#no he is not 'normal!' will never be! but mikel makes him feel that way

[longeyelashedtragedy]

i hope dangerous au readers care about granit's past enough cause there's like over 9000 chapters of him getting established in london coming up! (But First: mikel meeting his brother, amongst other things)

[yellowkitkieran]

To Have and to Heal (Part 11)

Masterlist

Read part 1 here

Word Count: 3.3k

Summary: Single working dad Martin Odegaard is navigating the ups and downs of parenthood all on his own, and he’s struggling. That’s not to mention football, life and... love?

TW: Descriptions of death, car crash and loss

Chicken parmesan is a staple in Martin's diet. With his homemade tomato sauce and a bit of fresh mozzarella, it's healthy enough to be a regular weeknight meal for him without having to classify it as a cheat meal. He's memorized his favorite recipe and always keeps the ingredients stocked in his fridge, which he's grateful for now.  It’s easy to make as well, meaning he can operate more or less on autopilot without needing to focus too much on what he was doing.

Kieran picked up Atla from school, for which Martin was eternally grateful. From the moment Arteta dismissed them from training, Martin had exactly two hours until you would arrive at his doorstep, and he wanted to have everything plated and ready to go when you got there. He should've had more time, but Mikel insisted on rerunning one particular drill multiple times until it was perfect. Martin had thought it flawless the first three times but apparently not; it had cost him an extra half hour to appease the gaffer. 

Now Martin flies around his kitchen, breading the butterflied chicken breast with practiced skill while his tomatoes sit uncut on the counter. He tackles those once the meat is in the oven, slicing and chopping until he's happy with the size. Into a simmering pot they go, combined with tomato paste and a blend of spices that he eyeballs rather than properly measures. In his mind, food turns out better when it's seasoned from the heart and not with a measuring spoon. 

Once Martin has a moment to breathe, he sets about tackling the scattered art supplies and clean laundry piled around the house. Between his recent shoddy mood and the overtime he's put in at training lately, he has had little time to keep up with Atla's clutter. Normally Martin wouldn't touch it. He likes his house to feel lived in, preferring a manageable amount of disarray to a clinically clean home. Tonight is a different story. He wants to impress you; everything needs to be perfect.

Martin is still fixing his stray hairs in the hallway mirror when the doorbell rings. He spots a smudge in the glass as he swears under his breath- not perfect, but as perfect as it’s going to get. 

"Hi."

"Hello." Martin can't take his eyes off you. He loves it when you dress comfortably like this, in well-loved sneakers, a pair of jeans and a red top that matches the bottle of wine in your hand. Martin gestures to it, "you didn't need to bring anything. I've not had that brand before, where's it from?"

"Oh um," you fidget on your feet, tucking the bottle in the crook of your arm and tugging the sleeves of your top over your hands. "It's from Norway? It's from some place that has a huge greenhouse, the person at the store was really excited about it. I'll be honest, I heard 'Norway' and was already sold on buying it."

God, you're adorable. Martin could kiss you, if it weren't for the fact that you're probably still cross with him. And that you deserve more than a rushed peck right now. And also, the fact that you're standing outside his house waiting to be invited in. 

"Oh, please come in. Sorry, I forgot my manners there." Martin steps aside to allow you in. He politely ignores the way your eyes widen as you take in his house, allowing you to judge him as you please. He's never had an eye for decorating and he fears that much is apparent. Suddenly Martin is all too aware that the curtains in the dining room clash horribly with the pattern on the seats at the table. He sighs internally at the dried paint pallet he forgot to grab off the coffee table by the sofa and the pair of tiny pink socks peeking out from under it. 

"Don't mind the mess," Martin says off hand as he takes the wine and pours two glasses. "I didn't have time to properly clean up. We got held late at training and of course I picked a dish that takes way too long to prepare, so I didn't have time for too much else."

Your slender fingers brush Martin's when you accept the glass he holds out. The sparks that sing up his arm nearly knock him off his feet. In that moment, Martin will do anything to have you forgive him. If you grant him the opportunity of a second chance, he won't squander it; he'll do everything in his power to treat you with the respect you deserve. Because that smile on your lips right now? Martin's craved like an addict, and now that he's seen it again he never wants to see any other expression from you. 

"Thank you, Mar. I don't mind the mess, really. I'm too busy trying to figure out what smells so delicious to look anywhere but your spotless kitchen- is it italian?"

Martin is so grateful that you've fallen into a normal conversation that he nearly forgets to reply. "Oh- it's just chicken parmesan, one of my favorites. I hope that's alright? I can make something else if not, or I could maybe order takeout quick… I'm sorry, I didn't even think to ask if you'd like it-" Martin cuts himself off, cheeks flaring. He's acutely aware of how his fingers itch to fidget with something. He keeps his hands tucked into his pockets, playing with a stray coin that somehow made it through the wash without falling out.

"It's alright," you laugh and Martin's anxiety ebbs with the sound. "Chicken parm sounds great, it smells amazing too." You reach out and touch the side of Martin's forearm, the contact as soft as butterfly feet on his skin but it's enough to have him sighing. "Thank you for cooking. I really appreciate it."

"It's not a problem, I needed to do something to show you how sorry I am. I was out of line-" Martin stops when you shake your head, that blissfully forgiving smile on your face. 

"Let's just have dinner first, okay? Then after, we can talk. Does that sound alright to you?"

Martin swears you're perfect. He's done denying it; he's enjoying this too much to pretend he doesn't feel pulled to you like waves to a shoreline. Martin would like to take you there actually- the beach. He'd love to see you building sandcastles with Atla, then splashing in the water when the blazing sun gets too warm. Maybe he could suggest it as a date this summer-

When you wave a hand in front of Martin's face, he realizes you've been speaking without him hearing a single word. At this point, you're causing enough distraction that Martin should be terrified… except he's not.

"I'm sorry I'm out of it- come sit and I'll get everything served up." Hearing his mum's content praise in his head, Martin pulls out a chair for you and pushes it in once you've sat down. Then he plates up a healthy portion of buttery green beans onto a plate for you, alongside a piece of chicken that, honestly, makes his mouth water. He hopes it's as good as it usually is. 

"Here you are," Martin murmurs, one hand braced on the back of your chair as he sets the meal in front of you. He takes a seat across from you, settling in and placing his napkin over his lap. He feels like somewhat of an imposter, pretending to be fancy when he feels anything but, though the shine in your eyes as you wait for him to speak makes his breath hitch. 

"Um, bon appétit? I hope you like it." Martin waits until your attention is on your food to carefully cut into his own meal. Yes, his hands are shaking; no he's never been this nervous over a dinner. Not even when he met with the big wigs at Arsenal to discuss a move from Madrid. 

Martin nearly chokes when you moan after the first bite. "God this is amazing Martin, I didn't expect you to be such a great cook!" Martin finally takes a bite himself, delighted when the perfectly melted cheese and crispy breading hits his tongue. Normally he isn’t one to brag, but this may be some of his best work to date. 

With his nerves eased, Martin falls into comfortable conversation for the remainder of the meal. You ask for seconds, so he delivers. You're happily surprised when he brings out a cheesecake for dessert- and he's rewarded with your beautiful laugh when he tells you how he had to fend off little fingers from snagging a bite this morning. 

Once your fork is down, however, Martin knows it's time for the serious bits. He's dreaded this all day, creating a script in his head of exactly what he wants to say. He's not ready, but he's as prepared as he'll ever be. 

"So," Martin starts, "first off I have to thank you for giving me a second chance. And for trusting me to make up to you for my actions last week."

Martin hates himself for the way your eyes fall to the ivy patterns on the tablecloth. He hates that he can see the fear that brims in you now at the reminder of how angry he'd been. All he wants to do is set it right. 

"I trust you because I know it was a one time thing, right?"

"Yes- yes absolutely," Martin murmurs quickly. "And I promised you that I'd explain- can I show you something actually?"

"Oh- yes, sure, you can." Martin stretches a hand out, heart pounding as you hold him on edge. It takes a few seconds for you to decide but eventually your soft palm slides against his, your fingers curling to wrap around his own. It's right. It's home. It's perfect. Martin can't hold back his smile, so he lets it unfurl as he leads you upstairs, going slow so you can take your time looking at the photos scattered on the wall. 

"All of these are just you and Atla," you note absently, turning to Martin like you expected more. You probably did, considering his closeness with the rest of the team. Martin's nod sends a lock of hair tumbling free to fall across his forehead and he doesn't bother fixing it. 

"That's a recent change," he explains in a voice full of gravel. "So is this room here. It was Maria's studio." Martin points to the white door at the end of the hall, the one he spent far too long avoiding. 

"Your wife," you murmur softly, squeezing Martin's hand when he nods, throat too tight to speak. "You've never told me her name before." 

"I uh, I don't talk about her too much. It still hurts, you know?" Martin's smile feels forced, but he's grateful for the steady support your hand provides him. "Come on, come with me." 

You don't speak as you let Martin lead you to the only closed door in his house. The brass knob is cold, but he was expecting that. He pushes it open, a million memories rushing in with the first step he takes. The wooden planks creak softly beneath his feet as he leads you to the center of the room, getting lost for a minute. 

Over the past week, Martin has channeled his extra energy into transforming this room from one filled with ghosts to a place where his daughter's creativity can run wild. Where towering stacks of cardboard boxes used to sit near the window, now sits a wooden toddler-sized easel. The half painted canvases that were haphazardly piled where he's standing now are neatly stacked on an art rack, waiting for Atla to complete them someday. And on the wall that the room shares with his own bedroom is the collection of paintings he loves most: Norwegian fields, family portraits, and the last painting his late wife ever created. 

"Oh, Martin, these are beautiful." You keep a respectful distance, admiring the artwork from afar. "Did Maria paint all these? They're wonderful… I see where Atla's talent stems from."

"This one is my favorite," Martin murmurs, pointing to the portrait of a smiling baby girl perched in his lap. "It's the last one Maria ever finished. It's the only one I have of Atla and I together."

Martin draws a deep breath, chest rattling with the effort of holding back tears. "I've not talked about this with anyone except the grief counselor- so please just bear with me."

The fingers of your free hand curl around Martin's bicep to provide five pinpricks of safety. Your touch, the pressure of your fingers on his tense muscles, grounding him, keeping him present, as if saying I'm here, I'm listening and I'll let you speak. A silent promise to stay by his side. I'm not going anywhere. Your closeness, the smell of your rosy shampoo mixed with generic laundry detergent, the quiet unsteady breaths, heavy with anticipation, the floor creaking under your weight as you shift from one leg to the other, most likely a byproduct of nerves. 

You, your proximity, feels like a single match in the otherwise pitch black darkness, the same darkness that always clouds the man's mind, serving as a guiding light, always promising to bring him back home. Home to Arsenal. Home to you. Home to safety, home to Atla. 

And somehow, in this otherwise dreadful moment- Martin has never been more grateful for you. 

"The reason I hate storms is because that's what killed her. Not directly, but it was the storm of the century that night, or at least that's what I was told afterward. She was coming home from her art lessons at the senior home across town… I told her to cancel, but Maria was always the woman who would never cancel a commitment once she made it. I loved that about her."

Martin has never spoken about loving Maria in past tense until tonight. 

"The uh… the stoplight down the street got knocked down with the winds. There was a ton of construction a little ways away, I guess they were just finishing up for the night. A- faen what is it… the big things with all the wheels- a truck? A truck- filled with sand or dirt or whatever it was had just left, headed towards the main road to get out and get home." 

Martin pauses. The night replays in his brain the same way it has thousands of times. It's haunted him, trying to imagine exactly what happened that night, his mind drawing a dozen different scenarios each more gruesome than the last.

Martin knows he couldn't have saved her, but he wishes he could've eased her pain. Been a loving face for her to see in her final moments.

"The truck driver didn't see her. And since there was no signal, he didn't think to look… He- he blew right through it. He slammed right into her car as she was going through. Not his fault- how would he have known? He was just trying to get home to his own family."

"Mar…"

Martin is aware of your arms wrapped around his middle, though he doesn't remember it happening. He can't take his eyes off that painting of him smiling down at Atla, happy as can be. His vision tilts and shifts as tears well in his eyes. Martin is dimly aware of the paths they streak on his cheeks. 

"There was pieces everywhere. Shattered glass like that stuff at parades- confetti? And broken plastic… blood, so much blood. The driver was crying- all I remember was this… numbness? I was cold, and wet- Kieran was there I think, or he was at the house with Atla… its all blurry."

"The doctors said it was almost instant, that she didn't feel much at all. I just hope that's true, I hope she didn't realize what was happening. That painting, the one I love so much? It was untouched in the crash- the car was mangled but that painting was perfect, not even a drop of rain on it when I pulled it out. Maria made it that night, from a photo reference she'd brought with her."

Your sniffle is what tears Martin out of his head. He wraps his arms firmly around your shoulders, holding you to him while you muffle your sobs in his chest. "That's why I hate storms, and that's why I freaked out. I know it's not an excuse for how I acted, but maybe it'll help you understand why I reacted how I did. And I'm working through it, I promise- I made an appointment with a woman who specializes in helping people overcome their fears, I'm seeing her later this month. I'm gonna work on it, because I want you to know I'm serious about this."

The only noise is Martin's breathing and your soft crying. He's not sure how long he stands there cradling you, but he'll do it for however long you need. Like he wishes someone had done for him years ago.

