#ouch dad wars

[scarletspider2the2ndpower]

New Warriors (Vol. 5/2014), #8.

Writer: Christopher Yost; Penciler and Inker: Marcus To; Colorist: Ruth Redmond; Letterer: Joe Caramagna

[grizabellasolo]

Just finished Tales of the Jedi and I am NOT okay. Episode 4 wrecked me, man.

SPOILERS BELOW

[[MORE]]

Second episode, we get Baby Qui-Gon, who’s probably late teens, early 20s and oh so adorably awkward—but sure of himself and his abilities.

Fourth episode, we get Adult Qui-Gon and Older Dooku and it’s just… WOW. When Dooku hears of QGJ’s death, his grief is palpable. Like, you can see how much Dooku cared about QGJ as a Master would a Padawan or a father for a son.

Where Dooku is standing in front of the tree, saying he used to take QGJ there as a boy? That broke me.

The icing on the cake of pain was when Dooku and Sidious were speaking and Dooku says QGJ would have been an ally. Sidious points out that QGJ would have been an ally for Dooku.

All of the feels, man, all of them.

[christinesficrecs]

Happy Saturday! Enjoy these brilliant fics. 🩷

I don’t know why, but I guess it has something to do with you by LunaCanisLupus_22 | 17.8K

“You smell like me,” the guy says, scowling as he crowds in and Stiles staggers back between the coats and finally hits the wall. “Why do you smell like me?”

He barely lets out a garbled sound as the blood rushes to his cheeks. “No reason,” Stiles yelps, struggling to get his footing and grasping at a whirlwind of puffy fur.

His Only Defense by LunaCanisLupus_22 | 78.7K

Stiles had just accidentally challenged an alpha.

Oh God, and Scott had just stood by and let him do it. He was the worst best friend ever. Stiles was going to kill him. Except, oh right, the alpha was going to kill him first. Like beyond dead, ripped into tiny little pieces dead. So far dead that his dad would not be able to identify him, dead.

Laying Groundwork by  LunaCanisLupus_22 | 10.9K

The one where Scott and Stiles go clubbing and there’s this broody Bouncer out to get Stiles-

Or get into his pants. Thank God it’s the latter.

Give you that thing you can’t even imagine by  LunaCanisLupus_22 | 10.9K

The one where mateless Derek thinks no omega can affect him like they do other alphas and he’s about to find out he’s very, very wrong.

Shot Through The Heart by  LunaCanisLupus_22 | 64.8K

The one when Stiles and Derek work for rival assassin companies and are sent to kill each other. It definitely doesn’t go as planned.

Foolish devouring things, build your castle in me by LunaCanisLupus_22 | 23.1K

“I will marry you,” he declares. “But should any more harm come to my father or my people, I will raze the earth itself until I feel the lifeblood drain from your corpse and paint my skin with it.”

It is not an idle warning, but from the princeling it has none of the desired effect. Derek feels no fear, but in this instance at least diplomacy triumphed over the spilling of more blood. It is all the same to him anyway. But Regent Peter was most insistent they avoid a drawn-out, gruelling war.

“Then we have reached an accord.”

Oh baby give me one more chance (to show you that I love you) by LunaCanisLupus_22 | 54.7K

“You like Derek,” he says slowly. “Derek Hale.”

His father grimaces at the accusation there. “Look, Stiles it’s complicated-“

“So when I was married to him,” he continues, voice rising. “He wasn’t good enough. He was taking advantage of me. ‘He’ll never be able to love you like you want, Stiles’. That’s what you said-“

Or the Sweet Home Alabama AU that nobody asked for.

I'm at one, and I've been quiet for too long by LunaCanisLupus_22 | 11.4K

“All in favour of Derek not dating for a full year so he can get his shit together and stop romancing people who want to kill us?”

Everyone raises their hands. Every single pack member.

Or the one where the pack insists Derek can't date anybody for a year but he ends up finding romance much closer to home anyway.

I know that you love me, even when I lose my head by LunaCanisLupus_22 | 135.5K

“We’re not mates, Cora,” he insists. “I mean look at him-“

“Ouch,” the kid says, no longer pushing that shit eating grin.

“He’s- he’s,” Derek tries, at a loss of how to explain why this can’t be possible. Why it shouldn’t be possible.

When sparks fly by LunaCanisLupus_22 | 87.5K | Abandoned

“Derek,” Stiles thunders. “Were you ever going to tell me your house is trying to hook us up?”

Derek’s head snaps up, eyes wide and scenting the evident crackle of magic in the air.

I'll wrap up my bones, And leave them by LunaCanisLupus_22 | 65.1K

The sign on the cage actually reads Beware: The Beast! in that crappy horror movie red paint that trickles down the paper in a failed attempt to appear like dripping blood.

And it would seem stupid if not for the living supernatural creature currently trapped behind its bars. Little hard to dismiss the big, hulking werewolf as a poorly constructed horror movie prop.

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Dude, cannot catch a break.

How long have I been on the hunt for you? by LunaCanisLupus_22 | 20.3K

“Well I guess accidental kidnapping is not so bad then,” Scott decided brightly after the others had finished describing their ordeals. “All’s well that ends well, right?”

“HAHA,” Stiles practically shouted, loud and unsettling enough that everyone turned to look at him. “I mean, yep. For. Sure.”

[auras-moonstone]

passionate as sin — ethan landry

word count: 2.6k

pairing: camp counselor!ethan landry x camp counselor!fem!reader

summary: ethan and y/n find out that kissing is more passionate when hatred is involved and fraternising is considered a sin.

warnings: none!

The rivalry between Garden Gate Camp and Holiday House Camp was something exciting for the campers and dreading for the owners. Y/N's family camp had existed for way too long, due to it being a family legacy. And then, just a few short years ago, the Landrys appeared in the picture to make their lives a mess by setting their camp right next to theirs. While the newest one was more advanced and modern, the other one was cozier and homier.

To summerise it, the business competition created hatred and enmity between these two families, especially between the dads—although Y/N and Ethan came in close second.

The two teenagers have spent their summers arguing and pulling pranks on each other ever since they met. One would think that now, being 20-year-olds, they would've grown out of a prank war that started when they were 15.

"Nice shirt! Your dad will love it." the curly-haired boy laughed once Y/N stepped out of the dressing room.

"You're a pervert, I was showering!" Y/N hit him with her wet towel, causing him to whimper in pain.

The boy had sneaked into the dressing room and changed her Garden Gate Camp counselor t-shirt for a Holiday House Camp one. "Don't worry, I made sure to hear the water running before I got in. Let me take a pic, this will be good for our socials."

"You put your phone near my face and I'll make you swallow it." Y/N said between gritted teeth.

"Fine, fine." he put his phone back on his pocket. "You look good in that shirt."

"You could've at least given me the right size." she groaned as she tried to fix the shirt that barely reached her belly button and was tight as leather. "I don't think I can get out of it. For real."

"I'll gladly help you with that." Ethan smirked, which motivated her to hit him with the heavy towel again. "Ouch! Y/N, it's a wet towel, it fucking hurts."

"That's why I'm hitting you with it, Einstein!"

"Whatever." Ethan said rubbing his arm. "There's a party tonight, at my camp. You and your friend are invited."

Y/N frowned. "First of all, why the hell are you inviting me? Second, I'd rather die than get caught at your stupid party."

"I'm not inviting you because I want to." he scoffed, as if the implication of wanting her there was ridiculous. "My friend, Anika, is interested in your friend Mindy and she asked me to invite her. I assume she wouldn't like going alone, so you can go too, I guess."

"So thoughtful." she rolled her eyes. "No promises."

"So you won't go?" Ethan asked.

Y/N's shoulders slumped. "I guess I will, but just because Mindy is interested in her too."

"Awesome." the boy said with fake enthusiasm. "Party starts at midnight."

"Can't wait." she showed him her fakest smile.

"By the way, I wasn't lying. You really do look good in that shirt." he said before leaving.

Y/N walked away, cheeks on fire. He was an irritating, infuriating, exhasperating asshole. But he was also hotter than hell, which made him even more annoying because she couldn't help but feel heated by his words.

Y/N and Mindy managed to sneak in through the fence that separated both camps. The owner's daughter still couldn't comprehend why it had been necessary for the Landrys to set a camp just right next to another one. But oh well, it was what it was.

"There they are." Y/N tilted her head towards Anika and Ethan, who were doing their job as counselors in one corner.

"Hey, thanks for doing this." Mindy said as they made their way to them.

“Of course, Minds. I know how much you like her.”

“I was hoping you’d change your mind.” Ethan spoke with an exaggerated tone of disappointment when the girls reached them.

“And pass the opportunity to annoy you in your own territory? No way.” Y/N flashed him a venomous smile before turning to Anika. “Hey, Ani. Nice to see you.”

