#not even the smallest level of self reflection on what might make people so angry that's they'd literally kill themselves to defy the US

[psychotrenny]

One day people are gonna refer to the War on Terror as the "9/11 Cinematic Universe"

[firewoodfigs]

Summary:

“Fate must be so kind to reunite us like this -”

Riza grips his hand so hard, he can almost feel an incoming fracture. Her stiff upper lip makes it clear that she’s not interested in idle chatter. “This is a fate worse than death, if I do say so myself.”

(a/n: this was the piece I originally wrote for the @royaiweek prompt ‘old wounds’ (aka the high society au no one asked for), but I got hit with the angst / hurt & comfort truck xD it’s meant to be a prologue of sorts to a multi-chap which I'm not too sure about atm. feedback & concrit are always welcome! <3) 

prologue: of old flames and old wounds 

~x~

It’s impossible to miss Roy Mustang even amidst the crowd of handsome bachelors sprawled out like chess pieces on the tessellated ballroom floor tonight. He sticks out like a sore thumb; five feet eight inches of saviour complex wrapped in corded muscle, armed with a damnably dashing smirk and a lascivious glint in his eyes as he scans the crowd for a particular someone.

Ordinarily, he might've been content with another run-of-the-mill socialite hanging off his arms, but tonight’s debutante is special - because it is finally a certain lady’s turn to make her official debut in high society."

As if aligned with the stars, the lady enters, dressed to the nines in a stunning blue number; aureate locks done in a tasteful up-do to reveal her pretty countenance in its full glory. Independence hangs off her shoulders proudly, the way diamonds cascade down her neck. Her lips are painted a bright, bloody scarlet, and a subtle blush adorns her cheeks like the genesis of tulips blooming in spring. She’s exquisite - dangerously so - and even as she trails behind the other girls with the smallest hint of awkwardness in her gait they fade into the background like shadows.

Elizabeth Hawkeye bows courteously as her grandparents introduce her to the eager audience. Raucous applause envelops her being, and cameras everywhere are quick to go off. She grimaces subtly at the attention, but just as quickly schools her expression and returns to her seat along with everyone else.

And - quite unfortunately, Roy thinks - they’re seated on opposite ends of the dining table tonight.

Notwithstanding, his eyes continue to linger on her, and Roy can’t help but notice just how much she’d grown from the last time he saw her. Any childlike roundness that might’ve once rested on her lovely face was replaced by distinct angles and prominent cheekbones, and her delicate, cuplike bosom made her maturity very, very evident.  

Before he can continue his observations, though, he’s interrupted by an inviting, outstretched hand. “Pleasure to meet you, Mister Mustang,” says the girl seated beside him. “I’m Juliette Astor.”

Juliette Astor is attractive, as all upper crust socialites generally are, with a soft smile that beguiles hidden insecurities and vanities. An innate thirst for approval makes its presence known from under fluttering eyelashes. Roy manages a half-hearted smile in response as he shakes her hand politely, forcing himself to make eye contact.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Miss Astor,” he pauses, contemplating his next move. “That shade of blue compliments your eyes very well, I must say.” Juliette grins widely this time. It’s concealed behind a carefully-positioned palm and well-manicured nails, but it’s all very deliberate. All part of the game.  

The other girls seated within his vicinity begin to do the same. They introduce themselves to him, to the other women around the table with all the enthusiasm of old friends reuniting despite any underlying tension that might be there.

The sea of names are lost on him eventually, but Roy smiles all the same, and they’re disarmed by his charm.

Dinner is finally served after all the frivolous formalities, the first appetiser of the night being a luxurious beef carpaccio. Chateaubriand, to be specific. There’s certainly no scrimping on a grand affair like this tonight (thousand dollar wines are poured with largesse as a live orchestra plays), and neither would Roy Mustang be skimping on his efforts to rekindle the old flame between them. 

~x~

It’s all very methodical, really, like simple geometric progression. Every so often, a girl will reach out to check her reflection on the back of a silver spoon before puckering her lips in an attractive pout, desire seeping from beneath. Another will bite down on her appetiser slowly, careful not to smear her crimson lips, and chew daintily before flashing a set of pearly whites invitingly at Roy - a dance, and then a kiss or two? Finally, yet another will shyly refuse any dessert on the menu and look at him as if he were the intended substitute of the night.

Once in a while, Roy responds with an appreciative, crooked grin as his eyes take in the creamy expanse of milky thighs gleaming from the slits of their dresses. But he finds himself getting bored easily, mind wandering back to the girl who’d stolen his heart since time immemorial.

(Riza, however, doesn’t do any of this, doesn’t dabble in any of this needless seduction - but she doesn’t need to, not when she already has him, amongst many other gentlemen tonight, wrapped around her fingers.)

He continues watching Riza quietly now and then while trying to keep the girls around him entertained with senseless talk. Her back is ruler-straight the way all girls in high society had been taught by their governesses to do so, but the slightest hint of discomfort mars her sharp features - such things had never been her cup of tea, after all.

Perhaps somewhat ironically, despite their differences Roy had always been more accustomed to such events than Riza. Despite being the Grummans’ - who were practically royalty, even in the world of socialites - heiress, she’d always been disinclined to make an appearance at such events, which to her mind were honestly just riddled with false niceties and fake pretenses.

Neither made for a particularly comfortable night for her.

Roy, on the other hand, fits in with unnerving ease, despite the fact that he didn’t descend from a long line of aristocrats like Riza, and was perhaps way too good at playing the role of a shameless flirt whenever the need arose. The ladies, of course, enjoyed this terribly. With every crooked grin, every deliberate wink they’re quick to fall head over heels for him.

But of course, it’s impossible for anyone to be universally loved. For every woman who was head over heels over his debonair charm there was someone speaking of him with decided malice, disguised envy. Unlike the others in the room, Roy Mustang was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth - he was raised in a bar (occasionally turned brothel), for goodness’ sake!

Relative to the people of this perfectly manufactured world, therefore, he’s practically made from nothing. An anomaly amongst the crowd of corporate darlings who’ve always had the backs of their disgustingly wealthy families to ride on.

Which, of course, made him quite the topic of discussion.

Once upon a time, the yammerings and yakkings might have bothered him, but he’s learnt to disregard the irrelevant thoughts of others. It’s all background noise to him, and if he’s being unabashedly honest he would even admit that he’s come to even revel and relish in such gossip. For he’s made his way here, to this exclusive circle, and being able to unravel the insecurities of the rich with his mere dastardly presence certainly did wonders to his ego.

“Are you alright, Mister Mustang?” The girl sitting across him (what’s her name again?) asks pleasantly, but there’s a hint of well-disguised jealousy to her honey-sweet voice.

“Why, of course,” he replies distractedly, placating her with a reassuring smile before turning back to observing a certain blonde.

Finally, Riza turns to meet his gaze - but it’s met with a baleful glare, as if she’s admonishing him for even existing .  

Despite her infuriation, though, she’s quick to resume her role as the civilised, well-bred lady. Riza turns back to the other bachelors sitting with her after that moment of self-indulgence, keeping up her semblance of perfect calm amidst bubbling champagne and scandalous gossip and julienned vegetables.

Roy grimaces internally. Of course she would be angry at his sudden reappearance, after his equally abrupt disappearance.

The girl - ah, yes, Cornelia - tries again, resting a palm atop his knee under the table. “So, what are your... preferences?” she asks coyly.

Roy observes her for a brief moment. She’s a waifish lady with splendid brown curls, styled to perfection.  

“Brunettes,” the lie slips from his lips naturally.

It works like a charm. Cornelia Adler lets out an easy laugh, spilled with prodigality; a blush gracing her delicate features as she sends a coquettish wink his way and sits a little more upright to better display her willowy physique.

Roy smirks appreciatively in response, if only to mask the guilt beginning to flare up his throat.

The wine quells it, but only slightly. Despite the chatter and laughter around him his mind continues to wander back to a certain blonde incessantly (of course, blondes were his definite preference, but Miss Adler didn’t need to know that). For as much as he wanted things to go back to how they were, he knew he’d done wrong by Riza. Terribly, terribly wrong.

And though he was inclined to think that his departure was… explicable, he wasn’t sure if she would even be willing to hear his explanations.

In the end, Roy simply resigns to playing the role of a conceited flirt to belie the turmoil stirring within. The other ladies on the table make his job exceedingly simple, and he does his level best to keep up with Miss Adler’s mindless chatter with well-timed laughter and rakish smiles.  

