#just like. disarmingly earnest

[exopelagic]

God help me I may have another crush on a straight boy

[ninibeingdelulu]

A kid’s dream ✧

Plot: You find 5 years old Bachira playing alone, so you decide to join him.

A/N: Can I say im proud of this post ? Cause I am. Oh and if you didn’t understand you’re a kid too, like the same age as him.

The late afternoon light cast a warm, honeyed glow across the empty sandbox, creating wispy shadows that danced and flickered playfully with the faintest breeze.

A chubby-cheeked little boy with a tousled mop of messy black curls bounded around the sun-dappled area, kicking a battered soccer ball in exaggerated, uncoordinated motions.

Despite his cherubic features and bright sapphire eyes sparkling with pure glee, something melancholic emanated from the small figure.

A cloud of perpetual isolation, as if the tiny boy orbited on a plane just adjacent to all his peers - forever the outsider peering in.

"Haha! Did you see that shot?!"

Meguru shouted to no one in particular, tiny chest heaving from exertion as he beamed proudly at the ball now rolling to a stop several feet away.

Before he could race after it again, a soft voice piped up from behind causing the young boy to pivot with those big doe eyes blown wide.

"Whatcha doin'?"

You toddled across the sandy pit, downy hair ruffled by the balmly zephyrs tickling your round cheeks.

Despite the cherubic picture of innocence you painted, Meguru immediately bristled - shoulders hunching as if bracing for the inevitable round of mockery that always accompanied any overtures at friendly interaction.

He lifted a chubby arm to vigorously rub at his button nose, regarding you with open suspicion laced through those crystal azure pools.

"Um...playin' soccer?"

A puzzled nose-wrinkle creased your brow at Meguru's inexplicable wariness to so simple an inquiry.

"All by yourself?"

The little boy merely nodded, muddy cleats scuffing the sand as he shuffled in place - clearly prepared for the teasing jabs that typically followed such observations from other kids.

Realizing he wasn't going to supply any additional details unprompted, you simply traipsed nearer, wide-eyed with youthful curiosity.

"But that seems lonely..." You cocked your head to one side, round features scrunched in consternation.

"Do you wanna play together? I'm not very good yet, but I can try!"

Meguru froze, mouth parting with unspoken surprise at your words - so averse to the ugly responses long imprinted on his young psyche.

Was this some cruel joke? A setup to deliver an even more brutal punchline mocking his desires for friendship?

Frantically his gaze searched yours for any trace of trickery or meanness, finding only the most openly earnest and disarmingly sweet expression mirrored back at him.

You simply waited, clumsily fidgeting with the hem of your shirt as minutes ticked by suspended in breathless hope.

That strange, untapped warmth began radiating through Meguru's tiny chest as the reality cemented in his mind. Not only did you wish to play with him...but there was no scorn or malice in your proposition whatsoever!

Within seconds, his whole demeanor transformed in a blinding shift as happiness and disbelieving joy erased all lingering uncertainty.

Scrambling closer to you, the little boy's sun-kissed features split in a megawatt grin of purest elation so overflowing, it seemed to eclipse his entire miniature frame.

Those big sapphire eyes sparkled like crystalline dewdrops, all radiant hope and heart-bursting affection.

Eagerly Meguru reached for your hand, bouncing on the balls of his tiny feet with infectious enthusiasm.

"Yeah!! Yeah, I wanna play together!!"

He squeezed your fingers tight, as if trying to fuse your joined souls into an adamant tether even at this tender age.

Giggling at his exuberance, you gave a reciprocating squeeze as the two of you tumbled onto the sand in a whirl of kicking legs and peals of carefree, tinkling laughter.

Any apprehension evaporated in the golden warmth of this newly-forged comradeship encircling you both in its glow.

For Meguru, it was as if the universe itself had rewarded his earnest desires with the ultimate miracle - a friend, one who could see the boundless depths of his spirit beyond cold, callous judgements.

In those fleeting moments, the young striker felt buoyantly weightless and complete, untethered by solitude for the first time in his short life so far.

His whole world shifted onto an exciting new axis the instant you graced it with simple, radiant innocence and acceptance. In that moment, nothing else in existence could touch him but the breathtaking potential for adventure and belonging stretching into the horizon...

[neonscandal]

What are your bakudeku fav moments? And what are your fav personal headcanons about them?

Okie, so I may have done a few head canons like this (and forgot to link the last five in the SatoSugu ask just like this... also the alternating colors was admittedly gratuitous but I'm not changing it now. Just know that I have regrets.). Maybe even drafted some moments like this but let's light this BBQ anyway. 💥

Horikoshi truly doesn't get enough credit for how perfect this panel and subsequent animation was. It's actually hysterical? Earnest Deku and Little Shit Kacchan. It's so them, I can't even.

HEAD CANONS

The Bakugo's are the Have's and the Midoriya's are the Have Not's but Mitsuki and Inko are so close that the boys never really knew the difference. Mitsuki helps Inko out where she can which is why Deku is a staple in their house growing up (free childcare for Inko and necessary socialization for her brat, Katsuki). You should see their childhood photo albums, they are both equally as embedded in one anothers' family histories.

When the boys first came to understand their economic differences, it was because of the disparity between their All Might merch collections and Bakugo realized it long before Midoriya. Subsequently, he staved off this epiphany by making it a point to always ask for "one for Izuku" until they fell out which Mitsuki obliged generously and proudly, knowing their relationship was precious but also a good influence on her gremlin.

I say they fell out but.. they didn't. Not in the ways that mattered. Bakugo is as big a nerd as Midoriya, he just has the sense to be more lowkey about it. Even when Bakugo was being a bully, he'd begrudgingly ask Midoriya (if Midoriya didn't ask first) to any midnight releases of All Might/hero movies and merch drops. They absolutely are the kind of dorks to camp out for limited release stuff. It's a lifelong tradition. Even if things went back to normal at school the next day, they still had that in common and both knew not to bring it up otherwise to maintain the balance of their twisted relationship otherwise. It's why, even after all this time, they're still so in sync. Also, by that point, the "one for Izuku" custom is so deeply ingrained that Mitsuki does it anyway. The turnover between Bakugo to Midoriya is so begrudging and awkward. All unspoken but a deeply rooted fact of their relationship.

Bakugo absolutely got them lost in the forest once. I think he took that fear and pivoted it into a refusal to ever be scared in nature again which is why he persistently enjoys the outdoors so much. It feels like revenge every time he comes back from a hike.

They made a blood oath to never tell anyone about how Mitsuki used them as drop in models for the Bakugo child clothing line because there was at least one season where they both modeled girls' clothes (Midoriya doesn't really care but Bakugo does). It's not that Bakugo cares or takes issue with a persons' gender, orientation or expression. He knows clothes don't define a person, he's confident and masculine either way and he knows he'd be the best looking person in a dress. He does, however, take issue with the fact that the hag likes to coo and lord the pictures over him because he was incredibly and disarmingly cute (which he acknowledges as "damn right" but despises the principle of the matter wherein his mom has anything over him).

Class 1A all notice the weird tension between the fire kid and the brittle boned dude who looks like he's never slept but just... awkwardly avoid it because they're just as emotionally underdeveloped as these two idiots. I also kinda think the confrontation between the two isn't always as bad as Midoriya's narration suggests because, I would hope in a class of hero students, someone would have intervened? But everyone picked up, day one, that they're just little weirdos and let them do their own thing.