“Nice to see you too, Y/N/N” she smiled sweetly. Despite the rivalry Y/N had with her friend, she had always been super kind to Anika. “Want to dance, Minds?”

“Sure.” Mindy looked at Y/N, silently asking her if she was okay with it. Y/N sent her a subtle nod, and both girls got lost amongst the campers.

“They’re cute together.” Y/N said.

“They are.” Ethan agreed. He passed her a can of beer, which she thanked with a nod.

“You know, it took two people’s help to get me out of that shirt.”

“And sadly, I wasn’t one of them.” he made a clicking sound with his tongue while shaking his head.

“That’s the second time you mention wanting to get my shirt off me. Are you that desperate?” Y/N smirked, taking a sip of her drink.

Ethan eyed the way her throat moved as she swallowed “And you blush every time I mention it. Are you that desperate?” he mirrored her smirk and took a sip of his beer too. His lips were glistening, soaked by the drink, and for a moment the sight left Y/N in a trance.

She hadn’t noticed how tempting his lips were. They were round and full, and she got the sudden urge to trace them with her finger and feel how soft they were. Y/N looked up and their eyes met. Ethan had caught her eyeing his lips, but he didn’t look smug like she would’ve expected. Instead, he held her stare with intensity and she noticed them turn darker.

The air instantly got thick, their skins turned hot and breaths turned uneven. Their bodies stiffened, feeling their hearts accelerating and a swarm of electricity ran from the top of their heads right to the tip of their toes.

Their magnetic field grew stronger with the passing of seconds, until the mood was broken when something bumped against Y/N’s shoulder, making her fall into Ethan’s side.

“Shit, sorry. Tripped over my own feet.” the guy apologised. He was tall, though not as tall as Ethan. He had short dark brown hair that fell to the sides of his face like a curtain, and an amazing bone structure. He was handsome and Y/N wondered why that camp was filled with such good-looking people.

“It’s okay.” Y/N smiled weakly. She didn’t know if she should be glad or mad that the moment was ruined.

“I’m James, camp counselor.” the guy presented himself. He inspected her face carefully. “Wait, aren’t you Y/N? From Garden Gate?”

“Yup, if you tell anyone you saw me here, I’ll kill you.”

The boy laughed. It was deep and rough, extremely attractive. “My lips are sealed. But I’ll be extra careful if you accept dancing with me.”

Y/N could feel Ethan’s eyes on the side of her face, expectant to hear her answer. James was gorgeous, and in other circumstances she wouldn’t have hesitated, but right now she wasn’t dying to dance with him. On the other hand, if she stayed with Ethan, she’d have to acknowledge the strange moment that happened between them.

“Just for a bit, I’m not much for dancing.” she finally said. And when she felt Ethan’s stare on her back as she walked away with James, part of her regretted her decision.

“What the fuck was that?” Ethan asked, leaning against the wall next to the doorframe, when Y/N exited the bathroom. She had excused herself from the dance floor, leaving James alone, and Ethan took his opportunity to get the irrational anger off his chest.

“You’ll have to be more specific, Landry.”

“You, dancing with James. Didn’t your father teach you not to fraternise with the enemy?” his jaw was clenched and his body burning with rage.

Y/N rolled her eyes. “Anika is also fraternising with the enemy, yet I don’t see you mad over that.”

She had a point. Truth was, he had wanted to punch James so badly when he saw his hands gripping Y/N’s waist and the way she was smiling up at him as she swayed her hips in such an hypnotic way. Ethan didn’t know what was going on with him, but he knew that he and Y/N had an undeniable chemistry. And he wanted to dive into it.

“You’re right.” Ethan said after a few seconds.

“Great. Can you move?” Y/N asked, as his tall frame was blocking the door.

He didn’t budge. “You’re not going back to him.” Ethan stated calmly.

Y/N scoffed. “Why do you care if I go back to him or not?”

Ethan took a step closer, leaving them chest to chest. Y/N had to tilt her head up to look at him properly. Her confused eyes made contact with his darkened ones. The kind of dark that made Y/N’s insides melt. She set her hands on his hard chest, while his found her hips.

None of them knew who got rid of the distance, nor did they care. The only thing that mattered was that their lips were pressed together in one heated, breathtaking and passionate kiss.

They kissed like they were liberating the tension they had been accumulating through the years, like they were letting out the anger that every prank, insult, glare and hurtful comment had made them feel. They kissed like it was something they had been wanting to do for a long time and never realized—or never wanted to realize.

“Hate you so much.” Y/N slurred between kisses as she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him inside the bathroom, pining him to the now closed door. “You’re so good at this. I hate you.”

“I hate you more. Seeing you with someone else makes me furious, and I hate you for that.” he descended his kisses to her neck, collarbone and shoulders. Those kisses were softer and slower, as if he just wanted to feel her skin with his lips.

“I hate that your lips are soft and that I’m already addicted to them.” she said as she played with the hair on the nape of his neck.

“I hate how many times I’ve dreamt about this, and I hate even more that this is better than anything I’ve ever imagined.” he lifted her up and set her on the counter.

Y/N’s hands gripped his shoulders and pulled him even closer. “You’re so fucking gorgeous, it makes me so mad.”

“Tell me about it. Just my luck, the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen is also the bane of my existence.” he squeezed the back of her neck.

“Good thing we found something to help us release our anger.” she bit his lip so hard that it drew blood.

“Asshole.” he cursed. Then, an idea passed through his mind and a grin appeared. Before Y/N could address the weird reaction, Ethan attacked her neck making her squirm.

“Ethan, what the fuck!”

“Have fun explaining that to your father, sweetheart.” he smiled devilishly. Stepping back, after giving her one more short kiss, he opened the bathroom door. “See you tomorrow.”

“This changes nothing, prank war is still on.” she said with a glare.

How he loved when she got all angry with him. “Wouldn’t have it any other way. But it does change things, we can still have our little rivalry, hate each other, but I’m the only one who gets to kiss those pretty lips, understood?”

“I don’t know.” she scrunched her nose and gave him teasing eyes. “I’m kinda curious to know how James kisses.”

“You can try, but we both know you’ll came back to me.”

Y/N was sure that was true, but she wasn’t going to admit that. “Oh, yeah? Why so confident?”

“Because our chemistry is unmatched. And because I know that if you truly wanted to know how James kisses, you would’ve already made a move. You always go for what you want.”

The fact that he knew her so well made Y/N’s heart go crazy. “Meet me tomorrow at the fence after 8pm?”

Ethan shook his head, and Y/N hid her disappointment. But then, he went and made her cheeks flush when he said, “That’s seems like eternity, need to see you earlier than that. Before breakfast? At the fence.”

Y/N tried not to smile. “Okay.”

Ethan couldn’t help himself, and walked towards her again to kiss her once more. Just one kiss and they were both turned into fools. “You look beautiful tonight, by the way.”

The thing that started between them was like a sin. Their parents would never approve, but that’s what made it so passionate and exciting.

[kunikinnie]

kunikida wants to hold hands

BSD: Love is War? 100 Followers Event Genre: fluff Word count: 2k Warnings: none, I think Synopsis: This not-a-date couldn't get any worse. a/n: gotta make Kunikida happy somewhere, right? HAHAHAH AFTER 2 YEARS!!! also tagging @requiem626k! finally did it omg (also there's an Ace Attorney ref there somewhere hope someone notices heh)

This was not a date. 

That, dear readers, was the hundredth iteration of that very phrase in Kunikida’s mind. The ceaseless reminders were necessary for him to stay grounded in reality - or so he said.

Sure, he was in an amusement park. Sure, he was walking around with you. Sure, you were wearing clothes that were far more flattering on you than your usual.

But no. This was not a date. 

Your clients were chatting away in their line for one of the rides up to the very moment they entered it.

“It’s great that they’re having fun,” you said before licking your ice cream. It would be a shame if they hired bodyguards just so that they could have a “date” only for it to bore them, you thought.

“True, but don’t let it get to your head.” Your coworker’s eyes were fixed on your cone. “We’re not here to have fun.”

“I know. It’s still such a waste, though.”

You readjusted how you sat on the concrete bench, accidentally grazing his hand in the process. When you first entered the Agency, you used to apologize immediately after any accidental physical contact. However, years of working with your then superior have made you comfortable enough to ignore it.

For him, however, it was the complete opposite: the more he got to know you, the more he’d become mental over every single touch of yours, no matter how minor. 

That one just now was the 17th of that day alone - nearly thrice the daily average. Worse is that they lasted longer and had more skin contact than the average as well. Were you doing this on purpose? Or were you just that dense?

With how fast these numbers were rising, it’s no surprise how his blood pressure was about to set a new record.