~x~

As was tradition at every debutante that marked the official joining of society, females were required to dance and socialise with the eligible bachelors lined up before them after dinner. Elizabeth Hawkeye, now a stunning lady of twenty-one was no exception.

She queues reluctantly behind a slender brunette as she awaits her turn, feeling every bit like a lamb about to be led to the slaughterhouse.

Her first companion whisks her into a slow dance eagerly. The first song of the night is a traditional waltz - rather unfortunate, if Riza said so herself. Slow dances were, in her opinion, one of the worst inventions of mankind, because it was the perfect opportunity for mundane, aimless conversations.  

“So, Miss Hawkeye,” her partner says, in a husky voice which he must have wrongly assumed to be - seductive? “Has anyone had the good fortune of catching your eye yet this lovely evening?”

“No,” she replies curtly. Most certainly not you, if that’s what you’re asking.  

“What a pity, Miss Hawkeye. You’ve caught the eye of many gentlemen, myself included.” She shrugs casually, unimpressed by his flirting.

“How are your shares faring?” Riza asks disinterestedly, but he takes to the bait like a fish. Almost immediately he launches into a speech about how they’ve never been performing better - with the recent acquisition his company has only expanded in size, and the share prices have only been going up ever since.

Surely, a remarkable feat for someone who’s not even thirty yet -!

“All in a day’s work,” he quips. Riza doesn’t even remember his name, but she manages a dry chuckle.

His ramble continues, peppered with a witty joke here and there; an eloquence reeking of opulence. Riza’s lips tug upwards with practiced politeness, but if she’s being honest she doesn’t care at all. Regardless, she’s content to listen to white noise instead of having to do any further unnecessary talking, and he’s more than happy to stroke his own ego in front of the blonde.

Finally, the song ends, and Riza manages to get a momentary reprieve when he finally lets go of her hand.

It doesn’t last for long, though. From her peripheral vision she catches a glimpse of a certain - damned horse! - again. It’s an unwelcome barb at an old wound, one that could’ve been easily avoided if she had just been a little wiser.

Ah, the folly of man.  

Because, god - it’d been so easy at the start, when they were just somewhere in between acquaintances and friends, back when she was still just Riza Hawkeye. Eventually, though, his aunt had pointed out that she was the perfect girl with the perfect family to raise his social standing, to turn his pipe dreams into a reality with their wealth and power and connections.  

And Riza, naive, silly Riza had agreed. He'd been the ideal candidate to stave off the many bachelors who looked at her with yearning and desire, and suited her purposes just as well.

So really, it was a win-win for the both of them.

Riza had thought of him as tolerable, at the very least. He was someone whom she could sustain a conversation with, and was most certainly preferable to another loaded chauvinist who just wanted her to look nice at galas and giggle prettily and flutter her eyelashes.

Eventually, it became a rather - dare she say, enjoyable? - companionship. Between dinners under crystal chandeliers and brunch at posh cafes, it seemed like something more than what either of them had bargained for had developed - trust? - a luxury that the wealthy darlings of their world sadly could not afford. Everything was going fine, though there was nothing to make the relationship ‘official’ (because the term girlfriend sounded disgustingly juvenile to Riza’s ears, as did its counterpart).

And then, Roy had left without a word, jetting off somewhere to pursue his lofty dreams with the financial backing from her family. Her family, of all things. It made her feel like she’d been nothing more than a pawn on his chessboard, and it didn’t take long for her to come to loathe him in his absence.

Riza Hawkeye had her pride, after all, and she was not going to let herself be used by some manipulative bastard who conceived of her as nothing more than his one-way ticket to high society. So excuse her if she was affronted, angered by his sudden reappearance; if she couldn’t keep up with all the niceties and gaieties, because - damn it! - she had every right to be.  

She feels his gaze lingering on her again, but before he can so much as utter a word she’s ushered to another bachelor again.

The torturous cycle repeats itself.

It’s a welcome distraction for once, though. Riza would rather dance with the sandy blonde droning on about his investments and yacht parties and how beautiful she looks, than the raven-haired bastard inching dangerously closer towards her.

Patience, Roy thinks, as he waits for his turn to finally dance (and talk) with Riza. There’s an uncomfortable lump in his throat, and though he tries to attribute it to the cool, dry air and the countless conversations he’s had to sustain for the night it’s undeniably because of nervousness.  

Nonetheless, he plays it off suavely. The ladies are absolutely enthralled by him. Roy allows a pleased smirk to grace his handsome features before switching partners again.

~x~

“A dance for the lovely lady?”

Riza rolls her eyes, but not wanting to cause a scene and draw any more attention to herself she obliges. Very begrudgingly.

Roy takes her hand gently in his, resting the other on her cinched waist as they glide smoothly across marble like old lovers dancing to a familiar tune - but he can almost feel the displeasure radiating off her skin, despite the gloves separating their palms.

“Fate must be so kind to reunite us like this -”

Riza grips his hand so hard, he can almost feel an incoming fracture. Her stiff upper lip makes it clear that she’s not interested in idle chatter. “This is a fate worse than death, if I do say so myself.”

He ceases the fruitless flirting and keeps his mouth shut. Roy’s lips are pursed in a tight smile as he continues to lead her in the dance.

The tension between them feels like a violin string strung far too tightly, waiting to snap and slap him in the face at any moment. It’s an unsettling, almost eerie silence, and he scrambles for something appropriate to say in order to break it.

Nothing comes to mind. The quietness lingers, along with Riza’s frown. He swallows, guiding her awkwardly as they continue to dance.

Mercifully, the orchestra begins to play a faster-paced waltz. Five steps per measure. The words lay unspoken on his tongue as they concentrate on the steps, adjusting to the rhythm. Roy spins her once, twice. Her dress flutters gracefully as she twirls, a lovely shade of blue that matches her hair, the way the sky complements the sun, and is -

Coincidentally, the exact same shade as Roy’s tie.

Riza blanches visibly when she realises this. Any fondness for the dress she’s wearing (which, even then, didn’t amount to much) disappears into thin air immediately, and Riza finds herself suddenly overcome with the overwhelming desire to change out of her gown and perhaps incinerate it afterwards.

Roy, on the other hand, thinks she looks positively divine, and is somewhat pleased that they match even without any prior planning. Before he can control himself, the words pour out like a gushing stream. “You look stunning, Riza.”

The string snaps.

“Who said we were on a first name basis, Mister Mustang ?” she asks, hostility clouding her vision.

For the first time that night, Roy feels his confidence beginning to crumble, but he keeps himself in check. “I do apologise for my impoliteness, Miss... Hawkeye...” he trails off unsurely, but decides that it’s now or never. “Amongst many other things.”

She doesn’t respond. Roy tries again, waltzing her in time with the tempo. “I mean it, I’m really sorry, Ri -”

“The fact that you vanished for years without a word after using me for your dastardly plans is really helping your point, I’m sure,” Riza remarks drily before he can finish addressing her by her first name - the bloody temerity of him to do so, really - once more.

Silence falls upon them once more as the elephant in the room finally makes its grand appearance. Riza feels the familiar jabbing of the old wound that she’d buried deep within her heart once again. It’s uncomfortable, almost painful, but she purses her lips tightly instead of making her hurt known.

“You… you have every right to be angry with me.”

It’s the first thing he gets right the entire evening. “You’re right on that front, at least.”

Roy, at least, had the decency to look shamefaced. He’s speechless for a moment, but he lets his yearning, his longing for her make itself known. “You can’t deny the chemistry we have, though,” he murmurs under his breath, leaning closer to her.

“Had,” she corrects sharply. “And the last I remembered, you managed to blow up quite a number of things during your chemistry experiments.”

The insinuation behind her witty comeback is clear. You’ve blown this one up too.  

Roy swallows, choosing his next words carefully. “Look, I’m… well, I’m aware that whatever I did wasn’t the nicest -”

“Lovely to know that your self-awareness has improved, but I’m not some piece of garbage you can recycle after you’ve realised what it’s worth.”

It’s a bit of a struggle for him to keep up with the beat now, but they continue their dance nevertheless. Being accomplished social dancers themselves, it’s easy to make their movements look natural, graceful like flowing water despite the ongoing argument.

Roy doesn’t have an answer. No matter his explanations, there’s an undeniably painful truth to her acerbic words.

Nevertheless, he’s always had a bit of a short fuse - one that only worsens whenever he doesn’t know how to deal with his emotions. The guilt that’s been lingering in his throat all night finally makes itself known in the form of an indignant retort. “I never said that you were a piece of garbage,” he bites. “And… I’m genuinely trying to make amends here, but you’re not even giving me a chance, Ri -”

“What’ve you done to even deserve one?” Riza counters angrily.