In fact, no one finds Bakugo as intimidating as Midoriya does. Literally, no one. He's loud but compliant with a self-imposed bed time. His words are violent but his hands are skilled and intentional, never reflecting the carnage he threatens. Plus, he's a big ole dork! They know he's all bark and that's why people don't react to his rampaging (based in canon if you look at the provisional license exam, culture festival, Christmas, and Deku's secret training with Tsu, Ochaco and Sero). He used to be really bothered by Class 1A's lack of reaction to his yelling. They just kinda manhandle him to put him in his place and keep it pushing (again, see also Christmas episode and culture festival arcs). But now he accepts it as they accept him and he doesn't feel the need to be so abrasive and put up as many walls.

Midoriya, of course, notices this transition. Hyper fixated on it in fact. While he's super happy that Kacchan is settling in and finding his peace, he resents (but only a teeeeny tiny little bit) Kirishima in particular thinking this change is because of their friendship which he covets. He doesn't comprehend his own impact on or inspiration for this change, however. He never gives himself enough credit.

When Midoriya went all Dark Deku, Bakugo spent exactly one day a la Bella in Twilight sitting forlorn and waiting in the dark for the idiot to return. After the first 24, he pulled his Hermione pants on and got to work on the plan of recapturing the nerd by any means necessary.

Without spoilers, Bakugo's prized possession is the All Might card they both have because AM remains to be the pinnacle for everything Bakugo hopes to accomplish. But Midoriya's prized possession and the thing he hid before everyone did room tours at Heights Alliance is a picture of him and Bakugo. No fanfare, no merch, just a picture of the two of them with a smile that goes cheek to cheek. It's what gives him strength and resolve to keep moving forward. Aoyama's totally seen it.

Midoriya knows why Bakugo goes to bed at 8:30PM. Yes, he's a sleepy little guy. But also yes, this is his private time to read his shojo romance mangas in peace. ✨ Midoriya stays abreast of his favorite stories waiting for an inevitable "!!!" text when something big happens because Bakugo can't download his... excitement? confusion? joy? with anyone else. (Technically, Kirishima is also aware of this habit, quite by accident, but Bakugo would never tell Midoriya that).

Doesn't seem like it but Bakugo totally spoils Midoriya. It's masked in the harsh way he tends to package everything but he makes it a point to always cook for him, he's really weirdly thoughtful about gifts (no special occasion required but he'll shove it in the nerd's chest), he nags to make sure Midoriya is taking care of himself, etc. When Midoriya falls asleep in random places, Bakugo is the one who covers him with a blanket, quiets the surrounding extras down and leaves him with an excruciatingly gentle thumb across his freckles.

Bakugo pays rapt attention to Midoriya's muttering. Generally, he's interested in the subject matter because he's also an overly analytical fanboy. But also, his attention will sometimes drift from appreciating Midoriya's face and fall to his lips. This is when he gets flustered and "loses his temper". Really, he's worried he got caught lacking and is pissed at himself. It'll happen again and again.

MOMENTS

Much longer series thats focused basically on their relationship so these aren't really moment moments but rather... pieces of the story.

Better in the manga, but Midoriya running into the slime villain fray was just... so momentous. Even before knowing it's impact, it was it was just so chest fluttering. Through and through, that kid has always been a hero. Quirk or not.

In retrospect, everything about the sports festival makes me want to swallow a throw pillow. From Bakugo starting to warm up to people, Bakugo being an eavesdropping little shit, Midoriya (and Aizawa) explaining Kacchan to onlookers, Bakugo unwilling to accept victory. So much of their individual personalities are laid bare but still, that unavoidable link to one another.

I hated the exam against All Might, too much tension/confrontation. But I loved when Bakugo took a hit meant for Midoriya and Midoriya subsequently powered up to sideline All Might AND recapture Bakugo's unconscious body. So on brand for them.

Midoriya still having a psychic connection with Bakugo's enigmatic ass in Kamino by sending Kirishima in for the rescue. I know that burned him up but he's so used to sacrifice.

Generally, every time Kacchan inspired the unlock of another OFA quirk because let's be so for real. Midoriya is Captain Save a Hoe when it comes to Bakugo and even simply Bakugo's honor. Like Bakugo can't defend himself.

Super Secret All Might Meeting in the gif above. It's just so comical, how different they are, but deep down they're so similar.

Dinner at the Todoroki's because that, too, was just so comical. You mean to tell me Bakugo can be considerate? He has manners? He's not always feral!?

First Shiggy Showdown, Bakugo's hero origin story revolving around his body moving to defend Midoriya just like Midoriya's revolved around him.

Bakugo risking further injury and limb to see Midoriya because that's the first thing on his mind as soon as he opened his eyes.

Super Secret All Might Training (with Tsu, Ochaco and Sero). The fact that Bakugo comes to terms with how shitty he's been but also that he cares so much about Midoriya that he can come to terms with the fact that his idol may be withholding stuff that could negatively impact his childhood friend. That reckoning when Midoriya still struggles to not put All Might on a pedestal is peak overprotective Bakugo.

Bakugo putting on his tie properly to appeal to Nezu and Endeavor about bringing Deku back in and how, just as Midoriya can speak to Bakugo's inner workings, Bakugo can speak to Midoriya's. Which is hilarious considering how they're both still pretty dense.

THE APOLOGY. No notes. Just kidding, one amendment. The apology followed by the forced bath of city rat smelling Deku, group project edition.

⚠️ Spoiler Warning through MHA Chapter 411.

The moment Bakugo takes the field against Shigaraki. He tells Best Jeanist to watch over everyone, as he knows he'll be abdicating that role, and he thinks about Midoriya. Which we now know he's been doing this whole time!?

Volume 29 manga cover.

Just as Midoriya has been a driving force for Bakugo, we see once again that Bakugo was a driving force for Midoriya with the way he absolutely loses his shit when he sees Bakugo's discarded body.

Volume 37 manga cover!

THE TELEPATHIC WAY THEY LAUNCHED BAKUGO TO ALL MIGHT'S AID. Featuring heavily: Bakugo and his Midoriya pickled mind. That success was so cathartic. But also Bakugo verbalizing what he felt he's always been hell bent on doing, looking out for Midoriya. Which again, kinda twisted but I'm interested to see how their story ends because I think we'll get some exposure to more of their background lore.

[milkywayes]

I don’t mean to judge anyone, at all, but now I’m really thinking about how during all of the ME2 romance garrus only ever emphasizes how much he respects shepard and that it’s about intimacy and connection, about their relationship rather than fetishes etc. “this isn’t about that — this is about us.”

“there’s no one in this galaxy i respect more than you” is a Deciding factor in him saying yes to her.

if you reject him, he says something like “if we want intimacy, we can just blow something up together. again.”

that’s their dynamic from the get-go. respect and connection. nothing canonically primal about it. rather it’s sweet and disarmingly earnest. they’re confidantes first. it’s why they work so well together.

[kcsplace]

AirBnb aka Book A Room In Your Heart

Trent's ex-wife has just left the country, her work as an embedded journalist once more calling her away, leaving Trent with an ever-present fear for her safety and full custody of their four year old daughter.

It's not the best timing, if he's honest. It comes hot on the heels of Trent leaving his job in a fit of pique and moral outrage at being asked to do an expose on a footballers health with private medical information being leaked by, Trent suspects, the owner of Richmond himself. Anything to draw attention from his messy, bitter divorce. Coping with leaving the career he worked for since he was a child, and a young daughter missing her mother...it's a struggle.