“But we have to blend in somehow, right?”

“We’re already wearing casual clothes, Y/N.”

“Yeah, but we still don’t look like the others here - you know what I mean?”

Of course he knew what you meant. Most people that would visit an amusement park on a weekday were either students who had nothing better to do or couples whose schedules only allowed for these days. Guess which demographic happened to fill up the entire area during your mission.

…so what were you suggesting he did? Move closer? Win you stuff? Hold your hand? Because if you really wanted to, he would do any of those - even all of them at once. 

“We need to stay professional,” he said without missing a beat.

“Oh, just loosen up. Come on. You look like an annoyed dad forced to chaperone his teenage daughter with how deep your forehead lines are.”

At this point, he was used to your teasing, but still… annoyed dad? Really? Kunikida furrowed his eyebrows even further. “What should I look like, then?”

You stared at him, gears almost visibly turning. Under the scrutiny of your gaze he felt like the very ice cream that was melting in your hands. “Like this, maybe?”

Before he could guess what you were about to do, he felt something fluffy but stiff hug his head. It must have been a silly headband of sorts, judging from your barely-contained laughter - what the heck was it exactly?

He took the mystery headband off and stared at it. It was a pair of bunny ears.

“I thought you didn’t want us to stick out?”

“You wouldn’t stick out if you weren’t such a killjoy,” you grumbled. “At least you’d look cute with those on.”

 C-cute?

“Anyway, they're about to go to the next ride,” you said as you picked up your things and prepared to leave. “We should get moving too and stay professional.”

Ouch. A direct arrow to the heart. “Y-yes, got it.”

—

Unfortunately, Kunikida’s professionalism dwindled even further. But no, it wasn’t because of you. Well, yes, but actually no. 

The question of acting like a couple for the sake of the mission had been tossed around in his head countless times. Each and every assignment was given utmost importance and must be completed successfully at all means necessary. Had it been anyone else, Kunikida wouldn’t have given it a second thought.

But this is you were talking about. Something as simple as holding your hand was sending him into overdrive. Sure, he could hide his feelings as best as he could the whole day if needed, but what if he screwed up somehow and ended up putting you in an awkward position? Worse, what if you caught on behind his hidden motivations and rejected him in the middle of a mission? 

That would suck. Hard.

Plus, knowing that Dazai skipped work today and recently purchased a pair of binoculars, Kunikida was intent on not slipping up. What if that bastard were to take photos and tease him - worse, you, about it?

That would suck. Even harder.

“Are you okay, Kunikida-san?”

No, no he was not. “I-It’s a bit colder today than I expected.” It couldn’t be further from the truth - if anything, he wanted to sit forever under the shade - but it was the first excuse his dazed mind could come up with.

“Really? That’s new. You always come prepared.” 

Well, he was prepared with dealing with the situation at hand (i.e. lying), but it wouldn’t be right to say he was prepared to deal with his emotions for the rest of the day. If he were, he wouldn’t have had to stick to a stupid lie like this in the first place… although the temptation to use it as a reason to hold your hand was flipping his brain inside out.

But he was Kunikida Doppo. Professional detective of the professional Armed Detective Agency. He must not ruin his image any further. “It happens to all of us-”

He was cut off by a sudden draping of gentle warmth - you had put your own jacket over his shoulders. The astonishment left him speechless, staring at you like he had violated you somehow.

“Don’t worry about me. I literally just ate ice cream - you think I feel cold?”

“But-”

“It’s fine.” You smiled so sweetly to ease him but the guilt only continued to swallow him up. “Think about it as thanks for everything you’ve done for me.”

If that’s how you want to put it, then he had no reason to refuse. But that didn’t change the truth. How shameful of him, really. What a terrible senior, let alone aspiring boyfriend he was. If he were to receive any punishment for his acts, he would accept it gladly. He’d atone for his sins and live as a renewed man.

…and it seems someone above heard his prayer.

The two of you were now standing in front of the attraction your clients just entered.

“D-do we have to go in?” He asked meekly.

“I mean, shouldn’t we? If someone wanted to hurt them, the haunted house is the perfect choice. It’s dark, pretty isolated, and they could easily pose as one of the actors.”

Yes, you were right. You were absolutely right. The haunted house is the perfect choice in more ways than one… 

And just as he promised, Kunikida accepted his fate and walked into the realm of his worst nightmares.

Stoic as he was, you still took notice of his strange behavior. Despite the dim lighting you saw his face turn pale and his grip on your small jacket tighten significantly. Only then did your other senior’s words echo in your mind.

Nothing’s better than watching a horror movie with Kunikida-kun! 

Ah. How brave of him to enter then, you thought.

But to him, it was a foolish decision. It was the most foolishly made foolish decision he made that day as his mistakes had made themselves known once more. Just the heat from the additional jacket increased his sweat production, and his clammy hands nearly tore through the fabric. Never mind that you witnessed him like this now; at this point he’s so done the only desire he had left was not to tarnish the reputation of the Agency to your clients.

Although his senses were bombarded in almost every way possible, he forced them all to focus on the two in front of him - as if there were no one else, including you - and soon, it eased him by at least 20%. Then suddenly, an unaccounted 20% decrease relieved him as well - why that was the case he wasn’t sure.

He didn’t give the last observation much thought, however. By the time his brain slowly began to function again, you and your clients finally made it out of the house. Alive.

“I see why it’s pretty famous,” you chirped. “It really was scary!” 

You didn’t even seem bothered at all. Well, as long as you and your clients had fun, then all his suffering would not go in vain-

 Wait, since when was he holding your hand? 

“Oh, someone’s calling.”

As quick as the realization came, so did you let go of his hand to swipe your phone from your pocket. The mix of embarrassment and disappointment that swelled as your lingering warmth slowly disappeared couldn’t be fully described. 

“Yes. Alright, sir. We’ll be right there.”

—

And just like that, your clients left. Quite satisfied clients, you might even say.

“What a day that was!” You said as you stretched your arms. It was a surprise how full of energy you were, considering that you two were in the park for as long as the sun was up. “Weird that they didn’t catch the fireworks, though.”

“Fireworks?” 

“Well, it’s actually for some other event in some other place. But this is where the best view is!”

You pointed at the largest attraction in the park: the ferris wheel.

“...if you’d like to join me, that is.”

The two of you knew he had plans after your mission. In fact, you were convinced that he’d have rushed to leave right after they said goodbye. But to your surprise, he gladly accepted your offer.

“Of course I would.”

Half of him was surprised he gave in. The silent cries of errands to be done were almost deafening, given how much he had to reschedule because he spent too much time getting ready that morning. But the other and embarrassingly louder half was simply overjoyed at this opportunity to fulfill a secret wish of his: to ride the ferris wheel with the person he loved most.

Perhaps it was that elation that erased whatever anxiety he’d gone through that day. For the moment he began talking with you casually from the end of the line to the moment you entered the cab, he almost forgot every single embarrassing act and thought he’d gathered.

How could he forget the joy of just talking to and being with you? 

“Kunikida-san-” 

The fireworks started bursting in the sky, lighting it up with colorful hues.  

“You’re right,” you continued. “It is cold today.”

It took a few moments before your words registered into his brain. “Ah, right. Sorry about that.”

He swiftly removed your jacket from his shoulders and gently draped them over yours. And he should have just as swiftly let go, but the way you were staring at him made it impossible to let go. The look in your beautiful eyes… the thoughts that followed were nearly just as impossible to resist.

“I’m sorry.”

You suddenly stole the words he should be saying. But why?

“I should have been more clear.”

Before he knew it, you took his hand and grasped it firmly.

“This would warm me up much better.”

Hearing you say that literally took him aback. What was the meaning of that? Why would- Wait-

Your chuckle only deepened the redness on his entire face. “I’ve been trying to stop myself the whole day, you know.” You couldn’t have been joking. With that expression, you couldn’t have been… right?

“Then-” he nearly choked.  “Then you shouldn’t have stopped yourself.”

His voice was so soft that if you hadn’t been in an enclosed space, you might not have heard it at all. Yet every word made it through. “I thought you said we had to stay professional?”

He smiled. You were right. As your cab reached the top of the wheel and the fireworks boomed as loudly as your hearts, he finally intertwined his fingers with yours.

“I suppose there can be exceptions.”

taglist: @stygianoir, @irethepotato, @kisara-16reblogs, @thatdazaikin, @dazaee, @menshusband, @celestair, @bloobewy, @renaxnnas, @kunikida-simp, @fyodorisbbg

[lesbianbanana]

Greek Mythology Characters If They Wrote Books

- If You See A Girl Covered In Blood, She's Having The Time Of Her Life by Artemis

- Gardener's Guide To Common Flowers by Apollo

- A List Of All The Times I Fucked Shit Up by Athena

- Reasons Why You Cannot Be Better Than Me by Aphrodite.