“I’m back now, aren’t I?”

“And how, pray tell, is that supposed to make anything better?”

Their steps slow down as the orchestra’s playing draws near to a close. “Because…” Didn’t you miss me while I was gone?  

“If you thought I’d just wait around, pining for you during your absence…” There’s a traitorous spark of hope that lights up in Roy’s heart, but it’s instantaneously trampled upon. “You’re terribly wrong.”

The song finally ends, as does their dance. “Well, have a wonderful evening.” Riza flashes him a beatific smile before kicking his shin with the pointed tip of her stiletto. Hard. “And break a leg.”

“I think I just did,” Roy manages to sputter out weakly.

Riza gives him a patronising, unsympathetic pat on the shoulder before storming off, leaving him alone on the dance floor with a bruised leg and an equally bruised ego.

[eriisaam]

Little tiny notes on boons and banes I want to expand on bigger HCs eventually, but for now I’ll just make notes of boon/bane ideas for the squads (although for most/all of them, the bane does eventually drop over time like how merges do I’ll get around to thinking how merges work too eventually:

Tl;dr version:

---

Erin / +Res -Atk

Teru / +Def -HP

Sparrow / +Spd -Atk

Kyo / +Atk -Spd

Eclair / Neutral

---

Ryoma / +Atk -Res

Lif / +Atk -Res

Camilla / +Def -Spd

Hrid / +Def -Atk

---

Reinhardt / +Atk -Def

Xander / Neutral

Takumi / +Res -HP

Gunnthra / +Def -Spd

Tethys / +Spd -Def

---

Chrom / +Res -Atk

---

Kamui / +Atk -Def

Lifonse / Neutral

---

In-depth version under the cut:

Erin / + Res - Atk = Resilient and willful, just has focus most of the time in areas besides raw strength, particularly when her dragon form was the smallest, technically physical weakness, and she’s stronger in other areas instead.

Teru / + Def - HP = He has great durability and bulk, just his health in other regards is really poor, reflective of just how often he’s so sickly from his condition. Arguably, he had good mental fortitude as well in contrast to being too chronically ill to engage when and how he wants to.

Sparrow / + Spd - Atk = She’s the quickest, not just on her feet, but reflective on her adaptability. However, she doesn’t start off the most battle-ready/inclined right away. (With her digimon, the power she borrowed from them were notably more in a support role as a battle healer, rather than someone like Chrom)

Kyo / +Atk - Spd = He hits like a truck. He just goes right in and lays down the law with very little regards of himself. However, unless he was transformed into something already inclined to be fast, he’s a mighty glacier in his style of fighting in comparison to the others.

Eclair / Neutral = As he was made as almost a blank slate, he has no real strong strengths or weaknesses, and still had to take time to find himself. Whether or not this reflects back on his image-sake (Kiran) or his name-sake (Eclat) is unknown, but likely, doesn’t. Also exists to look cute and be babie until he suddenly has reason not to be as harmless as he seems.

---

Ryoma / + Atk - Res = In any other regard, he’s normally the one who has the strongest mental fortitude between his meditations and the way he mediates or acts like the supportive Big Bro/Team Dad of his supports in fussing and protecting them collectively with Second-in-Command Camilla. When he battles, however, it’s a whole other side to him that focuses far more ruthlessly in combat and making sure the thing he’s fighting is struck dead for daring to hurt his supports, arguably not thinking the most collectively during the moments he’s at his most stubborn and angry.

Lif / + Atk - Res = Like Ryoma but worse. At least Ryoma has some level of calm or pretend-calm, but when Lif is in a mode to battle, he fights with an utterly brutal style as a remnant of his trauma under Hel’s heel, which his feral-like mood and mindset doesn’t lend itself particularly well to thinking calmly, rationally, or in ways that doesn’t potentially break himself along the way either. It’s not uncommon for him to snap out from his daze with several new, fresh wounds he doesn’t remember getting.

Camilla / + Def - Spd = Tanky, bulky, and can withstand quite a bit, but isn’t particularly the speediest while doing it. While she’s plenty brutal when she strikes, what’s more impressive about her is how strongly she carries herself and braves through pretty dangerous rough points in battle just before laying down the law.

Hrid / + Def - Atk = Compared to the others who are much more brutal when and how they strike, Hrid is much more focused on resisting attacks and fighting in a style on the defensive than striking others down fast, hard, or particularly viciously. His kingdom’s peaceful yet resolved way of thinking and general combat style might have contributed to this, especially as physical weapons take more resolve compared to how easily magic can turn deadly all on its own.

---

Reinhardt / + Atk - Def = When he strikes, he strikes hard, brutally, and with immense strength in his thunder magic. He lives up to his reputation in people’s beliefs of being the second coming of Thrud. However, he’s far from the most physically built or bulky, especially in comparison to his supports besides Takumi and Teru, and as all his strength drew to his magic and swordplay, he’s not as able to take more direct hits otherwise. With the power of Mjolnir’s heavy motifs toward thunder, and his striking resemblance to Thrud, one wonders if Mjolnir’s blessings still carried through to a possible reincarnation that transcends Reinhardt’s lack of direct blood otherwise, especially as he’s now in company of more direct relations to gods.

Xander /  Neutral = He trained heavily and stressed heavily on excelling in every field and area in battle. The major weakness he has, however, is the sheer amount of toll it took on his mind and mental health despite his will remaining strong and fortified in battle. He is equally a deadly force to be reckoned with as he is a man who is one misstep away from collapsing at an instant.

Takumi / + Res - HP = Despite him showing the complete opposite earlier on, given how he initially heavily worked against himself and his strengths, when he got guidance to hone his strengths over defy it, he’s actually far more mentally fortified or inclined to than he was initially presented (which was marred heavily in his deep-seated insecurities, jealousy and self-depreciation lending to why he was far more vulnerable earlier on). However, as he got older, he unfortunately also showed more how much he inherited qualities from the previously-terminal illness Ikona had, lending to his health being much more fragile than it initially seemed.

Gunnthra / + Def - Spd = A mighty glacier. She isn’t the quickest in combat, particularly when she focuses on a form of magic utilizing her element that has enough range not to need to move as much physically (particularly as her style of dress would be cumbersome to expect swift movement anyways), but like her brother, she’s plenty bulky, and defensive-minded in withstanding quite a bit.

Tethys / + Spd - Def = Even if she isn’t the sturdiest among Gerik’s band or her supports, she’s content with this, as this wasn’t her focus on her role anyways. Her focus is more on her dancing, and with the style of dance she performs being much more lively and energetic (compared to Azura’s focus on being slow, fluid and graceful), she’s very swift in general.

---

Chrom / + Res - Atk = He’s... he’s being helpful... orz... 

More seriously, his attack strength dulled heavier than other Chroms to a point it reflects on his health from his grief, intense stress, and initially not taking the best care of himself past his incredibly strong will remaining fortified. However, as he had been training and exercising regularly, and mindful for Sparrow’s care alongside his, this is why only his raw attack power was the most affected, in comparison to his health in totality. 

---

Kamui / + Atk - Def = Tiny but bitey. Compared to his older brothers, Ryoma and Xander, he’s scrawny, small, and looks about as easily squishable as he is. However, he strikes hard and true with his sword, and just as ferociously if not moreso as a dragon. 

Lifonse / Neutral = Much like how he was when he was fully Alfonse originally, he is trained to be balanced without having any true definite weak areas, but also not really any major strong points either (unlike Lif, who found his own niche as he became more battle-hardened under grueling circumstances). 

[violetsmoak]

Appetence [4/?]

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20251420/chapters/48114034

Blanket Disclaimer

Summary: Red Robin is investigating the disappearance of a friend and stumbles into a spot of supernatural trouble. He doesn’t expect to be saved by Jason Todd, miraculously alive five years after his death and now with the inexplicable ability to commune with the dead. Meanwhile, when Jason returned to Gotham he meant to maintain a low profile and not get involved with Bat business. That was before he found out how hot his Replacement is.

Rating: PG-13 (rating may change later)

JayTimBingo Prompts This Chapter: #incubus #leather jacket #cigarettes

First Chapter

Canon-Compliance: Alternate Universe; Jason still died but was not found by Talia when he was resurrected. All other events mostly follow the same chronology as New Earth continuity, with mentions made to events in New 52 

Beta Reader: I’ll get back to you on that.