Unsure of how to proceed, but needing someting more than his old job, something deeper, and frankly needing cash in the meantime, Trent figures he can take in a lodger while he figures his shit out. Within hours of putting his spare room up on AirBnB for a long term rental, it's conditionally booked. With his daughter in the home, Trent has stringent rules about who he'd allow in the home, and an email arrived shortly after with a full police background check on one Theodore Lasso, along with all pertinent certification allowing him to work and interact with children, not to mention three glowing personal references.

He seems perfect. Well, perhaps not perfect. His emails are a little...odd, full of hokey charm and off-topic stories, but the man already had a job waiting in London, and just needed somewhere to stay while he set up his new life thousands of miles away from home. Trent figured the American would barely be in the house between his work and hunting for a proper home and so he accepts the booking, imagining just who this Theodore Lasso might be based off the messages they're exchanged, and what he could glean from the references. The man standing on his doorstep with a backpack and a duffle that seemed to be all he'd brought with him of a past life...well, he's not remotely what Trent had imagined.

Ted is hokey, but he's also disarmingly honest, long-winded but earnest, gentle and genuine. He has a pop-culture knowledge that rivals Trent's own, an exhaustive supply of rhymes and the sort of looks that have always turned Trent's head.

To make matters worse, Ted has the absolute impertinence to be good with Trent's daughter, who is understandably in a funk because her mother is away. Ted includes her when he bakes, setting her up with her own little apron and small utensils, getting all flustered and apologetic that he might have overstepped, while in fact Trent is a)about to jump him b) hasn't seen his daughter this engaged and happy in weeks and, most distractingly c) ABOUT TO JUMP HIM.

The audacity of the man to stand there with his sleeves rolled up and flour in his hair, making Trent's flat smell like vanilla and butter and childhood, while he and Trent's little girl sing absolute nonsense ....

Suffice to say, Trent is not God's strongest soldier. The Lord is testing him and he has not studied. Ted is a man in need of a home, much like Trent. A man searching for a new life like Trent, and a way to fill the aching hole left in him by loss and time and grief.

And Trent? He might well get caught up in the whirlwind

[okaybooner]

[Leigh feels relieved at the physical contact. She can tell that Boone is being very careful right now, awkward and restrained in a way that clearly betrays a fear of overstepping in some way, but this too is of the same disarmingly genuine quality of his that she cherishes. It's like he thinks she's something precious, to be handled with precision and care. An endearing attitude of him to have, considering the fact she stands almost an entire foot taller than him.]

[It's not that she doesn't get it, though. She's not used to physical affection, not really. Not that her own upbringing was particularly conservative about gender roles; she had simply never been that sort of person, she thinks. Weird, unwanted, graceless, too large--...]

[She squeezes his hand.]

It's alright... We don't have to understand or be able to explain everything right away. I'm just glad I got to tell you all those things, and that we are... here.

[It's a bold move she chooses next and she hopes it doesn't scare Boone away; still holding his hand, she closes the distance between them so she can embrace him with her other harm and rest her cheek on the top of his head. It's a somewhat awkward hug, not well-coordinated at all, between two people not used to such gestures, but--it's earnest, it's a search for comfort and a desire to give comfort, and... she simply had to, she thinks.]

...we don't have to understand everything... [he repeats it like a revelation, and when she comes closer, he looks a little genuinely surprised but otherwise doesn't make any move to stop her]

[in fact, after a moment, he releases her hand so that he can instead brace her arm across his chest, holding her forearm tightly with both hands. it seems that, given the chance, he's actually pretty good at hugging. her hair falls over his head like a hood, and the sheer ridiculousness makes him smile a wobbly, underused smile]

...hey, leigh?

[fipindustries]

my personal version of the trinity

im talking about the dc super heroes, batman superman and wonder woman, not the son the father and the holy spirit.

i've always had my own version of these characters is my head and i would like to put it here for you guys to see. im sure a lot of this is going to overlap what a lot of what's already been done, that is inevitable give these characters longevity.

in a general sense, before we get into specifics, the way i think of these three, and of dc heroes in general, is that wherever they are they are the adults in the room. they are the conception that a kid has of an adult. professional, mature, always in control, always knows what to do in any situation, nearly omnipotent capacity to make all problems go away.

for these three i think of them as first responders, as firemen or paramedics. they are the people who come into a diaster, assess the situation and have a plan and a script to tackle it in the appropiate manner.

they know how to evacuate civilians, how to administer first aid, what is the order of priorities, etc. when they come in to save the day they are doing a job and they are good at it, they are the best at it, they are the people you want handling whatever it is that is happening.

all of this implies a certain level of maturity and professionalism that i expect from them. im not a fan of whenever these heroes are shown as super emotional, wether it be driven by rage or brooding, we have marvel for that. like yes, things can obviously get to them and enemies can deploy psychological attacks but generally they are emotionally mature enough to handle most things thrown their way.

i also like to think of them as mainly problem solvers rather than fighters or combatants (with the exception perhaps of wonder woman, more on that later). them simply going with raw fists to punch problems away is an absolute last resort if there is no other way to solve the problem. otherwise they toolset is wide enough that they can find clever, efficient, practical ways to deal with threats. im sure there are few threats superman cant solve without making judicious and calculated use of his super speed and his laser. double and triple goes for batman.

also, if i were to have absolute dictatorial control over DC i would make it so that they are not necessarily fighting a monster of the week style threat but rather that they have overarching goals and every mission is a step closer to that goal. and once their respective cities are stable enough they are free to establish the justice league to protect the world of overzised threats like alien invasions or pandimentional attacks.

without further ado here we go

superman.

honestly not much new, the guy has been done flawlessly plenty of times. i am particularly fond of the superman from My adventures with superman. perhaps i would write him a lot less childish but otherwise it seems there are plenty of writers that get the guy. he is a decent, truly kind man from kansas, who was well raised by a loving family and who grew up in a stable enviroment surrounded by friends. probably one of the healthiest persons out there, also one of the most resilient, in more ways than one. a guy who is willing to lend his surplus of strength, both physical and personal for the sake of others since he understands not everyone can handle things all on their own and so he is happy to help wherever he can.

he is perhaps a little corny, a little too straight laced, almost to the point of coming off as naive. if you didnt know him well you'd think he is just a boring goodie two shoes boy scout, but once you get to know him you realize he is just disarmingly earnest and sincere in all he does. he is such a dad, too. he makes bad jokes and gets overly excited for big sales and wears shorts with socks and sandals and he insist that you get horrible matching sweaters on christmas. his clak kent persona is not a mask, he is genuenly a dork. also he is a true journalist, he actually cares a lot about his job at the daily planet and takes super seriously whenever he has to do investigative journalism or an interview of a high profile figure.

i dont think he hates lex luthor, he is just really frustrated that a man that brilliant would waste his gift in such petty sillyness. his biggest flaw is that he can be overcome by self doubts, maybe its is wrong that he shoud be having all this power, maybe he is becoming too authoritarian by trying to fix all the worlds problems, how does he know what the most responsible way to use his powers is? is it his right to interfere in affairs of humanity when he is technically an alien? oh god maybe luthor has a point, maybe he shouldnt be here, he doesnt know what he is doing! he is just a farmer from kansas!