"Serious about what," you ask minutes later, pulling back just enough to wipe your eyes. Martin wants nothing more in that moment than to kiss away the tears on your cheeks, to erase the heartache you feel on his behalf. 

"About you, us, this relationship." Martin cradles your jaw in his hands, holding you with the softness one would use with a delicate flower. “No one has seen this room yet, not even Atla. I wanted it to be a surprise for her. But before I did that, I just… I needed to show you. So you would understand. I’m still healing- but I’m trying to heal quicker so I can be someone you can lean on.”

“Martin… Hey, look at me.” When Martin does as you ask, everything crashes over him at once. The crushing, soul splitting despair he felt on the night of the accident, the spark of affection that ignited a flame in his chest the first time he heard you laugh, the relief of finally sharing his story with someone. 

But finally, in the deepest part of him, he lets go. Martin allows the love he held for Maria to loosen it’s deathgrip on his heart and allows you to creep in. It’s worrisome, how easily you sneak in and nestle yourself into him, but he doesn’t care. He meant what he said; Martin is willing to try for you. He wants this to work.

“Thank you for trusting me with this.” Your thumbs rubbing along Martin’s jaw ground him. “I don’t want you to rush through recovery for my benefit. I hate seeing you struggle, of course I do, but I’ll wait as long as it takes, alright? Don’t feel like you need to put yourself on a timeline for me. I’ll wait, Mar, okay? Just keep trusting me.”

And Martin believes every word. He trusts you to be patient. You'll be at his side on the good days and the bad ones, when the residuals of his grief threaten to pull him under. It won't be an easy road, or a short one. Recovery will be barred by landslides and long stretches of obstacles. 

You are the light at the end of his tunnel. You are the goal he will work towards- you and Atla. Being a better man for the women in his life, both past and present. 

[finiffy]

Mikell is seven years old when a bundle of cloth and baby is first placed into his arms. "This is Jack," his father says to him. "You're a big brother now." Mikell gazes down at the infant, and feels something stutter in his chest when the baby looks back, then smiles and coos up at him. He's only seven years old, and it's his first experience with feeling pure awe and joy, and it's all for the small baby in his arms; Jack, his baby brother. "You know what a big brother does, don't you?" The sound of his father's voice draws Mikell's attention back to him; his father continues without waiting for him to answer. "Big brothers are important. It's their job to protect and care for their younger siblings. They're the oldest, and being the oldest is a big responsibility. You'll be a good big brother, won't you." It's a statement, not a question, but Mikell answers anyway; of course he will. He smiles down at Jack and holds him close. He'll be the best big brother ever.

His mother gets tired easily these days, even at home she still has things to do for her work, and soon she asks if Mikell could just do this one thing for her, she's just a little too busy right now. Well, it's his job as a big brother, so of course he says yes. It starts with just watching over Jack while he naps, she won't be far - she just has some things to do, then it becomes putting him down for his naps and picking him up when he wakes, she just needs a bit more time on this one thing, then spending more playing with him and watching over him, 'please Mikell'. He tells her yes every time. The first time she hands him a bottle, she asks if he's sure he'll be able to feed Jack alright, but even at seven, Mikell knows she's not really listening to his answer. But that's okay, because this is what big brothers do, right? And besides, he likes spending time with Jack, so it's not a big deal. He can do this.

Mikell has always been good at taking care of himself, and now he can do everything to take care of Jack too. His mother looks so relieved when he says that, and she tells him he's a good son before disappearing into the office room. It fills him with pride to know she trusts him with this. He doesn’t see her for the rest of the day, but that is okay, he can handle everything. Dinner is a bit of a challenge, he’s never used the stove before and he has to climb a chair to reach it, but he figures it out.

(Most of his burn scars fade in time. He learns to bandage them on his own, he can’t bother mother with something like this. One on his left hand never goes away)

It quickly becomes the new normal; their mother is very busy, even at home, and Mikell is lucky to see her very briefly in the morning and then not again until way late at night. For the whole day, it’s just Mikell and Jack. He overhears her talking with his father one day, speaking with relief that Jack is already sleeping through the night at a month old. Mikell doesn’t tell her that he isn’t, she just isn’t waking up when Jack cries anymore so Mikell is getting up instead. He starts sleeping on the floor next to Jack’s crib; she never notices.

Jack grows quickly, and time flies by faster than Mikell could have ever imagined. Soon he’s actually sleeping through the night and quickly afterwards begins crawling around the house, Mikell never more than a step or two behind him. Jack’s incredibly curious and would happily get himself into all sorts of trouble if Mikell didn’t pull him away. His little brother is never pleased about it, but with Jack seeming to have no fear, Mikell has to be his sense of caution. To make it up to him, Mikell will teach him a new game, or show him something new that is safer, something that will fill that need to explore. Once Jack gets nine months old, it takes the form of helping him walk. Mikell holds Jack up as his little brother tries to get his feet underneath him, making the motions of steps without having to support himself. Unsteady motions become confident with practice, and Jack pushes himself further and further every day. It feels like almost no time at all before Mikell stops having to hold Jack up and Jack begins unsteadily toddling around the house on his own two feet. It gets harder to keep Jack out of trouble, but Mikell sees the joy in Jack's eyes, hears his laughs and coos as he explores, and Mikell thinks he could never be upset about that. Seeing his little brother happy made everything worth it.

(It takes another month for their parents to notice; they barely comment on it)

((So this is all of what I had manage to write before I had to stop like a year ago. By my layout notes, this wasn’t even all of the first section; I planned a full go through from the moment Jack was born to the moment the Foundation kicked down the doors and took TJ and Sarah, documenting as Mikell grew more and more desperate and strained with each sibling and how their parents got less and less…I guess ‘providing’, they were never loving. There were a couple other paragraphs I wrote about Jack’s first birthday and Jack’s first word (it was Mik) but they were right at the end of the writing period and they need some serious editing. I got work in a moment but later I can later send like dot points of the different sections (basically one for each sibling) and what would happen in them))

- Pokey

!!!!

Once again amazing writing, agh fuck I miss the bss and caretaker days when we really went into the discussion of the Bright sibling's childhood. I am a sucker of just this period of their lives and of just Mikell being a kid himself but having to provide for his siblings when their parents stopped. The struggles of older sibling syndrome is strong in this man

[o5-12]

content warnings: non-descriptive implied suicide attempt, arguing, implied child abuse, codependency, and implied domestic abuse.

word count: 1690 words

note: I typed this all before realizing it isn't formatted exactly right for how the rest of the event here has been so I'm just going to say audio is visible to everyone while actual descriptions is visible to only anons!

He wished he could just shut up and do exactly what he wanted to do. He planned on spending the night out in the barn ⁠— the first of many nights, to be exact.

But as the hours began to drift by; everything just felt so different from where he normally slept. Too many noises, too much of a breeze, too much air, too much everything.

He felt almost insulted by himself as it finally became too much for him and he began to slowly wander out, closing the barn door behind him awkwardly, leaving the things back in the barn and beginning a trek in the dark back towards the house.

Jack and TJ were gone with their friends. He could spend a few hours in one of their beds. Wait till he was all tired and then come back after he was tired enough to sleep like a brick the moment he got back.

It sounded like a solid plan; even though he hated himself a little for feeling it necessary.

Mikell made his way towards the house, eyeing the various windows strewn across the exterior, looking for any lights within the old building. As he grew closer, his gaze fell on the far window on the backside of the house, the smallest glow coming from the window.

He slowed down a little, eyeing the window wearily as he crept closer, unable to gauge whether someone was up and about or if it was merely a matter of a candle having been left alight.

As he walked around the exterior of the house, he took a moment to peer briefly through the window, discreetly trying to figure out whether he was in the clear to go in or not.

He… Couldn’t see anyone. It looked like someone had just abandoned the candle on the kitchen countertop. It was quiet though. There were no cries from Claire, pacing from his mother, or shouting from his father…

He was in the clear.

Slowly, he pulled himself away from the eerie sight of the abandoned candle in the kitchen, ignoring the peculiar feeling in his gut as he began to make his way around the back of the house. Then, as he rounded the corner towards the porch, he froze in his tracks.

It was quiet inside for a reason.

He locked eyes with the man on the porch, a man that barely looked to have not even reached his forties yet with a tired expression, hunched over himself on the steps of the porch silently; the man only straightening his posture and fixing him with a stern look after spotting Mikell.

They both stared like that for a few seconds.

Mikell could run. Turn back around and go back to the barn without another word. His dad had never chased him down in the past when he’d wandered off in the middle of arguments. It wouldn’t be any different this time.

Something felt… Wrong though. It was too late in the night. He knew his dad didn’t sleep much but he’d never waited on the porch ⁠— never waited specifically for him like this before.

Slowly, forcing back the bad feeling rising in the back of his throat, Mikell lowered his gaze and made his way to the porch.

Adam [Tiredly]: Don’t go in there. Just go back to th’ barn.

Mikell stopped. So he had figured out that he was trying to spend the night in the barn...

Something felt… Really wrong.

Mikell [Putting on a calm tone to the best of his ability to mask the lie]: I just wanted to grab something. I’ll be quiet.

With that, Mikell began to ascend the stairs, doing his best to stick as close to the opposite edge of where his father was sitting as possible.

If he got in then it was unlikely Adam would randomly wake him up just to chew him our for coming home, right?...

Adam [Sighing]: I know you heard me, kid. Go back to the barn. If you tell me what you need th’n I can bring it in a few minutes.

Fuck. He left the things out.

He didn’t want his dad going to the barn. He didn’t want to risk his dad finding the things. He didn’t want to be blamed again or criticized for ‘stealing’ or shouted at or-

Mikell [A little sharply]: I’ll be quick. I won’t wake Claire up.

As Mikell said this, he sped up a little as he reached the top of the steps, determined to just get this over with and get inside before he could get chastised for being stubborn. His dad would be upset the next morning but he’d forget it. He wouldn’t forget it if he thought Mikell had ‘stolen a bunch of shit’ and hidden it inside the barn though.

As he reached for the doorknob, he had a second to register a sharp couple of creaks from the floorboards just behind him just as he was able to click the door open and begin to push it open.

He froze as a hand sharply grabbed him by the shoulder, fingers digging to his skin as it dragged him backwards, the other hand flying to the door and slamming it shut on him, effectively trapping him outside with his father.

It didn’t hurt. The slight scuffle barely lasted more than a couple of seconds. Just caught him off guard, making him jump slightly and stare back at his father.

The look that his dad was wearing was… Off.

His dad’s eyes were wide, eyebrows knit together in a mixture of frustration and familiar anger at being disobeyed but also… While difficult to see in the darkness, his eyes had a sort of an uneasy look to them. He looked sick. Kind of like he was going to keel over any second now. Like he really hadn’t been sleeping much for a long time now…

That wasn’t the only thing that Mikell registered.

As the seconds passed, he could have sworn he heard crying from inside. It didn’t sound like Claire’s though. It sounded like someone was choking out sobs between words that Mikell couldn’t quite register for a few long seconds until it sank in that what he was hearing was someone apologizing.

When the initial shock and confusion began to subside, all it was replaced with was a shaking anger and resentment at the fact that his dad was just sitting there while it sounded like his mom was hurt.

That candle in the kitchen. She must be in there. He couldn’t tell what the apologies were about or why she wasn’t trying to come find either of them for help but he knew something was wrong about this all.

Mikell: What th’ fuck is going on? What’s going on with mom-

Adam [Raising a hand defensively]: Mikell, just go back to th’ barn. Don’t do this again. Please don’t do this right now.

Mikell ignored him, stepping forward and trying to push his father away from the door. Adam immediately used the raised hand to push him back, placing a knee in front of the door and locking his arm over the handle to prevent Mikell from getting in.

Mikell fell backwards, grunting as he collided with the hard wood but quickly dragged himself back up, unable to help but shake a little from frustration.

Mikell: No. Why th’ fuck won’t you let me in there-

Adam [Hissing back at him]: Would you please stop shouting.

Mikell tried again. Throwing himself at his father and trying to shove him away from the door.

For a second or two, he thought he was actually close to knocking his dad away from the door so he could go help his mom but then-

Adam let go of the door, grabbing Mikell by the wrists and turning him around, locking his arms over Mikell’s to force him to stop trying to get through. 

Mikell started shrieking, kicking, spitting and generally trying to wring his hands free to no avail. Adam grunted at a particularly sharp elbow in the gut as he worked on dragging Mikell carefully down the steps before dropping him with much less care, causing Mikell to tumble to the ground while Adam stepped back towards the porch in an attempt to catch his breath.

Adam [Sharply]: Mikell. Please, stop. Just stop. Use that damn head of yours and breath. I need to you just breath and stop throwing a fucking tantrum, okay?

Mikell quickly pulled himself up, tempted to throw himself right back into the fight but stopping himself as he tried to listen again between catching his own breath; not to Adam – but for his mom’s crying.

The crying had… Almost completely quieted down by this point. He figured they’d both been pretty loud so she’d likely heard them… It didn’t make sense for her to quiet down if she was injured and Adam was refusing to help her. If she was hurt and needed help and wasn’t getting it then wouldn’t she be trying to yell louder once she knew Mikell was also around?

She didn’t yell louder though. He could only hear the occasional quiet sob but that was it. He couldn’t piece together what in the hell that even meant.