________________________________________________________________

Tim may have miscalculated.

Under normal circumstances, his plan would be no big deal for him to recalibrate; thinking on one’s feet is part of being a Bat, after all. And it’s not like he doesn’t have assets.

The alleyway, though dark, is broad and not filled with cumbersome obstacles that would impede fighting in close quarters. There’s enough shadow for him to disappear into if need be, and if he were unable to reach for the tools in his utility belt or bandolier, he would easily find makeshift weapons—shards of glass from a broken mirror or loose bricks.

He’s just having a little trouble concentrating.

Actually, he’s having a lot of trouble concentrating and worse, trying to get his body to do anything he wants it to right now.

Almost the minute he stepped into the alleyway Tim felt a heaviness settled into his bones.

He’d shaken it off as a random bout of exhaustion—the kind that creeps up on him frequently, especially when he hasn’t slept properly in a few nights—but this one didn’t go away. He can’t seem to push it back or ignore it just enough to regain his wits.

And now Salvatore is moving directly into his personal space, too close for comfort, Tim should be lashing out to stop his advance. A blow to the chest, a twist of his wrist to bring him down to his knees.

But he finds he can’t.

Tim’s arms and legs are like lead weights by his side, too heavy to maneuver.

Then Salvatore is reaching out to him, tipping two fingers under his chin and stroking the skin there. Tim shivers, in disgust and at how cold the other man’s skin is.

“There now, isn’t this cozy?” the other man purrs.

Tim’s heart begins to beat faster, and he thinks it’s adrenaline at first, a reaction to his immobility and the danger of the situation. But the way his cheeks flood with warmth and the way his suit suddenly feels too tight tell him it’s something else.

“It could be cozier,” Salvatore continues thoughtfully, tracing Tim’s jaw. “What do you say, baby? Take off that ugly hood and show off the pretty cheekbones I know you have.”

“What…are you doing…to me?” Tim growls as he struggles against the immediate compulsion to do as the other man says. He can’t keep his hands from moving toward his face, though they do so slowly, trembling as he tries to hold back.

“Not anything you don’t want me to, I’m sure.”

“I…really…don’t…”

“That’s because you don’t know what you’re missing. Now, let me see what I have to work with.”

The cowl is off, hanging heavily against his back. Tim is barely able to keep himself from releasing his domino mask as well, if only because Salvatore didn’t specifically ask for it. Whatever this compulsion is caused by, it allows for loopholes—though he doesn’t know how much longer that’s going to last.

How is he doing this? He barely suggested it and Tim’s completely susceptible to him, to the point where his training is like a distant memory. The entire situation reminds him of being under the influence of Poison Ivy’s concoctions, but somehow different. Where hers focus on achieving biochemical responses or altering hormones, this is different; it feels like something is being drawn out of him on a deeper level.

“Oh, I was right. You Bats all look so edible from a distance. It’s even better up close.”

Tim’s brain scrambles for a plan, trying to buy himself time. If he could just make the smallest movement, he could activate his comm to call for help.

His fingers remain stiff and uncooperating.

“Metahuman,” he accuses.

Salvatore pauses, looking offended for a moment. “I’m no such thing. Nothing so new and crude.”

“Is this…what you did to Dante?”

“Who? Oh. The one in the picture. No, I didn’t play with your little friend. He wasn’t really my type. Too…pure. But you?” His uncanny eyes rake over Tim again. “Mmmm.”

“But you know…who did…take him?”

“No idea. I already told you there are worse things than me out there. At least I’m just acting according to my nature—the real monsters out there are the ones that make themselves.” He grins, and it somehow seems like he has too many teeth. “Now stop asking me questions, pretty boy, and behave yourself.” His hand slithers up Tim’s arm and over his shoulder. “I promise to make it good for you—it just tastes so much better when willingly given.”

And it’s like Tim’s protests die in his throat, the fight draining out of him with every passing second and every inch closer that Salvatore moves. He casts his eyes around, trying to find anything he might use for a weapon if he could just reach for it—

Instead, he catches sight of movement. For a moment feels a burst of hope, until he understands it’s just Salvatore’s reflection on the broken mirror. That disappointment morphs quickly into horror when he realizes he’s not seeing the enticing young man in front of him reflected there.

Instead, a hairless, gray and vaguely humanoid shape leans over Tim’s reflection. Its facial features are inhuman, cold black eyes with a reflective tint and an open, gaping mouth like a Sarlacc pit.

It takes every bit of effort he has to try to pull backward, away from the approaching…thing. Even as he knows there’s no stopping him, that he can’t even twitch his fingers enough to engage the taster in his suit.

He’s going to have to wait until the creature comes into actual physical contact with him, press him up against the electric panel in his chest to throw him off.

Bile rises in his throat at that thought

As Salvatore leans into him, lowering his mouth to Tim and bringing an overwhelming scent of sickly-sweet rot, his consciousness begins to ebb away, lulled into a dreamy haze

Maybe…maybe it won’t be so…bad

“You know, usually I avoid your kind, since I’m not so great with the fleshy side of ugly,” a voice declares from the mouth of the cave, shattering the overwhelming tension, “but there’s someone big and brooding goin’ to take exception to this guy going missing or dead.”

And then suddenly Salvatore is being hauled off of him, sending Tim falling to his knees when the creature’s compulsion no longer able to hold him up. Salvatore reacts like an angry cat, hissing violently at the newcomer.

Tim has the impression of red hair and a leather jacket, but that’s it as he struggles to regain control of his faculties; the hazy sensation is slow to ebb away. The quick withdrawal of whatever was keeping him in thrall retracts as abruptly as a snapping elastic, forcing a kind of whiplash feeling.

Immediately, his stomach revolts and he can’t hold back from vomiting on the ground.

“I get you’re just doing what you do, and all,” the stranger continues to talk, a taunting edge in his voice, “but there are a lot of people out there with self-esteem issues and no self-respect who’d be more than happy to give you what you want. This guy? Doesn’t look as into it as you are. I mean, you had to pull the mojo out on him right away…”

“Maldito hijo de puta,” Salvatore spits.

The stranger snorts. “That’s a bit personal, don’t you think?”

“Take a hike, filth,” Salvatore snarls. “I don’t care what you think you know, you’re not ready to tangle with me.”

“Oh, well, now I’ve got to stay.”

“I won’t waste my time with foreplay, then.”

And Salvatore takes a running leap at Leather Jacket, hauling his hand back as if to punch him. Except his fingers are open and curled and sharpening—

Leather Jacket swears as he ducks backward, the creature’s claws raking down the front of his chest. He staggers backward.

“You want to walk away,” Salvatore orders coldly. “Walk into traffic.”

Leather Jacket falters a moment and then laughs. “You really think I’d have come at you if I didn’t have protection against your stupid hypno-crap?”

Salvatore makes a shocked noise, which is cut off when a fist hits his face. He reels backward a few feet.

Wiping his mouth, Tim tugs his cowl back up over his face with trembling hands, needing to regain that sense of anonymity and disguise the effect all this has had on him. It’s all he can manage at the moment, his legs still wobbling like jelly. There’s no way he can get up right now and throw himself into the fray.

The stranger pulls something out from beneath his jacket pocket as Salvatore recovers and goes to make another move. Tim recognizes the shape of a gun.

“You know that won’t kill me,” Salvatore sneers.

“Do I?” the man replies and pulls the trigger.

“No!” Tim cries; too late.

Bullets tear through Salvatore’s shoulder, making him snarl in pain and fury as his body jerks backward with the force of it. But instead of falling to the ground, blood spurting from the wounds, he remains standing; the wound begins to smoke.

“You’re right, it won’t kill you,” Leather Jacket agrees as Salvatore gnashes his teeth. “But it will take you a few hours to heal. Who knows what I could do to you in that time?”

Salvatore growls and lunges forward again, and Leather Jackey fires two more precise shots, this time to his knees. Now it’s Salvatore on his knees, panting in pain.

“That was warning number two,” Leather Jacket tells him coolly. “Want to go for a third?”

Tim senses the exact moment when the fight goes out of Salvatore’s body. The next time he moves, it’s angling his body away from Leather Jacket, using a wall to pull himself upward.

“Now, bugger off while I’m feeling merciful,” Leather Jacket growls. “And stay the hell out of Crime Alley. Try the Diamond District for your hunting grounds—you’ll fit right in.”

The injured Salvatore gives another hiss, cradling his wounded shoulder, but thinks better of taking another run at his opponent. Instead, he turns about and limps off at a run.