his ultimate mission, his overall, overarching goal, would be to take lex luthor down, the main source of most villainy and evil happening in metropolis. but he insists on doing it the right way, getting proper evidence, writing actual news articles, showing through all legitimate channels that lex is a crook and a criminal, which is the reason it takes so long. of course he could capture luthor in ten seconds flat but then he would have to deal with attacking a private citizen, with the criminal system, with the trials and with the terrible hit that it would signify for superman's reputation.

he thinks bruce needs to relax a little, and honestly the whole bat thing is a little silly. but also he deeply profoundly respects the fact that bruce is doing all of it on his own, no kriptonian powers gifted from on high, and he genuenly thinks of him as a true friend. he sometimes even feels a little inadecuate next to bruce because bruce is obviously the smarter of the two and the guy who always seems to be most in control of the situation and who always has a plan, making clark feel like he is just making it up as he goes along and he is just wasting his time picking cats from trees and stopping petty theft.

as for diana he is downright intimidated by her and he is a bit put off by the fact that she is clearly way more comfortable with violence than the other two guys. but again, he can sense she has a kind heart and is also a true hero.

clark secretly feels like the lamest of the three because he is just a guy trying to help around and the other two are like parangons of righteousness and borderline demigods, he doesnt realize the other two basically idolize him.

batman.

he is a really intense dude.

again, im not interested in a batman that is too tortured. the batman from the 70's-80's hit a pretty good balance in my mind. he is still a person. a very obsessive, intense, dedicated and disciplined person but a person at the end of the day, none of that "there is only batman" nonesense here, at least not early on. yes he is a guy haunted by his demons and carrying a terrible turmoil on the inside, but he is generally good at keeping in check. this does manifest in issues on the long term though, on a macro level. on the way he keeps cycling robins, the way that as the years go by he never seems to be able to move on to something better and specially in the way that he ends up by the end of it all. batman of the future did this perfectly, a bitter lonely old man who pushed most people away.

but on a day to day basis, on a mission to mission rythm, he is well adjusted. he is a team player, he doesnt push his sidekicks or collaborators too far (but he does go out of his way to carry most of the weight of the mission, which makes many of his robins think he underestimates them or doesnt take them seriously, when in reality he is just trying to protect them) he knows how to dial down the whole dark knight persona when dealing with civilians, he keeps his strength firmly in check so as to never unnecesarily brutalize the criminals he fights against. he puts way more priority in stealth and trickery than face to face confrontations.

he is stoic and he is overtly serious and formal, but when its just him and clark and diana he does allow himself to make more casual commentary or maybe ever crack and incredibly wry, dry as pavement joke. whilst around most civilians he comes off as intense and brooding clark and diana can tell he is just a little awkward (and possibly autistic?) and his rigid behavior is just a shield he uses.

bruce wayne is just him masking, we all know his playboy millionaire persona and im not going to go too deep into that. he can be "normal", he can relax when he is at the manor with alphred and dick or todd or tim or damian. he is generally a quiet guy, very introspective. very ocassionally he will let out his more impish side (there is still inside of him a child who never got a chance to be a child) he is an adult who chose to dress up as a bat and build himself a bat cave and a batmobil. he is a little whimsical, and he will pull little pranks on robin or alphred or whatever. but when the cowl is on he is back to strictly bussiness

he doesnt hate the joker, honestly he has bigger problems in his plate, but he does find him incredibly annoying and aggravating, that someone would cause so much evil for basically no reason. his biggest flaw is that he can be a bit too cold and calculating and he has a tendency to be self destructive in how he insists carrying all the problems of the world and push himself too far

his overall cause would be to try and fix the fundamental rot in gotham that is making it so that it keeps producing nothing but corrupt politicians, brutal cops and deranged lunatics, where any attempt at reform or to inject money into the system to fix things keeps getting absorbed and redirected into the city's criminal underbelly. batman is there as a shock to the system, trying to surgically unclog and fix a broken machine so that the actual proper channels and institutions start doing their goddamn job and set the city on a better path. honestly the colorful supervillains are almost a distraction of his day to day work, they are just the symptoms of a deeper problem and not the disease he is desperatly trying to cure.

he doesnt for even a second think that clark is lame or naive or silly. bruce almost idolizes clark because he sees in him a shining resplandescent example of a healthy, kind, pure good man, something bruce is convinced he could never be due to his "inner darkness" (this is just bruce being silly). to bruce superman is what a hero should be and batman is what he has no option but to become since he is only a man. in time he will come to see clark as a person rather than an idol in a pedestal and finally as the one friend he can truly trust on and even be vulnerable around.

diana he also deeply respects because he sees in her a disciplined warrior ready to do whatever needs to be done in the name of justice. and again, his more whimsical side cant help but find it a bit cool that she is a true mythological figure who came from a mystical lost island. whever he is on a mission he feels she is the only person who speaks his language, except when they butt heads over her wanting to confront a problem head on and him trying to do more sneaky meanuvers.

wonder woman.

she is a woman of the world.

in my head she would be the most cosmopolitan of the trio, also she can be a bit of and outsider given that bruce and clark are ultimatly americans and she is a foreigner from a wildly different culture. but she finds enough things in common with the other two that she can make it work out.

in my head she is primarily a warrior from a warrior culture. she is a paladin, righteous, devoted, and perhaps a little single minded. but she is not just a fighter, she comes from themyschira as a diplomat, she is after all a princess, she is adroit at politics, at diplomacy, at negotiation, although she does tend to prefer to negotiate mainly by projecting strength. she is above all things honorable. she makes oaths and she will give her life for those oaths.

she is also incredibly kind and warm. of the three she is the one that loves humanity and all of its children with the most warmth. whereas superman can come off as too nice and batman too correct she is the one that can be genuenly comforting when she needs to. she loves to learn and interact with new cultures, after all there is a whole world out there to explore. she speaks like 30 languages, is very well verse in world history and she is familiar with world politics. she has shaken the hand of multiple kings, queens and presidents. of the three she is the easiest to talk to, even if she does come off as a bit old fashioned at times.

but once again, she is a warrior. of the three she is the fastest to go to the sword and the one who has the least issues with killing if necessary. superman absolutely never does it unless its like a kaiju or an eldritch abomination or an army of robots. batman doesnt do it *directly* but he is not going to go too out of his way to stop a villain from getting hoisted by his own petard. diana will just do it, with her own hands if she has to. she doesnt take glee on it and she doesnt rush to do it but she wont hesitate either.

she can be a little brusque and a little strongheaded. once she makes a desition is incredibly hard to make her change her mind or slow down. batman has learn to work with it and try his best to make plans that accomodate that. clark will protest a little and then throw his arm in the air and follow her in whatever she decided has to be done.

her overall mission is of a larger scope than the other two. again, she is a woman of themischyra but more than that she is a woman of the world. the threats she faces, gods, demigods and other mythological beings, tend to operate on a world stage and so she is flying to multiple countries trying to contain the capricious whims of the gods and protect mortals from their dangerous games.

she barely sees her enemies as people. to be fair most of her enemies are manticores, minotaurs, plagues, or gods. but also when she comes across people like max lord she just sees evil that has to be vanquished and that is the end of it. her biggest flaw is that she has a tendency towards black and white thinking.

