the mirror, yet as in #1 it’s Clark who says what he’s truly feeling. In that light, the final panel of the abandoned glasses reads like nothing so much as Superman using the mirror as affirmation that the truth of the solemn, steadfast Superman identity gives him licence to deny the uncomfortable emotions his squishy human farmboy side is dredging up, ‘lying’ to him in a way he had to fake in the source material. Those emotions however knock right on the door of what he can’t grasp here: Clark’s so wrapped up in his own head trying to do the ‘right’ thing that he’s overlooking how his attempts at self-sacrificing selflessness are hurting the people around him. Throughout the series he’ll come to rely on others, first at his lowest points with Jimmy and the Bizarros, until at last he comes to invest true trust in Lois, and the Kandorians, and Leo Quintum, and even Lex.

For now though Lois is deep in a hole, a brief but memorable meeting with the Unknown Superman of 4500AD - everything Superman seems to be becoming to her even before she wonders if it’s literally him, cryptic and masked and with a big ‘ol question mark right on his chest instead of the familiar comforting logo, even his gutbuster of a question reinforcing his distance from a recognizable human experience - leading her all the way to reimagining her Silver Age ideal happy ending of marriage and family with Superman as a Cronenbergian horror. It’s still a Superman story, it turns out he had the very best reason possible for wanting to keep her in the dark, but right through to the end he remains just a little condescending in his reassurance, and his gift of essentially bringing her up to his ‘level’ isn’t going to solve the problem. While the next issue lets us see the two of them properly in love, it won’t be until the elephant in the room comes out that they can come to terms.

Additional notes

* God Quitely is so good. Look at the way the seatbelt curves in the first panel! Lois’s bemused little disbelieving smirk!

* Pages 2-3: Aurora Borealis?!

* Lois is the only character other than Superman who gets to have actual narration (in both cases as looks at their in-text writing), the only one whose viewpoint is thus privileged in the same way as his.

* The key is the realization of this series’ aesthetic in a nutshell: the old-school idea in a sleek, shiny, clever new way that doesn’t take away from the fantastical toyeticness of it all. For that matter, the key is the centerpiece of a later bit with Superman that could be fairly described as the long-term goal of the book book as Morrison’s hoped-for perennial: “One day some future man or woman will open that door, with that key. When they do, I want them to know how it felt to live at the dawn of the age of superheroes.”

* This is A. The first note of a larger DC universe existing offscreen, something that I’ll go into more when discussing #8, B. A brilliant, concise, fun little summation of his place in Superman’s world, and C. Absolutely hilarious given Morrison suggested in his exit interview that this could be seen as much later on in the same universe as All-Star Batman & Robin The Boy Wonder, which entirely rewrites the tone of that moment.

* Already discussed the key but the muscles in Superman’s hand tensing a bit at picking it up is another great detail.

* The glimpse of the Fortress here is excellent: the statues of his friends and enemies instead of pictures because he does things bigger with the yellow electric something crackling at the end of it, the off-model but curious-looking robot appearing to glance at Kandor (are it and the bigger robot with the seats on top of it trophies, or Superman Robots with different designs tasked for specific purposes?), the classic Bad Penny Good For One Crime, the Legion time bubble that establishes his time-traveling credentials for later, the Titanic where he and Lois will dine when their relationship hits a proverbial iceberg, and most strikingly the space shuttle Columbia, his apparent rescue of which I have to imagine is a reference to Astro City’s Superman analogue Samaritan debuting by averting the Challenger disaster.

* It’s next issue that has my actual favorite Superman/Lois moment of all time, but “When we’re married fifteen years, when I’m sagging and he looks just the same, will he still meet me and say things like...” “These are for you. I picked them on Alpha Centauri 4.” is right up there.

* The technological aesthetic of the Fortress is so different than P.R.O.J.E.C.T., sleek and solid and cleanly-lit and antiseptic, beautiful and advanced but a little cold in its own way. As stuffed with wonder as this place may be, there’s something hauntingly empty about it, suiting both the tone of the issue and as a physical embodiment of Superman’s emotional state. The one part that goes against it is the forbidden room, it even has beakers and test tubes to sell the mad scientist vibe...though if you were to stretch it, it much more close resembles the human technology seen at P.R.O.J.E.C.T., and this is meant as a gift for one.

* The cosmic anvil made it along with the key into the CWverse, Lois used it in Elseworlds! I may not be expecting All-Star quality from the upcoming Superman and Lois, but it’s good to know the powers that be are using it as a reference point (beyond how it inspired Supergirl’s take on Cat Grant, a connection I discussed in a post that seems to have vanished into thin air). The whole page is perfect, Superman at his most joyfully benign and beautiful and godlike; it’s the one bit where Lois’s skepticism cracks a touch watching him feed his adorable little Lovecraftian abomination from beyond the stars.

* While he never appears physically aside from a statue Brainiac hovers over this series from beginning to end in name and deed, the ominous ultimate enemy of Superman’s past, the great trial overcome even as the scars forever remain. Morrison mentioned in the exit interview that he didn’t appear in here because he and Quitely already used him as the villain of JLA: Earth 2, but that if he had it would have borrowed Superman: The Animated Series’ take on him as a Kryptonian AI gone rogue. Personally I like his place in here as-is, a little totem parallel to the Justice League references indicating the breadth of Superman’s history between putting on the cape and Luthor’s final scheme.

* A pair of minor notes: Lois points at Superman with the pointy fork when asking him pointed questions, and while it’s not immediately clear on first read she does in fact ask the Unknown Superman exactly 3 questions (“Kal Kent?” “Will Superman and I ever marry and have children?” “What do you mean?”) before he replies with his own, as promised.

* “Oww.” and “Tickles.” literally could not be more perfect Superman moments.

* Worth taking a moment to marvel at just how many future plot elements are seeded here. There’s the obvious bit of Superman thinking about having a partner setting up the next issue, but we also for issue #6 have our first look at Kal Kent and Lois wondering “What if (the Unknown Superman) was really (Superman)?” when Clark will indeed pose as him, for #10 we get our first look at Qwewq, and for #11 not only is the Sun-Eater introduced but so is Robot 7′s malfunction as a result of Luthor’s tampering.

* The structure of the series according to Morrison is a solar cycle, beginning and ending at midday with nightfall in the center. If last issue was the sun at its brightest we begin the descent here, with Superman remaining larger-than-life and ultimately trustworthy but with his classic persona and habits held to an additional, unflattering degree of scrutiny.