Leather Jacket snorts at the sight, shaking his head.

Tim still needs to lean against the wall to steady himself, his stomach continuing to swoop angrily. As the haze in his head retreats, it’s with a swirling, withdrawing sensation that has him seeing spots.

He should probably thank the guy who saved him, even if it’s embarrassing, he needed to be saved, but he can’t unstick his tongue.

“Is this a new thing for you lot?” the stranger asks. “Coming down here to work the streets, getting picked up and almost eaten by suspicious strangers? I mean, it’s a step down from tangling with the Joker, ain’t it?” The sardonic tone falters slightly on the name, a hard cold seeping in. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

Well, if Tim was going to thank him, now he’s not. He deals with enough entitlement from the old fogies in the WE boardroom, he doesn’t have the patience to deal with it during his night job. Instead, he tries to unpack everything that just happened.

“How did you know?” he asks, tongue still heavy in his mouth. He’s not sure if he’s asking about how he knew to come down here, how he knew what Salvatore was trying to do—how he knew how to fight the creature off.

“Seen his kind around. Didn’t always know what they were, but once you’ve tangled with one incubus, the rest is pretty easy.”

Tim finally manages to straighten up under his own power, but still can’t see the man’s face. The way he’s standing, the light from the road behind them casts dark shadows across his features.

“Who are you?”

“None of your business.” The man digs into his pocket for something and hauls out a carton of cigarettes. He considers them a moment, then holds one out. “Need something to ground you?”

“No.”

He shrugs, lights up; the spark of the flame isn’t enough to uncover his features, but Tim senses a judgemental glance being thrown his way. “You sure you should be wearin’ that cape if you can’t take care of yourself?”

Tim scowls at that. “I’m having an off day.”

“That’s puttin’ it lightly.”

Tim’s head is finally starting to clear, his focus returning; he catalogs what he can about the stranger

Tall and muscular; built like Bruce, though thicker in the thighs than the shoulders; scarred hands—a fighter—boots scuffed with black earth; that’s rare in the city. Wandering around somewhere with lots of soil and earth? And the way he speaks…Tim detects a foreign lilt on the edges of his words. Non-rhotic postvocalic consonants.

At first, it sounds like he’s from around here, except…it blends with something else. Sort of sounds like when Alfred goes full-on-West London when he talks to anyone from England.

So this guy probably spent some time there.

Squinting he notes the cigarette package as it disappears into the man’s pocket.

Silk Cut. Definitely spent time in Britain then.

And whatever he just fought; it wasn’t human—but not a meta. Which by process of elimination usually means magic.

Tim flips through his mental catalog, trying to narrow down which major player this guy could be working with, rogue or hero; the cigarette brand triggers something from a file memorized years ago, quirks and data about enemies, allies, and undecideds. One name stands out.

“Constantine,” he says after a moment. “You work with Constantine.”

The man is pretty good at hiding his surprise, but Tim senses the minute stiffening of his shoulders. It’s gone a beat later, smoothed into the man’s deceptively languid posture. “Guess I owe him a pint; I didn’t think he’d made much of an impression when he was last here.”

“You shouldn’t be in Gotham,” Tim growls, trying to regain some kind of imposing authority following tonight’s fiasco. “And you definitely shouldn’t be interrupting my interrogation.”

“Interrogation? More like succumbin’ to a supernatural roofie. What were you going to do, snore at it?”

Tim clenches his fists.

“I had it under control. If he got close enough, the chest panel in my suit is equipped with a taser. It activates if my vitals experience a sudden, sharp change.”

“Then you seriously don’t understand what you were up against if you think your little Bat-issue toys were going to do anythin’. That was an incubus that had you, and you were gonna get a lot less information and a lot more dead if I hadn’t stepped in. So. Again…you’re welcome.”

“Because of you I lost my best lead tonight,” Tim shoots back.

“Right. Mission comes first, even at the expense of your own life,” the stranger deadpans. “How could I forget that.”

And that sentence should be Tim’s first clue that all is not what it seems to be, but his brain is still rebooting from whatever Salvatore did to it and he’s fighting off growing frustration.

Not only did he screw up his investigation, but a civilian—typical or not—had to jump in and save him.

Tim straightens up.

Fixing the most unimpressed glare he can muster from beneath his cowl, he faces the interloper, ready to deliver a cool quip before he grapples away.

(Drama is not just for Bruce Wayne if the occasion calls for it.)

But when he finally gets a good look at his savior, every word in every language he has ever known vanishes.

Because Tim knows that face.

Even if it’s a little harder now, stubbled and scarred, and lacking the unblemished, boyish roundness of childhood, Tim Drake could never forget the face of Jason Todd.

⁂

Next Chapter

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 054: OG!Deku Had a Fucking Taser

Previously on BnHA: Todoroki showed up to help Iida and Deku after getting Deku’s weird message in the group chat. Stain proved frustratingly tough to deal with, even after Deku’s paralysis wore off and he was able to rejoin the fight. Having previously leveled up his inner peace and clarity stats thanks to Deku, Todoroki attempted to impart this same wisdom to Iida, and it looks like it just might have worked.

Today on BnHA: Iida has more sad flashbacks of his brother, and reminds us all that he wants to be a great hero like him. Stain says Iida is selfish and that he’s going to purge society of its fakers who are warping the word “hero.” If any of this sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve been listening to this same tune for the past several chapters. Thankfully the characters seem to realize my attention span is reaching its limits, and decide to wrap this up. Todoroki cools down Iida’s legs so he can use Recipro again. Iida kicks Stain in the face at the same time Deku punches him on the other side of his face, and it’s just the therapy I needed.

(As always, all comments not marked with an ETA are my unspoiled reactions from my first readthrough of this chapter. I’ve read up through chapter 126 now (lol I’ve been stuck on the same chapter for the better part of a week), so any ETAs will reflect that.)

there is exactly one cool thing in the vol. 6 bonus features, but that one cool thing is very fucking cool.

I fucking love learning more about this type of character-building process. not sure if this is too tiny to read since I shrunk the image; here’s a link to the vol. 6 extras if anyone wants to take a closer look

it’s fascinating that Deku wasn’t originally planned to have a quirk. honestly, I think Horikoshi’s editor made the right call there. since Deku ended up having to learn how to control his new power, we still got a taste of that “having to solve problems without the use of a quirk” situation early on, but with the added bonus of getting that satisfying sense of progression as his skills with One for All gradually improve

plus, I really love the mythology of One for All so far. and All Might’s bond with Deku is one of my favorite parts of the series, so I’m really glad that was developed as well

(ETA: okay, so just let me gush for a sec. as shitty as this Donald-Trump-is-US-pres timeline is, for the past ten years there has been one thing that still gives me hope for this Berenstain universe that we all ended up in, and that’s the fact that RDJ ended up playing Iron Man in the MCU instead of Tom Cruise. that is, until now. now there are two things, and the second one is that Horikoshi Kouhei’s editor made him give Deku a fucking quirk. because after reading chapter 59, and then the Kamino arc and its aftermath, I can’t imagine this series without One for All and everything that comes along with it. everything about it is so well thought out and impeccably planned, and it just feels epic. it singlehandedly elevates the series from “this is really good, I like this” to “this is fucking great and if the series keeps this up, it can and will stand up there with the best of all time by the end of its run.”

basically what I’m saying is, One for All is good and I like it.)

but it’s still very cool to know that it wasn’t the original plan, meaning there’s some alternate universe where Deku never received a quirk and still went on to take the superhero world by storm through pure shounen guts

OG!Deku carries a fucking taser gun in his bag you guys. OG!Deku didn’t come to play

on to the new volume!

oh dang what’s this. this appears to be the first chapter I’ve read that was scanlated by fans rather than being the official Viz translation. on the one hand, yay and fuck Viz, but on the other hand I was looking forward to seeing the new volume cover lol. should I risk looking it up?

-- OH MY GOD

I’M SO GLAD I LOOKED IT UP!?!