she is the tallest of the three, by like a full head. also the bulkiest. batman is musuclar but lean, fibrous, he puts emphasis on stealth and cleverness than raw strength. superman is muscular but in a very sculptural way. his big muscles are more a battery of the power he absorbs from our sun. his strength doesnt come from how big his muscles actually are. diana is a tank, she has a big frame and is built like a lumberjack. she is not perfectly cut and shredded, she has body fat, she is beefy.

she sees clack as basically a god since is the primary frame of reference that she has for someone whit the kinds of powers he has. she doesnt have the highest opinion of gods given her greek upbringing, so she sees clark a bit as "one of the good ones". she finds his boy scout routine adorable and his refusal to kill a little childish, and sometimes she is a little patronizing with him, but ultimatly she loves him like a brother. she's so proud of him.

she sort of doesnt know what to make of bruce. he is obviously a formidable warrior, and for a mortal man, the things he can do are truly impressive, also he lives by a code of honor and has a higher calling, and she respects that a lot, but sometimes she doesnt get why he wastes so much time sneaking around and playing with his little toys. that is not the way a warrior is supposed to fight. but, well, he does get results, so ultimatly she trusts him

***

at the end of the day, they are friends. maybe coworkers at first but after a few years of putting their lives on the line for each other they have true loyalty. driven closer for their work but also for the fact that they are truly at the top of the hero game and it can be pretty lonely at the top and sometimes all they have is each other.

[daintyduck99]

soft romance prompts from ash??? don't mind if i dooooo

shifting glances all around the room, and i can't decide between rulie and sweet tarts (the dirty candi girls could be fun!) so you decide 😄

There's something about the new library assistant that's driving Julie crazy.

He demands attention with the way he moves, as if he's dancing to a song that only he can hear. He definitely has the legs for it, long and shapely in a way that almost makes Julie miss her ex-girlfriend.

Maybe that's why he seems familiar, but her gut tells her that it's not just that.

"I know he's cute, Jules, but you'd better stop ogling him before he catches you."

Julie flushes, burying her face in the book she's supposed to be scouring as a reference for her paper. Flynn coos.

"Aw, I called it! Someone has a crush."

"I do not!" Julie hisses. "I've never even spoken to him. He just reminds me of…something. It's bothering me so much that I can't focus."

"Mm, that's what's bothering you. Not the way he winked at you right before he raked his hand through his hair."

"What?!"

Julie's eyes fly back to him, only for him to catch her gaze, and she squeaks, hurriedly looking anywhere else. Repeatedly. Maybe he'll think she's just trying to figure out what section to look in and she only looked at him accidentally.

She does need another book, besides, so she vanishes into the shelves once the coast appears to be clear, still wishing she could literally become invisible as she searches for her source.

The book she needs taunts her from a high shelf, and of course there aren't any step stools nearby, so she pushes her sleeves up with a sigh, bracing herself before she starts to scale the shelves.

"Need some help?"

She yelps as she slips, but a strong set of arms catches her before she can really fall or stumble too far, anchoring her to a firm chest. She tips her head back to thank her savior, only to find her face inches away from that of the cute library assistant.

His eyes are absolutely lethal up close, glittering green above a field of freckles that dot his flushed cheeks like daisies. Even his smile is bright, a disarmingly charming, crooked thing, and her heart pounds furiously in her throat, both from the proximity and the striking familiarity.

She's seen that smile before. Flynn's words suddenly make a lot more sense.

"You're that bassist," she blurts, wincing at her volume, but he quirks his eyebrows in an amused invitation for her to continue, so she does in a hurried whisper. "For Sunset Curve. I saw you guys at that showcase the Creative Arts Center puts on every Autumn. You're really good."

His cheeks go an even more brilliant shade of pink at the compliment, and it's not just her heart that's racing, she realizes with a start. His is thumping just as hard.

"Thanks." He unfastens his arms from around her waist with a sheepish cough.

He's rubbing the back of his neck when she spins around to look at him properly, and she's about to say something, anything, to keep their conversation from ending on an incredibly awkward note, but he surprises her again.

"You're the girl who sang along to most of the songs we covered. Not that you were the only one, but your voice really carries, and you—you're also really good. Like, to say you sound angelic isn't a stretch. I had you pegged as a performance major."

She giggles, covering her mouth to stifle the sound. She can't help it. It should be cheesy, but he's so earnest. He means it.

"Thank you. I am! I would've guessed that you study music too, but I've never seen you in any of my classes. Music minor?"

He bounces on his toes. "Yup! Piano."

"Me too! I couldn't do piano and vocals as my major focus, so."

"I'm sure you could," he says with a shrug, "but they made you choose one."

She pokes him with a pleased smile.

"You've never even heard me play. You don't even know my name!"

"Okay, well, I'm Reggie, and I'm sure if I ever heard you, it would only prove me right."

"Julie," she breathes, offering him her hand even though it's a little late for that, but he takes it anyway, folding it into his larger one. His calluses rasp against her skin, and she suppresses a shiver. "Hi."

He laughs quietly. "Hi, Julie."

He says her name like he's testing it out. He's still holding her hand as he searches her eyes. She doesn't want him to let go.

It gives her an idea.

"Can I write on you?"

His eyebrows fly back up as he finally releases her hand. He smirks at her.

"I usually get asked the other way around—"

She swats at him, and he laughs a little too loud, but no one comes to reprimand them. She's still trying and failing to fight a smile as he continues.

"But sure, by all means."

She's had a highlighter behind her ear. She must look like an absolute dork, but it comes in handy, now, and, well—she kind of is one. Something tells her he is, too.

She scribbles her number on the back of his hand in purple, along with her name and a little heart. He goes a little pink again when he sees it, and she melts, just a little. There's a hopeless romantic somewhere in there, she's sure of it.

"There. So you can come hear me play. Or ask me out. Either would be good. But I'd expect you to play for me, too. Okay?"

"Yeah," he says slowly, "yeah, that'd be—yeah. I'll call you."

She giggles again, pressing her lips to his cheek before scampering back to her seat, and she can't help it if they keep escaping her every time she catches his eyes.

It's not until Flynn gets filled in and lets out an ear-piercing squeal that they temporarily get booted from the library, though.

[noweverybodysdead]

ABOUT BFIAFL (to spare you the time to look for people saying the same thing over and over again)

Matty Healy taps Jack Antonoff to help produce a concise, meaningful, pop-focused album about love. It’s cliché, it’s obvious, it’s slyly profound—it’s the 1975. (Pitchfork)

The band have given up irony and bombast in favour of heartfelt snapshots of millennial life – though, as ever, frontman Matty Healy can’t quite resist going too far. (the Guardian, 4/5 stars)

Finally, an album that leaves us wanting more. This new record is half the size of its messy 2020 predecessor, and all the better for it. (Evening Standard)

There’s also a feeling that the band have less to prove this time around, and this combination of nonchalance and unapologetic earnestness shapes a considerable chunk of the album. As such, Being Funny… offers the closest thing you’ll find to a definitive snapshot of The 1975: multifaceted, self-analytical, occasionally hyperactive, but through it all, disarmingly sincere. (Hot Press, 7/10)

The 1975 ‘Being Funny in a Foreign Language’ review: a true return to form. Generational rallying cries are replaced by dick jokes and tender romance on the band’s most straight-forward album yet.[...] They make the funkiest, catchiest pop songs they could write, set over Healy’s increasingly natural and comfortable lyricism. (Rolling Stone UK, 4/5 stars)