The only reasoning he could vaguely put together was that she didn’t want Mikell around at this moment…

Adam: Breath, kid, please... Just go out into th’ yard and take a few seconds.

Mikell didn’t want to. He wanted to shout and yell and kick at his father all the way until the moment he got through that door and finally had some sort of semblance of what the hell was going on but-...

The longer he stood there, the more Mikell felt like there was something unpleasant waiting inside that house… Something he wasn’t sure he was quite ready for yet…

He hated being treated like a kid. It almost always felt like ‘kid’ was a term used to demean him and keep him out of things others felt he wasn’t smart or strong enough for and while he originally disagreed… He wasn’t so sure this time.

Everything about this felt off.

Adam: Just-... Just go wait out by th’ street. I’ll go get Claire. You’re staying with Jack and TJ’s friends tonight-

Mikell: But I don’t know anyone there-

Adam [Tiredly]: Mikell, please don’t fight me on this… I’ll walk you there and I’ll be back in the morning when this has passed and-

Mikell: When this has passed?...

Adam fell silent for a moment before shaking his head again. Another thing that Mikell wasn’t sure he was ready for…

Mikell eyed him for a few moments before forcing himself to step back, hesitantly turning away and walking back to the road while digging his nails into the palm of his hands in frustration. 

He couldn’t tell if he was making the right decision but… He knew he didn’t want to see what was going on in that house.

With that, he kept walking until he heard a distant creaking sound, glancing back to watch his dad walk back up the steps and enter the house, closing the door behind himself carefully, leaving Mikell alone with his thoughts in the dark.

Mikell waited there silently.

Every once in a while, he'd glance up at the house or the barn, unsure if he wanted to go along with his dad's order or go run off to the barn and never enter the house again.

In the end, he chose to remain there.

After some time, the door opened again and Mikell looked up, unable to help but stare in confusion as he watched his dad.

Adam was carrying a large bin, it taking a few seconds for Mikell to recognize it as the Mikell's laundry hamper he'd been keeping in the bathroom closet for a few years now ever since getting kicked from his old room ⁠— awkwardly held in one arm with Claire balanced in the other.

Mikell blinked in confusion, making no move to step forward to help before Adam got closer, setting down the bin to carefully push Claire towards him, Mikell hesitantly taking her after getting the hint of what he wanted.

She was crying. Not all too happy about being jostled awake it seemed. He supposed he wouldn't be too happy either... He gently adjusted the blanket before confusedly looking back up to his dad.

Adam still looked... Unwell.

It wasn't like he could linger on that thought though.

Adam [Tiredly picking up the hamper again]: Come on. Lead th' way.

Mikell [Glancing back at the house]: I-...

He hesitated.

He half expected to get shouted at, criticized for being too slow or not doing what he asked but instead there was just a quiet thud as Adam set the basket back down, taking a second to catch his breath from the effort of hauling it over while using the edges of the basket to brace himself a little.

No yelling. No criticisms. Nothing.

Just his dad silently waiting for him.

Mikell stared at him for a moment before resolving that whatever was going on... It was better for him to ignore it. ...

Mikell [Mumbling]: Okay. Uh...

Adam glanced back up, looking just as tired as before for a moment before putting on that familiar scowl.

Adam [Tiredly]: Just lead th' way. I'm behind you, Mikell.

Mikell nodded, beginning to walk forward, Adam huffing as he picked up the hamper again and began following him. As they began to walk forward, a slight clicking noise could be heard from the audio.

Within a few seconds, the connection was lost.

[harmonyandco]

Dumbledore’s arrogance and cockiness costs Harry his freedom when the old man who has no idea about how law works tried to represent him in the trial where Harry had to prove his innocence and why he had to resort to using underage magic when attacked by Dementors.

A distraught Hermione is angry and so channels all her energy into finding any means to help Harry and with Sirius’s enormous Gringotts account backing her, she hires the best lawyers in the Wizarding World to represent Harry.

It’s when the lawyers meet Harry in Azkaban and check Privet Drive that they stumble upon an obstacle that Dumbledore’s meddling created. The Blood wards that Dumbledore’s placed at 4, Privet Drive can help prove Harry’s innocence as the ward stone upon which the Blood wards are anchored can prove that Dementors had indeed been in the vicinity and attacked Harry, even though the wards couldn’t protect Harry from them since the creatures were never configured as one of the threats when the stone was placed. The catch - only someone who’s related to Harry and is magical can create a copy of the records of the stone and with no magical relatives alive anymore, Harry’s innocence is not gonna be easy to prove.

When Hermione learns of the obstacle she is heartbroken and shared the same with Sirius who in a moment of anger and despair blurts out how he’d have revelled in the olden ways now if only they could be used.

When Hermione asks what that means Sirius reveals how in the olden days, even amongst wizards and witches in Britain arranged marriages were normal, especially as a means to ally with powerful families.

Hermione asks him then how did he plan to use the same and he reveals that since he’s Harry’s godfather and his parents aren’t alive anymore, he has the authority to marry Harry off to any witch he chooses and that’s when Hermione has an idea and even as Sirius is poleaxed by her dedication and devotion to Harry he’s nonetheless pleased.

Two days after his lawyers had visited him, Harry’s surprised to find Hermione on the island of Azkaban come to visit him. His surprise is further heightened when they are escorted to the deepest room of the fortress where he stops feeling the effects of the Dementors for the first time.

Harry’s embarrassed but he weeps as Hermione hugs him and then he’s shocked when he realises that the room they had been taken to has only one piece of furniture - a bed.

Hermione takes his hand and guided Harry on the bed and then summoning all her Gryffindor courage she kisses Harry, who is shocked by her move.

When he asks her what she’s doing, she finally reveals to him that she’s allowed to visit him not as his best friend but in her capacity as his wife. And she reveals how being a Muggleborn and the only magical person in her family, she had the agency to decide what she wanted when it came to her marriage prospect and Sirius being his godfather had the authority for Harry. They wanted him out of this place and the only way for that was for them to be able to prove Harry’s innocence.

Thus, she signed a marriage contract and Sirius did so as Harry’s godfather and hence now she’s married to him. She’s here to consummate their marriage and has been allowed a day of conjugal visit with her husband. T

Harry’s shocked and shaken by the lengths Hermione is willing to go for him but still feels guilty about what she had to do and doesn’t feel right about consummating this marriage which would forever bind them as the particular contract that Sirius created for them was based on the Black family’s which were always about permanent matches.

When she sees Harry is being too noble for his own good, Hermione once again summons her inner Gryffindor and strips herself naked in front of him.

At his heart, Harry is still a teenager and a very naked girl in front of him, asking him to bed her is too much for his 15 year old self and less than ten minutes later, Harry is buried in Hermione as they lose their virginities and he claims her for his wife, over and over again. Neither bothers to dress again and by the next day Harry and Hermione’s marriage is truly and absolutely consummated, so much so that she has trouble walks and must move gingerly. Though it brings a smile and blush over her face every time she feels the pleasant ache between her legs.

Hermione is then taken to 4, Privet Drive by Remus and within minutes she’s able to collect the relevant material from the ward stone as Harry’s wife.

The next day Harry is released from prison and proven innocent; his BWL status helping accelerate his trial even faster and the evidence being so solid that it’s undeniable.

Harry is quickly taken to Grimmauld Place and even as he loses his faith in Dumbledore, he knows he’s found something far better.

For the next few weeks that they’re at the place before school starts again, Harry makes sure that he’s thoroughly thanked Hermione, his wife, for always being by his side by worshiping every inch of her body over and over again. The few days he spent in Azkaban were the worst of his life, but Hermione was as determined to give him pleasant memories as he was to give her pleasure.

submitted by Mikelle

[the-daily-multi-fandom-post]

Hii ! Can you please write an imagine where Elijah Mikaelson's girlfriend turn off her humanity after her twin brother died, he found her in a bar where she's dancing and killing people she compels to stay etc, and he try to help her get her back, even if she's mean to him?

I love Elijah mikaelson. I feel like he needs a bit more love! So I’m here to give it. Lmao. Here it is I hope you like it. Ps. I kinda changed it a bit. Reader is going to be his wife not Girlfriend. Just saying. Enjoy! 😘

This is the song I use. In this. It’s one of my favorites that I can relate to. Tbh. Listen to it if you’d like. ✌️

Y/n was lost without her twin brother. Her heart was shattered as she watched Mikel rip his heart out. She sobbed, her heart felt like it too had been ripped out. Everyone could hear the heart shattering in her cries. She bared her teeth as she vamp sped to Mikel. Grabbing his heart and ripping it from his chest. “I’ll see you in hell you fucking bastard.” As she watch ed his face and the rest of his body turn gray.

She pushed him backwards, taking his heart and dropping it down onto the grass. Looking back to her dead twin lying on the ground. Motionless and still be laid there. His body gray from his death. Y/n slowly walked up to her brother. Tears running down her Y/e/c eyes. Her hands were bloody as she kneeled down. Pulling her brothers body into her arms. Holding him one last time.

Elijah walked up to the clear spot in the woods just off the bayou. His heart broke at the arriving scene. His wife sitting on the ground tears going down her face as she held a limp body in her arms.

“He’s dead.” Her voice broken, Sore from all the crying and of the begging. Begging her brother just to come back to her. Just as he was about to say who he seen his fathers dead body on the ground. A hole where mikels heart once was, his cold dead heart beside him.

“I killed him.” She starred straight ahead. Just looking out to the bayou. “Darling, are you okay?” Slowly walking up to her he seen the body in her arms. Recognizing the body as his brother-in-law.

“Mikel, killed him. He killed him to make me angry or upset.” Y/n started. “I’m can’t do this.” She whispered to herself. Elijah just barely hearing her. “No, Y/n.” He told her kneeling down pulling her face to look at him. “It’s going to be okay. I know it’s hard, but I’m here for you. I will never let this ever happen again. I should’ve been here.” He vowed looking deeply in his wife’s eyes. Pushing her Y/h/c hair out of her y/t/c blood splattered face.

“I’ve been alive for hundreds of years, Elijah. Just as long as you have. You and I, we were friends when we were children. We’ve been through so much together. I’ve seen as much death as you have. But to lose my brother. My twin brother, I-I can’t bare it.” She cried. Tears streaming down her face. “Y/n, look at me.” He pulled chin up to look at him. Searching deeply in her eyes. “I’m here, just let me help you.” He whispered against her forehead lying a soft kiss against it.

They stay like that for a little while. His arms wrapped around her as she held onto her brother. She kissed her brothers head as she stood up. Elijah standing with her, pulling her straight into a hug. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” he cooed. Trying to get her to calm down. Her body shaking as she sobbed. “I’m here, just let it out.” She choked out on a sob. Coughing as she struggled to breath.

“I can’t. I can’t.” She sobbed pulling, no pushing away from him. “Let me help you.” He spoke, trying to comfort his wife of like a thousand or so years. He pulled her back into his arms. He heard her slowly nod as she kissed his shoulder. He felt as tears left her eyes. Pulling away she looked into his brown eyes. “I’m sorry.” He looked at Y/n confused. “What are you taking about?” He asked, just as she snapped his neck.

Y/n ran. She had to leave. She didn’t want to turn it off, but that was the only way she knew to get the pain to go away. There was no amount of time or booze to keep the pain of lost away. Cutting off her humanity made her feel free. She didn’t have the heavy burden of emotions on her shoulder. She felt like she could do anything. And she could do anything.

She smirked as she got in her black 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS. Speeding away with a couple bottles of whiskey in the front seat. Driving she let the roads lead her to wherever. And wherever was a bar outside of New Orleans.

“Alright, I need everyone’s attention. She spoke into the microphone taking it from the DJ booth. “You guys are to act normal. No matter what you see you will continue as if nothing is happening. And nobody leaves. Do you understand?” She compaled everyone in the bar. Everyone nodded or said yes then went back to dancing and drinking having a good time. Y/n smiled, walking behind the bar and grabbing a bottle of bourbon. Drinking some of it she smiled.

Dancing in the crowd she smiled. Dancing and grinding against a Green eyed man. He looked like he was around 20. She smiled making eye contact with him. “Your hot.” She said over the music. He smirked as he pulled her in from her hips. She smirked. Leaning in and kissing his neck then biting into his neck. Not even flinching or hissing from the bite. Her worked Compulsion working.

She drained the green eyed man in the matter of minutes. Leaving his dead body in the floor then continued to party as if nothing had happened. Y/n made her way through the dance floor killing people, dancing, and drinking her whiskey.

“Yasss, this is a good song!” She said as one of her favorite songs came on.

“Cut my life into pieces. This is my last resort!” She sang! Head banging as she weaver through the crowd back to the bar. Climbing onto the bar top, dancing and drinking. Having a real good emotionless time.

“Cut my life into pieces! I've reached my last resort! Suffocation, no breathing! Don't give a fuck if I cut my arm, bleeding!” She screamed/sang out the lyrics.

Her bottle of bourbon was empty. She huffed throwing the bottle across the room listening to its thick glass shatter. Grabbing another bottle of booze she continued dancing and singing on top of the bar top.

“Cause I'm losing my sight, Losing my mind Wish somebody would tell me I'm fine. Losing my sight, Losing my mind, Wish somebody would tell me I'm fine, nothing's alright, Nothing is fine. I’m running and I'm crying, I'm crying I'm crying, I’m crying. I'm crying.” She dance the men at the bar watching as she dance and sang.