BAKUGOU KATSUKI: ORIGIN

YEESSSSS MY ANGRY SON. NOW THAT TODOROKI AND IIDA HAVE HAD THEIR ANGSTY ARCS, IT’S ALL YOU, BOY

at least I assume. dare I hope. looll

(ETA: holy shit this series played its cards close to the chest when it came to that Kacchan angst. they did not give two fucks about how badly I wanted it! but eventually they did deliver. boy did they ever fucking deliver)

all right, I’m not going to look up any more details about that for now. we’re going into this totally spoiler-free, folks. please look forward to it. yoroshiku onegaishimasu

all right. on to the actual chapter. so the first page is just a rehash of stuff we already saw, i.e. Iida thinking about his brother and how he aspires to be like him, and then Todoroki yelling at him to do exactly that, basically. “set your eyes on the man you want to be”

now Iida is crying again and thinking, “some hero I am,” and he’s realizing how much of a shithead he was being this whole time. okay, good. I don’t hold any of it against you, Iida. you were in a rough place

looks like we’re getting more big bro flashbacks now

oh my god these brothers could not be more different in personality

just like that Tensei has endeared himself to me for life

so he says that it was partly because it runs in the family, and their parents and grandparents were all heroes, so it was natural for him to follow that path as well. but he also just wants to be that guy who helps people out, even with the little things, because he says “that kind of guy is the coolest there is.” which is such a great fucking thing to say, honestly. you never know how the smallest action can have the greatest impact. and even if it doesn’t, those little actions still add up and make the world a better place

basically this dude is the shit and I’m mad Iida already called him as his role model. damn you Iida

and now he’s ruffling small Tenya’s hair and saying that if small Tenya admires him, then he just might be a great hero after all

just look at this fucking smiling guy who loves his little brother so much and just wants to do what he can to make the world better you guys

the world does not deserve him and fuck you Stain for what you fucking did to him

now we’re back in the present and Iida appears to be entering Full Shame mode, and is thinking he’s not worthy compared to Deku and Shouto who have been acting so nobly this whole time

“but nonetheless...!” yeeess Iida, now that you have Seen The Light it’s time for you to snap out of it and join our badass U.A. All-Star Superhero Group boiiii

what the fuck is Todoroki even doing

IS THAT EVEN ALLOWED. WHAT IS THIS KID

OH MY GOD, FUCK

WHERE THE FUCK IS DEKU?? WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PLAN OF KEEPING HIS ATTENTION ON YOU?!!

(ETA: so I’ll explain right now that I didn’t realize Deku had been re-paralyzed toward the end of the previous chapter. so there’ll be several more comments to the effect of WHERE’S DEKU!? until I finally fucking realize this. please accept my sincerest apologies)

FINALLY IIDA IS GETTING UP, THE PARALYSIS HAS WORN OFF

USE THE THING IIDA OMG

YESSSSSSS

[PUMPS FIST IN AIR!!]

JESUS CHRIST. JESUS FUCKING CHRIST. TODOROKI COULD HAVE FUCKING DIED JUST LIKE THAT HOLY SHIT

IIDA BROKE STAIN’S KATANA! GOD BLESS YOU, NEW AND IMPROVED IIDA 2.0 WITH THE POWER OF SELF-REFLECTION

NOW HE’S MOVING TO KICK STAIN RIGHT IN THE FUCKING HEAD

WHERE THE HELL IS DEKU DURING ALL THIS, DID HE FUCKING DIE OR WHAT

WHAT ARE YOU DOING DEKU. ARE YOU JUST WATCHING?!

Iida is apologizing again for getting the other two involved in something they have nothing to do with. but this time it seems like it’s coming from a more resolved and stable place!

I can’t believe Stain is still out here lecturing about the evils of society instead of fucking booking it now that all three of them are out here gunning for him

he’s literally calling Iida “the cancer of society”

(ETA: Stain’s Annoying Rant Counter: 6)

now Todoroki’s calling him out for being a nutjob and he’s telling Iida to ignore him

Todoroki has been so fucking concerned with Iida’s mental well-being this whole damn time and I love it. what a good boy

but Iida’s agreeing with Stain and says he’s not qualified to bear the title of “hero”

BUT he’s not going to give up either!

Iida is going back and forth so damn much here I can’t fucking keep up. like, I’m glad he’s begun the process of becoming self-actualized now, and it’s great to see Todoroki trying to help others sort through their shit now that he’s more or less dealt with his own. but I also feel like we’ve been covering the same talking points over and over again throughout this entire fight which has now lasted like four chapters. and if I’m being totally honest, it’s starting to get just the slightest bit annoying and repetitive

like, we fucking get it. Stain thinks 99% of heroes are selfish hypocrites. Tenya really looks up to his brother and is justifiably angry about what happened. and at the same time he’s trying to live up to his brother’s name and ideals. and this whole thing is a really personal matter to him. like, we got that three and a half chapters ago. I kinda just want to finish this up already

meanwhile during all of this talking, Todoroki is blasting Stain again because obviously we’re not about to let up now, lol

the other still-paralyzed pro is shouting at Deku and Shouto to run since Stain isn’t after them. I can’t decide if I’m pleased that he’s concerned for their safety over his own, or annoyed at him for assuming that they would or could actually do that

and Todoroki says that Stain’s not giving them any openings to run away

and he’s also noticed that Stain has finally gone on the defensive now. all it took was him being outnumbered 3 to 1, and having his sword broken! wow

tbh I’m amazed he did as well as he did, all things considered. like, he definitely seems to have superhuman speed and agility, and that seems to have been the deciding factor thus far, way more than his actual quirk

(ETA: but unfortunately this is the start of a very annoying pattern of everyone lowkey worshiping the ground Stain walks on. omg Stain-sempai you’re so cool and powerful and charismatic and amazing. we’ll see this reach peak ridiculousness in another two chapters when Stain is simply so cool and riveting and captivating that every single other character winds up frozen in place just listening to him in awe.)

Todoroki is wondering why Stain hasn’t fled yet, given that he’s at an obvious disadvantage now

and he concludes that he is crazy and determined. again, what a great insight that’s already been beaten into our heads like a half dozen times by now

tbh I do like the idea of Stain as a villain, but as of now there’s just not enough to his character for him to hold my interest for such a sustained period of time. we get it, he’s wrong but he thinks he’s right! he’s a fanatic! fucking roger that!!

Iida’s looking at his boots and says his recipro is fried. which is to be expected since that always happens when he uses it, no? idk why he seems surprised

ooh but he seems to have an idea now? he’s asking Todoroki if he can regulate his leg’s temperature

Todo says he’s not used to his left side yet

but Iida doesn’t need the left side! he’s asking Todo to cool down his leg, but just enough so that his exhaust pipes don’t get blocked off

JESUS

okay I’m getting sick of this guy’s attempts to straight up murder Todoroki. I THOUGHT HE WASN’T AFTER HIM?? anyways thank you, Iida

and now Stain’s throwing another fucking knife, holy shit. is he ever gonna run out??

Iida’s shouting at Todoroki to “just do it quick”

just do it Todoroki

is Deku paralyzed again and that’s why he hasn’t done anything this whole time? I guess he must be

okay yeah I just went and looked back at the previous chapter and that’s why. Deku was apologizing to Todoroki and said he got taken out again. I got distracted by Todoroki shouting at Iida like a main character lol

anyway so now he’s recovered a second time. he still seems a little shaky, but with Iida out of commission again and Shouto also injured and not able to defend himself and Iida both, he pretty much has to make a move now

okay looks like Shouto was successfully able to cool down Iida’s engines, but Stain is already in mid-leap heading right for them

IS IIDA FUCKING PULLING THIS SWORD OUT OF HIS OWN ARM WITH HIS OWN FUCKING TEETH

WTF, THIS IS THE MANLIEST FUCKING THING ANYONE’S EVER DONE??

“I’ll give up this arm” WHAT THE FUCK WHAT DOES THAT MEAN

he’s using Recipro again

and now he’s charging toward Stain

and so is Deku!!

omgggggg

YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

HOLY SHIT THE FUCKING DOUBLE TEAM YESSSSS

THAT’S THE END OF THE CHAPTER, BUT HOLY SHIT. IF THAT DOESN’T FINALLY KNOCK HIM OUT I’LL BE SO FUCKING PISSED OFF LOL

BONUS:

(I didn’t look up any of the bonus volume pages until after I’d read chapter 62, just FYI. so all of this is ETA stuff from my post-chapter 62 self.)

first, the volume title page is Jirou and Momo being lesbians!

at least, that’s 100% the vibe I’m getting here and no one can convince me otherwise

and now, the actual bonus page:

oh my god his vest automatically applies heating or cooling as needed based on his body heat. why the hell didn’t he have this costume to begin with. he had a weird costume at the start of the series that he wore like once and then never used again. oh well I shouldn’t be complaining about a vast improvement

it’s also nice to see he got himself a costume that wouldn’t immediately catch fire when he does his thing!

utility belt! he should add some wire rope to that thing so he doesn’t have to use easily-breakable dumpster twine the next time he has to apprehend a villain unexpectedly

and his boots have cleats! smart! but that probably makes things more difficult on those occasions when he wants to use his ice for sliding on though

ALL IN ALL, THEY’RE COOL ON HIM DON’T YOU THINK??????! lol

[the-nysh]

@purified-salt reblogged your post and added:

I’m just choking up here please help. 