Combining the band’s slightly sidelined knack for writing huge, immediately memorable pop bangers with the more complex, neurotic lyrical voice of The 1975’s more recent releases, ‘Being Funny In A Foreign Language’ feels like the right next step after pushing experimental excess to its logical conclusion, and is comparatively lean with just eleven tracks to its name. The 1975: At Their Very Best – the lofty, and slightly tongue-in-cheek title they’ve given to their upcoming tour – might be infuriatingly, brilliantly cocky, but let’s face facts: it’s also pretty accurate. (NME, 4/5 stars)

[musicarenagh]

Yael Lanciano's “Runnin' Away”: A Nostalgic Alt-Pop Gem When "Runnin' Away" by Yael Lanciano hits your ears for the first time, there's an immediate magnetic pull—part nostalgia, part something you can't quite put your finger on. It's a crowded market in alternative pop, yet here stands Lanciano with a tune that whispers its way into an intimate corner of your mind. https://open.spotify.com/track/7zBtvmScolPIwFQOm4otRS Her single is like crystalizing feelings into music—the vocals alternate between a tender vulnerability and confident strength. There’s this chatty warmth to her voice as if she’s unravelling stories of elusive love across from you in some dimly lit room filled with close confidants and shadowy corners. The production combines retro-cool vibes—think '80s synth-pop meets millennial sharpness—with contemporary flourishes that elevate it beyond mere catchy ear candy. The blend surrounds you, the disarmingly playful synths mingling with modern beats to create a soundscape that echoes long after the song ends. This track has claws; it catches hold of you with its infectious chorus “Why are you runnin’ away” looping around in your head like unanswered calls. And while upbeat on the surface, "Runnin' Away" never trivializes emotions—it channels them through lively verses and deep basslines that tell us this is more than just sound: it’s artistry painted with heartfelt hues. [caption id="attachment_52645" align="alignnone" width="768"] Yael Lanciano's “Runnin' Away”: A Nostalgic Alt-Pop Gem[/caption] Lanciano pens her lyrics not only from experience but also expertise—you feel inspired by each pulse of genuine sentiment reverberating through every vocal crescendo and instrumental ripple. We may never know who spurred such earnest yearning within Lanciano's musical realms, yet their influence resonates—listeners instinctively sync along to rhythms sprinkled with reflective undertones so commonly shared among those struck by romance-turned-mystery tales. Whether you're empathizing intensely with our protagonist or reflecting alongside her reticent paramour — "Runnin' Away" captures both universal themes and unique musings: A mix-up of hesitance infused within an enchanting melody that compels playback investigation—why do we indeed run away? Hats off to Yael Lanciano—a storyteller merging past echoes & tomorrow's notes into singable anecdotes! And rest assured—we’re glued right here anticipating what sonic roads she’ll lead us down next without even thinking about taking flight. Follow Yael Lanciano on Website, Facebook and YouTube.

[nwdsc]

(A Calm That Shifts | Stephen Beckerから)

A Calm That Shifts by Stephen Becker

It’s easy to become absorbed by the raw musicianship on display throughout A Calm That Shifts, Brooklyn singer-songwriter Stephen Becker’s debut full-length LP. Its psychedelic pop songs lean into hairpin turns in song structure, style, and emotional affect. Becker’s proficiency as a musician is breathtaking—he plays almost every instrument on the record—evidencing a formidable jazz pedigree and an appreciation for the technical prowess of progressive 2000s indie-rock units like Dirty Projectors, St. Vincent, and Grizzly Bear. It’s difficult to resist playing each of these tracks back to latch onto a musical throughline only caught after it was almost over: a bit of sinuous guitar and synth counterpoint, a pivot between a fractured groove and rhythmic malfunction, or a gorgeous Brian Wilson-reminiscent chord modulation. But though Becker loves to push his own musicianship to its limit and revel in the element of surprise, he is most interested in smoothing over peaks and valleys—in “making complexity sound intuitive and digestible,” as he puts it. His vocals are muted and conversational, unifying these songs effortlessly. Sometimes he lapses into whispered, half-sketched narratives that recall heroes like Sibylle Baier and Elliott Smith; elsewhere, he spins sticky and enigmatic phrases out into cathartic mantras, channeling Thom Yorke or Björk’s high drama. Recorded over the course of three years with his childhood friend and producer Adam Hirsch, the record touches on, among so much else, the breakdown of communication between family members, the NYC-specific illusion of a better life lived upstate, a documentary about Elvis’ later years, and Werner Herzog’s essays on film theory. But perhaps its central preoccupation—most clearly explored on “Unspoken”—were childhood memories of being told to speak up by teachers and other adults, and how the concept of quietness factors into the way he lives his life as a near-thirty-year-old. “It was frustrating to be told to talk louder when I felt it was loud enough,” Becker recalls. “[The song] is about the impulse to move in the opposite direction and be even quieter, a meditation on how emotions and thoughts can be expressed without words, through actions alone.” By point of contrast, other songs indict forms of metaphorical loudness. For instance, there is the “doomed population in a digital haze” projecting “holographic” selves—often, more successful versions of themselves. Becker grew up in Los Angeles, surrounded by the children of celebrities and aspiring artists striving to be famous or acting like they already were. On the hallucinatory acoustic ballad “Secondary Player,” Becker critiques the models of success he has gravitated towards as a working musician. One of the album’s most indelible couplets crops up here: “I used to have plans but now I just need some space/Let me play bass.” There is a subtle affinity between Becker’s musical language and libretto on A Calm That Shifts that make the record feel like more than the sum of its parts, and a disarmingly earnest statement. The push and pull between extroversion and reticence in the music evokes Becker’s working model for a life well-lived: the attempt to preserve inner peace and represent one’s self honestly while fending off the myriad factors in the modern world which threaten to disrupt that balance. クレジット2022年10月14日リリース Written and performed by Stephen Becker Recorded, mixed and produced by Adam Hirsch at: Tiny Telephone Recording in San Francisco, CA The Creek in Oakland, CA Figure 8 Recording in Brooklyn, NY July 2018 - April 2021 Mastered by Jacob Winik Cover art by Miles Wintner and Stephen Becker

[beautifulstorms]

Layla Veillon and Alexander Brandys, You Will Be Found || JGP Courchevel 2022

[cqlfeels]

hello fellow lqr fan!! do you mind sharing more about why you like lqr? he needs more love :)

Hello fellow fan! LQR does indeed need more love, and he deserves it, too!!!

Like every single character in this story, LQR is a hot mess in need of heavy duty therapy. Which, given I love would-make-a-therapist-quit 3zun, is obviously something I appreciate about him. I don't think he's processed the whole QHJ situation anymore than JC has processed the WWX situation, and oh boy does that influence how he raises the Jades. He's doing his best to be a good parental figure but there are so many unaddressed issues getting in the way of him being as good as this as he clearly wants to be. I say this because I often see people conflate his mistakes in raising the Jades with his entire being, which strikes me as a bit unfair since that's not generally how we treat anyone in the Sunshot generation.

But anyway, none of this is why I love him so much, I just wanted to get that out of the way.