Some smiling and smirking. Some others reaching out to touch her. Those who go to touch her she allows a little bit. She would sit in their laps. Giving them a little fun and then would bite down onto their necks. Feeding on them until they bleed out. Leaving a large amount of bodies on the floor or hanging off chairs.

Y/n nodded and smiled dancing around having a grand ol time as she heard the music stop.

“Why the hell did the music stop?!” She called out looking towards the do booth. Looking at the DJ who had just stopped the music she seen her husband and her brother-in-law Klaus.

“Hello boys.” She smirked before throwing the bottle of booze at the two original brothers. “Come to party?” She smirked. Watching as the two just barely missed the flying bottle.

“Or are you hear as the party police?” Grabbing another bottle as she moved over to a ginger haired man. She smirked as the man wrapped an arm around her waist. Her smirk deepened when she heard Elijah growl.

“We are here to help you.” Elijah spoke. Klaus smirked seeing his older brother getting upset over the mans arm wrapped around Y/ns waist.

“Oh really? I don’t seem like I need help. Jack, do you think I need help?” Y/n asked the young man. He seemed like he was barely 21. He shook his head as y/n looked into his brown eyes. “Words baby boy.” She spoke seductively. “No, you don’t need help.” His voice monotone because of the compulsion.

“See I’m all fine and dandy. Now if you’ll go I have things to do.” She smiled. Biting into the mans neck. She sighed feeding on the man happily. “Y/n, love you need to stop.” Klaus said as he started walking up to Y/n. “Make one more move and I slaughter the rest of the people here then continues through the states. Maybe even leave and go somewhere else. Have a world wide murder spree.” Y/n demanded looking as the two brothers stop mid-step.

“Good, now let me enjoy my snack.” She continued feeding on the man. Loving the way the blood quickly flowed into her mouth. “Man you taste so good.” She moaned against the mans neck. “I might just save you for later. Maybe even give you a good time before I kill you.” She flirted. The man smirked as he pulled her onto his lap. She could feel him under her making her smirk. “Enough of this!” Elijah demanded. Catching Y/ns band before she could move it to the back of “Jacks” neck.

“Klaus get the rest of them to leave. I’ll deal with Y/n.” Klaus nodded, not arguing with his big brother.

“Oh, Klausy. Listening to your older brother know, eh? See I liked reckless Klaus. It was hot and Sexy.” Y/n spoke looking at Klaus then looking at Elijah out of the corner of her eye. Smirking when she seen his jaw clench in anger. “There was so many times I wanted to sleep with you. Man, I’d sleep with you right now if Elijah here wasn’t holding onto me like I’m gonna disappear. “Well love. I love the offer, but I don’t think my brother would appreciate that.” Klaus smiled. His hands behind his back walking up to them.

“Well, I guess I have to do this by myself.” Jerking out of Elijahs hold she vamp sped to Klaus. Breaking his neck and looking at Elijah. “Let’s talk.” She spat. Going around the bar and fixing her a drink.

Grabbing a margarita glass she started fixing her drink. Putting some ice in it as Elijah started talking.

“I’m giving you five minutes to talk then you’ll either be dead or outta this bar.” Elijah huffed as he watched her fix the drink.

“I love you. I hope you know that. I’m fighting for you for us. Baby, just listen to me.” He grabbed Y/ns soft hand as she was pouring the tequila in the glass.

“I love you. I never wanted any of this to happen. If I knew Mikel was going to go after Jason I never would’ve went with Klaus and Hayley. I would’ve been there with you and him.”

Y/n started daggers into his brown orbs. She looked at her wrist that was still in the hands of Elijah. “Let. Go.” He nodded letting go of Y/n. “You know what.” She started. Taking the bottle of tequila and just pouring it in the glass adding a little bit of mix. Stirring it then she took a sip. Testing it out. Then drinking it, no chugging it. She wanted to be drunk, but being a vampire it was hard for her to get drunk.

“I’m done. You know after flipping the switch I feel great. I’m not stuck with you. I’m not missurable. I don’t feel like I have to do anything, but what I wanna fucking do. If I wanna drink everyone in a bar dry of blood then that’s what I wanna fucking do. If I wanna off and leave then that’s what I wanna do!” She exclaimed slamming her now empty glass (besides the ice) down on the bar top. Shattering the cup because of how hard she put the cup down. “And.. I just want to be able to do whatever the hell I want without worrying about it. Hell, worry ain’t even in my mind when I don’t have the switch on. Right now I feel nothing! And you ain’t gonna do anything about it.” She spat at him.

Elijah stayed quiet. He knew this wasn’t his Y/n. This wasn’t the woman he loved. Y/n has her humanity off, this is her. He told himself. Elijah wished she would just fall into his arms flipping the switch back on, but he knew she wasn’t.

“I don’t wanna be with you Elijah. I never loved you. Hell the only reason I was with you was because I felt like I had to. I mean, did you really think I would be with you for eternity? Hell, I can barely deal with you this long. We’ve had so many fights. I should’ve just left you before it came to this. Before it came to Jason dying.”

Elijah had tears in his eyes as he looked at Y/n. He shook his head as he stood up. “You don’t mean that.” He whispered shaking his head. Y/n scoffed as she looked at him. “We love each other. We’ve loved each other since we were children.” His voice was a bit shaky but he cleared his throat trying to get the nerves out of his voice.

“Well, if I cared so much for you. If I loved you so much why would I do this?” Elijah watched Y/n a little confused. Y/n walked around the bar grabbing the wooden bar chair and slamming it against the bar. The chair shattered and she grabbed the leg of the broken chair. Before she could stop him she shoved the makeshift stake into his heart. “Goodbye, Elijah.” Vamp speeding out of the bar. Elijah fell lifeless onto the floor. His tan skin now gray and cold.

“I always knew she was a fiesty one, but did she have to stake you?” Elijah stared down at the stake he had quite literally pulled out of his heart. “I’ve seen vampires without their humanity before. But Y/n something’s.. different.” Elijah told his brother as he wiped the his blood of his hands onto a napkin. “I’ll call Marcel. Get him to clean all this up then we’ll get your wife. We’ll get her back to normal.” Klaus planned as he started dialing Marcels number. Elijah nodded as he looked around.

The bar was full of dead bodies. At least twenty people were drained. Half of the liquor bottles were empty. Elijah didn’t know how, but he knew he was going to get her back somehow.

Y/n walked down a empty street. She was too sure where she was, but that didn’t really matter to her. She had one or two cars pass her but none stopped. She didn’t care if they stopped or not she was just walking. But when a black SUV pulled up to her she made a plan.

“Hey, are you okay?” The dark skinned man asked her. His brown eyes looking her up and down for any injuries. “No, I need some help. My car broke down and I’m trying to get to a friends house just down the road here.” She spoke, making fake tears run down her face sniffing every few seconds.

“Come on, I’ll give you a ride.” Y/n smiled gratefully and followed the man to the other side of the car. Y/n was right behind him as he opened the passenger seat door. Turning around quickly he injected her with a clear liquid. Her skin was burning as he injected her with what she could guess as vervain. “I-I’m go-gonna kill you.” She threaten as she fell down. He smirked as he pulled out another needle injecting her with more vervain. Him knowing she was an older vampire a little bit of vervain wasn’t keeping her down.

“Ahhhh!” She woke up screaming. Her back burning, feeling like she had took her daylight ring off her hand and decided to go on a walk.

The burning stopped and she felt her skin healing itself. Looking around as her eyes adjusted to the darkness she seen her husband and her family.

“What the hell are you guys doing to me?” Y/n spat at the mikaelson siblings. Staring dead into their eyes. It scared Rebekah seeing no emotions beind your once beautiful, but now cold dead Y/e/c eyes.

“We’re helping you, sister.” Rebekah spoke, her voice wavering just a bit. “Help me? Ha, you can’t barely help yourselves. How the fucking hell are you going to help me?” Elijah shook his head. His heart shattering at the sight of this. Klaus pulled on a rope making the sunlight come in burning Y/ns body. “Bloody hell!” Kol shouted. Walking over to Kaus and stopping him from burning Y/n too much.

“What? This is the plan.” Klaus mumbled to lowly. “Leave, I want to talk to Y/n alone.” Elijah spoke looking at Y/n not looking at anyone else. His siblings nodded silently leaving the room.

“Is this your plan? Torturing your poor wife?” Y/n asked her husband. Elijah shook his head as he leaned down to her. Looking into her eyes and sighed deeply.

“This, whoever this is. Is not my wife. My wife, is lovely and caring. She cares for the people around her. She loves her family and friends. She would give the shirt off her back for anyone. No matter who it was. You, you are not her. Your nothing. And I’m going to bring back my Y/n. The love of my life! My love! The woman who made plans, when we were just small children, to get married and to have children together. Who made the decision to turn to live eternally with me knowing she could never have children being a vampire.“ he rambled trying to bring back some emotions back to her.

He stood up and pasted. Thinking, until he knew what he had to do. Walking behind her he brought his hands up to her temples. “I’m going to show you how are lives would be if we hadn’t turned.” “No.” She whispered as he climbed up into her brain digging through memories until he reached the one when they were children. Talking about what their future together would be.

Y/n was playing in the woods with her two children, her three year old girl, Luna and her four year old son Henrik, named after his late uncle. Y/n playfully ran through the wood holding up her long vilot dress so she would trip over it.

“Ready or not, here I come, my loves.” She called, hearing small giggles she quietly walks over. “I’ve got you!” Her children squealed, trying to run away from her. Y/n smiled widely as she grabbed them and started to tickle them.

“Mama, stooop!” Henrik giggles. Luna smiled as she tried to tickle her mother. “Never!” Y/n laughed. Tickling her son then turning to her daughter tickling her. “I got you!!” Y/n tickled them playfully.

“I love you, mama.” The children said in union. Y/n smiled softly and kissed her children’s temples. “I love you more, my loves, always and forever.” The two children stood up hugging their mother. Y/n smiled as tears went down her face.

“It’s not real!” She cried. Opening her eyes, trying to get her husbands hands off her head. “Please.” She cried. “It can be real.” Elijah said. “No,” y/n cut him off. “It can’t be. We aren’t human and we never will be!” She screamed, tears falling down her face, humanity slowly but surely coming back to her. “There’s a spell, Freya came up with a spell. It’ll work. We can have a family together. You and I, we can have children together. Just like we had planned when we were human.”

Y/n looked into her husbands brown eyes, he could see all her emotions were back. She sobbed as she began remembering everything she had done. All the horrible things she had done and the things she had said to Elijah.

“I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry!” She sobbed, Elijah sighed, his wife was finally back. She was back to her normal self. Elijah untied her pulling her shaking body into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him as he kissed her forehead. “It’s okay, it wasn’t you.”

Y/n cried for hours. Everything she had done she regretted. She kept apologizing for all the things she had said and done. Elijah carried her out of the cell and up the stairs to their shared bedroom. Lying her down on the bed he lied down next to her. “Is it true?” Y/n whispered playing with his fingers in her hand. “Is what true?” Y/n took a shaky breath in. “The spell, can we really have children?” She asked. He smiled, looking at the hope in bright in her eyes. He nodded. “Freya has been working on an elixir to make us able to have children. It works we had it tested. We can have children.” Y/n smiled as she leaned forwards kissing her husband. “I love you.” She whispered against his lips. “I love you more, my love.”

The end! ❤️🖤❤️🖤

Reblog- you love it

Comment- you really loved it and you wanted me to know or you didn’t like it and your letting me know

Note/like- you just like it.

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1316

Monday, March 8, 2021

 Coming up on a year since the pandemic started. I hope you're all healthy and safe. I am hopeful that vaccines will be deployed widely and help us all feel less anxious. I am fortunate enough to be one of those people who is happy as a bug snug in a rug while self isolating. I do really miss my dear friends and family but hugs can wait until we're all vaccinated.

 My thanks to Doug for lending me these comic books to read.

 Batman Annual #5 - James Tynion IV (writer) James Stokoe (art) Clayton Cowles (letters). It's the origin of Clownhunter and it's not very original. If I had to pay $4.99 US I would have passed on this and lived with leaving a hole in my Batman collection. If you're not familiar with this new vigilante, he's an Asian teenager named Bao who decides he's going to kill the Joker and all of the villain's sycophants. The reason he becomes Clownhunter (and killer) is very mundane. I wish they could have come up with a new motivator. Maybe the philosophical discussion about what to do about the Joker might interest some fans but I found this story quite tedious. I also didn't like the way Bao and his parents were portrayed. Did they really have an Asian saying "Ah, so"? Yes they did on page 8. Shades of Charlie Chan, Batman. I was not offended, just disappointed.

 Batman/Catwoman #3 - Tom King (writer) Clay Mann (art) Tomeu Morey (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). I was thrilled to see the town of Port Orange, Florida mentioned on the first page. My pal Al lives there. It's also where Selina finally catches up with the Joker and does what Batman never did. I love this Black Label book taking familiar characters and treating them in a new and interesting way. Here's a future where Selina has survived her husband Bruce's death and their daughter Helena is the new Batwoman. Now I wait to see how mother and daughter deal with the Angel of Death.

 And now, more Future State books.