- How To Be Illegal At 2 Hours Old by Hermes

- How To Be The Baddest Bitch Ever by Dionysus

- A Day In The Life Of An Ancient Greek Homicidal Housewife by Hera

- A Day In The Life Of An Ancient Greek Whore Husband by Zeus

- Why You Should Punch Your Brothers In The Face by Demeter

- Vague Dolphin Noises by Poseidon

- When Everyone Hates You But You're Literally Trying You're Best by Ares

- No Comment by Hephaestus

- God Forbid A Girl Have Hobbies by Persephone

- When You're Literally The Only Chill Dude Here by Hades

- Why Family Therapists Should Be A Thing by Hestia

- I Have The Stupidest Boyfriend Ever Prove Me Wrong by Patroclus

- How To Anger Your Great Great Grandfather (Step By Step) by Achilles

- A Series Of Incredibly Stupid Events That Are All My Fault by Odysseus

- Awkward Moment When You're Family Line Is Cursed by The House of Atreus

- I Introduce My Wife To My Mum (End Will Shock You) by Oedipus

- Why You Shouldn't Show Any Interest In Your Dad's Hobbies by Phaethon

- When You Accidentally Started A War But You're Literally Just A Girl by Helen of Sparta Troy

- When You're A Girlboss But Everyone Here Is Misogynistic by Atalanta

- How To Get A Wife Who Actually Likes You by Perseus

- Everyone Hates Me And Honestly Same by Heracles

- How To Raise Homosexuals by Chiron

- When You Try To Help A Pal Out But It Backfires by Asclepius

- Some Girl In The Woods Made Me Transgender by Sipriotes

- Ouch Fuck That Hurts by Actaeon

- I Was Supposed To Break The Cycle But My Husband Kept Eating Our Kids by Rhea

- Why You Should Teach Your Son To Stab People (i.e. Your Husband) by Gaea

- How To Cheat Death (*May Backfire*) by Sisyphus

[ghost-bxrd]

Been reading some of the silver age Batman stuff... Ouch. Reading that and reading canon Bruce?

Ugh, I wanna punch whoever decided they had to make him an edgelord to be 'realistic'.

The silver age plots are goofy and all, I know. WFA plots have a bit of a sitcom feel, I know.

And the modern comics do have a lot of really interesting storylines - like the Court of Owls, Luke's whole WAR arc- and a lot of really creepy awesome villains.

But the problem is the modern mainstream comics? I can barely get through one without wanting to punch Bruce - and occasionally others, but most commonly Bruce - in the face.

And it is tough to enjoy a plotline when the main character is a jerk, if you were first introduced to that main character as a good dad, a good friend.

I really want DC to do a reboot again - or at least start an Elseworlds comic - where they bring back good dad Bruce.

Bruce taking Dick or Jason or whichever Batkid to movies or amusement park? Bruce hanging out with Clark just chatting and being BFFs? Dick just leaving for college instead of getting kicked out at 16? Dick and Jason having a good relationship? Batfam who do mess up, but always try to set it right?

Gimme!

I can totally relate!

The first time I got introduced to the Batman franchise it was with the general outline of “vigilante trying to save people regardless of their past and wrongdoing” which, admittedly, may be a bit shallow as far as characterization is concerned, but damn when I started getting into the batfam fandom and the Robin history… I was stumped.

The early versions of Batman, his trademark characteristic, was that he cared about people. That despite his past trauma, he was still so intrinsically good and kind hearted. He adored children. He never considered anybody beyond saving.

I will never understand how the writers could move from that Batman image onto a version of him that would adopt a child only to later kick him out and then tell another he’s “not interested in teenage rebellion” because “I’m not your dad”. Or even canonically punching one of them in the face hard enough to knock a tooth out, completely unprovoked.

(Not to mention the whole beating Jason up so badly that Jason literally says “I’ve never seen you hit Joker that hard. And you hate him.”… or the batarang incident. Just… yeah.)

It’s just… jarring.

I totally agree with you that there are some very interesting plots (Court of Owls my beloved) but I don’t get how that translates to the writers making Bruce such a horrible dad or mentor. Like, it doesn’t add anything to the story except making the reader dislike him. And not much (if anything) would have changed if they’d at least made him a decent dad/father. At least that’s how I feel.

(Writers should take inspiration from Batman: City of Madness, because the way Bruce handled the scared kid in there… THAT’S what he’s supposed to be like!!!! A gentle yet fierce protector!!!!!!)

So in conclusion… good dad Bruce for the win!!!!! This jerky Bruce isn’t canon for me 😤 Silver Age let’s go 💚

[verysmallcyborg]

Fornax Val'ethtue

B A S I C S

Name: Fornax Val'ethtue (or Fyrstyrn [fire star] Dotharl, when thinking of the two naming conventions)

Nicknames: They don't have much nicknames, however friends that know Fornax well enough can call them "Lily" (Delmira especially calls them that, this is because of their association with the flower), otherwise only Ryss gets to call her sea puppy or treasure

Age: 37 (by Endwalker)

Nameday: 5th Sun of the 1st Umbral Moon

Race: Sea Wolf Roegadyn + Xaela Au Ra (au roe, if you will. tehe)

Gender: Non-binary Butch (she/they)

Orientation: Lesbian

Profession: Outside of WoL responsibilities... bodyguard and marksman

P H Y S I C A L     A S P E C  T S

Hair: Black with a bunch of grey hairs. If it's short, it's spiky and either has the sides and the lower back of it shaved down, or they have their sideburns. If it's longer, then it's generally messy and uneven with a "wild" look.

Eyes: Black sclera, slit pupils, and vibrant orange. Fornax's eyes only glow because their dad taught them how to apply limbal rings when she was young, but never learned how to accurately do it (or when to stop doing it, until there was a full glow) after his death.

Skin: Dark grey, has a black gradient starting at their forearms and goes all the way to their hands. Has a fair amount of scales, though some are broken and ripped off around scars.

Tattoos/scars: Decorated in scars all over their face and body, but the most notable ones are on their face, neck, and torso. Some of her face scars are from saving a coeurl kit from hunters, and briefly got mauled by its mother when returning it (they understood the protective instinct, but OUCH). The scars across their neck and chest was an incident that put them at deaths door, and then a large scar on their side is from... WELL. Ryss. :) Don't worry about it :)

Very important: their top scars!! Those tits: chopped off. Also the end of their tail (that doesn't have the top layer of thick scales) has a bite scar from the Major-General, no one believes them when they say a tiny shark with tiny legs bit them while fishing.

Fornax has a very subtle trail of faint orange stars on their back for a tattoo!

F A M I L Y

Parents: Unnamed Roegadyn mother & Xaela father. Her mom was a traveling merchant of sorts, while her dad was part of the Dotharl clan. Unfortunately, both were murdered while Fornax was young... :')

Siblings: No siblings

Grandparents: N/A (I don't think that far with family LOL)

In-laws and Other: No idea about in-laws, but for other: their lovely spouse, Ryssrael!!! :)

Pets: Befriends every stray and animal that they cross, but specifically, they have a little black coeurl and a baby amaro that follow them around.

S K I L L S

Abilities: Very skilled with a rifle and axes of any kind (WAR/MCH combo), though they are in their best element when within melee range. Weaponizes their teeth, claws, and tail as often as they can, and wields terrifying, brutal strength that amplifies when angered or under a need to win and/or survive. Best not to piss off a butch who could pull an entire ship with just them and their partner!!

Hobbies: LOVES cooking and all kinds of hands-on crafts, but specifically knitting and crocheting.

T R A I T S

Most Positive Trait: Their unwavering determination

Most Negative Trait: Has a self-destructive habit of fleeing and attempting to isolate themselves when hurt

L I K E S

Colors: Most warm colors, baby blue, black, and purple

Smells: Burning firewood, ocean breezes on the sunrise/sunset, the stinging metallic scent of blood, flowers in a field, freshly cooked food (especially stews and bread)

Textures: The subtle raised skin of old scars, the wool off of freshly sheared karakuls, tree bark, warm hands against their scales, horns, and tail

Drinks: Apple cider, hot chocolate, fruity beverages

O T H E R    D E T A I L S

Smokes: Not really, unless offered

Drinks: Only in good company/socially

Drugs: Recreationally? Maybe, otherwise nah

Mount Issuance: Still has their red chocobo (HEH...) but he spends his days sleeping and chilling in the garden of their yard. Nowadays they use a comically tiny airship.

Been Arrested: Several times by the Maelstrom and Flames, mostly when they were a teenager & young adult because of petty thefts and getting in trouble for some of the jobs they took on to scrape by. Fornax has gotten significantly better at escaping and hiding though, which is kinda funny when you wonder, how does anyone lose a 8ft/244cm tall au roe with a big ole tail?