The reason why I think he's profoundly underappreciated is mainly because he's so, so, so moral. You can't possibly accuse him of not doing his best to be as good a person as he knows how to be. It's fair game to disagree with his worldview, but very, very few characters are as earnest about their beliefs as LQR is. He sincerely believes with all his heart that the way he's living life is the most virtuous way and he does that not because he has any sort of agenda, it really is as simple as wanting to be a good person because being a good person is the most honorable of goals. He's not particularly after power or prestige or ego trips or an easy life. He knows being righteous is a narrow road and the work is never finished, but he tries as best as he can to stick to it with a sincerity that I find very touching. Compared to other people of his generation, there's something disarmingly pure about LQR. When he gets things wrong, you can be sure it's still coming from a place of good intentions. The only person I can think of who is as heartfelt and unwavering in their convictions is XXC, though of course, LQR is basically a Confucian scholar, while XXC is a follower of Daoism, and these two can be at odds.

Anyway, whenever I think of LQR, I'm reminded of the Analects 12.14-15, which one translation renders as

Fulfill your office untiringly, perform your duties with loyalty. . . . Once a junzi (1) has studied broadly in patterns and constrained them with li (2), indeed he will never turn his back on them.

(1) Junzi 君子 – often used to denote an ideally ethical and capable person; some-times simply meaning a power holder, which is its original sense.

(2) Li 禮 – the ritual institutions of the Zhou, of which Confucius was master; the range of behavior subject to the broad category denoted by this term rang-es from political protocol to court ceremony, religious rite to village festival, daily etiquette to disciplines of personal conduct when alone.

This is an extremely Confucian way of seeing the world and LQR is very intense about it. Once you have learned the way it is proper to act, it's unethical to turn aside from it. And after a lifetime of studies and reflections (which are different skills, both of which LQR is shown to regularly attend to), LQR is fairly sure he knows a fair amount about how it is proper to act, and he doesn't allow anything, be it external pressures or internal turmoil, to deviate him from these things. I don't think that's a particularly healthy or even wise way to live, but I can respect the hell out of him for his commitment to his understanding of his duty as a man, a scholar and a teacher. I just... Look, he's doing his best and he's genuinely trying to be a good person, and I don't know how to not find that admirable, whatever his flaws might be.

[brabe]

never tear us apart

whatever you do, do not imagine a half-empty hard deck at the tail end of another roaring night of celebrations, rooster draining the last of his beer and selecting one more song on the jukebox to send the day off, better make it a good one

don't ask me what you know is true don't have to tell you i love your precious heart

absolutely do not picture him putting on his aviators and gliding towards hangman with a goofy grin, wiggling his eyebrows while crooning into his hand like it was a microphone and doing the over-the-top pointing along with the lyrics

iiii- i was standing you were there two worlds collided and they could never tear us apart

please, really, do not think about hangman shaking his head and giving him the fondest eye-roll in human history yet, biting his lip to stop himself from grinning so hard and finally playing along, as always, both of them on the right side of pleasantly buzzed, loose and carefree

spare yourself the trouble and do not picture them taking center stage and circling each other, trying to dramatically out-dance and out-sing each other, hangman doing the air guitar and rooster the air drums, pulling funny faces and snickering at i told you that we could fly 'cause we all have wings because it's so fitting it somehow feels like the most hilarious thing ever

and then

and then

i swear, stop it, do not think about them ending up in each other's arms, rooster sliding his aviators over his head with his index finger, beaming, a beat, a world-altering shift and their faces are so close, so close that they can feel the other breathing on their lips and suddenly they can't remember what was so funny, the disappearing space between them a spark away from combustion (but that's nothing new)

save yourself and under no circumstances do not imagine them just swaying, holding each other close, closer,  wandering hands on backs and waists and shoulders, toes almost touching, eyes locked and

and they could never tear us apart

and jake getting chocked up, not being able to look into bradley's disarmingly earnest eyes anymore, having to take cover and retreat into the crook of his neck, inhaling his heady-comforting scent, strengthening his grip on his solid shoulders, pulling him impossibly closer, needing to feel his rabbiting heartbeat echoing against his own chest, his heavy breathing on the shell of his ear making him shiver, suddenly desperate for all proofs of life, because, because bradley was one split nothing away from being torn apart from him for good and suddenly the thought is unbearable and he's clinging to him for dear life, never wants to let go ever again

don't tell me i didn't warn you, i know you’re now seeing bradley squeezing back just as tightly—floored at the feeling of wetness on the collar of his shirt—caressing up and down his back with one hand, the other carding through the short hair at the nape of his neck, coaxing jake into looking at him again, whispering, 'hey. hey, i am right here. and it's thanks to you'. bradley bringing their foreheads together. their eyes falling shut against this free-falling emotion, they are barely moving now as the music winds down. the last stragglers, previously smiling at the two-men show, look away because this isn't meant for their eyes

the hard deck is quiet, the lights dimmed—for all they know they could very well have teleported to the moon and still not have noticed one single thing outside of each other and this moment—nothing short of an impossible miraculous mission didn't manage to tear them apart, they still haven't let go. this time they never will.

[darethshirl]

“They’re made from the finest gold in Orzammar,” the merchant said with a peddler’s audacious confidence, gesturing at the bench laden with jewellery. “You’ll never see better craftsmanship than this, my lady Inquisitor, I assure you!”

Lavellan only hummed, taking her time as she walked down the display. Behind her Josephine eyed the wares like a hawk, her clipboard gripped sternly in front of her chest. All merchants were vetoed before presenting to the Inquisitor herself, of course, but Josephine would be damned before she allowed items of substandard quality to sneak in!

Not that she had reason to worry, it seemed. Every piece her discerning eyes fell upon met her high standards, especially a pair of earrings glinting demurely in the corner. Made in simple but elegant lines, the sapphire sparkled a pure iridescent green, hugged by a golden outline shaped like a teardrop. Subtle, yet exuding power. Josephine’s mother would have approved.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the merchant’s loud voice. “Ah, I see the Inquisitor is interested in the bracelets! May I suggest this one? You won’t finer bigger diamonds than what you see here!”

But Lavellan reached for a silver bangle instead, intricately woven with a single ruby at the center winking like a drop of blood. Both colours were a lovely contrast against her brown skin. “This one.”

“Excellent choice, excellent choice,” the man muttered obsequiously. “And would messere like something else?”

“Yes,” Lavellan said and pointed, with unerring accuracy, at the sapphire earrings. “Those too.”

Josephine managed to keep her squeak of delight contained, though just barely. But when Lavellan finished paying and turned to her with the silken pouch offered in her palms, a gasp escaped Josephine’s lips.

“Oh! Inquisitor, I…” She scrambled with words that suddenly wouldn’t come, her cheeks flushed with an awful heat—oh, was her blush visible? She must refrain from being so obvious! “Please, I can’t possibly accept this.”

“It’s rude to turn down a gift, Josie,” Lavellan said with mock severity. Yet her smile was the sweetest thing Josephine had ever seen, and her green eyes shone brighter than any rare stone, than any star in the endless sky. She took Josephine’s hands in her own calloused ones and wrapped them around her gift. “You always feed me chocolate when I come to your office. Am I not allowed to treat you too, for once?”

“Well,” Josephine sighed, trying to bite back her smile and failing the battle, “when you say it like that.”

Both women laughed—though Josephine’s was more of a giggle, really—then Lavellan wrapped her arms around Josephine in a disarmingly earnest hug, kissing her flaming cheek. “I love it when you look so happy, ma falon.”

If Josephine’s smile lost a bit of its power, then it was obvious to no one. And in any case she rallied immediately, warmed by the happiness of this moment, of her privilege in having experienced it. 

“I will treasure this,” she promised, her heart beating to the truth of it.