 Future State: Robin Eternal #2 - Meghan Fitzmartin (writer) Eddy Barrows (pencils) Eber Ferreira (inks) Adriano Lucas (colours) Pat Brosseau (letters). The consequence of Tim Drake/Robin being dunked in Lazarus resin is that now he's immortal. Whoop-dee-doo. Not only is this a boring Robin beats up bad guys issue but the art lacked any logical perspective. This issue takes place on a train but you would think it's in a huge building based on the art. I know it's comic books but I hate when one doesn't make visual sense. I think that's just laziness.

 Future State: Kara Zor-El Superwoman #1 & #2 - Marguerite Bennett (writer) Marguerite Sauvage (art) Wes Abbott (letters). This 2-issue fairy tale was not meant for old farts like me and Doug. With it's soft pastel colours these books should have included glitter and bubblegum flavoured lip gloss. Maybe young tween girls will like this. The moral of this story is "no one is born wise".

 Future State: Dark Detective #3 - Mariko Tamaki (writer) Dan Mora (art) Jordie Bellaire (colours) Aditya Bidikar (letters). There are not one but two Batmans in this issue. You've got Bruce in his new capeless costume but here he's wearing a trench coat to give that fluttering effect, and then there's the new guy in the Bat suit, cape and all. The "uh-oh" point of the story hits here when the bad guys discover where Bruce is hiding out. The Matthew Rosenberg (writer) Carmine Di Giandomenico (art) Antonio Fabela (colours) & AndWorld Design (letters) Grifter story concludes here too with a double cross and a whole lot more of Helena/Huntress. This is my favourite Future State book so far.

 Future State: Superman of Metropolis #1 & #2 - Sean Lewis (writer) John Timms (art) Gabe Eltaeb (colours) Dave Sharpe (letters). If you're wondering how a grown up Jonathan Kent takes over for his dad as Metropolis's protector then these two $5.99 US books will satisfy your curiosity. The villain of the story is an evolved Brainiac who is a big multi-mouthed ball now. Metropolis is shrunk ala the bottle city of Kandor, the citizens go nuts but Jon returns things back to normal in the end with the help of Kara/Supergirl. I don't know why Kara's a girl in this story and a woman elsewhere. Each issue has two back-ups so you get your money's worth. One features Mister Miracle and the other the Guardian. They are both dealing with bad things inside the bottled Metropolis. You won't miss much if you don't read them. The Mister Miracle story "The Metropolis Menagerie" is done my Brandon Easton (writer) Valentine De Landro (art) Marissa Louise (colours) Dave Sharpe (letters). The Guardian story is brought to you by Sean Lewis (writer) Cully Hamner & Michael Avon Oeming (art) Laura Martin (colours) AndWorld Design (letters). This one got me excited because a villain wants to throw Jimmy Olsen off of the Daily Planet building.

 Future State: Catwoman #2 - Ram V (writer) Otto Schmidt (art) Tom Napolitano (letters). Read this to find out if Catwoman saves the lives of the people on the train. You will also find out if Bruce is freed from the bad guys. Talia Al-Ghul appearing is the deus ex machina in this story. I like the new Cheshire and Onomatopoeia is always fun.

 Future State: Superman: Worlds of War #2 - Phillip Kennedy Johnson (writer) Mikel Janin (art) Jordie Bellaire (colours) & Dave Sharpe (letters). In "The Many Deaths of Superman" the Man of Steel fights in the arena of Warworld where Mongul resurrects him after every death match. It's the typical brutal battle scenes and super villain gloating. What's more compelling is an old newspaper story that Clark Kent wrote that inspired a young woman who travels to Smallville. I was totally confused by the three back-up stories featuring Mister Miracle, Midnighter and the Black Racer because they were not very good. I am a completist and have to finish what I start. I could have stopped reading after the $3.99 US main story in this bloated $7.99 US comic book  but my obsessive compulsive nature wouldn't let me. It's a character flaw I wish I could change.

 Future State: The Next Batman #1 - John Ridley (writer) Nick Derington (art) Tamra Bonvillain (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). All the teasers for this book hyped the fact that this Batman is black. You won't get the secret identity in this first issue but there are a bunch of likely candidates. Lucas Fox is a possibility but it's confusing because he's a bad guy in another Future State book. This is another $7.99 US book with back-ups. These are more coherent than the ones in Future State: Superman: Worlds of War.

Future State: Outsiders by Brandon Thomas (writer) Sumit Kumar (pencils) Sumit Kumar & Raul Fernandez (inks) Jordie Bellaire (colours) & Steve Wands (letters) gathers together some old Batman associates helping Gotham City citizens escape persecution by the Magistrates outside Gotham City's borders. Get it? It was nice seeing Katana in action.

Future State: Arkham Knights by Paul Jenkins (writer) Jack Herbert (art) Gabe Eltaeb (colours) & Rob Leigh (letters) gathers together some of Batman's rogues gallery to fight the oppressive Magistrate. Two-Face, Mr. Zsasz, Dr. Phosphorus, Killer Croc and other ex-inmates of Arkham Asylum are being lead by an armoured Astrid Arkham. It's super villains being super heroes.

 Future State: The Next Batman #2 - John Ridley (writer) Nick Derington (breakdowns) Laura Braga (art) Arif Prianto (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). We learn the secret identity of the new caped Batman in this issue. It's Lucas Fox's brother. He has a brother? This also has three new back-up stories.

"Batgirls" is by Vita Ayala (writer) Aneke (art) Trish Mulvihill (colours) & Becca Carey (letters). Batgirl/Orphan Cassandra Cain gets locked up in the Magistrate Detention Facility where both good guys/white hats and bad guys/black coats are incarcerated. She got caught on purpose because her mission is to find Oracle and Batman and free them. She gets help from Spoiler who is queen of the inmates. In this reality Cass is way more articulate than she used to be. I didn't like that. I also didn't like that in the other Future State stories the Magistrate foot soldiers have a shoot to kill order for any masks that they encounter. Why are all of these masks alive? Anyways, this part ends with the white hats and black coats forming an alliance so Cass can get on with her mission.

"Gotham City Sirens: Ladies' Night Out" is by Paula Sevenbergen (writer) Rob Haynes (breakdowns) Emanuela Lupacchino (pencils) Wade von Grawbadger (inks) John Kalisz (colours) Becca Carey (letters). Catwoman and Poison Ivy spring a domestic droid named Dee Dee (get it?) from servitude and they have a night on the town at a bar. The bar is run by Sam Bradley and both super heroes and villains can imbibe in peace. Fans of Sex and the City may like this. Not a lot of drama until the last page when the joint is raided by Magistrate goons and major characters are shot.

 Future State: The Next Batman #3 - John Ridley (writer) Nick Derington (breakdowns) Laura Braga (art) Arif Prianto (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). This is the "uh-oh" moment in the story where the hero is felled by the villain. A wounded Batman is attacked by the murderer he's trying to bring to justice. I saw that coming.

I like the change with Black Lightning in the Outsiders back-up.

I like the art in the Arkham Knights back-up even though the dialogue is eye roll inducing.

 Future State: The Next Batman #4 - Jace/Batman lives, as if that was in any doubt. This story would have been a lot more interesting if Bruce/Batman was really dead. Even if the Future State line of comics dies out this Next Batman is a cop out. The Batgirls story ends with Cassandra/Orphan saving Barbara/Oracle and the Resistance gaining ground on the Magistrates. The Gotham City Sirens story ends with Catwoman and Poison Ivy helping the Resistance get an advantage in their war with the Cybers thanks to Dee Dee.

 I admit that I was sucked in by the hype for this mini. The Next Batman being black intrigued me. The story itself was meh and I would not have missed anything by not reading it. I was not engaged as a mature reader but I think someone in their teens might like all the stories in these four issues.

[thoughtfullyyoungduck]

Haunting part two

Summary: Part two of haunting. Eddie and Richie try and find a way to protect their daughter 

Richie and Eddie barely had the decency to wait until it was eight A.M. they hadn’t been able to sleep, to consumed with worry for their daughters safety. Eddie didn’t say anything to Richie about the yellow eyes he saw, or maybe Richie had seen them but had just though not to worry Eddie, because he wouldn’t be able to keep calm if he saw his husband panic as well.

Jessie had slept through the night peacefully, for which Eddie was grateful. He and Richie had kept wake until six A.M, when she woke up, then they had gotten up to make breakfast. Neither left her alone for a minute, standing by the bathroom door when she had to use the bathroom, dead set on not giving penny wise another chance to attack her.

They weren’t even sure if it was really penny wise, but with what Eddie saw, he didn’t want to take any chances. They called Stan first, because despite the fact that Bill was their leader, and Mikel we most about the evil creatures, Stan was the one who would listen to their ranting, and tell them honestly If they were being paranoid. He also was Richie’s best friend.

They called at eight, fully aware that Stan would be pissed beyond belief at being woken up so early. He and Patty were enjoying the last few months of a goodnight sleep, patty being pregnant for about seven months give or take.

Regardless Eddie insisted on dialing their home line, instead of their selfphone, knowing full well Patty would force Stan to pick up. After patty found out about what happened to the loser club in their youth, she had become very protective of all of them. Eddie figures that if Patty grew up with them, she definitely would have been part of the losers club.

Stan picks up after the third ring, his voice rough with sleep and annoyance when he asks; ‘why are you calling me at 8 fucking A.M?’ Richie’s holding the phone tightly in his hand. He and Eddie are sitting on the couch, watching Jessie play with her toys on the rug carpet.

They’re holding hands, and it almost feels normal, except Richie isn’t making a joke and the nervous energy buzzing around them usually isn’t present in their household. Eddie feels like he’s suffocating. ‘Hello?’ Stan asks when he doesn’t receive with a response right away. ‘Stan,’ Richie says, squeezing Eddie’s hand hard. Stan lets out a hum, indicating that he’s listening.

‘Okay so, I think Jessie is seeing Pennywise again.’ Richie pauses, but there’s no immediate response. For the first time Eddie wonders if they should’ve called someone else first, and he feels guilty for putting this on Stanley of all people. ‘She says she saw him come in a nightmare last night, and it may be a coincidence but I don’t think so. Stan I’m, I’m scared.’ Richie lowers his voice, trying not to attract the attention of Jessica.

She’s looking up from her toys to look, but doesn’t find the conversation interesting enough to keep paying attention. Eddie knows how difficult it must be for Richie to admit he’s scared, and he’s so proud of him for doing. ‘Richie’, Stan says, his voice shaky yet determined. ‘I think we need to call the other losers.’

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

It takes a day before all the losers arrive at their house, and in the meanwhile neither Eddie nor Richie have slept on bit. When Beverly and Ben arrive, they force them to go to bed. Eddie argues, not wanting to leave Jessie all by herself, but Beverly told him that he wouldn’t be any help if he was dead tired.

So he and Richie went to bed, having a fitful sleep. Eddie wakes up first, and he follows the sound of his daughters giggles down to the living room. She’s on the couch with Stan and Bill, who she both loves dearly, playing a game of Pictionary. Eddie would scold them for bringing markers on expensive furniture, but right now Eddie is just mostly thankful that she’s okay and happy. He bends down and gives Jessie a kiss on her head, hoping that she hadn’t taken notice of the commotion at their house. Patty looks up when he enters the room, instantly rushing him toward the kitchen, where Beverly, Ben and Mike are huddled together, going through a few books.

‘Did you find anything’? Eddie immediately inquires. He realizes that he’s been very rude to the people he hasn’t talked to yet, including Mike who must have arrived when he and Richie were sleeping, but he finds it very hard to be polite when he can’t seem to relax for a few minutes.

Mike doesn’t mind anyway, as he throws Eddie a polite smile. He looks good, there’s worry in his eyes, because he loves Jessie as much as Eddie does, but overall good. Taking a trip around the world is bringing him nothing but positivity. Eddie briefly has a fleeting sense of gratitude when he realizes Mike must have cut his vacation short in Honolulu to be here and help.

Ben shakes his head sominly. ‘No it doesn’t make sense at all. We killed IT, we must have, considering we still all remember each other. Plus the house on Neibolt collapsed’, Ben explains, ‘it hasn’t even been 27 years.’ He makes eye contact with Beverly, who makes eye contact with Mike. It’s clear to Eddie that they’re hiding something, he’s just not sure what.

‘Eddie’, Beverly starts, pausing when Bill and Stan and Patty enter the room. ‘She’s watching tv,’ Bill soothes when he sees Eddie’s frantic eyes. Beverly and Stan share a long pause. ‘Is it possible that it was just a clown?’ Stan asks, always one to call people on their bullshit. Eddie deflates a bit, he really needs the support of the people in his house, he had no idea what else he was supposed to do.

‘We’re not saying we don’t believe you Eddie, we do. We’re just saying that everyone is a little paranoid and maybe that’s just what it is. A little bit paranoia.’ Patty is trying her best to keep everyone calm, bless her soul, but she didn’t understand what Eddie had seen.

He hadn’t told Richie either but he wasn’t giving any choice in the matter now, as he had to prove that it was Pennywise. ‘I saw IT’s eyes,’ he breathed panickily.

Everyone’s head shot up, staring at Eddie as he forced out his words. ‘I saw two yellow eyes last night in the bedroom. That’s how I knew it was IT, and not some weird coincidence.’ He doesn’t notice the figure coming up behind him, until he too speaks.