Tagged by @hazelkjt and @cindernet-explorer!!! thank you <3

UHHHHHH i've seen most folks i follow be tagged already, so i'm pointing at the viewer. Your Turn

[lemon-russ]

Saw an anon send an ask to @moodymisty and I was overcome with a need to make this.

(Part 1 of) Rating how good of a father each primarch would be:

Lion- 6/10

You'd think it'd be lower but like a Lion he's actually good with playing with them even though he feigns disinterest. He's the kind of dad to bring them out in the woods without saying a word, hand them a bolter and point at an animal to teach them to shoot and hunt. He acts like they are annoying him but always has reasons he wants to go teach them something. When they're babies he does the thing where he pretends they've gravely wounded him when they run at him, flopping over on the floor and going "oh ow ouch you got me."

Not emotionally available, though. And very little patience for their bullshit when they are older. But always protective from afar and always will fight anyone who disrespects them. His kids love him but are constantly like "Sorry about my Dad I don't know why he's like this" Kind of embarrassed by him, but they know he loves them in his own way.

Fulgrim- 4/10

They're never going to live up to his expectations. He tries to be supportive and encouraging, but he can't shake the want for them to be better. They are a chronic overachiever, and he tells them yes, that's wonderful, but maybe if you tried just a little harder, you'd have done even better? He isn't trying to be cruel, but he can't help himself. He loves his kid, but they live with the pressure of never being good enough. He tries to help by enrolling them in way too many extracurriculars.

His kids love him but feel like they are failing him and want to be better. They want to make him proud. He never belittles them or says anything against them, but they want him to be really actually proud of them.

Perturabo- 1/10

Have you ever seen how narcissist parents are? His kids aren't good enough. Unlike Fulgrim, he doesn't pretend they are for their sake. He compares them constantly to their cousins, Dorn's kids. Why aren't they better than their cousins? They are, of course, he will tell anyone. Of course, his kids are the best. But in private, he resents them for being another chip against his reputation. They are supposed to be like him, and he is perfect. By being imperfect, they are insulting him. Why is everything he makes imperfect? Also, bad temper, obviously.

His kids hate him or are terrified of him, and constantly under pressure to do better. Excel in everything but never think they are good at anything.

Khan- 2/10

Absentee father of hundreds. Doesn't hate his kids, just prefers his freedom. Occasionally will find one, bring them on bike ride to give them a talk about life, then they don't see him again. Not mean, just not there.

His kids opinion of him ranges from "who?" To "I met him once, he was fine I guess." Their mothers are taken care of at least.

Leman Russ- 8/10 (yes I'm biased idc)

Loves being a Dad, loves his kids, loves his wife. Loves making kids. The whole Legion takes care of the kids and helps raise them. Only things that go wrong is Leman isn't super emotionally sensitive, and can be a little harsh on his kids when they're older. But otherwise loves hanging out with them, often steals them away to bring them with him while he works. Baby strapped to his chest and toddler in his sholders while he's making war plans. Showing his older kids what he's doing while he's planning out attacks. Taking the whole kaboodle out for a day to play in the forests with his fenrisian wolves.

Genuinely believes they are the best and can do no wrong, will fight anyone who suggests they aren't great. Privately will correct them if they really mess up, but has a blind spot for them, so they can be a little spoiled. Plus there's like 12 of them if he has his way so some don't get all the attention they need.

His kids adore him and are happy as clams, if not a little spoiled and have a bit of attitude.

(Will do part 2 later)

[the-furthest-city-light]

My unhinged thoughts on Luffy and Garp's relationship post-Marineford

Y'all have a very lovely comment on one of my fics to blame for this rant on Luffy and Garp's relationship and where they stand after Marineford:

Luffy and Garp as they relate to each other is so interesting because I think despite his absences, Luffy acquired a lot of his ideas about what family is and isn't from Garp. And, maybe, learned to separate what a person is to him from who that person is, too. In a way I think that's why he imprinted so hard on Shanks--he's the first person Luffy met whose role in his life matches who he is as a person and it's why he builds himself a family by acquiring people whose goals match his own so that there IS no conflict. Fast forward to Luffy as a teenager, we see that when Luffy is confronted by a person who has a conflict with his own ideals and goals, it doesn't present an inherent issue for him--that's the primary way he relates to people anyway (for ex: Coby).

Garp is also the one who modeled for Luffy that presence/time spent doesn't correllate to the strength of a relationship, that just because Garp wasn't there all the time doesn't mean they don't have a bond. And yes this gave Luffy all the abandonment issues but it's clear that Luffy has accepted it by the time canon comes around. At some point he clearly decided to view it as "Gramps gave me what he needed and made sure I had a family to grow up with and that's plenty, of course he loves us," and not "Gramps abandoned me and never loved me."

On top of all of that, whatever else Garp did or did not think about him, Ace, and Sabo, and their dreams, Luffy grew up knowing that Garp valued them and their lives above the letter of the law and his job. Luffy never cared who Ace's dad was, but he grew up knowing that Garp also knew and always thought he deserved to have a chance to live, and always loved Ace even if he never approved of the kids' desire to be a pirate. He knows that Garp values family over the law.

And then there's Garp. Garp who Sengoku describes as "a family man more than a marine." Garp who refused (multiple!) promotions to the Admirality because he didn't want to serve the Celestial Dragons, Garp who Roger trusted with his very own kid. His parenting techniques might be...questionable (read: If this was a real man he would have CPS called on him so fast but we're going with the intended reading of him from the manga) but it's clear he loves the kids. We also know the man has a flexible view of the law, he's a Marine because he believes it's where he can do the most good/help the most people. He views the rules as things he can bend if not break (a quality that clearly gets stronger as the generations pass lmao). He doesn't seem to respect authority, but he DOES seem to respect the need for the perception of it, or at least the role the Marines need to play in the eyes of the public. He believes people need heroes to believe in, and he believes the Marines should fill that role, and that's what he spent his life trying to embody.

And then Marineford.

Garp is caught between these two things: his family, and the institution he devoted his life to. And it sucks, obviously. He goes to visit Ace in Impel Down and he tells him a few things, but Garp says 1) No one can stop the war (not even him), 2) he's proud of Luffy for everything he did at Enies Lobby and Sabaody, (which also tells Ace that he's not condemned in his eyes for being a pirate--the condemnation of his life is coming from the institution Garp works for, not from Garp as a judgement of the man he became).

Ace responds by saying Whitebeard is the only father he has (ouch--Garp is the only father figure Ace grew up with), which is the last exchange we have until this:

Garp believes in the need for the execution and the war in general--the problem for him is that this is his family. This is the baby he took responsibility for, a kid he's loved for years. So Garp doesn't do anything in the war, doesn't object or condem. All he does is take a seat next to Ace, keeps him company. And to be fair to Garp? It doesn't seem like Ace expects anything more. And it seems like he appreciates it.

So he's got one kid on the execution stand, and he's resolved to let him die for the sake of what he thinks is the greater good. And his other kid, the one chasing the same fate that's getting Ace killed now, is trying to save his life. And he just...watches it unfold, because he's trapped by his own convictions--another thing he passed down to both of the boys, so how can he betray what he told them and not hold steady to his own beliefs?

I think for Luffy, he probably didn't have much time to process Garp's presence at Marineford or his role in Ace's execution at the time. In fact the only time they really interract directly is this moment from a chapter literally titled "The Execution Platform":

The title obviously refers to the literal execution platform Ace is on that Luffy has been trying to reach the entire arc but metaphorically? It's also about this. Luffy, being confronted with a grandfather who is for some reason putting his job over his brother's life, and Garp, making a last ditch effort to stand by his own conviction.

There's no way Luffy can understand this decision in the moment--he already made the same one on Amazon Lily, where he was faced with the option to either go and meet his crew on Sabaody (keep following his dream) or go after Ace. He chose Ace, because Luffy always chooses people over his own goals. I think he would understand Garp more if he had been present for Garp and Ace's conversations on the scaffold, but he wasn't.

There's an argument to be made here that Garp is giving Luffy the opportunity to save his brother by stepping in himself and letting Luffy punch him. It would be more plausible except for the fact that Garp calls Luffy "Straw Hat" here instead of "Luffy." He drops the familiarity, and he sets himself in Luffy's way, even when Luffy begs him. I don't think Garp knew he was going to let Luffy knock him away until the very last second. Not until Luffy committed to punching him.

He gives Luffy this one last piece of advice, this one last chance to be his grandfather, where he says "this is the path you have chosen, and it will be difficult, but you're on it now and you have to commit.":

And he remembers Ace saying he wants to live, and lets Luffy hit him to get to his brother.