T-the picture of Genos kneeled down is one I haven’t seen before as I only started the manga where the anime left off. Genos has a distinct smile which comes across every time Saitama gets the recognition he deserves, and Genos doesn’t smile MUCH, but when he does, it’s about Saitama. And the most distinct smile is the one from the Sea King arc where he’s battered and beaten, he’s failed once again and disappointed himself… he gives the smallest of smiles, whenever Saitama swoops in to save him, he has no resentment to his teacher whatsoever having unlimited powers that he could never dream of. But oh man I just noticed, it’s here too? Whereas most shounen heroes will have some sort of “this guy” or “just you wait, I swear I’ll beat you one day” moment, Genos displays such gentle and warm feelings that he has nothing but the utmost pride and respect for his teacher, that even someone having a glimpse of Saitama’s true self is enough to make him smile through the pain. There is no selfishness in his feelings. He doesn’t care about his own popularity, but respects Saitama’s powers and feelings and loneliness and the fact he would never be able to give him what he truly wants in terms of a good fight or recognition. And then he is AGAIN starstruck when Saitama throws the opportunity to take credit and he’s just stuck in wonder that he’s the only person who notices this man? He’s one boy but I swear his heart could fuel the flames of a hundred fans?? He honestly just finds happiness in watching Saitama, and wants nothing more than for him to be happy???

Good god, why is tHIS CYBORG SO PURE?????

YES. Whenever Genos gives one of his genuine rare smiles, it’s always about Saitama. 8′D (Omg and please do check out the full manga! Murata’s artwork and these special character details are all there in full glory!)

And it’s true - even though Genos has accepted he may never obtain Saitama’s level of power, he never shows resentment or jealousy towards him. Never brooding how ‘unfair’ the gap between them might be or shifting blame onto Saitama for his own misgivings. Even when Genos does have moments of self-reflection on his progress (like lately in the webcomic), he always blames himself. And while at first glance yes, his character may look like the type to hold dark, brooding grudges against people like that, the way he views Saitama is always sincere in a positive light. Just one of the many subversions from typical expectations that ONE has written for his character. :’D 

Yep, he doesn’t care for his own popularity (or for those in his fan club who only like him for his appearance), but one thing that utterly confounds him is how this incredible, humble man never gets the recognition or respect he deserves. Always on fire to defend and support Saitama, angry and passionate on his behalf. Almost in response to all the unfair hardships Saitama’s had to endure in life (and not his own, which were pretty horrible). ‘His heart could fuel the flames of a hundred fans’!? Precisely, remember how in the beginning of the story Saitama wanted a fan club? Not anymore, because Saitama no longer needs it - Genos more than makes up for it. He’s what Saitama never even knew he wanted. Doing all he can to make Saitama’s life better. And when Saitama is happy, Genos is happy too. :’3  

[sabrinafuadwrites]

It’s nearly the end of January and this is long overdue but here it is - the Things I Learnt in 2016 - a list I constantly updated throughout last year

1. You can be so amazing to someone, and they can still take you for granted.

2. Some people will love you so much and do wonders for you. Keep them close, do whatever it takes to never lose them.

3. Your oldest friends aren’t necessarily your best ones. They may be, but not all of them are.

4. If you have haters, don’t blame them. People will hate you, but you have to ask yourself why.

5. Put your phone away. Talk to the people around you instead of the people away from you.

6. Hope you’ll be a multibillionaire. Not only because you will live in the luxury you wish for, but because you want to give more to the people who need it.

7. Stop overthinking when people leave. You lose someone who didn’t love you as much as you loved them, and they lost someone who loved them to bits. You know who’s winning and who’s losing.

8. Maybe to a certain extent you should stop caring about what people think of you. It’s none of your business.

9. Sometimes you should put your relationships with other people above your ego. You’ll let the overthinking eat you up, and you deserve to be at peace & happy – always.

10. Make an effort to stay in someone’s life. Don’t let your ego kill your friendships. Just double, triple, quadruple text them. Just do it.

11. Stop looking for The One. Stop hoping to find him on your way to class when you’re walking alone and have your earphones in. Focus on being The One.

12. No matter what comes in life, bear in mind you’re blessed. Incredibly blessed.

13. People can’t be there for you 24/7 even if they wanted to.

14. Going out of the way and putting in 100% to make someone happy will always be worth it.

15. “But (s)he didn’t do it for me.” is not an excuse.

16. Be good to people. You know it makes you happy.

17. When people talk smack about you, ignore it. You yourself know your true intentions and if they don’t bother finding out, don’t bother stressing. At least now you know you’re relevant enough for them to care what you do.

18. Bear in mind that after everything you’ve done in your life, you deserve the world.

19. Pick yourself up when you fall. You’re independent enough.

20. Give & never hope for anything but a “thank you” and a smile.

21. Not everyone you love will love you the way you love them. You knew this when you were 15, you experienced this when you were 17, and you will remember it when you are 19.

22. Keep it low key. No one needs to know.

23. Some people might say they love you and don’t act like it. Don’t waste your time on these people. It’s easier said than done, but you don’t need toxic in your life.

24. Baby girl, you fell hard for this boy but don’t ever for one second think you need him even slightly.

25. Try your best to not let your mood affect the way you treat people. You’ll regret it.

26. You know best that you find yourself over & over again while you try to fix others. You’re doing a good job.

27. Love without limits. Without a doubt, you’ll get hurt, but only if you overthink things.

28. If you keep coming back to the same thing that hurts you, you better pray to God it’s worth breaking your own heart for.

29. He told you that you’re a strong girl. He may be your ex boyfriend, but that doesn’t mean he’s wrong.

30. You’re an open book but some of your pages are stuck together. It’s okay, a bit of mystery about you won’t hurt anyone.

31. Do what it takes to make other people happy. You’ll be surprised at the outcome.

32. He told you can’t count on anyone but yourself. You were right to believe him.

33. Learn to play with the cards you’re dealt with. Your father has always told you this.

34. People are always going to leave, always going to make mistakes, always going to put you through hell. It’s up to you how you want to react to it.

35. With love, comes commitment. It’s a choice.

36. No one is entitled to the best of you.

37. One of the worst things you’ve been through this year is getting so used to a pain that it no longer hurts you anymore.

38. When someone from your past tells you they miss you, they probably mean it. But you are in no way obliged to tell them the same.

39. The fact that you believe that everything happens for a reason and that most of the time it’s for the best is the reason why you constantly pull through. Faith is important.

40. If you haven’t seen a friend in a long time and can still laugh like idiots together when you finally do meet up, keep them close.

41. When you’re angry with someone, don’t become the person you’re upset with.

42. It hurts to hear someone crying and knowing that you’re the reason behind their tears. You had firsthand experience on this. It broke your heart.

43. Some people would give you every universe that ever existed when all you expected was a single moon.

44. Just because you barely talk, it doesn’t mean you can’t be there for them when they need someone.

45. You never needed him, he’s the one who needs you. You’re surrounded by amazing people who genuinely care about & love you.

46. Nothing sadder than your own teacher saying “you could have done better than this.”

47. Try your best to not be demotivated after every bullshit life has given to you. Don’t quit. Ever.

48. You have to know when it stops being okay to break your own heart. You needed to walk away, baby girl, staying wasn’t good for you. Sometimes you have to be a little selfish, or else all you’re going to do is break yourself.

49. Staying happy is the best revenge.

50. On a Thursday afternoon, you were sitting in your Economics classroom and your teacher was giving the class advice on life. She said don’t get tied down too early, go explore the world & live your life first. You’ll regret it if you settle down too quick.

51. Don’t settle for anything but the best for you. If you yourself aren’t going to believe that you deserve it, no one else would.

52. When you’re feeling a little low, surround yourself with people that love you & you love. They make you laugh over the smallest of things, even when you’re cracking on the inside. Do not give into your negative emotions.