‘You did?’ Richie asks, his voice cracking. Eddie whips around to look at his husband. Richie looks disheveled, and not In the way that Eddie finds hot or attractive. Eddie’s silent, not knowing what the say. The others don’t speak either. Richie looks hurt, as if he can’t believe Eddie would keep things like this from him.

Eddie hadn’t meant too, honestly, but he didn’t want to worry Richie, and he thought he could deal with it on his own, without informing his husband.

‘Why didn’t you tell me Eddie?’ Richie asks, his voice hard. Eddie flinches at the use of his full name, not used to it coming out of Richie’s mouth. ‘I’m sorry Rich, I just didn’t see the point. I’m sorry.’ Eddie says while stepping forward to place his hands on Richie’s arm. Richie steps back before that can happen however.

‘I can’t believe you lied to me about this. Are you ducking kidding me? This is our daughters life we’re discussing here.’ Richie is angry, and Eddie knows he has every right to be, but he can’t fight with Richie now. He doesn’t have the energy too. ‘I’m sorry okay, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to bother you with all of this.’

Instead of diffusing the situation, it seems to make Richie livid. Eddie had never seen this look on his face before. Only once, when Myra had called the police trying to force Eddie to come home with her. Richie had been consumed with rage then as well.

‘Not bother me with this? What does that even mean? I get that you want to do things on your own Eddie. You can, you don’t need to proof it every time. You’re proving your mom and Myra that you don’t need anyone fine. But have you ever considered the fact that I already know that? You’re brave and selfless and so much more than you think, but this is also my daughter. I have just as much right to be worried about Jessie as you do. You can’t keep that from me.’

The words are like a slap to Eddie’s face. It stings, but he knows Richie’s right. When the words leave Richie’s mouth, he deflates, heaving a sigh. ‘I’m sorry Eds. That was out of line.’

Eddie steps forwards and this time Richie meets him in the middle, circling his arms around his. ‘I’m just so worried.’ Eddie shakes his head, about to tell him that he’s right, when Jessie comes skipping in the kitchen. Instantly everyone pretends that nothing happened, only partly successful, but everyone does a double take when they see what she’s holding. In her right hand she’s holding onto a cord, reaching up to a deep red balloon. It floats in the air, Jessie being unaware of the panic it’s causing the people in the room.

Richie jumps forward, pulling Jessie in his arm while desperately trying to let her let go of the balloon. Eddie follows right away.

‘Where did you get that sweetheart?’  Eddie asks, feeling his heartbeat frantically in his throat. Jessie smiles brightly. ‘Mister Pennywise gave it to me. He said he was sorry for scaring, so he gave me a balloon to make up for it.’

She frowns when Bill takes the balloon out of her hands, mike getting scissors to pop it. ‘Hey, that’s a gift.’ She complains. Eddie quickly shushes her. ‘It’s okay, next time we go to a shop I’ll let you pick something else okay?’

It seems like she’s happy with that compromise because she doesn’t mention the balloon again. Patty is send away then, on stan’s request, even though she insist that she could be of help. She relents when she realizes that she’s seven months pregnant, and Eddie and Richie want to make sure that Jessie is as far away from IT as possible.

She takes Jessica to the mall, luring her with the promise of ice cream. Eddie is glad when their car pulls of the drive way, but he would feel a lot better when they finally figure out what’s going on.

He and Richie share a look, and Eddie knows that they’re okay. They’ll still talk about the fight, but for now, they’re okay. The other losers are now frantically going through the books again.

‘Wow, the books look as old as your mom’s vagina Eds’ he jokes, and Eddie rolls his eyes in annoyance. He’s glad however, that Richie is coming to himself again.

Looking through the old books Mike brought with him takes up most of the day, and by the end Eddie is ready to call it a day. He wants to protect his daughter, obviously, but reading hasn’t brought up anything, so it might be time to change the game plan. Right when the though crosses his mind however, Mike shouts excitingly. ‘I’ve found something guys.’

He’s pointing to a page in his book, but doesn’t wait until anyone can read it before turning the books towards him again and reading the passage. ‘It’s possible that a piece of the soul of this outer being is transported into something. Potentially an object or even a person. It is the last option to survive.’ Mike sounds relieved after he finishes, but Eddie honestly has no clue what to make of it. By the looks of it, neither do the others.

‘Guys’, Mike exclaims, ‘this is what happened. We killed IT, but maybe not completely. Richie, is there anything you’ve got from Jessie that you don’t recognize buying?’

Eddie thinks himself, but comes up empty handed. He honestly doesn’t know which things he bought and what Richie bought. Usually, they go shopping together. All at once it hits him. ‘Mister Cuddle’, he mumbles. Bill laughs at the name, stopping when Stan shoots him a hard look. Richie looks up, already nodding his head.

‘That’s right, I remember thinking that it was weird, but I just assumed one of you guys bought it for her.’ Everyone shakes their heads. They hadn’t purchased the stuffed animal. Ben and Richie go up to grab it, not wanting to be alone with the thing. Eddie stays downstairs to figure out a plan. ‘How are we supposed to get rid of IT?’

Eddie asks, fully prepared to do anything if it would just let his family have some peace and quiet. Mike looks at him, and his look already makes Eddie feel like he’s not going to like it.

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

It smells horrendous. The fire they had set in the backyard is still burning, and it smells like burning flesh. Eddie pretty sure he’s not going to go on a camping trip any time soon. His arm is linked with Richie’s, his lip busted and Richie’s hand cut open. Killing IT completely hadn’t been easy, but they had done it, they had set the bastard on fire.

They could only hope, that this time it would be forever. A car pulls up behind them, and the losers club turns to look, everyone on edge after the past two days. It’s just Patty, carrying Jessie out of the car, fast asleep in her arms. Jessie seems to notice that she isn’t in a car anymore, her head snapping up and looking around.

Her eyes focus on her fathers, and she struggles against Patty’s grip in her hast to get down. As soon as she’s on the ground, she runs towards her fathers, who hold her tightly, happy that she’s safe. Eddie doesn’t mention it, but he swears he sees tears in Richie’s eyes. When they’re done hugging, and Jessie pulls back she scrunches up her nose. ‘Where’s mister cuddles?’ She asks, and Eddie chokes, looking at Richie for help.

All Richie can do is mutter our a small, ‘shit.’

[mirrorfalls]

The Joker 80th Anniversary Super Spectacular (2020)

“So Lego,” said nobody ever. “Now that you’re got some decent free time and the spoons to write, what are you gonna do? Get some actual work done on that Detective Conan longfic you’ve been rattling about the last two years? Actually start your long-overdue cert paper, that thing you need to graduate?”

Oooof course not! Instead, let’s dive back into the wonderful world of Cape Comix, featuring Tumblr’s least-wanted villain! Will any of these ten little tales actually manage to find something new - or at least interesting - to say about Laughing Boy? Let’s find out.

“Scars” by Scott Snyder and Jock. A pretty typical Snyder gonzo-horror jaunt, complete with “haha, the Joker really is the godmode manipulator/killer you’ve been denying he was all story! Sucks to be you!” ending. It’s stories like these that make me wonder why the hell Bruce’s rogues gallery even needs Scarecrow anymore, even in concept.

“What Comes at the End of a Joke” by James Tynion IV and Mikel Janin. Ahh, Christ, why didn’t I expect there’d be a Joker War tie-in somewhere in this... Well, there ya have it, the Secret Origin of Punchline. There’s a germ of an interesting idea here, likening the Joker’s “the hell with anything else, I just want to fuck over The Powers That Be” influence on Gotham’s youth to the Alt-Right’s influence in real life, but even then I reckon other writers have already done it better.

“Kill the Batman” by Gary Whitta, Greg Miller, and Dan Mora. The first creative team I had to look up - apparently, one of ‘em used to run IGN, and the other co-wrote Rogue One. This is also the first one built as a comedy, which I approve of in theory; in execution, though, the setup is a bit too mawkish for its own good (not to mention way too eager to quote-mine Chris Nolan) the last-page punchline is exactly the kind of dad humor our “hero” was complaining about halfway through the story. All in all, I’d still recommend “Going Sane” as a better take on the whole premise.

“Introducing the Dove Corps” by Denny O’Neil and Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez. Guys, whatever differences I’ve had with his work over the years, I really wanted to report that O’Neil went out on a high note. And I will say this one probably has the strongest premise in the whole book, with Joker trying to not only (gasp!) play hero but (horrors!) do it without bloodshed. O’Neil doesn’t quite cheat the premise, but the story is still bogged down with at least one unleapable logic hole (a Special Forces Team doesn’t know who the fucking Joker is?!), a bunch of pointless continuity-mining (See! The origin of TKJ’s tourist getup!), and a predictable-as-hell ending. Whatever faults the other stories may have, none of them end on a line as hacky as “Killing is so much fun.”

“The War Within” by Peter Tomasi and Simone Bianchi. Okay, first thing - it’s not “Batman/Badman” levels of faux-cleverness, but it’s not quite out of that ballpark. There’s no real plot outside the narration (except maybe to set up some future arc in Tomasi’s Detective), just Bianchi doing a Joker-through-the-ages showcase. Said showcase hits most of the obligatory choices - Golden Age, Silver Age, TKJ, TDK, TDKR - but I will say I was pleasantly surprised to see The Batman’s Joker getting a shout-out, dreads and all.

“The Last Smile” by Paul Dini and Riley Rossmo. Huh. Wasn’t expecting to see Dini do a riff on Joker: Devil’s Advocate of all things - and only slightly that it would average out as the best story in here. After his less-than-stellar writing on the Arkham games, it’s heartening to see Dini’s still got some of the old magic, with a genuinely insightful look into what might scare the Joker: the possibility that Batman can have his cake and eat it too, can get rid of his not-so-eternal dance partner without endangering his precious code, because sometimes, the law is good for something after all. Kudos, too, for a more creative use of Harley - and rapport with Ivy - than years and years of Harley-centric media have ever managed.

“Birthday Bugs” by Tom Taylor and Eduardo Risso. A strong competitor to the previous one - you can almost never go wrong with “the Joker tries to do something nice for an innocent” as a premise - with some choice lines that carry the theme smoothly without ever feeling like grandstanding. That said, Risso’s art is a lot more hit-and-miss than Rossmo’s - some panels are absolutely beautiful, but others - especially if Joker’s actually in them - just look hideously tryhard - and the gore in the last couple pages feels more cheap than disturbing.

“No Heroes” by Eduardo Medeiros and Rafael Albuquerque. See previous opening line. The themes discussed here (why be a hero for a soulless Capitalist engine?) are a little triter, not helped by the fact that the story’s not really long enough to let them breathe properly, but the art is on the whole a lot stronger; and in an age where artists are falling over themselves to out-demonic each others’ Jokers, I especially dig the choice to put him in a mask for most of the story, rooting his scariness in unmoving minimalism instead of hyperexaggerating every wrinkle and pore of his face,

“Penance” by Tony Daniel. Ah, yes. The perennial weak-link of the Reborn era and the inventor of that whole skinned-face idiocy back at the start of the New 52, Daniel’s turn here... threatens to be interesting a few times, but never manages to get all its ideas into anything coherent, much less good in execution. Shame, really - apart from “Birthday Bugs” it’s the only one to focus on “normal” crooks, a perennially underrated element in Joker romps.

“Two Fell Into The Hornet’s Nest” by Brian Azzarello & Lee Bermejo. This was the one I was least looking forward to... and it looks like ol’ Brian anticipated that, given the line (”Have you checked the credits on who’s writing this?”) he kicks off page two with. I suppose it, more than any of the other stories, cut to the heart of what the Joker’s stream-of-consciousness should look like - but that doesn’t really stop it from feeling like something Azzarello cranked out on a lunch break. Even random nonsense needs to be handled with care to not feel like waste of the reader’s time - and whatever else this one has going for it (I did smile a little the nurse taunting Joker about being as much an empty corporate symbol as Batman himself), care's not really on the menu. Stick with his Calvin & Hobbes parody from Superman/Batman #75.

So there ya have it - three (possibly four) stories I’d legitimately read again, surrounded by a sea of mediocrity and misfires (and some intermittently interesting pinups - JRJR’s Joker-as-007 piece hit my sweet-spot best). That’s honestly a better record than I would’ve expected for the J-Man in 2020 - better, by all accounts, than the 80th super-spectacular the Robins got.

Would it have been too much to ask the Lego Batman guys to contribute something, though?

[colorsofmyseason]

never believe it's not so

A small piece inspired by Arsenal's (rather shithouse) win against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup

Set within my supernatural au as usual.

***

He has sworn off using his magic in battles, even the "fight" on the pitch. He has even masked himself with layers of spells to make sure he passes as normal human, despite knowing that most of his teammates aren't. And his disguise works – well, mostly, but of course, you cannot deceive one Mikel Arteta.

When Mikel comes to him and asks him to work the magic on the pitch during the next game against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, his first reaction is to say no. But Mikel pleads and begs, and tells him that it's the only way to go, and he only needs to hold them off, not attack them in any way.

"Alright," he finally relents with a sigh, "but if we lose, I'm never doing this anymore."

"Deal."

As predicted, Liverpool gives them a hard time and pressures them again and again, but he keeps on working quietly, and he's thankful Bernd is on his best form today, punching and palming away every shot coming to his net. He can feel Ainsley's confusion from the bench, as the young wizard must've sensed that someone must be working the magic on the field but cannot figure out who.