This is the last we see of their relationship. Luffy doesn't mention him again except to tell Chin Jao off in Dressrosa. Presumably he processed how his relationship with his grandfather has changed in the aftermath, but what he thinks about it? Mostly a mystery. All the things he got from Garp are still true, and I think he still probably manages to compartmentalize most of it as a person vs. dreams/conviction thing. Luffy wouldn't judge Garp for his decisions, and he wouldn't hold resentments either. Whatever he feels or doesn't feel toward Garp, it's definitely overshadowed by Ace's loss.

For Garp's part, the man retired immediately after the war. Luffy literally says "If I don't do everything I can to save Ace, I wouldn't be able to live with myself" a few chapters before the execution stand, and Garp didn't live with himself, at least not without changing his circumstances. He gave up his commission to run escorts for royalty and train people. We do know he's still proud of Luffy, like he told Ace in Impel Down, and he laughs when Luffy's New World exploits are brought up. Garp's the one with regrets, not Luffy, and I think if they ever speak again (who knows, with Garp being...y'know), it'll be about those regrets.

What else do you talk about with estranged family?

[illdowhatiwantthanks]

Hey! Can I request a Carol Danvers x sibling!reader who has autism and Carol is protective of them?

Hey there, anon! Not sure this is exactly what you were looking for... it's more Carol being big-sisterly than protective exactly, but I'm pleased with how it ended up. Hope you enjoy! –illdowhatiwantthanks

Find Your People

Carol Danvers x autistic!sibling!reader Warnings: general discussion of homophobia, explicit language (let me know if I've missed anything!) Word count: 1.8k

Summary: You've always struggled with making friends, but you're feeling particularly left out these days. But your old sister, Carol, is back home on break from the Air Force Academy, and she's here to help you feel better.

You stared at the picture on your phone, holding your thumb over it to keep it in place. There was no doubt about what it was–all your friends, together, without you. You tried to rationalize it. Maybe they were doing something they knew you wouldn’t like. Maybe they didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. But deep down you knew the truth: it was probably you who made them uncomfortable.

You felt like you should cry, but you never really knew how to. It’s not that you didn’t feel things, exactly, it’s that when you felt something, you just thought about it a lot. You turned it over and over inside of you, like if you just looked hard enough at it, if you just examined it enough, you could figure out why whatever was going on inside you was so different from everyone else.

You heard a knock on your open door and your head shot up. It was your older sister, Carol. She was home for the holidays after her first semester in the Air Force Academy, and she seemed… different. Not in her spirit, not in who she was–that was the same as always. But her body was stronger, leaner, and you could tell that she’d finally found a place where she fit. Where she felt like who she was and what she wanted were good things. Where other people wanted the same things. And, even though you were happy for her, you missed her. And you knew in your heart, she’d never be back. Not in the same way. Not always.

So it’d just be you, alone in this house, in this place. With your mom who acted like it was still the ‘50s. With your dad who was disappointed in how you’d turned out, even though he tried to hide it. Going to Mass on Sunday where you didn’t fit. Going to school during the week where you didn’t fit. And then sitting in your room, “playing” around with your robotics, as your parents called it, instead of making friends.

“Go away, Carol,” you snapped, pulling your knees to your chest and turning away.

“Ouch,” she shot back good-naturedly, coming in and sitting on the edge of your bed. “And this is how you treat a returning war hero?”

“You’re not a war hero, you’re just in pilot training,” you mumbled. “Also, fuck the military. And fuck capitalism.”

“Okay, well…” Carol chuckled and grabbed the side of your head, pulling you in for an awkward hug. “I’m giving Uncle Sam ten years so I can get out of here without drowning in loans, but then I’ll fuck capitalism with you.”

You moved further away from her. All Carol wanted was to get away from here. Away from you.

“You going to the football game tonight?” she asked, running a hand through her hair.

You traced the patterns on your quilt, thinking about the pictures your friends were posting from the stadium. “You know I’m not,” you whispered.

She shrugged. “You could. You know, if you wanted to.”

“No. I can’t.” Your voice was getting louder now, and you felt your face growing red. “It’s too loud, and there are too many people. And nobody wants me there anyway.”

“You don’t know that.”

Now you really felt like you could cry. “Actually, I do.”

You and Carol sat in silence for a few minutes, you picking at the fabric of your quilt and Carol watching you. After a while, Carol hooked her pinky with yours and you sniffed, looking away.

Her voice was quiet now, kind. “You’ll find your people, Y/N. They’re out there.”

“I just…” You sighed and tugged on your earlobe, a nervous tick. “I wish I could be like everyone else. It’s so easy for them to make friends and I… I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong. Something’s wrong with me, Carol.”

“Hey,” she said, tilting her head so you had to look her in the eyes. “Nothing is wrong with you. You’re the coolest person I know.”

You seemed unconvinced, so Carol laid it on harder.

“Look, they don’t know what they’re missing out on, okay? I used to think something was wrong with me, too. But I just had to find people who were like me.”

“Really?”

“Really. Why don’t we go out tonight, huh? Just me and you? I want to hang out with you.”

You rolled your eyes. “You’re just saying that because you’re my sister.”

“I’m not,” she insisted, dragging you off your bed. “Who else could I talk to about plane mechanics?”

Your face lit up. “You got to see the engines?!”

“I learned all about the engines. Come on, we can go to the diner. I bet no one’s there because they’re all at the game.”

Breakfast for dinner at Pat’s was a tradition for you and Carol. She’d started taking you after she got her driver’s license, to get you out of the house when your parents were fighting. You were old enough now that your parents fighting was old news, but the tradition had stayed alive.

You’d been so many times that the nighttime waitress knew your order. Banana pancakes for you, with extra whipped cream, and the Thursday special for Carol–an English muffin topped with scrambled eggs and cheese with grits and sausage on the side. They always made it for her, even if it wasn’t Thursday.

You cut your pancakes into careful triangles, feeling better already. There wasn’t much that pancakes couldn’t make better. You watched Carol salt and pepper her grits and felt a surge of love for her. She really did like you. She didn’t have to hang out with you, but she did anyway. Carol was your person. And if she’d found people in the Air Force, well, maybe you’d find people somewhere out there, too.

“You found people in the Academy?” you asked her, mumbling through a mouthful of pancake.

“What?”

Oh, right, you thought. Context. “At the Air Force. Did you find your people?”

“Oh, um…” She thought about it for a bit too long. She wasn’t trying to find the answer, you realized. She already had it. She was trying to decide whether or not to share it with you.

“Carol.” She startled and blushed a bit as you stared at her. “I can tell you’re hiding something. I’m not stupid.”

“I don’t think you’re–”

“What happened? Did you get a boyfriend or something, and you’re afraid Mom and Dad will find out? I won’t tell, I promise.”

She bit her lip and exhaled deeply, just watching you. She glanced around the diner, then leaned toward you, her voice low and shaky. “I got… I got a girlfriend.”

“Oh,” you said, the words bouncing around in your skull until they finally sunk in and made sense. “Oh.”

Carol looked worried, almost scared. She was never scared. You didn’t know what to say, how to make her feel not scared. You weren’t good with feelings, even your own. You decided just to treat the revelation of Carol having a girlfriend the way you’d treat the news of her having a boyfriend.

“What’s her name?” you asked.

Carol visibly relaxed and, for just a brief moment, you saw the shine of tears in her eyes, but she knew you better than anyone. Knew that neither you nor her were very comfortable with crying. She beamed at you.

“Maria.”

“Maria what?”

“Maria Rambeau.”

You nodded approvingly, taking another bite of pancake. “That’s a badass name. Is she in the pilot program, too?”

Carol nodded, growing more and more comfortable, even diving back into her bowl of grits. “She’s so strong. Way stronger than me. And smart. And beautiful.”

At these last words, she blushed and looked around, as if afraid of being overhead. And for good reason. Bethany, Massachusetts, was not the place for a girl to like girls. All these small-town people with small-town minds, going to Mass every Sunday just like their parents had and their parents before them. Your father had hit you just once in your life, and it was after you’d said you didn’t believe in God, that the idea of a higher power didn’t make any sense.

You’d kept your religious beliefs, or lack thereof, to yourself since, except with Carol who said you were probably right.

“Can I meet her sometime?” you asked.

“I hope so,” she said, and you could tell by the tenor of her voice that she really meant it. “I think you would like her, and she would like you.”

You wrinkled your nose. “Why?”

Carol shrugged, chewing thoughtfully. “I don’t know exactly. She’s just… she’s a no-bullshit kind of person, you know? Like you. What you see is what you get. You don’t have to guess where you’re at with her. It’s nice. Refreshing.”