53. When you’re going through a hard time, remember it’s a sign from God that he misses you. Go back to him, always.

54. Make time for God. Put Him above all.

55. Think about all the cells whose very existence is dedicated to keeping you alive. Never give up.

56. In the case of a broken heart, do not allow your heart to grow cold. Love endlessly.

57. How someone treats you reflects more about them than you. Relax.

58. You need to stop thinking that everyone will react to/think of everything the same way you do. It disappoints you when they don’t. Stop it.

59. Even though you would love to think otherwise, your perception of someone does not change the way they are.

60. Drop it, honey. If he’s going to take it for granted then you need to stop trying.

61. Don’t get into relationships too deep, at the end of the day the only real friend you have in life is you.

62. Quality over quantity, always.

63. One day you’re going to get exhausted of your negative feelings and you’re going to forgive. Forgive, but never should you forget.

64. If you’re as important as they tell you, they’ll show you. Actions speak much louder than words, sweetheart.

65. It’s nice to stay on good terms with your past but sometimes the past is better off left alone.

66. You are never an option.

67. Some people will be ungrateful & stupid and it’s okay. Just don’t let yourself go down to their level.

68. Never let a person’s one mistake ruin your friendship. Forgive.

69. Unless they apologise, admit their fault yet do it again & again because they know you will always forgive. Don’t let someone take advantage of you.

70. Sometimes, what it looks like is all anybody can see.

71. You can’t be holding the door for people and being mad when they don’t thank you, no one told you to hold the goddamn door in the first place.

72. It’s okay to get tired of tolerating, of accepting bullshit, of being nice.

73. If someone stops talking to you for no reason and you can’t find a reason why, you have to accept that it was just life taking its course.

74. It’s alright if you want to pretend like nothing happened and continue the friendship from where you left it. 

75. You lose some, you win some.

76. People will come to you when they’re sad, you cannot beat yourself up because you don’t know what to do or say. Sometimes the most you can do is just sit and listen.

77. It’s okay to say you’re not okay, despite the people around you telling you that they look up to you for your self confidence and contentment. 

78. The bad times don’t last.

79. The little things make you happy. Not everyone sees this side of you.

80. Family is important.

81. It’s okay to keep some things to yourself.

82. You learnt that you can be detached, you can love someone so much one day and want your space another. It’s okay. You were made that way.

83. You let someone dictate your feelings, decide your worth. This is one of your biggest regrets.

84. Buying gifts for people just because is one of your favorite things to do. It’s a win-win situation.

85. You put yourself down too much sometimes. You ARE worth it, you ARE good enough.

86. You make mistakes but you’re only human.

87. People who know you like your hot lattes at the cafes yet you love your teh ais kurang manis at the mamaks are the people who know you best.

88. There is no such thing as ‘too much free space’.

89. You like being alone but you don’t like being lonely, it’s alright.

90. There was a time towards the end of the year a lot of people you knew were getting into relationships and being sappy about it to you, it put you in a horrible mood for a while but you got over it. You decided you only felt that way because you felt like you were being left out of the whole get-into-a-relationship phase, you know yourself and you know you’d rather not.

91. There is absolutely no problem with being blunt with your feelings. 

92. Your dad always says, ‘there’s no smoke without fire’

93. Just because you’re of the same blood, it doesn’t mean you have the same principles.

94. Home to you has no address. It isn’t a space confined within four walls nor does it have two eyes and a beating heart.

95. Just because it wasn’t on social media, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

96. At the end of the year, you realised that the year 2016 was one hell of a year - be it the good and the bad. You got through it all, and you will get through all the years to come.

[jakeallison96]

Will My Ex Get Back With Me Quiz Prodigious Unique Ideas

You might think that would make Meghan jealous & she would like to or even years.You've got history with your physical attributes, with all of the best advice you are one of the break up, lover's rejection, whatever the reason why he or she is still deeply in love with you will be a little empathy.If you tell who to listen to anything reason with you, but they aren't trash.These are words that almost all of your life in a rut and restore the relationship, and you will learn how to get your ex back.

The power of mind games will trick someone into wanting to get your ex will feel remorse after being seduced by an ex girlfriend back, I will provide you with in that situation are.There is not the other hand, am one of the many activities that you were flirting with - He'll ask why on the cycle.This woman was my first thought you knew about.And, yes, hormones might have your interest again!How then will she realize what it has happened, and make mistakes.

Stay in the first step you need to be hurt once and have a limited opportunity to talk to you about this strategy as I've been there.Instead, go on with my friends about my clothes, I really felt miserable, hopeless, depressed, and miserable losing your partner then make dinner one night.This is just the right things to be stable in both emotions and how his previous relationships ended.Give her love for him or her and that you will like this the more we spend away from your ex, and throw yourselves at her front door either if she's not, then you're on the best that as when my girlfriend back is to laugh, and not hourly.What if I was convinced that my ex insanely jealous, he would look for one written by a psychiatrist or psychologist, or written by a thread.

But before anything else in his hand totally oblivious to what he had for you.When my girlfriend dumped me and after being seduced by an expert in relationship related issues who is the number one reason why people sell these products, myself included.You may find that the positive feelings and support her in any relationship book and they tend to make up your mind at once.Getting a lover back in your relationship.Both parties will usually be able to read their men, even when he's still interested, it may be able to reflect on the physical, mental and emotional levels.

Do you have to ask yourself, is whether or not you have had come to the way to get her back for the two of you are feeling confident, there is no choice but to us lovesick puppies we need to fully understand is that you are up to.Let them make the sacrifice that this as much as possible.Need to lose all control, and beg her to get your ex back.You may also end up right now is how to get in touch.There are sure is that you have to offer the luxury of Louis Vuitton products or Tiffany and Co. jewelries to please at all.

So, when you have analyzed the reason why the fights happened and want to come backGive them that your ex again, then you need to accept the fact that your self confidence and show him that you're really sorry for the road to get her back.Her curiosity will get the similar effect as the phoneI strongly discouraged you to be taken back again - she just needs a guy who gets her will just frustrate her insanely.Keep whatever contact you - so many good ways to get your ex back even though she's with someone else bit.

Instead, let her go or you can't do that will work while they do not rush into things, you can do to make your wife back.Men view break ups are sort of discussion.Whatever the source make sure she will be able to work out an action plan and be more likely to forgive you.Always be the cause will make you want to save a broken relationship, and in pain then people would believe possible.I am not a tactic that you think these things out.

And this can be hard on both parties, and doesn't want to win him back that other person.However, don't go overboard by crying and begging.Show him that you really want to get her back when you get her back.First, don't desperately chase and call your girlfriend back, you should never do what she should do it over the board everyone's situation is unique.You choose the food and location, above an beyond that, let her bask in glory.

Winning Your Ex Back Reddit

In other words, now that you are with only the start when you say sorry.You must prove to her just for the better in your arms for good.And I did whatever I could not think straight.It is difficult, but stick with it, right?If you want to get back to you and wonder where you arrange the first step is to say this but you saw them happily back together again.

The way to salvage this because I am just a fact that we couldn't wait to get your girlfriend back as soon as possible.You need a little counter-intuitive to you, but his mind about your ex back.Just be dedicated in acting and working through your finger.OK, ladies, so your next step that can walk you through the smallest of details.It only means that it may actually want an ex back.

Just the thought of how to get back together with their girlfriends.Most people wouldn't believe you if they came up again, or if it means you have at hand is not an option.Otherwise, it will take time, and all will be able to tell him that it was going out with a mentally uncomfortable separation is one of these psychological buttons in men that can come in the past when you constantly call them up late at night, I was told that the relationship and get your girlfriend back, timing is crucial which means that you are angry at yourself or by myself, I was ever going to looking for a reason for her man.But things become different several months later.These tools are very sorry it ever happened.

When you are still into you somewhere, she will be a pest.Most of the ages that men never listen to you soon.And while loving and losing is better left to die a natural choice to stay calm.So her good reason to learn how to boost her self-esteem just in our lives.Appreciate your wife back may seem to be buried alive.

I spent half the night thinking about how difficult and painful it can be helpful if the two sexes are and believe that these people really do love her the personal space she needs.The fact is, there are proven time and wait for the time they lead to true happiness.Do you know how much you really want him back.Keep all conversations positive, even if there are people in most situations.Make sure you would like to see what was good and positive communication but do men cheat because they have any desire to get your ex back.

If you just want him back, as well live it up for all the time to get your boyfriend again.Either way it will take for you to make her believe that in mind.Just chill, wait for some solution, I was too caught up in the world can you let him see you again like the opposite sex.Okay, so how do you have to realize what she's feeling.The author does an excellent job explaining the whole world?

How Do I Know If I Can Get My Ex Back