The game goes on penalties, again, and he wants to roll his eyes at his coach, because really?? But he has to admit that this is the only way to go for now, especially against Liverpool.

Laca's and his own penalties go in, and he starts to feel hope rising in his chest, only to be crushed at Mo's failure to convert his. But then Bernd shows his masterclass again, denying Divock Origi and Harry Wilson's shots, before Joe finally manages to squeeze the ball under Adrian's body.

And long after their small celebration in the dressing room has ended and they file back to the bus, Mikel's hand is clamped on his shoulder and he looks around to find the coach smiling.

"Well done, Cedric."

A simple praise maybe, and Mikel doesn't say anything else, but he knows what the older man implies – that his contribution to the club won't stop there, that he might still find himself using his magic to help his team in the future, and he's not sure whether he's up to it, but there's no skirting around it for now.

"As long as no one knows about it," he says, looking at his coach right in the eyes. "Mind my words, Mikel."

And with those words, he turns around and enters the bus.

***

[longeyelashedtragedy]

Ask game, you get a ⭐️ but it has to be about Dangerous AU

dangerous AU! here we go--

so this exchange from the most recent chapter:

“I’ve got to tell you, Granit.”  Mikel feels a little more courageous with knives nearby.  “Some of the things you say sound a little crazy.”

“Hmmm, really?  Because you make me feel a bit normal, sweet Mikel.”

this is important! it says a lot about how i write this fic, and also kind of hints at the trajectory of the fic.

i know "show, don't tell" is something we all get taught if we take a writing class, or at least we've heard it said, and i think it's kind of reductive advice (as a lot of writing advice is? there's a lot of different ways to tell a story yknow), at least for a more advanced level of writing. Granit here is kind of idk...telling the exact point of the fic, or at least, the point of his character arc.

(idk if i've mentioned this on here, or just talked about it in private with its biggest fans, but the sort of Thesis of the fic is:

granit might have turned out pretty "normal" with a different life circumstance and his first flashback chapter is meant to indicate that shooting a guy in the head as a teenager was a life altering and traumatizing event for him, that was never handled healthily by anyone around him--instead he was rewarded for it (while ALSO being dehumanized for his tendencies even in his own violent community). in the 2nd flashback which isn't published yet, granit (now about 20 years old) thinks: Sure, money can’t buy love, but Granit knows he’ll never have that anyway, and money can buy all the rest of it. granit will always be...granit, unhinged and sadistic, but mikel's love and devotion and genuine respect for him are going to take the edge off, in a sense.

while mikel's Philosophy is to kill very sparingly, and only for a specific purpose, and the purpose is to help make him feel the power he could never feel as a sick, infantilized, and powerless kid. but, granit's love and devotion and genuine respect for him make him feel this surge of power and control and might just very well wind up the more violent of the two? I've written the last few paragraphs of the fic so i already know but i ain't telling!!!)

"You make me feel a bit normal, sweet Mikel," is sort of the entire point of the fic, then, and it was really cool to disregard any writing advice and just have granit bluntly state that in one of the earlier chapters.

and that's the thing about dangerous AU--idk if it reads differently than my other fics or what, but i call it my "playground," since i never intended to publish such a thing, but some people told me i should and i honestly feel like it has a bit of a cult following 😂 in it i just write however i want--if it's melodramatic or pulpy or choppy or the sex is too rushed or the dialogue is strange or ANYTHING...i'm just writing for fun with no stylistic filter or anything, which also means i can disregard any writing advice whenever i want!

[finiffy]

Mikell going to TJ after becoming an o5, after some of his changes start being implemented with more on the way, and apologising for taking so long to reach a point where Mikell could make things better for TJ. Never mind Mikell clawed his way up from being a nursery worker to being an o5, a career path completely out of left field and never done before; Mikell can’t help but feel he wasn’t able to do it fast enough.

I think starting out as just a normal nursery worker then climbing your way up to the highest position in the Foundation has to be a feat and something people had not expected at all even for Mikell. He would had a really tough time climbing the ranks cause no one would ever think a person who looks after children would be a good choice for a position of the council. Yet here he was. But of course Mikell is a perfectionist he would still think he hadn't done enough or a good job but Tj is there reassuring him that he did do a good job and he is proud of his brother

[abrasife]

turned au / devoted retainer au things

he paints a lot more than he does in any other verse; his sketches are almost non-existent as he has gravitated towards using color and not needing many guidelines. The bleakness of the manor has certainly made him hate using quills and black ink.

you’ll probably find him painting at almost any given point.

most of his earlier paintings after having been turned consist of his memories from his time alive--many center around the family he left behind and the people he met during the war.

otherwise, he’ll be painting landscapes and the flowers that turn up in his room from time to time.

honestly, painting is the only thing keeping him intact and sane in the earlier days after turning, during hardships involving Mikel Faust, and the coven being completely against his entire presence. 

he’s much more likely to speak without thinking twice, similar to main verse in which that kind of talking gets him into trouble; gets better about it in devoted retainer au.

he still carries the trauma brought upon by his upbringing in Rigel--especially that internship that crippled him in the first place--and never really moves on from it since he’s always in that same situation with the coven. Step out of line and he’s dead meat. Not to mention, his honest thoughts would probably lead to reprimanding/punishment too, thus increasing his inability to be open about what he thinks.

his emotional link with Genevieve ( @shadyinfo ) makes it hard for him to trust his own instincts and judgement, considering he may not be acting solely on his own rationale. There’s conflict on how to act because sometimes their ideas/feelings may be polar opposites. Leads to lots of hesitation and indecisiveness at times.

at first, this bond isn’t so strong, as described here.

by the time devoted retainer au hits, I like to think they don’t really need to talk at all since they’re that connected and close with each other. But of course, they do communicate verbally since this isn’t telepathy. It’s better to have things expressed in words rather than gut feelings.

it’s somewhat of a bad thing considering how Keith is the type to feel in extremes. Even with little nudges from Geni’s feelings, he most likely will take that feeling to the extreme side (ex. Geni not liking Mikel Faust leads for Keith to outright hate his guts and maybe plot his death--though part of it is also because Keith doesn’t like the guy himself either). 

Geni’s feelings only amplify his, if they are in agreement. If they are not, it leads to internal conflict and Keith questioning his own judgement.

he heavily relies on Geni to keep him informed and to help him make final decisions, partially because of the above point and also because he’s usually kept in the dark of the various aspects of her species culture and way of life. 

he never will like feeding/taking blood from other people, even though his cravings tend to push out those feelings in favor of satiating hunger. If he’s feeding consciously, then he has to detach himself from the entire process, similar to what he does when having to kill people.

it’s a slow process, but over time, he loses some of the kindness and mercy he originally held and can potentially lose sight of his original self completely, especially if he sees things that remind him of his own trauma and buried resentment/feelings of revenge and hate. Additionally, he can lose his grip on himself when he can no longer hold back blood cravings.

EARLY DAYS OF BEING TURNED-- feeding from Geni was something he initially did not want to do. He couldn’t harm a friend, but then we have that craving for blood not leaving him alone until he does, leading to lots of guilt and internal conflict with his moral compass.

also, he lashes out at her a lot, especially with all these changes happening and not being able to use his normal coping mechanisms to deal with them. This later on results in him trying to make things up to her however he can because he feels extremely guilty about doing that.

He find the sunlight much nicer than he used to while human. Considering his “days” are now nights and “nights” are day, the fact he can bask in the warmth on few occasions makes it a much more valuable experience. Sometimes, you can find him in a sunny spot in order to relax or get away from everything.

DEVOTED RETAINER AU-- if necessary he will use the sword gifted to him by her father to kill Geni himself. While this is not ideal, he will do it if it means she suffers less. If that happens, he’ll probably mysteriously disappear afterwards and live on his own somehow, probably hung up on her even after centuries have passed since her death.

While Geni is clearly conflicted about feeding from him, Keith would not even hesitate to give her his blood. He will not shy away from it and may even insist on giving it to her, same as she would offer the last bit of her blood for his sake. Plus, he always gives her blood from his left wrist. That means a lot. 

The coven is shady af and Keith can never find himself wanting to deal with them, hence why he actually takes Geni’s random running away statements seriously. Not to mention, they’ve been cursing him since the day Geni brought him back from the brink of death. 

It is ambiguous whether or not Keith harbors romantic feelings for Geni in devoted retainer au or not simply because of the emotional link between them potentially forcing feelings on him that he does not harbor himself, and also the way the feelings between his role as her vassal, their bond as creator and creation, and their friendship before his turning play into it all.

Regardless, he is still extremely possessive of her. Even if Faust wasn’t in the picture, he would be quite reluctant to let her get married or let her go. In some sense, he has a thought of “she is mine and nobody else’s”. 

Not to mention, the smiles that form whenever Geni is satisfied and/or happy with something he gifted her. It’s sometimes hard to tell if the gifts are purely platonic since they are really well thought out. 

He will always shield her from sunlight if it comes down to it, especially since he has resistance to it.

Also, he’s only nice when she is around or when he is interacting with her. But it could also be attributed to the fact nobody else has tried to gain his trust in a genuine way, and he also does not trust anyone other than Genevieve herself.

Geni is the only constant he has in his life after turning, so he’s not going to cope well if something bad happens to her. She may find him always hovering nearby if she’s not well or if she’s in a position where she isn’t comfortable.

Cue the gazes from across rooms that they always do.

And Keith always being a few steps away to butt in if necessary

Isla is an interesting person to talk about since Keith doesn’t even know who she is at all or her relation to the current regent. But somehow, she knows about him and keeps sliding in trivial information about his liege as if he should do something about it. IE: he’s really confused about what the heck she’s up to. But, he’s extremely grateful for her granting him alone time with Geni, despite what her motive(s) may be.

[witchygalaxys]

So I played Nightmare harem.....

I played Nightmare Harem (now I'm broke in more ways than one)

Nightmare harem is an otome game. I have been playing so many different ones but I hadn't found one I loved nearly as much as the arcana but nightmare harem..... really stuck with me. Not in the best way. So let me tell you about the guy I chose.... AND HOW HE UTTERLY DESTROYED ME!!!!! MEET THIS FUCKER RICARDO!!!

First off dont get attached to this face.... the game and story are eh. If you want a lot of romance then this is it. But when I said I'm broke in more ways than one.... I meant one of them being I spent all my money on it.... and it has this weird system where you pay for 15 parts per chapter. But it would probably take a long time to finish the story. Like..... a long time. I think I ended up paying (not proud of this.....) 170.... So I kinda recomend against it.... but it does make you feel and get you attached to the characters. You get to know them pretty well which I feel like a lot of the other otome games dont do. It's one of the reasons I love the arcana because you get to really know the characters and who they are. You get attached and the Nightmare Harem did that pretty well. But here is the thing..... it went into really dark places.

By the end of it I was crying and shaking like a leaf. It actually scared me. I actually felt sick afterwards. I dont know how or why but it showed me all 3 endings. But it showed me the bad ending first and MAN! I COULD GIVE A CRAP ABOUT THE GOOD ENDING AND THE SECRET ENDING! CUZ HOLY FUCK! THAT BAD ENDING HAD ME FREAKED OUT! You may not get this but.... I'd rather he had killed me instead of what happened in the bad ending....

It started off like any normal story. You some how end up in another world. You are found on the demon side of the world. The demons are actually very nice. They treat you well and you like them. But you still want to go home and you are told there is a way to go home but it will only open 3 months from now. So you have to wait. In the mean time the angel side have found out about your existance because humans are rare. (Apparently) so the general of the Angel's meet with the demon prince at his estate (where you are staying) this demon general is none other than RICARDO!

This is where it gets spoilers so stop reading if you plan on playing yourself. SO!

SPOILER WARNING

Well Ricardo takes an interest in you and tells you there is a way to get you home sooner. But it can only be done in the angel side. So he tells you to lie to the demons and leave with him to the angel side. So you do but.....

Very quickly you find out he lied. He just wanted you to entertain him.

Later on you and him become closer. You learned he originally wanted you because you kind of reminded him of his sister who was killed. Later on he confesses his feelings to you by having sex with you. And all that stuff. You guys become very close...... but this is where it takes a dark turn......

Let me break Ricardo down for you. He is a killer. He is known every where for being a heartless killer. But he loves to tease you. He actually made me mad. I actually got pissed. So! When he tries to make you mad and you get a choice to react or not. Dont react. It actually kinda upsets him and it makes it kinda fun.

Hes confident and smart. He loves to tease you but you can also tell he cares (obviously) the more you get to know him the more you see he isnt that much of an awful guy as you thought. He wants to protect you so much. But..... he.... in his want to protect you and be with you.... he goes really dark. It starts out subtle.

He goes to work one day and asks you not to cheat on him or talk to strange men. I automadicly thought he was teasing. After he left the, demons came to the angel side to take you back. They found out you were tricked into coming to the angel side so they came to bring you home. As happy as you were, you told them you would be staying with the Angel's because of Ricardo. Ricardo came in and just started shooting them with no provocation. He said "they came to take you away. So they must die." That's the first time you realize something is off. You eventually calm him down and he stops attacking. And you tell the demons its okay and they leave. After this he gets very attached to you. He doesnt want you to talk with other men.