After you finished your meal and a long conversation about the particulars of fighter jet engines, Carol left some cash on the counter, and you followed her out to her old pickup truck, clambering into the passenger seat. She paused and looked at you, the key resting in the ignition.

“Y/N?” she asked, her voice hesitant again.

“Yeah?”

“Could you not tell Mom and Dad? About Maria?”

You met her eyes, fully, for the first time that evening. “I would never.”

She nodded, and you waited for her to start the car, but she still just stared into the distance.

“Do you think I’m going to hell?” Her voice was so quiet you almost couldn’t hear it.

“No,” you said bluntly. “I don’t believe in hell.”

At this, she started laughing, out of relief or amusement you didn’t know.

“Even if I did,” you continued as she started the car and peeled out of the parking lot. “Loving someone seems like a stupid thing for God to send someone to hell for.”

“It does, doesn’t it?”

“And wouldn’t everyone else who was like you be down there, too? I don’t know, if I were Satan, I wouldn’t punish people for being like me. Wouldn’t I just be like, ‘Yes! These are my kind of people!’ I think if there was a hell, it’d just be a big party with people who don’t like going to Mass.”

She ruffled the hair at the top of your head and you squirmed away, a bit too late. “You’re pretty smart, you know that?” she said, smiling softly at you.

“Yeah.”

“You’re gonna find your people, Y/N. I promise. And, until then, you’ve got me.”

“Only until then?”

Carol chuckled and shoved your shoulder. “You dork. After that, too.” And you knew that even when she was far away, even when she was hurtling through the air or holding hands with Maria, or laughing with her friends at the Air Force Academy, there was a part of Carol that was yours and always would be yours. Because she was your sister. She was your person. And you were hers.

[lafaiette]

On the topic of songs that makes one think of Pen, I feel that "For the departed" by Shayfer James, though not a perfect fit for him, works in regard to him forcing the builder away by acting cruel, and him possibly feeling like he has to follow through with his role as a villian to sandrock because he has already done so many terrible things. (Though admittedly I'm probably in headcanon territory right now)

I don't think it's headcanon territory at all! He basically confirms that by saying this:

He knows his list of murders (and it's pretty long, according to Avery) makes it terribly complicated for him to be accepted back into society. Miguel and Larry are forgiven because they never killed anyone - they tried to, yes, but they never actually managed to. Their hands are still clean, so they are considered still "redeemable".

Meanwhile Pen is stuck in some weird limbo thanks to Pathea. I mean, they could have made him just a war criminal (but remember, he's a war criminal for the Alliance. In Duvos he's a hero, and Duvos is full of good, hopeful people, too), without any ties to Howlett's death.

In that case, since he didn't kill anyone related to the other characters, his crimes would have been less "heavy" (like with Aadit from MTAP, who is implied to be the Knight, but who can still marry you and have babies with you). It would have been like: "Yeah, he's a murderer, but he never killed anyone we know and he's ready to change for the Builder, so..." "Yeah, Miguel tried to shoot Logan, but everything worked out in the end, so..." "Yeah, Larry the Geegler tried to kill us, but he never did and now he needs our help, so..."

And Pen actually mentions this slight, but crucial nuance if you choose another dialogue option:"Ouch, though, Skinny! I mean, I thought we were at least still kinda cool. I mean… I didn't even kill anyone you know personally! Or you!"

But since he killed Logan's dad (and Logan is the poster boy of the game, the perfect man who can do no wrong and who brings Pathea so many sweet dollars), he's reduced to cartoon villain tier.

[vampiric-succulent]

OUAW EP 53:

Spoiler warning!!! I’m being so serious right now as this is a pretty lore heavy episode. This contains spoilers.

Also, I am losing my MIND.

When they are in the Beneath and giving their stories to the Oracle: will Torbek ever get that back???????? That’s so important, it’s the entire reason he’s here, I actually don’t think this story will go on if Torbek is unable to remember the inspiration for why he’s on this journey.

Plot-wise I am WORRIED.

Does this mean that the other is just gone??????

This is so consequential like there are so many consequences for these actions YOU GUYS

also Frost’s story was SO SAD to have lost like that was so cool

Other notes: Nikkie is ofc the biggest Coalecroux shipper I love it, also there’s so much good chaos

This episode is a great mix of chaos and LORE

THE WOOD ELF—-

I. Forgot about the Speech Bubble effect that Torbek has. Holy shiiiiiiit. Andy you genius.

Frost being a proud nudist and Gricko’s legs being fused together is hilarious

“I TRIP AND LAND IN FROSTY’S LAP”

THE DUKE????????? DUKE?????????

Good god this is crazy. They all forgot the the goddamn Torbek lore and now they have to catch up but they’re NOT catching up and it’s so ANNOYING

Wait how much do they still know/remember????? UGH THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING

Knowing Rich, Kremy is going to tell a really emotionally important story relating to Gideon and then Kremy’s gonna forget it. Goddamn.

Ouch. Gideon doesn’t remember his dad anymore. Yikes. Can the Feywild stop stealing memories??

A hesitation about taking this memory? What, the other ones weren’t enough to warrant hesitation?

“Get on it, fanfiction” WILD

Something coming to the Inn at the End of the Road? Or just a scene of comfort OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT HOLY FUCK OH MY GOD

TWIG IS BABA YAGA????? AND THE INN AT THE END OF THE ROAD IS BABA YAGA’S HUT???????? AND THE CAULDRON IS RIGHT THERE????????????????

WOAH. WOAH. WOAH. BABA YAGA STILLS THE HAND

Also does the fact that it’s a PUMPKIN tart mean anything????? Is the connection im making to the guy they took this quest from (Madrick Roslov, I think his name was) a valid one to make??????????

Twig is an agent of, or maybe is herself, Baba Yaga. This was foreshadowed? or shown? when they visited Morgana (the version of Zybilna that is stuck in time) and she “fixed” the Twig doll and told the party that it was made by her Grandmother, who was revealed to be Baba Yaga. I didn’t pick up on that.

Nikkie is SO GOOD at storytelling oh my LORD

Damn, Gricko. Damn.

OPERA TIME!!!!!! That’s where Burly is!!

Ohhhh. Opening Night. Mother of Puppets.

ONE MORE TO GO NO GUYS COME ON!!!!! ONE MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Level 6 is death, you guys would only be at level 4!!!!

YEAH THERE WE GO MEET CUTE STORY TIME— oh. Oh no he’s. He’s gonna forget it isn’t he. Fuck. RICHIE STOP

“But yknow friends to lovers is also really good” 😏😏

Oh I thought this was gonna be Coalecroux, but wow this works too

REMI GAROU / BARON SAMEDI IS DESCRIBED MIGHTY SIMILAR TO MR GIDEON COAL

TWIN BRAIN COMING IN CLUTCH RN

That was perfect. Thank god that it’s not a Coalecroux thing he’s gonna forget.

They’re all so GOOD at STORYTELLING ffs I’m going to lose my MIND

THE RED AND WHITE WAR AND THE JABBERWOCK 😮🫵‼️‼️ OPE nvm I was wrong

PEGASUS???? THE BARN OWL??????? 13???????

HUH NO COME BACK WHAT DO YOU MEAN

Wait. Okay. So the Barn Owl is of the King of Hearts (if I remember right, that’s what he turned into after the party first met him). The unicorn became Pegasus became the barn owl. The lightning storm, which we now know was an illusion, was involved. Red and White are here again, and we know the Red and White War happened. This is probably larger Dungeons and Dragons lore that I don’t know. I am REELING.

Goddamnit I promised myself I would do things at the end of this episode!!!!! I can’t just go straight to the next one but oh god do I want to

[new-tella-us]

How would the boys react to Mika being pregnant? Would they know before her (I feel like James would) and what kind of fathers do you think they’d be?

Well they would all be happy by default. It seems to be in the succubus instinct to REALLY wanna further your lineage so, naturally they would all want this on a genetic level.

However. Mentality always beats genetics. Let's go into that.

If any guy could know that a girl was prego before the girl herself, James would in fact be that guy. I think of all of them he would be the most.... pleased? I guess? I feel like that's not the right word but happy isn't the word I'm looking for either. He was the crowned prince. Other than ruling the kingdom well, having an heir was probably the highest priority he was taught. Plus he does dedicate a good chunk of his life to making sure his brothers are happy and successful in life. It would be natural for him to be a family man.

Though as a father, one hurdle he would force himself to get over is his emotional distance. He knows that he's not the most emotionally open and that was fine when it was just Mika and she seemed to understand but he's aware that his judgmental nature and distance would negatively affect his child so he would work that out to give his child the best chance of a good life. On a positive though? That child is gunna be educated as fuck! They are going to read higher level books as a teen than most people do ever. Easy ticket to a stable life.