[comfyswitcherblanketfort]

Grunge-Metal Geralt 2

holy fucking shit yall really loved the first one so I wrote some more

this is totally self indulgent tho. like yall have no idea. if i could live in any AU it would be this one. i have so many feels.

Warnings: drinking mention, nothing over the top, unwanted pics taken but like they’re celebrities? i guess, we get a bit emotional about past relationships/crushes but nothing too heavy

__________________________

Jaskier had no idea how he got there, but he was knocking on a green room door with a temporary label reading ‘The Witchers’ before the stadium had completely emptied. 

Lambert yanked the door open, Aiden clinging to his back like a monkey, and his eyes nearly bulged out of his head before a huge grin spread over his face, “Hey there, Jaskier!”

Eskel grumbled, “Haha, Bert. No need to fuck with Geralt.” 

Jaskier shoved his hands in his corduroys and rocked up onto his toes, “He’s not fucking with anyone,” he laughed, desperately trying to keep the nerves out of his voice as he peeked around the door jam. 

Geralt was curled up in the corner of a couch, now wearing a massive grey-blue hoodie and gold wire-rimmed glasses, scribbling in a composition notebook propped up on his knees. His hair was pulled back in a disaster of a bun with pieces falling in his face but Jaskier absolutely loved it. It suited him. He hesitated a moment before scrawling one last line in his notebook, brow furrowed as he chewed on his bottom lip.

When he looked up he snapped his notebook shut, “Holy fuck,” he breathed, “Hi!”

His eyes were actually gold. Jaskier had just thought that was some thirst driven exaggeration. He expected light brown, but no. He was staring directly at eyes that practically sparkled.

Lambert waved Jaskier in and he hesitantly stepped through the door, “Hi! I uh, dig your boots.” 

“Th- Thank you,” Geralt bit back a grin, blushing bright pink as he stood up, “I didn’t think you’d see my message. Or respond.” 

“After that performance?” Jaskier, normally bard-worthy with his quick tongue and easy conversation, was feeling his own cheeks heat up as he scrambled for something to say, “I’m honestly not sure if I even locked my car when I came back in.” 

Eskel snickered from behind Jaskier, stretching and putting his feet up on a coffee table, “Told ya.”

Aiden sighed and rested his chin on top of Lambert’s head, “This is so cute.”

Jaskier laughed, not entirely uncomfortably but definitely awkward, and ran a hand through his hair, turning back to Geralt. 

Geralt pushed his glasses farther up his nose and snatched his wallet from the coffee table, “I offered drinks. You wanna…” Geralt trailed off and made an exasperated, and maybe a little annoyed face at the guys behind him but when Jaskier turned around they were pretending to mind their own business, “How does Pensive sound?” 

Jaskier shot him a grin, “Sounds perfect.”

Geralt snagged his keys from a bag and held the door open for Jaskier, “After you.” 

-

“Okay so,” Jaskier took a sip of his drink and set it in line with their two empty glasses and a napkin holder, “Aiden and Lambert fuck?” he asked, pushing an empty glass and the napkin holder together. Geralt snorted and nodded so he went on, “And Eskel and Lambert are brothers?” Another nod as he tapped the two empty glasses, “And you and Eskel were college roommates?” he asked, gesturing to his half-empty glass. 

Geralt grinned, “You know, you’re keeping up pretty well for a self-proclaimed lightweight.” 

Jaskier giggled, “I’m trying really fucking hard.” 

Geralt leaned his head back and laughed and Jaskier was absolutely done for. He rested his elbow on the table and his head in his hand as he stared dreamily at this adorable man. He was carefree and soft around the edges, nothing like Jaskier had expected from the lyrics he’d listened to all night. And either he was a good listener or Jaskier had had one too many vodka-crans. 

When Geralt finally got himself under control he took off his glasses to wipe at his eyes before placing them back on his nose with a grimace, “I shouldn’t have taken my contacts out.” 

“Old prescription?” 

Geralt blushed, “Don’t usually wear them in public,” He admitted, pushing the frames higher.

Jaskier must have had too much to drink because he reached out and tucked a curly strand of white hair behind Geralt’s ear, “I think they’re cute on you.” 

Geralt’s breath caught in his throat as he stared at Jaskier, jaw hanging down just a bit, his pupils blown wide. Jaskier bit his lip and smiled as he pulled his hand away and rested it on the table between them, hoping Geralt would get the hint. Gods he just wanted to hold his hand and giggle until the sun came up. 

“Thank you,” Geralt muttered, blinking a couple times and laying one of his hands over Jaskier’s. 

“Can I ask you something?”

Geralt licked his lips and nodded, shaking the hair loose that Jaskier had just tucked away. 

“Why that song?” Jaskier stared at their hands, not having the courage to look at Geralt in case the answer wasn’t what he wanted it to be. 

“Hmm…” he didn’t sound upset, but he was certainly choosing his words carefully, “I’ve done the whole.. How do I put it?” Jaskier looked up at him only to see him staring at their hands too, “...‘I could be enough for you if you’d let me’ dance more times than I can count… and knowing it would never happen but yearning anyway…” he chuckled and glanced up at Jaskier, a sad look of acceptance in his eyes, “And I love your voice.”

Of course, he’d heard those words before, it was his job to have a good voice, but fuck, they hit different coming from Geralt. He was so earnest and disarmingly handsome that Jaskier felt anything he said would make him giddy. His chest felt warm and it took a moment for his brain to catch up. He had planned on showering Geralt with praise and adoration, not the other way around. 

Jaskier squeezed his hand, “I love yours too,” he whispered.

There was that gorgeous blush again, making Jaskier’s heart skip a beat. 

“I can’t imagine anyone thinking you’re not magnificent,” Jaskier mumbled, watching Geralt blush even deeper and dip his head so the loose hairs covered his face a bit. Jaskier may have been a flirty drunk, but he was one hundred percent sure he’d be just as forward with Geralt sober. He wasn’t leaving the bar without making damn sure Geralt knew he was gorgeous and talented and everything Jaskier could imagine wanting in life. 

“Careful. You can’t just say things like that,” Geralt warned, flicking the hair out of his eyes with a guarded but amused smile. 

“And why not?”

Geralt squinted at him for a moment, “I might believe you.” 

“Geralt, darling,” Jaskier started, sitting up and turning to square his hips toward him, holding his large hand in both of his, “I don’t mince words. I mean everything I say. And tweet. I really do think you’re wonderful. And I really do want you to sing me to sleep. Sometime. Anytime. I’m not picky.”

Geralt raised his eyebrows and took a breath in to say something but was interrupted by a camera flash in the low light of the bar and someone swearing.

“Oi!” Jaskier turned toward the light, and the idiot fumbling with their phone. 

Geralt squeezed his hand before he could say anything more, “It’s alright. The hair kinda glows in the dark, I’m used to it. I was thinking we could get out of here?”

Jaskier did his best not to let the sly smile take over his face and give him away, “Would you like to come to my place?”

Geralt grinned, “Absolutely. Mine is a shit show right now.”

“Is it really that bad?” Jaskier joked as they stood.

“Eskel is a slob,” Geralt laughed.

“Mine it is!” Jaskier declared, slapping enough cash to cover their drinks and an exorbitant tip on the table.

They walked out of the bar with Geralt’s arm around Jaskier’s shoulders, both with giddy smiles and a little extra pep in their step.