He begins to skip work to be with you. You know it isnt good so you keep trying to convince him to go so, he wont get in trouble. He spends 2 days with you but if I remember right on the 2nd day you go to help collect some herbs. He tries to stop you but you shake it off and go help. You kind of notice him in the window watching you. It seems like he spent the entire time watching you very carefully. When you go to your own room he is there waiting for you and starts questioning what you were talking about with the guy you were helping. At the end he tells you he must stay by your side.

The next day he decides to take you with him while he does some work because he was ordered to go back to work. He tells you it's fine but you keep questioning it. He says you need to stay by his side. Saying what if something happened to you at the estate while he is away. He said he is worried about the demons coming back to take you away so he wants you with him. He even threatens to take you with him tied up. Sounds like a joke but I dont think he was joking so you go with him willingly.

You end up waiting outside some place for him after he told you to stay and not talk to any one. A man approaches you because he saw you with Ricardo. You both talk about how amazing Ricardo is. The man is part of the army the works under Ricardo.

Ricardo comes out very angry and shouting. You get to choose what to say and after you say it he goes to hit the man. You stop him. Then he kisses you very deeply to show that you belong to him and he teases the man.

He brings you back home and tells you he cant leave you alone because other men will look at you. And if you stay at the estate you will get closer to the other people who live there.

Now pay in mind you arnt just doing nothing. You try to talk to him about it but he keeps stopping you or ignoring you. You notice what is happening and something is wrong. The worry grows more and more with each incident.

The next day Ricardo gets up for work and tells you to rest because.... he exhausted you yesterday. You tell him you cant do that and you have to help a boy named noel with the garden. He tells you to stay in his room for the day. He says he has to do something and he cant take you with him so that you need to stay in his room. He says he will be back as soon as he can and tells you not to leave the room. If you do he will punish you. I was actually terrified when he said that because he hasn't joked about anything seance you two have been together. You know its wrong and you try to run after him. But he closes the door and locks you in there. You pound on the door crying out for him to let you out. You can feel Ricardos need to control you. His confidence with out you is gone. Eventually Noel the boy you help in the garden let's you out. Noel brings you to Mikel. The leader of the Angel's to tell him what happened. Mikel asked if you had given consent to letting Ricardo do that. You tell him no. And Mikel explains how unhealthy yours and Ricardos relationship is getting. You know it is true.

Ricardo enters and calmly but very angrily asks why you left his room. He asks noel if it was him. Noel says yes. And then Ricardo tries to shoot Noel. Mikel is able to stop him before he can hurt Noel. You end up running away not wanting to see Ricardo fall apart anymore. That's when you make the choice that when the 3 months are over.... you will go back home to earth. Not just for you but for Ricardo as well. In the mean time you still spend time with Ricardo not telling him you are leaving.

You spend your last week with him and on the night you are leaving Ricardo learns about what you are doing and goes after you.

He asks you if you are leaving. You tell him yes. He pulls out his gun and says if you leave he will kill you. He asks you if you really loved him and you tell him you do but you cant be with him. And then the dark end showed up... and it made me wish he would have just shot me instead. Although most of that story seemed like a pretty dark ending.

DARK ENDING!

He says he will kill you and that way you will never leave him. But he cant stop shaking. So you walk up to him and hold his gun for him and tell him to shoot so you wont leave. That you wouldn't mind being killed by him. You close your eyes preparing to feel the bullet. He ends up dropping the gun and embraces you. You hold him and tell him you arnt going any where that you wont die and then fades to a few days later.

You look towards the window guessing what time it is because you cant see. You even question how long you have been waiting. Eventually you hear foot steps and Ricardo says he is home. He ends up locking the door and pulls the blind fold off your eyes. Asking you if you missed him. You look at him with so much love and say yes. He undoes your leg shackles but leaving your arms bounded and takes you to the bath. You bathe together and he comments how you have lost weight. You say "really?" And tells you that you can not eat while he is away. It is an order. He asks if you are hungry and you say no. "Seance I dont move much I dont need to eat much." He says he is glad. You think back to when you decided to to stay and how you want to do what ever Ricardo wants. So you let him leave you tied up blind folded in his room while he leaves. You dont think or feel anything other than Ricardo. Thinking you dont mind if you both crumble together.

He holds you telling you not to look at any one else and dont go near any one else. Telling you to only think about him and no one else all the time. Saying he wants you to be unable to live with out him. He asks you if you love him. You reply like a robot saying yes. And he wants you to smile. You try to smile but you cant do it properly because your face is very stiff. A single tear rolls down your face. He asks you why you are crying and all you can say is you are sorry. And then it ends......

SO AFTER ALL THAT IT NOW DECIDES! "Oh hey look at the happy ending!" NO! YOU CANT JUST SHOW ME THAT AND EXPECT ME TO BE LIKE "OH IM ALL BETTER NOW!!!!!!!" NO! NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! WTF!? NO! LIKE OH MY GOD!

THIS IS STOCKHOLM SYNDROME!!!!! LIKE MY GOD! You want a Yandere he is your guy!!!!!!!! And I am ashamed to say! I still really like him!

It reminded me greatly of this comic about a guy who gets kidnapped by his crush and gets very abused by him. If you know what I'm talking about.....I'm sorry....

I WAS SHAKING AFTER THAT! I CRIED! I WAS LEGITIMATELY SCARED! FROM AN OTOME GAME! A DATING SIM! HOLY FUCK! I KNOW IM INTO THE ENTIRE BAD BOY TEASING THING BUT MY GOD! THIS SCARES ME! I know things like that have happened to some people. I think that's one of things that's freaks me out so much to it. Plus dating sims are very personal. You get pretty into them yourselves. The games are meant to make it feel like you are the one being loved.

So that's my thoughts and story. If you want to check it out go do so! I wouldn't recomend against it. Like I said it makes you feel. But I was not ready for that whirlwind. It has good character interactions. I'm kind of..... neutral about it. I found it fun! But all the money it forces you to pay to play is kinda ridiculous. Especially its charm system thing. I find that just kinda lame. But it was fun.

[thecomicsnexus]

Batman’s longest case

DETECTIVE COMICS #1000 MAY 2019 BY SCOTT SNYDER, GREG CAPULLO, JONATHAN GLAPION, FCO PLASCENCIA, KEVIN SMITH, JIM LEE, SCOTT WILLIAMS, ALEX SINCLAIR, PAUL DINI, DUSTIN NGUYEN, DEREK FRIDOLFS, JOHN KALISZ, WARREN ELLIS, BECKY CLOONAN, JORDIE BELLAIRE, DENNY O’NEIL, STEVE EPTING, ELIZABETH BREITWEISER, CRISTOPHER PRIEST, NEAL ADAMS, DAVE STEWART, BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS, ALEX MALEEV, GEOFF JOHNS, KELLEY JONES, MICHELLE MADSEN, JAMES TYNION IV, ALVARO MARTINEZ-BUENO, RAUL FERNANDEZ, BRAD ANDERSON, TOM KING, TONY S. DANIEL, JOËLLE JONES, TOMEU MOREY, MIKEL JANÍN, JASON FABOK, AMANDA CONNER, PAUL MONTS, PETER J. TOMASI, DOUG MAHNKE, JAIME MENDOZA AND DAVID BARON

REVIEW

Detective Comics got to the issue one thousand, and eighty years of delivering Batman stories. In the same way DC celebrated the 80 years of Superman last year, with Action Comics #1000, this year is Batman’s turn. An anthology book (96 pages) with multiple covers. Just like with Action Comics, most of these stories are non-canon.

The first story (by Snyder), gives as another aspect of Batman. We know he is a great detective, but it always seems to be on a second level compared to his never-ending quest of fighting crime. Most often than not, we see him fighting. In this story we get to see another aspect of it, that while Batman has a mission until he dies, he will enjoy investigating cases. He is a detective.

The second story is perhaps the heart of the book (by Kevin Smith), Batman tracks the gun that killed his parents and decides to put it to a good use. I think the book is worth buying just for this one.

The third story is by Paul Dini, and it’s hilarious. There is a documentary on TV about this henchman that all the villains hate. We get several interviews from different villains describing how their plans went to hell because of that stupid henchman. The story has a very clever punchline.

The fourth story is perhaps the most forgettable of the book, by Warren Ellis, and it’s about how Batman, despite not having super-powers, gets the job done by inspiring fear in the heart of his opponents.

The fifth story is a revisiting of an old bronze age story (where we meet Leslie Thompkins). Written by Dennis O’Neil, we get pretty much the same version of Leslie, but she knows he is Batman (so it’s a mix of that bronze age story with post-crisis). She is very disappointed at Bruce, because instead of fighting kids in the streets, he should be using his influences to make their lives better. Feeling sorry for his never ending cycle of violence.

The sixth story, by Priest and Neal Adams... mmm let’s say I don’t like when Adams inks himself, or at least not lately. He is still good, but the results are not as clean as they used to (or perhaps is a mix of things, like the coloring in the seventies was a bit simpler and enhanced his pencils). Despite this, I think it’s a good looking story with a very distinctive style. This being Neal Adams, the story of course is centered around the League of Assassins.

The seventh story by Bendis, is about an aged Penguin, facing an aged and crippled Bruce Wayne, to explain to him why he didn’t kill him when he found out he was Batman. I found the idea interesting, but the ending is a bit unsatisfactory. Alex Maleev does a great job in pencils, inks and colors (although the penguin goes from looking normal to looking like Danny DeVito, back and forth). The main inspiration is obviously that version.

The eighth story by Geoff Johns (and artist Kelley Jones), puts the bat-family solving Batman’s last case. Apparently they did such a good job, Gotham is finally a peaceful place on Earth. This story introduces Echo as Batman’s daughter.

The ninth story (by Tynion IV) is about Dick Grayson marking a precedent for more wards to come. Bruce knows that there is no way that they cannot try to save other traumatized children's’ lives. This story is right on point. This was the main purpose of at least two Robins, and at least one of them was able to have a better life thanks to Bruce.

The tenth story by Tom King is a bit of an excuse for Tony Daniel to put all the characters together in a double splash page. Bruce decides to take a selfie of the bat-family to take to his parents the next day. It’s not bad, but I was not convinced by the characterization of Barbara Gordon.

The last story in this book is just a sequence of splash pages, ending with the introduction of Arkham Knight.

I found this book quite good. It relies on nostalgia for the most part, but that’s the point. At least Tynion IV, O’Neil, Ellis, Smith and Snyder tried to picture a side of Batman’s psyche in their stories. The rest are more about villains or allies. If you don’t enjoy the story in some of these, you’ll most likely enjoy the art.

Happy hunting with those alternate covers!

I give this book a score of 9

[hittcr-a]

so anyway. i was thinking because eliot and the way he deals with things is weird and complicated. but i noticed recently that the way he approaches people people and relationships is vastly different depending on how he meets them and what they do.

like. in a lot of eliot’s relationships with men especially, if he’s met them while on the job he’s a lot more likely to hop into bed with them immediately. sure he still likes to top and stuff and there’s a lot of emotional baggage that needs to be addressed if things keep going and he catches feelings and such, but he’s a lot more willing to give up control and such when he knows the people he’s sleeping with, right off the bat, are just as dangerous as he is. i feel like maybe he takes comfort in that. because like. moreau didn’t seem dangerous. but he was. i don’t know it’s super weird because like. quinn beat him up and eliot was 100% down to hopping into bed with him. the emotional connection came later. i feel like the same goes for mikel dayan. she beat him up. eliot 100% got pegged by her after that like. for sure. they had a crazy wild good time. but the emotional attachment never got a chance to form.  i feel like when eliot meets people and it’s not connected via violence or criminal intent or anything like that, when it’s a less dramatic meeting, he’s a lot more cautious with his body. he’s more open for that kind of thing emotionally, i think but sexually he’s more closed off and it takes a while for him to like. open up.  i think it comes down to this: if eliot isn’t planning on dating them, he’ll open up sexually almost immediately. boom there he is. ready to go. and sometimes things happen and suddenly feelings and oop they’re dating how the FUCK did that happen??  but if eliot isn’t planning on sleeping with them, if he isn’t looking to like. hit it and quit it. he’s a lot more careful with the sexual availability and a little bit more available with the emotional stuff. like if eliot isn’t coming at it from a place of ‘hey we have the same job you’re just as dangerous as me’ he’s a lot more willing and able to form emotional connections. and then he wants to do emotional connection first, then physical and sexual connection to really seal the deal.  idk that’s why i think i really like relationships that eliot has with like. remy. and john. and hardison. because they took FOREVER to get to a place where eliot’s comfortable opening up sexually because of the sort of. trauma that he suffered with moreau. but they’re also super wholesome relationships that took forever to get under eliot’s armor to the squishy shit.  anyway idk what the point of this meta is. or what it means. but here we are. i noticed this thing about eliot. enjoy. edit: i was talking to a friendo and it was said that like. there’s a part of him that he doesn’t have to hide when he’s meeting people as a criminal vs when he’s meeting people that aren’t in his line of work or that he doesn’t recognize as in his line of work and i think like. yeah. that makes sense. because he’s. already out here like ‘woah i’m dangerous.’ to someone who’s also dangerous. and he’s like ‘yeah. i’m down to tap that because i don’t have to pretend like i’m not capable of murder’ versus the whole ‘i like you a lot and don’t want you to know that i’m capable of murder or that i’m damaged goods because you are a ‘normal’ person and i don’t want to fuck that up.’