I feel like Erik would have a feeling but also after the events of Demon War, he would be a little doubtful. He says himself that he would be happy if Mika was the mother of his child so he would happy with the pregnancy, his only concern would be for Mika's health and safety. I kinda joked about this in a previous post but because of the whole "demons are born with tiny horns" thing, that could probably scrape up Mika's insides especially since -if the kid is born with horns like Erik's or his mother's- that shit is coming out of the sides of their head. So O U C H.

As a father though, I can see Erik being very doting possibly to the point of mildly spoiling the child. He wants to give his child all the love and freedom his mother denied him, giving them the opportunity to do any activity they could ever want regardless of how it seems socially. He would essentially be raising his opposite for better and for worse.

Sam would absolutely NOT be able to tell. He probably didn't even think it was possible. He would be shocked but happy. I don't think he sees himself as the fatherly type but he's more than willing to learn. His concerns will change based on what route you're on. If you're on the King Sam route, his concern would be the race of the child. Sure Mika was turned into a succubus but how much of that changed her genetic makeup? Would she make succubus children or human children? And, the more concerning part, how would the kingdom react? They barely accepted Mika as their queen, they would NOT accept human children as their future rulers. Sam would rather not have to fight his entire kingdom, yknow?

By contrast, if you went down the default good route, Sam couldn't give less of a fuck about race if you paid him to. Now his concern is how he's gunna raise the kid. Royalty gives you structure, without that he has to freestyle.

As a father, I can see Sam as kind and soft but only with his wife and daughters. Yes I said "daughters", I made a mother's day drawing that shows Mika and Sam having twin girls. (So like double OUCH on the birth for Mika) Sam is your typical overprotective dad type. He wants his girls to be safe so he will protect them with his life. He would also teach his daughters self defense so they can protect themselves once they're grown.

Matthew would also not be able to tell. If Mika gets morning sickness, Matthew would be more concerned that she's caught something from work. Though when he is told, he will be SQUEALING with happiness. He would absolutely be the happiest of the five to be a dad. It's far beyond "biological need", he genuinely wants to be a parent. Mika is not lifting a goddamn finger for any of the chores or physical work. Hell even Simon Tabby causes fewer issues to not stress Mika out.

As a father, he would be fun loving. His child would never be bored or feel neglected as long as he's around..... However, like Mother, like Son. It's not that Matthew is anywhere near as crazy as Aezera but he would probably share a few of her values on family and magical education. He would prioritize the child's happiness and self expression while also making sure that they are well trained and well educated especially in magic. After all, even if the child doesn't show immediate promise, he had a runt phase too. They just need some training. This is the exact way Aezera raised Matthew, with Matthew just being not invasive or horribly controlling. Definitely an improvement, still room to improve though.

I would say "Damien is a mindreader" but he isn't at this point! YAY! So he might not figure it out until he's told. Now, I think Damien would be happy, however after seeing a video from Michaela, I realize he would have more of a nuanced response. His anxiety would take hold as he questions if they even have the physical and emotional resources to care for a child. On top of that, race comes back as an issue but it's now the opposite. Has Damien's DNA changed when he was truly turned human or would he produce demon kids? How would two humans deal with human-demon hybrids? He would be terrified of any of his kids gaining his mind reading seeing how miserable it made him and he would probably also be concerned from Mika's safety with the horns thing again. However, when his anxieties calm down, he would show more of that happiness. The best part of the next nine months would be Mika and Damien getting to set up their child's room and fill it with everything new parents need.

As a father, I think Damien would be a sweet but stern dad. Teaching his kids morals and kindness so they can grow up to be empathetic people. As much as his last interaction with his mother broke his heart, from how heartbroken he was we can tell that Damien's mother had a close relationship with Damien once. I think he would try to reform that relationship with his child and mimic all the things he loved about his mother hoping that his kid could view him the way he viewed his mother. Where I think his fault would lie would be his slightly possessive nature and his PTSD. That would extend to his children and may make him stifle them in an attempt to keep them away from danger, real and perceived. Though an honest conversation, either from the child or Mika, would help.

[too-antigonish]

Maybe you can blame Roger...

(Or give him credit)

Last week I did a retrospective of the various 'staches that Evans has sported at one time or another. It got me thinking about Roger Allam's many and varied adventures in facial hair.

Given the amount of time these men spent together and the basic dynamics of peer pressure, I think it was really only a matter of time before Evans gave the 'tache a try.

Here are some of Roger's best (and worst) looks:

The English Civil War (2001) Rating: Ouch!

2. Foyle's War (2002) Rating: Almost a Morstache

3. Manchild (2003) Rating: Every bit as smarmy as the character

4. The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (2003) Rating: Even the 'tache has an accent

5. The Curse of Steptoe (2008) Rating: Bold and bushy

6. Henry IV (2010) Rating: Glorious. Really.

7. Game of Thrones (2011) Rating: Bold but a touch dwarvish

8. Parade's End (2012) Rating: Impeccably hilarious

9. The Tempest (2013) Rating: This rough magic

10. A Royal Night Out (2015) Rating: Morstache goes Dad-stache

11. Rutherford and Son (2019) Rating: Shaggy late Orson Welles

All photos sourced from the Gallery at all-allam.com

[destinygoldenstar]

As a kid watching Ninjago, I was just interested in the flashy powers, and the heroics of the main characters, like any kid would. Like, 'Aw these guys are so heroic and selfless and awesome'

But now as an adult, when I recommended my GF the show, I specifically said "This is Family Issues: The Lego Cartoon"

Honestly, Jay likes to complain and hide his upbringing, but he's probably the ONLY ninja with any resemblance of a normal happy childhood and backstory. He has two loving parents who supported him, and was an aspiring inventor.

You could argue Fritz Donegan rectified it, but Jay didn't know this, so how would this affect how is childhood turned out?

At worst, he was dirt poor, living in a junkyard and all, but compared to what the rest of his team went through, I think they'd WANT what Jay had.

Nah, instead most of Jay's trauma and emotional baggage is in the present.

And who else do we have?

We have a robot who didn't even know he was a robot, or had any idea of his identity or memory, so much so that he was just... wandering around the land with amnesia. (Then, you know, everyone thought he was weird)

We have Cole, who grew up in a harsh family background where his dad forced/pressured his kid to be a musician, and canonically suffered depression and bad violence habits after the loss of his mother/during her illness. (Idk about those other Royal Blacksmiths if they are in the family or not, but either way they didn't seem supportive)

Kai and Nya's parents up and vanished from their lives at ages five and three, and they had to raise each other all by themselves with just a blacksmith shop. Basically means they were forced to end their childhoods right there, especially Kai, because older sibling. And there's no indication they had any friends or anyone to help them in their town, at most there was that one lady that they hated, so... ouch.

And... Lloyd.

Just Lloyd.

Half of the show is just Lloyd suffering.

Born as the son of a man forced into an evil oni maniac, said father ditched his entire family.

Mom decided it was a good idea to abandon her kid in a boarding school about villainy. (That's like, the ONE thing I genuinely think the movie did better than the show.)

And that school heavily bullied Lloyd and even exiled him, forcing him on the streets, basically

Everyone hates him and doesn't help him (until Pythor)

Gets tricked by Pythor

Gets kidnapped by Serphantine

Nearly dies in lava

Is given a destiny as the savior of all of Ninjago where he's forced to be on opposite sides of his father, and part of said destiny involves him needing to kill him

AGAINST HIS WILL MIND YOU

Was LITERALLY forced to give up his childhood for this destiny

Was tortured by the Overlord for his golden power

Ice Ninja died

He got his father back, and then he died.

Was possessed by an evil ghost tyrant and was forced to do horrible stuff with no control over himself

Was also physically strained to his limit with that possession

Lost his uncle

Fell in love, and then said crush turns out to be a twist villain who wants to TORTURE him, resurrect his father and steal that fatherly love from him, and have said father try to KILL HIM

Which he was very close to succeeding at

Has to live in hiding for a week thinking all his friends are dead

Twist villain crush dies in a building collapse

That traumatizes him and haunts his trust and empathy towards people for A LONG TIME

Gets cubed in a video game (idk if that counts as trauma)

He's also a dragon oni hybrid, and his oni hide haunts his mind for his entire life, and is terrified to even think of a part of himself

Merge. For weeks he thought all his friends were dead. (Again)

And you know, physical beatdowns from being the Green Ninja, one of the most responsible jobs as the savior of all of Ninjago.

And that is not even everything, I'm sure there's a lot of stuff I didn't mention.

This poor, poor Emo Child.

If this wasn't a Lego show, this would have a Clone Wars tone, I'm convinced.

So yeah, 'Family Issues: The cartoon'.

At least they all have each other. They're a happy found family, and the light in each other's lives. They're here for each other. Their dynamics are precious to me.